2022-09-02: A Key in the Hand
- Log: 2022-09-02: A Key in the Hand
- Cast: Full Frontal, Angelo Sauper, Martha Vist Carbine, Alberto Vist
- Where: Asteroid Base Palau; Anaheim Corporate Offices
- Date: U.C. 0096 09 02
- Summary: The leaders of the two factions clashing over Laplace's Box each make plans with their respective underlings.
ASTEROID BASE PALAU
GOVERNOR'S ESTATE
No Federation official with any wisdom ever questions the Governor of Palau's anonymous guest, or the individuals who visit him at the Governor's Estate.
There have been attempts to discover these identities, of course, but after the fourth such investigator suffered a terrible accident involving exposure to hard vacuum, and a mysterious influx of funding to his account, the fifth investigator decided it would be better for his career to not pursue the matter further.
Sleeves Commander Full Frontal is looking out of his office window when Lieutenant Angelo Sauper is granted entrance. He does not turn, yet, simply states: "Report."
Struck, as always, by the blonde man's dignified bearing, Sauper salutes even though only the guard's are there to observe him. "Sir. The Garencieres and the Unicorn Gundam have been sighted on Earth."
The Commander cants his head ever so slightly, wordlessly asking 'Is that all?'
Unshaken, Angelo continues "The lack of psycometer data indicates that either the NT-D system has not been activated in some time, or that it has not been installed."
Full Frontal checks the cuffs of his crimson jacket: Immaculate, as always. "Perhaps Captain Zinnerman needs a reminder of the steep toll we can extract from the Federation once we have the Box."
"Sir." Angelo steps forward, purple eyes narrowed. "Send me. I will recover the Unicorn and turn it properly towards our cause. We would be victorious so much faster if we did not have to depend on the Vist child."
At that, Full Frontal turns to face his second-in-command. "And would you cut off his hand to operate it? It is my understanding that Cardeas Vist matched the mobile suit to young Banagher's biometrics, rendering it and the La+ a program inert to any other possible pilot."
Without hesitation, Angelo replies "I would do everything necessary for our mission, Sir."
Full Frontal walks over to his lieutenant, reaching up to remove his red-lensed mask and fixing the other man with that piercing crystal-blue stare. "And that devotion is exactly why I trust you and no other to lead my House Guard, Angelo. With you behind me, our victory is assured, no matter how long it takes."
Angelo acquiesces to this logic quickly; how could he not? Full Frontal nods and replaces his mask. "We all have our roles to play in this grand drama. We just need to give the other actors a little nudge."
His expression has not changed one iota during this conversation; it remains as ever stern and placid.
LUNAR COLONY
ANAHEIM CORPORATE OFFICE
Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. Alberto Vist sighs and digitally signs yet another tedious report on the performance capabilities of some new mobile suit or other the company's testing. Or was it a KMF on the Britannia contract? Irrelevant; it's all tedious.
His secretary buzzes in. "Mr. Vist, you have a call on the secure business line."
Who on Earth - okay, fine, Luna - is calling him now on the secure business line? Alberto sighs again and patches the call through.
"Alberto." A woman's voice. Clipped, cold, eminently professional... And deeply familiar to Alberto.
"Aunt Martha."
"This isn't a social call." The middle-aged blonde on the screen thins her lips. "Cardeas's son has been seen on Earth. That means his Gundam is there too. Probably with that damn freighter that's been getting in our way."
Ice in his spine, Alberto swallows. "Y-yes. What do you want to do about him?"
"I am not going to do anything. You are going to find some ships with pilots to evaluate for the Black Lion Project, and perhaps scare the Unicorn from out of its hiding place."
Why is his throat so dry? Alberto fumbles for a reason to end the conversation, an answer that will get his aunt out of his (rapidly-diminishing) hair. "Admiral Munetake."
"What about that bumbling fool?"
"I believe his nephew works in our R&D labs. A reminder about his family futures would convince him to divert the Nadesico to a sighting of the freighter."
"Remind him of just who helped secure his reassignment to that ridiculous vessel after what he did and perhaps he might actually listen. Do it." Martha cuts the transmission, and Alberto slumps in his chair, letting out breath he didn't know he was holding.
This is getting worse all the time...