Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Forgotten Worlds ❯ Martian Tears ( Chapter 2 )

December 195 A.C. (Hexadecmember M.Y. 103)

RABIN KIBBUTZ, SINAI PLANUM 1 , MARS

"Hurry up, Deborah," Miriam called to out to her sister, "Mom's waiting for us, and we're going to be late for class."

"I'm on my way," Deborah said as she made the final touch up on her black ponytail. She grabbed her college texts and headed out of the room. She joined Miriam, who gave her a look. Deborah glared back. "It's not like you don't take time with your hair."

"Girls, please," they heard their father say, "Don't start this. Now give your father a hug."

A smile worked on Miriam's face. "Always living each day as if it was the last, huh, Dad?" The girls hugged their father.

"What about me?" the girls' mother, Rachel, called out. "Don't I get a hug, Tashim?"

"And then some, my beloved Rach." He gave her a big hug and kiss. "Now you all better head over to the campus."

"Right," Rachel said, "Let's go, girls."

The three females headed for the garage. They got into the airtight car with Rachel at the driver's seat and the girls in back. They drove off into the Martian countryside. Rachel looked back at her daughters in back with strong admiration. Miriam was a pretty good student, doing very well with her studies in agriculture, which was very appropriate since the family business, or rather, the kibbutz's business, was in farming. She looked at the large glass Biosphere structures in the rearview mirror confident that they would be well taken care of. Deborah on the other hand was a history major. She had a fascination for history, especially the World War II era. Very bright for someone her age, she was sixteen and already attending the local college at Wellesville, the largest community on the planum.

As they drove, they listened to the radio: "...in other news, the transmissions seem to indicate that their conflict is reaching an apex. The opposing forces have already started what seems to be a final battle. And now for the weather. Today's forecast calls for clear skies with a mild minus ten degrees. Now here are some more tunes starting with Billy Joel." The radio then started playing Joel's "Going to Extremes."

Miriam sighed. "You know, I really wished I knew what they are fighting about."

"I'm not sure that they know what they are fighting about," Deborah replied.

"Well, at least, their squabbles are nowhere near here."

TIS CALIGULA, THE TROJAN FLEET

Tysyacha and Seratus, as well as a bright woman who had honey blonde hair down to her shoulders, were on the bridge when Gorzny, Lezare, and Hiliada joined them. "Ah, gentleman," Tysyacha said, "we are making the final approach to Mars. We will be in position in just a few moments."

"Good," Hiliada said, "The Earth Sphere have just started a 'battle to end all battles.'" He turned to a communications officer. "Are you keeping taps on them?"

"Yes, sir," the comm responded.

The helmsman spoke up. "Captain, Admiral, we are now in position."

"Good. Stand by," replied the blonde, female captain.

"Oh." Tysyacha said to the newcomers, "Allow me to introduce to the Gilgamish's captain: Alexandra Tusen. She shows great promise."

"A pleasure to meet you," Tusen said, "I look forward to giving you the best of my duties." She turned to Seratus. "We are in position now. Shall we deploy the communication dampeners?"

"Yes. Deploy them, but don't activate them." Seratus looked over to Hiliada. "We must wait until the perfect moment."

"I understand." She turned to Tysyacha, "Ready to give the command, Admiral?"

Tysyacha came forward to the comm, "Yes. Thank you, Tusen." The comm tuned him to the rest of the fleet. "Deploy the dampeners!"

All around the small fleet, hundreds of small box-like structures were released from the ships. With their small propulsion systems, they moved out ahead of the fleet to Mars. They stpped about twenty-five thousand kilometers away from Mars, just a little ways beyond the orbit of Deimos. There they moved to form a gigantic circular plane-like field, ten thousand meters in diameter. They each then unfolded their four solar panels, making them each like a cross.

"Good," Seartus said, "They are in position."

"Now what?" asked Tusen.

"We wait," said Hiliada.

LIBRA

The seven ISI agents were together in an isolated room, listening to Quinze over the comm. "Initializing final thrust. Evacuate at your own discretion. I pray for your safety." 3

"So that explains it," Huit commented, "He is a religious fanatic."

Shtatë was infuriated "What is it with these g** d*** mother f***ing a**holes and the horses they ride?! They have victory; the other side actually surrendered, and yet, they insist to kill the hostage. It would be best to just kill them all for the sake of the purity of the gene pool. Well, I'm sorry boys. This battleship will turn into a star before it becomes a meteor." Shtatë reached in a closet and pulled out what seemed to be a long black electronic piano. He opened its lid up, then reached down his shirt and produced a key attached to a small chain around his neck. He then looked at his second in command, Huit.

Huit understood. He knew what it was. His mind then went back to a few days ago.

"So that's it," Shtatë said, "White Fang wants to destroy the Earth with Libra. I've been given direct orders to see that they fail, and that the Earth is left pristine and undefiled for our conquest."

"So how are we going to do this?" Huit asked.

"We could easily make the reactor go to meltdown," Cxetiri commented, "although these idiots made this one ship so extravagantly massive, that it may not be enough."

"Our superiors thought of that, so they sent us a 'CARE package'." He went over to a corner of the storage room and pulled out a metal trunk. He opened it up to reveal what seemed be some large hand held computers, each about 20x30x4 centimeters.

"We are going to use office equipment?" one subordinate asked in back. "Or, what are they really?" he added with a smile.

Shtatë picked one up and cradled it in his hands, holding it up to his audience. "DTDs. Deuterium-Tritium Detonators. Nice guise, huh. This little thing has just the right amount of plutonium to initiate the reaction between the highest quality deuterium and tritium in the Solar System. When this little thing goes off, everything within a five hundred meter radius will be vaporized. Then, of course, there will still be substantial to anything a ways beyond that, especially if there is a medium to carry the shock." He put the DTD back into the trunk. "Mladenka, prepare a diagram for where these can do the best damage."

"Yes, Enver." She picked one up and handled it. "They should be easy to hide in any room. Behind a couch, inside a desk, even the last place someone would look for a bomb."

"Right out in the open?" Shtatë asked with a smile. Cxetiri nodded with a returned smile. She then pulled out her laptop and set down and started to work. "Good," Shtatë continued to the others, "As soon as she has it ready, I want you to all go about to assigned areas of Libra and place the detonators." He pulled out several detonators, then a large black box-like object that was on the bottom. "This here is the main control box that is used to detonate the DTDs. Oh, that reminds me. Louis, come forward." He produced two small thin plastic credit card sized packets, he handed one to Huit and broke the other one open producing a key on a chain. Huit did the same. "These are the keys to the control box. As second in command, you get the other key." He put the chain around his neck. Huit did likewise.

"Pattern ready, Enver." Cxetiri said.

"Good, let's assign the spots. Each person will take fifteen detonators and place five at a time. Take three trips. We will soon see what becomes of this "Operation Meteor."

Huit reached in his shirt and produced his key and came along side Shtatë. Together each man inserted his key into a slot in the keyboard, one on each side. Each man simultaneously turned his key ninety degrees to the right; a green light came on the keyboard. Shtatë then started pressing keys (pressing them right near the top of the key). Each key went straight down and did not come up. A yellow light came on right above each key. After Shtatë had punched in the right keys, he nodded to Huit. Huit nodded back, and each then turned his key one hundred and eighty degrees to the left. The green and yellow lights were replaced by red. Shtatë the closed up the keyboard with the keys still inside.

"O.K., the detonators are armed. Well, you heard the man, evacuate. I'll take the control box with me. I'll watch Libra from my shuttle, so I can see if it is necessary to detonate. Mladenka, come with me. The rest of you take care of yourselves and we'll meet up later. It's been a pleasure working with you. I look forward to working some more. Take care." He held up his marked hand in salute. "For the glory of the Empire."

"For the glory of the Empire." They all returned. They started to disperse.

Shtatë went up to Huit when most had left. "Oh, Louis, the reason I don't want you to come with me is that I have one more task for you. I don't care how you do it, but kill Quinze "

TIS CALIGULA , THE TROJAN FLEET

They were still waiting. They been monitoring communications being transmitted both to and from Mars, although those from were usually just from probes. The Martians, like the worlds assimilated into the Empire, kept themselves strongly isolated, so that they could be kept out of the Earth Sphere's contentions. But still, transmissions from the probes were constant, and although the dampener would be selective and allow those transmissions continue to Earth, there would still be a disruption in the signal. They would have to be activated at the right moment. So they waited, until...

"Sirs," the comm said. "Check this out. It's being sent all throughout the Earth Sphere." He activated a large screen on the bridge. The Epyon and Wing Gundam appeared on the screen in their fierce battle.

The High Command was able to catch the start of Une's monologue. "This battle holds no meaning to those on the colonies and the Earth. But this is a battle that must be fought. Because this is a battle by both to prot..."

"So, this is being broadcast over the entire Earth Sphere?" Grozny asked.

"Yes, sir," replied the comm.

"This is too good of an opportunity for us to pass up." Hilliada said, "Une is giving the whole Earth Sphere a show. They'll be too involved with it to bother with anything else, especially us."

"Assuming, of course," Tysycha interjected, "that she is still talking after all this time that it took the message to get here."

"It would have only taken several minutes. They'll still be dealing with the aftermath even if it just did get done."

"You're right," Grozny said, "Lezare, prepare your men. Seratus, activate the dampeners."

"Yes, sir," she replied and then pressed the button.

"'This battle holds no meaning to those on the colonies and the Earth,'" Grozny quoted, "Let's prove the b***h wrong."

WELLESVILLE 2 UNIVERSITY, SINAI PLANUM, MARS

Wellesville was first settled in the mid-Twenty-First Century of the Gregorian calendar. Although small at first, Wellesville grew when several settlements of Israelis were displaced by what once was known as the United Nations. Rather than settle to where they were told to, the settlers migrated to Mars as an act of defiance. Many were led by the Rabin family and founded a kibbutz. When attention was geared toward the creation of the Colonies and the After Colony calendar was implemented, the Martian settlements felt ignored and detached, and they welcomed it. Soon, all seven Martian settlements united into a republic and even implemented their own calender based on the Martian year. They lived in almost total isolation for decades, although they still kept in tuned with news and entertainment from Earth so that they would not fall too much behind. This was part of their emphasis on education and learning. Over the decades, prominent schools developed in the settlement, especially in Wellesville where a university grew.

Today, many of the students were going regularly about their classes and studying. However, a great deal of the students were tuned in to the battle of the Earth Sphere, especially in the Social Science classes. Une was finishing her speech. "...that lies beyo....is the ques...hat must be add...." The picture was then completely engulfed in static.

The staff and students at the tech building were the first on the problem.

"What happened to the picture? Have you figured out the problem yet, Terah? " asked a young Engineering major.

A young Electronics major was already working on the receiver and various other electronic equipment. "We lost the signal, Osiem," she replied, "In fact, we've lost everything."

"Even HBO?!" he responded nervously.

"Everything. The battle, all entertainment channels, even the time signal from Greenwich. In fact..." She made a few readings and calculations with the equipment before her South Asian features went as pale as possible.

"What is it, Terah?"

"I think we're being jammed. And, I mean the whole planet. I went all through the networks, and every settlement is having the same problem."

"Jammed? But who could possible be jamming us?"

"I don't know, but I am afraid we will soon find out."

PEACEMILLION

Quinze held his gun at the scientists, "You guys have caused me a lot of trouble...How many time must you interfere with our Operation Meteor..." 3

You've cost us a lot of trouble, too.. Huit thought from his position behind a wall a ways behind Quinze's back. And, if you don't mind [Huit raised his sub-machine gun] I'm going to interfere, too. Looks like they got the thing rigged up ready to go. He worked on steadying his weapon. Hope I'm sheltered from the explosion enough. He activated his laser sight.

"Shut up!" Quinze said, unaware of the glowing red dot on the back of his head.

Doctor J. pressed the button saying. "Looks like you'll have to let us interfere once more."

Me too. Huit fired right after Quinze did.

Quinze didn't remember firing. Time seemed to slow down. What was only a fraction of a second seemed like several seconds. He felt a strange sensation on the back of his skull. Darkness started to slowly gather around him before there was a great light around the scientists before him. Then darkness returned and prevailed.

Huit tried to duck behind the wall to avoid the explosion, but he was thrown around a bit and knocked dazed. It took him a few minuets to come to his senses. But one thing he did sense was Peacemillion's engines running. They did it. Well, that's all I can do to help them. I wonder if anyone survived. Well, I guess I'll check before I get out of here. Hmm, who knows? I might get a prisoner.

TIS CALIGULA, THE TROJAN FLEET

"Lezare, here," Lezare's voice came onto the bridge, "We are standing by."

"Good," Grozny replied, "Land your troops."

The drop ships launched from the cruisers

NEAR BRADBURG 4 , CHRYSE. PLANITIA, MARS

Hrand Kessan was preparing to go for a motorcycle ride. He had on his riding suit including helmet. It was all to protect him from the radiation as well as the cold and, of course, from getting hurt in an accident. He straddled the cycle and brought its electric motor roaring to life. He opened the doors to his garage of his rural house and headed out on the Martian terrain. Although roads on Mars were pretty undeveloped and thus rough, Kessan preferred to go off road.

He traveled for several kilometers before he noticed the large streaks in the sky. He stopped to observe them. It took him a while to notice that they were not coming straight down, but seemed to be gliding down in a controlled decent. It took him another moment to notice they were heading straight for Bradburg. He started to Bradburg. It was about fifteen kilometers to the city. He could tell that the streaks would get there before he did.

The drop ships landed about two kilometers away from the city. They opened up, allowing APCs (Armored Personal Carriers) and the AMCs (Armored Mobile Carriers) to deploy. Each carrier was like a large box with treads. Agents inside the biospheres would allow the carriers inside. When they would go inside, the carriers would open up, deploying the troops and vehicles. The vehicles included small "jeeps" and motorized bikes.

Lezare surveyed the scene from inside the lead APC along side his subordinate, Brigadier Jure Jedan. "The troops are deployed," Jedan breathed. "Things should be secure before too long."

"Problem, Brigadier?" Lezare asked.

"I'm just not sure about these penal regiments, Marshall. Are you sure they can be trusted? I mean we are practically letting them run loose."

"We are giving them a chance do what they do best. They seemed grateful when we offered the deal to them. They get to do mayhem, and we get to terrify the populous into submission. Besides, where are they going to go? They can't hide in the cities too well, and they can't survive on land. Just watch, Brigadier. You'll become a believer in these penal regiments too."

PEACEMILLION

"Louis, here." Huit said into his encoded narrow band communicator.

"Enver, here," came the voice from his comm. "How did you do? I can see that Peacemillion's fired up."

"Yes, my dear friend. And Quinze is dead. Shot him myself; on top of that he was blown to kingdom come. Maybe I was a bit hasty in shooting him, but not enough of the body is recognizable to determine that he was shot. Oh, yeah, the scientists are dead, too. Same explosion."

"And when they demilitarize, much of their knowledge will be destroyed, leaving us with most of their engineering studies. Is there anyone else on board?"

"I don't think so. Seems that everyone else bugged out."

"Good. Round up the other detonators. We can't risk them being discovered, and they might still be useful some day. Unfortunately one big piece of Libra is still going down and could still pose a problem. I'll limit the detonators to that. Good luck. "

"Yes, Enver."

WELLESVILLE, SINAI PLANUM, MARS

The members of the 16th Loki Penal platoon sped through the streets of the domed city. The platoon was lead by Lieutenant Ventuno and consisted of three squads. One squad was led by Sergeant Frank Sarver, another led by Sergeant Steven Evans, and the third by Sergeant Anica Sedam. Ventuno led his band of fellow enlisted convicts inflicting terror on the citizens by smashing windows, throwing firebombs, slashing people, and of course, random shootings. In short, acting more like wild ruffians than disciplined soldiers. Ventuno raised his hand held rail gun while he drove his jeep and shot a twenty-centimeter-long spike through an unfortunate bystander's head.

Corporal Tyrone Nelson called over from his bike to Sarver, "Hey, Frankie, check it out," he said pointing at a street sign, "This place has a university. You know what we'll find at an university."

"Nice, sweet little college girls?" Sarver laughed and called out to the rest of his squad, "Hee, hee, let's go."

Ventuno saw the two of them as well as the rest Sarver's squad rev up and drive off. Half of Evans' squad followed. Ventuno sighed. Following their glands again. Well, suppose I better make sure they still generally follow orders. He flicked on his com. "Sergeants Evans and Sedam, we better go after the others. Follow me." The rest of the platoon took off. "Oh and Evans, try to control your men a little more. OK?"

EARTH SPHERE

Shtatë was in his shuttle closely watching the last falling piece of Libra descending in the atmosphere. He already saw the most of the ship ascend when Peacemillion fired up. He already reprogrammed the keyboard so that only those detonators in the last section would detonate. He had his finger over the critical key. It's entering the atmosphere. I may still need to destroy it, but I'll wait until it's fifty kilometers above...wait, it's the Wing Zero. He's going to use the buster rifle. Good, I guess every bit could help. I am not sure how much of a difference this will make, but it should ensure to get rid of any evidence of the detonators. Shtatë pressed the key just as the beam hit the piece. The explosions from the beam and the detonators swallowed each other up so that they were indistinguishable. Shtatë smiled as he saw the streaks in the atmosphere. Whether or not we helped, it's done, and their war is over.

BRADBURG, CHRYSE. PLANITIA, MARS

Kessan watched from cover as the carriers poured into the city. He just watched in awe and horror he heard minute sounds of war coming from the domes. After several minutes, he saw one APC leave the city and head out for the boonies in the opposite direction from the drop ships. Wondering what they were up to, he straddled his bike and followed. They drove for several kilometers before stopping near a ridge. The APC opened and out came Lezare in a protection suit followed by Jedan, also in a suit. Then came out several other people not in suits. Kessan recognized them as the president of the Martian Republic, the vice-president, and several members of the legislator as well as many local governing leaders. Soldiers who were wearing suits herded them out. As soon as the leaders got out, the cold hit them hard. They also tried to hold their breaths in the thin low oxygen atmosphere. Then the leaders were lined up against the wall-like ridge. They soldiers also lined up as a firing squad. Jedan raised his hand and gave the ready-aim-fire-commands. The soldiers fired. As the bullets hit the leaders, blood shot out into the low-pressure environment and quickly evaporated. The leaders slumped over dead. Lezare and the others got back in the APC and left. Kessan, with tears in his eyes, fell to his knees sickened by the sight swearing justice will be done.

There similar cases all over Mars. Soon Trojan control was secure. The dampeners were allowed to allow the broadcasts from Earth. There was a cheerful celebration displayed on the monitors. The Martian people couldn't share in joys. Instead they sorrowfully cried for their loss.

December 31 A.C.195

COLONY L2

Shtatë and his fellow ISI agents were gathered together for a New Year's party. Like the rest of the Earth Sphere, they were celebrating something else besides the New Year, but that something was slightly different. Wine was poured into glasses and then Shtatë stood up.

"My dear fellow ISI agents and Party members. Tonight we celebrate a year of triumph. A year that despite much strife and intrigue, we were able to conduct an exceptionally successful espionage campaign against the entire Earth Sphere right under their very noses, no matter what faction they belonged to. A campaign that will benefit the Empire and bring us closer to victory and total conquest of the entire Solar System." He raised his glass. "For the Party and its Empire!"

"For the Party and its Empire!" they echoed with a returned toast.

After a quick sip, Shtatë continued, "Now I have an announcement to make. Huit, Cxetiri, and I are to be rewarded for our achievement. We are to rendezvous with the Caligula in a few days as they return to Jupiter from our victory at Mars. In the mean time, Captain Andrej Devät will be in charge. But I must add the achievement belongs to us all; you will all be rewarded through me. Lieutenant Cxetiri, is our shuttle ready?"

"Yes, sir. Are we going to the them about Ms. Darian's fantasy?" She said.

"Of course," he smiled, "no matter which fantasy you are talking about. Oh, you better take all your stuff, I'll explain later."

January A.C. 196

TIS CALIGULA

Shtatë, Huit, and Cxetiri, each promoted to the next rank, were seated in the boardroom with the High Command.

"So Libra is destroyed?" Tysycha asked.

"Yes," Cxetiri responded. "What was not blasted away is being gutted. Speaking of which, we were able to retrieve all DTD's that were not detonated ."

"And the other armaments?" Lezare asked.

"Most of the standard Mobile Suits and Dolls are being dismantled. The Gundams are being placed in an asteroid and are being sent to the sun."

"Fresh for the taking," Seartus said, "they obviously won't miss what they wanted to destroy."

"Unfortunately," Shtatë interjected, "the Barton Foundation has been keeping a low profile and are still a threat and are working on Mobile Suits of their own. When they move, the Gundams may be retrieved. They better stay there, at least for a while longer."

"We could at least send in a team to study them."

"Yes, and since, Cxetiri knows them better than anyone else. I think it would best that she lead the team. Wouldn't you all agree?"

They all nodded in agreement. Hilliada put out his hand to Cxetiri. "Congratulations on your new transfer. We'll work through the paper work."

"Thank you, Supreme Director, Shtatë already discussed this with me and he already did the paperwork on my side." She pushed over several papers, "Just needs to be processed through HQ."

"Good," Grozny said, "Anything else?"

"Yes, sir," Shtatë said, "It would seem that we secured Mars just in time. Now that the conflict is over, Darian, now Foreign Minister is pushing for a project to terraform Mars."

"Preposterous!" Serratus spat. "Doesn't she know it's impossible?"

"The point is she wants to send teams to Mars to do it. It will be impaired for a while, due to the demilitarization, but she does have a lot of support. It's a not if but when situation. So I would like to get back as soon as I can further inhibit it."

"Very well," Hilliada stood up, followed by others. Hilliada saluted Shtatë, "Dismissed."

December A.C. 196

GUNDAM ASTERIOD

Cxetiri sat cross-legged among the scattered parts of the dissected Wing Zero. She made sure that her staff of agents and engineers knew exactly how they took the Gundams apart so they could be put together again. She also wanted them to go over every square micron if possible. It had been over nine months of work, but it had been worth it. The knowledge obtained from the work had been invaluable. She was examining a large circuit board when she was notified of an incoming encoded transmission. She went to take it. It was from Shtatë, and she was not surprised what he had to say. When it was over, she went to her staff.

"Okay, now listen up. That was Shtatë. The Barton Foundation has just made its first move, kidnapping Darian. I don't know if they have deployed their Serpents, but we better close up shop. We've already gotten enough information about those schoolboys' machines to give them a run for their money. Now get going. I want us out of here in eight hours."

January A.C. 197

TROJAN IMPERIAL HQ, TROS , GANYMEDE

"So," Grozny said, "the Gundams and all other Mobile Suits are destroyed."

"It would seem so," Hilliada confirmed, "The fools are diminishing their defenses. However, now that war efforts are practical nil, Darian's terraforming project is progressing. It already has been given the go ahead. Her brother and his lover have already been selected for the mission."

"Why is she pushing the impossible?" Seratus exclaimed, "Doesn't she know terraforming is impossible?"

"Don't forget," Lezare said, "Darian is just a politician not a scientist...uh, no offense, fellow Party members."

"None taken," Hilliada chuckled, "but don't worry, Shtatë has already gotten to work on it. Now of course, we can't do assassinations; that would stir up too much trouble. So that leaves sabotage, but of course this could also stir up trouble if not done right."

"So, what is 'done right'?" Seratus asked.

"Well, sabotage that does not look like sabotage. Something like cut wire would be obvious, but a defective part, a part that slipped through the cracks of inspection, would be less apparent. Shtatë already has agents infiltrated in the factories that produce the parts for the craft to take the project to Mars. Several parts will fail within on a few million kilometers of Earth. So they'll have to return."

"So they'll try again with stricter inspections. Have you thought on that?"

"Not only did we think of that, we are counting on it. Other parts will fall through the cracks and we will infiltrate inspection at every level. In the mean time, all these failures and extra inspections are going to make the project's price skyrocket; we estimate over ten times. Also, we will infiltrate (and create) special interest groups opposed to the project: environmental, anti-spending, etc. Soon this pet project will be perigon holed. Just as Lezare pointed out, Darian is a politician. It's politics that's driving this project and it will be politics that kill it."

"Beautiful job, Supreme Secretary," Grozny clapped, "ISI is worth every credit that is put into it. With you, victory will be ensured."