<span style="text-decoration: underline">"Lieutenant Romav . . . Our actions are unsanctioned by Axis and we may face their disapproval."</span><br/><br/>So this Jarryk was acting independently of command? In truth that didn't surprise the Lieutenant; these cowards hiding in their distant fortress while true men with spirit and pride died. Of course they would never condone an action because it threatens their miniscule crumbs. That message didn't bother Viktor, it wasn't the first time he'd gone against the grain and he held no respect for Axis. He was thankful for the cell they afforded him upon leaving the Delaz fleet but the prison gave no other accommodations. As the MS-18 entered the docking lane a blue Gelgoog flashed into view with flare and a reckless abandon that would have nearly clipped Romav if he hadn't already begun to enter.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Damn fool. . . </span><br/><br/>The Kämpfer landed without incident and more pangs of familiarity swam through the cockpit. Engineers scrambling about shifting equipment and cargo that was intended for war. He was making the right choice in this he was certain of it. The Lieutenant disembarked and floated easily to the deck. The engineer on site hurried to him and almost out of breath spoke.<br/><br/>"Sir-the captain wants you to keep your mobile suit on a-" He was cut off as the Lieutenant put a hand up with stern but friendly enough pursed lips. "I know, don't worry. Try to top off the propellant if you can if Axis finds out. . . Well get to it!"<br/><br/>He turned and walked from the mobile suit with precise deliberate steps and one would question if this was the same Viktor Romav that had been haunting the corridors of Axis not even an hour ago. Jarryk came into view and the realization dawned on the Lieutenant as the husk of the proud figure he'd known of in the One Year War came into view. Only it wasn't the daring fighter ace that Romav had worshipped while moving cargo, the fighter ace that would inspire Romav to pursue being a mobile suit pilot and who he had thought dead. No this man was a husk, a withered body barely able to contain the greatness that still thundered in the now Captain's breast. A Smile laced with sorrow broadened over the Lieutenants face as he finally had the opportunity to do something he'd wanted to since he was just a soon to be middle aged failure.<br/><br/>A crisp whip of the hand and Romav was fully saluting the captain.<br/><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline">"Lieutenant Romav, I am quite glad to see that you've elected to join us."</span><br/><br/>The Lieutenant was certain this was the course to take now. However they were interrupted by the Gelgoog that Romav had almost collided with outside the ship. That pilot had decided to join the expedition as well? The Captain immediately probed Viktor either out of true curiosity or perhaps more as a test but Viktor knew little of this Ensign Tyrius Garrou. He'd heard a name similar to that at some point though. Was that the cadet that survived the slaughter at A Baoa Qu? Viktor gave his opinion on the matter; he couldn't blame the Ensign though. To be thrown into the grinder so close to the eventual surrender. To have your death mean nothing except for the remembrance of space itself and then to see the Zeon you died for reduced to this. The thought stung the Lieutenant too and the question of if any good men were still alive among the Zeon Purgatory that was Axis.<br/><br/><span style="text-decoration: underline">"SIR! Incoming HiZacks!!! They're moving off the Northern side of Axis! I'm getting 16 signals sir, no mistaking them, they'll be here in 3 minutes!"</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">That didn't take long.</span><br/><br/>Romav knew what was next he only saw a couple other suits that weren't functional in the bay and knew he would be part of the sortie going out to intercept the HiZacks. The newest version of the time honored Zaku might prove problematic but it wasn't something he could think about now. This wouldn't be his time not on the onset of destiny.<br/><br/>The Kämpfer moved to the edge of the bay and tapped the propellant shifting out into space noting the Gelgoog from earlier and a compliment of four Rick Dom Iis that were going to stand the line between the Abyssal Fury and the guard dogs of Axis.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Lieutenant Shale. . .</span><br/><br/>The image came to view for just a moment. The arrival of Romav onto Axis and encountering the other Lieutenant. He was several years Romav's junior and looked at the charred Kämpfer stinking of marred pride and defeat but ultimately with glory. Shale had decided to stay in the comfort of Axis while the brave men fought with Delaz and had talked quite a bit with Romav about the two month duration of Operation Stardust and the time before it and of Delaz and Gato. Unfortunately the Lieutenant couldn't speak a great deal on either the Vice Admiral or the Ace respectively having never directly interacted with the pilot and having only sparse relations with Delaz. All he could speak of was the fire, mighty and consuming that flowed from the ships that carried out Operation Stardust like a flare in the night sky. Perhaps he'd be able to reason with Shale as the younger Lieutenant seemed to ache at the lack of action back when they first spoke.<br/><br/>The com link opened among the small contingent of defenders and Romav broke the silence.<br/><br/>"This is Lieutenant Viktor Romav and I am the Commanding Officer of this unit. All units maintain readiness but hold your ground. Ensign Garrou stay close to me and don't engage. We need to be as fully operational as possible for our Endeavor."<br/><br/>Viktor switched his radio transmitter to engage Shale at this time and cleared his throat.<br/><br/>"Lieutenant Shale this is Viktor. It's been some time since we've spoken. The first time we met was at the closure of Operation Stardust when I first arrived at Axis broken and wounded but ultimately victorious. We spoke of battle and of Zeon pride and how it pained us to live under the Earth's thumb. We move now against those that would oppress space, this objective means more than you or myself, it means the liberty of Spacenoids and the freedom of those that inhabit the vacuum. Your soul still burns for Zeon like mine; we do not belong in the purgatory of Axis. I do not wish to engage you but I<span style="font-style: italic">will</span>destroy you if you oppose us. Stand down and let us pass."