PHASE-01Angry Eyes
Cosmic Era 72. The war between the Earth and the PLANTs that lasted one and a half years finally came to an end following the Second Battle of Jachin Due. The two sides drew up a peace treaty amid the ruins of Junius Seven, a place of unprecedented tragedy. The treaty outlined the intentions of both sides to gain a greater understanding of the other, and promised every effort to maintain peace. As such, the world was on a path back to stability...
L4 PLANT Armory One, October 2, C.E. 73, 0900.
Telkan Polmon sat cross legged inside the main control center for Armory One, the sole PLANT located in the L4 Colony Group, calmly sipping his morning coffee. His eyes, rather sleepy considering his late evening rendezvous with his girlfriend the night before, scanned the computer screen in front of him. Watching every green word go by was quite the bore as Telkan had discovered in his time working at Armory One, so during the passage of time when this would be his only task, he would absent-mindedly listen in on his fellow workers at their stations around him in the control center.
Each individual was different from Telkan. They all were ZAFT soldiers, while he was a civilian worker who had come to find a job in the main control center through a mutual friend in the armed forces, dressed in green uniforms usually sported by the lower ranking soldiers within the military. There were men and women, each going about their tasks in a way that seemed more agitated and stressful than they looked. Even the public address system, which in any other place would be used by a gentle, female voice, was being operated by several rough, male voices that barked out orders even more harshly than they typically were. Telkan acknowledged that it was the day of the Chairman's visit to Armory One. But still, he thought, they could act a little more laid back.
He could hear their voices ordering around other soldiers on the ground well below their station at the ZAFT base where the Chairman was to be arriving any moment with his entourage. In fact, from his vantage point inside the center, which, by its position near the exact center of the hour glass shaped structure, could cast its glance upon both the inside and outside of the PLANTs, Telkan could now see a shuttle nearing the entry point into the PLANT. Taking into account the ship's identification code, it was confirmed to be ZAFT shuttle that was only used for urgent diplomatic situations. He glanced at his watch. 0900 on the button. Telkan smiled. It appeared that the Orb Princess was indeed as trustworthy as she said she had been rumored to be. She was right on time. Beside him, one of the soldiers took up a comlink and found the radio frequency the shuttle was using.
"ORL zero one zero. Localize, online," he said.
"This is ORL zero one zero. Confirming nav-com link," came the shuttle's reply.
"Zero one zero. Entry vector looks good. Proceed as is. Number three dock, standby on receiving status B..."
"Telkan, did the shuttle carrying the Chairman arrive yet?"
Telkan glanced at the soldier to his left and then back at his screen. Calmly, he muttered, "Number five dock, five minutes ago..." Apparently he had been so far out of it that he hadn't even noticed that the Chairman had in fact already arrived. "Chairman Dullindal, General Amalfi, and Representative Canaver all aboard, safe and sound."
"Pass on these orders to the ground units. Once the Council members have arrived groundside, they are to be put on separate helicopters and taken to the base's main audience chamber. We'll have a separate one for the Orb Princess ready when she reaches ground," his superior officer commanded, to which Telkan's only reply was a grunt. "Stay awake, Telkan! We haven't got time for you to fall asleep while you're on the job, especially today. Get back to work and keep your eyes glued to the monitor. We don't know when something unexpected will kick us in the ass."
I'd like to kick you in the ass... Telkan chuckled inside his brain at his own thought.
"The rest of you, monitor the Chairman's status as he moves into the base. Keep an eye on all access doors into Armory One and make sure the fleet outside remains on alert." The orders were ended with a crisp, "If we do our jobs right hopefully we'll be able to get past this day without anything blowing up in our faces."
"Yes, sir!" all of the soldiers replied swiftly.
Telkan shook his head and sleepily fixated his eyes onto the computer screen and the little green letters and numbers that scrolled across it every few seconds. Silently, he wondered what the problem with his supervisor and all of the people around him was. What was there to be worried about? So the Chairman was here to talk a little business with the leader of another nation? Big deal. They were at peace now, so there shouldn't be any need to worry. Telkan at least felt that way, but as far as he could see, he was the only one in the control center who was thinking those thoughts.
ZAFT Military Base, Armory One, 0915.
Blades whirling above it, the helicopter touched down gently on the ZAFT base's central landing pad, just a short walk away from the main command post, located in the middle of the complex. One ZAFT soldier with a rifle over his shoulder walked cautiously towards the helicopter and after receiving a nod from each of his counterparts on either side pressed the release button to allow the access hatch to open. It sighed up slowly and a second later, ZAFT Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Dullindal stepped out of the hull and onto the concrete below. His long, black hair flailed behind him in the breeze created by the still spinning blades above his head and it also tossled the edges of his long coat as he began to walk in a slow trot towards the enclave of ZAFT soldiers on the opposite side of the landing pad. Each soldier saluted him as he passed and Gilbert acknowledged with a quick raise of his hand.
This was the second helicopter to arrive in as many minutes. The first had carried General Yuri Amalfi, Commander-in-Chief of all ZAFT Defense Forces and Chairman of the National Defense Committee. He stood with an officer in a black uniform to either side of him and he saluted Gilbert as he approached. "Is everything continuing smoothly?" Gilbert asked one of the soldiers near Yuri.
"The Princess' shuttle arrived moments ago, Mr. Chairman. She and her escorts are now descending in the main lift to the base. She'll be arriving in approximately another fifteen minutes," one of the officers replied.
"Representative Canaver will be arriving shortly, Mr. Chairman," the other officer reported in an urgent tone. "Command has ordered us to escort you to the command post immediately."
Gilbert raised a hand in the man's direction and offered a plastic grin. "That's quite all right. I'd rather wait for Representative Canaver myself so we can arrive together. Don't you agree, General?"
"Yes, Mr. Chairman," Yuri responded.
Changing the subject quickly, Gilbert said mildly, "My, my, this place seems to bustling with much activity today. You'd think that the launching ceremony would be taking place today." Around him, Gilbert could hear the distant orders and shouts being given out by the soldiers and personnel who called this base home. Mobile suits were being moved off of landing pads and stationary runways to make room for temporary structures which would help host the ceremony in a few days.
"No, no! The Rondo Team's GINNs are to be equipped with ceremonial attachments...I told you, Hangar Three!"
"That's McKellar's GAZuOOT! Move it at once!"
"Don't forget to add rifles. We won't have time to do it tomorrow."
"I can assure you Mr. Chairman that our forces will be more than ready for the ceremony," an officer stated. "We're taking every precaution-" Nearby, a jeep that was speeding across a landing pad was suddenly forced to swerve wildly in order to miss being stepped on by a GINN that was on its way out of a hangar. Inside the jeep, two individuals cringed and cried out as the jeep narrowly missed the oncoming foot and sped on towards its destination. Gilbert could hear the man behind him hesitate and then stumble as he added, "...of course...mishaps are bound to happen eventually..."
"Mishaps happen, I know that fully well, Lieutenant," Gilbert said. "You forget that for a year I was head of the Jachin Due space station during the war. I'm more attuned to situations such as these than you could ever hope to imagine. All this means is that the Minerva will finally be launching. It's all for the good of that ship, those who serve on her, and everyone in the PLANTs for that matter." The officer didn't know how to respond to Gilbert's remark, but he didn't really need to for a few moments later the third helicopter touched down on the landing pad. Eileen was helped out of the craft by one of the soldiers on the ground and she walked slowly towards the gathering, the turning blades tossing her long red hair and the hem of her skirt behind her. She saluted the officers, Gilbert, and Yuri and joined them as they were escorted by armed guards towards the command post.
As he walked, one of Gilbert's aides came beside him and whispered something in his ear. Gilbert frowned. "I understand their position on this, but Blue Cosmos is a principle, rather than a true organization, right?" Out of the corner of his eye, Gilbert saw a streak of blond hair beyond the line of soldiers escorting them. He recognized the young man that sported the locks. He was staring right at him as he saluted his commander. Gilbert smiled back at him and then turned back to his aide. "We can work on stricter enforcement of the treaty but it won't eliminate terrorists."
"But I'm sure you've heard of General Bradford's-"
"I have no intention of following in General Bradford's wake," Gilbert interrupted, his voice uncharacteristically harsh. He sighed. "What he and his nation do is their own business at this point. Right now, we must concentrate on our own position in this situation. And it will start with the Orb Princess. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir!" his aide responded nervously.
"Lead on, then," Gilbert ordered. He nodded to the duo of soldiers guarding the main entrance to the building and stepped inside, the others right behind.
0920.
Down the central shaft of the PLANT that supported the thousands of resources below sped one of the lifts that took people to and from the docks in the central axis. This one was built to accommodate as many as fifty people at once without trouble and could reach downward speeds of up to thirty-five miles per hour. However, today there were only five people in the lift. One was sitting cross-legged on the sofa while the others were standing around her, keeping their eyes open for anything that would demand their attention.
The man to her immediate right was dressed in civilian clothes rather than the stiff, double breasted suits that the other three men sported, and he had dark sunglasses covering his green eyes. He ran a hand through his long blue hair and sighed. He glanced down at her and said quietly, "Representative..." Cagalli Yula Athha turned her head slightly to the right and upwards to take him into her line of sight. He continued, "...are you sure that attire will do?" Cagalli tilted her head to the side and glanced curiously at him. "You did bring at least one dress, didn't you?"
Her mouth opened just slightly and she hesitated. "Wh-why should it matter what I wear? This'll do, won't it?" He had been referring to her scarlet red suit that was worn by members of the Orb Ruling Council during their cabinet meetings along with the white blouse underneath.
He bit his lower lip and leaned in close to her. He struck a glance at the trio of aides on the other side of the lift and, after confirming that they would not be of any disturbance, added, "It's important to do a little acting at times." He paused. "You understand, don't you? There's no need to try to be something you're not. But at the same time, you don't want to be taken too lightly." Cagalli tried to avert her eyes. He could see them roll inside their sockets. He sighed. "Although this is an unofficial visit, you are still the current leader of Orb. You have to remember that."
"I know," Cagalli answered. "It's not as if I didn't come prepared for this visit."
Her bodyguard stood up once two of Cagalli's aides came to speak with her. They spoke about something that seemed to relate to the imminent launching of the new ZAFT warship in just a few days from Armory One. Cagalli seemed irritated that there would be displeasure emanating from some within ZAFT that she would be visiting at a time like this when Chairman Dullindal had in fact been the one to suggest this location. "The upcoming ceremony marks the first launch of a new ship since the war ended. They're well aware of what we're here to talk about so it baffles me as to why they'd have the ceremony now, and at this location." She had had her misgivings about coming to such a secluded location at first, mainly because of the fact that she wanted to speak about the Orb citizens that had migrated to the PLANTs during the war and this location would be far away from them, which possibly would lessen the effect of her arguments, but others around her had convinced her that it would be good for the country if she went now and witnessed personally what the PLANTs were up to.
"But we're the ones who requested to see them on short notice, Representative Athha," her bodyguard interrupted. "I believe Chairman Dullindal suggested meeting here rather than the PLANT homeland so we could keep a low profile."
"I understand that, Alex," Cagalli responded. "But still...it does seem a bit strange..."
Her voice trailed off as the darkness of the central shaft suddenly gave way to the bright, early morning light of the PLANT's interior. Far below them, they could see large seas of water meshed against the bright green landscape of the continent. In the middle of the continent were gray buildings, streets, and cars, providing a technological aspect to the otherwise natural looking landscape. Thousands of people were filing down those very streets below them, going about their normal days without knowing the importance of the meeting that was about to take place within their midst. For many of the people who called this place home, the talks didn't even exist. It was just an ordinary day in their lives, a day like any other since the war ended.
From his vantage point, Alex contemplated on whether or not he should have come here. Looking out at the beautiful scene now spreading all around them was now making his stomach turn. It was on these very continents that he had been brought into the world. It was here he'd spent his adolescence and where he had grown up. It was in a place like this he had once become a soldier, fighting for a cause that he thought was just. It was on the PLANTs that many of his childhood friends were now buried, casualties of the conflict he had gladly taken part in at first, but had grown to resent as time wore on. This was the first time he'd returned to the PLANTs since the war ended two years ago. Only now, he wasn't who he had once been. He was someone else entirely...so it appeared and so he hoped it would stay for the remainder of his time here.
Staring down at the continent, he wondered whether or not he should have come. Many bad memories were now coming back into his mind. One of them was his mother, the main reason he'd joined the war in the first place. He was still haunted by the image of the Bloody Valentine, where she, along with many others, had lost their lives for no reason. That scene had both saddened and infuriated him. He still could not understand what the attack was for.
Why? He had asked himself that over and over again, but he hadn't found the answer. During the war, he'd been able to keep the thought out of his mind, but now that the world was at peace, it had begun gnawing at his mind again. Sometimes, it wouldn't stop until he fell asleep, and even then it would creep into his dreams and rip apart the tranquility that sleep was supposed to provide.
Why? Others had offered him explanations. His father, his friends, his comrades, they all had tried to answer it. However, none of those answers had seemed to quell his mind's uneasiness. Because of this, more questions had entered into his mind. What are we really fighting for? What should we be fighting for? Who should we be fighting against? All of these questions swelled inside him and he had yet to find an answer.
"Alex?"
He blinked his eyes behind his sunglasses. "Yes?" he asked Cagalli.
"Do you have the time?" Cagalli asked. She had risen to her feet and now stood beside him.
He cast a quick glance at his watch. "Nine-twenty-five. Right on time."
"Chairman Dullindal and the others should be awaiting your arrival by now, Representative," one of her aides mentioned.
Cagalli nodded. A few seconds later, the lift came to a smooth halt. The doors sighed open and the entourage stepped through the opening. They followed one of the PLANT guides who had been waiting at the bottom to a moving conveyor belt which would take them to the car which would then transport them to the meeting place. As the moving platform glided along its chosen path, Alex cast a glance at the lines of people below them. The building they were passing through now was the disembarking point for civilian shuttles coming into Armory One. There were dozens of people waiting in lines separated by crowd control barriers. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he had a pretty good idea what it was. Just a few days previous, the PLANTs had announced that the first new warship constructed since the war ended would be launched from Armory One. Once they emerged from the building, they probably would be able to see it. Alex silently held a keen interest in seeing the ship himself, mainly because he wanted to get at least some sort of a clue as to what ZAFT's intentions were in launching the ship.
Their ZAFT guide shuttled them all into the parked car and they were off just as the door shut behind Alex. The momentum caused him to almost fall on top of Cagalli on the seat. He shook his head, sending his blue hair flailing all over the place. "I apologize...Representative."
"Uh...no problem..." Cagalli managed. "Could you tell the driver to take it easy? We're not in that big of a hurry. I'm sure Chairman Dullindal will understand if we're a little late."
If the driver slowed down, it was by just a few miles per hour. Within five minutes they had arrived at the base's command post. They climbed out of the car and made their way silently inside. At every door or security interchange there were armed guards, each with high powered rifles at their disposal. Alex noted that ZAFT indeed was taking this meeting very seriously. He didn't blame them. Except for Council meetings, it wasn't very often that the Council Chairman, the Chairman of the National Defense Committee, and a former Council Chairman, not to mention the leader of another nation, were all in the same place at the same time. The final set of doors was opened by a ZAFT soldier with a security card and Cagalli took the lead as they stepped inside.
Gilbert was standing in the middle of the formation of PLANT personnel, with Eileen and Yuri to either side of him, plus several other high ranking ZAFT people scattered about. As soon as Cagalli entered, Gilbert's mood seemed to lighten considerably. "Princess!" he exclaimed as much as his deep voice would allow him, "I appreciate you traveling such a long distance to meet here. It is so good to see you."
Cagalli walked slowly forward until she was face to face with the Chairman. "Actually, I'm quite grateful that you made time to fit us into your busy schedule, Chairman."
Behind them, Alex entered with the three aides. He froze once inside the room. His stomach tightened and his lips narrowed into a thin line. Ahead, Yuri snapped his head up slightly higher than it had been and his eyes recognizably widened. Alex sighed inside. He had known that Yuri was going to be at this conference and yet he had decided to come along anyway, even with the full knowledge that someone he had known before and during the war would be present. He cast a glance at Eileen. She hadn't moved once and her facial expression hadn't changed. Gilbert was introducing them now. "I believe you know Representative Eileen Canaver, my predecessor as Chairman."
Eileen stepped forward and inclined her head in a slight bow. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Representative Athha."
"The honor is mine, Representative," Cagalli responded. Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Eileen had probably recognized him through his disguise, if you could call it that, but thankfully her skills as a politician had taken hold and she had refrained from doing or saying anything obvious.
"And allow me to introduce you to the third person of interest, General Yuri Amalfi of the National Defense Committee." Yuri was still staring blankly at Alex when Gilbert introduced him, but he shrugged it off and stepped forward to meet Cagalli. As that happened, Gilbert focused his attention on Alex, who had been standing still for quite a while now. Alex bowed his head in recognition of the Chairman, who smiled in return.
Gilbert extended an inviting hand towards an array of seats near a plate glass window overlooking the base. Cagalli followed him with Yuri and Eileen right behind. "Well then, how are things in your nation?" he asked politely. "I trust everything is well."
"For the time being, yes," Cagalli answered.
"I understand that many problems have been resolved since you took over, Princess," Gilbert said. "For someone at your age, that's simply remarkable. I can speak for all of us that as allies, not only are we very happy to see things going well, but I must say that I personally am quite envious of your achievements." All four sat down with Gilbert, Yuri, and Eileen to one side and Cagalli to the other. "Would you care for something to drink, Princess?"
"No, thank you. But regarding your words, there still is a lot that needs to be done. Orb still has a lot of work to do, as does the rest of the world more or less."
"Speaking of which, under the circumstances what could be so urgent that you'd request a meeting so urgently?" Gilbert asked. "If things still need to be done..."
Cagalli paused. The Chairman knew full well what her reasons were for coming here. He was just playing political games in order to butter her up to his advantage later on. "My reasons have to deal with the Orb citizens who came to your nation during the war," she said evenly.
"Oh?"
"There have been several instances where we as a nation have requested that the people and resources that were allocated to the PLANTs during the war not be used for military purposes. And we have yet to receive a clear response from your nation regarding this. You've said yourself that this is a complex issue. Well, I don't necessarily see what's so complicated about it."
Gilbert smiled. "The reason why I don't believe, or we don't believe it is a complex subject, is for the mere reason that we don't believe that people should be torn away from things that they've been doing for their whole lives."
"I don't understand."
Eileen said, "Of your people that came to us after the attack on Orb, many of them were already involved in professions that dealt with the military in one way or another. We didn't plan for it to be that way; it was just a matter of coincidence."
"Think of it this way," Gilbert added. "If someone was a specialist in designing toys for children, and they found themselves in a situation such as this, would you suddenly force them to work in a food processing plant? It would not make sense for us to shift someone to a different field far from their own expertise."
"That isn't the point I'm trying to make." Alex gulped. Cagalli was being rather frank about this subject, a touchy one at that. "We understand your intention to give the people the best livelihood you can, but they still are technically Orb citizens. Our nation has requested that they not be assigned to corporations that are open supporters of the military, not that they be transferred to different fields. And yet we still have not received a response to our request. Why is that?"
Gilbert's smile didn't fade. He seemed to be enjoying this. "The position you are taking on this matter, Princess," he began, "...is that your own intuition...or perhaps it is a result of pressure from the Atlantic Federation?" Cagalli's eyes widened slightly. Behind her, Alex frowned. "I understand that the Atlantic Federation has been heavily involved in this matter as well, citing their own assurances on the matter."
Cagalli hesitated. Eileen spoke, "The PLANTs have been on the receiving end of political pressure from the Atlantic Federation as well, Representative. We aren't unfamiliar with the subject of other nation's views on this matter."
"So much so, it would almost seem as if the Atlantic Federation were bringing themselves into this..." Cagalli didn't know how to respond now. Gilbert simply shook his head instead. "I'm getting ahead of myself...my apologies, Princess."
"Oh...no, that's okay," Cagalli managed.
"I understand your concern over this matter...as do all of my counterparts...and all that we wish is for this difference in opinions to be resolved without further incident. Don't you agree?"
"Yes. But that brings up the other reason for my visit?"
Gilbert cocked his head to the side just enough to make it noticeable. "Other reason?"
"It has come to my attention, and those of other nations that you're prepared to hold the launching ceremony for your new warship in just a matter of days," Cagalli said.
"Yes, we are," Gilbert answered. "Though General Amalfi would probably know more about that than I would." Yuri glanced at him. "Although I'm the Chairman, the General deals with most of the military matters on an everyday basis. That's what the Chairmen of the other departments, including Intelligence and Home Affairs, do as well. Perhaps you'd like to give her a little insight." Yuri paused. He glanced at Cagalli. Then at Alex. Finally, he brought his stare back towards Gilbert. "I know it's supposedly a private affair, but the news has already spread, General. I'm sure the Princess would love to hear what you have to say."
Yuri sighed. "The Chairman's words are correct, Representative Athha." He folded his hands in his lap and leaned forward. "The Minerva will be the first ship launched since the peace treaty was signed. It's been in the works for over a year now and we are launching her in two days. She will enter the fleet at that time as one of our principal ships."
"You're entering her in the fleet? So soon?"
Gilbert raised his eyebrows. "Is there a problem, Princess?"
"No. It's just that some of the other nations might take that as a little...aggressive."
"We don't have any intentions of having to send her into battle," Yuri continued. "We just want to keep our fleet prepared in case something does happen and we have to put that ship into a position to help the good of the PLANTs. Otherwise, we will be putting our citizens in… unnecessary danger."
"Is that the same reason you're building new mobile suits, as well?" Cagalli asked deliberately.
Yuri narrowed his eyes. "Yes, you're correct. For the sole purpose of being prepared. Prepared in case something does happen. And if something happens our soldiers will be ready to protect the PLANTs as they did during the war. Even those that aren't part of the military anymore..." Yuri's gaze had slowly trekked toward Alex, who eyed the General suspiciously. It was as if they knew each other...personally.
There was a long pause. "I think you've explained all that there is to be explained, General," Gilbert said finally. He stood up gingerly. He gestured for Cagalli to follow suit. "Princess...I am deeply moved by your desire to resolve these matters in person. So much in fact, that I think it would be for the benefit of both our nations if you saw for yourself what we are planning for the next few days. Don't you agree, General? Representative?"
"You mean a tour of the base?" Yuri asked.
"Exactly. I can almost guarantee that our soldiers will be more than welcome to see a new face, Princess," Gilbert continued.
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
Gilbert smiled. "Call it a gesture of good faith, Princess." Cagalli stood up to follow Gilbert who led them out of the room. Eileen followed with several aides followed by the armed guards. Yuri and Alex stayed behind momentarily. They stared at each other's faces for a long time. Yuri nodded. He spun on his heel and headed for the door. After he had gone, Alex breathed a shallow sigh of relief. Or maybe it was of anguish.
ZAFT Warship Minerva, 0930.
The Armory One military base sported a central dock large enough to fit warships of the Minerva, but that was the only one that could. The others were designed for smaller ships, such as cargo carriers, but this one had been specifically designed, and recently modified in the past few days, to fit large warships, specifically the Minerva herself. Ground crews labored along the twin steel walkways that flanked the red, white, and gray ship, whose wings were folded into her sides in order to allow her to fit into the dock. Two of her launch hatches were opened to allow crews to load cargo and ammunition into the holds. The third and largest was opened in order to allow a crane access to her hangar. At that moment, it was gently pushing a humanoid shaped machine towards the open hole in the ship. It was a GuAIZ R model, the last of four that were being added to the ship's now complete roster of machines.
On the hangar deck, the ship's chief mechanic, Madd Aves, stood with a clipboard as he watched the last mobile suit being pushed into his workplace. He cast a glance over at the other three that had arrived that morning, then at the newer ZAKU model already positioned along the starboard bulkhead. Finally, he glanced at the Core Splendor fighter jet and smiled. These were his babies. He would make sure that he and his fellow hangar crew members took good care of them...while they were in the hangar at least. When they were out on the battlefield, there wasn't anything he could do.
He shouted at one of his subordinates, "Zangley! Tell Vino to test the ion pumps on the GuAIZ's after Haru and his boys are done."
"Roger!"
"Chief Aves, we've finished the repairs to Commander Bourdais' ZAKU. Should we call ground and have them bring Lunamaria and Rey's up here?"
"Wait until they get to their machines, then they can bring 'em on board and then we can work on 'em," Aves answered. "They had to be refitted with new guns before they would be accepted into the air corp."
"Great opportunity to analyze the new weapon designs then," Vino Dupre called from behind him.
Aves turned his body to glance at the young man and added, "Don't get too excited, Vino. There's not much difference between the new one and the old ones. By the way, before you leave, get Captain Gladys on the phone for me."
"Right!"
Deeper inside the ship, in a corridor just behind the bridge, Ensign Ian Dullindal made a final, smooth push with his fingers through his neatly combed black hair. Freshly showered and dressed in his olive green uniform, Ian pulled his small, circular glasses off of his nose and rubbed them with a small handkerchief. He blew across the lenses' shiny surfaces and wiped them again. He slid them onto his nose and smiled. Perfect. As a member of the bridge crew of the newest warship in the ZAFT fleet, he had to look his best, even if it was two days before the ceremony was to start.
Another member of the bridge crew passed as he neared the doors. "Morning, Ian," said Crewman Meyrin Hawke, the youngest of the bridge crew, her red pig-tails bouncing behind her head as she walked.
"Morning, Meyrin," he responded with a salute. Since they had spent a good three months on this ship while they ran battle simulations, they had grown to know everyone on board this ship. Enough so that they could refer to one another by their first names whenever they weren't in the presence of the officers. Plus, Ian much preferred people to call him by his first name, rather than his last.
The steel bridge doors slid open to allow him access to his workplace. The ship's three main officers were standing near the head of the upper part of the bridge. The two men were dressed in black uniforms while the sole woman was dressed in white. "Good morning, Captain," he announced as he entered.
His entrance was met with a stare and a salute from each of the officers, Captain Talia Gladys, Lieutenant Arthur Trine, and Lieutenant Roland Brunswick. "Good morning, Ensign," they each responded. Ian heard them pick up their conversation as he made his way towards the step ladder which would take him to his station in the lower part of the bridge. "Like I said," Arthur began in his thick-accented voice, "unless the Princess does a complete reversal of what she's known to have stood for, I don't think these talks will get us anywhere in regards to relations with the Orb Union."
"We don't know that for sure, Arthur," Talia responded. "Representative Athha is as charismatic a leader as anyone we have in this world, including Chairman Dullindal."
"You think she'll ask about us?" Roland put in as he ran a hand across his brown goatee that was just long enough to be noticeable. "The Minerva that is. That and what we're gonna end up doing out there?"
"More than likely. Though I think the Chairman will do enough to convince her," Talia said.
"I hate to interrupt Lieutenant Brunswick, but did Chief Aves repair the sensor on the number two Tristan like I requested," Ian interrupted.
"Yeah, he did. It's all set there, waiting for you."
"Thanks."
"By the way, Ian," Roland said, causing Ian to stop midway through his descent, "what do you think? What's your dad going to do about this issue?"
Ian paused. In a few seconds, his entire demeanor seemed to change. His voice was dark and gloomy when he answered, "Why would I know that?"
"Huh?"
"I have no reason to talk to my father," Ian responded casually. "So I wouldn't know what he's going to do, now would I?" He glanced at his superiors for a few more moments before disappearing into the darkness of the lower bridge.
Roland spread his lips. "Sheesh, what's up with him?"
"He's like that every time someone brings his father up," Talia reminded him. "Haven't you noticed that?"
"Yeah, but for someone like him, who's usually one of the most uplifting people on the ship...it makes you wonder if he's got something against his father for some reason?" Roland said.
"Sounds awfully familiar when you think about it," Talia said, a small smile appearing on her face.
Roland sighed angrily. "That doesn't count. That was vice-versa; my dad had a grudge against me."
"Because you wrecked his car when you and I went joyriding," Arthur added.
"Because you were hanging out the window with your tongue hanging out like a dog, you moron!" Roland laughed.
"Oh, don't blame me for that. It's old news, Roland."
Talia couldn't contain her laugh and she giggled slightly. "Am I glad I wasn't with you two, that night."
"Nice," Roland responded. "Though there was that one time..."
Talia breathed a sigh of relief when the phone beside her Captain's seat rung. Taking leave of her comrades, and friends for that matter, she picked up the receiver and said, "Captain Gladys, here."
"Captain, this is Aves. The four GuAIZ have been loaded and the pilot's are waiting in the lounge. Where's Commander Bourdais?"
Talia turned towards Arthur and Roland and said, "Commander Bourdais' still in town with the others, right?" Both nodded. "He's in town. I'll have someone call him back to the ship immediately so he can greet them."
"Better tell him to hurry, they're getting anxious," Aves finished.
"Thank you, Chief." Talia hung up the phone. She glanced at the clock on the monitor nearby. "I don't know about you boys, but I'm hungry. If you need me, I'll be in the cafeteria."
"Yes, ma'am," they answered with a salute. As she left, Talia smiled. It wasn't often that the three of them could reminisce about the past anymore and act like themselves. When they could, she always left feeling better than she had been before. She only hoped they would be able to do this in the future, even if they were in charge of this ship for quite some time.
-0935.
"Will that be all, sir?"
"Beef, ham, turkey, salami, pepperoni…yeah, that's it." Felix Roske stood with his arms folded, leaning over the glass counter that separated him from the columns of meat laid out on the display beneath him. Behind the counter, the butcher weighed each block of meat then used a sliding board and saw to cut out even slices of meat. Normally the Minerva'spilot, not to mention the son of a Supreme Council Representative, Felix found that he was most comfortable when he was out of the spotlight, such as he was now when he was off duty, shopping for the rest of the crew who would be awaiting his and the others return with the needed supplies. Granted ZAFT did supply them with rations of food and water, but it was always nice to have a little something extra, which was why Felix was at this local butcher shop in town.
The butcher wrapped each individual grouping of meat and placed it on a scale, setting the weight and then placing each wrap into a bag. He rang up the cash register and said, "You're total comes to…$53.46."
Felix, who was already reaching across the counter for the bag, halted. "What?" he exclaimed. "Dammit, you raised the price again!"
Confused, the butcher said, "It was only by fifty cents, sir. It's not my fault if the Agricultural Board decides to raise the price," he pointed out.
"Yeah, well this is the third time this month they've raised the prices, and it's getting on my nerves. It makes you think that those guys are just trying to screw the citizens."
"I'm shocked this would be coming from you, sir."
"Don't separate me just because I'm the Intelligence Director's kid. When I'm here, I'm a regular person. The name doesn't apply," Felix countered.
The door to the small shop opened with a bell chime. There was a click of shoes on the floor and the soft clank of the door closing. "Felix, you're not arguing with the butcher again, are you?" Felix turned towards the door and sighed. Standing in the doorway, one hand on her hip, the other holding the strap of her bag close to her shoulder, Victoria Dullindal puckered her lips in an irritated manor and added, "You're supposed to be representing the crew. Must you act so immature?"
Felix dropped his arms in defeat. "I apologize, sir," he mumbled.
Victoria approached the counter, reaching into the pocket of her black dress coat that matched the skirted suit she wore. She produced a card and said, "Charge it to this." The butcher did so and returned the card to her. "Have you cooled down?" she asked Felix.
"Yeah, yeah," he answered, running his fingers through his black hair before shoving them into the pockets of his khaki pants. "I get it."
They made their way to the door and exited onto the sidewalk outside the store. "Did you get everything you needed?" Felix asked.
She patted her bag. "Yes, I did. This'll hopefully keep the crew healthy for a few months." She took the lead and added, "Let's go find Shinn and Yolant."
About a block away, there was a crowd gathered around a clothing store with a window display featuring several new dress fashions. "Can you imagine who can afford to buy those?" one bystander commented.
"Only movie stars, something we'll never be," said another.
After a few moments, the crowd began to whither, leaving the window exposed to the street and entire sidewalk. It was then that a trio walked into view of the window, at a pace that would not have attracted any attention whatsoever. They couldn't be more than 20, probably even less. Two boys and a girl. The one in the lead had short green hair and shaggy eyebrows. The second, long blue hair and a cocky grin plastered on his face. The girl, who was following the other two, was appearing to be shy, with a finger paused against her lip, her blonde hair being blown around by the calm breezes, seemed to be in a world of her own, not noticing anything else around her.
That changed when she reached the front of the window. Her eyes, a reflection of purple, were drawn to the glass by the multi-colored dresses behind it. Her mouth opened slightly and she placed her hands at even spaces on the glass. She couldn't stop staring.
Up ahead, the boys didn't stop walking. The one with blue hair turned back to glance at their companion. "What is she doing?" he wondered out loud.
"Being a ditzy airhead, that'd be my guess," said the other. "Why don't you try? You look like you would enjoy it." The blue-haired man shrugged and followed the leader.
The girl removed her hands from the glass and raised them as she looked down at herself, more specifically the neutral blue dress. She stared at it and then at the ones in the window. Suddenly, she started dancing, as if some beautiful waltz had just started playing. She spun around and around, twirling like a ballerina, her arms stretched high into the air, then in a round, circular motion around her. She smiled and laughed. She seemed to be having a joyful time, such a far cry from the glum she had had in her eyes just moments before. She danced for what seemed like an eternity.
That is, until something got in her way and stopped her.
She stumbled backwards after striking the boy who had come rushing around the corner next to the store. He dropped his bags and reached forward to catch her and stop her fall. He grasped her around the chest and held her. "Are you okay?" she heard him ask.
Turning her head, she was met by a pair of fiery red eyes. He had black hair, or maybe it was a dark blue, and a perplexed look on his face.
He glanced down at her and his cheeks immediately flushed red, realizing where his hands were. The girl glared angrily and him and barred her teeth. She wrestled herself free from his grasp and sprinted away down the street. She left him staring after her, his red eyes following her figure until she disappeared into the morning haze.
"You grabbed her rack, didn't you?" Shinn Asuka froze. He brought his hands up to his eyes, palms facing him and then snapped his head towards the grinning face of his friend, Yolant Kent. "You lucky pervert," Yolant mocked. He quickly turned behind Shinn and walked off.
"Wait-!"
"I always knew you had it in you, Shinn." That was Felix's voice. He and Victoria had appeared beside him. They had seen the incident too. Felix passed with a smile on his face. Victoria followed and made a small laugh as she passed the startled Shinn.
"I-I didn't!" Shinn cried after them. He groaned heavily and scooped up the bags he had dropped. "Hey, wait up!" he called as he sprinted after his comrades.
Down the road, at a small convenient store, another individual exited through the front door with a small package. He tore the box open and produced a cigarette, stuffing it into his mouth before lighting it. He took several puffs before blowing the smoke out of his mouth in one grand exodus. Tall and slender, the man had short brown hair with huge sideburns that stretched just below his ears. His eyes were almost pearl black, a kind of vortex that one could lose one's self in if they stared too long.
His phone rang and it startled him. "Bourdais, here," he said roughly, the cigarette still between his lips.
"The new pilots are in, Commander. Just thought I'd let you know."
"Thanks…I'll be right there. Whoa!" Just then, the blond haired girl rushed past in at nearly a dead run. Brad kept himself upright and watched her run towards the street corner. He gasped as a car sped around the corner and nearly ran the girl down. What surprised him even more was that the individuals inside the car were madly gesturing for her to get inside. She did so and after a few moments, the car sped away behind the buildings on the opposite side of the street. Brad was still confused by what he had just seen. Not really because of the girl, though she had piqued his interest, but by the person driving the car. He'd been wearing a ZAFT uniform.
"Commander, are you there?"
Remembering his phone, he answered, "Yeah, I'm coming. Wait about fifteen minutes okay." He took one last glance behind him at the spot where the girl and the car had disappeared. He thought, What the hell was that…? as he began to make his way back into town.
-ZAFT Military Base Armory One, 0945.
Cagalli appeared, at least in her mind, to be the new celebrity phenom on Armory One. As Gilbert led her on a tour of the base, everyone stopped when they came within eyesight of her. And everyone stared at her with uninterrupted gazes as she strolled past. Some seemed to be analyzing her, scanning her every detail like a computer. Others it seemed just wanted to get a glance at her and then move on. Cagalli couldn't blame the latter. This was a ZAFT base after all.
Gilbert, in the lead of the tour, had taken them through a hangar which held three of ZAFT's new mass production mobile suits, the ZAKU Warrior. She had been fascinated by them; both in their mystique and their presence. This was another issue she had to confirm while she was on her visit here. Dullindal had already dodged her first with excellent political maneuvering and now she was at a stand still on her arguments. But this was something she believed she could get a clear response from him on.
"The new ZAKU's entered the military structure just a few months ago, Princess," Gilbert explained. "Along with the Minerva these will be the newest additions to our nation's fleet."
"Fascinating…" Cagalli answered briefly. She glanced back at Alex who was walking behind her. He hadn't said a word since they had left the command post, but that was probably something he'd decided to do out of respect for Cagalli's position as the leader of Orb and let her do the talking for him. She also knew that he was just as concerned about this matter as she was.
Gilbert glanced sideways at Cagalli without breaking stride. "Princess, as a courageous person who has experience piloting a mobile suit in real battle, I would have thought that you'd be more interested in this subject."
"It isn't that I'm not interested. It's just that I'm…concerned…"
"May I ask about what?" Gilbert asked.
Cagalli paused. She thought about her next words carefully and critically. "All this power…" She was referring to the equipment and military strength all around them. "Is it really necessary?"
Gilbert smiled. "I too have something to ask you, Princess. How should we as a nation act given the current state of the world?" Cagalli stopped and glanced at him quizzically. Behind Gilbert, Yuri and Eileen glanced at each other, as if to say, here we go, then back at Gilbert. "I'm sure you know the answer to that very well."
Letting out a sigh, Cagalli answered quickly, "We will protect and maintain the ideals of our nation. It's as simple as that. It goes for every nation in the world nowadays."
"'We will not invade another nation, will not allow another nation to invade us, and will not intervene in the conflicts of other nations.' Words attributed to your father, Uzumi Nara Athha, I believe," Gilbert repeated.
"That's right."
"We believe the same as well. If that were possible, it would be best." Gilbert raised him arm toward a nearby ZAKU. "However, to answer your question, without power, those ideals just aren't possible. And that would explain your earlier inquisition into the Minerva and our new mobile suits. These will ensure that we are fully capable of keeping ourselves safe and secure in this world. Without them, we would not be able to find ourselves in the situation we now do." Cagalli saw Alex eye Gilbert with a suspicious glance. "Of course, we, myself, General Amalfi, and Representative Canaver that is, know fully that you would understand this fact better than any of us could. That's why Orb also maintains full military facilities, correct?"
Cagalli hesitated, then blurted out, "Will you please stop calling me, 'Princess'."
Behind them, Yuri glanced at Eileen. "What do you think?" he whispered quietly enough so that the others wouldn't hear.
"Is it really necessary for him to put the Representative through the fire like this?" Eileen wondered out loud. "We could have discussed this well enough back in the command post.
"That's how he wanted it, I think," Yuri responded. "He probably thought that it would benefit us more if he brought her all the way out here." And from what I've seen, he was right.
Gilbert was now bowing to Cagalli with his hand on his chest. "Please excuse me, Representative Athha. Correct me again if I do mispronounce your title." They began to walk again. "But I have to wonder...based on what you've said so far during our conversation…what are you so afraid of? Pressure from the Atlantic Federation? No! We've already discussed that. My apologies. It must be something else. I wonder what it could be."
Across the tarmac, just behind the farthest of the hangar buildings, the jeep carrying the blond haired girl and the two other gentlemen pulled up quietly so that no one would notice. The green haired man, obviously the leader of the trio, leaped out of the back seat of the jeep and landed on the ground in a crouch. He reached quickly into the pocket of his jacket for a silver case and retrieved himself a cigarette. As he lit it, his counterpart helped the girl out of the jeep. "You doing okay, Stella?" Auel Neider asked.
"I'm fine," Stella Loussier answered firmly. "Don't worry about me."
"Fine, I won't," Auel responded.
"Be quiet, you two, we're supposed to be acting inconspicuous," came the reprieve from the green haired man, named Sting Oakley. "Auel, get the gear."
Turning around, Auel extended his hands for the duffel bag that was given to him by the soldier in the passenger seat of the jeep. "Is everything here?"
"Everything that was on the list," came the reply. "If you need anything else, you're on your own."
Sting blew a cloud of smoke out of his mouth and reached into the bag, pulling out a sub-machine gun and eyeing it. "Looks good," he announced. "Do you have the key cards?" The soldier handed them to him as Stella and Auel reached in to retrieve their own weapons, Auel choosing two guns for himself while Stella brandished a pistol and a simple combat knife with a jagged edge. "Get yourselves out of sight for now," Sting ordered. "We'll take care of everything else." The driver nodded and pressed the gas pedal, sending the jeep on its way.
The trio made their way to the access door to the hangar, where Sting slid a card into the appropriate reader and the door rose up in response. Ahead was another door, this one open to the hangar. They could see a partial image of their targets inside. "You ready?" Auel asked.
Sting smiled behind his cigarette. "What do you think?"
Outside, Cagalli stopped once again and said, "But there's a dark side to having all this power as well." Gilbert froze and raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Having too much power will inevitably start conflicts again."
"Is that what this is about, then?" Gilbert asked.
Cagalli paused. She felt someone step beside her. "Do you fear that another war will break out, Representative?" Eileen asked. Alex frowned. He shot a glare back at Yuri who was still trailing the group. Yuri made eye contact, but didn't do anything this time, instead glancing directly back at the conversation currently happening.
Inside the hangar, Sting crept towards the doorway with Stella behind him and Auel directly opposite against the other wall. He nodded to them and pushed himself through the opening. As he entered, he could see about a dozen ZAFT soldiers, mechanics, and pilots strewn about the facility. He charged forward with his gun hand extended. He quickly and expertly fired off some shots, emptying the magazine that was latched to his gun. Three soldiers fell immediately, wounds to their torso and upper bodies.
Before the others had time to reach for their weapons Stella and Auel were on them. Auel jumped up into the air, pirouetting like a ballerina before landing on one leg and spinning a complete three hundred sixty degrees, taking out four more soldiers. Stella landed between two others and shot one before sticking her knife into the others neck, the blade severing the artery and killing him instantly.
The gunfight was over within seconds with virtually all of the ZAFT personnel on the ground, dead or dying. One remaining ZAFT pilot was attempting to crawl up the gantry towards one of the machines. A bullet penetrated his left leg from behind. He cried out in pain and released his hold on the gantry, his body spared from a hard impact on the concrete below by an arm reaching out to grab him. Sting held the pilot for several seconds, a smile on his face, the fire from his still lit cigarette dangerously close to the man's face. The pilot had a fearful expression on his face and his body trembled in Sting's grasp. "Wh-who are you people?" he stuttered.
Sting responded by blowing smoke into the man's eyes. "There's no reason to tell you that…" The pilot didn't even see him extend his arm behind him. "You're as good as dead already!" With unbelievable force and quickness, Sting delivered a swift right hand to the pilot's jaw, sending him flying a good twenty feet the other direction, his body splattering against the wall, blood seeping from the huge gash opened in his jaw from where Sting's blow had connected.
"Was that really necessary?" Sting glanced behind him at Auel, who stood with both guns still in his hands, and a grin on his face.
"Gotta keep myself fresh somehow," Sting answered. He took one last puff from his cigarette and flicked it away. "Stella! Stick to the plan, let's go!"
Each one ran towards a different machine. Each machine was laying face up, its body being held in place by numerous steel support beams and winches. Sting leapt into the cockpit of the first one and watched as Stella and Auel did the same with the other two. He slid his slender body into the pilot's seat and brought the machine's computer online. He checked the number. ZGMF-X24S Chaos. This was it.
Sting ran through the checklist that had been drilled into his head during the past few weeks they'd spent training for this mission. Ion pump flow stable. Attitude controls functional. Cortex module online. He gently pulled back on one of the two levers located near his left hand. He relaxed into the seat as he felt his machine slowly rise onto its feet He pressed another button near his left leg and the mobile suit changed colors from all gray to dark green and black. Phase shift armor operational. "Report status, guys," he ordered.
"Mine looks good from here," Auel said. "Though I really can't say I'm certain it's good until I take it into action."
"Right model?" Sting asked.
"ZGMF-X31S Abyss. This is it." Beside him, Auel brought the Abyss into a standing position and switched on its phase shift armor, turning his machine a bright blue and white.
"Stella?"
"Just a minute…" Sting sighed. Why does she have to be such a ditz? "ZGMF-X88S Gaia, all set." The final machine got to its feet and transformed into a black, red, and yellow color.
"Let's do it then, I wanna get the hell out of here as quick as possible." Sting pushed several buttons and pulled back on the throttle stick. He heard the machine's engines begin to come online and the cockpit became abuzz with noise and lights. He glanced at his computer and checked all the mobile suit's diagnostics. Everything looked set.
One noise didn't sound right though. Sting shot a curious glance at his view port and saw something moving on the ground. One of the ZAFT crew had survived and was now maneuvering himself over towards one of the computer consoles nearby. The screeching blare of the alarm sounded just then, sending its pulsating scream in all directions. Sting rolled his eyes. Great. Now here comes the hard part.
The alarm sounded throughout the base. All around, soldiers stopped in their tracks at the sound of it, some going so far as to drop whatever they were carrying at the time. Among them were Lunamaria Hawke and Rey za Burrel, two young pilots who were normally stationed aboard the Minerva, but had been forced onto the ground for the ceremony in a few days.
Gilbert, Cagalli, and the others in their group heard the alarm as well. "What's that?" Gilbert demanded.
"What's going on?" Yuri shouted to no one in particular.
Alex was the first to see the explosion obliterate the main doors to the hangar just a few yards in front of them. Moving quickly, he grabbed the shaken Cagalli by the shoulders and threw her to the ground, covering her with his own body. Behind them, the ZAFT soldiers surrounding Gilbert did the same to him and Eileen, while Yuri flattened himself against the back wall of the nearest hangar. Alex glanced up just in time to see the smoke that was covering the spot where the hangar had just been standing clear, revealing a trio of gargantuan figures standing in its place. His eyes widened. "What's happening?" he heard Cagalli ask underneath him.
He helped her to her feet just as the lead mobile suit, the one in green and black, fire his beam rifle into the next hangar, tearing down the door and ripping into the back wall, causing another explosion that took all the mobile suits inside the hangar with it. Another ball of fire coursed towards them, Alex once again protecting Cagalli with his own body.
"Take out the hangars," Sting ordered from inside his cockpit. "They'll be crawling with mobile suits. Take 'em out while they're still on the ground."
"I'll take the left Stella. You get the right," Auel said.
"Right!"
Abyss and Gaia split off in two different directions, each using their high powered guns to take down the hangars ahead of them. Explosions rang out all across the base. Luckily for the group that included Gilbert and Cagalli, the hangar near them was spared from damage for the time being. "Get me a status report!" Gilbert demanded. "Take the Princess to the shelter immediately! General, get to the command center and raise the alarm to those outside! Where's Evans?"
Alex rose to his feet with his arms still wrapped securely around Cagalli. He saw Yuri start to run with two other ZAFT personnel hot on his heels. Gilbert and Eileen were still being held back by the ZAFT soldiers that remained with them. One of them pointed the way to the shelter and gestured for Alex to take Cagalli there. Giving a nod of thanks, Alex began to sprint, Cagalli under his arm, in the direction he'd been indicated to go. "Athru…?" Cagalli stuttered, but another explosion cut her off.
"Come on!" he called.
Sting used his rifle for the most part. He stuck to the ground and patiently made his way from one spot to the next, taking out any structures that lay in his path. Two more hangars went up in flames along his path of destruction. In the meantime, he could see other mobile suits attempting to take off from the ground. He used the weapons stored into his machine's backpack to destroy two GAZuOOTs and then his rifle to take out an airborne DINN that tried to take a pot-shot at him. He smirked to himself. These ZAFT pilots were awfully ambitious. He liked fighting against ambitious opponents. They always seemed to be more willing to walk into his cross hares.
On the other side of the tarmac, Auel leaned back on his left leg and raised his mobile suit's torso into the air. He fired his beam cannon and took out another airborne DINN, severing one of its wings and sending it spiraling down towards the ground. It crashed into one of the hangars and exploded, causing one of the ZAKUs inside to fall onto its side through the newly created hole in the wall and smash into the ground, still mostly intact. Auel smirked. Lucky bastard. He moved his machine to face the grounded ZAKU. He centered his targeting bracket onto the mobile suit and squeezed the firing trigger in his right hand.
"Auel!" Sting's voice froze Auel, the trigger button not pressed far enough to activate the Abyss' guns. "Forget it! It's useless anyway." Sighing angrily, Auel sprang up into the air and went on with his business.
Gaia jumped up into the air and suddenly transformed itself. It was now in a mode similar to that of a dog or more precisely a wolf. It looked like a wolf because it was continuing on its violent rampage, taking out another ZAKU on the ground as it was attempting to take off. The smaller mobile suit lost its right leg and crashed down on its side, crushing a fuel truck that was parked underneath it and causing another massive explosion that could be felt all around the base.
Gilbert was led by one of his bodyguards to a relatively safe location on the outskirts of the base. Eileen was right behind him the other way. "General Amalfi's on his way to the command center now, Chairman," his guard reported. He paused as he listened to the wireless radio in his ear. "…It's been confirmed at least sixty percent of the hangar facilities have been rendered unusable."
Damn, Gilbert cursed inside his mind. It wouldn't do well for morale if the Chairman of the PLANTs was seen cursing during this kind of situation. "Where's the Princess?" he demanded.
"Unknown, sir. We lost track of her and her escort when the second explosion happened. We believe they're on their way to the shelter, but we haven't received confirmation yet."
"Is there any way you can get confirmation? On her location and what's happening here?"
"Not at the moment sir. There are gas leaks all over the place and most of our communication lines have been cut. We've already been reduced to emergency power supplies."
"Chairman!" Another bodyguard came running up to them. "You have to move away from this area immediately. The gas leaks are reaching critical levels in sectors two, three, and six. It's only a matter of time before one of them goes up in flames and takes most of the hangars with it."
Gilbert frowned, this time barring his teeth in anger. How on Earth could this have happened? he asked himself.
"Sir, may I suggest you and Representative Canaver board the Minerva as a safety precaution?"
Gilbert glanced at Eileen. "It won't do anyone any favors if we stay out here and get ourselves killed, Chairman," she answered. Gilbert shut his eyes and slowly nodded. "Get as many of the wounded to safety as you can!" Eileen ordered to the soldiers around them. "Use the Minerva as a makeshift hospital if you have to!"
"Get word to General Amalfi that until I can get a handle on this situation, he's in charge of all operations here and on the outside," Gilbert whispered to his bodyguard. He cast one last glance back towards the fires behind him. He could see two of the three mobile suits continuing to engage the units that had rapidly deployed to intercept them. Based on what he could see, it wouldn't be long before they reduced the entire base to ashes. There's only one thing that can stop them now. "Message the Minerva to send out her machines as soon as they're ready!" he ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
Minerva, 1010.
"Receiving orders from ground personnel, Captain!" Meyrin reported on the bridge. "We've been ordered to launch our machines and have them intercept the three machines."
"Lieutenant Brunswick, have Ensign Asuka get ready!" Talia commanded. "Bring all weapons online as a precautionary measure, Ensign Dullindal. Arthur!"
"Where's the Chairman?" Arthur shouted to Meyrin.
"Chairman Dullindal and Representative Canaver are on their way here," she confirmed.
"Captain-" Arthur began, but Talia cut him off severely.
"Our objective has been set before us. We will intercept those machines with our own and do what we can ourselves. Roland, find Lunamaria and Rey. Tell them to get back here as soon as they can."
"Already on it, ma'am," Roland's voice sounded through the radio from the lower part of the bridge. "Rey says that the hangar with their machines got taken out, but the mobile suits themselves don't appear to be that badly damaged. They'll get airborne as soon as they can get them out."
"Commander Bourdais has just arrived, Captain!" Ensign Bart Heim called from his position opposite Meyrin. "He says to launch the Impulse as soon as it's ready. He'll be ready himself in just a few minutes."
"Very good, Ensign. Relay this message to Chief Aves. Launch Impulse immediately!"
Back at the base, one of the last hangars standing was hit by a shot from Gaia's cannons. Cagalli and Alex were still on the run, trying desperately to find somewhere safe. "Those…those…" Cagalli gasped as she ran, "…those were GUNDAMs…!"
"I know. Keep running!" Alex answered.
Another explosion rang out in front of them. "Athrun!" Cagalli shouted as he threw her up against a wall to protect her from the debris cloud that enveloped them. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something through the cloud of smoke and soot. It was the ZAKU that had escaped damage from the hangar explosion moments before, lying on the ground in almost pristine form. Narrowing his eyes, he analyzed what was in front of him. The ZAKU would offer at least some sanctuary from the rampaging mobile suits and he knew full well that he would be capable of piloting it. After all, he still was known in private as Athrun Zala, former ZAFT ace and recipient of the Order of the Nebula. It had been almost two years since he'd piloted one of them in actual combat, but some things just were too hard to forget and as much as he'd like to forget his experiences in those years, they had stuck with him throughout the peaceful years that had immediately preceded this. He now was at least somewhat thankful that they hadn't left him. "Come on!" he shouted, grabbing Cagalli by her arm and pulling her towards the mobile suit. He helped Cagalli stand on the bright green steel of the left arm and then pulled himself up. Making his way over to the cockpit opening, he glanced back through the smoke at the scene behind him. He could see both Chaos and Gaia causing mayhem, firing their weapons madly in all directions.
"Get in!" he ordered.
"What?" Athrun bit his lower lip. As much as he hated to do this now, he'd been left with no other alternative. Scooping the startled Cagalli up in his arms, he leapt through the opening and into the cockpit. He settled into the cockpit seat and strapped himself in. "I'm not about to let you die in a place like this," he told Cagalli as he began to start up the machine. Just tell me, you'll start, he asked the ZAKU. In what could have been an answer, the mobile suit sighed as its systems came online. The red light that some would have mistaken for its eye, blazed a path of light through the smoke cloud that was now just beginning to disintegrate. Slowly, the ZAKU began to rise to its feet. "Hang on!" he told her as he pressed the throttle and began to move the machine.
Outside, Stella jumped into the air once again and transformed Gaia back into humanoid mode. She wasn't even breathing hard as she quickly glanced in all directions she was afforded from the cockpit. "Stella?" That was Sting's voice. "Everything okay?"
"Fine," Stella answered.
"Get your ass out of that area. My sensors are telling me there's a huge gas leak…"
Stella didn't hear the rest of his orders. Something else appeared that demanded her attention even more. From out of the cloud of smoke in front of her, came the charging figure of a ZAFT mobile suit. Its shoulder extended towards her, the ZAKU slammed into the Gaia, sending the mobile suit flying backwards. Stella cried out in surprise as she struggled to maintain her balance. She did so, ending up approximately fifty meters away from the green ZAKU. Inside his own cockpit, Athrun stared at the Gaia and wondered who the pilot was. He didn't have much time to get his answer though, for at that very instant the flames from one of the explosions caught the vapors from the gas leak and caused a catastrophic explosion that incinerated buildings, mobile suits, and people on the ground. Athrun lunged the ZAKU forward to take away some of the momentum from the explosion and keep himself upright. Stella watched the explosion occur behind the ZAKU and watched in confusion. "Who's that?" she asked herself.
"Damn," Athrun swore. He'd ended up right in front of one of the GUNDAMs. The Gaia launched itself at him, a beam saber withdrawn from its hip socket now grasped firmly in its right hand. Athrun glanced at his weapons board and brought the ZAKU's beam axe out of its shield in order to block the attack. He managed to, barely. "Who are you?" he asked Gaia, as sparks flew in all directions as their weapons intersected one another.
A short distance away, sirens began to ring inside the Minerva's hangar bay. Madd Aves signaled to one of his mechanics to ready the other support parts for the Impulse just as a red clad figure dashed past him. "Make sure you get 'em all, kid!" he shouted. The figure responded with a thumbs up as he raced towards the awaiting Core Splendor fighter jet sitting on the lift ahead. He catapulted himself onto the wing and then into the cockpit. He sealed the hatch and his helmet visor as he heard Meyrin go through the warning commands that dealt with the immediate launch of a mobile suit. "Impulse, standby for takeoff. Pilot, proceed to Core Splendor." I'm here, don't worry about it, he thought as he fastened his restraint belts around his slender body.
"Sword Module selected. Opening Silhouette Hangar two." There was a series of doors that secured the Impulse's weapons packs on the opposite side of the hangar. One of these doors opened to reveal the Sword Silhouette Pack, which was loaded, by a series of highly technological gangways and magnetic fields onto the catapult lift below the Core Splendor. "Silhouette Flyer, standby for takeoff. Platform setup complete. Central catapult, online."
As the lift rose towards the catapult, the pilot could see small objects up above him begin to swing themselves upwards. "Opening airtight shutters. Emergency crew, standby for takeoff plan. Raise central catapult to launch position!" With startling quickness, he activated the Core Splendor's computerized systems and watched as the words, Generation Unrestricted Network Drive Assault Module, appeared on his monitor in front of him. This meant that the Core Splendor's systems had been brought online successfully. He saw the console light up in front of him and he held the control stick tightly in his hands. "Core Splendor, all systems online. Commencing takeoff sequence." The lift stopped abruptly and he looked out through the clear transparency of the cockpit hatch. The main hatch of the Minerva was just now opening to reveal the blue sky beyond. He could also see black smoke rising up into the sky. He narrowed his eyes. There's going to be a battle, he told himself. This won't end well, will it? "Hatch opened. Linear launch system engaged. Catapult power levels normal. Course clear."
"He's set," Roland told Talia.
"Launch Core Splendor!" she commanded.
"Core Splendor, please take off," Meyrin radioed. Glancing up, the pilot watched as the status board near the front of the hatch gradually changed from red to light blue, giving him the okay to launch. He pressed the throttle gear forward and felt the engines hum in response. The Core Splendor surged forward with a shove from the catapult and soared into the sky at the end of the hatch. Behind him, the remaining parts were subsequently lifted up to the central catapult. "Catapult engaged. Please deploy Silhouette Flyer." Utilizing its own engines, the weapons pack launched itself after the Core Splendor. "Next, please deploy Chest Flyer. Please deploy Leg Flyer." The final two parts were launched successfully. Banking away from the Minerva, the Core Splendor raced across the sky towards the base just a short distance in front of him.
Sting bounded up and down on the Chaos' legs and slashed through the cockpit of another ZAKU, reducing the mobile suit to a ball of fire and debris in a matter of seconds. His sensor pinged at him. "Huh?" He snapped his head towards the area where the sensors indicated and saw something he didn't expect. Stella was actually engaged in a fight with one of the ZAKUs. Shit, one must have gotten online. "Stella!" he shouted.
Stella widened her eyes when she saw Chaos coming towards her. She jumped backwards and out of the way as Sting soared through the opening towards the ZAKU. Athrun hissed. He pulled back on the stick and jumped backwards to avoid Chaos. He raced forward with his beam axe and slashed at the Chaos, catching him in the right arm, but Sting managed to position the limb in a way that it didn't do much damage to him. "You're good," he acknowledged. "But not good enough!" Pushing forward, Sting withdrew one of his beam sabers from his hip and cut sideways, sending the ZAKU's beam axe flying off in another direction. He chopped upwards and severed the mobile suit's left arm next. Athrun moved backwards to get clear of the attack. Cagalli balanced herself delicately next to him and cried out as Chaos launched itself at them once again.
Something blasted against Sting's back and he lurched off balance away from the ZAKU. Athrun took this much needed opportunity and darted away from the fight. Both pilots craned their necks up to see something approaching fast from the west. Darting up and away from the mobile suits, the Core Splendor folded its wings into its main fuselage and, using a sophisticated laser guidance system, linked up with the trailing Leg Flyer and attached itself to the latter device's upper socket. Reducing speed, the pilot approached the Chest Flyer which had gone on ahead during the flight to the base. The lasers helped bring in the Chest Flyer and attached it over the Core Splendor's cockpit, creating a body. The Leg Flyer's legs extended themselves to their full length as a head appeared out of the Chest Flyer's upper section and a set of arms emerged from its sides. Finally, the front half of the Sword Silhouette came off and the main pack attached itself to the new creation's back, which then altered the machine's color from gray to red and white. From this height, the newly created mobile suit crashed down to the ground upright, in between the Chaos, Gaia, and the ZAKU, two mighty swords held in its hands. Combining both blades into one huge double-edged sword, the mobile suit gleamed brightly in the morning light.
The ZGMF-X56S Impulse stood proudly among the wreckage of the base, smoke and fire still rising against the blue sky overhead. Inside the cockpit, Shinn Asuka shouted, "Why is this happening? Do you guys wanna start another war?" The Impulse's engines revved and it sped towards Gaia and Chaos. Inside the ZAKU's cockpit, Athrun and Cagalli looked on in shock, both too startled to even move.
End PHASE-01.
