A Story of Legends

by bondfan

C.E. 73. Two years have passed since the war ended. Now, as chaos engulfs the cosmos once again, new faces will work with old ones to discover the meaning of their existence. Sequal to A STORY OF HEROES. Main pairings, MxM, AxC, KxL. OC's galore! Read & R

11. Phase 10 Disembarkation

PHASE-10Disembarkation

-Athha Mansion, Orb Union, October 8, C.E. 73, 0800.

The sun rose bright and early in the morning, just in time to wake Athrun from his slumber. It had been a restless night for him. After dropping Kira off, he'd drove on across a seemingly endless streak of road for several hours, during which he said nothing; he only thought. When he returned to his apartment a few minutes before midnight, he'd showered and lay down to try and sleep, but his mind wouldn't let him. He kept traveling back to Junius Seven only moments before his mother's grave-sight crashed down on Earth. The words that GINN pilot had spoken to him echoed in his mind.

"Why can't you realize that for us Coordinators, the path of Patrick Zala was the one and only correct path…?"

After somehow managing to get to sleep, Athrun had been awakened by the sun's bright rays streaking over the horizon outside his apartment window. Those words continued to ring inside of him. He had dressed and gone for a walk, but they still wouldn't go away. The image of his father nearly wiping out every last Natural would not leave him.

Finally, Athrun decided against fighting it any longer. He'd gone back to his apartment and taken his car over to Cagalli's official residence where he would meet her every once in a while to discuss things. Now, as he sat at her spacious dining room's main table, an open laptop laid out in front of him, he thought he might have finally shaken the words from his brain. Unfortunately, when the images of destruction and reactions began to display themselves on the laptop's screen, the words came back. He could not escape them. "…the path of Patrick Zala was the one and only correct path…"

"Some coffee for you, Master Athrun?"

Athrun glanced up from his laptop into the smiling face of Cagalli's maid, Myrna. Her innocence seemed to be misplaced in the world of chaos around her. Athrun managed a smile. "Yes, thank you." The scalding hot liquid burned his throat, but Athrun was too concerned with the matters playing out on his laptop to worry about that. The Atlantic Federation was raising quite a fuss and both the Republic of the Far East and Australia had already joined in. They all were still at angry at the PLANTs over the Junius Seven drop, despite the fact that the PLANTs were denying any involvement in the catastrophe. As a result, the Minerva's heroic attempt to crush Junius Seven was being lost in the limelight. Meanwhile, the Kusanagi was receiving front page billing around the world and the crew was being hailed as heroes for their actions at Junius Seven. It wasn't as though the Orb personnel didn't deserve the thanks, but the fact that the Minerva wasn't getting any was a bleak indicator of where things stood in the world.

"Athrun!"

Athrun glanced towards the doorway to the dining room where Cagalli was now entering. "Good morning!" She was finishing putting on her maroon diplomatic jacket, and when her maids bowed to her, she appeared uneasy. Athrun smiled. She still wasn't comfortable being waited on hand and foot.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. The administrative meeting went on forever. Oh, and I'll be in cabinet meeting all morning, so I don't have much time to talk," she added sadly.

"It's okay, I understand. Don't worry about it," he reassured her. She came to stand behind his chair and look over his shoulder down at his laptop. He got serious. "Tell me, what's the situation with the Orb government?" He could hear her sigh behind him. He looked up to her face to get her expression; it was uneasy and exhausted. That was enough to answer his question. "I see…"

"Yeah…" Cagalli spoke in a hushed voice. "I guess it can't be helped that we move in that direction, given the circumstances. Although not as bad as other places, Orb was still affected by the tragedy." She turned her head to glance out the room's large, transparent windows. "I can understand the opinions of the ministers…but…to share the pain felt…it shouldn't mean we have to join the people who shout for revenge, and hate the PLANTs. Right?"

Athrun nodded. "It looks as if there are other nations that agree with that sentiment." Cagalli looked back down at the screen, where a new set of images was now being displayed. These came from Eurasia, the Equatorial Union, and Africa, where people were not shouting out in dismay and anger, but were quietly beginning to rebuild their lives. "If it's what you believe is best for the nation, then don't hesitate to voice that opinion."

"Athrun…"

He stood up slowly. "I'm going to the PLANTs." Cagalli gasped audibly. Before she could speak, he said, "I hate to do this given Orb's situation, but I can't afford to just sit here alone doing nothing."

"Athrun…but that would mean…"

"I'm concerned about the PLANTs' position on this matter. Although I'm sure with Chairman Dullindal at the helm, they will not resort to the worst case scenario. But as we saw," he added darkly, "the fact is, there are still people who are swayed by my father…and his words." He took her by the shoulders. "I have to talk to the Chairman. If there is anything I…even I, can do to help…whether it be as Athrun Zala, or as Alex."

"Athrun…" Cagalli whispered. She reached up to cup his cheek.

"If the PLANTs and Earth continue on this course and end up becoming enemies, I will no longer understand what it is that we've been trying to do all this time."

Cagalli paused. "If you think that's what you have to do…then I won't stop you."

"Thank you. I've also decided to go because I want to find out who was responsible for the attempt on Lacus' life," he said as he turned back towards his laptop and closed it.

"Do you think Chairman Dullindal was really behind it?"

"I don't know. There's so much we don't know. Kira's concerned about this too. If I can find out even a little about what happened…then maybe we'll have a clearer picture about all of this."

He put his jacket on and walked through the large rooms of the mansion towards the front door with Cagalli following behind him. He had already packed and had his suitcase sitting in the trunk of his car on the parkway in front of the mansion. Athrun stepped out into the early morning sunshine and looked up at the sky for several moments. It looked so peaceful up there; completely unlike anything that was going on under its blue tint.

Athrun glanced behind him at Cagalli. She was staring down at the ground, hands folded in front of her. He could tell that she didn't want him to leave. This was a difficult time for her as well; she was going to need all the support from her friends she could get. Do it then, stupid! Athrun felt for something in the right-side pocket of his black leather jacket. He'd bought it almost as an afterthought, in case the prospect ever came up. She needs to know that you'll always be there for her no matter what. Now seemed as good a time as ever.

"Cagalli." She looked into his green eyes. Athrun sighed. Here goes nothing…just don't let her be angry at the timing of this… "Look. I understand your situation with Yuna Roma." He reached for her arm and pulled her gently towards him. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it." Cagalli, who didn't exactly understand what was happening, watched wide-eyed as he slipped the small, silver, jewel-studded ring onto her finger. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she realized what he was trying to say.

"Wait…what…?" She looked to his eyes for an answer, but he was looking away. The red spots on his complexion indicated to her that he was embarrassed. Did he just do what I think he did?! "Are you…uh…what the hell? This is no way to give a woman a ring, you know!"

Athrun frowned. "Okay, I'm sorry." You're an idiot, Zala! The next thing Athrun heard was the sound of Cagalli laughing. He finally faced her again and saw that she had closed her eyes and looked as if she was about to collapse in laughter. "What?"

"Nothing…it's just…I never expected you of all people to…" She laughed again.

Athrun tried to smile. "Does that mean you say yes?"

Cagalli managed to stop herself. She tried to compose herself, but all that came out of her mouth was, "Uh-huh…"

Athrun smiled. "I'd better get going. I know it's sudden…we'll talk about it when I get back okay?"

She nodded. "That sounds good." She embraced him. "Take care. Keep in touch."

"Yeah. Hang in there, Cagalli." Subtly, Athrun leaned in close and captured her lips in a quick goodbye kiss. He left her arms and took his laptop under his arm before heading down the steps toward his waiting car. He started the engine and put the car in gear. Just before he accelerated, he looked back towards the mansion entrance. Cagalli was standing there waving, and smiling. Athrun waved goodbye as well and gunned the motor.

As the black convertible sped down the parkway away from the mansion, Cagalli stood completely still. She watched the car go until it disappeared from view. She turned back towards the doorway and felt for the ring he had placed on her finger moments before. She brought it in front of her face and looked at it. She smiled. How many other girls are in my position? The leader of the nation…engaged to two men…a bleak future ahead of her…I must be an anomaly in the world. She walked back inside the mansion.

-Minerva, Onogoro Island, 0900.

"That's not the same shirt you wore to our graduation party, is it?"

Roland's eyes looked to his right where Talia was standing with her arms folded. "And if it is?" He was wearing a worn-out, red flannel shirt and dust-colored khakis; a not too flattering combination to say the least.

Talia rolled her eyes. "Ten years go by and you still won't get yourself some new clothes."

"Well, I happen to like my old clothes. They still fit me, after all."

"You look like a starved hobo," Talia said with a smirk.

"Nice. Hey Arthur, you ready?"

"Yeah." Arthur emerged from his quarters dressed in a plain white polo shirt and black trousers. Without his black officers cap, his long green hair was visible, to the extent that his entire mullet-like haircut was revealed in all its glory.

Talia shook her head. "Now why can't you be like Arthur? He at least wears something that looks half-way decent."

"He only has that stuff because Eileen buys it for him!"

"Hey, I could've refused to accept it from her, you know."

"No you couldn't. She would've torn your head off if you said one word to her."

"No she wouldn't have!" Talia and Roland glanced at each other. Arthur could see them both grinning like children at one another. He sighed exasperatedly. "Alright, she would've been mad."

"So you really didn't have a choice."

"No. Is that what you wanted to hear?" Roland nodded. Arthur only shook his head. "Anyway. Did you get the transportation set up?"

"We're walking, Arthur." Roland said. "Even you can handle a little walk."

"Fine, fine." Arthur glanced at Talia. "Why aren't you coming with us, Talia? I'd imagine you'd really want to see this place."

Talia sighed. "Unfortunately, as the Captain of the ship, it's my duty to remain on board or in the vicinity of the ship at all times. It's the price you pay for being a Captain."

"So you're going to let us get away and have all the fun, huh?" Arthur inquired.

"Something like that."

"What?" Roland paused. "…what else did you have mind?"

Talia frowned. "If you guys don't mind…I'd like you to find out more about what position the Orb government is leaning towards concerning the current matters. We don't have much information available to us, so I'd like to have a decent idea about what's going on out there."

"So in other words, you want us to spy on Orb?" Roland asked.

"If that's what you want to call it," Talia said, shrugging.

"Great. I start to think that maybe we're being allowed to disembark because we've earned ourselves a little break, and Miss Captain here gives us another assignment." Roland snorted. "I should've known."

Talia smirked. "Have you come to expect anything else from me in the years you've known me, Mister Smart-Ass?"

"No, I've come to accept the fact that you enjoy making Loverboy and me do your bidding. We are your slaves on board this ship, after all."

"Next thing you know, she'll be asking us to get her drinks for her and fluff her pillows," Arthur added sarcastically. "We'll be completely devoid of our free will."

"Alright, that's enough. I think you boy need to get going," Talia broke in, pushing Roland down the corridor. "Try to be back by this evening, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am," they both said in unison. "You sure you'll be alright here by yourself, Miss Captain?" Roland asked casually.

"I'll be just fine, Roland."

"Yeah. Remember, Roland, she is a woman with lots of luck," Arthur chuckled.

"Yeah. I've been wondering about that too. Where in the hell did that come from, Talia?"

"Come on you guys. Get out of here, shoo-shoo," Talia forced them onwards, barely able to contain her laughter as she spoke.

"Yes, Talia." She could hear them laughing all the way down the corridor after they had gone. Talia eventually sighed to herself. It was difficult finding times like these where they could just be friends again. The three of them had known each other since they were teenagers in high school and had grown to become an inseparable trio as they got older. Now, even as they served together aboard the Minerva, their careers seemed to be interjecting themselves into their friendship. Talia was finding it harder and harder to talk to Roland and Arthur as a friend instead of their superior officer. Just now, she'd given them an assignment when what she really wanted was for them to have a good time. How long do I have to go on like this? How long until we can act like friends on a consistent basis again, Talia wondered. But that would have to wait for another time. She tucked a lock of her dark blond hair behind her right ear, brushed off her white uniform jacket, and headed for her post on the bridge.

Two decks below the officer's quarters, Felix waited impatiently in the corridor next to the quarters he shared with his fellow bridge crewman. He glanced at his wristwatch and frowned. "Ian, are you ready yet?"

"Hang on."

"You said that ten minutes ago!"

"Alright, alright, don't blow a gasket!"

Felix tapped the ball of his foot several times, exaggerating his increasing level of impatience. He was dressed in a red wind-breaker with white stripes around the shoulders and khakis. Ian eventually emerged, wearing a simple black polo-shirt with the October Five soccer team's emblem sewed into the upper left hand corner and spotless black trousers. He held his glasses in his hands for a moment while he finished cleaning the lenses. He placed them onto his nose and said, "Okay, I'm ready now."

"Let's get out of here then," Felix proposed. "I've been waiting all morning for you to get your ass ready."

"Well excuse me," Ian said, acting offended.

They proceeded to one of the ship's main lifts and began to descend toward the deck that housed the ship's exit hatches. "Anything you wanted specifically to do?" Ian asked Felix.

Felix shook his head. "Not really. I just really wanted to get out."

"I hear that. You okay?"

"Yeah…but there's still one thing that's been eating at me since we got the okay to go ashore."

"What? The fact that we're in a completely different nation than what we're used to?"

"No." Felix twitched his mouth. "I've been wondering why the Captain wanted the two of us to take Shinn along with us."

"That's what's been bugging you?"

"Uh-huh. This is where he's originally from. So why would she want him to go along with us if he can find his way around here just fine?"

"It very well could be because of that fact that she wants us to be with him," Ian said as the lift slowed to a stop. As the doors slid open, he added, "You've noticed that every time someone mentions Orb or the Athha's, he goes ballistic right?"

"Yeah."

"Well it could be that she wants us with him, in case he goes nuts again," Ian proclaimed.

"Oh, I get it. If he goes bonkers, at least we'll be there to keep him from doing anything stupid."

"Right. Though if nothing spectacular happens I don't think we'll have to worry about it that much."

"I sure hope you're right," Felix agreed. The last thing he wanted to do while ashore was chase after Shinn after the pilot had gone and done something incredibly stupid.

As they approached the Minerva's starboard exit hatch, they could see Shinn waiting. He was dressed in a gray hooded sweat-shirt and faded blue jeans with brown boots. He was holding a cell-phone in his hands. Every once in a while he would press a button on the phone's dialer, and each time another picture of either Mayu, himself, or their parents would be displayed in front of his red eyes. The last time he was here in Orb…they'd all been alive and well…

"You ready, Kid?" Ian asked.

Shinn glanced in their direction and quickly pocketed the phone into his jeans. "Yeah…I'm set."

"Good. Let's go then."

Ian led the way as the trio carefully made their way across the steel gangway that was connected to the Minerva's hull. "You sure you're alright, Shinn?" Felix asked.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

"Good. Because the last thing I want is for you to spaz out on us again."

Shinn frowned. "What I said was the truth."

"Whatever. You still acted like an ass-hole back there."

"Oh and like you're any better, Moron!"

"I told you not to call me that!"

"Guys, enough!" Ian said forcefully, but not in an extraordinary loud tone. "This is supposed to be our opportunity to relax and kick back for a little while. The last thing any of us wants is to spend this entire time arguing."

"He started it," Felix said quickly.

"I did not!"

"Shut up already, you two!" They stepped onto the stone dock beside the ship. "The next time you two start going at it, I'm beating both your asses."

"Yeah, sure," Felix remarked sarcastically.

"Felix." There was no response. "Good." I can tell this day isn't going to end well, Ian thought to himself as Felix, Shinn, and he headed out of the dock area towards the less militaristic part of Orb.

-Palm Street Beach, Orb Mainland, 1200.

Dear Diary,

If I had told you, or anyone else for that matter, last time I checked in here that I'd be in the Orb Union with the Minerva undergoing repairs, you probably would have thought I'd gone insane. Well, I guess the term insane is slightly overrated, because here we are in Orb.

I never thought that I'd participate in my first real battle before the Minerva was even officially launched. I don't think anyone else on the ship did either. But some guys snuck into Armory One and stole three of ZAFT's new mobile suits; the Chaos, Gaia, and Abyss. My and Rey's ZAKUs almost got crushed by falling debris and I got into the battle late. Whoever those pilots were, they really knew how to fight. They almost single-handedly destroyed the entire base. We managed to chase them off though; Shinn and Commander Bourdais did most of the work because my ZAKU was already damaged.

The mobile suits ended up returning to their home ship and the Minerva chased after them, along with Chairman Dullindal who joined us in the pursuit. What came as a surprise to me was the fact that somehow the Orb Princess Cagalli ended up on board the Minerva along with her bodyguard in a damaged ZAKU. She looked as if she'd been through hell and her bodyguard wasn't much better. They looked pretty shocked when I saw them, but maybe they were caught off guard like we were. I have to admit though; her bodyguard was kind of cute, even though he didn't really say anything. And of course, I can't forget to let you know that that same bodyguard is really, get this, Athrun Zala! That's right; the former ZAFT red who was one of the biggest heroes during the war. I couldn't believe it at first, but Princess Cagalli said his name, by accident I think, and then Meyrin told me the Chairman called him Athrun on the bridge during the next battle. I wasn't there of course, we were out fighting the stolen mobile suits in the debris belt, but the way Meyrin was talking, I could tell she was telling the truth.

I thought we might finally get a break from all the action, but no, of course not. The very next morning we found out that Junius Seven had broken its orbit and was falling toward Earth. The Minerva rushed to stop it, along with the Orb battleship Kusanagi, which provided a big assist during the battle in the debris belt; we didn't get the new mobile suits back by the way, just to let you know. We also lost four GuAIZ pilots who had just come aboard the ship. I hadn't had the chance to really get to know them, but it was still sad to see them die so early on. But, I've been told that you can't look back on stuff like that during a battle. You have to move on to the next objective, and that's exactly what I did.

We managed to get to Junius Seven just before it entered the atmosphere and we ended up escorting other ZAFT mobile suits to the object who were trying to demolish it. But then we were attacked by a couple of mysterious mobile suits that appeared out of nowhere. It became obvious that Junius Seven didn't break its orbit by accident. I don't know who those pilots were, but they seemed pretty determined to drop Junius Seven on Earth and causing a lot of damage. The other mobile suits managed to break Junius Seven in half, but we still couldn't stop it. I saw the images from Earth after we descended along with Junius Seven; it was terrible to see all those people displaced from their homes and scarred both emotionally and physically. I had heard stories about the last war, but nothing prepared me for that sight. It made me hurt just watching.

After that, we landed in the Pacific Ocean and found our way here to Orb. The ship is currently being repaired at one of their big docks and the Captain decided now would be a good time for the crew to get some rest. They even let us disembark and I was really excited. After all the battle's I've been through during the last week diary, you wouldn't be able to guess where I am now. It's October, and yet I'm working on my tan! I guess that's what you get when you have warm temperatures almost year-round like Orb does.

Lunamaria paused her writing for a moment in order to smooth out the wrinkle that had formed along the front of the fabric she had tied around her waist to make a sarong. She then slowly moved the edge of the fabric around the side of her left leg so she could expose more of her white skin to the sun. The pink sarong matched the two small pieces of swim-suit that protected her chest and waist, including the small flashes of powder blue scattered along the fabric. Lunamaria felt for the sunglasses she had perched on top of her short red hair and, after making sure they were secure in their position, went back to her writing in her diary.

Anyway, just to let you know in case you were wondering, Meyrin's been doing fine. She's as cheerful as ever and from what I've heard she's doing a heck of a job on the bridge. And Dad said that she wouldn't make a good soldier!

I got a package from Mom and Dad the day before the Minerva left Armory One. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, a few pages of letters and Mom's usual box of I Love You cookies, but after what happened in the days after, I've come to realize just how precious those little things from home can be to you. I don't know when I'll be able to contact them again. I miss them. But Dad said I had to be strong if I wanted to succeed in the military. I think I would be letting him down if I continued to lament on things like that, so I'm going to move on. Besides, I have a lot of friends down here with me like Meyrin, Shinn, Rey, Victoria, Felix, and everyone else. I'm sure they'll be able to keep me company for as long as we're on board together.

I think that wraps up all the adventures I've had over the past week. Maybe I'll have even more to tell you about next time. Until then, thanks again for being there for me diary. I'll see you again soon!

See ya later,

Lunamaria Hawke

10/9/73

"Awesome!" Lunamaria closed her diary at the same time as Meyrin's exclamation.

She smiled and glanced to her left, where her younger sister lay sprawled on her back on one of the beach's many rubber-back lounging chairs, hers was spread completely flat. Meyrin was wearing a light green bikini, though it almost looked turquoise to Lunamaria, which accentuated her tiny figure nicely. "And what is my little sister exclaiming about now?" Lunamaria wondered out loud.

Meyrin tilted her dark sunglasses and responded, "The sun down here on Earth feels much better than it does on the PLANTs! It's so warm and relaxing!"

"That's because there's nothing standing in the way of its rays," Lunamaria told Meyrin. "The PLANTs have their outer shells and mirrors in between the sun and us. Here on Earth, there's only the atmosphere to contend with and that isn't much when you think about it."

"Oh, it's so nice! If I ever get the chance, I'm coming down here as much as I can!"

"I think I may join you, sis," Lunamaria piped in. She set her diary underneath her lounge chair and leaned back against the somewhat upright back end of her chair. She could feel the suns rays shining down onto her body and it felt fantastic. "It's so nice so have some peace and quiet for once."

"Yeah. But, considering out current situation, I'm surprised that we've actually found some peace and quiet."

"Oh really? And why is that?"

"Think about it, Luna. In our little group right here, there is one of us that is considered one of the most sought after, and most eligible mind you, bachelorettes in the entire organization of PLANTs. This person also apparently happens to have many male suitors seeking her hand. With that knowledge, isn't it a little strange to be able to find this much peace and quiet?"

"Hmm. You've got a good point. And I wonder who that lucky lady might be." Lunamaria turned slightly onto her right side. "Could it be Miss Victoria is the woman being pursued by all those hopeful men, hmm?"

Behind her sunglasses, Victoria showed little emotional response. The only thing she did was twitch her ruby red lips into a small smirk. "I don't have the slightest inclination as to what you're talking about, Luna."

Lunamaria laughed as she responded, "You are the worst liar I've ever heard, Victoria."

"How many guys is it, Luna?" Meyrin asked.

"I don't know. Ten? Maybe twenty?"

"You're exaggerating things," Victoria said casually.

"Oh come on, Victoria! You're the only daughter of the PLANT Supreme Council Chairman, you've got a great mind and body, and you're one of the nicest people in the world. Plus, I've read the tabloids. Every rich or intelligent guy in the PLANTs is chasing after you. You can't deny that."

"Who said I can't?"

"I did."

"Whatever you say, Luna. But I have to ask you this question," she said. Victoria rolled over onto her belly, her well-fitting, one-piece black swim-suit only offering a few strings of protection around her back and neck. "Why in the world would any sensible man want to chase after me?"

"She just told you why!" Meyrin piped.

"That didn't sound like it to me."

Meyrin sighed. "Okay, then. If you don't care so much and deny it…then why are you out here tanning with us Victoria? You usually stay on board the ship and hide far away from the sun in the infirmary." Lunamaria nodded in agreement with her sister.

Victoria tucked her long black pony-tail behind her shoulder so she could give the sun as much of a target as possible. She smiled and turned her head to face the other two ladies. "Meyrin…is it wrong…for a woman to desire a nice looking complexion…just because she feels like it?"

Lunamaria hummed. "She's got you there, sis."

"Whatever."

"You give up so easily, Meyrin," Victoria quipped, drawing a quick giggle from Lunamaria. Meyrin just laid there in her chair.

Lunamaria placed her sunglasses over her blue eyes and stretched her naked arms out above her head, allowing the sun to continue its positively relishing menstruations across her thinly-clothed body. "And that's the end of that conversation," she remarked.

-Orb Central Marketplace, Downtown District, 1230.

There was a great diverse grouping of people in the large marketplace on this clear morning. Among the people that Shinn identified were rich businessmen taking a lunch with business associates, construction workers on a coffee break, housewives taking their young children on midday walks, and of course there were the usual barterers and salesmen working at the small stands selling various things from jewelry and fine china to fruits and rubber bands. This wasn't what made the place seem out of the ordinary to Shinn however. It was the fact that none of the people in the marketplace seemed to care about anything happening in the world outside of the marketplace itself. The drop of Junius Seven and the subsequent chaos that had gripped the rest of the world by the throat was practically nonexistent here in Orb. It could have been because the nation had received relatively minor damage during the catastrophe, but that didn't look to be the answer. Shinn believed that these people just didn't care about what was happening in other parts of the world. How they could be so absent-minded, Shinn had no clue.

"You said this was the central hubbub of activity in the downtown district, right Shinn?" Ian asked as they waited for the stop-light in front of them to change so they could cross over to the marketplace complex.

Shinn nodded. "Yeah. I never got the chance to come down here very often, but from what I've heard, this place usually is where a lot of the low-level business transactions in the city take place."

The stoplight changed to green and they began to make their way across the busy city street along with a crowd of other individuals. "Based on the size of this place, I'd have to guess that that's probably a fair assessment," Ian observed.

"Kind of reminds you of the main square on Aprilius One, don't it?" Felix put in.

"Yeah, you're right. The only thing different is that one is a lot smaller."

That assessment proved to be correct. The marketplace was situated along a single stone walkway that looked like an ordinary sidewalk, but was also as wide as a four-lane city street. There were selling stands on either side of the way, in no particular order or section. It was as if the way the organization of the place was determined was based on a first-come first-serve basis. As expected, the salesmen and women were in a happy frame of mind and they spoke kindly to anyone that bothered to stop by their stand even for a glance at their merchandise.

Shinn said nothing as he and the others walked slowly through the crowded marketplace. He still could not get over the fact that the people in this place seemed completely oblivious to the events happening around them. They didn't care that the world was threatening to spill into an all-out war again that could envelop their own country at any time. Nor did there seem to be any animosity towards the people who had nearly dropped a PLANT on top of their heads a mere six days before. Then again, Shinn reminded himself, this was Orb after all. This nation was famous for standing behind its deeply held ideals until the bitter end, which had proven disastrous during the last war. Shinn in particular was still scarred by that decision, for it had been as a result of Orb's refusal to abandon its principles and join with the Earth Forces that had led to the Earth Force's assault on the Orb Union which in turn resulted in the deaths of Shinn's parents and sister. He would never understand why the Athha family had let the Earth Forces simply attack them without a response, nor would he ever forgive them for his family's deaths.

He noticed a particular group of people walking through the marketplace in the opposite direction as he, Ian, and Felix. It was a grouping of five men; Shinn guessed that none of them could be older than thirty. The leader was a shaggy-looking man with long straight brown hair, a matching goatee, and a gray fedora hat, who walked in a strange manner that suggested that he had back problems. Beside him was a shorter man with long reddish-gold hair with a blue bandana tied around his forehead and a large, ugly black scar on his neck. Shinn guessed that the first man's strange walk and the second's neck scar were the direct result of war injuries. The remaining three in the group all but confirmed Shinn's theory. The man farthest from him had short black hair underneath a sort of flat-cap, which made him appear almost gypsy-like, and walked with a limp; when he walked closer to Shinn, he could hear the strain of the metal parts that made up the man's lower right leg and foot. The next one was easily the tallest of the group, with curly blond hair and a big nose. At first, Shinn thought he would be the odd man out in the group, but when the man turned his head the other way to speak with the man on his right, Shinn saw the red optical lens in place of his left eye. Yet another battle scar. Finally, there was the man who passed directly beside Shinn. This man was short and stubby with short, curly brown hair. When Shinn walked next to him, the normal feeling of the other man's arm brushing against his should have been evident. However, the sensation never came. The last man had no right arm.

What shocked Shinn the most about the group of men however, was the fact that each one of them was smiling and laughing. As debilitating as their injuries seemed, it was as if they didn't even know they were missing body parts or had jagged scars along their skin. Three of the men were each carrying an oddly-angled case that Shinn identified as guitar cases. They were more concerned about music than anything else? Even after the men had passed him by, Shinn wondered how people like them could just forget the events of the past and move on so easily. It made absolutely no sense to him.

Ian and Felix had not paid as much attention to the group of men as Shinn did. They were more concerned with the bartering stands they passed along their course. "Dress pants, fresh fish, home-repair supplies…"

"This place has got everything," Felix concurred. "Where do you think they get all this stuff?"

"Some of it's probably home-made or caught, but I would assume that most of it is probably imported from other places," Ian said. "Orb is an island nation after all."

"But still, look at this place." Felix's eyes were wide with wonder.

"Keep your eyes trained ahead of you, Moron. We don't you bumping into people."

"Shut up."

They had walked deep into the marketplace now. There was almost no room to maneuver around the countless people that were passing them by. Shinn was leading with Ian and Felix side-by-side behind him. When the movement of people came almost to a stand-still, Felix tapped Shinn on the shoulder. "This place is amazing. You must have liked living here in Orb, right Shinn?"

There was no answer. Shinn only waited until the crowd opened up and continued moving forward. Ian elbowed Felix slightly in the side. "It may be better if you just let him be for now."

"Why?"

"Because this is the first time he's been back here since he joined ZAFT, remember? Coming back here may be a little much for him right now."

"Oh. Okay."

Shinn continued moving forward through the crowd and at the same time felt for the cell-phone still in his pocket. He thought of Mayu and how much he wanted to have her with him at a time like this. His lapse in concentration ended when his shoulder slammed into someone going the opposite direction from him. Shinn jumped and instantly turned to face the man. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

The other man had short brown hair, dark sunglasses, and was wearing a green-flowered hula shirt. He smiled at Shinn. "Don't worry about it." He walked on and said nothing else. However, once he noticed Ian and Felix walking behind Shinn, his gaze tracked the two of them for a slightly more significant amount of time. With the black sunglasses masking his eyes though, they didn't notice.

The sunglasses wearing man cut across the rows of people and came to stand before a small green stand with a short, older man working behind the counter selling different kinds of fruits and vegetables. He saw the man standing in front of him and he smiled. In his peppery accented voice, he proclaimed, "Ah, Mr. Grant, welcome back! So good to see you!"

"You too, Pedro," Grant said kindly.

"Ah, I know what you're here for!" The man kneeled down behind the stand and reached for something. He came up and presented Grant with a shiny, larger-than normal apple. "Fresh from the homeland! Just as you like!"

Grant took the apple and looked it over without taking off his sunglasses. "You know me too well, Pedro. You also didn't have to go to the trouble just for me."

"What can I say? With as dedicated a customer like yourself, I can afford to do a little extra to make your visit a happy one!"

Grant smiled. "I appreciate it."

Meanwhile, Shinn had once again lapsed into a daze and once again smashed into another person, but this time the man had just been standing still. "I'm sorry!" Shinn apologized.

Before he could move on this time however, something grabbed onto his arm and stopped him dead in his tracks. "Hey! You need to be more careful, little guy," the man said in a rough-accented voice. It sounded to Shinn as if he was trying to sound tougher than he actually was. "You could hurt someone walking crazy like that."

"I'll be more careful."

The man didn't release him. He pulled Shinn perilously close and whispered in a menacing voice. "For some reason, I don't think you will. Maybe I need to teach you some manners."

"I said I'm sorry!" Shinn maintained. The next thing he knew, he was flying backwards and crashing into a wooden display of meat containers. He crashed through the display and landed with his back against a brick wall and wood splinters lying shattered all around him. The blow had caught him in the right side of the face and Shinn could feel the sting resonating through his head. The attack had startled many of the people around them in the marketplace. A commotion had been activated by the man's assault on Shinn. Now people all around them were looking on with wide-eyes, wondering what would happen next.

At the fruit display, both Grant and the proprietor also heard the commotion nearby. "Oh dear. They're starting a ruckus again."

"Who are they?"

"That stringent gang of street thugs who think they own this place. They like to prey on other individuals who are usually smaller than they are. They're no better than playground bullies really."

The man approached Shinn's downed figure. Shinn looked angrily up at the man's grinning face. "Not so tough now, are you?"

"Shinn!" Both Ian and Felix pushed their way through the crowd and appeared behind the man standing over Shinn's prone figure.

"What's this? You have friends with you? So you thought you'd lure me into a false sense of security and gang up on me did you? Well, it just so happens that that's not going to happen!" Both Ian and Felix suddenly found themselves surrounded by five of the thugs. "You see, I have friends of my own here."

"Heh-heh. You want us to take care of these ass-holes for you, boss?"

"Leave this little bug to me," he said of Shinn.

The group around Ian and Felix started to close in on them. "I-I'm warning you guys," Felix stammered. "Don't make us do something we don't want to do…"

"Wait a sec…I think I recognize these two from somewhere's. These guys look just like those kids from PLANTs…you know, the one's who parents are running things up there." Felix shot Ian a glance. Ian sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"Take care of them for me boys," said the leader. "I want this punk to myself." Shinn tried to stand up and managed to swing his leg out and strike the man in the right shin. The man staggered slightly, but didn't fall. "Oh…a tough guy, eh?" He raised his foot up into the air and stomped down on Shinn's chest, forcing him onto his back. Shinn groaned in pain. "You are pathetic, you little worm!" Shinn felt the man's spit land on his face. When he looked up again, he saw the man holding a knife that gleamed in the sunlight directly above them. "I'm going to make you squeal for me…!"

The proprietor of the fruit stand felt a coin being pressed into his hand. He looked back to where Grant was standing. He took a bite out of his apple. "Thanks for the apple." With that said, he bolted from his position at the stand. He jumped up onto the counter of another stand down the way and ran across it before landing on another counter and vaulting into the air. His flying body soared through the air and rose over the crowd of people surrounding the ruckus. The man over Shinn didn't even have time to react before Grant swung his left leg in a wide circular motion and caught him under the jaw, sending him tumbling side-over-side across the marketplace. The man's knife clattered to the ground beside Shinn's face. He took a moment to comprehend what had just happened and then looked up into the eyeless face of his savior. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Look out!" Another of the thugs had run up behind Grant holding another knife. He extended his blade toward Grant's back, but Grant turned just in time to catch the man's arm underneath his shoulder and cease its movements. He kneed the man in the groin and then backhanded him across the face with the backside of his right hand, causing him to fall to the ground in agony. Grant turned to look back down at Shinn, but dark-haired young man had already risen and was now spear-tackling another thug to the ground and wailing away at the man's face with his fists. After several intense shots that had left the man's face a bloody mess, Grant finally put his hand on Shinn's shoulder. "That's enough, Kid."

There came another howl of sounds near them. The group of thugs that had moments before been surrounding Ian and Felix were now in total disarray. Several of them were already incapacitated on the ground, while those still attempting to fight were being pummeled. Ian landed a hard shot to one man's stomach and then hoisted the fellow onto his shoulders before dropping him onto his back with a fireman's carry. Felix meanwhile, resorted to a less sophisticated style of punches and kicks to disable his attackers.

Not even a minute after the scuffle had been initiated, it was all over. The hushed silence of the crowd around them was enough to tell the tale. Before Shinn had a chance to catch his breath, Grant had pulled him to his feet and was now steering him towards a crevice between two nearby buildings. "Come on, let's get out of here." He yelled at Ian and Felix to join him. Felix immediately did so, but Ian paused for a moment.

He went over towards the broken splinters of wood that had once been the stand that Shinn had fallen through. The crowd that had surrounded them during the altercation was still there, though now they were staring in awe at what they had just witnessed. The eight thugs lay moaning in pain on the ground at their feet and just moments before it looked as if they would be the ones enacting the pain. Ian glanced at the remnants of the stand and shook his head. He then glanced at the proprietor. He reached into his pocket and unfolded a handful of bills. "Sorry 'bout that," he said as he placed the money into the proprietors hand. He then sprinted towards the alleyway where the others had disappeared. The crowd they left behind looked on incredulously at the bodies laying before them, completely flabbergasted at the scene they had just witnessed.

Ian reached the darkened alleyway to find both Shinn and Felix gasping desperately for oxygen. Felix was still standing with his hands on his knees, slightly bent over, while Shinn had sat back down on the ground with his arms folded. "Everybody alright?" Ian asked.

"Yeah…" Felix gasped. He shook his head and coughed. "Boy…you sure have a way with people, Kid…"

Shinn shot him an angry glance. "It was his fault…he started it…"

"Enough you guys, it's over. Let's worry about getting ourselves out of here now."

Ian started walking towards the end of the alleyway which was got significantly brighter as he approached. Grant was standing up straight, one arm behind him, the other holding his silver Zippo steady as he lit a cigarette. Grant heard Ian's footsteps coming towards him, but he didn't turn his head to acknowledge him. "They gonna be okay?"

"They're fine." Ian sighed painfully. He had hoped that today would bring peace and relaxation to his already tired physique. Instead he found himself in the middle of another fight. Maybe I'm cursed or something… "Listen…thanks for your help back there."

"Forget it."

"No, I can't. Why'd you help us? I mean…we don't even know who the hell you are."

Grant finally glanced at him, though Ian couldn't tell because of his sunglasses. "Fine then. My name is Grant Worcester, I'm 20 years-old, and I am from the Orb Union. Now you know who I am, we can settle that little bit of information."

Ian raised his eyebrows. "Not much for small talk are you?"

"No." Grant puffed on his cigarette. "My policy is get straight to the point or you're just wasting your time."

"Not a bad philosophy to have. But you still haven't answered my other question. Why'd you help us in the first place?"

Grant removed his cigarette from between his lips. He glanced out back at the brightness of the alleyway exit ahead of him. "I don't like it when cocky bastards like those idiots try to pick on tourists who didn't do anything wrong. Don't worry; I'm not the only one around here that feels that way."

"Uh-huh…"

"Plus there's also the fact that you're Ian Dullindal, the only son of the Chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council, Gilbert Dullindal, and your buddy back there is the sole surviving son of Kenneth Roske, also of the PLANT Supreme Council." Grant raised his arms to about shoulder height. "What, didn't you think I'd recognize you?"

Ian opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. Felix came beside him rubbing his shoulder. "Yeah, nobody's going to recognize us. Yeah right," he said sarcastically.

"The world's already in a tight spot. I don't want anything more to happen because you two get killed in a street fight." Grant took another puff and stamped out his cigarette with his foot. "Believe me, ZAFT would've been more than pissed if that would've happened."

"Thanks…I guess…" Ian said.

Grant began to move towards the alleyway exit. He entreated for the others to follow. Ian waited until Shinn gingerly rose to his feet, his right cheek sporting a crimson spot. Grant stepped out onto a deserted sidewalk with a two-lane road beside it. He started heading for a bright blue convertible parked on the side of the road and said, "You guys are from that battleship that docked here yesterday, right? Hop in, I'll give you a ride around this place."

Ian was startled. "You're offering us a ride?"

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"But…uh…"

"Look, it's a goodwill gesture, alright. I don't want you guys walking around here without a clue." He stepped to the driver's side of the car and opened the door. "Come on, get in."

"Wait a minute." Ian glanced back at Shinn, who was still rubbing his cheek. "We still don't know a lot about you. Sure, you helped us out back there…but why should we trust you enough to let you drive us around?"

"Shinn…" Felix said cautiously. He may have just blown our chance for a ride, he thought rigidly.

Grant didn't respond for a moment. He simply reached for his cigarette case and lit another. "I'm not asking you to trust me," he said simply. He blew a cloud of white smoke out of his mouth. He then pushed his sunglasses further up his nose. "But unless you guys want to deal with the rest of those guys back there, I suggest you take up my offer."

"There are more of them?" Ian asked.

"That was just the first group. We just kicked the shit out of their leader. His cronies'll be back for your heads in a minute."

Ian glanced uneasily at Felix, and then at Shinn, who still looked as if he didn't quite trust their unexpected savior yet. "What do you think?" he asked Felix.

"I think we need to get out of here before those other guys show up," Felix said.

"Shinn?"

The younger man rolled his eyes. "Let's just…get out of here."

They began to make their way towards the convertible. Grant started the motor as Felix took the passenger seat while Ian and Felix climbed into the back. "Any specific place you wanted to go?"

"Just take us driving for a little while," Ian told him. "If we see any place we want to stop, we'll let you know."

"Hang on then!" The three ZAFT personnel were thrown back into their seats as Grant punched the accelerator and quickly shifted from first to third gear. The convertible raced down the road, leaving ugly black rubber markings in its wake.

-Orb Business District, 1400.

"Well, I've got to admit the chicken teriyaki has got its strong spots, but I'd still prefer the spicy Italian beef to anything else."

"Always have to go for the spicy one huh?" Arthur quipped.

"Hey, what can I say? I'm a sucker for barbecue sauce." After journeying through most of the business district and doing nothing more than seeing the sights and enjoying themselves, Roland and Arthur had stopped at a small sandwich shop for lunch. They had ordered their sandwiches, paid the fee, and were now eating their lunches while they continued to walk. "This is good, though," Roland admitted with his mouth half-full of beef."

"For a small place they do a good job," Arthur agreed.

"Yeah. By the way, have you had a chance to talk with Eileen since last week?"

Arthur shook his head. "I won't get the chance until we reach the next friendly base. You know the whole deal; secrecy is a top priority on a ship like ours."

"That stinks."

"Tell me about it."

"At least you know she made it back to the PLANTs alright, right?"

"Yeah, I read the news reports. She and the Chairman made it back to the PLANTs safely and now they're working on disaster relief efforts." Arthur sighed. "And now there's also the prospect of the anti-Coordinator feelings sweeping around the world," he acknowledge darkly. "Without even speaking with her, I know she's not too happy about that."

"She is the one who signed the peace treaty at the end of the war," Roland said. "I can imagine that she wouldn't be too happy about all of this."

Arthur took another bite from his sandwich. "When we first started dating, she told me that if we ever found ourselves in a hostile situation like that again, she'd have a hard time accepting that anything will change after all."

"Yeah. I can see where that kind of mind-set would come from." Roland added, "But since you're out on the front, it'll be your job to make sure she believes that it still can be achieved."

"That's what I promised her when we got married. I'd always be there for her in times of need." Arthur sighed. "And now in probably the biggest crisis of our marriage I'm all this way from home. Some husband I am."

"Hey, if she wasn't happy about you being away all the time, she would've said something already," Roland reassured his friend. "The fact that you were able to real in a fish like her, who happened to be the Chairwoman of the Council at the time mind you, speaks volumes to me, Loverboy. There's something special there between you two."

Arthur smiled. "Why do you still call me Loverboy?"

"Because you're the only one out of us that was brave enough to get hitched, that's why."

"Speaking of which…when are you and Talia going to finally get together?"

"What?"

Arthur smirked at his friend. "Geez. You think I'm that dull-headed? I've seen the way you two act when you're around one another. You're best friends and you want to be together, but you're too shy to admit it. What happened? You dated once before."

"That was in high school," Roland reminded him. "We were young and inexperienced back then. Plus, when you're best friends with someone like that, it's hard to take the next step and develop an intimate relationship with them. That's what we found out back then."

"But just as you said, you were young and inexperienced. You both didn't know what real love was. Now that you're both older, why not try it again?"

Roland paused. "It's hard, man. Especially given our situations…I don't know if it'll ever happen to tell you the truth."

"But you want it to happen, right?"

"Uh…yeah, I guess so." Roland was trying to find the right words. "But it's hard man. It's really hard for me."

"I know. But let me tell you something, buddy. There's going to come a day not too far into the future, where you're going to ask yourself, 'Why didn't I do it?' Then it's going to be too late. You can't let that happen."

Roland didn't respond, but he made sure that he would remember that sentiment. They made their way down a busy city sidewalk until the crowds around them became so thick that they could hardly move. "Where'd all this come from?" Roland wondered.

Arthur noticed that they all were looking toward a shop beside the sidewalk. "What's going in there?"

The crowd was looking into the window of a shop that sold televisions. Three screens were on display in the window and each was tuned into the same thing. There was an older looking man with gray hair and glasses, dressed in a business suit with a piece of paper in his hand, standing in front of an outline of the Orb Union with the headline, "Orb's Big Decision" in big letters behind him.

"Again, reviewing our top story this afternoon; the Orb Union has been offered a treaty of alliance with the Atlantic Federation regarding coordinated disaster relief efforts in the devastated areas of what the experts are now referring to as the Break the World Incident, and other issues such as trade and currency agreements. This proposed alliance has already reportedly been accepted by both the Republic of the Far East and the Republic of Australia. There is no word however, on the Orb government's decision. It has been indicated to our station that the government is currently debating the treaty as we speak, but it will likely be a few more days before we hear any definitive decisions being released. It's also essential that we mention that this treaty of alliance proposed by the Atlantic Federation extends to every nation on Earth including South America, the Equatorial Union, and the Eurasian Federation, but like the Orb Union, it is still unclear whether or not these nations will join the alliance at this time. We will have more on this developing story as more information comes into our station. Stay tuned for more news."

"Did anyone else think that that last part sounded as stupid as I did," Roland remarked quietly.

"You mean the part about every nation on Earth being offered the treaty?" Arthur asked.

"No, I meant specifically that Eurasia had been offered a spot in the alliance. Are they really stupid enough to think that that nation is going to join the alliance?"

"After everything that's been happening there over the past two years, I'm surprised they would do it as well," Arthur said.

They scooted their way around the crowd of people and continued down the sidewalk. "Eurasia is headed by the former General Woodrow Bradford, the man who is credited with stopping the Earth Alliance attack on the PLANTs during the last war. During the course of said operation, he was deceived numerous times by his fellow Earth Alliance commanders, specifically the ones from the Atlantic Federation, and nearly ended up dying as a result of those deceits." Roland's tone of speaking made it sound like he was reciting lines from a school textbook. "After the war, he was given leadership of Eurasia by that nation's ruling council leaders. His first declaration while in office was the infamous First Enactment: 'All individuals found to be taking part in activities associated with the Blue Cosmos organization, or any other organization involved in terrorist activities, will be subsequently arrested and, if necessary, executed'. The enforcement of the Enactment was given to the newly created Eurasian Special Forces 2nd Division, also known as the Red Men, a secret-service organization specializing in counter-espionage and guerilla warfare. In the two years since it was passed, over 3,000 people discovered having ties to Blue Cosmos have either been arrested or killed on the spot by the Red Men. Eurasia is one of the few nations that have little or either no Blue Cosmos influence within its borders." Bradford stopped to take a deep breath. "Bradford wants to make sure that nothing happens to his nation like the events of the last war. With no Blue Cosmos there, there won't be anything interfering with the affairs of the government. There's also the fact that there is almost no hatred to be found in that nation. The world and the PLANTs pretty much owe that to Bradford, the other government leaders, and the Red Men."

Arthur nodded. "What he's done there is impressive, but it seems eerily similar to something else that happened in that area a long time ago. If I'm not mistaken, Bradford's actions mimic those of a tyrant who rules his nation with an iron fist."

"That's probably a fair assessment. But you could also say that he's a tyrant for all the right reasons."

"How so?"

"Think about it. Bradford has stated in many of his speeches that his actions are only for the betterment of Eurasia as a whole. His actions against Blue Cosmos have kept that nation united for the past two years. You can do that as a government leader if you're willing to be pretty harsh and that's exactly what he's done."

"He won't even hesitate to refuse the treaty with the Atlantic Federation then."

"I doubt if he'll even look at it," Roland added.

"Do you think Orb will respond in the same way?"

Roland bit his lip. "The guy on the television said they were considering it. Just the fact that they would even consider joining such an alliance, which appears to be directed against the PLANTs, is enough for me."

"We should head back to the Minerva and tell Talia, then," Arthur said.

"Yeah. Let's hang around here for about another hour and then we'll head back. We haven't seen that last stretch of the business district anyway."

"You just want to eat some more," Arthur laughed.

"And what's wrong with that?" Roland asked innocently.

-Orb Government Offices, 1400.

There came a quiet rapping on the door to Yuna's office. "Yes?" the blue-haired young man asked into his intercom.

"General Vernes is here to see you, sir."

"Very good. Allow him to enter." His beautiful secretary opened the door and Mwu entered slowly. His expression indicated that he really didn't want to be here, but Yuna had asked him to come. Since it was a request from someone on the Ruling Council, he didn't have much of a choice. Yuna set aside the documents he had been analyzing, folded his hands and set them on his desk. "Thank you for coming, General. Have a seat."

"I'd rather stand," Mwu said blankly. He really doesn't want to be here, Yuna told himself. I don't blame him. "I'm very busy at this time, Representative. Could you be quick about whatever it is you want to talk about."

Yuna nodded. "I understand, sir. I'm sorry if I called you away from anything important, but I felt that it was necessary for me to show you something." He stood up from his seat and reached for something in one of his desk drawers. He indicated for Mwu to look at the monitor perched on the end of Yuna's desk. "I understand that you have your misgivings about this nation joining with the Atlantic Federation's treaty. I did myself when I first heard about it, I must admit. But when I had the chance to think about it, I came to the conclusion that it would be the best decision for Orb as a nation."

"And why is that?"

"I'll show you." Yuna inserted the disk drive he had retrieved into the slot on his computer's hard-drive system. He then came around to stand beside Mwu as the first images made their appearance on the monitor.

The first few photos contained images of mobile suits and other vehicles engaging each other in a fierce battle along the coast and other inland areas. Mwu could easily identify the location as Orb and the mobile suits on the attack were the Strike Daggers used by the Earth Alliance during the last war. There were also three mobile suits that Mwu had personally fought many times, Calamity, Forbidden, and Raider. The Orb mobile suits were doing their best to hold their positions, but the battle eventually spilled inland to civilian areas. The next thing Mwu saw were images of frightened civilians running away from the destruction of the battle. Mothers were holding onto their children by their very limbs as they tried to run away, older people being carried up high inclines to escape the battle, and others kneeling over wounded or dying friends and family with tears flowing down their cheeks. So this is what the attack on Orb was like during the last war. Mwu had been in space when the attack happened and very little detail had been communicated to him about the actual event. These images were enough to fill him in on the details of the destruction.

"This was what happened when we decided to stand by our ideals the last time the Atlantic Federation asked us to join them," Yuna said quietly. "We ended up having to deal with the consequences an attack that devastated our land and people. Many still haven't gotten over that, I believe." He turned to face Mwu directly. "The last thing I want is for Orb to have to go through that again. That is why I decided it would be in the best interest of the nation to join with the Atlantic Federation. If we don't, we would be the lone nation standing against them more than likely, and the last time that happened, well…" He glanced back at the monitor. "I know that you don't want that to happen to this country as well, General. You fought to protect people during the last war…and because of that many people owe their lives to you and your comrades here. I have those same feelings coursing throughout my body when I see footage like that. I only want to help the people of Orb remain safe during this trying time."

Mwu didn't answer. His eyes looked Yuna over, trying to find one sign that he was lying, but he couldn't find any. "What do you want me to do?"

Yuna nodded. "All that I would ask of you…is to consider the proposed alliance. If you do that, that's all we would need. We need people like you right now, General. Orb's livelihood may be dependant on your actions during these next few days. Think about that when you're considering it."

Mwu blinked his eyes slowly. "Will my family be safe?" he whispered firmly.

Smiling, Yuna said, "I personally promise that nothing will happen to either you or your family. If I ever break that promise, you have permission to do whatever you wish with me. Kill me if you wish, I would probably deserve it then. But I swear to you, nothing will come of harm to your family." Yuna extended his hand towards Mwu. "Will you at least trust me on that?"

Mwu paused. He faced the choice of either working for the very nation that was seeking to have he and his family killed, or fight against them and put millions of other lives in danger. Was it worth it? Three people for the price of a million? His hand reached forward and clasped Yuna's firmly. "I'm going to hold you to that promise, Yuna," he said.

Yuna shook his hand. "I'd be disappointed if you didn't."

-Orb Southern Coast, 1900.

The black pavement raced along beneath the underbelly of the blue convertible as it barreled down the road at a high rate of speed. In the right-side of the backseat, Shinn was quiet, his head balanced on his right hand while his elbow was perched on the car's door. The man they had met in the marketplace earlier had driven them almost the length of the entire nation, stopping occasionally so they could get something to eat, but otherwise the car was constantly in motion. Along the way, Felix had been the instigator of the majority of conversations, while Grant had smoked about five more cigarettes and Ian and Shinn remained relatively quiet.

Shinn had used this period of silence to reconstruct his memories of this place that he had once called home. They had traveled through urban areas where he had occasionally visited, to more rural communities along the coast that he had never seen. Now they had reached an area that was close to the place where he had grown up, and the memories started coming back to him. He could remember playing in the forest with Mayu when they were little, scampering around tall trees and rolling down muddy hills laughing in ecstasy. He remembered playing catch with his father on their front lawn while his mother watched from the porch smiling while he and his father talked about everything that they could think of. He recalled those hot summer days when the entire family had ventured to the beach to relax; those were the most peaceful, fun-filled days Shinn could remember. And now they were gone, never to be seen again.

From the backseat, Shinn looked out over the expanse of the incline beside the newly constructed coastal road they were now rolling along on. The salty sea breeze stung his nostrils and made his mouth dry, but Shinn relished in it, for it was yet another reminder of the days that he had enjoyed to the fullest extent.

Something caught his eye at the base of a downhill embankment beside the road. In sharp contrast to the green and brown of the wilderness and rocks along the shore, this small place was a combination of white and gray stone. There were also several groves of multi-colored flowers beside tall stones with small markings on them. Shinn recognized the place as a memorial. What made his heart stop however was the fact that he recognized this location. In the distance, he could see Onogoro Island and its military and construction facilities. He could also see an old wooden dock rotting away a feet meters past the memorial, which had last been used to evacuate civilians from the mainland during the Earth Forces' attack two years previous. He also recognized the embankment that descended from the hill above the road down to the shore. He had tumbled down that very same embankment and broken his shoulder when he landed at the bottom.

"Grant."

Grant didn't take his eyes off the road. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Could we stop down here for a minute?" Shinn asked quietly. He nodded towards the memorial. "I want to see that place."

Grant spoke to Ian. "Do you guys have a timeframe that you want to go by? You know, to get back to the ship?"

Ian glanced at his wristwatch. It was getting late; the sun was already beginning the process of setting behind them to the west. Talia had given them strict orders that they weren't to remain away from the Minerva more than an hour after sunset. They would be cutting it awfully close. "I think we can spare about ten minutes."

Grant nodded and immediately began to slow the car's momentum until it came to a gentle stop at the side of the road next to the memorial. Shinn opened the door and exited the vehicle without a word. As their fellow passenger began to make his way towards his destination, Ian leaned forward and rested his arms on the backside of the front seat. "What is this place?" he whispered into Grant's ear.

The brown-haired man finished lighting another cigarette and responded, "A memorial for those who died protecting Orb during the attack." Ian nodded in response. That was all the confirmation he needed as to why Shinn wanted to stop at this place.

Shinn slowly approached the memorial, stopping a few feet before a large bed of flowers arranged in a semi-circular formation. Something about this exact spot sent shivers down his spine. This is it…this is where I landed… Out of the corner of his eye, Shinn glanced up at the embankment behind the road. I fell all the way down from there…that all used to be forest…that's where… Shinn felt his lips begin to tremble. This was it; the exact location where his family had been killed. He felt for the pink cell-phone in his pocket and held it in his grasp. It was his last memory of his family. This…this is where…Mom…Dad…Mayu… Shinn could still see the bloodied remains of their bodies lying amongst the devastation after that blue mobile suit had blasted the ground with its mighty cannon fire. His anguished cry at the realization his family was gone echoed throughout his mind. Shinn felt the tears begin to form at the bases of his eyes, but he held them back. Instead, he wiped them away with the sleeve of his pullover and destroyed them.

It was then that Shinn noticed that he was not alone at this place. To h is left, he noticed another figure standing before a small stone at the edge of the memorial. The man was dressed in all black with short brown hair and small object perched on his shoulder. The other man turned his head slightly to take in Shinn's form. The small bird on his shoulder flapped its wings, called out a word that Shinn didn't recognize, and flew into the air, racing past Shinn in the process.

"Is it…a cenotaph?" Shinn asked the man quietly.

From his place near the stone, Kira nodded his head slightly. "Looks like it. But, I'm not too sure about it myself. You see…it's my first time here too. To actually make the effort to come here." Shinn blinked. Who is this man? "The flowers here have finally bloomed." Shinn noticed another bed of flowers surrounding the headstone. "But it's unfortunate that they'll wither because of those crashing waves."

Shinn sighed quietly. "Perhaps it means they can't be fooled." He saw Kira tilt his head slightly. "No matter how beautiful the flowers are, people will wipe them out again anyway," he added darkly.

"What?"

A pleasant sounding voice began to make its presence known to the both of them. A pink-haired woman was walking along the shoreline with flowers in her hands, singing a song that Shinn didn't recognize. Who is she? Her pleasant sounding song made Shinn begin to regret his statements just moments before.

"Shinn!" He glanced back towards the road where the convertible was sitting quietly. Ian called out, "Come on, we gotta go! It's getting late!"

Shinn turned back to face Kira and Lacus and bowed his head. "I'm sorry. For my comments. Good day." Shinn turned around and began to walk silently back to the car. Mom…Dad…Mayu…I promise you…I won't let you down. I'll get that damn mobile suit if it's the last thing I do…! Kira and Lacus watched him go. He got into the car which then drove off down the road, and then they too took their leave of the memorial, leaving the sacred place once again in complete silence.

-Moscow, Russia, Eurasian Federation, October 9, C.E. 73, 0400 (1300 Orb Union time).

The mansion located on the dimly lit streets of the Moscow suburbs was bathed in darkness and dead silence, the lone exceptions being the persistent drumming of thunder and rain that was now soaking the city. The only semblance of light anywhere near the building was the small lamps that lined the driveway that led up to the magnificent house and these only provided lights for up to a few scant meters. It was because of the lack of light that the small unit of masked men were able to sneak up to the mansion undetected. There were no guards to be seen around the mansion, which took some of them by surprise, but they relished in any break they could get; especially on a mission carrying this amount of importance. Armed with silenced pistols and semi-automatics, the men crept up a small hill that led to the rear of the mansion and took up positions outside the brick walls. The leader of the unit made several hand gestures to indicate where he wanted his squad of about twenty men to go. He left the majority of the unit on the outside of the mansion to deal with any unexpected guards that happened to make their presence known, while he and five of his most experienced men made the dangerous journey to the inside of the mansion. Using tools that worked in almost complete silence, they successfully tapped into the mansion's electronic surveillance units and disabled all the security cameras, instead replacing them with previously recorded tapes falsified to make them appear to be the genuine ones. They made sure not to disrupt anything going on inside the mansion; their target was notorious for remaining awake for most of the day. With the cameras taken care of, the men successfully breached a side window and entered the dark confines of the mansion.

Near the center of the mansion, in what could be constituted as a living room, a small television played images of current events going on around the world. The words that were spoken through the box's speakers were in Russian. "At this moment, it is being widely speculated that the Atlantic Federation and its allies will be issuing an ultimatum of sorts to the PLANTs in response to that nation's reportedly unwillingness to cooperate in the apprehension of the terrorists responsible for the Break the World disaster a few days ago. However, as of now, we still are awaiting word on the action that Eurasia itself will be taking as no response has come from the Nation Council, Prime Minister Gupta, or Premier Bradford himself. Their course of action has been debated throughout the past few days, but with the way things tend to play out in situations such as these, it would more than likely be wise to just wait and see what happens…"

While the news analyst continued to speak away, the individuals watching the television took everything in silently. The oldest individual was seated in the room's only arm-chair, gray hair combed slightly to the right, hazel colored eyes reflecting the images he was watching on the television, the rest of his face and well-dressed body unmoving. Years of service to his nation had turned Woodrow Bradford into a shadow of his former self; he appeared over sixty years old when in reality he was only fifty. However, just by speaking a few words, he had been able to, and still could for that matter, draw entire audiences to the cause for which he was championing. Those that chose to oppose him…well, after the actions he had implemented in order to stamp out Blue Cosmos during the past two years, there were very few who chose to oppose him. They faced insurmountable consequences if they did.

War had also greatly affected the two individuals seated on the high-backed sofa to Bradford's left. The one closest to him was a man in his early thirties, bi-speckled, with a short reddish-golden goatee to go along with his matching hair, and the body of an athlete if he had chosen that profession. Once long ago this young man had been an innocent soldier laughing it up with his brother and best friend; then he had been thrust onto the frontlines of the war and had been exposed to more personal tragedy and betrayal than anyone else Bradford had come across. Because of the bond Bradford had shared with this man during their service together, he now treated Seymour McKinley as a second son. In the same manner, he viewed the woman curled up close to Seymour as family as well. She was extremely beautiful with long, curly blond hair and a slender build. At first glance, one would have thought she would have been a fashion model or anything else besides a soldier, but that had been the profession she had chosen. Now known as Jessica McKinley, she had displayed the courage and ability of the best soldiers Bradford had ever seen. The relationship she shared with her husband was something that Bradford could only describe and inseparable.

As they continued to watch the events taking place around the world play out in front of them, the only interruption was the quiet, hushed voice of Bradford's faithful butler Walter. "Tea, sir?" he asked with a genuine smile on his face.

Bradford only glanced at his long-time friend and servant for a split-second. "Thank you."

Walter poured the concoction into a small cup and handed it to Bradford who took a quick sip before turning his attention once more to the television. "My, my…things indeed are getting very ugly out there…" Walter's voice hummed. Bradford didn't respond; he didn't need to.

Before taking another sip from his tea, something caught Bradford's ear. It wasn't much, merely the sound of a shoe bottom scrapping against a piece of tile. However, the only people that were supposed to be in the mansion were Bradford, Walter, Seymour, and Jessica. Judging by the frequency of the sound, Bradford concluded that it had come from the rear quadrant of the mansion. That could only mean one thing. He noticed that both Seymour and Jessica had noticed the sound as well. They had learned well during the past few years.

"Oh dear…we have uninvited guests, it appears." Bradford made an almost absent-minded motion with his right hand, holding it at an upward ninety-degree angle from his body. Without a word, Seymour and Jessica rose from the sofa and disappeared quietly into the darkness of the mansion. Walter too took his leave, leaving Bradford alone in the living room. He took another sip of tea and waited.

Several minutes passed before Bradford heard the sound of shoes scrapping against the floor again. By this time, they had gotten much closer. Out of the corner of his eye, a sole individual, dressed from head to toe in black and wearing a concealing mask, emerged from the darkness to his right, a silenced pistol clutched in one hand. Bradford didn't budge.

Glancing around him for a quick second, as if to clarify that what he was seeing was actually occurring, the assassin smiled beneath his mask. "Well, well, well…the great Woodrow Bradford lets his guard down. I would've thought this would be more a challenge." No response. "I was expecting that you would at least put up some resistance…now I'm starting to believe that you actually want to die." The man moved to stand directly in front of Bradford, blocking the television from his sight. Still, Bradford did not move. "We've been subjugated by your actions for long enough…it's time for Eurasia to take her rightful place in the world."

Finally, Bradford's hazel eyes locked onto the man's masked face. They stared at each other for several moments without speaking a word. At last, Bradford opened his mouth. "I'm going to give you one chance…leave now…and you won't be killed…at this moment."

The assassin seemed to laugh. "You are threatening me…? I don't think you fully realize the predicament you're in Bradford…!" A quiet shot rang out. A jagged hole appeared in the upper left hand corner of Bradford's white dress shirt. The ex-General didn't seem phase; he didn't even flinch.

He could see the man's expression behind his mask begin to take on a surprised look. That bullet should have pierced Bradford's heart! What happened? "I gave a chance, Blue Cosmos…" Bradford whispered quietly, but fiercely. "All Blue Cosmos' must be destroyed." He narrowed his eyes. "Now, die!"

The assassin felt his throat tighten suddenly as the pencil-thin coil of steel wire suddenly wrapped itself around his throat. The man struggled for a few agonizing seconds, with Bradford looking on in front of him, and then he jolted backwards once and sagged to the ground with blood seeping from the wound stretching around his neck. Bradford looked on silently as Walter emerged from the darkness, retracting the now blood-stained coil back into his shirt's sleeve. "My, my…quite the braggart, wasn't he?"

Taking another sip of tea, Bradford calmly listened as a quiet strain of four more sounds rang out through the mansion. Those sounds were quickly followed by the equally telling tremors of four bodies hitting the mansion floor. The fifth sound Bradford had been expecting never came. Instead, a different sound began approaching the room where he and Walter were situated.

The last assassin's body was limp as Seymour carried him stealthily into the room with one arm, a silenced pistol held in the other hand. He stopped before Bradford and waited until the older man nodded his approval. "Who sent you?" Seymour asked menacingly. No response. "Who sent you…?" A stream of white liquid streamed from the man's mouth. Seymour cursed him and threw him to the floor with an ugly thud.

"Cyanide," Walter said roughly.

"The others?" Bradford asked. If the assassin he had encountered earlier had been a foreshadowing person, there had to be others waiting outside.

"Sergei and the others have taken care of them," Jessica's voice informed him as she too emerged from the darkness. Bradford's guards, who also happened to be members of the Red Men, were experts at stealth movements. The other assassins wouldn't have stood a chance.

Bradford took one last sip and set his cup down. Standing up gingerly, with an assist from Walter to go along with it, Bradford slowly shed his dress shirt and both bullet-resistant vests underneath. As he removed the second one, a small metal bullet clanged to the floor at his feet. "We need stronger body armor," he told Walter. His butler had already readied another shirt for him and Bradford dressed quickly. He looked behind him and his heart immediately began to wrench. Seymour held Jessica tightly in his arms, her head pressed against his chest, and even though he couldn't see or hear her, Bradford could tell that she was crying. She didn't want to force herself to do what she now considered her job, but she no longer had a choice in the matter. It was either that, or she and the man she loved would have to face an even more brutal future than the horrible past they had already experienced. Bradford was equally torn about the decisions he had been forced to make in the wake of the last war. However, for the betterment of the nation he now led, it was a necessary sacrifice.

Picking up his empty cup, Bradford shut the television off and turned to Walter. "Make sure the bodies are taken care of."

"Yes, Premier."

He motioned for Seymour and Jessica to come with him. "We must go. The situation has gotten worse than we could have imagined. We must disappear for now. Come."

-Orb Minister's Office, October 9, C.E. 73, 1930 (local time).

"What? That's ludicrous! There's got to be some mistake!"

Both Unato and Yuna glanced awkwardly at each other. They had anticipated Cagalli's outburst once they gave her the news, but it still made them uneasy. Unato sighed. "No, there's no mistake about it. The Alliance, including Eurasia and the Atlantic Federation, have released a joint statement. Should the PLANTs refuse to agree to these demands, they will be deemed a hostile enemy state and a threat to humankind on Earth. At which time the Alliance will take all necessary steps to eliminate that threat, including the use of force."

Cagalli couldn't find the strength to answer. She glanced back down at her desk, but the document didn't lie. The list of demands made by the Alliance contained the signatures of President Copeland of the Atlantic Federation, as well as the leaders of the Republic of the Far East, the Australian Republic, and, the one that shocked Cagalli the most, the Eurasian Federation. All these nations had agreed to join the Alliance and now were threatening to use force against the PLANTs!

-Orb Union International Airport, 1930.

Athrun sat quietly in his seat as the shuttle destined to take him to the PLANTs began to lift off the runway and streak into the air. He had no clue what would be waiting for him there when he arrived. He hoped that the PLANTs had not overreacted in the wake of the disaster, but he couldn't be sure until he saw it for himself. Gilbert Dullindal, Athrun thought, what will you do? Will you remain true to the words you spoke before…or will you be drawn into the conflict once again? Those thoughts stayed with Athrun throughout the entire journey.

END PHASE-10