Chapter.08 Desert Wolf

Amuro asks Bright what their next move should be, saying the enemy will likely get wind of their contact with Karaba and start monitoring the ship’s movements. If so, then they’ll have various defense nets set up around Dakar.

Bright says that they’ll send the Gundam team overland to Dakar while the Argama and Audhumla will take different routes over the sea, thus diverting their attention. All out confrontation is inevitable. Elle and the others didn’t object to the Gundam team going their own ways. They were more worried about Judau going it alone.

The team was concerned with how they’ll find Judau, given how large the African continent is. Just then, Ple interrupted by telling them all she knows where Judau is. Amuro had asked Beltorchika to bring her from the brig. Amuro asks whether she is sure, to which she said she could sense him, just like she could when she was on Axis.

Ple had been crying earlier but was smiling, likely because she had been able to see Judau. She was making a lot of noise in the brig earlier, as Bright found out from a report, and it seemed to be because she had sensed what he was up to. Bright pondered whether she was a Cyber-Newtype, which is likely why she can use her own body as a sensor for him. He decides to take a chance on Ple. He orders the team to take Ple and leave immediately.

Roux recoils in disgust at those words, saying she’s a prisoner. Hayato yells at her that it’s the captain’s orders. An hour later, the Gundam team set off in search of Judau. Roux was on the Zeta Gundam in wave rider mode, Iino, Mondo, and Ple were on the Mega Rider. Beecha’s Hyaku Shiki and Elle’s Mk-II rode together on the Mega Rider.

Amuro muttered that this would increase their skill levels as they left, saying that all they needed was a diversion for the adults to do their thing. The Argama completed its resupply from the Audhumla, and following Amuro’s return to that ship, the two split up over the Atlantic ocean. As Bright stared off at the massive ship making its wide turn, he felt the passage of the last eight years.

Meanwhile, Judau’s Double Zeta was stranded in the desert. He had landed the Dodai Kai at an oasis to replenish its water supply, but the sand had gotten inside the Double Zeta’s armor and caused its control system to malfunction. He grumbles about how far he’d come and whether he’d have to walk the rest of the way before prying open an armor plating only to have a mountain of sand pour out of it. He looked up at the sky in disbelief. Just then, he saw a black dot in the sky growing larger and larger.

It was the Wave Rider and below it the Mega Rider with the Hyaku-Shiki and Mk-II. The Wave Rider circled a couple of times before landing. The Mega Rider plunged through the dust and sand, it’s hatch popping open and Ple joyfully squealing that she had found Judau.

The African continent was mostly covered in a brown color, as seen from satellite orbit at least. The only green areas were only slightly visible near the coastlines, caused in part by climate change from global pollution. The situation was dire, but there was no way out of it. Despite this, people clung to the land. There was a settlement of people to the southeast of Dakar in a small inland oasis.

The land was dotted with bare bushes, making the area look like a steppe rather than a desert. In one corner of the oasis, there were rows of poorly build brick houses. Cattle and sheep grazed and drank water from surrounding fields. In a small field, branches of peanuts stretched out to cover the ground. It was an oasis of people and livestock desperately clinging to the barren land.

On the outskirts of the oasis stood a cross made of wood. A helmet was hooked to the cross, swaying in the hot wind. A camel appeared on a small hill nearby. The rider was a thin man wearing a turban and cotton clothes. The made rode the camel down the slope of the hill and entered the village. On the roof of a building at the far end of the village fluttered a troop flag, its edged tattered and faded. The man rolled off the camel jumped into the building.

The man stammers out to Commander Rommel that there is something urgent, to which the man replies that he knows: Mineva Zabi has come to Dakar. The man, Lieutenant JG Karahan, then asks how he knows, to which Rommel tells him that they have an informant on their side. With that, Rommel indicated to the back of the room with his chin. Three men were sitting around a table eating. It was none other than Yazan, Gemon, and Mashymre. The three were all wearing cloaks that looked like burlap sacks.

Karahan was as excited as could be at the prospect of being a member of the New Zeon. Yazan stands up, popping a piece of fried mutton into his mouth. He says that they may have been stalwarts of the African front, but that was eight years ago, and that fighting isn’t about names but about results. If they don’t demonstrate that to them, then Neo Zeon won’t recognize it either. He says that he was in the Titans until a while ago, but now is a knight of Neo Zeon due to his skills.

Maybe it was the alcohol in his system, but Yazan was talking more than usual. Mashymyre lost his turn to speak on account of this. Rommel says that he’s aware and that they don’t want to rely on old battles’ results. He says they’ll smash the White Base wannabe and give it to Mineva as a souvenir. As he said that, he looked at the Zeon flag on the wall and muttered how it had been eight years…

As the oasis residents watched anxiously from the shadows of the building, Rommel summoned his troops. Karahan and nine subordinates dressed in matching assault uniforms lined up in front of Rommel. The anxiously awaited his words. He says they’ve endured hardship and suffering in the desert over the last eight years, all for the sole purpose of hoping for the resurrection of the Principality of Zeon. He says that their sentiments, which they certainly shared with the Federation Forces, will surely reach Lady Mineva in Dakar. He gives a mighty salute and throws out a Sieg Zeon, to which the others heartily replied.

Yazan, standing behind Rommel, snorted at their conspicuously old-fashioned chants, calling out their blithe indifference. Mashymre says that isn’t the case (he’d been paying his respects right along with the men). He says they’re the ones who walk the high road of chivalry, even at the ends of the Earth in places like this. Gamon asks whether they’re just a bunch of monomaniacs, to which Mashymre contests. He says he admires their bravery in sacrificing themselves for the Zabi family and that it’s something that a Junker like him wouldn’t understand.

Rommel orders them to launch. The men took off towards a palm grove on the outskirts of the oasis. The entire palm grove was surrounded by netting and covered with leaves and bush branches to disguise it. As they lowered the netting, a mobile suit with desert camouflage appeared. Inside the forest was a mobile suit servicing area. There was one MS-09G Dwadge, six MS-06D Desert Zaku, one MS-06E Zaku Reconnaissance Type, and a Zaku Tanker for transporting weapons and mobile suits. Weapons and ammo were also neatly lined up.

Yazan wondered how they were able to assemble so many old models and ones that appeared to be well maintained at that. He thought that maybe they had nothing better to do in the desert. Yazan was about to return inside when he saw a soldier arguing with a woman. A boy was standing nearby. As he stopped and stared, he noticed that the woman was desperately trying to prevent the man from going out. She appeared to be his wife. The boy also looked like he was about to cry. Rommel, noticing this, walked up to him.

The man rushed to salute him, but it was too late. Rommel smacked the man across the cheek without saying a word, and the man fell to the ground. Alarmed, the woman and the boy tried to tend to the man but he shook them off. Yazan comments on how it must be nice to have a wife and kids, but he lacks discipline. Rommel says that he’s sorry they had to witness that and hopes they’ll forget it. Rommel turned and walked away with the man, Niki, in tow. Mashymre was mesmerized by the spectacle.

Rommel thought that the three Geze that were situated by the palm tree were the latest mobile suits. Yet, no matter how many times Mashymre tried to explain that they were special, he refused to believe it. He didn’t even know what a transformable mobile suit was and thought that the Double Zeta was just something from his dreams. He ordered Niki to go scout, saying that it was his chance to redeem himself. Mashymre decides to follow him since he needs to acclimate himself to the desert. He climbs into his desert-painted Geze and sets off. He was a bit upset that his rose-colored suit had to be painted (since it was an homage to Haman), but Rommel said he’d stand out too much if he didn’t change it.

Gemon comments on how Mashymre is looking rather tense. He says that he wants to scare the hell out of Chara Soon, which is why he came down to the desert. Gemon recalls his unexpected encounter with Mashymre. After the Argama and Endra left Shangri-La, Gemon recruited Yazan and continued on with his junk business. Yazan was hellbent on defeating the Gundam but couldn’t make a move since he didn’t have any money. Working as a junker was perfect for him since he could make as much money as he wanted so long as he had the skill and courage to do so. Every day, he went out in a Petit MS and picked up junk. One day, he came across an escape capsule. He brought it back to the colony, and the two opened the hatch. Asleep inside was Mashymre.

Since the two were so hellbent on taking down the Gundam, they recruited Gemon into their plans. They bought a used transport ship, loaded it with three Geze and left Shangri-La based on intel that there was a skirmish taking place near the atmosphere. The three met up with the Neo Zeon’s Earth Descent Forces, but since Mashymre had already been relieved of his command, he was surprised they still took them in. Since they had been taking in by the Mindra, the ship was assigned a different mission, so he lost his chance to prove to Lady Haman that he was still alive. Thus, he took it upon himself to take down the Gundam as well as tracking down remnants in Africa. Yazan accompanied him because he was interested in the desert troops. Gemon was just an added bonus.

Mashymre asks Niki if he’s from Side 3, to which the man says he was. He says he was assigned to the African front during the One Year War and was just a boy at the time. Mashymre asks if he has a wife and kid now, to which the man says he’s ashamed of that. Mashymre says that it doesn’t matter so long as his loyalty to Zeon remains intact. He asks what’ll happen with them if they win the battle and whether they’ll go into space. He says that he’d like to show his family the space colonies. Content, Mashymre says he’ll help as much as he can. He liked Niki’s honesty but felt that it had nothing to do with his qualities as a soldier. He says that if they don’t become more cunning, it’ll be difficult to survive in these harsh lands. But, it would also be beautiful to perish like this. He unconsciously touched the rose on his chest.