The humidity of Okinawa hung over the Naha Base like a heavy shroud, a stark contrast to the dry heat of the North American wastes. Yet, as I stood by my barracks window watching the morning sun struggle against a gray horizon, the air felt lighter than it had in years. Aaron was finally here. After a year of silence and the sterile walls of rehabilitation, the grounding weight of his embrace from the day before still felt like a dream.
I pulled on my gray PT uniform, reflecting on my new life. In North America, I had felt like prey under the predatory stares of men. Here, under Commander Emiya's disciplined watch, the atmosphere was different—respectful and professional.
As I stepped into the hallway to meet Aaron, I ran into Lieutenant Emma Kasumi, a striking half-Japanese, half-American pilot with a supermodel's physique.
"Good morning, lovebirds," Emma teased. She had clearly heard about my reunion with Aaron.
"E-Emma! Don't say that so loud!" I stammered, feeling my face heat up.
"What's the problem? Aaron missed you so much yesterday. It was such a romantic scene, Lydia," she said with a grin.
"I know he missed me, but I never expected him to transfer all the way to Okinawa just for me. I suppose the year I spent in rehab was long for him, too," I replied.
Emma's expression softened. "Rehabilitation? Was something wrong?"
"Well... a lot happened during my teenager and the One Year War in 0079. It's complicated," I admitted.
"I see. I understand, Lydia. But now that your boyfriend is here, you won't be lonely anymore, right?"
"...I think you're right, Emma. I missed him more than I realized."
We headed out of the female barracks for the morning routine: warm-ups, jogging, and aerobics with the rest of the personnel. Afterward, everyone headed to the showers before gathering at the mess hall. When I first arrived, I wasn't sure if I'd like Japanese food, but I had quickly grown fond of the local flavors. I sat down with Emma, Kisaki Shinomiya, and Ohara Shiranui.
Kisaki was a cheerful Ensign serving as a Commander's Assistant. She had a constant smile and squinty eyes that made her look like she was always laughing—a trait that earned her a massive fan club among the men. Ohara, a Lieutenant and Mobile Suit pilot, was her polar opposite. She had a stunning, curvaceous figure—boasting an L-cup—and she took great pleasure in seducing the men who fawned over her.
"Say, Lydia, do you realize how popular you've become on this base?" Ohara asked suddenly.
"Eh? Me?" I was caught off guard.
"Yes! You have a great body, a pretty face, and those F-cups of yours aren't going unnoticed. The guys haven't stopped talking about you," Ohara laughed.
"T-that's surprising. I've only been here a week, and you're much more striking than I am, Ohara," I countered.
"Don't sell yourself short," Emma added. "It's impressive how fast you've made an impression. Of course, that scene with Aaron yesterday helped."
"Wait, Captain Aaron Smith is your boyfriend, Lieutenant?" Kisaki asked, eyes wide. "How did you two meet?"
"It started back in 0079," I began, sharing the story of our first mission together and how we had stayed by each other's side until now.
After breakfast, I met Aaron outside. We walked to the hangar together; he was dying to see the MS-06F-2 Zaku II F2. It was a Zeon suit captured by the Federation after an HLV landing error. It was the suit I currently piloted, and Aaron wanted to see why I liked it. Moving from a GM Spartan to a Zaku felt strange at first, but the F2 was a favorite among new personnel and Aggressor units due to its improved thrusters and superior machine gun.
"It's strange, isn't it?" Aaron remarked, touching the matte-green armor. "A year ago, we were blowing these things to hell. Now, it's the backbone of our Aggressor wings.".
"The F2 is a masterpiece," I explained. "It's easier to maintain than a GM Spartan, and the thruster response is honest.".
Our discussion was interrupted by the arrival of four Medea transports delivering new equipment, including Guntanks and standard GMs. Commander Emiya approached us to reveal the centerpiece: the RX-81 G-Line. Commander Emiya and Ensign Kisaki approached us as the cargo was unloaded.
"This unit is for you, Captain Smith," Emiya announced. "The G-Line is a high-performance tactical platform. We can't afford to lose this one.". He explained that a previous delivery—a white RX-78-2 unit—had been hijacked by a Level A war criminal named Zuckerberg.
Kisaki handed us a file showing a pale man with dreadlocks and aviator glasses who treated war crimes like a hobby. The man in the photo was thin with pale skin and a haunting face, hidden behind aviator glasses and long dreadlocks. His record was horrifying; he treated war crimes like a hobby. He reminded me of the sociopaths in my old Black Dog squad, but even more depraved.
"Captain Smith, I want you to take the G-Line out for a test. Lieutenant Mercer, you'll accompany him for data recording," Emiya ordered.
We headed to the hangar immediately. Aaron boarded the G-Line while I climbed into my Zaku II F2. The G-Line was incredible—even without its external armor, its speed and response time surpassed the GM series and even rivaled the original RX-78.
"How does it feel, Aaron?" I asked over the comms.
"It's impressive. Better than the Type-C or the GM Command. The articulation is perfect. I just wish I could try that Zaku of yours to see what the fuss is about," he replied.
"You can use mine if you want, Aaron. The G-Line is brand new; it would be a shame to scratch it during a simple exercise."
"I like that idea," Aaron suggested. "Commander, is it alright if we swap?"
"Permission granted," Emiya's voice crackled over the radio. "I'd like to see how the Captain handles the Zaku, and how the G-Line performs in your hands, Mercer."
We swapped cockpits. The G-Line felt similar to my old GM Spartan, but much more responsive. Aaron, however, struggled a bit at first with the Zaku's mono-eye sensor, though he adapted quickly to the Zaku's mono-eye.
"The mono-eye takes some getting used to," he laughed over the comms. "But I see why you like it. It feels... mechanical. Real.".
The testing was cut short by a priority alert from Kisaki: a massive typhoon was approaching, with landfall expected in 20 hours. We returned to base as the sky turned a bruised purple. Personnel hurried to board up windows and secure the Medeas and tanks inside the main hangars. With the base locked down, most soldiers were restricted to the main building for lessons or simulations. Before the lockdown, Emiya sent Aaron, Ohara, Kyosuke, and me into Naha City for last-minute supplies.
We took a military truck into Naha. The city was beautiful, though the locals were busy boarding up shops and stocking up on food. At the supermarket, the manager seemed very friendly with Ohara.
"Go on, you two," Ohara said, waving us off once we reached the market district. "Kyosuke and I will handle the heavy lifting. Lydia, go get that comms-unit of yours repaired. A soldier who can't call her boyfriend is a liability!"
While Ohara and Kyosuke handled the heavy lifting, I managed to get my old phone repaired at a service center. Aaron and I walked through the shopping arcades, and for a few hours, we weren't soldiers; we were just a couple watching the palm trees whip in the rising wind.
"Resupply is done. Time to head back," Ohara said.
We returned to the base just as the first winds began to howl. By morning, the typhoon had arrived in full force. The base was silent except for the roar of the wind. With the hangars cut off from the main building, we were stuck inside.
"Sigh... this sucks. There's nothing to do," Emma grumbled.
"The wind sounds terrifying," I noted. "I doubt even Zeon Remnants would move in this weather."
"You get used to it, Lydia. It's just life in Okinawa," Emma replied.
Stuck inside, Aaron and I sat in the mess hall with coffee. He caught me up on the year's tragedies: The Nemesis Instructor Corps in Vancouver had been used as scapegoats. Major Saki Dessau and Captain Hawk Reuser had been accused of being spies. He told me about the "Ghost of Garma Zabi," who turned out to be a Zeon agent named Martin Shamaran also known as Tara I. Cicero. . He spoke of the riots at the North American Military Courthouse and the tragic fate of Los Angeles and San Francisco—now ghost cities that would never be rebuilt and how he rescue Engsin Katarina Banks.
"And what about Katarina Banks?" I asked. "The girl you rescued in L.A.?"
"She's stable," Aaron said. "She's serving at the Augusta base now. Her home in L.A. is gone, so she has nowhere else to go. She's the Guncannon pilot you escorted through the Grand Canyon, right?"
"Yes. I was with the Black Dogs then. I'm glad she's okay."
"You know, Lydia..." Aaron said, his tone turning warm. "The boys on base have a 'Top Three' list. You're number three. I didn't realize how popular you were here. The guys were actually ranking the 'best girls' on base.".
I nearly choked on my coffee. "Number three? Behind Ohara and Emma? You're joking!" I said, blushing.
"I'm serious! I eavesdropped. Ohara, Emma, and Kisaki are up there, but you're already in third place. They keep talking about how beautiful you are. I guess your rehab did you some good."
I reached across the table and held his hand. "Aaron, the men here are respectful, but you don't have to worry. I only have eyes for you. You're my boyfriend."
"Lydia," he said seriously, "I swear I will protect you and stay by your side, no matter what happens. I lost you once to the doctors. I'm not letting a typhoon or a Zeon remnant take you away."
I smiled at him. Outside, the storm continued to rage, but inside, for the first time in a long time, I felt completely safe. I looked at the storm raging outside the reinforced porthole and then back at him. "I only have eyes for you, Aaron," I whispered. "The weather will clear tomorrow. And then, we get back to work.".
To be continued...