A Day in the
Life of a Destroid: The M.A.C. II Monster
I
remember the day the Zentraedi first came to Earths front door. Even thought
there was a celebration going we were still on alert. We knew something was
coming. It was only a mater of time. We just didn't know when.
My
crew and I were sitting in one of the day rooms on board the SDF-1. Kicking
back and relaxing while we had the chance. Joseph and Tyler, my co-pilot and
gunner, were playing pool and I was staring out the window sipping on some
protocoffee. We were just sitting there, minding our own business, when someone
came along and decided to pick a fight.
I
had heard the alert sirens many times before during drills but never unexpected
like this and most definitely not in the middle of the big celebration. Training
was good though and so was my crew. Before I had even swallowed the sip of
protocoffee I had just taken we were out the door and half way down the corridor.
Joseph
yelled over the siren "What the hell is going on?"
I
tried to answer but realized I still had coffee in my mouth. Swallowing quickly
and punching in my security code to access the Destroid hanger I yelled back,
"Don't know. Lets just get out of the hanger."
I
began the climb to access the MAC II Monsters main access way. Half way up
I was nearly thrown off the ladder by what sounded like an explosion.
"Damn,
this is for real. You think its some terrorist group?" yelled Joseph
again.
No
one answered. We just kept climbing. Tyler shut the access hatch behind him
and buckled himself in his gunnery chair. I being the pilot began the short
startup sequence necessary to get the Monster moving. "Bertha" was
the nickname we had given our fine 380-ton walking robot.
"Nav,
Com, Enviro, and Targeting systems green Boss. Lets roll out." Joseph
was never one for waiting.
"You
alive back their Taylor?"
"Yeah
Boss. Just a little scared. Weapon systems are all green. Lets go!"
Thumbing
the throttle we began taking steps forward out of the hanger. We had been
listening to radio chatter from the moment the comm systems came online. All
we could make of it was something about alien invaders and the SDF-1 was scrambling
all Veritech squadrons. Then without warning our Squadron Commander came online.
"Siege
Squadron this is Siege Commander. Lets form up and stay under close cover.
Let the Veritechs handle the intruders. Target landing and assault ships only.
We are the first Destroid Squad out of the hangers so stay frosty. Now report
in."
With
that Siege Squadron fell back under the cover and safety of the SDF-1's hull
and then began reporting in. Siege Commander was Siege 1 and they counted
off.
"Siege
7 online." All the way through Siege 12.
As
I looked up I saw Zentraedi Battle Pods fall from the sky with gun barrels
blazing. The first defenders in the air were RDF pilots in there non-Robotech
aircraft. They didn't last long. Hot energy blasts ripped through their fuselages
rupturing their fuel tanks burning up the debris.
The Zentraedi came down hard with no mercy. After making short work with the
RDF fighters the Battle Pods shifted their attention to the SDF-1.
"Hey
boys! Lets lay down a suppressing fire until the rest of the Destroids and
Veritechs can get out of the hanger. Use your missiles too for the ones that
get in closer."
When
the commander speaks, we answer. With that we opened up with volley after
volley of 406mm artillery fire. The end came quick for those unfortunate battle
pods that were in the way of a shell. Earth and battle pods erupted in flames
and explosions as our first volleys began impacting the assaulters. We managed
to stall them long enough for our Veritechs to engage.
Without
warning the hull of the SDF-1 began to quake beneath our mechs. It took a
lot to shake an almost 400 ton mech. I quickly switched over to a command
channel to see if I could figure out what was going on.
"Attention
all destroid and veritech units. Clear the SDF-1 air space and prepair for
SDF-1 launch."
They
were doing it. They were actually going to lauch this mile long hunk of junk,
and we were sitting right on top of it.
"Siege
squadron this is Siege 7. Engage magnetic couplers. The SDF-1 is prepairing
to launch." I thumbed my magnetic coupler switch activating the enourmously
powerful magnets built into the destroids feet to prevent them from being
knocked off the hull in zero-g activities.
Siege
squadron began to retreat further back from the edges of the SDF-1. It was
not enough though. We watched horrified as the gravity wells broke through
the hull under Siege 9 lifting him from the safety of the deck. The mechs
footing was unsecure and it toppled back to deck completely crushing the cockpit
and sending it rolling to the edge of the deck. There was nothing any of us
could do. Siege 9 tumbled off the deck and into oblivion. None of us had time
to refocus because the SDF-1 was falling. It ended as quick as it had begun.
The ship shook violently as it crashed back into its mouring pylons crushing
them under the weight and then sending the SDF-1 to land on the earth with
another violent shake. This one didn't send anyone toppoling over the edge
but it did knock Siege 8 and 12 off there feet putting them out of commission.
I watched as six very small figures escaped from there downed mechs and ran
for the hangers. Just as the last of the runners ducked into the hanger the
SDF-1 began to shake once again. Not quite as violent this time. More controlled
it seemed. Slowly we began to rise gaining altitude more quickly as we went
along for the ride. It did not take long to break the atmosphere and enter
earths orbit.
We
continued to press the heat reorganizing ourselves to make up for our one
lost brother and two other downed mechs. Most of the battle pods had shifted
to engage the Veritechs but unfortunately for us a few pods continued their
assault on the SDF-1. SDF-1 gun crews fired relentlessly against our attacker
but the battle pods were small and quick. Easily evading the lasers the pods
descended upon us.
"Fall
back to the shelter of the hull. Use your missiles for close range."
Cried our fearless commander, but it was too late.
The
pods were too quick for our monstrous destroids. My crew and I watched helplessly
as three pods swarmed Siege 4 blasting away at its heavily armored cockpit.
It did not take long for the main torso of Siege 4 to rupture into flame.
Eight other pods swarmed Siege Squadron. I pivoted starboard and let loose
with a volley of 3 missiles from my right missile bays located in the right
"arm" of the mecha. At this close range the missiles did not have
time to track individual targets so all three missiles impacted full force
into one battle pod. The heat was so intense at this range you could almost
feel it through the heavy armor of the cockpit. Siege 3 was the next victim
of the invaders. Attacking from all sides there was no way to escape. The
armor blistered and shattered under the attack exposing the ammo bay which
in turn ignited and exploded taking two of the battle pods with it. I pivoted
our mech to port to resume my position but unknowingly turned into an oncoming
pod. I continued the mech into the turn and again raised the starboard arm
actuator level with the pod. The quick moving pod could not react in time
to avoid the arm and slammed head on into the missile exit ports. With this
I let loose another volley into the pod. This was my mistake. The pod erupted
into flames but took my right arm actuator and missile systems completely
out. The shock and close proximity of the explosion also damaged Berthas right
leg actuator. As soon as the mech stopped vibrating I corrected a small gyro
imbalance problem caused by the explosion and repositioned the mech under
the protective hull of the SDF-1. By this time the rest of the Destroid squadrons
were out of there hangers and a near by squad of Guardians picked off the
last few pods.
Some
sort of large landing ships had begun to accelerate toward the SDF-1 releasing
more pods. Shaken by our initial encounter with the enemy and not sure what
to expect next we decided to open up on these drop ships. Volley after volley
was loosed upon our attacker and it never seemed to slow them down. We were
out gunned and out numbered.
We
watched and continued to fire until all ammo supplies where exhausted. Being
of no more use to the squad I turned the mech and began to limp back into
the hanger for re-arming. I noticed an intense heat and looked over the bow
of the ship just in time to see us reentering Earths atmosphere. I engaged
the mech heat shield and prayed that the rest of the squadron would catch
on. I just wish Gloval would make up his mind. Atmosphere or no atmosphere.
We entered the hanger and pivoted the mech to engage the re-loader. We watched
out the hanger as the veritechs engaged the pods at point blank range.
"Man
I would hate to be one of those Veritechs." Joshua said as we docked
with the re-loader.
Chuckling
I said "You would rather be in a 380 ton mech that has no maneuverability,
no close in weapons, and a very limited ammo supply instead of a Veritech?
Are you nuts?"
"Well
yeah, um. I never thought about it that way."
All
of the sudden the ship started to shutter and quake. Not knowing what was
going on I checked the reload sequencer.
"Damn
re-loaders. HURRY UP!"
A
blinding light penetrated the hanger doors and lasted for almost thirty seconds
and was then suddenly gone as quick as it came. A huge hissing sound came
from the aft bulkhead.
"What
the hell is that?" cried Tony.
"I
see stars out the hanger. I thought we just re-entered the atmosphere. The
SDF-1 must have just folded. We are in space and have a leak in our cockpit.
That last blast by that battle pod must have ruptured the hull."
Joshua
began a systems check on the onboard computer.
"Won't
the SDF-1 bay shields activate?"
"They
will but it will take a few minutes for the ship systems to realign for non-atmospheric
travel." Joshua finished his systems check.
"We
don't have a few minutes. Our atmosphere will be gone in 72 seconds."
Warning,
warning, cabin atmosphere will reach critical levels in 60 seconds.
"Okay,
sixty seconds."
Warning,
warning, you have 55 seconds to reach pressurized location.
"Damn,
come on. Why don't they switch on the bay shields?"
"Tony,
calm down please. They will, it will, Just, take a few, minut, es, "
Tunnel
vision enveloped us all as we began to pass into the next world. We would
never know what happened. My crew was good. We loved the Monster. Today just
was not our day.
"Attention,
Attention, this is the SDF-1. Bay shield are now set for non-atmospheric travel.
Cabin
pressure stabilized at 7 percent.
System
is now reinitializing atmospheric and life support controls.
Cabin
pressure now at 12 percent and rising.
System
diagnostics and medical scan reveals crew of three.
Two
life signs remaining in cockpit.
System
Alert.
Pilot
unconscious. Shutting down piloting controls.
System
Alert.
NavComm
officer unconscious. Shutting down NavComm systems.
System
Alert.
Weapons
officer checks no vital signs. Shutting down weapon systems.
Warning,
Warning. System will halt to standby if no user intervention in next sixty
seconds.
System
shutting down to standby mode.
System
Offline.
Two
of us would live to fight again. Poor Tyler. Best damn gunner I ever had.
Next:
A Day in the Life of a Destroid: Defender