Post by MING on Nov 16, 2009 16:29:07 GMT -5
I hate this...
The bright lights of the hallways of Odessa, the lack of any type of grit or grime that normally showed on any frontline base. They all set Diego's nerves on edge. He should be out on the frontlines, fighting against the Federals who were pushing back now that they had their own mobile suits. Instead, he'd been recalled for some sort of special assignment and given several days of leave to "rest".
When had he become more comfortable sleeping in his Zaku's cockpit than in a bed?
A door opened, a colonel wearing Mobile Assault Force insignia stepping through and focusing on Diego.
"Sergeant Cortez?"
Finally, it's about bloody time..
"Yes, sir. Reporting as ordered." Diego responded, standing up and saluting. The colonel responded in kind.
"At ease, soldier." he responded, motioning Diego into the small office. The interior was spartan, a single bookshelf with a few operations manuals for mobile suits, a framed commendation from Degwin Zabi, and a family picture. The colonel apparently had two daughters. Two chairs sat in front of a plain, uncluttered desk.
"Have a seat."
The colonel walked around to the opposite side of the desk and sat in a creaky office chair that looked like it came with the base when Zeon took it.
"Now, do you have any idea why we've recalled you from frontline service, son?"
"No, sir. I was told there was a special assignment, but nothing beyond that." Diego responded, truthfully. He could feel a drop of sweat forming at his brow. These one on one sessions with the brass always made him nervous.
"Let's go over your service record. Two Salamis sunk at Lourm before your Zaku was damaged. Even then, you spent most of your time acting as point defense for your Musai. I even hear you took out a kamikaze Saberfish that would have taken the bridge out if it made it."
Now Diego was sure he was sweating. He didn't like to have his service record read to him.
"Participated in the first drop operation on Odessa. Says you spotted a camoflauged artillery position and charged it solo, took it out. Been on the front lines almost ever since. You're an accomplished soldier, one of our best."
"Sir, I don't see what my past has to do with this," Diego was ready to make a run for it by now. Whatever they had recalled him for, it couldn't be good.
"Son, we've got an experimental unit coming in from Granada. Your job is to protect the pilot and the machine. We can't have one of them just running around the front without a proper escort, you know?" the colonel smirked, holding out a folder with two pictures attached. The first was of a Zaku, though with several additional manipulator arms.
The second was the pilot, a girl several years Diego's junior, with long blonde hair and a distant stare.
"You're to meet this "Persephone" en route to Manila. You're new mobile suit is ready and waiting for you." the colonel continued.
"New suit? My Zaku is just fine, sir." Diego responded, looking up from the pilot's picture.
"Sure, but I hear a Gouf is one hell of an improvement over that old Zaku of yours."
Diego's eyes lit up. A Gouf was a dream ride, something he'd wanted from the moment he'd seen one arrive at the lines. Standing abruptly and causing the folder to drop to the ground, Diego saluted.
"Yes, sir! Thank you sir!"
Sure, it was a babysitting job from one of the mind jobs out of Granada, but at least the pilot wasn't bad on the eyes. And if it got him a Gouf? He'd watch M'Quve's vase collection if they ordered it.
The bright lights of the hallways of Odessa, the lack of any type of grit or grime that normally showed on any frontline base. They all set Diego's nerves on edge. He should be out on the frontlines, fighting against the Federals who were pushing back now that they had their own mobile suits. Instead, he'd been recalled for some sort of special assignment and given several days of leave to "rest".
When had he become more comfortable sleeping in his Zaku's cockpit than in a bed?
A door opened, a colonel wearing Mobile Assault Force insignia stepping through and focusing on Diego.
"Sergeant Cortez?"
Finally, it's about bloody time..
"Yes, sir. Reporting as ordered." Diego responded, standing up and saluting. The colonel responded in kind.
"At ease, soldier." he responded, motioning Diego into the small office. The interior was spartan, a single bookshelf with a few operations manuals for mobile suits, a framed commendation from Degwin Zabi, and a family picture. The colonel apparently had two daughters. Two chairs sat in front of a plain, uncluttered desk.
"Have a seat."
The colonel walked around to the opposite side of the desk and sat in a creaky office chair that looked like it came with the base when Zeon took it.
"Now, do you have any idea why we've recalled you from frontline service, son?"
"No, sir. I was told there was a special assignment, but nothing beyond that." Diego responded, truthfully. He could feel a drop of sweat forming at his brow. These one on one sessions with the brass always made him nervous.
"Let's go over your service record. Two Salamis sunk at Lourm before your Zaku was damaged. Even then, you spent most of your time acting as point defense for your Musai. I even hear you took out a kamikaze Saberfish that would have taken the bridge out if it made it."
Now Diego was sure he was sweating. He didn't like to have his service record read to him.
"Participated in the first drop operation on Odessa. Says you spotted a camoflauged artillery position and charged it solo, took it out. Been on the front lines almost ever since. You're an accomplished soldier, one of our best."
"Sir, I don't see what my past has to do with this," Diego was ready to make a run for it by now. Whatever they had recalled him for, it couldn't be good.
"Son, we've got an experimental unit coming in from Granada. Your job is to protect the pilot and the machine. We can't have one of them just running around the front without a proper escort, you know?" the colonel smirked, holding out a folder with two pictures attached. The first was of a Zaku, though with several additional manipulator arms.
The second was the pilot, a girl several years Diego's junior, with long blonde hair and a distant stare.
"You're to meet this "Persephone" en route to Manila. You're new mobile suit is ready and waiting for you." the colonel continued.
"New suit? My Zaku is just fine, sir." Diego responded, looking up from the pilot's picture.
"Sure, but I hear a Gouf is one hell of an improvement over that old Zaku of yours."
Diego's eyes lit up. A Gouf was a dream ride, something he'd wanted from the moment he'd seen one arrive at the lines. Standing abruptly and causing the folder to drop to the ground, Diego saluted.
"Yes, sir! Thank you sir!"
Sure, it was a babysitting job from one of the mind jobs out of Granada, but at least the pilot wasn't bad on the eyes. And if it got him a Gouf? He'd watch M'Quve's vase collection if they ordered it.