Chapter 5: The Lost family

A while later in the Hotel Aelan was taking a soothing hot bath, much hotter than some people take for a ordinary bath, do to her history. She layed almost asleep with the only thing on was her Red Mask. She thought of her past and the thoughts of Kevin onboard the Legged Ship. She then got out of the water and wrapped a towel around her body. Her back was exposed to the mirror as she looked at the markings on her back. They weren't a birthmark rather a Tattoos the tattoo was of a pair of red wings a mark that was the reason why her destroyer code name was Siren. And at that very moment the pink haired Lacus Clyne, and another new person has arrived on the Archangel. Behind Lacus was another arrival. A twenty year old man that had a resembling face as Kira, but his hair was a light red and he wore a gray jacket over a red shirt and black pants. In his hand was a tranquilizer gun, as he floated into the hangar. "Ms. Lacus!" He called as she turned to him.

"Its alright Mr. Hibiki." She said as she looked at Kevin, who obviously knew her. Then she gasped. "Kevin! You're alive!" Completing the astonished confusion of the Earth forces personnel, the girl embraced the young soldier. "We all thought you were dead!"

Kevin managed a quiet laugh and returned the embrace. "Yeah, I'm alive; sorry I made you worry. Reports of my untimely demise were greatly exaggerated." This new aquaintance he did not really know though. "And who might you be?" Kevin asked as the gray jacketed person perked up an interest.

"Jason Hibiki. I am this young ladies bodyguard." The person said as he looked over to Lacus.

Ramius tilted her head. "Is there... something we should know, Blade?" she asked carefully.

He pulled back. "Not really, Captain. She's just an... an old friend of mine, one whom I haven't seen in some time. You needn't spread the fact that I'm supposed to be dead, by the way; it would not do for that information to reach the wrong ears." Kevin half-smiled. "Captain, this is Lacus Clyne. Lacus, this is Captain Murrue Ramius, commanding officer of the Archangel, Lieutenant Mu La Flaga, alias the Hawk of Endymion -you've probably heard of him- and Ensign Natarle Badgiruel." He met Ramius' gaze. "Captain, I should inform you that Lacus here is the daughter of one Siegel Clyne."

La Flaga blinked. "You don't mean... Chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council?"

Badgiruel's eyes were halfway between astonishment and suspicion, resulting in a very strange expression. "You know her, Blade?"

Lacus looked curiously at her "acquaintance". "'Blade'?" she repeated.

"These days I go by the name Kevin Walker, alias Blade," Kevin informed her. "They... don't know my real name." He looked at Badgiruel. "And yes, Ensign, I know Chairman Clyne rather well; for over ten years, in fact."

The ensign's eyes narrowed, but before she could reply, Lacus noticed the uniforms the people were wearing. "Oh, my. This isn't a ZAFT ship, is it?"

Kira, whose eyes had never left her, blinked. "No, this is an Earth Forces vessel. Uh... welcome."

At that moment both Kevin and Jason drew their guns on each other. Then the other soldiers did the same to Hibiki. "What are you up to Mr. Hibiki?" Kevin asked as the twenty year old person looked at him. Kevin saw the grip the man had on the Gun and knew that he was no rookie, more of a veteran at using a firearm.

"Easy, my Job." He said as Lacus put a hand on Jasons arm lowering his arm. "Ms. Lacus!" The person said.

"Easy, we have seen enough blood shed already, we don't need anymore." She told him as she turned to everyone. "I am sorry for my friends behaviour, he was hired by my father to look after me, in other words, he is my body guard." She told them.

Badgiruel clapped a hand to her temple, shaking her head in utter disbelief, and Ramius turned back to Lacus. "Perhaps we should discuss this in my office," she suggested. "Lieutenant, Ensign, if you and Miss Clyne would join me? And you, as well, Blade?" she added.

"Then I am coming to, I don't trust you people yet, with Lacus in your hands." Jason said as he kept a firm grip on his weapon. "And to tell all of you, my weapon."

"Isn't even a gun, its a .44mm tranq gun, and most likely it has enough sedative in it to knock out an elephant." Kevin said as Jason looked at Kevin surprised.

"Correct, and as I said, I am going to continue my job and be with Lacus at all times." Jason told them.

"Understandable." Murrue said. "Will you please follow me." Murrue said leading them away to her office.

The soldier nodded. "Of course, Captain." He did not respect authority very much, but he did respect someone who'd had the courage to face him with a gun, even unknowing of his past identities.

The group began to leave the hanger, and as they did so, two people looked carefully from one Coordinator to the other. Kira and La Flaga were both struck by something odd; and though it took them a few moments to understand it, they both quickly realized that there was a subtle but distinct resemblance between Lacus and Kevin...

Athrun Zala and Aelan were sharing a room but different beds mind you, Athrun is engaged to be married to Lacus after all. The phone was ringing quite a bit as it was Athrun's turn in the bathroom as he was having a shower. Aelan was in a blue robe, not her favourite color but the only one that she could use. She walked up and accepted the call as a woman came on. "A message for Athrun Zala, and Aelan Le Creuset, new orders are for you as the Vesalius will be launching 36 hours ahead of schedule, and all crew members are to attend to the ship two hours early." The woman thought as Athrun was already out with a robe on as he dried his hair listening to the message. "Please Repeat the message." The woman told them.

"Hmm wonder why the early departure." Athrun wondered as Aelan hit the button to respond. "Athrun Zala." Athrun said as Aelan nodded.

"Aelan Le Creuset" She began as they both talked at the same time. "Vesalius will be launching 36 hours ahead of schedule and all crew members are to attend to the ship two hours early." They said as the woman nodded.

"Thank you and have a good day." The woman said as Athrun turned on the news on the rooms T.V.

"Dire news today, word has just reached us that the Silverwind carrying the Bloody Valentine rememberance commity has been missing for the last while." The news person said as this caught Athrun's undivided attention as did Aelan's. "Chairman Clynes Daughter Lacus Clyne." The announcer said as Athrun's face was full of shock.

"Lacus." He said as Aelan looked a bit angry.

Then she got up and put a hand on Athruns shoulder. "Don't worry Athrun, we will find her no matter what." She told him giving him some reassurance.

On the Archangel the officers, Lacus Clyne, her bodyguard, and Kevin were in Ramius' office, where she hoped to find out exactly what the daughter of the Chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council was doing out in the Debris Belt, of all places, in a lifepod.

She also hoped that Lacus would give them some clue as to Kevin Walker's true identity, but she knew it was unlikely.

"We thank you very much for recovering our lifepod," the girl said again. "It was very kind of you." Lacus looked over at Kevin, who leaned casually against a bulkhead, twirling a revolver. "And it's very good to see you again, Kevin. You disappeared, and then we heard the news..."

He shrugged. "Reports of my death were... if not exaggerated, then premature. I'm alive again; and I have to say, it's a pleasure seeing you again, too."

"And of all places to find you is on a Earth Forces ship." Jason said still holding onto his gun, he has only released it once to crack his stiff knuckles for holding the weapon.

La Flaga took note of Blade's phrasing. Again? What's that supposed to mean?

"But what were you doing in the Debris Belt in the first place?" Ramius questioned. "It's quite a ways from the PLANTs."

"Well," Lacus began, "as you know, it's been nearly one year since the Bloody Valentine Tragedy, in which Junius Seven was destroyed and over two hundred thousand people lost their lives. I was sent here on a preliminary survey, preparatory to a proper memorial ceremony."

Even Badgiruel had to grant the point; Junius Seven's destruction had been a barbaric action, and the PLANTs had every right to memorialize the victims. "But how did you end up floating out there in a lifepod?"

Lacus shrugged. "Soon after entering the Debris Belt, we were approached by a ship that, like yours, belonged to the Earth Forces. They asked permission to board, saying that it was an inspection, so I accepted. But when they heard why we were here, they became angry; this led to a small quarrel, which soon developed into a major incident. Before I knew what was happening, a Jason pushed me into that lifepod and then jumped in himself that's all we know." She looked worried. "I do hope that everything has calmed down, and that everyone is all right."

A suspicion formed in the back of Kevin's mind. "Lacus," he said quietly, "what ship were you aboard?"

"The Silverwind; I believe you have traveled aboard it, as well."

He nodded slowly. "I thought she looked familiar." Kevin forbore to mention that the Silverwind was now a gutted wreck; his "friend" would find out soon enough.

"Well," Ramius sighed, "I guess that's that. Miss Clyne, we'll see what we can do about repatriating you, though it may take some time; we are in a critical situation ourselves. In the meantime, we'll try to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Both of you are our guests, not our hostages."

Lacus smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Captain."

Jason had a lean smile, "For once, I am glad to meet a Earth Forcers officer that doesn't take coordinators hostage."

The Captain stood. "Blade, if you would show Miss Clyne and Mr. Hibiki to their quarters?"

The soldier nodded. "With pleasure, Captain."

Once outside Ramius' office, Kevin said hardly a word until he, Lacus, and Jason reached the quarters set aside for the two of them. After they entered, however, he smiled. "Okay, we can speak freely in here; for obvious reasons, there's no surveillance in crew quarters."

She tilted her head. "Is it really that necessary, not to talk in the corridors?"

"Hmm we have only met a few people so far, some more of these naturals may be a bit more rash towards you." Jason said to her.

"It's not that," Kevin told him. "It's just that the Archangel's crew doesn't know who I really am, and frankly I'd like to keep it that way."

"But why? You never used to hide yourself like that."

"Things have changed, tovarisch," Kevin told her. "When my parents died in Panama, well, a lot of things happened, not a one of them good. You really don't want to know all the particulars, but if you want a sampling, check news reports of the Crimson Tiger."

Lacus gasped. "That was you? Kevin, it must have been horrible!"

"I always wondered who the Crimson Tiger was." Jason commented.

"It was," he acknowledged. "And that wasn't even the worst. But because of all that, I don't trust easily; not anymore. You're the only one aboard who knows my real name, and now he does as well most likely so now two of three who really know me at all."

"That young man in the hanger, he seemed very kind."

"That he is," Kevin agreed with a smile. "Doesn't have a malignant bone in his body. He's the one who found you, by the way, and brought you aboard."

She nodded. "I'll have to thank him personally."

"I'm sure that can be arranged." He looked away for a moment, then pealed off his right glove. "Lacus, there's something I've really got to ask you."

Lacus tilted her head. "Is something wrong?"

Kevin managed a weak chuckle. "You could say that; thanks to certain events you don't really want to know about, I've got some problems with my memory." He lifted his hand, showing her the ring. "Did I ever tell you who gave this to me?"

She looked at it carefully. "I'm sorry, Kevin," she said finally. "All you ever told me was that it was an old friend, whom you were looking forward to seeing again when you returned to Earth."

He sighed. "Well, thanks anyway. I'll just have to track her down myself." The young soldier of mystery leaned back against the wall. "So," he said, changing the subject, "how's your father these days? I haven't seen him in three years, not since... well, not since the troubles began."

"My father is quite well," Lacus replied, recovering her own good cheer. "Of course, the political responsibilities he carries do tire him -as I'm sure you can understand," she added with a smile; the words evoked a grimace from Kevin, who knew far more about politics than he wanted to, for reasons very few had any knowledge of. "But he's well, otherwise." She nodded yes to him.

He nodded. "Glad to hear it. He still working with Representative Zala?" For some reason, though Athrun's father had worked closely with Kevin's friend the Chairman, his voice took on an edge of... hatred, or perhaps loathing.

Lacus shrugged. "Some, yes; but I'm afraid they're beginning to move in different directions now. Patrick Zala wishes to expand the frontlines of battle, escalate the conflict. But I'm sure it won't come to that."

"I hope you're right," Kevin murmured, thinking of another example of "escalation", which had occurred before the war even began. "And what of you Jason." Kevin wondered.

"Not much, I am a former soldier of ZAFT until Mr. Clyne asked me to be the head body guard of the Clyne estate, and when Ms. Clyne here left for the memorial preperations, she asked me to come along." Jason Answered. "And pretty much you can most likely put 2 and 2 together to see where that made us end up at." Jason said with a snicker. "I am quite fond of guns, where did you get that revolver I was stairing down the barrel of?" Jason asked.

"Family treasure." Kevin said with a shrug. "Well if the two of you will excuse me, I need to do some work."

Back in the PLANTs the Vesalius was being prepped for Take off as Patrick Zala and Rau waited at the hatch as they talked about the mission they were to take. Athrun and Aelan were both floating towards the door as Patrick and Rau stopped their children. "What is it?" They both asked.

"Have you two heard what happened to the Silverwind?" Patrick asked as the two nodded while at the Hangar Aelan's newly colored Hyperion Gundam was being loaded in the Mobile suit deck. Athrun nodded to the answer.

"Listen Athrun, the Vesalius new mission is to find and retrieve Miss Clyne." Rau told him as Athrun nodded.

"Well, Rau can brief you two on the mission, I must take my leave." Patrick told them as he went towards the exit leaving his son with Rau.

"Listen Athrun, it is your mission to find Lacus." Rau told him.

"My Mission sir?" He questoined.

"Yes, your mission, to bring her back with a happy smile on your faces. Or. . ." Rau began as Aelan left. "You bring her dead Corpse in your arms, as your eyes are full of morn-full tears." He said as Athrun was shocked.

"Why would she be?" Athrun questioned as Rau shook his head.

"I hasn't been made public yet but a GINN that was sent to check out the shuttles last known area, has not reported back yet, so we must think of the worst case scenario." Rau told him. "No matter though, its that its you that has to find her." Rau said entering the ship as Athrun went in right behind him.

Later, Kevin wandered the Archangel's corridors, feeling somewhat more cheerful than he had in days; seeing an acquaintance from his past, one who knew who he truly was, had buoyed his spirits some.

"Hey, Blade," La Flaga greeted him; the Lieutenant had just left the cafeteria. "The Pink Princess and that bodyguard settling in okay?"

"Seems to be, Lieutenant." Blade shook his head. "Though that girl is far more comfortable on an Earth Forces ship than I'd be on a ZAFT vessel. She's either naive, or she knows something I don't. Maybe both. Jason however seems to be intent on protecting her from anything, with that I actually trust him."

La Flaga had a number of questions he wanted to ask the mysterious young man, but he wasn't quite sure how to go about it; a direct approach would almost certainly be pointless. "So, how do you know Miss Clyne, anyway? You look like you go back a ways."

"We do," Kevin acknowledged. "Long before I went on the run. Too bad I won't be seeing much of her for awhile."

The pilot frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Once we reach Earth, Lieutenant, it'll be time for me to take my leave of the ship." He shrugged. "With Heliopolis gone, my last refuge is space dust. I'll have to go underground again, which means I won't be seeing much of what few friends I still have."

"You could stay with the ship," La Flaga suggested. "With your... unusual talents, I'm sure the military could use you. I mean, we've got a mutual enemy, don't we? You seem to hate ZAFT."

"Yeah, I do." Kevin's eyes, behind his perpetual sunglasses, were cold. "In fact, I've got more reason to hate ZAFT than just about anybody. But there are two very good reasons for me to leave the Archangel, Lieutenant: first of all, I'm starting to like this crew. That's dangerous; my friends tend to get hurt, especially since Blue Cosmos always seems to pick up on my trail again eventually. More importantly, though, is the fact that I don't trust the Earth Alliance. I have very good reasons for that, which I might even tell you about sometime."

"I see." The older pilot shrugged, and decided to change the subject. "So, you're a wizard with blades, huh? You have any skill with swords?"

"A little," Blade conceded, eyes narrowing suspiciously behind the shades. "Not something I've pursued in recent years, though. Why?"

"Oh, I was just curious." La Flaga leaned against the bulkhead. "A few years back, I used to follow fencing a good bit. Hasn't been the same, though, since Orb's top guy got himself assassinated. The Fencing Prince, they called him." He smiled, thinking back. "Amazing, the things that guy could do with a fencing foil; just fourteen or fifteen, when he died, but he was good. Can't seem to remember his name, though; the son of Baron Onishi, I think." He glanced at Kevin. "You're from Orb, right? Did you ever see him?"

"Once or twice," the youth allowed.

La Flaga shook his head. "Too bad what happened to him; went missing for a year, then turned up in a hospital and promptly got himself assassinated. Why would anybody want to kill a kid like that?"

"Oh, I'm sure there was some kind of reason," Kevin said smoothly. "Might not have been rational, but there's always some kind of motive."

"Guess you're right. Well, I've got Bridge watch in a few minutes; see you later, kid."

After La Flaga had left, the young soldier allowed himself a low chuckle. Yeah, Lieutenant, I saw the Fencing Prince quite a few times. You might say I knew him better than anybody else...

A little later, Kira wandered into the cafeteria, and immediately came to a halt. "No! I'm not going to do it!"

"And why not?"

He walked over to Kuzzey, who was observing Mir and Flay's argument with detached interest. "What's up with them?" he asked quietly.

Kuzzey shrugged. "It's about those Coordinator's meals. Mir asked Flay to take it to her, but she refuses. That's all they've been arguing about."

"I'm not going anywhere near a Coordinator!" Flay insisted. "I'm too afraid."

Mir looked exasperated. "Afraid? Of what?"

"Well, you know how Coordinators are..." Flay trailed off, seeing Kira. "I don't mean you, Kira! You're different; I know that much."

"She's not a soldier, you know," Mir told her, attempting to calm her down. "It's not like she's going to jump out and attack you."

"You don't know that! Coordinators are so different from us. What if they're really strong or something? And besides, her bodyguard is a soldier I am not going near them!."

Kira winced. "Glad Blade didn't hear that," he said to Kuzzey, sotto voce. "I don't even want to know how he'd react."

"Wouldn't bother him a bit," his friend opined. "I mean, he's really strong, isn't he? And I haven't seen him disliking being intimidating."

Their discussion was broken off by another voice, coming from the hatch. "My! Who's this really strong person you're talking about?"

Lacus Clyne stood in the hatchway, looking slightly bewildered. With a serious Jason Hibiki behind her.

On the Bridge, La Flaga chuckled to himself, drifting past Ramius. "We solve one problem with the supplies, and then get handed another one in the form of a pink-haired princess. The endless challenges we face." He mock-saluted. "A real treat, Cap'n."

She managed a smile. "I suppose so. All sorts of interesting things seem to be happening to us, don't they?" Ramius frowned thoughtfully. "I wonder how Blade knows that girl."

La Flaga shrugged. "That's a question. We've finally met someone, though, who knows his real name... and that he's officially dead. That kind of narrows things down. I mean, how many people were reported dead three years ago with his description?"

Ramius chuckled. "Sandy hair, jade eyes, and more weapons than a Third World country? No, I suppose there aren't many people like him."

"Well," he went on, more seriously, "it's obvious the kid used to run in some pretty high circles; not just anybody knows the Chairman of the PLANT Supreme Council, and I imagine even fewer know Miss Clyne that well. I mean, she practically knocked him off his feet."

"Childhood friends, I guess." She sighed. "I wonder what we're going to do with her? We're still en route to lunar headquarters, and if she goes there, they-"

"They'd welcome her with open arms," La Flaga interrupted. "She is Clyne's daughter, after all. Someone like her could be very useful to the Earth Alliance."

"I hope to avoid putting her through all that," Ramius said quietly. "She's a young girl, not a pawn."

"If you're going to worry about that, then what about them?"Badgiruel interjected, indicating the volunteers. "They've helped out with the operation of the ship, even fought with us in battle, and yet they're still just young civilians."

"I'm afraid you're wrong, Ensign." The sudden voice, which startled La Flaga nearly out of his skin, was Blade's; he'd arrived sometime during the discussion. "I haven't been a civilian in quite a while now."

"I wasn't talking about you," Badgiruel said coolly. "We all know that. Besides, I'm not even sure that you're human."

Kevin looked at her carefully for a few moments, then turned away. "Did I ever claim to be?" He walked over to the elevator. "By the way," he said quietly as the hatch closed, "if you even think of using Lacus as a tool, I'll kill you."

La Flaga blinked. "What's with him?"

"Not exactly the best people skills," Badgiruel observed.

"Hard to blame him, really," Ramius said quietly. "I imagine most of the people he met when on the run were trying to kill him." She shrugged. "In any case, I don't see us doing anything that would cause him to make good on his threat."

"You hope," Badgiruel muttered. "I still don't trust him."

Everyone stared as Lacus entered the compartment. They had all thought their accidental guest was still in her quarters, away from the rest of the crew areas.

"Oh, my," she said, seeing the startled faces. "I didn't mean to cause such a commotion. I was merely feeling hungry, so I decided to come looking for something to eat, since there was no one around to ask."

"And as I am her body guard, where ever she goes I'll Follow" (A/N: Ha ha, another Final Fantasy X quote)

Unnoticed in the middle of this, another had arrived on the scene, from a different direction: Kevin. His expression was quite inscrutable behind his sunglasses, watching Lacus have what he suspected would be a less-than-pleasant encounter with Flay Allster. Hmm. This may be difficult and with Jason with her, I better be ready for anything.

"I'm Lacus Clyne," the girl went on, extending a hand to Flay.

Flay's reaction was instant, unexpected, and vehement. "No! Stay away!" There was a look of genuine fear in her eyes, accompanied by something else... something Kevin recognized as loathing. "Why should I shake hands with someone like you?"

Lacus tilted her head, puzzled. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm not a soldier or anything."

"Just leave me alone!" Flay glared at the "pink princess". "I don't want any of you Coordinators acting friendly with me!"

Three people had three very different reactions. Lacus looked even more puzzled, Kira felt as though someone had just punched him in the gut, and Kevin reflexively touched a revolver grip. Tell me you don't mean that, Flay. Please tell me you don't mean it. And Kevin noticed that Jason was also touching his tranq gun.

"Flay Allster!" Mir snapped angrily.

Flay suddenly appeared to remember there were two other Coordinators in the room. "Kira, Kevin..."

Kevin simply raised a hand, cutting her off. He glanced at his friend. "Kira," he said quietly, "I think you'd better escort Lacus and Jason back to their quarters."

"Yeah; good idea." Kira quickly guided Lacus out, grateful for the escape as Jason followed the two of them.

The cafeteria was filled with silence for a time, during which Tolle and Mir glanced occasionally at Kevin; he wondering what sort of action the feared "Crimson Tiger" might take, and she simply concerned. Others might fear him, but Mir had known Kevin Walker for a year. She knew that, whatever exterior he might project, he had a heart, and it must have been wounded by Flay's remarks.

"Flay..." Kuzzey said finally, choosing his words with care. "Are you a member of Blue Cosmos?"

"No, I'm not!" Flay snapped. "But the stance those people take-"

She went no further, for Blade had finally moved. "Good," he said softly, in response to her first words. "Because if you were with Blue Cosmos, I'd kill you. Now. Those bastards have taken far too much from me, you know." He pulled off his sunglasses, and the jade ice his eyes had become chilled her. "Do you have any idea why I was on the run for two years, Flay? Do you know why I lived with Kira, instead of my own family, when I finally returned? Do you? Because Blue Cosmos murdered my parents!"

The sudden explosion from the normally soft-spoken Kevin shocked everyone in the room. "Kevin..." Mir began.

But he wasn't finished. "Blue Cosmos did not start my troubles. But they made them a whole lot worse, all because of something that was done to me before my birth! Can you really say that a man is to blame for something that occurred before his own birth?"

A moment later, Kevin was gone, leaving without waiting for a response. He left confused silence in his wake; it was vanishingly rare for him to lose his temper that way.

"You should think about what he said, Flay," Mir suggested finally. "Whether or not genetic engineering is unnatural, it's something Coordinators don't exactly have any control over."

Flay attempted to appear unperturbed, but the glimpse she'd just gotten of Kevin Walker's temper had rattled her rather badly.

"Must we stay in here again?" Lacus asked plaintively upon arrival in her and Jason's quarters.

"I'm sorry," Kira apologized. "But it's best if you two stay here."

"I must agree with the young lad, we are on a Earth Forces ship after all." Jason said as Kira nodded in agreement.

"But that's just no fun!" she complained. "I'd much rather be eating over there, while talking with everyone. I'm all alone in here." Jason then eyed her. "Well, except for Jason, but he is so quiet when not doing his job." Lacus said.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "But this is an Earth Forces ship; and the Earth Alliance has a lot of people who, you might say... don't place much value on the status of Coordinators. The Archangel's a lot better than most, but still..."

"Yet you've been very kind and understanding," Lacus pointed out.

Kira looked away. "Well, you see... I also happen to be a Coordinator; just like Kevin."

She brightened, an understanding look on her face. "Well, we know the reason why you're kind. It's because you are you." Lacus tilted her head. "If you don't mind, could you tell me your name?"

He looked surprised for a moment. "Uh, it's Kira. Kira Yamato."

She smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Yamato. Thank you very much." A thought occurred to her. "So, you know Kevin, too?"

Kira nodded. "Yeah; we went to school together, in Copernicus, about ten years ago; we separated in 68, but we've always been close."

"I see. Do you have any idea what happened to him, during those three years? He won't tell me." The concerned Lacus; they, too, had always been close, and his disappearance and subsequent "death" had been a blow to her. As at that moment, the two didn't even notice, but Jason was looking at a picture. In it was him when he was bout four years old as he was twenty at the current time. Leaning on a hospital bed. In the Bed was a woman who had long brown hair and a yellow hospital gown. In her arms were two newly born babies one with brown hair and the other was a blonde baby. (A/N: Think of this, The Picture that Cagalli's father gave her to tell her about her brother. In other words, there is another person in the picture and that is Jason.)

He shrugged. "He won't tell me, either; I just know that whatever it was, it had something to do with Blue Cosmos, and he lost his memory along the way." Kira raised an eyebrow. "So who is he, really? I know he's from Orb, but I've never even heard his real name."

Lacus was silent several moments, considering her answer. "I am not certain I should tell you," she said finally. "If Kevin hasn't confided in you, I'm not sure I should betray his confidences, either. I can tell you, though, that he has his reasons for such reticence, whatever they may be; and that anything happening to him could have wide-reaching consequences." She smiled. "In some circles, Kevin is a very important young man."

Kira cocked his head, bemused. Huh?

A few minutes later, outside Lacus' quarters, Sai met Kira as he exited. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly. At the Coordinator's blank look, he explained, "Mir told me about it."

"I'll be okay," Kira said with an uneasy shrug. "Uh, how'd Blade take it?"

Sai looked a little nervous. "According to Mir, he blew up. Quite the sight, apparently; I've never seen him lose his temper that way."

"It happens."

"Yeah, well... I'll talk to Flay later," Sai offered. "Don't let it get to you, okay? I'm sure she didn't really mean anything by it."

"I guess..." Kira said absently.

He said nothing more, for soft singing could suddenly be heard through the hatch. Kira stood there for several moments, listening with rapt attention.

"Is it that girl singing?" Sai mused in wonder. "What a beautiful voice."

"Yeah," Kira agreed, wholeheartedly.

"But I wonder," Sai went on thoughtfully. "Is that voice a result of fiddling around with her genes?"

"Not her genes, Sai," Kevin said, appearing from thin air and scaring the living daylights out of his friends. "Lacus is a second-generation Coordinator; her father was genetically engineered, while she merely inherited the enhancements. It's a distinction most Naturals don't seem to notice."

Sai shrugged. "I just don't know much about it, that's all. Now, come on. We have to eat, too, you know."

On the Bridge, Pal was idly sipping at a drink container when his console beeped at him. "Hm?" He released his grip on the container, allowing it to float free, and focused his attention on the terminal, rapidly typing commands. "Captain?"

Ramius turned. "What is, Mr. Pal?"

"We're receiving a transmission, Ma'am." Instantly, Ramius and Badgiruel were at his side, and Pal pointed at the screen. "There's no doubt about it. This is a coded pulse from the Earth Forces' Eighth Fleet."

The Captain's expression brightened. "Can you pull it in?"

"Doing it right now. Analyzing... decrypting... there."

The message was broken up by interference, but still partially understandable. "This... Earth Forces EighthFleet... Archangel, respond. This is... Montgomery... and Law. Rendezvous at these coordinates."

"They're under Admiral Halberton's command!" Ramius said in relief.

The Bridge crew all began speaking at once. "The Montgomery... that's Koopman's ship, right?"

"We've made it!"

"Nothing's going to stop us now!"

It looked like the Earth Alliance Forces Mobile Assault Ship Archangelwas finally out of danger, after two long weeks fleeing ZAFT Forces. Once this advance force reached them, the enemy wouldn't dare attack.

Of course, as Kevin Walker would have said, the enemy sometimes has a different estimation of what they will and will not dare attempt. And Murphy's fell presence was felt everywhere, at all times.

This he knew well, for everything that could go wrong had gone wrong for him.

A/N: Well, it seems the new guy is Jason Hibiki, and he is a famous defence tactical advisor. And his nick name is Iron Wall, and what can this guy do when aboard the Archangel protecting Miss Clyne.

Solid: I sort of thought you based that Katana off of Lowes own weapon, but in this its not energy based, its much more fun that way.

Well you just found out who was in the life pod, Jason Ironwall Hibiki, Lacus Clynes body guard, and in my mind he may be almost like your Sparky in Birds of a Feather, because he is much of what I picture for him but I don't Know Sparky completely besides that brief appearance, so I made Jason, one of ZAFTs best Defence strategists.

Yes I know you didn't say which of the three which I just found out earlier before I wrote this Review.

Yeah, I need to edit that story big time because I have the Eternal on Earth, and its a pure space ship, so bam some alterations right there.

About Kevin detecting Chris, Yeah you do have a point about the Zoanthrope capability can't believe I of all people forgot about that ha ha. Oh and to tell anyone reading this, Aelan doesn't only have that Red CGUE Machine that her space machine, she has her own Earth Machine which she will use because the Hyperion wasn't built for Re Entry on its own much like the Strike