Archangel, cafeteria

Kira Yamato was in a reasonably decent mood for a change. The last mission had gone more or less without a hitch, save for the brief emergence of Masato's alternate personality, and they'd gone on to solve the brief hostage crisis on the Novis without loss of life. Gaining two new members was a bonus.

"Mornin', Kira," Kaname Chidori greeted when he wandered in. "How's my favorite Coordinator this morning?"

Normally Kira felt a pang whenever someone casually brought up his genetic profile. Kaname, however, didn't provoke such a reaction. "Feeling pretty good for once," he said, ambling up. "And glad you stayed here to help in the kitchen," he added with a smile.

"Coming right up," Kaname responded with a grin. Within a minute she set a large plate in front of him. "You pilots gotta keep your strength up."

Kira certainly wasn't complaining. Fighting Reclaimers, Mechabeasts, and Hakkeshu had given him quite an appetite. "Thanks, Kaname."

"No prob." For the next few minutes Kaname busied herself with some of the other crew. Toya had a short breakfast (Tenia, of course, had more than Toya and the other two girls combined) and left, saying something about studying Granteed further. George and Chibodee had another of their arguments, though at least this time Argo didn't have to step in.

Cagalli appeared soon after that; catching Kira's eye, she gave a smile and nod of greeting. Kira smiled back; for all her temper issues, the Princess of Orb had a knack for making him feel at ease. She was soon drawn into a conversation with Festenia, with whom she got along a little too well for most people's comfort.

"Got something on your mind, Kira?" Kaname was back, wiping at some dishes.

And more perceptive than she usually let on. "Actually, yeah," Kira said. "What was Toya like before he went to Mars? I've only known him since Heliopolis."

Kaname didn't answer right away. "Not much different from how he is now, really," she said. "'Cept he wasn't really social; hung out with me, mostly, then Duo sometimes later on." She laughed softly. "Never would've pegged that guy for a Colony Gundam pilot. Way too easygoing."

"So's Commander La Flaga," Kira pointed out.

"Got me there," Kaname conceded. "Anyway, crazy thing is he's been doing lots better since he joined this band of whack jobs. More grown up, y'know? And he's got lots of friends now, which believe me is seriously weird."

The Coordinator looked at her curiously. "You really like him, don't you."

Kaname gave a lopsided smile. "Yeah. Not romantically or anything, but he's one of my best friends. Like the brother I never had."

Kira nodded slowly. She'd just answered another question without even realizing it, just why Sosuke Sagara didn't seem to act paranoid in Toya's presence. The Mithril operative probably saw him as another line of defense for Kaname, though why she needed a bodyguard Kira had not the slightest idea.

"Thanks, Kaname," he said. "That helps a lot."

She grinned. "Don't mention it."

Archangel, bridge

"All right," Murrue said. "We'll proceed as normal." She set the handset down with a sigh of relief. "No issues for a change."

"About time, after that last op," Mu said sourly. "We could use a break after that one." He ran a hand through his hair. "Those ex-Reclaimers settling in okay?"

Not that he distrusted them, of course. Yu Isami had been of help more than once despite his rather surly disposition, and there was every indication that Kanan Gims had abandoned the Reclaimers. Though Hime still said she didn't believe it, something Mu put down to jealousy.

"According to Commander Geybridge, yes," Murrue said. "Yu is mostly keeping to himself, but Kanan seems to be getting along with the Novis crew reasonably well."

Zechs's head came up. "Commander Geybridge?" he repeated. "What about Captain McCormick?"

"On leave for the time being," Murrue told him. "Honestly, I can't blame her. To find out her own son is a Reclaimer, a squad leader according to Yu. She's in shock."

Not even Natarle, stickler though she was, disputed that point. Everyone had a breaking point, after all.

"In any case, they've requested additional security in the wake of the incident with Jonathan Glenn," Murrue went on. "The Voltes Team were instrumental in ending the crisis, so they should be welcomed."

Mu nodded. "Sounds good. How about Toya and Kira, too."

Natarle looked up from CIC. "I can understand sending Toya and his companions, but why Ensign Yamato?"

"Poor kid's been through the ringer a lot lately," Mu explained. "I figure it might do him some good to see other people his age trying their hardest."

The XO gave a slow nod. "I see your point. Good for morale."

Kuzzey abruptly started typing at his board, a puzzled frown on his face. He stared at his screen, one hand on his headset, then pressed a few more keys. Another minute was spent just listening, though to what none of the officers could fathom.

"Is there a problem, Crewman Buskirk?" Murrue asked carefully.

Kuzzey shook his head. "Sorry, Captain, I needed to confirm the message." He had the look of someone who didn't believe his own words. "The Specials have requested we take on three Leos."

Mu shared an incredulous look with Zechs. "Three Leos?" the former repeated. "I thought they were being phased out; even Zechs's was scrapped once they dug up Tallgeese. Why put three of them on the Archangel?"

The teen shrugged helplessly. "Something about testing a new system. Colonel Khushrenada says the tech team will explain when they arrive." He hesitated. "For what it's worth, the Colonel didn't sound too happy about it."

"I'm not surprised," Zechs said. "As commander of the Specials, Treize isn't exactly popular with the regular armed forces. General Colbert especially would want to reduce his influence."

There had been a time, not all that long before, when Mu would have applauded such a course. After all, he had no more love than any other regular with the secretive and sometimes arrogant Specials. Serving with Zechs Merquise, Lucrezia Noin, and Hilde Schbeiker had softened that attitude, to say nothing of Colbert's generally unpleasant personality.

"Regardless, we don't have any grounds for refusing," Murrue said. "Crewman Haw, inform Chief Murdoch of the new arrangements."

"Yes, ma'am."

Yokosuka Base, dock

Duo was bored. Really bored. Really, seriously bored. Objectively, he knew that was a good thing, especially after the brief hostage incident. Bored meant nobody was getting slaughtered by Radam, Gradosians, Mechabeasts, or some unholy combination thereof.

Knowing that did nothing to alleviate the burning need to just go out and kill something.

Meandering over to the Nadesico's usual dock, he spotted Masato Akitsu near the edge, apparently just staring into space. Zeorymer's pilot did a lot of that, Duo had noticed. Poor guy still wasn't sure which way was up. And, Duo conceded, learning the truth of his origins likely hadn't helped any.

"Yo, Masato," he greeted. "Somethin' on your mind?"

Masato jumped. "What!? Oh, Duo." He shrugged. "I'm just thinking."

"Yeah, I can see that." The God of Death smiled ruefully. "Y'know, sometimes you can think too much. Sometimes you just gotta go out and blow somethin' up."

The other pilot lifted an eyebrow, almost amused despite his gloom. "I thought just blowing things up was Heero's job, or maybe Trowa's."

Duo laughed. "Hey, they don't call me the 'God of Death' for nothing." He sobered. "Seriously, Masato, you're not gonna do yourself any good brooding all the time. I know it's hard, being stuck here and all, but you should at least try and have a little fun. Go out on a date or something."

Masato stared at him blankly. "A . . . date?" he repeated.

"Come on, don't tell me you don't know what a date is." Duo laughed again. "I've seen the way you and Miku look at each other."

Evidently really not wanting to pursue that line of thought, Masato swiftly changed the subject. "What about you, Duo? We're not just fighting beside UEFA regulars; we've got a bunch of guys from the Specials here. Quatre told me about OZ."

Duo shrugged. "Eh, it kinda bugged me at first, but I'll take even Treize Khushrenada over people like that Colbert bastard. Zechs is okay, Noin and Hilde are nice." He sat on the edge of the pier. "Thing is, Masato, this mess is bigger than us Colony Gundam pilots versus OZ."

"Your friend doesn't seem to see it that way," Masato observed. "What was his name, Wufei?"

Duo snorted. "Wufei's skull is denser than lead. He'll come around."

"If you say so."

Duo's thoughts wandered back to his early years, scrabbling for food and shelter in one of the more unsavory parts of the colonies. If Father Maxwell hadn't taken him in, he knew, he would likely still have been on the streets. Or, more likely, dead before he hit puberty.

"Anyway, like I said, I know it's hard." He stood, brushing at his pants. "For now, well, you like Miku, right?"

Masato nodded slowly, visibly uncertain as to Duo's point. "Yeah. She's always been good to me."

"Then fight for her," Duo said. "And hey, if that psycho comes out to play, I'll send him packing. Okay, maybe not me," he conceded, seeing Masato's evident skepticism of Gundam Deathscythe taking on Zeorymer. "Toya could pull it off, though." He clapped the younger pilot's shoulder. "We're all in this together, Masato."

He left then, but not before seeing a thoughtful look come over Masato's face. Heh, maybe I managed to get through to him after all.

Novis Noah, main deck

The first thing Toya noticed was the Novis seemed a bit livelier than usual. Some of it, he supposed, could be explained by the arrival of Yu and Kanan; having a pair of ex-Reclaimers onboard was bound to cause a stir, after all. What it didn't explain was Yu's look of extreme annoyance.

"Hi, guys!" Hime waved at their little group. "Toya and the girls, eve Kira and Cagalli."

Kira looked briefly pained. "Captain Ramius told me to come with Toya and the Voltes Team, but Cagalli just snuck along behind. As usual."

"I don't remember anyone trying to stop me," Cagalli retorted, looking mildly irked.

Hime laughed at the byplay. "Oh, and here's Tako!" she said, grinning at the robot cephalopod.

Hiyoshi Go beamed. "Yeah, he's good as new."

Irate voices drew Toya's attention. One he recognized as Yu Isami, the other was a woman he'd never met. The pair were arguing near the entrance to the Brain hangar, which did not bode well. Yu looked annoyed; the other, a dark-skinned woman in a cutoff top, was gesturing sharply at the hangar door.

He leaned close to Hime. "Hime, who's that?"

She grimaced. "Komodo Mahama, lead pilot for our escort fighter squadron. She's got a bit of a complex about the Brains; wants to be a Brain pilot herself, but you know it's not that simple."

Yep, a headache waiting to happen. With a resigned sigh, Toya followed the girls over to where Lasse Lundburg was talking to Yu's friend Kanan. He liked Yu, certainly, but he had no desire to be caught in the middle of whatever spat was going on.

Melua stopped at Hime's Brain; she always got along well with the Antibodies. She'd once said that a spot with the Brain Powerd squadron would have been her second choice had she and Toya somehow been separated.

"We're going to try and collect some more Plates soon," Hime murmured. "We've got a couple of new pilot candidates, Kanan and Higgins Saz from our escort submarine."

Toya glanced at her sidelong. "And you're okay with that? I thought you didn't like Kanan."

Hime flushed slightly. "I don't, but we can't afford to let that get in the way." She looked up at her Brain. "We've got so many enemies now, we need all the help we can get."

Toya nodded. For himself, he found Kanan was just too nice to be a Reclaimer. Insecure, perhaps, but actually more congenial than some of their other pilots; one could hardly have called Sosuke Sagara gregarious, for example. Once she got her feet under her, she would doubtless make an excellent addition to their force.

"Hey, Toya," Hime said suddenly. "Have you been working out?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Self-defense training with Sosuke," he admitted. "Started with just shooting, then kinda snowballed. Domon sometimes helps, too."

Hime laughed. "I just can't picture that. They're both so anti-social."

"Domon's just got a lot on his mind," Toya disagreed. "Sosuke figures I must be okay since Kaname and I are old friends."

Still, he had to admit Hime had a point. For that matter, he was sometimes unsure just how their band of misfits managed to get along. There had, after all, been at least one near-brawl on the Nadesico, though to be sure neither Domon nor Sosuke had been involved.

"Besides, you want anti-social, you should've seen D-Boy when we picked him up," Toya went on. "Wasn't until after whacking Tekkaman Dagger that he was nice to anyone except Aki and Milly."

"Okay, you've got me there," Hime conceded with a chuckle.

Toya looked out over the ocean. Somewhere under those waves, he thought, was the mysterious adversary known as Orphan. Even with Yu and Kanan's information, the Reclaimers' goals were unclear beyond aiding in Orphan's rise. Even the Radam were more straightforward.

Commotion on the other side of the deck drew his eye. Yu appeared to be arguing with some of the Novis crew; what the issue might be, he had no idea.

Hime supplied the answer. "There's going to be some kind of conference to discuss how to deal with Orphan. Yu is insisting on coming along."

No skin off mine. "Time to play escort," Toya said, nodding to Katia and the others. "C'mon, girls, duty calls."

Yokosuka Base, exterior

The countermeasure conference, Toya decided two hours later, was just about the most boring thing he'd experienced since joining the Nadesico. He'd been expecting serious discussion of the danger Orphan posed; instead, it seemed more like a scientific convention. Reclaimer representatives had been an unpleasant surprise; even now Toya's eyes were flickering this way and that, watching for Grand Chers.

"Idiots," Yu Isami muttered. "Orphan is rising, the Reclaimers are on the move, and all they talk about is harnessing the Organic Engine for use against ZAFT. What the hell are they thinking?"

"Maybe you shouldn't have lost your temper in there," Hime said acidly. "Then you wouldn't have been kicked out."

Yu didn't even twitch. "They're being deceived by the Reclaimers," he bit out. "The Grand Cher Squadron's appearance is an act of intimidation, period. If the UEFA doesn't get its act together, Earth is doomed no matter how the war with the PLANTs goes. Not even the Radam will want it."

Toya pinched the bridge of his nose. "Will you two calm down? I'm getting a headache here."

His plaintive words had no discernible effect on the Antibody pilots, who continued to bicker as though he hadn't spoken. Like some of the others (notably Kenichi Go), Toya thought it made them sound like they were flirting, in a twisted kind of way.

Sheesh, Hime's usually more reasonable, but Yu has a talent for making her mad. Relative loner though he'd been, he knew better than to interrupt anything resembling a lovers' quarrel without a very good reason indeed. Which was why he'd often taken pains to stay clear of Koji and Sayaka at school.

This time, though, he had a good reason. "Look, we could get called up at any moment, so could you please chill out a little? You're sounding like Domon and Rain."

That at least got a reaction; Hime spun and glared at him, while Yu, still a newcomer, merely looked disgusted.

Before either could tear a strip off him, Kira appeared with Cagalli in tow. "Toya's right," the former said. "There's something big going down; several Plates have been found twenty kilometers south of here. Word is the Reclaimers are already mobilizing."

"Dammit," Yu growled. "The last thing we need is more Grand Chers. Do we have anyone in the area?"

"Higgins and Kanan are on the ground," Cagalli told him. "Heero and Zechs are flying cover, but even they would be overwhelmed if the Grand Chers start swarming them. Since you know more about the Plates than even the Novis Noah crew, we're to escort you to the scene."

From the look on his face, Yu was relieved to finally have something constructive to do. "Fine," he said, ignoring Hime's look of irritation. "At least you guys have fought Grand Chers before, so you know what we're up against. Is it just us?"

"The rest of the Archangel's mobile weapons are scrambling, but we're the only ones ready to move," Kira said, nodding at the waiting mechs. "Orders are to keep the Reclaimers away from the Plates at least until the main force arrives."

"Too bad the Nadesico isn't back yet," Toya muttered as they climbed into their machines. "We could really use the extra firepower right now."

"No argument here," Cagalli said, pulling her helmet on. She'd been one of the most violently angry at the way Akito had been treated. "You guys ready?"

The Strike's eyes flashed. "Everything checks out," Kira said. For someone who had only recently enlisted in the military, he could sound remarkably like a seasoned professional when he wanted to. "Let's go; we need those Plates."

Feeding power to Granteed's engines, Toya couldn't shake a feeling of impending doom.

Near the coast

The feeling of doom intensified when they arrived at the target point and saw no fewer than five Grand Chers. Toya hated fighting Grand Chers. It wasn't that they were more powerful than other enemies; rather, their relatively small size (half to three quarters that of a mobile suit) and ability to ride the Vital Net (teleportation for all practical purposes) made them annoyingly difficult to hit.

"That's five Plates lost right there," Cagalli grumbled. "Dammit, we're too late. Where are Heero and Zechs?"

Tallgeese came in from above, splattered with what passed for Grand Cher blood. "Caught off guard," Zechs said, sounding disgusted with himself. "The Reclaimers moved more quickly and with greater force than we anticipated. Higgins and Kanan are safe for the moment, but the situation is very delicate."

"I'll give them delicate," Hime snarled. Her Brain surged forward, a burst of Chakra lighting the sky.

The Grand Cher was clearly a newborn, its pilot likely a rookie, and thus was caught flat-footed. Hime's initial burst splattered against a Chakra Shield, but she didn't even slow down. A clumsy slash was contemptuously batted aside, Hime's Brain Bar driving into the Grand Cher's torso before it could regroup.

"Damn, she's reckless," Cagalli muttered, watching the lifeless Antibody fall to earth.

Kira snorted. "Yeah, like you've got room to talk," he said, drawing an incoherent sound of outrage from the blonde spitfire.

Regardless, Hime's attack had the intended effect. With one of their number already dead, the remaining Grand Chers opted to retreat rather than face the UEFA scout force directly. A quick survey of the area made clear there were no other Reclaimers in ranger . . . yet.

"Archangel is on the way," Megumi Ouka said. "Just coming into range."

Toya brought Granteed closer to Kanan and Higgins' position, reasoning that his heavy armor would provide at least some defense when the Reclaimers launched another assault. That they would he took as a given; Yu's description of them came across as outright fanaticism rivaling Blue Cosmos.

"Ensign Yamato, report," Natarle said crisply.

"We ran into a squad of Grand Chers; we think they just Revived," Kira said. "Hime was able to shoot one down, but the rest retreated. There's still a Plate here, but it's just started to Revive, so we can't afford to leave yet."

There was a barely audible rushed conversation on the Archangel. "No help for it," Murrue said. "We're launching the rest of our units. Toya, you have the best armor, so please ensure Kanan and Higgins are kept safe."

"Already on it," Toya said. "Don't worry, Captain, the Reclaimers aren't getting past us."

"Here they come," Mu said, moving to his usual position just ahead of Cagalli's fighter. "Am I seeing things, or does the lead Grand Cher have an artificial hand? I didn't know they made prosthetics that big."

A Grand Cher with an artificial hand could mean only one person, Toya knew. It appeared that Jonathan Glenn was still determined to make their lives miserable. And, Toya realized, Kanan's status as a former Reclaimer made her particularly vulnerable.

Evidently Mu was thinking along similar lines. "Kenichi, Hyoma, Masato, join up with Toya," he said. "Yu and Hime, keep an eye on the Plate. The rest of you, hit those Reclaimers and hit them hard."

Simple and direct, the way most of them liked it. Part of Toya hoped Jonathan Glenn was able to get through, so he could personally flatten the deranged Reclaimer for the hostage incident. The more professional part of him, honed by previous misadventures, focused on protecting their groundbound friends.

At first, all he could do was watch. Given how much of the action was over water, Trowa appeared content to play the role of extra gun turret on the Archangel's forward deck. It didn't seem to diminish his effectiveness any; one Grand Cher managed to avoid the ship's guns, only to be riddled with beams and cannon shells from the ludicrously-armed Gundam.

Ouch, Toya thought, wincing in unwilling sympathy for the Reclaimer pilot.

"Toya, more coming from the southeast!" Katia said.

On land, but there was no real cause for concern. Uruz Squad and the Shuffle Alliance were already moving to intercept. A Chakra Shield, it appeared, was of little use against the kind of fire Dragon Gundam could produce, not to mention Sai Saici's Mobile Fighter was easily a match for a Grand Cher's agility.

"Down there!" Tenia cut in. "What's with that light?"

Yu's Brain appeared to the east. "The Plate is starting to Revive," he said, voice tight. "Kanan, Higgins, make sure to stay clear of the Chakra Light!"

"I know!" Kanan said. "Is that clear, Higgins?"

"Crystal," the pilot candidate said. She muttered something to herself that Toya didn't quite catch.

It didn't matter anyway. Toya suddenly had a Grand Cher in front of him; setting his teeth, he landed a punch to its torso, adding a blast of Orgone energy when it recoiled. He cursed under his breath; the Vital Net was allowing them to slip through a little too easily.

Nor was that fact lost on the Reclaimers. He heard a curse over the open channel; probably Jonathan Glenn, as the one-handed Grand Cher abruptly sped forward, apparently intent on reaching the Plate. If so, it didn't get far; Yu intercepted it in mere seconds.

"Back off, Jonathan!" the former Reclaimer snarled. "This battle is pointless!"

Jonathan merely laughed. "You really think you know anything, Yu? You're just a Feddie puppet now, and a stupid one if you think you can stop Orphan!"

Yu's Brain batted a sword slash aside. "I will, because I have to. What my parents are doing is twisted and wrong; your ranting isn't going to change that." He backed off slightly, allowing Hime to join up with him. "I'm not going back to Orphan."

"Then you're going to hell instead!"

This is seriously getting on my nerves! Grimly wishing he'd truly mastered Granteed, he pushed the huge machine forward a little, Zeorymer coming up next to him. The two pilots exchanged a nod, and twin bursts of energy lanced out, outright vaporizing two Grand Chers.

"More incoming," Sai said tightly. "Several more Grand Chers to the northwest!" A pause. "And southwest, toward the ocean! This group is moving faster!"

Just great, even more Grand Chers. Toya frowned. That one looks different.

The lead Grand Cher in the advance force looked mostly normal, save that it was bright red. It reminded Toya of Athrun Zala's Aegis Gundam; maybe it was silly, but he could easily imagine that particular Grand Cher playing the same role. Which meant it was likely even more dangerous.

Yu, to just about everyone's astonishment, immediately broke off from Jonathan. "Iiko!?" he said, sounding stricken.

"Yu Isami, what are you doing!?" Natarle demanded.

Kira was equally nonplussed, albeit calmer about it. "Kanan, do you know anything?"

"That red Grand Cher is Quincy Issa, commander of the Grand Cher forces," Kanan replied, her unease audible even over the crackling static. "She's also Yu's sister, Iiko."

Toya looked at his comrades, saw the same worry in their eyes. First Eiji, then Kira, then Domon, now Yu; at the rate they were going, half the crew was likely to have personal connections to the enemy. A most unwelcome complication, not that he blamed Yu for it.

Iiko Isami, it seemed, wasn't so generous. "Of course you would be here," she bit out. "I'll kill you myself, Yu!"

Toya clenched a fist. How far gone can she be that she'd be willing to kill her own brother?

Apparently he wasn't the only one who felt so. With a roar of its super verniers, Tallgeese appeared between the red Grand Cher and Yu's Brain, a beam saber already active. Though he couldn't see Zechs, Toya had the sudden feeling that he did not want to get in the way.

"So you would kill your own brother without a moment's hesitation," the Lightning Count said, his voice crackling with suppressed fury. "Yu told us the Reclaimers were twisted, but I never expected this."

"Out of the way, mechanical puppet!" Iiko, or rather Quincy, snarled.

Zechs merely turned Tallgeese slightly to one side, beam saber now angled slightly downward. "Orphan is as much a threat to our future as are the Gradosians or Radam," he said coldly. "Yu Isami is a comrade and friend; for his sake, I will not kill you. However," the glowing blade slowly rose, "nor will I allow you to interfere with our mission."

He started forward, but Yu's Brain slid around in front of him. "Zechs, please, let me handle this," Yu said.

Zechs seemed to consider the request, though it was hard to tell with no visual. Hell, it would be hard to tell if we could see him, what with that mask he wears. "Very well," the older pilot said.

I'm never gonna figure that guy out, Toya thought, sparing a brief glance at the departing Tallgeese.

Yu had thought he was prepared for this. From the moment he first boarded his Brain, he'd known it meant fighting people he'd known for years. Jonathan (who to be sure he'd never really liked), Sheila, briefly Kanan, and others. It was the inevitable result of the choice he'd made, one he would make again if he had to. The alternative was unthinkable.

He just hadn't expected it to hurt so much.

"Sis, please!" he said, parrying a sword slash and dodging a burst of Chakra. "I don't want to fight you!"

"Shut up!" Iiko's Grand Cher launched a vicious combination attack, one that Yu barely avoided. "You abandoned Orphan; you have no right to call me that!"

Her words were like a physical blow. Yu flinched, causing his Brain to do the same. The red Grand Cher wound up for another strike, but something flashed between them, throwing the other Antibody's timing off. After a brief second of disorientation, Yu recognized one of the Archangel's Skygraspers, Cagalli's if he wasn't mistaken.

"This from the lady who wants to see everyone on the surface wiped out." It was Cagalli, all right, her tone even more caustic than usual. "Try looking in a mirror once in a while."

Iiko made an outraged sound, aiming to swat the distraction. It was just the opening Yu needed. He drove in with a shoulder tackle, further unbalancing his sister's Grand Cher. Forcing himself to ignore her snarl of fury, he urged his Brain on, forcing them both away from the main action.

He heard a couple of his teammates calling after him—Hime and Toya by the sound of them—but ignored them. He knew from experience they could handle the likes of Jonathan, and this was too important. Now he understood how Kira felt.

The two Antibodies hit the ground together. As far as Yu could tell, his Brain had sustained only minor injuries; whether his sister's Grand Cher was still mobile, he had no idea. They still knew too little about Antibodies to even guess.

"Sis, are you okay?" he said anxiously, poking his head out.

Iiko appeared slightly dazed. "These flowers . . . I remember them from when we were little."

Yu blinked, puzzled by the apparent non sequitur. Iiko didn't seem hostile, though, so he was willing to go with it for the time being. "Yeah. You always loved those."

"It was peaceful then," his sister said, sounding almost wistful. "Before Orphan. . . ." Her voice started to harden.

"Sis?"

The Grand Cher abruptly leaped upward, knocking Yu's Brain aside. "You've hurt Orphan!" Iiko snapped, and vanished into the Vital Net.

"Sis," Yu said, despondent. "You've become Quincy, completely. What an unfair world."

There was still hope, he knew. He himself had successfully broken away from Orphan, as had his friend Kanan. Which didn't make it any easier to fight Iiko.

"Yu Isami, why didn't you attack?" Natarle demanded. "You had her at your mercy!"

Suddenly, Yu was very glad indeed he wasn't part of the military. "As if I could!" he shot back. "You really think I can kill my own sister!?"

He heard other sounds of outrage, primarily from his fellow civilian crewman. One, however, was military, albeit not in the normal chain of command. "Don't assume it would be so easy," Zechs Merquise said softly. "This isn't like Domon and his brother; such ties are not readily broken."

Yu ignored the rest. There was still someone nearby he could vent his frustrations on, someone who had been a thorn in their side ever since Orphan began its rise.

He urged his Brain forward. "Jonathan!"

Between Granteed and Zeorymer, they'd been able to keep the Grand Chers away from Kanan and Higgins, though Toya had winced at Yu's clash with his sister. Jonathan Glenn was a more immediate problem, though he'd thus far had the sense to stay well away from the massive robots guarding the Plate.

He also in his own way seemed just as annoyed as the Archangel force at the second Grand Cher group. "Edgar!? What the hell do you think you're doing!?" he demanded. "Your Antibody just Revived, going into battle now will confuse it!"

The other Reclaimer let out a derisive laugh. "You only say that because you're weak, Jonathan. This Grand Cher will follow my orders to the letter!" Edgar flashed a predatory grin. "Sorry to impose," he said to his Antibody, "but we have to fight to protect Mother Orphan. Your brothers are already out there, but the pilots are nothing to write home about; stupid weaklings like Jonathan Glenn."

"Jonathan!"

Even Domon Kasshu instinctively backed up when Yu's Brain reappeared, charging Jonathan's Grand Cher like an enraged rhinoceros. There was none of the hesitation from his fight with Quincy Issa; though he wasn't—quite—aiming to kill, Yu was on a veritable rampage. The Grand Cher blocked his first charge, but it was still staggered, and subsequent blows struck home with increasing ferocity. Neither it nor its pilot could really tell how to react.

"Tell this to my parents and sister," Yu growled. "If Orphan is the absolute being, it should be able to save everyone! Tell them that Orphan can't be allowed to surface and turn Earth into a world of death. Tell them that I won't stop until the Reclaimers have been defeated! Now go!"

"Damn you, Yu!" Despite his rage, Jonathan obviously knew he was outmatched at least for the time being. His Grand Cher turned and vanished into the Vital Net.

Note to self: stay on Yu's good side.

The other Grand Chers weren't yet in range, but their friends on the ground were still in danger. Eying the Plate uneasily, Toya wondered what the hell was going on. He didn't know all that much about Antibodies, but from what Hime had told him previously there should have been something happening besides the faint glow.

"That's weird," Hime murmured. "My Brain Revived a lot faster."

"Indeed," Natarle said. "Yu Isami, what's going on?"

The former Reclaimer seemed just as puzzled. "I wish I knew. Antibodies aren't machines, so it's anyone's guess how this will turn out." He paused, then his voice sharpened. "It's finishing . . . it's going to be a Brain Powerd!"

A blinding flash, too bright even for Granteed's dampeners, forced Toya to shield his eyes. Blinking furiously, he first checked the Grand Chers' position, confirming they weren't quite in attack range. Kanan and Higgins, he saw a second later, were unharmed, so he turned his attention to the Antibody.

Or rather, Antibodies plural. There were two of them.

"Two Brains?" Tenia said, visibly dumbfounded.

"Twins, eh?" Cagalli, true to form, managed to sound at once flippant and awed. "That's amazing!"

Also unprecedented, if the response it was getting from the Brain Powerd squadron was any indication. Even the normally unflappable Nanga Silverly seemed at a loss for words.

"I've never heard of something like this, even in Orphan," Yu murmured. "They're Organic, though, so I guess it's possible for them to be twins. This is completely new territory."

"That's nice and all, but what are we supposed to do about it?" Duo gestured with his Gundam's scythe. "Those Grand Chers are getting awfully close."

After some hasty back and forth, Yu said, "Kanan, Higgins, you'll have to board them to find out. We'll cover you."

Our turn. This time it was more than just three units forming a barrier. Granteed, Zeorymer, Combattler, and Voltes took the center, with the lighter units fanning out in front and to either side, Archangel in the rear, and the two Skygraspers flying top cover.

"Remember, it's imperative we recover those Brains safely," Natarle said. "Don't let the Reclaimers get close!"

Toya was only too happy to comply, and his mech had more than enough power to get the job done. A blast of Orgone energy lanced out from Granteed's head, injuring the closest Grand Cher. It tried to retreat, but the King of Hearts was already there. One Shining Finger later, and the Reclaimer was down.

"It's learning how to . . . write!? Holy cow." Higgins said incredulously. "Hatred, are you saying you hate me, Brain?"

"Not you, the Grand Chers," Yu said. "The Brain-types hate them. Unfortunately, we don't really have a choice. You two need to find some weapons, quick."

If anything, their job had just gotten a little bit harder; newborn Antibodies made bigger targets. Perhaps fortunately, mechs like Granteed and Zeorymer made even bigger targets, and the Grand Chers they were facing weren't exactly the cream of the crop. Even Edgar, an experienced pilot, was having some difficulty; apparently Jonathan Glenn had been right about the dangers of taking a newborn Antibody into combat.

Which still left the other Reclaimers. One, either braver or more reckless than the others, chose to confront the deceptively small form of Sosuke's Arbalest, only to catch a point-blank shotgun blast to the face. Two more tried to flank him, but Duo and Quatre flanked them in turn. The Reclaimers didn't even have time to scream.

Then Toya saw an opening, and took it. Bashing aside the one Grand Cher that was able to get into position, he charged straight for the black one, Edgar's new partner. Yu and Hime covered him from above, keeping the Reclaimers scattered. Just a little more. . . .

There! "Take this, you freak! Orgone Slave!"

Edgar's Grand Cher staggered from the assault, evidently in pain. In all likelihood, if what Hime had said was correct, Edgar was sharing his partner's agony. The price of their peculiar form of symbiosis, it was enough to make Toya wince in involuntary sympathy at the burn marks on the black Grand Cher.

Burn marks that inexplicably started to fade. "What the hell!?" Duo burst out. "That was one of Toya's best attacks; no way in hell a Grand Cher could've survived it."

"I've got an idea," Yu said, darkly suspicious. "It must be draining Edgar's Organic Energy. I haven't heard of something like that before, but I can't think of any other possibility."

"So what, do we keep blasting him until he goes down?" Mu asked, juking to avoid a blast of Chakra.

"We don't have a choice,' Yu said. "He's too dangerous to leave free." He raised his voice. "Do you know what you're doing, Edgar? Even for Orphan, this is twisted!"

Edgar merely laughed in reply. "And what's it to you, Yu Isami? You've turned your back on Orphan, and now you'll pay the price. With this Grand Cher by my side, I will surpass everyone!"

Like hell you will! At his signal, Kira and Noin neutralized two more Grand Chers blocking his path, and then he was through, driving Granteed's fist directly into Edgar's Antibody. Yu and Hime dealt with a couple more stragglers, while Voltes and Combattler blocked a frantic assault on the newborns.

"Haha!" Edgar laughed as his Grand Cher regenerated yet again. "This is nothing!" Without warning, the Antibody staggered in midair. "What!?"

It was like nothing any of them had seen before. The black Grand Cher almost seemed to be melting, visibly deforming before their eyes. It was still trying to fight, no doubt at Edgar's urging, but there was only so much it could do.

"Okay, could someone tell me what the hell's going on?" Kurz Weber said in a rather plaintive tone.

With a faint humming sound, Kanan and Higgins appeared above the dying Antibody. "These boys of ours know what's going on," Kanan said. "That's why they were born here."

"Is that so?" Higgins said, more to her own Brain. "Is that true, boys?"

What happened next was downright awe-inspiring. Kanan and Higgins swooped and dove, their Brains in perfect sync. They evaded Edgar's frantic attacks with ease, until at last they stood together in a way Toya had once seen Hime and Yu. A blinding burst of double-strength Chakra lanced out, engulfing the Grand Cher.

There was nothing left when it faded.

Mu whistled. "Gotta hand it to 'em, that was something else."

Fatigue struck Toya like a rock falling on his head. All of a sudden, he saw that just about everyone had sustained damage to one extent or another. Yu's Brain was nursing an arm wound, presumably sustained during his brief but violent clash with Jonathan Glenn. The Colony Gundams weren't too bad off thanks to their Gundanium armor, but there were a few scorch marks visible on Sandrock.

The newborn Brain Powerds and Zeorymer were the only units that appeared completely unscathed. Even Granteed's armor was dented and burned in places.

"What's the status of the new Antibodies?" That was Natarle, business as usual.

"They seem a bit overexcited, but they should be fine," Kanan said. "They did a good job today."

"That's right," Higgins agreed, addressing her new partner. "Take a good look around! These are all your friends!"

Festenia giggled a little at that. Toya had a good idea what she was thinking; Heero of all people seemed to get along well with the Brains, but the idea of Domon Kasshu or Sosuke Sagara being friends with them seemed more than a little far-fetched.

Murrue let out a long breath. "Well, it seems our mission here was a success. Kanan, Higgins, please return."

"Twin Brain Powerds," Rain said. "We saw something incredible today, Captain."

Novis Noah, deck

Though having to fight Iiko still stung, Yu had mostly calmed down by the time they returned to the Novis. Helped that he had something immediate to focus on, helping Kanan and Higgins settle their Brains in (and keep Komodo away from them).

"Now I understand," Kanan said. "Thanks to you, and my new Brain, I understand."

Yu looked up at the newborns, Kanan's gold, Higgins' a deep bronze. "There's so much that we still don't know. That kid from the conference, I forget his name, thinks we might be overreacting, something about vegetation along the Vital Net lines increasing." He shook his head. "Regardless, we still have to stop Orphan. One way or another."

Archangel, bridge

"Yes, I understand," Murrue said. "Thank you." She set the handset down with an exhausted sigh. "No issues for once. What's the status of the new Brains?"

Natarle tapped at her board. "Settling in well, according to Commander Geybridge. Yu Isami and Kanan Gims have been officially cleared of any further links to the Reclaimers."

"That's something, at least," Mu said. "Gotta feel for Yu, having to fight his own sister like that. As if it wasn't bad enough with Kira having a friend in ZAFT, not to mention poor Eiji." He folded his arms. "Say, we ever get an explanation about those Leos?"

Murrue frowned. "That's a very good question. Crewman Haw?"

"Checking." Mir said something inaudible. "Chief Murdoch says they're equipped with the 'Mobile Doll' system, apparently some kind of new AI."

Zechs grunted softly. "That explains why Treize was against it. He's always been emphatic about the need for the human element in war."

"I don't agree with his reasoning, but I believe Colonel Khushrenada as a point," Natarle said. "In my opinion, ma'am, a completely autonomous AI in a mobile suit is far too dangerous. Recall what happened with Layzner."

"And that was just a defense failsafe," Mu said with a nod. He looked at Murrue. "Captain, something here smells, and it sure ain't fish."

Murrue pursed her lips. She wasn't happy with it herself, truth be told. Having a new and untested system foisted on her ship without her knowledge or consent would have been grating at the best of times. With the haphazard nature of the force she was trying to hold together, it was a very unwelcome complication indeed.

"We'll keep an eye on it for now," she said at last. "They're only Leos, and every pilot on this ship is a seasoned combat veteran. If it comes down to it, we can handle them."

The aft hatch slid open. "Sorry to interrupt," Hyoma Aoi said, coming to an imitation of attention near Murrue's chair. "We need permission to disembark for a while. Got a call from Professor Yotsuya at the Nanbara Connection; he wants to see us for something or other, didn't say exactly what."

That explained the message that had come through a few minutes before. "I heard something about that," Murrue said. "Permission granted, and be careful."

"IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE WERE AT THE CONNECTION," Ropet commented as the Combattler Team exited.

Archangel, cafeteria

Aside from the mess with Yu's sister, it hadn't been the most painful battle he'd fought. Seeing the twin Antibodies Revive before his eyes had been worth it all by itself. As had, Toya admitted to himself, the chance to smash that creep Edgar's face in.

"So, you guys are all safe and sound, eh?" Kaname said, dropping into a chair opposite him.

Toya smiled a bit wryly. "Yeah," he said, smile widening at the sight of Festenia Muse digging into her third plate of mashed potatoes. "Never thought I'd say this, but it was just another day at the office. Even though Grand Chers are really damn annoying."

"'Cause they can teleport, right? I heard Duo complaining about it yesterday." Kaname looked at Toya's companions. "You three doin' okay?"

Katia answered first, as Tenia and Melua were both occupied with their food. "As well as can be expected," she said. "we still feel a little bad about dragging Toya into this to begin with, but it's all worked out well enough."

Tenia took a long gulp of her drink. "Not to mention I haven't been able to eat this much in my life!"

"Glad to hear it," Kaname said with a laugh. "Seriously, though, thanks for looking after Toya. He's a great guy and all, but he really needs a keeper sometimes."

Toya's eyes narrowed. "I'm right here, you know. And since when do I need a keeper?"

"Remember the Osaka field trip?"

There was no answer to that.

Author's note: Finally here, albeit still somewhat choppy. Some parts are harder to write than others, even if it's one of my favorite series.