A/n

Here is Phase 52, yet another part of original Phase 24. This is the longest Phase thus far… I don't know if I should say that is awesome or be embarrassed it is so long. I know this is a bit earlier than I normally post, but it's a holiday for some of us, so I hope you enjoy the Phase.

Phase 52: Gazing into Darkness

September 5th 71 CE

The Salong, Debris Belt

The Salong was moving within the debris belt on the PLANTs-facing side. Treize had his ship use the debris to evade those searching for him and the Salong at the orders of Chairman Zala. While that was going on, Lanus gave orders to those following him with Protocol 66 in effect. He was positioning forces in the effort to be able to protect the PLANTs and stop possible attacks if the need arose. Lanus had done this without it being noticed by the Supreme Council as far as his agents could tell. But with how things have been changing everywhere recently, protecting the homeland was made much more difficult. It wasn't just Treize had been forced to leave the PLANTs due to Patrick hunting for him and any that stood against him. That was one issue that gummed up the works that Treize had to work against.

According to OZI, the council was scrambling to fulfill their duties as were expected of them. Patrick was driving all efforts of the council and ZAFT to fight the war for the cause of "saving Coordinators" by doing what was, in truth, "exterminated Naturals." The problem with such a "solution," as some claimed it to be wouldn't save Coordinators. No, it would doom them to follow the rest of Humanity into extinction if it was successful. And it wasn't just attacking Naturals and Earth that would doom Coordinators, that was just one point that would lead to destruction. The PLANTs weren't self-sufficient as the public was being led to believe nor ready to be. Resources produced by the PLANTs themselves couldn't keep up with the current population as civilians had been told by public figures. The needed resources were bought from the Federation, though that fact had been hidden since slightly before the current year started. Lanus hadn't understood the point of the council hiding the fact that the PLANTs got need supplies from Earth. But now, with the council pushing the colonies being ready not to need Earth's help, it made sense, twisted as it was. It wouldn't take long for the truth to be known that the PLANTs weren't self-sufficient and would need additional resources. And that was only one of the problems the PLANTs faced on the path to being fully independent and self-sufficient.

There were still issues of expansion for the PLANTs and the planned population boom. From what Treize had heard, there was a population boom in the works by those on the committees. The issue which was still a standing one was Coordinator fertility. It was something that was kept from the public and denied whenever any asked about it. But something about the gene manipulation which created Coordinators gave them a sterilization issue. Successful reproduction rates were hardly effective in the first generation but increased in the following ones. Selective breeding hadn't corrected the issues even though Lanus had heard others screech it would and it was the only option there was available. The arranged marriages had only lessened the sterilization issue, but not corrected it. All that had been done so far was extend dealing with complete sterilization for a further generation, but no more. Thus, within two generations or so, Coordinators that lived in the PLANTs would be sterile and would die out. If Naturals were exterminated as Patrick and others wanted, there would be no way to change the point. The Human race would be doomed to extinction, and there would be no remedy that would work.

The expansion of the "population" that would increase was also problematic for different reasons. Resources needed for construction could be found on the moon or Earth. Should nuclear weapons be used on Earth that cut out the major source of the needed metals. The Moon's supply of the needed metals was far less available and would run out if mined heavily within a year or two. So, there wouldn't be the material required to construct colonies, leading to space issues for Coordinators. Much like the population issue, expanding by building colonies would be doomed to failure in the end. And thus, the plans that the council was following would not end well for anyone which anyone who used logic could see. There was more to worry about than focusing on wiping out the Alliance as ZAFT was working toward.

Lanus hadn't missed the Alliance's attack on Carpentaria that had occurred early last month either. It had saddened him as many men and women had lost their lives needlessly from the attack. The Alliance had used their mass-production mobile suits to overwhelm ZAFT forces. OMNI had learned the value of teamwork over the last few months, likely from observing how well it worked for the Federation. The Alliance hadn't taken prisoners, they had slaughtered every person they found alive, much as they had at Victoria. Alliance soldiers had killed even the children that had been there without hesitation. It showed that the hatred of Coordinator and Natural of one another had worsened. There was no reason to expect OMNI to change the mentality of slaughtering all ZAFT personnel they came across. And yet the Council showed no signs they cared about those that had lost their lives in this war. They were more interested in using the deaths to justify their goals and vendettas instead.

The recent events brought back to mind the video Lanus had watched, which had been the recent speech of the Republic's prime minister Ellen Blass. Lanus respected the woman that was called the Dragon of the Republic. She stood fast with her beliefs and would defend them as she could as proven over the years she'd been managing the Republic of East Asia. Blass was definitely made from the same cut as Siegel was, a believer in Humanity and what it could be. Her speech had been unlike anything Lanus had listened to before and touched his heart. Blass hadn't held back and told things as they were not sparing detail of what the war was. And so few people were willing to say what the war was doing or what it had become over the years.

Blass had just outright said the war had been going longer than it should have. There was no foreseeable end in sight, and neither ZAFT nor the Alliance were willing to talk or look for an alternative to the killing. Promises were made to seek alternatives, and some like Siegel and those in the Federation had been true to their word. Other than that, few had even appeared to try to end the war peacefully. The woman had even called out those in power for not caring for the soldiers willing to give their lives for the side they fought for. Lanus hadn't forgotten the men and women that had died fighting for ZAFT. He had sent flowers to each one of their families as a way to show respect. With each bouquet of flowers, a letter of condolences for the loss and gratitude for the service given was included and signed by Lanus himself. It had been his way to honor each soldier and the family they had the courage and love for that they chose to service in ZAFT. Blass had been right that hatred was driving the war, he'd seen the point on both sides of it.

What surprised Lanus was Blass's evidence for her speech, as it had been more than interesting. The Alliance's ultimatum showed a dangerous shift that ZAFT saw too late. If the Alliance had been willing to attack the Federation when they had avoided it before should have been a red flag. The attacks should've been a clear warning the Alliance would strike Carpentaria and Gibraltar soon. Blass made it clear the Alliance no longer cared how others saw them, victory in the war was all that mattered to those in control of it now. But because the council and defense committee refused to see the signs, many had died. Even Lanus bore some blame as he'd not been paying the attention he should've, and Carpentaria had been lost because it had been unprepared.

Minister Blass had put the war aptly in a way that Lanus doubted few could do. Horrors had become commonplace and even seen as normal when they shouldn't be. The human race had been lowering itself to being as animals or less. Lanus had nearly lost his wife to a terrorist attack on the shuttle she was on, and though she'd survived, it had been close. It had been why Lanus valued the lives entrusted to him to lead with ZAFT, for every life was precious. Perhaps that was why Blass's call to listen had touched Lanus as it had, he knew the pain of loved ones being hurt himself. Blass had been right, the death of the soldiers that were happening wasn't needed, it was more slaughter. And Lanus had been doing what he could to help minimize the lives lost. But that was made even harder with the Defense Committee and the Council literally keeping him out of major operations lately.

Then Lanus had known Junius Seven had been a test platform for peaceful coexistence. He had been the ZAFT commander about to switch patrol shifts when the "terrorist" group had appeared. Lanus had been told there was some sort of VIP on Junius Seven at the time but not who it had been. Blass revealing that Peacecraft was the said VIP was concerning as the man had enemies who had Anti-Coordinator sentiment. His team had jumped in and done everything possible to stop the mobile armors alongside those on duty. But the missile carriers had been missed and weren't caught in time to prevent the colony from being struck. None blamed Lanus for what happened, instead the commander on duty had resigned for the failure. Lanus's team was praised for their efforts to stop the terrorist and save the colony. So many people had died from that one action, and Lanus could never forget the brief moment he heard people uttering their final screams as the colony was breaking apart. He had momentarily relived that moment as Blass had been describing the event.

The woman's insistence on not blaming the soldiers for the war was one of the few comforts Lanus could take from the speech. The woman understood that soldiers did as they were ordered, most didn't kill because they could or wanted to. They were protecting their homes and families, which none should be faulted for ever doing. But then came Minister Blass's definition of those that promoted the war. Lanus didn't disagree with Blass's definition of "humankind's true enemy," for it had been correct. And she had given it so that no one could genuinely argue it was biased toward a specific group. What had hurt was Patrick fit all points of the definition, not loosely but pretty much on point. The sad thing was, at one time, Patrick would've agreed with Blass and said she was exactly right. It echoed how lost Patrick had become after losing his beloved Lenore to the Bloody Valentine. And how Creuset had used that loss to twist Patrick's pain into the thirst for revenge.

After listening to the speech, Lanus came to the decision he knew had to be made. He and those following him couldn't protect the homeland by themselves from those who threatened it. If the Alliance was the only threat, they could manage, but their former allies were now against them. It would be simpler to go to the Federation, lay out their plight, and ask for their help. Lanus was confident that the Federation would be willing to assist him as their goal wasn't different than his. He wanted a peaceful end to this war as much as the Federation did, so working together would make the chances of it coming to pass. He knew how to get ahold of the Federation Military leaders when he needed to, and he had ensured that. Two of his former Champions had made sure he would have a connection when needed to the Federation's leaders.

When he contacted the Federation Admiralty, specifically their Ben Moses, Lanus explained what had been happening in ZAFT and the PLANTs. He didn't doubt they knew an amount of the goings on with their Information Network. But Lanus would put what he had on the table in hopes the Federation would be willing to work with him. Thus, he informed them of what he was doing and that there was a growing split between the ZAFT and the Supreme Council. Lanus then talked about the difficulty of effectively protecting the PLANTs with the Alliance as it was now and the Council acting as it was. Lanus made his case that he was willing to do anything for the PLANTs to keep them safe. Even if it meant he gave up his position after the war and joined the Federation's military, Lanus would agree to that. The one condition Lanus had to work with the Federation in their efforts to try to bring peace was that the PLANTs were kept safe.

Admiral Moses was surprised to get a call from ZAFT's Lanus Treize, as the man was the leader of ZAFT's forces. ZAFT wasn't on friendly terms with the Federation much before now, and it was at the worst it had been lately. But after Treize explained what he was dealing with in his efforts, Moses could sympathize with the man's position. Treize just wanted to protect the place he saw as his homeland, which was a good thing for any man. And those following Treize would be a helpful addition to the growing fleet that was being assembled to deal with the nuclear threat looming. Plus, the man may know what ZAFT could be building for a nuclear weapon. And Treize was known to be an honest and honorable man who kept his word when he gave it. Thus, he could be trusted with Federation resources and information to use it wisely and not give it to those that would abuse it. So, Moses was willing to help Treize and let him do the same in return to help end the war.

With the cooperation agreement between Lanus and the Federation, he got access to Federation resources. And the availability of those resources would make a huge difference Lanus was sure of that. However, access to the Federation's Information Network was something Lanus hadn't expected. The Federation guarded their Information Network zealously, Lanus had seen the point himself enough to know that. And after a simple scan over the network, Lanus was shocked with what information it had. From what Lanus saw, he could see how much an advantage the network was for the Federation. And Lanus thought his network of agents had been a smooth and effective setup, but it was nothing compared to the Federation's Information Network. The network had more informants than Lanus had ever even guessed, and he had suspected it would be high.

The network was extensive and seemed to have connections everywhere, even in places that should've been ridiculously difficult. There were people that Lanus wouldn't have suspected of giving information to another side was supplying the Federation's network. For example, one if not more secretaries per committee of the Supreme Council were agents for the Federation's network. Then some were in dangerous places, like some around the Alliance higher-ups. There were even a few within organizations like Blue Cosmos. The risks some of the informants were taking were life-threatening. It was humbling what some were risking to provide critical information for the network. In truth, Lanus was impressed with just how much and how accurate the network actually was. But seeing the amount and positioning of the informants helped him understand why the Federation's network was so accurate and closely guarded by them. With access to the Information Network, he could more effectively delegate movements to the forces at his command. ZAFT could now also move freely without fear of encountering Federation forces and having to explain things to them.

There were reports on how the Alliance had successfully overtaken Carpentaria which the Federation's reports were more detailed. ZAFT had fought to defend the base to the best of their abilities, and Lanus didn't fault the men and women who had given their lives to hold the base. The Alliance had used a pincer attack on the northern shores, dropping in behind defense lines. The final report Lanus had seen from Carpentaria was the Alliance had breached the last line of defense for the command center. From what the Federation had gathered, there had been no survivors of the Alliance's attack on Carpentaria. No exceptions, OMNI had killed any they had come across that was not confirmed dead as he'd expected.

The Alliance was more successful on Earth against ZAFT than the Federation. In contrast, OMNI was suffering losses in space with the Federation destroying their Orbital Fleets. According to the Federation's network, it was their response to the attacks on the member nations. And the "secondary" reason the Federation had to strike OMNI's Orbital Fleets was to curtail the Alliance's coming potential nuclear capabilities. The Federation had been preparing for nuclear weapons coming to the war. It had started before getting the files on the Freedom and Justice, but the files had sped things along. It made the reason why Lanus had gotten the files to Siegel all the more valid. His friend had managed to get them where they could do the most good. And from what Lanus had read, the Federation already had invented a countermeasure for n-jammer cancellers. The Federation was doing what it could to mass-produce the device. And Lanus feared it would be needed sooner than any would like to think.

The other fact that Lanus noted as he was scanning the network was more evidence of the war's direction. The sighting of both the Freedom and Justice did catch Lanus's attention since there had been upset with the former disappearing. It had been classified as a theft by the Defense Committee after the mobile suit had vanished. Lanus had looked at the evidence the claims were based upon. The video of the Freedom being "stolen" showed what Lanus had suspected would happen somehow when Siegel got the files sent to him. Lanus could only assume the Federation pilot that had been recovering at Siegel's residence was the one who had taken the Freedom. With the Freedom likely going to the Federation, Lanus hadn't seen a serious issue with the theft. He had informed the Defense Committee with what information he could get, the Freedom hadn't fallen into enemy hands and would unlikely go to them. Many on the committee had accepted that until Patrick demanded the investigation be reopened and prioritized it.

The Justice had been sent in pursuit of the Freedom per the orders of the Council. Normally, the pilot selection would've been given to Lanus for a new mobile suit, especially a custom model. Yet, as had been happening more frequently, Patrick had used the Defense Committee to supersede him. Lanus wouldn't have chosen Athrun Zala even though the young man had a fine service record, short as it was. And while it had apparently worked out in the end with the young man being the pilot, there had been much at risk with the choice. Lanus assumed that Patrick had counted on his son's "loyalty" to have him do the mission given to him. But what an agent of Lanus's had gotten to him didn't match what the Defense Committee had received. The implications that Patrick's orders had been beyond worrisome if completed successfully. Patrick would have ZAFT at war with the Federation without concern about what would result. ZAFT wouldn't win against the Federation though they would last longer than the Alliance. However, things had ended better than they could have with the Freedom and Justice working with their current pilots. They weren't under the control of ZAFT, and those using them seemed to be siding with the Federation working to end the war as peacefully as possible.

The last reports from Waltfeld's team and those helping him had stated they were continuing to help Siegel and his daughter Lacus. Lanus knew of Sakura efforts to protect her family, and that was before taken into account Siegel was a personal friend. Also, if either died, Lanus knew that even he would be unable to stop Sakura from getting vengeance. And the woman would be aiming to take Patrick's head straight away. And she could succeed in killing the man before she was physically stopped by others around him. The whole mess which would come from that event was the last thing ZAFT needed. Thankfully, the Federation had intervened by sending SOLAS teams to extract Siegel and Miss Clyne from Aprilius One. And now, the two were out of reach of the Chairman for the time being, and that was for the better. They would put the Eternal to good use and not let it sit in a dock unused, Lanus was sure.

The other information collection that caught Lanus's attention was their reasoning for their actions. The Federation was well-known for doing things but not explaining why they took their actions. The odd things Lanus had noticed the Federation doing over the years made sense. They had been preparing for not if but when they would be attacked with the war going on around them. The Federation had known they would be forced into the war at some point. They had even been ready should ZAFT be the side to pull them into the conflict. The Federation's Military's responses had been "textbook" and logical even by Lanus's standards. He applauded their defense and dedication to protecting and serving their citizens, it was admirable. Lanus had attempted to make ZAFT into something with similar values for the citizens of the PLANTs.

Lanus had then reached the most recent event, the Alliance's assault on the old Italian peninsula. It was where the Euros Coalition's mass driver was located, which the Alliance obviously wanted. It was surprising that the mass driver had the means to protect itself. Normally, mass drivers depended on those in control of it would use their own military forces to protect it. However, the Coalition's driver had been able to sink into the sea and become inaccessible. The idea of hiding or putting a bunker or something similar over a mass driver was unheard of with the Alliance and ZAFT. Then the Federation had defenses ready for the Alliance's initial attack. And while the Alliance had gotten a force on the peninsula, they hadn't succeeded in the end. Yet, the Alliance had shown they had improved using mobile suits in that campaign. Lanus would keep the Alliance's improvement in mind when ZAFT forces faced them.

The Information Network also confirmed the worrisome issue that the Alliance had acquired n-jammer cancellers. Lanus had no more doubt that Creuset had slipped the specs to the Alliance. The issue was it gave the Alliance the ability to build nuclear weapons. And Lanus knew the leaders of the Alliance would produce and use nukes on the PLANTs. The problem was Lanus knew Patrick had been working on a nuclear-powered device to use on the Alliance. Lanus had not been able to get much information on it other than its the code-named which was GENESIS. The only thing he'd heard about it was the device would decimate the target, but no more detail. Knowing nothing about what Patrick had been developing as a weapon of mass destruction worried Lanus. And he'd given the Federation what he knew about GENESIS, but it wasn't enough for even them to estimate what it was in reality.

A few days passed, and Lanus was watching the Moon, specifically the Alliance's Ptolemaeus base. If there were a force deployed with nuclear weapons, it would come from the lunar HQ of OMNI. ZAFT forces were in defensive positions both at Boaz and Jachin Due watching for Alliance vessels. Lanus had directed his forces to be around those patrols and observe enemy force movements. With that setup, there should be enough warning to mount a counter-offensive against OMNI. That would prevent a crisis for the PLANTs in theory, and Lanus would take that for the time being. Lanus's focus was unchanged, the safety of the PLANTs and its citizens was what mattered to him. He had made a vow to do his utmost to protect them from danger, whether threats came from foreign powers or domestic terrorists. It was a promise all ZAFT soldiers were to make upon finishing their training and officially being enlisted.

Lanus feared that the Alliance might do a test of nuclear weapons on a ZAFT base. The Alliance would want to make sure whatever kind of weapon system they built would work before using it against their intended target. The test could be done anywhere, whether on Earth like Gibraltar or in space like Boaz. No matter the base attacked, a nuclear weapon would wipe out many lives needlessly. But with how the Alliance had held themselves, they wouldn't care about who they killed. If anything, they would see killing all at a ZAFT base as a "courageous act" and boast about it as such. However, the assault on a base would signify that the Alliance was close to ready to strike the PLANTs directly. Sadly, GENESIS was scheduled to be up and going in the coming weeks. Lanus doubted Patrick would hesitate to use the weapon on Alliance territory. He may even use GENESIS on the Federation, which Lanus hoped wouldn't be the case.

When a report came in that OMNI was attacking Boaz, Lanus felt things were about to become much worse. He ordered the Salong to head for Boaz at all possible speed. There was a possibility that Lanus could get to Boaz before the Alliance could use a nuclear weapon. The Alliance striking Boaz wasn't unheard of, it happened from time to time and normally ended with OMNI retreating. The sight of Boaz came into view, and the signs of battle were visible from a distance. ZAFT was doing a good job fending off Alliance forces, Lanus would applaud the efforts. The Salong's bridge crew reported those on the field fighting one another to Lanus. Boaz's forces were holding their main defense line, but the forward lines had been forced back. It was clear that OMNI had improved by using mobile suits they had built for themselves. There were also a few "Gundams" among OMNI forces, taxing Boaz's defending forces.

However, Lanus spotted what appeared to be a separate group on the Alliance side moving around the battle. For a small group to be out of the main influence of the fight wasn't a good thing. It tended to mean the group was the real problem while the rest were a distraction from them. However, the Salong wasn't in range to do anything to assist the Boaz forces. It would still take five to seven minutes for the ship to reach the influence of the battle. And if nuclear missiles were used, things would not end well for those in Boaz. The base was built to take a beating, even from nuclear weapons. Yet, it wasn't made to take a barrage of nuclear force without breaking down.

The Salong's approach wasn't noticed as the Federation had offered Lanus some of its stealth technology. Lanus hadn't refused the Salong fitted with Federation stealth field emitters. So, none would see the ship coming, nor would either side detect it. However, as the Salong got closer, there was a bright flash and was followed by several explosions around Boaz. The Salong's sensor operator called they were detecting nuclear radiation ahead. Lanus knew that meant OMNI had just used nuclear weapons on the base. As the flash died down, seeing the asteroid now in several pieces was hard to see. No survivors would be in Boaz, not after the barrage. And OMNI didn't stop with the destruction of Boaz, and they moved to mop up what was left of ZAFT after the nuclear strike.

By the time the Salong got close enough to see the aftermath of the battle, it was essentially wrapping up. The majority of the Alliance fleet that had attacked had fallen back towards the moon. There were still a few Alliance vessels around, appearing to be scanning for survivors. And with the recent nuclear attack, sensors were unreliable due to the radiation and fluctuating heat signatures. Those still alive were likely using those facts to hide from OMNI's cleanup happening. But Lanus wouldn't just stand and let those who had been fulfilling their duties be killed by OMNI. He ordered the pilots on the Salong to prepare to sortie before he headed to the hangar himself.

Lanus's custom mobile suit was based on the 1017 GINN but was blue with the torso and white over the rest. The machine had the most advanced thrusters, giving an advantage over even high maneuver type GINNs. It also had heavier armor on several areas of the suit, but the extra mass and weight were compensated by the thrusters' power not to affect the machine's performance. The equipment had changed a bit from what it had been the last time Treize had sortied. The GINN swords are being changed to a beam saber for better cutting power. And the machine gun had been swapped out for one of ZAFT's new beam rifles. That still left the long-range railgun that was mounted on the outside of the left shoulder. Lanus and three other GINNs launched out from the Salong to the field.

Within the debris field of what had been Boaz and its defensive lines, ZAFT survivors were hiding from the searching enemy forces. Suit pilots had shut off their machines' systems they could to avoid detection. The Alliance had massacred all in Boaz and had wiped out many thus far. There was little chance the Alliance would just leave and not check for any that might have survived. What Nazcas and Laurasia classes were still operational at all were doing much the same as the mobile suits. They were running silent and trying to make it seem like the ships were just floating debris. The homeland had to know what happened at Boaz, that the Alliance had used nuclear weapons they had produced. The colonies would be in serious danger if such were used against the PLANTs. The best chance to get a message was to play dead and let the Alliance pass by and leave.

The remaining Alliance forces scanned over what was left of Boaz's defense forces. A visual scan was required as the sensor wasn't helpful with the radiation and heat signatures. Some survivors had been found so far and had been dispatched when identified, but only around half of the field had been searched. However, as the search continued, four mobile suits appeared, forcing OMNI onto the defensive. Yet, when the Alliance forces realized that one of the GINNs had the colors used by ZAFT's Admiral Treize, the first feelings of fear set in. The stories about ZAFT's Admiral Treize fighting out on the field were the stuff of nightmares to OMNI. For a machine to have the colors of Treize sunk in more when the machine outdid any Dagger that fought against it.

The surviving ZAFT forces heard over radio channels OMNI panicking about something. Some of the GINNs that were close by where the fighting was taking place activated their optics to see what was happening. The sight of Treize custom model GINN was the last thing the GINN pilots expected to see. It gave them hope they would live to see another day and even return to the homeland once more. They quietly reported to the surviving ships that Admiral Treize had appeared. As the Alliance was fighting against Treize and the three with him, they were getting desperate to take down these enemies that had appeared. It did really seem that the custom GINN was piloted by ZAFT's Treize, and the three with him were veteran pilots. What the man was doing here was anyone's guess in the Alliance that he was here at all was a problem. Then, long-range communications were being blocked somehow, so the OMNI forces couldn't reach out to their allies.

After watching Treize and those with him pushing around the Alliance mop up forces, those who had been playing dead made their move. They made surprise attacks against the Daggers when they got close enough. The ZAFT survivors may not be fully armed with what they would normally be, but they used what they still had to work with. The Daggers quickly were overwhelmed by enemy forces, with "destroyed" enemies suddenly coming back to life. The Alliance vessels tried to move forward and assist the Daggers but were stopped. The Salong appeared and fired upon the Alliance ships destroying one with the volley. Other ZAFT vessels began attacking the Alliance forces with what guns they still had operational. It didn't take too long for the OMNI group to be handled. Lanus turned his attention to helping those that had survived the Alliance's attack on Boaz. He got down to organizing those around to help in the search for any still alive.

Over the next hour, searching for survivors showed how much Boaz had become a graveyard. Initial estimations had been grim, with less than twenty percent of those stationed at Boaz being alive after the nuclear attack. And the wreckage being searched didn't give a great deal of hope of finding many alive. Yet, there were still some found among the wreckage. Seven Nazcas and six Laurasia classes were still operational to some degree from the fifty-plus that Boaz would supported. And those left were not at full strength or even in good working order. Thus, close to seventy percent of Boaz's forces on station had been killed by OMNI's nuclear attack and the mop up. Lanus was pained with so many dead, for their deaths didn't just affect themselves but all their loved ones. He had assigned a number of those who had been at Boaz both for their skills and capabilities and to keep them off the frontline of the war. And yet, Boaz had been destroyed after assuming it would be looked over, so Lanus felt partially responsible for their deaths.

From what the Federation's Information said, the Supreme Council had been informed about the Alliance's attack on Boaz. Their response to the attack was outrage and railing on the Alliance for their action. The claim that the Alliance had not just decimated but completely wiped out Boaz's forces was being circulated. That translated into there being no rescue efforts or even mounting a search to the area Boaz had been in. In essence, the survivors were being left for dead and would be given no aid from those who were supposed to be allies. If Lanus hadn't come, the survivors would've been killed by the Alliance mop-up group. And should the Alliance mop-up have been lucky enough to miss them, they would've died once supplies ran out for most of them.

Once all the ZAFT pilots who were found alive were returned to the surviving ships, Lanus returned to the Salong. When he reached the bridge, he connected channels to the remaining ZAFT vessels so a conference could happen. Lanus was told the status of each ship and its crew, which weren't good but were better than them being lost. Not one crew hadn't had personnel with injuries, and some hadn't made it succumbing to their injuries. Lanus mentioned that the homeland had concluded they were dead, along with the rest who had been defending Boaz. He wouldn't lie to those who had survived as they didn't deserve to be led along that help had been coming by order of the Council and the Defense Committee. Clearly, those in control like Patrick didn't care about those who risked their lives for the PLANTs anymore. They likely didn't see the soldiers as people or individuals but as pawns in their war who could use as they saw fit. It was the same mentality as the Alliance and its OMNI had for those who fought for them. It was fanaticism enforced on both sides now, either you were completely dedicated, or you were expendable.

When Admiral Treize laid out the truth, the survivors didn't want to believe what had been said. For them to be abandoned by their allies hurt as ZAFT was supposed to be a united force to stand up against the Alliance. They weren't supposed to leave some for dead after an enemy attack. However, Admiral Treize wasn't one to lie to the troops even when it would be more helpful if he did. All in ZAFT knew Admiral Treize valued honesty and integrity above niceties and making others feel better about themselves. So, if the Admiral said the Council and the Defense Committee had abandoned them, it was likely true. And it also meant going back to the PLANTs right now was pointless. They would be accused of abandoning their allies and deserting under enemy fire. So, being under the command of Admiral Treize was the best option for them. The Admiral would help them and still defend the homeland as they had vowed to do when enlisting.

Lanus had the survivors travel with him to others under his command so that repairs could be made for them. They had agreed to follow him as they had stated after being told the truth about the Council. While Lanus didn't want to put the survivors into danger with what they'd seen, there wasn't much of an option with the war. There was the need to have the forces willing to fight to do so and prevent the Alliance from achieving its goals. Lanus feared that the need to protect the PLANTs would soon involve battling ZAFT forces. It showed how far things had degenerated, and it was truly sad. Lanus only wished that ZAFT could be returned to what it had been in the early years of the war. He'd made it into an organization with honor that showed mercy to its enemies. The Alliance had begrudgingly admitted that ZAFT had integrity and honor with how they held themselves at the time. Yet, the current ZAFT was barely a shadow of what it was years ago.

Meanwhile, the Federation First Space Fleet had stayed around Lagrange 4 after destroying OMNI's Third Orbital. The fleet was awaiting orders from Federation High Command on what to do next. With the Alliance keeping their Orbital Fleets either at Ptolemaeus or around the Earth Sphere above Victoria. The positioning made taking down the fleets without involving others much more difficult. Instead, groups were positioned to watch the Alliance's actions to try and figure out what they were doing. The use of nuclear weapons on ZAFT's Boaz had been a serious wake-up call. It showed that the Alliance had nuclear weapons and was more than willing to use them against their enemies. And it wouldn't be long before those weapons would be used against the Federation. It was an expectation that once the Alliance or ZAFT finished with the other, they would turn their attention to the Federation. Thus, the Federation's military watched closely to see how things would play out. They were waiting for the opportunity to intercede and stop the destruction of the Human race.

Tyler had moved over to the Resolute with the Aurora after the second skirmish around Mendel. He hoped that it would have him in the position to be ready for any action that should come up. But so far, nothing had happened, and the patrols had been boring as Tyler had imagined they would be with the Alliance, not around. Some were out to do long-range recon on the moon to see Ptolemaeus. Yet, nothing had been spotted around Ptolemaeus that revealed the Alliance's plans. Tyler had even volunteered for the recon duty, but he'd seen nothing of interest from the base. Nelson and Drake classes had been patrolling but hadn't gone beyond the base's outer defense line. The only other thing that Tyler had noted was ships were being used to cover others' movements. However, Tyler couldn't tell what the "hidden" ships had been doing to have others shielding them.

During the downtime, Tyler spent the time in the common areas or his assigned quarters. The stress for him had been building without anything major occurring with either ZAFT or the Alliance. And when Tyler read reports from the Information Network, his mood would slide further down. The things Tyler read just iterated how the war was getting worse by the day. His health was improving and was normal-ish even if it wasn't his hundred percent he liked to be at. But the waiting was taking a toll on Tyler, and it was one that he didn't like to shoulder. It had given him bags under his eyes and a ragged look on his face as he did the needed work. The "downhill" path the war was taking was escalating at an alarming rate, to put it mildly. Tyler's mood could be worse, like if he were on the Valerian. If that were the case, then Tyler would have to deal with his boss often, and that was a position Tyler avoided like the plague. He didn't like being around his boss if there was a way not to be. It was due to the stories about the woman and his own experience he had with Admiral Raine. The woman just had an air about her that demanded respect and intimidated without a problem.

The current situation and circumstances made Tyler realize he needed time to unwind. Tyler did some figuring and found he hadn't had what most would recognize as a vacation for more than a year. The time at Heliopolis wasn't technically a vacation since he was still doing work for the Federation. Tyler had been stretching himself thin between protecting his friends and doing serious background work. The war had been getting to him, Tyler just wasn't letting it show to those he was around. And he knew that the war and what it involved would get worse, and he would be involved in it somehow. Tyler knew numbers would be on the side of those who would protect humanity. But that wasn't as comfortable as with nuclear weapons flying around, and many lives would be at risk. And by this point, the PLANTs were under just as much threat as Earth, and the Moon were. Thus, those protecting humanity would have to halt and counter those that wanted to destroy humanity.

The task was daunting, to be sure, and Tyler didn't kid around about that point. The Alliance was out to attack the PLANTs with nuclear weapons. If they got passed ZAFT, they would try to destroy all the colonies until they succeeded or were stopped. They wouldn't hesitate to kill all those innocent people that lived in the colonies. Should the Alliance succeed, they would turn their attention to the Federation member nation to threaten to do the same. ZAFT and the Supreme Council that led them weren't much different in their aims to "end the war." It was unlikely ZAFT would use nuclear warheads, the Bloody Valentine would have them use an alternative nuclear-powered weapon. They would use the weapon against Earth and the Moon to wipe out their enemies. The issue, in the end, was the same for both groups, they would screw themselves over and bring about their own destruction. They could deny the outcome as they liked but using nuclear weapons would doom all. The PLANTs being destroyed would cause attacks on Earth, causing nuclear fallout, which would kill those that didn't die in the initial attack. And an attack on Earth would doom the colonies as they couldn't produce enough resources for themselves to survive.

The mere thought of what would happen if the Alliance or ZAFT got their way had Tyler in a glum mood. He had wandered to the ship's mess to get a meal and decide what to do for the day. No operations were planned, and Tyler wouldn't be allowed to do recon for a while with how often he had done it. Tyler was being told that he was to give others the chance to do the job. And with his boss in the fleet, Tyler knew he had not to behave like he normally did and not listen to commanding officers. Tyler's report had passed Admiral Raine's expectations, and he didn't want to get punished by her again with events as they were. So, Tyler kept his head down and was not noticed by his boss the best he could. Thus, Tyler was left with time on his hands he had to figure out what to use it for. There was a planning meeting set for eight hours from the current time, which Tyler felt would be good for him to attend. However, he also wanted to check on his friends and see what was happening with them. There was also the option for Tyler to catch up on his sleep as doctors had said he should too.

At the same time, Lisa was looking for Tyler to check up on him. His recovery was going along well, and he was past the point where his health would affect his ability to do what he did. However, he was still pushing himself more than the average soldier, almost like he had something to prove. Tyler had done more than was expected from almost anyone, definitely more than the average soldier even in the Federation. And yet, he was beating himself up about recent events as if they had been his failure. Lisa hadn't gotten the story from Tyler though she had tried, something about the second Archangel class had bothered him. He had moped for the last week, and it wasn't helping him, as his silence was making things worse for him. She found him in the mess hall staring at the food he had in front of him, appearing to be lost in thought. She made her way over, took a seat next to Tyler, and said nothing, allowing him to speak first.

Tyler glanced over and saw Lisa taking a seat next to him. It wasn't a surprise that Lisa had found him, he hadn't been trying to hide or avoid people very hard. He was grateful to have her as a friend, especially during frustrating times as the current situation was. Tyler hadn't seen Lisa much over the last week for several reasons. Tyler's volunteering for missions and patrols had kept him busy and on a different schedule. That schedule didn't have the two crossing paths much other than the occasional sight around the ship. Plus, Lisa had been going out in the Athena doing what Tyler had done. Tyler exhaled heavily, "Hey Lisa," he greeted, "Hope you're doing better than I am."

Tyler's tone of voice made it clear his mood was not good, and he likely had "weight" on his shoulders. And while recent events hadn't been the nicest for any, Lisa felt there was more to Tyler's mood than just that. She had learned over the time she'd gotten to know Tyler he didn't discuss the "baggage" he carried. Tyler dealt with the issues thrust upon him even when it made things harder on himself, working through them alone. Lisa gained a small smile, "So," she began, "you keeping busy to avoid facing issues came to an end already, has it? And by the look of it, sleep is a stranger to you as of late without drugs forcing you together. Should I ask what you are avoiding facing that you are doing such punishment to yourself?"

Tyler knew Lisa was right about seeing his actions as a form of avoidance when facing current issues. He hadn't talked to his friends about the second battle with the Dominion and what had happened with it. Tyler knew those on the Archangel didn't want Natarle dead, and he had just about done the deed. If there had been an alternative, Tyler would've been open to that. But Natarle wasn't willing to do what was best for her and her crew. Tyler would admit the woman's military mentality was firm and, in reality, stubborn more than others he'd met. Then there was the girl Flay, another issue Tyler hadn't discussed with his friends. He had been about to destroy the machine the girl was being held by, which would've killed her. Tyler felt at that time if whatever the girl had reached the Alliance, it would make things worse. And the Information Network had proved Tyler right when it stated the Alliance had gotten N-jammer Canceller specs. Should he have destroyed the Calamity, it was possible he could've delayed that event. And yet, it would've ended with the death of Flay as well, and Tyler doubted his friends would be okay with that.

Avoidance was a nicety that Tyler both resorted to and cursed for what it brought him. He was not talking to his friends, which he liked doing since he was lonely. Trying to keep himself occupied had only helped a little when he had been doing that. Tyler knew he needed to speak with his friends and settle things, and he would beat himself up until he did. So, Tyler sighed in response to Lisa's question, "I've been told no recon missions until further notice and sleep only embraces me for four hours if I'm really lucky, less normally." Tyler paused for a moment, "As for what I'm avoiding, that would be facing my friends and those on the Archangel after what happened with the Dominion. If it had worked out as it was intended, then I would do things that would've ended with the Dominion's destruction. They didn't want that, and I don't know if the reasoning I could use would help them understand the need."

Lisa blinked, "The Dominion," she questioned. "Are you referring to that other Archangel-class that was on the Alliance side in the battle we came upon?" Tyler's head lowered to the table, "Yeah, the black Archangel. The issue is that the captain of it is the Archangel's former vice-captain." Lisa thought for a moment about the last sentence Tyler had said. From what she'd observed, Tyler had never gotten along with the Archangel's vice-captain, nor had she dealt with Tyler well. "As I recall, you had run-ins with her, and none of those went well," Lisa remarked. "Though you said she isn't a bad person at heart."

Tyler knew with the relationship he had with Natarle, and few would've blamed him for shooting her ship down. However, Tyler had chosen the high road as he felt those he respected would expect of him and do what he could not to kill Natarle and her crew. Also, the Archangel's crew doesn't want the woman dead or harmed as they still care about Natarle. Tyler could sympathize with the feeling even if he didn't like the woman as the ship's crew did. He had tried to give Natarle an alternative option to choose so he wouldn't have to try and kill her in the end. Azrael had to either be captured or killed, that was what protocol with war criminals demanded. And Natarle protecting him as an officer of the Alliance hadn't helped her case to stay alive. In the end, Tyler hadn't taken the direct shot, and the indirect shot had failed to deny the Alliance what they wanted. Tyler ended out sighing, "I know I have issues with the woman, but that doesn't mean I want her dead," he replied. "But those on the Archangel may not understand that I wasn't trying to kill her. With a wanted war criminal on the ship, protocol states to capture or kill them."

Lisa knew the protocols when it came to war criminals as much as any Federation soldier did. War criminals were to be apprehended or dispatched and confirmed dead if capture wasn't possible. And the rumor was that the criminal Muruta Azrael had been with the Alliance forces in the battle. That man was one of the best-known war criminals who had not been apprehended or killed thus far. Azrael had been deeply involved with planning the nuclear strike on Junius Seven, and evidence had made such clear. As Lisa had read, the man had escaped and evaded capture for years. Azrael always was either not found in places he was to be or was gone before Federation agents arrived. Tyler shouldn't blame himself for missing one of the top criminals the Federation had been trying to get. "And you have been blaming yourself for not taking down the man on the ship, haven't you?" Tyler nodded in response, and Lisa put a hand on his shoulder, "Tyler, that man has evaded many of the best in the Federation, don't beat yourself up for missing him." She took a breath and continued, "As for your friends, putting off the point isn't helping, just go and tell them the truth. If they are your friends as you believe, then they will not hold what happened against you."

Tyler knew Lisa was right, but that wasn't the only thing bothering him currently. The ongoing war was getting worse by the day, and even the normal hate-filled cries didn't explain the acceleration. Crazy people were being heeded more when they should be put in an asylum or at least ignored. It made no sense why things were going the way they were, logically, it shouldn't. The chain of events brought forth the question of what started the war and why did it keep going. After a moment of silence, Tyler spoke up, "Lisa, what even started this war," he asked. "And I mean before Bloody Valentine. How did things go so wrong and get the human species where it stands now? I've been racking my brain and can't explain why some hate-filled and crazy people have the loudest voices that are heeded. Then, why does this keep going when it is obvious it will kill us all if it goes the direction it is right now?"

Tyler's questions were ones that many Lisa had asked wouldn't doubt. It asked how this war had come to be and where it was going. And thus far, none had been able to give definitive answers to the questions. All that could be said was the darker side of nature possessed by humans. History clearly showed that the human species has a dark side that some heeded and brought about chaos and death. Lisa sighed, "I don't have definitive answers to those questions," Lisa paused, "I don't know if any will ever have answers to the why some wish to cause suffering to others. Some people give in to and nurture humanity's dark side for selfish reasons. While events like Coordinators coming to be and colony construction brought it out more, they weren't the causes. As of now, those who are hell-bent on bringing about their "perfect" vision of humanity use this war for their goals. Like your mother said, Humankind's true enemy is at work to bring down the human race. They will either kill us all or drive us back to darker days in earlier history."

Tyler understood what Lisa was saying about the dark side of humanity. History has made it clear from the earliest records that existed humans had a dark nature within them. Overall, humanity chose the good within them and filled their potential, even facing the darkness others embraced. Some of the history lessons that Tyler had gotten from his father had gotten that point across. All humans had the potential to become evil, to embrace the dark nature humanity had. And those that chose the darkness caused nothing but misery and suffering to the whole human race. The war and the conflicts that had come before just seemed to highlight the evil humans could bring about.

Tyler said nothing to Lisa as she kept going and went into detail about what had contributed to the ongoing war. He listened to his friend's argument about how the war had come to its current place, but his mind wandered. His mind returned to the video Chairman Zala had put out addressing PLANTs' citizens. Chairman Zala had been "preaching" about how Naturals were the source of all the woes the PLANTs faced. What had hurt Tyler the most was when the man had roared Naturals would die to give way to the "future" for Coordinators. It quickly became a rallying cry and morphed into a call for ZAFT to destroy the Alliance and other Naturals.

The memories of Patrick Zala had flashed in Tyler's mind watching the recording, of the man Tyler had been in awe when he was a child. Tyler had met Patrick when it was almost four when the man had come to see his mother. Patrick had been studying different types of governmental systems for what would become the PLANTs. And yet, there was nothing left of that man Tyler had met all those years ago. The chairman of the PLANTs wasn't Patrick Zala, just someone that wore his face and used his voice. The video merely made the point that Patrick Zala was gone more evident, and it didn't give a good feeling to Tyler at all. Plus, if what the man shouted came to pass, Tyler would lose his mother, the last member of his blood relations. He would also have many friends taken from him simply because they were Naturals.

As Lisa was talking about Coordinators being compared to non-Coordinators quickly spread the hatred and jealousy. The focus on differences had only sown more strife and chaos, which terrorists had taken advantage of. With their talent for inflating the negative, gossip and rumor created stories about Coordinators that became more ridiculous and even ludicrous. Those spurred on terrorist actions happening and came in increasing frequency. The result was that the death toll kept climbing, and there was no sign of it stopping. The storm of events kept the revenge philosophy alive and healthy. Tyler knew that revenge was not only a vicious cycle but also the most lethal poison that existed to date. It's slow, guarantees more deaths than any other venom, and spreads quicker than any plague known by humankind. The only cure Tyler knew was to forgive those that started the cycle and let go of the grudge. The criminals or terrorists that started the issue also needed to be dealt with, but if both happened, the cycle of revenge could end. It brought to mind what Uzumi had said about the attack posture couldn't be used for peace. The man was right aggressive offensive tactics couldn't end a war, which encouraged such to continue.

Tyler's attention was brought back when Lisa started talking about humans' potential. It was a proven fact historically that humans had two urges that were more powerful than any other. Some of the greatest leaders in history had said in some way that the will to survive was the most powerful force that drove humanity. The second force they would mention was seen by some as paired with the first: the urge to fulfill one's potential to the fullest. The two forces had pushed for the most incredible scientific breakthroughs and the noblest causes. However, some philosophers had put forth the idea that the same "God-like" potential the human species possessed also drove it to find challenges in one another. Humanity has looked inward for challenges to surpass limitations to drive them farther. The wish to succeed and surpass one's limitations has been a driving force for humans for millennia and still is in the Cosmic Era. It was the force that had propelled humanity into space and to the moon. Tyler was on the side of those that believed that humanity could go farther if given the chance.

If it weren't for those that had embraced the dark nature humanity had within, then the potential would be for the best. But those who chose to do evil things had found they could manipulate humans' potential for their own purposes. They had used the abilities which set humanity apart from all other species Earth had were abused by them. The hatred and jealousy some had of others as they surpassed their limits had diverted humanity's path. The human race had gone into space; if it had been left to keep pushing, it would have become space explorers. Tyler firmly believed that the human race could be exploring the Solar System and beyond if not for the hatred and terrorists who had inspired conflict to rise. That forced people to fight one another to keep pushing their potential with their will to survive. Thus, the scum and evil ones of the human race used humanity's potential for their gain.

The explanation Lisa had given while it did iterate somewhat why humanity had come to where it had. However, it didn't help Tyler's mood, which had come because of the war going on. Nor was it easy to accept that the dark scum of the human race had the upper hand to a degree. Tyler couldn't understand how people would accept the ridiculous idea that killing another is how to move forward. Granted, he knew fear used to push against the will to survive could get many to do things they wouldn't normally do. But the results of what the evil spawns had been clear, mass death would follow them. Junius Seven was a good example of the point and a personal one for Tyler. The actions of those terrorists had stolen everything from all inside the colony and more from others related to the colony's inhabitance. Yet, that didn't convince them enough to stand up against the warmongers that drove the fighting forward. And if things didn't change, then worse tragedies would likely loom and bring about the destruction of humanity.

Lisa waited for Tyler to reply when she finished her general argument of why humanity had reached its current point. It was obvious he had been thinking more than what she'd said. Tyler had always mentioned his father had been a brilliant scientist. Thus, Lisa figured Tyler had gained his intelligence and consideration methods from the man. Tyler exhaled after a long moment, "While your explanation does have merit, Lisa," Tyler began, "It still just doesn't quite define the problem faced by the human race." He sighed heavily, "But you are right that avoidance isn't helping me in my personal plight. I knew it but didn't want to admit the point as I would feel pushed to get things moving." Tyler rose from the bench, "So, no time like the present, I guess."

Tyler headed to the hangar after suiting up along the way, intending to head out and go to Mendel. That was where the two ships he wanted to go to would dock when not on duty. So, Tyler headed out from the Resolute and made his way steadily towards Mendel from the edge of L4 where Federation vessels had been positioned. Tyler had to watch his travel path as more ships were coming to Lagrange 4. By what he understood, a short distance from L4 had been selected as a gathering point for the "allied fleet" which was building. ZAFT vessels and even some OMNI ships had already appeared in the colony cluster and would follow the First Fleet when they joined the rest of the fleet. The reasoning was that the other factions didn't watch Lagrange 4 and long-range sensors weren't reliable for data gathering. The fleet was already large and growing. By Tyler's estimate, it could match ZAFT's lunar fleet or OMNI's remaining Orbital Fleets. So, maneuvering through the ships and mobile suits out took Tyler's attention. He knew Mendel and two other colonies were being used as bases for the building fleet.

After thirty minutes, Tyler came to the southern spaceport entrance. He flew slowly into the docking area and glanced around for where he could land and exit. Tyler spotted an area shuttles had once used to dock at the colony, which would do what he needed. He shifted the Aurora to its suit mode and landed on the shuttle platform. Tyler exited his mobile suit and moved to the airlock system the shuttles would've used. After the system pressurized the ante-room, Tyler took his helmet off and waited for the lock to open. Once Tyler entered the internal port area, he floated across the large room and headed towards the Archangel. He would start with those from Heliopolis and move on from there.

Tyler still didn't look forward to the conversation he was going to have with Tolle, Miriallia, Sai, and Kuzzey. He had been about to destroy the Dominion and all on board, and they respected Natarle far more than Tyler ever had. Tyler had been doing what he had to protect the Archangel and the rest, which had the possibility of horrible actions to achieve the point. Then, Tyler had gotten really close to killing Flay with the second shot at the Calamity, which would've been fatal if Tyler hadn't flinched. Hell, Tyler could've scared the crap out of them with how he "disabled" the Dominion for all he knew. Honestly, Tyler didn't know where to start the conversation with them and not seem like beyond a cold-hearted jerk. But he knew that if he didn't talk with them, he could torment himself until he did.

With that in mind, Tyler sailed into the boarding tunnel to the Archangel with his conviction set. He came into the corridor from the boarding tunnel and glanced around, finding he was on the lower deck, a level above the hangar floor. Once knowing where he was, Tyler moved and grabbed one of the handles on the wall and squeezed. The corridor zip line pulled Tyler down the hall toward the lift that would let him rise to higher decks. He entered the lift and pushed the button for the second crew deck as the mess was on that deck. The mess hall was the gathering place for the Archangel beside the hangar and the navigation bridge.

Sai had grabbed a meal while off-duty and found Tolle in the mess hall. The two were talking when the door slid open, and the two glanced that way. They were surprised to see Tyler in the doorway. Tyler had gone to a Federation vessel close to two weeks ago, saying he could do more there than back on the three ships in Mendel. Tyler still sends a message every few days that he is fine but keeping himself busy with things. So, his appearance on the Archangel was unexpected by most. Tyler hadn't said much after the Dominion and the Third Orbital Fleet battle. Mr. Zala had mentioned Tyler had been bothered that the Dominion had escaped, but no detail as to why. Tyler spotted Sai and Tolle and floated over to them, "You mind if I take a seat," he asked. The two nodded, and Tyler sat down and looked at his two friends who were just staring at him. Sai was the first to speak after a long silent minute, "So, Tye, what brings you around here?"

Tyler frowned a bit at the question as he wished he wasn't here for what he was. However, Tyler knew that he needed to come clean with his friends, or he wouldn't be able to live with himself until he did the point. But he did not like to admit possible mistakes or things he could've done better, not when it involved friends. In the end, Tyler sighed heavily, "To be frank, I'm here to come clean and explain my mood and avoidance for the last two weeks." He paused for a moment before he continued, "The second battle with the Dominion was conflictive for me in several ways that I didn't let show."

Sai blinked at Tyler, saying he was here to come "clean" about his behavior. Tyler McGregor wasn't one to admit his behavior could be better or that it was a serious problem most of the time. Sai had learned that more by watching the interactions between Miriallia and Tyler. Miriallia cursed Tyler's behavior more often than not. She detested his apparent disregard for authority and rules, which came up quite a bit. There were times that Tyler would admit he was wrong about something, but he had never apologized for his behavior that Sai could recall. "This is new," Sai remarked, "this is the first time you've ever done anything like an apology for your behavior."

Tyler knew his stubbornness was akin to a double-edged sword since it both helped and hindered. He normally didn't apologize for his actions when they were called out. Sure, he would admit the results that came out of them could be better sometimes, but not say sorry for what he did. But he would sometimes force himself to say he should've done differently, yet that was in front of those like his mother or boss. So, Tyler looked at the table, "Okay, I admit that I don't apologize for my actions or behavior often, but that's because I do my utmost to live life the best I can without regret." Tyler exhaled, "But in the second battle with the Dominion, I did things that I really should've considered differently." Tyler paused for a moment, then continued, "I know all on the Archangel respect Natarle to some degree, and I don't hold it against any. You are free to do that as you like. I will keep my view of the woman needing anger management, among other things, to improve herself before I consider respecting her to any degree." Tyler stopped again and took a long breath, "But she was attacking us instead of ignoring her given orders in favor of common sense." Tyler thought about his weak justification, "Yet, I'm not helping my case with that point." Tyler held a hand, "Let me have a moment to gather my thoughts and organize them to make sense with what I'm trying to convey."

Tolle's mouth fell open at Tyler's last sentence as he'd never expected to hear it from him. Tyler wasn't a guy to be at a loss for words. Tye always has some counter ready or something to say for himself and his actions. This was a first for Tolle to see Tyler caught without an explanation for whatever he was talking about. "Wow, Tye," Tolle uttered, "I think this is the first time I've seen you without something to say about what you did and why. Miriallia would be gawking at this." He shook his head, "Luckily for you, and she's on duty on the bridge right now, so she can't hold this against you." Tyler knew Tolle was right, and he always had a counter or response ready before now. But this was a more personal thing as he just about killed people his friends knew. Tyler didn't want his friends to think he was a cold-hearted killer because of the war. He just did the job when it was required, and it sickened him on all occasions that didn't involve criminals.

And yet, Tyler had good reasons for what he did to the Dominion and those from it. Azrael was a war criminal and one of the most dangerous ones to date. The man either needed to be captured or eliminated before he ended more innocent lives. And if some died to achieve that, that was seen as acceptable even though Tyler didn't like it. He knew the logic of the view and agreed with it in principle, but the practice was harder to get down. Perhaps, that was the place to start with this conversation, what Azrael was and why he was dangerous. Tyler brought his head back up and looked at his friends, "I think it would be best to start with the motivation behind what I did." Tyler took a breath, "There was a man on the Dominion whose voice you probably heard by the name of Muruta Azrael." Sai nodded, "By what Captain Ramius said, he is the director of the Alliance's National Defense Industries." Tyler slowly nodded, but his frown deepened at Sai's response. "Yes, that is correct, and that is one of the positions the man has used to worm his way out of facing the consequences. He is also the head of the anti-Coordinator organization Blue Cosmos. Thus, the man is in a position of influence and power within the Earth Alliance, who wants Coordinators to be exterminated. There is a clear conflict of interest and temptation to abuse his position for his own gain."

Tolle didn't like what Tyler was saying about this Director Azrael. The guy's voice had been downright creepy to Tolle. It definitely sounded like the guy had a thirst for violence and destruction. And if what Tyler said about him was right, then he was more dangerous than Tolle had felt he was. Should the man be a member of Blue Cosmos, he would want those like Tyler and Kira dead just because they were Coordinators. That was something they hadn't chosen about themselves, so they shouldn't be held accountable for being what they were. "The vibe the guy had was creepy before," Tolle commented, "Now he sounds outright evil."

Tyler tilted his head and nodded to the remark, "It is pretty much the truth, Tolle. I wish it weren't, but the scumbag has a record longer than you could imagine with the Federation." Sai was curious what Director Azrael could've done to be as known to the Federation as Tyler implied. Tyler made it seem like Azrael had a bad record with the Federation, which wasn't so easy to do as far as Sai knew. Tyler continued, "Before you ask the question, Sai, Azrael had a seriously nasty record with the Federation. There have been attempts to capture him, and even some tries to kill him. And there's a reason that is the case with the scumbag, and while I can't tell you everything, I can tell you enough."

Sai was shocked that the Alliance could employ someone the Federation had tried to capture and even kill. The Federation was known for being fair and not judging a person for mistakes made or actions taken. The only reason Sai could think of for such drastic measures to be considered by the Federation was the individual showing they wouldn't change and were dangerous. But before he could ask for details, Tyler spoke again, "First fact that you should understand is Azrael isn't a good person in any way. He is a dirty snake that the Alliance has been hiding and helping." Tyler paused, "Others will try to convince you as the Director of the National Defense Industries, Azrael has done much to help the Alliance in their efforts to "protect" Earth. That is nothing but a lie, he has helped develop weapons of war and stir up people to anger and fuel hatred." Tyler stopped again to calm his breathing which had sped up with his anger for Azrael and what the man represented.

Sai could see Tyler was getting worked up, and that was odd. Tyler wasn't the kind of person to get worked up about things. He was the one to be calm and collected, the voice of reason in a storm of chaos. It was one of the reasons that Sai and the others looked to Tyler as a pillar of strength in hard times. So, to see Tyler showing frustration over Director Azrael made Sai wonder how Tyler knew the man. He clearly knew him in some way or had been affected by something the director did. But for the life of Sai, he couldn't figure out what the connection could be. Tyler continued, "You can feel free to tell what I'm about to say to any on the ship, maybe it will help them understand what types the Alliance gets into bed with." Tyler gazed at Tolle and Sai, "Muruta Azrael has been classified as a war criminal by the Federation. That label was applied to the man months after the Bloody Valentine."

Sai and Tolle were horrified to be told the Alliance's Director Azrael was labeled a war criminal. That was a label none joked about or even suggested about someone who didn't fit the definition, so serious was the classification. It was the classification the Federation gave to those who committed unforgivable crimes like genocide. In fact, the definition for the label was strictly set, and little had been added over the years. Being classified as a war criminal was even worse than being called a terrorist. Terrorists were judged upon their actions and victims, which was less than war criminals were held accountable for. The crimes were limited to a select few related to people's mass death normally. War criminals were judged upon what they did, what the immediate results were, and what came in the long-term from their crime. And by what Sai had read during a history class he'd taken, the definition stated clearly a war criminal didn't have to be directly involved in the crime, merely part of planning or helping it happen. Thus, if Tyler called Azrael a war criminal, then either he had to know the details of the charges or know what the man had been involved in. Sai swallowed, "Are you sure that Director Azrael is classified as a war criminal, Tye?"

Tyler glanced at Sai with a deadpanned expression, "You better believe I'm sure that scumbag is a war criminal." Tyler sighed, "I know I may sound unfeeling with stating the man is a criminal. And I ask you to forgive me for being worked up because of the man, but because of him, my life changed drastically forever. So, to tell the truth, I would love nothing more than to see Azrael shackled in chains while being tried for the crimes he's committed over the years." Tolle's and Sai's mouths fell open, "Yes, Azrael has committed multiple war crimes which are seen separately from what he has done as a terrorist." Tolle closed his mouth and shook his head hard, "What did he do to have you like this, Tye?" Tyler looked back down at the table, "He was heavily involved in the planning of the nuclear strike on Junius Seven." Sai and Toll were dead silent as Tyler said Azrael was involved in the Bloody Valentine. They hadn't forgotten that Tyler had lost family when the colony collapsed.

Tyler took a breath, leaned back a bit, and let his breathing calm him down somewhat before he got to the next part of this conversation. Then he looked back at Tolle and Sai, "The reason I tell you that Azrael is a war criminal is the Federation's protocol for such types. The protocol is clear about war criminals, they are to be captured or eliminated if the former isn't possible. If it comes to elimination," Tyler hesitated for a moment, "sacrifices of other lives are seen as acceptable." Sai became angry when Tyler said the Federation saw sacrifices of lives to get a war criminal as acceptable. The Federation was supposed to be noble in what they did, preserve life to the best of its abilities. Sai banged a fist down on the table, "The Federation is willing to kill others to take down one criminal," he demanded. "They are supposed to be better than that! That's what's expected of the Alliance and ZAFT!"

Tyler didn't exactly disagree with Sai's point, for he didn't like the thought of killing many to dispatch one individual. But the reasoning made logical sense, and when dealing with war criminals, logic was needed far more than emotion. So, Tyler rubbed his temple with a hand and sighed, "I don't disagree with the sentiment, Sai," Tyler returned. "However, there is a logic to the protocol, and when it comes to war criminals, logic is better than emotion. Objective reasoning states that if a war criminal is left to be free and their own devices, they will commit crimes again. The number of people Azrael had a hand in the killing," Tyler stopped and took a calming breath, "Isn't small. It is beyond sickening how many are dead because of that man, and he has gotten away with it all, not facing a single consequence for a single death. Instead, he is praised for his "efforts" by those in the Alliance for killing enemies who are innocent people. Knowing that, I can understand the need to deal with such criminals and stop their rampage. If some other lives are taken to stop the criminal, then it saves many more lives from being taken in the future. The phrase "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," is the logic used for it. I don't like it since it isn't nice, but I can't deny it is true in the big picture."

Tolle put a hand on Sai's shoulder, "Tye has a point. It isn't nice, but it has a reason to it." Tyler nodded, "It is to help humanity survive this storm of hate and chaos. Don't mistake the protocol's logic; I wouldn't go straight to killing Azrael if I could capture him." Tyler exhaled heavily, "As much as I don't get along with Natarle, I don't want her dead. She is uptight and downright strict with her military discipline, and I don't get along with those types, I admit it." Tyler shrugged, "I gave her two chances to get out of the situation that would have me take down the Dominion with her crew. The first was before I attacked the Dominion, the second came after I disabled the ship."

Sai had calmed down while Tyler had been talking enough to realize Tyler had been right about the Federation protocol. People would suffer if someone dangerous were allowed to do what they wished. And the old phrase as grim as it was had logic that led to the survival of a species. But as Tyler mentioned disabling the Dominion, Sai remembered Tolle saying something about seeing the Dominion tipping forward and going close to vertical. Sai had wondered what would happen to the Archangel class for that kind of thing to happen. "When you say disable, Tye," Sai questioned, "what did you do to the Dominion?"

Tyler's face faulted to a half smirk, then quickly morphed into an innocent expression. "Well, let's say that Natarle learned that panic is a good motivator when it comes to it." Tyler was silent after that, which didn't explain anything about what Tyler did to the enemy ship. "That doesn't say anything other than you enjoyed tormenting Miss Badgiruel," Tolle remarked. Tyler cleared his throat, "If you promise not to tell the Archangel's officers the details, then I'll give you a rundown," Tyler replied calmly. Sai blinked, "Why would them knowing the point be a problem?" Tyler looked slightly worried, "Because I'm pretty sure if they knew what I could do to the Archangel class, they would ban me from the ship. With the distrust I've earned along the journey to Earth and what happened in Shira, it wouldn't be a surprising response. So, I think it would be best they just be left wondering how skilled I am for the time being."

Sai and Tolle glance at one another with that reply. The Archangel's crew trusted Tyler since JOSH-A as he'd bailed them out literally and had been proven right in what had been planned by the Alliance. But neither could think of anything Tyler did to the Dominion that would scare the officers enough not to allow Tyler onto the ship. Yet, both nodded and promised they wouldn't say anything to any of the officers. They would tell Miriallia and Kuzzey but few others beyond that. Tyler let out a sigh of relief with them, promising they wouldn't tell the Archangel's officers. If they knew what he knew of the ship class and how he could exploit the weaknesses and flaws, Tyler didn't think they would let him near the ship. "Thanks, you might understand after I get through what I did to the Dominion." Tyler paused and gathered his thoughts before he kept going. "So, in the first battle, I messed with the Dominion's internal systems. The result of that was the ship's performance was around fifty percent of its full operational capacity. Thus, the Dominion was already at a disadvantage when it went against me the second time. And Natarle heeded the fool on her ship and bypassed the issues my work caused instead of taking the time to fix them. Let that set the stage, and don't tell Murrue that I can hack the Archangel's systems in minutes and take control of the ship if I wanted. I will be sure to mention to Murdoch to change some settings to make that idea harder for myself and others."

The two listening to Tyler didn't know whether to be shocked at what Tyler did to the Dominion or seriously concerned that he could hack into the Archangel in minutes. Sure, they knew Tyler was gifted with computers and the like, but not that it was as good as Tyler implied. Tyler continued, "Right then, after taunting Natarle in the way she gets with me, I decided to go with my favorite flaw I found while studying the Archangel blueprints." Tyler stopped when his friends stared at him like he had an extra head. "Oh, guess I should mention I had access to those before Heliopolis's collapse, silly me. So that you know, I was also on the Federation team investigating OMNI's activities there. That's what my real job was there, sorry I couldn't tell you back then, military protocol and everything." Tyler cleared his throat, "As I was saying, I exploited my favorite flaw the ship class has, which I've been meaning to mention to Murdoch when he gets some time so he can fix it. There's a junction the CWIS control system runs through, which happens to be behind the bridge tower. And when it gets hit or, in my case, stabbed, it effectively takes down the CWIS system within a minute or two. I figured it would do that, but it was nice to prove my assumption."

Tyler paused again as Sai and Tolle sternly said, "I'm coming off as some sort of sabotage enthusiast, aren't I?" They both nodded, and Tyler rubbed the back of his head, "I'm not really, I'm just really good at it, and I do love a challenge," Tyler stopped as he knew he wasn't helping himself. He shrugged, "Okay, so maybe I am a bit of a sabotage enthusiast, breaking machines just give me a challenge that not much else does. Anyway, let me move on, I wanted to put the fear of God into Azrael, damn it, and I wasn't going to say no to making Natarle quake in her shoes." Tyler stopped again and glared back at the stern expressions he was getting, "With all the crap she's given me and all the lectures I was forced to endure from her, do you blame me for wanting to scare her a bit? I didn't want to kill her, as I said, but a healthy dose of fear does wonders at snapping a stubborn person out of habit." Tyler sighed before he kept going, "So, I added to the crap she was dealing with by shooting the gyro-stabilizer, which wrecked the ship's orientation."

As Tyler kept going, Sai couldn't help but be frightened at just how much Tyler had done to the Dominion. Yet, he had not damaged the main structure much, leaving the crew unharmed. It was impressive how Tyler had made precision attacks to critical areas and made the Dominion unable to respond. His strikes on the wing engines would cut down helm controls, thus making the Dominion hard-pressed to turn to face its attacker. Taking out the large engines further hurt the ship's helm and movement. However, as Tyler told them about extracting a missile from its tube, Tolle and Sai's mouths fell open. That Tyler had managed to take out a missile without setting it off was mind-boggling. The more Tyler told the two, the more the two were shocked at what he'd done to the Dominion. The ship had been disarmed and made to be almost dead with its helm. Tyler only left some missile launchers and one of the Valiant cannons. And by his own words, the cannon was bobby trapped, so it would detonate if used. Tyler finished up his description of what he did to the Dominion and had a smirk on his face.

Sai could see Tyler had enjoyed what he'd done to the Dominion to an extent he did like screwing with Natarle. That partly came from Tyler's issues with Natarle, Sai didn't doubt. The two had never gotten along as long as any from Heliopolis had seen. Natarle would try to get Tyler to follow orders, and he ignored or waved her off. The ways Tyler had disabled the Dominion were frightening, and if the officers of the Archangel knew of it, they would be concerned. Tyler could do what he did to the Dominion to the Archangel itself. Not that Sai believed Tyler would do such a thing, but he was capable of it.

Tyler moved on to where he jumped back into the battle with the arrival of the Third Orbital Fleet. Not too long after the Federation forces arrived, Tyler then had gone against the Gundams. That had ended when Flay had appeared on the field. Kira had tried to save Flay, but enemies had gotten her before the Freedom could reach her. The Calamity had been falling back before it was shot by the Aurora and lost its legs. But then Tyler paused before continuing, "I had a clear line of sight for doing a fatal blow to the Calamity." Sai's eyes widened at the implication that Tyler could've killed Flay. "But at the last second, I jerked upward and fired elsewhere," Tyler admitted. "I didn't kill her even though it would've prevented the Alliance from getting nuclear weapons to use for the time being."

After the conversation, Tyler left the Archangel to search for Kira. Sai had mentioned that Kira often spent time on the Eternal. Tyler figured that Kira was sticking around Lacus, who would be on the Eternal. So Tyler made his way over to the Eternal to look for Kira and check on him. Kira hadn't looked okay after the conversation about Creuset, and Tyler doubted time had helped that along. Then, Kira hadn't been okay after the second battle with the Dominion. And with Kira being the kind of person he was, he would keep all his issues to himself. His naïveté harmed in cases like this and had Tyler cursing it with fervor.

At the same time, Kira found himself in a precarious situation on the Eternal. He'd been helping as he could to do what he could and keep himself occupied. Kira would admit that keeping himself busy also took the time that his thoughts could go back to what Creuset had said. The conversation with Tyler had helped, but it hadn't gotten Creuset's words to leave him alone. And yet, Kira found himself in a room with Lacus glaring at him, and he didn't know what she had pulled him aside. The glare and stern expression told Kira that something he had done or not done had irked her. Lacus wasn't one to normally call him out on things he did or didn't do, that was normally done by Tyler and sometimes Athrun. And while Kira rarely denied Lacus when she asked for things from him, he didn't know what to say to her in this.

Lacus finally had gotten Kira by himself so she could confront him about things. She had still not heard much, if anything, about what Kira had experienced inside Mendel. Lacus could tell whatever had occurred was affecting Kira even if he tried to hide it. It was better after Kira had spoken about it with Tyler, but the issue wasn't resolved. As he always seemed to, Kira kept the issues he was dealing with inside and didn't talk about them. She'd found difficulty getting Kira to open up and tell her what was bothering him. It was frustrating when it came to Kira that Lacus did her best to ignore her to be as nice as she could be. It was one of the things that had been teaching her that loving someone wasn't like fairy tales claimed. Accepting another's flaws, while easy on the face of it, wasn't so simple with the feelings it came with. Yes, she admitted to herself that she really did love Kira. And the "love" was more than one has for a friend; certainly, she more than liked Kira. Lacus had never felt the way she did with Kira around anyone else. The closest comparison she had was how she loved her father and sister. With Lacus knowing she loved Kira, her heartache made him in pain.

The other thing she didn't like about Kira talking to her was it felt like he didn't trust her enough to tell her things. She knew that Tyler and Athrun had a special friendship with Kira that had been made clear already. The way Kira had talked about Athrun and Tyler, it was obvious they had been through experiences that strengthened the bonds of friendship. She hadn't heard detail about any of those events, but the unsaid signs were there to say such. Honestly, Lacus was jealous of that kind of friendship since she'd never had that with another. Looking back, her life had been sheltered and so lacked opportunity for Lacus to make friends like that. Kira had been the closest person she'd had to a friend that she could think of. That wasn't to say Lacus didn't see Athrun as a friend. He was a good person, and if she hadn't met Kira, Lacus could see herself becoming close and marrying Athrun. But that possibility had come and gone, and it wouldn't come to be with how Lacus felt about Kira. Besides, from what Lacus had seen, Athrun was getting quite cozy with Cagalli as of late. Lacus would say the two made a good couple, in her opinion. The two just seemed to be excellent matches from what Lacus had seen. And it wasn't that they had so much in common, it was more the opposite of the two. They seemed to compliment one another in many ways even if they didn't realize it fully themselves. While Athrun was calm and logical, Cagalli was passionate and stubborn. The two points meshed together so well it was almost scary.

Lacus came out of her thoughts and focused on Kira, glaring at him sternly. She wouldn't let him get out of telling her what was hurting him. He wasn't suffering alone, even if he believed he was, she was aching too, which was irritating. By this end, Lacus would ensure Kira knew what happened to him didn't just affect him alone. "Kira, what did you talk to Tye about when I left the room back at Mendel," Lacus demanded. "And don't just say what happened inside the colony was nothing." She closed the distance and got up right in Kira's face, "Something is bothering you, or you wouldn't have talked to Tyler about it." Lacus kept glaring at Kira, who was looking a tad nervous. "So," she just about growled, "What happened while you were inside Mendel Mister?"

Kira was sweating at both Lacus's demand and the air she was putting off right now. Lacus was normally a sweet and kind girl, caring about others. So, to see her angry was rare, and Kira wasn't used to having such directed at him. He didn't want to worry or bother her with what Creuset said about him. Kira was still processing it himself, and Tyler had helped him move forward slowly. Lacus shouldn't have to bear the burden Kira was carrying, it didn't feel right to force her. It was why he hadn't told her anything about what he and Tyler had discussed involving Creuset. Thus, he hesitated with Lacus's demand as he didn't want to answer her. And yet, he didn't want to lie to her either, as she was a close friend. He trusted Lacus, but he was still having difficulty accepting what had been said and moving forward from it. However, Lacus wasn't allowing him to get out from under her gaze, and she sounded more than just irritated. Kira did his best not to meet her eyes, "It's nothing to worry about," he muttered as convincingly as he could.

Lacus wasn't about to accept Kira's attempt to wave off her demand for information from him. He'd had the chance to tell her by choice what had happened inside Mendel, and he hadn't taken the opportunity. She wouldn't let him escape telling her what occurred now that she had gotten him alone. Lacus would use what methods she needed to for the goal of getting Kira to reveal what was eating him. If that required using her feminine wiles, then Lacus would do that. She hoped it wouldn't come to that, Lacus didn't want to flirt or something similar with Kira in her current mood. So, Lacus grabbed Kira's shoulder with one hand and his face with the other to force him to look at her directly. "You're lying, Kira; you know it," she replied firmly. "Whatever happened inside Mendel had been weighing on you and causing you pain. Tyler may have helped, but it didn't solve your issue." Lacus's expression softened slightly as she kept looking at Kira, "Please tell me what is hurting you, Kira. I want to help you heal, but I can't do that if you don't tell me what happened."

Lacus wasn't letting him go, and she still had a grip on his shoulder and face, even if they had lessened ever so slightly. Kira was stuck in this situation, and he knew that. It wasn't the same when Tyler would "urge" him to talk about something bothering him. Tyler was blunt and had a way of getting Kira to spill his thoughts. Kira couldn't figure out how Tyler did that, and he'd been trying for years to understand. But Lacus was pining him in a different way than Tyler could do. And Kira felt his heart clutching at Lacus's plea, and he couldn't dismiss it. The girl's voice affected him and made it extremely difficult to deny her when she asked him things. Kira hadn't figured out why Lacus could talk to him and get him to do or say things he wouldn't normally do. And then, having her so close wasn't helping Kira either in trying to come up with a way out of this.

Kira wasn't so dumb not to know the differences between males and females. Plus, he found Lacus to be more than pretty, she was stunningly beautiful. She'd been cute when younger, but Lacus had grown up to be very beautiful. During her visits, Lacus had been doing "odd" things around him over the last year. She'd been sticking closer to him and doing other small things which hadn't made sense to him. Tolle had said something about Lacus "showing interest" in him and was "flirting" with him. Kira hadn't taken his friend seriously at the time, thinking Tolle was just teasing him as he did sometimes. Still, with how Lacus was right now, there was little other option for Kira to tell her what she wanted to know. As much as he didn't want her to worry, she would insist, and he knew it. So, Kira took a few breaths to steady himself, "Alright," Kira started, "Since it seems you won't take no for an answer." He paused for a moment, "I went after Mu, and he had encountered Creuset in one of the complexes in the interior." Kira began recounting what he had experienced inside Mendel with the encounter with Creuset.

Lacus listened to Kira tell her about what had happened to him and Commander La Flaga. She did back up slightly, so she wasn't in Kira's face but didn't give him room to slip away from her. Now that she had him talking, she wasn't going to allow him to stop and not tell her what was paining him so. Lacus was glad she'd not needed to resort to flirting and the like to get Kira to open up to her. She wanted to reserve such for more comfortable and happier situations with Kira rather than as a tool to get him to do something. Perhaps, after this conversation, she could cheer up Kira and relieve him of the pain.

The key points that Kira highlighted with the encounter with Creuset worried Lacus. Sakura had made it clear the man was a troublemaker and didn't hide the point. The record he had with ZAFT was okay when his good deeds were highlighted. But if one took into account his whole record, Creuset had done harm more often than not for ZAFT and others. Sakura had never spoken kindly of the man that Lacus could recall, which was saying something. Her sister gave credit where she felt it was due, even if she didn't make it public. For Creuset to be assigned to the pursuit of the Eternal was odd, and it made her curious about what those in command of ZAFT were thinking. It brought back to mind Tyler mentioning cracks forming between ZAFT and the PLANT's Council. If things had gotten worse, things were more grave than expected, and there were already enough issues to deal with.

The points that caught Lacus's attention were what Creuset said about Kira. Creuset had claimed that one of the scientists at Mendel was Kira's sire and that said man viewed Kira as a project rather than a person. And while Kira had told her his parents adopted him, he'd never said anything more about the subject. Kira also said Creuset had seemingly been enjoying telling Kira what he had been. Apparently, Commander La Flaga had been trying to help Kira by telling him not to listen to Creuset. However, Kira had trouble not wondering if what Creuset was saying couldn't have some truth. Lacus could see that Kira was embarrassed about giving Creuset credence at all. She suspected Tyler may have chastised him about the point, and she would have a word with him about that should that be true. Kira had been beating himself up more than enough, Tyler didn't have to point it out and admonish him about it. She knew Tyler cared about Kira, but some lines could be approached cautiously, which Tyler blew past.

Kira continued with Creuset ranting about the "project" that he claimed Kira was in the middle of. What was being described by Kira both concerned Lacus and disgusted her at the same time. The scientist named Ulen Hibiki, who was supposed to be Kira's father, was a name she'd heard before. The man was supposed to have invented some kind of machine that did the same functions as the human womb. From what her father had said once, Hibiki had claimed the "artificial womb" would create a whole new generation of Coordinators. Lacus hadn't heard how this "new generation" would differ from the current Coordinators, but she was curious. As far as she knew, the standing issue of sterilization hadn't been solved. Selectively arranged marriage was the "current" method to cut down the issue, not correct and solve it. Lacus assumed the Federation was looking into Coordinator sterilization as many of their citizens were Coordinators. If any could figure out a way, Lacus would bet on the Federation finding a way to solve the issue. They seemed to have the best scientists working for them and had the right reasons to succeed.

Kira then mentioned two terms that made Lacus pause and wonder: "ultimate Coordinator" and "the perfect human." The terms clearly referred to someone's view of what humanity could be, and likely Hibiki's were Lacus to guess. She was left to wonder what Hibiki saw as perfect when it came to humans. If Kira was the work of Hibiki, then she was left to question what made Kira the pinnacle of humanity. She loved him the way he was, faults and all, but he wasn't any more perfect than she was or anyone else. She would admit that Kira was just a regular boy, a kind and handsome one, but not above those around him. He would be the first to admit he was far from perfect, so Creuset's titles didn't make sense in their application. Kira could very well be the work of this Dr. Hibiki regarding gene manipulation. But that didn't make Kira who he was right now, and his choices were what shaped him to be who he was. Kira had no more control over how he was born than anyone else did. It was one of the events people did not influence themselves and shouldn't be blamed for the outcome. She could understand Kira's horror at the possibility of a man doing disgusting things to create him.

Lacus knew some individuals would do unspeakable things to achieve their goals. Humanity had the capacity to be cruel and evil to one another, and history made that clear to see for those who read it. Minister Blass had mentioned the more extreme examples of the idea in her speech. But those who did mass murder weren't the only ones that were cruel and evil, and there were other horrible things that could be seen similarly. Medical science had been perverted according to history from time to time, normally around the time of war. So, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility a doctor would do things others would consider as wrong. And with the way Kira stated Creuset told him this information in, Lacus was sure this Hibiki hadn't cared what others thought of him. Such kinds of people were dangerous and surprised many with what they were willing to do. Nonetheless, Kira wasn't a bad person even if the circumstances he came into the world by weren't the best. And being told about what was bothering him didn't make her love him any less after hearing it.

Kira was silent after he finished recounting what had occurred inside of Mendel. He could be seen as foolish for worrying about what Creuset said about him. Tyler had been right, and he shouldn't have let Creuset get to him. But the details the man gave when talking about Kira had shaken him in a way he couldn't dismiss easily. He'd been trying to process and move on from experience but hadn't been able to do so fully. Kira didn't want Lacus hovering over him with worry about this. Her smile and good mood helped him get through things better than he did without it. He was going to tell Lacus he would be okay and not to worry about him, but he never got the chance. Kira felt shocked as Lacus pushed herself into his front and circled her arms around his torso. He glanced down and found himself looking at her pink hair as her face was against his neck. "Lacus," Kira questioned, not knowing what else to say at the moment.

Lacus couldn't help herself but hug Kira after he had gone silent from his recounting. It was a relief that he had opened up and confided in her about what had been weighing him down. Her heart had warmed with her wish to comfort and help Kira move forward from this. He was too kind a person to shoulder such harsh facts and bear the load. Kira thought of others before himself and did what he could to assist people. Granted, his cluelessness was sometimes annoying and even irritating and caused her frustration. However, her love for him made her ignore that fault and want to help him as much as possible. She smiled, "Kira," she began in a calm, soothing tone, "You are not a mistake nor evil. No one can change or affect how they enter the world any more than they can stop the sun from shining. Don't mistake the facts and judge where you are now. You are fine the way you are, and your choices are what got you here."

Kira had nothing to say to Lacus's reply. She had told him somewhat the same as Tyler had before, just in a different way. When addressing a serious subject, Tyler had been blunt and upfront, much as he normally was. Conversely, Lacus was kind and soothing, which helped him more. He didn't know how she managed to know what to say to help the most in any given situation. She should just tell him to get over the experience and not think about what Creuset said. And yet, she was here for him when he needed a friend to listen to what he was dealing with. The only thing Kira could think to do in response was to wrap his arms around Lacus and return the gesture.

Lacus was overjoyed when Kira circled his arms around her. Yes, he had embraced her before now, but this felt different, more intimate to her. Of course, Lacus was glad she could help Kira move forward from what was bothering him. However, it had become rare for her and Kira to be alone with one another lately, much to her chagrin. Lacus had tried to get them alone but couldn't manage it with all that was going on. But the current situation was the chance Lacus had wished for with Kira. She had been coming to the realization that her attempts to tell Kira without words how she felt about him. Yet, every action she had made to get Kira's attention had gone unheeded by the boy. It was one of the instants that his cluelessness frustrated her so much. And with the war picking up as it was, Lacus knew she needed to tell him with words and now was as good in time as any. She didn't want to admit she loved Kira in front of a crowd just yet. Lacus summoned the courage she could, released Kira, and looked at him with a serious expression. "Kira," she started but hesitated for a moment, "there is one thing I've wanted to tell you. Now is as good a time as any before this war gets more hectic."

Kira blinked at what Lacus said since something about how she said the two sentences caught his attention. He was glad she listened to him as he'd gotten the Creuset business off his chest. But what could Lacus want to tell him when they were alone? And as he glanced at Lacus, he found she was trembling somewhat. He'd not seen her like this before, and she tended to keep a smile on her face. That wasn't to say Lacus didn't show worry or sadness; she did from time to time. But this felt different than those times, but Kira couldn't say what Lacus had been like. "Um Lacus," Kira uttered, "are you okay?"

Lacus wished that Kira wasn't as clueless as he was at times like this as it caused frustration which irked her. She wanted to be serious and tell Kira how she felt about him, but he couldn't read the signs. Smart as Kira was, his naïveté, as Tyler and even Athrun would refer to it as was hard to miss and accept. She could even see why the two cursed the idea as they seemingly did, Lacus would be right beside them in cursing it. However, she felt this was the right time to tell Kira she loved him and that future opportunities would be rarer. She knew the pains of missed opportunities as she'd experienced that herself. Time with her mother before she had died was a perfect example of Lacus's life. Lacus didn't want to miss the chance to be with Kira as an intimate partner. And yet, this "confession" was much harder in practice than when she had planned it in her head.

It was silly in a way, Lacus would admit, even if she didn't want to say so. She could stand in front of crowds and audiences without fear gripping her heart and freezing her up. Her singing career had opened her eyes to what it was like to perform before many people. Public speaking had followed and had been easier after being an idol for the PLANTs' citizens. It had been years since Lacus had felt stage fright or something similar to it. The closest experience was the "lessons" Sakura had given her on piloting a mobile suit. Sakura had insisted upon it and hadn't given Lacus the chance to refuse her. But here and now, with Kira, she was more worried than she had been in during the current year. There was the possibility that Kira could reject her confession. Worse, he could wave it off as merely her trying to be his friend and not wanting more than that. She knew it was called a confession for a reason since there was a risk to doing such a thing. Thus, Lacus gathered all the courage she could muster and looked Kira directly in the eyes before she took a deep breath. "Kira," she started, "I-" but the words stuck in her throat and wouldn't come out.

Something was clearly bothering Lacus, though Kira couldn't say what it was. She'd said there was something she wanted to say to him. The odd thing was she was having trouble saying whatever it was. Lacus wasn't one to have issues with public speaking, not with her career as a singing idol. Plus, Lacus had done public speaking with her being so well loved by the PLANTs' citizens. So for her to have an issue saying something concerned him with it not being normal for her. Things didn't improve as Lacus trailed off and mumbled words that he couldn't understand. He put his hands on her shoulders, trying to steady and comfort her the best he could. Emotional comfort was a hit-or-miss thing for Kira, historically speaking. He'd done the idea before now for some, such as Tyler and Athrun after the Bloody Valentine. However, he'd also had misses, which Athrun and more Tyler had called him out on. So, he tried to get Lacus to look at him, "Lacus, whatever it is that's bothering you, tell me," he remarked. "You always are there for me, so now I can be here for you, just tell me, and I'll help however I can."

The response from Kira only confirmed he hadn't the faintest idea what she had been and was trying to get across to him. He had missed all her hints and unsaid implications she had been giving him to say she loved him. It was frustrating that Kira had not seen or even registered what she'd been attempting to tell him. She had her own limits to what she could tolerate from Kira's cluelessness, and she'd slammed into it. He frustratingly had been wordlessly insisting on being "just friends" with the two of them. Lacus didn't want just to be friends with Kira; she wanted more. Her frustration wiped away the fear and doubts which had been plaguing her. She'd hit her limit, and Lacus would take the plunge, so her head shot back up so that she was glaring at Kira. "I love you! I love you! Do you hear me, Kira Yamato? I love you," she just about shouted as she beat her hands against his chest. "You're such a clueless idiot sometimes! I've been trying to tell you without words, but you never took in or understood any of the hints I've been giving!"

To say Kira was stunned at what Lacus had just said would've been an understatement. Sure, he saw Lacus as a close friend, but he didn't think she had a romantic interest in him. Lacus could have any guy she wanted with how beautiful she was, Kira firmly believed that. And if not for Sakura, he would bet Lacus would have several guys vying for her attention. She could do much better than a guy like him. He was flattered Lacus would say she loved him, yet he didn't know how to respond to that. Honestly, he was didn't know what to say to her with the confession. Nor did he do anything to stop her "assault" she was doing with her fist, for it wasn't exactly gentle. However, what followed her confession explained some of her actions he'd been seeing over the passing months. Kira knew it was possible that Lacus could've been flirting with him, but she had more proper manners than to do that openly. Thus, he had just thought Lacus was saying how much she appreciated their friendship.

Kira was grateful for her as a friend since she had recently helped him through hard times. She'd helped him through what fighting in the ongoing war had brought to him. And Kira would be lying if he said he hadn't had a thought of two about him and Lacus perhaps going further than friends. She was a sweet girl, and Kira liked her a lot. Yet, he valued her friendship far too much to make a stupid mistake and do something that might make her hate him. It was why he hadn't gone further with her and didn't intend to until he spoke with her father and Sakura. He felt the two of them could move forward with something more if he could get their approval. And that was his own decision, not upon the advice Tyler had given him, which had been similar. However, Lacus had said she loved him, suggesting she wanted more with him than friendship.

When Kira said nothing, Lacus continued with tears coming out of her eyes, "Your naïveté can be a strength sometimes, I don't deny that. But during other instances, it's more a hindrance and holds you back, Kira." She didn't want Kira to change how he was, for she loved him just as he was, naïveté included as much as it frustrated her. Lacus stopped pounding her fists against Kira as she wanted him to understand how she felt about him. Words weren't enough for her to express her feelings, and she knew it. So, she moved forward and hugged Kira, "But with events racing toward a serious fight in the near future, I wanted to tell you." She hesitated before she kept going, "as well as admit it out loud to myself. There is a chance that one or both of us might not come back from this war. I don't want to live with regrets of things I didn't do that I wish I had for the rest of my life."

Kira couldn't deny what Lacus said about his naïveté being a hindrance. With how often Tyler and Athrun had called him out of the idea, he couldn't forget about his "naïveté." They called it different things depending on what they were saying he missed. The way had said the point had confused him at times. Tyler would then bluntly explain the point, whereas Athrun would be gentler than Tyler was but would still explain such in simpler terms. Tyler's way of informing Kira of his "naiveté" was normally in the form of: "Kira, come on, even a kid would be able to understand this" or "Kira, you really need to find the marbles you're missing." On the other hand, Athrun would say something like: "Kira, you need to interact with others more" or "Kira, take more time to think about the situation." As Tye and Athrun said, he didn't think his "missing things" was bad. They had mentioned he had much to learn, and someday he would thank them for the help. Kira knew his friends meant well and truly wanted to help him make the best decisions, and he was grateful for their friendship. But some lines went too far, in Kira's opinion. Yet, no matter Kira's answer or retort, it didn't ever stop them from calling him out on his "lack of understanding" and teasing Kira about it. Both kept getting frustrated that Kira didn't see what they said should be obvious. Kira completely disagreed with them on being blind to the obvious. Why Athrun and Tyler had such issues with this so-called naiveté, Kira had never been able to figure it out.

As for his reaction to Lacus's confession, Kira was happy she loved him. He had thought she would get a better guy and remain friends with him. Or else Sakura would separate them and tell Kira to know his place and tell him Lacus wouldn't be in a romantic relationship. Sakura had a well-established reputation not just in ZAFT but just in general, she was feared. She feared her attitude of not taking flak and even making those that crossed her miserable had historical evidence. Thus, to expect Sakura to say nothing for much longer with how close he was to Lacus was foolish. Kira was surprised that Sakura hadn't done something already as Athrun had mentioned Sakura had made her "opinion" on Athrun's engagement to Lacus public. And such a thing as being busy with military duty hadn't stopped the woman from being protective of Lacus before, so Kira didn't expect it to do so now. He had thought to ask Lacus how to approach Sakura but hadn't found the right opportunity. Heck, he had even considered going to Tyler for advice on how he could convince Lacus's older sister. After all, it seemed he knew Sakura in a way that others, even Lacus, did these days.

Kira still didn't know if what he felt for Lacus was love, exactly per the definition he had read about. He certainly liked Lacus differently than what he felt for his friends from Heliopolis or even Tyler and Athrun. But it wasn't in the same way he loved his parents either though it was similar as far as Kira could tell. He hadn't had much time to sort out his feeling about current events, let alone those which involved Lacus. Kira had tried to figure out his feelings but hadn't made notable progress on the point. And at times like this, talking out loud had always helped, "Well, Lacus, I'm happy that you feel that way," Kira stopped hesitating, "but I don't know what I exactly feel yet. Being with you feels different than anyone else I have in my life. I always enjoy the time we spend together." Kira stopped again, thinking, "When you are around, I feel things are better, and a warmth fills me, yet I don't know if that's the same as love."

Kira kept describing his view, and Lacus kept listening with a smile on her face. Once again, Kira's naïveté was blinding him to the obvious. He was listing what the feeling of love for another involved. The boy just hadn't connected the dots he described to conclude he did love her. The warmth in her heart swelled at understanding Kira shared the same feelings she had for him. He had much to learn, and she would do her utmost to help teach him to assist with that frustrating naïveté of his. And yet, that naïveté had a cuteness about it that got her to smile sometimes. She would call it innocence rather than naïveté as it was more former than the latter to her. They would watch out for each other and make sure the other made it out of the fighting alive. Once the war came to an end, they would have the time to further their relationship. So, Lacus nuzzled Kira's cheek to show affection and get his attention while stopping him from speaking.

Kira stuttered as Lacus nuzzled him and couldn't continue talking and explaining to her what he felt around her. He wouldn't deny that Lacus rubbing her cheek against his felt extremely nice. It was slightly better than hugging her alone and caused a warmth to come to Kira's heart. He was going to ask her what she was doing but didn't get the chance to do so. Lacus shifted her face to be in front of his, and her smile widened. "Kira, what you've been describing is what it is to love someone, you silly boy," she said lovingly, "but let me show you what I feel." Lacus leaned forward and pressed her lips to Kira's. She had wanted to kiss him for close to a year, ever since she realized she had feelings for him. And while it had been a longer journey than she would've liked, it was well worth it now.

Kira was surprised to the point of shock when Lacus kissed him on the lips. He hadn't comprehended what she had been referring to when she'd talked about showing her feelings. However, it was clear now that Lacus loved him romantically, and she wouldn't let him forget that anytime soon. She'd chosen him over other guys as the one she wanted to be with, even if he didn't fully understand why. He was happy as could be right now, he'd wanted to kiss Lacus but didn't know how to approach such an idea. And Kira didn't have any he could turn to for advice with romantic relationships. He couldn't go to Athrun as Kira felt it wrong to ask how to tell the one he was engaged to he more than liked her. Kira didn't for a moment consider going to Tyler as he would give him a hard time and then just tell Kira to confess to her. Yet, fate had brought them together in an unforeseen way in the end. So, after a moment, Kira wrapped his arms around Lacus and pulled her closer.

When Kira pulled them closer, Lacus felt the warmth in her heart spread to the rest of her body. Kira returned the kiss, saying he loved her and wanted to continue forward with this relationship. At long last, they could do a proper courtship and become closer before moving forward in life together. If only this moment could last, Lacus would believe she was in a dream and not want to wake up from it. She pressed forward in the kiss trying to deepen it for them so they could enjoy this moment longer. Kira quickly began matching her in the gesture.

Meanwhile, Tyler had been searching the Eternal for Kira for some time now. He had started the search by going to the bridge and asking those there what they knew about Kira's whereabouts. When he'd asked, Waltfeld had mentioned seeing Kira wandering off into the corridors of the Eternal. From the answer, Tyler felt his assumption of Kira was still unable to move forward fully from what came due to the encounter with Creuset. Tyler thanked Waltfeld for the info and was about to head off to search for Kira but was stopped by Waltfeld's partner speaking up. Aisha said that Lacus had come to the bridge a short time ago and asked much the same question about Mr. Yamato's whereabouts. Lacus looking for Kira was somewhat odd to Tyler, or at least at this point, it was. And it wasn't that Lacus searching for comforting Kira that was odd to him, he expected such from the girl. It was more a nagging feeling that Tyler was having that wouldn't leave him be. The feeling gave him the impression of something being going on that was important.

Truthfully, Tyler wanted to ensure Kira was moving forward before things got more involved. A pivotal battle was coming and coming soon, Tyler was sure of that with the tension building. And having personal issues affecting you was the last thing one needed with serious fights, Tyler had learned that lesson personally. Now was the time to settle or put aside personal or closely held issues before hard times came and demanded attention. And while Tyler felt Lacus could do the job in a nicer way than he could for Kira, time was of the essence. They may not have the time to let Kira get over what Creuset said "nicely" and would just need to put it aside. Lacus wouldn't let Tyler's friend put things on the "back burner" she would insist on taking the time to solve the issue. Tyler would love to have Kira take the time to come to terms at his own pace, but the war wasn't going to allow that. Thus, Tyler would track Kira down and get things arranged for Kira to handle his personal problems right now or put them off until later.

Tyler began a systematic search of the ship, starting from the front and working his way to the back. His motivation was once he finished helping Kira, Tyler could get the Aurora on the Eternal and then head to quarters he'd been given to get some sleep. Granted, with the tension in the air and the activity his brain was doing, Tyler was unlikely to get proper sleep. However, Tyler thought that some moderate or better quality sleep was better than nothing. Sleep wasn't the only motivation Tyler had; he was worried about Kira fretting about what had gone on inside Mendel. Creuset had clearly shaken Kira, and Tyler cursed the man for doing that to one of his best friends. And when the next opportunity came up, Tyler would make Creuset suffer to the best of his abilities as payback for Kira. And yet, with what Tyler knew of Kira's naïveté, he assumed his friend needed a good firm nudge in the right direction to get where he needed to go.

It was a sad yet frustrating truth Tyler had been forced to accept over the years he'd known Kira, his naïveté was always a factor with him. Tyler had tried over those years to help Kira by pointing out what he was missing, oh, had Tyler tried his S-ranked best. Kira's blatant innocence/naïveté could drive a saint to drink in little time flat, so frustrating was it. It had gotten Tyler in his car to go and drink, but he'd been able to stop himself before pushing the ignition. If it were only Kira was a slow learner, then it would've been more bearable than it was. And sadder still, Kira was quick to pick up things in the academic setting, but that didn't translate to the social side. No, the naïve obliviousness was so nerve-grating that it was hard not to lash out at Kira in pure response to it. The only good thing it had done for Tyler was help him develop incredible and long-lasting patience. And it was out of advice and practice from both his father and mother that Tyler made the efforts to develop that said patience. Tyler had lost count long ago in his friendship with Kira on how often he had to "help" him understand or not miss something. It happened frequently enough it wasn't worth counting the times that Tyler ignored for the care he had for Kira. Athrun had joined Tyler in the attempt to help Kira and had as much success as Tyler, which was none in the long term. Athrun tended to be nicer in his attempts to help Kira than Tyler, who was blunt and to the point. Tyler knew it was part of Athrun's personality, and he just had a kind disposition compared to him. Yet, regardless of their methods, neither of them had "cured" Kira of his stubborn naïveté.

Tyler checked the main crew area of the Eternal, such as the mess hall and the like, where the crew would gather during downtimes. He found no sign of Kira or Lacus, making his task non-simple. Tyler also figured the lack of evidence of the two likely meant they were in a more "private" setting. Not that Tyler was worried about the two being alone, nothing would happen with the two. Tyler was confident the likelihood of anything close to romantic occurring between Lacus and Kira was as likely as ZAFT or the Alliance laying down their weapons and ending the war before the end of the year. It was more probable for Athrun to admit he was developing feelings for Cagalli. Yes, Tyler hadn't missed the sparks starting to fly between those two. And Tyler was happy for the two should they pursue a relationship, he would be cheering them on. But Tyler's jaw would drop if Kira and Lacus went beyond a friendly hug within the current year. Kira's naïveté would work against him and Lacus's wish to have something more than a friendship with the guy. Tyler swore the girl would make a move at some point and just do something like confess and take the initiative.

Tyler shook his head at the thought of Lacus hinting to Kira that she liked him and the guy blinking in confusion at her actions. Lacus had to be frustrated with her non-verbal hints not affecting at all on Kira's responses to her. Perhaps, someday, the two would get together, and Tyler would cheer them on when it finally happened. Tyler continued searching for Kira, moving onto the crew quarters as the two wanted rooms would have a more private setting. He worked his way through the whole crew deck and had nothing to show for his efforts. Tyler had to take a moment to think about where else the two could've gone so they wouldn't be disturbed easily. Tyler did ask some of the crew if Lacus had been seen leaving the ship, and all he asked said they hadn't seen her go into the port. That likely meant Kira and Lacus were still on the Eternal somewhere, as Lacus leaving would've been noticed.

Tyler headed for the hangar as there were a few spots where a pair could converse without being overheard. Yet, upon coming into the hangar, he glanced around and saw no signs of the two. Tyler was running out of places to look for the two which could be considered private enough. He'd been searching for close to half an hour by now and had found nothing of the two. It made him scratch his head since Tyler tended to be good at tracking people down. Tyler decided to glance into the pilot lounge before checking the less likely spots one could find privacy at the price of tighter spaces. He punched the button to open the door, still thinking about where the two could be. Tyler floated inside the lounge, and his gaze flipped up and what he saw brought all his thoughts to a grinding halt. Right in front of Tyler were Kira and Lacus, arms wrapped around one another and lips locked.

The scene was exactly the one Tyler had been sure he wouldn't see anytime in the near future. Granted, it was possible, slim as the possibility was in Tyler's mine, but it was supposed to be unlikely to the point it was laughable. But lo and behold, Tyler was forced to eat his thoughts that Kira and Lacus wouldn't be getting together soon. Tyler took a moment to rub his eyes to make sure he didn't see things. The lack of sleep could be taking a worse toll than he figured for all he knew with this scene, and it could be some sort of hallucination. Yet, the scene didn't change after Tyler tried to clear his vision of any illusion or the like. And with things not changing, he got close to prat-falling and kissing the floor hard himself. Tyler's brain was having difficulty processing the sight of the two romantically involved to the point they didn't notice him entering the room. His jaw went slack as Tyler could only stare in consideration at his best friend, smooching the girl that had been flirting with him.

Now, Tyler wasn't against Lacus and Kira getting together and having a romantic relationship. On the contrary, he was happy for the two as they did make a good pair regardless of what others may say. It was certainly better than Athrun and Lacus, though Tyler had nothing against that pairing either. Kira just got Lacus to smile more and laugh readily, which Tyler had seen his dad do with his mom. Tyler just felt it would take Kira longer to understand what Lacus was telling him and agree to the relationship, in fact, he'd bet on that. Kira had been blind to Lacus's flirting, and Tyler had noticed Lacus had been frustrated with that result. He'd meant to tell her that non-verbal hints wouldn't do much with Kira but hadn't gotten around to it. It had bordered on amusing to watch Kira's obliviousness but had leaning toward sad. Tyler had tried to tell Lacus about Kira's naïveté, but she hadn't listened to him, saying Kira was just "innocent." Tyler had kept his opinion to himself after that and let Lacus learn for herself what he'd been referring to. It brought back memories of the early days of knowing Kira and learning about his stubborn naïveté.

Tyler would never deny that Kira was smart when it came to figuring things out in a logical manner. Academically, Kira did better overall than Tyler though Tyler didn't do badly. Tyler's mom would make sure he improved if he did poorly, and he knew that. But when it came to the social aspect of life, Kira just about fell flat with how oblivious he was. If Tyler had to put the idea into a descriptive term, he would have to go with a "special kind of stupid." The historical definition was "stupid to the point where there's no sense of logic to be found in what they say or do." And that about nailed what Kira was like when it came to social things, in Tyler's opinion. Tyler meant no insult when he referred to Kira as a special kind of stupid, even if the definition implied it. It was just the way Tyler referred to Kira's naïveté without calling it out directly and potentially embarrassing him. Kira knew what Tyler meant when he told him he was a special kind of stupid. It was an indirect way to say Kira was missing something obvious and to take the time to study the current situation. Tyler did it to help Kira as he couldn't help but feel sorry for him with how much he missed due to his naïveté.

A split-second thought crossed Tyler's mind that involved Sakura. The thought came from remembering Sakura's actions regarding her baby sister. With the woman's over-protectiveness, Tyler doubted she would be the happiest that Lacus and Kira were getting together. Tyler didn't want to know how many guys Sakura had "shooed away" or really chased away from Lacus. He'd looked into what Sakura did to guys more to warn Athrun of potential issues he may have to face. Tyler had been worried when Athrun had mentioned being engaged, and it hadn't taken long to find out it was to Lacus. The things Tyler had read on the Information Network about Sakura's protective nature had been uncomfortable to disturbing. Tyler doubted the number of guys that had suffered under Sakura for Lacus's protection was small, not with the reputation Sakura had with everyone besides him. However, Tyler hadn't heard anything that would come close to suggesting she might approve of Kira. The only thing that could be in Kira's favor was Sakura hadn't done anything to him yet, it might say she didn't mind him being around Lacus.

Tyler returned his attention to the present and the unchanged scene in front of him. Again, he was happy for the two becoming a "couple" as they were a good pair, in his opinion. And yet, as a "responsible adult," Tyler should tell these two this wasn't the time or place for their "moment." Perhaps it came from all Tyler's lectures and experiences with his mother, but Tyler had his "responsible adult" mode. Ellen had taken the time out of her busy schedule to ensure Tyler knew how to be a responsible adult when required. Tyler had to give his mother credit for teaching him the life skills adults really needed. And in this situation, an adult would stop things from going too far and the two from becoming intimate. Now was not the time for that time of thing for the two, they were only sixteen after all. Lines had to be drawn for the two for the time being, and, in a few years, they could continue with their relationship.

Tyler closed his mouth before he folded his arms and waited for the scene to change. The two should notice him there soon enough, and he could lay down the law for them. However, as the minutes passed by, nothing changed as Kira and Lacus stayed wrapped around each other. And as time kept dragging on, Tyler felt awkward just standing and waiting to be noticed by the two. It was also a tad annoying to be ignored by Lacus and Kira as he was since it was odd for them. But Tyler would do his best to be nice and polite by not interrupting the moment the two were having. However, patience had its limits to satisfying courtesy. Tyler would wait for a bit longer for the two to notice him before he would make his presence known. Kira and Lacus parted slightly but still kept close to one another. They clearly still hadn't realized Tyler was in the room waiting for the two to understand they were being watched.

Lacus pulled back from the kiss, loathed to end it, but the need for air had demanded it. She was panting as she kept gazing at Kira with a loving expression on her face. At last, Lacus had confessed to Kira, and he'd understood what she had been trying to tell him. Her heart was swollen with happiness with being with Kira as she was right now. Lacus wouldn't let him go for a while, hugging him just felt so good. There was little that she could think of which would spoil the moment.

After a few minutes more, Tyler felt he had waited for the two to notice his presence voluntarily. While he didn't want to interrupt the tender moment, Tyler knew there were things to discuss and settle. And if that weren't so, Tyler would've left the two alone to enjoy their progress and not looked back. They could continue the intimate moment later, and Tyler would leave them to it and do other things. But current circumstances require personal things to be given less priority than normal. Thus, Tyler folded his arms and gained a stern expression on his face before he cleared his throat. "Hey, kids," Tyler stated clearly, "Guess what, dad's home." Lacus and Kira jerked at hearing Tyler's voice as neither had expected it. They had been alone for a while now, and none had disturbed them. Lacus had appreciated the time alone with Kira as it had been beyond fruitful in her view. And while she didn't feel Tyler would interrupt their moment without a good reason, it was still annoying that he had intruded. Couldn't whatever he had to deal with that involved Kira, she, or both of them waiting for a little bit?

Tyler observed the two as they turned slowly to face him as he waited to see how they would react. Both their faces sported deepening red hues, and they quickly looked away from Tyler's gaze. Kira was embarrassed to have Tyler, of all people, find Lacus and him together as they were. They had had a private moment which Tyler had come in upon which he would likely tease him about. Also, Tyler had no business interrupting them nor anything he needed to talk to Kira or Lacus about that he could think of. Kira didn't normally tell Tyler to mind his own business; his friend tended to do that most of the time. However, what was occurring between Lacus and himself wasn't something Tyler should be telling them how to conduct themselves in. "How long have you been there, Tye" Kira asked in an embarrassed tone. He then took a breath and forced himself to calm down. Kira could still feel the heat in his cheeks, but he spoke again, "What are you doing here? I don't doubt there are things you could be doing."

Tyler was left to wonder whether he should laugh at Kira's embarrassment, which he was attempting to hide, or prod his friend with the opportunity he'd been given. He hadn't seen Kira so embarrassed in years that Tyler could recall. At least, nothing Tyler had meant or tried doing had gotten Kira to turn as red as he was right now. However, what pushed for Tyler's decision was that Kira had given "pure gold" with his first question. Asking how long Tyler had been there was begging in Tyler's mind to tease and prod his friend. Not just begging to be teased, but also giving express permission. Thus, Tyler didn't intend to let Kira off by asking him how long he had been watching without a "proper" response. Tyler gazed at the two for a moment, "How long, you ask my good friend," he posed, then gained a bit of a smirk. "Long enough to witness you two smooching with a fair amount of vigor, that's for sure." Kira and Lacus's faces became a little redder at Tyler saying he'd watched them kissing. Yet, Tyler didn't stop, "I must say, Kira, I didn't know you had it in you." He shrugged his shoulders, "Lacus, sure, I knew the girl had feelings for you," Tyler's face fell, "It was rather hard to miss with how she was flirting and sending hints at you." Tyler's gaze shifted to Lacus, "Watching you flirt, I would say most wouldn't know you were new to the idea, and I mean that as a compliment."

Lacus blushed harder at Tyler, telling her she was good at flirting. She had just been trying to get Kira's attention on her, not attempting to perform for others to see. Lacus had one of the house staff get a book for her to help her flirt and get Kira to understand how she felt. And that Tyler had seen it and Kira miss it completely frustrated her. Granted, Tyler wasn't an ignorant fool, nor innocent as Kira was, but he'd still seen the point, so why hadn't Kira?! Tyler may have an advantage with his military training, and Sakura's certainly did with her saying to Lacus not to make her attraction toward Kira so obvious. Tyler continued, "However, you two finally got together when I thought it would take longer. Perhaps, Athrun and I have been wrong about you not learning much, if anything, from the times we pointed out what you miss. I've been more than worried you would be doomed to be held back by your naïveté until Lacus dragged you off, to be honest. But it's nice to feel that all that assistance provided wasn't wasted, my dear friend."

Lacus attempted to glare at Tyler, but her embarrassed blush lost the effect on Tyler. True, she had considered the possibility of having to drag Kira off and show him how she felt. She had essentially done that in a way by pulling Kira aside and confessing to him. However, Tyler's way of saying it could imply she may force herself on Kira, and she wouldn't do that to him. Tyler was taking advantage of this situation to tease Kira and her with how they danced around their relationship. "I would not drag Kira off, Tye," Lacus snapped with clear embarrassed tones, "And it isn't any of your business what Kira and I do in private. And what are you doing here anyways, were you spying on us?"

Tyler's smirk morphed into a knowing smile, "I know you wouldn't "drag" Kira off, Lacus, not to rape him or anything at least. You're not that kind of girl, and I thank God you aren't since that older sister of yours almost turned out to be and still could. That would be just my luck if Sakura would think to do that to me," Tyler remarked, then shuttered at the thought. The image of Sakura capturing him and then raping him was not a pleasant idea to contemplate for him. However, he couldn't deny the woman was capable of such a thing as she had gotten close to raping him already once. Tyler made a mental note to devise a contingency for the possibility of Sakura dragging him off. "And you're right that your relationship with Kira is none of my business." Tyler nodded his head, "But I can be happy for the two of you getting together and cheer you on, you know, that is within my rights. And as a friend, teasing is both a privilege and an expectation with me, ask Kira on that one." Kira's cheeks had been getting redder as Tyler had been talking. The dragging-off thing hadn't made sense to him until Tyler had mentioned her not raping him. That had brought on some odd images with Lacus, which had led to them doing intimate things. The thoughts of them having sex were currently causing Kira's cheeks to deepen the red hue. Kira focused his mind back on the present to get his thoughts away from doing things with Lacus. Tyler hadn't said what he was doing here, and he'd just gotten down to teasing them.

Tyler had paused to think about how to answer Lacus's accusing him of spying on them. He hadn't been spying or anything, nor looking for them to do the idea. Tyler wasn't one to purposely spy on friends; he felt that was a breach of trust and wouldn't do such things for that to occur. Tyler had the ability to spy on others, and he'd had professional training for the skillset as a part of his SOLAS "boot camp." Also, that skill set allowed Tyler to spy on another without being noticed by the target. So, should Tyler have wanted to spy on Kira and Lacus, he could've done so, and they would never know he was doing so. However, Tyler felt it would be better to enforce the point he didn't spy on friends. "As for your other question, absolutely not, Lacus," Tyler replied, "I don't spy without very good reason, and your love life isn't something I see a reason to keep up on. And trust me, there are much easier ways of finding out about it than watching you two go at it. Besides, if I were spying on you, neither of you would be any the wiser about the activity. That is the case because I've received training for spying and intel gathering from the Federation's military. Plus, in my defense, I don't knowingly or purposely spy on friends, a personal policy that I have to keep trust between friends and myself." Tyler stopped and took a breath, "As for what I'm doing here, I was looking for Kira to ask him a question or two while there was downtime. When I asked those on the Eternal, I was told he disappeared a little while ago wandering off or something like that."

Kira shook his head, "You just wanted to ask questions," he uttered, "That's the reason you came upon us like this?"

Tyler held up his hands in a gesture to ask for patience, "I assure you, I was just looking for you to help you with the Creuset and Mendel business. It either needs to be settled or put on the back burner sooner rather than later, as tension is climbing. This war is heading for a big battle, and it will come sooner than I think any of us will like." Tyler paused for a moment, "However, I certainly would say congrats on getting together. It's about damn time if you ask me." Tyler waggled a finger at Kira, "Your naivete has been doing you harm, Kira. Hopefully, your relationship with Lacus will get it to tone down. Heavens knows Athrun, and I have tried without success to help you on that front." Tyler hesitated for a few seconds, "Just make sure you two don't let the passion get the better of you and go too far with the romance until you are older."

The last line Tyler said brought the thoughts of Lacus and him doing things back to Kira's mind. He hadn't planned to do anything couples did with Lacus, at least not yet, since they were both teenagers. But then, Kira hadn't expected Lacus's confession to come, which had changed things. The kiss had felt more than just good, Kira couldn't deny that without lying. Logically, Kira knew the kiss to lead to more intimate activities, and he'd thought they could hold back and not go too far. Yet, what had been coursing through him when kissing Lacus had pushed logic away from his mind. The action had both excited and scared Kira, and he couldn't figure out which affected him more. Nonetheless, Tyler's snickering drew Kira's attention back to the current situation, "What is that supposed to mean, Tye" Kira questioned, "We aren't doing anything as you suggest."

Tyler stopped snickering cold after Kira had spoken, for it said that Kira didn't understand what Tyler had been referring to. It would seem his friend's cursed naivete was back in full force and doing no favors for the guy. Tyler knew that Kira was dense and normally didn't hold it against him, but this was ridiculous. Kira didn't understand that he and Lacus were teenagers and had been engaged in romantic passion. That led to further things that neither were ready for emotionally or in any other way. And yet, Kira hadn't the faintest clue what Tyler's advice had been hinting at. Tyler stared at Kira for a long minute, looking for any sign of Kira joking or not saying something he knew as truth. He found nothing, which got Tyler to let out a long sigh of pity mixed with minor frustration. "Alas, it would appear that your naiveté is still hard at work holding you back and doing you no favors, Kira. It's just so good at stunting your growth that it is frustrating as ever, and I can't help but worry about you because of it." Tyler shook his head and gazed at Kira, "I wonder if you'll ever move on from being the special kind of stupid you are with social stuff."

Kira's face became redder at the comment though he had nothing he could say in response to Tyler. On the other hand, Lacus had gotten over her embarrassment and was now irritated with Tyler. Then he had called Kira stupid, which had crossed a line that she wouldn't let go unanswered. Kira wasn't stupid, and Lacus wouldn't let anyone refer to him as such. He was her boyfriend now, and she would defend him against any that would potentially insult him. So, Lacus moved toward Tyler, glaring at him as she closed the distance, "Kira isn't stupid," She snapped. "How dare you say that about him!"

Tyler reflexively flinched at Lacus's snapped scathing retort he'd just received. The girl wasn't normally one to bristle at another for what they said. Lacus would correct others, Tyler had seen that enough to expect it from her every once in a while. And Tyler hadn't said Kira was a special kind of stupid as an insult, far from it. Tyler used the phrase to tell Kira he was missing something obvious, and Kira had come to know that's what he meant. But Lacus didn't understand that Tyler wasn't insulting his friend and would not do so knowingly. Kira also noticed that Lacus had misunderstood what Tyler had been saying. He knew that Tyler was not being mean to him, his friend was pointing out things he wasn't seeing, it was Tyler's way of doing that. "Lacus, Tye wasn't," Kira started wanting to explain to her that Tyler was only trying to help. However, the glare she sent him silenced him in mid-sentence as he'd never seen that from her directed at him. Lacus didn't want Kira attempting to defend or excuse Tyler's words this time as he did before. Tyler would answer for what he said about Kira, and Lacus would make sure of that personally. Reflexively, Lacus grabbed Kira and pulled him to her body as a protective measure. She didn't know why she pulled Kira to herself, and it was instinctive, which she couldn't explain. But she still glared at Tyler, angry with how he had insulted Kira.

Tyler could see Lacus was taking this misunderstanding too seriously for his liking. He didn't blame the girl; she was loyal to Kira, and he couldn't fault that. Heck, Kira hadn't a clue how lucky he was to have someone like Lacus defending him. Yet, Tyler knew he would need to choose his words carefully or suffer Lacus's wrath. He wanted to avoid the girl's wrath if at all possible, as she was a friend. Plus, Tyler feared Lacus's wrath may be like Sakura's, which was a scary thought to him. Thus, Tyler took some calming breaths before he swallowed hard, "Um, Lacus," Tyler hesitated as the girl's glare intensified. He held up his hands in a gesture of calm, "Look, I would never say words or phrases to or about Kira with the intention to be mean. I would hope you would know I don't dis or insult a friend either in their company or out of it by this point." Tyler stopped and took a steadying breath, "With that in mind, when I say Kira is a special kind of stupid, it's not implying that he's dumb or unintelligent. I assure you, I'm well aware that he is smart academically, admittedly more than I am when it comes to it. It's just," Tyler paused again, quickly sorting out his thoughts for a proper explanation he could give to Lacus. "Well, you, of all people, have seen the point of how clueless Kira is when it comes to the social aspect of things. You can call it what you like, naïveté, ignorance, innocence, or a special kind of stupid as I do when calling the idea out." Tyler moved back a bit since Lacus was still glaring at him, "So, when I tell Kira he's a special kind of stupid, I'm just telling him he is missing something obvious and to look harder.

Kira could see Tyler was floundering in his attempted explanation to Lacus. It was odd to see Tyler flounder when talking to another, and it happened so often that it was more expected that he would talk smoothly in most conversations. And Kira knew his friend wasn't being mean to him when he referred to his "naïveté" as Athrun, and he called it. He sometimes thanked them for helping him not miss things he didn't know were happening. So, Kira spoke up for Tyler, "He's telling the truth, Lacus, he isn't trying to be mean or insult me. Athrun does much the same thing, just in a different way which tends to be less blunt," Kira insisted. "They've been doing it for years, so I'm used to it by now." Lacus was still miffed at what Tyler said since it certainly wasn't nice how it was put. But Kira said it wasn't meant to be rude or insulting, and he sounded like he was telling the truth. So, she took a moment to calm down and forgive Tyler for what he said this time.

Tyler was grateful to Kira for jumping to his defense even when he fully expected him to do so, as Tyler would do for him or Athrun without hesitation. He didn't want Lacus mad at him if there was a way to help it. Tyler had seen what angry women could do, and it more than worried him. The phrase "hell hath no fury a woman scorned" hadn't made sense the first time Tyler had heard it, but it did now. He didn't know the context of the author who had come up with the phrase had, but the meaning was clear, don't get a woman angry with you and believe you'll be fine. And with Lacus being a friend, Tyler certainly didn't want bad feelings between them. So, Tyler felt a subject change was overdue and would hopefully help him out of hot water. He cleared his throat to shift attention to him again, "Right then, to other subjects. Kira, you and Lacus are still teenagers and are too young to advance your new relationship too far forward. Don't get lost in the moment's passion, please, and do something you will regret."

Tyler trailed off, going over what he'd just said, as it was odd for him to be saying such things. Granted, he was mature for his age, and he'd done a lot of growing up after the Bloody Valentine. But the words he was saying felt uncomfortably familiar, like he'd heard something like them before now. After a minute, Tyler realized why the words were familiar and where he'd heard them before. They came from a conversation he'd had with his mother just before he'd headed off to basic training. Tyler remembered the conversation/lecture because it happened to be the dreaded "birds and the bees" parental lecture. While Tyler respected his mother, he never thought he would one day sound like her, especially with Tyler's childhood spent as it was. He'd not been "rebellious" per se, but he hadn't been the "model child" either, as he had misbehaved occasionally. Tyler had been determined that when he grew up, he wouldn't be as strict as his mother. However, here he was, being a parent-like adult as he had told himself he wouldn't be. A child dreaded to sound like their parent, but it wasn't exactly as Tyler had heard. He was now lecturing friends on things their parents should be, and the irony was thick with that.

Kira and Lacus had been embarrassed with Tyler, saying they were to be good and not go too far in their relationship yet. But with him trailing off, they both stared at Tyler, who appeared to have become lost in thought. It was a few long minutes before Tyler's expression morphed into a look of surprise mixed with slight horror. He then slapped his forehead, "Good golly, I'm starting to sound like my mother!" Tyler shook his head, "I never thought I'd live to see the day I would start lecturing another as she has me." Tyler's comment and the reaction were amusing to Lacus as he said it as a bad thing. From what she knew of Minister Blass, the woman was a strong one that spoke from her heart. Lacus could only imagine what that kind of woman would be like as a mother. She only had vague memories of her own mother, Tasara Clyne. However, Lacus had heard of the horror of a child who sounds like a parent, though she'd never understood why it could be a bad thing. Still, Lacus couldn't stop herself snickering at Tyler's change when he felt he was speaking as his mother did. At hearing Lacus's snickering, Kira couldn't help but join her in it. Tyler wasn't amused at being laughed at for him sounding like his mother, so he grumbled under his breath. "Yeah, go ahead, laugh it up," he muttered. "As I said, I never thought I would one day sound like my mother did with some of the lectures she's given me."

Tyler waited for the two to stop laughing at him as he meant what he said about them not going too far. The two were too young to be physically intimate and potentially have children. And it wasn't that Tyler felt the two wouldn't make good parents, for he didn't doubt they would. It was because they weren't emotionally ready for the job of raising and taking care of a child yet. As any friend would do, Tyler wanted to warn them before they made a mistake they would likely regret. Tyler cleared his throat, "Sounding like my mother aside, I was being serious when I said you're too young to take things too far."

The thoughts of Lacus and him doing private things came back to Kira's mind, and the images were more vivid this time. Kira wasn't saying that Lacus was unattractive, quite the opposite, really, she was drop-dead gorgeous. That was the issue, with her confessing, he was noticing Lacus in a different way than he had before. Kira didn't know how to deal with these new thoughts about her. In the end, Kira looked away from Tyler, not knowing what to say in response to his statement. Lacus noticed Kira's embarrassment, and she found it cute, and it brought warmth to her heart. Not to say she didn't want to do intimate things with Kira, but oh, did she ever want to be as close as physically possible. However, she knew there was wisdom in what Tyler said about them being too young for the responsibilities that came with such. But they had control of themselves thus far and would do so until they were ready to proceed further. "We wouldn't go too far, Tye," Lacus responded calmly. "It would be nice if you gave us some credit for our self-control."

Oh, Tyler had given credit to Lacus that she had shown self-control up to this point, for she had. Kira wouldn't be a concern any more than Lacus would be if not for passion coming into the mix. Tyler wouldn't be doing this if the passion he saw in the kiss could be waved off, but he wouldn't do that. While okay in the right time and place, passion was a driving force akin to a double-edged sword. It could help and increase good things, but it could also hinder and do harm at other times. Romance tended to work with passion more often than not, and if not for their age, Tyler would step back and let them figure things out for themselves. Yet, with the war going on and the world as unstable as it was, decisions influenced by passion were not helpful. In the end, he exhaled heavily, "While I applaud your self-control up to this point, Lacus, I stand with my point." Tyler paused for a moment, "Passion is a powerful driving force, but it can push you to a hasty decision that you could regret later. And with the kiss you two were having, passion wouldn't have to push all that much for you two to cross the line." Tyler glanced at his friend, "Kira, you aren't ready for a kid, so don't go knocking Lacus up. Is that plain enough for you?"

Lacus blushed hard at that last line, "Tyler," she stammered, "We wouldn't do that!"

Tyler shrugged but smiled a small smile, "I don't know. That kiss you two were in looked pretty heated if you ask me." He put a hand to his chin, "I can only imagine if I hadn't interrupted, you could've gone longer and further." Tyler shrugged again, "I'm just saying to keep it to affectionate gestures that are appropriate in public for the time being. Give yourselves a few years before doing more than that. That's my suggestion to the both of you, and I hope you take it to heart." Tyler did enjoy the rest of the conversation with the two as he did get to tease them.

Lacus didn't appreciate Tyler teasing her and Kira, as he was clearly enjoying it. She figured she could get back at him, telling him how he could end out with Sakura. Lacus wouldn't exactly mind her older sister and Tyler ending out together, and she wanted Sakura to be happy after all. Yet, from what she'd seen, Tyler didn't like that idea at all. Lacus didn't know much about what had gone on between the two, but there was something there. And Tyler did go silent when Lacus said he could end out with Sakura. The thought stopped him cold in his teasing as it was something he hadn't truly considered. Tyler knew if Sakura had her way, he would end up married to her and she would run the relationship. He wasn't okay with her running things, for Tyler wasn't one to appreciate being dominated. Not to say Sakura wasn't pretty. Tyler thought her drop-dead gorgeous with her looks. If not for her personality, she wouldn't be so bad, Tyler would admit. Still, he prayed he would end out with someone other than Sakura, but his gut told him such was nothing but wishful thinking.

A/n

I'll leave off there and continue on from there in the next phase. Okay, to the real fun of the ending notes of Phases, the explanations and highlighting. Let me start with the scene that involved Treize. So, like in the original, Treize does go to the Federation for help to protect the PLANTs, and it is only logical when one takes the time to think about. However, I want to point out Lanus's take on Ellen's speech as it is different than others given thus far. Lanus has the stance of not just a soldier, but one who knows more of what goes on behind the scene with the war. And for those who would ask, no, Lanus and Ellen haven't at this point met in person, they know one another by reputation and secondhand accounts. I do want to highlight a few points that weren't in the original. First, I would remind you that Lanus Treize is the ideal military leader that care about those under his command. That is seen with the mention of him sending a letter and bouquet to the family of each soldier that gives their life. Second, I specifically say that Lanus was around Junius Seven when the Bloody Valentine occurred. At the time Treize was an officer/soldier, more a mission commander of sorts. He heard the final moments of the colony even with the efforts made to stop the attack. And finally, Lanus had seen the change and corruption that had been coming on. He isn't blind that those like Patrick are "humankind's true enemy," he won't deny that like others would. That doesn't mean he doesn't want to try and save Patrick from the madness gripping him.

Next the battle and destruction of Boaz, which is similar to the original. I want to say that Lanus even going against the Defense Committee and the Supreme Council, he still wants to keep as many ZAFT soldiers alive as possible. His ship was upgraded and given stealth tech, which shows how much the Federation is willing to trust the man. As for Treize's custom GINN, as some may have guessed, the coloration and some weapons are based on Gundam Wing's Tallgeese. This scene also shows how much the Alliance fears Treize and ZAFT gains hope from him. Treize is not just a brilliant tactician, he is a freaking amazing pilot, close to on par with Graham. That should be obvious as the Alliance mop up group is whipped.

Moving on to the scene of Tyler and Lisa as that changed a bit too and it is significant. So, Tyler asked the question I would think many do when it comes to war, "Why did this ever start?" Tyler does summarize what factors play into the conflict which he is right of course. Tyler's view doesn't reflect mine about good and evil though I think they exist, but I don't want to get into a religious rant, I avoid those. With Tyler's memories of Patrick Zala, I am debating whether to do that in a flashback. If you readers want to see such, write a review or message me and say so. Back to the conversation, Tyler admits that he is avoiding facing his friends, mostly for what he did to the Dominion and nearly killing Flay. That shifts to him going and talking to Sai and Tolle which I want to point out some things there. So, Tyler as mentioned by his friends is stubborn, rarely if ever apologizes for what he does or his behavior, and always has some sort of explanation to say why he did something. Rare is it for Tyler to be caught off-guard or be at a loss for words, but it does happen. He also essentially admits he likes breaking machines as a "sabotage enthusist."

Now on to the final scene which is what you readers really liked and want more detail on. I don't blame you readers for liking this scene between Lacus and Kira which Tyler comes in on later. This scene is one of those I would say we all wanted in canon but never ever got from the anime's producers. I'm not bashing them directly, but some show of romance between the two we wanted would've been nice. The vast majority of us could see the sparks between the two, it was hard to miss for fudging sakes! And I don't consider the two hugging and staring at each other a romantic scene, it is only fluff dang it! So, as an author, I thought, since we didn't get what we wanted, then I can write what we should've gotten to some degree. The two are much better than Flay and I'm not dissing the girl so don't take this as me bashing or trying to offend those who are fans of Kira and Flay being a couple. I just don't see those two getting together either in canon where Flay was manipulative nor in my story where she is more a friend. Nor will this lead to a lemon, I don't write those as a personal policy though some have asked. I hope you readers appreciate the scene with the two both for the romantic content and the comedy that came at the end. However, I'm not here to justify why I made the decisions I have for my story.

So, I expanded the original scene to give it more depth and tell a little of what Lacus had been feeling with Kira. Can any blame the girl with all the things she's been doing to get Kira's attention. Perhaps, some female readers can message me and give me more and better insight, I would welcome it. So, our girl Lacus corners Kira to get the explanation of what happened inside Mendel which she missed and to tell him how she feels. She comforts him at the end, which turns into her confession. We learn how frustrated she's been with Kira missing her "non-verbal" hints she had been sending at him to say she liked him. Can you blame the girl for being so fed up with the obliviousness Kira has been showing? By this point, I hope it is clear as days such is due to Kria's naivete since I've referred to it so many times. And yet, that naivete is what makes us like Kira as much as we do and appreciate his character as it is. The retelling of the Mendel experience is unpleasant for Kira of course but gives a chance to Lacus to comfort him. The tipping point for Lacus of course is when Kira says he wants to help and would listen to what she had to say. Two things I would point out in this. First, Kira knows about what Sakura does to those "who aren't worthy" for Lacus. Most think it is Sakura's cold personality, but it is her protecting her baby sister and we know it. Second, Kira doesn't think himself deserving of Lacus's affections.

Then we have Tyler come into the scene and that where it becomes comical as we all like to have I would think. So, as Tyler said, he was looking for Kira to help him to get over or put on hold the issue with Creuset. He mentions the "growing" relationships his friends are in which I point out for a good reason. Tyler hasn't missed Lacus's flirting, he ain't blind or naïve so it was obvious to him. But being the nice guy that he is, Tyler doesn't say anything to Lacus nor to Kira. Tyler doesn't think Lacus and Kira will get together any time soon, mostly due to Kira not taking the hints he was being sent. He still cheers for them, thus is supportive of the couple as their friend. But Tyler feels the relationship between Athrun and Cagalli is more likely to go somewhere sooner. I would say Tyler saw the sparks between Athrun and Cagalli before they fully figured it out themselves.

The view that Tyler comes in on shocks him to silence and stunned amazement. It is comical that Tyler predicted the scene before it happened, at least I found it funny. And him acting as a "dad" I think adds to it. So, as their friend, Tyler gets to tease them, a perk of the idea in this. I also think it is cute how Lacus was flirting with Kira to get his attention, trying to hide what she was doing, yet others that weren't the target were the ones to notice. Tyler is the responsible adult in the situation which leads to him being a "Mama's boy" and acting like Ellen. And we get to see Lacus be the protective girlfriend which is amusing, she is so cute doing it too. I ended on the same basic note as the original Phase 24 with it being suggested Sakura ending out with Tyler. He doesn't like the idea, but knows it is a real possibility that he would have to work against.

To wrap up these notes, I'm sorry these closing notes are still so long. I really don't want it to be a norm but it is just becoming so. As I always ask, please some of you take the time to write a review and tell me your thoughts about this Phase or the story to this point. I appreciate every review I get and read them. Reviews motivate me to keep writing, so let that be a reason if anything else. There is a little left of what was Phase 24 which is covered in the next one plus more. It is in the works and hopefully be ready in two weeks. It is titled: "At the Brink." Peace out until the next Phase and hope you all had a good Thanksgiving or whatever holiday you may or may not have celebrated this last week.