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 Four: "Silent Run, Fierce Battle of Parting Friends!"
AFS Archangel, the shattered ruins of what had once been Heliopolis
As soon as the hanger had pressurized and the atmosphere had been restored, medics and mechanics were pulling the batter form of Crim "Crimson Eagle" Eagleton from the batter wreckage of what had been a factory new mobile suit, the GAT-X106 Highland Strike. The pilot seemed worse off than his mobile suit as he was giving orders to what sounded like his old command. He was rushed off to Sickbay for immediate surgery as the mechanics began to do damage assessment of the ruined mobile suit.
Up on the bridge, everyone, except Ensign Natarle Badgiruel – who was trying to contact the GAT-X105 Strike, the forerunner of the -X106, -X107, and -X108 – over at the radio communications station, was listening to the Chief Mechanics report on the other units aboard ship.
"As far as it looks, the Highland is spare parts, but we believe that it is repairable."
"What of the pilot, Eagleton?" asked Captain (Acting) Murrue Ramius.
"He was bad, kept issuing orders to what I think was his previous command, like heavy weapons platoon establish base of fire and Third Squad, Forth Platoon fallback now, crazy orders like that."
"That can't be possibly from his old command, because they sound like infantry commands rather than mobile suit commands," stated Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Sara James.
"Well he was known for setting his team up similarly, but heavy weapons platoon and Third Squad, Forth Platoon, ZAFT isn't set up like that, not even at the infantry level, well mostly because they are guards rather than true front line infantry, odd," said Sakura Ryosouke, the Lunar Cherry Blossom, ex-ZAFT team commander.
"Yeah well, I don't know much about ZAFT ranks or organization, but who was the Career Master Sergeant?"
"No such rank exists in ZAFT, yes we have a few sergeant ranks, but to my knowledge, no Career Master Sergeant," the Lunar Cherry Blossom said.
"Well, we can ask him when he awakens. As for the GINNs, the Zeroes, and the remaining two G-Weapons, nothing we can't handle, but we lack the customized spare parts for the GINNs."
"Then don't worry about them and fix what can be done in the shortest amount of time," Captain Ramius ordered, no one objected, until….
"WHAT? You can't be serious!" yelled Ensign Badgiruel.
"Ensign what's wrong?" asked Lieutenant Mu La Flaga.
"The Strike just returned…"
"So?" asked Ensign Loretta Red-Rains.
"… He has a civilian lifeboat with him and we're already carrying too many civilians as is," she finished annoyed.
"With Rau Le Creuset about, do we have time to argue?" inquired Lina Joule rather sternly.
"Ahh, right, give permission, I want to get out of here as soon as possible," stated the Captain.
"Aye, aye," came the half-hearted response.
GAT-X105 Strike, earlier, just after the collapse of Heliopolis
Kira Yamato just stared at the ruins that had once been his home. He was furious and sad at the loss of his home. He was also in shock and it wouldn't be the last time during this awful war. He wasn't aware of anything at the moment. Not even Ensign Badgiruel trying to raise him on the radio until she shouted his name. He then responded and then after a very brief communication, the contact was broken and Kira prepared to head towards the Archangel.
At that moment in time, his sensors went off and so did his alarms informing him of a nearby vessel in distress and sending out an SOS. He saw that it was a lifeboat damaged during the launching of shelters when the colony was shattered. He had to help them; it wasn't in his nature to leave people in suffering. He moved forward and retrieved the lifeboat and headed back to the ship.
Now up to the time of Natarle Badgiruel's first, but certainly not last headache of the year
It was when he reported that he had the lifeboat that things got rocky. Then it became smooth as glass. He was told to move it though and to put it down in the in the central area of the hanger once everything was readied.
He entered the right 'leg' of the ship and landed while the hatch and airlock closed behind him. As the next airlock opened and he entered the hanger, he was guided and by the Chief Mechanic, Kojiro Murduch. Kira set the lifeboat down and the last airlock closed and sealed the hanger from the vacuum of space outside the ship.
As the hatch was opened and people began to exit, Kira began to exit the Strike and that's when he little mechanical bird took off and he gave pursuit. As to why he had with him at all is unknown, even to him, it was probably just one of those things. As Kira chased the little bird, a redheaded young girl in a pink sundress was helped out of the lifeboat. Hearing the commotion she launched herself towards Kira and caught him in embrace, happy to see a friendly face. It was then that a single drop of blood, no bigger than the tip of a person's pinky floated by. The two noticed and so did a passing mechanic.
"Commander Eagleton took it real bad. He's in sickbay," the man said.
"Wha-what happened?" asked Kira surprised.
"Took a blow from the support shaft… Lucky to be alive, not even Coordinators are supposed to be THAT durable, but he is a veteran of the Battle of Endymion," the mechanic soon left, to be replaced by Mu La Flaga.
"Hey kid," noticing the blood droplet, he took out a piece of cloth and caught the blood.
"Is he going to make it?" asked Kira.
"Yeah… well I don't know, still in surgery, but he's the Crimson Eagle! While wounded he covered ZAFT's retreat from the moon, but Ms. Joule said he never fully recovered, he even still has nightmares about the battle and the subsequent ZAFT retreat. They say he tried to rescue a late launch medical ship that drew the attention of an entire fleet and was sunk when he got close to it, to the point they were pulling bits and pieces, including human bits and pieces, of the ship out of his mobile suit for two solid months."
"What? A ZAFT pilot, so this is a ZAFT ship because of the mobile suits," Flay Allster said.
"Sorry ma'am, but your wrong," and Lt. La Flaga showed his 7th Orbit Fleet and OMNI Enforcer patches to her as she noticed Kira's flight suit also had the OMNI Enforcer patch, but the 8th Lunar Fleet insignia.
"Come on, everyone's waiting," Lt. La Flaga led the two youngsters, followed by the mechanical bird, Birdie, to Sickbay.
Up on the bridge two hours later and after the civilian doctors reported that Eagleton would survive, the officers of the ship, including the now only called Sakura, started to hatch a plan. The plan would require everything to work for them, but it was rather amateurish and Le Creuset would expect it.
First, launch a decoy set to give the impression that the Archangel would head directly to Lunar Headquarters. Second, begin a silent run towards the Eurasian Federation space base, Artemis. Third, pray to a higher power during this entire trip that nothing else goes wrong, but unfortunately, two of the three did not work. The third is still open to debate. With the plan set, the massive white and red trimmed ship sets out on its path to destiny, a destiny that the no one aboard knows exists.
ZMS Gamow, what had been Heliopolis Space, receiving a few spare pilots and mobile suits from ZMS Star Guard
A dark haired red coat left her CQUE and floated over to a capture G-Weapon the mechanics were trying to coax the pilot out of. She just stopped and stared at the personnel and the close hatch. She wondered why the pilot would not exit his mobile suit? He was probably injured and the mechanics were probably really not that bright.
"He could be injured," she said.
"Nope, he's fine, but he refuses to come out, he keeps mumbling father too," one of the mechanics said.
Realization dawned on the red coat. She immediately shoved them aside and began speaking to the pilot. She knew only of one red coat in the entire ZAFT military that acted like that. He had done this once before, but his father had coaxed him out of the Training GINN.
"Yzak, it's me Shiho, come on out already," she said softly.
"He's dead this time Shiho… I found his helmet before returning… It's Alliance styled, with his slogan, 'Not Again!' written on it," she could hear the unmistakable sound of crying.
"Open it, I'm going in to bring him out, but it will take some time," Shiho Hahnenfuss said to the mechanics.
The mechanics began to open the hatch and before it was a quarter of the way open, Shiho managed to worm her way in and override and reseal the hatch. Once she was sure that everyone got the message, she turned her attention to Yzak. He was still strapped in and was holding a wreck of an Alliance helmet, but it was colored crimson and had a brown-bodied eagle with a white head and indeed the words "Not Again!" were written on it.
"Yzak, I'm sure it wasn't it him," she said, but he jerked away.
"NO! It was… (Sob)… him… (Sob)… Only he… (Sob)… could… (Sob)… crack… (Sob)… such a… (Sob)… bad… (Sob)… joke… (Sob)… about my… (Sob)… mobile suit…" Yzak fell back into fits of crying.
Seeing her friend once more like he was, she cradled him close. Yzak accepted the embrace, he felt safer that way. He held his grip on the helmet, but allowed Shiho to comfort him. He was in absolute ruin from the damage that had been inflicted upon him during this war. He had already lost much, but now, he had lost that one last thing that he lived for. The thing being to impress his father with victory and the deliverance of independence for the PLANTS.
When the cockpit had pressurized enough, Shiho took of her helmet and Yzak's helmet and pressed her lips to his. She knew he would never kiss another girl, but he needed it. He needed it real bad if he was to survive the war. She knew what had nearly destroyed him, few did. Lina Victoria Eagleton Joule and her son, Yzak Joule II, had been at home on the PLANT Junius Seven on the day of February 14th, Year 70 of the Cosmic Era. Neither had survived the destruction of Junius Seven.
She held Yzak close, always knowing that he would be this way. He had not been so cynical and sarcastic until the destruction of Junius Seven. Only Crim Eagleton, his surrogate and father-in-law had managed to keep him going. No one really knew what happened to the Crimson Eagle's wife and son, but no one asked. The Crimson Eagle had seen to that by shedding an ocean of Alliance blood.
ZMS Nazca, on final approach to Martius 9
The flagship of her namesake class of ships, the Nazca, had been the command ship of the famous Eagleton Team. Now, she was merely a trainer on a final approach to the Martius Nine PLANT. None of the cadets knew why, but they had been summoned, to be asked a very important and confidential question. The instructors were just as baffle as the order extended to them too. As they approached the PLANT, they were greeted by…
Artemis Space, less than 400 kilometers from the Eurasian Artemis Space Fortress
"Three heat signatures alongside at 200 kilometers… Confirming, three Nazca-Classes, four Luarasia-Classes astern, 110 even kilometers and holding," reported Petty Officer Jackie Tonomaru.
"SEVEN SHIPS!" cried out LT (JG). James.
"Should have known, but what we going to do, its 7 to 1 odds in ships and as many as…"
"Wait! Two of the Nazca-Class have stopped and are adrift… It appears they suffered engine failure, three of the enemy ships astern are going to assist," reported PO Tonomaru.
"Did the lead ship fall out of formation?" asked Lt. La Flaga.
"No sir, it is still on the move, it will stop at the 200 kilometer point in fifteen minutes," was the reply.
"Good, because I have a plan for our friend, Rau Le Creuset," replied the Hawk.
Inside the flagship of the ZAFT emergency task force that had been formed to attack and destroy the Archangel, Commander Rau Le Creuset began to think about the damage that had been done to his force already. Two of his ships had fallen out of formation do to engine failure and three others had to be detailed to guard and tow them to safety. Now he knew that he would only have the four G-Weapons, plus four GINNS and two CQUES to engage and destroy the "Legged-Ship." Still that was 2-1 odds, but he knew that of the four G-Weapons still in Earth Forces' hands, one was permanently out of the way, at least for a while. Then there were the Zeroes, but he knew that they were rough shape and had only two pilots for them, which coincided with the fact that they also only had about five pilots. So he felt rather good that they would be victorious, they had to be.
As Yzak left his quarters, he looked back at the sleeping form in his bed. He felt like he had betrayed them. He felt like he had betrayed his Father and his wife and son, but he knew that they would only want the best for him. He remembered how it had happened, how he became a father and husband so young. True it was a rather common thing in the PLANTS since Coordinator youths had matured faster due to the often-harsh rule and harsher reality of being attacked by the Naturals. Then came visionaries like Chairman Siegel Clyne, Supreme Commander Patrick Zala, and the legendary hero of ZAFT, Crim Eagleton.
Leaving his quarters and walking towards his mobile suit, Yzak Joule thought back to his days of being happily married and being a father. He and Lina had always liked one another and then, in an act to prove that they weren't so young, they had swiped some wine from his mother's wine cellar. They had nearly drunk all of it at his little getaway when it had occurred. The two of them had gone all the way in one shot and Crim of all people had caught them. He had been furious about them being drunk, but still, he had been less than angry about what they had done while drunk. In the end, Lina had tested positive and only Crim seemed to be defending them saying that it would have happened eventually. They had married that spring, Year 68 of the Cosmic Era. It all ended with a nuclear device being in the wrong hands and them being at the wrong place.
Yzak boarded the GAT-X102 Duel and cut orders since he outranked the other pilots in the GINNS and CQUES. He wasn't going to loss any more allies or friends in the upcoming battle, no matter what, they would be on stand-by only.
"This is Yzak Joule, all GINNS and CQUES are prohibited from engaging in this battle until the enemy mobile units are no factor, that's an order," he said, not even the Captain Zimmer tried to argue.
"Red Coats cleared for launch!"
"Roger! Dearka Elsman, Buster, Launching!"
"Copy! Nicol Amafli, Blitz, Launching!"
"Once more into the breach… Yzak Joule, Duel, Launching!"
The three captured G-Weapons tore through the great black void towards the white and red trimmed ship in front of them. The Aegis had cut similar orders to the two GINNS and the lone CQUE aboard the Vesalius. No one wanted to lose anymore allies, especially not some of these guys, which were a mix of raw and battle hardened mobile suit pilots.
Three mobile suits launched from the mighty ship AFS Archangel. The GAT-X105 Strike, -X107 Field Strike, and –X108 Woodland Strike. The three remaining defenders as it appeared to be. ZAFT felt confident now. THEY had the advantage in numbers and reserve personnel and machines; the Archangel did not have that luxury.
As the machines closed distance, the battle was joined with a blast from the mighty white angel's Lohnengrin Positron Cannons. The matter-antimatter blast cut a bright light of colors that could and would turn anything it hits into very small sub-atomic particles. The shot was more or less wild, but it had served its purpose. It had just been a warm up as the four groups of mobile suits met in a wild, swirling array of dance, light, and almost certain death.
Kira Yamato of the –X105 Strike, met and joined battle with his long time friend turned enemy, ZAFT Elite pilot Athrun Zala of the GAT-X303 Aegis, the Command Model of the G-Weapons. As the two circled, arguing back and forth where allegiances belong, the two finally clashed, saber-to-saber, violet frozen flame to yellow frozen flame and vice versus. They broke apart and the argument resumed.
"Enough Kira! Just come back to me! Come back to your people!"
Kira thought about something, something that Crim Eagleton told him just after he got out of surgery. Crim seemed to sense him and had regained consciences long enough to talk to Kira.
Flashback
Crim's eyes opened slowly, and his head turned. He looked straight at Kira Yamato, the pilot of the Strike. He then spoke, ensuring where Kira's loyalties lay.
"Kira, you're a son of Orb, not a son of the PLANTS… DO NOT forget that, no matter what Athrun says, he is the blinded one, not you. Soon all will know why I deserted, but it will be too long away and too much blood for these old bones, for I'm definitely not getting any younger," he gave Kira a weak, toothy smile before lapsing back into a coma.
End Flashback
"I'm sorry Athrun, but if you insist on attacking the Archangel, then I'm afraid we fight. I'm a son of Orb, ATHRUN!" Kira shouted.
Athrun knew what he had too do. He attended several of Crim Eagleton's lectures on the psychology of warfare among other lectures he gave.
Flashback
"Not all Coordinators will come and fight for the PLANTS. Remember thatof allthe nations on Earth, three allow First Generations to be born on their soil. Of all the nations on Earth, only five allow Coordinators to live with-in their borders with equal rights of that only two do so because it's the right thing to do. Now as for the three other nations, one is in danger from the north, the other is just a collection of independent states, and the third is split on the subject, but in reality joins the previous two as allowing Coordinators equal rights and opportunities. So whatever bull you hear from someone who doesn't understand this, tell them to shut up even if everyone has a right to their own opinion."
"Sir!"
"Yes Rusty?"
"What do you mean by those last few words?"
"Ah yes, for example, people like Patrick Zala are saying we are a different race. If so, how come I got the almost the same set-up and load out like a normal Natural male? Any answers? No one is going to take a shot at this, okay… ELSMAN!"
"SIR!"
"What do you think?"
"I, um, I…"
"One, pay attention, don't flirt, both of you are getting extra duty assignment. Two, this has a very simple answer… ZALA! Since I used your father, might as well use you."
"SIR! I can't really say, SIR!"
"Listening too much to your father, guess he's jealous that you look more like your mother… If I had to say who would be the best wife for you I'd have to say the Orb's Amber Princess, her temper and compassion would really help keep you on your toes."
"SIR! She's a Natural!"
"Wrong! She's a twin to a deceased Coordinator, but considering if I told you all more, you'd have to join intelligence or I would have to kill all of you, but I will tell you this, her amber eyes, although not impossible, tell all, especially since they go so well with her hair. I also know the whole story by looking into those eyes. You can see her sub-conscience seeking her twin. A deeper look will reveal a twin brother that is a Coordinator, that kind of mastery requires lots of training, something the higher ups would deny works. OF course what else is new… Hahnenfuss!"
"Sir! The only difference is the modification of genes, hence the term Natural means unmodified human with no genetic manipulation, while Coordinator means a human who has been modified with genetic manipulation, SIR!"
"Right, but you're wrong on the Coordinator term. You see that is a tricky subject; most people you talk too can't even tell the difference between strafing fire and flanking fire. The same applies to the term Coordinator. The real answer for Coordinator is not that we are genetically a different human species; we are merely guides to the next stage of human evolution. You all know we must learn in order to make great use of our abilities. Some have skills that far exceed our own. Take Athrun Zala for example, he's made what sixteen of those annoying, I mean, sweet Haros and other little robots."
"Eighteen sir!"
"Since you were still in grade school no less. I meet a Natural by the name of Lowe Gear. No Coordinator can hope to come close to his skills when it comes to salvaging the unsalvageable, repairing the unrepairable, and taking junk and making something useful out of it. His skills at repairing things far exceed even the best Coordinator and let's not forget the Pink Princess. That is pure talent, pure skill, and pure hard work when she sings. No one can challenge her. There was also a Natural with great tactical skill and had even written a book on the subject of mobile suit warfare. Thing is, he wrote over a 150 years ago, during the early 21st Century AD. It included joint operations between mobile suits and conventional forces of the Earth Alliance, not to mention advance space combat strategies; only two people I know of have read this old book. Lewis Halberton of the 8th Lunar Fleet, OMNI Enforcer and myself are the only known readers that I know of. So do not think yourselves greater to the point of arrogance. I do not believe that, for example Miguel Aimen, among other aces will live to see the end of this war. For his arrogance knows no bounds and one day he will let that destroy him. Dismiss except for Mr. Elsman and Ms. Rodriguez."
End Flashback
Athrun knew that he would have to fight Kira know, but his heart wasn't in it. That was when the Duel stepped in.
"Athrun you idiot! Eliminate the weak ones first, then go for the strong ones, but don't waste time!"
"Yzak?"
"You're being weak Athrun! He's the enemy! He's not a son of the PLANTS!"
The Duel charged the Strike and the true went at it immediately, the experience and training giving Yzak an edge in the fight against Kira. Emerald darts were exchanged with the occasion slash with frozen violet flame either meeting its counterpart or a red or blue shield. The two dog-fought back and forth. Circling more times and very rapidly than any could count. They continued to fight one another, one trying to kill, and the other trying to live.
On the other side of the battlefield, the GAT-X207 Blitz was having a devil of a time trying to evade the Aile Striker Pack equipped –X107 Field Strike. The Field Strike had been given greater abilities when it came to open field combat, hence the name. The Blitz was meant for shock attacks, covert operations, and Special Forces assignments. It just wasn't up to the task in open field warfare.
Young Nicol Amafli was trying his hardest to fight the Field Strike. He was the youngest of the whole team and the least skilled in open warfare or for that matter most combat situations. He made up for it with ingenuity and the energy of being young. He meant the swipe of the violet flame with a block of his black shield and then spat out emerald darts of high velocity beam energy, but missed. His opponent he knew was far more skilled, an ace, and had more combat experience than him. He would have to be careful not to pull rookie stunts.
The GAT-X103 Buster was having a worst time of it all. The GAT-X108 Woodland Strike had taken cover in a debris field, sticking close to the "Legged-Ship." In Close Quarters Combat or CQC, the Woodland Strike lived up to its name. It had been designed with close combat and melee combat in mind.
It was Dearka Elsman's choice of sticking with the anti-armor shotgun mode for his weapon was all that kept him alive. The Woodland may have Phase Shift Armor, but that shotgun was more or less a combination of an energy cannon and a physical ballistics cannon. Also, at close range, the PS Armor was, in theory, only slightly better than regular armor, so Justin Glick chose to keep some mid-range distance and use his beam rifle like a battle rifle he trained with in infantry combat school. Which to Dearka's dismay, it was very accurate and precise.
Back with the Duel and Strike, Kira was having a hard time. Yzak was just so much better than him. Yzak either evaded or blocked his attacks with the Duel's shield. Yzak knew it was only a matter of time and the –X105 Strike would be debris.
On the bridge of the Archangel, an argument had started between the ship's Captain and her XO. The argument was about firing the Lohnengrins a second time. They bickered back and forth, but the Captain won out in the end. The reason for the argument was a laser designator beam being directed onto their ship from the Nazca in front.
Aboard the Vesalius, Rau Le Creuset had decided to fire the main cannon at the Archangel and end the battle. Just as the guns were positioned, the target locked, and the ship readied. Rau Le Creuset sensed danger, far too late though.
"Boost engines to maximum! Lower bow! Pitch 60!" Commander Le Creuset yelled.
Captain Ades and several of the crew looked at him, until the radar operator called out a warning.
"Heat source approaching from below! It's a mobile armor!"
"What? Activate CIWS! Boost engines to maximum! Lower bow! Pitch 60!" Captain Ades ordered, already far too late to stop the Zero from attacking and inflicting damage as LT (SG) Mu La Flaga yelled a battle cry.
Adding insult to injury, Lt. La Flaga fired his anchor and used the Vesalius as a sling shot to get back to the Archangel faster. All the while chaos reigned supreme on the crippled warship as damage reports came in.
"Major damage to engines! We're losing thrust!"
"Enemy mobile armor has left!"
"Shoot it down!" ordered Ades.
"Number 5 Sodium Wall damaged! It's on fire!"
"Damage Control! Sealing bulkheads!"
'Damn you Mu,' thought Commander Le Creuset as he stood next to the seated Ades, "We're leaving! Ades, send a message to the Gamow!"
On the bridge of the Archangel, Lt. La Flaga's message of a successful attack gave the crew much needed relief with the Gamow breathing down their necks. The order was given and instantly put into action. The Lohnengrins were powered up and fired, at the Vesalius just as the stolen G-Weapons got the order to withdraw.
Aboard the Vesalius, even more chaos reigned, if possible, as the positron shots barreled towards them. Commander Le Creuset ordered a hard starboard thrust to get clear. One beam missed, but the other grazed the port side of the Vesalius and a grazing blow from just one Lohnengrin was very, very uncomfortable. The shot tore through the armor and did crippling internal damage to the port side area and engine. Explosions ripped through the ship and crew members were vaporized from the intense heat alone. The ship shuddered and drifted further to the right and out of the way of the Archangel. The Vesalius would need a major port to effect rapid repairs, so a trip home was in order. Yet the battle continued being waged.
Yzak was furious beyond belief! He hadn't been this furious since he was little. That was when he met Crim Eagleton who showed him that anger can and would be self-destructive. He charged Kira and the Strike with all that he and the Duel had. Athrun, Nicol, and Dearka telling him it was time to go. It was then that the Strike's beam rifle sputtered twice, then failed. When that happened the PS Armor failed. Yzak moved in for the kill, that was when Athrun intervened.
Switching to mobile armor mode on the fly – quite literally – Athrun captured the Strike and Kira along with it. Immediately over open frequencies, the ZAFT pilots bickered back and forth. Kira was a little stunned and a little confused when he called out to Athrun.
"What are you doing Athrun?"
"I'm taking you to the Gamow."
"No way! I'm not setting foot on any ZAFT ship!"
"Stop it Kira!"
Kira stopped, frozen.
"I already lost my mom in the BloodyValentine. I do not want to lose another friend too. So just stop it or I'll have to kill you."
Kira was absolutely stunned. He had no support, because the other two mobile suits had already returned to ship, low on power and obeying the recall order. Neither were available to come to the rescue, but then a hail of projectiles came flying from out of the sun and an orange mobile armor, a Zero, with a white feather followed, spitting more fire from its Linear Gun and its Wire Gun Barrels. Lt. La Flaga landed the hits that counted and freed the Strike, not to mention scattered the ZAFT units as the attack and rescue was yet another impossible feat made possible by the Hawk of Endymion.
"Move it kid! The ship is launching the Launcher Striker Pack! Move it and get it!"
The other three mobile suits were shocked by the sight of the Zero and moved to support their ally, but Duel veered off and began to pursue the Strike as the Strike handed back to get the Launcher Striker. The other stolen G-Weapons were being held off by Lt. La Flaga who did so quite the skill and valiantly. The Duel still pursued and the G-Weapons recovered from their initial surprise and began to counterattack. With the time brought, Lt. La Flaga chose to live and escape then die needlessly.
Launcher Striker was launched and it flew out into the vast void as the Strike shed the Aile Striker it had gone into battle with. Just as the Launcher Striker was closing in, the Duel got a lock and Yzak fired the Duel's Rocket Propelled Grenade, or RPG for short. The last piece of the Launcher Striker looked into place on the Strike just as the PRG hit. There was an incredible explosion as everyone waited with his or her breath held.
"Did I get it?"
A cobalt covered crimson beam flew forth from the center of the smoke. The Duel's right arm and beam rifle were hit, slagged, and melted in tiny sub-atomic particles. The Strike came charging out, Kira yelling a battle cry of his own as he fired the 320mm "Agni" Hyper Impulse Cannon several times in rapid succession, as Lt. La Flaga engaged and kept at bay the Buster that had decided to join the fight. Athrun ordered a full retreat. Nicol agreed because of their batteries running low power. The four machines fled towards the Gamow, hyper impulse blasts hot on their tails.
The Strike and the Zero returned to ship as the Archangel accelerated to get to Artemis Base. At the same time, the pilots of the stolen G-Weapons arrived safely with-in the Gamow's hanger. In the locker room, Yzak took his anger out on Athrun who did nothing to defend himself. Then Shiho came in and began to break up the fight.
"Yzak remember what Commander Eagleton always said about losing a fight, but living to fight again another day!"
"Learn from the teacher known as defeat, you will learn how to win in the future."
With that the two left, Shiho mouthed 'time' and Athrun knew what she meant. Give Yzak a little room to cool down and then talk to him. That would take about a couple of hours. Dearka only shook his head as Nicol entered.
"Man Athrun, I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through. It would be like me and Yzak fighting, that sucks," he then left.
"Sorry about your friend Athrun, but we need to rest for now. We're get them next time, but you need to get your priorities right or more of us are going to die," Nicol then left.
"I know," Athrun said as he left as well.
In the hanger of the Archangel, Mu La Flaga floated up to a gathered crowd of mechanics. The scene was similar with Yzak before the battle. As the Hawk pushed his way through the crowd he found out what was wrong and inquired to Chief Murduch.
"The kid simply refuses to come out, I don't know why, we've been trying to coax him for the last few minutes."
"Open it manually! Kira Yamato! Hey kid! Kira Yam…" Mu La Flaga's voice immediately softened as he saw that Kira was suffering from Shell Shock and combat fatigue.
Those two things are never a good combination, unless you're the guys attacking the ones suffering. Talking softly and removing Kira's hands from their white-knuckle grip on the control sticks, he managed to talk the kid out. Just as Kira gets out of the mobile suit, he suddenly spasms and the Hawk with the help of the Bear quickly got Kira's helmet off and in front of his face as he empties his stomach the hard way. Then Sakura comes and helps the poor pilot up to the infirmary.
As the Archangel closes distance with the Artemis Base, Mu La Flaga pulls Kira off to the side as he leaves the infirmary and tells him to put lock on the Strike's systems so only he has access to them. Kira nods not understanding, but trusting the older pilot. Already the other three Strikes have locks on their systems, which in the case of the damaged Highland Strike GAT-X106, means they can't do a system check or anything else. It's believed that Crim Eagleton put the lock on his system prior to the final skirmish at Heliopolis. Then, before he was pulled out, he locked the mobile suit down and probably said the password during his delusion period. At the moment no one really cares.
On the bridge, a Eurasian military officer has arrived to guide the Archangel into port, while on the stern viewing deck, Sai Argyle and Flay Allster watch as the ship docks with the base. Sai tells Flay all about what he knows of the Light Wave Barrier, the Umbrella of Artemis. As the ship finishes docking, shuttles bearing armed troops approach the ship and capture the members of the crew who had gone out to help with docking procedures. Captain Ramius immediately demands an explanation from the Eurasian officer, while down in sickbay, an injured eagle is about to kick some vulture tail.
Hope you like this chapter. It took me forever to get it just right. I know I skip a lot of scenes, but I've hit a bit of slump. I also wanted to devote more time to battle and a little information on two of the three new Strikes. Bet you all just love that. I've also been told that some of my stories lacked detail.
I practically re-watched Phase Shift Down, that I'm dreaming the battle in my sleep and waking moments. It's not down pat, but enough so I could write this chapter. I also decided to just stick with the Zero and the Strike out during the final moments of the battle and I also noticed a lot of people mistake the La Flaga's attack run on the Buster as fire from the 320mm "Agni" Hyper Impulse Cannon. Well, its not.
I also decided to introduce Shiho early on. Actually I debated that part, because I know so little about. Oh well, put her in anyways and now you know why Yzak was married at a young age and now he has a real reason to fight. So I hope you enjoy as I'm going to throw a couple more curve balls down the road, I have the ideas, always had, but how to put it. Well let me know what you think!
Oh yeah, as for the vulture remark combined with the eagle. That's jsut a little something that harks back to World War 1 and 2.