Post by The Green Flame on Feb 8, 2023 15:02:45 GMT
October 13th, U.C. 0087
Mount Kilimanjaro Base
Africa.
A continent second only to Asia in size and the cradle of humanity itself, its history is as long as it is tumultuous having hosted some of the world’s mightiest kingdoms while suffering centuries of misfortune, its resources and environment drained for all they were worth. The Sahara Desert has encroached further and further across the continent, reaching as far as the coastal city of Dakar, the very seat of the Earth Federation government. The continent is so beaten down and weary that even the Federation government has turned a blind eye to the problems on its doorstep, among them a Zeon insurgency that has persisted since the end of the One Year War.
And yet, despite all of its woes, the Titans still made the continent their new home following the destruction of their previous base and former headquarters of the Earth Federation military, Jaburo. The vast majority of its surviving assets and personnel would be transferred to a massive, sprawling complex constructed within the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the continent. With its natural barriers to invasion and its own construction facilities for mobile suits and vessels alike, it would be a nigh-impregnable fortress once it reached its full capacity. It was here that a detachment of Helios Corps, led by Lieutenant Commander Julian Miller, would find itself alongside some unfortunately (and unexpectedly) familiar company.
It had been only a few days since they had descended to the base and acclimate themselves to their new environment, even if some were likely to be more at home than others. One such individual was Rolfe Brocken, a mechanical engineer from the Oakland Research Institute. He had long been overdue for a return to Mother Earth but had been preoccupied with prior assignments and the data collection of other units on the space front. However, upon notification of Helios’ own deployment to Earth, he opted to ‘hitch a ride’ to terra firma while taking stock of their own exploits.
The last time he received Helios’ data, he had some interesting hypothesis on where some of its pilots might fall. He had hoped their recent activities, of which there were many, would provide further insight on their strengths and how they might affect Oakland’s own projects but it was not to be. They, or their Commander rather, had been surprisingly obstinate in stonewalling his collection team’s efforts and for reasons unknown to him. Combined with the half the unit remaining in space for some other operation, he would have to make do with those present.
The pilots he’d brought alongside him were familiar enough (and surely he was to them) though there was an unfamiliar face or two among them. And, of course, there had been the Enhanced one…Junior Grade Cion Maconree, the engineer mused, a clear image in his mind. The Cyber Newtype had, evidently, undergone some sort of change in the past month or so. Gone were the mask and uniform he had so emphasized to set him apart from the others. There was a story behind that he was sure.
All within time…
--
Elsewhere, within one of the base’s several command centers, the local Titan leadership were in the midst of coordinating and planning a series of operations within the wider Afro-Eurasian region with one in particular taking a lead in the discussions. He was readily identifiable by not just his Titan uniform but also his neat and trimmed beard, setting him apart from his more clean-shaven counterparts. His uniform itself was adorned with several pins, identifying past theaters he had served in, among them the Odessa and East Asian campaigns.
Lieutenant Colonel Rikard Price, the Commander of Kilimanjaro’s 8th Rapid Reaction Force and direct superior of the Helios Corps detachment for the duration of their deployment. Though they had gone through cursory introductions upon their arrival, he had spoken little with the newly arrived pilots save for Commander Miller. Still, he was known as a knowledgeable officer on the terrestrial front and valued the input of his subordinates as he was valued by them for his leadership and intuition.
“The Congo still concerns me but they haven’t taken action for months now, not like that cell running through the Maghreb or that Desert Rommel out in Middle East,” Rikard spoke, pointing out several red splotches on a regional map, highlighting flashes of insurgent activity. Even now, the Federation still hadn’t quelled the remnant lurking the African continent nor the Arabian Peninsula. “But what most concerns me is here and here.”
Pointing out a green sphere of influence over the Mediterranean and another over the Indian Ocean, the older officer crossed his arms. “Make no mistake, Karaba is moving and building up their strength. We’ve received multiple reports of them taking action at our periphery bases in Asia and Eastern Europe but they’ve yet to make any overt moves…We still haven’t found the Audhumla?”
An aide shook his head in the negative, hesitant in giving his latest update. “At last appearance, it was spotted over the Pacific but we lost following the destruction of one of our satellites. Our forces have been realigned to prepare for Axis’ arrival. It was…Commander Bask’s order, sir.”
“Even in space that thug makes my life difficult,” he scoffed before turning his eye to Julian, the Commander among those present. “Commander Miller, you’re new to our current predicament but I value your input nonetheless. Any thoughts on where Karaba might try their luck next?”
Mount Kilimanjaro Base
Africa.
A continent second only to Asia in size and the cradle of humanity itself, its history is as long as it is tumultuous having hosted some of the world’s mightiest kingdoms while suffering centuries of misfortune, its resources and environment drained for all they were worth. The Sahara Desert has encroached further and further across the continent, reaching as far as the coastal city of Dakar, the very seat of the Earth Federation government. The continent is so beaten down and weary that even the Federation government has turned a blind eye to the problems on its doorstep, among them a Zeon insurgency that has persisted since the end of the One Year War.
And yet, despite all of its woes, the Titans still made the continent their new home following the destruction of their previous base and former headquarters of the Earth Federation military, Jaburo. The vast majority of its surviving assets and personnel would be transferred to a massive, sprawling complex constructed within the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the continent. With its natural barriers to invasion and its own construction facilities for mobile suits and vessels alike, it would be a nigh-impregnable fortress once it reached its full capacity. It was here that a detachment of Helios Corps, led by Lieutenant Commander Julian Miller, would find itself alongside some unfortunately (and unexpectedly) familiar company.
It had been only a few days since they had descended to the base and acclimate themselves to their new environment, even if some were likely to be more at home than others. One such individual was Rolfe Brocken, a mechanical engineer from the Oakland Research Institute. He had long been overdue for a return to Mother Earth but had been preoccupied with prior assignments and the data collection of other units on the space front. However, upon notification of Helios’ own deployment to Earth, he opted to ‘hitch a ride’ to terra firma while taking stock of their own exploits.
The last time he received Helios’ data, he had some interesting hypothesis on where some of its pilots might fall. He had hoped their recent activities, of which there were many, would provide further insight on their strengths and how they might affect Oakland’s own projects but it was not to be. They, or their Commander rather, had been surprisingly obstinate in stonewalling his collection team’s efforts and for reasons unknown to him. Combined with the half the unit remaining in space for some other operation, he would have to make do with those present.
The pilots he’d brought alongside him were familiar enough (and surely he was to them) though there was an unfamiliar face or two among them. And, of course, there had been the Enhanced one…Junior Grade Cion Maconree, the engineer mused, a clear image in his mind. The Cyber Newtype had, evidently, undergone some sort of change in the past month or so. Gone were the mask and uniform he had so emphasized to set him apart from the others. There was a story behind that he was sure.
All within time…
--
Elsewhere, within one of the base’s several command centers, the local Titan leadership were in the midst of coordinating and planning a series of operations within the wider Afro-Eurasian region with one in particular taking a lead in the discussions. He was readily identifiable by not just his Titan uniform but also his neat and trimmed beard, setting him apart from his more clean-shaven counterparts. His uniform itself was adorned with several pins, identifying past theaters he had served in, among them the Odessa and East Asian campaigns.
Lieutenant Colonel Rikard Price, the Commander of Kilimanjaro’s 8th Rapid Reaction Force and direct superior of the Helios Corps detachment for the duration of their deployment. Though they had gone through cursory introductions upon their arrival, he had spoken little with the newly arrived pilots save for Commander Miller. Still, he was known as a knowledgeable officer on the terrestrial front and valued the input of his subordinates as he was valued by them for his leadership and intuition.
“The Congo still concerns me but they haven’t taken action for months now, not like that cell running through the Maghreb or that Desert Rommel out in Middle East,” Rikard spoke, pointing out several red splotches on a regional map, highlighting flashes of insurgent activity. Even now, the Federation still hadn’t quelled the remnant lurking the African continent nor the Arabian Peninsula. “But what most concerns me is here and here.”
Pointing out a green sphere of influence over the Mediterranean and another over the Indian Ocean, the older officer crossed his arms. “Make no mistake, Karaba is moving and building up their strength. We’ve received multiple reports of them taking action at our periphery bases in Asia and Eastern Europe but they’ve yet to make any overt moves…We still haven’t found the Audhumla?”
An aide shook his head in the negative, hesitant in giving his latest update. “At last appearance, it was spotted over the Pacific but we lost following the destruction of one of our satellites. Our forces have been realigned to prepare for Axis’ arrival. It was…Commander Bask’s order, sir.”
“Even in space that thug makes my life difficult,” he scoffed before turning his eye to Julian, the Commander among those present. “Commander Miller, you’re new to our current predicament but I value your input nonetheless. Any thoughts on where Karaba might try their luck next?”
