Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma or Gundam SEED FREEDOM
Chapter 4
Gundam Build
Cosmic Era 75
Aprillius One, Hanger Bay 7
When the Star Build Strike and Rising Freedom enters Hanger Bay 7, Ranma and Kira were greeted with a crowd of people applauding them. They are the crew and personnel of the Overtechnology Transporter ship the Warren, members of the diplomatic group from the Atlantic Federation, Eurasia, East Asia Republic, Oceania and other from Embassies to members of COMPASS and surprisingly, members of the Plants Supreme Council and Zaft officers are there as well.
Chairman Lament was the first to greet them "Congratulation, both of you and you Major Saotome, you have passed your certification test"
Ranma asks as he's a bit confused "I am sorry sir, but didn't I failed to complete the test Mr. Chairman?"
"Not entirely true Major Saotome" chairman Lament informed, "Remember, the test is also a point result of loss and gain and you have gained more and lost none which is extraordinary because," he looks up to MS where the Star Build Strike is stored and pointed at it
"There is neither a scratch nor paint marks on your mobile suit" Lament finished
"But I violated the weapons restrictions," Ranma tried to argue but the chairman wants none of it.
"We decided to forego that last part"
"Major Saotome" a member of the council step forward and it was Eileen Canaver
"Many of us here is in complete agreement and with the chairman and president Clyne, your presence in COMPASS is a great addition for the preservation of peace. And so, we have no objections of you joining"
It was Lacus turn "Welcome to COMPASS, Major Saotome" with a hand extended in friendship, Ranma accepted it and shake her hand, and with that, another line of applause
The scene is a party in Ranma honor, Iori had ordered the crew to bring out tables and chairs, food and beverages for everyone with background music. Now while everyone was mingling about, some of the councilors and ambassadors was asking Iori about their technology, especially the gravity generators, which caught their interest when they entered bay 7 and that includes the Transporter vessel that doesn't seem to have direct thrust but a form inertial propulsion system.
Thankfully, Ambassador Grew of the Atlantic Federation is assisting Sei, saying that commercial sales are still a few years away, and that their contract with the Seventh Fleet is not yet finished. Information of the seventh fleet having exclusivity over Overtechnology was now known but knew nothing of what kind of technology they are receiving.
Until now. The technology shown in the hanger bay became an eye opener, the council tour of the Warren was a promotional pitch to entice them to take interest on Overtechnology
Overtechnology representatives arrived to assist negotiations who turns out to be members of the Sanzenin group, and while they took their conversation to somewhere more comfortable than the hanger bay, the rest went home while some stayed behind
At a table friends are talking while enjoying some beer and fruit juice. Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, Madd Aves, Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke, Agnes Giebenrath, Albert Heinlein, Abbey Windsor, Alexei Konoe, Vino Dupre and Hilda Harken. Right now, they are ensnared in Ranma fairytale story about a certain Hawk of Endymion escapade that's making some of them blush like a red tomato
Kira mutters in disbelief "No way, no way! Mwu wouldn't try something like that to Murrue and Ms. Badgiruel… I mean."
"Look Kira, all I know is rumors ok," Ranma said while smiling inside 'I got them, hook, line and sinker'
"Before they went their separate ways, Mwu, Murrue and Natarle went a night in town, and they got soo drunk that they ended up in a room somewhere in Alaska base doing… a PRIVATE PARTY all night until dawn" he emphasize and a few jaws just hit the floor
"Rumor has it that they videoed recorded, and it was seven hours' worth of debauchery, but no thanks to Mwu carelessness, he lost it somehow, and that's it"
That pretty much caused most of them, mainly Kira and Lacus, Shinn and Lunamaria to have a mental picture that was too X-rated for their brains to handle. Kira forced himself to snap out of it
"Ranma, please enough about Mwu see…love life. Let's talk something else please" Kira stuttered and pleaded
"Alright, alright," Ranma felt satisfied sharing that bit of tidbits to make the Hawk of Endymion life a little interesting.
"Let's talk about something then shall we. I embarrass you enough" Ranma said amused, then Lacus suggested
"Then let's talk about you, about your martial arts," Shin suggested
"The other day when you demonstrated your skills, they were amazing and frightening honestly. The way you put holes thru metal with your finger like it was nothing is hard to believe, and I would say, impossible"
"It is impossible, but there is a way that it can, but it's a hard road to travel for those who wish to learn in the art, Martial Arts that is, and it got nothing to do with genetics" Ranma stated
"What do mean Ranma?" Lacus
"When one reaches its limitations, then one only needs to push beyond it. Martial Arts Master have been creating martial arts skills thru the observation of mother nature it's where all our technique is created, perfected and evolved and it's been going on for 5 thousand years, pushing human boundaries to the limit of what it can do, evolving humanity of it can become" he said
Ranma shows his right hand as if he was holding a ball and within seconds, a glowing blue ball of light appears, and this made everyone wide eyes at the sight except for the crew of the Warren who seen this before and yet it still looks so fascinating to see
"This is 'KI' the life energy in a living being and it's also referred to as Chi in many cultures mostly in Asia"
(Excerpt from Martial Devotee)
Chi is defined as the vital life force that all living entities require to function and sustain themselves. Chi is that subtle energy, also referred to as the body's bio-energetic system, which surrounds and flows within the body and it enables the proper functioning of our anatomy's many systems and even our psychology.
In these contexts, Chi is described as a stream flowing from a mountain. It follows the path of least resistance as does a stream flowing from the mountain. Chi has an impact on the 3 realms of an individual - Mind, Body and Spirit. Achieving a positive step in any realm will have positive influences on others. Elevating oneself Spiritually will lead to free-flowing energy, allowing one to possess a balanced mind that is free of irritation and stress. This will lead to a healthy body that thrives due to the optimal functioning of its growth and maintenance systems.
Chi is an advanced concept in Martial Arts. Many Martial Arts are designed to leverage Chi and move energy in specific ways based on assuming various postures.
This may become more apparent as one advances their Martial Arts practice.
Martial Arts is just one path towards improvement of the self. It is a field of study that truly focuses on the building of Body, Mind and Spirit. It requires the practitioner to experience his or her training at these 3 levels in order to improve.
Martial Arts demand holistic development in order to progress.
Chi is thus an important factor for a Martial Artist as it operates in all 3 domains.
This is the reason that serious training in a Martial Art can be so mentally and physically exhausting. A serious Martial Artist builds strength in Mind, Body and Spirit. The key idea is that when the body feels like it is depleted of all its resources, a resilient mind takes over to push the body past its physical limitations.
The indomitable Spirit of the Martial Artist is the final well that the Martial Artist taps into to propel the mind and body when these have reached their limits.
(End excerpt from Martial Devotee)
"This is ki manipulation or chi manipulation which is the same thing and once you can do something like this…it means that there is no limitation but what you impose on yourself"
He changes the colors of the ki ball, explaining that emotions play into the color of the ki ball depends on your mood and some of them are quite unhealthy for the mind and body. Ranma old rival Ryoga is a testament to the unhealthy use of the emotion of depression to amplify his ki blast, the Shi shi Hokodan as he is practically depressed all day which feed to his ego and desire for revenge.
'So that's how he was healing at such a rapid pace' Lacus remembers the doctor's report about Ranma rapid healing
"Ranma, are there any others like you?" Lacus asks
"Other than my rivals and others I know…I haven't seen any of them for a long time" he answered
"What happened?" Kira asks
"War, that's what happened" Ranma answered but was not specific on which war and Ranma is not saying anything else on that matter and everyone seems to accept his answer
"Anyway" Ranma change the subject "As the night is still young, would you like to see something interesting"
"What is it?"
Ranma turn to Sei who still talking to one of the councilors and the ambassador who stayed behind
"Hey, Sei!" he calls his attention
"What is it?"
"Did you bring the P.P.S. projector along with your collection of plastic models?"
Sei replied, "Sure did, you want me to them bring it out?"
"Yep!"
"What's a PPS projector?" Kira asks
"You'll see Kira"
A few minutes later, Sei and the crew rolled out an object the size of a pool table and floor pads connected to the table via cable. Then Sei brought out shock proof suitcases with model figures of mobile suits and there was quite a variety.
"You even brought your SD collection?" Looking through the models Ranma noticed one suitcase with an inverted red diamond emblem and picked it up.
"Sei" Ranma brought up the case and Sei looked panicky in seeing the emblem on the case and Ranma looking neutral which means he's not happy seeing this among his collection
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry it must have gotten mix with the rest of my luggage"
"Put this back" he handed to Sei, and he hurriedly ran back to the ship
Meanwhile the crew turn and an electronic announce it operation and when Sei came back, he took his place in one of the player booths
Beginning Plavsky particle dispersal
"The Plavsky particle. This is the name of a special particle invented by Plavsky Particle System Engineering company, a branch of the Overtechnology company or PPSE" Ranma explained to the audience
Sei is surrounded with hardlight projections like the layout on the Star Build Strike cockpit and when he grabs the ball comm, the model of the Strike moves in the field projected on the table.
"These particles react with certain plastic from which the model is made of. We, called it 'Gunpla'
Sei moves the controls and the Gunpla moves as the pilot wishes it as its now fighting a computer controlled mobile suit opponent in 'practice mode'
"By fluidly controlling the particles, the normally immobile gunpla can be manipulated as the controller wishes" Ranma said as he continues explaining
"And, through the use of particle transformation, effects such as beam weapons, missiles and explosions can be reproduced in this simulation"
Sei finished off the other mobile suits with almost professional move and the simulation ended with the model Strike falling to the table.
"So, any thought?" he asks everyone, and everyone seems silent as they trying to analyze at what they just saw
"Wait! That layout is the same as the one on the Star Build Strike" Kira looks up to the mobile suit and back to Plavsky projector and sees Ranma nodded
"The Earth Alliance are already training pilots through this system, sadly the current layout of the cockpit is still the same as before. Next generation or type 2 mobile suits such as the GUNDAM will have this choice of layout in the future"
"Can this be installed to other suit?" Albert Heinlein asks as such important information is vital now if Ranma is saying is true
"It can but it's not advisable," Ranma told him
"The processing power in the current suits like the Dagger L, the Windam your Zaku Warriors and the GINN is insufficient to handle the input from the controllers and if you replace the processors with new and powerful one, then you will also have to replace the mechanical functions and the power packs as well. Then you need to redesign and reinforce the body otherwise it's going to break"
"It's like putting a 550-horsepower engine on a car rated only up to 100 horsepower" Ranma simplified the explanation
"It's very expensive, so its better to build new ones than upgrading the old ones"
"All new models were tested this way before we commit to building the real thing. This is how we tested the Star Build Strike. We tested it to go up against the GiNN, Zaku Dagger L, Windams and the Destroy and all the way up to the Rising Freedom, which is considered as the top tier"
"Top Tier?" Kira
"Everything goes thru here first before actual production was finalized" Sei explained
"So, you know how to fight the me thru this Ranma?" Kira asks and not exactly how he feels about this
"The Alliance has enough combat data to make an AI simulation of every ace pilot in history Kira. The Alliance is playing smart and that they are investing on training, training, training, especially when the one overseeing it is a sadistic monster of a drill sergeant and a believer of the motto 'practice makes perfect' not like when Blue Cosmos was in charge of the Alliance," Ranma growled at the thought of them
"Those mother f****, they just throw people and material in stupid banzai charge which is idiotic and a waste" Ranma said
Ranma then showed a combat record "the computer extrapolated on how you fight and in comparison, to you commander Yamato, honestly you are…hard to beat even on the simulator"
"I am?"
Ranma taps on the console to show a file "This was last month before I came here"
The Plavsky Particle replayed a mobile suit duel between the Rising Freedom and the Star Build Strike and what everyone was seeing was alarming. The one on one duel followed the same path during the test but there are some differences in the simulator and the actual battle, but at the end of the test when Kira initiated FULL BURST MODE, Ranma deployed the Absorb Shield, erased the beam weapons fire, charge in, pass the Rising Freedom and when it tries to follow him, Ranma fired the Star Beam Rifle at point blank range, destroying the Rising Freedom completely.
Kira felt like someone was just walking on his grave when he saw that and so was everybody, they were shocked to see that happen in the simulator and relieved that it didn't happen in real life.
"Out of Ninety-nine duels, fifty were a draw, forty-nine was my loss and only one victory" Ranma informed them
"Only one win?" Shinn spoke curious
"Every battle is different. This, is the only victory that I have against you, and I had to force you to use burst mode on me to get that smallest window of opportunity of defeating you"
"You were relentless, went at me especially in close quarters, forcing me into a corner" Kira figured it out
"Yes, and once I got close enough, I grab hold of the two railguns on your waist and rip them off for a reason" Ranma admitted as he looks up to the Star Build Strike Absorb Shield
"It's one weakness is that the Absorb Shield can't hold up against a sustained physical attacks for long and had you fired burst mode with your railguns still on you, you could have disabled the Absorb Shield to render it useless"
"And you would have lost" Kira said in finality
"Yes" Ranma confirmed and turned off the recording
"Other than a simulator, Plavsky Particles has other applications, and because of the research done, its open up avenues of research to new technology like hardlights technology and holographic technology are the first of its contribution"
Sei moves from the booth to the table and type in new set of commands on the PPS table and change the booth to the standard cockpit of a mobile suit
"It looks so real" Shin remark as he touches the control, and his hands did not go thru and then sit on the seat "I can't even tell the difference"
Sei put a model of the ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam on the pedestal
"Go ahead and try and see the differences" Sei suggested
Shin did just that and as Shinn manipulates the controls the model Destiny Gundam move the way he wanted "other than just sitting here, it's almost like I'm back onboard the Destiny but feels much more maneuverable and easier to move than the real one, why is that?"
"I made the model to the exact same specification of your original Destiny, but I discovered that the frame is constricting its movement a little bit, so I tweak the frame a little to make it more maneuverable and less constricting for the pilot" Sei took the Destiny from the table and showed it to Shinn
Shinn can see some subtle differences in the armor placing, and it was enough to get the Destiny move the way the pilot want it
"Anyone else want to try, just pick one of the models and place it here" Ranma pointed at the other pedestal
Someone grabs the ORB-01 Akatsuki Gundam and place it on the pedestal by Hilda Harken and the Akatsuki flew to the skies "I always want to try to fly this suit" she remarks
The following scene would be Shinn and Hilda duking it out while the rest were cheering and waiting to take their turn. Meanwhile. Ranma, Sei, chairman Lament, Lacus and Kira was seated back and let the other enjoy their gunpla battle
"The Star Build Strike has the same Plavsky Particle System installed, which is one of the reasons why It fly the way I want to fly" Ranma said to the others
Then Kira asks Sei, "Sei, can this system be installed on the Rising Freedom?" when that question was asked Ranma seemed to perk up
"I don't see why not, we tested it on the first generation 105 Strike and every succeeding generation up to the Star Build Strike. The X10A and the X20A inherited the 105 Strike DNA, even the Rising Freedom"
"Unbelievable" said chairman Lament
"Is it wise to reveal this to us Mr. Iori? You could get in trouble with the Earth Alliance" Chairman Lament asks as he pointed out
"Its fine, this system will be in the gaming market in six months, plus the production of Plavsky Particle is impossible to replicate" just then a crew from the ship brought a cylindrical container with green indicator lines showing Plavsky particle and showed it to them
"This contain Plavsky particle and like old fashion flashlight battery, they can be spent and then you need to replace it with a new one" the crew took it away and showed where it's installed on the table, replacing one cylinder showing red lines indicating that it's now empty.
"The production is a closely guarded secret by Overtechnology"
"I see"
"NOOOO!" their attention suddenly went back to the other and they see Shin scratching his hair and screaming to high heaven "I lost, I can't believe I lost!"
"Ha! Ha! Ha! I guess I'm a better pilot in the Akatsuki than I realized" Hilda declared so proudly
"It looks like your gaming system is a big hit" Lacus remark
"Which the crew are now starting a betting pool on the side with real money on hand" Ranma can see one of the COMPASS technician Vino Dupre, is collecting cash from the others.
"Oh dear" Lacus remark
"Let them be, they deserve to relax, and gambling is a form of relaxation" Ranma told her
Ranma then shouted, "Crewman with the money!"
"Y-yes sir?" Vino responded
"Put me down for a hundred bucks on Luna on the next round"
"Sir, yes sir" he replied they yelled cheerfully and Ranma laugh in amusement
For the next two hours, everyone tried the PPSE with all of Sei model gunpla until it was time to go home. Shinn went home crying after losing all the money in his wallet and the biggest winner turns out to be Heinlein and he never tried the simulator. What is worse for Shinn than losing his money is losing to a damn SD Gundam of all things piloted by Luna
"How the hell did that happen?" Shinn complained
"Cheer up Shinn" Luna patted his back as they leave the hanger bay.
Ranma stayed behind to clean up and sweep the place clean and not just with a broom but with an electronic bug detector which they found a dozen in places all over the hanger bay.
"These things are pretty useless with the anti-surveillance field still active" Sei remark as he examines one bug with a camera on the table
"Still, we can't be too careless" Ranma said "were drawing attention now and soon enough someone is going to try something stupid" Ranma crushed the bug with his and threw the remains on the waste can
"Ranma, are you sure you want to hand over the Star Build Strike to COMPASS?" Sei asks questioning the decision, as both looks up to the Star Build Strike
"There is nothing in the suit that they can't replicate, except for the Plavsky particle and we have already told them, that we will be selling our wares to the public, right after the seventh fleet debut in a few months, so it's moot point in trying to steal from us when one can buy it in the market"
"The Plants council is showing interest in Overtechnology even more now"
"Which is better than we thought it would. Question now is, can we use it as a key to open that lock door that is the Plants and start up the research and development sectors that's been stalled for decades?" Ranma questioned as he sat down followed by Sei
"We need the Plants go back to their original purpose and not this current incarnation. This place they called People Liberation Acting Nation of Technology. No, we need to push it back to its true purpose, and that's the Productive Location Ally on Nexus Technology"
"That's a tall order, you know that right?"
"I know Sei"
"So, what happens if we can't push it back to its original purpose?"
"Then we move on and move forward with what we have, add others to our ranks along the way and build what we need for our survival" Ranma answered as he leans back and shoulders slump
"Damn I'm tired"
"Not surprising since you'd haven't slept in what, 48 hours now?" Sei told him
"Try 50 hours, longest time I've been awake"
"I will have a bed ready for you at the ship" Sei offered
"Thanks Sei, and Hayate?" he called the ships butler who appears like a ninja
"Yes sir?"
"Make sure Sei get to bed on time" he ordered him as he stood up
"Very Good sir" Hayate replied
"Ranma! Oh, come on!" Sei whining
"No but's, you will not stay up late, not while you are here Sei"
Ranma drops into the bed dead tired and quickly doze off into dreamland, at least he thought he was on dreamland as he feels walking into thick fog in the night and no lights to guide him
"Now where the hell am I now?" he asks to no one as he look around "Another dreamscape" Ranma groan
"Geez, with my luck I'll end up facing Freddy Krueger on Elm Street again, and he's a pain in the ass to begin with" he remarks as he sees someone from a distance
"Ms. Clyne?" Ranma watches Lacus walking aimlessly, no doubt looking for Kira and Ranma can sense he's here somewhere…and someone else is here. An unwelcome individual is trying to invade Lacus dreams. Ranma followed her closely. Lacus eventually sees Kira and was moving towards him, reaching out to him but sees another face super impose on top of Kira.
She was surprised by this and felt like someone was pulling them apart, until a hand was on her shoulder, and everything stopped.
"Who?" she looks to see who and to her surprise
"Ranma?"
"Excuse me for a moment" he walks towards Kira and reach his hand to an image that's been double exposed to Kira image and yank him out, surprising the man who has blond hair, blue eyes.
"Who the," he didn't get a chance to know what just happen when another face was growling at him
"You are fucking trespassing here blondie!" Ranma said to the man as he roughly dragged him away and when they got far enough, a fist, or multiple fists slammed into his face and body like a jack hammer.
When the guy looks like a tenderized meat, Ranma gave him one final warning before he threw one last punch on the face
"STAY OUT OF SOMEONE'S ELSE DREAM!"
Real world
Kingdom of Foundation
In the middle of the night
Orphee Lam Tao, the Chancellor of Foundation, went flying out from his bed towards the nearest wall and slammed very hard into it. He felt excruciating pain as his body fell to the floor, groaning from inside as guards from outside his door came in to find the chancellor at the nearby wall.
Checking his condition quickly, they found him with a face swelled up, two black eyes, several missing teeth, cracked ribs and bones and bruises all over his body, like someone just hanged him up and using him as a punching bag.
Back in the Dreamland
Ranma slap Kira at the back of his head to snap him out of his melancholy
"Ranma what is, how did you," Kira didn't have a chance to ask
"Would you stop being depressed all the time!" Ranma told Kira with annoyance in his voice
"Durandal 'Destiny Plan' is not a solution, nor should it be considered as one" he said
"I know that!" Kira replied loudly
"Then stop thinking about it!" Ranma yelled back "You and Lacus and so many others wished for a lasting peace, then use the tools of peace, but that is not your department nor is it your forte"
"What?"
"Someone once told me, that negotiations and debate are one of the tools to establish a lasting peace, and so far, we are talking to each other. Naturals and Coordinators are talking, but it takes time and a whole lot of effort to establish a lasting relationship, to establish peace"
"But" Ranma gave him no room to make reason
"NO BUT'S Idiot! Focus your attention on the best girlfriend in the universe, the least you could do is be appreciative of her like… have sex with her or take her out to a beach somewhere, get naked and have sex with her there. Also bring with you some porno magazines or adult video and a few scandalous women negligées the sexy ones of course and maybe a book about Kama Sutra to spice things up" Ranma smiled mischievously
Kira eyes twitches at Ranma bizarre character, as one moment he's serious as hammer hitting a nail then lewd and perverted advice the next.
"What!? Are you suggesting that to me to have," Kira was blushing tomato red then sees Lacus standing nearby who is just as puzzled and red as a tomato in hearing Ranma advise to Kira as Ranma is disappearing in a particle of light with one last suggestion for Kira
"Try imagining her with a sexy negligée on!" Ranma his voice echoes faded
"Sexy negligée? Wha oh!" Kira looks back to Lacus as strange particles of light suddenly change Lacus clothes to something… more revealing
Morning in the real world
Ranma was waking up from the alarm clock, reach out and smashed it. He woke up refreshed and a little puzzled
"The guy is still clueless" he remarks as he clearly remembers what happened with a pang of envy seeing Kira with Lacus together. He left, he shouldn't be in someone else's dream and how that happen was beyond him
Then there was that man invading Lacus dream, and a feeling of foreboding danger coming from that man.
"Now, who the hell are you?" he narrows his eyes at the face of that intruder. He would later look for answers
For now, he needs to familiarize himself with the people of COMPASS, know them more as he's going to be working with them for the duration of his tour of duty and during which he got very close to Kira and Lacus as friendship blooms between the three of them.
Though there was some awkwardness when remembering that dream. Ranma knows why that is and kept silent about it. Kira has started to be more open and Lacus is enjoying it, as Kira is spending more time with Lacus more, and their relations have become stronger as the days go by.
Meanwhile, Ranma is supervising the crew who will maintain the Star Build Strike with Overtechnology personnel.
They were surprised to find out that the mobile suit, except for its internal components, is practically made of plastic, like what the Gunpla models are made of, only different.
The plastic was light, durable, radiation proof and the protection it gives is equivalent to that of battleship armor and when Plavsky particles are added, it reacts like Phase Shift armor making it 20 times harder than diamonds.
For a Mobile Suit to be effective in the battlefield, it needs three requirements:
It must have the armor protection of a tank
It must carry the firepower of a battleship
It must have the speed and agility of a fighter plane
A mobile suit with a plastic body has upended everything they know about building a mobile suit. The Star Build Strike is practically an Olympic gymnast in the battlefield because it was half the weight of a fully armored mobile suit and yet sacrificing none of the three requirements but enhanced it.
It was absurd, Zaft just fought an oversized Gunpla, a child toy and lost!
Sei even gave them the PPS table for practice and improving their skills and then something else that surprised them. Sei asks them if he could install gravity plating in one of their storage rooms, explaining that it was for 'product testing' for commercial consumption. They permitted it and turned one of the storage room into a galley and gym room.
Everything was going well for them, then Kira helped Ranma learn to fly the Rising Freedom. Of course, the layout of the cockpit is almost identical to the 105 Strike in that it didn't take long for Ranma to learn to operate it properly and efficiently as Kira does.
The reason for this was that, should Kira become unavailable, Ranma will be his substitute pilot for the Rising Freedom.
This surprised Ranma as much as the crew, that a newbie and especially an Earth Alliance officer of all people, would be given such privileges as to fly the Rising Freedom, which is commodore Yamato personal mobile suit.
Lacus approved the decision, saying it was a show of trust.
COMPASS MS Hanger Bay
LHM-BB03S Millennium
While Ranma was working on the Rising Freedom controls, he can see Kira was nearby working on a project onboard the ship and he called it the MDE262S Proud Defender a custom support vehicle designed to give the Rising Freedom increased offensive and defensive capabilities.
There was no information about that yet, but it could become a game changer in the battlefield should COMPASS need it.
Now floating towards the Freedom is a familiar face and is now poking her head into the cockpit
"Major Saotome?"
"Ms. Clyne" Ranma greeted
"Please call me Lacus, all my friends do" she entered and took a seat that's beside pilot seat
"Then you can call me Ranma, as all my friends do" he replied, and she smiled back
"So Lacus, what can I do for you?" Ranma asks
I was wondering how you are adjusting?" she asks
"It's fine, though I am unsure of being Commander Yamato back up for the Rising Freedom. And I believe a member of the Plants council is showing his disdain again for me being here, that, and being Kira substitute, is all but saying, I am second in command in all but name"
"Hari Jagannath" Lacus confirm the person
Ranma groan at the name of the politician "him again" Ranma mutters to his breath
Jagannath has been far more vocal for days now, his current irritancy is the assigning of the infamous Ghost Rider as commodore Yamato substitute is a high privilege, saying that Lacus Clyne has handed over COMPASS to Earth Alliance on a silver platter.
"The man really has it in on me doesn't he, even before I step on the Plants" Ranma said
"It's not all that bad, and not everyone has the same opinion as Mr. Jagannath" Lacus
"True, but he's enough of a person to fan the flames for those with a grudge against Natural's" Ranma said "He is no different to the guy on the other side of the picket fence"
"You seem so calm about it" Lacus noticed and Ranma just shrugged at that
"He's a pussycat compared to Djibril who I view as Bulldog with an attitude his ilk who keeps threatening me or trying to kill me from Monday to Sunday every day until I forced him to stop"
"How did you forced him to stop?" Lacus asks curious information about Djibril fearing him and why and how did Ranma stopped him.
"There are so many stories of you frightening Djibril so much that Blue Cosmos look the other way which is a big mistake"
"A big mistake that saved the Earth Alliance from total ruin, but it wasn't enough to wrestle control over from Blue Cosmos, until it was almost wiped out" Ranma said
"So how did you,"
"No?"
"No, I can't tell you how I did it Lacus,"
"But" Ranma gave her no room for arguments
"No but Lacus, I am a soldier of the Earth Alliance Forces, and I am rated as Special Forces above, meaning that most of my missions are clandestine operations and are deemed classified until a hundred years from now so, sorry. Even if you were my girlfriend or my wife, I am not allowed to reveal anything from you, so errr what?"
Lacus suddenly jump right at Ranma, looking straight in the eye and her hands holding on his chest. Now being this close is making his heart race very fast. He noticed a hint of red on the cheeks with an expression that he can't tell if she's upset or something else.
At this close, Ranma can see her eyes more clearly and they are color of the blue sky, those eyes, otherwise known as
"Pale Cerulean" Ranma speak softly
"What?"
"Your eyes, they are the color of the blue skies of Earth" Ranma clarified Lacus looking at Ranma eyes and it was the color of the deep blue sea.
'Your eyes is the color of the deep blue sea of Earth' she thought
'The blue skies of Earth meet the deep blue sea of Earth' she thought and from out of nowhere, she remembers an old poetry her father had read to her when she was a child it was to make her go to sleep.
A poetry made from long ago, a poetry that her mother loved.
(From All Poetry)
The Sky & The Sea
The sky and the sea
Both are vast, both are deep
Both are brightly blue but sometimes grey
Both are source of making other's day
Hiding their pain, they make everyone smile
They are far away and can never meet
They care about each other though they are apart
They are symbols of peace with love in heart
Their laughter is flawless like waterfalls
Reasons for them are small like rain drops
They teach love and care to their mates
They absorb the tears and problems of other's fate
Their selfless company has no end
When sea is dry, it heavily rains
When the sky is sad the sea sings
They send love to each other on bird's wings.
Lacus snaps back from her thoughts 'Why did I remember that' she shakes her head to clear her thoughts
"I am not your girlfriend, nor am I your wife!" she said flatly
"What?"
"I said, I am not your girlfriend, nor am I your wife!" she repeated and look annoyed but the way she's blushing says something else
Defensively Ranma said back "But I never said that 'you are' my girlfriend or did I even say that 'you are' my wife"
He cleared what he said calmly "What I said, that 'even if you were my girlfriend or my wife, I am not allowed to reveal anything from you' that is what I said"
"Oh! OH! I'm sorry!" Lacus quick push back but pushed too hard and she would hit her head inside the cramped cockpit. Luckily, Ranma grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her back to him and in his arms.
"Easy there, I got you!" Ranma said "you don't want to bump your head in here, Lacus. Lacus?"
She doesn't respond to Ranma as she felt a strange warmth coming from him. His heartbeat, she can feel and hear the rhythmic beating that it felt almost hypnotic, soothing. She doesn't know why but it feels like she's being drawn to him for some reason, and it is bothering her because everytime she gets this close it was getting harder and harder for her to break away
"Lacus?" Ranma called her for the third time, and it brought her out her trance
"I'm sorry" she apologizes as she pushes herself back making Ranma relieved that was made clear
He was smiling inside of course 'If you were my girlfriend, then I would be the luckiest man alive' he thought to himself
"Look Lacus, I have my own secrets and it's not for you to know, at least not yet. And I swear to you, by my warrior's code of honor, I am not your enemy nor anyone else's, unless they make themselves my enemy" Lacus just nodded in understanding and then out of nowhere she asks
"So, do you have a girlfriend?" Ranma just sweatdrop at such question and making him pinch the migraine forming in forehead
'Seriously, she was asking me about how I stop Djibril from coming after me and now she's asking me if I have girlfriend'
"I have… an ex-fiancée, and it was an arrangement between our father's, and we tried to make it work for two years but…it didn't work out"
"Oh, I'm sorry"
"It was a long time ago and honestly, having a fiancée who has a violent temper, uncute, unsexy and too much of a tomboy to begin with is very dangerous to one's health, especially when you are engaged to one"
Across the globe women who were called a tomboy in one form or another, felt the sudden sense of rage and wish to lash out at the guy beside them.
In the office Orb Union Representative, Cagalli Yula Athha, a tick was formed on her head and without warning, her hands clawed the wooden office table leaving scratch marks. The secretaries and people of her cabinet had never seen the Lioness of Orb this angry even during the war.
"Lady Cagalli, are you OK?" asks by one of them and she answered with a growl
"I just felt like someone made smack talk about something, something and now I have the deep dark urge to pick my desk and smash it into someone head!"
200 years in the past
Furinkan High School in Japan
"Stupid jerk! Stupid Jerk! Stupid Jerk!" Akane Tendo is once again had to fight off the infamous Hentai Horde of Furinkan High only right now she's dispensing pain and suffering to the horde because she just sense Ranma just called her uncute, unsexy tomboy again and the only way to express and expel her anger is sending the horde to the hospital until next month.
Back to Ranma and Lacus
"Ranma, that is not a nice thing to say about another girl" Lacus admonish
"Well, I have enough table smashed into my head by Akane to know what I am talking about, and believe me, she's all of that and more. Frankly, I feel sorry for any guy who will put up with that kind of pain, and good luck to the guy they saddled on to" Ranma responded back
Other side of the globe
The Kingdom of Foundation
Athrun Zala, is on an investigation mission to uncover the secret of this country, when suddenly, a chill run down on his spine and he had to duck for cover from armed soldiers walking the streets of the city and for some odd reason, he thought he heard someone told him 'Good luck' and why.
Lacus first thought of Athrun and Cagalli 'Oh dear' then a name was mentioned by Ranma
"Akane…is that her name?" Lacus asks
'Oh Shit!' he cursed to himself
Not since he came back to Earth did Ranma ever speak about his old life than this much to anyone. He never gave up the names of the people he once knew from a distant life in a world that no longer existed. He can see this young woman is dangerous in conversation, as she practically disarms people, make them comfortable with just small talk at first and then wham! You start spilling your guts out to her before you knew it.
'I'm always on my guard when keeping my past life a secret. But now, this girl got a name out of me'
"Yeah my…she's my ex-fiancée Akane" Ranma confirmed "Now if you will excuse me Ms. Clyne, I need to go back to work"
Lacus can sense that he's upset if he went back to calling her so formally 'Maybe, I pushed too hard' now she felt guilty in inquiring too much about him as she floated out the cockpit of the Rising Freedom. Looking back, she can see the lights inside dimmed as do the rest of the suit.
In the darkness Ranma is calming himself after doing a self-reproach on himself
"Ohhh, Ranma?" a female voice heard from his head and knowing the character behind the voice, he's going to be teased
"Yes?" he groans in reply
"You slipped"
"Yeah, I know that!" Ranma exclaim
"This is going to be a thing for you now, you keep on losing your wits end everytime you talk to her and its kinda nice?" the voice asks and sounded amused
"Gee, ya think!?" sarcastic he replies
"Of course, I could be wrong. Still, I have known you for 200 years when you became part of consciousness of the Ouritsuju, we see what you see and you see what we see, and never once we've seen you let yourself be swayed by a pretty face until now" she says and quite cheerful
Ranma heaves a sigh "I really have no privacy, do I?"
"Ranma, of course you have privacy and it's only because of your emotions is so strong it keeps bleeding into everyone consciousness, flashing everyone with glimpse of images to everybody, even your… kinky fantasies were somewhat…interesting" the voice reason with a touch of amusement
Defensively Ranma replied loudly "I don't do kinky!"
"Righhht!" replied by an unconvinced voice
"So, your heart has found someone once more?"
"Maybe, but her heart belongs to another, and I envy that man who is, her beloved" he answered with pained disappointment
"I am not someone who should be so jealous"
"No, but you are one who would risk your own life for the sake of other people's happiness, even if she is in the arms of another man…you're a chivalrous fool," said the voice
"Yep, that's me alright. My life story" Ranma admitted with a bitter amusement then he saw Lacus wearing an expression of concern like she did something wrong
Ranma groans shaking his head "I hate it seeing that kind of expression"
"Well, it's your fault for blowing her off so rudely, girls don't like that" scold the voice and still sounding amused
"Shut up!" just as Ranma was about to get out of the cockpit, Ranma phone received a text message from Ranma's contacts in the Plants and it was not news that he wanted hear
"What the hell" he growled at what he just read
He came out of the Rising Freedom and pushed away from it toward where Lacus is.
She on the other hand sees him coming towards her, and the look on his face shows that there's something wrong. He then suddenly grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the exit that is close to the observation deck of the ship.
"Ranma?" Lacus was startled by this "What are you doing?"
"Come on, you and I need to have a private talk, princess" he said to Lacus as they pass by Kira to asks permission
"Commander, need to borrow your girlfriend for a while, yep! Thanks Kira!" Ranma didn't even wait a response and just ran out with Lacus in tow
"You are borrowing my what?" and with that the left a bewildered boyfriend of Lacus