The first of the episodic drabbles I wrote for 00 as it was first showing in Japan. Written within the first week and posted on the MAHQ forum on October 12, 2007, that made this one of, if not the, first English-language Gundam 00 fanfics on the web. Each ficlit was written without prior knowledge of the next episode, and each was a different writing experiment for me, so expect type and quality to vary greatly.

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Episode 1: Report

"Graham Acre, reporting as ordered." Cut and paste formality. A pause for the command "At Ease" to be given, and then the audible shifting of weight into a more casual but still professional position. "How can I help you, sir?"

"You can start, Graham, by explaining exactly why you were at a high level demonstration of the AEU's new mobile suit without permission. I don't know which strings you pulled to get in, but you created a number of problems over here." The military liaison for the Union mission in this part of the AEU, despite his other qualification, was a stickler for observing red tape. Whether he was a natural bureaucrat or just hated the hassle of dealing with the unexpected was something Graham could never decide on.

"I wanted to see the AEU's new mobile suit, to see if it was as good as they've been selling it. You and I both know that they were only able to make it with our help, so getting a professional pilot's opinion makes sense. I can show you the paperwork…"

Regardless of what other failings he had, the Liaison could smell an evasion, as well as recognize when he was about to be sold a bill of goods. Which was a good call; Graham's companion at the exhibition was a master at arranging paperwork, both legitimate and not. Gruffly, the Liaison went on. "Never mind that. I wanted to talk to you about the report you submitted, both on the Enact and the Gundams."

Graham nodded, even as he looked at a copy of the exact same report. Another thing about the Liaison; he was always prepared. "The Enact looks to be a respectable machine. It looks to be a bit faster, a bit more agile than our Flag, but the weapon layout is so close they may as well be the same. One on one, they don't have an overwhelming advantage against us, should things come to that. Their biggest advantage is the solar power system for better range, not armor or weapons."

The Liaison didn't nod or shake his head; Graham suspected that he may have been involved in whatever exchange took place between the Union and the AEU, or at least in military intelligence. Instead, the officer narrowed his eyes and said "At least you remember that despite cooperation, we are still the AEU's competitor, not ally. I had to reassure some people about that, or else you would be in deeper trouble than talking to me." That hurt, even if Graham didn't show it. He was hardly an agent of any foreign power, though mobile suit pilots were greater intelligence gold mines than most due to their intense knowledge of both their mobile suits and technology. He also prided himself on his understanding of world politics.

The Liaison continued. "I want your personal thoughts on this Celestial Being organization, or rather the gundams they control. I'm told that your initial report was forwarded up to the very top, and I mean the top, of both Washington and Brussels after the assault on the Human Reform League's elevator. I've also been told that they were glad to have any information prior to the Celestial Being's announcement."

Technically, the Liaison had committed a faux pas. Technically, the Union of Solar Energy and Free Nations was an equal alliance of nations, with the main organizational activities taking place in Washington at the invitation of the United States of America. And technically, the Advanced European Union itself was merely the European Union (capital Brussels) taking a leading position of guidance over smaller states in Africa and Central Asia. And technically, both were correct. The Union had grown to eclipse the individual American states of old, including the United States of America, and form a more or 

less politically unified state, and the AEU was very active in diplomacy in competition with the Human Reform League in regards to the remaining unaligned states of Central Asia and elsewhere. But both Patrick and the Liaison were politically realists; if one wanted to find the true centers of power in the western world, they were in Washington and Brussels respectively. They both automatically looked over a mistake that politicians would apologize profusely for.

Graham paused, organizing his thoughts. "I don't know what you want me to say that I didn't include in the report. I only personally saw one of the gundams, remember, and when it went flew off for the aerial battle, I couldn't see it. I only say the aerial battle through binoculars; if you want better, you'd need the AEU's battle data."

The Liaison nodded. Once settled down to business, he was easy enough to get along with. "I want your general opinion. No one has seen hide or hair of them since their last announcement, but they obviously intend to act again. When they do, we want to be as prepared as can be."

Graham considered, and then spoke. "I hate to admit it, but they already outclass what we have now in almost every degree. The sword mobile suit was able to disable all of its targets with a single swing; I saw some Helions go out of control out of the battle after a single blow, and the Enact was butchered in front of us all. It was also fast enough to dodge a point blank linear rifle shot from the Enact; I don't know how strong the armor is, but the Helions' machine gun assaults didn't shoot it down."

The Liaison waved him to continue with his left hand, jotting notes with his other.

"The two biggest aspects are its flight and the communication jamming that surrounded it. When it was near us, and I'm told when another was near the space elevator, all communications were cut off. I don't know if is avoidable, but if it isn't team coordination is going to suffer when people can't talk, or even shoot remote control missiles. As for the flight…"

Graham trailed off. How to explain something he didn't understand? Honesty seemed the only approach. "It wasn't like anything I'd ever seen. I didn't see or hear any rocket or jet engines turning when it lifted smoothly, I just saw strange particles of light. I've never seen any mobile suit take off so gently in such a manner, or move so quickly from a still position. Whatever moves those mobile suits, I've never used it. That's all I can say."

The Liaison nodded once again, though more to himself than to Graham. "Thank you. It's not much, but it's what we have now. I'll look into getting you the data from the AEU; anything that can take out the Enact is certainly a threat to our Union Flags. Until then, I suppose I should tell you to do what you're supposed to be doing, and not to go gallivanting across foreign nations without permission. Any questions?"

Graham internally grinned. A chance to try and grill a superior for info was a rare treat. "Yes sir. Have we learned anything else about Celestial Being? I looked at our intelligence database, but found nothing."

The Liaison snorted at the idea of military intelligence. "And nor should you have. As far as anyone can tell, they've never existed on Earth up to this point. I know we've been looking under every corporate and foreign hiding rock we can, and you can bet your bottom dollar that the AEU and HRL are 

as well, but no one's heard so much as a peep. No corporate groups, no private groups, no terrorist groups, nothing. As it is, we'll just have to wait for their next move before we can figure them out. And so," he pointedly looked at his watch; this Graham's further questions would have to wait. "We look to the future."

"We look to the future," Graham repeated. The future, the mysterious sword "gundam", the paradoxical Celestial Being…

"I can hardly wait."