21 Dec. UC 0085; 0845 hours

Orbiting around Earth, aboard:

PZS Garma's Fist' briefing room

"Oh my God... shhhhh-zit... is anyone out there! please someone respond! This is Private Wekts of Sub-Squad Delta..krshh zit-zit shhh... I don't know how much more time we've got down here, b-but don't send reinforcements. I repeat don't send backup, the situation is hopeless, the Federation was waiting for us. God damn it.. Krshhh...zitshhzit...they're eliminating us one by one down here, Sub-Squad Alpha, we lost all contact signals with an hour ago...krshhhh-bzz...I-I'm not sure but signals are..zzitttt...still coming from Sub-Squad Beta...krshhh..t-they may be the..krshhhhh-zit-bzzzzzz-zitt.."

Major Dogens' aide, Second Lt. Wade Price, quickly tapped the switch on a nearby control panel to shut the recording off. He shifted uneasily – his uniform also contributing from it's uniform tightness – at his position behind a row of Fleet Ashrons' officer hierarchy, as he suddenly thought about another Zeon operational failure. He winced thinking about how Admiral Tomo would react.

"That emergency signal was broadcast around three hours ago. And received around two and a half hours ago. It is the last signal from Squad A-51, after their reported 'safe' landing, and early patrol of the premises."

Then his attention immediately switched to Major Hach Dogens who sat one seat to the left of Admiral Tomo. Although the Major only moved about slightly, in his seat, he could tell that his superior was definitely uneasily, and maddened as usual about the current situation.

Abruptly all eyes turned to the head's seat, at the tables end, where Admiral Tomo sat; he had just stood up suddenly, and smashed his fist against the table in a fit of anger. Somewhat glad that he had grabbed the attention of his assembled fleet officers, he strode forward to one side of the holo-projected vid-map, and tacked a crimson red spot with his pointer.

"This..officers is where the reported sub-squad disappeared,'another flick of the wrist to a slightly higher bright green circle, "but this is where we believe sub-squad Beta is, or at least it's remnants. Now if one of the petty fools hadn't pushed for us to launch early we might not of had such substantial losses in the operation's forces."

Admiral Tomo glared at the Major.

Dogens moved uneasily in his seat a second time.

Turning back to the visual display, Tomo moved his steel pointer a tad bit to the west of the green circle, where it stopped at a small dispersed group of navy blue spots, in the mountains.

"Now this,' Tomo's voice turned stone cold, "Is where squadrons B-102, B-45, and all the rest of the A squadrons will be dropping. We've chosen the mountains for the best possible camouflage from any Federation recon detachments, and considering the heavier snow fall there, it will be harder for all possible E-S Beam Cannon fire, or automated AA Cannon fire to aim, minimalizing casualties. But,' it got colder, "as I said, if one of the incompetents hadn't bulldozed forward for quicker action, then maybe we would've been able to locate a better drop point for the last mission. And maybe, we wouldn't be discussing emergency plans to save the mission."

Another obvious glare at Major Dogens.

"Klang!" The ring of a dropped steel chair rang shrilly in the briefing room.

Every officer present in the room shifted their gaze toward a clearly disgruntled Major, as the Zeon veteran rushed to his feet and threw his gray helmet against the polished oak table. The Commander of Tactical Operations from the PZS Dozle's Prize, on his left quickly shifted his chair away from the angry major. While, the Chief of Command of Mobile Units from the PZS Gihren's Pride, hurriedly sidled away in his chair in the opposite direction, all the while fiddling with the steel buttons on his dress uniform.

"I don't give a SHIT what you think Tomo! If you had any sense in that thick skull of yours you'd realize that they were waiting for us!"

Tomo's face suddenly turned completely crimson, and what little restrictiveness to his behavior he had broke. His nostrils flared.

"GET the FUCK OUT OF HERE, I will not TOLERATE this insubordination."

He shoved his pointer into Dogens face, who shoved aside, into the face of another officer. In a worse situation then before he pushed his aide, 2nd Lt. Price out of his way, and slammed the reinforced steel door as he withdrew.

Silence seemed to reign in the room for a small period, as Tomo calmed down just enough, and straightened his uniform, and fiddled with his helmet's position. Turning his gaze away from the briefing room's door, he stared back at his insubordinates.

"Well, let us get back to business," he spoke calmly, a smile glinting on his face.