Setting:
Date: Monday 7th April
Time:
Weather Conditions: Huge sandstorms in quadrants 3 through to 12, possible dune
slides and quicksand pits at quadrants 5, 7 & 8; temperatures reaching a
max of 48°C through the course of the day.
Pilot Status: Tainer has completed Excalibur quest
and Sharpie has entered the
The swirling sandstorms roared over the soft dunes of the
Yet there is a figure in the distance, blurred by the endless shifting of the
sand, trudging aimlessly across the burning desert. It was the Gundam Cassiopeia and it was searching for a way out of
this place of death and fire after finishing its quest for the legendary weapon
Excalibur. The scorching rays of the sun beat down on the gundam’s
armour making it shimmer and glint although the
intensity of the heat was a different story for the pilot inside the suit. Tainer furiously fanned himself with a sheet of paper while
cursing his guidance systems. They had unexpectedly overheated due to the
soaring outside temperatures and crashed on him. He had not expected the desert
to be so hot nor the nights to be extremely cold – all
for one simple weapon. He could be in the Zeon fortress now, enjoying a cool
beer and a poker game with Dilandau. Yet, he came out
here… what had possessed him?
“Stupid desert, stupid Gundam, stupid air
conditioning and most of all, STUPID GUIDANCE SYSTEMS!!!!!!” raged Tainer, hitting the cockpit console in frustration. Of all
the systems to fail on him at such a time, it had to be the system he needed to
get out of this god-forsaken place. “Great, just great”, he grumbled to himself
aloud, “what else could possibly go wrong now?” Without a guidance system, he
was effectively lost in the desert and he smiled despite his anger, no one to
ask for directions. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if anything was alive in this
desert. The Cassiopeia continued to walk along the dunes although powerful
sandstorms danced precariously around it. All of a sudden, the Gundam’s foot sunk a couple of metres
into the sand and carried on sinking. “What the hell…oh no, quicksand!!!”
shouted Tainer and set the Cassiopeia’s thrusters at
maximum burn, hoping they would be enough to pull out the Gundam
quickly. At almost the same instant, Tainer’s console
informed him that a mobile suit of unknown origin/make is heading in this
direction. “What!!!!” yelled Tainer in surprise,
“Computer, open up a communication link with the other pilot, citing distress
call 0565A – and hurry!!!” Immediately the pilot replied back with a voice that
made Tainer’s blood run cold…
“… Having fun Tainer, haha
that’s right… can you guess who it is?” whispered the chilling voice and
abruptly, the link switched off – plunging Tainer’s
cockpit into silence. “Huh... wh…
who’s that?” he stuttered fearfully. He was gripping the MS controls so tightly
that his fingers were turning white. “C’mon Gundam,
break free of the quicksand” he prayed. Yet it was too late. From out of
nowhere, a vast rushing wall of sand rose up – enclosing the Cassiopeia like a
barrier. Then the voice spoke again, more menacing than before. “This is how
those who fail Zeon will be punished Tainer… by
death… no one escapes it… it will ultimately claim us all one day…. and your
time is now…” One area of the wall parted and out slowly stepped the Santanus Gundam whose very
appearance exuded power and evil. The Cassiopeia drew back in terror and pulled
out it’s beam saber. “Why me Sharpie, have I not been
loyal, have I not…” moaned Tainer, the words trailing
off. In his mind, Tainer wildly thought that perhaps
the sight of the weapon would scare Sharpie away. Sharpie laughed and took
another step forward. The Cassiopeia straight away retreated until it’s back was pressed against the thrashing wall of sand.
Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide Sharpie reflected, and look at how afraid he
is. Sharpie shook his head in dismay and calmly said “ You’re
afraid of dying, aren’t you Tainer…” and his voice
grew louder, “ then you shouldn’t be FIGHTING AT ALL!!!!!” Swiftly, the Santanus switched on it’s beam
saber and lunged at the Cassiopeia, aiming straight for the cockpit…
Tainer’s beam saber met sharpie’s beam saber just
before it struck the cockpit. The clash of beam sabers produced a flurry of
sparks that lit up the golden sand and the warring Gundam’s.
But the Santanus was too strong for the Cassiopeia
and sent it to the ground with a small push. “Aaaaarrgghhhh!!!!”
bellowed Tainer as his Gundam
violently shook from the impact. The Santanus
somersaulted through the air as it flew to the fallen Gundam,
and stabbed down on the left shoulder. “Hurts huh, well it’s gonna get worse – take this!!!” 100 armour
piercing rounds blasted out from it’s head vulcans directly onto the torso of the Cassiopeia, causing
major damage. With every round, the Cassiopeia shuddered like it was about to
come apart. Sharpie flipped the Santanus back to give
the Cassiopeia some clearing space - after all, he wasn’t going to attack his
opponent if they were down. He turned on his beam sword so that he now held a
beam weapon in each hand (Duel Wield), things were now
going to get interesting he mused, grinning at the Cassiopeia trying to get up.
“Man, what a pounding – no, oh no, have mercy Sharpie…” His eyes had grown wide
at the sight of the Santanus with both the beam sword
and saber and now he knew, there was no hope at all.
“Pathetic, I’ll enjoy watching you die” sneered
Sharpie and then activated his com link to call two other waiting pilots.
“Dante, Dilandau; are you watching this – this will
be you if you fail me”. He boosted forward and slashed at the Cassiopeia’s leg
and arms, utilizing the two weapons to their full. Tainer
peered at the horizon where he saw two gundams
standing, the Trig-lex and the Panther Gundam. “Guys, help me,” pleaded Tainer.
The two gundams remained still, the sun glinting off
their armour.
The Cassiopeia staggered backwards from Sharpie’s attack although Sharpie had
not even begun yet. “You’ll destroy me to achieve what?” demanded Tainer, his beam saber still glowing brightly as he turned
to face the Santanus. “Stop stalling and just accept
your fate,” responded Sharpie in a bored tone as the Santanus
leapt behind the Cassiopeia, slicing it’s rear
thrusters off. Tainer brought his beam saber around
to strike, yet found it blocked by Santanus’s buster
shield. “Too slow,” murmured Sharpie and swung his retractable blade up through
the right arm of the Cassiopeia, completely severing it. The arm thudded to the
ground in a cloud of sand. Tainer desperately tried
to hit the Santanus, but it dodged every strike and
then flew above the Cassiopeia – dropping down from the sky and cutting off the
right arm. It was now defenceless and Tainer knew it as he trembled uncontrollably inside his
cockpit. “Spare me…” he wept as the Santanus strode
towards him. Sharpie’s face was emotionless. “Die…” he said coldly and spinning
the two weapons in the Santanus’s hands, slashed off
the Cassiopeia’s head. He turned around and began walking away from the
headless gundam. It collapsed to the floor behind him
with a giant clatter/crash of steel. Sharpie looked back and sent a barrage of armour piercing rounds at the collapsed Gundam,
destroying the remains in a massive explosion that engulfed the land.
The Santanus surveyed the aftermath of the explosion,
satisfied with the battle. It paused to pick up sword Excalibur from the
burning mobile suit and then took off into the sky.