The battle for Gateway
Chapter 16: Helping old friends
Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½.
Rogue squadron and Ranko still asleep wherever they could get a wake up call from a messenger looking for Ranko and Rogue squadron, the messenger kept banging on the door as Ranko goes for her pistol and goes to the door and answers it pointing the gun at the messenger "WHAT?" she shouted making the messenger shit herself "I'm looking for a Ranko Hakubi and Rogue squadron."
"You came to the right place, what do you want?"
Ranko puts her gun away and leans on the door "all squadrons are to report to the main hanger." The messenger said before she left and Ranko got Rogue squadron up and tells them and they go to the main hanger and when they get there they find all the squadrons from the fleet and the squadrons stationed on Gateway sat down talking to each other when a highly decorated high ranking officer walked out onto a platform and they all stand to attention "please sit."
They all sit down "my name is Admiral Travis, a lot of you here are veterans of the outer planets campaigns some of you are even veterans of the colony wars, but we are all here today for battle plans for the battle for Gateway and the Earth." Travis said as the pilots murmur to each other "this war has been going on for a long time, maybe for some too long." Jonesy stands up and everyone looks at him "with all due respects sir, I was there when the Altron was destroyed by the Razorback and every ship from the outer planets fleet joined in the battle and even then we couldn't destroy the Razorback."
"I heard about that, every single combat capable ship and fighters are being sent here within twenty-four hours, which carrier were you on?" Travis asked.
"I'm a pilot in Rogue squadron based on the Sulaco sir." Jonesy replied before he sat down "ahh, the infamous Rogue squadron the only squadron to go through so many young pilots." Travis added before continuing with the battle plans before dismissing them and they all leave and go their different ways, Rogue squadron go back to the restaurant and found it open and busy serving customers "NEED ANY HELP?" Ranma shouted over all the noise and Ukyo looked up at Ranma before motioning for him to go into the back and help out which he does.
"Need any help?"
"Sure, you can take these out." Someone said pointing to the dishes and Ranma picks them up and takes them to the counter and passes them to Shampoo who takes them to the tables of the people that ordered them, Ranko wanders around Gateway aimlessly before sitting at a bar when O'Hara and his men walk in and head to the bar before dropping their kit bags before ordering drinks.
"So, what are you boys?"
"AEF marines, just got here with the fleet." O'Hara replied as he picked up his drink and took a drink before putting it back down as the bartender served someone else when he hears some kids running past laughing "Jesus, this is meant to be a military station." He muttered to himself "relax O'Hara, they're just the kids of the families stationed here."
Elsewhere Kasumi walks around Gateway wondering what to do whilst she was on Gateway before going to the observation part of Gateway and looked out at the Earth and wondered what to do now that Tofu was dead and Nabiki and Ranma had a relationship going on, the rest of Rogue squadron were sat in the main hanger watching the techs refuel and rearm the fighters in preparation for the battle for Gateway "this battles going to be a bit one sided isn't it." Whistler said.
"Yeah right, we may have slowed the Razorback down but that doesn't mean anything."
"Well, we do have more ships than they do." Whistler added making the rest look at her "we're in the middle of a war here Whistler." Ritchie replied before he stood up and walked away, meanwhile Ranko was still sat in the bar holding a drink in her hand "problem?" O'Hara asked?
"Yeah?"
"What's your problem?" he asked, as he pulled up a barstool next to Ranko "I just don't know what to anymore, maybe someone else should be captain." She replied making O'Hara sigh "look these guys will follow you to hell and back if they have to, my marines would do the same for me." Came the reply from O'Hara as Ranko brought he drink to her lips and took a sip from the drink before putting it back down and looks at O'Hara "you know what, you're right."
"Just don't pass out, I don't know where you're sleeping."
"It's okay I'll…" Ranko's head hit the bar making O'Hara sigh as he picks her up and puts her over his shoulder and leaves the bar and goes to find somewhere to put Ranko to sleep off the hangover.
Later
The gang and the ex NWC members had gotten together and sat in the restaurant that Ukyo and Shampoo own before Ranma makes the introductions between everybody "hey, where's Ranko?" Jonesy asked.
"Got a bit of a hangover at the moment."
Ranma sighs before wrapping his arms around Nabiki's shoulders as they start to talk about the old days in Nerima "I don't miss those days." Ranma said and the old NWC gang agree "I heard about pig boy and Akane." Ranma added, as Ukyo and Shampoo looked at him "I take it you two weren't invited to their wedding?"
"Nope."
"Hmm, wonder why?" Ranma replied sarcastically as he put his feet up on the table that they sat around when Ukyo pushes his feet off the table "feet off the table." Ukyo told him.
"Yes ma'am."
"So, what have things been like around here?" Nabiki asked.
"Quiet, you?" Ukyo replied "fighting." Came the reply from Ranma when O'Hara walked in "O'Hara."
"Just got word that the enemy fleet is a lot closer than we first thought."
"Well, sit down and join us." Whistler replied before O'Hara pulled up a chair and joined them and Ranma introduces O'Hara to Ukyo and Shampoo "before you ask, I'm a marine." O'Hara said as he put his feet on the table making Ukyo sigh in defeat.
R&R