1200 hours - Fort Jefferson 'United States', Union Territory

It had been five years since Celestial Being first appeared, and four years since their defeat. And yet, the one year that Celestial Being was active felt like a lifetime compared to the four years since the end of the conflict. The world felt peaceful by comparison, but to some the comparison was twisted by the conflict. Compared to a nearly unstoppable force of four Mobile Suits and a single Flagship that took the combined might of the three factions to defeat, yeah these days were pretty quiet. But compared to what things were like before Celestial Being... it didn't feel all that different. Some people had forgotten what it was like to live in a cold war, where nobody was allies, nobody was enemies, war was all around but invisible to the naked untrained eye.

There was no denying it, the world was at war. They just hadn't pulled the trigger yet.

The Union wasn't about to stand by and let its enemies sneak up and make the first move. Not that they had any intentions of open declaration of war, but the Union was certainly preparing for one. More and more weapons, warships, Flags, Soldiers to use these things of course as well. And that meant that new squads were forming up.

One such Squad, currently unnamed as the members were still being picked, was lead by Soma Peries. Formerly from the Human Reform League, she had more than proven her loyalties to the Union in the battle against Celestial Being. Even when the UN formed she didn't trust it. She knew it wouldn't last. The HRL and the AEU were cowards. They were intimidated by the power the Union held. It was after all, the Union who was at the forefront of the conflict, putting their soldiers, their people at most risk to end the threat. Now, it was the other Nations that were a threat, not some small group of children with fancy Mobile Suits.

But she had to put all these feelings behind her. The time for war would come, she was sure of it, as she sat in her new office. Fort Jefferson was a new addition to the Union's bases. It was, at one time, nothing more than history. A fortress from a world long forgotten. But the Union decided it could be of use again, and rebuilt the whole fort from the ground up, including a large number of hangars to store Flags, and a large port for warships. It wasn't exactly, extremely close to the Orbital Elevator. But it was within sight of it, and was a lot closer than her previous post in Washington, now putting her in the middle of the ocean South-West of the Florida Peninsula. She felt like she could do more from here, and in fact, she had been put in command of her own squad, and to be honest, she wasn't far off from being the Commanding Officer of the whole base. There were only a few people above her, but she liked that. Something in her head, a part of her rebuilding at the hands of the HRL... it made her want to take orders. To be told where to point her weapon. Where to aim her sights, and when to pull the trigger. It was the program they put her through... to be a good soldier. To follow orders.

But now, she had to give them, as she sat there behind her desk, feeling more than a little awkward in such a place, awaiting the arrival of the first of her new squad members.

At least things were... tropical.

"Sir we're going to wish you the best of luck with your new team but once a Union Bell, you're always be one." Senior Airman Rhodes commented to his former commanding officer Chad Wayne. The two of them had been chatting a little over the past events of these last few years. How Chad had gone from rookie, to Second Lieutenant at such a quick pace, be it forced by circumstances or not. Many of the Union Bell pilots were older than him but many held respect for their junior's skill. A lot of them were solid pilots in their own regard but now with the factions reemerging they felt the need to spread out the best pilots where they were needed. Chad wasn't always comfortable with being top dog he had only been good at telling people what they needed to hear at the right time. Rhodes was a newer recruit a man at the age of 22 who had served in the Federation just like him before its collapse. "I'm going to miss you guys. Flags fly best when they're with friends. This Overflag I've been assigned is a pretty sweet piece of gear. Left over from Graham Aker's unit way back. Wonder what happened to that guy? Whatever...I saw those gundams, those machines were beasts of war. I wonder where, and why we haven't been handed machines like those yet. We saw that we made machines good enough to take 'em out. Surely five years would've produced something by now? Maybe it was the fracture." Chad said lamenting his position.

He sighed. "Look boss just make sure you don't push yourself too hard you over think things a lot. Gotta let this new chick handle the position she was handed. Let her take the reigns." Rhodes stated as Chad agreed. "Don't worry I won't judge her. Whoever she is she likely earned her spot..if not then I guess she'll find herself out of this new team quick. Hope they got boys like you in here Rhodes. Then again you Union Bells are second to none." Chad said with a wide smirk as he saluted his ex-trainee. "Talk to you later sir." Rhodes said as Chad reciprocated the goodbye and turned the video off.

As Chad walked down the hall he straightened his uniform minding the Bell symbol plastered on his uniform. He had requested that the brass let him keep the patch they had agreed to do so. He hoped the new boss wouldn't mind. He hadn't served under anyone directly since Roan...would he compare the new person to him? It felt unfair in a way. Still as he walked past the various officers, and technical advisers in the halls he knocked on the door to the meeting place had been told about before entering. As he entered the room he saluted his new commanding officer. "Flag Pilot: Chad Wayne. Second Lieutenant reporting for duty."

Soma had gotten lost in her own little world. What would have happened if the Super Soldier facility hadn't been attacked. Would she be piloting a Mobile Suit for the HRL right now? In her heart she knew she wouldn't have a choice. That's what this personality wanted. To fight for someone, even if it was the people who practically tortured them. But this was better. It had to be better than what could have been.

Because of this daydreaming, she jumped a bit as the door was knocked on, and let out a long breath to return herself to reality. As the man approached, and saluted her, she stood up, and returned the salute. "Soma Peries, Squad Commander. I suppose we will be working together from now on. Did they tell you why this squad is forming?". They had likely told him whta he already believed. That they were simply spreading the skill out evenly. More skilled pilots in squads with rookies would mean the rookies would learn quicker. They would get back up to full strength in no time. And in part, this was certainly true. But for this squad, posted out in the middle of nowhere, certainly had its own reasons for existing.

As for Soma herself, she didn't even look like a Commander. Even only being three years younger than Chad, she still looked more like a child in many ways. Not someone who was scarred by war in any way. Yet Chad had no doubt been told that she was Commanding Squads through the war against Celestial Being, as if to say "Don't worry, you can trust her" in case he doubted her ability to lead. But then again, there was always someone above her. She just relayed the orders. This was the first time that she would be making the decisions, the plans, the strategies. The Colonel of the base was little more than a flight planner and intel dump. He gave the intel, she chose how to act on it.

"No ma'am? I've not been privy to the facts of this squad. Is there something I should understand about it? I've been thrown haphazardly through commanders since Celestial Being fell. I've been in command of my own squad for most of them. All the same I'm looking forward to seeing you at work. I've heard a report you had seen action in Fallen Angels way back. If I may say so ma'am I hope that I live up to the expectations placed on me. I fight for the Union, and for my brothers I will do my upmost to live up to my former comrades." Chad stated professionally calm, and collected and he moved his hand down he still was not given the command to be at ease which was slightly unnerving. Still he kept his posture as upright as he could. "I was expecting to placed under a tactical forecaster in all honesty. I feel I do my best work simply as a grunt."

Soma saw no reason to give such an order, as this was an important talk to be had. She wanted to make sure his full attention was in this moment. Not that she expected him relaxing would cause him to be any other way. "Yes, I was there. I fought against a Gundam personally, someone who is able to affect me in ways I don't understand. Get in my head, make me lose focus, give me a horrible headache. I destroyed them at the cost of my own Mobile Suit, so I know what it's like to be up against something everyone claims is undefeatable. As for why this squad is being formed, the higher ups have been looking at how Celestial Being operated. They want something similar. A small squad, that can go where they want, and do what they want, when and how they need to. This squad will have far more freedom than what you're likely accustomed to. We are given intel, and we decide how to act on it. I'm sure you've heard of such a task force before. As the saying goes, technically, we don't exist. Many things we do, the governments will deny any part of. This is to allow us to take action that we otherwise could not. Say for example, we find a warship straying too close to Union territory. If an accident were to happen, the Union has no part in it."

She paused, as she looked out the window behind her desk, looking down over the sea's seemingly infinite expanse. "It is vital that you understand that how we operate is not natural. It's not the same as other Squads. When we fly with the world watching, we are just another Union Squad. But we will be doing much more than that." Looking over her shoulder, she simply said "Assuming you understand and accept all this, you may be at ease."

After being reassigned Rin spent the next thirteen hours as on a flight from Japan to Fort Jefferson. He rushed through the halls of the unfamiliar, almost labyrinth like base trying to find his new commanders office. "Man, I hope she won't be mad that I'm late." After what seemed like an eternity he found himself standing in front of door like any other in this base, written in bold letter 'Commander Soma Perse'. Rin took a moment to calm himself and fix his uniform before entering and salute. "Flag Pilot: Rin Izumi. Lieutenant, I apologize for my tardiness." He stated clearly he was still nervous.

Soma looked up and took a deep breath, and returned the salute before commenting "At ease, both of you." before leaning forward, hands on her desk. "I'll briefly go over this one more time. I've already explained it, and I don't think either of you were chosen for this squad without having a brain in your head. So let me make this absolutely clear. This squad does not operate like a normal Flag Squad. We don't follow the same protocol. We act where the rest of the Union cannot. A knife in the dark, that is how they describe us. Every mission we undertake is to be assumed classified, unless you are told otherwise. The only reason I am wanting to make this so painfully clear, is because this squad is so different. We'll be doing plenty of things I assume you are accustomed to. But when the time comes, we are practically a cover team. Understood?"

She then sat up and crossed her arms behind her back. "Assuming you understand all this, and aren't going to turn and run out the door at the thought of not following the protocol you're accustomed to, then we can get to what today is all about. I presume that your Flags are combat ready?"

"Gettin' my hands dirty again? Fine if that's what I have to stoop to in order to serve the Union. There's an old saying my captain used to say: 'The Bell tolls for enemies of freedom.' This isn't the first time I've had blood on my hands workin' in the field has proven many times to have unsavory consequences. I'm not sure about this 'Lieutenant' here beside me but I have no issues with doing what I'm told." Chad informed the new boss as he looked at Soma without surprise. When she got into her big speech, not unlike some people he's met who try to act overtly serious, he expected it was something he'd find unsavory. It was just another mission, another job, another big wig getting paid off for the blood on his hands. "I'll do my duty to the best of my ability but I have to ask is it just the three of us? Seems like a real small squad for actual serious black ops operations. I would like to at least imagine they assigned us some staff. If I may be bold neither you, nor the 'lieutenant' here have the looks of killers. I've flown my fair share of missions normally they put well experienced personnel on board. People with certain eyes that show they know their stuff." Chad said as he adjusted his cap slightly. "No disrespect of course to either of you. I just worried you don't have the guts to fulfill the objective style of missions like these. You need to have morals but willing to breach some of them in this line of work."