Disclaimer: Sebastian Connor and the Storm Wolves are mine.
Important warning: read the Author's Notes at the end, they explain my actions for this chapter.
Song of the Storm Wolf
Descent to Earth.
By Storm Wolf 77415
If the intensity of a battle could be rated on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the most intense, like Jachin Due or Endymion, then the battle raging in Earth's orbit would be a 7.5 or 8 at the very most. Already two-thirds of the Earth Alliance Eighth Orbital Fleet was lost, but the machines of the E.A.S Archangel were determined to even up the score. The GAT-X105 Strike Gundam, GAT-X108 Predator Gundam, GAT-X207 Blitz Gundam, and the TS-MA2mod.00 Moebius Zero stormed onto the battlefield.
"Okay boys. Let's give it to 'em!" Sebastian said, "Archangel, give me a sitrep, what are up against here?"
"15 machines!" Mir said, "A CGUE, the other three prototypes, and eleven GINNs!"
"Frak!" Sebastian said, "Well then, we'll just have take out as many of them as we can!" Although deep in Sebastian's heart, he knew that the Eighth Fleet was all but done for. He truly knew how much damage even a small squadron of mobile suits could do against entire fleets, as the Storm Wolves had found out first hand when they had single-handedly fought off the combined might of the Fifth and Sixth Fleets at Jachin, by the time ZAFT reinforcements had arrived, Sebastian and his team had already wiped out a third of the Earth Forces ships.
"Sebastian, we've got company!" Nicol shouted, "An old friend of ours is back!" Sure enough, a spotted brown CGUE was making a beeline for Predator.
"You guys go and take care of the other mobile suits! Leave Evans to me!" Sebastian said.
"Got it!" Mu said.
"Good luck!" Kira replied.
"Try and see if you can get him this time!" Nicol said.
"Will do, little brother, will do!" Sebastian said, he then switched frequencies, "Hello Evans, come for another go?"
"You know me too well!" Evans sneered, "I almost had you last time, but that brat got in the way!"
"You only nearly killed me last time because I lose control. I won't give you that luxury again!" Sebastian growled, "Let's dance!" Sebastian drew a beam saber, and let off the familiar piercing howl "AURRLLLOOO!"
"You're done! EYRUP! EYRUP! EYRUP! EYRUUUUU!" Evans replied, letting off his trademark, the sinister cackling of the spotted hyena. Evans' CGUE drew his laser sword, and the two rivals clashed for the third time.
While Sebastian and Kyle met in their battle, Kira had his own problems. His adversary came not in the form of Athrun, which was relief for him. Instead it came from the GAT-X102 Duel Gundam, upgraded with what Sebastian would have recognized as an assault shroud, with extra armor, a railgun, and a missile pod.
"Come on, you stinking Natural!" Yzak shouted, "That machine should have gone to Rusty!" The Strike and Duel proceeded to exchange blasts.
This isn't good! Kira thought. The rifle isn't doing much good. We both have shields and know how to use them. I'll have a better chance with the saber. The Strike stowed its rifle and drew a saber, an action which the Duel mirrored, and the two machines began their battle.
Menelaos, Bridge
"Admiral, what is the Archangel doing?" Hoffman replied, "You gave them specific orders not to get involved and head for Alaska!"
"This could only be Commander Connor's doing. He knows we would give up our lives to see that they make it to safety, so he used his authority as CAG to launch their machines. Give me the Archangel." Halberton said.
"Admiral, I'm sorry I couldn't stop Commander Connor, but he-," Murrue began before the Admiral cut her off.
"I know, Captain. Commander Connor used his authority as CAG to force a launch. He's trying to save us. Murrue, my dear, you of all people must realize that this is the end. Our lives are expendable, you're not. Survive and get to Alaska."
"Admiral, please it can't end this way!" Murrue said pleadingly.
"Captain," Halberton said in a quiet tone, like a father to his daughter, "You have your orders, carry them out."
"Yes sir, requesting permission to begin reentry procedures" Murrue said and then she saluted, "Just so you know, Admiral, it was an honor to fly with the Eighth Fleet, even if it was just for a short amount of time."
"Permission granted, Captain, and thank you" Halberton replied, he then turned to his crew, "Listen up everyone! We have to buy the Archangel a few more minutes! If we're going down, we're going down fighting!"
Archangel, Bridge
Flay sat at communications, having listened to the conversation between Halberton and Murrue. Her heart broke every time that an Earth Forces ship was destroyed, realizing that the people of the Eighth Fleet were essentially giving up their lives so they could make it to safety. She took a moment to look out the viewport, knowing the two most important men in her life were out in the thick of it.
"Kira, Sebastian", Flay whispered, "Please be okay."
"You shouldn't worry, Crewman Allster", Mu's voice said over her headset, "It would only make Commander Connor and Ensign Yamato worry."
"Commander La Flaga, you heard that?" Flay whispered.
"Don't blame me, sweetie. That's what happens when you leave your com channel open" Mu said, a teasing tone in his voice, but the tone quickly became serious and at the same time, reassuring "Have faith, Flay. Kira and Sebastian will do everything in their power to come back to you, and don't worry, this will just be between the two of us."
"Thank you, Commander La Flaga, I'll appreciate it." Flay said.
Open Space, Earth Orbit
The battle between the Storm Wolf of Jachin Due and the Grimaldi Hyena had reached a stalemate. Predator's beam saber and the CGUE's laser sword were dead locked, neither side gaining any headway.
"You ruined my life, Connor!" Evans said.
"How do you figure?" Sebastian retorted "You were the golden boy in school. Mr. 'I'm the captain of every sports team!' You didn't have to join ZAFT! You were guaranteed a sports scholarship to any school you wanted!"
"Oh, but I did have to join up!" Kyle replied, "I joined ZAFT so I could get Lacus! Even today I wonder what she sees in you!"
"Easy, I'm not a racist, bigoted, psychopath like you are!" Sebastian replied, "Here's payback for last time!" With a mighty howl, Sebastian swung his beam saber, but Evans pulled back out of the way at the last moment.
"You missed!" The Grimaldi Hyena replied.
"Did I?" The Storm Wolf said back, and Kyle gaped at what Sebastian had meant.
Kyle had been expecting the big swing, but he didn't expect Sebastian to quickly pull out his beam rifle, and fire at near point-blank range with it, along with the 37mm shoulder cannons, the 120mm anti-ship vulcan gun, and two 350mm gun launchers from the Launcher Strike pack shoulder unit, and even the Igelstellungs. The barrage of projectiles and energy blasts tore through the spotted CGUE, leaving nothing more than a blackened torso.
"CONNOR!" Evans roared even as Predator turned around and jetted away.
I should have killed him, but I didn't have time, the Archangel should be entering its final reentry phase. Sebastian thought, I've been told Predator and Strike can survive reentry, but I'd rather not find out for myself! I better get Kira and the others and get out of here.
The Battle of Earth's Orbit was drawing to a close. Three ZAFT ships and 15 mobile suits had all but obliterated an entire fleet of 16 ships, all that remained was three cruisers and the Menelaos itself, but the mighty Agamemnon-class battle carrier itself didn't have much time left, fires rolling from holes in the hull.
"Sebastian, are you okay?" Flay's voice came in, fear coloring her voice.
"Yes Flay, I'm just fine, I ran in to Evans again, and this time, he's the one that got shot up full of holes. What's the status of the refugee shuttle?"
"It launched a few minutes ago and…Oh my god!" Flay said, "Sebastian, look!"
Sebastian then noticed the Gamow barreling straight for the flagship of the Eighth Fleet. "Zelman, damn it, you won't have a chance" he whispered.
Vesalius, Bridge.
"Ades, what is the Gamow doing?" Le Creuset said, "I didn't give orders to go this far."
"Zelman, what do you think you're doing?" Ades said, "You're too far in the enemy formation."
"I know sir, and quite frankly, I don't care!" Zelman said, "Halberton is the one who came up with the G-Project in the first place, if we kill him here, then we'll be that much better off."
"Zelman's a brave man, a shame it's going to get him killed" Le Creuset said, "And I'm afraid that his death will be vain, for the legged ship is getting away unscathed, along with the three of its machines, including Commander Connor."
"Indeed, even if he had to undergo reentry, he'd survive. If he could come out of Jachin and Endymion, then this would be nothing," Ades said.
The Gamow charged through the remains of the Eighth Fleet, bearing down on the Menelaos, firing everything it had at massive carrier, even as it was shot full of holes. The Menelaos succeeded in destroying the frigate, but it was too little, too late, the damage sustained during the battle, coupled with the stress of atmospheric reentry, tore the flagship of the Earth Alliance Forces Eighth Orbital Fleet apart. Silent tears streamed down both Flay's and Murrue's cheeks as the latter saluted, Natarle followed suit, and in Predator's cockpit, Sebastian also saluted.
Earth Orbit
The battle between the Strike and Duel continued to rage. Even though Yzak had been fully trained as a pilot, Kira was easily keeping pace with seemingly raw talent. He looked over at the Archangel, seeing the ablative gel deployed. At least they're all safe, Kira thought, his attention was drawn back to the battle as the Duel continued his assault, even while they were entering the thermosphere, why can't he just leave me alone?
"This is all your fault, Strike!" Yzak shouted, his anger growing by the minute. "You take Rusty's machine, and now force me to land on a planet full of Naturals!"
Just go away, Kira pleaded, It's meaningless to keep fighting like this!
Predator rocketed toward its still battling brother mobile suits, Mu and Nicol made it back to the ship in time, but it looks like Kira and I are about find out if these machines really can hold up in atmosphere. Sebastian thought, at least Kira's okay, Joule, you never did know when to quit.
Both Archangel pilots then noticed a shuttle fly by, the shuttle containing the Heliopolis refugees, including Kuzzey. It came between the Strike and Duel. Both Kira and Sebastian thought the same thing, Oh crap!
A shuttle full of Natural soldiers trying to escape? Oh well, it won't stop the beam from hitting the Strike! Die, you cowards! A single, emerald beam flew from the Duel's beam rifle, and tore through the shuttle like paper. The Strike evaded the blast, but it didn't matter for the shuttle, and it exploded in a massive fireball.
"NOOOO" Kira yelled, and Sebastian was incensed.
"Joule, you COCKBITING FUCKTARD!" Sebastian roared. Two seeds, one amethyst and one blue fell, the amethyst one exploded, while the blue one spun twice, turned gold and exploded, a wolf's howl in the background. The Strike and Predator set upon the Duel, two brother wolves attacking the same prey.
Yzak did his best to hold off the two on one assault, but against two full on berserkers, he didn't have a prayer. The Strike slashed off the Duel's legs while Predator removed the Duel's left arms and the assault shroud's railgun.
"What is this?" Yzak said, genuinely afraid, "Where did this come from?"
"You killed him! You killed Kuzzey!" Kira screamed, "He did nothing to you! None of those people did! MURDERER!" Kira's beam saber slashed into the Duel's lower torso, which caused the control panel in the cockpit to spark and explode, causing a piece of shrapnel to shatter Yzak's visor and cut his face.
"It burns! It burns!" Yzak shouted, clutching his bleeding face. Through his blurred vision, he saw Predator's face filled Duel's screen.
"I suggest you run!" Sebastian's voice growled, "Next time, we won't be so forgiving!" the Duel tore way as though it had seen the devil itself.
"Sebastian?" a weak voice over the radio came, "Please tell me that what just happened didn't? That my eyes were playing tricks on me?"
"I'm sorry, kid. It did happen. The shuttle carrying the refugees was destroyed." Sebastian said to Kira, "We're way off from the Archangel's course. they're not going to be able to retrieve us."
"Kuzzey, he's dead isn't he?" Kira's voice cracked.
"Damm it, Kira pull yourself together!" Sebastian snapped, "this is no time for a pity party, we can survive reentry, but we'll have to work fast. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir", Kira said. And the two machines slid through the atmosphere, both pilots thinking the same thing. How many more people had to die before this whole thing ended?
Author's Notes: The Eighth Fleet has been bombed to hell. Kuzzey is dead. Yzak has been scarred, and pretty much scared out of his mind. I originally was going to kill Yzak off, but it proved to be a bad choice. I apologize, and hope this makes up for it.