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Garencieres

Space freighter operated by the Sleeves during the Third Neo Zeon War.
Jenxi Seow Published 24 Jun 2025 Updated 24 Jun 2025
*Garencieres*

The Garencieres was a space freighter operated by the Sleeves faction of Neo Zeon during the Third Neo Zeon War in UC 0096. Disguised as a civilian cargo vessel belonging to “Rivacona Cargo,” the ship served as a covert mobile suit carrier under the command of Captain Suberoa Zinnerman.

History

The Garencieres was a civilian space freighter that was secretly operated by the Sleeves during the events surrounding Laplace’s Box. The vessel bore the marking “Rivacona Cargo” on its hull to maintain its cover as a legitimate commercial transport, allowing it to move freely through Earth Federation space without arousing suspicion.

Laplace Incident

In UC 0096, the Garencieres played a crucial role in the Laplace Incident. The vessel was dispatched to Side 4’s Industrial 7 colony as an envoy of the Sleeves to meet with Vist Foundation leader Cardeas Vist and receive the mysterious “Laplace’s Box.”

En route to Industrial 7, the Garencieres was pursued by a Londo Bell Clop-class cruiser, which dispatched three RGM-89 Jegan mobile suits to intercept. Captain Zinnerman deployed Marida Cruz in the NZ-666 Kshatriya to deal with the Federation mobile suits, whilst ordering her to ignore the mothership, confident that the Garencieres could outrun it.

Upon reaching Industrial 7, the ship dispatched an AMS-129 Geara Zulu to prepare for contingencies should the meeting prove to be a trap. When the colony came under attack and the negotiation failed, the Garencieres was forced to evacuate quickly, taking aboard the surviving members of Zinnerman’s team.

Hunt for the Unicorn

Following the escape from Industrial 7, the Garencieres was instructed by Captain Full Frontal to locate the Nahel Argama, the Federation ship carrying the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam. The crew accomplished this by tricking the Nahel Argama into firing on a derelict Salamis-class cruiser, exposing their location amidst colony debris and allowing Full Frontal to launch his attack.

During the subsequent battle, Gilboa Sant, one of the Garencieres’ pilots, volunteered to recover Marida when he realised most of the Nahel Argama’s mobile suits were deployed to protect the Unicorn Gundam. However, his mission was thwarted when he encountered Banagher Links, forcing the Nahel Argama’s suits to return and preventing the rescue operation.

Atmospheric Operations

The Garencieres demonstrated its atmospheric flight capabilities during the pursuit of the Unicorn Gundam and Full Frontal’s team into Earth’s atmosphere. When Banagher accidentally struck Gilboa’s mobile suit whilst engaging Full Frontal’s MSN-06S Sinanju, the shock allowed the Unicorn to be pulled into the gravity well. Captain Zinnerman ordered the Garencieres to follow them into the atmosphere to recover the Gundam.

The vessel successfully entered Earth’s atmosphere and conducted operations across multiple continents, traveling from Africa to Australia. During this period, the ship participated in a rescue operation for Mineva Lao Zabi by attacking the transport aircraft Garuda.

Final Mission

The Garencieres encountered difficulties whilst attempting to escape Earth’s atmosphere, as its engine output fell during the ascent. Banagher Links used the power of the Unicorn Gundam’s psychoframe to help pull the vessel into orbit, demonstrating the unique capabilities of the advanced mobile suit technology.

Later, when Neo Zeon forces occupied the Nahel Argama, the Garencieres was set to self-destruct to prevent its capture by the Earth Federation Forces. The vessel was ultimately destroyed during the climax of the Laplace Incident.

Design

The Garencieres was designed as a space cargo ship capable of operating in both space and atmospheric environments. Its civilian appearance allowed it to maintain a low profile whilst conducting covert military operations for the Sleeves faction.

Atmospheric Capability

One of the vessel’s most notable features was its ability to enter planetary atmospheres and fly under gravity. This trans-atmospheric capability made it invaluable for operations requiring movement between space and planetary surfaces, a feature not commonly found in military vessels of the era.

Mobile Suit Operations

Despite its civilian appearance, the Garencieres was equipped to carry and deploy mobile suits. The vessel had the capacity to transport the bulky NZ-666 Kshatriya, several AMS-129 Geara Zulu units, a Skiure, and could even carry a Base Jabber externally on its side hatch.

When in combat situations, the bridge could be lowered and equipped with a full panoramic spherical ceiling, similar to post-One Year War mobile suit cockpits. This system covered the entire bridge crew and their stations, providing enhanced situational awareness during military operations.

Armaments

The Garencieres was intentionally unarmed to maintain its civilian cover. The vessel depended entirely upon its mobile suit complement for defence, making it vulnerable when its pilots were deployed or unavailable.

Mobile suit complement

The vessel typically carried:

Known commanders and crew

Behind the scenes

The Garencieres was designed by Hajime Katoki as one of two original ship designs featured in Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, the other being the Juneau-class. The vessel’s civilian freighter design reflected the narrative need for the Sleeves to operate covertly within Federation space.

The name “Garencieres” appears to derive from French origins, fitting with the Sleeves’ naming conventions that often drew from European sources. The ship’s design philosophy emphasised practicality and stealth over firepower, reflecting the asymmetric warfare tactics employed by Neo Zeon remnant forces.

Appearances

See also