Welcome to Gundam Plus II, the successor to the original Gundam Plus site.
Episode 12
It is now November 12th of UC 0083 and Operation Stardust’s colony drop draws dangerously near to the point of no return, where the colony will be unable to break free of Earth’s atmosphere. Cima’s fleet picks up a Federation ship and she wonders how the Earth Orbital Fleet could’ve reached them by now. The AXIS fleet informs Delaz that they can only stand at the rear because they are ‘neutral’. Delaz says his only request is that the AXIS fleet takes on the surviving Delaz fleet after Stardust. AXIS leader Hausler swears that he will and Delaz begins to gloat that with a few ships, he pulled off what would’ve required half the Zeon fleet. Mobile suits from the Cima fleet attack Kou and assume the Orchis is just a hulk. Kou launches a cluster missile, obliterating his enemies and showing he’s more than a hulk.
At Jaburo, Admiral Kowen asks how far along the colony is. It is halfway between the Earth and the moon, 9 hours until the point of no return is reached. The GP03 is already attacking but Kowen knows he can’t do it alone. Kowen figures the colony must still have propellant because it would need to make the final correction toward Jaburo. Kowen asks where the 3rd Orbital Fleet is. He is told they’re gathering 30,000 kilometers in front of the point of no return. Kowen wonders what Admiral Jamitov is thinking. Kou continues to do battle with the Cima fleet when the Zakus and Rick Doms retreat. He realizes that Gato must be around. After looking around, Gato serenades Kou by perforating the rubble of a downed Mousai. Gato says there is no more discussion as the Neue Ziel rises from behind the Mousai. He fires at Kou and the shots bounce off Kou’s I field. Kou takes the Orchis’s cannon and fires a shot which bounces off Gato’s I Field. Captain Synapse says they cannot launch mobile suits until Uraki punches a hole in the Zeon’s line. In their cockpits, Monsha, Bate and Adel all wonder how they got into the mess they’re in now.
Kou and Gato continue to duke it out and Kou draws 2 bazookas from the Orchis’s complex weapon system and fires at Gato. Gato wonders how he can win with his beams bouncing off all the time. A Zaku pulls up to Gato and tries to convince him to retreat. Gato tells him to piss off and Kou seizes the chance to fire missiles at Gato. The Zaku pilot is taken out and Gato takes a few hits but Kou can’t finish Gato because his ammo is depleted. The Albion orders Kou to retreat as Gato’s arms fire at Kou. Kou protests but Synapse snaps at him. Kou acknowledges Synapse and launches a myriad of blinding crackers to cover his exit.
Delaz stands at the front of the colony in his Gwazine class cruiser. He wonders when the Feddies will show up and is told that they’ll be up against Salamis class ships; which are no match for Gato. Cima enters the bridge and asks Delaz if he’s that stupid to think the Federation would try to ambush them. Delaz says that the unexpected happens but Gato is handling it well. Cima grimaces and mocks his ‘the unexpected happens’ comment. She flips her hair to the side and we hear gunfire on a white screen. The Konpei Island fleet finishes refueling and resumes pursuit of the colony. The Albion docks the Orchis and Kou takes an adrenaline shot. While the Orchis’s weapons containers are being swapped out, Nina has her hand on her chest and stares blankly. Her moment is broken by an alarm signaling enemy suits. Kou realizes that he was followed and takes out the “Stamen” being the mobile suit part of the GP03. Monsha and Keith do their best to hold back the enemy but despite Mora’s protests, Kou launches.
Admiral Kowen trembles as the guards in Admiral Jamitov’s office aim at him. He sees that Jamitov contacted Cima Garahau and Jamitov’s cat hisses at Kowen. Kowen asks why Jamitov will not allow the Earth Orbital Fleet to launch. Jamitov draws a pistol and aims at Kowen. Kowen calls Jamitov a son of a bitch and says there is no time for obscure plans as soldiers drag him away. Jamitov just asks why the Albion was allowed to get its hands on the GP03. As the Neue Ziel is being refueled, Gato says they cannot depend on the Cima fleet. Graddle tells Gato he needs to get some rest. Gato says he is the only one who can defeat the Gundam and that he has never before looked at the Earth with such excitement. He promises to destroy the Gundam before the Federation Fleet shows up.
The Albion apparently won the last encounter as the weary pilots pant in their cockpits. Kou asks Simone how long it’ll take until the colony passes the point of no return. She says they have 3 hours and 11 minutes. Synapse tells Nina he wants her to leave the ship but she protests. He says that she shouldn’t expect military compensation. Synapse then orders the Albion to move at combat speed 1. From the Earthbound colony, Gato notices that Cima’s fleet is too far in front. Gato tells his men to focus. From the Gwazine, Cima’s men have taken over and they detect something ahead of them. The Albion also detects it and to our surprise, the Earth Orbital Fleet has set up a Solar System. Enemies are detected and the Albion’s mobile suits go on standby. Gato fires a volley of missiles which Kou easily dodges. A Mousai fires at Kou and Kou draws a massive beam saber and maims the bridge.
On Delaz’s Gwazine, Cima asks how long it’ll be until the point of no return. Her helmsman says 21 minutes or 10,200 kilometers. Delaz asks Cima what she is after. She tells him to shut up and tears the shoulder off his coat. She is told that their frontline has been breached. A battle damaged Albion continues to punch through, hammering the Delaz mobile suits. Monsha gets his GM’s arm taken off by a Dra C which spins out and explodes. With 4 minutes remaining, Kou bids the Delaz fleet a pleasant trip to hell and cooks a Mousai’s bridge. An arm from the Neue Ziel flies in and takes out Kou’s I field generator. Kou shoots the cable connecting the arm as the Neue Ziel rises in front of him. Now only 50 seconds remain as Kou bee-lines for the colony with Gato in hot pursuit. Gato shoots off a weapon container but Kou barrel rolls and continues toward the colony. Space seems to freeze as everyone realizes the colony passed the point of no return. Synapse is told the Delaz fleet has ceased fire.
Gato gets royally pissed when he hears they’ve been ordered to cease fire. With our friend, Bask Om leading, the Solar System 2 finishes setting up. Cima draws her pistol and laughs that the Federation was prepared. Delaz asks how she can call herself a Zeon. Cima says the people in Side 3 just used her. Gato flies in front of the Gwazine to get some answers and sees Delaz held up. Gato calls Cima a bloodsucking parasite. Delaz tells Gato that he should stop the Solar System. Gato protests and Cima tries to reason with Gato but Delaz tells Gato to step over his grave and do his duty. Delaz has famous last words, “Sieg Zeon!” as Cima puts a hole in his head with her pistol. Gato runs the Neue Ziel’s arm into the bridge.
Paul Jr’s Thoughts:
We had another climactic episode here. The Feddies dealing with Cima got found out and went to some great lengths to hide it. We can only wonder what happened to Kowen and the cameo of Jamitov did a lot of justice to Zeta. Though the Colony’s course isn’t going to be stopped, the Solar System appears to be a foolproof plan. We’re only left with one episode so I am yet again afraid of a rushed ending. I’m excited to find out how this will turn out. Will Operation Stardust be successful?
