The euphoric atmosphere in the main auditorium of the Amaterasu Omikami base in Kyoto was palpable. On the stage where briefings for major operations were usually conducted, Sabrina M. Ortiz was accompanied by Major Pellegrini, Chief of Engineering Carlos Monteiro, and the base's Director-General, Masahiro Yoshikawa. And it was the Director who did the honors.
"We are here today to thank you for your hard work throughout this year, and some even before that. It was thanks to the efforts of our entire team that we achieved our victories."
The euphoria was strong enough that some men dared to whistle loudly, but such was the festivity that they managed to draw a brief smile from the director.
"For the next week, we will be releasing our team so you can enjoy the year-end festivities with your families. We have people from all over the world on our team, so whatever your belief or custom, enjoy the moment. Without further ado, have a good rest, my brave comrades!!"
That was certainly the loudest round of applause the director had ever received in his life. And little by little, amidst friends saying goodbye and laughter thrown into the air, the auditorium emptied. Henry put his arm over Gabriel's shoulder as they descended the stairs to the exit.
"Who wants a lift to London? We'll have to bring some things back on the return trip, but the Albion is big enough."
"I accept."
The two R.A.F. pilots turned their attention to Jérôme Gagnier, who was approaching.
"If you could make a small stopover in Paris, I would appreciate it, Lieutenant."
Gabriel observed the now almost empty auditorium when his eyes met a solitary figure in one of the corners of the place. Kiyoko Ogata was an orphan, like Gabriel, but unlike him, she hadn't had the luck to be adopted, going straight from the orphanage to the Aegis pilot academy in Japan. She would certainly be staying at the base.
"You know, old friend, we have room for more people if needed."
Henry gave his characteristic pat on his friend's arm before leaving the premises with Gagnier. Gabriel approached Kiyoko, sitting beside her, to the girl's expected startle.
"Sir!"
He no longer even asked her to be at ease; he knew of the young Lieutenant's difficulty. Gabriel observed her once more before asking a question to which he already knew the answer.
"Are you staying at the base?"
"I have nowhere to go, sir, so yes."
He looked away towards the chairs of the now empty auditorium.
"Would you like to see London?"
It took a while for her to understand the invitation, and when she did, she was terrified.
"I can't trouble you like that, First Lieutenant!"
"My sister has a saying: The more, the merrier. Believe me, it won't be a problem."
She tightly gripped the hem of her uniform suit. It was the first time she had been invited to anything, let alone a trip to a foreign country to spend such an important holiday with his family. She hesitated; for a moment, she thought of refusing, but the gentle smile of the First Lieutenant, who had helped her so much in such a short time, made her answer come out involuntarily.
"I would like to go..."
"Well, then I think we'd better get ready. Lieutenant Enfield shouldn't be crazy enough to leave us behind, but it's better not to risk it."
<>
The Albion crossed the Dead Sea, heading for the European continent, a few hours after the Amaterasu base team's farewell. The flight path was a little different from the one normally taken between Japan and England, and there was a reason for it.
Jérôme Gagnier wanted the youngest member of his team to see what the U.S.C.'s actions had done to Eastern Europe. Gabriel protested at first but then agreed that the truth was important for Kiyoko to understand the reason for so much fighting. The Albion lowered its altitude, and the external cameras were turned on.
The young lieutenant slowly approached the large monitor. The land was devastated, dead, kilometers upon kilometers of destruction. Vegetation no longer grew to hide man's actions against man himself. Gabriel stood beside the Lieutenant, who looked at him, horrified.
"From the coast of Ukraine to western Hungary, almost all life was basically extinguished. I am one of the few who were lucky."
Gagnier, with his indecipherable gaze, continued the explanation.
"And this happened in more places around the world: in North and South America, in North Africa, in Southeast Asia... These zones of pure death they created by conducting their experiments and testing their weapons will continue to exist for centuries."
Gabriel watched the images as much as he could, but his limit was still low, and then he left the cockpit. The memories were returning too strongly. Kiyoko wanted to comfort him but lacked the right words. Henry noticed the young woman's concern and decided to calm her.
"Don't worry, Lieutenant. This just shows how much he cares."
As agreed, half an hour later, the Albion was taxiing at the Aegis base in Paris so Gagnier could disembark. During the flight over France, Kiyoko's surprised look was justifiable. Unlike the east of the continent, French territory seemed almost intact.
"Why wasn't this country attacked?"
The uncomfortable silence of the three made the young woman worry about the question she had asked. Gagnier saluted his comrades, who returned the gesture. And before disembarking, he answered Ogata's query.
"France, and some other countries, were not destroyed because some cardinal from The Cathedral decided it was too beautiful a country to die."
It was the first time they had seen hatred in the eyes of the always serene vice-captain. That was how the U.S.C. decided the fate of the lives it sadistically controlled—by the whims of a cardinal. The Albion took off once more, and its final destination was now just minutes away.
<>
The Moncrief residence was located in the Barking & Dagenham borough, in the east of greater London. The neighborhood was quieter than most others in the large English metropolis, and even with technological advancements, it retained the classic air of British villages. House number 230 remained the same externally since Gabriel was brought there by the couple Thomas and Samantha. The changes and renovations that had occurred in the residence were his and his adoptive brother's work, who used it as a hobby in his spare time. The memory brought a smile to Gabriel's face as he rang the doorbell.
With Kiyoko at his heels, more nervous with each passing moment, he gave a small nod to the camera at the house entrance. He could hear the light footsteps of someone descending the stairs of the residence, and moments later, the door opened. And he found himself embraced by his young niece, Julie, and he bent down to lift the child into his arms.
"Uncle Biel!!"
"Getting bigger every time, Julie, keep it up!"
"I will, and thanks for the photos!"
The child's eyes sparkled when she saw Kiyoko, probably debating how she would introduce herself. Still in her uncle's arms, Julie extended her small hands to the young pilot.
"A pleasure to meet you, my name is Julie!"
"The pleasure is mine, Julie, my name is Kiyoko Ogata."
"Biel."
Gabriel put his niece down, immediately being hugged by Samantha.
"Welcome back."
He looked over his sister's shoulder, and patiently waiting her turn, was the now professor Theresa Vazquez. And when she arrived, the hug was followed by a long kiss. Everything seemed to disappear for Gabriel and his beloved. When the warm reunion ended, Theresa looked at Kiyoko.
"You must be the Japanese beauty I've heard so much about this past month."
"I am Lieutenant Kiyoko Ogata, ma'am."
Samantha and Theresa laughed heartily, while Gabriel just shook his head negatively.
"We have a rule in the house: here there is no lieutenant, first lieutenant, major, general. Here I am just Gabriel, you are just Kiyoko, they are not doctor and professor, they are Samantha and Theresa."
"And I'm Julie!"
Gabriel smiled, stroking his niece's hair.
"And she's Julie. Make yourself at home, Kiyoko."
The young lieutenant took a step into the house.
"Thank you, ma'a— G-Gabriel."
<>
The dinner Samantha made was delicious, as usual. Gabriel observed the empty chair at the table; the place was being saved for him, there was no doubt. And it probably would be forever. Kiyoko looked surprised at her now empty plate, making Gabriel curious.
"What's wrong?"
She was embarrassed but tried to explain.
"Lieutenant Enfield said English food is terrible, but everything was so tasty."
Samantha was happy with the compliment and decided to explain why.
"Thank you very much, Kiyoko. It happens that my English food ends up being better than most."
"Exactly."
Gabriel took a sip of his tea, which he had learned to love like the people of the land that adopted him, before continuing.
"She seasons it with love and little modesty; it's a perfect combination. And Henry is right about what he said about the food here. The only really good thing is fish and chips, and that's because they make it in the least healthy way possible."
Theresa, who watched the interaction with a big smile, paused to observe the guest's clothes. The military uniform suited Kiyoko well, but the young woman's delicate beauty activated her fashionista side.
"Do you like shopping, Kiyoko?"
"And here we go..."
Theresa threw one of the napkins in her fiancé's direction, who just caught it, smiling. Kiyoko's answer came in an almost inaudible tone.
"I... I've never been shopping."
Theresa's even wider smile indicated that she had heard the timid response.
"Looks like we already have plans for tomorrow morning, Samantha."
"I can only wish you good luck, Kiyoko."
The young woman seemed worried and happy at the same time, while Theresa made a suggestion.
"Take the opportunity to go meet my father while we do our shopping. He's also dying to see you, and remember that tomorrow night you're mine; I've already made the reservation and everything."
"Want me to meet him at the usual pub?"
Samantha just nodded, while Gabriel stood up, helping his fiancée gather the plates and take them to the kitchen. Julie, with her infinite amount of energy, dragged Kiyoko to the center of the room to see the presents her uncle had promised and brought today, while Samantha observed the young Japanese pilot with the curiosity of the psychologist she was.
The idea of asking Samantha to accompany the young woman in the same way she did with him weekly was not new, and perhaps it was a good suggestion. After helping Theresa with the dishes, he went up the stairs of the house. There was a place he wanted to visit before sleeping. His sister had told him what she did with one of the guest rooms in the traditional house, and when he entered it, a whirlwind of emotions made him hesitate.
On the wall, the medals of his decorated deceased brother were lined up. Photos from his academy days, with his various squadrons over the years of service, and of course, of him smiling beside his family on the adventures they lived through the years. Even in such a dark era, he did his best for them to have a semblance of normality in their lives.
The salute he gave to the small memorial for Thomas Moncrief was instinctive and natural. His emotion didn't let him notice Kiyoko Ogata's arrival beside him, who repeated the same gesture.
He lightly placed his hand on his squadron mate's shoulder, indicating for them to leave the room.
"I recommend you go to sleep, Kiyoko. If you think Ortiz's exercises are tough, you won't believe what those two will put you through while shopping."
The young woman said goodbye, returning to the first floor of the house, while Gabriel continued in front of the bedroom door, wondering if he had made his brother proud with the decisions he had been making.
<>
The city of London, and England in general, did not have the same luck as some of its neighbors. Greater resistance by the Royal Army against the U.S.C. made the country a target of several attacks. The capital was undergoing its third reconstruction in the last 50 years. And now, classic British architecture had lost much of its space to modern buildings.
One of the places that, by luck, or due to a deal with the devil as some customers joked, was never hit by the war, was the Pub Audrey, in central London. And it was in this cozy and classic bar that Gabriel was going to meet Marco Vazquez, a former squadron mate and also his father-in-law.
Upon entering the establishment, Gabriel observed the low number of customers and was thankful for it. He preferred less crowded places, although he knew this wouldn't last long. It didn't take him long to find Vazquez, sitting on one of the stools lined up in front of the Pub's counter. The man, who had one of the most genuine smiles Gabriel knew, waved upon seeing him arrive. Before the first lieutenant could sit, Vazquez stood up to give his future son-in-law a big hug.
"Welcome back to England, kid!"
"Good to see you again, Sir."
Marco laughed, signaling the bartender to get a pint of beer for the new visitor.
"At this point, you're basically my superior and my son by extension, so let's drop the formalities."
The bartender placed the large pint of beer in front of Gabriel, and with his strong British accent, said:
"On the house, for the heroes of England!"
Gabriel awkwardly raised the pint and toasted with Marco, who, as usual, laughed at his son-in-law's shyness. After the drink and some snacks, the tone of the conversation became more serious.
"How are things with the project in Asia? To call it a success would be an understatement; we've received the news indirectly, but the victories are piling up."
"Yes, and quite rapidly."
"What did you think of the new unit?"
Gabriel took another sip from his second pint before answering.
"Ridiculous. Simply, ridiculous. That thing doesn't make sense. It's hard to even find the words to describe it."
"Two shots from a hundred kilometers away. It's hard to disagree with the ridiculous factor in that machine, truly."
The astonishing performance, not only of it but of the other units in the project, had no logical explanation, besides the weapons and also the starship Avalon. The project having been kept secret, even being executed so quickly, didn't make sense. The greater effort for them to be completed at the speed they were should have drawn even more attention.
Marco just nodded before continuing.
"There are rumors that part of the top brass in the armies wants to take advantage of the situation and forge a truce with the U.S.C."
Gabriel looked at the veteran; it would be too good news, so a "but" was coming.
"But it seems the majority voted for an offensive against the colonies. I think we'll soon be fighting in space, kid."
"Of course, they voted for that."
"What's wrong? You can talk, Gabriel, what's bothering you?"
He sighed before answering.
"After using and seeing the power of Excalibur up close, and it wasn't even at its full potential, I wonder what atrocity they'll order me to commit with it."
"If that moment comes, if the order to commit an atrocity happens, I'm sure you'll make the right decision. Let's wrap it up here; I need to deliver you sober to Theresa, or I'll never hear the end of it!"
<>
The Spanish restaurant in London, where Theresa had made a reservation for the couple, was packed. At the top of one of the capital's new skyscrapers, the view of the illuminated city was beautiful. Not as beautiful as the woman sitting across from him, Gabriel thought. His fiancée's blonde hair was in beautiful curls, her green eyes radiant with happiness, and her pretty navy-blue dress gave even more brilliance to Theresa's beauty.
He placed his hand over hers and caressed Theresa's ring, who did the same with his, which he could only wear when off-duty. He observed his beloved again and saw a brief semblance of anxiety there.
"What's wrong?"
"It's about my transfer. I won't be able to be part of the project in Kyoto."
He was disappointed, but it was something Gabriel already expected. It would be a waste of Theresa's talent, which would be much more useful for a project still in its early stages. With an understanding smile, he tried to reassure her.
"We expected this, and it's okay. Do you already know where you'll be transferred?"
She hesitated a little, then answered.
"The Moon."
The implications of the simple answer were too much for Gabriel to process; it meant an Aegis base and research center were being built.
"When?"
"They'll start the operation in March of next year, so around that time."
"I shouldn't be surprised after piloting Arthur, but building a base and a command center in three months... Anyway, I'm sure you'll do well in whatever project it is. You're brilliant, after all."
"If the plan is to make me embarrassed, it's working perfectly."
Gabriel smiled, closing the distance between them. Gently holding Theresa's chin, he gave her a light kiss.
"That was exactly my objective."
<>
At the top of the 5-star hotel Theresa had booked for the couple's night, Gabriel watched her sleeping peacefully in his arms. Her angelic face, serene and tranquil from being in the arms of the man she loved, made Gabriel instinctively stroke his fiancée's hair, who didn't wake. He looked at the starry sky of London's dawn through the large bedroom window.
He knew that next year, he would be fighting in the space he admired and feared in equal measure. Soon he and his M.M.U. Arthur would bring death and destruction to the stars. He feared becoming the tool of reckless superiors, and for the future not only of Earth but of the good people he was sure also existed in the U.S.C.
2239 A.D. The year that in history books would become known as the Year of Death was about to begin.