From: egamboa@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Noel Gamboa)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime
Subject: Gundam 0083 Episode 12
Date: 19 Nov 92 07:20:47 GMT
Organization: Operation X / UC Herald


                      Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory
             Episode 12: Assault! Critical Intercept Point

                   translated by Tonghyun 'Vajra' Kim
                         edited by Noel Gamboa
                              OPERATION X
                          Version 1.0 11/16/92

        NARRATION
The Albion docks at La Vienne Rose, to acquire the new Gundam Unit 3.
But awaiting them was the Military Police Unit under the command of
Lt. Commander Nakato. Ignoring the irritated Uraki and his people, Delaz
ignites the propellants of the colony. The earth-bound colony... and
fallen Lucette... Her death forces Nina to face her destiny. Now, Uraki
enters the decisive battle to stop the colony from falling to the earth,
with Gundam Unit 3.

        OPENING SONG
MEN OF DESTINY

        NARRATION
Universal Century 0083 November 12. Operation Stardust, the purpose of
which is to drop a colony on Earth, has entered its climax.

(The Cima fleet, escorting the hijacked colony, wait to make contact
with the Federation fleet. Without warning, Gundam Unit 3 Dendrobium
Stamen approaches the convoy.)

        HELMSMAN
Enemy sighted! 10 o'clock portside!

        CIMA
In front of us?

        DEATROAF
The Earth Orbital Fleet couldn't have arrived yet.

        CIMA
I've heard nothing about it! I'm going to the comm room!

        HUSTLER
This is Axis Fleet. I'm sorry. We'll have to stand by and watch from the
rear.

        DELAZ
That's fine. You don't need to worry about us. I leave the aftermath to
you.

        HUSTLER
I swear by the honor of Axis.

        DELAZ
It's hard to believe we made it this far. With this fleet, I'm now doing
the operation which required half of the Jion fleet in the past.

(Unit 3 engages several Zakus and Doms.)

        ZAKU PILOT
He's just big, that's all.

(Unit 3 makes short work of the Jion defense and continues its approach
towards the colony. In General Kowen's HQ...)

        KOWEN
Status report.

        OPERATOR 1
Aye, sir. The colony's at the halfway point between the moon and the
earth. Gundam Unit 3 has made contact with it. And the Axis Fleet, which
declared itself neutral, is retreating to the rear.

        KOWEN
Although they're our enemies, this colony drop is an excellent one,
making good use of the lessons of the One Year War.

        OPERATOR 1
But even Gundam Unit 3 can't handle it alone.

        OPERATOR 2
Fourteen hours before it collides with the earth...

        KOWEN
Only nine hours before the game's over. After that, the colony will pass
the Critical Intercept Point.

        OPERATOR 2
Critical Intercept Point?

        OPERATOR 1
Here. If the colony goes beyond it, there's no way we can stop something
that heavy.

        KOWEN
We have to recover the colony and change its course before it reaches
that point.

        OPERATOR 2
Will there be any remaining propellants?

        KOWEN
There must be! For the final course adjustment to Jaburo!
Damn... What the hell is my Third Orbital Fleet doing?

        OPERATOR
They're gathering at point 302 near the Critical Point to intercept the
enemy.

        KOWEN
We won't make it. What's on the Admiral's mind?

(Back in space...)

        KOU
They're retreating? Where is he?

(Gato, aboard the mobile armor Neue Ziel, appears behind a Musai wreck.)

        GATO
I will not speak to him anymore.

        KOU
It's Gato!?

        GATO
An I-Field!?

(Tech note: An I-field deflects beams weapons by maintaining a field of
similarly-charged particles.)

        KOU
Him too?

(The Albion, trailing behind Gundam Unit 3, speeds towards the combat
zone.)

        SINAPUS
Distance?

        SCOTT
107,000 to the colony.

        HALLIDA
Captain! 8 hours and 22 minutes until the Critical Intercept Point.
Please authorize mobile suits to scramble.

        SINAPUS
Not yet. Not until Unit 3 breaches the enemy defense.

        SINAPUS
Can Lt. Uraki's body take the strain?

(The Albion's MS pilots await combat from inside their respective
cockpits.)

        ADEL
I never imagined that we'd get involved in this kind of incident.

        BAIT
Come to think of it, we've been haunted by the spectre of Jion.

        MONSHA
Ever since we met the Gundam...

        GATO
With beams getting deflected like this...

        ZAKU PILOT
Commander, with the unit armed mainly with beam weapons...

        GATO
Don't interfere!

        KOU
He stopped moving?

(Gato's MA is rocked by Kou's missiles.)

        KOU
NOW!!!

        KOU
The weapons - !

(The Albion appears behind Unit 3.)

        SCOTT
Gundam, this is the Albion. We've caught up. Return to ship to resupply.
Return to ship for now.

        KOU
If I hang on, I can breach the first line of defense!

        SINAPUS
Lt. Uraki! You can't recover the colony alone!

        KOU
Roger.

(Aboard Delaz's flagship, the Gwaden.)

        DELAZ
Well, the problem is when the enemy will appear on our front.

        STAFF
The Fed's Earth Orbital Fleet is made up mostly of Salamis-class ships.
There isn't much to worry about.

        CIMA
But you couldn't have imagined Gato getting thrown off-guard, could you?

        DELAZ
Unexpected things do happen. Gato is doing fine.

        CIMA
Unexpected things DO happen...

(The Federation fleet from Konpei, which had ran out of fuel earlier
because of Delaz's moon feint, prepares to resume pursuit of the
hijacked colony.)

        OPERATOR
This is the 73rd Fleet. Refueling completed. We'll go ahead.

        KONPEI BASE COMMANDER
Admiral, we'll resume pursuit. Even if we can't catch up with the enemy,
let us take care of the aftermath.

        KONPEI BASE COMMANDER
Huh? What did you just say?

(Kou returns the Dendrobium Stamen to the Albion.)

        MORA
Begin replacing the weapon container! Take it out!

        MORA
Nina...

(A siren blares out!)

        SINAPUS
A pursuit party? Pull back to the limit!

        KOU
The enemy? We've been followed? Mora, I'm taking the Stamen out! Please
clear the way.

        MORA
No way! You're in no condition to fight!

        MONSHA
They broke through us!

        KOU
I'm going!

        NINA
Men are really...

EYECATCH

(Kowen pleads with the Admiral, who is accompanied by Jamitov Hyman.
Cima's grinning visage vanishes from a viewscreen.)

        KOWEN
Admiral...

        JAMITOV
If we surround the enemy too tightly, they'll fight to the death.

        KOWEN
I didn't ask you! Admiral, what's on your mind? No, what do you want to
use this situation for? We should move the Earth Orbital Fleet to the
front line...

(Kowen finds a gun pointed at him.)

        KOWEN
Jamitov, you bastard...

        KOWEN
We don't have time. Please stop thinking about some strange scheme and
order the fleet to attack...

        KOWEN
What the hell are you doing? Let me go! Admiral! We don't have any time
left!

        ADMIRAL
Why did Unit 3 fall into the Albion's hands?

(Out in space, the Neue Ziel is resupplied.)

        GATO
We can't count on the likes of Cima Fleet. We'll do it! With our own
hands!

        GRADOL
But... your body won't take the strain...

        GATO
Gradol... And that Gundam... Only I can defeat him.

        GRADOL
Commander...

        GATO
Never before I have looked at the earth with such excitement in my
heart. I'll defeat the Gundam before the enemy appears on our front.

(Like Gato, Kou sits in his cockpit, wondering what the future holds.)

        KOU
Simmone... How many hours left?

        SIMMONE
We just finished supplying.

        KOU
No, I mean till the time limit.

        SIMMONE
3 hours and 11 minutes.

        KOU
Nina...

        SINAPUS
No time left already, and no idea when friendly forces will arrive...
Nina Purpleton.

        NINA
Yes?

        SINAPUS
I grant you permission to use the lifeboat. Please leave this ship
immediately.

        NINA
Capt. Sinapus, I want to see this till the very end with my own eyes,
out of my own will. I'm sorry.

        SINAPUS
But the military won't pay your salary.

        SINAPUS
Alright! Sail at second battle speed for five minutes then change to
first battle speed!

        GATO
Cima's fleet has advanced too far. Understand? Be alert! Remember, we
have nowhere to return to!

(Gato is wondering why Cima's ships are pushing too far ahead, but the
answer becomes obvious by the end of this episode. Meanwhile, Cima has
taken over Delaz's ship, killing his bridge crew.)

        DEATROAF
Madame Cima, sensor readings of our front. It's time.

        CIMA
Perfect timing.

        GATO
Don't go, Gato.

        SCOTT
Captain, we picked up something portside! A light!

        SINAPUS
What? In Earth's direction? Can you zoom in? Earth Orbital Fleet... No,
what's that? That array is...

        MONSHA
A WISHBONE formation!

(A slew of Jion ships and mobile suits led by the Neue Ziel attack the
lonely Albion!)

        GATO
The ship is not retreating. They must be determined.

        GATO
It's him?!

        KOU
Gato!

(Kou demolishes Gradol's Musai battleship.)

        GRADOL
COMMANDER!

(The Gwaden.)

        CIMA
Distance to Critical Intercept Point?

        DEATROAF
12000. 21 minutes to go.

        CIMA
After that point, even those annoying bastards'll stop being so noisy.

        DELAZ
What do you have in mind? Weren't you planning to court the Feds, using
me and my fleet as bait? Are you going to drop the colony - or NOT?

        CIMA
Shut up, you old man!

        COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
The enemy's breached the first line of defense. They're closing in!

        CIMA
What?

        BAIT
Monsha, behind you!

        MONSHA
Hehe, I'm not that good!

        SIMMONE
A direct hit on the left MS catapult.

        SINAPUS
Simmone, the time?

        SIMMONE
The time? 4 minutes left.

        KOU
Drop dead!

        KOU
The colony - !

(Gato's fires an arm at the Dendrobium, finding its I-field engine and
crushing it.)

        KOU
THE I-FIELD!

        GATO
It's too late.

(Kou begins to rocket straight for the colony, avoiding Gato's beam
attacks and ignoring everything else.)

        SIMMONE
50 seconds left.

        CIMA
30 seconds to go.

        KOU
It... passed the Critical Intercept Point...

        SIMMONE
The colony's headed... ...for Earth.

        SINAPUS
It's not over yet. We can't let it fall on Jaburo.

        MAURRIS
Captain. We're receiving a message from the First Orbital Fleet.

        MAURRIS
What!? They're saying that the Delaz Fleet has ceased fire.

        SINAPUS
What do they mean by that?

        GATO
CEASEFIRE!? THIS CAN'T BE!

(Federation ships positioned in front of the Critical Intercept Point
assemble a huge array of mirrors.)

        OPERATOR 1
This is G-21. We've finished laying out the upper passage of the Solar
System.

        OPERATOR 2
This is left wing W-12 Unit. We're having problems. We need
reinforcements!

        STAFF
There are operational errors! Hurry! The enemy's right in front of us!

        DELAZ
A Solar System...

        CIMA
That's right. They had a card up their sleeve to stop the colony from
falling. With just a little warming up... boom.

        DELAZ
Damn you! Do you still consider yourself a Jion?

        CIMA
This is how I survived! Despite being treated like shit by the brass who
are living comfortably in Side 3! If there's a good enough reason, I'll
switch sides!

(The Neue Ziel approaches the Gwaden.)

        GATO
Your Excellency!

        DELAZ
What a pity. How foolish of me, trying to guide one without the soul of
Jion.

        CIMA
Gee, I'll go out of business the day I'm 'guided' to some out-of-the-way
place like Axis!

        GATO
Cima, you ungrateful worm!

        CIMA
Don't move, Gato. Accept your fate gracefully like a defeated general.

        GATO
What?!

        CIMA
I don't want to damage my gift to the Federation.

        DELAZ
GO ON, GATO.

        DELAZ
Gato... carry out our cause. The colony is still in our hands.

        CIMA
What the -? Have you gone mad?

        GATO
Step over my dead body and carry on.

        CIMA
SHUT UP!

        GATO
Do you want to disgrace me with the worst punishment of space?

        CIMA
YOU FOOL! The Solar System is aiming at us! Y - You got to be kidding!

        GATO
Your Excellency...

        DELAZ
SIEG JION.

(With a handgun, Cima executes Delaz. Gato explodes, firing an arm
into the Gwaden's bridge!)

        ENDING SONG
EVERGREEN

        PREVIEW
The conspiracy proceeds, covering the sky of betrayal and a new age
emerges. Will the colony finally reach the earth? A reunion of love and
hate occurs amidst the battle. Now, what does Uraki see at the end of
the war? An era fades away. UC 0083 is coming to an end.

Next: The Storm That Runs Through
-- 
Noel Gamboa (egamboa@ucsd.edu)