A Gundam Universal Century Fanfiction – Zeta, Once Again

Disclaimer: Usual disclaimer applies.

Character(s): Kamille Bidan/Amuro Ray/Judau Ashta

Genre(s): General/Sci-fi/Adventure

A/N: A/N: Warning, possible AU and AR. And please note that English is not my native language, so please pardon me for any possible grammar and vocabulary mistakes.

Chapter 2

People's voices… pain, sadness, and fear…? What is this? What is this feeling?

"What the hell is this feeling?!" Judau screamed, feeling a massive sickening wave of emotions rushed to his mind. A bright light blinded his sight and he screamed when the Double Zeta was blown backward by the shockwave of the colony dropping, and air was knocked out from his lungs when the Double Zeta hit a rock. Groaning, Judau widened his eyes in fear as he saw the colony finally hit Dublin, the shockwave shaking the whole Gundam cockpit. He tried to contact the Argama, but as he had expected, he couldn't make it through.

Judau gritted his teeth, examining the situation he was in. The massive shockwave would approximately last another 30 minutes according to the data calculation, and the aftermath effect would still occur. He tried to maneuver his Gundam away from the shockwave surrounding area, thrusting its booster into maximum. But then he realized that it would do him no good if he moved in this shockwave typhoon, so he gave up the option. Clunching his fists tightly, Judau could only watch in horror as Dublin exploded into a million pieces, bodies were being thrown around like rag dolls.

Tears subconsciously ran down his cheeks from the explosions of emotions and the vanishing lives from the deceased people of Dublin. Judau felt horribly nauseous, fighting back the urge to throw up. A new feeling brushed over him, he shivered as a cold feeling overtook him. Another chill swept over his body, Judau could feel panic, fear, and death. If this was what Newtype supposed to go through, then he didn't like it at all.

But then he remembered Kamille. He was a Newtype, and was said to be amongst one with the strongest power, too. Kamille must be very brave and strong if he could endure all of those horrible feeling and sensations of people's emotions. It made him amazed if he looked back to how Kamille was fighting in the Zeta Gundam with his current condition. Kamille's willpower to still fight despite what he had been through alone was enough to give him a reason to fight, too. If Kamille could do it, then he -

"What...?!" Judau choked when his cockpit suddenly shook wildly, his alarm gave off. He looked up, and a Zeon's Zaku was in front of him.

"Go down, Double Zeta!" the pilot shouted into his radio. "What a good fortune for me to meet you in this mess! Today you're going down!"

The Zaku drew its beam saber and swept it down, but Judau ducked and the beam saber hit the rock. Judau yelped when the Double Zeta was flown away by the shockwave force which blasted through from the split rock. The Zaku was not far from him, and Judau adjusted his thruster when finally, the shockwave effect subsided.

"What are you?!" Judau scowled. He glanced aside. "The colony is still intact… what… people's voices again… how… how could someone do this?!" He screamed at the hollow and sinking feeling on his stomach, trying to block the terrifying cry of people with covering his ears. Of course, to no avail.

So, finally you've got your reason to fight now. Your anger is the reason itself, Judau.

Judau snapped, eyes wide. "This voice… Kamille…?"

Behind you. Get away from there!

Judau blinked, and dodged a beam rifle coming from behind him just in time, "Whoa! Not so fast!"

Fa is coming. She will help you.

"Fa?" Judau searched around, but he was all alone; the Zaku was nowhere to be seen. Could Fa manage at her own at this situation?

"… dau! C… an you –ear me…? … dau!" A rattling voice came into his radio. "… dau! An… er me!"

"Fa!" Judau exclaimed. "Fa, is that you? I can't hear you, there's too much interference!"

More rustling sounds responded in, but Judau couldn't make them out. The Zaku was still nowhere in his sight and radar, but he assumed it was the system that was jammed, as he couldn't catch the friendly signal of Hyaku Shiki on his radar, either.

"Then I have no other choice but to rely only on visual…" Judau drew out his beam saber. He flew around the area, not daring to go too far away in the still limited visual. He yelped in surprise when a beam saber swung to the Double Zeta, barely dodging it just in time.

"Finally found you!" The Zaku stood in front of the Double Zeta. "I, Rakan Dahkaran, will finally put an end to you, Double Zeta! You would not underestimate this mobile suit!"

"You again!" Judau charged forward, feeling anger boiled up inside him again. "Millions of people are killed! What did they do to deserve this?! Be gone already!"

Judau shot his beam rifle, but the Zaku dodged it and shooting back its double beam rifle. Judau lunged back, darting up and throwing some quick shots to the Zaku. The Zaku managed to avoid all of the shots, dodging and charging back in quickly.

"Damn… it's fast!" Judau growled, slamming his beam saber, and the two mobile suits stuck together for moment. Judau broke apart, smacking his opponent's beam saber aside. He ducked and rocketed forward, throwing his grenade launchers. One of them hit the Zaku's leg, knocking it off balance.

"Not bad!" Rakan exclaimed, charging forward and throwing various rifle shots to his opponent. "You're wrong to think if this is just an ordinary mobile suits! I'll make you part of Dublin's ruins, you bastard!"

Judau dodged with his beam saber and the two mobile suits stuck together again, trying to gain more pressure on each other. "Damn you… you're interfering! Just be gone already!"

Judau slammed at brakes and broke apart, shooting his double beam rifles. The rifles hit the upper part of the Zaku, forcing it to retreat. Judau panted, taking in his surrounding.

"Where is Fa?" he murmured, trying to locate the Hyaku Shiki on the computer. "The radar's still not working, huh… I've got to find and rejoin with the Argama!"

Judau jerked up when he felt a familiar pressure of fear on the back of his head, and Kamille's strained voice came clearly to his mind, Something's… scary… is coming… be… careful…

"Kamille?" Judau blinked, tightening his grip on the Gundam's controls. "Something scary? What?"

Kamille's right, Judau! Something scary is coming! You and Fa must be very careful!

"Ple, you too?" Judau shook his head in confusion. "I don't get it! What do you mean with 'something scary'? What is it?"

"Judau!" Fa's voice clearly cut through his radio, and Judau turned around. The Hyaku Shiki was speeding up to him. "Thank God, you're okay! Finally I found you!"

"Fa!" Judau sighed in relief. "Yeah, I'm okay! I managed to, somehow… And what is it with this 'something scary' thingy? Kamille and Ple keep telling me something scary is coming! I got the safe point coordinate from Argama… we should go quickly!"

"I don't know, too," Fa's depressed face came into his visual, and he knew that there was something wrong. "Ple told me to go out to help you, but I don't understand, either…"

"Fa… is something wrong?" asked Judau carefully. "What is… uh… what is Kamille's condition?"

Judau noticed Fa's red and swollen eyes, and her quivering voice confirmed his suspicion. "It's... it's bad. Judau, we will have to come back to the Argama! We must stay close each other!"

"Fa…" Judau didn't push further on Kamille's condition, and followed the Hyaku Shiki. Judau could see the dreadful effect of the colony drop: most of Dublin perished into a flat land of ruins and wreckages of buildings; becoming one with the ground; disintegrated parts of human bodies splattered among the ruins and junks. Flames of roaring fires were the only thing that could be seen, smokes billowed from every direction.

"Oh God…" Fa's trembling voice croaked. "This is… no… oh, God… Kamille!"

Judau blinked the tears away, but he couldn't seem to be able to hold back his choke. A hollow, suffocating feeling pinned down on the back of his head and stomach, and Judau let his emotions took over. The rage he was feeling was beyond he had ever imagined, and he screamed in agony as he pounded his fist on his Gundam's controls.

He was going to show the Neo Zeon how terrifying Judau Ashta could be. To show them not to ignite a fire with him.

Bright ground his teeth at the devastating view through the Argama's bridge window. The debris from the falling colony continued to give up massive explosions around Dublin and the area within five kilometers, and Bright shook his head grimly.

"Enough waiting!" Bright scowled and stood up from his chair. "Raise the Argama!"

"B-but, sir…" one of the crews sputtered. "We still can't maintain our altitude – "

"We've lost contact with the Audhumla, and Judau and Fa are still out there," said Bright with no effort to disguise the venom in his voice. "We can't just wait in here do nothing. We will set course to Dublin first to see if we still could find any survivors in there! And at the same time, keep trying to contact Judau and Fa!"

"Ri-right, sir," the officer murmured and set to work. "Course set to Dublin!"

"We're ascending," the helmsman informed. "This will get rough."

"We're always rough," Bright countered dryly. "Careful and try to minimize the vibration impact, we've got Kamille on our hands."

"Well, I'll manage," the helmsman grunted. "All ahead full, sir."

The bridge's door slid open with a low hiss and Bright turned back, eyes bulging at the sight in front of him. Astonaige was pushing a bed in, with Ple on it, safely covered in her blanket. Astonaige looked at Bright with a dim look, and Bright resisted the urge to lash out his frustration in front of his crews. It would do him no good to lose control, much say on his territory.

"What is it?" Bright asked exasperatedly instead, trying to keep his temper in check.

"Something's scary is coming," Ple pleaded, and Astonaige brought the bed beside the captain's chair. "We have to destroy it! If not, the Argama's in danger… everyone is in danger!"

Bright forehead formed a deep frown as he took a seat back on his chair. "Why is it that the Argama's in danger, Ple?"

Ple blinked, her eyes were wide from fear. "I can feel it. Something's coming… there's something out there… something scary, and it wants to sink us!"

Bright narrowed his eyes. "You can feel that it wants to sink the Argama?"

Ple nodded. "We must destroy it! It's near by the colony, at the center coordinate!"

Bright stared at Ple with an unreadable expression for a moment, before ordered calmly, "Prepare the Hyper Mega Particle Cannon positron. What's its status?"

"It's on emergency power. We can't manage to output more than half power," said Torres dubiously. Bright shrugged, "Doesn't matter. Project the target on main screen! Can we get it?"

"Visualizing, sir," the navigator responded, and the schematic diagram of the colony projected on the monitor.

"Can you see it, Ple?" Bright asked, wondering if he had played the right card for this gamble. Much to his dismay, Ple nodded without any hesitation, looking confident, "More to the right, it's off to the right!"

"Alright. Swing screen to the right." The red line and dot on the monitor moved to the right.

"It's 13 degrees… yes, halt!" Ple narrowed her eyes. "Up further, by four!"

The coordinate moved as Ple instructed to. "That's it! It's there!"

"Focus it in," Bright ordered.

"I can't make it out, Captain," the navigator said doubtfully.

"Doesn't matter. Lock on it, Torres!"

Torres did as he was ordered. Ple closed her eyes, trying to sense the overwhelming pressure, "Coming… it's closer… There! Do it now!"

Bright clenched his fist, "Hyper mega particle cannon, fire!"

The massive red-purplish hyper beam burst out right to the colony, and everyone held back their breath anxiously. But the Argama was too far for them to catch what had happened, and Bright said, "Full zoom the camera!"

The monitor flickered, and a big hole appeared on the dropped colony. "The colony is breached! We're identifying… it's… it's… Captain, we get an unknown heat sensor! The heat reading is the Psyco Gundam Mk-II, sir!"

"Psyco Gundam?" repeated Bright in disbelief. Ple shook her head, her eyes wide in fear. "Torres, try to contact Judau and Fa again! Keep trying until we can get transmission from them! Can we get their current position?!"

Torres nodded, and struggled with his console, "Trying, Captain!"

Bright stared at the monitor scornfully, thinking what the Zeon's next gift for them might be. One of the crews cried, "Psyco Gundam's closing in!"

A huge, black mobile fortress appeared on their monitor, approaching the Argama with incredible speed. "Throw the defensive batteries! How about Judau and Fa?!"

The Psyco Gundam threw its 20 mega beam gun and the Argama shook violently as one of the beam gun hit the ship, "Still trying to reach them, Captain – starboard catapult, hit!"

"Helm, take full evasive action! Can we fire the hyper mega particle cannon?" Bright gritted his teeth.

"It's not yet fully charged! It won't do much if we fire it now!"

"Damn it… fire the mega particle cannon! Keep throwing our missiles and CIWS! Don't bother to lock on it, just fire so that it can't approach the ship!" Bright huskily commanded. "Torres, how is it coming from Judau?"

"Still too much interference, sir – wait, two heat sources coming! It's the Double Zeta and Hyaku Shiki!" Torres exclaimed. "Distance 2 kilometers from the south!"

"They made it…" muttered Bright in relief, rubbing his temple.

"You're not touching the Argama!" Judau's loud scream broke into the bridge, making everyone on it wincing. "Not with Ple and Kamille aboard on it!"

Two beam shots hit the Psyco Gundam's right shoulder, knocking it backward off balance. The Double Zeta coming closer followed by the Hyaku Shiki. The Hyaku Shiki delivered some beam shots, and one of them hit the Psyco Gundam's thruster.

"Judau, Fa, be careful! The pilot… she's just like me!" Ple's scared voice exclaimed.

"What?" Judau blinked in confusion. "So you mean she's a Newtype?"

"Judau, behind you!" Fa cried, and shot down one of the reflector bits. "It has beam bits!"

"What the hell are you?!" Judau snarled a curse under his breath. The Psyco Gundam fired its mega scattering gun, forcing the Double Zeta dan Hyaku Shiki to break apart.

"What the hell is this feeling?!" Judau breathed heavily, glancing at the glowering Psyco Gundam. A chuckle could be heard from the Psyco Gundam.

"You don't have a chance against this Psyco Gundam, Double Zeta!" the voice was incredibly young, yet filled with such eagerness laced with malice. "I'm taking you and the Argama as wreckage to Lady Haman!" The Psyco Gundam's legs and arms finally emerged, a Gundam head revealed as it switched to its mobile suit mode.

"No you're not!" Judau rocketed upward, closing in and shooting his double beam rifle. The Hyaku Shiki skirted to the Psyco Gundam's back, swiping a point blank slash with its beam saber to the boosters; the Psyco Gundam's beam bits hit the Hyaku Shiki's armor harmlessly.

"How dare you!" Ple Two cursed angrily when her mobile suit staggering down in protest for losing half of the power output. The Psyco Gundam deployed its reflector bits, scattering the beam gun and showering the Double Zeta and Hyaku Shiki with ruthless beam shots. Judau barely dodged the attack and managed to hit some of them, but Fa's sudden cry told him that Fa wasn't doing well dealing with this Newtype psycommu weapons.

"Fa!" Judau looked up, and saw that Hyaku Shiki had lost its left sub-knee. "Don't get too close, just provide me cover! You keep it distracted, and I'll engage it head to head!"

"Right!" Fa struggled to swallow the knot of flutter rising up her throat. Judau darted over the Psyco Gundam's head and rained his double beam rifle on it, and he hurled the Double Zeta aside as a pulsing of beam guns from Psyco Gundam's fingers shot by his field of vision.

"Persistent one, eh, this machine!" Judau snarled in frustration.

Ple Two scoffed. "Might as well try to, Double Zeta? You two won't be able to do anything to me!"

Judau drew out his beam saber and charged, and Ple did the same. The Double Zeta and Psyco Gundam clashed together with sparks from their locked beam sabers. The Hyaku Shiki threw its explosive shells with clay bazooka, and the round hit the right side of the Psyco Gundam. Ple Two cried out, staggering back as Psyco Gundam's right hand exploded. Judau felt a pressure like a knife digging into the back of his head; he felt anger and insanity; and he screamed as his emotions took over him. A red purplish glow suddenly emerged around the Double Zeta, and Fa blinked at the Double Zeta. What is happening? It's… glowing just like Kamille's that time…

"Great one, Fa! Now I'll take you down!" Judau lunged back as he threw his missile launchers, and the missiles hit the Psyco Gundam's back with a massive big fireball. The Psyco Gundam rocked, tumbling out of the sky as it floundered to get its bearings. But before Ple Two could stabilize her machine, the Hyaku Shiki charged with a scream from its pilot as Fa slammed her beam saber through the Psyco Gundam's torso. The Double Zeta ignited its beam saber with a scream; the saber lengthwise than its normal length, slashing down the Psyco Gundam's shoulder, splitting the Psyco Gundam in two by a thunderous explosion. The Psyco Gundam's head ejected, and Judau glanced aside.

"You're not running away!" Judau thrust the Double Zeta in pursue, still glowing purple. The Hyaku Shiki bombarded its beam rifle to the Psyco Gundam's head, and the Double Zeta closed in, clashing a horizontal beam saber swipe. The flailing beam managed to tear a wicked scar across the head, and a stunning view came from the Psyco Gundam's cockpit.

The harsh face of Elpeo Ple stared back at him resentfully. Judau froze, his eyes widened in disbelief. The Pysco Gundam's head made an escape, and the glowing purple diminished around the Double Zeta.

"That… was… Ple…" Judau murmured slowly, staring down at his trembling hands. "What… was that?"

"Judau! Are you okay? What happened?" Fa came into his communication, and Judau snapped back into reality.

"Yeah, I'm okay…" Judau watched the Psyco Gundam's head flew away dejectedly. Fa's apprehensive face appeared into his visual.

"Let's… let's go back to the Argama," Fa breathed heavily. "She's gone, Judau. Come on. We should go to the rendezvous point now."

Judau stared ruefully into the dim sky, and the Double Zeta took off with a blast of exhaust.

"Captain, we are getting a signal transmission from Audhumla!" Torres exclaimed. "Receiving in, sir!"

"Bright?" Hayato's weary voice came in. "This is Audhumla. The refugees are safe. We'll meet at point 665 like we agreed before. South of the sea, our estimated time air is 0010!"

"We get you clearly," said Bright quickly. "We will rendezvous there. Argama, all engines full!"

"Bright, we've got a message from space that Amuro will be escorting doctor Hasan to your next destination point," Hayato added softly, his eyes clouded with worry. "How is Kamille's condition?"

"Not good," Bright answered grimly. "All right. Thank you, Hayato. We'll meet up soon."

The transmission cut off, and Bright turned to the CIC. "What is the reading from Double Zeta and Hyaku Shiki?"

"We're taking in their coordinates, sir, their distance is 0005 from the east. The hangar is preparing to retrieve them," said the officer. "Right. Double Zeta, Hyaku Shiki, landing back to the mobile suit hangar!"

"Good. Keep an eye to the debris and try not to get rough," Bright commented, and his exclamation was met with a suppressed chuckle from the crews. "Is the Audhumla already on our visual range?"

"Yes, sir, we'll be landing in five seconds," said the helmsman. "We're descending."

"All hands are to assemble on the side catapult upon landing," Bright looked at his crews solemnly. "We will pay our respect. Convey this to Judau as well. I'll be waiting outside."

"Is it fine with Fa?" Torres inquired quietly. All crews looked at their captain.

"Let her be," Bright answered after a moment of silence. "She can help the nurse."

Astonaige watched Fa stormed off from the Hyaku Shiki's cockpit with a sympathetic look. Judau stalled down from his Gundam, and he heaved a deep sigh as he wiped sweat from his eyebrow.

"Well done out there defeating that Psyco Gundam, kid," said Astonaige dourly. "We were near, I tell you."

"I couldn't have defeated it without Fa," Judau muttered. "I can't take the credit. Fa was… incredible. She did the most job on wrecking it."

"Women could be scary when they have to," Astonaige glanced at the damaged Hyaku Shiki. "To say the truth, Fa was never good out in the battlefield… I guess it proves how much Kamille means to her."

"Yeah, right, Kamille!" Judau gasped. "How is he? The Zeta Gundam is still impact there, he should be – "

Astonaige waved his hand grimly to the Zeta Gundam. "Look closely, Judau. And remember the fact that he didn't wear a normal suit."

Judau averted his eyes to the Zeta Gundam and swallowed hard. He subconsciously walked closer to the Zeta, and held back his breath at the sight of the Zeta's cockpit. It was barely intact, almost ripped in half; and dark blood was covering what had left from the Zeta's cockpit. He stopped in his track, and turned around with trembling body.

"Come to the side catapult," Astonaige put a hand on Judau's shoulder. "Captain Bright wants us to pay our respect."

"Right," Judau mumbled blankly, and Astonaige led him to the catapult. He nodded to his back, signaling the mechanics to follow him. When they got out, the Audhumla's crew along with Roux and the others were already lined up, with Bright and Hayato in front of them.

"This tragedy has taken so many innocent lives," Bright began, his gaze fell on Judau's haggard face. "But the fact that we were able to save at least a few of Dublin's citizens offers all of us a shred of comfort. Consequently, let us honor our lost comrades! All hands, at attention!"

Everyone bowed and closed their eyes simultaneously. Droplets of rain poured on them, and Judau looked up, his emotions went into a frenzy. The rain was black, just like the fallen debris around them.

"Black… rain…" Judau whispered, finally letting out the tears he had been holding back. Elle looked at him, and she squeezed Judau's hand.

"All personnel, except pilots and mechanics, please head to the bridge," said Bright, nodding to Hayato. "We will discuss our next movement. Mechanics, take a preliminary preparation of organizing our equipment and mobile suits."

"Let's go," Astonaige ushered the mechanics back to the hangar. "We've got loads to do."

"Judau, go get some rest and recuperate," Bright said authoritatively. "The rest of you, pack your belongings, and then go help the mechanics in the mobile suits deck. Hayato, shall we go?"

"Yes," Hayato nodded, and Elle and the others exchanged their glances.

"Why do we have to pack our belongings? What's with 'organizing equipment and mobile suits'?" asked Beecha warily.

"I shall inform to all of you later," said Bright blearily. Then he, Hayato, and the remaining crews vanished back into the ship. Roux sighed, and pushed Judau gently.

"Come on, take a warm shower and get some sleep," Roux said sofly. "What happened? What's been bothering you?"

"…Ple," Judau mumbled, glancing back to the ocean with a hint of sorrow in his eyes. "The Psyco Gundam's pilot was Ple. I saw her… but she wasn't Ple. I felt… anger, hatred, malice… I felt the pressure. It was overwhelming…"

"Just forget it," said Elle gently. "Come on, let's go inside. I want to see Kamille… I hope he's okay. I mean, he was incredible out there in the Gundam and he was all alone defeating a whole fleet like that, in his current state! Now I understand why Captain Bright and the whole crew speak so highly of him – "

Judau's incredulous look stopped Elle. "Elle, are you kidding me? Haven't you seen the Zeta Gundam? It's a miracle that he's still alive!" and with that Judau stormed off, leaving his friends behind in confusion.

"What's got him so upset? Did I say something wrong? It was that bad? Well, I haven't seen yet though – " Elle began, but Roux shook her head.

"Then you go see it." Roux headed back without another explanation. Beecha and Mondo looked at each other, and Elle suddenly felt so nervous.

"We're receiving information from our intel that Haman is already en route back to the space," Hayato spoke up, his gaze fell on the Argama's bridge crew. "So all of you are to head back to space, too. You will be leaving from our closest shuttle base station, in Norway. We will depart at tomorrow afternoon, so I'm sorry that you will still have to prepare for your flight to space after these whole ordeals. And now…" Hayato sighed, taking a deep breath. "Oh my, this isn't easy as I thought…"

"I would still have to consult with the nurse for the best option, but…" Bright growled in frustration, and stared at his crew. "I want to know your opinions. I think it's better if we send Kamille to the hospital, and put him away from this war. He had enough. He had done enough."

"He's still a kid," Hayato said dejectedly. "We shouldn't – "

"Then what are our Gundam Team pilots?" Torres echoed. "They're just a bunch of kids, too. And they choose to stay with us. I'll say we should let Kamille decide this on his own. I honestly agree that we should send him to a hospital, but whether he will fight or not, it's a matter he has to choose by himself. Didn't you say that Kamille was speaking earlier, Captain?"

"Yes, he was," said Bright reluctantly, "but I'm not sure if – "

"It's a matter he has to choose by himself," repeated Torres flatly.

"Right," Bright sighed resignedly. "For the meantime, we will set course to Norway, and I inform you that we will be taking the shuttle. The Argama will stay on Earth and will serve as Karaba's ship forth this moment."

All of the crews blinked at this. "What?"

"We're getting a new ship," Bright smiled thinly. "The Argama will surely serve the Karaba as a good strength. So, get your personal belongings ready and then prepare for our disembarkation. I'm sure we will still get quite lot of time to rest after everything is done. We should not expect to reach Norway in approximately two days."

"You are dismissed," Hayato said. "Torres, would you get Roux to here? We still need to determine what the best option for Kamille is."

"Got it, Director," Torres stalked away from the bridge.

"I've got all of my medical supplies transferred to the Argama, and there's a doctor from the refugees who is willing to volunteer to treat on Kamille. He should have been in your med ward by now," Hayato rubbed his temple, shrinking back on one of the chairs. "We managed before doctor Hasan, somehow…"

"Director Hayato?" Roux's voice butted in, and the two men turned back. "Is something wrong?"

"We're talking about Kamille," Hayato shrugged. "We want to know what you have in your mind. We're thinking about sending him to a hospital in Norway."

"We've got a doctor now, right? One of the refugees? He should know better then," Roux pointed out.

"I suppose you're right." Hayato hid a yawn behind his hand. "I'm going back to Audhumla for reorganizing my crew and the refugees. Please do inform me about Kamille, Bright."

"Sure," Bright gave a quick salute. "Thank you, Hayato."

"Captain," Torres agitated voice suddenly joined, "please come to the med bay now."

Bright and Roux looked at each other, and they sprinted through the bridge's door.

Kamille didn't understand.

Everything happened so fast. Dublin had perished; bringing along its people to face the doom fate brought by Haman Karn, and grief once again struck humanity.

The pain was almost unbearable. It had taken every ounce of his power to fight down the overwhelming pressure, the pain; all he knew that he had to fight to protect.

Kamille fluttered his eyes open, revealing a pair of disoriented blue eyes. Fa's worried face, along with Judau and the others came into his field of vision, but he couldn't really make them out. Everything around him was hazy; he couldn't even tell if they were real. All he could feel was pain all over his body. He didn't want to think; he didn't want to understand. All he wanted just to protect everyone.

"Kamille?" he could hear a soft voice called out, and he realized that it was Fa's. "Kamille, can you hear me? It's me, Fa… do you… do you recognize me?"

Slowly, Kamille turned his head. He blinked confusedly, wondering why he couldn't seem to move like he wanted. "…Fa…?"

He blinked again when Fa sobbed and poured down tears, and he could feel a warm hand squeezed his tightly. Closing his eyes, Kamille tried to clear his fuzzy mind, and gasped when a sudden realization hit him. All at once, he started to remember what happened, the images rushed like flashes to his mind. The three Zakus delivered their beam shots, he kicked one and slashed the other two, but he didn't see another one coming to his way, and then he heard someone screaming, and a horrible pain washed over him –

Kamille's hands started shaking; he couldn't stop them. He couldn't breathe; he was hyperventilating. He could feel something was wrong, his head was hurt…

'Now go down, Zeta! Die!'

Kamille felt panic, he couldn't stop. He wanted to stop, but his body wouldn't obey him. He took big gulps of air; it hurt his ribs, but he needed air. He heard a terrified scream and noticed that it was probably his.

"Kamille, what's wrong?! Calm down, everything's alright! Everything's okay; you're fine! Please, calm down!"

That was when Bright rushed in along with Roux, their expression was shocked. Bright ordered Beecha huskily, "Go get the doctor, Beecha! Fa, what is wrong?!"

Beecha ducked out from the med bay followed by Mondo, while Judau and Elle approached Kamille's bed. But Bright signed them to not get too close, "Give Kamille some air! Don't get too close!"

"…F-Fa…" Kamille choked; clasping his hand on Fa's shirt tightly, his scream finally went dead. "Scary… all of them… died…"

"I know," Fa whispered, bringing Kamille's uninjured hand to her face, grasping it tighter. "But everything's over now, Kamille, relax, it's alright… you protected us, you saved lots of people… you protected them, Kamille, there's nothing to worry about. We're here… we're all here. Just… relax…"

"Is… e-everyone… okay?" Kamille whispered weakly, taking in his surroundings slowly; he was calm, a bit dizzy but was no longer in panic. His gaze fell on Judau, and Judau stared back, feeling a wave relief washed over him.

"Don't worry about us," Judau carefully put a hand on Kamille's shoulder. "We're all fine, no one is hurt. The refugees all are also safe, and it's all thanks to you! How are you feeling, Kamille? You feel better? We're so glad that you finally can speak again!"

Bright took a seat at Kamille's other side, and touched Kamille's arm to get his attention. "Kamille?"

Kamille turned to Bright, his eyes were unfocused. "Captain…?"

"Yes, it's me, Bright." Bright smiled, caressing the young man's arm slowly. "You're feeling okay now? Better?"

Kamille shut his eyes, moaning softly at the stabbing pain that started to consume his every senses. Bright frowned, and he exhaled in relief when the doctor and the nurse rushed ini, peering over Kamille.

"My name is Coen Morissey, and I'm sorry, but all of you must stand back," said the doctor as gentle as he could, giving them a calming smile. "He's still under extreme mental trauma and severe physical stress, he shouldn't be speaking; he must take a full rest. It's still too early to tell if he will make it. Nurse, please prepare a dose of sedative."

"What? What do you mean? The nurse said Kamille will make it!" Bright protested. Fa broke into a depressed sob while Judau and the others looked in disbelief. Morissey sighed, giving Bright a sad smile.

"There's a lot of internal damages, Captain," Morissey explained patiently. "He has two broken ribs, and we haven't gotten any supplies for blood transmission. He has lost almost 40 percent of his blood; it's the oxygen and the crystalloid infusion that keeping him stabilized, that's what I mean. Please be assured if he will be alright."

Bright let out a deep breath of relief. "What do you suggest?"

The nurse gave a small syringe to Morissey. Morissey nudged on Kamille's wrist, checking on Kamille's pulse as he answered, "I'll say that we should send him to the hospital. We have to observe him more thoroughly; and he must undergo a surgery for the internal damages he sustained, but we need an advanced medical instrument to do those. After that, he must be kept under continuous treatment until - "

"N-no," Kamille suddenly croaked stumblingly, trying to sit up. Morissey pressed him back into his bed, attempting to inject the sedative, but Kamille pushed Morissey away.

"I'm staying here," Kamille's voice was shaking, but his eyes were harsh and determined. "I'm not going to the hospital. Captain, I'm staying on the Argama, I'm not going – "

"Just rest and relax, Kamille, and let us take care of you," Morissey probed Kamille's right arm. "You must understand that we don't have a complete med – "

Kamille jerked Morissey's hand away unexpectedly, clawing his oxygen mask away; and groaned at the pain he felt of moving his body. Even so, Kamille stubbornly pushed himself to sit up, glaring at the doctor and Bright.

"Kamille, don't – " Fa began, but Kamille rasped hoarsely, "You… stay away from this, Fa… whatever any of you say, I… won't be… going anywhere… I'm staying here…!"

Bright sighed at this. I'm getting lots of growing grey hair than I should be because of these kids…

"Everyone, get out," Bright ordered impatiently. "Except for you, doctor Morissey. Now, come on, get out."

Judau and Fa opened their mouth in protest, but Bright glowered at them and Fa knew nothing they said would convince the annoyed captain.

"Let's go," Fa said quietly, and everyone walked away from the medical ward. Morissey forced Kamille to lay back down, and grumbled sullenly when blood was seeping out from Kamille's reopened wounds.

"Don't be so stubborn – just let the doctor tend to your injuries. I'm listening to you." Bright said calmly, shrinking on the chair beside the bed. Kamille cried out when Morissey and the nurse worked on his wounds, hissing painfully. The nurse put back the oxygen mask, and Kamille groaned at the dull pain throbbing through his body.

"Now stay still, don't move," Morissey warned firmly. Bright looked at Morissey questioningly, and the doctor nodded.

"Why you don't want to go to hospital, Kamille? Son, you have to understand that this is for your own sake. You have heard what doctor Morissey said earlier. You need further treatment, and recuperate. It is the best for you. We're worried about you, and we want you to fully recover. I'm not saying about keeping you away from this war; I understand that you want to fight along with us. Patience, we call it. Do you understand?"

Kamille stared at his captain wearily. "I'm not going."

Bright shook his head disbelievingly. "You are unbelievable. Don't you understand – "

"Captain," suddenly Kamille interjected, his quivering tone was calm and deep, "I know what I'm doing. I understand my condition, but… please… let me... stay here."

"The medical equipment – " Morissey frowned, but Bright raised his hand to stop him.

"Then I shall arrange with Hayato to provide it along with another supplies when we reach Norway," Bright heaved a sigh. "Then we will have to get a few of the Karaba's available medical staffs to be positioned in here, too. You understand that we're going to the space, do you? Haman's gathering her fleet there. There will be more battle."

"Captain Bright!" Morissey protested. "As a doctor, I object – "

"Doctor Morissey, I really appreciate what you have done for me," Kamille spoke up slowly, offering a weak smile. "But… this is war. Hundreds of soldiers hurt every day, hundreds of soldiers die as we speak. But they don't back down, they're going back to fight as soon as they are able to walk on their own feet. I'm needed... in here. Please understand that."

Morissey was taken aback at this. He tried to counter, but chuckled instead. The young man knew better than him, after all.

"Well, that was unexpected," Morissey shook his head in defeat. "If so, Captain, I'm afraid that I must ask too much from you."

"What is it, doctor?" asked Bright.

"I'd like to stay aboard on the Argama, and offer my service to the AEUG as one of your medical staffs," said Morissey, looking at Kamille with an unreadable expression. "Seeing these such young children put their life on the line has finally opened my mind. I will be very glad if my strength can be a power to all of your crews, and if I can continue to treat Kamille. I won't be at ease, not until I can see myself that this young man fully recovers."

Bright stood up, and offered his hand to Morissey. "Then welcome aboard, doctor Morissey."

"At your service, Captain Bright," Morissey accepted the hand, and the two men smiled.

It's so ironic that these kind of things that keep people together. If only people would understand each other…

Yeah! Finally the second chapter. Amuro will be on the scene on the next chapter. This story might as well expand until U.C. 96, I'm already thinking about the possibilities; so you might expect that there will be sequels to this story. And a big change through the UC timeline in this story. There, a spoiler for you. Leave what you think and give me some feedback to improve this whole idea! I'd love to hear from my readers.

~zephy