Orange Star: A revised history

Commanding Officer Mel

Disclaimer: I still don't own the company that made Advance Wars but I do own a copy of the game as usual.

Author's note - And anything that is in Romanji or Pinyin and base Cantonese will be translated, or stated otherwise. Read And Review!

Time: Early January

Place: Mel's dorm

Mel had eventually recovered from his latest ordeal, and was half walking, half dragged by Sami back to their dorm.

"Ugh . . .that sucked." Mel groaned, limping slightly.

"Yeah, well at least you're home, kinda."

"I guess." He plopped down onto the couch and grabbed his notebook sitting on the side table. "Time to catch up I guess." He flipped through the pages of doodles and notes and skimmed through it for an empty page. "Full. Time for another notebook."

"How many of those things do you have?"

"About a couple thousand. Each one is labeled and dated."

"So you mean to say there is like a couple zillion pounds of notes and doodles sitting somewhere in your room?"

"More or less."

"Where's that doo-hickey that Olaf handed you?"

"You mean this?" Mel rummaged through his now empty coat pockets. He produced a silk laden package and handed it to Sami.

"Yeah."

"Well . . .that's about it. No more stinking Sim battles for the rest of my term."

"Aw. Why?"

"I've outranked everyone here. And that's a fact. Also, you have to be at least whatever the hell's under Gold Dragon to even bother challenging me."

"Fooey." She pouted.

"According to school tourney rules anyways."

"Hmph. Whatever then. I'm going to take a nap, then catch up on my assignments. Help me later?"

"Sure, sure. Ugh . . .I think I'll rest too." He staggered to his room, groaning in pain every so often.

"Are you okay?"

"No."

"Hmm . . ."

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing." She smiled innocently.

"Okay then." He said from his room. Tossing his coat onto the untouched bed, Mel started to reorganize its contents.

After about 20 minutes of incredible patience and detail, Mel managed to reorganize the entire contents of his tailored coat and hung it back up.

"All good." He sighed. "Ugh . . ." He groaned again, wincing as the remnants of his pains spread through his body.

"Mm? Are you okay?" Sami mumbled from the doorway. She walked in, wearing a baggy T-shirt and hair in an untidy ponytail.

"Yeah . . .once I regain all my senses." Mel moaned as he laid face down on his bed.

"Ooh, I better stay and make sure nothing else happens." She sat down on the other side of his bed. "Night." She rested her head on a pillow and started to sleep.

"Night."

Time: Morning

Place: Classroom

Mel sat with his feet kicked up on the top of his desk and focused his attention to the notebook in his hand. He flipped through the pages, scanning for anything he may have missed. Sami sat next to him, scribbling down various notes, and turned to ask him something.

"Mel, what's this all mean?" She pointed at a tank operation chart in her textbook.

"Hmm? Not this again . . ." He sighed. "Now it means . . ." as he was talking, Andy was busily jotting down bits and pieces of the lecture, and trying to keep up with Sonja.

"Andy?"

"Yeah . . .?"

"What are you doing later?"

"Sleeping."

"Ooh, hmph. I'll go see what Sami and Mel are doing."

"Nii-san, what are you doing?"

"Now? Helping Sami."

"No, later."

"Uh . . . "

"Studying with me!" Sami said.

"No . . .sleeping." Mel said.

"Mel!!!" Sami whined.

"What? I'm tired."

"What about this assignment?"

"Ask Sonja."

"Mel!"

"Sorry 'mi." He said.

"But . . ."

"No. Tired." He groaned.

"Fooey."

"Poor Sami, no one to help you with your grades." She turned to Mel. "Well, if your gonna sleep, when are your next classes?"

"Evening."

"How about you Sami?"

"Same."

"Ooh, have fun. I'm off to whatever the heck I have next."

'Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!' The bell rang.

"Class is over! See you later." Grit said.

"Finally . . ."

"Hey Mel!" Gabe called.

"Yeah? What?"

"Going already?"

"Yeah."

"All right, say, are you busy?"

"Sorta . . ."

"Oh, okay, I'll ask you later."

"Sure . . ." Mel walked off to the dormitories.

Time: 3:00 p.m.

Place: Mel's room

Mel was asleep on the bed as Sami sat in his desk, trying to figure out the assignment with his notes.

"Zzz . . ."

"Ooh, I hate this." She mumbled. "Stupid direct vehicle tactics." Moving away strands of loose hair, she rubbed her eyes. "I wish I could have some help here." She hinted.

"Zzz . . ."

"Ooh, fooey. He's out cold."

"Zzz . . ."

"Mel! Wake up! Wake up!" She whined.

"Zzz . . ."

"He's still asleep. Great . . .and this is due tomorrow! And he wouldn't let me see his, because he already handed it in!" She continued to whine and moan until he woke up.

"Guh?" Mel mumbled.

"Bout time you came to!" She had resorted to drastic measures and was sitting on top of his chest staring intently into his face. "Help. Now. Assignment."

"Bleh. I told you, it's in my notes."

"Your notes don't help. All they are, are pictures of tanks and cannons."

"Wrong notebook Sami."

". . .wha!?"

"One notebook says 'sketches', the other says 'Intel'. Now if you'll excuse me . . .g'night." He went back to sleep.

". . .this is gonna take forever!!!" She whined.

Time: ???

Place: ???

"Ah, so you've came, Commander Olaf."

"Yes, I did. Now what are you proposing?"

"I'm giving you control of Blue Moon, as well as Orange Star."

"Oh ho! That is an excellent condition!"

"However, there is one thing I need you to do."

"What's that?"

"Completely takeover Orange Star using Blue Moon forces."

"What!? Never!"

"Trust me commander, it'll be oh so easy. Also, by taking over, I shall ensure that you will be second in command when I take over all of Cosmo Land."

". . .second in command . . ."

"Well?"

"I believe that may just hold up. After all, returning and taking over my own home country just like that, then attacking this one? Very well. I accept."

"Good, good. Now then, prepare to leave Orange Star, then I shall give you within the next year to prepare and slowly take over."

"Of course!" With that, Olaf had left the shadowed place and was off to take over both countries. "Hoho! I shall become more powerful than ever before!"

". . .little does he know, what other plans I hold for him . . ."

Time: Mid January

Place: Main campus

Nell was in a panic; it was heard and now proven that commander Olaf had disappeared. The other officers had gathered with her in the outer campus.

"Ooh, Max! What's goin on!?"

"I dunno. But if anything, thing's have been pretty creepy lately."

"I reckon Maxie's right about that. Never understood the bearded one." Grit muttered.

"Commander Olaf? Missing? Bizarre. But what of Orange Star? Who'll be in command?"

"Well, let's ask former commander Hachi then." Max said. "I know I'm not gonna do it."

"Neither would I." Squall said.

"How about we get his successor?"

"And who might that be?"

". . .He always wanted Nell to take over for him." Grit said.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you darlin."

"But . . ."

"It'll be good for ya, I reckon."

"But."

"Just do it Nell." Hikagi said, visibly annoyed. "Heck Olaf always wanted you to. We all know that. You just didn't."

"But."

"The old guy always liked you."

"Uh . . ."

"C'mon Nell." Max urged.

"But . . ."

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" A scream was heard.

"What the hell was that!?"

'Thud!' Mel landed right in the middle of the discussion.

"Soo sorry to interrupt you guys, but you see, I kinda wandered in on Sami and she well . . .yeah."

". . .uh that's nice Mel." Nell said. "How are your injuries?"

"Just fine. What are you all going on about?"

". . .Commander Olaf disappeared."

"Say what!?"

"Yeah."

"Well who's gonna be in charge then? Max?" Mel asked.

"No way am I gonna do anything that involves writing reports. Just going in and taking them out is enough for me."

"I don't want to cuz I'm too impatient for this kinda work." Rush mumbled. "Speaking of which, I gotta go!" He ran off.

". . .not me." Grit said.

"Nor me."

"Then . . .that makes . . .NELL!?"

"Yeah."

" . . .I don't see why that's a bad thing. Heh, you'll do fine." Mel said, walking off. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to apologize to her or I'll be locked out . . ."

"What a bizarre young man." Eagle said.

"Well, they're never what you expect ship mate." Drake said.

"Indeed."

Time: February, Valentine's day

Place: Mel's room

"Mel! Oh Mel!!!" Sami said cheerfully. She bounded into Mel's room in her pajamas.

"Mmph."

"Guess what time of the year it is!"

"Mmph, mmph, mmph."

"What?"

"(yawn) Valentine's day?"

"Yep!"

"Hooray."

"And you know what that means, right?"

"All too well." He reached under his bed and pulled out a large package. "Here you go 'mi."

"Ooh! Thank you!" She gave him a big hug. "I got you something."

"Hmm?"

"Here!" She handed him a neatly wrapped box.

". . .what is it?"

"Open it!"

"Hmm . . ." He carefully tore open the wrapping and opened the box. "Hmm . . .photo album?"

"Mm hmm!"

"I thought our dating anniversary passed during Christmas. I took you already . . ."

"I know, but I didn't have time to make one then, so I did it now! See? It's us!"

". . .that's nice."

"Are you still hurt from two month's ago?" She said, looking worried.

"Not really. It's just been bothering me since . . ."

"I understand."

"All right. Heh, why are all the pictures of you so cute?"

"Shouldn't they be?"

"Okay, I'll give you that." He sat up. "Well, I guess this is happy Valentine's day." He shrugged.

"Yeah." She shook her package. "Let me guess, chocolate. And lots!"

"Uh huh."

"I wonder how Andy and Sonja are doing?"

"We'll see whether or not he comes out alive." Mel chuckled.

"Yeah, if not, well we'll know because Sonja will freak out for accidentally killing him." She flopped onto the bed. "Your bed is warm."

"Considering I've been sleeping in it for the last night yeah."

"Hmph. Always so blunt and typical of you." She said, smoothing down the oversized sleep shirt she wore. "Why don't you loosen up some more?"

"How can I loosen up when I have so many things to do?" He sighed.

"But look at you! You're like the ultimate slacker!"

"That is only partially true. I've got my sense of duty and whatnot, but the thing is, I've got more on my hands to deal with. Heck I haven't even had time to play my guitar yet!"

". . .poor Mel." She hugged him, tightly.

"Sami . . ." He protested, trying to pry her loose.

"Hush." She soon drifted to sleep.

". . .oh well."

Time: 8:00 am

Place: Blue Moon / Orange Star border

"Now that control of Blue Moon is mine, I shall now take Orange Star!" Olaf said. Having betrayed Orange Star and returning to his own country as Military dictator, he was ready to crush all opposition in his campaign to achieve great power. But he needed some help, and he had already sent some people to help 'convince' Grit to join him. But by what means?

Time: 9:00 am

Place: Orange Star HQ

"Shucks, that was boring." Grit mumbled. He reached into his pocket and drew out a cigarette and lit it. "Ah . . .reckon that should tide me over for a bit. What's this?" He spotted a rather important looking document on his desk. "Hmm . . .from Olaf? Weird. Come alone? With troops? What's this hogwash all about?" He stuck the corner of the paper into the lit part of his cigarette and lit began to smolder. "Might as well check it out." He pulled out his lighter and set the rest of the paper ablaze. "Better get packed too." He shuffled about getting the remaining odds and ends of his belongings and strode off down the hallway.

"Grit! Hey, where are you off to?"

"I need ta check something out Max."

"All right, but don't be too long, you're needed to guard the mainland."

"Heh, that's all good. See ya later Maxie."

"See ya Grit." Max said, watching the man in the cowboy hat wander off, leaving a stream of cigarette smoke trailing behind him.

Time: A few days later

Place: Orange Star outskirts

A general panic had broken out, Blue Moon was attacking Orange Star!

"Hahaha! Burn! Burn it all!"

"Yes sir!"

"Take no prisoners!"

"Gahaha!"

Soldiers in Blue were running about creating chaos through out the region. But the sound of rockets whistling stopped them.

"Dang, just made it in time! Barely!" Grit said, as his troops started firing at the incoming foes.

"Aha! So you made it Grit!" Came a familiar voice.

"Huh? Olaf!?"

"The troops that are fighting for you are actually Blue Moon soldiers, now if you wish to live, come with me to Blue Moon."

". . .but."

"It'll be much better than when you were in Orange Star."

". . .but I."

"Turn around, you'll that your own men are almost ready to shoot you." Olaf said.

"Huh!?" Grit spun around, and like Olaf said, there were 10 officers standing there, their guns pointed at him.

". . .well, what do you say?"

". . .fine, fine. I'll come along quietly." Grit said, putting his hands up. "Why me though?"

"I trust you more than the others. That and you could actually never care less."

". . .all right. What's in it for me?"

" . . .your life, and then some more."

". . .uh . . .okay." Grit looked a bit worried as he was being led towards the Blue Moon Headquarters . . .

Time: 5:00 p.m.

Place: Dormitories

"Mel! Mel! Didja hear!? Blue Moon is attacking!" Andy shouted from the door.

"So? They're nowhere near the capital. And I'm not sticking around in Orange Star after this year."

"What? Really? That bites!"

"Depends on your point of view."

"Anyways, it's bad!"

"Yeah . . .uh huh." Mel waved it off as Sami snuck up behind him and tackled him. "Oof!"

"Mel! Mel! Mel!"

"What?"

". . .you're not staying?" She pouted.

"No . . .I can't. The reason I went to Yellow Comet was that Kanbei offered me a position to govern an area there."

". . .aww . . .I'll miss you."

"We still have four months or so."

"Then we'll make the best of those then!"

"Mm hmm."

"So then what are we gonna do now?"

"Finish the second year, get ready for the third and final field training year." Mel said. "Sonja's going too, just to let you know Andy."

". . .I know." He sighed.

"Aw, why do you have to go? Huh?" Sami said, hugging him.

"I didn't have much choice. But Gabe, Gary, Allison and Alice are going too."

"Wow . . .that's why you guys went to Comet together."

"Yep." He carefully sat up and pushed her off.

"Aw . . ."

"Just write me or something. It can't be that hard to find me." He gave her a smile.

"Mm hmm. Where's Sonja Andy?"

"On the phone with her dad. She's talking about the attacks now. She'll probably head out early and go back. She said that Mel and his friends would have to too."

". . .what!?" Mel's expression changed. "Grr . . .this is possibly too much."

"Mel . . ."

"It doesn't matter, but whatever Blue Moon is doing, is wrong. I swear, if I can, I'm gonna find a way to stop it."

"Ooh. That's no good." Sami said, as Mel stood up, and headed out the door. "It's never good when he gets mad . . ."

Time: June

Place: Outer school campus

Slowly, but surely, the attacks against Orange Star continued, and territory was being taken. Blue Moon forces spread like a disease across the country. It was rumored that Olaf was in command, and he was making it harder for the Orange Star commanders to hold him back. Even classes were being canceled as the COs had to go back to their duty and hold back Olaf.

Even as of now, the students looked worried. A White Copter had landed, ready to pick up Mel and his friends to their new headquarters in Yellow Comet. Sami looked a bit upset.

". . .do you really have to go?" She said, resting her head on his shoulder. She felt her eyes tear up.

". . .yeah. I do . . ." He said, hugging her tightly.

"But . . ."

"I know."

"Mmm . . ." She whined softly.

"I'll write or something. You too. I won't be gone."

"But . . ."

"Hmm . . .what can I . . .I know." He pulled off the long silver chain from his neck, a tag hung from it. "Here." He put it over her head.

". . .I'll keep it safe." She said, clutching the cool metal to her chest.

"All right." He smiled. "You do that Sami."

"Um . . ."

"What's the matter."

"I don't want you to go!" She burst into tears, thrusting her face into his chest.

"But . . ."

"I don't wanna."

". . ."

"I don't wanna be alone!"

". . .Sami . . ."

"I . . .I want you to stay!"

"Sami . . .I" He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "I was meaning to give you this if you chose to go home. I was gonna just send it to you, but since I already had it made, here."

"(sniff) What is it?"

"I never bothered giving you a house key, but since I'm not gonna be here, I might as well make sure that if you ever get homesick, that you can go and stay at home to clear your mind."

". . .(sniff) Thanks."

"I . . .I have to be going now." He gave her a good-bye kiss and took his bags to the copter. "I'll send you a letter once I get there!"

"Mm . . .bye . . ." She waved weakly as she fell backwards and landed on her bags. ". . .wait!" She ran up to him.

"What?"

"Here." She gave him something from her pocket. "To replace your chain."

"Thanks . . ." He grasped the object tightly and stuffed it in his pocket.

"Mmm." She nodded, then gave him a long kiss. "(sniff) Bye . . ."

". . .bye." He turned and walked on board the copter. "Promise me you'll make it out of this alive."

"I will! I promise! You too?" She shouted, as the copter started to take flight.

"I swear on my life that I will!"

". . .good bye Mel." She sat back down on her bags and waited for Andy to come. Mel had called a company car to come drive them back home for their short vacation. Mel himself, however, didn't have the luxury to go on vacation, and he had to begin his training immediately. Even his car was airlifted to Yellow Comet. "I do hope you have a good time . . ." Andy had just said his good byes to Sonja and watched as she boarded the second Yellow Comet copter.

"Sonja just left too." Andy said, giving a resigned sigh. "Well, what are we gonna do now?"

". . .wait I guess. Mel said they should come soon."

"Yeah." Andy sat on top of his suitcase. "Hmm? Did Mel give you his chain?" Andy said, reaching over and gently tugging at the thin silver necklace.

"Mm hmm." She nodded. "I gave him the cross mom gave me from a while ago."

" . . .that gold one?"

". . .yeah."

"Oh Sami . . .that's nice of you." Andy said.

"Oh. Right, he gave me the house key."

". . .you mean to say you never had one?"

". . .well, he expected us to stay at the school, not go home. But since he heard, I think he had good reason to give me one."

". . .that'd be scary, camping out in his backyard for two months . . ."

"Yeah." She wiped her eyes.

"You been crying again?" He asked. She simply nodded. "You should have seen Sonja. She was crying her eyes out."

". . .that's not good."

"But anyways, she said she'd write or e-mail or something."

". . .okay." A car then pulled up.

"You Sami and Andy?" The driver said from the window.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I'm gonna take you back to Mel's house and stuff. Put your bags in the back and hop in."

"Okay." As the boarded the vehicle and drove off, watching as the university disappeared from view.

Time: An hour drive later

Place: Mel's house

After stopping to collect their belongings and thank the driver, Sami and Andy headed for the house. Physically and emotionally exhausted from exams and the like, Sami pulled her hair out of it's ponytail and threw out her contacts. She then fell on top on the couch and started to sniffle.

"It's not fair . . .why didn't he stay?" She whined.

". . .aw come on Sami, he said he'll write."

". . .I know, but I feel alone again."

". . .what am I then? Chopped liver?"

" . . .you're not Mel."

". . .so?"

"You don't understand Andy." She sighed. "Maybe I'll just soak in the tub for an hour and clear my head." She said, already pulling off her clothes as she headed up the stairs.

"Okay." Andy said, wishing he had something to do. "I wish there was something I could do."

"Andy! Can you get me a towel?" Sami shouted from upstairs.

"Hmm? Better already? You never know." Andy said to himself, heading up stairs to find a towel for her.

Time: Somewhere in a time zone shift

Place: Skies

Beside him, his friends had fallen asleep listening to music. He was the only one sitting by himself. Playing with the cross that now hung around his neck, he wondered what he was going to do.

"Sami . . ." He sighed. "I promise I'll make it out alive, and I promise that I'll beat the living hell out of Blue Moon before they even attempt to take Orange Star completely. That and be back soon enough to see you again." Turning to look out the window, then at his watch, he had another five hours to go before he would reach White Sun . . .

End Chapter