Chapter 336: The Destruction of Panama (2)
Creuset looked at the unwilling Flay and continued his brainwashing. "If you fire at me here, you'll immediately be facing real death next—gunned down by the soldiers on this ship.
Even if there are still bullets left in that gun, by then, no matter how unwilling you are, the only thing you'll be able to do is point the gun at yourself and pull the trigger."
Creuset then slowly walked past Flay. As he headed toward the door, he continued speaking. "Everyone may be fighting to protect their homeland, fighting for the so-called greater cause.
But none of that really suits you.
After all, even wearing a uniform, you don't look like a soldier at all. If you were to die like this, it would be such a waste, wouldn't it?"
Completely persuaded, Flay panicked and lowered the gun, collapsing onto the floor in a heap.
Creuset no longer paid her any attention and walked alone toward the submarine carrier's hangar.
On the battlefield at the Panama Base, although some of the defensive facilities had been destroyed by ZAFT's missile barrages, several concealed missile launchers and defensive turrets were still operational.
They launched attacks against the onrushing MS units, unleashing massive amounts of missiles and artillery fire.
These dense attacks caused considerable obstruction to ZAFT's advance. Some DINNs were shot down before they even reached the Panama Base.
However, ZAFT naval units' GOOHNs and ZONOs immediately surged forward. After reaching the shoreline, they launched frenzied bombardments against the missile launchers and gun emplacements.
In the sky, Yzak saw several DINNs from his unit get shot down. With a serious expression, he said to them, "Rookies, spread out and evade the enemy's attacks."
He then said to the Thermal Energy Beam Test-Type Zaku beside him, "Shiho, you cover those rookies. I'll break through the enemy's defensive line first and open a path for everyone."
Shiho responded crisply, "Understood, Captain Joule. Mission guaranteed."
Yzak then pulled down the long-range targeting scope inside the cockpit. Piloting the Assault Shroud Duel Gundam, he charged forward while raising his beam rifle and firing at the gun emplacements and missile launchers.
Green beams howled through the air, instantly destroying one turret after another.
Shiho was not to be outdone. Piloting the Thermal Energy Beam Test-Type Zaku, she used the twin thermal conduction energy beam cannons mounted on her shoulders to attack distant targets.
The rookies followed closely behind. One GINN after another raised siege missiles, large beam cannons, and machine guns, launching indiscriminate bombardments at the Panama Base and the warships in the harbor that had yet to depart.
Meanwhile, the ZAFT ground forces that had landed first attacked nearby turrets, tanks, and fighter aircraft, rapidly seizing the combat landing zones.
Just as ZAFT broke through the second defensive line of the Panama Base, the Earth Alliance commander finally couldn't sit still any longer and issued orders to his subordinates. "Immediately deploy the Earth Thirteen Independent Units and commence defensive operations."
Following the Earth Alliance's "fine tradition," the adjutant showed no concern for the lives of ordinary soldiers. Instead, he nervously asked, "Sir, is this really okay? That's the Earth Alliance's secret weapon. Exposing them so early at a time like this—"
The officer didn't even look at his adjutant and said calmly, "At a time like this? The base is about to fall, and you're still worrying about that? And why do you think we formed this MS unit in the first place? Let those people see our strength."
At the same time, in the space above the Panama Base, Odin's Thunder was fully prepared. Five Odin's Thunder units were launched toward the designated target area.
However, to ZAFT's surprise, the Earth Alliance—previously seemingly devoid of any fighting capability—suddenly dispatched a large number of Strike Daggers to attack their units.
A beam shot rang out, instantly destroying an unprepared GINN.
But once the other GINNs became alert, the rookies piloting the Strike Daggers began to falter. After multiple attacks, they still failed to hit their targets.
Soon, more and more Strike Daggers rapidly launched from the base's internal corridors. Aside from a few units that scored hits during their first surprise sortie, most of the subsequent attacks were nothing but missed shots.
Tolle felt like this had turned into a rookie-on-rookie skirmish, with little real spectacle to speak of.
At this moment, Shiho led the rookies in attacking the Strike Daggers in the air. She asked Yzak, "Captain Joule, are these the Earth Alliance MS called the Strike Gundam?"
Yzak looked at the suddenly appearing Strike Daggers and said gravely, "No, not that one. But they're probably its mass-produced version."
As the number of Strike Daggers on the battlefield steadily increased, Yzak grit his teeth and launched a full salvo at the suddenly appearing units.
To his surprise, micro-missiles and armor-piercing physical ammunition were both effective against their armor. He sneered. "As expected, they're just a bunch of inferior mass-produced junk. Don't worry, everyone—open fire on them. They don't have PS armor."
Immediately, the GINNs launched attacks on the Strike Daggers, firing all kinds of physical ammunition as if it cost nothing.
Before long, the Strike Daggers on Yzak's defensive line were wiped out.
However, the ZAFT soldiers attacking the other defensive lines were not so fortunate.
Some Earth Alliance Strike Dagger units were quite well-trained. Several of them would gang up on a single target—one drawing fire head-on, while others attacked from behind with beam sabers or beam rifles, delivering lethal strikes.
Quite a few rookie GINN pilots were killed by this style of combat.
Seeing this, Yzak immediately moved in to provide support, continuously firing beam suppression attacks at the Strike Daggers.
He followed up with another full barrage, unleashing massive numbers of missiles, beams, and armor-piercing rounds.
Several Strike Daggers exploded on the spot, but the remaining MS pilots immediately raised their shields in defense.
Faced with Earth Alliance MS units that kept raising their shields and adopting a turtle-like defensive tactic, Yzak had no choice but to draw his beam saber. He leapt down from the SFS GOUF and launched a direct assault.
Piloting the Assault Shroud Duel Gundam, he swung the beam saber relentlessly. With each decisive strike, a Strike Dagger was cut down, one after another, shattered into fragments.
———
Strike Dagger
C+ Rank Unit
Terrain Adaptability: Sea C / Land B / Air – / Space B
Fixed Armaments:
Head Vulcan Cannons x2;
Beam Sabers x2;
Beam Rifle x1;
Shield x1;