Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam.


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Gundam Gemini

Episode Two

Orthrus

Part A

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"One week after the RDF's disastrous defeat above Lemuria, the Rem government continues to weather the fallout of the loss – the first major shift in the fifteen-year long war with Lux."

In a spacious office, the crisp voice of a male news anchor boomed from a giant television mounted on a baby blue wall. The footage on-screen reflected off an even larger window, the thick glass of which encompassed an entire wall and looked out over a sprawling metropolis below. But the magnificent view outside could not shake the attention of the people in the office from the TV, whose eyes were so engrossed.

"As reports continue to flood in detailing the true extent of the casualties and the missing, questions are being asked as to whether the government knew just how technologically superior LIRA was. The president and the defence minister's claims they cannot comment on military matters has only angered family and friends of those killed in the battle. Lux's victory also gives them complete control over Lemurian space, essentially leaving RDF personnel still planet side stranded and with limited supplies. Today, the government's assurances to families of those stranded that 'they had still not lost the war' were met with derision and calls for an immediate inquiry…"

The report came to a sudden halt when a remote was hurled at the TV, bouncing off the screen with a crack before the picture switched off.

"How the hell did this happen?!"

The voice screaming at the top of its lungs belonged to a middle-aged woman in a blue dress suit who sat behind the lone desk in the room, upon which she slammed her fist. Her blonde hair, styled short and brushed back, shook out of place as her hawkish eyes snapped to the two other people standing across from her.

"You idiots told me Operation Butthead was foolproof!"

"Arrowhead …" the man in a grey suit and thick glasses said, sheepishly. "Operation Arrowhead, Madame President…"

"Well, its Butthead now, since that's what we all look like," the president retorted, before pointing an accusing finger at the man. "I should never have made you defence minister, Ridgeway! If we start bleeding votes at the next poll, it's on your shiny bald head!"

"President Winters," the other man, who wore a white RDF uniform with a parade of medals over his muscular frame, interrupted. "Operation Arrowhead had a high chance of success. The odds Lux would find a relic that would yield something as powerful as stealth technology was rated as extremely slim. Now, with the loss of Lemurian space, we need to re-evaluate our relic hunting operations immediately."

"Again with the damned relics, Barton? What is this war, a slot machine?"

"We should listen to the admiral, Madame President," Ridgeway hurriedly agreed. "Now that LIRA has control over what comes and goes from Lemuria, our scientists will have no new relics to research. At this rate, Lux's victory will almost be assured."

"Well, that's just fantastic," President Winters sighed with a heavy tone of sarcasm. "Not only do we look like buttheads, we're going to be known as the buttheads who lost the war!"

"We can still turn this war around, Madame President," Admiral Barton insisted and began pacing across the room. "First, we order our soldiers on Lemuria to cease relic hunting operations and instead focus completely on obstructing LIRA's operations. If we can't get relics off world, neither will they."

The president rested her chin on her hands and listened as the admirall laid out his plan.

"And second, we redouble our relic hunting operations in and beyond the Lemurian system. If our researchers are right, there are more relics outside of the planet than we thought. One of them just might turn the tide."

"We should assume Lux will do the same if we stymie their relic hunting operations on Lemuria," Ridgeway added. "But with their supply line cut, how long will our troops last?"

"A year at most, but I doubt it," Admiral Barton stopped his pacing and grimaced. "We'll need results by then, along with a new fleet to retake Lemuria."

"So basically what you're saying is we're gambling on our relic hunters to find something amazing within a year?" President Winters sunk into her chair and closed her eyes, before opening them again with a hawk-like gaze. "I hope you have someone damned good in mind to put in charge of this."

"I know just the man, Madame President," Admiral Barton answered and handed the commander-in-chief a folder labelled top-secret.

"Milos Hartmann," the president opened the folder and read the file. "Hartmann… where have I heard that name before?"

Before she could finish her thought, the voice of a secretary spoke through the intercom on the desk.

"Madam President, a Captain Milos Hartmann is here to see you."

"The man himself. Send him in," President Winters instructed, and speed-read the rest of the folder.

When the double doors opened, a tall well-built man in a white uniform entered and strode up to the president's desk before saluting. His disciplined demeanour along with his stony face and dark eyes bespoke of a soldier's soldier, impressing those in the room.

"At ease, captain," said the president and Milos relaxed, parting his legs and putting his hands behind his back. "I just read your file. You have an impressive record. But this mission is of the utmost importance – in fact, it wouldn't be far-fetched to say the entire fate of Rem would rest on your shoulders. Are you up to the task?"

"I am, Madame President," Milos answered with a deep and clear voice, devoid of hesitation. "I have been briefed extensively and I believe I am the most suitable person for this mission. Under my watch, Lux will not be allowed to win the relics race nor the war."

"I see," President Winters nodded, and her thin lips creased into a smile. "Well, I think we have our man, admiral."

"Captain Hartmann, for the purposes of this mission you will be given command of the RDF's top-secret, state of the art warship, the Lionheart," Defence Minister Ridgeway handed Milos another folder labelled top-secret and inside were pictures of a white ship he had never seen before.

"It's a match for any LIRA ship and should serve you well on your relic hunt," Admiral Barton added. "Of course, you'll get to handpick your crew."

"Hartman… wait, now I remember," President Winters exclaimed with excitement. "The pilot who fought the Scarlet Wolf and lived to tell the tale."

"Yes, Laura is my daughter, Madame President," said Milos.

"Amazing girl, one of our few success stories – god knows we need some good news around here," the president grumbled, but paused and something lit up in her predatory eyes. "Gentlemen, I think I just solved our morale issues…"

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The Red Lady was a bar popular with LIRA personnel in the Lux capital of Dragnel, particularly with mobile suit pilots. After their glorious victory over Rem in the battle for Lemuria, a week of celebrations was declared by the Emperor and the inhabitants of Lux rejoiced for a week and more. People danced in the street, raised their glasses and the mood was joyous. The Red Lady especially was a hot-spot for revellers hoping to get a glimpse of the female pilot for which it was named after – but neither hide nor silver hair was seen of the Scarlet Wolf at the bar for months after the battle.

Until today, that was.

"My usual, bartender."

The woman in the smart black officer's uniform strode into the bar with a confident gait in her long legs, catching the attention of the soldiers drinking at the tables. The white mask she wore over her eyes was distinct enough, but her flowing silver hair also made heads turn, as did the red boots her pant legs were tucked inside of.

"Major!"

The lone officer sitting at the counter jumped to her feet when she saw Lux's favourite daughter and made a hasty salute.

"Sit down, Ursula," Vega smiled and returned the sharp salute with a casual wave. "We're still off duty for a few more hours."

The shorter woman relaxed her shoulders and blew stray brown locks out of her eyes to reveal a disapproving gaze.

"Then I won't mention those boots," she remarked with a raised eyebrow.

The two sat side by side at the bar and the bartender brought out a bottle of wine. After a nod of approval from Vega, its deep red fluid was poured into a broad glass which she lifted by the stem to take in the rich aroma. As the Scarlet Wolf brought the glass to her lips and sipped, Ursula watched on enraptured.

"Oh, how I've missed your company," Vega mused, releasing a pleased sigh as she sipped again.

"Do you mean me, or your wine?" Ursula cocked her head over and asked.

"You, of course, my dear Ursula," her superior turned to her with a playful tone. "We've been apart for a whole month after all."

"It may have been a month for you, but I feel like I've seen you every day," said Ursula, and with impeccable timing the television above the bar began playing a patriotic commercial featuring one Vega Aurelia.

"Don't remind me," the masked pilot groaned. "Military PR has been working me to the bone ever since I got back. It was always the schedule this and the schedule that – I think I was only allowed to return home once and that was just to spend the night."

"What? How dare they! This is meant to be your R&R!" Ursula growled and her large brown eyes narrowed in anger, but the major merely took another sip from her glass.

"Oh, it's fine. I don't know what to do with myself on R&R anyway," Vega reassured her with a smile. "Enough about me; how was your month, Ursula?"

"Me? Nothing special," the subordinate melted under the Scarlet Wolf's attention and ended up staring at the glass of half-finished beer in her hands. "I went back to the estate and saw my family."

"They must be proud of you; a LIRA captain returning honour to the Roland name."

"You sound like my mother," Ursula laughed. "But the children were more interested in hearing about the Scarlet Wolf."

"Oh? I hope you didn't disappoint them?"

"I may have put in a good word or two," the brunette joked with a straight face, but after a swig of her beer a hint of timidness entered her voice. "Our family does not have much, but the children would be so pleased if… if you could visit…"

"I would be delighted."

"Y-You would?" Ursula almost shouted, completely taken by surprise.

"Yes, I would be happy to meet your younger siblings," Vega repeated, smiling. "And how could I refuse a request from my cute subordinate?"

Feeling her own face heat up with embarrassment, Ursula frowned. No matter how often the major flattered her, she just could not get used to it.

"What do we have here? A pair of lovebirds?"

The joking voice of the intruder was known to Ursula and annoyance did not even begin to describe her reaction. When she saw the newcomer flop down next to Vega at the bar with his pale, unshaven face and unkempt black hair, the captain clicked her tongue. His pilot's uniform, equally dishevelled, nevertheless shared the same insignia as their jackets – that of a wolf's head with a dagger in its jaws.

"Lieutenant Luke Valorie! Once again, your appearance is unbecoming of an officer in the Imperial Army!" Ursula bellowed with a glare black enough to straighten out any other subordinate, but Luke merely leaned on his elbow and grinned.

"Nice to see you again too, Captain Roland, Major Aurelia," he replied with a wink of his pale blue eyes, which lit up as soon as a beer was placed in front of him and the pilot downed the liquid like precious oxygen.

Ursula growled and chugged down her own beer in response, slamming it on the counter when she was finished. Valorie may be a talented mobile suit pilot, popular with the younger pilots, and the unspoken third-in-command of the Space Wolves, but his lack of discipline and flippant attitude absolutely infuriated the captain. She had no idea why the major put up with him, but if not for that Ursula would have catapulted his sorry behind out the nearest space-shoot with prejudice.

"Luke," Vega greeted him, unperturbed. "Ursula and I were just discussing our month of R&R. How was yours?"

"Oh, it was horrible!" Luke put on a dramatic air and exclaimed. "I went home and saw my family. Can you imagine?"

"I can, sadly," Ursula quipped, pitying any family that had to put up with this man.

"I just wanted to get the hell out of there, but they made me go to every little party, parading me like a prize horse. I thought I could at least ingratiate myself with the ladies, but all they wanted to hear about was the Scarlet Wolf!"

"You're welcome," Vega smirked.

"Oh, if you think that's good, you'll love this, major," Luke grinned, and his eyes twinkled. "One time your self-declared rival, Major Narick Ambion, showed up and started boasting as usual, but suddenly your commercial played and the conversation shifted to the Scarlet Wolf. He shut up faster than a mute parrot."

"Oh my… you don't say?" Vega chuckled, pleased, and sweetened the moment by taking another sip of her wine.

"Serves him right!" Ursula scoffed, sounding tipsy. "Someone who only earned their rank through their family's influence couldn't hope to be the major's equal! Not in a million years!"

"House Ambion certainly got a stuck with a brat as its heir, while House Aurelia's fortunes continue to only rise with its star daughter," Luke mused, glancing between the figure on the TV and the real thing seated next to him. "I bet Lord Ambion had a heart attack when he watched you get a medal from the Emperor himself."

"You were sho beautiful, major!" Ursula recounted, now slurring her words. "Sho beautiful and gallant!"

"Stop it, Ursula. You know flattery will get you nowhere with me," Vega chided her, but smiled nonetheless. "I still cannot believe they broadcast it live, the pinning of a tiny medal. The whole ceremony was just a propaganda stunt."

"Come to think of it, why did they only give you a medal, major? Considering you singlehandedly repelled the entire Rem fleet, I would've thought a promotion was in order," Luke pondered aloud, in between refills of his glass.

"I wasn't offered a promotion," Vega stated, pausing for a moment. "I was offered a position in the Imperial Guard."

"What?!"

Both Ursula and Luke yelled at the same time, almost spitting out their mouthfuls of beer before staring at their commander with comical, wide-eyed shock. In contrast, Vega remained where she sat, sipping her red wine with calm.

"I refused, if you're wondering," she continued, when nothing came out of their slack jaws.

"You refused?! Why?!" Ursula, stunned back to sobriety, began the uncharacteristic act of chastising her commander. "The salary in the Imperial Guard would have anyone set for life! Not to mention the prestige! Oh my god, the prestige!"

"I don't think the major was dissatisfied with the pay, captain," Luke collected himself in time to point out, but continued to rub the bridge of his nose. "It is surprising you didn't accept such an honour, so why?"

"It's simple," Vega explained, staring into her wine. "Joining the Imperial Guard would have taken me out of the war. It's a babysitting position with little chance of further promotion or glory. No, I like the heat of battle and commanding my own squad, so I will stay right where I am."

"But it's such a waste," Luke shook his head, unconvinced. "Think of how close it would bring you to the Imperial Family – how you could influence them."

"If its influence, Lord Aurelia already has the Emperor's ear," Vega reminded her subordinate and the corners of her red lips began to rise. "Besides, I'm a household name now; I already have influence – and just imagine how much I'll have when I win the war."

Hearing that, Luke could only laugh and drink his beer. As expected of the daughter of House Aurelia, she was playing the long game.

"When you put it that way, I suppose I should be glad you're not going anywhere," Ursula mumbled, not realising she was smiling.

"Oh, I could never leave you, Ursula," Vega teased and grinned as she watched the flush build on the captain's cheeks. "Especially not after learning of our next assignment."

"You've been briefed already?"

"Commodore Sparrhorn is an old friend of my father's and I learnt through him," Vega explained, refilling her glass and lifting it up so it sparkled like a ruby. "We're going hunting."

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The familiar scarlet mobile suit darted side to side on the monitor, making tight turns in an attempt to escape its pursuer. Laura stayed on its tail, keeping a firm grip on her flight stick and the cockpit shook as she mimicked the actions of her prey. With perfect control over her throttle, she kept the red machine centred on the screen until the targeting reticules converged.

One squeeze of the trigger later and blue beams pierced the body of Laura's foe, sending crimson parts flying everywhere from the resulting explosion. But rather than pleased, her purple eyes burned with fury and the blonde grit her teeth. No matter how many times she shot it down, Laura's anger could not be quenched – it only reminded the technopath of her failure.

With a drawn-out jingle, the screen of floating red debris switched off and the top-half of the cockpit began to swing open. Freya's serious face was the first to greet her and she rested her arms on the side of the simulator so her blue eyes looked down on Laura.

"How was that?" she asked as her twin-tailed pink hair floated towards the ceiling.

"It's still way off," Laura sighed, undoing her belt and drifting out. "There's no way Vega Aurelia is this predictable."

"Thought so," Freya bit her lip. "So we can replicate the Fenrir's specs, but not the pilot. Formulating a strategy against her is going to be harder than we thought."

"No, it's more than that," Laura's shook her head and her brow furrowed with frustration. "The simulator can't replicate technopathic talent – and Vega Aurelia is off the charts. The AI can't even begin to imagine what she can do in a mobile suit."

The blonde squeezed her fists into tight balls as she thought back on her first encounter with the Scarlet Wolf, almost three months ago. When Laura closed her eyes, she could see the superior speed, power and tactical genius with which the Fenrir had left her outclassed like it was yesterday. Now, whenever she got into the cockpit of a Garm, real or simulated, the technopath could only think of how lumbering and obsolete her machine was.

"It's no good…" Laura shook her head again and when she opened her eyes back to reality the purple orbs were downcast. "No matter how I look at it, our Garms are too slow. If only I had a better mobile suit, I know I could match her…"

"Hey, don't forget about us," a warm hand gripped Laura's shoulder and she found Freya steadying her. "We all swore to avenge Tully's death. You're not alone in this, Laura."

Freya's rival, once unwavering in confidence, only gave a passive nod and rubbed her necklace through her clothes, a clear sign the loss still weighed on the pilot.

"Come on, Junko and Alice are waiting for us in the mess hall," Freya changed the subject. "They're probably stuffing themselves without us."

With a push of a button on the wall, a hydraulic sliding door opened, and the pair exited the dimly-lit simulator room and floated through into the bright white corridors of a ship. It had been a month since the orphans had been assigned to the Lionheart, but they were still in awe to be serving on such an advanced RDF warship – the first battlecruiser of its class. While Laura, Freya and Alice had spent much of their time on the simulator, strategizing against the Scarlet Wolf, Junko had instead geeked out over every new piece of technology on the ship and bugged the crew with her incessant questions.

A month of R&R on Rem had left the four restless and they were eager to be back in action. The news they would be on the frontlines in the hunt for new relics not only excited them, it also gave them purpose. It was what they desperately needed after the four had visited the Libra Orphanage and were forced to tell the matron and the children what had happened to Tully. The memories of their tears served to remind the quartet of their vendetta and gave them newfound drive in their mission.

"Laura! Freya! Over here!"

The jovial voice belonged to the dark-haired girl waving to them in the corner of the mess hall with the mouthful of food. As expected, Junko was already stuffing her face with food from a meal tray, which like the tables and chairs were all fastened down in the weightlessness of space. Beside her, Alice gave a casual wave while sucking on her carton of juice and Laura and Freya sat down in front of them.

"Well, somebody's enjoying themselves," Freya remarked, looking at Junko.

"Can you blame me? The grub here is a step above the Baselard's," the petite girl deflected in between mouthfuls. "Plus, I was talking with the chief again all morning. Did you know he once fixed a Garm using nothing but a watch and a can of beer? I've never met anyone who loved mobile suits as much as me! I'm learning so much from him."

"Chief? You mean, Superintendent Moses?" Laura tried to imagine tiny Junko pestering the dark giant of the maintenance unit with questions and failed. "You're brave… the man could kill with looks alone."

"He's not scary! Chief is a big softie at heart – at least, that's how he is with me," Junko replied, shaking her fork.

"That's how he is with all of us," said Alice, releasing the straw from her cherry red lips. "He yells at all the other male mechanics and crew, but is polite with the opposite sex."

"Oh, so that's how it is," Freya snickered and ran a hand through her pink tails. "It really is troublesome being this cute sometimes."

"I don't think chief even asks about you," said Junko, before bursting the diva's bubble with a grin. "All the guys in the mobile suit bay can talk about is Laura."

"What?!" the eyeballs of the girl in question almost popped out of their sockets along with Freya's. "Why?!"

"You really need to ask?" Alice said before showing her a newspaper article on her PDA. "You're a celebrity now."

The technopath's eyes bulged again when she read the headline: 'Young New Ace Fights Off Scarlet Wolf.'

"Oh no, I knew I shouldn't have done that interview!" Laura groaned, clawing and stretching at her cheeks.

"Well, it was either this or a televised ceremony," Freya pointed out. "I still can't believe you refused a medal from the president."

"I didn't do anything to deserve a medal. If anyone deserves one, it's Tully – she saved my life," Laura proclaimed, feeling intensely proud of her departed friend even as she clenched her fists again. "Besides, all President Winters wanted was some propaganda to boost morale. That's why I gave the newspaper interview instead, even though Milos was against it."

"I'm surprised Milos didn't just stow you away on the Lionheart when we got back – he was really overprotective," said Junko. "Speaking of which, what's it like being on the same ship as your dad?"

"Not as weird as I thought. I just have to remember to call him captain."

"The crew really enjoyed it when you kept saying 'Milos' on the com in the beginning," Alice reminded her, causing the others to laugh and Laura to blush. "Other captains would punish you for insubordination just for that."

"Well, Milos is pretty cool. We've all known him since we were kids at the orphanage," said Freya. "It's easy to follow his orders because we trust him. Can't say the same for our new XO…"

"Commander Gabriel?"

"She's such a bossy little troll! She yaps at everyone for even the slightest infractions!" Freya yelled and grinded her perfect white teeth just thinking of the Lionheart's executive officer. "I doubt there's anyone left on this ship Miss Perfect hasn't pissed off since we departed Rem a month ago. I'd call her an ice queen, but she's more like a cold bit–"

Freya's wagging tongue froze when she finally noticed the others had become unnaturally still and dead quiet.

"…She's right behind me, isn't she?"

The technopath shrunk in her seat and her face paled as she felt a presence loom over her before a deathly voice whispered into her ear.

"Go on, Valstein… Don't let a cold bitch like me interrupt you."

Looking down on Freya with a pair of piercing red eyes was a tall woman in a white officer's uniform. The uniform had been pressed to perfection as had the polished black buttons and it was obvious the wearer took pride in their appearance. A single braid of deep blue hair trailed behind her head, atop which smartly sat an officer's white cap, and her facial features were of striking, if intimidating, beauty.

"C-Commander Gabriel!" Freya shouted, the blood draining from her face as she stood to attention and saluted. "I'm… I'm really sorry, ma'am!"

"Spare me, ensign," the older woman, whom Laura guessed was in her mid-twenties, sighed and surprised them by sitting at their table with her meal tray. "Besides, it's all true. I'm a bossy little Miss Perfect who gets on everybody's nerves. By the way, you can sit down now, Valstein."

Freya, who had squeezed her eyes shut, finally opened them and sat back down. But judging by her stiffened posture, she still looked ready to flee at any second.

"You girls might not understand it, but I have my reasons to act that way," Commander Gabriel started again, surprising them with her candidness. "I'm not just any officer, I'm a female officer, and women are expected to do twice as much and be twice as perfect as men to get any respect in the military. If I don't draw a line in the sand early and put on the demon commander act, those misogynists in the crew are going to walk all over me. I just wanted you girls to know, I may be tough on others, but I'm fair."

When the commander finished, the orphans looked to each other and came to a sudden agreement.

"Oh… Oh no, commander, we completely understand!" Laura began, leaning forward. "At our last ship, these flyboys bullied us just for being girls!"

"And I was totally going to disagree with Freya!" Junko added, covering her ass. "I think most of the crew actually respects your dedication and work ethic!"

"Me too. I sensed you were responsible and fearless from the beginning, commander," said Alice. "It's reassuring to have you as our XO."

"I'm really sorry, commander! I never knew you had to go through all that crap!" Freya bowed her head. "I just thought your boyfriend had dumped you or something…"

"Apology accepted, Valstein – and I'll ignore that last comment," said Commander Gabriel, but still glared at the pink-haired troublemaker, causing her to flinch. "I just wanted to give you girls some advice on what to expect in your military careers. Especially you, Laura Hartmann."

"Me?"

"The military wouldn't usually put family members in the same outfit, but this is a special case."

"I know what you're saying, commander. But Milos – I mean, Captain Hartmann, picked us because we're the best technopaths and pilots needed for this relic hunting mission," said Laura and the others nodded with her. "I'm not expecting any special treatment and I know the captain won't be giving me any."

"That's good to hear. But people will still gossip," the commander pointed out. "I can see you have a thick skin, but feel free to talk to me anytime."

The offer genuinely touched Laura and she was speechless for a moment.

"…Thank you, commander."

"Sofia," said the older woman, as she began digging into her tray. "We'll be seeing a lot of each other, so feel free to call me that in private."

"What do you mean?" asked Junko, and a feeling of dread began to well up in the stomachs of the four.

"I'll be in charge of the Lionheart's weapons systems on deck, so co-ordination with the mobile suit team during battle will be crucial to victory," Sofia explained, stabbing at her frozen food. "It's probably better you don't eat lunch, because after this I'm going to drill you on every possible situation in the simulators – and we won't be leaving without a hundred-percent success rate. Understood?"

While Junko breathed a sigh of relief and snuck away, the pilots could only nod. Soon they would discover Sofia Gabriel's nickname as the Demon Commander was well deserved.

.


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"We are now coming within range of Lemuria's moon, Lenos. All crew prepare for relic hunting operations."

When Laura heard the announcement, she and the other pilots were already in their Garms adjusting their instruments. As they had been briefed moments ago, signs of a relic had been detected on Lemuria's moon by an RDF ship retreating from the disastrous battle three months ago.

In the past, Lenos would enter the territories of both Lux and Rem's space forces as it circled the planet. However, there was never enough time for either side to conduct a thorough search for relics on its surface before it passed. Now, with LIRA controlling Lemurian space, the Lionheart's first mission was to conduct a covert reconnaissance of the moon and recover the relic before the enemy noticed. Time would be of the essence.

"Scouts from the second fleet report that LIRA's fleet is maintaining its position above Lemuria. We are clear to proceed."

"Copy that," Laura replied to the operator. "Garm team is on standby and awaiting orders."

"Laura," the face of her adoptive father, Milos, appeared on-screen and addressed her. "Remember Laura, in and out – and at the first sign of trouble, just get out. The second fleet is only here as a decoy, so we can't rely on them to save us if things go wrong."

The pilot rolled her eyes, but she knew how lucky she was. Even though Milos wasn't her real father, he still worried like he was and along with his wife had made her feel like family. Before the adoption, he had been a constant visitor and donor to Libra Orphanage, so she was sure it was the same for the other orphans whom he had known since their childhood.

"I wasn't relying on them anyway… captain," said Laura, just catching herself. "But will three Garms really be enough for recon?"

"It's all we have. The Lionheart was made for speed and self-sufficiency in battle; three or four Garms was determined to be the minimum number required to complement it."

"And we have the three best pilots in the RDF here," Freya appeared on-screen and boasted, jutting into the conversation. "The only thing I'm worried about is LIRA's stealth tech."

"Don't worry, some last-minute countermeasures were added after Operation Arrowhead," Junko butted in next from the hangar bay. "The people who designed the Lionheart thought of everything!"

"For our sakes, I hope so," Alice joined in, her hazel eyes looking forlorn. "This will be our first time back to the battlefield since it happened."

The four portraits on-screen went quiet along with Laura. This would also be the first time they flew without Tully, making her absence all the more noticeable, and the thought that she was still floating out there in the wreckage of her Garm pained them. They were only brought back to the task at hand by the enlarged image of Sofia's humourless face taking up their screens.

"If you're all quite done, there's a relic on Lenos that requires finding," she reminded them in her icy tone.

"Yes, commander…" the girls chorused with well-trained habit and Milos adjusted his cap.

"Captain, the Lionheart is in position over the relic's last known signal and Chief Moses reports the Garms are ready to launch at any time."

"Right," Milos coughed and assumed command. "Garm team, you are clear to launch and begin the operation. Good luck."

"Yes, captain," Laura and the others responded, and the crowd of faces on her screen closed one by one. The technopath's Garm was moved onto the launch pad first and the runway ahead lit up with the opening of the bay doors. From the control room she saw Junko's suited figure give her the thumbs up and the blonde gave her necklace its customary rub through her suit.

"This is Laura Hartmann, taking off!"

The familiar kick of the catapult knocked Laura back in her seat and the Garm rumbled beneath her as it was hurled forward past the bay doors. The dark tunnel that followed, illuminated only by the runway of dotted lights, flashed by in an instant until the rumbling stopped and the Garm was gliding out of the ship and into space. The rollercoaster rush Laura felt with every launch never got old, but this time there was something else to take her breath away – a front row view of the lunar landscape of Lenos.

"It's beautiful…" Alice whispered over the com and her Garm came in from behind Laura along with Freya's.

The surface of the moon was white like snow, an alien wonderland with hundreds of craters big and small. Some were from the Lemurian Conflict, others from ancient asteroid collisions, but the cause of the largest crater which covered almost one side of Lenos remained a mystery. It was that very crater which stretched out below them on their monitors like a chasm, which in turn was dwarfed by the expansive deserts of the yellow planet eclipsing the lunar sky above, and the sight left the girls in awe.

"…Come on, we're not here to sightsee," Laura finally broke the silence, took a breath and tore her eyes away from giant Lemuria before activating her thrusters.

The three Garms blasted ahead of the Lionheart and down to the lunar surface, maintaining in a V-formation as they made their way to the centre of the giant crater.

"What even made this thing?" Freya asked aloud, scanning her monitor side to side as they sped by. The edges of the crater were sheer cliffs.

"We still don't know, but whatever it was scientists theorise it had to have come from the direction of Lemuria," Alice informed her. "Maybe even a weapon."

"They tried to blow up their own moon?" Freya yelled. "That's crazy."

"It's from the time of the Cataclysm too," Junko joined them on the com from the Lionheart. "We may never know why."

"Enough chatter. We're here," Laura interrupted their discussion and the Garms came to a halt. "I'm not picking anything up on my instruments. Let's spread out."

"The crater has been checked before, right? Why didn't they pick anything up then?" asked Freya, watching the others blast off before taking the remaining direction.

"That was years ago, at the beginning of the war, and relic detection technology has vastly improved since then," Junko explained, sighing. "Oh, I wish I was down there with you!"

"I have something!" Alice called, and the other Garms stopped what they were doing and joined her. "It's faint, but it's there… under the crater."

"Under the crater?" Laura raised an eyebrow.

"I guess… they missed?" Freya spoke the most logical thing that came to mind.

Landing on the surface they did the only thing they could do – they dug.

"If I knew this was going to happen, I would have brought a shovel," Freya complained and directed her Garm to claw away at the moon's barren soil with its robotic hands while the others did the same nearby. It wasn't long before they found something under the shifted rock and sand.

"I found something," said Laura, causing the others to pause.

"The relic?" Freya asked, hopeful.

"No… it's a metal slab…"

Laura brushed her Garm's hand against the black metal showing from under the dusty white ground and felt a shock course through her.

"…I have technopathic connection!"

The hands of their Garms were specially made so they could interact with electronics and relics while still inside the safety of their cockpits. What Laura found confused her.

"Lionheart, this is Garm team," Laura alerted the bridge over the com. "We've found a door…"

"A door?" Milos asked, watching on the monitor as the Lionheart passed over the huddled Garms.

"At least, that's what I'm sensing. The relic must be underneath. Permission to open it, captain?"

"…Do it," Milos ordered, after a pause. "But be ready to hightail it out of there. We don't know what we'll find."

"Roger that," Laura signed off and conferred with the faces of her teammates. "Well, here we go… open sesame."

With a technopathic prod, she instructed the door mechanism to open. Nothing happened at first, but sure enough there was a rumble beneath their feet before a quake almost knocked their Garms off balance.

"Get off the surface!" Laura cried and they blasted off back into space where they watched events unfold from above along with the Lionheart.

The barren ground in the centre of the crater was crumbling away as black steel shifted underneath. Miles of buried metal parted like a maw and white rock and dust fell into the open chasm they revealed. When the rumbling finally stopped, a giant circular hole sat at the centre of the crater, large enough to fit a ship.

"Oh my god…" Freya whispered what they were all thinking. "It's a bunker."

"The signal is stronger… the relic is definitely inside," Alice reported, somehow maintaining her cool.

Laura should have been excited, but the back of her mind gnawed with questions. What relic was so important it was hidden in a bunker on the moon? And was it so dangerous that someone tried to blow up the moon just to destroy it? The bad feeling she had was compounded when electricity suddenly rushed through her body and made her hair stand on end.

The technopath remembered all too well the last time she had felt that same experience.

"Captain, detecting energy spike!" the operator's anxious voice confirmed Laura's fears over the com. "From above!"

"Evasive manoeuvres, now!" Milos ordered. "Garm team, get out of th–"

The com crackled and Milo's voice was lost in the static. The next thing Laura knew an all-consuming beam of light plunged down from space, just missing the Garms and the swerving Lionheart by seconds until it plummeted into the lunar surface, sending rock and ash flying in its angry red wake. But the real danger had yet to come – Laura could feel it in her bones. She looked up and saw it, descending from the stars like a bloody angel of death.

The Scarlet Wolf, bearing down on her.

The shocked technopath yanked her controls in time, veering out the path of incoming beams and the Fenrir itself as it zoomed past with a swing of its beamsabre. It had only been a moment, but seeing the red sheen of the Fenrir so close made Laura's blood boil and her veins pumped with adrenaline. The burnout husk of Tully's Garm flashed in her mind and before Laura knew it, she was ramping up her throttle.

"Laura!"

Only the sound of Freya's voice brought her back to her senses and the ace grit her teeth. Her lust for vengeance had almost made her repeat the same mistake as last time.

"Remember our plan, Laura!" Alice entreated her.

Laura relented and released her grip on the throttle, pulling back instead so her Garm joined the others in formation.

"…Let's do it," she whispered, her purple eyes never leaving the speeding red dot of the Fenrir as it linked up with its comrades for a second run. "Lionheart, requesting anti-mobile suit support!"

In the distance, the black cluster of dots chased after their red leader; a pack of ravenous Wargs led into battle by the Scarlet Wolf.

"Our opponent is Vega Aurelia!"

.


.

When the enemy beam grazed past the Lionheart, causing its hull to shudder and creak, Milos held his breath along with the rest of the bridge. But the moment it was clear they hadn't been vaporised into space dust, the captain barked his commands.

"Prep the main cannon! Prepare to return fire!" he ordered. "Give me a sit-rep, now!"

"Half-a-dozen bandits on radar, but no enemy ship detected!" the operator reported with haste. "Energy spike indicates one cloaked ship!"

"Damn! They must have followed us, waiting while we did the heavy lifting!" Milos slammed his fist on the arm of his chair.

There were still no outright solutions to LIRA's stealth technology – the best the RDF's scientists could come up with was a highly sensitive instrument to detect the energy spike of a beam cannon preparing to fire. It gave them only moments to avoid certain death, but it was better than nothing.

"Get that cannon ready! Helmsman, turn us towards the enemy's last known position!" Milos began barking orders again. "Get ready for it, just like we trained!"

"Main cannon is charged and ready, captain!" Sofia relayed from the weapons consoles nearby, which were manned by several operators.

They were on the defensive, but Milos knew they could still turn the tables. They didn't have to wait long.

"Energy spike detected! Co-ordinates on-screen!"

"Hard to port!"

Milos bellowed the command as soon as he saw the flashing point on the monitor and the Lionheart banked left, narrowly avoiding another massive beam of fire. This time, before the light had even passed by the quivering hull, the captain gripped the arms of his chair and followed up with another command.

"Return fire!" he screamed, making his voice heard through the din.

Blue light burst from underneath the pitched Lionheart, causing it to jolt even more, roaring forward and shooting parallel to the red enemy beam like two bridges of light. If LIRA was invisible to their radar until the moment they fired, then they would exploit that short window of opportunity for maximum damage – detecting and tracking the energy spike with a combination of the latest in computing technology operated by the RDF's most talented technopaths, who would then put a set of co-ordinates on the enemy. From detection to discovery, they managed to do it in a matter of seconds and the Lionheart's targeting computer did the rest.

While the red beam missed and pounded Lenos' battered surface a second time, the blue beam stretched out into space before shimmering and dissipating from view on the monitor. Finally, the hull settled, and Milos clicked his tongue.

"Nothing on radar… we missed," the operator reported the obvious.

"No disruptions in the beam's energy either," Sofia reported next and her red eyes narrowed. "They were ready for us."

Milos nodded and rested his chin in his hands.

"They figured us out after they missed the first time… whoever the captain is, they're good," he said, with almost a hint of admiration. "I doubt they'll give us another chance, but keep the main cannon warm. This will be a drawn-out battle."

"Captain, Garm Team is requesting anti-mobile suit support!" the operator interrupted, and her face went pale. "They're fighting the Scarlet Wolf!"

"What?!" Milos shouted, before regaining his cool. "Commander Gabriel, activate every anti-mobile suit defence we have! Don't underestimate this opponent!"

"Yes, sir!" Sofia responded with almost sadistic glee and directed her subordinates at the weapons console. "Ready the Hellfire missiles! Fire!"

.


.

The white ship was like none the crew of the Blue Crow had ever seen, but they had already avoided certain death at the hands of its beam cannon twice now. It was the complete opposite of the giant RDF battleships they called flying toasters; it was sleek, compact and agile, and packed its own deadly beam cannon under the hull. Vega would never have thought her first relic hunting mission would encounter, let alone stalk and ambush, such a challenge, but as she was about to discover things were only just getting interesting.

"Major, the commodore told us to exercise caution!" the anxious voice of Ursula warned Vega over the com just as the white ship reappeared on the Fenrir's monitor. "We don't know what it's capable of yet!"

"Then there's only one way to find out," the Scarlet Wolf grinned and pushed down her throttle, speeding ahead of the pack. "We stir the hornet's nest!"

"I think we all saw that coming," Luke quipped, passing Ursula by along with the rest of the Space Wolves. "You really should know better by now, captain."

"Oh, shut up!"

The pilot slammed her thrusters into gear and charged forward back to the major's side where she belonged. The white ship was directly ahead and radar showed it had an escort of only three Garms. It should have been an easy sortie for the Space Wolves – until their sensors began to whine with alarm.

"Missiles! Break!" Vega ordered and their formation scattered in the face of the oncoming projectiles. They should have been clear – but the missiles exploded early, blinding them with thick smoke. The next thing they knew a barrage of beams from the enemy ship's turrets was cutting through the smog with remarkable accuracy and Vega had no doubt their gunners had prepared their sensors in advance.

"Stay calm! Trust your radar and sensors!" Ursula called, and one by one the Space Wolves exited the cloud – only to be confronted by the enemy Garms.

With a barrage of turret beams in front and the Garms surprising them on their flanks, the Wargs struggled in the crossfire. When one had a hole blown through them, exploding into a ball of flame, the others grew wary and regrouped to counterattack. However, the Garms had already retreated, replaced by a second round of heat-seeking missiles and the Wargs scrambled for safety again.

"Andy is down!" Luke shouted over the com, his usually languid expression grimacing as he navigated exploding missiles, smoke and beams. "Captain, that ship and those Garms aren't ordinary! We can't get close!"

"It'll be alright! They're just stalling! Follow the major's orders!" Ursula shouted back, her lips twisting along with her evasive Warg, before she realised something was wrong. "Major?!"

Well, this was a pickle.

No matter where she flew, Vega still found herself lost in the cloud of smoke. Not only had most of the missiles been meant for her, some had been filled with electronic-interfering chaff, explaining why her radar and com had gone haywire. She could only guess where she was going and had no way to contact her squadron.
Blind and separated from her pack, Vega's instincts screamed trap. An elaborate one. When the barrage of beams from the white ship's turrets stopped firing in her direction, it only heightened her sense of danger.

The lull was short-lived when something like a bolt of lightning struck the ace. Vega sensed a malevolent yet familiar presence. She swerved the Fenrir around, beamsabre drawn and swinging. Red laser collided with blue in a sea of sparks and the Garm that had almost ended the Scarlet Wolf was held at bay – but only just. It must have stalked Vega through the smoke; all this just to kill her.

As they crossed blades, a flicker of recognition flashed behind the eyes of Vega's mask. This tenacity, this well of bottomless talent and spirit; they had met before.

"You…" the Scarlet Wolf whispered, stunned, before her lips curled with glee. "…So, we meet again."

With the Fenrir's superior power, she shrugged off the offending beamsabre, putting the Garm off balance and leaving it open to her blade. The overhead swing missed by inches when the white mobile suit thrusted backwards, firing parting shots as it attempted to flee. But Vega ignited her own thrusters and weaved past, giving chase through the fog lest she was ambushed again.

She had to hand it to the pilot and her friends, crafting this intricate snare. The planning and preparation they must have put in, months after their last encounter at the battle for Lemuria, just waiting for the moment they could execute their revenge on the Scarlet Wolf. And now fate had brought them together again, here off the surface of Lenos. Vega couldn't help but smile.

She would enjoy unravelling everything.

Flexing her technopathic abilities, Vega sifted through the electronic interference in her radar until it was clear as day. Like most feats concerning her abilities, the technopath didn't even know she could do it beforehand; she simply willed it. There, as she suspected – two moving objects threatened to intersect with her up ahead. The Garm was leading her into a pincer attack.

Vega let them believe their plan was working until the last second. When the two Garms burst out of the clouds firing at point-blank, she broke into a red blur, dodging and steering the Fenrir straight into the leftmost enemy. With one swing of her beamsabre she swatted away a beam before it could incinerate a hole through her cockpit and with another cleaved the barrel of the rifle that fired it in two, causing a small explosion. At the same time, she snapped the Fenrir's other arm out in the direction of the second Garm and blind fired her rifle in mid-flight, forcing the would-be ambusher to hide behind their shield as the shots hit with deadly accuracy, despite the Scarlet Wolf not even looking their way.

Vega would have pressed the attack and finished the two Garms off, but that uncanny feeling of lightning struck her again. Following her instincts, she pivoted the Fenrir up and stretched out its leg, kicking the very first Garm in the stomach as it had attempted to dive down on her through the smoke with its beamsabre in mid-swing. The force of the collision had both mobile suits drifting away from one another, before all three Garms reignited their thrusters and retreated back into the clouds. Vega stayed on the tail of the leader, chuckling as she wondered how many contingencies they had planned.

The pair erupted out of the clouds and back into black space at speed, a white and red blur zigzagging just above the lunar surface. Once out of the electronic-interfering smog, the Fenrir's radar and com returned to normal and Vega was immediately beset by a familiar voice.

"-jor! Major Aurelia!" Ursula called, sounding strained and hoarse. "Come in, major!"

"I'm right here, Ursula. You don't have to shout," Vega calmly replied, whilst matching the g-forces of the Garm's evasive manoeuvres.

"Oh, thank god!" her subordinate breathed a sigh of relief before her tone changed completely. "Where have you been?! I've been hailing you nonstop!"

"Glad to know I was missed. If you must know, I was a little occupied."

"Well, so are we! The enemy's anti-mobile suit defences are keeping us at arm's length!" Ursula sighed again and her tone grew sombre. "We lost Andy."

"…Understood," said Vega after a pause. "Fall back and wait for me to return. I just need to tie up a loose end here. In fact, why don't you bring the squad over…"

The two other Garms appeared in her rear-vision and began firing at the Fenrir.

"…I have a pair of admirers here who could use some dissuading."

.


.

"Laura, where are you going?!"

Freya's frantic voice pounded on Laura's eardrums through the com and the pilot struggled to answer and shake the red mobile suit on her tail. She had left the Lionheart far behind along with the smoke screen they had manufactured for their plan, which was already dissipating, and ahead lay Lenos' lunar landscape which clipped by her hurtling Garm.

"The plan failed, Freya! I'm leading her away!" she yelled back, and her machine shuddered as it swerved side to side. "It's me she wants!"

"Are you crazy?! What can you do alone?"

"Please rethink this, Laura," Alice joined in with her calming voice. "We need a new plan."

Their Garms appeared on the rear vision of Laura's monitor, firing at the Fenrir from behind, but it was obvious their machines were struggling to keep up. Even outnumbered, a technopath like Vega Aurelia could easily turn this situation around and history would just repeat itself. Laura squeezed her controls tight – she couldn't bear to lose another friend. In her dread, the pilot's purple eyes caught sight of the ancient bunker in the middle of the crater and a new plan hastily formed itself.

"Laura, the rest of the Wargs are incoming!" Alice warned her, giving the technopath the push she needed.

"Break off! Retreat to the safety of the Lionheart!" Laura ordered, changing course and steeling herself. "I'll deal with the Scarlet Wolf!"

"You have a plan?"

"A good one."

"No way, Laura! I'm not letting you go by yourself, not again!" Freya blasted her voice over the com and Laura bit her lip, knowing exactly how her friend felt.

"Trust me, Freya… I won't let what happened to Tully happen to me."

"Let's trust Laura, Freya. You know we'll just get in her way," Alice entreated the fiery diva just as her radar was inundated with red dots. "We're out of time."

"Damn it…!" Freya swore, before her angry blue eyes watered and she relented. "You better make it back alive, Laura! I won't forgive you if you don't – you hear me?!"

"Loud and clear," Laura responded and watched as her friends broke off their pursuit of the Fenrir, taking the Wargs back with them to the Lionheart.

Now it was just Vega Aurelia and her. She could see the entrance to the ancient bunker ahead; a black chasm leading under the crater and into the unknown. When Laura was directly above it, she rammed her controls forward and dived into the darkness.

The Scarlet Wolf took the bait and followed close behind, but the technopath had no time to celebrate. As expected of the bunker, it was a maze of ruins inside of abandoned structures and collapsed tunnels, with barely enough room to manoeuvre a mobile suit let alone conduct a high-speed chase. Now Laura had to worry about crashing into fallen pillars or giant outcroppings of moon rock as well as the Fenrir on her tail.

But this was exactly where she wanted the Scarlet Wolf. Now all she needed was to get the timing right – which was proving a tad more difficult than expected.

Even with her Garm's headlights on at full blast, Laura strained her eyes to see what lay ahead in the shadowy labyrinth and her heavy breathing almost fogged up her helmet. She swerved to avoid mountains of rubble, pitched up and over broken columns, and weaved the tightest of paths through tiny openings in the debris. After every heart-pounding obstacle Laura glanced back to find the Fenrir was still right behind her, having navigated the impediments perfectly, and the blonde scowled with maddening rage. It had already sunk in earlier, but this was truly the Scarlet Wolf and not some AI – there would no second chances if her plan failed.

Finally, the walls of the tunnel closed in, while opening up above and below. This was it, Laura realised. Vega Aurelia would meet her end here.

The moment she was clear of the network of ruins, Laura discarded her shield and climbed skywards. Freed of the extra weight, her Garm travelled faster, arcing backwards into a perfect loop as it blasted back in the direction it had come. Meanwhile, the blast shield flew into the Fenrir's path as planned, not only slowing her down but blocking her view of the Garm in the confined space. When the Scarlet Wolf removed the hindrance and saw the white machine headed straight for her, it was too late.

The two mobile suits collided with an almighty crash, rending steel and jolting their occupants like ragdolls, but Laura kept her eyes peeled – she knew she had the momentum and pressed her advantage without mercy. She drove the Fenrir backwards, slamming it into the tunnel wall where she pinned it down and powerful fire sprouted from the Garm's thrusters like blue wings.

"This is for Tully!" Laura cried and expelled all the grief and anger she had felt these past months into a single act of vengeance.

After taking one last look at the Fenrir's helpless face on the monitor, she smashed her fist down on her controls and activated a sequence of commands she had technopathically prepared only moments ago. First, a sequence of numbers began countering down on-screen and the cockpit was bathed in a red glow. Next, Laura braced herself as her seat was ejected from the cockpit along with its pilot.

Outside, part of the Garm's chest armour was expelled and Laura came rocketing out through the gap, rising high above the mobile suits using the thrusters beneath her seat. As she made her escape, the Garm's self-destruct sequence reached zero and the tunnel was flooded with light and fire. Unable to cover her ears, Laura heard the full fury of the explosion and feared either the heat would roast her alive or the tunnel would collapse, before the violent shockwave knocked the pilot out of her ejector seat.

As the somersaulting technopath was flung upwards, she was given a front row seat to the explosion; a golden ball of fire that consumed the very void. Knowing nothing and no one could have survived, Laura finally smiled and let her body float away with the invisible forces, mouthing some parting words in the silence of space.

"I win…"

.


END OF EPISODE TWO PART A

I have no idea where President Winters came from, but I love her.