As we entered the bridge, I held my sister's hand tightly. The group was led by Shambo, and Jerry and Serene were with us as well. We passed through unfamiliar sections of Durban, and my companions looked at everything curiously
Finally, we arrived at the bridge, which was alive with activity. There were many machineries, LCD screens, computers, and several binoculars scattered throughout the room. The night sky illuminated the bridge, and the sailors immediately announced the captain's arrival. "Captain in bridge!" they exclaimed.
Shambo's authoritative voice echoed through the bridge as he quickly demanded a report. "Report?" he barked, and one of the crew members replied calmly, "Two boogies flying at 140 knots, 30 clicks out, Captain." The crew seemed unfazed by Shambo's thundering tone, and their demeanor suggested that this was just another day on the job.
Captain Shambo followed up with another question. "Their demands?" he asked. The crew member shook his head and clicked his tongue rudely. "Ostensibly saying to hand over them, we haven't received any transmission since then, and they're ignoring our hails."
As the crew members muttered among themselves, I could hear them calling the other group crazy, questioning their identity as part of the Earth Alliance. "Who the heck are they?" one of them said, while another snickered and replied, "The gall of them to keep barking to hand over the rescued folks, and threatening to sink us? My ass." They laughed at their own words, but I didn't find it amusing.
As we waited for the captain's orders, I held onto my sister's hand and whispered reassuringly, "Don't worry, Lily. We'll be safe here." She nodded at my words, which made me smile.
As I looked at Lily's face, I could see the worry lines fading away. It was a relief to see her calm down. I squeezed her hand gently, trying to convey that I was there for her.
Meanwhile, Serene and Jerry were engrossed in their own conversation. Serene was an expert in mobile suit and warship operating systems and software creation, but she kept it hidden as a computer analyst. On the other hand, Jerry didn't hide his job, but he didn't clarify that ZAFT was the volunteer army or militia of PLANTs. However, the people from the Pan-African Federation didn't seem to care about this fact as they even allowed us to see their advanced systems. I could see on the bridge looked quite advanced and well-organized, and the crew members seemed skilled at their jobs.
"Captain! SATCOM has been reestablished! The 16th support flotilla is on the line," the communication officer suddenly announced, drawing the attention of almost all the crew, including Serene, Jerry, my sister, and me.
"Patch me through," Captain Shambo exclaimed, his face lighting up. The communication officer gave him a thumbs up as he put on his headset. "Captain Shambo Nande of P'AFVN Durban, Foxtrot 172, to 16th Support Flotilla. Please confirm your location and status. We have encountered two bogies and require immediate support. Over."
"Captain Shambo, this is Lieutenant Jackson from the 16th support Flotilla. We read you loud and clear. Our current position is 150 clicks north of your location, heading according to orders from Fleet Command, and we are en route to the rendezvous point. Please provide us with a situation report," said the voice on the other end of the line.
Shambo quickly replied, "Lieutenant Jackson, we have encountered hostile forces who are demanding that we hand over our rescued civilians. We have not complied with their demands and are currently awaiting further instructions from higher command. We require immediate support to ensure the safety of my men and civilians. Please relay this to Madagascar Command. Over."
The sound of the captain appeared pleading, and there was a delay in the response from the 16th support Flotilla before they said, "That's not necessary, Captain. We're on a larger task force right now, with the battle group centered on P'AFVN Zambezi and underway. In the meantime, we advise you to maintain defensive positions and be on high alert. Jackson out," before the line went silent.
Shambo turned to his crew with a smile and shouted, "All hands, prepare for incoming support. Maintain high alert and be ready for any hostile action. We will hold the fort until backup arrives."
I was confused by his actions, but Jerry quickly jumped in to ask about it. "What is the Zambezi, sir?" he asked one of the nearby crew members. The crew member responded immediately, "It's a helicopter carrier of our country. It can also act as a drone carrier, capable of deploying multiple unmanned combat aircraft if deployed in a hostile environment. Considering its loadout, with an entire battle group centered on it, it likely has a mixed if not full UCAV complement." He smiled confidently as he answered Jerry's questions.
It appeared to be an aircraft carrier, which was a non-existent class on PLANTs since we don't have seas. However, we do have fleet on Earth, but I haven't heard of them having these types of ships before. And they don't appear to be questioning its capabilities and are confident they will be saved afterward. Is it probably the most sophisticated ship in their service? I glanced at Serene to ask about it due to her expertise in warships, but she was engrossed in looking at some computer-related systems in the bridge, as if she was raring to ask but holding back.
"Captain," suddenly someone barged inside, shoving through waves of people and saying "excuse me." It was Lloyd. Upon seeing him, my sister shouted, "Lloyd!"
Taking notice, he replied, "Oh, hey little girl, Isla. Why are you here? This is the bridge, you know."
"I was brought by my sister," my sister replied to him. She is rather close to him.
"I see," he replied. "Let's talk and play later." This made my sister sulk for a moment before obediently bowing her head in agreement. Seeing this, Lloyd wryly smiled before going to the captain.
"Cap, has the SATCOM been reestablished?" he asked immediately, not beating around the bush.
"Yeah," the captain replied with curiosity. "Do you want to contact your carrier?"
"Yeah, if you don't mind," he replied.
"Comm officer, find a way to contact Savanna," the captain directed his men.
"Thank you," Lloyd said sincerely.
"Next time, don't crash your aircraft into the sea," the captain reminded Lloyd, who scratched his head in embarrassment.
"I'll try," he replied. Afterwards, he came over to our place, and Lily approached him once more and hugged him.
"Lily, that's inappropriate!" I unconsciously raised my voice, garnering the attention of some people, including Lily and Lloyd. This made me flush in embarrassment. They immediately returned back to their usual jobs, leaving me alone.
However, I noticed Lily was still clinging to Lloyd, not caring about the troubled expression on his face. Does she really like him that much? That's my sister, you know. I couldn't help but glare at him and pout, thinking that she only does that to me, yet she's doing it to another man. Is this jealousy? I hate this feeling.
Suddenly, Isla shouted "Sister!" making me tilt my head in surprise, before she said something shocking. "Can Lloyd become my brother?!"
A sense of complicated feelings immediately struck me. How could he become her brother if they're not blood-related? And as if reading my thoughts, Serene whispered in my ear, not quite a whisper but a low voice that was still audible to Lily and Lloyd. "Marry him and Lloyd will become Isla's brother-in-law." Her suggestion immediately overheated my head.
"That's what!?" I jerked in surprise. "What the hell are you talking about?!" I glared at her for making such an inappropriate suggestion, "Oh, my. Lily, this is a candy," but Serene downplayed it by going to Lily and changing the subject. I then glared at Lloyd, not wanting any misunderstandings.
He looked away, as if evading my gaze, and muttered, "That's illegal in many senses. I don't want to be jailed." I heard him, but I couldn't understand. However, it seemed that he understood that I didn't want to marry him, let alone a natural.
But Serene wasn't giving up. She strode to Lily's side and said to my struggling sister, who couldn't comprehend our conversation, "Make your sister marry Lloyd, and he will become your brother." She smiled as she suggested her scheme to Lily, trying to influence my sister with her dirty schemes.
"Really?!" Lily happily responded to her suggestion. That sly fox! I glared at her.
"Ara~~, that's inappropriate of me," she said to me, slyly smiling at Lloyd. "Mister Lloyd, do you have a lover?" She's still at it?!
"No," Lloyd replied with a troubled expression to Serene's question.
"My, why? You have a high rank, are young, and have a nice personality. Why has no one ever fallen head over heels for you?" she asked the uncertain Lloyd.
"I don't have time for that. For the time being, I'm focusing on my career, and my country is quite workaholic, you see. So I have been influenced that way. I might get married after I turn 30. I'm still young, so I can wait for another 4 or 5 years," he said, while under the meaningful gaze of Serene.
"I see. If it's true that if you are from the AD timeline not from CE, the age appropriate to be called an adult is 18 years of age. So Evian would be 19 or 20 by that time," she said, grinning at me and Lloyd. Lily's eyes were also sparkling with anticipation. "I could make Lloyd my brother!?" That's unfair, Serene! Using my sister to blackmail me!
Lloyd replied to her words, "If miss Evian were 19 or 20 years old at that time do you mean that she is still 15 years old? I don't think so. I could be jailed for pedophilia. While she is indeed beautiful and appears to come from a wealthy family, I can't see her as a lover or a woman. Firstly, I don't want to marry someone I don't love. I'd rather live in solitude for the rest of my life. It may sound poetic, but it's a fact in my country. More and more people are choosing not to get married, similar to what has been happening in Japan from 2010 to 2025, and there's a decline in population due to old age and fewer marriages. There are various reasons why people in my country choose not to marry, including those who have not found true love, workaholics, finding it's difficult to fund the expenses of having family, or simply failed from finding one," spoke about his country's attitudes towards marriage with a tone that suggested he valued the idea of finding true love, as if romanticist.
As Lloyd finished his explanation, I don't really care about his country's view on love, but I hold same sentiments. He let out a small laugh and scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. Just then, an urgent communication from the Earth Alliance interrupted their conversation.
"Cap, they're hailing, 12 clicks out," the communication officer announced.
Shambo nodded, taking the communication devices from the officer. The tension in the room rose as they waited for the response from the Earth Alliance.
"This is P'AFVN Durban, armed forces of unknown affiliation," Shambo spoke firmly into the device. "You've entered the Sovereign territory of Pan-African Federation. State your purpose or affiliation. If not, we will take drastic measures."
The other party immediately responded. "This is the Eurasian Federation, 462nd Independent Fleet. What is the meaning of this? African Federation? This is the territory of the African Union. Whatever the case, we know you're towing those coordinator escape capsules. Surrender them peacefully or else face annihilation." The pilots' voices were mixed with surprise and bewilderment, the same as us when they declared they didn't come from the African Union, but instead from the Pan-African Federation. It appeared to be an entirely different faction, and yet they threatened us with annihilation. Serene, Jerry, and I looked at Shambo, attempting to anticipate what he would say next.
"This is the Pan-African Federation, not the African Union. In response to your demands, under the humanitarian law regulated by the Geneva Convention, we will take the rescued individuals under our protection. Thus, my answer is no," Shambo replied calmly. He did not flinch and continued, "If you want to take them, you will have to do so by force."
The Earth Alliance forces from the Eurasian Federation remained silent for a moment, as if in disbelief, or stupefied by Shambo's words, or simply bewildered by his strong-man act. "This is the Eurasian Federation, 462nd Independent Fleet. Hand them over, or else face annihilation. We don't have time to play around. Now hand over those damn coordinators!" the pilot shouted into the communication device held by Shambo. He continued, "If you continue to be stubborn, we will raze your country to the ground! You'll regret defying the Eurasian Federation, fool!"
However, Shambo and the other sailors appeared dumbstruck for a moment. Did the threat of the Eurasian Federation on their countrymen break their resolve to protect us? I thought, before he displayed an angry and ferocious face. "This is the Pan-African Federal Navy ship Durban. We won't, and will not, succumb to your threats. We won't hand over these people," he ended his response, which surprised us.
"Then you and your men shall be fed to sharks today," the Eurasian Federation pilot said before disconnecting his communication.
And, almost immediately "Enemy aircraft have fired missiles!" The operator's urgent shout jolted Shambo into action. I felt frozen with fear, realizing that we were under attack and that death could be imminent. Lily clung to me, crying uncontrollably. Jerry and Serene looked equally terrified.
"Full flank speed! Fire decoys! Bear all of our firepower on those bandits! Swat them out of the sky!" Shambo barked out orders with urgency. "Evacuate the rescued civilians to the deck, just in case." He didn't need to say more. Just in case of abandoning the ship.
The memories of our shuttle being shot down immediately flooded my mind. I vividly recalled dropping out of the escape capsule and watching in horror as our mother and the shuttle burned in the sky. Tears streamed down my face and I felt paralyzed with fear. "I'm scared," I muttered to myself, hugging my sister tightly. "I'm powerless...mom," I sobbed, my voice breaking with the weight of the traumatic experience that was unfolding before me.
In the midst of the internal chaos, someone grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. It was "Lloyd?.", and I struggled to stand upright as he lifted me. "Damnit, can't anyone bring Savanna here! I want to get another Chinese flying junk fighter to obliterate these cocky bastards out of the sky!" Lloyd ranted, his anger palpable. Then, without warning, he lifted me off my feet and princess carried me without my permission. "....!?" I was caught off guard.
"Miss Serene, can you carry Lily?" he asked, as if not caring what he's doing to me right now, and Serene immediately nodded as she scooped up my sister. "Take them down to the deck."
Suddenly, there was a loud bang and the ship shook. I could see the cannon firing from my side, and Shambo's resounding voice could be heard also. "CIWS ready!" he shouted, and someone responded, "Ready to fire, captain!"
"Fire!" Shambo commanded,
BRRRRRRTTT!
And with light delay, streaks of light shot out from the side of the ship, hurtling towards an invisible target on the horizon. We left the bridge, swept up in the wave of frenzied soldiers moving in and out of the different sections of the ship.
As we reached what appeared to be the amidship area, I noticed a rubber boat being prepared. The hatch opened, and the dark, turbulent sea came into view. Other people from my colony were also present, and we all looked surprised by the sudden turn of events. From the section of the ship, we could see lights being fired and huge fireballs appearing in the sky. The ship was swaying so much that it was difficult for some people to stand without almost tripping over. The constant movement of the ship made everything feel even more chaotic and terrifying.
Then that moment, another announcement came from the bridge.
"Attention crew, this is Captain Shambo speaking. I'm pleased to inform you that we have successfully neutralized the threat from the enemy missiles and aircrafts. However, we must remain vigilant and prepared for any further threats. Please continue to follow all safety protocols and maintain focus on your duties. That is all."
He ended, and the people inside heave a sigh, feeling relief of the situation didn't turned for worst.
As the commotion died down and people began to relax, Serene's voice broke through the tension. "My, our future bride and groom are really going all out in practicing right now," she said with a chuckle.
Confused, I looked around and suddenly realized that someone was carrying me. Without thinking, I slapped him and he fell to the ground with a thud. "Ouch! Ah?! Sorry! That was just reflex!" I quickly apologized.
"That hurt! How can your tiny arms be so heavy and painful?!" he exclaimed, rubbing the red handprint on his cheek. I glared at Serene, feeling embarrassed and frustrated by the situation. She simply diverted her gaze and began to caress my sleeping sister, who had apparently fallen off during the chaos.
"Lily," I muttered unconsciously.
"She's okay. She's just gone through too many things that aren't suited for her age," Serene replied.
I nodded. When will ZAFT rescue us? When will we return to the plant? I asked myself in contemplation. I don't want to trouble the people on this ship, nor their country, I thought to myself.
great start
now i want to know if this world is our future one or a AU of our world that they were transported to
The end place where they transported is in southern Africa or so-called African Union in cosmic era Gundam universe from Gundam seed, S1, though, I originally planned to transport actual nations, USA, China, pre Ukraine war Russian federation, India, UK or Japan, and Brazil, but putting them here will likely caused too much vacuum or outright collapse one of the major powers of CE AU, if I put Americans, 2023, the Altantic federation will likely collapse, they're the major antagonist in CE and follow up S2 of the franchise, due to many of the major antagonist came from American or their headquartered in American states, another one, Russian federation, will make Eurasian federation likely collapse too, more than 2/3 of their lands will disappear if I put the Russian here, same goes for India on their respective united south and southeast Asia which called equatorial union, I bet almost 2/3 of their population is located in India, china in east Asian republic will make them collapse if they disappeared and reappeared as CCP china from OTL, with only Taiwan, Korea and Japan, they will likely became the 3rd smallest faction in the CE from the third strongest, Japan will instantly die without imports, and if I put UK, Eurasian and Altantic federation will r*pe royal navy with sheer number of ships and asset, collapse militarily. And for Brazil, if I put them, while will not results to collapse of united States of South America, but still a major blow for their population and industrial power, also, some of the characters came from Brazil that I'd like to not meddle with, so only option if I push them as is, is make them futuristic and strengthen them according to my taste, but will likely deviate and almost destroy the plot, so I chose a place where none could change or affect the plot development to the entire set, in Southern Africa called African Union which is, practically a Protectorate or vassals of Eurasian federation, so I made an OG nations made up of southern African nations as united country. So viola, Pan-African Federation.
@Rin-3071 So How Strong is this Pan-African Federation.
@thrx01a mid, comparable to regional powers like Turkey or France in earth, except with interstellar capabilities.
@Rin-3071 Next Chapter