Serpent Tail

The vast universe was filled with mysterious unknowns, beckoning people to explore.

Aboard the Vesalius, sailing silently through space.

Ino and the others gathered on the bridge.

"All right, everyone's seen the information from Intelligence. Let's hear what you think."

Le Creuset, dressed in white, stood on the bridge and addressed them.

"There's no way it was some kind of ghost unit, but this solo operation is definitely strange."

Rusty frowned as he voiced his doubts. They were shared by everyone.

"Normally, when a Mobile Suit goes into combat, there's a warship nearby to provide support. But this one didn't have one."

Nicol analyzed the situation with a frown. "According to the reports, the Mobile Suit that attacked the supply base was a Ginn. But a Ginn's batteries can't keep it moving for very long."

Ino and Athrun furrowed their brows as well.

Their current mission had been prompted by a string of attacks on ZAFT supply stations along its routes.

According to the surviving Mobile Suit pilots, the enemy had operated alone, and the base's radar had detected no heat sources other than the Mobile Suit.

The surviving Mobile Suit forces had also tried to pursue the enemy.

Strangely, though, the enemy seemed to have an inexhaustible power supply. After destroying the base, it had left the pursuing forces far behind.

To be honest, when Ino first heard the report, his first thought had been nuclear power.

But on second thought, a nuclear engine couldn't possibly appear at this point in time.

After all, the N-Jammer had only recently been deployed. Under these circumstances, neither the Earth Alliance nor PLANT had developed an N-Jammer Canceller, let alone any other faction.

But setting nuclear power aside, Ino couldn't think of any other energy source that would give a Ginn this kind of endurance.

"Ino, what do you think?"

Le Creuset looked at Ino, who was frowning in thought.

Ino furrowed his brow and thought for a moment before replying, "Could it be a modified Mobile Suit?"

He couldn't think of any other answer.

It wasn't nuclear-powered.

There was no warship providing support.

And it was still a Ginn.

Given all that, he couldn't think of any explanation except that the Mobile Suit had been modified.

"A modified Mobile Suit?"

Athrun had considered that possibility too. But who could modify a Mobile Suit to that extent?

Or rather, what faction did they belong to?

"Mercenaries?"

Athrun suddenly thought of the other people active on the battlefield.

Mercenary was a broad term.

PLANT didn't have a monopoly on Mobile Suit pilots; most Coordinators lived on Earth.

Some Coordinators who didn't harbor much hatred for the Earth Alliance, but were still able to pilot Mobile Suits, could easily choose to become mercenaries and take to the battlefield for money.

"But would an ordinary mercenary really be that capable?"

Ino frowned. He was beginning to realize that this world didn't quite match the one in his memories.

There had been nothing about mercenaries in his memories.

He could understand mercenaries existing. It was a war, after all; mercenaries were only natural.

But what kind of mercenary could be this strong?

When the second supply base was destroyed, ZAFT had increased the number of troops stationed at its supply bases.

Yet the enemy had still shot down four Mobile Suits and destroyed the base while six Mobile Suits were guarding it.

One against six, shooting down four pilots and escaping unscathed.

The Ginn pilots might not have been as skilled as Athrun and the others, but they weren't just anyone, either.

"Mercenaries are a bunch of trash."

Yzak, who had remained silent until now, folded his arms and spoke with disdain. "If you choose to be hired, you'd better be prepared to die."

To Yzak, whether they were mercenaries or Naturals, he feared no one in battle and was inferior to no one.

At his words, Ino and the others exchanged glances, then smiled despite themselves.

It was true. Mercenaries might sound impressive, but compared with ZAFT, they were as feeble as pebbles by the roadside.

Even if the enemy were Coordinators, there was a vast difference between one Coordinator and another.

Beep, beep, beep!

As the group chatted, the soldier in charge of the radar system called out, "Mobile Suit heat signature detected in the yellow sector! Range: 800!"

Athrun and the others all turned to look at Ino.

That was because Ino and Michel were currently the only ones aboard the Vesalius with their own Mobile Suits.

Ino looked to Le Creuset.

"Michel's already getting ready in the hangar," Le Creuset replied with a slight smile.

Almost as he spoke,

Michel had already climbed into his personal Mobile Suit, which had been on standby in the hangar.

At the reply, they turned their attention to the battleship's screen.

As the Mobile Suit's heat signature drew closer,

its image was magnified and projected onto the screen.

"So it really is a modified Mobile Suit."

As Nicol watched the enemy machine, he glanced at Ino without thinking.

But Ino didn't respond. His attention was entirely fixed on the Mobile Suit.

Flames burst from the muzzles.

Three Mobile Suits on the ZAFT side opened fire.

But even with three Mobile Suits concentrating their fire, the enemy dodged with a few sweeping evasive maneuvers.

Then, during one of those maneuvers, it hit one of them with its rifle.

"Looks like this one's got some skill."

Watching the enemy's movements, Ino couldn't help but brighten.

The maneuver itself was simple enough, but changing direction at that speed while maintaining such accuracy wasn't something an ordinary pilot could do.

Athrun and the others raised their brows as well.

But none of them said anything. The enemy's reactions showed that they were capable, but only capable—not truly strong.

Just as the enemy shot down a second Mobile Suit,

the Mobile Suit piloted by Michel had already left the battleship. Rifle raised, he charged straight at the unknown Mobile Suit.

In the blink of an eye,

the yellow and gray Mobile Suits clashed in space, not far from the supply base.

Bullets streaked through the dark universe, leaving thin trails behind them.

The soundless flashes of flame from their muzzles spoke of the killing intent of both pilots.

Time passed, second by second.

The relaxed expressions on Ino and the others' faces gradually turned serious.

Michel seemed to be having trouble taking the enemy down.

"Should I sortie?" Ino asked Le Creuset.

The enemy's maneuvers proved they weren't some no-name pilot. If the standoff continued, Michel could be in danger.

"Facing Michel, the enemy can still summon enough will to fight. If you go out there too—"

Le Creuset considered it, then said, "Let's stay here and see what Michel can do first."

Ino understood what Le Creuset meant.

The enemy's goal was to destroy the supply base, but that didn't mean they'd insist on fighting to the death.

Their goal, on the other hand, was to shoot the enemy down.

If the enemy realized they were outmatched and simply ran, an ordinary Mobile Suit wouldn't be able to catch up.

The enemy was already struggling against Michel alone. If Ino joined in too... Anyone with any sense would choose to run.

"Who are you? Someone with skills like yours shouldn't be unknown!"

Inside the Mobile Suit cockpit, Michel felt the pressure radiating from the enemy machine and couldn't help asking.

The pressure of this battle was only a little less intense than when he fought Yzak and the others.

"Serpent Tail. Gai Murakumo!"

As he spoke, the gray Mobile Suit drew a solid blade and charged forward.

"Close combat? Just what I wanted!"

Michel said, tossing aside his rifle and drawing his own blade to meet the attack.

Clang!

The two Mobile Suits clashed in an instant.

"You're no ordinary pilot. Tell me your name!"

Gai had fought ZAFT before, but pilots with this kind of skill were few and far between.

"Michel Aiman of the Le Creuset Team—and that's the name of the man who'll kill you!"