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It is a solemn moment for the crew of the White Base. Friends have fallen in battle but the work must continue. The White Base itself needs to be readied for the fight that is happening at Odessa. But even as work resumed after their victory against the Black Tri-stars, the situation remains bleek for Bright Noah. "We're behind schedule," echoed the reports Bright Noah just recieved. "That's not the half of it," continued Mirai Yashima," we still can't contact the fleets sieging Odessa." "Which means we have to rely on messenger duty," said Bright as he set aside the clipboard full of status reports. "Who do you plan to send out?" ask Mirai. "Someone who isn't involved with a screwdriver, hammer, welding tool, or carrying a rifle," grumbled Bright. "... Amuro?" Bright leaned back in his chair. "Might as well. The Gundam is still being repaired from that battle yesterday. Fortunately the Core Fighter isn't damaged." "I'll go wake Amuro then." The Black Sea port of Odessa is once again bracing itself against the tides of war. Back in 1941, the city was attacked by the Romanian Fourth Army and the German's 11th Army. After 73 days of siege warfare the city was lost to the attackers but at great cost. Over 92,545 casualites with 17,729 dead, 63,345 wounded and 11,471 missing was inflicted on the attacking armies from Romania and Germany. It is with universal consent between the Zeon commanders that they make the EFGF pay a much higher price for the Ukrainian fortress. Miles of trenches and razor wired encircled the land approaches to Odessa. As Zeon artillery battalions readied for the daily duel against EFGF batteries, the normal activities of the Zeon base continued. Aleksander Dolvich looked up, his hands shackled together by the wrists. Around him are other EF soldiers taken prisoner earlier in the war. As a fighter pilot, Dolvich knew the risks of being shot down in enemy territory. He would have to beat the odds in order to make it back to safe hands alive. Odds that went real slim at the rate the Terrestial Assault Force was conquering territories on Earth earlier in the war. Now he is sitting in a reinforced concrete room deep underground in Odessa. He and the others haven't seen sunlight in a long time. "PRISONERS. Stand UP." A chorus of grunts as the line of men in tattered Federal uniforms struggled to their feet. A squad of Zeon Marines watched over them, rifles at the ready. Suddenly the ground rumbled. Dust shook loose from the cieling as the heavy caliber weapons threw fire and metal at each other. Some men, both Zeon and EF, coughed as the dust saturated the air. Then the Zeon warden ordered them forward and the parade of prisoners began to march. Dolvich saw the prisoner next to him stumble but managed to stop the man from falling. The line of prisoners stopped despite the Zeon guards orders to move on. "You okay there, soldier?" asked Dolvich. "Just peachy sir," grunted the EF soldier through cracked lip," this place really saps you don't it sir?" "Aw hell, it's not so bad," encouraged Dolvich as he looked around the room," just need some decorations, party flavors... hell we already have the women-" The Ace pilot jerked his head at Cima Garahau. She walked by them on an upper gangway, casting a frown upon the prisoners being herded like cattle. "- So why not just party?" Dolvich looked down the line, catching the attention of some of the prisoners he was more familiar with. They raised an eyebrow at him as Dolvich nodded with a grin. Suddenly he began to sing with a smile. The prison band was there and they began to wail. The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing. You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing. Let's rock, everybody, let's rock. Everybody in the whole cell block Was dancin' to the jailhouse rock. One by one the Federal prisoners that knew Dolvich the best joined in. The sudden jovial affair startled their Zeon guards as the Marines raised their rifles. The singing soon rose above the rumbling of artillery on the surface. Everyone close to the parade of prisoners stopped what they were doing and looked over in curiosity. One of them is Specialist E2 Persephone Dawn. The newtype pilot of the Zaku II Manipulator Type was on her way to another part of the base when she heard the singing. Peeking through an open armored door, she gasped. Her breathing quicken as she shrinks away from the door out of sight. The newtype's mind raced like a Rick Dom loaded up with nothing but propellant. Slowly, Dawn leaned against a far wall and slide to the floor. That man... leading the singing... he looks like... Back inside, Aleksander Dolvich was carrying on in his act of defiance. For what its worth, the Zeon guards find the interruption of their daily monotonous duty refreshing. It's not like the prisoners were making a run for it, anyway. Little joe was blowin' on the slide trombone. The drummer boy from illinois went crash, boom, bang, The whole rhythm section was the purple gang. Let's rock, everybody, let's rock. Everybody in the whole cell block Was dancin' to the jailhouse rock. "Would you shut the FUCK UP!" yelled Cima as she stomped her way down from the upper gangway. But the prisoners pay no heed to her and neither did the guard; Cima was a bitch boss to work for anyway. "you're the cutest jailbird I ever did see. I sure would be deli- *BAM* Everyone went silent even before the empty brass casing from Cima's SIG P226 struck the concrete floor. The prisoner that Dolvich had helped back to his feet, whom he tried to cheer up, fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Blood poured from the bullet hole in his head. "Why?! Just... Just... WHY?! YOU FUCKING BITCH! WHY?!?!" Yelled Aleksander. He spun around to fight her but was then pulled back by two Zeon guards. "You'll get your turn soon enough, Lieutenant," sneered Cima as she holstered her pistol," I just pray that it is I who pulls the trigger." He isn't paying attention to the Corefighter but Amuro piloted the craft as well as any autopilot would. His mind is focused on the photo taped to the edge of his console. Barely a day has passed since the photo was taken and the happy moment became a sad one. Matilda was dead. Dead saving Amuro no less. He should be used to the misfortunes of war by now, but that doesn't make it all that much easier. A chirp from his computer woken Amuro from his daydream. Off on the horizon, he can see and sense the artillery barrages pounding both the Federal lines and Zeon positions. Closer to him is the Himalaya-class Andes. Soon, the robotic voice of a flight controller spoke up on Amuro's headset as the Corefighter is guided in for a landing. Barely ten minutes later, Amuro is lead by Federal Marines to the ready room of Rear Admiral Elran. "At ease, pilot," said Elran after returning Amuro's salute," Sergeant you wait outside." As the Federal Marines withdrew, Amuro craddled his helmet under his left arm as he handed over the thin package he is carrying. "Message from Bright Noah and the White Base, sir." "Oh?" With a flick of his letter opener, Elran took out the message dispatch. "A pity. I will inform General Revil of the White Base's situation. Dismissed." Despite being a little annoyed at the offhand-ness of the response, Amuro just saluted and turned to leave. The sooner he can get back to the White Base the better. But as the Gundam pilot turned, his helmet bumped a stack of books and papers on Elran's desk. The pile tilted and then came crashing down. "I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Amuro as he went to clean up as much as possible. How can he be so clumsy. "That's okay," said an alarmed Elran," you're dismissed! I can clean this up my-" It was at this point that Amuro lifted a folder from the floor and several leaflets came out. Among them was the entire battle plan of Odessa and other top secert documents. But what caught Amuro's attention is a series of letters with the Zeon emblem... ... And Elran's name on them. Amuro didn't need to read the whole letter to understand what he came across. He spun around just as Elran screamed for his guards at the top of his lungs. The bulkhead door swung open as Federal Marines rushed into the room. "Sergeant!" cried Elran," this pilot tried to kill me! Arrest him immediately!" Crap thought Amuro as the first Federal Marine leaped at him. The room soon erupted into a barfight and by sheer luck (use your imagination), Amuro swiped a pistol from one of the Marines. He then fired a warning shot that ricoheted off the steel walls, which stopped Elran from fleeing out the open door. "No!" shouted Amuro," he is the traitor! He is the spy and I have proof!" The Gundam pilot waved a fistful of the incriminating letters he picked off the floor. By now, more footsteps can be heard outside the door. Soon, more troops enterred lead by a senior officer. Amuro was having a hard time figuring out how he was going to get through this one, when he saw that their guns were trained on Elran. The officer leading the Marines walked up to Amuro. "Here, let me see that kid." Amuro didn't resist as the officer looked over them. Then with a smile, the Federal officer faced Elran. "Rear Admiral Elran, by the orders of General Revil, you are under arrest on the charge of treason." As the astonished Elran is lead away, the Federal officer faced Amuro. "We've been waiting for some sort of evidence to hold against him and you found it. Good job kid. I think you better head back to White Base though. Things are going to start to get real busy soon." Alec Irusk - 1 VP Gained, No Damage David Anderson - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Duncan Keystone - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Marko Dresner - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Ota Naomi - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Esther MacKernan - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Ferusha Glavadeen - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Persephone Dawn - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Ritter Novosad - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Xaviar Brennan - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Yuji Takeshi - 1 VP Gained, No Damage Bryce Hollerfelt - 1 VP Gained, No Damage |