CHAPTER 6: THE CRUCIBLE
03:00, Friday, August 10, UC 0098
Her eyes open wide, alert and lucid.
Cadet Jolie Minh bolts upright in her bed space at Captain Kenta's forge facility. Donning her boots and uniform jacket, she stealthily makes her way out of the room as the Captain remains asleep on his mat on the floor.
Grabbing a nutrition bar that she inserts into her mouth, Jolie rushes to the forge, which she cranks to life.
After several minutes, the forge begins to glow red hot.
Kenta, awakened by the din, sticks his head out of the door of the bedroom, noting that Cadet Minh is already at it.
What's gotten into her? She actually beat me out of bed this morning.
Jolie turns her head, noting the Captain's presence, saluting, "'Morning, sir."
"I see you're up earlier than me for once," he says as he walks over to the stove, "But we're having breakfast first."
"Yes, sir," Jolie complies, "I'll work the toaster."
"No, you'll sit down," he orders, "I like my toast not burned."
Realizing that she does have an issue with accidentally setting things on fire, Jolie doesn't protest, setting out the juice instead.
"Should I wake Alex, Sensei?" Jolie asks.
Kenta is about to answer in the affirmative, but before he can, a yawn comes from Alexandria, or at least her person, as she emerges from the bathroom in a tank top and shorts. Making her way over to the fridge, she comments, "Damn, I thought I was the only one up around this hour. What are you all doing up on my clock?"
"I wake up no later than 4:00," Kenta replies as he opens a carton of eggs, "so how do you girls want your eggs?"
"Fertilized, please," she says with a Cheshire grin, "and don't skip out on the heavy cream!"
Jolie gives Alex a severe glare as Kenta nods, "I'll assume you mean a stuffed omelet."
"Only if you fill it to the brim with the good stuff!" Grace winks as she grabs the apple juice out of the fridge and pours herself a glass, "and please add a little hot sauce with those eggs. I'm a sucker for things with a kick!"
Grace sips the juice with a satisfied hum.
"Aren't you allergic to that?" Kenta asks, regarding her almost like a scientist would regard an odd lab specimen.
Grace raises a brow, "No? Am I supposed to be?"
"Are there any fruits that you're allergic to?" Kenta presses, his detective's instincts kicking in.
"I recall a lot of allergic reactions to oranges if that helps," she offers, taking another sip, "they used to put it in my food a lot. Didn't care either. Luckily, they didn't have oranges often."
"Interesting," the one-time PI comments, under his breath.
"Yeah. No offense to you, Dove, but I wasn't going to take any chances on those oranges," Grace explains, "Been through too much stupidity to go through that hell again!"
Jolie is about to say something to Grace, but turns to Kenta instead, a confused look on her face, "Um...which one of them am I talking to anyway, Sensei? I can't keep her personalities straight."
"That one is Grace," he replies, "You'll figure it out eventually… but to make it easy, pay attention to what she says: if there's some flirty innuendo concerning Christina, and or myself, then it is Grace."
Jolie nods doubtfully and watches Grace (not Alexandria) like a hawk as she chews her eggs.
Before noon, Kenta and Jolie at last have a properly shaped blade...no longer a rough strip of metal.
"Hey…!" Jolie yelps with alarm as Kenta takes the blade into his bare hands. Though the blade no longer glows, Jolie can still feel the intense heat emanating off the metal.
Where Jolie expects a cry of pain, however, Kenta maintains his stoic composure, carefully examining through one eye the still-hot blade in his grip.
"Doesn't...that...?" Jolie begins.
"No," Kenta tells her, anticipating the question, "Though you'd better not try it. Takes a certain amount of experience…"
And thick, rough skin, Jolie concludes, staring down at Kenta's hands, which are as coarse as sandpaper.
Tentatively, Jolie touches the middle of the blade with her right index fingertip. She quickly pulls back her finger and inserts it into her mouth with a "Yowtch!"
"Told you," Kenta grins devilishly, "plus you touched the hottest part," he adds before offering her the hilt, "Try this end."
Gingerly, Jolie accepts the hilt, and is surprised when it doesn't burn.
"Every time you don't listen to me, Minh, you get burned," Kenta drawls.
"Gomen'nasai, Sensei," Jolie answers meekly, wide-eyed.
"Apology accepted," he tells her, "Now we begin the process of sharpening it. After that, we can apply the finishing touches of giving it a hilt, pommel, and sheath."
"Where did you learn to make Chinese jian, Sensei?" Jolie asks, "They're a bit different from your Japanese katana."
"This is actually my first one," he confesses.
"WHAAA!?" Jolie squeals, eyes going wide again.
"I used the techniques used to forge a katana, and changed the shape to match that of a jian," he explains, "This should put it on par with your family's jian in terms of durability."
"Daddy told me that hundreds of years ago, the Ming Jian was used by our ancestor General Ming to kill Borokhula, one of Genghis Khan's fiercest generals, called 'Borokhula the Destroyer,'" Jolie tells Kenta, "but I don't know if any of that's true."
Rather than respond, Ryusuke goes and gets his whetstone out of the trough he uses to submerge it in preparation for sharpening swords. He places it on a special slip-resistant setting before grabbing a bucket and handing it to Jolie.
"Fill this with water and bring it here with a ladle so you can apply more to the whetstone when I tell you to."
Jolie complies as to the ladle of water, no longer seized by the compulsion to fling the water across the room that would have seized the Jolie of three days earlier.
By 18:00, the work is done. The new jian would be complete by tomorrow.
Rightfully not trusting Jolie in the kitchen, Kenta turns his attention to preparing the evening meal while Jolie, finally gaining some free time, goes through an unarmed martial arts routine...an acrobatic set with multiple leaps and flips.
Where does she get that energy? Kenta wonders, shaking her head, I wasn't even that energetic when I was her age.
Kenta observes Jolie at practice...his trained eye appreciating the girl's obvious martial arts talent. Her punches, palm slashes, and kicks have obvious bite to them...greatly enhanced as a result of Kenta's training.
By way of testing her, Kenta suddenly hurls a dull butter knife in Jolie's direction.
Her forehead sparks, detecting the projectile. Jolie catches the incoming missile in one hand as she flips backwards and lands gracefully on her feet.
"Hey!" Jolie demands, "What the hell, Sensei?!"
"Testing," Kenta says, cleaning out a bowl, "You've made some progress."
Jolie twirls the blade a few times before hurling it back at Kenta, who catches it effortlessly and uses it for its intended purpose.
"So after we finish the new jian, what happens, Sensei?" Jolie asks, "Do you let me keep both of them?"
"I'm going to try to kill you," Kenta says, casually stirring a pot of soup, "if you somehow don't die, then both swords are yours."
Jolie's eyes widen, "You're shitting me."
He turns and looks at her with that demonic grin, "Does it look like I'm shitting you?"
Jolie gulps, and figures she should probably make contact with Jonah, mind-to-mind, later tonight.
Suddenly, Kenta starts laughing... and not in a demonic fashion, but in genuine amusement
"Oh, deadly foreplay! Can I watch?!" Grace asks, excitedly before she blushes in horror, "Damn it, Grace, you pervert!"
"I think I've lost my appetite," says Jolie, looking a bit pale.
"Grace isn't far from the truth," Christina says, walked into the room, "Kenta is just fucking with you."
"How would YOU know?!" Jolie demands.
"I'm an Empathic Newtype," she replies with a smile.
"And Empathic Newtypes are impossible to lie to," Kenta adds.
Somehow, Jolie does not feel reassured.
After dinner, Jolie borrows Christina's phone to place a call to Captain Athena Ibaz.
Athena answers after a single ring, "Captain Athena Ibaz, ma'am."
"Hey, 'Thena," Jolie says into the receiver, "It's me! I borrowed Christina's phone!"
"Jolie," Athena's voice comes through the phone, "What's up?"
Jolie exhales, "I think I'm gonna die tomorrow."
"Come again?" Athena says, not sure she heard right.
"Kenta is gonna duel me tomorrow," Jolie tells her, "I think I'm gonna die."
"You're being silly," Athena reassures her, "Kenta isn't going to…"
"If I don't make it…" Jolie begins.
"What are you trying to say?" Athena demands.
"Never mind," Jolie resolves, "Not gonna die tomorrow."
Jolie closes the connection.
Back at her office, Athena stares at her phone, briefly considering calling back, but puts the phone aside.
She'll figure it out, Athena decides.
Later that night, after Kenta and Alexandria/Grace have gone to sleep, Jolie locks herself into the bathroom, but not to use the facility for its usual, intended purposes.
Clad in only her underwear, Jolie seats herself cross-legged on the toilet, meditation style. She closes her eyes and enters a trance, a blue spark appearing from her forehead.
A few kilometers away, at the recruits' barracks, Cadet Jonah Michaels opens his eyes abruptly, seeing an apparition that only he can see…
Jolie?
Yo, Boyo!
Hey, are you…?
I'm fine...for tonight at least.
Tonight? What...what do you mean?
Nothing. Hey...I'm coming back soon.
I'm glad to hear that. I'm sorry that I…
Forget it. I'm sorry I went gonzo on you, as usual. Anyway, like I said, I'm coming back soon.
I can't wait.
Later.
In his bunk, Jonah closes his eyes with a grin, sleeping his best sleep in nearly a week.
In the bathroom of Kenta's forge, Jolie opens her eyes, exhales, and mutters to herself, "At least I hope I'm coming back soon."
At that same hour, at Revil Base's stockade facility, Col. Peter Cairlay, Deputy Director of the Londo Bell Special Forces, is interrogating the mysterious young man whose intervention had bailed the Centurion Team out of a dangerous situation the previous day.
"You're going to need to start talking to us if you ever hope to get out of here," Cairlay says, lighting a thin brown cigarillo between his lips, "Stubbornness can send you to dark places...for a very, very long time, son."
The young man says nothing, offering the colonel only a contemptuous sidelong glare.
Cairlay inhales from his cigarillo, biting out, "Have it your way, son. We've got many ways to make tight-lipped punks like you squeal...many ways."
Elsewhere, at the mobile suit docking facilities of Revil Base, Dr. Kamille Bidan and 1Lt. Molly Duran observe as multiple Gundam units are unloaded from the cargo freighter that transported them to Side 7 and was rescued by Centurion Team the day before.
Among their number - a second RX-780 Centurion Gundam unit, identical to the unit already assigned to the Centurion Team. A third RX-780 unit, painted darker than the other two and outfitted with special stealth equipment. An RX-78 unit of One Year War vintage, superficially similar to the famous war machine piloted by 2Lt. Amuro Ray that turned the tide of that war, but painted a dull grey instead of Amuro's white with bright primary colors. Finally, an FA-78 Full Armored Gundam, also of One Year War vintage.
In addition to these units, also docked at the facility is the MSF-007 Gundam MK-III piloted by the mysterious young man now being interrogated by Col. Cairlay.
"While I'll be damned," Molly grins, looking up admiringly at the Gundam MK-III, "I'd wondered if these were real or just a military legend."
Dr. Bidan nods, "They're real, all right...exceedingly rare, but definitely real. I've only seen one other unit myself."
"Who's getting the other Centurion Gundams?" Molly asks, gazing at the new additions.
"Centurion Team pilots, obviously," Kamille answers facetiously, but then turns serious, "They're training some new recruits...Newtypes."
"So those rumors we've been hearing for a while are true?" Molly says with mild astonishment, "That the Londo Bell Forces are building their own Newtype corps."
"Something the Federation has been keen on since the Eighties," Kamille remarks dryly, "and now, they seem to finally have their ducks lined up to make it happen. Duran, get a crew to prep those two old RX-78s for use within 24 hours."
"Those old antiques?" Molly narrows her eyes at the two vintage war machines, "I thought they'd be lower priority than the two new RX-780s."
"They'll need the 78s first," Kamille explains, "for training purposes."
"Right, Doc," Molly says, picking up her toolkit, ready to get to work.
"Molly," Kamille says, "You and your crew have eight hours...then we're loading all these MS onto the Penesthelia.
"Short order," Molly remarks, though not complainingly.
"This is just a pit stop," Kamille explains, "They'll likely get some additional work after arriving at Luna 2."
At last, it is ready…
Ryusuke Kenta holds the newly forged jian in his hands. The blade is now fitted with a Tang-style pommel and crossguard, and etched on the crossguard are the kanji characters
"武尉," - "Wu Wei" - martial lieutenant, name of a highly honored Tang Dynasty warrior, and also a pun with the concept of the Taoist martial concept of action through non-action.
In his other hand, Kenta lifts the ancient Minh Jian, carrying a sword in each hand. He then picks up a third sword...the ancient katana that has seen him through so much and has tasted the blood of countless opponents.
Within minutes, Kenta arrives at the exercise yard, where Cadet Jolie Minh is already waiting...along with the other recruits, brought to the yard to witness the occasion by Captain Skoo Koo.
Kenta tosses the newly completed sword - the Wu Wei Jian - to Jolie, who catches the sheathed blade deftly, leaving two additional swords in Kenta's grasp - the Minh Jian in his right hand, his own familiar katana in his left.
"The objective is simple," Kenta says, "take the Minh Jian out of my grasp and it's yours again. Ready, Minh?"
"No," Jolie replies.
Kenta smiles, beckoning for Jolie to begin.
For a long minute, the two opponents do not move...make no sound. They watch each other intently, still as statues.
All is silent except for the distant sound of machinery...and the currents of reprocessed air circulating around the colony.
Three agonizing minutes pass. The other cadets find themselves perspiring, in spite of the chill of the air around them.
Cadet Jonah Michaels' gaze turns troubledly between Jolie and Kenta.
A leaf falls from a tree planted nearby on the base grounds…
The Wu Wei Jian explodes like a bolt of lightning from its sheath for the first time, bearing down on Kenta's throat with the inexorable force of a tsunami!
Sensing the blade's approach, Kenta leaps back and aside, spinning away from the blade's tip with not a second to spare!
Not even yet finished with his first evasive move, Kenta finds himself already forced to make another as the edge of Jolie's blade sweeps after him, threatening to decapitate him.
It's on, Kenta barely has time to think as he avoids being sliced by the Wu Wei Jian's edge by the barest of millimeters.
She's definitely improved, Kenta notes, even as he focuses on evasion, I felt the edge of that on my skin. Can't afford to take her lightly; if I get careless for even a half second, she'll take my head off.
Taking advantage of her litheness and youthful speed, Jolie relentlessly drives at Kenta through a series of acrobatic moves too fast for the eyes to follow. The cadets are agape as they watch the two combatants move at speeds seemingly impossible for human beings.
Kenta blocks a few of Jolie's strikes using the scabbards of the sheathed Minh Jian and his own Kanzenmaru...feats hardly as easy as they might appear to casual observers. Kenta's combat instincts inform him that he will not be able to maintain merely evasive and defensive postures for much longer…
Jolie's strikes create sparks against the scabbards of the Minh Jian and the Kazenmaru, and Kenta winces almost imperceptibly from both the force of the strikes, which rattle him deep to the bone, and the thought of the hell this is inflicting on the decorative scabbard of his treasured Kazenmaru.
Now's the time, Kenta concludes, got to counterattack now, or I'm not getting another chance.
Kenta senses Jolie's approach, sees that she is predictably in midflight, sword bearing down on him.
Have to time this just right, or she'll skewer me, Kenta scarcely has time to think.
Lashing out with his right boot, Kenta lands a kick to Jolie's left shoulder, driving her back.
Jolie lands on her back, momentarily stunned as she hears the man say, "That acrobatic bullshit isn't going to work on me, Cadet Minh... try something else."
Even as she half hears Kenta's remarks, Jolie becomes fixated on...the man's legs. Not that she has any sort of fetish for men's legs (especially not Kenta's!), but they appear such an inviting target...like trees waiting to be chopped down….
From her position on the ground, Jolie whirls the blade of the Wu Wei Jian in a horizontal circular motion, forcing Kenta to back away as she rises to her feet.
The blade of the Wu Wei Jian slice at Kenta's legs like a pair of hyperaccelerated scissors.
Kenta, for his part, is too skilled and experienced a martial artist for this new attack to pose any true threat to him. Not much chance of him losing a leg today, but at the same time, Jolie's aggressive lower-end strikes prevent him from gaining any footing, making it impossible for him to draw either the Kazenmaru or the Minh Jian out of their sheathes.
Jolie continues chopping low horizontally, like a farmer on amphetamines while cutting chaff.
Looks like she's fixated on chopping off my legs, Kenta notes, that's her autism running the show.
Jolie drops and rolls towards Kenta even as he takes a leap backwards. He has scarcely landed when her sword is on his legs again, forcing him into an evasive dance...slowly bleeding away his energy.
Kenta is considering his options when the chopping at his legs abruptly stops and the blade of the Wu Wei Jian accelerates towards his throat like a missile!
Reflexively drawing out the Kazenmaru to parry the incoming strike, he releases his grip on the Minh Jian.
Jolie catches the pommel of the Minh Jian as it falls, drawing out the blade. Now, dual jians in hand, she continues rotoring at Kenta.
Using a series of spins and twirls, Jolie attacks relentlessly...doing something that Kenta has never seen...never would have thought even possible...and it seems as if she isn't doing it consciously…
She's attacking me using Emei Sword Technique with the sword in her right hand, Kenta notes as he relentlessly blocks the incoming strikes, but her left hand is using Wudang Sword Technique at the same time. These are two completely different and incompatible styles of swordplay...and yet...she's using both at the same time...as if there were two of her! Incredible…
Just as abruptly, Jolie's right hand switches from Emei Sword Technique to a move that Kenta recognizes as Kunlun Sword Technique (a move he barely manages block), and her left flows from Wudang technique to Diancang Sword Technique.
Through his peripheral vision, Kenta also notes that Jolie has foregone her usual aerial attack for a variety of different charging stances - a key element of the martial arts systems that are a part of her Chinese heritage, but that until now, she has underutilized.
Jolie's dual swords approach Kenta like a horizontal whirling vortex of death. Kenta, drawing upon his experience, unleashes a powerful slash that more than stops her momentum… it pushes her back by at least two yards. Adopting the same stance he used against Jonah, he says, "Now the real fight begins… let's see how far you can push me, Cadet Minh."
Jolie recruits her energy through the use of neigong, and her dual swords begin whirling along new vectors. Kenta is mindful of the girl's footwork, observing the pattern of her advance.
By this point of the duel, their blades impact each other with such force as to produce sparks upon contact. On the perimeter, the audience feels their blades cutting the air with a sharpness that they can palpably feel.
Jonah leads a cheer for his girlfriend, "You can do it, Jolie!"
The other recruits join in, chanting her name, "JOLIE! JOLIE! JOLIE!"
The duel has truly become a duel. Though Kenta, the veteran warrior, clearly holds the upper hand, it is evident that Jolie has become a force for even him to reckon with.
For her part, Jolie starts to feel her energy beginning to flag, as she realize, Kenta's neigong reserves are deeper than mine. He's gonna outlast me.
Kenta brings the Kazenmaru down in a powerful sweeping motion that force Jolie to one knee...the impact like the crash of a meteor. Jolie's arms feel like they're on fire...about to burn away… so this is the strength of a seasoned warrior… Then she sees that demon again… its rage producing a fire that threatens to consume all around it.
Jolie's mind drifts to the past...something Master Zhang had said to her years ago...that she barely remembers the old Daoist master shared with her and that she did not grasp at at time.
Absorb the hard through application of the soft...use four grams to disperse a thousand tons…
Jolie softens her stance...catching Kenta off guard momentarily.
Hmmm? Kenta wonders for an instant before he recognizes what he's dealing with, ah...Tai Chi Sword Technique.
Kenta rains hard blows upon Jolie's dual blades, but instead of attempting to match him for impact and power...a match she cannot win...Jolie uses the soft principles of Tai Chi to disperse the force of Kenta's blows...diverting their kinetic force away from herself.
After a final flurry of exchanged strikes...dozens within the blink of an eye...the two combatants leap at each other...their blades clashing with a final, resounding, "KLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!"
Kenta and Jolie land five meters apart from each other, back to back.
A spot of blood begins to pool beneath the left shoulder of Jolie's uniform jacket...prompting extreme concern from Jonah.
A slight rip of fabric on the shoulder of Kenta's jacket.
"Damn it, Minh," Kenta remarks dryly, "This is my favorite jacket…"
Jolie salutes Kenta with both her swords, "Thank you, Sensei...for everything."
Following custom, she kneels before him and bows respectfully three times.
Kenta gently taps Jolie on the top of her head with Kazenmaru before sheathing it.
"All right," Kenta tells the assembled recruits, "It's Sunday, so you rejects have the rest of the day to yourselves. Report in at 17:30 and the Lord help you if you don't show up, Cadet Black, because Pastor Sam has requested you be there."
Suddenly, from almost literally out of nowhere, a young girl with long red hair kept in two pigtails jumps on Kenta's back. "Hey, Dad," she says with a giggle, "Mind giving me a piggyback ride?"
The recruits stare at each other, dumbfounded.
"Dad?" Jolie says, perplexed.
"I...I had no idea," Jonah blinks.
"She does look like Lt. Col. Mackenzie, doesn't she?" Aggie adds.
"She's adopted," Kenta tells them.
"HEY! I AM STILL BIOLOGICALLY YOUR DAUGHTER YOU JACKASS!" the red-haired teenager snaps.
Jolie whispers to Jonah, "I think there's a lot about Sensei that we don't know."
Jonah whispers back, "It's the man's private business, Jolie," looking at her oddly for a moment.
Jolie then notices Alexandria staring at the girl like she was the greatest thing since sliced bread. She figures it was Grace instead when she asks, "Can I hug her? She's so… Perfect!"
"Don't. Call. Me. THAT. EVER!" Erica snaps at Grace, causing her to look very confused and lost. Jolie didn't even think anyone can make her back off as Grace is usually more… persistent with her actions.
Maria, who had stepped out to use the head, returns to the room and lays eyes on the red-haired teenager, "Lt...Col….Mackenzie?!"
"Not quite," the real Christina Mackenzie says as she walks up, "and we thought you didn't want people to know about that particular detail, Erisia."
"I've been trying to come to terms with it lately," Erisia replies in a more subdued manner, "Mainly because I don't like hearing people talk bad about you and dad having a kid out of wedlock."
"That's sweet of you Eri," Kenta tells her, "Now please get off my back, and go with your mother… I'll come home tonight to hear all about your travels."
"Hah!" Jolie grins, clearly amused.
"'Hah,' what, Minh?" Kenta responds.
"Never figured you for just another middle-aged dad with a teenage daughter," Jolie says, "but it's cool to know!"
"Whatever, Minh."
Still chattering about the unexpected appearance of a Kenta/Kenzie offspring, the recruits disperse, except for Jolie and Jonah, who grin broadly and run into each other's arms.
Jonah plants a kiss on Jolie's forehead, fingering her hair, when it finally dawns on him, "Your hair! What the…?!"
Jolie suppresses a giggle, "Like the new style?"
"You look cute...but how…" Jonah wants to know, "...why?"
"Long story," Jolie tells him, "I spent the whole week cranking this forge and…"
"Her hair caught on fire," Kenta finishes for her, getting to the point, "I had to trim it."
"Tell me later," Jonah says, "Your arm is bleeding. We need to get you to the infirmary to get that wound dressed."
Meanwhile, Captain Athena Ibaz is at the mobile suit hangar, performing a spot inspection of the newly arrived mobile suits before they are loaded onto the Penesthelia. Accompanying Athena is the Centurion Team's crackerjack chief MS engineer, 1Lt. Molly Duran.
"Each unit is fully prepped, Captain," Molly tells Athena, "triple checked them all personally. They're all ready for action."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Athena says, gazing up at the Centurion Gundams Unit 2 and Unit 3, "Kenta must have found another prospect."
"The boys and girls at Luna 2 are going to do some modifications to the Unit 3," Molly tells Athena, "though they've been really tight-lipped about what those modifications are going to be."
I should ask Kenta about that, Athena resolves, telling Molly, "Keep up the good work, Chief."
Twenty minutes later, Athena is at the residence of Captain Kenta and Lt. Col. Mackenzie, and is surprised when a redhead who looks like a younger version of the Lieutenant Colonel opens the door.
"Who are you?" the redheaded teenager demands.
"Captain Athena Ibaz," Athena identifies herself, "I'm here to see Captain Kenta."
The redhead opens the door wider, "He isn't in right now, but he'll be back soon. Come on in."
"Thank you," Athena enters, hanging her officer's hat and overcoat on a nearby rack and taking a seat on the sofa in the living room.
The redhead puts a can of diet soft drink in front of Athena as she drinks from another.
"I didn't realize that Christina has a younger sister…" Athena ventures.
The teenager spits out her drink, slamming her fist on the coffee table, "AHAHAHAHA! HEHEHEHEH!"
Quite a different personality from her older sister, Athena thinks.
Kenta enters the apartment and spots Athena with Erisia, "Captain Ibaz...I see that you've met our daughter, Erisia."
Athena blinks, "Daughter?"
The girl named Erisia rests her chin upon the top of her wrists, commenting, "It's... complicated. Oh, I almost forgot!"
The girl gets up and rushes over to the game console and turns on Mobile Suit Fighters, happily declaring, "I got myself added in the latest patch!"
Seeing his daughter as a new addition to the game doesn't catch Kenta's attention as much as the name that her character was given: "Erisia Mackenzie Kenta."
"Since when was that your last name?" he asks her.
Eri brushes her hair aside as she replies with a soft yet distant expression, "I had my name legally changed while I was travelling... it simply felt like the right thing to do."
Athena, feeling slightly uncomfortable, says softly to Kenta, "Did I come at a bad time? If so, I can come back later."
"Not at all," Christina tells her as she walks in, "You'll have likely learned about Erisia and those like her before too long... this might even be the best way to introduce the cadets to this kind of thing."
Exhaling, Athena turns to the business for which she came, "Lt. Col….about those additional Centurion Gundam units…"
Kenta sighs deeply, "High Command must have found out about there being three Newtypes in this batch of recruits."
"Three?" Athena's eyes widen, "Jolie Minh, Jonah Michaels, and…?"
"The last one is... complicated," he replies, "but she is registered under the name Alexandria Black."
"A personnel file will be forwarded to you shortly," Christina adds, "After you review it, you'll understand."
"After I've finished updating it," Kenta grumbles.
Satisfied, Athena then asks, "Where's Jolie?"
"Not a fucking clue," the man replies as he sits down on the couch next to his daughter and grabs a controller.
The object of Athena's concern now accompanies Jonah Michaels to the top of an artificial knoll at Green Oasis City's Patton Park. Hand in hand, the couple ascends to the top of the hill, from which they can see much of Green Oasis City, including Revil Base.
Dressed in her white tank top and her denim thong shorts for the first time what feels like a lifetime, Jolie lies back on the grass, stuffing a pink cotton candy into her small sliver of a mouth and allowing the confection to melt.
Jonah lies next to Jolie, extracting the paper stick bearing the cotton candy from Jolie's mouth and kissing her fully on the lips.
His gentle artist's fingers find the smooth, warm skin on the curve of her buttocks, wonderfully exposed by her thong shorts...but to his surprise and dismay, Jolie takes his hand and sets it aside.
"No," she says, rising at the waist.
"What's wrong?" Jonah asks, disappointment and hurt unmistakable in his voice, "Are you still mad that I…?"
"No," Jolie says, "That isn't it. It's what Sensei said back at the dojo…"
Jonah remembers, "He said that we barely know each other, but that…"
"Well, he's right, isn't he?" Jolie asks.
"That didn't stop us at the Hotel Centinela that first night," Jonah reminds her.
"I know," Jolie concedes, "and it felt good...it felt right...but what Sensei said makes sense too."
"Then what do you want to do about it?" Jonah says, feeling her hair.
She leans on his shoulder as they gaze into the distance and says, "We correct that."
They remain together on the knoll, he stroking her hair as they quietly watch the Penesthelia being serviced in the distance.
Some crates arrive at Kenta's office at the training center. The veteran Federation officer opens the crates, revealing a wide variety of firearms and ammunition, including a dozen FAR-10's, standard-issue 9mm auto pistols, and a variety of other weapons that are ubiquitous to all Earth Federation Forces personnel.
They've shown that they can swing 'em, Kenta reflects as he inspects the weapons, tomorrow, we see if they can shoot.
Monday can't come soon enough.
His phone rings at that moment. After glancing at the name, he answers with a rare smile, "Hello, Angel, need something?"
"Yes, actually. Are you busy right now?" Christina asked.
"Not for you. What do you need?"
"I need you to come to the Londo Bell Detention Facility on the base," she replies, "I need your expertise in getting answers."
"Be there in ten," the former PI affirms.
"And bring Eri with you," she adds, "She might be able to help us."
He has a feeling he knows what this is about. However, it's still too early to assume anything at this point. Kenta meets up with Erisa along the way there and figures he'd fill the silence with information.
"So," he begins, "Any ideas as to why your mom wants you in on this?"
Eri merely shrugs, "I don't know. I'm not sure how much help I can be…"
"Come on, you're smarter than that... just apply that brain of yours," Kenta encourages.
"Hmm…" Eri ponders, carefully, "If I had to guess, it has something to do with the Titans."
Kenta nods, "I was thinking the same."
"I hope it's nothing bad," she continues, "Like maybe she found someone on Uncle Jack's list?"
"I get the feeling it's a little more complex than that," he assures her, "Given how she wants you present, it might have something to do with the Cyber-Newtype Labs."
Eri hesitates for a while, "I hope I can help this time…"
Kenta says nothing as he spots Christina waving at them in front of the entrance to the detention center. Erisa smiles and runs up to greet her with a hug. It definitely lifts Erisa's mood a hair.
Christina gives him a peck on the cheek, "Thanks for coming."
"So, what exactly do you need us for?" he asks with a small smile.
"I think it's better if I show. This way." Christina motions the two to follow her into the building.
Curious now, the pair follow her to the monitoring side of the interrogation room. On the other side of the of the one-way glass sits the Gundam MK-III's unidentified pilot in an orange jumpsuit.
Both Kenta and Eri look at the kid as if they've seen his face before, but have trouble recalling where, vexing them both.
Christina smiles at the two, "Looks familiar, doesn't he?"
"He kinda reminds me of Uncle Jack, but more Asian and blond. Other than that, I feel like I have seen him in the Cyber Newtypes program, but I don't know where," Eri remarks, "Sorry…"
"I see… Ryusuke?" Christina turns to her boyfriend.
Kenta nods, "I'm getting a similar feeling. However, I'd like to know just who I'm dealing with."
"That's the thing: he hasn't said anything since he was taken into custody," Christina explains, "We don't even have a name! All we know is that he showed up to help us in a Gundam MK-III, wearing an adult-sized Titans normal suit."
This piques the former detective's interest, "Where the hell did a kid like him manage to get a Gundam like that?"
"That's what we want to know, " the Lt. Colonel answered, "In my honest opinion? He probably would've explained himself if my commander hadn't treated him like a threat. He doesn't trust any of us now."
"I figured as much, " Kenta sighs, "I'll try talking to him, then."
"Good luck!" Christina offers as Kenta enters the cell.
The kid glances at Kenta as the older man enters. There is a hint of curiosity in the younger man's eyes. Kenta takes it as a good thing as he notes the kid's Newtype level. It's the same level as another kid he knew, but chalks it up to it being a mere coincidence for now.
"That jumpsuit doesn't do you any justice, kid. " he begins as he sits in front of the youth, who stares at him warily, "Relax. I'm just here to talk."
The kid gives him a suspicious look as he continues, "I'm Captain Ryusuke Kenta. Well, technically, I'm retired. But, between you and me, it's really boring and I needed something to do. I really am just here to talk and, hopefully, help get you out of here."
Kenta's words get the boy's attention and he shifts in his seat, deciding to hear the captain out.
Kenta notes that he is a least rational as he continues, "So, I'm told that you're the one who helped us out; more specifically my girlfriend. She's the Lt. Colonel with long red hair. So, let me start by thanking you for saving her ass."
This surprises the young pilot, but he gives the Captain a very familiar grin. This time, it is Kenta who is mildly surprised. However, he pushes all thoughts aside for now. But seeing as this as another good sign, Kenta tries pushing his luck a little.
"So, got a name I can thank you with?" he asks, "I can't keep calling you 'kid' forever."
The kid frowns at that. He stares at the supposed retired Captain in a way that says "Nice try."
"Okay. How old are you?" Kenta asks, realizing it isn't going to be that easy.
He receives the same response. A different approach, maybe?
"Then, where did you get the Gundam?" he tries again, "Or even how you learned to pilot it? It's obvious that you're experienced in combat. I'd like to know where did you learn to fight like that."
The boy merely lays his head down on his arms. He has grown bored at the man's attempts at conversation. Not that he has anything against the guy, but he has no reason to trust him either.
Kenta sighs as he finally asks, "Okay, what do you want? Is there anything you want?"
The boy quietly stares at the man as a single word leaves his lips, "Home."
Kenta blinks at the unexpected answer. There are many things that this kid can ask for, and asking to go home was rather simple in comparison. He also notes that the kid has a faint Zeon accent - barely noticeable. It makes Kenta wonder just what exactly this kid has been through. Now that he has succeeded in getting the kid to talk, maybe he'll get a name and get him on his way there.
Kenta nods, "You want to go home. I get that, I really do... but in order for that to happen, I need a name... or at least something identification wise. Give me that, and it can be used to find your family."
The boy resumes his silence and lays his head back down. He refuses to speak any further despite Kenta's further attempts to get the kid to open up again. Kenta leaves it at that, seeing as how he at least got something out of him. What bothers Kenta, however, is how the kid seems to be familiar with his situation.
"It's like the kid can't trust anyone." Kenta comments aloud as he got back on the other side of the mirror.
Christina gives Ryusuke a reassuring smile, "Well, you got further than my superior did!"
Kenta scowls, "I don't even know what that scumbag tried, but I guarantee that it made things worse."
"I know," Christina frowns, "You know, I felt small flickers of hope when you talked to him. Especially, when he mentioned home…"
This makes the former detective groan as he begins to think. He had gotten close and the kid was used to his situation enough that he knew to keep his mouth shut. The kid is used to being questioned by adults.
He turns to Eri, "Eri, can I ask you to try and talk to him?"
"I'm sorry?" Eri squeaks.
"He's used to adults questioning him," Kenta explains, "Maybe he'll do better with someone his own age."
Eri hesitates, "Sorry, but I don't think I'd be much help… I wasn't exactly the best person around back then…"
Kenta nods, quietly. There is only one other person he could ask, but interrogation isn't her specialty. Still, she's better than nothing.
He looks at the kid, again. If this pilot is who Kenta thinks he is, he's going to have to make one hell of a phone call later.
At the same time, Captain Athena Ibaz is in her office reviewing the personnel files provided to her by Lt. Col. Christina Mackenzie. Having reviewed all the files three times, Athena lingers over three…
Minh, Jolie Phong
Service Number 9545830
Michaels, Jonah Christopher
Service Number 5336211
Black, Alexandria (AKA "Grace Sullen")
Service Number 6052854
Lt. Col. Mackenzie appears promptly at the door, "Figured you'd be here late."
"There are three recruits I've got my eye on…" Athena informs her superior.
"Which three?" Christina ventures.
Athena exhales, "Cadet Jolie Minh."
Christina smiles, "A given."
Athena continues, "Cadet Jonah Michaels."
Christina nods, "More likely than not."
"Cadet Alexandria Black," Athena finishes.
"That last one," Christina hedges, "perhaps not."
"Why not?" Athena demands.
"We have a special assignment in mind for Black," Christina explains, "How about Cadet Nakazawa?"
"Absolutely not," Athena answers firmly, "I've reviewed his file and he's not compatible with Minh or Michaels. Not really suitable for my unit in any aspect, frankly."
"Why don't you come down to the firing range tomorrow to get a closer look?" Christina suggests.
Athena inserts a cigarette between her lips and lights up before answering, "What time do you begin?"
The cadets find themselves standing in front of a firing range the next morning. The Devil walks out flanked by several Federation officers
"Firearms training, kiddies," Kenta informs them, "Now listen up carefully and don't get trigger happy…we've got distinguished guests here with us this morning, so don't embarrass me by fucking up."
The recruits scan the senior officers. All of them recognize Lt. Col. Christina Mackenzie and Captain Faith "Skoo" Koo of the Londo Bell Special Forces, but only Jolie, Jonah, and the Pachis twins recognize Captain Athena Ibaz seated next to Christina. Jolie also recognizes Col. Peter Cairlay (whom she remembers as "Col. Creepy"), whom she regards as if she were gazing at a drowned rodent. Representing the Intelligence Corps are 1Lt. Eric Gardner, a genial and charming young officer, and his direct superior, a stoic, dark-haired woman introduced to the recruits as Major Emily Ryan. Jolie, Jonah, and especially Alexandria/Grace are surprised to see Chief Petty Officer Lucien Ashworth present, and rounding out the group are two additional officers whom none of the recruits have yet encountered - Commodore Mallory Stoyanovich and Commander Daguza Mackle of the EFSF Armada.
From her place in the line of recruits, Jolie sizes up Mallory Stoyanovich...a martial-looking woman in her mid-thirties with dark hair and dark, penetrating eyes. Jolie is enough of a predator herself to recognize in Mallory an alpha predator of the highest order, seeing Mallory immediately as an individual that she does not wish to cross. Indeed, when Mallory fixes her cold glare upon her, Jolie cannot help but feel an internal chill.
"You will now each be issued four firearms, an assault rifle, a submachine gun, a sniper rifle, and an automatic pistol," Kenta admonishes, "You will point these weapons towards the ground with the safeties locked until I say otherwise. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," the recruits reply.
Kenta summons them individually in numerical order according to their service numbers. The recruits pass by a long table, where each of them extracts from four boxes the weapons noted by Kenta. Carrying these items in the manner that Kenta prescribed, the recruits then proceed to line up in rows where targets have been arranged at five- to ten-meter distances, placing the weapons at their feet as they await Kenta's instructions.
"First will be small arms testing," Kenta announces, "Pick up your automatic pistols and insert the ammo clips, now."
The recruits comply, though Kenta notes that Cadet Jonah Michaels struggles a bit, nearly dropping the weapon more than once, and attempting to load the clip backwards before correcting himself.
"Don protective gear," Kenta orders the recruits.
The young men and women respond by putting on protective goggles and earmuffs.
"Remove the safeties," Kenta instructs.
The recruits do as Kenta orders.
"Assume shooting position and point your weapon at the target," Kenta bellows, "but do NOT fire your weapon until instructed to do so."
Kenta inspects each recruit's stance and grip individually, making both verbal and manual adjustments for each recruit as needed, pointing out the flaws he sees and showing them better stances and grips.
Kenta notes that Cadet Minh is the only one who adopts a one-handed stance - undoubtedly a byproduct of her unruly years at Industria Colony. The girl is clearly is no stranger to handling firearms, though that hardly means that she has been handling them correctly.
Cadet Michaels, on the other hand, clearly appears to be a youth unfamiliar with and somewhat contemptuous of such lethal weapons - not unexpected considering what Kenta knows of his character. The standard grip that Michaels adopts, though appearing to have been learned from an orthodox source, is nevertheless awkward and ill-suited to the young man.
"Ready your weapons," Kenta instructs them.
The recruits check their weapons and point them at the targets.
"When I order you to fire, aim for the center of the mass," Kenta tells the recruits, "Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" the recruits collectively respond.
"Two shots at the target at five meters!" Kenta barks out.
For the next five seconds, the field is saturated with gunfire as a dozen rounds impact upon target boards.
"Now, two shots at the target at ten meters!" Kenta commands.
Once again, the area becomes a firestorm of live rounds impacting targets. The process is repeated, alternating between the targets at five meters and those at ten, until the weapons' ammunition clips are expended.
"That's enough!" Kenta finally shouts, loudly enough for them to hear through the gunfire and earmuffs.
"Cadet Michaels," Kenta says, fixing Jonah in his gaze, "Come here."
Jonah dutifully steps towards the veteran.
Kenta removes another weapon from his boot...a snub nose .357 Magnum revolver.
"That's…" Jonah remarks, "...a police gun?"
"Not quite," Kenta answers, "though it is similar in some ways. Take it. I want you to use it."
Jonah holds the heavy revolver in the same manner that he had held the automatic pistol.
"No, you're doing it wrong, Michaels," Kenta says, correcting his grip and his stance, "now try it. Five-meter target, now. One shot."
Jonah complies; the shot knocks Jonah back a bit, and Kenta steadies the youth so he doesn't fall on his rear.
"That's...wow," Jonah says breathlessly.
"Ok, try that again," he replies as he takes out his .44 magnum, "And this time, do as I do."
Kenta fires a single shot, seemingly at no particular target... Until the cadets hear a metallic ting and see the flag pole 150 yards away shaking.
Jonah notices right away how Kenta bends his elbows, letting the recoil carry the gun over head.
"A revolver doesn't work like your typical automatic, Michaels. They don't rely on the recoil to chamber the next round, so there is no need to let it hit you...that being said, shooting a revolver is something of a dying art. If you're interested, I'll explain more about it later."
Kenta holsters the .44 magnum revolver and Jonah attempts the shot again. Better, but still far from ideal.
"I…" Jonah begins, but doesn't know how to continue.
"Look, Michaels," Kenta says, "I know you're the kind of guy who probably gets torn up on whether to squash a roach in your bathroom sink, but you're going to be out in a war within months. Maybe weeks. You've got to set it aside and get it done, son."
"I'll...try, sir," Jonah says meekly.
"The hell you will," Kenta remarks as he turns his attention next to Jolie, "Cadet Minh. Switch your weapon to your left hand."
"I'm right-handed," Jolie complains.
"Just do it, Minh," Kenta insists.
Having learned from extensive experience that protesting against Kenta's directives is futile, Jolie complies. Kenta observes as Jolie shoots at the target with her off hand, paying particular attention to her grip and her stance, nodding meaningfully to himself, but in a manner that Jolie cannot be certain is approval or some other cause.
Having made all the necessary observations he needs of Minh, Kenta next turns his attention to Cadet Alexandria Black, who seems half asleep, but whose accuracy is uncannily not suffering much for it, as far as Kenta can tell.
Alexandria takes a moment to get into her stance, aims, and fires a few shots at the target's bullseye. The groupings of her shots land within fewer than four centimeters in diameter and dance around the bullseye itself. Given, she chalks it up to her lack of sleep as of late. No thanks to her mental roommate, of course.
"Not bad Cadet Black," Ryusuke tells her, "Your grouping is impeccable."
"Thanks, I guess…" she says giving another yawn. She'll have to deal with it with short naps in between now.
Kenta continues down each row, adjusting and correcting the remaining cadets' firing techniques as necessary. As their ammunition runs out, Kenta indicates that it's time to move on.
"You have three minutes to get set up at the sub machine guns station," Kenta advises the recruits.
The recruits file towards the sub machine gun stations, except for Cadet Jolie Minh, who first examines the target board that Alexandria shot into, and then her own.
Damn, Jolie thinks to herself, eyes widening, she got them within four centimeters! All of mine are over seven centimeters!
"MINH!" Kenta thunders, "HURRY YOUR ASS UP!"
"Yes, sir," Jolie replies meekly, "Sorry, sir!"
Minutes later, the recruits are lined up at the submachine gun stations; the recruits ready the UMP-X submachine guns they have been issued - descendants of the Heckler and Koch UMP-45 submachine guns of the past.
Kenta holds a UMP-X in his right hand, muzzle pointed skyward, as he tells the recruits, "I'm going to show you cock monglers how it's done. Pay attention and watch carefully."
A few of the recruits turn to each other and mouth the same question, "Th' hell is a 'cock mongler?'"
To that, Kenta merely adds, "Look in a mirror, you'll figure it out."
The recruits watch attentively as the veteran carefully lines up his UMP-45 and releases several controlled five-round bursts from the weapon that cleanly and efficiently knock down the targets.
Kenta first turns his attention to Cadet Jonah Michaels, who swallows, the UMP-X feeling completely alien in his hands.
"Get a good grip, Michaels," Kenta advises, "This baby's got lots of kick."
"Right, sir," Jonah affirms.
"Aim at the target," Kenta instructs, "Steady…five-round bursts, Michaels."
Jonah lets loose with a burst of fire that would be sufficient to reduce a healthy, living human body to a pile of liquified flesh within minutes.
The weapon rattles in Jonah's hands with a violence that far surpasses the gentle artist's worst expectations. He's tempted to release the trigger as the gun begins climbing upward...
Kenta rubs his forehead for a moment as if suffering a migraine, muttering "Jesus Christ" under his breath before placing his hand on Jonah's weapon to hold it steady and prevent further climb.
As Jonah releases his grip on the trigger, sweaty-handed and hyperventilating, Kenta growls, "I'm gonna have to spend the entire day teaching you how to shoot, aren't I, Cadet Mud?"
Jonah gulps, able to tell that Kenta's "question" is anything but.
"MINH!" Kenta hollers turning away from Jonah to Jolie, "Let's see what you can do!"
Jolie, who has been quietly and somewhat worriedly staring at Jonah's subpar performance on the submachine gun, moves into position. She levels her UMP-X at the targets, trigger finger at the ready.
"Don't get trigger-happy, Minh," Kenta warns, knowing that the girl is likely to start blasting before he gives the order, and taking quiet satisfaction when she doesn't, "controlled three to five round bursts. Can you manage that?"
"Yes, sir," comes the reply.
"All right, Minh," Kenta finally says after a long, tense minute, "Let 'em rip!"
With a newfound brachial fortitude born of a week of sword-forging and sword-training with Kenta, Jolie manages to hold her weapon in a much firmer grip than did Jonah.
Jolie unleashes the required bursts.
Not bad, Kenta concedes, but not yet as precise as she needs to be. Still, correctable with a few minor adjustments and some practice.
Turning away from Jolie, Kenta next focuses his attention on Cadet Black.
Alexandria blinks, still looking half asleep as she holds the UMP-X pointed skyward.
"You OK, Black?" Kenta inquires, "You look like you're about to fall over."
"I'm OK, sir." Alexandria answers promptly.
"All right," Kenta answers, "On my order: three, two, one...short burst, now!"
Alexandria releases several controlled bursts, aiming slightly below the intended target and using the recoil of the full auto burst, taking advantage of the climb to make most of her bullets hit the target.
Jolie stares, wide-eyed with astonishment as Kenta nods with approval.
"Great shooting, Black," Kenta remarks, "All right: all of you take a breather. Assault weapons training in fifteen minutes at 08:30!"
Jolie grabs Alexandria by the arm and spins the other young woman around to face her, demanding, "How do you do that?! Only other person who can pull that off is 'Thena over there, and you'd give even her a run for her money!"
"I…" Alexandria begins uncertainly, "...well, you know...it kind of comes naturally."
"Comes naturally my ass," Jolie says acidly, "C'mon! Show me how you do it!"
"That's Captain Kenta's job," Alexandria replies, beginning to feel irritated.
"Where'd you learn to shoot like that, anyway?" Jolie demands, not taking the hint.
An uncomfortable silence follows until Jonah approaches, drawing Jolie's attention from Alexandria, much to the latter's relief.
"You!" Jolie complains, "You keep shooting like that, and you're going to get drummed out of the Federal Forces! Your shooting was total shit, Boyo!"
"I know, I know," Jonah admits nervously, "and next up is an even bigger gun. I don't know if…"
"Shhhhh!" Jolie warns, "Kenta's coming."
"Break's over, kiddies," Kenta says, nearly smiling a devilish smile, "Now it's time for the biggest toy."
Kenta removes the safety on the largest firearm the recruits have seen up to this point today.
"Kuroimitsu FAR-10," Kenta announces, demonstrating the weapon's use, "Don't let the size of it fool you...this is a precision weapon."
Kenta observes as each of the recruits ply their targets with fire from the FAR-10. He notices a consistent pattern developing among the recruits.
Jonah is steadier on the FAR-10 than he was on the UMP-X, which isn't saying much, but using the burst fire setting, three-round bursts for every tug on the trigger, seems more manageable for Jonah, though Kenta can tell that the boy still needs a great deal of help.
Kenta also notes that for the first time, Michaels is..."enjoying" is not quite the right word, but confident with firing the weapon in a way that he wasn't earlier in the morning.
Jolie, unexpectedly, is having greater trouble, though it's not so much a problem of proficiency as it is one of attitude and focus. Reading the frustrated look on the girl's face as she punctuates her shots with glares at Alexandria, Kenta doesn't need to use his Newtype intuition to know what's eating Minh.
"Don't let your ego be your focus, Minh," Kenta tells her, "or you might as well shoot yourself before the enemy does."
Not sure what Kenta means by that, Jolie continues to ply shots from the FAR-10 into the target boards...her shot getting more astray as her anger grows.
"CALM DOWN, MINH," Kenta thunders.
That kid is still leading with her ego, Kenta reflects, it's going to get her killed.
"What are you so angry at?" Kenta demands marching in close to her, "Didn't you learn anything from that week we just spent at the forge? Damn, you're thick sometimes, Minh…"
"I…" Jolie begins.
"You have a serious ego problem," Kenta tells her unflinchingly, "Your entire mindset is self-centered, and that's why you keep failing. This isn't a contest to prove who's better, Minh! It's about keeping your shit together so you aren't a liability to those depending on you! God damn it, is it going to take one of these people getting killed before you get it?!"
So saying, Kenta points at Jonah, who glances nervously over his shoulder to give Jolie a worried look before refocusing on the targets ahead.
Kenta tries a different approach, saying more mildly, "Minh...if you want to sulk like a spoiled child, that's your business, but let me remind you that your actions here will reflect upon Athena for recruiting you. You call that being a good friend? If I were you, I'd make sure it's a good reflection."
Jolie turns to look at Athena, seated next to Lt. Col. Mackenzie on the panel of observers.
Athena, arms crossed and confident, gives Jolie the barest of encouraging smiles, as if to say, "Get it together, kid."
Jolie steadies herself and begins dutifully taking shots according to Kenta's directives.
Back at the panel, Christina whispers to Athena, "Your Cadet Minh's got quite a temper, Captain."
Athena nods, "I knew that before I brought her in. That fire can burn the enemy, or burn us. Before she finishes this training program, we need to make sure that fire is pointed in the right direction."
"Then Kenta truly is the best person for the job," Christina replies, "He knows better than any how a fire like that can rage out of control."
"Naturally," Athena adds, "imagine if Kissingham were still in charge of the recruits' training."
Christina suppresses a giggle at the thought, to Athena's amusement.
Commodore Stoyanovich makes no such attempt and laughs boisterously. "Is good to know someone has sense of humor around here," the woman says in a thick Russian accent, "and Kissingham was mediocre at best, but where are my manners?"
The statuesque Russian woman stands and extends her strong, sinewy hand with a wide, winning grin, "Commodore Mallory Stoyanovich, EFSF."
Athena takes the other woman's hand and nods respectfully, "Captain Athena Ibaz, Centurion Team, ma'am."
"Da," Mallory answers, "Is Pleasure, Keptain. Are you of Russian heritage, Keptain Ibaz?
Athena smiles, "My family says we were, some generations ago, before the Universal Century era."
"All right, that's enough," Kenta tells the recruits, "Five minutes to get to the sniper rifle station and set up. MOVE IT!"
In passing, Alexandria remarks to Jolie, "My hand is starting to feel sore."
"Don't rub it in," Jolie answers, somewhat defensively.
"I'm not," Alexandria says, "Chill out."
The recruits pick up the sniper rifles...somewhat heavier in their hands than the two previous weapons.
Jonah holds the weapon in a firing position, getting a few hands-on adjustments by Kenta, and sets his eye against the scope. Though the weapon is heavy, Jonah finds this it unexpectedly...comfortable wouldn't be the way he would characterize it, but there's a certain….not quite familiarity, but perhaps..a similarity with how he might use a pencil or brush to bring an illustration to life. A sharp eye...subtle refined action of the hands...something Jonah feels an affinity towards.
Kenta observes, Far from an ideal, finished product, but this kind of weapon suits him. It figures.
Stepping down the line to Jolie, Kenta notes that the girl has, unsurprisingly, cast aside even the pretensions of going by the playbook and is firing almost on instinct. The results, while not horrible, nevertheless do not make best use of her potential...still more wild than focused.
Kenta steps towards Alexandria, seeing as expected another highly efficient performance that indicates none of this is new for her. Something worth exploring in greater detail...later.
During a break, Jolie asks, "Sensei, why are we even training with sniper rifles? We aren't assassins."
"Aren't we, Minh?" Kenta answers plainly, "Killing is killing."
"Well, yeah, but…" Jolie begins.
"The only difference between a soldier and an assassin is how much they get paid," Kenta finishes.
Jolie doesn't seem quite convinced, but Kenta's words leave her something to think about.
"Most assassinations were done by people who were at one point in their lives, soldiers," Kenta points out.
"Like that dude who killed an American President like back in the 1900s?" Jolie asks, "Ozzy Osbourne or something like that?"
Kenta laughs, "Sure, Minh...Ozzy Osbourne."
"Oswald. Lee Harvey Oswald shot President John F. Kennedy in 1963," Alexandria corrects, yawning, "Get your facts straight, Minh!"
Jolie blinks, "OK, OK. I haven't been in school since 4th Grade, you know?" She doesn't need to reiterate the reason, but then asks, "so who was Ozzy Osbourne anyway?"
Alexandria rolls her eyes as Kenta says, "Play you some of his music on Sunday, but for now, back to the targets. Let me give you a few pointers and adjust your technique a bit."
The training continues until noon. Satisfied with the information he has gathered on each of the recruits, and having showcased their potential to the brass, Kenta adjourns the session...and the training for the remainder of the day.
"All right," Kenta tells the recruits, now standing at attention in rows, "We're going to be evaluating your data and deciding what needs to be done next. You have the rest of the day off. Report back at 18:00."
"Yes, sir!" the recruits chorus enthusiastically, pleased by the unexpected downtime.
Captain Athena Ibaz dismisses herself from from Lt. Col. Mackenzie's company and approaches the recruits, even as Mackenzie leaves with Kenta.
"'Thena!" Jolie grins.
Athena gives Jolie an affectionate pat on the shoulder, and then extends her hand to Alexandria, "Cadet Black, I believe we haven't met. I'm Captain Athena Ibaz of the Centurion Special Operations Team."
"The one who recovered the Centurion Gundam?" Alexandria asks, taking Athena's hand.
"Hey, I helped!" Jolie interjects.
Athena nods modestly, "That was excellent marksmanship, Cadet Black."
"'Thena, are you gonna recruit Alexandria into the Centurion Team too?" Jolie asks.
"That's a discussion for later," Athena tells Jolie cryptically.
I don't like this, Jolie privately fumes, I think I'm being upstaged in front of 'Thena.
Athena turns her attention back to Alexandria, "I look forward to working with you, Cadet Black. My unit can certainly use your talents."
"Thank you, ma'am," Alexandria blushes under the praise.
Seeing Jolie fuming, Athena turns to her, "You and I need to talk. Come with me to my office."
After they arrive at her office, Athena offers Jolie a cigarette and lights up one of her own, bidding Jolie to take a seat and tossing the back of her mane of honey blonde hair with both hands before pointing at the similarly, but black-coiffed Jolie, "Not very original, Cadet Minh."
"I had a little...um, accident during training," Jolie says sheepishly, blushing slightly, "I burned off some of my hair and Kenta had to cut it shorter, so I decided to go for your hairstyle."
Athena nods, "I've been reading the notes that Captain Kenta has kept on you, Jolie. You need to put a lid on that temper. Of all the things that get soldiers killed on the battlefield, emotions rank at the top."
"Yeah, but…" Jolie begins.
"No 'buts,'" Athena cuts her off sternly, "if you're going to serve under my command, then you're going to need to think clearly at all times, is that understood, Cadet Minh?"
"Yes, ma'am," Jolie answers sheepishly, but then brightens, "Does that mean…?"
Athena shakes her head, "Nothing is decided yet. There's still so much water that needs to pass under the bridge before that's determined."
"What about Alexandria?" Jolie asks, "Are you going to recruit her too, 'Thena?"
Athena looks Jolie in the eye as she says, "As I just told you, nothing is decided yet."
"Hey," Jolie grins, turning the conversation in a lighter direction, "Graduation is coming up. What do you think about having the graduation party at the Andromeda?"
"The Andromeda," Captain Athena Ibaz suddenly realizes, "Jolie...when's the last time you went there…?"
Jolie thinks about it, and then answers, "The night before training began….shit."
A sinking feeling hits Jolie's stomach as she realizes the import of what Athena is suggesting.
"That's two weeks ago," Athena sighs, covering her eyes and shaking her head, "Come on...we'd better see if your club is still there!"
The pair arrives at the Andromeda within ten minutes. The property has been boarded up and abandoned.
"Shit," is all Jolie can say when she sees it, covering the top of her head with both hands as she stares in helpless frustration at the result of her impulse buy two weeks ago.
Athena pulls out her phone and makes a number of calls...to the mortgage company, lawyers, various banks and financing companies, interior decorators, signage makers, and staffing agencies.
After a few hours, the commanding officer of the Centurion Team tells her protege, "Cleaning crews are on the way. I've scheduled an interior decorator to stop by later this afternoon, and I've got the back payments for the employees squared away. Most of them who haven't found new jobs yet are willing to come back once the club reopens."
"That's great!" Jolie enthuses, "You're a miracle-worker, 'Thena! But...what's this going to cost me?"
Athena smiles, "I'm now the minority owner of the Andromeda Nightclub."
"Minority owner?" Jolie echoes.
Athena nods and explains, "You're the majority owner with a 60% share; I'll retain 40% of any profit the club earns. Fair enough to you?"
Jolie thinks about it, and finally answers, "Well, considering you bailed my ass out…but hey, you said you're hiring an interior decorator? We got someone who can do that!"
Athena smiles, "Your Jonah Michaels?"
"Can I bring him down here right now?" Jolie asks, eyes wide with eagerness.
Athena nods her assent.
Twenty minutes later, Jolie is back with Jonah, who takes a look at the decor and makes an assessment based on his instincts.
"The cosmic theme they had going here seemed pretty popular with the customers," Jonah remarks, "I think that should be retained."
Athena walls, "Cosmic decor aside, the walls seemed kind of bare. Jolie tells me you're a painter. Think you can do something about that?"
Jonah nods, "I can, whenever I can get some downtime...like on Sundays."
"'Thena," Jolie proposes, "Jonah and I do everything together. Would it be OK if we split the ownership of the club three ways with Jonah?"
Jonah opens his mouth to protest, "But…"
Jolie puts a hand on his mouth and shakes her head at him, "Shhhhhhhhhhh!"
Looks like I'm going to be a part of this whether I want to or not, Jonah reflects, wondering if he's traded off his brother for Jolie being the captain of his destiny.
The actual captain present in the room, Athena Ibaz, points out, "I don't have a problem with that, but do we keep the name 'Andromeda' for familiarity and continuity with the previous club?."
"No," Jolie insists, "I think we should call it the White Phoenix Club!"
"Egotistical much?" Athena chides with a grin, "If we're going to do this as a trio, maybe the name should reflect that."
"Oy," Jolie scratches her head, "Three Musketeers? Three Amigos? Three Stooges?"
"La Club Leonne, Draccon, et Fenix," Jonah says.
"La what?" Jolie asks.
"The Lion, Dragon, and Phoenix Club," Athena explains, "I like it; it's apt."
Jonah sketches out a concept logo on a sheet of paper from Athena's desk, showing the results to Athena and Jolie, who nod with approval.
The young man sits in the interrogation room once more. He's been here for three days, but he hasn't spoken yet. He didn't talk for that creepy bastard. He did give one word to the demon detective, though. That was his mistake. He definitely won't talk for whoever they send today.
The door opens, and he prepares himself for the worst... only to find himself shocked when a girl his age wearing a green Federation Military Uniform walks in. Her light blue hair and bright green eyes give her an almost fairy-like appearance. Then he notices what's in her hands, and the smell hits him. "OHMYGOD," he mentally shouts, "IT'S REAL FOOD!"
"Hello," she greets him cheerfully as she walks up to the table, "Mr. Kenta says you're being stubborn, so he hopes you'll be more comfortable around someone your own age."
My God, she's adorable, He thinks before shaking himself, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!? Pull it together man! Stay strong, I don't need that food... I don't need it!
"I'm sure you must be hungry," she says as she sits down with a smile. Suddenly a touch of sadness appears in her expression as she says, "I'm all too aware of how bad the food they serve in prison tastes."
WHO WOULD DARE IMPRISON SUCH AN ANGEL?! I'LL KILL 'EM, he internally rages before realizing where his thoughts are wandering again, Wait... did I just refer to her as an Angel? WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON WITH ME!?
"I've been told you can't have any food if you don't talk to me," she says as her cheerful demeanor returns, "So will you tell me your name? Speaking of which, I'm Recoco."
So they're using sweet little Recoco to try and- WHAT THE HELL AM I SAYING! He immediately looks away, trying to look as uninterested as possible.
"Wow, you really are stubborn," she says with a giggle, "Suit yourself then."
Recoco reaches into the bag and pulled out a foil wrapped food item, and he knows right away that it's a burger, but he has never seen one so big. She slowly unwraps it to reveal said burger and begins describing it. "This is a Five Guys double bacon cheeseburger," she tells him.
Is it me or did her voice just sounded a little husky?
"Aside from the obvious toppings, I had them put lettuce, tomato, jalapeno pepper slices for some extra bite, and A1 steak sauce to enhance the flavor of the beef."
Please, for the love of God, have mercy!
"And it's all yours if you just tell me your name."
Oh God, no! I'm a virgin! Wait... WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THIS!?
He feels his mouth water as he stares at both the food and the cutie in front of him. Is it bad that he wants both? Is he reverting to base animalistic instincts?
Stop. It! You are in enemy territory for all you know! Why choose now to waiver?! he thinks, snapping out of it.
Still, James is starving for real food and apparently, his goddamn mind over a girl. It leaves him with few options at this point and deeply frustrated.
Reccoco sighs, "Ah, and here I thought you might be hungry. Guess I'll have to eat it myself, then."
Oh good, she's… Wait, what is she doing, again!?
His eyes widen as she takes a bite of the burger in front of his face. James feels his resolve slipping away…
Damn it!
"STOP!" he barks without meaning to, which startles Recoco into nearly dropping the burger.
He's going to hate himself for this. The young man sighs before continuing, "You wanna know who I am, right? Nothing else?"
She nods, not sure where he is going with this. Interrogation really isn't her specialty, but seeing as how she is the only one who has succeeded in getting him to talk, it doesn't really matter. Either way, this is progress.
A full minute passes before he motions her closer. She lends him her ear and waits patiently for him to speak. She also notices the faint smell of lemons on him. Despite it being so simple of a scent, it's quite effective.
"JS-1," The boy's breath tickles her ear as he speaks in a low whisper that made her knees feel weak.
God, what is he doing to me?! Recoco thinks, trying to shake it off, Never mind that! You got what you came here for!
She coughs as she hands him the burger, "Well, a deal is a deal, then."
The sound of metal against the table catches her attention. Recoco sees the handcuffs and realizes that she has forgotten that they have JS-1, or "Jay" for now, handcuffed to the table to prevent escape or harm while interrogation is in progress. Not that he has talked to anyone other than her so far. However, Recoco is yet to determine if it's because of her or the fact she has brought him real food.
Maybe both? she speculates curiously.
"Er… I guess I have to, then," she says to no one in particular as Jay raises a brow in interest.
Recoco blushes in embarrassment as she holds out the half-wrapped burger to him. "Um, say 'ahh'?"
Is this a joke or does she really want me to humor her? Jay thinks he gives her an odd look.
Still, food is food. He can't complain about how he eats it at this point. With his finger, he motions her to bring the food closer r. However, that seems to make her more hesitant, which causes him to frown. Jay knows that he must say something again to get her closer. He isn't going to try and reach that far over the table only to scare her.
"I'm not gonna bite, ya know," he reassures her, motioning her forward again.
Somehow, Recoco misinterprets his words a hair at the thought of his mouth all over her body, biting every so often to mark her fair, pretty skin. The fact that Recoco is getting turned on by the thought slaps the teenage boy in the face with desire and lust. Luckily, the sensation only lasts for a minute.
Recoco does get close enough so he can comfortably eat the burger. By then, he manages to clear his own head and focus on the food instead of… other things. He takes as big of a bite as he can manage while being mindful of the girl's fingers. A delightful moan escapes from his mouth. It has been so long since he's had real food.
She continues to feed him until nothing is left. The young pilot yawns, feeling the need to take a nap. By then, Recoco feels the need to leave the room before she embarrasses herself further. She coughs into her hand to get Jay's attention.
"Thank you for your cooperation. I'll be taking my leave now," Recoco tells him as she leaves the room to report to Kenta, leaving the kid to his own devices again.
Recoco takes a deep breath and smacks her cheeks before heading straight to Christina's office. Though, no matter how hard she tries, that boy remains in her head when she enters the office.
Christina merely smiled, knowingly, as she entered, "Did you find anything interesting, Ensign?"
Recoco blushes before answering, "I didn't get a name, but I did get a designation: JS-1."
Christina nods, "Thank you Ensign, you've been a monumental help."
Recoco gets up and gives a salute, her cheeks still a little pink, "I'll be taking my leave now, Ms. Mackenzie."
They wait until the door closes before Kenta turns to Erisia, "You recognize that designation?"
Eri shakes her head before sighing, "Sorry, but I never bothered to learn who everyone else was since I was told I was superior all the time. I saw everyone as beneath me... I was a rotten little bitch back then. The only one who would know anything would be my twin sister SC4RL3T."
This surprises both Ryusuke and Christina, "Scarlet's your twin sister!?"
Eri blinks in a similar manner, "You know where she is?"
Kenta nods, "She's a member of the Raptor Team under Captain Faith Koo."
"She also has an exemplary combat record too." Christina added.
Erisa frowns in guilt, "Now I feel even more rotten, because I always told her she'd never amount to anything!"
The two officers share a look before Christina speaks, "I'll see about bringing Scarlet in on this... and letting her know who her parents are."
"I'd stay, but I have recruits to train, " Kenta remarks as he heads for the door, "Let me know when to be here."
August 20, UC 0098, 10:47 local time, the space between Earth and L3 orbit where Side 7 is located…
Horizont SpacewaysFlight 39 is en rout from its launch point in Los Angeles, California in what was, centuries earlier, the United States of America to Green Oasis City at Side 7. Aboard are over five-hundred civilian passengers - mostly summer vacationers on the way from Earth to visit relatives living at L3 or Side 7, or families and school groups returning from summer trips to Earth back home to Side 7 to begin school in the coming weeks.
The mood aboard the spacecraft is celebratory and light as the pilot of the commercial passenger ship announces through the PA, "Our ETA to Green Oasis Spaceport is just around 45 minutes from now, folks. Just sit tight and we'll have everybody where they need to be right on time."
The shuttle craft proceeds towards its destination when without warning, five menacing, anthropomorphic armored forms rapidly surround it. Black Rick Diases, their monoeyes glowing a baleful green.
"Captain," the co-pilot says nervously, gazing out the forward viewport, "those are…"
"Mobile suits," the captain says grimly, "They aren't from the Earth Federation Forces. Who are they and what do they want?"
A shot from the clay bazooka of one of the black Rick Dias mobile suits disables the shuttle's engine, leaving the spacecraft adrift, and sending passengers and crew members sprawling down the aisle, screaming...some wounded, all terrified.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the captain announces through a dry throat, "please remain calm. We are in a dangerous situation and it's imperative that you all remain in your seats and respond to directives for your safety."
Several long, anxious moments later, the main external hatch of the spacecraft is cut open with a beam cutter device. Heavily armed men and women clad in unidentfiable normalsuits storm aboard the spacecraft.
The passengers let out a collective cry of horror as the normal suited figures unleash a neurotoxin that sears their breathing passages and causes them to collapse into uncontrollable spasms as their organs begin to fail. Men, women, children...more than five-hundred in number...mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren...all painfully, fearfully wrenched from the grasp of lives that had, just minutes earlier, been so joyful and hopeful.
The lead figure of the assault group stalks his way to the pilots' cabin, finding the crew dead at the controls. He slaps a note onto the forehead of the slain captain of the spacecraft: "THUS ALWAYS TO EARTHIST TYRANTS - COURTESY OF SLEEVES."
"FUCKING SHIT!" Col. Jack Spencer thunders, throwing a wrench across the main garage where it lands in the corner, "THOSE BASTARDS!"
Jack's daughter, Penelope, picks up the tool thrown by her father, ashen-faced from the news that they both heard just moments ago.
"Over five-hundred lives lost," UCN correspondent Ken Cheng reports grimly, "the terrorists, who have claimed unconfirmed affiliation with the militant Side 3-based Spacenoid independence group Sleeves used the neurotoxin G6…"
"Militant my fucking ass!" Jack roars at the screen, his face a livid mask of rage.
"Daddy," Penelope says soothingly, "We need to get on top of this, fast."
Jack nods, "I'm going to meet with Artesia, Dory, and Hathaway."
Jack grabs his coat and heads out the door, flooring the pedal of his jeep as he heads towards Dr. Artesia Deikun's office.
The mood is equally grim and contentious at Col. Peter Cairlay's office at Revil Hall at Side 7, where the colonel speaks to two of his top officers, Lt. Col. Christina Mackenzie and Captain Athena Ibaz.
"The public is looking for answers," Cairlay tells the two women, "they want to know what the Londo Bell Forces are going to do about these so-called 'Sleeves' terrorists."
"You've positively identified the group who attacked Flight 39 as Sleeves, sir?" Athena sees fit to point out.
"They left a note on the pilot's head," Cairlay says darkly, "They couldn't be more obvious."
"That in of itself isn't odd," Athena probes, "the whole point of terrorism, after all, is psyops. That said, going after a commercial craft whose passengers were predominantly Spacenoids isn't consistent with Sleeves' agenda."
"Captain Ibaz has a point, Colonel," Christina supplements, "I think that we shouldn't act rashly until we get more intel."
Cairlay looks at the two officers through narrow eyes, "In any case, the President and High Command expect us to address this matter...quickly. Lt. Col. Mackenzie, Captain Ibaz: I want you to place the Centurion Team on high alert."
"Yes, sir," Christina and Athena salute in unison.
A somber meeting convenes at the Zum City condominium of Artesia Som Deikun, where she lives with her son Christian. Artesia has sent Christian on errands, leaving her free to meet with a group that includes Col. Jack Spencer, Kai Shiden, Dory Ischinda, and Hathaway Noa.
"Those shitheads behind this are leaving us with one hell of a PR nightmare to deal with," Jack tells the group darkly, "we need to get ahead of them in getting out the message of Sleeves' true mission."
"I trust that most of the Spacenoid population knows where we stand," Artesia begins, "but our problem is that our outreach abilities are limited. As I understand it, the Earth Federation heavily censors the Cislunar Free Media in all territories under its control."
"Hopeless," Kai sighs bitterly, "we've been pegged as terrorists for years, and this isn't going to help."
"We need to change the narrative," Jack argues, "and to do that, we need to get to the bottom of who these pretenders are and stop them at the source."
"To do that," Kai points out, "we're going to need some help from inside the Federation itself. If only we could reach out to Bright somehow…"
"You can't trust him!" Hathaway interjects furiously, "he's a puppet of the Earthists, and he'll sell you out! I know you think of him as a friend because of your time serving under him on the White Base, but he's a different man now!"
Jack levels a heated glare at the kid and tells him, "Bright Noa is the best possible person we could have on our side, and last time I checked, we don't have a lot of options, now get out!"
An uncomfortable silence follows Hathaway's angry outburst.
Jack rises, putting on his jacket, telling the group, "Penny and I are headed to Luna 2 next week to do a favor for a friend. We're also going to get in touch with Athena Ibaz...see what she might be able to do to help us out."
Dory's eyes light up at the mention of Athena, "You'll be meeting with her Majesty?"
"It's Captain Ibaz of the Earth Federation Forces now," Jack tells Dory, "She's going to be the key to solving this problem we've got."
Her footsteps fall quickly, but lightly as she glides ghostlike through the corridors of administration tower on the grounds of Revil Base at Side 7. Summoned urgently by Lt. Col. Christina Mackenzie, 2Lt. Scarlet knows that the matter at hand must be momentous.
Clad in a vintage-styled Earth Federation Forces uniform reminiscent of those popular among junior officers during the UC 0080s, with the Raptor Team's distinctive bird of prey logo on the upper left sleeve, the youthful officer's eyes widen in surprise as she enters Lt. Col. Mackenzie's office.
"What are you doing here?" Scarlet growls upon seeing her twin sister for the first time in years.
Erisia flinches, but says nothing as she continues to avoid eye contact with her younger twin. Christina, who had asked Captain Skoo to send Scarlet over, quietly observes and is prepared to intervene, if necessary. She originally brought Scarlet over to help out with their mysterious pilot, designated only as "JS-1." However, it seems that the girls needed to talk. Ryusuke, who is standing beside her, has similar intentions.
The animosity only grows as Scarlet moves closer to her sister, "Have you come to belittle me again after all these years, you egotistical bitch?! To laugh at my face and brag about being the better pilot?! Well, you can go fuck yourself cause I don't want to hear shit coming from you! I made a life and a name for myself as a damn good pilot! You think I'm going to let someone like you fuck that up?!"
Erisia stares up at her twin, who she finds a head taller than her. She continues to say nothing as Scarlet continues, "Looks like our roles are reversed, huh? How does it feel being on the short end of the stick for once, little Miss 'Perfect'? That's what they all called you. That was all they ever believed you are! It made me sick just watching you soak up all that fucking bullshit! You considered everything else as trash, including me! All I ever wanted was a sister and you threw me away! Why the fuck would you even do that?!"
Eri bows her head in shame and guilt. She couldn't look her younger sibling in the eye anymore. It angers Scarlet all the more.
"Why aren't you saying anything?!" she growls.
Erisia does not respond. It takes a second for Scarlet to calm down enough to notice. Eri is taking everything Scarlet is throwing at her and accepting it. Scarlet blinks at this revelation.
"You… You've changed, haven't you?" Scarlet asks calmly.
She gives a small half-smile, "Yeah...a lot can happen in twelve years: traveling the world, meeting our parents…"
"Parents?" Scarlet questions with mild surprise, "We have...parents?"
"Well, there is a requirement of genetic templates to create clones, and it turns out using the genes of both a man and woman produces a more stable clone,' Erisia explains.
"I see…" Scarlet ponders this over carefully, "It does make sense…so, you met them?"
"Yeah, it's part of why we called you over…" Eri begins before turning to Kenta and Christina, "Uh… Scarlet, this is our Mom and Dad…"
Scarlet stares at both Lt. Colonel Mckenzie and Captain Kenta. There is no doubt that there are genetic similarities between her and them. Part of her is actually happy that she isn't just a generic clone. Her wish for a semblance of a family is now obtainable and more. However, the other part of her fears the possibility of another repeat of the past - of being thrown away again. She wavers a moment.
"I'm sorry. I'm… I'm not sure how I feel about this…" Scarlet confesses, a bit emotionally overwhelmed.
Christina nods, "I understand that it's a lot to take in. If you don't want to be apart of it, we-"
"No!" Scarlet yells, surprising everyone, "I mean, it's… It's not like that. I just didn't expect this…"
She feels a small smile creep on her face, "I guess… He was right, after all…"
Erisia frowns, "Who was right?"
"It's nothing, " Scarlet hangs her head, "Just something a little boy told me a long time ago. He was homesick a lot."
This gets the officers' attention as Eri asks, "What little boy?!"
Scarlet frowns, "You really didn't bother to remember the other kids in the program, didn't you?"
Eri hangs her head in shame as her twin sighed, "The little Newtype Asian boy named James. He always hid behind me when you were around. Not only did he give me my name, he was the very reason I wanted us to be sisters to begin with!"
"Scarlet, how many actual Newtypes were in the program?" Kenta asks curiously.
Scarlet frowned, "I only knew of two of them: designations JS-1 and JS-2. I felt a third one around at one point, but I never met them."
"Which one was James?" the former private detective presses further.
"JS-1. The other was an Indian boy named Jet. The only reason their designations are similar was because both of them had the same initials for their real names," Scarlet explains, "but why are you asking me this?"
Kenta pales for a hair while Christina stands up, "That would be the other reason we called you here. We need you to talk to someone who refuses to speak to us from that program. Possibly the boy you refer to as 'James.' Come with us, please"
Scarlet feels concern running through her as she follows her newfound family to the detention center. They explain how they encountered the unknown pilot and their lack of progress in his interrogation. This information only causes Scarlet to worry more, though. The last time she had seen James, he was planning on escaping.
He's changed, she notes. He's still a boy, but one that went through some hell of a lot of growing up. Dark brown hair is now blond with dark roots peeking through. His right eye now blind. Probably still growing as puberty already hit him, but he's still James.
"How long has he been here?" Scarlet asks.
"About four days now, " Christina answers, "He's cracking, but not enough to trust us with anything to help with."
"Of course not. The only thing that matters to him is going home… At least, that's what he told me it's where he's supposed to go," Scarlet gives a sad smile before turning to her parents, "I'll talk to him, but we find a way to get him where he needs to be in exchange."
"It's not my fault, sis. I'm sorry…" the boy whines out of nowhere, startling the small family.
They look around for the intended recipient of his abrupt and unexpected remark, but find him talking to the empty seat in front of him.
Kenta frowns, "I think he's starting to do more than cracking…"
Scarlet shakes her head, "No, this happens to him every so often when he's left alone long enough."
"Sorry, Sis, it's just another delay, I'll be home soon. I promise," they hear him swear, tiredly.
Scarlet frowns as she heads for the door with the intent of making sure that this is the last delay he'll ever make.
Here we go again, JS-1 sighs as the somber thought pervades his mind for the fourth time, the stark, dreary confines of the interrogation room aggravating his already dour mood. It has long since become normal for him. Well, at least he isn't chained to the table this time around.
JS-1 makes a croaking noise that he immediately regrets, fearing that it might draw unwelcome attention his way...attention that might invite a beating or worse.
"Stop being so mopey already! It's depressing!" a high pitched girly voice yells at him. JS-1 looks up to find that a three-year-old half Asian girl is sitting on the other side of the table. Stormy eyes stare down at him.
The boy sighs, "You're not the one trapped in here, Sis."
The girl pouts "And who's fault was that?! You could've been home by now!"
"It's not my fault, sis. I'm sorry…" JS-1 whines, wanting her to stop.
"Sorry?" the girl known only as Sis chides, "We don't even know you exist! The fact that this is how you see me as your big sister proves that point!"
She isn't lying. He had only once seen a picture of his older sister and father, before his mother sent him off to meet them. His father's image comes back to him only fuzzily now, but he definitely remembers his sister's face. He remembers that both of them have the same grey eyes. Otherwise, he doesn't know what they both look like right now. He can only guess at this point.
He feels guilty now, but he did what he did. He holds no regrets about taking revenge for his fallen comrades. Still, he's stuck here and nothing can fix that right now. Sure, the devil detective offered to help, but he still can't trust anyone here.
"Sorry, Sis, it's just another delay, " he promises, "I'll be home soon. I promise."
The girl frowns in disappointment, "Are you gonna keep it this time? We're not gonna wait forever, you know."
The teen wants to say something, but the words die in his throat. He doesn't know. He wants to tell her it'd be okay, but he has no way of knowing what might happen in five minutes, let alone farther into the future. For all he knows, he might be stuck here for a long time.
Hope wavers in his chest as his sister's three-year-old state vanishes. He lays his head in his arms. She isn't real...that much, he knows Even so, the fact he saw her means that he is starting to go crazy again. He hasn't been this bad since his escape from the Titans.
Who the hell is coming to talk to him again?
JS-1 hears the door open finally, but doesn't bother looking up. He feels too tired right now to face interrogators in the eye.
"Aren't you going to say hello?" a voice he hasn't heard in years asks. His head bolts up to see a more mature version of the closest thing he'd had to a sister during those days smiling at him. "It's been a while, hasn't it James?"
The young teen wastes no time getting up to tackle her into a hug, "Scarlet!"
Scarlet smiles as she hugs him back, "I'm glad you're okay. I got worried after you left…"
She pauses as she see James' clouded right eye, "Your eye…"
"Oh, that…" James grins, sheepishly, "An explosion hit the cockpit when I was escaping and a piece of shrapnel got me. I can't see out of it anymore, but that hasn't stopped me yet! They really mean it when they say 'wear your helmet at all times!'"
"It's just…" Scarlet frowns a little before she gives him a small smile, "Let's sit down, so you can tell me what all you've been up to after that."
As James happily chats with the young woman, Kenta watches from the other side of the one-way mirror. He almost can't believe that this is the same kid he talked with a couple of days ago. Still, he smiles knowing that James, as he's called now, has finally opened up.
Maybe, he can get a clue to help find James' family. JS-1….James... isn't enough to go off of. Anything this kid knows might be helpful; just knowing his surname is big.
"James, what happened to finding your family? Wasn't going home the main reason you escaped?" Scarlet asks curiously after awhile.
James grows quiet as a painful expression contorts his face, "I did go home, but they weren't there anymore…"
This definitely catches Kenta's attention. He assumes James either doesn't know where home is or never made it home. He never thought about the possibility of him going to an empty home.
Scarlet voices a similar thought, "What happened?"
James gives her a sad smile, "I went to Side 6, found the address in Libot, and went there like I was supposed to. I knocked on the door and waited an hour, but no one was there. Found out from this creepy lady who lived in the area that the family there moved out about five years back. That was about a couple of months ago…"
"What have you been doing for two months, then?" Scarlet wonders, "Surely, you didn't stop looking."
"Of course, I didn't! I was heading to Side 3 because they moved there, but got… sidetracked… and now I'm here! I need to get outta here, Scarlet!" He pleaded, "Can you help me out?"
Kenta freezes as his mind begins to race. The more he slowly puts the pieces of James' mystery family together, the more sense it makes. It is becoming apparent that Kenta might have a good idea who James' parents are. He is beginning to dread the having to make a phone call now.
Kenta gets distracted by what the young teen says next and, honestly, it impresses him.
"I don't really care how I get out, " James admits sadly, "They can have the Gundam for all I care! I just… I wanna go home, Scarlet. I'm tired of making detours…"
Suddenly the door opens as Ryusuke bursts in and asks, "Is your dad's name, Jack Spencer?"
"What the hell!?" James nearly screams and jumps out of his seat in shock and dismay. He hates being caught off-guard, and he didn't see the devil detective coming. Indeed, his hair stands on end as his brain tries to process a logical explanation to the captain's being here.
"James, calm down, he's my dad. He and my mom are the reason I know you're here. I came willingly," Scarlet says calmly, soothingly, "We want to help you, I promise."
James blinks. He could see the resemblance, but it's clear the rest of Scarlet's looks come from her mother, the redhead Lt. Colonel who was nice to him. He trusts both Scarlet and her mom and being past the point of exhaustion, resolves that he can trust the devil detective, who is, after all, Scarlet's dad. Something else is missing in that equation, but he'll figure it out later.
"I know I have a dad named Jack and a big sister named Penelope," James began, staring at the retired captain, "They both have grey eyes, and my name is James Elijah Spencer. Hope that answers all your questions cause that all I'm giving you."
"It helps more than you can possibly realize," he replies before a long sigh escapes him, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to make that phone call..."
Jack returns to the garage before midnight, just as Penny is finishing closing up the shop for the night.
"Penny," Jack tells his daughter, "Tomorrow, we're going to start prepping for that trip to Luna 2 we've been planning."
"All right!" Penny enthuses, eyes going wide, "About time we got some action!"
"We could be out for a while this time," Jack says, "I...eh?"
Jack's phone vibrates at his hip. He answers it, "Spencer here."
A familiar voice speaks into Jack's ear, "This is Kenta. Jack, I got something important to tell you."
"Same here," Jack says, "About that attack on the Horizont Spaceways flight…"
"We'll discuss that later," Kenta tells him, "I've got something more important to tell you…"
"All right, so what is it?" Jack asks, noting the grim tone of Kenta's voice.
"Look up JS-1 in the Titans' roster file," Kenta tells him.
"This have anything to do with that Sleeves attack?" Jack wonders.
"Not really, but it's something you'll find interesting to say the least," Ryusuke tells him, "and be sure to close your office door, Jack."
Jack immediately knows this is going to mess with his emotional control... the only time Kenta tells him to do something like that...and addresses him by his first name... is when he knows it'll make the former Zeon colonel lose his legendary composure.
Once at his desk, turned on his laptop and inserted the drive which contains the entire Titan's Roster. "Judging by the sound of the designation, they're a Cyber-Newtype."
"Not exactly," Kenta replies, in a tone closest to nervousness Jack has ever heard in the man's voice.
This makes the colonel curious, "So they're a genuine Newtype?"
"You'll see when you bring up the file picture," he insists, cryptically.
After about a minute, the man finds the file on JS-1... and now that he actually takes the time to examine the kid's face, he feels rage boiling over for the first time in years.
"I'm gonna have to call you back," Jack tells his friend before hanging up.
He puts his phone down and stands up, running his fingers, both organic and artificial, through his hair before shouting, "GODDAMMIT!"
He punches the padded section of the wall with his prosthetic as he continues his tirade, "IT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU THIS WHOLE TIME! HOW THE FUCK DID YOU MISS THIS?!"
He lets out one last primal shout before collapsing into his chair, his prosthetic covering his face... How did he not realize who this kid was when he looked at his file the first time?
Despite the door being closed, and his office being soundproofed, his outbursts still exert an unsettling effect on the others in the facility.
Cindy is actually hiding behind Gale as they came out to see what's wrong... during the time she has lived with the Spencer family, she's never actually experienced the Jack's anger until now... and it terrifies her.
Penny, who was working when she felt the rage hit her, looks towards the office door. She only averts her gaze when she spots Cindy cowering behind Gale.
Being the one who picked her up a couple of years back, Cindy has always been an extremely sensitive empathetic Newtype. She is, at the same time, like a doll that mimics other people's emotions. Despite the fact that Cindy can now tell which emotions actually belong to her, Jack's anger must be overwhelming her.
"You doing alright, Cindy?" Penny asked, concerned.
"I...No, I'm... I'm scared," she manages meekly, "He... He's really angry…"
That is all Penny needs to knock on the door, "Attention, Colonel Dad! Your Daughter requests you calm down as you're scaring our highly empathic killer housemaid!"
"I second that, sir," Violet affirms as she nears the door, "Cindy is a fellow member of this house and very much a sister to me. I don't like to see her upset."
Jack opens the door and waves them inside. He apologizes to Cindy before grabbing his bottle of Wild Turkey and pours himself a glass before spinning the laptop around and asking, "Remind you of anyone?"
On the screen was a partly Asian boy no older than four years old with dark hair and chocolate brown eyes. He doesn't look too happy in the photo. Yet everyone, silently, thinks that he definitely looks familiar. Penny and Cindy both glance at the photo sitting on Jack's desk of Penny's mother.
"All I see a kid that doesn't want to be there." Gale admits.
"I have an idea, but more information is needed for confirmation." Violet simply states, "Still, I can say that I agree with Gale's assessment… for once."
"Straightforward as ever, Violet…" Gale sighs.
Cindy hesitates before saying, "He almost looks like yo-"
Jack's phone vibrates as it lights up with a name that causes Jack to answer it quickly, "Hell-"
"Jack Hansen Spencer, have you been hiding another grandchild from me again?!" hollers an older woman with familiar silver grey eyes that appeared on Jack's TV screen, "I figured you'd learned from the first time!"
"It wasn't my fault this time, Mom." Jack groans, "Cima never mentioned anything about a second kid…"
"I hear a 'but' in there, Jack," his mother chides, "You're a man now, so talk to me like one!"
Jack gives a heavy sigh as he chooses his words carefully. Even being close to fifty, there were still things that you don't talk about with your own mother. This is getting close to being one of them.
"...I won't deny that there was a high possibility she... didn't leave alone…"
It is his mother's turn to sigh now, "Poor thing was always scared of something, wasn't she? Still, I don't think she intended to leave you both in the dark about this."
"If that's the case, something went wrong," Jack agrees.
"Indeed," Grandma Spencer adjusts her glasses before she actually notice her son isn't alone.
"Oh, goodness! Hello there! Jack, you should just told me that I was interrupting something! I would've understand! Hello, Sweet Pea!"
Penny smiles at the name, "Hey, Grandma! How's the weather down there?"
"Sunny for now. We're expecting rain for the next couple of days," the old woman laughs happily before continuing, "Introductions, please! My son hardly talks to me anymore, so I've never met the other residents!"
Jack rolls his eyes as Penny giggles, "Well, to my left we have our housemaid, Cindy."
"Hello!" Cindy greets warmly.
"Next to her is one of our mechanics, Gale… He's okay."
"Hey!" Gale pipes up.
"And finally our accountant and recordkeeper, Violet." Penny finishes.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Violet smiles.
"Oh, you're all such wonderful people! Please, call me Barbara!"she insists,"I'll let you all go, then. And Jack?"
The former Colonel gives her his undivided attention as she said, "I'll be expecting a visit soon, young man! ALL grandkids included! I also want to talk about Christmas!"
The minute the screen goes blank, Jack reaches for the bottle to pour himself another glass before turning to Penny, "Looks like the plan's already changed. We're moving up the timetable for our visit to Luna 2 and Side 7. I was planning to be there on Saturday; it's going to be tomorrow night. You're coming too, Gale."
Penny sighs now, "Not surprised by that. I'm more surprised that you sent her that picture and that I, potentially, have a little brother!"
"Seriously!? Is that what got you so angry, Colonel?" Gale asks, surprised.
"Unfortunately," Jack admits, downing his second glass, "The Titans wouldn't keep any information that would link the test subjects to their real identities - not even a date of birth. They would erase these kids from existence, which makes it easier to control them. They were then subjected to a treatment process to make them into Cyber-Newtypes like our Violet. A part of this process involved implanting memories from confirmed Newtypes, which would often overwrite who they originally were, so they'd forget who they were before. The inadvertent memory wipe on these kids was seen as an added bonus, so no reason to do anything differently. I only know of one who came out of it all with her memories still intact... But all things considered, the program was piss poor all around. This boy, however, is different. He's one of the few actual Newtypes who were in the program. As a result, He still has his identity despite it being erased from the official records."
"So, who brought your attention to this JS-1 kid?" Penny inquires, trying to connect the dots to confirm this herself.
"An old friend of mine in the Federation informed me that they picked up a kid called JS-1," Jack explained, "And the kid's trying to go home."
At that moment, their attention is suddenly stolen by a TV broadcast, as they hear UCN reporter Ken Cheng delivering a grim report about another attack on a civilian passenger craft and the grisly murder of a Feddie politician at Side 2...
"...and it looks like we'd better get him home ASAP," Jack exhales.
"So now what we do?" Kenta asks after his second phone call with Jack, "Cause we're not leaving that kid in a cell till Jack comes."
"And we're all going to be at Luna 2 tomorrow," Christina addes, "the girls included."
"And there's no way we can take him with us," he concludes with a sigh, "Someone's gotta watch him."
"I CAN WATCH HIM!" a familiar voice blasts from Christina's computer as Recoco appears on screen, "I mean, I volunteer!"
Christina raises a brow, "Are you absolutely positive about this, Ensign? Despite his looks, he is a child soldier."
"I got it! It'll be fine!" Recoco assures.
"Then, I'll make the arrangements for you to pick him up at 19:00 tonight" Christina concludes.
"Yes, Ms. Mckenzie!" Recoco signs off.
Kenta stares at his girlfriend, "How bad does she have it?"
"She's smitten by him, " Christina sighs, "I sure hope she keeps her head straight!"
The week continues. Monday comes, then Tuesday, and then Wednesday. Cadet Jolie Minh applies herself to practicing her skills with an assortment of firearms with an obsessive fervor, constantly on the shooting range from before the call to awaken to just before lights out. Her companion, Cadet Jonah Michaels, has no corresponding obsession, but where Jolie goes, he goes. What she does, he does.
"I don't get it," Jolie complains during a break, quaffing an entire glass of iced tea in a single gulp as befits her notorious impatience, "I see the target clearly, and my hand is as steady as it gets! I've gotten better, but I'm still not anywhere near as good as Alexandria and…!"
"Slow down," Jonah says, referring both to the immediate and the general, "I can't begin to guess how, but as an artist, I know that Alexandria getting that good with guns isn't something that happened just because of 'talent.' She has talent, but getting as good as she is involved lots of previous training and experience."
"How can that be?!" Jolie demands, "She's a recruit just like you and me! If she's so 'experienced' already, why is she even in this training program and not already an officer like 'Thena?!"
"That, I don't know," Jonah replies honestly, "but as for you, I think you need to use different eyes."
"Different eyes?" Jolie echoes, confused, "Wh…?"
"Edgar Degas is one of my all-time favorite artists," Jonah explains, "Here...let me show you some of his work."
Jonah uses an electronic tablet he has at hand to show Jolie images of a dozen of Degas' paintings
"Pretty good," Jolie says, "but...so?"
"Did you know that Degas suffered from a series of retinal disorders that made him effectively blind?" Jonah asks.
"Blind?" Jolie's eyes widen, "NO WAY! You're saying a blind man painted these?!"
Jonah smiles, "He saw through different eyes."
Jolie gives Jonah a skeptical look.
"How do you think I painted those portraits of you before we met, when I was way out in the Solar System?" Jonah asks rhetorically, "I'd never seen you with my eyes at that point, but I painted accurate pictures of you."
"Well…" Jolie begins.
Cadet Maria O'Rourke rushes in, breathless, "Hey! What are you guys doing here?! Big news! IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN!"
"What's happened again?" Jonah asks, suddenly worried.
"It's all over the TV news! C'mon!" Maria urges.
Jolie and Jonah hurriedly follow Maria to the commons area, where the recruits are gathered around a TV monitor tuned to UCN.
"...second attack in less than a week's time," UCN reporter Ken Cheng says grimly, "Harmony Spaceways Flight 971 was completely incinerated by a squad of rogue mobile suits. No survivors among the 558 souls aboard the spacecraft, which was en rout from Side 2 to Earth. A group claiming to represent 'Sleeves' has claimed responsibility."
Jolie and Jonah exchange horrified glances.
"President Terrence Torrance is scheduled to make a statement within the hour," Cheng reports.
At that moment, a package arrives at General Bright Noa's office. His security staff probes the package, standard procedure before delivering mail and packages to the general.
"This package is suspect," one the officers says, "Open it cautiously."
His counterpart complies, opening the package with extreme caution. Peering in at the container's innards, both officers are quickly overwhelmed by nausea and, despite their training and experience, barely contain themselves from vomiting with disgust.
Inside the box: the recently severed head of Earth Federation Assembly Member Robin Mercer, a friend and supporter of General Noa who had represented District 19 of Side 2 since UC 0080 and had oddly and uncharacteristically not reported for work at his office since Monday. After the Gryps Conflict and First Neo Zeon War, Mercer had been one of the most stalwart supporters of repatriating Federation military personnel, including Bright Noa, who had joined with the AEUG during the UC 0080s. Known for being fair-minded and moderate, Mercer was one of the better-liked Earth Federation politicians, who had recently expressed interest in possibly running for Federation President in UC 0100, on a platform of policy reform geared towards rapprochement with the space colonies.
Attached to the severed head is a note, written in blood, ostensibly from the brutally murdered assemblyman:
"THUS TO EARTHIST TYRANTS! COURTESY OF SLEEVES!"
General Manron Blackhead slams his fist angrily on the conference table, red of face as he thunders "THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! These Sleeves terrorists are making fools of us! All I need is for the President to give me authorization, and I'll lead the EFSF Armada out to Side 3 and exterminate those Zeke pigs once and for all!"
General Bright Noa steeples his fingers, his expression dark, but his voice calm as he says, "No. We must have more information before we can take action."
Blackhead glowers at Bright through narrowed eyes, "Your inaction is drawing howls of displeasure from the citizenry, and rightly so! The citizens of the Earth Federation need to know that their armed forces stand ready to protect them against Zeonic terrorism, and to bring Zekes to justice when they have harmed Federation citizens and assets! Your lack of action, General, is raising questions of cowardice, if not treason! If you're afraid to act, then believe me, there are others in the High Command who aren't paralyzed by fear as you are!"
Bright swallows his rage before responding with marshalled serenity, "First, General Blackhead, we haven't verified if the attackers are indeed 'Zekes.' Second, mounting an armed offensive against a militarily defanged and harmless Side 3 will hardly help secure our citizenry."
"Hmph," Blackhead answers, "I'll be sure to carve that statement as the epitaph on the gravestone of your career as a Federation officer, Noa."
Blackhead leaves the room as Bright sighs deeply, knowing deep down that perhaps Blackhead has a point.
At Spencer Auto in Zum City, Col. Jack Spencer, his daughter Penelope, and the stalwart former Captain Gale Turner are busily packing for their imminent departure to Luna 2.
An expected visitor arrives at the auto garage; a handsome young man turned eighteen recently, known by several different names, but born Hathaway Noa, son of Bright and Mirai.
Hathaway's fingers dance admiringly on the gleaming, scarlet red body of a vintage 1991 Lamborghini sports car in the garage, whistling admiringly, "Sexy set of wheels."
"Keep your fingers off that," Jack growls gruffly, "it belongs to a customer who will be picking it up next week."
"Seems like a waste of a fine machine to drive it back and forth inside this tube," Hathaway remarks, indicating the cylindrical colony around them, "a fine ride like this should be tearing up the highways down on Earth."
"Enough chit chat," Jack says, "I haven't got the time to waste. Show me your copy."
Hathaway extracts two stapled sheets of paper from a manila envelope and hands the documents to Jack. In this age of digital documents, primitive paper remains the most secure way of exchanging information undetected.
Jack gravely reads the copy that Hathaway has written for the next edition of the Cislunar Free Media:
"These acts of terrorism are reprehensible and universally condemned, but one must ask...why do people become 'terrorists'...or freedom fighters? Surely, they are not born with such an impulse. The timid and harmless rabbit only becomes a killer when the snake corners it and its young in their burrow, and every rabbit that follows its instincts for survival knows that the best way...the only way to deal with a snake is to crush its head."
Jack reads, nodding with what Hathaway proudly takes to be approval.
"Yeah," Jack finally says, "This is going into the shredder, and you're going back to Shanghai."
"But…" Hathaway opens his mouth to protest.
"But NOTHING," Jack thunders, pointing at him, "You don't write volatile shit like this when the situation is already a powder keg waiting to blow! I'm assigning Dory to take over as head of the Zum bureau."
"Wait," Hathaway says, "Dory's good, but I…"
"You what?" Jack cuts him off, "You think your personal vendetta matters more than the future of the people of this and other space colonies?! Grow the fuck up, kid!"
Hathaway falls silent, his face turning red with humiliation and outrage.
Jack calms down and says, "I lied. This Lambo's owner died a while back. Nobody's come to claim it. If you want, take it down to Shanghai with you. I understand you have a thing for reds."
Approaching 23:00, Lt. Col. Christina Mackenzie calls it a day, but as she prepares to depart for home, Christina notices that the lights are still on in Captain Athena Ibaz's office.
Christina peers into the office door, "You're still here?"
Athena, who is on the computer, says, "Working on something."
Christina peers at Athena's desk and notices a clipped stack of documents with the title page, "Munzo Recovery Operation."
"Mind if I have a look?" Christina asks.
"Hoped you would," Athena answers, even as she types away furiously at some other document on her computer.
Christina flips through the "Munzo Recovery Operation"documents...extensive and ambitious plans for securing and rehabilitating the Side 3 space colonies, a complex, multifaceted plan for restoring Side 3's infrastructure, economy, and government apparatus with the ultimate goal of rendering Side 3 a functional, self-sufficient space colony again and for the Federation Forces to end its nearly decade-long military occupation of the colony. The plan includes details for reaching out to the private sector and various other organizations to minimize costs for the Earth Federation.
Glancing up from the document in her hands, Christina notices the document Athena is typing on the computer, titled "OSS Offensive Operation."
Christina smiles, "Been keeping yourself busy, eh?"
"It's not like I've been assigned many combat operations lately," Athena answers dryly.
"That could change soon," Christina says in response.
"I heard the President's address tonight," Athena concurs, "While I'd like to think he isn't crazy enough to mobilize us against Side 3, I know General Blackhead is practically frothing at the mouth anticipating it. Side 3 isn't where the threat is at."
Christina nods, and tells Athena, "Hey...you'd better get home and get a few hours of sleep before we ship off to Luna 2 for the cadets' MS training exercise."
"You go first, ma'am," Athena tells her commanding officer, "I have a few details I want to finish here first."
Several hours later, at 04:00, the cadets under the supervision of Captain Ryusuke Kenta board the EFSS Nelson, one of the oldest ships still in active service with the EFSS, but due to be retired at the turn of the century, just a little more than a year into the future.
The Nelson-class space cruiser was the line that never was. Derived from the Salamis-class space cruisers, the Nelson-class would have fulfilled the function of comparatively low-cost mobile suit carriers when it became apparent that the Pegasus-class carriers would be too costly to deploy in mass numbers.
Only three production line Nelson-class ships, including the prototype, were finished and posted before the end of the One Year War brought an abrupt end to the line. The Nelson has since been relegated to support and training missions.
As they wait to board, Jonah cannot help but notice Jolie staring wistfully at the hulk of the Nelson.
"You OK?" Jonah asks.
"Yeah," Jolie replies, "It's just that...this ship...I've been aboard it before. This is the Nelson, isn't it?"
"That's what the hull markings say," Jonah answers with a smile.
"Then this is it!" Jolie declares cheerfully, "This is the ship that my family visited when it came to Quebec Colony back in 0090!"
Jonah waits patiently for Jolie to elaborate.
"I remember…" Jolie begins.
July, UC 0090. Eighteen months after the end of the First Neo Zeon War, the Earth Sphere breathes a collective sigh of relief as peace appears to regain the upper hand...at least for now. No one can be certain how long it will last.
The EFSF Nelson, in only its eleventh year of service, but already somewhat antiquated due to the rapid advancements in space warship technology, is presently docked for the week at Quebec Colony at Side 5 as its crew takes shore leave. For one weekend only, the Nelson is open to the public for viewing, with a reduced admission fee to Earth Federation Forces active service members, veterans, and their families, with children under ten being allowed to visit for free.
1Lt. Dominic Minh of the Quebec Civil Defense Forces takes his wife Sophie and their two children, Jean-Michel (age ten) and Jolie (age seven) to visit the Nelson. Between the siblings, the sister is much more the military weaponry enthusiast.
Jolie, dressed in a purple jumper skirt, quickly climbs into one of the Nelson's gunnery blisters, seating herself at the deactivated, disarmed beam cannon.
Jolie peers through the gunsight, her tiny finger on the trigger, imagining herself skeeting down Zakus, Rick Doms, and Gelgoogs, "Eat beam fire, you Zekes! ZAP! ZAP!"
"Jolie," her attractive mother reproves, "stop that and get out of there. You could break it!"
Her husband, Dominic laughs at the comment, "If a tiny seven-year-old girl can break Federation weaponry with her bare hands, we're in big trouble!"
"This ship was named after some British admiral from the 1700s of the old calendar, Dad?" asks Jean Michel, a history enthusiast, checking out an information panel along the wall.
"Yeah," Dominic answers his son, "Horatio Nelson was one of the best commanders in the British fleet. Without his leadership, Napoleon might not have been defeated."
Somehow, Jolie manages to swing the beam cannon by leaning her entire 18 kg of body weight onto it. Her family gapes in panic as they begin to realize that Jolie is about to topple the weapon.
The gun's and girl's topple are arrested, however, by the intervention of the arms of a young crewman. The name tag on his uniform jacket indicates him as "Ensign L. Kobayashi."
"You need to be more careful, kid," Ensign Kobayashi says in a friendly tone, "These weapons aren't toys. I should know...I lived on a warship like this for months back when I was your age."
Ensign Kobayashi rights the beam cannon and takes Jolie back to her family.
"Sorry about that," Dominic apologizes.
"Don't worry about it," Ensign Kobayashi says, "but it's best to appreciate these things from a safe distance."
"You're right," Dominic says, "Jolie...you OK?"
"Yeah," Jolie says, "Sorry that I almost wrecked your gun."
"Not likely," Ensign Kobayashi smiles, "our weapons are built to take more damage than you can dish out. Here."
Ensign Kobayashi extracts a pair of brass Earth Federation Forces logo emblems and hands one each to Jean-Michel and Jolie, "Enjoy the rest of your visit."
Jolie stares proudly at the Federation Forces logo emblem in her tiny hand, and takes another look at the beam cannon.
Someday...
Jolie's mood becomes uncharacteristically somber and quiet until the sight of mobile suits being transported into the launch bays of the Nelson arouses her natural ebullience.
"Hey, look at that!" she points towards the massive armored forms being loaded onto the battle cruiser.
Jonah joined the Earth Federation Forces not knowing different mobile suit types from brands of athletic shoes, but several weeks of intense training under Kenta have mitigated his ignorance. Though far from an expert at identifying different models of mobile suits, Jonah knows enough now to recognize two of the war machines presently being docked aboard the Nelson as an RX-78NT-1 Gundam Alex (the name of which amuses Jonah), an ORX-005 CS Custom Gaplant painted a pinkish purple hue (that Jolie doesn't care for), an RGX-95C ReZEL Commander Type painted in regulation colors and outfitted with a Zeta-style beam rifle, and an MSZ-006A1 Zeta-Plus.
Jolie, far more of a mecha enthusiast than Jonah, folds her hands in front of her lips in absolute delight at the sight of the mobile suits.
Captain Kenta presently appears at the boarding portal of the Nelson, declaring, "All right. All of you get aboard and proceed immediately to the ship's conference room on Deck 6."
"Yes, sir," the cadets salute.
"In there!" Kenta barks at them.
The cadets sprint aboard the ship and follow illuminated arrows to the conference room on Deck 6.
Grace suddenly pipes up, "Sir! Request permission to visit the head!"
"All right," Kenta assents, "but hurry your ass up and don't dawdle in there!"
"Yes, sir!" Grace replies, opening the door to the women's head.
Grace proceeds to the nearest sink, standing in front of the mirror and opening her mouth and examining her tongue, which has tasted...weird since the previous evening. It isn't green or any other strange color…''
Red, comes the impression, as Grace swivels her head to the right and finds standing at the adjacent sink, looking pale and slightly sickly, the redhead she encountered briefly not long ago. "Erisia," Grace remembers her being called.
"What do you want?" Eri glares at Grace, who called her 'perfect.' Grace looks different from when Eri first met her, though. Her raven hair isn't tied up and she has her uniform top hanging around the belt, revealing a black sleeveless top and arm guards. Her lips bear the expression of a cheshire cat smile. Though her dad filled her in on Grace's condition and her history, Eri is still wary of her.
"I just want to talk. You fascinate me to the point of curiosity." Grace replies simply.
"No, thanks. Please, move" Eri frowns, trying to go around her, only to be blocked by Grace.
"No," she replies, "It won't take long and I promise not to bother you for a while, I swear on my soul."
"Why do you care?" Eri asks harshly.
Grace blinks as if confused, "Is there a reason not to?"
Eri stares at her, wondering just what the hell makes her so interesting to begin with. It's a little odd for someone so broken to act like this. Eri can't tell what Grace is even thinking right now.
Yet Eri feels compelled to learn one thing.
"Why did you come back?" Erisia asks without thinking, "Why not go back to sleep?"
Grace seems surprised about the question, but she doesn't seem put off by it. In fact, she actually considers the question.
Then Grace frowns, "I didn't want to come back… I wanted to remain dead. But, he was persistent in making me come back, so here I am. Alexandria doesn't get that choice, either."
Then Grace smiles, causing Eri to shiver a little as she adds, "Honestly? It's far too late for him or anyone else to help me. I never wanted to be redeemed cause that's all I ever did. It was never enough either way. I'm still gonna be a filthy sinner and no amount of holy water will change that! I just learn to accept it."
Eri merely stares at her, emotions conflicting at Grace's resolve. She really is broken - broken beyond repair. Notwithstanding, Grace accepts being broken and just wants to be left alone. But she's broken for the wrong reason. Maybe that's what bugs her about Grace - what's screaming for help.
Now she stares at Eri, "So, what sins are you running away from?"
At that moment, one of the latrine stalls open and a second redhead, identical to Erisia, only taller, steps out, staring curiously at Grace.
Erisia indicates her sister with a casual flick of her head, "I guess her being present will make the explanation easier."
"Hello Erisia," the taller redhead says to the shorter, "Making a new friend?"
"I'd hardly call her a 'friends,'" she grumbles, "but your being here makes it easier to explain my disdain for the word perfect."
Grace tilts her head in a curious notion as she glances between the redhead girls. They are quite similar, and yet different
"Big sister?" Grace surmises.
Scarlet tries her best to suppress the giggles when she notices the way Erisia's expression has gone blank. "That's just God's way of punishing me for being a rotten bitch back then I suppose," she sighs.
"We're actually identical twins," Scarlet replies with a giggle.
Grace frowns in confusion, "I don't see it."
"We're bioengineered clones," Erisia tells her, "I was deemed the superior product and given extra growth accelerants until I was physically 16... As a result, my growth has been stunted."
"We were created using genetic samples Ryusuke Kenta and Christina Mackenzie," Scarlet adds, "for this reason, they are biologically our parents."
Grace took a minute to process the information before smiling in pure happiness, "Two perfect spawns~!"
"YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT," Erisia screams as she pins Grace to the wall with surprising strength,"I TREATED EVERYONE LIKE GARBAGE AND BEHAVED LIKE A ROTTEN BITCH BECAUSE I'D BEEN MADE TO BELIEVE I WAS SUPERIOR! THAT I WAS PERFECT!"
"Of course I don't understand!" Grace growls, "That's the complete opposite situation I went through!"
"That's the one similarity between you," Scarlet points out, "You both bought into someone else's bull shit."
Grace gives a cruel laugh, "Hardly bullshit when you've live enough of it to believe it!"
Suddenly the taller of the two takes hold of Grace, a look in her eyes that burns with an all-consuming fire, and slams her against the wall. "THEN GROW A PAIR OF TITS, AND PROVE THEM WRONG!"
To accentuate the point, Erisia throws the door of the women's head open and the trio steps out into the corridor, where Kenta is waiting.
Grace merely shakes her head and gives her a sad smile as she files into the passageway, "Why? I already killed the person that made me like this. I only proved his point in the end, anyway. Why bother fixing that?"
"You're being a fool," Kenta says as he walks beside them, "I thought I told you that everything he ever said was a lie."
Grace's smile disappears, "You believed that was me? I merely gave her my memories that time. I didn't wake up till later that day."
Little lies. She was there, but not fully. Though, she had thought he had made up to get Alex to tell the tales. But if it is true, then her resolve when she killed that monster meant nothing. If she is truthful, she'd say she has no reason to live without those lies; that they were apart of her being.
Grace Sullen wouldn't exist without those lies.
Grace starts laughing now. A tragic, bitter, ironic laugh that carries pain in its sound.
Startled and very much concerned, the twins let go of her. They don't know what to make of this unsettling scene. They just know she is really badly broken.
"If that is the case," Grace gets out between laughs, "then what am I without those lies?"
"A victim," is Kenta's sole reply.
The laughter slows to a sigh as she stares at him, soberly, "How's that any different than telling me I kill a monster for nothing? You think I'll ever forgive myself for doing that much for myself?"
"It was gonna happen either way," he tells her, "If you didn't, I would have."
"You're free from what he said and did," he says before a more devilish grin appears, "and the only reason you don't accept it is because it's uncharted territory."
"So says the devil that dragged me back to a church for the first time in fifteen years, which I will get back at you for." Grace mutters, unamused,"Unfortunately, I'm kinda stuck with the other one right now. I have no choice but to get dragged along by her at this point. Anything has to be more fun than memorizing a Bible when you can't really read!"
Grace yawns as she walks away, "Gotta get back before she wakes up. Doesn't know I woke up early. Later."
"Wait," Eri calls out, causing Grace to look back, "Why do you call me 'perfect?' At least answer me that."
Grace blinks at Eri, contemplating whether to share her opinion or leave her hanging. She's tired, though. Besides, she'll most likely bug Alexandria about it. She doesn't need more trouble.
"It's not just you, ya know, " Grace begins in a distant tone, surprising the three, "Your sister, mother, and father…all four of you are the most cute-as-fuck, perfectly normal family."
"That's it?!" Eri asks, confused.
"Well, the closest thing I had to a mother was Sister Margaret. So, yes, that's it." Grace admits, before continuing down the hall, "Just a normal little family…"
"You have strange definition of the word normal," Ryusuke says as she passes him.
"Well, nobody's perfect," she says with a smile, "So, you're perfectly normal to me."
The image of the black demon returns as he says, "I haven't been normal since my family died in January of 0079."
Grace pauses again before continuing with a sigh. The words leave her lips before she can stop herself.
"Psalm 71:20-21."
Both surprise and mild shock hit him, causing the black demon to dissipate. He turns watching the girl he'd try to save walk back to the conference room. He is unable to discern if she is actually being sympathetic or carries an ulterior motive. He doubts the latter as she sounds sincere about the verse.
It is a small miracle coming from such a lost black sheep.
A small smile graces his lips before he responds, "Matthew 5:4!"
Grace pauses at the corner, recalling the verse. She feels her anger rise as tears welled in her eyes before continuing on. She doesn't have time to deal with this.
"Way to kill the mood," she mutters angrily before hitting the wall as she passes through the ship.
Captain Faith "Skoo" Koo, aboard her RGZ-95C ReZEL Commander (Defenser A Type), welcomes a second, standard RGZ-95C ReZEL Commander (standard type) pulling into formation with her squad.
"1Lt. Maruya," Captain Koo announces to her adjutant, 1Lt. Rika Maruya, who is piloting a third, standard ReZEL, "this is Captain Athena Ibaz of Centurion Team. She will be assisting us with active support as we escort the Nelson to Luna 2 in lieu of 2Lt. Scarlet, who is on family-related leave."
"Captain Ibaz," Rika acknowledges, "You're the one who recovered the Centurion Gundam, aren't you? The one who made monkeys out of the ZTF like a year or two ago?"
"So it's said," Athena replies, her coy tone belying the terse reply.
Skoo notices that Athena's mobile suit is outfitted with an extra suite of sensors and recording devices, nonstandard for a combat-oriented ReZEL Commander unit, "Planning to do a little birdwatching, Captain Ibaz?"
Athena explains, "I requested 1Lt. Duran to equip my unit with extra surveillance gear. No telling whom or what we might run into out there, but I want to make sure High Command and the Intel Corps get a good view of whatever it is."
This one definitely thinks ahead, Skoo reflects.
The cadets are assembled in one of the larger conference rooms aboard the Nelson, as the ship lacks a lounge area large enough to accommodate them for the two-hour duration of the journey from Side 7 to Luna 2.
The cadets all notice the presence of four vending machines in the conference room, stocked with nearly every snack item available. Such machines are not uncommon on Earth Federation Forces' bases and aboard combat vessels, but usually in galley/mess areas. The cadets find it odd that the conference room is equipped with such machines.
Signs, hastily made on ordinary paper and written in black permanent marker, are taped onto the vending machines: "WELCOME CADETS. PLEASE HELP YOURSELVES. YOU WILL NEED YOUR ENERGY TODAY. ALL ITEMS ARE HALF OFF!"
Jolie eyes the items in the vending machines, "Wow...they even have...Macadamia nuts from Hawaii?! Holy shit! That stuff is supposed to be expensive!"
Jolie inserts a few coins into the vending machine. A small can of Macadamia nuts falls out of the dispensary. Jolie opens the can and distributes the nuts among her teammates even as she collects more of their pocket change and amasses multiple bags of other nuts, chips, pretzels, and chocolate bars, depositing the pile on the middle of the conference table.
"CAPTAIN IN THE ROOM!" a voice booms from outside the conference room. A yeoman junior officer enters the room before a pleasant-looking, bespectacled blonde woman in an Earth Federation Space Fleet uniform, evidently the commanding officer of the vessel, follows after him.
"Welcome aboard," the blonde, bespectacled officer says warmly, "I'm Captain Jill Angles of the EFSF Nelson. My orders are to transfer you cadets to Luna 2, and I assure you that we will deliver you safely to the port of call. This is not a mere personnel transport matter, however. If that were the case, all of you would have been sent to Luna 2 aboard a shuttlecraft. During this morning's journey to Luna 2, you will take part in training exercises alongside veteran members of my crew. We will be underway at precisely 05:30, so stand by, cadets."
Jolie, taking a liking to the Nelson's commanding officer, tosses her bag of pretzels recently liberated from the vending machine, "From us to you, Captain."
Jill deftly catches the incoming bag of pretzels, "Thank you, Cadet…?"
"Minh," Jolie answers.
Jolie and Jonah are led to two gun turrets located atop the forward section of the Nelson.
Jolie approaches the turret to which she is assigned...the very same turret she had sat in as a child eight years earlier.
An officer is present cleaning the gun. Jolie gets a familiar vibe from him, and as soon as he turns, her eyes confirm what she had already sensed.
"Hey...I know you!" Jolie says, "You're Ensign Kobayashi!"
"That's Lieutenant Junior Grade Kobayashi to you, Cadet," the officer turns to her, "Hey, wait a minute...don't I know you from somewhere?"
"I'm Jolie Minh!" Jolie answers excitedly, realizing the name might not mean anything to Kobayashi, "I came here when I was little!"
"That's right," the curly-topped lieutenant grins at the memory, "You were the kid who almost knocked this gun over...that was, damn, like ten years ago?"
"Eight," Jolie says, and then pulls Jonah over, "Jonah, this is Ensi...I mean, Lt. Kobayashi! The one I mentioned when I told you about my visit to this ship when I was a kid!"
Letz shakes hands with Jonah and says, "You two are assigned to the forward gun turrets. It's a surprise seeing you here again...as a cadet, no less! How's your family?"
Jolie's sudden silence is all Letz needs to know that it was the wrong question to ask, "I'm sorry. It's something that too many have had to go through the past twenty years. I was in the same boat, but I still have an adoptive mother living here at Side 7. I hope to visit her during our return voyage."
"Adoptive mom?" Jolie says quizzically.
Letz nods, "She's a nun at the Order of Saint Monica's Side 7 convent."
Jolie makes some connections in her head, "Wait...you...you're Sister Frau's adopted son, aren't you?!"
Letz nods again, "That's right. I was on the White Base when we all evacuated during the One Year War."
"Oh, wow," Jolie says, suddenly excited, "Then you knew Amuro Ray, didn't you?!"
Letz smiles, "Who could ever forget Amuro?"
"He saved me after...after my family was killed," Jolie tells Letz, causing Jonah to shudder imperceptibly, "I…"
"Jolie," Jonah interjects, putting a hand on top of her head, "Lieutenant Kobayashi has his duties, and so do we. You can catch up with him later."
"He's right," Letz says, "First, I need to get you two familiar with these beam cannon."
At 05:30, the Nelson launches from Side 7. Gravity control is switched off aboard the ship, and personnel not strapped into duty stations float in the Zero-G conditions.
"Nelson presently departing Side 7," Captain Angles announces on shipwide PA, "Destination: Luna 2. ETA is 07:30."
Nearby, a mobile pod registered with United Colony News shadows the Nelson, with the knowledge and permission of Captain Angles and at the personal request of no less than General Bright Noa himself.
The news pod is occupied by three men...the pilot, One Year War-veteran Vince Stringfellow, veteran war correspondent Ken Cheng, and his longtime cameraman Jacob Matthews.
"So tell me why we're chasing this Federation battlecruiser at an ungodly hour of the morning?" Jake asks, balancing his camera over his shoulder, capturing footage of the warship plying its way towards Luna 2, "I was in the middle of making the most epic hero sandwich in the history of mankind when you dragged my ass out here."
"I got word from General Bright Noa himself that if we came out here, we'd might be on to a huge scoop," Ken tells his cameraman, "Though he didn't really elaborate beyond that. He just said we should keep our eyes and ears open."
"Great," Jake remarks wryly, "You know...I think I forgot to put the Miracle Whip back in the fridge before I left."
"General Noa will buy you a whole crate of it if we capture what he's looking for," Ken answers, "and there might be a Pulitzer in it for us."
"Can't argue with that," Jake answers, continuing to record footage of the Nelson, "Say...isn't that your lady's bird over there?"
Ken nods, "Skoo is flying escort for the Nelson, which means this must be a big deal. They wouldn't deploy her for something routine."
"OK, now I'm worried," Jake replies, "because that means they're expecting trouble."
Two klicks away, Athena glances somewhat worriedly at the UCN news pod. It was her suggestion that persuaded General Noa to send a news crew to cover whatever might occur during the passage between Side 7 and Luna 2. Did she have the right, however, to risk the lives of two civilian journalists and their pilot? The thought unsettles her, though she gives no indication of her unease.
As if reading Athena's thoughts, Skoo says, "That's my dude, Ken Cheng and his cameraman, Jake Matthews, in that UCN pod."
"I know," Athena acknowledges, "General Noa asked them to document the training exercises."
"Is that it?" Skoo probes.
"It's all I can discuss," Athena answers tersely.
On the bridge of the Nelson, Ensign Cato Borgnine shows Cadet Alexander Black how the main forward cannon of the ship operates.
The Ensign tells Alexandria gravely, "The Nelson's main forward cannon might seem a little primitive compared to what newer ships are outfitted with, but it still packs quite a wallop if you know what you're doing with it."
"I hope this gun swivels," Alexandria bites her lip dubiously, "or its field of fire is going to be dangerously limited."
Borgnine chuckles, "Earlier models of Federation space warships had that problem, but don't worry: the Nelson is very much modernized in that aspect."
Alexandria studies the cannon trigger mechanism. Nothing too difficult, it seems...not that they're likely to encounter any trouble during the short passage to Luna 2 anyway…
Seated in the captain's seat just a few meters away, Captain Jill Angles is on the coms with the pilots of two Jegans that Luna 2 has deployed to greet and escort the Nelson. The pilots, Chief Warrant Officer Fabian Cernovich and Chief Warrant Officer Vicki Guo, acknowledge that they will be making contact with the Nelson in precisely ten minutes.
"We're entering a heavy Minovsky Particle zone, Captain," one of the bridge techs reports, "We're blind across the electromagnetic spectrum for the next nine minutes, ma'am.'
"Acknowledged, sparks, thank you," Captain Angles answers, turning her attention to another screen that indicates that Captain Kenta's cadets are distributed at duty stations across the ship.
Captain Angles makes an announcement through shipwide PA, "This is Captain Angles. Everybody stand by at all combat stations. We're entering a Minovsky zone."
Space as far as the eye can see appears still and serene, the blue spherical mass of Earth looming in the distance on the port side of the ship, and the stars light years away on the aptly-named starboard. In a world wherein Minovsky Particles have rendered useless the various devices humanity has developed to use the electromagnetic spectrum to see beyond its eyes, the crew of the Nelson reverts to using the same navigation methods that their ancient ancestors used in centuries past.
Captain Angles opens the coms to the Luna 2 escort Jegans, "Captain Angles from the Nelson to Chief Warrant Officers Cernovich and Guo...acknowledge. Do you copy? This is the Nelson hailing Luna 2 Jegan Patrol. Acknowledge."
Maddening silence. Perhaps the Minovsky Particle interference?
Two faint green lights become visible in the distance. The Jegans' monoeyes, undoubtedly, approaching the Nelson from the twelve o'clock position.
At her place at the main cannon, Alexandria places her hands on the firing mechanism.
The green monoeyes of the Jegans approach closer.
Captain Angles studies their approach carefully, Something is odd about the way that they're moving...like they're…
The Jegans finally become visible, their cockpits penetrated from behind, by the hands of Rick Dias mobile suits that hold the Jegans in front of themselves like shields!
"BATTLE STATIONS!" Captain Jill roars, whipping off her glasses.
The pair of Rick Diases take aim at the bridge of the Nelson, but before they can open fire, they are skeeted out of space by the beam gunfire from Skoo's, Athena's, and Rika's ReZELs!
The three Raptor Team mobile suits form a tight defensive formation around the Nelson. More beam fire erupts from the distance, with two shots striking the Nelson, rocking the ship.
"Where's that fire coming from?!" Skoo demands.
Athena replies, "I've got visuals on two...no, make that three...six..."
A swarm of Rick Dias mobile suits soon amasses within visible range around the four Raptor ReZELs and the Nelson. Athena loses count, but a quick glance is enough to confirm that the numbers are far in excess of a dozen, with more arriving.
"Captain Ibaz," Jill says into the coms, "Looks like your hunch was on the money. Hope your exit strategy is just as on target."
Athena sends a coded signal, received by those equipped to decode as coordinates and "CENTURIONS, STRIKE!"
The first two beam bolts to strike the Nelson were powerful enough to knock Jolie and Jonah into each other's arms and into a corridor wall. The two young cadets grab lift-grips built into the wall to stabilize themselves.
Captain Angles' voice comes through the PA as red alert lights flash, "Attention all units, this is Captain Jillian Angles! This is not a drill! We are under attack! I repeat, the Nelson is under attack! I want all MS deployed and every able-bodied crew member in a turret immediately! Cadets, it's time to sink or swim! You're in the crucible now, so let's see what you're made of!"
"Shit!" Jolie growls, letting the lift-grip pull her towards the mobile suit deck.
"Jolie! WAIT!" Jonah calls out, too slow to pursue his impulsive girlfriend.
Jolie enters the MS deck and floats across its expanse towards the open cockpit of the Gundam Alex.
Her Newtype senses detect and interloper approaching rapidly from the right side, and Jolie has just enough time to raise her right arm to block the right boot of Lt. Col. Christina Mackenzie's normalsuit from slamming her on the side of her head.
The impact is enough to cause Jolie to careen out of control across the expanse of the MS launch deck, until she is caught by the scruff of her normalsuit by Captain Ryusuke Kenta.
The furious, helmeted visage of Lt. Col. Christina Mackenzie startles Jolie as the veteran demands, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE, MINH?!"
"Um…" is all Jolie can manage before Kenta cuts her off, "Get back to your gunnery station, kid...you aren't ready."
With that, Kenta hurls Jolie back towards the corridor to the main decks before descending into the cockpit of his Waverider-configuration Zeta-Plus.
"We're going to have a talk about this later," Christina tells Jolie acidly as she straps herself into the cockpit seat of the Gundam Alex and the cockpit hatch closes.
"Get to your duty station, Minh," Kenta adds as the canopy closes over the cockpit of the Zeta-Plus.
"DAMN IT!" Jolie screams, pounding her gloved fist against the corridor wall.
In the opposite hangar bay, Erisia and Scarlet are already moving to deploy as well.
"You still fly that old eggplant," Scarlet says jokingly to her twin as she settles into the cockpit of her ReZEL.
Eri, who has just finished strapping into her custom Gaplant, replies, "That's Gaplant Custom, and I'm not a part of the military anymore. The Federation was kind enough to let me keep it, but don't worry: I've had it fitted with a Biosensor, so it's more than capable of keeping pace."
So saying, Erisia eyes the indicator on the screen of her Gaplant Custom's combat computer. Engine power is at 80% and building. Fifteen seconds to launch.
Adjacent to the Gaplant Custom, Scarlet's ReZEL Commander Type is already being lifted to the launch catapult, the engines standing by at 110% power.
"2 Lt. Scarlet here, ready to deploy."
"Copy that, 2Lt. Scarlet. You are clear for deployment, good hunting," comes the response from the mission operator.
With a hydraulic hiss and Minvosky particle-powered engine roar, Scarlet's ReZEL rockets out of the Nelson's internal launch bayinto space, transforming into Waverider mode once she is clear of the ship.
Her sister's mobile suit having cleared the area, Erisia steps her Gaplant up to the launch catapult. The last time she deployed in combat, her name had been Erisia Nocton... but she's not quite ready to use her parents' names either. She closes her eyes and takes a breath.
"Erisia, ready to deploy," she says as her eyes snap back open, a fierce determination in them.
"You are cleared for deployment," the mission operator replies, "Good hunting Miss."
Raptor Leader, Captain Skoo Koo, is dusting off two Rick Dias with blasts from her ReZEL's beam rifle. A third seemingly is about to get the drop on her to blast her ReZEL. Skoo knows it. Her instincts and senses detected it seconds before the sensory instruments of her mobile suit did, but she is unconcerned...focused on the targets in front rather than the interloper in back, because Raptor Three, a position temporarily occupied by Captain Athena Ibaz, reduces the interloper to scrap with a clean shot from her ReZEL's beam rifle!
"Good shot, Captain Ibaz," Skoo says admiringly, "Thanks for the assisting."
"More incoming," Athena answers by way of acknowledgement.
"How about some reinforcements of our own?" Skoo asks.
"Already on the way," Athena answers, "Hang in there another minute…"
Erisia has to admit, Scarlet is a force to be reckoned with in battle. It's only been two minutes since they deployed and her twin sister has already downed seven enemies while she has only downed four! Guess it shows how much those fools who ran the Titans' R&D Department back in the day really knew.
She quickly jabs her shield into the torso of one Rick Dias, impaling it before she brought her beam saber to bear and impaled the head, vaporizing the cockpit. Back in the day, this would have been nothing to her, but now, alarmingly, Erisia is struggling to keep pace.
"Don't worry," Scarlet reassures her sister, "This is your first combat sortie since the Gryps conflict... you're just a little rusty is all."
"Well, you've proven those scientists were idiots to think you wouldn't be an effective soldier," Erisia replies as she destroys two enemies with a single blast from her twin beam cannon, "because you are outright dancing circles all over these guys."
Lts. (JG) Letz Kobayashi and Hector Rowe man the forward gun turrets of the Nelson, giving it their literal best shot, but being of limited effectiveness because fixed gunsights are at an extreme disadvantage against fast-moving mobile suits.
"We're just wasting energy clips, Letz!" Lt. Rowe complains, "They're faster than we can track with our guns!"
"Just keep shooting, man!" Letz retorts, "Saturate the field with fire...keep them off-balance so they can't shoot at us! Hitting them is a bonus!"
"WATCH OUT!" Rowe suddenly cries out savagely!
The beam blast from an unseen Rick Dias blasts a breach in the hull of the Nelson near the gunnery stations. Self-repair adhesive balloons instantly deploy to seal the breach, but the shrapnel caused by the blast has already embedded itself painfully into the flesh of the gunnery officers.
Battered, bleeding, and barely conscious, Letz is able to reach an emergency comlink to summon help…
Fifty meters away, Jolie and Jonah hear the emergency call from Lt. (JG) Kobayashi.
"JONAH!" Jolie calls back as she breaks into a spring towards the starboard gunnery station, "They need help!"
"Wait!" Jonah cautions, though he runs with her, "Shouldn't we let the Emergency Response Team…?!"
"NO TIME!" Jolie retorts, "They're on the aft part of the ship! It'll take them a few minutes to get here! If we don't act fast, that gunnery crew is gonna die!"
Jolie finishes as she and Jonah come up at the gunnery station. She presses the door control button frantically, but the doors fail to slide open. Applying all their strength, Jolie and Jonah pry the door open with their bare hands, and find Lts. Kobayashi and Rowe awash in their own blood and debris on the floor, a fire burning dangerously nearby.
"Jonah!" Jolie cries out, "The fire extinguisher!"
"On it!" Jonah replies, liberating the extinguisher from its storage nacelle and turning it on the flames.
"Automatic sprinkler system must have been taken out by the hit," Jolie remarks as she attends to Lt. Kobayashi.
"Lieutenant….Letz! Hey, stay with me, man!" Jolie says, slapping the veteran officer gently on the cheeks.
Letz awakens, "D-don't worry. N-not as bad as it looks. Lt. Rowe…!"
"I'll get him," Jolie answers as Letz rises to his feet, affirming that he is not as badly wounded as he initially seemed.
Jolie drags the still-unconscious Lt. (JG) Rowe away from where he is collapsed near his gunnery station. Unlike the more fortunate Lt. (JG) Kobayashi, Rowe is severely wounded...shrapnel buried in his torso and not breathing.
Jolie listens for a heartbeat and administers CPR that Kenta had taught the entire cadet squad the previous week. After ninety nerve-wracking seconds, Rowe stirs and begins to groan in pain.
"Stay down, Hector," Letz tells Rowe, "ERT is almost here and will get you down to sick bay. You're going to be OK."
"What about you?" Jolie asks Letz.
"Doing better than Hector," Letz answers, "but my arm is busted. Not going to be able to operate the gun, assuming it still works."
"We'll handle that, sir," Jonah says, holding the now-depleted fire extinguisher, "I got the fire out, and the guns seem to be working."
The ERTs arrive and begin administering aid to the groaning Lt. Rowe. Jolie attempts to assist, but one of the ERT tells her, "We've got it covered here! You do your job!"
Letz points with the index finger of his uninjured hand at his gunnery station, "Counting on you kids."
As Letz leaves for sick bay with Lt. Rowe and the ERTs, Jolie and Jonah strap themselves into the starboard gunnery stations...Jolie on the left (Letz's gun) and Jonah on the right (Rowe's).
"Damn it," Jolie says, "That hit fucked up the sensors! They aren't picking up anything!"
"Remember what I said before," Jonah answers, "Use 'other eyes'!"
Their minds link...with each other...with the environment around them. Suddenly, they both...see local space as clear as day, but in a manner that has absolutely nothing to do with their corneas or optic nerves.
Jolie "sees" the image of three Rick Dias bearing down upon Lt. Col. Christina Mackenzie's Gundam Alex. Jolie figures that Christina can handle two at the time, but the third is giving her problems.
Jolie directs the dual beam cannon towards the Rick Dias, critically damaging it with a series of blasts, and leaving Christina free to dispatch the other two.
Another Rick Dias bears down upon the the Nelson; Jolie and Jonah catch it in their crossfire and blast it to oblivion.
UCN mobile pod pilot Vince Stringfellow, a retired Ball pilot from the One Year War who has worked with UCN since 0081, puts a safe distance between his pod and the center of the battle raging between the Nelson and the unexpected interlopers, but still close enough for war correspondent Ken Cheng and camera operator Jake Matthews to document the battle for UCN.
"Look at that!" Jake says as he shoots footage of the battle swirling around the Nelson, "this is a full-on firefight!"
"Start transmitting now, Jake," Ken says, readying his microphone as Jake begins transmitting his camera's footage worldwide.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you are witnessing a battle between Side 7 and Luna 2 between the Earth Federation Space Forces cruiser Nelson and Rick Dias mobile suits whose affiliation is unknown, but possibly associated with the terrorists who attacked and destroyed two commercial space liners earlier this week...WHOA!"
Ken and Jake howl vociferously as a Rick Dias approaches too close for comfort before being chased away by Captain Koo's ReZEL Commander.
"Conditions out here are highly hazardous," Ken reports nervously, "but we'll continue sending back reports and footage even as we're trying to stay alive out here!"
More Rick Dias approach the UCN pod, prompting pilot Vince Stringfellow to remark, "I was a combat pilot long enough to know these aren't incidental passes; for whatever reason, these guys are out for us, too!"
Aboard her ReZEL Commander, Captain Koo comes to the same conclusion, "Raptors Two and Three, I need back up here."
"Copy, Raptor Leader," Athena's voice comes through the coms, "Wait...we have another incoming bogey...larger and faster than these Rick Diases."
"Run ID scan!" Skoo orders.
Athena's eyes widen in disbelief as the ID scan system aboard her ReZEL Commander displays the data, "MAN-03 BRAW BRO."
"Braw Bro?!" Skoo responds, fending off Rick Diases, "What the FUCK?!"
"Combat computer is doing a re-scan," Athena amends, "MA-08 BIG ZAM."
"Is it a Braw Bro or a Big Zam?!" Skoo demands.
"Neither and both!" Athena answers as she and Rika's ReZELs pursue a nightmare machine that appears to Skoo's eyes to be a Braw Bro body with Byg Zam legs.
"Oh, fucking shit!" Skoo mutters when she sees it, "Where the hell did these Zekes get THAT from?!"
Zekes? Athena isn't so sure, but who indeed has the resources to acquire one of these?
Athena lands what appears on trajectory to be a direct hit upon the Braw Bro with her ReZEL Commander Type's beam rifle, but the stream of charged particles disperses a meter off the shell of the Braw Bro with no detectable effect upon the mobile armor.
"It's protected by an I-Field, Captain Koo," Athena reports, "Our beam weapons aren't effective against it."
"Eat micro missile then!" Skoo snarls, unfurling a plethora of such projectiles from her ReZEL's back-mounted munition racks.
The Braw Bro extends its signature weapons, wireguided particle beam cannon, and rapidly vaporize most of Skoo's micro missiles. but a few get through and score some hits on the main body
The particle beam projectors snake forward towards Raptor Team's three ReZELs, forcing Skoo, Athena, and Rika to scatter for their lives. Only their superb piloting skills and the nimbleness of the ReZELs enable them to barely escape catastrophe.
Skoo lays down four more micro missiles, only one of which connects and appears to score negligible damage.
"Hey, I'm going need you two to distract those particle beam projectors if I'm going to target the main body," Skoo says grittily, "You two handle it for me."
"Copy that," Athena and Rika respond as Raptor Two and Raptor Three.
Athena fires a grenade at the one of the particle beam projector, causing the weapon to snake towards her withdrawing ReZEL. From the opposite end of the Braw Bro, Rika mirrors Athena's action, provoking a similar response.
The particle beam projector occupied with her two charges, Skoo moves in on the main body of the Braw Bro, which proves a tough nut to crack with its own particle beam projectors and heavy missiles mounted on the feet of its legs.
In the UCN news pod, Jake Matthews collects and broadcasts more footage of the Nelson crew and its MS escort fighting back fiercely against its attackers. The forward beam cannon blisters of the ship chop viciously through multiple Rick Dias that approach within their firing arc, and what the guns do not strike are felled by the Gundam Alex, which impales another Rick Dias on its beam saber.
In the other passenger seat, Ken Cheng continues to feverishly report the action, "The mobile suits attacking the Nelson, according to our mobile pod pilot Vince Stringfellow, a veteran of the One Year War, is an RMS-099 Rick Dias type, deployed by the AEUG forces during the Gryps Conflict. Additionally, a Zeon MAN-03 mobile armor has appeared on the scene and is engaging the Raptor Team of the Londo Bell Special Forces. From this information, it's impossible and would be irresponsible for us to speculate on the identity of this group, though we can reasonably conclude that whoever they might be, they are well-funded and well-equipped."
Ken is momentarily interrupted by Vince, who makes some inaudible remark before Ken returns to the microphone to add, "Vince has just informed me that the Braw Bro mobile armor is somewhat modified from the model that the Federation Forces encountered during the One Year War...equipped with leg-like appendages similar to that of the Byg Zam, which those of you in the audience old enough to remember the One Year War might recall as the mobile armor piloted by Prince Dozle Zabi of the Archduchy of Zeon at the Battle of Solomon. Vince also tells me that this Braw Bro is equipped with something called an I-Field. I won't get into the technical details of it, which I hardly understand myself, but it's effectively a kind of energy field that deflects beam weapon shots, making this situation extremely perilous for the Federation pilots! Jake...can we get a clear shot of the Braw Bro?"
"'Fraid not, Ken," Jake replies, "At least not until we put some more distance between ourselves and that ratrace."
"The man's right," Vince concurs, "I'm going to swing us out a bit farther."
The UCN pod maneuvers outside the what appears to be the perimeter of the firefight, though Vince and his two passengers are rightfully wary that they could be targeted again or simply in the line of fire at any moment. Presently, though, Jake is able to get decent, though long-distance footage of the mobile suits and lone mobile armor embroiled in the battle.
"Yeah, definitely a Braw Bro with legs," Jake remarks, "Legs are probably armed, or why else have 'em? Not like it's going to do much walking or running."
Ken nods and again speaks into his broadcasting microphone, "Again, I must emphasize that the identity of these attackers is unknown, and until sufficient evidence emerges to certify their identity, UCN and its affiliates will not jump to conclusions. As you have all seen on your television devices, however, this enemy clearly has no regard for the rules of war, actively attacking even a journalist spacecraft."
Captain Jill Angles takes in the whole of the swirling combat...the Raptor Team trying to avoid being destroyed by the snaking particle beam cannon of the Braw Bro, Captain Kenta and Lt. Col. Mackenzie attempting to fend off the Rick Dias mobile suits that surround the Nelson, and the recruits aboard the ship skeeting with their beam cannon at the enemy targets that elude Kenta and Kenzie.
"YEAH!" Jolie exults, pumping a fist above her, "Eighth one I got! Woo-hoo!"
"Stay focused," Jonah warns, "This isn't a game, Jolie!"
For his part, Jonah nervously reflects that each mobile suit they shoot down contains at least one human life, and unlike Jolie, who has almost jubilantly shot down eight, Jonah hasn't scored a hit on a single Rick Dias...and he's not sure if it's because he can't...or if he doesn't want to.
"Shit, Boyo," Jolie says with some dismay, "As many as we shoot down, more keep coming! Do they grow these on trees or something?"
We? Jonah thinks to himself, I haven't hit a thing!
Jolie picks up Jonah's thought, but before she can respond, more Rick Diases appear.
Jolie keeps gunning at the Rick Diases, skeeting at them with gusto, but the numbers are beginning to work against her...especially as Jonah seemingly would miss Jupiter from point blank range at the moment.
A Rick Dias bears down upon the gun blister before Jolie can swing the cannon to aim at it, but the enemy MS abruptly explodes, stricken by a tremendous impact.
And then another...and another...and another in rapid succession.
Earth Federation Forces mobile suits, gun-metal gray in armor color, streak past, armed with 180mm rifle cannon whose high-velocity armor piercing rounds quickly liquidate the enemy Rick Diases.
"Those are…?" Jonah begins.
"Centurion Team!" Jolie grins, "They must be Centurion Team MS!"
And with the Centurions' arrival, the erstwhile predators suddenly find themselves being hunted, savaged by the Centurion Team's heavily armed RGM-94J Javelins.
Athena's ReZEL Commander Type fires a precisely aimed shot that severs the cable connecting the Braw Bro's starboard particle beam projector to the mobile armor's main body. Separated from its command and control unit, the weapon begins to flail and misfire.
Athena finishes the projector itself with another shot from the ReZEL's beam rifle. She then joins Rika to help her teammate finish off the port side projector.
Meanwhile, Skoo continues to target the main body of the Braw Bro with her ReZEL Commander's micro-missiles. The I-Field begins to flicker and weaken as a few of Skoo's missiles hit home on the Braw Bro's I-Field projectors, just as Centurion Team's Javelins, having broken through the line of Rick Diases, arrive on the scene.
"You ladies call for backup," comes the arch British lilt of Centurion Team's Chief Warrant Officer Geoffe Sutcliffe, "Wellington at your service!"
"Shut up and assume the position," retorts Chief Warrant Officer Karyn Luna - Koa.
"You guys seen the Godfather?" Chief Warrant Officer Anna Horowitz interjects, "There was a great scene kind of like this."
"Centurions," Chief Petty Officer Lucien Ashworth, Centurion Team's ECOAS liaison, supervising the team's use of the Stealth Javelins, cuts in as he takes aim at the Braw Bro/Byg Zam hybrid, "just bring our shit back in one piece, if you don't mind. They're expensive hardware, and the High Command will be on MY ass if we don't bring them home in reasonably good condition."
As a unit, the Centurion Team's Javelins swivel their 180mm rifle cannon upon the Braw Bro and saturate the weakened mobile armor with their firestorm, indeed as Anna characterized, almost like a 1930s Chicago gang performing a hit on an automobile bearing an enemy don.
After a minute of such pounding, supplemented by beam rifle fire from Athena's and Rika's ReZELs, which have dispatched the port side particle beam projector, the Braw Brow explodes...momentarily a miniature star.
Jill contacts the mobile suit pilots, "Mop up the remaining enemy mobile suit units!"
Captain Kenta and Lt. Col. Mackenzie join with Centurion Team and Raptor Team to destroy or chase away the few remaining Rick Dias mobile suits.
Using her precision shooting skills, Athena strikes one fleeing Rick Dias in a manner the disables its main and maneuvering thrusters and paralyzes the mobile suit's internal movement system.
"Looks like we have a POW," Lt. Col. Mackenzie reports to Captain Angles.
"Roger that," Jill affirms, "but the Rick Dias might be boobytrapped, so we'll tow it in and have the authorities at Luna 2 examine it."
"YES!" Jolie exults, pumping both fists into the air, laughing, "That was BADASS!"
Jonah, at his gunnery station, undoes his collar, wipes sweat off his brow and exhales.
"Hey...you OK?" Jolie asks, suddenly concerned.
Jonah does not answer, staring vacantly ahead, seeming dazed and confused.
Jolie hops out of her gunnery station to check on Jonah when they hear Captain Angles' voice coming over the PA, "Red alert is over. All personnel return to regular duty stations, but maintain yellow alert status. CADET MINH: report to the bridge immediately!"
"Shit," Jolie groans, "She sounded kinda mad."
Jolie doffs the normalsuit and is back in her pink and white cadet uniform as she approaches the door to the bridge of the Nelson, sans Jonah, who wants to go to the bridge with Jolie to offer moral support, but is ordered back to his duty station or be judged AWOL.
Jolie knocks on the armored door, which slides open to admit her.
Among the officers on the bridge, Jolie recognizes only Captain Jill Angles, Captain Ryusuke Kenta, and Lt. Col. Christina Mackenzie. Alexandria has since been dismissed back to her duty station belowdecks, and the other sundry bridge officers are unknown to Jolie.
Jolie steps forward among the senior officers and salutes, "Cadet Minh reporting, ma'am, sir, ma'am."
Captain Angles rises from her command chair and fixes Jolie in a severe gaze, "You tried to hijack another pilot's mobile suit after going AWOL from your assigned post, Cadet Minh. Not only is that intolerable, but I remind you that you're still a recruit! Both officers here have the right to severely punish you, myself included as captain of the Nelson, but in light of your earlier kindness, and the valor you demonstrated in protecting the ship and its crew during the assault, I'm willing to be nice about this and give you a choice on who to receive your punishment from: Lt. Colonel McKenzie as the pilot you attempted to steal from, Captain Kenta as your drill instructor, or me as commanding officer of this vessel. Don't get me wrong, Cadet. I admire your guts and quick-thinking, but none of that justifies risking the lives of your comrades-at-arms just to do something heroically stupid. Therefore, I believe it will do you some good to take that ego of yours down a notch. I highly suggest you choose wisely, Cadet."
Jolie gulps, and then answers, "I'll accept my penalty from you as commanding officer of the Nelson, Captain Angles."
A number of scenarios begin running through Jolie's head: shot out the airlock without a normalsuit or helmet; hanged from the head-mounted sensory antenna of the Gundam Alex; guillotined at Luna 2, with her severed head displayed on a pike as a warning to other cadets; living target for Centurion Team's shooting practice; served as meat for a Skoo Special...
"Come with me to my office, Cadet Minh," Jill says sternly, leading the way.
"Been nice knowing you, kid," Kenta says plaintively as Jolie passes by behind Jill.
Jill unlocks the door to her office space… or what looks more like a mess as Jolie takes a look around for anything that might resemble an implement of death or torture. The earlier battle had caused papers, books, and various other things to scatter the ground. The captain gives out a long sigh at the sight.
"Typical," she muttered, before picking up a few papers, "Give me hand while I find what I need for your punishment, cadet."
"Yes, ma'am." Jolie nods before reaching for a tea cup, peeking around out of curiosity and for any hint of what form her punishment might take.
Jolie stares at the cup in her hand.
Poison hemlock? She wonders, remembering a story that Athena had told her during the journey from Industria Colony to Side 7 about the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates.
Jolie puts the cup down and shakes her head. Despite the mess, she finds many objects of interest in the captain's office. Requests for leave, daily reports, several books on topics such as gardening, art, crystals, and runes...whatever those are. Not exactly what Jolie was expecting in the office of a naval captain.
Jolie puts a book back on the shelf and turns her attention to a large display case with colorful rocks of all shapes and sizes. They are organized by color, making the whole display look like a glittering rainbow. It's oddly beautiful, mesmerizing the teenager.
"Something caught your eye, Minh?" Jill asks, glancing over before looking over some random paperwork.
"This is really pretty, captain, " Jolie comments about the display, momentarily forgetting her punishment, "but why do you have so many paperweights?"
Silence fills the office for a moment, making Jolie uncomfortable as she risks a peek at the Nelson's captain. Despite the ample illumination in the room, no light reflects in the Jill's brown eyes as she merely stares at Jolie, unamused from behind her glasses.
Jolie freezes and gulps. She makes the mistake of breaking eye contact, and her wide eyes land on was a small reverse metal star in a circle on the ground.
Jolie pales and wails, "Oh my God, she's going to sacrifice me to the Devil!"
"What did you just say, Cadet?" Jill asks in an annoyed tone that brings Jolie's ephemeral attention back to her.
"I…" Jolie begins, shaking, before screaming out in mortal terror "I'M SORRY! PLEASE, DON'T SACRIFICE ME!"
Another moment of silence passes as Jill stared at the terrified cadet, dumbfounded by what she just heard.
"What the fucking hell is going through your mind, cadet?! Are you malfunctioning on me or just plain crazy?!" Jill demands once she gets her thoughts together.
Jolie stiffens, "But… But, that star…"
Jill frowns as she looks over at the metal symbol on the floor and lets out a groan, "Oh, for the love of- That's a pentagram, Cadet! I'm a Wiccan!"
"What?" Jolie asked, now dumbfounded as she watches the captain affix the symbol back on the wall. The now rectified pentagram hangs over a cabinet that appears to have been used as an altar before the battle.
"So…" Jolie begins again, "You're not-"
"A devil-worshipping cultist who plans to sacrifice you to some demonic deity?" Jill finishes for her, "No. Hell no, I'm not! Given the state of my office, however, I can't really blame you for assuming it. Still, I am disappointed that you thought that way about me without asking about it."
Jolie feels guilty now. She had been so worked up in trying to figure out what her punishment would be that she made the kind captain hate her. She really does like the bespectacled woman.
Maybe I do need to be punished, Jolie thinks as she continues to clean, quietly. She bends down to carefully pick up a broken picture frame. Curious, she turns it over to face three familiar figures: a younger version of the bespectacled Captain smiling into the camera with both Lt. Colonel Mckenzie and Captain Kenta by her sides. Kenta is actually smiling proudly in the photo, something Jolie has rarely seen him do in the weeks that she's known him.
Jolie hesitates before glancing at the captain again. She wants to ask about the photo, but doesn't want to further anger the woman. Even so, Jolie can't help her growing curiosity, and a dilemma begins to grow in her head.
It certainly doesn't go unnoticed.
"Something on your mind, Cadet Minh?" Jill asks, startling Jolie.
She hesitates, "This picture…"
Jill looked up from her search, "Is it broken? If so, be careful not to cut yourself."
"Well, yes. But…" Jolie pauses, "How do you know Kenta?"
Jill pauses now before a small smile graces her face, "Sounds like you found my graduation picture."
"Captain?" Jolie asks, genuinely curious.
Jill shakes her head, "You are not the first person Captain Kenta has trained. Probably not his last, either. But, things started getting better the day an oddball cadet wandered into his forge. That much, I'll share."
Jolie makes a mental note to ask Kenta about it later. It's probably all she's going to get out of the young captain anyway. Jolie knows better than to push her luck on the matter, too. She's still in trouble.
Another few minutes agonizingly pass before the captain finds what has been looking for. She calls Jolie to her desk after putting away the books. Nervous, said cadet stands in front of the desk, awaiting further instruction. A pregnant pause follows before Jill speaks.
"All right, Cadet Minh, listen very carefully, " Jill begins as she gestures to a decent-sized meteorite chunk and a Sharpie, "You punishment is to write 'My Dignity' on this rock so that I may use it as a paperweight. You may come and collect this rock after you're done with your duties. Do I make myself clear, Cadet?"
"That's it?!" Jolie blurts out before catching the captain's warning glare, "I mean, yes, ma'am!"
Jolie takes the rock and scribbled the designated words on the rock. The captain grimaces when she sees the handwriting, if one can even call it that. It's chicken-scratch at best...barely more comprehensible than ancient Sumerian cuneiform or Egyptian hieroglyphics. Jill shakes her head, mildly as a thought lingers in the back of her mind. Now is not the time.
"Very good. I hope you enjoy the rest of your time here, cadet." Jill dismisses Jolie with a wave.
"Yes, ma'am!" Jolie replies and wastes no time hightailing it out of the office. She does, however take care not to break anything, to the captain's relief.
Jill sighs once the door is closed. As much as she wants to take a nap, there is work to be done. She surveys the mess before her: the poor cadet had at least made the mess a hair more manageable and she might as well finish picking up before her second set of guests arrives.
Jill is in the midst of fixing up the altar when she hears the knock on her office door. A smile graces the bespectacled woman's face as her expected guests enter.
"Lt. Colonel Mckenzie, Captain Kenta, " Jill greets the pair, "Welcome back."
"Good to see you as well, " Christina smiles, warmly as the door closes behind them, "but, I think we can all drop the formalities now."
"Agreed, " Jill grins, as she immediately hugs the pair, "It's been too damn long since I last saw you two!"
"Your office is still a wreck, though," Kenta notes.
"Comes with the territory of being a ship captain, Kenta, " Jill retorts with a smirk, "Even a mock battle will make a mess of this place. We got really lucky with that goddess of a mobile suit squad captain on our side. She plans ahead and thinks fast as her name suggests. That's a good combo to have in the pocket."
"But, we're not here to discuss that, are we?" Kenta asked.
"Not the main discussion, no, but, she is one of the things I'd like to get to today. Tea?" Jill offers, heading towards her electric kettle.
"I'll take some." Kenta nods as he makes his way towards the couch, "So, what punishment did you give her?"
Jill gives a wicked grin as she begins her recount of what happened in the office. When she gets to the part where Minh begged not to be sacrificed, Kenta can't help but laugh as he imagines the look on poor Jolie's face at the time. Christina is smiling a bit as well as she still believes the cadet deserve something similar in her opinion, but after Jill concludes the recount, the pair remains amused as Jill brings over two cups of sencha with jar of honey for her cup.
"So, where is your 'new paperweight', Jill?" Kenta grins as he accepts the cup.
"On my desk, " Jill replies, tasting her tea before reaching for the honey, "The next step is to 'lose' the Cadet's dignity that is now currently in my possession. Either you or Chris have the honor of doing the deed if you wish."
"I'll be happy to do the honors, " Christina volunteers eagerly "Just to be clear, though. You don't care what happens to it, right?"
"Technically, no. It's an ordinary earth rock, so it's not valuable or anything. However, Chris, you might want to see it for yourself before you get any more ideas about disposing it quickly," Jill advises as she hands the rock to Christina.
One look is all it takes before she smiles and lets out a short laugh, "Well, now. Perhaps, I will reconsider."
Curious, Kenta glances over and frowns at the horrible, chicken-scratched words of "My Dignuttee" on the rock.
"I'm surprised it's even legible." Kenta groans.
"Yeah, " Jill sighs, "It's almost as bad as what my brother's handwriting was… assuming it's gotten any better at this point, that is. I guess, it goes to show that she really does have a lack in her education."
There is a moment of silence as Kenta and Christina watches Jill stare aimlessly at the handwriting. They debate within themselves whether or not to say anything. However, Jill continues before Kenta can even speak, "Either way, I'll see if someone can't bring her up to speed on her schooling. She'll need to learn how to make proper reports. Regardless, the rock that binds her dignity to it is yours to do as you please, Chris."
Christina smiles, "You make it sound like you used a curse on it."
Jill thinks a moment before shrugging, "I suppose in a way. But, that kind of thing follows along the darker roots of Hoodoo and I don't like to dabble too much into that."
"Don't you mean Voodoo?" Christina asks, confused.
"Voodoo is a religion-based way of life born thru a time of persecution. Hoodoo is a craft that came from Africa and came way before Voodoo," Jill corrects, sipping her tea, "Honestly, though? Hoodoo is its own brand of weird when it comes to the craft as a whole. Trust me, you don't want to know."
The Federation officers take her word for it. Anything about magic Jill calls weird is bound to be pretty bad. Given, Jill is weird enough herself. They are used to her brand of weird, though.
"Well, I better have fun before we dock at Luna 2. Later," Christina stands, grabbing Jolie's dignity as she heads for the door.
"Have fun, Angel." Kenta calls after her.
When the door shuts to the office, he catches Jill smiling at him, "Okay, what's up with the smile?"
"You're happier now. Not by much, but definitely better." Jill comments, digging into her pouch for her runes, "Maybe, you did need someone to train again. A 'Robin' for your 'Batman.'"
"So, what? You think I found my calling or something?" Kenta asks, interested.
"Who can say," Jill replied, pulling out a blank rune stone from her pouch, "The universe works in strange ways. We can only heed its call when the time comes."
Shortly afterwards, Captain Angles receives the Chief Engineer's damage report in the aftermath of the skirmish, delivered to her office in person by the Chief Engineer himself.
"So, basically, the engine didn't sustain any damage from the battle?" Captain Angles inquires of the Chief Engineer.
"Yep, we're in the clear, " Chief Engineer Dalton Molt confirms before adding in a suggestively evil tone that light up his green eyes with mischievous humor, "Although it could use a good calibration..."
Jill groans at the six-foot tall, bespectacled, blond man, "Seriously, Dalton?! You've been calibrating that precious engine forever! Stop mothering the damn thing to perfection already!"
Molt merely shakes his head as he rejoins, "Never. Something always needs calibrating on this ship. It's that old, dear. Besides, it gives me an excuse to listen to that new book I found," he grins at the thought for a moment, "So, how have you been holding up?"
Jill removes her captain's hat as she tells her Chief Engineer with a long sigh,"The office was way worse before you came. On top of that, I'm punishing a cadet who went AWOL to attempt to steal an MS while trying to get everything back to normal ASAP. The ship definitely needs repairs, so it will be out of commission for awhile. High chance we might get leave if they don't have me do anything else."
"Fun, " Dalton comments, heading around the desk to give the captain's shoulders a good rub, "You'll be fine, dear. I've seen you handle much worse before."
"Funny how that seems like a cakewalk now in comparison to this, " she hums as she leans into his strong, but gentle grip on her shoulders. Once she relaxes more, Jill adds, "Oh! I met up with Kenta and Chris earlier as well!"
"Oh? How are they?" he inquires curiously as some blond hair falls out of his ponytail. No one on the ship cared that Dalton has long hair as long as it stays tied up and where it poses no obstruction or safety hazard. Jill likes it better long, in any case.
"Good. Kenta's starting to get better again, " she smiles at him, "He's training those cadets on board. You received one or two of them in your department, didn't you?"
"Oh." he blinks in realization, "I was wondering when we got the busty Irish chick. Bet she would have survived the sinking of the Titanic. Was that training with the recruits today?"
Jill stares at him in disbelief, "You actually forgot?!"
"I had a really good book to listen to recently, " Dalton explains without hesitation, "My bad, dear."
"Jerk." Jill mutters before a hard cough catches the pair's attention.
Cadet Jolie Minh, returning for her rock, stands at the door, looking like her hand got caught in the cookie jar. What she's walked into the middle of is something a bit more private than the teenager had expected and she hopes it doesn't make things worse.
Jolie gulps, "Uh, I can come back later…"
"No need, Cadet." Jill insists, "We were wrapping up. Chief Molt."
The tall man salutes her before turning to leave the office. It grows quiet as Jolie fidgets in place. Curiosity nips at the back of her head, and the irrepressible teenager cannot maintain her silence any longer.
"So, that guy…?" she begins tentatively.
"Chief Molt is my boyfriend and tends to the Nelson's engine with his stupid, never-ending calibrations." Jill answers honestly before turning to her with a serious expression, "Here for your Dignity back, Cadet Minh?"
"Yes, ma'am! I'll just take it and leave you-" Jolie stares wide-eyed at the nearly empty desk, "Where'd it go?!"
She moves to turn over all the papers, but stops as she feels a cold shiver crawl up her spine. She catches the captain's cold stare. The cadet gulps as an evil smirk appears on the senior officer's face.
"You know, Cadet Minh," the captain begins, "I could have your sorry ass tethered to the ship along with that mobile suit the rest of the way to Luna 2 if you so much as dare to mess up my desk. Understood, Cadet?"
Jolie pales as she backs away quickly. That's worse than being jettisoned out of the airlock without a normal suit!
"But… But, where did it go?" Jolie asks, shakily as to not invoke the wrath of the bespectacled woman.
The young captain merely shrugs, "Someone must have taken it by accident. I do have a lot of people coming in and out of my office handing me reports today. I suggest heading out to find your dignity or face the consequences, Cadet Minh. That's an order."
"Yes, ma'am!" Jolie stiffens, saluting the senior officer.
"And Cadet…?" Jill adds.
"Y-yes, ma'am?" Jolie gulps, with uncharacteristic nervousness.
"I'll thank you to leave my officer's hat on the desk, Cadet," Jill grins like a Cheshire Cat.
"Sorry, ma'am," Jolie responds sheepishly, putting the hat on the desk as instructed.
"DISMISSED!" Jill shouts, louder than necessary.
"YES, MA'AM!" Jolie replies, practically falling out of the room with her tail between her legs.
As Jolie dashes down the corridor, Jill looks at the fleeing cadet with no small amount of amusement, "Ah, kids these days…"
Jolie rushes down the corridor on Deck 6, muttering "Hail Mary's" as many times as she can, as fast as she can.
First Kenta, then Kenzie, and now Jill too! These people are DEVILS! DEVILS!
From inside her uniform jacket, however, Jolie extracts the tome she managed to lift from Captain Angles' office...an ancient-looking, leather-bound volume titled, Witchcraft: A Handbook of Magic, Spells, and Potions by somebody named Anastasia Greywolf.
On her thirty-sixth "Hail Mary," Jolie finds her way back to the conference room, where the cadets have reconvened, quickly re-concealing the book inside her uniform jacket before anybody notices.
"Where have you been?" Jonah asks.
"I'm looking for a rock," Jolie tells them.
"Come again. Rock?" Jonah raises an eyebrow.
"What the hell would a rock be doing on a spacecraft like this?" Alexandria adds, giving Jolie a dubious look.
"It belongs to Captain Angles," Jolie explains, "I think she uses it as a paperweight or something. She had me write 'My Dignity' on it."
"What?" Alexandria demands.
"That is...pretty weird," Maria concedes.
Jolie pulls the cadets into a huddle, and whispers to them, "You know...I think the captain...she's some kind of witch."
The cadets look each other, dumbfounded.
"Witch!" Alexandria breaks out in laughter, "Oh, COME ON, Minh!"
"It's true!" Jolie insists, "She had all these rune stones and...!"
"She's a Wiccan," Kenta says as he makes his presence known, "and what you're looking for is your god damn dignity."
The scowl on his face betrays his displeasure over Jolie's actions.
Undeterred, Jolie marches up to Kenta, getting into his face like a rabid chihuahua, demanding "How the hell do you even know anything about My Dignity?!"
Jonah winces, knowing that Jolie has made the wrong move even as he futilely grabs her by the arm and tries vainly to restrain her.
Kenta takes a backhanded swing at Jolie, which the teenager is quick enough to avoid through her extraordinary reflexes, but in backpedaling to avoid the blow, Jolie trips over somebody's foot...Jonah's? Kenta's? She isn't sure, but regardless, she lands on her ass.
Kenta looms menacingly over her, "Don't get up, Minh...you're only asking for more pain if you do. Good luck finding your dignity, for all the good it'll do you."
Kenta turns and leaves before Jolie springs to her feet.
Jolie looks around at her fellow cadets frantically, "Come on, guys! Help me find that rock!"
The cadets look at each other, before Alexandria finally asks, "Seriously, what rock?"
"MY DIGNITY!" Jolie retorts, desperately now, "Help me find My Dignity, please!"
For a moment, there is an awkward silence, and then...Alexandria breaks first...a giggle escaping her in spite of her best efforts. The crack spreads...infecting, in turn, Maria, the Pachis twins, even the usually stoic Nakazawa and the former Kabuki Swingers...all except Jonah. Everyone is quaking and in tears as they roar with convulsive laughter.
Jolie's pale complexion turns red before she flees from the conference room.
"Jolie, wait!" Jonah calls out, pursuing her, but losing the sprinting Jolie in the corridor.
Humiliated, chastised, and too disgusted at the moment to see or speak to even Jonah, Jolie trudges to the mobile suit deck, where she finds Captain Athena Ibaz providing assistance to technicians servicing her ReZEL Commander Type.
Still clad in her MS pilot normalsuit in case of need for emergency sortie, Athena spots Jolie approaching, her pretty, youthful face locked in a sorry hangdog expression.
Athena approaches her young charge and minces no words, "Lt. Col. Mackenzie tells me that you tried to take off in the Gundam Alex."
"Yeah, I did," Jolie admits sheepishly.
Jolie doesn't see the blow coming...only stars as a sudden pain explodes under her left eye, leaving her flat on the deck.
Athena unclenches her closed fist to point at Jolie, the young Centurion Team officer's expression furious and her voice dark as she says, "Don't EVER do that again."
Athena turns her attention back to the ReZEL, leaving Jolie stewing on the deck.
On the bridge, Captain Angles observes as the mass of Luna 2 looms in the forward viewport.
"Captain Jillian Angles of the Nelson, requesting permission to approach and dock at Luna 2 Base," the blonde, bespectacled officer intones.
Ther response from Luna 2 arrives momentarily, "This is Luna 2 Control. Roger, Captain Angles. You're expected."
"We're towing an apparent RMS Rick Dias unit that was a part of a crew of hostiles that attacked us en rout. Recommend that Luna 2 Command send a demolitions and recovery crew to check it out for possible boobytraps."
After a moment, an answer comes from Luna 2 Command, "Acknowledge, Captain Angles. Demolitions and recovery crew will be on its way, ETA 08:15. Maintain your distance until they're out there and have the Rick Dias safely detached."
Clad in a normalsuit, observing from the landing deck, Dr. Kamille Bidan muses as the Nelson approaches.
Rick Dias, Kamille reflects, The ghosts of the past have risen to haunt us again. What secrets might this Rick Dias reveal?
