Episode 19: And it was Called Commadore Eternal
Project Eternal: An Edenite task that on the surface was meant to be a crowning glory for Eden, bringing back the dead to another life. However, the dark reality of the project has been exposed. Utilizing technology from Eden's bloody past, the hope was to create an army of soldiers for Eden.
However, one of the ancient menaces of the past has awakened. What does this foray into the dark history of Eden mean for the galaxy? And could the answer to the menace of Calnus actually be worse than the problem?
Offices of the Advisor, New Richmond
Noin stepped cautiously around the mass of workmen that were busy repairing or updating the suits of the North Am Elite Unit. Even Cygnus was getting a few tweaks, including a promise of sorts Aelan made a few months ago. As she watched breathlessly, one of the giant matter cannons was being placed on the updated shoulder mechanism of her mobile suit.
It had been a week since the destruction of New Port City, and everyone was feeling the blow. No doubt the incredible changes that were going on were in response to Calnus's hideous act. In the two battles with Juggernaut, the Gundam pilots and her were completely overwhelmed, and in the second one, Aelan and Heero only managed to fight it to a standstill.
Glancing to her left, she saw at least twenty technicians finishing their work on Phantom, Hilde's new mobile suit. However, most of the action was milling about Commadore, which looked like it was getting a total overhaul. Yesterday, it had been nothing but its Gundanium frame, but now with tireless effort was back in one piece. Additional panels had been added, and a second matter cannon had been placed on the other shoulder than the first, but they had been modified so that they could be detached, and carried in both of Commadore's hands.
From the middle of the activity, she noticed Aelan carrying a whole panel of system discs. Stepping closer, she attempted to listen in over all the background noise.
She watched as he grabbed one of the techs, and said, "Install these in place of the Zero System."
"What is this?" The tech asked curiously.
"It's a little complex, I don't have time to explain fully what it does. In essence it does what the Zero System does, only a little better."
"I understand, Advisor. I'll get on it right away." The tech than rode the lift to the cockpit of Commadore, and stepped inside, most likely installing the system discs he had been given.
Aelan walked away from the maelstrom of activity, and Noin approached him. "What is all of this, and what was that system you gave that tech?"
"My battle with Juggernaut has made me realize that I can't hold any more cards to my chest. I have to do everything I can, because I know that Ventrali is going to do the same." Aelan then looked up at Commadore, now drastically different than the suit he had piloted before, although definitely with its similarities, "This time, there is going to be NO mistake as to the fate of General Calnus."
"I do have a question about that." Noin replied, "No one has been able to locate Calnus OR his suit. How do you expect to find him?"
Aelan stared at Noin, his eyes glowing with orange fire. "You forget. General Calnus still has business in North Am. We won't have to find him…"
The Advisor of North Am then looked back at his rebuilt suit, "…He'll find us."
'Aelan seems so much different lately. Maybe that run-in with Juggernaut has affected him more than he's willing to admit.' Noin pondered as she walked back up the steps to the Advisor Offices.
"Admiral Noin!" Relena said sweetly as she walked down the steps, but it quickly turned to concern. "I heard what happened. Are you all right?"
Noin smirked, and answered, "I was about to ask you the same thing."
"It was quite refreshing, and I really regained my wits. The mountains of Colorado are absolutely beautiful. If only they could bottle it, and sell it to people with stress disorders. Although it was a shame that Heero had to leave so early."
Noin was about to reply, when Kiron interrupted them, "Can I make a request of you two?"
Over the last week, Noin had discovered a distinct change in the man who was once the Advisor to the space colonies. He always seemed to be contemplating his own transgressions, and when other people sorrowed over their errors, he was always quick to point out that he had done far worse. The arrogant man that had nearly destroyed Earth had indeed changed. Not even he was sure of his own rationale anymore.
"What is it, Kiron?"
"Keep an eye on Aelan."
"Pardon?" Relena and Noin asked simultaneously.
The Edenite leaned against the guardrail of the stairs, and replied, "Aelan had me do something that even he admitted could turn out to be a horrible mistake. I can't explain what just at the moment, for I'm not sure how he plans to implement it. But just keep an eye on him anyways."
Noin nodded, and Relena followed suit, saying, "Certainly."
Heero watched impressively as the technicians worked dutifully on upgrading Wing Zero. There weren't any drastic changes, but Aelan assured him that the unit would be running at a much higher capability. Perhaps now, Calnus would suffer for what that bastard had done.
Aelan had told him that his reason to fight had to be more than sheer revenge. Heero had to admit that it was true. His actions had been boorish and illogical, and it was his actions that had set up Juggernaut's attack on New Port City. Kiron had noted that compared to what he had done, Heero's actions were a mere piffle, but that hadn't helped much.
"Heero, I heard about what happened in New Port City." Relena said approaching his side.
"You must think I'm a fool." Heero answered.
Relena quickly shook her head, "No… that's not true at all."
However, Heero was not going to be consoled, "My actions destroyed an entire city! Millions of innocent lives were snuffed out, because of me!" Heero was in a rant, "Is this the person you want to be the father of your children?"
Relena looked down, at the young boy or girl that was growing as they spoke. She looked back up, and replied, "Yes, I do. As much as you might think so, you are not at all at fault for what had happened in New Port City. To blame yourself for someone else's actions is mere foolishness!"
Heero's head turned in her direction for the first time since she had started talking to him. At that moment, he saw his reason for fighting Calnus. The desire to rip the Edenite general limb from limb was still there, but he realized that Calnus had nearly robbed him of everything Heero had held dear, and that Calnus could not be permitted to do that to anyone else.
He embraced Relena suddenly, and she initially stiffened, but almost immediately melted, hugging him back. "Don't worry, Relena. Calnus isn't going to hurt anyone ever again, I can just feel it."
The following day…
When the alarms blared, every member of the North Am Elite Unit knew exactly who was responsible for the alert. Aelan had quickly called off the rest of the North Am military. They wouldn't be of much help, and would just get a lot of people killed. Right now, there was only a handful of people who could stop the Edenite general.
That handful emerged from the hangars, and quickly made all due haste to engage Juggernaut before it reached any large populated area. Once again, they met the enormous mobile suit on the Atlantic coastline.
Calnus obviously had not improved his mood since he had been last spotted in New Port City. He instantly went on the attack, and after the elite unit dodged the maneuver, Calnus was quick to taunt, "Aelan Marcus. It's nice to see you. Are you going to fulfill my demands, or are more going to have to die?"
From inside Commadore, Aelan seethed with an unnatural hate. Glaring at Juggernaut, Aelan replied, "Commadore, engage Eternal System."
Kiron nodded, hearing the transmission from his position in Aelan's office. Relena was there as well, but only Kiron knew just what it meant.
"So that's how he utilized the technology." Kiron muttered, "He created a mobile suit system."
"What do you mean?" Relena asked, unexplainably worried.
Kiron looked down, and said, "Aelan and I discovered how Calnus achieved his incredible abilities. Aelan decided that it might be necessary to utilize similar abilities to be able to defeat Calnus. However, such a plan is dangerous. I hope to whatever god you pray to that he can control what he just unleashed."
At that moment, Aelan medical data recorded started to bleep and scream. Pulling out the small device, Kiron muttered, "This is… NOT GOOD! It was just as I had feared, he can't control the surge, just like everyone else who has ever utilized this terror."
Meanwhile…
Duo laughed, "No one else is going to die here, Calnus, other than you!" Looking over at his comrades, he asked, "Are we all ready? If so, let's give this Edenite what for!"
"NO!" Aelan shouted from the new Commadore. "STAY BACK!"
"What?" Duo asked.
"I will take care of Calnus myself!" Aelan then thrust forward, flying at full speed straight at Juggernaut.
The Edenite general laughed, then mocked, "I don't see why you added another matter cannon. It's merely wasted against me!"
Commadore ignited its beam sabers, and Aelan retorted, "I won't give you the pleasure of such a quick and painless death!" At that moment, there was a sudden ripple in the very fabric of the space between the two suits. Commadore hit the ripple, and disappeared.
When Juggernaut's sensor array finally picked up Aelan's suit, it was too late. Aelan thrust his beam saber into Juggernaut's back panels, puncturing the Durium plating.
Noin watched in awe, then muttered, "That's a new trick…"
Hilde added, "He must have installed a miniature Fold Generator like the one in Phantom here."
Calnus pulled Juggernaut away from Aelan's surprise attack, and was just able to turn around in time to block another incredible slash from Commadore's beam sabers. At that moment, Calnus was able to see clearly what Aelan had done, "I must say, you are a true Edenite. Welcome to my world. I can feel your rage and anger, your lust for my blood. The same things that I feel towards you! This is the way it truly should be!"
Aelan was unconcerned; all he wanted was to kill Calnus. "I care little for your SYMPATHIES!" Aelan broke away from the grapple, but quickly followed with a pair of slashes. Juggernaut was able to block one slash, but the other cut a deep swath in Juggernaut's leg panels.
And the battle only became more one-sided. Each attack from the beam sabers cut deeper into the armoring of Juggernaut. Finally, one slash cut through, severing the massive suit's left arm.
As the arm fell to the ground below, the rest of the Elite Unit could only watch in disbelief. Aelan held no quarter against his rapidly losing foe, slicing through the giant suit with thrusts and slashes. One attack cut through the neckpiece, sending sparks before finally giving in to pressure, and having the head fall off. From there, another deep thrust embedded itself deep in Juggernaut's chest panels, and slicing upward, splitting the metal. Noin could swear that she could see Calnus exposed to the air after that last attack.
Commadore then grabbed Juggernaut, and Aelan could hear Calnus's last words, "Now… you are ready…"
Not even bothering to respond, Aelan drove Calnus's battered suit into the earth below, embedding it halfway into the ground. Obviously, the rest of his allies had followed him, for Noin shouted at him, "Aelan! That's enough!"
"NO!" Aelan screamed in response, "IT IS NEVER ENOUGH!" He brought Commadore's fist into the chest cavity of Juggernaut.
Noin once again watched helplessly as a deafening explosion rocked the vicinity. As the smoke started to clear, the North Am Elite Unit watched Commadore slowly get to its feet, and approached them slowly.
Aelan muttered, "Is that IT? I was just getting into the mood!" Suddenly, he pulled one of his matter cannons onto his arm, pointing it at Deathscythe Hell. "Duo! I've heard you wonder about how your Gundam would match up against Commadore. Here's your chance!"
Duo was blown away. "What the hell are you doing, Aelan?"
Aelan was adamant, "FIGHT ME YOU DAMN FOOL!"
"Are you nuts?"
With a scream of rage, Aelan turned his attention to Sandrock, "What about you, Quatre? It's your choice. You either die now, or you die fighting!"
"What on Earth is Aelan doing?" Relena asked in shock.
Kiron dropped his head, and answered, "It's exactly what I feared. The Eternal System has driven him to a berserker rage. He can't control the raging hormones and chemicals that are bombarding his body and mind."
Relena watched breathlessly as Aelan pointed the matter cannon at Heavyarms. However, he still didn't make any moves to attack, as if something was holding him back…
Suddenly, Relena pushed Kiron to the side, and said, "Sorry, Kiron, but I've finally figured it out!"
"Figured what out?"
Not answering, Relena activated the comm to broadcast on all channels…
Heero watched as Aelan pointed the deadly matter cannon at Altron now. At the moment, the other pilots were merely in shock, and they couldn't react like they should. But if Aelan turned Commadore's weapons HIS way, there was going to be one hell of a rumble.
"No one attack!" Relena screamed over the comm, "Aelan is under the influence of what he calls the Eternal System. He's simply not himself!"
Wufei then snapped back, "I would never have noticed that. Thank you, Relena."
"We might not have much of a choice, Relena." Heero answered.
"Think about it!" Relena said, "Remember Calnus? He had all that rage as well, but he could never intentionally harm a woman, right Duo?"
"Yeah…" Duo replied, not sure what Relena was getting at.
"He might have been under the influence of the powerful control of the Eternal System, but he COULD control it! That's why Aelan isn't attacking you right now! He'd never instigate a fight! That's why he wants all of you to start one!"
"SHUT UP!" Aelan hollered, and Commadore's matter cannon suddenly pointed in between Cygnus and Altron, towards the Advisor Offices. "How about you, Heero? This thing's got some pretty good range! Are you going to risk losing Relena again, and your child?"
Heero started to move, but Relena chided, "Stay your ground, Heero. He won't harm me!"
Commadore's arm holding the cannon started to tremble, like Aelan was having a hard time keeping it level. "Come on… fight me! DAMN YOU… FIGHT ME!"
Heero shook his head, "You yourself said that I should only fight for a proper cause, Aelan. You should follow your same advice. This battle would be meaningless."
Then without warning, the matter cannon fell to the ground, and Commadore dropped to its knees. The entire mobile suit started shaking, as if it was having one massive seizure. Finally, it fell forward, face first into the ground, unmoving and lifeless…
Next Time…
With Calnus dead, Ventrali unveils a new plan to exact his revenge on those who had wronged him. Meanwhile, with Aelan recovering from the battle against Juggernaut, another alien suit arrives in North Am, claiming to be Aelan's dead wife, Yeara. In curiosity, Noin leaves to confront the strange new visitor.
Coming in Episode 20: The Monster Called Jealousy