2024-08-31: Small Joys

• Log: 2024-08-31: Small Joys
• Cast: Rose Tritten
• Where: Aboard the Minerva
• Date: U.C. 0099 08 31
• Summary: Rose and Aspyn await news on Sushila in the aftermath of the Junius Seven drop.

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The door to the outer deck of the Minerva slid open, the wind blowing in as Rose stepped out into the light of dusk. She couldn't tell if it was the normal ocean wind, or the ongoing aftermath of the fall of Junius Seven. A day or so had passed since the Tritten Team landed on the ZAFT super battleship, two relatively alive, one whisked away to the Minerva’s surgeon. Down a ways, Rose could see Aspyn hunched over the rail, changed into a spare green uniform helpfully gifted from the Minerva’s stores. Rose carefully approached her friend, who was staring off into the horizon.

“Hey.” Rose simply said, resting on the rail next to Aspyn.

“Hey.” Aspyn simply replied, her gaze not leaving the orange sky. Her voice was tired, and dejected.

The two were interrupted by the sudden sound of machinery working, as a crane lifted the scorched, dented and battle scarred hulk of Rose’s ZAKU Warrior out over the edge of the Minerva, and unceremoniously dropped it into the sea with a mighty splash of water, commending it into the dark waters below.

“I uh...talked to the Minerva’s XO.” Rose said, looking back at Aspyn. “He says after we escort the Ra Mari back to Orb, they’re going to make arrangements for us to fly over to Carpentaria base and then back up into space.” Almost as if on cue, the Ra Mari II flew overhead, the large Zentradi monitor maintaining formation with the Minerva, her primary battery, which was demonstrated to be as powerful as ever, hidden, but still sent a bit of worry through Rose’s core, remembering its power, and what might have been the only thing that prevented the entire solar system from being destroyed.

“...All of us?” Aspyn asked, her voice almost a whimper.

Rose put her arm around Aspyn, and pulled the taller woman close. “Yeah, all of us.”

“Is she okay?” Aspyn sniffled.

“She hasn’t woken up yet. There was a fire in the cockpit, and the doctor says that while her suit took the brunt of it, some parts got through...but it’s not as bad as it could have been. She also has a broken collarbone and an ankle so she’ll be out until we can get her back to the ZAFT hospital in the PLANTs and they can fix it faster.”

The sounds of the crane working and a crashing splash once more announced the disposal of Aspyn’s ZAKU, sent to the deep just like Rose’s.

“Why did this have to happen?” Aspyn sobbed. “Sushila...all those poor people... and it was ZAFT people who...and the...the Jovian Lizards are...and the...and we...are we...are we gonna have to fight another war?”

Rose wrapped her arms around Aspyn, squeezing her tight. “I don’t know Aspy, I don’t. I’m worried too.”

“Uh...excuse me.” A woman’s voice interrupted behind them. The two turned to see another ZAFT Red in a shorter tunic and pink miniskirt, with short red-violet hair, and indigo eyes. “Are you the girls who followed Junius Seven into the atmosphere?”

“Yeah, that’s...that’s us.” Rose said, as Aspyn wiped her tears away. “I’m Rose, this is Aspyn.”

“That was uh...” Rose was certain the girl was about to say ‘crazy’, ‘suicidal’ ‘incredibly stupid’, all of which were appropriate, “...that took a lot of guts! Oh, uh, my name is Lunamaria. I’m one of the pilots on the Minerva. I saw when you overloaded your Gunner reactor...I mean I’ve seen the simulations a bunch of times but removing the limiters was only hypothetical and...I mean you really showed off what we ZAKU jocks can do!”

“Heh..yeah...desperate times right?” Rose said, rubbing the back of her neck, knowing that it was Sushila who made that choice for all of them. Behind her, what little remained of Sushila’s ZAKU joined its sisters in the briny depths.

Lunamaria’s face suddenly snapped up. “Oh! There was something else I was supposed to tell you! Your friend, down in the Medbay, she’s awake!”

Life returned instantly to Aspyn, who didn’t even pause to thank Lunamaria before her boot falls were tromping across the deck towards the hatchway. Rose started after her, but paused, turning back to Lunamaria.

“Th-thanks, we’d love to stay and chat more but...”

“No, no! Please, go ahead!” Lunamaria smiled.

And with that, Rose was chasing after Aspyn. As she ran past the bowled over forms of crew members shoved aside by her hell-bent teammate, Rose eventually reached the medbay of the Minerva. The door slid open and the sound of Aspyn’s blubbering cries filled the air. Inside, Rose could see Sushila, awake and in bed, bandaged up with her right arm in a sling and her left leg elevated looking exhausted and even more pale than usual, as Aspyn had her arms wrapped around her wailing and blubbering as the nurse tried to separate her, protesting that she could make the injuries worse.

As Sushila looked over to Rose, already looking tired of Aspyn’s entire deal, she still couldn’t help but give a faint tired smile, which Rose happily returned, before helping the nurse pull Aspyn off of their friend.

The planet ached, and cried, but for three girls in that medbay, a little joy had returned.