And now, some Nadesico plot, as well as a few surprises!
Chapter 24 – The Longest Jump
Everyone was trying their hardest to force what they had seen out of their minds. The brutal (and unavoidable) killing of Andrew Waltfeld left scars on everyone who had witnessed it...Unit 01's savagery, not to mention that it spewed blood, raised many questions amongst the members of DREAM.
But they were questions both Misato and Gendo refused to answer. However, they had feared this possibility, that the S2 Engines would make the Evangelions more difficult to control. So, the organs were removed, and the old umbilical cords were brought to the three ships. The S2 Engines, in the meantime, would be brought back to NERV for further study.
Meanwhile, the leaders of DREAM decided against pursuing Princess Cornelia in Egypt, due to the excessive emotional trauma the crew had sustained would make it difficult for them to fight. Instead, they decided to head straight for the Eurasian Federation, where they would then cross over to the Chinese Federation, then on to Japan itself.
Lelouch, who spent his entire day as Zero, found sanctuary in the privacy of the room he shared with C.C. on the Nadesico, where he could be himself again. The green-haired girl that was his most trusted confidante entered behind him, carrying a medium-sized pizza, made fresh by the master chef Akito himself.
"Lelouch...you still look pale," C.C. said as she laid the pizza box down and opened it. "I can only assume it's because of that Evangelion's rampage. Everyone's been rattled by it."
"How could I have let such an unstable person get close to Nunnally?" Lelouch said. "There was no way I could have known that Ikari was like that? Even if he claims that his EVA went berserk on its own, how could we know it wasn't reacting to some sort of dark thoughts in his mind? What if he..."
"Of course Ikari has issues," C.C. replied, taking a bite of a slice. "Why do you think he clings to you and Nunnally? Why do you think Asuka has taken to the leader of the Cyber Beast Force? Why Rei now follows that Janus fellow around like a duckling imprinted on its mother?"
"Is it because Nunnally and I praised him?" the prince said..
"You encouraged him when no else would. That single act of kindness now defines his entire being. He is addicted to your kind words, and you are in a prime position to take advantage of him."
Yes, the Evangelions' powers are immense. To be able to control that kind of power...
"But be aware, that you may be playing with forces beyond human understanding," C.C. warned him after finishing her slice, and then suddenly changed her tone drastically. "Oh, wow, this pizza is amazing! Try a slice!"
Night came and went, and as the morning sun rose before them, the three ships were flying over the European Union's eastern capital, Moscow. It happened that Nergal had a laboratory in the city (being that it was a multinational corporation), so the three ships decided to touch down there for a brief stopover, especially since Akatsuki needed to check up on something new that was in the works.
As everyone disembarked, Shinji noticed Inez Fressange among the people greeting the arriving crews.
What's Ritsuko doing here? Shinji wondered, confusing the scientist for a similar looking woman at NERV headquarters.
"Oh, Ms. Fressange!" Akatsuki called out, immediately dispelling Shinji's misconception as Akito walked past him. "There you are. I see you've adapted quite well to the Moscow facility."
"Yes, thank you, Mr. Nagare...ah, Akito, there you are!" the blonde scientist said when she saw the Nadesico's cook walk by. "Listen, I'd like to talk with you for a while. Away from the rest of the group, if that's all right."
"Um...I guess," the cook replied. "But is it alright with..."
"The others already know," Akatsuki reassured him. Of course, he and Inez knew exactly what they needed Akito for...
Flying west over the Chinese Federation toward Moscow was a ZAFT Laurasia-class frigate, but it wasn't being piloted by anyone of PLANT...rather, it was under the control of someone affiliated with neither side of the conflict.
Running this captured vessel was the mercenary group Serpent Tail. A mix of both Naturals and Coordinators, they were the archetypical hired guns, working for the highest bidder, willing to even turn on former clients or allies that had they fought with mere days before.
Kazahana Adja, a six-year-old girl with poofed up maroon hair and brown eyes, viewed a screen on the ship's tiny bridge. On the screen was a man with short but thick blonde hair and green eyes. The few who knew him would recognize him as Alan Igor. He looked surprised to see such a young girl answering his important call. The girl leered at him.
"Hey, if you want to hire Serpent Tail, stop looking at me like that," she said in a rather adult manner. Indeed, Kazahana was extremely intelligent, a result of her Coordinator abilities.
"I'm sorry," Alan replied, not realizing that this girl was likely a Coordinator and assumed a calmer expression. "So, yes, I am interested in hiring Serpent Tail's services...and I'm prepared to pay you handsomely."
"Try us," Kazahana replied with a suspicious grin.
"...Forty million credits," Alan answered instantly. "And I'll pay half of it up front. I'm sending you the contract now."
At that moment, a thin man with mussy brown hair, a calm, collected expression on his face, and sporting a white Earth Alliance uniform and orange-tinted sunglasses entered the room - it was Gai Murakumo, the leader of Serpent Tail.
"Got a potential client, eh, Kazahana?" Gai said. At that moment, the computer made a bing noise to indicate that the file containing Alan's contract had been received. Kazahana immediately began to scan it.
"Well, you must be Gai Murakumo. Alan Igor's the name."
"This guy said he would pay us forty million credits," Kazahana said excitedly, momentarily looking away from the contract, "And half of it up front!"
"You must have a lot of money to burn, Mr. Igor," Gai said, raising a single eyebrow. "No one's ever paid even a tenth of that, and we've had only one client who has paid anything up front."
"The job I have for you could take a long time," Alan replied. "And I don't want anyone outbidding me. So, let me tell you about what I need from you..."
"Kaworu, where are you taking me?" Nunnally asked in a puzzled manner as Kaworu wheeled her through town. Ironically, the blind and crippled girl had no idea that her caretaker was wheeling her straight to the ruined Shinjuku ghetto.
"There's someone I want you to meet," he replies. "I'm sure you'll be good friends with her." Nunnally smiled at the prospect of a new friend. Kaworu wheeled her through the ruined streets, causing the wheelchair to rattle and shake, jarring the girl a little.
Thankfully it wasn't long before,Kaworu stopped in front of what appeared to be a ruined laboratory - it was the same place Lelouch had found C.C. on the day he obtained his Geass power. There were broken tubes strewn all over, with green liquid still on the ground, having never evaporated in the first place. Nunnally immediately held her nose.
"Kaworu, where are we, and what is making that horrible smell?!"
There was one tube that had survived the wreckage - and it was much larger than the others. Contained within it was a large, humanoid mecha looked like a Knightmare Frame. Its body was encased in black and dark-purple armor, with six golden fibers with blades at the ends of them hanging limply. Its lower flanks and the sides and rear of its thighs were blood red in color. Small shield-like objects stuck out of its shoulders, providing protection there as well. Its forehead and cheeks glowed like eyes, while two proper eyes were visible right where they would be. Overall, the mech looked almost like a miniature Evangelion.
"We've found your new friend. Come, and say hello, Mark Nemo."
The mech's eyes flashed, and it raised its arm. With a single punch, the living Knightmare Frame broke the tube it was contained in, sending liquid gushing out - Kaworu had to put up an AT Field to shield his charge from the torrent of toxic liquid. It stepped out of its cylindrical prison and approached the two.
Even though she couldn't see what was going on, Nunnally couldn't help but feel terrified of the monstrosity that approached her. It lowered its head and gazed with its wide open eyes at Nunnally's closed ones. She could smell the Frame's breath...it smelled of burning sakuradite. It then lowered its head.
"Don't be afraid, Nunnally, he's been waiting for a long time to meet you," Kaworu reassured her. "Go ahead and pet him. He won't bite."
Nunnally pensively reached out and touched the Frame. When she did, the Frame's forehead began to glow with the same symbol that appeared in Lelouch's eyes whenever he used his Geass.
Memories of the death of her mother flashed before her eyes, as well as images of Ashford being destroyed, Shinji crying out in agony, and Lelouch bleeding to death. She saw images of slaughter filling the streets, a massive weapon firing at the Earth, and then a world turned into a wasteland...and then an image of her brother Clovis laughing maniacally as everything on Earth died.
For the first time in her life, she felt rage. Rage at her family, who would cause the world's destruction, rage at herself, for being so helpless. She wanted to stop it, whatever was happening.
I-is this the future? No! I...I can't let it happen! I have to...I have to...
Nunnally felt a sense of vertigo, then suddenly, she felt that she was no longer sitting on her wheelchair.
Then it hit her - she had feeling in her legs again! Giggling with excitement, Nunnally tried to wiggle her toes, and to her delight, she could do it! Her eyes were still closed, but as if awakening from a long slumber, she opened them once more, on her own will.
The first thing Nunnally saw was that she was floating, like she was underwater. But she didn't feel wet at all - it was if the gas surrounding her was suspending her; and when she breathed it in, it was the same as normal air.
Then she looked down and saw where she was for the first time. The wrecked building, now flooded with green liquid two inches deep, was hardly what Nunnally had wanted the first thing she saw if her vision ever returned. But then she saw Kaworu's smiling face, and it reminded her of Lelouch's.
And then she noticed something distressing - she saw the ceiling of the room cave in in her mind's eye. Instinctively, she reached out to grab Kaworu. The Knightmare Frame responded to her movement and actually grabbed him - and then, moving her legs as if she had always been able to, made the Frame rush out of the building. Unbeknownst to her, the symbol of Geass had appeared over her left eye...and it was the source of her power. She was able to exit the building in three seconds, after which point the ceiling did collapse, crushing her wheelchair underneath it.
"I was right," Kaworu said with a smile. "You and Mark Nemo were meant to be together." But then something else showed up - a small group of Sutherlands, one of them holding a large rocket launcher.
"What? That's the experiment! How the hell did it escape?" one of the Sutherland pilots exclaimed. "Wasn't it supposed to be sealed?"
"I don't know, but it's not leaving! Destroy it!" said another, who rode in a slightly more decorated Sutherland, most likely the leader of this small group.
Oh no, what do I do? Nunnally thought. Then she heard a voice in her head...a voice that sounded just like her own.
The contract has been completed. The power to achieve your desire is yours. Now, use it!
All at once, Nunnally's mindset changed. Her eyes turned red and her brown hair turned a bright blonde. The girl raised her hands, and the golden fibers with the sharp ends suddenly sprang to life and shot outward. Two of them struck one of the frames, slicing it in half. The others pulled out machine guns and began firing. But three seconds before they had even pulled out their guns, Nunnally saw the paths of the bullets, and rushed forward. She mentally called forth a menacing-looking, Knightmare Frame-sized katana, and with three quick swings, cut the remaining five Frames in two.
Kaworu looked on, no longer smiling. Even he couldn't help but shudder a bit as Nunnally let out a chilling, high-pitched laugh.
Akito was brought to a small, darkened conference room with Erina, Inez and Akatsuki, and numerous men and women in business attire, obviously Nergal's Board of Directors. Schematics for some strange device were displayed all over the room. He wished that he was anywhere else but here at this point, but it wasn't like he could will himself away from it.
"Well, let's get this little meeting under way, shall we?" Erina began. "As you all know, the Jovian Lizards have been sending unmanned weapons at up through chulips via a technique called boson jumping."
"Boson jumping?" Akito asked.
"It is when something is transported instantly through space from one point to another," Inez said.
"Um, we have that already," Akito said. "Granlif and Lifthrasir's Thresholds."
"Yes, but their distance of use within the same universe is very limited, and crossing between universes takes enormous amounts of energy. But with boson jumping, you can instantly travel anywhere, regardless of distance."
"By doing so," Erina concluded. "We could travel to Mars, or even Jupiter, in the blink of an eye. This would allow us to take the fight to the Jovian Lizards themselves."
"So what do you need me for?" Akito finally asked.
"Well, you and those who were aboard the Nadesico were the first life forms we know of to survive a boson jump...anyone else who has tried was killed...rather gruesomely."
"Even the Jovian Lizards haven't figured it out, which is the reason they're sending only AI-controlled weapons. But if we can figure out organic boson jumping..."
Akito stood up indignantly.
"Whoa, whoa, are you suggesting that I'm going to be some sort of guinea pig?" he yelled. "Noooooo way! Besides, what makes you think I can do it?" Erina, who had been clutching something in her hand, extended her hand to Akito and opened it, revealing a small blue diamond-shaped crystal resting in the palm of her hand.
"This, Tenkawa, is a chulip crystal, a C.C. for short. We found it on Mars. Have you ever seen one?"
Akito's mouth hung open a bit. Indeed, he had seen one of these objects before.
"Papa..." he muttered.
"You recognize it, then?" Erina asked, handing him the chulip crystal.
"My father gave it to me when I was a child," the cook replied, "But I lost it on Mars."
Erina smiled, and motioned to Akatsuki, who flipped a switch. The design schematics on the various screens changed to images of what appeared to be dozens, or even hundreds, of chulip crystals lined up against the wall. Akito blinked, as if he wasn't sure what he was seeing was for real.
"These are all chulip crystals, Tenkawa. It is our hypothesis that the chulip crystals are the catalyst for boson jumping. Tell me, Tenkawa...you've jumped before, haven't you?" From from Mars to the Earth?"
Akito couldn't believe that. But that gap in his memory...of being on Mars one moment with the pendant his father gave him, and the next moment on Earth without it...it was the only explanation at this point.
"Well, who cares? I'm not going to be your guinea pig!" Akito replied as she shook off the flashback. "I'm staying with DREAM, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"
"Come now, Tenkawa, this is for the Earth," Akatsuki said. "If you don't, what will happen? If the Jovians figure out organic boson jumping before we do, then we're all done for."
"Then find someone else!" the Aestivalis pilot spat in reply as he got up. "I'm a human being, not a lab rat! Now, if you'll excuse me..." He marched out of the room, opened the door and slammed it behind him. After a second, Akito stuck his head back in.
"And I'm taking this with me!" he taunted, sticking out his tongue before retracting his head and slamming the door once more.
"You want me to call security to bring him back?" Inez asked.
"No need. He'll come back on his own in due time," Akatsuki said with a smirk. But as that happened, a call came in from security on a phone sitting to Akatsuki's right.
"Nagare. Talk to me," the chairman of Nergal said, standing up.
"There's something going on in the lab! Two massive distortion fields have appeared from within the Threshold we've been experimenting with...dear God...what the hell are those..."
The signal was cut off at that point.
"It's as I feared;" Inez said, standing up as well. "The Jovians must have figured out Earth has begun researching organic boson jumping...and if I was in their place, I'd send troops to stop it immediately..."
The source of the two distortion fields were two massive Jovian robots that stood heads and shoulders over even the Evangelions, and wasted no time in attacking the city. Also joining them were a number of Battas and Katonbos, still unmanned. The first to arrive were Dancougar and four of the five Aestivalis pilots.
"Great...we're not even here twelve hours and the place is under attack!" Ryoko ranted. "We've got to be some sort of magnet for trouble!"
"Less debating, more butt-kicking!" Shinobu yelled. "YAAAATE YARUZE!" With that, Dancougar charged at the enemy, its sword drawn as always.
Next out came the Ra Calium, with Evangelion Unit 02 hooked up to it via umbilical cord, and Nu Gundam on top.
"Amuro, you help Dancougar. We'll go and help the Aestivalis with the two Jovian mechs."
"Roger," Amuro said. Let's go, Nu Gundam!" The mech took off, using a special attachment to fly in the Earth's atmosphere. Amuro drew his beam rifle and fired it at several of the Battas.
Next out were Grendizer (in its Spazer), Mazinkaiser and Mazinger Z.
"Koji - and I mean both of you - be careful," Daisuke warned the two other Mazinger pilots. "This city is heavily populated and has yet to be evacuated. Don't fight recklessly."
"I know, I know," Koji said as Mazinkaiser took off toward the Jovian monstrosities. A few of the Battas dove towards him, but the beams bounced off of Kaiser's armor, and was then shot down by a quick Photon Beam.
"Man, I wish I could fly," Kouji grumbled as he watched his alternate self take off while his mech was still land bound. Mazinger started tromping its way after its larger cousin.
Finally, Tara, Domon, and Judau appeared.
"Judau, go with the grunts," Tara said. "I'll help out with that Jovian mech. Domon, take care of the other one."
"No problem!" Judau replied eagerly. "Let's go, Domon!"
"Fine, whatever," the Gundam Fighter said apathetically. The two Gundams took off after their targets as Tara started after hers. As she flew overhead, she saw the Aestivalis putting all of their ammo into blasting it, but the gigantic mecha's Distortion Field caused their bullets to bounce harmlessly off.
Tara shook her head. There was no way that was going to work. But she remembered how Samael had slipped into the Nadesico's Distortion Field, and she figured she'd try the same thing. Opening portals below the Jovian giant and on a nearby building, Tara fired several rifle shots.
But the shots missed as the behemoth suddenly disappeared, and reappeared about a thousand yards away.
"What the? No fair!" Tara yelled.
"It's called boson jumping, Ms. Zifell," Akatsuki said, annoyed. "It's instantaneous transportation for any distance, without the use of portals."
"I wish you had told us sooner!" Mazinkaiser's pilot complained, having equal difficulty dealing with the second one. "I can't hit this thing for beans, especially if I'm trying to not damage anything else!" The behemoths, in the meantime, started charging up what looked like energy cannons.
"Oh crudcakes..." Tara gasped. She dove away from the line of fire, just in time to avoid getting flattened by not an energy blast, but a powerful Gravity Blast. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, considering they were able to create micro black holes. Asuka, meanwhile, quickly raised her mech's AT Field, which absorbed the blast with ease. She rushed in, the Ra Calium hovering overhead, and lunged at it with fists, and the two mechs met in a contest of strength.
"Oh, you think you can beat ME in a contest of strength?" Asuka said. "Well...SCREW...YOU!"
Unit 02 picked up the mech and held it overhead.
"And now, an old wrestling move from back home...THE GERMAN SUPLEX!"
Unit 02 bounded into the air, then smashed the Jovian mech into the ground headfirst, landing on its back. A shockwave rushed through the entire town, causing damage to several buildings.
Mazinkaiser, on the other hand, took a Gravity Blast at full force. But as was the case with the gravity generator from EI-19, it was able to stay together under its own increased weight. Once the blast subsided, Koji saw his chance, and charged in. As he did, he swung Kaiser's arm around and around, even as the forearm itself spun like a drill, which could have easily thrown anyone else off.
"Chew on this! DAISHARIN TURBO SMASHER PUUUUUNCH!"
Koji fired off the punch nearly straight forward, and it managed to catch the Jovian mech off balance, since it had to drop its Distortion Field to fire the Gravity Blast. The added momentum of the wind up allowed it to completely demolish its armor. It also heavily damaged the Phase Distortion Engine that powered it, preventing it from boson jumping again. Grendizer and Mazinger Z appeared and unleashed their own attacks.
"GRAVITY STORM!"
"BREASTO FIREEEEE!"
Shining Gundam, by the time, got into the battle, and prepared to finish off the staggered Jovian mech.
"Time to finish this quick! SHINIIIING FINGER!"
Domon's trademark attack was aimed at the mech's head, which it immediately crushed with ease, finally silencing the mech for good.
Meanwhile, Judau suddenly stumbled into the other Jovian mech's boson jumping path. Wasting no time, the Gundam pilot drew its beam sabers and sliced the mech's feet, causing it to crash to the ground. But before the Newtype could act, it was assailed by several Katonbos and their beam cannons, knocking it prone.
"Stupid battleships..." he grunted. But when he tried to get up, the Jovian mecha he had just cut down used its massive hand to grab ZZ Gundam and squeeze the cockpit.
But before Judau could even begin praying for help, he heard a torrent of bullets and missiles strike his captor, blowing the Jovian mech's head off. He used his beam saber to cut his mech free, then looked around.
He saw a blue Gundam standing not far away - it somewhat resembled the Strike, but lacked any Striker pack. Instead, it had what looked like a pair of missile launchers, one on each shoulder, and with two Armor Schneiders on its hips. Decorating its left shoulder was a symbol of a zig-zagging snake with a black tail - the logo of the Serpent Tail mercenary faction, and Gai Murakumo was its pilot.
"Woah, nice Gundam, pal!" Judau exclaimed.
But Gai quickly saw that something was happening to the headless Jovian mech...a glowing box on its back started to flash rapidly. Just then, everyone got a message from Nergal's lab.
Akito, who had just finished his own preparations to sortie, heard the message from within his Aestivalis:
"Attention! Clear out while you can! That Jovian mech is set to detonate its Phase Transition Engine; and when it does, this entire area will be vaporized!"
Suddenly, he thought back on Erina's words - he had boson jumped before and survived. He looked at the chulip crystal in his hand, and realized what he had to do. He rushed the Aestivalis out in an Air Frame and quickly headed toward the surviving Jovian mech.
"Akito, what are you doing?!" Yurika called out. "You're heading TOWARD the thing that's about to explode!"
"I know! I'm gonna...I'm gonna try it!" Akito yelled. "Even if I don't survive, I'll still be taking this thing to hell with me!" At that moment, he dove into the Jovian mech and concentrated as hard as he could as he grabbed the collapsed mech. The chulip crystal shone brilliantly, and then Akito, his Aestivalis, and the Jovian mech all winked out of existence with no fanfare.
"Akito!" Ryoko cried. "Akito! No!"
"That idiot!" Domon roared. Now how am I going to get some decent grub on this trip?!
The entire group could only stare at where Akito and the Jovian mech had been a few seconds ago. But before much else could happen, Judau heard an annoyingly familiar voice on his radio.
"Judaaaaaau! I found you at last!"
No...first I lose Akito, Judau thought, and now SHE shows up!
"Captain Bright, you're not going to believe this!" one of the operators on the Ra Calium exclaimed. "There's a Neo Zeon mech headed our way! It's a Quebley MK II!"
"Neo Zeon found the Threshold?!" Bright gasped. The dark purple mobile suit swooped down and paused in front of the Ra Calium, and Puru assumed a more serious tone.
"Okay, Londo Bell, listen up. I've got someone who's a friend of yours here with me. And if you want him to live, you'll do as I say!"
"Guys, why didn't you answer?! I was trying to contact you for three weeks!" the voice of Akito called out. "And..wait, what do you mean I'm your hostage?! You said you'd bring me back to Earth!"
"Akito, you're alive!" Daisuke exclaimed. "But you disappeared merely a minute or two ago. How could you have been waiting for three weeks?"
"So, are you going to listen to my demands or do I have to mess him up?" Puru said, trying her best to sound intimidating. In response, Gai Murakumo calmly aimed a missile launcher at Puru and fired off several rounds. She didn't notice him, even with her Newtype senses, and the Quebley unceremoniously dropped out of the sky and into a nearby park when the missiles struck its engines.
"Answer: Neither," the Blue Frame's pilot quipped.
"Man, I like this guy already!" Tara chimed in.
With Akito safely back in the hands of DREAM, and Elpeo Puru in the custody of Londo Bell, Erina and Inez were quickly able to explain to everyone what had most likely happened.
"Apparently, boson jumping not only allows travel through space, but travel through TIME as well," Inez said. " It was dubbed the time variable. When Akito boson jumped his Aestivalis and the Jovian mech, he must have traveled back in time three weeks."
"So, there were two Akitos in existence at the same time?" Kouji asked. "Or is like me and the other me?"
"I can't honestly say," the blonde scientist replied, "Though that's probably for the best. Regardless, we can officially confirm that safe organic boson jumping is not only technically possible, but a realistic method of transport. You truly did come through for Nergal in the end, Tenkawa. By the way, where DID you end up?"
"I ended up on the moon...and just like before, the chulip crystal I had was gone. I tried to get in contact with the moon base, but I couldn't. Then that Puru character showed up and brought me here. I thought she was just going to bring me back to Earth."
"Makes me glad we didn't send security after you when you walked out with the crystal," Akatsuki laughed. "If we hadn't, this whole city and everyone in it have been atomized by that explosion."
"I'd say Akito did a 'bang'-up job, don'tcha think?" Izumi joked. Unsurprisingly, no one laughed.
Elpeo Puru sulked in her cell aboard the Ra Calium. She couldn't believe that she had let herself get captured like this. Maybe she would have been okay to lose to a Newtype like Judau, but to be humiliated by a non-Newtype using a missile was beyond undignified. But her mind quickly turned to other things when the apple of her eye, Judau, showed up with Bright and Amuro.
"Judau! You came back!" she squealed. "C'mon, let me out so we can play!" Bright was about to address her, but Amuro stopped him, and nodded to Judau, as if he wanted him to do the talking.
"Hey, Puru, listen. While it wasn't nice of you to take my friend Akito hostage, you did bring him back, so I forgive you for that."
"Oh...um...thank you!" Puru replied, confused as to why Judau was talking to her like this. The boy, however, decided to push his luck a bit.
"Listen, Puru. Me, Amuro and Captain Bright will make you a deal. If you agree to never fight for Zeon ever again, you can stay here with Londo Bell and we'll play together all you want!"
Puru's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really, you mean it?!"
"I swear as a fellow Newtype," ZZ Gundam's pilot answered. "I'll even introduce you to my friends on the Nadesico and Archangel! They're all great people!"
"Ummmm...okay!" Puru chirped, excited at the prospect of having so many friends when not long ago she had almost none. "I won't fight for Zeon anymore if I get to be with you, big brother Judau! I didn't like that mean old hag Haman anyway!"
"That's great! You heard her, guys!" Judau said excitedly. "She's not gonna fight for Neo Zeon anymore!"
"I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt," Bright said. "But for now, we're going to keep a close eye on her."
"Yes," Amuro agreed, "we can't let her just do as she pleases until we know we can trust her. Anywhere she goes, you go, Judau."
"Whoa, whoa, I didn't agree to be her babysitter!" Judau exclaimed. "Can't you get someone else to do it? What about Christina?!"
"She likes you. That's reason enough to have you watch over her," Amuro replied plainly. With that, he unlocked the door to Puru's cell, and she gleefully tackled Judau.
"Yay! I get to be with big brother Judau! It's going to be oodles and oodles of fun!"
Me and my big mouth, ZZ Gundam's pilot thought.
"So this is the infamous Zero, huh?" Gai Murakumo said as he looked the masked man up and down once they were back at the base. Elijah, Kazahana, Reed and Loretta all stood by. "You're about what I expected."
"And you are the leader of the mercenary group Serpent Tail, Gai Murakumo," Zero replied. "I've heard a few things about you and your group as well. Tell me, who hired you?"
"What do you think we are, stupid?" Kazahana answered snidely. "We know better than to tell you that."
"Well, what we can tell you is that our employer has a vested interest in your success, and to that end, we're to fight with you, regardless of who your enemy is." Elijah, a young, thin man with silver hair, added. "So, Serpent Tail is now a part of your outfit."
"Really?" Murrue said suspiciously. "But based on your abilities, we can only guess you're a Coordinator. Why would you fight against your own?"
"You said it yourself – we're a mercenary group," Gai replied with a shrug. "If you really to want to keep us from stabbing you in the back on our employer's whim, make a better offer."
"Well, let's try to get along, 'kay?" Mu said. "Put 'er there, buddy."
Gai Murakumo looked at Mu's hand, smirked a bit, and shook it. For forty million credits, it would be worth putting up with almost anything.
And that brings the total number of characters named Gai to two, three if you count Shishioh. Also, I will, in fact be using some plot elements of Code Geass: Nightmare of Nunnally in this fic, though it will be running alongside Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. Anyway, next time, more Code Geass and (maybe) Nadesico plot! For those of you waiting for some UC plot, don't worry, it'll be coming in spades soon enough.