Naval Training Mission

[Wilhelm 0]

[align=center]It had been a week since Delfina had returned to Plant. The media seemed to have calmed down from the unexpected event at Kusanagi City. That event was starting to fade out of the publics mind, the media was now focused on various topics, mainly politics, and entertainment. The young commander left her job at the national defense headquarters for a slightly easier job befitting a person of that rank. She was transferred to combat position far away from the typical desk work.

 

Delfina found herself sitting in a chair on the bridge of a Nazca vessel, called “Siegfried.” The various lights flashed in the dimly lit bridge. The tactical map in the center of the bridge displayed Aprilus One, and the various re-fueling station for military vessels. The bridge crew was busy running their complex orders, many of the crew were trainees fresh from the academy. The captain was an established war-veteran Demetri Markov. A rather rugged man at first glance, but inside that hard shell was an optimistic and lighthearted individual.

 

Held tightly in Delfina’s gloved hand was an antique pocket watch. The second hand moves slowly around. The soft ticking sound was like a metronome, but it was easily silenced by the crew’s questions to Captain Markov. The minute hand moves, and Delfina’s eyes widen showing a fierce expression. She lowered the watch and motioned her hand over. “Red Alert, have all hands at battle stations, the test mission is now underway. Activate CIWS, Calibrate cannons, and keep an eye on the heat detector.” Markov let out a grin, at Delfina’s composure, the usual group of newly anointed commanders were nervous during their first training mission. She unlike the others was quite calm and collected.

 

The Siegfried moves into the proposed battle zone in the area between the Colony and re-fueling station. Its mission was to quickly find the Nibelung’s assortment of mobile suits hiding behind dummy asteroids in the area. There were three Zaku hiding in the field of dummy asteroids painted black and operating on minimal energy. Much like the crew and commander of the Siegfried the pilots were inexperienced.

 

The lead Zaku’s mono eye rotates and lets out a faint flash to the other members of its fire team. It was a simple flash code, “Target in sight wait for orders…keep M.S. on low power.” The leader’s face was sweating inside his green helmet. His gloved hand reaches in and wipes the droplets from his eyes. His radio was filled with static simulating a war zone saturated heavily with N-Jammer waves. Like the others in his team, He was the most nervous. His finger tapped against the controls of his Zaku, his breath was erratic as the Siegfried grew closer. If we keep our power this low, we should come out with the victory… He flips a few switches and re-adjusts his Zaku using a low burst from the apogee motors.

 

Delfina now stood at the tactical map with her arms leaning on the edges of the table. The dummy asteroids were displayed by the colony with several proposed points of the enemy formation. She was anxious to find the attackers. Markov gave his insight to the inexperienced commander giving his advice on the matter. Delfina took his advice to heart, and started to analyze the asteroids. “Do we have anything on the sensors?” The fire control officer shook her head, and immediately squints at her monitor. She quickly turns around, and yells. “Abnormal light detected at point 4-B” Delfina rushed to the F.C. officers console, and looked at the data. A smile appeared across Delfina’s face, as she turned back to Markov. “Fire a salvo from the rail gun at 4-B!”

 

The Siegfried’s 66mm dual rail gun rotated and simulated a firing. Its barrel flew back, as the laser designator would mimic a live round. Delfina clenched her teeth awaiting the kill or miss response from the ships targeting computer. A feel of tension flowed through her and the inexperienced crew she ordered.

 

A red light flashed through the cockpit of the lead Zaku. Reacting, the leader activated his Zaku, and sent an attack order to his subordinates. Attack the Siegfried! This win is going to us! Get your drinking faces on boys we’re not paying tonight! The members of the team in unison let out a small laugh, and fly out of the dummy asteroids. The trio of Zaku flew out forming together in a triangle formation. The Siegfried quickly picked up the trio’s heat signatures, sounding loud alert through the ship.

 

Delfina let out a smirk, and licked her lips. She moves a few strands of fringe from her eyes and tucks the loose hair behind her ear. The crew turned towards Delfina as she issued orders to Markov. “Don’t let them get close to us! Fire CIWS, and launch missiles! Aim cannons, but don’t fire them just yet!” Markov let out a laugh, and repeated the orders to the crew below him. The Siegfried’s CIWS and VLS launcher bays opened sending a simulated salvo of missiles and bullets at the incoming mobile suit team.

 

The leader’s eyes widen, as reality hits him. The Siegfried was out of their range, but they were inside it’s fully range of weaponry. His console flashes, as the squad is met with the simulated targets. “Damn it, that girl outsmarted us!” The leader slams his hand against his console and hunches over cursing.

 

Over the Zaft testing frequency, the command station transmitted a message to both the mobile suit team, and Siegfried. “Test mission is concluded, all forces please return to dock in the harbor.”

 

The words relieved the crew of the Siegfried; they were the last ship to be tested for today. The bridge was filled with the cheers the soldiers were happy that they managed to take out tall three units within thirty minutes almost breaking the posted record. Delfina say back in her seat with her cap pulled over her eyes. She was exhausted, for the entire thirty minutes of the operation the constant thinking and devising took its toll. A grin was stretched across her face. Markov looked back at her, and let out a laugh. “Okay, enough celebration lets return to the colony.” The crew quickly returned to their stations, and the Siegfried started its way back to the harbor.

 

The dummy asteroids deflated, while a nearby shuttle crew started to package them up. The Zaku team followed behind the Siegfried, the leader bursts quickly to the bridge, and looks at the window. The mono-eye flashes several times sending an optical message to the crew.

 

“You lucked out, I’ll get you next time Schneider. I’m still not going to give up on you my Mediterranean goddess.”

 

The crew let out a simultaneous laugh, while Delfina stood in embarrassment. The Zaku team quickly flew past the Siegfried toward the harbor. Her hand was clenched at her hip, and was shaking furiously. “That cheeky bastard…” Delfina lost her composure, her victory over the Zaku team was now lost to that single response.

 

“What did he mean by Mediterranean Goddess, do you and Mackenzie have some history Commander?” The F.C officer turned away from her console with a bright smile on her face. She could barely hold in her laughter. Delfina’s expression was priceless, she came in calm and composed only to look lost and embarrassed in the finale of the mission.

 

Delfina shook her head, and threw her arm forward pointing at Aprilius’s harbor. A fire was burning in her eyes, and her teeth were clenched showing a furious grin. “Okay, we had our fun, let’s get docked and go about our business.” She let out a sigh, and cursed under her breath.

 

The guiding lights exited the colony guiding the Nazca Destroyer into the harbor. The ship slowed down with a burst from its engine block, and automatically switched to the harbor control. The Siegfried moved to a stop, as docking clamps attached to its hull. A terminal moves forward, and attaches to its airlock. Maintenance crews float around the ship inspecting it for cosmetic damage.[/align]