A few weeks had passed. Ra had collected what he needed from Selena. She was biding her time, waiting for him to appear.
His voice emitting into the room was the first contact. "Greetings, Your Highness."
Selena was standing in the middle of the room. She looked towards the camera behind the mesh metal. "Hiding behind technology."
"Now, now," Ra chided. "Let's not start clipping each other's wings. I am glad the ordeal has not been as traumatic."
"Abduction, forced injections, and unconscious procedure," Selena tilted her head a bit. "Not traumatic at all."
He let out a low laugh. "I thought you would give me more trouble."
"I don't want you to harm my body in that way," Selena crossed her arms. "I'll let you have what you want, for now."
"How considerate," he teased. "Is this a warning that the rest of your time with me will be troublesome?"
Selena smirked. Her eyes becoming out of focus, heading into the void of SEED Mode. "No, just a segue." She unfolded her arms, flicking a small needle she stole. Selena flicked it into the camera, cracking the lens, piercing through the elements.
On Ra's side, the monitor once showed Selena staring at him to a black screen. He let out another chuckle. "Sedate the room, its time for us to descend. If she continues on, everyone's safety will be in jeopardy. It will be better to facilitate her back at headquarters."
The assistants next to him, followed his commands. The room filled with a mist. Selena felt the injection of several shots from her bands that were still on her body. It took a while for her to fall unconscious. Once she was out, she was magnetized to floor. A small group of armed assistants came in. They tested to make sure she was out before placing her into a cryo-casket. When it was locked, they moved her out of the room, into a larger casket type. They locked her in that one as well. There they moved the double tank into a small shuttle that would head back to Earth.
During this time, the Joule team was some distance away from Mendel Colony. No activity from any life trying to go back. It seems like they just missed the skirmish. Yzak was still mulling over the chess game. He would stay up later trying to figure out how to beat the black chess set.
On one occasion, as he was leaned back in his chair in his quarters, his uniform was unbuttoned showing his blue shirt underneath. He was starting to slowly doze off. Yzak stared off towards the area where the map and lounge were at. He didn't know if he started to dream already but he was seeing Selena in a red pilot suit gazing at the map as if she was figuring out the next course of action. He noticed that she held her helmet, letting it rest on her hip.
His lips lazed into a smirk. He kept staring at that spot, taking her all in. Memorizing the details of her side profile, her stance, everything about her. His thoughts were centered around if she was a soldier underneath of him. The endless possibilities. He would cross the line of dating between ranks. He kept watching her. Red petals started to drift around her. The atmosphere became more romantic. She turned to face him with a soft smile, expressing her happiness while meeting his eyes. It was a nice dream, Yzak thought. He kept staring at her. It looked like some red petals had gotten in her hair, sticking to it. He then started to notice red petals upon her suit. There were cracks in the glass of her helmet. Her suit was becoming scuffed with burn marks and tears. There were red blotches blossoming, especially on one of her shoulders. He looked up her hair was disheveled, it looked like there could be dirt. He glanced around. The red petals were actually blood droplets. Yzak took a look at her face. The soft smile was gone. She looked haggard. Her face was scuffed and bruised. Blood was coming down one side of her face. She opened her mouth and blood started to pour out as she pointed to a place on the map.
Yzak flinched on his chair. He blinked to see that the whole scene was gone. There was nothing there. It just an empty commander's quarters. Yzak got up from his chair. He needed a breather. He had been thinking too much of work and it had started to invade his thoughts, staining the few things that kept him happy. Yzak glanced over to the area again, no one was there. He remembered the first part, of her just staring the map before turning to smile at him. That's what he wanted to remember. Her smiling. Yzak floated away. Since he was awake, he buttoned up his uniform before heading out. He would take a round around the vessel. Something to take his mind off of what just happened.
As the Joule Team started to get further away, they met the same extremists they had met earlier. The Joule team was at level 3 battle stations. Mobile suits were stationed around the two vessels, ready for battle. The two groups were waiting for the other to make a move.
All of the screens then popped up to view one of the extremists.
"Joule Team, we meet again," he smiled. "What is your answer? Will you join our side and continue onto the path of greatness, or will you become just another part of the road that takes us there?"
The silence seemed like hours but it was rather minutes when Yzak responded to them. "We do not side with any force that believes they need to oppress those around them to achieve their goals. You are violating the peace by persuading with active aggression. Stand down now or face the consequences."
"Hmph!" The extremist scoffed. "Any of you out there who want to join our side, you may. We had high hopes for you, Commander Joule. You have become a disappointment. What would Ezalia Joule think when her son betrays the ideals she had fought for?"
Yzak started to get angry as the extremist brought his mother into this. He had no idea what had happened to her, and yet this man was using her thoughtlessly against him. "Keep her out of this!"
The extremist turned his mobile armor. "What would the founder of ZAFT think of any of you? Disappointments, all of you. We have come to offer you a place to achieve everlasting greatness. What our whole foundation was started on, the continuing of genetic perfection, and yet all of you, are throwing it away from some so-called peace! Peace that's just a piece of paper! Peace that has no real backing to it! We all know damn well that Earth Alliance will rise up and battle us Coordinators once again. This time, we won't have to lose several lives just to win against them. This time, we can strike them down with enough force, they will fall in line!"
His words shocked the Joule team. Was this another repeat of a deadly machine blasting down colonies or taking out parts of the earth? Then again, Earth Alliance did have that beam that came out of their territory that blew up a hidden vessel.
"Another Zala, another Durandal," Dearka muttered. "Just another one waiting around the corner to rise up. Will we actually ever have peace?"
"You forget that there were other founders of ZAFT," Yzak stood his ground. "You forget why ZAFT was even formed! We won't allow those to oppress, especially how hard we fought to gain our own independence. We want to be equal."
"Disappointing," the extremist cut in. "You could have been part of the Silver Brigade, in charge of your own Regiment, instead of this small Company. Look at you, holding onto hopeless honor that was given by the daughter of a coward! It's now or never, join us!"
"I speak on the behalf of my team, we will never join your ranks," Yzak lifted his chin up a bit.
"So be it," the extremist fired off a few rounds at them, starting the battle between them.
Yzak dodged the shots fired at him. He fired back. The barrage of ammo brightened the area between the groups. Shiho and Dearka took charge in their areas, trying to defend off enemies with other pilots.
The Voltaire and Rousseau were trying to defend off mobile armors. There wasn't any vessel appearing from the enemy but more mobile armors were swarming in around them.
The extremist spoke to his counterparts, "remember, they are only obstacles. Don't stop until all of them are gone. Even if they beg for mercy."
Dearka flew around while shooting down an enemy. "They won't stop coming! Where are these guys coming from?"
Shiho had been around the outskirts. "There are no readings or signals picking up any vessels nearby." She fired off a few rounds.
Dearka glanced to view her on the screen before shielding himself from oncoming beams. "Huh! No vessels nearby."
"There is debris," Yzak shot down an enemy. "There could be interference. However, there seems to be a surplus of them. Our suits are going to be depleted of energy, they seem to be surrounding us, are there any ZAFT vessels or allies nearby?"
"I'll see if there is," Shiho had more time to speak with the captains then the other two.
Yzak took down two enemies to save some of his crew. Their energy was almost depleted. He sent them back to the vessels to recharge. "Any mobile suit that is close to depletion, head back to the vessels now! Those who still have a little more left, stay out and fight! This is going to be an endurance race against them until back up arrives or we can out maneuver them to escape!"
The Joule believed in their commander. They followed his orders. During some time later in the battle, Shiho had gotten word that the other ZAFT vessels had also been engaged in battle with similar extremists.
"You're saying no one can come get us?" Dearka shielded himself again.
"How does it look on the mobile suits we sent back to get replenished?" Yzak started to fight more strategically to conserve his suits energy. He aimed at the enemy for a few more seconds before firing.
Shiho was in the midst of gunning three enemies around her. "They are coming out, and another group is being sent back in for replenishment."
"Dearka, head back in," Yzak ordered.
"What?!" Dearka was surprised.
"That is an order," Yzak started to flick through how much energy and ammo he had left. "We can't have all three of us here, depleting energy. We need to keep up our strength."
"But," Dearka wanted to argue against him. "Alright." He nodded before turning his machine back to the two vessels.
"The same goes for you, Shiho," Yzak ordered her as well.
"Ah," Shiho flinched. "Yes-sir!" She turned away from her fight to head back to the vessel.
Yzak was by himself, trying to go against the extremists around him. The leader of the units around him, took noticed.
"Well, well," the extremist smirked. "Look who is all alone. Take him out."
The extremists started to gather around him. Yzak fended them off however he became the main focus. The numbers against him were adding up. He tried to out maneuver them.
Shiho was floating outside of her machine, hoping the technicians could hurry so she could go back out there.
"Shiho!" A green uniform came over to her. She looked towards him. He almost bumped into her as he was floating too fast.
"What is it?" She saw the concerned look on his face.
"It's the Commander," he shoved a tablet into her face. "He's being outnumbered." She grabbed the tablet to see all the enemies gathering around Yzak.
"How's my machine?!" She didn't even look up. She watched the screens that showed different areas of the battle.
"Still not ready," a technician called.
"What about the others!?" Shiho was willing to pull rank and take a machine that was ready.
"None of them are," another technician answered her.
"Will get one ready to go dammit!" Shiho snapped. "Our Commander is out there trying to keep us alive!" The technicians tried to hurry a bit more.
Isaac Mau was on the bridge of one of the vessels. "Commander!" He watched the screens. He saw his Commander surrounded by enemies. "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" He called into the ZAFT lines. "Joule Team out in coordinates," he started to explain. "Enemies have swarmed our vessels, unable to retreat. Unable to get backup. Energy depleting quickly. Won't be long until we no longer can survive. Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" He repeated himself again.
At PLANTs, Amory One was sending out vessels to help out their fleets. Isaac Mau's mayday call was not the only one. His pleas for help started to drown in the sea of calls.
Kira was bringing Lacus some paperwork when he was passed by several ZAFT soldiers hurrying around him. "Uh! What's going on?"
"Ah Commander!" One quickly saluted him as they kept jogging. "We have a dire emergency. Several vessels are being attacked by extremists. We are sending out backup but the maydays keep coming."
Kira picked up the pace to keep listening to him. "Where at?"
"Everywhere sir!" The two of them kept heading forward. "We're going to get permission from the committee now to send in high status vessels only used for war."
"Who all needs help?" Kira wanted to know the fleets.
The soldier named off teams as they were drawing closer. "Joule Team has been holding up as best they can, but they are one of the furthest away. Their commander has been forced to work with smaller forces as they sent part of their force to replenish as quickly as their teams could. He has yet to bring his suit in."
Yzak! Kira thought to himself. He picked up the pace. The few of them got to the committee area. He saluted Kira one more time before splitting off. Kira headed straight to Lacus. She was speaking with several of the committee members. When Kira came into the area, she could see the determination on his face. She agreed with him.
Yzak was still battling against the enemy. He kept noticing the power bar slowly dwindle on his machine. Dearka and Shiho were still not out yet. He needed to keep up his strength so they could switch him out.
He couldn't dodge a missile coming around, hitting into the side. Yzak held on while his machine rumbled taking the hit. He tried to continue holding up his side. Bracing against the oncoming missiles with his shield. He could feel a sharp pain on his side but he needed to continue on. The soldiers around him were trying their best to keep the attacks against the vessels.
Yzak was then hit from both sides. He hit his head on his machine, and he felt pain coming from his right arm. He opened his eyes to see that the sides of his cockpit had been closer than it was earlier. Wires were exposed and there was flashing of lights. Warning and error sounds blared.
"Yzak!" He heard a familiar voice. "Yzak!"
"Commander!" Shiho called out.
"Hey! Yzak!" Dearka called out to him.
Yzak coughed. He could see some red dots in his helmet. "I'm here!" He heard them.
"Hah!" Dearka let out a relief. "Thank goodness! You're alive! Hang in there! Okay! Just hang in there!"
"W-what's going on?" Yzak looked around to see errors popping up on his screens. He didn't know that two extremists had smashed his machine on either side with their shields. A small explosion erupted from his machine, causing him to lurch forward again.
"Hold on!" Dearka grabbed his machine, headed back to the vessels. "Just hold on!"
"Hurry up!" Shiho was firing off rounds. "We don't have much time! Huh? What's that?"
Flying across the sky was the Strike Freedom, it paused to open fire using its DRAGOON system. Missiles launching at all the extremists.
The lead extremist backed away. "Retreat for now. The Strike Freedom is here. We won't win. They're lucky today, but they won't be next time."
The surviving extremists fled the scene following their leader. Behind Kira were some ZAFT vessels to help out. At this time, Dearka took Yzak's crumbled GOUF Ignited back to the Voltaire.
Yzak woke up in an unfamiliar room. His body felt heavy and sore. He stared up at the ceiling before looking around to see three concerned faces.
"H-hey!" Dearka leaned in with a smile of relief. "Look who's coming around. You had us scared there for a second."
"Commander," Shiho still had a concerned look on her face. "How do you feel?"
Yzak looked over to them and then glanced to a new face, Kira's. He was concerned as well.
"Glad I made it in time," Kira let out a breath. "You held out the longest you could. The extremists were relentless. All over, they were targeting ZAFT vessels. We've never seen something like that. I'm glad you're okay now. All of you." Kira looked to Shiho and Dearka. "Lacus and the rest are already investigating this situation. The Minerva and the ZAFT units there have not been attacked, along with the one's on the moon. Only the ones in space have been targeted."
"So, this was planned then," Dearka narrowed his eyes.
Kira nodded. "Seems like it. The toll it took on the vessels, including this one, many will be docked for repairs for a while."
"D-docked?!" Yzak tried to sit forward but felt a stabbing pain.
Dearka braced Yzak. "Hey-hey-hey! This isn't like the first time you got hurt." He automatically glanced at Kira before quickly glancing back. "You just woke up, maybe take some time to figure out things."
Yzak frowned. Shiho had grabbed a nearby computer tablet. She was clicking around on it, before turning it around to show him.
"This is what happened," she showed him.
Yzak watched the missile hitting into the side of his machine. Then two DINN RAVENs struck out their shields, smashing the GOUF Ignited like a sandwich. They were going to continue until they spotted the Strike Freedom launching off missiles. He then watched Dearka swoop in, grabbing his crunched up mobile armor. Shiho flipped the computer tablet back around.
"How long have I been out?" Yzak stared at her.
"Almost a week," Shiho answered. "We're drawing near Amory One."
"You're gonna be on bedrest," Dearka ordered. "We all have been assigned some needed rest."
"In the meantime, I will try to keep you updated with the investigation," Kira added. "I'm glad you are alright."