File 35 - Elegy

Murrue furrows her brow, "All we need to do is turn them away. I know it'll be difficult but I wish everyone the best of luck."

Natarle leans forward, "ECM at full power! Smoke screen launch! Deploy the smoke screens!"

The Strike stands at the opening of the hanger. The Tempest heads out and lands on the deck.

Kira glances over. "Be careful."

Rena nods, "You as well."

The Strike reaches down and pulls up a cable attaching it to the bazooka. "Conduit connected. Secondary power online. Preparations complete."

The Archangel fires smoke screen missiles and release smoke screen. The whole ship is concealed.

Tolle sits inside the grasper. He gulps.

Mu's voice comes over radio, "Don't be so nervous."

He gasps and looks up.

"You just need to back up the Strike from the air."

Tolle nods, "Ah, yes!"

Mu glances away from him and looks forward, "Let's go! Don't die!" He blasts out.

Tolle's grasper is set on the launch pad.

Miriallia furrows her brow, "Signal clear. Sky Grasper. Koenig unit, launch! Be careful..." The grasper launches.

The Buster and Duel hover near one another. Dearka gasps, "A smoke screen?"

Yzak scowls. "How absurd."

The graspers soar out.

Yzak fires, "Two units?"

Mu gasps, "Crap!"

Tolle gasps. Both units avoid the blast.

Mu glances over, "Good... back up Strike. I leave it to you."

Tolle nods, "Sir." He activates communication, "This is sky grasper Koenig unit. Strike can you hear me?"

Kira stares forward.

"I'll relay to you the enemy's coordinates and targeting info!"

Kira says nothing. Tolle.

Rena glances aside.

Natarle comes onto her radio, "Standby, ready hyper bazooka when the smoke clears ok?"

She nods, "Roger." She takes hold of the hyper bazooka.

Kira's targeting scope comes out, "Ready." The targeting moves around searching in the screen. It catches a target and Kira fires.

A huge blast penetrates the smoke and sears through the sky right between the foursome. They all gasp.

Athrun glances over, "Scatter!"

Kira fires repeatedly.

The Gundam manage to avoid each blast.

Kira removes the targeting scope. He detaches the secondary power source and the phase shift comes up.

Rena glances over, "Kira?" She furrows her brow.

The Strike blasts off the deck.

Dearka gasps but Yzak grits his teeth, "Strike!"

He fires missiles from his Guul.

Dearka furrows his brow, "I'll make sure you don't move a single step from here!" He fires.

Kira easily avoids and fires one blast hitting the Guul.

Dearka braces against the impact. He looks up just in time to see the Strike on his monitor. The Strike kicks the Buster right in the midsection and using that force kicks backwards.

Yzak grits his teeth, "You bastard!"

The Duel fires its head Vulcans as Kira fires his shoulder rail gun.

Yzak's Guul takes the hits and he starts to go down.

Athrun gasps and glances behind at him, "Yzak?"

Rena glances aside, "Receiving coordinates. Preparing to fire." She stares into her targeting visor, "Targeting. No visual yet." She furrows her brow.

Nicol glares at the Strike, "Why you!" The Blitz raises its arm and fires blasts along with the Aegis.

Kira descends and avoids the blasts. Athrun growls in frustration. He gasps as he sees the Archangel begin to emerge from the smoke screen. The Strike lands behind the Tempest. The targeting gets a lock.

"Firing!"

A blast fires through and Athrun barely avoids being hit.

Natarle watches the monitor, "Variants fire!"

Missiles target the Aegis. Athrun grits his teeth and then fires the head Vulcans. The Blitz also fires. The missiles explode.

Natarle furrows her brow, "Link the vector data to the Nano company uplink. Second Lieutenant Newman, maintain current steering position."

Arnold nods, "Roger." He glances at Sabine but she was already typing in coordinates. He smiles.

Kira unloads the Launcher equipment. The phase shift goes down.

Rena fires a couple more blasts to keep the Aegis and Blitz back.

"The Flaga unit is incoming."

Kira types in some calibrations.

Miriallia comes on, "Strike? It's completed switching to air-equipment."

Kira looks up, "Rena? Ready? Major, go ahead."

Rena glances aside at her monitors. "Ready."

The Strike leaps up into the air. Rena activates the fins. They spread apart and swirl around the Tempest but then create a laser barrier in front of the vulnerable Strike.

The Blitz soars close to the ship.

Rena glances over. The fins break free and begin to fire at the Blitz.

Nicol furrows his brow, "What the hell?"

Rena types into a side board and watches the Blitz.

Athrun glares at the Tempest. She's made improvements.

Rena refocuses the fins to defend the Strike.

Mu swoops overhead, "Here's your present." The Grasper pulls in closer and unloads the Aile pack. It attaches to the Strikes pack.

Athrun fires his beam rifle at the Tempest.

Rena gasps and leaps back.

"Nicol! Target those fins!"

Nicol fires. Several fins are destroyed but the Strike's shield and rifle already reattach and the phase shift on the Strike goes up. Nicol gasps at the Strike, "He made an equipment change in midair."

Rena sighs in relief.

Kira glances over at her, "Ren? Are you ok?"

She glances over at him and nods.

Athrun glares at the Strike. He swoops down on the Tempest, firing his beam rifle.

Rena blocks the blasts and leaps up catching the side of the Guul.

Athrun pulls his beam saber out and slashes down it. Rena avoids the slashes and releases the Guru. As the Tempest plummets into the ocean, the Aegis fires down on it with his beam rifles. The Tempest hits the water and goes under.

Kira gasps, "Ren!"

Missiles launch from the Archangel but the Aegis manages to avoid being hit and falls back. Kira glares over at him. Athrun. Kira pulls his beam saber and soars up toward the two Gundam.

Mu searches the water as he passes over, "Rena? Are you ok? Is the Tempest damaged?"

The Tempest trudges along the bottom of the water. Rena glances at her monitors, "I'm fine Major. I'm heading to dry ground."

Mu sighs.

Nicol charges forward and swings his grappling claw at the incoming Strike. With a single slash Kira cuts it in half. He charges forward. Nicol uses the Blitz' right arm to block against the beam saber. The saber sparks against the arm. Mu heads past the Aegis distracting it with fire.

Safe, high above the battle Tolle watches in worry as Kira continues to fight. He grits his teeth and swoops down toward the battle.

The Strike continues to attack the Blitz.

Nicol pushes him back and grits his teeth, "Damn it..." He prepares to fire his Trikeros darts but is hit from missile fire. Nicol braces against the impact. He glances across, "Why you..."

Tolle blasts by in his Grasper, "Kira!"

Kira glances over, "Tolle?" The Blitz prepares to fire on the Grasper. Kira gasps and charges forward cutting the right arm off the Blitz and then kicks it off the Guul.

Tolle gasps, "He did it."

The Strike lands onto the Guul.

The Blitz plummets into the water.

Athrun grits his teeth, "Damn it!" He fires at the Strike and Kira fires back.

Alarms sound inside the Tempest. Rena gasps.

With a huge splash the Blitz appears. The Blitz lands in a crouching position. Nicol breathes a sigh of relief until he notices the Tempest standing watching him. They were at a standoff.

Nicol glances around. "What are you waiting for?" He furrows his brow, "Is the pilot unconscious?"

Rena furrows her brow and then types into her communication panel.

Nicol glances at his monitor. "The fight is over. I won't attack you Nicol." His eyes widen.

The Tempest blasts up and lands on dry ground.

"The Tempest has ascended."

Murrue glances over, "Send the message that we'll regroup." She watches the battle between the Strike and Aegis.

The Strike and Aegis make passes at one another. Both pilots seem equally matched and neither gets in a hit. Kira concentrates on his attacks but his mind falls to the last time he saw Athrun. He struggles with the image and grits his teeth. Athrun? The Aegis comes around for another attack. Inside the cockpit Athrun was serious and yells as he approaches. Kira takes one shot and hits the Guul dead on. Athrun leaps up and back. His Guul collides with Kira's and both explode.

Rena glances around and furrows her brow. The whole area was scattered with small spots of land. The Blitz was nowhere to be seen. The Mirage Colloid? She types into her keyboard. Scanning. No Mobile Suit detected. She furrows her brow and scans the area. She opens her radio communication.

"Tempest can you read?"

Rena nods, "Received notice. Awaiting next command." She sighs. Kira... please be ok.

The Blitz charges forward activating its phase shift and brandishing its beam saber.

Rena gasps and turns and barely blocks with her own. "What are you trying? Your suit is damaged. Nicol stand down."

Inside the Blitz Nicol gasps when he thinks he recognizes her voice. He leaps back.

Rena holds her beam saber in a defensive mode. "Nicol? I don't want you to get hurt. Please just go back to your ship. Like Yzak and Dearka."

Nicol stares forward, "I won't listen to the orders of an enemy. My commander is Athrun Zala. I'll have to destroy you myself." His eyes widen when he sees the cockpit of the Tempest open.

Rena steps out onto the hatch and removes her helmet.

Nicol gasps and places a hand to his chest. "Rena? What are you?"

She furrows her brow, "Nicol? Please just listen to me. As a friend."

Nicol furrows his brow as he stares at the monitor.

The Aegis changes into claw mode and fires at the Strike a couple times.

Kira dodges and takes the Strike down safely on the Archangel deck. The Archangel fires a couple of blasts from the Gottfried. The Aegis is partially hit. Athrun furrows his brow and transforms back to normal mode. The Aegis goes down.

Kira gasps.

Tolle comes in on radio, "Kira? I'm ejecting the sword!"

Kira looks up, "Tolle?"

The Aegis lands on a small patch of land. Immediately it is bombarded by barrage of fire. Athrun braces and glances down at his lowering power cell. The Alert was sounding and it was dangerously close to running out completely. He glares at it, "Crap." His alarms sound. He gasps and looks up, "What?"

The Strike was coming down on him ready to slash his sword. "Athrun!"

Athrun raises his beam cannon to fire but barely dodges aside as the Strike slices the barrel off.

Nicol stood staring over at Rena. He stood at his open cockpit. She reaches her hand out to him, "Nicol."

He furrows his brow, "I'm glad to see that you're ok but I can't believe you're fighting alongside the legged ship." He glances downward but then looks over at her, "So is he the one? The Strike's pilot?"

She smiles slightly.

Nicol furrows his brow, "It's hard to believe but it makes sense now. I hope it's worth it. Maybe someday things will change and I..."

Alarms sound inside his suit.

He glances aside, "Athrun is in danger." He glances at Rena but then leaps back inside and the cockpit seals.

Rena gasps. Nicol?

The Blitz disappears.

Rena shakes her head, "No! Nicol..."

She pulls on her helmet and slides back into the cockpit of the Tempest. She turns on the OS.

"Ensign Marlis? Why haven't you been responding?"

Rena furrows her brow, "I'm sorry." She scans the area and locates the Strike and Aegis.

Natarle glares forward, "Return at once! There's no need to go in."

Rena furrows her brow, "I'll be right there." She ends transmission and starts over.

The Aegis leaps back.

Natarle leans forward, "Cease fire! Lt. Yamato! Don't go in too deep."

Kira stares intently at Athrun, "Move away! You guys have been defeated."

Athrun glares at him, "What?" He activates his beam blade and charges at Kira.

Kira scowls. "Stop this Athrun! I don't want to fight anymore!"

The Aegis slices at the Strike but Kira leaps up swinging the sword down. Athrun blocks with the Aegis shield and manages to push the sword off. "What are you saying? Just shoot. You said that you would." He thrusts forward and the two blades clash against each other.

Rena blasts from patch to patch as she nears the Strike and Aegis in the distance, "Kira!" She scans the area. "Nicol? Just stay back. Please!" She saw no indication that the Blitz was entering the battle. "Kira! Athrun… please stop!"

Athrun continues, "You said you would shoot me remember!" He detaches the shield and activates his other blade swinging it at the Strike.

The Tempest lands in between. "Stop! Please!"

She catches Athrun's attack with the Tempest's arm. "Athrun!"

Kira furrows his brow, "Ren, get out of the way."

She shakes her head, "No!" Tears roll down her cheeks, "Stop this! Please! No good can come from this." She glances at her monitors at the faces of both pilots.

Athrun glares at her, "I told you already we're enemies!"

She shakes her head, "I don't care! Those are only words."

Athrun furrows his brow slightly.

"I don't want this. And you know that you don't either!"

He gasps. He grimaces, "This is a war. It isn't personal. You can't have everything you want!" He swings his other blade.

Kira gasps, "Ren!" He knocks the Tempest aside.

Rena braces against the impact as the Tempest hits the ground.

Kira blocks the attack with the Strike's arm and pushes it back. "You bastard!" He punches the Aegis in the face. It falls backward and skids across the ground. The power cells run out and the Suit shuts down. Kira raises the sword above him, "Athrun!"

Rena gasps and stares over, "Kira! No..."

Kira prepares to strike but detects the arrival of the Blitz. The Mirage Colloid goes down.

Rena gasps and glances in his direction. Flashes of an explosion. She brings the Tempest up, "Nicol! No!"

Nicol charges forward. "Athrun! Move away." He carries a metal spear and thrusts it forward.

Kira gasps. The Strike ducks down and swings the sword just under the attack. The Tempest reaches out from behind and grasps at the Blitz' shoulder but it was too late the sword was already moving toward the cockpit.

Nicol yells out as he realizes that the blade was coming. It cuts right into him.

Rena's bottom lip quivers and she finally screams, "Nicol!!!"

Athrun watches his eyes wide with shock.

Kira gasps and furrows his brow.

The Tempest falls to its knees, inside Rena struggles to deny the realization. "Nicol…" She shakes her head. Tears rolls down her cheeks. Nicol.

The Strike releases the sword. The Blitz sparks for a moment. Kira and Athrun both stare at what Kira had done, both in complete shock and disbelief.

Nicol looks up, "Athrun... run." He grits his teeth, "I'm sorry... Verena... I... let go..."

She was sobbing into her lap.

Nicol's face shield shatters.

Flash. Nicol plays piano on stage for Rena. She smiles at him. Back.

He gasps. The Blitz explodes.

The Tempest is thrown back by the blast and skids across the ground.

The Duel and Buster blast free of the water nearby. Both Yzak and Dearka gasp in shock. The Aegis, now on its feet watches the flames.

Inside the Strike Kira raises his hands in front of his face. His whole body shudders from disbelief and guilt. He struggles to hold back his own tears, his anger. He clenches his fist.

Debris rains over the Aegis as it stands motionless, inside Athrun looks downward struggling to maintain control of his own anger and sadness. He clenches his fists, "Nicol!!!!"

Both the Strike and Aegis stand frozen facing one another.

The Buster lands on the island along with the Duel.

Dearka glances at the wreckage, "Nicol?"

Yzak shakes his head, "Impossible."

Athrun's eyes narrow as he stares at the Strike.

Yzak glares over, "Damn Strike!"

He leaps over to attack. The Buster follows his lead.

Kira glances over and manages to avoid being hit. He shakes away part of the shock as he glances quickly toward the Tempest. Rena?

The Tempest, slightly battle worn, remains motionless.

His attention is diverted back to the two mobile suits as they continue to fire at him. Kira leaps up to avoid the blasts.

Dearka turns to the Tempest, "Is that suit here too?" He aims his launcher.

The Archangel comes overhead, "Lt. Yamato? What are you and Ens. Marlis doing?"

Alarms sound inside the Tempest as the Buster targets and then fires. Rena gasps and looks up. She barely takes the Tempest up to dodges the blasts.

Vulcans from the Archangel fire down at the Duel and Buster. The explosions send smoke and dust into the air.

Natarle continues, "Didn't I tell you that there was no need to follow them to that extent!"

Kira stares forward a bit frightened. He grits his teeth. The Strike leaps up.

Yzak aims, "Don't run!"

The Archangel provides cover fire. Both suits fall back. Yzak grits his teeth and glares at the Strike.

Dearka comes through, "Yzak? Stop... just stand down for now!" He fires at the Archangel to cover them. He glances toward the Aegis, "Athrun!"

Inside Athrun was still overwhelmed by the incident. He grips tightly to the controls and grits his teeth.

The Archangel continues to fire a barrage onto the trio. They leap backwards further away from the scene. Athrun glares across at his monitors at the Tempest. It stood near the wreckage.

Rena stares over at the retreating group, her hands tremble on the controls. Athrun. What will come now?

She furrows her brow and glances downward.

"Ensign Marlis?"

She glances up at the Archangel. The Strike was already atop the deck. Rena fires the thrusters and lands behind the kneeling Strike.

Inside Kira breathed heavily.

Rena stares at him, tears still in her eyes. She glances toward the wreckage of the Blitz and starts to cry again. Tears roll down her cheeks, "Nicol…" She wipes them away but they continue to fall.

Murrue nods, "We're retreating from the combat area. Full speed ahead."

The Tempest heads into the hanger. Kira glances aside at the island as they move off, he frowns his eyes cold. He replays that last moment over again as he swings and cuts into the Blitz' cockpit.

Kira descends from the Strike.

Kojiro crosses, "Great. Good work."

Others approach. "So you finally got one huh."

Kira looks up and gasps.

A tech rubs his head, "It was the Blitz huh?"

Kira glances over at the Tempest. Ren? Is she still in there?

"Good job kid!"

He scans the hanger bay. I have to... His eyes widen when he spots her leaning sideways against a wall. She glances aside and was visibly upset. She pushes off the wall and rushes out.

Kira glances downward frozen, emotionless.

Rena bumps past Mu as she rushes through the hallway.

He gasps, "Verena?"

She glances over her shoulder at him. "I need to be alone Major." Her eyes were puffy, tears running down her cheeks. She wipes the tears from her cheeks.

He furrows his brow. "Verena?" He takes a step toward her.

She turns her face. "Just stay away. Please… I have to go… I just need to get cleaned up." She runs off as she continues to cry.

Mu furrows his brow.

Kojiro places his arm around Kira, "You're pretty amazing lately boy. I mean Lt." He laughs.

The crew nods, "There's nothing to fear now! Keep up the good work."

Mu crosses toward the group.

Kira grips his helmet. "Please stop it!"

They all gasp and step off a bit.

"I just came back from killing a person." He stares downward, "But then you say good job."

Mu quickens his pace an angry look on his face.

The atmosphere becomes somber as the crew doesn't understand and feel awkward. "What? You've been doing that all along."

Kira looks up and gasps his eyes wide.

Mu jerks a tech back and steps toward Kira, "Stop that! Kira's exhausted! Give him some space. Let's go Kira."

Kira turns his face aside and heads away from the whole group.

Kojiro rubs his head.

Mu glances over at him and then heads after Kira.

Kojiro turns to the crew, "Ok everyone, just get back to work! It's too early to relax, so hurry up!"

Kira storms through a hallway his head held down.

Mu rushes up behind him and comes up alongside him, "They didn't mean anything bad by that. Kira?"

Kira quickens his pace and passes him up.

"Everyone just thinks of you as a colleague."

Kira fights back his tears, "I know that."

Mu sighs and reaches out and grabs his shoulder, "Kira?"

Kira halts.

Mu takes a breath, "We are soldiers! We are not killers! We're at war!"

Kira furrows his brow.

Mu was forceful but not angry, "If you don't shoot, you'll die! I will, you will, everyone will!"

Kira glares forward and turns, "I know!"

Mu stares at him angrily, "Then don't hesitate! Or you'll end up dying!"

Rena sits underneath the hot water of the shower her arms wrapped around her knees and her face covering her head. Her mind was flooded with memories of Nicol. She sobs, shuddering.

Aboard the ZAFT submarine Athrun finishes pulling on his uniform in the locker room.

Yzak punches the locker, "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Dearka pulls on his uniform jacket.

Athrun closes his locker not even reacting to Yzak's rant. He struggles to maintain composed.

"Crap! God Damn it!!"

Yzak kicks the locker. It swings open revealing Nicol's uniform. He glances inside and steps back.

Dearka crosses, "Yzak?"

Yzak turns to him and yells, "Why did he have to die!" He glares at Athrun, "At a place like this! Huh?"

Athrun glares over at him angrily. He grabs Yzak by the collar and slams him against the lockers. "Say whatever the hell you want! It's my fault! He died trying to save me!"

Dearka glances over, "Athrun?"

Yzak places a shuddering hand on Athrun's. Tears brimmed in his angry eyes. He grits his teeth.

Dearka places a hand on his shoulder, "Yzak, that's enough." He glances at Athrun, "What is solved by the two of you fighting?"

They both gasp.

Dearka forces them apart, "Strike is the one we need to fight."

Yzak turns to him, "I know that! Miguel died because of him too. I got hurt as well!" He glares at Athrun, "Next time... I will kill him no matter what!" He rushes out.

Dearka turns and follows. "Yzak?"

Athrun closes his eyes fighting back the tears. He glances over at the locker, his eyes brimming with tears. He crosses over and reaches in to take the uniform out. Pages of sheet music fall out. Athrun gasps.

Flash. Nicol smiles, "Thanks for coming to my concert."

Athrun shakes his head, "It was a good concert."

Nicol stares at him, "You didn't fall asleep?"

Athrun's eyes widen, "No... of course not."

Nicol smiles.

Athrun tilts his head, "I'm sorry... I tried to invite Rena but..."

Nicol tilts his head, "Oh... she called me to apologize for canceling. I'm just glad she's not hurt." He smiles blushing to himself.

Athrun stares at him and smiles, "I know."

Nicol glances forward, "I wanted to play the piece we were working on but it just wouldn't work without her there. I'm going to work harder on the piece I wrote for her." Back.

Athrun leans against the locker bawling. He slams his fist against the wall. "Crap..." He held the uniform to his face. I should have died back there! Nicol....

Flash. Nicol's last strike. Back.

Athrun glares forward with such disdain in his eyes, "I..."

Flash of his memories of Kira.

"It's because of my weakness in not being able to kill him yet!" He slams his fist, "I'll kill you!" He turns and sits down on the floor, still holding tightly to the uniform.

Flash. Rau. "Strike. If you don't destroy it you might be the next one that gets destroyed. Back.

Athrun glares off. He glances over at the sheet music. Rena.

Flash. Rena standing with Nicol in the park. He kisses her. Back.

Athrun's expression turns from sadness to anger, "I'll shoot down Kira." He scowls, "This time no matter what."

Evening falls.

The Archangel cruises along.

"It's my shift."

Murrue rises from the captain's seat, "Thanks."

Natarle tilts her head, "Any word from Alaska?"

Murrue shakes her head. "There's still too much interference."

Natarle nods. "I've already spoken to Ens. Marlis."

Murrue gasps.

Natarle glances over, "Her behavior during the last battle was inappropriate."

Murrue nods. "She hasn't been with us very long."

Natarle nods. "Major Flaga said the same thing. She's a member of this crew now."

Murrue furrows her brow.

"I found her very receptive to the reprimand. Better so than Lt. Yamato has ever been. Perhaps her stint with ZAFT contributed to that but things will become difficult for her and us if she were to continue to act as she has when we arrive to Alaska. I've ordered her to review the officers rules and regulations manuals."

Murrue nods. "If we continue on course we should be able to reach The Tropic of Cancer by tomorrow evening. Hopefully we'll be able to contact Alaska then."

Natarle glances over, "The speed of that submarine is quite fast. It would be good if we could lose them once we cross."

Murrue nods, "It's a squad that we have a lot of history with. They're definitely persistent."

Natarle tilts her head, "Major Flaga had said that wasn't the Creuset squad."

Murrue tilts her head, "Hmm?"

Natarle shrugs, "I don't know how he knows but I had just coincidentally overheard him talking."

Murrue nods, "I see... well I leave the bridge to you." She exits.