Disclaimer: I dont own the Characters or Mechs of Gundam Seed or Gundam 00
Hey guys, here it is, my little one-shot spin off of Sensou's pursuit of the Girty Lue, this is a tiein of Gundam Seed Destiny or Liberty and a sequal of sorts to Graham's story in 00 Purpose Rise and Fall. This also features Neo (we all know who he is :) and Natarle and the Purpose Mark 2
Enjoy!
Gundam 00 Destiny: Brave Hunt
Cosmic Era 73-Two months ago
Billy Katagiri eagerly went over research data and mobile suit blue prints. Formally he had worked for the Earth Alliance, but now he worked as part of the Sensou Faction, an organisation dedicated to keeping the peace in the post war world. With that responsibility came the duty of always being ready for combat and always having new and better ways to fight. That was Billy's responsibility, mobile suit development. He pushed his glasses back onto his nose as the ground shook. The ultimate test of strength was going on between the Sensou GM and a Strike Dagger in the Sensou red and white colours. So far both mobile suits were at odds. Billy knew this because the GM had actually been based off of the Strike Dagger. The differences between the first Gen GM and the Strike Daggers were purely cosmetic.
"Try not to make too much of a mess" Billy said to the pilots.
They waved him off as he reported to the test flight grounds. Natarle Badgiruel was already waiting, her arms crossed as she watched the test flight above. Billy smiled at his creations, the brave squadron. They were a completely new concept of mobile suit combat, able to transform in midair from jet to mobile suit. However their true power was in their GN drives, designed from the remains of the infamous Thrones. While he and the Captain watched the test flight, the leader of the Brave squad stood to the side.
Graham Aker loved the Flags; they were his future mobile suits. In the aftermath of the last war he joined Sensou in order to continue making a difference. A few months later he recruited his best friend Billy. They'd been quite the pair, Billy made suits and Graham piloted them. But Graham wouldn't be piloting the Brave's in this test flight. He had an unfortunate reputation for accidentally killing his superiors in mock battles and that was something he wasn't going to force onto his subordinates. Turning to Billy, Graham smiled as Billy tried to explain to his girlfriend to not call. Natarle was holding a neutral look, but she obviously intended to lecture Billy afterwards.
'Yep peace is good' Graham thought as he watched the green Brave's pull of manoeuvres.
He smiled for the hundredth time that day for things had been quiet lately. Perhaps peace had really changed the last of the Zero corps.
Present time!
Peace never lasted forever Natarle knew this personally. Her parents, grand parents and great grandfather had come from a long line of soldier's. The Badgiruels had fought in every major conflict since the formation of the Earth Alliance. She'd been on the Archangel, commanded her own ship and barely survived the final battle at Jachin Due. There she watched her friend Mu La Flaga sacrifice himself for the Archangel, nearly breaking the mind of his lover and Natarle's closest friend Murrue Ramias. But it was there where she saw the birth of something truly special. It started with the rise of Sensou's leader. In a sense Vincent Rach had been reborn the day he entered the First Gundam and defeated Uragiri. That's at least what Natarle thought; he adapted well to the responsibilities of command and had led Sensou diligently for two years. Now war was on the move again, ZAFT's armoury one had been attacked and four prototype mobile suits had been captured. The base class carrier, captained by Natarle was to pursue "Bogey One" while the ZAFT ship Minerva underwent repairs. Natarle zipped up her Sensou uniform and put on her captains head before leaving her office. She saluted to several of the soldier passing by as she made her way to the Justifier's bridge.
"What is the status of Bogey One?" Natarle asked as she got onto the bridge.
"Still no heat sources ma'am, though we are getting closer" The pilot said.
"Everyone prepare to go into level one battle stations, have the Brave squadron and Strike Dagger pilots ready for combat" Natarle commanded.
Graham Aker zipped up his blue flight suit while the pilots with him finished putting on their uniforms. He turned to face his squadron, getting them to stand to attention as he delivered a pre battle speech.
"All right, this is our job men, take down war mongers before they start a war, we're going into battle against the infamous Gundam type mobile suits, I know this is a lot to ask but I order you all…to survive this battle, dismissed!" Graham said, saluting the pilots.
They shared his salute and ran to the hanger. Before he walked to the hanger, Graham got on the phone to the bridge. Natarle sat in her chair and waited for Graham to speak.
"The Brave squadron and I are launching ma'am, keep yourself safe" He said.
"You should worry more about your self Major, after all you haven't fought in a while, but at the same time, don't let what the younger pilots told you earlier keep you down" Natarle said.
Graham remembered that encounter well; a Strike Dagger pilot told him that he wasn't cut out for front line combat anymore, that he was a relic from an old age. He scoffed at the younger pilot, he wasn't that old and he could still fight. Once he had gone by the name Mr Bushido, now he was simply Graham Aker, a proud Flag fighter. Climbing into his blue Flag he prepped the machine for launch. He put on his helmet and slid the yellow visor over his head. The signal came for the mobile suits to launch as the Justifier armed its weapons.
"Graham Aker, Brave Flag launching!"
Captain Neo Roanoke had felt it ever since the Sensou ship had started pursuing the Girty Lue. He had felt that strange sensation in his head at Armoury One when he encountered the White Zaku, but this sensation was different. There were no words to describe it, at least no words that Neo had yet found. The Sensou Base class ship got closer and closer to the Girty Lue and Neo knew that their had to come a point when they would need to shake off their pursuers advances. Lucifer and Stark were the Ultimate Extended, but Neo couldn't afford to have Stark lose himself to battle when the objective was to knock off the pursuit. Captain Lee was getting anxious and the mysterious General Tyrant was losing his patience.
"Get rid of them" He demanded from Neo.
The masked Earth Alliance captain floated towards the door.
"Lee, launch several Corinthos mines into the nearby asteroid field then take the Girty Lue close to that area, have Sting, Auel and Stella prepared for combat, also prepare the Gundam Purpose Unit 1 for sortie" Neo explained.
Lee nodded to the masked man as he left the room. Neo didn't bother wearing flight suits, a risky decision but he always fought of himself as a daredevil. Yet still he couldn't shake the feeling from his head. As he climbed into his Exus that feeling was modified.
"Captain Neo Roanoke launching!"
Natarle kept her eyes on both the window and the CIC screens. As captain her duty was to focus on the battle both in front of her and inside the bridge. There was no issue with the bridge crew, most of them had served on Earth Alliance ships in the last war and others had been recruited since the start of Sensou. They had been Natarle's crew for years and she felt a sense of security that Murrue must have felt as the Archangel's captain. Her eyes then focused on Bogey One as she saw three figures flying out of the ship. She remembered the report Commander Rach had given her on the stolen machines.
The Gaia was a mid range combat type mobile suit, with the ability to transform into a quadruped form with beam wings and cannons. There was no data concerning the pilot but reports from the Minerva crew indicated that the pilot had a frantic fighting style. The Abyss was a machine that wasn't suited for space, which was the first advantage. It had the ability to transform into a submarine form, but its mix of close range and long range impulse cannons was a considerable risk. However reports indicated that the pilot was wild, it was a danger but also a potential advantage in the fact that he didn't focus on accuracy. And then came the Chaos, a mid range machine armed with beam weaponry and sabres, as well as a mobile armour form. Even though the pilot was disciplined the machine itself was an energy hog.
"Detract fusion lance, prepare Seifer 50mm cannons for fire, watch the heating on the storm buffers and load anti mobile suit missiles into launch tubes, fire on my order only!" Natarle explained.
"Roger Ma'am!"
Graham couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity from his mind. It wasn't the Gundam's, that much Graham knew. He and his brave team flew ahead of the Strike Dagger's in there mobile jet modes. The Gundams eyes glowed as they aimed their weapons.
"Too bad we can't settle the score with that white and blue one" Auel Neider said.
"We don't need to worry about them, just draw their attention away from the Girty Lue" Sting Oakley said.
Stella Loussier remained silent as she aimed her beam rifle. She fired the weapon, sending emerald beams flying towards the Brave Flags. Their training took over as they manoeuvred around the blasts at high speeds. Graham's blue Flag span around, dodging several beams fired by the Chaos. It transformed in midair, firing orange beams from its beam rifle. Sting bought up his shield, firing back with his Vulcan's. Two Flags fired at the Abyss, forcing it to block with its wings. Then it opened its wings, firing two yellow beams at the Flags.
"It'll take more than that!" A Flag fighter said.
"This is the power of our flags"
Both machines transformed and focused their firing on the Abyss, knocking it off balance. Sting launched his mobile pods, having them fire at Graham. The Flag fighter switched back to mobile armour mode and dived towards Stella. She drew a beam sabre and slashed at the Flag, missing it by inches. Then another green Flag swooped in and fired a beam against Stella's shield.
"The flag fighters are just a bunch of show offs, they should have stuck to test flights" A Strike Dagger pilot said.
"We'll get our chance to one up them soon" His comrade said.
Suddenly a yellow beam flew into the Strike Dagger's chest. The overconfident pilot turned around, only for a round to slam into his chest. After a few seconds the round exploded, blowing the Strike Dagger to bits. A grey mobile suit flew alongside the Exus, its eyes glowing green as it raised its rifle at the Justifier. Natarle looked at the Gundam before she gave the order to fire.
"FIRE!"
The Fusion cannon fired a yellow blast similar to a rail gun while the Seifer's fired green beams from their three barrelled cannons. Neo smirked as the Exus dodged the beams, releasing its wired Gun barrels. The Purpose Mark 2 fired its own beam rifle, destroying one of fusion lances. It then dodged the missiles and machinegun fired, firing several grenades from its shield.
'It's not Gekido' Natarle thought.
She narrowed her eyes at the machine and again gave the order to fire.
Two years ago
Break on the Archangel wasn't a fun activity for Natarle. This was a military vessel and she had a job to do. She had no problem listening to the crewmembers banter with one another. There were no regulations against fraternization, however public displays of affection were out of the question. Flay was cuddling up to Kira and the two were inches from kissing. Natarle was about to stand up and say something when he heard a voice boom from the cafeteria entrance.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING!" Gekido Jaeger yelled.
The grey haired pilot practically tore the couple away from one another.
"Kira, update the Strike's OS and Flay…find something to do" Gekido said.
The couple walked out of the room, leaving Gekido and Natarle very much alone. Natarle drunk from her tea while Gekido crossed his arms as he leant against the wall.
"You could have handled that better" Natarle said.
"And what would you have done?" Gekido asked.
"Reminded them that section five, paragraph eight…"
"It was a rhetorical question Ma'am!"
"You don't need to call me that off duty, I'd much rather prefer you to do that on duty" Natarle said.
Gekido laughed as he took a seat in front of Natarle.
"You ever wonder what your life would be like if you didn't join the military?" Gekido asked.
Natarle thought of the question for a moment.
"Not often, this was a decision that pleased my parents" Natarle said.
"Military family huh? Let me guess, Dad gave you the cold shoulder cause he wanted a boy, so you thought "I'll carry on the tradition for you father" and here you are serving on the most advanced ship in the Earth Alliance and still Dad hasn't called to say "I'm proud of you"" Gekido explained.
"He wont be calling, he died of lung cancer last year, I was on duty when he passed" Natarle said.
Gekido dropped his aggressive gaze and inwardly cursed.
"Damn, that sucks"
Natarle, despite the situation chuckled as Gekido leant his head back.
"So I've lost my dad to a mad man and you've lost yours to a disease strangely no one has found a cure for yet" Gekido said.
"You admit that Yamato was your father?" Natarle asked.
Gekido huffed, turning his head away.
"Why do you disrespect the uniform Gekido?" Natarle asked.
"You mean why do I disrespect you? Believe me Natarle, I respect you, but I don't respect what you represent" Gekido said as he got off his seat.
"Tell me Gekido, what do you think I represent?"
"A soldier that cant say no!"
Present
At the time, Natarle didn't understand what he meant. But in the final moments of Gekido's life he saw what he always wanted in soldiers. People who said no to his orders in order to stop Uragiri. Gekido had earned Natarle's respect in that moment when he shed tears for his falling comrades and when he sacrificed himself to stop the dreaded Omega once and for all. This aggressive AI controlled Gundam Purpose may have fought like Gekido, but Natarle knew for a fact that it wasn't Gekido.
"FIRE!" She yelled.
A volley of missiles and beams flew at the Purpose, causing it to manoeuvre around them. Its eyes flashed red as it dived towards the Justifier. The Purpose fired its Vulcan's and beam rifle, hitting the top of the ship. Natarle took manual control from her terminal, highlighting the mobile suit she wanted targeted. The storm Buffers rolled around, firing solid shells against the Purpose's armour. Natarle then gave the order for the gunners to fire at the Exus. Neo fired his gun barrels, hitting portside gun stations and destroying one of the Seifer cannons.
"Focusing on the biggest threat huh? That's good for a beginner, this must be a rookie captain" Neo said.
Natarle floated to the communications officer. She whispered an order into his ear and he nodded his head as he relayed the orders to the mechanics. A Dagger raised its Agni cannon, the same model that had been used by the Strike before it. The pilot pulled the trigger as the hanger opened, launching a crimson and blue beam that brushed past the Exus. Much to Neo's astonishment the beam flew towards the Girty Lue; brushing past it's side. The Dagger detached the giant cannon and shoulder mounted Gatling gun. As the parts fell to the floor, mechanical arms clipped an Aile flight pack to the back of the machine and equipped it with a shield and beam rifle. The Dagger flew out of the ship and fired its beam rifle at the Exus.
"A good pilot, and a good captain" Neo said.
His smirk was cut off as images flashed before his eyes. A red and white Gundam fired its Agni Cannon, then a second image flashed of the inside of a Zero cockpit, just as it targeted a White CGUE. The Dagger drew its beam sabre and dived towards the Exus. Neo widened his eyes, pulling his gun barrel towards the side of the Dagger. The Gun barrel ignited its beam blades, but the Dagger flipped back, firing its Vulcan's against the wired pod. Suddenly the Purpose flew at the Dagger, drawing its beam, sabre and slamming it against the Dagger's shield. Neo clutched his head for a moment as he saw the image of the original Purpose fighting beside a Zero.
'What's happening?' Neo wondered.
The Purpose slashed off the Dagger's arm, and then kicked it across the head. Graham flew backwards as the Abyss fired its cannons. He then flew upwards, transforming to mobile suit mode and destroying Stella's rifle with a single shot. The other Flags flew around the Chaos, continually employing hit and run tactics. Neo fired his main gun, taking off the Dagger's left foot. The Purpose then thrust its sabre forward, but stopped in midswing as the Justifier fired its beam cannons.
"Captain Badgiruel this is Graham, Bogey One is drifting closer and closer towards and asteroid field, they may be planning on drawing us into the debris" Graham explained.
"Get your squadron to attack the ship directly Graham" Natarle said.
"Negative Ma'am, the enemy mobile suits are sticking close to their ship and we need to do the same"
Graham swung around, firing at the Purpose as it tried to attack the dagger again. Stella stabbed her sabre into the Brave Flag, remaining emotionless as the pilot screamed. The other Brave Flag drew its beam sabre and yelled as he flew at the Gaia.
"I don't think so" Auel said, plunging his spear into the Brave Flag's back.
The Purpose looked at Graham's flag as it transformed to its jet mode. Its eyes gave off a red haze as it released its diamond shaped funnels. The funnels broke off into even more bits that flew around Graham. Neo released his own Gunbarrels while Sting launched his mobile pods.
"Major Aker!" The Last Brave Flag pilot said.
"Stay out of this" Graham said.
"That machine, it's the Purpose, the terror of the Earth Alliance"
"But its not Gekido Jaeger" Natarle said.
The funnels fired, surrounding Graham with a storm of beams. He grinded his teeth together as beams clipped past his armour. The Purpose crossed its arms as it watched the beams fly into the Brave Flag. Natarle ordered the gunners to fire on the mobile suits. The missile tubes launched the anti mobile suit missile tubes as the Dagger landed on the Justifier. Missile broke apart, revealing several smaller missiles that slammed against the Chaos and Abyss.
"What the, what is this?" Auel asked as his controls sparked.
"Now, fire at the Chaos and Abyss!" Natarle said.
"But ma'am ZAFT wants those machines intact"
Natarle smiled, a rare sight when she was on duty. She remembered what Gekido would have said.
"Screw ZAFT!"
However before the cannons could fire, the Gaia flew at the Justifier, scraping its wing blades across the side of the ship. The Brave Flag fired at the Gaia, only for the Purpose to slash it in half.
"Damn, I told my subordinates to survive, oh well…guess there's worse ways of going out, I guess I'll be joining them soon" Graham whispered.
Neo and Graham flew towards one another, firing their main guns. Both beams brushed against the mobile armours and for a moment it seemed as if the two pilots looked one another in the eyes. Graham changed to mobile suit mode and fired his beam rifle, hitting the Exus. The cockpit shook and a crack ran across Neo's helmet. Again both pilots felt that sensation of familiarity. A smirk ran across Graham's face as he realised something. The Purpose gathered its funnels while Neo gave the order to retreat. While the three stolen machines obliged, the AI controlled Purpose fired on the Justifier with its funnels. The ship shook as the funnels bombarded it with beams.
"It certainly does fight like Gekido Jaeger, I'm surprised at how identical they are" Graham said.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Graham widened his eyes as he listened to that voice.
"Have you just abandoned your pride as a zero pilot and flag fighter? ARE YOU THAT EASY!"
Graham narrowed his eyes as the Purpose looked at him. The Gundam drew its beam sabre, pointing it at the blue Flag. It was a challenge, Gundam against the Flag. A smile spread across Graham's face as he drew his flags beam sabre.
"You…relit my spirit…LETS GO GUNDAM!" Graham yelled.
The Flag's armour suddenly began to vibrate and give off an intense red aura.
"TRANSAM!"
The Flag dashed forward, slamming its beam sabre into the Purpose's shield. Images flashed in front of Graham's eyes. His time in the Zero Corps, shaking Mu La Flaga's hand, Endymion. Wearing the mask of Mr Bushido and fighting in ZAFT. Flying the Flag for the first time was like reliving a dream while meeting Gekido Jaeger face to face was the moment when Graham knew.
"He was the one who would endure all torment, and change the world with his stubbornness" Graham said.
The Purpose swung its beam sabre, but the Flag flew upwards, spinning around as it fired multiple shots from its rifle.
"Graham focus on Bogey One" Natarle said.
"Sorry Natarle but you'll find that I'm an unreasonable man"
The shots from Graham's rifle flew into the funnels. Corinthos missiles flew towards the Justifier, but Graham dashed between each one, destroying them before they hit the ship.
"I don't care how much you fight like Gekido, I don't care if your even and upgraded Purpose" Graham said as he drew another sabre.
He slammed his sabre against the Purpose's shield, tearing it apart. The Purpose then swung its sabre downwards. But the Flag crossed its swords together, blocking the beam sabre. Graham yelled, pushing the Purpose back and launching its sabre into the air.
"I'll fight like a demon itself if I have to!"
He grabbed the Purpose's sabre and slashed the Gundam across the shoulder.
"I'll continue to fight for the memory of Gekido Jaeger" Graham said.
The Purpose flew backwards, its armour shining gold as its hands glowed. With a thrust of its hands, it fired a blast towards the Justifier.
"HARD TO PORT NOW!" Natarle and Graham yelled.
The Justifier flipped over, barely managing to dodge the blast fire by the Purpose. Even though the ship survived, Neo's plan came to fruition as the ship darted towards the asteroid field.
"KEEP TURNING!" Natarle yelled.
The Flag landed on the ships bow, looking at the Gundam as it flew backwards towards Bogey One. Neo's plan worked, the Justifier was now on a completely different path than the Girty Lue. Graham walked back onto the Justifier, taking off his helmet as he floated through the hanger. Natarle rubbed her hair as she floated off the bridge. When Graham finished dressing back into his uniform he met Natarle at the cafeteria.
"Captain before you say anything just know that I…"
"Well done today Major" Natarle said.
Graham looked at Natarle in confusion, he'd half expected her to lecture him.
"You saved our lives, but I'm afraid for now we'll have to stop our pursuit of Bogey One" Natarle said.
"But the prototypes"
"Will be dealt with when it comes to that Major. Commander Rach wants us all to help in the destruction of Junius Seven which is currently falling to Earth" Natarle explained.
"Junius Seven is falling?" Graham asked.
"Yes, and it is our duty as Sensou officers to ensure that it doesn't break Earth" Natarle said.
"Then I'll get straight back to my Flag"
Natarle found herself smiling as Graham and the Dagger pilot walked towards the hanger. As she sat on the bridge she watched her other crewmembers work.
'Gekido, I don't know whether my parents would be proud of my current path, but I do know that you would be proud of every member of Sensou, this sense of unity and duty we feel is all thanks to you' Natarle thought.
As Graham sat inside the cockpit of his Flag he remembered the piloting skills of that Exus. He smirked to himself, it seemed he wasn't the last Zero pilot after all. Then there was that machine, the Gundam Purpose Mark 2.
"I have a feeling that machine will be as influential as the last" Graham said.
He leant his head back and waited for the Justifier to arrive at its destination. A pilot's duty was never done, and both Graham and Natarle's duties were just beginning.
The End of a tale of Destiny
What you guys think? Hope everyone enjoyed it, be sure to read the main story Gundam Seed Destiny or Liberty