Astray novels and photonovels

[AmuroNT1]

That's something that's always bugged me; why on Earth does the Raigo draw inspiration from only Japanese mythology - for that matter, an aspect of Japanese mythology that was already referenced in Destiny proper by the Akatsuki?

[E08]

I suppose it is just the designer's personal preferance.

[E08]

As stated previously, here's the first chapter of destiny astray photonovel. Enjoy!

Chapt 1: DINN Raven

Jess Rabble’s job from Matias Adukurf this time is to get a photo of ZAFT’s next generation mainstay MS, ZAKU Warrior. He previously encountered ZAKU Warrior’s nuclear powered predecessor in South America, and is interested in finding out how the non-nuclear powered ZAKU Warrior looks like. Matias is a mysterious man; he has a reliable intelligence network, pays Jess a decent fee for his photo and regards him highly. He knows Jess’s character well and always present jobs that he cannot refuse. After his discussion with Jess, Matias has a job for another man, Kaite Madigan.

Jess agrees with the saying of a physicist that the world is built upon things or events that human see, as things/events that are not seen is equivalent to being non-existent. Thus, he wants to see everything and to take photos for those who have the same idea as him. Since his job this time is to take a photo of ZAFT’s latest MS, he did not pilot the Outframe as it will attract ZAFT’s attention. According to the information from Matias, ZAKU Warrior will appear at a certain airport damaged by the previous war. Due to the damage, no one goes near the airport anymore and this is why ZAFT chooses it as the site for ZAKU Warrior’s atmospheric tests. Jess hides nearby and waits patiently for ZAFT’s units to appear. Such information is supposed to be top secret; therefore there is a chance that Matias’s information is wrong. However, Jess did not doubt his information as they have been correct so far and his instinct tells him that if he waits, he will be able to get a photo of the defining moment. After waiting for 3 days, the moment arrives.

2 MS come out of a ZAFT transport plane; Jess is certain they are the new MS and quickly take photos of them. The 2 ZAKU Warriors are only equipped with their beam rifle. Jess feels a bit disappointed as according to the rumours, ZAKU Warrior can be equipped with specialised equipment to handle different situation. As such, the value of Jess’s photo will be halved. Jess suddenly notices that the ZAKU Warriors are moving in his direction and there is high chance of him being discovered. Now, the fact that they are only equipped with their beam rifle seems to be a lucky break for him. As he wonders what to do, a huge white cross appears in the sky.

Jess is surprised to see Kaite but he knows that this is Matias’s doing and that he is not here to save him. Kaite comments that the timing of his appearance is perfect. Not being serious even though the enemy is in front of him is part of Kaite’s character. The enemy did not take his words lightly and start to attack him. Kaite immediately activates DINN Raven’s Mirage Colloid system and it vanishes. Although ZAFT’s MS are equipped with Mirage Colloid detector, they only tell the pilot that a Mirage Colloid equipped MS is nearby and not its location. Under such circumstances, the detector is as good as useless. Suddenly, a ZAKU Warrior’s head is hit and the MS falls onto the ground. Kaite had pierced the head unit with the blade on his customised gun and shoot it immediately after. He previously explains that by doing so his shot will not miss but Jess still thinks that it is inappropriate to use a gun in melee combat. However, the damaged ZAKU Warrior seems to prove that such attack is definitely a KO hit. Jess quickly takes photos of the battle. The DINN Raven soon uncloaks and this surprises Jess as there is still another ZAKU Warrior left. Kaite’s next move puzzled Jess further; he bids him farewell and take off into the sky without cloaking. Jess is stunned and the ZAFT forces did nothing as the air-borne DINN Raven has the advantage. He then realises that now is a good opportunity to escape and quickly left the scene.

2 days later, Jess passes the photos over to Matias. Kaite is there as well and greeted him with a smile. Matias is slowly appreciating the photos when he suddenly stops at one showing the damaged ZAKU Warrior. He looks at that particular photo with a satisfied look, nods his head and then thanks Jess for his hard work. Jess questions if Kaite’s appearance is his doing and Matias asks if he will believe that Kaite is there to save him from danger. Jess shakes his head, he does not believe him as if that is the case, he could have told him from the beginning. Matias then reveals that the photo he wanted is of the ZAKU Warrior being damaged and adds that there are many people wanting to see such a thing. Jess thinks that the news of ZAFT’s latest MS being damaged will be an embarrassment for ZAFT and this will be of value to their enemy. Matias then says that Jess’s safety is of greater importance than the photo and he has requested Kaite to prioritise saving Jess. Although Jess is unhappy that Matias did not tell him the whole plan, he will just have to tolerate it as Kaite did save his life.

[Zero Revenge]

Ooooooo, here's hoping we get some snippet of Ile de Llorar soon. :3

[Deacon Blues]

Nope, he doesn't appear til much later.

[E08]

To be more specific, Ile does not appear till the last 3 chapters. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Chapt 2: Dreadnought H

Although Matias’s information has been accurate thus far, Jess feels that the information this time is a bit off. Jess went to space to capture a photo of ZAFT’s large weapon but when he arrives at the location, he finds Junk Guild members instead of ZAFT. Jess then receives Astray Outframe as a replacement for his damaged Raysta. From its look, Jess guesses that Outframe has many hidden secrets but Lowe did not tell him much about it.

After ReHOME left for Mars, a mercenary’s MS catches Jess’s attention. Jess has never seen such MS before; it has traits from both EA and ZAFT. Due to his curiosity, Jess moves Outframe towards that MS, however 8 warns him not to go closer and not to get involve with the pilot. As 8 ‘speaks’ in a human like manner, Jess often feels that he is with another human being. He thanks 8 for the warning but still insist on going closer as his journalist’s instinct tells him that he cannot miss such a MS. 8 quickly rebuts him but Jess does not think much about it. The mercenary detects Outframe and immediately reacts, changing the conformation of its backpack equipment. With 2 cannons aiming at Outframe, he asks why Jess is moving closer. Jess is delighted to hear the transmission as if the mercenary attacks without warning, he cannot get his scoop. Since he has sent a warning, this means that there are room for negotiation. Jess identifies himself but the mercenary already knows his identity and is not interested in it, he just wants to know why he is getting closer. Jess expresses his interest in the MS and asks if he can take a look at it. The mercenary refuses but this makes Jess more curious as the rejection implies that there is a secret somewhere. Jess again begs to take a look at the MS and from the mercenary’s response, Jess thought that he has relented but his subsequent words shows that Jess misunderstood him. The mercenary says that he is reluctant to damage the MS that Lowe built but it still has to disappear.

The MS’s beam cannons open fire and from their power Jess guesses the MS has a nuclear reactor. He comments to 8 that this must be the reason why his instinct reacted but 8 just reply that he should not be too happy as they cannot evade the attack forever. Jess wonders what he should do and 8 suggests that he tells the pilot he is giving up the scoop. Although Jess knows that doing so may stop the attack, he rejects it as he cannot give up simply because he is threaten. 8 then suggests that he starts praying, causing Jess to question if 8 is really a computer but he still adopts the suggestion and starts to pray with his eyes close. After a while, he finds that Outframe has stop moving and gingerly asks 8 what is going on. 8 states that his praying worked and they are saved. Jess is immediately struck by the sights before him; in front of the MS attacking them is a GINN Assault, Jess recognises it as a rare MS and wonders who the pilot is.

Using its high speed movement, GINN Assault attacks from all direction with all its weapons. As the mercenary got hit, Jess curses as if the MS is destroyed he cannot get his scoop anymore. As the attack ends, a sparkling light on the mercenary’s MS catches Jess’s attention. GINN Assault’s attack seems to be blocked by the light emitting shield on the MS’s arm. Jess feels that it looks like a beam shield, something that he has never seen before. GINN Assault changes its strategy and engages the mercenary’s MS in close range combat. Jess summarises that the GINN Assault’s action is because no matter how good the shield is, it cannot protect the MS completely and blocking a close range attack is harder than a long range one. The mercenary also makes his move, changing the beam cannon into large beam saber. However this does not fazes GINN Assault, it continues to accelerate towards it. In the next moment, all the extra equipment is ejected and the lighter GINN continues to accelerate. A handgun appears in the GINN’s hand and the 2 MS soon make contact. The mercenary moves his beam shield towards the handgun’s muzzle and this the moment the GINN has been waiting for, it pierces the beam shield with the blade attached to the handgun. However, the GINN did not press the trigger as the mercenary’s weapon is pointed at its cockpit. Both parties are now immobile and the fight ends after mediation by Gai.

After the fight, Jess and the GINN’s pilot boarded Gai’s ship to meet the mercenary. As they meet, the mercenary points a dagger at Jess and warns him not to move closer. Jess asks what if he insists on getting closer and the mercenary replies that he will make sure he can never do that. The mercenary then leaves and Jess vows that he will find out about his secret one day. Jess then meets with the GINN’s pilot and finds that he is a weirdo as he pilots a MS while wearing a suite. Jess is shocked that the weirdo, Kaite Madigan, is also employed by Matias. Kaite refuses to say why he is employed but Jess later finds out that he is hired so that the photos can be recovered safely. Subsequently, Jess and Kaite work together on numerous occasions and when Jess looks back on this incident, he thinks that this is somehow the beginning of their wacky partnership.

[E08]

Chapt 3: Gundam Astray Outframe

Jess arrives at a deserted town to gather information for his report on United States of South America’s (U.S.S.A) battle for independence. As both forces have retreated from the area, the town is rather silent but Outframe’s sensors pick up a soft motor sound. In response, Jess turns the gun camera towards the direction of the sound.

Jess is shocked to find a Buster Dagger in the town and thinks that it is impossible that EA forces have return as the town no longer has any strategic importance. He racks his brain trying to find a reason why the MS is here but he is attacked before he can think of one. Jess is surprised that the enemy attacks without warning as there are markings on his MS indicating that he is a journalist. He wonders if this is because the enemy cannot see it clearly due to the distance between them but the accurate attacks suggest otherwise. Due to N-Jammer interference, Jess tries to communicate his journalist identity using laser communication. He also uses light signals created by the search lights on Outframe’s backpack to communicate this information but the attacks did not stop. This means that the enemy attacks him knowing that he is a journalist. Such action is against international laws and the law states that self-defence retaliatory attack is permitted. However, Outframe is a work use MS and has no weapons. Although it has 2 assault knives, they are for work purpose and cannot be considered as decent weapons. With no other option available, Jess decides to run away.

As the distance between the 2 MS widens, Jess starts to wonder why the enemy attack him despite knowing his journalist identity. His interest in knowing the answer soon consumes him, causing him to make an unexpected decision. Jess moves Outframe to the top of a building; if his MS is heavily armed, the building may collapse due to the added weight but as Outframe is a light weight MS, there is no such danger. Furthermore, Outframe is equipped with wire launchers, making the climb easy. Outframe jumps down the building, towards Buster Dagger as it moves into Jess’s line of sight. Buster Dagger notices Outframe but did not attack and Jess thinks that this is because he caught the enemy off guarded. Jess then starts his counter attack. He moves Outframe to a position between Buster Dagger’s two cannons and suppresses them. In such close range, Buster Dagger cannot attack and although it tries to shake off Outframe, it fails as Outframe is stronger than most MS. Jess wants the enemy to stop struggling and fires the wire launchers at it. The wires wrap themselves around Buster Dagger, tying the MS up. Jess proudly remarks that this is his fighting style and although he does not wish to be involved in the war as he is a journalist, but to protect himself and to find out the truth, he will not hesitate fighting.

The U.S.S.A forces arrive after detecting Jess’s signal but that is several hours later. During that period, Buster Dagger uses up all its power trying to free itself. Similarly, Outframe also run out of power trying to restrain Buster Dagger. As such, both MS can only stare at each other and do nothing. The Buster Dagger’s pilot is revealed to be a teenager, disappointing Jess as he had hoped that the pilot is the ace Buster Dagger pilot, Rena Imelia. Later, Edward Harrelson tells Jess that the teenage pilot attacks him simply because he is afraid of him. The answer surprises Jess and Edward explains that prior to meeting Jess, the teenager has just escaped from EA. He is worried that since Jess is a journalist, he will report on his escape and blows it up; causing him to be in a similar situation that Edward is in. Edward then comments that the pen is mightier than the sword and laughs but Jess did not find it funny.

In the past, Jess has always believed that knowing the truth and letting everyone know about it is the best method. However, there are also those afraid of such method and even harmed by such method. Jess then says that during the battle he thought he is brave in facing the stronger Buster Dagger but actually his Outframe is also feared by his enemy. Edward remarks that although this is rather unacceptable for Jess, he should not forget that he got to know the truth due to his proactive way of doing things. He then adds that what is important is how he put such experience to use next time and Jess nods in agreement.

[E08]

Here's chapt 4. Chapt 3 has been posted some time ago but the update is not reflected in anime and manga page.

Chapt 4: Sky Grasper

The U.S.S.A force consists mainly of outdated Strike Daggers, thus on the battlefield they rely heavily on Edward’s Sword Calamity. Jess is currently at one of their MS training camps; combat training consists of using Strike Daggers In stimulated battle against each other. The camp is suddenly attacked by EA’s Dagger L. Facing the surprise attack, U.S.S.A force is completely helpless and this is not surprising considering that their MS are only equipped for the stimulated battle. Due to discrimination, the widely used Dagger L is not deployed in South America before the rebellion and as such U.S.S.A does not have any Dagger L.

The Dagger L are all equipped with Sword Striker and Jess is very similar with its main weapon, Anti-ship Sword, as he had interviewed Edward Harrelson some months earlier. Jess is worried that Outframe may be cut by the sword and immediately asked 8 to inform the enemy that he is a journalist. Jess is extremely nervous; usually journalist should be left unharmed but he has multiple experiences of things going contrary to what is expected. It does not help that his reports so far has been favouring U.S.S.A and placing EA in a negative light. However, he did not regret doing so as what he wrote is the truth and EA is just reaping what they sow. After taking into account the effect of N-jammers, Jess announces through the speakers his identity and requests that the EA forces stop their attack in accordance with the international law. This is done to prevent the EA forces from pretending that they did not receive any communication about his identity. He waits for their response but suddenly one of the Dagger L attacks him and Outframe barely dodges the attack. The response is rather unexpected and Jess curses.

Jess knows that on a battlefield there is no safe hiding place but he also cannot stand unreasonable attacks. As he manipulates the gun camera, he continues to protest. Jess wants to survive and show the footage to the world, doing so will also prove that the pen is mightier than the sword. However, the prerequisite is that he survives the battle. The Dagger L ignored Jess’s protest and continues to attack. Left with no choice, Jess prepares himself. He dropped the Back Home as during battle it is a dead weight and at the same time, he activates the manipulators on the back and pulls out the combat knives. Jess knows that there is a power difference between the combat knives and the anti-ship sword but those are the only weapon on Outframe. From the beginning, 8 has been seeking help using laser communication and the recipients include U.S.S.A and ZAFT. ZAFT forces are stationed here to monitor the neutral Amazon region and there have been cases in which they are attacked by Dagger L passing through the region. Regardless of where the help comes from, Jess just wants them to arrive soon as he cannot hold out much longer. He is thankful for Outframe’s mobility as the only thing he thing he can do till help arrive is to avoid the attacks. Having little weapon and armour likely contributes to Outframe’s lighter weight, causing its movement to be faster than normal MS.

After what seems to be an eternity, when in fact it is only a few minutes, the help that Jess wanted arrive. From the transmission, Jess recognises the voice as Kaite’s. Kaite proudly declare that he is here to save him and appear in a Sky Grasper, surprising Jess. He explains that he came from another continent and MS cannot do such long distance travelling. Later, Jess finds out that Matias sends out Kaite to protect him as the fighting in South America intensifies. In turn, Kaite feels that the situation warrants immediate action and rushes over in the Sky Grasper. This makes Jess very grateful for his help. Kaite says that he will attack the area with beam weapons and wants Jess to stay still to avoiding hitting him. Upon hearing his words, Jess trembles as the attack may harm the neutral Amazon area. He also concludes that the EA forces appearing here is actually on their way to other areas. He quickly objects and Kaite replies that he will try his best not to burn the forest. Jess thinks that doing so is not enough, 8 interrupts their conversation and confidently says that there is another way out.

8 wants Kaite to eject the Aile Striker and send it over to Outframe. Kaite understands what 8’s intention is and do as told, leaving Jess totally clueless. At the same time, the hardpoint for EA’s striker pack on Outframe’s back is revealed, shocking Jess. The Aile striker attaches to the hardpoint and Ouframe flies off at full power. Jess asks 8 what is going on and 8 replies that Outframe has this ability all along and wonders if Lowe told him about it. It seems that Lowe did not tell Jess about this and while he is still confused about what is happening, he is thinking of returning later to pick up the Back Home. Outframe and Sky Grasper landed in a U.S.S.A base. Jess immediately walks over to the Sky Grasper and sees that Kaite is piloting it in his suite, impressing him. Jess asks if Kaite knows about Outframe’s ability from the beginning as he is not surprised by 8’s suggestion. He replies that he did not but he notices that Outframe’s movement is similar to Strike Gundam, so he roughly guesses that it also has the same ability to use Striker packs. Jess then starts to wonder what the real identity of Outframe is.

[E08]

Another update for the week.

Chapt 5: GuAIZ R

With the signing of the Junius Treaty, the war comes to a close. However, not everybody can accept the treaty’s terms and the way the war ended left both EA and ZAFT unsatisfied. It is thus unsurprising that some soldiers left the army and become renegades.

Upon hearing from Matias that one of the colonies at L4 contains ZAFT renegades; Jess decides to go interview them. ZAFT renegades have been attacking Naturals and similar things are also happening in EA. Jess cannot understand why they are still fighting and Kaite, who is beside him, explains that everybody fights for their own reason and nobody participates in war because they like it. He adds that the war is not an end in itself, but is a means to an end. It is precisely because Jess wants to understand their way of thinking and feelings that makes him want to interview them. Although Kaite is accompanying him, he did not bring along his own MS. This is under Jess’s insistence as they are facing an armed group and a wrong move means things can end badly for them. Kaite agrees and states that it makes no difference as he has his own way. Jess feels that there is a hidden meaning behind his words but did not probe further.

After arriving at the location, Jess leaves Outframe and tries to communicate with the renegades in the area. He identifies himself and states clearly his intention but did not receive any reply. He then adds that he is not here to make any trouble and pleaded for a response. After a while, he hears a sound and looks up, approaching him are some GuAIZ R and he sees some flashes as well. As Jess is wondering what happened, he quickly realises that he is under attack. Luckily, the attacks did not hit him and he rushes back to Outframe, not to fight but to escape. Before he can make it back, Outframe is already up and running. Kaite who is inside Outframe is now piloting it. Jess immediately shouted towards Kaite and wants to know what he is doing. Around Jess, winds are being whipped up due to the attacks from GuAIZ R. Kaite replies that he has to keep him away from harm and that Outframe is attracting attention. He wants Jess to stay there while he handles the situation. Jess knows that Kaite is going to fight those GuAIZ R but he cannot stand Outframe being used this way and shouts for him to stop.

Kaite pulls out Outframe’s beam signs, they are originally meant for long range signalling but by adjusting their output they can also function as beam sabers for a limited time. As that is not its original function, the beam signs will burn out soon. The GuAIZ R in front of Outframe suddenly stops as the strong light from the beam signs have paralysed its sensors. Outframe then kicks the immobilised GuAIZ R, a kick that uses the MS’s weight and with the foot spikes deployed. The Kaite controlled Outframe looks like a real person, its movement is smooth and fluid. Jess uncontrollably points his camera towards Outframe and wonders if this due to his journalist’s nature. A beam of light flashes across the camera, Jess quickly warns Kaite about the beam attack and it is at this moment that he realises that Outframe is surrounded. Kaite then declares that he will teach them how a true fight is fought and ejects the Back Home; he pulls something out of it and Jess is shocked that it is a beam rifle. He wonders when Kaite put it into the Back Home and runs towards Outframe. Kaite immediately asks him to stop and says that his actions will be for nothing if Jess is hurt by the fight.

The incoming GuAIZ R are all destroyed by Outframe and by the time Jess comes to his senses, at least 10 MS are down and the rest quickly retreats. Although he has no idea why they become renegades, their future plans are undoubtedly dashed by this fight. Jess looks at Ouframe and feels that it is a completely different machine from what he knows. He cannot help but wonders if this is the true power of a MS and although he knows that Outframe can become a formidable weapon depending on how its user use it, there is still a gap between ‘knowing’ and ‘experiencing’ it. It is also because of this reason that he chooses an occupation that relay on what he sees.

After confirming Jess’s safety, Kaite comes out of Outframe’s cockpit. Jess is surprised by his own weak response while Kaite observes that he is still mad at him for using Outframe without his permission. He says that although he feels bad about it, he is just doing his job and will not apologise. Jess also did not think that he will do so and Kaite adds that if the same situation happens again, he will still do it his way. Jess does not wish to see Outframe engage in a fight even if it is to protect his life. He replies that he understands Kaite’s action as fighting is his job and will not stop him. He adds that as he is a journalist, he will not fight as that is not his job. Thus, just like he did not stop Kaite, Kaite also should not stop him. After a moment of silence, Kaite calmly agrees. Jess feels that to avoid fighting, he has to be more careful about his actions.

[E08]

Here's chapter 6.

Madigan’s ZAKU

As Jess pilots a MS while carrying out his job, he receives many assignments that requires him to be on the battlefield and hence, he has numerous experiences of being dragged into the battle. To protect him, Matias hired Kaite, who is a professional MS pilot, as his body guard. After some trips together, Kaite had enough of his rashness and says that he can understand as a journalist, Jess does not wish to be involve in a fight but even so, he should have some combat training and added that someone who cannot protect himself or who is not prepared to do so should not be on the battlefield. Jess does not like the idea, he did fight before in self-defence but that is a painful memory. He had wanted to reject the suggestion straight away but hesitated. After some consideration, he thinks that Kaite has a point. He has indeed caused numerous troubles for Kaite and looking from another angle, the training will not be against his belief if it helps him to escape smoothly from the battlefield. Jess thus agreed to be trained by Kaite.

The training is conducted on Matias’s private land and as such there is nothing here that can affect them. The large tracts of land makes Jess wonders how rich Matias is, he had only told them to use the land as they like. Kaite is using his customised ZAKU and before the training, he explains the multi-functional aspect of the shoulder shields while Jess notes that he likes to use such equipment. Kaite adds that on the downside, one needs to have sufficient skills to use such composite weapon otherwise they will be just dead weight and Jess feels that those words are directed at him, that he will not be able to use such weapons. He quickly disregards those words, as a journalist he is not interested in such combat ability. He then wants Kaite to start the training and realises that he has been egged on by Kaite’s words. Truth to be told, he is not that happy about it.

The training started with shooting practices. Kaite explains that with accurate shooting, one can disable the enemy without killing him. Outframe is using its custom beam rifle, but although it can link to Outframe’s sensors for accurate shooting, Jess has difficulties hitting the targets. The targets are 200m away and are abandoned MS bought from Junk Guild. They are aligned in a row and therefore even if his aim is crooked, the shots should still hit the one next to the target. However in reality, Jess cannot even hit one of them. He overcomes this problem by imagining that he is holding onto the gun camera and his aim is to press the shutter at the right moment. With that, he manages to hit the target. Up next is melee combat training and Kaite wants Jess to attack him in whatever way he likes. Jess thinks that going up against a professional MS pilot like Kaite is dumb and comes up with a plan. Instead of fighting, Jess turns Outframe around and runs away. He does this as he knows that he cannot win Kaite and his best chance lies in escaping as Outframe’s mobility is high. Kaite calls Jess an idiot and fires the gatling guns at the ground beneath Outframe, forcing Jess to stop. Kaite’s ZAKU quickly catches up while Jess states that he is not playing fair, using gatling guns in a melee combat training. Kaite just replies that he does not want to hear criticism from someone who is dumb enough to run away during training. Kaite starts to use the shoulder shields as katars and Jess retaliates using the beam signs. Jess curses and Kaite says that he is too naïve but praises his attack and adds that if it is someone else, they may not have evaded it. Although Kaite is praising him, Jess is not happy at all as the ZAKU is still moving towards him. He attacks again using the beam signs but fails badly, causing Kaite to comment that he should not let the complement go over his head.

Kaite’s ZAKU slashes at Outframe and Jess is already doing all he can by moving the shield to defend himself. He knows that the shield will not hold out much longer and is prepared for that but the attacks suddenly stop and Outframe is tripped over. Pointing at the fallen Outframe with the katars, Kaite points out that by just concentrating on the upper half, Outframe’s lower half is left undefended. In the end, Jess is defeated badly but he already expects it and rather than feeling upset, he is very impressed by the ZAKU and unconsciously takes a shot of it. With that the training ends and as usual, Jess goes back to maintaining the gun camera and comments that it suits him much better. Hearing this, Kaite grabs his head and started sighing aloud, wondering if his effort is wasted. Jess says that it is not; as he learns that as long as Kaite is around he will be safe. An exasperated Kaite then replies that this is precisely why it cannot go on. He seems to have more to say but somehow changes his mind and leaves quietly. Jess thinks that he will continue to seek the truth on the battlefield and Kaite will continue to be a great help.

[E08]

As the first 1/3 of chapter 7 has nothing interesting, i have decided to leave it out. Since the chapter will be shorter, i will also be including chapt 8 in this update.

Chapt 7: Impulse Gundam

Jess is taking a break in South America and is trying to taking a photo of a rare butterfly that Barry Ho once told him about. Previously when he was here, a war is on-going and he did not have time to admire the beautiful scenery. His break is interrupted when Kaite arrived to inform him that Matias has an assignment for him. Thus, he leaves South America and meets with Matias for more information.

Jess’s assignment this time is to go to L4, Armory One and interview about the latest weapon developed there. Actually, the job is more like weapon inspection and he will be working alongside Junk Guild. Due to Junius Treaty, numerous restrictions are placed on military weapons and EA and ZAFT need to have their newly developed weapon inspected to show that they comply with the treaty. EA and PLANT uses this opportunity to monitor each other and Junk Guild is also involved in some inspection. Jess is surprised that Matias managed to get a pass for it and although he knows that Matias is on good terms with the chairman of Junk Guild but to get the pass needs more connection than that. He wonders if it is okay for a journalist to be there, Matias just replies that ZAFT also wants to publicise their new weapon and Jess agrees as ZAFT has done it before. One interesting tale regarding such publicity goes that EA officials are angry when they first heard about BuCUE and thinks that ZAFT are trying to mock them. On the other hand, when they heard about ZuOOT, they think that it is very threatening due to its massive weaponries and spent a large amount of time coming up with counter measures. This also goes to show that at that point, EA is still stuck with their old thinking regarding weaponry. Jess heard that PLANT’s new chairman, Gilbert Durandal, is a moderate and thinks that he is using the publicity of the new weapon to deflate the war mongering faction in EA. Jess correctly guesses that the content of the interview as well as its release will be vetted and directed by ZAFT. Matias also tells him that during and after the interview, they will be monitored by ZAFT for a period of time. Surprising, they also requested that Jess brings along Outframe and did not give any reason for it. Matias remarks that it is only logical that they want a MS to be interviewed by another MS while Jess suspects they want to take back Outframe which was found in GENESIS Alpha.

Upon reaching Armory One, Jess follows ZAFT’s instruction and leaves Outframe in the designated hangar. Some checks have to be made on Outframe and Jess signs a letter of undertaking. Some of Outframe’s section will be disassembled for the checks and Jess feels that this is unavoidable as he is bringing a MS to a military facility. Accompanying him are 8 and Kaite, they meet with Bernadette who introduces them to the new MS and their pilots, except for Shinn Asuka who is not there as Impulse Gundam is conducting its test flight. However, Impulse Gundam soon appears in the sky above them and Jess is surprised to see 3 flying modules instead of a MS. The 3 units line up together and while Jess thinks that is dangerous due to the possibility of collision, they got even closer. Jess suspects the test is a failure but they combine, forming a MS and after that additional equipment is added to its back and its color changes. Looking at it, beside astonishment, Jess is also filled with excitement and feels that a combining MS is like something from out of a dream.
He is now even more interested in the capabilities of ZAFT’s newest MS and the future they create.


Chapt 8: G-Flight

The more things that Jess sees while at Armory One, the more impressed he is by ZAFT’s technology. He is especially interested in the modular system of Impulse Gundam. Although days ago Courtney Heironimus gave a simple explanation about the system, Jess still only has a vague understanding of it. This is understandable as he is not well versed in military technology and as such he also does not understand the significance of the new technology. He just feels that the modular system looks cool. Kaite points out that as a journalist he should try to find out/understand why they made it so cool. Jess did not get what Kaite is referring to, forcing him to explain that weapons do not need to be cool looking and there is a reason why they are doing it. After some thinking, Jess wonders if it is for publicity; after all as compared to some ordinary looking weapon, the citizens are more likely to support a cool looking one. At the same time, he is impressed by the way Kaite view things. Kaite remarks that it should not be the sole reason and Jess agrees. During his interviews, he did have a look at the system’s maintenance and discovered that it is more tedious than a normal MS’s. Therefore, this system should have some significant advantage to be worth the trouble.

Kaite asks about Impulse’s next test but he does not look that interested in it and Jess guesses that he just wants to know what the schedule will be like. Upon hearing that Impulse will be conducting a high speed movement test in an abandon colony, Kaite simply remarks that he can relax for a while. Jess seeks clarification and he just explains that Outframe will not be able to keep up with Impulse during the test, thus there is no need for him to accompany Jess. From what Jess knows, the test is a tough one. It involves numerous combination and separation so that Impulse can pass through the obstacles set up in the colony. As only Impulse can carry out such a task, data gathering will be done through cameras that are prepared in the numerous test areas. Jess originally wanted to take some photos from a distance using long range camera but this idea is shot down by Kaite. He explains that Outframe is not capable of high speed travelling and Jess will lost track of Impulse soon. Just when Jess is wondering what to do, 8 interrupts their conversation by saying it will not be a problem. It explains that it had commissioned Junk Guild to build a set of equipment it had design and it should arrive by today. Jess is delighted while Kaite grumbles softly but he did not look that unhappy about it. Hours later, Jess receives the new equipment called ‘G-Flight’. He questions if it can really help Outframe to keep up with Impulse and 8 tells him that it will be no problem. Jess has his doubts as G-Flight looks large and Outframe looks extremely heavy when equipping it but he has no choice but to trust 8’s words. As he is not familiar with G-Flight, he asks 8 to assist him when he is using it.

The test started and Jess follows 8’s instruction to transform G-Flight, Outframe changes as well and he is soon hit by the strong acceleration. He feels that Outframe has transform into another machine and realises that G-Flight allows for high speed movement and long range travelling. Jess enjoys using G-Flight so much that he even shouts out in excitement. He is glad that he can now keep up with Impulse and as he is concentrated on focusing the gun camera on it, he hands over the MS control to 8. While looking at the movement of Impulse’s modules, Jess remarks that their speed and evasive capability is on a totally different level. He is now even more impressed by Impulse’s capabilities and knows that if Kaite is there, he will put on an unbelievable expression in response to his outpouring of admiration.

After the test, Jess tries to land Outframe but makes a mistake, causing it to loss balance and to kneel on the ground. Kaite immediately asks if he is okay and remarks that if he became bald it is because he worries too much about Jess. Jess jokingly replies that if it happens, he will buy him a top class wig to which Kaite says that it is a present he would rather not receive. While joking with Kaite, Jess notes that he has not yet calm down from the excitement. He cannot wait for the next test and is eager to use G-Flight again as it can broaden his ability to gather information for his interviews. Later, he notices something common between his Outframe and Impulse, 2 MS that are rather different. Both MS have mobility that is beyond normal level yet maintain the versatility offered by the human shape, and this is achieved through transformation or combination. This makes him wonder if Outframe is also a second generation MS and he is excited by the tremendous possibility that it holds.

[E08]

Here's chapt 9. It focus on Mare's thought after he overheard Courtney's conversation with Jess about Impulse Gundam.

Chapt 9: Impulse Variation

In order to gain a better understanding of Impulses’s combination system, Jess interviews Courtney Heironimus. After hearing his explanation, Jess is full of admiration, not only for the capabilities of impulse but also for the technicians who thought of such a system. Meanwhile, Kaite who is listening on the side finds it uninteresting and seems to be impatient. Riika Sheder is also around and it seems that she also does not know that much about the system. Mare Strode is also listening as well, except that he has concealed himself.

Mare is the test pilot for Abyss and previously serves in the marine division on earth. In the previous war, he suffers a devastating shock when his team is wiped out by Jane Houston’s Deep Forbidden team. It is unknown if he became a Natural hater because of this incident. He is entering the hangar to check on Abyss when he notices the Natural journalist, Jess, is talking to the other test pilots. Due to his feelings for Natural, he reflectively hides himself. To him, Coordinators and Naturals are enemies; to be kind to each other is criminal. He remarks that Courtney is too kind to the Naturals and this will cause them to climb over his head. As Courtney rarely speaks unless necessary, he starts to wonder what they are talking about. Mare has always wanted to be Impulse’s pilot but ends up as Abyss’s pilot due to his vast underwater combat experiences. This is only logical and he does not disagree with the arrangement. However, as said by Courtney, Abyss’s capabilities may be taken over by Impulse and if so, the development this time is mainly for Impulse. Although a decision regarding Impulse’s official pilot has been made, Mare still thinks that he has a chance. The pilot may be eliminated due to an accident and Mare is certain of it. It is wrong to think that he will be satisfied as Abyss’s pilot and he vehemently believes that the mistake will be corrected. As such, he will do all that is needed to accomplish his aim. To him, this is justice and there is no need for hesitation when one is carrying out Justice.

Mare goes back to his room and thinks about what Courtney says about Impulse. He finds the concept interesting as Impulse fitted for aquatic environment will be indispensable when attacking earth, since water covers about 70% of its surface and sea routes are important in transport and other related activities. He thinks that with Abyss Impulse, he will be unbeatable underwater and starts to imagine himself piloting it. On land, its fighting capability is without doubts and thanks to its transformation ability, nothing will be able to challenge it underwater. With an evil grin, he remarks that it will be Jane’s turn to be afraid of him. In reality, Jane has already left EA and is currently hiding somewhere in South America. Thus, even if ZAFT attacks earth, the possibility of him exacting revenge on her is extremely low but this fact is not important to him as his hatred has already expanded to all Naturals. In addition, if he really wants to fight with her, all he needs to do is attack South America with Abyss Impulse and since that place is on earth, it will be attacked sooner or later.

He wants the Naturals to know that their era has ended and is already fascinating about the idea world after all Naturals are eliminated. He sees Naturals as a foolish race that harms earth by depleting all its resource and through their reckless use of nuclear weapons. He thinks that by then, Courtney and Riika will come around to his ideas and will be praising him and his machine. He will then make them his assistants and regretfully Shinn Asuka will not be around as he is already dead. In fact, all that is needed for his dream to come true is already in place. Later in space, there will be a test involving the combination and separation of Impulse’s modules and the equipment needed to create an accident during the test is all prepared. Mare feels that history will soon return to its correct path and continues to imagine piloting Abyss Impulse.

[E08]

Finally, half way throught the photonovel.

Chapt 10: Gells-Ghe

Jess’s assignment this time is to get a photo of the MA that EA is secretly developing and Matias has employed Canard to protect him. When he questions Matias why he did not chose Kaite, his puzzling reply is that Canard will allow him to take interesting photos. Due to their prior encounter, Jess does not have a favourable impression of Canard and feels that he is like a sharp blade without a sheath.

Jess knows that MA is a rather outdated weapon, but the fact that a new unit is being produced now may imply that it has very different capabilities from that of previous MA and this piques his interest. As the MA is being developed by Adukav Mechano-Industries, the original plan was to for Jess to sneak into the factory and get his photos but as that is against the law (he will be intruding on private ground), Jess decides to take the photos from the perimeter, as close to the MA as possible. This will decrease the chance of getting good photo but he has no other choices. Jess then meets with Canard’s partner, Meriol Pristis, to confirm the contents of the request and she also states that they will not offer any safeguard against damages caused by unexpected incidents unrelated to the assignment at hand. Jess agrees to the conditions and signs on the agreement. Jess is very surprise to learn that Canard has a large supporting crew and after further probing, he discovers that only Dreadnought H is available for hire although the group also has an Agamemnon-class carrier, Ortigia, and 9 Moebius. The group’s organization is very different from another mercenary group that Jess knows about, the Serpent Tail. He feels that unlike Serpent Tail, where the emphasis is on the individual members, Canard’s group is more like a military. As an outsider, he does not know which method of organization suits a mercenary group better but he knows that there will always be pros and cons.

As the assignment is on land, the carrier and Moebius did not come along, only Dreadnought H piloted by Canard accompanies Jess while the supporting crew is on standby in a town 10 km away. If they had come along, things may be easier but it also makes them much easier to be discovered and Jess wants to avoid that all costs. The MA appears after a week of waiting and what Jess sees causes him to remark that the machine seems to combine the best of MA and MS. Although he cannot make out what advantage the MA brings to the battlefield, he is sure that its appearance will shock many. He asks Canard for his opinion but he did not reply; it seems that he is not interested in the MA. Testing of the MA soon starts and hundreds of meters in front of it is a cannon which Jess recognises as a positron cannon due to its characteristic rectangular nozzle. He cannot help but wonder what they are doing with such a powerful weapon; he thinks that if they are testing its evasiveness, they only need to use very strong search lights. The answer to his question appears when the cannon fires. The positron beam is block by a shield of light in front of the MA and even though Jess does not know much about technology, he can still feel that it is a significant matter. Jess quickly takes multiple shots and wonders aloud what that equipment is. Surprisingly the answer came from Canard, who states that it uses technology derived from beam shield and he proceeds to call the MA grotesque. Canard’s voice seems to be shaking due to his anger and Jess can feel that he wants to destroy the MA immediately but he did not think that he would do it. Canard soon loses his cool and moves Dreadnought H towards the MA. Jess quickly asks him to stop but knows that he will not do so and the only thing he can do now is to watch what happens next.

Facing the sudden appearance of Dreadnought H, the MA responses calmly and activates its shield. Canard fires Dreadnought H’s cannon at it; the MA’s shield dissipates the beams but this only serves to fire up Canard’s fighting spirit. Dreadnought H then deploys its beam shield, Jess notes that he saw before similar equipment on Hyperion Gundam and realises that Canard is upset that the grotesque MA has similar equipment as his MS. He empathises with Canard’s anger and wonders what he plans to do with the defensive equipment. As though in response to Jess’s question, Dreadnought H’s beam shield changes shape and becomes spear-like. Canards comments that the MA is an eyesore and that it should disappear as he pierces the MA’s shield and its generator with the beam spear. With victory already his, Canards laments the standard of the MA while Jess hopes that he will just calm down, but he did not and continues to assault the MA, labeling it as trash during the process. The assault did not stop even as the MA becomes defenseless and within a few minutes, it is totally devastated. Canard then comes down from his MS and as if proclaiming his victory, he laughs loudly while standing on top of the MA’s debris.

Jess and Canard left the scene before pursuing forces appears. As Canard did not feel that he did anything wrong, he ignored Jess’s protest. Jess then turns to Meriol, but she also rejects his protest and points out that it is already covered in the agreement. Jess takes a closer look and there is indeed a clause that states that they will not bare any responsibility if Canard losses control. He then leaves as he knows that any further argument will be useless and realises that Matias specially employed Canard because he knows that this is how things will end. Jess swears that he will complain to Matias when he returns.

I will be posting the story about when Jess encounters the Hyperion Gundam later as it also has some link to the next chapter.

[balofo]

Nice to know Canard mercenary group's numbers. Keep the up the awesome work E08!

[E08]

Chapt 11: Elijah’s ZAKU

Independent region A-YTN0975 of the African Community is ruled by a tyrant and although the citizens tried to overthrow him, their efforts are futile in the face of military suppression. The tyrant also hired Serpent Tail. To help the people in the region, Kaite decides to step forward but he did not do it because of any lofty reason like protecting the people’s freedom and peace. The real reason he is doing it is because it allows him to fight with Gai. Kaite is searching for someone and needs to build up his reputation; defeating Gai will definitely help him in this regard. Kaite is using his GINN Assault while Gai is using his Blue Frame 2nd L. Elijah’s GINN Custom and Jess’s Outframe are on the sidelines, watching the battle.

The fight is an intense one and they exchange blows at an extremely fast pace. Jess can see that they are evenly matched and know that whoever has slightly better luck will win it. Kaite soon tricks Gai into attacking him and Gai fells for it. Kaite then ejects GINN’s extra armour while its hands are still holding onto the grenades, and Gai’s Tactical Arms is deflected by one thrown from the right hand. Kaite then aims the other grenade in the left hand at the chest of the defenseless Blue Frame 2nd L. Just as Kaite declares his victory, Elijah’s GINN appears between them and Kaite’s attack landed on it, damaging its upper body. Gai immediately shouts out Elijah’s name and with that Kaite’s dream of defeating Gai ends. From the beginning, Kaite has no reason to hate Gai and he does not gain anything from injuring Elijah. Although unintentional, Kaite did injured Elijah and destroyed his MS, as such he decides to give him a new one. After the battle, Kaite, Jess and Elijah spent a week together. During that period, they carried out numerous mock battles and analysed Elijah’s fighting style. The analysis includes Elijah’s preferred attacking method, weakness, habits and his MS is optimised using these data. Thus, Elijah’s customised ZAKU was born and it debuted in a fight in Eurasia. Jess recorded down that battle using Outframe’s gun camera and feels that the optimisation contributed significantly to Elijah’s victory. The battle causes Jess to be interested in Elijah’s ZAKU and he also wants to know more about him. Thus, he pestered Elijah so that he comes along on his space mission. Waste recycling operators working in a group of abandoned colonies are being terrorized by ZAFT renegades and as they are powerless against them, they decided to employ Elijah.

Elijah grumbles about Kaite tagging along as well and Kaite explains that he is there to protect Jess as requested by Matias. Elijah then reminds him not to interfere with his work, to which Kaite responds that he will not as he has no intention of working for free and adds that Elijah should be able to handle it himself. Those words catch Jess by surprise, causing him to remark that it is rare for Kaite to hold someone in such high regards. Kaite then clarifies that he said all those simply because Gai did not come along, which means that Elijah should be sufficient for the mission. He adds that Gai is an expert and worth trusting. Elijah is unhappy that Kaite says it in such an unpleasant manner and calls him a wretched beardy softly but Jess still manages to hear it. Although Kaite should also hear it as well, he feigns ignorance and Jess decides to intervene before anything worse can happen. He suggests that Elijah should not be so concerned about them and should be focusing on the task at hand. Elijah agrees and the conversation ends.

When they arrive at the location, it is under attack by GINN High Maneuver Type 2. Jess watches the battle through the gun camera from some distance away. The ZAFT renegades spotted Elijah’s ZAKU and they close in rapidly using their powerful thrusters. One of them attacks with its katana and Elijah responds by raising the ZAKU’s arm. The attack is so forceful that Jess thought that the ZAKU’s arm will be cut into 2. The GINN’s pilot cries out in surprise when his attack is blocked and at the same moment, the arm changes colour. The pilot immediately recognises it as PS armour and wonders how it is possible. Normally, PS armour equipped MS will change colour upon activation but as that wastes a lot of energy, the ZAKU’s PS armour is modified such that its activation is controlled by the pilot. In addition, to lower costs, PS armour is only applied to certain area deemed necessary after analysing Elijah’s fighting style. Elijah apologetically states that he is just doing his job and blasts the GINN with its beam cannon. Kaite then points out to Elijah that the enemies are entering the colony and asks what the ‘pretty face’ is going to do next. Elijah simply states that he will chase after them and rushes into the colony. Kaite stops Jess from chasing after them but he did not give any valid reason. Although Jess feels that is unacceptable, he still do as told and after 10 mins, the colony exploded.

Jess is shocked but he still continues to take shots of it using the gun camera. Elijah’s ZAKU is soon seen coming out of the explosion, its custom Wizard pack is fully deployed and this allows it to escape the explosion and move towards them at high speed. Katie softly commented that it is indeed a trap. While travelling back on the transport ship, Elijah’s ZAKU suddenly punches toward Kaite’s. He is unhappy that Kaite did not warn him about the trap. Kaite’s ZAKU easily blocks the attack and explains that it is because he agreed not to help him. Kaite’s reply leaves Elijah speechless but from his expression after he comes down from his ZAKU, it can be seen that he still finds it unacceptable. Thus he rushes towards Kaite and confronts him again as he could have died there. After telling Elijah to calm down, Kaite simply notes that he is still alive and that’s all that matters. Somehow, Jess finds himself agreeing with Kaite and feels that he actually trusts Elijah more than he is willing to admit.

[E08]

Taking a break from the photonovel and jumping to the novel, which provide us with more information about Jess and Katie.

Jess first met with Gai and Elijah during the aftermath of one of their mission on earth. This particular mission was previously described in Astray B and in it ‘Full Weapon’ Blue Frame together with Elijah’s GINN destroys a ZAFT base that has 12 MS. Jess is there to take some photo of the base and its MS teams when Serpent Tail attacked it. Just when they are about to leave, Gai spots Jess and after knowing that he is a journalist, he questions if Jess had taken photos of their MS. At first, Jess is worried that he would be killed but his fear soon turn to curiosity when Gai decides to leave him alone. Jess knows that Blue Frame is not a ZAFT MS and suspects that it is the rumoured EA MS. He is thus worried that if he sells the photos to the media companies, Gai’s life will be at risk. Gai finds this interesting and explains that the photos will allow news of the base destruction to spread. This would badly affect ZAFT and fits with their mission’s aim, so leaving him alive also benefits them.

At that time, there are already unofficial photos of EA’s MS but they are treated in the same manner as photos of UFO and Yeti. There are also rumours that the collapse of Heliopolis is due to EA’s MS but some suspects that it is an excuse that ZAFT cook up for their destruction of the colony. Not surprisingly, the media companies at that time are only interested in photos showing the cruelty of Coordinators.

Jess feels that Matias’s mansion is as big as a palace. In fact, there are customised electric cars produced by Junk Guild for moving around the house. He finds that rather ridiculous and once he tried to walk around without using the car and ends up being stopped by security guards every 100m or so. An irritated Jess then tries to avoid the security guards but he got lost in the mansion. After that, he sticks to using the car as it can transport him speedily to the destination. When Jess hands over his photo over to Matias, it is first checked by one of the security guards in the room then handed over to Matias.

Jess has an interesting ability in which he can immediately guess how a photo is taken with a single look.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Circus carries out their training in abandoned colonies and whoever wants to leave the organisation must participate in a handicapped battle and win. Circus set such a rule as it sees it as an important part of training. Such battle between comrades allows it to assess how an individual will fare as a soldier and if he/she is able to fight without any hesitation under any condition. Another reason is that the organisation does not want any leavers to be alive. If that happens, it only means that the comrades that he fought against are all dead and if this is repeated continuously, there will be no one left in the organisation.

Kaite is the first person to win the battle and gain his freedom but he continues to have nightmare about it ever since. After that, he does not have any partners until he starts to work with Jess. As they spend most of their time on the battlefield, for safety reasons, they take turns to sleep. Jess thus knows that Kaite has frequent nightmare. However when he asks about it, Kaite just brushes it aside as a dream about ladies. That is an obvious lie and Jess feels that he make such a lie as he does not want anybody to ask about the dream. Surprisingly, Kaite is very kind to kids and has a very good relationship with Kazahana who has travelled with them several times due to mission requirement. This causes Jess to think that if all MS suddenly disappear, Kaite can work as a babysitter or primary school teacher. As a professional MS pilot, Katie feels that once he comes down from the MS, he should only concentrate on resting and nothing else. He hates to take photos with other people as during the course of his work, he manages to make a lot of enemies and he is therefore worried that if they somehow manage to get or see the photo, they may decide to harm the people in the photo.

Kaite is an abandoned baby and the reason for this is that he did not come out as his parents expected. Although parents are warn about such possibilities beforehand, most of them did not think much about it. Such incidents are thus very common and some of these babies are taken in by Circus. Although he was part of the organisation, he does not know much about it. All he knows is that it is operated by civilian military enterprise and the soldiers they groomed are sold for a high price to private militia belonging to private enterprises and wealthy folks, as well as to military’s special ops forces. When he was with Circus, he was only taught about how to be a soldier, how to pilot MS and destroy the enemy, he did not know anything else. For those that the organisation deemed unsuitable, they were either sent on suicide mission or just deployed as human shield for VIP. As Kaite grew up, he started to think about the meaning for his existence and came to the conclusion that he was born because someone in the world needs him. He then decided on leaving the organisation and to use the freedom that he gains to look for the person who needs him. So he started to work hard on improving his skills and it was only when he was confident of his skills did he make known his wish to leave the organisation.

After knowing his past, Jess thinks that it explains a lot about his behaviour. He feels that Kaite regards women warmly due to his quest to find that particular person that needs him. This also explains why he immediately loses interest in married women. He treats kids well due to his past and seems to dislike Elijah because he perceived his good looks as due to genetic manipulation, something that did not work on him that well. Kaite later clarifies that the person who needs him also must have something that only he can do as well as offer a unique lifestyle that fits him. He also uses these criteria when he considers his job offer. Jess questions if he has found that particular person who needs him and Kaite replies that he has not.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

99% of the Junk Guild members are Naturals. Due to the creation of the guild, some kind of communal feeling forms between the different groups of junkers and this makes it possible to assemble a large number of them to work on a large project. As the guild only exists in name, there is really no such position as ‘Chairman’. It is only for convenience that such a position is created but it is powerless. All these changes after Liam Garfield become its chairman. To become chairman of the organisation is difficult, as most of the junkers do not like someone to be above them unless he/she manages to gain their trust fully.

After the war, Liam modified the PS armour so that it can be used in civilian products. He then donated all of the money that he earned from the invention and its subsequent products to the guild, thereby strengthening its financial foundation. He later persuaded the other junkers to get involved in the disarmament business by simply stating that there it is very profitable. Other than getting paid for dismantling the weapons, the junkers also earn money by creating new products from the dismantled parts. Liam’s suggestion also help to solve another problem; after the war, quite a number of junkers lost their jobs as the amount of waste produced from battling decreases. Due to these actions, he manages to strengthen Junk Guild’s position in the world order and it soon becomes an indispensable organisation. As such Junk Guild also needs a representative to represent them during international meeting and it is in such a situation that Liam is chosen as chairman, although he has been working as its representative for quite some time already. Currently, Junk Guild has 2 main offices, one at Genesis Alpha while the other is on Gigafloat.

Liam readily admits that he does not have the charisma that one expects from a leader and is used to being ask where the chairman is when guests arrive at the main office. He even prepares and serves tea to his guests personally. His office is modestly decorated and rather unbelievable for one in such an important position. He requested assistance from Matias twice and both times, Matias send Jess and Kaite to do the job. The first time is to rescue a group of junkers who have accidentally discovered a secret cable that ZAFT uses for its network on earth and are subsequently pursured by ZAFT. Matias also employed Serpent Tail to protect the junkers while Kaite protect Jess as he takes photo of the cable. By releasing the photos, ZAFT will have no reason to attack the junkers as everybody knows about the cable’s existence.

The second time is to protect Gigafloat from attacks by unknown party who have also demanded that Junk Guild hands it over. Liam initially suspects it as the work of ZAFT renegades as ZAFT MS are use in the attack. In the beginning, these renegades only attack EA facilities and units but as they have trouble getting supplies, they soon attack civilian facilities. Regarding such attacks, PLANT has always claimed that they are carried out by EA units under disguise and they are innocent. Liam also did consider that PLANT’s claim may be true and knows that not all Coordinator are with ZAFT. Thus, he wants help from Jess and Kaite; Jess to take photo of the attack so that it can appear in the news and enable them to lodge an official protest with ZAFT or EA, while Kaite is needed to drive the attackers off if they turn out to be pirates. Kaite refuses to do the job as he thinks that any mercenary group can do it and there is no special need for him. During the next attack, Jess notes that the attackers use a different type of MS from their previous attack and thinks that they are not ZAFT renegades as it is unlikely that they have a variety of units. After Liam informs the attackers that there is a journalist on board, the intensity of their attacks immediately increases. While taking photos of the attackers, Jess notices that their actions are rather weird and seems as if they purposely want him to take photos of their MS. He then concludes that the party responsible is most likely EA as they are the one who will benefit the most if the photos are released. After Jess’s failed attempt to get the attackers to stop, Kaite launches in his Noctiluca ZAKU and states that he decides to accept the job since Jess failed. He adds that it seems that only he can serve as a body guard for someone as troublesome as Jess. Kaite manages to defeat the attacking MS and from one of the pilots that they rescued, it is confirmed that they are a group of Coordinator mercenary hired by EA. Later, Kaite and Jess has an argument over why the former decides to help. Jess claims that it is because they are partners while Kaite says that it is because Jess behaves like a child and a child should be protected. Jess has a feeling that Matias knows about how things will turn out from the beginning but he does not mind as he gets to know about Kaite better.

[E08]

During one of the mock battles to collect data for the customization of Elijah’s ZAKU, Elijah uses a Gunner ZAKU Warrior equipped with GINN’s recoilless rifle against Kaite’s ZAKU. Elijah starts the fight by firing his cannon several times but Kaite easily evades the attack and move closer to him during the process. Jess is curious as to how Kaite evades the beam shots and 8 replies that he observes the cannon’s movement. Jess then realises that by doing so, one will be able to predict the direction of the beam and make the appropriate decision. 8 comments that this is the basic technique for evading beam shots and to overcome this technique, beams that can ‘bend’ are created. Elijah suddenly ejects the Gunner Wizard, his ZAKU then holds onto the recoilless rifle with its right hand while its beam rifle is in its left. Although Jess is initially puzzled by this, he quickly understands Elijah’s intention once the attack starts. Kaite avoids the trap by using gatling guns to intercept the bazooka shells and this causes Elijah’s subsequent beam shots to miss its target. Kaite comments that the attack is not bad while Elijah sounds rather annoyed. Kaite questions if this is the first time this attack has been avoided and Elijah replies that he is the second person to do so. Kaite then tries to retract his earlier statement and an argument between them started. Jess notes that they seem to be more concentrated on arguing than battling. Kaite is annoyed by Elijah’s comment on defeating him and attacks him using the large katar blades. Elijah wants to avoid the attack but it is too late and he is defeated.

Jess finishes recording the battle and copies the data onto 8. Both ZAKU did not receive any damage as it is a mock battle and because they are both properties of Kaite’s, he has no intention of damaging them. Like the past few days, they watch the recording on 8’s display. Kaite had damaged Elijah’s GINN in an unexpected accident and decides to compensate by giving Elijah a new MS. He also offers to customised the MS as he feels that not doing so is irresponsible and is a waste of the rare MS that he will be giving Elijah. Jess remarks that it is rather generous of him and Kaite simply says that the ZAKU is part of his collection and he does not want it to be damaged easily. Jess feels that Kaite may be rather envious that Elijah has someone that needs him although he would never admit to it. Kaite has commissioned Junk Guild to build the customised ZAKU but they are still conducting mock battles to fine tune some parts. So far, Kaite has been pointing out shortcomings in Elijah’s fighting style and although it is for his own good, Elijah is still slightly irritated by it. While watching today’s recording, Kaite asks Elijah why he is making weird movements while evading attacks. Both Elijah and Jess does not understand the question and Kaite seems to have expected that Elijah did not notice it. Kaite then points out that Elijah seems to be rather protective of the red parts on his GINN and this habit persists even when he is using other MS. Elijah seems to know the answer but he refuses to reveal it and they get into another argument.

Their argument is interrupted by a message containing an assignment from Matias for Jess and Elijah, surprising the latter. For this assignment, Jess is to interview the person called the ‘Hero of Eurasia’ while Elijah serves as his body guard. It seems that the other party has specifically requested for both of them. Jess finds it interesting and wonders if Elijah will be accepting it. Elijah is undecided and as Jess glances at Kaite, the latter urges Elijah to accept it and says it will serve as a good test for his customised ZAKU. Elijah nods in agreement and Jess sends a message to Matias through 8, telling him that they accept the job. Kaite then indicates that he is going along as well and explains that he has the duty to see to the ZAKU’s preparation and to ensure that his hard work protecting Jess is not undone due to Elijah’s failure. Although Kaite put it in a venomous way, Jess can feel the kind intention behind it and thanks him for it. Kaite states that he has no reason to thank him while Elijah with his back towards them, coldly says that he will not thank Kaite for it. They started arguing again and although it is said that due to genetic manipulation, Coordinators are people of reason, Jess feels that there are always exception and decides to leave them alone.

After the war, Eurasia Federation descended into near civil war status due to the unhappiness and differences in view regarding their situation then. The true name of the ‘Hero of Eurasia’ is Ivan Zamboise and not much is known about him before he becomes the ‘Hero’. He proposes leaving the EA and defeating the core of the current Eurasia Federation. He and his supporters have already freed some regions from the government’s control and the security in these regions has stabilised. Some of the other regions are eagerly waiting their arrival and to prevent the situation from worsening, Eurasia Federation deploys its troops but they have difficulties tracking him down. Jess wonders if it will become another U.S.S.A and feels rather unsettled about it.

Upon arriving at the designated location, a forested area in the northern region of Eurasia, they immediately come under beam fire. Kaite calmly states that the attack is not a sudden one as they have been following the instructions of the ‘Hero’ so far. The ‘Hero’ has stated that there will be photos for Jess to take soon and because of that they leave the transport plane and tries to land using their MS. Jess questions what is happening through wireless communication and Outframe’s speaker and Ivan immediately identifies himself. Jess demands to know the reason behind the attack and Ivan clarfies that Jess is not his target; he just wants him to be the witness for the battle between him and Elijah. Elijah is shocked and Kaite asks him to calm down and not be led by the enemy. Ivan states that the uninvited guest also has to die and swears that their death will not be in vain. Jess cannot comprehend what Ivan’s words mean but is certain that he is their enemy. Ivan reveals his MS from behind the trees and although Jess cannot identify it, Elijah immediately recognises it as Hyperion Gundam. Ivan is rather impress that he knows about the machine and later explains that it is the repaired Hyperion Gundam unit 3. He adds that since the MS is defeated previously by Serpent Tail, Serpent Tail is the enemy of the MS and he finally has a reason to fight. 8 displays Hyperion’s data to Jess but he does not understands it that well. Hyperion deploys its 360⁰ barrier and after Elijah’s warning, they move in different directions.

Hyperion moves towards Elijah’s ZAKU while cutting down the trees. Kaite moves his ZAKU behind Hyperion and attacks with its gatling guns but the bullets all bounce off the barrier. Ivan says that the attack is useless and attacks Kaite using Hyperion’s beam rife. Elijah explains Hyperion’s ability to Jess and says that they have to run around till the barrier’s energy is depleted. Although Jess is not the target, he is still fearful and cold sweat breaks out from his hands. Their enemy has the advantage in the chase as unlike them who have to move around the trees, Hyperion is mowing the trees down using its barrier. Jess feels that Elijah’s ZAKU can escape the attacks so far is in part due to the customisation. Not only does the MS have high performance, its control has also been modified for ease of use. Elijah remarks that it is about time and starts retaliating. Behind Hyperion, Kaite joins in the attack but their efforts are useless due to the barrier. Elijah is surprised that the barrier is still operating after 5 mins and Ivan explains that he is using extra energy packs while laughing at Elijah’s foolishness. Ivan attacks the stationary ZAKU; Jess thinks that Elijah will have difficulties avoiding it and then observes that part of Elijah’s ZAKU armour has phase-shifted.

This is Kaite’s solution to Elijah’s piloting shortcomings and it manages to block some of Hyperion’s attack. Kaite expresses his unhappiness at the rare PS armour being scratched and Elijah lets out a weak laughter in respond. Although the cockpit also suffers from the impact of the attacks, it seems that Elijah is not that badly affected. He comments that the MS is not bad and thanks Kaite for it, and Kaite says to leave it for after they survive the attack. They then begin their counter attack and Hyperion is attacked from its front and back. Ivan finds the situation interesting and laughs loudly. Elijah is irritated by his laughter and Ivan apologises, he explains that it has been quite some time since he participates in a battle without prior preparation or strategy. He adds that compared to trying to change a country through fighting, such battle where he can ‘feel’ the opponent’s breathing and fighting will suites him better. Ivan seems to be in very high spirit, Elijah then questions him coldly how long does he think he can continue laughing and his action changes.

Elijah keeps a distance from Hyperion and begins shooting at the trees around it. The damaged trees fall around Hyperion but it is unaffected due to its barrier. Jess is puzzled while Kaite quickly understands Elijah’s intention and does the same. The fallen trees burn when they touch the barrier, making it difficult for Ivan to attack. The colour of the barrier soon changes and Elijah explains that the barrier’s energy is being used up due to its contact with too much fallen trees. He then proclaims that Ivan will be defeated when the barrier disappears. Ivan becomes silent and with the situation turning on him, he chooses to escape. As Hyperion does not have to move around the trees, it has an easy time escaping but Elijah is determined not to let him go. He activates the custom Wizard pack, quickly catches up with Hyperion and crashes into it. The blade on the ZAKU’s head pierces through Hyperion’s barrier and damages the MS. Kaite remarks that the blade has anti-beam coating and says that Elijah ended the battle beautifully.

After the battle, Jess walks towards Hyperion’s cockpit as he has some questions for Ivan. Ivan is badly injured and has difficulties breathing; Jess doubts that he can last much longer. Although Jess wants to know his reason for attacking them, he hesitated asking as he feels that even talking is too much for Ivan. Ivan seems to have guessed Jess’s thoughts and offers to explain everything as he knows that his end is near. Ivan reveals that he is not from Eurasia but he did not say where he originates from even till the end. He ends up at Eurasia due to the chaos at the end of the war and receives the Hyperion Gundam from Junk Guild in an unexpected manner. Upon knowing that the MS is developed so that Eurasia can become the leader of the world, he starts to ponder if he can overthrow the current Eurasia government using it and be the hero who saves the people. He confesses that the reason behind his thoughts then is because it seems fun. As he laughs, he stresses that his actions are not due to any sense of justice. Although Hyperion’s power is partly the reason for his success, the main reason for it is due to the support from the junker who gave him Hyperion. That person not only provides him with strategic planning but also spread word around that Ivan is the hero. The citizens soon get worked up over the news and welcome his arrival warmly. Ivan enjoys the feeling of becoming a hero and even starts considering Eurasia as his homeland.

The junker who supported Ivan suddenly vanishes and nothing goes well for him. Ivan feels that he is pulled back to the reality from a dream. He has trouble giving up his ‘hero’ status, starting anew, and begins to think about ways to maintain his status. Jess then realises that Ivan plans to use him, who has gain some fame due to his interview of Edward Harrelson, to spread the news of his defeat of Elijah, who is widely known for defeating the ‘Hero of ZAFT’ and thereby raising his status. Ivan confirms Jess’s conjecture, admits that he is not a hero material and apologises for causing them trouble. Jess asks if he has any last words, he replies that he has none but adds that even though he is a fake hero, he is still concerned about the region’s future development and asks if Jess can keep watch for him. Jess agrees and Ivan tells him not to work too hard. Tears form in Ivan’s eyes and Jess wonders if it is due to pain or something else. He notes that Ivan’s retina has a ‘light’ similar to Edward’s and tries to comfort him by saying that he could become a true hero if he did not do such a stupid thing. Ivan brushes it aside and says that it is stupid of him to act more powerful than he really is. He vomits out a lot of blood and tells Jess that he has always suspected that the one who gave him Hyperion is not from Junk Guild but from some other organisation. He warns Jess that someone is controlling the world from behind the scene. Jess feels that this could be the main reason why Matias give him the job as there always is a certain meaning behind his every action.

Ivan wonders if it is penance that Jess will be not be forgetting him that soon and states that as his last act, he wishes to pray to the god of this land and asks if Jess knows who that is. Jess apologises as he does not know the answer and with his last breath, Ivan tells him not to let it bother him. In the end Jess cannot bring himself to hate Ivan, he notices that Kaite and Elijah are behind him and notes that they did not look like victors. As they left, Jess decides to investigate more about ‘Hero of Eurasia’ and although he does not know what the value of Ivan’s life is, he is sure that it is not a meaningless one.


Well, that's all about the novel that i have come across. Will be back to the photonovel in the next post.

[E08]

Back to the photonovel and..... another incident at armory one.

Chapt 12: Multi Pack

While at Armory One, Jess met with some minor incidents and when he looks back on them, he feels that they might be an omen for the larger incidents later. One of those minor incidents has many questionable aspects and it happened while Blast Impulse is conducting its space testing. At that point in time, the tests are in the final phase and for the journalists who are there, it is also almost time for them to hand in their report for vetting. Thus, rather than watch the testing, most journalists are using the remaining time to finish their report. Moreover, all the tests have been repeated numerous times and as a result, Jess is the only journalist present when the incident occurred. Jess also knows that he should be finishing up his reports but he prefers watching the test then work at his desk. Even if the tests have been conducted before, the end result may not always be the same and he feels that there may be new discoveries during the process.

During the test, Jess gets scolded by Bernadette when he moves far too out front to get a better shooting position. The questionable incident occurs when the test is near its end and Impulse’s battery is low in power. Blast Impulse suddenly turn towards the G-Flight equipped Outframe and fires its cannon in that direction, shocking Jess. The beams moves pass Outframe and the empty space there explodes. As Jess wonders what is going on, 8 informs him that the mirage colloid detector senses something. The detector is invented after the previous war and is small enough to be fitted onto any MS. Although it does not tell the user the location of the mirage colloid equipped machine, but since it responded, then that means that enemy unit(s) is nearby. Blast Impulse’s attack is thus aimed at the invisible enemy, but how it is able to attack something that is invisible seems to be related to its pilot. There also seems to be other invisible enemies in the area. Bernadette instructs Impulse and Outframe to leave the area and says that they will handle the matter. Impulse did not return to the Nazca Class ship, instead it moves towards the abandoned colonies nearby. This happens as that ship will be searching for the invisible enemies and to avoid getting in its way, it is best to move to an area that will not interfere with their work. Thus, Jess also head towards the abandoned colonies, which happen to have one of the designated shelters in the event of an accident during the test.

After they enter one of the colonies, the exit suddenly collapses, trapping them inside. To make matters worse, they discover that back up batteries, extra oxygen supply and other emergency supplies that should be there are missing. Although Jess has a discussion with Shinn, they still cannot figure out what is happening and they conclude that they will have to wait for rescue. An explosion then occurs somewhere and they are hit by its shockwave. An alarm in the colony sounded and this particular alarm usually means that the inhabitants should leave the colony immediately. 8 tells Jess that it is a trap, someone has destroyed certain parts of the colony and it has already confirm this after hacking into the colony’s management system. 8 then warns that the colony is disintegrating. Jess knows that they need to leave the place immediately and curses that they do not have any equipment that can help them blast a way out. 8 says that they have Impulse’s Blast Silhouette causing Jess to point out that Impulse does not have the energy needed to operate it anymore, otherwise they would have use it long ago. 8 clarifies that it is talking about Outframe using it, shocking Jess. As instructed by 8, he examines Outframe’s data carefully and finds that its weight has increase slightly. 8 explains that it is due to a new equipment and Jess remarks that he did agree to the installation. As he wonders what the equipment is, he feels that 8 really does not behave like a computer at all. This is especially true when it comes to the management of Outframe, where it seems to behave as if it has more authority than him. Jess did however concede that 8 has a better understanding of machines.

8 calls the new equipment ‘Multi Pack’ and says that with it, Outframe can also use Silhouette packs. An image of Outframe appears on 8’s display screen and Jess notes that the shape of its back is different, the changes are not that significant but there is indeed something covering the backpack hardpoint. Seeing as how they can only rely on this new equipment now, Jess explains the situation to Shinn and requested that he ejects Blast Silhouette. He then attaches it to Outframe and multiple system codes appear on 8’s display screen, ending with a large ‘OK’ sign. Jess confirms with 8 again, then he creates an opening using the cannons, and Outframe and Core Splendor rushes towards the exit. Shinn leaves the Chest and Leg Flyer behind as Core Splendor is more agile and uses less energy. The colony collapses soon after they left.

8 proudly declares that they are saved while Jess is surprised that it knows about Silhouette packs’ attachment points which are supposed to be military secret. 8 brushes his concerns aside and calls it a junker’s amazing mechanical skills. The battle outside the colony has also ended; the enemies have escaped and according to the Nazca Class ship’s crew members, Bernadette is extremely worried about losing track of Jess and Shinn and cries about her inability to help them. However when Jess confirms the matter with her, she angrily denies it and tries to change the topic. In the end, Jess treats it as a rumor and the most important fact to him is that enemy units using mirage colloid appeared at the test site.

[E08]

Here is the first of the four chapters in the Testament gundam arc.

Chapt 13: Testament Gundam

CE 71, 2 mirage colloid equipped MS secretly infiltrates the hangar of Genesis Alpha and they soon found their target MS. The cockpit door of one the MS opens, someone jumps out and moves toward the target MS while another inside quickly close the door. The operation seems to be well planned as none of the security system is tripped. The infiltrator successfully activates the MS, causing its colour to change from grey to white. He then informs his team mates that the first phase is completed and he is going into the second phase. The white MS then moves deeper into the hangar.

Deep in the hangar contains the Striker packs that ZAFT recovered from the battlefield. Testament Gundam then activates the machineries in the hangar and the Sword striker is fitted onto its body. The alarm suddenly sounded, the infiltrators know that they have been discovered and they quickly left the hangar. The MS team guarding Genesis Alpha attack the infiltrators in space but they are defeated by Testament Gundam welding the anti-ship sword. It is unfortunate that the other MS stationed at the base, Regenerate, is currently out on a mission. Otherwise, it could have stopped the enemies. However, as the enemy’s plan seems to be quite thorough, it is possible that from the beginning they plan to steal Testament only when Regenerate is not around. After confirming that all the security MS are defeated, Testament’s pilot ejects the Sword striker. A Cosmo Grasper approaches Testament and ejects its Aile striker; Testament then attaches the striker and left the area.

A lady is informed by her subordinates that her plan to steal ZAFT’s newest MS is a success. She is satisfied that her plan is carried out perfectly, she feels that as long as one has gained enough intelligence about matters around the world, it is possible to manipulate the world as one wishes. Occasionally something unexpected can occur, but as a perfectionist, she will not allow it. Although the theft occurred perfectly as planned, looking at the data her subordinate handed her, she notices that there are some minor areas where variability are possible and remarks that the stolen MS cannot be piloted by Naturals. According to the report, it took 5 mins to destroy the enemy MS around Genesis Alpha and that is too long for a MS with such high performances. She brushes this problem aside and feels that it can be solved by capturing a capable Coordinator. To her, people are just objects and when necessary, she just needs to get the things she wanted. She then remembers that they just obtained the new virus technology from Eurasia Federation and thinks about equipping the stolen MS with it. She comes to know about the virus’s existence when Kenaf piloted Gel Finieto. She feels that with this, the events will be more interesting and a satisfied smile appears on her face.

At around the same time, Matias receives similar information about the MS theft. Even within the military, only few know about the incident. The fact that Matias’s intelligence network knows about it shows that its capabilities are beyond any country’s. Moreover, to know about the incident at the same time as someone who is involved with it seems to be an impossible task for any network. Matias slowly recalls what his subordinate just told him, doing this helps him to know more about the hidden meaning behind the incident. He enjoys the process and remarks that Matisse has finally make her move, he also wonders how their match will end. As he mentions her name, cold and icy flames start to burn in a quiet corner of his heart. He is hurt by the flames but it also delights him.

Suddenly, a man’s face flashes across his mind and he cannot fathom why. Other than being an optimist, that man is worthless and although he is a freelance journalist, he insists on carrying out his interview using a MS. This man is of no special benefit to Matias, yet he is still concerned about him and thus, with a semi amusement attitude, he provides him with numerous assistances. Although he feels a bit sorry about it, he still decides to drag Jess into the matter and wants to find a way to send Jess to Genesis Alpha. He does not know what consequences this particular action of his has and how meaningful it is, but it is also because of these reasons that he wants to try it out. Matis smiles to himself and starts to give instructions on contacting Jess.

[E08]

For this chapter, we got a look at how the defeat by Testament and Jess's decision to fight affected Kaite.

Chapt 14: Divine Striker

Jess cannot believes his eyes when Gold Frame Amatsu’s energy absorption claw is blocked by Testament Gundam and at first he thought that it is a false image created by the enemy’s virus. Once he realises that it is really happening, he rushes in to help Kaite but is quickly defeated and knocked out. Standing in front of the damaged Outframe later, Jess decides to fight the enemy as he is distorting the truth. As a journalist, Jess has been avoiding combat thus far but he feels that he needs to be involved in this fight as he is a journalist seeking the truth.

For Kaite, this day has been a very long day. First the Junius 7 debris, then the meeting with Mina and finally the fight with the mysterious enemy. He is now in a room within Genesis Alpha, the lights are off and he is lying on the bed with his eyes closed. Numerous thoughts flash across his mind and he cannot help but feel very tired. Jess’s declaration today that he wants to fight left the deepest impression on Kaite as normally he would not say such a thing. He wonders if part of the reason for Jess’s decision is because he is not strong enough. Kaite’s job is to protect Jess from harm during his mission but today, not only did he fail to do that, he even has to be saved by Jess. This is the worst result of his work thus far. As they have been working together for quite some time, Kaite knows how determined Jess is but it is also because of this, that he is full of guilt for causing Jess to make such a decision. No matter how much he blames himself, the reality will not change and complicated feelings continue to spin around in his mind. Not long after, a tired Kaite soon fall asleep.

In a battle, Kaite is piloting his customised GINN; this is the same MS that he uses to free himself from ‘Circus’. So far he did not see any sign of the enemy, only a vast forest surrounds him but he is confident that the enemy will soon appear. As he remarks to himself that the enemy is here, Testament Gundam suddenly appears and walks slowly towards him. Although none of the GINN’s armaments can damage it due to its VPS, Kaite is still confident of winning the battle. As if to show that it has the capability to win the fight and maybe more, Testament Gundam pulls up the nearest tree. Kaite wonders if that is a taunt and realises that he is being very agitated. Despite constantly reminding himself to stay calm, Kaite still finds it difficult to do so when facing against the enemy that hurts Jess. The thought that he himself is responsible for Jess’s injuries suddenly appears in his mind and he loses his cool and rushes forwards. Kaite now only wants to defeat the enemy whom he sees as the source of his problem. Testament Gundam raises both its arms and after looking at its arm equipment, Kaite labels it as a monster. It seems the enemy must have thought that Kaite is planning on engaging it in melee combat; hence it raising its arms, but he actually has no intention of doing that. Although shooting solid ammunition will not damage it, Kaite still has a way of working around this problem. Seeing that the enemy has left its body undefended, Kaite’s aims the rifle at the cockpit area and fires.

Although numerous bullets bounce off the cockpit, the resulting impact will still course throughout the whole MS. Unlike in space, a MS that stays stationary on earth due to friction will use its whole body to absorb the impact energy created when it is hit. Although the MS’s armour can withstand the continuous impact from Kaite’s attack, its pilot is another story. The pilot within has been Kaite’s target all along, he only rushes in so that the accuracy of his attack will be higher and to maintain maximum impact when the bullets hit the armour. Suddenly, Testament Gundam changes appearance and he sees a very familiar MS, Outframe. Kaite has actually been attacking Outframe and the rifle’s bullets have easily penetrated the cockpit. He immediately stops the attack, rushes towards Outframe’s cockpit and pulls out the wounded Jess. Jess’s whole body is covered in blood and Kaite knows that his life is slowly disappearing in his hand.

Kaite lets out a painful cry and then he wakes up. This is not the first time he has a nightmare; in fact, there is only a few nights that he can sleep well in the first place but he still feels that it is different from usual. He is certain that his nightmare is due to Jess’s decision to fight which is because of his failure. Shaking off the nightmare, he stands up and gets ready to go to the hangar where Outframe is. Actually he has no reason to go there, if there is one, it is to just confirm that Outframe is safe. When he enters the hangar, he finds that the repair is going smoothly and upon closer inspection, he did not find any bullet marks on the cockpit. He questions Outframe how it feels to be going out to battle soon and since it cannot reply, he can only stare at it.