Mithril combat submarine Tuatha de Danann

"I can't believe you!" Master Sergeant Melissa Mao said. Tall for a woman, with dark hair and eyes, the Atlantic Federation native was well-known for her bluntness. "There's still time; Kurz and I can pull them out ourselves if we have to."

"It's too great a risk." Major Andrei Sergeivich Kalinin seemed to outsiders to be almost machine-like, with little if any emotion. This was merely a carefully-crafted facade, a necessary one in his opinion. "There is already a substantial ZAFT submarine force in the area; if we linger, they'll eventually find us, and we would have great difficulty evading their underwater mobile suits."

Mao was having none of that. "But with the Archangel and Nadesico backing us up–"

Kalinin cut her off with a sharp gesture. "I will consider any opposition to my decision an act of mutiny, Master Sergeant," he said coldly.

Mao's fists clenched in frustration, but she made no further argument. "I can't believe this," she said, hissing through clenched teeth. "You and Sosuke go way back, but you won't lift a finger to help him. How can you be so cold?"

Kalinin allowed the barest hint of regret to show in his voice. "Because I must," he said simply.

The Danann's command center was a Spartan affair, as one would expect of a submarine. Lit primarily by the various computer screens, conversation was muted by necessity. Even with the advanced sound-dampening technology of this unique submarine, there was always the chance that ZAFT would detect them.

Kalinin exchanged a nod with the craggy-faced XO, a former Atlantic Federation naval officer named Richard Mardukas, and moved to stand beside the command chair. Its occupant was far different from anyone else onboard; though clad in a khaki uniform, the captain of the Tuatha de Danann was a sixteen-year-old girl.

Petite, with long silver hair and gray eyes, she was far from the kind of person most people would have thought of as a submarine commander. Had she been a Coordinator it might have been different, but Teletha "Tessa" Testarossa was a Natural. Most officers, ZAFT and UEFA alike, would have scoffed at her.

Andrei Kalinin knew better.

"Did Melissa speak to you about a possible rescue?" Tessa asked, smiling faintly.

Trust Tessa Testarossa to get right to the point. "She did," he acknowledged; he had a feeling he knew where his CO was going with this. "However, there are still numerous enemy Arm Slaves and Mechabeasts in the area, to say nothing of Gauron himself, and we are close to ZASFT's sphere of operations as well."

Tessa nodded. "That's true. However," she smiled, "we don't have to do this alone. The UEFA's Special Task Force is still in the area, and at the least the Nadesico people will be more than happy to aid in a second operation. I've never met Captain Misumaru, but they did go all the way to mars for the sake of a few."

It was still insane. However, Kalinin was a loyal Mithril soldier, and for all his coldly logical words to Mao he certainly didn't want to leave Sosuke behind if he could help it. The young Aghan was like a son to him.

"If the Archangel and Nadesico provide support, we could do it," he said slowly. "However, it will require very precise timing. If the situation gets too intense, we may have to use it."

Tessa tilted her head. "It?"

"ARX-7. The Arbalest."

Nadesico, bridge

As it happened, Yurika Misumaru was more than happy to provide backup. She was no happier than Mao about leaving their own people behind, especially after the loss of Jin Fukube and Gai Daigoji at Mars. If there was even the slightest chance of saving Toya, Koji, and Sayaka, she was going to jump at it.

"Okay," she said brightly. "This is a quick snatch-and-run. We go in, pick up Toya and the others, then make a break for it before ZAFT catches up. Sound like a plan?"

Murrue obviously wasn't enthusiastic, but she evidently knew there was no stopping Yurika. "I don't like how closely we'll have to time this, but I don't see any way around it," she admitted. "Since we don't know just what Mithril is planning, we should send a few high-speed units in advance."

Yurika nodded agreement. "Ms Coulange will command our side of things. Hmm, Heero, Eiji, D-Boy, the Blue Earth, and Zeorymer will round it out. How about you?"

Murrue looked over to one side, evidently conferring with Natarle Badgiruel. "We'll send Lieutenant La Flaga with Lieutenant Merquise, Kira, and Miss Cagalli."

"That just leaves you with a pair of Tauruses," Jun observed. "Are you sure they're enough?"

Murrue smiled. "As long as we don't encounter the stolen G-weapons, Noin and Schbeiker will be quite capable of local defense," she assured him.

"And it's not like we'll be separated," Yurika reminded her XO. "Remember, we got ourselves another Gundam from the last operation."

She nodded significantly at their newest crew member. Trowa Barton was a quiet sort, with longish brown hair falling partly over his dark green eyes. Dressed in off-white pants and a green turtleneck, he didn't look the part of a tough-as-nails Gundam pilot, but then again neither did Duo or especially Quatre.

"Okay, everyone, the mission starts in one hour," Yurika said. "Everyone, to your stations! We're going to rescue our own."

Toya, Koji, Sayaka, hold on a little longer, okay? We're coming.

Countryside, near the coast

Toya was getting just a bit tired of near-death experiences. That run-in with the freaky Arm Slave had been the worst one yet, almost killing Sosuke and crippling his commandeered AS. Now the young Mithril sergeant was walking wounded.

"What the hell was up with that, anyway?" Koji wondered. "That psycho in the red AS had us dead to rights, and he just stopped."

"It's possible that his machine had already taken damage," Sosuke said. "Or it might be a prototype that still has issues to work out. Either way, it's fortunate for us."

Despite his wound, Sosuke hadn't even slowed down. Toya was starting to wonder if he was some kind of cyborg; even most Coordinators would have been incapacitated. Aside from being several shades paler than normal, Sosuke showed no sign of even noticing.

"We need to keep moving," Sosuke said. "If we can reach the coast, we can signal the Danann for pickup. It's at least possible that your own comrades are still in the area as well."

"I bet the Nadesico is at least," Toya agreed. "That's how Captain Misumaru is."

Kaname, he noticed, didn't seem as sanguine. With a pang, Toya realized why; Kaname Chidori, however strong-willed she was, was still only a civilian. She lacked the training Sosuke had undergone, or even Toya's hard-won on-the-job training. It was completely outside her experience.

"Kaname, are you okay?" he asked, worried.

She didn't answer, staring fixedly at Sosuke. Her face was almost as pale as Sosuke's, but not from blood loss. Aside from a barely-perceptible shake, she wasn't moving.

"Chidori," Sosuke said, evidently not noticing, "we need to keep moving. It's only a matter of time before Gauron or Baron Ashura catch up with us." He took a step toward her.

Kaname instantly shrank back. "Don't you dare come near me!" she snapped. "I don't . . . I don't know who the hell you are!"

Sosuke Sagara was known for being socially oblivious. He was not, however, so dense as to miss Kaname's fear and confusion. "Chidori, did I frighten you? If so, I apologize; it was not my intent." He carefully relaxed his stance. "I'm a sergeant from the Mithril organization, specialist in personal combat and Arm Slave operations. Your friends can confirm my identity."

"He's telling the truth, Kaname," Koji said. "His squad helped us out at Kaohsiung Spaceport a few weeks back."

Sosuke nodded. "Exactly. Since then, I've been assigned to watch over you. I wasn't briefed on why, but we believe that there are several organizations who would want to take you into custody for their own purposes."

"Obviously you were right," Toya interjected sourly.

"I realize I've made a number of missteps in my assignment," Sosuke said. "All I can do is apologize, and as you to trust me a little longer. My mission is to ensure you reach safety."

Is it just me, or does this guy sound like Heero? Toya wondered. Heero's not quite the social disaster Sosuke is, but they're so alike it's scary.

Kaname hesitated, looking from one to another. Sosuke Sagara, who for all his oddities had never done anything to harm her. Koji Kabuto and Sayaka Yumi, whom she didn't know all that well but nonetheless trusted. Toya Shiun, one of her closest friends. All of them trusted the military maniac.

"Okay," she said. "Sorry, Sosuke. I just lost it for a minute."

Sosuke didn't smile (Toya wasn't sure he was capable of it), but his stance noticeably relaxed. "I don't blame you; you were never prepared for something like this."

"Now you know how I felt last year," Toya said as they resumed their trek. "Nothing like getting caught up in a Jovian attack to fry your nerves."

"Yeah, well, at least you could shoot back once you got into that robot," Kaname retorted with a grin. "Me, I'm just a normal girl, whatever those freaks think."

It was a much more cheerful group that emerged from the tree line an hour later. Toya was so relieved that Kaname was safe that he almost forgot about the danger they were still in. It was in the back of his mind, but the relative quiet made it feel like a hiking trip.

Until they saw what was waiting for them at the coast. "Arm Slaves," Koji said grimly. "Lot's of 'em."

"And a few Mechabeasts," Toya added. "Dammit, we're so close. If they spot us, we're history."

They hadn't been noticed, but that was unlikely to last. Once spotted, they would face two equally unpalatable choices, surrender, or a quick and messy end. The thought of either made Toya's fists clench in impotent fury.

"I'll go first and create a diversion," Sosuke said. "Kabuto, Yumi, Shiun, you three take Chidori and make a run for the coast. The Danann knows you're here, so you should be safe."

Toya opened his mouth to object, but Koji beat him to it. "Are you crazy?" he demanded. "Sosuke, that's suicide and you know it. You can't possibly last more than a minute or two in your condition."

"I'm aware of that, but there's no alternative," Sosuke countered. "I'm the only one with any experience at this kind of operation; the rest of you are skilled pilots, but on the ground you're total amateurs."

"To hell with that!" Koji snapped. "I'm not gonna just let you rush to your death, Sosuke. Toya, Sayaka, you guys take care of Kaname."

"Will you all just SHUT UP!?"

Kaname, arms folded, was glaring more or less equally at Sosuke and Koji. Toya took a cautious step back; he knew that look, and that it always boded ill for someone. To date he had never been on the receiving end himself, and was anxious to keep it that way.

"Seriously, get a grip," she said. "Do you really think it's so cool to go off and get yourselves killed? What good's it gonna do anyone, huh?" She snorted. "Yeah, I'm way out of my depth, but I'm not gonna just sit back and give up. Toya, your friend will probably be here, right?"

Choosing his words very carefully, Toya nodded. "From the Nadesico at least. Captain Misumaru won't leave us behind if she can help it, and they've got more than enough firepower to take what's here."

Kaname smiled triumphantly. "Then it's settled. There'll be a rescue; we just have to stay alive long enough."

It was a measure of just how much force of personality she had that even Sosuke Sagara seemed to fold just a little. Toya, having seen it before, just stood back, waiting for the inevitable.

"You know, she's right," Koji said. "Just like when we went to Mars, right guys?"

Sosuke frowned. "I heard about that, but. . . ."

"That's different?" Toya finished. "Sure it is; the odds back then were stacked against us even more. If it wasn't for Gai and Admiral Fukube, we wouldn't have gotten out alive." He grinned at the memory. "Ryoko was mad as hell."

Koji laughed. "Ryoko's always mad as hell, but yeah." He shook his head. "Sorry, Sosuke, but Kaname's right. We've come this far, no sense giving up now."

It was do or die. With renewed energy, they made a mad dash for the coast. Human-sized targets were less likely to be noticed (unless they were Tekkamen, which radiated enough energy for a Drake-class destroyer), so they had at least that much of a shot.

Too late. One of the AS pilots spotted them and let off a short burst; it didn't hit them, but it was enough to throw them off.

"Damn!" Toya caught Sayaka before she could fall. "So close. . . ."

They were surrounded. Arm Slaves and Mechabeasts gathered around with agonizing slowness, closing the gap with the inevitability of entropy. Toya glared, the bitter taste of defeat in his mouth.

"Dammit," Sosuke muttered. "I'm sorry, Chidori."

She shook her head. "It's not your fault, Sosuke, I'm just glad . . . I had a chance to meet you."

An Arm Slave was peppered by machine gun fire and exploded.

Toya's head whipped around. A pair of Arm Slaves had literally dropped in on them, firing as they came. Another AS detonated, then two Mechabeasts followed it into oblivion. It wasn't much, but it was enough of a gap for the beleaguered quartet to reach cover.

"Here we are, right on schedule!" a male voice whooped. "You okay, Sosuke?"

There was an amused-sounding feminine grunt. "Of course he's okay; it's Sosuke. He could survive being at ground zero of an asteroid impact."

Toya knew instantly they were friendlies; even if they hadn't mentioned Sosuke by name, their completely unexpected attack made that clear. As did the open relief on Sosuke's face.

"Kurz, Mao!" he said. "Did the Captain send you?"

Mao's AS drew some kind of knife and almost casually impaled a Mechabeast. "You guessed it. Major Kalinin didn't want to, but the Captain has the last word, and we've got some backup coming."

"The Archangel and Nadesico," Toya said, feeling himself slump in relief. "Thank God."

"You're one of their missing pilots, eh?" Mao said, a definite smile in her voice. "Don't worry, your friends will be here soon. For now, you guys take cover while we mop up."

Toya needed no urging; as an experienced combat pilot himself, he knew better than to get in the way when not in his own machine. He exchanged nods with Sosuke and gently tugged at Kaname's arm. With Koji and Sayaka bringing up the rear, they ducked back behind the tree line.

Kaname whistled softly. "I don't know much about combat, but even I can tell they're good," she said, as Kurz decapitated a pair of Mechabeasts before they could close with him.

"Mithril only employs the very best," Sosuke said. "Mao was an Atlantic Federation marine before joining our forces." He winced very slightly.

It was still enough for Kaname to spot. "Sosuke, your wound!"

"Don't worry about me, Chidori," he said. "The bleeding has already stopped."

Despite being outnumbered, Mao and Kurz were cutting quite the swathe through the mixed force opposing them. Both had taken some hits, but thus far damage was very minor. In contrast, over half the enemy Mechabeasts and Arm Slaves had been crippled or destroyed.

Then things heated up even further. "A Ghoul flying fortress," Sosuke said. "It just dropped something out the rear hatch."

Koji swore viciously. "Mazinger Z!? Ashura, you son of a bitch!"

"Ah, Koji Kabuto!" Ashura's two-toned voice dripped fiendish satisfaction. "How appropriately ironic, that you fall to your own precious Mazinger Z! Or, as it is now, Ashura Mazinger! Weep in–"

"You talk too much."

The second voice was immediately followed by an eye-searing yellow blast. While not powerful enough to actually destroy Ashura Mazinger, it still managed to gouge the Super Alloy Z armor noticeably. Toya felt a grin cross his face at the familiar sight of Wing Gundam.

"Holy cow!" Kaname gasped. "That's a lot of robots. . . . Hey, Toya, isn't that the one that fell on you last year?"

He nodded. "Yeah. It's called the Bellzelute. I flew it for a while, until we got to Yokosuka Base and found out about a new machine the Nadesico had dug up. I took that one, and gave Bellzelute to a former UEFA pilot. Kinda surprising she's taking part in this, though."

Calvina herself answered. "I don't care about my own life, but that doesn't mean I want to see others die," she said. "Especially my own comrades. Are you all right, Toya?"

"We're all fine," he told her. "I'm with Koji and Sayaka, and my friend Kaname Chidori. Just keep 'em off us, and we'll be okay."

"Roger that, kid." Mu's Skygrasper waggled its wings. "Here I come!"

Toya let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Finally, the situation was genuinely starting to look up. It was a bit frustrating that he wasn't in the Granteed, but only mildly. For once, he was content to be a spectator.

A red-and-white streak came in at low altitude; D-Boy, in rampage mode apparently. "Let's go! Pegas, Crash Intrude!"

"ROGER."

As Tekkaman Blade tore through the AS formation, leaving chaos and destruction in his wake, the massive, ominous form of Zeorymer loomed over the largest concentration of Mechabeasts. Its hands rose, bringing the gold hemispheres together in a painfully-bright flash. Mere instants later, most of the robotic monstrosities were twisted beyond recognition.

In a maneuver so incongruous that Toya almost laughed, the diminutive Layzner came around from behind to finish off the leftovers.

"Sorry we can't pick you up now," Noal said, the Blue Earth skimming the treetops. "Little too hot for a landing." Toya just laughed in reply.

Kaname shook her head. "Those guys are all your friends, Toya?"

"Most of 'em," he confirmed. "D-Boy's kinda antisocial, but we get along pretty well, same for Heero." He instinctively ducked as Cagalli's Skygrasper zoomed overhead, a little too low for his comfort.

Baron Ashura was growing increasingly frustrated by the assault. His twisted Mazinger was hemmed in by Bellzelute and the Strike, both machines rather more agile than anything he was used to dealing with. An Iron Cutter attack grazed the Strike, but the UEFA machine's PS armor held.

"Out of my way, damn you!" the two-tone voice snarled. Another explosion knocked Ashura Mazinger off balance. "What the hell!?"

A pair of majestic white shapes had appeared at the coast, spewing a hail of beam and missile fire. More humanoid shapes leapt from their decks; Aestivalis, SPTs, mobile suits, the hulking Combattler, Voltes, and Dancouga, Antibodies.

And one more from the Nadesico, equal in size to Zeorymer, landing with a resounding crash right in front of Toya and his companions.

"Geez, what's up with that one!?" Kaname wondered, coughing on the resulting dust storm.

Toya winced. "That one's my new unit. The girls must've decided to come out after me." As if in confirmation, three heads poked out of Granteed's cockpit. "What were you thinking, anyway?"

"Is that any way to greet us?" Katia responded, hurt.

"Yeah, we were worried sick about you!" Tenia added.

Toya shook his head quickly. "I know, I'm sorry. Thanks." He gripped the boarding line, spotting the Kaiser Pilder coming in at the same time. "Koji, I've got this for now. You'd better head back and get Kaiser."

"Roger that," Koji said, hopping into his own cockpit. "Sayaka, I'm gonna Pilder On. Watch out for Kaname, willya?"

"Got it," Sayaka said. "Watch yourselves."

Running his hands over the controls, feeling the Cytron connect with his mind, Toya allowed himself a grim smile. I'm not so helpless anymore. Time for a little payback! Ashura was retreating, but there were still plenty of Mechabeasts and Arm Slaves.

He bared his teeth at the nearest Mechabeast. "I don't have the hang of this thing yet, but it's enough to deal with you, and I'm in a bad mood right now. Orgone Blaster!" The blast of green light melted a neat hole in the Mechabeast's torso. It staggered and fell.

"Hahaha, great to have ya back, Toya!" Duo said, hacking an AS in half. "Just wasn't the same."

"I'm with Duo," Ryoko put in, casually dodging some kind of boomerang attack from a Mechabeast. "It was getting boring."

Toya smiled, well accustomed to Ryoko's idea of a compliment. An AS, the pilot either stupid or desperate, actually got in close, its assault rifle blazing. Rolling his eyes, Toya simply smashed it with Granteed's fist.

"Dammit." His external pickups were sensitive enough to pick up Sosuke's quiet curse. "I should be protecting Chidori, but without an Arm Slave I'm useless in this battle."

Mao laughed. "Don't give up so easily, Sosuke! Look up, it's a special delivery from the Major."

An Arm Slave, if Toya wasn't mistaken. Since it wasn't in his database, it was probably a new design; it certainly looked sleeker than Kurz and Mao's M9s. Weird place for the knife, though, as though the AS was gripping it in nonexistent teeth.

"Boarding complete," Sosuke said, just a hint of renewed vigor in his voice. "Proceeding to attack enemy units."

"We're going to back him up," Toya told his companions. "He helped me out, so I'll return the favor."

Not that Sosuke needed the help. He'd been impressive enough in a commandeered Savage; in the ARX-7 Arbalest he bid fair to rival Duo as a God of Death. Three Arm Slaves were blown apart by what looked like a giant shotgun before the pilots had a chance to react.

The spang of a rifle burst brought Toya back to the moment. Admire him in the after-action footage, he scolded himself. Not even Granteed's armor is invincible!

A Gundam he didn't recognize stood in the Nadesico's shadow, pouring in enough fire for a small warship. The only Mechabeast that managed to close with it was sliced in half by an arm-mounted blade.

"That's our friend Trowa and his Heavyarms," Duo explained. "Pretty quiet, but not a cold fish like Heero; he and Quatre are pretty tight."

A recommendation, certainly. Toya nodded, gave Trowa a brief thumb's-up, and turned to smash a Mechabeast that got too close. Casting the hulk aside, he dashed forward and to the side, joining Masato and Miku on the left flank.

"There's another Arm Slave to the rear," Noin said, her Taurus banking to evade a pair of Savages that actually tried to jump for her. "Looks like a custom Shadow."

"I'll deal with it," Sosuke said. "Engaging now."

The battle was brief but intense. Whoever was in the Shadow was clearly a cut above the mercs they'd been facing so far. Even with his new machine, Sosuke was obviously struggling, the enemy pilot seeming to read his moves almost before he acted. Toya held his breath, knowing that he couldn't intervene without risking Sosuke's life, too.

"Who is he?" he heard Sosuke mutter. "Those moves are familiar, and that cannon. . . ."

Flattening another Mechabeast, Toya looked at one of the M9s. "Mao, was it? Any idea what's up with Sosuke?"

"Got me," the Mithril pilot said. "He's got a history, but I don't know all of it."

It didn't seem to matter just then, anyway. The Shadow made a slight misstep, enough for Sosuke to drive his knife into the other machine's cannon. The resulting explosion wasn't fatal, but it was enough to force the Shadow to retreat.

"All enemy units destroyed or withdrawn," Ruri said. "Toya Shiun, Koji Kabuto, and Sayaka Yumi confirmed safe."

"Excellent work, all of you," Murrue said. "Unfortunately, we can't relax just yet; a ZAFT force will be here within minutes. Blue Earth, move in for retrieval."

"Roger that," Noal said.

Feeling like a puppet with its strings cut, Toya practically slumped in his seat. Events of the past couple of days were starting to catch up to him. Soon as I get back, I'm having a huge dinner, then hitting the sack. Even by our standards, this is insane.

"Another heat signature detected," Sai Argyle said tensely. "It's an Arm Slave, type unknown."

"Confirmed," Ruri said. "Just one unit, however."

Just one? Sure, most of us are exhausted, but taken just one machine –especially an Arm Slave– up against a force like ours is suicide! We'll squash him like a bug!

Then he heard an all too familiar voice. "Well, well, guess I got here just in time. Looks like the girlie's right there, and– hey, that you, Kashim?"

"Gauron!" Sosuke was practically spitting with rage. The Arbalest was suddenly in motion. "I don't know what you're planning, but you're outmatched here. You can't win."

"Can't I?" Gauron chuckled. "Don't be so sure, Kashim. What say we have a little fun."

Sosuke's shotgun barked; at the same time, Toya triggered the Orgone Blaster. Both attacks struck the red Arm Slave dead on, obscuring it in a massive explosion. No way in hell he could've survived that.

Wind cleared the smoke and dust away, revealing Gauron's machine completely unscathed.

What the hell!? That's impossible; we hit it point blank!

"Don't know what to quit, do you!?" Koji snarled. "Try this on for size! Turbo Smasher Punch!"

Gauron yawned. "Damn, this is boring. Guess it's my turn." Laughing, he opened up with his Gatling cannon, forcing Sosuke to dodge or be ventilated. Koji was just a bit slower, and while with Mazinkaiser's armor that would normally have been of little concern, Gauron's attack nonetheless blew a large piece off the Kaiser's shoulder.

Impossible! There's no way in hell a Gatling can do that to Mazinkaiser!

"You sure you can keep it up, Kashim?" Gauron asked mockingly. "C'mon, you're better than this!"

"Damn!" Sosuke let off a couple of rounds, but they bounced harmlessly off some kind of shield.

Toya gritted his teeth. Whatever that thing was, it was no ordinary Arm Slave, and that freak Gauron was pushing Sosuke hard. It was infuriating that one unit was putting everything they'd fought for in danger.

Relief came from an unexpected source. "Sosuke! Sosuke, listen close! That freak has a new system that lets him power up his machine way beyond what it should be capable of."

Kaname!? Toya thought incredulously. How the hell would she know this stuff!?

"Look, Sosuke, I don't even know how I know this, I just dom," Kaname said, exasperated. "Just . . . just trust me on this. Please."

"Chidori. . . ." Sosuke trailed off, then apparently decided he had nothing to lose. "All right."

"Great. Now, focus! Concentrate on that AS, and put everything you have into blasting it to bits!"

Okay, this is just crazy. True, Toya had experience with mind-machine interfaces, the Cytron being a prime example, but one that directly impacted things in such a fashion was way beyond anything that should have been possible.

"You coming, Kashim?" Gauron said, laughing again. "Get ready!"

"Gauron!" Sosuke pulled the trigger.

Nadesico, bridge

Toya had never been so relieved to see the Nadesico's spacious bridge. A familiar sight, populated almost entirely by friends (he still disliked Akatsuki and Erina, but hit it off well with Trowa Barton), one of the few places he could let down his guard anymore.

"Mission accomplished!" Yurika said. "We got Toya and the others back, and smacked Doctor Hell's people around for good measure."

"It was close, but we made it," Murrue agreed. "The ZAFT force seems more interested in investigating that island than chasing us, so we should be able to reach Yokosuka without incident."

Toya accepted a coffee cup from Miku with a nod of thanks. He was tired enough that even caffeine was unlikely to keep him awake later, and he really needed something soothing right then. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he realized who he was starting to remind himself of.

"Is there any information on what they were after?" Natarle asked from the Archangel.

Toya had been wondering about that himself. Ashura's reaction suggested Koji was a bonus. "I think they were after my friend Kaname Chidori specifically," he said. "Not a clue why."

Natarle frowned. "Is there anything unusual about her?"

"Not that I've heard," Toya said, shaking his head. "She scores pretty well on exams, but that's not something you'd expect the likes of Doctor Hell to care about. And it's not like she's a high-profile target like Cagalli or Relena."

"We'll investigate further after we get back to base," Murrue said. "Perhaps ask Mister Freeman; he has plenty of connections."

"Sounds good to me," Yurika said. "In the meantime, everyone should get some rest. Especially you, Toya," she added. "You've been through the ringer lately."

He stifled a yawn. "Don't need to tell me twice. Unless you guys need me for something else, I'm hitting the sack."

Tuatha de Danann, hangar

Though he would sooner have died than show it, Sosuke was every bit as tired as Toya. His wounded arm wasn't helping matters; though he'd put up a stoic face for Chidori, the loss of blood was having a noticeable effect on him. Feeling slightly ill, he leaned hard against the railing.

"You're a wreck, Sergeant," Kalinin said. "What happened with Gauron?"

Ordinarily Sosuke would have saluted. Now, however, he was just too tired. His mentor, he knew, would understand. "He died, again. Sir, I have some questions."

"About the Lambda Driver," Kalinin said. "And the Whispered."

"Yes, sir," Sosuke said.

Kalinin looked up at the Arbalest. "There have been many great leaps in technology over the last couple of decades," he said quietly. "Faster than most people would have believed possible. Have you ever heard the term 'Black Technology'?"

Sosuke shook his head. "I've heard the Nadesico and Voltes were developed from alien tech, but never anything like that."

"That's true," Kalinin acknowledged. "The Coordinators are a few years ahead of the rest of the Earth Sphere as we. However, in recent years there has been a surge in technology that by everything we know shouldn't exist, a kind of 'hyper technology' if you will. The Lambda Driver, the technology used by the Tekkoryu, this ship's systems, all are the product of Black Technology."

Sosuke frowned, thinking back to his last confrontation with Gauron. "And this Black technology comes from people like Chidori?"

"Correct," Kalinin said. "The Whispered. Only a select few know of them, so please treat this information with the utmost secrecy."

"Of course, sir," Sosuke said. "Major, what about Chidori?"

Kalinin grunted. "Our information bureau is spreading the word that she is not a Whispered, and thus the kidnaping was based on mistaken intelligence. However, that will not be enough to convince everyone, so she must still be guarded. That will be your next assignment."

Sosuke gave no reply to that. It was something far outside his usual duties, and yet, somehow, he couldn't bring himself to mind. He didn't understand it, was barely aware of it, but Kaname Chidori struck a chord deep within him somehow.

"Are you dissatisfied, Sergeant?"

He shook his head quickly. "No, sir."

Crew quarters

Kaname yawned loudly, stretching. Damn, was I ever beat. Guess running for your life takes a lot out of you. Mildly surprised at the lack of nightmares, she slipped out of bed, rubbing her eyes, and froze when her feet made contact with the floor.

She looked around, suddenly wide awake. Judging by the gray walls and ceiling, lack of carpeting and even windows, she wasn't in her apartment or even a hospital. It looked almost . . . military.

"I see you're awake."

A girl who looked roughly her age had appeared in the doorway. Pale hair and eyes, a khaki uniform belied by the friendly smile on her young face, she certainly didn't look threatening, but after everything that had happened Kaname was disinclined to take things at face value.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," the girl said. "My name is Teletha Testarossa, but please just call me Tessa. You're aboard Mithril's submarine, the Tuatha de Danann."

Mithril. The group Sosuke belonged to. Kaname allowed herself to relax just a little. "I'm guessing you already know who I am."

"Well, of course," Tessa said, still smiling. "Tell me, Miss Chidori, have you ever heard the term 'Whispered' before?"

"Yeah, sure," Kaname said. "I 'whispered' in Sosuke's ear that he's a damned idiot. But I get the feeling this is something special."

Tessa nodded. "It is indeed. The Whispered are people who have a special ability. As they grow, they begin to hear the 'whisper' in their heads, quickly metamorphosing into geniuses. The result is an explosion of previously-unknown technologies."

It sounded crazy, but there must have been some truth to it. Kaname had seen too much for it not to be true.

"You and I are among those select ranks," Tessa went on.

That brought Kaname up short. "Hold on a sec. You?"

"That's right," Tessa confirmed. "I designed this ship's main computer when I was ten years old, and believe me, there isn't a better computer in all the world."

Kaname suspected ZAFT would beg to differ, probably Nergal, too. Still. "When you were ten? Um, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

"Sixteen, the same as you and Mister Sagara," Tessa replied. "You've already felt it, I know, when Mister Sagara confronted Gauron. The Whisper gave you knowledge of a completely unknown weapon system."

Kaname grimaced. Suddenly it all fit, the kidnaping, everything. "And that's why those freaks snatched me."

Tessa's smile turned a bit sad. "That's right. Mister Sagara was assigned for your protection, but we underestimated the forces involved. Unfortunately, since you're likely to be targeted again, you will still need protection."

"Does that mean I'm gonna be stuck in here?" Tessa was likable enough, but Kaname didn't relish the thought of spending all her time in the confines of a submarine.

The Mithril girl appeared to read her thoughts. "Don't worry, we know you wouldn't find these surroundings very comfortable, so we've made other arrangements. You'll be under the care of a special task force, one whose existence is not normally broadcast within the UEFA." She smiled. "If it helps any, your friend Toya Shiun is one of their pilots."

Kaname's spirits lightened considerably with that revelation. If Toya was there, then she would at least have one friend amid all the chaos.

We're gonna have a long talk, though. If I'm gonna be stuck with that bunch of wackos, I damn well want to know what the hell's going on!

It took only a few minutes to get ready; she'd spent several years basically living out of a suitcase, so it was practically second nature for her. Her escort had arrived by the time she was finished, the same pair who had come to their rescue earlier.

"Yo, Kaname!" Kurz greeted. "You doin' okay?"

Kaname hefted a bag over her shoulder. "As okay as I can be," she said with an answering smile. "Guess you two are my escorts?"

"That's right," Mao said. "Sorry about the fuss, but it's the best we can do right now."

"Hey, if it means I never have to see freaks like Gauron or Baron Ashura, I'm cool with it," Kaname said, waving a hand. "Where's Sosuke?"

Mao was evidently expecting the question. "He's already left for his next assignment."

That's Sosuke, all right. "Did he leave any messages?"

"'Fraid not," Mao told her.

"Oh." Kaname felt a pang of disappointment, and scolded herself for it. Sosuke's insane, remember? Okay, he's a good guy, but he can be a major pain in the neck.

Shaking the thoughts away, she nodded to Mao, and the trio walked down the corridor to the Danann's boarding ramp. Life was about to get a lot more interesting.

Yokosuka Base, Nergal dock

Maybe it was because the Nadesico was technically a civilian ship, but Yokosuka's high-security dock wasn't what Kaname had expected. There were a few people in UEFA uniforms milling about, most of them near the Archangel, but there were quite a number of civilians mixed in. She recognized Duo Maxwell, talking to a dark-haired girl in the uniform of the Specials.

Since their arrival was supposed to be kept quiet, Kaname was unsurprised to see only two people waiting for them. One was a twentyish woman in Nergal white, with long blue hair, the other a blond man in UEFA uniform. Kaname recognized him from TV news reports; there was no mistaking the Hawk of Endymion.

Mao saluted. "Master Sergeant Melissa Mao, Sergeant Kurz Weber, and Kaname Chidori present and accounted for."

"Nice to meet you," the other said, returning the salute more casually. "I'm Lieutenant Mu La Flaga, the Archangel's rep since Captain Ramius and Ensign Badgiruel are busy." He nodded at the woman. "This is Yurika Misumaru, Captain of the Nadesico."

Kaname felt her jaw drop. Say what!? "Um, Captain?" she repeated. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"The OSDG people said the same thing when we left for Mars," Yurika said, laughing. "Yep, I'm the Captain of the Nadesico. I hear you're a good cook."

"Um, yeah," Kaname managed, slightly unbalanced by the non sequitur. Toya must've told her that one. "I just figured a Captain would be an old bearded guy with a corncob pipe or something."

Mu chuckled. "We see that all the time. Anyway, there's somebody else here I believe you know."

Kaname grinned, seeing a familiar figure approaching from the Nadesico dock. "Sure do. Hi, Toya!" she called, waving.

"Kaname," he greeted. The girls from before were standing with him, along with a brown-haired teen in a blue UEFA uniform. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Same to you," she said. "Well, you're stuck with me now. Real stuck, like with super glue or something."

Toya smiled. "Can't say I'm complaining." He waved the girls forward. "These are the people who got me into this mess, Katia Gringnard, Festenia Muse, and Melua Melna Maia."

"Nice to meetcha!" Festenia said with a toothy grin. "Any friend of Toya's is a friend of ours."

Okay, maybe this won't be so bad after all. "Same here," Kaname said. She looked at the heretofore-quiet youth. "And you, too."

"Uh, thanks," he managed, a bit bemused. "I'm Kira, Kira Yamato, pilot of the Strike. It's a pleasure."

Toya smiled wryly. "I know she's a handful," he just rolled his eyes when Kaname mock-glared at him, "but you'll get used to her. And she really can cook, by the way; rivals Akito."

"Least it means I can do something useful," Kaname said. "I still think this is crazy as hell, but I'll do my best."

"That's exactly the attitude you should have."

Kaname's head whipped around. "What the– Sosuke!?"

It was indeed Sosuke Sagara, dressed in military fatigues instead of a school uniform, but still the same military maniac she knew. Much more relaxed than she'd ever seen him at school (insofar as it was possible for Sosuke Sagara to be relaxed).

She wasn't the only one taken off guard. "Sosuke?" Mao said incredulously. "This was your new assignment?"

"Affirmative," Sosuke said. "Fujiwara and Mister Uribatake helped me load the Arbalest onto the Nadesico, though the technological officer was behaving somewhat oddly."

Toya snorted lightly. "I think he was itching to see what makes your machine tick. Had the same reaction when I joined up, and when we met the Archangel people; he was practically drooling over the Strike. Nothing to worry about."

"Understood," Sosuke acknowledged. "Chidori, your accommodations are secure. I believe you said you'll be helping in the kitchen?"

"That's right," Kaname said. "If I'm gonna be stuck here, I'd rather not be dead weight."

Sosuke nodded at that. "An army marches on its stomach, so your aid in that area will be invaluable. Who else works there?"

Kaname shrugged. "Dunno yet. Toya?"

"We've got a couple of pilots in there already," her friend said. "Akito Tenkawa's one of the Aestivalis pilots; bit flighty, but he gets the job done. Sai Saici, that's one of Domon's friends, helps him out a lot."

"All right," Sosuke said. "If you'll excuse me, I have a few more arrangements to make."

Toya watched him leave, shaking his head. "Weirdo." He turned back to Kaname, smiling. "Here, I'll show you around the Nadesico."

Nadesico, residential block

"Is this really a warship?" Kaname said an hour later, looking around in amazement. "If I hadn't seen that hangar full of giant robots, I'd think it was some kind of futuristic cruise ship."

Toya laughed. "The Nergal people like their creature comforts," he said. "Caught me by surprise, too, but I wasn't complaining, what with the Mars trip and all." He nodded to Eiji Asuka, who was passing the other way.

The kitchen would have been the envy of any restaurant she'd been to. Like everything else on the ship, the equipment was state-of-the-art. Toya, she reflected, wasn't kidding about creature comforts, though admittedly the bath had already told her that much.

"I was wondering how you managed to stay sane while you were gone," Kaname said. "Guess this is why."

"It helped," Toya agreed, leaning against the counter. "I'm guessing you've got something on your mind."

Where to begin. "I want to know just what you're dealing with," Kaname said. "Really dealing with, not the sanitized version from your last letter. I know, you couldn't tell me then, but I'm kinda stuck with it now."

Toya sobered. "It's a long story," he said quietly. "We've got ZAFT, Doctor Hell, the Reclaimers, and at least three different alien invasions, not to mention those Tekkoryu guys and whatever Master Asia's up to. I get the impression the Nadesico and Archangel are kinda roving troubleshooters; whenever something comes up that's too tough for the regular military, we take over."

Kaname snorted. "Figures. And you're okay with this?"

"Not like I have much of a choice," Toya countered. "It's either stay with the Nadesico, or the girls and I wind up in a military detention facility. I'd rather at least be able to shoot back, thanks."

She held up a hand. "Sorry, I know it's not your fault." Her expression softened. "Hey, at least you've finally made some friends! I was getting worried; I mean, it's not like I minded hanging around with you, but sometimes I thought you were just going through the motions. Or something like that."

Toya chuckled. "Yeah, you've got me there." The chuckle became a laugh; Ryoko was having some kind of argument with Izumi, who was being weird as usual. "The girls, Akito, Eiji, Kira, hell, pretty much everybody except Akatsuki and Ms Won."

Kaname punched his arm lightly. "That's the Toya I know. So, anything special I should know about cooking here?"

"D-Boy eats a lot after a battle," Toya said. "It's 'cause of the Tek System; that freaky transformation drains his energy, so he's usually pretty hungry afterward."

"Big eaters I can handle, long as they're not as crazy as Sosuke," Kaname said. "Oh, Toya?" He paused in midstep, looking back at her. "Don't you even think of giving up. You've grown up a lot since the last time I saw you."

He smiled. "Don't worry, Kaname. I'm in this for the long haul. Count on it."

Satisfied, Kaname went back to inspecting the kitchen. If the Nadesico was going to be her home away from home, she was going to make the most of it. Humming to herself, she nodded absently at Sai Saici, who had appeared just as Toya left, and got to work.

Author's note: Okay, I think this is a bit quicker than the last one. Battle might seem a bit abbreviated, but I figure it's justified given their mission. Next one will be more ambitious. Until then.