First Lieutenant Mehmet Merka operates within Earth Federation military intelligence, assigned to the government's direct-action unit, Cabinet Department 6. He commands the Mastema special forces unit during a critical late UC 0096 mission to the derelict asteroid fortress Axis. Merka's objective is to infiltrate the fortress, locate and verify the existence of psycho-frame research materials within a hidden facility, and secure their recovery, driven by Federation concerns over the technology's threat potential. To navigate Axis's hazards, Merka recruits two civilians with deep Zeon ties: former Neo Zeon weapons engineer Arlette Almage and former Zeon test pilot Danton Hyleg. He integrates them into the Mastema team, personally acting as their guard during infiltration while focusing on command duties and ensuring facility access. Inside the supposedly abandoned Axis, the Mastema unit encounters the unexpected hostile force Birnam (or Barnum). This group attacks using mobile suits, including customized RGM-89 Jegans and RX-160G Byarlant Isolde units, alongside Cyber Newtype pilot Quentin Fermo in the AN-01 Gundam Tristan. Merka leads the Mastema forces in combat against the Birnam assault within the Axis complex. Merka's background prior to the mission, personal motivations beyond military duty, and character development outside the Axis infiltration events remain undocumented in available records. His depiction centers on his role as the commanding officer executing this specific intelligence and recovery operation for the Earth Federation amidst unforeseen combat.