Author's Note: For all of you out there who have been waiting for this, I thank you for your patience during these off months. As was stated in the summary, this is the sequel to A Story of Heroes. I must ask all new readers to go back and read my previous work before you start reading this one, just to get you familiar with the storyline and the OC's I've created. Many of them will be back in this tale, by the way.
Back to business here, as expected this fanfic will mirror the entire SEED Destiny arc, though it will be clear very early on that this tale is my own version of what I believe should have happened during Destiny. This will include new OC's, new mobile suits, and a different storyline, though many of the main characters, (e.g. Shinn, Luna, Rey, etc,) will all be featured in this fanfic. Though I must admit this. There is one major plot twist in Destiny that I have decided to omit entirely from this fanfic. For all of you who enjoyed Talia and Gilbert's relationship, turn back now. I've eliminated that portion of the arc completely. Talia and Gilbert are nothing more than fellow soldiers in this story, plus Gilbert is about the same age as Patrick and Siegel were in SEED and Talia is around Murrue and Mwu's age. Once again, I apologize, but I've decided that that portion had to go in order to fit my own storyline. More information on just a few of my OC's, (which will also give hints as to Gilbert's alternate lifestyle in my fanfic), is listed below.
Bradley Bourdais
Age: 21
Species: Coordinator(2nd generation)
Affiliation: ZAFT
Vehicle: Slash ZAKU Warrior
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Nickname: "Raven of Jachin Due"
Info: Air Commander of ZAFT warship Minerva. In command of Shinn, Lunamaria, and Rey. Only member of Minerva crew to have fought in the war two years ago. A private person normally, he doesn't like to talk about his experiences in the war.
Roland Brunswick
Age: 28
Species: Coordinator(2nd generation)
Affiliation: ZAFT
Vehicle: Minerva
Rank: Lieutenant
Info: Personnel Coordinator and co-first mate of Minerva with Arthur Trine. Close friends with Arthur and Captain Talia Gladys since childhood. An open-hearted person with a good sense of humor.
Kenneth Roske
Age: 46
Species: Coordinator(1st generation)
Affiliation: ZAFT
Rank: Supreme Council Representative
Family: wife Margery, son(believed to be deceased), son Felix
Info: Director of ZAFT Intelligence Department in peacetime. Infamous as the only Coordinator to ever sire a Natural child. A no-nonsense politician and a so-called, 'Man of the People'.
Ian Dullindal
Age: 21
Species: Coordinator(2nd generation)
Affiliation: ZAFT
Rank: Ensign
Vehicle: Minerva
Family: father Gilbert, mother Natalie(deceased), sister Victoria
Info: Weapons analyst on Minerva. Is believed to be holding a grudge against his father for reasons unknown. Despite his attitude towards his father, he is very kind and caring when it comes to people close to him.
Felix Roske
Age: 19
Species: Coordinator(2nd generation)
Affiliation: ZAFT
Rank: Ensign
Vehicle: Minerva
Family: father Kenneth, mother Margery, brother(believed to be deceased)
Info: Ship driver on the Minerva. Second child of Ken and Margery Roske. Born a Coordinator unlike his older brother was. Happy-go-lucky personality but is untouched in skill when it comes to piloting the Minerva during battle. Seems to go into a berzerker-like trance in battle.
Victoria Dullindal
Age: 20
Species: Coordinator(2nd generation)
Affiliation: ZAFT
Rank: Ensign
Vehicle: Minerva
Family: father Gilbert, mother Natalie(deceased), brother Ian
Info: Chief medical officer on Minerva. Unlike her brother, she seems to be on good relations with her father. Has an open mind and a caring demeanor.
Grant Worcester
Age: 20
Species: Natural
Affiliation: Orb
Rank: Ensign
Vehicle: M2 Astray
Info: A highly skilled pilot for the Orb Union with a mysterious, yet unknown past. One of five pilots for the top-secret, prototype M2 Astray mobile suit. He appears cold and uncaring on the outside and only speaks openly with people he knows he can trust.
Hector Rodriguez
Age: 19
Species: Natural
Affiliation: Orb
Rank: Private 1st Class
Vehicle: M2 Astray
Info: Devoted member of Orb military and close friend of Grant Worcester. Like Grant, he comes from a shadowy past. Although not as high in rank, he is considered to be just as good a pilot as Grant. Regarded as a laid-back kind of guy, Hector is deeply motivated to protect his homeland and his large family.
That's all I have to say for now. So, I guess that means it's time for the second story to begin. To all of you out there who choose to read this, I say, enjoy!
"Heroes get remembered...but legends never die." -George Herman "Babe" Ruth, The Sandlot.
Life. Ever since the dawn of time, humans, animals, and every walk of life in the universe, has searched for its true meaning. People have scrounged the Earth and space, looking for clues as to the answer to the great mystery. da Vinci, Einstein, George Glenn. One by one they have sought to put the pieces of this puzzle together. Each has had their own theory as to why and how we humans were created. Stretching across the centuries, into the Cosmic Era, this quest has left many a human baffled and struggling to find not only the answer to life...but more importantly...himself.
However, in recent years...that quest has been altered. Instead of searching for the answer to life...people search for the answer within their own genes. George Glenn's confession at the beginning of the Cosmic Era set into motion events that would forever shape the history of the Earth and the universe. Now people were separated in this great episode called life. On one side were the Naturals...the naturally born humans of this world who had walked the Earth since the times of Adam and Eve. On the other side...were the Coordinators...created by the Naturals themselves...the genetically altered humans with so-called superior abilities to the Naturals. George Glenn was the first of these Coordinators known to man. How many there were before him, no one will ever know.
For more than three decades Naturals and Coordinators lived side by side, despite the friction that was apparent from the very beginning. Sure, there were scattered outcries against the Coordinators and their genetically altered DNA. The most apparent of these were the cries of Blue Cosmos, the racial group that killed many Coordinators in attacks stemming from anger over their "superior" abilities. But for the most part...Naturals and Coordinators lived in peace during that time. There were no obvious cried for blood-shed in public. It was often common to see members of each race working with one another in peace...no fighting...no anger. Jealousy was there...everyone on the Earth knew it. But they had no reason to fight one another. The world was at peace.
As more and more Coordinators were being brought into the world with advanced genetic engineering techniques, many people wanted to genetically engineer their babies. By Cosmic Era 50, the population of the Coordinators had exceeded 50 million. At that time...a scattered few scientists began to conjur up a theory that seemed to be too outrageous to even attempt. Could a Natural...and a Coordinator...be one in the same? Have the genetics of both races in one body? In essence...could a human have the body of a Natural...with the genes of a Coordinator built into them? For many scientists, the answer to that question was a simple...no. The human genes would not allow for the creation of a Natural/Coordinator. Genes were too fragile to attempt such a thing. It was unheard of for a Natural to give birth to a Coordinator without the presence of genetic engineering. And it was just as impossible for a Coordinator to give birth to a mere Natural. The child's genes would not allow it to happen. For years afterward, the theories died out and the proposal was put to rest. It would not happen and it did not happen. Well...let us never say never. There was...one incident...in which that almost occured...
In March of Cosmic Era 53 a young, apprising Coordinator policitican and businessman named Kenneth Roske and his wife Margery welcomed the birth of their first child on the PLANT of Aprilius One. It was a boy, the offspring of two genetically altered Coordinators. But within days the medical personnel discovered that all was not right with the child. After examining the infant's DNA, doctors were horrified when they discovered that the genes were not up to the same level of advancement as those of other Coordinator infants. After more tests were done on the infant, the doctors confirmed the impossible. The boy's genes were not that of a Coordinator. His abilities, albeit infantile ones, were not up to those of a regular born Coordinator. They were not even up to the standards of even the most slightly altered genes of Coordinators. It seemed unthinkable, but it was true. The infant...was a Natural, the first to be sired from two Coordinators. When the news reached Roske, he was furious. Furious enough that he didn't even treat the child as his own, even going to the extent of striking the mere days-old infant across the head and opening up a five inch gash over the child's left eye. Roske did not want to suffer the humiliation of being the first Coordinator to ever sire a Natural, so he kept the affair a secret to most of the public. Instead, he ordered his wife Margery to send the child away, or if necessary...kill the child. Margery at first appeared to abide by her husband's decree, sending the child away to be killed. But in reality, Margery had secretly hidden the child with a close friend, who in turn sent the baby boy to Earth, where he would be taken in by the citizens of the Earth. But before she sent her first-born away, Margery passed on a small treasure of her own heart to him. A small, silver locket that she placed around his tiny neck before she sent him on his way. The entire incident was covered up and not spoken of outside of the public ear after less than two months...more than likely because a year later, Margery gave birth to the couple's second child. This one a full Coordinator. But the memories of her first son would stay with her for the rest of her life.
Within two years all hell had broken loose. George Glenn was murdered by a jealous Natural who was upset about not having been made a Coordinator. A decade and a half of clashing began between both races as the PLANTs and the Earth quarreled constantly. Year after year it went on and year after year, the tensions built. Violence began to erupt on both sides. The inevitable was happening. Both sides were drawing ever closer to conflict.
Finally, it did happen. February 14, Cosmic Era 70. The Bloody Valentine. The Earth Alliance nuclear attack on the PLANT of Junius Seven took the lives of 243,721 Coordinators, including the relatives of many of the ZAFT Supreme Council members. War was on. Within months both sides were fighting ferociously both in space and on the Earth. With the technological advancements made during the Cosmic Era, this war was different from any other. Fought with new machines never before seen in war. Mobile suits. Both sides used them frequently as the war dragged on into C.E. 71. Many key figures on both sides, including Earth Alliance Admirals Lewis Halberton, Niles McCarthy, and William Sutherland, Blue Cosmos leader Murata Azrael, Orb Chief Representative Uzumi Nara Athha and Admiral Fernando Cantarii, PLANT Representatives Siegel Clyne, Ezalia Joule, and Patrick Zala, and countless others were all killed during the conflict.
At last in November of Cosmic Era 71, both sides reached a tentative cease fire agreement. An armistace was officially declared in April of Cosmic Era 72 with the signing of the Junius Treaty by Earth Alliance General Woodrow Bradford and PLANT Supreme Council Chairman Eileen Canaver. The war was over, but the tension still remained. Even two years after the war's end, both sides continued to develop newer and more powerful mobile suits and warships. But in the meantime, both sides are still living at peace, seeking to offer consolation to both sides. In the background however, the vapors of conflict still exist, just waiting for one spark to ignite them and plunge the world into chaos once again...
The empty void known as space was quiet at this time. Stars blinked bright white in the distance and the only visible light at a relatively close distance was the slight glare from the golden sun. Imagine the dismay the cosmos felt the instant the large object intruded upon its feral grounds. Like a hawk, swooping in on its unsuspecting pray, the object arrived with such suddenness that it would have startled even the bravest of souls. The object was dark, ominous, and unwavering as it slowly crept across the dark horizon. If one focused his or her eyes just right, they could make out the difference in color the object displayed. A little bit of red here. Gray there. And even some white mixed in. Two wing-like things jutted out of the object's sides near its rear, where white flames were cascading from a quartet of powerful engines which pushed it along on its steady course towards nowhere in particular.
Inside the object, on the top portion called the bridge, sticking silently into the heavens from the object's mid-section, the was just the sound of silence. Ever so often a quiet click or pink would sound there, but not much. There were other beings inside the bridge, sitting silently in their chairs as they stared blankly forward at the dim lights emulating from the screens in front of them. At the front of the bridge, below the main concourse area where the majority of the bridge crew was located, shrowded by a veil of darkness, the only light to be seen eminating from their blue screened consoles, were three individuals, seated in a v-shape formation at their stations. One individual was easily a few years older than the other two, who couldn't be more than twenty-five apiece. He sat on the left and had a thin brown beard drawn across his chin and an equally colorful mustache that gave his equal lined face some much needed complexion and his all black clothes suggested that he was of superior rank to the others. The one across from him wore spectacles on his nose, with short, wavy black hair and his eyes were dark and with a shade mystery. The individual in the middle was easily the youngest of the three. Black hair stuck out on the top of his head, his hands securely wrapped around the control in front of him as he guided the object through space and controlled the object's speed with the gears on his right side. Behind and above them at the rear of the bridge, where the concourse was illuminated in bright white light, were several more individuals, crouched over their consoles, several of them having the same, emotionless expression on their faces. One of them, the sole girl in the group, with bright red pig-tails hanging down the sides of her face, easily was the youngest of the entire gathering of people. She could be no more than 17, though she maintained her composure like a veteran soldier. At the center was another individual clad in an all black uniform. He was clean-shaven and had a black cap on his head that hid most of his turquoise colored hair, though some locks did manage to creep down the back of his head and onto his neck. His face was unique in the fact that it seemed to be molded entirely of clay, as if someone had just taken it out of a blazing fire and molded it to its now oblong shape. Finally, in the very center of the bridge, sat a figure clad in all white with black boots and a white cap. This one was a woman. She was very beautiful, but her face had the serious look of a no-nonsense military type. Her blonde hair was cut short to where it fell to just below her neck, stretching forward to cover her ears at the sides, and her figure was tall and slender as she sat calmly in the chair that seemed to signify her superior rank to all the others. All of these individuals together said not a word to one another as the object continued to push through the black mass all around them. Maybe it was because they were afraid that if they said something, the entire mission would go down the drain.
At last, almost allowing the crew a sigh of relief, the woman in the center of the bridge said firmly in her deep voice, "Lieutenant Trine, status report on Minerva progress."
"All systems appear to be functioning at full capacity, Captain," the green haired individual said from behind her in a crisp, accented voice. His fingers flew across the keyboard in front of him as he added, "Output flow increase is stable. Mechanisms to all outer systems are operational. Power levels are normal. All readings indicate she is running at maximum efficiency today, Captain."
The Captain seemed unmoved. "Ensign Dullindal?" she demanded. "Weapons report, please."
"All weapons are functioning normally ma'am," the young soldier with the glasses reported in a deep voice that seemed to have just been cast upon him in his recent years. "Taunhauser is registering normal input and output levels as well as a nine-to-five ratio on all laser designators and targeting systems. All systems green."
"Course and speed, Ensign Roske?" the Captain ordered.
"Current vector red one-nine-zero, mark twenty-nine delta. Course speed 600, attitude good." the soldier at the front of the bridge reported. "Minerva is flying well today, Captain."
"Excellent," the Captain said calmly. "Lieutenant Brunswick, status report from the engine room and hangars?"
"Deck crew this is the bridge," the goateed man said calmly into his head-set, "requesting status report."
From down below in the bowels of the ship, the reply came cool and calm. "Deck crew here, all systems are functioning normally."
"Engine room, here. All systems are green as well."
"Lieutenant Commander Bourdais?" the Captain asked into the phone on the side of her chair. "Do you read me?"
"I read you loud and clear, Captain Gladys," came a velvety voice on the other end of the line. It was muffled from the helmet that blocked the speaker's face from the radio. "All mobile units are standing by and ready to go at your order, ma'am."
"Very good," Captain Gladys said, signing off.
Back inside his small space, the velvety voice switched frequencies and spoke into the radio again. "Free Flight, this is Raven One. All wings report in and report status."
"Gunner, standing by," replied a clear, pleasant female voice.
"Phantom, standing by," came a more convictional, deep voice.
The lead individual waited a few more seconds for another reply, but it never came. "Impulse?" he said into the radio. No response. "Impulse? Hello? Hey kid, do you read me?"
A small burst of static came through the radio followed by a quick, "Impulse, all green," from the other end. Bourdais smiled to himself and signed off.
As the Minerva continued to drift through space, a vague uneasiness suddenly began to overcome the crew. Something was not right. All of them could sense it in the air. It was just as quiet as it had been only minutes before...but now...there was just something about it. It was too quiet all of a sudden.
The still silence was rudely interrupted by a simple chime. It started slow and quiet at first, then gradually got louder and faster. It was emulating from a console at the rear of the bridge. The Captain turned her head slightly to her left to point her gaze back towards the sound's origin, as did many of the others on the bridge. The chime continued to sound as the soldier at the console typed in commands briskly on the keyboard in front of him and squinted his large, oblong-shaped eyes in disgust at what he saw.
"Detecting heat source approaching rapidly from quadrant four-delta," he reported quickly. "Scanning...confirmed...it's a warship engine."
"Identify!" Captain Gladys ordered.
"Matching heat sources now, Captain," the girl replied. "Does not match any registered ZAFT or PLANT model, ma'am."
"Ship is continuing to approach, ma'am," the first soldier added. "Detecting speed increase."
"It's coming right for us, Captain," the girl added. "Radar detects laser and target designators activated."
"All hands to full alert status!" the Captain commanded. "Identify that ship and report! Engines to maximum and begin evasive maneuvers!"
"Load all missile tubes and activate CIWS!" Lieutenant Trine added. "Ensign Dullindal prepare the Taunhauser and Tristan as well!"
"Yes, sir," the soldier with the glasses reported.
"Lieutenant Brunswick?" the Captain asked the officer below her.
"Commander Bourdais, place your units on launch ready immediately," the officer ordered. "Prepare for launch at moment's notice. Catapult crew, stand by."
"All units, stand by and prepare to launch!" the velvety voice commanded neutrally. Inside their respective cockpits, the units known as Gunner and Phantom sighed uneasily at the order. On the other hand, Impulse remained quiet and tightened his grip on the controls in front of him.
"Course status, Ensign Roske," Captain Gladys demanded.
"Course twenty-six orange charlie, ma'am," the driver reportedly flawlessly. "Speed 800 and increasing."
"Target has changed course to intercept," the girl said from behind them. "Coming in at point six-three-three gamma!"
"Beside us?" Lieutenant Trine said incredulously. "It has to be pretty swift to be able to move that fast."
"If they get us in the side, we'll be finished," the Captain said quietly, mostly to herself. "Ensign Roske, twenty to starboard, we'll present less of a target if we head straight towards them. Ensign Dullindal, prepare all weapons to fire! Lower the bridge!"
"Yes, ma'am!" As the ship began to turn beneath them, the crew on the bridge was now in a frenzy, working as quickly as they could at their consoles to protect their ship. On the outer hull, missile tubes on the starboard side swung open to space and the ship's mighty Taunhauser cannon emerged from its hiding place at the front bow of the ship. At the same time, with hardly any sound at all, the top portion of the bridge began to slowly sink down into the bowels of the ship. Soon, the brightly lit portion of the bridge where the Captain and others had been was now at an even level with the one the ship's driver, weapon's analyst, and third officer were working.
"Detecting missile launch!"
"Evade! Thirty to starboard!" Captain Gladys commanded quickly. "Aim missiles to the intercept!"
"Confirmed twenty strikes heading right for us," Trine added.
On the radar screen, the streaks of the missiles could be seen heading directly towards the Minerva at break-neck speed. "Missile impact, ten seconds!"
"Fire!" the Captain shouted. At his station, Dullindal delicately pressed the fire button and sent a barrage of retaliation missiles out to interecept the attack. The radar showed that a good portion of the targets were eliminated and also indicated that the manveuver the ship had just executed would put the others well beyond their destination. But that didn't help when the next bit of news filtered tot the bridge.
"Confirmed launch of mobile suits from the enemy ship!" a soldier reported.
Captain Gladys hissed dejectedly through her clenched teeth at the news. The enemy was coming all out to destroy them. A veteran team and commander no doubt, she thought. "Lieutenant Brunswick, launch the mobile suits!" she ordered. "Ensign, I.D. those machines!"
"Seven Dagger L's and about ten mobile armors, ma'am," came the reply.
"Do you have that Commander?" the pig-tailed girl asked the helmet-clad individual on her screen.
"Roger that, bridge," he responded quickly and professionally. "All units, listen up! Gunner, Phantom, follow me. We'll launch first and take it right to 'em. Gunner get behind the Minerva and provide top-side cover. Phantom, you'll stay with me." He riddled off the commands like a machine, never missing a word or a command. "Impulse! Wait two minutes after we launch before you head out. We'll draw 'em away for a little bit so you can get yourself oriented. After that, come join us and we'll lead the bastards away from the ship."
"Roger," came the simultaneous replies from all three of his pilots.
"Fire!" the Captain shouted. The Taunhauser cannon unleashed its fury upon the enemy, two of the mobile armors disappearing from the radar screen. That didn't stop the enemy from keeping close to them. The rest of the mobile suits continued to press on, spreading out like the wings of an eagle to cut off the Minerva's potential escape routes. The warship remained at the same distance it had been, now behind the Minerva thanks to the ship's quick turn to avoid the smoking missiles coming to destroy them.
"Contact at point seven-zero, charlie!" someone shouted.
"Evade! To port!" Captain Gladys commanded sternly.
At the bow of the ship, the hatch to the hangar came open slowly, almost crawling as it spread itself across opening, revealing the black, wide open space beyond. The dim light from the stars in the distance lit up the hangar slightly, revealing a white and violet colored mobile suit with yellow eyes. Beside the machine, a sort of shelf system that held all sorts of weapons systems produced a weapons pack and mounted it quickly onto the machine's back, completing the design. Inside the cockpit of his Slash ZAKU Warrior, Commander Bradley Bourdais sighed to himself. I had hoped I would never have to do this again. "Catapult connection confirmed, stand by," came the cool, feminine voice inside his helmet. "Course clear for launch. You may proceed."
"Bourdais...ZAKU heading out!" The sign above him winked all green and the catapult engaged beneath him, sending his machine flying out into space, though he felt barely a thing inside his cockpit. As he headed out into the space beyond, he saw his fellow pilots, Gunner and Phantom follow with their own ZAKU units. Phantom's machine was the standard colors of the original ZAKU Phantom, while Gunner's machine was custom painted bright pink which contrasted sharply with the black space behind them.
As soon as he entered the vast space in front of him, Bourdais had to pull back hard on the stick to avoid the beam shots being directed right for his purple and white ZAKU. He grumbled silently to himself that his own paint scheme didn't mix well with the black space either. He quickly reoriented his machine so that he could fire back, immediately returning fire with the two Hydra Gatling beam cannons lodged on top of his mobile suit's backpack. The enemy Dagger L's swooped in on the offensive, splitting off from one another in order to dodge Bourdais' shots. He moved quickly upwards, vacating his past position and soared above the Minerva. The ship had many of its weapons blazing, lighting up the once black landscape. He could see Phantom roaring up towards him, performing a series of pirouettes in order to dodge the fire coming from the two Daggers on his tail. "Rey, turn to starboard and follow me. We gotta buy us some time or else we're all gonna be sucking on space, soon."
"Roger, that," came Phantom's voice in response. Bourdais withdrew one of his beam axes from his backpack and dove to his right, Phantom following in his wake.
On the bridge, the Captain said, "Is Shinn ready for takeoff yet?"
"Almost, Captain," came the red-head's response.
In the hangar, the Core Splendor fighter jet was mounted onto the ship's main catapult. "Core Splendor, prepare for takeoff. Raise central catapult." Inside the cockpit, the pilot pressed a few buttons on the console in front of him, while his other hand adjusted its grip on the control stick position in between his legs. At this point, he could feel the ground beneath him begin to move up, up towards the main hatch where his fellow pilots had just departed. Based on the chatter echoing through the static filled radio waves, he could already tell and feel that there was about to be, if not already, a fight. "Impulse. After you have confirmed your combat status, please go ahead and launch," the girl's voice said inside his helmet. Nodding to himself, the pilot double checked his modules and sighed out of both his nasal and mouth cavities. He listened silently to the orders going through his helmet as pertaining to his impending launch. "Chest Flyer, Leg Flyer, stand by for takeoff...Force Module selected. Silhoutte Flyer, stand by...Core Splendor, commencing launch sequence..." In a matter of seconds, he was staring at space just beyond his position, appearing so inviting at the end of the hatch. His hand wrapped around the throttle switch to his left and secured it tightly within his grasp.
"Phantom watch your back, you got two bogeys trailing!" came Leader's voice.
"Let's circle around and we'll hit 'em from the other side!" was the response.
Impulse keyed his radio. "What's the enemy battle strength?" he asked, or demanded more or less.
"As of this moment, a warship, class unknown, seven Dagger Ls, and eight mobile armors. Be mindful that there very well could be more enemies out there, so be careful."
"Roger, that." Sparing a glance above him, he watched the signal board at the end of the access way slowly change from red ABORT signs to blue CLEAR signs. It was time to go to work.
"Core Splendor, all systems online. Commencing takeoff sequence!" The sign flashed a quick message, a simple LAUNCH sign colored in blue. The pilot slowly brought the throttle control forward and just as slowly the jet's engines came online in a flash of white flame. Suddenly, he was thrown back into his seat as the central catapult fired, sending the Core Splendor out of the hangar at a fantastic speed. Once outside, the pilot turned his machine onto its port side and began to rotate his craft in a slow barrel roll, which served as a means to get himself oriented with the battlefield and to make sure that anyone brazen enough to fire upon him would have a lesser chance of scoring a direct hit. "Deploy Silhoutte Flyer!" He glanced behind him and saw another object emerge from his ship's hatch. It was quickly followed by a third, then a fourth. All of his accessories had been launched without incident.
Minerva swung itself into a wide, starboard turn, all weapons blazing, lighting up space with a flurry of dazzling shots from guns and missiles. Being cautious, Gunner kept herself close to the ship, staying almost parellel to the bridge as it turned along with the warship. She brought her long range armaments forward and launched a series of shots at a duo of enemy machines that were on the verge of surrounding both Leader and Phantom who were busy with other machines. Squinting against her targeting bracket, Gunner fired again and, like the previous shots, they were too high. She shook her head and blinked profusely. If she wasn't accurate, the outcome of this fight would likely end in bad shape for them.
With his beam axe still clutched in his hand, Leader dove beneath one of the mobile suits in his line of sight. The Dagger fired its rifle at him as he sped towards it, but a series of rolls, combined with rapid accelerations and decelerations, put Leader beneath the enemy machine. He sliced sideways with his axe, cutting through the Dagger's left leg in one swipe. Turning himself upright, he activated his Hydra cannons and sprayed the Dagger's back with small bursts of fire, leaving his enemy stationary just long enough. From a short distance away, Phantom was able to get off an accurate shot and reduced the machine to a cloud of smoking metal debris.
Something turned up on Leader's radar screen in front of him. It was colored in blue, signifying a friendly. And there were four of them. "Shinn made it out," Phantom called.
"Give him some cover Rey, I'll take care of these guys." He received an affirmative and watched Phantom leave. Two more Daggers appeared in place of Phantom, causing Leader to sigh in angst. Giving his beam axe a quick twirl in his hand, he dove back into the fight.
At a good distance from the battle, the pilot of the Core Splendor activated his machine's transformation ability and suddenly the wings of the fighter jet folded into the interior of the cockpit, making the cockpit the machine. He pulled back on the throttle switch and held his course as two of his needed pieces zoomed towards him from behind. Taking his time, he flipped several switches and felt and heard the clangs of his adjoining parts coming into position with the cockpit, one from below and one from above. A head sprouted out of the top piece, giving the machine a human look. Finally, he jolted forward in the cockpit as he felt his weapons pack connect into his back, completing the new design. As he turned around back towards the fight, the color of his machine changed from dark gray to an array of colors including blue, white, and red.
"Shinn. Are you all right?" He saw Phantom come beside him.
He reached into his machine's hip socket and withdrew a beam saber, its light a blinding flash to those around them. "Just fine." With a quick punch of the throttle, he was on his way to the fight.
Leader faced a Dagger that was firing its rifle with consider skill in his direction. The enemy mobile suit had had him in his line of sight for quite some time now, but Leader knew that eventually he would have to slacken his onslaught sooner or later in order to reorient his machine's specs. When that occurred, he would have his chance to strike. He saw that chance when the Dagger suddenly brought its rifle close to its body and readjusted its aim. Reaching behind him, Leader hurled his beam axe in the Dagger's direction. Immediately thereafter, he punched the throttle and roared forward. The Dagger seemed ready for the attack, for he intercepted the incoming projectile with his shield, catching the axe square in the middle. What he didn't see until it was too late, was Leader's second attack. He rushed forward quickly, and with a quick slash and thrust, effectively sliced the enemy machine in half with his beam tomohawk. The Dagger exploded and among the pieces of shrapnel flying towards him, Leader managed to pick out his battle axe and deposit it into its place inside his shield.
"Leader, watch your back!" He snapped his head to his right, barely managing to see an incoming mobile armor before something bright struck the craft, shredding it to pieces. Leader looked up and smiled as he saw the brightly colored mobile suit heading into the fight.
"Thanks kid!" he called out. "Hey, what do you say we teach these guys a lesson in what happens when you try to attack the newest members of the PLANT fleet." As if to answer his question, Impulse and Phantom raced past. Leader quickly followed in their wake.
Recocking her long-range rifle, Gunner waited patiently inside the cockpit. The mobile armor she'd been tracking for the past few seconds had been on the move constantly. Maybe it was because it could sense that it was being targeted, but she wasn't worried about that. She waited. And waited. Finally, she saw it. She got off one quick shot, red energy spraying from her rifle. The shot caught the mobile armor as it was making its turn to head back in her direction. She nailed it in the rear portion and as flames began to shoot out the rear of the machine, it disappeared from her view.
"Enemy warship has ceased its barrage, ma'am," Lieutenant Trine reported on the bridge. "It looks as if it's turning its attention towards our mobile suits."
"Give them support," the Captain commanded. "We'll target the ship while it's preoccupied-"
"Hold on a sec." The other black clad individual punched in several commands on his keyboard and a few new images came into view. "She's not going in the direction of our machines at all...it looks like she's-"
"Raise bow 20! Increase speed to maximum thrust. Then port forty degrees. Activate all port side weapons when we make the turn. Aim Taunhauser! Fire on my command!" The Minerva started to rise, its nose pointing up. Then suddenly it lurched sideways as the ship's engines pushed into high gear and its rudder turned sharply to port at the same time. A few seconds later, her port side cannons opened up on the incoming enemy. As it turned out, the enemy warship was indeed not going after the mobile suits. In fact, it had tried to bait the Minerva into believing that it was and instead had reversed course to put its forward guns in a position to target her backside when she went to help her mobile suits. By turning to port, the Minerva had put itself in prime position to attack. Successive shots from the Tristan cannons struck the enemy ship's forward portions, shredding weapons to pieces and punching holes into the hull. "Fire Taunhauser!" The crippling shot followed immediately afterward before the enemy had time to respond. The Taunhauser cannon's mighty blast tore through the ship just above the engines, causing a massive explosion near the rear portion of the ship, tearing apart its engines in the process.
"Enemy ship is decelerating, ma'am. Looks like we knocked out her engines," Lieutenant Brunswick informed the bridge.
"Laser targeting has ceased, Captain," the girl added.
"Keep an eye on them," Captain Gladys ordered. "Inform Commander Bourdais and the others. How are they at this point?"
"Commander Bourdais and Rey have suffered minor damage, but they say it's nothing serious," was the answer. "There are still two mobile suits out there, ma'am. Looks like all the mobile armors have been destroyed already."
"Have the Commander and Rey return! Tell Impulse and Gunner to follow as soon as they've dispatched with the remaining machines."
From a distance, the ship's mobile suits could see the brightly colored signal flares illuminated the black space surrounding the Minerva. Based on tactics learned in the previous war, new techniques had been devised when firing signal flares, such as different sizes and colors, in order to give precise orders to the mobile suits. "They're calling us back?" Phantom said out loud.
"It's just for me and you, Rey," Leader informed him. "They probably don't want to take a chance on us getting nailed out here after we've taken damage. Gunner, give us some cover. Impulse, what's your status?"
"Hang on, I'll be right there!" The enemy Dagger fired a succession of quick bursts from its rifle, some coming perilously close to grazing Impulse as he swung himself in a wide arc in order to dodge the shots. He brought his shield up to block a few shots before taking aim with his own rifle. Three quick shots threw the Dagger off guard long enough for Impulse to pop him once in the head with his rifle, taking the machine's cranium completely off. Impulse raced after the retreating mobile suit and with one quick slash of his beam saber, took down the last machine in his sight. "Got him!" he called out.
"Nice job, kid," Leader responded. "Get back to the ship. Our job's done!"
"Is that the last of them?" Gunner asked to no one in particular.
"Negative. Sensors indicate that there's still one enemy machine out there. Watch yourselves!" the pig-tailed girl said.
"There's still one left?" Phantom asked more than said.
"Can you see 'em?" Leader demanded.
"I can't see anything other than what's in front of me with my radar messed up," Phantom said.
"Keep your eyes open, guys!" Leader shouted. "He could be anywhere."
Impulse rocketed back towards the Minerva, desperately scanning the seemingly empty areas near the ship. Where could that last enemy be? He could have sworn they'd already defeated all of the enemy mobile units and by the looks of it, the Minerva had already taken care of the enemy warship. So where...?
Something caught his eye a few meters away. It was barely visible, but he could tell that something was wrong. All of a sudden, a star had disappeared, seemingly engulfed by space. Then it reappeared a few moments later. It happened to another star...then another. The mysterious pattern seemed to be moving along a certain path. He tensed inside the cockpit and then shoved the throttle forward for all it was worth. "Lunamaria, watch out!" he cried. Up ahead, Gunner glanced behind her, but not quickly enough, for the last Dagger, in camouflage black and navy blue to blend in with space, had managed to slip in behind her and bring its rifle to bear upon her machine. She tried to move, but it was too late. Impulse charged past her with his beam saber drawn. He cried out as he slashed forward with his weapon, impailing the Dagger upon his sword, but not before the machine managed to fire off three shots with its beam rifle, each one catching Gunner square in the torso, sending her now flaming machine plummeting away from him. Not even noticing the explosion in front of him curtesy of the last machine whom he'd just destroyed, Impulse watched in horror as his friend fell away from him. He cried out, "Lunamaria! Lunamaria, answer me!" Inside her cockpit, Gunner didn't respond. Her vision had suddenly gone black, she could see nothing in around her except for a short phrase scrolled across her front viewport, exemplifying her failure to notice the last machine. She cursed herself. Yet again, she'd failed. Then suddenly, everything, including her own figure, was engulfed by darkness...
The large screen, nearly ten feet in length and five feet high, dissolved itself into a field of black that seemed to be darker than the chunk of space which it had just displayed. A few moments later, a cropping of light blue lights slowly came alive until they managed to illuminate the large chamber they hung above fairly effectively. Inside the chamber's middle were twelve individuals, seated around a circular table, each with a monitor in front of them upon which they could access other details from the images that had just finished playing on them, as well as on the bigger screen on one of the chamber's outer walls. As the lights came on, each individual seated around the table slowly turned their head to face the thirteenth person in the room. The man was clothed in a white uniform, much like the one that the woman in the images had been wearing. He stood just to the right of the screen at full attention, his officer's cap clutched beneath his left arm.
He began to speak. "The images you've just seen...dictate the full results of the final simulation run for the new warship Minerva, the new ZGMF-X25S Impulse, and all the other particulars relating to them. The simulation was set at one of the highest difficult settings and special attention was paid to the detail involving the enemy machines. As you can see, the ship and her crew fared remarkably well during this simulation...with the exception of the last instances, but granted we, as well as you as I recall, expected that the results wouldn't be perfect. Because of these results and taking into account the reactions of the crew, we among the ZAFT Defense Fleet can now honestly say without restraint, that the Minerva and her crew are more than ready for entry into the Fleet. Thank you for your attention, this concludes the Fleet's analysis and my report." Raising his right arm to a point just in front of his forehead at a downward angle of about fifty degrees, the officer saluted and snapped his heals together before making his retreat into the darkened inlet beneath the large screen, virtually disappearing from the chamber, leaving the twelve others seemingly alone.
For a fairly large amount of time, nothing was spoken by any of the twelve. Their faces displayed each of their emotions rather inconspicuously, but because of their occupations this wasn't too surprising. Each member of the group wore either of two things. It was either a violet colored uniform which represented high military status, or navy blue suits with red and green vests. There was one in particular who stood out from the others however. He was adorned in relatively white garb with a long jacket. His long black hair was just below his shoulders and his eyes were a dark shade of violet. It was he who was the first of the group to speak, his voice a deep, serene melancholy echoing throughout the chamber.
"I'm certain that all of you have reactions to what we've just seen. I would, and so would everyone else here for that matter, be very interested to here them before we reach our final decision," he said. He glanced around the entire table once and seemed to relax back into his chair.
The first to speak was the man immediately to his right. He was a tad bit shorter than the first and wore the violet uniform of a military officer. "Based on those results I think we can safely agree that the ship and its crew have exceeding our expectations even to this point," General Yuri Amalfi of the National Defense Committee began. "I also would like to point out that while these simulations that the crew has been running are not a reflection of what actions such adversaries will take on the battlefield, the way the ship and its crew, namely the mobile suit pilots have been able to adapt to changing situations during the runs has been nothing short of impressive. With that in mind, I would have to agree with the representative from the Defense Fleet that now may be the time for us to bring the new ship into service."
"I agree." This voice was that of another military man, seated two places to Yuri's right. He appeared to be considerably older than anyone else at the table, his hair and thin mustache streaked with gray, and his voice carried a rasping convection that suggested he'd done a lot of yelling and arguing throughout his life. "The sooner we get that ship into service, the better in my opinion."
"However, General Wolff," a woman on the opposite side of the table interrupted. The former Council Chairman Eileen Canaver continued, "while I agree with you and General Amalfi's assesment of the situation, we cannot afford to be too rash in this situation. If we rush the crew into battle, and given the fact of how young they are, we may be comitting a grave injustice not only to ourselves but also to everyone among us."
"I understand that," General Henry Wolff replied, "but it would be just as equal an injustice if he held that ship out for too long. That ship will without a doubt be the heart of our fleet for years to come. If we delay its launch too long we'll lose precious time in case something drastic happens."
"But nothing drastic has happened to this point, General," she pointed out.
"Are we really certain that it would be in good judgment to send a crew as young as this into battle so soon after they were assigned to the ship?" another Council member put in.
"They've all proven themselves to be excellent grade military people already," General Wolff said, his voice now carrying a slight edge to it.
"But they're just out of the academy-"
"What he means is that while they may show excellent composure during the simulation runs, they haven't proven themselves to be an effective fighting unit on a real battlefield," Eileen spoke up. "Now granted that they are young, they've shown that they have extraordinary instincts during a hard fight, so I'm inclined to believe that they are in fact ready to be brought into active service, albeit just for the purpose of actually being in the fleet."
"I'm also impressed with the pilot of the new machine, Asuka I think his name is," Chairman Dullindal said. "He's only sixteen years old and we chose to put him at the controls of our newest mobile suit and he's piloted it like he's been a veteran for years."
"Our decision to assign him to the machine seems to become more valid by the day," General Wolff added.
"He's only in the machine because Commander Joule turned it down, though," came a reply.
"Regardless of the fact, he's still proven himself to be a gifted pilot who we cannot afford to have sitting on the sidelines."
"You're acting as if the Earth Forces are already getting set to attack us again." This accusation caused General Wolff to literaly rise up from his chair before the man to his immediate left, Tad Elsman, reached up to stop him.
"Who said anything about the Earth Forces in the first place?" he demanded.
"Committee members, please!" Dullindal shouted. At once the chamber descended into silence. Wolff sat down again and Gilbert sighed. "Now that the Earth Forces have been brought into this argument...we now must consider the fact that the Minerva and the Impulse were developed in complete secrecy with the help of technicians supplied by the Orb Union during the war. We've yet to see any serious discontent directed towards us by either side, but it is clear by the reports we've been receiving courtesy of the Intelligence Department that some of the people who we formerly treated as enemies are now becoming more and more disinclined to trust us since we announced the development of the new warship." He glanced to his left. "Representative Roske. Do you think the situation would become any more malevolent if we put the Minerva into the fleet immediately?"
All eyes in the council chamber turned to the Chairman of the Intelligence Department of the PLANTs, Representative Kenneth Roske. A man of tall stature, his chocolate brown hair was combed to perfection and his face bore the neutral expression of someone who didn't seem to care what was going on in the chamber at this moment. However, what stood out among him, and in fact was drew people to him, were the golden tint to his eyes. Eyes that were unique to him alone. Eyes that had motivated citizens of the PLANTs for over fifteen years. Roske took a breath and said, "It would surprise the Earth Forces...but given the facts our cryptologists and decyphers have been receiving, we don't think that it would cause an immediate concern. If we do it relatively quietly, we more than likely would be able to lessen the emotional shock to the other nations. Otherwise...we really can't ascertain what will happen."
There was a pause. Gilbert said, "Any immediate objections to the launching of the Minerva within a set amount of time?" He glanced around the table. There were some disconcerting glances, but nothing in the way of prime disagreement was said. Gilbert glanced at Yuri and said, "Prepare the Minerva for launching ceremonies within the next two weeks, General Amalfi. Have it done in a location that will be less likely to draw attention to it." His next statement was directed at everyone in the room. "Make sure that the only people who know the full details of this operation are yourselves and your immediate subordinates. Secrecy must be given to this operation at all costs. We cannot afford to have this turn into a blaze that we cannot control when it's over."
"We'll schedule it a week from tomorrow," Yuri replied.
"Good. I think that will be all representatives. Are there any other issues that demand immediate attention?" There weren't any. "Very well. I now declare this joint meeting of the ZAFT Supreme Council dismissed. That is all."
Slowly, the committee members began to make their way out of the chamber. Chairman Dullindal spoke with a few separate individuals for a few moments, including General Wolff and finally Representative Canaver before they took their leave. Gilbert stayed behind, as did Yuri per his request. After a few moments, Yuri came beside Gilbert and said, "You came down on the Representative and the General pretty hard there, Gilbert."
"Yes, I know. But desperate times call for desperate measures." Reaching into his coat, Gilbert removed a small package and popped a cigarette into his mouth. "Do you have a light?"
"Yeah, sure," Yuri answered, extending a lighter towards Gilbert and lighting his cigarette. Yuri lit his own shortly thereafter.
"I thought you quit," Gilbert remarked.
"I tried," Yuri answered. "That's what I get for trying to change something nowadays." Gilbert managed a small chuckle. "Speaking of Henry though, you do realize that there are a lot of people in the PLANTs calling for his head, don't you."
"Yes. But you and I both know that we can't let him go just for being intense. Besides you, he's my ace, so I've got to bear with him for as long as I can." Gilbert chuckled. "Though it is sometimes nice to have someone as intense as Henry on your side."
"It's better than having him on the opposite side, you're right," Yuri responded.
Gilbert relit his cigarette. He leaned up against the table and handed Yuri a piece of paper. "Take a look at this."
Yuri scanned the document and shook his head. "Another request for a meeting with the Orb Princess."
"She's presistent, I'll give her that much," Gilbert admitted. "She's been trying to have a meeting with me for at least four weeks now." He sighed. "All because of the people who used to live in Orb who are now under our employment and residence."
"I thought you explained our position on the matter to her," Yuri put in.
"I tried to, but apparently she doesn't think that's enough. In my opinion, I think it may be in the best interest to meet with her, so sent a message through the Justice Department that I'd meet with her sometime next week and she suggested that we meet at an outside location. Namely, Armory One," Gilbert finished.
Yuri twitched his nose. "That's where the Minerva's launching ceremony is going to take place. You didn't...?"
"It may work to our advantage to have her see that we are not planning for another war, Yuri," Gilbert pointed out. "Both of us were going to be there in the first place, so I agreed to have the Princess come to Armory One and discuss things with us. It may seem reckless on my part, but this may be the chance I've been waiting for to put the issues between our two nations to rest. If this drags on at some point I have a feeling other nations such as the Atlantic Federation may become involved in this and I don't want that to happen."
"That's farfetched at best, Gilbert," Yuri said. "But...if you already agreed to it there's no turning back."
"I know. I've already made the necessary arrangements. We'll be travelling to Armory One in two days. The Princess will arrive with her escorts the day before the official ceremony. I plan to show her that the PLANTs have no intention of starting another conflict." Gilbert stabbed out his cigarette in a nearby ash tray. He wiped his hands together and added, "Hopefully this will lead to a better understanding of one another during this time. We've been at peace for almost two years now and I'm not planning on ending it now."
Gilbert stretched his arms above his head and groaned lightly. "Well it's getting late. May I treat you to a drink, Yuri?"
Yuri followed in the Chairman's wake. "I already spoke with Eileen. She'll be attending the conference as well," Gilbert told him.
Yuri smiled. "Gee, I wonder how you got her to agree to take part?"
Gilbert responded, "Once I mentioned the Minerva she was all for it."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Yuri sighed. "Hopefully together we can fry this fish before it jumps out of the boat."
"Yes," Gilbert answered as they made their way out of the chamber. "So do I."