Mobile Suit Gundam: Code Nova [Rewrite]

[Gundam Nova]

 

March 7th, I.J.C 200, Metalica's Port.

 

The port of Metalica was like what I expected of every port, clean, no people sleeping, guards everywhere. It was what to expect of a port that welcomed visitors.

 

“So…how do we get to your home? Is there a hotel nearby?” When I asked this, Klara was still. She was looking everywhere like she had never seen this place before. 

 

“Klara?” When I called her out again, she woke up from her daydream and stopped looking around.

 

“S-sorry, it just…changed so much…” she said.

 

“You haven't come here for 5 years now, it naturally changes with that much time,” I said, trying to cheer her up.

 

“Yeah…right, I think we could get a taxi to drive us there. Come I think I know where they are.” Klara starts guiding us, walking past many gates and then We finally outside.

 

The sight was…very normal. Tall buildings everywhere, green trees that seemed to be in every corner making the air feel crisp…but…it was very different from my image.

 

If I remember correctly, Metalica has gone through war, an extremist group managed to get armed and Mobile suits using them to revolt against Earth's Conglomerate. Resulting in over 10000 deaths across the Colony…

 

But the scene in front of me…it seems like nothing happened…in just 7 years, they have managed to recover?

 

Klara seemed to be shocked at this sight too as she was gawking at the scene without even moving. “L-look! There is a Taxi there, We could get in those!” she quickly changed the topic before I could even say anything. Taking her bags, she moved swiftly toward the Taxi, talking to the driver about the Location, and before long I got an OK from her to just load everything on the back.

 

Getting into the Taxi, tightened up my seatbelt, Odis was sitting at the front while Klara, Hanya, and I sat at the back. The driver started the car and started driving. I looked out the window to enjoy the view and it was quite unlike my expectation. I didn’t see any sign that indicated that they had gone through war before…as if it was to cover something up. 

 

I could hear the sound of a throat tightening up beside Hanya. Looking over I saw that Klra was crying a bit, though I don’t know…if it was out of joy or something else. The drive continues for more than 50 minutes, which is weird, why is it that they are so far away? 

 

It was then that I started to notice that we were going out of the city, and the atmosphere changed immediately. I started to notice the thing I didn’t notice before, people here and people in the city were different, the clothes were obviously but the age and even the basic necessity…

 

They walk barefoot, through the concrete road, even though the air in the Colony is regulated it is still tiring to walk barefoot. Also, the trees here are all dead, the house on the block is all destroyed…

 

I see…creating a front so that they would attract investors? So this is their game, using a front that they managed to recover everything in just 7 years, showing the investor the spirit of Metalica while in reality, they dumb everything out of the city, closing it off.

 

Not really a smart move but in desperation, every card was used and this was their best hand…Leaving behind everything and creating a fake ‘new’ beginning.

 

It is not like I don’t understand, who would invest in a colony where a group of extremists was from? Risking their business here was a dumb move, that is if you are not a construction company or an Armed Dealer.

 

Though I do see that they have a lot of good land left, if they manage to remove all the bombs in them, maybe they could recover as a farm Colony instead of attracting investors like this. It is not a long-term solution after all, and that includes the people they left behind too. 

 

I wonder…how many are left behind. The ride continues in silence as I continue to watch the scene change in front of me, from the lively city to this lifeless wasteland. Everywhere I looked, I saw people lying down, waiting for a scrap of food from the other. 

 

“It…has become worse than before…” Klara mutter attracts my attention, worse than before, that means it used to be better, probably before they decided to build that ‘Haven’ of theirs. 

 

“This is the place.” The driver stopped his car before a fence gate, separating the dream world from the real world. “The place you want to go is inside.”

 

“Don’t kid me! Last time I was here there wasn’t any fence! Let alone, guards!” Klara let her furry out on the man but she just shrugged his shoulder and extended his hand. “What?!”

 

“My money, I will take you here and now pay up.” Klara seemed like she was about to blow a bomb or two so I quickly stepped in, took her hand, and dragged her back while sending Odis to deal with the problem.

 

“Why did you do that!? I was about to”

 

“Calm down. You're making a scene.” I said to her, letting her look around only to see the guards tense up around us, readying their batons. Seems like the guards here are very friendly.

 

“Anyway, let's get in first. We could process the situation inside.” I quickly calmed her down, letting go of her only after I knew that she wouldn’t throw a fit.

 

“ha…Sorry, I never thought the situation would be this bad…” Klara apologized to me, which I was puzzled by, why would she need to apologize? She didn’t know the situation back home. 

 

“Don’t worry, I don’t mind. It’s quite the experience coming to a new place after all. It also gives me a lot of experience down the line too.” I said, but it seemed my word only further aggravated her worry.

 

“That…not a good thing at all.” I didn’t manage to catch her words under her breath, but I will let it go. Maybe she just wanted to say something but decided it wouldn’t be worth it. “Anyway! Just like you said, me causing trouble isn’t going to help, Let's just go inside and figure things out from there, maybe things aren’t as bad as I thought.” 

 

“Yes, let us go.” I let go of her hand and walked toward the gate. “Greetings, Me and my companion would like to go to the other side of the gate, is there any procedure we should follow?” I ask the guards politely and then they start talking among themselves, looking over at my bags.

 

“This is a restricted area, there are Items that aren’t allowed in. so I need to check your bags.” The guards said haughty, I sensed that Odis and Hanya were about to take out their knives so I quickly stopped them, turning a smiley face on. 

 

“Of course, I understand that you have to do your job, I will allow the search. But…if even one of my belongings disappears…I wonder…what the Ottomans would do?” I ask in wonder, taking a little bit of delight in seeing the guards gulping their saliva. 

 

I then make way for the guards to do their inspection which Hanya will be a part of, making sure that none of my belongings get stolen. Odis will watch over me and Klara while we wait. 

 

Now…this is worse than I thought. The fact that they actually bar people from entering is concerning, the guard attitude is also bad, readying their batons for just a bunch of kids.

 

Klara was getting anxious as it took longer than she thought, so…I should reassure her, right? That was what Mama would do. “Don’t worry. Your family is safe, I mean you talked with them before, isn’t it?”

 

When we were on the ship, I often heard Klara speak with a woman on the phone, quite an elderly voice too but I didn’t pry as it was their private affair.

 

“Yeah…yeah, they would be fine! I talked with them just yesterday! I was just a bit surprised the inspection took so long.” Klara said while puffing her chest. 

 

I smiled at her and nodded. After waiting for 10 more minutes, the inspection was finally done, and I got my luggage returned back to me along with Hanya. 

 

“Here is your permit. When you are going to get out, you need this permit so don’t lose it.” The guards hand me a paper and then hand it to the rest too.

 

“A permit for just a visit…is the situation really that bad?” I ask the guard but his mouth remains shut. “Well, I shot my shot. We will take our leave now, thank you for your service.” Hanya took my luggage and Odis took Klara’s. 

 

We walk past the gate and into the new world…the post-war city.

 

“So…where do we need to go?” I ask Klara and she just starts walking, quite fast too…I quickly catch up to her and then she turns into a full sprint. Which baffled me a bit as she was leaving me in the dust, her physic is much better than I thought…

 

I managed to not lose her along the way and catch up to her, only because Klara chose to stop in front of a run-down church. 

 

“Klara-”

 

“I’M BACK!” She screams with all her lungs, scaring away the artificial bird that flies here. Before I could question why she needed to shout, several footsteps rang out from the run-down church. 

 

“Big sis back!” The cloudy children come out one by one, with messy clothing and messy hair, hands dirty with dirt and filth. But full of smiles nonetheless. Klara quickly dropped down on one knee and opened her arm, allowing the children to hug her, making her fall down toward the ground with a tud and a burst of laughter. 

 

Not caring a single bit about their dirty appearance.

 

“Man! I miss all of you! Ollie! Did your teeth grow back?! Pint, stop going through my pocket! Irly! Your hair grows longer!  Ken, You've grown so much bigger!” Addressing the children one by one, with a smile all the children replied back to her. 

 

I watch from the sideline with Odis and Hanya, not daring to disturb the peace that all of them create. Suddenly, I heard low footsteps behind me. Turning around I saw an elderly woman in a nun uniform. She gave me a warm smile that could only remind me of Mama.

 

“My my, I didn’t know I would receive a guest today. I’m Claire Nelson, The director of this orphanage.” She greets me with a smile. But the way she walks…was very disturbing, someone that could walk with such silence that not even Odis and Hanya notice.

 

“Hello, I’m sorry to inconvenience you, My name is Yoha Seres Ottoman, I’m Klara’s friend and I come here to visit with her.” I returned my smile, though it was a bit strained as I was shaken up by her performance just now.

 

“Oh, my my. You were that friend that Klara mentioned before. Oh and where is she right now? That's not good, leaving her friend alone like this.” She turned to look around and saw Klara cuddling with the children and let a smile come to her face. 

 

“Well, let's go and talk inside, yes? The air outside is quite cold after all.” She said as she walked toward Klara with a cane in her hand. She smacked Klara's head 1 time and I heard her screaming like it was the end of the world.