Mobile Suit Gundam - The Second Century (Part 2: The Second Century)

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 11 continued...

True to Major Athena Ibaz’s prediction, the Amuro Ray’s advance into the Jupiter Zone does not go unnoticed.

The Lord Jinba Ral, flagship of the Callisto Armada, and its escort fleet stalks the Amuro Ray as the Earth Federation Forces battle carrier approaches the demarcation line between the Asteroid Belt Zone and the Jupiter Zone. Evidently, the Federation warship and its supporting fleet are on course to enter the part of Solar System over which the forces of Callisto Zeon and Jupitorius Zeon, ruled by General Napoleon Spector, vie for control, in contemptuous disregard for the lives of the billion-plus space colonists caught in the crossfire. Over the past five years, their internecine war has already killed over twenty-million…in colonies first built under the auspices of, then abandoned by, the Earth Federation Government.

As far as the leaders of Zeon are concerned, the Federation has already ceded any claim to the colonies of the Jupiter Zone, not that it ever really had a legitimate claim. Earthnoids cannot rule Spacenoids. That much, all the Zeon can agree on. The presence of the Earth Federation in this Spacenoid frontier is an intolerable anathema to the Zeon, and must be expunged before even their own internal conflict can proceed.

In his private quarters aboard the Lord Jinba Ral, Admiral Vernon Lindquist communicates with his liege, the Governess Lara Constantinas of Callisto Zeon, via ultra-secure, laser-encrypted signal.

“From what Captain Renaldo and his team have reported,” the admiral tells the Governess of Callisto, “one of the mobile suit pilots aboard the Federation ship is the ‘White Phoenix,’ that Newtype we’ve heard so much about during the past year.”

“Is she the one who killed Braniff Oskar and Shin Matsunaga?” the Governess replies from her palatial residence estate deep within Callisto Fortress.
“Yes, milady,” Lindquist confirms, “and even Captain Renaldo’s team was deeply shaken by their brief encounter with her. She’s definitely dangerous, and so are the rest of the Federal Forces elements in that fleet. They’re elite troops: Special Forces.”

“So were the Titans,” Governess Constantinas replies dismissively, “the so-called ‘elite’ of the Special Forces during the 0080s. They could terrify the Federation’s own civilians, but crumbled like a sand castle when stricken by the proud waves of our Neo Zeon Forces. I doubt that they pose any significant threat to us.”

“Even so, milady,” Lindquist pursues, “It would be prudent for us to monitor them carefully, and to neutralize them before they can interfere in our current war against the Jupitorius Zeon.”

“Agreed,” the Governess replies, “Very well. Devote whatever resources you deem necessary to eliminating them, and then we must refocus our attention towards the Jupitorius Zeon.”

“Yes, milady,” Lindquist rises to salute his liege.


“So what do you do besides roll around and look cute?” Jolie asks Haro, holding the mechanical ball in the lap of her crossed legs.

“Haro makes people happy!” Haro says with convincing enthusiasm, “Happy! Happy! Happy!”

Jolie grins mischievously, “You don’t look like a sex toy…you’re shaped all wrong.”

“Haro doesn’t know what Jolie means!” the robot replies.

“And stop calling yourself ‘Haro,’” Jolie says irritably, “I know that’s your name, but we humans have a word called ‘I’ when we’re talking about ourselves.”

“But Haro isn’t human!” the globular machine protests with such vehemence that one could believe otherwise.

“The hell you aren’t,” Jolie says, spinning Haro on the deck, causing the robot to squeal.

Jonah approaches carrying two trays of lunch, his penalty for having lost a bet with Jolie in shooting Haro into a basket on the basketball court in the Amuro Ray’s onboard gym.

“Hiya, Chief Airball,” Jolie teases, “took you long enough to fetch lunch for us!”

“Well, YOU ought to try getting around this ship’s corridors and turbolifts juggling two trays of food,” Jonah says, but not with real bitterness.
“I didn’t shoot an airball, though,” Jolie says, flexing her hand as if she were shooting a basketball, “Nothing but net! Three points for Minh! Minh OWNED Michaels!”

“Yeah, so you’re better than me at basketball and sports in general,” Jonah says, handing Jolie her tray, “Next time, we’re going to have a drawing contest and then, I’ll OWN you!”

Jolie bounces Haro on the deck, causing the robot to yell, “Ouch! Ouch!”

“You ought to be more careful with it,” Jonah says, “You and Athena just fixed him. You don’t want to put him back in the shop again so soon, do you? Besides, robots have feelings too.”

“Haro has feelings too! Haro has feelings too!” the robot agrees.

“Sh’yeah, right,” Jolie says, caressing the smooth sides of Haro gently, “you’re telling me this ball of microchips has got feelings? You’re going space happy, Jonah…”

“It has sentience,” Jonah says, “even if it’s based on electronics rather than organics.”

“Haro thinks Jolie is mean! Jolie’s a meanie! Jolie’s a meanie!”

“Hey!” Jolie says, bouncing Haro down again.

“See?” Jonah says, smiling.

“It’s just programmed to spout nonsense,” Jolie shrugs, “The computer inside can make it act like it’s alive, but it’s not.”

“Haro is alive! Alive!” the robot declares, suddenly extending mechanical arms and legs from its spherical body.

“What th…?” Jolie says, startled, as the robot reaches out and begins to tickle her.

Jolie begins to giggle uncontrollably as Haro works his mechanical fingers on her.

“Stop…!” Jolie laughs, “Don’t….hee hee….I’m….ticklish…hee!”

Jonah watches in amusement, “Serves you right…for calling me ‘Chief Airball’…and for saying that machines don’t have feelings. Right, Haro?”

“Right! Right! Right!” Haro screams, as it tickles Jolie more rapidly.

“Jonah….!” Jolie cries, gasping with laughter, “….help! Ha ha! Hee hee!”

“You reap what you sow…” Jonah continues.

“JONAH!” Jolie yells.

Jonah finally relents, pulling Haro off the struggling Jolie, “This is a sad day indeed; the mighty White Phoenix…defeated by Haro.”

“Haro wins! Haro wins!” the robot declares, pumping its mechanical fists in the air as Jonah spins its globular form.

Jonah puts Haro down, and the robot retracts its arms and legs and rolls away to find other humans to amuse and annoy.

Jolie lies on the cold deck, gasping for breath, still trying to stop laughing.

Jonah lies atop her, kissing her deeply on the lips.

“Mouth to mouth resuscitation,” he explains, “now for some CPR…”

Jolie sits up, “Ohmigosh!”

“’Ohmigosh,’ what?” Jonah asks.

Jolie rises to her feet, suddenly anxious, “Athena assigned me to escort Anna on recon patrol! We’re gonna be launching in…AHHH! Four minutes! I am sooooooooooo dead!”

Jolie dashes towards the mobile suit deck of the ship…leaving Jonah alone for the moment.

“That girl ought to learn to use Haro’s daily planner function,” Jonah muses, “have him follow her around reminding her of her work schedule.”

Episode 11 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 11 continued...

When she finally arrives at the mobile suit deck, clad in her normalsuit, Jolie finds that Sgt. Anna Horowitz has already taken off in her GM-IV AWAC without her.

1Lt. Molly Duran is waiting at the dock of the Centurion Gundam Unit-1, tapping her foot impatiently.

“Where the hell have you been?” Molly demands, “Sgt. Horowitz launched ninety seconds ago!”

“I’m late! I’m sorry”!” Jolie says, falling into the cockpit of the Unit-1, “Are you gonna tell ‘Thena?!”

Molly says, “Two beers and you’ll buy my silence…but I won’t be responsible if the Major checks the launch logs, which she probably will…”

“Oh, no!” Jolie groans, pulling her helmet on.

The Centurion Gundam makes its way to the launch catapult. The deck traffic regulators shift from red to green.

“Centurion Gundam, Unit-1: 1Lt. Jolie Minh, launching!” Jolie declares.

The Centurion Gundam is catapulted into the blackness of space, on the trail of Sgt. Horowitz’s AWAC unit.


At the same time, on the bridge of the Amuro Ray, Major Athena Ibaz confers with the ship’s commander, Captain Beecher Olech, as the two officers contemplate a long range scanner.

“Heavy Minovsky Particle field at our six o’clock position, some eighty kilometers behind us,” Captain Beecher indicates, “Most likely a Zeon fleet.”

Athena concurs, “We’ll be entering the Jupiter Zone in fewer than seven hours; more likely than not, we’re going to be attacked before that time.”

“What are our options?” Captain Beecher asks.

“When we penetrate the Jupiter Zone, chances are we’ll meet more resistance ahead of us,” Athena says, “in which case, we’ll be under assault from both sides. Our best bet is to attack the force following us first, repair whatever damage we might sustain from the confrontation, then move into the Jupiter Zone without having to worry about our back.”

“Seems like quite a risk,” Captain Beecher remarks, “to attack the enemy out here.”

“Worth taking,” Athena replies, “because they won’t be expecting it.”

“All right, it’s decided then,” Captain Beecher finally agrees, knowing that Athena’s instincts have never failed him, “any special provisions?”

“Have the megaparticle beam cannon ready,” Athena replies, “We’ll need to knock out their flagship when it comes into range.”

Captain Beecher orders the navigational crew of the Amuro Ray to turn the ship180 degrees and cut engine speed to 10%.


Jolie’s Centurion Gundam has caught up to Anna’s GM-IV AWAC unit. The two mobile suits maintain radio silence to avoid being detected by enemy sensors, relying instead on mobile suit sign language to communicate.

“Enemy sighted,” Anna signs to Jolie.

“Watch them,” Jolie signs back.


Aboard the Lord Jinba Ral, on the mobile suit flight deck, Captain Renaldo Desmond has assembled his “Family,” the Callisto Newtype MS Corps. During the past three years, the Family had terrorized enemy mobile suit pilots, be they of rival Zeon factions or the Earth Federation Forces.

A few days ago, however, for the first time, they experienced the fear that they had been accustomed to inspiring in others.

Captain Renaldo realizes as much, and understands that it is his responsibility as leader and patriarch to rebuild their self-confidence…to reignite their warrior passion.

“During our last sortie, we saw the Federation’s much-celebrated ‘White Phoenix,’” Renaldo says, his voice strong and resolute, “You met her assault and returned with your lives. That is already an accomplishment beyond Shin Matsunaga and Braniff Oskar could claim. She remains a menace to the people of Zeon. We cannot allow the Earth Federation to continue to possess such power. Thus, during our next sortie, we must be committed to bringing down this ‘White Phoenix’…we shall smite her from the skies, and tear away her wings.”

“Yes, Captain!” replies the Family as one.

“The White Phoenix represents an awesome threat,” Renaldo continues, “but she is but one. We are a Family of Twelve. Our collective strength will overcome her lone power. Remember: we will triumph as a Family!”

Family…a concept around which perhaps every soldier could rally, but perhaps one like the Family of Twelve – the Callisto Newtype MS Corps.


1Lt. Jolie Minh and Sgt. Anna Horowitz face a dilemma: they are aware of enemy movement perhaps presaging an attack on the Amuro Ray, but cannot use their radios or other transmission devices to alert their comrades for fear that the signal will be detected by the enemy.

Fortunately, Major Athena Ibaz had already prepared for just such a circumstance, which Anna now implements.

From twin storage nacelles in the backpack of the GM-IV AWAC are dislodged a dozen small, dark objects. These objects unfurl themselves, then expand greatly in size, until they dwarf even Anna’s mobile suit.

Dummy asteroids have been used as diversionary targets since the era of space warfare began. Typically, they are used to confuse an enemy into shooting at phantom targets, drawing their attention and depleting their firepower before it can be used against their intended targets.

Today, however, Sgt. Anna Horowitz uses the asteroids for a very different purpose.

Anna leans the back of her GM-IV AWAC against one of the larger dummy asteroids, her mobile suit facing towards the direction of the Amuro Ray.

Likewise, Jolie leans her Centurion Gundam against a second faux asteroid, her mecha’s beam rifle drawn, ready for action.

Anna begins to flash the GM-IV AWACs’ emergency lights, mounted above the MS’s shoulders, in the direction of the Amuro Ray, not in old Morse Code, but in a unique code developed by Athena exclusively for the Special Forces. Every drill that the Centurion Team and other Special Forces units conducted in their MS consisted of practice in reading and transmitting this code; it is said, only half in jest, that the Special Forces officers know this code more fluently than their native tongues.

I only hope the folks on the bridge are paying attention, Anna thinks to herself.


Athena sees it almost immediately, glancing up from a navigational monitor as a gleam in the distance catches her eye.”

Athena decodes the flashing lights instantly, reading silently, “Enemy to strike. Be alert…”

Athena tells Captain Beecher, “Captain Beecher, we’re accelerating our timetable. The Centurion Team will deploy in its mobile suits now. Please have all guns ready to fire.”

“Will do,” Beecher replies as Athena leaves for the MS deck. Seniority and rank be damned, Beecher knew his best bet is to trust in Athena’s instincts.


En rout to the MS deck, Athena alerts her squad: “Attention Centurion Team. Priority One combat status. All pilots man your MS immediately and prepare to deploy. Enemy ship sighted.”

Ninety seconds later, from the cockpit of the Cour de Leon, Athena contacts Captain Beecher on the bridge, “Captain, please lay down a missile and beam barrage ahead of the Centurion Team’s launch, on my count.”

“Roger, Major,” Captain Beecher replies, deferring authority to Athena.
The MS launch catapult positions the Cour de Leon on the launching platform, but the Cour de Leon does not launch yet…instead flashing its shoulder-mounted lights in the direction of Anna’s GM-IV AWAC and Jolie’s Centurion Gundam.

A quick, three-flash burst that the Federal Forces MS pilots understand as “Clear out now!”

Jolie and Anna boost their MS away from the kill zone.

As soon as Athena receives the returning flashes of “All clear!” from her two charges, she transmits up to the bridge, “Fire at will, Captain.”

“Open fire! Missile turrets and beam cannon!” Captain Beecher commands.

The Amuro Ray pours forth a devastating barrage of firepower.

Episode 11 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Sharing with you some new illustrations of the characters from MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE SECOND CENTURY, rendered skilfully by my friend Donald Yee.

Jolie Minh and Jonah Michaels (Miguel)



Athena Ibaz (Minerva Zabi)



Alexander Miguel

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 11 continued...

The incoming barrage catches the Callisto Zeon fleet off-guard. Its ships are rocked violently by the impact of the Federal Forces’ ordnance, which have specifically targeted the Zeon fleet’s gun turrets and MS launch decks.

“Damage report!” Admiral Lindquist orders on the bridge of the [i]Lord Jinba Ral[/].

“We’ve sustained heavy damage on the sub-bridge and decks 2-9, Admiral,” reports a bridge tech, “the Roum and the Endora II have also sustained damage, though apparently lighter than ours.”

“Are our weapons systems still online?” the admiral demands.

“Yes, sir,” the tech replies, “we have 80% functionality on weapons systems. All missile turrets remain intact, and the majority of the beam cannon will function normally as well. Targeting system might be somewhat compromised, however.”

“Return the salvo,” Lindquist orders, disregarding the problem regarding the targeting, “Saturate the area with fire. BURN the Earthists in the hulls of their ships!”

“Yes, Admiral,” the tech replies, “Any additional instructions?”

“Deploy the Family,” Lindquist appends, “order them to take out whatever survives the salvo!”

“Right way, Admiral,” the tech replies.


From the launch catapults of the Amuro Ray and its sister ships, eighteen mobile suits deploy into action, led by Major Athena Ibaz’s Cour de Leon in Waverider configuration.

Athena detects incoming signatures…beam energy discharges and missiles…ahead.

“Incoming enemy fire,” Athena informs her subordinates, “target the solids. Shield the fleet from the ballistics.”

Responding to Athena’s command, the Centurion Team and its sister units deploy a barrage of missiles from their mobile suits to counter the incoming fire from the Callisto Zeon Fleet. Tense moments pass as the two swarms of computer-guided missiles mass towards each other.

The darkness of space is suddenly lit by massive spherical explosions visible for hundreds of kilometers. They explode silently, almost beautifully, in the blackness of the cosmos.

“Ninety-eight percent successful intercept,” the synthesized voice of the Cour de Leon’s onboard AI intones.

But even before the incoming enemy missiles were intercepted, the powerful volleys of the Callisto Zeon Fleet’s beam cannon had lanced past the Federal Forces mobile suits, which deftly dodged the heavy fire, but were otherwise helpless to divert the beams from striking their flagships.

The beams strike the Federal Forces ships Amuro Ray, Henken Beckner, and Victory Dawn, tearing away superstructure and exposing internal mechanisms. Fire breaks out on numerous decks of the ships as metal and reinforced ceramics are twisted beyond recognition.

On the bridge of the Amuro Ray, Captain Beecher Olech is knocked out his command chair by the force of the impact.

“What’s our damage?!” Beecher demands even as he struggles to his feet.

The ship’s unflappable bridge tech has the data momentarily, “Majority of damage is on the bow area…particularly the launch catapults.”

“Weapons and navigation systems?” Beecher queries.

“Checking,” the tech reports, “Navigation system is unaffected. Weapons systems…we’ve lost only one beam cannon. Hold on…sir, the conduit between the bridge and the megaparticle beam cannon has been cut. We can’t fire the MBC from the bridge, sir.”

The Special Forces strike at the Callisto Zeon Fleet, but find that their path to the enemy is blocked by the Callisto Newtype MS Corps…the Family. The Special Forces had encountered the Family briefly days earlier during the battle near the Ceres Colonies. That skirmish had been too brief for the Special Forces to have made any definite conclusion about this new enemy, except for one: they are extremely well coordinated and deadly, possibly Newtypes.

Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels’ Centurion Gundam fires its beam rifle ineffectually at Captain Renaldo Desmond’s Overlord MS, missing shot after shot. Renaldo seems to anticipate Jonah’s moves before Jonah even conceives them.

In combat, particularly combat between Newtypes, confidence and an aggressive mindset are as vital as physical abilities. Perhaps Jonah is not Renaldo’s inferior in physical ability, but in terms of confidence and aggression, Renaldo dominates the gentle artist.

Renaldo dodges Jonah’s blasts with almost contemptuous ease. Then, the patriarch of the Family counterstrikes, using the Overlord’s electromagnetic whip coil to disarm Jonah’s mobile suit.

“Seth, Rajmeet,” Renaldo orders two of his subordinates, “coil him up!”

“Yes, Captain,” comes the reply in unison.

2Lt. Seth Keener and Chief Warrant Officer Rajmeet Punjabi deploy the electromagnetic whip coils of their Lancejack mobile suits against Jonah’s Centurion Gundam.

The three mobile suits of the Callisto Newtype MS Corps send a surge of energy through their electromagnetic whip coils.

Jonah reels in agony as the electric energy ensnares his mobile suit.

This could be the end… Jonah thinks murkily.

“GET AWAY FROM HIM!” 1Lt. Jolie Minh snarls ferociously, her eyes burning with protective rage.

The Centurion Gundam Unit-1 streaks onto the scene like a thunderbolt from Mt. Olympus, severing the electromagnetic coils of the Overlord and two Lancejacks with a single, deft stroke of its beam saber. The CG-1 takes a defensive stance around its momentarily stunned counterpart.

“Jonah, are you all right?” Jolie asks, worry in her voice.

“I’m fine,” Jonah says, shaking himself and quickly recovering, “Look out!”

The two Centurion Gundams narrowly dodge incoming fire from newly arrived Callisto Newtype MS Corps elements, the rest of the Family.

“All units, surround the enemy,” Renaldo orders, “Remember: we twelve fight as one, and triumph as one!”

The Family of Twelve encircle the two Centurion Gundams in a Ring of Death. Each of the twelve custom Zeon mobile suits takes up its melee weapons to destroy the two Federation MS.

The twin Centurion Gundams piloted by Jolie and Jonah stand back to back in the center of that circle, poised to break through the enemy formation…or perish side by side if they failed.


Not far away, Athena and the rest of the Special Forces MS pilots are locked in a fierce engagement against the Callisto Armada’s other MS units and ships. Athena has just downed the Roum with a barrage of her Cour de Leon’s missiles, but has not been able to approach the flagship Lord Jinba Ral through the enemy’s stiff defensive fire.

“Major Ibaz,” Captain Beecher’s voice comes through Athena’s helmet receiver almost apologetically, “We need to withdraw. The enemy’s first counterstrike cut the conduit between the bridge control and the megaparticle beam cannon. We can’t fire the MBC to support you!”

Calmly, Athena responds, “What about firing from the MBC control station itself?”

“Negative,” Beecher replies, “The access ways to the MBC were damaged by the strike. Even if anyone could get down there, they’d need the algorithms from the command computer on the bridge to initiate the firing mechanism!”

Athena thinks about that for a moment. An idea is forming in her mind.

“Sgt. Al-Said!” Athena calls out decisively, “Take over command! I’m returning to the Amuro Ray!”

“Yes, ma’am,” the master sergeant replies, not questioning his commanding officer’s orders, but following them as he has been trained to.

Athena, blasting away a few irritating Gaza-G transformable mobile armors with the Cour de Leon’s beam rifle, switches to Waverider configuration and streaks back towards the Amuro Ray.


If this were Earth, and gravity were an issue, this circle might be a problem, Jolie reasons, but this outer space, so it really isn’t. Just have to think outside the circle.

Sounds like something Athena would tell me, Jolie concludes wryly.

Jolie’s Centurion Gundam Unit-1 takes the hand of Jonah’s Centurion Gundam Unit-2 in its own, and cuts in with a massive blast of thrust.

Jonah, immediately comprehending Jolie’s intent, adds the thrust of his MS’s engines to hers.

The two Centurion Gundam’s blast free from the Family’s Ring of Death, skyward (relatively speaking, as in the cosmos, it’s all sky).

The Family, undismayed, brings its collective weaponry to bear upon the fleeing Federal Forces mobile suits.

The dual Centurion Gundams peel away from each other in a sprouting lily formation, each coming around to fire at the Callisto Newtype MS Corps’ mecha with beam rifles.

“Break formation, scatter!” Captain Renaldo orders his charges.

The Family of Twelve is too fearsome, too finely disciplined, and too talented to be defeated easily, even by the combination of Jolie and Jonah. The couple succeeds in breaking the Family’s formation momentarily, giving themselves more operating room, but soon find the Family entrapping them in a different, more complex formation.

“Jonah, stay close to me!” Jolie orders.

“Roger, ma’am!” Jonah replies, backing his Centurion Gundam towards Jolie’s.

“Their formation is designed to trick your senses,” Jolie explains, “Stay focused!”

The Family closes in on the JoMis, a stalemate that cannot endure indefinitely…

Episode 11 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 11 conclusion

Major Athena Ibaz’s Cour de Leon reaches the Amuro Ray at last. Athena sees the ship burning and damaged, the launch catapult heavily damaged. A part of Athena wants to help put out the fires aboard the ship, but she would need to leave that to the ship’s emergency crews. She had the more pressing priority of saving the ship from complete destruction.

Athena, familiar with every nook and niche of the Amuro Ray, identifies from external view the decks where the Special Forces quarters are located…specifically Jolie’s private quarters.

The Deputy Director of the Special Forces brings the Cour de Leon to a halt next to the ship’s hull. Using the mobile suit’s sensors to determine that no personnel are on the target deck, Athena extracts a shaped explosive charge from her normalsuit belt and attaches it to the Amuro Ray’s hull.

Athena lights the fuse, creating a contained explosion that breaches the hull of the ship. Through the breach, Athena floats into the battle carrier.

Athena floats rapidly through the corridor until she reaches Jolie’s quarters, keying the entry code. The metallic doors slide open.

Haro is rolling on the deck, screaming, “Athena! Athena! Athena!”

“We’ve got work, Haro,” Athena tells the enthusiastic robot, “you’ll need to come with me.”

Haro leaps into Athena’s grasp. Athena rushes with Haro towards the Cour de Leon.


Jolie and Jonah hold their own against the twelve Zeon Newtype warriors known as the Family, but just barely. The twelve fight as a flawless unit…each has his or her individual weakness, but before Jolie or Jonah can exploit them, the others rush to cover for their vulnerable comrade, leaving the JoMis no clear avenue of attack.

But the upper hand does not belong to the Family either. The White Phoenix is simply too fast, too powerful for even their collective skill to overcome, especially with the second Centurion Gundam, though clearly not in the White Phoenix’s class in terms of skill, nevertheless being formidable enough to be a nuisance.

“Concentrate on the other one! The weaker one!” Captain Renaldo orders his charges, “Destroy him, and then we can tear off the White Phoenix’s wings at our pleasure!”

Captain Renaldo’s strategy is inspired, but extremely difficult to execute. The more the Family assaults Jonah’s Centurion Gundam, the fiercer Jolie counterattacks. Several times, she had come close, very close to taking a few of them down. Only the need to redirect her attention to defend attacks against Jonah from other angles prevented her from launching the lethal strikes.

And so it goes, exchanged volleys with neither side yet having sustained losses or damage, but Captain Renaldo knows it cannot continue.

We have to hold our position, the leader of the Family relays to his brethren psionically, The longer this battle stretches out, the more it swings in our favor. Remember: we are twelve to their two.


Athena has brought the Cour de Leon to the turret of the Megaparticle Beam Cannon on the dorsal side of the Amuro Ray. Gaining external access to the turret from Captain Beecher, Athena enters the mighty beam weapon’s deployment chamber.

Athena opens up the access hatch to Haro’s external hookup ports, then locates the trigger circuitry of the Megaparticle Beam Cannon, normally connected to the central computer on the bridge of the ship. This is a design flaw that Athena has previously warned her superiors about, but, naturally, they have been slow to respond to.

The Megaparticle Beam Cannon is triggered by a specific series of algorithms preprogrammed into the Amuro Ray’s combat computer. This is done so that should unfriendly hands capture the ship, they cannot easily access its most destructive weapon.

Athena had cracked that algorithm the day she learned that her unit would be assigned to the ship, committing it to memory. She now furiously duplicates that algorithm into Haro’s internal memory.

“Ticklish! Ticklish! Haro feels ticklish!” the tiny ball complains as Athena inserts the cables of the Megaparticle Beam Cannon’s control system into Haro’s external ports.

“Just bear with it a few seconds more, Haro,” Athena says calmly, “You’re going to be a hero today.”

“Haro’s a hero! Haro’s a hero! Hero’s a Haro!” the robot squeals.

The Megaparticle Beam Cannon descends from its nacelle, its barrel begins to glow as the charged particles approach critical mass.

Athena calls into the comlink, “All Special Forces, units: this is Major Ibaz. CLEAR THE AREA IMMEDIATELY! Priority One Emergency!”

The mobile suits of the Special Forces disengage from combat and streak as quickly as possible out of the field of fire…all except the Centurion Gundams of 1Lt. Jolie Minh and Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels, still unable to penetrate the trap of the Callisto Newtype MS Corps.

“Jolie!” Jonah calls out, “You heard that! We’ve got to clear out, now!”

Jolie, frustrated and fearful that her failure to defeat the enemy could result in Jonah’s death, unleashes her rage. Athena had warned her about losing control of her temper in combat many times in the past, but she doesn’t care…Jonah’s life is at stake.

“YAHHHHHH!” Jolie screams, eyes turning to starlight flame.

The Centurion Gundam Unit-1 punches the Macesetter mobile suit piloted by Sgt. Bernard Marinos hard enough on its central cavity to knock its pilot unconscious. Jolie follows up with a beam saber strike against 2Lt. Seth Keener’s Lancejack, slashing the blade through the Zeon mobile suit’s engine block. 2Lt. Keener is able to eject in the survival pod/cockpit mere seconds before his mecha explodes.

Jolie fires a shot from the Centurion Gundam’s beam rifle that takes off the head of Captain Renaldo’s Overlord.

She begins to look for more targets to attack when Jonah brings her back to her senses with a cry of, “Jolie, we’ve got to get out of here, NOW!!!”

The JoMis see the approaching flash of red energy and engage the full power of their Centurion Gundams’ engines, pushing them just out of the path of the onrushing slash of powerful beam energy.

“Recover our damaged units and withdraw!” Captain Renaldo orders his troops, who barely escape the oncoming ray of charged megaparticles.

The beam continues to lance forward, striking the Endora-II dead center, instantly disintegrating the ship. Stray Callisto Zeon mobile suits in the path of the beam are similarly immolated.

The beam passes just to the port side of the Lord Jinba Ral, sparing the ship complete destruction, but crippling it badly enough that continued combat operations will be impossible.

Realizing as much, Admiral Lindquist orders his remaining units, “Withdraw to surveillance position. We’ll need reinforcements before we can continue to pursue them.”

Lindquist curses under his breath; he admits a grudging admiration for this particular group of Earthist soldiers. They are cunning and daring, and the admiral has seen enough combat to know that such qualities win battles…and wars.


The mobile suits of the Centurion Team magnetize themselves to the hull of the Amuro Ray as the ship’s engineers and technicians pull double-time to repair the damaged launch catapult so that the mobile suits can occupy their usual docks. The repair work is anticipated to last eight hours. The ship has taken a beating, but is expected to be able to limp to the Federal Forces’ mobile repair station Blue Bayou just inside the Jupiter Zone.

On the bridge of the ship, Captain Beecher Olech shakes Major Athena Ibaz’s hand, “That was good thinking, Athena: using Haro to directly activate the megaparticle beam trigger mechanism. You saved all of us.”
Athena smiles modestly, “Thank Jolie for discovering Haro, sir; it was pure serendipity that he snuck onto the ship and was discovered by Jolie. I couldn’t have accomplished anything without him.”

Beecher laughs, “There was a Haro aboard the Ahrgama too back during the First Neo Zeon War. I’ll be damned if that annoying little ball of bolts didn’t come in handy sometimes! Where is Haro, right now?”

“My guess is that he’s belowdecks,” Athena says, “probably tormenting poor Jolie again.”


Sure enough, the spherical robot has the White Phoenix as its mercy, making the Earth Federation Forces’ greatest MS pilot suffer fits of uncontrollable giggling with its robotic limbs.

“Jolie’s ticklish! Jolie’s ticklish!” Haro screams.

Jonah watches the scene nearby with a resigned smile. Well, it’s about time Jolie learned some humility.

The Amuro Ray presses forward, the Jupiter Zone its next destination.


Next - EPISODE 12: PRISONER OF WAR

[Ken Cheng]

2-12: PRISONER OF WAR

Fifteen days have passed since the Special Forces’ confrontation against the Callisto Zeon Armada. The Amuro Ray and its escort fleet have since docked with the Federation’s Blue Bayou repair station and mended the damage it sustained in the battle with against a unit of Governess Lara Constantinas’ forces led by Admiral Vernon Lindquist.

The Centurion Team has also received back onto its active duty roster FSgt. Tomo Higashi, wounded in an earlier battle at the Ceres Colony and now finally fit to continue his duties after a nearly four-week long convalescence.

The Amuro Ray and its fleet presently departs from the Blue Bayou, a course set for the Jupitorius space colonies, currently in space disputed by two Zeon factions (Callisto and Jupitorius) and the Earth Federation, to say nothing of ISRLA elements supporting Jupitorius’ independence movement.

The politics of the outlying space settlements are complex, and the Special Forces have been admonished by the High Command to proceed carefully. Although the people of Jupitorius have no love for the Zeon warlords, they would not necessarily welcome the Earth Federation Forces as “liberators.” Jupitorius is a Spacenoid culture notoriously proud and protective of their independence.


Belowdecks, in the Amuro Ray’s recreation room, 1Lt. Jolie Minh and Chief Warrant Jonah Michaels are locked in a furious duel…of table tennis.

The ball bounces over the net, back and forth across the table, at speeds that nearly give the Centurion Team members gathered in the rec room whiplash.

Panting, sweating, Jonah struggles to keep pace with the tiny white ball being ricocheted back in his general direction a mere half second after he sends it streaking away.

With almost lackadaisical casualness, Jolie strokes the ball back towards Jonah again and again, clearly toying with him.

Jonah had beaten every other crewperson aboard the Amuro Ray (save Major Athena Ibaz and Captain Beecher Olech, who have been too occupied with business to join in) to reach the championship round against Jolie, had beaten them soundly and handily with reflexes that Jonah himself had been unaware he possessed. He had developed confidence in his stroke…even a degree of uncharacteristic cockiness, perhaps.

Jolie, naturally, has restored his humility by batting him on his heels and scarcely even trying.

Jolie, growing bored, ends the game with a quick smash that causes the ball to slam hard on Jonah’s side on the table, nearly taking his head off before bouncing off the ceiling of the deck and finally coming to rest on a couch on the far side of the room.

“I win! I win! I win!” Jolie celebrates, arms extended and waving, dancing around Jonah and the game table, to the applause of her teammates.

Jonah is gracious in defeat, smiling as he taps the still-dancing Jolie on top of her head with his game paddle, “You have a big ego for such a small girl.”

Jolie, still dancing, replies, “Yes! ‘Thena says I’m an egomaniac!”

“’Thena’ is right about that,” Jonah says, bouncing the paddle on top of Jolie’s head.

“Hey!” Jolie complains facetiously, “Stop that! I’m trying to grow taller!”

Jonah takes in his girlfriend’s shapely, but admittedly slight figure, “Oh, give it up! You’re going to stay short forever!”

To be precise, Jonah realizes, Jolie is small. Proportionately speaking, Jolie’s legs are delightfully long and her body, curvaceously slender – a classic gamine’s figure, albeit with long, luscious black hair and the silk smooth skin characteristic of her East Asian heritage.

The most beautiful creature in the universe, as far as Jonah is concerned.

“Jolie’s a shorty! Jolie’s a shorty!” Haro says, bouncing towards its favorite couple.

Jolie wacks the mechanical sphere with her table tennis paddle, causing Haro to fly across the room screaming “Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!”


In her office elsewhere aboard the Amuro Ray, Major Athena Ibaz extinguishes her sixth cigarette of the hour and lights a seventh, as she studies a holographic map of the Jupiter Zone and the fleet dispositions of the Callisto Zeon and Jupitorius Zeon forces.

Combined, the Zeon forces of Callisto and Jupitorius outnumber the Special Forces’ unit by 446 to 1. Not that it’s likely that Lara Constantinas or Napoleon Spector would feel it necessary or to throw the entirety of their military forces against the Centurion Team, but the thick enemy presence in the area limits the Special Forces’ options.

Unlike the mineral mines of Mars, the hydrogen mines of Jupiter do not provide a convenient target of opportunity…for the simple reason that the resource in question is gaseous rather than solid. On Mars, Athena and her subordinates were able to cripple the Deimos and Phobos Zeon Forces by destroying their mining facilities, thereby greatly hampering their ability to mine ore for building their mobile suits and warships. Those mining facilities were stationary and would be time-consuming to replace.

Hydrogen gas “mining,” however, is a misnomer. Tanker ships dispatched by industrialists working under the auspices of the Callisto and/or Jupitorius Zeon collect the gas and transported their cargo to Callisto and Jupitorius’ industrial centers, for use in fueling the Zeon war machine. Eliminating these cargo vessels, which ply the Jupiter Zone by the thousands, would prove a practical improbability…to say nothing of the political consequences. The Earth Federation would gain no benefit from offensive actions against civilian industry and commerce.

Here, in the orbit of the Solar System’s largest planet, the Zeon commands supreme hegemony and reigns supreme. The Earth Federation’s presence in this cosmic frontier is too paltry to consider any military operation against the Zeon viable.

It is a frustrating dilemma, for which even Athena does not have an immediate solution.

1Lt. Jolie Minh bursts into Athena’s office, as she does so often (to Athena’s annoyance), and promptly flops into the seat opposite Athena’s at the Centurion Team Leader’s desk, kicking off her uniform boots and crossing her long, gamine legs.

“What do you want, your majesty?” the teenager asks, her voice full of long-suffering annoyance.

Athena ignores Jolie’s mocking reference to Athena’s former status the Duchess of Zeon.

Athena also declines to offer Jolie a cigarette, as she had once done customarily. Jolie has since relinquished the tobacco vice on the advice of her boyfriend Jonah, and has also given up alcohol in the wake of a brutal drinking duel with Athena the previous week. Although these cold turkey changes of habit will undoubtedly be salutary for Jolie in the long run, for the immediate time, they leave the teenager especially short-tempered and irritable.

Thus Athena, unperturbed by Jolie’s curtness, says to her second-in-command, “Tell me what you think of this: I think we should arm the ISRLA elements in the Jupiter Zone space colonies.”

“I think you’re out of your f*cking mind,” Jolie says, “Why the hell would you even think of such an idea?”

“We can’t fight the Zeon this far away from Earth,” Athena says plainly, “for both practical and political reasons. But the ISRLA possibly can.”

“Hello?” Jolie says sarcastically, “Uh, the ISRLA is an enemy of the Federation as much as the Zeon is?”

Athena smiles, “Do you really believe that?”

“C’mon, ‘Thena,” Jolie says, running her hands through her long, luscious black hair, “I know you have friends with the ISRLA, but they’re a bunch of terrorist fanatics!”

“The ISRLA has not committed any acts of mass murder,” Athena points out, “even though I’m certain they have the resources to do so if they were so inclined.”

“That doesn’t mean we should arm them,” Jolie protests.

“If we don’t, the people of the Jupiter Zone are condemned to continue living under Zeon rule, and at the mercy of the Zeon’s own internal struggles,” Athena returns, “Tell me: do you find that more acceptable?”

The question brings to Jolie’s mind memories of her family’s brutal, violent death at the hands of the Phobos Zeon Forces led by Alexander Miguel.

The pretty teenager is silent for a moment before she finally whispers, “I haven’t forgotten what we saw at Side 3…”

Jolie recalls the massacre conducted by the Earth Federation Forces that had left scores of civilian journalists dead…all for the “crime” of exposing facts that would have been supremely embarrassing to certain leaders of the Earth Federation Forces.

Athena nods, extinguishing her cigarette, and not extracting another, “And you still don’t think it’d be better to arm these people to protect themselves from the Zeon…and perhaps from the Federation?”

“OK, you’ve sold me,” Jolie says, leaning back in her seat, “but you’re not gonna be able to sell Cairlay, Blackhead, and the rest of the Security Council on this idea. They’re gonna blow their ballsacks when you pitch this plan to them.”

Athena smiles at the indelicate frankness of Jolie’s response, “If I pitch it to them that way, then yes, there’s no hope that the plan could get approved. This will take some finesse…and some creativity.”

Jolie doesn’t know what Athena has in mind, but she knows that before long, the beautiful, thoughtful blonde would devise a plan that would change…well, just about everything. Athena has a knack for that kind of thing. The mind underneath that honey blonde hair, Jolie knows, is among the most powerful machines in the universe.

“So how is Jonah coming along?” Athena then asks, breaking the silence.

Jolie responds, “He’s gotten the hang of it. He isn’t making so many rookie mistakes or wigging out in the middle of combat anymore.”

Athena wipes her hands with her handkerchief, and says, “That’s not what I meant. I’m asking you about Jonah, not ‘Chief Michaels.’ How are you guys getting on?”

Jolie, pleasantly surprised that her infamously serious-minded and duty-focused commanding officer and friend is actually taking an interest in her personal life, smiles and blushes, “He’s very sweet to me. I love him so much.”

Athena asks, “Are you two planning on getting married soon?”

Jolie blinks, not expecting this kind of question from Athena, “Well, we’ve definitely thought about it…haven’t talked about it directly, really, although we’re always kind of teasing each other about it. I guess so, yeah. Jonah’s gonna be eighteen next month, and my birthday is just about six months from now, so we’re gonna be legal to get married next year.”

Athena rises from her seat, stepping around her desk to tap her protégée and best friend on the shoulder.

Jolie says quickly, reassuringly, “But even if Jonah and I do get married, I’m gonna honor my promise to you, ‘Thena! I’ll finish the work we started, because I want our kids to grow up in a world where they won’t have to worry about being killed in war!”

Athena places her hands on Jolie’s shoulders, looking into the younger woman’s eyes with sisterly affection, “Thinking about having kids, already, eh? You're more ahead of the curve than I thought! Anyway, Jolie, the mission we’ve set out before us might take a lifetime or more to realize. I don’t want to hold you back from enjoying all that life has to offer. You and Jonah deserve to be happy together, and I don’t want either of you to lose that opportunity on account of a goal that might not be achieved in our lifetimes. Your commission will be up next year, and Jonah’s will be the year after. If, at that time, you two want to leave the military to be together…I won’t require you to stay.”

Jolie, touched beyond words by her friend’s generosity, can say only, “Oh, Athena…”

Athena offers Jolie one of her pretty smiles, “Jolie, you’re my best friend. You’ve been very loyal to me all this time, and you’ve done so much for the team. I want for you and Jonah to be happy.”

Jolie is overwhelmed with affection for the woman she has long considered her sister. She hugs Athena affectionately, “’Thena, you’re the sweetest. No matter what, I won’t forget you…ever.”

Athena pats Jolie on the head fondly, and says, “Don’t be too quick to say that. The fortunes of war are unpredictable, and shift faster than the winds on Earth. There might come a time…”

Athena does not finish the thought; it is too disturbing, and nothing she wants to unduly burden Jolie with.

Episode 12 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 12 continued...

Fifteen minutes later, Jolie encounters Jonah in one of the mid deck corridors aboard the Amuro Ray. Jolie immediately runs into Jonah’s arms, giving him a light kiss.

“You’re certainly in a good mood,” Jonah observes, placing his hands under Jolie’s skirted buttocks, “I’m guessing you were not in trouble with Major Ibaz.”

“’Course not,” Jolie says, “Athena’s the sweetest.”

“That’s not what you normally say about her,” Jonah says with a smile.

“Well, yeah, sometimes she gets on my nerves because she’s a perfectionist and a smartass,” Jolie says, “but she’s also my best friend.”

“So what did you two discuss?” Jonah asks, “Or is that privileged information for commanding and executive officers only?”

Jolie replies, “Athena’s got a new plan for fighting the Zeon here in the Jupiter Zone: she wants to convince the Federation to arm the locals to fight for themselves.”

Jonah is momentarily speechless, “That’s going to be a tough sell to the Federation leaders back on Earth.”

Jolie nods, “That’s what I told ‘Thena, but she says she has a plan.”

Jonah says, “She always does. That’s our commanding officer.”

Jolie adds with a smile, “Then she talked about you and me.”

“You and me?” Jonah said, “What did she say?”

Jolie replies, “Athena says that if we don’t want to re-up our enlistment after our commissions are up, we don’t have to.”

“Well, of course,” Jonah says, “Unless there’s some emergency that forces the Federation to adopt a stop-loss policy on enlisted personnel, we’re free to return to civilian life after our commissions end. Our commanding officer doesn’t have the authority to make the call on that.”

“No, that’s not the point, Jonah,” Jolie says, “Athena has always been so good to me…like a big sister. I don’t want to abandon her before we accomplish our mission.”

“Of course we won’t,” Jonah says, stroking Jolie’s long, black hair as he lets her lean her head on his shoulder, “the sooner we can end this war, the sooner we can get on to real living.”

“And we’ll get on to that together,” Jolie says, smiling, “you are gonna stay with me after the war, right?”

“Like you need to ask,” Jonah returns the smile, tweaking Jolie’s nose, “I’ve already got it planned out: we’re going to get a place in the countryside of France on Earth.”

“Like we could afford to live on Earth,” Jolie says somewhat sourly, “you got to have money or power or both to live down there.”

“It’s sad that the situation has come to that,” Jonah remarks, “Earth is the home of all humanity. All people have a right to live there, and a responsibility to keep it healthy and whole.”

“So when we settle on Earth, are we gonna go around planting trees?” Jolie asks jokingly.

“That might not be a bad idea,” Jonah says, half seriously, “It’s a better idea than what people have been doing to the Earth during the past several centuries, especially the past twenty years.”

As the two teenagers reflect upon times past, and dream of times to come, for humanity at large and for their private, two-person world, other plans elsewhere are being made…dark, cruel plans that will stain the cosmos with violence once more.


The Governess Lara Constantinas, ruler of the Estate of Callisto Zeon, is aboard her grand flagship the Lady Haman Karn, the largest, most well armed ship in the Callisto Zeon armada. In the ship’s mid deck throne room, Governess Lara receives Admiral Vernon Lindquist and Captain Renaldo Desmond, leader of the Callisto Newtype MS Corps.

“I’m glad to see that you managed to return safely,” Governess Lara says to two of her most valued charges, “The opposition must be quite extraordinary to have thwarted you twice.”

Lindquist and Desmond hang their heads shamefully. The Governess is being generous, but the two Callisto Zeon officers are unaccustomed to defeat. Their pride is deeply wounded from having to return to the Governess bearing news of failure.

Governess Lara understands well the feelings of her charges. She is a warrior herself, and can understand the bitterness of defeat. A warrior’s honor demands that any defeat be avenged upon the enemy, and she will give her loyal followers that opportunity, but first, she must learn from them what opposition they face.

The Governess rises from her throne, the cape attached to her blood red Zeon uniform trailing behind her, “The force sent by the Federation is astonishingly small. Overwhelming them would be simple for our or our rivals’ forces. What do they hope to accomplish?”

Captain Renaldo turns to Admiral Lindquist, who nods knowingly at the Newtype MS pilot, “Milady, if may…?”

“Go ahead, Captain,” Governess Lara replies, “Please share your observations.”

“Thank you, milady,” the Captain returns, bowing gallantly, “My comrades and I engaged the enemy’s MS pilots in combat on two occasions. I am certain that at least a few among them are Newtypes.”

“That is not a great surprise, Captain,” the Governess replies, “We have Newtypes in our forces, and it is expected that the Federation would have theirs.”

“Milady,” Captain Renaldo, begins, then hesitates, his sense of pride burning, “the Newtypes we encountered…one of them had capabilities that completely overwhelmed those of myself and my comrades.”

The Governess is intrigued, “Do you believe it was the Federation’s so-called ‘White Phoenix’?”

“Yes, milady,” Renaldo nods, “she is indeed…formidable.”

“Intriguing,” Governess Lara remarks, “it would be painfully lamentable were that resource to be squandered by Earthist barbarians.”

“Milady,” Admiral Lindquist interjects, “If I may: the Federation has come with more than just the White Phoenix. The commanding officer of this unit is an extremely cunning strategist who favors unconventional tactics. We…were caught off-guard.”

The Governess laughs, “This Federation force reminds me of the White Base during the One Year War. The mistake that the Zabis made during that conflict was concentrating their attention on the White Base and the first Gundam at the expense of the other fronts of the war. We won’t repeat their mistake.”

“Milady,” Admiral Lindquist ventures, “is your plan to ignore the Federation force?”

“Hardly,” Governess Lara says, taking her seat upon her throne again, “However small and insignificant their presence, I don’t want the Federation interfering with our operations against the Jupitorius and Titan Zeon. They are a distraction and a nuisance, and should be dealt with decisively. I’m assigning you a fleet of forty warships and over two-hundred mobile suits: that should be more than adequate to finish your task.”

The two Callisto Zeon officers salute their liege; Admiral Lindquist says gratefully, “Our deepest thanks, milady. We will defeat the Federation quickly and decisively.”

“One request, Admiral,” the Governess then adds.

“Anything, milady,” the admiral replies loyally.

The Governess rises from her throne again, “I would like to join your group to observe the battle directly, if you have no objections.”

Lindquist answers, “You are always welcome, milady, and we are honored by your presence alongside us in battle, but you need not risk…”

“I did not become the Governess of Callisto Zeon by avoiding risks, Admiral,” Lara says, “Nor will I ever reunify the Archduchy of Zeon without taking and overcoming further risks. And if there is indeed a supreme Newtype among them, I believe that we should see if he or she could be persuaded to join our cause.”

“As you will, milady,” Admiral Lindquist defers to his liege’s judgment.

The value of Newtypes cannot be underestimated, Governess Lara resolves, the Newtypes must serve their Spacenoid brethren, not the maggots of the Earth. The Newtype who does not pledge fealty to Zeon is a traitor, and must be destroyed before he or she is exploited by the Earthists.


On the Amuro Ray, the Centurion Team is strapping into its mobile suits and being lifted onto launch catapults for deployment on a routine reconnaissance/training sortie. With 1Sgt. Tomo Higashi back to health and returning to the cockpit of his RGC-100 Guncannon for the first time in two weeks, the team is at full strength once again.

Major Athena Ibaz’s Cour de Leon, in its aerodynamic Waverider configuration, leads the team as always. At her mecha’s wingtips are the twin Centurion Gundams piloted by 1Lt. Jolie Minh and Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels.

“Centurion Leader to all units,” Athena commands, “spread out. We want to canvass a wider area on this patrol. If we’re ambushed, it’d be better if the enemy didn’t get ALL of us in one hit.”

“Roger, ma’am,” comes the collective reply. The Centurions comply, although the JoMis, the duo of Jolie Minh and Jonah Michaels, do so with the greatest reluctance.

Teenage lovers, Athena reflects wryly They get so attached to each other…but who can blame them, really?

Athena refocuses on the task at hand…surveying local space for possible opposition as the Amuro Ray and its escort fleet approach the Jupitorius Space Colonies.

In her GM-IV AWAC, Sgt. Anna Horowitz gets multiple blips on her long range scan. The thick field of Minovsky Particles laid out by the Callisto and Jupitorius Zeon forces in this sector of space render it nearly impossible for Anna to get an exact count, but her training tells her that a massive enemy force has begun to form a circular net around the Amuro Ray.

“Major Ibaz,” Anna begins.

“I know, Sergeant,” Athena replies, “I’ve alerted Captain Beecher. The Amuro Ray is readying the Mega Particle Cannon for firing. We’ll run interference against the other approaching enemy units.”

“But Athena,” Anna points out, “we’re…”

“Outnumbered,” Athena finishes, “Nothing new there. Knowing where and how to strike will be important. The Zeon command structure is highly centralized: if we can take down their flagship, they’ll fold quickly.”

“Roger, ma’am,” Anna confirms, “I’ll pass the word.”


“Admiral Lindquist,” reports a bridge tech aboard the flagship Lord Jinba Ral, the worst of the damage it suffered during its previous engagement against the Amuro Ray and the Centurion Team since repaired, “enemy mobile suit units headed this way…only nine units total, widely dispersed according to reconnaissance reports.”

“Pitiably paltry force,” Lindquist remarks, “nine mobile suits against the two-hundred plus we have at our disposal…but they have proven canny warriors, capable of twisting the situation to their advantage under the most unlikely of circumstances. We must be careful, or we’ll end up playing Goliath to their David.”

After a poignant pause, the admiral smiles, “I think they’ll be surprised to learn that Goliath has an even bigger sister…”

Episode 12 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 12 continued...

Major Athena Ibaz’s Cour de Leon knifes through the defensive screen of Callisto Zeon mobile suits with almost blasé ease. The trajectory of the Cour de Leon on its approach to the Lord Ranba Ral seems almost prosaic.

Athena transforms the Cour de Leon from Waverider to mobile suit configuration, efficiently blasting away the mobile suits guarding the enemy flagship.

Resistance is too light, Athena immediately senses, The enemy’s objective is not what we’re expecting…

Athena opens communications to all Special Forces mobile suits, “Centurion Leader to all: use extreme caution. I suspect that the enemy is leading us towards some sort of feint maneuver.”

Athena receives a transmission from Centurion Three, Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels’ Centurion Gundam Unit-2, “Major Ibaz, ma’am…I’ve got an enemy ship here…profile unknown. It’s not in the target database of the Centurion Gundam, but it’s larger than the Lord Ranba Ral.”

Athena’s eyes flash in alarm, “Jonah, get out of there, NOW!”

Athena’s warning comes too late. No sooner does Jonah hear it than he is assaulted by two dozen Callisto Zeon mobile suits belonging to Governess Lara Constantinas’ Elite Guard – seasoned veterans and proven aces handpicked by the Governess to serve her directly.

Jonah draws out both his Centurion Gundam’s beam rifle and beam saber, holding the arm-mounted shield in a defensive position as he unleashes a torrent of missiles against the massed enemy forces. Quite a few of his missiles hit home, destroying or severely damaging several of the enemy mobile suits…an unfamiliar design, but resembling the Quebeley series mobile suits of the Axis War era.

Jonah attempts to maneuver his Centurion Gundam out of the way as the enemy mobile suits close around him in a formation meant to fence him in; he lashes out with the Centurion Gundam’s beam saber and blasts efficiently from his beam rifle. More enemy units go down, but an even greater number rush forth to replace them.

Four of the enemy mobile suits grab each of the limbs of the Centurion Gundam, while a fifth puts the CG into a full nelson. Three more press their beam rifles against the cockpit hatch of the Federation mobile suit. Jonah’s mecha, though fully functional, is essentially helpless.

Jonah suppresses the urge to reach for the communications control and send a distress signal. No point in summoning his comrades to be captured by the enemy along with him.

Jonah surrenders to what now seems inevitable; he is a POW…a prisoner of war.

Another experience that the gentle artist-become reluctant warrior had not expected, and has no desire to share.


Jonah might have chosen to not use his mobile suit’s communications suite to summon help from his comrades, but that does not mean that 1Lt. Jolie Minh does not sense his distress.

So attuned have their minds and souls grown in the months since they first encountered and fell in love with one another that Jolie and Jonah can sense each other’s feelings, no matter how great the physical distance between them.

Jonah’s in trouble! Jolie senses with alarm. The unfamiliar, cold feeling of fear runs up the length of Jolie’s spine. She has never been afraid for herself; her fears are all given for those whom she loves…those who have been taken away from her too often…too brutally.

Mobile suits of the Callisto Newtype MS Corps, which she had been engaging in battle when she sensed Jonah’s peril, rush forth to obstruct her path.

“GET THE F*CKING HELL OUT OF MY WAY!!!” Jolie screams ferociously, her eyes flaming with desperate rage as she lashes out against the enemies that stand between her and Jonah. With three swift moves, in three swift seconds, three of the Family’s mobile suits are disabled.

Were Jolie Minh truly the malicious type, they would have been utterly destroyed, their pilots dead. Fortunately for the Family, Jolie’s natural instincts are heroic, not malicious, and her singular focus of the moment is saving Jonah, not killing enemy pilots.

Recognizing this, Captain Renaldo, his mobile suit damaged where Jolie had singed it with the Centurion Gundam Unit-1’s beam saber, issues a withdrawal order, “Don’t pursue, folks. An enraged White Phoenix isn’t a beast we want to contend with, at least not under these circumstances. Anyway, she’s headed right where we want her to head, so our part of the mission is accomplished.”


Jolie soars onto the scene like an out-of-control comet. She dives head-on into a cluster of enemy mobile suits, three dozen strong, as if they were not there.

Her beloved Jonah in mortal danger, Jolie has no patience or mercy to spare: she attacks each enemy mobile suit that obstructs her path, not bent on destruction, but more than prepared to dish out staggering volumes of it to clear the way to Jonah.

The Elite Guard of the Callisto Zeon Mobile Suit Corps comes at Jolie’s Centurion Gundam, all seasoned veterans and proven aces who have collectively vanquished hundreds of enemy mobile suits during their many years of combat experience. They begin to disappear at an alarmingly rapid rate, as Jolie dispatches one after another with perfectly directed beam rifle shots and missile salvos. Those who improbably manage to draw close taste the wrath of the CG-1’s slashing beam saber.

In less than a minute, Jolie has singlehandedly cut down ten percent of the Elite Guard, and is still surging forward…an unstoppable one-woman, one-mobile suit maelstrom of mayhem bearing inexorably down on the flagship of the Callisto Zeon Armada.

Governess Lara Constantinas receives the alarming news on the bridge of her flagship, the appropriately named Governess of Callisto.

“Milady,” a bridge tech reports, “one of the enemy mobile suits has broken through the first wave of the Elite Guard, and is headed our way!”

The Governess takes the news calmly, “That must be the White Phoenix: deploy two more squadrons of mobile suits, and mass the destroyers for a bombardment salvo. We must take her down before she approaches any closer.”

“Yes, milady,” the tech replies, relaying the command.


Jonah sees enemy mobile suits exploding in the distance, and a streak of thruster backwash that he knows is Jolie’s Centurion Gundam.

Jonah opens communications, “Jolie, get out of here! Don’t let them get you too!”

“I’m gonna get you out of here!” Jolie replies, “Just don’t die on me, Jonah…please don’t die on me!”

So saying, Jolie blasts her way through another half dozen Callisto Elite Guard mobile suits.

Jolie sees that Jonah’s mobile suit has been immobilized by a half dozen enemy mobile suits, two of which have beam rifles pressed right against the cockpit hatch of the Centurion Gundam Unit-2.

Jolie knows that not even she can hit the enemy with a beam blast without endangering Jonah. Maybe she could get in close and use the beam saber…

Jolie is only seconds from contact with Jonah when a PSI-spark from deep inside her brain alerts her to incoming danger.

Jolie swerves the Centurion Gundam Unit-1 just in time to avoid a heavy salvo of heavy particle beam blasts from a fleet of Callisto Zeon destroyers that have joined the fray. Additionally, around fifty more Callisto Zeon Quehawk mobile suits attack Jolie, forcing her to retreat.

”Jonah!” Jolie screams in helpless despair as she makes another, unsuccessful attempt to reach him.

“Jolie!” Jonah calls out, “There’s nothing more you can do…go back!”

Jonah’s communication signals go dead as one of the Quehawks restraining his Centurion Gundam destroys the Federation mobile suit’s head-mounted telecommunications gear.
The Quehawks begin to withdraw with their captive prize towards the Governess of Callisto. The flagship itself also begins to withdraw from the combat arena, although not before disgorging a massive salvo of missile and beam fire towards Jolie’s Centurion Gundam.

Performing a miraculous feat of piloting that only she could, Jolie maneuvers safely out of the way of the heavy salvo, even while putting the torch to the withdrawing enemy mobile suits, but Jonah is out of range…out of communication…out of reach!

“Jonah! JONAHHH!” Jolie screams desperately, attacking the Callisto Zeon Armada with the remaining missiles in her Centurion Gundam’s quickly depleting payload.

The rest of the Centurion Team arrives on the scene. Athena’s Cour de Leon grabs hold of the Centurion Gundam Unit-1, attempting to restrain the mecha and its berserk pilot.

“Jolie, stop it!” Athena order, “We have to withdraw!”

“NO!” Jolie says, nearly turning the beam rifle of her Centurion Gundam on Athena’s Cour de Leon, “YOU withdraw! I’m gonna save Jonah!”

“Jolie, listen to me, dammit!” Athena says more forcefully, “You can’t save him right now, like this! You’ll be captured too, or killed! Or maybe get Jonah killed!”

But Jolie cannot be reasoned with…not with Jonah’s life at stake. Jolie presses the thrust control of the Centurion Gundam forward.

Her mobile suit will not respond - because a key component necessary to relay commands from the cockpit module to the nuclear fusion thruster has been handily removed by the armored hand of Athena’s Cour de Leon, and has been handed off to MSgt. Karim Abdul Al-Said’s Guncannon 100.

Thrusters blazing, Athena’s Cour de Leon begins dragging the immobilized Centurion Gundam Unit-1 away from the combat arena, back towards the Amuro Ray, which has successfully blasted its way out of the Callisto Zeon Armada’s net.

Undeterred, Jolie opens the hatch of the Centurion Gundam, drawing her sidearm. She’ll rescue Jonah if she has to swim through space and take on the entire Callisto Armada with just her sidearm if that’s what it takes.

She finds her way blocked by the fingers of the Cour de Leon’s armored hand.

Jolie flings herself futilely against the enormous metalshod fingers of Athena’s mobile suit, “Let me out! LET ME OUT!”

“I’m sorry, Jolie,” Athena says, as the Centurion Team withdraws towards the Amuro Ray.

Jolie finally goes limp in the grip of the Cour de Leon, sobbing in helpless anger. She vows to save Jonah…and God help whoever stands in her way…friend or foe.

As the Centurion Team withdraws, Athena opens communications to Sgt. Anna Horowitz’s GM-IV AWAC, “Sgt. Horowitz: did you succeed in running the scan of the enemy flagship as I ordered?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Anna replies, “I’ve run complete thermal, infrared, ultraviolet, and laser scans of the entire superstructure. After we get the data back to the Amuro Ray, the ship’s computers will be able to decode it for us.”

“Well done, Sgt.,” Athena replies, “we’re going to need that data.”

Episode 12 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 12 continued...

Jonah, stripped of his sidearm and normalsuit, is brought to an audience with the Governess Lara Constantinas aboard her flagship, the Governess of Callisto. He has already tasted the rifle butts, boot tips, and fists of the Callisto Zeon interrogators, but has remained stubbornly silent to their fiercely barked and fearsomely threatened demands for information. Jonah figures that a syringe of sodium pentothal is being readied for him nearby too.

Jonah has certainly heard much about Governess Lara. His brother Alexander has spoken of her often as an arrogant and domineering woman who, nonetheless, even Alexander concedes to be resourceful, cunning, and charismatic.

Alex has never mentioned, however, that Lara is also a beguiling seductress who need not always use violence to get what she wants.

A tall, buxom, and voluptuous woman in her early forties, the Governess of Callisto Zeon bursts with a raw sexuality uncommon among women half her age. Hers is a feminine appeal completely different from youthful, girlish freshness of Jolie Minh or the elegant, ethereal charm of Athena Ibaz. Unlike Jonah’s usual companions, who are sylphlike, waifish figures, Lara Constantinas exudes a carnality that is overbearing.

That is why Jonah recoils uncomfortably as the Governess approaches him, holding her feline-like face close to his.

“You are a Newtype,” the Governess whispers, “but you are not yet at the level of the girl…the White Phoenix, although you have that potential in you.”

“There’s nothing of value that I’ll tell you,” Jonah says to the Governess of Callisto defiantly, “I’ll tell you this much: my name is Jonah Michaels, Chief Warrant Officer, Centurion Team, Earth Federation Special Forces. My serial number is 1818572948. I’m a mobile suit pilot.”

The Governess offers a maliciously feline grin, “Silly boy. Your value does not lie in what you know, but in what you are capable of. You speak with a Zeon accent: why do you fight for the Federation?”

“I…,” Jonah begins, but isn’t quite sure how to continue.

“You resemble a man I know,” the Governess says, looking keenly into Jonah’s eyes, “although you are, in character, nothing like him. You have none of the ruthlessness or warrior spirit of Alexander Miguel.”

Jonah’s heart begins pumping rapidly; could Governess Lara discover his true identity? If she does, what would that mean for him? Alexander is one of the Governess’ key rivals and enemies. Perhaps Lara would use Jonah against his elder brother…

“You are not a warrior by natural disposition; you are out of place,” Lara comments, probing Jonah in ways impalpable, “you are a mere boy playing at being a soldier, and yet, the Federation trusts you with its mechanical marvel of mayhem…its Gundam.”

Jonah says nothing. He knows that Lara is right: he is not a warrior by natural disposition; he is an artist. And yet, the reality of his present is that he is a prisoner of war, facing down an enemy leader known for her cruel cunning.

“It is a waste,” Lara says with some disgust, as she strokes Jonah’s bruised cheek with her slender, black-nailed fingers, “you have capabilities within you that you will never tap because you lack the mettle to use them. But perhaps…with my guidance, that could be amended.”

“I won’t help you,” Jonah says defiantly.

“It is Zeon you will help, boy,” Lara says coldly, “You are a son of Zeon, and you will not turn your back upon her and side with the Earthists. I would rather see you dead than to further debase yourself in that manner.”

So saying, the Governess orders two of her troops to return Jonah to his cell, “You’ll have an opportunity to reconsider. If you agree to join me, you will share in the glory of your Zeon heritage. Turn me down, and you will be given the fate deserved by a traitor. Think on it well, Jonah Michaels.”

Jonah is dragged back to his cell. No matter what the Governess and her thugs do, he won’t sell out Athena, Jolie, and his friends.

Jolie, Jonah’s heart sinks.

Jonah might not be a warrior by nature, but he does not fear death…except that death would separate him from Jolie. Seeing her again is the only hope he can muster to stay alive.


On the Amuro Ray’s mobile suit deck, 1Lt. Jolie Minh floats out of the cockpit of her Centurion Gundam.

Jolie flings her helmet to the deck and lunges furiously towards her commanding officer, Major Athena Ibaz, who has just exited the cockpit of her Cour de Leon. MSgt. Karim Abdul Al-Said and 1Sgt. Tomo Higashi, who have been observing the lieutenant carefully since the withdraw order was given, quickly rush forth to restrain Jolie before she can lash out at Athena.

“You heartless b*tch!” Jolie snarls, as Karim and Tomo, despite weighing more than four times Jolie’s slight weight between them, struggle to hold her back, “How could you let the enemy take Jonah prisoner and not even TRY to save him?! How could you?!”

Athena says nothing, shaking her head at Jolie and sighing.

Jolie points an accusatory finger at Athena, “You! You always talk about how we’re your brothers and sisters…how you care about us and how you’d do everything to keep us alive and safe! You’re a liar, Athena! You let Jonah get captured by the enemy because you were afraid to risk your a*s saving him!”

Athena remains silent, staring intently at Jolie, letting the girl vent her rage.

Jolie spits out, “I know why you won’t let me save Jonah! It’s because you’re jealous, isn’t it?! You see how happy we are together and it makes you furious because you and Hathaw…”

Athena shuts Jolie up with a quick, hard slap to the cheek.

Enraged, Jolie twists free of Karim and Tomo’s grip, overcoming their superior strength through dexterity and sheer ferocity, and strikes Athena on the cheek with her fist.

Athena rolls with the punch, not even trying to duck or block it.

When Jolie winds up for a second strike, however, Athena quickly grabs the younger woman’s fist in her own deceptively fast, strong hand.

“I let you have that punch because I know where it comes from,” Athena says calmly, but firmly, looking into Jolie’s burning, angry black eyes, “but if you want to save Jonah, you’ll need to stop wasting your energy and acting like an idiot.”

Jolie jerks her fist away, and turns angrily towards her Centurion Gundam.

“Lieutenant Minh,” Athena says, “If you’re planning to save Chief Michaels, you’d better come with me first. If you do it your way, you’ll only jeopardize his life.”

Without waiting for Jolie, Athena heads towards the turbolifts leading away from the MS deck and towards the upper decks of the Amuro Ray.

Jolie continues to fume, but the more rational side of her urges her to trust in her friend and commanding officer. Certainly, following Athena’s guidance has never failed her before, while following her own impulse…

Jolie turns around, chasing Athena and the rest of the team to the turbolift.


In his tiny cell on the Governess of Callisto, Jonah is left in dark, silent isolation. To his relief, the Governess has not ordered further beatings or physical torment, and that sodium pentothal injection he had been dreading has not materialized either.

But not all tortures are physical, and it doesn’t require the threat of bullets, fists, or poisons to break a man. The Governess’ intent, for all Jonah knows, might be to keep him in this dark silence until his sanity slips away.

This, however, is where Governess Lara has miscalculated. She is correct in characterizing Jonah has not being a warrior by nature, but she has completely overlooked his nature as an artist. Jonah’s imagination is limitless: in his mind, he can build a fortress as impenetrable as any made of titanium steel.

In his mind, Jonah focuses on one thought, one image: Jolie. Her girlish beauty, her fearless drive, her insatiable lust for life. The image, the thought, sustains Jonah. He will survive to embrace her warmth again.

Episode 12 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 12 continued...

Athena has the Centurion Team assembled in the Amuro Ray’s situation room. On the display screen is a detailed cutaway image of the Governess of Callisto, newly processed by the Amuro Ray’s powerful spectro-decoder programs. The layout of the ship becomes transparent to the Centurion Team.

Athena elucidates for her colleagues, “This new flagship-type is larger than we’ve previously encountered, but its essential layout is not very different from those of other Zeon deep space warships we’ve previously encountered. It follows the same general Zeon design plan, with the engine block being located in the lower decks towards the aft of the ship, and the prisoner holding cells located in the forward section of the ship. This is almost certainly where Chief Michaels is being held.”

Unlike the usual blithe disregard she displays during most of Athena’s lectures on military strategy and tactics, Jolie focuses as singularly and intensely as the blade of a beam saber on the senior officer’s tersely meticulous explication of the enemy flagship.

“The aft section of the ship is heavily armored,” Athena continues, “and is covered with beam reflective armor and a Minovsky particle field. It is, however, vulnerable to solid rounds and missiles, and if its shell is ruptured, it could unleash a series of catastrophic implosions.”

“So what’s the plan, ‘Thena?” Jolie demands impatiently.

Athena turns to MSgt. Al-Said, “MSgt. Al-Said, you will lead the team in a bombardment attack on the enemy flagship’s aft sections. Your goal is to trigger implosions that will ignite fires on the aft interior decks.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Karim replies dutifully.

“1Lt. Minh,” Athena says, turning to Jolie, “You’re going to bring us close to the enemy ship’s forward section, puncture the ship’s hull to create an entrance for me, then join the rest of the squad in assaulting the ship’s aft section. After I’ve rescued Chief Michaels, I’ll signal you for pick up.”

“Wait a second,” Jolie protests, “Why can’t I go into the enemy ship and rescue Jonah?”

Athena responds to that with a question of her own, “Am I a better pilot than you are?”

Jolie, taken aback by the question, says only, “Well, um…”

“Exactly,” Athena says, “We can expect heavy resistance from their mobile suit squadron and their anti-mobile suit gun batteries. Only the White Phoenix can get anyone onto or off that warship through those defenses.”

Jolie reluctantly agrees. She will need to trust in Athena, and carry out her role in Athena’s plan if they are to succeed in rescuing Jonah.

“Are there any more questions or remarks?” Athena asks her teammates.

The Centurions are silently expectant…even Jolie.

Athena finishes, “Very well, then. We’re moving out immediately. One more caveat: if Chief Michaels and I are unable to get off the enemy ship after the allotted time of seven minutes, your orders are to destroy the enemy flagship and withdraw to the Amuro Ray, is that understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the Centurions, minus Jolie, reply in unison.

“Lieutenant Minh,” Athena says, “is that understood?”

A moment of silence follows before Jolie finally replies, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Remember, Lieutenant,” Athena continues, “if situation comes to that, you will be responsible for guiding all of your teammates here to safety. You will be Centurion Leader.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jolie replies, trying hard to think like a responsible Federal Forces officer.


The door of Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels’ cell on the Governess of Callisto opens, and the Governess whose title the ship takes as its name stands at the doorway. His eyes having been subjected to absolute darkness for hours, the sudden flood of light stabs into his eyes like knives.

“Chief Warrant Officer Michaels,” purrs the leader of the Callisto Zeon, “I’m prepared to hear your decision.”

“No,” Jonah says, shielding his eyes, “I don’t want any part of the Zeon militarist ideology.”

“I regret that you’ve reached that decision,” the Governess Lara says, disappointment evident in her voice, “You would have been a fine Zeon warrior.”

Just as my brother always wanted me to be, Jonah reflects wryly on the irony.

“Guardsmen,” the Governess commands imperiously.

“Milady,” the guardsmen reply in unison.

“Terminate Chief Warrant Officer Michaels,” Lara says.

Before the two Callisto Zeon guardsmen can comply with the Governess, order, the Governess of Callisto is rocked by heavy impact. Alarm klaxons sound aboard the ship.

Governess Lara reaches for an intercom control in the corridor outside of Jonah’s cell, “Report in.”

“Milady,” replies a harried bridge tech, “We are under attack by Federal Forces mobile suits. Fifteen units total…supported by one La Kailum class battle carrier and two Salamis-III-class battle cruisers.”

“Counterattack immediately,” the Governess orders, her eyes flashing with malice as she starts towards the bridge, Jonah’s fate momentarily forgotten.

But Governess Lara’s men are well trained. They have received an order from their liege, and will carry out immediately, regardless of other circumstances.

The guardsmen haul Jonah roughly out his cell. Jonah struggles valiantly for his life, but is soon knocked out cold by the butt of one of the guardsmen’s rifles.


Outside, the Governess of Callisto is under fierce assault by the mobile suits of the Earth Federation Special Forces. Major Athena Ibaz’s troops make up for what they lack in numbers through extraordinary skill and sheer determination. One of their own is aboard the ship, and they have no thoughts of withdrawing until he is safely returned to his allies.

Neither of the two Centurion Gundam units is present in this latest firefight. Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels’ Unit-2 is currently in the mobile suit deck of the Governess of Callisto, where it is awaiting dismantlement by Callisto Zeon engineers for study. 1Lt. Jolie Minh’s Centurion Gundam Unit-1 remains on the mobile suit deck of the Amuro Ray because said 1Lt. Minh is presently operating Major Athena Ibaz’s Cour de Leon, a mobile suit with less overall firepower, armor, and strength than a Centurion Gundam, but compensates for it with far greater speed and maneuverability…advantages that Major Ibaz has determined will be necessary if they are to successfully rescue Chief Michaels from the enemy.

Athena rides the passenger seat of the Cour de Leon, armed with an assault rifle, her Walther sidearm, and an assortment of grenades and plastic explosives. Jolie is in Athena’s familiar seat at the controls of the Cour de Leon, maneuvering the sleek mecha against the enemy.

“Should I make the approach now, ‘Thena?” Jolie demands impatiently.

“Not yet,” Athena says calmly, “we need to get the aft decks burning first…draw most of the ship’s personnel to that part of the ship for fire rescue.”

“All right, then,” Jolie says, deftly maneuvering the Cour de Leon around and through defensive screens of enemy mobile suits and anti-mecha fire to assault the Governess of Callisto’s heavily guarded stern.

“The aft section is heavily armored and is surrounded by an I-field,” Athena advises Jolie, “Use solids. I had Molly arm the Leon and other mobile suits with extra incendiaries.”

“Right,” Jolie says, firing a torrent of missiles at the Callisto Zeon flagship’s rear quarters.

Athena and Jolie’s Special Forces colleagues contribute to the effort with their incendiaries. MSgt. Karim Abdul Al-Said and 1Sgt. Tomo Higashi’s Guncannon-100s cause an especially high volume of damage with their shoulder-mounted cannon, loaded with hyperplasma shells.

After several minutes of such pounding, with Jolie running interference against enemy mobile suits as her teammates relentlessly hammering away at the ship’s rear, the Governess of Callisto’s armored shell finally ruptures…fire leaking into the oxygenated corridors and access areas…


“Fire on the deck!” a terrified Zeon crewman of the Governess of Callisto cries, sounding the fire alarm.

“Fire on aft decks 7-18, milady,” a bridge tech reports to Governess Lara Constantinas, who has returned to her command seat aboard the bridge, “If the fire reaches the engine hold on Deck 5, the ship is in danger of exploding.”

“Fire crews to the affected decks,” the Governess orders calmly, “and contact Admiral Lindquist. Tell him we need reinforcements.”

They knew exactly where to hit us, and how… the Governess of Callisto Zeon muses, …their commanding officer is a formidable strategist. Perhaps we have underestimated the Earth Federation; despite their degeneracy, there are brilliant military minds among them.


The Special Forces watches as the rear decks of the Governess of Callisto glow with the fire that burns within the ship’s hull.

“That’s enough,” Athena says, “We don’t want the ship to explode too soon. Counterattack the incoming enemy mobile suits.”

Athena then turns to Jolie, “All right, Jolie. Bring us to the forward section of the ship, Deck 9 is where the prisoner cells are located.’

“Roger,” Jolie replies, jetting the Cour de Leon towards the ship’s forward section.

The Cour de Leon is met by a flight of mobile suits from the Callisto Elite Guard – an assortment of Quehawks, Nova Dogas, and Rick Diablos. Jolie dispatches them with merciless efficiency…taking advantage of the Leon’s superior maneuverability.

Having cleared the enemy defenses, Jolie takes a precise shot with the Cour de Leon’s beam rifle at the hull of the Callisto Zeon flagship, aiming for Deck 9 of the aft section and blowing a circular hole through the armor.

Jolie maneuvers the Cour de Leon, in its mobile suit configuration, directly in front of the breach she had created.

The Cour de Leon’s cockpit hatch opens. Athena and Jolie salute each other.

“Athena, please bring Jonah back to me safely,” Jolie pleads with her best friend and commanding officer.

“I won’t let you down,” Athena promises, “Don’t let me down.”

With that final exchange of vows, Athena disappears into the Governess of Callisto as Jolie blasts away in the Cour de Leon to meet the oncoming enemy squadrons.

Jolie sees a flight of Callisto Zeon mobile suits bearing down upon her, and her eyes flash with PSI-energy.

“You Zeon pigs!” Jolie snarls angrily, “If Jonah doesn’t come back to me safely, I swear I’ll kill you all!”

So saying, Jolie unloads the remainder of the Cour de Leon’s incendiary missiles at the enemy mobile suits, burning dozens of Callisto Zeon mobile suit pilots in the cockpits of their mecha…

Episode 12 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 12 continued...

As expected, Athena encounters little resistance as she makes her way through Deck 9, forward section, of the Governess of Callisto. The bulk of the ship’s personnel have been called to the aft section of the ship to fight the raging fire, which is burning closer to the engine block.

Athena moves ghostlike through the ship’s corridors. A PSI-spark alerts her to the approach of several individuals at an inter-corridor intersection.

Athena ducks behind the cover of a wall protrusion. She watches silently as two Callisto Zeon guardsmen drag an unconscious Jonah through the corridor.

“Let’s finish him quickly,” says the first guardsmen, “then get to aft section to help with the fire.”

“Right,” the other guardsman replies.

The guardsmen drop Jonah facedown on the deck of the corridor. They point their sidearms at the back of Jonah’s head.

Multiple gunshots ring out…loudly, cruelly, echoing against the icy metallic walls of the corridor. The sigh of death’s release…and a gathering pool of warm, red blood on decks of cold steel.

Major Athena Ibaz points her smoking assault carbine skyward as she steps forward, over the corpses of the two fallen Zeon guardsmen into whom she has just pumped dozens of rounds of bullets.

Athena kneels by Jonah, examining her handsome young junior executive officer for injury. She finds him bruised, but apparently without any bones broken. Taking no chances, Athena feels for a pulse and listens for breathing, and smiles in satisfaction as she concludes that the young man, though stunned, has not been seriously wounded.

Athena removes a pack of smelling salts from the medipack on her normalsuit’s belt, and uses it to rouse Jonah to consciousness.

Jonah opens his striking blue eyes and stares dazedly for a moment. His breathing becomes more relaxed as he recognizes the familiar, pretty face behind the helmet visor of the petite figure kneeling beside him.

“Athena,” Jonah moans, “Major Ibaz, ma’am…”

“We’re not out of danger yet, Chief,” Athena says, “We’re still aboard the enemy ship. I’m going to contact Jolie to pick us up. Can you stand? Is your head clearing?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jonah says, rubbing the back of his head where he had been stricken, “I’ll be all right.”

So saying, Jonah rises unsteadily to his feet.

Athena hands Jonah her assault carbine, letting the youth lean upon her slight, but deceptively strong frame. She extracts her Walther sidearm and activates her helmet transmitter to the Cour de Leon’s cockpit wavelength.

“Jolie,” Athena says, “I’ve got him. He’s all right. Get us out of here.”

“Right! I’m coming now!” Jolie replies immediately, the glee in the girl’s voice at the news of her boyfriend’s safe rescue evident.

Athena and Jonah proceed down the corridor when, suddenly, they are met by a small squad of Callisto Zeon troops at an intersecting corridor!

“Hey, you there! Stop!” the lead Zeon soldier bellows.

The Zeon troopers point their assault rifles in Athena and Jonah’s direction.

Athena fires two quick shots from her Walther handpistol, instantly downing two Zeon soldiers. Before the remaining enemy troops can draw a bead on her and Jonah, Athena charges the remaining troops, wrenching the assault rifle out of the hands of one of the soldiers and using it to batter him senseless with a swift blow to the head. She then jams the butt of the gun into the midsection of a second trooper, breaking his ribs before using the same gun butt to break his jaw.

One of the Zeon soldiers has broken through Athena’s assault and attacks Jonah. The soldier’s standard-issue Zeon infantry assault rifle having momentarily jammed, the enemy trooper raises his weapon high over his head for a battering attack aimed towards Jonah’s uncovered skull.

Jonah blocks the Zeon trooper’s attempt to strike him with the weapon that Athena had given him. Jonah bats the enemy soldier away, then stares in horror as the soldier, having cleared the jam in his momentary jam in his weapon, takes aim at Jonah.

Jonah reacts in accordance to the training he received at the Federal Forces academy, which have been sharpened and reinforced through practice sessions with Jolie and Athena.

Jonah is a fraction of a second faster, pulling the trigger on his weapon just before the enemy soldier’s finger can supply enough tension to fire his own weapon.

A grimy spray of blood and cerebral fluid spatters over the deck as the Zeon soldier goes down. Jonah hears the man, whose name he never knew, take his final breath before collapsing still and silent.

It is the first time Jonah has killed another human being in the flesh…not in impersonal mobile suit combat, which was distant and sterilized, but with the full sights, sounds, and smells of violent death. The experience leaves the gentle-natured youth shaking with shock.

“Jonah, are you all right?” Athena queries.

Jonah remains catatonic and still, holding the assault rifle in the same position that he has stood in since shooting the enemy soldier…ten seconds earlier.

“Chief Michaels, SNAP OUT OF IT!” Athena demands more forcefully.

Jonah pulls himself together, “Yes, ma’am.”

Athena uses her weapon to shoot open the lock on a nearby supply locker. She extracts a standard Zeon military normalsuit and throws it in Jonah’s direction.

“Put this on, quickly,” Athena instructs, “Jolie’s going to pick us up in less than a minute.”

As Jonah begins to don the appropriated enemy normalsuit (the one he had worn when captured by the enemy having since been disposed by his captors at some unknown location), more enemy soldiers appear around the corner. Despite the distraction created by the fire on the aft decks, there are still enough personnel in the forward section to cause problems for the two Federal Special Forces officers.

Athena has come prepared for that. With reflexive speed and unerring precision, she throws two grenades into the path of the oncoming enemy troops, cutting them off from immediate access to her and Jonah.

Athena then attaches a plastic explosive to the wall of the corridor, near the outer hull of the ship. She has chosen a vulnerable spot, near an access hatch.

The explosive detonates just as Jonah seals the helmet of his normalsuit.

The Cour de Leon appears in the vacuum beyond the ship’s hull.

Athena and Jonah float through the breach and into the cockpit. Jolie seals the hatch and jets the Cour de Leon away.

“JONAH!” Jolie exults, a delighted grin appearing behind the visor of her helmet.

“Jolie,” Jonah says, taking his girlfriend into his arms, thanking the Creator for letting him hold her in his arms once again.

“Soppy reunion later,” Athena says, “We have a mission to complete first.”

“Right,” Jolie says, directing Jonah into the passenger seat next to her, “Into the MS deck?”

“As planned,” Athena replies with a nod.

“Ma’am?” Jonah queries.

“We’re going to recover your Centurion Gundam,” Athena replies, “or alternately, destroy it if necessary. We don’t want the enemy to be able to study it and find ways to exploit its weaknesses.”

“Hang on,” Jolie tells her two closest comrades as she guides the Cour de Leon into the Governess of Callisto’s MS deck.

Jolie fires the Cour de Leon’s beam rifle, causing as much havoc and destruction as she can. Most of the ship’s mobile suits are deployed in space combating the Special Forces. The few that remain on the deck are unmanned or under maintenance.

“Hey, look what I’ve found,” Jolie says, indicating Jonah’s Centurion Gundam Unit-2 docked between a Quehawk and a Rick Diablo.

“Looks like they haven’t had the chance to strip it yet,” Athena says, “OK, Jolie: bring our big boy home.”

“Roger, ma’am,” Jolie says, much more effective and focused now that she knows that her beloved Jonah is safe.

Jolie vacates the pilot’s seat of the Cour de Leon, which Athena quickly slides into occupy. Athena opens the cockpit hatch of the Cour de Leon and Jolie floats out.

There is no real resistance as Jolie makes her way to the Centurion Gundam Unit-2. A few token guards are taken down by Jolie with quick chops to the neck and knees to the groin.

Jolie boards the Unit-2 and quickly brings its nuclear fusion engine to life. The mobile suit’s weapons, however, have been depleted. Only the twin beam sabers are combat ready.

Jolie quickly rectifies the problem by confiscating the beam rifle of the adjacently docked Rick Diablo mobile suit.

“Borrow this?” Jolie says to the unoccupied enemy mobile suit drolly, “Swear I’ll give it back to you next week.”

Athena’s Cour de Leon transforms into Waverider configuration and jets out of the Zeon flagship’s mobile suit deck. The Centurion Gundam Unit-2, piloted by Jolie, follows.

Athena issues a withdrawal order to all Special Forces mobile suits, then contacts Captain Beecher Olech on the bridge of the Amuro Ray, “Captain Beecher. Chief Michaels and his mecha are secure. Please provide cover fire.”

“Roger that, Major,” come Captain Beecher’s reply.

The Amuro Ray’s megaparticle cannon comes to life, spewing a stream of blood-red fusion energy towards the Governess of Callisto. The Callisto Zeon flagship, already severely damaged, is further crippled.

Admiral Vernon Lindquist and his fleet arrive on the scene just as the Special Forces leave the combat arena. At the same time, the crew of the Governess of Callisto reports to their liege lady that the fire in the aft decks has been extinguished, and the ship is no longer in danger of exploding. The Governess’ flagship, however, will need extensive repair work before it is combat-worthy again.

“Milady, I apologize for arriving late,” Admiral Lindquist says meekly as his visage appears on a communications screen on the bridge of the Governess of Callisto, “Shall we pursue?”

“Negative, Admiral,” says Governess Lara, “I will accept the consequences of this setback. I foolishly underestimated them.”

The Governess smiles her feline smile. Such a pity that such excellent warriors had to be her enemies rather than her subordinates.


On the mobile suit deck of the Amuro Ray, Jolie and Jonah run happily into each other’s arms. Jonah spins Jolie joyfully in his arms, happy to be with her again.

“Thanks for coming after me, Jolie,” Jonah says, “I would have died on that enemy ship if not for you, Athena, and the others.”

“You think I’d just let you die?” Jolie says, “I’d have taken on the entire Zeon AND Federation armies combined to save you.”

“Jolie,” Jonah says affectionately, holding his girlfriend close.

Major Athena Ibaz approaches, the pretty smile that Jonah likes to see so much evident on her lovely face.

Jolie disengages from Jonah’s embrace to give Athena a hug, “Oh, Athena. I said some really cruel things to you today. I didn’t mean them. I was just scared for Jonah and lost my head. I know how much you care about me…and about Jonah, and about all of us on the team. I’m sorry. I never should have…”

Athena smiles as she envelops Jolie in a sisterly embrace, “I know my little sister has a hot temper, and when she’s mad, she mouths off and says the stupidest things. But I also know my little sister’s heart is always in the right place, I always trust her to do the right thing.”

“’Thena,” Jolie says, her voice quavering, “I…”

“Shhh,” Athena whispers, “I know.”

Jonah joins the two young women in a group embrace. The three young officers share a sublime moment of togetherness beyond mere camaraderie. The three of them share a bond forged in blood and fire…a bond that they hope will prove unbreakable.


NEXT EPISODE: NEW FRONTIERS, OLD TIES

[Ken Cheng]

EPISODE 13: NEW FRONTIERS, OLD TIES

At long last, the Amuro Ray docks at the Jupitorius Space Colony, Bunch 1.

Founded by the wealthy and powerful Scirocco Family, proprietors of the Jupitorius Hydrogen Mining Corporation, Jupitorius is the farthest space state from Earth. During the U.C. 0070s and 0080s, the great distance of Jupitorius from Cislunar Space meant that the Jupitorius Colony was essentially autonomous from both the Earth Federation and the Archduchy of Zeon. Nevertheless, Jupitorius prospered greatly from the Earth/Zeon wars because both sides needed Jupitorius’ chief export product, raw hydrogen gas and crystals, to fuel their military confrontation. During the decade between U.C. 0079 and 0089, Jupitorius generated revenues that towered into the trillions of Federation credits, enough for the Scirocco Family to fund their own private army, which Scirocco scion and heir Paptimus Scirocco took into battle to support the Titans during the Gryps Conflict of U.C. 0087.

Paptimus’ death at the end of that conflict left the Scirocco Family without an heir, but the real threat to the family’s hegemony emerged in the early U.C. 0090s when the surviving Zeon warlords, driven out of Cislunar Space by the Earth Federation Forces, began settling the Jupiter Zone. The Zeon generals who had served under Regent Haman Karn and later, Colonel Char Aznable now vied with each other for the right to rule the Archduchy of Zeon. The Zeon warlords each needed Jupitorius’ hydrogen mines to rebuild their shattered war machine, and they took it by force. Had the Zeon invaded several years earlier, they would have met fierce resistance from the Scirocco Corps, but following the death of Paptimus, the patriarch of the Scirocco Family, Patrilochus Scirocco, lost the heart for combat. The Scirocco Corps, once a military power so formidable that it was regarded as the shifter of the balance of power in the struggle among the AEUG, Titans, and Axis Zeon, was but a shell of its former self. The Zeon warlords found Jupitorius wealthy, prosperous, and surprisingly vulnerable. Overrunning the remains of the Scirocco Corps with appalling ease, the Callisto Zeon and Jupitorius Zeon unseated the Scirocco Family, took control of Jupitorius, and turned upon each other…with the citizens of Jupitorius caught helplessly in between.

Strictly speaking, neither the Callisto Zeon nor the Jupitorius Zeon (despite their name) rules the Jupitorius Colonies, at least not officially. With the demise of the Scirocco Family, however, the Zeon factions have established hegemony over the Jupitorius Colonies, including a puppet governor, one Richard Linker, who is nominally an elected official but in truth, installed by the Jupitorius Zeon as a lapdog. The Earth Federation Government has treated the passing of Jupitorius into Zeon control with indifference. Appeals to the Earth Federation Government to deliver Jupitorius from Zeon control, made by the few Jupitorius government leaders courageous and scrupulous enough to risk the wrath of Zeon, have fallen upon deaf ears at the Earth Federation Security Council. A proposal to liberate the Jupitorius Colonies was made by General Bright Noah in U.C. 0095, but was quickly vetoed by the Security Council. Hence, Jupitorius has languished under a state of de facto Zeon occupation during the past half decade. On the surface, it would appear that the citizens of Jupitorius have continued to enjoy relative peace, prosperity, and stability, but the shadow of Zeon looms ominously over them, manifesting itself only occasionally, but dramatically and violently, in mobile suit raids that have, in the past five years, left several thousand Jupitorius civilians dead.

Two years earlier, in U.C. 0097, elements of the ISRLA (Independent Spacenoid Republic Liberation Army) began taking root at Jupitorius…both so that it would have allies and a far-removed sanctuary for its guerilla struggle in the Outer Solar System against the Earth Federation and to assist their Spacenoid brethren against Zeon oppressors. The movement, led by Jupitorius citizens and former AEUG heroes Judau Ashta and his wife Lu Luka Ashta, have the popular support of much of the Jupitorius Colonies’ people. What they lack, however, is firepower. They have inspiration, courage, and justice on their side, but no physical weapons with which to counter those used by the Zeon oppressors. What few weapons the ISRLA has is concentrated in the Cislunar Space; there is simply nothing to spare for the ISRLA’s operations in Jupiter’s orbit.

And so the Jupitorius ISRLA freedom fighters plan…and wait.

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

Twenty-five year old Elle Viano Olech, once called by her peers the “Blonde Bombshell of Shangrila” and, more than ten years after she left the space colony of her birth to battle the Axis Zeon as a member off the AEUG, retains enough of the qualities she had as a fourteen year old hellion to be worthy of that nickname. The wild blonde ponytail of yore is still in evidence, although she has long since traded in the normalsuit of a mobile suit pilot for the skirt of a homemaker.

Elle Viano Olech, wife of Captain Beecher Olech. This image was captured in U.C. 0088 when Elle was fourteen years old. Now twenty-five, Elle has settled down with Beecher, although she still retains her fire from her teenaged rebel days.

After those heady days of the late U.C. 0080s, when Elle replaced the slain 1Lt. Emma Sheen as the pilot of the Gundam MK-II, Elle settled into a quieter, less turbulent life. Having initially returned to Side 1’s Shangrila Colony, Elle and her fiancé Beecher Olech eventually found their way out to the Jupitorius Colonies in the early U.C. 0090s, where they joined their longtime friends Judau Ashta and Lu Luka.

Beecher and Elle married in U.C. 0095. To Elle’s chagrin, however, Beecher, who in his youth had been among the most irresponsible, selfish, lazy, cowardly, and good-for-nothing rats she had ever known (and yet, none of that stopped her from falling madly in love with him in those desperate final days of the war against Regent Haman Karn’s Axis Neo Zeon Empire), had suddenly, as a consequence of his wartime experiences, had suddenly discovered his latent taste for adventure and heroism. A more unlikely character transformation could scarcely be imagined. It was a complete and utter change of character that would have delighted Elle, and did for a time, until she realized that it would draw Beecher away from her as he dedicated himself to his newfound military career. Her man had finally found his calling for his not insignificant talents, but he was no longer quite her man: he had become the Earth Federation Forces’ man.

Beecher and Elle argued bitterly the previous year when he told her that he had accepted an assignment with the Federal Forces Space Armada in Cislunar Space…which would take him far from Jupitorius and from her. Elle had tried to persuade Beecher to take up a quieter staff position with the Federal Forces’ small regional patrol station at Io (which was at least closer to Jupitorius than Cislunar Space), but Beecher would hear nothing of it. He wanted in on the Big Action, and the Big Action was, as ever, in Cislunar Space.

Eight and a half months ago, however, Elle unleashed what she believed was her trump card: the one suasion she was certain would keep Beecher by her side.

Elle Viano was pregnant.

Beecher’s first reaction was not the one Elle had expected or wanted.

He laughed.

Laughed as if he had heard the most ludicrous joke ever told.

Beecher and Elle had always been such jokesters that it had never been clear when they were serious or when they were simply taking the piss. During their time as guerilla fighters with the AEUG (and before that at Shangrila, when they had been juvenile delinquents), it had been something of a survival mechanism – something to gain a toehold of control over the fear that was a part of their lives. Beecher, perhaps not entirely unexpectedly, in retrospect, reacted to the announcement of Elle’s pregnancy as if it were another prank. It had to be.

Elle sulked, pleaded, raged…punched, kicked, and through heavy ceramic objects at Beecher (they had shattered so many vases over the years that Elle had lost count), but he did not believe her until she cleansed his face with the medical report that proved her pregnancy.

Beecher’s next reaction was delight…he was going to be a father!

That was more like it!

Then, he blanched in realization: he had just accepted a new assignment with the Special Forces.

Elle threw Beecher out of the house, screaming obscenities and hurling household missiles at him, saying something on the order that after she had shit out his baby, she’d mail it to whatever wreck he got assigned to.

How could he, Elle wondered. How could he be so selfish? How could he go out in search of adventure, leaving her to birth and raise their child alone? She didn’t need him, she decided. Maybe she’d get lucky and he’d get killed out there.

But Elle knew she didn’t mean that. Relenting after having left him sitting on the city streets for hours, she opened the door to him. They held each other and cried together until the early morning hours.

When he found his voice again, Beecher told Elle that his acceptance of the new assignment was not primarily to satisfy his thirst for adventure (though he was honest enough to admit that that was at least partially the motive). Beecher and Elle knew that the Zeon threat to the Jupitorius Colonies continued to linger like an ominous cloud. Judau and Lu were doing the best they could to form a resistance, but they had no armed support for their efforts. All they had in their arsenal was their courage, their dedication, and righteousness – all important weapons, to be sure, but not enough by themselves to achieve victory against their well-armed and well-equipped oppressors.

Elle strokes her swollen belly lovingly and smiles brilliantly as she sees the Amuro Ray pulling into the Woodhaven Colony Spaceport. Woodhaven is one of the newer developments of the Jupitorius Colonies, completed fewer than five years ago. Its internal landscape dominated by forested areas, (artificial) meadowlands, and rolling green hills, the environs of Woodhaven are perhaps the most convincingly Earthlike to date. Elle and Beecher had wisely put down their stakes early at Woodhaven, as the colony, despite the ever-present Zeon threat, is considered prime real estate. Elle and Beecher could reap a substantial windfall were they to sell their property at Woodhaven and return to Shangrila Colony at Side 1, but they had decided that Woodhaven was where they wanted to raise their children – so that their childhoods could be happier and healthier than Elle and Beecher’s had been.

“Daddy’s home, sweetie,” Elle says to the baby inside her belly, “and I hope he can be here when you come into the world.”

Elle senses two familiar, friendly presences. She turns and finds her longtime friends, Judau Ashta and his wife, Lu Luka Ashta, approaching.

“Hey, you guys!” Elle shouts with characteristic vivacity, waving her hand at them.

Judau and Lu are all smiles as they step forth to embrace their old friend affectionately.

“You’re almost due, aren’t you?” Lu says with a grin, putting her hand gently on Elle’s belly.

“Any second now,” Elle says, “Hope you two remember your first-aid training from our Ahrgama days.”

Judau chides, “Yeah…standard procedure: wrap your forehead in a huge *** bandage, regardless of the fact that it’s your LEG that’s hurt!”

The three laugh together, much as they once did when they crewed the Ahrgama.

Over a decade after they had fought the Axis Zeon Empire as the “Gundam Team,” Judau, Lu, and Elle remain as close as ever. Judau and Lu married three years after the end of the war, having settled at Jupitorius as pioneers and developers. Now in their mid- to late-twenties, Judau and Lu remain full of youthful vigor as ever. Judau, now a man, has grown even more handsome than he was as a teenager; Lu, his companion and in many ways, mentor, is still a statuesque testament to feminine charm.

“That’s Beecher’s ship, the Amuro Ray, isn’t it?” Judau remarks as he watches the ship pull into port.

“Yeah,” Elle replies, “I hope that he’ll be in port for quite a while…long enough to see his baby born.”

Lu says, “The ship looks so much like the Nahl Ahrgama,” referring to the first ship that Beecher commanded in the waning days of the First Neo Zeon War, “reminds me of the old days.”

“Listen to you,” Elle teases, “boy, you sound old!”

“Says the woman who’s going to be a mommy before the end of the month,” Lu teases back. The two have always loved needling each other. “You’re about to settle into a routine of midnight diaper changes and 4 a.m. feedings, girl!”

Judau laughs, but then, his smile fades as he is seized by a sudden and extremely painful headache.

“Are you all right?” an alarmed Lu asks, rushing to her husband’s side.

Judau shakes his head clear, “I’m…all right. I sensed…there are two very powerful Newtypes on Beecher’s ship.”

Elle’s eyes widens, “You must be sensing the White Phoenix.”

“The White Phoenix?” Lu queries, “The Federation’s ace pilot, Jolie Minh? She’s a part of Beecher’s crew?”

Elle nods, “Yeah. He’s written to me about her in his emails. Made me a bit hot and jealous too because she’s supposed to be a real hottie, too!”

Judau says, “She’s very powerful. I’ve never felt so much raw PSI-power before…not in Camille Vidan, not in El Peeple, not in Haman Karn. Her raw PSI-energy must be several orders more powerful than mine.”

Judau’s remark takes Lu and Elle aback. They’ve long known Judau as the most powerful Newtype of his generation, and they were awed by his feats during the First Neo Zeon War. Now, however, Judau proclaims that the White Phoenix, Jolie Minh, is a Newtype of even greater potential than his.

“There’s another Newtype aboard…maybe even a third,” Judau continues, “the second one is nearly as powerful as the White Phoenix. The third one is weaker by comparison, but still nearly at my own level.”

“Well, at least I can take comfort in knowing that Beecher has got an army of Newtypes on his side,” Elle shrugs.

Lu becomes serious, “But will their presence here help the people of Jupitorius, or cause them even greater hardship?”

The three friends grow morbidly silent as they contemplate that thought.

Episode 13 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 13 continued...

Aboard the Amuro Ray, Major Athena Ibaz is in teleconference with the Security Council of the Earth Federation Government. From their various locations at the Earth Federation capital in Shanghai on Earth, and from Side 7’s Garrison Noah, the Security Council reviews Athena’s newest proposal regarding the Federation’s policy towards the Zeon forces in the Jupiter Zone.

“Let me see if I understand your proposal correctly, Major Ibaz,” President Gloria Brenner of the Earth Federation High Council says, studying the electronic document in front of her gravely, “you believe it strategically prudent and cost effective for the Federation to arm and equip a civilian militia at the Jupitorius Space Colonies?”

“Yes, Madame President,” Athena replies evenly, “Pragmatically, it would be far more advantageous for the Federation and the people of the Jupitorius Colonies if they could defend themselves rather than invoke the heavy cost of establishing a permanent Federation presence in the Jupitorius Zone. It would be unwise to stretch the Federation’s military resources thin by establishing a garrison so far from Cislunar Space. Moreover, at Jupitorius, there is a ready supply of recruits willing to fight the Zeon as the Federation’s proxies. The remains of the infrastructure from the Scirocco Family’s power base will be sufficient to sustain the militia after we supply the initial consignment of weapons and supplies.”

“I disagree with Major Ibaz’s assessment of the situation,” General Manron Blackhead interjects curtly, “the Major neglects the fact that Jupitorius is known as an outpost of ISRLA activity. To arm the civilian population of Jupitorius would be equivalent to arming our enemies.”

“General Blackhead,” General Bright Noah objects, “The ISRLA presence at Jupitorius is only a rumor, not an established fact. Providing the people of Jupitorius with the means to fight against the Zeon will lessen our burden and enable us to concentrate our own strength in the Cislunar Sphere, which I believe is a policy you have previously championed.”

Blackhead beings to utter something in response to General Noah’s challenge, but then fumes in silence, not certain how to proceed.

Senator Tiexin Huang then puts another question to Athena, “Major Ibaz, General Blackhead does have a point: even if it is only a rumor, as General Noah suggests, the possibility that Jupitorius’ citizenry is heavily infiltrated by an ISRLA presence gives this council pause in considering your proposal to establish a citizens’ militia at Jupitorius…especially in light of the fact that the Federation has a scant supervisory presence out there.”

“Understood, Senator,” Athena replies with characteristically cool confidence, “but your country’s military history includes a doctrine called ‘using barbarians against barbarians,’ does it not?”

Senator Huang smiles knowingly, “Is that the motivating spirit behind your plan, Major Ibaz?”

“Indeed, Senator,” Athena replies, “Moreover, assuming General Blackhead’s worst-case scenario that the ISRLA has established a presence at the Jupitorius Colonies: the armaments we provide them will only be useful against the Callisto Zeon and Jupitorius Zeon Forces. Transporting them back to the Cislunar Sphere to use against the Federation will be untenable for them, as they cannot make such a move without our noticing it.”

The Council quietly deliberates the matter among themselves for a few tense minutes. Athena knows that the Council will need more time to come to a decision on this matter, but she takes it as a hopeful sign that they are deliberating it at all…instead of dismissing it outright.

“We’ll take your proposal into consideration, Major Ibaz,” President Brenner says, “and we should have a decision within three days.”

Athena rises from her seat in the teleconference chamber of the Amuro Ray and salutes, “Yes, Madame President.”

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

Athena joins her Centurion Team comrades for lunch in the Amuro Ray’s commissary. She sits at a table with her two executive officers, 1Lt. Jolie Minh and Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels.

“I toldja it’d be a hard sell,” Jolie says absently, flicking peas in Athena’s direction with her spoon, “I think you went in over your head this time, ‘Thena.”

Athena, having endured the pelting with peas for several minutes, wipes her mouth demurely with her napkin, and folds it neatly on her lap before replying, “Could you please do me a favor and grow up a bit: a seventeen year old young woman should not be flicking peas at her fellow diners at mealtimes.”

Jolie stops, but says acidly, “Geeze, you certainly have a stick up your a*s today. C’mon, ‘Thena, tell us: was it that bad?”

Jolie’s hyperactive hands turn the table’s peppershaker over, tiny pepper flakes falling lightly on the table.

“I don’t know yet,” Athena says, taking a sip of ice water from her glass, “and we probably won’t know for several days. In the meantime, just please don’t get on my nerves, Jolie.”

So saying, Athena reaches out, wrenches the peppershaker out of Jolie’s hand, and sets it properly on the table.

Jolie scowls, “I hate it when you talk to the Security Council: you’re always on edge every time you do.”

Athena inserts a cigarette into her mouth and lights it, “If you had to deal with those characters, you’d be on edge too.”

Jolie smiles mischievously, “Even your future father-in-law?” she teases, referring to General Noah.

Athena looks at Jolie severely for a moment before the two collapse into laughter.

Jonah, who has been quietly listening until now, finally comments, “Ma’am, for what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing.”

“Teacher’s pet!” Jolie sneers.

“I appreciate that, Jonah,” Athena says, “I certainly hope it’s not a mistake.”

“Aren’t you the one who’s always telling me to always go in with a plan?” Jolie asks, taking a swig from a cardboard carton of chocolate milk, “now you’re gonna just rely on hope?”

“One can never be certain,” Athena says cryptically, dropping ashes from her cigarette into the table’s ashtray, “this is something of a crap shoot, I must admit.”

“Cool!” Jolie says, “I love gambling!”

“But the stakes are really high, aren’t they ma’am?” Jonah ventures.

Athena nods, inhaling from her cigarette again, exhaling a crescent-shaped cloud of smoke, “The lives and freedom of the people of Jupitorius…and our ability to end our mission here in the Outer Solar System and return home. Those are the stakes, Jonah.”

Jolie’s hands stop fidgeting and Jonah takes a deep sigh. For the first time, the two teenagers are beginning to truly understand the gravity upon their commanding officer’s shoulders.

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

Captain Beecher Olech, having turned command of the Amuro Ray temporarily over to Major Athena Ibaz, steps across the gangway. He immediately spots his wife, Elle, waving at him, a brilliant smile lighting her very attractive face.

Beecher breaks into a wide grin, and runs across the gangway to embrace his wife.

Beecher kisses his wife tenderly on the forehead, then gives her belly a good rub, “You look just about ready burst!”

“I’ve been holding her in,” Elle teases, “waiting for you to come back before I pooped her out!”

“’Her?’” Beecher says, glee in his voice, “are you really, definitely sure it’s going to be a girl?”

“Moms know things that dads don’t,” Elle replies, pounding Beecher lightly on the chest with her fist, “especially dads who are halfway across the Solar System.”

Ouch. The sore spot. Why did Elle have to hit him with it so early, Beecher wonders.

Elle smiles sweetly, showing that she means no affront, “Let’s go home.”

Arm in arm, with Elle leaning her head on Beecher’s shoulder, the Olechs return home together for the first time in months.

Episode 13 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 13 continued...

The Callisto Zeon Fleet bears down on the Jupitorius Colonies. Three times now, the Callisto Zeon has tasted defeat at the hands of the Earth Federation Forces’ warship Amuro Ray and its squadron of Special Forces mobile suits. The game has been intriguing, but the time for endgame has arrived. The nuisance must be disposed of quickly and mercilessly, with definite finality.

Governess Lara Constantinas has returned to Callisto Fortress to give her attention to the Jupitorius Zeon, which has maneuvered its fleet in a hostile position and is likely to mount attack on Callisto’s outposts. Admiral Vernon Lindquist and the Callisto Newtype MS Corps are given responsibility for finishing the mission they have been assigned. They have been given new, advanced mobile suits, called appropriately Maulers, for the job. The mission up to now for the Callisto Zeon fleet had been to probe, but the probing is done. The mission has been revised: exterminate the Federal Forces…and whoever might get in the way.

The Zeon Imperative will not be denied.

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


General Ulysses Napoleon Spector, the Viceroy of Jupitorius, stalks the bridge of his flagship, the Jovian Thunder, with the air of a patient, long-suffering demigod.

A tall man in his late fifties, brown of curly scalp and thick facial hair, his image is the platonic ideal of the military leader. Perhaps never was a man more aptly named: Ulysses Napoleon Spector projects an image an aura that invokes the fabled image of the Homeric Greek warlord of the Bronze Age…or the similarly named American general that led the Union Army to victory in the U.S. Civil War. His middle name, invoking the French conqueror of the early 18th Century, speaks to the scope of his ambition and charisma. His family, Spector, speaks to the outreach of his influence: he is the Specter of War – and his presence, though untouchable, touches all with death.

The son of a wealthy weapons contractor with deep ties to the Zabi Family, Ulysses Napoleon Spector was already a military veteran of ten years’ experience by the time of the One Year War. It was Captain Ulysses Napoleon Spector, identified by the Flannagan Institute as a Newtype, who had originally been slated by Admiral Kycilia Zabi to pilot the MSN-04 Zeong after the Zeon’s prototype Newtype mobile suit was completed.

Spector’s opportunity to pilot the Zeong into battle, however, was preempted after Col. Char Aznable commandeered the Zeong to battle the Federation’s Gundam during the final battle of the One Year War. Despite this temporary setback, the prime of Spector’s military career was still ahead of the thirty-five year old officer, and his destiny with the Zeong would be realized yet.

Captain Spector retreated with Admiral Makajara Karn and the then-infant Duchess Minerva Zabi to the Asteroid Belt, where the Zeon would gradually rebuild their power base at Axis Fortress. When the Axis Zeon mounted their vengeful counterattack at last against the Federation in U.C. 0088, Spector had been promoted to the rank of colonel. By this time, Spector had already accumulated four additional years of combat experience in the Axis Zeon’s skirmishes against the Titans.

Admiral Makajara discovered that while Spector was a powerful Newtype and formidable mobile suit pilot, the man’s true talent lay in leadership and tactics. Spector not only possessed great strength, he projected it upon all those around him. The men who served alongside Spector could not help but follow his lead, and his lead brought them victory after glorious victory.

What Admiral Makajara saw in Spector, his daughter Haman also saw, and when she assumed leadership of the Axis Zeon following the death of her father, Lady Haman ensured that Spector would be at very vanguard of the Axis Zeon Forces. Haman did not deploy Spector against the Ahrgama crew during the course of the First Neo Zeon War, considering his talents too valuable to be wasted against that nuisance. Instead, Spector and his unit were deployed against the hard points of the Federal Forces themselves, including a raid against Luna 2 that crippled the Federal Forces for months.

What few outside of the Neo Zeon leadership knew is that the Zeong Project did not end with the prototype that Char had used against Amuro Ray at the Battle of A Bao A Qu. Although mainstream Zeon military development shifted towards such new generation mobile suits as the Gaza series and successors to the Zaku, Dom, and Gelgoog series, five succeeding generations of the original Zeong design were quietly developed between U.C. 0081 and U.C. 0096, the current being the Zeong-VI.

In the early U.C. 0084, Col. Spector, having inherited his family’s fortune, took a proprietary interest in the development of the Zeong – purchasing the entire ownership and manufacturing rights from the Flannagan Institute, and retaining Dr. Flannagan and his staff on the Spector Enterprises payroll. Admiral Makajara neither supported nor opposed Spector’s interest in continuing the Zeong Project, although he found Spector’s obsession with the mobile suit odd. The Admiral believed that Axis Zeon was developing far superior mobile suits than the old Zeong, and saw little reason that the Axis Zeon should bankroll Spector’s fixation with the mecha. Nevertheless, the Admiral was willing to allow Spector this indulgence provided that Spector financed the project from his own considerable wealth.

It was the Zeong IV, rolled out in late U.C. 0087 as the Axis Zeon prepared for their invasion of Cislunar Space, that became the basis for the production-line Zeong-M model that went into development in U.C. 0091 and was first deployed into combat zones in U.C. 0096. During those intervening years, shifting alliances and fortunes catapulted Spector’s profile and influence within the Archduchy of Zeon. After the collapse of Lady Haman Karn’s regime and the disappearance of Duchess Minerva Zabi, Colonel Spector’s division, which was deployed at Luna 2 at the time that the Earth Federation/AEUG Alliance began their occupation of Side 3, was one of the few Neo Zeon units still capable of conducting combat operations. Having lost access to Side 3 and Axis Fortress, however, Spector knew that he could not sustain a war against the Federation/AEUG Alliance for long, despite the fact that his military forces were more than a match for the Alliance. Thus, Spector retreated to the Outer Solar System, where he and a growing band of loyal followers (many of them escaped survivors of General Glemy Toto’s regime) rapidly overcame the Scirocco Corps and took over Jupitorius, gaining control to Jupiter’s hydrogen mines.

Spector’s plans to once reinvade the Cislunar Sphere were preempted by the man who once also preempted him as the pilot of the Zeong, Col. Char Aznable, who led his own attack against the Earth Federation in U.C. 0093. Spector seethed that Char had undercut him once again, but ultimately had the last laugh when he received news that Char had gone down literally in flames in Earth’s atmosphere, a victim of the failed catastrophe he had attempted to unleash upon the Earth. Char was gone and would no longer be an obstacle, but there were still the commanders that had served under Char (and Haman before him) to contend with, each who believed that he or she was the legitimate heir to the Zeon throne.

By the mid-U.C. 0090s, General Ulysses Napoleon Spector, Viceroy of Jupitorius (a rank and title that his men had given him, and that he unhesitatingly adopted with their support), had taken effective control of the Jupitorius Colonies. The key to his power was his Jupitorius Armada and its Zeong Corps, which used the Zeong-M high performance Psychom-equipped mobile suits. Among the Zeon warlords, Spector’s force has the fewest number of mobile suits (a total of 110 Zeong-M units, discounting the Viceroy’s own seldom-deployed Zeong-VI model), but what it lacks in numbers, the Zeong Corps more than makes up for in sheer power and the skill of their Newtype powers. It is said that one Zeong-M is the equivalent of a dozen Gaza-Es, Dreissen-IIs, or Nova Dogas, and judging from the Jupitorius Armada’s battle record, that claim is credible.

General Spector’s plan is to build his power base and further develop the Zeong Corps and the Jupitorius Zeon Armada by taking over the ore mines of Mars, which would necessitate overcoming the Phobos and Deimos Zeon regimes of General Alexander Miguel and Field Marshal Konrad Von Bach, both former colleagues now turned rivals. This plan has been complicated during the past two months by the fact that the Earth Federation Forces launched a crippling attack against the mining facilities on Mars, rendering the ores underneath the Martian surface inaccessible for at least a few years until the excavation facilities can be reconstructed. This is a setback that General Spector believes he can overcome.

The more immediate concern, as always, is the Callisto Zeon Armada of the Governess Lara Constantinas, which has been a thorn in Spector’s side for years. Based on the Jovian moon of Callisto (as Spector’s own forces are based on Io), the Callisto Zeon Armada is the first and foremost obstacle preventing Spector from taking the complete control of the Jupitorius Colonies that is needed for the Jupitorius Zeon to make their next step towards returning to the Cislunar Sphere and reclaiming Side 3 from the Earth Federation. Naturally, Spector’s forces play a reciprocal role in frustrating Governess Lara’s designs on sole domination of the Jupitorius Zone.

Four days ago, General Spector sent a portion of his Jupitorius Armada to surround the Callisto Zeon’s base of operations at Callisto Fortress. This has drawn the attention and concentration of the Callisto Zeon Forces, leaving the Jupitorius Colonies wide open for attack.

There is, however, a complication (as there always is): five Earth Federation Forces warships have docked at the Jupitorius Colonies, and on their tail is a portion of the Callisto Zeon Armada.

General Spector sighs. It’s never easy, he reflects. Nor should it be. Glory comes at a horrible price of blood and screams.

The Specter of War speaks, his voice as cold as the ice rings of Jupiter, “All units advance in attack formation. Prepare to deploy Zeong Corps on my order.”

The Specter of War descends upon the Jupitorius Colonies.


“Major Ibaz,” a tech on the bridge of the Amuro Ray reports, “unusual buildup of Minovsky particles in sector GH-72. Sgt. Horowitz reports incoming spacecraft, hostile.

“Move the Amuro Ray out of port,” Athena responds with eerie calm, “we’ll draw them away from the Jupitorius Colonies, or delay their assault of the target turns out to be the colony itself instead of the ship.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the tech replies, “but Captain Beecher is…”

“We can’t wait for him, lieutenant,” Athena tells the tech, “we’ll just have to come back for him later, if we can.”

Athena opens the communications channel to the Centurion Team, “This is Centurion Leader to all units. Stand by to deploy on my orders. 1Lt. Minh will assume field command.”

In response to Athena’s orders, the young mobile suit pilots of the Centurion Team dash to their mecha and await the order to launch.

Episode 13 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 13 continued...

Beecher and Elle are at home in suburban Woodhaven City. The couple discusses old friends, and new expectations.

“Judau and Lu came to see me earlier today,” Elle says to her husband, “They asked me to say ‘hi’ to you, and to tell you they were sorry they couldn’t stick around to meet up with you.”

Beecher snorts, “I think it’s more a case of they didn’t want to see me.”

Elle scowls, “Beecher, that’s not fair! They’re our friends!”

“They’re ISRLA,” Beecher says, more regretfully than angrily, “and I’m Earth Federation Forces. That’d make things…awkward, to put it mildly, if we were to get together.”

Sensing his wife’s displeasure, Beecher quickly adds, “It’s not personal. Of course, Judau and Lu are my buds. Our buds, since way back in the Shangrila days. But you understand the situation with the Federation and the ISRLA…”

“Beecher, tell something,” Elle says earnestly, “Why did you choose to join the Federal Forces after we defeated Haman? You hated the Feddies as much as the rest of us did.”

Beecher takes a moment to gather his thoughts before replying, “I did, because I saw how corrupt, cowardly, and useless most of them were…just like I was back in those days.”

“Beecher…” Elle begins tenderly.

“I couldn’t stand those things about myself,” Beecher says, pouring his heart out to his wife, “just as I couldn’t stand them about the Federation. But fighting Haman’s Axis Zeon Forces under Bright Noah, and commanding the Nahl Ahrgama during the final months of that war. It showed me that things could be different. That I could change…and that the Federation could change too. So I joined…to bring the change I saw in myself into the Federation.”

Elle leans her head on her husband’s shoulders, “Judau and Lu don’t think the Federation can be saved. It’s been too corrupt for too long to change now. They’re looking for a new way…a better way.”

“So were the Zeon,” Beecher says, “look at how that turned out.”

Elle looks up at Beecher, the scowl back on her face, “Beecher, I cannot believe you’re actually comparing our friends to the Zeon!”

“I’m not,” Beecher protests, “I’m just saying that…”

Beecher’s personal communicator beeps. Priority One Emergency Transmission from Major Athena Ibaz on the Amuro Ray.

“What is it, Major?” Beecher asks, fearing the worst.

“Captain Beecher,” Athena replies tersely, “Sir, I’m taking the Amuro Ray out of port. An enemy fleet is approaching the colony.”

“I’ll be right there…” Beecher begins.

“Negative, sir,” Athena says firmly, “Please, stay where you are. We’ll take care of this.”

“Listen, Major,” Beecher protests, incredulous that the normally reliable Major Ibaz is disobeying his order, “I’m still…”

“Over and out,” Athena says, closing the communications.

“Damn that chick!” Beecher mutters.

“’Chick?’” Elle says, her expression turning sour.

“Major Ibaz,” Beecher explains quickly, “the second-in-command on the ship. Honey, I’ve got to get back there.”

“Beecher,” Elle says plaintively, “you heard her yourself. They’re already on their way. Leave it to them for once.”

“I…can’t,” Beecher says apologetically, putting on his uniform jacket.

“Why not?” Elle demands.

“Because I’m the commanding officer of the Amuro Ray, and my crew needs me,” Beecher replies.

“I’m your wife,” Elle says, “and the mother to our child…we need you too.”

Beecher puts his hands lovingly on Elle’s shoulders and kisses her tenderly, “I promise you, I’ll be back very soon. I’ve got to go…to keep you and the baby safe.”

Elle smiles, “Well, when you put it that way…”

“I love you,” Beecher says to his wife, as he heads towards the spaceport.

“Go kick their as*es for us, Beech!” Elle calls out after her husband.

Elle settles a hand on her very pregnant belly. She has never been a particularly religious young woman, but now, she finds herself praying for her husband’s safety.

Please, God. Let him return to me and to our baby safely!

The Amuro Ray leaves the Woodhaven Colony Spaceport under the temporary command of Major Athena Ibaz.

“Take us as far away from the colony as fast as possible,” Athena instructs the techs.

“Yes, ma’am,” the tech replies, “but…”

Athena explains, “We don’t want to endanger the civilians of Woodhaven, so we’re going to draw the enemy away.”

Athena contacts Jolie on the tactical net, “Centurion Two, do you copy?”

“Roger, ma’am,” comes Jolie’s reply.

“Jolie, listen,” Athena says, “Captain Beecher is in Woodhaven. We couldn’t wait for him and besides,” Athena adds in sotto voce, “He should be with his wife now.”

Athena can hear the smile in Jolie’s voice as her second-in-command replies, “Roger, that. Keep the enemy away from Woodhaven?”

“Top priority,” Athena confirms.

“Roger, that,” Jolie replies, then to the Centurion Team, “All right, people: let’s get ‘em!”

“Roger!” comes the united reply of the team.

The Centurion Team and its sister Special Forces teams throw a heavy volume of ordnance at the advancing Jupitorius Armada.


The Zeong Corps of the Jupitorius Armada detects the incoming volley of Federal Forces’ ordnance, and throws up a counter-volley of Minovsky particle beams, neutralizing most of the Federation’s missile assault. A few of the stray missiles score glancing hits, but overall, do little damage to the armada’s ships.

On the bridge of the Jovian Thunder, General Spector cannot help but be amused.

Stiff resistance, the general notes, the Earth Federation may have greater mettle than believed.

“Crush all resistance,” Spector orders, “We must take the Jupitorius Colonies while our comrades have the Callisto Armada distracted.”


Sgt. Anna Horowitz reports disturbing new combat data to both Major Athena Ibaz on the bridge of the Amuro Ray and 1Lt. Jolie Minh in the cockpit of the Centurion Gundam Unit-1.

“Major Ibaz, Lieutenant Minh…incoming targets match combat profile of MSN-02 Zeong.”

“Zeong, Shmeong,” Jolie says dismissively, “It’s twenty-year outmoded tech. We’ll drop ‘em easy!”

“Don’t underestimate them, Jolie,” Athena admonishes, “the original Zeong was the toughest mobile suit the Zeon Forces fielded during the One Year War. These production models must have added twenty years worth of upgrades on the original design, and you know that their pilots have to be Newtypes.”

The new generation Zeong-M, successor to the infamous Zeong of the One Year War era

Jolie does not reply. Instead, she contacts Jonah…not through the tactical net, but privately, psychically.

Jonah, link-up.

Jonah’s replying thought comes immediately, Just what I had in mind too.

Under normal circumstances, Jolie and Jonah would be reluctant to pull this maneuver without the consent of Athena, but now that Athena is on the bridge of the Amuro Ray directing the overall battle, the couple has a freer hand to conduct their own end of the battle more as they see fit.

Not that Athena would likely disapprove of what they have in mind to follow, that is.

Centurion Gundams Unit-1 and Unit-2 soar into the midst of the advancing Zeong-Ms, which have already disgorged their deadly Psychom attack modules in swarms towards the advancing Federal Forces.

“Fall back,” Jolie orders the rest of the team, “Let me and Jonah cut a path through first!”

Jolie and Jonah lapse, or rather, ascend to superconsciousness. Instantly, they are in tune with each others minds and souls, communicating on a level so complete and so intimate as to be incomprehensible to the uninitiated.

The enemy’s actions, indeed their very thoughts and intentions, become transparent to the JoMis. They “see” every possible angle and vector of attack before any attack can occur.

The Centurion Gundams swirl around each other as if forming a metallic vortex in the cosmos, deftly dodging crisscrossing beam blasts that would surely annihilate any other targets.

Jolie fires a quick burst of three shots seemingly randomly into space; all three shots score direct hits on Zeong-M Psychom attack modules.

Jonah unleashes a torrent of missiles from the Centurion Gundam Unit-2’s backpack arsenal. The missiles, guided by Jonah’s Newtype PSI-powers, home in on and destroy multiple Zeong Psychom modules.

Jolie is suitably impressed, You actually got more than I did…you’re getting better, boy-o.

Let’s see which one of us can skeet down more of these Psychom thingies faster, Jonah relays back.

You’re on! comes Jolie’s psychic reply.

The Centurion Gundams dive into the midst of the storm once more, succeeding in protecting their colleagues from the superior Zeong-M mobile suits…but the Jupitorius Armada continues its advance towards the Jupitorius Colonies.

Episode 13 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 13 continued...

“Ma’am,” a bridge tech aboard the Amuro Ray reports, “the enemy fleet continues to advance towards the Jupitorius Colonies.”

Athena says, “They aren’t taking the bait; they’re after the colony, not us. Advance the Amuro Ray towards their flagship.”

“Ma’am?” the bridge tech says hesitatingly.

“Do it, Lieutenant.” Athena insists gravely, but evenly.

Athena opens communications to the Centurion Team, “This is Centurion Leader from the bridge of the Amuro Ray. 1Lt. Minh, Chief Michaels: I want you to continue your assault against their mecha forces: neutralize them as quickly and efficiently as possible. MSgt. Al-Said, you and the rest of the Special Forces mobile suits withdraw towards Jupitorius and establish a final defensive line against the enemy advance.”

“Affirmative, ma’am!” come the replies.

“Charge the Hyperparticle Beam Cannon,” Athena instructs the bridge crew, “and have the gunnery crews continue firing towards the enemy continuously…as quickly as they can reload. Our objective is to disrupt and halt the enemy’s advance.”

“Yes, ma’am,” reply the bridge crew personnel.


In Woodhaven City, Elle Viano Olech is headed towards the nearest local shelter along with other civilians, in the likely event that the fighting between the Federation and Zeon forces works its way into the colony.

Elle cannot help but experience a sense of helplessness and frustration. Ten years ago, she would be at the forefront of the battle, protecting civilians against enemy attacks. Now, she is among those forced to flee and hide instead of those who stood firm to defend and aid.

But Elle’s fighting days, at least in mobile suit combat, are a decade behind her, and more importantly, she has another life to think about.

To feel about.

She feels it mid-step, en rout to the nearest raid shelter, a half kilometer away. A twitch in her belly that Elle tries to dismiss, and does, for a moment.

But the twitch returns, more intense this time, five places later.

No, baby, Elle supplicates as she begin to pant, not now…not here!

An explosion rocks Woodhaven Colony.

The war has invaded life once again…

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

Mobile suits from the Callisto Newtype MS Corps under the command of Captain Renaldo Desmond burst into the Woodhaven Colony Spaceport, searching for their quarry. Indiscriminately, the Callisto Zeon mobile suits fire upon the spaceport facilities, attempting to flush out their quarry, heedless of the carnage unleashed upon the civilians.

“What are you doing?!” Captain Renaldo demands of his charges.

“Sir,” reports one of Renaldo’s family, “we’re trying to provoke the enemy to show themselves.”

“Don’t be foolish, Lieutenant Stanton,” Renaldo says, “the enemy isn’t here. We aren’t…”

Renaldo reconsiders. Perhaps Stanton and the others have the right idea. Threatening the Woodhaven Colony would draw out the Amuro Ray and its mobile suits. Collateral damage to civilians would be regrettable, but preferable to letting the colony fall under Federation control.

“Stanton,” Renaldo begins again, “Now that I think about it, maybe I’m the one who shouldn’t be foolish. All right. We’ll draw the enemy into the open. One vital caveat: we only want to put up the appearance of a threat to this colony. Make it look worse than it actually is: I don’t want too many unnecessary civilian casualties, is that understood?”

“Yes, sir!” Renaldo’s faithful “Family” replies.

This is the part of war that I loathe, Captain Renaldo reflects, civilians should not suffer. But their sacrifices will be remembered as the foundation for the rebirth of the Zeon nation under Governess Lara. They will perish, but they will perish gloriously as martyrs for Zeon.

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

Captain Beecher Olech runs desperately through the streets of Woodhaven City. He realizes what a fool he has been! He should have heeded Major Ibaz’s advice and sat this battle out at his wife’s side. Now, he is separated from her as the enemy has breached the colony.

“Elle!” Captain Beecher screams out desperately, “Elle! Where are you?!”

Beecher narrowly misses being stomped on by an enemy mobile suit…not the first time such a mishap has nearly befallen him.

The mobile suit, of a model and make unfamiliar to Beecher, but undoubtedly a Zeon design, jets away…uninterested in wasting its firepower or even a foot stomp on a single Federal Forces armor not crafted aboard mecha.

Dammit! Beecher rages helplessly, the enemy is already in the city! Where are the Special Forces?!

Beecher tries to calm down. He remembers whom he left in charge of the Amuro Ray and the Special Forces. He knows that he can trust Major Athena Ibaz to guide them through the battle. He has a more pressing priority to contend with.

“Elle…” Beecher whispers, then cries out, “ELLE!”

Beecher’s heart pounds as heavily as the superpistons in the engine of his ship. If she and the baby have come to harm, Beecher is resolved to going down taking as many Zeon as possible with him.

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

“Major Ibaz,” bridge operator Lt. (JG) Grover Lift says, “ma’am, the Woodhaven Spaceport Authority reports that Zeon mobile suits have breached the colony!”

“A second front,” Athena muses, “Maybe we can turn that to our advantage, but first, we need to complete the first part of the plan.”

Athena opens communications to Jolie and Jonah, “1Lt. Minh, Chief Michaels.”

“Yo!” Jolie replies.

“Ma’am,” Jonah responds.

“I need you two to form a defensive perimeter around the Amuro Ray and its escort ships until we get into the middle of the enemy fleet,” Athena instructs her executive officers, “Then I want you to return to Woodhaven. Enemy units have breached the colony and civilians are in danger. Don’t forget: Captain Beecher is also at Woodhaven.”

“Right,” Jolie responds, “All right then: Jonah, ready to link up again?”

“Ready and steady,” Jonah replies.

Link up!

The twin Centurion Gundams swirl around the darting Zeong-Ms as if the Zeon mobile suits are immobilized, though in fact, each Zeong-M is maneuvering at multiple mach speeds. Nimble as they are, the Zeong-M are unable to keep pace with the JoMis’ Centurion Gundams, becoming like robins among hawks.

Missile volleys, beam rifle blasts, beam saber slashes…torrents of these issue forth from the Centurion Gundams faster than the eye or the mind can follow. In a span of ten seconds, a dozen Zeong-Ms are dispatched in multiple silent explosions.

Their path cleared, the JoMis rendezvous with the other Special Forces mobile suit units, including their own Centurion Team, to form an impenetrable defensive perimeter around the Amuro Ray and its escort fleet.

In ancient times, the Greeks used phalanges of soldiers with overlapping shields to advance upon a numerically superior enemy, providing a tight defense to anchor a relentless offense. Under Major Ibaz’s guidance, the Special Forces mobile suits now apply the same principle to their attack on the Jupitorius Zeon Armada.

The Amuro Ray advances towards the heart of the Jupitorius Zeon Armada, its missile turrets and beam cannons ablaze, intercepting much of the incoming enemy fire. What the weapon systems of the Federal Forces fleet’s capital ships miss are mopped up by the Centurion Gundams of 1Lt. Jolie Minh and Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels.

Episode 13 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 13 continued...

“General Spector,” reports Ensign Adrian Spivak on the bridge of the Jovian Thunder, “My lord, the enemy fleet is still advancing directly towards us!”

“Remarkable,” Spector says, “Extremely…remarkable.”

“My lord?” Ensign Spivak, skin and uniform saturated with perspiration, turns to his liege uneasily.

Spector only smiles, “Hold our position and tell the gunners to keep firing. Let’s see just what the Federal Forces are made of these days.”

“But my lord,” Ensign Spivak begins.

“Do it, Ensign,” Spector says, the slight smile not leaving his face, “you’re experienced enough to know the consequences of insubordination.”

Ensign Spivak spares a glance towards the sidearm holstered at the general’s side, “Yes, sir.”

Spector chuckles. This Feddie combat unit quite amuses him with its sheer audacity. He wonders who its commander might be.


A quarter of a kilometer from the nearest entrance to the raid shelter, Elle collapses to her hands and knees…unable to continue walking. Another painful contraction seizes her, causing her to scream.

The mass of humanity running past her does not stop to assist her, not that Elle blames them. Full on panic has taken hold of the population of Woodhaven as mobile suits of the Callisto Zeon Newtype Corps attack Woodhaven Colony, crushing entire city blocks effortlessly.

Another wave of pain stabs through Elle’s abdomen, and she screams again, her lovely face a contorted rictus of agony.

Damn! Elle curses internally as she struggles to pant away the pain, They would attack when I’m going into labor! And where the hell is Beecher?!

“Beecher! BEEEECHEERRRR!!!” Elle screams plaintively, before her scream
devolves into a growl of pain as another contraction hits her.

Two passengers suddenly alight from a sedan stalled in traffic. Elle recognizes, to her great relief, the figures of her friends Judau Ashta and Lu Luka rushing towards her.

“Elle!” Lu says, kneeling by her friend’s side, “Hey, girl! You OK?”

“Yeah…just peachy,” Elle snarls, “Other than about to pop out a baby while trying to dodge Zeon mobile suits, I’m just…unnggh…fine!”

“Isn’t Beecher supposed to be with you?” Judau asks.

“Yeah, he’s supposed to be with me,” Elle says through clenched teeth, “but duty…calls…OHHHH!”

A sudden gush of liquid from between Elle’s legs is followed by a few rapid breaths that disappear into fierce expulsive grunts.

“I…need…to…push!” Elle grunts.

Without saying a word more, Judau and Lu lift Elle’s slight weight and carry her off towards an alley where they would have more privacy…away from the fleeing crowds.

Judau and Lu settle Elle against the exterior wall of the nearest building.

“Judau,” Lu tells her husband, “turn around!”

“What?” Judau says.

“Don’t be a dummy!” Lu says, scowling, “Elle’s going to need a little privacy!”

“Yeah, right,” Judau says, blushing and turning his back to the two women.

“You OK?” Lu asks Elle.

Elle nods, attempting to stabilize her breathing.

Elle pulls her legs back, drawing her knees level to her chin, her legs spread wide.

Lu discreetly removes Elle’s pink shorts, laying them aside. One look tells the story…a child will be born in just minutes.

Elle grunts, straining and pushing mightily as another contraction seizes her.

Lu places her hands on Elle’s knees, helping her friend to keep her legs apart as her baby advances downward.

“W-what the heck’s happening back there?!” Judau demands.

“We’ve got a baby that’s going to be born any minute now,” Lu says, then, more forcefully, “Dammit, Judau! Don’t just stand there! Make yourself useful!”

“Hey,” Judau protests, “I can’t even turn around to look! What do you expect me to…?!”

“Go find Beecher and bring his sorry *** back here!” Lu says, “He’s never going to forgive himself if he misses the birth of his child!”

“I’m never gonna forgive him…” Elle snarls, before grunting again as her body is compelled to push again.

“Hurry!” Lu says fiercely, her eyes flashing.

“All right, geeze!” Judau mutters, “Just like the old days…”

As Judau runs back into the street in search of Beecher, Lu cannot help but smile.

Elle, between contractions, remarks through short breaths,
“Kind…of…harsh…on…him…aren’t you?”

Lu grins reassuringly, “You know how men are…”

Elle offers a pained smile in return, “Beecher’s…even…worse. One of…these days…ohhh!”

Elle grunts and strains again, her face turning beet red from the effort, her body drenched in perspiration.

Lu examines Elle’s birth canal…the baby is making very slow progress. She prays that Elle will be able to get the baby out soon, without complications.

Lu hears the telltale heavy sounds of mobile suit footsteps in the distance, of explosions getting closer.

Come on, Judau, Lu directs a though to her husband, don’t let us down.


The Amuro Ray, shielded by its protective phalanx of mobile suits, has fought its way to the middle of the Jupitorius Zeon Armada’s formation. From this position, the Jupitorius Zeon ships cannot fire upon the Amuro Ray, its escort ships, or its protective phalanx of mobile suits, without striking their allies. Contrarily, the Federal Forces ships and mobile suits can fire upon their Zeon enemies with impunity.

Just as Major Athena Ibaz planned.

Athena contacts Jolie and Jonah, “1Lt. Minh, Chief Michaels…get back to Woodhaven on the double! Clear the Zeon forces from the colony, and above all, protect the civilians!”

“Roger, ma’am!” the JoMis reply, as their dual Centurion Gundams, which have severely gutted the Zeong Corps, leave this arena of battle to their allies as they speed to the rescue at Woodhaven.

“The rest of you, pour on the attack,” Athena orders.

The order is obeyed. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the advantage belongs to the Federal Forces because of Athena’s strategic positioning.


On the bridge of the Jovian Thunder, General Spector receives dismaying news, “My lord, three of our cruisers have taken heavy damage and are withdrawing from the battle; we’re taking considerable damage ourselves, sir. The starboard guns are all but wiped out.”

In his command seat, General Spector lets out a room-shaking laugh. The bridge crew stares at the Viceroy of Jupitorius Zeon in horrified disbelief, believing their leader to have gone mad.

But General Spector is very lucid, and has his military expertise grasps his enemy’s audacious tactic, he cannot help but express cathartic epiphany at his foe’s boldness.

“Very well played, my enemy,” General Spector finally rumbles after his laughter has subsided, “you’ve proven that the Federation has at least one superb tactician under its flag. That is something that must be rectified before it is beyond our control.”

“My lord…should we withdraw?” Ensign Spivak ventures tentatively.

“Negative,” Viceroy Spector replies calmly, rising from his command chair, “This enemy is too dangerous to be left alive. Nobody how many ships and mecha we sacrifice here today, we must eliminate them. We have forces in reserve to fight other battles, but this one, here, must be won today.”


“Beecher!” Judau Ashta calls out in the now mostly abandoned streets of Woodhaven Colony, “Beecher, you goofball, where the hell are you?! Hey! Elle’s having the baby! YOUR baby!”

Judau hears the telltale clamorous sound and feels the bone-jarring vibration caused by the massive weight of mobile suit feet upon colony pavement. A mobile suit of Zeon origin, its make unknown to Judau, but somewhat reminiscent of the Gallus-J series that Judau had confronted in combat more than a decade earlier.

And, running just ahead of it, Judau’s old friend and rival from the Shangrila days…Beecher Olech, now Captain Beecher Olech of the Earth Federation Forces Space Fleet.

“Beecher! This way!” Judau calls out, signaling for Beecher to run over.

Judau recognizes the immediate problem: he’s gotten Beecher’s attention and Beecher, as instructed, is heading in Judau’s direction…but so is the enemy mobile suit that had been following him!

Beecher and Judau dive headlong to the side of the street, narrowly avoiding being trampled by a massive, metalshod foot.

“Been a while, Beech,” Judau remarks, as he and Beecher take cover behind some crumbled rubble.

“Things haven’t changed much,” Beecher replies, “We’re still dodging enemy mobile suits like back in the day.”

“Yeah,” Judau replies sourly, “except that back in the day, we’d be able to hit back at these jokers with the ZZ Gundam and the Hyakushiki. Man, what I wouldn’t give to have the ZZ right now…”

As if in response to Judau’s complaint, Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels’ Centurion Gundam Unit-2 suddenly streaks upon the scene, ramming the Mauler mobile suit that had been threatening Beecher and Judau and bowling it over to some abandoned parkland.

“Let’s go!” Beecher commands, taking off, Judau on his heels.

“Beecher!” Judau finally remembers, “Hey! We’ve got to head the other way…Elle’s having the baby!”

“What? She is?! Where?!” Beecher demands.

Judau replies, “About a half kilo from here…Lu’s with her! C’mon, follow me!”

Episode 13 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 13 continued...

“Unnnnnghh! Hnnnnnngh!” Elle grunts as she strains and pushes through another contraction.

Lu peers worriedly down between Elle’s legs. Fifteen minutes of pushing, and very little progress. Lu wonders if Elle will be able to deliver the baby under her own power. If Elle needs a C-section, there would be the matter of locating a qualified surgeon and facilities for performing such an operation…a dubious prospect in the chaotic circumstances now prevailing in Woodhaven Colony.

And where are Beecher and Judau?

Elle is sobbing as she collapses, exhausted, from the fruitless expulsive effort, “Beecher…where’s Beecher, Lu? Take me to Beecher….”

“Elle,” Lu says firmly, but reassuringly, “You’ve got to focus on getting the baby out. Don’t worry about Beecher. He’ll be fine.”

“He’s my husband!” Elle says hotly, “And he’s out there, in danger! And I can’t help h….nnnnnngh!”

As Elle pushes, a dark shadow appears over the alleyway…a Zeon mobile suit hovering directly above them.

Lu draws a sidearm from her jacket pocket and aims it defiantly, but rather vainly, at the enemy mecha.

The Zeon mobile suit is abruptly dragged away by 1Lt. Jolie Minh’s Centurion Gundam Unit-1, which uses its titanic strength to hurl the enemy mobile suit into the atmosphere in the center of the colony, and blast it with the Centurion Gundam’s beam rifle. The shot cleanly disables the Mauler, which collapses upon an abandoned warehouse a half kilometer away.

Jolie’s voice booms out from the Centurion Gundam’s external speaker, “Are you all right down there?”

“My friend here is having a baby!” Lu says, “Can you get us to a hospital?”

Jolie replies, “Hospital facility has been evacuated, but I can take you to the bivouac area they’ve set up in the shelter!”

“Beecher…” Elle moans miserably.

Centurion Gundam Unit-2 then appears to rendezvous with Unit-1; in the Unit-2’s metalshod hand are Judau Ashta… and Captain Beecher Olech.

Jonah lowers the Unit-2’s hand to the ground, where Judau and Beecher rapidly alight.

Judau and Lu embrace, and Beecher and Elle do likewise.

“Beecher!” Elle cries into her husband’s shoulder.

“I’m here, sweetie,” Beecher says comfortingly, “I’m sorry that I left you here alone. I’m going to help you have our baby, OK?”

Jolie says through the Centurion Gundam Unit-1’s speaker, “Captain Beecher, we can take you and your wife to the bivouac area.”

Beecher assesses the situation. Elle makes another push and the baby begins to crown.

“Negative,” Beecher tells Jolie, “the baby’s almost here, and Elle can’t be moved now. You can best help by keeping the enemy off our backs.”

“Roger, sir,” Jolie replies with uncharacteristic dutifulness, “C’mon, Jonah! Let’s keep the buzzards away!”

“You got it!” Jonah says, with more enthusiasm than he normally demonstrates in battle.

The two Centurion Gundams jet away seeking Callisto Zeon quarry.

Elle, gaining a second wind from her husband’s comforting presence, begins to push again…persistently, unrelentingly.

Her baby begins to descend out of the birth canal into the world.

“That’s it, Elle!” Beecher smiles encouragingly, “You’re doing it! Just keep pushing like that!”

Elle exhales, pants briefly, then grunts again, bringing the entire head of the baby out.

Lu supports the child’s head as it emerges.

“Think it’s going to be OK?” Judau asks his wife.

Lu replies, “As long as those two Gundam units can keep the Zeon MS away from us, we’ll be all right.”

Judau says, “They remind me of…us, the way we were a decade ago.

Lu smiles, “You think they’re as good?”

Judau replies with a grin of his own, “I think they’re way better.”

Elle prepares for a final push that will deliver her baby’s shoulders and make her a mother at last.

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

The battle between the Jupitorius Zeon Armada and the smaller Earth Federation Special Forces has reached a stalemate. The Zeon fleet’s superior numbers and firepower and the Federation fleet’s superior strategic positioning have established a sort of equilibrium.

Still, Major Athena Ibaz understands that due to sheer attrition, the advantage will soon shift over to the Zeon side.

The time to implement the next phase of the plan has come.

“1Lt. Minh, Chief Michaels,” Athena transmits.

“Read you loud and clear, ma’am,” Jolie replies.

“Affirmative, ma’am,” Jonah confirms.

Athena smiles, “I hope you two haven’t eliminated all the opposition at Woodhaven yet.”

There is a confused silence before Jolie replies, “Well…no, but why…?”

“Draw them out of the colony,” Athena orders, “bring them back here.”

“You mean…?” Jolie begins.

Athena nods, “Using barbarians to fight barbarians…it works on a smaller scale also.”

“Roger that, ma’am,” Jolie says.

Jolie and Jonah attack the remaining Callisto Zeon MS, riling the enemy up as much as possible. Then, abruptly, the twin Centurion Gundams withdraw from Woodhaven Colony.

Aboard his Officer’s Mauler (Mauler-S), Captain Renaldo surveys the situation, then tells his troops, “We’ve got them on the run! Follow me! We’ll pursue and destroy these nuisances!”

The Mauler mobile suits of the Callisto MS Corps form up behind their leader and depart the Woodhaven Colony, leaving behind the scene of ruin they have inflicted upon the residential colony.

“Admiral Lindquist,” Captain Renaldo says, contacting the commander of the Lord Ranba Ral, “we’re in pursuit of the enemy Gundam units. Request fleet support.”

“Message received,” Lindquist replies, “request granted. We’re on our way.”

Episode 13 to be continued...

[Ken Cheng]

Episode 13 conclusion

Lu Luka beams happily as she hands the tiny, crying infant to her friend, Elle Viano Olech, “Congratulations, you two…it’s baby girl!”

Elle, covered in perspiration and beyond exhaustion, takes her newborn daughter lovingly in her arms, smiling affectionately at the infant. Beecher, her husband, is overwhelmed with tears and a broad grin as he kisses his daughter for the first time.

“Hi, baby,” Elle whispers gently at her child, “welcome to the world.”

Judau smiles fondly at the child of his two friends, then whispers, “I hope that this baby will grow up in a world more peaceful than the one she was born into.”

The four young adults look around at the scene of destruction around them. Their hopes sink for a moment, but then surge again.

“We’ll do it,” Lu resolves, “We won’t let the Zeon and the Federation rule our future!”

Beecher nods, “I want my daughter to grow up in a world without war…and I joined the Earth Federation Forces to do what I could to make that happen. For her sake, the Zeon must be destroyed, and the Federation reformed from the bottom up.”

But that is tomorrow’s duty. Today, Beecher’s only duty is to his family…the most precious thing in the world. So precious that it is worth defending with his life.


The Centurion Gundams lead the Callisto MS Corps, now supported by a dozen capital ships from the Callisto Armada, on a hair-raising chase through the Jupiter Zone. Or the most part, Jolie and Jonah concentrate on dodging the enemy’s fire, although they do take the opportunity to make harassing strikes at their pursuers…just to ensure that the enemy stays interested in pursuing them.

Ahead lies the Jupitorius Zeon Armada, still locked in battle against the Federation Space Fleet.

Aboard the Lord Ranba Ral, Admiral Lindquist surveys the situation and smiles, “Ah…the Jupitorius Zeon Forces. We have an opportunity to vanquish two enemies today. All ships and mobile suit units: commence attack on Jupitorius Zeon fleet! Destroying them takes priority over destroying the Federation fleet!”

True to Admiral Lindquist’s orders, the Callisto Zeon Forces attack the Jupitorius Armada…Maulers meet Zeong-Ms in combat, as the ships of the two Zeon fleets exchange fusillades.


Aboard the Amuro Ray, Major Athena Ibaz issues a new order, “All forces, withdraw!”

The Amuro Ray, its fleet, and the mobile suits of the Special Forces maneuver away from the battle zone even as the two Zeon forces clash.


General Ulysses Napoleon Spector observes the new situation calmly. The Callisto Zeon Forces…his diversion tactic had drawn most of them back to Callisto, but Spector knows that the Governess Lara Constantinas is not a fool. She has sent a substantial force to Jupitorius.

“Attention all forces,” Spector orders, “redirect your firepower towards the advancing Callisto Zeon Forces. Leave the Federal Forces be…for now.”

The two Zeon fleets, Callisto and Jupitorius, engage in a deadly close-quarters cosmic engagement. Both sides begin to endure casualties, weakened as they are by their recent battle against the Special Forces.


Major Athena Ibaz contacts the gunnery crew, “Is the Hyperparticle Beam Cannon ready for use?”

“Yes, ma’am,” replies the chief gunner, “HBC is fully charged and ready to fire on your command.”

“Take aim at the highest concentration of Zeon units,” Athena commands, “It doesn’t matter if they’re Callisto or Jupitorius. The goal is to do as much damage as possible as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the gunnery chief replies.

Athena contacts the mobile suit units, “Attention all MS units: stand by to launch a massive volley. Direct all your firepower after the Hyperparticle Beam Cannon is fired.”

“Roger, Major,” Jolie replies, then to the Special Forces MS, “You heard Athena: get ready, all of you.”

The Special Forces MS aim their collective firepower towards the converging Zeon fleets.

A moment of silence and stillness follows.

“Commence firing!” Athena orders.

The Hyperparticle Beam Cannon of the Amuro Ray fires, unleashing a hellish red stream of supercharged Minovsky particle energy towards the Callisto and Jupitorius Zeon fleets.

Dozens of Zeon mobile suits, Callisto Maulers and Jupitorius Zeong-Ms, and the Doga and Gaza units that both sides use in common, are atomized instantly. A half dozen cruisers of both Zeon factions expand like balloons before disintegrating.

“Withdraw! Withdraw! All Callisto Zeon units, emergency withdrawal!” Admiral Lindquist orders.

General Ulysses Napoleon Spector rises from his seat on the bridge of the Jovian Thunder, “Let’s fall back. This battle has become asymmetrical, and we’ve lost the advantage.”

Crippled, the Callisto and Jupitorius Zeon forces withdraw from the Jupiter Zone towards their respective bases.

This day’s battle, at least, is done.


Civilians begin to shuffle out of the Woodhaven Colony’s raid shelters back to their homes. The damage to the colony is not as severe as initially feared: most of the city is intact, thanks to the quick intervention of 1Lt. Jolie Minh and Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels. Casualties were light, with only a dozen deaths and slightly over a hundred injuries, mostly minor.

Captain Beecher Olech has returned to the Amuro Ray, where his wife and newborn baby are receiving postpartum care from Dr. Wenwu Zhou, the Centurion Team’s resident physician.

“I apologize for disregarding your orders, Captain,” Athena says to Beecher, as they ride the turbolift from the bridge to sick bay, “I regret having undercut your authority, but the situation required expedient action. I’m prepared to accept the consequences of my decision.”

Beecher smiles, “Forget it, Athena. Strictly speaking, you did break protocol, but you had to do so to save the people of this colony. I, for one, am grateful that you did.”

The turbolift door opens, and Beecher and Athena enter the sick bay, where Elle and her newborn child have just received a clean bill of health from Doc Wooster. Keeping Elle and the baby company are Jolie and Jonah.

Jolie can’t get enough of Elle’s baby, cradling it in her arms and twirling around.

“You are so, so SO cuuuuuute!” Jolie gushes, making faces at the sleeping infant.

“You’re going to scare the poor kid,” Jonah smiles, “or at least, make her very, very dizzy.”

Elle grins at the young MS pilots, “I can’t thank the two of you enough. If you hadn’t come, we might not be here now.”

“I’m grateful to all of you,” Beecher says, addressing, Jolie, Jonah, and Athena…as well as the Centurion Team members now back at their duty stations elsewhere aboard the ship, “You all fought extremely well today even when I wasn’t around.”

“Hey, Captain Beecher,” Jolie says, holding the baby towards him, “Have you and your missus figured out what your baby’s name is yet?”

Beecher exchanges a smile with his wife before replying, “We’d toyed with some names before, but we didn’t finally agree on one until just after she was born. We’ve decided to name her…”

“Yeah…?” Jolie says, eyes going wide in anticipation.

“We’re calling her ‘Athena,’” Captain Beecher announces proudly, “Athena Jolie Olech, named after two of the brightest young women I’ve ever known. Sorry we had to leave you out, Jonah, but if Elle and I have a boy in the future…”

“It’s understood, Captain,” Jonah says with a grin.

“I’m very flattered, sir,” Athena says modestly.

Jolie hands baby Athena to her namesake, “You ALWAYS get first in everything. Oh, well. At least I got the middle name.”

Athena takes the baby gently in her arms and smiles prettily at the baby, who grins back upon seeing Athena.

You’re going to grow up in a better, more peaceful world, little Athena, the Deputy Director of the Special Forces vows to the child who bears her name, When you’re my age, war will just be something that you read about in history books.

Next: Episode 14 - THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY

[Ken Cheng]

EPISODE 14: THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY

Two weeks have passed since the Battle of Woodhaven, and no further attacks by the Zeon forces (Callisto, Jupitorius, or other factions) have ensued. Only a fool would believe that the Zeon threat to Jupitorius is over, but the triumph of the Earth Federation Special Forces over the Callisto and Jupitorius Zeon Armadas has bought the Jupitorius Colonies a moment’s respite.

The Special Forces, under the command of Major Athena Ibaz, assist the civilian authorities of Jupitorius in repairing the damage to the affected colonies and reestablishing the sense of security. Jupitorius is distrustful of both Federation and Zeon alike, but the citizens of Jupitorius have extended a cautious trust towards the Federation Special Forces, whose presence at their colonies has proven, thus far, benign – especially in comparison to Jupitorious’ Zeon overlords.

The contribution of the Special Forces’ mobile suits to the colony rehabilitation efforts do not go unnoticed or unappreciated by Jupitorius’ civilians. Construction and repair work is typically the domain of Hydrosuits (HS), which were designed and built for that express purpose. The mobile suits (MS) of the Special Forces were designed specifically to wage war, but their much greater power enables them to perform construction and repair work much more efficiently than Hydrosuits…at least on the larger projects.

With the aid of the Special Forces, Jupitorius’ public works personnel have succeeded in mostly restoring Woodhaven Colony to its pre-battle condition in less than half a month. Few physical reminders of the battle waged in Woodhaven just weeks earlier remain.

But the memories of war are not so easily erased…


Captain Beecher Olech, his wife Elle Viano Olech (and their two-week old daughter, Athena Jolie Olech), and their friends Judau Ashta and his wife, Lu Luka Ashta, sit together at a table at Maxine’s Pizzeria, one of their favorite get-together spots since immigrating to Jupitorius nearly a decade ago. They wait for Maxine’s delectable pizza, and for two old friends long unseen…

Judau smiles as he recognizes two familiar figures entering the pizzeria, “It’s them.”

Two young men in their late twenties, one taller with sandy-colored hair and the other, shorter, darker, and black-haired, enter the pizzeria.

In the years since the end of the First Neo Zeon War, Eno Abbov and Mondo Agake returned to their native Shangrila, where they invested the pension awarded to them by the Earth Federation Government/AEUG into a plant that manufactured machine parts for colony construction. The two have grown comfortably wealthy as a result, though not at the level of the big shot industrialist at Anaheim, Kuromizu, Luo, or Scirocco. Eno and Mondo consider themselves small business owners.

Not that one would know it, however, by their chosen attire.

Elle is the first to let out an amused laugh, and point in glee at her old friends, “Look at you two!”

Look at them indeed. In their early Shangrila and AEUG days, Eno and Mondo were scruffy adolescents like their comrades. A decade later, both look very much the part of respectable businessmen – decked in tailored three-piece suits, their shoes gleaming, their hair slicked back elegantly in classic Wall Street style.

Hugs are exchanged among the second crew of the Ahrgama, the youths of Shangrila who had taken up arms against Lady Haman Karn’s Axis Neo Zeon in U.C. 0088 after the ship’s original crew, Captain Quattro Bagina (Char Aznable), CamilleVidan, Fa Yuri, Emma Sheen, Reccoa Lond, Katsu Kobayashi, etc., had disappeared, sustained crippling injury, resigned, defected, or died towards the end the conflict with the Titans. The Shangrila gang has kept in touch over the years since the end of their war.

Now, they gather together to discuss a new war.

Before that, though, pleasantries are exchanged and friendships renewed.

“Judau,” Eno says to his old friend, handing him a gift-wrapped box, “This is from Rina.”

Rina Ashta, Judau’s younger sister, now a schoolteacher back at Shangrila.

Judau takes the box and unwraps it. Inside the box is a red jacket with black straps, similar to one that Judau owned a decade ago.

Judau smiles, “I’ll transmit a message to Rina to thank her tonight. Wow! I didn’t think they still made these! They were kind of out of style even when I got mine back in ’87!”

The "Shangrila Gang" in its younger days back in U.C. 0087

Judau removes his cream-colored sports coat the don the jacket; having grown taller and bulkier since his teenaged days, he doesn’t fit the jacket as well as he did a decade earlier.

Judau’s friends laugh.

“That is the original, Judau,” Eno says, “You think Rina could actually find one of those off the rack? It was kind of beaten up from all the punishment you put it through back in the day. She found it in the back of her closet about six months ago and worked on it every day since to bring back to its original condition!”

Judau takes off the jacket and folds it neatly back into the box, “Those were the days…”

Mondo notices the baby in Elle’s arms, “Hey, hey! Who’s that cute little thing there? Is that the little Elle we’ve heard so much about?”

Elle smiles, handing her baby to Mondo, cooing softly, “Say hi to Uncle Mondo, sweetie!”

Baby Athena smiles at Mondo.

Mondo makes a silly face at the child, “Goo goo goo!”

Baby Athena cries, burying her face in her mother’s chest.

Beecher laughs, “I think you’ve traumatized her for life, Mondo…and if you have, I’ll bust your a*s for it!”

Mondo punches Beecher playfully on the shoulder, “Your one to talk, ‘Dad.’ Beecher Olech…a DADDY! That just sounds…wrong!”

“Totally wrong!” Lu agrees.

“Practically obscene,” Eno says, smiling.

“You people are just jealous,” Beecher says, wrapping a loving arm around his wife and newborn child, “because I’m a parent and you’re not.”

Judau embraces Lu tenderly, “We need to get busy, Lu…got to keep up with the Olechs.”

Eno looks meaningfully at Mondo, who replies with a curt, “Don’t even think it, man.”

That last draws laughter from the group…even baby Athena, much to the adults’ delight.

Several large pizzas and pitchers of beer arrive, and conversation is soon accompanied by dining. Friendships are renewed, and old camaraderie reignited.

A necessary prelude for the more serious discourse to come.


Hours later, the pizza and beer has been dispatched, and the conversation has turned from the light subjects of family and friends to the more serious business of war and politics.

It is after hours at Maxine’s Pizzeria. Other than the Shangrila gang, the evening’s last patron had departed the restaurant more than hour earlier. The restaurant, bustling and noisy during the dinner hour, is now quiet except for the voices of the six young people gathered around the same round table where they had been sitting for the past five hours, and the occasional cooing noise of a sleeping infant.

“I still don’t think we can trust her,” Lu says, “No offense, Beecher, but she’s a Feddie officer. And unlike you, we don’t know her.”

Beecher says imploringly, “We all trusted Bright Noah back in the day, didn’t we? Not all Federal Forces officers are corrupt, self-serving pigs, you know.”

“Beecher,” Judau asks more calmly, “Just why do you think this Athena Ibaz is so trustworthy?”

Beecher says, “I’ve worked with her over the past few months. I can’t exactly explain it, but I just sense…that she’s different from the Federation brass. She doesn’t just blindly tow their line. She’s got her own agenda.”

“And we don’t know if that agenda works with ours,” Lu says.

Beecher says, “I’ve seen her and her people risk their lives time and time again to save Spacenoids. If it weren’t for Athena and her team, Elle and the baby might be dead now!”

“So you’re personally indebted to her,” Lu challenges, “Does that mean we can trust her?”

Eno points out reasonably, “Even if we can, just how can this Major Ibaz help us, Beecher? From what you’ve told us, she’s an exceptionally bright young lady with a good head for tactics, but she’s just a mid-level officer in the Federal Forces. Even you outrank her.”

Beecher says, “Major Ibaz is Deputy Director of the Special Forces. She may only be a mid-level officer, but because of her extraordinary record, she’s got a lot of pull with the Federation Security Council…especially with General Noah. She’s offering to help arm the civilian population at Jupitorius.”

Beecher’s proclamation leaves the group in stunned silence.

“I’m sorry,” Judau says, “Am I understanding you correctly, Beecher? You’re saying that this Major Ibaz has plans to arm Jupitorius civilians?”

“Yeah,” Beecher replies, “That’s exactly what I said.”

“That’s just ridiculous, Beecher,” says Lu, losing her patience, “Why the HELL would the Federation arm the ISRLA? It just doesn’t make sense!”

Beecher, becoming quite frustrated himself, says, “Listen: you just have to trust me…and trust Major Ibaz on this. She’s got a plan. This could change everything. The one thing that you don’t have, and that you need, is the logistical support to protect this colony from the Zeon.”

“And the Federation,” Eno points out.

“Right,” Beecher says, “And Major Ibaz has the means and the intent to give it to you.”

“Why?” Lu asks cynically, “Why would she do this? What does she have to gain?”

Beecher takes a moment to gather himself before answering, “I think it’d be better if you let her explain that herself. Would you like to meet her?”

There is an uncomfortable stirring among the former AEUG heroes turned ISRLA activists.

Judau says, “You really think we can trust her, Beecher?”

“Yes,” Beecher says, “I’m willing to put my credibility with you guys on the line for her, because I think she can really help you out.”

The group members look towards each other meaningfully. A keen sense of tension fills the air for the moment.

Finally, Judau speaks for the group, “All right, Beecher. You arrange it. But if Ibaz turns out to be untrustworthy…”

Beecher says, “Then you can do what you have to do…and that includes to me.”

“Beecher,” Elle says uncertainly, taking her husband’s arm.

That much said, the friends disperse for the evening, wondering if the bond that has united for so long hasn’t begun to unravel.

Episode 14 to be continued...