The hangar is bustling with activity as the engineers and techies prepare to launch his and Luna’s Advanced Units. He pilots the RX79-Jupiter while Luna pilots the RX78-Pegasus.

Looking up, he can see several crew members refill the ammo on their beam rifles and stock a new emergency kit inside their cockpits.

“Captain, launch can commence in five minutes. We’re currently reloading the beam rifles as well as refilling your tank. Lieutenant Jr. Luna’s Pegasus is prepared for launch.” Cadet Yamin tells him, giving a salute.

Ruidhrí smiles; the cadets of the engineer and technical division of the ship were efficient with their jobs, always on the ball and prepared for all scenarios that could happen in battle. He always makes sure to keep a good rapport with them due to this, as they earned it.

“Excellent work, Cadet; go rest when you can. This is merely a diversion so we’ll not need to bring heavy artillery with us,” he replies before looking at Luna. “Luna, go to the locker rooms and change, and don’t make me have to come and help you this time.”

“Okie dokie, Captain!” she exclaims, giving Ruidhrí a salute before floating down to the locker rooms.

He remembers how she acted after the first operation, an absolute yet adorable klutz who needed assistance for everything, assistance he was happy to give. Couldn’t even put on a pilot suit correctly.

“Hey, Captain, that thief is…” Cadet Mallif says, holding the earpiece.

Ryoji is picking a bad time to make contact with them, not when he’s about to launch… Also, this was Luna’s job to do. He’d hate to enforce corporal punishment on her for neglecting this duty.

Nevermind that; the cadet is snooping through Luna’s belongings.

“I suggest you attend to your own duties, Mallif, instead of nosing into your superior officer,” he says firmly, tutting his finger at him.

“Apologies, Captain,”

Luna runs out with her black and blue space suit on her, holding her helmet in her hands before noticing the cadet with her communicator. 

Without a word, Luna swipes it out of the cadet’s hand when he offers it to her.

“Good, we’re ready to launch.”

Luna floats up to her shining red Advanced Unit. The head lens was a blue monoeye, and mounted on the ears were two pieces that could resemble ears. On the back were wings that could spread wide and act as defense for the back. The wings are where it got its model name of Pegasus. 

The RX79-Jupiter, in comparison, while also being a shiny matte red, didn't have the animalistic features present on the RX78; instead, it took on a more humanoid form. The right arm has a railgun mounted to it, and on the left arm is a shield used for defense. The helmet has a sleek design with a pointed tip at the back and the signature Galactic monoeye. On the back, instead of wings, are two plasma sabers stored in the jet boosters, compared to the one the RX78 has.

“Luna, I’ll see you out on the field!” He salutes her.

“Okie dokie, Captain!” She salutes back.

Noah props the Commander up into a sitting position on his bed. The bullet wound was large, but they were able to cover most of the external bleeding. However, whether they’ll make it to the colony alive is a miracle yet to be received. 

“I can’t believe that little thief shot me!” He coughs and spits, trying to quell his rage.

Noah sighs, “Sir, you need to keep your strength up… We’re about to exit the neutral space; it’s only a matter of time before we are attacked.”

The medical bay is busy with many injured refugees; they only have one medic who wasn’t even a medic. They’re a teenager named Skyler Blaise; she claims to be a part of a volunteer health group. 

It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.

“Nyx, you’re in charge until I’m back to full health.”

Nyx salutes, “Yes, sir!”

Reinhard’s eyes narrow, looking at Noah with pure disdain, but the disdain isn’t directed towards him… he hopes. “The moment we get to base, get that thief and his father in jail cells. Life sentence for the thief.”

He glances back and forth. Is this really the right thing to do? Kasumi and Kaori are in foster homes after seeing their home destroyed. No kid could become normal from that.

“And the kids?”

“Put the Mateo one in our care; the two girls can be in one of those orphanages. They’ll go to families quickly with their age,” he replies, his voice strained.

Yeah, he’ll think about doing that on a later basis.

Ring, Ring, Ring

Noah presses the answer button on the hospital TV, Mateo’s face shows up, and he looks a little panicked. “We’ve spotted two Advanced Units approaching Dreamer Base; they’re most likely hostile!”

The beating of his heart nearly ceased. More enemies? They don’t… they don’t have any manpower, much less pilots. Wait… they have one.

Volt.

“Mateo, contact Volt and order him to launch in the Advanced Unit Lapin!” he commands.

Commander Reinhard snarls, “You’re letting that boob boy pilot? She’s nothing but an incompetent fool; she doesn’t belong in the battlefield!”

“Didn’t you just put me in charge? That means my word is final… not yours,” he smirks, walking away from the poor commander as he yells for him to come back before threatening him with court martials and punishments.

If they make it out of this… He owes Volt a promotion.