There was a blast of fire from Carl’s long rifle, the beam swallowed up in the darkness of space. Two enemy units appeared from the direction of the shot.

“Enemy sighted,” Eliard said, “One appears to be an F-type Zaku. The other unit is…”

Trailing off, Eliard was surprised. The unit was a mix of specs from a Rick Dom and a Gelgoog M. It’s the one that blew off the right leg of the Commander’s Hazel. Eliard was certain he shot off the bastard’s left arm with his beam rifle. He didn’t know whether it was the same type from a different machine or whether they swapped the parts of the arm and came out.

“So that’s the guy who made swiss cheese out of the Hazel’s leg, huh?” He heard the commander say.

“You think so?” asked Eliard.

“Most definitely. I never forget those who attack me. It’s time to return the favor.”

Carl fired his rifle again but he was not able to capture the enemy.

“Let’s move!” They heard Murphy say.

“It’ll be a dog fight. Carl, you’ll cover us from the rear.”

“Roger that,” he heard Carl respond.

Their enemy returned fire.

Using his shoulder thrusters, he swung, dodging the shot. Suddenly, a voice he wasn’t used to hearing resounded inside the cockpit.

“The Zaku is the pride of Zeon.”

It appeared the enemy pilot was somehow using the same wireless frequency. The voice suddenly continued.

“And to disgrace that pride with such a form… I absolutely cannot allow it!”

They were referring to the Hi-Zack. Though similar to the appearance of the Zaku, it was painted in Titans colors. That’s likely what angered them. Even they weren’t fond of the Hi-Zack’s design.

As he muttered to himself, the Zaku suddenly seemed to make a wild charge at the Hi-Zack. It’s best to leave the Zaku to the commander. He searched for the Rick Dom, surveying his monitor. Just then, the unit appeared from below him.

Taken aback, he tried to put some distance between them. The Rick Dom thrust out its spiked shield, the shock coming through to the cockpit.

“Dammit!”

Eliard kicked in the verniers and distanced himself from the Rick Dom. Just then, a beam grazed the machine.

It was Carl’s long rifle.

The Rick Dom quickly turned over and bean to fire its machine gun towards Carl’s GM Sniper III. It was a 90mm machine gun.

Eliard witnessed the 90mm rounds intermixed with tracer shells pierce the armor of the GM Sniper III.

“Carl!” Eliard shouted without even thinking.

If the engine block was hit, there was no saving him.

An explosion caused by the thermonuclear reactor would cause the unit to blow to pieces. A warning alarm echoed throughout the cockpit.

Eliard reflexively looked at the radar.

Mobile suits incoming from the direction of the enemy ship.

“Enemy reinforcements detected on radar. Three units inbound.” Eliard said in a naturally loud voice.

“I’m reading them on my end too.” came Commander Murphy’s voice.

“Bastards. They’re persistent…” Murphy was still sparring with the Zaku, whose pilot was also fairly skilled.

“They got my shoulder block connector,” came Carl’s voice, barging in suddenly. “Neither arm can move, so I can’t fire my rifle.”

“You’re alive.” Eliard said, “Your suit held up, huh?”

“Yeah. But three units for reinforcement? Things a looking rather hopeless now, aren’t they?”

Eliard approached Carl’s unit and prepped to use the beam rifle. The Rick Dom wouldn’t attack irrationally as it was for backup. It kept its distance and fired its machine gun at them intermittently. It was just as Carl said, it was hopeless. There were three units and sooner or later one of their units would be hit. There were five units all together including their reinforcements. Eliard was keenly aware of death for the first time on the battlefield.