Chapter 28 – To Rest or Not to Rest
December 23rd 2204 - Sulrethea Region – 0925 hrs
In the captain's quarters, Jonathan was sitting at his desk and gazing at his computer screen reading the casualty list of the crew of the Javelin. Bowing his head with a forlorn sigh, he removed it from his screen and switched to battle reports from Garmillas or Earth that had sighted uniquely painted individual flagships, specifically Medalusa-class battleships. Already the sighting of the orange and dark grey Calakum that the Audacious briefly encountered two months ago had intrigued him. But to see another radically painted Gatlantean vessel had made him even more curious and wondered if they were fighting Gatlanteans or not.
Gatlanteans don't really personalize their flagships' paint schemes, do they? Jonathan pondered to himself.
But before he could select a document regarding a Medalusa that was known prior to the Earth-Garmillas Alliance, Jonathan suddenly heard a light knocking on his door. However, he chose to ignore it and opened one of the documents which was titled Dzibanche. But before he could start reading the file, the knocking came back again.
"Jonathan?" came Anika's voice. "Are you in there?"
Jonathan jolted in response and quickly hid the information on his computer screen regarding the reports on Medalusa-class battleships and quickly switched to present battle reports in the LMC in their current war.
"Yeah, come in," said Jonathan as he tried to act normally.
The door opened and Anika stepped into his office with an anxious look on her face. "Hey, sorry for the interruption. But your presence is requested in the Central Operations Room."
"Oh… Yeah," mumbled Jonathan in a tired manner as he got up from his chair. "I almost forgot."
"I was busy on some… Battle reports," he continued as he strolled out of the doorway. "Yeah, battle reports on any clues to the whereabouts of the main Gatlantean fleet."
Anika frowned and paused as she took a glance back at his computer with a look of concern. "Yeah, you've been pretty busy lately."
Jonathan swallowed, wondering whether Anika knew what he was researching and decided to get her attention away from it. "Erm, are you coming as well?"
"Oh sorry," replied Anika as she cheerfully smiled back. "Shall we?"
Inside the wardroom, Jonathan and Anika stepped inside to find Eddie, Josiah, Kaito, Nerge, and Hobbs awaiting their arrival.
"Captain on deck!" announced Eddie.
"At ease," replied Jonathan with a little wave off with his hand. "You may all take your seats. Are we connected to the Manchester?"
"Yes sir," replied Eddie as the command staff sat down. "Bringing up the visual now."
A few seconds later, the picture of Vivian's office was brought up on the viewscreen.
"Manchester to Audacious, can you see and hear us?" asked Vivian from his office.
"Yup, we can see and hear you loud and clear," replied Jonathan.
"Okay, we'll start the meeting," said Vivian. "As you all know, Commander Lee and I recently concluded a meeting with Commodore Davenport. Having seen extensive combat for the past three months, we've been ordered to withdraw from the fighting lines to give our crews a much-needed R&R for at least the next two weeks and hold in reserve until the Yamato and Ark Royal's task forces relieve us of our combat duties in the LMC for the foreseeable future."
"Excuse me Commander," asked Josiah as he raised his hand. "What exactly do you mean by relieved of duty for the foreseeable future?"
"It means that most of the ships of the flotilla, including the Audacious, will be returning back to Earth," answered Vivian in a straightforward manner, which prompted Josiah and Jonathan to wince in disappointment. The latter of which was noticed by Anika.
"However, that is still subject to change depending on the situation with our fight against the Gatlantean remnants in the outer rim of the LMC. So there is a possibility of being recalled back to the front lines before the arrival of the Yamato and Ark Royal. But for now, the Dublin's battle group will be stationed in the Sulrethea Region in place of our flotilla until the Defender's battle group arrives in five days' time."
"Well at least we don't have to worry about Gatlanteans trying to attack this area of space while we're absent," commented Hobbs.
"Wait, does that mean we get to enjoy Christmas completely undisturbed and free from combat duty?" Kaito asked hopefully.
"Yup," replied Eddie. "Looks like it."
"Yes!" exclaimed Kaito as he wiggled in excitement. "Oh, the crew and the pilots are going to enjoy hearing this news after slaving away at battle drill after battle drill almost every day. Shore leave during the Christmas holidays? That is just the perfect vacation!"
"Are we going to be heading to a nearby Garmillan base?" asked Hobbs wearily.
"Actually, we were going to consult with Lieutenant Commander Welmer regarding that topic," said Vivian.
Anika blinked, having not expected that she would be chosen to pick the location.
"Me?" she exclaimed as she pointed her thumb at herself in confusion.
"Well since you know the LMC better as a local," replied Vivian. "We thought it would be best for you to recommend a planet to visit. Preferably one that is still within the vicinity of the Sulrethea region though."
"Well err," stammered Anika. "What exactly are you looking for? I mean… What sort of planet are you keen to visit?"
"Ideally it would be somewhere relaxing and hopefully discreet enough not to draw unwanted attention," replied Vivian as he tilted his head in thought. "There isn't a need to visit a planetary base as none of our ships require any major repairs."
"Somewhere relaxing and hopefully discreet enough not to draw unwanted attention," Anika repeated to herself as she began to ponder to herself. "Any preferences on location?"
"Oh that's quite simple," said Kaito immediately with a grin. "R&R has to be on a planet with tropical islands with white sandy beaches. Where we can have go out and bask in the lovely sun with cool drinks to sip on, surf on those wild waves and catch the gorgeous sight of girls in-"
"Okay, that's enough!" said Jonathan who shot a murderous glare at Kaito while Josiah facepalmed in disbelief. "Please leave your personal fantasies unspoken. Either way, going to a planet with such a relaxing atmosphere would kill the momentum of our combat efficiency. I suggest we just hop to the nearest Garmillan astro naval base where we can still train at our peak efficiency."
Everyone stared at Jonathan with blank looks of disbelief.
"W-What?"
"What?" said Jonathan with a confused look.
"Oh, come on Captain," pleaded Kaito as he took a step forward to address him. "After fighting for ten battles in a span of three months, can't we just enjoy some well-earned comforts? And what better way than to enjoy it in a beach resort complete with spas. And erm… Pleasant sights to relax the-"
"Okay Lieutenant Asuka, you made your point loud and clear," said Vivian, stepping in before the gleeful flight leader continued.
"Ah, thank you," said Jonathan to himself with a sigh of relief.
"But truthfully, I agree," continued Vivian which nearly caused Jonathan to explode in disbelief.
"What!?" exclaimed Jonathan, wondering if his superior had gone mad. "You can't be serious!"
"And that's precisely the problem," replied Vivian. "The past three months have been taking a toll on all of our crews. And I'm not talking about just fighting against Gatlantans, but also those relentless battle and repair drills you keep running on your crew. Three times per day if I'm not mistaken, which is quite excessive at this point in time."
"It's just necessary precautions," Jonathan insisted. "We cannot afford to get caught off guard while we're on duty fighting and hunting Gatlanteans."
"Which we've just been relieved of as there are other allied ships taking over our patrols for now," reminded Eddie. "Be sensible Captain, what good is a crew in combat if they're all tired and demoralized from not getting a proper break? It's not as if we're totally dismissed from the front lines. We might get another shot at fighting the Gatlantans once we're back to full strength."
Desperate to find someone to back him up, Jonathan turned to both Anika and Josiah hoping they would say something in his defense. Unfortunately, he would be disappointed.
"I- I agree," said Anika thoughtfully, as she tried to avoid Jonathan's gaze due to the awkwardness of the situation. "In fact, I think everyone should have a much needed rest and enjoy themselves."
"Those are our orders sir," sighed Josiah. "We might as well make the most of it."
"Very well…" Jonathan sighed and lowered his head in defeat.
As Jonathan slumped back into his chair, a confused expression formed on Anika's face. She could not understand why one of her best friends was so adamant about staying in the front lines when his crew and himself were in no shape to continue.
But before she could continue to wonder what was bothering Jonathan, Vivian asked a question to Anika which snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Anyway, back to business. Lt Cmdr Welmer, do you have a choice of planet to visit?"
"Well…" said Anika as she thought through hard on possible options when suddenly a familiar place came to mind. "Oh! I think I know the perfect planet to visit!"
December 24th 2204 – Caledonia System – 1525 hrs
The next day, the Audacious, Manchester, Thunder-Child and the three Fubuki-class frigates made their grand entrance as they warped out deep inside a solar system and made their way towards a beautiful blue ocean planet that had several archipelagos spread across the vast oceans.
"Wow, okay that is one heck of a planet you've chosen Ms Welmer," said Eddie as he gazed in awe of the beauty of the planet on the main panel.
"Indeed," replied Anika with a grin. "It's beautiful isn't it?"
"Mm, It looks a lot like Earth but with less land mass," commented Josiah briefly before turning back to his console.
"Well Planet Caledonia is a bit closer to the late Alteria and Iscandar," said Anika. "It may be a backwater world, but that doesn't mean it's second rate."
"XO, Orbital Space Port 3 control has contacted us," reported Johanna from the comms station. "They're requesting clearance to dock."
"Send out the clearance permits," ordered Eddie. "And inform the captain that we've arrived at our destination.
"Aye sir, sending permits now," replied Johanna as she went to work on her console. "Bridge to Commander Lee, we've arrived at Planet Caledonia. We'll be docking in less than five minutes."
"Acknowledged," replied Jonathan's voice on the PA with a blunt tone. "Keep me posted on our status later."
Anika looked back at the vacant captain's seat with a concerned look on her face.
"Orbital Space Port 3 control has confirmed and received clearance to dock," reported Johanna. "We've permission to dock in berth B2."
"Very well," Eddie nodded. "Bring us in Ms Welmer."
"Yes XO," replied Anika as she turned forward to concentrate on her job.
As the small group of Cosmo Navy warships moved closer to the low orbit of Caledonia, they began to approach a space station that was similarly designed as Starbase 239, but significantly smaller and had four branching arms. Instead of smaller triangular domes mounted on the outstretched branches of the station, only smaller docking platforms with cranes were connected to the main hub.
When the six ships reached the same attitude as Orbital Space Port 3, a shimmering effect occurred around each of the trio's hulls which indicated that the vessels had entered a force field which blanketed the area with a breathable atmosphere. The smaller escorts separated from the Audacious and Thunder-Child to go to their designated berth while the latter larger capital ships slowly came to a halt alongside one of the docking piers and were secured via its docking clamps.
Twenty minutes later, Anika and Eddie stepped outside onto the landing pier where a Garmillan man with dark blue hair walked towards them to greet them along with two guards of Zaltz origin.
"Welcome to Caledonia," said the Garmillan gentleman as he shook Eddie's hand. "I'm Governor Mathis and it is an honor to finally have guests from Planet Earth to visit our humble planet."
"Lieutenant Commander Olson Eddie, XO of the Audacious," replied Eddie as he introduced himself. "Pleasure is all mine sir, our Garmillan attache here highly recommend this planet for us to take shore leave after our long fight with the Gatlanteans."
"Is that so," replied Mathis as he glanced over to Anika who sheepishly smiled in return. "And may I ask your name Miss?"
"Lieutenant Commander Anika Welmer, former navigator of late astro battlecruiser Reinicke's Fury" greeted Anika politely. "I used to visit Caledonia back in during my days in the academy back in 2198. My superior, Captain Johann Nerge, is currently preoccupied at the moment. I'm here on his behalf to watch over the crew of the ship on their leave."
"Ah I see," replied Mathis with a warm smile. "An old guest eh? Well, welcome back Lt Cmdr Welmer. We've gotten a few renovations and updates to our attractions and amenities the last time you visited."
"Oh nice! I'll be sure to check them out later," Anika chuckled.
"For the record, how long are you going to stay in Caledonia?" asked Mathis as he glanced at Eddie.
"Well probably a week," Eddie replied. "It depends on whether our flotilla would be recalled to the front lines. Things haven't exactly settled down with the Gatlanteans still on the loose"
"So I've heard," said the Governor with a grim tone. "Ever since the last Gatlantean War, we barely had any guests to visit our planet. It's not really good for business when war is raging nearby. Well aside from members from the military."
"Don't worry," said Anika cheerfully. "If the Gatlanteans try to attack this lovely tropical planet, the Audacious has enough firepower to blow them to kingdom come! You'll be safe as long as we're here."
"Well in that case, I guess we really have nothing to worry about, " chuckled Mathis.
Unknowest to the Zalti girl, Eddie noticed that both of the guards were gritting their teeth as if they were frustrated but decided to shrug it off as there were more important things to settle.
"Well, let us get to business shall we?" asked Eddie. "I assume you received our reservations for some of the hotel rooms we booked along with the other amenities and attractions down below?"
"Yes we have," replied Mathis. "As arranged with your CO of your task force's flagship, all the passes for each ship's crews for the shuttles for round-away trips to the Isles of Edenitz Santo for a week has been all sorted out. Although there is still some paperwork for you to fill out to confirm some of these arrangements."
"Of course," replied Eddie with a polite bow. "You can send it over to my comms officer aboard our ship and we'll get it done before the end of the day."
"Thank you," said Mathis warmly. "Enjoy your stay in Caledonia!"
Deep inside the engineering control room, Fujimoto was working with four of his subordinates over the Audacious' massive wave motion engine, checking readouts in their grey and orange uniform overalls. As the engineering crew worked, there was considerable excited chatter from the mechanics about going down for their R&R, especially since the planet was said to be a tropical paradise with beaches. Fujimoto on the other hand paid little attention to his younger colleagues' chatter as he had different priorities aboard the Audacious. But as he continued to examine a technical readout on his display, he took notice of Hobbs entering into the engineering control room, walking directly to him.
"Lieutenant Hobbs," Fujimoto greeted drily.
"Fujimoto," replied Hobbs nonchalantly. "I see that you're still at your post. You're not planning to visit Caledonia like the others?"
"I would rather stay aboard and tend to my ship," answered Fujimoto. "The Audacious has been very busy these past three months and deserves a good respite. Not to mention that she's really overdue for a proper thorough inspection of all her systems. I'll probably start making a list of systems and parts to be replaced and updated for an eventual refit back home."
The chief engineer took a glance at Hobbs before resuming his work. "What about you? Are you planning to go down as well?"
"Unfortunately no," replied Hobbs as he leaned on a nearby metal pillar. "After what happened on the Aldebaran, I can't be absent from the ship or negligent in my duty. Especially since we're in an unsecured port within Garmillan territory. Who knows what our guests aboard might do under our noses while we're slacking off."
"Hmph," muttered Fujimoto as he continued to work on activating one of the maintenance drones to inspect the wave motion engine's internals. "If you're suspicious that Nerge or that dorky Gieszler are somehow involved with that incident or are in league with the Dessler regime, you can always post a security detail-"
"I'm not talking just about them," Hobbs interjected. "I'm also referring to that Zalti girl."
"Ms Welmer?" asked Fujimoto who raised an eyebrow at the security officer. "What about her?"
"She's too close to the acting captain for comfort," replied Hobbs flatly. "She's involved in almost every meeting with the command staff and gives advice to not only Commander Lee, but also to Commander Vivian as well. Don't you find it unsettling that she wields that much influence on our COs?"
"You do have a point," replied Fujimoto thoughtfully. "Although I would think that Gieszler would be a more dangerous suspect since he knows how to reprogram systems that are linked to comms and weapons. But on the subject of Ms Welmer, may I remind you that her job is an attaché? I agree she does wield some influence but not at our expense and still provides valuable information in operating within the LMC. Besides, she's not the type to be loyal to the fallen Dessler regime."
"Even if she isn't part of the Dessler regime, Garmillas as a whole can't be trusted. Especially when it's fractured into different but dangerous factions," Hobbs argued.
Annoyed by Hobbs' rant, Fujimoto glanced back at the security officer, his eyes narrowing with displeasure.
"What exactly are you implying?"
"Isn't it odd that Miss Welmer recommended a backwater world for R&R instead of a more secured and well defended planetary base?" replied Hobbs. "The last time one of our most powerful ships was given advice by a Garmillan attaché to visit a remote planet, it got attacked by a rebel controlled Zoellugut backed up by planetary missiles. And like Stravaze, Caledonia is a perfect place to cripple or even capture an Andromeda-class battleship."
Fujimoto stared at Hobbs in disbelief at his explanation. "Let me get this straight, you're suggesting she's in league with those Garmillan rebels and plans to attack or capture this vessel? Even though we have five escort vessels including an Edinburgh-class cruiser that has the eyes and ears of a fox that can see anything a light year away? Also, would she do that behind Captain Nerge's back at the risk of ending her own career which she clearly cherishes?"
Hobbs' snobbish smile faded as he realized some faults in his theory but persisted to hold his ground.
"She may be playing her part for now," he defended. "But people from a subjugated race like hers don't simply roll over when their service isn't paid the justice they expect from their masters. Given the right scenario, her type can be easily indoctrinated into extremist activity. And that makes her a threat."
"Mr Hobbs," Fujimoto growled, having enough of his slanderous comments. "I suggest that you keep those comments to yourself! I may not like working with Garmillans, but having observed Ms Welmer as an individual for the past few months, I can say that she is a good-to-honest officer who values respect and honor. Now get out of my sight before I personally inform the Captain of our little conversation!"
Seeing his reaction, the security chief lowered his head and closed his eyes.
"Apologies if I have offended you in any way sir," Hobbs said with a bow. "I only wanted to share my risk assessment to get your opinion on the matter. Thank you for your time."
With that, Hobbs turned and left the engineering control room, leaving Fujimoto to sigh to himself before noticing he had caused a scene among his fellow junior engineers who were all stunned by his outburst.
"What are you looking at?" Fujimoto snapped. "Get back to work or there will be no authorized shore leave from me!"
With a yelp the other engineers scurried back to their jobs. But as Fujimoto went back to his own task, he could not help but be troubled by Hobbs' words. He had his own personal concerns with Anika being allowed by Commander Lee to be the ship's helmsman as the navigation console had access to the wave motion gun which was locked and secured by Jonathan himself. And as the ship's creator and designer, he was uneasy of a foreigner getting her hands on playing with his creation.
But so far, Ms Welmer had proven to be the most capable person to pilot the Audacious to her fullest potential beyond his expectation. And thankfully she had not once tried to tap into the WMG system. But if her loyalty to Garmillas was truly tested at the expense of the Audacious, could Anika Welmer be really trusted as an ally?
December 24th 2204 – Caledonia - Isles of Edenitz Santo – 1643 hrs
Feeling her hands rumble, amidst the first batch of the Audacious' crew to head to the planet below was Konno, who felt her ears pop as their shuttle plummeted through the planet's stratosphere. The passenger cabin they were in was dimly lit in a warm wash of light, with the windows along the sides closed to protect their eyes from the elements outside and the seats lined with soft fuzzy covers to keep their bodies comfy.
But despite the calm ambience their ride's interior was trying to promote, the cabin was all but silent as the crew bustled with hushed whispers about their plans for the surface.
Smiling as she listened to the sounds of anticipation, the young pilot glanced around to look for familiar faces from her seat in the middle aisle. As she looked up and down the rows next to her, she spotted a familiar bespectacled Garmillan a few rows behind with his eyes and fists braced nervously, and an unamused Josiah next to him.
"I thought you'd have overcome this sort of thing by now," the tactical officer remarked as he watched Otto freak out next to him.
"I-It's different every time!" the bespectacled officer silently let out. "And I haven't exactly sat in this shuttle model before…"
Watching as Josiah let out a sigh, Konno chuckled mischievously in response and smiled to herself as she leaned back and rested her head into her cushioned seat.
"Oi Yashiro! Are you listening?"
Flinching in surprise, the young pilot turned back to her left and saw Mitsuhiko and Genta eyeing her in annoyance.
"S-Sorry," she smiled as she scratched her head sheepishly.
"We have a responsibility as the first members of Osprey Squadron to arrive you know?" Mitsuhiko lectured as he leaned in towards her.
"Yeah! We gotta use our time wisely before the rest arrive!" Genta added from behind him. "When we see them, it's showtime!"
"Don't worry about it," smirked Konno as she gave them a playful salute. "I already know my duties. Location scouting and reserving!"
"Good," replied Mitsuhiko as he folded his arms and turned back to the front in thought. "We don't know how many people will be on the beach, so your job will be extremely important."
As they finished their conversation, the three pilots noticed that the rumble they were feeling in the cabin was beginning to die down, and glanced up as a gentle ping played from the announcement speakers.
"Dear passengers," a warm female voice played. "We have just completed reentry and will be landing shortly in the next twenty minutes. Please remain seated, and do have a look at the nearest window as we arrive at our destination. Thank you!"
At the same time, the window covers at the sides of the cabin automatically slid open, causing the crew members to let out voices of surprise and excitement as the cabin was filled with sunlight.
But unfortunately for the pilots who were in the middle row of seats, all they could do was catch a few glimpses of the blue outside in between the heads of the window aisle occupants.
"Aw come on!" Genta whined as he tried to lean out as much as his seat belts would let him. "Why did we have to draw the short straw for seats?"
Letting out a sigh, Konno and Mitsuhiko leaned back in their seats as the chubby pilot and the crew clamored to look at the aerial view.
"Oh well, can't be helped," Mitsuhiko sighed.
"Yup," Konno nodded before leaning to the side quietly with a smile.
Despite being far away from the window, she could still see bits of the clouds and sky from her seat. Thankfully, those window seat occupants weren't as rowdy as the rest, and the young pilot could actually see the sparkling ocean below them as the shuttle banked slightly.
But at the same time, seeing the blue and white outside began to trigger a few memories in her head. And for a moment, the young pilot forgot where she was.
Noticing her odd behavior, Mitsuhiko tilted his head.
"What are you looking at?" he asked.
"Hm? Oh, nothing," replied Konno as she continued to look away. "Just spacing out, thinking about stuff."
Pausing, her wingman smiled.
"Homesick?"
Smiling in response, she turned back to the front and rested her head.
"Of course not," Konno chuckled as she closed her eyes. "It's just that I've forgotten how long it's been since we last saw earth."
As the young pilot relaxed in her seat, Mitsuhiko glanced down as he thought about her statement, and slowly leaned back as well.
"That's true, it has been quite a while," he replied quietly. "It's weird how all the days seem to blend together isn't it?"
"Mm."
Glancing at her, the freckled pilot watched as she went quiet again and closed his eyes in response.
"You know, I feel like something's changed about you since that one solo mission."
Opening her eyes in surprise, Konno gave him a curious glance.
"Oh? In what way?"
"I don't know how to describe it," Mitsuhiko replied as he turned to her and scratched his head in thought. "It's like you've aged a few years or something."
Flinching, the young pilot doubled over as the words 'aged a few years' struck her head.
"What the heck? Is that supposed to be a complement?" she grumbled.
"A-Ah no, sorry that wasn't what I meant," her wingman hastily corrected with a shake of his hand.
Clearing his throat, he paused for a moment again before glancing back at her.
"It just seems like you've been taking a lot more time to think to yourself lately," he said with a smile. "Not that that's a bad thing, but previously you seemed as if you were always running around looking for something, while now you act more as if you're on a daily jog."
Konno tilted her head as she listened to her wingman, causing him to flinch and glance away sheepishly.
"S-Sorry, did that make even less sense?"
Looking at him again as he shifted in his seat, Konno couldn't help but smile at her freckled wingman. He didn't have the same confidence as the pilots on the Neu Lambea nor the analytical eye of Josiah, or even the same book of knowledge Otto brought around. And with Genta or Kaito always next to him, his smaller build made it difficult to exude the same presence they did despite his best attempts.
If anything, he was a lot like her. And that made him the easiest for her to talk to.
"No, you're quite right actually," the young pilot replied warmly. "That's pretty much how it is."
Seeing her reaction, Mitsuhiko let out a sigh of relief.
"Ah I see," he said quietly. "Well, if you're aware of it then I guess it was intentional."
"Is what intentional?" came Genta's voice suddenly as he intruded into their conversation. "The volleyball teams?"
Widening their eyes in response, Mitsuhiko quickly turned away while Konno formed an 'X' shape with her arms.
"Apologies kind sir but you've missed the opportunity to join the conversation~" she dramatically announced, causing Genta to pause and think to himself.
"Hm, gossip eh?" the chubby pilot let out before turning to Mitsuhiko with a determined look and two fingers.
"I'll trade two servings of free dessert for access."
"H-Hey don't try to bribe him! Counter offer- I'll tell you what we were talking about for two desserts and a drink!"
"Wha- hey he asked me first- Genta!"
Almost immediately, the small argument between the pilots quickly turned into a squabble, which caused a select few heads to turn in response to the ruckus.
"W-What do you think they're fighting about?" asked Otto as he watched their heads bobble from behind.
"No idea," grumbled Josiah, who folded his arms in annoyance. "Probably something stupid again."
"I see," Otto replied curiously. "They do tend to make quite a lot of noise whenever I see them. I wonder why that is…"
Soon, the white shuttle began descending through the sky's cotton-like clouds, which gave way to the sight of the green and white arpeggio below. As the condensation flew off its wings, the spacecraft made its way down towards the largest island in the center of the formation and began banking towards an opening in the treeline on its south side.
In the midst of this, the hidden doors in its belly opened up to reveal three ski-like landing gear which slowly came out as the shuttle began approaching the airport. At the same time, the craft pitched its nose up slightly as its small maneuvering thrusters began slowing its forward momentum, and the shuttle gently lowered itself until it landed in a marked square on the concrete below.
A few minutes later, the Audacious crew members were quickly streaming out of the shuttle and making their way down the staircase car that had parked next to it.
Following the queue out of the door, the pilots stood in the aftermath of their negotiations, with Konno sagging her shoulders in defeat in the front while Mitsuhiko stood proudly behind her with his chin up.
"Hehe! Better luck next time Osprey Two!" he declared victoriously. "Don't worry, I'll share some of the spoils with you later."
Shaking her fist lightly, Konno lowered her head into a further dejected state as she leaned onto the handle of her rolling suitcase.
"I- I'll get you next time…" she outed with her last ounces of will.
Meanwhile behind them Genta simply stared past them with a very unsatisfied look on his face.
"I feel like I've been had," he stated tonelessly.
"Now now, it's not every day you get to see inside Yashiro's head," said Mitsuhiko as he glanced toward the chubby pilot smugly. "And a deal is a deal isn't it? you're not going to pull out here are you?"
"I am a man of my word," Genta replied stoically before his stomach began to rumble. "Although all this talk about food is making me hungry…"
"We can probably get a quick bite once we reach the hotel," Konno shrugged, letting out a stretch as she shook off her loss. "Ahh I can't wait to get a drink. My mouth is getting way too dry."
After a few more minutes, the pilots were finally able to get to the end of the queue and stepped out into the sunlight. Konno winced as a sudden gust of wind blew her hair into her face briefly, and found herself stumbling slightly in surprise.
Smiling to herself at the oddly nostalgic sensation, the young pilot held her hair to the side and filled her lungs with the fresh breeze as she enjoyed the sounds of the leaves rustling in the wind. But when she opened her eyes, Konno couldn't help but gasp as met with an unexpected sight.
In front of her, the pavement ended quickly to reveal that they were parked on a hill. And past that and the netted fences, the rainforest opened up to reveal the sparkling ocean along the horizon along with the myriad of round tan colored buildings that were densely packed around the coast. Some buildings were short, while others had tall spires that reminded her of the Garmillan buildings she had heard about elsewhere.
From what she could tell, the roads looked like they were lined by what looked like stores covered by colorful cloth. Blues, yellows and reds added to the already lush amount of trees in and around the city, and the small piers extending out from the left side of the town looked like they were bustling with fishing ships moving in and out.
But to top it all off was the great blue sky that encompassed the whole landscape. Littered with strips of white, it was not much different from the one on earth. The one Konno fondly remembered.
Beaming eagerly from ear to ear, the young pilot gripped tightly onto her suitcase in anticipation and spun around to address her compatriots.
"Well, let's go then!" she laughed with a hop and a head tilt.
"Yeah!" the two pilots exclaimed before the three skipped down the stairway cart.
Back aboard the Audacious' wardroom several hours later, Anika and Eddie were busy finalizing arrangements for the crews on their R&R leave with Johanna providing reports from the other berthed Cosmo Navy ships.
"Here you go ma'am," said Johanna, beaming brightly as she handed out her data tablet to Anika. "The list of crew members from the Ikazuchi who scheduled to go down to the resort at Edenitz Santo."
"Thank you Ms Gibson," replied Anika with a courteous smile as she took the tablet. "Aren't you going down with the next batch of crew members?"
"I'm not so sure," said Johanna meekly as she was fiddling with her fingers. "I'm thinking of actually staying onboard. It's nice when there aren't any of the rowdy crew members aboard the ship."
"Okay," Anika nodded in acknowledgement. "If you change your mind, I could show you some places where there's peace and quiet. The natural scenery on some of the beaches is truly breathtaking during sunsets and shouldn't be missed!"
"Thanks for the offer Ms Welmer," replied Johanna with a grateful smile. "I'll consider it."
Just then Johanna's comms wireless headset started beeping.
"Pardon me Ma'am and sir," said Johanna with an apologetic bow. "I've more requests to attend to."
"Sure," Eddie nodded. "You may be dismissed for now Ensign."
As Johanna made her leave, Eddie's eyes followed the junior comms officer as she strode away whistling to herself in contentment with her long black hair dancing in her wake like a happy dog's tail.
"Someone seems to be in a very good mood today," chuckled the radar officer.
"Indeed she is," agreed Anika as her lips curved into a smile. "Ever since Ensign Gibson heard that the Audacious was scheduled to be heading back to Earth her morale just skyrocketed. I think she really needed this break after all the tense action these past three months."
"Yeah good for her then," said Eddie before taking on a concerned look. "Poor kid hasn't seemed to adjust as well as the other youngsters in combat even after all this time. I wonder what made her join the Cosmo Navy if she couldn't mentally take it."
Before Anika could reply, a certain spiky haired flight captain poked his head into the wardroom.
"Hi guys!" Kaito grinned as he casually saluted them, dressed in a casual Hawaiian style shirt with trunks and a camera around his neck.
"Oh hi Lieutenant Asuka," greeted Anika in return. "I see you're back awfully quickly."
"Well it was just a recon tour of the islands so I wasn't there for long," replied Kaito with a grin on his face. "By the way, you can drop the formalities. We're on vacation, remember?"
"Ah right, sorry Kaito," Anika sheepishly chuckled.
"How's it going with arranging all the R&R paperwork?" Kaito asked the acting XO.
"It's tough, especially translating all this Garmillan language and filling out these forms and permits," replied Eddie with a tired but determined voice. "But thanks to both Ms Welmer and Ensign Gibson I've got enough help to sort this all through."
"Good to hear," said Kaito. "By the way Anika, can I talk with you for a couple of minutes?"
Anika's eyes perked up in surprise. "Sure I guess…"
The Zalti young woman turned to Eddie with an applogic expression. "Sorry but can you handle this for a while on your own?"
"It's okay Ms Welmer, I got this handled," replied Eddie reassuringly. "Ensign Gibson can still help me out for now."
"Thanks, if you need any help just call or send someone to get me."
A few minutes later, Anika found herself in one of the sleek and clean corridors of the ship with Kaito in tow.
"So how was the Isles of Edenitz Santo?" asked Anika curiously.
"Spectacular!" exclaimed Kaito. "You really picked the best spot in the LMC for this retreat! It looks like one of those five star tropical island tourist attractions back on Earth!"
Anika chuckled in amusement. "Really? Well I'm glad you enjoy it! I hope the crews of the other ships will enjoy it as well."
"Oh I think they will," replied Kaito. "With a tropical landscape that reminds them of home, that will settle down everyone's shot nerves from all the fighting we've been through…By the way..."
Kaito slightly leaned forward towards Anika's face with a sly grin. "Are you planning to ask Jonathan to go down on a date with you?"
Freezing, Anika's face immediately flushed red with embarrassment and eyes went wide as saucers.
"W-w-What!? N-n-no, we're both j-just good friends!" stammered Anika bashfully as she shook her hand in denial.
"Oh ho ho... Really?" said Kaito in a playful tone. "Especially when you both work so well together?"
"NO!" replied Anika defensively. "Yes… I-I m-mean, we just so happen to coordinate well with one another in the heat of battle and have worked together in the past. So… Of course we're a good match-"
Anika's face blanched when she realized what she said in her last sentence which caused Kaito to grin even further.
"No, what I meant was from a tactical and objective point of view! Yeah! it's completely platonic!"
"Oh come on Anika," said Kaito smugly. "I've noticed how you both interact together when you're both not on duty like during your few… Private visits in his office late at night."
"Kaito!" Anika snarled as her embarrassed expression turned into an angered glare. "Really!? I swear on the honor of Garmillas we didn't do anything of that sort! I was just giving him some navigation updates regarding-"
Anika stopped as she noticed that Kaito was struggling to keep himself from laughing his head off.
"Why you utter-" Anika exclaimed in exasperation.
"Your face-!" Kaito laughed uncontrollably as he pointed his finger at her. "Oh I totally had you!"
"Come on, that wasn't funny!" Anika pouted angrily.
"Sorry, my bad," Kaito sniffed as he caught his breath back. "But in all seriousness, you're the one that Jonathan spends the most time with. Nearly everyone aboard can see how much the captain trusts and cares for you a lot."
"I guess..." Anika's voice trailed away. "But definitely… not in a romantic way. That will compromise the integrity of our working partnership. We're both officers from two different interstellar nations and fraternization between people like us cannot be allowed."
"Yeah, I get the idea," replied Kaito with a nod. "I can imagine an uproar between Earth and Garmillas' top brass if something... Indecent happens between two officers from both sides."
"Obviously," Anika sighed before narrowing her eyes at the mischievous pilot while crossing her arms. "So? Is there a reason you've asked me here or shall I take my leave?"
Seeing her annoyed expression, Kaito let out a weary chuckle before sighing.
"Actually, I wanted to ask you about Jonathan," he said with a smile.
"Jonathan?" Anika asked as she raised an eyebrow. "How come?"
"Lately he always seems to be quite agitated," the spiky haired flight leader replied as he leaned backwards onto the wall. "I was hoping you could shed some light on why."
Anika paused.
"Are you referring to what happened in the earlier briefing?" she asked.
"Not just then, I've heard he's been unusually harsh on a few damage control officers recently as well," said Kaito as he scratched his head.
"Oh… I didn't hear about that," Anika let out as she briefly glanced away.
Her eyes blinked softly as she thought about his words.
"If it's about yesterday's ambush and today's briefing, he sometimes can't help but show his frustrations when something goes awry," she explained with a smile. "I'll try talking to him about it though, thanks for telling me."
Turning away, the long haired Zalti took a step to leave but noticed Kaito was still looking at her.
"Sorry, was there still more?" she asked.
"How about you?" he asked with a tilt of his head, causing Anika to pause.
"Me?"
"Yeah," Kaito nodded. "Your term on the Audacious is going to be up soon right?"
Widening her eyes, Anika froze. Amidst all the planning and admin work, she had forgotten her post on the Audacious was only for the duration it was serving in the LMC. If they were to be called back to Earth, she wouldn't be following them.
"Y-Yeah," she weakly chuckled. "I know."
Seeing her reaction, the flight leader's mouth immediately crept into a knowing smile.
"Oh? Immediately having some certain thoughts?" he said smugly.
"S-Shut up," pouted Anika as she tried to cover her face.
Grinning, Kaito got up energetically and cleared his throat.
"To save the sanity of the crew from Jonathan's increasingly irrational behavior," said Kaito dramatically. "Someone has to distract our troubled captain from his superfluous mental burdens of fighting this war."
Finishing his sentence, he pointed at Anika with a very cheeky smirk. "And you, my fair maiden, are the only one on this ship who can accomplish exactly that."
"Y- I-"
Anika sputtered as her face turned beet red while thinking of a way to refute his words.
"I told you already!" she grumbled as she shut her eyes. "Officers of two different interstellar-"
"Jonathan needs to be in an environment that can make him cast aside his worries and burdens." Kaito continued in a matter of fact tone. "And with you around to bond with him, he'll be back to his old dorky but sensible self. Like I said, it's for the good of the ship and the crew."
"Besides..." he added softly before turning to her with a sincere smile.
"Whether it's as friends or something else, shouldn't you take the time to make a few more memories before parting once again? You might not get another chance."
Widening her eyes, the long haired Zalti flinched and immediately went silent as she blushed again. For a few moments, she didn't say anything, and simply fidgeted slightly with her auburn hair.
"It won't be that easy to get him to go down," she mumbled. "You've seen how convicted he is to continue working. Even if I… ask him out, there's no guarantee he'll agree."
Kaito grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"Oh about that, don't worry about it… I may have a few ways to help you with that."
Inside the Audacious' blue lit central operations room, a determined and fixated Jonathan was sitting on a chair, examining a large holographic display of the LMC with the various Earth, Garmillan and Gatlantean battle groups labeled in their positions. In addition, there were a couple of red colored sectors in the 3D holographic map of the LMC which Jonathan had personally marked off. Right next to him Nerge was giving him reports regarding the latest sightings or skirmishes between allied and enemy forces. With both Vivian and Davenport having both stopped sending intel regarding the latest battles between the Cosmo Navy's vessels and the Gatlanteans to the Audacious in order for the crew to rest, Jonathan had decided stubbornly to improvise by asking from a Garmillan source.
"At 2120 last night, Colonel Gustav's battle group led by the Haizerad-class battleship Helgaheim intercepted a Gatlantean battle group at the distant Zisagua system. The enemy group consisted mostly of escort type vessels with only one Nasca-class carrier backing them up."
"Does the Zisagua System have any strategic value?" asked Jonathan as he tried to keep himself alert by sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea.
"Very little Commander Lee," replied Nerge. "The only habitable planet has a small resupply outpost with only a small civilian population stationed there. The attack only lasted for two runs before the enemy fleet fled the system just as the Helgahiem started her attack. Only seven enemy vessels were able to escape including the carrier."
"Another hit and run attack on a minor base," Jonathan growled in annoyance as he used his right hand to pull a tuft of his hair. "That makes the fourth this week."
At the corner of his eye, Jonathan noticed to his curiosity that several small flotillas belonging to Garmillas were positioned near systems that were both heavily or barely populated near the inner section of the LMC. Most curiously, half of all these systems were not even attacked in the recent two months. Intrigued, Jonathan decided to inquire with Nerge about those vessels.
"What's with all those Garmillan ships posted there?"
Nerge paused for a moment before replying. "Just search parties for an important figure's kid. Nothing more."
Jonathan stared at Nerge with a deadpan look. "Really? With all these raids, several Garmillan ships are still being directed into non priority missions such as searching for one missing kid?"
"It's an important priority that comes directly from the top of my government," replied Nerge flatly before lowering his voice. "But it's of little concern to your fleet. You really wouldn't want to be involved in it."
Jonathan's eyes narrowed at the last sentence but decided not to ask any further into the matter.
"Very well, if you say so," the bespectacled young captain sighed. "Anything else?"
"There is a report from a small Garmillas flotilla led by Major Kolin," added Nerge.
"Wait, did you say Major Kolin?" Jonathan's eyes lit up in recognition of that name. "As in the Commander Kolin from Kaldaria 3 we encountered months ago?"
Nerge scrolled on his data tablet to check. "It appears so, apparently he got a promotion and a new command. A Destoria-class heavy cruiser, the Dresden."
"Huh, well that's good for him!" Jonathan chuckled. "So what does his report say?"
"There was a sighting of a Calaklum-class battleship leaving the Reozuno Sector escorted by a dozen destroyers," Nerge answered. "His small flotilla is currently tracking it from a safe distance till heavier reinforcements can engage. It was last reported that the enemy ship was on a projected course towards the Small Magellanic Cloud," answered Nerge. "This seems to align with the theory that the Gatlanteans are staging their attacks from their old conquered turf. Although we have to wait for confirmation from Frakken and his dimensional wolfpack once they've arrived in the SMC."
"Hmm, will just have to wait and see if it is true," Jonathan let out a gasp as he leaned backward on his chair before frowning in doubt. "Although the vectors of their withdrawal upon completing their attacks seem to point in the direction of the SMC, the warp-in vectors of their attacks seem to suggest otherwise..."
"You don't think they're hiding in the SMC?" asked Nerge.
"Not exactly," replied Jonathan as he tapped his finger on a console. "It does make sense for them to be launching their attacks and hiding in the wastelands of the SMC. But it's such an obvious ploy which feels… Too easy."
Nerge raised an eyebrow. "Easy? Elaborate."
Jonathan sat upright and began pulling out previous battle reports. "Well, first of all we've to consider the nature and targets of their most full-scale attacks so far: Garmillan Starbase 239, the Württemberg, the two CCC carriers Neu Lambea and recently Neu Schderg, plus the astro naval bases of Haizerado and Lürssen. All of these were high profile targets that contributed greatly to the security and strength of the Garmillan forces in the LMC were attacked without warning with the utmost precision and coordination. Also the skirmishes right before some of those events occurred in areas that diverted ships vital away from key strategic defense areas. This doesn't seem like a poorly coordinated operation by the Gatlanteans. In fact, I might dare say it's worrisomely well planned and executed."
"I see," replied Nerge with a small smile. "So you think they are launching their attacks from a different area of space other than the SMC?."
"I believe so," Jonathan replied firmly as he began to swipe all the other unmarked blue areas of the LMC map one by one. "It's got to be somewhere we overlooked. If it's not in the LMC it has to be-"
Jonathan suddenly slumped forward on the console and started to groan in pain as he suddenly had a massive headache.
"Ugh," moaned Jonathan as he clutched his forehead with his right hand. "Damn it…"
"Commander Lee, if you're not well, I suggest you get some rest sir," said Nerge flatly.
"No, that won't be necessary" replied Jonathan with gritted teeth as he gave the ex-Imperial Guard officer a slightly bloodshot gaze. "I can last just another half an hour. Besides, don't you Imperial Guard folks work during the long nights?"
"That is a pointless comparison Commander," replied Nerge flatly. "You're clearly sleep deprived and definitely need a good long night's rest. We will continue this tomorrow."
Before Jonathan could retort back to Nerge, the doors slid open to reveal Anika.
"Ah Lt Cmdr Welmer, good timing," said Nerge. "Would you oblige to escort Jonathan back to his quarters?"
Anika's face widened in surprise before focusing her attention on Jonathan which almost caused her to take a step back in horror after seeing his bagging eyes and slightly unkempt hair.
"Yes sir," stammered the Zalti girl before gesturing to Jonathan with a slight tilt of her head to the left for him to join her outside. "Come on Jonathan, let's go."
Jonathan reluctantly sighed as he dragged himself out of the central operations room to join his friend outside.
"How long have you been in there?" asked Anika as the two walked down the corridor.
"Maybe three to four hours?" mumbled Jonathan groggily. "Was trying to-"
Jonathan yawned before finishing his sentence. "Excuse me... Narrow down... The list of locations on where in the LMC the Gatlanteans would be hiding."
The bespectacled commander took a glance and saw Anika's disapproving frown.
"What?"
"Seriously Jonathan? You're on R&R and you're still studying post-battle reports? Everyone else is having a great time down at Edenitz Santo."
"In fact," Anika added as her face brightened up with a smile. "The pilots of Osprey Squadron are planning for a volleyball tournament between themselves and the crews of the Ikazuchi and Thunder-Child tomorrow-."
"Not interested," Jonathan shut her down.
Anika spluttled but quickly composed herself as she decided to move to plan B.
"O-Oh okay, well I was also thinking we should go and try the local cuisine," said Anika with a smirk as she pulled out a holographic projector as it began to display a menu. "I know a seafood restaurant near the beaches where there's a lovely fried sweet sour bass…"
Jonathan's eyes immediately seemed to spark with light as he glimpsed a very exotic looking dish that made his mouth start to water.
"Well that looks really good…"
Anika's smile widened, believing that Jonathan had taken the bait.
"But I rather have that ordered in for me to eat aboard the ship while I do my research," Jonathan finished flatly.
Anika scrunched up her face as she in bewilderment by Jonathan's idiotic reply.
"Seriously?" Anika replied in a deadpan expression. "You know that such dishes like that are best tasted when they're freshly cooked right?"
"I'm sorry Anika," said Jonathan in both an apologetic and exasperated tone. "It does look tasty but I'm too busy for the next few days."
"Oh come on Jonathan," Anika pouted. "You need to relax and let the other Captains and proper tactical analysis experts handle this stuff. Let them do their jobs while we get the chance to take a break and enjoy some peace and quiet."
"Relax?" muttered Jonathan as he stared into her with a gloomy and dark expression. "How can I relax when there are men dying out there fighting those green barbarians? The sooner I'm able to crack the whereabouts of where the main Gatlantean forces are hiding the better more lives aren't wasted in this overdue conflict. I thought somebody who valued lives over her own wouldn't spend her free days just indulging herself with follious pleasures."
Anika flinched.
"E-Excuse me?"
"Well I guess you have the better luxury to enjoy yourself on your leave," replied Jonathan callously with a sleepy tone. "A navigation officer doesn't need to be concerned about the affairs of strategic matters unlike me. So you can go ahead and just give the rest of the crew a nice tour of the tropical islands below while I just stay aboard and continue on with my-"
"No that's not what I'm saying," Anika said firmly.
Pausing, the long haired Zalti held her head in slight agony as she thought about what to say.
"Look, you seem to be quite on edge so I was hoping we could just both go down and enjoy ourselves together at Edenitz Santo," she let out softly as she glanced back at him. "Anyway if the Audacious is headed back to earth after this, we probably won't see each other again for quite some time. So I thought… it'd be nice if we could make some memories before that happens."
Jonathan stopped in his tracks.
H-Hang on, is she actually trying to ask me on a date!? Jonathan's panicking mind began to echo. Oi Oi! Is this for real!? I mean, actually not that bad as I actually like spending time with her as she is nice and beautiful. Both outside and inside of course! But! But! But! This isn't the perfect timing to suggest that! If the crew sees both me and Anika on the date… Ugh, I don't want to be the center of their gossip! Especially since I have more pressing and concerning ones to put down for good! Damn, I don't want to turn her down but…
Taking a breath, Jonathan calmed himself down for several moments and gave his reply.
"I'm sorry Anika, I appreciate the thought but I can't. I'm obliged by my duty to end the Gatlantean threat once and for all."
Freezing, Anika narrowed her eyes briefly before glancing downward.
"I… see," she let out quietly.
Letting out a sigh, she turned back to him with a gentle smile.
"Could you at least tell me why?"
Jonathan's eyes widened suddenly, and he immediately glanced away.
"I- No, sorry… I can't," he admitted, causing Anika to narrow her eyes and clench her teeth silently.
"Is it confidential?" she asked wearily.
Jonathan's eyes darted briefly to her before glancing away again.
"No, it's…"
His response caused Anika to widen her eyes, and immediately release her gritted teeth.
"Then it's personal?" she pushed with a hint of concern in her voice.
"It's… It's-" Jonathan stuttered as he struggled to avoid Anika's piercing gaze.
Letting out a sigh Jonathan lowered his head remorsefully. "I can't go back empty handed…"
Anika blinked.
"What?" she let out, causing the bespectacled officer to grit his teeth.
"I'm sorry, I just... can't go back to Earth," Jonathan muttered in exasperation. "I just need to find the Gatlantean stronghold long before the Yamato and Ark Royal arrive so that when the big decisive fleet battle begins, Commodore Davenport would be forced to still use the Audacious in combat. I really don't want to miss it when that happens."
"But Jonathan," Anika answered as she moved in closer toward him. "We've been in ten skirmishes since Garmillan Starbase 239. That's more than any Andromeda-class ship in both of our fleets had seen in their entire careers. I think you did more than our duty expects of us. You should be proud of that achievement."
"Yeah, but nobody would remember a captain winning small skirmishes," replied Jonathan with an increasingly dissatisfied tone as he looked away from Anika. "Only big scale fleet battles like Saturn or the 11th Floating Continent are the ones that…"
Upon hearing those words, Anika took on a grim look. "Jonathan, why does that matter so much to you? Are you-"
"Look, you're only doing this to prove to the pure-blood Garmillans that your people can stand with them as equals right?" the bespectacled captain snapped causing Anika to flinch again. "It's something like that, so could you please just leave me alone for now?!"
Finishing his sentence, Jonathan waited for Anika's response but it never came. Glancing up slowly, he came face to face with her dumbfounded expression.
"W… What?" she let out almost inaudibly.
Jonathan widened his eyes in horror, and opened his mouth immediately.
"I- Sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"Jonathan… you're slipping into your old habits again," Anika muttered shakily.
Her statement caused him to freeze.
"I'm trying… my hardest here to understand," she whispered as she lowered her head. "I think the crew is as well. But as a friend, I have to warn you right now that your actions are appalling. Please, take some time to rest so you can clear your head."
"I- I understand," Jonathan let out quietly as he gripped his arm. "And- I'm really sorry."
For a moment, the two weren't able to say anything and simply stood opposite each other without a word, the icy atmosphere freezing their every limb. The only sounds that could be heard was the faint hum of the ventilation system.
"Make room in your itinerary tomorrow for the whole afternoon and evening starting from 1100," Anika said slowly. "Kaito and I have planned some activities to help you destress."
"K-Kaito?" Jonathan asked in surprise.
Lowering her head, Anika's eyes went dark.
"I'll take my leave now, please excuse me captain," she said softly.
"O-Oh… y-yeah, have a good… night…"
Slowly, the long haired Zalti turned away, and left down the corridor, leaving Jonathan alone with his thoughts. With his body trembling slightly, he also turned around, and started the long trip back to his quarters.
What am I even doing? He thought to himself remorsefully. You really did it this time Jonathan… Damn it…
A/N: I bet you all expected a dramatic chapter, but probably not like this... But hey, it's a space opera... It's got to have some human drama after all...XD
So yeah, this arc is going to be quite different from the previous arcs I've done so far. Departing from the battle and war orientated chapters into kinda slice of life. I can't say much because of spoilers but don't easily dismiss it as its still quite heavily character orientated and does some groundwork for the next arc. To answer Freddo's question regarding whether this story follows closely or ties in with Yamato 2205. Simply put, it won't. Some of the world building details between my fanfic and the official canon story are quite radically different. However, there will be some material or certain ships that will be used from the official 2205 series. It's still an AU, but still heavily grounded in the lore and history of Yamato 2199 and 2202.
Project Audacious aside... I might work on a short one-off story later this November. This one isn't going to be SBY story but something completely different. Want to know what it is? Well my new user profile photo might give you a clue and the story's planned release date: December 7th.