Chapter 10: Defection
To say Stella is having a normal stroll around Morgenroete is an understatement.
It was supposed to be a tour around the island with Juri and Shani watching over her. She was allowed to explore the area, with Dr. Kiriharu had said that she was capable of walking, though she would need a crutch at the meantime. Taking this chance, Juri and Shani offered her to show her around the ship and haves her acquainted with everyone aboard. Luckily, only few knew about her being the Destroy's pilot, so having her integrated with the rest of the crew should be fine; they only assumed she was another Alliance pilot rescued from Berlin.
But after ten minutes, the two were called by Simmons concerning about their machines and apparently Stella wandered around from them without noticing, and she had been walking around for about fifteen minutes already.
Her trek however, was halted when she lost control of her left arm temporarily, resulting of her tripping off a rock. The pain wasn't as bad but to her, she felt her emotions getting the best of her, not seeing anyone around her. And the thought of being alone once more threatened to have tears flowing from her eyes and that is when she heard a worried and...motherly(?) voice calling out to her in concern
"Are you okay?"
Stella looked up to find Captain Murrue Ramius rushing over her to help stand up. She gently helped the girl by the arm before picking up her crutch to support herself. "How did you get here? Are you lost?"
Stella looked at her timidly, unsure on how to respond with the ship's captain. Murrue scratched her head with a sheepish expression, also unsure what to add next. "It's okay, you can tell me.", she assured her with a kind, motherly smile. Stella was taken back at the sudden change of mood but it was enough to give her the courage to speak to her.
"Y-Yes...Captain.", the Extended replied, addressing the woman in front if her with her rank.
Murrue chuckled lightly. "You can simply call me Murrue if you'd like. I'm not that much of a title bearer.", she said jokingly. "Where are Juri and Shani? I thought they were watching over you?
Stella's cheeks went pink from embarassment at that question. "Stella...I seperated from them?", she stuttered rather timidly, expecting some kind of snide comment from the captain but Murrue nodded with an understanding and smiled at her. "I take it you wanted to look around here?"
The blond sheepishly nodded towards the Captain, who placed her arm over her shoulder. "Can't say that I don't blame you, but what do you think of the Archangel and of the crew?"
Stella looked down thoughtfully. "The Archangel... they were all nice people all around. Juri-nii and Shani-nii always accompany Stella at all times. Just like the people at the Minerva."
"The Minerva?", Murrue asked curious.
"They...they were nice people too. Shinn was always there when Stella doesn't feel well."
"Who is this, Shinn?", Murrue asked, her tone akin to that of a curious mother. "Is he someone special to you?", she added as Stella looked at her with a bright smile that brought joy to the captain.
"Uhh..." How could she describe Shinn? "I love him," She settled on that, smiling. Yes, that was right. "He saved me. I...I can remember things when I think of him. And I can feel things other than pain when I remember him. I...I am more thanks to him."
The captain blushed. "Oh, I'm sorry. Here I am asking you like this all of a sudden.", she said, with Stella smiling at her reply, feeling safe talking to her.
"And another one, blue-haired I think?", Stella recounted to which Murrue immediatley recognized to be Athrun. "Was really nice to Shinn and he allowed him to take me home to Neo."
Murrue stopped mid-sentence at the mention of the name, her gentle aura slowly saddening as a result. "I see.", she said in a dejected tone. "I take it Neo was like a father to you?"
Stella nodded with a smile at that question, remembering that he was the only one who would calm her down and assure her that everything is okay. "He is. And you know him too? Who was Neo to you?", the blond timidly asked. Murrue was taken back at the sudden question before her eyes averted her gaze, looking down as the memories of Mu La Flaga re-surfaced into her mind.
Murrue regained her composure when Stella realized she may have crossed the line. "Well, Stella.", Murrue began with a smile as she thoughtfully looked up at the sky.
"He was the kindest and the most compassionate person I had ever met. He always knew when to brighten our day whenever we felt down. And I'm pretty sure Cagalli or Kira would tell you he was the big brother of the ship once he woke up", she narrated, remembering the times when she thought he was a mere harassment until he had proven himself many times that changed her stand to him.
"But what happened to him?", Stella added, curious. Murrue then looked down, the memories of Jachin Due coming back to her where she thought the Hawk of Endymion was gone for good. "I thought I had lost him. And then there he is. Alive but not himself.", her voice almost choking at the last phrase, grimacing at the fate that Logos gave him
She felt a nudge from her coat and looked at Stella, who looked at her apologetically. "I-I'm sorry..."
Murrue quickly regained her gentle aura when she looked at Stella, placing a hand over her head. "You don't need to apologize, Stella. It was nothing-"
"There you are!"
The two were surprised when Juri and Shani came towards Stella, with a look of both relief and exasperstion. "We've been looking all over for you! You got us worried.", Shani exclaimed, panting.
Murrue laughed a little at this while Stella was oblivious at this. "We're sorry if we bothered you, Captain Ramius.", Juri apologized.
The Archangel's captain waved her hand in dismissal with a smile. "That's okay, you two. I quite enjoyed speaking with Stella here, and from what I can see, you've became good friends with her?"
"We do have.", Shani replied with a smile towards the blond. "Though we had to keep an eye on her at all times until she's ready to go on her own."
"Are...you going to leave Stella behind?", she asked in a slightly frightened tone that caused Murrue and Shani to flinch.
"No, no, no!", Juri franctically spoke with her hands raised to calm the girl. "What he means is that we just need to be with you at all times! We won't leave you!"
"You won't?"
Murrue smiled as she placed her hand over Stella's shoulder. "We won't, Stella. We promise.", she re-assured her with a smile, then a sudden gesture that made the Extended girl feel something that she hasn't experienced.
The embrace of a mother. And when she pulled away, Stella gave her a bright smile and she looked up at the sky with hopeful eyes.
'One day, Shinn. I want to see you again..'
Gibraltar Base
"They're what?!"
"You heard me! The Chairman is out to frame you as a spy for Logos!", Shinn explained to him in a mild tone as a means not to attract any attention from anyone. As much as he respected the Chairman, framing Athrun was beyond him. Especially when he had nothing to with Logos at all.
Athrun gritted his teeth, holding his temples. He had expected this, that one that the Chairman would go and replace his tools for an even stronger one. But at this point, he didn't know if Shinn could help him at this one.
"What else have you heard?", Athrun asked the raven-haired teen who was stunned at the revelations that he had heard.
"Your association with the Freedom and the Archangel establishes your guilt as a spy for Logos. Luna had spied on you some time ago, but she didn't know that her files were directed to the Chairman himself nor she had the knowledge that they were.", Shinn explained, trying to remain rational at the sudden turn of events.
"Then he realizes he has no use of me any longer...", Athrun pieced out before turning towards his fellow pilot. "Shinn, you have to come with me.", he asked the raven-haired boy, who stepped back in disbelief.
"Are you nuts?!", he replied as if Athrun had indeed become crazy. "We can still change the his mind! We just have to speak to him!", he reasoned out.
Athrun shook his head and spoke in a stern tone. "That is not possible, Shinn. You don't know who the Chairman truly is. He pulls the strings of everyone around him, myself included. And he sees you as his perfect pawn! And once he had enough use of you, they'll have you removed once he found another pawn to use for his schemes!"
What Athrun said shook Shinn to the core. Now he doesn't know who to believe. The bluenette shook his head as he pulled out an object from his pocket and placed in onto Shinn's palm.
"A thumb drive?", Shinn questioned, perplexed.
"Use that when you needed it the most. But you have to listen to me to what I'm going to do."
The guards breached the area by shooting the doorknob. Athrun grabbed Shinn by the shoulder and punched him directly at the face, and that is when they heard a window breaking. One of them approached Shinn, who was rubbing his sore cheek.
"He got away, he went over there!", Shinn exclaimed, pointing at the northern courtyard, to which the guards around the section scoured in search for Athrun. Amidst the rain, Athrun climbed through the fire exit stairs before re-entering the building from the other side, evading patrols and who were searching for him.
"What's going on here?" Meyrin wondered, sitting down at her room's computer until the door suddenly opened to reveal a familiar bluenette. "Commander Zala? What are you-?" Athrun sprinted over and covered her mouth.
"Not a word," Athrun silently asked her. "I'm going to need your help, do you understand?" Meyrin nodded, with Athrun pulling his hand away.
"Why are they after you Commander?", Meyrin asked, wondering what just happened.
"I'll tell you later. Shinn knows about this as well." Athrun told her, and then a knock came from the door.
"Military Police. We need to search your room." Came a voice from the other side of the door, and Athrun scowled at his terrible luck before turning towards Meyrin.
"When I break the window, scream. Tell them I held you on gunpoint.", Athrun instructed her.
"Wait, I have an idea." Meyrin interjected as she undid her hairdo and began to undress, to Athrun's shock and disbelief.
"Open this door now!" the guard demanded further and that it when Luna walked towards them. "What is going on?"
"We have orders to conduct a mandatory search in order to locate and apprehend Athrun Zala for questioning." the guard told her.
'Athrun? But why?', Luna thought, gasping, not knowing what was going on until realization hit her. 'Those photos, how did they get their hands on it?'
Moments later, the door opened to show Meyrin with wet hair and only a towel covering her body. Instantly the male guards looked away as Luna glared at her sister for indecent exposure.
"Meyrin, what are you doing?" Luna questioned her sister in a harsh tone. "Answering the door in only a towel?"
"Well they were going to break it down." Meyrin reasoned, with Luna glaring at the guards and they stepped backwards. "Move along boys." the captain instructed as Meyrin closed the door.
"Sis, what is wrong with you sometimes?" Luna groaned as she opened her room door across the hall. She flipped on the lights and closed the door behind her.
Meanwhile, two guards were silently standing over the security station when they were suddenly knocked out by a blunt object. Shinn dropped the rifle as he began to disable the security cameras all over the base in haste. Collecting the tapes, Shinn destroyed them with his knee and hurriedly left afterwards.
'This better work, Athrun..', Shinn thought as he heard an alarm coming from the other side from the base. 'That came from the eastern section. But he told he was going west. What did he do this time?'
"The alarms that you hacked should buy us some time.", Athrun exclaimed as he Meyrin drove from a jeep towards hangar five where they would stage their escape.
"Why would they frame you?", Meyrin questioned as Athrun held her by the hand.
"They don't have any use of me anymore, that's why!", he snapped as they neared the Saviour, which had been repaired from Angel Down. Before they could advance further, they were greeted by Rey Za Burrel, rifle in hand.
"I see you've chosen to run away.Again!", Rey snarled as he open fired with his rifle, forcing Athrun to take cover along with Meyrin, with the bluenette firing a few shots back at him with his pisyol. "This is unforgiveable! You've betrayed Gilbert's trust!"
"Stop firing Rey! Meyrin's here!", Athrun tried to reason out, but his words fell on deaf ears. Gritting his teeth, Athrun returned fire once more and a precise shot knock away Rey's rifle. "Come on!", he urged her as Rey went to pick up his firearm when they ran for the Savior.
"Get in!", Athrun ordered as Meyrin went inside, with Rey narrowly missing her by a few shots before Athrun closed the cockpit. Hitting the power button, the Saviour went to life and the red machine's thrusters flared before taking up the air and transforming into its MA form.
Rey scoffed as he contacted Durandal by the earpiece. "Gil, Athrun's escaped with the Saviour and took Meyrin with him as his accomplice. What are your orders?"
With Athrun
"What are we going to do now?", Meyrin fearfully asked as the Saviour flew towards an uncertain location to her.
Athrun maintained a determined look. "We have to find the Archangel, and warn them of the Chairman. It won't be long until he would see Orb as a threat to his plans."
Meyrin looked at him with a gasp. "But wasn't it destroyed?"
The bluenette shook his head. "It escaped the battle, but not without any damage. I have the IFF number needed to make contact. But we have to get away from Gibraltar otherwise they may intercept the transmissions and lead them to ot."
However, the two's attention were caught by the monitor's beeping where two unknown signals were coming right at them in a rapid pace, so much so that they are able catch up even with the Saviour's MA form.
Athrun gasped as the model numbers belonged to that of the Legend and of the Destiny, meaning one of them had to be piloted by Shinn.
"Traitor!", Rey growled, the Legend open firing at the Saviour with its beam rifle but the red machine evaded those shots as they met the ocean.
Scowling, Athrun switched the Saviour back to its MS form and returned fire with its his beam rifle against the Legend but they were harmlessly parried by beam-like shields from the rear sides of the Legend's hands.
The Legend then returned fire which caught the Saviour's beam rifle, forcing Athrun to discard the exploding weapon. Activating one of its beam sabers, the red machine clashed with the Legend, who activated its own beam saber, their shields parrying both their blades.
The Destiny on the other hand, floated as Shinn watched the two fighting with one another. "What are you doing, Shinn?!", Rey questioned with an angered tone. "Shoot him down!"
The said pilot's eyes were shaking at the two, his own mentality fighting on who to believe. A part of him wanted to side with the chairman and achieve his desire in ending war permanently, at a heavy price, just as he had always wanted after the deaths of his family and of Stella.
Another part wanted him to side with Athrun. The Commander had already shown him that there is more purpose than anger nor vengeance towards his enemies. And it was because of his direction that slowly helped him in moving on from who he was.
"Shinn, whatever they would say about you nor what their promises are, do not believe them!", Athrun shouted when the Saviour dodged a full volley coming from the Legend's DRAGOON pods. However, Athrun was caught off guard when the Legend swooped in front and delivered a drop kick towards the sea.
"He has betrayed the PLANTs and ZAFT! Not once, but twice!", Rey spat with such venom that caught Shinn off guard, never hearing Rey speaking to him like that. "And there is no reason to listen to two-timing traitors like him!"
"Don't listen to him, Shinn!", Athrun urged while trying to shoot down Rey with the Amfortas cannons which were dodged easily. He gritted his teeth as he realized that the Legend outperformed the Saviour by a long shot. "If you don't believe me, at least let Meyrin go! She has nothing to do with this!"
"The fact that she aided a traitor makes it no better! Therefore, both of you will pay for betraying Gilbert's trust!"
Rey's hopes lie on the raven-haired teen, whose anger and lust for vengeance made him an easy target to manipulate. But to how he had interacted with Athrun worried him, fearing that the bluenette gave him another foresight.
However, Rey heard Shinn's reply from the cockpit. "It's your fault...you're at fault!", Shinn said, his tone rising at every word, laced with anger and outrage. "BECAUSE YOU BETRAYED US!"
The blond pilot smirked as the Destiny activated its Arondight anti-ship sword. 'I finally got him.' He knew that Shinn's loyalty was all but assured. Gilbert will surely be pleased.
"Shinn!" Athrun exclaimed as he snapped his attention to the Destiny and brought the shield to bear, at the same time as he thrust the Saviour's beam saber forward.
The Destiny's wings give a majestic shine as its Arondight sliced the Saviour's shield in half. Charging, the Destiny lunged in where it stabbed through the red machine, causing the Saviour's green eyes to be fade along with the thrusters.
Leaving the blade jammed onto the Saviour, the red machine plumelled down to the sea, where an explosion soon followed. Shinn panted from all the pressure given and that is when Rey's voice came back from the radio.
"Good work, Shinn.", Rey congratulated with a smile. "We'll have to go back to base and report our success to the Chairman. He will be most pleased at this development."
Wordlessly, Shinn complied and both the Destiny and the Legend set course for Gibraltar. As they did, Shinn looked down with both regret and worry clouding his mind, now that Meyrin was caught in the crossfire. 'Damn it, Athrun. This better be part of the plan. How the hell am I suppose to explain this to Luna?'
AN:
I figured it be better if Shinn took Meer's place in telling Athrun what Durandal is planning to do to him. Because it would sow the seeds of doubt that would cause him to question whatever Durandal had in mind. Rate and Review if possible!