Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner. I also don't claim originality with this story; Solid Shark is the owner of the idea. If he does not approve of my use of his idea, he can let me know and I'll pull the story once I have gotten his message.

Claimer: However I do declare ownership of the Crimson Eagle, the Dark Side Bear, and the Lunar Cherry Blossom. I also declare ownership of the twist I'm putting in.

"The Endymion Ghosts"

Chapter Two: "Heliopolis Search and Rescue"

The White CQUE wavered at the sight. Rau Le Creuset was cursing the fact that the ship had survived relatively undamaged. Then three smaller explosions occurred and three mobile suits appeared. Each defined by their unique coloring. White and light red, the Lunar Cherry Blossom. Crimson red with cobalt blue, the Crimson Eagle. The last one green and brown, but all three had an appearance similar to that of the Strike, but these were the GAT-X108 Woodland Strike, the GAT-X106 Highland Strike, and the GAT-X107 Field Strike. All three came out ready to fight. The Highland was carrying the Sword Striker Pack, the Field was carrying a special artillery pack, the Ramfire Striker Pack, and the Woodland landed carrying the Aile Striker Pack. All four machines easily had a larger amount of firepower than the lone CQUE. Yet, only three of the four pilots had any real experience, and of that, one was trigger happy when it came to big guns.

"PLEASE CRIM! Let me fire off a few shots!" Sakura was practically begging her senior.

"Unless you want to destroy the colony, no and that's final. Besides I said NOT to mount that equipment, but NOOO you went and did it anyway," he bit back.

"YOU'RE A BIG MEANIE!" the young 17 year old female yelled back.

"Are you sure she's not your wife, all things consider, you have a thing for old guns and swords?" Justin inquired, with a slight smirk.

"SHUT UP!" they both roared at him.

"Enemy CQUE and… the…" Justin was lost at the sight of such a beautiful ship.

"She survived that kind of attack…. What a ship!" Sakura was in awe.

"As beautiful as a rose, as majestic as the sky, shine forth mighty Angel, shine forth with wings of radiate white light of hope and strength… Now FLY FORTH ARCHANGEL!" called out Crim.

The ship seemed to respond as its AA defenses activated and the CQUE began to run evasion maneuvers. Then it tried a strafing run, only to be stopped by a powerful blast from the Agni Cannon. The shot tore off an arm and a leg and threw Rau Le Creuset tumbling out into space as his mobile suit was thrown about like a rag doll. A hole had been opened in the side of the colony, in which the CQUE had been thrown through smoke was clearly billowing from its ravaged frame, as well as the pink smoke of atmosphere.

On the Bridge of Archangel

"Approaching dock exit hatchway… exit hatchway non-responsive," Chief Petty Officer Arnold Neumann reported.

"Prepare to fire the assault cannons," ordered Ensign Natarle Badgiruel. "Maximum speed, all defenses on alert, we'll most likely be entering a battlefield. CIC, once clear, begin scanning for allies and enemies."

Down in CIC sat two women, one was also an Ensign, but the other was a Junior Grade Lieutenant. Both had been in the service longer, and one had seen more construction of more ships, but they both lacked space-based battle experience. Now they were going to get it. Both thumbed their control sticks for weapons, though the defenses would be on auto, but continued their work of preparing the sensors. IFF ID codes would need to organize on the fly to ensure that the ship wouldn't end up like so many other Earth Forces ships.

The massive Positron Cannons known as the Lohengins were charged as the covers for them opened and the ship's laser designators locked in on the exit. The big guns reached full power and fired, obliterating the hatchway in seconds causing a humongous explosion, through which the mighty ship sailed through and onto the battlefield.

"One CQUE, two GINNs, four G-Weapons, and TWO ZEROES!" cried out one of the CIC Ensign.

"Morgenroete has been destroyed," reported CPO 2nd Class Jackie Tonomura.

"One Zero and the 4 Strikes are in battle with the CQUE, the second Zero and the two GINNs are not activate at this time, but the GINNs colors seem faded and they look vaguely familiar," reported the CIC LT(JG).

"THE STRIKE'S FIRING THE AGNI!" cried out CPO2 Tonomura.

"Severe damage to the colony has been taken!"

"Severe damage my foot! There's a huge hole in its side!"

"The CQUE was caught by the attack and is severely damage and leaking atmosphere."

"CQUE is also being sucked out into space."

"The GINNs haven't even moved, no signs of the pilots, you don't suppose…"

"Not likely or the Strikes would be attacking us."

"Enough! Prepare for landing, match the ship to the gyro-rotation of the colony and prepare for gravity. Alert all hands that the Archangel is landing to take on ally survivors," Ensign Badgiruel ordered.

Exit Bridge of the Archangel

The mighty warship began its approach and gently touched down on the ground of Heliopolis. Immediately, surviving soldiers, Morgenroete employees, and Heliopolis civilians began to crowd around the ship. There were actually very few, but once all the hatches started to open, they flooded aboard while the four Strikes and the flying Zero landed aboard ship.

The group of teens and LT (SG) Ramius were dropped off from the X105 Strike. Ms. Joule was aside the Highland Strike pilot lap. They both went down the zip line together. Then the other two pilots disembarked from their suits. Almost at once, Ensign Badgiruel, the other two officers, and a dozen or so men, including CPO 1st Class Kojiro Murdoch the chief mechanic, ran up to the Senior Grade junior officer.

"Glad to see that you're safe LT Ramius, we all feared the worst when we saw Morgenroete," ENS Badgiruel greeted with a salute, as did the others.

"I'm glad that you managed to keep the ship safe and your appearance helped change the tide of battle," she returned the salutes.

"My, my, this is one tough ship," a new voice boomed.

"Lieutenant Mu La Flaga, 7th Orbital Fleet, my ship was sunk in battle and I don't have anywhere else to go. I'm requesting permission to come aboard, where's the Captain?" Lt. La Flaga inquired.

It was at that time that Ensign Badgiruel informed both Lt. Ramius and Lt. La Flaga of the deaths of all senior, including the Captain, officers, except for the Junior Grade and Lt. Ramius. When La Flaga inquired about the mobile suit pilots, he was informed they had been with the Captain.

"What an unmitigated disaster, well anyway, please except my request to come aboard Captain Ramius," Lt. La Flaga asked.

Still slightly in shock at the news of all other officers and the 8 pilots, it took Lt. Ramius a couple of moments to respond.

"Huh, OH! Yes, permission granted Lt. La Flaga," she replied. "Anyway, I'm Lt. Murrue Ramius, Sector 2, 5th Special Division, 8th Lunar Fleet.

"Ensign Natarle Badgiruel, the same."

"Lieutenant Junior Grade Sara James, also the same outfit."

"Ensign Loretta Red-Rains, I'm also in the same division."

At that moment, looking through the small group, Lt. La Flaga brought the attention from himself to the three pilots and one scientist off by three of the Strikes. He jerked his head to the left and got the response of the head being jerked to the right, the universal system used by the Zero pilots of the 3rd Fleet to take notice of one another when eye contact is established.

"Been alive Lucky, so where have you been?" Lt. La Flaga asked.

"Here, after a brief period on another neutral colony. A lot of Endymion survivors are there, but I ain't gonna tell where the colony is," Ensign Glick answered.

"Why?" Ensign Badgiruel was glaring at him.

"Because there are a lot of ZAFT deserters there too and they chose to sit this war out and they have a very damn good reason too," he responded glaring back.

"So I take it that those two are truly the Crimson Eagle and the Lunar Cherry Blossom, ZAFT's highest ranked aces, including the Master of Aces and winner of the Order of the Nebula," Lt. La Flaga gave a look that said that-wasn't-a-question.

"We are, and this is Lina Joule, sister-in-law to Repensenitive Joule," COM Eagleton spoke.

"So what'cha gonna do about it?" asked COM Ryosouke with a sly smirk on her face.

"Nothing at this time," Lt. James said, while signaling the guards to level their weapons at them.

At that critical moment, Kira Yamato had opened the X105's hatch and had begun to descend to the deck.

"What the hell is going on, somebody tell me that kid wasn't piloting that thing. He's too young, just learned how to shave too," CPO1 Murdoch exclaimed.

"His name is Kira Yamato, a technical student here on Heliopolis and apparently a part time employee at Morgenreote, as are the other civilians. I don't know why he was in the factory district during the attack, but he was able to pilot the Strike and fend off a GINN," Lt. Ramius said, leaving out the Coordinator part.

"3rd Squad level arms at the boy, he's a Coordinator as well," ordered Lt. James.

Tolle stepped in between 3rd Squad and Kira, glaring daggers at the soldiers.

"Stand down, I have seniority here Lt. James, don't step out of line," Lt. Ramius warned dangerously.

"Captain I request an explanation of this," asked ENS Badgiruel.

"He already admitted to me that he was a 1st Generation Coordinator and when you stop to think about it, Heliopolis is a neutral state, it shouldn't be surprising to find Coordinators on this colony, coupled with Ensign Glick's report that there are other Coordinators sitting this war out on another colony, well, it shouldn't be too hard to believe that not everyone wants to be apart of this war," she said.

"True," Ensign Red-Rains agreed.

"Still, they are…" Lt. James was interrupted.

"Well this is slowly becoming explosive," Lt. La Flaga remarked, "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

"No trouble Lt. La Flaga, things like this are to be expected in a war," Lt. Ramius replied.

"Now that's done, what about the civvies wanting and that are on board this ship?" question Eagleton.

"Forgot about that, there might be a chance of…"

"Only ZAFT soldiers anywhere near here are in uniform Ensign Red-Rains, outside of that, maybe other deserters and neutral Coordinators. Oh, and as to why Kira was in District 38, me and Bear sent him that way to avoid breathing vacuum as the shelters in Blocks 30-36 were full or blown to kingdom come," Eagleton said.

"How many civilians were killed?" asked Lt. James.

"One too many and one too many more trapped," his reply was not morale lifting.

"Just let the civilians aboard and when you get this ship to the 8th Fleet, they can be off-loaded there," Lina Joule spoke up.

"Agreed, now for supplies," Lt. Ramius began to change the subject.

"We three will get our old machines aboard ship, but only the GINNs are mobile, the Zero is shot up pretty bad and needs an overhaul," Eagleton brought up.

"Agreed, now let's begin, we don't have much time if Le Creuset attacks again," Lt. La Flaga turned to head to the bridge.

People got very worry about that news. The Le Creuset Team was a fearsome foe, but Eagle blew them off as cowards and said that they wouldn't be able to launch a successful attack on the ship. The colony, though, was another matter. Everyone dove into doing the work that was needed. Weapons, ammo, spare parts, and other supplies the ship and the mobile complement would need was given priority over food and water, but some civilians had brought some food and water aboard, not much, but better than nothing.

ENS Glick requested permission to go out and collect some personal belongings. Captain (Acting) Ramius agreed to that, but when he asked for help and gave names, she was hesitant and when reminded that the shelters were in lock down, they would have no where to go. She finally agreed, but LT (JG) James then objected, but was quieted by ENS Red-Rains who said that she would go as well. The captain gave her permission, but told them to be quick.
Out in space, Le Creuset was furious, though it didn't show. His commandoes had captured 4 of 5 mobile suits, only to learn that there were 3 more and they fell into the hands of the enemy. What's worse is that Crim Eagleton had turned up alive with Sakura Ryosouke and the Dark Side Bear, Justin Glick. He had started out the mission with 14 mobile suits, but now he had only 6 operational GINNs and the 4 G-Weapons that had been captured. He did not know what to do at this point.

"Commander let's just destroy the colony!" Yzak Joule yelled.

"That wouldn't be wise Yzak," Commander Le Creuset cautioned him.

"SO! They claim to be a…" Yzak was interrupted.

"It would be like us attacking Junius Seven!" Athrun Zala yelled at Yzak, losing his trade mark cool.

"Athrun calm down and Yzak," Yzak turned to look at his commanding officer, "he's right. We can't attack the colony. For some time it has been kept secret, but Eagleton's beliefs that the war was effectively over has bled in much of our forces. To attack the colony would split ZAFT in two."

"But he betrayed ZAFT!" Yzak defended.

"Yes, he did, but remember that he said that the war was effectively over, that means that due to the split in the Supreme Council, the majority of those who want to continue the war are in the military while the rest are civilians by trade. A civil war is something we don't need," Le Creuset said.

"Now that's done, Athrun, what did Eagleton mean when he said something about a Kira Yamato and something about no loyalty to the motherland and ZAFT? Did you run into another ZAFT deserter?" Miguel Aimen asked.

"No, but Kira is a Coordinator, a First Generation one at that," Athrun answered, with audible gasps from everyone, except Le Creuset.

"Why was he there in Morgenreote?" asked the commander.

"A whiz when it comes to computers, but naïve in everything else. I wouldn't be surprised if his lack of reality is often joked about," Athrun said.

"Hmm… A computer whiz…. Capture him, he may have been helping develop the enemy's Operating Systems," Le Creuset ordered.

"Yes sir!" the assembled pilots said, but Nicol Amafli brought up an important fact.

"How?"

"Prepare to use D-Class Weapons Package, when data extraction is complete, the new machines shall join the offensive. Reinforcements are on the way, so we just have to hold till than," Le Creuset said.

The four red suits stood as the green suits filed off to launch into battle.

Miriallia was looking around for what she could take and leave. Her parents were gone and she had already been to her own home. Now she and the others were raiding Flay Allster, one of her friend's home. They carried off much of the food, but ENS Glick pointed out that they wouldn't be able to return any time soon and the colonies survival was given a low percentage. With the Captain's permission, they were now collecting various belongings from all the homes they could before the next attack, that way, survivors could get some of their belongings back no problem and the next of kin of the deceased could get something to remember them by.

As Miriallia worked through Flay's clothes, Kira and Tolle enter, bickering a bit. She sighed at what was the topic now, Kira taking a pair of Flay's underwear. She wondered if the two Ensigns down below could hear and sure enough, "Tolle! Kira's type would be Lacus Clyne, the Pink Princess of the PLANTs, Flay's third rate in comparison!" ENS Glick yelled up.

Kira was absolutely red in the face, from both embarrassment and the fact that he had found out from Lt. La Flaga who Lacus Clyne is.

"Only the most beautiful and popular, not to mention rich and kind person there was ever has been in the PLANTs. Not to mention she a very famous singer and pop idle," La Flaga had told him.

He had asked why and had roared with laughter at what Kira had told him. La Flaga had said, "Those two are so right, you two would be an ideal couple."

Kira was now though glad that Tolle had finally stopped, but… where did Tolle go?

"TOLLE!" Miriallia cried out.

"What, I can get Kira to have a pair, but the look on Sai's face would be priceless if he found a pair among his own things," Tolle said with a grin.

Miriallia had to grin at that too, the images that had formed in her head had caused her to break out laughing. Kira has also started to laugh a bit too, that was until Tolle stuffed a second pair in his pocket.

"TOLLE!" Kira yelled.

"Alright, geez! I figure you could give them to Lacus Clyne when the two of you meet," Tolle still had a grin that made Kira nervous, especially considering that Mir was still laughing, but harder.

Pulling the pair out of his pocket, Kira saw written on them, 'Property of Kira Yamato.' Flay had obliviously liked him at one point and not to long ago either. Kira decided to stuff them in a small pocket inside his coat and zipped it.

"NOT—ONE—WORD," Kira said.

The two nodded and the three went back to work gathering things up. While down stairs, Ensign Glick was standing guard and Ensign Red-Rain just sighed.

"It has been some time Loretta," Justin had finally spoken to her.

"Yes, your alive and I can touch and feel you once more and not just see and hear you Justin," she pulled a locket from out behind of her shirt and opened it. It was a rare holo-locket, very rare.

She pressed the button in the center and a full miniaturized version of Justin Glick in his old infantry uniform stood there and saluted.

"My love that reminds me of a fresh spring rain on Earth, Loretta, I'm now sure you can see that I'm just a low ranked Lance Corporal in the Lunar-based Jump Infantry. I pray you are not mad, I love and want to be with you, but as you know, regs forbid us from being together. I will miss you, we're going on a covert mission, word has it Mars, but I doubt that. Being seeing you my sweet Ensign Loretta Red-Rains."

"You kept it all this time. Its only been 4 years since then and the mission was to Mars. A terrorist group believing that they could rule the Earth better with a police state government was there. Took us several months to get there and we were there for about two years, then we came home. You were what, 16 years old and I was 19 years, first combat tour."

"I was fourteen Justin, 14 years old. I also don't regret it that night one bit. My parents were furious that I was a mother before I was 16 years old. It was only three months to my birthday and I would be 15 years old. Still, while my mother was furious, father agreed to help me. Lately I only use his name, I still graduated with top marks, but I spent most of this war as a secretary to my father that was until he had been killed at Endymion."

"I kinda of figured that myself, he must of seen the holo-locket, because he rode me like a horse when it came to my duties and off time. Protective, wasn't he, well it was Rau Le Creuset who personally shot down your father's ship. I was furious and attacked him and almost died, but then La Flaga flew in and saved my life. He destroyed 3 GINNs and had a nice dogfight going with him, but Creuset gave him the slip and escaped, then the base blew."

"Due you want to know where your twins are?" Loretta asked.

Justin's head turned so fast he lost balance and fell into her and they both went to the ground, in the same fashion when they first met, his right hand clasping her left breast and their lips locked together.

"Four years all over again, so where are my children?" he asked, kissing her once more.

"They're with my uncle Athha, in Orb," she said, holding him to herself.

"That's right, if Cagalli Yula Athha buys the farm, you become the next Repensenitive of Orb," he said, picking her off the ground.

They probably would have gone farther if Mir had not come down the stairs at that time and gasped at the position they had ended up in. The two broke away, blushing like mad, but then Justin took Loretta's hand and removed something he had always kept in his pocket.

"Loretta Red-Rains," he said as he opened the box at the same time that Tolle and Kira came downstairs to check on Mir, "Will you honor me by accepting my proposal of marriage to you and be with me for all eternal?" he asked.

Blushing, Loretta picked up the ring and looked at it for a moment before holding it out in the palm of her hand opposite her ring finger hand, while holding that hand at out with all the fingers spread and said, "I will honor you by becoming your wife, as you honor me by asking me to be your wife."

He took the ring and slipped it on and the two kissed for a good 5 minutes. Then broke and the two turned and went right back into soldier mode, "On the bounce! Move those things out to the truck! We have one more house to check and then its back to the ship!"

The three teens double timed it. They hurriedly loaded up all of the things that could be carried aboard the Archangel. Then after finding the owner of the remaining apartment to be check was in there with a gun, having barely missed Kira's right ear by mere centimeters, they had her tied up, in the back seat, her belongings in the back, and they were off to the ship.

At the same time, Lt. James was returning to the ship after checking the last shelter. Of all the shelters, a full tenth had ended up caught in the fighting and out of that, a sixth had been utterly destroyed or too badly damaged to safely house their occupants. The survivors were than put aboard the Archangel. The search crew had also found survivors in destroyed shelters and had recovered them and the bodies of the dead. The dead would be housed for the time, until a proper burial could be arranged. The last attack by Rau Le Creuset had been three days ago, and with the few people that would reopen their shelters, the colony had been totally emptied. Just in time as the attack began anew.