CHAPTER 3- TWISTS OF FATE

After the OZ takeover of almost all of Earth, the R&D team at Baikonur Base, as well as a few hundred civilans are en route to the Moon, where Walker, now in his identity as Phantom Scorpio, hopes to get away from all the carnage on Earth. Things aren't going so smooth, though...

<Otto>: Everyone on board seems anxious, boss.

<Scorpio>: I'm not surprised. Nobody's been to the far side of the Moon since they shut down the Lunar bases. Word is, their atmosphere generators were attacked by rebels or something...perfect for our terrafrom specialists.

<Noventa>: You plan to live here? This is more like a graveyard than a promised land...

<Scorpio>:It'll be OK once we get the complexes up and running. The agro guys from Almaty say they've got synth soil for us to use to feed everyone else. Given time, we might actually become our own space

(Scorpio lies back in his chair): Aaaah...finally..something to look forward to.

<Twins>: Boss, we've got trouble. I detect about 15 Toruses on our

tail. They're OZ, judging by their markings. We haven't

refined our weapons systems for MS combat yet! Request

assistance!

<Scorpio>: Space Leos and Toruses, repel the intruders!Scramble!

(Space Leos and Toruses launch)

<Twins>: There's a Gemini cruiser following us! We can't outrun it!

<Scorpio>:Mardyev, load up Phantom Scorpio again.

(Phantom Scorpio rolls out into the hatch):We've gotta buy them some time to escape! Noventa, you;re in charge here! Otto, keep the ship steady now!

<Noventa>: I'm senior officer here-

<Otto glares at him>: You're gonna be a senior corpse if you don't shaddap!

<Scorpio>: Fire away! (PS launches)

Torus group form up on their squad leader to engage the other OZ Toruses, while Space Leos bunch up and use the Space lasers to attack the Gemini. The Gemini suffers heavy damage, but ploughs foward. The Aquarius' guns blaze at it, but it begins to approach ramming speed. People are panicking inside.

Phantom Scorpio finishes off the OZ Torus commander, but the Gemini is almost at pointblank range. One ram, and the Aquarius will split right open.

<Scorpio>: Dammit! All you guys, get under it and full thrust! We have to push the ship away somehow!

<Torus/Space Leos/Pisces>: Yes, sir!

<Scorpio>: Man! (Thrusters blaze full as PS tries to move the burning Gemini

towards the surface of the Moon.Other units pitch in as well)

Scorpio's gambit works as the Gemini shifts direction. Folks cheer as the Gemini moves away from them. The ship itself though, plummets to the Moon surface. Phantom Scorpio is caught under the ship and falls along with it.

<Scorpio>: Oh Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!!! (Falls with the Gemini- the mecha's left arm is trapped under the Gemini)

<Otto>: Boss! Troopers, look for the boss!He's gotta be there!

<Noventa>: That man is ...amazing!He saved all those people by boosting!

<Otto>: That's why he's boss. We'd do the same for him. We're like family here at the base. Maybe coz he's Scorpio, he calls us Scorpions.

Scorpio screams. He is trapped under an entire Gemini cruiser. His left mecha arm is totally crushed, and his real arm is bleeding. If the arm is not removed, his real arm may snap as well. Scorpio launches the Scorpion Magno-Claw as a distress flare and is picked up by searching Torus suits.

They are forced to amputate the mecha's left arm to remove the rest from the wreckage. A quick scan of the Gemini shows that all its crew died.A week later, they try to salvage their boss' left mecha arm, with him in a sling.

---BURNING BAIKONUR BASE---

<Zechs>:There's nothing here. These Scorpions you spoke of are very thorugh.

<Noin>:Zechs! Look! (Points out Salvage crew member carrying a burned uniform) You there! Let me see that!

<Soldier>:We found this near the wrecked Scorpio suit. He must have exited the craft before it was destroyed.

<Noin>: Fighting to the death....he believed in that. He shouldn't have exited the MS! Against a maniac like that 'Phantom Scorpio' that's suicide! I can't believe he would throw away his life like this!Oh Walker...

<Zechs>:No,Noin. He went out of his mecha because it wasn't enough. You know Walker as well as I do. He tried to eliminate this opponent by taking control of his mecha. Judging by all these blast marks on the floor and walls, it must have been quite a struggle. It's a pity we don't have his services anymore.

<Noin punches Zechs>: Zechs!How could you say that? You think of him as just another soldier?? He's more than that! He was our friend, our brother almost! I can't take your coolness about this! We lost our closest friend, and all you can think of is his brains? Zechs! Where's your heart?? I can't believe you actually said those things! How could you??

(Noin grabs Zechs. However, she notices a single tear fall from Zechs' cheek)

<Noin>: Zechs....? Zechs?I'm sorry..I...

<Zechs>: Noin, I'm actually very torn up inside. Part of me feels like going off and finding Walker's killer . I feel like I want to rip this guy's head off and shoot HIM full of holes! However, this is not what Walker would want...he told me once in Academy that revenge is for fools..justice would be sweeter. Justice leaves a sweeter taste in your mouth. That is why Colonel Trieze wants to take over the Alliance. For justice. Holding back the anger is the true fight, Walker said...

I will miss him for that, Noin. But I apologize.....I should have thought about your feelings.

(Zechs and Noin hold each other. Zechs rests Noin's head on his shoulder)

<Noin>: Walker.....I hope you're in a better place.Zechs and I will keep your ideals alive...and your fuzzy dice..(forces a smile)

<Zechs, whispering>: Extreme, that one.

---GEMINI CRASH SITE, ONE WEEK LATER---

<Scorpio>:Oooowww! God Damnit! Go easy with the arm!(Crane lifts out arm)

<Otto>: Right now, your real arm is the one that needs working on. It's been in a sling for quite a while now.

<Noventa>: That was a really good thing you did out there, son. Saving all those people made you their hero. You sure have my respect. But tell me, are you a secret Alliance branch or something? You don't seem to like OZ very much.

<Scorpio>: We don't work for anyone. We're the Scorpions. We're building Scorpion Base now as we speak. This will be the dawn of a new lunar age. I know it sounds really cheesy,but its all we have left.

<Noventa>: Who's going to stop OZ? They'll attack the colonies next, if nobody does anything.

<Scorpio>: The colonies have the Gundams to protect them. I;m not worried. They are excellent warriors, plus they're made out of Gundanium. Makes em almost invulnerable.

<Mardyev butts in >: About that ,sir.... we can't get any to repair your MS...

<Scorpio>: Why not? We lost the parts on Tallgeese?

<Mardyev>: Aquarius and Pisces are still under repair. It's essential we use all of our remaining Gundanium to fit our spaceworthy vessels, lest they fall under attack. The terraforming and agro crews need it too. We can't think of suits all the time, Scorpio....

<Scorpio>: Dang. I'll take a walk, near that site over there...You're right, Mardyev....we're not killer suit designers...I'm taking Phantom out. Maybe there's something we can salvage from that mess.

(Points to ruined colonies in background)

<Noventa>: Good idea, son. The air should do you good. But I don't recognize those designs..they must be really old. I believe those are the Neo colonies

from 1000 years back. Hard to imagine the Side colonies actually being based on them...

(Otto looks suspicously at Noventa)

<Noventa>: For your information, I was a history major.

(Otto and Scorpio) Ooooooh.(Nod)

<Scorpio>:Come with me, Field Marshall. Maybe you can help me with these old ruins. Otto, you're top till I get back. Dig?

<Otto>: Deep.

(Noventa and Scorpio go through the crashed ruins of the Neo Colonies)

<Noventa>: Why do your people call you 'boss' and not 'Sir'?

<Scorpio>:I'm not their master. I'm not even a soldier.

<Noventa>: 300 people on Aquarius might disagree. You were superb out there against the Gemini. Then again, scientists can be heroes too. Your lieutenant down there seems to follow your every word....

<Scorpio>: Otto? He's been my aide ever since I graduated from Academy. He's slightly younger than me, so we're more like brothers. He saved the base a lot of money, although I don't know how... he's good people, like you. Too bad you couldn't make peace with OZ around...

<Noventa>: Yes, I had a feeling the Specials were up to something. That Trieze is a young gun much like yourself.He doesn't know what he's up against. Now the wrath of the Gundams will be upon him. I can only watch as more people die..it eats at my soul...

<Scorpio>: Don't worry, Noventa. We'll try to help you best we can here. First order of business is to build this colony up from scratch.

Then we'll see about getting you back.

<Noventa>: I appreciate your offer, but I'm in this as much as you and Otto are.Maybe we can make something out of this. By the way, just call me Noventa. With OZ in control, I really have no rank anymore.

<Scorpio>: OK, Noventa. Welcome on board. Now does this place ring any bells? Looks older than the complex from the old Lunar colony.

<Noventa>: This looks like a Neo colony, judging by its domed roof. These were built about a century ago, when Earth's nations waged a 'Gundam fight' for power.

<Scorpio>: Another war...

<Noventa>: No, it was more like a tournament. Each nation had its champion. According to these pennants, the last winners were from Neo Japan, here in the colony we stand in.

<Scorpio radios other salvage crew>: You guys found anything?

<Crew>: Affirmative. We've found frozen stocks of fuel and possibly edible cheese-goutomate-fibre extract.

<Scorpio>:Cheese pizza?

(Crew member nods and glances at Gundam Italia's shell):Perfectly frozen.

<Noventa>: This data on this terminal is pretty heavy. There are a lot of manuscripts and irrational data clusters here.Wait...here are some schematics....Scorpio, look at this!

(Scorpio peeks over Noventa's shoulder)

<Scorpio>: Rain..Mika...Mura.. Old mobile suits? Seems they've been around longer than we think.

<Noventa>: According to the recoverable data, it seems that a powerful suit was built here by a Professor Mikamura...maybe that's the Rain mentioned earlier.Apparently,this suit was to be made to be the most powerful of all suits in order to defeat all its competitors.

<Scorpio>: Heh. That thing would probably be two seconds' lunch for the Gundams.

<Noventa>: That's the thing, Scorpio. It IS a Gundam.There are others too, including an amalgamated version of several Gundams.

(Scorpio's eyes go wide open. A Gundam,from so long ago?):How is that possible, Noventa? Could there have been more powerful machines way back then?

<Crew>: Sir, we're headed back to Pisces. We've taken all we can from the ruins. No Gundanium ,though.

<Scorpio>: Affirmative. Save some pizza for us. Noventa, was there a last fix on the location of these Gundams?

<Noventa>: Most were destroyed by their own pilots after the Sides came together thanks to the Yuy family, roughly about 50 years ago.Some of these units, however have been listed as 'disabled'. Perhaps..LOOK OUT!

Noventa dives to push Phantom Scorpio away (He's in a Leo). A cave in,caused by their mecha's weight, almost buried both of them. The one armed Phantom Scorpio mech digs both MS's out to find a robot arm. The arm gives off several readings, which is unusual as it is not attached to its body. Noventa punches up the schematics.

<Noventa>: This belongs to....a Gundam! Amazing! It's still active! Suggest we take it back to base camp for study.

<Scorpio>: Hmmmm(Looks at is mecha's left arm). If it's not radioactive,pick it up and hoist it. Right now, we need all the spare parts we can get.

<Scorpio,thinking to himself>: We're not the Sanq Kingdom. We will have to defend ourselves sooner or later...

-----ZECHS' BASE----

<Zechs>: Tallgeese is ready?

<Soldier>: Yes Sir. Baikonur sent it before it was destroyed. It was really difficult to move, being really enormous.

<Zechs: Walker....you have helped me again. Even after your death...That's another one I owe you.

<Noin,in the hangar>: It's a monster!

<Soldier>: This video message from the test pilot came with it...uh..and the bill..

<Noin>:A message?

<Soldier>: Uhm ma'am, about the bill....

<Noin>: We'll take care of the bill, soldier. Back to your post.

(Zechs comes down to the hangar)

<Zechs>: Tallgeese, I presume. What's this, Noin?

<Noin>:The bill.

<Zechs>:HUH?

<Noin>:They built it out of very rare and expensive materials. You should commend them. Take that rifle over there. These specs say that it's actually a modified cannon. The thruster specs are wrong, I think...nobody could handle this much...except you, Lieutenant.

<Zechs>: You overestimate me, Noin. Who was its test pilot?

<Noin opens the video message>: It's Walker!

<Walker>: Hi kids! Thought you'd want to know, your baby is ready and its a spanking baby boy! Darn Zechs, those thrusters are killer! Almost dang near broke my neck! But hey, after a while, you'll get used to it.I know you can manage! Say hi to Lucy for me! I've got a bet with Otto that you won't pass out first time!Don't disappoint me Marquise!And look!No fuzzy dice!:) Ciao, folks! Better be making babies when I see you again! -out-

<Zechs>: He piloted the Tallgeese. Amazing.This suit will kill anyone who isn't prepared for it.But Walker isn't just anyone. Neither am I...for the liberation of Earth's nations, I will go in Tallgeese.

<Noin>: Lieutenant....? Are you really going to do it?

<Zechs>: Walker customized it to my specifications. I wouldn't want to disappoint him now. Not after all his crew's hard work and dedication. All this, so I can take back the Sanq Kingdom.

<Noin>:You can't!The power will surely shock your system! You heard what Walker said. It almost broke his neck! And I'm sure he's not kidding!

<Zechs>: Maybe I'm rushing things, yes. I have to get used to it first. But there's so little time. Sanq Kingdom is the next objective.

<Noin>: Zechs, Walker's already gone.....don't die on me too. (Looks into Zechs' eyes)

<Zechs>; I have Walker's blessing. No one but him and I can pilot this suit. I have to take up the responsibility of freeing Earth instead of him. Dying...is not in the plan. Not yet, anyway.

<Noin>: Now about this bill...

<Zechs>: Maybe OZ should take over a gold mine.(Smiles)

(Noin smiles) :Thank you, Walker. (Looks to the sky)Zechs still wants to live...

---Scorpion Base---

<Mardyev>: You found this arm in the colony ruins?

<Scorpio>: Right. Mardyev, I know it sounds wierd,but I was thinking....

<Mardyev>: Attach it to PS? It looks possible, as long as you can take the uneven weight. We might help you there with gyros, but it seems to have a mind of its own. It's forcefeeding information into our computers. Nothing dangerous, but we don't know for sure what it's trying to say.

<Noventa>: Maybe it wants to return to its body.

The arm leaps from its examination table. Techs scramble as it flies around. It bashes through a wall ,where Phantom Scorpio is under repair. Even mobile suits run away from it, as it heads for the Phantom. Scorpio and the others run to the repair bay, but the arm attaches itself to the damaged MS. The computer screen comes alive. Domon Kashu's face appears on screen.

<Domon>: To you who have awakened God Gundam. It has chosen your fighter because it senses your inner desire for honour and justice.

You, who God Gundam has chosen to fight with, are heir to mine and Master Fuhai's legacy. There are others who have attempted to use it for evil, and they all have perished because of it. I'll be long gone by this time,but the cry for help is so loud as to tear heaven apart!

All of our teachings are in GodGundam. If it has reawakened, it will

show you.

<Fuhai>: Therefore you must be in a serious situation. That is why God Gundam has reawakened. It senses that justice has once again been used to fight the weak into submission... Look! Toho is burning red! Return to Earth, warriors of Neo Japan! Before it destroys itself again!

<Scorpio>: Return...to Earth?

<Otto>: Somebody go to commercial....

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