Inside the White Gundam's cockpit, a momentary silence fell. Zaki Kimeza, the main pilot, stared straight at the monitor displaying Aurora Anveil's pale, questioning face. Zaki's curiosity was piqued by this anomaly—a Colonian girl in the middle of a battlefield.
However, he had to focus. Principle over emotion.
"Enough," Zaki muttered, cutting off the strange visual contact. He had to complete their task, a task that needed to be done quickly and thoroughly.
He moved the White Gundam's head forward.
"AIRIS, display remaining Pioneers. Priority: disable, do not kill," Zaki commanded.
"Six Pioneer Mobile Suit units remaining. Three units in the factory area, three units in the logistics area. Regenerating second Beam Saber," AIRIS replied.
"Maki, activate the Beam Saber in the left hand," Zaki ordered.
Maki Kimeza, the cheerful yet focused female twin and weapon operator, quickly pressed the panel. From the White Gundam's shoulder guard, a second Beam Saber blade was immediately deployed and connected to the Mobile Suit's left hand. The White Gundam now held two energy swords.
Zaki pushed the control sticks. The White Gundam accelerated quickly, hovering low towards the factory area.
Zaki's movements were exceptionally skillful. Aided by AIRIS's precise calculations, Zaki anticipated every incoming machine gun fire. The White Gundam danced between the rain of bullets; every movement was an accurate calculation.
The battle quickly transformed into an efficient neutralization.
The White Gundam lunged at the three Pioneers who were busy firing at Colony tanks.
SLICE!
Zaki slashed the knee joint of one Pioneer with the right Beam Saber. The Mobile Suit collapsed.
In a flash, he released the left Beam Saber, throwing it like a boomerang towards the second Pioneer. The energy saber sliced through the connecting cables on the Pioneer's back, crippling its propulsion system.
The third Pioneer tried to attack from behind. Zaki spun in the air and activated the Head Vulcan Cannon.
TRRAKK! TRRAKK!
Zaki fired Vulcan rounds at the Pioneer's neck, destroying the sensor system. The Mobile Suit wobbled, helplessly disabled. All attacks were aimed so that the pilot in the chest remained safe.
"Three units totally disabled, Big Brother Zaki!" Maki exclaimed, her tone full of adrenaline.
Zaki gave no pause. He immediately retrieved his left Beam Saber and dashed toward the logistics area.
The fight against the last three Pioneers was much shorter. Zaki used an agile combo of double slashes and Vulcan fire. He sliced hands, shot hip hinges, and cut shoulder joints. Leaving behind only crippled steel and the living pilots within.
"Mission complete. Nine Pioneer Mobile Suit units totally disabled. No casualties among enemy pilots," Zaki reported to his mother.
"Good, White Bird. Return carefully," Airi sighed with relief.
The White Gundam landed on the outskirts of the city, taking a hidden route.
As Zaki prepared to fly away, he saw a figure on the street below again. Aurora Anveil had managed to get closer to the Mobile Suit. She stood a few meters in front of the giant Mobile Suit, staring with pink, flower-like eyes filled with astonishment.
Zaki moved the Mobile Suit. He leaned forward and bowed its head, its camera lens staring straight at the girl. This was a gesture. A strange sign of farewell to their only witness.
The Mobile Suit then slowly activated its thrusters, flying low over the roofs of the ruined buildings. Zaki deliberately flew slowly, as if to show that they were a phenomenon that came and went, not a permanent threat to the city's inhabitants.
Far away at the Colony Forces Command Headquarters, panic struck.
"Report! Nine Pioneer Mobile Suits are totally disabled, but there are no pilot casualties! All units were only crippled at the joints!"
"What the hell is this? Who launched this counterattack? What is that white Mobile Suit? We have no data!" shouted a Colony General.
"The Mobile Suit appeared unexpectedly and is completely undocumented! It must be a Rebel Mobile Suit! But they attacked under strange rules, no enemy pilot casualties, only disabling!" another officer added.
The White Mobile Suit instantly became a hot topic of debate. For the Colonian Generals, the mysterious white machine was a ghost in their system—appearing unexpectedly, leaving without a trace, and fighting by rules they didn't understand.
While Neo-Veridia City was sinking into confusion, the White Mobile Suit hovered low, following a secret route. Zaki and Maki flew away from the city, heading towards the dense forest near the hills.
Behind a seemingly solid mountain wall, Zaki activated a signal code from his watch.
GRUUUUNGGG!
Giant rocks shifted, opening a wide gate large enough for the Mobile Suit to pass through. The White Mobile Suit entered the man-made tunnel.
At the end of the tunnel, they were greeted by the light of floodlights and the sight of a resolute woman.
The White Mobile Suit landed gently. Zaki and Maki immediately opened the cockpit hatch and jumped out.
Airi Kimeza, their mother, ran toward her children.
"Zaki! Maki!"
Airi hugged both her children—her quiet son and her cheerful daughter—tightly, an embrace laden with fear, relief, and deep love.
"We're fine, Mom," Maki whispered, returning her mother's hug.
"Mission successful. We were quick and done," Zaki said, his voice softening, the tension from the battlefield finally released.
Airi could only close her eyes, holding tight to the two young Kimezas who now carried her husband's legacy, and Earth's last hope. The white machine, the white bird, had now returned to its nest.
To be continued....