After weeks of waiting, Franz Kecker saw the monument of his ambitions within reach. The scale of the Sol Invictus's panel wings became more apparent when his shuttle made its approach to the center of the station's hangar area. "Now the time has come. Today humanity will be brought forth on the right path to peace." He promised himself. The shuttle made its final approach to the entry area before the proper docking procedures were put in place. Franz exited and made his way towards the nearest rail when he found the lead operator greet him. "Greetings Mr. President. We have been waiting for your arrival." Franz stopped himself from floating when he grabbed the nearest rail and observed, "As you were ordered. Has the Solaris been charged?" The operator confirmed his request after opening the nearby depressurization chamber, "We are now at optimal levels to fire the Sol Invictus on your order sir." Franz entered the room when he requested, "I must see that the guardians of the Invictus are prepared for the defense. We cannot have the Coalition come anywhere near this facility." "Of course sir." The elevator made its roundabout way through the station when it passed through the nearest hangar bay for the mobile doll defenses. Lines of Sol Theros were aligned facing the closed hangar doors while the lead operator elaborated, "As you ordered, we have 45 squadrons of Sol Thero units put on standby to defend the Invictus. Even if the Coalition and Earth Sphere forces were to unite against this station both sides would be completely wiped out." Franz observed the lines of squadrons while he asked, "And that is why we have prepared the true final defense against such a scenario correct?" The elevator made its way through the next hangar room when the operator introduced the two greatest weapons the Sol Invictus would have to offer. "As promised we have achieved such ambitions." The elevator passed through the next chamber and before the men stood the two greatest achievements of mobile doll technology in modern times. "The most powerful mobile dolls ever created. Possibly the greatest works of machinery ever conceived." The operator gestured to his left, "The Sol Thanatos." A slender black mobile suit whose limbs seemed to be made out of blades standing at 35 meters. He then showed to his right, "The Sol Atlas." A fat red mobile suit of the same height with heavy armor plating but without any visible weapons but only the fists. Franz stood in content when he agreed, "Excellent. We have everything necessary to prepare for this day. The Coalition will no longer be capable of seeing this conflict worth maintaining." "We could probably win the war if we use them this way Mr. President." "We will. I come today with the first targets in mind and we shall see the station prepared for firing. Report to the preparation chamber. I will head for the main control room." "Understood sir." | Time passed and Franz found himself in the control room where he could observe the targets made for the Inivictus's cannon. Franz looked over the screen and saw the distant asteroid within his sights. "Now it has come to this. Neil, once this has begun we will set humanity on the right course." He opened a communication link with the personnel down below asking, "Is 3 Juno within range?" "It's there Mr. President. But the L2 colony side is in its way. We'll have to wait until they move from view before we have the chance to fire." Franz immediately shut off the link and ordered into the voice control panel, "Initiate manual override. Enact Primary Directive." Once the panel received the command, Franz saw the computer next to him respond with a line of words, ‘Primary Directive engaged. Awaiting further commands.’ “Shut down all access to the station interior.” | Along the panels of the Sol Invictus’ span, the entire team of repairmen and operators performed their expected duties to ensure the station was prepared to be used. The lead operator who introduced Franz a few hours earlier found one of the repairmen when he asked, “Is everything up to snub around here?” “It looks like it. We couldn’t make the cannon panels any more secure than they are.” “Sounds like we’ve finished everything then. Report to superiors and get ready to head in.” “Got it sir.” 'Lockdown imminent. Lockdown imminent.' The computer voice sounded through the helmets of the men along the scope of the panels. The station closed all of the doors into the Solaris shuttle and panel hangar bays leaving the maintenance workers to futilely attempt finding a way in. The operators gave various comments of shock as soon as their entrance was denied, "What the? What's going on?" "We're being sealed out!" "Help! Anyone! Anyone out there!" "They can't hear us! We're stuck!" | "Activate the broadcast." Franz ordered. He saw a camera activate in front of him and knew his words were about to be heard. He prepared the final speech he would ever give to the human race. Franz's face appeared on every television signal that received the Earth Sphere signal. Once he had the signal he began his speech to humanity. "I am Franz Kecker. Weeks ago I cast down my position as President of the Earth Sphere United Nations. I have no association with any organization now. I am not allied with the Falson Coalition or the Earth Sphere, but simply a human being. A human being who was fortunate to be elected by a governing body desperate for safety. "It was decades ago we promised to forgo the acts of war and our mobile suits. As time progressed, we have merely found ourselves return to that same moment. 18 years of peace simply gave way to another 11 of war and the highest human mortality rate in history. This is proof enough that our past policies have not worked. Nor will they ever work as long as we progress. “It has been centuries since human kind has looked towards the stars. We have looked up and wondered what waited for us. We were anxious to see where we would be placed in the universe. What I see before me now however, is a race that has refused to change from its old ways. This has been the shortsighted nature of humanity since this very ambition was conceived. We see the hurdles but we are not willing to trounce them. We see the monsters but we shy from them. We see what can be achieved through cooperation but we only desire individual satisfaction. This mindset we have developed on Earth has followed us into the grips of the frontier we have sought to subdue. “Through the decades of war, we had believed that an end to conflict was possible. Our last attempt has been nearly three decades ago when we promised to see an end to mobile suit warfare and engage through a path of pure pacifism. As I should hope by now the idealistic creators of this policy have seen what simply oppressing a simple nature of the human mind has done. We stand upon the most demanding war in human history and we are still willing to accept deaths as merely casualties to further personal ends. “There was to come a time showing what a world simply trying to hold back its old habits has done. We are no closer to achieving a peaceful path forward for the human race. Should we continue along this approach, we will destroy everything that gives us a chance to expand as a species. We will not stop until we have destroyed every chance given to us for a greater humanity. “Once and for all, it must fall upon the shoulders of one individual to bring an end to the suffering. It will be my hand that sees the human race does not seek further warfare. The answer towards a prosperous humanity has been nothing more than a dream for us. A dream we have not even wished to consider as the necessary step. But as it stands, I see now what must be done. “We have seen men of the past propose the idea that traumatization is the only path to peace, but they did not have the means nor ambition to see it done. Their desires were nothing more than a chance to see their own goals pursued rather than the face of peace they believed possible. Regardless of their true intentions, I present the true path towards peace and assure that my intentions are purely altruistic. I present to you the greatest technological achievement our species has ever constructed.” His speech cut for a moment when the broadcast showed a view of the Sol Invictus with its panels in full spread to fire. The broadcast returned to him and the speech continued, “The Sol Invictus has shaken many at the mere concept. The potential hazards and devastation are things I cannot simply place in words. I offer now to the human race, the true path to peace. The only way we will ever stand united against the wickedness of our very nature. My action.” With this portion of the speech finished Franz grabbed a handle within an arm spanning hole in the panel. With a pull motion the lever found itself at the surface before he pushed it back down and in that final moment sealed his fate for countless eras to come. "What's going on in there?" "The weapon is activating!" "Get me ou- AAHH!!!" The men working on the interior of the Sol Invictus were the first to be sacrificed within the wrath of its beam. Unfortunately they would not be the last ones either. | The fleet led by Admiral Miles continued to make its progress but a line of light had suddenly become visible once it passed them. One of the operators noticed the action when she asked, "What's that?" Norma commanded, "Magnify on that location." Once the coordinates were locked one of the operators managed to report, "It looks like an energy beam sir... It seems to be coming from Kecker's coordinates!" The Admiral was stood up in shock when she heard the news asking, "He's fired it?!" Mercurio and the other pilots were observing the beam as it shot past the fleet of Coalition battleships and were brought to a state of wonder about what had happened. "The beam... Has the Invictus been fired already?" | Thomas did not have a chance to see the beam of light headed their way when he reported, "We've finally arrived Mr. Lehrer." "Yes, we can finally be at ease and hope the -AHHHH!!!" Lucas and the entire crew of the shuttle were instantly burned away to nothing when the shot found its way. The two men were spared of any sight of destruction when the colonies were caught within the light of the super weapon. The ones that weren’t hit by the beam became victim to the debris that flew through the carelessness of space. The size and heat of the debris spared nothing in their drift. The L2 colonies were completely wiped out in the arrival of the Invictus' fire. | The Generals of 3 Juno overlooked the progress for the evacuation when one asked, "Are the evacuations proceeding as scheduled?" "Most of 3 Juno has begun its arrival on Mars. They only wait for the remaining population to arrive." "Prepare the final - AHHHH!!!" For all of them the escape never happened when the beam of the Sol Invictus found its way towards 3 Juno and pierced it to its core. The asteroid was completely annihilated with a hole in the middle of its structure while it began to crumble away at what foundations were still holding it together. | After the beam was fired from the station Franz continued with his speech when he explained himself, “Let it be seen and known today, I was the one who brought this about. I was once the elected President of the Earth Sphere United Nations, and I was the one willing to perform what you have witnessed. The intentions of many military organizations who have attempted this have been noble. However in the end proved only to be run by hypocrites or unambitious men. Today I achieve everything that they have sought. This is the result of unquestioned loyalty to leaders. This is the only true path to peace. "This is not the act of any one nation or any military group. This is my action. This is the choice of one man who sees what must be done to move the human race forward. I now offer a choice to the human race. I now await your reactions of what must be done today.” With the speech ended he signaled for the camera to end its broadcast. Franz sat back in his chair when he observed the destruction on his . His work was complete. He looked towards the empty scope of space when he spoke, “It is done. I can only thank you for your cooperation in making this possible Nathan. At least one of us is destined for hell now. Regardless of our final destination, rest easy now. Know that what I have done today will ensure that humanity is now on course towards progress.” | The beam made its way through the distance but left a horrified mindset for the crew of the fleet. Norma was the first to request among the chaos, “Can we get an estimate on where the beam was headed?” “Right away Admiral.” One of the strategists confirmed. The area of the inner portion of the Sol System were brought up while he drew a forward line from Franz’s position was when he determined, “If the estimates are correct… It passed right through L2 it looks like.” Norma was quick to command, “Get me a contact with the heads at L2.” One of the operators confirmed, “Patching through.” “This is Admiral Miles. Please report.” There was a moment of silence when there wasn’t even static on the screens, rather just dead silence. The Admiral made an effort to contain her composure when she confirmed, “… There’s no answer. No one is available…” One of the strategists was shaking when he asked, “No way… Did that beam actually…” “I fear to consider what may have been the true extent of the damage done is…” The Admiral grimly answered.