Disclaimer: See chapter 1
Song of the Storm Wolf: Howl of Destiny
by Storm Wolf77415, Wing Commander White Wolf, and Centurious the Azure
Brothers Will Fight But…
Personal Log of Lieutenant General Sebastian Connor, February 2nd, C.E. 74
I'm not sure how to begin this particular entry. It's hard to find the words after the events of the recent battle just twenty-four hours ago. I think it goes without saying the Earth Alliance kicked our asses but good. On top of it all, Rear Admiral Anthony Russo, a man I've come to trust like my own blood. The calm one of us, I might add, decides to drop a fucking giant missile on top of us! If it hadn't been for Captain Tessen's arrival, and Captain Landis informing me of Tempest. Who knows what could have happened?
It's the first time we both ever had such a serious argument with each other, and punches were thrown. I really don't like the feeling after the fact, but it's something I'm just going to have to accept. Neither of us has spoken since that day. Anthony has relegated himself to the Seawolf. I'm guessing both of us need some time to cool off. I just hope this doesn't get back to the Earth Alliance. The last thing they need to know is that both of us are at odds with each other.
However, there's a part of me who is still not ready to forgive him just yet. I know Seawolf is capable of launching such weapons, and in all likelihood, this Tempest missile may come in handy down the line. However, I can't but feel betrayed by the fact he installed a device that would allow him to deploy such missiles without any other checks and not tell me. It's the whole reason the two key systems were developed in the first place!
I'm just in a lot of turmoil right now. We don't need to be fighting amongst ourselves, or they will pick us apart. But I just feel like my trust in him is shattered. I suppose I could turn to Murrue or Talia for guidance, but it just wouldn't be the same. I suppose I just need to give it time. But how long do we have, when the enemy is constantly breathing down our necks?
We have arrived at Kendrick Base, a ZAFT outpost located on the southern point of the Red Sea in the African Community. Repairs on all our ships and mobile suits have commenced. However, the repairs to my relationship with Anthony are going to be a lot more complex and take a lot more time.
(Officer's Quarters, Kendrick Base, African Community, February 6th, C.E. 74)
It had been five days since the disastrous battle on the Indian Ocean. Task Force Angel had arrived at Kendrick Base in the wee hours of the early morning on the 3rd, and everyone just deflated. Everyone was struggling to come to terms with their near brush with death. Anthony had become persona non grata amongst the crew, secluding himself on the Seawolf. Not seeing anyone. But that was the last thing on the Storm Wolf of Jachin Due's mind.
Sebastian found it hard to pull himself out of bed that morning. His feet were a pair of lead bricks as he willed himself to stand and walk to the small bathroom to shave and wash his face. The commander of Task Force Angel let out a dry, rattling groan as he gazed at his haggard appearance in the mirror. "What is it about military beds that always makes them feel like a slab of concrete?" He cracked his neck as Lacus got up from the other side of the bed. Even with her hair a mess, she was still the most beautiful creature he knew of.
"Then isn't a good thing you have something soft like me to balance it out?" She asked, frowning when she saw her husband barely react. Normally their early morning banter was enough to get the beginnings of a smile on his face. However, Sebastian's visage was rock hard. It became clear to Lacus just how badly the recent battle, and Anthony's actions, had affected Sebastian.
The Angel of the Stars picked up her hairbrush, and began clearing the tangles from her long pinkish locks. The couple was silent for a few minutes, as he finished brushing his teeth. Lacus looked to her husband, before speaking. "Are you going to speak to Anthony today?" She gave him a stern glare, when he grunted, looking the other way. "The two of you can't be like this forever, Sebastian! The whole battle turned into a complete mess, and everyone overreacted! Anthony did and you did too! You call him a traitor, on what grounds? What did he betray?"
"My trust. From the day I joined the White Wolves, he always advocated being open and transparent with each other, Lacus. Open and transparent! He never kept any secrets from me, ever! And then he goes and launches that crazy-ass missile of his, and nearly blows all of us to pieces! The worst part, I seemed to be the only one who didn't know about it! Rachel knew, Victor knew. I think I'm more than within my right to be pissed off at him!" Sebastian's stormy temper was beginning to rise, but Lacus was unperturbed. He willed himself to calm down.
"I am the commander of this task force, sweetheart. Anthony was my number two, my go-to guy. I knew as long as I could trust him. I never had to worry. He would never fly off the handle like I do. For him to act like this, it goes against everything he's ever taught me."
Lacus came up to embrace him. "I agree Anthony is usually the logical one, but even he has his moments. I'm sure there's a good reason for it. Why don't you let me do some digging, and I'll try and find out what happened? Would that help you?" Despite his feelings, there was no defense against those baby blues of hers. The Songstress of Hope stood on her toes, kissing her Brave Wolf on the lips. "Please trust in me, honey. I'll let you know the first chance I hear something."
He gently patted her head, Lacus blushed and gave him a gentle, loving smile. "Thank you, dear. I'm going to take a lap around the base, try and clear my head." The couple shared their usual tender kiss, before Sebastian departed, while Lacus made her way to the administration building, certainly someone there would have some answers.
(Kendrick Base, Infirmary)
Loretta had been moved to the base hospital, given its better facilities. Her condition had improved since the battle. Rachel had made it a point to visit her sister-in-law every day. It set her at ease to see the redhead's vitality return with each visit. Although she was still not totally lucid. The Iron Dove was sitting by the bed, every so often looking over to her.
"Still no change?" Rachel looked up to see Captain Landis in the doorway. She shook her head. The Seawolf's master came up on the other side of Loretta's bed. "It hurts seeing her like this. One thing I always liked about Miss Frost was her boundless energy and cheer. She always made the atmosphere lighter. Not to mention keeping the Admiral's more predatory nature in check."
"Yeah, we saw the downside to that last week." Rachel sighed, putting her book aside. "I still think Anthony acted rashly, but given what happened, I suppose I can't blame him for that. It would be like if I had taken the bullet for him." It then dawned on her. "Speaking of which, has Anthony even come in to see her? I've been here every day and he hasn't been by once. That's not like him, given how devoted he was to her."
Landis thought about it for a moment. "Now that you bring it up, I don't think he's even left the ship since we made port. Then again none of us have made much effort to reach out to him." He leaned against the wall, wondering if the Arctic White Wolf had slipped off the sub when no one was looking. But nothing came to mind. "But the fact he hasn't even visited his own wife is very worrisome. None of this would have happened if she hadn't pushed him out of the way." He grimaced, whether it was from the smell of the harsh antiseptics, or a deeper concern for his commanding officer, it wasn't certain. "Rachel, you might want to look in on Anthony. He needs some kind words right now, and you're the best one for that."
The older man's words rang true. Rachel was probably the best person to reach out to the disgraced Wolf. Not to mention she needed to talk to him anyway. A part of her regretted slapping him once the heat of the moment had died down. The White Wolf had taken her into his pack after the death of her father. Anthony was her brother in all but in blood, and she couldn't stay mad at him forever. Rachel gave Loretta a final gentle pat before leaving. There was work to be done.
The Iron Dove realized that one way to ease the healing process between everyone was to let them see Loretta's condition. It would go a long way to giving clarity for The White Wolf's critics. She pulled out her cell phone as she walked down the hall. "Hey, it's me. Are you guys busy right now? There's something you need to see."
(ONS Archangel, Officer Quarters)
"I can't believe I trusted him!" Cagalli paced up and down in, letting all of her frustrations out in a single colossal rant. "I looked up to Russo, though he was a great help to Orb. If it wasn't for him, the mass driver wouldn't have been rebuilt as quickly as it was." Indeed it was a small testament to Anthony's engineering prowess that much of Orb's infrastructure was restored after the war's end. "But now. I have nothing but contempt for him, not to mention all of his other nightmarish creations! Orb does not need such horrific weapons. This whole alliance was a mess from the very beginning!"
"Are you finished?" The Lioness of Orb glared at her cousin, whom she was having a video call with. Yukira looked bored and thoroughly unimpressed. "You've said this same thing to me for the last three days, Cagalli, and quite frankly the first time was more than enough for me! You certainly didn't complain about how Admiral Russo upgraded Morgeonrorete's recreational facilities." Cagalli pouted a little, it was true she had enjoyed the basketball court. "And to be honest, you're overreacting."
"Overreacting?" Cagalli couldn't believe her ears. "If you haven't forgotten, Yukira. Anthony almost killed us with his giant nuclear missile the other day! That's not something we've ever needed in the past. Father didn't think so." She sat down on the bed. "I wish he was here, maybe he could restore some common sense to this world." Yukira softened a little at the mention of her uncle. She could see the sorrow in Cagalli's eyes, and how much she missed him. "Orb will not attack another nation, will not allow another nation to attack them, and will not intervene in the conflicts of other nations. Those were the words our country lived by. Those were the words my father lived by. Did we just forget about them along the way?"
Yukira sighed, clearly this had been going on for a while, and she needed to run some damage control. "Caggy honey, let's just stop for a minute. When did this whole obsession with our ideals start? You never had this problem before. I always thought you supported the PLANTs, given what the Earth Alliance did to us during the last war. I would think the security of our country would be more important than whether we stayed out of any conflicts, given that the Earth Forces pulled the exact same bullshit after the Break The World, insisting that we join them. They wouldn't have allowed any country to be neutral this go around. We both know that one way or another Orb would have to choose a side."
The pilot of Akatsuki slumped at her cousin's words. "So no matter what, Orb would be in trouble. I had my reservations at the time Sebastian and Anthony proposed joining with the PLANTs, but I was in the minority and I could see the benefits. But when Yukimura showed up, and sounded so disappointed. I felt like I had betrayed everything my father stood for." Tears were forming in her eyes. "Yukira, watching Anthony launch that missile scared me! To me, it was like this was how our country would be seen in the future as if everything Yukimura said had been validated." She broke down into full-on bawling. "I felt so ashamed."
Yukira said nothing to her cousin, just letting her cry it out. After about a minute, Cagalli calmed down. "So, getting back to my original question, are you finished?" She asked, this time far more gently. The blonde nodded. "Good, I know you just want to be left in peace, Cagalli. I want my peaceful Orb back as well, but as long as the Earth Alliance is throwing their weight around, we need someone to watch our back. They're in the same boat we are, and our best chance to get our peace back is to stand with ZAFT and the PLANTs. After that, I'm sure Chairman Durandal will be willing to leave us alone. But it's a long road, Cagalli. We have to travel it together."
Cagalli smiled, reaching out to touch the screen. "You think I should apologize to Anthony?" She asked.
"It would be a nice gesture," Yukira said. They spent the next couple of hours talking about things besides Orb's ideals and Anthony's misstep. Cagalli decided to get off the ship and see what Kendrick had to offer. It was better than sulking in her quarters and bitching. It was then her phone rang. "Hello, what is it, Rachel?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, before widening. "What? Yeah, I can be right there!"
(Kendrick Base, Gun Range)
Those who say that pilots are poor marksmen clearly never saw Athrun Zala with a pistol in hand. The Red Knight had all but set up camp at the base's gun range. With his sidearm of choice, a Sig-Sauer P226, and enough 9mm ammunition for a whole army. The master of the ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam was venting his rage over recent events. He could still hear Anthony's words echo in his head. "I'm about the carve the heart out of the Earth Forces, General Connor. The Tempest missile will annihilate everything!" The Arctic White Wolf's words dripped of his father's twisted rhetoric.
It stung Athrun hard, as he remembered how Anthony had effortlessly directed traffic during Break the World. His cool, relaxed presence kept all the deployed Orb forces at ease while they ensured no fragments of Junius Seven struck the small island nation. His actions in the Indian Ocean were like that of a completely different person. The Red Knight had lost a great deal of respect for the White Wolf. Athrun banished the thoughts from his head. He tried putting his attention, not to mention considerable frustration, on the multitude of targets sprinkled about the range, plenty of ways to vent his anger.
The staccato repeat of gunshots echoed across the range, as the empty casings fell around Athrun's feet. His green eyes burned in silent rage with each pull of the trigger. So focused was he, The Red Knight didn't realize the magazine was empty, and the only sounds were the click of an empty weapon and his own labored breathing. His anger subsided for the moment, Athrun removed the magazine, placing his sidearm on the counter. Before collecting his targets. Justice's master collapsed at a bench, the near half dozen targets spread before him, beginning to clean his weapon.
"It looks you've been busy. Those are some really nice groupings." He looked up see Lunamaria standing before him, looking at the targets, looking at the third target in particular, which contained the tightest groupings in the head and body. "There was talk of your marksmanship skills at Keystone. I suppose it wasn't just stories and hype."
He shrugged. "It's just another tool in the box to me. I did it as a matter of pragmatism. You never know when you might get trapped somewhere behind enemy lines, good aim could mean the difference between life and death. Besides, the Le Creuset Team was considered the prime posting in ZAFT at the time. I suppose I thought it might help my chances." He admitted. "Come to get some practice in yourself?"
"I just might." She said, producing her sidearm, a Sig Sauer P239. "I certainly wouldn't be above getting some tips from an old hand." Athrun rolled his eyes, but at the same time. He had wanted to spend a little more time with the elder Hawke sister. This was good a chance as any. Putting his eye and ear protection back on, he took a place next to Luna. "An important thing to remember is to keep your arm steady. Make sure you look down the sights." He gently took hold of her wrist, her cheeks flushed a little before her face hardened a little. She took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger.
The quiet of the range was cut by a single bang, and then a second, and third. Athrun found himself smiling a little, taking in the sight of the target. "Not bad, Luna." He said as the pilot of the Phoenix Gundam removed the empty magazine from sidearm. He went to grab the target, most of the holes were spread out on the torso, a couple was in the right arm, but one made it in the neck. "You're too quick on the trigger, It throws off your aim and makes your rounds fly wide. Focus and control your breathing, that will help." His face contorted into a pained grimace. "Something Admiral Russo clearly forgot."
Luna hesitated for a minute. Athrun clenched his fist. "I trusted him, we all trusted him to lead us!" His anger rising again. "And then he launches a nuclear missile for no other reason than to kill the Earth Alliance, never mind we were still in the line of fire when it went off! It was like listening to my father all over again!"
"Now just wait a minute!" Lunamaria's words brought Athrun to a halt. She looked irritated, hands on her hips. The wind blew through her violet-red locks. "I know I'm still new to this whole war thing, but are really you sure about the missile being a nuke? I remember when we read the chapters on the Twin Wolves at the Academy, and it doesn't sound like something that Admiral Russo would readily deploy. A nuke just wouldn't be feasible. Plus it's just not in his character to launch something like that on an impulse."
"What else could it be then?" Athrun protested, sitting down on the bench. "It was just like back at Jachin again. I can't escape it at all! No matter where I go my father's legacy follows me." She sat down next to him, and put her arms around The Red Knight. "What are you doing?" He tried to loosen her grip, but it just made Luna hold him tighter.
"For once in your life, shut up and listen Athrun Zala!" She said, tears starting to form in her violet eyes. "You don't know what happened that day. I still have faith in Admiral Russo, and you should too! Don't equate his actions to your father's." Athrun could see Luna's shoulders shaking. The master of the Justice brought his arms up to embrace her. Her cheek rested against his. It was smooth to the touch. They shared a held gaze for a second before Luna leaned in to kiss Athrun.
"Uh." The Red Knight was at a loss for words, the purple-haired beauty blushed even more.
"So, you maybe want to get dinner tonight?" Luna ventured.
"Sure." He said. "Maybe we can ask Kira and Flay to come with us?" If there was ever a time Athrun needed his best friend, this would be it! Luckily he was saved by his phone. "Hello?" He asked. "What is it, Captain Dupree?" Lunamaria saw his expression shift from mild anger, and then to disbelief, and finally horror. "I see. Yes, I can come there straight away, and I'll let Kira know." He gave Luna a look. "What you said earlier may have some truth to it."
"Where are we going?" Luna asked, struggling to keep up with him.
"The infirmary." Was his sole reply, and it made her all the more nervous.
(Kendrick Base, Tarmac)
Even with his wife's words echoing in his head, Sebastian was still uncertain how to approach his brother. He found himself walking the tarmac. The Storm Wolf watched as the various ZAKUs moved about in training maneuvers. To him that was a good sign, showing that the men and women of the Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty weren't being idle. He sighed. "Of course the Earth Alliance isn't being idle either." His thoughts drifted back to the Black Comet, his hand clenching up. "Anthony's actions aside, Admiral Lamperouge, Captain Roanoke, and the rest of their cohorts had us on the ropes."
It had been a bitter pill to swallow, once he had read the after-action reports from the other senior officers of Task Force Angel. The First Special Operations Fleet had put the squeeze to the ZAFT/Orb alliance, and came out on top. Sebastian shook his head. "I suppose I'd be bitching about getting schooled by Roanoke." He groaned in aggravation. "If it's not one thing it's another."
"So it's true, you truly are here, Wolf!" Sebastian's brilliant blue eyes widened at the sound of that voice, colored with a strong Australian accent. A young man about the same age as the Storm Wolf himself, with a tall, lanky frame. Long, scraggly brown hair held back in a ponytail, framed brilliant green eyes, what surprised Sebastian the most was the uniform the man wore. Not the redcoat of an elite, but the stark white of a field commander, with the sleeves rolled up and the collar unbuttoned.
"Hello there, Dingo. Or should I call you Commander Ramsay now?" Sebastian addressed Bryce Ramsay, an old comrade in arms from their days at Keystone Military Academy. The two men shared a brotherly embrace. "I'm genuinely surprised to see you wearing that color! You said you would never take command if your life depended on it!"
Dingo shrugged. "What can I say, Wolf? Sometimes you have to swallow your words. Not to mention the pay raise was a nice incentive. Oh, wipe that smirk off your face! Mr. Three Star General and big shot Orb noble!" Sebastian struggled to hold his mirth in. He forgot how much of a gadfly Dingo could be, but always in a good way. The Oceanian native popped his neck. "It's got to be fate that we ended up here in the same place. You got some time? We haven't spoken in almost three years so we have a lot to catch up on."
"That we do." The uneasiness in Sebastian's heart melted away some. Aside from Anthony himself, Dingo was the one person he trusted, the one other person who might be able to help him put some perspective on his problems with Anthony. Perhaps there was some higher power that let him meet up with his old friend. "Actually, I've got some issues right now. Do you think you can lend a sympathetic ear? I would appreciate it."
"Sure mate. There's a great little pub near the base, we can talk over a couple of beers." Sebastian sighed as Dingo draped his arm around his shoulder, but it was one of relief. He could always confide in Dingo, and maybe his old friend could help him find a way to make things right with his other brother canine. The pub was just as Dingo described, a rustic affair, with plenty of tacky knick-knacks on the walls. A single large plasma screen TV was on with some news of recent activity up in space.
There were only a few patrons scattered about. The two canines found a corner booth, ordering a pair of longneck lagers. They clinked the bottles together and drank. "So lay it out for me, Wolf. You mentioned you had some issues, what exactly has your tail in a twist?" Sebastian laid out in the Battle in the Indian Ocean, culminating in Anthony's launch of the Tempest missile, the near-total destruction of Task Force Angel, and the subsequent reaming the White Wolf received.
"I belted him in the face, called him a traitor, and pretty much told Anthony to never come near me again. Whatever trust I had in him was completely gone. No way in hell would I ever want to work with someone so willing to launch without any prior warning." Sebastian groaned, letting his head fall on the table. "I was told later that Cagalli and Kira both verbally tore a strip out of his ass. Athrun didn't even dignify him with any words, which shows how pissed off he was. Suffice to say no one's seen or heard from him since. Of course, I haven't spoken to him. Just been stewing in my rage."
"Let it not be said you don't know how to hold a grudge, Wolf. But do you really think you want to hold a grudge against Russo of all people? I mean let's face it mate. You two have been through a lot together. Don't forget who it was that took you in at Yggdrasil. Remember how you were then? Vengeful and filled with hate at the Earth Alliance, prepared to kill anyone in your vision, even those who couldn't defend themselves? Who was it that stopped you and curbed that anger."
"You don't need to remind me, Dingo!" Sebastian's voice raised a little before he calmed down with some more alcohol. "I know full well. Anthony welcomed me into the White Wolves when no one would probably take me. He was always open with me, honest with me." He put a special emphasis on that part. "This whole stunt, I can't call him honest anymore, Dingo. Now I wonder just how much more he kept from me, what other secrets are banging about in his head."
"And you don't have secrets of your own, Wolf? Those dark things are forever bound in the deepest reaches of your soul. Those horrific, gruesome secrets you would carry to your grave and never share with anyone, not even those closest to you?" Dingo rested his head in his chin, the joviality in his voice absent. His green eyes as intense as Anthony's own. "We both know the answer to that. So maybe lay off your fellow wolf some?"
It unsettled Sebastian a little bit at seeing Dingo channel Anthony, but he wasn't fazed that much. "Okay, maybe you have a point on that one. But I still feel like whenever I see Anthony, I'll be reminded of this for the rest of my life, and I won't be able to fully trust him ever again. I'll just be waiting for the next time he does something stupid. We're going to be on edge until this whole conflict ends."
Dingo said nothing for a few minutes, just sipping his beer and his eyes flickering over to the tv, before going to the old fluorescent lightbulbs on the ceiling, a few flies crawling along the cover. "Let me put it to you this way. There's something my mum always said to me when was I young. Whenever I got the way you are right now, Wolf. It's a sage piece of advice, and I hope it sticks to you as it has with me. 'Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and waiting for someone else to die. It just doesn't work'. You're chugging that poison down right now, Sebastian."
Dingo leaned in, smirking. "And we both know you're way smarter than that. The answer to this problem is simple. Russo is your brother and best mate. He jacked things up good, but ultimately he's always going to be at your side, just as you are at his. This is one incident, a major one, yes, but it will pass. Brothers argue, brothers fight, and brothers ultimately forgive."
Sebastian was trying to maintain his normal demeanor, but the grateful smile and tears leaking out of his face betrayed his true feelings. He just knocked back the rest of the beer, wiping his eyes with the napkin. "Thanks, man. You're probably the only other person who could get through to me like that. I know I'm going to remember that whole drinking poison bit. I'm definitely holding onto that one."
"Any time, Mate," Dingo said, giving his lupine companion a brotherly pat on the shoulder. "But don't think this is the last time we're seeing each other. I heard there's a major operation in the works. Your pack and mine will be running right alongside each other. It will be nice to work with you again, mate. I can show you some of the stuff I've learned since we left the Academy."
The Storm Wolf of Jachin Due gave a fond chuckle. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind that at all either. I know Lacus would be happy to see you again."
"Ah, your precious little Song Bird, I hope her pipes are as crystal clear as I remember."
"Oh, I can assure you they are. Even if she hasn't taken the stage in almost three years, Lacus hasn't lost any of her talents. She will gladly sing for the children we've taken in. They all love her for it. I even join in on guitar sometimes, just to keep things interesting."
Dingo laughed, just imagining the two of them singing together. "I remember you had a bit of musical aptitude. Perhaps you should start a band, become a rock star." He leered at his friend. "Oh, you would have a giant harem of sexy groupies piled up on you all day, wanting to ride the Storm!"
"Yeah, Lacus would love that. She'd bitch slap all of them and say only she could ride that storm!" The Storm Wolf of Jachin Due and Dingo both laughed, and began recounting old stories. Sebastian's path had been set. He just needed to take that vital first step. Sebastian felt his phone buzz, he saw it was Rachel, his eyebrows knitting together.
(Kendrick Base, Infirmary)
Everyone assembled could only wince at the sight of Loretta's bandaged form. Kira thought she resembled a mummy somewhat. His hand gripping onto Flay's a little tighter. "This is what caused Anthony's decision to launch the missile." Rachel sighed, looking on at her sister-in-law with misty eyes. "One of the stolen Gundams from Armory One was targeting him, and she, well you see the results for yourself." The Iron Dove trailed off.
"Oh, by Haumea." Cagalli's heart dropped into her stomach. Already she was getting flashbacks to Uzumi's sacrifice when they fled Orb. Her words to Anthony made her feel hollow. "Is she going to be all right?"
"The doctors say she'll make a full recovery. Loretta was quite lucky." Rachel looked back to the redhead. "Not to mention she's always been tough. It's the reason why Anthony fell in love with her, to begin with. Still, I think it will help her recovery more knowing you're all thinking and praying for her."
Athrun wasn't sure how to feel. Only for Luna to tug on his arm. "Captain Frost was very brave for putting herself in front of her man like that. It shows her devotion to him." She shot a pointed look at the Red Knight with those words. The message was clear to him.
Sebastian was also silent. He just gazed at the redhead's still form, the beeping of the machines permeating the air. "Nothing like taking a bullet for your man to show you care." He finally said. "I would have done the exact same thing if I was there when it happened."
"Any of us would have. Where is he, anyway?" Kira asked the central question. "I'm sure he would be here to watch over her recovery."
"That's just it, Kira. He hasn't." This caught all of them by surprise. "Not once since we arrived have I seen him here." Rachel said. "I know we all are disgusted by what he did in the Indian Ocean, but Loretta is the reason he did it. And he hasn't even come to see his wife. That alone sets off some major red flags for me."
"Maybe he was too ashamed to face her," Athrun said, bitterness evident in his voice. Only to get an elbow in the ribs courtesy of the elder Hawke sister. No one had anything to say about that. Everyone left the infirmary in a subdued manner. For Cagalli, Athrun, and Kira, it made them reflect on their treatment of Anthony, and question their actions.
As for Sebastian himself, Sebastian pulled out his phone, hesitating for a minute as he pulled up a certain number. His finger hovered over the call button before he put it away. "One step at a time." The Storm Wolf said to himself.
(Lincoln Base, Central Administration Building, Central Meeting Room, February 10th, C.E. 74)
The First Special Operations Fleet had arrived at their home base at the same time Task Force Angel did at Kendrick. Feelings were mixed about recent events. The Crimson Fox had assembled the ship and mobile suit team commanders to review the battle in detail. "I suppose we can call the Indian Ocean battle a win for us." Mark unbuttoned his jacket, watching footage of Freedom and its cohorts against the Frighteners. "But not by much. I think a few gray hairs popped out when that missile launched. Let's be grateful it was just a dud."
"I didn't think Admiral Russo had such iron," Deckard said, watching the missile roar up from the oceans toward the sky. "Although I don't think the Storm Wolf and other ZAFT and Orb commanders knew about it either. I imagine they've all given the White Wolf of Alaska a real earful about that." That image was forever burned into the master of the Virtue's mind. "Still, we may not be so lucky next time."
"There won't be a next time. It's nothing but a bluff on their part." Takachi said, taking note of his battle with some of the Murasames off the Takemikazuchi. "I mean come on, this is Orb we're talking about. It goes totally against their ideology. No way they would start punting about nukes and other WMDs."
"I agree with Captain Murakumo. It was probably just a bluff on their part." Nonette said, sitting in of the chairs facing the Admiral's desk, reading one of the reports. "Although it was quite the display. If it were a lesser group of soldiers, I doubt they'd want to go anywhere near them. But we're not a lesser group of soldiers. Next time we'll finish what we started, and have fun as we do it!"
"With all due respect Admiral Nonnegram, we're not here to have fun," Jean-Pierre said, looking over the casualty reports. "We may have scared them off, but we didn't come off without casualties of our own. We lost about twelve percent of our forces in the last engagement, sir. I don't think it calls for asking for replacements, but we may need to consider it once we get to the Med."
Mark just let out a mild harrumph. "Way ahead of you on that one, Captain La Flaga." He held up a stack of forms. "They've already been sent. I've been promised a half dozen new Windams and pilots to go with them. So we'll be okay on that front for right now."
"Not to mention the rest of Strigon Battalion will be combat-ready." Major Pasternak chimed in. "If we gave ZAFT and Orb this much trouble with what we have now. I pale to think what will happen when there are a thousand fresh troops at our back. I must say I'm curious to see what Colonel Smirnov will bring to the table." The Eurasian officer's thin smile was unsettling as he tapped on the table. "Between him, Lieutenant Colonel Voycheck, Captain Anderson, and yourself, Admiral, that gives us quite the little brain trust. I trust you've developed some new strategies to deal with the Archangel and ZAFT's new ship?"
The Crimson Fox just sipped some of his coffee, relishing the extra dark brew he preferred. "I've got a few plans in the works, Major. But I will greatly welcome your superiors' input on them. I want to hear their thoughts about the missile they launched." He watched the footage again. "Whether it's a decoy or not. We'll definitely need to think about some kind of countermeasure for it."
"I think I may have the solution for that one, Admiral Lamperouge." Neo had been silent for most of the meeting. But now the masked man was making his presence felt. "If they're pulling out the big guns this soon, we should consider doing the same." He folded his arms. "I have certain connections with Argus Industries. They may be able to provide us with something, should this missile not be any kind of decoy." The thin smile he wore would have unsettled many at the table, the mask just made it far more ominous.
(ONS Seawolf, February 11th, C.E. 74)
The atmosphere aboard the submarine carrier had settled down quite a bit. Rachel was in the command center with Captain Landis, overseeing a series of combat drills, all based around Tempest's launch protocols. "And another one bites the dust." She remarked. "I have to say when everyone knows what to do, and when everything goes according to plan, Tempest is a game-changer, Anthony really knew what he was doing." She bit her lip. "That being said, I would think he'd want to be here for this. It would be to his benefit to know we're fixing the problem."
"Indeed, it's been a week and a half and I haven't seen or heard from the Admiral," Landis remarked, biting down on a pipe. "Even after the whole mess, it's not like him to shy away from his duties for this long." Those words greatly bothered the Iron Dove. In her mind, one of Anthony's best qualities was his resiliency. The White Wolf always found a way to pick himself back up, but it was taking way too long in her eyes. The Seawolf's master saw this too. "Perhaps you should go see him, Captain Dupree. I think it's time we started putting this whole mess behind us."
She nodded. "Yeah, you're right, Captain Landis. We'll need Anthony going forward, and I'm sure Loretta will want to see him too." Rachel left the CIC and headed for the crew quarters. As the ship's overall commanding officer, Anthony's accommodations were the most luxurious. The Iron Dove stood in front of the door with the White Wolf's name on the plaque. Gently rapping against the heavy steel door. "Admiral Russo, are you available sir?"
The silence was greater than the void of space itself. She knocked again, a little more forcefully this time. "Admiral Russo, it's Captain Dupree. Can you please answer the door, sir?" She strained to hear some indication that Anthony was inside, but nothing but the sound of her own breathing permeated the steel corridor. Rachel clenched her fist. She banged the door harder than ever. "Anthony, it's Rachel, please answer the door!"
"Uh, excuse me, Captain Dupree?" Rachel turned to see a lone crewman holding a mop. "If you're looking for Admiral Russo, he left about twenty minutes ago." He shook his head. "Not going to lie, he didn't look so great. Like he hadn't slept in days. When I asked him where he was going, he said he was going up the cliffs to take in the view." This was the biggest red flag yet. Quickly thanking the sailor, Rachel tore off the Seawolf and out of the base. She found an overlook for the cliffs, praying to God, Haumea, and any other deity that would be listening.
She found him standing with his back to her, near the very edge of the concrete overlook. Rachel was surprised to see him out of uniform. It was rare when he wasn't wearing it, looking at the image of a model officer, but now the Arctic White Wolf just looked like any other man. He had on a plain black t-shirt and tan fatigue pants. The wind blew through his hair. "Anthony, stop!" She cried out.
The Arctic White Wolf didn't even turn to look at her. "You come to slap me again, Captain Dupree?" The bitterness was evident in his voice, not to mention the use of her rank stung her a little. But at the same time, he also sounded so tired. "Are the others are on their way to continue belittling me? I think I've had enough degradation for right now."
"No, I'm not. The others aren't here, it's just me." She said, taking a cautious step forward, hoping that he didn't suddenly take a swan dive over the edge. "Look, Anthony, I know you launched Tempest as a reaction to Loretta being hurt. But it wasn't the right timing. That doesn't mean I want anything to happen to you. I don't want you to die, and I know Loretta doesn't want to lose you either!"
He finally turned around, giving her a confused expression. "Wait a minute, you thought I was going to commit suicide? No, I was just tired of staying cooped up in my quarters. I heard the view here is a major draw for the tourists. I thought it would be a nice place to clear my head." His shoulders slumped as he sat down on one of the nearby benches. "But still that change my current situation. I acted impulsively, and I lost Sebastian's respect, Kira, Athrun, Cagalli, everybody! I can't even bear to look at my wife in the face, I don't deserve her love."
Rachel came up to him, her eyes watering. The Iron Dove reached out and hugged The Arctic White Wolf. "Now that is complete and utter bullshit!." Her voice cracked. "If it wasn't for her taking that bullet, you would have died, and then she would be utterly broken, and me too! Loretta loves you, and I love you, too, Anthony James Russo. So please, just be the man I know you are."
"I'm sorry, Rach." He trailed off, his own eyes beginning to get wet. The two silently cried together, and with this, the Arctic White Wolf reforged the first of many broken bonds.
(Kendrick Base Playground, February 12th, C.E. 74)
Kira, Flay, and Stellar were enjoying the short respite by going to a nearby park for a picnic lunch. The White Knight watched as his daughter laughed and skipped about the very colorful playground equipment. Flay smiled, watching the young woman run to the swings as she set everyone up. "Stellar certainly is energetic today, isn't she?"
"Yeah, she certainly is." Kira wasn't entirely paying attention to his fiancee. His mind was elsewhere. The image of Tempest rising in the sky burned there. It was something he just couldn't ignore. His duel with Willet and Reaver brought to a screeching halt when Sebastian swept through, saying they needed to stop Anthony. He was also recalling when Rachel invited them to see Loretta. It had been a gut punch to be sure. Not to mention it had given Kira a firm wake-up call.
The images were changing now, instead of Loretta lying injured in bed, it was Cagalli, and then Stellar finally ending Flay herself. The Tempest missile became the ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam, blasting a city in anger with its plasma cannons for what had happened to the women he loved so much. I thought you were the last person to need weapons like that. It all finally hit the White Knight of Freedom, and he didn't like it.
"I'm nothing but a hypocrite." Kira's words caught Flay off guard. Stellar paid her parents no mind, just continuing to run and play about, going down the slide as if it were the greatest thing in the world. "After our fight over the Indian Ocean, I told Anthony I thought he was the last person to need weapons of mass destruction to end a battle. But I have no moral high ground to stand on at all because I have my own weapon of mass destruction."
"Are you talking about the Freedom?" Flay questioned curiously. She knew about the falling about between the Arctic White Wolf and others. A part of her was disappointed, but that attitude had changed when the two of them had seen Loretta in the hospital and heard what led to it from Rachel herself.
Kira had done some soul-searching in the past few days. He sat down at the picnic table. "Let's face the hard truths, Flay. Between the beam rifle, the plasma cannons, and the railguns, not to mention the Gerbera Straight, The array of firepower my Gundam has could easily level a good-sized city all on its own. If anything happened to Cagalli, or you or Stellar."
He trailed off, the image of the three women in bed would forever his dreams until he died. His gaze became hard, unsettling her a little bit. "I may not be so inclined to disable my opponents anymore." Kira never thought his voice could sound so frigid, but there was the proof. Flay sat down next to her beloved to comfort him. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
Flay put a delicately manicured finger to his lips, gently shushing him. She leaned in to kiss her beloved on the lips, putting her arms around his neck. "You're thinking you owe Anthony an apology then?" The redhead smiled at the slight nod her White Knight gave her. "Then tell him that." She gave him another kiss, a bit deeper and more passionate. She blushed, giving him a playful smile. "But it can wait another day, we have a picnic to enjoy after all."
"Yeah, I don't want to lower the mood." Kira looked to Stellar, who just smiled and waved at him. His heart lifted a little. Not to mention the smell of the sandwiches Flay had created so lovingly made him hungry. The redhead really was such a great cook, not bad for a girl who had grown up in luxury and never really needed to be in the kitchen for anything. It was then the White Knight noticed a certain pair of siblings come onto the playground.
Shinn straightened himself a little bit at the sight of the Yamatos. "Good day, Major Yamato. Enjoying the nice day?"
"That we are, given how crazy things have been, and still may be. I felt it was a nice time to have a picnic and relax before we get back to business." Kira said. "In fact, I'm pretty sure Flay made extra food, right dear?" He flashed a knowing smile to his fiancee, who just giggled and nodded.
"Are you sure? We don't want to intrude." Mayu said.
"Of course not! We would never turn anyone away." Flay said. "Not to mention Stellar would enjoy having some other people to hang out with." The blonde happily nodded, grabbing onto Mayu's hand.
"Let's go play!" She said cheerfully, dragging the younger Asuka sibling along to the volleyball court. Shinn just followed after his sister and her new bestie. The pilot of the Impulse found himself enchanted by Stellar's cheerful demeanor as they began batting the ball around. All the while Kira and Flay looked on.
(ONS Seawolf, Bridge)
Now that Anthony and Rachel had reconciled, the Arctic White Wolf felt comfortable enough to return to his duties. His uniform immaculate as ever, Anthony stepped onto the bridge with all the authority of his rank. The tension was high, no one dared say anything. Landis finally broke it, by walking up to the younger man, snapping to attention, and offering a sharp salute. "Welcome back, Rear Admiral Russo, we're glad to see you with us again."
He gave a respectful nod back, returning the gesture. "As you were, Captain Landis. My gratitude to you and Captain Dupree for running things while I was sorting myself out." Anthony stood at the head of the room, flipping on the 1MC, so the entire crew could hear him. "Greetings men and women of the Seawolf. This is Admiral Anthony Russo speaking. I would like to say one thing to all of you." He cleared his throat, still ashamed of what happened. "Borrowing a line from my brother. I done goofed. We weren't prepared for Tempest, I didn't prepare you for Tempest, and it nearly cost us dearly."
But then his eyes hardened, and the superb commander they all knew returned. "So we're going to fix that right now! We are going to drill, we are going to train, and we are going to know this weapon inside and out. So when a Tempest launch is required, we will do it right, and ensure that protocol is followed and communication is kept with the rest of the Task Force. I made this mistake once, I will not make it again." Rachel and Landis were both pleased to see Anthony owning up to his mistakes and fix them. "I will have new orders for you within the day, until then, resume your duties."
Anthony clicked the box off, directing his attention to Landis. "Martin, I owe you a personal apology. You tried to warn me against launching the missile. I didn't listen to you and it landed me in hot water. I hope you can forgive my foolishness."
He just let out a quiet chuckle. "Already done, sir. A loved one was badly hurt in front of you and you reacted as anyone would have. If the roles were reversed, I would have done the exact same thing" Landis gave Anthony a fatherly pat on the shoulder. "Tell me, how is Loretta doing? Is she okay?"
"Stable and recovering nicely, from what I've heard. ZAFT's medical technology is top-notch" Anthony swallowed the bile in his throat. "Admittedly, I haven't been to see her in the interim. I'll see about doing that later. But for right now, I need to go back to the drawing board as it were and revise my work. I'll be in my lab, I'd prefer not to be bothered if it's not important." The two captains saluted and he made for his personal workshop. He moved silently down the corridors, toward a seemingly unassuming door.
But once Anthony stepped through the true scope of it was revealed. A small, sterile-looking hallway ending in a very large, very heavy door with a small computer terminal mounted in front of it. He tapped the keyboard, revealing a palm ID scanner and a retinal eye pattern sensor. "Please identify yourself" a tinny, robotic voice spoke from the terminal. Anthony rested his hand on the panel and let the retinal scanner examine his eyes. "Identity confirmed, welcome back, Admiral Russo." it chimed. A loud hiss emanated from the door as the locking pins disengaged and the door slid open.
The White Wolf strolled inside, only to stop dead in his tracks, where Yukimasa was sitting at the workstation, feet up on the desk. "Hey, Wolfie, how have you been? I have to say I'm just a little bit jealous of you, this is a real nice place you have here, puts even my workshop back home in Orb to shame."
"How did you get in here?" Anthony cursed, wanting nothing more than to go for his sidearm, conveniently left in his quarters. "No one should be able to access this space except for myself and a few others!" Yukimasa frowned, getting up from the chair and getting right into the White Wolf's face.
"Oh come off your high horse, Russo. Do I need need to remind you it was your oversized penis compensator that got you into this mess in the first place, thereby pissing off everyone in this battle group. So don't throw a hissy fit that I managed to get into your little nightmare factory, as Cagalli might call it." Anthony just let out a frustrated grunt, knowing that Yukimasa was right on a few levels. The Orb noble just gave him a smug grin. The White Wolf pushed by him, starting up his terminal.
"So what do you want, Captain? If you're here to belittle me, I can do without it." Anthony said, pulling up Tempest's schematics. "I made a mistake in my research and I'm working to fix it. Perhaps that will set your sensibilities at ease, and get off my case."
"You haven't been to see your wife." It wasn't a question, one that took the wind out of Anthony's sails. Yukimasa just made himself at home, sitting on the small sofa Anthony had set up. "At least that's what I've heard a certain lioness tell me from what a certain little bird told her."
Anthony hung his head, sighing. "I was too ashamed to even look at her. Knowing that this whole thing was caused because she protected me from harm, and I overreacted. I just want to forget everything and move on."
"I applaud you for trying to move past it." Yukimasa's voice softened a little bit. "I stand by what I said the other day. Launching the missile and almost frying all of us was still a dick move. But, I also get why you did it." There was great understanding in those ruby eyes. "I know what it's like to see a loved one eat a bullet for you, and wanting to go postal in the process."
A little more of the weight lifted from the White Wolf's heart with those words. Yukimasa smirked. "His name was Lieutenant Keijiro Mishima, he was one of the founding members of Tenchu." He let out a muted chuckle. "Although I'm not sure if he would meet your high standards."
"Why not?" Anthony asked, pulling a pair of sodas from his mini-fridge, tossing one to Yukimasa.
"Because he was a stoner." Yukimasa finally broke down laughing. He pulled out his phone, showing a picture of a man a few years older than him, a mop of dark hair on his head, brown eyes with a laid-back gaze, and a cocky smirk. "He and I had known each other since we were kids. Orb used to have very relaxed laws about marijuana, and Keijiro took full advantage of it. We made a nice little profit off the grass, a cool quarter million. And then that land whale Unato cracked down. Not long after that, we formed Tenchu together."
"How did he die?" Anthony saw how uncomfortable Yukimasa's face became. It hurt him, just as Junius Seven hurt Sebastian whenever it was brought up, and how Loretta had been harmed would forever hurt him now.
"It was during the last war. Just after the Battle of Nova, if I recall. A Blue Cosmos operative had managed to infiltrate Morgenroete. He made off with some guidance chips that were being developed for the Astray project, very cutting edge stuff if you catch my drift. He fled to Africa, where he was going to sell it on the black market."
"A lot of people would pay big money to get their hands on Orb technology, even the smallest piece of it. I know I wouldn't want anyone to get their hands on my research." Anthony's hand clenched at the thought. "I imagine Lord Uzumi and the other nobles were quite insistent on getting it back."
"Cagalli's dad may have been a man of peace, but he understood getting those chips back at any cost. Keijiro and I went in undercover as potential buyers. We managed to grab the chips, and bolted for the extraction point." Yukimasa swallowed, clearly not wanting to have to open up this chapter of his life again, but there was no escaping it. "I was so focused on the road. I didn't even think about keeping my eyes on the rooftops. The tangos had a sniper waiting. I didn't see it."
"But your buddy did." Anthony finished.
"Look out Masa! Those were the last words he said to me." Yukimasa's hand subconsciously came up to his right shoulder. "I just remember him pushing me to the side. I heard the bang, and Keijiro lost the entire left side of his face. I just stood there as he took a couple of steps before he crashed to the pavement, blood and brains pouring out everywhere. He may have been an insufferable asshole, but he was still my friend. And it hurt so much to lose him."
"Did you get justice?" Anthony asked.
The wicked smile said it all. "Nothing more satisfying than ordering a cruise missile strike on the building the spy and his buyers were meeting in. So it's not like they got to enjoy their little victory for very long." Yukimasa perked up, but the smile held an edge of melancholy about it. "Still, it wouldn't bring Keijiro back. His death was one of the main reasons I left Tenchu after the war, and switched over to research and development."
"After all the destruction, it's nice to create something for a change," Anthony said, earning him a friendly pat from the Sahaku heir. It was becoming clear that the two men held much in common, despite being incredibly skilled operatives, they were also gifted engineers.
"And speaking as one fellow engineer to another. Can I make a suggestion? You might want to update your encryption protocols." Anthony's eyebrows shot upward. Yukimasa tugged at his collar. "I wouldn't be surprised if the Earth Alliance's slicers were close to breaking them. Because I sure did."
Anthony's eyes narrowed. "What did you do?" He growled.
"Hey, cool it, man! Remember I'm on your side here!" Yukimasa snapped, mollifying the White Wolf. "Seeing your giant missile, it got me very curious as to just what you were doing. So I hacked into your database." He rather enjoyed watching Anthony groan, sinking into his chair. "It wasn't easy, let me tell you. You're not a bad programmer, but then again, neither am I."
"How much did you see?" Anthony dreaded the answer.
"Everything." Yukimasa patted the White Wolf on the shoulder once again. "Come on, don't get discouraged, Wolfie. It's not all that bad. I have to say, I'm very impressed with all the work you've done over the past two years, and even before that. It's a shame that Morgenroete didn't scoop you up earlier. The Astray program would have been completed in half the time if we had someone like you working on it. You could have banged out a Natural-use Operating System in no time!"
"I appreciate the vote of confidence. It would have been a pleasure working for someone like Director Simmons. I've long respected her technical prowess, she's up there with the likes of Professor Eifman and my mentor, Reuben Ashford."
"I have an offer for you, Anthony. Perhaps you'd welcome an extra opinion on your projects? Consider that your way of making up the Indian Ocean fight to me. I have a few ideas to help refine Tempest's killswitch, so we don't have a repeat of last time." He held his hand out. "What do you say, Anthony, partners?"
Anthony regarded it for a few minutes. "I've always been very wary when it comes to my research, don't want it falling into the wrong hands, Blue Cosmos, Chairman Durandal, your father." Yukimasa nodded, he knew his father would drool at what the White Wolf had created. "But I suppose a second opinion on things wouldn't hurt, especially if it comes from someone who broke my best code." He smiled, taking the offered handshake. "Partners."
"Pleasure doing business with you, and You'll have to tell me about your time with Mr. Ashford. Now he was a rare engineering genius."
Anthony fell some of his worries fall away. A second name on his list of people to apologize to now checked off. "Was there anything that caught your eye specifically?"
There was a calculating gleam in Yukimasa's eyes. He knew exactly where to start. "Well, those G-Paladin packs of yours have a lot of promise. A huge step up from the regular Striker packs. But what really caught my eye was the Sentinel system." He smirked. "You outdid yourself on that little piece of engineering."
Anthony puffed his chest, some of his usual bravado returning. "Ah yes, one of my crowning achievements. I still haven't worked all the bugs out of that particular system, the beams scatter way more than I prefer. But when I do complete it, Sentinel will be one of the most devastating weapons I've ever created. A weapon I created to defend Orb, I might add. I'll definitely need to make my point to Cagalli on that one."
"I'm sure you'll get your point across in due time. Now I'm thinking with Tempest that the two-mile safety zone around Seawolf just isn't enough, but with this, it should solve the blue on blue problem easily." Yukimasa said. The two engineers beginning to talk shop.
(Lincoln Base, February 16th, C.E. 74)
A new Windam sat in the ranks of the Crimson Foxes. It was colored a deep blue, with the upper shoulders, torso, and lower part of the feet a light shade of blue. Ezra found himself very attracted to the new mobile suit's pilot. A young woman with blonde hair falling past her chin and draping just along her elegant neck, aquamarine eyes sparkling with a playful demeanor. She wore the standard Earth Alliance duty uniform, adorned with deep blue thigh-high stockings the same color as her mobile suit. Ezra particularly liked that last part.
She snapped to attention, offering her best salute. "Lieutenant Felecia Anderson, reporting for duty, Vice Admiral Lamperouge!" She chimed in a melodious voice.
Mark was clearly overjoyed at the news addition to his team, returning the gesture to the young woman. "As you were, Lieutenant Anderson." Felecia stood at attention. A deep beaming smile on her face. "I'm very glad to have you in the squadron. I know I'm not the other one." The Crimson Fox looked to his Steel counterpart.
Nathan came up, his face inches from their newest addition. Neither said anything for a few minutes. Before she smiled, kissing him on the nose. He let out a bemused chuckle. "I couldn't agree more sir," Nathan said, embracing her. "I'm so glad you could join us, little sister."
"I'm glad to be here, bro," Felecia said as Nathan ran his hand through her hair. "I wasn't sure I would make it in time, but my request to join you came through." Her face became solemn. "I nearly had a heart attack when I heard about that close call in the Indian Ocean. I can't believe they'd do that! I mean, everything I've heard about General Connor and Admiral Russo led me to believe they wouldn't resort to such a cheap shot."
"It doesn't surprise me, sis. We had them on the ropes. So they went for a sucker punch." Nathan shrugged. "Then again, I would have done the same thing myself. I think I aged a couple of years at that moment. But now ZAFT and Orb are going to be in trouble."
"Because the Anderson siblings are going to bring the hurt to them!" Felecia finished.
(City of Assab, African Community, February 17th, C.E. 74)
Athrun had been pulled along by Luna on a trip with Kuro, Meyrin, and Rey to Assab, a port town not far from the Base. The violet-haired beauty's smile had proven to curb his initial reluctance. Taking a van from the motor pool in civilian colors. The five drove two hours to Assab. Already the girls had their sights set on the town's large marketplace. Even if they didn't buy anything, it was always fun to look around.
The Red Knight wore a light-colored button-up shirt and khaki pants. He adjusted his sunglasses as the Hawke Sisters moved amongst the stalls and tents. Lunamaria had gone for a pink-colored sundress with a red short-sleeved sweater over it. A straw sunhat completing the ensemble. "She looks quite fine doesn't she?" Kuro was a dark tank top and desert camo fatigue pants. He adjusted his military issue shades. He nodded in approval. "Mm, Luna's got a fine pair of legs on her, don't you think, Athrun?" The pilot of Justice found himself agreeing with his companion's words, Luna's legs were pale but toned and firm, a pair of red sandals adorning her feet.
"Hey, sis look at this!" The younger Hawke sister said, holding up something for Luna to see. Meyrin had gone for a light blue tank top, and tan-colored capris, her eyes covered by white designer sunglasses and a light blue baseball cap. They both laughed. "It's a shame Yukimasa wasn't here to join us." She said. Ever since his new partnership with Anthony started, the pilot of Bushido had been spending a lot of his time on the Seawolf.
"Get him to take you out to dinner when we get back," Kuro said, he and Athrun were interested in one stall that had electronics components. "I doubt he'll say no to that." He looked around and noticed one of their numbers was missing. "Hey, where did Rey get off to?" The quartet began looking around, and seeing no sign of their blonde compatriot.
"Where could he have gotten off to?" Luna asked.
Athrun quickly took charge. "Okay, let's not panic, we'll split up and search the city, Lieutenant Za Burrel couldn't have gotten far. Luna and I will search northeast, Kuro, you and Meyrin will search the southwest, meet back here in an hour, check in every fifteen minutes." The two pairs set off in opposite directions.
(Assab Harbor)
At that moment, Rey was walking along a fence near the docks. His blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail. He had opted for a white button-up short sleeve shirt and dark pants. His blue eyes flickered back forth beneath the ever-present aviator shades. A part of him was really hoping he hadn't been followed.
He soon reached his destination, a rather seedy bar that served the crews of the various freighters that moved in and out of the port regularly. Rey tried to look as nonchalant as possible entering the establishment. He looked around the smoke-filled room and saw a pair sitting in a corner booth. He quickly walked over, taking a step. "You're late." A clipped voice responded. The light from overhead framed Angelo's scowling visage. "I would think you of all people would know not to keep your sibling waiting!"
"Now now, Angelo, don't be so hard on Rey." The broad, square jawline of Ren Za Burrel, wearing a dark red suit and sunglasses, melted out of the shadows. "He couldn't let the others know that he was meeting us here, and it probably took some time to get away from his companions." Rey nodded, as a glass of water was set next to him. Ren took a glass of brandy. "So tell me, dear brother, how have things been for you?"
Author's Notes: The fallout from the Battle of the Indian Ocean is being felt by everyone, the Twin Wolves struggle to deal with their tattered relationship, but kind words from caring people can go a long way. Maybe it doesn't automatically solve the problem, but it does put them on the right path.