Even after the end of the One Year War, the legendary rivalry between the White Devil and the Crimson Comet continues.
Thanks for the feature Uniqlo!
An Eternal Rivalry
At the end of the One Year War, mobile suits were put to use
for the more benign purpose of reconstruction and recovery, assisting the
Federation in restoring a semblance of order to a war-torn populace both on
Earth and in the colonies. While mobile suits were ostensibly developed to wage
war, the peacetime applications were also virtually limitless, and greatly
accelerated reconstruction efforts across the globe.
In Sydney a year after the cessation of hostilities between
the Federation and the Principality of Zeon, a special mobile suit event was
afoot. Taking almost the full brunt of Operation British, the city of Sydney
was reduced to a radioactive wasteland for months after the Zeonic colony drop,
rendering any recovery and/or reconstruction attempt fruitless and meaningless.
Radiation levels had since dropped considerably and efforts were underway to
clean up the harbour and grant closure to all affected by this unprecedented
tragedy. Leading this noble effort was apparel conglomerate Uniqlo Inc
(9983.T), one of the most revered civilian actors in the Universal Century.
During the One Year War, Uniqlo sheltered many refugees, its
proprietary Airism and HeatTech lifewear keeping shellshocked civilians warm,
comfortable and clothed. While primarily an apparel manufacturing giant, a
sizable number of Uniqlo’s production lines were converted to factories for
emergency essentials during the war, producing much-needed items such as
personal protective equipment, portable bedding and temporary relief shelters.
These greatly assisted the Federation throughout the war and the period
immediately after, allowing essential resources to be diverted elsewhere.
At the request of Uniqlo’s chairman, the Federation granted
the apparel giant temporary use of a replica of the legendary RX-78-2 Gundam,
designated the RX-78-2U. Essentially a simplified reconstruction of the White
Devil using military surplus and civilian parts, the RX-78-2U possessed no
weapons (apart from dummy beam saber hilts and a faux beam rifle) but was still
able to achieve the mobility and dexterity that were expected of modern mobile
suits. The RX-78-2U was repainted with Uniqlo’s corporate colours and placed at
the harbour overlooking Sydney bay, awaiting the second half of the anniversary
collaboration.
In a somewhat controversial move, the Federation also
provided Uniqlo with a captured, refurbished version of the MS-06 Zaku II for
the event, designated the MS-06U. Repainted in what the Federation deemed
“Zeonic Commander Colours”, the MS-06U similarly possessed no fixed weaponry as
well as dummy armament including the 100mm Zaku Machine Gun and an inert heat
hawk.
Both mobile suits were meant to pay tribute to the One Year
War, portraying the struggle and eventual victory of the Federation through a
mock mobile suit battle in a specially designated area of Sydney Harbour. The
Federation pilots assigned to the event put on a spectacular show for the crowd
of thousands, trading blows with one another while recreating iconic scenes
from the One Year War. At the end of the 30-minute show, the MS-06U was moved to
the heavy vehicle parking lot of the event compound right beside a couple of
enormous trailer trucks while the RX-78-2U was moved into a hangar to prepare
for its next assignment.
Intended for more than just a mobile suit sized puppet show,
Uniqlo planned to have the RX-78-2U kick off a large-scale harbour clean-up
campaign by diving into Sydney Harbour to bring a section of a sunken cruise
liner to the surface. While the RX-78-2U was merely a replica of the original
machine, its specifications were still considerable and more than adequate for
light underwater operations. Not willing to take any chances, Uniqlo specially
designed a Marine Rescue Unit for the RX-78-2U, a set of add-on equipment that
the Federation viewed with great interest. Consisting of a high-powered
underwater propeller backpack, twin calf-mounted hydrothrusters and
reinforcements to the shoulder and ankle armour sections, the Marine Rescue
Unit also equipped the RX-78-2U with an underwater-use blowtorch, a small
shield to ward off debris as well as a large grappling claw with enough power
to singlehandedly move the smokestack of an oil tanker underwater. Although the
Marine Rescue Unit was not intended for war, it inevitably enhanced the base
performance of the RX-78-2U, with the added technological components able to be
quickly repurposed for wartime applications to create a formidable underwater
combatant.
Launched into Sydney Harbour once again, the RX-78-2U was
met with exclamations of adoration and awe mixed with isolated instances of
post-traumatic stress disorder as the mobile suit now looked very much like a
weapon of war instead of a deactive showpiece. Plunging into the frigid depths,
the powerful underwater propulsion systems of the Marine Rescue Unit quickly
drove the RX-78-2U to its intended destination and the pilot began the arduous
task of removing a section of the stricken cruise liner with the blowtorch.
While the public was fixated on the underwater exploits of
the RX-78-2U livestreamed on a giant LED screen, something more sinister was
taking place at the heavy vehicle parking lot of the event compound. Taking out
the sole Federation guard on duty, Zeonic Remnant special forces operatives
infiltrated the event compound and stealthily moved towards the MS-06U. The
Federation made the mistake of not installing performance inhibitors into what
was essentially a decommissioned machine, allowing the MS-06U to retain most,
if not all, of its output during the One Year War. The Federation pilot
assigned to the MS-06U – who personally despised Zeonic technology with a
passion – was not the most invested, seeing the assignment as a “joyride for
the rich” and a “blatant slap in the face” for war veterans such as himself. As
such, he left the MS-06U with the cockpit open before going to grab a beer, the
activation keys placed haphazardly on the pilot’s seat. A Zeonic commando whose
masked helmet bore a command fin entered the cockpit of the MS-06U and with a
practiced hand, performed the necessary start-up procedures.
The mobile suit’s distinctive red monoeye buzzed to life.
The RX-78-2U had completed its cutting task and was in the
midst of surfacing when its proximity alert chimed seconds before an unknown
projectile screamed past and detonated a few metres behind the mobile suit.
Over the radio, frenzied screams and panicked shouts could be heard, punctuated
by the staccato of small arms fire.
Something was wrong, very wrong.
Clearing the last few metres, the RX-78-2U broke through the
water’s edge and was met with a grim sight: the MS-06U was indiscriminately
opening fire on everything and anything it could get its monoeye on. The MS-06U
was equipped with what looked like a 200mm recoilless cannon, undoubtedly
retrieved from the pair of trailer trucks that had been ripped open like so
many cans of tuna. Zeonic Remnants had smuggled the weapon in parts to the
event days before and had the MS-06U assemble the cannon onsite before using it
to wreak havoc. The 200mm cannon shuddered and spat out a high explosive round
at the newly-reconstructed Sydney Opera House, once again reducing it to ruins.
The RX-78-2U stared down the MS-06U, the Federation pilot
deciding his next course of action. While the RX-78-2U was still a formidable
mobile suit with extremely high performance, it had next to nothing in terms of
weaponry and it was facing a proven war machine equipped with an instrument of
destruction. However, the RX-78-2 was not any random machine: it was a symbol
of Federation hope and victory.
The MS-06U levelled the 200mm cannon at the RX-78-2U, its
red monoeye pulsing with anticipation. The RX-78-2U braced itself, its white
armour glistening in the sunlight, grappling claw at the ready.
Even after the end of the One Year War, the legendary
rivalry between the White Devil and the Crimson Comet continues.
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