Disclaimer: See Chapter 1


"Everyone, begin preparations for launching!" one of the loudspeakers echoed. "All soldiers to your stations!" People ran past the Eternal and the ArchAngel's crew who were finishing the last of the repairs and were nearly ready to launch.

"You have fifteen minutes before we're launching! I want you all on the ArchAngel by then!" Murrue said as everyone nodded and ran off to have a last talk with the others.

"Same goes for the Eternal!" Andrew yelled out. He turned to Murrue. "Seems that they got the Eternal out no problem. Commander Jule was trying to make us all nervous."

"Yeah…"

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine," Murrue assured her friend. "I'm sure that we'll meet each other again soon, when this is over for good," she said as she saluted. Andrew nodded, saluted back, and began to walk away. "Wait!" Murrue called after him, who turned. "Be careful, okay?"

"Same goes for you." Murrue looked onward until he boarded the Eternal and then floated across to the ArchAngel.

Nearby, Kira and Lacus were watching the preparations near the Eternal. "Are you sure about this? You don't have to go with the Eternal. It would be safer in the PLANTs."

Lacus shook her head, "I need to go with them… and I will be there with you when we arrive. There's no need to worry."

Kira smiled. "I guess you're right. Take care then," he said as he gave her a kiss and waved as he drifted to the Freedom. Kira clutched the ring Lacus gave him the last time they parted, as he found himself inside Freedom once again.

"So, do you still have doubts about him being your brother?" Athrun asked Cagalli as they watched Kira leave Lacus.

"No, not anymore, but I'm still older."

Athrun laughed, "Okay." He thought for moment before speaking. "Hey, are you sure you want to go out in the Strike Rogue?"

"What's wrong with that? They've rebuilt it and I have to make sure you don't do something stupid like trying to kill yourself again."

"I'll try not to," Athrun said as they kissed. "Well, see you soon. Justice, Freedom, Duel, and Buster are escorting all the ships out since they're nuclear powered now and don't need to recharge."

"Welcome, Mr. Azrael," one of the officers said as Kogane entered the bridge of the newly built silvery ship, Lunarian. "We've gathered all our forces. Just give the order, and we can start heading for the PLANTs." Kogane nodded.

"Are you planning for a frontal assault sir?" another officer asked as Kogane sat down in the captain's seat. He was not going to risk a captain betraying him the way his brother's did on the Dominion.

"Yes, proceed."

"But isn't a direct attack obvious? They will be ready for us unless we took an alternate course and surprised them."

"We have enough forces and they are no match for us anyway," Kogane answered calmly. "They are just impurities to our world. I will say this again, proceed."

"For the preservation of our blue and pure world!" the crew agreed.

Miriallia desperately looked for Dearka. 'I only have ten minutes left. Why am I spending it looking for him?' she thought. She finally found him next to the Buster, suited up and ready to launch.

He noticed her and said a casual, "Hey, what's up?"

She sighed in relief and changed her tone to an annoyed one, "Why did you have to stand in a place that took me so long to find?"

"It isn't obvious that I'd be right next to the Buster?"

"No!" Apparently, she hadn't thought of that, being so intent in finding him.

"Sorry," Dearka said.

"Hey," Miriallia said as Dearka looked up. "You better not die. If you do, I'll never forgive you."

"Isn't that a bit too much pressure?" Miriallia glared at him, "Okay, I'll be careful. But the same goes for you."

"Thanks..." Dearka looked at her in surprise. "What? Is it odd to hear me say thanks?"

"No! Not at all!" he said nervously.

"I have something to tell you after this is over, so you better come back and hear it," Miriallia said, looking away.

"Don't worry, I will," Dearka said as he kissed Miriallia on the cheek and left her blushing vibrantly as he turned and entered Buster.

She watched until the cockpit closed and headed for the ArchAngel. "You have to come back, or else I wouldn't be able to bear it," she whispered as a tear trickled down her cheek. Recalling his promise, she wiped the tear away. "I know you won't let me down," she said confidently as Miriallia entered the ArchAngel and grasped on to one of the conveyor belts that carried her down to the bridge.

Dearka turned on the Buster and found that one of the buttons were flashing. He turned on the communication screen and saw Yzak.

"Took you long enough," Yzak said.

"Hey, I was busy."

"Sure."

"How's the improved Duel?" Dearka asked, attempting to change to subject. To his surprise, it worked.

"It's quite impressive. Duel should be a lot faster than before. It even has a neutron-jammer canceler in here."

"I get to use a beam sword for once…" Dearka said as he looked up the weaponry in Buster.

"Ha, I'd like to see that."

"I'll do better than when you first tried."

"Sure…" Yzak said sarcastically as Dearka glared at him through the screen.

The ships all slowly exited the hangars one by one. Dearka watched as the ArchAngel and the Eternal left. Yzak exited and then it was his turn.

"Dearka Elthman, Buster, launching!"