Wow the reviews came so quickly! I feel so loved you have no idea...so I'm changing the updates to five reviews. Once I get five reviews, I shall update. So review again! I will be forever in your debt! Oh yeah, and a warning in advance, this chapter is not as big as the previous ones, so sorry if you don't like it, but I still want five reviews before I update anyways. If you can review even the bad chapters, then it really shows that you like this fic.
Thank yous:
cynical.life: I love the idea, but I've already got everything planned out. Sorry! Review anyways! And by the by I already reviewed your new chappie a while ago.
Sword of the soul: Thanks very much for the compliment! I hope I don't disappoint you!
Merffles: I hope Ireunite them,too. . Heh heh...
asucagainluv: Um...I hope you don't cry, but yeah...you might. Possibly not though. Thanks for the review!
ZGMF X-19A Infinite Justice: No, the SEED doesn't have that kind of power. It's just that when she's in SEED mode, she kinda forgets about the pain in a way...but she can't control herself, so it's not a good option.
Disclaimer: Seed of Gundam own not I. Don't ask why I switched the words around.I'm in a strange mood.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN – BATTLE PREPARATIONS
Every few hours, Rin would reach out and take a sip of water. That was the only movement she'd made since Natarle had brought her back to her room. And judging by how many times she felt the need to drink, she guessed that she had been alone in her room for twelve hours. She felt almost as if she was in some sort of trance. She didn't feel like doing anything. And then came the knock on her door, and someone stepped in.
It was a female crewmember, but Rin couldn't remember ever seeing her before. She had blue eyes and reddish hair in a half-ponytail. She was also carrying a food tray.
She brought the tray over to the table. "Ah, are you Rin?" she asked, and Rin noted the nervous tone the girl used that matched her expression.
Rin nodded.
"Lieutenant Badgeroule asked me to bring this to you," the girl said, indicating the food. "She said you'd be hungry, and that you need to eat to keep up your strength."
Rin nodded again. She didn't feel like talking. Or maybe it was because she had no voice left.
The girl turned to leave. "Uh, by the way…I'm Fllay. Fllay Allster." And then she was out the door.
"Hey, Fllay!"
Rin had finally found her voice. Fllay turned back to look at her, surprised to hear her speak.
"Yes? Do you need anything?"
Rin shook her head. "Oh, no, not that. It's just…I was wondering where you came from," she confessed. "I don't remember seeing you on the ship before."
Fllay managed a small smile, but fear flickered in her eyes. "I was on the life pod you guys recovered."
"Oh, I see." Rin vaguely remembered the pod ZAFT had dumped into space. Someone must have retrieved it, she realized.
"Rin," Fllay began, "do you know where the Archangel is?"
Rin gave a start. The Archangel! "Why do you ask?" she questioned.
Fllay's lower lip trembled. "It's just that…I used to be on that ship…and I wanted to see everyone again…and Kira…"
Rin gave a small gasp. This girl knew Kira?
But her excitement quickly faded. "You're out of luck," Rin told her, downcast. "This ship is an enemy of the Archangel. I'm sorry. You won't be able to talk to them."
Fllay looked sadly at the floor. "Oh…"
That's when Rin thought of another question. "Fllay, do you know what this ship is doing right now?"
Fllay nodded. "We're at the Earth Forces lunar base, on the moon. They're getting ready for a new operation…but I don't know exactly what."
Rin nodded. "Thanks, Fllay." She reached for her food tray. She hadn't realized how hungry she was.
"You're welcome." And Fllay left the room.
Rin later found out from Shani that Fllay had been rescued carrying a disc containing information on the n-jammer canceller, and that the earth alliance was going to use that info to use nukes against the PLANTS.
"What?" she exclaimed, jumping up (she'd been sitting when she heard the news).
Shani smiled. "Yep. I can't wait to see all of the explosions."
This piece of news shocked Rin more than anything ever had. Nukes on the PLANTS…that would mean the total annihilation of all the coordinators!
After hearing that, she kept to herself in her room. While everyone was preparing for the new operation, she stayed hunched over on her bed, lost in her thoughts. It was very lonely, and she hated it, but she just imagined that Athrun was with her, and she felt better. Better, at least, until she remembered that she tried to kill him and Kira. She sighed as she thought back to her little talk with Athrun in the piano room before leaving Orb. Just when I felt ready to make things right again, this had to happen. What if I never get the chance? And what about Athrun? I want to see him again so badly…just to talk to him…why did this have to happen to me? And now we're going to attack the PLANTS with nukes…and there's nothing I can do to stop it. Nicol, what do I do now?
"The Dominion is heading out. All hands to level two battle stations. I repeat, the Dominion is heading out. All hands to level two battle stations."
The alert blared through all the rooms in the Dominion, causing Rin to give a small jump in surprise. Then she slowly headed towards the Harmony and boarded it.
Shani, Orga, and Clotho were deep in conversation in their mobile suits. Rin decided to listen in.
"What?" Shani was saying. "Why aren't we headed for the PLANTS?"
"We're going to Boaz first," Clotho explained.
Boaz was a base near the PLANTS. In any normal situation, Rin would believe this to be an incredible act of stupidity. Boaz was so well defended that not even the whole Earth Alliance army could take it down. But the fact that they had nukes completely changed the situation.
"Why? If we go to the PLANTS first, we can get rid of more coordinators."
"But if we go to Boaz first," Orga reasoned, "then ZAFT will see the destructive power we have and call a truce. We'll win the war!"
Rin couldn't listen anymore. She couldn't stand being where she was. She'd have to fight the PLANTS, and help destroy them. That would mean destroying her home, her parents…it was the thought of her parents and friends that got her crying again. She'd already lost Nicol. She wouldn't be able to bear it if she saw her parents die along with her home. And it was all because of Azrael. Azrael had kept his word, and he did not punish her any further. However, Rin still hated him for treating her the way he did. Surely he'd realized that she was much younger than everyone else. Yet he didn't care. He was a heartless villain who deserved to die.
"All hands to level one battle stations. All hands to level one battle stations," someone's voice said over the intercom, and Rin knew that the operation to destroy Boaz was under way.
Azrael was in contact with her before she took off: "Don't blow this, Rin. Remember, every little action you make will have consequences. You've been pretty good so far, but don't push your luck. Anything remotely suspicious and you'll be punished again."
"I know," she snapped, taking one last swig of her water before she left, just in case the battle went on for a while.
"The course is clear," her CIC told her. "Proceed with the launch."
"Rin Amarfi, Harmony launching!" And she launched.
Meanwhile, inside the ship known as the Eternal, Athrun and Kira were deep in conversation with the captain, none other than Lacus Clyne, and Commander Waltfeld.
"Our sources say Boazis being attacked by the Earth Forces," Waltfeld said gravely.
"Boaz?" Kira asked. "Why would they do that?"
"Boaz isn't a base to be taken lightly," Waltfeld agreed. He frowned. "There must be something else to it. The Earth Alliance must have some trick up their sleeve, something that will ensure them of a good winning chance."
"What do you mean?" asked Athrun. "What would they have that could take down Boaz?"
"I just spoke with Commander La Flaga, and he thinks that they might have nukes," was the answer.
"No!" Athrun and Kira both gasped. Lacus bowed her head.
"What of the n-jammer?" she asked.
"Commander La Flaga thinks it was that girl," Waltfeld explained. " 'The key that's supposed to end this war.' The Earth Forces have that key now. What if it's…the n-jammer canceller?"
Athrun and Kira's eyes were wide. "No way," Kira said.
"If that's the case," said Athrun, quickly judging the situation, "then Boaz won't last much longer."
Lacus' head was still bowed as she was thinking hard. Finally she raised her head. "We must hurry to help Boaz," she ordered determinedly. "If we hurry, there's a good chance we'll make it in time. Commander Waltfeld, please alert the Archangel and the Kusanagi."
"Will do," he replied, and got to work.
Lacus looked from Athrun to Kira. "You two will have to be extremely careful from this point on. You know that, right?"
Athrun nodded. "Don't worry about us," Kira said. "We'll be fine. You be careful too, Lacus."
The boys hurried to board their mobile suits. Both were concerned about protecting Boaz, but there was one other thing on their minds:
If we get there in time, there's a chance we might be able to save Rin, too.