Amuro drifted through White Base's corridors, scanning instrument panels and monitoring energy readouts. The ship's hum was a steady pulse beneath his feet. Outside, Luna II rotated slowly, its surface a lattice of docking bays and industrial structures basking in deceptive calm. Amuro's eyes flicked to the RX-78 Gundam, standing ready in the hangar, technicians connecting power lines and calibrating sensors with practiced precision. Anticipation tightened in his chest.
Klaxons shattered the silence. Red warning lights flooded the corridors as tracer fire streaked across the void. Char's Zaku squadron tore into the docking corridor, mono-eyes glowing ominously. Mirai barked engine corrections while Sayla monitored incoming damage reports. Bright's voice cut sharply: "All defensive batteries, fire at will! Protect the docking corridor!"
Amuro slid into the Gundam's cockpit, gripping the controls instinctively. "They're coming straight for us," he muttered. Thrusters flared, propelling the Gundam into the void. Char's crimson Zaku twisted elegantly, dodging beam rifle bursts before they were fully fired, countering with rapid machine-gun fire that Amuro barely deflected with the shield.
The duel spiraled along Luna II's exterior, weaving between docking corridors and structural beams. Sparks erupted as beam saber clashed with Zaku armor. Structural alarms shrieked. He's faster than any pilot I've ever faced… beyond training, Amuro realized.
"Amuro! Sensors show three incoming Zakus from your left!" Kobayashi called over comms. "Got it," Amuro replied, twisting the Gundam to intercept. His saber swung in a wide arc, slicing through incoming fire and one Zaku's shoulder armor.
Char's voice crackled through open comms: "Not bad, boy. But you're no match for me." Amuro gritted his teeth, answering through clenched jaw: "I won't let you destroy us!"
White Base trembled as stray fire shook the ship. Smoke coiled along corridors; engineers rushed to seal breaches. "Deck 4 oxygen is dropping!" one shouted. "Seal the doors! Now!"
Char's Zaku darted between debris, guiding two Zakus in coordinated fire. "Flank him! Don't let him escape!" One Zaku miscalculated, colliding with a docking beam. Another caught a glancing shot from Gundam's rifle, spinning out of control.
Amuro fired rapidly, beam saber slicing through the air. A Zaku barrelled at him; he ducked, twisting Gundam in a sudden evasive spin. "You'll have to do better than that!" he shouted. Sparks flew as the suits clashed, debris scattering into the void.
"GMs inbound!" Bright's voice rang over the intercom. "Hold the line!" Mass-produced Federation units entered, rifle fire cutting down a pair of Zakus in synchronized bursts. Kobayashi added, "They're holding, but more are coming!"
Bright pray that this downgraded Mobile Suit from Gundam can perform well, so he crew can survive.
Char adjusted tactics, weaving missiles to probe GM formations while keeping Gundam in sight. "Evasive maneuvers—keep him cornered!" He calculated angles, predicting Amuro's next move.
Amuro surged forward, beam saber ignited, deflecting a missile that tore a chunk of outer hull away. "Hang in there, White Base!" he muttered. Each slash of his saber was precise, calculated.
Inside the colony's narrow corridor, Char spun, dodging Gundam's blasts. "You're fast…but predictable," he murmured. Zakus fired sporadically, attempting to corral Amuro.
White Base shook violently; alarms wailing. Engineers sealed compromised sections, smoke filling the halls. "Deck 5 hull breach contained! Oxygen stable!" one shouted.
Amuro twisted sharply, evading missiles and spinning debris. "I can't let him corner me!" he thought, heart hammering. Every movement was a gamble, every reaction a test of instinct.
Char pressed the attack, but GM units intercepted, trading fire with Zakus. "These new suits are surprisingly effective," Char noted. One Zaku went down; another barely escaped a GM beam.
Amuro lunged into a narrow corridor near Luna II's core. "He's trying to trap me… I need an opening!" Beam saber clashed with Zaku shield, sparks flying. Char barked commands, "Cover your flank!"
"Incoming from port side!" Kobayashi called. Amuro pivoted, thrusters firing in precise bursts. "Got it—dodging!" His reflexes strained under pressure, but he maintained control.
A stray missile exploded near a docking platform. White Base shook; alarms blared. "Brace for hull impact!" Mirai ordered. Crew scrambled, stabilizers firing, emergency lights flaring.
Char twisted his Zaku through debris, continuing a feint to corner Gundam. Amuro pushed forward, saber cutting through another Zaku, one pilot spinning out helplessly. "Keep moving… never stop!" he thought.
GM reinforcements surged, cutting off remaining Zakus from advancing. Bright barked, "Protect the Gundam! Maintain perimeter!" The ship rocked as energy blasts tore nearby structures apart.
Amuro clashed with Char in the corridor, exchanging salvo after salvo. Beam saber slashed; Char deflected with Zaku shield. "Not bad, boy," Char muttered. "But I have you calculated!"
Amuro grit his teeth, pushing Gundam harder. "I won't let you destroy us!" A sudden thruster burst sent him spiraling, narrowly avoiding a collapsing support beam.
White Base engines roared as the vessel pulled free from Luna II. GMs kept Zakus at bay; structural damage visible but contained. Mirai exhaled, relief tempered by worry.
Char allowed his remaining Zakus to retreat, signaling the squadron: "Regroup. Preserve data. This is only a partial loss."
Amuro, floating in the cockpit, whispered, "Why… is he so different from the others?" His instincts stirred; Newtype reflexes awakening under combat stress.
Bright reviewed the aftermath. "GMs performed well, but Zeon ace was extraordinary. This war is escalating—and so is the enemy."
Char cataloged every maneuver and reaction. "Next time, we'll be ready," he thought, guiding his squad back to Zeon forces. His cold smile betrayed anticipation, not defeat.
Amuro's hands tightened around the controls. "I have to get stronger… faster," he whispered. "Or we won't survive the next clash."
White Base drifted onward, battered but operational. Crew patched hull breaches, tended to injured, and documented every encounter. The duel between Gundam and Char had left a mark on everyone, signaling the true scale of the war to come.