The two weeks that passed since the mountain school trip incident felt long and ominous. Although the surface appeared calm, the tension between the Colonies and the Earth Rebels was at a new boiling point. At the secret base, Zaki continued to feel pressured by Gills Treyman's surveillance. Gills, the Student Council President, was now the holder of the most vital secret, and his quiet presence at school only amplified Zaki's anxiety.
Meanwhile, deep within a secret Colonian facility, Professor Itsuki and his small team successfully reached a crucial stage in Project Rook. The work on the underwater unit progressed smoothly because it received virtually no strict supervision from the Colonian Council of Kings, whose entire focus was poured into Project Grai and the efforts to track down the White Gundam.
"The Project Rook unit, Prototype-01, has passed all pressure and speed tests. Ready for launch," reported Dr. Lena, Itsuki's chief technician, her eyes gleaming with technical pride.
The Mobile Suit they created stood tall within the hidden underwater dock. The unit was painted in a deep sea blue, with a sleek design resembling a deep-sea creature, vastly different from the humanoid and aggressively aesthetic Colonian units.
"We named it IBIS," Professor Itsuki said, admiring his creation. "It is a predator, moving fast and silently underwater. IBIS represents intelligence and efficiency in a domain the Colonians dismiss."
IBIS Unit Details: Deep Sea Ghost
The IBIS Mobile Suit was proof of Itsuki's intelligence in exploiting the enemy's strategic weaknesses.
Arms and Claws: The unit had long, slender arms, designed for extreme maneuverability range underwater. At the end of each arm were sharp, five-fingered blade claws, capable of tearing through the steel armor of Colonian ships with high precision. This design maximized movement speed in the water.
Hydro Beam Cannon: IBIS's primary energy weapon was uniquely placed: the Hydro Beam Cannon was located in the palm of each unit. This allowed for quick, hidden targeting and minimized water resistance when not in use. The specially adjusted beam energy was capable of maintaining its penetration power even in the water medium.
Torpedo Missiles: The unit was equipped with a torpedo missile launcher on its head section, providing concentrated and accurate projectile firepower to penetrate the hulls of Colonian warships or submarines.
Sonic Dampeners: IBIS was equipped with superior sonic dampeners and a highly efficient thermal water exhaust system, allowing it to glide in total silent mode, leaving no acoustic or thermal traces that could be detected by standard Colonian sonar.
"This is a perfect unit, Professor. But why don't we use it openly against the Rebels? They might be able to put it to good use," asked Dr. Lena.
Professor Itsuki looked at IBIS, his face showing a cold, calculated resolve. "We won't give it to the Rebels now. We will use it to sow discord among them. The Council of Kings must believe that Earth possesses an organized, terrifying, and undetectable underwater force."
His main objective was to create internal chaos on the Colonian side. If the Colonians believed there was a new Rebel faction focused on the sea, they would divert Project Grai resources to develop anti-underwater units, thereby slowing down Project Grai and giving the White Gundam time to breathe.
Operation 'Ambush from the Deep'
That night, Professor Itsuki launched a single squadron of IBIS Mobile Suits, consisting of three units, for a secret mission. The target: two major Colonian logistics ships transporting new Mobile Suits and military equipment, accompanied by one Colonian patrol submarine in the heavily trafficked Atlantic Ocean waters.
The IBIS Squad launched into the depths. Due to their sonic dampening technology, none of the sonar on the Colonian ships detected their presence—they were truly ghosts.
"IBIS Leader, target locked. Colonian transport vessels moving at 15 knots," reported the IBIS Leader pilot, a technician trained by Itsuki.
"As planned. Attack the transport ships with the blade claws, destroy the submarine with torpedoes. Inflict convincing damage, but ensure the transported Mobile Suits are structurally damaged, not completely destroyed," Professor Itsuki commanded from his secret command center. "Make it look like an organized and highly planned Earth Rebel attack."
The IBIS Squad moved quickly, the units gliding through the water. The first and second units attacked the transport ships. With high speed, IBIS used their five-fingered blade claws to tear the ship hulls below the waterline, mimicking damage that might be inflicted by a modified Pioneer Mobile Suit version, but with much sharper precision. They ensured the ships sank quickly.
Meanwhile, IBIS Leader approached the Colonian patrol submarine.
CLANK! CLANK!
The submarine finally realized something was approaching—a very minimal water movement sound—but it was too late. IBIS Leader released torpedo missiles from its head launcher. The torpedoes, designed to penetrate hard armor, struck the submarine's hull with a deadly explosion. The Colonian submarine was instantly destroyed.
The last IBIS unit used the Hydro Beam Cannon in its palm to fire at a nearby Colonian submarine base area, shooting sharp blue beams underwater. IBIS targeted the sea rock formation that served as the underwater communication center, crippling it, so the Colonians would assume the Rebels had discovered the location and planned this attack long ago.
After completing the attack, the IBIS Squad immediately vanished into the deep sea, returning to the secret Project Rook dock without leaving a trace. Itsuki had successfully created 'Proof' that the Earth Rebels controlled the sea.
Impact and Reaction
The next morning, news of the underwater attack shook the Colonian Council of Kings. The transport ships sank, the transported Mobile Suits were completely damaged by water pressure, and the patrol submarine vanished without a trace.
At the Mercury Base, King Sirius Nelphime received the report with panic. His tense face was now mixed with fear. "An attack from underwater? How is that possible? Rebel Mobile Suits don't have organized underwater combat capability! They're just old Pioneers!"
The Colonian Head of Security analyzed the salvaged ship debris. "The damage to the transport ships shows deep claw marks, Your Majesty, which are difficult to explain by standard Mobile Suits. The submarine was crippled by advanced torpedoes that went undetected by sonar. And more alarmingly, our underwater communication line is down. This indicates a new, much more organized underwater Rebel faction with sonic technology far ahead of ours."
Itsuki's scheme worked. King Sirius slammed the table, his anger turning into a command. "Order Project Grai to immediately allocate resources and scientists to develop maritime defense solutions! We cannot let them dominate the ocean! We must create anti-underwater Mobile Suits! This is the new priority!"
Professor Itsuki, watching the panicked report in the Project Grai control room, smiled faintly. He successfully diverted the Council of Kings' focus and, more importantly, he succeeded in planting a seed of fear that would force the Colonians to fight in a domain they did not desire, slowing down Project Grai's progress.
On the other side, at the Earth Rebels' secret base, Augustina Mcgraven received the report about the underwater attack. She was confused. "Who has such advanced underwater technology? Not Pioneers. Not the Tracen Army. All our ships are on land or in port! Who is this 'Sea Ghost'?"
Zaki and Maki were also surprised. The battle had moved to the sea, where the White Gundam and Sunflower Gundam had no operational advantage. This puzzle added a new layer of mystery to the increasingly complicated war. The Kimeza Alliance now had to confront a threat they did not understand, a threat that was ironically created to help them.
To be continued....