Back to work after a veeeeery long time and an enormus writter's lock, and before something else, sorry if I had some mistakes. This is a co-work with Allen Rendar, a friend of mine. As for chronology, it starts in the last 5 minutes of episode 50.

Disclaimer: I don't own Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, but I'd die to own Lacus Clyne.

Mobile suit Gundam Seed: Shadows of War

Phase 0: The end of an era and the begining of another

It was the last days of the Cosmic Era 71, and at the same time, it was the final chapter of the war between the Earth Aliance and the ZAFT with the Battle of Genesis. Close to the Fortress Asteroid Yakin Due, and deflecting the attack of the Earth Fleet, Captain Wolfgang Kreuz, commanding officer of the Krieg, a Laurassia class battleship, do whatever he could when he receive an incomming message.

- Captain! President Zala has died on Yakin Due!

Kreuz: What?!

The captain's face turn white out of the blue...

- The base is going to be self-detonated. An evac order has been issue to all nearby fleets.

Kreuz: This has not end yet... Page up the rest of the battle fleet! We're withdrawing to the dark side of the base until Commander Kleuze's orders!

Kreuz was completely loyal to Raw Le Kleuze, chief commander of the ZAFT attack forces. He was one of his most loyal fellowers, nearby an insane fanatism. He was capable to follow his to hell itself only to carry on Kleuze's orders.

But those orders never arrive. Aproaching the Genesis Cannon, the eternal battle between good and evil was fought between Kira Yamato, flying the Freedom Gundam, and Kleuze, on the powerful Providence Gundam.

Kleuze: You're one of them alse! The only thing you want is destruction!

Kira: Even so... I have a world that I had to protect!

The young pilot charge in an attempt to stop Kleuze's insane ambition of destroying every living being on the Earth Sphere, and manage to pierce the Providence with the Freedom's Twin Blade.

Kira: Before you go to hell, you'll cry for mercy on Fllay, Mwu-san and everyone who die for your insanity!

At that moment, the Génesis fires upon both MS, destroying the Providence and wrapping the Freedom on it's shock wave. Outside the orbit, Kreuz and his fleet watch the ned of the fearsome Kleuze.

Kreuz: Commander...

- Captain! The Council has made a cese fire with the Naturals!

Kreuz: Alert the whole fleet. We're out of here!

- But Sir...

Kreuz: Don't you heard, Lt? We're withdrawing!

- Y... yes Sir...

Kreuz: Maybe the Council surrender, but not us! Not until completing the Commander's vision!

Kreuz's fleet, 6 ships Nazca and Laurassia class, depart from the battlezone at full speed.

Kreuz: This is Kreuz to all ships. I don't know what's on your minds, but I don't want to surrender to those Naturals just as the Council said. No matter how much time it takes, I'm going to fight against those damn Naturals and the Council traitors until everyone of them fall! Everyone who wants to be in a glorious story, follow me!

With a loud war cry of the ship captains, his soldiers and the remaining MS pilots, the fleet desappears out of range. Meanwhile, after holding up the Genesis blast, a ver tired Kira Yamato rest close to the remains of the Freedom Gundam, not so far of the Earth Orbit.

Kira: We... why do we had to do all this?

A glimp of light in the horizon catch his sight, and his soul returns to him as he sees the form of the Strike Rouge Gundam, with his sister Cagalli Yula Attha and his old friend Athrun Zala on board.

Kira: Our world...

In short, Kira and the remains of the Freedom are carried to the zone of Yakin Due, in which are the Clyne Faction ships, the Archangel, the Kusanagi and the Eternal. Upon landing on the Archangel hangar, Kira and the others recive the praise of the survivors of the fleet. The first one to jump right to his arms is Lacus Clyne, grateful that the brave pilot and love came back alive.

Kira: Before anything... how many of our people didn's return?



He need to know how many had to sacrifice their lives during the brutal engagement. Murrue Ramius, captain of the Archangel, was the one to give the bad news.

Murrue: Beside Mwu and Fllay, we lost Mayura, Asagi y Julie of the Astray group during the charge against the Génesis.

Kira: I see...

Murrue: Their sacrifice wasn't on vain. Mwu and the others knew the risk. They fought for what they believe, for the ones they loved... and there's no greatest sacrifice than that.

Captain Ramius was very hurt for the lost of the Falcon of Endymion, who died defending the Archangel bridge. Marieu knew that in a simmilar situation, she could have done the same for him.

- Well, now what? I don't think that we can get free of any questioning with the Earth Aliance or ZAFT about all this crap.

Dearka Elsman, pilot of the Búster Gundam and former ZAFT soldier, was concerned about the future of every person onbord the Archangel and it's fleet.

Lacus: As things happened, I don't think that they're in position of questioning our actions. As a matter of fact, they rebel against their own leaders just as they discovered the truth

Lacus's point was clear, remembering how Patrick Zala was killed on Yakin Due and knowing about the sacrifice of Natarle Badgiruel on the Archangel's sister ship, the Dominion, trying to stop Murata Azrael.

Kira: For the time being, we must face the facts and then, I think that we all has a common objective. The same objective that made possible the union of Naturals and Coordinators in this fleet.

- Aube's reconstruction, isn't it?

By reflex, Athrun took Cagalli's as he speak. It was difficult to talk about the princess' homeland without thinking about her father, who died protecting Cagalli and the fleet.

Kira: That's the only place were we can forge the peace we have been fighting for all this time. A land were there's no difference between brothers, and were we can unify Earth and PLANT.

Kira was right. As neutral terrain and the base of the fleet that save the whole Earth Sphere, the reconstruction of Aube was top priority,

- As ewitness of all this, I can ask my mother to gave you all assylum until the smoke clears. I saw what Commander Kleuze tried to do, and is not my intention to stay still watching all of you cricified just for doing the right thing.

Yzak Jule, pilot of the Duel Gundam and ZAFT soldier, hepled the Archangel in the last part of the battle and saw the true face of the whole war.

- Heroes of the Earth or ZAFT or criminals of both sides... whatever happens, we'll stay together under our own flag, even if we had to fight against everything!

Always with a fighting attitude, Cagalli speaks out loud.

Lacus: For the time being, we better land on PLANT and then we'll see. Captain Bartfeld and Colonel Kisaka will descent also with the Eternal and the Kusanagi.

With Lacus's final words, the whole crew prepared to land. Dearka, still hurt after the battle, stand by the side of Millyaria Haw. Even if both say that they are only friends, obviously there's something more deep between them now. Before returning to their post, Dearka has to give something to captain Ramius.

Dearka: Captain... Yzak and I found this on our way back... close to the place were the Strike fall... and I think that Fllaga-san would like you to have this.

The Buster's pilot gave Murrue Mwu La Fllaga's flight helmet, almost intact even though the Strike Gundam was destroyed by the Dominion's Positron Gun.

Murrue: Thanks, Dearka…

Murrue save face, but then, her legs give up for an instant. Milly help her to stay up.

Milly: Are you alright, captain?

Murrue: Yeah. It was only a blackout. Nothing to worry about.

After checking out herself a little, a unsusual though zapped onto the captain's mind.

Murrue: It can't be...

Away for the others, and seeing the shape of both PLANTS and the Earth, Kira, Lacus, Athrun and Cagalli try to visualize the possibility of a future peace.

Cagalli: You think everything ended here.

Athrun: Maybe...

Lacus: But to be sure of that, we must be prepared for everything. Someone said this a long time ago: "the price of freedom, is eternal vigilance", and I belive that's what we got to do now.

Kira: Lacus's right. And Aube could be the starting point for a new tomorrow for everyone.

AN: I'm including the events showed in the 5 minutes epilogue of the final DVD for the next chapters to follow the thread.