Old Friends Anew

Phase-21: Misleadings

No one stopped him, when he took the girl in his arms. No one stopped him, when he walked past the body guards. No one stopped him, when he winched the both of them up to the cockpit with enraged tears. No one stopped him, when he flew away from the aftermath of the battle. No one stopped him, for he would have killed anyone that did. Shinn Asuka ran.

"Adam?" Meyrin rang the buzzer on his room. "Adam, are you in there?" She lifted her finger off the intercom. "Well of course it's not like he can answer you, Meyrin. His vocal chords are still shot." Her finger went to the door trigger and admitted herself into the room. "Adam, where are you hiding? I don't have time for head games. I've still got a concussion after all." There was nothing in his quarters that could respond to her.

"Come on, hurry it up! Yamato and Cancho are coming back in! Are you engineers or turtles!" A voice cried from behind her. The pigtailed girl whirled around and saw three mechanics heading for the hangar at top speed.

The girl jumped back into the hall. "What was that about a Cancho?"

"Eh?" The three stopped and turned around. "Oh, it's you."

"Didn't you know?" A second one said.

"'Didn't you know?'" She mimicked, "What do I look like, some clairvoyant? Now spill!"

"When we engaged that EAF monster, Kira-sama told us to sortie the Cancho boy too."

"Adam WHAT?" Her look turned almost menacing.

"He um…fought?"

Before the mechanics knew it, in the direction they were originally heading, Meyrin Hawke ran.

Impulse opened up his cockpit while standing on a rocky knoll at the edge of a lake. The snow was still falling from the gray-black skies. Shinn stroked the blonde's hair as he looked over the scene. "Is this good for you, Stellar?" He pushed the controls forward and let his mobile suit into the water until it was hip deep in the liquid. The heartbroken boy placed his hand on the deceased girl's cheek, the same hand that she had placed in the same spot in the same fashion on the day they met in Diocvia. The EAF Extended was cradled against Shinn's chest as he reminisced on her carefree smile. His teeth chattered as a cold breeze ran through the cockpit, but soon those chatters started to turn to sobs. "It's okay now, Stellar." His entire body shook as he said those words to the silent girl.

After Adam's Murasame was parked he popped open the cockpit and tossed his helmet to the nearest mechanic. Murdock put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Nice work out there today, boyo." Adam scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"ADAM CANCHO!" A yell shook the room. It was so loud that Kira and Cagalli were tempted to go back into their mobile suits. By the time the poor boy turned around, his face was burning with a handprint. Everyone in the launch bay winced.

When his eyes locked on the pinkish-redheaded pigtails flying in the wind, he acted on instinct. "What the hell was that for, Meyrin?" He coughed for a bit afterwards.

"You know exactly what that's for! You were completely imbecilic! You're injured, you're weakened, and yet you sortied, flew, fought, and… talked?"

Adam blinked at her.

"You talked. Just now, I'm serious."

Adam blinked at her again.

Shinn wrote in a quick automatic program and stepped out onto Impulse's metallic hand with the EAF's greatest and most insane pilot in his arms. The mobile suit swung its hand out forward, just barely caressing the calm waters below. When Shinn got to the fingertips, he knelt down, holding the completely limp girl, both being hit by the snowfall. "There's nothing left to be afraid of." The sobs and shivers returned to Shinn's form. "You don't have to suffer anymore." His hot tears streamed down his face and dropped to her unresponsive cheeks.

"Well Adam-kun," The Archangel's head doctor flipped through the scans he took. "I'm quite impressed. You apparently have quite rapid healing abilities, even for a Coordinator. Though the flesh wounds seem to be healing at a normal rate, the damage internally is healing more rapidly than expected."

Adam cocked his head to one side, still confused.

"So what does that mean?" Meyrin sat by his side.

"Well, what I'm saying is that, though I still don't want you to talk until you're fully healed, you'll be back to speaking in just over a month, instead of the three I gave you before. Looks like someone up above really likes you." At this news Meyrin almost hugged the stuffing out of the boy. "Hey careful! Don't rip out all those neat little stitches I had put in!"

"That being said…." Shinn knelt down and slowly dipped the girl into the water, his tears not stopping, not wanting to stop. "There's nothing left to be afraid of. There's no one that will be cruel to you again." As he let go, the poor girl slowly sank into the water. "That being said… be comforted… and rest in peace in this place far away from war, mobile suits, or hatred. Where I wanted you to be when you were alive." As she sank lower into the water, her arms spread out, almost as if she were an angel. "Goodnight." Shinn doubled over his sorrow taking over his form.

"You have a LOT of explaining to do, Adam!" Meyrin hovered over the boy as she paced in his room, waiting for him to finish writing. "And saying you're sorry won't cut it." Adam let out a breathless sigh and crumpled the notesheet he was writing on and pitched it into the nearest trash can. "Thought so."

Adam took to writing again, and quickly finished. "I saw Shinn out there, Meyrin."

"Eh? Really? Does he know? Did he know it was you out there? Did you tell him I'm okay too?"

Adam shook his head and looked into her eyes with deep sadness.

"Wh…what happened?" She asked, taken aback.

"I promised I'd protect her." Shinn put his forehead down into his clenched fists. "I promised I'd protect her!" The boy pounded his fist into the metal. "Stellar! I'm so sorry!" He was completely overtaken by the pain as the snow started to slowly build on Impulse as Shinn lay there in sorrow, his salty tears ceaseless.

"After the battle, he lost someone I think was very dear to him." Adam wrote down.

"Oh, God…." Meyrin just stood there as he continued to write.

"You know his history, right, Meyrin? He was able to recover from that… but this… Meyrin, I'm scared."

"Wh…why?"

"The way he sounded, the way he moved, was horrifying. His body was like on autopilot. There wouldn't have been anything that could get through to him, not even me. I think the Shinn I know might be gone forever."

After silence and snow covered his back, the red-eyed pilot sat up slowly, letting the snow slough off his back. Shinn slowly lifted up his head. The sobs were gone. The sadness was gone. His composure now consisted of a snarl and purified and concentrated hatred. "Freedom!" He hissed.

The aftermath of the Berlin Massacre was horrid to say the least. Hardly any buildings were left standing. There were thousands of small fires burning still, and there was still much chaos left to sift through. The words of those in the middle of it all told the tale.

"Dig us up a new hole! This one's already full!"

"We don't have time to waste. If the bodies can't be identified, we'll have to cremate them!"

"To think that we have to stoop to mass burials."

Elsewhere in the city. "We've got the respirators! Finally!"

"We've got another over here!" A ZAFT patrolman found a little girl shuddering and hiding in the wreckage. He knelt down. "It's okay now. Everything will be fine."

One of the medical crew came up to them and leaned down next to the girl. "Well, you must have been pretty scared." He gingerly lifted her up. "Now, let's get you into someplace warmer, ok?"

Elsewhere. "Things are going to start to reak if we don't get some disinfectants down here."

"But it's all being used for the wounded!"

"Hey! What do you think you're doing? Don't use bulldozers over there! You'll make the whole building come down!"

"Does anyone know where this boy's parents are? Do you? Please tell me if you recognize him!" An old man and a sobbing child walked through the survivors.

"I need a hand over here! This one is still alive!"

From the Minerva, perched on the flattest piece of ground it could find, the captain and first officer looked upon the whole thing with disgust. "This is truly a horrid act. They definitely went too far this time, the EAF that is." The captain rubbed her elbow.

"I have to agree with that completely." Arthur sighed.

"In Diocvia, even the Chairman said 'Sometimes I wonder what in the world we're all doing.' He was right, wasn't he?"

"Being totally honest, if the fight keeps up like this, it does kind of make you wonder what the final tally will be." Arthur looked at the ground below with a sympathetic gaze. "I know the Chairman was trying to become harmonious with Naturals and thus not have a repeat performance of the Great War, but now…." He looked up after hesitating for a moment. "Don't you think it would be better to just take down the ones that we need to defeat now instead of waiting until the last minute? I really don't think anything will end if it goes as it is."

The captain sighed as she turned back to the window. "You're probably right."

Athrun walked the quarterdeck, and came to a certain room. He pressed the intercom button after hesitating for a moment. "Shinn, it's me. May I enter?" There was no answer, but the door slid open. In the dark room, Shinn was typing away at a computer terminal as Ray looked over his shoulder. When the officer came in, Ray saluted him. "Just what are you two up to?" Athrun looked confused as he walked in.

Ray put his hand down and turned to his co-worker at the desk. "Shinn, Athrun's here."

"Huh?" The boy didn't even look up from his computer screen. "Unh."

Athrun's eye caught the video that was on his screen which left him in shock. "Freedom?"

Shinn's fingers started to pound the keys until at one point he just slammed his fist into the arm rest. "Kuso! Just how can it be like that?"

Ray leaned forward and examined the playback and the status. "Even using the camera recording at a slower speed, his reaction time is rather rapid. The thruster skills are quite well developed as well. He's mastered that unit inside and out."

It was like Athrun wasn't even in the room anymore. He gasped as his brain tried to sort out everything that was happening.

Shinn rubbed his lower lip. "Freedom definitely overwhelms Impulse when it comes to power, but I never thought controlling it to this level…."

"Shinn, Ray, just what the hell are you doing?" Athrun reached for Shinn's shoulder, but he shoved it away quickly.

Shinn's voice turned cold as he turned towards Athrun, his air of superiority returning. "'What the hell are we doing?' It's pretty obvious that this is a fight simulation model against Freedom. Did you want something?" He said as he turned back.

"And why would you something like that?"

"Because it's strong."

"Eh?"

"In all of my knowledge, that's the number one most powerful suit. It even took down Destroy. That being said, making it my opponent during training would be the most helpful. If anything was to happen, ZAFT needs someone who can defeat it, else it will be rather troublesome. Am I mistaken?" Shinn cocked his head at Athrun and glared at him with his red orbs. "We already know that his actions have no predictability!"

"Shinn!" Athrun grabbed him by the cuff.

The black haired boy jumped out of his chair and broke the grip. "Did you want something or not?" They stared at each other in disgust.

"Athrun!" Ray came between them and pushed them both back from each other. "Shinn, show more restraint." The room was silent for a moment. "Athrun, I don't think Shinn's opinions are wrong."

"Huh?" Athrun hissed.

"Freedom is quite strong. I also agree that it is unpredictable in its moves and is not one of our units. That said, Shinn's thoughts are valid." Athrun gritted his teeth as Ray continued. "I know you've fought side by side with it before, but that is invalid now."

"But I'm telling you that Kira isn't an enemy!"

"WHA?" Shinn snarled and almost tempted a step forward.

"And why do you say that?" Ray retorted with what looked like a calm anger. "Did you forget about our ship in Dardanelles, and that Heine's death was partly because of him too? And I seem to recall that you were also shot down."

"Don't spit that at…."

Ray wouldn't let him finish. "Though only those higher up on the command chain can tell us to fight, there is no way we can just say it's a friendly. As such, we should be ready to fight it at any time."

Athrun's face twisted in disgust and Shinn just turned away, plunking himself down at the computer once more. "Keh."

"If you feel up to it, Athrun, any advice from your own experience would be quite helpful."

"Gwaah?" Athrun could hardly even speak anymore.

"It's fine, Ray." Shinn stared into the computer screen. "The experience of a loser is a shitty piece of information to begin with."

"What was that!" Athrun was fully prepared to hit Shinn.

"I apologize for him, Athrun." Ray put his hand in between the two. "I'll make sure to scold Shinn once our current project is over."

Athrun stomped out of the room without another word. He wanted to hit something, and hit it bad.

"'The experience of a loser is a shitty piece of information to begin with' eh? I think that was a little over the top, Shinn."

"Sue me later. Could you prepare the next simulation for me?"

"Of course."

'Man, why do I have to get guard duty?' Adam grumbled silently as he stared down at the dirty blonde man sleeping in a medical bed with hand and leg cuffs chained to the bedposts. 'Just what happened to this guy anyway? He's covered in scars.'

His eyebrows twitched and his eyelids lifted open to reveal their pale blue pupils. "Yadday, yadday. Looks like I'm in a strange place once again." He noticed the orange haired boy sitting there watching him. "What's your problem? I am Colonel Neo Lorrnoke of the EAF's 81st Independent Division. I demand you release me at once." Adam sat there and said nothing. "You deaf or something, kid? I said release me."

Adam pulled out a sheet of paper and started writing. "You are currently a prisoner of ORB's Independent Division, the Archangel. Neither your rank nor your orders have any effect here. You will not be harmed when you are in our care, and we will follow international codes for prisoners of war."

"A mute huh? ORB must be pretty desperate to let people like you in." He winced as he chuckled.

"You are still badly injured. Rest up and recover your strength. We'll have questions for you later."

"Heh, questions for me? You won't get crap out of me, so you may as well just release me right now." Neo yawned. After a few moments of struggling, his head hit the pillow and he fell asleep.

Ray loaded up the video files from the battle with Destroy on his separate workstation. "Hmm?" He paused the clip right after the second beam saber went into the positron cannon. The blonde enhanced the image behind Freedom and peeled the mobile suit away by layers. 'There was another mobile suit assisting him?' Indeed, Adam's orange Murasame was displayed on the middle of the picture. The boy thought as he continued typing. 'That would be problematic for my superior. A little creative editing and….' "Done!" Ray leaned back in his seat. He replayed the edited video. There was now no sign that the Murasame was there. The Zaku Phantom's pilot got up and handed the disk to Shinn.

"Thanks."

"I'll get to work on the next one."

"Unh." Shinn continued to stare at his workstation. As Ray was about to turn back, he spoke again. "Freedom…."

"Hmm?"

"I'll shoot it down!" His eyes narrowed as his eyebrows went to 45 degree angles of hatred.

Back in the Archangel, Murrue sat staring at the sleeping man, Chief Engineer Murdock standing guard this time. The door slid open and Kira stepped in. "Is he still sleeping?"

"Yeah." The captain sighed. "We treated him and set Adam up as a guard. He opened his eyes and told Adam that he was the EAF's 81st Independent Division's colonel, Neo Lorrnoke. But comparing our examination to the physical data we still have stored in the medical database, it's a 100 match. This person is… Mwu La Fllaga. Of course, that's physically speaking."

The other two in the room flinched at her admission. "But what the hell is going on?" Murdock's voice was rough and annoyed, and it was enough to make Neo open his eyes when everyone wasn't looking at him. "So what you're saying is that he's the Major, right?"

"Yes, exactly." Kira nodded. "There's no doubt when it comes to that, but…."

"Yadday yadday, just when did I turn out to be a Major?" He spoke for the first time in Murrue's presence. The two other men in the room flinched as they heard the unmistakable voice, and the captain stood up in a flash, knocking her chair over in the process. "I told that mute guard of yours that I'm a Colonel. Don't start demoting me of your own free will just because I'm in cuffs." The entire room went silent. Kira's mouth was agape, and Ramius's marigold eyes began to fill with tears. "Hmm?" He turned his head towards the captain. She had to cover her mouth with her clenched fist as their gazes met. "Wh…what is it?" He continued jokingly, not really feeling the atmosphere. "You didn't fall for me the moment you laid eyes on me, did you Ms. Beautiful?"

Murrue tore out of the room at light speed, not being able to stand it in there anymore, tears flying through the air. After she ran past him, Kira whirled around. "Mwu-san! How could you?"

"Huh? Just who's this "Mwu" guy?"

Kira was taken aback, completely stunned. He left without a word, with Murdock following him. As they came along the hall slowly, the captain was leaning against a wall in complete emotional pain. Miriallia and Meyrin, chatting about something in common, rounded the corner and saw her, and they were instantly by her side. Watching the two girls take care of the despairing woman, Murdock spoke. "So he lost his memory?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"I'd say its more a matter of them being altered than having them lost. That's the only way he'd be allowed into the EAF."

"Ah." The chief sighed.

"But I just know that's Mwu-san!"

"Yeah, but…."

"That's why I wanted to bring him back. I sensed it was him."

"I guess so, but if his memory is really gone, then it's crueler to the Captain than him being dead."

The sun rose on the aftermath of the Berlin Massacre once again a few days later. Backup had arrived along with aid, but there was still much work to do, but now there was something else for the Minerva's crew to worry about, fixing the junked mobile suits in the hangar. "Repair these things? Heh! Try RESTORE and you'd get it right." Youlan complained.

"It would be easier to just build a new one instead of replacing all these parts." Vino flopped over his console.

"Well with the Zaku I can get it, but why did they order Savior rebuilt? Something like that doesn't have normal parts."

"Couldn't we dismantle the Falcon cones?"

"Go ahead if you have a death wish. Shinn would cut your throat out."

"Ah mou! Everything is so mixed up around here it's a miracle we get any work done."

On the observation platform above the hangar, the blue haired FAITH Coordinator stared at the pieces of Impulse going through the maintenance checks. He said nothing and wasn't even aware of the person coming up from behind him. "Athrun!" Luna spoke with a little cheerful smile. As she stopped next to him, he turned to look at her. "Anything wrong? I normally don't see you here."

"Uh, iie. It's nothing." He looked away so she wouldn't catch anything.

She let it drop and just looked at the central catapult. "Shinn, his punishment was thrown out again, wasn't it?"

"Eh?"

"Well, I'm not surprised. The last time it was ignored too, so when he split this time I guess it was expected. But even so… if he's allowed to get off scot free, he must be a Super Ace or something to that extent. That'll cause a bit of discontent, won't it?"

"You're saying that like you're one of those discontented people."

"Eh?"

"So what you're trying to say is that I should talk with the Captain and get a few things straightened out, correct?"

"That's totally wrong!" She took a step closer to him.

"Uh?"

"I… just want you to try a bit more, Athrun. Nothing else." She looked straight into his eyes and answered his questioning look. "I know you're more capable than this! Show us more of what you have! I know Shinn will be more respectful and obedient if you do. He actually does look up to you, you know."

"Lunamaria…." To say that Athrun was surprised was an understatement. She was making a lot of sense.

"You may not realize it, but you're way too kind! But that's a side to you that I tend to like, though. It's a real waste!"

"A waste?"

"Um, yeah. You have all the authority of FAITH and the power that comes with it, but you never use it. You should go and do some more of the stuff of your choice."

The mention of the pin on his uniform made him turn away and go cross. "Authority of FAITH…power…?"

"Yeah, isn't that so?" Luna was still upbeat, but the moment she looked into his unresponsive face was when she realized she should shut up for a bit.

"Don't anchor those to the floor! I don't intend to keep these as permanent decorations, you know!" Dullindal yelled at the camera crew in his office as someone powdered his face. Mia sat on a chair, looking at her gloved hands, her Haro turned off for a bit.

"All linkups complete. We're ready to broadcast." The video and audio technicians gave the signals.

"We're ready when you are, Chairman."

"Ah, I'm counting on you all. Begin in ten seconds."

Mia looked at him with a worried face, and the man with long black hair gave her a comforting nod and smile. "In gou… yon… san… ni…" The camerawoman gave her signal to go after the silent one count.

Dullindal's face was instantly serious again as he looked straight into the camera. "Everyone, I am Supreme Council of PLANT's Chairman, Gilbert Dullindal desu." Instantly every television, radio, and cellular phone either displayed his image or put out his voice. "I realize the war between PLANT and Earth has not been able to come to a settlement as of yet. That being so, I ask you to forgive me for this intrusion into your regular broadcasts for this message. I beg of you to please lend me your ears for a few moments of your time and listen to me!"

"Captain!" Burt pulled off his headset as he turned to the blonde woman. "We're receiving an urgent message from PLANT, delivered by Chairman Dullindal himself."

"Eh?" Both the captain and the first officer were surprised.

"It appears that it is being sent through all of the world's media outlets."

"Wha?" Arthur's jaw went down. "Is that even possible?"

Kira stood by Cagalli on the bridge and looked up into the screen. "There is something everyone should be aware of." Dullindal continued. "I intend to do that now."

Murrue stepped out of the elevator in a rush, with Adam and Meyrin following suit. "Nani? What is his intention with all this?"

"Chairman Dullindal…." Kira stared at the screen with and unreadable look.

"Yep, that's him all right." Meyrin blinked and watched on with curiosity. "But what is he doing?"

"Put this through the entire ship, and get everyone that doesn't have a high priority job to do to watch it!" Talia ordered Arthur and Burt.

"Hai!"

In the hangar, Athrun was still silent, reminiscing about everything from when he first met the Chairman as Cagalli's bodyguard through his promotion to FAITH. "Athrun? You don't look too good." Luna couldn't stand the silence any more.

"Oh? No, I apologize. I just spaced out…."

"I will tell you the reason for this endless destruction that emanates from this war we are in now." The Chairman's voice echoed through the PA system. The two pilots looked up and gasped in surprise. "And I shall start with the real reason we have again been forced into a state of war.

"What's this all about?" Vino was the first of the crew to ask.

"Apparently it's a message from the Chairman, marked as urgent." Youlan informed him.

Athrun and Luna were in the lounge in a flash, where everyone was gathered around the main screen, where Ray and Shinn were at the front of the crowd. "The reason I do this is because of the large information gap between each country's policies. Thus, I'm positive that many of you know not of this."

Dullindal's picture was immediately replaced with that of the video taken from Destroy's assaults. The destruction was completely apparent. "No way!" One of three school girls said as they gathered around her cell phone.

"Just what the hell is this?" Even the cook stopped making food in a local restaurant.

"What you are seeing are the events of an invasion by a gigantic new EAF weapon that went on a killing spree from Central Eurasia to Western Eurasia a few days past."

"Damn it, what is this stunt?" Djibril stood up in a panic as all his video monitors turned to the broadcast.

"There was no warning for such an attack. This massive weapon named Destroy began to wipe out cities and their populous, leaving no time for the civilians to escape. It continued to cut a swath with no regard to this fact."

"Turn it off! Stop him now!" Djibril slammed his finger on his intercom.

The video turned to the battle between Impulse and Destroy. "A defense tactic was used immediately to block its path, but it wound up with multiple sacrifices, to my deep regret." Just before Impulse slashed open the cockpit, the feed switched back to the Chairman. "The aggressors were of Earth, and the target in their reticules were of Earth. How did something like this happen?" Now it was pictures of Alliance brutality all across the globe. "The EAF has claimed that their goal is to liberate those places under ZAFT control…." And now the recordings from the Minerva's saving crusades. "but is this truly liberation? They've burned cities and their occupants. Is that liberation? I agree that we did support those who disliked the operations of the Alliance and attempted to secede from Allied Eurasia and win independence, but we did it in a spirit of humanitarianism. Such people only want to end the pointless fight to take back their peaceful lives once more."

The video showed the last breath of Destroy as it collapsed to the ground. Neo closed his eyes and turned away from the video screen by his bed. "Stellar…." A small tear trickled down his cheek.

"They only wish to live with their loved ones, away from all battlefields. Those are the people we supported!"

The aftermath of the battle the Minerva was sitting in was broadcast to the world amidst gasps and whispers. "Mama! Mama!" A devastated child was limp.

"That Alliance-made monster totaled everything!"

"ZAFT saved us from them. The Alliance is the enemy! If you doubt me, come and see this for yourselves!" Civilians raised up automatic weapons into the air in a mob rage.

Dullindal's countenance returned to the screen. "Even with our best efforts, the Alliance snubbed the olive branch we offered them, and the people of Eurasia, that reached out for that branch to choose a path of peace and dialogue instead of trading blows of hate, were declared traitors of the EAF and were annihilated! Even the children!"

"I told you to stop him!" Djibril was actually twitching. "Quit lollygagging and do it! That…."

The stressing man's screens filled up with the other members of his group. "Djibril, explain this!"

"You're going to be held accountable for this, you realize!"

"What is Dullindal attempting?" The gray-blue haired man only sweated bullets as he was peppered with such questions.

More battle clips against Destroy were shown, from when Shinn closed in between Stellar's hand beams, and then it exploded, blowing him away. "Freedom! They're not showing it!" Athrun realized the truth.

Shinn gritted his teeth, and clenched his fist until his knuckles went white. They were pegging the victory and death of Stellar on Impulse. "But why?" Dullindal got even more upset and pounded his desk, making the chess pieces beside him jump. "Why do they feel the need to do something so horrid?" He stood up, as planned. "'Peace isn't allowed. We have to fight.' Who speaks those words, and why? Why is it we're unable to join hands?"

The Chairman waved his arm out, and, per her cue, Mia stepped on screen and put a hand on his shoulder. The entire bridge crew on Archangel gasped. 'So which Lacus is that?' Adam wondered.

She began to speak. "I agree that because of the Break The World atrocity, and the Coordinators that did it, started the war."

The Lacus on screen made Kira's unreadable face turn into one of complete disgust. Adam caught the change. 'Okay, definitely the fake one.'

"The fact that we weren't able to prevent it and the numerous deaths that came of it is something we will never forget." As Mia continued, Dullindal took his seat. "The grief, pain, and wounds of those that fell victim to it must be far beyond the infinity now. Maybe such severe grief and pain made this conflict unavoidable." The real Lacus and her first officer Watfeld winced. "Even so, we cannot let things continue in this manner! There can be no peace in a world that is coated in gunfire. We have all suffered from the pain and cause and effect of endless hatred, haven't we? So please, wipe the tears from your eyes and see ahead with clear vision. Once your sadness has been displayed to the world, listen to what all sides have to say!" In space, Yzak, Dearka, and the third member of the squad, the silent Shiho, watched on with analyzing looks while Arthur and Talia removed their hats on Earth. "Let us all go back to that world we once knew, filled with the soft light of kindness! Is this not the wish of all of us that exist in the populous known as humanity?" Her speech being over, applause was heard around the world, along with cheers for the woman she was playing. Athrun looked away.

Dullindal paused for some of the applause to die down before he started again. "But there are still those that attempt to stand in the path to peace. They have done so since time has begun!" Djibril flinched, and those that talked to the Chairman that day in Diocvia gasped in realization. "They, for their own profit, cry out 'Fight, fight, fight!' 'Anyone who doesn't fight is a coward!' 'Anyone who disobeys is a traitor!'"

'No way! He's going to….' Adam looked around at the bridge crew, everyone was as stunned as he.

"With each word uttered by them, another of us carries a weapon, another enemy is created, another shot is fired! These people will never allow for a world filled with peace! Not only that, but is without a sliver of doubt when I say that the Eurasian Slaughter was caused by them!"

"Djibril!" Another of the members started yelling at him

The man was in a panic as he slammed his fist into his chair. "I told you to stop them! Stop them this instant! Why can't you?"

As the man's black cat hopped off the armrest, Dullindal decided to start up again. "Even those known as Blue Cosmos, who loathe Coordinators as evil monsters, is nothing more than a pawn that they created?" The leader of the group ground his teeth in panic. "They exist in the shadows, constantly creating enemies and force the world into war in this way. They are the military industrial complex. They are those that deal out death! LOGOS! They are the enemies of all that wish for peace in their time!" Nine pictures were displayed on the screen of old men, and the last one was of Lord Djibril himself. Seeing it, he jerked back and his eyes nearly shot out of their sockets. Both Minerva's and Archangel's Captains gasped.

"Chairman…." Shinn and Ray had smiles on their faces.

"I wish from the bottom of my heart is that we can end this reign of terror and create a peaceful world where war will never occur again. Therefore, I hereby declare that ZAFTs goal in this war is to rid the world of its true enemy, the ones that try to counteract the ones who fight for peace! LOGOS!"

Cagalli gasped. "This…isn't good! This has become extremely complicated! Captain! Kira!"

Those in the refugee camp next to the Minerva raised their fists and weapons into the air in cheers that reached their ears, even inside the ship. "Dullindal! Dullindal! Dullindal!" As more people joined in the cheering, Athrun stood there, unmoving, except for the nervous quiver of his eyes. Kira stood with a look of anger on his face. Adam didn't know what to think, and Meyrin would have smiled if it wasn't for the atmosphere on the bridge. Ray's look softened as he relaxed and gave a slightly larger smile. This would change everything.

Chapter 22 Preview: The Target: Logos! The world fills with excitement and anticipation for the end. Hidden in the fog of chaos, an order is delivered in the form of a single sentence. Is something like this really necessary? Will the explosions smoke out the winner? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Repeating Nightmare. Offer your only bargaining chip for survival, Archangel!