Gundam Crucible - [An AU Universal Century Quest]
- Thread starter TheBleachDoctor
- Start date
- Pronouns
- Reader
Cybele is pretty good to begin with when it comes to general piloting skills, and she already has a new skills that she's only lacking the equipment to make use of. It's better to aim for a mostly sure thing we know she can use effectively rather than gamble on uncertain payout. Also Funnels is closer to passing.
Grete
I am going to commit more murder than usual.
[X] Take Sicilia to see Dr. Bidan. You did promise to help your Little Sis.
[X] The Woundwort is haunted.
-[X] Commune with the Ghost.
[X] Attempting to procure Funnels of some sort from Londo Bell's arsenal. Having experienced the glory of Bits, you refuse to go back to an existence devoid of All-Range Attacks.
[X] The Woundwort is haunted.
-[X] Commune with the Ghost.
[X] Attempting to procure Funnels of some sort from Londo Bell's arsenal. Having experienced the glory of Bits, you refuse to go back to an existence devoid of All-Range Attacks.
Paleb05
A Believer of Optimism in the World
- Location
- Pennsylvania
[X] Psychoframe. It's what's driving this conflict. You need to learn more about it and, if possible, procure some of your own.
[X] Hold a Memorial Service for Kaylen. He deserves one.
[X] Take Sicilia to see Dr. Bidan. You did promise to help your Little Sis.
[X] The Woundwort is haunted.
-[X] Commune with the Ghost.
[X] Hold a Memorial Service for Kaylen. He deserves one.
[X] Take Sicilia to see Dr. Bidan. You did promise to help your Little Sis.
[X] The Woundwort is haunted.
-[X] Commune with the Ghost.
- Pronouns
- Reader
Even if it means our lack of funnels results in a death(not cybele's), the way it would have if we hadn't had bits to spend reconning the ship mega hyper particle beam cannon at the end of the last battle, creating yet more psychological issues?
[x] Hold a Memorial Service for Kaylen. He deserves one.
[x] Take Sicilia to see Dr. Bidan. You did promise to help your Little Sis.
[X] The Woundwort is haunted.
-[X] Commune with the Ghost.
[x] Take Sicilia to see Dr. Bidan. You did promise to help your Little Sis.
[X] The Woundwort is haunted.
-[X] Commune with the Ghost.
[x] Take Sicilia to see Dr. Bidan. You did promise to help your Little Sis.
[X] The Woundwort is haunted.
-[X] Commune with the Ghost.
[X] The Woundwort is haunted.
-[X] Commune with the Ghost.
TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Given how things went down last time, Mackenzie's team might get retooled for reconnaissance and support, since aside from Christina herself, that team of Jegans didn't contribute much to the fight aside from more targets to shoot at.
Any Funnels Cybele obtains will be used for offense first and foremost.
- Pronouns
- Reader
Hmm. So what your saying is, do to the limited roll in eliminating enemy frames our back up team played last time, their being retooled to be less combat focused, even tho we'll be down several combat assets that were only present in the last mission from mid mission armory looting, leaving us with possibly only Eris, Theo, and Mort fit for direct engagements, unless we get amuro or Zeon support?
Friend, it seems the opportunity for funnels has passed. We'll have to hope Haman Karn's ghost has some sweet skills to pass on instead.
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Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
An alliance with Zeon as it currently is would be very beneficial to Londo Bell. Not sure how do that is for us personally, but it might mean we could get a better suit for Mort, or maybe get I-fields for everyone.
I'm fine with one mental one combat, but I'm iffy on Funnels. They're great if we're in space, but we're also be going to do missions where there's a lot of gravity and we can't use the Funnels. That's a lot less good.
- Pronouns
- Reader
How do you feel about trying to commune with Haman Karn's ghost in the Woundwort to see if she has any more usefull experience to pass on?
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
EXTREMELY iffy. I'm not keen on exposing Cybele to that kind of bitterness, especially with her own issues.
- Pronouns
- Reader
This is young Haman Karn. Not quite so bitter I'd think. A Psychoframe would be worst given Cybele and Sicilia's problems, and given the unlikelihood of getting her a frame with it's own I feild, Sicilia is safer with us than in her own frame just yet, which leaves trying to find out what Bright, Artesia, and Amuro are talking about(doesn't have a single vote), and accepting that funnels for some improvement in general and decent improvement in space is better than nothing.
1 Mental 1 Combat is a bit hard to make work if you hold to standards that doesn't reflect the reality that we have limited options and it's nearly a day into the vote.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
I'll admit I'm not sure how New Type ghosts in pychoframes work. But given there is a verifiable afterlife in Gundam I'd be wary of just assuming this is a mental copy of Haman at a younger age and not Haman the actual ghost.
I should point out while I'm fine with 1 mental 1 combat, some of the mental is pressing enough that I'm happy to do 2 mental. Thus why I'm voting for the Memorial and Dr. Biden. It's not a big deal if Funnels win over the Memorial, but it's not enough of a game changer to get my vote. Getting and keeping Cybele mentally stable so she doesn't do stupid things in a fight is much more important to me.
- Pronouns
- Reader
Fair enough. I say not expanding her arsenal is likely to result in battlefield losses that will only further her issues, in a very two steps forward one step back manner, but hopefully I'm either proven wrong or something combat pulls ahead.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
My feeling is that Cybele is better served keeping her head and remembering the basics over new equipment. I understand feeling the opposite, but the combat options available simply don't excite me enough.
I could go for the old White Base meet up as a mystery box, but as you've pointed out no one is voting for that.
TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Do not underestimate the advantage an EWACS Jegan can provide on the battlefield. It can provide long range targeting data, allowing for BVR combat against enemy targets using ballistic and beam weaponry.
Plus there are many Jegan variants that can bring a lot to the table in terms of tactical flexibility. Anything is better than the big standard loadout they're currently running.
- Location
- Ireland
[X] Psychoframe. It's what's driving this conflict. You need to learn more about it and, if possible, procure some of your own.
[X] Take Sicilia to see Dr. Bidan. You did promise to help your Little Sis.
[X] Take Sicilia to see Dr. Bidan. You did promise to help your Little Sis.
TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Chapter 26: Hold On Tight
TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Take Sicilia to see Dr. Bidan. You did promise to help your Little Sis.
Sicilia needs help. You know that. You've known that for a while, it's just… you've been putting it off, telling yourself that you can help her alone. But it's becoming apparent that you can't. She needs a professional, and as much as you dislike Dr. Bidan, he's really the only person qualified.
That, and the healthcare at Londo Bell covers his practice. You're sure that there's a bit of minor corruption going on there, what with Kamille being Bright's former subordinate, but you'll let it slide in the interest of free therapy.
He stares at you with an odd expression as you sit down next to Sicilia. You stare right back.
After a few seconds of that, you cross your arms and frown.
"Something wrong, doctor?" You ask, a bit irritated. If he has something to say, he should just say it!
"…It's nothing." He finally answers, shaking his head, "Just thought that I felt… don't worry about it."
Well, now you're worrying about it. Still, you get the feeling that he isn't going to elaborate, so you leave it be for now.
"I'll admit, I've never provided treatment for a Ple before," he leans back in his seat, staring intensely at something on his computer, "but I'm no stranger to the type of conditioning that Cyber Newtypes are often subjected to. She's in good hands."
And with that, the first appointment begins… but you have to leave the room. Something about therapy being one-on-one. Urgh. She'll be here for about an hour, so it'll be more productive to go do something else, then pick Sicilia up later.
As if to answer your need, your phone pings with a message from Eris. She and Theo are checking out a coffee place nearby. Sounds about as good as anything else.
"…Any ideas on how to salvage my image with Amuro?"
Your question draws looks of pity from your friends as the three of you enjoy some iced coffee in a little booth at the aforementioned café. Theo just sighs, while Eris shrugs.
"Dunno, Cybele, you kind of dug your own grave there." She grimaces, "Maybe get rid of all that Amuro merch? I mean, I'd be weirded out if I had a fangirl and/or fanboy who snuggled up to my likeness every night."
"Hey," you jab a finger at her, "That pillow is comfortable! Besides, throwing it away would be an insult to the artist who depicted the White Meteor!"
Eris looks at you in utter disbelief, before sighing hopelessly.
"Fine, you hold onto that stuff. See where it gets you."
"I've done nothing wrong." You huff, "I'm sure my father would have agreed if he were still alive."
Theo finally rejoins the conversation, desperate the change topic, "Uh, your dad? He was in the AEUG, right?"
"Yep!" You beam with pride, "My old man joined the AEUG soon after they formed! He was a test pilot in the Titans before that, though."
You pull out the photo you recovered from your dad's things before handing it over to the two of them to look at. Theo looks impressed, but Eris… well, she did too, at first, but then it became a frown. A worried frown.
"…Cybele, you said that your dad joined the AEUG around when it was founded, right?" She asks. You nod. Your friend sets the photo down and taps the Mobile Suit behind your father.
"Why was he a test pilot for the Marasai, then?"
What? Why would that be weird? Your confusion must show on your face, because she expands on that.
"The Marasai didn't make its battlefield debut until the war had begun. It was still in development at Anaheim when the AEUG stole the MK.II. The Titans didn't even know that the Marasai was a thing at that point in time, let alone that they needed to upgrade their Hizack fleet. Whenever this photo was taken, it wasn't before the war, and it wasn't before the AEUG was formed."
That… wait, she's right. But…
"Eris…" You look her in the eyes, "What are you trying to say?"
"You sure he joined soon after the AEUG formed?" She asks.
"Yes. That's what my mom said." You insist, but you can almost hear the doubt creeping into your voice.
Theo hums thoughtfully, "Come to think of it, you said that your dad's keycard worked in that Titans facility, right? Their operational security was usually pretty good. If your dad had defected, they would have cancelled his credentials immediately."
Wait, Wait, this doesn't make any sense at all!
"But, my dad died at the Battle of Gryps!" You massage your forehead, trying to squash the nascent headache growing behind your eyes, "I mean, the AEUG sent us a letter and everything telling us that he died fighting for them! He told us he was with the AEUG! How could he be with the AEUG and still be working for the Titans? That makes no sense!"
"Look, Cybele, I'm as clueless as to the why or how as you are." Eris replies hopelessly, "Maybe you should do some research? Do you know any of his old coworkers from the Titans? Old comrades from the AEUG?"
Frankly, you don't. He didn't really bring any colleagues home from the Titans, and he sure as hell didn't bring you or Kaylen to his workplace. The AEUG situation isn't much better, since he served on the Radish, which lost nearly all its Pilots and went down with all hands during the Battle of Gryps.
Dead ends, huh? That doesn't sit right with you. Plus, none of these discrepancies would have ever come to light if you hadn't found all that stuff in the storage unit.
Almost as if you were never meant to find it…
Word spread fast about Amuro. You're pretty sure everyone in Londenion would have known after a few days, but Bright preempted it by announcing Amuro's return on a news station that broadcasts to the entire Earth Sphere. The media outlet in question was normally neutral, but come on, this was the scoop of the century!
"Amuro Ray has been missing in action for years." The host asked Bright as the men sat across from each other on stage, "Many people find it highly suspect that he's suddenly reappeared. In fact, many of our callers are insisting that he's a fake. What do you have to say to that, Mr. Bright?"
The Londo Bell Commander nodded, replying, "Believe me, I didn't believe it at first either, but I checked thoroughly and he is without a doubt the Amuro Ray I've known since the One Year War."
"I see, but why reappear now?" The host asked again, "Or rather, why disappear in the first place?"
"When Amuro ejected from his Gundam during The Axis Shock, he suffered head trauma," Bright explained, "this led to memory loss. He was picked up by scavengers who didn't report their find to the authorities. Amuro only recently regained his memories."
"Head trauma, you say. Remarkable." The host exaggerated his awe, "I wonder how many people interacted with him, not knowing that it was the White Meteor himself they were talking to!"
Eris frowns as the two of you watch the interview on the café's television, the small box hanging next to the menu above the counter.
"He's lying…" she mutters, irritated.
You pat her on the back, "Well, wouldn't you? Time travel is pretty ridiculous."
"Any more ridiculous than the Axis Shock itself?" Is her comeback.
"People shouldn't know the truth." Theo mutters quietly, drawing both your and Eris's attention.
"Think about it," he continues somberly, "if time travel is confirmed as possible with current technology, it'll only be a matter of time before someone replicates it. Then they'll weaponize it. Mankind already changed warfare with the invention of the nuke, Minovsky reactors, beam weaponry, and Mobile Suits. If we add time travel into that mix…"
The three of you sit in silence as you mull over the possibilities of such a development. None of the outcomes you think of end well.
After a long pause, Eris is the first to speak.
"I think," she stares down at the table, "that worrying about this is above our pay grade."
Probably, yeah. Just thinking about all the possible military applications of time travel (and the associated risks) is giving you a headache. You'd like to think that everyone else feels the same and would give up on that line of thinking to save everyone the trouble, but there are no doubt some crazies out there that would get it into their heads that they could change history or something using such tech.
"…I'm gonna go pick up Sicilia." You stand, downing the rest of your drink before tossing it in one of the nearby trash bins, "See you in a bit."
The ReZEL is certainly an interesting machine. You'd prefer your Woundwort over it, but for a mass-production Mobile Suit, you're impressed. It handles well, has lots of verniers for maneuvering, and can transform in about a second. Anaheim really outdid themselves with this one.
That being said, it isn't doing you much good against the White Meteor. You hear the ReZEL's movable frame groan as you override the thrust limiters and narrowly avoid the missiles launched ahead of you. The ReGZ bears down on you, beam rifle flashing as Amuro fires twice. You block the shots with your shield and back up, taking cover behind an asteroid.
Taking the moment to switch out the E-PAC on your rifle, you keep an eye on the ReGZ's signature as it closes in. That's it… closer… closer…
"Eris! Theo!" You shout as he enters the kill zone, "Now!"
Both in their own ReZELs, your two friends burst the fake asteroids they were hiding in and fire their Mega Launchers at Amuro… but the White Meteor was already moving, shooting straight up and handily evading their fire.
Well, you anticipated something like that, that's why you had a Plan B! At your order, Mort uses the sensor data from Sicilia's EWACS Jegan to fire a full spread of missiles from his Stark Jegan from beyond visual range. There's no way Amuro should be able to see this coming!
But he does. Even as the munitions scream into the combat area and explode around him, he's using minimal propellant to put himself beyond the range of the detonations. Holy shit, that's beautiful.
Uh, Plan C? You really didn't expect to have to use this one! But you guess you kind of did, because hey, this is Amuro you're talking about.
Coordinated fire from both Eris and Theo herds Amuro towards a certain cluster of asteroids. With a nervous grin, you fire at a specific one and-He's already moving! The dummy asteroid you were aiming at explodes from the hidden munitions inside, sending the surrounding rocks flying outwards, but Amuro is already too far away from them to matter!
He certainly deserves his reputation, fighting him is insane! If you hadn't fought a Newtype before, you'd have attributed his success to what he was, but you know better now. This isn't anything supernatural (although maybe his anticipation of incoming attacks is a bit inhuman), but mostly skill. Pure, formidable skill.
Well, that's Plans A-C completely trashed. It's a slug-fest from here on out.
You push your ReZEL forwards, firing your Beam Cannon. He weaves through the fire and counterattacks, hitting the shield and disabling the cannon, along with your left arm. In return, you throw your spent Beam Rifle at him and draw your Beam Saber. He bats the rifle aside before locking blades with you.
"Cybele, get clear, I can't take the shot!" Eris shouts urgently, but you tune her out as you trade blows with the White Meteor. This is exhilaration, pure and simple. You don't want anything interfering.
"Going for melee at this point? Bold. However," Amuro sighs, using his free hand to grab your ReZEL's good arm, "Wrong move."
His hip grenade launchers fire point blank, hitting your cockpit dead on.
The grenade explodes, coating your Mobile Suit's chest in bright red marking paint. Your controls immediately die as the training program shuts down your MS's verniers and AMBAC. "You Are Dead" scrolls across the monitors as you pout.
"Damn it, Cybele!" Eris curses as she charges, firing every weapon she has at Amuro. He throws your Mobile Suit at her, forcing her to catch you and abort her attack run… then he nails your reactor, and Eris's Suit immediately dies.
"Well, that was great." She groans as the two of you drift through the void, mission-killed, "What was with the suicide charge?"
You shrug sheepishly, continuing to watch the fight as Amuro takes Theo out of commission with a few well-placed rifle shots, annihilates the incoming Mort with a couple of grenades, and proceeds into one final Beam Saber duel with Sicilia.
"Sorry." You laugh, more at yourself than anything else, "Guess I got a bit excited. Besides, Amuro pretty much ruined every strategy we had… gotta admit, though, didn't expect him to use me as a bomb to take you out."
Amuro's voice cuts in, "Don't be so naïve!"
He finishes disabling Sicilia's EWAC Jegan, the poor girl's Mobile Suit left with only one functioning leg.
"While such a thing isn't something that I'd approve of from myself or you, do not assume that the enemy has the same holdups!" Amuro lectures sternly, "Every battle is a fight for survival. Assuming that the enemy is aiming for anything less than your death will only get you killed!"
Sicilia's indignant cry signals her defeat as Amuro finishes her off, and with that every member of Cascadia Team is down for the count.
You sigh as the system acknowledges your defeat, bringing all your MS back online and rebooting the limbs hit with the simulated beams. Doesn't remove the marking paint though.
"Guess we still don't measure up, huh Captain?"
"On the contrary," Amuro addresses your team as you form up, "you actually performed better than I expected. Besides, not one team has defeated me yet today. Bright isn't trying to see who can beat me, he just wants my honest evaluation of Londo Bell's more elite teams… which means he considers Cascadia Team as a cut above the rest."
"Huh." Eris mutters, "It's not just because we're flying Gundams, right?"
"Speak for yourself." Mort groans, "After getting a taste of this MS, I'm gonna hate going back to my GM. Plus, Theo doesn't fly a Gundam either."
"I mean, it could be." Theo argues, "Just give me a set of gold horns and I'll make it a Gundam."
"No," Amuro cuts through the chatter, "it isn't because of your Mobile Suits. I've fought at least two squadrons today who normally fly nothing but Gundams. Both of them did far worse than you."
How does Londo Bell have enough Gundams lying around that they can kit out two full teams of them? Amuro must sense the question, because he answers without prompting.
"They weren't exactly new, but they still gave the Jesta a run for its money, and it's not like your Gundam is cutting edge either, Ensign Naese." He continues, "But that's beside the point. What I meant is that your teamwork is good. You're one of three teams who managed to disable my BWS, and of them you were the fastest."
"Who were the other two?" Sicilia asks.
"Alex Team and Shezarr Team."
You guess that makes sense. Shezarr Team is supposed to be the best of the best. The elite of Londo Bell, and that was saying something since the organization itself was composed of the Federation's elite!
But still, one of the other teams was Alex Team?
"How did Alex Team do?" You ask, and you hear him chuckle with amusement.
"Why don't you ask Commander Mackenzie? I'm sure she'd love to tell you all about how Koike and Ishido ambushed me, or about how Hector sacrificed himself to allow Christina a clear shot on my ReGZ."
… Come to think of it, you don't know who the pilots on Alex Team are, aside from Christina. You never asked or bothered to look into it. Given that you went into battle alongside them, uh… this is a major oversight on your part. So you just nod and smile, making a mental note to check out their profiles later and hope that nobody calls you out on your ignorance in the meantime.
The lift down from the ReZEL's cockpit is just fast enough to catch Captain Amuro as he passes by.
"You don't need to worry about your team's performance, Ensign." Amuro nods as you approach, "You did well. Bright was right to bring all of you on board."
"Even Mort?" You ask, "As far as I can tell, he's not a Newtype and there's nothing special about him."
Amuro just shrugs, "He's alive, isn't he?"
Eh, good point.
"That's not what I was going to talk about though." You switch gears, "Captain, I wanted to know, you can talk to the dead, right?"
Amuro's gaze turns serious and somewhat somber.
"…Why do you ask, Cybele?"
You meet his eyes, determined as you ask, "I want to talk to my brother. I've been trying to plan a… memorial or something for him, but I need his opinion."
His eyebrows rise so high that they could have launched and become Funnels.
"You want to ask your brother for input on his own funeral?"
"W-Well when you put it like that…" You stammer, "I guess I just… I wanna talk to him, okay? Does it really matter why?"
Amuro goes silent, deep in thought. Finally, he softly says, "Cybele, it doesn't work like that. We can't just ring up the dead like a phone call. Wherever people go after they die… it's up to them if they want to talk to us, and unless they were a Newtype themselves they usually can only talk to a Newtype. If your brother hasn't talked to you since he died, there's not much you can do to make him do so."
…What? Kaylen is the only one who can reach out to talk? But… he hasn't. But why? Why would Kaylen be avoiding you?
"You're looking to me for answers that I don't have," Amuro continues, "but I think that he'll speak to you eventually. I hear you two were close, so there's no doubt that he'll try."
"I see…" You stare at the floor. Seriously? That's it? What good are your Newtype powers if they can't even give you closure over Kaylen's death? Aside from helping you try and kill that Blue Wolf who murdered your brother.
Is this seriously all you can do?
[X] Hold a memorial service for Kaylen. He deserves one.
Your mother didn't come.
Dr. Bidan said that she'd made progress, but apparently not enough to deal with sending off her only son. It'd be so easy to berate her and scream for her to come to grips with reality, but really, who are you to speak? You just asked Amuro if you could talk to your brother like he was a phone call away or something, and why did you wait this long to hold a memorial anyways?
It's all because you didn't really want to say goodbye… so you suppose you understand.
However, if you don't do this it's going to eat you up from the inside.
It wasn't hard to reserve the venue. Apparently, this lounge by the cargo bays was frequently used for funerals and memorials. It was just easy to see anything that was launched from the latter when viewed from the former.
You don't have a coffin, though. Kaylen didn't leave anything behind to put in it.
It was tempting to just get an empty coffin, put something that used to belong to him in it, then shove it out into the void, but every last memento of him is something precious and you refuse to part with them in such a manner.
So all you'll have to remember him by are your own words, your speech. The audience will be your friends, yes, but you want to do right by your brother. No pressure.
At least, that's what you thought. You didn't expect Lieutenant Riddhe, Commander Mackenzie, Captain Nouri, Captain Amuro, and Prime-Fucking-Minister Artesia Deikun to show up.
"Uh, so I'm flattered and I'm sure my brother would be psyched that you're here, Captain," You nervously address the White Meteor, "but… why? And for that reason, why did everyone else decide to come?"
Not only did this catch you off guard, but you did not prepare this venue for more than you and your friends, really. You had intended to give a speech, then sit around with your friends reminiscing about family. Sure, this room had more than enough space, couches, chairs, and tables to accommodate a group many more times this size, but… uh, well, it's mostly empty space right now with all the furniture stacked against the far wall. You only got two couches and a small table. Why did more people have to show up and make things so much harder?
"I feel… somewhat responsible, Miss Naese." Riddhe is the first to speak, "If I'd been faster to reach your colony, perhaps your brother would still be alive."
He's not really responsible, but you'll accept that explanation. Arguing with him would just ruin the mood.
Christina gives her reason, "I heard that he sacrificed himself to save you. Since you're my ally and sister-in-arms, well, I felt that it was an opportunity to know more about you."
"I'm here to help however I can," Captain Nouri offers, "I even brought something for the occasion."
She hands a few bottles to Eris, whose eyebrows shoot up.
"Uh, ma'am, we're too young to drink."
The captain smiles, pointing to the label, "Non-alcoholic. I thought that you might want to toast to Cybele's brother, but he probably deserves a bit better than soda."
"Soda? What do you mean?" You force a laugh, "I wouldn't make a toast to my brother with soda or something like that. That'd be, uh, so disrespectful. Even if it's one of the only non-water drinks we could get. I'd get something classy, like, uh… grape juice. Or tea?"
You lean back and whisper to Sicilia, "Hide the ginger ale."
"I just came here to offer my condolences." Amuro adds, "I understand if this is a more private event, however."
Artesia looks about as out of place as she seems to feel as she finally speaks, "I'm sorry, we essentially invited ourselves. If you don't want us here, we can go."
"Oh, no! Not at all!" You quickly reassure her and the rest, "It'll be livelier this way! And I can tell you all about my brother!"
It won't feel quite as lonely, what with the three of you in a large and empty room. It would have been four, but Mort didn't really know your brother all that well, and opted to go do something else. It's a bit rude, but he's kind of the outsider in Cascadia Team. You don't hold it against him.
It takes a bit of furniture rearrangement, but you manage to space out some couches and chairs facing the large panoramic windows in such a way so that it fills the room. There are a few more faces here than you anticipated, but that's not an issue. You stand behind a little podium, checking the notes you wrote for yourself.
In front of you, expectant faces.
Behind you, a sea of stars.
You take a deep breath.
"When our father died, Kaylen tried to be the strong man of the house that dad used to be. I'm not sure he ever succeeded, but he didn't need to. He was always my big, strong, confident older brother. I loved him for who he was. He was a pillar in my life. Just knowing that he was part of the Cascadian Defense Force made me feel safer. Was I overestimating him, putting him on a pedestal? Probably. But who doesn't respect their older siblings?"
Uh, on second thought maybe you should have omitted that bit when Artesia Deikun decided to attend, but too late to go back now.
Actually, does she respect Char or not? You suppose that she still respects him as family or something, but you don't know her well enough to say…
Gah! You wrangle your thoughts back on track.
"There are so many things I want to do with Kaylen. Like work on his Mobile Suit, riff on a bad movie, make fun of him for his awful sense of fashion, make mom's favorite dish together, climb that old refinery out in the industrial district that we weren't supposed to go anywhere near, but… that won't happen. N-Not anymore."
Your words catch in your throat, and you force yourself to breathe. It's alright. You'll get through this. You'll hold together.
"You know, Kaylen always said that when he got older that he'd go on some kind of adventure, like a hero you heard in those kids' stories. He said that he'd change the world, fight bad guys… I suppose it was really just flights of fancy back then. Still, he loved to dream big. I think that if he didn't have to worry about family, he would have already left Cascadia. But he stayed. He helped support my mother and me. I don't know if I ever thanked him enough for that… and in the end he saved me. It's only because of him that I'm standing here. I'm here, living the adventure that he always wanted to go on… and I'll carry him with me as memories in my heart."
You lift the glass of non-alcoholic wine you placed on the podium beforehand, raising it.
"Wherever you are, Kaylen, thank you. Thank you for everything you've done for me, for mother, for our family. You can rest now."
You should stop talking now. That was a good way to end it.
But…
"And I swear…" You mutter under your breath, "I'll avenge you. Don't worry, Kay. I'll take it from here."
Bellerophon-Cascadia Team Hangar
Warm memories of friends and acquaintances seem far behind now as you stand in the half-lit hangar of the Bellerophon. It's quiet, most of the crew having gone to sleep, but you're not ready to go to bed just yet. The memorial was… good. It was good for you. It helped clear your mind for what you needed to do.
Joining Londo Bell, fighting the Federation, that was you going along with the flow of things. Not that you want to leave Londo Bell, but you need to start pursuing your own agenda too.
You suppose you could move on with your life. Try to make a new start, but this… this sickening feeling, this clawing, festering hate… it won't let you go. And to be perfectly honest, you don't want to let it go. Your home, your brother, both were ripped away from you, leaving you with…. With this.
You stare up at the Mobile Suit in front of you, the few lights shining on it casting long shadows. It's a Gundam. Your Gundam. If this this anger is the call to action, then the TR-6 is the blade with which to carry it out.
"You hate him too, don't you?" You place your hand upon the Woundwort's leg, "He took our home from us. He destroyed Cascadia… He tried to destroy you too, but my brother saved both of us."
You look up into its eyes, and you swear you could see them glow softly in the dark.
"We owe Kaylen this. Together we'll make things right… we'll destroy the Blue Wolf together, won't we, Gundam?"
Londenion-Londo Bell HQ-Secure Briefing Room
Bright Noah stands at the front of the mostly-empty room, occupied only by you, Lieutenant Mackenzie, and Captain Nouri. Behind him is a map of the solar system. Odd, most operations don't encompass this much area…
"As you may have heard, Londo Bell has signed a non-aggression pact with the Republic of Zeon." Bright begins, "Talks have begun to finalize an official alliance, but until then we'll be unofficially working together. This will be the first joint operation between us and them, so I must stress that you are representing all of us. Don't do anything that would put us in a bad light."
Captain Nouri nods, "Of course, Commander Bright. We won't let you down."
He nods, pressing a small clicker to progress the briefing. Onscreen, the view zoomed into Londenion and showed two ships departing, a Pegasus-class and an Argama-class.
"You will leave Londenion with the Argama in two days." The screen displayed both ships entering high orbit, and another ship incoming from outside the Earth Sphere, "Your mission is to intercept and make contact with this unknown vessel and ascertain their allegiance. If they are hostile, you are to engage them in combat to gauge their strength. If they are friendly, you'll guide them to a safe location, protecting them from any hostile forces that may attempt to stop you. A Zeon Republic warship will rendezvous with you at the mission site and provide support."
"Commander, what do you mean unknown vessel?" You ask, confused, "You don't mean like, aliens, right?"
"Of course not." Bright replies, "It's a Jupitris-class vessel from the Jupiter fleet. However, there is no scheduled arrival from the Jupiter fleet, and this ship is not broadcasting their registration."
Christina raises her own question, "How do you know that they're friendly or hostile? Isn't the Jupiter fleet neutral?"
He nods, "Usually, yes. The Jupiter fleet has and still is maintaining neutrality in this conflict, however this is unlikely to be an unscheduled fuel delivery."
He fiddles with the clicker, zooming the display out to show the ship's trajectory.
"Due to the nature of their cargo, most Jupitris-class vessels take very efficient routes from the Earth and Jupiter. They wait for transfer windows and opportunities to slingshot, thereby reducing the amount of fuel they burn. However, this ship did not wait for a transfer window, and it didn't slingshot. It just burned straight here at maximum speed. In terms of fuel consumed to fuel transported, it's likely a net loss… so their motives are obviously different than normal."
That is concerning to be sure. What if they're soldiers who want to join the Federation? But… it's possible that they want to join Londo Bell. After all, nobody knows who they are or what they want.
Either way, a Jupitris-class ship can carry a lot of Mobile Suits and equipment. In the Gryps War, Paptimus Srirocco was able to use the Jupitris to influence the war. If someone like that is coming again, that could either be a blessing or a curse.
Londenion-Bellerophon's Dedicated Berth
"So, those are your team's new Suits?"
You admire the lineup of MS being loaded into Cascadia Team's hangar. They're still Jegans, but no longer the bog-standard types you see filling out Londo Bell and the Federation's ranks.
One has a ECOAS visor modified in such a way that resembles the GM Sniper II. On the pallet next to it sits a large Mega Launcher with a radome on the side.
The other is an EWACS Jegan. Good, your teams need one of those.
The third is… well, you're not sure how to classify it. It's like the Jegan and the Guncannon had a baby, and that child tried to take after the ZZ Gundam.
"We're a bit lacking in heavy firepower, so Bright gave that one to us." Christina explains as she notices you staring at it, "Like it?"
You do. It's very nice… Maybe you should look into improving your team's MS?
Suggesting to Eris that she should upgrade her Mk. III earned you a chewing out about "ruining the authenticity of a genuine Char heritage item", which you're pretty sure isn't a thing, but you didn't stick around to argue.
Theo was already making some modifications to his Sinanju Stein. Namely, he was reinforcing the right arm and putting double V-fins on the head.
"See, now I'm flying a Gundam too!" He grins from atop its shoulder.
You give him a blank stare, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not how it works, Theo."
Well, he's preparing his MS to carry more powerful weapons in the right hand, so you suppose he doesn't need to change his MS more than he already plans to.
Mort, though…
"Yeah, I don't think I can make too many changes to my MS, Cybele," He shrugs, "I mean, I've already done as much as I can to get this thing up to the level of a Jegan, but it's still a far cry from a modern Mobile Suit."
So, he's saying that he's reached the limit of what a GM III can be. If that's the case, then…
[] Get him a Jegan and let him customize it.
[] Acquire a regular ReZEL for his use.
[] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)
Author's Note: The next mission begins with the next update. Get ready for a good time. Also, Sicilia's therapy was productive, but the effects won't be obvious until the mission gets underway.
Sicilia needs help. You know that. You've known that for a while, it's just… you've been putting it off, telling yourself that you can help her alone. But it's becoming apparent that you can't. She needs a professional, and as much as you dislike Dr. Bidan, he's really the only person qualified.
That, and the healthcare at Londo Bell covers his practice. You're sure that there's a bit of minor corruption going on there, what with Kamille being Bright's former subordinate, but you'll let it slide in the interest of free therapy.
He stares at you with an odd expression as you sit down next to Sicilia. You stare right back.
After a few seconds of that, you cross your arms and frown.
"Something wrong, doctor?" You ask, a bit irritated. If he has something to say, he should just say it!
"…It's nothing." He finally answers, shaking his head, "Just thought that I felt… don't worry about it."
Well, now you're worrying about it. Still, you get the feeling that he isn't going to elaborate, so you leave it be for now.
"I'll admit, I've never provided treatment for a Ple before," he leans back in his seat, staring intensely at something on his computer, "but I'm no stranger to the type of conditioning that Cyber Newtypes are often subjected to. She's in good hands."
And with that, the first appointment begins… but you have to leave the room. Something about therapy being one-on-one. Urgh. She'll be here for about an hour, so it'll be more productive to go do something else, then pick Sicilia up later.
As if to answer your need, your phone pings with a message from Eris. She and Theo are checking out a coffee place nearby. Sounds about as good as anything else.
"…Any ideas on how to salvage my image with Amuro?"
Your question draws looks of pity from your friends as the three of you enjoy some iced coffee in a little booth at the aforementioned café. Theo just sighs, while Eris shrugs.
"Dunno, Cybele, you kind of dug your own grave there." She grimaces, "Maybe get rid of all that Amuro merch? I mean, I'd be weirded out if I had a fangirl and/or fanboy who snuggled up to my likeness every night."
"Hey," you jab a finger at her, "That pillow is comfortable! Besides, throwing it away would be an insult to the artist who depicted the White Meteor!"
Eris looks at you in utter disbelief, before sighing hopelessly.
"Fine, you hold onto that stuff. See where it gets you."
"I've done nothing wrong." You huff, "I'm sure my father would have agreed if he were still alive."
Theo finally rejoins the conversation, desperate the change topic, "Uh, your dad? He was in the AEUG, right?"
"Yep!" You beam with pride, "My old man joined the AEUG soon after they formed! He was a test pilot in the Titans before that, though."
You pull out the photo you recovered from your dad's things before handing it over to the two of them to look at. Theo looks impressed, but Eris… well, she did too, at first, but then it became a frown. A worried frown.
"…Cybele, you said that your dad joined the AEUG around when it was founded, right?" She asks. You nod. Your friend sets the photo down and taps the Mobile Suit behind your father.
"Why was he a test pilot for the Marasai, then?"
What? Why would that be weird? Your confusion must show on your face, because she expands on that.
"The Marasai didn't make its battlefield debut until the war had begun. It was still in development at Anaheim when the AEUG stole the MK.II. The Titans didn't even know that the Marasai was a thing at that point in time, let alone that they needed to upgrade their Hizack fleet. Whenever this photo was taken, it wasn't before the war, and it wasn't before the AEUG was formed."
That… wait, she's right. But…
"Eris…" You look her in the eyes, "What are you trying to say?"
"You sure he joined soon after the AEUG formed?" She asks.
"Yes. That's what my mom said." You insist, but you can almost hear the doubt creeping into your voice.
Theo hums thoughtfully, "Come to think of it, you said that your dad's keycard worked in that Titans facility, right? Their operational security was usually pretty good. If your dad had defected, they would have cancelled his credentials immediately."
Wait, Wait, this doesn't make any sense at all!
"But, my dad died at the Battle of Gryps!" You massage your forehead, trying to squash the nascent headache growing behind your eyes, "I mean, the AEUG sent us a letter and everything telling us that he died fighting for them! He told us he was with the AEUG! How could he be with the AEUG and still be working for the Titans? That makes no sense!"
"Look, Cybele, I'm as clueless as to the why or how as you are." Eris replies hopelessly, "Maybe you should do some research? Do you know any of his old coworkers from the Titans? Old comrades from the AEUG?"
Frankly, you don't. He didn't really bring any colleagues home from the Titans, and he sure as hell didn't bring you or Kaylen to his workplace. The AEUG situation isn't much better, since he served on the Radish, which lost nearly all its Pilots and went down with all hands during the Battle of Gryps.
Dead ends, huh? That doesn't sit right with you. Plus, none of these discrepancies would have ever come to light if you hadn't found all that stuff in the storage unit.
Almost as if you were never meant to find it…
Word spread fast about Amuro. You're pretty sure everyone in Londenion would have known after a few days, but Bright preempted it by announcing Amuro's return on a news station that broadcasts to the entire Earth Sphere. The media outlet in question was normally neutral, but come on, this was the scoop of the century!
"Amuro Ray has been missing in action for years." The host asked Bright as the men sat across from each other on stage, "Many people find it highly suspect that he's suddenly reappeared. In fact, many of our callers are insisting that he's a fake. What do you have to say to that, Mr. Bright?"
The Londo Bell Commander nodded, replying, "Believe me, I didn't believe it at first either, but I checked thoroughly and he is without a doubt the Amuro Ray I've known since the One Year War."
"I see, but why reappear now?" The host asked again, "Or rather, why disappear in the first place?"
"When Amuro ejected from his Gundam during The Axis Shock, he suffered head trauma," Bright explained, "this led to memory loss. He was picked up by scavengers who didn't report their find to the authorities. Amuro only recently regained his memories."
"Head trauma, you say. Remarkable." The host exaggerated his awe, "I wonder how many people interacted with him, not knowing that it was the White Meteor himself they were talking to!"
Eris frowns as the two of you watch the interview on the café's television, the small box hanging next to the menu above the counter.
"He's lying…" she mutters, irritated.
You pat her on the back, "Well, wouldn't you? Time travel is pretty ridiculous."
"Any more ridiculous than the Axis Shock itself?" Is her comeback.
"People shouldn't know the truth." Theo mutters quietly, drawing both your and Eris's attention.
"Think about it," he continues somberly, "if time travel is confirmed as possible with current technology, it'll only be a matter of time before someone replicates it. Then they'll weaponize it. Mankind already changed warfare with the invention of the nuke, Minovsky reactors, beam weaponry, and Mobile Suits. If we add time travel into that mix…"
The three of you sit in silence as you mull over the possibilities of such a development. None of the outcomes you think of end well.
After a long pause, Eris is the first to speak.
"I think," she stares down at the table, "that worrying about this is above our pay grade."
Probably, yeah. Just thinking about all the possible military applications of time travel (and the associated risks) is giving you a headache. You'd like to think that everyone else feels the same and would give up on that line of thinking to save everyone the trouble, but there are no doubt some crazies out there that would get it into their heads that they could change history or something using such tech.
"…I'm gonna go pick up Sicilia." You stand, downing the rest of your drink before tossing it in one of the nearby trash bins, "See you in a bit."
The ReZEL is certainly an interesting machine. You'd prefer your Woundwort over it, but for a mass-production Mobile Suit, you're impressed. It handles well, has lots of verniers for maneuvering, and can transform in about a second. Anaheim really outdid themselves with this one.
That being said, it isn't doing you much good against the White Meteor. You hear the ReZEL's movable frame groan as you override the thrust limiters and narrowly avoid the missiles launched ahead of you. The ReGZ bears down on you, beam rifle flashing as Amuro fires twice. You block the shots with your shield and back up, taking cover behind an asteroid.
Taking the moment to switch out the E-PAC on your rifle, you keep an eye on the ReGZ's signature as it closes in. That's it… closer… closer…
"Eris! Theo!" You shout as he enters the kill zone, "Now!"
Both in their own ReZELs, your two friends burst the fake asteroids they were hiding in and fire their Mega Launchers at Amuro… but the White Meteor was already moving, shooting straight up and handily evading their fire.
Well, you anticipated something like that, that's why you had a Plan B! At your order, Mort uses the sensor data from Sicilia's EWACS Jegan to fire a full spread of missiles from his Stark Jegan from beyond visual range. There's no way Amuro should be able to see this coming!
But he does. Even as the munitions scream into the combat area and explode around him, he's using minimal propellant to put himself beyond the range of the detonations. Holy shit, that's beautiful.
Uh, Plan C? You really didn't expect to have to use this one! But you guess you kind of did, because hey, this is Amuro you're talking about.
Coordinated fire from both Eris and Theo herds Amuro towards a certain cluster of asteroids. With a nervous grin, you fire at a specific one and-He's already moving! The dummy asteroid you were aiming at explodes from the hidden munitions inside, sending the surrounding rocks flying outwards, but Amuro is already too far away from them to matter!
He certainly deserves his reputation, fighting him is insane! If you hadn't fought a Newtype before, you'd have attributed his success to what he was, but you know better now. This isn't anything supernatural (although maybe his anticipation of incoming attacks is a bit inhuman), but mostly skill. Pure, formidable skill.
Well, that's Plans A-C completely trashed. It's a slug-fest from here on out.
You push your ReZEL forwards, firing your Beam Cannon. He weaves through the fire and counterattacks, hitting the shield and disabling the cannon, along with your left arm. In return, you throw your spent Beam Rifle at him and draw your Beam Saber. He bats the rifle aside before locking blades with you.
"Cybele, get clear, I can't take the shot!" Eris shouts urgently, but you tune her out as you trade blows with the White Meteor. This is exhilaration, pure and simple. You don't want anything interfering.
"Going for melee at this point? Bold. However," Amuro sighs, using his free hand to grab your ReZEL's good arm, "Wrong move."
His hip grenade launchers fire point blank, hitting your cockpit dead on.
The grenade explodes, coating your Mobile Suit's chest in bright red marking paint. Your controls immediately die as the training program shuts down your MS's verniers and AMBAC. "You Are Dead" scrolls across the monitors as you pout.
"Damn it, Cybele!" Eris curses as she charges, firing every weapon she has at Amuro. He throws your Mobile Suit at her, forcing her to catch you and abort her attack run… then he nails your reactor, and Eris's Suit immediately dies.
"Well, that was great." She groans as the two of you drift through the void, mission-killed, "What was with the suicide charge?"
You shrug sheepishly, continuing to watch the fight as Amuro takes Theo out of commission with a few well-placed rifle shots, annihilates the incoming Mort with a couple of grenades, and proceeds into one final Beam Saber duel with Sicilia.
"Sorry." You laugh, more at yourself than anything else, "Guess I got a bit excited. Besides, Amuro pretty much ruined every strategy we had… gotta admit, though, didn't expect him to use me as a bomb to take you out."
Amuro's voice cuts in, "Don't be so naïve!"
He finishes disabling Sicilia's EWAC Jegan, the poor girl's Mobile Suit left with only one functioning leg.
"While such a thing isn't something that I'd approve of from myself or you, do not assume that the enemy has the same holdups!" Amuro lectures sternly, "Every battle is a fight for survival. Assuming that the enemy is aiming for anything less than your death will only get you killed!"
Sicilia's indignant cry signals her defeat as Amuro finishes her off, and with that every member of Cascadia Team is down for the count.
You sigh as the system acknowledges your defeat, bringing all your MS back online and rebooting the limbs hit with the simulated beams. Doesn't remove the marking paint though.
"Guess we still don't measure up, huh Captain?"
"On the contrary," Amuro addresses your team as you form up, "you actually performed better than I expected. Besides, not one team has defeated me yet today. Bright isn't trying to see who can beat me, he just wants my honest evaluation of Londo Bell's more elite teams… which means he considers Cascadia Team as a cut above the rest."
"Huh." Eris mutters, "It's not just because we're flying Gundams, right?"
"Speak for yourself." Mort groans, "After getting a taste of this MS, I'm gonna hate going back to my GM. Plus, Theo doesn't fly a Gundam either."
"I mean, it could be." Theo argues, "Just give me a set of gold horns and I'll make it a Gundam."
"No," Amuro cuts through the chatter, "it isn't because of your Mobile Suits. I've fought at least two squadrons today who normally fly nothing but Gundams. Both of them did far worse than you."
How does Londo Bell have enough Gundams lying around that they can kit out two full teams of them? Amuro must sense the question, because he answers without prompting.
"They weren't exactly new, but they still gave the Jesta a run for its money, and it's not like your Gundam is cutting edge either, Ensign Naese." He continues, "But that's beside the point. What I meant is that your teamwork is good. You're one of three teams who managed to disable my BWS, and of them you were the fastest."
"Who were the other two?" Sicilia asks.
"Alex Team and Shezarr Team."
You guess that makes sense. Shezarr Team is supposed to be the best of the best. The elite of Londo Bell, and that was saying something since the organization itself was composed of the Federation's elite!
But still, one of the other teams was Alex Team?
"How did Alex Team do?" You ask, and you hear him chuckle with amusement.
"Why don't you ask Commander Mackenzie? I'm sure she'd love to tell you all about how Koike and Ishido ambushed me, or about how Hector sacrificed himself to allow Christina a clear shot on my ReGZ."
… Come to think of it, you don't know who the pilots on Alex Team are, aside from Christina. You never asked or bothered to look into it. Given that you went into battle alongside them, uh… this is a major oversight on your part. So you just nod and smile, making a mental note to check out their profiles later and hope that nobody calls you out on your ignorance in the meantime.
The lift down from the ReZEL's cockpit is just fast enough to catch Captain Amuro as he passes by.
"You don't need to worry about your team's performance, Ensign." Amuro nods as you approach, "You did well. Bright was right to bring all of you on board."
"Even Mort?" You ask, "As far as I can tell, he's not a Newtype and there's nothing special about him."
Amuro just shrugs, "He's alive, isn't he?"
Eh, good point.
"That's not what I was going to talk about though." You switch gears, "Captain, I wanted to know, you can talk to the dead, right?"
Amuro's gaze turns serious and somewhat somber.
"…Why do you ask, Cybele?"
You meet his eyes, determined as you ask, "I want to talk to my brother. I've been trying to plan a… memorial or something for him, but I need his opinion."
His eyebrows rise so high that they could have launched and become Funnels.
"You want to ask your brother for input on his own funeral?"
"W-Well when you put it like that…" You stammer, "I guess I just… I wanna talk to him, okay? Does it really matter why?"
Amuro goes silent, deep in thought. Finally, he softly says, "Cybele, it doesn't work like that. We can't just ring up the dead like a phone call. Wherever people go after they die… it's up to them if they want to talk to us, and unless they were a Newtype themselves they usually can only talk to a Newtype. If your brother hasn't talked to you since he died, there's not much you can do to make him do so."
…What? Kaylen is the only one who can reach out to talk? But… he hasn't. But why? Why would Kaylen be avoiding you?
"You're looking to me for answers that I don't have," Amuro continues, "but I think that he'll speak to you eventually. I hear you two were close, so there's no doubt that he'll try."
"I see…" You stare at the floor. Seriously? That's it? What good are your Newtype powers if they can't even give you closure over Kaylen's death? Aside from helping you try and kill that Blue Wolf who murdered your brother.
Is this seriously all you can do?
[X] Hold a memorial service for Kaylen. He deserves one.
Your mother didn't come.
Dr. Bidan said that she'd made progress, but apparently not enough to deal with sending off her only son. It'd be so easy to berate her and scream for her to come to grips with reality, but really, who are you to speak? You just asked Amuro if you could talk to your brother like he was a phone call away or something, and why did you wait this long to hold a memorial anyways?
It's all because you didn't really want to say goodbye… so you suppose you understand.
However, if you don't do this it's going to eat you up from the inside.
It wasn't hard to reserve the venue. Apparently, this lounge by the cargo bays was frequently used for funerals and memorials. It was just easy to see anything that was launched from the latter when viewed from the former.
You don't have a coffin, though. Kaylen didn't leave anything behind to put in it.
It was tempting to just get an empty coffin, put something that used to belong to him in it, then shove it out into the void, but every last memento of him is something precious and you refuse to part with them in such a manner.
So all you'll have to remember him by are your own words, your speech. The audience will be your friends, yes, but you want to do right by your brother. No pressure.
At least, that's what you thought. You didn't expect Lieutenant Riddhe, Commander Mackenzie, Captain Nouri, Captain Amuro, and Prime-Fucking-Minister Artesia Deikun to show up.
"Uh, so I'm flattered and I'm sure my brother would be psyched that you're here, Captain," You nervously address the White Meteor, "but… why? And for that reason, why did everyone else decide to come?"
Not only did this catch you off guard, but you did not prepare this venue for more than you and your friends, really. You had intended to give a speech, then sit around with your friends reminiscing about family. Sure, this room had more than enough space, couches, chairs, and tables to accommodate a group many more times this size, but… uh, well, it's mostly empty space right now with all the furniture stacked against the far wall. You only got two couches and a small table. Why did more people have to show up and make things so much harder?
"I feel… somewhat responsible, Miss Naese." Riddhe is the first to speak, "If I'd been faster to reach your colony, perhaps your brother would still be alive."
He's not really responsible, but you'll accept that explanation. Arguing with him would just ruin the mood.
Christina gives her reason, "I heard that he sacrificed himself to save you. Since you're my ally and sister-in-arms, well, I felt that it was an opportunity to know more about you."
"I'm here to help however I can," Captain Nouri offers, "I even brought something for the occasion."
She hands a few bottles to Eris, whose eyebrows shoot up.
"Uh, ma'am, we're too young to drink."
The captain smiles, pointing to the label, "Non-alcoholic. I thought that you might want to toast to Cybele's brother, but he probably deserves a bit better than soda."
"Soda? What do you mean?" You force a laugh, "I wouldn't make a toast to my brother with soda or something like that. That'd be, uh, so disrespectful. Even if it's one of the only non-water drinks we could get. I'd get something classy, like, uh… grape juice. Or tea?"
You lean back and whisper to Sicilia, "Hide the ginger ale."
"I just came here to offer my condolences." Amuro adds, "I understand if this is a more private event, however."
Artesia looks about as out of place as she seems to feel as she finally speaks, "I'm sorry, we essentially invited ourselves. If you don't want us here, we can go."
"Oh, no! Not at all!" You quickly reassure her and the rest, "It'll be livelier this way! And I can tell you all about my brother!"
It won't feel quite as lonely, what with the three of you in a large and empty room. It would have been four, but Mort didn't really know your brother all that well, and opted to go do something else. It's a bit rude, but he's kind of the outsider in Cascadia Team. You don't hold it against him.
It takes a bit of furniture rearrangement, but you manage to space out some couches and chairs facing the large panoramic windows in such a way so that it fills the room. There are a few more faces here than you anticipated, but that's not an issue. You stand behind a little podium, checking the notes you wrote for yourself.
In front of you, expectant faces.
Behind you, a sea of stars.
You take a deep breath.
"When our father died, Kaylen tried to be the strong man of the house that dad used to be. I'm not sure he ever succeeded, but he didn't need to. He was always my big, strong, confident older brother. I loved him for who he was. He was a pillar in my life. Just knowing that he was part of the Cascadian Defense Force made me feel safer. Was I overestimating him, putting him on a pedestal? Probably. But who doesn't respect their older siblings?"
Uh, on second thought maybe you should have omitted that bit when Artesia Deikun decided to attend, but too late to go back now.
Actually, does she respect Char or not? You suppose that she still respects him as family or something, but you don't know her well enough to say…
Gah! You wrangle your thoughts back on track.
"There are so many things I want to do with Kaylen. Like work on his Mobile Suit, riff on a bad movie, make fun of him for his awful sense of fashion, make mom's favorite dish together, climb that old refinery out in the industrial district that we weren't supposed to go anywhere near, but… that won't happen. N-Not anymore."
Your words catch in your throat, and you force yourself to breathe. It's alright. You'll get through this. You'll hold together.
"You know, Kaylen always said that when he got older that he'd go on some kind of adventure, like a hero you heard in those kids' stories. He said that he'd change the world, fight bad guys… I suppose it was really just flights of fancy back then. Still, he loved to dream big. I think that if he didn't have to worry about family, he would have already left Cascadia. But he stayed. He helped support my mother and me. I don't know if I ever thanked him enough for that… and in the end he saved me. It's only because of him that I'm standing here. I'm here, living the adventure that he always wanted to go on… and I'll carry him with me as memories in my heart."
You lift the glass of non-alcoholic wine you placed on the podium beforehand, raising it.
"Wherever you are, Kaylen, thank you. Thank you for everything you've done for me, for mother, for our family. You can rest now."
You should stop talking now. That was a good way to end it.
But…
"And I swear…" You mutter under your breath, "I'll avenge you. Don't worry, Kay. I'll take it from here."
Bellerophon-Cascadia Team Hangar
Warm memories of friends and acquaintances seem far behind now as you stand in the half-lit hangar of the Bellerophon. It's quiet, most of the crew having gone to sleep, but you're not ready to go to bed just yet. The memorial was… good. It was good for you. It helped clear your mind for what you needed to do.
Joining Londo Bell, fighting the Federation, that was you going along with the flow of things. Not that you want to leave Londo Bell, but you need to start pursuing your own agenda too.
You suppose you could move on with your life. Try to make a new start, but this… this sickening feeling, this clawing, festering hate… it won't let you go. And to be perfectly honest, you don't want to let it go. Your home, your brother, both were ripped away from you, leaving you with…. With this.
You stare up at the Mobile Suit in front of you, the few lights shining on it casting long shadows. It's a Gundam. Your Gundam. If this this anger is the call to action, then the TR-6 is the blade with which to carry it out.
"You hate him too, don't you?" You place your hand upon the Woundwort's leg, "He took our home from us. He destroyed Cascadia… He tried to destroy you too, but my brother saved both of us."
You look up into its eyes, and you swear you could see them glow softly in the dark.
"We owe Kaylen this. Together we'll make things right… we'll destroy the Blue Wolf together, won't we, Gundam?"
Londenion-Londo Bell HQ-Secure Briefing Room
Bright Noah stands at the front of the mostly-empty room, occupied only by you, Lieutenant Mackenzie, and Captain Nouri. Behind him is a map of the solar system. Odd, most operations don't encompass this much area…
"As you may have heard, Londo Bell has signed a non-aggression pact with the Republic of Zeon." Bright begins, "Talks have begun to finalize an official alliance, but until then we'll be unofficially working together. This will be the first joint operation between us and them, so I must stress that you are representing all of us. Don't do anything that would put us in a bad light."
Captain Nouri nods, "Of course, Commander Bright. We won't let you down."
He nods, pressing a small clicker to progress the briefing. Onscreen, the view zoomed into Londenion and showed two ships departing, a Pegasus-class and an Argama-class.
"You will leave Londenion with the Argama in two days." The screen displayed both ships entering high orbit, and another ship incoming from outside the Earth Sphere, "Your mission is to intercept and make contact with this unknown vessel and ascertain their allegiance. If they are hostile, you are to engage them in combat to gauge their strength. If they are friendly, you'll guide them to a safe location, protecting them from any hostile forces that may attempt to stop you. A Zeon Republic warship will rendezvous with you at the mission site and provide support."
"Commander, what do you mean unknown vessel?" You ask, confused, "You don't mean like, aliens, right?"
"Of course not." Bright replies, "It's a Jupitris-class vessel from the Jupiter fleet. However, there is no scheduled arrival from the Jupiter fleet, and this ship is not broadcasting their registration."
Christina raises her own question, "How do you know that they're friendly or hostile? Isn't the Jupiter fleet neutral?"
He nods, "Usually, yes. The Jupiter fleet has and still is maintaining neutrality in this conflict, however this is unlikely to be an unscheduled fuel delivery."
He fiddles with the clicker, zooming the display out to show the ship's trajectory.
"Due to the nature of their cargo, most Jupitris-class vessels take very efficient routes from the Earth and Jupiter. They wait for transfer windows and opportunities to slingshot, thereby reducing the amount of fuel they burn. However, this ship did not wait for a transfer window, and it didn't slingshot. It just burned straight here at maximum speed. In terms of fuel consumed to fuel transported, it's likely a net loss… so their motives are obviously different than normal."
That is concerning to be sure. What if they're soldiers who want to join the Federation? But… it's possible that they want to join Londo Bell. After all, nobody knows who they are or what they want.
Either way, a Jupitris-class ship can carry a lot of Mobile Suits and equipment. In the Gryps War, Paptimus Srirocco was able to use the Jupitris to influence the war. If someone like that is coming again, that could either be a blessing or a curse.
Londenion-Bellerophon's Dedicated Berth
"So, those are your team's new Suits?"
You admire the lineup of MS being loaded into Cascadia Team's hangar. They're still Jegans, but no longer the bog-standard types you see filling out Londo Bell and the Federation's ranks.
One has a ECOAS visor modified in such a way that resembles the GM Sniper II. On the pallet next to it sits a large Mega Launcher with a radome on the side.
The other is an EWACS Jegan. Good, your teams need one of those.
The third is… well, you're not sure how to classify it. It's like the Jegan and the Guncannon had a baby, and that child tried to take after the ZZ Gundam.
"We're a bit lacking in heavy firepower, so Bright gave that one to us." Christina explains as she notices you staring at it, "Like it?"
You do. It's very nice… Maybe you should look into improving your team's MS?
Suggesting to Eris that she should upgrade her Mk. III earned you a chewing out about "ruining the authenticity of a genuine Char heritage item", which you're pretty sure isn't a thing, but you didn't stick around to argue.
Theo was already making some modifications to his Sinanju Stein. Namely, he was reinforcing the right arm and putting double V-fins on the head.
"See, now I'm flying a Gundam too!" He grins from atop its shoulder.
You give him a blank stare, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not how it works, Theo."
Well, he's preparing his MS to carry more powerful weapons in the right hand, so you suppose he doesn't need to change his MS more than he already plans to.
Mort, though…
"Yeah, I don't think I can make too many changes to my MS, Cybele," He shrugs, "I mean, I've already done as much as I can to get this thing up to the level of a Jegan, but it's still a far cry from a modern Mobile Suit."
So, he's saying that he's reached the limit of what a GM III can be. If that's the case, then…
[] Get him a Jegan and let him customize it.
[] Acquire a regular ReZEL for his use.
[] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)
Author's Note: The next mission begins with the next update. Get ready for a good time. Also, Sicilia's therapy was productive, but the effects won't be obvious until the mission gets underway.
- Pronouns
- Reader
[X] Acquire a regular ReZEL for his use.
Theo and Eris tend to have difficulties keeping up with Cybele in the more fast paced combat do to her double hrududu, so getting Mort a Rezel will give him the ability to back Cybele up if she does the high speed strikes she favored in some of the battles so far, or if she needs to speed to someones rescue.
Theo and Eris tend to have difficulties keeping up with Cybele in the more fast paced combat do to her double hrududu, so getting Mort a Rezel will give him the ability to back Cybele up if she does the high speed strikes she favored in some of the battles so far, or if she needs to speed to someones rescue.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
Well... she's still a kid, dealing with the death of her brother, her mom having a total breakdown, and trying to help/raise Sicilia. I think she's earned a bit of slack. Now if only she'd cut back on the lust for vengeance.
Wow Cybele, wow.
Still, making a point, Mort is either good at staying back and out of the way, or simply a good pilot, or an old school freak. Can't say, because we don't spend any time with him. And I'm not sure if we can or should change that. I feel like we should, but I'm not sure how to fit some time with him into all the everything else we have going on.
That aside, anyone have any idea what this Jupitris ship is all about? Because something in my bones doesn't like it.
[X] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)
I'm curious what the GM will dig up. So far we've had quite the interesting collection of suit. Maybe we can bager Anaheim into giving up another Gundam or Gundam-like.
Oh @TheBleachDoctor , does Mort have any preferences? Does he just want a plain better suit, does he wanna get something custom going, anything?
KnightIcarus
Snark Knight
- Location
- New York
[X] Ask around to see if there's a spare Mobile Suit that Mort can have. (QM's Choice)