Chapter 7

CE 73, November 13th, Lohengrin Gate Entrance A-12, Gulnahan Ravine, Iran

Morning 08 30

The next morning greeted Kaguya with a strange sight, as she left the cold embrace of the internal hangars to step outside the mountain base for some fresh air. A white tent stood in front of the A-12 entrance, and the locals were queuing up and receiving medical items from OMNI troops, who were giving them away like aid workers at a disaster zone.

Yesterday's incident still fresh in her mind, Kaguya looked around, and spotted Ray. "This is…" she said, moving over to her squadron leader. "What exactly happened?"

Ray shrugged. "I talked it over with Mendez and Nain last night," he said, looking out at the lines queuing up. "Now that we've got our own situation down under control, I thought we should get going with theirs," he continued. "At least now, we won't have any quarrels."

Kaguya looked as a local went away with a box of items, saying something to the two children following behind him. One of the children cheered in reply. "Isn't that a risky decision?" Kaguya asked. "Our injured may have gotten through the worst, but there's no telling when they might need more."

Ray placed a hand on Kaguya's shoulder as he turned away. "We're just helping them sort through everything so incidents like yesterday's won't jeopardize the situation any further." He walked back into the dark interior of the base. "As added insurance, I've got Guy watching them to make sure nothing happens," He rolled up his sleeves and turned around. "And you're going to be on duty with me in the hangar this morning."

Kaguya blanched, not looking forward to moving heavy objects back in the dusty, enclosed zone. "Aye sir," she said, taking one last look at the tents. Well, better than yesterday's messy and trouble-inviting pile of medical goods.

CE 73, November 13h, Lohengrin Gate Entrance A-12, Gulnahan Ravine, Iran

Afternoon 02 22

Guy wolfed down the last of his lunch, and set the empty plastic box aside on the fold-out table at the side of the tent. Taste aside, Guy had long ago gotten used to MREs as a ground forces commander, and life was no different as an MS pilot than as a tank commander. He chuckled as he thought back to the time spent in the Eurasian Federation's northern units, and their frequent field exercises. He wasn't a person who would grouse over the weather, but after all that happened, he would give quite a lot to be back in the frigid embrace of northern Eurasia again.

Guy looked up just in time to see Kaguya's form cast a shadow over him. "It's a switch," Kaguya said, sitting down beside Guy. "Ray wants to see you in the hangar to help out with some things,"

Guy chuckled. "I suppose a job this relaxing can't last forever," he said. "Just try not to fall asleep in here," he said, gathering his things. "Thankfully, yesterday's events seem to have put out a lot of fires."

Kaguya arched an eyebrow. "Is that so…" she trailed off, glancing over at the two soldiers manning the counter. She recognized one of them as Hason, who was one of the first into the wreck of the Lohengrin Gate, but the other was a soldier that she couldn't identify. The nameless soldier had a thick gauze pad on his neck, and Kaguya noticed an ugly scar peeking through the dressing.

The soldier turned. "Something the matter, ma'am?"

Kaguya gave a casual wave. "No… nothing of importance." She returned to eyeing the man's wound. "What's your name?"

"Melshim… Stacha Melshim," the soldier replied. "I'm part of the new Alpha Squad. I had spent half a year at Sinai Base so far, and prior to that, I was with the Sixth Infantry Regiment at South Africa."

Kaguya watched as the man continued to rearrange items. "How's it healing?" she asked. Kaguya knew a plasma burn when she saw one; if the man got a neck wound without having his head blown clear off, then the chances that he got burnt on his body as well was high. Kaguya knew her scars, having been subjected to similar pain during the Third Battle of Victoria, the jagged proof under her uniform, from her left shoulder running across her lower back, was a testament to her recklessness.

"Nothing I can't handle, ma'am," Stacha replied, setting the last box in place. "I've had it good enough compared to the others."

"Certainly, that's what a survivor would say…" Kaguya trailed off as she rested her head on her hand. Must have been a medium burn, she thought. "It sure is quiet now," she said aloud.

"Most of the locals came in the morning," Hason said, wiping his hands on his fatigues. "Since midday it's only been one or two of them. I suppose they'd want to get to fixing their stuff instead of worrying about whether we're going to just up and steal their share of the supplies."

"That's only mildly funny as a joke, Sergeant," Kaguya said. "If we really did up and left with all this stuff,, they're going to publicly hang every last one of us in their town if they catch us."

Hason shrugged. "It was a take on an alternate situation, ma'am."

Kaguya returned to watching the tent entrance when a man stumbled in, dust drifting from his torn clothing. His breathing made his message almost inaudible, and he took in a few great gulps of air before managing to recover enough to speak coherently. "H… help… I need… help…"

"Slow down and catch your breath first," Kaguya said, standing up. She took up a glass of water and moved over to the man, offering him the drink. "Take this, then talk. We'll get things done faster that way."

The man drained the glass in a second. "S… Sared… and… the others… fell down the mountain path leading to here." The man straightened himself. "The path had been loose since the battle three days ago, but I didn't think that it would collapse that easily…"

"Did you notify anyone else?" Kaguya asked.

"We were travelling as a group," the man said. "I managed to keep myself from getting buried… I don't know about the rest. If anyone at the back was alive, they would be heading over to the town by now."

"The town… " Kaguya frowned. "It would take too long. Where did the collapse occur?"

"The third path," the man said. "The one you guys led Coniel and the others through when you first arrived."

Kaguya bit her lower lip. "I see," she said, turning to the two soldiers manning the tent; Hanson's reply was swift. "You know as well as I do that we don't have any workloaders, ma'am."

Kaguya's hesitation lasted for a fraction of a second. "Noted. Inform Lieutenant Ray of this, and tell him to send another mobile suit along as soon as possible." Kaguya strode out of the tent. "I'll be going first."

"Wait," Hason replied. "We're not authorized to operate any heavy equipment! Much less a mobile suit!"

Kaguya merely continued walking.

CE 73, November 11th, Lohengrin Gate Entrance A-12, Gulnahan Ravine, Iran

Afternoon 03 29

Kaguya raised a hand to wipe the sweat streaming down her brow. The Dagger L set its hand on another section of the wall, and lifted its foot carefully before setting it down on another section of the uneven ground.

Kaguya frowned as she pulled out the inbuilt keyboard. "Blasted cave-in in Hangar #4 destroying the workloaders…" she muttered, keying in a few commands, before placing the keyboard back into its position, and outside, the man that had told her about the cliff-side collapsing watched, as the Dagger L tested its foot against the ground.

I've increased the suspension to maximum… if this doesn't work, nothing will. Kaguya keyed into the Dagger L's external speakers, making sure to reduce the volume. "Is it that pile of rubble over there?"

The man squinted, and nodded. "Just stay here," Kaguya said. "I'll handle the lifting."

Taking a deep breath, Kaguya eased the mobile suit forward. The man that had came calling for help had managed to convince the locals that it was an emergency, and she needed the Dagger L unit. He had also sent some of them running back to the town via an alternate route, but it would take even longer for help to come.

Kaguya thought back on how the local guards had to be convinced that she wasn't just going to start killing people left and right with her mobile suit. She had immediately offered to eject the Sword Striker and the Dagger L's other weapons, both to reassure the locals, and to reduce her unit's weight, but in the end they spent even more time talking with the guards then they used to strip the mobile suit bare.

The Dagger L slowly set its foot down as it inched closer to the pile of rubble. Up close, the rock pile was barely three-quarters as tall as her machine, but Kaguya looked up, and saw an indent in the cliff side, well above the path.

We must have loosened something when we went about hitting the sides with the mobile suits, Kaguya thought. Add that in to the recent battle, with weaponry like the Lohengrin cannon and the Minerva's Tannhauser being fired everywhere…

Kaguya pushed the controls, and the Dagger L slowly bent down to grab the topmost rock off the pile. Setting it aside, Kaguya got a hold of the second one and carefully eased it off the pile as well. It didn't take long for Kaguya to uncover a dust-covered arm; by then, the pile was half its height.

Kaguya had managed to get the pile done when she noticed the man waving at her and pointing behind her. Turning around, she saw an APC rumble into sight. "I heard you needed tria-," Mendez's voice filtered through the radio.

"Not many," Kaguya replied, looking at the bodies she had managed to extract. The man had come down to help her, and he pulled the bodies away as Kaguya freed them from the rocks. So far, the man had managed to confirm that they were all still alive.

Kaguya got off the Dagger L, landing lightly on her feet, as the APC approached. Mendez was the first out and to the victims, checking each of them methodically, as medical crew ran up from behind him.

"Looks like some had it better than others," the warrant officer stood up and turned to the man. "Did you see how they fell?"

The man nodded. "We were pushing a cart along to bring some items to the guards at the mobile suits. I didn't see how they fell, but we found three of them under the cart," the man pointed to the semi-smashed remains of the metal alloy cart peeking out of the rubble. "That probably saved them."

"I see," Mendez said, as he helped one of the accompanying soldiers carry a groaning man onto a stretcher. "And the rest…" He looked up at the now-broken path. "I think I can guess this one."

"The heavier rocks fell first; since they weren't under them, then their chances of living are higher," Kaguya said. "Of course, it helps that the path wasn't that far from the ground and the cliff side was sloped… better than falling straight down."

One of the men groaned as the soldiers strapped the stretcher to the APC's metallic floor. "Looks like all of them still have their backs intact, although I can't say how long it'll take for them to be running again." one of the medics said, as Mendez went over to the man. "We gave them all mild sedatives, so they'll be out for a while."

Mendez nodded as he pulled himself onto the ramp of the APC, and looked out at Kaguya. "Despite your best intentions, Ray isn't happy," Mendez said, his trademark crooked grin surfacing onto his face. "You best get back and explain yourself to him, ma'am."

Kaguya watched as the APC pulled away. "Best intentions, huh…" Kaguya looked at her hands, clenching and unclenching them. When did I become so impulsive… after the war? Or even before that…

CE 73, November 13th, Lohengrin Gate Interior Briefing Room, Gulnahan Ravine, Iran

Evening 06 22

Kaguya looked left and right at the empty briefing room. The usually clean room was covered in patches of dust, left from the short time the base was completely non-operational, and plaster pieces shaken from its roof by the battle that had occurred between the Gate forces and the ZAFT attackers. Several laptops had been set up by the new occupants from Sinai; Nain sat at the centre seat, closest to the projector screen, usually reserved for whoever ran the presentation on any day, and continued keying away at the laptop in front of her. In contrast, Kaguya sat at the middle, and directly opposite her was Ray.

"So… any explanations?" Ray said. "Like, ignoring the fact that something like the footsteps of a Dagger L could well set off another avalanche or something."

Kaguya kept her gaze straight as she explained her thoughts. "The Dagger L is considerably more agile than a ZAFT unit. With the proper suspension adjustments and piloting skills, it can perform with considerably less seismic impact on its surroundings."

"I am well aware of that," Ray said. "Something like this is common for pilots stationed at the Sinai Base; we specialize in dealing with mountain terrorists, after all. What I want to know is, why would you engage in something as risky as this when we're in, at best, neutral territory, surrounded by a company's worth of jumpy rocket-wielding men, in land confirmed to be loose at its base?"

Ray's eyes locked with hers. "You of all people should be aware, Lieutenant. We're both the same rank, but as squadron leader, I am officially in a higher position. We're both former Captains anyways, so if you have something to say, get it out of your system now."

Kaguya had to admit, even with her time as a Captain during the first war, Ray's stare was something else altogether. Fighting in the last war gave her a taste at how unreasonable Atlantic Federation officers could be, but Ray's gaze was a different sort of fear-inducing tool, almost unsettling. It's like the constant threat of dissection, but he doesn't actually get to that point. It's like his face is constantly getting closer to mine, when it actually isn't.

Kaguya returned the gaze. "I simply did what I thought was right, sir," she said. "While their fall was shallow, and most their injuries light, still, some of them were in critical condition when they came here. I was not at the scene, so I could not judge how severe their fall was. I acted on the assumption that the worst events possible for any survivors had happened, and that to get them out quickly would be the first thing needed of me. As well, the mountain path was loose, and our staging of that display that night might have contributed to this event."

"In other words," Ray's gaze continued to hold steady. "Your sense of responsibility… and a gut feeling."

Kaguya was silent. "Yes sir," she replied, after a protracted period. "My sense of responsibility… and a gut feeling."

The silence continued after that until Nain shut her laptop unit with a loud bang. "So do you two intend to keep staring at each other until tomorrow?" She asked, a hint of irritation in her voice. "Or maybe you'll like me to get a fancy glass with twin straws curved into a heart and filled with strawberry milkshake or something."

That shook Ray out of his stare first. "You know how to make strawberry milkshake?" He asked, half-joking, recoiling moments later from Nain's piercing glare.

Ray pondered something for a while, sighed, and scratched the side of his head. "Sakamoto, you're off the hook this time," he said, raising up and gathering the few documents he brought with him. "But this is just on hold. Once we get back to somewhere stable, we'll continue this and other... things." He stood up and made for the door.

Kaguya stood up as well. "Sir," she said, as Ray made to exit the room.

"You have something to say, Lieutenant?"

Kaguya was silent for a moment. "Thank you very much sir," she said.

Ray took one look and narrowed his eyes, before exiting the room wordlessly.

Kaguya watched as Ray exited the room. "You're thinking too much into this," Nain said, as she walked towards the door as well. "Lieutenant Feric is just an extremely cautious person. His previous record, as well as what happens now… he's taking it upon himself to shoulder all the blame, even if no one thinks that way."

Kaguya couldn't help herself. "His previous record?"

Nain paused halfway through opening the door, and closed it again. "Would you like to know?"

Kaguya thought about it for a moment. "If it's sensitive for him, then I must decline."

"He's not that easily offended," Nain said, closing the door. "But he's the kind of person who would rather not touch on buried memories unless someone explicitly asks him." Nain eyed Kaguya for a moment. "When did you first enter the Alliance's service as an MS pilot?"

Kaguya closed her eyes for a second before replying. "I started out as a mechanic from the Japanese region, of the Republic of East Asia, and later had some experience as an early tester for the GAT-X series. My first combat action was at the Third Battle of Victoria when they were running low on pilots; prior to that, I had just asked for a combat assignment."

"Ray was part of the military just after the Atlantic Federation annexed the USSA, during the early days of the first Bloody Valentine War, as part of the Atlantic Federation Air Force." Nain said. "His first MS action was at Panama, barely escaping with a squadmate of his. He later went on to volunteer to join the space-bound MS forces, even tangled with ZAFT at Boaz, and later participated at Jachin Due himself."

"I've heard as much, ma'am," Kaguya said. "He then quit OMNI for a year, before rejoining in early C.E. 73 as a Lieutenant. He was then assigned to a combat unit during the USSA War of Independence, promoted to Captain, and later taught at the Advanced Armor Tactics Training Facility in Nova Scotia, but was demoted and transferred to Sinai Base when he was suspected of involvement in an insurgent action against the administration of the Atlantic Federation. He was later acquitted of all charges, but his demotion was maintained, as he was also accused of the death of one of his students in the AATTF."

"That much is correct," Nain said, "But do you know how he fared as a soldier?"

Kaguya frowned. "Not that I'm aware of other than what the reports tell me."

"Every team he fought with ended up with significant casualties." Nain sighed. "His squad was decimated at Panama when the Gungnir System went off. The squadmate of his who escaped Panama died at Orb when Onogoro Island went up in flames. His squad at Boaz was ambushed and slaughtered to a man, and his comrades and friends at Jachin Due killed during the battle and GENESIS' firing. During the USSA War of Independence, two of his teammates died when they were ambushed. Ray survived the attack, and participated in the counteroffensive, providing support fire to infantry forces at great risk to his own unit. That was his reason for promotion to Captain."

"So his attitude is from survivor's guilt?" Kaguya asked. "Forgive me for speaking so, ma'am, but that's a terrible way to act as a commanding officer. The threat of death goes hand in hand with a military job… especially in these times."

"It doesn't stop him from feeling that way," Nain replied. "He's decisive on the outside right now, but inside, he's constantly second-guessing his own actions. If there're any problems with any plans, the first person he will seek to blame would be himself." Nain reached for the door again. "He's angry, Lieutenant, not because your actions make it seem like you're disobeying his orders. He's angry because your actions might potentially result in your death; in this case, death at the hands of an angry mob, with additional casualties bound to follow before the whole matter could be resolved. No matter how many times a commanding officer sees death, to become desensitized by it would be the same as losing one's soul. In turn, to centre one's combat plans around keeping one's teammates alive is not the way it should be. Yet, so far he's managed to keep his balance; putting your lives as a priority issue, and yet being able to accomplish his mission goals, shows his mettle as a commanding officer."

"I… see," Kaguya said. Just like me.

Nain turned back. "Did you say something?"

"Oh no," Kaguya said. "Nothing at all. Sorry to take up your time, Major. Good night."

"Just one more thing," Nain said, as Kaguya reached for the door. The pilot turned around to see Nain writing out kanji characters on a piece of scrap paper.

"This reads 'Sakamoto Kaguya', doesn't it?" Nain asked.

Kaguya eyed the scrap; on it was '阪元・神夜', the name on her identity card. "Yes, it does," she replied, keeping her voice level. "Is there a problem?"

"It's gibberish," Nain replied flatly. "And on the subject of gibberish, you need to lie better when people ask you for your service record."

Kaguya put on a half-smile. "Ma'am, that's a bit too rud-"

"I'm not stupid, Kaguya," Nain said, standing up; Kaguya, matching her move, could see that she had a pistol holstered onto her belt, and in-between them was an entire meeting-room table. Nain set her right hand on the pistol grip. "I'm an intel officer, Kaguya," she said. "I may be but the barest of frontline combatants while under fire, but even so, please don't think so little of me." She set a second piece of scrap paper on the table; on it was '坂本・輝夜'. "Panama was a heavy wipe, but a good intel officer knows how to dig. The person with that name has been MIA since three years ago, and was presumed to be, and has been filed under KIA for the past two years."

As Kaguya remained silent, Nain spoke up again. "Besides, Sinai Base has long had a Japanese on board. You might not have met Major Asanogawa Yoko, but I bet that you being the only second Japanese to be here tipped her off, too."

Kaguya slowly raised her hands. "I stand proven," she said. "So, what do y-"

Nain smirked and removed her right hand from her pistol. "Like I said, don't think too little of me."

She took back both pieces of paper and took out a lighter; seconds later, she ground the black soot into the dusty floor. "You've placed your calling-card. Now it's my turn to bite the hook."

Kaguya snickered. "I'd never thought that the day that I would be completely seen through would come." She sat back down.

Nain smiled for a brief instance, a gesture that, to Kaguya, was clearly a conversational reaction rather than any expression of genuine feeling. "I assume you were ordered to pull all this hidden-clues bullshit, so you can take it up with your commander, whomever he may be, when, or if, you manage to get back to where you come from, although I can hazard a guess. Now, let's get down to business..."

CE 73, November 13th, Lohengrin Gate Entrance A-12, Gulnahan Ravine, Iran

Night 09 14

Kaguya continued walking, the sound of her boots crunching against loose sand on the hard ground disappearing into the night.

Stopping in front of the place where the APCs that had ferried them here were parked in the open, Kaguya got herself up to one of the APC's roof and lay down there, letting the moonlight shine on her. She had always enjoyed looking up at the moon since her father bought her a telescope for her sixth birthday, a celestial body that had been explored inside and out by its human settlers, and yet still looking so majestic in the night sky. She chuckled a little at the memory of her trying to spot the cities on the lunar surface night after night, not knowing until she was much older that she would need a more powerful telescope to pick out the city lights on the moon's day surface.

As Kaguya's memories began to drift back to her conversation with Major Nain, a loud shuffling sound broke her out of her reverie. Before she could do anything, the sounds of something human-sized falling and hitting the ground, followed by a string of coarse-sounding and angry Arabic, sounded out. Looking over the top of the APC, Kaguya noticed a man with his arm in a sling and a leg in a cast struggling to get off the ground.

"You… you're one of the people from this afternoon's accident," Kaguya said. "If I remember, your name… it's Sared, isn't it?"

"And what's that to you?!" Sared snapped. "I'm going back to the town rather than trying to stay in this place."

Kaguya watched as the man managed to brace himself against the APC. "Are you sure you should be walking home alone at night in that condition?"

"Shut it," Sared replied. "I don't need pity from you."

"You can think of it as pity if you want," Kaguya said. "But the problem is if tomorrow people find you dead on the road, questions –and tensions- will fly. You don't want to be the cause of your town getting burned again because we Alliance troops here had to resort to opening fire, just because they thought we killed someone and dumped his body somewhere down the road, did you?"

"You…" Sared began. "What is up with you and your crazy talk?!"

"Just stating one possible outcome of you running off like this," Kaguya said, deftly getting off the APC. "As much as you want to leave, I'm afraid you're going to have to stay the night at least."

"Wha- let go of me, dammit!" Sared tried to struggle as Kaguya pulled him up by his uninjured hand. "Hey, are you listening? Let go!"

"After you're back at the tent," Kaguya said, pulling him just hard enough that he had no choice but to move with his crutch, and keeping a firm grip on him. "And how the hell did you get out anyways?"

"That's none of your business," Sared replied brusquely, still trying to get free of Kaguya's iron grip. "Let-go-of-me! If you think you can do whatever you want just because you saved us-"

"I didn't save your buddies and you for glory, I saved them because I was the closest," Kaguya picked her words and continued, pulling the man into the medical tent. "One's escaped," she said to the orderly, who blanched and hurried over. "If you want to get a chance at getting back at the Alliance you hate so much, then it's best you rest now, otherwise all that walking might twist your leg out of shape and turn you into a cripple."

"Every word out of you is foul," Sared snarled, even as he let the orderly help him back into the tent's makeshift bed. "Just like the Alliance."

Kaguya paused for a moment midstride, halfway out through the tent. "I simply tell the truth as it is," Kaguya replied. "That is how I live."

CE 73, November 14th, Lohengrin Gate Entrance A-12, Gulnahan Ravine, Iran

Morning 08 00

Kaguya set down the large box in the back of the truck. "Is it fine like this?"

The soldier handing her the boxes gave her a thumbs-up. "Perfect, ma'ma. 'Appreciate your helping out." The soldier stood clear as Kaguya hopped off the truck. "Now we're well on the way to getting things done and getting out."

"What do those boxes contain, though? It's been three trucks worth of them since, and I don't think Nain ordered us to hoard food and medical supplies."

The soldier shrugged. "Electronics, from what I've heard, as well as other bits and pieces from the interior of the base," the soldier leaned closer. "I've heard that they're sifting through the wreckage of the Lohengrin cannon that's located deep under this base as well."

"Hm… I see," Kaguya replied. "Keep up the good work, Corporal."

The soldier saluted. "Will do, ma'am."

Kaguya watched as the soldier ran off to another part of the base. Turning around, she entertained the thought of finding a cool place to rest when she noticed a man hobbling around.

"You again?" Kaguya said as she approached Sared. "Really now, your people are coming to pick you up in the afternoon. Shouldn't you at least wait here?"

"Can it," Sared said. "I don't have time to wait around when everyone's doing their best to restore the town."

Kaguya sighed. "I wonder if your ears are wired to your brain," she said. "Or perhaps, I should be wondering if there's even anything inside that head of yours. We went through this last night, Mr. Sared."

Before Sared could reply, a loud rumble filled the air. Kaguya reached out and pulled Sared to the side as a heavy convoy vehicle rumbled into view, missing Kaguya and Sared by a few inches as it rolled to a stop; Kaguya fancied seeing a hastily-scratched out OMNI emblem on the side of the three-tonne truck.

"What the- who the hell drives a truck like this?!" Sared exclaimed, trying to regain his balance with his crutch. "Hey!" he shouted, moving over to the truck's front cabin. "Open up!"

Sared ducked with a yelp as the door swung open, and a large man stepped out, his blue eyes sweeping his gaze across Kaguya and Sared. "Sorry about that," the man said, his voice more like a giant's rumble than a human voice, scratching his blonde hair. "I'm not really rated to drive trucks…" The man looked around, his hand shielding his eyes as he surveyed the area. "I was told by some people up at the Armenian border there were patients needing treatment, and that OMNI is no longer in control of this region." The man looked to Kaguya. "Figured I'd go to them than have them come to me, although, figuratively speaking, I seem to have walked into a veritable ant's nest."

The man looked around again, taking in the odd mingling of locals and OMNI personnel. "Or perhaps, not."

Kaguya rubbed her chin as she took a good look at the newcomer. Even with an obvious tan on, from his relatively paler skin compared to the locals, Kaguya guessed that the chances of him being a foreigner were high. Adding to that was his build; clearly the man's size wasn't because he was the fat kind, and the shirt he wore only accentuated that image; his speech style also gave him away as a frequent traveller. "I don't know of any doctor appointments, but I do know of injured people," she said, looking at Sared. "I'll take you to them. You're a doctor from a non-governmental organization, yes?"

"Aye, I am," the man replied. "The name's Richard Camelot."

Kaguya was about to haul Sared along when the name made her turn around. "Richard… Camelot?"

"He's a doctor," Coniel said as walked over and joined the trio on the ground. "He was treating patients in the nearby areas when the Earth Alliance came. He tried to get them to stop overworking the locals, so the Alliance chased him out instead. I didn't expect him to return so quickly, though."

"I see," Kaguya said. Sheryl will be pleased to see this, she thought. "It's nice to have an extra hand," Kaguya continued. "At this rate, our own medics are getting overworked." She looked to the truck. "Those are your supplies? Do you need help getting them off?"

"I think I can manage," Richard said. "Hey! Could you guys help me carry the boxes down?"

"You got it," the reply came back, as three men emerged from the back of the truck. Opening the back hatch, they began unloading the interior of the truck, setting boxes of various sizes down onto the dusty ground.

Kaguya felt Sared slacken in her grip. Concerned, she turned around, only to see the man staring at the people unloading supplies from the trucks. "Fazal?" Sared said, his voice strained. "Fazal, is that you?"

One of the men –boy, to be more accurate, or teenager- Kaguya thought, turned around. "Bro!" Fazal gasped. He set his box down and jumped off the back of the truck, running at full speed towards Sared.

"Fazal-ooh, ah, ow, ow!" Sared managed as the younger male crashed into him, the two barely keeping their balance. Kaguya watched with mild amusement as the older man's grimace of pain turned into a warm smile. "I… I thought you'll never come back here again."

"I didn't think so either," Fazal said. "That day, they transported the rest of us further out to construct another base." Fazal looked around, setting his eyes on Kaguya for the first time. "So my eyes weren't playing tricks on me after all."

"It's… okay. This is a different group from the one that came a month ago," Sared said, and quickly changed the topic. "You were talking about an Alliance base? One different from this?"

Fazal continued to look at Kaguya with guarded eyes, but with a nod from Coniel, he continued talking. "They made a huge road through its middle… like the kind used for aircraft." Fazal put Sared's arm around his shoulder and stood straight. "But four days ago, some men came to free us from the internment camp. I think they were from that 'ZAFT' that was on the news recently."

This time it was Kaguya to make her move. "ZAFT? How did you find out?"

Fazal gaze remained guarded, but he spoke without pause. "The holding area was hit, and a large hole had been blown in the prison buildings. When I was running, I saw Mobile Suits destroying the base. They were pure black, with red outlines on their shoulders and heads. Some of them had different shapes around them… but I remember they all had one eye, and big things on their shoulders. They resembled those used by ZAFT, from what we used to see of them on television."

Kaguya took a sharp breath in. Pure black. Red outlines. Big things on their shoulders. Kaguya's mind quickly arrived at its logical conclusion. ZAKU variants. And not just belonging to any random unit in the area...

"What happened to the base?" Kaguya managed to ask. "Was it razed to the ground?"

Fazal fell silent, but Richard stepped in. "Flattened," he shook his head. "I tried to see if anyone lived, but not even flies would want to touch what's left." The man sighed before moving back to directing the men and their stores towards the hangar doors. "I've never seen such brutal and through work... at least, not without some really big guns and ships. Must have been a commando team from ZAFT, or at least big-name pilots."

Kaguya shook her head, and gave a short and bitter laugh. "I'm sure they were strong," she turned to walk towards the entrance to the Lohengrin Gate base, and turned around for a moment to face Sared. "See? I told you to wait here."

Sared gritted his teeth and shook his fist at Kaguya as she strode away. "You…" He let his hand fall to his side, and turned to face Coniel. "I was wondering what you had been up to these few days. Where are the other guys? How are things back at town?"

The young resistance fighter smiled, a bitter expression on her face. "Barely holding up," Coniel rolled up the sleeves of the desert coat that she wore always. "You know Zahwed? He's convinced that the Alliance soldiers are all up to no good and every day since, he's been trying to get us to let him access the telecommunications equipment so he can call in ZAFT aid."

Sared grimanced at the memories the name brought up. "Zahwed? That deluded book-thumping old fool? What's his problem? I thought he hated ZAFT too, he's always calling them 'patchworks', and goin' on about racial purity and playing God and all that."

"Damned if I know," Coniel said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "But I'm running out of fresh reasons to stay his hand. A significant number of the resistance feels the same way, only to varying degrees. If he gets them riled up, and I let them call ZAFT back, and the Alliance soldiers here find out..."

Sared frowned. "At the best, we'll be caught in the middle again."

Coniel moved back as someone called her. "Well, that's the gist of things. Someone will come for you in the afternoon, Sared, so just stay put."

Watching the young resistance leader run off, Sared sighed, and turned to the doctor. "I can't thank you enough for bringing back my brother," Sared said.

"No problem," Richard replied, as he peered at Sared's arm cast. "They medics may have the skill, but it really looks like they're way overstretched in attentiveness." The doctor straightened himself, and setting a hand on the young man's shoulders, firmly and steadily guided him back to the medical tent, ignoring the half-hearted squirms from Sared. "You can start by doing what the Alliance lady was going to have you do; take a proper rest. I'd wager even Alliance medics would like to see their charge heal properly instead of stumbling around like you do."

Afterword:

More setting up of individual backgrounds for the cast. For those of you who still remember Tales of the Cosmic Era, there might be yet another name that you'll see here.

My main issues here were mostly balancing the portrayal between suppressed hostility on the part of the locals and the tension felt by the OMNI forces, given their precarious position.