>>6407733

[ https://files.catbox.moe/zftkzd.mp3 ]

The trip back to deployment was done at an alarmingly expedient pace in comparison to the one to return.

You supposed it was because previously, the Vesalius had to thread carefully on Alliance patrolled space but that was not entirely true as you had soon become aware of the reason for urgency.

Lacus Clyne, the daughter of the supreme chairman and Songstress of the Stars had disappeared in a pre-planned inspection of the Junius Seven ruins for the anniversary event.

To say that Athrun was anxious about meeting again with your squadmates, especially after the full declassified brief had probably gotten to them was also ignoring the fact this time, the pressure was far more intense with their betrothed now in gravel peril.

And in his own silent treatment regarding that, you knew damn well you crossed lines violating his trust like that, as the Vesalius soon meets with the rendezvous point with the Gamow and Nemo.

"Captain Rollo... Acting Captain Adres, relieving of duty within the Gamow to-" A navigator recorded out-loud for procedure... Only to interrupt themselves as a haughty voice boomed over them.

"That's right! Back to the proper Captain it is! See you never, you lame duck-!" The previously moved-to-the-side Captain of the Gamow, Augustus Rollo, Peacocked over the comms wave only to be interrupted by a more decisively loud voice.

"Shut the FUCK up, Rollo. Don't you even start pulling that shit! I'm watching your damn flight records you gloryhound!!" Margellan cut out communication as you raise an eyebrow.

Margellan's personality was the opposite of sunshine and peaches, but the specific tone and wording made you puzzled that something had happened while you were away between both men, carried away as orders were issued for a strategy meeting aboard the Nemo.

>>6407738

"Alert level's on 2, so keep your normal suits on if you plan on deploying." A coordination officer gave you, Athrun and some fresh green-coats pats on the shoulder as you all prepared to be transported along with Le Creuset and-.

You raise an eyebrow as Lieutenant DesLisle's black CGUE is loaded alongside the Aegis and the Green-Frame within the cargo shuttle loaded with resupply parts for the MS involved in the chase for the Archangel...

Yet, your arrival back to the Nemo isn't met with that much fanfare, your almost two weeks long absence being only merited as a Nurse above the Nemo greeted you for a required health check-up.

That done however, led you on your own until the Nemo finished inventory on the new parts.

>Meet with Margellan ASAP, discuss everything that's gone on in the homefront
>Check on Garodo and the Green Frame, if anything to check some of the documented inprovements and tweaks to the Black-Band Custom retrofitting it got.
>There's some rattling by the mess hall, just check if Athrun hasn't gotten in trouble, knowing him.
>Write-In

>>6407742
>Meet with Margellan ASAP, discuss everything that's gone on in the homefront

>>6407742
>There's some rattling by the mess hall, just check if Athrun hasn't gotten in trouble, knowing him.
we can at least try and improve our relationship a little bit right?

>>6407742
>Meet with Margellan ASAP, discuss everything that's gone on in the homefront

Gotta warn our actually loyal boys. Athrun is the least important person to us. Hos obsession hampers us.

>>6407742
>>6407978
>>6408049

You trawled across the Nemo's hallways, familiar with them over time as you dialed in for Margellan's office...

The Captain in a improperly donned Coat working within sprawled Blueprints across his desk, as you step in, recognizing them to be those of the Green Frame's newly built inprovements.

"You'd figure you'd go all out for these, but these patchwork improvements at least help you even out with the Bluebloods and their G-Weapons." Margellan commented, drinking out of a sippy cup of cold brewed coffee as he seemed affixed by them "I can get some minout tweaks with the data the Buster and Blitz have gotten... Lord, am I glad I can work in this instead of dealing with Ezalia's Brat and his arm graft" His slight bit of feeding to his tantrums however, ends as he rolled up the Blueprints sitting back on their chair as he invites you proper.

"It's been... A week, Almost doesn't feel like-" You try to open up the conversation only for Margellan to frown at your attempt.

"If it's about Artemis, Forget about it. Sooner you start to settle that you're in ZAFT. The better." Shocked a bit by Margellan just dropping that off the bat, you looked down as that worry creeps back to you "I don't intend to make you feel bad or consider it rightful, but you jumped ship to the other side of the war. You've got to act like it."

You tried to contain replying negatively, but nevertheless, perdured away as you interrupted him "I wanted to tell you that... I've found some things about Le Creuset and the war as a whole when at the PLANTs"

Margellan seemed far more receptive as he took another sip of their strawcup "Tell me something I don't know about that bastard..."

>>6408110

Your explanation took a while... But you got the point across as Margellan rubbed their temples.

"Clyne is employing a Combat Coordinator... Fuck's sake, what is he doing?" Margellan sighed out as he pulled the rolled blueprints away to reveal a projection in his desk "And this girl... Did Le Creuset bring them along?" He asks away as you shook your head.

"It would have been obvious if she was transported aboard in the brig, I think they're-" You try to reason again only to strangely get the feeling that Margellan wasn't against the idea "You... You do realize Le Creuset held a civilian by-?"

"Listen, Natural. As much as I dislike the idea of haggling civvies into the conflict, this girl's anything but a normal civilian. She has strategic value." Margellan tried to illustrate away as he pulled pictures of one George Allster... The Vice-Minister of the Atlantic Federation's Pacific Bloc "Although... A Vice-Minister's Daughter seems inanely petty. Call me when they've got the President's Daughter" Margellan chuckles to themselves as you weighed the current atmosphere outside of the office.

It merited asking precisely what went wrong with the Gamow's Captain, as you asked away, Margellan's slight smirk falling off.

"Well, that's the can of worms that ought'd have summoned you faster than expected. If Zala just didn't fasttrack your shore leave." Margellan explained away as you could see him grip their right fist "Rollo, after getting told to stop being a child during the Artemis raid, started rocking the boat with Adres leadership and as we approached the Silverwind's distress signal. He deployed a Recon-Type GINN without authorization helmed by two engineers... Suffice to say, it just proved that the Alliance is around here somewhere and worst of all, We don't have any precise info because the Alliance Killed them." He groaned out, sipping the last of their coffee as he seemed more-than-ticked-off "that's the skimny of it all. How about you? I don't listen to state media, but the Crew's started calling you Blabbermouth out of nowhere." Margellan's annoysnce with the topic becomes exemplified as he went for this pivot... And given the time, you'll take it as it is. Though not without having the last word.

"I guess I didn't really control myself there... Say though, The FLUGG's getting mass-produced." You let him in on the news as you ready yourself to leave, Margellan taking it vaguely in stride as he waved their arm down.

"Sure is, 'cause I fucking made it." He reacted coarsely almost as if you were equally pulling his leg just as you pass by the airlock of his office.

It took just a moment there for Margellan to realize you usually aren't the lying type as you took your exit towards the strategy meeting.

"They're doing fucking WHAT?!"

>>6408182

[ https://files.catbox.moe/925twp.mp3 ]

Operation Orpheus

That was the name Le Creuset had given the operation as he formally claimed strategic command of the remaining forces within.

"You freak, what do you think you're doing?!" You stop cathcing up with Nicol as you both enter the hangar to prepare for deployment, seeing Dearka scream out towards a GINN as its cockpit seals-.

Freezing for a bit as you immediately recognize the Yellow-marked Fin and patched accents across its body as Rusty's old GINN.

As the Mobile Suit's turned on, a strange Magenta and Black optic replacing its main camera as it swirls and moves across the starting checks.

"Get out of there! That's not meant for-!" Dearka once again yells only for the GINN's loudspeakers to reveal the identity of the pilot as your blood pressure quickens.

"It was fixed and mothballed for no proper reason, once the special optic I requested had been installed, It's ready for deployment" Arisman's words anger you as she handled the sepulchral machine towards the launch bay.

"Dearka, I don't like it, but she's right. We got resupplied in spare parts rather than brand new suits for the already-deployed" Nicol tries to ease the tension from the dark-skinned pilot to the scarlet-eyed spy as Dearka just tossed their fist aside, leaping in the Zero-G environment towards the Buster.

You and Nicol separate likewise, As you settled upon choosing the unit you'd sortied in.

>Deploy in the Green Frame
>Deploy in the FLUGG

>>6408516
>Deploy in the Green Frame

>>6408516
>Deploy in the Green Frame

>>6408516
>Deploy in the Green Frame

>>6408566
>>6408726
>>6408729

Opening and settling into the cockpit, you turn on the engine and begin preparatives for launch as Garodo chirps away mechanically "What idiot is naming the damn op. Orpheus?"

Gritting your teeth to avoid snickering in accident, you however reign in as much of your capabilities as you explain away "Le Creuset decided to name it due to the location we're on..." You try to explain as well as you could, as you can't say you're a bit puzzled by it.

"'cause of the lady you guys have to search for, no?" Garodo tried to guess it out as you shook your head "She was sort of a singer, If I remember the Myth well enough"

You arc an eyebrow at the AI displaying uncertainty before heckling it lightly "You're an AI, if you know about Orpheus and Eurydice, you should probably know it all" Garodo chirps and hums electronically as they complained.

"Man, Screw you. You should probably remember every bite of Bread you'd ever had if that were the case!" Nodding to it, you however, started considering properly their suggestion...

"No, that couldn't be it though-?" You're interrupted from hypothesizing as the Nemo's command line pitches in.

"Hey, Natural. Why the hell they'd sent a brick strapped with rockets and boosters?" Margellan asked away as he sighed "Well, it says it's a high-mobility pack... War Destroyer class, Yep, I know exactly who made this. Wouldn't recommend testing it out under the situation though."

Titlting your head, Margellan ought'd explain that while in theory, the added ordinance and mobility would aid against Moebius class vessels and peppering potential ships that accompany them, the heft and girth of it all could pose trouble to Alliance Ship-cannons when entering mid-to-short combat ranges...

And he offered to work out a solution for that, before telling you he had a surprise for you to compensate

>Equip the High-Mobility Pack and test it out on the field.
>Equip GINN-ordinance along the sliding rail of the Green-Frame's backpack, enough to be able to give fire-support
>Heed Margellan's warnings and go for that surprise he mentioned

>>6408981
>Heed Margellan's warnings and go for that surprise he mentioned
mystery box irresistible

>>6408981
>Heed Margellan's warnings and go for that surprise he mentioned

I can't resist the mystery box, well test mobility pack later.

>>6408981
>>6409034
>>6409087

You'll bite it even if Aile did advice you test it out ASAP to check on the efficiency of the rocket pods.

"Good, I figured you'd like something to aid in hitting fast moving targets and hopefully, also drain the Battery of the Strike if it's around" Margellan comments as maintenance crew haul out an MS-Weapon sized container "Phase-Shift not only drains from the intensity of the blow it has to weather, but also the locations it gets hit with... So I'm picturing it ain't going to run any longer if it's whole core area's blownback with Titanium Pellets enough"

Arcing an eyebrow as the container's lid expands for retrieval... A quaint little barrel, seemingly stumpy on purpose greets your eyes as Garodo aids the Green Frame's hand to pick it up.

"You have Macros for this, I understand if you've piloted Manual for your entire experience but get with the times." Garodo sasses you out before it properly analyzes the weapon as its handle connects with the electric ports in the Green-Frame's hand "Telescopic Shotgun Grapeshot... Can't say I expected the fruity name."

Garodo however, started distorting and screeching out in synthetic pain as a beeping's heard from your comms suite "Natural, Get your dumbass AI to stop sassying me, unlike inter-pilot comms, I can hear it." For Garodo's part, he only deployed a text screen with Ow... as the follow up "This is a handy gun I've been spending the week you've been gone, should fit neatly along the sliding rail of your backpack, if it works like I expect it to. Highly likely that it does A Moebius virtually cannot dodge a mid-range shot without getting grazed... Hopefully, You got eight shots in the barrel and I haven't made spares yet."

You nod to it as you slide the rail of the Green Frame's backpack unit upwards, slinging the stubby weapon as Garodo displays out the blueprint in its extended and ready-to-fire diagram.

"Still... There's a more glaring bit about the Orpheus thingy, isn't it?" Garodo comments out as you orderly place the Green Frame in the launching rail of the Nemo "You can't look back or something."

Le Creuset... Did mention something like that as he prepared to take command of the Op and dispatched you for deployment.

To search for a songstress, in the ruins where this hell began... What truly awaits you as you look back?

His words ring in your head as you launch... Compelling you to look.

File: Junius Seven Ruins.png (780 KB, 1400x814)

780 KB PNG

>>6409466

"Ruins behold you... If you were to look back"

You didn't expect it to be literal, even less to translate the same haunting feeling you're experiencing right now.

The Mass grave of Junius Seven, the one scar of space that began this war on its entirety.

You heed note that only Arisman and DesLisle seemed uninterested in gawking at the frozen derelict, Gasps of discomfort coming from Dearka and Nicol, a resolute scoff away from Yzak...

And the haunting silence as the Aegis glares firmly at the structure, Phase-Shift not even turned on as Athrun stares face-to-face with the Grave of His mother and countless others.

Miguel groans out, discomfort clearly present in their tone of voice as their hastily paint-swatched Orange GINN focused ahead "I don't want to be here any longer than you all but you heard the orders from Le Creuset regarding Orpheus, right? Rolecall your name and units as we assemble teams" Miguel takes command ahead as Arisman and DesLisle floated to their side.

"Miguel Aimann, GINN Command Type"

"Mayano Arisman. GINN D-Tec. Ready for scouting."

"Lieutenant Fleur DesLisle, CGUE, taking command of Squad Phi."

It didn't take long then for the younger pilots of the Le Creuset Squad, as well as the replacement wingmen from home to sound off...

Except for Athrun, who glared at the wreck, their Phase-shift shimmering on as the Aegis glared back "Someone touched the damn station! Dearka, augment upon the northern pole of the colony!"

"Wha-?! Roger!" Dearka used the superior optical suite of the Buster as he hummed affirmatively "What the-? There's Icepick and forced entry marks across the structure! Who the hell would-?"

"You think the Naturals give a damn for what they did here?! Maybe the ones that shot down the Silverwind came in and scouted for Souvenirs of this atrocity!" Dearka's uneased worry is only exacerbated as Yzak inflammatorily throws the hypothesis to it all as Athrun cursed out.

"Athrun Zala, Aegis Gundam! I'll lead an extra team to check the vicinity of the colony!"

You look between the two regular GINNS, their pilots one Strode and Javier as Miguel barked out "You're thinning us out Athrun, Cease-!"

In theory... That'll leave only four teams of three, separated between their command antennae, that could prove worrisome... But maybe also fruitful in gathering intel, if you play your cards carefully.

>Join DesLisle's team with one of the wingmen, They're advancing to Heat Signatures detected far away
>Join Arisman's Team with Dearka, Advancing ahead to the wreck of the Silverwind and hopefully finding the GINN recon type too
>Join Aimann's team with Yzak, Reporting on an unnervingly close, almost trying to stealthtily move heat signature
>Join Athrun's team with Nicol, The manipulation in Junius Seven could unearth clues of what exactly these Alliance troops are doing in the wreck's surrounding.

>>6409473
>Join Athrun's team with Nicol, The manipulation in Junius Seven could unearth clues of what exactly these Alliance troops are doing in the wreck's surrounding.

>>6409473
>Join Arisman's Team with Dearka, Advancing ahead to the wreck of the Silverwind and hopefully finding the GINN recon type too

I'd rather ask the source then puzzle things. Especially around an overly emotional Athrun thats bound to mess things up.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>6409473
>>6409512
>>6409637

Bit busy in the background, but flipping a coin to see where we go.

File: Silverwind_Wreckage_01_(S(...).jpg (338 KB, 2862x1584)

338 KB JPG

>>6409473
>>6409637
>>6410433

"Zala's distress is noticeably unprofessional, the firepower of the Aegis and the Stealth capabilities of the Blitz are wasted in checking that gravestone."

Mayano's more practical analysis of it all audibly ticks off Dearka as you reigned in from commenting in full "It's Junius Seven, Freak! If the Naturals decided to further desecrate it, it's justifiable for us to check what they've even did!" Dearka groaned, as the Buster and Mayano's red-Optic GINN linked together through a physical plug in the latter's backpack "Okay, the EWAC system's running, Should help me pinpoint the Silverwind... Or what's left of it, anyways." Dearka comments as he used the Buster's expanded sensor suite to physically spot the wreck across the ruins.

Mayano did not make it easier to cooperate with how matter-of-factly she treated the resting place of the catastrophe that set this war off.

"Clyne was here to celebrate an anniversary...? How quaint to try and remember something like-" Mayano found herself silenced as Dearka, finally fed up, Irately yelled out.

"You shup your trap, Freakshow! I don't know what goes on over that head of yours but I fight for nothing like this to happen again if I can help and stop any would-be Natural Genocider from it!" Dearka imposed ober the modified GINN pilot as they obly grumbled.

"If you have a desire to fight all of Humanity over some ruins, I want no part of it. You need focused objectives." The indignant huff coming out of Dearka worries you as you placed the green frame between the linked MS.

"Come on, don't make too much Airwave sound, could get us spotted if the Alliance's listening in as we think they could be." You try to focus ahead of the mission as you nonetheless gets slightly bothered by Mayano's lack of care for the symbolic meaning of these ruins.

Right until Dearka's radar, aided with the D-Tec's scope, pinged in the defunct IFF signal...

And that's where you saw it, the Silverwind... As ruined as the debris surrounding it.

>Roll 1d100

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>6410510

>>6410510

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>6410510

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>6410510