Author's Note: Everyone seems to be pulling for the Artemis Gundam, which I don't blame them for. Either way, it's time for the first flight and fight of Fumina Hoshino.

Now, I'll warn ya'll right now, this'll be the first time I've ever written a Gundam fight, so sorry if it's sloppy. Also, specs on these two machines say that the Astrays are way more agile than the X-series like the Aegis, so there's that advantage unless the Aegis' Mobile Armor form is faster.

PS. How come no one tried to guess who got thrown out of Marika's Store Feature, 'cause it sure wasn't Orga Itsuka. Here's a hint. He's a Zeon.

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Special thanks to Reviewers:

Peroroncino: Well, wish granted.

Dragoon725: Very true. Anything from Gundam 00, or UC would attract a lot more unwanted attention than even Marika's battleship, or her two new Gundams. Also, thanks for all the ideas and support.

Obsidian Nova Arc: I agree. The Artemis does suit him, and the thought of customizing the model itself makes me wanna add on a bunch, but I'm restraining myself since I'll be keeping Akihiro's Sinanju Stein 2 Gundam model.

(for some reason I can't type your name): Most of the tech I've used has been snatched from the CE verse, except for the Yamato, and the Sinanju. I actually thought about using the Solar Power idea, but dismissed it. Sorry :P

RonaldM40196867: How awesome are giant robots? Well, our very own Hollywood finally got around to making their own giant robot movies that were basically knockoffs of Evangelion when you think about it :p Still good movies thought, hehe.

StarBorn Michael: I'll have to do a little research on it. (Translation: that's a maybe.)

Infinite Freedom: Normally, I'd agree, because the original system in the Gundam X anime looked like it was strong enough to blow up a couple of colonies. Which it did if the Colony Cannon used to be a real colony, i can't remember. But I've got my ideas about using it.

KentLinuxStadfelt: It looks like the Artemis is the clear winner, but I'll keep the Aquarius in mind.

Gamerman22: Sorry, dude, but as far as other Build-verses, I'm sticking with the Try-verse. And I won't be adding in any of the PD Gundams. They're too dangerous to handle, and won't work without an Alaya Vijnana Systerm.

Phase 7

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"Athrun Zala, you had better have a damned good explanation for this!" Ades shouted at the young pilot as the Aegis entered the colony, "Miguel and Orlo have already been loaded with the D-type weaponry, and are set to destroy the colony! If you and that machine are caught in the crossfire - "

"Captain, someone's going to have to keep those other G Weapons off of them while they take their shots," Athrun said, trying to reason with the man, "Just two of them managed to drive the commander off, and he's the fleet's best pilot. What would have to Miguel and Orlo if they didn't have any back up?"

Ades was quiet for a moment, but before he could say anything, Rau appeared, "Athrun, I suspect that there are different reasons you've seen fit to disobey my orders," the man said, "But I will overlook this. It will be a decent showing of what your machine is capable of. And if you can capture or destroy one or more of the other Mobile Suits, then all the better."

Athrun smiled as he came out into the colony interior. "Thank you, Sir!"

Meanwhile, the Astray Gold had just launched into the air, shield and rifle in hand. Fumina felt like her skin was being stung by hundreds of needles she was so nervous. [Just keep calm. Athrun's a brutal fighter, but he prefers mid-range combat, as well as hit and run with that Mobile Armor form.] She recalled, having run simulations against the ZAFT Coodinator.

[If he gets in close with those four beam sabers, I'm toast, so I'll have to keep him away unless I know I can drive him back,] she frowned. In all her simulations, she had destroyed the Aegis as it exposed it's Scylla cannon. It was a split second shot she was always proud of when she made it, but this would not be one of those times. [Wear him down, and go for the limbs.]

Athrun spotted the Gold coming at him at blinding speeds as the agile Mobile Suit quickly closed the distance. "Get out of my way!" His Mobile Suit shifted rapidly as he engaged the attack Mobile Armor mode, and fired a blast from the cannon.

Fumina ghosted out of the way with minimal effort as the shot exploded down below and kept speeding toward him, leveling her rifle at him. [Now!] She fired a shot just as the Aegis shifted back, but cursed a moment later as the shot only grazed the Gundam's right face plate.

Athrun, however, was already spooked. The shot had all the makings of either luck, or pure skill, miss or not. The pilot had waited for him to shift back to fire it. [Is he a Natural, or is it - ?] He didn't have time to think on it for long as the Gold came at him again, a shot exploding against his shield before the two frames collided, [This guy's crazy!]

[I've got him guessing!] Fumina thought triumphantly. One of the Aegis' yellow beam swords appeared from the right arm and swung at her middle. She raised her shield, letting the saber rake across it while the Gold flipped over the Aegis with surprising agility for both of them and smashed the shield into the back of the enemy machine. She then rocketed down below the machine before it could recover, and shot off the left leg at the knee.

Athrun was done playing however.

The Aegis shifted into a Mobile Armor, and shot away from the Gold frame, its speed too much for her to keep up with. [Dammit!] She growled and then caught sight of two GINNs coming in, loaded with missiles for destroying the colony. "This'll get his attention!" She swung her rifle up at the first GINN, and fired...

But the Aegis was already on top of her before the shot could be made, throwing her aim off as she fired, and knocking her rifle out of the Gold's hand.

"Got you!" Athrun grunted angrily as the rifle fell into the colony. Fumina, however, wasted no time in reaching for one of her beam sabers and going after the two GINNs. "What!? No!" Athrun shot after her, his Gundam shifting the Mobile Suit mode and firing after her with his rifle. "Miguel, Olor! Incoming!"

Both GINNs heard him, and saw the imminent danger of the advancing Gold, and aimed their missile launchers at it. Fumina smiled and fired two rapid-fire shots, destroying the GINNs' heads before they had time to realize what was happening.

Inside his GINN, however, Miguel was swearing richly, and opened up his cockpit. If he couldn't use his targeting system then he'd just eyeball it dammit! Orlo had the same idea as both of the GINNs fired their missile loads at the Gold.

Fumina engaged the CIWS on the Astray's head, and managed to destroy half of the missiles before she had to dodge them. Those that missed were shot down by the rising Archangel. She sighed in relief as the colony remained intact for the time being.

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Archangel (Bridge)

"Man, look at her go!" Arnold shouted as the Gold fought, "I never knew a Mobile Suit could move like that!"

Murrue frowned as she saw the two GINNs appear, "She's outnumbered, though," she said, "Ensign Badgiruel, have all Mobile Suits prepared for launch!" She shouted, "Someone find Kira!"

"Lieutenant," Natarle said, "All the pilots are already in the hangar." She murmured, "Erm, Mister Yuy, please vacate that machine at once!"

"No." Heero droned from inside the Green Astray.

Murdoch came on the line, "Better let him fight, Ensign, the kid's not taking no for an answer down here!"

Murrue nodded, "Alright, prepare - "

"Incoming missiles!"

"Aim laser designator at the ones that make it passed the Gold," Natarle said, "Fire the Korinthos!"

Murrue watched as the missiles exploded midair, "Take aim that the GINNs, and link designator to the Gottfried. Fire at will!" She looked at Arnold, "Are the Mobile Suits ready?"

"This is Kira Yamato, ready for launch."

"Kou Uraki, ready."

"Allenby Beardsley, ready and waiting!"

"Heeror Yuy, ready."

"Then launch!"

Down in the hangar, Murdoch was getting the Strike ready to launch, "Open container number three, and attach the Sword Striker!" The containers around the Strike unit opened up as mechanical arms unfolded to attach the machine's new armaments. Kira noted that the sword was larger than what he had used with the Aile Strike pack.

"An anti-ship weapon, huh," he frowned, "At least I won't damage the colony."

"Kid," Murdoch roared, "You're all buttoned up! Get going!"

"Right, Kira Yamato, Sword Strike, heading out!" The Strike was launched out of the catapult and into the colony once more.

Behind him, Kou was soon launched as well, simple shield and rifle in hand along with Allenby, and Heero. By now a third GINN had joined the fighting and Fumina was having a hard time of keeping up. Her shield was gone, and the left arm was badly damaged.

"Alright," Heero took the lead, "Kira, you deal with that red one, the rest of us will deal with the GINNs!"

"Roger!"

"Idiots!" Kou snapped as he took aim at one of the machines, "They opened their cockpits!" He fired, and struck the GINN, and pilot through the cockpit. Orlo let out a scream before he died as the beam came at him. Miguel tried to take aim with his damaged machine, but the Gold was on him in a moment, and thrusting its beam saber through the chest, prompting it to explode.

Fumina shivered inside her Gundam: she'd scored her first kill.

[This isn't a game,] she thought as Heero and Allenby slashed the remaining GINN in half, [this isn't just a game anymore!] She looked up toward the opening where the four ZAFT machines had come from. [Rau!] She began to shoot toward the opening before Astray Green whipped into her path.

"Stand down, Solider!" The boy shouted, "You've done your duty, now return to base!"

"But - ?!"

"No buts!" Heero roared, "Look at your machine, you can't fight like that, and you know it!"

Allenby drifted up to her, "He's right, Fumi," the girl said, "The Astray units are fast, but the other Gundams are way too powerful to risk taking them all on with a damaged unit." Her unit placed it's hand on the Gold's shoulder, "Ease down, Sis, you did really good."

Fumina nodded, "Yeah...okay..." she said slowly, "Archangel, this is Gold unit, returning to ship."

"Roger that, Gold, good work out there." Murrue's voice said soothingly, "Now come back here so Murdoch can chew you out for damaging your machine."

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"Kira! Kira Yamato, is that you?!" Athrun roared over his radio to the Strike. "Answer me!"

Inside the Strike, Kira was more surprised than he thought he would be. He knew that Athrun had taken the last machine, but he hadn't expected him to fly it in combat! "Athrun?"

"I knew it!" Athrun snapped, "What do you think you're doing inside that machine!"

That made Kira angry as the Aegis came at him, and fired his shoulder-mounted beam cannon at his old friend, "What about you!" Kira snapped, Aegis whipped passed him as he followed it with the cannon, "Do you know how many people died because of this attack?! My parents are here!"

"That doesn't explain why you're fighting for the Naturals!" Athrun demanded whilst dodging the assault.

"You think I want to be in this thing!?" Kira roared, "My friends are on that ship you're trying to shoot down! You really think I'll let you do that!"

"Dammit, Kira!" Athrun snarled as he went into Mobile Armor mode, "Those Naturals are not your friends!" The Aegis opened up into the attack mode, and slammed into the Strike, "Now come on!"

Kira struggled with the Strike's controls, "What do you think you're doing!?"

"I'm taking you back the Gamow, where you belong!" The Aegis sped back toward the colony walls.

This only made Kira fight harder, "No, I won't join ZAFT!"

"Kira!" Kira's blood ran cold. His monitor showed that the Gold was right in their flight path, and showed no sign of slowing down. She intended to ram them!

"Fumina, don't do it!" Kira warned her off. "Stay back!"

At the same time Athrun saw her coming and growled, "You think I won't run you down?" The Aegis sped up, the thrusters pushed to max.

"Like hell you will!" Suddenly the Blue unit appeared in his path, and fired his rifle, unleashing for green beams at the arms holding the Strike. The Aegis dodged the shots easily, but was unprepared for the Gold as she grabbed onto him as he passed by.

The left arm of the Gold hung limply while the right held on to the frame of the Aegis. She hooked the arm through one of the claws, and planted her machine's feet, hauling back with all the strength that it had left. "Let him go!"

Athrun growled as a warning light came up on his screen showing damage to his machine where she was hanging on, "You really are insane!" He snapped, and released the Strike. Fumina let go as well, her machine out of power, and began to fall.

Kira and the Strike were right behind her, the young Coordinator desperate to reach her. The Gold reached out, and grasped the Strike's outstretched arm. Kou rocketed under them and braced against the Gold's back to slow their decent. "Kira, get her back to the ship, pronto! We'll handle the rest!"

"I'm on it!" Kira shouted and shot toward the ship at full speed. "This is the Strike, I've got the Astray Gold, and I'm heading back!"

"Damage report?"

"No damage on the Strike except a few scrapes, but the Gold's left arm is out of commission and it's pretty banged up all around." Kira reported. "I think Fumina might be hurt, though."

"Alright, we're opening up the landing deck now; welcome home Strike and Gold." Murrue said with a smile, and looked down at Natarle, "Ensign, I think it's time we got out of this colony."

"Understood, Lieutenant, plotting course, now."

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Athrun was seething as the Strike and the Gold landed safely, and he now faced the remaining three G weapons. [The pilot was a girl,] he thought mildly as the trio surrounded him, but did not open fire. [Another Coordinator, or - ]

"Pilot of GAT-X303 Aegis," Heero's stoic voice spoke loudly from the Green frame, "This is Heero Yuy. We have you surrounded, and will not hesitate to strike you down if you do not surrender yourself within twenty seconds. Failure to comply will result in the destruction of your machine, and yourself. Do not force me to take another life today, Pilot."

[Of course the Naturals want their toy back,] Athrun frowned, but smiled in return. "I'll surrender...if you turn Kira Yamato over to me and the forces of ZAFT."

A giggle came from the Red frame, "Fat chance of that happening: Li'l Sis has him wrapped around her finger tighter than the stick up Heero's a - "

"Enough," Heero snapped. "Pilot, we will not force one of our own to join you against his will, as such we are unable to meet your compromise." Heero was really trying for the diplomatic approach, "Exit your machine and we will see you safely returned to your crew."

The ZAFT pilot's brow rose. [Kira and the pilot of the Gold machine? That would explain a few things.] Athrun frowned, and looked down at his power levels, [Ten percent left.] Things were looking grim. [I could always set the self-destruction code and bail out, but I wouldn't make it very far.]

The Green frame raised its twin sword rifle at the Aegis' cockpit, "Your time's up." Heero said, "Open your cockpit now, or be destroy - "

A beam shot right through the barrel of his rifle, destroying the weapon. The Green quickly drew its beam saber as the Aegis shot away from the three Astray Gundams, and right toward the waiting trio of G weapons sent to retrieve him.

The Buster and the Duel began firing off in random directions as they targeted the colony itself. The walls began collapsing even as the Blitz raced to aide the graying Aegis as the remaining power was drained.

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Back on the Archangel, Kira's fears were confirmed as he and Murdoch attempted to get Fumina out of the Gundam. "The cockpit's jammed," Murdoch growled as the battle raged on outside, "Kira, get on the other side and find the release switch while I try to pry it open. La Flaga, give us a hand!"

"Coming!" Mu shouted as he ran up to the docking bay, "Good work out there, kid," he saluted Kira with a grin, "She's not hurt in there, is she?"

Kira shook his head, "I think so," he said, "She's not answering when I call her anymore."

"Less chatter, you two," Murdoch grumbled, "Okay, Kira, turn that switch, Mu, get ready to pull," he said as he jammed a large pry bar into the cockpit. "Now!"

Kira turned the release switch and the cockpit gave a shuddering groan as Mu and Murdoch pulled hard on the bar. A loud clunk came from the machine before the hatch flung itself open almost knocking the two men over the railing.

"Fumina!" Kira shouted as he looked in on her.

"Oh, no, we're fine, kiddo," the grumpy mechanic huffed as he and Mu picked themselves up. "Young people these days."

"You okay in there, Miss...oh..." Mu froze as he saw small round blobs of blue floating around out of the cockpit. Fumina, meanwhile was clutching her right arm, where he could see a tear in her normal suit, and a blue stain spreading into the fabric.

The girl's face looked terrified at the sight of her own blood, and Mu couldn't blame her. Kira, however, didn't hesitate for long before he reached in and gently pulled her helmet off, and cupped her face between his hands, "Fumina, it's okay, I've got you."

Fumina finally seemed to notice him, and looked at him pleadingly, "K-Kira? My b-blood...it's...it's red, isn't it?" She begged as tears leaked out of her eyes.

Kira smiled, "Yeah, redder than an apple," he said as he undid her safety harness. "And we'd better get that taken care of before it gets infected." He said and gently pulled her out of the cockpit. "Come on."

Mu and Murdoch stepped aside as he led her by, both of them looking pointedly at the blue blood stains on her suit. Kira led her out of the hangar, and Murdoch slapped his forehead, "What the fresh turkey hell?"

"I have no earthly idea, but this had better not get out," Mu frowned, gaining a look of confusion from the man, "Think about it. Coordinators are hated because of their genes, and have red blood just like the rest of us. From the look of her face, that poor girl didn't even know what's going on, either. Blue Cosmos would have her strung up by her ponytail."

"Right, mum's the word," Murdoch said, "Better tell the captain that the ensign, though. They'll wanna know."

{All hands, brace for impact! Repeat! All hands brace for impact!}

No sooner had it been announced than the ship lurched and shuddered, throwing the two men and the rest of the deck crew around wildly. "What the hell did we hit?!" Murdoch roared.

Mu floated over to the side and checked an outside monitor, "We didn't hit anything," Mu frowned as he surveyed the wreckage, "The colony...its gone..."

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Author's Note: Sorry if this chapter was a little short. Chock it up to me not being any good with Gundam fights, and a bad case of the at-home-blues coupled with a cold.

Anyway, big question: what the hell's wrong with Fumina?

You wanna find out? You know what to do! Adios Amigos!