"Prelude: After Colony 193"
Chapter 1 - A Restless Nation

Written by: Drydian
email:      drydian@yahoo.com
website:    FallenClan.com


"Captain Rythorn, you and your men have done well."
With an air of smugness General Nathtok glared out of the window
 with his arms crossed behind his back. Outside, the city of 
Winchester, southeastern coast of England, is awakening to a fresh 
sea breeze and clear skies. This is not the case in South Africa 
where Rhineguard, an Alliance military base, lays in rubble with 
pillars of black smoke hovering over its remains. Destroyed Leo 
mobile suits are scattered across what was left of this once proud 
training base.

"The Alliance now knows that the 'Legion of Catevari' does not 
give empty threats." General Nathtok raises his chin as he envisions 
himself eventually becoming the Dictator of Earth and no longer 
just the military Magistrate over England. "They have long relied 
upon their soldiers to control Earth in an iron grip. Continuously, 
they have sacrificed us in the hundreds, even thousands for just 
one more mile of land. Now that the Alliance has completely dominated 
the world, it is about time that the Alliance gives her children, 
her soldiers the land that our blood has been soaked in. They have 
poisoned our hearts and our minds since the beginning with endless 
wars. Today we have declared our desire to earn our own independence, 
our own lands, our own power."

The sun gently rises over the cliff shining brightly into the room, 
giving General Nathtok a heavenly glow. Absorbing the rays of the 
sun in its entirety, Captain Rythorn stands proud and salutes his 
commander in all his glory. Rythorn boldly pronounces, "OZ will surely 
regret the day that they chose to stand with the Alliance against us."
With an intrigued look Nathtok lowers his head upon his fingers, 
"Indeed, why OZ would leave us now, of all times, still worries me.
However, we have already dedicated too much into this 'rebellion' and 
as long as OZ does not interfere as promised we shall still win this 
war."

"No matter, Captain," he turns around and stares directly at Rythorn, 
"take your men to the Laurion mobile suit base in Moscow and 'reclaim' 
as many Leo's as possible to help our campaign. Our other forces around 
the globe have also met little resistance in taking out much of the 
Alliances fresh recruits. They shall begin the raids on the depots once 
our men have secured their positions within the bases and our ready to 
commence the incursion. Be wary not to offend OZ by destroying any of 
their troops as we are not prepared to take them on as of yet." With that, 
both saluted each other and Captain Rythorn left to return to his troops.

Three days later, after Captain Rythorn and his troops, as well as other 
troops from the Legion of Catevari, were already soldiers based within 
those depots around the world that were targeted, infiltration was fairly 
easy. To keep their identities safe the bodies of the recruits from the 
training facilities that were destroyed were safeguarded with them and 
placed within their bunks. Explosives were set throughout the barracks to 
make everyone believe that each will have died within. Upon the hour decided, 
midnight, England time, the explosives will take out everything that remains 
within a mile radius of the bases by igniting the fuel cells kept in storage 
now positioned around the bases. Now it is a quarter till midnight and all 
soldiers of the Legion are making their way to the Leo's as hastily and 
stealthily as possible, killing all that discovers their presence.

Lilith was luckier than most of the soldiers on duty during the takeover at 
the Laurion base as she was performing maintenance behind the seat of the 
cockpit of one of the Leo's. She did not notice the twenty soldiers silently 
make their way into the mobile suit bay. Neither did the other maintenance 
workers as each fell to their knives. Ten minutes till midnight.

Kenton, one of the Legion, rose into the cockpit that Lilith was in and quickly 
took his seat flipping the switches, engaging the powering up of the suit. Annoyed, 
Lilith reaches her hands out of the panel to take the ratchet out of her mouth, 
as the cockpit closes up and a vid screen appears. From the vid only a shadow 
of a man can be seen, and a deep, commanding voice warns "Keep your eyes open 
troops, the time has come and only five minutes remains before the no return 
point has been breached. Get those Leo's to the transports and make your way to 
our new home."

With that the Leo's proceed to march their way to the transport planes, load in 
and attach themselves to the drop lines. As the transports take off soldiers 
come out of the bases trying to shoot down the planes with machine guns that 
just aren't enough. Leo's on patrol turn on the transports puncturing the 
transports now rising to the skies. Rythorn, appearing in the vid screens of 
these Leo's, says "You are all committed soldiers to your nations, and I salute 
your deaths." Saluting these soldiers in the vid, Rythorn detonates the charges 
located within these Leo's, in great explosions as the planes fly by. Behind, 
just thirty seconds later the sky is lit with the destruction of the base. Lilith, 
realizing the position she's in, holds on preparing for one of the worst rides 
of her life.

From Treize Khushrenada's mansion estate, Lady Une reports. "Treize, as you predicted 
the Legion has dropped their troops into England and has staked their claim. General 
Nathtok has issued a warning to the Alliance that any attempt to retake England 
will result in their destruction. His is the only identity among the Legion that 
has been confirmed so far. Treize looks on in acceptance of these facts.  Before him 
replays the satellite views of England in flames. "Treize, shall I organize a fleet 
of OZ troops and end this now?" Treize, aristocrat and soldier, sits back in his 
favorite lush chair and closes his eyes. "OZ cannot reveal themselves yet to the 
Alliance, that time has not yet come. This is just a minor skirmish, a prelude 
of the changing times if you will. The pawns in this game have finally been staged 
and General Nathtok has taken the initiative, but his castle sits precariously in 
the middle of the board." Lady Une is taken aback by his response, "How shall we 
proceed?" Treize ponders for a moment; "It is time for our Knight to make his move."