Tanya finished overseeing the final supply transfers, ensuring every piece of equipment was accounted for. The humid air clung to her uniform as she checked her Zaku II's systems one last time. She knew that every round, every fuel cell, and every spare part could be the difference between victory and disaster.
Just as she mounted her cockpit, a secure communication pinged through the comm system. It was from Dozle. "Vanguard, listen closely. Support the Apsalus Project if necessary, but your primary mission remains holding the line in Southeast Asia. You are not to compromise the main objective for experimental curiosities."
Tanya's fingers tightened on the controls. The orders were clear, binding her to observation and action alike: she could intervene if the Apsalus faltered, but her main mission came first. She repeated the message to her squad. "We act if necessary, but nothing distracts us from the mission. Understood?"
Mila, perched in her Zaku II nearby, responded with a determined nod. "Yes, Tanya. We follow your lead." Colt adjusted his targeting sensors, muttering under his breath, "Seems like we're babysitting a giant weapon and a warzone at the same time." Tanya allowed herself a faint smirk, then focused on the dense jungle ahead, every fiber of her being alert.
The Apsalus hovered in the clearing below, its massive frame casting a shadow over the jungle canopy. Tanya's eyes narrowed, measuring the engineering marvel with cold efficiency. It was a machine of impossible scale, capable of devastating firepower, yet its sheer size made it vulnerable — a paradox she found almost fascinating.
Ginias Sahalin, observing from the base's command deck, waved at Tanya. "Commander von Zehrtfeld, I trust you've seen enough to appreciate its potential?" His tone was part pride, part provocation.
Tanya tilted her head, studying the mobile armor. "I've seen enough to know this is a gamble. Brilliant, but reckless." She gestured toward Mila and Colt. "Keep sensors active. Watch for anything that could compromise our position."
Mila's voice crackled over the comm. "Scanning for Federation interference. No anomalies yet, Tanya."
Colt, ever practical, added, "Those thrusters look powerful, but I'd bet a week's rations you can still punch through the armor at weak points."
Tanya considered their words, letting them guide her observation. The Apsalus moved with eerie precision, yet every motion was calculated, every rotation deliberate. It was beautiful in its symmetry, terrifying in its destructive potential.
As the demonstration began, Tanya's Zaku II hovered at a safe distance. She monitored the Apsalus's energy discharge, weapon calibration, and targeting systems. Her Newtype awareness tingled faintly — subtle ripples she couldn't explain, almost as if the machine itself had a presence beyond its mechanics.
The whispers in her mind were faint, like echoes of something larger, something watching. She suppressed the sensation, refusing to let it cloud her judgment. Her life had been defined by survival across countless incarnations — this was another trial, another battlefield to master.
Ginias's voice rang out again, directing the mobile armor through its firing sequences. The ground shook as artillery blasts tore through dummy targets, foliage incinerated in brilliant orange flashes. Tanya's eyes flicked constantly between her sensors and the weapon's movements, calculating every angle, every possible vulnerability.
Mila spoke, quieter this time, almost in awe. "It's… incredible. The synchronization with its targeting system… I've never seen anything like it."
Tanya nodded without words, her mind dissecting every motion. "Potential is one thing. Practicality is another. Remember that."
Colt's tone was grim. "If this were in actual combat, we'd be outmatched unless we find its blind spots."
Tanya's mind raced, mentally logging each firing arc, each thruster maneuver. "Exactly. And that's why we observe. Any distraction or misstep could be fatal — for them or us."
Her gaze lingered on the Apsalus, a machine that seemed almost alive, responding to Ginias's commands with uncanny reflexes. Tanya's thoughts drifted briefly to her own three lifetimes, the battles fought, the death and loss she had endured. Each one had taught her efficiency, ruthlessness, and survival — traits that now shaped how she analyzed this mobile armor.
A faint flicker ran through her Newtype field, almost imperceptible. Whispers teased the edges of her perception, a reminder that the universe had a way of testing her resolve. She clenched her fists inside the cockpit, whispering, "Not here. Not now. I decide my battles."
Ginias gestured toward Tanya, inviting her closer. "If you'd like, Commander, you may test its support functions — refill your squad's supplies directly from our reserves."
Tanya weighed the offer, then nodded curtly. "We'll take the supplies. Efficiency first. Observation second. That is our order."
As her squad refueled and rearmed, Tanya's mind wandered to the strategic implications. The Apsalus could alter regional power dynamics, yet it also represented a distraction from her true mission: securing Southeast Asia for Zeon.
Mila's cheerful tone broke the silence. "All systems ready, Tanya. GED Vanguard is fully stocked."
Colt checked his Zaku II's sensors one final time. "Ready to move. Let's see what this jungle teaches us next."
Tanya's lips curved in a slight, almost imperceptible smile. "Good. Remember, we follow orders, we survive, and we learn. Nothing else matters."
She cast her gaze toward the humid night sky, heavy clouds drifting above the jungle canopy. The distant hum of Apsalus's systems, the soft rustle of leaves, and the weight of Dozle's mandate pressed upon her simultaneously.
"Hell follows me no matter what world I land in," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the comms.
With her GED squad aligned and supplies replenished, Tanya led her Zaku II onward, ever vigilant, a sentinel in a land where war and nature intertwined in brutal harmony.
As Tanya secured the Apsalus and oversaw the refilling of supplies, the humid night pressed in around her Musai. Her GED squad worked efficiently, voices low and disciplined as they checked weapon systems and confirmed inventory. Even amid this routine, her mind remained tethered to the strange flickers of her Newtype senses, a subtle unease gnawing at the edges of her focus. She reminded herself of Dozle's orders: support the Apsalus if necessary, but Southeast Asia remained her priority.
Unseen, through the dense canopy, a Federation reconnaissance team moved with quiet precision. GM variants glinted faintly under the moonlight, their sensors sweeping the jungle for any sign of Zeon activity. The team's leader, a veteran with a sharp eye and cautious demeanor, halted as one of his men hesitated, scanning the distance.
"Why do you know about this operation?" the commander asked, suspicion heavy in his tone.
The operative, calm yet resolute, didn't flinch. His gaze stayed fixed on the shadowed outline of the Apsalus. "Because I know," he replied simply, almost to himself. The words carried weight only he understood, a bridge back to a world he had lost, a life he could reclaim once this mission was complete.
The commander frowned but stayed silent, realizing the man's certainty was unshakable. The night around them seemed to pause, the jungle holding its breath as the team advanced cautiously, aware of the colossal weapon before them and the unknown mind guiding their steps.
Above, Tanya's senses remained alert, though she had not detected the approaching threat. She focused on her squad, ensuring each pilot and machine was ready, unaware of the shadows moving silently toward the Apsalus.