Two days after the start of the crisis, the Federation fleet of Side 7 prepares for combat as the first line of defense. Captain Hermes has been ordered to use his two Salamis-Class Cruisers � the SS Crawfish and the SS Finn to attack and hold positions against the enemy fleet, until Federation reinforcements may arrive from Side 5. While inside the control center of the Crawfish�
Screened Voice: �Are they crazy?! We aren�t prepared to deal with a fleet of that size! My men aren�t ready dammit!!�
Hermes: �Just calm down, Lieutenant! We have enough problems of our own, and we don�t need your complaints. The Federation on Side 5 has assured us that their fleet is not half the size of what they say it is.�
Lieutenant: �You�d better be right Captain, or else my squad and I will be at risk. You�d better not let us die out there just because you�ve got a hunch on the size of the enemy.�
Hermes: �I assure you, Lieutenant Burns, there�s nothing to worry about. Your GM C-types can handle a few Zakus, am I wrong?�
Burns: �But that�s not what I�m worried about��
Hermes: �I assure you that we will give your team full back up. We will retreat when the time is right, and hold our positions. It is a simple plan, and we will follow it.�
Burns: �You�d better be right, Captain. This is Burns, over and out.�
The video screen shuts off, as the Captain slouches back into his chair, with fingers locked.
Hermes: �Let�s hope Side 5 is right, or there�ll be hell to pay.�
Back at the Neo-Zeon fleet, the Venom is informed of an approaching fleet�
Ritter: �At what time should we make contact?�
Observer: �Uh�in about 2 hours..�
Serjihn, who is observing the details in the background steps forward�
Serjihn: �Ah�it is a glorious moment. We shall finally meet the Earth Federation on the battlefield. We will see if your predictions about them are right, Commander.�
Ritter: �I never made an argument over which fleet is greater�
Serjihn: �Then don�t lose. I�ll be at my quarters. Inform me when the fleets arrive.�
Exiting the control and leaving the Commander to deal with the fleet, the Neo-Zeon seem at ease�
Ritter: �We�re going to engage in battle by two hours and he�s going to take a nap? How stubborn�
Aboard the Crawfish, close to the combat deadline, Pilots gear up for combat in the ships docking bay. The Captain screens in for the Lieutenant, who�s preparing his space suit.
Hemes: �Lieutenant, are your pilots ready?�
Burns: �Just tell us when to shoot, Captain�
Hemes: �Good, and what about the mobile suits?�
Burns: �They�ve been loaded and refueled. They�re in perfect state.�
Hemes: �Good, I think we�re almost ready to begin mobile suit departure.�
Burns: �Okay, I�ll tell the others to wait inside their cockpits. How much time do we have to wait?�
Hemes: �You�ve got about five minutes.�
Burns: �Alright Captain, I�ll see you on the other side of that fleet�
Hemes: �Good luck Lieutenant�
Burns: �This is Burns, and out�
Inside the control room�
Hemes: �Okay, we�ll begin our attack run once we�re in visual contact with those starships. Tell the Finn that we�ll be ready for mobile suit departure in about five minutes.�
Crew: �Understood�
On the other side of space, the Neo-Zeon fleet readies their own forces as well.
Observer: �Sir, two, no three, now six enemy units detected at 130 kilometers.�
Ritter: �They�ve already dispatched their mobile suits. Tell the Python and Boa to begin their run. Tell the King and Rattle to launch their mobile suits. We�ll take them by surprise. This time, the Federation will suffer dearly for their actions now!�
Now at 90 kilometers from the Neo-Zeon fleet approach Lieutenant Burns and his squad of GMs
Burns: �Okay squad, are we good to go?�
Ensign: �This is team leader 2, my team�s good to go�
Petty Officer 1: �Let�s kick some ass out there.�
PO 2: �Do you think this is funny? We�re in combat dammit!�
PO 3: �What? Are you gonna leak in your space suit?�
Burns: �Shut up all of you! We�re in visual range of the enemy ships now.�
PO 1: �Ha! They didn�t even see us coming! Look no mobile suits.�
Ensign: �Keep your guard up dammit! Don�t fall behind!�
PO 4: �Shit, where are they? This doesn�t look good Lieutenant let�s turn back.�
Burns: �We�re almost 40 kilometers from the ship, where the hell are they?!�
PO 5: �What the?!..�
What appears to be a small blast of light from above soon turns into rapid enemy fire
PO 5: �Shit! I�m hit�.ggaaaahh!!!�
Within seconds, Petty Officer 5 and 1 are the first of the casualties�
PO 4: �It�s an ambush! Let�s bail! Where the hell�s our back up?!!!�
Aboard the Crawfish�
Hemes: �God dammit!�, slamming his fist on the arm rest, �We�ve been ambushed! I should�ve known��
Crewmember: �Sir! I count twelve suits coming this way!�
Hemes: �What?!�
Crewmember: �Two enemy vessels! Musai-Class!�
Hemes: �Impossible! Their fleet can�t be that large!!�
Coming onto the video screen was Vice Captain McVeer of the Finn
McVeer: �Captain! We�ve been hit in the rear! What�s going�gaaahhh!�
A sudden blast jettisons McVeer out into the distance�
Hemes: �McVeer! McVeer! Answer me dammit!!!�We�ve lost them�Turn this ship back immediately! We must retreat!�
Crewmember: �Too late!!!�
The crew member points at a horrific site as the giant mono-eye of a Zaku II covers the ship�s window screens. Everyone aboard jumps from their seat, shaking uncontrollably. The Captain�s eyes widen without a blink and after a mere 10 seconds of watching fate flash before their eyes, the Zaku thrusts its body back.
Crewmember 1: �Run!�
Crewmember 2: �Let�s get outta here!�
Unfortunately, they are too late as the Zaku brings forth a beam saber, splitting the ship�s upper deck in half. Bodies float amongst the distance�
Back at the other side of space�
Burns: �No�We�ve lost them�how could this happen?!�
Ensign: �Lieutenant!!! Help! I�ve been hit!!! Hel..�
Before the last word could be finished, the Ensign�s suit exploded on contact as a beam struck his suit through the back.
Burns: �Who�s left dammit?!�
PO 4: �Powell, here. I�m still alive, but my suit�s damaged. I�m near the colony, I barely got away. They took Robbins before they could get me�
Burns: �I�m sorry, Powell. Search for any others�I�m on the other side of where you are. Search for any survivors, then we�ll wait until the fleet departs.�
Powell: �I copy, sir�
On the deck of the Venom�
Serjhin: �You�ve proven your valiance on the battlefield for once Ritter, and you�ve now done it again! I�m impressed. Tell me, what were our losses?�
Ritter: �None, absolutely none..�
Serjhin: �Ha! A true triumph. And their losses?..�
Ritter: �Four Mobile Suits and two ships down��
Serjhin: �And?�weren�t there six suits?..�
Ritter: �The other two are no harm to us, I let them go.�
Serjhin: �You what?!... You disappoint me, Commander. Find the targets, and neutralize them.�
Serjhin begins walking away...
Ritter: �I respect a soldier on the battlefield, and I will not attack an enemy of no threat�
Serjhin: �Just who�s side are you on Commander?! If you prefer to keep your position, then I suggest you do as I say. From now on�execute any and all who get in our way, whether or not they pose a threat, do you understand?�
Ritter: �You wouldn�t understand, sir. You wouldn�t know the true casualties war can create��
Serjhin: �An old man�s words. Please, spare me the drama and follow orders. Human life has no value to people like us�Remember that, Ritter. We don�t murder�we kill��
Serjhin exits the control...
Ritter, whispering to himself in an angry voice: "yes, sir..."