Ranmaru tugged on the gloves of his formal uniform and very calmly straightened his cape one last time.

"Are you sure about this? You've never been one to play politics Captain," came a voice from a chair with Ranmaru glancing over at the Colonel who was calmly sitting in his seat.

"The enemy has unfortunately forced me to make a play, if I don't play the game I will become yet another pawn and scapegoat for our honorable Imperial Command," Ranmaru said calmly now as he raked his fingers through his hair for a brief moment.

"Just remember the moment you step into the game there is no backing out," the Colonel said with an amused smile now.

"No different then piloting a mobilesuit then, the only difference being is the weapons I reach for," Ranmaru observed before giving a nod to the Colonel and followed the directions and hand signals of someone before stepping out to face the assembled crowd of reporters, civilians, and military figures.

[===================================]

"Ladies and gentleman I give you Captain Ranmaru Alaunte (Rikugan Taii)," came the voice of an Imperial Politician as Ranmaru came forward walking with a strong stride his uniform prefect and without a single blemish as he stood at the pedestal. Eyes were watching him, the wolves were waiting, his nerves felt strained not having been tested so since his first combat operation as a mobilesuit pilot.

"Citizens of the Greater Empire of Japan, I stand before you unfortunately not to deliver news of wild successes from the actions the military has taken along the border..." he said pausing and closing his eyes for a moment a moment that felt like an eternity.

"But to honor those valiant men and women who served during that operation," he said as he tapped a display bringing up the list of dead from Task Force Ryu. "To those families who lost brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers from that task force you have my most humble apologies that I could not bring them home back to you," he said as he tapped another switch another display coming on showing acts of insane bravery and heroism.

"Each member of that Task Force fought like ten men during the disgusting counter-attack by the European dogs where they unveiled their latest monstrosity," he said as he brought up a third monitor online showing the enemy's Archangel in a single photograph. "I was honored to serve alongside these individuals, and were it not for their sacrifice and valiance the Empire would not have gotten warning of the European's latest weapon," he said calmly now. "Mark my words those lives lost will not be in vain."

He could hear the clicks of cameras, the quiet discussion amongst the crowd and a reporter rose.

"And why did you not stand and fight with the task force?" came the sneer of a man who was looking to make a public name for himself.

Ranmaru's eyes flashed now and he turned his gaze directly onto the man.

"Because Fujiwara Masato-san made a choice. To hold back the enemy. He knew the Empire needed warning of the European's latest weapon. I would not make his honorable sacrifice and his final request be in vain. That man is the reason I stand before you today, a man whose name should be enshrined as a true Samurai," he said calmly now.

"If not for his choice, his sacrifice, I probably would have died their on the battlefield with my men," he said calmly now even as he drew his katana and buried the tip into the ground beside him.

"His sacrifice I will personally make sure the Europeans pay for ten times over," he said directly to the sneering reporter.