Dearka & Miriallia
Author's Note: The first part of this is taken from Episode 31 and 32 of SEED Destiny, with slight alterations in order to add Miriallia to the group. The version used was subbed by SEED-Fansubs. Hope you guys enjoy. (smiles) Sorry for the delay, first we renovated our kitchen and office and then after I got my computer hooked up, my honey messed it up (frowns). But I'm back. I'll be working on Yzak & Shiho Interludes next and then back to Dearka & Miriallia. I'll have my reviewer responses for Chapter 48 up later today since it's 2:45 am here right now and I want to go to bed. (smiles) Hugs to all of you! Thanks again for the support everyone!
Disclaimer: It is obvious by now if I'm here that I do not own Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny or any other Gundam Series. But any characters I create to place in this world are mine (But I don't mind if you guys want to use them too. I have no problem with that. You don't even need to ask me. I enjoy sharing to make other stories the best they can be.)
Chapter 49
Unwelcome Rescue
The systems to the Buster began to activate and Dearka's eyes lit up with excitement. It had been a while since he felt so eager to pilot any machine. It had become such a routine with the new standard issue ZAKU he was issued, that he didn't get the thrill he used to from piloting. Now was his chance to bring back some of the enthusiasm he had felt when he first liberated the Buster from the EAF over two years prior.
Dearka headed toward the launch bay and flipped on the communicator revealing Cagalli's face as the current CIC. His mind flashed quickly to the previous war when Miriallia's sad, but beautiful face would flash just as quickly before she would send his unit out to battle.
"You sure you can handle it?" Cagalli asked of the new and improved Buster Gundam.
"Do you really need to ask me that?" Dearka mocked.
Cagalli hit a few buttons and Dearka watched as the Launch Bay lit up around him. He set the Buster on the catapult and waited for her orders.
"Bring her back safely," Cagalli said.
"I will, I promise," Dearka replied.
"Buster, you are clear to launch," Cagalli ordered and watched as the Buster took off from the bay.
Now all he had to do was figure out how to get Miriallia away from that huge beast of a machine so he could have a chance to save her.
"Maybe Ian has a good idea. If I can tick her off enough, I may be able to lure her away from the main battle. I don't care what they did to her and how much training she's been put under, she's still no match for me one on one," Dearka thought as he moved the Buster ahead staying out of the Destroys' range.
Kira's shot at the Destroy and blew by Neo's monitor making him take notice of the unit.
"Freedom!" Neo recognized.
The Archangel moved forward still behind the Buster who was slowly making its' way toward the battle.
"Damn! It's them..." Neo cursed to himself.
Kira moved the Freedom next to the Destroy to get a better look at his enemy. The unit was colossal as Kira continued attacking.
"What an enormous size this thing is," Kira said still shooting.
The Destroy used its' shields to deflect all of Kira's attempts.
"What...are you?" Stellar cried out while sending beam cannon shots flying in every direction.
Some almost hit Kira until he deflected them himself using his beam saber, slashing furiously at her attacks. Neo moved his mobile suit toward the Freedom in an attempt to give Stellar some breathing room.
"Be careful Stellar," he called out to her.
"Neo!" she cried noticing his determination to keep her safe.
"That's the Freedom! He's tough!" Neo called to her.
The word Freedom triggered something in Miriallia's head making her unit lag behind. Neo noticed, about to correct the problem until a shot commanded his attention.
"Where the hell did that come from?" he cried looking around the field.
In the distance, he could see a tan and green mobile suit with two barrel guns under its' arms aimed at him and Miriallia.
"Get away from her," Dearka said under his breath as if speaking directly to the pilot in his way.
"Kira..." Miriallia's voice rang over the communicator.
Kira's ears perked up hearing Miriallia's voice. It was the first time he had a chance to confirm that what Dearka had said was in fact true. Miriallia was in that unit on the battlefield.
"Mir!" Kira cried avoiding more shots from the Destroy.
"Miriallia!" Dearka called out as well to gain her attention.
"I know that voice..." she trailed off her mind running rampant.
Neo's eyes slit under his helmet as he realized that voice was the same as the one on Aprilius One that interrupted his plans of destruction.
"I see now. She belonged to the Archangel, that's how I must know her. I must have run into her on the battlefield before we captured her," Neo deduced to himself only somewhat inaccurately.
"You want her back? You'll have to fight for her," Neo threatened making both Dearka and Kira grit their teeth in anger.
"Miriallia! They are the ones that want to hurt you and your child. The Freedom and that other unit will tell you lies. They will say that they care for you, even love you, don't be fooled. You must destroy all those that claim to love you. After all, if they really did love you they wouldn't point a gun at you, now would they? Go and destroy them!" Neo yelled to her on a private line.
"I didn't want to do this yet, but the Freedom left me with no other option. I'll have to hope Stellar and Miriallia stay out of each others' paths," Neo thought to himself as he headed in the direction the Destroy was moving.
Miriallia's mind flooded with orders from the treatment. Her block word had been used and her personality completely changed. Her eyes flew from one unit to the next both with their guns out and pointed at her.
"I have to destroy everyone that claims to love me. They wouldn't point a gun at me if they truly loved me," she repeated to herself now sounding as entranced as Stellar.
"Miriallia! Don't do this. We want to help you. We don't want to hurt you. We all love you very much," Kira tried to reach her with his words.
The sound of Kira's words did nothing but enrage her as her eyes flashed with anger. Kira continued to avoid the Destroy becoming an annoyance to Stellar.
"Kira, I'll take care of Miriallia, you just deal with that thing," Dearka called to him shooting again near her to gain her attention.
The Valor turned to face the Buster that was in the distance as it began to lure her away from the main battle. Dearka felt partially relieved that she was taking the bait and leaving him in a one on one situation with her. His only problem now was how he was going to take her down without hurting her. He could tell by the reaction of the Valor that she wasn't the same woman he had fallen in love with. Whatever they did to her wasn't something that could be fixed by just talking her through it.
Kira was alerted to the sound that the Destroy had locked on to the Freedom again as he just barely dodged another attack. Stellar was becoming highly annoyed inside her unit, her own mind racing from her block word being used.
"No matter what it is...I'll...!" Stellar started as she hit a red switch making the Destroys' outer eyes flash a dangerous red gleam.
The bright flash caught Miriallia's attention for a split second making her turn away from the Busters' attempts to lure her closer to him. As everyone's eyes were now on the Destroy, it began to transform.
"This is..." Murrue began as she watched the screen from the Archangel.
"A mobile suit?" Arnold continued from his position at the head of the Archangel controls.
The sheer size of the unit was enormous. Towering over the Freedom at almost five times its' size. Kira hovered above as though he were only a pesky fly. Stellar became annoyed once again with the Freedoms inability to remain still long enough for her shots to connect. In a panicked rage, she shot three beams taking out everything in front of her.
"Damn it, why do you do such things?" Kira asked angrily.
Sting was also becoming annoyed at the lack of attention he was receiving from the Freedom during the battle. As far as he was concerned, he should be the only one the Freedoms' pilot was worried about.
"Damn. Out of your sight, am I?" Sting cried shooting at Kira.
Kira avoided the shots from the Chaos as Neo moved in to take aim on him now. Neo locked on to his target right before realizing he had been locked on to as well.
"Damn," Neo cried as Stellar used the Destroys' five-finger beam to shoot at the Freedom again.
"Cover him. Aim the Gottfried," Murrue ordered the Archangel crew.
Arnold moved the weapon into position locking on to the Destroy, Valor, Chaos and Neo himself who were all within the firing range of the massive weapon.
"Fire!" Murrue ordered with her commanding cry.
"Damn," Neo cried again falling behind the Destroy as it took the blast full force, the shield deflecting the Archangel's attempt.
Sting and Miriallia both dodged the attack as well; forcing Dearka to cringe at the thought that she had been so close to being toasted by people she had once considered to be her friends. Although, there were many things that could happen to her the longer he left her out there on the battlefield. He decided it was now or never to gain the Valor's attention again. He had to keep firing at her until she was fed up and came at him full speed. He would worry about taking her down after he moved her away from the battle.
"It was deflected...?" Arnold asked in confusion.
It wasn't like they hadn't seen a unit that was capable of this tactic before. But every time they did, it still had a way of shocking the crew when it happened. This was especially true when such a high caliber weapon was being used against it. Cagalli began feeling desperate and turned in her chair toward Murrue.
"I'll go as well. At this rate, Kira will...!" she began before being interrupted by the monitor flashing on from the dining hall on the ship.
The monitor revealed one of the ORB Fleet Captains who was stowed away on board the Archangel.
"Cagalli! Let us go as well!" he begged.
"Captain Amagi...!" she replied before once again being interrupted.
"This battle may not be for ORB, but we can't just stand by and watch!" he replied with the reason for his request.
Back on the battlefield, Stellar released the hands to the Destroy producing a Providence effect. Kira was able to dodge this newest attack from his previous experiences with the original Providence two years prior and moved through the beams as though he were a pro at it.
Dearka took aim toward the Valor again in his attempts to distract her from the battle in front of her. He shot his barrel guns just barely missing her and Sting, making more than just Miriallia angry.
"Who does that guy think he is? You think you can take me on?" Sting cried in anger as he began to pull away from the Destroy.
"Damn it!" Dearka cursed noticing he had provoked the wrong pilot.
He aimed closer to the Valor, hoping he would upset her enough to stop the Chaos' charge toward him and gain the Valors' focus. If he could get her angry enough, he knew he had a shot at her telling the Chaos to back off from the conversation that was heard over the airwaves during the attack on Aprilius One.
He shot again with the intention of just grazing the Valor, but instead he was unable to adjust the shot quick enough while dodging one of the shots from the oncoming Chaos and he hit the arm of the unit making it fall backwards a few feet. If he wanted to gain her attention, he sure did at that moment. Once the Valor regained its' composure, he saw the unit flying toward him.
"At least she's still okay," Dearka thought thankfully.
"Sting, I have this jerk! You go take care of the Freedom, I know that's the unit you really want to destroy," Miriallia cried flying past him.
Sting needed no extra coaxing when he heard those words from Miriallia. She was absolutely right. He wanted to be the one to destroy the Freedom so he could prove himself worthy of being the one to pilot the Destroy instead of that pathetic blonde girl currently residing in it.
"All right then, let's go!" Cagalli said enthusiastically back on board the Archangel.
"Are you sure?" Murrue asked.
"We can't just let this go on!" Cagalli yelled heading toward the door.
Once she made it to the launch area, she and her colleagues headed towards their units. Ian sat in the DINN watching the people run by him. Part of him wanted to join in the fight, but thought better of it knowing both his and Dearka's butts were on the line if anything happened to the DINN he borrowed from his friend.
Cagalli and the group launched as Kira desperately attacked the Destroy and avoided the Chaos' newest attempts to shoot him down.
"Take that! The power of a mobile suit doesn't determine its' strength! I will take you down," Sting yelled as he continued shooting.
"Damn it!" Kira yelled now exchanging fire with the Chaos.
Murasame units flew gracefully in formation toward the ongoing battle distracting the Chaos form its' target.
"Kira! Leave this to us!" Captain Amagi called.
Kira's eyes flashed by the receiving monitor as the image switched to Cagalli's face now.
"It's okay Kira. Leave it to us!" Cagalli reassured him.
"I understand. I'll leave this to you!" he replied moving his unit out of the way.
"Let's go, Gou, Nishizawa!" Captain Amagi called out.
"Roger!" they cried in unison.
The Murasames dove sideways and twisted into mobile suits from their former configuration of a jet plane, shooting at the Chaos without missing a beat.
"Damn it..." Sting cried almost being shot down by their attacks.
Back on board the Archangel, Ian looked down from the monitor in the DINN at the maintenance crew below. Part of him was wondering how trusting they really were. After all, Dearka had placed his life in their hands in the last war. And they seemed so friendly with him when they saw him again. Especially what seemed like the head mechanic had been so generous from the view he had from his spot in the DINN.
Ian watched his monitor again as Dearka took soft shots at the Valor with his Buster. Ian could only guess he was trying not to hurt Miriallia while trying not to get himself killed. It was obvious to him that Dearka hadn't come up with a plan to actually take the Valor down yet. But, he did notice that Dearka had used his advice on how to draw her away from the main battle.
He looked down at the mechanics rushing around preparing for the hopeful return of all their units. He held his breath for a moment and then called down to the head mechanic.
"Hey!" he called.
Murdoch looked up from his spot as he finished giving some more orders to his crewmen. He seemed partially annoyed by the interruption.
"What do you need kid?" Murdoch asked in his usual friendly, but stern tone.
"I was wondering if there was any way you guys could lend me a unit to go out there. Dearka isn't having much luck taking the Valor down and with the situation as it is, the sooner we get Miriallia off the battlefield the better," Ian pleaded his case.
"I don't know about that. I'll have to ask the Captain. You are still ZAFT after all," Murdoch replied moving over to one of the communication consoles.
Ian jumped down on the elevator rope and followed Murdoch over to the console. Part of him was irked by the insinuation that he was someone dangerous just because he was a ZAFT soldier.
"It's not like Dearka's not one too," Ian thought angrily to himself.
"Captain, it seems the other ZAFT kid wants to go out to help retrieve the Valor, but they aren't able to take the DINN out onto the battlefield because of how they came about acquiring it in the first place. Is it okay to send him out in a Murasame?" Murdoch said getting straight to the point.
"I don't know. We really don't know him..." Murrue started.
"Please Captain. Dearka needs help out there and Miriallia is in more danger the longer she stays out there in her condition. He's only tapping her with shots so he won't hurt her, but that won't take her down. We need someone to hit her from behind while she is distracted," Ian reasoned.
"I guess so then. Okay Mr. Murdoch, you have permission to lend him a Murasame in order to bring the Valor in unharmed. He is right, Miriallia can not be left out there like that for much longer and the Buster isn't getting very far on his own," Murrue said granting permission.
"Thank you," Ian said as the monitor flipped off.
"Okay kid, this way. Just don't do anything weird to the controls. There is only one Coordinator aboard this ship currently who has his own unit and we are still going to need this unit for the other pilots," Murdoch warned.
"I won't touch anything. I'll leave the settings as is. I just need it to help Dearka distract her long enough to take her down," Ian reiterated.
On the battlefield Stellar watched as Sting's unit was shot down from the sky.
"You need to fight against this Stellar...Or else, scary things will come and kill all of us. You can do it, right Stellar? You need to erase everything that's scary," Neo's earlier words flashed back into her mind making her frenzied.
Ian moved onto the battlefield heading toward the Buster who was now well behind the Archangel's current position. As he moved closer, he noticed another ship enter the battlefield.
"Is that the Minerva?" he questioned out loud to himself.
He watched as the Impulse was released from the hatch flying full speed toward the battle behind him now.
"What are you doing out here?" Dearka yelled over the communicator regaining Ian's attention.
"Helping you to get Miriallia out of here. You're not doing well on your own. I bet you don't even have a plan yet," Ian said with a hint of sarcasm.
"And I bet you do," Dearka shot back with some of his own sarcasm.
"Well actually smart alec, I do," Ian replied.
"I'm waiting," Dearka said continuing their bantering.
"I'll draw her fire long enough for you to take her down. Just hit the unit where it will knock the drive propulsion out rending her helpless. She'll have to surrender then. No one is going to come help her out here. She's too far away from the main battle now," Ian deduced.
Dearka just grunted with aggravation. He knew Ian was right, but was more upset that he didn't think of that himself.
"How does he keep devising these plans," Dearka thought to himself with a hint of jealously.
"Fine, let's go. Draw her attention toward you. But wait for her next shot at me so she thinks she's taken care of the Buster," Dearka stated coming up with his own good idea in order to make her more likely to turn her back to him.
"Roger that," Ian said waiting for the Valor to attack.
Dearka moved the Buster only fractionally out of the way of the Valors' newest attack forcing the unit backwards a bit. Dearka felt the jerk of the Buster and dropped it to a knee before letting it fall forward in to the snow. Miriallia locked on to the helpless mobile suit until she felt a shot from behind. The Valor twisted in its' place toward the new menace.
"You want some of this too?" she yelled taking aim on the Murasame now in front of her.
Dearka slowly stood up from his place as the Valor went full force at the Murasame. A small smirk formed on his face as he waited for an extra moment for the Valor to hit the Murasame down once. It gave him a sick satisfaction to know Ian was in there being banged around by Miriallia. After a moment of allowing Ian to have his tail whipped, he took aim on the Valors' supply pack.
Dearka's aim was dead accurate on the power pack, knocking the Valor out of commission. Dearka could hear over the communicator as Miriallia cried in defeat, but that didn't stop him. He pointed his guns on her again before speaking through his own communicator knowing there was only one way to get her to truly surrender.
"You have two choices, get out of the Valor and live or stay in the Valor and die," he threatened.
Ian's eyes widened at Dearka's declaration, but he said nothing. He knew Dearka wouldn't hurt Miriallia, but he couldn't figure out why he would use such a drastic threat on her.
End
Author's Preview: All I have to say is she better come out of that thing! (grins) Please read and review for me so I can continue on my happy way.
Reviewer Response: Hello to all my wonderful reviewers. Thank you so much for all your support and reviews on all my chapters thus far. I love you all so much! Again, sorry for short replies, I was a little late getting this chapter up because I've been so tired this week. LOTS OF HUGS! Unfortunately due to possible changes in TOS (which is still unconfirmed) all responses are now located on my personal website. Please click on my profile page to link to the website. Thank you.