Chapter Six May 22nd 2125AD SDCV 25 Wolfram
Within the Wolfram's tapered bridge superstructure, Commodore Hayate Yagami slipped into her command seat with a mug of tea in hand. She took a sip of her tea and set the mug in a secure cup holder. As Hayate settled into her seat, she looked over her busy bridge.
Rein her yeoman was by her chair, looking over files that Hayate might need later. The silver haired woman was quite attractive, especially with her ship's uniform. Lynn Lambretta, the boyish navigation officer, was coolly scanning the region for possible attacker
Kane MacDougal, their helmsman, had his fingers lightly resting on his controls, ready to get the ship moving at a moments notice.
Captain Jenny Dolittle was checking up on Lt Marika Katou, the communications officer and command track trainee. They had high hopes for Marika, if they could just get her over her mother issues.
Meanwhile, weapons officer Chiaki Kurihara was running combat simulations with her usual intensity at the tactical station. She had been less than happy over loosing responsibility over fighter command, though she conceded the jobs were kind of overwhelming.
Meanwhile, at the new fighter command station, Komilia Sterling was gazing intently at her monitor screen. The decision had been recently made to split off fighter command from tactical, and the young looking woman was doing well at the new station.
Coorie sat at her electronics countermeasure's station, her big glasses hiding her eyes and her hair in a untidy mop on her head. While Coorie was dressed in the standard shipboard uniform, she had, AGAIN, forgot to change out of her mouse slippers. Hayate decided not to mention it.
"How's the new navigator settling in?" Hayate asked Jenny quietly as the blonde walked up to her.
"I think she's doing quite well." Jenny admitted thoughtfully, adjusting her dark blue jacket before sitting next to the Commodore. She sighed, shaking her head. "It's a shame we had to replace Luca, tho."
"Well, she was bringing her crystal ball to the bridge and navigating with it." Hayate shrugged her shoulders. "Steps had to be taken. Speaking about new officers; what's your impression of Marika?"
"She has a lot of potential," Jenny decided after a moment then sat back in her seat"Her skills are quite good...but we need to work on her focus and her habit of over achieving at times."
"With a mom like Rurika I can't blame her," Hayate noted softly.
"I suppose she's not sure how to measure up to her," Jenny murmured back to the brown haired captain. "So she shifts from a cheery ditz to a scarily overprepared officer. Sometimes in a matter of seconds."
"Indeed." Hayate nodded.
"Speaking of Marika, we're going to have loiterers around the bridge for a bit," Jenny continued to chat with Hayate.
"Oh?" Hayate blinked.
"Marika aced the inter-ship piloting contest, again. Expect fangirls." Jenny nodded.
"Noted," Hayate mused as she took a sip of her tea then teased the blonde. "Shoo them off as needed. You know you scare them."
Jenny rolled her eyes. "Someone has to when the boss is so easygoing."
"I am NOT easygoing." Hayate humphed then clenched her fist "Why, when I become supreme commander of UN SPACY I intend to change the uniform code and make everyone wear TINY MINI-SKIRTS!"
"Yes yes..." Jenny sighed.
"Our commanding officer is making crazy speeches again." A woman with jet black hair noted to herself then shook her head as she sat at her tactical station. "It Must be tuesday."
Marika bit back a giggle. "Chiaki-chan..."
"Don't call me chan," Chiaki sighed.
"Sorry, Chiaki-chan." Marika smiled apologetically to her friend.
"Arrgh." Chiaki sighed.
"Focus, you two," A woman with long green hair and wearing first officers uniform, which was mostly all white said evenly to the other bridge officers who were wearing red brown uniforms.
"Yes ma'am," Chiaki and Marika answered sheepishly.
Komila Sterling smiled back, "You're doing well, just concentrate a bit more."
Hayate smiled to herself. Komilia acted like a big sister to the younger crew members. She praised them when they were doing well and scolded them when they weren't. AND she looked damn good doing it. Though she wasn't supposed to think that. Hayate put that thought out of her mind and focused on the mission at hand. "Status, Commander Sterling."
Komilia turned and smiled at Hayate, "Teams are doing standard patrol sweeps out across the projected course, ma'am. Nothing to report so far."
"Good, keep us posted, Komilia," Jenny nodded at the Commander.
"Any practice missions scheduled for today?" Hayate asked the green haired commander.
"THe 501st, 506th and the 502nd are still going through simulation trials," Komilia answered her. while the commanders of the 451st, 552nd and the 431st have requested that they get some time in the live fire zone this week, ma'am."
"Are they scheduled for it?" Jenny asked practically.
"No, but they missed the last live fire exercises due to a emergency." Komilia stated.
"Re work the schedule and put them in," Jenny Dolittle answered then added wrly "I want it at my station within the hour."
"Yes ma'am," Komilia sighed.
"What do you think, commodore," Jenny asked.
"I don't think anyone would mind TOO much." Hayate smiled wryly.
"Aye ma'am," The blonde nodded. Jenny's braid waved slightly as she moved, and Hayate fought down a catlike urge to grab it. Thank god she tied it down... last time the bridge lost gravity it was a MESS. Bodies and paper were flying about...and it took a good hour to clean the bridge up once when power was restored. It was, admittedly, damn funny watching the normally composed Jenny flail around like that. After that, Jenny made sure that they were wearing safety belts at all times.
Hayate chuckled a bit causing Jenny to look at her a bit funnily. "Is something...amusing you Commodore Yagami."
"As a matter of fact, yes," Hayate hummed then smirked. "Do you remember the last time we lost gravity? How you were flailing your arms and legs as you tried to get back to your seat."
"Don't remind me," Jenny Dolittle frowned then shook her head. "Next time the engineers take the reactors offline, I'll beat them bloody."
"Noted," Hayate smirked and gazed out at her fleet through the large observation window. A pair of cruiser battlegroups sailed off to the right and the left of the Wolfram's angled deck, providing a last line of defense from any attack. Beyond them were a pair of Andromeda Battleships, and a half dozen escort carriers, each with their own frigate screens. Off to the left, a squadron of VF-171EX heavy fighters surged past a frigate screen in tight eschelon formations. Hayate noted how small they were compared to the frigates guarding the fleet then glanced back at Komilia. "What's the 501st mission plan for this week, commander?"
Komilia hummed thoughtfully as she called up the list. "Escort missions, patrols, enduring a surpise attack and more escort missions. Hammer Squadron itself is going to be escorting a modified Archangel Class Assault Ship against an unknown number of attackers.
"What kind of modifications are we looking at?" Jenny asked.
"Civilian," Komilia nodded then looked at her superiors. "They're guarding AKB0048s performance ship. Team A will be performing live from their stage aboard the modified assault ship during the simulated attack."
"Escorting an Idol team in a combat zone, eh," Hayate murmured thoughtfully then frowned thoughtfully. "I wonder how she will do in the simulation."
There was a brief pause before Komilia spoke up. "As I recall, ma'am, that Lt. Colonel Ageni was guarding a Magellan class superdimensional fortress during the battle of Triol III..and on that fortress was the 57th class of AKB0048."
"They perished during that battle didn't they?" Jenny asked.
"Yeah," Hayate nodded then sighed as she tilted her cap down a little bit to hide her eyes. "Boomers jumped the poor dears during one of their songs, killed them right before her eyes then killed the rest of the bridge crew. The Magellan class self destructed a short time later."
"Do we know what happened?" Jenny asked.
"Someone took down the security system from the inside, let several combat class units in." Hayate noted.
"Damn," Jenny shook her head. She dropped her voice, "I heard it was some of the girls themselves?"
"Boomeroid infiltration units," Hayate agreed.
"WE think they killed and replaced several AKB members beforehand." Komilia noted.
"Poor kids." Jenny sighed then asked "Does Dustine know?"
"About the boomer attack? Of course. She also thinks one or two members betrayed the band."
"But she doesn't know that they were infiltrators?" Jenny asked.
"No..." Hayate shook her head. "It's classified, at least for now."
"I see," Jenny sighed then mused. "Then lets hope she does well."
"Aye," Hayate nodded solemnly then looked back at Komilia. "Can you go over the rest of the 501sts mission plans for today and tommorrow please, Commander Sterling?"
"Yes, ma'am," Komilia answered crisply, worked her controls and called up a document on her screen. "The Scepters will be patrolling Area 52b while the Lancers will be intercepting the a group of rogue zentradi's attacking a battlegroup. For tommorrow it will be the Hammers patrolling area..."
later that day...
Dustine's variable fighter rocketed down the angled deck of the Wolfram, then lifted off into the inky blackness. Her White and turqouise VF-19Advance banked to the right towards the first waypoint. Erica Hartmann's fighter soon joined her as did Hugo and Aqua's machines. The rest of the squad slipped up to them and crusied alongside the heavily armed units Elia's squad joined them shortly there after and surged with them to the first waypoint.
"I hate it when it's this quiet," one pilot noted.
"DON'T SAY THAT," several people shouted
"It's a jinx," Dustine agreed then scanned her instruments.
"I never knew you were supersticious, boss."
"ALL pilots are a bit, I think." Dustine shrugged. The back and forth chatter was annoying Dustine, but she tried not to let it show as she kept an eye on AKB0048 mothership. It was a 400 meter heavily armored and armed, red and white converted battleship. beam cannons dotted the surface and it had an exposed bandshell in front of the ships flying apparently open area for the band gave Dustine fits. She had to constantly remind herself there was a localized omni barrer there, along with a pinpoint barrier backup.
"I have visual on the ship, ma'am," Eila reported.
"Hail then," she ordered.
"Yes ma'am," Elia nodded, tapped a few keys on one of her panels then called out over an open channel. "Escort wing to Katyusha, do you read me?"
The sound of giggling came over the line.
'What the hell is going on on the Katyusha?' Dustine thought then blinked when the image of a blonde haired woman appeared on her screen. She blinked again, checked her data then frowned. 'That's...'
"Sorry, ma'am," The older woman sighed. "several of the girls asked to see the bridge, and, well..."
"It's fine," Dustine reassured her then hummed thoughtfully. "Its been a while...Mariko."
"Its just Tsubasa now, I've graduated," Tsubasa noted cooly.
"So does that make you the band leader?" Dustine asked The blond haired woman.
"I'm just the manager," The blonde shrugged then sighed. "Shiori, I mean,Takamina is the real leader of the group. However they can still be a handful..and I have to watch over them."
"I see," Dustine nodded, sympathizing with her for a bit. Being an older sister she knew what it was like to reign a few of her younger sisters in line. "I know how that is."
"I'm sure you do..." Tsubasa nodded to her, checked the schedule on her tablet then looked back up at her as she stood on the busy bridge. "You're right on time, by the way, sorry for being so disorganized."
"Don't be," Dustine shook her head. The older woman still looked quite attractive, her short blond hair falling to frame her face. Her glasses were a old fashioned style, and her blue scarf was knotted at her neck. Around her, a half dozen bridge officers were manning controls of the ship. Behind her several girls continued to chat away while the others looked this way or that.
Tsubasa sighed, taking off her glasses to rub between her eyes, fighting back a headache. The girls continued to chatter about until Tsubasa couldn't take it anymore.
"Pipe down!" she commanded the chattering girls. The girls quieted down quickly and took to their seats behind the bridge operators.
'She sounded like my old drill seargent,' Dustine noted admiringly. The copper skinned pilot smiled and decided to let her go. "I'll let you get back to your work. Good luck to you on your simulation training. We'll keep the skies clear."
"Right," Tsubasa said with what sounded like sarcasm in her voice. "All right, everyone, take up guard possissions, just like we practiced."
"Yes ma'am," The others answered her.
She switched frequency and spoke up on the secure channel. "Kyousuke?"
"Go ahead." Kyousuke answered her.
"You're point." Dustine informed him over the channel. If anything nasty comes down our way. Slow it down for us."
"Roger that..." Kyousuke replied crisply.
'DAMN I hope nothing goes wrong,' is what Dustine did NOT say aloud. "Good luck."
"Good luck to you ma'am," Kyousuke replied back then barked out a few orders to his team. The team complied with their leader, which they have known for quite some time and formed up along side him.
Dustine watched them go, then took up her own position.
'Hope this ends up boring,' she thought to herself.
Tsubasa sighed as she gazed at a few information panels, calling up some information about the pilots. It HAD to be Dustine Ageni. Damn it, Why couldn't they have another officer in charge of their defenders?
"You look worried." A voice mused off to the side. Tsubasa glanced to her left to see a woman with black brown hair approaching the blonde and the group of young girls. The young understudies smiled murmuring her name and the young looking woman blushed slightly. She shuffled towards a seat, sat down next to a girl who had a bow in her hair and grinned wrly up at Tsubasa. "What's the matter?"
"Its nothing, Marika sama," Tsubasa waved it off then sighed when Marika gave her a knowing look. "Its just that things turned out SO well the last time she guarded our group during the battle of Triol III..."
Slightly disapproving Marika Shinoara looked at her, "WE were the ones that screwed up, remember. If the imposters had been spotted, none of that would have happened."
"Yes, ma'am," Tsubasa answered sheepishly.
"Oh, stop being so damned meek. It annoys me." Marika chided the blonde. "When does the battle begin?"
"It should be starting soon, Marika-sama," Tsubasa nodded then glanced to the covered band shell. "Team A, lead by Minami Takahashi the eighth, is preparing as we speak.
Team's B and K are on stanby if need be."
"Good," Marika nodded. She sat back in her seat, observing Tsubasa and the others thoughtfully then smiled as the bridge officers lept into action as a simulated rogue battlegroup jumped the ship.
"A small battlegroup of rogue zentradi has defolded in of our portside bow!" A woman at the radar station reported.
"Have the girls get to the stage!" Tsubasa barked. "Captain...announce battlestations."
"Yes ma'am," The girls responded and sprung into action. As expected Ageni moved swiftly to respond, as did her teams. Well, some of them did. The remainder stayed on guard, just in case. Most of the simulated rogues surged towards the interceptors while the others headed towards the ship. She made a mental note on how fast the pilots moved. Annoyingly her own team hadn't responded as fast.
As the battlesuits and the battlepods raced towards the ship, the upbeat melody of Aitakatta began to play over everyones loudspeakers, causing Dustine to smile and the r ogues to pause a bit.
"Not bad," Dustine murmured. The band had gotten going admirably fast. Within the protected bandshell, the girls danced and swayed as they sang the songs opening lyrics. Takamina, who was flanked by by her team mates Yuuko and Acchan, smiled as she danced with them. They wore the traditional frilly dresses designed after the ones from nearly a hundred years ago, despite some singers wishes to update.
Dustine's squad surged ahead of the converted battleship, blazing away at the attackers as they got to close to the ship. The simulations 'died' after a certain amount of damage, and the pilots got a 'bonus' from the band playing. Occassionally, she wondered if whomever designed the simulation played too many videogames.
"These guys keep on coming!" Erica growled as they fought on as the girls continued to sing and sway. She appreciated the hit bonuses, but honestly she found the women distracting.
"Mind on the job, Erika,"Dustine squadmate barked. "Ask her out later."
"Y-Yes ma'am!" Erica blushed.
"Erika's a lolicon!" Lucchini sang over the commline.
"Shut UP! She's twenty." Erika blurted, blushing. "And it's a pure love."
"SURE it is..." Lucchini teased.
"Focus girls!" Dustine barked back as she dueled with a pair of battlesuits off of the battleships port bow. She bobbed and weaved through the cannon fire in battroid mode, firing back at the suits, then smiled grimly when they exploded in bright fireballs.
"That's two down." The pilot murmured over the commline as she dashed to the right, transformed to gerwalk mode and continued to blaze away at the battlesuits as she formed up alongside her squadmates. Behind them, Lynette used a small asteroid as cover and sniped at a few suits and battlepods who slipped past Kyousuke's group.
"Thats four more," Lynnette spoke up over the commline then swung her rifle to the right. She grunted and called out over the commline. "Second wave closing fast."
"Keep at it!" Dustine blurted as she blazed away at a neo-glaug then fired off a salvo of micro missiles when it tried to get away.
Behind them, AKB0048 was playing away, the girls dancing and singing on the stage while holographic projections of them extended into space. The 'Minmei' effect was taking hold on at least some attackers, too.
"Hey Dusty, some of the rogue units are retreating," Excellen reported.
"Are they regrouping or really retreating? Dustine asked crisply.
"Looks like they're just retreating, ma'am," Excellen reported
"Very well," Dustine sighed then ordered. "Elia Send a request they surrender."
"And if they don't?" Elia asked.
"Let them go," Dustine ordered. "If we have to we can chase them down later."
"Y-Yes ma'am," The pilot reported.
"Everyone, the Minmei effect is taking hold, but it won't last long." Dustine barked out. "So hit 'em, hard and fast! Gold Flight take formation Alpha Limma Four. Bronze flight, spread out yet remain in position at the bow of the ship"
"Yes ma'am!" Her group harmonized, reorganized their positions and fought on. Gold flight bobbed, weaved as they teamed up on enemy battlesuits and even fought back to back, launching salvoes of micro-missiles at their targets. Meanwhile, Bronze flight fought on, protecting the ship, blazing away at the targets while dashing this way and that in gerwalk mode.
Outside, in the simulator control room, Nanoha and Fate watched thoughtfully on as Dustine and the others fought on with all their might to protect AKB0048s performance ship. Fate hummed Nanoha hummed thoughtfully as Dustine and Erika trashed a suit together then dashed away to another target.
"Not bad," Fate noted.
"Mm, they're doing well," Nanoha noted thoughtfully then called up a menu as the band sang to the songs conclusion, still dancing and swaying to the ryhthm. "Still I want to see how far they will go. Maybe its time I upped the ante a bit."
Fate eyed her suspiciously "You're not going to simulate the events that happened at Triol III, are you?"
"Would I do that?" Nanoha teased.
"In a minute." Fate answered dryly.
"Meanie," Nanoha laughed. "No, I'm not THAT mean.. but I prepared a surprise for them."
"Like what?" Fate asked.
"Boarding parties..." Nanoha smiled.
Fate blinked then frowned. "That's really going to push her to her limit. Do you want to do that?"
"I want to see how she does, that's all," Nanoha mused as her fingers flew over the keyboard. Fate frowned thoughtfully then watched on as Dustine and her squadron fought on. Dustine fought on along side her team mates, not knowing what Nanoha was going to unleash on her friend.
Sanya grunted as her sensors picked up several objects leaving a zentradi monitor ship. Sanya spoke up over the commline as Elia hovered close by. "Um, I'm picking up a wave of assault ships leaving one of the vessels, ma'am."
"Damn it," Dustine cursed as she saw the assault ships trailing the fighter wave then gritted her teeth when 'Aitakatta' transistioned to the equally peppy 'Shoujo-Tachi Yo'. She pressed oneven though that particular song had a lot of meaning to her. "Hammer one to all units! I've got a new objective for you: Keep the assault boats away from AKB0048's ship. If they dock, its all over got it."
"Yes ma'am!" The group blurted and fought on. Onboard the ship, Tsubasa frowned thoughtfully at the events then nodded wordlessly to the captain. The young woman sighed and barked out an order. Moments later, transformable fighters the size of the VAF-6 Alpha fighter rocketed into space to act as a last minute defense against the aggressors.
Dustine noted this, sighed, the barked out an order. "Hammer lead to all units, the Katiyusha has launched its own fighter squad. Don't get in their way. Take formation alpha charlie 10 infront of the bow, understood! ATX team see if you can intercept the assault boats."
"Yes ma'am!" The group replied again, blazing away at the attackers, bobbing and weaving through the second waves return fire. They fought on valiantly, but often times their combat patterns got in the way of the Katiyusha's own defenders causing problems from time to time.
Erika dove in for the kill, then jerked back as a Guardian Angel stole her kill, using her mike-saber to incapicatite it with a high voltage charge. "Damn it, That was MY kill!"
"Didn't see your name on it," the girl sassed back then added impishly. "But if you like, I could make it up for you later."
"Excuse me?!" Erika blushed.
Dustine sighed then flicked a few switches. "Hammer lead to Katiyusha. We're having some co-ordination problems up here. Recommend you pull your group back to bandshell level."
"Katiyusha to Hammer lead," Tsubasa spoke up over the commline. "In our estimate your fighters need the support out there."
Dustine gritted her teeth. "We are trained to deal witrh adverse odds. PLEASE pull your teams back."
"As are we," Tsubasa noted then mused. "You trained our teams remember..."
'Damn it forgot about that...' Dustine sighed. "Indeed. I did. However, my pilots aren't ready to work with your pilots."
"Dustine..." Tsubasa started.
"As your trainer, I don't think our teams are prepared to fight side by side," Dustine said firmly. "I don't want to pull rank, but..."
Frostilly Tsubasa said, "Understood. We will have words about this later."
"Very well," Dustine sighed.
Tsubasa then switched to address the band members, "All fighters, pull back to the bandshell for now, please."
Dustine was less than thrilled by 'for now' since it implied they'd deploy again. Still, better than nothing. They fought on, blazing away at the attackers even as pilots fell to the near overwhelming numbers. But as they fought, each pilot was dealing death with skill and precision. Despite their growing losses, they were still winning.
The assault boats were being cut down before they could reach the Katiyusha. The modified battleship continued to blaze away at the montior, tearing holes in its armor. Tsubasa frowned thoughtfully, wondered how long this would go on. Moments later the girl at the radar station spoke up. "We've got trouble."
"What is it?" Tsubasa asked.
"The monitor's on a collision course and its charging its main gun," The girl at the station reported. Tsubasa said something that would horrify the fangirls.
"Dustine's teams?" she asked.
"Fighting on..." The girl at the radar station reported. Tsubasa growled softly. Their turrets were barely making a dent. Of course one the range closed they'd do more damage... and be more likely to get hit."
"I see," Tsubasa hummed thoughtfully. On the stage the group gave a brave face, never skipping a beat as they sang the songs second verse.
/The stars that are visible to people and the stars that go unnoticed What sort of difference is there between them? Like, are they so far away that their light doesn t reach us or are the clouds to blame? I want a reason/ Outside the converted ships cannons blazed away at the monitor but the green cigar shaped ship kept on surging ahead. Without hesitating Dustine charged at the monitor, knowing full wellthat it would be game over if the monitor fired its main gun. /If you can t live in the way you want and you feel impatient and anxious now I ll press you on/
"Hammer Lead!?" Elia blurted.
"Are you crazy!?" Erika blurted.
"Don't follow me!" Dustine grunted as she surged at the monitor and its skeleton crew of defenders, dodging missiles and beam cannon fire. "Just keep them off of the Katsuya. THATS AN ORDER!"
"Y...Yes ma-am," Elia and Erica sighed.
"Nrrryaaaaaa." Dustine growled out a battlecry, surged at the wounded monitor as it charged its main gun as the girls sang the chorus.
/While you feel troubled You can become stronger before you know it/ The girls danced and swayed as they sang with all their hearts. As they did, Dustine dove into a hole in the monitors hulland surged towards the heart of the ship with guns blazing surging to the interior of the ship. Dustine bobbed and weaved through the ship, blazing away at attackers as they tried to stop her until she reached a heavily armored section of the ship which appeared to be the engineering section. Several battlesuits landed in front of her, causing her to curse./The tears of today are the strength of tomorrow, WOW WOW While you feel troubled Start walking forward If you stop in place, it ll be all over there/
/So do your best! Do your best! / She grunted flicked a few switches and belted out a gutteral cry firing the rest of her micromissiles from her fast packs towards the attackers and the sections around her as the singers swayed and sung as they twirled their fists in the air. /I believe in you!/
They group sang happily yet tearfully tossing their hands into the air as the damaged ship began to list. They continued to dance then gasped when the ship exploded taking Dustine with it. "Eh?!"
"Mariko! What happened!" Takamina demanded as the others gazed at the expanding gascloud.
"Just a moment." Tsubasa blinked at that then frowned as she picked up a hand set. "Where's Hammer lead? We lost contact with her."
"She counts as a loss," the voice came over all their radios. "Simulation over. You won, for what it's worth."
"I see..." Tsubasa sighed then glanced up at the image of the performers on her monitor. They were hugging each other and gazing up at her. "Thank you...you did well".
"Tsubasa-san, what happened to Ageni's fighter," A girl with short lavender hair asked.
"She didn't escape, she was killed in action, Atsuko," Tsubasa replied, then sighed when the girls hugged each other and cried a bit. "This is a simulation ladies. She's all right in real life. Don't get so choked up about it."
"But she risked her life for us," One burbled.
'Damn it,' Tsubasa sighed, glanced back at the girls behind her, frowned as Marika comforted a few girl girls then shook her head. 'Ageni, you and I are definitely going to have words.'
Later
Tsubasa Katagiri frowned thoughtfully as she watched the fighter enter the damaged zentradi monitor then pivoted sharply on her heel to glare at Dustine as the monitor blew up. "What the hell, Dustine!"
"Don't be so loud please," Dustine sighed, flanked by her peers, Nanoha and Fate.
"Why did you risk your life like that?! Do you know how guilty Takamina's team felt, knowing you sacrificed yourself for them?" Tsubasa continued to berate her. "They were torn up after they saw the montior explode!"
"Part of the job," Dustine shrugged. "I am NOT letting any more kids die on my watch."
"Ageni..." Tsubasa growled.
Nanoha sighed. "Where is Hayate? I thought we were here for the debriefing."
"ON her way," Tsubasa answered.
Moments later, the door swished open and Hayate rushed into the office. "Sorry I'm late. I had to review the data myself. Thanks for coming to my office on short notice everyone. First things first...WHAT THE HELL Dustine!"
"Will you please stop saying that..." Dustine sighed palming her face.
Nanoha did her best not to smile, though it was hard. She was also a bit...worried about her friend. Was Dustine risking herself needlessly due to guilt over how things ended up last time?
"No, we won't," Hayate snapped back, folding her arms and glared down at her. "Do you know how much damage you would have done to your team if you did that in a real situation. Do you?!"
"Damn it, Hayate," Dustine growled. "The honor of our service demands we do our best to save the civilians. You and I both know that."
"But did you do it for that reason, or lingering guilt?" Hayate asked.
'Damn if I know,' Dustine thought, but aloud said, "I succeeded in the mission objectives. Also If I hadn't acted, and this was a larger scale battle, we would have lost the Katisuya, its crew and several generations of idols aboard that ship, costing us a huge dent in morale."
"Maybe, but you would have wrecked the squadron in the process," Hayate said grimly.
Dustine shook her head, "Erica or one of the others would step up in my place, you KNOW that."
Hayate couldn't really answer that, though she suspected that Dustine didn't realize how important she was to her team. She looked to her friends and Tsubasa. "That's all for this debriefing. You may go. Dustine stay for a moment."
"Understood," The others nodded and walked out of the office. After the other officers left, Hayate studied Dustine.
"Is there something else, ma'am?" Dustine asked.
"Excuse me a moment," Hayate said thoughtfully as she used her personal comm unit to make a call. After talking to whomever a few momnents she addressed Dustine. "You, the officer's club, 1900 hours."
"What? Why...?" Dustine exclaimed.
"I want you to talk to a friend of mine, informally." Hayate stated.
"B-But..." Dustine stammered.
"Either you go, or I formally dump you on psychiatric suspension. Your choice." Hayate frowned.
Dustine sighed then saluted her. "Yes ma'am. I'll go as asked."
The next day.
"So how did it go?" Nanoha asked the next day as they walked out of a briefing room. After being chewed out by Erica and her team mates, she had apologized to her squadron and informed themthat she was going to see a councelor.
"Indescribably painful." Dustine shook her head. Nanoha arched her eyebrow causing Dustine to roll her eyes. "Sae is the sweetest girl imaginable but...damn is the woman good at probing questions."
"I see," Nanoha mused then wondered. "Have you ever talked about the event to anyone before?"
"Some. I had required therapy, but..." Dustine shrugged.
"You never went into full detail, right," Nanoha noted then sighed. "You can really be stubborn you know that."
"I really don't like reliving that day, Nanoha," Dustine sighed then "That and I had one of those damn 'touchy feely' therapists too."
"The type who thinks you can hug away problems?" Nanoha made a face.
"Pretty much." Dustine nodded then shook her head. "I faked a teary outbusrts in my third session and she decided she's 'cured' me."
"I see..." Nanoha sighed then asked her curiously. "Say, do you still have nightmares about that event?"
Dustine sighed and looked away.
"Dustine..." Nanoha sighed, sounding exaspherated. "...You really should have asked for another doctor. Otherwise you wouldn't feel so bad."
"I was coping! Well, pretty much," Dustine shrugged.
"Was she helpful?" Nanoha asked.
"Sae? Yeah, I think so. I've book a few more sessions with her." Dustine nodded.
"Good," Nanoha nodded then hugged her longtime frined "We know how hard it was for you...on that day. Please keep on talking to us and your counselor. We don't want to loose you."
"I'll try," Dustine promised, hugging her back.
"Is something going on I should know about?" Fate drawled as she walked up.
"We're having a mad, passionate affair," Dustine lied.
"Shush," Nanoha hit her on the arm then smiled back at the blonde. "Dustine is going to be seeing a therapist..."
"Good..." Fate nodded then frowned. "...your actions worried us."
"Sorry..." Dustine sighed.
"Its okay," Nanoha nodded then noted to her. "You're needed on the Katiyusha in thirty minutes. You're to apologize to Takamina's and Kanata's teams and thank Marika for comforting them."
"Ugh," Dustine stopped in the middle of the corridor. Nanoha and Fate stopped with her in the hallway. She sighed then gazed up at her and whined a bit. "do I have too?"
"Yes, you do," Nanoha frowned, answering crisply to Dustine's plaintive whine. "I've been told that you were responsible for their training and they look up to you. So I think you should go."
"Besides, your 'selfless' act terrified them," Fate replied gazing at her friend.
"It did? "She then blushed and then looked away, feeling very ashamed. "Oh god damn it. I need to fix that."
"Good luck," Fate waved as she and Nanoha walked off.
AS Dustine headed for the ship, she mused on the singers that were waiting for her. Dustine didn't have fond memories of training the kids, frankly. She had used sleeping pills to hold nighmares at bay. Still, she was a professional, and had done her best to get the kids up to snuff. Oddly, the new batch of girls took to her well, something she really didn't want
She grabbed a ride on a six wheeled ground vehicle, frowning to herself the driver made her way through the ship. The driver glanced back at her then mused thoughtfully. "Damn, Lt. Colonel you look grim."
"Oh shut up." Dustine grumbled. The pair chatted abit about this and that as they made their way through the ship.
"You still up for the weekly poker game?" he asked as .
"Assuming the ship don't explode first." Dustine sighed.
"Sorry I asked," The driver sweatdropped.
"Yeah, yeah," Dustine waved it off. They reached the port side docking joint and she hopped off, "THanks for the lift."
"Going to see the kids?" The driver asked.
"No, I'm here to wander around the dock." she said sarcastically.
"Good luck," the driver laughed and drove off.
'Smart ass,' Dustine thought and strode toward a pair of large blast doors. Beside them she pressed a key, then typed in a access code.
"Communications, how may I help you?" a voice asked
"Its Lt Colonel Ageni..." Dustine spoke up. "I'm here to meet the 77th generation as requested."
Dustine winced when the communications girl squealed happily
"Oh, I've wanted to meet you!" The communicatons officer gushed. "I'm Airin the fourth. Your big sister was close with the second and third generations of AKB and its sister groups ma'am, ma'am."
"R-Really..." Dustine sweatdropped
"Come in, ma'am, one of the team will meet you." The communication officer answered her.
"Thank you," Dustine said as the doors slid aside. She strode over the threshold hummed thoughtfully as she walked into the Katiyusha's interior. It was much like any other ship this day in age. Gun metal grey wall, glass-steel portholes and flourescent lighting. However, unlike most ships. the walls were decorated witrh concert posters and memorabelia. It was cute, in a odd way.
It took only a moment for a young woman to hurry down the hall to her. Mayu Watanabe smiled in greeting, though she looked a bit wary too.
"Hello again, Lt Colonel," The blue haired girl nodded.
"Hello Watanabe-chan," Dustine nodded.
We're glad that you could come on short notice," Mayu nodded, smiling a bit, then frowned. "We're also very angry with you."
"Oh no, whatever shall I do?" Dustine quipped wryly as they headed out.
"Ageni-san," she frowned as they went into a zero gravity corridor then zipped up the ship.
They reached the level with the practice rooms, and Maya gracefully swung back into the gravity field of the hallway. Dustine followed, amusingly noting the girl's tiny skirt would be a pervert's dream. Not that she had looked, of course. Dustine walked with her for a bit then grunted when she heard a familiar song playing up ahead.
"This way, ma'am," Maya said as she noticed Dustine hesitate
"Ah...right," Dustine nodded. The song was, fortunately, "Beginner", and not Shoujo Tachi Yo. Still she was surprised that the key members were practicing a number now.
Mayu glanced back at her then gazed at the corridor ahead of her. "We're not practicing at this time. Those are the 77th generation and new applicants we picked up after the defensive battle a month ago."
Someone went off key, and Dustine snickered softly.
Mayu flushed. "They're new," she repeated.
THey headed by, then reached another practice room, this time full of nervously talking women. Mayu swung the door open, gesturing for her to go in. "After you."
"Uhm. Right." Dustine nodded and walked in...and was almost plowed over by a red and black whirlwind.
"Dustine-Neechan baka!" A girl with long black hair blurted as she looked up at her with brown eyes.
"M...Michiko?" Dustine blurted after catching her breath. "What are doing here?!"
"Trying out for AKB0048's underclassmen thats what!"
"Bet Erica is happy," DUstine noted. "Does she know?"
"She was a LITTLE upset, but I got mom's permission."
"I see," Dustine mused then added. "Don't do anything too insane, please."
"Would I do that?" the younger girl batted her eyes.
"Damn right," Dustine frowned.
"Same goes for you too, Onee-chan," Michiko frowned. Dustine sighed...looking very uncomfortable.
Another singer cleared her throat. "Can we have Ageni back now? We'd like to speak with her personally."
"Oh uhm right," Michiko nodded.
Tsubasa looked thoughtful, standing in front of the various idols, while the youngest looked nervous.
"All right everyone," she said briskly, "Michiko, please lead your group away. You have practice."
"Aww," several girls chorused in disappointment as they headed off. One girl with blonde hair pulled in pig tails glanced back at Dustine then walked with the rest of the group. A younger girl chased after a similar looking girl and made a comment. "She's far more grumbly that you, grumbly."
"Oh hush up, Sonata," Makoto sighed.
"Now then," Tsubasa looked over at Dustine. "I think you have something to say to all of us."
"Yes." Dustine nodded then sighed. "You need to get longer skirts, Mayu gave me a show all the way up here."
"AGENI!" The girls blurted.
"Don't look up my skirt," Mayu said coldly, frowning at her. "You should apologize for your rash act."
"I'm not going to apologize for what I did," Dustine surprised them by saying, "I still think it was the best tatical call I could make. I am sorry that it upset you, though."
Tsubasa stiffened, then frowned, studying Dustine. It WAS a concession, even a small one.
"And I will try to consider the impact my actions have on others in the future," Dustine added.
Takamina frowned and folded her arms "Still. You scared the hell out of us. "
"You scared the understudies too." Kojiharu nodded too then sighed.
"Indeed," Tomomi Itano noted.
"At any rate..." Atsuko Maeda spoke up, looking hurt and a little bit sad. "I think I can speak for everyone when I say...please don't do it again."
"I'll do what I can," Dustine sighed, shrugging. Tomomi Itano and the others frowned sadly at how aloof she was. They knew she was hurting from loosing so much but they really wanted her to be more warmer with them. Dustine sighed, once again feeling such a... pressure from these kids. They all felt like they wanted something, and she wasn't sure she had it to give anymore.
"By the way, to those who flew the guardian angels yesterday," Dustine mused. "I suggest train a little more so you can coordinate with her squads better."
"WHAT?!" The singer pilots blurted. "Ageni! You...!"
"You're all fine pilots," Dustine quickly added, "and from what I saw work Work well together. But you need to practice dealing with our military pilots too."
"So what do you suggest?" Tsubasa asked dryly.
"Smaller group practices and we'll mix up the groups." Dustine suggested.
Several girls looked thoughtful at that. One of them blushed as she asked Dustine a question. "Can I pair up with Erica?" She's hot."
Dustine facepalmed then gazed at the blushing girl. "It'll be luck of the draw. Sorry."
"Awww." The girl piloted.
"Anything else," Tsubasa sighed.
"Well, it seems you guys have upgraded recently," Dustine noted thoughtfully then glanced at the singer pilots. "Those fighters weren't the VAF-6 alphas that we worked with last time."
"We purchased a custom variation, actually," Mayu admitted.
"I'd like to make a closer inspection," Dustine noted.
"Right this way," Mayu nodded.
To be continued...
Chiaki Kuihara, Marika Katou, Lynn Lambretta, Kane MacDougal, Jenny Dolittle and Coorie are from Bodacious Space Pirates(Miniskirt Space Pirates) and are copyrighted to Statelight. Chieri, Shiori, Kanata, Mimori and the other members are from AKB0048 also copyrighted to Statelight, Shoji Kawamori. The songs they sing are copyrighted to Yasuhi Akimoto.
To the creators of both works: We are fans of these series support them very much. We don't claim any ownership of the characters, concepts and ideas. We're just borrowing them for a while.