It sucks when you drive to work and suddenly find yourself in another universe. Now I have to survive and try to find a way back to my family. No dang ROBs around, and is this a Jumpchain? Freak all that I want to be with my family!
Where the heck am I?
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Chapter 1.01
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.01
————————————
Do you know the feeling you get when life couldn't get any weirder? Well, it freaking sucks when it hits ya and then comes true.
One day I was just driving to work, and the next thing I knew, I was on a freaking battlefield dodging explosions.
"Holy Shit!" I shouted as I drove past, and a freaking nightmare came to life. I quickly maneuvered my Xterra past the mech in front of me and into a nearby smoking parking lot. I hated abandoning my ride, but that damn mech would shoot the hell out of it once it locked back onto me. I grabbed both my sidearms and backpack and ran into the ruined building. I love being a southern sometimes. No one questions why you have guns in your vehicle as long as you carry them legally.
I felt an explosion from outside that caused me to stumble, but I managed to keep my body from showing. I moved away from the wall and stayed low to use the ruined tables and shelves to hide behind as I hoped they would pass over me. I wanted to wake up from this nightmare, but the pain in my back told me it wasn't one.
I could feel the tears in my eyes as everything I knew had changed, and I was not in my home universe. After all, we didn't have mobile suits in real life…well, ones that can move and fire real weapons.
I peeked outside through my blurry vision to see the Xterra destroyed with that damn mobile suit standing on top.
"A God damn Leo destroyed my ride," I said to myself as if to reinforce the fact that I'm no longer in Kansas anymore. "Who are they fighting tho?"
I watched as the mobile suit suddenly exploded from something. I saw nothing hit it, yet it went up like a balloon.
I looked around and noticed several Leos and some of those Aries wrecked around me. 'What the hell destroyed all these guys?'
Then I remember the rules of curiosity and freaking booked deeper into this…auto store? Really? What the heck is this Arabic? How the heck am I going to understand anything here?
I just looked around and hoped I could find something of use to save my ass. Unfortunately, all I saw was a dead body that nearly had me throwing up once the smell hit me. It didn't help that it was hot as hell. I thought it was the freaking adrenaline that was making me sweat. It wasn't my first time smelling a rotting body. Still, it was my time to deal with it directly instead of reporting it and helping the other First Responders.
I wanted to drag the body out of here, but I didn't want to do something that might cause an insult here. I saw the safe nearby that was cracked open, but I wasn't sure if it was the dead man over there who did it or someone else. It didn't matter to me as I quickly pushed open the door to see some scattered currency. I didn't recognize them as standard currency. Still, the numbers on the corner were enough to tell me I got about ten thousand or so worth of paper money. I quickly stuffed them inside my backpack and looked for anything to give the dead some last rites. No one deserves to rot away without anyone knowing about it.
I covered him up and prayed that he would have a better life in the next one. Then, I pulled out my smartphone to put it in airplane mode because I didn't want to believe that it would get me caught out there. After all, my phone would search for a cell tower that no longer exists and might give my position away…maybe.
I peeked my head out to see that it was getting dark and cold. I knew dessert had weird weather, but this was ridiculous. So I ducked back into the shop. Apologize to the dead man and grab some of the spare clothes and a cloak for the weather here.
"Well," I said out loud. "Time to see if I can find away home. Freaking ROB or something brought me here, and I want to return home. I'm not missing the birth of my child."
I began walking away from the battle I could hear in the distance to the…south? Err. Yeah, let's go with that. I turned in the opposite direction and began walking carefully down the road.
———————————-
It took a few hours of walking before the cold finally got to me. I was exhausted yet hadn't made it out of the city yet as there were still building around me. 'Wait a tick,' I glanced around as I realized the building around me were mainly destroyed, but they were military kinds. I could see an obliterated guard post and several wrecked hangers. It seems like this was the target or military base for whoever was fighting the Earth Alliance.
I carefully walked on the road to the military hangers. While they were destroyed, they provided shelter and maybe some weapons I could use. I didn't want a chance to go out in this world with only my side arms. I'm not sure they use nine-millimeter rounds here, and with a war or whatever is going on outside, it would be suicide to go without a weapon.
The walk took a while as I constantly avoided the dead and some dessert animals around the area. Who knew hyenas and jackals lived near here? I had a feeling of being hunted all of a sudden. So I drew my P6 and drove forward into a roll. My backpack messed up my moves slightly as I saw the freaking Hyena right where I was. 'Fuck, it looks hungry,' I thought to myself before another thought hit me. 'Why is it after me? There are plenty of dead bodies around to eat! Do I smell like a dead man?'
The animal in front of me seemed to size me up while I had my gun trained on it. I didn't have to worry about safety, but I couldn't remember if I kept one in the chamber or not. The distance between me and it wasn't that far, so I quickly racked a round in. The sound was enough to spook it, and the beast ran off. Still, I kept my handgun out this time, decided to throw caution to the wind, and ran to the least destroyed hanger.
There was a hole big enough to get through, and I slowly wiggled myself in. However, I didn't want to risk the main door as there was rubble all around it, and it would take way too long for me to move in my exhausted state.
When I squeezed my fat butt into the building, I noticed moonlight coming through the ceiling, revealing a wrecked hanger. All the mobile suits I could see were destroyed, but there were some canteens right over there by the tools—drinking ones.
I quickly ran over there and grabbed one. A quick twist, and the cap was off the gold grail in my hands. I almost tried to drink it right away but remembered where I was. I sniffed to make sure it was water and not some fuel. No smell. I poured a little out and saw that it was clear.
Then something on the ceiling shifted, and another part of the hanger caved in. The dust it kicked up had me coughing, but when I looked at where the new hole was, I saw the most beautiful thing in the world for me.
"This baby is mine. I don't care if it's a mook unit!"
Chapter 1.01
————————————
Do you know the feeling you get when life couldn't get any weirder? Well, it freaking sucks when it hits ya and then comes true.
One day I was just driving to work, and the next thing I knew, I was on a freaking battlefield dodging explosions.
"Holy Shit!" I shouted as I drove past, and a freaking nightmare came to life. I quickly maneuvered my Xterra past the mech in front of me and into a nearby smoking parking lot. I hated abandoning my ride, but that damn mech would shoot the hell out of it once it locked back onto me. I grabbed both my sidearms and backpack and ran into the ruined building. I love being a southern sometimes. No one questions why you have guns in your vehicle as long as you carry them legally.
I felt an explosion from outside that caused me to stumble, but I managed to keep my body from showing. I moved away from the wall and stayed low to use the ruined tables and shelves to hide behind as I hoped they would pass over me. I wanted to wake up from this nightmare, but the pain in my back told me it wasn't one.
I could feel the tears in my eyes as everything I knew had changed, and I was not in my home universe. After all, we didn't have mobile suits in real life…well, ones that can move and fire real weapons.
I peeked outside through my blurry vision to see the Xterra destroyed with that damn mobile suit standing on top.
"A God damn Leo destroyed my ride," I said to myself as if to reinforce the fact that I'm no longer in Kansas anymore. "Who are they fighting tho?"
I watched as the mobile suit suddenly exploded from something. I saw nothing hit it, yet it went up like a balloon.
I looked around and noticed several Leos and some of those Aries wrecked around me. 'What the hell destroyed all these guys?'
Then I remember the rules of curiosity and freaking booked deeper into this…auto store? Really? What the heck is this Arabic? How the heck am I going to understand anything here?
I just looked around and hoped I could find something of use to save my ass. Unfortunately, all I saw was a dead body that nearly had me throwing up once the smell hit me. It didn't help that it was hot as hell. I thought it was the freaking adrenaline that was making me sweat. It wasn't my first time smelling a rotting body. Still, it was my time to deal with it directly instead of reporting it and helping the other First Responders.
I wanted to drag the body out of here, but I didn't want to do something that might cause an insult here. I saw the safe nearby that was cracked open, but I wasn't sure if it was the dead man over there who did it or someone else. It didn't matter to me as I quickly pushed open the door to see some scattered currency. I didn't recognize them as standard currency. Still, the numbers on the corner were enough to tell me I got about ten thousand or so worth of paper money. I quickly stuffed them inside my backpack and looked for anything to give the dead some last rites. No one deserves to rot away without anyone knowing about it.
I covered him up and prayed that he would have a better life in the next one. Then, I pulled out my smartphone to put it in airplane mode because I didn't want to believe that it would get me caught out there. After all, my phone would search for a cell tower that no longer exists and might give my position away…maybe.
I peeked my head out to see that it was getting dark and cold. I knew dessert had weird weather, but this was ridiculous. So I ducked back into the shop. Apologize to the dead man and grab some of the spare clothes and a cloak for the weather here.
"Well," I said out loud. "Time to see if I can find away home. Freaking ROB or something brought me here, and I want to return home. I'm not missing the birth of my child."
I began walking away from the battle I could hear in the distance to the…south? Err. Yeah, let's go with that. I turned in the opposite direction and began walking carefully down the road.
———————————-
It took a few hours of walking before the cold finally got to me. I was exhausted yet hadn't made it out of the city yet as there were still building around me. 'Wait a tick,' I glanced around as I realized the building around me were mainly destroyed, but they were military kinds. I could see an obliterated guard post and several wrecked hangers. It seems like this was the target or military base for whoever was fighting the Earth Alliance.
I carefully walked on the road to the military hangers. While they were destroyed, they provided shelter and maybe some weapons I could use. I didn't want a chance to go out in this world with only my side arms. I'm not sure they use nine-millimeter rounds here, and with a war or whatever is going on outside, it would be suicide to go without a weapon.
The walk took a while as I constantly avoided the dead and some dessert animals around the area. Who knew hyenas and jackals lived near here? I had a feeling of being hunted all of a sudden. So I drew my P6 and drove forward into a roll. My backpack messed up my moves slightly as I saw the freaking Hyena right where I was. 'Fuck, it looks hungry,' I thought to myself before another thought hit me. 'Why is it after me? There are plenty of dead bodies around to eat! Do I smell like a dead man?'
The animal in front of me seemed to size me up while I had my gun trained on it. I didn't have to worry about safety, but I couldn't remember if I kept one in the chamber or not. The distance between me and it wasn't that far, so I quickly racked a round in. The sound was enough to spook it, and the beast ran off. Still, I kept my handgun out this time, decided to throw caution to the wind, and ran to the least destroyed hanger.
There was a hole big enough to get through, and I slowly wiggled myself in. However, I didn't want to risk the main door as there was rubble all around it, and it would take way too long for me to move in my exhausted state.
When I squeezed my fat butt into the building, I noticed moonlight coming through the ceiling, revealing a wrecked hanger. All the mobile suits I could see were destroyed, but there were some canteens right over there by the tools—drinking ones.
I quickly ran over there and grabbed one. A quick twist, and the cap was off the gold grail in my hands. I almost tried to drink it right away but remembered where I was. I sniffed to make sure it was water and not some fuel. No smell. I poured a little out and saw that it was clear.
Then something on the ceiling shifted, and another part of the hanger caved in. The dust it kicked up had me coughing, but when I looked at where the new hole was, I saw the most beautiful thing in the world for me.
"This baby is mine. I don't care if it's a mook unit!"
Last edited:
Chapter 1.02
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.02
————————-
The After Colony Era
"God dang, this freaking cold," I said after sneezing. The damn clothes I found around here to form a makeshift bed weren't enough for the near-freezing weather. I had woken up from my phone alarm going off at five in the morning…at least the time it would have been home. I took a peak outside and guessed it was more like seven.
I looked at the Tragos and the manual I found to operate it. It was in Arabic but also had a damaged English section near the back. I found it after going through a few lockers looking for clothing to act as a blanket last night. I almost wished the mobile suit was a Leo instead as I found manuals for them still whole and undamaged. I used two of them to start a small fireplace to try and keep me warm last night. It failed.
I stretched my body as best as I could. My movement was sluggish from the cold last night and now smelled from the sweat starting to form. Wow, it gets hot quick here. I saw that the hole in the wall was still somewhat covered by the debris I put there. I could hear something on the other side, but it wasn't human sounds, so I guess it was some scavengers getting to the bodies outside.
I gave a short prayer for the dead people outside as I picked up my stuff and walked over to the Tragos. I grabbed the manual and climbed up to the cockpit with a heave. Then I tried to open it. The armored hatch didn't budge. I looked back into the book and back to the mobile suit. God, how the heck did they do it so quickly from the anime? I see that there suppose to be a latch here, but what else was I supposed to do it open it?
I started flipping through the pages for a picture look at how to open it. That is how it is for scientific equipment to idiot-proof them. This is Gundam Wing, where freaking kids could highjack a mobile suit and pilot it, so it must be some direction to open this damn Guntank wannabe.
"Where the hell are you," I looked through the pages while occasionally glancing back to the mobile suit. "Hmm, the English page is missing, but maybe they would have a photo on the Arabic sections…hmm, wait, really?"
I stared at the manual with a handwritten note in English saying how to manually open the cockpit if the security code wasn't working. So these mobile suits were password locked for protection? How the heck did the Gundam Boys steal those Leos, or how did other characters do it? Was it lazy writing or bad pilots?
I grumbled as my hand reached under the hatch to feel around for that lever. It took a moment, but I found it pulled as the instructions said. There was a slight snap and hiss as the hydraulics kicked in to open the cockpit slowly. Again, it took a moment, so I fished out my breakfast bar from my backpack, devoured it, and sipped from the canteen I latched on to my belt.
I'm glad I usually eat fast because the hatch opened fully to let me see the pristine cockpit. It seems it was recently built if the new leather smell was anything to go by. I quickly looked for a place to put my stuff and pulled out a photo from my wallet of my wife and me at the Guanxiao Temple. I grabbed some tape and set the picture on the right wall to always remember my goal.
It was not to be some big freaking hero. It was to try and find a way home and survive this world until I could. Sure it was a long shot, I could die along the way, but I wasn't going to give up and enjoy a 'new' death world and forget my past. That would be an insult to my memories of my family.
I turned on the flashlight I pulled from my backpack to check how to start the mobile suit. It didn't power up right away as it did in the anime, so I had to find the power button or ignition key. A few minutes of searching had the mobile suit up and running now. The cockpit lights and the six computer screens lit up. The fusion engine roared to life as the hover unit began spinning up. I could feel the mech shift under me as we levitated above the ground. I was so proud of myself that I didn't realize it had pushed the two control sticks forward while my feet hit the accelerators.
When the Tragos jerked forward, I slammed my head into the front screen and thought I had cracked something. My skull or the central computer was questionable. However, I just rubbed my head and realized I almost crashed into the hanger doors. I glanced down at the manual on the floor and reached down to pick it up. I had to find the weapons systems to blast the doors down and get out of the area. I hope no one would care about a lone, stolen mobile suit in the middle of the desert while I trained myself.
"FREEDOM!" I shouted as I found the weapons control. I checked the computer systems to give me information on what I had. Unfortunately, I only had twelve shots per cannon on my Tragos' shoulder. Still, the beam rifle I found connected directly to the fusion engine. A weapon with pretty unlimited ammo so long as it wasn't destroyed.
I aimed the energy weapon at the hanger's door base..which took way longer than it should. God, it was like trying to move an old anti-tank weapon from WWII as the controls were so slow. I looked at the manual to see why this was. In the anime, a few pilots of this mobile suit managed to fire multiple times at Zech when he fought them. Sure, they missed all their shots, but the man's Tallgeese moved like lightning.
It took me a few hours to find out how the calibrate the sensitivity of the controls, and by the time I was done, it was nighttime again. So one restroom break later, I was outside looking for the mess hall of the military base. It seemed like the whole area was abandoned, which I was surprised to see as normally rebels or someone would come to salvage supplies and stuff from here.
The mess hall, well, was a mess. It seemed like whoever attacked this base had done so during lunch, but most of the food was rotten from the heat. I went inside to see if there was any MRE or something. Still, after an hour of checking and another restroom break, I found only crackers, some more bottles of water, and breakfast bars. The food in the walk refrigerator had spoiled due to a hole in the ceiling. The freezer was ransacked, which questioned why no one found the Tragos.
Still, a quick wash-up in the kitchen sink and spray down to clean myself did wonders to my mentality.
Still, I had food, shelter, and a weapon. Now I gotta make it back to the hanger before the cold creeps in again. At least I found a mobile gas stove with some gas cans. A few pots and pans, too, so maybe I'll turn these breakfast bars into a soup with some salt, pepper, and dried onions.
I made it back to the hanger with no problems, which I noted as odd, and quickly covered all the holes in the hanger. So tonight I'll sleep inside the warm mobile suit. I hope I can get the Tragos out tomorrow and start my adventure homeward. There has to be something out there to get me home.
Chapter 1.02
————————-
The After Colony Era
"God dang, this freaking cold," I said after sneezing. The damn clothes I found around here to form a makeshift bed weren't enough for the near-freezing weather. I had woken up from my phone alarm going off at five in the morning…at least the time it would have been home. I took a peak outside and guessed it was more like seven.
I looked at the Tragos and the manual I found to operate it. It was in Arabic but also had a damaged English section near the back. I found it after going through a few lockers looking for clothing to act as a blanket last night. I almost wished the mobile suit was a Leo instead as I found manuals for them still whole and undamaged. I used two of them to start a small fireplace to try and keep me warm last night. It failed.
I stretched my body as best as I could. My movement was sluggish from the cold last night and now smelled from the sweat starting to form. Wow, it gets hot quick here. I saw that the hole in the wall was still somewhat covered by the debris I put there. I could hear something on the other side, but it wasn't human sounds, so I guess it was some scavengers getting to the bodies outside.
I gave a short prayer for the dead people outside as I picked up my stuff and walked over to the Tragos. I grabbed the manual and climbed up to the cockpit with a heave. Then I tried to open it. The armored hatch didn't budge. I looked back into the book and back to the mobile suit. God, how the heck did they do it so quickly from the anime? I see that there suppose to be a latch here, but what else was I supposed to do it open it?
I started flipping through the pages for a picture look at how to open it. That is how it is for scientific equipment to idiot-proof them. This is Gundam Wing, where freaking kids could highjack a mobile suit and pilot it, so it must be some direction to open this damn Guntank wannabe.
"Where the hell are you," I looked through the pages while occasionally glancing back to the mobile suit. "Hmm, the English page is missing, but maybe they would have a photo on the Arabic sections…hmm, wait, really?"
I stared at the manual with a handwritten note in English saying how to manually open the cockpit if the security code wasn't working. So these mobile suits were password locked for protection? How the heck did the Gundam Boys steal those Leos, or how did other characters do it? Was it lazy writing or bad pilots?
I grumbled as my hand reached under the hatch to feel around for that lever. It took a moment, but I found it pulled as the instructions said. There was a slight snap and hiss as the hydraulics kicked in to open the cockpit slowly. Again, it took a moment, so I fished out my breakfast bar from my backpack, devoured it, and sipped from the canteen I latched on to my belt.
I'm glad I usually eat fast because the hatch opened fully to let me see the pristine cockpit. It seems it was recently built if the new leather smell was anything to go by. I quickly looked for a place to put my stuff and pulled out a photo from my wallet of my wife and me at the Guanxiao Temple. I grabbed some tape and set the picture on the right wall to always remember my goal.
It was not to be some big freaking hero. It was to try and find a way home and survive this world until I could. Sure it was a long shot, I could die along the way, but I wasn't going to give up and enjoy a 'new' death world and forget my past. That would be an insult to my memories of my family.
I turned on the flashlight I pulled from my backpack to check how to start the mobile suit. It didn't power up right away as it did in the anime, so I had to find the power button or ignition key. A few minutes of searching had the mobile suit up and running now. The cockpit lights and the six computer screens lit up. The fusion engine roared to life as the hover unit began spinning up. I could feel the mech shift under me as we levitated above the ground. I was so proud of myself that I didn't realize it had pushed the two control sticks forward while my feet hit the accelerators.
When the Tragos jerked forward, I slammed my head into the front screen and thought I had cracked something. My skull or the central computer was questionable. However, I just rubbed my head and realized I almost crashed into the hanger doors. I glanced down at the manual on the floor and reached down to pick it up. I had to find the weapons systems to blast the doors down and get out of the area. I hope no one would care about a lone, stolen mobile suit in the middle of the desert while I trained myself.
"FREEDOM!" I shouted as I found the weapons control. I checked the computer systems to give me information on what I had. Unfortunately, I only had twelve shots per cannon on my Tragos' shoulder. Still, the beam rifle I found connected directly to the fusion engine. A weapon with pretty unlimited ammo so long as it wasn't destroyed.
I aimed the energy weapon at the hanger's door base..which took way longer than it should. God, it was like trying to move an old anti-tank weapon from WWII as the controls were so slow. I looked at the manual to see why this was. In the anime, a few pilots of this mobile suit managed to fire multiple times at Zech when he fought them. Sure, they missed all their shots, but the man's Tallgeese moved like lightning.
It took me a few hours to find out how the calibrate the sensitivity of the controls, and by the time I was done, it was nighttime again. So one restroom break later, I was outside looking for the mess hall of the military base. It seemed like the whole area was abandoned, which I was surprised to see as normally rebels or someone would come to salvage supplies and stuff from here.
The mess hall, well, was a mess. It seemed like whoever attacked this base had done so during lunch, but most of the food was rotten from the heat. I went inside to see if there was any MRE or something. Still, after an hour of checking and another restroom break, I found only crackers, some more bottles of water, and breakfast bars. The food in the walk refrigerator had spoiled due to a hole in the ceiling. The freezer was ransacked, which questioned why no one found the Tragos.
Still, a quick wash-up in the kitchen sink and spray down to clean myself did wonders to my mentality.
Still, I had food, shelter, and a weapon. Now I gotta make it back to the hanger before the cold creeps in again. At least I found a mobile gas stove with some gas cans. A few pots and pans, too, so maybe I'll turn these breakfast bars into a soup with some salt, pepper, and dried onions.
I made it back to the hanger with no problems, which I noted as odd, and quickly covered all the holes in the hanger. So tonight I'll sleep inside the warm mobile suit. I hope I can get the Tragos out tomorrow and start my adventure homeward. There has to be something out there to get me home.
Chapter 1.03
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.03
————————-
The After Colony Era
Three freaking days. It took me three freaking days to adjust the Tragos's controls to match my moments. During that time of being alone in the hanger. I haven't heard anything from the people of the nearby town that was attacked, nor have I seen any messages coming to the mobile suit while I had it active.
It was starting to get depressing when I was alone with my thoughts. Sure I kept my mind on returning to my family, but the doubt was beginning to eat away at my willpower. If there was someone to interact with, I could starve it off, but being alone with only scavengers outside was getting to me. I was tempted to try and tame one of the animals there just to have a companion to talk to. Even though I knew it was a bad idea.
Still, I was ready to blow this joint and search for anything that might cause me to return to her. So I looked at my camp one last time before checking to ensure everything I owned was with me. I saw the hides of the few hyenas still drying by the fire but decided to leave them here. I saw the books I gathered sitting by the corner of the temporary tent I had made. I had my own version of those books pieced together from all the undamaged parts. My guns and stuff from home were already inside the cockpit. Finally, I glanced at my newest acquisition hanging on the strip. It was that submachine guns they keep showing in the anime. It only had a few magazines I found, and my test firing at those hyenas showed me that they were as good as a forty-caliber bullet.
I closed the hatch and sat down. I pressed a few keys and flipped a switch to get the start-up sequence going. I entered in my code to allow the Tragos to full power up. It took me a few hours to set a password to prevent it from being stolen during the past three days. Sure I saw no one, but that could just mean they were waiting for me to leave the Tragos by itself and steal it. Such was my paranoia, but freaking Gundam tropes say you leave a mobile suit alone. It will get stolen.
I waited for the targeting reticule to focus on the hanger's door and prepared myself. After this, there was no way no one wouldn't notice another explosion after three days of peace. I took a deep breath and whispered to myself, "Once more unto the breach."
I pulled the trigger that controlled the beam rifle and felt the same energy I felt when I first shot my gun. It took less than a second before the hanger door was blown outward. I shifted the controls forward like a zero-range mower, and Tragos slowly sped ahead. I fired the beam rifle one last time to enlarge the hole enough for me not to run into it.
My mobile suit slowly moved through the hole as I kept the sensors on for any more movements around me. So far, no human ones but plenty of animals running away from the Tragos's hover unit. I kept looking around, hoping to see anything but hostile life. However, all I saw were abandoned stores and places with red-brown stains. I directed myself to the exit of the base and town area as with the fusion engine, the only thing I had to worry about was maintaining the mech I was in.
I drove through the devastated town, keeping my eyes between the sensors and monitor. The more I traveled out of this place, the more I realized how terrible war was in the Gundam series. They skip over it when most of the anime, but it is like real-life ones. Destroyed towns and cities like this one. Traces of the dead here and there.
It wasn't like most movies, anime, or games in a war zone with only a few vehicles here and there. The road here was full of destroyed tanks, cars, and trucks. I had to move them away slowly. Because if my math was correct, the Tragos should weigh anywhere from 8-15 tons with the hover unit attached. That was not enough weight to just ram through everything.
-A few hours later-
I stepped out of the building I had stopped at to eat and freshen up. Like all the other buildings here, it was wrecked but still had running water and electricity. The fact that this building still had running electricity surprised me, but it was welcomed. It was getting close to night time I think, as the old analog clock showed, it was about fifteen hundred hours. It was on the correct time compared to the Tragos, which read twelve hundred hours on the computer.
I found a map inside, hidden behind a showing that I was close to the exit. Well, that and based on the nearby signs. I should be out of the city in a few minutes. So I…acquired only a few dry foods and whatever water container I could find. There was no way I would go into the desert without water and an ample supply of it.
I got back into my Tragos, glad it wasn't stolen, and began my journey north. Based on the map and my memory of my universe's world map, I will be going to Jordan by heading north. Or was it Syria? I really couldn't remember, and the map was in Arabic. I saw the city as a circle and a direction arrow going north on the map. It seemed whoever lived in the building had a safe house or a cave that the population was supposed to evacuate to. I was going to use the map to lead me close to there but avoid it if possible. I don't want to get shot at after all.
—Outskirts of the Unnamed city-
I thought I would be home free when I escaped the military base and abandoned city, but no, I had to jink myself. Oh, why did I have to have a noble heart? So I thought as I fired my pistol from the cockpit of the Tragos to scare off a pack of hyenas attacking a down person who was still alive. Oh, how did I know they were still among the living? The mobile suit's sensors had detected a heat source in the middle of the night. The exact size of a person alongside several animals circling them.
At first, I was about to leave them to their fate as I had too much trouble on my hands…until my wife's voice hit me. "You always help others even if it hurts you. That's why I love you because you help everyone."
That was true, as I could never truly leave those who needed help alone. So I drove the Tragos quickly to the spot where the heat signature was, only to discover the person had collapsed and the scavenger was descending on them. I would have tried to park my Tragos there, but the hover unit might drown the down person in sand or hurt them even more with how much sand was flying around.
I kept firing until I ran dry on my first magazine, but it was more than enough to get them running. I quickly climbed down from my Tragos and glanced around. I had to ensure those animals wouldn't come back while I helped the person. Then I ran over to the person with a canteen of water in my hand. I didn't know what I could do for the person other than getting them inside the Tragos's cockpit and covering them in clothes. I noticed their face was covered but could hear the faint breathing. I quickly uncovered their face to give them some water if they were conscious.
"Ooh," I said as I looked at a beautiful woman. Thankfully, she was just under my wife on the beauty scale, or I might have been entranced. I shook my head and realized she was unconscious. I hurried to wake her with a splash of water. I may be in an anime where their logic might rule. However, someone being knocked out for more than a few minutes will kill some people or permanently damage them.
The woman woke up coughing as the water ran over her face. I quickly realized I had nothing to dry her off with but ignored that, as I said. "Here. Drink this!"
Thus began my life in the After Colony universe as I met my new traveling companion, Shirin Ibrahim.
Chapter 1.03
————————-
The After Colony Era
Three freaking days. It took me three freaking days to adjust the Tragos's controls to match my moments. During that time of being alone in the hanger. I haven't heard anything from the people of the nearby town that was attacked, nor have I seen any messages coming to the mobile suit while I had it active.
It was starting to get depressing when I was alone with my thoughts. Sure I kept my mind on returning to my family, but the doubt was beginning to eat away at my willpower. If there was someone to interact with, I could starve it off, but being alone with only scavengers outside was getting to me. I was tempted to try and tame one of the animals there just to have a companion to talk to. Even though I knew it was a bad idea.
Still, I was ready to blow this joint and search for anything that might cause me to return to her. So I looked at my camp one last time before checking to ensure everything I owned was with me. I saw the hides of the few hyenas still drying by the fire but decided to leave them here. I saw the books I gathered sitting by the corner of the temporary tent I had made. I had my own version of those books pieced together from all the undamaged parts. My guns and stuff from home were already inside the cockpit. Finally, I glanced at my newest acquisition hanging on the strip. It was that submachine guns they keep showing in the anime. It only had a few magazines I found, and my test firing at those hyenas showed me that they were as good as a forty-caliber bullet.
I closed the hatch and sat down. I pressed a few keys and flipped a switch to get the start-up sequence going. I entered in my code to allow the Tragos to full power up. It took me a few hours to set a password to prevent it from being stolen during the past three days. Sure I saw no one, but that could just mean they were waiting for me to leave the Tragos by itself and steal it. Such was my paranoia, but freaking Gundam tropes say you leave a mobile suit alone. It will get stolen.
I waited for the targeting reticule to focus on the hanger's door and prepared myself. After this, there was no way no one wouldn't notice another explosion after three days of peace. I took a deep breath and whispered to myself, "Once more unto the breach."
I pulled the trigger that controlled the beam rifle and felt the same energy I felt when I first shot my gun. It took less than a second before the hanger door was blown outward. I shifted the controls forward like a zero-range mower, and Tragos slowly sped ahead. I fired the beam rifle one last time to enlarge the hole enough for me not to run into it.
My mobile suit slowly moved through the hole as I kept the sensors on for any more movements around me. So far, no human ones but plenty of animals running away from the Tragos's hover unit. I kept looking around, hoping to see anything but hostile life. However, all I saw were abandoned stores and places with red-brown stains. I directed myself to the exit of the base and town area as with the fusion engine, the only thing I had to worry about was maintaining the mech I was in.
I drove through the devastated town, keeping my eyes between the sensors and monitor. The more I traveled out of this place, the more I realized how terrible war was in the Gundam series. They skip over it when most of the anime, but it is like real-life ones. Destroyed towns and cities like this one. Traces of the dead here and there.
It wasn't like most movies, anime, or games in a war zone with only a few vehicles here and there. The road here was full of destroyed tanks, cars, and trucks. I had to move them away slowly. Because if my math was correct, the Tragos should weigh anywhere from 8-15 tons with the hover unit attached. That was not enough weight to just ram through everything.
-A few hours later-
I stepped out of the building I had stopped at to eat and freshen up. Like all the other buildings here, it was wrecked but still had running water and electricity. The fact that this building still had running electricity surprised me, but it was welcomed. It was getting close to night time I think, as the old analog clock showed, it was about fifteen hundred hours. It was on the correct time compared to the Tragos, which read twelve hundred hours on the computer.
I found a map inside, hidden behind a showing that I was close to the exit. Well, that and based on the nearby signs. I should be out of the city in a few minutes. So I…acquired only a few dry foods and whatever water container I could find. There was no way I would go into the desert without water and an ample supply of it.
I got back into my Tragos, glad it wasn't stolen, and began my journey north. Based on the map and my memory of my universe's world map, I will be going to Jordan by heading north. Or was it Syria? I really couldn't remember, and the map was in Arabic. I saw the city as a circle and a direction arrow going north on the map. It seemed whoever lived in the building had a safe house or a cave that the population was supposed to evacuate to. I was going to use the map to lead me close to there but avoid it if possible. I don't want to get shot at after all.
—Outskirts of the Unnamed city-
I thought I would be home free when I escaped the military base and abandoned city, but no, I had to jink myself. Oh, why did I have to have a noble heart? So I thought as I fired my pistol from the cockpit of the Tragos to scare off a pack of hyenas attacking a down person who was still alive. Oh, how did I know they were still among the living? The mobile suit's sensors had detected a heat source in the middle of the night. The exact size of a person alongside several animals circling them.
At first, I was about to leave them to their fate as I had too much trouble on my hands…until my wife's voice hit me. "You always help others even if it hurts you. That's why I love you because you help everyone."
That was true, as I could never truly leave those who needed help alone. So I drove the Tragos quickly to the spot where the heat signature was, only to discover the person had collapsed and the scavenger was descending on them. I would have tried to park my Tragos there, but the hover unit might drown the down person in sand or hurt them even more with how much sand was flying around.
I kept firing until I ran dry on my first magazine, but it was more than enough to get them running. I quickly climbed down from my Tragos and glanced around. I had to ensure those animals wouldn't come back while I helped the person. Then I ran over to the person with a canteen of water in my hand. I didn't know what I could do for the person other than getting them inside the Tragos's cockpit and covering them in clothes. I noticed their face was covered but could hear the faint breathing. I quickly uncovered their face to give them some water if they were conscious.
"Ooh," I said as I looked at a beautiful woman. Thankfully, she was just under my wife on the beauty scale, or I might have been entranced. I shook my head and realized she was unconscious. I hurried to wake her with a splash of water. I may be in an anime where their logic might rule. However, someone being knocked out for more than a few minutes will kill some people or permanently damage them.
The woman woke up coughing as the water ran over her face. I quickly realized I had nothing to dry her off with but ignored that, as I said. "Here. Drink this!"
Thus began my life in the After Colony universe as I met my new traveling companion, Shirin Ibrahim.
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Chapter 1.04
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.04
————————————-
The After Colony Era
It was a tense night as I helped the woman to the Tragos.
She was barely standing even with the water she drank. So I slung her arm over my shoulder and helped her walk back to the mobile suit. I was cautious of my supporting arm's position because I remember something about people in this area being very conservative. I tried to keep her awake by asking questions, but it seemed she didn't understand English as I expected. Then again, the lady might not be lucid enough to respond.
The extra clothes I had covered her in were heavy too. I could pick up my wife easily, and this woman's weight was even lighter than her. However, the difference between carrying my partner and the stranger was that the person I was trying to save was pretty much dead weight. Her exhaustion made it difficult to walk with her. She barely kept herself somewhat standing, but my body was starting to struggle with holding her up as we still had a dozen yards to go.
There were a few tense moments as I had to stop and kill a hyena to show that we were not food. Later, I shot in the air to scare off something in the shadows that could be another predator. The whole time the lady I was rescuing didn't stir at all. It was kind of scary as she barely responded to gunfire right next to her.
We arrived at the Tragos, but that was where I ran into my first problem. How to get her up to the cockpit. It was easier than a bipedal mobile suit, but how was I, by myself, going to get her up there?
I looked at the extra clothes I covered her in and looked around the area. There was nothing else but desert around me. I didn't want to leave her down here in case those predators came back while I was up in the cockpit.
"How am I going to get you up there," I whispered as I put my right hand on my belt…I looked down at it as my mind came up with a crazy idea from leadership camp during my college days.
I helped her sit against the hover unit of the Tragos while I took off two of the coats I covered her in and took off my belt. I saw her stir but didn't pay much attention to it as I formed a rope with my materials. The fact that she moved and reacted at all eased my mind. It meant she was still alive.
I finished by making shift rope and looked at it and the woman. I was trying to remember how to make the dang harness to carry her up. Then, I remember that I had to loop the ropes around her legs. Then up over the shoulder and to the back.
However, I remember the stereotype of the Middle East. While I didn't usually believe in them, anime did.
So, I began praying to my ancestors that I wouldn't cause an issue as my hands lifted her left leg to loop the rope around it. A moan that escaped her lips froze me in place until I realized she had fallen asleep. Not unconscious by force but naturally sleeping. I sighed in relief and quickly formed the harness as fast as I could without waking her.
It was done as I had to roll her to her side to finish the harness. I still had a slightly flushed face from having to constantly touch certain body parts to make sure the rope was secure and not too tight. I really hope I hadn't done anything taboo. I pulled up the set of makeshift straps and picked her up using my back as her brace. Tightening the ropes around my arms, I began climbing up to the cockpit.
I was lucky not to slip as I forgot how hard it was to climb with extra weight. Still, I hurried up as the cold started biting me hard, which increased my worry for the person I had saved. I managed to open the cockpit and then realized a big issue. A really significant one of the fact the seat is one seater.
I carefully slipped the sleeping woman off my back and gently settled her into the cockpit chair. Then, I began rummaging through my packs to see what I had to make the area comfortable for her to rest on. But, oh my god, there is no room here unless I want to make a hammock that would hang right where my head would be.
"Well, crap," I muttered as there was only one way I could think of transporting the woman with me. At least she wouldn't wake up sitting in my lap. A quick little work with some duck tape and more of those Earth Alliance BDU into a makeshift bed across the arms of the cockpit's chair, making sure not to cover the control sticks and computers. I pulled out a pillow I liberated from the bunker from the destroyed military base.
I put it to the right side, careful not to cover the screen and the controls, before looking at the sleeping woman. I didn't want to move her out of the chair, but I couldn't leave her alone in the Tragos. So I slowly lifted her, careful not to break the makeshift bed over her legs, and quickly shifted her to lay down on it with her head on the pillow.
Exhausted and needing to freshen up, I step outside to relax and take care of my issues. It took a few minutes before I returned to grab the hand sanitizer from my personal belongings. The woman seemed to have shifted her back to exit but still sleeping, so I made sure not to wake her as I cleaned my hands.
I now had another issue…I should have laid the miss down like this after I sat down. But why didn't I do my business before laying her down?
——————————
After several minutes of wiggling around to get her back onto my lap as I drove the Tragos forward. I had decided to change my direction to where she was heading before I saved her. If my memory was correct, it should be a safe house or camp for the townspeople of the settlement I had left.
A yawn escaped my mouth as I realized the adrenaline boost must have died down. I checked all the cameras and sensors to see if there was anywhere to park my mobile suit and take a quick nap. Maybe I could find out more about my area when I woke up.
"Let's see here," I mutter quietly. "Sand. Sand. Even more sand. Ah, a cliffside a few miles out." I checked the paper map and compared it to the computers. They showed that the safe camp was still several miles from this spot or longer. I didn't want to show up in a secure area with a freaking mobile suit in the middle of the night. I might get killed if I did that. After all, this was an Earth Alliance or Oz mobile suit that just destroyed the town a few days ago.
I moved the Tragos under the cliff for shade and cover and began shutting down nonessential systems. When I was dimming the computer screens around me, I realized something. The woman's breathing had changed to that of someone pretending to be asleep. I recognized it quickly since my wife loved acting like that to try and stop me from waking her up.
I mentally debated on what to do. Right now, I saved her, but I know some of the traditions of stereotypical Middle East beliefs as my mind focused on them. One of the biggest ones I know remember was that she was a woman in an enclosed space with a man not related to her, and her face was uncovered right now. I wasn't sure if that was a huge taboo, but I decided to speak up.
I slowly pulled out my cellphone and unlocked it to the translation app I had on. I was lucky to download the offline version for every language on it. Sure, my phone would die in a few more hours unless I hooked it up to the solar charger, but it would be best to get this misunderstanding out of the way.
"Miss," I said and felt her slightly stiffen. "I'm not sure if you understand me, but I know you are awake. I will put this screen in front of you if you don't understand me to read. Will you be in danger of being rescued by me when I head for that safe house on this map?"
I switched it from English to Arabic mode on the translator and put it in front of her face. She was facing the exit and away from me.
Chapter 1.04
————————————-
The After Colony Era
It was a tense night as I helped the woman to the Tragos.
She was barely standing even with the water she drank. So I slung her arm over my shoulder and helped her walk back to the mobile suit. I was cautious of my supporting arm's position because I remember something about people in this area being very conservative. I tried to keep her awake by asking questions, but it seemed she didn't understand English as I expected. Then again, the lady might not be lucid enough to respond.
The extra clothes I had covered her in were heavy too. I could pick up my wife easily, and this woman's weight was even lighter than her. However, the difference between carrying my partner and the stranger was that the person I was trying to save was pretty much dead weight. Her exhaustion made it difficult to walk with her. She barely kept herself somewhat standing, but my body was starting to struggle with holding her up as we still had a dozen yards to go.
There were a few tense moments as I had to stop and kill a hyena to show that we were not food. Later, I shot in the air to scare off something in the shadows that could be another predator. The whole time the lady I was rescuing didn't stir at all. It was kind of scary as she barely responded to gunfire right next to her.
We arrived at the Tragos, but that was where I ran into my first problem. How to get her up to the cockpit. It was easier than a bipedal mobile suit, but how was I, by myself, going to get her up there?
I looked at the extra clothes I covered her in and looked around the area. There was nothing else but desert around me. I didn't want to leave her down here in case those predators came back while I was up in the cockpit.
"How am I going to get you up there," I whispered as I put my right hand on my belt…I looked down at it as my mind came up with a crazy idea from leadership camp during my college days.
I helped her sit against the hover unit of the Tragos while I took off two of the coats I covered her in and took off my belt. I saw her stir but didn't pay much attention to it as I formed a rope with my materials. The fact that she moved and reacted at all eased my mind. It meant she was still alive.
I finished by making shift rope and looked at it and the woman. I was trying to remember how to make the dang harness to carry her up. Then, I remember that I had to loop the ropes around her legs. Then up over the shoulder and to the back.
However, I remember the stereotype of the Middle East. While I didn't usually believe in them, anime did.
So, I began praying to my ancestors that I wouldn't cause an issue as my hands lifted her left leg to loop the rope around it. A moan that escaped her lips froze me in place until I realized she had fallen asleep. Not unconscious by force but naturally sleeping. I sighed in relief and quickly formed the harness as fast as I could without waking her.
It was done as I had to roll her to her side to finish the harness. I still had a slightly flushed face from having to constantly touch certain body parts to make sure the rope was secure and not too tight. I really hope I hadn't done anything taboo. I pulled up the set of makeshift straps and picked her up using my back as her brace. Tightening the ropes around my arms, I began climbing up to the cockpit.
I was lucky not to slip as I forgot how hard it was to climb with extra weight. Still, I hurried up as the cold started biting me hard, which increased my worry for the person I had saved. I managed to open the cockpit and then realized a big issue. A really significant one of the fact the seat is one seater.
I carefully slipped the sleeping woman off my back and gently settled her into the cockpit chair. Then, I began rummaging through my packs to see what I had to make the area comfortable for her to rest on. But, oh my god, there is no room here unless I want to make a hammock that would hang right where my head would be.
"Well, crap," I muttered as there was only one way I could think of transporting the woman with me. At least she wouldn't wake up sitting in my lap. A quick little work with some duck tape and more of those Earth Alliance BDU into a makeshift bed across the arms of the cockpit's chair, making sure not to cover the control sticks and computers. I pulled out a pillow I liberated from the bunker from the destroyed military base.
I put it to the right side, careful not to cover the screen and the controls, before looking at the sleeping woman. I didn't want to move her out of the chair, but I couldn't leave her alone in the Tragos. So I slowly lifted her, careful not to break the makeshift bed over her legs, and quickly shifted her to lay down on it with her head on the pillow.
Exhausted and needing to freshen up, I step outside to relax and take care of my issues. It took a few minutes before I returned to grab the hand sanitizer from my personal belongings. The woman seemed to have shifted her back to exit but still sleeping, so I made sure not to wake her as I cleaned my hands.
I now had another issue…I should have laid the miss down like this after I sat down. But why didn't I do my business before laying her down?
——————————
After several minutes of wiggling around to get her back onto my lap as I drove the Tragos forward. I had decided to change my direction to where she was heading before I saved her. If my memory was correct, it should be a safe house or camp for the townspeople of the settlement I had left.
A yawn escaped my mouth as I realized the adrenaline boost must have died down. I checked all the cameras and sensors to see if there was anywhere to park my mobile suit and take a quick nap. Maybe I could find out more about my area when I woke up.
"Let's see here," I mutter quietly. "Sand. Sand. Even more sand. Ah, a cliffside a few miles out." I checked the paper map and compared it to the computers. They showed that the safe camp was still several miles from this spot or longer. I didn't want to show up in a secure area with a freaking mobile suit in the middle of the night. I might get killed if I did that. After all, this was an Earth Alliance or Oz mobile suit that just destroyed the town a few days ago.
I moved the Tragos under the cliff for shade and cover and began shutting down nonessential systems. When I was dimming the computer screens around me, I realized something. The woman's breathing had changed to that of someone pretending to be asleep. I recognized it quickly since my wife loved acting like that to try and stop me from waking her up.
I mentally debated on what to do. Right now, I saved her, but I know some of the traditions of stereotypical Middle East beliefs as my mind focused on them. One of the biggest ones I know remember was that she was a woman in an enclosed space with a man not related to her, and her face was uncovered right now. I wasn't sure if that was a huge taboo, but I decided to speak up.
I slowly pulled out my cellphone and unlocked it to the translation app I had on. I was lucky to download the offline version for every language on it. Sure, my phone would die in a few more hours unless I hooked it up to the solar charger, but it would be best to get this misunderstanding out of the way.
"Miss," I said and felt her slightly stiffen. "I'm not sure if you understand me, but I know you are awake. I will put this screen in front of you if you don't understand me to read. Will you be in danger of being rescued by me when I head for that safe house on this map?"
I switched it from English to Arabic mode on the translator and put it in front of her face. She was facing the exit and away from me.
Chapter 1.05
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.05
————————————-
The After Colony Era
I was hoping for a vocal response to my actions of saving the woman. What I got instead was her elbow to my gut. The strike didn't hurt me as the woman was too tired to put any force behind it. Still, her action surprised me enough for her to swing her legs over my head like a freaking WWE wrestler or a mixed martial artist.
I grabbed her legs with both my hands while saying, "Miss. Calm down and stop hitting me." But instead, I got a "No!" and a foot to my face.
One, she can speak English, so yay. Second, I'm so glad I cleaned her feet and took her shoes off, or that kick would have hurt worse. Finally, third, the position we were in was embarrassing and could be taken in the wrong way. I must correct this before something happens. I pulled her legs up and shifted them back into their original position. Then I used my knees to bring her body back to its laying position slightly.
"Let go of me!" She shouted and tried to punch me. The key word is "tried." I caught her punch and quickly pinned her arms above her head and against the right view screen. My left hand kept her legs in place.
"How about you calm down first, Miss? I didn't risk my life to save you from those hyenas, only to get a knife in the back for a good deed," I shouted. I was still getting hit numerous times by elbows and weak kicks. Man, that's what I get for helping someone.
"You think I would fall for such a trick? You would ravage me and leave me for dead like my sister, you Alliance dog!" {1}
I froze at the accusation of my character before remembering how this area and people were treated in various Gundam media. There was some stuff my friends told me about during their tours in Afghanistan.
I sighed before replying, "Do I look like an Alliance soldier?" She paused and looked at what I was wearing. It was the spare uniform for my job I was wearing: a blue breathable polo and black pants with a nylon belt. I didn't want to wear the stuffy Alliance uniform as I would suffer a heat stroke from how hot it was here.
The woman didn't relax but did stop struggling. I could see the suspicion in her eyes, so I decided to show her another reason I wouldn't do such a vile thing.
"Now," I raised my left hand for her to see my ring. "The second reason I wouldn't do such a thing is I'm a married man with a loving wife waiting for me. She would hate me for doing those evil things."
Instead of reassuring her, it made her tense as my right hand had to tighten its grip slightly. I think I know why. "God did the monster who did that to your sister, a married man."
I seemed to be on point because she looked ready to hit me again as she answered, "That's how all you Alliance members act. All nice and caring before turning on us the second we lower our guard. I will not fall for it!"
I was getting annoyed and pissed, but I could understand her reasoning. So, I must have patients like when dealing with a belligerent customer at the restaurant.
I took a deep breath and slowly released it as my mind cleared.
"I'm going to ask you again not to hit me, but let me show you what's around us," I said as I slowly went for the camera controls. "I'm not going to touch you at all. Just move slightly so I can show you."
She hesitated, but I think she realized I meant no harm…I hope. She turned her head to face the main screen as I powered up the cameras. Unfortunately, it only revealed a slightly dark landscape. "Err, give me a second to turn on the headlight." I tried to remember where the freaking switch or button would turn it on.
I was getting a bit nervous as I looked for the switch, so I made some small talk. "Oh, I never introduced myself. My name is Michael Chen. My current occupation is as a displaced wastewater lab technician. What's your name?"
The tense silence that followed was deafening to me until she finally replied, "Shirin Ibrahim."
I finally found the switch for the searchlight, which happened to be in the head.
"Well, here we go," I flipped the switch, and the dark desert landscape appeared on the primary monitor. "See, there is no one else here except for us."
I felt her stiffen at my comment and realized how that could be taken. "Before you freak out and think this is some sort of threat. I will tell you now, this mobile suit we are in is…liberated by me to go home."
"We are inside a mobile suit?" It took me a moment before I realized she was squinting her eyes to look around. Oh shoot, she is like me without my glasses or contacts. Also, where the hell did you think we are in? A car?
"Yes, we are," I said as I checked the radar to see that no combat units were around us. "I parked us over here," I pointed at the GPS integrated into the Tragos.
"I was heading to this location from the map I found." I felt her shifting slightly in my lap to look back at me with a questioning look. I slowly reached for the map I kept folded behind the headrest and said. "Here. Let me get that thing real quick."
As I pulled the paper map from its location, I noticed something odd on the monitors. Where the hell wasn't there a living thing around us? Where were the animals? I park close to a cliff with a natural source of water nearby.
"Why did we stop here then?" I heard Shirin ask, breaking me from my thoughts.
"I was tired, or did you not notice the time? It's dark outside, and there is a chance of people attacking us. After all, we are in an Alliance mobile suit."
I could see her thinking about my comment before slowly nodding. Then she asked, "So you are resting here till morning before heading to the safe house?"
So it was a safe house. I yawned but replied, "Yes. I was hoping you would wake up by then to explain my situation with this mobile suit if you could understand me. I don't know Arabic."
The confused stare I received made me feel a bit stupid. I'm guessing the anime reason everyone spoke the same language despite the location must be in effect. Shirin didn't say anything but just got a bit comfortable to sleep…I hope.
I made sure to shift my handguns behind me like the few time I slept on road trips. I didn't want to wake up with my weapons to my head.
—————————
-The following day-
'Well, I survived the night.' I thought to myself. We stood outside of the Tragos for a quick restroom break and freshened up before heading to the safe house. However, there was an issue I had to discuss with my traveling companion.
"Are you ready?" I called out as her figure was slightly blurred due to the sunlight. Thankfully.
"I'm ready. Mister Chen," She replied as she came over. Her clothes from yesterday were cleaned up in her hands while she wore one of the spare uniforms I stole, sans any United Earth Sphere Alliance symbols.
"Well, let's head inside the Tragos and begin our trip to the safe house," I gestured to the mobile suit. She climbed up first while I kept an eye on the area. While she might not trust me, she did seem to give me the benefit of the doubt.
I opened the hatch and then decided to confront our leading issue. "While I don't know much about the culture in this area." The hard stare she gave me told me I was probably way off. "But here is an issue. There is no room for you to stand, and last night, you laying on my lap on the makeshift bed caused them to be severely numb."
I watched the woman take on a thoughtful look before she began to blush. I sighed and muttered, "Yeah. I had the same idea but wasn't sure how the people there would take you sitting in my lap. It's already weird if you lay on the makeshift bed when we get there."
She looked at me with her squinted eyes before sighing and nodding. I felt I couldn't leave her alone in this country after this, even if she met her family at this safe house. God dang, my bleeding heart.
"Well, let's go there and figure out what to do after. Maybe the people there won't mind and not try to do anything to us for bringing this Tragos there?"
The bewildered look I got from her made me want to laugh.
—————————
{1} This is fandom, but with how the Middle East and Africa areas are usually treated in Gundam, I wouldn't be surprised. Especially in the Gundam Wing verse. They are treated horribly in so many fandoms. That is why what Shirin Ibrahim said in this chapter wouldn't be surprising.
Chapter 1.05
————————————-
The After Colony Era
I was hoping for a vocal response to my actions of saving the woman. What I got instead was her elbow to my gut. The strike didn't hurt me as the woman was too tired to put any force behind it. Still, her action surprised me enough for her to swing her legs over my head like a freaking WWE wrestler or a mixed martial artist.
I grabbed her legs with both my hands while saying, "Miss. Calm down and stop hitting me." But instead, I got a "No!" and a foot to my face.
One, she can speak English, so yay. Second, I'm so glad I cleaned her feet and took her shoes off, or that kick would have hurt worse. Finally, third, the position we were in was embarrassing and could be taken in the wrong way. I must correct this before something happens. I pulled her legs up and shifted them back into their original position. Then I used my knees to bring her body back to its laying position slightly.
"Let go of me!" She shouted and tried to punch me. The key word is "tried." I caught her punch and quickly pinned her arms above her head and against the right view screen. My left hand kept her legs in place.
"How about you calm down first, Miss? I didn't risk my life to save you from those hyenas, only to get a knife in the back for a good deed," I shouted. I was still getting hit numerous times by elbows and weak kicks. Man, that's what I get for helping someone.
"You think I would fall for such a trick? You would ravage me and leave me for dead like my sister, you Alliance dog!" {1}
I froze at the accusation of my character before remembering how this area and people were treated in various Gundam media. There was some stuff my friends told me about during their tours in Afghanistan.
I sighed before replying, "Do I look like an Alliance soldier?" She paused and looked at what I was wearing. It was the spare uniform for my job I was wearing: a blue breathable polo and black pants with a nylon belt. I didn't want to wear the stuffy Alliance uniform as I would suffer a heat stroke from how hot it was here.
The woman didn't relax but did stop struggling. I could see the suspicion in her eyes, so I decided to show her another reason I wouldn't do such a vile thing.
"Now," I raised my left hand for her to see my ring. "The second reason I wouldn't do such a thing is I'm a married man with a loving wife waiting for me. She would hate me for doing those evil things."
Instead of reassuring her, it made her tense as my right hand had to tighten its grip slightly. I think I know why. "God did the monster who did that to your sister, a married man."
I seemed to be on point because she looked ready to hit me again as she answered, "That's how all you Alliance members act. All nice and caring before turning on us the second we lower our guard. I will not fall for it!"
I was getting annoyed and pissed, but I could understand her reasoning. So, I must have patients like when dealing with a belligerent customer at the restaurant.
I took a deep breath and slowly released it as my mind cleared.
"I'm going to ask you again not to hit me, but let me show you what's around us," I said as I slowly went for the camera controls. "I'm not going to touch you at all. Just move slightly so I can show you."
She hesitated, but I think she realized I meant no harm…I hope. She turned her head to face the main screen as I powered up the cameras. Unfortunately, it only revealed a slightly dark landscape. "Err, give me a second to turn on the headlight." I tried to remember where the freaking switch or button would turn it on.
I was getting a bit nervous as I looked for the switch, so I made some small talk. "Oh, I never introduced myself. My name is Michael Chen. My current occupation is as a displaced wastewater lab technician. What's your name?"
The tense silence that followed was deafening to me until she finally replied, "Shirin Ibrahim."
I finally found the switch for the searchlight, which happened to be in the head.
"Well, here we go," I flipped the switch, and the dark desert landscape appeared on the primary monitor. "See, there is no one else here except for us."
I felt her stiffen at my comment and realized how that could be taken. "Before you freak out and think this is some sort of threat. I will tell you now, this mobile suit we are in is…liberated by me to go home."
"We are inside a mobile suit?" It took me a moment before I realized she was squinting her eyes to look around. Oh shoot, she is like me without my glasses or contacts. Also, where the hell did you think we are in? A car?
"Yes, we are," I said as I checked the radar to see that no combat units were around us. "I parked us over here," I pointed at the GPS integrated into the Tragos.
"I was heading to this location from the map I found." I felt her shifting slightly in my lap to look back at me with a questioning look. I slowly reached for the map I kept folded behind the headrest and said. "Here. Let me get that thing real quick."
As I pulled the paper map from its location, I noticed something odd on the monitors. Where the hell wasn't there a living thing around us? Where were the animals? I park close to a cliff with a natural source of water nearby.
"Why did we stop here then?" I heard Shirin ask, breaking me from my thoughts.
"I was tired, or did you not notice the time? It's dark outside, and there is a chance of people attacking us. After all, we are in an Alliance mobile suit."
I could see her thinking about my comment before slowly nodding. Then she asked, "So you are resting here till morning before heading to the safe house?"
So it was a safe house. I yawned but replied, "Yes. I was hoping you would wake up by then to explain my situation with this mobile suit if you could understand me. I don't know Arabic."
The confused stare I received made me feel a bit stupid. I'm guessing the anime reason everyone spoke the same language despite the location must be in effect. Shirin didn't say anything but just got a bit comfortable to sleep…I hope.
I made sure to shift my handguns behind me like the few time I slept on road trips. I didn't want to wake up with my weapons to my head.
—————————
-The following day-
'Well, I survived the night.' I thought to myself. We stood outside of the Tragos for a quick restroom break and freshened up before heading to the safe house. However, there was an issue I had to discuss with my traveling companion.
"Are you ready?" I called out as her figure was slightly blurred due to the sunlight. Thankfully.
"I'm ready. Mister Chen," She replied as she came over. Her clothes from yesterday were cleaned up in her hands while she wore one of the spare uniforms I stole, sans any United Earth Sphere Alliance symbols.
"Well, let's head inside the Tragos and begin our trip to the safe house," I gestured to the mobile suit. She climbed up first while I kept an eye on the area. While she might not trust me, she did seem to give me the benefit of the doubt.
I opened the hatch and then decided to confront our leading issue. "While I don't know much about the culture in this area." The hard stare she gave me told me I was probably way off. "But here is an issue. There is no room for you to stand, and last night, you laying on my lap on the makeshift bed caused them to be severely numb."
I watched the woman take on a thoughtful look before she began to blush. I sighed and muttered, "Yeah. I had the same idea but wasn't sure how the people there would take you sitting in my lap. It's already weird if you lay on the makeshift bed when we get there."
She looked at me with her squinted eyes before sighing and nodding. I felt I couldn't leave her alone in this country after this, even if she met her family at this safe house. God dang, my bleeding heart.
"Well, let's go there and figure out what to do after. Maybe the people there won't mind and not try to do anything to us for bringing this Tragos there?"
The bewildered look I got from her made me want to laugh.
—————————
{1} This is fandom, but with how the Middle East and Africa areas are usually treated in Gundam, I wouldn't be surprised. Especially in the Gundam Wing verse. They are treated horribly in so many fandoms. That is why what Shirin Ibrahim said in this chapter wouldn't be surprising.
Chapter 1.06
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.06
————————————-
The After Colony Era
The trip to the safe house on the map would only take an hour to arrive at cruising speed. However, the entire journey was a silent and tense affair. It didn't help that she kept shifting in my lap. I may be a married man, but having a beautiful woman sitting on you while you haven't done anything in a while causes a few issues.
I distracted myself by glancing at the GPS. We were closing in on the location. That was when I noticed something off. The safe house should be coming up soon, yet I don't see anything on the screen.
"Miss Ibrahim," I spoke, causing the woman to shift her body to look at me. I silently prayed and mentally shouted the mantra in my head to keep myself from reacting. "We are coming to the safe house's location, but I'm not picking up the radio signal you told me to look for." I didn't mention that I didn't see anything on the monitors.
"That can't be," she said before turning back to the monitors. She shifted slightly to check the radio controls on the left. After a moment of fiddling with the radio, she suddenly shouted. "No! This can't be. This place is supposed to broadcast during an emergency to gather people constantly. The frequency is in a civilian one, so no military should use it by international law."
I paused at that statement. My body's reaction to Shirin died as I comprehended her words. They had a safe house broadcasting on civilian radio in a Gundam series was an idiotic thing to do. Now I'm worried less about how they would react to us and more if there were anyone there. Well, friendly ones, I don't want to run into combat units of the Oz variant.
"Maybe there was a glitch or something happened to the power there on the radio," I reassured her. However, she was already sobbing despite the situation. So what happened to the woman who tried to beat the ever-living hell out of me yesterday?
"No," she replied through the tears. "I have been here several times when we were forced out of the city, and the radio was always playing. They always kept it on despite the situation."
She then raised her finger and pointed at the monitor. Another sob broke before she took a deep breath and said, "Right now, there should be two mobile suits hidden around here. They would demand what our intent is, but they haven't yet."
I thought about the manual and shifted a bit, breaking Shirin out of her sobbing for a moment. Then, I ignored her as I grabbed the book and opened it in the cramped space. I quickly looked and found the codes I needed to enter to scan the area for debris that might be hidden under the sand.
"Sorry for the movement, but I am going to scan the area for those mobile suits that should have met us here," I said and looked up from my book only to see her turn to face me with both her arms crossed. I was confused by her reaction but entered the codes to start scanning the area.
The Tragos's sensor scanned the area and what we saw caused Shirin to collapse into me. I barely managed to catch her, not that I really needed to since there was only one place she could fall. Still, I felt faint myself seeing dozens of bodies buried in pieces. It may have shown only their skeletons, but it was concert proof that something went really wrong here.
I shook my head and tried to wake Shirin up. "Miss Ibrahim. Miss Ibrahim, wake up. Damn it wake up, Shirin!"
No response at all from the unconscious woman. This was not a good situation for us and especially for her. She was still recovering from exhaustion and dehydration. I kept trying to wake her up when the sensor alerted me to something nearby.
I looked at the monitor as the sensors locked onto something barely visible inside the rock face. The words' WMS-01 Aquila' confused me as I had never heard of that model. However, I knew WMS-03 meant the Maganac used by the Maganac Corps, so I guess it was an older model.
I drove the Tragos closer as the sensors picked up more details of our area. A few more scattered identification of Leos, Aries, and Aquila appear, but there were two unknowns. Dead ones as they weren't moving and half the size of a mobile suit but still had my hairs standing.
Shirin's moan distracted me from my fears as she slowly returned to consciousness.
"Miss Ibrahim," I said as I pulled up to the two unknowns' locations. They would be on the monitors in a few seconds. "I'm glad you're awake now." My comment was welcome with a slight jerk of my head to dodge the reactive punch. I had taken one before when I woke up a fellow volunteer on our first night working disaster relief. I got punched right in the face because the person forgot they were on the trip.
"Miss Ibrahim. It's me," I said as the woman's eyes finally focused on me before the second punch. God, I'm getting hit a lot these days.
Her face slightly turned red as she coughed in her hand and said, "Sorry."
I handed her a canteen of water as I brought the mobile suit to a stop. "Here. Take a drink and a few deep breaths. I know the images we saw are shocking after all." I wasn't feeling well either, but I had to keep a strong face up until we made camp.
I looked away as she drank the water, which was probably rude in this area. I looked at the two unknowns on the monitor and felt my stomach drop.
'Oh, shit!' I thought as I recognized them. Well, I knew somewhat when I was in the Gundam Wing timeline. The two half-destroyed Virgo was more than enough proof.
I glanced at my companion and realized it was best to help her out. Somehow.
"Miss Ibrahim," I said as the Tragos scanned the area for what it could detect. "Can you tell me every rite you know so that the dead may rest peacefully?"
The grateful look she gave me as she began reeling me the basics I would need to do so.
————————————
-several hours of back backing digging, washing, and giving several types of rites-
I sighed in relief as I sat down on one of the few intact chairs we found. It turns out there were several burial rites I had to do, from traditional to those of religious beliefs. It wasn't just all one type, as Shirin had explained them to me.
I still remember my stupid macho response when she wanted to help, "Leave this work to me. Miss Ibrahim. Please set up an area for us to rest. I have some rations I found in the sack over behind the chair. My backpack has some utensils we could use."
Several hours of back-breaking work and using the hand radios we found here. I buried dozens of bodies into the ground with as close to possible burial rites. Then, judging how some of the bodies were decomposing, I cleaned myself the best I could to prevent spreading anything I might have on me to Shirin.
When I arrived back to where I parked the Tragos, I spotted Shirin, dressed back into the robes and hijab, sitting at a potable table she must have found somewhere. I winced as that thing was long and probably weighed a good sixty pounds.
"Thank you for the meal, Miss Ibrahim," I said, exhausted.
"No, thank you for your work Michael," she replied and surprised me. We kept calling each other by last names for a reason. "You have done so much for me. I'm ashamed of how I acted around you."
I wasn't sure if that was an indication to call her by her name, but I decided the hell with it. My wife and I never started off by calling our family name to each other, nor did any of my friends.
"You are welcome, Shirin," I replied and saw her eyes twitch slightly from me saying her name. It seems like I messed up. "Now, let's eat first and rest. I'll take first watch to keep any animals or whoever destroyed this place."
"No," she said as she started to stand up. I raised my palms and motioned for her to stay seated. "You have done so much already. Allow me to do the first watch."
I shook my head and replied in a gentler tone. "Shirin," she didn't flinch this time. "You have been through a lot already, and you are still recovering when I found you. So rest for now, and I'll wake you in…have you seen my phone?" I realized I had forgotten my phone somewhere. I patted my pockets and looked around for it when I heard Shirin clear her throat.
She had my cell phone in her hands, and my mind tried to remember when I had given it to her. Was it yesterday? I remember handing it to her with the translated message until she spoke English. After that, I must have forgotten to get it back.
"Thank you," I said with a smile. This was one of the few things left from home after all. "I'll wake you for your shift later. Just eat and rest for now."
She nodded and walked off to…a tent nearby. Where did she get that? I shook my head and began pacing around the area with my pistols and the submachine gun I took. Hopefully, I wouldn't fall asleep before morning.
Chapter 1.06
————————————-
The After Colony Era
The trip to the safe house on the map would only take an hour to arrive at cruising speed. However, the entire journey was a silent and tense affair. It didn't help that she kept shifting in my lap. I may be a married man, but having a beautiful woman sitting on you while you haven't done anything in a while causes a few issues.
I distracted myself by glancing at the GPS. We were closing in on the location. That was when I noticed something off. The safe house should be coming up soon, yet I don't see anything on the screen.
"Miss Ibrahim," I spoke, causing the woman to shift her body to look at me. I silently prayed and mentally shouted the mantra in my head to keep myself from reacting. "We are coming to the safe house's location, but I'm not picking up the radio signal you told me to look for." I didn't mention that I didn't see anything on the monitors.
"That can't be," she said before turning back to the monitors. She shifted slightly to check the radio controls on the left. After a moment of fiddling with the radio, she suddenly shouted. "No! This can't be. This place is supposed to broadcast during an emergency to gather people constantly. The frequency is in a civilian one, so no military should use it by international law."
I paused at that statement. My body's reaction to Shirin died as I comprehended her words. They had a safe house broadcasting on civilian radio in a Gundam series was an idiotic thing to do. Now I'm worried less about how they would react to us and more if there were anyone there. Well, friendly ones, I don't want to run into combat units of the Oz variant.
"Maybe there was a glitch or something happened to the power there on the radio," I reassured her. However, she was already sobbing despite the situation. So what happened to the woman who tried to beat the ever-living hell out of me yesterday?
"No," she replied through the tears. "I have been here several times when we were forced out of the city, and the radio was always playing. They always kept it on despite the situation."
She then raised her finger and pointed at the monitor. Another sob broke before she took a deep breath and said, "Right now, there should be two mobile suits hidden around here. They would demand what our intent is, but they haven't yet."
I thought about the manual and shifted a bit, breaking Shirin out of her sobbing for a moment. Then, I ignored her as I grabbed the book and opened it in the cramped space. I quickly looked and found the codes I needed to enter to scan the area for debris that might be hidden under the sand.
"Sorry for the movement, but I am going to scan the area for those mobile suits that should have met us here," I said and looked up from my book only to see her turn to face me with both her arms crossed. I was confused by her reaction but entered the codes to start scanning the area.
The Tragos's sensor scanned the area and what we saw caused Shirin to collapse into me. I barely managed to catch her, not that I really needed to since there was only one place she could fall. Still, I felt faint myself seeing dozens of bodies buried in pieces. It may have shown only their skeletons, but it was concert proof that something went really wrong here.
I shook my head and tried to wake Shirin up. "Miss Ibrahim. Miss Ibrahim, wake up. Damn it wake up, Shirin!"
No response at all from the unconscious woman. This was not a good situation for us and especially for her. She was still recovering from exhaustion and dehydration. I kept trying to wake her up when the sensor alerted me to something nearby.
I looked at the monitor as the sensors locked onto something barely visible inside the rock face. The words' WMS-01 Aquila' confused me as I had never heard of that model. However, I knew WMS-03 meant the Maganac used by the Maganac Corps, so I guess it was an older model.
I drove the Tragos closer as the sensors picked up more details of our area. A few more scattered identification of Leos, Aries, and Aquila appear, but there were two unknowns. Dead ones as they weren't moving and half the size of a mobile suit but still had my hairs standing.
Shirin's moan distracted me from my fears as she slowly returned to consciousness.
"Miss Ibrahim," I said as I pulled up to the two unknowns' locations. They would be on the monitors in a few seconds. "I'm glad you're awake now." My comment was welcome with a slight jerk of my head to dodge the reactive punch. I had taken one before when I woke up a fellow volunteer on our first night working disaster relief. I got punched right in the face because the person forgot they were on the trip.
"Miss Ibrahim. It's me," I said as the woman's eyes finally focused on me before the second punch. God, I'm getting hit a lot these days.
Her face slightly turned red as she coughed in her hand and said, "Sorry."
I handed her a canteen of water as I brought the mobile suit to a stop. "Here. Take a drink and a few deep breaths. I know the images we saw are shocking after all." I wasn't feeling well either, but I had to keep a strong face up until we made camp.
I looked away as she drank the water, which was probably rude in this area. I looked at the two unknowns on the monitor and felt my stomach drop.
'Oh, shit!' I thought as I recognized them. Well, I knew somewhat when I was in the Gundam Wing timeline. The two half-destroyed Virgo was more than enough proof.
I glanced at my companion and realized it was best to help her out. Somehow.
"Miss Ibrahim," I said as the Tragos scanned the area for what it could detect. "Can you tell me every rite you know so that the dead may rest peacefully?"
The grateful look she gave me as she began reeling me the basics I would need to do so.
————————————
-several hours of back backing digging, washing, and giving several types of rites-
I sighed in relief as I sat down on one of the few intact chairs we found. It turns out there were several burial rites I had to do, from traditional to those of religious beliefs. It wasn't just all one type, as Shirin had explained them to me.
I still remember my stupid macho response when she wanted to help, "Leave this work to me. Miss Ibrahim. Please set up an area for us to rest. I have some rations I found in the sack over behind the chair. My backpack has some utensils we could use."
Several hours of back-breaking work and using the hand radios we found here. I buried dozens of bodies into the ground with as close to possible burial rites. Then, judging how some of the bodies were decomposing, I cleaned myself the best I could to prevent spreading anything I might have on me to Shirin.
When I arrived back to where I parked the Tragos, I spotted Shirin, dressed back into the robes and hijab, sitting at a potable table she must have found somewhere. I winced as that thing was long and probably weighed a good sixty pounds.
"Thank you for the meal, Miss Ibrahim," I said, exhausted.
"No, thank you for your work Michael," she replied and surprised me. We kept calling each other by last names for a reason. "You have done so much for me. I'm ashamed of how I acted around you."
I wasn't sure if that was an indication to call her by her name, but I decided the hell with it. My wife and I never started off by calling our family name to each other, nor did any of my friends.
"You are welcome, Shirin," I replied and saw her eyes twitch slightly from me saying her name. It seems like I messed up. "Now, let's eat first and rest. I'll take first watch to keep any animals or whoever destroyed this place."
"No," she said as she started to stand up. I raised my palms and motioned for her to stay seated. "You have done so much already. Allow me to do the first watch."
I shook my head and replied in a gentler tone. "Shirin," she didn't flinch this time. "You have been through a lot already, and you are still recovering when I found you. So rest for now, and I'll wake you in…have you seen my phone?" I realized I had forgotten my phone somewhere. I patted my pockets and looked around for it when I heard Shirin clear her throat.
She had my cell phone in her hands, and my mind tried to remember when I had given it to her. Was it yesterday? I remember handing it to her with the translated message until she spoke English. After that, I must have forgotten to get it back.
"Thank you," I said with a smile. This was one of the few things left from home after all. "I'll wake you for your shift later. Just eat and rest for now."
She nodded and walked off to…a tent nearby. Where did she get that? I shook my head and began pacing around the area with my pistols and the submachine gun I took. Hopefully, I wouldn't fall asleep before morning.
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Chapter 1.07 - Side SI
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.07 - Side SI
————————————-
The After Colony Era
Shirin thought how odd her life was after the attack on her town. It has been a week and a half since she lost everything yet was saved by this stranger. She was surprised by the week of travel with the man, Michael Chen. She thought the man would have taken advantage of her now, as those people did to her older sister and her friends. However, after he buried her people's remains according to the land's rites, the Asian man helped train her in self-defense.
She watched him go out of his way to make sure most of the central issue of dealing with the dead was done by him. Michael would not let her help until it came to rites. However, when she confronted him about the reason. He replied gently, "I didn't want you to see any of your friends or family in that state I found those bodies in. You should also keep them in your memory as people and not what I buried."
After that day, he handed her a pistol that she only saw her father use. It was a standard Alliance sidearm that her brother used to brag about stealing and selling to their forces in the area.
Michael showed her how to clean and hold the firearm. It was still embarrassing to remember how he instructed her. She felt her face flush every time he guided and showed her how to clean and maintain her firearms. Still, her heart was racing for those five days. Shirin had to douse it every time as she knew the man was married and had a goal of returning to her. She remembers yesterday's lesson as it was the first time she fired a weapon.
So far, the man was everything of what her sister called a 'white knight' as those Specialists called themselves. Those people, who called themselves OZ, betrayed the Earth Alliance and gave them freedom and peace for a few months before the attack a week ago.
"Shirin?" The voice of her savior knocked her out of her thoughts. She glanced beside her as Michael repositioned her arms. "Are you ready to fire?"
She glanced back to the firing range he had set up for her during this travel break. They had decided to leave the safe house and head to a refugee camp on a map they found. So here they were, somewhere between the border of Europe and the country above her own.
"I am ready," she replied as she squeezed the trigger and flinched at the sound and flash. Her ears were ringing despite the makeshift muffler on her ears wanted to drop her weapon but managed to keep her grip on it. She fired again and again until she ran out of ammo. She took several deep breaths as her body shook from the adrenaline she felt from shooting a gun for the first time in her life.
It took a moment before she realized Michael was calling her name. Her hearing was still ringing from the shots despite the mufflers dampening the noise. She quickly removed them to hear him shout, "How are you feeling?"
She was about to say invincible but noticed the sly smile on his face. As if he knew the feeling she was going through. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing what she felt and replied, "It is interesting."
The smile on his face didn't disappear as he said, "Let's go check your accuracy then. Remember to check your gun and put it on safety before we head to the target."
Shirin wanted to giggle at how serious the man was about gun safety. Did he not realize how he looked when acting like that? It was almost like being watched by her parents or a concerned boyfriend those Westerners had in those dramas she watched.
Traditionally her father wouldn't congratulate her for doing something different from their culture. Still, he encouraged her and her siblings to advance their knowledge of the world. But unfortunately, she lost that feeling when she lost her older sister and father to the Earth Alliance.
"You have an amazing first time with that gun," Shirin heard Michael say as he held up the roughly drawn target circles. "Your hit shots are accurate, but only half your clip struck the target."
He clapped his hands before patting her on the shoulder with his right hand. She had seen that he wanted to do it with his left, but after their conversation the day before about the gesture, he had to worry about it.
According to her father and brother, Shirin was trying to get used to foreign actions as her home country was very conservative. Those thoughts saddened her, but she quickly smiled at Michael's praise. Shirin hurried to clean up the range as her companion went off to cook lunch for today. After all, she hit half her shots and won her bet. Too bad it was more rations the man would cook. They haven't run into a town or city with people inside since they left the safe house with their mobile suit and trailer full of trade goods.
———-
They arrived at a small town that hadn't been destroyed in the chaos. It was odd as there were signs in English, Greek, and Arabic around them as they closed in. The main issue Shirin noticed was how far they traveled.
They started at the northern border of Sadia Arabic and traveled north. Yet, they had journeyed through several boundaries without running into anyone outside destroyed military bases and abandoned towns. So, this would be the first place they found that had people and wasn't under attack.
"Shirin," Michael said while scanning the area. "I'm not sure if we can ride up into town with the mobile suit without causing a panic. Do you want to walk with me the rest of the way after we stash the Tragos somewhere? Or do you wish to stay with the mobile suit while I trade some of the stuff we found for food?"
She thought about the options he was giving her. The trust of staying with their only mobile suit, Michael had begun teaching her to drive and shoot. She had never seen the man use biped mode, but if she remembered correctly, he wasn't a pilot and had only stolen it to get home. She shook the stray through out of her head and replied.
"I believe it best we go together into town. However, it would be a bad idea to leave the Tragos behind. Maybe we should try contacting any police here of our arrival as merchants from the south using the mobile suit as a guard and deterrent from bandits."
The befuddled look from the man almost made her giggle again. While she wasn't as suspicious of why he saved her now, he kept showing confusion about routine procedures and made her want to laugh. Those photos on that mini computer of his really did show he wasn't from here. Was he an alien who got lost in time and space?
She replied before her mind drifted off again, "We need to get in radio range so they can call us here. I am unsure which frequency they use for communication as my home was set to ****."
Shirin watched the man weigh the options while she shifted slightly to the armrest and left monitor screen. The mobile suit was already uncomfortable to ride in with two people. Worse when it's a male and female together in it.
"Okay," He replied. "I'll go with your idea then. But on the off chance, they fire on us instead of calling. What would we do then? I don't mind camping out longer, but we need fresh food and run out of water."
She paused as she remembered the list Micheal had shown her. The amount of food and water they had left for themselves. There were a few buckets of grease to keep the mobile suit running in the desert.
"I still think it should be a good idea, but just in case. Let us carry a white flag in the Tragos's hands."
She smiled when Micheal nodded at her suggestion, but she could hear him muttering something under his breath. The words she caught were "logic," "she might," and "should work."
It took a bit of work together, but they managed to make a large white flag from the bedsheets they took from the safe house and several abandoned towns they passed through. She caught him staring a few times before he apologized and continued making the flag. It was apparent why he did that, yet the fact he restrained himself told her of his self-control and dedication to his family.
They both entered the Tragos and began the power-up sequence when an alert sounded. When the monitors all came on, Shirin noticed they were surrounded. Yet, the mobile suits around them had not fired on them. Instead, they kept the weapons at the ready, like how Michael showed her in their firearms training.
"The couple in the Tragos," A voice in accented English came from the custom Maganac mobile suit. "Power down your mobile suit and come out. This is Ahmad of the Maganac Corps, and I swear that we will not do anything but talk if you comply."
"Well, this is great," Shirin turned to see Michael with a smile. "Maybe we've been saved from wandering around." She watched as he typed in the shutdown codes and replied on the radio. "Affirmative. Powering down."
She hoped they had indeed found salvation from their wandering.
—————————-
AN: For those who want an image of who Shirin Ibrahim is. Well here. It's a decent anime/cartoon photo.
Chapter 1.07 - Side SI
————————————-
The After Colony Era
Shirin thought how odd her life was after the attack on her town. It has been a week and a half since she lost everything yet was saved by this stranger. She was surprised by the week of travel with the man, Michael Chen. She thought the man would have taken advantage of her now, as those people did to her older sister and her friends. However, after he buried her people's remains according to the land's rites, the Asian man helped train her in self-defense.
She watched him go out of his way to make sure most of the central issue of dealing with the dead was done by him. Michael would not let her help until it came to rites. However, when she confronted him about the reason. He replied gently, "I didn't want you to see any of your friends or family in that state I found those bodies in. You should also keep them in your memory as people and not what I buried."
After that day, he handed her a pistol that she only saw her father use. It was a standard Alliance sidearm that her brother used to brag about stealing and selling to their forces in the area.
Michael showed her how to clean and hold the firearm. It was still embarrassing to remember how he instructed her. She felt her face flush every time he guided and showed her how to clean and maintain her firearms. Still, her heart was racing for those five days. Shirin had to douse it every time as she knew the man was married and had a goal of returning to her. She remembers yesterday's lesson as it was the first time she fired a weapon.
So far, the man was everything of what her sister called a 'white knight' as those Specialists called themselves. Those people, who called themselves OZ, betrayed the Earth Alliance and gave them freedom and peace for a few months before the attack a week ago.
"Shirin?" The voice of her savior knocked her out of her thoughts. She glanced beside her as Michael repositioned her arms. "Are you ready to fire?"
She glanced back to the firing range he had set up for her during this travel break. They had decided to leave the safe house and head to a refugee camp on a map they found. So here they were, somewhere between the border of Europe and the country above her own.
"I am ready," she replied as she squeezed the trigger and flinched at the sound and flash. Her ears were ringing despite the makeshift muffler on her ears wanted to drop her weapon but managed to keep her grip on it. She fired again and again until she ran out of ammo. She took several deep breaths as her body shook from the adrenaline she felt from shooting a gun for the first time in her life.
It took a moment before she realized Michael was calling her name. Her hearing was still ringing from the shots despite the mufflers dampening the noise. She quickly removed them to hear him shout, "How are you feeling?"
She was about to say invincible but noticed the sly smile on his face. As if he knew the feeling she was going through. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing what she felt and replied, "It is interesting."
The smile on his face didn't disappear as he said, "Let's go check your accuracy then. Remember to check your gun and put it on safety before we head to the target."
Shirin wanted to giggle at how serious the man was about gun safety. Did he not realize how he looked when acting like that? It was almost like being watched by her parents or a concerned boyfriend those Westerners had in those dramas she watched.
Traditionally her father wouldn't congratulate her for doing something different from their culture. Still, he encouraged her and her siblings to advance their knowledge of the world. But unfortunately, she lost that feeling when she lost her older sister and father to the Earth Alliance.
"You have an amazing first time with that gun," Shirin heard Michael say as he held up the roughly drawn target circles. "Your hit shots are accurate, but only half your clip struck the target."
He clapped his hands before patting her on the shoulder with his right hand. She had seen that he wanted to do it with his left, but after their conversation the day before about the gesture, he had to worry about it.
According to her father and brother, Shirin was trying to get used to foreign actions as her home country was very conservative. Those thoughts saddened her, but she quickly smiled at Michael's praise. Shirin hurried to clean up the range as her companion went off to cook lunch for today. After all, she hit half her shots and won her bet. Too bad it was more rations the man would cook. They haven't run into a town or city with people inside since they left the safe house with their mobile suit and trailer full of trade goods.
———-
They arrived at a small town that hadn't been destroyed in the chaos. It was odd as there were signs in English, Greek, and Arabic around them as they closed in. The main issue Shirin noticed was how far they traveled.
They started at the northern border of Sadia Arabic and traveled north. Yet, they had journeyed through several boundaries without running into anyone outside destroyed military bases and abandoned towns. So, this would be the first place they found that had people and wasn't under attack.
"Shirin," Michael said while scanning the area. "I'm not sure if we can ride up into town with the mobile suit without causing a panic. Do you want to walk with me the rest of the way after we stash the Tragos somewhere? Or do you wish to stay with the mobile suit while I trade some of the stuff we found for food?"
She thought about the options he was giving her. The trust of staying with their only mobile suit, Michael had begun teaching her to drive and shoot. She had never seen the man use biped mode, but if she remembered correctly, he wasn't a pilot and had only stolen it to get home. She shook the stray through out of her head and replied.
"I believe it best we go together into town. However, it would be a bad idea to leave the Tragos behind. Maybe we should try contacting any police here of our arrival as merchants from the south using the mobile suit as a guard and deterrent from bandits."
The befuddled look from the man almost made her giggle again. While she wasn't as suspicious of why he saved her now, he kept showing confusion about routine procedures and made her want to laugh. Those photos on that mini computer of his really did show he wasn't from here. Was he an alien who got lost in time and space?
She replied before her mind drifted off again, "We need to get in radio range so they can call us here. I am unsure which frequency they use for communication as my home was set to ****."
Shirin watched the man weigh the options while she shifted slightly to the armrest and left monitor screen. The mobile suit was already uncomfortable to ride in with two people. Worse when it's a male and female together in it.
"Okay," He replied. "I'll go with your idea then. But on the off chance, they fire on us instead of calling. What would we do then? I don't mind camping out longer, but we need fresh food and run out of water."
She paused as she remembered the list Micheal had shown her. The amount of food and water they had left for themselves. There were a few buckets of grease to keep the mobile suit running in the desert.
"I still think it should be a good idea, but just in case. Let us carry a white flag in the Tragos's hands."
She smiled when Micheal nodded at her suggestion, but she could hear him muttering something under his breath. The words she caught were "logic," "she might," and "should work."
It took a bit of work together, but they managed to make a large white flag from the bedsheets they took from the safe house and several abandoned towns they passed through. She caught him staring a few times before he apologized and continued making the flag. It was apparent why he did that, yet the fact he restrained himself told her of his self-control and dedication to his family.
They both entered the Tragos and began the power-up sequence when an alert sounded. When the monitors all came on, Shirin noticed they were surrounded. Yet, the mobile suits around them had not fired on them. Instead, they kept the weapons at the ready, like how Michael showed her in their firearms training.
"The couple in the Tragos," A voice in accented English came from the custom Maganac mobile suit. "Power down your mobile suit and come out. This is Ahmad of the Maganac Corps, and I swear that we will not do anything but talk if you comply."
"Well, this is great," Shirin turned to see Michael with a smile. "Maybe we've been saved from wandering around." She watched as he typed in the shutdown codes and replied on the radio. "Affirmative. Powering down."
She hoped they had indeed found salvation from their wandering.
—————————-
AN: For those who want an image of who Shirin Ibrahim is. Well here. It's a decent anime/cartoon photo.
Chapter 1.08
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.08
————————————-
The After Colony Era
The five Maganac escorted us into town, where I noticed several more of them and a few Leo and Aries. It was surprising to see those mobile suits here, but I held my tongue and waited for them to direct us to where I would park the Tragos.
I tried to relax as I listened to Shirin talk about the Maganac corp. I knew most of the information she told me, such as the size and some of the public history. What I didn't realize was what interested me.
"These people are the elites of the Arabic nations," she explained as she pointed at a nearby mobile suit. It wasn't the Maganac Corp main mobile suit, but a stripped-down poor cousin on it.
"My father…" She trailed off before putting on an apparent false smile. I gave her a nod, and she continued. "Those mobile suits are Aquila. I noticed you seemed confused about them earlier when you found them back then."
Her eyes were squinted, but it was less of her lousy vision and more of the emotions she had from those mobile suits. Based on her comment before she told me what they were. Her father must have been a pilot for one before my appearance here.
Before I could assure her that it was okay to grieve openly, a beep from the combat computer informed us that someone was trying to reach us through the radio. I whispered to her gently that everything would be all right before going for the comms.
"Hello?" I said, knowing it was not regular radio talk, but it had been years since I used a CB. The person who replied wasn't one I recognized as from the area. It sounded more British than Arabic or Greek. "Ah, yes. Ahmad's new arrivals. Mister Chen and Miss Ibrahim. I'm relaying you the coordinates to dismount from your mobile suit. Please be careful as one of the Gundam pilots and the Commander wants to speak with you."
The slight hint of respect and fear I could hear in the man's voice told me it was either Quatre or Heero Yuy. I wasn't sure who the commander could be, as it could be a Treize faction OZ or Alliance officer, given that Virgos were running around.
"Thank you," I replied and checked the coordinates for where to go. It seemed like my escorts moved aside, and the custom mobile suit leading us pointed to a spot with several other Tragos. I was glad Shirin complained about the dull colors of my mech. So I had secretly painted some white and black on my ride, well, not painted as more like put and welded pieces of the Virgos' armor on critical parts.
It took me a moment to park the Tragos as Shirin helped me adjust my spacing in our spot. I'm horrible at backing up.
Once we were sure I had more than enough space if something was to happen, we could return and use the mobile suit. I gave my companion a nod to open the cockpit. Shirin typed in the code to release the latch and allow the hatch to lift. With the cockpit door open, it reveals both of us to the waiting troops outside. I grabbed my backpack and her sack with our extra clothes, ammo, and hidden side arms.
"****," I heard from Shirin, who quickly hid behind me. I realized it was mainly people in Alliance uniforms standing below. I was hoping for OZ or Maganac members. At least none of them were aiming their guns at us from whatever she cursed.
I watched as one woman officer stepped forward and said, "Welcome, Tragos pilot, to Camp Shelton. You and your companion can freshen up at our temporary bathing house before being debriefed about your journey here." I saw the confusion from most of the Alliance soldiers below. I guess it was that Shirin and I were in civilian clothes.
I could feel the shivering from Shirin behind me as I noticed a few leers from the younger males among the soldiers below. If I was to guess, they were around the same age, and in these stressful times, it's best to keep an eye on them.
I decided to request it since the woman seemed to be the officer out of the group. "Mind if you direct us to a private shower area? My companion doesn't like being in a public space since the last town we were in." I lied through my teeth as I could hear Shirin whisper, "Thank you."
The woman seemed to pause at my request before glancing around and realizing what I meant. The disgusted look on her face before she went blank-faced and said, "Of course, allow me to guide you two there."
We climbed down the Tragos. Shirin went first, so I could keep overwatch before following. When I reached the ground, I didn't catch the conversation between her and the female officer. However, the look of respect from the woman confused me, but I went with it as I asked, "Lieutenant?"
"Middie. Lieutenant Middie."
"Thank you, Lieutenant Middie. Please lead the way." We followed the young officer to a bunch of housing building that wasn't damaged. It was weird to see this place as a military camp until I realized the location was on the outskirts of the town. It seems like this section saw battle but survived it. However, it was abandoned for the troops here.
Our trip to an average-looking, undamaged house was much better as I finally saw Camp Shelton was made from three, maybe four, factions. I hoped it would be peaceful as this didn't happen in the anime from my memories.
——————————————
I waited for Shirin on the porch of the housing we were given. I finally saw why it was so weird. I knew the Middle East in Gundam Wing was pretty strong compared to the rest of the franchises, thanks to my companion refreshing the After Colony history. She helped me with the 'General Knowledge' of this universe. All I did was act like a diligent student and learn as much as possible.
I glanced at my clothes and hoped they were good enough as it was just another work uniform. At least Shirin had a BDU, stripped of its identification and rank, as none of the ones I found was my size.
"Hey friend," I heard a man say in accented English. I turned to see a man with a keffiyeh on his head. I had hoped for one of the Maganac Corp members, but it was one of the Middle East troopers who joined the camp to fight against the Romefeller Foundation.
"Hello, good sir," I replied. I knew him slightly from the conversation we had when I got done giving myself a clean-up. "Any news about whom my partner and I will meet with?" It was weird calling Shirin my partner instead of a companion. Still, some stereotypical customs about the Middle East were emphasized here. Such as, having a non-married woman with a man (married or not) went against some social norms. She would either have to be my wife, daughter, or partner. (I didn't get it. What is the difference between companion and partner?)
I still remember what she told me before she went into the shower. "Please tell everyone from my homeland that you are my partner. Not a companion. Please, I beg of you to tell them this." The fear in her eyes made me agree. However, she did apologize and wished to make it up to my wife.
As I listened to the man's reply, I shook my thoughts away from that tangent. "They say you will meet with the prominent four leaders here—one alliance officer Lieutenant Middie." The look he had just made me wish this was a stereotype, but there were people at home that disliked women in the military, so I ignored it. After all, this universe had freak Wufei here.
"An OZ officer will be there too. I believe the man's name is Lieutenant Nichol Brightman." I nodded while trying to figure out why the name sounded familiar.
"Finally, Commander Rashid Kurama and Mister Winner will represent the mercenaries and the Arabic nations. From the rumors going around. They all wished to see if you have any information about an odd occurrence that saved us all." The man finished as I gave him a questioning look.
"Something that happened that saved everyone? What do you mean?" I asked, but before the man could answer, I heard the door to the house open. I turned to see Shirin without her Hijab and dressed in a business suit that must have been inside the house. I hope the people who once owned it didn't mind. She looked lovely, but after a week in a cramped mobile suit cockpit, I got used to her beauty.
"Nicely dressed, Shirin," I said as the man who told me the information looked at her before saying his goodbyes. At least he didn't sound insulted at her dress sense as she looked like a modern Western businesswoman. "We have a meeting with the leaders here about what we saw since we left your hometown."
She flinched at the mention of the destroyed home but nodded and replied, "I'll be okay, Michael. Let's go meet them now." I watched her for a moment before nodding. I would respect her decision if she were willing to hold herself together for this meeting.
I stepped forward with her footsteps behind me, and we traveled a few meters from the house. We left our supplies inside with a promise from a man from the Maganac Corps to watch over them.
We traveled a few more feet when I realized I didn't know where we were supposed to go. I could feel a sweat drop forming on the back of my head, which was weird, as I asked a passing OZ soldier. "Excuse me, sir. Where is the place that the leaders of this camp suppose to meet at? I was told to debrief them of my travel here."
The baffled look on his face and Shirin's audible sigh behind me made me want to facepalm. But, instead of that, I just waited as he began giving me directions.
Chapter 1.08
————————————-
The After Colony Era
The five Maganac escorted us into town, where I noticed several more of them and a few Leo and Aries. It was surprising to see those mobile suits here, but I held my tongue and waited for them to direct us to where I would park the Tragos.
I tried to relax as I listened to Shirin talk about the Maganac corp. I knew most of the information she told me, such as the size and some of the public history. What I didn't realize was what interested me.
"These people are the elites of the Arabic nations," she explained as she pointed at a nearby mobile suit. It wasn't the Maganac Corp main mobile suit, but a stripped-down poor cousin on it.
"My father…" She trailed off before putting on an apparent false smile. I gave her a nod, and she continued. "Those mobile suits are Aquila. I noticed you seemed confused about them earlier when you found them back then."
Her eyes were squinted, but it was less of her lousy vision and more of the emotions she had from those mobile suits. Based on her comment before she told me what they were. Her father must have been a pilot for one before my appearance here.
Before I could assure her that it was okay to grieve openly, a beep from the combat computer informed us that someone was trying to reach us through the radio. I whispered to her gently that everything would be all right before going for the comms.
"Hello?" I said, knowing it was not regular radio talk, but it had been years since I used a CB. The person who replied wasn't one I recognized as from the area. It sounded more British than Arabic or Greek. "Ah, yes. Ahmad's new arrivals. Mister Chen and Miss Ibrahim. I'm relaying you the coordinates to dismount from your mobile suit. Please be careful as one of the Gundam pilots and the Commander wants to speak with you."
The slight hint of respect and fear I could hear in the man's voice told me it was either Quatre or Heero Yuy. I wasn't sure who the commander could be, as it could be a Treize faction OZ or Alliance officer, given that Virgos were running around.
"Thank you," I replied and checked the coordinates for where to go. It seemed like my escorts moved aside, and the custom mobile suit leading us pointed to a spot with several other Tragos. I was glad Shirin complained about the dull colors of my mech. So I had secretly painted some white and black on my ride, well, not painted as more like put and welded pieces of the Virgos' armor on critical parts.
It took me a moment to park the Tragos as Shirin helped me adjust my spacing in our spot. I'm horrible at backing up.
Once we were sure I had more than enough space if something was to happen, we could return and use the mobile suit. I gave my companion a nod to open the cockpit. Shirin typed in the code to release the latch and allow the hatch to lift. With the cockpit door open, it reveals both of us to the waiting troops outside. I grabbed my backpack and her sack with our extra clothes, ammo, and hidden side arms.
"****," I heard from Shirin, who quickly hid behind me. I realized it was mainly people in Alliance uniforms standing below. I was hoping for OZ or Maganac members. At least none of them were aiming their guns at us from whatever she cursed.
I watched as one woman officer stepped forward and said, "Welcome, Tragos pilot, to Camp Shelton. You and your companion can freshen up at our temporary bathing house before being debriefed about your journey here." I saw the confusion from most of the Alliance soldiers below. I guess it was that Shirin and I were in civilian clothes.
I could feel the shivering from Shirin behind me as I noticed a few leers from the younger males among the soldiers below. If I was to guess, they were around the same age, and in these stressful times, it's best to keep an eye on them.
I decided to request it since the woman seemed to be the officer out of the group. "Mind if you direct us to a private shower area? My companion doesn't like being in a public space since the last town we were in." I lied through my teeth as I could hear Shirin whisper, "Thank you."
The woman seemed to pause at my request before glancing around and realizing what I meant. The disgusted look on her face before she went blank-faced and said, "Of course, allow me to guide you two there."
We climbed down the Tragos. Shirin went first, so I could keep overwatch before following. When I reached the ground, I didn't catch the conversation between her and the female officer. However, the look of respect from the woman confused me, but I went with it as I asked, "Lieutenant?"
"Middie. Lieutenant Middie."
"Thank you, Lieutenant Middie. Please lead the way." We followed the young officer to a bunch of housing building that wasn't damaged. It was weird to see this place as a military camp until I realized the location was on the outskirts of the town. It seems like this section saw battle but survived it. However, it was abandoned for the troops here.
Our trip to an average-looking, undamaged house was much better as I finally saw Camp Shelton was made from three, maybe four, factions. I hoped it would be peaceful as this didn't happen in the anime from my memories.
——————————————
I waited for Shirin on the porch of the housing we were given. I finally saw why it was so weird. I knew the Middle East in Gundam Wing was pretty strong compared to the rest of the franchises, thanks to my companion refreshing the After Colony history. She helped me with the 'General Knowledge' of this universe. All I did was act like a diligent student and learn as much as possible.
I glanced at my clothes and hoped they were good enough as it was just another work uniform. At least Shirin had a BDU, stripped of its identification and rank, as none of the ones I found was my size.
"Hey friend," I heard a man say in accented English. I turned to see a man with a keffiyeh on his head. I had hoped for one of the Maganac Corp members, but it was one of the Middle East troopers who joined the camp to fight against the Romefeller Foundation.
"Hello, good sir," I replied. I knew him slightly from the conversation we had when I got done giving myself a clean-up. "Any news about whom my partner and I will meet with?" It was weird calling Shirin my partner instead of a companion. Still, some stereotypical customs about the Middle East were emphasized here. Such as, having a non-married woman with a man (married or not) went against some social norms. She would either have to be my wife, daughter, or partner. (I didn't get it. What is the difference between companion and partner?)
I still remember what she told me before she went into the shower. "Please tell everyone from my homeland that you are my partner. Not a companion. Please, I beg of you to tell them this." The fear in her eyes made me agree. However, she did apologize and wished to make it up to my wife.
As I listened to the man's reply, I shook my thoughts away from that tangent. "They say you will meet with the prominent four leaders here—one alliance officer Lieutenant Middie." The look he had just made me wish this was a stereotype, but there were people at home that disliked women in the military, so I ignored it. After all, this universe had freak Wufei here.
"An OZ officer will be there too. I believe the man's name is Lieutenant Nichol Brightman." I nodded while trying to figure out why the name sounded familiar.
"Finally, Commander Rashid Kurama and Mister Winner will represent the mercenaries and the Arabic nations. From the rumors going around. They all wished to see if you have any information about an odd occurrence that saved us all." The man finished as I gave him a questioning look.
"Something that happened that saved everyone? What do you mean?" I asked, but before the man could answer, I heard the door to the house open. I turned to see Shirin without her Hijab and dressed in a business suit that must have been inside the house. I hope the people who once owned it didn't mind. She looked lovely, but after a week in a cramped mobile suit cockpit, I got used to her beauty.
"Nicely dressed, Shirin," I said as the man who told me the information looked at her before saying his goodbyes. At least he didn't sound insulted at her dress sense as she looked like a modern Western businesswoman. "We have a meeting with the leaders here about what we saw since we left your hometown."
She flinched at the mention of the destroyed home but nodded and replied, "I'll be okay, Michael. Let's go meet them now." I watched her for a moment before nodding. I would respect her decision if she were willing to hold herself together for this meeting.
I stepped forward with her footsteps behind me, and we traveled a few meters from the house. We left our supplies inside with a promise from a man from the Maganac Corps to watch over them.
We traveled a few more feet when I realized I didn't know where we were supposed to go. I could feel a sweat drop forming on the back of my head, which was weird, as I asked a passing OZ soldier. "Excuse me, sir. Where is the place that the leaders of this camp suppose to meet at? I was told to debrief them of my travel here."
The baffled look on his face and Shirin's audible sigh behind me made me want to facepalm. But, instead of that, I just waited as he began giving me directions.
Last edited:
Chapter 1.09
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.09
————————————-
The After Colony Era
You know, when things are too good to be true is when the leaders want to meet with a random stranger. So I should have expected something was up when our guide answered his radio, and his demeanor changed.
I thought I was heading to a meeting, not a holding cell, as Shirin and I was led straight into the room. It looks like one of those movie police rooms where criminals are interrogated. The slamming of the doors behind us made me realize the guide and locked us in.
I had forgotten all that as I quickly tried to calm Shirin down, who was starting to panic when the doors slammed shut behind us. "Shirin! Take deep breaths. They must have a good reason to lock us in the room together. Then about it. Why have both of us in this room together?"
Oh, I wanted to freak out at this too, but I couldn't with Shirin here. If I did, then it would go to hell. I almost thought we were tricked when the speakers in the room turned on, and a young male voice came through it. Was that Quatre?
"I apologize for sealing you in this room," the voice said genuinely. Or what I thought was it. "However, one of our radiation sensors picked up odd readings from you two."
There was a pause as that statement sank in. Shirin froze for some reason, but I just thought about the idea for a moment as something started forming in my mind. Like I was solving a puzzle I didn't realize I was working on.
I just replied, "Radiation? How dangerous did you think it is, and should we warn the people we have been in contact with here?"
There seemed to be a pause before another voice, which I recognized as Middie, said, "All those near you two have no traces of the radiation we are picking up. Only you two and the Tragos you brought here emit the unusual energy."
"Only us two have this energy," Shirin asked. "Are we safe to be around?"
"We are not sure," can another voice. I quickly counted it and realized it must be the OZ officer here. "However, to be safe. Everyone who met you directly is in isolation."
I now understand why Shirin and I have been stuck in this room away from the camp's leaders. But wait, wasn't that Middie earlier? Was she the Alliance remnant leader? Wasn't Sally Poe the leader of the remnants, or was this a different group?
It then dawned on me, "Lieutenant Middie." I said while rubbing Shirin's back. "That means you and your men are also in isolation?"
"Yes, mister Chen. Miss Ibrahim, you don't have to worry about my people. I apologize for any misconduct they may have done to offend you."
I felt something was off as they seemed so apologetic. My childhood memories of Gundam Wing showed that most Alliance Leaders are horrible, except for lower ranks like Lieutenants and Sergeants.
"Shirin," I whispered to my partner. "Let's sit down and answer some of their questions while we wait for them to clear us."
"I will, Michael. Thank you," She replied as she took the first chair. There was a glass pitch with ice water, but we didn't touch it yet. I looked at the glass window and then at the cameras before saying. "Well, ask your questions, and we'll try to answer them to the best of our abilities." I took my seat and waited for the first question.
An uncomfortably long pause made me glance at Shirin, and she had done the same to me before someone finally spoke up. It was the young male voice that I hoped was Quatre.
"Do either of you see or do anything usual that gave you that unusual radiation signature two weeks ago?"
I thought about how long it had been since I arrived in this universe and realized it had only been about two weeks. I could hear Shirin's response with her answer about her hometown while I tried to figure out how I got that signature and why she had it. That's when it hit me.
When I arrived in this universe, I was attacked by a damn Leo, but it seemed odd. Like it was looking for something, and when it destroyed my Xterra, it died not long after. Could it have picked up the weird radiation I gave off and gone out of its way to destroy it?
"Michael?" I heard Shirin say, making me realize she was done talking about what happened two weeks ago for her. The only extra thing I heard from this interview was that her brother had gone out to fight against those Virgos and never returned. She never told me her brother was a mobile suit pilot, only that he was part of the Middle East defense force.
"Ah! Sorry," I replied, looking around for a moment before composing myself. "Before I answer this question. Is there a reason specifically for what happened two weeks ago?"
The questioning look I got from Shirin made me realize I should have asked before she spoke her story. Instead, I whispered an apology before turning my attention to the cameras.
This time it was Middie who responded. "We are asking as this radiation spike was sensed all over the Eastern Hemisphere and caused all Mobile Dolls to freeze up for two minutes. We are seeking answers as whoever caused that saved millions of lives."
I was numb. Very numb as I realized I didn't arrive in the Gundam Wing universe. I came to one that was affected by my arrival somehow. I felt someone shaking my shoulder, and I realized it was Shirin with a worried look on her face. The voices on the intercom were chatting away at my reactions without realizing they didn't shut down the coms.
I decided to speak up and say my piece. Maybe they will throw me into a cell away from all the battles before everything goes to hell in a few months?
"Excuses me!" I shouted, getting the conversation on the other end to pause. It seems like they realized the intercoms were still on. "I can tell you only one thing that happens to me personally. I somehow got to Shirin's hometown from my home state of Alabama on the North American continent. So whatever did that might be the reason for that radiation."
I could hear another pause before the door behind Shirin and me creaked open. At the entrance was the familiar face of Lieutenant Middie and one man I had only seen in the anime. Rasid Kurama, the leader of the Maganac Corp.
It wasn't Middie who spoke up but Rasid. "Master Quatre wishes to meet with you. We shall lead you there, Master Chen."
I nodded but was confused. Why is Rasid calling me Master Chen?
————————————————-
Chapter 1.09
————————————-
The After Colony Era
You know, when things are too good to be true is when the leaders want to meet with a random stranger. So I should have expected something was up when our guide answered his radio, and his demeanor changed.
I thought I was heading to a meeting, not a holding cell, as Shirin and I was led straight into the room. It looks like one of those movie police rooms where criminals are interrogated. The slamming of the doors behind us made me realize the guide and locked us in.
I had forgotten all that as I quickly tried to calm Shirin down, who was starting to panic when the doors slammed shut behind us. "Shirin! Take deep breaths. They must have a good reason to lock us in the room together. Then about it. Why have both of us in this room together?"
Oh, I wanted to freak out at this too, but I couldn't with Shirin here. If I did, then it would go to hell. I almost thought we were tricked when the speakers in the room turned on, and a young male voice came through it. Was that Quatre?
"I apologize for sealing you in this room," the voice said genuinely. Or what I thought was it. "However, one of our radiation sensors picked up odd readings from you two."
There was a pause as that statement sank in. Shirin froze for some reason, but I just thought about the idea for a moment as something started forming in my mind. Like I was solving a puzzle I didn't realize I was working on.
I just replied, "Radiation? How dangerous did you think it is, and should we warn the people we have been in contact with here?"
There seemed to be a pause before another voice, which I recognized as Middie, said, "All those near you two have no traces of the radiation we are picking up. Only you two and the Tragos you brought here emit the unusual energy."
"Only us two have this energy," Shirin asked. "Are we safe to be around?"
"We are not sure," can another voice. I quickly counted it and realized it must be the OZ officer here. "However, to be safe. Everyone who met you directly is in isolation."
I now understand why Shirin and I have been stuck in this room away from the camp's leaders. But wait, wasn't that Middie earlier? Was she the Alliance remnant leader? Wasn't Sally Poe the leader of the remnants, or was this a different group?
It then dawned on me, "Lieutenant Middie." I said while rubbing Shirin's back. "That means you and your men are also in isolation?"
"Yes, mister Chen. Miss Ibrahim, you don't have to worry about my people. I apologize for any misconduct they may have done to offend you."
I felt something was off as they seemed so apologetic. My childhood memories of Gundam Wing showed that most Alliance Leaders are horrible, except for lower ranks like Lieutenants and Sergeants.
"Shirin," I whispered to my partner. "Let's sit down and answer some of their questions while we wait for them to clear us."
"I will, Michael. Thank you," She replied as she took the first chair. There was a glass pitch with ice water, but we didn't touch it yet. I looked at the glass window and then at the cameras before saying. "Well, ask your questions, and we'll try to answer them to the best of our abilities." I took my seat and waited for the first question.
An uncomfortably long pause made me glance at Shirin, and she had done the same to me before someone finally spoke up. It was the young male voice that I hoped was Quatre.
"Do either of you see or do anything usual that gave you that unusual radiation signature two weeks ago?"
I thought about how long it had been since I arrived in this universe and realized it had only been about two weeks. I could hear Shirin's response with her answer about her hometown while I tried to figure out how I got that signature and why she had it. That's when it hit me.
When I arrived in this universe, I was attacked by a damn Leo, but it seemed odd. Like it was looking for something, and when it destroyed my Xterra, it died not long after. Could it have picked up the weird radiation I gave off and gone out of its way to destroy it?
"Michael?" I heard Shirin say, making me realize she was done talking about what happened two weeks ago for her. The only extra thing I heard from this interview was that her brother had gone out to fight against those Virgos and never returned. She never told me her brother was a mobile suit pilot, only that he was part of the Middle East defense force.
"Ah! Sorry," I replied, looking around for a moment before composing myself. "Before I answer this question. Is there a reason specifically for what happened two weeks ago?"
The questioning look I got from Shirin made me realize I should have asked before she spoke her story. Instead, I whispered an apology before turning my attention to the cameras.
This time it was Middie who responded. "We are asking as this radiation spike was sensed all over the Eastern Hemisphere and caused all Mobile Dolls to freeze up for two minutes. We are seeking answers as whoever caused that saved millions of lives."
I was numb. Very numb as I realized I didn't arrive in the Gundam Wing universe. I came to one that was affected by my arrival somehow. I felt someone shaking my shoulder, and I realized it was Shirin with a worried look on her face. The voices on the intercom were chatting away at my reactions without realizing they didn't shut down the coms.
I decided to speak up and say my piece. Maybe they will throw me into a cell away from all the battles before everything goes to hell in a few months?
"Excuses me!" I shouted, getting the conversation on the other end to pause. It seems like they realized the intercoms were still on. "I can tell you only one thing that happens to me personally. I somehow got to Shirin's hometown from my home state of Alabama on the North American continent. So whatever did that might be the reason for that radiation."
I could hear another pause before the door behind Shirin and me creaked open. At the entrance was the familiar face of Lieutenant Middie and one man I had only seen in the anime. Rasid Kurama, the leader of the Maganac Corp.
It wasn't Middie who spoke up but Rasid. "Master Quatre wishes to meet with you. We shall lead you there, Master Chen."
I nodded but was confused. Why is Rasid calling me Master Chen?
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Last edited:
Chapter 1.10
- Location
- USA
- Pronouns
- He
Where the heck am I?
Chapter 1.10
——————————-
After Colony Era: Gundam Wing
After a few minutes, we arrived at another door. It was far more decorative than the interrogation room. The destination seemed grander, with those sentries from all factions standing guard in front of the door.
I heard the man with that small red hat on his head call out to Rashid in Arabic. The leader of the Maganac responded while I studied the other two guards. They looked stressed out but at attention. The one in the green military fatigues saluted Middie while the Oz member followed suit a few seconds behind.
"Lieutenant Middie," the man in green said after dropping his salute. "Lieutenant Brightman and Gundam pilot Winner is inside awaiting our mysterious guest."
The guards glanced at Shirin and me. I met their glaze as I could feel my partner standing a bit closer to my back. She was getting better at controlling her reaction around the men in Alliance uniform. Still, she had been trapped in the room earlier in a surprised interrogation. It must have made her cautious of them again.
"Private Jones. Our guests are ready to enter," Middie said. The man nodded before speaking into the radio that he…pulled out from somewhere? Really how do these people pull things out of thin air sometimes?
The soldier gave us a nod as the door behind him and the other guards opened up. I took a deep breath and released as I followed Middie and Rashid with Shirin beside me.
—————————————
(New POV)
Quatre Raberba Winner watched the man and young woman enter through the twin doors. He wanted to frown as he could feel the distrust coming from Miss Ibrahim. He should have pushed harder against interrogating them but with Treize's OZ and the Alliance remnants wanting answers about how they came from a formerly Virgo-controlled area. However, his sense told him that Mister Chen was someone strange yet friendly. His heart couldn't get a good read on the man.
He stood up to greet his guests, hearing his co-leader, Lieutenant Nichol Brightman, give his first.
"I welcome the both of you here and apologize for the rough treatment," Nolan said while giving a slight bow. "I am Lieutenant Nichol Brightman, commanding officer of the fifth OZ mobile suit company." The officer stood at attention as Quatre knew the man was uncomfortable with their earlier decision.
Brightman and Middie's decision had almost destroyed the peace between the OZ and Alliance forces with the Middle East units. This happened when rumors of the reason for the Virgos freezing up were the two newest people to join the camp. Who happened to be put into an interrogation room.
Quatre knew that letting Mister Brightman go first might have lost him some initiative. Still, they needed to calm Miss Ibrahim down more before they continued. Finally, the Gundam pilot stood from his seat to speak. "I am Quatre Raberba Winner, pilot of the Sandrock and representative of the Middle East forces."
The Gundam pilot watch for a reaction from Mister Chen as most people who hear his family's name tries to straighten themselves and act more politely. However, the man broke his expectation as he smiled and shook his and Brightman's hands. "Thank you for getting us out of that room. I'm Michael Chen, lab tech and owner of that Tragos."
There was no over-politeness or even fear at Brightman. Instead, Chen greeted them as an average person would have, which was odd. The man was nervous, but from what Quatre's instincts told him, the man in front of him was like any other civilian he had met before becoming a Gundam pilot.
The way Mister Chen kept glancing back at Miss Ibrahim told Quatre he wasn't used to the customs in this area. After all, if he told them the truth and had somehow appeared from the North American Continent to the Middle East in those two weeks. Most people Quatre found out had no idea how other counties work.
He watched Miss Ibrahim give Chen a slight nod, and then the man introduced his companion. "And this is my partner, Shirin Ibrahim. Thanks to her, I haven't just died trying to find my way around."
If it wasn't for his ability to sense the hearts of everyone, Quatre was sure that what Chen said was true, but with how Miss Ibrahim's emotion flared. The man had lied or told a half-truth.
"I still wish to apologize for our actions earlier," Quatre replied while keeping his eyes on Chen. He could tell Rashid had noticed something was off. The leader of the Maganac moved to his side and was ready in case something happened. "We were hasty when the headquarters' sensors sounded radiation alerts once you stepped out of your mobile suit. However, I do have to ask. Do you know how you appeared from the Western Hemisphere to here?"
The man seemed to sag into himself, yet Quatre's space heart told him to listen in to what the man had to say. Brightman watched their interaction while Middie pulled a small notebook out of her pocket to record what was said. The Gundam pilot noticed Miss Ibrahim looking away from them as guilt could be felt coming off her.
"Well," Chen started before pausing and putting his left fist against his face. He rubbed his forehead with his right. "I'm not sure how to do it without sounding crazy since I didn't see how I got here. But wait, that's not right. I was focused on driving to work but somehow disappeared off the interstate I was on and into a city under attack. Err, Shirin, what was the name of your hometown?"
Everyone waited for Miss Ibrahim to speak while Quatre could feel Rashid's interest peak. The leader of the Maganac had known the woman's family in passing. Still, the Gundam pilot never met them as they were in the territory of the Earth Sphere Alliance at the time of his arrival on Earth.
"It was Ha'il," She replied as sorrow came off her in waves. It was reigned in before Quatre could say anything as she continued. "We were under attack from those Virgo around when you said you appeared, Michael. I believe they were striking at the Alliance storehouse."
The man paused and muttered something under his breath. It was quiet, but the Gundam pilot could hear, "Then why the hell did I get attacked by a Leo?" The man then looked up and began his story.
It was an exciting story, too, and he could see Rashid respect the man more as it went on. Chen had done with he needed to do to survive the attack on his life by a mobile suit of an unknown force. Yet, the man's muttering earlier had been heard by Middie if the shame Quatre felt coming off her was any indication.
Still, they listen to Chen's tale as it goes from surviving in a hangar that the Virgos did not destroy. It made sense if the radiation from the man stopped the mobile dolls from operating around him. It turned the man into a blind spot. Middie spoke up when he said that.
"So you are why the city disappeared from our comms system!" Chen had stopped for a moment, but Middie just coughed in her hands and said. "I'll ask my questions after you finish your debrief."
He nodded and started by stating how he stayed in the hangar and learned to operate the Tragos through the manual. Brightman nearly cracked a smile and almost laughed. However, someone was missing during those few days mentioned in the story.
Shirin Ibrahim hadn't been mentioned yet, and it was worrying. With the city attacked yet, the Virgos shut off momentarily. The people would have had time to evacuate or strike back against the dolls. Yet there wasn't a mention of continued fighting since, nor of Miss Ibrahim's father and brother, who were members of the MEDF.
His thoughts were answered as Chen told them how odd it was leaving the city with the Tragos and how no one contacted him despite operating the mobile suit. He pointed at the map they were traveling from the town to the camp set up by the MEDF.
The area Chen traveled through matched the large communication blackout for the Mobile Dolls. It gave their military forces time to fight back against the Virgos in those spots. Still, reports of success or failure didn't arrive until he mentioned stopping a pack of jackals from eating Miss Ibrahim. Rashid had tapped on Quatre's should as their method of silence confirmation of the information but was coded for something was off with the story.
A glance at Miss Ibrahim showed there was more to this story. She looked away at how Chen described waking her up and helping her to the destroyed camp.
It was saddening to hear that the whole camp was destroyed was depressing as that was one of the groups they were waiting for to arrive. However, Quatre was glad they took their time to give everyone a proper burial. It would ease their passing to their friends, family, and comrades.
However, Chen's action also gave the Gundam pilot a good idea of why members of the Arabic Union had gotten angry at the sudden interrogation of the two. Once they connected the two guests and the sudden ease of destroying stationary Virgos. Mister Shadid seemed to spread what he had learned from talking with Chen while waiting for his partner to get ready for their meeting.
Abdul had busted into their meeting during the interview/interrogation. He informed them that a dozen members of the Arabic Union's mobile suit forces had nearly struck out against the Oz and Alliance remnants. The reason for it was imprisoning someone that may have saved them all. Said person also followed the traditional rule of guest rights by offering his wares for free and 'peacefully' entering the camp.
It took half the Maganac corp to stop the raging mobile suits peacefully and then hear the story that Chen had shared with Mister Shadid. How Shadid found that out was due to his hour-long conversation with Chen about the man's travel here.
Ironically, Shadid was one of the few Maganac mobile suit pilots of the Middle East forces. They had joined several groups on a raid against incoming Virgos. He pieced together the fact they had from Chen's story, revealing that the Virgo attack teams had never attacked them. The whole trip from Ha'il despite other groups from farther away nearly being wiped out.
Shadid was a part of Ahmad's mixed team that went out to attack incoming Virgos, only to find them shut down. So they quickly destroy the mobile dolls and happen to run into Chen on their way back. So it didn't take a genius to figure out Chen or Ibrahim were the cause of the shutdowns after hearing parts of the man's tale.
As Chen finished his tale that led to their temporary interrogation/imprisonment, Quatre decided he must make amends for his fellow leaders' mistakes. "I know it may sound like a broken record. However, I must apologize for putting extra stress on you two. How can we make up this mistake?"
—————-
AN: Sorry for the late post. Been writing for my main story and finally got back here but lost my outline.
Chapter 1.10
——————————-
After Colony Era: Gundam Wing
After a few minutes, we arrived at another door. It was far more decorative than the interrogation room. The destination seemed grander, with those sentries from all factions standing guard in front of the door.
I heard the man with that small red hat on his head call out to Rashid in Arabic. The leader of the Maganac responded while I studied the other two guards. They looked stressed out but at attention. The one in the green military fatigues saluted Middie while the Oz member followed suit a few seconds behind.
"Lieutenant Middie," the man in green said after dropping his salute. "Lieutenant Brightman and Gundam pilot Winner is inside awaiting our mysterious guest."
The guards glanced at Shirin and me. I met their glaze as I could feel my partner standing a bit closer to my back. She was getting better at controlling her reaction around the men in Alliance uniform. Still, she had been trapped in the room earlier in a surprised interrogation. It must have made her cautious of them again.
"Private Jones. Our guests are ready to enter," Middie said. The man nodded before speaking into the radio that he…pulled out from somewhere? Really how do these people pull things out of thin air sometimes?
The soldier gave us a nod as the door behind him and the other guards opened up. I took a deep breath and released as I followed Middie and Rashid with Shirin beside me.
—————————————
(New POV)
Quatre Raberba Winner watched the man and young woman enter through the twin doors. He wanted to frown as he could feel the distrust coming from Miss Ibrahim. He should have pushed harder against interrogating them but with Treize's OZ and the Alliance remnants wanting answers about how they came from a formerly Virgo-controlled area. However, his sense told him that Mister Chen was someone strange yet friendly. His heart couldn't get a good read on the man.
He stood up to greet his guests, hearing his co-leader, Lieutenant Nichol Brightman, give his first.
"I welcome the both of you here and apologize for the rough treatment," Nolan said while giving a slight bow. "I am Lieutenant Nichol Brightman, commanding officer of the fifth OZ mobile suit company." The officer stood at attention as Quatre knew the man was uncomfortable with their earlier decision.
Brightman and Middie's decision had almost destroyed the peace between the OZ and Alliance forces with the Middle East units. This happened when rumors of the reason for the Virgos freezing up were the two newest people to join the camp. Who happened to be put into an interrogation room.
Quatre knew that letting Mister Brightman go first might have lost him some initiative. Still, they needed to calm Miss Ibrahim down more before they continued. Finally, the Gundam pilot stood from his seat to speak. "I am Quatre Raberba Winner, pilot of the Sandrock and representative of the Middle East forces."
The Gundam pilot watch for a reaction from Mister Chen as most people who hear his family's name tries to straighten themselves and act more politely. However, the man broke his expectation as he smiled and shook his and Brightman's hands. "Thank you for getting us out of that room. I'm Michael Chen, lab tech and owner of that Tragos."
There was no over-politeness or even fear at Brightman. Instead, Chen greeted them as an average person would have, which was odd. The man was nervous, but from what Quatre's instincts told him, the man in front of him was like any other civilian he had met before becoming a Gundam pilot.
The way Mister Chen kept glancing back at Miss Ibrahim told Quatre he wasn't used to the customs in this area. After all, if he told them the truth and had somehow appeared from the North American Continent to the Middle East in those two weeks. Most people Quatre found out had no idea how other counties work.
He watched Miss Ibrahim give Chen a slight nod, and then the man introduced his companion. "And this is my partner, Shirin Ibrahim. Thanks to her, I haven't just died trying to find my way around."
If it wasn't for his ability to sense the hearts of everyone, Quatre was sure that what Chen said was true, but with how Miss Ibrahim's emotion flared. The man had lied or told a half-truth.
"I still wish to apologize for our actions earlier," Quatre replied while keeping his eyes on Chen. He could tell Rashid had noticed something was off. The leader of the Maganac moved to his side and was ready in case something happened. "We were hasty when the headquarters' sensors sounded radiation alerts once you stepped out of your mobile suit. However, I do have to ask. Do you know how you appeared from the Western Hemisphere to here?"
The man seemed to sag into himself, yet Quatre's space heart told him to listen in to what the man had to say. Brightman watched their interaction while Middie pulled a small notebook out of her pocket to record what was said. The Gundam pilot noticed Miss Ibrahim looking away from them as guilt could be felt coming off her.
"Well," Chen started before pausing and putting his left fist against his face. He rubbed his forehead with his right. "I'm not sure how to do it without sounding crazy since I didn't see how I got here. But wait, that's not right. I was focused on driving to work but somehow disappeared off the interstate I was on and into a city under attack. Err, Shirin, what was the name of your hometown?"
Everyone waited for Miss Ibrahim to speak while Quatre could feel Rashid's interest peak. The leader of the Maganac had known the woman's family in passing. Still, the Gundam pilot never met them as they were in the territory of the Earth Sphere Alliance at the time of his arrival on Earth.
"It was Ha'il," She replied as sorrow came off her in waves. It was reigned in before Quatre could say anything as she continued. "We were under attack from those Virgo around when you said you appeared, Michael. I believe they were striking at the Alliance storehouse."
The man paused and muttered something under his breath. It was quiet, but the Gundam pilot could hear, "Then why the hell did I get attacked by a Leo?" The man then looked up and began his story.
It was an exciting story, too, and he could see Rashid respect the man more as it went on. Chen had done with he needed to do to survive the attack on his life by a mobile suit of an unknown force. Yet, the man's muttering earlier had been heard by Middie if the shame Quatre felt coming off her was any indication.
Still, they listen to Chen's tale as it goes from surviving in a hangar that the Virgos did not destroy. It made sense if the radiation from the man stopped the mobile dolls from operating around him. It turned the man into a blind spot. Middie spoke up when he said that.
"So you are why the city disappeared from our comms system!" Chen had stopped for a moment, but Middie just coughed in her hands and said. "I'll ask my questions after you finish your debrief."
He nodded and started by stating how he stayed in the hangar and learned to operate the Tragos through the manual. Brightman nearly cracked a smile and almost laughed. However, someone was missing during those few days mentioned in the story.
Shirin Ibrahim hadn't been mentioned yet, and it was worrying. With the city attacked yet, the Virgos shut off momentarily. The people would have had time to evacuate or strike back against the dolls. Yet there wasn't a mention of continued fighting since, nor of Miss Ibrahim's father and brother, who were members of the MEDF.
His thoughts were answered as Chen told them how odd it was leaving the city with the Tragos and how no one contacted him despite operating the mobile suit. He pointed at the map they were traveling from the town to the camp set up by the MEDF.
The area Chen traveled through matched the large communication blackout for the Mobile Dolls. It gave their military forces time to fight back against the Virgos in those spots. Still, reports of success or failure didn't arrive until he mentioned stopping a pack of jackals from eating Miss Ibrahim. Rashid had tapped on Quatre's should as their method of silence confirmation of the information but was coded for something was off with the story.
A glance at Miss Ibrahim showed there was more to this story. She looked away at how Chen described waking her up and helping her to the destroyed camp.
It was saddening to hear that the whole camp was destroyed was depressing as that was one of the groups they were waiting for to arrive. However, Quatre was glad they took their time to give everyone a proper burial. It would ease their passing to their friends, family, and comrades.
However, Chen's action also gave the Gundam pilot a good idea of why members of the Arabic Union had gotten angry at the sudden interrogation of the two. Once they connected the two guests and the sudden ease of destroying stationary Virgos. Mister Shadid seemed to spread what he had learned from talking with Chen while waiting for his partner to get ready for their meeting.
Abdul had busted into their meeting during the interview/interrogation. He informed them that a dozen members of the Arabic Union's mobile suit forces had nearly struck out against the Oz and Alliance remnants. The reason for it was imprisoning someone that may have saved them all. Said person also followed the traditional rule of guest rights by offering his wares for free and 'peacefully' entering the camp.
It took half the Maganac corp to stop the raging mobile suits peacefully and then hear the story that Chen had shared with Mister Shadid. How Shadid found that out was due to his hour-long conversation with Chen about the man's travel here.
Ironically, Shadid was one of the few Maganac mobile suit pilots of the Middle East forces. They had joined several groups on a raid against incoming Virgos. He pieced together the fact they had from Chen's story, revealing that the Virgo attack teams had never attacked them. The whole trip from Ha'il despite other groups from farther away nearly being wiped out.
Shadid was a part of Ahmad's mixed team that went out to attack incoming Virgos, only to find them shut down. So they quickly destroy the mobile dolls and happen to run into Chen on their way back. So it didn't take a genius to figure out Chen or Ibrahim were the cause of the shutdowns after hearing parts of the man's tale.
As Chen finished his tale that led to their temporary interrogation/imprisonment, Quatre decided he must make amends for his fellow leaders' mistakes. "I know it may sound like a broken record. However, I must apologize for putting extra stress on you two. How can we make up this mistake?"
—————-
AN: Sorry for the late post. Been writing for my main story and finally got back here but lost my outline.