Mobile Suit Gundam 0098: The End Begins

Episode 10: "Gus!!!!!!"

Frame 10: A Soldier’s Past

            “Elly…Elly!” shouted Gem, shaking her.

            “Sh…she killed him.”

            “She?” asked Gem.

            “My…big brother is dead. He died right in front of me. I swear on his life and I will avenge him.” said Elly in a whispering voice as she passed completely, falling into Gem’s arms. 

The next day inside the Nexus space station,

"The time has come, the Newbark team will have Ensign Hylis and you all will be boarding the Mobile Cruiser Xanzibar. Your mission...is on Earth. You will entire the Earth's atmosphere and there be greeted by a large number of Neo-Zeon soldiers as back up.

"We're allying with Neo-Zeon?" asked Hylis curiously.

"For what we are about to do...yes. At least for now. We need their resources and technology, given us enough time to rebuild the Londo Bell base as our third base of operation to our liking. Also someone from Saturnis will be joining our crew. He's an enhanced Newtype. Now aboard the Xanzibar and head out...don't be pulled by Earth's gravity," ordered Captain Steele.

“Sounds like something father would say," thought Hylis as she went to get ready. Hylis and the rest of the Newbark team boarded the Mobile Cruiser Xanzibar and headed for Earth.

Andrew sat in his MSN-04III Nightingale with the cockpit open. He was tuning his guitar as he thought "Allying with the titans... Oh well, might be fun." He started to speak out loud. "I haven't seen combat in sometime hope I'm not too rusty." A soldier walked up to the Lieutenant-Commander and said.

"Sir is it true? We are teaming up with the enemy?"

Andrew just laughed. "Like the old saying goes the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Besides that’s the order from command." The soldier saluted Andrew, and he saluted back. Andrew said, "Well Nightingale, what do you think about this?" Andrew paused "I thought so. You and the SMS-15RT R9 Gyan are all I have left. So let’s not get too damaged hmm." Andrew smirked as he closed the cockpit and opened up all com to his unit's mobile suits. "Now we are meeting them here right outside earth's gravity field. Now just in case we do have to fight anything I want the Gyans up front and the Jagd Doga in the back. All other units get in the middle line and assist where and when needed." He left the com open as he put Nightingale in autopilot and began to play a song on his guitar, waiting.

Dukey slowly woke up as light from somewhere was hitting his face. He was completely hung over from the party last night. “Damn…I totally out-drank the Admiral this time,” he said to himself, getting up out of bed. He put a jacket on and headed over to the next room and tried to wake Zach up too, but he was passed out stone cold. “Haha, looks like he had a good time too.” Dukey noticed 2 of his men were awake as the two Petty Officers looked at him, “Weiland, Trevers, how are you guys feeling today?” he asked.

"Fine, we don't drink Captain remember," said Trevers.

“Oh…right,” said Dukey as he left and went to take a quick shower. After getting dressed up in his uniform, Dukey took this time to head over to the nearest restaurant in Grenada. It didn’t take him long as a waiter took him to a seat. He sat down and stared at the menu for about ten minutes. Finally a waitress comes over to him and asked if he was finished looking at the menu.

“Uh…ya…er yes! I'll just have a large order of bacon n eggs.”

"Sounds good,” said the waitress and winked at him as she walked away.

Hylis sat next to Lt. Commander Newbark as they road into space in the Mobile Cruiser Xanzibar, heading for Earth.

"Sir, we just received word that we'll be escorted by a Neo-Zeon support team right outside Earth's gravity field," said Controller A.

"Excellent," responded Newbark.

"We also have word that the AEUG threw a party last night so they should be occupied for a while," informed Controller B.

"How fitting," moaned Hylis.

"How long will it be till we reach the support team?" asked Lt. Commander Newbark.

"We'll be arriving in two hours."

"Lieutenant-Commander Andrew sir, we have a titan ship one hour away from us." The soldier stated

"Two hours?! Gezz you'd think they would of had better engine speed. Oh well, everyone break from formation, and don't fall into Earth's gravity." Andrew replied with some irritation.

"War...once you've finished it...nobody remembers why it was fought in the first place." Lt. Rock Hale sat upon his seat his makeshift encampment as he gazed up into the stars. He was an old man at the age of 26. Or at least he felt like it. The stars seemed so ominous and bright from Earth. Space seemed almost like a romantic place. It was far from it, though. Outer Space was cold and dark...

"Dammit!!!" a younger Rock yelled, as his Jagan was jettisoned back by enemy fire, the Neo-Zeon advancing towards him, as well as towards their moon base. He was critically low on ammo, fuel, and armor. Neither he, nor his suit could take much more of this. Blood ran down his face, since pieces from his suit's interior had turned projectile from a serious blow.

Rock prepared himself to die as he and his comrades held position. He could see the enemy guns lighting up, delivering the final blow. Suddenly, a second Jegan flew right in front of his own, "Gus, what are you doing?" he yelled to his friend....

"Men fight for each other, Rock. I'm honored that I was able to die for you," Gus replied just as a rain of fire shattered his mobile suit, completely obliterating him from existence.

"Gus!!!!!!" Rock yelled, slamming upon the dashboard, tears streaming down his eyes...

Rock snapped back to reality as his tea pot steamed upon the fire. Shaking himself from the memory, he poured the tea into a molded mug, and began to drink, trying to focus his mind on current problems at hand.