September 22nd, 2026. 14:04

Deep inside the hangar, a group of mechanics was repairing the TF-00's airframe. The holes left by the bullets are patched with new metal plates and weld into place. Other parts of the fuselage are lifted to the ceiling with cranes and winches and examined by everyone else. The cockpit glow in the dark like the instrument panel of a jet fighter and is the center of all activity.

There is no other way to describe it. No other place that feels so alive as here, at least when its outside of a raging battlefield with the scents of iron and nitrogen filling the air around it in many ways.

In the back corner of the room, as the mechanics finish the job, there are the four crusaders sitting on a stool, Rosa is focused on the works the mechanics do for Kamis' plane, as he crosses his arms and gazing up in the ceiling. Andreas on the other hand, rests his hands between his knees while gazing downward. Mariama only observes with her half-lidded eyes at the sight of the plane.

"Man, what's taking them so long? I'm waiting for those sissy Australians to show up," Kamis says.

"I wouldn't waste my own energy worrying about them if I were you," Mariama replies, her tone being a contrast from Kamis's irritated one. Kamis sighs and shakes his head.

"We're still an auxiliary squadron for the Earth Warriors you know. It's not like we can take off and scout them whenever we like. Or something like that," Andreas adds as he holds his glasses in place. Kamis scoffs in response.

"It's not that bad, Kam. Be grateful we're still here," Rosa adds.

"Yeah, sure. It's like we should wait for His Majesty, Colonel John Walker to come down from being a shut-in and give us the mission to clean up his boots. That's all there is these days!" The mechanics are nearing completion of the plane, as some turn off the fuselage and grab some of their equipment as they finish up things in with Kamis' plane. This sight is at least enough to make Kamis chuckle.

"Hey, at least my Spectral babe is getting back in action. The sound of her engine really calms down. Enough to sleep well like a baby after some days of four-hour sleeps." As he stretches his arms, Rosa picks her phone from her pocket and types some words in her search browser. Enough to make Andreas turn around.

"Uhm, something wrong, Rosa?" Andreas asks.

"It's about what Luke the pilot mentioned to Luana, about the attempted bombing defenses gone awry back when the Zlocu first attacked Earth. But a particular one that struck my interest based on his tone takes me to the Okinawan Evecuation back in late July."

"Yeah. I did think that our sneaky singing owl wasn't being totally suspicious at all in regards to knowing these two lovebirds."

"Oh, dear. Are you saying that she's a spy or something?" Rosa asks with a tinge of jest.

"Come on. We've been working with her since we met, and we're still friends now."

"Right then. But still, I wonder what drove these two to the Zlocu and if it related to Okinawa."

"Well, maybe she made them quit the airforce for singing I Want You non-stop because of who they were!" Kamis laughs heartily. "'Oh, I want you, I don't know if I need you. But oh, I would die to find out' You know, that kind of crap." Andreas only responds by staring at him with a sigh and shaking his head.

"You sure like being terrible, Kam," Andreas says. 

"Honestly, with all kinds of grief people give each other these days, this won't surprise if it were true,"

"Well, can't say he's wrong about that. You'll never know when someone could flip over even the tinniest of problems," Mariama adds.  Andreas then holds his hands in his head and sighs again. Times like this can't help much in determining what could be the real goals of what happened to certain degrees. Yet despite all this, it doesn't seem to be a daunting taks of a high caliber as far as Rosa is concerned as she then puts the phone back in her pocket and stands up from the stool.

"If we want to know the truth, then it's better to head deeper. Maybe I'll find out in Luana's office for answers," Rosa adds. Kamis and Andreas' eyes widen in response while Mariama leans closer to her.

"Risking our jobs for this? You better know," Mariama warns. Rosa, however, doesn't seem too disuaded from this.

"Okay, now I'm suspicious about the screw in your damn head." Andreas replies by smacking Kamis in his right arm. He groans in response.

"What was that for, man?!"

"Give your squad lead some respect, will you? It's getting annoying."

"Gimme a break, I'm just speculating over this, that's all. You know what? I'll drop if it satisfies you."

"Very well then. If you're going to do it, then let's go. And for once, try to act like a grown-up and not act like a kid, okay?" Rosa says. Kamis only shrugs as he and the rest of the team stand up from their seats. They head to the exit as the last touches of the repair for the Spectre are done. The plane shines brightly amidst the emerging sun rays from outside. The mechanics head to the other exit, leaving the entire room void of any Human presence, and only the four planes remain in place.

Once outside the room, Rosa heads for the left side while her teammates watch her on. Even for an "auxiliary" pilot, this is something far more than just a simple incident between two defectors and their former AWACS.

"You guys better head back to our barracks, don't want to risk any more of your to get caught," Rosa says.

"What the hell. This is getting out of hand," Kamis adds.

"Yeah, I know," Rosa replies. "But still, I have to know the truth about these two."

"And what if it's not even Luana's fault?"

"Whatever the case is, I'll make sure she knows well in how far one should hide their secrets." With that, she marches away from the group, leaving them on their own for now. Mariama merely shrugs at this while Andreas couldn't help but gaze at her as she continues onward, making a turn to the left where the room is supposedly located.

"Well, then I'll get some sleeping pills to get me through the next work day. Let's go, boys," Mariama says as she heads back to the barracks. The other three follow behind her silently while Andreas stares at her with a wrinkling brow and circles forming in his eyes, wondering what could be running through her mind right now.

You better know what you're doing, Miss Rosa...

As Rosa takes a peek to her room, she slinks inside the room, gazing the laptop at Luana's desk. As she slides the door down to make sure there's little noise as possible in case for any nearby patrol. rosa stares intently at the screen before her as she scrolls through files with a frown. Her brow creased with every click of her mouse as she tries to find all files related to the incident in Okinawa. She searches the whole database without much result, as they had no information concerning the reported casualties committed by the UEF during the incident. However, one file catches her attention. It seems as it's a document with the title "Casualty_Report10_Okinawa"

"This...this is different from what I heard," she mutters as she clicks on the file. The file contains a letter sent to Luana with the date of July 30th, 2026, delivered in Oporto, newly installed capital of Portugal. Rosa reads carefully along until it stops. In this particular file, it mentions the fact that on July 30th, one of the American planes which bombed the city of Naha, delivered a payload near the coast line in an attempt to drive off the Zlocu to occupy it. However, it not only failed to graze any of them, most landed on an elementary school for international students. 

Her eyes widen in response, this is the worst type of accident that can occur to anyone else. And the final lines of the letter deliver something that emphasizes the critical nature of this report for not just Luana, but for the UEF as well.

"I am deeply sorry, but due to the severity of the situation, I must ask you to keep this confidential. The reason why I am asking you to be careful with this is because the families of the victims are currently under protection of Article 14 of the UEF."

The letter goes on to explain what exactly those conditions entail. As a precaution for all the affected families, the letter is also attached towards those families involved with the investigation, including those who might've been in the area during the bombing. The mention of the word "Cygnus," however, immediately triggers some familiarity within her. 

Could the answer be right in front of her?

"People forget and forget they're hiding," a familiar voice says. This prompts Rosa to slam the laptop shut and sees the source. It's Luana, accompanying a frown in her face yet the eyes and eyebrows remain steady.

"Yeah, but secrets are not best kept most of the times. Especially when it concerns certain details one should know," Rosa replies. Despite the sudden appearance, she stands firm over what she saw.

"A breach of confidential information regarding operations in the UEF would ensure a court martial you would regret meeting with your fellow pilots, you know," Luana says as she crosses her arms. 

"Don't play dumb with me. I'm sure you're aware of the situation. What happened in that school that relates to the pilot, Luke, and his wife, Linda?"

Luana's expression changes as her eyes widen and lets out a gasp at the question. She stands frozen as she looks at Rosa, not quite sure how to respond. It's something that she wants to know for sure, yet she's afraid of what could happen to her career if she divulges classified information to an outsider.

"If I tell you this...you will hate me. I'm sure of it."

"Don't worry, I just want to know what's your relation between these two and you. And who was in the school that led to Luke and Linda to defect to the Zlocu. Even if it may hurt to say it, it may provide a path to the solution." Luana is still frozen, unable to respond to her in any way. Until she slightly opens her mouth.

"...It is none of your business, though."

"Look, I'm not asking you to spill everything. I'm just asking for the chance to understand this. After all, this affects me and the team more than you know and I need to understand what really happened there."

"Are you sure, Rosa?"

"Yes. Now please, what's the deal between you and Cygnus?" Luana closes the door behind her as she slowly walks to pick a chair next to her and sit down. She gazes at her for a moment before she lets out a sigh, slumped shoulders and such.

"Luke and Linda...we were part of the joint-military unit between the Atlantic and Pacific for overseas exercises, but also pacification of war-ridden territories. I normally would treat most of the pilots like customers but these two...they felt like something else. Almost like they surpass the skies unlike any other. They weren't scared. They weren't worried about consequences or getting caught. They were confident, almost invincible. So I treated them like my own siblings."

"So you recruited them after that?"

"No, that came later. Once our superiors realized that we were going to expand our operation across South America, they asked Luke and Linda to join us. Their skills were like no other, and we needed them. Together, there was a shared sky. A sky where the wind went for the direction of the most experienced on Earth. That included me, these two, and a handful of others."

'Together in one sky...sounds nice." Rosa smiles at this. Luana replies with a slight one too, yet albeit restrained and still with her gaze looking at the floor.

"And after years of combat together. They rejected a final. Do you know why?"

Rosa shakes her head. "Why not?"

"Because Linda was pregnant. They had a baby boy named Shawn."

"Oh..." Rosa says in response, feeling a mixture of emotions within her. Something that she has never experienced before. Always a male soldier to leave for his family, but a whole couple retiring? This felt like a novelty someone like her.

"They loved him so much, that's why they wanted to stay there with the child," Luana adds with a teary eye. Rosa frowns as well as she then puts the pieces together. 

"But...that school, was-"

"Yes. He was a student in that very school...bombarded under my foolish directions," Luana interrupts her. But there isn't a trace of anger or bitterness in her tone, rather it sounds sad because her orders led to all this, rather than anything else. A feeling felt more than anything, more than pointing fingers

"But he wasn't killed, right?" Rosa concludes.

"No. He was put in a comma...but the doctors were afraid the damages would be extensive enough that he may not wake up for a long time."

"So is this the reason they joined them? Because of that misfire?" Luana only nods slowly. She knows it well of how this is a responsibility she had kept to herself.

"But wasn't Shawn in safe hands?"

"That's the other thing, some days later, he was kidnapped from the hospital. While some suspect local criminals, I trust my gut that it was the Zlocu." Rosa is silent at this. Of all the actions the Zlocu for many years, this one had to be one worth of vengeance.

"These two...they took advantage of their grief. I think that's why." Rosa replies, Luana only adds with a small nod at this. "I think we know what to do."

"We?" Luana stands up after some moment of sitting. Something enough to make her consider her choices it seems. "Why we?"

"Even if that sky may haven shattered apart from many mistakes and opportunities, we will try to mend it. To created a shared sky once more for all to have. A sky for everyone to anything to believe in the good of this world, no matter how much it can darken."

A single smile emerges from Luana's lips at this. A smile that brings warmth and happiness to Rosa's soul. Even if she doesn't want to show it to others, she can  feel like they share the same goal now. To mend an old wound

"You may be wrong about them, but even if you are," she starts, "it won't stop me from believing. Thank you Rosa."

"No problems, Luana." Rosa looks back at the laptop, knowing the file is still open for others to read. Even if she has her trust, it feels like a mile away when put on trial by the military hierarchy. "As for the secret..."

"I'll keep you my dirty little secret. But don't tell anyone, or you'll be just another regret." With this, Rosa nods in response. This is enough for her to know how the air couple can be reasoned with, whatever it takes, whenever it takes. 

But before she can add something more, she feels her pocket buzzing. A message from her phone it seems? It buzzes on Luana as well. They glance at each other over this meaning and pull their phones at the same time. They click on their respective buttons and see a text message from John. One that says: "EMERGENCY MEETING IN 3 HOURS. ALL AVAILABLE SQUADRONS MUST HEAD TO THE BRIEFING ROOM."

"An emergency meeting just now? What could it be?"

"I think...I think it relates to what lies beyond our reach. To find out the answer."

"What answer?"

"What lies beyond in L.A. Why everything we send...is turned to cinders."