Activities on Earth were mostly reconstruction. With the former Earth Alliance crumbling, the Atlantic Federation is the only major power of old that still remains active. The Victoria Spaceport was one of the facilities that are still under their jurisdiction, and since they had no love for the PLANTS or some of the people that now try to unify the Earth under the Confederation, there are still frictions between their forces. Just as Lacus was telling, the Archangel did not encounter a hostile reception. As the ship is being supplied for their journey, Murrue and Athrun discuss a certain problem.

"How do you think that he's going to react once we got to Berlin?"

"I don't know. Shinn hasn't been there since the battle against the Destroy. I was thinking of putting him out of the flying roster for a while."

"So, the curse of the Butcher of Berlin is still under him…" Even though that the name was implied to the pilot of the Destroy, by the inhabitants of Germany, Athrun knew that Shinn silently bore that name for himself, trying to preserve his memory of Stellar Loussier.

"We still don't know what are we going to investigate in Berlin, and I don't think that the whole crew or the ship will be needed to do that."

"What are you suggesting, Captain?"

"I think that we could be of service once we reached the city. I'll tell you the details later. Now, I believe that the base commander is waiting for us."

Every man has its downsides sometimes. For Dearka Elsman, he has been on the pits in many ways since the end of Jachin Due. After descending on Victoria, he decided on a new "strategy" to talk with Miri. Right now, he is watching the spaceport in the residential zone of the Archangel with a very clear palm mark on his cheek, courtesy of a hard-to-get CIC operator.

"Women…"

Before he could gather his own thoughts, another figure places himself by his side. Seeing a similar battle-wound in the newcomer's face make things a little bit rest-assured for Dearka.

"Women?"

"Women." Shinn's not the brightest man in the whole Earth Sphere, much less the most tactful. Since the ship was commissioned to go to Berlin, the only thing that he has been doing is talking about the time he spent with Stellar… even in Lunamaria's presence.

"You can't understand them, but you can't live without them." Dearka clarify.

"You can say that again." After a minute of silence, both pilots recognize a single thing.

"Women!" As things were going, this was going to be a very long assignment for both Gundam pilots.


"Hahahaha!" Meyrin couldn't contain herself as Miri tell her about Dearka's recent stunt with her. With the ship being supplied, they got time to rest and relax on the ship's hot bath.

"I really don't mind if he's really trying to get me back, but his way of doing things is by far worse than ever. I mean, he was more considerate during the Valentine War. Someone can really be that bad after being a ZAFT soldier?"

"I don't know much about the MS pilots, but I think that is more a guy problem. As for the veterans of Jachin Due, only Athrun-san is more considerate." Knowing Shinn, seeing Yzak for a while, and after Miri's explanation of Dearka, Meyrin was glad that at least Athrun was a truly gentleman among the former ZAFT pilots.

But that comment gave Miriallia a major issue to talk.

"Talking about that, how are things with Athrun?" A blushed little red-headed girl was proof enough for Miri that there were issues with those two. But there was a problem with that…

"No further advances, isn't it?"

"We're not a couple, if you're asking that."

"Let me guess… Is about Cagalli."

"I know that he's still thinking about Representative Athha, and I know that she's still in love with him, even after all this time. I respect Athrun-san, but being in a so-called romantic relation…"

"Have you asked him?"

"Maybe he only needs time to think of his personal life. To think about someone that could really be by his side without any restrains…"

"Miriallia-san…"

Seconds later, both girls saw a furious Lunamaria entering the locker room. Meyrin pretty much guess what was the cause of her sister's fury.

"Shinn did it again?"

"Who's that idiot!"

"Ok, this time he really pissed her off." That was the first thought of Mey. She has seen both of them fight from time to time, but never this bad.

"Sulking around with that damn phone and remembering a dead girl 24/7 since we got this assignment! Hasn't he grown up!"

"We're talking about Shinn, sis. It's a difficult task for someone like him." This was strange even for Meyrin. She's not one to defend a person such as Shinn – not after he try to slice Athrun and her during the last war –, but she knew that her sister needed to be tamed off a little bit, or else the ship's mood could be very bad.

"Even so…!"

"At least he'll be like that until we reach Berlin. Have you ever thought what will Shinn feel when we got to Germany?" Luna froze. Remembering the news from Berlin's citizens after the whole Dullindal Affair crumble, the reminder of the so-called Butcher of Berlin make her understand.

"Shinn is still carrying that…"

"Maybe that's why he only has been talking about the few good moments he spent with the peaceful girl on his memories instead of remembering the Extended pilot that not only stole a Gundam prototype and kill many of our fellow ZAFT soldiers, but also flattened Eastern Eurasia and Berlin with the Destroy, which was entirely his fault."

Seeing her little – but wiser – sister and Miriallia getting out of the bathing area, Lunamaria stay there, thinking about the private hell that Shinn is hiding even from her.


Never in his wildest dreams could Yzak see the day he'll set foot on a base from the EAF and not being attacked. Even though, Captain Ramius advised him to not wander around too much. Yzak didn't mind that. He knew that he was on the EAF list of "most wanted" since his stunt with the Menelaos's civilian shuttle in the Valentine War, even though he was regarded as one of the heroes of the last two wars. Maybe that's why some rookie MS pilots have entered the staging area looking for something… no, someone.

"So it's true… the killer is here also." The leader of the pack, a young black haired pilot was the first to talk. "How it feels to murder innocent lives?"

This was not an issue about "Naturals against Coordinators", but after the past wars most of the younger pilots from ZAFT, Orb and the crumbling EAF had a sense of justice and how to apply the Rules of Engagement, acquired from the efforts of the Clyne Faction. For the EAF pilots, Yzak was the best example of a treacherous pilot, and some of them wanted to be face to face in combat against him. Yzak didn't answer. He had still problems trying to forget about his own stupidity in the Battle of the Orbit. Luckily for him, Shiho happen to be inside the hangar, and after witnessing the exchange of words, she tried to hold the EAF newbies.


"I apologize for all inconveniences here, Captain Ramius, Colonel Zala." Victoria's commander, Brigade General Carl McMahon, try to put his best face, but with a clear view of the problem inside the staging area with his pilots and the Archangel's aces, it was difficult.

"We knew that we could encounter a hostile gallery here." Athrun know about being in unfriendly ground after the antics of the Sarans during the last war.

"Don't misunderstand me. Only the old farts of HQ want to mess things around with Confed. The Atlantic Federation is still ruled by politicians who want to get rich. There are many people here that want to help you all, Colonel Zala."

"And others who want to own Yzak's ass around. Don't worry, General McMahon. That's normal in every place he goes."

"Since the Archangel is still getting supplied and our pilots seems to want to be in combat that bad, maybe we can grant them what they want." Having so much time and nothing to do, a pilot life could be miserable. Murrue was conscious of that.

"What are you suggesting, Captain Ramius?"

"To give your newbies what they want." That explanation and seeing Murrue's nice smile only meant one thing for Athrun: Time for a little rumble.


"Now, explain to me why I am helping you with this again." 30 minutes later, lined up, in a 3 against 3 MS battle, Yzak, Shiho and Dearka were up against the 3 newbies that were looking for a fight in the staging area. The rookies were in their Windams against the Archangel's scout team in their standard MS, but with the handicap that they only could use paint shell-type machine guns, so, no laser gatling for Yzak, no 360º beam weaponry for Shiho and no orthos cannon for Dearka, who was still asking Athrun about this idea of Captain Ramius and the base commander.

"Let the newbies grasp a little bit of real combat. And, since they seem to have a personal vendetta against Yzak, they got the upper hand."

"Not to say that the real handicap…"

"Quit bitching around, Dearka! We'll only trash these kids, and that's all!" Yzak as always was barking around. Shiho has been silent since the staging area, but she knows pretty well that her wing leader is not thinking right.

After setting their positions, the combat started. Even with the advantage of knowing the terrain, the newbies knew that they were against not only aces, but survivors of the greatest battles in CE. Not so long after starting, one of the Windams was caught by surprise. A nice 'by the book' stunt of Dearka – letting the enemy walk by itself to your firing area –, got the Windam covered in paint.

"I don't know what hurt more. Being owned the first or being owned by one of the oldest tricks in the book." Some consolation from the Windam pilot…

1-0 for the Archangel.

The other two Windams decided that it was better team up against their opponents. But by the time that they got a real idea of how to beat their rivals, Yzak and Shiho suddenly appeared. A quick volley from Shiho went right into the Windam's cockpit section for an instant kill.

"How can she be that fast…? Is this the real power of an ace?"

Yzak tried to make the same move, but his opponent, the black haired pilot from before, got out of his target sight. Shiho moved to assist Yzak, trying to double-team the remaining Windam, but their opponent circled them, putting himself in between both MS thinking that they won't fire upon each other, and avoiding friendly fire.

That was not to be…

Yzak emptied his rifle at the enemy Windam, but in the process, some of the paint bullets make their way to Shiho. Even if the former ZAFT female pilot manage to avoid most of them, a couple scored in some vital parts of her GOUF, including one of the 360º beam guns.

"Ok, people! That all." Brigadier McMahon announced the result on the base speakers. The Archangel aces won 3 to 1.


Back to the Archangel hangar, Yzak got out of his ZAKU and took off his helmet…

SLAP!

…only to be royally owned by a furious Shiho.

"Congrats, Commander Youle. You just kill another bystander in your fight." Witness of the exchange, Mwu La Flaga only had a single thought.

"That's gotta hurt… in many ways."

Long after Shiho left the hangar, Yzak's eyes were downcast.


It took a while, but the Archangel is now on its way to Berlin. Once again, Dearka spent some of his time watching the scenario and thinking in a new strategy for getting Miri. Then, he felt another figure at his side. Watching a similar wound on his cheek, Dearka only sighed.

"Women?"

"Women and something else…"

After thinking the somewhat déjà vu of the situation, both pilots could only say one thing.

"Women!"

Definitely, it was going to be a very long journey for the former ZAFT pilots…


Having taking some time to repair some sections, the Lorelei finally headed for their first destination, the allied territory of the USSA. On the bridge, Kira is updated on the scheduled route by Rosario.

"We lack most things inside the ship as we literally make its test drive, so the plan will be to get into the USSA main ports, re-supply and then get to Orb."

"Trying to reach Orb up to now through Magellan Strait could be insane, especially with the Heirs knowing that we survive the reentry." As Hirvonen pointed a relative course of their journey on the screen, Galen continued the explanation of the plan.

"That's why we'll go first to Antofagasta, and then to the USSA main port in the Pacific, Callao. If we're lucky, we could find more manpower and help. If only we can get in contact with Commander Harrelson…" Before Galen could end his thoughts, Flay's voice was heard from behind.

"But, for the time being, Kira and I will be the ship's main defenders." Turning around, Kira's eyes almost went out of its sockets. Up to now, Flay used civilian clothes that were on the ship or her fight suit, but now, she was using the EAF recruit uniform, a sight that Kira knew very well.

"Flay¿why are you…?"

"That was my idea. Since we already know her real name, I wanted her to be a formal member of my crew. And since most of the EAF database was lost since the fallout of the LOGOS and their corrupted governments, a new and fresh start seems to fit her very well."

"And, much as the same as you, General, that's one of the few remaining military uniforms onboard." Galen ended Rosario's explanation

"I remember using this uniform, but I don't remember that it was this tight." Kira only chuckled, seeing that with Flay's actual proportions, any uniform could fit her tightly. Seconds later, Flay's cheeks flashed a little red, since she felt Kira's gaze all over her.

"That could be mistaken as sex harassment, Kira…" A general laugh was heard on the bridge. As far as Rosario could tell, and seeing Kira's flushed face, a moment of peace and calm could help her and her band of warriors in this dark hour.


AN: It took a lot, but finally, and after recovering from a dead PC (now I know how Kira felt when he lost the Freedom), got to update. Sorry about the Fukuda-ish-like chapter (an emergency measure), but I still need to rethink the chapters I lost. I had planned to update a month ago, but this kind of things happen. I'm still not getting much of the Heirs POW because when the bomb fall (and it will be), all secrets will be unlocked, including some remaining secrets from GS and GSD.