A/N: Really sorry for this loooooong update… Hope that this fic is not forgotten… I have decided to continue writing after some thinking… Please continue to support! Thanks alot!

Chapter 10

Orb…

"Although the reason of the Girty Lue's retreat is still unknown, I'm pretty sure that they will be back in no time. Therefore, we must always be on guard. How are the damages?" Cagalli asked.

"Cagalli-sama, it seems that the damages done are not very serious and the repair work is going on currently. All civilians are safe and none of them is injured. The only thing that we have to worry is that we need more and more advanced weapons and machinery to match against the gundams of our enemy." Todaka reported."

"I understand, but where are we going to find those? Besides, I don't think we have enough time to prepare more machinery. How about asking all pilots to go through battle stimulation with those of the Girty Lue? I'm sure we have captured their data. What do you think Athrun?" Cagalli asked.

"….."Athrun sat there staring at the table.

"Athrun, do you hear me? ... ATHRUN ZALA!" Cagalli shouted.

Athrun jerked his head up, "Did anyone jus call me?"

"Are you even listening in the first place? What's on your mind? " Cagalli asked.

"Nothing much, I was just thinking about the fight between me and that unknown gundam from the Girty Lue in the previous battle. I suspect that the pilot of that unknown gundam was Kira. The more I think about it, the more I'm sure that the pilot IS Kira,"Athrun said.

"What makes you think so? We can't afford to make any mistakes you know..." Cagalli said.

"There's a short conversation between me and him during the battle. Although he doesn't seem to be the type who will speak like that, but I'm able to recognize Kira's voice and it must be him.. The only thing that I'm unable to figure out is that why must he help the Girty Lue to fight against us?" Athrun said.

"That, we can only find out ourselves." Cagalli said with a worried look on her face.

Knock Knock The door open and Bartfelt walked in.

"Hey why is everyone in here? Lacus is back, together with Eternal!" He said.

Upon hearing this, Athrun and Cagalli rushed to the hangar immediately.

"Athrun! Cagalli!" Lacus shouted upon seeing them and giving them a big hug.

"I'm sorry I took such a long time but there are ZAFT ships all around and I had to make lots of detours just to avoid them but it cost me lots of time. How's things going? Has the Girty Lue attacked?" Lacus continued saying.

"It doesn't matter as long as you are safe and sound. Yes, the Gity Lue has attacked and the battle will not stop unless we join the Earth Alliance. We are still discussing about our future plans." Cagalli explained.

"I'm sure that joining the Earth Alliance is impossible. I've brought back Freedom as well as a new gundam, Saviour. Please allow me to join in the battle in future, I shall pilot the Freedom and Athrun, Saviour. I brought it back apecially for you and I think it suits you. Well, are there any news of Kira yet?" Lacus asked.

"Er… Actually.."

"No there isn't. But we are still trying our best to find him and I'm sure thast he is still alive." Athrun said before Cagalli could finish her sentence.

"What the…" Cagalli thought as she shot a look to Athrun.

Athrun said nothing but shook his head.

"I see. I know he will be back someday. All we can do is wait." Lacus said. Although she was smiling, she was still unable to hide the disappointment and sadness in her eyes.

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Girty Lue…

"How is Stellar? Is she okay?" Kira asked, looking worried.

"She is fine. Why are you so worried about her?" Neo ask Kira in return.

"She is my friend as well as my teammate. Its natural to care for each other." Kira replied.

"It doesn't seem that way to me, Kizuka. It seems that you have some affection for Stellar." Neo said while smirking.

"No.. we are just friends…" Kira said while turning red

"I understand. But the most important thing that you are supposed to do now is to finish this battle for me. After that, you are free to do whatever you want. I would like to discuss about our plans for the upcoming battle. Please ask Sting, Auel and Stellar along and assemble in the hall in 10 minutes time." Neo said.

10 minutes later…..

"An accident happened during our previous battle and we were thus, forced to retreat. I hope that everyone will work together to ensure that it will not happen again. Should it really happen, all of you should work out a solution to resolve it. We are going to launch another attack on Orb in 2 days time and make sure that Orb will agree to join the Earth Alliance this time round. If not, destroy it. Either way, Orb will become the property of Earth Alliance. I suggest all of you rest well and get ready for victory in 2 days time." Neo announced

"We will, don't you worry." Sting said.

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Orb…

"Why must you keep it from Lacus? The fact that the pilot of that unknown gundam is Kira" Cagalli asked Athrun.

"Lots of things are going on, it's better not to tell her first. What if it isn't Kira? Won't she be even more disappointed than she already is? If I'm not wrong, the Girty Lue will attack again in these few days, we should always be prepared for battle." Athrun said.

"Yes. Let's just hope that everything will be fine." Cagalli replied.

2 days later….

"Is everyone ready? Today will be the day when we grab hold of victory." Neo said.

"Yes, we are ready to fight till our hearts content." Auel shouted.

"Good to hear that. We shall launch now!" Neo said.

A few minutes later in Orb…

"Cagalli-sama! We seem to have detected the heat source of the Girty Lue, although we're not very sure about it! Everyone is currently waiting for your orders Cagalli-sama!" Todaka said as he burst into Cagalli's office.

"Ask everyone to get ready now. It's better to be safe than sorry. Nothing must go wrong this time." Cagalli ordered.

"Cagalli, allow me to launch the Archangel, although it will not make much of a difference, we still might be of some help." Said Ramius who was beside Cagalli all along.

Cagalli agreed, she was determine to win this time round.

Suddenly, Athrun and Lacus ran in looking worried.

"What happen? I heard people saying that the Girty Lue has appeared." Lacus asked.

Cagalli explained everything to both of them and also telling them to get ready for the upcoming battle.

"I'm launching the Eternal as well since both Freedom and Saviour are in there. I'll go tell the rest of Eternal to get ready. Athrun, be sure to be there in 5 minutes time." Lacus said before rushing off.

"Cagalli, are you launching in Strike Rogue as well?" Athrun asked.

"Yes, of course! How can I just sit here and watch while all of you are trying your best in the battlefield? Even Lacus volunteered to help. There is no reason for me to stay behind." Cagalli said.

"Please really take care of yourself and don't do anything rash." Athrun said before giving her a peck on the cheek as he left the room.

Cagalli turned red immediately but there wasn't time for her to feel happy or excited about it because explosions were heard nearby.

The Girty Lue had arrived again.

As usual, the four gundams, Chaos, Abyss, Gaia and Remembrance were launched from the Girty Lue.

"Orb, this will be the last time we ask, are you willing to join the Earth Alliance? If so, please cease all attacks immediately." Neo announced over the speaker.

There seem to be no sign of the attacks stopping and therefore, Neo continued," Well, I'll take it as a no then. Sting, Auel, Stellar and Kizuka, fight without mercy, make sure that you will bring the whole nation down.

Upon receiving the orders, all four of them fought even harder than they did, hoping to end this as soon as possible,

Meanwhile, the Archangel and Eternal surrounded the Girty Lue with all kinds if attacks, hoping that the battle end after the leader is killed. But it seems that things are not as easy as they thought it would be because the speed of the Girty Lue is too fast and it has the ability to make the whole ship invisible, making its entire move unpredictable.

Strike rogue and Freedom are fighting Gaia. Although its two versus one, Cagalli and Lacus are still putting up a tough fight because both of them are inexperience in MS fighting.

"I've got to find out his true identity this time round." Athrun thought as he block an attack from the Remembrance.

"Why are you just defending? Are you too scared to attack?" Kira shouted,

Upon hearing this, Athrun was even more confident about the fact that this person is Kira.

"Tell me who you truly are! Why must you fight and hurt the innocent?" Athrun asked as he continues to block the upcoming attacks from Remembrance.

"I don't see why I must tell you who I am and the reason of why I am fighting!" Kira shouted.

Meanwhile, Chaos is fighting against Bartfelt and the Abyss against Murasames.

"Damn it! They just keep coming and coming no matter how many I have shot down!" Auel shouted.

"Oh I see that you are still alive! Today will be the day in which you will die!" Sting shouted to Bartfelt.

"Oh really? Why don't you try killing me?" Bartfelt said.

The battle is still continuing after a very long time and everyone's Gundam is running low on power. But still, they continue fighting.

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Girty Lue..

"Sir! Our power is running low! It's better for us to stop using the invisibility boost!"

"Damn! I didn't expect that there wil be two ships and two more gundams joining the battle this time. Just fire when we still can while I think of other solution." Neo ordered.

But the Girty Lue could not hold out any longer as one of the cannons from Archangel hit the back of the ship.

"Good, I see that they are low on power. Get ready the main cannon!" Ramius ordered.

Seeing that the Girty Lue was hit, Stellar was shock as she thought that Neo was in danger.

"NEO!" Stellar shouted.

Seeing that Gaia was distracted, Strike rogue took the chance to aim its beam rifle at Gaia and fired.

It hit away one of Gaia's arm straight away. Knowing that part of her gundam was destroyed, Stellar became scared.

"No! Neo! Save me! KIZUKA!" Stellar shouted.

Kira, who was still fighting Athrun, heard Stellar's scream and rushed to her immediately.

"What….the…" Athrun thought as he saw Remembrance flying to the other side of the battlefield. But he followed anyway.

Taking the chance that Gaia was distracted, Lacus aim the Laser Beam Saber at it, hoping to end this once and for all.

"Wait, isn't that……" Kira saw the saber being aimed at Stellar and before it could reach her, Remembrance went in front of Gaia and took the whole attack for her.

Lacus was shocked by the sudden appearance of another gundam but all was tomo alte as the Laser Beam Saber of Freedom pierced right through the cockpit of Remembrance.

The Remembrance did not explode but instead black out and fell to the ground.

"KIZUKA!" Stellar shouted.

Seeing that the signal of Remembrance had broken off, Neo ordered everyone back, deciding to retreat since he knew that things will not go well if the battle continues.

"KIZUKA!" Stellar shouted, ignoring Neo's order.

Just then. Chaos and Abyss came along and dragged Gaia away.

"No! We mustn't leave Kizuka behind!" Stellar said.

"Didn't you hear Neo's order? He will be fine since Remembrance was not destroyed! Let's just go now" Sting said.

The Girty Lue retreated immediately after that and evewrything returned to normal.

Everything happened so quickly that everyone was in a state of shock.

Athrun, realizing that the gundam that he has been fighting against has fallen and also realizing that the pilot may be Kira rushed to it immediately.

"Athrun, where are you going?" Lacus asked.

"That pilot, the pilot of that gundam may be Kira!" He shouted as he sped towards the ground.

"What… what did you just say?" Lacus asked, shocked by what she heard.

Meanwhile in Remembrance…

Kira was only half conscious. He was lucky that the Laser did not hit straight at him if not, he would have died.

"Isn't that…. Freedom……………"

black out

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A/N: Thanks for reading!

The identity of Kizuka will be revealed in the next chapter.

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