Chapter 53 The Two of a Kind
"Fire!" yelled Arthur as the Minerva fired its cannons at the Archangel but nothing seemed to break through the Archangel's defenses.
"Any word from the forces, have we found Djibril?" asked Gladys
"No, it seems our forces have reached a stale mate with the Orb forces." said the radar man.
"Get out!" yelled Dearka as he took cover behind a building shooting at the enemy, a static line had formed just outside the city limits.
"Looks like we have company." said Heero as the Destiny and the Legend started firing at them from a distance.
"Yes." Said Athrun
"Can you two take care of them?" asked Heero
"Sure." said Kira "But why?"
"I'm going to take down the Minerva." Said Heero
"What?" asked Athrun
"Don't worry I am not going to kill them." Said Heero as Shinn came rushing in, sword drawn. He raised his sword over his head and brought it down on the Freedom. Kira reacted faster grabbing the sides of the sword with his mobile suit's hands.
"What?" asked Shinn as the Freedom's lower guns took aim and fired at the Destiny forcing it back. "If that was beams this would have been over, why isn't he trying to win? Is this some kind of lesson?"
Meanwhile Rey was firing at Athrun in the Justice. "Rey, Shinn stop this." Yelled Athrun over the radio as Rey fired all his beam weapons at the Justice.
"You are a traitor who escaped his punishment!" yelled Rey as Athrun formed an energy shield around his arm taking the blow.
"I will not let you take another step closer to Orb!" yelled Athrun as he pulled his two sided beam saber and flew between Shinn and Kira. Rey came in and tried to keep Athrun focused on him but instead Kira engaged him. "Shinn tell me, do you understand what you're fighting for?"
"What are you talking about?" asked Shinn as he fired his beam rifle at the Justice. "Just shut up, you don't know anything, you're just a traitor."
"Shinn." said Athrun
"Prepare to submerge, descend 20." Said Ramius as the Archangel dodged fire from the Minerva.
"Roger Captain." said Neumann as the ship prepared to dive.
"Arthur we can't let them submerge. We would have no weapons." said Gladys "Raise the ship quickly." As the Minerva climbed a mobile suit appeared in front of them.
"Where did he come from?" asked Arthur as Wing Angel's eyes flashed as he shot the wire out of his suit hitting the Minerva. Suddenly all the weapon system went off line. "Captain I don't know how but he is doing it again!"
"I thought we fixed this problem?" asked Gladys
"Apparently not." said Arthur as Heero ran amuck inside the Minerva's computer system.
"Captain the Impulses launcher is activating."
"What?" asked Gladys as the silhouettes loaded themselves into the launcher.
"Heero is taking the extra parts of the Impulse." Said Arthur as parts of the Impulse flew out of the Minerva heading toward the base.
Meanwhile Lunamaria and a group of six Murasames and M-1's landed at the Seiran estate. "Alright spread out and find him." Ordered Luna as suddenly the top of the hill opened up and a shuttle fired up into the sky. "What?"
"Lady Cagalli we have a shuttle launching from section 2." said an operator in the Orb command center.
"What?" asked Cagalli
"It belongs to the Seiran's." said the operator.
"Get Lunamaria and those forces we sent there." Ordered Cagalli "Djibril is likely on that shuttle."
"Dang it." said Heero as Angel zoomed in on the shuttle "If I had known, I would have gone with Luna but I can't get there now. I need to finish my work here. It's up to you Luna."
"All forces shoot down that shuttle at any cost." Ordered Cagalli as the Murasame and the Impulse took to the air firing after the shuttle.
"Dang it." said Luna as the shots kept missing but soon the shuttle was out of reach.
Under the waves the Archangel was wreaking havoc on the Zaft fleet. The Zaft fleet was hit by torpedoes. "Arthur do we have radio?" asked Gladys as Heero pulled away from the Minerva.
"Yes captain."
"Get me the command sub." ordered Gladys as Arthur pulled up the commander. "Commander we are at a huge disadvantage and that shuttle probably had Djibril on it, we need to fall back."
"Are you kidding?" asked the commander "We would be a laughing stock."
"Commander." Said Gladys until the line went dead.
"Captain the command sub has been destroyed." Said Arthur
"With the loss of the flag ship this ship will take command." ordered Gladys "Launch signal flares, we are withdrawing."
"Captain?" asked Arthur
"We came here for Djibril not to fight Orb." said Gladys as the flares launched out of the Minerva.
"If they fall back we will let them." Ordered Cagalli as the Zaft forces began falling back and the Archangel surfaced.
"Miriallia report, what is the status on our machines?" asked Ramius
"I have IFF readings from Heero, Athrun, Kira, Lunamaria Dearka, La Flaga and about half the Murasames." said Miriallia "but the others are gone."
"I see." Said Ramius "Have our machines return and rearm, we don't know when they may come back."
The sun was already going down as Captain Gladys sat in her office talking to Chairman Durandal through the laser link. "So your telling me, not only did Djibril get away but Orb drove you from the field, is that true?" asked Durandal
"Yes." Said Gladys "We were up the Freedom, Wing Angel, the Justice, the Impulse, the Buster, an unknown Gundam and the Archangel with them on the battlefield, we were at a huge disadvantage. Also we aren't sure the man we were looking for was even in the country. It was becomeing nothing but a battle of attrition."
"I see, do you think Djibril was on this shuttle?"
"Yes." said Gladys
"Very well then Captain Gladys you made the right decision." Said Durandal as he cut the link.
Meanwhile Heero sat inside the a small pilot ready room, his head leaning back against the wall as he remembered the battle that had just happened, reliving every detail. Kira and Athrun sat by one of the doors each with a bottle of water in their hands. "So this Shinn Asuka is piloting the Destiny?" asked Kira
"Yes, and Rey Za Burrel pilots the Legend." said Athrun
"That machine, the Legend, seems to be the same as that machine Le Creuset used and even some of the same attacks." said Kira "It was strange, it is almost as if I was fighting him again. Now what's the agenda? Djibril is in space so there is no reason for Zaft to come after Orb again."
"Yes, there is." said Heero as he looked at his fellow pilots. "Think, Orb fought off a combined Zaft and Earth Alliance fleet, a threat that powerful cannot be allowed in Durandal's world."
"What is Durandal planning?" asked Kira
"A perfect world that will never work." said Heero as the door opened and Lunamaria walked in.
"Ah you must be Lunamaria Hawke." said Kira "I'm Kira Yamato, pilot of the Freedom."
"I know, Meyrin told me about you." said Luna "Also Lacus is looking for you, Cagalli wants you and Athrun to be there when she makes her speech."
"Ok, come on Athrun let's go." said Kira as he and Athrun left the room.
"Heero I am sorry I wasn't able to shoot down the shuttle and stop Durandal." said Luna as she sat across from Heero.
"Luna you did nothing wrong, none of us knew about that shuttle, it's more of my fault then yours. I was in such a rush to get information from Yuna Seiran that I didn't press for details." said Heero
"And I missed the shot." Said Luna "Anything he does up in space is my fault."
"No it isn't." said Heero "It is your fault you missed just like it's my fault that I didn't give you the information you needed but whatever what he does up there isn't yours or mine fault. Everyone is reasonable for their own actions."
"Heero do you think this war is about to end?" asked Lunamaria
"Yes, but not until a final battle that is bigger than the others we have been through." Said Heero as Luna looked at him. "I have fought in what is now three wars, in two of those the war only ends with one massive battle, the third will be no different."
"I guess you're right." said Luna "Have you thought about what you will do after the war?"
"I personally don't know, if the war plays out one way I will be dead." said Heero as Luna's heart stopped for a moment at the thought of that "The other one is where Orb is the strongest nation on Earth or space. That is the world I want to see, where everyone is free to make their choices."
"And what would you choose to do, would you disappear like you did after the first war?" asked Luna as Heero shook his head.
"No, I went into hiding because I knew there was going to be another war very soon." Said Heero "This should be the last war for a while, but as to my fate, I am not sure, Angel hasn't shown me the right path."
"Maybe it's because it's up to you to choose your path, not Angel." Said Luna as Heero grinned "Choose what path you want to walk and just walk it."
"Your right." said Heero as he stood up and walked across the room and kissed her forehead. "Thanks."
"What are you going to do Heero?" asked Luna
"Walk the path I have chosen." said Heero as he disappeared through the door.
"You're on in two minutes Lady Cagalli." said a TV crewman as Cagalli let out a deep breath to calm herself down.
"Don't worry. You will do great Cagalli." said Athrun as he stood there in an Orb union. Kira and Lacus where standing in a private room nearby.
"I wonder why Cagalli wanted us; I know why she wanted Athrun." Said Kira
"She only wanted Athrun, but I had a feeling she would need me and I wanted to be with you Kira." said Lacus as Kira nodded his head.
"This is a message to Chairman Durandal of the Plants and to the world." said Cagalli "This is about the man known as Lord Djibril and the invasion of our country. We all listened to Chairman Durandal's speech about Logos and we have seen his proof however…"
Suddenly the line went to static and an image of the fake Lacus in the Plants came on. "My friends it is I, Lacus Clyne, the other day there was a battle at Orb. I just can't understand why Lady Cagalli, a good friend of mine would protect this Djibril person. I am having trouble understanding it and because they protected him, he got away. It isn't bad protecting things but Logos is different. They shouldn't be protected by anyone." said the Fake Lacus
"I had a feeling you would try something like this Durandal but now it's my move." Said Heero as he sat inside Angel and began his work. He quickly found the signal Durandal was using and pushed the image of the fake Lacus into a box in the corner letting Cagalli retake the screen. "Now it's up to Lacus and Cagalli to move, then." Just as he said that the real Lacus walked onto screen.
"What?" asked Shinn as he and a lot of the crew of the Minerva stood watching the screen
"Why are there two of the same people on the screen Shinn?" asked Stella
"Hello everyone I am the real Lacus Clyne. I led the Eternal along with the help of the Archangel and the Kusanagi and the three legendary Gundam pilots to end the last war. I have been on the Archangel as we tried to end this war." said Lacus as the fake Lacus looked around confused.
"What is she doing in Orb?" asked Durandal
"Now we may look the same, but me and her are worlds apart. However I am the real daughter of Siegel Clyne." Said Lacus as Heero grinned as Durandal reached for the controls.
"Cut the line." ordered Durandal
"But sir, we are live." said a voice at the other end.
"Do it." yelled Durandal as the line was cut.
"Now the only one to blame isn't the people who fight but those who force people to fight. Now is Logos to blame, is this war all their fault, according to Chairman Durandal it is, but is that the whole truth? I do not trust Chairman Durandal or this Djibril, both of these men are doing nothing but gaining control of people but through different ways. One through force of arms the other by making you surrender your will to him. I along with my friends will fight to stop both of these men from carrying out their plans." said Lacus "I thank you for your time and I wish that soon peace will once again come to both Earth and space."
"Very good Lacus." said Heero as he ran his fingers across the controls of Angel pulling up the files about how Meer Campbell became Lacus Clyne. "I would love to see Durandal's face when he sees that his own personal computer isn't safe from me." He added to himself as his message was sent out to every news agency on Earth and space. Heero leaned back in his chair as Angel's eyes flashed.
"I know the final moves are about to be played, it is also time for me to choose a path." Said Heero before activating Wing Angel and heading out of the Archangel.
"Thanks for that Lacus." Said Cagalli as the camera crews walked out leaving Cagalli, Lacus, Athrun and Kira in Cagalli's office.
"No I wanted to do it." Said Lacus "It was time for me to stand against her. I am just worried about what Chairman Durandal will do to her now that she has failed him."
"Me too, she really does believe she is you." said Athrun as he looked at Lacus.
"He will not kill her if that is what you're thinking." said Heero as he walked into the room. "He needs her in case anyone asks questions and they will with the information I sent all over the place."
"What information?" asked Cagalli
"When I was at Gibraltar base, I did more than plant charges, I also hacked the chairman's computer. I got all the information about Meer Campbell's transformation into Lacus Clyne. I sent it to every news agency in the world and up in space." Said Heero "But that isn't why I dropped by."
"What is it Heero?" asked Cagalli
"I want to join the Orb military." said Heero as Cagalli's and everyone else eyes widened.
Well I hope you liked this chapter. I hope you all found this story even after it moved. Now as to Heero joining the Orb military I always felt that Orb was the Sanc kingdom with weapons. Thank you all for the reviews, I ask that you keep on reviewing. Wilkins75
