A/N: Okay, been lurkin' in this website for quite a while. I've been impressed by the many talents that grace this awesome site, so much so that I decided to give fiction writing a try. This is a trial first fic. You may notice some inaccuracy as the story progresses. Please message me if you have some info that I could use. I hope I'm not breaking any rules. Please read and review. Shoutout goes to Faytful, a personal friend of mine.

Athrun Zala woke up at quarter past 7. Still groggy, he grabbed the blanket and shoved it off himself. It surprised him a little to find that Cagalli was under the blanket, serenely sleeping. He vaguely remembered what they had been up to the night before…

He stopped for a moment, admiring the lovely lady beside him. Cagalli Yula Atha was a beautiful blonde with a well developed body, it occurred to him that he had known her since she was still a budding teenager. Now, she had become a woman, a far cry from when she was an annoying brat. His heart suddenly felt overloaded with love for her, he reached out with his hand and brushed aside strands of hair from her brow. She woke up from that gesture, her eyes opened prettily, she blinked a couple of times.

"Athrun..?" she was slowly sitting up from bed, clutching a portion of the blanket over her bare body.

He remembered now what had happened.

In the days leading to the present, ORB had experienced attack after attack from an unknown group of mercenaries. These attacks were meticulously planned and executed, hinting that these mobile suit pilots had an experienced commander. Although most of these bandits piloted minor suits that would suit low class militia, they were excellent in mobility and it appeared that their piloting skills were top notch. It was not clear what their motives were in attacking ORB. In the days that followed, the supposed leader of the group made a private transmission to the ORB princess herself.

- xxxxXxxXxxxx -

16:32 hours, three days into the conflict,Cagalli's private quarters, ORB

Cagalli frowned, sitting before her communications console, trying to recall anybody or any faction that she or ORB may have wronged in the past. She came up blank, all previous conflicts had been resolved thanks to the efforts of Athrun, Kira, and Lacus. She started wondering what became of her acquaintances when the console chimed, indicating an incoming transmission.

"Have I reached the personal comlink of the princess of orb?" a man, approximately middle aged, appeared in the visual.

"What?! Who is this?! How did you get my private communications channel?!" Cagalli flushed, angry at the arrogance of the man.

"That is of no importance princess. If you wish for us to stop attacking your precious ORB, I believe that we can work something out. A deal, in layman's terms…"

"I make no deals with rogue pilots and their arrogant leader." Cagalli was standing now, her hands closed tightly into fists.

"You hardly have any other options, princess. Have you not noticed that every effort your defense force made to repel us has been easily thwarted by my pilots? True, they may be using substandard gear at best, but it's the pilots that matter, and I assure you, they are well trained. So unless you agree to my terms, I'll have my pilots destroy the capital, which you may have noticed, has been left untouched by us."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" she was flustered now, blisters were visible in her clenched fists.

"Send Athrun Zala to me, alone, in his best mobile suit. I'd like to test my pilots against a successful war veteran."

It took a few moments for the words to sink in. Athrun would never agree to such a thing. He had left his scarred past behind.

"I'm afraid that cannot be arranged. I warn you, if you continue this pointless fighting, I will do anything within my power to bring you down." Cagalli was starting to calm down now, she sat down on her chair.

"Such meaningless words, princess. It will take more than that to dissuade me. Athrun Zala, alone, or you'll have to say goodbye to the capital by next light."

"Wait—"

He had disconnected. She was in a jam now.