Save the Day Program, once again. (Gundam IBO/Satisfactory SI): Chapter 23

FICSIT Pilot Training Facility, Avalanche Colony #2, P.D. 322.

In one of the many branches of FICSIT spread across the Jupiter Sphere, a group of young adults, ranging from former Human Debris to locals, sat in their chairs in the arena, watching as the two young men on the stage fought with a beast-like precision and aggression.

Mikazuki Augus shot forward with speed and strength that was the peak of what a human being could achieve, delivering a devastating punch towards his opponent's torso.

His opponent, however, was similarly skilled. Combined with larger mass and raw power, Akihiro Altland blocked the blow before countering the punch, which Mikazuki dodged easily with his smaller frame.

Before the two friends could continue their fight, the noise of a whistle stopped them.

Orga Itsuka walked onto the stage and looked at his friends with a grin.

“Good job, both of you. Get some rest.”

The two nodded and headed to the side where their friends were waiting.

Orga turned towards the gathered young adults and spoke seriously.

“As you saw, this is the level of skill that will be expected of all of you should you choose to join FICSIT’s Mobile Suit division. I will not lie, the training will be harsh and demanding, both physically and mentally. If any of you don’t feel up to it, you can leave. You will be given some compensation for passing the written and physical test.”

Despite the serious and somewhat terrified looks directed at him, Orga did not see a single one of the prospective students of this training facility leave, making him smile a bit.

“Alright. If you are all confident, then I’ll hand you all over to the trainers. You will have an initiation test tomorrow morning, where they will check the level of your determination. Once you pass, you will be officially enrolled as Pilots-in-training with FICSIT for the next two years. Good luck, you will need it.”

With those words, Orga left the room with his companions, heading to the temporary office set up for him in this facility.

“Orga, how long are we staying?”

“Why? You miss the guys back home already?”

Mikazuki simply nodded at the question.

“Atra and Kudelia told me to return as soon as possible. They want to go to the newly opened amusement park.”

“Oh? You are going on a date?”

The 18-year-old simply stared blankly at his oldest friend, knowing that he was being teased.

Despite having slowly regained some of his ability to express his emotions in the past few years that they spent with FICSIT, Mikazuki was still called a dead fish by many people in the company because of his blank face.

However, his friends and those who knew him personally could clearly see the changes in his micro expression and tell what he was thinking.

Orga grinned before putting his hand around Mikazuki’s shoulder.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you. But seriously, are you three dating? You’ve been spending a lot of alone time with those two in the past year.”

“No.”

“…..I pity those two.”

“Huh? Why?”

Mikazuki questioned Akihiro, who just gave him a flat stare as Norba Shino sighed.

“Poor things. They have their work cut out for them, eh?”

“Again, why?”

The two older men looked at each other and sighed heavily again as Orga snickered while Shino spoke again.

“…..Never mind. Let’s go.”

“You didn’t answer my question, Orga. When are we going back to Mars?”

“I need to talk with our trainers right now. After that, we should be able to pack up and go unless Ms. Ada and the Boss want us for something.”

“Ok.”

As the friends talked amongst themselves (read: teasing a clueless Mikazuki), they soon arrived at Orga’s office, where the trainers were already present, along with a girl.

Two of them were people that Orga already knew since they were the trainers hired by Ada to train the Pilots, but the girl was the new addition.

“Hm? A new recruit?”

The two interviewers stood up at Orga and his group’s arrival, along with the girl who looked nervously between the men.

The one with the crutch, Volco Warren, smiled at Orga before handing over the datapad while the other trainer, Argi Mirage, nodded at the men.

“Yes, Orga. She arrived a little late, so she could not take the tests with the others, not to mention her unique situation.”

“You mean the fact that she is Daddy Ted’s daughter?”

Argi’s blunt words made the girl glare at him lightly while Volco coughed to hide his embarrassment at his colleague and friend’s words.

Orga simply raised and eyebrow at those words and continued looking at the datapad while Akihiro narrowed his eyes slightly at the girl, observing her to see if she would be a threat. Mikazuki did the same, but the young adult had no concept of stealth, so his intense stare started to creep out the younger girl.

“Liarina Morugaton. Written Test score: B. Simulator test: B. General Aptitude: C. Politics and Business: A. Pilot Aptitude: B”

After reading out her test results, Orga looked at the daughter of Ted Morugaton with interest.

“According to the test results, you have a higher aptitude for business management and politics, more so than your piloting aptitude. So, why become a pilot?”

“…..I have my own reasons.”

“It would not happen to be revenge against FICSIT? Would it? Because if so, you will be sorely disappointed.”

Having expected the question due to her father’s company and its actions in the past, the 16-year-old girl shook her head.

“No. What happened to Tanto Tempo has nothing to do with me. And neither does my Father care about it. According to him, the company got what it deserved after carelessly attacking FICSIT.”

“Then?”

The girl knew that she could not keep her motivation to herself if she wanted to join this facility, so with a deep breath, she revealed the truth.

“…..I want to become strong enough and influential enough to protect my father. The fall of Tanto Tempo has left him vulnerable to attacks from old enemies. I want to use FICSIT’s name to protect him.”

“Hmm, a sound reasoning. Alright, you are in.”

The surprise and the subsequent smile on the girl made the older man smile wryly, knowing that he would get an earful from Ms. Ada for letting a potential problem like her into the company.

But then again, he was given free rein in recruiting students into this facility, so she might not scold him too much. However, Orga was sure that she would double his workload from now on as punishment.

But he felt that he had made the right decision with this.

Because he recognized the determination of the girl. The thirst for power and the will to do anything for that power.

It reminded him of a time in the past, before FICSIT, when they were mere Human Debris, property of CGS.

That is why he gave her this chance, just like Ms. Ada and the Boss gave him and his friends a chance.

“Alright, you should go and join the rest of the recruits for the orientation. You will be joining them for initiation tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you, Mr. Itsuka. Truly.”

With those words, the girl quickly left the room to the older men.

Orga sighed a little and walked to the couch, collapsing into it.

“If you two are done with interviews and are not expecting anyone else, I’d like to start packing up.”

Argi raised an eyebrow at those words, and he crossed his arms.

“Why the hurry? Don’t tell me, you have a girlfriend or a boyfriend waiting for you there as well?”

Orga gave his friend a light glare at those words.

“Do you think I am a playboy like Mika?”

“Again, why? What made you guys think that I have such a relationship with Atra and Kudelia?”

The boys did not even acknowledge Mikazuki’s words.

“Then what is the hurry?”

Orga grinned at Argi and Volco.

“Ms. Ada found another Gundam Frame on Mars.”

“…WHAT!? HOW??”

Volco Warren, the heir of the Warren family, which was once part of Gjallarhorn and had the ambition of buying back the Gundam Astaroth from FICSIT through his work, shouted in shock at Orga’s words.

“Apparently, they were surveying an abandoned Half-Metal mine near Chryse when they stumbled upon it inside the mine.”

“…..Which foolish family abandoned their Gundam inside a mine of all places?”

Volco’s muttering drew an amused look from the others before Shino excitedly looked at Orga.

“Did Ms. Ada tell you who is going to pilot it yet? If not, I call dibs!”

“Shino, you know it doesn’t work like that. Ms. Ada only gives Gundam units to those that she thinks are compatible with them, not to mention that you haven’t even proven yourself effective in the field yet, unlike Mika, Akihiro, and Argi.”

“Then I’ll go to the Boss and ask for it! I know he will be very excited to see another Gundam unit in action instead of letting them rust in the hangar like they are now!”

Orga smiled at his friend's words.

“Unfortunately, Ms. Ada thinks the same. That is why she is keeping an eye on the Boss to make sure that he doesn’t sneak off to try piloting them or let other pilots try them until she approves it.”

“…..Damned killjoy, that woman.”

“Mama only does this because she cares about us.”

Orga nodded at Mika’s words but then looked at his friend.

“Careful, Mika, we don’t want her to hear that word again. I don’t think we want to see her brain short-circuit like that again.”

The boys snorted and chuckled at those words as they remembered that day from all those years ago.

It was a regular day in the company when Ms. Ada was teaching the younger children.

During the class, one of the children accidentally called her mama, making the woman shut down as her face went blank.

Orga still remembered the panic on The Boss’s face before it was replaced by his roaring laughter as, for the first and last time in their lives up till now, they saw Ms. Ada panic!

Ever since that day, the children kept themselves in control, not because they were afraid, but because they did not want to make the older woman panic like that again.

But the sentiment remained, and to this day, many of the children see her as a stern, strict, but caring mother.

Shaking his head to get rid of those thoughts, Orga looked out of the window of his office to spot the new recruits being guided through the facility.

“How many does this one make? Five Gundam Frames?”

“Barbatos, Gusion, Astaroth, Vual, and now this one. I don’t think there is any other faction aside from Gjallarhorn that has more Gundam frames than us right now.”

“…..Do you think any of them might be-?”

“No. I don’t think any of them were involved in the incident with your family, Argi.”

The man nodded seriously at Orga’s words, knowing that what he said was true, but his heart would still not allow him to let go of the doubt.

That evening, the group packed up and left the facility in Volco and Argi’s hands, heading back home.

Where a dangerous discovery had been made by ADA and David.

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Volco Warren:

Argi Mirage:

Liarina Morugaton:

Gundam Astaroth:

Gundam Vual: