S1.01: Commencement, 03 of 03

[garde723]

After reading the official memo, Izana went in search of Nagate, eventually finding him cleaning an empty classroom.

"Nagate-san, they've announced the latest cadet organization and we are within the same disivision." Izana said by way of greeting. Nagate stopped sweeping and stared at them blankly. "That means we may be paired together in the same unit for drills or practice sorties. In fact, we are on call right now."

"Oh. That's great," Nagate said with a smile.

"We must shake hands now," Izana said, holding out their right hand for Nagate to clasp.

"What is this for?" Nagate asked staring at their hands.

"There is a saying that squad mates who've never touched each other will get into an accident." As they shook hands, Izana spotted Yamano walking in the hall outside and called out, "Oh, Yamano! You're in our division aren't you? We might be paired together, so let's shake hands to be safe."

"That's just a dumb superstition," Yamano replied with barely a pause before continuing down the hall and away from them. "I'm gonna pass."

"Yamano is always like that," Izana said with a sigh as they watched Yamano walking away from the doorway. "Well, let's go put on our skin suits." Izana knew some experience with the suits would do Nagate some good as being introduced to the biological catheter right before your first sortie would not be good.

"What?" Nagate replied.

"Just follow me."

Comments

[garde723]

Izana joined Nagate in the men's changing room, though they claimed one of the privacy stalls for their own changing. They wanted to be sure Nagate didn't hurt himself. Really.

"A biological urethra catheter?" Nagate asked with trepidation as he pulled the flesh-like suit up his legs.

"I thought this would be your first time putting on a skin suit," Izana replied as they zipped up their own suit.

"Yeah."

"The cockpit doesn't have a toilet, so the catheter is necessary. It'll just snake its way in on its own. Don't try to take it out, it's dangerous."

At Nagate's grunts and moans of surprise at the catheter's worming its way up his urethra, Izana couldn't help a slight smile of amusement.

[garde723]

It was just an routine mission, boring and safe. They were to fly to a nearby asteroid and mine the frozen water for resources. A survey for minerals was also required and so two squads were authorized. It was a simple, safe mission. Set up the laser cutters, collect the ice blocks, survey for other needed minerals and collect, if present. An easy way to give the cadets some real time in the garde units.

Now there was screaming as Yamano's garde was torn apart and she was pulled from the cockpit by the gauna's tentacles to be dropped into its "mouth". Now everyone was frozen in shock and terror at the sudden appearance of the ancient foe so many believed would never trouble them in their life time. Now was the time for action.

Almost as one, two garde units from squad two ignited their thrusters and to hover above the asteroid and provide cover. Three other units remained on the asteroid but backed up to give themselves more room. Izana chose instead to fire their Hyggs Particle Cannon at the gauna. Once, twice, and then they noticed Nagate's garde unit, the legendary Tsugumori brought back into commission, laying crumbled against the crater wall.

"Nagate!" They called out over the comm but with all the chatter of the other pilots and Sidonia's command staff, Izana was uncertain if he heard.

Suddenly, the Tsugumori activated the high vibration blades in its arm and swung to cut into the tentacles that were reaching for it. A quick blast of thrusters and the unit was back in action, orbiting in an arc around the gauna as Nagate fired two missiles into the head the gauna had formed and then firing several controlled bursts from the gatling gun in its left arm.

"Shinatose, got out of there," Sidonia command said over the comm and so they complied, blasting off to turn and face the asteroid as they left, firing a few more blasts of the Hyggs Particle Cannon to provide cover fire for Nagate, who was still trying to attack the gauna. It was hopeless though. Without a Kabizashi, there was no way to kill the gauna and none of them were armed with one. All they could hope was to keep the thing distracted and hope Sidonia would send a squad armed with kabizashi or support in some other way.

Over the comm, from Sidonia command, Izana heard the order and firing solution for the heavy mass canon. Based on their distance, they estimated they had thirty seconds to clear out of the path or be taken out along with the asteroid.

Izana was deciding if they should turn around and get Nagate when Hoshijiro flew by and picked him up with a clasp formation. A few more burst of suppressive fire from Izana and Kunato, and then all seven remaining pilots clustered into one large clasp formation and flew off, just in time to miss the heavy round fired from Sidonia which obliterated the asteroid.