Episode 1: Kio

"All systems running," a voice said. "Okay, Kio. You're on your own once you're out there."

Kio rolled his eyes. His father's image was on a screen in front of him "Father, I've done this before. Anyways, you and Kira-sensei always do this."

"Don't talk back," said the father sternly, but he smiled. His son was like his mother. "Okay, ready?"

Kio nodded. "Ready, father." Then he looked ahead. "Kio Zala. Eclipse, launching."

The mobile suit shot through the special runway of the outcast ship, Archangel.

"Okay, remember, only retrieve the life pod. Be careful."

"Yes, father."

"Oh, and one more thing," Athuran Zala said to his son, who was already soaring in the space.

Kio sighed. "Yes?"

"Call me captain."

Kio grinned. "Captain Zala. This is mobile suit pilot, Kio Zala. May I go do my job now?"

His father grinned as well. "Permission granted." Their link terminated and the teenage pilot was left staring at a blank screen.

"Well, then. Let's give this baby a test," Kio smiled and pressed a few buttons. Another screen came up and an image was on it. The surrounding area and whether there was any heat source.

"Hmm…" Kio said. "Red means heat, yellow means warmth. The rest is cold. Okay, I remember." He toyed around with the joystick and shot through space.

"Now…the life pod. Where the hell could it be?" He looked through the glass windshield. "C'mon, baby. Show up."

Right on cue, Kio saw a strange ship floating between the pieces of rock. He grinned. "Yes! Now let's see if I can get a link." He pressed a few buttons expertly. His coordinator skills allowed him to work quickly and efficiently. Soon, a fuzzy voice came through the speakers.

"…Someone…help…need…please…"

Kio frowned. "He opened up a link to his father. "Fa…um…I mean, Captain Zala. We have a real person in the pod. It's not a trap. So, I'm going in."

"Roger. Easy does it, soldier."

Kio gritted his teeth and terminated the link. "Soldier? At least call your son by his name…" However he flew towards the pod. His mobile suit opened up clamps in the middle. It clung on to the life pod.

Kio opened a link. Athuran's image was on the screen. "I got it! I'm coming back," he grinned.

"Good, alright." His father smiled and leaned back in his chair until something caught his eye. He looked at the screen in front of him. There was a heat source. That was the Eclipse, his son's mobile suit. However, the object he was carrying had no heat. The machine that detected heat was very hi-tech. There was no way it couldn't have detected it…unless…

"KIO!" Athuran yelled into the mike. "GET OUT OF THERE! DROP THE POD! DROP THE POD!"

"What?" Kio said, confused. That was when the life pod exploded.

"Shit!" Kio said. He had let go of the pod a millisecond before it exploded. However, it was a big explosion. His Gundam was damaged.

"Captain!" Kio yelled wildly. "Captain!" The communications system was damaged. He could not open a link. Suddenly, an urgent beeping sound caught his attention. He looked down at the screen. A big red word flashed on the screen. Alert.

"Damn it! No!" he shouted. His main engine had broken down. Soon, he would not be able to fly. He slapped the screen. He had to try to get back to the ship in ten seconds.

He flew in the direction of the Archangel. The ship was faraway though. He probably cannot reach it.

"Damn…" Kio was panicking. He was flying in the direction where he thought the Archangel was, but he cannot see the ship anywhere.

"No…this can't get any worse!" he moaned. That's when another beeping caught his attention. Two heat sources were detected. They were coming closer.

"Mobile suits!" he breathed. "Yes! I'm saved. Father has sent someone to save me, finally!" He looked excitedly out the windshield. He turned pale instantly.

"Enemy Gundam…" he whispered.

"Kio!" Athuran shouted. "Kio! No!"

"Captain!" a voice shouted urgently. "Computers detect heat sources."

"Description!" Athuran yelled.

"Sir, we have enemy mobile suits. Model: Cutter Z12 and the Swift X7-9.

"Damn!" Athuran shouted. He wheeled to face his crewmembers. "I'm going out there. Get the runway ready. The Justice better be good to go."

He ran out of the room. "Kio…" he though, his face grim as he ran down the hallway. "I'm coming, my son. Hang in there."

He reached the mechanical room. He floated up to the mobile suit. The anti-gravity allowed him to do that. Somebody floated beside him. He turned.

"Kira!"

Kira smiled. The brown-haired friend of Athuran put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Athuran. I'm coming."

"Kira…but…"

Kira smiled kindly at his worried best friend. "I'm Kio's godfather. I deserve to go."

Athurane nodded. As he and Kira got into their mobile suits, all he could do was think of his son.

"Well, well…What do we have here?" the pilot of the Cutter said. "A rookie pilot, no doubt."

His friend, the pilot of the Swift, laughed.

Kio did not feel too good. He was sitting, trapped and he couldn't do anything.

"Father…" he moaned. "Where are you when I need you?"

The pilot of the Cutter continued. "Commander Azashi's plan worked like a charm. Do you think we should capture the thing, or destroy it.

The Swift pilot grinned in delight. "Your choice, Shiro."

The Cutter pilot, Shiro, smiled. "Destroy." He aimed his blaster at the Eclipse. "Nighty-night," he sneered and shot the blaster.

Kio had closed his eyes. He was dead. He knew it. He must be in heaven since he's still thinking. He felt a huge object hit his mobile suit. He opened his eyes.

"What?" he asked surprised. "I'm still here!" He looked ahead; another mobile suit was in front of him. It had blocked the enemy's attack.

"Kio!" an urgent voice exclaimed. "Can you hear me?"

"Father!" Kio shouted. He looked at the screen. A fuzzy image of his father was showing up.

"Kio! Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Kio said, still in shock. He figured the huge object that hit him somehow fixed the communications system.

"Kio? You there?" another voice asked.

Kio recognized the voice.

"Kira-san!" he yelled. "You're here too?"

"Yeah. Athuran, bring Kio back. I'll deal with these bastards," Kira said and pointed his blaster at the enemy.

"Will do. Kira, be careful," Athuran said.

"I will. Now go!" Kira said and fired shots at the enemy.

Athuran opened up clamps in his mobile suit and clung on to his son's Gundam.

"Kira-san!" Kio yelled.

"He'll be alright," said his father. "Kira's really skilled. He'll take care of things."

Kio nodded worriedly as they flew back to the Archangel.

"Well, if it isn't the Freedom," Shiro, the pilot of the Cutter, said. "The Freedom and Justice. The two mobile suits that help kill Chairman Azarel." His voice seemed angry and proud. "You're outnumbered, bastard. C'mon, Kurashi!" he address to the Swift pilot. "Let's kick ass!"

They flew towards Kira's mobile suit. Kira fired a few shots, but one came in close range. He drew out his beam sword.

"Bring it on," he whispered and slashed at the Gundam. He dodged it and fired shots at Kira, who used his shield. He fired more shots, but one came behind him. Kira quickly turned and slashed at the enemy mobile. It dodged it and faced Kira.

"Why are you fighting? What are you fighting for?" Kira shouted.

Kurashi, the Swift pilot, rolled his eyes. "You sound like that bitch, Lacus."

"Don't diss her!" Kira yelled. "She's right!"

"Lacus is cute, I saw her on T.V. But, what are you, her boyfriend?" Shiro said, and laughed. However, Kira was silent.

"What?" Shiro said, realizing why Kira was silent. "You are her boyfriend?" He smirked. "Kurashi, we got a certain Lacus' boyfriend! It's going to be so fun to kill him!" He charged at the Freedom. But he stopped right before he reached it.

"AUGH! DAMN IT!" he shouted and started writhing around in his seat.

"No! Shiro!" Kurashi shouted. Then he turned to Kira. "You're lucky, bastard. We'll come back!"

"Time's…up…" moaned Shiro in pain.

The Swift held on to the Cutter and flew off into the distance. Kira watched them; there was no point pursuing them. He flew back to the Archangel.

"KIO!" A woman with short blond hair ran towards Kio. She grabbed him into a hug.

"Mother…" Kio said, surprised.

"You idiot!" she shouted and pounded Kio on the chest. "Why did you go out alone? You got me so worried!"

Kio smiled kindly. His mother always dissed him when she's relieved.

"It's okay, mother. I'm alright and alive."

The crying mother continued hugging her son. "You got me so worried," she repeated, this time in a whisper.

"Cagalli," Athuran said gently and put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "You're strangling Kio."

Cagalli laughed a little and let go of her son. "It was a good thing your father was there." She looked sternly at Kio. "Don't do that again! How could you not know that life pod was a trap?"

Kio gulped. "I'm sorry, mother. I wasn't paying attention…"

Athuran joined the stern staring. "Wasn't paying attention? That could have killed you! What were you looking at?"

"I heard a voice, father. I thought…"

"You thought there really was a trapped person in there!" finished Athuran, nearly yelling. "If you have checked your heat source detector, this could have been prevented!"

Kio started getting angry too. He was the one almost killed and here was his father yelling at him. "I'm sorry, okay? I tried my best on this mission!"

"Then try harder, because you're not doing very good right now!"

"It's my first time, okay? Don't tell me you didn't make mistakes either!" He pushed past his parents. "I'm tired, leave me alone!"

Athuran stared as his son floated down the hallway. Cagalli put her hand on Athuran's shoulder.

"Kio's young still. He's reckless sometimes. Don't be so hard on him," she said gently.

"Yeah, but I'd just wish he'd…"

"Be more careful?" finished Cagalli. "I know he should, but you made mistakes on your first try too."

Athuran nodded. "I'll go talk to him."

Cagalli shook her head. "Not yet. Wait a few minutes. Let him calm down."

Athuran sighed but nodded.