ZAFT Jachin Due Asteroid Fortress, September 19, C.E. 71, 0900.
Seventy warships. Four hundred mobile suits. Twenty thousand soldiers. Those numbers didn't even take into account Jachin Due's own forces. The invasion fleet sat moored at the main docks just off of the asteroid's perimeter, while the base's own fleet rested inside of the dock built into the rock. Blue Nazca-class and green Laurasia-class were the most frequent ships visible to the naked eye, with GINNs and the new GuAIZ mobile suits scattered among them. Due to the amount of space the invasion fleet itself took up, the number of patrolling mobile suits had been dropped drastically in the past few weeks, a concern the base's commander had expressed frequently to Chairman Zala and the others on the Supreme Council, but they'd ignored him on every turn except for those that required his consent.
The base commander sat in his office, overlooking the docks on the outside of the asteroid. He wore his senior officers uniform, purple with black outline, the one's only worn by the higher echelon of officers. His long black hair was combed neatly and his expression was neutral as he looked out at the massive fleet now docked at his base. An ear-set covered his ears, magnifying the voice of the man he was currently listening to.
"From what I've gotten out of General Amalfi, the plan is to have Chairman Zala make his speech to see us off at approximately 1000, which gives you plenty of time to conduct your own business." Rau's voice hummed in its deep strains through the ear-set. "Immediately afterward, the fleet will mobilize and head out, heading towrads their designated drop points around the world. The expectation is that we'll be able to have it underway by tonight or early tomorrow. Which means we'll all be out of your hair within an hour, hopefully." The base commander said nothing in response. "Are you alright, sir? You seem troubled all of a sudden, Commodore Dullindal."
"Believe me. Both of us will be happy when the fleet leaves," Gilbert said, his voice almost a whisper.
"I apologize for furthering your stress level in any way, Commodore," Rau said. "I understand that you've had your fair share of scuffles with Chairman Zala in the past, but I anticipate he'll be in too good of a mood to offer any criticisms of you and your men." He stood on the bridge of the Vesalius, which was currently remaining stationary behind the main dock, which was already packed with a full thirteen warships. Ades sat in the Captain's chair beside him, while Yzak floated with his arms folded behind them. Yzak had just returned the night before from a visit with his mother, Ezalia Joule, Supreme Council Representative, but based on Yzak's expression when he returned, it hadn't gone as well as he'd expected. "By the way," Rau continued, his voice dropping to just below a whisper. "I've been wondering how the...project has been going."
"On schedule," Gilbert replied quietly. "I may not like it, but it's on schedule."
"The Mirage Colloid is working I can see. From where I'm standing you can't even tell that it's there. Of course, I'm assuming that it isn't fully operational yet, is it?" No response. "I didn't think so. Well, just as long as Chairman Zala's happy with the progress I don't anticipate you'll have any problems on your hands. Let's just both agree that we hope to get this invasion over with as quickly as possible, and the war while we're at it."
"Agreed," Gilbert said quickly. "Thank you, Commander."
"Yes, sir," Rau said and signed off, plunging Gilbert's office into silence again. Gilbert turned the ear-set off and leaned back in his cushioned chair. He could see the ships of the invasion fleet beginning to stir and move about, meaning that they were getting ready to head out. GINNs were now returning to their ships after being on patrol for most of the morning, while Gilbert's own forces took over for them. At the moment, Gilbert's forces at Jachin Due were already strapped to the limit, because of General Amalfi adding ten ships from Gilbert's forces to the invasion fleet, under orders from Zala.
Zala...Gilbert thought uneasily to himself. He turned his chair about a quarter turn to his left and glanced at what appeared to be an empty area of space, void of anything except the distant blinking of the stars. Rau had been correct. The Mirage Colloid was working to perfection, fully shielding the project from the unseen eye. Gilbert had protested vigorously about the project in its entirety, but had finally given in to his friend Yuri Amalfi's arguments about how it would be necessary to protect the PLANTs should the unthinkable happen. Gilbert chuckled. Yuri was the only reason why the invasion fleet was even here at Jachin Due as well. After the Boaz incident roughly a month ago, Zala had locked down all ports of interest to civilian traffic, except Jachin Due of course, because the invasion fleet needed to be serviced and Jachin Due did had the forces to accomodate this many ships at first. So in reality, Gilbert had no choice in the matter. It was either he allowed the invasion fleet to anchor here, or he would find himself out of a job. Another decision hammered out by Chairman Zala, Gilbert thought sheepishly, relaxing his arms behind his head. Gilbert had never really been a supporter of Patrick and his warlord associates. In more ways, he secretly agreed with the policies of former Chairman Clyne who preached a peaceful end to the war. However, with Patrick's harsh actions against all of Clyne's followers, Gilbert could not afford to let his views on matters slip. War was always like that. You were either supportive of your cause, or you were a traitor. There was no happy medium.
Someone knocked on the door to Gilbert's office. "Yes?"
"Rinaldo here, sir. Chairman Zala and the others have arrived, Commodore."
"I'll be there shortly." Gilbert closed his eyes and sighed heavily. It was time to go to work. He slinked out of his chair and shook his head to get his long, black hair untangled. After running his fingers through it several times to make sure it was straight, he exited his office and locked the door behind him.
He led Rinaldo down several corridors and an elevator to the main command center. Gilbert strolled past soldiers who slumped over their consoles in the command center, keeping tabs on the ships that were anchored in the docks outside or on Jachin Due's own forces inside the asteroid. Like its twin fortress Boaz, Jachin Due was designed on the inside similar to that of a casino. Designed to keep people in rather than out, in order to keep spies on the inside. Unfortunately, the Boaz incident had caused a heightened security at all ZAFT facilities, and Jachin Due was no exception. Gilbert walked past guards armed with heavy rifles and guns, who saluted him as he walked past.
Gilbert stopped just short of a set of double, steel doors. He glanced behind him at Rinaldo, who stood at perfect attention behind him. The other six soldiers flanking Gilbert on opposite sides held their rifles against their shoulders and stood straight, their uniforms pristinely washed and sparkling. Gilbert turned back towards the double doors just in time to see them slide apart. He stood at attention and waited.
Two ZAFT soldiers came through first, their eyes darting every which way to check for anything suspicious. After confirming that it was safe, they backed up next to where the other six guards stood at attention. One waved his hand across the doorway to signal an all clear. Gilbert held his breath.
A dark shadow was visible in the middle of the doorway, that of a man. The shadow moved towards the doorway and into the command center, walking briskly past the guards that lined the way. Patrick's face was serious as he strolled into the room, Yuri and Ezalia following him on opposite sides, with another four ZAFT soldiers bringing up the rear. Patrick said nothing as he approached Gilbert, stopping just inches from the other man. Gilbert and Patrick stared fiercely into each other's eyes, as if searching for a weakness in each other's armor. But if there was one, neither of them could find it. Everyone in the command center had stopped what they were doing and had stood at attentiton when the leader of ZAFT had entered, and now all eyes were on Patrick and Gilbert as they stood toe to toe, eye to eye, neither so much as moving an inch.
Finally, slowly, Gilbert saluted with his right hand. Rinaldo and the other ZAFT soldiers quickly followed. Patrick, Yuri, and Ezalia each did as well. "Chairman Zala," Gilbert began smartly. "General Amalfi. Senator Joule," he added, inclining his head to each of them. "Welcome to Jachin Due." Gilbert raised his eyebrows and managed a slight smile, that everyone knew was fake. "Well, I suppose you want to see the invasion fleet."
"Yes, Commodore," Patrick responded sternly.
"Very well. Please follow me." Gilbert spun quickly on his heel and motioned for the soldiers behind him to move out of the way. He strolled down the walkway and further into his base, the leaders of ZAFT following in his wake.
Vesalius, 0940.
The water was cool as it trickled down Rau's throat, washing the pill down with it. He swallowed lightly and felt the medication slide down his throat and into his system. He placed the water glass on the tray on his desk, which was taken away by Flay. The girl began making her way out of Rau's office, but turned just as she was about to leave. Rau was examining something on his computer console, something Flay could not read from where she stood. She thought she saw the diagram of a mobile suit, but couldn't be sure. Then a long stretch of writing appeared on the screen. Whatever it was, Rau was obviously happy to see it, for a smile made its way onto his face. "What is it?" Flay asked.
"The key to end the war, my dear," Rau responded, shutting the computer down and ejecting the disk that had been lodged inside of it. "Hopefully, I'll be able to deliver it to the final door very soon." Rau deposited the disk into one of his desk's drawers and closed it. He walked past Flay, towards the corridor and said, "Make sure that no one enters while I'm away, my dear."
The door closed before Flay had a chance to answer. She sighed gently at the fact that she was alone again. She turned back towards Rau's desk and set the tray down on it. Locating the drawer, she opened it and retrieved the disk, holding it in her hands. What does he mean by, final key? she wondered.
Rau made his way back up to the bridge where Ades and Yzak still waited. "Anything new?" he asked, floating in.
"It's almost time, Commander," Ades responsed. "General Amalfi gave the order for all crews to return to their ships just a moment ago."
"Get to level one battlestations, then Ades," Rau ordered, sitting down in his chair. "Have the Ziegler do the same."
"You want us in our units, Commander?" Yzak asked from behind Rau.
"No, that won't be necessary, Yzak. Not until tonight that is," Rau said. Underneath the call for battlestations, Rau thought he heard Yzak grunt behind him. Curious as to what was the matter, Rau turned his chair and asked what was troubling his subordinate.
"Nothing," Yzak replied sternly, turning his head.
"Your visit with your mother didn't go well, did it," Rau said.
Yzak snorted. His visit, if you could call it that, with his mother Ezalia had not gone as he had hoped. His mother had barely spent fifteen minutes with him when she had gone off to do other work concerning the invasion. She hadn't even said goodbye to Yzak before rushing off. It had been like that ever since he was little, but it still hurt him considerably whenever that happened. That was one of the reason's why Yzak hoped the war would be over soon and he could just get back to normal life.
"You're hoping the war will be over soon and you'll be able to spend time with your family again, Yzak," Rau proclaimed.
"Yes..." Yzak responded quietly.
"Don't worry. The war will be over soon enough," Rau said, turning back towards the front of the bridge. Sooner than you believe.
Jachin Due, 0955.
The door to the main observation and control center opened and Gilbert led his party into the room's spacious layout. A small number of soldiers and technicians sat working at computer consoles and other posts, while the entire facility Jachin Due boasted was completely visable from the massive viewport at the room's front. "Our final stop on the tour, Chairman, the observation and control center," Gilbert proclaimed. "You'll be able to speak to the fleet from here and see them off. It may not be very glamorous, but it's the best we can do with what we have."
"Thank you," Patrick said, moving past Gilbert and towards the viewport. Ezalia followed, while Gilbert and Yuri hung back behind them.
"Is the fleet ready?" Yuri asked Gilbert.
"Let me check." Gilbert turned to his associate and said, "Rinaldo, check with le Creuset to make sure his forces are prepared for launch."
"Also pass the word that the fleet will commence launch as soon as Patrick is finished speaking," Yuri added.
"Yes, sir."
Gilbert could see Patrick and Ezalia engaged in conversation in front of him, and he sighed. "You managing, Gilbert?" Yuri asked calmly.
"Barely," Gilbert admitted. He leaned close to his friend and added, "How long do you think Patrick's gonna talk? I'd like to have your guys out of here by this afternoon."
Yuri raised his eyebrows and responded, "Knowing Patrick he may take all morning to finish and based on our recent run of luck, something will probably happen and we won't be able to leave for a few more days."
Gilbert shuddered. "Ugh...don't even make me think about it, Yuri, please."
"Commander le Creuset reports the Vesalius and the ships in his force are ready, Commodore. Commander Slythr says his guys are ready as well," Rinaldo called.
"I think everything's ready, Patrick," Yuri said.
"Then make it so every ship in the fleet can here me, Commodore Dullindal. I don't want to sound like a fool in front of all these soldiers."
"Yes, Chairman," Gilbert said. Gilbert nodded to Yuri and headed towards his command chair in the rear of the room. Yuri walked up to where Ezalia and Patrick stood, overlooking the dockyards outside. Gilbert sat down and waited. The invasion would begin soon, and hopefully the war would end as well. His glance once again trained on the seemingly empty portion of space he had eyed earlier. The war would end, hopefully, before they had to use it.
"All channels are open, Chairman Zala," a soldier reported.
"Very good," Patrick said, standing up straight and clearing his throat. "Soldiers of ZAFT, hear me. As we embark on this righteous crusade, let us hope..."
As Gilbert listened to his leader's voice, something else sounded. He glanced over at one of the consoles below him. It was chiming with a loud squeal, and blinking profusely. "What's the matter?" Gilbert asked the soldier manning the console.
"I'm not sure, sir," the man said, typing in commands on the keyboard in front of him. "Radar's picking up something on the outskirts, it looks like."
"What is it?" Gilbert asked, coming towards the man.
"What's going on?" Yuri asked, craning his neck behind him. Patrick stopped speaking abruptly and turned with a scowl on his face.
"We're not sure, General," the soldier said, Gilbert coming up behind him.
"Cut the channels!" Patrick shouted. "What the hell's the matter, Dullindal?"
"Something's approaching, sir," Gilbert reported. Yuri and Ezalia glanced suspiciously at one another, neither one understanding what was happening. "Can you identify?" Gilbert asked the soldier.
"Should be able to..." the man said, typing in more commands on his keyboard. Finally, the screen cleared and the chiming stopped. "Got it. Mobile suit approaching, Commodore."
"One of ours?" Yuri asked, coming up towards the console.
"No sir. It's not listed in the registry."
"There's a larger heat source behind it, Commodore," another soldier reported. "Looks to be a warship."
"You can't identify either of them?" Gilbert asked.
"Hang on a minute," the first man said, leaning in close to the screen and narrowing his eyes. Then his eyes snapped open and his mouth dropped. "X-105 Strike!"
Gilbert gasped. "What?" Yuri stuttered, coming up beside Gilbert and leaning forward at the console.
"It's X-105 Strike, General," the soldier repeated. "The ship behind it is the legged ship!"
"What the hell are they doing here?" Ezalia wondered out loud.
"Sir, two more contacts incoming," the second soldier reported. "Checking thermal patterns...they're X-10A Freedom and X-09A Justice!" This time, everyone in the room gasped in shock.
1000.
From inside the cockpits of the Freedom and Justice, Kira and Athrun could see the approaching rock fortress of Jachin Due directly in front of them. Its gun emplacements and radar antennae stretched outwards towards the heavens, while the dock inside the asteroid appeared to be the mouth of a giant vortex, swallowing anything that came close to it. They could see the ships docked or floating outside of the fortress, each one preparing to assault the Earth with full force. They also knew that every ship was filled with even more mobile suits, and more soldiers than even that.
Images of the past were running about inside of Athrun's head as he approached inside the Justice. Images of the last time he'd spoken to his father, and what he was about to do now.
Flashback-
Athrun sat in the pilot's dressing room on the Eternal, his head pointed towards the ground, supported by his fists. In a matter of moments, he would be out in space, heading towards Jachin Due, though this time to fight against ZAFT instead of helping it. In order for the planned operation to succeed, Athrun would need to speak with his father first, but Athrun still had no clue what he was going to talk to his father about. The last time he'd tried, he'd ended up getting shot by Patrick. So what would happen this time?
"Athrun." Athrun turned to see Kira enter the room, dressed in his pilot suit, and pulling on his gloves. "It's time."
"Yeah..." Athrun said uneasily, scooping up his helmet.
"You alright?" Kira asked.
"Alright? Heh. I'm more nervous than I am alright," Athrun responded. "What's gonna happen if something goes wrong, or I screw up?"
"You won't screw up, Athrun," Kira told his friend. "It's just your father you're talking to."
"But given his current mind-set, it's unlikely that I'll get through to him," Athrun said, his voice rising. "Not to mention the fact that the last time I tried to talk to him I ended up with a bullet in my shoulder."
"Athrun," Kira interrupted. "Come on. This time it's different."
"Huh?" Athrun stuttered.
"This time, you'll have friends backing you up. Like me," Kira said, grinning slightly. "Besides. Even if we do have to start shooting, at least we know that we tried to talk to your father."
Athrun sighed. "At least there's that, I guess." Athrun turned and headed towards the door, sliding his helmet onto his head. "Let's get this over with, then."
"Right behind you," Kira said, following him out the door.
End Flashback-
Athrun's heart was still sunken even now, inside the cockpit of the Justice.
As the Justice and Freedom passed through the blockade of anti-ship cannons, their devastating guns projecting outwards towards any intruders that dared to come close to Jachin Due, they were joined by the Strike, taking up position behind and to their right, it's color scheme an undistinguishable gray, with its phase shift armor deactivated. Kira's mobile suit also had its armor deactivated so they would appear more friendly to the forces at the base. Athrun had the Justice's armor up, which turned the Justice scarlet red, but he had none of his weapons powered up. The only thing running now was the engines and diagnostic boards, the same with the Freedom and Strike as well. Hopefully, this would at least present itself to Patrick that they weren't here to do anything to threaten his position with the invasion, but those hopes weren't all that realistic to Athrun.
Alongside the Justice, Mwu waved the Strike's hand forward, the signal for Athrun to begin. Taking a deep breath, Athrun logged into the Justice's computer and sent a message to Jachin Due.
1002.
"You say it's the Freedom and the Justice?" Patrick asked. The soldier at the console nodded. "Why the hell are they here?" Patrick hissed, mostly to himself.
"What's the status of the legged ship?" Gilbert asked his subordinate. "Has it moved?"
"No, sir," the soldier replied. "It's not moving. It's engines aren't active and we have no signs of any target locks on any of our posts."
Gilbert pressed his lips together and they formed a thin line. "Give the order for all civilian personnel to evacuate the main docks."
"Yes, sir."
"Why are you evacuating them, Gilbert?" Yuri asked quietly.
"Because we don't know what they want, General. They may want to hurt us, they may not, but right now, I'm about to take any chances," Gilbert responded.
"Message incoming, sir," another soldier reported. "Commodore, it's from the Justice!"
"What's it saying?" Gilbert demanded.
"Message reads: This is...X-09A Justice pilot...Athrun Zala..."
"Athrun...!" Patrick scowled, clenching his fist.
"I...ask...to speak...with...my father...ZAFT...Supreme Council...Chairman...Patrick Zala..." the soldier continued. "I repeat...I wish...to talk...to my father...Patrick Zala..."
"Why are you here, Athrun?" Patrick said to himself. "What are you doing, you little fool!"
"Chairman, sir...?" Gilbert said.
"Get me a private channel, Dullindal!" Patrick ordered, turning back towards the viewport at the front of the command room. "I think it's time my son and I had a little chat."
Vesalius, 1002.
"Well..." Rau murmured, peeking over the shoulder of one of the ship's bridge crew at the console before him. "So Athrun has returned and wants to talk with his father. This is interesting."
"Sir?" Ades interrupted.
"I know, I know," Rau responded. "All hands, level two battlestations. We won't be taking any chances."
Behind them, Yzak stirred slightly as he looked out at the map in front of him, showing the approaching mobile suits. Unless the message was an utter lie, his former comrade and...friend, Athrun was inside one of them, and heading this way.
Suddenly, Yzak was back in a place that he hadn't been to in almost five months. "Next time I'll be the one in charge!" he shouted at Athrun, who's back was turned to him. They stood inside the Carpentaria Base's main complex, just before Operation Spit-Break. Athrun was just about to depart for the homeland as part of his transfer to the Special Forces of the National Defense Committee, and to receive the X-09A Justice as part of his new post. "Don't get killed until then," Yzak added.
Athrun turned with a small smile spread across his lips. "You got it, Yzak," he said, before turning away and heading back towards his awaiting shuttle.
Athrun...Yzak thought to himself.
"Yzak." The voice of his Commander startled Yzak right out of his thoughts. Yzak snapped his head up and saw Rau looking right at him, a perplexed look on his face. "Is something wrong?"
"No, sir," Yzak responded calmly. "It's just...sir. Please give me permission to board my unit."
"What?" Rau said.
"You said it youself, sir. Right now, we can't take any chances with their intentions unknown to us," Yzak said. "I'd feel better if I was in the Duel, sir."
Rau turned to Ades for his input, but his Captain just shrugged his soldiers as if to say, it couldn't hurt. "Alright, then. You've permission. But you are ordered not to launch unless authorized, Yzak. We don't want to cause trouble just sitting here."
"Sir!" Yzak saluted, and hurried off the bridge.
1003.
The trio of mobile suits continued on their course, deeper into Jachin Due's defensive network, past large capital ships, their weapons seeming to be all pointing directly at them. The giant asteroid was directly in front of them, and growing larger by the second.
Mwu decided they were in far enough and transmitted the order for them to stop. The mobile suits' engines were cut and they came to a halt, in the middle of the invasion fleet, surrounded by Nazca's and Laurasia's, plus a few scattered GINNs on patrol. Kira and Mwu turned their mobile suits around to guard their rear, while Athrun continued to position the Justice directly towards Jachin Due, his weapons still powered down. His tension growing by the second, he waited. Waited for any response from his father, who he hoped was in a good mood. Athrun had already witnessed what his father was like in a bad mood many times, and he wasn't eager to see it again.
"Athrun..." a deep voice sounded from the radio, breaking through the static like a baseball through a plate glass window. Athrun was able to recognize his father's voice from a mile away, and Patrick didn't sound in a good mood, which made Athrun shiver.
"Father," Athrun said, calmly.
"I see you didn't lose the Justice after all," Patrick said quietly, his voice almost a purr. "And you even managed to bring the Freedom back. Well, done." Athrun didn't respond. "But what I'm really wondering is...what are you doing back here, Athrun?"
"I've come to talk father," Athrun said, after a pause. "This time...no weapons..." and he deactivated the Justice's phase shift armor and weapons.
Kira saw the Justice's form change from red to gray, and exhaled painfully. This had been Athrun's own addition to the plan, one that was severely objected to by Mwu and Admiral Cantarii beforehand. But Athrun had gotten his way, and the plan was proceeding as scheduled. Kira cast a quick glance in front him. Nothing. Good. That was how it was supposed to be. Through the radio, Kira heard Patrick hum a perplexed strain. "It seems you've learned some things, Athrun." Pause. "But it seems to me...that you're in no position to make demands of me." Kira saw a quartet of GINNs approaching from behind them, their weapons drawn. They stopped just a few meters from the Freedom, Justice, and Strike, and pointed their guns directly at them. "Now, I will ask you again," Patrick continued. "What are you doing here?"
Archangel.
"GINNs are approaching, ma'am," Chandra reported solemly. Murrue exhaled slowly through her nostrils and leaned back in her chair. Everything was going as they had expected.
"Have the anti-ship guns turned at us?" Natarle asked, down in the CIC.
"No, ma'am," Tonomura responded. "They haven't made any movements towards us."
"Message, from Commander la Flaga, Captain," Miriallia reported. "Reads...'Prepare to deploy Zero and K's. Be ready to commence assault once signal is given.'"
"Captain?" Natarle asked.
"Yes..." Murrue acknowledged, somewhat uneasily.
"Commander Barkhesh," Miriallia said. "Are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," Frank transmitted back.
"Are you alright?" Miriallia added.
"I've been worse, kid."
"But right now, you're-."
"I said, I've been worse," Frank said sternly, from inside the Zero's cockpit. Although he had been in worse situatitons, he could hardly remember any situation as ridiculous in his military career, as hanging upside down in a mobile armor, anchored underneath the hull of the Archangel by the Zero's grappling cable. He was pressed down towards the roof of the cockpit, his hands gripping the controls fiercely.
"You're clear to launch, then," Miriallia said. "Proceed on directed path and continue with your orders."
"Roger, that," Frank said. He reached over and pulled a switch that detatched the Zero's cable and released the mobile armor from the Archangel's hull. Letting the Zero's momentum flip it right-side-up, Frank activated the engines to their lowest possible energy output and pushed towards Jachin Due, a short distance ahead of him. His approach would have to be completely undetected. Hopefully the Jachin forces attention would be focused on the distraction while the rest of the assault forces got into position.
Just a few meters port of the Archangel, the Kusanagi hovered in space, it's engines cut, it's guns silent. "Zero has just launched, sir," Josh reported from the CIC.
"M1 teams?" Cantarii demanded.
"Lapina team, standing by and ready."
"Yakov team, all green."
"Peleuia and Capricorn are in position to our starboard, Admiral," Jackson added. They could see the Archangel directly in front of them, pointed straight at Jachin Due, while the Kusanagi travelled parallel to the asteroid.
Cantarii thought he heard a clanking sound behind him and turned to see a figure approaching from behind him, balanced on a pair of black, metal walking crutches. "John? What the hell are you doing here!"
"I've come to see my plan in action," John responded quietly, stopping beside Cantarii's chair, all eyes on the bridge focused on him. "It's my burden if it fails, so I want to see it for myself."
Cantarii sighed and turned away from his old friend. "Any word from Eternal?" he asked.
"It's almost in position, sir," Josh reported. "Estimated time to target area, three minutes."
On the Eternal, the bridge was almost silent, as they listened to the ongoing conversation between Athrun and Patrick. "As I said before, father, I've come to talk," Athrun's voice repeated. "About the invasion of Earth. Why are you doing this?"
"Why are we doing this?" Patrick responded harshly. "You should know exactly why we're doing this, Athrun. We have to win the war and completely defeat the Naturals, and this is how we're going to do it!"
Lacus sighed sadly at Patrick's words. "Defeat the Naturals. Why does this war have to end with the complete defeat of the Naturals?" Andy turned his chair to face the pink-haired girl. "Why must war end with one side completely defeating the other? Can there be no middle ground where both sides can end up with what's important still there? Without one side losing all that is good in life." Captain Steele sighed sadly in her chair at the front of the bridge. "Can there be no other way...than for one side to annihilate the other?"
"There is," Andy responded. He turned back towards the front viewport and said, "And we're the ones who are going to do it. Commence with operation as planned."
"Prepare to deploy METEORs," Steele ordered. "Activate anti-air defense, but do not activate engines. Prepare main cannon!"
"Message the Kusanagi!" Andy ordered. "We are in position and are awaiting the signal. All that remains is for Admiral Cantarii to give the order."
"Send a silent message to the Freedom and the Justice, also," Lacus commanded. "Tell them that they are not alone and we are ready to assist them."
"Yes, ma'am!"
1007.
"But do you have to end the war like this, father?" Athrun asked. "Think of the risks. If this fails, you'll have another Alaska on your hands, and thousands of lives will be gone on both sides!"
"As long as we win the final outcome, none of that matters," Patrick responded harshly. "As long as the Naturals are defeated, things will turn out fine! How could you have forgotten the fact that the Coordinators are the dominant species of Earth now!"
"Dominant species...how can you be the dominant species if there are no other species left on Earth once the war is over, father?" Athrun pressed on. "The way things are going, there won't be anything left at the end of this!"
"Where did you think up such nonsense!" Patrick thundered. "It's that girl. Lacus Clyne filled your head with lies too! She is nothing but a traitor to the Coordinators, and if you've sided with her, then you are a traitor as well. I knew I should've finished the job when I had the chance." An imaginary boulder struck Athrun in the stomach when those words reached him. His father thought it would have been better of if Athrun was dead already.
Kira groaned inside the Freedom's cockpit, when he heard those words. "Athrun..." he said quietly. No response. Next to the Freedom, Mwu sighed heavily. It was hopeless to get through to Patrick after all. Through his cockpit shield, he could see something large moving towards them. A Nazca-class was approaching from their rear, it's guns pointed directly at them. And with the surrounding GINNs already posing a huge threat, Mwu knew they were in trouble at the moment. Tell me you're ready, Frank, Mwu prayed.
Athrun noticed the ship approaching as well. His finger hovered over the button that would activate the phase shift armor on the Justice, but he didn't press it just yet. Through the radio, he heard his father speak again. "Athrun. If that is how you feel this war is progressing, then you leave me no choice." Pause. "Questioning the methods of ZAFT is betraying the cause, and betraying the cause makes you a traitor." Pause. "And all traitors, must be destroyed."
The GINNs aimed their guns directly at the cockpits of the defenseless mobile suits. Athrun could feel a trickle of sweat cascade down his brow. He'd tried to talk some sense into his father. And he'd failed yet again.
"Athrun..." Kira called.
The fate of so many had just rested on his shoulders, and he had failed. Why was this never easy for him?
"Athrun." Kira called again.
"I tried..." Athrun murmured. He opened his eyes and stared directly at the GINN in front of him, it's rifle ready to fire directly into his cockpit and kill him. "I tried!" he shouted, and mashed his fist into the diagnostic board, activating the Justice's armor just as the shot struck the mobile suit in the torso. The Justice turned scarlet red once again and absorbed the shot. Athrun felt the Justice's systems and weapons come online. It was time to go to work.
1010.
"I tried, Admiral!" Josh called from the Kusanagi's CIC.
Cantarii clenched his fist and shouted, "All assault forces, commence your operations! I repeat. The assault on Jachin Due is a go!"
"Activation voltage, deactivate Mirage Colloid!" Jackson shouted. "M1 teams! Deploy and proceed to targets!"
"Message Peleuia and Capricorn to commence their attacks as well!" Cantarii ordered.
"It's started, General!" DaCosta called from the rear of the Eternal's bridge.
"Prepare to fire main cannon!" Andy shouted. "Fire main engines and launch METEORs!"
"Activate Igelstellungs and Valient!" Natarle ordered from the CIC of the Archangel. "Load sledge-hammers into all missile tubes!"
"Fire engines and charge the Lohengrin!" Murrue commanded. "Signal Lieutenant Barrington to commence takeoff!"
Below Jachin Due, the Zero turned upwards on its rear and pointed straight at the docks above it. "'Bout time, Athrun," Frank commented. "Let's go!" he shouted, as he gunned the Zero's engines and zoomed towards the battlefield above him.
Jachin Due.
"And all traitors, must be destroyed," Patrick finished, as he watched the Nazca-class and GINNs approach the trio of mobile suits.
Behind him, Ezalia turned to Yuri and Gilbert, who seemed to be staring into nothing as they watched their forces prepare to destroy the defenesless mobile suits.
"Commodore..." one of the soldiers on station said suddenly. "...I have an object approaching at high speed from orange delta, bravo thirty-eight! It's a mobile armor!"
"What?" Gilbert gasped.
"The legged ship has fired its engines, sir!" another soldier reported.
The GINNs fired their weapons directly at the Justice. Patrick thought he heard Athrun shout something, and then the Justice turned scarlet red with the activation of its phase shift armor and absorbed the blast. Patrick's eyes shot open. The Freedom and the Strike had also activated their phase shift armor, turning them both white and blue, which also meant that their weapons were active.
"Three large objects at green charlie, two-seven-zero! They're warships!" Gilbert cursed to himself as he came over to the soldier's console. "Orb, Izumo-class sir!"
"Where the hell did they come from!" Yuri wondered out loud.
"Confirmed mobile suits launching from the Izumo-class ships, General!
"Another large object at orange delta, twelve! It's...it's the Eternal, sir!"
Patrick felt his heart sink when he saw what happened next. All of a sudden, large blossoms of orange fire spread across the hull of the Nazca-class that was heading towards the trio of mobile suits, and explosions followed soon afterward, casting a deafening roar across the entire base premises. Patrick saw the Freedom and Justice soar backwards towards the now completely visible Eternal, while the Strike brought its green Agni cannon into firing position and aimed directly at the bridge of the warship. It fired, and the bridge was engulfed in flames.
"Commodore!" Patrick heard a soldier shout. "We're under attack!"
1011.
"Fire!" Andy shouted. Eternal's main cannon released its deadly shot directly at one of the main docks, where close to twelve warships lay at anchor. The shot connected directly with a Nazca, setting the right claw completely ablaze, and penetrating to the main dock itself, exploding fuel containers and ammunition scattered on the docks, obliterating soldiers caught in the line of fire. The explosions spread across the dock, igniting anything that was in their path. The main cannon fired again, striking the same Nazca-class, which was engulfed in flames shortly thereafter, followed by a series of loud explosions.
"Freedom and Justice are appraoching," a crewman reported.
"Release METEORs!" Lacus commanded.
On the front of the ship, the two Mobile suit Embedded Tactical EnfORcers detatched themselves and hovered in space, waiting for the approaching mobile suits. Kira and Athrun cut their engines and slowly backing towards the units, which folded upward, then outward to admit the two mobile suits, which attached with heavy clanking sounds. "METEORs are attached!" Kira called.
"Proceed to targets!" Andy ordered. "Just be careful where you shoot, those things pack a big punch!"
"Right!" both Kira and Athrun said together. The METEORs' engines fired and sent the Freedom and Justice zooming into the battlefield.
"Fire!" Murrue shouted, as the Lohengrin's blasted directly towards one of the anti-ship cannons, obliterating it in seconds.
"Fire!" Jackson shouted, as the Kusanagi's Gottfried's took out another cannon, while the smaller Peleuia and Capricorn double teamed another, eventually destroying it as well.
Out of the front hatches of the Izumo-classes, roared a force of twenty-two M1s, their weapons primed and ready to go. "Blue team, deal with the GINNs," Lapina ordered from his cockpit. "Green team, black team, we'll take the big ships. Let's go!" The force of M1s roared past the destroyed anti-ship cannons and into Jachin Due's defensive perimeter, which was already lighting up with fire.
"Take this!" Mwu shouted, as he unleashed another volley from the Agni, catching two GINNs square in the middle and destroying them.
"I gotcha!" Frank howled, separating his gun barrels and setting them to stutter fire. He sent two barrels to hit a looming Laurasia-class from port while the other two attacked from starboard. Yellow streams of fire cascaded from the guns, catching the ship directly in their path of fire, causing explosions and fires to break out. Pulling a quick starboard turn, Frank pushed the Zero away from the flaming ship and looked for a new target.
"Aaahhhh!" Kira shouted, soaring into the air and firing every weapon that the Freedom and METEOR had, beam cannnons, missile launchers, rifle shots, you name it, he fired it all! With no hope of intercepting everything, the ships anchored at the dock were sitting ducks. Rays of energy struck warships square in the hulls, starting fires and ripping large holes. Ammunition that lay on the dock was set aflame in seconds, incinerating everything in the fire's path. Explosions dotted the ships at dock, debris shooting out with each new explosion. If that wasn't enough, Athrun followed closely behind Kira with the Justice and repeated the process, causing more destruction to the ships that lay anchored at the dock. Athrun counted at least five ships that completely exploded from so much damage. As he caused this, Athrun couldn't help but think that this all could have been avoided.
A few hundred meters away, on board the Vesalius, Yzak saw the destruction being wrought upon the invasion fleet via the Duel's front monitor. He was dumbfounded. How could all this have happened in just about three minutes?
"all hands, level one battlestations! all hands, level one battlestations!"
"Commander!" Yzak called through the radio.
"Yzak?" Rau called back.
"I'm going out! Open the hatch!" Yzak shouted, sealing the visor on his helmet.
"Going out? What the hell are you talking about!" Ades shouted.
"I said, Open the hatch!" Yzak repeated. "We can't let them do any more damage!"
"Commander?" Ades looked to Rau.
"It's his decision, not mine, Ades," Rau said evenly. "Open the hatch!"
Yzak walked the Duel across the deck of the Vesalius to the catapult and felt the connection be made. The hatch in front of him swung open to reveal the black space dotted with fireworks in front of him. Why Athrun? Why! Yzak thought to himself. "Be careful, out there!" came a voice from Yzak's radio.
"Just shut up and get yourselves moving!" Yzak commanded. "Yzak Joule, launching!"
The board at the top of the hangar went all green and Yzak soared out of the hatch and into the battle, activating the Duel's phase shift armor and powering up his weapons.
"Three GINNs approaching from mark alpha, forty-nine!" DaCosta called.
"Anti-air defense!" Steele ordered. "Bear port twenty-five!" White streaks of fire soared from the Eternal towards the GINNs, destroying their rifles and weapons before they could fire. Without any offensive weaponry, the GINNs retreated.
Mwu fired the Strike's Agni at a burning Nazca-class, catching the hatch as it swung open to deploy its mobile suits. "Oh no, you don't!" Mwu berated. He fired his gun launcher and machine guns on the Strike's shoulder and struck the dock beside the ship, setting it ablaze. One final shot from the Agni finished the job, starting more fires and crippling the ship.
"Hey, Mwu!" he heard someone shout. He identified the voice as Stevy's. Mwu craned his neck to see the three K-bombers approaching fast from stern. "If you want to stay in one piece, move out of the way!" Stevy repeated. Mwu pulled hard on the stick and pushed the Strike up and away from the dock, just as the bombers' missiles unleashed their fury on the already ravaged ZAFT forces. He could see all of the K's gun emplacements firing in every direction, putting up a protective barrier around the aircraft as they headed over the dock.
Frank turned the Zero away from the GINN he had just disabled and headed for one of the docks, which was already well ablaze from earlier attacks. He could see the M1 teams soaring above the embattled forces, unleashing even more destruction upon the ships. Frank could see he was not needed here, so he turned away and headed for a duo of GINNs that were singaling in on a separated M1. Frank turned the Zero in a hard port turn and headed directly at the GINN, sending his barrels out to attack. He moved to fire the barrels, but for some reason, he couldn't reach the firing trigger. He tried again and again, but nothing happened. He looked down at his right hand, the one with the steel insides, and saw that it wasn't moving. Frank looked up just in time to see one of the GINNs take direct aim at him and fire its rifle. Frank screeched as he grasped the control stick between his knees and pulled hard to the right, barely able to avoid hitting the GINN square on. "Damn gear, broke..." Frank said to himself, continuing to steer the Zero with his legs while he had his left hand open up the brown cover plate on his wrist, to reveal the black steel insides of his hand. "Gotta get myself out of here. I'm a sitting duck like this!" he shouted, jerking the Zero to starboard with his knees, barely avoiding another GINN's line of fire. Executing a hard starboard loop, Frank was able to evade the mobile suits' fire and head away from the intensity of the main battle, to safety.
"Starboard roll, twenty degrees!" Murrue ordered. Josef and Neumann executed the maneuver, turning the big ship around the hulk of one of the destroyed anti-ship cannons.
"Archangel this is Kusanagi," Cantarii's voice sounded over the radio. "We're almost done here, so weapons safe from now on, O.K.?"
"Roger, Admiral," Murrue responded.
"What about the Eternal?" Natarle asked.
"It's returning now, only minor damage sustained, they've told us." With that, the message ended.
"Raise bow, 20!" Murrue commanded. "Starboard now!"
"I have target signatures from delta twenty-four, ma'am," Chandra reported.
"What?" Natarle said quickly.
"One of the anti-ship cannons, ma'am," Chandra repeated.
"Aim Gottfrieds and Valients!" Natarle commanded.
"But, Admiral Cantarii ordered weapons safe!" Tonomura said.
"You'd rather be dead if that anti-ship cannon hits us?" Natarle asked harshly.
Tonomura sighed. "Yes, ma'am."
"Target the anti-ship cannon ahead of us!" Natarle ordered.
The Valients and Gottfried cannons swung to point directly at the far away anti-ship cannon. "Lieutenant Badgiruel-!" Murrue shouted.
"Fire!" Natarle shouted, above Murrue's voice. Green and yellow streaks of energy soaring from the guns and caught the cannon right in the center, destroying it in a ball of fire and debris.
"Archangel, what the hell was that?" Cantarii's voice came over the radio again. "I ordered weapons safe!"
"There was a-." Natarle began.
"Never mind," Cantarii sighed. "Just get back behind the lines and wait for the rest of us alright, Captain Ramius?"
"Yes, sir," Murrue said, as Cantarii signed off. She cast a glance at Natarle in the CIC, who stared back at her.
"I couldn't let the cannons just shoot at us," Natarle said.
"Yes...I know, Natarle," Murrue responded quietly.
Kira shouted as he fired the METEORs weapons again at a flock of approaching GINNs, catching them in the arms and heads, blowing the joints completely off. "Are we just about done here, Major Yakov?" Kira radioed.
"Almost Kira," Orel replied in his thick accent. "We just gotta get our M1 teams together and then we can get out of here."
"Roger, that," Kira responded. Kira cast his glance across the battlefield, fires and explosions breaking out everywhere. He sighed. "We knew this wasn't going to be pretty," he commented to himself.
Suddenly, a bright flash of light raced past the Freedom, barely knicking the mobile suit in the shoulder. The impact sent shudders through the mobile suit as Kira held tight to the controls. Kira looked out the viewport and saw a mobile suit approaching, its weapons still firing at him. "The Duel..." Kira said.
"Damn you!" Yzak shouted, firing his rifle and missile launcher at the Freedom.
"Kira!" Athrun shouted.
"I've got him, Athrun. You get everyone else out of here!" Kira called. Pressing a button on the diagnostic board, Kira released the Freedom from the METEORs grip and sent it back towards the now retreating Eternal. Setting the Duel directly in his sights, Kira pulled out one of his beam sabers and charged.
"Aaahhh!" Yzak shouted, pulling out the Duel's beam saber as well. The blades connected in a shower of sparks as the two mobile suit's struck. Both pilots groaned heavily as the shockwave that came to both of them. The machines jumped back away from each other. Yzak shouted again and charged at the Freedom.
A seed exploded before Kira's eyes. Yzak aimed his beam saber directly at the Freedom's torso, but Kira ducked and the blade sliced up one of the Freedom's fins. Yzak's momentum carried him past the Freedom and before he could correct himself, Kira executed a sharp kick right to the Duel's back, sending the mobile suit sprawling forward through space. "Dammit..." Yzak cursed, turning the Duel around just in time to see the Freedom charge. Kira shouted as he swung the Freedom's beam saber at the Duel, slicing off the smaller mobile suit's legs with one slice. Yzak cried out, somewhat in distress, somewhat in anger at the fact that this was the second time the Freedom had done this to him. Kira brought the Freedom around and aimed his beam rifle at the Duel's head.
"Yzak!" someone shouted suddenly. Kira looked up just in time to see a beam of light streak towards the Freedom, catching it square in the torso and knocking it backwards. Yzak looked up and saw one of the new GuAIZ units streaking towards him. He also recognized the voice that had called out to him.
"Commander Slythr!" Yzak called.
Slythr rolled the GuAIZ to dodge the Freedom's fire from its beam rifle and fired the mobile suit's fire claws at the Freedom. One hit the mobile suit in the wrist, causing the beam rifle to explode, while the other blew off a good portion of the Freedom's head. Kira cried out as the Freedom shook from the impacts.
"Kira!" Mwu shouted, racing toward him in the Strike.
"Hang on Yzak," Slythr ordered, taking the crippled Duel in the GuAIZs small arms and hauling it back towards Jachin Due. Mwu fired the Agni cannon several times at the retreating mobile suits, but stopped when he realized he was almost out of power.
A group of five GINNs took the GuAIZ and Duel's places as Mwu and Kira attempted to retreat. Athrun put the Justice in between the two forces and fired the METEOR's weapons at the GINNs, destroying four and crippling the last one. "Come on, Athrun!" Mwu ordered. "We're retreating. We can't stick around here any longer!"
"Right!" Athrun said, firing up the METEOR's engines and racing after the Freedom and Strike.
"All vessels, pull back!" Cantarii ordered. "Our objectives for this mission have been accomplished. All remaining forces rendezvous at mark delta eighty!"
Frank jammed the final wire back into place and closed the wooden hatch around his wrist. He wriggled his fingers and found that they all worked once again. It had taken all this time, but his hand finally worked again. He'd had to steer the Zero with just his legs for most of the battle, and had somehow been able to avoid being attacked in that duration. Frank knew just how lucky he had been as he headed back towards the large ships.
Inside Jachin Due's defensive network, the K-bombers raced for home. "Not bad for your first time, Colonel Kisaka," Stevy commented to his wingmate.
"Thank you," Kisaka responded calmly. "It was because of your support that I was able to do so well."
"And you got me as your co-pilot," Mike added.
"That's an advantage?" Donnie joked.
"Shut up!" Mike shouted.
All of the crews laughed. Coop himself was laughing up in the ball turret of the lead bomber when something caught his eye. A large object. It was round and gray, almost as large as Jachin Due itself. Coop had no idea what it was, but it sure as hell looked imposing to say the least. "Guys..." Coop said into the intercom.
"What's up, Coop?" Stevy said.
"Take a look out to starboard, Lieutenant." Stevy and Niada did so, and they both scrunched their eyebrows when they saw it.
"What is that?" Sai wondered out loud from the nose turret.
"I have no idea," Coop sent back.
"Whatever the hell it is, it sure is big," Jay said from the tail.
"Yeah..." Stevy murmured, staring at the large object as the aircraft passed it.
"Lieutenant Barrington, is anything wrong?" Kisaka asked from his plane.
Stevy and Niada snapped out of their trances and regained their composure. "No, nothing," Stevy radioed back. "Nothing's wrong." Pushing the engines to full throttle, the bombers raced out of Jachin Due's defensive network and towards safety.
The M1 units returned to their mother ships and soared beside them as they retreated. "Not bad, girls, not bad," Lapina commented inside his cockpit. "You actually did pretty well."
"Thank you, sir," Asagi responded.
"Yeah, thanks," Mayura added.
"Ditto," Juri sounded.
Orel's M1 came up next to Wayne's as they traveled onward. "Hey, Orel! How's it feel inside there?"
"I'll give it to you guys, it's a hell of a mobile suit," Orel commented. "Whole new experience on my part."
"As long as you get out alive, that's all that counts," Wayne said. Everyone agreed.
The Eternal passed the destroyed anti-ship cannons and headed for open space, the Freedom, Justice, and Strike joining her as she pressed on. "Kira," Athrun called. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Athrun," Kira reassured his friend. "Just got caught off guard by that machine."
"It didn't look like any mobile suit I've ever seen," Mwu commented.
"I think it was a new model," Kira said. "And I've never seen it either."
"Me neither," Athrun added.
The mobile suits and Eternal continued on their way, leaving the ravaged invasion fleet in their wake. Nobody really was saying much on the radio, frankly, because nobody really wanted to. In all, there was hardly anyone on board any ship or mobile suit in the force that wanted to attack Jachin Due. But they'd had no choice really. It was either this, or let Earth be invaded. And they couldn't afford to let that happen.
"We caused so much..." Lacus' voice echoed over the radio's of every ship and mobile suit. "We caused so much destruction. It didn't have to happen...but we were left with no other option. Many people likely lost their lives today."
Everyone felt their heart sink. People stopped talking and just sat still for minutes, lost in their own emotions. Some people even went as far as to cry, right then and there. Kira could feel his own eyes misting, when something touched the Freedom's shoulder. "Athrun?" Kira said, eyeing the Justice beside him.
"Why do we do this?" Athrun said. Kira groaned sadly. "Why did we choose this life to live?"
Kira looked out at the stars beyond, winking at him in the blackness of space. "Because we have no other choice," was his response, as the fleet made its way home, leaving the ravaged ZAFT forces in their wake.