Just a pilot passing through

[not_the_deer]

[Hey look, the G-Saviour is back in the hangar! Complete with Tobia.]

I'm just here for resupply. Tron and her brothers are free again, so I need to return to Mother Vanguard very soon!

But oh boy, I heard what happened on Earth since I left. It's only been a few weeks, and stuff got really crazy already! What's next, an enemy bigger than Earth?

Comments

[paladin_robot]

...Well... This might be tricky to explain in my next report...

[Richard taps the side of his head a bit, sighing.]

See, I'm kinda part of the Britannian military... they're fine with me staying onboard the Chalice for now, but they might not appreciate me fraternizing with pirates... Even if you're probably good guys, going by this ship's track record.

[not_the_deer]

Well, we're actually not real pirates. We only attack the Jupiter Empire, to stop their evil leader's military campaign! And we try not to kill anyone.

[paladin_robot]

Ah, so you're fighting an empire...

...

I suppose I can relate. I don't entirely like my bosses.

[not_the_deer]

Do they force you to do slave labour or something?

[paladin_robot]

Uh... not that bad, but I consider myself French first, and a Britannian citizen second. Didn't help that they decided that rather than help us rebuild, they'd move in for themselves...

[not_the_deer]

Well...

That's not as bad as Crux Dogatie. He's truly vile!

[paladin_robot]

Well, compared to faces trying to turn Saturn into a...

Well, no, that doesn't really change how terrible this Dogatie person might be, I suppose. Never heard of them though.

[not_the_deer]

He's a terrible tyrant who tries to start a war with the Earth Sphere, because he's after its resources. His people have to live in horrible conditions, with very little food, water and air. And he doesn't value their lives at all! Robots are more important than people to him...

[paladin_robot]

...Barring the fact that some of the people on this ship ARE robots... I can see why you'd want to fight against that. If you have an Empire, you should at least look after its citizenry.

[not_the_deer]

What I mean is...

I can tell you a secret, but only if you don't tell anyone! Especially not captain Berah!

[paladin_robot]

I don't even know who that is. I think. Still relatively new here and all.

[not_the_deer]

Dogatie executes pilots who return from the battle without their Mobile Suits. He considers wasting resources like that to be treason!

[paladin_robot]

...T-That's insane! Is he seriously expecting perfection out of troops under his kind of rule?!

[not_the_deer]

I'm sure if Jupiter Empire was a normal country his people would rebel already, but...

The Jovians very poor. Even air and living space, things we take for granted, are in shortage for them. That makes them desperate.

[paladin_robot]

Even if it were, unless the people had a way to pull it off, it might not happen...

[Richard sighs, thinking to himself.]

How about a drink? You sound like you could use something.

[not_the_deer]

Here's where the Crossbone Vanguard comes in! We're going to stop Dogatie before he can start a war with Earth for real.

You don't mean an alcoholic drink, do you? Sure.

[paladin_robot]

Either or. Even if the Britannians liked to enforce their laws back home, they can never stop a good frenchman from enjoying himself. Even more when he's halfway across the world in a ship named after a cup.

[not_the_deer]

Maybe, but I'm not a Frenchman. And I'm underage, you know!

[paladin_robot]

So? I was even younger than you when I had my first drink... though that was admittedly because I'd broken my leg and we had no anaesthesia.

[not_the_deer]

You didn't have Captain Berah watching over you.

She can be really scary if she wants to.

[paladin_robot]

Scary? You're facing an Empire from Jupiter, whilst piloting a metal death trap, and its a mere ship captain you think is scary?

[not_the_deer]

Yes.

The Jovians can't make me clean toilets for the rest of my life.

[paladin_robot]

...Fair enough. Water it is.