Chapter 8. Gimme Shelter

In search of solitude, Orga took his favorite spot in the Isaribi medium deck hallway. Only sharp-edged rocks and cold bleak stars watched him indifferently through the wide transparent panel as the Isaribi glided smoothly in the shoals of Asteroid Belt. Time and time again Merribit's words echoed in his head, irritating but righteous nonetheless.

"You aren't doing your job as the Boss."

Tekkadan leader frowned. He had been scolded like a child, and aboard his ship, in front of his subordinates. By that woman.

Orga tsked and kicked the railing with his boot.

He knew he had failed.

Indeed, at the Saisei Tekkadan Boss had had a chance to fill the gap in medical personnel aboard the Isaribi. He could have asked Naze to help him hire someone. The truth was, that the thought of finding a doctor had never even crossed his mind, always consumed with the never-ending work and overwhelming need to get everything under control.

Biscuit was right after all. I should rely on the guys more and set the priorities according my family needs. Anyone could buy cookies or organize the party with booze and brothel, but it should have been my call to find a doctor.

He had never been the one to dwell on the past, always looking forward, for a better future; this time however the situation required analysis, to prevent such failures from happening again. Tekkadan Boss had to learn from his mistakes.

Orga heard someone's steps but didn't bother to turn around. Aoi hopped on the railing next to him, turning aside slightly to watch the lazy chaotic dance of boulders behind the glassy panel.

Orga tensed. Right now he wanted no one around, especially her. The sudden assault aroused the certain suspicions in him considering the pilot girl. As Naze had mentioned, the chances of getting attacked while coursing through the secret Turbines' route were slim; and yet, neither the secrecy nor the militant reputation had protected them from aggression, and a purposeful one.

It must have been the information leakage, then. But who?..

He had no obvious reasons to suspect Aoi; moreover, Mika's inexplicable senses and Naze's recommendation should have proved the girl trustworthy enough. And yet, Orga couldn't help the doubts poisoning his mind.

Though, I can't blame her for my own fear of getting too personal and failing everyone as a result. It's just... I wish I knew her better.

"The doctor praised your choice of drugs for Takaki." Orga noted quietly at last. "High quality stuff, huh. Wherever you got them from."

"Well, it's Gjallarhorn's legacy."

"Ah." He looked at her inquiringly but Aoi didn't elaborate.

"Why didn't you let me fight?" She asked instead, turning to stare him in the eye.

Orga already had that answer prepared. "Gremory isn't fast enough; you wouldn't be able to get on the battlefield in time. Also, the Isaribi needed your protection. Just in case."

"Just in case, huh." She huffed stubbornly, observed him from tip to toe and suddenly turned away. Orga barely managed to notice the rosy blush climbing up her cheeks.

"Look, Orga." Aoi began hesitantly, gazing at the tedious torrents of colorless stars. "I, huh... I know a guy here in the Asteroid Belt; his medical license was withdrawn by Gjallarhorn because of experiments with prostheses. But, being the stubborn type, he escaped to desolated mining base where continued to produce and invent artificial limbs. Mostly, for Human Debris who've been abandoned by their owners. His qualification is beyond question; that I can tell you for sure - he patched me up several times. Also, this doctor wouldn't demand an enormous amount of money for the job, as those dorks at Saisei undoubtedly would. He's... quite a character, though."

"Really?" Orga tilted his head.

"There's no guarantee he'll agree to work for you, but I think it's worth the shot."

Orga watched her sharply, trying to figure out the girl's true intentions. "How did you meet him? Because of some Aniki's business?"

"No, though I'm certain Naze knows Mr Subaru. He's kinda famous here, in the Outer Sphere." She chuckled mockingly. "As for me... I met him because of my partner."

"Your partner." Orga echoed thoughtfully. His jawline hardened involuntary.

"Yeah." Aoi hesitated slightly. "My partner. We, uh... escaped from Gjallarhorn together. It was his plan, actually, not mine. I mean, without him I wouldn't even know where to go; the lab was the only thing I knew. And he needed me, to pilot Gremory, that is. His try out with the Gundam ended up with brain trauma, as I've already told you." She took a pause, tightened her lips. "According the escape plan, we had a stop at that former mining base. Subaru turned out to be my partner's old friend; he resupplied the Gremory, its thrusters and life supporting system. That's how I met him."

Orga kept silent. Everything about this story made him suspicious and cautious.

Do I even want to know? My job is to protect Tekkadan from getting in between Gjallarhorn and Teiwaz. As for the doctor... I'll ask Aniki and follow his advice.

"I still failed my partner at the end." Aoi added, smiling bitterly, thoughtfully. "Gremory is slow and heavy, indeed. Also, as a defensive unit, it's been designed to function in space longer than regular mechs. I had no experience of piloting it at the moment and failed to calculate the fuel consumption rightfully. Just like you in the simulator the other day."

Heat burned his cheeks instantly.
Orga gritted his teeth. "Everything's changed. You're Tekkadan pilot now and my subordinate. Don't forget about it."

She gave him a crooked smile and raised her right hand in a mocking salute. "Roger that, sir."

Aoi hopped off the railing and turned to leave.

"Wait." Orga grabbed her wrist. "Thanks for your help. With Takaki and... well..."

"Yeah." She turned to face him and stepped closer. "I should probably thank you too. For the kitchen duties."

Orga raised his eyebrows. "What? I thought you'd hate it."

"I absolutely did. But I must admit it was a nice change. Just doing the small things, and chatting, and drinking coffee together... I've never peeled a potato off in my life before, did you know?" He watched the wholehearted smile lightening her face, reaching the depths of those pitch black eyes, forcefully infecting him with the inappropriate delight.

"I think it felt like home." She added. "A place that smells of cooking. Where I'm cared about."

He blinked. Even without his ability Orga recognized her feelings clearly, and that made an unfamiliar emotion tighten his chest.

Aoi's lips parted as though she wanted to tell him more but the steps approaching them from behind prevented her. Orga didn't need to look back to know who it was.

He watched Aoi striding down the hallway and vanishing around the corner.

"Perfect timing, Mika."

"Orga."

"Are you hungry?"

"No. Just eaten."

"Everything went smoothly at Saisei?"

"Yeah."

"How's Barbatos?"

"Different. Better now, like a part of myself."

"You're probably tired. I bet they didn't let you rest enough."

"I'm okay. How's Takaki?"

"The doctor said we should expect full recovery, in the nearest future. I'm worried about those hostiles though, their identity and intentions. I'm going to discuss everything with Aniki soon."

"Good."

"What kind of mechs were those? Did Barbatos get any matches?"

"No. Pilots have the Alaya-Vijnana system, though. Human Debris, probably."

"Well, it's typical for such goons to use Human Debris as cannon fodder."

"Orga. I think there was Akihiro's brother with them."

"Huh? Thanks for letting me know, Akihiro didn't tell me a thing. Don't worry, I'll sort it out."

"Good."

"And make sure to feed the recorded data to Aoi's Mobile Suit, maybe we'll get some matches. Also, tell Yamagi to synchronize the Gundams' databases. Might be useful in the future."

"Will do. Why didn't Aoi fight?"

"It was my order. She... got drunk last night."

"You're blushing. Sure you ain't sick?"

"Mentally, maybe... Hey, don't look at me like this, I'm just kidding."

"I've missed Orga."

"Ah... I've missed you too, Mika."


Orga cautiously sniffed the cup of tea next to him on the table. Amida noticed his hesitation and smirked knowingly.

"That's my beverage of choice." She said, giving him a wink. "And it wasn't made by Aoi, so don't be scared to try it out."

Orga shrugged, glancing aside. "Whatever."

Biscuit next to him sipped the hot liquid with visible satisfaction.

Amida gracefully stretched out on the sofa, draped her arms around Naze's neck and kissed the man softly along the jawline, forcing Orga to remember the hot lips against his own skin. Tekkadan Boss turned away from the couple to observe the tasteful luxury of the Turbines' lounge room.

"I've heard from Ms Noi that your comrade Takaki was fortunately saved." Naze said, lazily stroking Amida's shoulder.

"Yeah." Orga gritted his teeth. "Thanks to your doctor. Aoi and Ms Stapleton were helpful, too."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Ms Stapleton informed me that I'm not doing my job as the Boss because Tekkadan doesn't have a doctor aboard."

"Well, she's right, and you know it." Naze glanced at Amida and tenderly stroked her scarred abdomen. "Long time ago I used to travel without doctor, too. Had to patch up this beauty myself. Not that I mind the result."

They kissed passionately. Orga glanced away and cleared his throat. "Yeah... About that... Aoi advised me to hire a doctor; the name is Mr Subaru. I'm not sure, though..."

Both Naze and Amida burst out in laughter.

"It's Mr Pleiades for you, kid." Amida grinned, clearly imitating someone.

"Oh my, wonders never cease, hehe." Naze grinned in amusement. "You see, Orga, Subaru's a skillful doctor and a highly intelligent person. However, it's impossible to deal with him. Personally, I think he's not right in the head." Naze shrugged in confusion.

"He's creepy, you know, always surrounded with those mechanical arms and legs." Amida lowered her voice. "Honorable, in a way, equipping all those crippled kids with top quality limbs for free. But then again - maybe, he just uses them as lab rats?.."

"Anyway, Subaru can hardly be called a likable person; and honestly, I think he'll kick you out before you'll even open your mouth. But if you wish to try I won't stop you. Go ahead." Naze leaned back and turned to watch Amida fondly, clearly dismissing the issue. She scratched his chin playfully.

Orga stared down his cup. He didn't understand the reason behind those constant endearments between the couple, but they definitely left him confused and irritated.

"So... Do you have any idea who those thugs were?" Orga squinted, interrupting yet another shower of lazy pecks.

"The gang calls themselves the Brewers." Naze said thoughtfully, playing with Amida's hair. "Usually they raid merchant ships between Mars and Earth, due to well-paid approval from Gjallarhorn. However, the Asteroid Belt is another question. Privately, it's Teiwaz territory; and yet, those dumbasses surprised me speechless with that chickenshit of an ambush." Naze sighed and glanced at Amida. "Such low lives, huh. Are we losing our grip here, babe?"

She smiled in return. "You know me. I'm always in for a good fight."

Orga took a sip of tea and winced. "So, they were after the cargo?"

"Oh, that would be too boring, little brother." Naze gave him a wink. "But I have a foreboding that Tekkadan and boring don't come along. Anyway, the pirates had the arrogance to demand the custody of Kudelia Aina Bernstein in exchange for our lives."

"Meaning, there's someone else pulling the strings." Orga stated darkly. "Also, someone must have informed them about Ms Bernstein traveling aboard the Isaribi. And about our current route, too."

"Exactly." Naze smiled thoughtfully. "It's not like we can fix the leak but we are perfectly able to eliminate the threat, right, babe?" He kissed Amida's nose. She smiled in return and rubbed her nose across his neck.

Orga tightened his lips. "Why can't we fix the leak? Isn't it a secret Turbines' route? Who else knows about it?"

Amida sipped her tea and glanced at Orga pointedly. He submitted and gave the beverage one more try, realizing that the foul taste had the potential to become even more disgusting when getting cold.

Amida grinned. "Our navigation officer logged this route with Teiwaz, of course."

"Which means that the leakage must have happened at Saisei." Naze continued, intertwining his fingers with Amida's. "The larger organization is, the harder it to control. Every Teiwaz' subsidiary protects their interests, and sometimes those could differ from Old Man's policy."

Orga lowered his head, eyes squinted shut.

I suspected Aoi without even seeing the bigger picture. Because of my own ignorance.

Biscuit gave him a worried look. "Is this conflict unavoidable? Shouldn't we prioritize the safety of Ms Kudelia and Teiwaz' cargo over engaging in every battle to come along?"

"You'd prefer to run away, plumpy?" Naze quirked his eyebrow. "While running might be good for your health, it won't ensure the safety you're so worried about. On the contrary, if you want my opinion."

Orga raised his stare at Naze. "Running away is not an option, Aniki. We have the reputation to maintain, even if those pirates are nothing but some misguided dickheads." He smirked. "Let's show them a thing or two."

Naze grinned in response. "Now that's the man talk."

Biscuit looked at them and sighed heavily. "What about the Brewers' forces or whereabouts? Do we have any intel on them?"

"You could say we're equal, more or less." Naze shrugged. "They've got two ships of similar class and a decent amount of mechs. Their Mobile Suits, though... Man Rodi, huh. Just big piles of relic shit. I'm surprised those mechs aren't rotten to the frame yet."

"They use Human Debris with the Alaya-Vijnana system to pilot those mechs." Orga said darkly. "One of them is Akihiro Altland's brother."

Amida nodded in understanding. "Then, you guys should deal with them."

"Thank you." Orga took a deep breath and swiftly swallowed the revolting remains of cold tea. "Also, we identified that large Mobile Suit with the hammer. According Gremory's database, it's the Gundam Gusion. It might be... troublesome."

"No offense, but all Gundams are quite outdated as well. I don't think we should be worried about the Brewers' forces, they're no match for us." Amida glanced at Biscuit and smirked. "As for their whereabouts... Lafter wasn't able to locate the shit hole they hid themselves in, but I might have a guess about that."

"Let's come up with a plan then, babe." Naze smirked smugly and leaned closer to Amida. "I can't wait to proceed with more adult business."


At the Isaribi Orga was met with quietness and darkness of the artificial night. Plans of the forthcoming battle with the Brewers absorbed his mind completely, causing him to wander the ship aimlessly instead of going straight to the living quarters for much needed rest.

Hands in his pants pockets, Orga walked through the dark corridors, thinking about the maelstrom of events Tekkadan had been swirled through, about the current tranquility that was nothing but the eye of a hurricane; until he was suddenly halted by Aoi's voice.

Orga froze.
Smiled.
Apparently, the pilot girl was reading a bedtime story for the kids.

He leaned on the wall next to the children dorms door, listening to the story and simultaneously taking in the simplicity of goodnight reading idea.
Indeed, throughout the daily routine they'd be bold and daring kids; but at night the outward courage would be replaced with fears, insensibly crawling into their hectic perpetual nightmares.

Then, they'd wake up with a scream.

Orga frowned. It had been the same for him, too.

Now, carefully paying attention to each syllable of the very fictional and quite creepy story, he couldn't help but imagine the perfect family picture.
Loving parents, tending to their kids, reading bedtime stories, hugging and kissing them goodnight.

A traitor would never do that.

Aoi's soft voice draped over the half-lit room; words slowly dropped down her tongue like thick fluffy beads.

In the quiet autumn, Mr Bittering stood, very dark now, very golden-eyed, upon the slope above his villa, looking at the valley.

"It's time to go back," said Cora.
"Yes, but we're not going," he said, quietly. "There's nothing there any more."

Orga stood still, attentively picking up every word of the strange story.

The lieutenant snapped his gaze from the blue colour and the quiet mist of the hills far beyond the town.
"What? Oh, yes, sir!"

"That's all for tonight, brats. Have a nice sleep, you little monsters." Orga heard a casual smile in her voice.

"But Ms Aoi, what's this story about? It's anything but real!" Embi exclaimed.

"You're just too dumb to understand, Embi." Elgar countered. "It's supposed to be unreal because it's fiction, right, Ms Aoi?"

"Hey, no more talking tonight, punks! Just sleep already, okay?" Despite the rough words, Orga could tell she was more amused than irritated.

"Okay, Ms Aoi, have a nice sleep too." The disordered chorus of several children voices answered her.

Orga stood so close to the doors that she almost tripped over him. "Boss? The fuck you're doing here?"

He glanced into the dark space of children dorms and began to walk away down the hallway with her following his steps. Orga stopped at the familiar spot next to the wide transparent panel and put both elbows on the railing, watching the steady cascade of stars and stones outside.

"That was probably their first bedtime story." He said thoughtfully.

"Kudelia's idea, not mine." Aoi muttered, mirroring his posture next to the railing. Orga barely distinguished a hint of bitterness in her voice. "I'd never imagine..."

"I know." He interrupted. "Me too."

The awkwardness was almost tangible between them, stretching into heavy silence. Orga briefly observed her stance, involuntary noticing the feminine grace of girl's body bent over the railing, the supple roundness of her buttocks revealed from under the jacket.

"So... It was you who chose the story." He stated, trying to get rid of indecent thoughts.

"The name's Dark They were, And Golden Eyed." Aoi lowered her eyes. "That's how the author imagined Martians, I think."

He kept silent, not knowing how to comment.

"The guy had written a whole bunch of stories about Mars colonization, even before humanity went out into space for the first time." She chuckled. "Talk about the power of imagination."

Orga shrugged. "Was he any good at guessing?"

"In a way, yeah. About the war, and the stand between Earth and Mars." She took a pause. "Though, it's not about guessing, you know. The book's more about human nature than fiction."

She turned her head to stare outside and continued. "The same author wrote a novel about Leviathan as well; about the space hunt after the white comet that was supposed to destroy Earth."

Orga rolled his eyes. "Your passion for demons starts to look unhealthy."

She smiled gently, raising her brows at him. "Can't help it. They're my only friends."

Orga watched those fathomless pitch black eyes, drowning in them, struggling for air.

He observed delicate contours of her face, framed with long messy locks; his hands were aching to put those stray bangs behind her ears, away from the face.

Orga lowered his head to tear off the sudden connection between them, and his gaze met her bandaged hands.

"And what happened to you?" He couldn't hold back his surprise. "You've managed to hurt yourself in the kitchen?"

She huffed. "That's nothing. Just Atra being overcaring."

Orga chuckled. "Can imagine that."

Aoi hopped on the railing facing him and started to unwrap the bandages slowly, revealing several red spots over the fingers.

"See?" She brought her hands up closer to Orga's face. "Nothing to worry about. Doesn't even hurt."

Sudden, raw need to lick those slender, gentle fingers ignited in him, setting his heart into rapid hammering.

His fingers tenderly stroked the delicate skin, circled the sore spots.

Orga remembered the hot whispers and soft mouth against his neck.

Is there a honorable way to give her what she wants?..

Aoi fitted her smooth cheek into his rough palm, nuzzled into it, searching for his warmth.
Orga froze.
It seemed so easy, so natural to step just a little bit closer, to lean slightly forward and with a single motion of his fingers bring her face up; to press those already parted lips straight to his mouth and...

He bit his bottom lip.

"You should probably get some sleep." His voice reduced to a hoarse whisper. "We're visiting the doctor tomorrow."

"Uh-huh." She muttered lazily, eyelashes tickling his palm. "Promise you won't be sleeping at the bridge."

"Mika's back, remember? He won't let me." Orga chuckled softly.

"That's... Just in case, Orga."


Orga's impeccable sense helps the boys to choose the right target to hit. Usually, those are mercenaries from different private military companies getting wasted at bars or brothels.
Mikazuki'd say something, just to distract the drunken person. Orga'd hit from behind, to knock them out and snatch their possessions as fast as possible.
The new routine exhausts Orga because he has to dive deep through the darkest swirls of emotions, induced by severe intoxication. It's nothing new, though - aggression, lechery, despair, sorrow.
And it works, for a while.
They've even got a gun from one of those shit faced hirelings.
Orga gives it to Mika.
"For self defense." He points out.
Everything changes when yet another target refuses to blackout after Orga's hit. Instead, the man swiftly takes out the knife and plunges it into the older boy's left shoulder. Orga hears how the steel tube falls down from his suddenly numb hand, clanking quietly on the concrete. He feels hot surges of blood down his arm and instinctively presses the right hand against the wound. Orga knows that his heart is the next to meet the knife.
The gunshots in quiet back alley are deafening.
Orga narrows his eyes, grits his teeth. The bright golden Martian sunset burns his eyes with abnormal intensity, imprinting every little detail in his memory for good.
Dead body. So much blood.
Small boy with the gun. Big blue eyes. Watching him. Asking him.
"What should I do next, Orga?"

Orga awoke to Mika's warm body curling up quietly next to him on the narrow bunk.

I'll never know how he does that.

Orga had been seeing that dream for years, repeatedly, and Mika had always been there for him in the waking moments.

Orga moved on the bunk, giving Mika more space, and watched the unruly black locks sticking to the younger boy's neck.

He needs a haircut, again. Should remind him in the morning. Maybe, he'll agree to Atra getting his hair done. She's definitely better at that than me.

Orga sighed. They didn't need to share warmth anymore. What was more important, they both had grown up; he probably should have told Mikazuki to sleep separately, always. However, laying like this, on his right side with the warm body curled into a ball so close to him, Orga couldn't help but relish the peace and comfort.

"Aoi trained you to pilot." Mika stated quietly. "Why?"

"For the tournament. You know, 'cause it's fun and all." Orga tried to shrug the issue off.

"Why, Orga?"

"C'mon, Mika, why not?"

"Orga shouldn't pilot."

"Mika... It's just a simulator. I'm not going out for real."

Stubborn silence from the black haired pilot tightened Orga's chest. He furrowed his brows, closed his eyes and grimaced in invisible pain. It was unbearable for him to always stay in the back, giving orders and watching them resulting in death and grief, while the only thing he had ever wanted was to shield the boys. With guns and bullets. With bare hands. With his body, if needed.

To a certain extent, Mikazuki understood his dilemma and became that shield himself.

"Look, Mika. Nothing's changed, okay? I know where I stand. And I need you by my side. Always. Got it?"

"Promise you won't pilot."

"Mika, what's the big deal? You know I can't..."

"Promise."

"Ok, I promise. Happy?"

"Yeah. Sleep well."

"Ah... You too."

Tekkadan leader sensed the small body next to him relaxing, slowly drifting to sleep.

I've never noticed him having dreams. Has he ever had one?..

Orga wanted to give more thoughts to Mikazuki's unusual behavior, his doubts and concerns; but the warmth and coziness swiftly lulled him to deep pictureless slumber.


At the Isaribi bridge Biscuit adjusted his cap nervously.

"Ms Amida suggested that the Brewers will set the ambush in the passage through the debris zone. Here." Biscuit pointed at the tunnel-like area in the dense wreckage formation. "Teiwaz discovered that shortcut; it's usually used for secretive jobs, to avoid attention from Gjallarhorn. However, due to the information leakage, the Brewers are aware about that route and our plans of using it for the mission."

"So, they're after Ms Kudelia, right?" Eugene rubbed his chin. "I mean, aren't those pirates too daring to mess with Teiwaz' subsidiaries in Teiwaz' territory? Someone must have hired them, and I doubt our cargo is the reason."

"We don't know for sure who hired them." Orga glanced at Kudelia, then at Aoi. "But you're right; they demanded the custody of Ms Bernstein."

Big violet orbs stared at him with familiar intensity. "Boss... Is there any way to avoid the conflict?"

Orga narrowed his eyes at her. "No. Look for yourself." He stepped closer and changed the scale of interactive map, showing other possible routes. "As you can see, these paths aren't suitable for us. Not only they're too extended, but also there's a high chance to engage in fights with Gjallarhorn forces or other pirate gangs."

"But what about that debris zone? Can't we build a route through it? What's that, anyway?" Kudelia's stare wandered from Orga to Biscuit and back.

Orga shrugged.

Biscuit sighed. "That's the result of uncountable battles in the Asteroid Belt during the Calamity Wars. They've been also called Resource Conflicts because the main reason for fights was minerals and fuel extracted in numerous mining bases in the region. I've read the largest mech battles in human history happened here. Anyway, over the years destroyed mechs and ships formed quite a dense location."

Orga saw the undisguised horror painted in wide violet eyes.

"Is it... like a cemetery?.." The blond girl managed. "And people who fought so long ago... Are they still there?"

"We're so not checking it out." Aoi rolled her eyes.

Kudelia continued to stare at the map. "But... how this zone could form in such unnatural way? Shouldn't the wreckage spread chaotically all around the place?"

"Well, lots of Ahab Reactors are still functioning and creating enough gravity to pull all the pieces together." Biscuit shrugged.

"Gravity? Ahab Reactors can create gravity?" Kudelia looked genuinely surprised.

Biscuit sighed again. "Yeah. In this very ship, in the Isaribi, too."

Kudelia blushed and mumbled something unintelligible.

"But in the area with such high Ahab Waves interference it'd be impossible to track down the enemy, right?" Chad raised his dark eyes at Orga.

"Both communication and navigation become a challenge in the debris zone. Regular ships don't dare to pass through it." Orga smirked.

"And those Brewers guys know that, too." Eugene nodded. "So what, Boss? If we know where they're setting the ambush, let's meet them head-on."

"That's exactly what they are expecting." Orga tilted his head and closed the eye under the stray bang of hair. "But they can't expect anyone to fly through the debris. It's like doing acrobatics with a blindfold on."

His smirk widened as he looked around the bridge in search of understanding.

For some reason, Aoi was blushing. Her eyes didn't meet his.

Kudelia and Fumitan were obviously out of the picture. Biscuit had already learned the plan better than Orga himself. Chad clearly was feeling diffident about his guessing. Akihiro's thoughts were obviously somewhere else, most likely with his little brother. Mikazuki was chewing on his palm dates lazily, as usual. And only Eugene was shining like a supernova.

"But it's something space rats can pull off." He smirked, answering Orga's silent request.

"It would be better to assure those Brewers guys that everything goes according their plan." Aoi suddenly said. "I can fly through the passage alone, in Gremory, as a scout, and they will..."

"No." Orga interrupted, staring her in the eye. "Though, you've got the idea. But Mikazuki's Barbatos with a booster and Lafter's Hyakuri are more suitable for the task."

Mikazuki stopped chewing and watched Orga without blinking.

"Yes, the plan has been already confirmed with Ms Amida and Mr Naze." Biscuit smiled at Aoi. "We'll have Mikazuki and Ms Lafter flying ahead as scouts in the secret route, while the Isaribi and Hammerhead will be passing through the debris zone. After spotting Barbatos and Hyakuri, the enemy will get distracted, waiting for our ships appearing from the same direction. And that's when we'll ambush them."

"That should work." Chad commented.

"Sounds good." Aoi shrugged. "But what should I do, Boss?"

Orga almost flinched at the familiar question. "You're protecting the Isaribi while Ms Amida's protecting the Hammerhead. We don't know the exact number of their Mobile Suits but we know for sure there's one Gundam, most likely powerful enough to damage the ship. So, your dispatch is straight after Akihiro's; your task is to not let anyone close to the ship."

"Roger that, sir."

"Akihiro." Orga turned to watch the tall dark silent man. "You should have told me about your brother. If he's a part of your family than he's also a part of our family, don't you think?"

"I, uh... But I'm Human Debris. We can't have... families." Akihiro stood straight but his eyes didn't meet Orga's.

"I thought we settled that back on Mars, once and for all. And personally, I thought we space rats are all equal here. It's not the past that determines us but the future we can build with our own hands. Prove that, Akihiro. For you and your brother. That's your task in the mission."

Akihiro's black eyes met his golden ones, at last.
"Roger that, sir."


"We should've taken the shuttle." Orga grumbled, trying to make himself comfortable in the cramped Gremory's cockpit.

"Subaru's security system can identify Gremory. Shuttle would have been fried without warning." The Gremory was easily maneuvering through the field of stones and ice rocks, guided by the small girl in the pilot seat.

"Some hospitality for a doctor."

"Hospitality? In the Outer Sphere?" She chuckled after pause. "You must be kidding."

The illuminated spot on the main screen demonstrated the appearance of their destination - the huge boulder seemingly not different from others.

"Mining company abandoned the asteroid after exhausting resources decades ago. They left behind some infrastructure, like the dock and hangar and airlocks, but took away Ahab Reactors and all the mining equipment." Aoi started the docking procedure. "Thus, there's no artificial gravity around. And I'm pretty sure Subaru still uses ancient solar panels system for the energy."

Large stony panel slid aside, revealing the enormous hangar, almost empty with the exception of small shuttle and ancient Mobile Worker. The Gremory effortlessly slipped into the huge parking place along the rocky wall.

Aoi turned the Mobile Suit into standby mode, and everything went dark. Orga suddenly realized how edgy he had been all the way here. How anxious the impending meeting was making him feel.

Helmets on, they slowly drifted out of the Gremory's cockpit into the freezing darkness. The only lighting was the flickering panel marking the exit from the hangar into the airlock.

"It's no wonder Subaru saves oxygen. Apparently, he doesn't use the place much and that's some spacey hangar." Aoi noted through the spacesuit communication system.

She caught the upper railing, put herself accurately next to the airlock door and started to push numbers on the code panel, without even waiting for Orga to take his place nearby. In the still darkness, the door slid open, revealing the narrow room behind.

Orga squinted. The brightly lightened chamber of the airlock instantly blinded him.

They went inside and waited for the air pressure to become normal. Orga slid the helmet glass off, watching Aoi doing the same.

"Here we go." She said. "Of course, Subaru has cameras everywhere. Maybe, we aren't welcomed but the air isn't poisoned, and that's already something."

Orga tilted his head. "I thought you two are friends. Sort of."

"That's true. Sort of." She smirked mockingly.

He followed her through the half-lit corridors and empty hallways, uneasiness growing in him with each passing moment. One dark room after another, dim flickering light, rusty panels, electric wiring fixed slap-dash, desolated storage facilities - everything held a surreal sense of a haunted location, inhabited with ghosts.

They turned around the corner, where the group of kids had been quietly waiting for them. Nobody said a word.

Orga observed the small crowd. All the kids were no older than fourteen; every single one was equipped with an artificial limb or two. The naked ports of Alaya-Vijnana system stuck out of each one's spine.

"Hey Fiji." Aoi smiled. "Where's our favorite Dr Frankenstein?"

"Aoi." The boy nodded. "This way."

The silent group escorted them to the large hall, packed to the ceiling with boxes and cabinets and medical equipment Orga had never seen in his life.
The colossal work surface in the center reminded him of the surgery table combined with technical workstation; it was littered with tools and gadgets and utensils of every imaginable - and perhaps, unimaginable - function. On the screens aside Orga could distinguish images of human brain computed tomography and x-ray photographs of right wrist joint.

A tall figure in a pristine white hospital gown towered next to the enormous table.

"No." Raspy voice said. "Whatever you want, Aoi - no. Get out of here." The man didn't even bother to face them.

Aoi strode to the table and hopped on it.
"Personally, I want nothing."

"No drugs for you. Get out. Your boyfriend, too."

"That's my employer."

The tall man turned to observe Orga. "I see. Things went south for you, it seems."

Orga walked towards the man, squinting. He couldn't see the doctor's eyes hidden behind the polarized glasses. "Mr Subaru..."

"That's Mr Pleiades for you, boy!" The man shouted suddenly, and Orga involuntary stumbled back. Aoi yawned pointedly.

Orga gritted his teeth and approached the man closely, invading his personal space. They were the same height.

"Mr Pleiades, I'm looking for a doctor." He narrowed his eyes.

"In the wrong place, my ass!"

"I'm Orga Itsuka, the Boss of Tekkadan. We're escorting Ms Kudelia Aina Bernstein from Mars to Earth." He tilted his head, letting the unruly bang fall upon his right eye.

"Whatever asshole you climbed out you'd better get back!"

Orga clenched his fists. "The success of our mission might bring the economic independence for Mars."

"Like I give a rats ass!"

Aoi tapped over the fine surface with her fingers and drawled lazily. "Hey Subaru. I certainly have to work on your vocabulary. There are so many beautiful words. Buttocks. Behind. Keister. Caboose."

Kids started to snicker. Subaru looked at the ceiling in exasperation.

Orga nodded. "I know. She's a bookworm."

"A pain in the ass, that's who she is."

"Agree."

"Why would you need a doctor? Can you even afford one?"

"Isn't it a mandatory to have a doctor aboard while traveling in space? Especially with the crew no older than seventeen?" Orga raised an eyebrow.

"Depends. Somehow you've managed to crawl to this shit hole without medical assistance. And, considering that the Asteroid Belt isn't on the way from Mars to Earth, shouldn't you hire a navigator first? Especially with the crew no older than seventeen, my ass." Subaru twisted his lips in a mocking smirk.

Orga felt hot blush torching his face. "It's not... Gjallarhorn was on our back. We had to seek for Teiwaz' support to continue our job."

"Why didn't you ask Teiwaz for a doctor, then? They have plenty; each one goes with a medical license printed on their ass."

"Because I'm an ass of a captain!" Orga exclaimed, glaring at Subaru furiously. "I know I should have gotten a doctor back on Mars! Or at Saisei! But I didn't, and that's it."

Subaru stepped back slightly, circling his way to the table. "You've got an asshole of a mouth, kid, but I'm not playing politics. Not anymore."

Orga caught a glimpse of artificial hand on the sterile surface. Under the harsh bright lights it looked unnatural, with the plastic gloss and plain color; but in comparison to Gramps' steel legs it was a perfectly aesthetic invention.

"I'm here to offer you a job for a decent payment, not to involve in shady games. That's all." Orga stated tiredly. "Both Teiwaz and Gordon Nobliss are looking for a great change in the economy of Outer Sphere. They've sponsored Ms Bernstein's mission. I'm certain we can provide you with enough money."

"What?.. Nobliss gave money for you guys?.." Aoi asked, face distorted in a heavy mix of emotions. Orga could distinguish hurt, disgust, anger.

Later.

He stared straight into the indistinguishable emptiness behind dark glasses. "Those kids here... could have the better future." Orga turned around to observe the crippled children. He watched dirty faces and rugged clothes and skinny bodies. Better than on the streets of Chryse but so much worse than aboard the Isaribi.

Subaru's face didn't change a bit. "Not interested. Go look for a doctor in another asshole."

"I will." Orga determined and clenched his fists. "And I'm sure I'll find one. With better skills and manners."

"Whatever." The doctor turned his back on him and returned to his work.

"But I'm going to take your kids with me. It's not a good place for them. Without the artificial gravity..."

"Huh? Are you out of your shitty mind? Anyway, ask them yourself. They can talk, you asshole." Dr Subaru chortled skeptically.

Orga stepped closer to the kids and let himself feel. The swirl of alien emotions kicked him hard; he winced in almost physical pain but didn't let himself step back. Instead, he knelt and watched them in the eye.

"Let's go home." He said softly. "It's not much, but there's warm meal. New friends. A teacher, if you wish to learn. A job for every one of you, with a payment, of course. We are the space rats, the chosen ones; we should look after each other, right?"

He grinned encouragingly. "Tekkadan welcomes you all. No one will make fun of you. And our Chief Mechanic, Gramps, has metal legs. I'm sure he'd gladly use them to kick every ass which tries to joke about your prostheses."

"Damn you, Aoi. You've brought a fucking empath here." Subaru said curiously.

Fiji stared at Aoi.

"I swore to protect Tekkadan with my life, Fiji. He's not lying." Aoi glanced at Orga.

Fiji nodded and turned to the other kids. It didn't take them long to get to the agreement.

"Yes." He said simply.

"That's settled, then." Orga rose up. "Please, Mr Pleiades, let our shuttle dock here. Aoi, use the Gremory's communication channel to inform Biscuit. Tell him to organize the evacuation party..."

"Wait!" Subaru interrupted angrily. "What the fuck are you doing? You're pulling them straight into the war with Gjallarhorn!"

Orga sighed. "If you're worried so much, then stop bitching around and come with us." His tone was cold. "At least, I'm trying to build a better future for them, and what are you doing? It's not enough to keep them alive; you should give the purpose to live as well."

His stare pierced through the doctor's glasses. The older man scratched his stubbled chin.

"It will cost you." He said finally.

"Now that's a grown-up talk." Orga grinned.

"And you'll let me scan your brain."

Orga didn't avert his stare. "I will."