Shin Kidou Senki Gundam W: Frozen Teardrop - LightNovelsOnl.com
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[translation] Frozen Teardrop, Chapter 2 part 2
Van Khushrenada effected similar reforms in the Alliance Headquarters as he had in the Foundation. He removed the old soldiers who were often ridiculed for being steeped in senility. For the surpeme commander of the Alliance, he installed Kyrie atalonia as a general; and for the OZ Specials, in battle he awarded them the privilege of independent action at any time [and for any reason] Kyrie who held the post of commander in chief of the Specials but essentially, it is thought that Treize Khushrenada fulfilled that capacity.
If you think of this as "pure potential" instead of "harvesting fruit to green to be picked" then this was the only time where Van Khushrenada could have made all those decisive reforms. Van distributed the wealth of the foundation very nearly equally and this made for more powerful cooperation within Romefeller. However, Treize's enrollment in OZ was special. Vast operating capital was given to OZ from the Foundation. They [OZ] were undoubtedly the ones who could use the mobile suits with profitable results and no one could complain about the economic benefits [made possible by the use of mobile suits].
During those six months, Van's reforms stayed on track for the most part. Of course, some [opposed the change and] said [Van was taking] it too fast. By this time, however, the Khushrenada family had vast power within the Romefeller Foundation. There was a thorough-going system whereby objectioners immediately found themselves in a minority faction and regardless of [social] standing, if it was someone spoke out against Romefeller, they ultimately either received a sinecure or were driven out of the Foundation.
Why did Van continue this out and out reform? At the time, no one understood the deeper meaning.
Similarly, Treize completed his own system[atic reforms within OZ]. With the mobile suits now joining the fighting, the Alliance's overwhelming military power was quite firm. Treize's suggestion of tactical level mobile suit use permeated [OZ and/or the Alliance] and nearly all disputed and internal conflicts were concluded with much the same results as his first battle [that is to say 'decisive' and 'total']. However, the Rebellion was also establis.h.i.+ng a mobile suit corps and when facing other mobile suits, it was increasingly difficult [to fight] with the diverse tactics. Treize would, in those situations, devise a new strategy and give new instructions without regard for the Alliance staff officers. From the [new] data collected he would knit his [new/revised] plan (lit: tactics). Naturally, as the instructor at Lake Victoria, he taught his cadets these new tactics and effective strategies. Furthermore, that practical application was put into actual practice in mock battle and Treize drilled the cadets to think on their own [about strategy, presumably...] And through continual drilling, they acc.u.mulated valuable experience equal to that of real battle. It was certain he was raising excellent soldiers.
Take action as you deem appropriate.
For future soldiers.
This was the slogan Treize delivered without exception. In the future, Zechs Merquise and future Lake Victoria instructor Lucretia Noin learned the drills at this time. Those words were comprised the most helpful phrases [they learned].
That point would become a huge difference between the Alliance mobile suit corps and the OZ Specials.
AC 186 SUMMER
Essentially, tactics and strategy are not [set in stone (lit: common sense, standard practice)]; it was vital to gather, mull over, and sublimate (to the self) knowledge garnered from the history of war, military theory, battlefield a.n.a.lysis and the like and see if all that could be put into actual practice. That was what Treize advocated in cla.s.s. As such, even with mobile suit warfare being mainstream, the principle [theory and rules] of past battle actions [must be understood in order to] continue drafting new tactical plans, he added.
A good example of this was the Ocean of Storms War, also known as the First Lunar War: a huge war fought between mobile suits.
The laborers at the Marius Plant had been the ones to start the war. Despite Van's reforms that shortened work hours, living for extended periods of time on the moon lead to great (lit: the epitome of) dissatisfaction. For a human, [living on the moon with its] one sixth of Earth's gravity can be pleasant for the first several days. However, after about a month, the stress builds up and sleep and rest lose all meaning. [Although] the factory head and plant manager lived with those same conditions, they did not sympathize with the laborers' horrible working conditions and did not [even] discuss it with the laborers. Antagonism between the management and laborers became violent and eventually, an accident at the fusion reactor lead to a strike and that became a demonstration [against management]. At that time, if the management had made the effort to bridge the gap between them and the laborers, the [whole thing] may not have escalated. However, the b.u.mbling management requested Alliance forces stationed at the Silent Sea on the moon to take control of the situation. The Alliance, for the purpose of currying favor with the Romefeller Foundation, was quick to send three Chimera ((Leo II)) and they suppressed the laborers demonstration with military force. This only enraged the laborers who then took ten of the new model Chimera ((Leo III)) and attacked the Alliance's Chimeras, which were summarily defeated.
There were leaps and bounds of technical innovation. The newly manufactured Chimera that the laborers piloted were more excellent than those the Alliance soldiers had. Of course, that the laborers piloted a greater number of machines than the soldiers was also a predominant cause their success. There was also a repertoire the laborers had with their tools [the mobile suits] borne of a daily use that even the professional soldiers couldn't match. As a result, the laborers came to occupy the Marius Plant and all the soldiers and management were turned out. One resistance group after another began to arrive at the Marius Plant. Especially from colonies L-1 and L-2, which were closest to the moon. The smoldering remains of the anti-Alliance [#3] highjacked shuttles and a.s.sembled [on the moon] by the dozens. They didn't need weapons; even if they arrived empty handed, they could get brand new Chimera at the plant. The plant could roll out ten mobile suits a week so it took two months for them to prepare enough suits to equal the forces of the Alliance. The problem wasn't the machines but the pilots; however, there were already some fifty terrorists and anti-Alliance soldiers and it wasn't more than a few days before there were some one hundred pilots for one hundred Chimera and the corps was completed.
The lunar s.p.a.ce forces at the Silent Sea base were indignant about the rebellion.
"This is no laughing matter," said the commander, General Million Liddell-Hart. He was the supreme commander of the lunar s.p.a.ce forces. "The moon will fall into the rebel's hands."
He immediately sounded out Brigadier General Kyrie at the Alliance Unification Headquarters for permission to mount a full attack with the Alliance s.p.a.ce forces. The extent of the firepower at the lunar base consisted of the following: 40 s.p.a.ce-worthy Chimera, 20 s.p.a.ce fighters; 10 lunar-surface worthy Tragos (Tragos II); a Sagittarius, a battles.h.i.+p so huge it should have been called a mobile fortress; and its sister shop the Centaurus. General Million believed that even if he faced an opposing force of 100 Chimera at Marius Plant, with those two behemoth battles.h.i.+ps, he would gain an easy victory. Those battles.h.i.+ps were not capable of flight. Honestly, they were not (battles.h.i.+ps), nor were they even (boats). They were more like giant tanks that moved like caterpillars. It was their navigation of the lunar oceans (which were actually "seas" of sand and rock that had acc.u.mulated in craters) that made General Million refer to them, almost entirely out of his own personal tastes, as "battles.h.i.+ps." Nonetheless, with its twenty-five triple barrel 260 mm gun towers; two 1300 mm beam canons; one hundred double barrel machine guns; and a total length exceeding three hundred meters, the Sagittarius and Centaurus truly were imposingly majestic to see. It is said the firepower was along the lines of fifty Chimera and fifty Tragos. Sagittarius and Centaurus could both face one hundred mobile suits [easily].
"Just looking at the numbers, it's plain that we will win!" That is what General Million planned Liddell-Hart believed, he was the last of the great [dreadnought blockade advocates #1] of the late AC era [oh, so would seem to imply that AC ended pretty d.a.m.n quick after the original run of GW. Also: AC is definitely after the Common Era and we were almost 200 years into AC history at the start of GW. At the start of Frozen Teardrop, we're in MC-022. Which makes ME wonder why the h.e.l.l Sumizawa is using all these references to Napoleon and Hitler and scores of historical military figures. Not just to explain military theory, but for character names (e.g. there was some English military dude in the late 18th century named Liddell-Hart and that's where I the hyphenated spelling of the name. I guess it's "accurate" but honestly, who the f.u.c.k knows? I mean, is this recycling/borrowing just supposed to reinforce that history repeats itself?]
At the same time, General Million planned the construction of s.p.a.ce fighters-- battles.h.i.+ps equipped to both navigate s.p.a.ce and attack [there]-- in an effort to help piracy from increasing. Until that time, while there had been s.p.a.ce convoys (troop s.h.i.+ps) a s.p.a.ce battles.h.i.+p had not existed. That was due to the fact that both the Alliance and OZ decided it [i.e. the s.p.a.ce battles.h.i.+p] was no necessary. It was only natural to think that and up until that point in history, there had never once been a [military] (lit: naval) engagement where s.p.a.ce served as the battlefield. Both s.p.a.ce [worthy] battles.h.i.+ps and fleets of s.p.a.ce worthy craft were things relegated to [science] fiction-- a dream within a dream. Nevertheless, General Million was effecting a plan to make that dream a reality. To draw up the plans for the construction of s.p.a.ce fighters, he asked Mike Howard, resident technician instructor [instructor of technology?]. The name of the vessel had already been decided: Peacemillion. Superficially, the name was intended to provoke a feeling of peace for all mankind, but the name rather had the impression of General Million trying to sell himself first and foremost. In fact, ensuing large battles.h.i.+ps of this type were thereafter referred to as being in the "Peacemillion" cla.s.s. However, it was AC 195 when the [original] Peacemillion was completed, six years after [the Lunar Wars]. Howard, who was in charge of the [blueprints], was very particular bout the propulsion engine and delay after delay in the plans was caused by slow progress in achieving the kinds of power (lit: ability) necessary to carry the s.h.i.+p beyond the solar system. General Million didn't live to see the completion of the s.h.i.+p which bore his name. The Peacemillion would go on to be piloted [used] by Milliardo Peacecraft and Howard; and even later, as a supply and preparation aircraft carrier for the mobile suits used by the gundam pilots.
At the Alliance Unification Headquarters on Earth, they were desperate for finding some way to quell General Million's youthful vigor. Of course, the Marius Plant's being occupied by its laborers and rebels was something they wanted to take care of immediately. However, the problem like in General Million's personally. He was famous for advocating the use of big guns [this is the same expression as appears before at note #1], [he would] probably use the giant beam canon on the lunar battles.h.i.+ps, blow the whole plant to kingdom come, and drive out the enemy Chimera. Even in the [good old days], it was clear he was thinking of (opening) war on the moon.
"That," Van was the first to speak from among all the fresh faced generals, "from a strategic point of view will not lead to victory," he cooly judged. "Our primary goal is to recapture the Marius Plant. If the plant is destoryed, by enemy or ally, it will be a failure on our part."
"Mr. Van, if we had Romefeller's power [influence/money], surely we could [simply] rebuild a plant or three," said Lieutenant General Venti who was sitting [across] (lit: confronting/holding his own) from Van as per usual.
"The Foundation's budget cannot afford the luxury of being entrusted in the incompetent hand of military personnel."
"Then is there another effective means to work out this problem?"
"We shall have the Specials head directly to the site. I wish General Liddell-Hart would refrain from opening hostilities until they arrive."
"In that time, the enemy's power will just grow [stronger]," said General Noventa aptly after considering the situation. The Chimera's would increase at a rate of 10 per week. For Treize to leave Lake Victoria and arrive at the moon and prepare for battle, it would take at least seven days. The enemy would be in possession of 110 brand new (new model) Chimera. They would be overwhenlmed by the [sheer] size [of the rebel force]/
"[If we wait for the Speciats, t]he war we could win [now] will become impossible to win [then].
"......" Van said nothing. It was cla.s.sified Romefeller information, but [actually,] there was an important resources deposit at the Marius Plant. At one time, the place where the Marius Plant was located was called the Marius ill of the Ocean of Storms and there was a pit, through which a lava tunnel pa.s.sed, called "Marius Hills Hall". There, the neo-t.i.tanium (or luna t.i.tanium) was extracted [mined/(lit: gathered)] for use in nearly all mobile suits' armor and drive parts. And though they had yet to successfully refine the compund metal, the wholly new "gundanium" alloy was near completion. ((With the gundanium alloy complete, mobile suits would become a more perfect weapon.)) Van looked to General Kyrie, supreme commander.
Please, protect the plant somehow. Van implored with his eyes.
General Kyrie slowly nodded.
"Allow the Alliance forces at the lunar base to (sally) [attack] under the command of General Million Liddell-Hart."
"What?!" Van made as if to stand; he looked at Kyrie who spoke the following words with control:
"However, using the Sagittarius and Centaurus are prohibited."
"General, Liddell-Hart will be lost without them!" the usually courteous Noventa even raised his voice at [Kyrie's p.r.o.nouncement].
"Without the Sagittarius and Centaurus, they'll be fighting with nothing but mobile suits!"
"Just the numbers show that the enemy [will have or already has] superior numbers!"
"It's the same as ordering them to their deaths!"
"Mr. Van just said our goal is to recapture the Marius Plant, or have you forgotten?" General Kyrie said with a sharp glare. "If we permit the use of the giant battles.h.i.+ps and beam canons, the plant will clearly suffer heavy damage."
"Then we prohibit the use of the beam canons only. We are not the one who will die on the battlefield, the solders will," said Noventa. It was only natural to think of [sparing] his subordinates.
That was one of his merits; the reason he garnered respect from the officers under his command.
"Hm," for a moment General Kyrie's resolve wavered at the proposed compromise. He also was a man with more humanity beyond [what the average] cool-headed military man possessed. "In that case, it might be worth considering."
"Just a moment!" Van couldn't help but stand up. "You must also consider General Liddell-Hart's explosively dangerous disposition!"
It was then that Alliance tactics aide Lieutenant Colonel Septum stepped into the fray. He had, several months prior, gone into service on Earth and was [now] seated in the end seat as an Alliance Unity Headquarters a.s.signed advisor. Normally, this as not a position from which one could speak.
"Mr. Van, if you think tactically about this-- sending out the Centaurus and Sagittarius-- I predict the enemy will not easily leave the plant. In other words, we'd come to a deadlock and likely end up fighting a war of attrition."
"A war of attrition?" Van, too, stumbled over the word. If he stalled for time, Treize and the Specials may arrive on time. "Very well, but they cannot use the beam cannons. That is nonnegotiable," Van compromised.
As a result of the meeting, a declaration of full war was made; General Million at the lunar base was given the order to attack wit the full force of the Alliance's s.p.a.ce unit.
However, that sort of compromise and middle ground was strategically and tactically unbelievable. It was the same as saying: it's okay to take weapons with you, but don't use them. As long as Kyrie and Van held these strong positions, even General Million would not attack rashly-- but that likewise was a war of attrition. Furthermore, there is no doubt that to reinforce (back up) the goal, action, and strategy of the mission, it was clearly labeled with the name "Operation Recapture Marius Plant." Speaking from a strategic point of view, it was not strictly necessary to take out the enemy. Bloodshed was not the end-all be-all of war. Buying time with political means like negotiations was supposedly a possibility. Compromises and concessions were not just rhetoric held in a conference room, but for the soldiers in the battlefield, they were the utmost form of trouble [annoyance].
Kyrie and Van's decision then could be called their fatal mistake. However, with six months of promoting reform, these two were suffering chronic fatigue. There was no one to blame for that [but themselves].
When General Million received the orders and read that last line, he was so enraged that he nearly smashed the monitor.
Please mind both beam cannons of both the Sagittarius and Centaurus must not be used.
Million ground his teeth and his eyes were bloodshot.
"Don't use the beam cannons?! What madness is that Earth bunch on about! Don't screw [with me]!" He hadn't the first intention of obeying the order.
Made a decision on the battlefield, I'll fire them if it's necessary. That much ought to be obvious!
He thought [to himself].
An aide worried about General Million and attempted to soothe him.
"But, General... this is an order from Headquarters."
"All units, deploy for battle! Send the mobile suit unit and the Sagittarius and Centaurus!" he ordered promptly. At the same time at Lake Victoria, Treize Khushrenada was also requested to make a sortie. Treize was perhaps the sole level-headed person on the Alliance's side. Treize seemed to address the full moon which was visible from his window; "For this sortie, we must be as prepared as possible."
I will die.
Send out the corpses.
Enemy and ally alike.
"Fighting in s.p.a.ce is something wholly different from fighting on Earth."
The newly deployed cutting-edge suits were (even more) improved s.p.a.ce-worthy Leo 'Chimeras', a.k.a. 'Gryph (Leo IV)' ((German for Griffon)). Treize left Earth at dawn on the following morning in a large troops.h.i.+p and brought with him twenty five Gryphs and twnety four excellent cadets. Naturally, among these twenty four cadets were the same [soldiers] who had fought at Mogadishu: Zechs, Lurectia, Izumi, Solak, and Elv. For this mission, each of them had been a.s.signed three or four cadets to command. Treize let them (do) as he had done [e.g. let the cadets lead]. Ultimately, whether or not they had battle experience would prove to be a major difference. That could also be thought of as the responsibility of those who fought for the future soldiers.
At Marius Plant, a thin, middle aged woman by the name of Artemis Sedici held command. It was Artemis Sedici's son who, during the White Fang uprising of AC 195, was a general serving as a front line commander. Her name, the same as the G.o.ddess of the moon's, is thought to be a nickname. Despite being in her 30's, she was a knockout and in a plant full of men, she had [something of a] magnetic personality. To her credit, she demonstrated superb leaders.h.i.+p [skills] owning to her clarity of mind. She was certainly worthy of the name Artemis.
"We have received data showing that the Alliance s.p.a.ce forces are on the move. We shall present a united front and show them the meaning of the revolution in s.p.a.ce."
As a strategist and knowledgeable commander both, she possessed intuition and a calmness like that of the pale moon.
"We have the power of 100 Chimera! We'll make eight units of ten suits. We'll make four flying squadrons out of our best mobile suits, surround the Marius Plant in a double square formation and form the perfect defense."
This battle formation positioned units of ten mobile suits in two square which in turn formed an eight point star. Nested within the center of that star were four units of five mobile suits that would form single square and provide the pivotal defense. This formation was called the [layered square formation (lit: multiplex square formation) and was the most effective defense formation as it allowed for returning enemy fire from any direction. Foot soldiers from Napoleon's time also used a similar formation. If you thought of a mobile suit as a foot soldier, this was the best formation even from a tactical point of view.
In response to that, the Alliance forces made a V-shaped formation called the "Crane's Wing Pattern" and at the tip of both the left and right wings were the highly mobile s.p.a.ce fighters in groups of ten. In the middle [of the wings] were units of twenty Chimera- their main fighting force- and in the apex [of the V] were both the Sagittarius and the Centaurus withch were accompanied [on the outside edge] by Tragos, five to either side. This could be considered cla.s.sic, but this was the natural result when Treize's tactics were applied to a large corps. For the mobile suit corps, which placed greater importance on the individual ease of movement and mobility, it was an ideal formation. On a tactical level, both formations were equal, but as far as war potential, the Alliance had a significantly better formation. A basic breakdown of the firepower on the battlefield yields 100:170. 100 rebel mobile suits to 170 Alliance mobile suits. If it did become a war of attrition, there was no doubt that the Alliance would come out on top. With the Sagittarius and Centaurus at the center, there was no way [for the rebels] to break through. If Million maintained the formation and proceeded to slowly [and with caution], there was a possibility of victory without needing to use their main guns: the giant beam cannons.
However--
A small smile pulled at Artemis' lips.
"So, you've arrived..." she said, at the time being fully aware of the Alliance's order for Million to not use the beam cannons. [That was information which] she had learned that from an informant at the Alliance [this is potentially interesting because Treize told Mogadishu about his forthcoming attack while it seems that Kyrie and Van did not inform the Marius Plant about their impending attack. Was it because Kyrie and Van a.s.sumed all the civilians had left?]
"They really aren't going to shoot [the beam cannon]?" asked an aide standing off to the side.
"What would you do?"
"If it was an order, then I would not fire."
Artemis scoffed, "One would think... if it were a normal commander [at the helm over there], they'd have plenty of firepower to win." Her words were soft but the light in her eyes was sharp. "But they're going to fire."
"Why?"
"......" Artemis stared straight ahead, glaring at the encroaching huge corps of enemy troops.
"How do you know?"
"Because Million Liddell-Hart is not an ordinary commander."
General Liddell-Hart sat in the commander's chair on the first bridge of the Sagittarius and waited for the instant when the enemy would be within their beam cannon's firing range.
"...... this is no joke. How am I supposed to just sit here and watch the enemy's numbers s...o...b..ll out of control?" In his mind, the idea that the rebels could increase their forces by ten Chimera per week was as distasteful as a growing infestation of rats or c.o.c.kroaches. He imagined their members grew even as he sat there [waiting to attack]. However, with all their battle preparations, the plant was not operating and [the rebels] had not made a single mobile suit, let alone ten.
"Don't use the big guns? Bah!"
Then, the operator announced loudly, "Main cannon charged!"
"Target locked on!"
"Confirmation from Centaurus; all preparations for firing the beam cannon are complete!"
"Sagittarius preparations to fire the beam cannon are complete!"
"No fooling around."
"The ancient Greek historian Thucydides specified three factors for starting war; they are: fear, profit, and honor. In General Million's mind, all three of these elements were all [present and accounted for]. The fear of the enemy endlessly increasing its numbers. The profit of completely overwhelming [the rebels] without any Alliance losses. The honor of gaining a reputation as the general who was victorious in a [historic] battle.
"There isn't anyone alive stupid enough to let a chance like this slip through his finger!" Million shouted.
"That man in an idiot," Artemis said sharply.
"Sagittarius, Centaurus, fire the cannons!"
"All Chimera, open the square!"
Both commanders gave their orders at the same time. The giant twin [?!] beam cannons on the Sagittarius and Centaurus sent out four perfectly straight beams of light (lit: luminous flux) towards Marius Plant. However, the one hundred Chimeras were faster and as one, they seceded from Marius Plant. On the moon, a single leap would be six time more powerful than the same leap performed on the Earth. With speed that could only be described as 'instantly,' they Chimera corps leapt into the sky, spread out left and right and withdrew backwards. The Sagittarius' and Centaurus' aim was true. The Marius Plant disappeared without a trace. Several Chimera's retreat was ruined when they got caught in the explosion and suffered light damage.
"What did I tell you? They'd shoot." Artemis had boarded the lead Chimera and jumped for joy that all her suits had moved as per their design. "All Chimera units, please proceed to phase two of our plan." The formation of the second stage was the same as their original formation: a multiplex defense in the shape of an eight point star. The difference was that, now, there was ten times the distance between each until and it wasn't the Marius Plant in the center of the star but the Alliance s.p.a.ce troops. The rebels defensive formation changed into one that would besiege and annihilate.
At first, those on the first bridge on the Sagittarius couldn't grasp [the gravity] of the situation for the dazzling light [of the cannon fire]. General Million rose from the command chair and demanded, "STATUS!" with a shout. He wanted to confirm his victory as soon as possible. The report, however, was anything but sweet.
"All fire made a direct hit! But damage to enemy mobile suits is-"
"What is it?"
"I can't get a reading on losses to the rebels!"
"What?! (lit: stupid!)"
If General Kyrie had been there, he likely would have reproached Million by declaring him a 'flaming idiot.' If Van knew, he would brand the whole mission as a complete failure.
In effect, the s.p.a.ce forces of the Alliance were, for all intents and purposes, at a standstill. It could also be considered fatal. First, ten s.p.a.ce fighters in the left wing had been shot down. They had faced twenty new model Chimeras which has more than twice the power. Next, twenty Alliance Chimeras (their main fighting mobile suit) had, in the face of forty enemy suits, had fallen victim to [their own] poor battle [skills]. Just as the majority of people are right handed, the left wing was an easier target than the right. The defeated Chimera escaped to the right, to the right, in front of the Sagittarius and Centaurus only to cut off those two s.h.i.+ps. At that stage, the Alliance had lost its mobility.
"Get the h.e.l.l out of my way!" General million could not help but shout. "You'll get crushed!"
The Saggitarious and Centaurus were said to be equal to one hundred mobile suits, but with the enemy spread out as they were, the Alliance couldn't lay a finger on the rebels. The most terrible thing was seeing such a huge [machine] suffer such a disaster against [mere] mobile suits. Its sister s.h.i.+p, the Centaurus, was hounded by over fifty enemy Chimera that concentrated their attack on its (power parts) and succeeded in blowing those up. It could no longer move. Million watched the spectacle with horror. It was as though they were being [knocked down] by a h.o.a.rd of mice.
"This- this can't be."
After the umpteenth explosion on the Centaurus, the Sagittarius started evacuation procedures. In a fight against mobile suits, those lunar battles.h.i.+ps were far too large. Perhaps for a fight between battles.h.i.+ps, there was tactical application for [General Million's] Big Gun Theory [see #1 below].
"...... disgusting mobile suits!" That was all General Million could utter throug his clenched teeth. Then, a report came in. It said that, currently, ten Alliance s.p.a.ce fighters from the farthest point away were under attack. Million responded immediately, orienting themselves in the direction of the fierce battle and ordering the main cannons to fire.
"It will take three hundred seconds for the beams to recharge."
"If we're within range, sh.e.l.l them!"
"They are too far way."
Their premature retreat had invited this situation
"Do whatever it takes, just don't let them get away with this!"
Nevertheless, the Alliance fought bravely. The right wing fought for dear life, they went out destroying [the enemy] prepared to stab each other [if it came to that]. Thee battlefield at the Sea of Storms showed [all] signs of having become a war of attrition, yet the number of rebel Chimeras undeniably decreased. The balance of power then stood at a ratio of 80 to 75. 80 rebels to 75 Alliance. However, that is counting the Sagittarius as fifty mobile suits. In physical numbers, it was 80:25. The Alliance was at an overwhelming disadvantage. Things, however, were about to go from bad to worse. A number of soldiers were lead by Artemis to bodily infiltrate the Sagittarius at the first bridge. THey were maneuvering to destroy it from the inside. That was a favorite ploy of the Resistance more than the Anti-Alliance. Artemis and her entourage immediately began pumping the ceiling full of lead. Even ifff you wereN't million, if you were on that bridge, you surely would have been cowering [for the onslaught].
"Put your hands up," Artemis said with a bewitching smile on her lips. "Anyone who tries anything funny will be shot dead, unsparingly," she said with light flas.h.i.+ng in her eyes.
The battle at the Sea of Storms lulled and silence returned. Twenty four hours had pa.s.sed during the hostilities and the moon had orbited once around the earth [er, that's not possible BUT that's what they said!].
Million Liddell-Hart surrendered; the mobile suits corps retreated, sans commander, to their base at the Silent Sea and the Sagittarius fell into the hands of the Anti-Alliance. The nearly wasted [destroyed] Centaurus was put to use as a holding cell for prisoners of war. It was a pitiful end for the famously stately s.p.a.ce battles.h.i.+ps.
Once, strategy trailblazer Carl von Clausewitz proposed in [his book] "On War" that the essence of war- which was an expansion of a duel- lie in part along political and diplomatic lines [#4]. To bring about victory, the victor must demand the desired order from the world. If they can [commit (lit: promise)] to stable and permanent public order, then the fighting could be decidedly stopped. This had been how all wars heretofore had been concluded. It was easy for both sides to lay own arms and sit down at the table of peace if they had both suffered much bloodshed, but fail to reach that point and the fighting can only continue. The Anti-Alliance and laborers both hoped for freedom and liberation, but there was a temperature different between them. The laborers felt there was no further need to fight, but the Anti-Alliance and Resistance said they ought to thoroughly clean up any remaining Alliance troops. Discussion continued without reaching a conclusion. As soon as it became a political argument, Commander Artemis became silent. A soldier to the core, as a strategist, she only had an interst in military operations. If she had said [ordered] "peace negotiations" or "do-or-die resistance" they would have come to a conclusion, but in the end, she [chose to say] nothing. This discrepancy among the two groups indicated good fortune for the Alliance, particularly for Treize Khushrenada, who was heading for the lunar base.
Two days later, the troops.h.i.+p loaded with twenty five Gryphs that Treize and his men were aboard had arrived at an L-1 colony cl.u.s.ter broadcast station. Martial law was in effect there and the commercial shuttles were practically empty. However, people taking refuge from other lunar plants were the one exception. Nearly everyone had been evacuated from the Marius Plant over several days. At this time, just four people disembarked from the shuttle. Treize didn't look at those four people so much as study them. There was a family of three consisting of two parents [escorting] a quiet boy of about six years old. The fourth was a man in a deep hat carrying an unseemly viola case. Treize didn't take note of the group and had no reason to do so but that was the [same] man who murdered his grand uncle Heero Yuy and his father Ein Yuy; it was Odin Lowe. Currently, he was not working for OZ. For several years, he had been working as a free special agent. As such, he was aware of neither Treize's nor the Special's existence. Odin's trajectory would have him walk right by Treize. It felt as if his [Odin's] eyes were looking in his [Treize's] direction. Their eyes met for just a second. But they made no move to make any further inquiry ((his head was full [of how to get control of the] situation on the moon...)). That was all he could think about.
That man looks like Heero and Ein... nay, it couldn't be, thought Odin. That thought occupied his conscious to the extent that he failed to notice the little boy crouched at his feet.
"Whoa!" Odin tripped over the boy and [he lost is balance (lit: his preparedness was destroyed)]. The boy didn't fall over, but thinking he may have caused him pain, Odin apologized.
"Sorry for that, are you hurt?"
"......"
The boy was silent.
"-chan!" said the boy's mother as she came up [to them].
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry."
"No trouble..." Odin said, taking off his hat and making a small bow; he headed off.
"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" She [he?] lightly brushed his leg as if it were dirty.
"You dropped this," he said. It was a pamphlet advertising for help wanted at a lunar plant.
"Thank you, but we don't need that."
"Oh."
"Well, we won't be going to the moon anymore."
"......"
"Well, let's get going."
"Okay......"
It was a trifling of a scene (It was an absurd, silly, easy scene). The exchange between mother and son reminded Treize of himself.
I haven't seen mother in a while...
Angelina was currently hospitalized in the medical section of the L-1 colony cl.u.s.ter.
But it doesn't look like I will be able to take the time to go see her.
WIth that thought, Treize sighed with deep emotion.
MC-022 NEXT WINTER
I shuddered then took off the virtual visor and stare at the viewing window of the (frozen capsule). The "Aurora Princess" was almost awake. Code name: Heero Yuy. I had just seen that very same face, it was the face of that little boy.
"Defrosting complete," Master Chang said and pushed the b.u.t.ton to open the capsule.
"Finally!" Duo said even as he hopped around and looked sharply at the capsule with extreme interest. Then, in a quiet voice, said "I'm depending on you, partner (lit: senpai #2)."
Father was grinning his usual face-splitting grin and approached the capsule with was gus.h.i.+ng vapor.
"Hey, Heero."
The boy called Heero Yuy opened his clear eyes. They were the same eyes as the little boy.
"You're the same as ever," Father said nostalgically, never losing his smile.
"Heero answered unsociably in a low voice, "You, too, Duo."
His was an extremely cold voice.
Van Khushrenada effected similar reforms in the Alliance Headquarters as he had in the Foundation. He removed the old soldiers who were often ridiculed for being steeped in senility. For the surpeme commander of the Alliance, he installed Kyrie atalonia as a general; and for the OZ Specials, in battle he awarded them the privilege of independent action at any time [and for any reason] Kyrie who held the post of commander in chief of the Specials but essentially, it is thought that Treize Khushrenada fulfilled that capacity.
If you think of this as "pure potential" instead of "harvesting fruit to green to be picked" then this was the only time where Van Khushrenada could have made all those decisive reforms. Van distributed the wealth of the foundation very nearly equally and this made for more powerful cooperation within Romefeller. However, Treize's enrollment in OZ was special. Vast operating capital was given to OZ from the Foundation. They [OZ] were undoubtedly the ones who could use the mobile suits with profitable results and no one could complain about the economic benefits [made possible by the use of mobile suits].
During those six months, Van's reforms stayed on track for the most part. Of course, some [opposed the change and] said [Van was taking] it too fast. By this time, however, the Khushrenada family had vast power within the Romefeller Foundation. There was a thorough-going system whereby objectioners immediately found themselves in a minority faction and regardless of [social] standing, if it was someone spoke out against Romefeller, they ultimately either received a sinecure or were driven out of the Foundation.
Why did Van continue this out and out reform? At the time, no one understood the deeper meaning.
Similarly, Treize completed his own system[atic reforms within OZ]. With the mobile suits now joining the fighting, the Alliance's overwhelming military power was quite firm. Treize's suggestion of tactical level mobile suit use permeated [OZ and/or the Alliance] and nearly all disputed and internal conflicts were concluded with much the same results as his first battle [that is to say 'decisive' and 'total']. However, the Rebellion was also establis.h.i.+ng a mobile suit corps and when facing other mobile suits, it was increasingly difficult [to fight] with the diverse tactics. Treize would, in those situations, devise a new strategy and give new instructions without regard for the Alliance staff officers. From the [new] data collected he would knit his [new/revised] plan (lit: tactics). Naturally, as the instructor at Lake Victoria, he taught his cadets these new tactics and effective strategies. Furthermore, that practical application was put into actual practice in mock battle and Treize drilled the cadets to think on their own [about strategy, presumably...] And through continual drilling, they acc.u.mulated valuable experience equal to that of real battle. It was certain he was raising excellent soldiers.
Take action as you deem appropriate.
For future soldiers.
This was the slogan Treize delivered without exception. In the future, Zechs Merquise and future Lake Victoria instructor Lucretia Noin learned the drills at this time. Those words were comprised the most helpful phrases [they learned].
That point would become a huge difference between the Alliance mobile suit corps and the OZ Specials.
AC 186 SUMMER
Essentially, tactics and strategy are not [set in stone (lit: common sense, standard practice)]; it was vital to gather, mull over, and sublimate (to the self) knowledge garnered from the history of war, military theory, battlefield a.n.a.lysis and the like and see if all that could be put into actual practice. That was what Treize advocated in cla.s.s. As such, even with mobile suit warfare being mainstream, the principle [theory and rules] of past battle actions [must be understood in order to] continue drafting new tactical plans, he added.
A good example of this was the Ocean of Storms War, also known as the First Lunar War: a huge war fought between mobile suits.
The laborers at the Marius Plant had been the ones to start the war. Despite Van's reforms that shortened work hours, living for extended periods of time on the moon lead to great (lit: the epitome of) dissatisfaction. For a human, [living on the moon with its] one sixth of Earth's gravity can be pleasant for the first several days. However, after about a month, the stress builds up and sleep and rest lose all meaning. [Although] the factory head and plant manager lived with those same conditions, they did not sympathize with the laborers' horrible working conditions and did not [even] discuss it with the laborers. Antagonism between the management and laborers became violent and eventually, an accident at the fusion reactor lead to a strike and that became a demonstration [against management]. At that time, if the management had made the effort to bridge the gap between them and the laborers, the [whole thing] may not have escalated. However, the b.u.mbling management requested Alliance forces stationed at the Silent Sea on the moon to take control of the situation. The Alliance, for the purpose of currying favor with the Romefeller Foundation, was quick to send three Chimera ((Leo II)) and they suppressed the laborers demonstration with military force. This only enraged the laborers who then took ten of the new model Chimera ((Leo III)) and attacked the Alliance's Chimeras, which were summarily defeated.
There were leaps and bounds of technical innovation. The newly manufactured Chimera that the laborers piloted were more excellent than those the Alliance soldiers had. Of course, that the laborers piloted a greater number of machines than the soldiers was also a predominant cause their success. There was also a repertoire the laborers had with their tools [the mobile suits] borne of a daily use that even the professional soldiers couldn't match. As a result, the laborers came to occupy the Marius Plant and all the soldiers and management were turned out. One resistance group after another began to arrive at the Marius Plant. Especially from colonies L-1 and L-2, which were closest to the moon. The smoldering remains of the anti-Alliance [#3] highjacked shuttles and a.s.sembled [on the moon] by the dozens. They didn't need weapons; even if they arrived empty handed, they could get brand new Chimera at the plant. The plant could roll out ten mobile suits a week so it took two months for them to prepare enough suits to equal the forces of the Alliance. The problem wasn't the machines but the pilots; however, there were already some fifty terrorists and anti-Alliance soldiers and it wasn't more than a few days before there were some one hundred pilots for one hundred Chimera and the corps was completed.
The lunar s.p.a.ce forces at the Silent Sea base were indignant about the rebellion.
"This is no laughing matter," said the commander, General Million Liddell-Hart. He was the supreme commander of the lunar s.p.a.ce forces. "The moon will fall into the rebel's hands."
He immediately sounded out Brigadier General Kyrie at the Alliance Unification Headquarters for permission to mount a full attack with the Alliance s.p.a.ce forces. The extent of the firepower at the lunar base consisted of the following: 40 s.p.a.ce-worthy Chimera, 20 s.p.a.ce fighters; 10 lunar-surface worthy Tragos (Tragos II); a Sagittarius, a battles.h.i.+p so huge it should have been called a mobile fortress; and its sister shop the Centaurus. General Million believed that even if he faced an opposing force of 100 Chimera at Marius Plant, with those two behemoth battles.h.i.+ps, he would gain an easy victory. Those battles.h.i.+ps were not capable of flight. Honestly, they were not (battles.h.i.+ps), nor were they even (boats). They were more like giant tanks that moved like caterpillars. It was their navigation of the lunar oceans (which were actually "seas" of sand and rock that had acc.u.mulated in craters) that made General Million refer to them, almost entirely out of his own personal tastes, as "battles.h.i.+ps." Nonetheless, with its twenty-five triple barrel 260 mm gun towers; two 1300 mm beam canons; one hundred double barrel machine guns; and a total length exceeding three hundred meters, the Sagittarius and Centaurus truly were imposingly majestic to see. It is said the firepower was along the lines of fifty Chimera and fifty Tragos. Sagittarius and Centaurus could both face one hundred mobile suits [easily].
"Just looking at the numbers, it's plain that we will win!" That is what General Million planned Liddell-Hart believed, he was the last of the great [dreadnought blockade advocates #1] of the late AC era [oh, so would seem to imply that AC ended pretty d.a.m.n quick after the original run of GW. Also: AC is definitely after the Common Era and we were almost 200 years into AC history at the start of GW. At the start of Frozen Teardrop, we're in MC-022. Which makes ME wonder why the h.e.l.l Sumizawa is using all these references to Napoleon and Hitler and scores of historical military figures. Not just to explain military theory, but for character names (e.g. there was some English military dude in the late 18th century named Liddell-Hart and that's where I the hyphenated spelling of the name. I guess it's "accurate" but honestly, who the f.u.c.k knows? I mean, is this recycling/borrowing just supposed to reinforce that history repeats itself?]
At the same time, General Million planned the construction of s.p.a.ce fighters-- battles.h.i.+ps equipped to both navigate s.p.a.ce and attack [there]-- in an effort to help piracy from increasing. Until that time, while there had been s.p.a.ce convoys (troop s.h.i.+ps) a s.p.a.ce battles.h.i.+p had not existed. That was due to the fact that both the Alliance and OZ decided it [i.e. the s.p.a.ce battles.h.i.+p] was no necessary. It was only natural to think that and up until that point in history, there had never once been a [military] (lit: naval) engagement where s.p.a.ce served as the battlefield. Both s.p.a.ce [worthy] battles.h.i.+ps and fleets of s.p.a.ce worthy craft were things relegated to [science] fiction-- a dream within a dream. Nevertheless, General Million was effecting a plan to make that dream a reality. To draw up the plans for the construction of s.p.a.ce fighters, he asked Mike Howard, resident technician instructor [instructor of technology?]. The name of the vessel had already been decided: Peacemillion. Superficially, the name was intended to provoke a feeling of peace for all mankind, but the name rather had the impression of General Million trying to sell himself first and foremost. In fact, ensuing large battles.h.i.+ps of this type were thereafter referred to as being in the "Peacemillion" cla.s.s. However, it was AC 195 when the [original] Peacemillion was completed, six years after [the Lunar Wars]. Howard, who was in charge of the [blueprints], was very particular bout the propulsion engine and delay after delay in the plans was caused by slow progress in achieving the kinds of power (lit: ability) necessary to carry the s.h.i.+p beyond the solar system. General Million didn't live to see the completion of the s.h.i.+p which bore his name. The Peacemillion would go on to be piloted [used] by Milliardo Peacecraft and Howard; and even later, as a supply and preparation aircraft carrier for the mobile suits used by the gundam pilots.
At the Alliance Unification Headquarters on Earth, they were desperate for finding some way to quell General Million's youthful vigor. Of course, the Marius Plant's being occupied by its laborers and rebels was something they wanted to take care of immediately. However, the problem like in General Million's personally. He was famous for advocating the use of big guns [this is the same expression as appears before at note #1], [he would] probably use the giant beam canon on the lunar battles.h.i.+ps, blow the whole plant to kingdom come, and drive out the enemy Chimera. Even in the [good old days], it was clear he was thinking of (opening) war on the moon.
"That," Van was the first to speak from among all the fresh faced generals, "from a strategic point of view will not lead to victory," he cooly judged. "Our primary goal is to recapture the Marius Plant. If the plant is destoryed, by enemy or ally, it will be a failure on our part."
"Mr. Van, if we had Romefeller's power [influence/money], surely we could [simply] rebuild a plant or three," said Lieutenant General Venti who was sitting [across] (lit: confronting/holding his own) from Van as per usual.
"The Foundation's budget cannot afford the luxury of being entrusted in the incompetent hand of military personnel."
"Then is there another effective means to work out this problem?"
"We shall have the Specials head directly to the site. I wish General Liddell-Hart would refrain from opening hostilities until they arrive."
"In that time, the enemy's power will just grow [stronger]," said General Noventa aptly after considering the situation. The Chimera's would increase at a rate of 10 per week. For Treize to leave Lake Victoria and arrive at the moon and prepare for battle, it would take at least seven days. The enemy would be in possession of 110 brand new (new model) Chimera. They would be overwhenlmed by the [sheer] size [of the rebel force]/
"[If we wait for the Speciats, t]he war we could win [now] will become impossible to win [then].
"......" Van said nothing. It was cla.s.sified Romefeller information, but [actually,] there was an important resources deposit at the Marius Plant. At one time, the place where the Marius Plant was located was called the Marius ill of the Ocean of Storms and there was a pit, through which a lava tunnel pa.s.sed, called "Marius Hills Hall". There, the neo-t.i.tanium (or luna t.i.tanium) was extracted [mined/(lit: gathered)] for use in nearly all mobile suits' armor and drive parts. And though they had yet to successfully refine the compund metal, the wholly new "gundanium" alloy was near completion. ((With the gundanium alloy complete, mobile suits would become a more perfect weapon.)) Van looked to General Kyrie, supreme commander.
Please, protect the plant somehow. Van implored with his eyes.
General Kyrie slowly nodded.
"Allow the Alliance forces at the lunar base to (sally) [attack] under the command of General Million Liddell-Hart."
"What?!" Van made as if to stand; he looked at Kyrie who spoke the following words with control:
"However, using the Sagittarius and Centaurus are prohibited."
"General, Liddell-Hart will be lost without them!" the usually courteous Noventa even raised his voice at [Kyrie's p.r.o.nouncement].
"Without the Sagittarius and Centaurus, they'll be fighting with nothing but mobile suits!"
"Just the numbers show that the enemy [will have or already has] superior numbers!"
"It's the same as ordering them to their deaths!"
"Mr. Van just said our goal is to recapture the Marius Plant, or have you forgotten?" General Kyrie said with a sharp glare. "If we permit the use of the giant battles.h.i.+ps and beam canons, the plant will clearly suffer heavy damage."
"Then we prohibit the use of the beam canons only. We are not the one who will die on the battlefield, the solders will," said Noventa. It was only natural to think of [sparing] his subordinates.
That was one of his merits; the reason he garnered respect from the officers under his command.
"Hm," for a moment General Kyrie's resolve wavered at the proposed compromise. He also was a man with more humanity beyond [what the average] cool-headed military man possessed. "In that case, it might be worth considering."
"Just a moment!" Van couldn't help but stand up. "You must also consider General Liddell-Hart's explosively dangerous disposition!"
It was then that Alliance tactics aide Lieutenant Colonel Septum stepped into the fray. He had, several months prior, gone into service on Earth and was [now] seated in the end seat as an Alliance Unity Headquarters a.s.signed advisor. Normally, this as not a position from which one could speak.
"Mr. Van, if you think tactically about this-- sending out the Centaurus and Sagittarius-- I predict the enemy will not easily leave the plant. In other words, we'd come to a deadlock and likely end up fighting a war of attrition."
"A war of attrition?" Van, too, stumbled over the word. If he stalled for time, Treize and the Specials may arrive on time. "Very well, but they cannot use the beam cannons. That is nonnegotiable," Van compromised.
As a result of the meeting, a declaration of full war was made; General Million at the lunar base was given the order to attack wit the full force of the Alliance's s.p.a.ce unit.
However, that sort of compromise and middle ground was strategically and tactically unbelievable. It was the same as saying: it's okay to take weapons with you, but don't use them. As long as Kyrie and Van held these strong positions, even General Million would not attack rashly-- but that likewise was a war of attrition. Furthermore, there is no doubt that to reinforce (back up) the goal, action, and strategy of the mission, it was clearly labeled with the name "Operation Recapture Marius Plant." Speaking from a strategic point of view, it was not strictly necessary to take out the enemy. Bloodshed was not the end-all be-all of war. Buying time with political means like negotiations was supposedly a possibility. Compromises and concessions were not just rhetoric held in a conference room, but for the soldiers in the battlefield, they were the utmost form of trouble [annoyance].
Kyrie and Van's decision then could be called their fatal mistake. However, with six months of promoting reform, these two were suffering chronic fatigue. There was no one to blame for that [but themselves].
When General Million received the orders and read that last line, he was so enraged that he nearly smashed the monitor.
Please mind both beam cannons of both the Sagittarius and Centaurus must not be used.
Million ground his teeth and his eyes were bloodshot.
"Don't use the beam cannons?! What madness is that Earth bunch on about! Don't screw [with me]!" He hadn't the first intention of obeying the order.
Made a decision on the battlefield, I'll fire them if it's necessary. That much ought to be obvious!
He thought [to himself].
An aide worried about General Million and attempted to soothe him.
"But, General... this is an order from Headquarters."
"All units, deploy for battle! Send the mobile suit unit and the Sagittarius and Centaurus!" he ordered promptly. At the same time at Lake Victoria, Treize Khushrenada was also requested to make a sortie. Treize was perhaps the sole level-headed person on the Alliance's side. Treize seemed to address the full moon which was visible from his window; "For this sortie, we must be as prepared as possible."
I will die.
Send out the corpses.
Enemy and ally alike.
"Fighting in s.p.a.ce is something wholly different from fighting on Earth."
The newly deployed cutting-edge suits were (even more) improved s.p.a.ce-worthy Leo 'Chimeras', a.k.a. 'Gryph (Leo IV)' ((German for Griffon)). Treize left Earth at dawn on the following morning in a large troops.h.i.+p and brought with him twenty five Gryphs and twnety four excellent cadets. Naturally, among these twenty four cadets were the same [soldiers] who had fought at Mogadishu: Zechs, Lurectia, Izumi, Solak, and Elv. For this mission, each of them had been a.s.signed three or four cadets to command. Treize let them (do) as he had done [e.g. let the cadets lead]. Ultimately, whether or not they had battle experience would prove to be a major difference. That could also be thought of as the responsibility of those who fought for the future soldiers.
At Marius Plant, a thin, middle aged woman by the name of Artemis Sedici held command. It was Artemis Sedici's son who, during the White Fang uprising of AC 195, was a general serving as a front line commander. Her name, the same as the G.o.ddess of the moon's, is thought to be a nickname. Despite being in her 30's, she was a knockout and in a plant full of men, she had [something of a] magnetic personality. To her credit, she demonstrated superb leaders.h.i.+p [skills] owning to her clarity of mind. She was certainly worthy of the name Artemis.
"We have received data showing that the Alliance s.p.a.ce forces are on the move. We shall present a united front and show them the meaning of the revolution in s.p.a.ce."
As a strategist and knowledgeable commander both, she possessed intuition and a calmness like that of the pale moon.
"We have the power of 100 Chimera! We'll make eight units of ten suits. We'll make four flying squadrons out of our best mobile suits, surround the Marius Plant in a double square formation and form the perfect defense."
This battle formation positioned units of ten mobile suits in two square which in turn formed an eight point star. Nested within the center of that star were four units of five mobile suits that would form single square and provide the pivotal defense. This formation was called the [layered square formation (lit: multiplex square formation) and was the most effective defense formation as it allowed for returning enemy fire from any direction. Foot soldiers from Napoleon's time also used a similar formation. If you thought of a mobile suit as a foot soldier, this was the best formation even from a tactical point of view.
In response to that, the Alliance forces made a V-shaped formation called the "Crane's Wing Pattern" and at the tip of both the left and right wings were the highly mobile s.p.a.ce fighters in groups of ten. In the middle [of the wings] were units of twenty Chimera- their main fighting force- and in the apex [of the V] were both the Sagittarius and the Centaurus withch were accompanied [on the outside edge] by Tragos, five to either side. This could be considered cla.s.sic, but this was the natural result when Treize's tactics were applied to a large corps. For the mobile suit corps, which placed greater importance on the individual ease of movement and mobility, it was an ideal formation. On a tactical level, both formations were equal, but as far as war potential, the Alliance had a significantly better formation. A basic breakdown of the firepower on the battlefield yields 100:170. 100 rebel mobile suits to 170 Alliance mobile suits. If it did become a war of attrition, there was no doubt that the Alliance would come out on top. With the Sagittarius and Centaurus at the center, there was no way [for the rebels] to break through. If Million maintained the formation and proceeded to slowly [and with caution], there was a possibility of victory without needing to use their main guns: the giant beam cannons.
However--
A small smile pulled at Artemis' lips.
"So, you've arrived..." she said, at the time being fully aware of the Alliance's order for Million to not use the beam cannons. [That was information which] she had learned that from an informant at the Alliance [this is potentially interesting because Treize told Mogadishu about his forthcoming attack while it seems that Kyrie and Van did not inform the Marius Plant about their impending attack. Was it because Kyrie and Van a.s.sumed all the civilians had left?]
"They really aren't going to shoot [the beam cannon]?" asked an aide standing off to the side.
"What would you do?"
"If it was an order, then I would not fire."
Artemis scoffed, "One would think... if it were a normal commander [at the helm over there], they'd have plenty of firepower to win." Her words were soft but the light in her eyes was sharp. "But they're going to fire."
"Why?"
"......" Artemis stared straight ahead, glaring at the encroaching huge corps of enemy troops.
"How do you know?"
"Because Million Liddell-Hart is not an ordinary commander."
General Liddell-Hart sat in the commander's chair on the first bridge of the Sagittarius and waited for the instant when the enemy would be within their beam cannon's firing range.
"...... this is no joke. How am I supposed to just sit here and watch the enemy's numbers s...o...b..ll out of control?" In his mind, the idea that the rebels could increase their forces by ten Chimera per week was as distasteful as a growing infestation of rats or c.o.c.kroaches. He imagined their members grew even as he sat there [waiting to attack]. However, with all their battle preparations, the plant was not operating and [the rebels] had not made a single mobile suit, let alone ten.
"Don't use the big guns? Bah!"
Then, the operator announced loudly, "Main cannon charged!"
"Target locked on!"
"Confirmation from Centaurus; all preparations for firing the beam cannon are complete!"
"Sagittarius preparations to fire the beam cannon are complete!"
"No fooling around."
"The ancient Greek historian Thucydides specified three factors for starting war; they are: fear, profit, and honor. In General Million's mind, all three of these elements were all [present and accounted for]. The fear of the enemy endlessly increasing its numbers. The profit of completely overwhelming [the rebels] without any Alliance losses. The honor of gaining a reputation as the general who was victorious in a [historic] battle.
"There isn't anyone alive stupid enough to let a chance like this slip through his finger!" Million shouted.
"That man in an idiot," Artemis said sharply.
"Sagittarius, Centaurus, fire the cannons!"
"All Chimera, open the square!"
Both commanders gave their orders at the same time. The giant twin [?!] beam cannons on the Sagittarius and Centaurus sent out four perfectly straight beams of light (lit: luminous flux) towards Marius Plant. However, the one hundred Chimeras were faster and as one, they seceded from Marius Plant. On the moon, a single leap would be six time more powerful than the same leap performed on the Earth. With speed that could only be described as 'instantly,' they Chimera corps leapt into the sky, spread out left and right and withdrew backwards. The Sagittarius' and Centaurus' aim was true. The Marius Plant disappeared without a trace. Several Chimera's retreat was ruined when they got caught in the explosion and suffered light damage.
"What did I tell you? They'd shoot." Artemis had boarded the lead Chimera and jumped for joy that all her suits had moved as per their design. "All Chimera units, please proceed to phase two of our plan." The formation of the second stage was the same as their original formation: a multiplex defense in the shape of an eight point star. The difference was that, now, there was ten times the distance between each until and it wasn't the Marius Plant in the center of the star but the Alliance s.p.a.ce troops. The rebels defensive formation changed into one that would besiege and annihilate.
At first, those on the first bridge on the Sagittarius couldn't grasp [the gravity] of the situation for the dazzling light [of the cannon fire]. General Million rose from the command chair and demanded, "STATUS!" with a shout. He wanted to confirm his victory as soon as possible. The report, however, was anything but sweet.
"All fire made a direct hit! But damage to enemy mobile suits is-"
"What is it?"
"I can't get a reading on losses to the rebels!"
"What?! (lit: stupid!)"
If General Kyrie had been there, he likely would have reproached Million by declaring him a 'flaming idiot.' If Van knew, he would brand the whole mission as a complete failure.
In effect, the s.p.a.ce forces of the Alliance were, for all intents and purposes, at a standstill. It could also be considered fatal. First, ten s.p.a.ce fighters in the left wing had been shot down. They had faced twenty new model Chimeras which has more than twice the power. Next, twenty Alliance Chimeras (their main fighting mobile suit) had, in the face of forty enemy suits, had fallen victim to [their own] poor battle [skills]. Just as the majority of people are right handed, the left wing was an easier target than the right. The defeated Chimera escaped to the right, to the right, in front of the Sagittarius and Centaurus only to cut off those two s.h.i.+ps. At that stage, the Alliance had lost its mobility.
"Get the h.e.l.l out of my way!" General million could not help but shout. "You'll get crushed!"
The Saggitarious and Centaurus were said to be equal to one hundred mobile suits, but with the enemy spread out as they were, the Alliance couldn't lay a finger on the rebels. The most terrible thing was seeing such a huge [machine] suffer such a disaster against [mere] mobile suits. Its sister s.h.i.+p, the Centaurus, was hounded by over fifty enemy Chimera that concentrated their attack on its (power parts) and succeeded in blowing those up. It could no longer move. Million watched the spectacle with horror. It was as though they were being [knocked down] by a h.o.a.rd of mice.
"This- this can't be."
After the umpteenth explosion on the Centaurus, the Sagittarius started evacuation procedures. In a fight against mobile suits, those lunar battles.h.i.+ps were far too large. Perhaps for a fight between battles.h.i.+ps, there was tactical application for [General Million's] Big Gun Theory [see #1 below].
"...... disgusting mobile suits!" That was all General Million could utter throug his clenched teeth. Then, a report came in. It said that, currently, ten Alliance s.p.a.ce fighters from the farthest point away were under attack. Million responded immediately, orienting themselves in the direction of the fierce battle and ordering the main cannons to fire.
"It will take three hundred seconds for the beams to recharge."
"If we're within range, sh.e.l.l them!"
"They are too far way."
Their premature retreat had invited this situation
"Do whatever it takes, just don't let them get away with this!"
Nevertheless, the Alliance fought bravely. The right wing fought for dear life, they went out destroying [the enemy] prepared to stab each other [if it came to that]. Thee battlefield at the Sea of Storms showed [all] signs of having become a war of attrition, yet the number of rebel Chimeras undeniably decreased. The balance of power then stood at a ratio of 80 to 75. 80 rebels to 75 Alliance. However, that is counting the Sagittarius as fifty mobile suits. In physical numbers, it was 80:25. The Alliance was at an overwhelming disadvantage. Things, however, were about to go from bad to worse. A number of soldiers were lead by Artemis to bodily infiltrate the Sagittarius at the first bridge. THey were maneuvering to destroy it from the inside. That was a favorite ploy of the Resistance more than the Anti-Alliance. Artemis and her entourage immediately began pumping the ceiling full of lead. Even ifff you wereN't million, if you were on that bridge, you surely would have been cowering [for the onslaught].
"Put your hands up," Artemis said with a bewitching smile on her lips. "Anyone who tries anything funny will be shot dead, unsparingly," she said with light flas.h.i.+ng in her eyes.
The battle at the Sea of Storms lulled and silence returned. Twenty four hours had pa.s.sed during the hostilities and the moon had orbited once around the earth [er, that's not possible BUT that's what they said!].
Million Liddell-Hart surrendered; the mobile suits corps retreated, sans commander, to their base at the Silent Sea and the Sagittarius fell into the hands of the Anti-Alliance. The nearly wasted [destroyed] Centaurus was put to use as a holding cell for prisoners of war. It was a pitiful end for the famously stately s.p.a.ce battles.h.i.+ps.
Once, strategy trailblazer Carl von Clausewitz proposed in [his book] "On War" that the essence of war- which was an expansion of a duel- lie in part along political and diplomatic lines [#4]. To bring about victory, the victor must demand the desired order from the world. If they can [commit (lit: promise)] to stable and permanent public order, then the fighting could be decidedly stopped. This had been how all wars heretofore had been concluded. It was easy for both sides to lay own arms and sit down at the table of peace if they had both suffered much bloodshed, but fail to reach that point and the fighting can only continue. The Anti-Alliance and laborers both hoped for freedom and liberation, but there was a temperature different between them. The laborers felt there was no further need to fight, but the Anti-Alliance and Resistance said they ought to thoroughly clean up any remaining Alliance troops. Discussion continued without reaching a conclusion. As soon as it became a political argument, Commander Artemis became silent. A soldier to the core, as a strategist, she only had an interst in military operations. If she had said [ordered] "peace negotiations" or "do-or-die resistance" they would have come to a conclusion, but in the end, she [chose to say] nothing. This discrepancy among the two groups indicated good fortune for the Alliance, particularly for Treize Khushrenada, who was heading for the lunar base.
Two days later, the troops.h.i.+p loaded with twenty five Gryphs that Treize and his men were aboard had arrived at an L-1 colony cl.u.s.ter broadcast station. Martial law was in effect there and the commercial shuttles were practically empty. However, people taking refuge from other lunar plants were the one exception. Nearly everyone had been evacuated from the Marius Plant over several days. At this time, just four people disembarked from the shuttle. Treize didn't look at those four people so much as study them. There was a family of three consisting of two parents [escorting] a quiet boy of about six years old. The fourth was a man in a deep hat carrying an unseemly viola case. Treize didn't take note of the group and had no reason to do so but that was the [same] man who murdered his grand uncle Heero Yuy and his father Ein Yuy; it was Odin Lowe. Currently, he was not working for OZ. For several years, he had been working as a free special agent. As such, he was aware of neither Treize's nor the Special's existence. Odin's trajectory would have him walk right by Treize. It felt as if his [Odin's] eyes were looking in his [Treize's] direction. Their eyes met for just a second. But they made no move to make any further inquiry ((his head was full [of how to get control of the] situation on the moon...)). That was all he could think about.
That man looks like Heero and Ein... nay, it couldn't be, thought Odin. That thought occupied his conscious to the extent that he failed to notice the little boy crouched at his feet.
"Whoa!" Odin tripped over the boy and [he lost is balance (lit: his preparedness was destroyed)]. The boy didn't fall over, but thinking he may have caused him pain, Odin apologized.
"Sorry for that, are you hurt?"
"......"
The boy was silent.
"-chan!" said the boy's mother as she came up [to them].
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry."
"No trouble..." Odin said, taking off his hat and making a small bow; he headed off.
"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" She [he?] lightly brushed his leg as if it were dirty.
"You dropped this," he said. It was a pamphlet advertising for help wanted at a lunar plant.
"Thank you, but we don't need that."
"Oh."
"Well, we won't be going to the moon anymore."
"......"
"Well, let's get going."
"Okay......"
It was a trifling of a scene (It was an absurd, silly, easy scene). The exchange between mother and son reminded Treize of himself.
I haven't seen mother in a while...
Angelina was currently hospitalized in the medical section of the L-1 colony cl.u.s.ter.
But it doesn't look like I will be able to take the time to go see her.
WIth that thought, Treize sighed with deep emotion.
MC-022 NEXT WINTER
I shuddered then took off the virtual visor and stare at the viewing window of the (frozen capsule). The "Aurora Princess" was almost awake. Code name: Heero Yuy. I had just seen that very same face, it was the face of that little boy.
"Defrosting complete," Master Chang said and pushed the b.u.t.ton to open the capsule.
"Finally!" Duo said even as he hopped around and looked sharply at the capsule with extreme interest. Then, in a quiet voice, said "I'm depending on you, partner (lit: senpai #2)."
Father was grinning his usual face-splitting grin and approached the capsule with was gus.h.i.+ng vapor.
"Hey, Heero."
The boy called Heero Yuy opened his clear eyes. They were the same eyes as the little boy.
"You're the same as ever," Father said nostalgically, never losing his smile.
"Heero answered unsociably in a low voice, "You, too, Duo."
His was an extremely cold voice.
