Chapter 31: Jupiter's Second Coming-Finale
TheBleachDoctor
Secretly a Cat
- Location
- The Plane of Infinite Kittens
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Federation Battleship "Gaunland"-Pilot Locker Room-Earlier
"Damn it!" Luke punched his locker door, denting it. Rage and grief swirled within his gut. He couldn't believe she's gone. That brilliant, dazzling light that was there with him since he first joined the Newtype Division. Even when he had missions away from her, he could feel her presence, but now…
"Lorelei…" He choked back a sob, "How could she just… fucking damn it!"
The only other surviving Newtype from his team, Haseya Acothley, gave him a look halfway between pity and contempt.
"Hey, Walker, I think it sucks too that she bit it," Haseya sighed, "but come on, man, you had to have seen this coming. She was always fooling around, that shit was going to bite her in the ass one day."
Luke rounded on his teammate, furiously grabbing her by the front of her pilot suit and pushing her back against the lockers.
"You talk crap about Lorelei one more time," he growled, "and I swear to god, Haseya, I'm gonna kick your ass."
Haseya's eyes narrowed coldly, "Hey there, Walker, ease it up unless you want me to make you taste the floor."
"Both of you, can it." Their Commander ordered, as she stowed her helmet, "Save it for the ones who killed her."
It took a moment, but Luke obeyed, dropping Acothley and putting some distance between them before sitting down on the bench.
"You're right… I'm going to get that girl… Cybele Naese…" He muttered, cold anger dripping from his words, "I'm going to make her pay. I don't care if she's the leader of her team, she killed Lorelei, and for that I'll kill her."
"Agreed on killing her, she's a priority target," the Commander nodded, "but she's not their team leader."
"Huh?" Acothley tilted her head in confusion, "But she told us she was, and her team was following her orders."
Luke agreed. The two of them were both Newtypes and they could feel that the energy of that team was centered around Cybele. She was their nexus, their focus. Taking her down would be the key to taking them out. So, who did their Commander think was the leader?
"It was an obvious mislead," she explained, looking a bit shaken, "but the moment I locked blades with him, I knew he had to be their leader. He's too skilled, and besides it makes sense."
Locked blades with him? Wait, to Luke's knowledge, the only person the Commander went 1v1 with during that fight was…
"The Oldtype?" Acothley guessed, completely baffled, "The one in the Methuss?"
"Mmhm. That Methuss was performing way above spec." The Commander continued, "Hiding in a mass production suit tuned up to high performance levels… sneaky, very sneaky. Besides, he's the only adult in their group. It makes more sense that he'd be the one in charge, as opposed to the girl still in puberty spouting lectures that sound like they're taken out of a Zabi propaganda reel."
Acothley and Luke shared a glance. Their Commander had that guy pegged wrong. Sure, he looked like a good pilot, and he was certainly performing like an ace, but he was definitely not their team leader. However, they knew that voicing such an opinion would get them shut down fast.
The older woman shut her locker and finished zipping up her uniform, "I need to send my report. You two get some rest. If you want to write a letter to ensign Vogel's next of kin, do so now and I'll send it out with mine."
Luke grimaced as he thought of what to say to Lorelei's folks. Damn it… Damn Londo Bell to Hell!
"Lorelei…" he whispered, staring at the photo pinned up on the inside of his locker door, taken with her just the week before, the two of them posing in front of a fountain in Granada, "I… hope that you're in a better place."
Bellerophon-Interrogation Room-Now
"Hi!" Lorelei beams at you as you sit across from her.
You look back, answering after a moment, "…Hi."
[X][Lorelei] Talk with her. She gave herself up, and there has to be a reason.
"So…" You pull out some of the snacks that the Captain gave you, possible bribes for the captive, "I guess reintroductions are in order. I'm Ensign Cybele Naese, leader of the Bellerophon's first Mobile Suit squad, Cascadia Team. Name and rank, please."
"Ensign Lorelei Vogel!" She replies without a moment's hesitation, "I'm a pilot in the Newtype Division's elite team 'Hunting Pack'!"
Looking quite pleased with herself, she holds out her hand. You… guess she wants a snack now. You pop open a bag of chips and hand her a few.
"Thanks!" She pops them in her mouth, "I really like this brand. Did you know that they're a subsidiary of McDaniels?"
No. You did not. But chip brand ownership isn't what you came here to discuss.
"Well, I had some questions." You start, "Would you mind answering a few?"
"Sure!" Lorelei smiles warmly, "I wanted to talk with you anyways!"
Right. Well, first off…
"During the fight you mentioned me being one of 'you', and you keep talking about 'understanding'. What's all that about? I don't get it."
After you speak, she giggles and leans forward eagerly.
"Well, it's pretty simple! We're both Newtypes, right? And Newtypes are supposed to be able to fully understand each other without words. I bet you can even understand Oldtypes too, if you try."
You nod, "I get that, but you're talking about more than just being a Newtype, right?"
"Right!" She beams, "Being a Newtype gives you a lot of abilities, like the power to communicate without words over distance, to feel emotions, seeing other people's memories, and other cool stuff like that!"
Wait, seeing memories? What does she mean-?
"But, But!" She interjects with a raised finger, "Understanding someone isn't the same as learning to live together in peace. Some people believe that it is, but they're wrong!"
"Well, of course." You agree, "Understanding is just the first step towards coming to a compromise."
"Eeert! Wrong!" She crosses her arms dramatically, "Empathy is just that! Empathy! I can understand the motives and emotions of anyone, but I can't come to a compromise or mutual agreement with all of them!"
"…Well, why not?" You try to think back to your school lessons on Contolism.
"Duh, it's pretty easy to get once you explain it… although Luke never got it." She sighs, "Okay, say Gihren Zabi was right here, and he wanted to kill you. You have something that he wants, and he'll go through you to get it without a second thought. What do you do?"
"Is this something that I want to hold onto?" You ask, to which Lorelei nods, "Okay then, well I'll see if he's open to sharing."
"He isn't! He's greedy! He wants it all!" She declares, "What now?"
"The goal here is to come to a mutual understanding, right?" You shrug, "Well, I want to keep living, so I give it to him."
"Good, but he still wants to kill you!" Lorelei replies.
Huh?
"But… why?" You ask, puzzled. He would already have what he was after, why would he still kill you?
"Does he need a reason? Men and women like him exist all over the place, Cybele! They just don't see other people as people, so they see no issue with eliminating them! It's all a matter of mindset!" She concludes with satisfaction, "It's impossible to come to a true understanding with people like that."
Uh, so she thinks that you're like her because you said that it's possible to come to an understanding but not get along. So…
"Wait." You pause as it hits you, "Are you saying that I believe in a Newtype renaissance or something, but I'm not an idealist?"
"Exactly!" She gives you a thumbs up, "Which means that you're exactly the kind of person I've been looking for!"
Wait, so when she said that you were "one of us", she meant-
"Yep, it's just us two!" She giggles cheerily, "For now, anyways. I'm sure there are more like us out there. It's both who we are and what we are!"
…
This girl is crazy.
"Only according to my mother!" she smirks, winking at you. Oh god she's reading your mind.
"Okay, don't do that," you grumble, trying to ignore all the happy vibes coming off of her, "but moving on, is there anything you can tell us that will make all of this worth anything? My superiors want to know what you know, and you know how superior officers can be."
"Hm…" She muses over the question, tapping her chin, "I'm stationed aboard the 'Gaunland' which is a refurbished Alexandria-class, my Commander is an Oldtype who uses the NITRO system, so she's a bit unstable, I can tell you about the different Mobile Suits I've seen in use in our division, my Mobile Suit is rigged to explode, I know all of Luke's favorite foods, the soft-serve machine on the Gaunland is busted, we-"
"What." You interrupt her. What did she just say?!
"Oh, sorry, I said that the soft serve machine on the Gaunland is-" She starts repeating herself, but you cut her off.
"No, no, not that, you said your Mobile Suit is rigged to explode?!"
"Yep! Charges all around the reactor!" Lorelei explains as if it were the best news in the world, "Enough to make it go critical in an instant! Really big explosion, I doubt I'd be able to eject in time if they did go off!"
She hasn't even finished her sentence before you're at the door, jamming the comm panel's activation button, "Captain, you get that?!"
"Engineering teams are already on the way." Captain Nouri answers, "I have some questions to ask her too, now."
"Aye, Captain!" She does a mock salute.
"Was this the plan? To sacrifice you to blow up this ship?"
"Nope! In fact, I bet my team thinks that I died in combat."
That's… weird. Okay, this is really strange, you're going to have to clarify some of this later.
"Okay then," the Captain mutters something to herself, "Is the bomb armed?"
"Oh, it's always armed!" Lorelei leans back in her chair, pouting once she realizes it's bolted to the floor, "But Cybele got the receiver for the detonator, so it should be fine… I think. I don't really know if it has an independent timer. It's air-gapped from the OS, to prevent me from tinkering with it."
"That tracks, but why rig your MS to explode in the first place?" She asks, to which Lorelei gives you a meaningful look as she replies.
"I dunno, maybe it's because I'm one of those big, scary Newtypes who'll one day destroy the Federation? Or something like that." Her smile is a bit bitter this time, "I only know about it because I saw the memories of one of the mechanics who worked on my Mobile Suit. It's to prevent capture… or desertion."
"So…" You cut back in as the sobering truth settles in, "This was a gamble for you too. If you had been wrong about the detonator, or I didn't follow your directions…"
"We would have both gone up." Lorelei finishes for you, "Boom."
Quietly, you sit back down.
You open one of the packets of juice you brought with you and hand the remaining one to Lorelei, who thanks you quietly. The two of you sit in complete silence for a minute as you sip the packets dry.
She puts down the empty juice packet and smiles at you again.
"I have other info I can give your Captain. Although I'm sure she'd rather ask targeted questions, unless she wants a laundry list of things."
Yep, that sounds about right. You get a sense of satisfaction from Captain Nouri… well, a bit of it. It's hard to cut through the tension spreading throughout the ship as everyone slowly learns that there's a live bomb onboard that could blow everyone to hell without warning. The sense of urgency coming from the hangar is also worrying… but at least it's not panic. Yet.
"So…" You think back to your little list of questions, "How exactly are you planning on explaining all of this to your Commander and the rest of your team? I mean, you're probably pretty valuable to them, the higher ups are probably going to want to leverage you in a prisoner swap or something."
Lorelei shakes her head, "I'm not going back."
"Uh, we aren't just going to keep you here as a prisoner forever," You point out, "You can't keep having your friends and family think that you're dead, right?"
"Oh, you don't get it yet." She pouts, "I'm not going back! I'm defecting!"
…. Huh?!
"Wait, hold on, you're defecting?! But why fake dying?"
"Because my family will be killed if they figure out that I actually defected." Lorelei winks, and you feel your headache grow.
"But… once you reenter combat, won't they figure out that you survived?" You ask, already seeing the holes in this plan.
"Oh, sure, but not for a while." She just laughs it off, "Until then, I'll be a Char! I'll wear a mask and insist that my name is not Lorelei Vogel, but Katarina Eirkuchen! Enigmatic Londo Bell Pilot!"
….
"You spent a lot of time thinking about this, haven't you?"
She looks at you dead in the eyes, serious, "Yes."
"And what's Eirkuchen mean?"
"Eggcake." She answers with the same seriousness as before.
You hand her the rest of the chips and unwrap a granola bar for yourself. You need time to process this information.
So, Lorelei wants to defect. You suppose you understand, you wouldn't want to side with people that put a bomb in your Mobile Suit with the threat of exploding it and killing your family if you defected, but still… doesn't this seem too good to be true? A powerful Newtype piloting a Mass-Production Type Nu Gundam joining your side the first time you meet?
You'll have to gather your thoughts a bit more before you try and figure out what she's really aiming for.
"So…. That Crux Dogatie guy," you finally speak after a full minute of nothing but granola-chewing and chip-crunching, "Did you notice anything off while he was answering us? I don't know about you, but he didn't seem on the level with us."
"Oh yeah," Lorelei swallows her mouthful of chips, "He's lying. Completely."
Good, so you weren't the only person who felt that. If the Newtype who's more powerful than you confirms it, it's probably true.
"Got any idea what he's planning?" You ask, although there's no way she actually would know what-
"War crimes." She replies without hesitation, "Not sure what kind, but definitely war crimes. Some form of mass genocide."
Oh. Lovely.
"See that in his memories?" You ask, and she nods.
"Saw quite a few things, actually. Can't tell whether he was doing his research, or has multiple contingencies. Mass bombardment with nukes, Colony drops, he's definitely considering all of it. I dunno whether he actually has any nukes or not, though. I just saw him doing the research."
Urgh. As if you didn't have enough to worry about.
"Okay then, that's going to be a pain and a half…" You finish off your granola and toss the wrapper, "But alright, let's get down to it. Lorelei, what do you want? Why did you want to talk to me? What's your end goal?"
"You want me to put it into plain words? It's simple." She smiles warmly, "I want to defect to Londo Bell and join your team specifically. I want to become a member of Cascadia Team. I also want your help to rescue my family from the Federation!"
"You do realize," you sigh, "that it's not up to me, right? The Captain will have to decide whether to accept you or not, as well as whether to lend aid."
"I understand." She nods, before smirking smugly, "I suspect that you'll put in a good word for me, though. It's not like you could let me go back anyways. After all, I know your secret~"
Secret? What is she… oh… oh no…
Cold sweat starts to drip down the back of your neck. She can't possibly referring to-!
"Oh, but I am," She whispers, "Miss fangirl."
Shit. She knows. Lorelei knows that you're a White Meteor groupie. She knows about the poster and the bubble bath and the light-up sneakers and the model kits and the sleeping bag and the sheets and the pillowcase and the limited-edition snacks and the t-shirts and the dakimura-!
"Your memories betray you." The devious Newtype teases you, "But don't worry… I wouldn't sell you out like that. After all, I have a secret to keep as well."
She pulls a little golden locket out from under her shirt, lifting it off of her neck and opening it in front of you. Huh, looks like a photo of Lorelei with her parents in front of a house. Some words from her parents about always loving her. Why is this a secret?
Then she slips her fingernail into a small crack. It's a false lid! She flips it up to show you the true contents.
You look up and meet her gaze. Until this moment, you hadn't really known what it meant to come to complete understanding with another Newtype. You both reach out and grasp each other's hands in solidarity. You're sisters-in-arms now.
Londenion-Anaheim Prototype Proving Grounds
"What's wrong, Captain?" the operator asks over comms, "You don't look so great. Do you need to abort?"
"Just had a feeling that something bad was happening… nothing you need to worry about." Amuro waves off the operator's concern, making a mental note to look into that strange, unsettling sensation that just shot through him, "I'm continuing the test. Amuro Ray, Nu Gundam Kai, launching!"
Argama-Bridge
"Beecha!" Mondo calls their leader over to the communications console, "That kid from the Bellerophon is on the line, the one who keeps getting our names wrong."
"Eh? What'd she call you this time?" He asks as he takes the headset from his friend.
"Mambo," said friend dryly replies, "Good luck."
Beecha sigha, then turns on the mic as he slips on the headset, "Hey, Cybele. What can we do for you?"
"Hi there, Bachi," Cybele mangles his name once again, "We just got back from the Jupitris II. Got some info you might be interested in."
"Okay? I'm listening." He grabs his water bottle and takes a swig. What kind of info does she have? He's mildly curious.
"I saw the Double Zeta!"
The rest of the bridge crew recoils in alarm as Beecha does a spit-take, sending droplets everywhere.
"W-Wait, you saw the ZZ Gundam? You saw Judau?!"
Did Judau return to the Earth Sphere? No way, last time they talked (which was admittedly like a year or two ago) he hadn't expressed any desire to come back, not even to see Leina! Although he had asked to see about sending Leina to him. Sadly those plans had fallen through when the colony she was staying at fell under Federation control. The Feds had her deported somewhere else immediately. Elle and Beecha had tried to find her, but Leina had pretty much vanished.
Actually, nevermind, it was obvious about why Judau would come back.
"Hm? No, I didn't see who was piloting it." Cybele replies apologetically, "I guess it could have been your friend, Judy."
Beecha glances at Mondo with a tired sigh, the latter mouthing silently, "You just said his name!"
"Anyways, that guy in charge of the fleet, Crux Dogatie," Cybele continues, "There's something up with him. If Judon is really with them, you might want to reach out and see if he needs help."
"Yes, thanks for that," Beecha replies stiffly, "I'll be sure to try and contact our friends Judau Ashta and Roux Louka."
"Great! Glad I was able to help!" Cybele says, "Oh, if you do get in touch with Mr. Ashtray and Ms. Loopy, lemme know, okay? I need to ask them about that Dogatie guy. Catch you later!"
With a click, she hangs up.
"..." Mondo stares at Beecha, "She knows our names, she's just fucking with us, isn't she?"
Beecha sighs, "I really don't know with that girl. Either way, we should follow up on this. If Judau and Roux really are back, we need to get in touch. In fact, the fact that they haven't already doesn't sit right with me..."
Jupitris II-Officer's Quarters
She tosses her towel aside onto the chair, letting it dry like that. Sitting for hours in the Lightning Zeta's cockpit could get a bit stifling. She'd wanted to greet the representatives from Londo Bell, and so had Judau. They had history with Bright, and would have been invaluable to the talks, but Captain Dogatie kept them deployed for the entire affair. He hadn't even let them near the Londo Bell or Fed Mobile Suits…
Both of them knew that something wasn't right with Dogatie. He was just… off. But he had been their ride back to the Earth Sphere, and in record time too. This was the fastest way to find Leina, before something horrible happened to her.
But if Dogatie had no intention of letting them out of his sight…
She leans next to the bathroom door, waiting for Judau to finish his shower before speaking.
"You know, it might be a good idea to strike out on our own." She proposes, "I don't think we'll be able to find Leina like this."
He grunts, toweling off, "Yeah, but we need support. The ZZ and Lightning Zeta aren't exactly economical when it comes to fuel consumption. We'd be running on fumes before we got to the nearest station."
Well, he could probably use G-Fortress mode to reach a colony, but what about Roux? The Lightning Zeta omitted the original Zeta's transformation mechanism, meaning no Waverider mode, meaning shorter range. Judau might make it out, but he couldn't leave her here.
"We should see what the others are doing, then." Roux slips on her uniform, "I'll see about getting a message out from the communications control room. You see if you can't contact them by other means."
"Right…" Judau mutters as she leaves, "Other means…"
Even as far as Jupiter, he could feel the presence of his friends and family. That was how he knew that Leina was in danger. But to actually talk with them… was there any guarantee that they were strong enough Newtypes to hear him? No, they had to be. He knew they were. So he sits down on the edge of the bed, closes his eyes, and tries to reach out…
The Phillipines-Near Mahagnao Volcano
The group travels quickly and quietly through the dark forest, pausing occasionally as the drone of Base Jabbers overhead pass by. They have to be stealthy, or else they'll be caught.
"Damn Feds are on us like flies…" One of the group scowls, "You two, don't fall behind."
A boy in his late teens pants, out of breath, "Easy for… you to say… I feel like… I'm dying…"
The young woman with him helps him to his feet, "Come on, Hathaway, just a few more miles to the hideout. You can do it."
"T-Thanks, Miss Elle…" He nods gratefully, struggling along, "Once we get a message… to my dad… he can send help."
Yes, once they contacted Londo Bell then things could start to get better. But for now, they have to pull their weight. As Elle trudges through the jungle under the night sky, she pauses, feeling a familiar presence. She looks up at the stars.
"Judau?"
Bellerophon-Pilot's Quarters
Your name is Sicilia, and you're bored.
Big Sis said that you had to talk to this guy, but you don't wanna talk about your feelings or your past, you just wanna have fun, eat sweets, blow stuff up, and slaughter Big Sis's enemies!
"Sicilia, I know it's hard." This Dr. Bidan guy blabbers, "I understand what it's like to have painful memories. But if we never acknowledge them, we can never feel better about them. They just get worse."
"But I don't wanna talk about before Big Sis!" You whine, kicking your feet and pouting at the screen, "I wanna talk about something else!"
"Okay then. What do you want to talk about?" He asks.
Finally! Well, you want to talk about…
[][Sicilia] … that totally awesome speech Big Sis gave at the meeting!
[][Sicilia] … Pukey Lukey and how much you wanna fry his stinky earth baby butt with your beam cannons!
[][Sicilia] … the weird Federation girl who's trying to replace you as Big Sis's Little Sis!
[][Sicilia] …Sweets and Desserts. They are what you crave.
[][Sicilia] … that bunny cartoon that Big Sis watched with you. It was sad.
[][Story Arc] "Hathaway's Fall" (Mission Option One)
[][Story Arc] "Phoenix Hunt" (Mission Option Two)
[][Story Arc] "Legacy of the Principality" (Mission Option Three)
[][Story Arc] "Unicorn" (Mission Option Four)
"Damn it!" Luke punched his locker door, denting it. Rage and grief swirled within his gut. He couldn't believe she's gone. That brilliant, dazzling light that was there with him since he first joined the Newtype Division. Even when he had missions away from her, he could feel her presence, but now…
"Lorelei…" He choked back a sob, "How could she just… fucking damn it!"
The only other surviving Newtype from his team, Haseya Acothley, gave him a look halfway between pity and contempt.
"Hey, Walker, I think it sucks too that she bit it," Haseya sighed, "but come on, man, you had to have seen this coming. She was always fooling around, that shit was going to bite her in the ass one day."
Luke rounded on his teammate, furiously grabbing her by the front of her pilot suit and pushing her back against the lockers.
"You talk crap about Lorelei one more time," he growled, "and I swear to god, Haseya, I'm gonna kick your ass."
Haseya's eyes narrowed coldly, "Hey there, Walker, ease it up unless you want me to make you taste the floor."
"Both of you, can it." Their Commander ordered, as she stowed her helmet, "Save it for the ones who killed her."
It took a moment, but Luke obeyed, dropping Acothley and putting some distance between them before sitting down on the bench.
"You're right… I'm going to get that girl… Cybele Naese…" He muttered, cold anger dripping from his words, "I'm going to make her pay. I don't care if she's the leader of her team, she killed Lorelei, and for that I'll kill her."
"Agreed on killing her, she's a priority target," the Commander nodded, "but she's not their team leader."
"Huh?" Acothley tilted her head in confusion, "But she told us she was, and her team was following her orders."
Luke agreed. The two of them were both Newtypes and they could feel that the energy of that team was centered around Cybele. She was their nexus, their focus. Taking her down would be the key to taking them out. So, who did their Commander think was the leader?
"It was an obvious mislead," she explained, looking a bit shaken, "but the moment I locked blades with him, I knew he had to be their leader. He's too skilled, and besides it makes sense."
Locked blades with him? Wait, to Luke's knowledge, the only person the Commander went 1v1 with during that fight was…
"The Oldtype?" Acothley guessed, completely baffled, "The one in the Methuss?"
"Mmhm. That Methuss was performing way above spec." The Commander continued, "Hiding in a mass production suit tuned up to high performance levels… sneaky, very sneaky. Besides, he's the only adult in their group. It makes more sense that he'd be the one in charge, as opposed to the girl still in puberty spouting lectures that sound like they're taken out of a Zabi propaganda reel."
Acothley and Luke shared a glance. Their Commander had that guy pegged wrong. Sure, he looked like a good pilot, and he was certainly performing like an ace, but he was definitely not their team leader. However, they knew that voicing such an opinion would get them shut down fast.
The older woman shut her locker and finished zipping up her uniform, "I need to send my report. You two get some rest. If you want to write a letter to ensign Vogel's next of kin, do so now and I'll send it out with mine."
Luke grimaced as he thought of what to say to Lorelei's folks. Damn it… Damn Londo Bell to Hell!
"Lorelei…" he whispered, staring at the photo pinned up on the inside of his locker door, taken with her just the week before, the two of them posing in front of a fountain in Granada, "I… hope that you're in a better place."
Bellerophon-Interrogation Room-Now
"Hi!" Lorelei beams at you as you sit across from her.
You look back, answering after a moment, "…Hi."
[X][Lorelei] Talk with her. She gave herself up, and there has to be a reason.
"So…" You pull out some of the snacks that the Captain gave you, possible bribes for the captive, "I guess reintroductions are in order. I'm Ensign Cybele Naese, leader of the Bellerophon's first Mobile Suit squad, Cascadia Team. Name and rank, please."
"Ensign Lorelei Vogel!" She replies without a moment's hesitation, "I'm a pilot in the Newtype Division's elite team 'Hunting Pack'!"
Looking quite pleased with herself, she holds out her hand. You… guess she wants a snack now. You pop open a bag of chips and hand her a few.
"Thanks!" She pops them in her mouth, "I really like this brand. Did you know that they're a subsidiary of McDaniels?"
No. You did not. But chip brand ownership isn't what you came here to discuss.
"Well, I had some questions." You start, "Would you mind answering a few?"
"Sure!" Lorelei smiles warmly, "I wanted to talk with you anyways!"
Right. Well, first off…
"During the fight you mentioned me being one of 'you', and you keep talking about 'understanding'. What's all that about? I don't get it."
After you speak, she giggles and leans forward eagerly.
"Well, it's pretty simple! We're both Newtypes, right? And Newtypes are supposed to be able to fully understand each other without words. I bet you can even understand Oldtypes too, if you try."
You nod, "I get that, but you're talking about more than just being a Newtype, right?"
"Right!" She beams, "Being a Newtype gives you a lot of abilities, like the power to communicate without words over distance, to feel emotions, seeing other people's memories, and other cool stuff like that!"
Wait, seeing memories? What does she mean-?
"But, But!" She interjects with a raised finger, "Understanding someone isn't the same as learning to live together in peace. Some people believe that it is, but they're wrong!"
"Well, of course." You agree, "Understanding is just the first step towards coming to a compromise."
"Eeert! Wrong!" She crosses her arms dramatically, "Empathy is just that! Empathy! I can understand the motives and emotions of anyone, but I can't come to a compromise or mutual agreement with all of them!"
"…Well, why not?" You try to think back to your school lessons on Contolism.
"Duh, it's pretty easy to get once you explain it… although Luke never got it." She sighs, "Okay, say Gihren Zabi was right here, and he wanted to kill you. You have something that he wants, and he'll go through you to get it without a second thought. What do you do?"
"Is this something that I want to hold onto?" You ask, to which Lorelei nods, "Okay then, well I'll see if he's open to sharing."
"He isn't! He's greedy! He wants it all!" She declares, "What now?"
"The goal here is to come to a mutual understanding, right?" You shrug, "Well, I want to keep living, so I give it to him."
"Good, but he still wants to kill you!" Lorelei replies.
Huh?
"But… why?" You ask, puzzled. He would already have what he was after, why would he still kill you?
"Does he need a reason? Men and women like him exist all over the place, Cybele! They just don't see other people as people, so they see no issue with eliminating them! It's all a matter of mindset!" She concludes with satisfaction, "It's impossible to come to a true understanding with people like that."
Uh, so she thinks that you're like her because you said that it's possible to come to an understanding but not get along. So…
"Wait." You pause as it hits you, "Are you saying that I believe in a Newtype renaissance or something, but I'm not an idealist?"
"Exactly!" She gives you a thumbs up, "Which means that you're exactly the kind of person I've been looking for!"
Wait, so when she said that you were "one of us", she meant-
"Yep, it's just us two!" She giggles cheerily, "For now, anyways. I'm sure there are more like us out there. It's both who we are and what we are!"
…
This girl is crazy.
"Only according to my mother!" she smirks, winking at you. Oh god she's reading your mind.
"Okay, don't do that," you grumble, trying to ignore all the happy vibes coming off of her, "but moving on, is there anything you can tell us that will make all of this worth anything? My superiors want to know what you know, and you know how superior officers can be."
"Hm…" She muses over the question, tapping her chin, "I'm stationed aboard the 'Gaunland' which is a refurbished Alexandria-class, my Commander is an Oldtype who uses the NITRO system, so she's a bit unstable, I can tell you about the different Mobile Suits I've seen in use in our division, my Mobile Suit is rigged to explode, I know all of Luke's favorite foods, the soft-serve machine on the Gaunland is busted, we-"
"What." You interrupt her. What did she just say?!
"Oh, sorry, I said that the soft serve machine on the Gaunland is-" She starts repeating herself, but you cut her off.
"No, no, not that, you said your Mobile Suit is rigged to explode?!"
"Yep! Charges all around the reactor!" Lorelei explains as if it were the best news in the world, "Enough to make it go critical in an instant! Really big explosion, I doubt I'd be able to eject in time if they did go off!"
She hasn't even finished her sentence before you're at the door, jamming the comm panel's activation button, "Captain, you get that?!"
"Engineering teams are already on the way." Captain Nouri answers, "I have some questions to ask her too, now."
"Aye, Captain!" She does a mock salute.
"Was this the plan? To sacrifice you to blow up this ship?"
"Nope! In fact, I bet my team thinks that I died in combat."
That's… weird. Okay, this is really strange, you're going to have to clarify some of this later.
"Okay then," the Captain mutters something to herself, "Is the bomb armed?"
"Oh, it's always armed!" Lorelei leans back in her chair, pouting once she realizes it's bolted to the floor, "But Cybele got the receiver for the detonator, so it should be fine… I think. I don't really know if it has an independent timer. It's air-gapped from the OS, to prevent me from tinkering with it."
"That tracks, but why rig your MS to explode in the first place?" She asks, to which Lorelei gives you a meaningful look as she replies.
"I dunno, maybe it's because I'm one of those big, scary Newtypes who'll one day destroy the Federation? Or something like that." Her smile is a bit bitter this time, "I only know about it because I saw the memories of one of the mechanics who worked on my Mobile Suit. It's to prevent capture… or desertion."
"So…" You cut back in as the sobering truth settles in, "This was a gamble for you too. If you had been wrong about the detonator, or I didn't follow your directions…"
"We would have both gone up." Lorelei finishes for you, "Boom."
Quietly, you sit back down.
You open one of the packets of juice you brought with you and hand the remaining one to Lorelei, who thanks you quietly. The two of you sit in complete silence for a minute as you sip the packets dry.
She puts down the empty juice packet and smiles at you again.
"I have other info I can give your Captain. Although I'm sure she'd rather ask targeted questions, unless she wants a laundry list of things."
Yep, that sounds about right. You get a sense of satisfaction from Captain Nouri… well, a bit of it. It's hard to cut through the tension spreading throughout the ship as everyone slowly learns that there's a live bomb onboard that could blow everyone to hell without warning. The sense of urgency coming from the hangar is also worrying… but at least it's not panic. Yet.
"So…" You think back to your little list of questions, "How exactly are you planning on explaining all of this to your Commander and the rest of your team? I mean, you're probably pretty valuable to them, the higher ups are probably going to want to leverage you in a prisoner swap or something."
Lorelei shakes her head, "I'm not going back."
"Uh, we aren't just going to keep you here as a prisoner forever," You point out, "You can't keep having your friends and family think that you're dead, right?"
"Oh, you don't get it yet." She pouts, "I'm not going back! I'm defecting!"
…. Huh?!
"Wait, hold on, you're defecting?! But why fake dying?"
"Because my family will be killed if they figure out that I actually defected." Lorelei winks, and you feel your headache grow.
"But… once you reenter combat, won't they figure out that you survived?" You ask, already seeing the holes in this plan.
"Oh, sure, but not for a while." She just laughs it off, "Until then, I'll be a Char! I'll wear a mask and insist that my name is not Lorelei Vogel, but Katarina Eirkuchen! Enigmatic Londo Bell Pilot!"
….
"You spent a lot of time thinking about this, haven't you?"
She looks at you dead in the eyes, serious, "Yes."
"And what's Eirkuchen mean?"
"Eggcake." She answers with the same seriousness as before.
You hand her the rest of the chips and unwrap a granola bar for yourself. You need time to process this information.
So, Lorelei wants to defect. You suppose you understand, you wouldn't want to side with people that put a bomb in your Mobile Suit with the threat of exploding it and killing your family if you defected, but still… doesn't this seem too good to be true? A powerful Newtype piloting a Mass-Production Type Nu Gundam joining your side the first time you meet?
You'll have to gather your thoughts a bit more before you try and figure out what she's really aiming for.
"So…. That Crux Dogatie guy," you finally speak after a full minute of nothing but granola-chewing and chip-crunching, "Did you notice anything off while he was answering us? I don't know about you, but he didn't seem on the level with us."
"Oh yeah," Lorelei swallows her mouthful of chips, "He's lying. Completely."
Good, so you weren't the only person who felt that. If the Newtype who's more powerful than you confirms it, it's probably true.
"Got any idea what he's planning?" You ask, although there's no way she actually would know what-
"War crimes." She replies without hesitation, "Not sure what kind, but definitely war crimes. Some form of mass genocide."
Oh. Lovely.
"See that in his memories?" You ask, and she nods.
"Saw quite a few things, actually. Can't tell whether he was doing his research, or has multiple contingencies. Mass bombardment with nukes, Colony drops, he's definitely considering all of it. I dunno whether he actually has any nukes or not, though. I just saw him doing the research."
Urgh. As if you didn't have enough to worry about.
"Okay then, that's going to be a pain and a half…" You finish off your granola and toss the wrapper, "But alright, let's get down to it. Lorelei, what do you want? Why did you want to talk to me? What's your end goal?"
"You want me to put it into plain words? It's simple." She smiles warmly, "I want to defect to Londo Bell and join your team specifically. I want to become a member of Cascadia Team. I also want your help to rescue my family from the Federation!"
"You do realize," you sigh, "that it's not up to me, right? The Captain will have to decide whether to accept you or not, as well as whether to lend aid."
"I understand." She nods, before smirking smugly, "I suspect that you'll put in a good word for me, though. It's not like you could let me go back anyways. After all, I know your secret~"
Secret? What is she… oh… oh no…
Cold sweat starts to drip down the back of your neck. She can't possibly referring to-!
"Oh, but I am," She whispers, "Miss fangirl."
Shit. She knows. Lorelei knows that you're a White Meteor groupie. She knows about the poster and the bubble bath and the light-up sneakers and the model kits and the sleeping bag and the sheets and the pillowcase and the limited-edition snacks and the t-shirts and the dakimura-!
"Your memories betray you." The devious Newtype teases you, "But don't worry… I wouldn't sell you out like that. After all, I have a secret to keep as well."
She pulls a little golden locket out from under her shirt, lifting it off of her neck and opening it in front of you. Huh, looks like a photo of Lorelei with her parents in front of a house. Some words from her parents about always loving her. Why is this a secret?
Then she slips her fingernail into a small crack. It's a false lid! She flips it up to show you the true contents.
You look up and meet her gaze. Until this moment, you hadn't really known what it meant to come to complete understanding with another Newtype. You both reach out and grasp each other's hands in solidarity. You're sisters-in-arms now.
Londenion-Anaheim Prototype Proving Grounds
"What's wrong, Captain?" the operator asks over comms, "You don't look so great. Do you need to abort?"
"Just had a feeling that something bad was happening… nothing you need to worry about." Amuro waves off the operator's concern, making a mental note to look into that strange, unsettling sensation that just shot through him, "I'm continuing the test. Amuro Ray, Nu Gundam Kai, launching!"
Argama-Bridge
"Beecha!" Mondo calls their leader over to the communications console, "That kid from the Bellerophon is on the line, the one who keeps getting our names wrong."
"Eh? What'd she call you this time?" He asks as he takes the headset from his friend.
"Mambo," said friend dryly replies, "Good luck."
Beecha sigha, then turns on the mic as he slips on the headset, "Hey, Cybele. What can we do for you?"
"Hi there, Bachi," Cybele mangles his name once again, "We just got back from the Jupitris II. Got some info you might be interested in."
"Okay? I'm listening." He grabs his water bottle and takes a swig. What kind of info does she have? He's mildly curious.
"I saw the Double Zeta!"
The rest of the bridge crew recoils in alarm as Beecha does a spit-take, sending droplets everywhere.
"W-Wait, you saw the ZZ Gundam? You saw Judau?!"
Did Judau return to the Earth Sphere? No way, last time they talked (which was admittedly like a year or two ago) he hadn't expressed any desire to come back, not even to see Leina! Although he had asked to see about sending Leina to him. Sadly those plans had fallen through when the colony she was staying at fell under Federation control. The Feds had her deported somewhere else immediately. Elle and Beecha had tried to find her, but Leina had pretty much vanished.
Actually, nevermind, it was obvious about why Judau would come back.
"Hm? No, I didn't see who was piloting it." Cybele replies apologetically, "I guess it could have been your friend, Judy."
Beecha glances at Mondo with a tired sigh, the latter mouthing silently, "You just said his name!"
"Anyways, that guy in charge of the fleet, Crux Dogatie," Cybele continues, "There's something up with him. If Judon is really with them, you might want to reach out and see if he needs help."
"Yes, thanks for that," Beecha replies stiffly, "I'll be sure to try and contact our friends Judau Ashta and Roux Louka."
"Great! Glad I was able to help!" Cybele says, "Oh, if you do get in touch with Mr. Ashtray and Ms. Loopy, lemme know, okay? I need to ask them about that Dogatie guy. Catch you later!"
With a click, she hangs up.
"..." Mondo stares at Beecha, "She knows our names, she's just fucking with us, isn't she?"
Beecha sighs, "I really don't know with that girl. Either way, we should follow up on this. If Judau and Roux really are back, we need to get in touch. In fact, the fact that they haven't already doesn't sit right with me..."
Jupitris II-Officer's Quarters
She tosses her towel aside onto the chair, letting it dry like that. Sitting for hours in the Lightning Zeta's cockpit could get a bit stifling. She'd wanted to greet the representatives from Londo Bell, and so had Judau. They had history with Bright, and would have been invaluable to the talks, but Captain Dogatie kept them deployed for the entire affair. He hadn't even let them near the Londo Bell or Fed Mobile Suits…
Both of them knew that something wasn't right with Dogatie. He was just… off. But he had been their ride back to the Earth Sphere, and in record time too. This was the fastest way to find Leina, before something horrible happened to her.
But if Dogatie had no intention of letting them out of his sight…
She leans next to the bathroom door, waiting for Judau to finish his shower before speaking.
"You know, it might be a good idea to strike out on our own." She proposes, "I don't think we'll be able to find Leina like this."
He grunts, toweling off, "Yeah, but we need support. The ZZ and Lightning Zeta aren't exactly economical when it comes to fuel consumption. We'd be running on fumes before we got to the nearest station."
Well, he could probably use G-Fortress mode to reach a colony, but what about Roux? The Lightning Zeta omitted the original Zeta's transformation mechanism, meaning no Waverider mode, meaning shorter range. Judau might make it out, but he couldn't leave her here.
"We should see what the others are doing, then." Roux slips on her uniform, "I'll see about getting a message out from the communications control room. You see if you can't contact them by other means."
"Right…" Judau mutters as she leaves, "Other means…"
Even as far as Jupiter, he could feel the presence of his friends and family. That was how he knew that Leina was in danger. But to actually talk with them… was there any guarantee that they were strong enough Newtypes to hear him? No, they had to be. He knew they were. So he sits down on the edge of the bed, closes his eyes, and tries to reach out…
The Phillipines-Near Mahagnao Volcano
The group travels quickly and quietly through the dark forest, pausing occasionally as the drone of Base Jabbers overhead pass by. They have to be stealthy, or else they'll be caught.
"Damn Feds are on us like flies…" One of the group scowls, "You two, don't fall behind."
A boy in his late teens pants, out of breath, "Easy for… you to say… I feel like… I'm dying…"
The young woman with him helps him to his feet, "Come on, Hathaway, just a few more miles to the hideout. You can do it."
"T-Thanks, Miss Elle…" He nods gratefully, struggling along, "Once we get a message… to my dad… he can send help."
Yes, once they contacted Londo Bell then things could start to get better. But for now, they have to pull their weight. As Elle trudges through the jungle under the night sky, she pauses, feeling a familiar presence. She looks up at the stars.
"Judau?"
Bellerophon-Pilot's Quarters
Your name is Sicilia, and you're bored.
Big Sis said that you had to talk to this guy, but you don't wanna talk about your feelings or your past, you just wanna have fun, eat sweets, blow stuff up, and slaughter Big Sis's enemies!
"Sicilia, I know it's hard." This Dr. Bidan guy blabbers, "I understand what it's like to have painful memories. But if we never acknowledge them, we can never feel better about them. They just get worse."
"But I don't wanna talk about before Big Sis!" You whine, kicking your feet and pouting at the screen, "I wanna talk about something else!"
"Okay then. What do you want to talk about?" He asks.
Finally! Well, you want to talk about…
[][Sicilia] … that totally awesome speech Big Sis gave at the meeting!
[][Sicilia] … Pukey Lukey and how much you wanna fry his stinky earth baby butt with your beam cannons!
[][Sicilia] … the weird Federation girl who's trying to replace you as Big Sis's Little Sis!
[][Sicilia] …Sweets and Desserts. They are what you crave.
[][Sicilia] … that bunny cartoon that Big Sis watched with you. It was sad.
[This next vote is for the upcoming story arc, which will commence after a few updates following Cybele and friends aboard the Bellerophon. Note that options One or Two will reach their final stages if not chosen, and will only have one more opportunity to be chosen later on before they Bad End. The outcome of each one of course is better if you choose them now. The opportunity to choose it later on will only avoid a worst-case scenario.]
[][Story Arc] "Hathaway's Fall" (Mission Option One)
[][Story Arc] "Phoenix Hunt" (Mission Option Two)
[][Story Arc] "Legacy of the Principality" (Mission Option Three)
[][Story Arc] "Unicorn" (Mission Option Four)
