Editing KSGU:Volume 7 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 2===

The beam machine gun had a lag in between its shots that were shot out from the “Garencieres”. However, due to the humidity in the atmosphere, the beams that were sweeping through had mostly lost their power, but their glows were still enough to cause someone to tense up.

The transformable mobile suit opened its legs from the disc-shaped platform and stopped abruptly to evade the beam shots. The other transformable mobile suits in the squadron followed suit; and upon seeing that there was a slight gap in the navigation route, “Charge in!” Zinnerman commanded Besson on the pilot seat.

The thrusters of “DO-DAI Kai” lit up, and the flat machine of the “Unicorn” immediately accelerated. Zinnerman felt a little intimidated as he saw the large shadow of the “Garuda” close in upon him gradually. From up close, the belly of the giant machine looked like a giant wall floating in the air. Also, it was set with numerous anti-air guns and could rip apart the winds that were flowing at 0.8 Mach.

There was no need for this mobile suit mothership to land other than the periodic maintenance, and it could revolve around Earth practically permanently—''Princess Mineva is inside there.'' He however continued to think about this, feeling that this could calm his timid heart, and zipped up the fastener of the pilot suit he got from inside the unit. Once he put on the Federation helmet and latched on the attachments around it and the neck, he told Besson, “Follow it.” The “DO-DAI Kai” crossed through the crossing fire and got right below the “Garuda”. As it was about to spin suddenly, Zinnerman looked over at the transport carrier that was docked at the rear cargo deck hatch. The “Garuda” was extremely large, but it seemed that it was unable to keep the old Medea-type model from Torrington Base, which was why the latter opened its hatch as steps and stopped there temporarily.

''Has the Princess boarded the “Garuda”?'' Zinnerman stared at the Medea that was being held down by numerous cables, looked into the inside of the hatch that was vaguely shown, and summoned the data values of the Garuda-class onto the console monitor. There were 6 such large fleets in the Earth Defense Perimeter, and whenever a situation arose, they could immediately send mobile suits to take it on; this state of defense was the concept behind the Garuda. However, the distractions after the war had already reduced the fleets by half, and the “Garuda” in front of them, a precedent of its class, was definitely one of the surviving few ships. The ship had been modified and modified over and over again until it was called an air fortress, and the structure was no different from the old Garuda-class. Zinnerman could roughly deduce the internal workings of the ship, from the blueprints of the takeoff and landing. As long as they could enter, there was a chance that they could succeed—

“Listen up, Banagher. Once we get onto it, the “DO-DAI Kai” will be controlled by you. Just attack the “Garuda” and make them lower the altitude. We’ll use this chance to get the Princess back.”

He sent the data of the Garuda-class to the “Unicorn”, and gave the instructions through the wireless communicator in the contact loop. It seemed that Banagher’s insistence to save Mineva was just like his, (I can do it) as there was a calm force in his voice.

(But what will do you when we’re escaping?)

“Once the altitude falls below 2000m, we won’t have to use gas masks when parachuting. No matter how big it is, it’s still a plane. When it’s punctured everywhere, it’ll have to lower its height to maintain the internal air pressure. As long as we follow this plan, they won’t even be able to launch the space shuttle.”

The space shuttle was dangling on the bottom of the “Garuda” right wing. It was a medium-sized space shuttle that could ferry 2 mobile suits, and inclusive of the thrusters, its length should be about 50m. However, it looked like a mini-missile from how it was dangling under the wing. If they allow the “Garuda” to reach the stratosphere, the space shuttle ferrying Mineva would be launched into space, and everything would be for naught—the “DO-DAI Kai” went by the back of the “Garuda” and lowered itself into the clouds. At this moment, “We’re going!” Zinnerman aimed for this timing and shouted.

“Fly above the “Garuda” and get rid of the beam cannons. There are 4 we can aim at right at the top—”

(Let me pilot it!)

The interrupting voice ruptured Zinnerman’s ears as the machine suddenly turned to the side, causing him to be nearly shaken out from the assistant pilot seat. The thick beams grazed the side of the “DO-DAI Kai”, and the scattered beam particles that came in scorched the compartment. The fire did not come from the “Garuda”, but from somewhere else. Zinnerman grabbed onto the console and scanned his eyes around at the sea of clouds that was not overly visible. He could see a black machine showing itself through the gaps between the clouds; it was crouched on a round-shaped transformable mobile suit, the beam rifle in its hand was pointed at the “DO-DAI Kai”, and it disappeared amidst the clouds before it could be identified.

The “DO-DAI Kai” piloted by the “Unicorn” started to make an emergency turn, and the latter fired its beam Gatling guns, releasing trails of shots that were absorbed in the clouds. It seemed that an enemy unit had gotten behind the “Unicorn” as there was a mega-particle shot, brighter than the machine gun shots, which went by the head of the “Unicorn”. The “DO-DAI Kai” showed a brilliant light as it staggered greatly, and fell by 100m or so. Banagher immediately adjusted himself to let the machine rise, but Zinnerman tried all he could do to control the track the enemy through the thruster flares. He waited for the targeting screen of the Vulcan guns located on the sides of the machine, and immediately pressed the button the moment the black enemy unit crossed by.

“Fall!”

The anti-mobile suit 60mm Vulcan cannons let out a low buzz, and let out a tracer round for every five shots as it let out a slightly green trail of light in the middle of the clouds. Zinnerman’s eyes however did not let go of the black enemy machine that was dodging swiftly as he only cared about pressing the trigger. (No!) However, Banagher’s call caused him to widen his eyes in a startled manner, and at the same time, the “DO-DAI Kai” lifted its bow as the Vulcan cannons lost their target and let out a blank trail of fire.

“Banagher…!?”

(You’re attacking Miss Marida! She’s on it!)

Zinnerman’s heart jumped for a moment, only to stop seemingly. ”What did you say…?” he asked as he squeezed out this voice, and started to look for the enemy unit that flashed by from the bottom. The pitch black machine raised the angle of the transformable mobile suit it was riding on, and turned upwards as a savage light lit the golden horn on its forehead. The black “Unicorn” was showing intense hatred within its eyes, and as it wielded its beam rifle with one hand, it charged over without hesitation.

''Marida.'' Zinnerman muttered this name in his heart, and at that moment, as he turned aside to look, the sound of the scattered particles rang in his ears. The pair of azure blue eyes that had been serving him, that had been looking back at him, were wiped out by the flash, and a sense of pressure heavier than the G-force was lambasting his heart and body.