Disclaimer: See Chapter 1


"Mr. Azrael, sensors have spotted ZAFT forces!" The screen zeroed in on a mass of distant colored lights, revealing an organized mass of battleships and mobile suits. Among them were the anticipated ArchAngel and the Gundams. "Should we continue on our course, sir?"

"Yes, continue," Kogane said, slightly annoyed that they would even reconsider his commands. His subordinates shifted in their seats, uncomfortable under his watchful eyes. Their own fleet flew gracefully toward ZAFT without slowing. The soldiers of Gold Cosmos looked on in awe as the numerous ZAFT vessels grew in sight. Despite the large number of enemies, no one was too worried about losing for they had the one thing that assured a swift and complete victory: nukes.

A door behind them slid open and an officer floated silently to Kogane and whispered in his ear, "Your mobile suit is ready for launch, sir."

"Good," he answered. "Start deploying the mobile suits! We're about to start the annihilation of the Coordinators!" Azrael announced as he got off his seat and motioned for a nearby officer to take command.

Later, Kogane was sitting in the cockpit of Gold Cosmos's only nuclear powered mobile suit, the Apocalypse Gundam. It contained all the latest weaponry designed by Gold Cosmos, including two high-powered beam cannons and a plethora of sabers. To top it all off, Kogane ordered for a layer of gold paint to go on top.

"I will show you what it is to really fight for a pure world," Kogane thought as the catapult readied for launch. "Kogane Azrael, Apocalypse, launching!" he yelled into the speaker as the catapult activated and Apocalypse was sent hurtling outside into the prominent battlefield.

The ZAFT sensors went ballistic. "Commander Yzak, we have confirmation that three fourths of the enemy fleet are carrying nukes," one of the officers said into the speaker.

"Damn!" Yzak thought.

"This is going to tough, but we can handle it. Right?" Dearka's voice said on another speaker.

"Yeah, of course," Yzak replied, some of his confidence restored. One of his sensors started beeping and his screen zeroed in on a mobile suit launching from the command ship of the enemy forces. It was bright gold and unlike anything they've seen before.

"What is that?" Kira said to himself with the all communication channels to the other Gundam pilots opened.

"It must be nuclear powered like the Gundams," Athrun remarked.

The two forces drew closer and closer. "Commence level one battlestations!" Murrue yelled out. Both fleets opened the battle with a seemingly endless supply of missiles.

Dearka opened fire on a bunch of the missiles to defend the ArchAngel before firing his beam cannon at the nearest enemy battleship. Numerous other ships on both sides exploded in a display of fire and lights. The ZAFT fleet was slowly being pushed back.

"Where's the Eternal?" Dearka thought as he attempted to use his beam swords. Fortunately, he mastered the skill quite quickly much to Yzak's disapproval in the speaker.

"No!" Dearka heard Kira yell out. Gold Cosmos began launching the nukes at the PLANTs. At that moment, a barrage of cannons came from the other side and destroyed most of the nukes and ships. The Eternal made it.

"Kira! Athrun!" Lacus and Andrew called out. "Prepare to engage the Meteors!" The Justice and Freedom flew off to get the packs on, leaving some of the ships unprotected. Another swarm of nukes was fired. Yzak and Dearka were in the process of destroying the remaining nukes when a golden object blocked their fire. It was the unknown mobile suit they detected earlier.

Yzak and Dearka attempted to destroy Apocalypse while Kira and Athrun finally mounted the Meteors and got rid of the rest of the nukes. One of the lasers hit the Lunarian and the white command ship emitted an array of sparks, moved painfully forward for few more seconds, and collapsed, exploding.

"No!" yelled Kogane. "I will not lose!" He sliced at Yzak who was preoccupied with the destruction of the Lunarian and part of the Duel exploded.

"Yzak!" Dearka shouted as he drove off the Apocalypse.

"I'll be fine," Yzak said. "I'll go to the ArchAngel for repairs."

Dearka shielded Yzak from the rest of the gunfire as he boarded the ArchAngel.

Kogane yelled into the speaker, "Launch all nukes!"

"But sir! They won't make it to the PLANTs! There's too much interference!"

"Just do it!" The remaining nukes left the ships. Several collided with ZAFT and Gold Cosmos ships with the Gold Cosmos soldiers watching in bewilderment.

"Athrun!" Kira yelled and Athrun nodded in the screen. They destroyed the remaining nukes.

"They're fighting a losing battle," Cagalli silently told herself.

Pondering for a moment, Kira opened all channels of communication. "What are you doing Kira?" Cagalli asked.

"Trust me on this." Kira spoke into the radio, "Attention Gold Cosmos! If we continue fighting, then the killing would all be in vain! Please surrender and we can talk it over peacefully!"

"Can you not see and mourn for everyone who gave their lives? What you're doing is pointless. If we don't stop the hatred between Coordinators and Naturals, the war will never end!" Lacus joined in.

"Don't you dare surrender!" Kogane yelled.

Despite his command, one of the commanders came on screen. "Please acknowledge our surrender."

"Damn you all!" Kogane yelled. "I'll destroy all the Coordinators, even if I have to do it myself!" He shot at the ArchAngel and shouted in surprise and fury as the Buster blocked the shot with its shield.

"Buster's shield won't be able to block another beam," Dearka thought. "I have to end this as quickly as possible.

Failing at destroying the ArchAngel, Kogane turned the Apocalypse around and drove his beam saber into one of his own ships that had surrendered, slicing it in half. Kira and the others watched in horror. Kogane proceeded to destroy another one when Buster fired and blew up one of Apocalypse's arms.

"You dirty Coordinator! I'll kill you!" Kogane shouted insanely as he aimed Apocalypse's remaining arm with a cannon at the Buster. They fired at the same time and two explosions were seen from the ArchAngel.

"Dearka!" Yzak yelled out.

Miriallia looked on in horror, speechless. "It… can't be…" she whispered, tears filling her eyes. "He can't be… he couldn't have…" Miriallia stuttered and finally cried out, "Dearka!"