Space had welcomed them back with a bang, and they'd already left a broken Zeon fleet in their trail. Now Side 6 was their destination, and though their orders were little more than a simple point in the opposite direction and a pat on the back, somehow they all knew they'd end up on the front lines again. To them, the idea of Side 6 was like being able to open one gift on Christmas Eve—it was a promised, a vision of things to come. An entire section of the Earth Sphere that didn't owe its allegiance to anyone, and had no part in the war. It was the epitome of Sideism—what space should be—what all colonist dreamed when they closed their itty bitty plebeian eyes at night and said their prayers. Side 6 was their prayer. The first speck of hope now rekindled itself after over a year of bloodshed. The tide was finally shifting—something had changed during the war.

Which was what brought the White Base crew back and ready to do the Federation's dirty work. The Duchy's last, final push for Jaburo showed just how desperate they were. They all felt mildly responsible for what happened despite their victory, and though no court martial or dismissals were issued, some maintained their own, personal sort of penance for what happened. They'd led Char right into the heart of the Federation and made a mess of the place. It was disheartening, and no one felt it more than Kai.

The small collection of colonies finally came into view and Mirai was there to great it. She, of course, was steering the vessel, so she had little choice, but her stomach began roiling when it finally occurred to her. He had fled there about the time she'd been pulled into all of this. It was all she could do from turning tail and jumping out the airlock. The last thing she wanted to do was see him.

Amuro glanced over at Mirai, sensing her tension. He stood not far from her on the bridge like most of the crew. He shrugged it off and dismissed it as flying anxiety or something—it was tough operating such a vessel in and out of tight places, and though she'd built quite a resume over the months they'd been fighting, she was still learning. After all, it'd been forever since he'd seen the colonies and it hadn't occurred to him until now that he was a touch homesick. His thoughts first wandered to his house, unkempt and full of trinkets. Then he thought about Frau and how she'd never leave him alone to work. Then his mind centered on images of his father. Where was he?

The ship began crossing the neutral zone, and Bright began an exchange with a suited, blond man over the viewer. Mirai was tense again and it was beyond obvious, but his mind still held tightly onto his father, never quite letting go.

“Nearing Side 6, commander.”

Char looked up and saw the cluster of colonies in a whole new light. What brings them to this neck of the woods?, he mused. Is this yet another ploy? “I see,” Char said thoughtfully after a few moments had passed. “Once they've passed into Side 6 space, bring us up alongside and dock us at Baldur Bey. That is where they're going, I assume.”

The crew were starry-eyed, having had very little leave since before Odessa. They were in a haze and Char permitted it. He had business of his own to attend to.

“One more thing.”

They all stopped in their tracks, disappointing creeping into the corner of their mouths.

“Send a report to Admiral Dozle. He needs to be made aware of the enemy's position. Tell him to send a fleet. He won't want to pass up this chance.”

“Save it. Who is it?” Bright felt his palms sweating. This wasn't supposed to happen, not in neutral space.

“It's a Zanzibar Kai-class vessel, sir, and it appears to be making landing procedures.”

It was Char. He was taunting them. It was his way. “Cancel red alert, prepare for docking.” He composed himself and continued. “All crew are allowed 24 hour leave on rotation. Officers and pilots are first rotation, everyone else gets it after. Any questions?” It wasn't so much an inquiry as it was a blind, rhetorical statement. No one said anything because Bright, Mirai in hand, was already out the door.

Amuro followed at a slow gait, not really desiring any leave but accepting it sullenly anyways. When the alarms had sounded, he'd be charged and reading to launch. But now he was suffering adrenaline fatigue and didn't really care to do anything else. He'd waved Frau Bow off with a single hand and she'd sulked away in about the same manner, so he was alone. He preferred it. Living on a small ship with a bunch of children was like going through grammar school all over again. He looked up and found himself with everyone else at customs. A blond man with glasses was lecturing, and thoughts of his father were back.

“My name is Cameron Bloom, and I'm here to wel--” Amuro didn't really care, he just wanted free reign over whatever was on the other side of the door. Maybe he'd scour the electronic shops looking for spare axial converters, maybe he'd go downtown and get a bite to eat. He didn't know. All he knew was that the man kept talking until finally he produces a bunch of little badges. They're all given passes and instructed on the severity of Riah's laws, neutrality number one on the list. No punching, no kicking, no brawling—nothing. And, if at all possible, stay clear of Zeon soldiers because they had as much right to be here as them. That easy.

Mirai, behind Amuro, tries to stay in his shadow as they all file out, but Cameron is too quick. He'd seen her on the bridge before when he'd talked to Bright. She tried to walk faster, but he said her name.

“Mirai!”

She turned, not making eye contact. She felt knots spread throughout her abdomen. She was sweating. “Uh, hello, Cameron.”

“It's good to see you, Mirai. I've missed you. How are you?”

Mirai blushed and continued to fight the innate urge to flee. She could barely extrapolate a sentence, but she managed. “I've been fine,Cameron.”

He eyed her up and down and it finally sunk in what uniform she was wearing. “So I see you took my idea for peace and completely turned it on its head. So you're fighting for the Federation now?”

They'd barely seen each other for more than ten minutes and he'd already begun preaching his lofty ideals, something she'd never been able to stomach. It was reason she left. He was a coward. “I do what I want, actually, and if I remember it wasn't peace you wanted, but self-preservation. You ran.”

Cameron's face was turning red and he moved closer to her. He looked ready to slap her. Sleggar, the master of finesse, approached from out of the crowd and strategically placed himself between them. “Hey, Mirai, you know this guy?”

“Sleggar Law, meet Cameron Bloom. My fiancée.”

Sleggar's jaw dropped and he continued to angle his way around the awkward nature of the conversation. He was a natural dancer.“Fiancée, huh, you never told me!”

“What is this, your consort?!” Cameron was face-to-face with Sleggar, not quite looking him in the eye due to a height disparity. Bloom breathed heated breath into his chest, his face about ready to pop. and The scene would've been comical if not for what played out next.

Sleggar hit him. He slugged him right across his chin.

“Your fiancée needs to learn some manners. Are you coming, Mirai? Or you just gonna stand here gossiping fondly about old times?”

Mirai looked tentatively back at Cameron, almost apologetically. He was sitting on the floor holding his chin. He looked beyond furious. She knew this side of him and almost wanted to comfort him like she used to, but she took Sleggar's arm and left.