The stale, recycled air of the massive sealed module hummed with a disquieting tension. Within its cavernous expanse lay a meticulously crafted wasteland – the skeletal remains of a colony, choked with debris, shrouded in dust motes swirling under the stark industrial lights high above. Jamming fields distorted sensor readings, and line of sight was a precious, fleeting commodity. This was the crucible for the Unit Compatibility & Tactical Synergy Trial.
Cadets, ranked among the most promising and problematic, milled about the observation gantry, their gazes fixed on the arena floor where stripped-down Mobile Suits – angular Zaku I frames and sleeker, unmarked prototypes – stood waiting alongside their assigned support drones or vehicles. Non-lethal weapons, system-disabling kinetic rounds, and pulse-based suppression rounds were the only arms allowed, but the rules were ironclad and brutal: simulated "kills" were treated as battlefield deaths, resulting in immediate retrieval and failure. The objective was simple, yet fraught: capture a central data tower, defend it for five minutes against all comers, or eliminate every other team.
Team 05 stood slightly apart, drawing the most intense scrutiny. Lelouch Lamperouge, his posture kalem though a sharp intellect glittered behind his violet eyes, and Tanya von Degurechaff, compact and radiating an almost unnerving composure, the picture of ruthless efficiency. Whispers followed them like a shadow – tales of strategic brilliance bordering on arrogance, and tactical prowess tempered by an utterly pragmatic, some would say chilling, worldview. Observers, instructors, and particularly their fellow cadets expected fireworks, an inevitable clash of colossal egos that would render their unit dysfunctional from the start.
The lead instructor, a grizzled veteran whose stare could strip paint, swept his gaze across the assembly. "Cadet synergy under duress," he announced, his voice amplified and echoing through the module. "This trial isn't about individual might. It's about how minds and machines meld under pressure. Let's see who leads, who follows… and who survives."
Across the gantry, Elias Krest, all brawn and bluster, grinned confidently. "Team 05 is a joke," he muttered to his partner. "Lelouch will try to play commander, Tanya will ignore him. We bait the Black Prince into overextending, then overwhelm Tanya with numbers when she's isolated." His plan, while simple, relied entirely on the predicted internal conflict of Team 05.
Nearby, Marika von Essen, known for her cunning flanking maneuvers, outlined her strategy. "We circle wide, use the jamming to our advantage. Their Zakus are old. We isolate Tanya while Krest distracts Lelouch. Once she's down, Lelouch is just a planner without an executor." Her partner nodded, equally convinced of Team 05's impending implosion. The prevailing sentiment among the cadets was that this trial was less about facing Team 05's combined strength and more about waiting for them to self-destruct. This would prove to be their gravest miscalculation.
As the klaxon blared, signaling the start of the trial, the simulator roared to life. The already limited visibility plummeted further as dust and simulated smoke billowed. Team 05's designated Zaku I units, slightly more agile than the standard issue due to stripped-down weight, powered up in tandem. Lelouch piloted his own Zaku, configured with enhanced sensor overlays and command relays. Tanya piloted her own, optimized for responsiveness and rapid fire.
There was no grand declaration, no argument over who was in charge. A single, almost imperceptible nod passed between them. Lelouch's voice was calm, low, filtering directly into the squad channel. "Initial assessment: three teams moving towards the center tower, two attempting flanking maneuvers. Krest's team is among the central group, Essen's on the west flank. They expect us to split or argue."
"Naturally," Tanya replied, her tone devoid of emotion, her eyes scanning the limited external viewports. "Predictable. What's the counter?"
"We don't react to their expectations," Lelouch stated, a hint of cruel amusement in his voice. "We dictate the engagement. The central tower is a trap until we thin the herd. We'll take the direct route through sector gamma-seven. High risk, high reward. Minimal cover, but it intercepts Krest's projected path early. My drone will scout."
"Accepted," Tanya confirmed instantly. No hesitation, no debate about the risk. Lelouch trusted her to execute under pressure; she trusted his analysis and strategic foresight implicitly. It was a synergy born not of camaraderie, but a cold, mutual respect for competence and a shared understanding of the brutal logic of conflict.
Lelouch's Zaku moved first, weaving through low cover and debris with calculated precision. Tanya's followed, more aggressive in motion but perfectly timed. The small scout drone deployed ahead, skimming low.
Moments later, Lelouch's voice came through, sharp and clear. "Contact. Three units, central plaza. Krest's team confirmed. They're setting an ambush, precisely where I predicted. They've positioned two units forward to bait, Krest is holding back."
"Engagement parameters?" Tanya asked.
"Priority target: Krest's unit," Lelouch responded without missing a beat. "Eliminate the head, the body falters. Their bait units will expect a retreat or frontal engagement. We do neither. Tanya, push through and flank. I'll handle the left."
Tanya surged forward, dodging simulated debris. One of the bait units opened fire too late. Lelouch, from the side, returned fire with controlled bursts from his machine gun, driving them behind cover.
"Right bait unit—disable," Lelouch called. Tanya responded instantly. Her burst of kinetic rounds struck true, blowing out the actuator in the target's leg. Simulated failure triggered; the unit collapsed.
"Krest is moving!" Lelouch warned. "Exposed himself to support his bait. Now. Acquire target."
Tanya's reticle locked. A long burst from her Zaku's machine gun raked across Krest's suit, striking the chest and simulated cockpit module. Lights on the suit flickered and died.
Krest: eliminated.
The remaining bait unit tried to retreat. Lelouch's drone intercepted, forcing them into Tanya's field of fire. She adjusted, fired. Another unit down.
Krest's partner panicked, tried to escape. Lelouch gave the vector. Tanya intercepted cleanly, emerging from behind a ruined building. The last unit didn't even have time to raise its weapon before Tanya shredded it with a precise volley.
Three units down. Two minutes.
Krest's strategy: shattered. Marika's theory: disproven.
Team 05 hadn't just survived. They dominated.
"Krest's team eliminated," Lelouch reported. "Essen's on the west flank. Two other teams are moving. We press the center now. The others will either confront us or lose."
"Understood," Tanya responded. Her tone never changed. Her focus never wavered.
As Team 05 advanced toward the tower, their two Zakus moving like predators rather than outdated relics, the observation gantry was silent. No snide comments. No dismissive laughter.
They had expected ego clashes.
Instead, they witnessed something far more dangerous:
A perfect, brutal symphony of strategy and precision. Not allies by affection, but by necessity and mutual belief in capability. Team 05 wasn't a dysfunctional pairing.
They were a warning.