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Post by Narrator on Feb 9, 2015 2:02:04 GMT
March 21st, Universal Century 0087
The Gate of Zedan
Formerly known as A Baoa Qu, the Zeonic fortress was handed over to the Republic of Zeon after the Treaty of Granada. However, in 0087, Jamitov pressed for its acquisition through the Earth Federation government, and it was formerly handed over to the Titans in January. For the Titans, the fortress had two key purposes:
One- It would serve as a staging ground against a potential planned invasion of AEUG forces on the moon. Two- It would serve as the de-facto headquarters for the Titans in outer space after their transition from Luna II.
The 15th Tactical Mobile Suit Squadron had just completed their reunion with the Cairo after a long journey back into outer space. After the Metula Incident, their mothership remained docked for repairs and rearmament. With her extended stay came a steady stream of new supplies, new pilots, and new equipment. Their star guest, however, hasn't made his arrival.
Paptimus Scirocco. The Man From Jupiter- A mercenary hired by Jamitov to put down the AEUG rebellion. He had the distinction of being a spacenoid and being a Jovian. His contract was met with mixture of scorn and admiration. Although he was an accomplished engineer and officer, it didn't take long for many to begin questioning his motives. For an organization compromised of Earth born individuals and Anti-Zeonic sentiments, this was unsurprising.
The Jovian had ideas, but had yet to prove himself. Therefore, Jamitov assigned him as a consultant and intelligence liaison for the Cairo Battle Group.
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Post by Daniel Gage on Feb 9, 2015 2:19:23 GMT
Gage had been ambivalent. The Titans had secured themselves as the dominating force within the Earth Federation. Jamitov convinced him that the size and the scope of their anti-AEUG operations would dramatically increase. He was one of many who doubted his decision to bring a mercenary in the loop. We don't need him. That was his first thought. The Titans had many competent officers that could plan the attack.
Although everyone was on break, the Lieutenant was in the hangar making sure everything was ready to go. His own Marasai was shipped along with him, and still had mud on it from their Jaburo operation. The mechanics got touchy when someone got near their suits, but they sure didn't mind a pilot who was up for cleaning duty. It was nice to get pulled from the front lines, even it was only temporary. Part his mind shut out what he saw there in South America. To him, it was no different than the One Year War- the war that never ended. His war was far from over.
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Post by Julian Miller on Feb 10, 2015 4:57:10 GMT
Julian had a lot to think about since returning to space, an inner dialogue that had left him even less talkative than usual with the rest of his new team. Even the return to the former space fortress A Baoa Qu, a battlefield that had cost him so many friends in the past, had failed to distract him from his concerns. Of the Jovian assigned to the ship? Julian thought little. As far as he was concerned the man named Paptimus Scirocco was just another symptom of a much larger problem.
For the first time in his life as a soldier Julian was actually questioned what it was he was doing. Since joining the Federation forces he had believed that his duty was to protect the people and the Federation forces from all enemies both outside and within. After the death of his loved ones and, three years later, the Delaz Fleet incident had added a new aspect to his service, a strong believe that to protect the Federation he needed to do whatever it took to quash the spacenoid rebellions and avenge the deaths of those who mattered to him. That had initially why he had joined the Titans, believing that regardless of what actions they took it would be a necessary sin to preserve their government.
Now, however? Jullian wasn't sure anymore. While he supposed that Jamitov's actions would make dealing with the AEUG earlier he wasn't sure it was worth the cost. The Titans could function the way they did because they were apart from the regular forces who would act as a balance of power to prevent any extreme excesses. With the regular forces now under their control and the government at the mercy of Jamitov that system was gone. While the Titans were here to protect the Federation from the AEUG the young Australian was now wondering who would protect the Federation from them?
Standing in the hangar, Julian looked up at his Mobile Suit with a dark expression on his face. The model was far different than his old, tried and true GM Quel, the machine having been retired the moment they had reached the Gate of Zedan. The NRX-044 Asshimar was one of the first in a new line of Mobile Suits designed for the Titans and the Federation forces that featured the ability to transform into a Mobile Armor. While the potential for firepower and mobility was certainly impressive, there were some aspects of the machine that he couldn't stand. While he realized that Zeonic engineers had been crucial to the designing of the newest generation of Mobile Suits, the aesthetic of the machine with it's large mono-eye camera reminded him way too much of the Zeon machines he had made a living destroying.
In fact, the similarity of the main-stay Titans machines to the Principality's Mobile Suits and the fact that they were using the fortress of A Baoa Qu as their headquarters brought an irony that was not lost on Julian. As uncomfortable as it made him to admit it seemed as if in trying to defeat their enemies they were actually becoming them.
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Post by Katharyn Holcroft on Feb 11, 2015 5:38:27 GMT
Katharyn Holcroft was distinctly uncomfortable in her current surroundings, though only someone who knew her well - and there were precious few people like that still living - would have been able to tell.
Though she had been only a young child during the One-Year War, she knew that the Gate of Zedan - the primary stronghold of the Titans in space - had once been the Principality of Zeon’s space fortress A Baoa Qu. On a certain level, it made sense to use it. But it still made her uncomfortable, a feeling that was exacerbated by the obviously Zeonic design aesthetic of Titans mobile suits such as the Marasai or the new model she saw at the other end of the hangar, whose head reminded her of a Rick Dom. Well, at least it wasn’t a damn Hizack - despite having never piloted one, she abhorred the Hizack on simple principle, regarding it as nothing more than a glorified Zaku. Compared to that, her GM Quel was a comforting sight, and she spent some time looking at the dark-colored mobile suit, before gracefully pushing herself off the nearest wall and across the hangar towards it, stopping nimbly level with the open cockpit hatch. She knew the grease monkeys sometimes didn’t like pilots getting involved in maintenance, but Katharyn was used to doing at least some things herself. And the guys working over her GM didn’t seem to mind. So she slid into the cockpit and got to work. She wanted to make sure that when the inevitable order to deploy came, she and her machine were ready…
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Post by Daniel Gage on Feb 15, 2015 7:03:38 GMT
"That's one hell of a machine, Lieutenant."
A solid clap on the back would be sufficient in breaking Julian from his thought process. The new Asshimar. It still had factory tape all over it. Gage could only fathom its purpose. It looked solidly built, but it didn't use any standard frame he could think of. The usual hard points were there, the cockpit sat higher, and its thrusters weren't normally placed either. I'll guess I'll find out once I see it in action. This led him to another question.
"Where were you stationed before this?"
Julian didn't look like a day over twenty, at least to the towering giant that was Daniel Gage. He pulled the same rank he did, but he didn't look like he saw any serious action prior.
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Post by Julian Miller on Feb 16, 2015 1:06:43 GMT
Julian raised an eyebrow as he felt someone's pat him on the back, a familiar voice complimenting him on the new machine. Out of all the members of the team, Julian had interacted with Daniel Gage the least so far. The man was quite a bit older than him and seemed to be rather close to Lt. Commander Ennis, at least as close as one could get. From what he had seen of Gage so far, the man had come across as rather stoic and quiet, not one to indulge in casual small-talk, though neither was Julian. Personally he didn't know what the man's thoughts on the recent 'regime change' was, but Julian already decided that he wasn't going to bring it up.
He wouldn't risk speaking out to someone who would simply report him to Bask's thugs.
"Indeed," replied Julian as he returned his gaze towards the Asshimar, "From what the techies tell me it'll be quite a force out on the battlefield. I guess we'll see soon enough."
As to the question about his former station, a small smirk appeared on his face as he thought back on the nostalgia of only a few months ago thought at this point it felt like years, "I was stationed back down on Earth as part of a task force hunting down Zeon Remnants hiding out in Africa and Australia. It wasn't glamorous work given the environment and the fact that the Zekes had nothing to lose. It felt good when we finished them off though. Like we were wrapping up unfinished business."
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Post by Victoria Sinclair on Feb 16, 2015 4:36:13 GMT
Recent events had certainly proven worrying, but like always there was little that could be done one way or another and Victoria knew in her gut how familiar this felt. Still at their level there were other things one would have to worry about, instead Victoria did what she always did when she could and poked around the hanger. The new mobile suit was definitely interesting she didn't want to have to deal with the mechanics swatting her away, besides it was Julian who should enjoy it more.
A quick look around found some of the squadron, she saw Gage talking to Julian and briefly spotted Kathryn before she disappeared into her Quel. Kicking off from her position, Victoria made her way towards the Quel to check on Holcroft. With a firm grab on the cockpit hatch stopping her, Victoria angled herself so she was 'standing' infront of the cockpit and peered inside. "I see you're enjoying yourself Holcroft."
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Post by Katharyn Holcroft on Feb 18, 2015 4:32:01 GMT
Katharyn had only been working for a few minutes when the light that was filtering into the cockpit changed, causing her to look up. Then she saw Lieutenant Victoria Sinclair standing right outside her cockpit.
"Lieutenant Sinclair." Katharyn said, briefly saluting the senior officer. She mentally tried to sum up what she knew about the Lieutenant, which was not much beyond the fact that the Lieutenant was three-years older, a veteran of the EFAF during the One-Year War, that they were approximately the same height, and that the Lieutenant was a brilliant mobile suit pilot who had joined the Titans around the same time as Katharyn had, and that both she and the Lieutenant were from North America. All the same, she wondered what had brought Sinclair around.
"Is something the matter?" she asked, her expression impassive, trying - not altogether successfully - to keep her own discomfort at the situation and their location from showing in her tone of voice.
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Post by Victoria Sinclair on Feb 19, 2015 1:42:18 GMT
Formal, although Victoria did drop by unannounced and quickly the lieutenant saluted back while her left hand kept her in place. "At ease ensign, hardly a place we need to be too formal right now." While she didn't think most people would take to being in A Baoa Qu well, Katharyn however seemed to be trying to keep on top of broadcasting that. Admirable, but when you had a tell it made things that much more obvious in Victoria's mind. "I was just checking around, getting the feel of the place and spying on the new mobile suit. But I should probably be asking if something is the matter with you Holcroft."
Without too much interaction with the ensign, Victoria wasn't particularly familiar with Holcroft; but she was confident about getting a feel for her. "I mean we're in the Gate of Zedan, we have a Jovian joining us as an adviser, not to mention what happened what happened with the council it's all a lot to take in." Victoria herself wasn't sold on the idea of someone from outside the Federation coming to assist the Titans but if Jamitov thought it was worth a shot there was little they could do about that. Things would sort itself out if worst came to worst though she was sure.
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Post by Katharyn Holcroft on Feb 19, 2015 4:39:21 GMT
“Yeah, it is.” Katharyn replied with a nod, looking up from her monitor. “But it’s not just that…it’s…something about this place.” For a moment, she hesitated, unsure of how much to say. It had been jarring enough when the Hizack had been rolled out to be deploying alongside bootleg Zakus. But whatever that yellow-and-green thing out there was, it was the fourth new Titan machine she’d seen that looked like it should belong to the enemy. Making matters worse, the enemy was using a GM alongside their own Zeke-type units.
“I mean, this is - was - a Zeke fortress. I guess, after everything, I’m just not comfortable here.” She continued. Though she had been too young to fight in the One-Year War - unlike the Lieutenant - she had borne witness to the atrocities they were capable of committing during the invasion. She had heard vague rumors that they had tried to use nuclear weapons in space near the end of the War as well - much as had later happened at Side 2, when Katharyn herself had been a rookie pilot with the Hurricanes. Then there was the Delaz Fleet Incident in ’83. “I mean, we’re supposed to be hunting down Zeon and their allies, right?” She continued. “So why do I look out at that hangar, and except for the Quels, I see nothing but mono-eyes? Who decided we have to imitate the bastards?”
She hadn’t admitted to these misgivings aloud, not to anyone. But somehow, she had to say something. And guessed that if she did, the Lieutenant would probably be a better choice than that clown Neston or the Commander...and definitely better than that uptight ass Miller.
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Post by Yazan Gable on Feb 19, 2015 12:13:43 GMT
Jaime was settling in perhaps better than most. After years of living as a civilian in space, living there wasn't a problem and if this was an old Zeke fortress well hey, so had Solomon.
No, what as vexing Jaime at the moment was that even taking over the Federation military had not caused Lt. Commander James Ennis to forget the punishment detail that had been assigned to him srcubbing every inch of muck off of the man's Marasai.
The upside of a mindless task. Jaime thought Is that it gives plenty of time for a man to think.
His work finally done on both his and the Commander's machine, and covered in grease and dirt stained coveralls he began his trek to the barracks for some much needed shuteye. People were buzzing about the fact that they had brought in a Jovian, and Jaime was a bit surprised at how butthurt people were getting about it. Of course, hiring a merc never sat well, but for the life of him Jaime couldn't see why that was a problem.
"I just hope he's not as much of an asshole as the last one." He muttered under his breath as he found himself catching Sinclair and Holcroft.
Jaime stopped for a moment. "Sorry to butt in, but I kind of agree with her L-T. I mean, I can't imagine that it's that more operationally effective than what a GM uses. We can't be the only ones with misgivings about it, especially since we just dragged in all of the Federation proper. If they're making that our mainline unit..." Jaime looked back at Holcroft. "Just saying."
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Post by Victoria Sinclair on Feb 20, 2015 8:19:11 GMT
Victoria lowered her head slightly as Kathryn commented it was where they were that was the problem, the rest of the reveal also laid things out pretty cleanly as well. It was to be expected she supposed especially given the Titan's purpose and the member's they'd attract as a result. ”It’ compl-“ Jamie’s timely arrival prompted Victoria to glance across the threshold of the cockpit at the Ensign before she rested her head against the frame, a wonderful pair to have gathered up.
”This might not what you wanted to hear but since you two have some worries about the machines I’ll tell you now, you have to get these worries and concerns out of your heads. A mobile suit is a mobile suit it’s the person and the colors they choose to fly under that make the difference.” The lieutenant shot a glance at both pilots hoping that would start to smooth things over, not that it likely would cover things up completely. Her gaze shifted slightly as she pulled away from the cockpit door frame. ”And you should both remember we copied Zeon, otherwise us and those AEUG people would be fighting in the newest Mark Five Saberfish with beam guns.” The lieutenant waves her free right hand in some fake fanfare and shakes her head as she quickly regrets going down that joking route and drops her hand to her side. These two wanted some serious answers and a quick glance at the hanger made Victoria pause.
”It’s just like a battlefield, the names might change and territory might swap hands but your memories of something doesn’t change.” Victoria’s eyes lowered to watch some of the mechanics as her mind wandered but she quickly tried to reorient herself and turned back to the duo. ”But, you have to remember a thing isn’t inherently an evil thing, it’s your thoughts about it that does, just like how we’d think differently about the infamous White Devil compared to a Zeke.”
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Post by Daniel Gage on Feb 22, 2015 4:41:24 GMT
" From what the techies tell me it'll be quite a force out on the battlefield. I guess we'll see soon enough.""I was stationed back down on Earth as part of a task force hunting down Zeon Remnants hiding out in Africa and Australia. It wasn't glamorous work given the environment and the fact that the Zekes had nothing to lose. It felt good when we finished them off though. Like we were wrapping up unfinished business." "We will.""I hate to agree with them, but this war hasn't ended- far from it. After that war, I don't think who fought in that war felt it ended right. Do you think that, simply because everyone if now flying a different banner, the reasons are any different? The Federation wants to hold onto its power, and various parties want to usurp it. That's how I feel, at least."There was a loud sound beginning to take over the conversation- something with big engines. What in the hell? He turned to look at what the other technicians were looking at: a mobile armor. After passing the outer gates, it slowly made its ingress into the hangar and touched down for a gentle landing- smoke billowed from waste gates around the body as booster pressure was relieved. The purple thing was huge- even in juxtaposition to other nearby mobile suits. A crowd of technicians and pilots were already gathering around.
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Post by Katharyn Holcroft on Feb 22, 2015 5:51:22 GMT
Katharyn, still seated in her cockpit, glanced at Neston as he turned up and added in his two cents. Then Lieutenant Sinclair replied, and Katharyn had to admit she had a point. “Guess that’s true.” She said slowly.
All the same, she had misgivings. On the other hand, the LT's words did put it in perspective - hell, they'd used Zakus as well as GMs back when she was in training, too - usually as aggressor units in training battles. She still didn't like it. But the one that really annoyed her was the Hizack especially - it seemed only marginally better from what she knew than the Zaku II had been, and a definitive technological step backwards from the GM, especially the GM Custom or the QUEL. “Due respect, Lieutenant, I still don’t see what the hell's wrong with the GM that they had to switch to imitation Zeke machines anyway. But there's no point complaining, and since those Zeke-lovers in the AEUG are using a GM variant anyway too, the distinction doesn't matter anymore."
Before she had time to say much else, there was a substantial commotion beyond her cockpit. With a hastily muttered apology, she clambered out of her cockpit, up past Neston and the Lieutenant, and came to a stop roughly level with her GM’s head, looking out at a massive blue-violet mobile armor. From bad to worse…now a damn mobile armor. She thought, guessing that this must belong to that Jovian mercenary Jamitov said he’d hired.
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Post by Julian Miller on Feb 24, 2015 23:52:37 GMT
'Didn't feel that the war ended right'. Julian supposed that Gage was right in that regard. Certainly that had been his feelings on the subject at the time. He had seen so many people die at A Baoa Qu that it felt like the job had been left half done when the war had then ended. Granada and Side 3 had been spared the death and destruction that the Principality had inflicted on Earth, something that didn't feel fair.
What really bothered him was the talk of 'different banners'. While he was sure that Gage was referring to the Zeon Remnants and AEUG when he spoke of groups wanting to usurp the Federation, he was beginning to wonder if people would look back on history and claim the same of the Titans.
The thought made Julian scowl and reply, "I get what you mean," just as the new Mobile Weapon flew its way into the hangar.
Almost immediately the Australian Lieutenant's eyes were drawn to the purple machine, an eyebrow raising as he appraised it. He had certainly never seen a machine like this before, it's design being drastically different than even a fellow new model like his Asshimar. Did this machine belong to the Jovian mercenary that everyone had been talking about? If so then he supposed the battle strength of their battle-group had just been significantly increased.
Two new models this soon and that was just after they rolled out the Marasai too. Is this what we can expect of the Titans-led Federation? New model after new model? And if that's the case on our end then does that mean the AEUG will be doing the same? It's just another One Year War. Another damned arms race.
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