A/N: The next few chapters are going to be a little short due to me cutting out the scenes with Takaki and Aston.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans.


Falcon of Tekkadan

Chapter 30: Inauguration of the Arbrau Defense Forces

After Orga, Mikazuki, and Merribit returned from Ares Station, they informed everyone at headquarters that Tekkadan will assist McGillis Fareed against Rustal Elion within Gjallarhorn. Kenji was a bit concerned about Tekkadan getting involved in Gjallarhorn's internal affairs since he already had a taste of what that was like. But he wasn't in any position to object, so he just went along with it. He also heard from Fuka that the Arbrau Defense Force will soon become official, so it will be a big day for Tekkadan's Earth Branch since they are the ones training this new force.

Right now, it was nighttime, and he was with Mikazuki in the mess hall where Orga has just been served a meal from Atra, even though it wasn't warm.

"Why don't you heat it?" Mikazuki asked.

"Yeah, it tastes better that way." Kenji said.

"No, it's good enough for me." Orga said.

"Why?" Mikazuki asked as he and Kenji sat down across the table from Orga.

"It's the same for food, work, and trouble. You just deal with whatever's in front of you. If you don't, you can't move forward." Orga said as he started eating.

"If you say so, just don't blame us or Atra if you start having stomach problems from unheated food." Kenji said.

Orga laughed. "My stomach is tougher than you think Kenji."

Mikazuki was just staring at Orga.

"What? I can't eat with you staring at me." Orga said.

"Did you lose weight?" Mikazuki asked.

"I think I see it too, and it's not the healthy kind of weight loss." Kenji said.

"You think so?" Orga asked as Mikazuki took out some of the Mars palms he was carrying and dropped a few into Orga's mashed potatoes. Orga was surprised when he saw this. "Hey."

"Nutrients. I don't like seeing you getting lanky." Mikazuki said.

"Mars palms in mashed potatoes, how does that taste?" Kenji asked.

Atra then walked by. "Mikazuki, Kenji, you want some fruits, too?"

"No, I hate peeling them." Mikazuki said.

"Not right now, thanks." Kenji said.

Orga took a bite with one the palms and stopped chewing.

"Was it bad?" Mikazuki asked.

"Unlucky draw?" Kenji asked.

"It's okay. Thanks Mika. Kenji, are the Shidens ready for delivery?" Orga asked.

"From what I was told they're ready, just need to do some final checks on the tarps covering them." Kenji said.

A few days later, Tekkadan has heard that both Mr. Makanai and Chad were injured from a bomb that was meant to assassinate Mr. Makanai during the commencement ceremony of the Arbrau Defense Force. Kenji was having a group QCCS call with Almiria, Cookie, Cracker, and Fuka.

"How are they right now Fuka?" Kenji asked.

"The doctors told me and Brother that they're now stable, but it will be some time before they wake up. So, I've decided to visit Mr. Chad every day until he wakes up." Fuka said.

"Macky told me that his people are looking into who was responsible for the explosion, but they haven't found anything yet." Almiria said.

"Oh no..." Cookie said.

"I hope they wake up soon." Cracker said.

"This happened for a reason, Almiria, do you have any ideas?" Kenji asked.

"Macky did say something about a war being sparked between Arbrau and the SAU..." Almiria said.

"War? Seriously? Fuka, has Takaki said anything about what's going on at the Earth Branch?" Kenji asked.

"Brother told me that he wanted to speak to Mr. Orga directly, but Mr. Radice said no, that it was Mr. Radice's responsibility to communicate with the Mars Branch." Fuka said.

Kenji paused. "If that's true, then why hasn't Radice answered our calls? All we're getting are messages saying the same thing: Chad and Mr. Makanai are injured. Let us handle what's happening here. That's all."

"That's all? Radice didn't tell you that the bombing is going to spark a war between the two economic blocs? He told Brother he did." Fuka said.

"Why would Radice withhold that information from us and lie to Takaki? Almiria, Fuka, stay on the line, I'm going to connect you over to Orga, hold on." Kenji put the call on hold and ran over to Orga's office. Once he got there, he saw Orga, Eugene, and Akihiro talking about being in the dark.

"Orga, I got Almiria and Fuka on the line, you better listen to what they have to say." Kenji then answered the call from Orga's tablet, and everyone began to listen to the girls. When they finished, everyone was shocked, especially Orga.

"What the heck is Radice doing? Why didn't he inform us of a war in his message? Heck, why isn't he answering our calls? Lady Almiria, Fuka, thank you for telling us this." Orga said.

"Please, do something." Almiria and Fuka said at the same time before ending the call.

Orga turned to the others. "Looks like you guys are going to have to rush the Shiden delivery to Earth and have a nice long chat with Radice." Everyone nodded.

Kenji, along with Mikazuki, Eugene, Akihiro, and a few others, even Kudelia herself, will be going to Earth to resolve the situation and find out why Radice is withholding information from Mars. Once they got on the Hotarubi, they got a call from Orga saying that what Almiria and Fuka said about a war between Arbrau and the SAU is correct, that it's a critical situation on Earth. The only problem for the Mars group is that it will take them at least three weeks to get to Earth and a lot can happen during that time. Hopefully, the Earth Branch can hold out long enough for reinforcements to arrive.