Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED/Gundam Seed Destiny
"Ugh... ughh... uhh..." A certain silver haired individual said as he slowly awoke from his slumber.
'Where the hell am I?' He thought. The man then sat upwards and looked around to get a grip on his surroundings. From what he could guess, he was in a ship's sick bay, and from how it looked, he was on a Zaft vessel. 'Shit! Did we get captured? DAMMIT!' He looked around to see who he was sharing the room with. A sigh of relief overcame him when he saw another silver haired individual, his mother, laying down and sleeping nearby, as well as his friend Dearka Elsman, and another man, Edir Arak. Looking behind himself he saw a man in white suit working at a computer, and a women in a Zaft Nurse's outfit nearby tending to some equipment. 'Maybe if I'm careful I can take them out and make a break for it.' He thought as he tried to get out of his bed, but heard the man who had his back to him speak.
"I see you've woken up. That's good to hear." The doctor said.
"Dammit! I was trying to be subtle!" Yzak raged as the doctor turned around and looked at him.
"Why? You're perfectly safe here, no reason to run. Besides, you're in no condition to try to get away." The doctor said as Yzak then slowly noticed that he in fact had a cast on his left arm.
"Well from what I can tell I'm on a Zaft ship! And after doing what I just did I guess I'm going to be tried for treason and executed! So that's why!" Yzak said.
"What? What did you do? Oh, and you're on a ship that was designed and created by Zaft, but you are no longer on a ship that is under Zaft." The doctor said.
"What? The hell are you talking about? This had better not be some mind trick to confuse me!" Yzak raged some more. "Where am I and where the hell are we?" He asked.
"You are on the vessel known as the LHM-BB01 Minerva, and we are currently traveling to the north in the Atlantic Ocean." The doctor said as Yzak's eyes turned to soccer balls.
"WHAT? The Minerva? That vessel was sunk by the Alliance before they nuked the shit out of Gibraltar, the bastards! Tell me the truth!" Yzak demanded.
"I just did... we're on the Minerva, and it was not sunk. The truth of the matter is that you, and the rest of Zaft, were fooled by us." The doctor said, Yzak groaning at this.
"Alright then... what actually happened? And why am I here?" Yzak asked.
"I am not the person to tell you this." The doctor said as he walked over to a phone and picked it up, dialing a number. "Captain... yes... Yzak Joule... just as his profile described... alright then... I will tell him... no just Yzak... excellent." The doctor could be heard saying as he then hung up the phone.
"What's this all about?" Yzak asked in an angry tone.
"Captain Gladys will be here to calm you down and explain some of the information you want to hear about shortly. In addition to this, the Commander and Chief of our Fleet, Princess Cagalli Yula Attha will be coming over in some time to address you all once everyone's woken up." The doctor informed.
"Princess... what? Command and Chief of our Fleet? Just what the hell..." Yzak said as the doctor put on his serious face and sighed. "Fine then, I'll wait, just answer this one question: How bad of a condition am I in and how badly injured are the rest of these guys?" Yzak asked.
"You... broken arm... and that's about it. Former Council Member Ezalia Joule... practically used you as a pillow as you guys descended in through the atmosphere. Dearka... hmm... broken ribs, and the man who was with him has a broken leg." The doctor explained.
"Alright... good, nothing's serious. At least I've got some actual good news that I can understand today." Yzak complained as he heard the sound of a door opening behind him and turned around, looking at the short blonde haired women in the white Zaft uniform being followed by the green haired man in the black Zaft uniform.
"Well well well... Commander Yzak Joule of the Joule team, what a pleasant surprise it was finding you, Dearka Elsman, a former politician who was confined to a maximum security prison, and the CEO of the largest mobile suit provider for Zaft literally falling on our heads last night. I hope you have a good explanation behind why the hell the Duel and Buster were caught on radar free falling to Earth right on top of our fleet..." Talia Gladys said.
"Huh?" Yzak said.
"What you don't remember? Well then again you were knocked out cold when we sent some mobile suits up to get you last night." Talia said.
-Flashback-
The ORB fleet was traveling through the Atlantic Ocean at an average pace. It was nighttime now and it had been decided that if they were to actually assault Heaven's Base, they were going to need some kind of well thought out and organized strategy for taking over such a location, even if they were to eventually just issue an ultimatum stating 'surrender or get stealth nuked'. Captain Todaka had said that in order for the Eurasian Forces to obey somebody like Cagalli, even if they did technically say they were going to fight by her side, a demonstration of power was going to be needed. It wasn't just going to be an issue of Cagalli threatening to nuke them and them surrendering, they had to understand that she, as well as the people under her, meant business and that they were powerful and mighty, and were to be respected due to that factor more than the simple fact that the Archangel claims to have a TAOP-00SN missile aboard it. The ORB forces needed to take on the Alliance one's initially, and show that they were willing to spill blood and have their own blood spilt in order to achieve their goals. Much to her displeasure, Cagalli eventually agreed to this plan.
"So if we do a fancy trick like that then we have a chance at taking out all of their Destroys at once, or most of them." Talia said when a buzzer somewhere on the bridge began to ring, prompting Todaka to turn to his communications officer.
"What is it?" Todaka said as he turned to the radar operator.
"Damn! They might have found us and are sending a massive force at us! All hands to..." Arthur tried to say.
"Shut it, Arthur! We don't know what it is yet that's on the radar! Quiet!" Talia interrupted and silenced her Executive Officer, Todaka giving off a slight grin as he heard this and Murrue chuckling a little.
"Sir, detecting two mobile suits closing in from above. Attempting to identify." The radar operator said.
"Two mobile suits?" Cagalli said.
"Does it look like there's more following them? Do they look like they're preparing to attack us?" Murrue asked as the radar operator continued to press his controls.
"Identifying as... GAT-X102 Duel and GAT-X103 Buster. They're closing in on us, and it's just them. However it looks as if the pilots are struggling to keep control of their suits... weird..." The radar operator said.
"What do you mean? Are they rolling around or something?" Talia asked.
"No they're... imagine a mobile suit is descending and the pilot has taken his hands off the controls. That's the best explanation for what I'm saying."
"They might be in trouble, or it could be a trap. In either case I think it's in our best interest to try to capture those two machines and bring them in. If it's just two machines... two older machines, then something's up." Todaka said, several heads nodding in agreement.
"Send out the Murasume teams and bring them in!" Cagalli tried to say.
"No, Princess. I think it's best that we just send two experienced pilots who know what they're doing to get them, considering the state of their descent." Todaka said.
"Okay..." Cagalli said.
"I think our best course of action is to send out Prince Kira and Shinn Asuka to go get them." Todaka suggested.
"I agree. If we launch too many suits they may get in each other's way." Murrue responded.
"Yes. Do it. Each of them should be more than capable to picking up a falling mobile suit like that and carrying it here safely, or fighting it off should things go sour." Talia said.
"Kira Yamato to hanger bay. I repeat, Kira Yamato to hanger bay, you are to prepare to launch in the Strike Noir." Andrew Waltfeld's voice echoed throughout the Archangel as one of it's elevator doors opened and Kira ran forward, without a flight suit on as he sprinted across the upper level of the hanger bay, heading for the Noir's cockpit door.
'What the hell is this all about?' He thought to himself as he opened the door and quickly hopped in it, turning on the gundam and strapping himself in, preparing to be taken to the catapult deck by the Archangel's computer. The Ultimate Coordinator then pressed some buttons on his console and an image of Andrew Waltfeld appeared as he felt the gundam begin to move to the left.
"Mr. Waltfeld, what's this all about? All I heard was 'Kira go to the hanger bay and get in your machine.'" Kira said.
"We've detected the Duel and the Buster free falling through the atmosphere headed for us. We're having you and the pilot of that other machine... the Impulse, go and get them." Andrew explained as the Strike Noir entered the Archangel's port side catapult, the hanger bay closing.
'Shinn...' Kira thought for a second, his expression becoming kind of sour.
"What's the matter, Kira? Is something wrong?" Andrew asked, Kira not saying anything for a second.
"Attaching the Noir pack." Mirallia's voice could be heard as the Noir Striker was attached to the back of the Strike Noir, the little budge the gundam made when the pack connected to it shaking Kira up slightly.
"Uh... nothing. I'm good. It's alright." Kira responded.
"Alright then. I'm transmitting the coordinates of the Duel and Buster to you right now. You'll have to hurry. Good luck kid." Andrew said.
"Thanks Mr. Waltfeld." Kira said as the line was cut.
"Strike Noir, ready when you are." Mirallia informed.
"Kira Yamato, Strike Noir, taking off!" Kira announced as his gundam was launched from the Archangel.
At the same time, on the Minerva:
"Standby to launch Impulse. Pilot to Core Splendor." Meyrin's voice said throughout the Minerva's hanger bay as Shinn ran towards the small Core Splendor and jumped in. "Central Catapult online. Opening hatchway." Meyrin said as the middle catapult door of the Minerva opened up and the platform that the Core Splendor was on was raised upwards. "Shinn, you're all clear." Meyrin said.
"Shinn Asuka, Impulse, launching." Shinn said as the Core Splendor launched from the Minerva, the next piece coming after. The Chest Flyer, Leg Flyer, and Force Silhouette were then launched from the ship, the Impulse combining together, it's shield extending as the red eyed coordinator noticed a black gundam coming from the Archangel. "I guess I got to follow him." Shinn said, the Impulse ascending into the air and following the Strike Noir. Shinn then opened a channel and then began to talk to Kira. "Hey, what are we doing anyway?" He asked.
"We're going after the Duel and the Buster... they're falling." Kira said.
"WHAT? What are they doing here? Are they insane?" Shinn asked as the two mobile suits closed in on the Duel and the Buster, displaying an image of each of them. The Buster had lost both of it's weapons and it's right hand looked beat up. The Duel had no shield, and no assault shroud armor. Clearly, something was up with all of this.
"What the hell happened hear..." Kira said as the two functioning machines tried to keep up with the two other ones. "I'll get the Duel, you get the Buster." He ordered as the Noir closed in on Yzak's machine and grabbed it, the Impulse doing the same for the Buster.
-End Flashback-
"Apparently you guys couldn't stay very well awake during the atmospheric descent sequence for some reason. Probably the states your suits were in meant that all systems were not functioning perfectly I'm guess." Talia said.
"Hmm... I see. I still want to know why the hell you guys are alive and why you're 'with ORB' now." Yzak asked as several of the other sleepers then began to shift in the slumber, indicating that they would wake up soon.
"We'll get to that soon. I'd rather you all hear this at once then hear it individually. However, I ask that you trust me when I say you're safe hear." Talia said. Yzak groaned.
"Fine then. I guess I've got no choice." He responded.
Nine hundred hours, Minerva lounge:
Captain Gladys and Princess Cagalli were sitting on a couch on the lounge, Arthur standing nearby. Across from them was Ezalia Joule, Edir Arak, Yzak Joule, and Dearka Elsman, all of which were now awake.
"So... let me get this straight: When you battled that 'Destroy gundam' or whatever it's called, you got some information about Gilbert Durandal's true intentions, which from what I hear, are not too pleasant for any human who wishes to ever live a free life? Then this vessel joined the ORB forces, sent out a fake warning message, acted as if it was sunk by the Earth Forces, and then you, Princess, nuke Gibraltar and are going to try to take Heaven's Base this afternoon? Is that... is that how it is?" Ezalia asked.
"Yes it is. That is, for the most part, a recap of what happened over this past week. Now, tell me what the hell you guys are doing? Why are you here?" Cagalli asked in a stern tone of authority.
"We busted a wide hole in that damned prison they have at Fleet Command Headquarters and left with about ten ships." Yzak said, Talia and Arthur gasping.
"You did what?" Arthur asked.
"The maximum security prison at Fleet Command Headquarters? That's... impossible..." Talia said in a shocked tone.
"It's not impossible, not when you have people both behind the bars and in front of them." Ezalia responded.
"I'm guessing this was because you probably don't have a high opinion of the Chairman as well? Whatever, if you stole ten ships, then why did we only ever detect the Duel and the Buster?" Cagalli asked.
"Well... that's where..." Dearka said in a 'this is where things fucked up so badly' tone.
"Those... bastards! That Admiral Westenfluss! Apparently Durandal's given him a brand new ship, and he's got several top of the line machines on board it. Destroyed all of our forces!" Yzak said.
"A new ship?" Arthur said.
"Yes, and that giant hunk of metal is very powerful. Beam cannons all over the damn thing, and a miniature gamma ray cannon mounted on it's bow..." Yzak said.
"I see..." Cagalli said, turning to Edir. "What's your story?" She asked.
"He's in charge of the company that built those four new machines!" Yzak informed.
"Um... yes... well... Durandal had me arrested because he wanted to get me out of the way of his overall scheme... you see I am actually the former CEO of the Integrated Design Bureau... believe it or not. When we unveiled the new gundams to the Chairman he was impressed, and then he betrayed me and my Board of Directors and tried to lock us away." Edir explained.
"That bastard!" Cagalli clenched her fists. "I see now... in any case you'll all be place on this ship for now..." She turned to Edir again. "However I want you to give us some information on those new mobile suits that Durandal has, even if it's just stuff from memory. Who are the pilots of these new machines?" She asked.
"I know Athrun Zala is the pilot of one of them." Yzak said, Cagalli being a little shocked by this.
"Athrun... that... grr..." She said. "Understood. We'll deal with him when the time comes." Cagalli said as she got up and began to walk towards the door.
"Hey! What's going to happen to our machines?" Dearka asked.
"They're in the hanger bay. However they won't be working any time soon from what I hear." Talia responded as the camera cuts to show the damaged Duel and Buster in the Minerva's hanger bay.
"Princess, where are you going?" Ezalia asked, Cagalli turning to the former PLANT Supreme Council Member.
"I have an ultimatum to issue out right now. After which I have a base to conqueror, a Federation to bring to my side, and a fight to take back control of MY nation and then stop Durandal. Does that answer your question." Cagalli responded.
"Don't you think today is a little hectic to be doing something like that? I mean, today is the day the Federal Election for the Atlantic Federation is happening, and I can guarantee you that the current President will not be having a second term this time around, and the guy who will replace him has a desire to 'make peace' with Durandal." Ezalia responded, shocking Cagalli before the Princess regained herself and looked back at her.
"Then I guess today is the day where the political world is shaken to its very foundations." Cagalli said as she left the room. 'I'm skeptical of that women and that man... I know Yzak somewhat... Dearka a little more, but wasn't she part of the same party which Athrun's father led in the first war? And that Edir Arak guy... something tells me he isn't telling the truth, in which case, why is he lying? What's the true story? Whatever it's best to keep a close watch on him...' Cagalli thought.
Heaven's Base:
"Oh, what is it now?" Cody McGiligan, the Commander of Heaven's Base said as he walked up to one of his subordinates consoles. "Who are they? Zaft forces?" He said, looking at a radar which showed incoming vessels.
"No sir, they're... it looks like an ORB fleet!" The radar operator informed.
"An ORB fleet? I didn't hear about any forces from that speck of dirt heading our way! What's the meaning of this! Get Lord Djibril for me now!" He ordered.
"Yes sir." Another person in the command room said.
"Commander, you need to come see this. That fleet you're talking about? They're sending us a message, and I don't think you'll like it." Another person working at a control panel said as Commander McGiligan walked over and looked at the message, his eyes widening.
"What the hell? What's the meaning of this? Is this some sort of death threat? An Ultimatum?" He asked as his second-in-command, Mark Rempy, as well as Lord Djibril himself and several other Logos members like Bruno Azrael walked into the room.
"What's the meaning of this! I demand an answer! Now!" Lord Djibril said, Cody McGiligan looking a little shocked.
"Oh, sorry to interrupt whatever it is you were doing sir, however, we've detected a fleet of ORB vessels off the coast, and we've received a very arrogant message from them." McGiligan said.
"An ORB fleet? What? Let me read that?" Djibril said as he pushed the commander out of the way and looked at the message that had been received, reading it in his head. 'ULTIMATUM: I, Princess Cagalli Yula Attha, Chief Representative of the ORB Union, henceforth demand the following from the Eurasian Federation stronghold known as Heaven's Base: One, the complete and utter surrender by the forces at Heaven's Base and Eurasia. Two, the control of all military forces stationed at Heaven's Base is to be transferred to me and me alone. Failure to comply with these demands shall be met with extreme force and will result in the destruction of the base. You have until thirteen hundred hours to reply.' He thought. "HOW THE HELL? THAT LITTLE BITCH! How is she alive and why in god's name does she think she has the right to even do something like this?" Lord Djibril shouted out loud, laughing as he did.
'Is this man crazy? What's gotten into him?' Mark Rempy thought.
"Sir..." Cody McGiligan said.
"Djibril... DJIBRIL!" Bruno Azrael said, prompting a reaction from Lord Djibril, who looked at him expectantly. "What is it? What is this Ultimatum?" Bruno asked.
"Apparently the Princess of ORB is still alive! And she's brought a piddly little fleet with her and thinks that she can take over this base! Haha! Get the Chancellor of Eurasia on the line! Get the Eurasian media on the line! I want everyone to KNOW and UNDERSTAND our power when we crush that little twats forces and make her cry like a baby! Prepare the base for battle!" Djibril ordered in a stern tone.
"Yes sir! Bring the base to level one battle stations!" Commander McGiligan ordered.
"How many ships are out there?" Mark Rempy asked.
"Sir we can't see them all due to the radar we've got... and how far away they are now, and due to some interferrance they've deployed, but from what I'm seeing they've got eight Aegis Mk.2-class vessels, five Seldamis-class submarines, and I can just detect the bow of one Takemikazuchi-class carrier." The radar operator informed.
"What a joke. Does she really think to take Heaven's Base with just that? We'll show them why a little teenage brat has no place in the big person's world." Cody McGiligan said.
"Have the remaining Destroys stationed here launched. I want to absolutely steam roll them. Is that clear? If we crush that little brat, I think that a certain dreamer may think twice before he tries to do anything foolish. Do you know what I mean?" Djibril asked.
"Sir!" McGiligan saluted him as he acknowledged the order.
"Then I'll be watching this all unfold. Do not disappoint me, Commander." Djibril said as he and the rest of the Logos members began to walk out of the command room. All around the base people were on high alert and battle preparations were taking place. Hanger bays filled with mobile suits and mobile armors now bee hives of activity as engineers checked the status' of machines and pilots prepared to launch.
"Gate C18 through 31 will be sealed from this point on. All personal please hurry with your assigned tasks."
"Groups five and seven move towards location five."
"Gells-Ghe and Zamza-zahs are to standby and prepare to lift off."
"Engineers in Destroy hangers have finished their last minute checks on those machines. Pilots please report to their machines and prepare to standby."
"All personal begin evacuating to underground shelters."
"Defense Plan Omega in effect."
"Third mobile group in position."
The Grandeur was now arriving back at Aprilius One. The pilots of the four gundams were resting in one of the ship's lounges, awaiting orders or permission to leave the vessel. In the Captain's Cabin Kendan Westenfluss was on the line with Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Durandal.
"I see. So the Duel and the Buster managed to get away, and you were only capable of capturing the people on board two or three of the ships." Durandal said.
"Yes sir. When we approached them they immediately launched all their mobile suits and took hostile formations." Kendan Westenfluss replied.
"I understand. I am very impressed with the combat data that has been sent to us. From it I am now certain that those four machines and this vessel will play a pivotal role in ending this war for good." Durandal said.
"Thank you, Chairman." Kendan said.
"Tell me, what about the Duel and the Buster, did they engage any of the four gundams before they made a break for it?"
"The Crusader engaged the Duel for a short while, and the Colossus forced the Buster back."
"Hmm... has Athrun Zala been acting... strangely in the short while since they've returned back to the ship? I wondering if that traitor Commander Yzak Joule started spouting lies to him." Durandal said.
"He's acting like Athrun... I can't tell for sure. The four of them have been resting for the most part since then, Chairman. Why do you ask?" Kendan asked Gilbert Durandal.
"Athrun Zala is a warrior, a strong warrior. However he is very... how can I saw this... persuadable. I don't want him having second thoughts because of anything that Commander Joule may have said to him." Durandal said.
"I'll tell Heine and Rey to chat with him and monitor him." Kendan said.
"Good. What non-existent repairs and what little supplies are needed for the Grandeur will be coming shortly. Until then, I want all four of them to stay on board the ship. Oh, and one more thing, I may or may not be sending Lacus Clyne over to visit her fiance some time later." Durandal said.
"Understood. Westenfluss out." The line was cut. Gilbert Durandal continued to sit at his desk until his phone rang.
"Oh, what is it now?" He said as he picked it up. "Durandal here." He said, his eyes slowly bulging out as he heard what the person on the other end had to say. "You're joking, right? That's not possible? Route it to my office. I there's news crews coming out that far then they'll be taking a picture of the action. I want to see this live, not hear an account of it." Durandal said as he put the phone down. "And we all thought that Princess Cagalli and her forces had died when the Alliance moved that fleet into the Mediterranean and took out Gibraltar with a nuclear missile." Durandal said to himself as the camera cuts to show people all around the world switch to news channels, watching as news crews kept a safe distance from Heaven's Base, using their cameras to zoom in and look at what was happening. Off to the south of Iceland, the very front of the ORB fleet, which consisted of smaller vessels, could barely be seen. The bow of the Takemikazuchi could also barely be made out, but the Archangel and Minerva were nowhere. There was no doubt in the minds of the leaders of Heaven's Base, both military members and Logos members who had fled to there, that the Archangel probably lurked somewhere off in the distance in the back of the fleet. In addition to this, the thought that the first Destroy gundam had not been destroyed, but rather kept by the ORB forces, did not cross anyone's mind. The camera then cuts to show Lunamaria somewhere inside the Grandeur looking at a picture of Meyrin with a sad face.
'Meyrin... are you really gone?' She thought.
Seiran estate, ORB Union:
Yanata Seiran gave out a disturbed and disgruntled groan as he watched the news channel that was displaying images of the battle yet to come.
"Well this certainly is a predicament isn't it? The Princess herself issuing an Ultimatum? It's unfortunate that our nation will not have a Chief Representative by the end of the day. Truly, this will be tragic." Yuna said.
"Hmmph... there might be more to this than meets the eye, Yuna." Yanata said.
"Still... I believe this battle is going to play out the same way a battle between Zaft and the Earth Forces would be over this base. No matter what some people say no one's going to take down the Alliance given it's size and the resources it possesses." Yuna said, Yanata simply nodding.
"Yes..." The Elder Seiran said.
"Sure I know it lost JOSH-A in the last war but that base is being rebuilt on a smaller scale elsewhere in Alaska. The Alliance still has Heaven's Base, and if by some random fluke it should manage to lose Heaven's Base, then they still have the Moon. When I heard what that fool Durandal was saying in that speech of his, I was dumbfounded. However it looks like the Alliance is going to come out on top of this battle, and that should set an example to the PLANTs as to what happens when you challenge the Earth Forces. It sure is a good thing that our nation's people chose the right side, isn't it father?" Yuna said.
"Yes... however I am still concerned with the safety of ORB." Yanata said, changing the channel to one that was focusing on the current election in the Atlantic Federation. "Yuna, look, and pay attention." He said, looking at the current polls. "I think the treaty we signed several months ago is going to be the equivalent of a void warranty receipt by midnight, of not then, then shortly after." Yanata said.
"Oh, you worry too much father." Yuna said.
"Do I know... well I guess I'm just an old man..." Yanata said with in a slow, low tone of an aging member of society.
Takemikazuchi bridge, twelve hundred and thirty hours:
"It's time. Captain Todaka, prepare to open a channel and broadcast a message to Heaven's Base and to every news reporter out there, for now the world will shake." Cagalli said.
"Yes Princess. Right away. Ensign..." Todaka replied.
Every news channel that was displaying images of the scene off the coast of Heaven's Base had now changed it's picture to display Cagalli sitting at a desk somewhere on board the Takemikazuchi. As Lord Djibril looked at the image of Lady Cagalli, a smirk formed on his face.
'Brat... today you shall receive your just punishment.' He thought.
"I am the Chief Representative of the ORB Union, Princess Cagalli Yula Attha. Eurasian Federation stronghold; Heaven's Base, are you going to surrender to me, or am I going to need to force you to submit with violence? We all know that the former is easily the better choice, and the outcome of the events that take place today is not in question. Heaven's Base will surrender and fall under my control, or it will be destroyed. In either case, my forces will suffer minimal casualties. Chose your next words wisely. You have half an hour." Cagalli spoke into the microphone.
"Commander McGiligan!" Djibril shouted from the area above the command room. "Do it! Show that brat what she needs to learn!" Djibril ordered.
"Yes sir! With much pleasure on my part... hehe... LAUNCH DESTROYS ONE THROUGH FIVE! Allow the first and second Zamza-zahs to lift off and cover them, we know there's a good chance the Archangel is somewhere in there, hiding like the cowardly vessel it is. Order our pilots to leave nothing in their wake! Once the Destroys fire their main cannons and obliterate their front line, send out all mobile suits teams and deploy all mobile armors." Cody McGiligan ordered.
"Yes sir!" The base's control room operators responded.
"Okay then, now we wait until they respond to our message, which is unlikely, or we wait until they fire their initial barrage. Captain, bring the fleet to combat status. I will standby in the Strike Rouge." Cagalli said as she left the bridge of the Takemikazuchi.
"Activate Gottfrieds one through four! Load missile launchers! Standby CIWS to intercept incoming missiles and prepare to activate bridge deflection system when necessary!" Amagi ordered.
"Where is our Destroy pilot? Is he getting ready?" Todaka asked.
"The Strike Noir has just landed on the deck sir." An officer informs as the Noir is seen landing on the Takemikazuchi's deck next to the Strike Rouge as the cockpit opens and Auel Neider gets out in a flight suit.
"Good. Have all mobile suit teams standby and prepare to launch." Todaka ordered when the radar operator noticed something.
"Sir, we're detecting some heat sources coming from the base. Detecting two Zamza-zah mobile armors and five... I repeat... FIVE Destroy units coming at us in mobile armor mode."
"Fifteen to starboard! Initiate attack strategy Theta! Inform the necessary vessels." Todaka ordered.
"Yes sir!"
As the five Destroys and two Zamza-zahs moved closer to the ORB forces, which were doing very little, something emerged from the fog that was preventing anyone from seeing further into the ORB fleet's lines. It was large, had two legs, and was primarily white and red. The Archangel continued forward, heading directly out of the clouds and going directly at the Destroys, it's legs opening up as the ship's two Lohengrin positron cannons came fourth and charged up.
"Enemy vessel preparing to fire positron cannon! It's targeting the Destroys!" One of the pilots of the Zamza-zah said.
"Pfft! Activate reflector! We'll block the attack coming from it's port leg and then come in and then clip that angel's wings for good! Make sure you keep us in it's line of fire! Don't stray for a second." The main pilot said as one of the Zamza-zah's aligned itself in front of the Destroy's in a position to block one of the incoming attacks, the other Zamza-zah doing the same for the other leg.
"Murrue Ramius! She's such a rookie Captain. The only reason that ship's lived as long as it has is because of it's specifications! I will relish the moment shortly after the Archangel is blocked and destroyed once and for all." Djibril said, drinking some expensive wine. The people of the world were watching the Archangel as it approached Heaven's Base and prepared to fire it's cannons. However, suddenly, something unexpected happened. The massive white and red vessel seemed to suddenly roll to it's starboard side and alter the firing angle of it's cannons greatly, the mobile armors attempting to keep up.
"What the hell is that thing doing?" Cody McGiligan said when he started to see the Archangel spontaneously roll.
"Sir! Detecting another vessel right directly behind the Archangel! Identification code matched to Zaft vessel LHM-BB01 Minerva! It's preparing to fire it's bow gun and is targeting Destroy unit two!" The radar man informed in a frantic voice.
"WHAT?" Cody McGiligan's eyes turned to baseballs. Lord Djibril groaned angrily.
"TANNHAUSER, FIRE!" Talia Gladys ordered. Outside the gray and red vessel it's bow mounted positron cannon began making noise before firing directly at the Destroys. The massive red and white blast from the ship burst forth and blitzed across the cold ocean water as it headed for the massive machines that were guarding Heaven's Base as they activated their defensive systems. Unfortunately for the Alliance, the Destroys were not equipped with positron reflectors, but only beam reflector shields. As a result of this, the blast cut directly through the shield and abdomen of the middle Destroy that was directly in the line of fire and hit the ocean right behind it. At the exact same time the Archangel fired it's two Lohengrins directly at the Zamza-zah mobile armors. The blasts hit the shields of the mobile armors, and although it didn't directly destroy them, it did push them back a lot, and in fact, one of the Zamza-zahs was pushed so far back that it collided with one of the Destroy gundams directly in it's chest, causing an explosion. A massive flash of light took place where the Tannhauser's shot hit the sea, a massive explosion consuming the area. So much smoke and water was kicked up into the air that you couldn't see what was happening nearby. The Minerva was hit by the blast and pushed to it's port, and the Archangel to it's starboard. The ORB vessels were shaken but due to the distance from the blast they were not in any real danger of capsizing. However in other places of the world, certain people had their jaws open very wide.
"What in the name of...? The Minerva? But... Talia... why did you do this? Why would you do that? Why are you with them?" Durandal stood up from the couch in his office and looked at the large television, clenching his fists.
"The Minerva's there? How in the heck?" Heine said from the Grandeur's lounge.
"What happened? I thought they were sunk? Does that mean..." Athrun tried to say.
"That they betrayed us... then so be it..." Rey said, clenching his fists.
"Meyrin... so you're alive and well..." Lunamaria said.
As the water rained from above and the smoke cleared around the sight where the Destroys were hit, it became obvious that the job was not completely over. One of the Destroys still stood due to being far enough away from the center one which was hit first. Back in Heaven's Base, the control room was in utter disbelief.
"Units one, two, three, and five have been destroyed. Unit four has survived." A man in the control room said.
'And they thought this was going to be a cakewalk... just look at this... we're all going to die if that's just the tip of the iceberg of their tricks.' Mark Rempy thought.
"Call back Unit Four to the main land! Have it defend Heaven's Base! That's done it! Give them no quarter! Kill. Them. All." Commander Cody McGiligan said in a serious tone as the one remaining Destroy gundam turned around and began to move back to the base, the ORB fleet still a little too far away from it to take it on.
"Dammit! One of them survived." Amagi said.
"Order all mobile suits to launch immediately. Send out our Destroy. Prepare to advance forward and push on to Heaven's Base." Todaka ordered. One the deck of the Takemikazuchi the Destroy gundam began to extend it's legs and lift itself up, Auel activating the machine and preparing to bring it into battle. The Strike Noir and Strike Rouge, which were both sitting on the deck of the ship began to fly into the air as Murasumes and Astrays were being launched off of the deck into the air. The Takemikazuchi then began to move forward to the front of the fleet, the Archangel and Minerva flying in the air on either side of it along with several other smaller ships taking positions around the carrier.
"Gaia, Stella, go when ready." Mirallia's voice echoed throughout the Archangel's port side hanger as the Gaia gundam prepared to take off.
"Stella Loussier, Gaia, let's do this!" Stella said as the Gaia immediately took off from the Archangel and made its way towards the two upgraded Strike gundams.
Shinn was preparing the Core Splendor for launch when he pressed a couple of buttons and contacted Meyrin on the bridge.
"Meyrin, send out the Sword Silhouette initially, not the Force like what we usually do." Shinn ordered.
"The Sword? But wouldn't the Force or at least the Blast make more sense considering you're going to be fighting a lot of enemies at once, and the agility of the Force or the heavy ranged firepower of the Blast would be superior to the melee specialization of the Sword?" Meyrin asked.
"True, but our biggest concern is that machine out there. Beam weapons can't really do anything to it unless you get a lucky shot off and when I was fighting it in Zagreb I felt the best way to handle it was to try to get in real close and take slashes at it with my beam sabers. However if I'm using the Excalibur I know I can do more damage if I manage to get close enough to it." Shinn explained.
"Alright then. Get ready to launch." Meyrin said as the central catapult door of the Minerva opened up and the Core Splendor's platform was raised upwards. "Sword module selected. Opening Silhouette hanger two. Sword Flyer standby for launch. Hatch open. Power levels normal. Course clear. Core Splendor, got ahead, launch."
"Shinn Asuka, Core Splendor, launching." Shinn announced as the Core Splendor flew out of the Minerva and onto the battlefield, the rest of the pieces of the Sword Impulse following shortly. The two pods on the Core Splendor's wings separated off of the suit as the wings and nose folded in, the Core Splendor docking with the Leg Flyer, and then the Chest Flyer. The nose of the Sword Silhouette disconnected from the rest of the Silhouette as the large piece of the backpack which held the two RQM60 "Flash-Edge" beam boomerangs turned upside down as the Sword Silhouette attached to the back of the Impulse, the suit's phase shift activating, causing the mobile suit to turn from gray to white and red, with a hint of yellow. The Sword Impulse then took position alongside the Strike Rouge, the Strike Noir, the Gaia, the Destroy, and numerous Murasumes and Astrays.
"Cagalli, what now? Let's go! Let me at them!" Shinn said.
"Ya! Let's go kill them! RAWWR! I'm going to make them feel my claws!" Stella said in an excited tone.
"Guys! This is serious! Stop being silly you can't just run out there on your own!" Kira said.
"Kira's right. The fleet is advancing, and if you look out there, Heaven's Base is deploying it's mobile suits. Once the initial barrage of missile from both sides has been fired we'll go in and take them out. Try to take out incoming missiles. Auel, keep an eye on the other Destroy. If that thing get's close to our ships they're done. I want you to grab it's attention and protect our ships." Cagalli ordered.
"Awe... I wanted to have fun with this thing... to this puppy your machines are like little toys! Toys that are going to be broken! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Auel laughed, Kira sighing.
"Whatever. I'll go in close and take that thing out! Just watch me!" Shinn said, the Impulse drawing it's two anti-ships swords and combining them before spinning them around in a fancy way as the fleet continued to advance, both sides coming into firing range of each other in mear moments.
'Showoff. Pfftt...' Cagalli thought as she looked at Shinn.
"What? Are you going to try and take that thing out on your own?" Kira asked in a worried tone. "Are you insane?"
"If I get in close I can deal major damage with to that. If you want come help me then! The two of us should be able to take that bastard out now that we've fought it before!" Shinn said, Kira groaning.
"Grr.. fine then!" Kira said. 'Shinn... why are you not as angry with me anymore? Why?' Kira thought as the fleet came into firing range.
"Now! Open fire!" Cagalli ordered across the radio.
Across the way Heaven's Base began to unleash a massive barrage of missile high into the air at the ORB fleet as the Windams and mobile armors approached the ORB suits. The ORB fleet then began to open fire. Every artillery cannon, missile launcher, torpedo tube, and particle weapon began to fire at once. The missiles from the attacking ships began to intercept the ones from Heaven's Base as beam cannon shots collided with and destroyed several mobile suits. "Captain Todaka, alert me when our forces have suffered adequate damage. I'm going in! Stella, you're with me! We'll support the forward Murasumes!" Cagalli ordered as the Strike Rouge IWSP pulled out it's two 9.1m anti-ship swords and continued on forwards.
"Yeah! Taste my wrath you Alliance bastards!" Stella yelled as the Gaia transformed into mobile armor mode and began to 'dash' in the air as it headed for the enemy units.
"ARRGHHG!" Shinn yelled as the Sword Impulse then began to thrust in the direction of the Alliance's last Destroy gundam, the Strike Noir behind it.
The ORB and Alliance forces began to clash against one another like two swarms of insects out to completely and utterly decimate one another. The Gaia fired the two cannons mounted on it's back at a Windam, taking it out before Stella did a barrel roll to her left and activated the Gaia's wing blades and beam claws, slicing one machine in half with her wings and lacerating another with her claws.
"You'll never beat me in a machine like that! Mine's stronger, faster, more agile, and has better hardware!" The blonde haired girl yelled as she switched to mobile suit mode, blocked an incoming attack with her shield, shot the enemy Windam that had just shot her with the Gaia's beam rifle, charged in, and then cut it in half with her beam saber.
"Stella, come here. These guys look like they might be trouble." Cagalli said as the camera cuts to show several of the Alliance's newest type of mobile armor, the Euclid, causing a lot of trouble for the ORB forces. The Strike Rouge aimed it's beam Gatling gun and two shoulder mounted cannons at one of the mobile suits and fire them, however the mobile armor activated it's positron reflector and dodged the attack before turning and firing it's two M464 "Degtyarev" High-Energy Beam Cannons at the Strike Rouge, Cagalli blocking one hit with her shield and dodging the other, but not before she was pushed down to the ocean by the blast. "Woah! Shit!" She said as she saw the mobile armor begin to fly at her and try to shoot her as the Strike Rouge fell to the sea, it's thrusters trying to stabilize it.
"YOU LEAVE CAGALLI ALONE!" Stella yelled as the Gaia tackled the Euclid in mobile armor mode after the deflector was disabled, the black gundam landing on top of the mobile armor. "Take this!"
"Ahhh!" The pilots of the machine yelled as the Gaia raised one of it's claws into the air and then came down hard on the cockpit of the machine before slashing it open and moving away as it exploded. "Meanie!"
'Stella... thanks... even though...' Cagalli thought as she saw another one of those mobile armors coming at the Gaia from one direction and several Windams coming from another. "Watch out!" The Princess of ORB yelled as she quickly thrusted towards the Gaia as Stella attempted to blocking incoming beam fire from one direction, however at the same time it would mean that she wouldn't be able to block it from another. "Damn!" Cagalli said as a golden SEED exploded in her eyes and she activated her seed mode as one of the machines fired a shot directly at the Gaia, looking to get a direct hit. Fortunately, at the last second, the Strike Rouge IWSP got in the way and slashed the beam rifle shot with it's anti-beam coated swords, nullifying it before turning her attention towards the Euclid.
"I'll take these guys out!" Stella said as she came at the Windams and switched into mobile armor mode, running in the air with her beams activated, dodging the attacks, mimicking a mechanical cheetah.
"Take this!" Cagalli said as she fired more shots at the Euclid, the mobile armor blocking them with it's positron reflector as Cagalli attempted to slash at it in close range, her sword not enough to piece the shield as she was pushed back.
"We'll crush that machine of yours!" The main pilot of the Euclid said as he fired the two main beam cannons at the Strike Rouge, Cagalli narrowly dodging to her right, sweat forming on her brow.
"GRR... think of... got it!" The Princess of ORB quickly dodged more incoming fire as she pulled out her beam boomerang and whipped it at the mobile armor from a distance, the Euclid dodging.
"Try harder!" The pilot said as he activated the positron beam shield again as the Strike Rouge opened fire once again, the Euclid doing the same. "You can't penetrate this shield so don't try anymore... SHIT!" He said as the mobile armor suffered a hit in it's back end by the boomerang that Cagalli threw at him moments ago before blowing up.
"Not so cocky anymore asshole!" Cagalli raged as she looked around to avoid fire and find a new target.
The Sword Impulse took it's combined Excalibur anti-ship swords and swung down hard on the Alliance's Destroy as the massive machine simply raised it's energy shield and blocked the attack, Shinn being pushed back.
"Urggh!" The red eyed coordinator groaned as he struggled to regain balance as the Destroy turned it's attention towards where a couple of the ORB fleet's ships were and prepared to fire it's "Aufprall Dreizehn" High-energy Beam Cannons at the ships.
"Oh no you don't! I've got one of these too!" Auel said as the ORB Destroy stood between the Alliance one and activated it's own beam shields as the other massive mech fired it's cannons, the shots hitting Auel's shields and being nullified as the remaining Alliance Destroy launched it's arms and went after the Strike Noir and Sword Impulse.
"Dammit! I can't focus on trying to down this thing with these on me!" Kira complained as the Strike Noir made several blocking moves with it's anti-ship swords and either evaded or deflected the massive amount of beam fire coming from the enemy Destroy.
"HAHAHA! Okay fun time now! Let's see which one of us can control these things the best!" Auel giggled as he launched his own beam hands and went after the ones belonging to the other Destroy. "You two, get him while I distract him! Go!" Auel said as the two Destroys played a game of 'shoot the other guy's flying arm with your own flying arm'.
"Right!" Kira and Shinn said as the went after the Destroy gundam with their swords in hand, the machine moving to the side and firing it's backpack mounted beam emitters as well as launching a couple of missiles. The Strike Noir grabbed it's two beam pistols and activated it's wing cannons as the Sword Impulse pulled out it's beam saber and one beam boomerang, the two aces using their ranged weapons to take out the missiles.
Although the ORB Destroy, the Strike Noir, the Strike Rouge IWSP, the Sword Impulse, and the Gaia were having a somewhat easy time with the enemy Alliance mobile suits, not everyone in the ORB fleet was a complete and total ace, and not every piece of equipment was as maneuverable as a mobile suit. Four ORB vessels, one of them being a Seldamis-class submarine and the other three being Aegis Mk.2-classes had already fallen. The big three ships themselves were also in a bit of trouble. As Zamza-zah mobile armor fired the two Mk79 low-pressure guns and two M534 "Gamzatov" multi-phase energy cannons that were mounted on it's front arms at the starboard side of the Archangel. The bridge crew shook violently as the shots damaged the fight deck door, busting a massive hole in it, as well as scraping away at the armor of the starboard side of the hull, and destroying Valiant one.
"Ugh..." Murrue groaned. "Roll twenty to port, raise bow fifteen!" She ordered as Neumann pushed and pulled on the Archangel's controls.
"Valiant One was hit directly. Starboard side flight deck had suffered direct damage." Dalida said.
"Wombats and Helldarts, fire! Have them come at that mobile armor from different angles." Andrew Waltfeld ordered as the ship fired several missiles, from both it's rear missile launchers and bridge missile launchers at the Zamza-zah. The mobile armor activated it's shield but since some of the missiles came at it's front and some circled around from the port side launcher to it's backside, it was unable take them all out and as a result was destroyed.
"Dammit! Where are the gundams?" Murrue asked.
"The Strike Rouge and Gaia are in combat intercepting mobile suits from our port side. The Noir and Impulse are engaging the Alliance's final Destroy, as is Auel." Dalida informed.
"Incoming Windams from one o'clock." Mirallia said.
"Evade! Lower bow twenty and take us down!" Murrue yelled.
"Gottfireds One and Two, target those Windams! Fire!" The former Desert Tiger ordered as the Archangel fired both of it's double beam cannon, taking out several machines.
"If we can just hold on a little more... hold on everyone!" Murrue said.
"Yes ma'am!" The crew responded.
"Dammit! They're putting up more of a fight than I originally expected!" Cody McGiligan raged from the Heaven's Base control room.
"What's the matter Commander? Why the hell has the Destroy not completely decimated their forces yet? Who did you even put in that machine's cockpit?" Lord Djibril asked.
"I'm sorry, Lord Djibril, but it appears the one we had deployed in Europe with the Bonaparte was not destroyed. They have it and it's holding ours off." Mark Rempy informed.
"WHAT? That little! ERRRG! Well at least make sure that they can't pull the same stunt they did at the beginning of the battle again!" Djibril ordered.
"Yes sir! Will do so!" McGiligan ordered.
"I've already had several mobile armors standby in the back of our forces should they attempt to do that again so they won't be engaged in combat and will be available should the time come." Rempy said.
"You what? I didn't give any orders to do that!" The commander said.
"Well do you want them to get off another positron cannon shot off, Commander?" Mark asked, Cody groaning.
The hands of the two Destroys raced around each other, trying to take one another out. Auel's 'left hand' flew upwards and took shot at the one of the enemy's hands, the other Destroy having it's hand roll, activate it's beam shield, and block the attack as the Alliance's Destroy's other hand took at shot at Auel's right, unfortunately hitting it's palm and annihilating it.
"Dammit! Should not have let that happen!" Auel raged as he fired his main cannons at the other Destroy, hoping that it wouldn't block the attack, but it did. "Guys you gotta help me take out that thing's freaking hands! I can't do it on my own!" Auel asked as the Strike Noir went right at the Destroy's main body with it's two anti-ship swords, the Destroy turning to block the attack as Shinn took advantage of the fact that the pilot was slightly distracted, going right at the massive machine with one of it's combined anti-ship swords.
"Got you, you son of a bitch!" Shinn said as he came at the massive machine. "AHH!" He yelled, slicing one of it's massive "Aufprall Dreizehn" High-energy Beam Cannons off 'Yes!' He thought, flying away and doubling back, the Strike Noir bounced off of the Destroy's beam shield. "Take two!" The red eyed coordinator went at the top of the Destroy again, aiming for the other massive cannon, the Destroy's most powerful weapon in this mode.
"You prick!" The pilot of the Destroy, a girl who looked to be around twenty with long blonde hair and blue eyes yelled as she raised the massive cannon upwards and tilted the Destroy downwards, causing Shinn to miss completely. "Talk to the hand!" She groaned, sending one of her hands at the Sword Impulse which was now heading towards the water, it's thrusters not as powerful in this mode and unable to raise it up in time.
"Shinn!" Kira yelled, activating his SEED mode as the Strike Noir came directly at the hand from above, the hand adjusting it's angle to take out Shinn. "AHH!" Kira's mobile suit then kicked the hand of the Destroy with full force, causing it to be forced downwards even though it had it's beam shield activated. This move caused the shots to miss the Sword Impulse as they fired. "Enough!" He said as he pulled out one of his beam swords, quickly flew under the hand, and stabbed it in it's palm as the dark gundam's sensors started to beep, Kira noticing missiles coming at him from behind, the Strike Noir trying to get away as several more missiles, fired by Auel, came at him but purposely missed, and instead hit the missiles which were following him. This however caused the Strike Noir to be pushed out of control by the shock wave. "Ugh... ugh..." Kira said as his mobile suit rolled in the air, the Ultimate coordinator attempting to balance himself out.
"Bullseye!" The enemy Destroy pilot smirked as it's last hand locked target on the Strike Noir. "Enjoy!"
"KIRA!" A red SEED exploded in Shinn's eyes as he entered SEED mode after getting out of the water and noticing the Noir in trouble. "You're not dying on me!" Shinn said, the Sword Impulse, which had its left hand next to it's chest extended out that limb and caused the shield to expand into it's full form and launch off of the red and white machine. 'Not dying on me, considering you saved that girl who would have died because of my actions!' Shinn thought at the shield flew through the air, time slowing down as it passed right in front of the Strike Noir as the beam shots from the enemy Destroy's hand came close and hit the shield instead, possibly saving the Noir, which may or may not have been able to move out of the way in time.
"Damn you! Errg!" The other Destroy pilot swore, having her last hand flip the bird at Kira, Shinn, and Auel.
"That's not very nice! You need to be punished and I'm going to enjoy doing this! HAHAHA!" Auel yelled as he fired some attacks at the other Destroy's hands, it's beam shield activating and blocking the hit, causing a lot of light to flash around it as Kira whipped one of the Noir's anti-ship swords at the hand and Shinn used his other boomerang, the two weapons hitting the hand and blowing it up.
"Okay no more Mr. Nice Shinn!" Shinn raged as the Strike Noir and Force Impulse got close to Auel.
"Auel, we've taken care of the hands and one of it's big cannons, any tips for taking the rest out?" Kira asked.
"Let me think..." Auel said.
"Well you pilot one of these? What are it's weak points? We can't sit here all day or wait for it to transform and have even more lasers!" Shinn raged.
"Shut up you punk! It can't even float in mobile suit mode and we're over water right now! So..." Auel said.
"Stop both of you! That's it! Auel hold it off! Shinn, we'll take out the thrusters on it's backpack and then it'll be finished!" Kira ordered
"Alright fine then." Shinn groaned the two gundams drawing their weapons.
A random Murasume flew around the battlefield in mobile armor mode, a Gells-Ghe following it and attempting to take out. The ORB mobile suit fired several missiles as it then flew over the Alliance machine, the main pilot of the Gells-Ghe firing both of his M7045/F Beam Rifles at the Murasume, turning around to aim, and successfully hitting the ORB suit in it's wing. However, the missiles from the Murasume did manage to hit the back of the Gells-Ghe, causing it fall as several Astrays took it out. The Murasume that had been shot now could not control itself and was heading for the Minerva, exploding in front of the ship's bow.
"Gah, twenty to port! Launch anti-beam depth charges!" Talia ordered.
"Tristans, fire!" Arthur ordered.
"Dammit! We're losing machines left and right here? How long does Captain Todaka insist we hold out for until we tell them of the missile?" Captain Gladys asked, the ship shaking as it was hit by something.
"Tristan two had been shot!" Arthur announced.
"Signal the Takemikazuchi and the Archangel! Stat!" Talia ordered to Meyrin, who shook her head in an accepting manner. Several seconds later the three Captains were on the line together.
"Captain Todaka, a believe we've done enough damage and have sustained enough damage to justify giving them our final Ultimatum!" Talia announced.
"No, just hold on a little longer! Once they see that..." Todaka tried to say.
"I agree with Captain Gladys. We're not going to hold on for much longer!" Murrue stated her opinion, her body shaking as the Archangel sustained a hit, Dalida's voice in the background being heard.
"Igelstellungs four through seven have been hit!" Dalida Lolaha Chandra II informed.
"No, not with that thing still roaming about!" Todaka said.
"But! What's with this we need to prove ourselves to them business anyway? At this rate we'll all be dead!" Murrue announced.
"Five cruisers and three submarines have fallen, in addition to this, our Astray and Murasume count is down to eighty five out of the initial one hundred and thirty nine we came with!" Talia informed.
"When we showed up with the Destroy they probably came to a realization that one of those machines cannot be defeated without using a positron cannon. Kira and Shinn with finish off that machine with Auel helping them. Once that happens the Alliance will know firsthand that one of those machines can be destroyed without using an anti-fortress gun and then they will know our true power! This is the barbaric Alliance we're talking about! With them they believe the strong conqueror all! We need to prove ourselves to be the stronger if we're going even allow ourselves to sleep peacefully at night with the Eurasian forces under our control! Got it?" Todaka asked, Talia and Murrue groaned but conceding Todaka's point in their heads.
"Alright then! Fine!" Talia said.
"Understood. Let's just hope they take that thing out quickly!" Murrue said.
The Strike Rouge IWSP and Gaia gundams were fighting off enemy machines, back to back, Stella and Cagalli spinning in a slow circle together. Another Zamza-zah mobile armor approached them and fired the beam cannons on it's front claws at Cagalli, who was in SEED mode.
"Cagalli!" Stella screamed as they turned together, activating her SEED mode as well.
"Stella, down!" Cagalli ordered as the Gaia broke slightly away from the Strike Rouge and entered mobile armor mode.
"Got it!" Stella announced from the mobile armor Gaia as the Strike Rouge cut it's back thrusters and began to fall back onto the Gaia's back, evading the shots. "OOPH! You're machine's freaking heavy! What the hell is that damn backpack made out of Cagalli? Is it lead? It certainly must be, even with those high tech cannons and swords!" Stella complained as the Zamza-zah flew over the area where Cagalli was before, the Princess of ORB firing her beam Gatling gun at the metal crab's underside.
"Shut it Stella!" Cagalli said as Stella giggled. "He's falling on us!" Cagalli said as the Zamza-zah, which had some of it's engines and claws shot to pieces, tried to kamikaze onto the Strike Rouge and Gaia. "Barrel roll!"
"He's a dummy! Thinking he can outmaneuver a machine with this many thrusters that was designed to be a giant metal cat!" Stella said as the Gaia rolled to it's right, the Strike Rouge also rolling on it's back, Cagalli watching the Zamza-zah fall beneath them and thrusting off Stella's back, pulling out one of her anti-ship swords and dive bombing on the back of the mobile armor, landing on it with both legs and plunging her sword deep into it's back before jumping off of it's back as it exploded.
"Yeah! We did it!" Stella cheered, Cagalli smiling.
"AHHH!" Shinn yelled as the Sword Impulse flew towards the Destroy gundams side. The massive mech turned to it's side and activated it's beam shields, blocking the attacks as Shinn took a horizontal swing with each Excalibur and moved backwards, the Destroy firing missiles at him as Auel fired his "Nefertem 503" Thermal Plasma Composite Cannons at it, the other Destroy once again blocking with it's many beam shields while some of Auel's shots took out more missiles.
"This thing just doesn't want to die!" Kira said as the Strike Noir aimed it's two wing mounted beam cannons, pulled out it's beam rifle and one beam pistol, fired it's all of it's beam weapons including the grenade on it's beam rifle, and took out the missiles that were heading for Shinn who had drawn his own ranged weapon.
"Damn I don't have my shield anymore!" Shinn raged as he noticed the Destroy reload more missiles and prepare to fire it's own Thermal Plasma Composite Cannons. "Kira!"
"I know! I think I can get in close enough now though! Shinn cover me!" Kira ordered as the Strike Noir began to spin through the air, coming at the Destroy with it's beam pistols firing wildly, making super accurate shots at the missiles, hitting most of them as Kira finally got close under the Destroy's massive backpack and sheathed one of his beam pistols. 'This is it!' He thought, pulling out his last MR-Q10 "Fragarach" 3 beam blade and attempting to stab the machine in it's engine as he saw something coming from the cloud of smoke the explosion made. "Damn!" He said, seeing a missile come right at him as he then used the sword as a quick shield to block the attack. However, the sword broke, and Shinn noticed this.
"Got ya!" The Destroy pilot said.
"Kira! You're too close now! Take this!" Shinn said.
"What?" The blonde Destroy pilot said as she noticed the Sword Impulse grab on of it's MMI-710 "Excalibur" anti-ship swords and whip it right at the Strike Noir. The black gundam managed to grab the blade with complete ease, hold it with two hands, and activate the beam.
"Thanks! Now for you! This fight ends now!" Kira said as he then stabbed the massive thruster on the back right underside of the Destroy and make a large slicing motion all the way across that side of the machine, taking out the front thruster as well. "Got it!" Kira said as the enemy Destroy gundam then proceeded to fall to it's right, eventually hitting the water and starting to sink, the pilot inside struggling to hold control as lights flashed all over the cockpit.
"Yes! Now he's dead! Take this! There can be only one Destroyer and it's me so die now! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Auel laughed as he fired all of his weapons at the enemy machine, the enemy Destroy pilot two frightened and in a panic to try to save the machine to activate her beam shields.
"AHH!" She screamed as her machine was destroyed in a massive explosion, the Sword Impulse and Strike Noir flying backwards observing, each of them with one of the Impulse's swords in hand.
"Unit Four, destroyed." One of the people working at the Heaven's Base control center said.
"What? How did they? I thought we had Gells-Ghes, Zamza-zahs, and Euclids on guard!" Commander McGiligan raged.
"We did! They didn't use a positron cannon to take it out! It was those machines!" One of the officers said as an image of the Strike Noir, the Sword Impulse, and Auel's Destroy appeared on screen.
"What?" McGiligan was shocked.
"THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE! THERE IS NO WAY ONE OF MY DESTROYS COULD EVER BE TAKEN OUT BY SOME... CHEAP MACHINES LIKE THOSE!" Djibril raged, his eyes twitching.
"Sir, please calm down!" Mark Rempy said in a low tone, McGiligan grabbing the collars of his uniform.
"Calm down? You crazy S.O.B.! We can't calm down in a time like this!"
The bridge of the Takemikazuchi shook violently as several of it's missile launchers, as well as it's two forward Gottfrieds, had been taken out. Now the ORB forces had lost six Aegis Mk.2-class ships out of thirteen, five Seldamis-class submarines out of eleven, and 78 Murasumes and Astrays remained out of the one hundred and thirty-nine that were originally brought.
"Sir the enemy's Destroy gundam has been taken down. Kira, Shinn, and Auel were successful." An officer aboard the Super Carrier announced.
"Good! Finally! Signal all Murasumes, Astrays, and gundams to come back and defend the vessels! Send signals out to all of our ships informing them that we are now going to threaten Heaven's Base, send out the final Ultimatum regarding the TAOP-001SN missile and order Captain Ramius to prepare it for launch." Captain Todaka ordered.
"Yes sir!"
"Commander we're receiving a message from the ORB Super Carrier Takemikazuchi." The communications officer said in the Heaven's Base control room.
"Does that little bitch want to gloat now that she's killed a Destroy without using a cheap ass tactic? Whatever, we'll still kill every last one of them! We have the numerical superiority! Put that message on screen for entertainment value!" Commander McGiligan ordered, chuckling as an image of Cagalli appeared on screen.
'Well... what does that girl actually want to say?' Mark Rempy thought.
"Attention Heaven's Base, this is your final chance to surrender. Although we have suffered our fair share of loses I was quite serious when I said the outcome of this battle would end with me getting what I want one way or another." Cagalli said as a diagram of the stealth nuclear missile appeared on screen. "This is the TAOP-001SN Stealth Nuclear Missile, and it is the very weapon which ended the Zaft base of Gibraltar. It is in my power and unless you surrender control of Heaven's Base and it's military forces to me I will use it to destroy Heaven's Base and kill you all! I am not exaggerating. You have five minutes to surrender." The pre-recording picture of Cagalli said.
"What the hell? Does such a device even exist? Stealth nuclear missile? Haha!" Cody McGiligan laughed.
"It... does exist." Djibril said in complete and utter shock. "It is what was being developed at Lohengrin Inner Gate before that base was taken out. It can evade all sensors and has a modified mirage colloid, so we wouldn't even see it. So they took it out... I should have guessed sooner." He continued, Cody and Mark turning their attention towards Djibril, who sat upstairs and could be seen and heard through a clear glass window. "BUT THAT LITTLE! SHE DARE USE IT!" He raged, clenching his fists!
"So, we should surrender then?" Mark Rempy asked. "I don't think getting nuked is a good idea, if you ask me." He said.
"Are you insane? We're not going to surrender! Ever!" Cody McGiligan began to go on a rant, some of the Logos members began to talk to each other about what was happening, while Lord Djibril slowly and quietly began to turn around and walk away.
'You've been of great aid, McGiligan. But now, I bid you adieu. I have a Requiem to play after all...' Lord Djibril thought nobody noticing his escape.
"Dammit! Send out all the mobile suits we have! We're not surrendering to that brat! We have a mission to carry out! All coordinators need to die, and we need to be the ones to..." Cody McGiligan said as the sound of gun being fired echoed throughout the control room. The Commander of Heaven's Base looked at his chest torso, which was bleeding, before looking at the person who had shot him: His second-in-command, Mark Rempy. "You...ugh..." He said, falling over and dying.
"I'm sorry, but he's been on my nerves from the start, and he's insane thinking that he can just ignore the threat of a nuclear bomb. I am now taking control of the base. Raise a white flag and surrender. Recall all mobile suits and mobile armors. Do whatever the ORB forces demand of you. That's an order. Carry it out immediately" Mark said before looking at the remaining Logos members. "Oh, and keep an eye on them."
The new one armed Destroy that belonged to the ORB forces had been taken back to the Takemikazuchi, and Auel was being transported to the Archangel with Kira, Stella and Cagalli, Shinn heading back to the Minerva.
"They've surrendered? White Flag and all?" Cagalli asked as she rushed onto the bridge, the others joining her.
"Yes. All Alliance mobile suits are now retreating. Heaven's Base has raised a white flag, however we're not powering down our weapons yet. It's still a good idea to keep our guard up." Murrue said.
"Knowing those scumbags in the Earth Alliance..." Auel groaned.
"You guys did well out there, Auel, Kira, and that other kid. Taking out one of those monsters... wow... Although, knowing Kira it's to be expected." Andrew Waltfeld whistled.
"I can't take all the credit, Mr. Waltfeld. Without Auel that thing could have possibly ignored us and taken out the fleet by itself. Without Shinn I wouldn't have been able to deal that one critical blow to it when I did, and even then it was only because we were over water. Those Destroys... I can't imagine ever fighting more than one of them." Kira said.
"Well, that's true. Even still, you guys held that thing off while Cagalli and Stella dealt with their smaller suits that were coming in the masses." Murrue said.
"Those grunt suits are so low-tech... the Gaia after my modifications is something that they should fear. Rawr!" Stella roared.
Morgenroate Head Office, ORB Union:
"You mean they actually managed to take Heaven's Base? Are you serious?" Ledonir Kisaka said as Erica Simmons informed him of the ORB fleet's victory.
"Yes, they did. And I have a feeling that our Princess may probably try to come home next with the forces she should now have at her disposal. Even then, the 'Lawful Wall' is not something that can be dealt with lightly." Erica said.
"Yes, you're right. However, I may have and idea." Kisaka said, Erica looking directly at him. "Is there anyway we could secretly contact the ORB Embassy in Berlin? I think I may have a method that will get our Princess home..." Kisaka said.
"What are you saying..." Erica asked, skeptical.
"I think it's time our beloved Princess got to see her father's last wish for real. I think it's time those machines finally were revealed to the world. And yes I mean those machines." Kisaka said, Erica smiling.
"Alright, I think I can get you a secure line to our embassy in Eurasia's Capital."
The ORB fleet had docked in Heaven's Base, however most mobile suits were still on deck, on guard. The camera shows the ships of the ORB fleet, and how each and every one of them, including the big three, were damaged in multiple spots. Cagalli and Kira were now heading off of the Archangel, a large group of armed ORB soldiers following them as they headed into the base, eyes looking everywhere. When they had finally got to the base command center they were, much to their surprise, greeted by Mark Rempy, who told them that he had taken command at the last minute and surrendered, as evidenced by the blood stain that was on the Command Room's floor. When asked about the Logos members, he told the Princess that most of them had been taken into custody, but unfortunately Lord Djibril managed to escape.
"That bastard! Alright then. I want my vessels and mobile suits repaired. However, I only wish to see the crews of the Takemikazuchi, Minerva, and Archangel given the necessary supplies in order to do repairs. Those three ships will have their repairs done by their crews. Is that understandable?" Cagalli asked.
"Yes, Lady Cagalli. I understand your skepticism. However, I have a specific question: Do you want your Destroy repaired?" Mark asked.
"Yes. Do so. It goes along with each and every other mobile suit here that is not one of a kind." Cagalli said, Kira groaning slightly.
"I understand. If that's all then I will get everything underway." Mark replied.
"Thank you, Commander Rempy. I didn't realize that negotiating with Heaven's Base would be this easy." Cagalli said.
"I am not the same man who commanded this base up until a couple of minutes ago. I actually have a fully functional brain that tells me when I've lost. You fought a hard battle, and the only reason why you could have lost was due to numerical superiority on our part. If we had equal numbers, you would have crushed us. ORB deserves this victory." Mark said when one of the communications officers began to say something.
"Sir I'm getting an incoming transmission from Berlin. Chancellor Kedorin wishes to meet the Chief Representative of the ORB Union in person and negotiate an 'Alliance' of sorts with her. He, and several other people, will arrive here tommorow." He informed, getting Cagalli's attention.
"The true ORB Union does not..." Cagalli tried to say but then she remembered something that Shinn said:
"If ORB wants to go through with this whole 'Stop the Destiny Plan' Plan and random acts of kindness, then it no longer has the right to call itself a neutral nation."
"The true ORB does not... Princess?" Mark Rempy said with a confused, worried tone in his voice as Cagalli froze for a second.
"I, Cagalli Yula Attha, Chief Representative and Crown Princess of the ORB Union, am willing to accept negotiations with Chancellor Kedorin of the Eurasian Federation. You just have to tell me when they arrive." Cagalli said. 'You're right Shinn. I'm not getting back to ORB without Chancellor Kedorin's aid, and ORB is no longer a neutral nation.' She thought.
"Understandable. Thank you. Please, return to the Archangel. You need your sleep." Mark said as Cagalli and Kira turned around and headed back, the ORB soldiers following them.
"So what do you think of him?" Kira asked his sister just after they passed the distance where anyone in the command room could hear them.
"He seems nice, although I'm still skeptical. I mean, I did threaten to blow them up." Cagalli said.
"Judging by the fact that he had to kill the previous commander of the base beforehand he seems like he might be a man who... is smart, but bullied, but then eventually had enough of the bully." Kira said.
"The bully of course being the previous Commander of Heaven's Base?"
"Yes. I still think that we need to keep an eye on him, but considering they just... up and surrendered... they know what'll happen if they don't cooperate." Kira said as Cagalli groaned.
"I can't believe I'm resorting to... terrorism to get what I want. Dammit!"
"I know how you feel, however considering this is Durandal and the Destiny Plan we're talking about..."
"Yes I know that thank you Kira." Cagalli said in a stern and angry tone.
"Whoa! Cagalli... sorry."
"Nothing's wrong with me if you're going to ask that. We're still going to have guards posted outside monitoring the ships. However this day is far from over..." Cagalli said.
Heaven's Base, the next day:
Cagalli had woken up early that day, considering she couldn't get much sleep the night before considering that that had happened. Repairs to the ORB fleet were going fairly well and although everyone was skeptical that the Alliance forces might try some kind of trick, nothing of the sort happened, due to fear more than anything. As the Princess of ORB walked into the lounge on her way to the mess hall she was met by Kira and Andrew, who both were waiting for her.
"Cagalli, you need to see this." Andrew said in a stern tone, the Princess of ORB looking surprised.
"The election in the Atlantic Federation happened last night. President Johnson is no longer President, and his opponent, Fredrick Lomus, won by a massive landslide." Kira said, turning on the television. "This happened when you were asleep, and I think you need to see it." The Ultimate Coordinator said as an image of Fredrick Lomus appeared on the screen.
"Greetings each and everyone of you. It has been an honor to be elected as President of this great nation that we live in, and I thank each and everyone of you who voted, even if it wasn't for me. Our nation is in a time of great struggle, and we are currently at war. Why are we at war? Why should we be at war? That is my question to each and everyone of you. That is the question I asked throughout my campaign, and is a problem to which I have offered a solution to each and every time I've asked that question, and I have been very open about it. It is for that reason alone that I henceforth standby my campaign promise and say to Gilbert Durandal, Chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council, the Atlantic Federation no longer wishes to be your enemy, we wish to be your ally. Please accept our most gracious apology for all the sins we have committed in the name of... terrible organizations like Blue Cosmos and..." Fredrick Lomus was cut off.
"I've heard enough. Let me guess: Durandal welcomed the largest military organization on Earth with open arms, right?" Cagalli asked.
"Yes... there was no doubt..." Andrew said, drinking some coffee.
"They've already drafted a mock treaty and are going to sign it very soon. They've also denounced the treaty signed at the start of the war regarding ORB, Eurasia, and the Atlantic Federation." Kira said.
"DAMMIT! What will happen to ORB? We need to get back... and quickly!" Cagalli said.
"Hold your horses... Cagalli." Andrew said. "You still need to talk to the Chancellor this morning."
"Yes... ugh... I'll eat and then ask if he's hear yet." Cagalli said, walking away. 'Hold on... ORB... I know you may be in trouble.. but I am coming for you...' She thought.
About half an hour later, after Cagalli had finished eating and was heading out... she encountered someone she didn't think she would see unless she wanted to see.
"Ezalia Joule? What are you even doing? I thought I had you in the Minerva!" Cagalli said.
"I am sorry, young Princess, but as much as you may disagree with me sneaking off of that ship to see you, I must insist that we talk to one another." Ezalia said.
"About what?"
"About what you are going to do. No, I'm not going to try to tell you what to do, I'm simply going to give you the advise of a politician who has done this stuff for a long time." Ezalia said, Cagalli crossing her arms and putting on a slightly angry expression.
"Alright then, what do you want to 'tell me'?" Cagalli asked.
"You need to not go out there, address the world, and act like a total fool while doing so." Ezalia said bluntly.
"I AM NO FOOL! How dare you!" Cagalli raged.
"No, you're not a fool, but if you want to go out there and expose the Destiny Plan, try to discredit him, and basically say everything you know, you will seem like a fool." Ezalia said.
"And how so, Ezalia?" Cagalli asked. "Why should I not tell everyone about the Destiny Plan?"
"Oscar Durandal had a good point when he told you not to tell everyone about it, for it would cause mass panic, but there's something else about it too. If you go out there and talk about the Destiny Plan, which is something that Gilbert Durandal has not mentioned in any way, shape or form, you will only discredit yourself, and you'll be giving him ammunition to use against you. You need to wait until the Chairman himself announces it and then you can go wild and argue against it and blow several thousand holes in his argument for it. If you do that, at least people will know his true intentions rather than having you tell them of some unsupported claim. You also have that machine that raged across Eurasia, which is something that he said was destroyed by Zaft. It is something you can use against him." Ezalia explained, Cagalli having her hand on her chin.
"I see... you are right, Ezalia. I guess it's best to..."
"You need to tell him about what really happened in Zagreb and also call out your suspicions on him and say that you think he's planning something." Ezalia said.
"Alright... I guess I'll do that... a thanks is in order I guess."
'All that matters is that the black haired madman is stopped... I learned the hard way what happened when you try to change the whole world last year.' Ezalia thought.
Cagalli met the Chancellor of the Eurasian Federation somewhere inside Heaven's Base, and the two did chat for a while about the war and other things. Although Eurasia did present itself as an ally to ORB, it seemed that the Chancellor was doing this more out of fear than anything else, but at the same time, did seem a little genuine. Cagalli was happy to hear that Croatia, area of the Atlantic Federation where Zagreb was, had in fact spoken out about what really happened to their city when the Destroy roamed around, and that it was Cagalli's faction which more or less saved them. Because of this, Eurasia had now taken a strong anti-Durandal stance, which pleased the Princess as she decided to address the entire world that day.
"I am the Chief Representative of the ORB Union, Cagalli Yula Attha, and I come onto your television today to tell you of why I have been in hiding up until recently, and why I have done what I have done. Although the current Chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council, Gilbert Durandal, has claimed to be a moral beacon for the world in his campaign against the organization known as Logos, I can't help but feel that he is hiding some things. It is for this reason alone that I present you with images from the battle outside of Zagreb a couple weeks ago, and images of the Battle for Heaven's Base which took place only yesterday." Cagalli said as images of the Destroy gundam surrendering to the Archangel, following the Archangel out of ORB, and fighting alongside the ORB fleet, were shown to the world. People were very busy chatting to one another about this, even though the Atlantic Federation and the PLANTs had already hastily signed a treaty against Logos earlier today, Fredrick Lomus' platform including a move to get rid of them, the people of the Atlantic Federation, who were outright sick of war by this time, agreeing to it. "Yet for some reason Gilbert Durandal has shown the world... a clip of that very machine which fought under my command yesterday, as being neutralized by Zaft forces. Why is this? I wonder... Due to this evidence against the Chairman, I henceforth demand an explanation from him immediately regarding why he did this when he denounced Logos, for I wonder if he is hiding something. And yes, the rumors are true. The ORB Union and the Eurasian Federation are now allies." Cagalli said bluntly to the people of the world. When the Princess of ORB was on her way back to the Archangel, a feeling of 'well what is that long black haired bastard going to say now' filling her mind, she was surprised when she found several people she knew wanting to see her.
"Kira... Shinn... Captain Todaka... Captain Gladys... Miss Murrue... Ruoi Vanders? The Ambassador for the ORB Union in Eurasia, what are you doing here?" She asked.
"My Princess... it fills my heart with joy to see you alive and healthy, however I have some news for you from the homeland." Ambassador Vanders said.
"News... from ORB? What is it?" Cagalli asked, a tear forming in her eyes.
"It's from Ledonir Kisaka. He says that although he thinks you may try to break though the Lawful Wall, which is controlled by the Atlantic Federation, he may have a way to get you into ORB during all this confusion." He explained.
"And... what is it?" Cagalli asked.
"I will take you with me on my jet back to ORB in a week or so. Repairs will be complete by then and the fleet can engage the enemy while you get back. We will be able to hide you and get you back to ORB, I promise you. You'll be able to wrench control back from the Seirans, however, there is a catch..." Vanders led on.
"A catch? What is it? For ORB, anything! My nation needs me! I need to help it!" Cagalli said.
"You need not go alone. You are to bring your best gundam pilot with you back to ORB for reasons that are unknown to me. Kisaka just said to bring the best with you." Ruoi Vanders said, when two boys then spoke their minds.
"Okay I'm going." Shinn said.
"When do I leave?" Kira asked. Everyone was shocked by the fact that these two said that they would go with Cagalli, especially Shinn considering they're asking for the best gundam pilot and thus people give Kira that title by default. "What? SHINN!" Kira said, slightly angry.
"She said the best gundam pilot, so I'm going." Shinn said, which surprisingly struck one of Kira's nerves.
"Your calling yourself the best gundam pilot, while standing in front of the Hero of the First Bloody Valentine War, a pilot who has never been defeated in one on one combat, ever? What is wrong with you Shinn?" Kira asked.
"Nothing's wrong with me... nothing at all." Shinn said.
"Oh, then why did you say that?" Kira asked, Shinn getting angry.
"Because I now challenge you to a fight in the combat simulators!" Shinn said in a serious voice. "Winner goes with Cagalli back to ORB, back to my home! And I will beat you!" Shinn raged, looking right into Kira's eyes, the Ultimate Coordinator doing the same. Everyone who was standing by them was utter and completely shocked by this.
"Shinn... what are you... are you serious..." Talia said.
'This... could get interesting... I've seen both Kira and Shinn perform in combat... and they are both extremely skilled...' Murrue thought.
"Captain, it's time I proved myself by fighting someone who has real talent! It's time I took on the best of the best of the best! It's time I fought the legend in flesh, the Ultimate Coordinator, Kira Yamato. This is my true test!" Shinn said, nearly yelling in a serious tone.
Author's Note:
Yeah... guess what happens next. Not saying who's going to win, but it won't be just one fight.
Anyway, about Kira never being defeated in 1v1 combat, the only person who ever did this was Shinn in phase 34 of Destiny, and yes I hold that fight as valid, as Athrun decided that keeping an eye on his machine's power gauge was a bad idea, therefore the battle between Kira and Athrun resulted in a draw. The Strike was recovered, the Aegis not. Kira although had worse injuries than Athrun but both of them would have died if left alone, so no, Athrun never beat Kira, he forced a draw. Just in case anyone is going to bring that up. Fyi, instead of Athrun trying to shoot Kira with a high energy laz0r cannon, he could have straightened out all the limbs of the Aegis and impaled the Strike dead on in the cockpit, but he wasn't smart enough to do this.
As for the battle scene itself: That was nice. It took a lot to take out the Destroy, and although Cagalli and Stella wrecked the grunt suits... they're grunt suits and it wasn't a complete utter faceroll, and the ships took damage.
