An Uneasy Calm (FINISHED)

[Raider867]

"The final ship is loaded. Sentinel, hold out for just a bit longer."
The voice echoed through the cockpit of the Re-GZ. Miller was too busy to give a response. His group was busy defending the launch platforms. His body was fatigued, his mind was tired. These damn Mobile Armors just wouldn't let up!
"Dammit..." Miller grit his teeth, firing two more shots from his beam rifle.
He landed, firing the last three shots of his rifle before reloading the cartridge and firing more.
"Just three more minutes..."
Suddenly, three Mobile Armors appeared in front of him, giving him little time to react. As he prepared for the inevitable, he was saved at the last moment by two fin funnels. Afterwards, the source of the funnels, the Hi-Nu Gundam, landed beside him.
"You gotta be more careful, Miller."
"I know."
"I'm going ahead to take out the big one. It seems to be the one controlling everything."
"Good luck, Fred."
The Hi-Nu Gundam crouched down slightly before jumping and using it's boosters to fly off deeper into the battlefield.
"The final ship is launching!"
Miller immediately looked back at the ship. He snapped back to the battlefield quick enough to aim a shot at a charging Mobile Armor.
The fighting suddenly seemed to die down. Miller looked around, soon thinking it was finally over. The final ship rose in the air and started flying towards the atmosphere when a large beam ripped through the center of the ship, splitting it in two. Turning to the source of the attack, a huge Mobile Armor emerged. Miller felt terror for the first time in his military career. Terror enough to jar him awake.

PLANT "Juniper", 9:00 am.
Miller

Miller shoots up from his bed in a cold sweat. He pants heavily as he put a hand to his face. His breathing slowly calms down as he remembers where he was. He looked at the clock and sighed.
"That same dream..." He mutters to himself as he gets dressed. Afterwards, he goes down the stairs to the first floor of the hotel.
Since the High Center docked with Juniper, they've had time off. Miller went to the hotel to get some rest, hoping the change in scenery would calm him down. While mostly that was true, he still had the nightmares of his past haunt him in his sleep.
Miller wonders why his nightmares are resurfacing as he walks to a breakfast place.

Alan

Alan jogs down the sidewalk of one of the city streets. His destination wasn't anywhere in particular. He was just on a morning jog. His reasoning being that he had nothing better to do. Alan checks his watch as he jogged.
Already thirty minutes, I should head back. Alan thinks to himself, turning his direction back towards where he came.
Things were pretty boring for Alan. He didn't really have anything to do besides go out with his friends. There wasn't much to do otherwise.

 

[Raider867]

Heavenly Drink, Juniper, 7:00 pm

The three pilots were sat at a table, Miller bringing the drinks from the bar.
"So! How goes the time off?" Alan starts off.
Gideon shrugs. "Been helping Tristan out with repairs and maintenance to the Mobile Suits. Haven't really done anything eventful."
"Gideon! Time off is not meant for working!" Miller scolds jokingly.
"He's right. It's time to rest. Surely you should know that by now." Alan joins in.
Gideon managed a chuckle, smirking at the two. "What can I say? Work is play."
"Bah!" Miller laughs and takes a drink. Alan follows suit, then Gideon.
"Aah! Well for me, I've been sleeping, drinking, and more sleeping." Miller says.
"Miller, you damn drunk. At least give us a call so we can join in." Alan jokes, causing another wave of laughs to erupt from the table.
The door to the bar closes and the three look back at the door. It was the stoic face of Captain Synapse that greeted them from the entrance to the bar. Soon it turns into a small smirk as the captain walks to the table.
"I hope you don't mind me joining your fun." Synapse says.
"Not at all, Captain." Gideon says, gesturing to an empty chair.
"Please, Gideon. We're not on the ship. Andrew is fine." Synapse says, sitting at the table.
The four pass about an hour before they pay the tab. They were mostly reminiscing about the days of the war. They were mostly about Alan's father and Miller's ridiculous contests. They drank, they laughed, they talked and in the end, they left the bar after saying their goodbyes.
Captain Synapse heads back to the ship while the three pilots went back to their hotel rooms.

High Center, Juniper Ship Dock, 9:00 pm
Captain Synapse

Captain Synapse walks through the halls of the High Center, nodding to the crew that passed by. He heads to the bridge to relieve the XO and let him rest. As the door opens to the bridge, the XO salutes the Captain.
"At ease, Sam. We're not in the military anymore." Synapse says with a small smile.
"Sorry, Captain. I'm still not used to it." The XO replies.
Synapse laughs.
"Even after twenty-five years?" Synapse jabs. It was Sam's turn to chuckle.
"I guess so. Well, I'll be off then. Have a good night, Captain." Sam says before leaving the bridge.
Captain Synapse walks to the captain's chair, sitting in it and looking out the bridge. The skeleton crew in charge of operating the bridge continue to work. It's Synapse's turn to be in charge of the skeleton shift, so he just sits at the chair and goes through the notifications on his tablet on different reports from the ship's crew.
"Another day in the High Center." He mutters to himself as he read the reports.

 

[Raider867]

THE END