0085.08 – Zanzibar – Hanger

Gabriel Zola was extremely worn out. The strength of the Zeon remnants was at its limit. The Zanzibar, which once took part in many fleet movements, was now forced to act alone.

They could no longer hope to fight like a regular army. They had no choice but to wage guerrilla warfare; always standing side by side with death.

But, they had to fight.

The Titans’ hunt for Zeon remnants grew worse day by day.

Maintenance was being carried out on two mobile suits in front of him: a modified Rick Dom and Gelgoog.

Both machines are equipped with a winch unit, a device that was strongly conscious of guerilla warfare.

Solomon. We’ve come back here yet again.

Zola thought as he looked up at the Rick Dom and Gelgoog.

He once fought here with Anavel Gato. Gato was being talked about less and less now. Following the battle of Solomon at the end of the One Year War, Gato had decided to participate in Delaz’s activities. He put his life in Delaz’s hands.

Zola, on the other hand, did not participate in the Delaz Fleet; he missed his chance. As a result of that, Gato had died while Zola had lived.

“New equipment, huh?” came a voice from behind him.

It was Kazak Larson, a veteran pilot just like Zola.

The two had fought together at A Baoa Qu.

In other words, guerrilla warfare is growing harder at their age. But, for Larson being the dyed-in-the-woll soldier that he is, he never complained.

In the last battle in the Lunga Sea, the Rick Dom and Gelgoog sustained damage that took them out of the fight.

Had it not of been for Larson’s Zaku, he would have been dead.

The destroyed suit was on an orbit around the moon, caught in the gravitational pull of the Earth and the Moon.

Larson’s Zaku was picked up during a spacewalk by the Zanzibar that made a rendez-vous in orbit.

“You cannot fight with equipment like the regular army.” Zola said as he continued looking up at the two suits.

“Mobile suits are scarce,” said Larson, “So far, sympathizers in the colonies have arranged for resupplies but how long will that last…?”

“Which is why we’re seeking an alliance with the anti-Earth Federation government movements.”

“The AEUG, huh?”

“They’re not just a civil movement. They’re even constructing their own battleships.”

“Ah, but it’s a power struggle within the Earth Federation Forces after all. It’s not worth it to work with them.”

“They’re stalling.”

Larson nodded at Zola’s words.

“Haman Karn?”

“Yeah. If we support Lady Mineva and Zeon is revived, our troubles will be rewarded.”

“Our troubles?” Larson said as he laughed, “I don’t think these are troubles. I’m the only man who can pilot a mobile suit anyways.”

“There’s an Alexandria-class stationed at Solomon…” Zola said.

“The Aswan, was it…? That ship is a problem.”

“I was terrified when I saw the Gundam. The Gundam itself is what nightmares are made of for us.”

“The Aswan Team has a Gundam. We’ve encountered them three times already. Still, we couldn’t make any significant damage to them. They’re formidable foes.”

“They appear to be a test team.”

“Come again?”

“They’re a team who is charged with testing new weaponry. Their mark is a rabbit.”

“So they’ll keep sending out new weapons one by one?” Zola said, his face suddenly appearing sunken.

“If it weren’t for them, Side 1’s Colony 30 massacre may have been prevented.”

“I don’t know about that…” Zola said, “The Titans are determined.”

“We might have even saved just the citizens who fled on shuttles.”

“In any case, we must defeat the Test Team. Solomon belongs to the Zeon. We simply cannot let them do whatever they want with it.”

“I’ll pilot the newly equipped Gelgoog.”

“Agreed. We won’t be buried by the Gundam.”

Zola called out to a mechanic servicing the Rick Dom.

“Paint this boldly on the unit: Zeon Alive.”

Powered by WordPress