Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam.
Many thanks again to LW for prereading! You're the best!
Gundam Gemini
Episode Six
Colony Blues
Part A
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When the Lion Ark landed on its final resting place, on the planet that would become known as Rem, over two centuries would pass before its descendants returned to the stars. Amidst the turmoil of resettling the refugees on their new home, much technology and knowledge from the old world were lost in the chaos and, after the formation of the Rem Republic, research and development had to begin almost from scratch. Much of the nation's early spacefaring technology were gleaned from the remains of the ark, which had been dismantled to construct the Rem capital of New Lyon, but, curiously, records which would have allowed them to trace their steps back to Lemuria had been deleted and in time it would become known as the lost planet.
In 253AC, after many successful space flights and the reaching of Rem's moon, the nation's space program focused on exploration. Almost immediately, their explorers found the Gate.
"Captain, approaching the Rem Gate."
One of the Lionheart's operators informed the bridge and the main monitor showed a giant metal construct in the shape of a ring. Composed of Gundanium alloy and almost a kilometre in diameter, the ancient Gates were relics left behind by the Lemurians that allowed instantaneous travel between the systems. The Rem, Lux, and Zodiac systems all contained at least one Gate which led to their other halves in the Lemurian system and it was unanimously agreed the arks had used them to reach their destinations, with the possible exception of the missing Phoenix Ark.
However, due to the loss of records, it was several decades before Rem uncovered the method of activating their Gate and subsequently their rediscovery of Lemuria.
"The Baselard is initiating technopathic contact," the operator reported again and, as it had since the halo colony, the battleship towed the Lionheart to the front of the Gate. Like other relics the Gates gave off a technopathic frequency; in fact, they were the foundation for the invention of relic detection instruments and could only be activated by a technopath using a specific key and code unique to each Gate. This prevented LIRA from using Rem Gates and vice versa and other security measures included remote sensors and automated turrets attached to the Gate as well as the RDF's Second Fleet standing guard around its ring.
The Gundanium in the Gate began to glow like a chain of amethyst and the light spread across its hollow until it darkened into an onyx mirror. The surface was perfectly smooth and showed not their reflection, but the space on the other side of the Gate in the Rem system. The Baselard hauled the Lionheart forward again and they entered the Gate together, receiving well-wishes from the Second Fleet as they left the Lemurian system.
Passing through a Gate might evoke images of a tunnel or rollercoaster with the traveller feeling the pull of different forces, temperature changes, a shock or watery sensation, or a delayed passage of time, but the truth was they felt nothing at all. To an observer, it merely looked as if the ships disappeared into nothing before appearing out of nothing through the two rings and they arrived in the Rem system at the same speed they entered. Once they were safely through the Gate, it closed behind them and the onyx mirror faded away along with the relic's amethyst glow, leaving them with the awe-inspiring view of their destination – Colony Zero.
Initially built to house the explorers and researchers coming to unearth the secrets of the Gate over half a century ago, it had grown from its simple beginnings to become a full-fledged space colony and economic hub. Its key status as a way point in the Lemurian Conflict had particularly contributed to its development as RDF warships and ZUN traders stopped by its port and created jobs, industries, and services for its flourishing population of over a hundred thousand. Structurally, it consisted of a gigantic white cylinder twenty kilometres long and six in diameter which spun with its window end toward the Rem sun, while long solar panel wings and a stationary hive-like space port were fixed to the other end.
The Baselard towed the Lionheart into one of the hive port holes reserved for the RDF and they emerged into a spacious shipyard, perfect for the repairs the battlecruiser would require. As they finally came to a halt, Milos drew a long breath of relief before taking up his comm and announced what the crew had been long anticipating after months in space.
"The Lionheart has docked at Colony Zero. All crew with approved shore leave may disembark…"
.
.
"Come on, Laura, let's go!"
"It's still morning on Colony Zero, but we should try and make the most of it."
"You bet! I made sure to get my beauty sleep for this!"
Junko, Alice and Freya yelled at Laura from the other side of the door to their shared quarters and the technopath hastened to get ready. The room was already a mess thanks to her roommates, who had left clothes and underwear just floating about, and Laura growled as she tried to find her nice clothes. As to why she was in such a rush, the blonde had received an unexpected phone call just moments ago…
"Laura Hartmann! How nice to hear your lovely voice."
"P-President Winters?" Laura exclaimed, recognising that fake motherly tone anywhere. When the operator said she had a phone call, she never expected this.
"Please, call me, Carol. I trust you've been well? I've been hearing great things about the mission – about your exploits!" the president went on, praising the girl with gusto. "Every time you give those LIRA bastards hell, I just know my re-election chances go up. I mean, your chances. Your chances of ending the war. Silly me, slip of the tongue, ahaha…"
"Right…" Laura laughed nervously, but the political skills of Rem's commander-in-chief were as smooth as a cactus. "Well, thank you, Madam President, but you didn't have to call…"
"Nonsense! I can always spare time for our ace pilot," said President Winters, rolling on like a runaway steam train. "It's a shame the public can't know what you're doing out there, but I swear to you, Laura, once your relic hunting mission is over every man, woman and child on Rem will know your name."
The blonde groaned in agony, not that the woman on the other end of the phone heard her.
"T-That sounds wonderful, but… maybe we can discuss this when I come back?" she managed to get out, in between deep breaths. "Well, if that's all, Madame President…"
"Ah, straight to the point, just like your father. I like it," President Winters approved, before clearing her throat. "Yes, the reason I called is I happen to have a teensy little problem only you can solve, dear Laura."
"Me?"
"Yes, you. I said you, didn't I?" the president snapped, her mask slipping before she reattached it. "There's a job I need done on Colony Zero and the person I had pegged for it fell through. I was cheesed, of course, but then I thought, 'Wait a second… my good friend Laura will be on Colony Zero at the exact same time and she would be perfect for the role!'"
"Role?"
"Job. I said job, you're not listening, Laura."
"Okay, what kind of job?"
"Oh, now that I can't tell you. It's of the upmost importance, vital to national security and all that crap – I know you'll understand when you get there, Laura!" President Winters began to press the girl with all her diplomatic experience. "Please, Laura, it will only take an hour of your time! No, half an hour!"
"A-Alright, I'll do it," Laura relented and bit her lip, knowing she would regret this.
"Excellent! I knew I could count on you, Laura! Just go to the address I tell you any time in the afternoon and if they make you wait just throw my name out, it usually gets things done – oh! And don't tell your father!"
Of course, when Laura hung up the phone, she told Milos immediately.
"I guess there's no harm in seeing what this job is… and you can always refuse," he had frowned, none too pleased. "Just try not to get roped into her political games…"
"Easier said than done…" Laura muttered, slipping on her jacket and going out the door. "Okay, let's go!"
Like herself, the other orphans were dressed up for a day out on the town and the maintenance unit couldn't help but steal looks as they floated past.
Junko kept it comfortable with sneakers, green cargo pants with a plethora of pockets, and a belt bag wrapped around her favourite yellow hoodie. Alice looked elegant in a sky-blue one-piece dress with short sleeves and wrapped a white belt around her thin waist that matched her heeled sandals. Freya showed off her chic style wearing a dusty pink long-sleeved blouse, a pleated grey miniskirt, black leggings, and finished the outfit off with pink ankle boots, choker, and handbag. As for Laura, she stuck to her familiar white bomber jacket, purple t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans tucked into her beloved white boots.
They waved to the maintenance unit who waved back, mesmerised, until Superintendent Moses barked at them to get back to work. Laughing, the girls turned the corner only to run into their worst nightmare.
"C-Commander Gabriel!" they cried, saluting on the spot, before their mouths dropped open. Sofia had exchanged her smart RDF uniform for a stunning dark blue dress and black cardigan and had done her hair up. The XO still had the eyes of a demon though.
"Hot date?" Freya blurted without thinking and cupped her mouth.
"No," Sofia glared. "Just meeting up with some old girlfriends later."
"You look beautiful, commander!" Junko jumped in.
"Fabulous!" Laura added.
"Tres a la mode," Alice nodded.
"Flattery's not getting you anywhere, so spare me," Sofia shut them down without blinking and focused her ruby gaze on their outfits. "You four look all geared-up for the day – just stay out of trouble. If I hear about even one rude whisper involving our crew, there will be consequences…"
"Y-Yes, ma'am! Understood, ma'am!"
"Good. Now get out of here."
The orphans lowered their salutes and filed down the corridor in a perfect line. As they floated past Milos, who had been watching with a rueful smile on his lips, the captain sincerely believed he would receive the same level of respect as Sofia.
"Hey, Milos!"
"Morning, Milos!"
"Catch you later, Milos!"
"Good day, Milos."
While the girls disappeared around the next corner without giving him a second look, Milos remained frozen in place, having taken what felt like four jabs to the gut.
"…What am I, chopped liver?"
Ignorant to the midlife crisis they had just set off, the orphans arrived at the plug door on the Lionheart's side in time to see it open, along with the other crew members on shore leave in their civilian clothes. Funnelling through in an orderly but excited swarm, they followed the attached passenger tunnel to a fleet of gondola-like carriages, and, securing their own, the girls were whisked to the centre of the space port through a web of connected shafts. From there, the passengers were threaded through a long and dark shaft with only the lamps on the train of gondolas for radiance, until they saw a blinding light at the end of the tunnel.
When they emerged a vista of extraordinary proportions overwhelmed the visitors, causing them to gasp and press against the gondola windows so they could take in the full majesty stretching out before their eyes – the inside of Colony Zero. Its curved surfaces were covered all the way around by white towers and regular patches of greenery, above and below, as if an entire city had been ripped from the earth, wrapped up and stitched together to form an enclosed world. The exceptions were the round ends of spinning cylinder; the one in the far distance was a giant window which allowed light to shine in on the colony from the Rem sun; the other was coated in mirrors and solar panels, except for the hole in its centre from which the gondolas had emerged, connecting the colony to the space port.
"What a view!" exclaimed Junko, whipping out her PDA and taking pictures as the gondola descended.
"Quick, group photo!" said Freya, and they huddled together and took a selfie with the colony in background, before changing up their poses and taking several more. By the time they had reached the bottom the orphans were even more pumped for the day ahead. When the doors opened, they leapt out of the gondola together and landed under the effect of simulated gravity as one.
From there, it was one memory after another as the quartet saw everything Colony Zero had to offer.
First, they hung out on the outskirts of the urban areas, exercising their bodies in the colony's pristine parks after months in zero-G with other spacefarers and families. They took photos in front of sculptures and fountains, horsed around on a playground like they were kids again, were dragged into ball games with the local children, and sometimes just lay on the soft grass under a tree and soaked up the sun. They even found time to row a boat on a lake, which somehow turned into a competition and they played rock-paper-scissor to decide the teams – Laura and Alice won, of course, beating Freya and Junko by a hair.
Next, they took an electric monorail to the city and marvelled at the inverted world above through its transparent roof on the way. When they arrived, the colony's main hub bustled with people going about their business between the high-rise buildings and the familiar scene reminded the girls even more of Rem. But instead of dealing with the crowds, they stopped off at Colony Zero's famed mall and indulged themselves with a movie.
Since they all had different tastes, the orphans compromised by watching a murder mystery – which also happened to be Tully's favourite genre when she was alive. Unfortunately, they misread the poster and it turned out to be a horror movie, Freya's least favourite category. The Pale Diva shivered out of the theatre, while Alice giggled to herself – apparently, the Disappointing Angel found horror movies hilarious.
Afterwards, they toured the mall and shopped according to their interests. Junko geeked out at the model shop, buying a stack of boxes to send home to her siblings and the orphanage; Alice combed a specialist bookstore for thin books, but had to be dragged away after becoming overly engrossed in one; Freya window-shopped every boutique and encouraged her friends to try different outfits with her, sparking a string of selfies; and Laura showed off at the arcade before replenishing her energy at the food court, where the technopath picked everything on the menu and shovelled it all into the black hole that was her stomach.
"Okay, time for dessert!" the blonde announced, licking her fingers clean of tomato sauce, while the others sat around her and gawked.
"Don't you ever worry about calories?" Freya asked, and her celery stick fell from her fork in shock. "Or worry if you'll still fit in your jeans tomorrow?"
"Let me think… nope. I never gain weight from eating."
"Traitor!" the diva shook her fist and cried. "…Okay, I'm going to the little girl's room."
"Want me to come with you?" Alice asked, only to be promptly rejected.
"No! I mean, no… it's okay. I'll be right back…."
As Freya walked away, Junko and Laura looked at each other and murmured with agreement.
"Suspicious…"
Tailing the Pink Diva, they found her at an internet café with private rooms, in front of a computer and recording a video message to send to her parents.
"Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad! It's your most favourite, talented and super-cute daughter, Freya!" she began by flipping her pink twin-tails with a smirk, and the girls rolled their eyes from their hiding place behind the crack in the door.
Other than that, the video message was fairly normal. Freya assured her adoptive parents she and her friends were okay and, without revealing details, said their mission was going well. She asked about their jobs at the library and how the matron and orphans were doing at Libra Orphanage, admitting she missed home. Towards the end she gave them an account of their day so far on Colony Zero and finished by telling them not to worry.
"I am one of the best pilots in the RDF, you know," she gestured to herself and boasted. "Laura might be a tiny bit better, but I'm far and away the brains behind the team – she'd be so lost without me! Even in space, I'm reliable and popular."
"Freya…!" Laura grinded her teeth and resisted the urge to run in and smack the diva over her pink head.
"Seriously, Laura's such a handful… I'm always watching her, so I know how hard she's been pushing herself, especially after what happened to Tully. She seems to be feeling better lately though – that glutton just ate three jumbo burgers in a row, which is a good sign. She may be my number one rival, but I know she has my back out there and I… I wouldn't want to fly with anyone else," Freya admitted, and the more she spoke the brighter her cheeks blushed. "The same goes for Alice and Junko; the only reason we're still out here is because we trust each other with our lives. They're the best friends I could ever ask for… D-don't you dare tell them that though!"
However, those best friends had heard everything and were so incredibly moved, their eyes watered with adoration.
"Freya… Freeeya!" Unable to hold back any longer, Laura burst through the door and hugged the shocked diva from behind.
"L-Laura?! Girls?!" Freya shouted, trying to maintain her balance, and her eyes bulged with blue mortification as she was assailed from all sides.
"Hi, Mr and Mrs Valstein!" Junko squeezed in next to Freya and waved at the camera.
"Greetings from Colony Zero," said Alice, who sandwiched her from the other side and raised a peace sign.
"Don't worry, Mr and Mrs Valstein, we'll take good care of Freya for you!" Laura cuddled Freya around the neck and put her head on top of hers, like a grinning blonde and pink totem pole. "She can be a major pain, but we all love her the way she is."
"W-W-W-What?!" the blushing diva stopped and stuttered but was rendered speechless.
"Like how she acts brave but can't stand ghosts," Junko pointed out.
"Or how she gets lonely easily, like a rabbit," Alice giggled.
"Or how she pretends to be ladylike, only to swear her head off when things don't go her way."
Laura supplied the final indignity and Freya boiled like a red-hot kettle while her friends laughed.
"Shut up! Shut up, all of you! This message is over!" she finally blew up and cast her literal hangers-on to the ground, before slapping her palm on the stop button. "…Huh?"
"What's wrong?" Junko asked, as she and the others picked themselves up from the floor.
Slowly, Freya turned to them and revealed her ashen face.
"…I hit send."
.
.
"I can't believe you three!"
Freya pouted and licked her raspberry ice cream. To placate the raging diva, they had paid for dessert and were sitting around a fountain in the city square eating ice cream, along with many other tourists. With a dozen abstract sculptures spewing streams of cooling water under the sunlight, the large fountain was one of Colony Zero's main attractions and the buildings on the other side of the colony were famously reflected in its pool.
"We said sorry, okay?" said Laura, biting a chunk out of her choc chip cone. "We were just curious where you were going."
"Yeah – plus it made for a great video for your parents in the end!" Junko grinned with chocolate stained lips, and a motherly Alice dabbed her mouth with a tissue.
"Great? It was a disaster!" Freya paused from licking her ice cream and snapped, before pressing a pretentious palm to her chest. "Not that you would understand, but my parents expect a certain level of perfection."
"Your parents are librarians!" Junko shot back. "They spoil you rotten!"
"They're information scientists and I'm worth it!"
"Now, now," Alice cut in, brandishing her cone of green tea. "The Valsteins adore you, Freya – they don't care whether you're perfect or not. Even after all this time, you're so insecure…"
"W-Who's insecure? E-Even if I am, a walking barbie doll like you would never understand, Alice!" Freya jabbed her finger and charged the bemused angel. "You don't even put in any effort, yet people fawn over you!"
"Why, thank you."
"It wasn't a compliment!" Exasperated, the diva took a deep breath. "…Anyway, don't you have your own messages to send home? It's not fair I'm the only one who gets embarrassed!"
"I'm going to send one with Milos later tonight, when Clara's hospital shift is over," said Laura, speaking of her adoptive mother. "You're welcome to join in – Clara really likes you."
"R-Really? I mean, of course she does!" Freya corrected herself and smirked, pleased, before frowning. "She must get lonely with you and Milos on deployment…"
"Yeah, she tries her best to hide it, but I think she must be. Luckily, her work as a nurse keeps her busy and she's part of a support group for military wives," Laura nodded, recalling the days when Clara and her only had each other for company while Milos was gone for months. "She also volunteers at Libra Orphanage and looks after the children, so that helps. What about you, Junko?"
"I might send one every now and again, but it's not the same as speaking face to face," said the mechanic, as she fiddled with her PDA one-handed. "So instead we send each other a steady stream of messages and photos!"
She showed off the screen and they saw a torrent of messages come in, commenting on Junko's selfie at the fountain when her chocolate ice cream was still whole.
"It must be nice to have so many siblings…" Alice whispered, envious, and smiled when the PDA received a photo of a chef, waitress, and four dark-haired children in the kitchen of a restaurant. "So cute…"
"Right?" Junko grinned, proud. "Plus, I send home tons of models… Most are mine though; I'm saving them for when I get back."
"How many is that now? Your room must be one giant display case," Freya raised an eyebrow, only for Junko to swell with pride at the image. "Alice? Do you stay in touch with your parents?"
"Hardly," Alice replied, like it was no loss. "I message them when I'll be home, but they're never there anyway."
"I thought so…" Laura winced, knowing that out of all the adoptive parents, they had only met the Carols maybe once or twice. "Are they still travelling?"
"They're always on tour and travel everywhere for fashion shows," Alice informed them, showing no hint of emotion. "Sometimes I wonder why a famous pair of fashion designers decided to adopt at all."
"I'm sure they care about you… aren't they always sending you gifts and souvenirs?" Freya pouted, and recalled the presents with envy. "And every year they remember your birthday and send you gorgeous dresses."
"Yeah! And they give you so much freedom – they didn't so much as fuss when you wanted to enrol in the military academy with us," Junko added, before pausing and running her mouth. "Unless that means they don't care about you at all…?"
"Junko!" Laura scolded her, but Alice appeared unfazed by the comment.
"It's fine, Laura. I'm lucky to have been adopted at all," she rationalised, and changed the topic. "Maybe we should make a video for the orphanage together? I'm sure the matron and the children would love it."
"That's a great idea, Alice," Laura nodded along with the others, until the clock on a fountain sculpture caught her eye. "Shoot, I need to go!"
"President Winter's special mission?" Freya guessed right, and her cheeks swelled like red balloons. "Well, aren't you lucky!"
"Do you want us to come with you?" Alice asked, cocking her head with concern.
"No, it's fine – it's probably not as important as it sounds," Laura chomped down on the rest of her waffle cone and stood up. "I'll meet up with you girls later for dinner, okay? Don't start without me!"
"We'll do karaoke afterwards!" Junko's eyes lit up with excitement and she raised her fist, before putting it back down. "But first I need to post all these presents…"
While the others looked for a space post office, Laura followed the map on her PDA in the opposite direction. Fortunately, whatever President Winter's special job was, it was within walking distance and the blonde admired the city as she went. Soon, she arrived at a lofty office building with mirror-blue windows and examined its business directory.
"Andromeda Productions…?" the pilot blinked, double-checking her PDA and confirming it was the right place.
On the elevator ride up, Laura fiddled with her necklace and prayed she hadn't been hoodwinked into some weird job by the president. When the elevator doors opened, she hopped out to find a classy wood and glass waiting area with framed photos of different subject matters covering its walls. A white desk out front had the words 'Andromeda Productions' imprinted on its front in giant crimson lettering and behind it stood a redheaded receptionist.
"Um, hello, I'm Laura Hart–"
"Laura Hartmann!" the receptionist bellowed, giving the blonde a fright, and rushed out from behind the desk. "We've been waiting for you, Miss Hartmann – right this way!"
"W-Wait! What's going on?!"
The woman grabbed Laura by the arm and half-dragged her down the hall with surprising strength until they reached a spacious white room. The curtains by the window had been closed and it was dimly lit, but light stands, reflectors and umbrellas stood around a white background which glowed in the centre of the room. It was obviously a photography studio and Laura's heart drummed with alarm.
"Andre, she's here!" the woman announced, finally releasing Laura. "I present to you, Laura Hartmann!"
Standing in front of a table where he was laying out his camera and lenses, a tall and lanky man in white coat dramatically spun around to reveal a black goatee and a broad expressive mouth.
"Laura Hartmann!" the man exclaimed, and his dark eyes twinkled as he looked the nervous girl up and down, while stroking his goatee. "Magnifique! Caroline was right – you are the model of my dreams, mademoiselle!"
"M-Model?" Laura blurted, before she was dragged to a stool in front of the white background where the lights blinded her eyes. "I'm just filling in for someone!"
"Oh no, I'm quite sure this session was booked specifically for you and only you, Miss Hartmann," the assistant laughed her off, while Andre whipped out a large camera and put the pilot in its sights.
"Smile, Laura!"
Out of instinct, Laura gave a peace sign, until the flash knocked the woman back to her senses.
"Stop, stop!" she screamed, and the photographer and his assistant finally froze. "I haven't agreed to anything yet! I don't even know what's going on!"
"Oh… oh pardon, madam. Where are my manners?" the man apologised and reined in his feverish excitement. "I am Andre Dupont, photographer extraordinaire and president of Andromeda Productions, and this is my lovely assistant, Christina."
"Andre is the premier artist of the photography world!" Christina jumped in and gushed. "From fashion to journalism to weddings, there is nothing Andre cannot capture!"
"Haha! Oh, Christina, you flatter me… but it is true! I have clients all over the known universe!" Andre spread his arms out theatrically, only to draw them back in when he saw Laura's impatient purple glare. "…Ahem. Caroline – that is, President Winters – commissioned me to take pictures of you in our studio, months in advance. Did she not tell you this, Miss Hartmann…?"
"Pictures? What for?" Laura demanded.
"I believe they are for the upcoming election campaign…"
"Winters…!" the blonde made a fist of fury and shook it under her breath. "Well, I'm sorry, but there's no way I'm letting my image be used as political propaganda – no way in hell. This photo shoot is over!"
"Come, come, Miss Hartmann! Mademoiselle! Laura!" Andre entreated the young woman and put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from getting up. "You are a mobile suit pilot, yes? A pretty good one, no?"
"…One of the best," Laura answered, and let the man continue speaking.
"Well, I have taken photos of many brave RDF pilots when they stop here on Colony Zero, before they ship out to Lemuria. Sadly, many do not return…" Andre gestured around the room and Laura finally noticed the portraits and group photos of her predecessors hanging up on the walls. "Laura, I am sure you are a formidable pilot – a superbe pilote – and I admire you for putting your life on the line out there. But should the worst come to pass, do you not wish to leave something behind? A token of your existence, if not for yourself, then for your loved ones?"
The photographer's words gave Laura pause and she hated to admit it, but he was right. She had always regretted not taking more pictures with Tully while she was alive and the fact they were both camera-shy had not helped. However, that still left the pressing issue of President Winters.
"Miss Hartmann, I don't think you need to worry about President Winters," Christina saw the hesitation on Laura's face and interjected. "If this really is for the election, we'll just withhold your photos and negotiate for another model – Andre will convince her!"
"Really? You can do that?"
"Of course! Excellent thinking, Christina!" Andre thumped his palm and wriggled his eyes at his assistant, causing her to blush. "The photographer has the rights to the photos and Caroline cannot resist my silver tongue – what do you say, Laura?"
"Well… okay," the technopath relented and the pair erupted with cheers. "But I want copies for my family! And another session where I can bring my friends!"
"Oomph, you drive a hard bargain, mademoiselle… but what the hell! Christina, put it on Caroline's bill!"
"Yes, Andre!"
With the pact made, the photo session restarted in earnest and Andre clicked his camera with abandon. Apparently, Laura was fine as she was for the first shoot, her casual clothes being 'clean but feisty' as the artiste described them. Having picked up a few modelling tips from Alice, who had modelled for her parent's shows on occasion, Laura soon got comfortable being the in the spotlight and actually started to have some fun.
"C'est magnifique, Laura! You are a natural!" Andre praised the woman's poses and the camera shutter released with a whirl. "Now, I think we are ready for the next shoot. Christina!"
"Yes, Andre!"
The redhead whisked Laura from the studio to an adjacent changing room with an array of outfits and costumes, including a replica RDF officer's uniform and flight suit for her to wear. As a gleeful Christina helped the pilot change and apply some light makeup, Laura heard sounds back in the studio, breaking her scandalized examination of a racy swimsuit. Peeking their heads out, they saw Andre working his magic on another model – a flamboyant man with spiky orange hair in a blue RDF uniform.
"Oh my god… it's Raymond Mercury!" Christina declared with a hushed whisper.
"Raymond who?" Laura whispered back, and realised the name sounded familiar.
"Raymond Mercury! The RDF's ace pilot!"
"Ace pilot, huh?" the technopath grumbled and scowled at the man, like being the ace was some kind of competition. "Wait, now I remember… this guy was famous until he dropped off the face of the earth a few years ago. I thought he'd died or something…"
"Well, now he's back! Andre took his photos all the time before and he remembered us now that's he active again!" Christina ogled the celebrity and sighed. "Isn't he gorgeous?"
Laura screwed up her face and resisted the urge to gag. She supposed the tall and orange-haired man striking outrageous poses as he serenaded the camera was on the attractive side and recalled all the girls at school being charmed by his smiling face on those ridiculous recruitment posters years ago, but as he did then the RDF's returning star poster boy was giving her flyboy vibes. After managing to retain her lunch, the Gundam pilot wondered which ship he was on and prayed they wouldn't have to work together.
"Yes, yes, yes! Raymond, you handsome devil, you still have it even after all these years!" Andre's voice reached a feverish crescendo again and his flashing camera followed suit, much more than when he was photographing Laura. "Mon dieu! You must still have to beat the women off with a stick!"
"What can I say, Andre? No one can resist the Ray-Man – not in the flesh!" Raymond boasted, saying his old nickname with a remarkably straight face, and shot the camera a confident wink. "And sometimes they want the stick!"
While the men guffawed with raucous laughter, the women crept up on them unnoticed. Laura, now wearing a white replica RDF uniform with the rank of ensign, noticed the Ray-Man wore his real blue RDF uniform and was a mere warrant officer class one. Realising she outranked him, the pilot allowed herself a petty smirk.
"Ah, girls!" Andre finally noticed them and stopped chuckling. "Let me introduce you – this is the famous Raymond Mercury!"
"Oh, Mr Mercury, I'm a huge fan!" Christina clasped her hands together and waffled, before pulling an old photo of Raymond out of nowhere. "Do you think I could get an autograph?"
"Of course, you can! And please… call me Ray," the star smiled and pulled a thick marker pen out of his pocket for such occasions. "Christina, was it? I remember you from last time... I can never forget a pretty face."
"Oh, Ray!"
Christina looked like she would swoon, but pranced around the studio instead, kissing her newly sighed photo of Raymond Mercury. Honestly, Laura wanted to hurl, only to find the Ray-Man's attentions were now focused on her and his blue eyes twinkled.
"Oh, and who is this lovely creature? Our female pilot of the day?" Raymond crooned, combing his orange hair back and flashing his pearly white teeth, before making a mock salute. "Permission to get to know you better, ensign? Over dinner, perhaps?"
Laura rolled her eyes. Obviously, he thought she was a model in uniform and not the real thing. Well, this flyboy was about to get a rude awakening.
"Oh, Mr Mercury…" she sung with affection, making doe eyes at the confident Casanova, before giving him a dose of reality. "How about you take that dinner and shove it up your ass?"
Laura took great pleasure in seeing the Ray-Man's smile, once permanently plastered to his face, go unhinged as his jaw went slack and the idol paled with shock.
"Haha! She's something, isn't she?" Andre slapped his knee and laughed, before informing his friend of their error. "Raymond, this is one of your fellow pilots, not a model! Her name is Laura Hartmann."
Upon hearing her name, Raymond suddenly had a coughing fit, which Laura assumed came from the realisation she outranked him. But as the fit continued, the technopath noticed something familiar about the sounds he was making, like a noise in the back of her mind. She narrowed her eyes in thought, before Laura's lips gasped and her purple orbs went wide with fury.
"The jerk in the blue Garm!"
.
.
On Colony Zero, there was a famous bar frequented by the stationed and visiting RDF crews known as the Sailors' Rest. Good food, a welcoming atmosphere and a unique interior design, which replicated a wooden ship of the seas with all the trimmings, made it popular among officers and enlisted alike – not to mention its dance floor made it a known venue to meet women. But amidst the packed diners, dancers and music, a certain captain was alone at the bar, drinking his sorrows away as it were.
"Got room for one more, captain?"
Milos looked up from his glass and found the shadow of a giant standing over him.
"Johnny…" he said, managing a weak smile and nodding. "Sit down… I could use the company."
Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Moses, or Johnny as he was known to his close friends, took a seat next to the captain and the bartender slid him a beer. The two had known each since before the war, when Milos was still an enlisted man, and when the captain had handpicked the Lionheart's crew the mobile suit maintainer was one of the first on his list. Not only was Johnny one of the best and toughest mechanics he knew – the kind of man you'd want to have your back in a fight – but he was also a great listener.
"So, what's got you so down, Milos?" Johnny asked, and wrapped his big hands around his glass like it was a teacup and took a sip.
"Johnny… do you think we're getting old?"
"What are you talking about? We're still plenty young."
"Look at us, Johnny. We used to be the life of the party in this place – we'd either drink until dawn or be swarmed by women, in which case we'd dance until dawn," Milos prattled, and a quick glance at the bartender told Johnny his old crewmate hadn't even finished his first drink yet. "But I've been sitting here for a whole goddamn hour and no one's even talked to me – not even so much as a salute and an 'Evening, captain.'"
"Oh boy… uh, yeah. That's rough, man," the larger man promptly agreed, and took another sip of his beer.
"And my daughter and her friends don't give me the respect I deserve as their commanding officer…" Milos went on, keeping his downcast eyes on his glass. "When they were kids, they used to salute me and call me captain… Now, I might as well be invisible."
"Okay, now I'm getting a sense of the problem at hand…" Johnny nodded with understanding.
"They used to be cute..."
"Well, kids grow up… also, that's what you get for putting family in with the crew. You're too soft, Milos."
"Hey, I don't want to hear that from you," the captain rounded on the other man. "I've you seen you with the girls – you're a big softie around them! They don't even get half the flak you give the other crew!"
"Okay, okay! Keep it down…" Johnny shifted nervously in his seat. "There's just something special about that daughter of yours and her friends – they're fearless. I think Commander Gabriel sees that… It's how she knows the right level of fear to instil and earn their respect."
"Gabriel!" Milos growled. "I tapped her to be the Lionheart's XO and this is how she repays me?"
"Hey, you've got it way better than me, you know?" Johnny, realising he probably just poured fuel on the fire, quickly interjected. "At least you're on speaking terms with Laura. My daughter doesn't even talk to me anymore – all I get are one-worded text messages and emojis."
"Really?" the captain raised an eyebrow and grimaced when his friend nodded. "You're right… I do have it better than you."
They both took a long swig of their beers and paused while the bartender gave them a refill.
"So, was that it?" Johnny asked, taking his drink in hand. "I thought you were having second thoughts about the mission."
"What, because of Laura? I'm always having second thoughts – I can't help it," Milos replied, and the memory of the most recent battle at the halo colony caused the father to sigh. "But that girl always proves me wrong."
"You know, when you called to convince me to join you on this little relic hunting expedition, you never mentioned we'd be chased across the Lemurian system by one of LIRA's latest stealth ships," Johnny reminded him with the tiniest hint of sarcasm in his tone. "'The Lionheart will be the safest place in the galaxy', 'LIRA won't even know we're there'… who the hell said that?"
"You forgot to mention the Lunar Fox was in command of that stealth ship…" Milos added and avoided the question by downing his beer in one gulp.
"Whoa there, captain," a third voice joined them. "Go easy on the sauce – if I recall right, you had to spend time in the brig because of an incident in this very bar."
Milos and Johnny twisted their heads around towards the speaker and Admiral Turner was there behind them. The old man, tall and well-built for his age with broad shoulders, still looked quite suave in full uniform. The opposite sex obviously liked it, because he also had his arms around two beautiful women who were all over the rear admiral's white beard.
"Excuse me, ladies, I need to speak to these fine gentlemen first. RDF business, you know," Turner parted from his fair company and sat down next to the men, who had been rendered speechless. "What's the matter, men? Not even a salute for your old CO Turner? What am I, chopped liver now?"
"N-No, sir! Evening, sir!" Milos saluted at once, only to realise the question had been in jest when the admiral chuckled.
"Congratulations on your promotion, rear admiral," said Johnny, who ordered a drink for his old CO.
"Oh, this?" Turner gestured to the new gold stripe on his shoulder and waved it away. "I was the only one who wanted the job – but someone had to take charge of what's left of the First Fleet."
"Well, as far as we're concerned, there's no one better for the post," said Milos, having relaxed a little. "After what they've been through, they need some leadership they can trust."
"Ha! Listen to you, Hartmann, talking like an officer," Turner laughed. "I still remember when you and Moses first came aboard the Baselard – you were wet behind the ears! Time really flies, doesn't it?"
The men laughed and sipped their beers, and if one inspected the many group photos of RDF crews above the bar, they would have discovered a faded picture with younger versions of all three men.
"But enough about the past, let's talk shop," the admiral switched gears and leaned in. "Rumour from the top has it that the president is making a deal with the Zodiac Union so the Lionheart can snatch the rest of the relics on the star map. Lux's leadership is probably doing the same, although it remains to be seen if they'll wait for an answer."
"The ZU, huh? That's some lawless territory right there," Johnny mused with a frown. "They have a small navy, but it's mostly left to independent militias to defend against space pirates and other threats – it's the excuse LIRA uses to keep one of their fleets there."
"But Lux trades with half the planets in the ZU, so I doubt they'll just rush in – and with the number of different environments they may encounter there, this is an expedition they'll need to prepare heavily for," Milos analysed calmly. "Speaking of which, we need to do our own prep and repairs too…"
"One month," Admiral Turner informed him. "That's how long it's expected to take to hash out the deal. By then the Lionheart and its crew must be ready – no, more than ready. But I know you'll make sure of that, captain."
"Yes, sir," Milos nodded. "By the way, admiral, I read the file on Mercury… is he really ready to fly again, let alone join the Lionheart?"
"The Ray-Man is joining the crew? Really?" Johnny couldn't believe his ears. "My daughter's a fan."
"I understand your concerns, Milos, but don't fear. I've already spoken to someone about his issues and they will be resolved by the time you ship out," Turner finished his drink, only to find his female companions had returned and they pulled on his arms. "Oh, excuse me, gentlemen – it appears I've been called away to the dance floor. Come on, ladies!"
The admiral chased the giggling women to the multi-coloured lights of the dance floor and the two men watched with awe as he danced like a machine.
"My god… after twenty years, how can he still boogie like that?" Johnny shook his head, flabbergasted. "He moves like a man half his age!"
"You see, Johnny! Even the admiral gets more respect than us and he's definitely old!" Milos bellowed over the music and slammed the bar with his fist. "What am I doing wrong?!"
Johnny sighed and finally decided to tell Milos the cold hard truth.
"Milos, women love men in uniform. They don't love… whatever it is you're wearing."
"What, this?" Milos pointed to his gaudy pink and yellow Hawaiian shirt. "This is my favourite shirt! My wife bought it for me."
Johnny gave him one of those looks and Milos suddenly had an epiphany.
"She's good…"
.
END OF PART A
On to part B.
