Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED/Gundam Seed Destiny
Glad to see you all understand were I was coming from with the last Author's Note, however I will warn you right now that the names of Kira and Stella's machines will be hinted at in this chapter, despite them not being revealed yet. o.O
The Minerva continued to battle the Alliance ships as she flew through the air. The ship quickly rolled to it's port side, launched missiles from it's tubes, and fired all of it's beam weapons.
"Incoming missile from starboard! Eleven of them!" Bart quickly informed.
"Evade! Raise bow fifteen!" Captain Gladys ordered as the ship then began to ascend, it's CIWS beginning to shoot down the incoming missiles as one of them hit the side of the vessel, shaking it. "Uggh... Bart what's the position of the enemy vessels? Our own? Where the hell is Auel and the Destroy when you need something like that and what is Kira doing?" She asked.
"Enemy vessel number one at ten o'clock, distance: 2000. The other one is over to our starboard at a distance of about 5000. The Takemikazuchi has taken position between the Archangel and ourselves. The Destroy is behind us at a distance of 7000 trying to take out the smaller enemy ships and Windams. The Strike Noir is covering all of us from incoming mobile suits." Bart informed as the camera cuts to show the Strike Noir with the Impulse's swords ripping it's way through enemy Windams one after the other.
"So Kira's given himself the duty of keeping us safe from mobile suits. I see... and Auel is holding off their reinforcements from the west while we attempt to deal with the ones from the east. Understood." Talia said as she saw the Nation aiming weapons at the Minerva. "EVADE!" She ordered as the ship quickly took actions to avoid oncoming fire, one of the shots hitting the ship's bow where the CIWS was on the port side.
"Tristans, fire!" Arthur yelled, the ship firing it's two double beam cannons at the Nation, one of the shots taking out one of the bigger vessels four bow mounted double beam cannons, the one in question being on the far starboard side.
"The only disadvantage these guys have is that they're stuck in the water and cannot move as quickly as we can, but they have firepower on their side." Talia complained as shells from the Nation's "Blitzkrieg" Six-barreled cannons hit the water below the ship and caused it to splash upwards, hitting the Minerva's underside and deck. "We can't move in closer to take more accurate shots... if we did they would do the same and we'd be crushed..."
The Takemikazuchi was also neck deep engaging the enemy vessels. The massive super carrier found itself between two small Atlantic Federation ships, both of them dwarfed by the Takemikazuchi as it traveled between the gap in between them.
"Fire!" Todaka yelled as the Gottfrieds mounted on the ship's trimaran sections were shot and took out both of the vessels at once as they strayed too close.
"We have more incoming vessels from the north east. And missiles coming at us from the ships on our port and starboard side." The Takemikazuchi's communications officer said.
"CIWS, don't let a single missile hit us! Twenty to port, target the first of the two massive enemy ships with the bow Gottfrieds." Todaka ordered as the Takemikazuchi turned to face the Nation. "Fire!" He ordered as the ship shot four large green beams at the new Atlantic Federation warship, the distance between the ships being great enough so that the Nation could move out of the way without the blasts hitting any of it's weapons as the carrier's CIWS shot down missiles, the blasts creating a massive cloud to the ship's starboard. 'Lady Cagalli... where are you?' Todaka thought as the shock wave shook the carrier's bridge.
"Damn you guys! Why do you have to spread out like that? It makes it harder for me to..." Auel said as he then fired the Destroys two giant backpack mounted cannons into the Alliance Fleet, taking out three small ships as several mobile suits approached him. "Kill you all!" He then launched missiles at his enemies, the Windams, taking some of them out while some did manage to destroy the missiles that were headed for them. 'Kill you... all... what... why do I...' He thought, shaking his head as he then detached his two arms and sent them after the machines that had evaded the missiles as he heard his radar and saw something come up below him. "What?" He saw some of the Alliance's Forbidden Vortex's coming out of the water to take shots at him, his beam shields blocking the hits. "Eh, damn you! That's my job!" Auel then tried to fire the beam cannons mounted on the edge of his suit's backpack into the water, the enemy machines jumping back down into the water. "And now I understand how annoying I was in the Abyss..." He groaned.
Grandeur hanger bay:
Athrun Zala stood in the massive hanger bay of the Grandeur, looking up at his new machine, the ZGMF-X19S Crusader as it stood with the rest of the machines, the ZGMF-X35S Colossus, Lunamaria Hawke's machine, the ZGMF-X70S Assassin, Heine Westenfluss' gundam, and finally the ZGMF-X20S Legacy, Rey Za Burrel's mech. The phase shift of each of the machines was deactivated and they all wore a dull gray, although somethings had been added to each of the machines. On their right shoulder they each adorned the insignia of Zaft and on their left each of them had the FAITH symbol put on, and the Legacy also had what appeared to be the writing of mythological Angels written onto it's DRAGOON pods. The left front skirt of each suit had their model number written on it, the ZGMF-X19S for the Crusader written sideways, going from the bottom of the left front skirt to the top of that piece of armor. On the right front skirt armor the actual name of each machine was written, the writing going from the top down. The blue haired individual looked at the machine before turning away and walking towards the elevator of the ship, heading somewhere else, a blank expression on his face. As he walks through the halls of the vessel, he looks outside of it's windows and sees the Grandeur's weapons, which are a lot. Truly, this is a heavily armed battleship, and the boy knows it, and for some reason, he needs to question it. No, not oppose it, but question it.
"Sir, I'd like to request something quickly." Athrun asked as Admiral Kendan Westenfluss quickly turned his head and looked at the door to his office.
"Yes? What is it Athrun?" The Captain asked, the door opening and Athrun Zala walking in to take a seat next to the Captain.
"Captain, I'd like to ask, why is this vessel so... heavily armed? Why does it have so much strength when compared to... well anything else at the moment?" The blue haired pilot asked.
"Because strength is a necessity..." Kendan said.
"Yes, I know that, the Chairman himself might have said something earlier. What I must ask is... why concentrate all power in one vessel like this? When that happens it becomes a symbol that can be used for fear, one which can make people become suspicious of the actions of those who control it." Athrun asked.
"What? You're asking me why we would build ONE massive and heavily armed vessel, yet you yourself have piloted numerous one of a kind gundams throughout your career." Kendan said.
"What do gundams have to do with the Grandeur? What's the relationship?" Athrun asked, utterly confuddled.
"Think of it this way, Athrun. Every military organization worth its salt these days builds two kinds of mobile suits in a sense: Mass production models and... gundams. Mass production models are moderately armed at best, do not have any special defenses such as phase shift armor, and are piloted by people who, as grim as this may be, are expected to go out there and die due to lack of skill. Then there are gundams. These are produced in very limited numbers, and most of the time there is only one made. These have more weapons, better defenses, and are piloted by aces such as yourself who have a reliable track record. You have to realize that the construction of a machine like your Crusader, takes for more time, resources and effort to make then something like a ZAKU, or a GOUF. We gave you the Crusader because you can go out into the field and give us good, predictable results the majority of the time, because a machine such as that can reach it's fullest in your hands."
"I still don't..."
"Do. Not. Interrupt me! I wasn't finished. Now think of that model on a ship level. We have Nazca-class ships, which are moderately armed, but at the same time, it is 'easy' in a sense, for the enemy to take them out. Now look at the Grandeur, it is to a Nazca what a gundam is to a mass production model. I can tell you right now that this ship took so much resources and time to build that this will probably be the only one of it's line. It was given to me because I'm obviously and indisputably a Captain who knows what he's doing and I can utilize the Grandeur to it's fullest. Ships like the Grandeur and mobile suits like the Crusader, Legacy, Assassin, and Colossus are the 'when all else fails, use these' and 'when we want something done, and it HAS to get done, we'll use these because we know that they can probably pull through' options, however they can only be in one place at one time. While they may not be the core of our military, they are the strongest aspect, to which the usage of requires discipline. ORB realized this, and that is why the Archangel was flying around with the rest of their fleet between the first and second wars on 'patrol' like what the Earth Alliance and even our Zaft had done. Everyone knew of the Archangel's continued existence, but it didn't do much, but was still their strongest weapon at the time." Admiral Westenfluss explained, the meaning finally making sense in Athrun's head.
"Alright, I see. I have another request though, Captain. May I leave the ship and request to see Chairman Durandal himself?" Athrun asked.
"Actually you may... I believe that Rey decided to go earlier to see Chairman Durandal. Maybe the three of you could have a discussion. There's not much to do on the ship anyway." Kendan said, the two soldiers saluting each other as Athrun walked off, the door closing behind him, but before he did, the Admiral added one last statement.
"In order to have peace, even eternal peace, one must prepare for war. Remember that."
"I will. Thank you." Athrun said.
"Dammit! We're not going to be able to deal enough damage to them from this angle, and if we do go in closer we'll be destroyed..." Murrue swore as she put on her thinking cap. "Neumann, prepare to submerge the ship! We'll hit them from below!" The Captain of the Archangel ordered.
"Wha... yes ma'am!' Neumann said as he began to pull back on one of the controls of the Archangel.
"Waltfeld!" Murrue said with vigor.
"Right! Valiants one and two, standby and prepare to target the enemy ship!" Andrew Waltfeld said as the Archangel hit the ocean surface and began to submerge.
Bridge of the Atlantic Federation Nation-class vessel Icy Wind:
"The Archangel is submerging and heading right for us!" The ships' radar operator informed.
"Ah, good. Well then the Admiral's orders not to use these unless that happened clearly a good idea." The Captain said, some of his crew giving him a confused look. "Activate Valiant Naginatas one and two!" The Captain ordered as the two Valiants on the back of the ships hull opened up and activated, these ones having twice the length and being able to fire from both ends.
"Incoming mobile suit. Identification code matched to MBF-10+P30QC Strike Noir! It's fighting off out machines and coming at us!" The radar operator said as he looked at his devices.
"Well then? Hit them both! Aim Valiant Naginatas and fire!" The Captain ordered.
"Distance to enemy ship: 2000." Dalida informed.
"Valiants, fire! Fire torpedoes!" Waltfeld ordered as the Archangel aimed it's weapons that could be used underwater at the underside of the Icy Wind's hull and fired them. The yellow blasts from the older vessel either missed or hit the massive Atlantic Federation ship, and the torpedoes incoming did manage to deal some damage to the vessel, but at the same time it was protected by ablative armor.
"Maintain fire! Continue firing at the same point! Sink it!" Murrue ordered as Neumann quickly swerved to avoid something that was headed right at the Archangel. "What's that?"
"They seem to have weapons of the same type on their ship!" One of the men sitting below near Waltfeld said.
"Captain, underwater like this we are..." Waltfeld tried to say.
"I know! Get us clear! Neumann, avoid them and then emerge out of the water behind them!" Murrue ordered as the Archangel fired another salvo from it's Valiants at the hull of the Icy Wind. One of the blasts managed to destroy the Icy Wind's port side Valiant Naginata and the other hit the bottom of the hull dead on, and managed to breach it as the Nation-class vessel fired a shot from it's starboard side weapon and take out the Archangel's port side Valiant.
"UGGHHH..." The bridge crew moaned.
"Hurry and seal off those compartments! Don't let any water fill the ship or we're done for! NOW! NOW! NOW!" The Chief Engineer aboard the Icy Wind said as the crew hastily got out of the compartments that were breached, giant metal doors closing behind them and containing the damage. "Dammit! At least they didn't hit the engines or the main power core!"
Outside, the Strike Noir swung downwards with it's right hand, destroying an enemy Windam before it flipped over, spread it's arms out, and fired both of it's beam cannons at incoming missiles from the Icy Wind which were headed right for it, neutralizing them.
"Alright this ends, now!" Kira said as he then began to fly at the Icy Wind with his anti-ship swords, avoiding a shot coming at him from the vessel's one remaining Valiant as he decided to right for the throat of the ship: It's bridge.
"Incoming enemy mobile suit!" The radar operator of the Icy Wind said.
"Activate the positron reflectors! Hold it off!" The Captain ordered as several emitters on the deck of the Icy Wind activated and the bridge was protected by a massive blue shield as the Strike Noir came at it.
"AHH!" Kira yelled, swinging downwards onto the shield, his blade unable to penetrate the barrier as he was pushed back, the Ultimate Coordinator groaning as he flew over the sea, a great white and red vessel coming out of the water behind him.
"Kira no!" Murrue said with worry as the Noir stabilized itself.
"We've completely emerged from the water, Captain!" Neumann informed.
"Aim Valiant! Fire!" Waltfeld ordered as the Archangel fired it's last Valiant at the backside of the Icy Wind, destroying the Gottfried Kai that was on it's stern port side before the enemy vessel fired back with it's starboard Valiant Naginata and stern starboard Gottfired Kai.
"Evade!" Murrue ordered before the ship shook as the port side missile launchers were destroyed and Kira appeared on the screen.
"Captain, I can't take out that ship like this! I tried to get in close but..." Kira tried to say as he was interrupted.
"Incoming missiles!" Dalida quickly said.
"Helldarts, fire!" Murrue ordered as the Archangel followed up with a wave of bridge missiles aimed to intercept the ones coming from the Icy Wind, the projectiles serving their purpose as the bigger ship fired another blast from it's rear Gottfried, the shot hitting and destroying the port side antenna on the Archangel's bridge as well as it's port fin. "Uggh... hard to starboard! Activate Gottfrieds one and two!" Murrue ordered as the ship began to turn.
"They have some sort of shield that is protecting their bridge, just like the Takemikazuchi!" Kira warned.
"Then we'll figure something out! Clearly a mobile suit is not the ideal counter for this! Keep those Windams off of us!" Murrue ordered as the Strike Noir flew away, Kira nodding as the Archangel was now parallel to the Icy Wind, the Archangel being the faster ship while it was flying above the water.
"Fire!" Waltfeld ordered, the white vessel firing it's starboard Gottfired at the dark black and green one.
"Roll thirty to starboard and maintain course! Get that vessel into Gottfried two's line of fire and fire at will!" Murrue ordered.
"Aye Captain." Neumann responded as the ship began to lean to it's side and aim it's double beam cannon.
"Port side Gottfried Kai's target the Archangel and fire at will!" The Captain of the Icy Wind said as the two vessels began to exchange fire with their double beam cannons.
Office of PLANT Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Durandal:
A couple of blue and white pills lay in the hands of a Zaft red suit as he looked at them before raising his arm hand, the hand being lifted in front of and above his shiny FAITH badge before putting the pills in his mouth, to follow up with some water to swallow them down as another person, sitting across from him, spoke about the unknown whereabouts of a fugitive that their nation was hunting down.
"We have yet to figure out where Djibril himself is hiding, but as for the other members of Logos, they're mostly being held prisoner in maximum security prisons in Eurasia." Gilbert Durandal spoke to Rey Za Burrel as the door to the office that the two were sitting in opened, and Athrun Zala walked forward.
"Chairman?" The blue haired coordinator said.
"Ah, Athrun. I was told you would be coming here to chat. Please, sit down." The Supreme Council Chairman of the PLANTs said as the older FAITH member walked over and sat down near Rey Za Burrel and Gilbert Durandal, his hands clasped as he tilted his hands down, looking as if he was going to bring up something serious.
"Mr. Chairman, if I may ask, what is your opinion of... what Cagalli is doing and why do you think the Minerva... Shinn Asuka, Captain Gladys, Executive Officer Trine, Meyrin Hawke... all those guys... why do you think they would defect to Kira's side?" Athrun asked, Rey looking at him, his face quickly taking on a 'don't do something funny' expression, Athrun oblivious to this as he turned to look Chairman Durandal, who was thinking heavily, directly in the eyes.
"I think that the Minerva received the same message as... Princess Cagalli Yula Attha and her forces did, and that they found common ground in going against us due to misinformation and misjudgment. Right now the only thing I can say with absolute certainty is that I think they're all misguided individuals." Gilbert said.
"Misguided?" Athrun asked, looking a little shocked.
"Yes, misguided and misinformed. We recently found out that we received false footage regarding the fate of that machine that the Alliance had rampaging mindlessly across Eurasia with..." Durandal said, the camera cutting a little bit to show Auel and the Destroy blast a couple of Atlantic Federation vessels that were coming from the north west. At this point in time, the male extended and his machine were quite literally one of the most important fighting tools that Cagalli's fleet had in holding off the Atlantic Federation, from this angle.
'If I go over and help the ships then this line will fall... and it seems like their forces coming from that direction aren't coming in as great of numbers as before... I have to protect our forces here... wait... protect... in this...' Auel thought as the Destroy's left hand quickly destroyed a Forbidden Vortex that had been causing him so much trouble.
"... was false. Apparently one of the teams that we assigned to take it out decided to 'joke with us' and conjure up a lie about how they destroyed it to earn a promotion... they have been dealt with accordingly." Durandal lied.
"Of course we won't be seen lying to our people, right Athrun? Something like that is not to be tolerated." Rey stated quickly, Athrun looking at him seriously and Durandal smiling.
"No! We won't! That is completely and irrefutably unacceptable! Lying for a promotion! That's sickening! They should be discharged!" Athrun responded.
" As I said, they have been dealt with accordingly. I think that because of this misinformation, the Princess and the Minerva thought that I was not a man to be trusted... and are doing what they are doing because they think I'm 'evil' for spreading false information on that machine's destiny." Durandal said.
"I see..." Athrun said, implying he wanted more information.
"Don't get me wrong, I was shocked myself at this." Durandal said, the camera cutting to show an image of the Takemikazuchi, the ship in the middle of the main engagement between the Atlantic Federation fleet and Cagalli's forces, exchange shots with the Icy Wind's starboard side and Nation's port side, the carrier's bridge shield blocking a direct hit from the Icy Wind, which was also engaging the Archangel, as the Nation destroyed the Takemikazuchi's far port side Gottfried. "However hopefully in time there forces will see things our way and understand. Ignorance is our greatest enemy." Durandal said, Athrun looking at the ground for a second before something clicked in his mind.
"What about Yzak Joule though? Why WOULD he do what he did? What reason would he have for breaking into a maximum security prison?" Athrun asked with vigor as Durandal sighed in response.
"Oh, Yzak Joule... he did it for family." Durandal said, Athrun looking a little shocked. "He did what he did because of his mother, just as you tried to go see your father after acquiring the Justice during the first war and just as you rejoined Zaft because of your father... because you cared. However I think that he might have been given false information by his mother... and that her words eventually seeped into his head and made him do what he did. Ezalia Joule was a very convincing politician, if you've seen her in action. While I wasn't expecting Commander Joule to do what he did... now that I think about it... his actions were not surprising, given the circumstances."
"His mother?" Athrun asked. 'And my father...' He thought.
"Let me ask you this, pilot of the Justice. Do you think that for the unfortunate crimes your father was prepared to perform in the first war, to which I do not in anyway hold you accountable for, could be saved and even then... should have been allowed to walk a free man after?" Durandal asked, Athrun clearly shocked. "Unfortunately he died, however Ezalia Joule, did not, and was thrown in prison for her crimes. Yzak broke her out, despite what she had been a part of in the past; the near destruction of humanity." Durandal said.
"Alright, alright. I see what you're saying, and I understand." Athrun said as a quickly flashback of just how insane Patrick Zala had become at the end of the first war played in his mind. "However I still want to know about what you think of Kira Yamato and Cagalli Yula Attha. She opposes you, and he will be by her side as her brother, no matter what, and when we're talking about someone his his strength... well... I don't need to complete that statement." Athrun said as Durandal sighed.
'Kira Yamato...' Rey thought, his face starting to go red with anger while Athrun continued to fix his gaze on Durandal.
"Oh... Princess Cagalli Yula Attha. She represents a major flaw of our world. People like her should not be allowed to rule nations just based off of the silly idea of inheritance... and even then, if that's too much to ask for, then they should be rigorously prepared for their future role in society to come. Unfortunately the girl's father didn't realize this, and now look at the state ORB has been in." Durandal said, Athrun now at the edge of his seat as Rey drank some more water.
"What are you saying? Are you going to tell me that..." Athrun tried to say as Rey, who had finished his sip of water, interrupted him.
"... that Cagalli Yula Attha is unfit to lead a nation? Yes, that's actually very true." Rey said as Athrun diverted his attention to the long blonde haired individual and looked at him with a serious face. "What? I'm sorry if you may still have feelings for her after..."
"I don't. Not after Gibraltar and what she's done like keeping that monster from being nothing more than a bucket of bolts." Athrun said sharply.
"Good, but as I was saying, I don't think she's fit to run a nation like ORB. She gained her power via inheritance and even then her father didn't do anything at all to make sure she was prepared for the role she would be taking up. As far as I'm concerned, with the power she has, she's dangerous." Rey said.
"Hmm... you have a good point. If only Kira Yamato would see things that way..." Athrun said as a the camera cuts to show the Strike Noir, which was wielding the Impulse's Excalibur anti-ship swords combined now, swing the massive weapon around with power and tear through some enemy Windams, the Gaia gundam at it's side firing it's beam rifle. "He will guard her... he will follow her. As her brother this what I've only ever seen from him." Athrun said.
"And that is a flaw in how he was raised, considering that he actually is. Such power like that cannot be allowed to just roam around free, not without the proper... the proper tending." Durandal said.
"WHAT? Mr. Chairman... what are you talking about?" Athrun asked.
"Although you are a childhood friend of Kira Yamato, as judged by your actions in the First Bloody Valentine War, I can't help but feel sorry for the young man. He truly is a walking tragedy of the times." Durandal said.
"Walking tragedy of the times?" Athrun asked.
"With such exceptional ability and power, he was born to be a true warrior. So great were his skills that no opponent he faced could ever hope to defeat him in mobile suit combat. No one realized this, and because they didn't realize that he wasn't raised accordingly, didn't live accordingly, and ended up at the mercy of these harsh, brutal war filled times. Who knows what great things he could accomplish if his abilities were to be properly employed, what he could do for the world? Instead he was allowed to do as he pleased... his talents... his potential... is being wasted for the wrong reasons. As for the Princess herself, she is a perfect example of what happens when someone isn't raised accordingly, but instead of being allowed to do what they please, they are confined to a role of which they have no right to be in. Freedom is given to those who would use it to waste their potential, and freedom is taken from those who cannot perform what is expected of them... such is a major flaw of our world... and thus... I want to change it." Durandal said.
"What do you mean? Change things how?" Athrun asked, clenching his fists.
"Calm down Athrun." Rey said. "Let me tell you something." The blonde haired man said. "Do you know that I am actually a natural?" Rey asked.
"Yeah, and you're one of the best natural pilots I've ever seen!" Athrun said.
"Do you realize that the Legacy was not meant to be piloted by a natural? It was meant to be piloted by a coordinator. More importantly though, it was meant to be piloted by someone who has a high sense of spatial awareness that has been honed?" Rey asked, Athrun shaking his head. "I am, for the most part, an example of what the Chairman is talking about. Ever since I was young I was trained... honed... nurtured and brought up in a way that would bring out my true talents. Now look at me, a natural, holding his own against coordinators who were not brought up in the same fashion as me and therefore do not have their true potential could be. You've seen me pilot the Legacy... you've seen what I can do, and now I ask you, what do you think Humanity could do if it embraced this idea, how our world could become so much better... how we could live in a world were people live a happy life without bloody wars such as the current one and the first one." Rey said, Athrun's mind spinning around, the green eyed coordinator thinking.
"Wow... but... how... I see what... you're talking about..." Athrun tried to say.
"Athrun." Gilbert Durandal said in a stern tone, grabbing the mind of the Crusader's pilot. "I've kept enough hidden from you. I've told you that I want to end war forever, but have you ever wondered how I intend to do so? However, I trust you now... see? I want to let you in on this. You do realize that the current system our world functions on is in no way the actual answer to our problems..." Durandal said.
"What? WHAT do you intend to do, Chairman Durandal?" Athrun asked in a stern tone.
"What do I intend to do? Are you absolutely sure you want to know?" Durandal asked.
"Yes." The two gave each other serious looks.
"I intend to end this whole conflict between coordinators and naturals, and I intend to set the world on the right track. I have a plan to do this, and it is called the Destiny Plan." Durandal said.
"The... Destiny Plan?" Athrun asked, raising his eyebrows. "What does that mean?"
"Yes, a rather ingenious plan if I do say so myself. I would assess the genetic structure of ever man, women, and child born into the world, and grant them their role in society based upon it." Durandal stated as Athrun's jaw dropped.
"You want to take away everyone's freedom? That's madness!" Athrun said, getting out of his chair and clenching his fists.
"Is it? Is it really? Do you not remember what you told your friend Kira Yamato during the last war? You tried to get him to join Zaft, telling him that he needed to be with his own kind, the coordinators. Instead of allowing him to fight for what he wanted and find his own cause, you wanted to tell him that he needed to fight with you because of his genetic structure, is that right?" Durandal said as the camera cuts to show a younger Durandal talking with Rau Le Creuset, Athrun's Commander and the man who he expressed concerns about Kira sometime during the first war. At this time the green eyed pilot loosened his fists and sat back down in his seat.
"Yes, I did..." Athrun said.
"Thank you... now, let me make myself clear, I do not intend to strip all freedom away from the people of the world, Athrun. I merely wish to guide us out of this path of war that we have been living, that has proven itself to be nothing more than a complete failure. People would not be slaves to anything other than themselves, and even then, is the word slave fitting if you are the master? Would the world not be a better place if insane people who control Blue Cosmos are not allowed to ever gain the power that they have today, the power that has only lead to death and destruction of millions of innocent people and millions more to come? Do you not wonder what humanity would be like if we completely eliminated genetic racism, not by making everyone a natural or coordinator, but make them all a cut above like your friend, Kira Yamato, who is a class of his own? Do you not see what a glorious world that would be, Athrun? Do you not see how humanity would prosper under those conditions?" Durandal asked as he looked at the blue haired pilot who had his head in his hands before he raised his neck.
"But still..." Athrun tried to say, his mind still filled with doubt and indecision.
"Athrun!" The Chairman stood up and looked at him in a very serious manner. "You joined Zaft to prevent what happened to you from happening to anyone else. You realized that the reason for this war, and the reason for most wars, is the greed and lust of those people who hide in the shadows, Logos, correct?" Durandal asked sternly.
"Yes..."
"And you decided then... that you would rid the world of that problem, right? That..."
"Starting a war for greed and the desire to bolster ones own pockets is NOT, UNDER NO CIRUMSTANCES, A GOOD REASON TO DO SO! Yes, I thoughts those words! I took up arms against Logos, but now... are you so sure of yourself?" Athrun asked in a yelling tone, clearly pissed off and looking for answers and good reasons.
"Then tell me, even if you destroy the current day Logos right now, what will happen when another Logos is formed in the future, and they start a new war over their own greed. What will you do then when the world plunges back into madness because you only cut the stem but didn't dig up the root?" Durandal asked, stepping closer to Athrun as the Red Knight backed off a little.
"Dig up the root?"
"YES! That is that the Destiny Plan was made to address. As long as people are allowed to just to go galavanting around like how they are in our current world then we will never rid ourselves of conflict and tragedy! It's the status quo, Athrun. In it's current state Logos has been allowed to thrive. I want to change that, Athrun, I want to bring on a new age of peace and prosperity for all, not not just those who have something as trivial as money, understood? Do you get me now? Do you now understand what I'm trying to do? Why what I'm trying to do is not 'evil' and 'bad', but in fact the right thing to do?" Durandal asked as Athrun remained quiet. "If people are given a role in life based on their genes then those with greed in their heart, like Logos and Blue Cosmos, will not be allowed to ascend to the roles that they have today, where they have the power to start these wars. Would you like to deny them the chance to start these conflicts, Athrun? Would you? 'Know what you're fighting for', that's your doctrine, right? Well, tell me, now... is this what you want to fight for? Is this the world you want to see come forth, or am I going to need to re-assign the Crusader to someone else? Come on, Athrun. We've come this far... let's not give up now... let's not let everything slip away because we're afraid of changing the world..." The Chairman continued to bombard the Red Knight with questions as Athrun lowered his head and clenched his fists, clearly upset and trying to find the words that he needed to tell Chairman Durandal so that he could express his feelings. It was a difficult task, to say the least, until... finally... he let out a sigh.
"Fine then, Chairman Durandal. I will support you, and I will support the Destiny Plan. Let the current world of war end and let the reality of peace come upon us all!" Athrun stated aloud as Durandal's expression lightened up with relief.
"Thank you, Athrun. Now, I cannot do this on my own, so do you intend to give me your best? Will you fight for me so that we can have a world where everyone is allowed to have a happy life?" Durandal asked.
"Yes, I will." Athrun responded with confidence.
"Even if it involves... fighting against and possibly killing... an old friend...?" Rey said as Athrun once more took on a thinking look and went silent for a couple seconds.
"Yes... I am not afraid to fight the brazen hypocrite that is Kira Yamato, or anyone else. Although I'll say right now that I do wish to try to convince them to join us, but if they don't... then... they'll have to fight me, and that's that." Athrun stated, his tone one of absolute resolve.
"I see... good. Now, I want you two to head back to the Grandeur. I have some things that I need to do. Being the Chairman isn't exactly an easy task, you know." Durandal said as the two pilots nodded and got up before they walked out of the room.
'Kira... I've fought against you before, and if I need to fight you again, then so be it.' Athrun thought.
"Captain, it looks like the incoming Atlantic Federation forces are thinning out!" Bart informed, the ship shaking a little as it faced the first of the Nation-class battleships, the Nation.
"Very good, but we've still got to deal with these guys... dammit!" Talia said as the Nation fired some of it's "Gottfried Kai" 250cm High Energy Beam Cannons and "Blitzkrieg" Six-barreled cannons at the Minerva, with one beam taking out the starboard side Tristan and some of the artillery shells hitting the Isolde and Tannhauser shutter of the vessel. "Uh...ah...ur..." The Captain groaned.
"Damage to Tristan One, Isolde, and Tannhauser. Fire on board! Captain our bow is completely exposed if they get shot shots inside the..." Arthur tried to say.
"I KNOW! Malik, take us up, maximum thrust! Make sure we're at least seven hundred, if not more, meters in the air." Talia ordered as the helmsman began to raise the ship upwards, flying out of the range of the Nation's Blitzkriegs. "Arthur, I want you to arm all forward torpedo tubes with Wolframs and have them arm themselves after they leave the ship. Bart, inform the Takemikazuchi to try to support us with interception missiles!" Talia ordered.
"Yes ma'am!" Bart said, acknowledging orders.
"Um... Captain? What are we doing?" Arthur asked.
"We're going to fly over that ship and bombard them with torpedoes. Since we're not in water we're going to need to have gravity take them off the ship for us." Talia said as the Minerva got closer to the Nation.
"What are they doing? They can't hit us with any of their weapons in a position like that." The helmsman of the Nation said.
"And we can't use our energy weapons except the Valiants!." The Admiral Bralo sighed. "Lock missiles and activate Valiant Naginatas one and two." He ordered.
"Sir we've got incoming from the ORB super carrier!" The radar operator informed.
"Gah, dammit! Have our missiles and CIWS intercept them, and keep an eye on the Minerva's missile launchers in case they try to do something funny." Bralo said as the Minerva began to fly over the bow of the Nation.
"I still think this plan is..." Arthur tried to say.
"You can tell me about it later. Are the torpedoes locked in their tubes? Are they going to arm once they leave the ship?" Talia asked.
"Yes, but how do you intent to fire them?" Arthur asked.
"Watch me. Malik, cut power to the bow engines. Make sure we don't actually crash into them though. Arthur, fire all available missile tubes and target that vessels CIWS." Talia ordered.
"Uh, yes ma'am! Parsifals, fire!" Arthur yelled as the Minerva began to descend and fire missiles from it's port and starboard launchers as the ship began to tilt it's bow downwards. The CIWS from the Nation was busy dealing with the Takemikazuchi's and Minerva missiles. Meanwhile inside the smaller red and gray vessel, the torpedoes which were located inside the torpedo tubes began to slide forward and eventually fell out of the ship, falling directly onto the Nation's deck.
"Incoming... torpedoes?" The radar officer of the Nation said.
"WHAT?" Admiral Bralo yelled.
Outside on deck, the torpedoes from the Minerva fell and hit the deck of the Nation in several places. Two out of three of it's six-barreled artillery guns, which were on the center and port side, were hit directly and destroyed, as well as the two Gottfried Kai's that were on the port side of the vessel's bow.
"VALIANT NAGINATA'S ONE AND TWO! FIRE! FIRE! CONTINUOUS FIRE! IGNORE THE BARREL TEMPERATURE!" Captain Bralo raged as the Minerva's middle was flying over the Nation's bridge, the two double ended Valiants aiming at the vessel and firing. The shots from the Nation hit the wings of the Minerva once, but due to it's armor, they didn't do much damage. However, because the Valiant Naginata's were firing continuously at the same spot, they eventually outright tore a large hole through each of the Minerva's wings, damaging the structural integrity.
"Dammit! We can't stay in the air like this! Water landing! All hands prepare for surface impact!" Captain Gladys ordered as the ship had finished flying over the Nation and began to descend.
"Yes ma'am!" Malik finished.
"Keep us a good distance away from them! Once we're on the water fold in the wings and keep us away." Captain Gladys ordered as the Minerva found itself descending to the water, smoking coming out of the holes in the wings as the ship hit the water.
"Takemikazuchi approaching from starboard. Looks like Todaka is backing us up." Bart said as an image of Captain Todaka appeared on the screen.
"Parsifals, fire!" Arthur ordered.
"Captain Gladys, what's the damage to the Minerva?" Todaka asked.
"We're not going to be able to fly again until repairs are made, that's for sure. What's the status of the Archangel and the other ship?" Talia asked as the camera quickly cut to show the Archangel suffer a direct hit to it's starboard side Gottfried. However at the same time it can be noted that the Icy Wind had lost the Gottfried Kai's that were mounted the furthest forward on the bow.
"I've told Captain Ramius to try to bring the other vessel over to us. We're not going to be able to take them out like this, and Auel is still trying to deal with the forces to the West." Todaka said, the Takemikazuchi firing it's bow Gottfireds at the Nation, taking out the port side Valiant Naginata and rear port side Gottfried Kai which were both aimed at the Minerva.
"Their forces are thinning out! Call him back! We're going to need him if we want to these guys out." Talia said, Todaka nodding.
"RAWR!" Stella Loussier yelled as the Gaia gundam raced through the air, taking out several enemy machines as she notices the Destroy gundam begin to move towards the East. "Auel? What are you doing?" She asked, quickly firing the beam cannons her machine had in mobile armor mode to take out another enemy machine.
"Going to help the guys over there. Apparently they're getting their buts kicked!" Auel said.
"What? Are they in that much trouble?" Kira, who was nearby asked as the Strike Noir sliced a poor Windam in half with the Excalibur before closing in with his camera. "Okay then, they really are in trouble lets go, now!" The Ultimate Coordinator yelled as the two regular sized machine and one massive one began to move towards the Minerva, Takemikazuchi, Archangel, Nation, and Icy Wind.
Currently as it stood the Nation was heading south. The Minerva was some distance behind it facing west and firing it's port side Tristan while still keeping far enough away so that it could most incoming fire. The Takemikazuchi was to the Nation's port side and was closing in while firing it's beam cannons. Behind the Takemikazuchi and closing in was the Archangel which was firing it's starboard side Valiant at the Icy Wind, which was closing in behind it and attempting to shoot the Archangel.
"Destroy gundam incoming from two o'clock. Distance, 4500!" The radar operator of the Nation said.
"What? Dammit! Alright men it's time we treat these bastards to a little taste of power. Twenty to starboard. Activate Lohengrin One and Lohengrin Two and target the enemy's Destroy gundam." Admiral Bralo said aboard the Nation's bridge.
"Captain?"
"That monster will pose a serious threat to us if it gets close considering the damned state we're in. If we can kill it off then we'll have the Icy Wind pull the two bigger ships in and finish them off, and then we'll take out the Minerva and be done with this blasted battle." Bralo explained as the two doors on the front of the Nation opened up, the doors sliding back like a minivan door as the two Lohengrins came out and turned on, preparing to fire.
"Ah, what the hell? Shit!" Auel said as the Destroy gundam began to turn to avoid the blasts, but the Nation was also using it's bow thrusters to keep it targeted.
"Auel? Dammit!" Kira said as the Strike Noir began to fly towards the Nation with the intention of stopping it, however even more Windams came after Kira, the Strike Noir forced to try to break though them, but there was not enough time.
"Leave him alone! You damned meanie!" Stella said as the Gaia followed the Strike Noir but suffered from the same issue as Kira, keeping her from getting in close.
The two positron cannons of the Nation began to make a buzzing noise, a very small beam coming out of them as they looked ready to blast Auel.
"Lohengrin One and Lohengrin Two are prepared to fire, Captain. Target in sights." An officer aboard the Nation's bridge said.
"Alright, fire!" The Captain said, when suddenly...
A dark purple ball of energy with a yellow core around the size of a mobile suit's hands as well as two green beam rifle shots came out of nowhere from the north, hitting and destroying the two positron cannons of the Nation and dealing serious damage to the ship.
"URRRRHHHRRUUURRHHH!" The bridge crew of the vessel groaned as the bow of their vessel was dealt massive damage, a large explosion taking place and smoke spreading everywhere as Kira noticed two figures dash into the cloud between the Destroy and the Nation.
"What? What did that?" Kira said as the Strike Noir raised it's swords into a defensive position in case whatever went after the Nation's positron cannon was actually headed for him as well.
"Kira? I'm... scared..." Stella said as the Gaia closed in on the Strike Noir, it's shield firmly gripped as the smoke cleared and the two figures that had intervened in this battle became very clear.
"Who the hell are they?" Auel asked, looking at the back of two machines. One of them held a dark black color scheme with some blue outlining, and molten red metal on it's inner frame, with large red and black wings on it's back. The other was mostly golden, had little inner frame sticking out unless it was at the joints, and had a large disk on it's back.
"Who the hell are we? Shut it Auel!" Kira, Auel, Stella, and everyone aboard the three main ORB vessels heard the very familiar voice of Shinn Asuka as the darker machine turned around and faced the Destroy.
"Shinn?" Talia asked over the line as the pilot of the other machine began to speak.
"This is the daughter of Lord Uzumi Nara Attha, Cagalli Yula Attha! ORB forces, I have taken back control of our military and government from Yanata and Yuna Seiran and I have deployed our forces against the Alliance. Their reinforcements are being intercepted and there are more vessels coming here as we speak! Fight on!" Cagalli said.
"Miss Cagalli!" Murrue said.
"Cagalli... you're back... good..." Kira said.
"YAY Cagalli's back!" Stella exclaimed.
"Boss Lady is back. Hehe." Auel said.
"And now that the Princess has returned... we shall gain victory! Order all mobile suits to redouble their efforts! Take out their forces! That's an order!" Todaka said sternly.
"Yes sir!" The bridge crew of the Takemikazuchi said.
"Grr... dammit! How the hell could that little girl manage to take back control of ORB? Well then, things are not going to be so nice for them! Have all of our machines go after those two suits and take them out, now!" Admiral Bralo said from the Nation's bridge as the ship aimed it's remaining bow Gottfried at the Sovereign and Judicator. "Fire!" The man in charge said as the ship fired two green blasts right at the gundams.
"Cagalli!" Kira yelled.
"Damn you!" Cagalli yelled as the shot approached her.
"You'll pay!" Shinn said simultaneously as the Judicator raised it's right arm and activated the device mounted on the back of it's hand, a large diamond shaped, bright blue beam shield appearing with what looked to be the ORB Logo in it's center blocked the attack from the Nation's Gottfried Kai. As the other half of the blast hit the Sovereign, it didn't do anything. Instead, the shot was reflected back at the ship, hitting it's deck. "As I said, you'll pay!" Shinn said as the beam shield in the Judicator's right hand deactivated and it raised it's palm up, the bulls eye looking device in the center of it's palm as well as the emitters on it's fingers lighting up and generating a ball of purple energy with a yellow core appearing. "AHH!" Shinn raged as the Judicator whipped this energy ball directly at the Nation, the blast taking out it's last bow double beam cannon that was mounted on the ship's bow.
"Let's go!" Cagalli said as the Sovereign then pointed it's right arm and shield across it's body facing upwards at an angle, the shield appearing to be attached to the arm in the same way the Providence's shield was, before the Princess of ORB swung downwards with her right arm, the white parts on the bottom of the Sovereign's shield splitting apart at either side of the shield and three beams coming out. The two beams on the outside were curved inwards, and the middle beam looked like a jagged blade. The color of these beam saber like weapons were light blue, not pink. The same thing took place on the other shield of the Sovereign as it looked and saw more incoming Windams from the direction of the, Icy Wind, Cagalli making an angry look as she thrusted towards them.
"Yeah, let's do this!" Shinn said as the Judicator reached behind itself and grabbed onto it's two massive anti-ship swords and unsheathing them, each sword appearing to be just as long as the Judicator was tall. The blades folded upwards and extended before a bright green beam activated and acted as a blade for the sword, on both the cutting edge and the back side of the swords. The piercing tips of the swords were curved upwards and had a circular indent on it's length facing forwards. The edge of the blades began to emit a dark purple beam as the Judicator turned to go help the Sovereign, the black and red machine holding an anti-ship sword in each hand.
"AH! What kind of a mobile suit is that?" A random Windam pilot yelled as he looked at the incoming Sovereign.
"It doesn't matter! We'll destroy it all the same!" Another pilot said as the two of them fired their beam rifles directly at the Sovereign.
"AHH!" Cagalli yelled as the gundam continued straight on towards the Windams, the shots hitting it and being reflected back off of it's gold phase shift armor and going back to outright destroy both Windams as Cagalli raised the Sovereign's left shield and fired the two beam cannons that were on it directly into more enemy Windams as she closed the distance and used the bottom end of each shield like a beam saber which was an extension of her arm.
"Alright! Time to put this thing into action!" Shinn said as the Judicator raised up both of it's massive anti-ship swords high into the air as it's two red and black wings opened up, and as they did, two gigantic crimson red 'wings of light' appeared as Shinn put his left arm over his right shoulder, the sword sticking upwards, and then pointed his right arm downwards and charged forward, the Judicator now appearing to be significantly faster than before. "RAWG!" Shinn yelled as the Judicator dodged fire from incoming Windams with it's speed, closed in, and sliced the enemy mobile suits into pieces one after the other. In the corner of his eye he saw another mobile suit fire a beam rifle at him, and to counter this, he raised his right arm and activated it's shield before another purple and yellow ball of energy appear, but this time in the circular indent on the Judicator's right anti-ship sword, before Shinn swung his right arm across the Judicator's body, the beam ball flying off to kill the enemy machine.
"Whoa dude! What are those things?" Auel said as the Destroy's hands found their way to another small Atlantic Federation ship and destroyed it before continuing to close in on the Nation.
"My question is..." Kira said as the Strike Noir made 'whirlwind' move with it's arms, cutting up enemy machines. "Where they got them."
"Yeah those things look to be a lot bigger than the average gundam... GET BACK HERE RAWR!" Stella said as the Gaia dived underwater after an Aquatic mobile suit and scratched it to death with it's beam claws. "I want to get a closer look!" She flew out of the water.
Despite the fact that everyone was fighting as best as they could things were still not going in anyone's favor. The Nation and Icy Wind had boxed in the Archangel to an extent but with the Minerva covering them from a little bit north it wasn't as bad. However, the Alliance still had a lot of Windams coming in from the west due to Todaka ordering Auel to come and help them there. Regardless, the abilities of the Sovereign and Judicator gundams were very impressive. A shield swing here and a sword swipe here were proving pivotal for the victory that Cagalli was wanting. However, before too long Shinn found several Windams charging towards the Judicator and decided that it was time to get serious.
"I'll take you out!" Shinn raged, his eyes going into SEED mode. 'This thing's true power appears when I'm in SEED mode...' Shinn thought, and as he did, something happened to the Judicator. The two halfs of the v-fin on the Judicator's head split into separate spikes going upwards, each at a different angle. (A/N: Each point on the v-fin now looks kinda like a hand with only the first three fingers extended) While this happened, the eyes of the Judicator changed from white to blood red, and the small pieces on the inside of the red and white wings began to move up and down independently of each other between the top and bottom pieces of the wings, the crimson red light effect changing to look as if waved were forming on the ends of each where a spike was, and the light wings getting a little bigger too. The Ace of Aces saw the screen that was sitting right in front of him above his knees display a message. 'Pilot S.E.E.D. Mode factor activation detected. Superior Elimination of Enemies Domination O.S. Activated.' The message said.
Outside on the body of the Judicator the four 'folded arms' that were on the shoulders and served as side skirts activated and began to unfold and straighten out, revealing themselves to be smaller versions of the Judicator's main arms, which looked very similar. The four new arms of the Judicator each grabbed a beam saber from either the wings or the knees and activated them, the blades curved like a fancy Scimitar and the beam glowing green. "ALRIGHT YOU GUYS HAVEN'T SEEN NOTHING YET!" Shinn yelled as the Judicator charged forward with it's two anti-ship swords and four beam sabers, the gundam now moving slightly faster than even before and weird 'afterimages' forming behind it as it closed in on the group of enemy Windams. "Now take this!" Shinn said as the Judicator stabbed an enemy Windam in the cockpit with it's lower right beam saber before swinging across his body with his main left arm, chopping two more Windams in half with the anti-ship sword and blocking incoming beam rifle fire with his upper left arm's beam shield before going after the suit that shot him and stabbing it with the Judicator's shoulder arms.
"Holy cow! Shinn's ON FIRE! LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL DAMMIT! Captain, just look!" Arthur cheered with excitement as the bridge crew noticed Shinn's fighting as the ship fought against the two Nation-class vessels, Talia's eyes popping open.
"How... whoa... I never thought I'd see a mobile suit like that!" The Minerva's Captain said.
"Enough of this! Dammit! Rain on their parade! Sink that damned ship that's caused us so much trouble!" The Captain of the Icy Wind said as his ship fired it's three "Blitzkrieg" Six-barreled cannons at the Archangel's stern.
"Evade!" Murrue yelled.
"Not enough time! Too much incoming... ugh..." Neumann said as the ship fired it's last Valiant at the Icy Wind as it was hit in the main engines by some of the shots from the other ship.
"First, second, and fourth engines were hit!" Dalida warned as the ship began to descend.
"Dammit! We're in trouble! Land in the water!" Murrue said.
"Hahaha! Got them! Call in some more of our Windams to guard the ship! Activate Lohengrin's One and Two! Target the Archangel and fire! There will be no way that ship is going to avoid this with it's engines damaged!" The Icy Wind's Captain said with a tone of victory as the ship's two positron cannon doors slide open and the two Lohengrin's came fourth.
"No! The Archangel! I won't... let you... destroy it!" Cagalli said as a golden SEED exploded in her eyes and she activated her SEED mode, the eyes of the Sovereign gundam changing from white to golden, a piece of each v-fin seemed to separate from the main part and fold inwards until the two pieces connected right in the center of the gundam's forehead, and the massive disk on the gundams back broke off and began to fly on it's own, independently, the flame like tips on the perimeter of it lighting up and emitting a shiny yellow light as the Sovereign went to the Archangel. 'Don't worry Captain Ramius... I... got this!' Cagalli thought, the monitor of her machine that was in the cockpit's seat saying the same message as Shinn's did: 'Pilot S.E.E.D. Mode factor activation detected. Superior Elimination of Enemies Domination O.S. Activated.'
The Archangel continued to descend towards the water, and it seemed like there would be no way for it to avoid the Icy Wind's twin positron blast, the Nation-class' bow being protected by Windams acting as a meat shield. Everyone braced themselves as the two cannons fired forward, the air exploding around the blasts as they headed towards the Archangel, time slowing down as they did. However, as the blasts got really close, one could see the disk that was on the Sovereign's back fly right in front of the Archangel where the blasts would hit, the gundam itself coming in behind the disk. The two positron cannon beams hit the disk and found that it resisted them, much like the positron shields on the Zamza-zah, Gells-Ghe, and Euclid mobile armors, except the beams did not seem to split off and break away, but rather they were 'compressed' and 'collapsed' into a ball of positrons that was held in the center of the disk. As the blast faded, everyone's eyes widened as they saw that the Archangel was in fact, not destroyed, and that the Lohengrin blasts from the Icy Wind were being contained in the center of the Sovereign's disk, and that the Sovereign itself was holding a rather defensive pose, and Cagalli had a very stressed and angry look on her face, as if she was concentrating heavily while she gripped the controls of the Sovereign.
"AHHH!" Cagalli yelled as Sovereign spread it's arms out and the ball of energy held in front of the Sovereign's disk seemed to be 'released' in a sense, the white and red energy beam bursting forward towards the enemy vessel, but not on direct course.
"Damn, Lady Cagalli missed." Amagi said from the Takemikazuchi's bridge.
"She wasn't aiming for the enemy ship itself. She was aiming for the..." Todaka said as the camera cut away from him and displayed the positron beam blast hit the water to the Icy Wind's port dead on, reacting with it and causing a massive explosion. An enormous was of water was formed from this, and it spread out in all directions. The wave was strongest right when it was formed and because of this it hit the side of the Icy Wind with full force. The Alliance's second Nation-class vessel seemed to turn on it's side, which was not a good sign for the people inside, until it the entire ship completely and utterly capsized on it's side. Everyone on the battlefield was jaws dropped wide open eyes the size of grapefruits shocked as the Icy Wind was flipped over, the disk from the Sovereign returning to the back of the gundam itself.
"But... what? That's... impossible!" Admiral Bralo freaked out as he saw this, and then nearly fell over as the Nation was bombarded from blasts from all three of the ORB fleets big ships.
"Engines one and two have been damaged."
"Damage to port side catapult!"
"Incoming enemy mobile suit!" The radar operator said as the Judicator could be seen closing in on the Nation.
"Well we can at least defend against that thing! Activate the anti-mobile suit positron deflection shield! Now!" Admiral Bralo ordered as the shield which had earlier been used by the Icy Wind, which was now sinking into the water, to deflect the Strike Noir when Kira tried to go after the ship, activated and extended a large dome over the bridge and rear of the ship.
"Not so fast! I've got something up my sleeve too!" Shinn said as the camera fixes in on the purple ends of the anti-ship swords that were held in each hand. The gundam then straightened itself out and folds in it's wings, the wings of light still coming out of them but in a concentrated stream going backwards as it put it's arms over it's head and pointed it's anti-ship swords forward and began to spin in a circle like a whirlwind as it thrusted towards the Nation's deck like a dart. When the Judicator hits the beam shields of the Nation, the purple ends of the swords seem to react to the shield and outright break through them, poking holes in the shields and allowing the Judicator to pass through, stop spinning, straighten itself out, and land on the deck of the ship looking at the bridge of it, an anti-ship sword in each main hand, and a scimitar looking beam saber at the end of each smaller arm as the black and red gundam with a 'molten inner frame' began to slowly walk forward towards the Dominion looking bridge.
"Ahh! What the hell is this monster! How did it manage to get through?" Admiral Bralo said as his crew was in disarray at the sight of the Judicator walking forward.
"RAWWWWRRRR AHHH!" Shinn yelled as the Judicator spread out all of it's arms horizontally so that the arms themselves pointed to the left and right of the gundam, but the weapons pointed forward, before he thrust them all forward deep into the Nation's bridge, Admiral Bralo and his bridge crew being consumed in flames as the Judicator withdrew it's swords and lept up into the air, using the ends of the anti-ship swords once more to piece the positron deflector barriers and make it out of there as the first of the Atlantic Federation Nation-class battleships, the Nation, was destroyed. A silence overtook the ORB members, Shinn and Cagalli in SEED mode, and everyone else not speaking a word but just looking at the explosion. Surely, they had won the battle to break the Lawful Wall and break back into ORB, and the Sovereign and Judicator gundams appeared to represent just what that ORB was capable of making. As the episode ends, the stats of the two machines become very clear.
ORB-01 Sovereign
Name: Sovereign
Model Number: ORB-01
Unit Type: Prototype SEED User Ultimate Ranged Defensive Mobile Suit
Developed from:
GAT-X105 Strike
ZGMF-X09A Justice
Manufacturer: Morgenroete
Overall Height: 19m
Standard Weight: 72.5 metric tons
Power-plant: Ultracompact Hyper Nuclear Fusion Reactor
Accommodation: Panoramic ORB Elite SEED System cockpit in torso
Fixed/Standard Armaments:
12.5mm Head Mounted CIWS x 2
Model 101 "Unflinching" Defensive-Offensive Shield x 2
Sovereign mounts two large shields on each arm in a way that makes them seem like an extension of that limb. Each of these shields are connected to and cover the hands of the mobile suit, disabling it's ability to carry weapons while each shield is attached to the arm, however they can be detached. Each shield is directly wired to the computer of the Sovereign and shares the Sovereign's SPS-01 "Speculum" Phase Shift Armor.
Type-105CC "Ardent" Triple Beam Fangs
Each of the two Model 101 "Unflinching" Defensive-Offensive Shields features three beam 'fangs' that come out of the bottom of the shield. These are the close combat weapons of the Sovereign.
Type-110RC "Imperatrix" Double Beam Cannon
In addition to the beam fangs, each shield mounts two beam cannons on the upper-middle portion of the shield. These cannons each have the power output of a typical beam rifle.
Type-115BR "Cent" High Energy Beam Rifle
In case either shield is destroyed, ORB-01 Sovereign mounts one beam rifle on it's right side skirt for ranged attack power.
Type-120BS "Innocens" Beam Saber
A single beam saber mounted on the left side skirt of the Sovereign should a shield be destroyed
System Features
Operating Systems
Standard G.U.N.D.A.M. O.S.:
Like each of the four ORB-0X gundams, the Sovereign utilizes a modified version of the General Unilateral Neuro-link Dispersive Autonomic Maneuver operating system, the operating system used on the GAT-X series. This operating system was created by Kira Yamato when the Archangel landed to Orb after its defection from the Earth Alliance. He devised this system to make Natural pilots combat well using a mobile suit, making them fare well against Coordinator pilots. This operating system was developed further by Erica Simmons for the purposes of the four gundams. One of these modifications includes a compatibility protocol with the SEED System.
Specialized S.E.E.D. O.S.:
Each of the four ORB-0X gundams also has a specialized SEED system installed in it. This is known as the Superior Elimination of Enemies Domination O.S. This system only activates once the mobile suit has detected that the pilot has entered SEED mode. When the pilot enters SEED mode they no longer control the mobile suit using just the actions of their hands and legs, but their mind as well. However several armaments of each mobile suit can only be activated when the SEED system is activated, and as such only a SEED user can utilize the full potential of the suit.
Phase Shift Armor:
ORB-01 Sovereign is protected by a unique type of Phase Shift Armor specific to it. This armor is known as the SPS-01 "Speculum" Phase Shift Armor. In addition to the typical benefits of PS Armor, the SPS-01 "Speculum" Armor also makes the Sovereign immune to standard beam weaponry. If a shot is fired at the gundam, it will be reflected. This armor also makes the mobile suit appear to be made out of solid gold, although just the outside armor is affected by it. This armor also affects each of the backpacks of the Sovereign as well as its "Sol" WASPS. Note: Cannot protect the mobile suit against positron cannon shots
Optional Striker Packs:
ORB-01EP "Elegant" Sky Pack
On Earth, or in any location with significant gravity, the Sovereign mounts a large disk on it's back. This disk can only be activated when the mobile suit switches to it's advanced O.S. and is able to detach itself from the Sovereign and fly around independently of the mobile suit, being controlled mentally by the pilot. This disc has several systems and armaments to it. In addition to this the Sky Pack increases the overall height of the mobile suit from 19m to 25.3m and increases it's weight to 92 metric tons.
Gamma Ray Canceler
Allows the "Elegant" Sky Pack to cancel out gamma ray blasts up to a certain strength.
"Solaris Flamis" Anti-beam emitter x 7
Each of these is capable of emitting a small green discharge that travels at a high speed and are only usable in SEED mode. This beam is not designed to damage mobile suits or battleships. However should it collide with a beam shot, from either a rifle or a cannon, it will either outright cancel out the beam, or weaken it. E.g if it collided with a shot from a standard beam rifle, it would cancel it out. If it collided with a large cannon shot from a battleship, it would only weakened the blast, however several hits from the emitter with eventually cancel out the shot.
Energy absorption array
Another feature of the ORB-01EP "Elegant" Sky Pack is that if a beam rifle/beam cannon shot hits the center section of the disk, it will absorbed and it's power will feed the battery of the disk, allowing it to operate independently from the Sovereign for a longer period of time. If a positron cannon meets the disk, the disk is able to trap the blast and fire it back in any direction, although it cannot contain the positrons for longer than several seconds.
ORB-04 Judicator
Name: Judicator
Model Number: ORB-04
Unit Type: Prototype SEED User Ultimate Close Quarters Offensive Mobile Suit
Developed from:
GAT-X105+AQM/E-X02 Sword Strike
ORB-02 Veneficus
Manufacturer: Morgenroate
Overall Height: 25.8m
Standard Weight: 102 metric tons
Power-plant: Ultracompact Hyper Nuclear Fusion Reactor
Accommodation: Panoramic ORB Elite SEED System cockpit in torso
Fixed/Standard Armaments:
12.5mm Head Mounted CIWS x 2
Secondary arm x 4
One very unique feature about the Judicator is it's four secondary arms, two of which are mounted on the shoulder armor, and two of which are mounted where the side skirts would be. These arms can only be activated and controlled when the mobile suit pilot has activated the SEED system. When not in use they are folded inwards into a compact shape.
Type-405EO "Palma Orbis" Emitter x 6
Each palm of the Judicator, whether it belongs to the main two arms, or the four secondary arms, is capable of generating and throwing an orb of pure beam energy at it's target. The speed and accuracy of these orbs are dependent on the pilot's throw.
Type-410SS "Arbitrator" Beam saber x 4
Four beam sabers are mounted on the body of the ORB-04 Judicator. Two of them are mounted on it's kneecaps facing outwards and two of them are mounted on the hinges for it's wings sticking upwards. The beams projected by these beam sabers are slightly longer then average beams and the beams are curved in the shape of a Scimitar.
Type-450MS "Executioner" Anti-ship sword x 2
Compacted and mounted on separate and independent holsters attached to the back thrusters of the Judicator are it's two main weapons which can only be wielding in it's two main arms. These two anti-ship swords are almost 26m long when fully unfolded and both are made of an ultra-strong light weight metal alloy. Each Executioner has two large beams that run down the cutting edge and back side of the sword and stops at the curved tip. The tip of each sword has several small emitters that project a purple beam similar to that of ORB-03 Demoness' Type-310PS "Grim" Multi-purpose staff, meaning that the sharp end of the blade can pierce beam shields. The hilt of each anti-ship sword is similar to that of the Stichdegen, with the handle guard being able to project a curved beam that runs along the outside of the sword.
Type-450MS/O "Gladius Orbis" Emitter
The curved sharp edge of each of the Judicator's two Executioner anti-ship swords has a circular indent which is lined with the same type of emitters found on the gundam's palms. This allows the mobile suit to whip beam orbs at it's enemies even when it is wielding all six of it's weapons.
Type-490ES "Navitas" Beam Shield Generator x 6
A beam shield generator mounted on the hand guards of all six of the Judicator's hands
System Features:
Operating Systems
Standard G.U.N.D.A.M. O.S.:
Like each of the four ORB-0X gundams, the Judicator utilizes a modified version of the General Unilateral Neuro-link Dispersive Autonomic Maneuver operating system, the operating system used on the GAT-X series. This operating system was created by Kira Yamato when the Archangel landed to Orb after its defection from the Earth Alliance. He devised this system to make Natural pilots combat well using a mobile suit, making them fare well against Coordinator pilots. This operating system was developed further by Erica Simmons for the purposes of the four gundams. One of these modifications includes a compatibility protocol with the SEED System.
Specialized S.E.E.D. O.S.:
Each of the four ORB-0X gundams also has a specialized SEED system installed in it. This is known as the Superior Elimination of Enemies Domination O.S. This system only activates once the mobile suit has detected that the pilot has entered SEED mode. When the pilot enters SEED mode they no longer control the mobile suit using just the actions of their hands and legs, but their mind as well. However several armaments of each mobile suit can only be activated when the SEED system is activated, and as such only a SEED user can utilize the full potential of the suit.
Phase Shift Armor:
The ORB-04 Judicator is protected by standard Phase Shift Armor
Specialized Frame:
Like it's older brother, the ORB-02 Veneficus, the ORB-04 Judicator also features a unique frame. Known as the SMF-04 "Berserker" Frame, this hardware design allows the Judicator to move it's limbs and react quicker than any other gundam in existence and also increases the strength of the main arms, which is critical for the control of the anti-ship swords. This frame glows with a molten metal color when the mobile suit is using it.
"Velox Veredictum" System
When the pilot of the Judicator activates their SEED mode, the wings open up and begin to emit particles similar to that of the Veneficus' "Alas Libertas" and "Cosmos" systems, allowing the Judicator to move at speeds that exceed the Veneficus.
"Multis Iudiciis" System
A subsystem of the Judicator's "Velox Verdictum" system. Should the mobile suit activate it's wings while the pilot is in SEED mode, the mobile suit's speed increases even more than before. In addition to this, the Judicator will leave glowing after images in it's wake to confuse enemies.
Author's Note:
There's ya Sovereign and Judicator, happy?