Mobile Suit Gundam The Second Century Part 1

by Buried Alien

Twenty years after the One Year War, the last survivor of the Zabi Family seeks to redeem her family's name. Assisting her is a fiery and beautiful young Newtype. Their tempestuous friendship, forged in battle, will change the world as a new century dawns

10. Chapter 10: INNOCENCE'S END

EPISODE 10: INNOCENCE'S END

Christmas Eve, U.C. 0098. For the moment, things are quiet at Side 3. No new attacks by the One Strike Killer have occurred during the past week, and while the backlash from 2Lt. Jolie Minh's attack on the CFM headquarters compound still simmers tensely, the situation is no longer quite at a boiling point.

Work on the colony's refurbishment has been suspended for two days so that the people of Side 3 can enjoy the holidays with their families. It's the best holiday that the people of the space colony have had in many, many years, thanks to the arrival of supply convoys that bring not only extra food, medicine, and clothing, but even holiday decorations and toys for children.

The Centurion Team also has Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off, and is gathered in the lounge of their barracks.

Jolie hands a small, gift-wrapped box to Athena, "Merry Christmas, 'Thena."

"Thank you," Athena says, accepting the box, "Want me to open it now?"

"Yeah," Jolie enthuses with a sweet grin.

Athena opens the box methodically and neatly, laying aside the wrapping paper. Within is a box that contains a gold pocketwatch with a chain.

"It's beautiful," Athena smiles, "I'll cherish it, Jolie."

"I got that in Shanghai back when were on Earth," Jolie tells Athena, "Cost me a few hundred credits too."

"You know," Athena says with a mischievous grin, "gold pocketwatches are traditionally gifts for people who are about to retire from their careers. Are you trying to tell me something, Jo?"

Jolie, unaware of the tradition, blushes in embarrassment, "Well, um. No, that's not what I meant. I mean…"

Smiling at her friend's discomfort, Athena produces a somewhat bigger gift-wrapped box, "I have something for you as well."

"Cool!" Jolie says, accepting the box from Athena and ripping the wrapping to shreds.

Jolie's eyes widen as she opens the box: it contains a high-caliber Walther hand pistol, similar to the sidearm that Athena always carries, but a newer, more advanced model.

"Wow," Jolie says, picking up the small, but deadly silver handgun, "You know, only you would give someone a gun for a Christmas gift."

Athena smiles, "This Walther hand pistol has greater range and accuracy than your standard issue Federal Forces sidearm, and packs a stronger punch too. If it ever comes down to it, it'll give you an edge in a life or death battle."

"Thanks, 'Thena," Jolie says, twirling the gun on her finger before holstering it at her side.

Nearby, the rest of the Centurion Team is drinking eggnog and singing Christmas carols. Athena and Jolie step over to join them.

Jolie plants a warm kiss on the cheeks of each of her Centurion Team squad mates. During the past year, the Centurions have become her surrogate family. After her real family was killed by Alexander Miguel, Jolie thought she would never belong to a family again. Athena changed all that, however, by taking her off the streets of Industria Colony and inducting her into the Centurion Team. Thanks to Athena, Jolie has a family to belong to again, and she couldn't be happier.

Athena smiles at her team. Like Jolie, Athena has developed a sense of kinship with the young men and women under her command. She has vowed never to let harm come to any of them, especially Jolie, whom Athena regards practically as her little sister.

"You know," Sgt. Tomo Higashi says, "As cool as you guys all are, I really do miss my folks and my kid sister back at Side 2."

Sgt. Karim Abdul Al-Said says sympathetically, "I understand what you mean, Tomo. I had hoped to spend some time with my fiancée during this winter. I promised her that we would be married as soon as my current tour of duty ends in about twenty-four months from now."

Provided I can keep you alive another twenty-four months, Karim, Athena cannot help thinking to herself gravely.

So far, Athena has been fortunate: the Centurion Team has not lost a single member under her command. The team's original commanding officer, Captain Rick Tinne, was killed during the team's very first mission, but that was a casualty that Athena had been counting on…deliberately manipulated into place, in fact.

Athena sighs with regret. She reflects on how downright evil some of her past choices and actions have been. Maybe people were right about her Zabi Family heritage after all: the Zabis were all pathologically evil to the core.

A few months ago, Athena had explained to Jolie the need to be Machiavellian during these dark times. Athena's experiences in recent months have changed her greatly: her disastrous romance with Hathaway Noah, her unexpected reunion with her childhood caretaker and friend Dory Ischinda, and her often tempestuous friendship with Jolie.

"Hey, 'Thena!" a laughing Jolie calls out as she and the Centurions engage in a spontaneous game of Twister/wrestling, "Stop standing there frowning and come have some fun!"

Athena grins, and joins the happy pile of young soldiers. This is her family now, and she loves every one of them. That's all that matters now.

Elsewhere, a man who never celebrates any holiday is hard at work.

Colonel Braniff Oskar tinkers with his Sazabi MK-II with the single-mindedness of a machine. Working with supplemental parts provided to him by Anaheim Electronics by way of the Earth Federation Forces, Oskar upgrades every system of his mobile suit, preparing for his impending rematch against Jolie Minh's Centurion Gundam: the first opponent that Braniff Oskar has ever doubted he could shoot down with a single strike.

Oskar is not motivated by jealousy, ego, or similar considerations. He is of a singular mind and purpose: destroy the enemy with a single shot. Until he accomplishes this purpose or is destroyed in the process, he will pursue it…without fear, without hesitation, and without desire. His target being formidable, special preparations must be made. But the end result, Oskar knows, will be no different.

One shot. One death. One goal.

December 26, U.C. 0098

How The Earth Federation Forces Play A Shell Game With Our Lives

by

Linda Ackerman

Editor In Chief

Consider yourself lucky if you are actually reading this. After all, you are still alive to read it, and I am still alive to have written it. I have even found a way to distribute it despite all that has happened in recent days and weeks.

But make no mistake: your luck and mine is going to run out sooner rather and later. We are playing the Earth Federation Forces' shell game, and the chips are our lives.

The dealers in this particular game are General Manron Blackhead and Colonel Peter Cairlay, two blackjacks if there ever were any.

And like all dark princes, these two sent one of their pawns to do their dirty work.

My office is no more. The facility from where I once wrote and distributed these articles is a memory. I am fortunate that I have other resources that have enabled me to return to limited publication. I am also fortunate that my colleagues survived that night of fire and fury.

But as I said before, our luck is running out.

That's why I say that Spacenoids cannot continue to press their luck with the Earth Federation Government. The Spacenoid population must do as Zeon Daikun and Degin Zabi once urged them to do: seize control of their own destiny…

Captain Athena Ibaz puts the newspaper down. She faces Linda Ackerman (Dory Ischinda) at a café in Zum City.

"And you say that I'm the one playing with fire," Athena mutters in exasperation.

Dory replies, "We're sending a strong message to the Federation: we're not backing down, no matter how many mobile suits it sends against us."

"How are you able to keep publishing?" Athena asks, "Jolie wiped out your entire compound, including the printing facilities."

"We aren't fools, Minerva," Dory says, "The Zum City compound was just one of our bases. We have other locations from which we can do our work…all throughout Cislunar Space, and even on Earth."

"You're going about this the wrong way," Athena tells Dory, "You're jabbing a caged lion with a short stick, and even though it's a sick lion, it's still ferocious enough to kill you."

"Some of us aren't willing to stick our heads in the sand, Minerva," Dory responds, "Are you telling me that your way is working? Yes, the people of Side 3 have seen their daily lives get a little better this past month, and yes, it's because of your efforts. But let's not kid ourselves: you're only a captain in the Federal Forces and there's only so much you can do. Before long, your commanding officers are going to order you to do something terrible to the people here…just like they ordered Jolie Minh to destroy the CFM compound, except worse. What will you do then, Minerva?"

Athena says nothing. On some level, she realizes that Dory is probably right.

Having said what she wanted to say, Dory leaves behind money for the coffee she had, and prepares to go her way.

Before Dory leaves, however, she turns to Athena one more time and tells her, "Hathaway sends his love."

Athena turns to Dory, "So you know…?"

"Of course," Dory says, with the hint of a grin, "Don't forget who signs Hathaway's paychecks."

"How is he?" Athena asks meekly.

"A bit depressed when I last talked to him two days ago on Christmas Eve," Dory says, "He misses you terribly."

Athena sighs.

"Unfortunately, I can't tell you where he is," Dory continues, "You saved his life by reporting Mafty killed in action, but you could still implicate him if you were to find out his current location. In the ISR, we don't endanger our colleagues like that."

Athena nods understandingly, for once agreeing with Dory's decision.

Dory steps back over to Athena, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. When they aren't divided by politics, they are still friends, "When you were still a little girl, we on the Royal Staff often fretted about the day when you would grow up, and it would be time to find you a suitor that you would marry and with whom you would someday continue your family's bloodline. Little did we know it would come to this."

Athena smiles bitterly, "So are you still planning to marry me off to some Zeon nobleman?"

Dory laughs, "No. That's one part of your life in which I don't plan on telling you what to do."

"I kind of wish you would," Athena admits, "I sure as hell haven't been able to figure it out."

"Do you love Hathaway, Minerva?" Dory ventures.

"Jolie used to ask me that exact same question all the time," Athena says.

"Well…?" Dory presses.

Athena nods, "Yes. I've become sure of that much, at least."

"Then why haven't you acted on it?" Dory asks.

"It's not that simple," Athena says, "Like you suggested a minute ago: I'm an Earth Federation Forces officer. He's Mafty, the ISRLA's top intelligence agent. It's the Montagues and Capulets all over again."

"Even more reason you should drop this whole 'Athena Ibaz' charade and reclaim your real identity, Minerva," Dory resolves, becoming serious again.

"No," Athena replies, "Let's let Duchess Minerva remain 'dead.' I don't want any part of the Zabi name or legacy ever again."

It is Dory's turn to sigh, "I was hoping you'd reconsider. Farewell, Your Highness."

Dory leaves Athena to brood.

Athena runs a hand through her hair, feeling a migraine developing. She wonders if things will ever get simpler.

Later that day, Athena and Jolie are at a test firing range, practicing their shooting skills. Jolie is using the new Walther hand pistol that Athena gave her for Christmas, gaining familiarity with the sleek and powerful new weapon.

As during many previous shooting practices, Athena and Jolie turn training into a competition to see which of them has better aim. As has been the case many times before, they reach stalemate after stalemate after stalemate…neither one of them capable, it seems, of missing the bullseye.

As the practice session/contest ends, Jolie admires her new sidearm, "This new gun is great! Lots of power, really accurate, and hardly any recoil."

"Yes," Athena says, "It's a much better weapon than the standard Federal Forces issue sidearm. I abandoned mine and got the Walther not long after I graduated from the Academy. The last thing a soldier needs in battle is an unreliable weapon."

Changing the subject, Jolie says, "I've noticed you've been hanging out with that Linda Ackerman the past few days. What's up with that?"

"Just diplomacy," Athena says cryptically, "Trying to keep the CFM from launching any more diatribes against the Federation after that fireworks show you performed at their compound."

"Oh, c'mon!" Jolie says, growing visibly upset, "We already talked about that! If I'd known…!"

"You would have had to follow orders anyway," Athena finishes, "I'm not blaming you, Jolie. You did what you had to do, like any good soldier would. But there's no questioning that Cairlay and Blackhead are making some very foolish choices. They're lighting matches in a roomful of explosives. Sooner or later, it's going to blow up in all of our faces."

"Athena," Jolie says seriously, "We're Federal Forces officers. Is the Federation evil? Are we doing evil things for evil men?"

Athena places a reassuring hand on Jolie's shoulder, "Ever since human beings began fighting each other, philosophers have wrestled with the question of whether or not war itself is evil. I don't claim that I have a definitive answer to that question, Jolie, but war does bring out the worst in people."

Jolie blinks, "After I attacked the CFM building, I…I don't know, 'Thena…I just didn't feel like one of the good guys anymore."

Jolie looks so upset that Athena feels compelled to give her protégé a comforting hug, "Jolie, I know you. Of the people I've known in my life, you have one of the purest, most noble spirits. You did what was required of you as a soldier, and you did it without unnecessarily killing anyone. You don't need to feel ashamed."

Jolie seems to take comfort in Athena's encouragement, and perks up again, "It's almost New Year's," Jolie says, "It's been a whole year since we got together and became a team."

"I know," Athena says, "What a year it's been for both of us."

Jolie says, "When we first met, you didn't want to tell me anything about your past. Maybe because we didn't really know each other then. Are you gonna tell me now? We're best friends, 'Thena, but I barely know you, know what I mean?"

Athena tenses. She has been dreading this question. Thinking quickly, she tells Jolie this much, "I was born here at Side 3, but moved out to the Asteroid Belt not long afterward because of the war. My father was killed during the war, and my mother died of illness two years later. I was adopted by friends of my family. When I was ten, I moved down to Switzerland on Earth. I lived in Switzerland among the Alps until I joined the Federal Academy when I was fourteen. It was like Heidi where I lived in Switzerland."

Jolie blinks in surprise, "You were born at Side 3? Wow. That means you're a Zeon. I never would have guessed."

"Does that mean you hate me now?" Athena teases.

"No," Jolie says, "Like I said before: I don't hate all Zeon people. They're mostly just people same as me. I just hate the Zeon leaders who've killed so many people…especially Alexander Miguel and the Zabis."

Athena's heart freezes for a moment.

Jolie continues, "I guess I can understand now why you're so nice to the people here at Side 3. This is like your home country, huh? So why did you join the Earth Federation Forces? I didn't think a citizen of Zeon would want to become a soldier in the Federal Forces."

Athena considers the question for a moment, "Maybe it was for redemption."

"Redemption?" Jolie asks, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Athena smiles, putting her hands on Jolie's shoulders, "It's not important. Anyway, let's not dwell on the past. I'm more interested in focusing on the future. You mentioned the other day how you want to have children one day. Let's do what we need to so that you can raise them in a world where you don't have to worry about them being killed in war."

"Yes, ma'am," Jolie says.

Athena pats Jolie's shoulders. Athena had initially recruited Jolie to be her personal ace in the hole…her own personal superweapon to be leveraged against her enemies. At first, Athena viewed it as a purely exploitative relationship: she needed Jolie's talents to expedite the fulfillment of her goals. Athena did not anticipate, however, that she and Jolie would grow to become such close friends.

A part of Athena curses herself for becoming so emotionally involved…just as she had with Hathaway. Love…friendship…these things complicate matters.

But another part of Athena feels very fortunate. Friends such as Jolie and the Centurions have saved her from what she was becoming…a cold-blooded killer, like her ancestors had been.

Athena's friends have made her feel human…something she often did not feel growing up as heir to the Zabi legacy. As Duchess Minerva, Athena had spent her entire childhood surrounded by sycophants who wanted to exploit the power of her family name. She has had precious few people in her life she can trust…until now.

But even if she can trust those around her, can they trust her? She is, after all, withholding a momentous secret from them. And can she trust herself? Will she be as loyal to them as they have been to her?

More questions with no answers. The Thinker's Curse: the more one thinks, the more questions arise.

General Manron Blackhead reads the latest article by Linda Ackerman in the Cislunar Free Media. It takes him less than a minute of reading before he grows so livid that his eyes bulge demonically and he crumbles the newspaper in his hands.

"God damn them!" Blackhead roars, "What will it take to silence these Spacenoid bastards?!"

Cairlay tells the general, "Sir, our intelligence agents have located their new base of operations. Would you like us to move in?"

"In force!" Blackhead says, "Extreme prejudice!"

"Extreme…?" Cairlay says, not quite believing what he's hearing, "But, sir..."

"It's time to stop coddling those terrorists," Blackhead says, "We need to show them some blood, Cairlay!"

"Yes, sir," Cairlay replies, actually relishing the prospect, "Should we send in the Special Forces?"

"Military Police," Blackhead says, "When you get back to Side 7, we need to have a little talk about your Special Forces officers, Cairlay. I suspect half of them have ISRLA or Zeon sympathies."

Cairlay reddens at the insinuation, "No, sir."

"Carry out my orders right away, Colonel," Blackhead says darkly.

The communications video screen goes dark. Colonel Cairlay contacts the MP unit stationed in Zum City.

An hour later, the staff members of the Cislunar Free Media are preparing for the evening editorial. They are planning for a multimedia blitz to expose the Federation's corruption and cruelty, to be available online, broadcast, and in print through their temporary facility in an abandoned warehouse in Zum City's light industrial zone. The loss of their main compound in downtown has crippled CFM operations, but has not completely killed it. Even with minimal, jerry-rigged equipment, the CFM continues to operate, albeit at only a fraction of its previous capacity.

As the staff workers scramble about conducing their business, two squads of heavily armed Earth Federation Forces Military Police, dressed in their distinctive dark blue uniforms, storm into the warehouse. Each military police trooper is armed with an assault rifle.

The sergeant leading the squads orders his men, "Take aim and fire at will! No prisoners!"

The military police troops open fire with their weapons against the defenseless journalists. Soon, the warehouse is filled with the screams of dying men and women, the air filled with the smoke of discharged weapons and spilled blood.

Forty-four lives, erased in a moment. Forty-four voices of outrage, silenced forever.

Colonel Cairlay comes into the smoke and blood-fouled room to survey the work. He lights a cigar in triumphant satisfaction at the scene of carnage before him.

The colonel places a call via comlink to General Blackhead, informing the general that his orders have been carried out.

Cairlay then gets an inspiration. He opens Captain Athena Ibaz's comlink frequency, "Captain Ibaz? This is Colonel Cairlay. I would like your and Lt. Minh's presence at a warehouse in the industrial zone of the city. There's something I'd like you both to see."

Captain Athena Ibaz and 2Lt. Jolie Minh are there twenty minutes later, both finding their senses and sanity assaulted by the most horrifically gruesome sight either of them has seen in their young lives.

The sight and smell of death are overwhelming.

The warehouse has the distinct stench characteristic of a slaughter house. Thick splotches of dark, drying blood cover a large expanse the concrete ground. Eyes full of anger, hate, fear, and confusion remain open, staring into an eternal nothingness.

They had been sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and friends. Now, they are piles of unliving flesh, their body cavities and skulls now repositories of melted lead.

"A demonstration of the Federation's resolve against Zeonist terrorism," Colonel Cairlay says with an unmistakable tone of satisfaction in his voice, "This show of strength should service notice that the Earth Federation is not to be tarried with."

Jolie takes her sight away from the horrific scene before her to glare furiously at Cairlay. Jolie's family was murdered by a Zeon warlord; she has very little reason to feel sympathy for the people of Zeon, but the sight of the Federation's cruelty and inhumanity towards these people, whose only crime was to speak out against the Federation's injustice towards Spacenoids, infuriates her. Jolie musters every iota of willpower she has to stop herself from drawing her new sidearm and shooting the colonel dead with it.

Athena's reaction to the scene is, if anything, even stronger. Feeling sick to her stomach, Athena clasps a hand over her mouth, as much to suppress an urge to scream as an urge to vomit.

Cairlay smiles sinisterly at the reaction of the two junior officers. Let this be a lesson to these two foolish girls as well. Those who defy the Federation will suffer a dire fate.

A minute later, Athena is vomiting outside the warehouse-turned-publishing house-turned slaughterhouse. Jolie supports Athena as her friend retches up the contents of her stomach.

Jolie looks at Athena with concern, "Are you all right?"

Jolie has always known Athena to be made of stern stuff. Jolie is a bit surprised at Athena's strong reaction, although she can hardly blame her commanding officer. What they have just witnessed is, indeed, sickening.

Athena coughs twice, spewing out the last of what her stomach can send up, then pants rapidly. Athena draws out her handkerchief to wipe the residue of her own vomit from the corner of her mouth.

"I'll be all right," Athena tells the concerned Jolie, "I just…"

"I know," Jolie says, looking dazed and a bit shellshocked, "That was just…sick. I can't believe the Federation did that."

"You asked me earlier if the Federation is evil," Athena says, beginning to catch her breath, "Now you have your answer, Jolie."

"What are we going to do about it, Athena?" Jolie asks imploringly.

"Do about it?" Athena says, repocketing her handkerchief and smirking bitterly, "I wish I knew."

Jolie says, "But 'Thena, we can't let Cairlay and his toadies get away with this! We have to tell somebody higher up about this!"

"The higher ups already know about this, Jolie," Athena tells her executive officer, "Cairlay wouldn't have dared to pull off something like this on his own without the express approval of the High Command. I have a pretty good idea of who gave Cairlay his orders."

"Who?" Jolie asks.

"General Blackhead," Athena replies.

"This isn't what I signed up in the Federal Forces for," Jolie says bitterly.

"Nor I," Athena agrees, "but we're currently not in a position where we can do much about it."

Jolie's eyes flash angrily, "I say we just go settle it with Cairlay and his creeps directly! We've got weapons! We've got mobile suits! We…"

"So do they," Athena warns Jolie, "many, many more than we do. Besides, they supply our weapons and equipment, remember? If we start an insurrection against the Federation, not only will we be killed, but we'll get everybody in this space colony killed as well."

Jolie angrily concedes that Athena is right. Even with the power of the Centurion Gundam, and even with her superlative fighting abilities, there is no way that Jolie, Athena, and the Centurions can stand against the collective might of the Earth Federation Forces. If fighting were to break out, the ones who would suffer would be the people of Side 3…people like those children in Zum City that Jolie has grown fond of.

"I hate Cairlay and Blackhead," Jolie says, tears of rage in her voice, "They're murdering scumbags."

Athena nods in agreement, placing a comforting hand on Jolie's shoulder, "We'll have our reckoning with them someday, Jolie. I swear: when the time is right, we'll make them pay for this."

Reluctantly, but dutifully, Athena and Jolie return to the warehouse of horrors. They were unable to save these people from the evil of the Federal Forces' leaders, but at the very least, they might be able to do something about giving these brave, but unfortunate people a decent burial.

Later, across town in her apartment, Dory Ischinda lies in bed, sobbing bitterly. She has heard the news about her CFM colleagues, and only a stroke of fortunate timing allowed her escape their fate. She had been scheduled to work at the interim office at the time the Federal MPs attacked. Only an extended emergency meeting with Dr. Daikun and Kai Shiden had prevented her from being one more victim of the massacre.

In light of recent events, Dr. Daikun has ordered all remaining ISR activities at Side 3 to move to the neutral colony of Side 6. Dr. Daikun does not wish to risk any more of her friends to such brutality.

Dory has one more errand to run before she leaves Side 3, however.

Late that night, long after the rest of the Centurion Team has gone to bed, Athena and Jolie attempt to drown out the memories of the horrors they have witnessed with a shared bottle of whiskey. It's not working. Despite four glasses of the strong stuff each, the two young women continue to be haunted by the sights and smells of their moments in Hell.

Bleary-eyed with alcohol and pent-up frustration, the two friends resign themselves to a long, sleepless night.

After a while, Jolie can't hold it in any longer. The horror-stricken teenager begins to cry.

"Oh, God! I can't get it out of my head, Athena!" Jolie sobs, "All those people…dead! Killed, just like that. Just like my mom, my dad, and my brother. I don't care if they were with ISRLA, it was just terrible!"

Athena takes Jolie's hands into her own reassuringly, saying gently, "Jolie, calm down."

"Calm down?!" Jolie explodes, drawing her sidearm, "After what we saw today, you want me to calm down?! I've got a mind to stick this gun down Cairlay's mouth and blow his guts out!"

Athena twists the gun out of Jolie's hand before the teenager can do anything foolish, "Knock it off! We can't win with this," Athena says, indicating the gun, "Pretty soon, word of this is going to spread through the space colonies! This is going to get much worse before it gets any better."

Athena knocks her whiskey glass to the ground angrily, the glass shattering into dozens of sharp pieces, "Damn those fools, Blackhead and Cairlay! They have no idea what they've triggered!"

The next morning, as Athena predicted, all of Side 3 (not just Zum City) is in an uproar. Despite the Federation's attempt at maintaining secrecy, there is simply no covering up this incident (thanks to Linda Ackerman's survival).

Federal Forces MPs strain to maintain a barricade against the rush of outraged Zum City citizens. Federal government and police vehicles are overturned and set on fire. Federal government facilities are vandalized. Anyone in uniform is assaulted.

Then comes the government and military response: batons are swung, rubber bullets are fired, and tear gas is deployed. The city is a burning turmoil once again.

Athena is calming a group of civilians in the city down, but is having limited success. Although the people of Zum City generally seem to be able to make the distinction between Athena, Jolie, and the Centurions from the likes of Colonel Cairlay, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the people to keep their faith…even in Athena.

"We want to know why the Federation is shooting at our people, Captain!" one man demands.

"Yeah! You Feddies are all scum!" another adds.

"When will this nightmare be over?" a woman sobs.

"My daughter was killed…!" another woman complains.

An old woman approaches Athena and tugs on the elbow of her uniform jacket imploringly. It is Mrs. Nakamura.

"Captain," the old woman says, "my eldest grandson Kevin has been missing since last night. He was very upset by the news of what happened to those journalists, and went out saying he wanted to talk to some friends about it. He's been gone all night and hasn't come back."

Athena puts a comforting hand on Mrs. Nakamura's shoulder, "Don't worry, ma'am. I'll find him. Any idea where he might be?"

Mrs. Nakamura shakes her head, "I believe his friends live a kilometer or two north of here. But I don't know."

"I'll be back soon, with Kevin," Athena promises, hopping into her land rover and heading in the direction indicated by the very worried Mrs. Nakamura.

Just a few minutes later, Athena is in an industrial zone of Zum City, not very far from the site of the CFM slaughter. It is an area that has largely been abandoned, and bears great resemblance to the Industria Colony where Jolie spent her early adolescence.

"Kevin Nakamura!" Athena calls out, "Kevin? This is Captain Ibaz of the Centurion Team! Your grandmother is looking for you!"

There is no response to Athena's calls, only the fading echo of her voice in the distance.

Athena can hear the sound of angry crowds and tiny explosions several kilometers away back in the city center.

"Kevin!" Athena calls out again.

The Centurion Team Leader is suddenly aware she is not alone.

A dozen young men, most of whom are around Jolie's age, emerge from various hiding places in the ruins of old industrial buildings. Most of the young men carry simple weapons: pocket knives, baseball bats, broken bottles, sharp work tools, etc. They form a menacing circle around Athena.

A tall, powerfully built young man whom Athena recognizes as Kevin Nakamura is the last to emerge. He carries with him an especially long, sharp, wicked-looking knife.

"Well, if it isn't Captain Ibaz," Kevin smirks, "Very nice of you to come looking for me, Captain."

"Kevin," Athena says, "Come back with me. Your grandmother is worried about you."

"I'm worried about her too," Kevin says, "And I'm worried about my little brother, my little sister, my mom and dad, and all my friends here. With killers like you around, Captain, how can I not be worried?"

The crowd of angry and armed youths moves in on Athena.

Kevin points at Athena, "You're a murderer, babe! Sooner or later, you're going to kill all of us, just like you did those reporters with the CFM. Well, we're not going to just sit around waiting for you and your fellow feddies to kill us off like animals. Get her, boys!"

The boys rush Athena, their weapons raised.

For a moment, Athena considers the sidearm holstered at her side. But no, she can't shoot at civilians…especially not after what happened the previous day. She's come to know and like the people of this part of Zum City well, and she doesn't want to harm any of them or their children. Moreover, more acts of lethal violence against civilians by Federal Forces officer could only tip the situation closer to full-scale civil war.

One of the boys takes a wild swing at Athena with his heavy baseball bat. Athena dodges the swing, grabs the bat, and pulls it out of the boy's grasp. She gives the boy a single thump to the chest that sends him rolling on the pavement, stunned but not seriously wounded.

Athena brings up the baseball bat to block another boy's slash with a carving knife. Lashing out with her fist, Athena connects with the boy's nose, sending him sprawling back and dropping his weapon.

Athena uses the length of the baseball bat to push down three more boys charging at her with a broken glass bottle, a length of iron pipe, and a crowbar.

A large young man, standing perhaps 200 centimeters tall and weighing 130 kilograms, grabs the baseball bat out of Athena's hands. He attempts to bring this down upon Athena's head, but before he can, Athena kicks him in the abdomen, sending the boy doubling over.

The boy with the broken glass bottle attempts to smash Athena in the face with his weapon. In response, Athena takes off her officer's overcoat, wraps it around and over not only the bottle, but also the boy's head and arm, and disorients her attacker. Athena then punches the young man in the gut with her right fist, and finishes it with a knee to his groin.

Another boy swings a length of metal chain at Athena. Athena dodges the swing and chops the boy across the shoulder blade, not hard enough to break bone, but hard enough to send the boy away seething in pain.

The large young man, having recovered from Athena's kick, sneaks up behind Athena as she is dispatching of two young men attempting to attack her with a tire iron and an axe. The powerful young man grabs Athena from behind and locks her in a half-nelson, immobilizing her.

Athena struggles, using her boot to stamp the young man's feet and attempting to bite his arm to force him to let go. The young man finally releases Athena from his grip, only to throw her to the ground.

As she lies on the ground, Athena is kicked repeatedly and mercilessly by the boys, leaving her bruised on her arms, legs, and body. Despite being a well-trained Federal Forces officer, Athena's physiology is fundamentally fragile. Athena feels one particularly brutal kick to her side that she suspects has fractured a rib.

"Finish her!" Kevin orders his gang.

Athena, woozy from the beating she has taken, makes peace with her fate.

The boys raise their weapons.

A tiny, feminine hand moving with the speed of a cyclone suddenly strikes out at each of the boys. Despite the hand's lack of size, it strikes with a furious force that sends each of the one dozen young men falling back.

2Lt. Jolie Minh, black eyes ablaze with fury and long black hair whipping about her head, helps Athena to her feet.

Jolie turns angrily to the gang of young men that have injured her friend, "You thugs have hurt Athena! I'm gonna make you pay for that!"

"Another one," Kevin smirks, "It's a shame really. You two are so pretty. If we didn't have to waste you, we'd probably date you."

Once again, the boys attack. Jolie and Athena prepare to defend themselves.

Jolie dodges the attack of the boy wielding the axe, locking his arm in an unbreakable grip and forcing him to relinquish his weapon. Her follow up kick catches him in the jaw, knocking him down and out. Jolie next turns her attention to the boy with the chain, who attempts to wrap his length of metal around the diminutive Federal Forces officer. Jolie deftly slides away from the chain, grabs it from the boy's hand, and swings the chain around to hit the boy on the side of the head, rendering him unconscious.

With Jolie taking at least half of the heat off of her, Athena is faring better as well. A solid punch knocks out the knife-wielding boy. A well-placed kick takes another out of the fight. A timely judo throw takes down the boy armed with the metal pipe.

Six down, six to go.

The boy with the broken bottle and the boy with the crowbar attack Jolie in unison. She dodges both of their swings, steps back, then uses their own momentum against them to trip the boys and smash their heads together, knocking both boys out cold.

Athena punches in the mouth a boy armed with a tire iron, knocking out several of his teeth. She continues the assault with an elbow on the back of neck, knocking him down and out. Athena then dodges a near deadly attack on her head by a boy wielding a large metal hook. Athena dispatches this boy with a kick directly to the nose.

Jolie pokes her fingers into the eyes of a boy trying to bean her with a heavy steel hammer. The boy drops his weapon as he rubs his eyes in pain. Jolie knocks him out with a chop to the neck.

One boy left. The giant.

Roaring like an angry beast, the large boy, nearly twice Athena and Jolie's combined weight, charges at the two young women.

With perfect timing borne of their training, Athena and Jolie kick the young man in the crotch simultaneously. The boy goes down, tears running from the corners of his eyes in pain.

Kevin, having seen Athena and Jolie take down his gang in just a matter of seconds, flees.

"Kevin!" Athena calls out, trying to catch him, but stopping when a sharp pain in her rib prevents her from running.

Athena coughs out some blood. Jolie runs over to her in alarm, "Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine," Athena says, blood still dripping from her lips, "But I promised Mrs. Nakamura…"

"We'll find Kevin again later," Jolie says, letting her friend lean on her, "First, I'm going to take you the medics. You're hurt."

Athena lets Jolie help her to the land rover. For once, she even lets Jolie drive. Why not? At this point, Athena wouldn't mind dying in a car crash very much.

Thirty minutes later, Athena is in the temporary medical clinic set up at the officer's barracks. The X-Rays bear some good news for Athena: contrary to her own earlier assessment, her ribs are not fractured. They are, however, seriously bruised. The medics recommend that Athena not move too rigorously for the next few days. Aside from her bruised ribs, Athena also has a half dozen other bruises on her arms, legs, and body.

Jolie steps over to her bandaged friend, surveying the damage, "Good thing Hathaway isn't here to see this. It would break his heart to see you in this condition."

"I told you…" Athena begins before a sharp pain in her side stops her from uttering anything more than, "Ow!"

Athena collects herself, letting the pain fade, then starts over, "Thanks for rescuing me. I probably would've been reduced to hamburger if you hadn't shown up."

"As soon as Mrs. Nakamura told me where you went," Jolie says, "I knew you were probably gonna be in trouble."

"I know," Athena says, "What was I thinking? I shouldn't have gone out there alone. That was stupid of me."

Jolie smiles, "Never thought I'd hear you say that."

Athena says with a bitter grin of her own, "I think I'm starting to lose it. Maybe that gold watch you gave me for Christmas wasn't premature after all."

Jolie takes a moment to admire her friend's half-naked form, so lithe and supple.

Damn, Jolie thinks absently to herself for a moment, Are her legs longer than mine? Well, duh: she's like fifteen centimeters taller than me. But she's stopped growing already! My legs might still get longer in the next year or two! Hah!

Perhaps conscious that she's being surveyed by competitive eyes, Athena begins to slip gingerly back into her uniform, biting her lip and grimacing when an arm or leg motion sends a wave of pain shooting up her side.

Jolie helps Athena back into her uniform jacket, saying, "You should really go back to the barracks and lie down. You're in no shape to go back on duty."

"Haven't got a choice," Athena says, "This space colony is on the verge of exploding, figuratively speaking. We've got to get back the people's trust, somehow."

Jolie says sarcastically, "Yeah, and I hope Santa Clause brings my dead parents and brother back next Christmas."

Athena rises carefully, testing out what motions hurt, "There's someone I've got to find…"

Jolie says, "I've sent Geoff and Tomo to go look for Kevin Nakamura."

Athena shakes her head, "Not Kevin. Someone else…"

"Who?" Jolie asks.

Athena doesn't answer. She walks out of the clinic, off the base, back into the chaotic and violent streets.

Jolie, concerned about her best friend, decides to shadow Athena quietly…just in case.

Athena finds Dory where she expected she would…across the street from the ruins of the former CFM headquarters buildings. A security ring of Federal Forces MPs surround the remains of the compound, wary of looters or ISRLA members looking to reclaim whatever property they can.

Dory stares sadly at the remains of the office from which she and her colleagues had once done the work of informing Spacenoid's of the Earth Federation's predations.

Dory sighs deeply. She senses Athena's approach, but doesn't bother to greet her.

Athena breaks the ice, "Are you and the other survivors planning to leave Side 3?"

Dory replies, "Can you help us?"

Athena says, "My team and I can escort you out of Side 3, but not farther than that. The One Strike Killer is still out there. We haven't been able to bring him down yet."

Dory says, "He's not one of ours, Minerva. I'll tell you that much."

Athena nods, "I know. I'm pretty sure that Cairlay and Blackhead are behind him as well."

"Maybe now you can finally see the true face of the Federation, Minerva," Dory says.

Athena replies wearily, "Dory, I know the Federation is corrupt. I know how cruel and evil it can be. I also know that it's impossible to destroy or change it…from the outside. We know what happened twenty years ago when my grandfather, my father, and my uncles and aunt tried."

Dory looks down ruefully, acknowledging to herself for the first time that the Zabi Family she so loyally served had indeed brought a great disaster upon all of humanity, and understanding for the first time the feelings of guilt that Athena bears.

Dory finally says, "You'll do what you must in the way you must, and so will we. Maybe our goals aren't so different…only our methods."

"I'll help," Athena says, extending her hand to Dory, "in the way I believe I best can."

Dory takes Athena's hand, "We'll be depending on your protection, at least out of Side 3. Our people can take it from there."

"Where will you go?" Athena asks, then amends, "You don't need to answer that if…"

"To Side 6," Dory says, "Dr. Daikun has ordered all ISR operations in Side 3 shut down for now. We'll continue the struggle from Side 6, where the Federation has no authority, and where we have a strong support base."

"Good luck, then, Dory," Athena says to her oldest friend.

Dory replies, "You too, Minerva. Maybe someday, you'll come back to us. We'll welcome you when do."

Athena and Dory embrace warmly. Through all the bitterness and ideological divisions, they are friends after all. Athena will allow no one else she loves to die.

Ten minutes later, Dory is on her way back to her apartment to pack the last of her things in preparation for the ISR's departure to Side 6. The ISR will be leaving Side 3 in discreet waves. Dory, Kai Shiden, and Dr. Artasia Daikun will be on a shuttle departing Side 3 early the next morning.

A tiny figure suddenly steps out of the shadows and onto the street to confront Dory. It is 2Lt. Jolie Minh.

Dory recognizes her, "So it's you…the one who destroyed the compound. What do you want?"

Jolie says menacingly, "I want to know why you've been stalking 'Thena for the past month. There's something between you and 'Thena, and I know she won't tell me, so I'm asking you: what's going on?"

Dory smirks, and begins to try walking around Jolie, "I don't have time for this."

Jolie grabs hold of Dory's arm, stopping the journalist in her tracks, "You're going to tell me whether you like it or not!"

"Get your hands off me!" Dory demands, attempting to pull free of Jolie's grip.

Dory aims a fist at Jolie's face, but strikes nothing but air. Jolie grabs Dory's arm again and twists it around her back painfully.

Jolie puts her other hand on the back of Dory's neck, placing Dory in an agonizing hold.

"Tell me!" Jolie demands, "Who are you?! What do you want with Athena?! If you hurt 'Thena in any way, I swear to God I'll kill you!"

"'Athena,'" Dory says bitterly, "She's been telling you the same lie she's been living for years. She's got you living that lie with her!"

"What are you saying?!" Jolie demands, twisting Dory's arm harder.

Wincing in pain, Dory says, "You stupid, ignorant girl! Your friend…your commanding officer…the one you call 'Athena?' Let me tell you: she's nothing of the sort. The person you call 'Athena' is Her Majesty, Duchess Minerva Zabi of the Archduchy of Zeon."

Jolie's grip on Dory goes limp, then tightens again, "No! You're lying to me! That can't be true!"

"I served Her Majesty as Royal Chambermaid from the time she was born until she disappeared in U.C. 0089," Dory explains, "She took the name 'Athena Ibaz' and joined the Federal Forces!"

Jolie is livid, "You're a liar! I don't believe you!"

Dory says, "'Athena' was the Greek goddess of wisdom. Her Latin name was Minerva. Also, what do you get when you spell 'Ibaz' backwards?"

Jolie considers that…Ibaz…Z-a-b-i. Zabi. Jolie's heart sinks, and she feels sick to her stomach.

Jolie releases her grip on Dory, "It can't be. Athena…you can't be Minerva Zabi. You can't!"

Dory says, "Face the facts, kid. Minerva lied to you, like she lied to herself."

"You!" Jolie, angered by blind rage, attacks Dory. Jolie rains merciless blows upon Dory.

"Go ahead and kill me!" Dory screams, "You feddie monsters are all the same!"

"Shut up!" Jolie snarls, kicking Dory in the jaw.

Jolie sinks to her knees and begins sobbing, "Athena isn't Minerva Zabi. She can't be. She's not."

Dory spits a little blood that has collected in her mouth, then crawls over to the sobbing Jolie. She places her hands comfortingly on the heartbroken teenager's shoulders, "Jolie, you have to believe what I've told you. You have to accept that Minerva has lied to you."

"Go away," Jolie says through her sobs, "Just go away and leave me alone."

Dory leaves Jolie crying bitterly on the darkened street. Jolie feels like she wants to die.

Jolie has already lost her parents, her brother, and many of the people she loved in her childhood. Now, it appears, she has lost her best friend as well.

Jolie pounds the pavement of the street in helpless rage.

A half hour later, Jolie has her Datapad turned on, rifling through its encyclopedia of knowledge. Athena always wanted Jolie to learn as much as she could from its vast repository of knowledge, but Jolie could never be bothered to read dull historical information.

But now, there are things that Jolie simply must know.

Jolie confirms what Dory told her about the Greek goddess of wisdom being named "Athena," and that the same goddess was called "Minerva" by the ancient Romans.

Jolie also compares a photograph of Duchess Minerva Zabi of the Archduchy of Zeon, taken ten years ago when the little duchess was nine years old, with a recent photo of Athena that the two friends had taken together at one of those pay-photo booths.

There is no mistaking the resemblance. Everything Dory said is true. Athena is Minerva Zabi.

Jolie buries her face in her hands and begins sobbing again. Many painful emotions rush through her heart. Sadness and disappointment that the person she admires and trusts most has lied to her. Anger that her best friend would deceive her. And hatred for the Zabis who had killed so many.

Jolie pulls out her new sidearm, the Walther pistol that Athena gave her for Christmas.

She knows what she must do.

At around 00:00, Athena is at the space dock. 2Lt. Molly Duran, the mobile suit engineer newly assigned on a permanent basis to the Centurion Team, is about to end her shift for the night.

Molly spots Athena coming. Uh-oh, Molly thinks to herself, So much for calling it a night. Looks like overtime.

"Captain Ibaz," Molly salutes, "What can I do for you, ma'am?"

Athena says, "Sorry to have to bother you with this so late, Molly, but I want all of the Centurion Team's mobile suits prepped for full combat deployment by 06:00 this morning."

Molly sighs internally, but says, "Yes, ma'am. Any special instructions, ma'am?"

Athena says, "I want you and your crew to first make sure that all systems on 2Lt. Minh's Centurion Gundam are functioning at optimal condition, especially the maneuvering thrusters and tracking systems. Also make sure that all points of articulation are fluid. Then, do the same for the rest of the team's mobile suits. My Cour De Leon will be last, and if you have to sacrifice time on my mobile suit to better service the rest of the team's, so be it, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Molly says.

"Thanks, Molly," Athena says, leaving the space dock.

After Athena leaves, Molly lets out a real sigh, then sends the bad news to her team on the military comlink, "This is Lt. Duran. Bad news, guys: Captain Ibaz wants us to have the C-Team's mobile suits all fully combat-prepped by 06:00. Guess we'll do late night bowling tomorrow night, maybe."

Sighing again, Molly sets off to work, starting with the Centurion Gundam.

At 00:44, Athena is back at the barracks. The Centurion Team members are asleep, but there will be time to inform them about the unplanned maneuver they would be having after reveille. Athena is glad, however, that Jolie is still awake: she needs to review the plan to guard the departing ISR leadership with her executive officer.

Athena finds Jolie sitting alone in their bedroom, knees drawn to her chest, face buried in her knees.

Athena groans internally, She's having a teenage mood swing again. Well, I can't wait for her to snap out of it. Might as well go ahead and tell her.

"Jolie," Athena says, "We have an important mission later this morning: we're going to be…"

Athena never gets to complete her statement. Without warning, Jolie leaps off the bed and decks her with a punch that sends Athena immediately to the floor.

Jolie lifts Athena up roughly by the collar of the latter's uniform jacket, only to punch her again. She begins kicking Athena mercilessly, compounding the injuries that Athena had suffered earlier in the day at the hands of Kevin Nakamura's street gang.

"You!" Jolie growls, "You lied to me! Why didn't you tell me you were the Duchess of Zeon?!"

Athena throws up her arms to defend herself, but does not strike back. She knows it's futile: Athena's fighting skills, though excellent, are no match for Jolie's sheer talent, especially not now as the pretty teenager is in the midst of a berserk rage.

Moreover, knowing now why Jolie has turned on her, Athena doesn't have the heart to fight back. She feels that she deserves every blow that Jolie strikes upon her.

"How many people did your family kill, 'Your Highness?!" Jolie seethes, angry tears flowing from her eyes as she strikes Athena again and again, "How many kids like me became orphans in your name?! Tell me, dammit! TELL ME!"

Jolie finishes it with a blow to the back of Athena's neck. Athena feels her entire body going limp. She spits out a mouthful of blood.

Jolie pulls out her sidearm, the one that Athena gave her for Christmas, and presses the barrel of the gun against Athena's head, "You lying Zeon bitch! It's because of you that my parents and my brother…and all my friends at Quebec Colony are dead! I HATE YOU!!!"

The gun trembles in Jolie's hand. Her finger tightens around the trigger.

Athena rises to her knees, blood still leaking from her mouth. She feels a pain in her heart that she is uncertain is physical or emotional.

"You're right," Athena says quietly, "I'm a liar. I lied to you. I've been lying to myself. My family did commit great evil. And no matter what I do, I can't redeem the horror they unleashed upon so many."

Athena stares Jolie in the eye, and tells her, "I promised you once that we'd create a better world: one where people wouldn't have to die in war. I also promised you that I'd help you avenge your family. Here's your chance to do both: pull that trigger now and kill me. After I'm dead, the Zabi bloodline will be dead as well. There won't be any more Zabis to threaten peace and freedom in the world. You'll also get your revenge."

The pistol continues to shake in Jolie's hand. She can't bring herself to do it. Despite the feelings of anger and betrayal burning in her heart, Jolie just can't bring herself to shoot Athena.

"Do it!" Athena says, staring Jolie in the eye.

Jolie lets out an anguished cry and throws the pistol to the ground. The gun bounces off the tiled floor, but does not go off.

Jolie settles for one more hard punch on Athena's jaw, then runs away from the room, crying bitterly.

After a long, quiet minute, Athena picks up Jolie's sidearm and places it on one of the two desks in room. Athena sits at the desk for a moment and buries her face in her hands.

She begins to do something she has not done in ten years…that she thought she was no longer capable of doing.

Athena begins to cry. Tears run down her cheeks, and her chest heaves with sobs, aggravating the pain in her ribcage from the injuries she first sustained during the street fight against Kevin's gang and complicated by her beating at Jolie's hands.

Athena lets it all out: the accumulated stresses she has endured over the past few weeks. The discovery of the Federation's WMDs. Her star-crossed romance with Hathaway. The guilt Dory has been foisting on her. The failure of her quest to help the people of Side 3. And now…the loss of her best friend.

As Athena sobs, she reflects on how…well, good it feels to finally let her emotions out. Frustrations and anxieties that have been welling inside her for a decade finally find their release.

Athena puts her head on the desk and continues sobbing. She realizes now what her problem has been all these many years – the underlying cause of all her choices and actions: she hates herself and everything she represents.

Athena wishes she could be held in the comfort of Hathaway's arms right now, but that thought merely compounds the pain she feels.

Having learned to cry again, Athena lets herself continue for some time. After ten years, she has some catching up to do.

An hour later, a red-eyed Athena finds Jolie's uniform folded neatly on a table in the barrack's lounge. Jolie is nowhere to be seen.

The message is clear. Jolie is gone.

By law, Athena, as Jolie's commanding officer, should declare Jolie AWOL and send the Military Police to arrest her to await court-martial. Athena doesn't have the heart to do that to her best friend, however. Athena knows she'll get reprimanded and perhaps even court-martialed herself for dereliction of duty, but she doesn't give a damn anymore. Jolie is her friend. That's all that matters.

Athena picks up Jolie's abandoned Earth Federation Forces uniform and holds it close to her chest. Athena knows she will miss her friend terribly.

Godspeed, Jolie, Athena sends a thought to her friend, Wherever you go, I hope you'll find happiness.

Jolie is sitting alone at a bench at the Zum City Spaceport. No shuttle flights out of Zum City will be available until morning, so she is resigned to spending the night at the spaceport terminal

Jolie is wearing civilian clothing: a t-shirt, denim skirt, and a leather jacket she had bought months ago, but had never had an opportunity to wear. She also carries with her backpack with her few, meager personal belongings.

Jolie figures she has enough money to live off of for about a year's time. She has no idea where she is going. Perhaps back to Industria…back to the life of pickpocketing and petty thievery she knew before she met Athena.

Athena, Jolie reflects bitterly.

Jolie's heart is filled with contradictions. She hates Alexander Miguel, the Zeon warlord that slaughtered her family. She hates the Zabi Family and all that they represent. Even Miguel was but a pawn of the Zabi regime. It was the Zabis who instigated the One Year War and killed billions, creating an entire generation of orphans like Jolie.

And Athena.

Jolie begins to wonder: does she hate Athena, even knowing now that Athena is a descendent of that genocidal clan, the Zabis? Athena is as much a victim of her family's mad ambition as Jolie is. More importantly, Athena has seemingly lived her entire life wracked with guilt over the terrible things done by her family, and has dedicated her life towards attempting to repair, as best she can, all the horrible things the Zabis did.

Jolie lies down on the spaceport terminal bench. She closes her eyes and tries to sleep. She must think…think…think…dream…

At 05:00, Captain Athena Ibaz has the Centurion Team lined up at the spacedock…minus one. 2Lt. Jolie Minh does not appear for the roll call.

Athena's answer to her subordinates' questions about their executive officer's whereabouts is a cryptic,"2Lt. Minh is no longer with us. I can give you no further information at this time."

That doesn't exactly satisfy the Centurions, but they know better than to question their commanding officer. Athena will tell them in due time, they figure.

At the moment, however, the Centurion Leader is grim as she tells the team, "This morning, we have a very important and, I must say, extremely dangerous mission. The enemy mobile suit pilot that has been harassing traffic in and out of the Side 3 Zone in recent weeks has been identified as Colonel Braniff Oskar, the top Zeon mobile suit ace from the One Year War. Some of you might know him better by his nickname: the 'One Strike Killer.'"

The Centurions gasp. They all know of the legend of the One Strike Killer: the mobile suit pilot who has never missed an enemy target in his career.

Athena continues, "Intelligence believes that Oskar will attack a convoy of shuttles leaving the spaceport later this morning. Our mission is to prevent Oskar from attacking the convoy, and eliminate Oskar if we can."

There is much mumbling among the Centurions. They are among the best pilots in the Earth Federation Forces…the finest trained mobile suit pilots anywhere. But do they really stand a chance against the infamous One Strike Killer?

Maybe if Jolie, their White Phoenix, were here, but she isn't.

Athena senses the team's disquiet, and knows what she must do next, "If we do encounter the One Strike Killer, I want you all to retreat immediately upon my orders. I'll deal with him."

The Centurions begin to object. Although they each have their fears about going up against this infamous killer pilot, they aren't about to let their friend and commanding officer face him alone.

"Captain, with all due respect, ma'am," Cpl. Geoff Sutcliffe pipes up, "We're not gonna let you face Oskar alone."

"That's right," Cpl. Anna Horowitz says, a determined look on her face, "We're a team. You've always been so good to us, Athena. You've looked after us and cared for us and protected us, and we're not going to let you go to certain death!"

"Indeed ma'am," Sgt. Karim Abdul Al-Said adds, "We pledged to win or die together in battle. We demand the right to stand by you against Oskar."

Sgt. Tomo Higashi finishes, "We're in it all the way, ma'am!"

"Attention!" Athena demands.

"Ma'am!' the Centurions salute as one.

Athena shakes her head at her team, looking at them each severely, "All of you have always been excellent soldiers. You have always listened to my orders and carried them out to the letter, without fail. Why is it that now, at our most dire moment, you're all failing to observe the first rule of being a soldier: following orders without question?!"

"No, ma'am!" comes the reply from the Centurions.

"'No, ma'am,' what?" Athena asks.

"No ma'am, we will not disobey orders, ma'am!" the Centurions reply in unison.

"Excellent," Athena says, looking each of her subordinates deep in the eyes, some of which are watering, "Because I need all of you to fulfill your duty as soldiers of the Earth Federation Forces…whether or not I'm with you."

Athena softens her voice, "You've been like brothers and sisters to me. If this should be the last time we go into battle together, I want you all to know…I want you all to know that you're the best soldiers that any officer can ever hope to have under her command, and the best friends that any person can ever have."

Athena hugs each of her teammates warmly. Each of the Centurions is either in tears or fighting to hold tears back. They have an ominous feeling that they may never see their commanding officer again.

And they all think the same wistful thought, If only Jolie were here. Where is Jolie? How could she abandon us at a time like this?

Colonel Braniff Oskar has a ritual he engages in before every battle. It is a sacred procedure that Oskar has performed before every battle since his first sortie as a teenager nearly thirty years ago. There must be no exception, for his quest is divine, and must be accorded the solemn piety it requires.

Oskar has cleaned his entire body from head to foot, then dressed it in a fresh normalsuit. Normalsuits must never be recycled, as expensive as the practice is. A typical soldier might wear the same normalsuit for the entire course of a war, provided he survives long enough to participate in many battles. Oskar considers such a practice uncivilized. Once a normalsuit has been worn in the sacred ritual of killing, it cannot be worn again.

Oskar has fasted for the past twenty-four hours, taking neither food nor drink, not even a drop of water. The mind and body must be clear for the sacred ritual.

Oskar kneels before his mobile suit to pray. He will need God's favor, as he has always had in his many battles.

At the appointed hour, Oskar boards his mobile suit, the black Sazabi MK-II.

In the silence he has observed for two decades, Colonel Braniff Oskar, the One Strike Killer, launches his mecha from its abandoned spacedock base. His target: the ISRLA leadership's shuttle.

Dr. Artasia Som Daikun (Sayla Mass) straps on her seatbelt aboard a Side-6 bound passenger shuttle bearing over five hundred passengers, young, old, military civilian, men, women, alike.

Sharing a row with Artasia are Kai Shiden and Linda Ackerman (Dory Ischinda).

Sayla asks Dory, "Linda, were you able to secure Captain Ibaz's cooperation?"

Dory nods, "Yes, Dr. Daikun. Minerva promised me that her squad will escort us safely out of the Side 3 Zone."

"Our people will take over from there," Sayla says.

Kai Shiden pipes up, "I don't like it. We can't trust her. She's Zeon…and she's Federation. Hah…who would have ever thought we'd be enemies of both?"

"I think we can trust Minerva, Mr. Shiden," Dory tells the Director of ISR Intelligence, "I…I have faith in her."

"Faith," Kai says scornfully, "Now there's a commodity in short supply these days."

At precisely 07:04, the passenger shuttle bearing the leaders of the ISRLA takes off from the spaceport at Zum City.

From a window seat of the spaceport's café, Jolie watches the shuttle leave…unaware of whom is aboard.

At the military spacedock adjacent to the civilian spaceport, Captain Athena Ibaz issues an order to her squad mates, "Centurion Leader to all units: deploy now."

The Centurion Team's mobile suits launch forth from the spacedock…off to face their most dangerous enemy yet. One of the team's mobile suits, however, stands at the spacedock undeployed: 2Lt. Jolie Minh's Centurion Gundam. The eyes of the mobile suit of the White Phoenix are cold and dark as her squadmates' mobile suits launch forth to face their destiny.

Colonel Braniff Oskar sits meditating in the cockpit of his Sazabi MK-II. The moment has also come.

He sees the shuttle, circled in his mind's eye, circled in his heart. Its mass occupies the entire universe, even if it is but the tiniest electron on an atom. He cannot miss, any more than a fish in the ocean can miss the water it swims through.

Oskar holds his shot. An interloping beam lances towards him from behind the convoy.

Oskar dodges the shot with ease. More come forth. He would need to deal quickly with the interloper before he could target the shuttle.

Can't let him get the initiative, Athena reminds herself, not even for an instant.

Still, Athena knows that the best she can hope for is to stall Oskar long enough for the shuttle to be out of his striking range. She has no illusions about being able to escape the inevitable.

As soon as she fires the first warning shot. Athena sends the retreat order to the Centurion Team, "Fall back! Guard the shuttle!"

"But ma'am," one of the Centurions protests.

"We're not leaving you, Captain!" another adds.

"We're staying right here!" a third insists.

"Follow my orders, now!" Athena tells them.

Athena transforms the Cour De Leon to Waverider mode and jets away towards an unseen enemy.

Sgt. Karim Abdul Al-Said is the first to snap out of it, "You heard the Captain! We're soldiers: we must respect our commanding officer's authority and obey her orders!"

The Centurions reluctantly agree. Each offers a silent prayer that somehow, Athena will defy the odds once again and return to them alive.

But they are soldiers: the best trained and most efficient in the Earth Federation Forces. They will obey the directives of their commanding officer to the bitter end.

Regardless of who dies.

Jolie sits alone dejectedly at a window seat of the spaceport café...an untouched, rapidly cooling cup of tea in front of her.

Sleep has eluded Jolie all night. Her eyes are red from both the lack of sleep and the crying she spent most of the night doing.

Jolie is still uncertain of where she might go or what she might do. To Side 1, perhaps? Or Side 5? To Anman or Von Braun on the moon? To Earth even, perhaps? Maybe she could go down to Shanghai and see if she could stay with her friend Chieming Noah and Chieming's mom, Mirai.

An alarm sounds, and a message comes through the spaceport PA system: "Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please: the Federal Forces are engaged in combat with hostile forces that have attacked a shuttle that departed from Zum City Spaceport earlier this morning. For your safety, all flights in and out of Zum City Spaceport are cancelled and the spaceport will now be evacuated and shut down until the emergency is over. Please leave the spaceport in an orderly fashion."

Jolie knows that the Federal Forces unit in question must be the Centurion Team, and the "hostile forces" the team is engaging must be Braniff Oskar, the One Strike Killer.

Jolie thinks back to the many moments of warm camaraderie and happiness she has shared with her teammates on the Centurion Team during the past year…the happiest year of her life since the death of her parents and brother. Geoff, Anna, Tomo, Karim…and Athena. They have been her family for the past year, and she has felt their love for her.

I can't abandon them, Jolie realizes, They're my closest friends…the people I care about most. Especially Athena.

Jolie sprints out of the Zum City Spaceport as fast as her legs will take her, headed for the adjacent military spacedock where her Centurion Gundam is docked.

Please God, Jolie prays, Don't let me be too late to save them…not like my mom, my dad, and my brother. I can't lose my family again!

Within ten minutes, Jolie is normalsuited and aboard the cockpit of the Centurion Gundam. She seals her helmet and brings the mighty Federation mobile suit's systems online.

The Centurion Gundam steps onto the launch catapult. Countdown sequence for launch is initiated.

Hang on, guys, Jolie thinks to her friends, I'm coming!

The light on the catapult turns green.

"2Lt. Jolie Minh, Centurion Gundam, now launching!" Jolie declares.

The Centurion Gundam tears out of the spaceport, headed to meet the challenge of the One Strike Killer.

Braniff Oskar dodges Athena's shots impassively…almost with boredom, if he were capable of such an emotion. The only reason he has not already reduced her to molten slag is because he is curious about her fighting style, and wants to study it for a few moments before consigning her to the inevitable.

Not a bad warrior at all, Oskar concludes, Quite formidable…maybe even as good as the Red Comet. Not in the class of the White Phoenix, however. It's a shame, really…

Oskar targets the Cour De Leon in the brackets of his Sazabi MK-II's gunsight.

The Shot That Always Kills is unleashed.

There is an explosion of white light.

The Centurion Team's members gasp.

Aboard the space shuttle, Dory Ischinda gasps.

Across space at Side 6, Hathaway Noah gasps.

A harsh, glaring white light fills Captain Athena Ibaz's vision. It is far brighter than any light that has ever shined into her eyes, like the concentrated illumination of a million stars.

The brilliant light fades to darkness.

So this is Hell, Athena considers.

But it is not Hell. It is space. The same space that Athena occupied an instant ago. She is still flesh and blood, and her Cour De Leon is somehow still intact.

Athena sees a telltale glint of sunlight reflected on shining metal to her left.

The Centurion Gundam soars past, its beam rifle aimed forward.

"Jolie!" Athena exults, her heart soaring.

"Athena!" Jolie's voice comes through the tactical net, "Are you all right?!"

Athena replies, "Thanks to you, yes! But pay attention to the fight, Jolie: it's the One Strike Killer!"

"Roger," Jolie replies, concentrating on the battle.

Athena allows herself a smile, then turns back to the battle at hand. Even Jolie will need some help against the One Strike Killer. The two friends' happy reunion can wait until they have survived this battle.

A proposition still, at this juncture, uncertain…because their enemy is the deadliest mobile suit pilot to have ever lived.

Aboard the cockpit of the black Sazabi MK-II, Colonel Braniff Oskar pauses for an instant in a state of shock. His shot was intercepted…something that has never before happened. Something that he could never have imagined would be possible.

Whatever the outcome of this battle, and no matter if he lives or dies, he will never again be the One Strike Killer.

It's the White Phoenix, Oskar realizes, What kind of a pilot is she to be able to intercept my strike? Is she a mere mortal, or is she something beyond that?

Oskar rouses himself from these questions. He may no longer be the One Strike Killer, but he will not miss again. His focus is once again singular. One target. One strike. One kill.

One miss, but never again. Oskar can live with no longer being the One Strike Killer if he can henceforth become the One Miss Killer.

One concept that Jolie learned early in life is that in a fight, it is vital to seize the initiative and never relinquish it. The old adage of combat is true: he who hesitates is lost.

Jolie pours forth a torrent of firepower from her Centurion Gundam: beam rifle shots, Vulcan cannon rounds, backpack-mounted missiles…all of her mecha's weapon systems are brought to bear on Braniff Oskar's Sazabi MK-II.

For all the good it is doing…Oskar is not only the greatest shooter among mobile suit pilots, but he is an ethereal evader of enemy fire as well. Try as she might, Jolie cannot lock him down.

Unlike Braniff Oskar, whose greatest asset is the singularity of his focus, Jolie's mind is scattered. Her heart and her mind are in too many places at once. She cannot focus well enough to target Oskar and hold him into place.

Aboard the Cour De Leon, Athena recognizes Jolie's problem, She can't keep this up for long. As soon as Jolie exposes a gap in her defenses, Oskar will nail her. I have to get her to focus.

Recalling how Jolie had successfully intercepted Oskar's shot a moment ago when Athena's life was imminently threatened, Athena knows just how she can accomplish this, although it involves a considerable risk.

For Jolie, however, Athena is willing to take that risk.

Athena removes a small object from a storage bin underneath her cockpit seat. She attaches this object securely to her normalsuit's belt clip.

Athena then directs the Cour De Leon in its Waverider configuration in a kamikaze charge towards Oskar's Sazabi.

Oskar is just one, Athena considers, but Jolie and I are two. It's a simple equation: two trump one.

Oskar takes his attention away from Jolie's Centurion Gundam for a moment to note the approach of Athena's Cour De Leon

I must dispose of this meddlesome interloper now, Oskar resolves, so that I may direct my full attention to the White Phoenix.

Oskar directs the Sazabi's beam rifle towards the approaching Cour De Leon.

One shot.

The Cour De Leon explodes into fiery wreckage.

"ATHENA!!!!" Jolie screams in horror.

The light of the explosion clears.

Jolie looks at Oskar's black Sazabi MK-II, an armored Grim Reaper, through tears that all but blind her vision. Her teeth clench in rage, and her hands tremble angrily on the control levers of the Centurion Gundam.

"YOU MONSTER!!! YOU KILLED ATHENA!!! YOU KILLED MY SISTER!!!" Jolie rages.

With an anguished scream, Jolie assaults the Sazabi like a bolt of unleashed lightning. Jolie's shots disable the Sazabi's arms and legs before even Oskar can react.

True to Athena's prediction, Jolie's mind is now centered and focused: she has but one goal now – destroy Braniff Oskar.

"I'm gonna send you straight to hell!" Jolie vows, her heart aching, her eyes flashing with the flame of her unleashed Newtype powers.

Braniff Oskar is amazed as he sees the image of a fiery white phoenix appear in space behind the Centurion Gundam for the briefest of moments. What kind of a being is this Gundam pilot?

His mobile suit disabled, Braniff Oskar opens the cockpit hatch and floats out of the mecha. His mecha may be crippled, but he hasn't lost the battle yet.

Oskar throws an object towards the Centurion Gundam's head/camera unit. The object, a bomb, magnetizes itself to the Gundam's armored head.

The bomb explodes, blowing the Federation mobile suit's head unit off.

In the Centurion Gundam's cockpit, all of Jolie's viewscreens and monitors go dark. The Centurion Gundam is "blind" and "deaf."

Not that the sensors and cameras would have availed Jolie much. With his mobile suit disabled, Oskar intends to settle this fight bodily, without mobile suits. Jolie decides it's just as well. She wants to see Oskar's face when she kills him.

Jolie unfastens the safety restraints of her cockpit seat, opens the cockpit hatch, and floats into space, looking for her quarry.

Jolie activates the mini rocket pack built into her normalsuit. She searches for her enemy.

The human eye is limited in what it can detect in the endless cosmos, but the scope of the human mind is much greater, if it is used to its fullest potential. Zeon Daikun once said that the human mind could touch Eternity itself if unrestricted by gravity.

Jolie's mind searches for the singularity of her enemy. She finds a void…an emptiness save for the presence of one.

But there is a second presence, one that seems familiar...

Jolie sees him at last. The glint of his weapon in the distance.

Jolie reaches to her belt for her sidearm, but her weapon is not there.

Damn! Jolie realizes. She had left her sidearm with Athena after their last fight, and Jolie never had the chance to retrieve her weapon before joining the battle against Oskar.

Jolie is alone in space facing off against the One Strike Killer, and she is unarmed.

Jolie engages her rocket pack at maximum speed to put some distance between herself and Oskar, but Oskar follows suit.

Can't outrun him, Jolie realizes, Maybe I should try to close in on him and fight him hand-to-hand. I'd have the advantage there.

True, and indeed Jolie would, but there is simply too great a distance between herself and Oskar to make that idea feasible. His lethal shot would strike her dead before she could get even close to striking distance with her fists or her feet.

Oskar takes aim at Jolie, directly at the visor of her helmet, This is the end of you, child.

Jolie knows that she is doomed. What would lie in the world beyond? Would she see her parents, her brother, and Athena again?

"Jolie!" Athena's voice comes through Jolie's helmet radio receiver.

Jolie has no time to even be surprised. She sees Athena, normalsuited and apparently unharmed, floating just a few meters away. Athena hurls a tiny metallic object in Jolie's direction.

Jolie catches the object. It is her sidearm, the Walter hand pistol that Athena had given her for Christmas.

With no time to think, Jolie acts instinctively, firing her pistol not at Braniff Oskar, but at the Centurion Gundam's nearby armored bulk.

A bullet leaves the muzzle of Oskar's handgun.

Another bullet, the one fired by Jolie, ricochets off the armor of the Centurion Gundam.

Jolie's bullet arcs towards Oskar's approaching bullet.

The two bullets collide. Jolie's bullet disappears into the cosmos.

Oskar's bullet is deflected in a trajectory that sends it through the center of Oskar's helmet, finally lodging itself in Oskar's cerebrum.

Oskar has time for one final word before he slips into Eternity, the only word his lips have uttered in over twenty years, "Unbelievable."

The One Strike Killer…strike that, the One Miss Killer, is dead.

To the end, he had only missed once.

Braniff Oskar, brutally efficient to the end, has claimed his last victim: himself.

Athena and Jolie float into the cockpit of the Centurion Gundam together. They seal the cockpit hatch, and pure oxygen and atmospheric pressure suitable for human survival soon flood the tiny space

Athena and Jolie doff their helmets. Jolie buries her head in Athena's chest and begins sobbing, "'THENA! Oh, Athena…I thought Oskar had killed you!"

Athena, also sobbing, embraces Jolie tightly, "I'm all right, Jolie. Thanks to you, I'm all right."

The two young women hold each other tightly for several long minutes, letting their relief and the bitterness that defined the past few days between them wash out in sobs. After they have composed themselves somewhat, Jolie asks, 'How were you able to…?"

Athena wipes away her tears and says with a smile, "I bailed out just seconds before Oskar fired the shot. I had a feeling you would need this."

Athena indicates the silver Walther hand pistol now in Jolie's belt holster.

"Oh, Athena," Jolie says with a grin, "You're always so smart. I would have been dead if you hadn't…"

Athena says, "We're a team. Together, we can beat any enemy…any odds. But…I don't know if you want to continue being with me as a team."

"Of course I do!" Jolie declares passionately, "I came back because…because I couldn't lose you, 'Thena. I couldn't lose my best friend…my sister."

Athena, moved to tears, holds Jolie closer, "I know. We'll always be best friends…sisters-at-arms, no matter what."

The Centurion Team shows up, having escorted the shuttle bearing the ISR leaders to safety.

Sgt. Karim Abdul Al-Said's voice comes through the Centurion Gundam's radio, "This is Centurion Three. Jolie? Are you all right? Where's Athena?"

"I'm all right," Jolie answers her teammate happily, "So's Athena. We're both OK and ready to go home."

Jolie and Athena can hear the smile in Karim's voice, "Roger that, ma'ams. Ready to escort the both of you back to base."

"Let's go home, Big Sis," Jolie smiles at Athena.

Athena nods, "Lead on, Little Sis."

The Centurion Team, intact but for one lost mobile suit, returns to Side 3.

December 31, U.C. 0098, 23:45.

Another year is about to end. It has been a long year for the members of the Centurion Team of the Earth Federation Special Forces.

Jolie finds Athena standing alone on an observational balcony on the roof of the Zeon Royal Palace, from which Athena's ancestors once addressed the people of the empire they ruled.

The two young Special Forces officers are back in uniform. Athena notes that with satisfaction.

"So you're certain you want to continue serving with me on the team?" Athena asks.

Jolie smiles, "Where else would I go? Like I said the other day: we're sisters, and I have to be around to watch your back."

Athena adds, "So you don't mind having a Zabi for a so-called 'sister,' eh?"

Jolie shakes her head, "Minerva Zabi isn't my 'sister,' but Athena Ibaz is. Minerva Zabi is dead. Athena Ibaz isn't."

Athena smiles, "Now you understand what I had to go through when I had to separate Mafty from Hathaway."

Jolie nods, fully realizing now the dilemma that Athena must have faced back in Shanghai after she realized that she had fallen in love with one of the enemy.

Jolie notices that Athena is wearing the gold pocketwatch she had given to Athena for Christmas, "That gold pocketwatch looks really nice on you with the uniform."

Athena grins, "Thank you. It does look very nice. You have good taste, Jolie."

Jolie returns the grin, "I guess I do. I chose you to be my best friend, after all."

The two friends embrace warmly. Now that they have overcome their bitter conflicts of the past few months and no longer withhold any secrets from each other, their friendship has grown stronger and more unbreakable than ever. Whatever crises the future may hold, Athena and Jolie know they can face them together.

On that subject, Jolie ventures, "What about the future, Athena? What's going to happen next?"

"It's funny that you mention it," Athena replies, "because one of the things that I called you up here to tell you is that we've been reassigned."

"Reassigned?" Jolie says, "Where? To do what?"

Athena says gravely, "General Noah has returned from the Asteroid Belt. The Neo Zeon are about to engage in full-scale civil war. Officially, that's none of the Federation's business, and we can't and shouldn't intervene, but the Security Council has unanimously decided that it would be a good idea for the Special Forces to go out there and monitor the situation…to prevent the conflict from spreading into Federation space if it comes to that. I'm inclined to agree."

Jolie nods in understanding, "That means we might get a chance to face… Alexander Miguel."

Athena replies, "Yes, the opportunity you've been waiting for might finally be coming, Jolie. When the time comes, you'll have my full support.

Jolie grasps Athena's hands in friendship, "Thanks, 'Thena. I know I can always count on you."

Athena rubs the back of Jolie's head fondly, "And I, you, First Lieutenant Minh."

Jolie replies, "Yeah, of course, and I…wait. Did you say 'First' Lieutenant?"

Athena smiles, "That's the other thing I needed to tell you. General Noah has been monitoring our work here at Side 3, and he's been quite pleased with the results. You and I have been promoted one grade, Jolie. From now on, you're going to need to address me as 'Major.'"

Major Athena Ibaz.

"Wow, cool!" Jolie enthuses, then salutes, "Major Ibaz, ma'am! 1Lt. Jolie Minh reporting, ma'am!"

"At ease, Lieutenant," Athena returns the salute, proud of the excellent soldier Jolie has become.

Jolie asks, "So when are we leaving Side 3?"

Athena replies, "Tomorrow. We'll be stopping at Side 7 for a month to prepare for our mission in the Asteroid Belt, which will likely take us away from Cislunar Space for at least six months, if indeed not longer. We're being assigned to the new space battleship Amuro Ray, commanded by Captain Beecher Olech. We're also adding five additional new members to the Centurion Team."

"Five new members?" Jolie says, "Whoa…that doubles our team's membership."

Athena nods, "Yes. I've heard that one of the new pilots is a Newtype like you and me, Jolie. He'll be assigned to our team with a second Centurion Gundam that Anaheim Electronics has just rolled out. He'll be under your direct command."

"He?" Jolie asks, curious, "Under my direct command? You mean I'm getting my own junior executive officer?"

"Be nice to him," Athena smiles, "Don't scare him away."

"I hope he's cute," Jolie says wistfully.

A few minutes later, Athena and Jolie are in downtown Zum City, ringing in the New Year with the friends they made among the citizens of the city. The people of Zum City have learned that the Centurions and the other Special Forces units have been reassigned, and they will miss their friends and benefactors.

"We're going to miss you so much, Major Ibaz and Lieutenant Minh," Mrs. Nakamura says, "Ever since you and your team arrived, life has become much better for us. We're very grateful."

Athena smiles at the old woman, "We'll miss all of you too. You don't have to worry about the future, though. General Noah has assigned another Special Forces unit to help you in the restoration of Side 3. They'll follow the same guidelines we did and provide you as much assistance as possible."

Kevin Nakamura sheepishly approaches Athena, "Major Ibaz…I'm so sorry about the other day. My friends and I were just mad at the Federation and we lashed out at the nearest target in a Federal Forces uniform. We all know you aren't like those thugs."

"Don't worry about it, Kevin," Athena says, "The Federal Forces do have many problems, and I promise you I'll do my best to change things."

Fireworks, of a peaceful variety, ring in the New Year at Side 3. Although another long, bitter year has passed, the dream of peace in the future lives.

EPILOGUE:

A handsome young man, scarcely seventeen years old, arrives at Garrison Noah. He is dressed in an Earth Federation Forces cadet's uniform and carries with him a tiny valise.

The young man, dark-haired, dark-eyed, and gentle-natured, politely asks a Federal Forces MP, "Um, excuse me. I'm new here. Could you please tell me the way to the Centurion Team's headquarters?"

"Who are you?" the MP demands.

"I'm Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels, sir," the handsome young man replies.

This concludes PRELUDE 0099, Part I of MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE SECOND CENTURY. My thanks to all of you who have read and enjoyed the story thus far

The adventures of Maj. Athena Ibaz, 1Lt. Jolie Minh, and Chief Warrant Officer Jonah Michaels (Miguel) will continue in Part II, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM: THE SECOND CENTURY.

Coming soon!