Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED/Gundam Seed Destiny.
Stella did what she could to stay afloat. The girl did not know how to swim and was struggling though, since the water in this area was rather deep. The girl didn't pay much attention to her surroundings, only her own survival. However, the blonde girl did hear something hit the water and make a loud splash nearby, as if someone had fallen into the water, and then another splash, as if someone had dived into the water.
"Huh... ugh... guh... Stella can't hold on much longer..." The blonde girl said as the water engulf her head as she went underwater and closed her eyes and held what little breath she could. Suddenly, the girl felt another human being wrap it's arms around her and attempt to pull her up. Stella still struggled and was making all sorts of movements with her body and that wasn't helping.
'Dammit! Stop struggling Stella! I can't get you out of here if you keep fighting me like this!' Cagalli thought as she attempted to get the other girl out of the water. Then, in the corner of her eye, she saw another figure swimming towards them at a fast pace. 'Dammit! He followed me! As if the situation could not get any worse!'
'It looks like the one who fell in is still trying to save herself even though the other is trying to help her. What a stupid girl! Falling in and then acting like an idiot!' Shinn thought as he swam toward the two and also took hold of Stella.
'And now he's helping. Well the important thing is that Stella survives. He probably can't make out my face that well in this water with just a naked unprotected eye so we'll have to save the introductions and yelling for later.' Cagalli thought as she and Shinn raised the three of them from the water. As soon as Stella got her head out of the water she began to speak.
"Stella... not want... to drown... Stella... can't... swim..." She said.
"Girl... stop struggling. You're going to be fine. There's a little beach right there!" Shinn began to swim with Stella and Cagalli to a little shallow inlet with a bit of sand on it. "Why did you do that anyway? You don't know how to swim!" Shinn yelled.
"Stop it! Let's just focusing on getting to the shore first!" Cagalli yelled to Shinn, her head faced in a way that he could not make out her face.
'That voice? Who is it? I recognize it... but... from who?' Shinn thought as the three of them were finally able to put their feet on the ground and swam a little more until they were on the beach, and then stopped. The three of them began to pant as they regained their breaths after that.
"A thank you would be appreciated." Shinn said with a harsh tone.
"Stella... thanks... you..." Stella was still panting.
"Y-yes... thank you, boy." Cagalli got up on her two feet and walked towards the beach, her back to Stella and Shinn.
"Hey! I'm a MAN! I'm an ace pilot in the Zaft military if you want to know!" Shinn got slightly mad and got up, walking in Cagalli's direction. Shinn took notice of the other girl's short blonde hair, and tried to make connections. Despite the fact that he passed by Kira a while ago he didn't make the connection to ORB's Princess. Cagalli clenched her fists slightly at this, preparing for confrontation.
"By the way you ACT..." Cagalli turned around and looked Shinn right in the eyes sharply, causing him to step back in surprise as his eyes widened. Of all the people he could have guessed this girl was, he wasn't expecting Cagalli. "You're nothing but an immature child, Shinn Asuka!"
"You! YOU OF ALL PEOPLE? What the damned hell are YOU doing all the way out here, Attha?" Shinn regained himself and walked towards Cagalli and got very close to her.
"None of your goddamn bloody business you twat! What are you doing out here, when you should be fighting the Alliance? After all, you are an 'ace soldier of Zaft!'" She looked him right in the eyes.
"Um... guys... why are you?" Stella tried to say as Shinn and Cagalli engaged in an argument.
"I'm on a break, courtesy of Chairman Durandal after I completed a very dangerous and life-threatening mission and helped to liberate this area from the Earth Alliance bastards, who you are now allies with! So why are you out here when you should be trying to run your damn failure of a nation! Oh wait, is that a little too hard? Your ideals turned out to be a complete and utter failure after all?" Shinn said in the most insulting tone he could muster.
"You... know what... just... you!" Cagalli said with anger, slapping him dead on in the face. "I did what I could to make sure that ORB did not participate in the Alliance! I used all of my power to do that but it wasn't enough, obviously! And then they dare marry me off to... ugh... HIM of all people. What the hell was I supposed to do?" She said as he slapped her in the face as well.
"Accept your responsibility and suck it up and marry him."
"NO. WAY."
"Whatever! Have you finally accepted the fact that it was YOUR family that killed MINE?" Shinn asked.
"Cagalli... Stella wants to know who this man is?" Stella was sitting on the ground looking at Cagalli and Shinn, confused. The younger blonde girl pointed at the two of them with utter confudlement. Clearly, there was a lot of anger being thrown back and forth between the two, but Stella did not know why, though.
"I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR FAMILY'S DEATH! GET. OVER. IT. ALREADY. They're dead! They're never coming back!" Shinn tackled the Princess to the ground and straddled her.
"And who's responsible for this? Who? Who should pay the price for their death? When will justice be done?" Shinn asked, screaming at Cagalli.
"The Earth Forces. You know, the ones who invaded ORB... and tried to make us fight! The one's who forced you to evacuate! They are responsible! I know by now that you've killed countless Alliance soldiers, so is that good enough for you? Has your Justice been done or are you going to continue to wallow and sob LIKE A WHINNY LITTLE CHILDISH BABY!"
"Oh you just want to shift the blame onto someone else! You can't just accept that IT WAS YOUR IDEALS that killed them! It was YOUR FAMILY who took mine away! And now you're saying that my efforts against the Alliance is my justice? Didn't you once ask Athrun that if someone kills another person, and then is killed for being a killer, that peace will never be found or something like that, Princess?"
'What? Athrun... told him that... is Athrun with them on the Minerva now?' Cagalli's eyes widened.
"CAGALLI AND OTHER PERSON PLEASE STOP!" Stella yelled. Both of them looked at the younger blonde girl.
"Shut up!" They both said. Stella looked shocked at this and was about to cry.
"Shut... up..." She lowered her head.
"Oh what? At a loss for words? Can't admit that you've been beaten?" Shinn said in a snarky and arrogant tone at Cagalli. The blonde Princess had enough of this and flipped them over so that she could talk down to him.
"NOW listen to me you little, ignorant, arrogant bastard child! You are NOT the special little snowflake you for some reason think you are!"
"I never said that!"
"You never said but you ACT. You act like you're the only one who's ever lost someone in a war, like no one else has possibly suffered as much as you have."
"But...!"
"Shut." Slap. "Your." Another slap. "BIG." Yet another slap on Shinn's face by Cagalli. "Mouth." Slap-ar-oo."And let me explain." Cagalli smacked him once more for good measure. Shinn's face was red now. "You are not alone. You are not the only one who lost someone or something that was precious to them. I LOST my father! My father! Do you SEE me whine and complain and bitch about it to whoever I think is responsible? No, I don't. Kira, you remember my brother? He fell in love with a girl, and she was slaughtered before his very eyes, purposefully."
"Yes but he went on to take revenge! OBVIOUSLY HE DISAGREES WITH YOUR LOGIC, PRINCESS!" Shinn yelled.
"Rau Le Crueset was INSANE! He wanted all of humanity WIPED out! Ever man, women and child... dead! Like those Junius Seven terrorists... he was pure evil. Anyway, back to the point. You know the Captain of the Archangel, the women with long brown hair? She lost two boyfriends in the first war. Did you see her mopping? No! Captain Ramius did mourn for a while... but she got over it in time! That man who sits in the tactical chair, Andrew Waltfeld, the DESERT TIGER, he lost his girlfriend or wife... and it was my brother who killed her... although it was in battle. And now he's my ally! KIRA'S ALLY! So please, Shinn, stop it! Stop it! Move on! Get a hold of yourself and move on forward with your life! Don't let old grudges of the past prevent you from having a happy future. Please... do it... not for me... for yourself. Save yourself from this... irrational hatred... lest it consume you and drive you down the road to eternal suffering because you keep wanting something you can't have anymore!" Cagalli finished.
'Wow... all those other people... lost family like that and... maybe she's right... this time...' Shinn thought. He looked at the Princess and saw that she was crying a little.
"Please... just stop it. Whenever you bring up your family's death... you make everyone around you depressed." She said as she rested her head on his chest. Shinn turned around and saw that Stella was walking out into the ocean.
"Cagalli that girl." Shinn said as the Princess looked towards Stella and her eyes mimicked the sun for a second.
"SHIT SHE CAN'T SWIM WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING?" Cagalli screamed as she got off of Shinn and ran towards Stella. Shinn got up and began to do the same.
"Death... dying... die... Stella... not want to die..." The girl cried as she walked out into the ocean. "Die..." Stella fell down into the water due to exhaustion.
"STELLA!" Cagalli ran as fast as she could towards Stella.
'Go home...' Stella thought. Suddenly she felt a pair of arms grab her and pull her up. Suddenly, another pair of arms did the same.
"What's her problem?" Shinn asked.
"I have no idea. She's never done this before. She knows she can't swim but she did this anyway? I don't understand, she's usually peaceful." Cagalli said as the two of them each took an arm from Stella and supported her on their shoulders as they walked back to the small beach. When the three of them reached the shore Shinn and Cagalli put Stella down. Cagalli sat next to the girl and Shinn began to wander the little area they were in, looking for some sort of way back up the cliff.
"We're not going to be able to get back up on the cliff from here." Shinn looked at the girls and said.
"There's no way up?" Cagalli sighed.
"I can't see anything. Maybe if I..." Shinn was wearing something on his neck. He grabbed it and was about to break it.
"NO! DON'T! STOP!" Cagalli screamed, reaching out and stopping his hand.
"What?"
"Please... don't bring anyone from Zaft here. I'll get us a way out of here." Cagalli said as she got up and walked over to where the rock was. "BIRDY! BIRDY!" She yelled.
"Are you delusional? What the hell are you calling?" Shinn looked at her funny.
"No I'm not delusional? I'm calling something." Cagalli yelled. "It's Kira's robotic bird. I can use it to contact him."
"Wait! Why should I not call Zaft if you're going to call your brother!" He raised his voice slightly.
"Because... nobody knows where I am. Nobody CAN know where I am. Don't worry, Kira will find us and bring us back to the shore, I promise." Shinn crossed his arms.
"Hmmph."
"Just trust me, please!" Cagalli said in a slightly annoyed voice. Shinn had his eyes closed and had his head turned away but he soon opened those eyes and looked at her.
"Fine then. But if you're lying!"
"I'm not. I give you my word, not that you'll believe me..." Cagalli stuck out her hand. Shinn looked a little surprised but then shook it.
"Okay then. Look at us, we're soaked! We need to get out of..."
"PERVERT!" Cagalli was about to slap him but he grabbed her arm.
"I'm not being perverted, Princess. I'm simply making sure none of us get hypothermia!" Shinn said. Suddenly they all heard a mechanical flapping sound and soon Birdie landed on a large boulder next to Shinn and Cagalli.
"Birdie?" The bird said, turning it's head.
"Kira? Kira can you hear me? It's Cagalli! I need your help! Stella fell off of a cliff and I went to rescue her. We're stuck in this little inlet near the location where we parked the Aquashuttle and now we're trapped because Stella can't swim. Please come get us." Cagalli said at the bird.
"Uh... that's just a mechanical bird..."
"A modified mechanical bird. Kira can see what it's seeing and hear what said to it." Cagalli said. They waited for a second and then heard something from the robot.
"Cagalli? You're stuck? Okay, I'll come get you? Is anyone hurt seriously? How quickly do I need to there?" Kira's voice could be heard from the Bird.
"Nobody is in need of serious medical care. We'll be fine. I'm sure Birdie will just fly over to you and show you the way. Besides, our clothes are drenched. We need to let them dry." Cagalli said.
"Okay, fine then." Kira said as the bird flew off into the sky.
"What is that thing?" Shinn asked.
"It's a toy Athrun made for Kira before he left for the PLANTs before the first war. It was recently broken but then Stella fixed it and upgraded it. Now, it's a good tool." Cagalli explained.
"Okay then, now, where were we on 'drying our clothes...'" Shinn raised an eyebrow.
"Oh screw you!" Cagalli smiled back.
"Stella is okay now!" Stella got up in their faces.
Djibril's 'lair':
"Alright. I have called this meeting among the members of Logos to discuss something very important: The control that we have over the people of the world. Due to certain 'actions' that have been taken by the coordinators, the people have been sated somewhat, and the our plan of 'getting them riled up against the PLANTs' is running out of steam." Djibril explained.
"Well, I think you should first tell us about how the people in different parts of the world are reacting, Lord Djibril. Unfortunately not all of us are as informed as you." A member said.
"Alright then. That's a good plan, actually, in case any of you are not aware of what is currently happening. Mr. President, let's start with you..." Djibril pointed to the screen displaying an image of the President of the Atlantic Federation. The man looked as if he just swallowed a bug for a second and then started to speak.
"Okay then, here's how things are in the Atlantic Federation right now. The people are still as riled up as ever about taking vengeance on the coordinators, for the most part."
"For the most part? Don't tell me your propaganda is failing?" Djibril said.
"No... like I said, for the most part. However, there are some who are vocal about ending the war and making peace with the PLANTs... even to the extent that we become their ally. We're doing our best to silence these people but right now... however you must realize that those speeches that were said around the world, the ones from Athrun Zala and Lacus Clyne, have had some effect on my people."
"I see. Make sure those sympathizers don't gain any power. Also... don't lose your upcoming election to that dope that supports the PLANTs!" Djibril said.
"I won't!"
"Now, Chancellor. You're next..." Djibril pointed to the screen that had a picture of the Chancellor of the Eurasian Federation on it.
"Thank you, Lord Djibril. Now, as you're all well aware, even when the Princess of ORB was around, the Eurasian Federation was a loyal trading partner with ORB. However, with current events the way they are, the people of Eurasia are beginning to become more and more sympathetic towards the coordinators. The loss of the Black Sea was a huge blow to us. At the same time, unfortunately, they are not happy with the fact that the Princess of ORB has left her nation and are telling me to try to urge our forces to find her."
"What? They want her back on the throne? You can't be serious?" Yanata said from his line.
"They do. You must realize that because of your Princess' actions last war in assisting the Desert Dawn resistance in Africa and other matters, they have become a fan of her, even if she's not their ruler." The Chancellor informed.
"I see. I'll try to have something done to have that brat caught. Right now we don't even know where she is, though!" Yanata said.
"Whatever. You two discuss that later. That bitch's law is still in effect so if she does come back to ORB you WILL make sure that the only people defending that nation is Atlantic Federation forces. Now, Yanata Seiran. Give me a status report for ORB." Djibril ordered. "Oh, and good job on the coordinator concentration camps." He complimented.
"Right then. Unfortunately for ORB... things are getting worse. You remember that referendum that the Princess had a while ago about joining the Alliance? Well... after the destruction of the three PLANTs, the people demanded another one..." He said.
"And?" Djibril asked.
"They want out... We're not letting them, but the people of ORB are now... upset about the treaty. Some people have rose up and stated that they want the Princess back while others have stated that they want to overthrow the government." Yanata scoffed.
"Whatever happens I want you to keep yourself in power no matter what. Once this is all finished then ORB, and it's people, who are pure, shall reap the rewards of this conflict, understood? Now, strategy." Djibril barked.
Shinn, Stella, and Cagalli we're all sitting on the beach. A fire had been made and now it looked like the time was around late afternoon or evening. Several makeshift wooden stands had been made for the three to dry their clothes and a fire was setup nearby. The three of them were sitting in a triangle like shape with their backs to each other. Each of them was just wearing their underpants, and that was it.
"So, Princess, where exactly have you guys been this whole time?" Shinn asked.
"We've been... hiding... we don't know exactly what we're going to do." Cagalli said.
"I see. It... as much as I hate to say this... must be tough for you guys. Escaping ORB and just leaving like that." Shinn said.
"You have no idea Shinn. No idea... I hear about what is happening in ORB." Her tone got slightly sadder. "I hear about... my people... the coordinator population of ORB... being thrown into these 'camps' and forced to serve slave labour.." She was even more upset now, as indicated by her voice.
'She is really is sad about her people...' Shinn thought.
"And it pains me... IT PAINS ME... because I know right now there is NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT, nothing! My people are suffering... and I can do nothing. You have no idea how I feel right now. I feel like a knife has been thrown into my heart and is spinning at ten thousand RPM." Cagalli was clearly sobbing. Shinn turned to his right and saw that she had her hands over her face. He turned and put one arm over her shoulder and pulled her close.
"There there... you... did what you could?" Shinn said softly to her. She turned her head and looked at him.
"Did someone... kidnap Shinn and replace him with you? How are you not getting on my case about this?"
'Wait? Why am I not screaming at her for not doing her job properly? I know that I should do that, but I'm not? Maybe... it's because.'
"Stella thinks that Shinn has forgiven Cagalli." Stella said. Cagalli looked into Shinn's eyes. He shook his head in a positive manner.
"Sorry. I had no idea how... hard this is for you. But tell me, why would you be able to do nothing if you went back?" Shinn asked.
"Because I would be forced to marry Yuna Roma Seiran..." Shinn's face turned to disgust as he heard this.
"That... guy? He seems more like a girl if you ask me."
"Tell me about it. If I went back I would have to marry him, and then he would have equal power as me since he would be my husband. I can't let that happen... I can't. It would be a bad idea for me to go back to ORB unless I had another man by my side who would be suitable." Cagalli said.
'Another man? So she could marry?' Shinn thought. The he realized he was looking at Cagalli... a nearly naked Cagalli, and blushed. Cagalli realized the same, and also blushed. Then they turned and faced away from each other again.
"Sorry I got carried away there." Shinn said.
"It's fine. Although I bet you liked what you saw, pervert!" Cagalli said.
"If only I had a camera." Shinn said in a sarcastic tone. "Anyway... what's with this girl... Stella is it? What's her story?" Shinn asked.
"Stella was the pilot of..." Stella was about to say that she was the pilot of the Gaia but Cagalli put her hand over Stella's mouth. Shinn didn't see this, since he was facing away.
"Stella? What? You stopped speaking." Shinn said. Cagalli looked at Stella and gave her a 'no-no' look.
"The Earth Alliance one day decided to attack us with some Windams out in the Indian Ocean. We fought them off and captured one of them. This girl was the pilot. We took her in... and now she's with us. Although her mobile suit will never fly again." Cagalli said.
"I see. So is there anything about her?" Shinn asked.
"Huh?"
"Like parents?"
"What are parents?" Stella said.
"What?" Shinn and Cagalli both said in unison at that.
"You don't know what parents are?" Shinn asked, incredibly surprised.
"Nope." Stella said.
"Oh my..." Cagalli gasped.
"Seriously, you don't know what parents are? You never had a mother or father who loved you and took care of you?" Shinn asked.
"Stella has been a part of the Earth Alliance for a long time... as long as she can remember. Stella has gone through a lot of training."
"Was she... difficult to fight then in combat?" Shinn asked.
"You could say that... sorta." Cagalli replied, not wanting to reveal the fact that the Archangel was now in possession of the Gaia, a gundam that she knew Zaft would want back for obvious reasons. "Anyway... tell us about yourself, Shinn. What was life like before..."
"Before they died. Alright, I'll tell you, since we've all got time to blow. I was twelve years old when the war started. I was told that the fighting was between the Earth Forces, and Alliance of naturals, and the PLANTs, which consisted of coordinators. However I lived in ORB at the time, which is supposed to be a neutral nation. All of the fighting was something that happened in outer space or in far away countries. I remember hearing about the destruction of Heliopolis at the time, and was surprised that Zaft had 'attacked us'. That must have been a shocker for you, Princess."
"I was AT Heliopolis when Zaft stole four of the five gundams. I was broken then... shocked... that my father, a man who wanted nothing to do with the war, allowed for the construction of the gundams happening right under his nose." Shinn was a little shocked at this.
"You were there?"
"That's when I met Kira for the first time. Of course neither of us knew we were siblings at that time, and he more or less shoved me into an escape pod, and I made it out fine. Please, go on though." Cagalli said.
"Even though ORB's space colony was destroyed by Zaft, our daily lives didn't change much because of it. I never worried about much, really, except for the usual stuff. When the latest game was coming out. How could I convince my parents to buy it for me? Or the fact that my little sister would want to play it too." Shinn explained.
"Sister? Parents?" Stella looked up and said.
"Yes... I had a little sister, named Mayu. And a mom and dad. But you don't know much about that, do you? Anyway those were the things I cared about. Anyway, at that time ORB was a very advanced nation..." Shinn said as Cagalli interrupted him.
"And still is to this day. I wonder if Morganroate is one of the reasons why the Atlantic Federation feel the need to get into my nation's pants? Anyway, sorry for interrupting you." Cagalli said.
"Anyway my mom and dad moved to ORB because they liked the fact that they would let anyone live here, natural or coordinator, as long as you accepted the nation's ideals. After all, not every coordinator wants to live in outer space. Anyway... although the war was getting more intense, my dad said that ORB was going to maintain it's ideals and stay out of the fighting. My mother used to say that the way naturals and coordinators lived together in ORB was the best way... in fact... she said it was the only way."
"Well... no other country really accepts coordinators to the extent that ORB has, and still maintains a large natural population." Cagalli said sadly.
"That's why we lived there for the time. Mom, dad, Mayu, me? We were all coordinators and we acted just like ordinary people. We lived normal, peaceful lives, and did not deserve to be called monsters. However, there were those who thought we were."
"Luckily for you, you didn't have to deal with that much, or did you?" Cagalli asked.
"No, not really. A few bigots here and there but not much."
"One day there was a battle right outside ORB. They said something about Zaft chasing an Earth Forces ship around and that they were going to enter our territory. There was a panic in the air as we all sat glued to our TV sets waiting to see what happened next. Those live broadcasts seemed a little different than the usual broadcasts we were usually getting. I remember being a little nervous as I watched that unfold. It had been a little unsettling... the whole Archangel ordeal... but after a while we just went back to our usual lives."
"Huh... they were lucky that day... lucky that I was on that ship... or else they would have all died." Cagalli said.
"Huh? What?"
"Yes... I was on the Archangel that day and because of that my father allowed them in because of me."
"BUT IT WAS AN EARTH FORCES SHIP! Aren't you supposed to be 'neutral'?" Shinn asked.
"Shut up! I know! It was a spur of the moment survival thing, okay?" Cagalli answered.
"Fine then, Princess. Anyway the Earth Forces Alaska base was destroyed some time later during a major Zaft operation. Soon after that the Panama base was wiped out, and then they turned to ORB. My dad explained that the Earth Forces were after something that ORB had that they desperately needed. Apparently Zaft was starting to win the war and they were trying to pressure you into giving it up."
"The mass driver... Yes... after Panama's destruction the Earth Forces turned to us. I'm going to guess right now that your family died on the same day that my father foolishly blew himself and the current council of ministers whilst destroying the mass driver. He left me... alone. Or should I say, he left me with Kira, because that is when he told me that Kira was my brother."
"Lord Uzumi... committed suicide?"
"Yes... I begged him! To come with us. He didn't need to die, but he decided to stay and die... out of honor or something, even when your daughter is crying her heart out begging you to come with her... he refused." Cagalli began to cry a little. Shinn's was stunned at this. "By far the worst day of my life... as it was for you..."
"Yes... I remember seeing them dead... and then I was on my knees, crying. My sister's mobile phone survived somehow... Anyway shortly after a man came up to me and convinced me to go with him on the ship."
"Do you remember his name? What did he look like? I might know him." Cagalli said.
"I think his name was... Todka... no Tudeca? No... Todaka! Yes, Todaka!" Shinn said. Cagalli's eyes widened.
"Captain Todaka is one of the most loyal and kind hearted soldiers in the entire ORB military. You were lucky to be saved by him." Cagalli said.
"Anyway... then... sooner or later I joined Zaft... and here I am today, the pilot of a state of the art gundam?"
"Shinn... what happened at the end of the war? Do you remember?" Cagalli asked.
"The PLANTs had this weapon called GENESIS, and they were going to use it to kill the Earth... the Earth Alliance had a ton of nukes, and were going to use them to destroy the PLANTs..."
"Now do you see why ORB has it's ideals? Why... we try to stay neutral? Which side would you rather be on? The one with the weapons of mass destruction or the one with weapons of mass destruction. Or would you rather prefer to not get involved at all, to not have to have your people die for some childish hatred brought on by some bigoted racists?" Cagalli asked. Shinn was stunned.
"I never... thought..."
"No... you didn't. You just hated us because we failed you. I'll admit that right now, we failed you. We failed your family. We did what we could and that was not enough. It's never enough. There will always be casualties... as much as it is tragic it is just something that happens... something you have to deal with. With free will comes many curses... one of them being the fact that other people may disagree with you, and will hate you, and will fight you and try to kill you." Cagalli said.
'Something you have to deal with?' Shinn thought. Suddenly they heard mechanical chirping and about five seconds later the mechanical bird had landed on Shinn's shoulder.
"Birdie?"
"Alright, let's get dressed. Kira will be here in a second." Cagalli said as she got up and walked towards the clothes. Shinn was about to get up but felt Stella grab his shoulder. He turned and faced her.
"Have this..." Stella gave him what looked to be a shiny piece of a shell.
"Where did you...?" Shinn asked.
"While you two were talking Stella found this. It was broken into four pieces. Here, have it. I'm sorry about what happened to you... it's very sad..." Stella said to Shinn, who took the piece from her.
"It's okay..." Shinn smiled. They both got up and walked towards their clothes. Stella gave Cagalli one of the shards of the shell too. Cagalli smiled as she accepted it.
"Hey Sting do you want to go for a drive to blow some time? It's boring out here and we haven't even gotten our next assignment yet!" Auel said to his comrade.
"Sure I guess so. I'm tired of just sitting here and waiting for orders! It's so... frustrating! Why can't we get our machines out of the secret hanger and take that ship by surprise?"
"Because that would be fun, and we can't have fun, can we?" Auel replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm as the two left the building they were in.
Aquashuttle.
The four of them were on the Aquashuttle in it's boat mode and were heading back towards the shore where they had originally parked. Since the Aquashuttle was in boat mode it could be controlled from both the inner control room and from an outside area that made it look more like a real yacht. Kira was surprised that Shinn was with them. Stella had given Kira one of the shards of the shell and she herself would keep the last one.
"So... Shinn was with you guys too? I didn't know that. You didn't tell me..." Kira said.
"So you wouldn't freak out about it, Kira. You're stuck? With a Zaft soldier? Alarms would indeed be going off." Cagalli joked.
"Well anyway I hope he doesn't tell them that we're here..." Kira said.
"I won't. Judging by what your sister has told me you guys have enough problems as is." Shinn said.
"Shinn, tell me, is Athrun onboard the ship with you guys? Stella said that you have a red gundam..."
"Ya that pain in the ass is on the Minerva with us. He came back and got instantly promoted to the highest rank a pilot could be! And now he can order me around!" Shinn said.
"Hmm. Athrun's not too bad... what have you guys done so far?" Kira asked.
"We took out one of the Alliance's Lohengrin gates. Yup, the reason why this area has been liberated, well that was us. Although..."
"Although... what?" Cagalli asked.
"There was another Alliance base that was developing a bomb. When we got there it was completely destroyed. Someone... or something got there before us and took it out. It's been all over the news..." Shinn said. Kira and Cagalli gave each other a look as he said that. Suddenly, the sound of a gun being fired could be heard.
"What the fuck?" Shinn yelled.
"Stella is scared! Who fired the gun!" Stella yelled. The four of them looked up and heard two voices.
"Damn, I missed! Shit!" Sting yelled.
"It's a good thing we decided drive fast and speed, or else we would have never found you, Stella." Auel said. Surely enough, up on the cliff you could see a tall guy with short green hair and a slightly shorter person with long blue hair.
"We'll get you back soon, Stella! You evaded us once... but not again!" Sting yelled.
"Stella who are they?" Cagalli asked.
"Sting and Auel." Stella said. Kira had started to do some evasive manuveurs, and had hid them beneath some cover where they could not be targeted from.
"Sting and Auel? Who are they?" Shinn asked.
"Stella's friends from Phantom Pain." Stella responded.
"Phantom Pain?" Shinn asked.
"Stella's group in the Earth Alliance... which means..." Kira said.
"The Earth Alliance has some guys here!" Shinn and Cagalli said.
"Dammit! We can't go out if they're like that! We'll be shot!" Kira said.
"Sting and Auel found Stella... but Stella doesn't want to go back!" Stella yelled as loud as she could, making sure the other two couldn't hear her.
"Aww... too bad. You can't stay out there forever!" Sting said.
"Uhh... yes they can. However if she's with them, then that means that their ship is somewhere nearby! Let's get our machines and find it and sink it!" Auel said loudly.
"Their machines?" Shinn said.
"No! They'll try to sink the Archangel and kill Miss Murrue!" Stella yelled. Suddenly the four heard the sound of a speeding car.
"That's them. They're gone. Kira, get us going. We have to get Shinn back so he can warn Zaft and then get our own asses back so the ship doesn't get blown up!" Cagalli ordered. Kira then gripped the controls of the Aquashuttle and made it go at full speed toward their original docking area. After a short while, they made it there. Luckily for them, Kira had left the Jeep-like vehicle there and didn't put it back onboard.
"Shinn come with me. We'll find your vehicle that you used." Kira said as he jumped off the Aquashuttle and quickly got into the car, Shinn doing the same. "Cagalli, wait for me. We'll be a second." Kira said as he turned on the vehicle and drove as fast as he could up the hill. In the meantime Cagalli prepped the platform for when Kira got back.
"Dammit! The Earth Alliance right here? How?" Shinn slammed his fists.
"I don't know. But that town is in danger." Kira responded. "Your vehicle is just up here, right?" Kira asked.
"Yes, it's a motorbike on the side of the road. It should be just up ahead." Shinn informed.
"So... how was your time with those two? You seem to... not... be so mad with Cagalli as before..."
"She more or less beat me into forgiving her... with words... and slaps..."
"Hehe... that's Cagalli." Kira rounded a turn. Shinn pointed to something.
"There it is!" Shinn yelled. Kira got up to the bike and let Shinn jump out.
"Hurry! Inform the Minerva! Stella told us who those two mobile suit pilots are. Their suits are not Daggers or Windams: It's Chaos and Abyss!" Kira said as he raced off.
'Chaos and Abyss? Does that mean Stella's suit was... no... they probably couldn't capture it. Besides... that girl doesn't seem like she would be able to pilot a complex mobile suit.' Shinn thought as he got on his bike and raced off.
Kira had gotten back to Cagalli and Stella and was getting the vehicle onboard the Aquashuttle. The outer door closed and Kira raced to the control room where Cagalli and Stella were and turned on the engines and activated the dome. Quickly turning the machine around he drove out into the sea a little before submerging. It was getting darker outside now so Kira had to turn on the machines outer lights.
"Have you been able to contact the Archangel yet?" Kira asked.
"No! I haven't! I'm trying to get a signal through..." Cagalli said. She fiddled around with the controls a little before finally getting something.
"Kira? Cagalli?" Mirallia's voice could be heard.
"Ya. Guys, we're in trouble. It's the Earth Alliance. They've found out where we are! They have Chaos and Abyss coming. Launch the Archangel. I'm sending you our coordinates." Cagalli said over the line.
"Alliance forces? All the way out here? The nerve! Regardless we're in trouble. Go to level one battlestations and launch the Archangel!" Murrue ordered over the line.
"Well this will be a nice catch!" Sting said as he and Auel approached their secret hanger somewhere outside the city. It was true that the Alliance had been forced out of Diocula but even then the Alliance had it's secret locations.
"Ya! I just hope we don't awake the hornet's nest!" Sting said.
"Meh! More fun for me!" Auel said as a secret door in the mountain opened up and their car drove in.
"Dammit! I've got to reach the town!" Shinn said as his bike went as fast as it could. "There it is! I hope I'm not late. Although it will all be for nothing if a cop stops me." He slowed down as he approached the town. Shinn entered the town and began to execute the fastest route possible in order to get to the Zaft base.
"Captain the Aquashuttle is heading towards us, fast." Dalida informed.
"Open the starboard catapult and let them in. Once they're in take us up." Murrue ordered.
"Captain, at our current heading we'll ascend right next to the town." Neumann informed.
"I don't care right now. What's important is that we don't have to face that gundam underwater. None of our suits are equipped for underwater combat. We're done for if the Abyss get's close to us." Murrue informed. Outside the Archangel the starboard side door opened and Kira drove the Aquashuttle inside, quickly, before stopping.
"Ma'am the Aquashuttle is back."
"Full thrusters. Ascend! Drain the starboard catapult and prep the Rouge and Noir!" Murrue ordered.
"Aye Captain!" Neumann said as the Archangel began to rise up into shallow water.
"Shinn, what are you doing?" Athrun asked his fellow pilot as Shinn got off the bike and ran towards the bridge of the ship, just after he entered the Minerva.
"Warning the Captain!" Shinn turned and yelled.
"About what?" Athrun asked, but Shinn was already too far away. Shinn dodged his fellow crewmates and eventually found his way to the elevator, and got aboard it. Shinn pushed the button that would take him to the bridge and tapped his foot as he did.
"Come on!" He said to himself. Suddenly, the door opened. "Captain!" Shinn yelled.
"Where have you been? It's getting late? And what are you doing in here without your uniform?" Talia turned and asked him.
"No time to explain. The Chaos and Abyss are going to be coming at us any second now!" Shinn puffed as he gained his breath.
"What? That's crazy!" Arthur yelled.
"Please... Captain... believe me!" Shinn warned. Suddenly Bart saw something on his radar and gasped.
"Captain, Shinn is right. Two heat sources detected to the west of town. Patterns match those of Chaos and Abyss. I've also detected something beneath us out there in the sea... but I can't pick up what it is yet. It's big though, like a battleship. I've also picked up some Windams heading for us as well!"
"Condition red. All hands to battle stations. Arthur, how many people are onboard the ship right now? How many are not?" Talia asked.
"Reporting most people onboard. All critical officers and crewman accounted for." Arthur reported.
"Tell the base to retract the boarding platform and then launch the Minerva, maximum thrust. Once we're out of dock deploy the wings and take off. Also warn the base about this." Talia ordered.
"Yes ma'am." The bridge crew said as they carried out their orders.
"Activate CIWS, Tristans and Isolde. Launchers one through four, load Dispars." Arthur ordered as the Minerva moved forward.
"Have the pilots get to their machines and prepare to take off. Shinn, that means you." Talia ordered, looking back at Shinn, who saluted her before running back to the elevator.
"We've almost reached the surface of the water." Neumann said.
"How far off is the Abyss?" Murrue asked.
"Not that far off. We'll make it, though." Dalida said.
"Alright. Activate Gottfrieds and Valiants. Stern missile launchers are to load Wombats." Murrue ordered.
"Captain we've cleared the water and are ascending. Main wings have been deployed" Malik informed.
"Good." Talia said.
"Ma'am, at our current rate the object beneath us is going to come up directly under us." Bart said.
"You're kidding? Directly under us!" Arthur said. Talia put her hand on her chin.
"Alright then." She grabbed the phone installed onto her Captain's chair. "All hands this is your Captain, Talia Gladys. Prepare for barrel role. Fasten yourself to something or do whatever, just be prepared." She said over the line to the entire ship.
"You're kidding!" Arthur said.
"No, I'm not. Malik, make sure that we've turned one hundred and eighty degrees as soon as that object comes out. Arthur, aim the Tristans and Isolde at the object when it emerges and fire on my command." Talia ordered. Arthur looked surprised as he saluted her.
"Yes ma'am." Arthur said as everyone buckled in. Shinn was already in the Core Splendor when he felt the ship begin to roll.
'She can't be thinking of? Wait, can't their ship go underwater like a submarine? Dammit!' Shinn thought as he began to fiddle with the communications so he could get a connection to the bridge. Luckily the Core Splendor was held on its platform when not in use so Shinn was safe.
"Bart, can you tell us what that object is beneath us?" Talia asked.
"No, I can't. We'd have to be on the water." Bart informed.
"Okay then, Arthur. Standby with the Tristans and Isolde! Be ready for anything they throw at us!" Talia ordered.
"Yes ma'am!" Arthur responded. Right now the Minerva had turned about one hundred and ten degrees. People aboard the ship were holding on for dear life as this happened. Anything that could be used to keep a person from being flipped onto the roof, was being used.
"Object approaching the surface. It'll emerge in ten... nine... eight..." Bart said. Suddenly Shinn appeared on one of the monitors.
"Captain! Do not shoot at the surfacing ship!" Shinn said.
"Why not? What is it?" Talia asked.
"No time to explain, just trust me. I was correct when I told you about the Chaos an Abyss, right?" Shinn said. Talia shrugged her shoulders.
"Fine then... I blame you if it's not good." Talia said.
"The object is emerging, Captain!" Bart said. The Minerva had now rolled one hundred and eighty degrees. Directly below and a little off to the port side of the ship (port if it was level properly), two black 'feet' emerged, and following the feet, the legs, which were red and white. "What the..."
"Do you have an explanation for this, Shinn? You better have, and it better be good." Talia asked the pilot as she observed the Archangel emerge below them and rise up.
"Uhhh... can we wait until after this battle is over?" Shinn asked.
"Fine then, but I expect a full report." Talia said, sighing. "Arthur, aim the starboard Tristan and the Isolde at the enemy mobile suits to the west." Talia ordered.
"Yes ma'am!" Arthur said.
"Aim the Valiants! Target the enemy mobile suits behind us!" Murrue ordered.
"Yes ma'am! You heard the lady, step to it!" Waltfeld said.
"Fire!" Both Captains yelled. The episode ends with the Minerva half way in it's barrel roll. The Archangel is directly under it and is ascending. The junction between the Archangel's legs are directly below the Minerva's middle section. We see the Minerva fire it's Isolde triple beam cannon directly over the Archangel's bridge and in between it's two fins and it's starboard Tristan firing to beyond the other ship's starboard side. The Archangel is firing it's two Valiant Linear Cannons behind it at a slight angle to make the shots level.