Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Mobile Suit Gundam Fan Fiction / Gundam 08th MS Team Fan Fiction ❯ Amalgam Gundam ❯ Ghost in the Machine ( Chapter 11 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Narrator: Universal Colony Year 118: A time where the Endless Waltz of history continues unabated. Let us go back one year to UCY-117: The Empire of Thallos declares war upon all neighboring star systems, and the dozens of space and planetary colonies within them. The Empire's military power is at equal strength with each Government they are at war with, so they are caught in a stalemate. However, halfway into UCY-117, the Empire acquired a new weapon whose name would be heard through the future: Mobile Suits. These new devices smashed through any and all resistance, and the Empire now controls more than 95% of the area. We now return to UCY-118. Aram Hashta has made a deal with Zechs Marquise to finally take down the Empire.






Clarke Axem stood in the main doorway, eagerly waiting for Marianna's entrance. He still looked the same as the last time she had come. He still had the same short, impish figure and demonic grin. The main doorway opened, and Marianna walked inside the hallway, her guards waiting on the other end.

Axem: Your eminence! How good it is to see you once again. Have you come to file another complaint about the sale of mobile suits to your enemies?

Marianna shook her head.

Marianna: No, no. My presence here is purely business.

Axem: Now there is a language that I speak! What can I do for you today?

Marianna smiled.

Marianna: I need something of mass destruction.






Melanie: WELL THIS IS JUST PEACHY!

Den: Melanie, it's no use blaming me!

Den's hands raced across the controls of the transport ship, making it go to instant thrust without any pre-flight checks. The ship blasted off at an angle, ascending quickly. Behind them, the entire spaceport began to burst into flames, exploding behind them. Den winced as he continued pushing the transport, desperately trying to make it outrun the blast. He succeeded as the exploding spaceport's shockwave dissipated behind them.

Melanie: "We'll just hijack a transport and get our Gundams aboard! Easy as pie!" We had to hijack the whole fricking port just to get past customs!

Den: Well, at least we got the Gundams about, didn't we?

Melanie: Yes, but only after we had to set explosives all over the place just to prevent witnesses! Damn it, Den, we shouldn't have to do this!

Den: Do what?

Melanie: We're killing too many people like this! I am seriously considering giving this up and giving Jubilee to another Resistance.

Den: You won't do that.

Melanie: And just why not?

Den: M-F-S-H.

Melanie: What?

Den: Mother, Father, Sister, Home. Forgot about those four, didn't you?

Melanie blinked and then relaxed in her chair.

Melanie: You're right. I'm sorry for yelling at you.

Den: No, it was my mistake to try to pull a stunt like this. But still, Aram sent out the emergency signal, which means something must be up.

Melanie: Well, what's the plan once we get into space?

Den: We'll abandon the transport and head out in the Gundams, and go to the third moon, where Aram's signal came from.

Melanie: How do we know this isn't some kind of a trap? They could've captured Aram and Arsenal and sent that signal to lure us all out.

Den: I sincerely doubt it. Only Aram knows the code for his own Gundam, and despite being an enormous pain in the ass, he won't break under torture. Also, the third moon is no place to set a trap. Marianna put up sanctions on the moon. She's the perfect mixture of a true psychotic: Overly cruel and takes pleasure from the suffering of others, but still loves things that are beautiful. The third moon is known for it's captivating beauty.






Melanie was pressed against the back of her seat, feeling the soft material of the space suit rub against her back. She sighed as Jubilee was released out into space. Melanie opened her eyes and looked at the main camera, loving the feeling of zero gravity. She checked her right camera, seeing Golem being released from the transport as well. She saw a flashing light from her communications console and pushed the button. Den's voice came over it.

Den: Okay, since you don't know the area, I'll lead you to the moon. Switch your systems to autopilot.

Melanie nodded and complied.

Melanie: Done.

Den: Okay, now I'll just switch- Melanie, switch onto autopilot!

Melanie checked her systems again.

Melanie: I am!

Den: Then why is your Gundam moving away from me?

Melanie: What?!

Melanie looked over her controls, and seeing the main camera shift to the left and begin to move away from Golem. Melanie switched off the autopilot, but it was still moving in that direction.

Den: What's going on?!

Melanie took the manual levers and moved them to the opposite side that the Gundam was turning, but it did not stop it.

Melanie: I don't know! I don't have control of Jubilee! It's moving on it's own!

Den: Switch to manual!

Melanie: I'm on manual!

In Golem, Den checked the trajectory of which Jubilee was heading. He gasped and his eyes got wide.

Den: Melanie, I pray to God you're just fooling around with me.

Melanie: I'm not. What's wrong with Jubilee?!

Den: I don't know, but Jubilee's heading straight for Thallos' first moon. One of the Empire's primary military and scientific research bases is on that moon.

Melanie gasped and once again tried to take control.

Melanie: Damn it, work!

Den: You've got six hours before you reach the moon. I'm calling for help!

Den switched communications systems, going to long-range. He aimed his transmitter at the Third moon and opened a com channel.

Den: Aram! Aram, do you read me?!

There was nothing but static.

Den: Aram, this is Den! Come in please!

There was static for a moment, but then Aram's voice came on.

Aram: Hey! Did you get my signal?

Den: Forget about your signal for a second! I need you off that moon and over on my end to help me!

Aram: Why? What's happened?

Den: Something's wrong with Melanie's Gundam! She has no control, and unless we find a way to stop it, it'll be in the hands of the Empire in six hours!

Aram: We're on our way!

The signal cut out. Den once again turned Golem towards Jubilee. He thought about the last thing Aram had said to him.

Den: 'We?'






Zechs: On maximum thrust, I'll outrun you.

Aram: It doesn't matter, the sooner we can save Melanie, the better.

Zechs: You speak as if you have feelings for this girl.

Aram: Not really for her, for Jubilee. We need all the Gundams we can get if my plan is going to work.

Zechs rolled his eyes. Tallgeese III and Arsenal were flying through space, having just cleared the atmosphere of the third moon. The Tallgeese began to accelerate, obviously going faster than Arsenal. It didn't accelerate much faster after its sensors began picking up something.

Zechs: I'm detecting something entering up through the atmosphere.

Aram checked his own sensors, which displayed the ascending object. He smiled.

Aram: Don't worry. That, my friend, is Gallant. Gallant is the Gundam that psycho Edmond pilots.

Zechs: 'Psycho?'

Aram: Just talk to him and look at some of his military tactics, then you'll see what I mean.

Zechs shrugged and opened up a communications channel to Gallant, who was in Wave Rider mode. The signal was acknowledged, and Edmond appeared on Zechs' screen. He narrowed his eyes at him.

Edmond: Who are you?

Aram: He's Zechs Marquise. He's some guy who saved me from oxygen depletion, and he's a little cuckoo up there.

Zechs rolled his eyes.

Aram: But recognize the material his Gundam is made out of?

Edmond looked over at his readings, his eyes going wide for a moment, and then returning to normal.

Edmond: The same as the Gundam we faced at Quetzia.

Aram: Yeah, I figure if something with that kind of armoring, we could stage a real assault on the Empire's main HQ. I mean, that alloy is indestructible!

Edmond: No it isn't. I destroyed that Gundam that we fought at Quetzia. Then I destroyed Quetzia. By the way, have either of you heard of a man named Char Aznable?

Zechs: No.

Aram: Nope. Well... Anyway, we've got a new problem. Melanie's Gundam's gone out of control, and it's headed for Thallos' first moon.

Edmond: WHAT?! Give me the coordinates!

Aram transmitted the coordinates, and Gallant immediately blasted out in the direction it was in.

Aram: See what I mean? Crazy.

Zechs sighed and engaged maximum thrust on the Tallgeese.






Melanie winced and kicked and punched at the controls.

Melanie: Damn it, work!

Melanie gave it one last kick, and still nothing worked. She put her face in her hands and sobbed, unable to do anything to stop her Gundam. She slowly looked up, seeing that she was three hours away from finally arriving at the moon. She sat back up in her seat, the blue leather one that she loved so much. She closed her eyes and began to focus. She focused her mind on her Newtype abilities, bringing them to a full peak. She directed them at her own Gundam, to search for the cause behind Jubilee's lack of response.

And she quickly found it.

Within the main control systems of the navigation and propulsion systems, a computer virus had rewritten the controls so that they were directed automatically, and not manually. The virus had been programmed to go off as soon as the autopilot was engaged. Melanie returned her mind back into herself, and opened her eyes.

Melanie: But how? How could a virus like that get to me? The only connection to a foreign system it had was that disk that that bitch Marianna-

Melanie realized it instantly. She gritted her teeth together.

Melanie: The disk. That murderer's disk did this!

Melanie slammed her fist down on the control console.

Melanie: By God, I'll rip you apart!

Den: Melanie!

Melanie looked back over at the communications console. She opened a channel with Den.

Melanie: Yeah?

Den: We're just about there. Any luck on your end?

Melanie: I found out the reason why this is happening. That disk Marianna gave me to locate her was actually a virus.

Den: She's a clever one, all right... However, we'll deal with her later. Our first priority is to get Jubilee away from that moon. You have no control whatsoever?

Melanie: None.

Den: Then we'll just have to pull you away.






The four Gundams all quickly approached Jubilee. Gallant and Tallgeese took hold of its arms, while Golem and Arsenal took its legs. Their reverse thrusters flared on, instantly pulling the Gundam away. From within it, Melanie smiled, loving the fact that these people were willing to help her. However, her smile faded as all the lights within the cockpit turned red.

Computer: Warning: Enemy units are attempting to commandeer unit. Engaging protocol 447. Auto-destruct sequence initiated. Five minutes until destruct.

Melanie gasped.

Melanie: WHAT?!

Melanie put her hands at the controls again, trying desperately to stop it. She sighed, realizing there was nothing she could do. She opened the channel once again.

Melanie: Guys, we have a new problem. Jubilee's activated a self-destruct sequence and there's no way I can stop it.

Edmond: How much time do you have?

Melanie: Four minutes, thirty seconds.

There was a brief pause.

Edmond: Get out of there, now. We'll pick you up and take you to safety.

Melanie sighed and closed the channel. She put her helmet back on to prepare herself for the vacuum of space. She looked all around the cockpit.

Melanie: Well, old girl, it seems we're going to be saying goodbye now. I know I've said over and over again how I hate you, and it's your fault that I didn't die along with my people, but the truth is that you saved my life, and I'm sorry that I have to leave you. Goodbye, Jubilee.

Melanie pulled the emergency release on the cockpit hatch, opening it up. She leapt out into the vastness of space, Gallant's hand catching her. The four Gundams quickly flew away, and Melanie looked back at Jubilee as it began to ignite in fire, several parts of it blasting off. Tears flowed down her face as the head exploded off, and the entire thing itself blew up.






To Be Continued...