"I am Major Ederich von Nacht," I would begin, the words a familiar mantra. "The 'Fool of Zeon.' A title given not for a lack of skill, but for my recklessness, for decisions that others see as dangerously insane ." I am a man of speed, a Zeon ace pilot born and raised on the Luna 6 space colony, with a deep and abiding respect for the Zabi family. My tactical doctrine is simple: hit and run. From Operation Salamis to the relentless advance of Operation British, I have been at the forefront of our war with the Earth Federation. We dominated the early stages of the war. The Federation initially had no mobile suits , making them an easy match for us. Their warships were no match for our speed and firepower. That changed after they took over a base in California and began producing their own mobile suits. I piloted the MSM-03 Gogg through countless Earth operations , fighting in many places. The news of Garma Zabi's death in New York, at the hands of the Federation's infamous White Base, was a bitter blow, a sign that the tide was beginning to turn.
It was around this time , as we prepared for the next phase of the war, that I saw him. Colonel Char Aznable. The legendary "Red Comet," the man whose personalized Zaku II was known as the "Red Comet" and was rumored to be three times faster than a standard model. The Black Tri-stars, with their MS-06R-1A Zaku II Type High Mobility, were fast, but even they couldn't match Char. His assault on a Salamis-class warship, alone and unpredictable, was a sight to behold. I watched him, mesmerized, as his Zaku moved like a ghost, an expression of pure, unadulterated speed. He was an artist, and his canvas was the battlefield.
I heard him say he no longer needed his Zaku II because he would be using an amphibious mobile suit on Jaburo. This was my chance to acquire his mobile suit. The Zaku was perfect for my hit-and-run tactics. I approached him in the hangar, my voice firm despite the reverence I felt. "Colonel Char Aznable, sir!". He acknowledged me , with a faint smile on his face. "Oh, Major Ederich. It's been a while. What's wrong Major?". I squared my shoulders. "With due respect Colonel, allow me to ride your Mobile suit Zaku ." He granted my request , stating he was moving on to an amphibious mobile suit for Jaburo and that the Zaku was now mine. He mentioned that the Zaku was perfect for my hit-and-run tactics and then left the hangar.
The infamous MS-06S Zaku II, the Red Comet's mobile suit, was finally mine. It was said to be three times faster than a regular Zaku, even faster than the high-maneuverability type. The Zaku II of the "Red Comet" was now in my possession, its dark crimson hue an unspoken legacy. I immediately instructed the mechanics to tune it up, fix it, and change the emblem to my own, "the fool of Zeon". Out of respect for Colonel Char, I kept the original color. The moment I first piloted it, I knew I had found my true calling. The commander-type engine was an absolute beast , providing a greater output, pushing the mobile suit far beyond the capabilities of an F-type Zaku. It moved with a grace and violence that felt like an extension of my own body.
I flew many missions in Colonel Char Aznable's Zaku , and the Federation forces often mistook me for the Red Comet. The Zaku was amazing both in space and on the ground. Unlike the EMS-10 Zudah, a mobile suit known for its fragile and explosive engine and being a "suicide machine" , this Zaku II could handle the speed without problems.
One day, an HLV (Heavy Landing Vehicle) entered Earth's atmosphere and landed in Grand Teton, Wyoming , close to where my warship, the Gaw, was flying. HLVs had been landing in various locations, both in Zeon- and Federation-controlled areas. I ordered Zaku I and Zaku-tank personnel to retrieve the HLV while I acted as a distraction. My suspicions were correct, as three units of the Federation's Black Dog team arrived: two Spartans and one Cannon. I anticipated an ambush, and I was right. The two Spartan and Cannon pilots were reckless , but the other Spartan was clever. It was a thrilling, dangerous dance. I dodged their attacks , but the clever Spartan managed to damage both of my Zaku's arms. The battle was a test, and I reveled in it. Fortunately, the personnel successfully retrieved the HLV , and our warship, the Gaw, was approaching to pick me up. I chose to retreat. It was an exciting fight, and this Black Dog squad was different from others I had encountered.
After we landed at the Zeon base , we discovered a new mobile suit inside the HLV. It was a new model, different from a Zaku or a Gouf , a prototype unlike the Zakus and Goufs I was accustomed to. It was a successor to the Efreet , a sleek machine with the code name "MS-18E Kämpfer". It was perfect for my hit-and-run tactics. The Kämpfer was entirely blue, with yellow thrusters and some white on its spikes and antenna. Its design was a pure expression of speed, with sixteen thrusters and a formidable weapons loadout. It had a shotgun, two giant bazookas, and two Sturmfausts.
I knew immediately what I had to do. I wanted to personalize it, changing its color and weapons. I would make it my own. I replaced the Sturmfausts with missile pods and swapped the spiky shoulder armor for a standard one. I chose a dark green and dark blue color scheme, with red on the shoulders. The most crucial modification was to install Colonel Char's Zaku generator into the Kämpfer.
This request was strongly against the mechanics' advice due to the risks. "That is impossible, Major!" the head mechanic, Gein, exclaimed, his hands raised in protest. They argued that adding the generator would be impossible and could cause the new mobile suit to overheat and explode, just like the Zudah. They insisted that "A grade" was the top for the Kämpfer. I told the mechanic, Gein, that "A grade" was not high enough for me. "To me, 'A' is 'Average'," I countered, "I want 'S,' for 'Superior.' " I told him I wanted the Kämpfer to be even faster and carry on the legacy of Colonel Char's Zaku. I refused to accept a perfect score of 100, for me, a perfect score was 1000. Gein's hesitation was visible. "But sir, this is too reckless. It will be the same case as the Zudah ." I know I'm called "the fool of Zeon" because of my reckless and dangerous decisions. Despite Gein's warnings about the risk, I insisted, telling him that luck was on my side and that he was the best technician for the people of Zeon. Reluctantly, he agreed to discuss it with his team, acknowledging the high risk. My goal was to make this Kämpfer six times faster than a normal Zaku. For this momentous occasion, I even adopted the Black Tri-stars' pilot suit to honor their legacy.
While the mechanics worked on my mobile suit , a surprising report came in. "Terrible news, sir! San Francisco has been destroyed!" the female Zeon operator reported. The operator confirmed it was destroyed by a Federation force with black-colored mobile suits , likely the Black Dog team. "It must be the Black Dog team!". My gut twisted with a mix of anger and disappointment. "I knew it," I muttered. "The plan has failed ." I realized my plan had failed. The plan was to pretend to ally with the Federation to take over their amphibious base in San Francisco. Captain Reeva had reported that the Federation had let their guard down, and we were preparing to quietly take over. The Black Dog squad's attack ruined everything. I ordered the operator to gather all personnel for a briefing and to dispatch troops to a new target: Los Angeles.
Los Angeles, a city known for its celebrities and luxury , was a major Federation-controlled base , and now a new target for our hellish assault. I laid out the plan in the briefing room. The briefing outlined our plan to surround Los Angeles with ground and amphibious forces to prevent anyone, including civilians, from escaping, just as was done in San Francisco. I would act as the bait after our warships began bombarding the city. I would lure Federation forces out while other units set fire to the forests and destroyed everything, just as the Federation had done. The attack was scheduled for the night when people would be less guarded.
Luckily, my personalized Kämpfer was ready. From piloting the Zaku II in space to the Gogg on Earth, then Colonel Char's Zaku, and now my own Kämpfer, it felt like a culmination of my career. The modified Kämpfer had missile pods instead of Sturmfausts , and the combined generator from Char's Zaku made it six times faster.
We moved at night and observed Los Angeles from the forest. The city was filled with people enjoying their lives, seemingly unconcerned about the war. My comrade, Jarvis, in his Dom, suggested we move immediately. "Settle down," I replied, "Their laughter will soon turn to disaster. We wait until everyone is in position ." Soon after, the captains of the amphibious unit warship Jukon and the ground unit warship Dobday confirmed they were in position. I put on my helmet , started my Kämpfer's engine , and declared, "Good, time to start the party ." The Kämpfer's engine sounded like a sports car , and its systems checked out perfectly. My primary armaments were a 90mm machine gun in each hand , with two giant bazookas on my back , missile pods on my legs , and a shotgun on my back.
The warships began their missile and cannon barrage , and I emerged from the forest , a blur of dark green and blue , to lure the Federation forces. Sirens blared as people ran in fear , and I dashed toward the Federation base, baiting them into thinking I was their only threat. The base was filled with various mobile suits, from old to new models, including GMs and Guncannons. As I sped past them, a Guncannon pilot was shocked by my speed. "What is that thing?!". They had taken the bait.
While the Federation forces gave chase, my comrades started their destruction in the city. Dopp aircraft began bombarding the city , and Zakus and Doms fired on buildings, civilians, and Type-61 tanks. The city was turning into a scene of pure destruction, a hell on earth. The Kämpfer's upgraded speed, six times faster than Char's Zaku , gave me the sensation of driving a sports car with twice the horsepower. A Zeon crewman offered to provide support, but I refused, telling them to stick to the plan and that I could handle the base alone.
When I reached the base, the GMs stationed there opened fire with their beam spray guns, machine guns, bazookas, and cannons. By switching off the generator's output limit , I dodged their attacks and fired back with my 90mm machine guns and missile pods, taking down many mobile suits. I could hear the Federation pilots on their comms, calling me the Red Comet due to my incredible speed. I detected a high-energy attack and dodged a shot from a GM Sniper. I dashed toward it, hitting its energy container with a missile, rendering it unable to fire. I used my remaining 90mm ammo to take down the GM Sniper and other GMs and Guncannons. Guncannon and GM Cannon pilots fired at me, but I dodged their attacks and used my bazookas to destroy them.
As the Federation forces were busy with me, our mobile armor, the MAM-07 Grublo , fired more missiles into the city , creating heavy damage and wildfire that trapped civilians. Famous sites and historical places in Los Angeles were burned down, and the city became a scene of death and ruin.
After destroying the GM Cannons and Guncannons , my missile pods were empty , so I activated the Kämpfer's cool-down system , reducing my speed to a normal level. The remaining Federation forces, consisting of GM Light Armors, GMs, and GM Strikers, were few. My only remaining weapons were my beam saber and shotgun. Just as I was about to engage , and just as the GM Striker readied its beam scythe , my reinforcements—Zakus, Juaggus, Doms, and Goggs—arrived , causing the remaining GMs to flee. A Dom pilot contacted me to check if I was alright and confirmed that the city had been taken care of, with no survivors escaping. The Federation commander announced their surrender , and Los Angeles became a Zeon-controlled area, with all surviving Federation personnel taken as prisoners.
After the mission, I stood in the hangar, looking at my Kämpfer with pride. However, I was disappointed by how quickly its solid-ammo weapons ran out. The Federation had beam weapons, but we still relied on solid ammunition, which was not ideal for a mobile suit like mine. I wished for a weapon with more ammo or a beam weapon, similar to the Gogg or the Zaku I sniper.
Gein approached me, a look of awe on his face. I praised his work on the Kämpfer, telling him it was exactly what I was looking for. He admitted he never expected me to handle the mobile suit, especially after they combined the two generators. I reiterated my disappointment with the weapon's limited ammo capacity, expressing my desire for a beam weapon. Gein explained that beam weapons were still in development and only available for the Zaku I sniper and amphibious mobile suits. I instructed him to have a beam weapon ready for the next war and to replace the quick-to-empty solid ammo weapons with something with a larger magazine or a gigantic melee weapon for my hit-and-run tactics. He agreed, saying, "for the glory of Zeon".
Now, with the Los Angeles base as our new station for amphibious units , I can't wait to meet the Black Dog squad again. With my new Kämpfer, they will be no match for me.
To be continued.