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The fires of battle had died to a simmer in the city of New York. This was the second time that the Earth Federation and the Duchy of Zeon had clashed over this city. Once again, Federal attackers are leaving the former Zeon base and once more they are on the heels of Zeon forces. There is much work ahead for the 87th Integrated Fleet. Just repairing the battle damage so that planes, tanks, and mobile suits can fight as soon as possible is exhausting the repair crews. The work is non-stop, as observed by one Thorvald Siggurdson. The pilot of the Blue Destiny and his Dodai II pilot quickly collaborated together. Together, they declared themselves the unofficial morale officers of the Orange Base. There were more than a few surprised looks and some smiles when the sound of a fiddle rang out throughout the hangar. A scottish voice soon began singing "The Rocky Road to Dublin". Sure it was an Irish song, but it works. Left the girls of Tuam, Nearly broken hearted, Saluted father dear, Kissed my darlin' mother, Drank a pint of beer, My grief and tears to smother, Then off to reap the corn, And leave where I was born, I cut a stout blackthorn, To banish ghost and goblin, In a brand new pair of brogues, I rattled o'er the bogs, And frightened all the dogs,On the rocky road to Dublin. Next to him, Maurice Rawley was strumming on his fiddle until Thorvald got to the chorus part. Then together they both sang heartedly. Hunt the hare and turn her Down the rocky road And all the ways to Dublin, Whack-fol-lol-de-ra. At this point, Thorvald had jumped down with Maurice following him. The repair crew already knew Thorvald's reputation already and more than one shared in the cheerful spirit. The Blue Destiny pilot patted a few of the mechanics on the back as he made his way across the floor. A few crewmen began clapping and stomping their feet to the beat of Thorvald's song. Started by daylight, Next mornin' light and airy, Took a drop of the pure, To keep my heart from sinkin', That's an Irishman's cure, Whene'er he's on for drinking. To see the lasses smile, Laughing all the while, At my curious style, 'Twould set your heart a-bubblin'. They ax'd if I was hired, The wages I required, Till I was almost tired, Of the rocky road to Dublin. Back on the bridge of the Orange Base, Lieutenant Nigel Ferdinand held his head in his hands. He had hoped his disciplinary actions back in South Africa had fixed all of this. Apparently it hadn't. But before the Prince of Orange can order that Thorvald be shackled to a cell wall in the brig, a different sort of alarm caught everyone's attention. For the first time in about a month, Zeon had regained control of North America. The first units to resume patrol did so with a sense of urgency. They knew a massive Federal force had chased the Zeon ground autonomous forces into New York and will eventually come their way. So it is with a sense of purpose that the pilots of the West Coast Air Patrol went to afterburner. Their Lugunn had detected heavy contact and the Dopp pilots knew from the outstart that they would be outnumbered. Indeed, the six Dopps found themselves facing off against three times their numbers in Tin Cods. Despite the technological disadvantage, the Federal Tin Cods had everything else in their favor. There were more of them and the pilots are more experienced. None of the Dopps survived long enough to see the ships of the 87th Integrated Fleet. That honor would be given to the Goggs of the San Francisco Bay Guard. They had spotted the Big Sioux from a distance and tried to close in on it. But then the Don Escargots of the Renegade found them. A classic case of ASW combat followed and the Goggs soon find themselves in the same condition as the Dopps. Outnumbered and out experienced. As the brief moment of combat faded away, the Federal fleet resumed its course. Back on the Orange Base, Thorvald and Maurice continued their informal concert on top of the Blue Destiny's head. Called myself a fool; I could no longer stand it; Blood began to boil, Temper I was losin', Poor ould Erin's isle They began abusin', "Hurrah my soul," sez I, My shillelagh I let fly; Some Galway boys were by, Saw I was a hobble in, Then with a loud hurray, They joined in the affray. We quickly cleared the way, For the rocky road to Dublin. One, two, three, four five, Hunt the hare and turn her Down the rocky road And all the ways to Dublin, Whack-fol-lol-de-ra. "GET BACK TO WORK!" screamed Nigel Ferdinand as his voice echoed throughout the MS hangar. Aurem Senaiha - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Charles Gano - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Cray Vermillion - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Jim Irwin - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Edmund Blackadder - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Jarvis Ackart - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Thierry Mersault - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Scott Archer - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Kyle Slater - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Thorvald Siggurdson - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Nigel Ferdinand - 6/2 VP Gained, Fatigued +1 Seth Yamanu - 1 CP Gained, No Damage |