It was Christmas Eve, and the Planet Zi was coated in soft, white snow. Colonel Rob Hermann of the Republican Army lay back in the pilot seat of his Shield Liger.

"So what are your plans for Christmas?" Hermann asked his friend, Colonel Karl Shubaltz.
"Thomas and I are going home to celebrate Christmas with our family," Karl replied from his Iron Kong.
"It's going to be great!" Captain Thomas Shubaltz said from his Dibison.
"What about you?" Karl asked.

"I have to go to some fancy dinner party tomorrow night. What a bummer! And for Christmas Day, my mother has to go to a few places, and she's going to drag me along!" Hermann whinged.

"Ah well, it can't be helped. What about you, Major O'Connell?" Karl asked. He had noticed Hermann's faithful subordinate was reasonably subdued.

"I don't know..." O'Connell replied, continued to stare blankly.
"Aren't you going back to your family?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah, I guess..." O'Connell said dully. Karl and Thomas gave Hermann confused looks over the comlink, and Hermann just shrugged. He then adjusted the comlinks so it was just him and O'Connell.

"Is something the matter?" Hermann asked.

"What? No," O'Connell said, shaking his head. He looked fairly sad, and a bit confused as well.

"Are you sure?" Hermann asked sceptically.

"Um, yeah..." O'Connell shook his head again, this time harder.

"What's wrong? Come on, you can tell me," Hermann encouraged.

"Nothing really... um... I'm just going back to my family's farm again," O'Connell replied.

"And?" Hermann asked.

"It's just... they won't be there," O'Connell blurted out.

"What? Why?" Hermann asked.

"There's this important meeting that Mum and Dad have to go to, and my siblings are going as well. I can't go because they had to leave yesterday, and it's too far to travel by myself. Besides, I have to look after the farm," O'Connell said, dispirited.

"Oh O'Connell... why didn't you tell me sooner? Hey, I have an idea... why don't you come to this party and spend Christmas with me? I'd be honoured if you joined us," Hermann offered.

"No, it's okay. I have to watch the farm," O'Connell said sadly.

"Well..." Hermann said, trying to think of something. The Zoids pulled up at the Ultrasaurus, and O'Connell landed his Pteras. Before Hermann could get to him, he was dragged off to get ready for the dinner party. He called out to his subordinate, but O'Connell just looked away.