Author's Notes:

I'd like to give special mention for irishdragon and nick2951 for continuously giving good reviews for each of the chapters of Renaissance. I am grateful for your words of support and I hope you won't grow tired of my humble tale.

It took me a long time to finish this chapter. It's been a hectic week for me, with a long vacation week facing me come Halloween in my country. I've been stuck with work and could only write in stolen moments. So if some of the thread may sound lacking or stale, I ask for your patience. I don't know if I could update again until the second week of November, but I will try do some work on the next chapter this week.

I got some more Shiho for you all. I'd like to work on her character more and hopefully I could do a good job. Shiho's character was developed for singer Tamaki Nami, like Miguel Ayman and Heine Westenfluss was for TM Revolution. But Ms. Tamaki didn't accept the role, and that's the reason why Shiho didn't have any dialogue and limited background appearances in Destiny.

I like to warn those who have enjoyed my canon-based tale, that things may be a little AU from now on, especially on the topic of the rebellion of the USSA against the Atlantic Federation. As you well know by now that a major portion of events in the story will revolve around territories and the politics of the USSA. I am presuming that the rebellion continues, although some GS Astray sources indicate that the rebellion ended after the conclusion of the Battle of Messiah and the Second Bloody Valentine War. Since I haven't really read the Astray stories I can't confirm the sources so I will run with the continuing conflict there. But whether I can confirm the information or not, rest assured that I will remain true to the other canon facets of the Gundam SEED saga.

Have you guys noticed how fast growing the Gundam SEED story category is? That's a good sign. It means more and more people are enjoying the series and are writing their fanfics about it. Let's keep it up.

SEED mode on!


Disclaimers:

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED is owned and copyrighted by Mitsuo Fukuda, the Sotsu Agency, Sunrise and BANDAI.


Phase Six: Confrontations


Hanger Bay

Archangel

Angel's Point

Orb Union

December 28, CE 74

"Destiny Phoenix-"

"Hai," replied Lacus Clyne, as Shinn studied the mobile suit that stood silently over them. "ZAFT salvaged the remains of the Destiny during the mopping up operations after the battle with Messiah. But the High Command was reluctant to rebuild it, what with its past history as a tool of war used by Dullindal."

"ZAFT tried to dispose of the salvaged parts, but they got misplaced during the disposal, as with the case of the Gaia," Clyne remarked, the not so veiled hint of how deep was the capability of Clyne's group to acquire the things they needed for their operations wasn't lost to Shinn. He was impressed at the ability the Terminal to acquire Stellar's Gaia, so he was not surprised that the Destiny was acquired by the Terminal too. "Eventually we got hold of it, and had them sent to Terminal's factory satellite."

"The technicians and engineers at the factory tried to do their best to completely rebuild the Destiny, but they said that certain parts were quite unique to the design and very difficult to acquire. So they did much modification to the original design, hence the changes you've noticed so far. Chief Murdoch could better fill you in on the technical specifications." Clyne glanced over to the burly middle-age man whom Shinn noticed earlier, who was now walking towards them.

The man nodded at Shinn in greeting. "So you're the pilot of the Destiny eh, kid?" The tech gave him a quick look-over, before handing him a data disc. Here's the technical manual the satellite's people updated for it. It notes down all the modifications to the mobile suit. But I'll run through the basics for you to make things simpler." Clyne stood to one side, letting the tech talk, while keeping her eyes trained on Shinn.

Shinn tried to cut him off, not really wanting to have this discussion, but Murdoch beat him to the draw. "First off, the guys at the factory had problems with the ultra-compact hyper deuterion fission reactor - that was the biggest problem they had to hurdle. There wasn't any around available for replacement, since this was new tech and only a few were ever built. The only ones we knew about was the one that powered this suit, that one was damaged beyond repair, while the other was lost when its mobile suit was destroyed with the Messiah." Shinn had a sudden image of the Legend, his friend Rey's mobile suit, in his mind.

Shinn's heart ached with the memory of Rey, who was his best and closest friend all through the Academy and his service on the Minerva. Although he had Luna after the war, his personal relationship with the red-haired pilot was different from the companionship he missed from Rey. These thoughts were running through his head as the loud voice of the tech woke him from his musings.

"Anyway, as I was saying, the folks up on the factory decided to acquire a new hyper-deuterion reactor from some folks in ZAFT – don't ask me as to how they got one, since from what I know they're very rare and well guarded. Must have had a generous friend there," the tech added, chuckling to himself. "They've installed an additional hyper capacitor system to augment the original one that should increase the power production of the reactor by as much as thirty-percent. They copied the design from the original, which was left almost perfectly intact after you crashed ion the moon. The upgraded reactor should increase your range and energy supply in battle. The new setup required modifications to the internal systems, thus the stockier look of the chest area."

"The techs also modified the 'Wings of Light' system; they retained the mirrage colloid hologram projectors, and increasing the length and width of the wings." The tech was pointing at the large pair of red wings that sprouted from the mobile suit's backpack. "But the propulsion system was removed; the techs said that in simulations the system drained a lot more energy when used as a propulsion system. Though your stealth defenses have been upgraded, it came at the sacrifice of the wings' unorthodox drive system. The technicians have compensated this lack of maneuverability by adding small vernier thrusters all over the body, shoulders, legs and feet. The test shows that maneuverability has been matched by almost eighty-five percent from the original designs, with a forty percent reduction in power consumption."

The tech gestured continuously at the mobile suit, while reading off from the manual. "There are some changes in the weapons. It says here that they kept the two 'Palmina Focina' hand beams, the 'Flash Edge' beam boomerangs and the light wave barrier projectors, but dropped the original beam rifle and the anti-beam shield. They removed the big beam cannon on the left side of the backpack," the tech pointed to the mobile suit's left side, "replaced the beam sword with two shorter ones, based on the specs of the Strike Rouge's IWSP swords. This would allow you to wield two beam swords instead of one, and the two weapons can be joined to form a single two-sided weapon."

"They've equipped two rifles for the suit. The one hanging on the right hip is a modified MA-M1911 beam rifle like the one the Infinite Justice carries, while the one on the left is a prototype MA-MR095 rail gun. See the feed assembly stretching from the butt of the gun to the backpack?" the tech indicated the long metal feed system snaking behind the mobile suit. "The feed system increases the ammunition a standard rail gun can carry, at the smaller, more wieldable size. They've also doubled the number of the CIWS guns on the head, for added anti-missile protection."

"All we need now is for you to update the OS, kid. We didn't have the time to tackle it on the way here. That'll be up to you," the tech finished with a smirk.

Shinn's eyes grew smaller as he glared at the tech. "Who said that I'll do that for you? I never said I wanted to get on that thing anymore."

"Eh?"

"I'm not going to be forced to fight for your benefit," Shinn remarked. "Give it to Yamato - he's the biggest murderer in your bunch."

"That's not true, Shinn-san," Clyne spoke up. "Kira is not a murderer."

"How would you know that, Clyne?" Shinn countered. "Don't tell me he hasn't killed anyone."

Clyne lowered her eyes. "It's true he has killed in war. But he never really wanted to-"

"Whatever you say to me won't change the fact that he is still a murderer!" Shinn shouted out, drawing terrified gasps from Clyne and the tech. "He killed my sister Mayu and my parents at Onogoro! He killed the Chairman, Gladys-Kanchou and Rey, my best friend, on the Messiah! He killed Stellar!" Shinn paused, breathing heavily, as the anger and hate burned from his body. "He has taken away everything in my life from me."

The tension in the hanger bay had risen tenfold as everyone in the bay stopped what they have been working on to listen in on the exchange. The burly chief tech took a step back, alarmed at Shinn's vehemence. He motioned for security to come forward before opening his comlink to say something into it.


"Kanchou, we've got a situation down here at the hanger bay."

Athrun looked up at the worried sound of Chief Murdoch's voice. He listened as Murrue-san answered the call. "What is it, chief?"

"Well it's that new kid. He's shouting at Ms. Clyne and he's pissed. Better send Athrun-san down here."

Athrun let out a curse as he stood up and rushed for the door before Murrue-san could speak, with Flaga-Taisa and Dearka trailing him. Dammit! What the hell is he thinking? Athrun wondered in frustration, as he dashed down the corridors towards the hanger bay.


"Kira never wanted that to happen," Clyne was saying, almost pleading to Shinn. "He didn't know that he killed your family. He probably never even fired the shot! He never killed the three on the Messiah. And he only had to strike down your friend because she was about to fire on you."

"How dare you defend that murderer," Shinn said accusingly. "Why are you protecting him? Were you part of his killing spree too?"

Clyne's eyes was widening in shock. Tears began welling underneath them. "But Shinn-"

"It's alright, Lacus."

Shinn and everyone else turned to the direction of the voice, and Shinn was surprised to see Yamato striding purposely towards them. He stopped at Clyne's side and gently held her on her shoulders. "It's alright. He didn't mean what he said."

Shinn snorted derisively. "What makes you think that I didn't mean it, Yamato? You heard it all. And you know its all true."

Yamato looked at him with his purple eyes. Shinn saw in them that rather than being angry at him, they were filled with pity and sadness. "Some of what you said maybe true, Shinn, or that I may have had a hand in them, but not everything you said or believe is the truth."

Shinn bristled. "You're calling me a liar then?" He took a step forward threateningly.

"No, Shinn," Yamato responded. "Only that you misunderstood things."

Shinn smiled evilly. "I understand two things very clearly now, Kira Yamato - you're a murderer and Clyne's a fool to ever have faith in you."

Yamato's eyes narrowed slightly. "You can insult me all you want, Shinn, and I wouldn't care. But don't you dare drag Lacus into this vendetta of yours. She hasn't done anything to you. This is only between you and me."

"Or what?" Shinn cut the brown haired Coordinator off. "You'll kill me too?" He chuckled. "You've tried before and you failed, and you'll never succeed."

Clyne clung tightly onto Yamato's arm. "Kira -"

Shinn saw Athrun and Meyrin come running into the hanger, followed by Neo and Elsman. Athrun was looking confused at the confrontation. "What's going on here? Stop it, Shinn -" he was about to go on, but Yamato raised a hand to silence him.

Yamato stared at him silently, and Shinn held his gaze. They stood in silence for some time, before Yamato lowered his gaze and sighed. "What must I do to make you understand that only tears will come from this vendetta of yours, Shinn?" Yamato looked straight at him once more, sadness clearly showing in his face. "Those we love will cry and will hate the one that kills the other. And they will be satisfied only with vengeance. That cycle of suffering will never end unless we learn to forgive one another."

Shinn felt as if he was punched in the face, Yamato's words a blow to his vindictive pride. He knew deep inside that Yamato's words rang true, and he saw both Stellar's and Luna's faces covered with tears and anguish should his vendetta eventually takes his own life - and the determination in their faces to face the dangers to avenge him. But his hate overtook all reason. Shinn looked away, and started to walk away from Yamato and Clyne in the opposite direction. Some crewman started to move to block his way, but the icy stare from him and a silent command from Neo stopped them.

He turned his head before he reached the exit way. "Do you remember that day I met you at the cemetery on Orb, Yamato? That day I told you that flowers will only be blown away. You blew away all the flowers in my life, Yamato. I don't care if the cycle goes on forever. I will get my revenge. Someday we will settle this, I swear. You took my life away. I'll take yours as in return."


Athrun was still confused about what had just happened. He didn't catch the start of the argument, but was glad he got there in time to see it end without anyone hurt. Not that his presence really mattered - it seemed that Kira handled the situation well enough. But judging from the scared look in Lacus' face, things could have been worse.

"What was that?" Athrun demanded Kira, just after the hatch closed behind Shinn. His best friend just shrugged, but Athrun wasn't taking it. "Don't just shake this off, Kira. You know that he wants you dead."

Kira sighed. "I know that Athrun, but I just wanted to talk to him." He watched as Lacus was led away helped by Meyrin. "He gave Lacus a hard time, and I happened to hear it," Kira said, as he faced his friend. "I didn't want to pick a fight. Just talk to him."

Athrun hung his head wearily. "Look, Kira, Shinn's not going to be easy to reason with. Even if some things that he believes aren't true, he's too stubborn or hateful to accept the truth. He's been hurt a lot. His wounds run too deep to heal quickly." Athrun paused, reluctant to continue. "And you know that he thinks you were always involved, even though you didn't pull the trigger."

"What should I do?" his best friend asked, in a tone that sounded with desperation.

Athrun stared at the closed hatch. "Let him be for the moment, and I'll go talk to him when things simmer down. He's still confused about everything. I haven't told you yet, but Shinn had a different reason why he joined us, because I just found out the other day from Waltfeld-Taichou," he said looking Kira straight in the eye. "Someone sent him an email with a picture of a woman assassin shooting someone in a crowded protest rally. Analysts are going over the image, but they said that the picture was shot a couple of months ago in Peru and doesn't look like a manufactured fake."

"And,"

"And Shinn believes that the woman is Stellar Louisser, the pilot of the Destroy that attacked Berlin. Or at least she looks like Stellar. The analysts, in turn, seem to agree with him."

Kira's eyes widened. "But I-"

"I know, Kira. We both know you killed her." Athrun shook his blue hair tiredly. "I ran it by La Flaga-Taisa after you left the meeting to follow Shinn. He confirms that it was Stellar who piloted the Destroy and that he too thought she was killed. He's as confused as we are. But then, given La Flaga-Taisa weird circumstance after the first war, we can't discount the fact that Stellar might still be alive somewhere," Athrun paused to let his words sink in. "Or, it could be another person entirely."

Kira nodded. "So Shinn joined us to find this woman, whoever she turns out to be."

"Hai," Athrun confirmed. "And knowing Shinn, he'll do everything in his power to find her, and he won't hesitate to kill any of us if we get in his way."


Royal Hospital of Oslo

Oslo City

Kingdom of Scandinavia

December 28, CE 74

Cagalli was reading some documents brought by the Orb ambassador to Scandinavia that early evening, helped along by a staffer from the embassy when the chief of her security detail walked in after knocking. "Excuse me, Chief Representative, but Shiho Hahnenfuss of PLANT Councilor Joule's staff is here to see you. Should I let her in?"

She nodded. "Please do." Cagalli flattened out the hospital gown she wore, and carefully sat straighter on her bed. She smiled as the red-haired Coordinator came hobbling in on a crutch through the door and waved at her. Cagalli silently dismissed the embassy staffer, who nodded respectfully to her and her visitor on the way out, quietly closing the door behind her.

Cagalli rubbed her scar as she gently stood up to sit on a chair beside her bed. Shiho regarded her with a lifted eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to stay in bed, Chief Representative?"

Cagalli grinned mischievously. "I'm supposed too, if I follow the doctors' orders, but I am getting stiff from all that lying down. And I hate being pushed around in that thing," Cagalli pointed at a folded wheelchair in one corner. "Better get used to moving around again on two feet."

Shiho gazed at Cagalli's side. "But your stitches - won't they open up?"

Cagalli shrugged, grateful at Shiho's concern. "It's all right. The doctors removed them yesterday. I just have to be careful moving around."

She had grown to trust the female Coordinator in the few times they talked when she visits her in her room. Cagalli found her to be a nice person, very intelligent and very articulate. That and he fact the Shiho risked her life to bring her to safety during the attack permanently placed her in Cagalli's list of friends. They talked a lot about what had happened to them and to Orb, about Athrun and Yzak, especially about Yzak's current state of health. Although safe and stable, the temperamental Councilman was not adjusting well to his injuries. Shiho, on the other hand, was the least seriously injured between them, except for a large cut on her forehead, a broken left wrist, and a broken right tibia.

"How's your patient?" Cagalli asked, knowing Shiho will get what she meant.

Shiho had personally taken supervision for Yzak's convalescence, and is stubborn enough to match and stare down Yzak's temper. From what she told Cagalli, she was slowly conditioning Yzak mentally to face the cybernetic surgery for his amputated left lower leg that Yzak lost when parts of a concrete pillar fell on it. Though the leg was lost from below the knee down, cybernetic surgery would replace the limb, and the newer technologies in the field and a strict physical therapy regimen should allow him to walk normally once more in a month or two, even allowing him to probably pilot again, depending on the success of the surgery and the rehabilitation.

"I've successfully suckered him into fully agreeing to the surgery without his ridiculous conditions," Shiho reported to Cagalli with complete satisfaction and relief. From what Shiho had related to her Yzak was certainly stubborn - requesting outrageous things as mummifying his amputated leg, to allowing him to shoot the doctor for cutting it off, to threatening to burn down the hospital if they didn't remove the IV lines stuck into his arms.

Cagalli grinned. "I figure that's a great relief for you, Shiho."

"You can bet on that," Shiho said as he flopped into a vacant chair. "So how are you doing, Cagalli?"

Cagalli touched the bandaged scar. "It still hurts when I move around, but I can take it." Cagalli scratched her cheeks. "The thing is I am getting restless just lying here. I asked the doctors if I could be released and allowed to fly back home. They said that maybe in a week, if I heal well enough. But I don't want to stay here anymore." Cagalli took in the clean white hospital room. "I want to go home. I'm worried about what's happening there."

"I understand," Shiho said. "I know the news networks don't show the entire picture, but from what they've broadcast, Orb took a bigger blow that what happened here. But the Royal Government must be in near collapse from the attack here. Not only are world leaders dead or injured, but they've lost the king and queen as well." Rescue teams had recovered the remains of the royal couple two days after the attack. Immediately the country went into a state of mourning for the deceased leaders. Although the crown prince was rescued alive, he was still in a coma resulting from his injuries, which included a lost left eye. Things were not so bad for the PLANTs, with the survival of Chairman Westenfluss, but the Atlantic Federation's President was listed among the missing victims.

"Things are so bad here now." Cagalli gazed out of the room's window. "Why did this happen?"

"I wished I knew the answer, your Highness," Shiho replied. She limped over and stood by the window. "Where's your friend?"

Cagalli blinked. "Oh. You mean Athrun?" Shiho nodded. "He had to go back. He's helping out in the investigation of the attack and SAR operations." Cagalli played absentmindedly with her fingers. "He wanted to get involved."

Shiho was nodding. "That sounds like Athrun Zala, alright."

Cagalli looked at Shiho questioningly. "How do you know Athrun? Did you guys serve together or something?"

"No - although Yzak told me a lot about him. He's talked about Athrun like he was jealous or frustrated about him or something. Jealous that Athrun got into FAITH so easily or frustrated that Athrun didn't do much in his service with ZAFT. But mostly I heard about Athrun from Lacus."

Cagalli blinked again. "You know Lacus?"

Shiho nodded with a smirk. "I guess she never told you, but Lacus and I were classmates and good friends before the war. We stayed close, until I got busy with the R&D teams for mobile suit designers and eventually enlisted. She started concentrating on her singing career and her diplomatic work, and we lost contact. Next thing I heard she was leading that revolt against Athrun's father and was branded a traitor. Then Athrun joins her and they help finish the first war with you. Then they disappeared. But I'm not surprised that they showed up in Orb. And I'm not surprised they broke up and Athrun's with you now."

The matter-of-fact way that Shiho said her last sentence made Cagalli blush. "Oh and I forgive you, by the way," Shiho added with a grin, while looked over flowers on a vase on a corner table.

"For what?" Cagalli asked, getting more and more confused.

"For shooting me down at Jachin Due."

"What! Are you serious? How are you sure it was me?" Cagalli demanded.

Shiho plucked a flower from the arrangement and sat on one end of Cagalli's bed. "I was part of Yzak's team, piloting a CGUE Deep Arms then. We intercepted the three Earth Alliance aces escorting their nuclear strike group when your group arrived on your way to Genesis. You damaged my mobile suit with your Strike Rouge. I wasn't hurt though. I limped back to one of the ships nearby."

"Wow," Cagalli exclaimed, caught in surprise from what Shiho had related to her. "I didn't know-"

Shiho held up her hand. "Like I said, I forgive you. I was pissed at the time, but that's ancient history."

"Thanks." Cagalli said. "I hope we never have to go through that again - fighting one another I mean."

Shiho stretched and massaged her cast foot. "Amen to that. I just hope somebody does something to stop those terrorists before more harm can be done and things get out of control."

Cagalli turned serious. "Oh I think somebody will do something soon." Her eyes met Shiho's, who was giving her a questioning stare that Cagalli silently ignored.


Raider Base

Location Unknown

December 28, CE 74

The constant repetition of the knife fighting drills was eroding Solar's attention. She knew she had to go through this, to assure that her brain and body could automatically move with the grace and power of the martial art. Solar was doing the patterns fluidly, evidence of the constant training she had with the curved ZAFT combat knife she used. She favored the archaic weapon over firearms; with the knife she could use her body more effectively as a weapon, harnessing her power to bring death with the killing blade. But she wanted to begin with the actual dueling, so that she could measure how her skills will hold in actual combat.

At last the patterns were completed, and the instructor called for a halt. She breathed heavily at the break, the sweat glistening from her smooth skin, drenching wet the gray tank top and jogging pants she wore for the training. The twenty or so fighters stepped to the sides of the training floor, as the instructor called out for volunteers to fight. Solar immediately stepped forward, and stood on the center. She watched those around him for an opponent, and was pleasantly surprised to see Leva take her challenge.

She knew him to be an excellent fighter. The light green haired boy was a competent member of their organization, a skilled pilot of their Wraith mobile suits. Leva had the air of constant amusement around him, as if he was gladdened by everything Nature had created in this world. He was intelligent, brave and funny, and had always a smile for Solar when they spoke. But underneath his gentle face was the cunning mind of a cold killer, a warrior who would not hesitate to kill. He was smiling at her as he stepped forward to the center. They were about to bow to each other when another boy, this with light brown hair, grabbed Leva by the shoulder and pulled him away from the floor.

"I will fight her," Naki said to his brother. The younger sibling gave Naki a quizzical look, but the older one had already turned his back on him. Naki stared coldly at Solar, who was flexing here arms for the coming fight. Naki was the more aggressive of the siblings, and preeminently rougher and harder in manners. He was the equal to Leva in fighting skills, but Naki was the more tenacious. While Leva was quiet and contemplative, Naki showed his feeling by sheer coldness and violence. Naki made no further movements, nor did he bow in response to Solar's. He immediately launched himself at her once she lifted her head, and Solar had to block a fast and dangerous slash aimed at her throat with a quick upward thrust of his left hand.

Solar had to step back, while Naki proceeded into his fighting stance. Solar countered with the stance of her own, and the two began to circle clockwise, waiting for the first move.

Solar shifted her weight between both feet, raising her hands and moving them supple in front of her. He movements were dance-like, both for rhythm's sake and give an air of unpredictably for her opponent. Naki was more sedate, content of just moving neutrally, revealing nothing from his ready stance.

Solar tensed as she kept her eye on any slight change of movement from Naki. She wanted to bait him into striking first, so that she could move with an effective counterattack. Solar let her movements become broader, slower to invite his attack. She felt Naki knew this, but the male knife fighter did not care. He was bigger that she was, and Solar knew that even with the broader built Naki could move as fast as her.

He did her the favor of the first move, a quick snap punch with the left hand for her face. Solar blocked it with a backhanded flip. Naki's hand recoiled like a snake and snapped back like a jab. Solar ducked her head aside.

Solar dropped to her left as the knife on Naki's right hand slashed like lightning through the air, barely missing her neck. She tried a counter move, lunging out with her right leg for a snap kick. She aimed her strike at the left side of his attacker's face, but the brown-haired man blocked it away with a push from his left arm. Solar adjusted her balance once more

Her opponent was pushing it, taking this training exercise to extreme. Although it was uncommon for someone to get hurt in these kinds of exercises, some even killed, it was avoided. While it was common in the early stages of Extended training that deaths occurred, Adam wanted to avoid this, with the limited number of qualified Extended left in their group. So Solar was surprised why Naki was really aggressive.

Solar stepped away from him, gauging the range of her reach from his. Naki struck once more with the same first move, and Solar blocked it the same way. But Naki followed immediately with a backhand slash with the knife that Solar had to stop cross armed. Having kept her attention on his hands, Naki spun around with his left leg stiffening for a sweeping heel-kick to her head.

She dropped to the ground split-legged. The straight leg passed harmlessly over him. Naki had to correct his footing to regain his stance and moved away to defend from any counter move from Solar. But the blonde girl just smiled at him, a calculated move to get him angrier. Solar was satisfied to see her opponent's eyes expand at her irritating move.

Naki took one step forward and launched himself into the air. He raised his leg once more to drop on her with a axe-kick. He though that he had Solar corned on the floor, but she countered by back flipping away. As Naki landed, she pushed out with her left foot and lunged with the knife, but Naki caught her with a reverse kick to the face.

Solar landed several feet away from him, the sudden force of the blow overpowering her forward momentum. She had barely enough time to shake off the pain to roll out of the way of Naki, whose knife sliced down to the spot where she once was a second ago, and struck the matted floor.

Solar gracefully lifted herself off the floor with a arm assisted leap, and went back to her ready stance. She was thinking through what tactics too use against Naki, who was taking his aggressiveness to dangerous levels. She felt he was ready to kill her without hesitation, and she knew she had to reciprocate with the same force to survive this fight. She was about to decide what to do when Naki struck once more.

Naki feinted for Solar's belly then jumped straight up, aiming a crescent kick for her temple. Once more she screwed herself to ground again, under his attack. When he came down, she continued her spinning motion, lashing out with a kick meant to sweep his from under Naki as he came down landing. This tactic was a favorite of hers, and it left Naki especially vulnerable.

But Solar's strike cut air. He launched himself straight up the instant he stepped on the floor. Solar tried to strike out with the blade, but Naki twisted inverted in the air and grabbed her wrist. He flexed the wrist, twisting it and forcing Solar to loosen her grip on the knife. Naki's momentum dragged Solar down, and he spun as he landed on the floor, making Solar drop down facing the matting. Naki raised his knife, and was about to strike down death on Solar.

A flash ignited in the air as a spinning knife cut skin and drew blood from Naki's flesh. He dropped his knife from his bloodied hand, and cried in agony. He dropped to the floor beside Solar, freeing her from his death grip.

Slowly Solar got up to kneel on one leg. She looked around to find the source of the thrown blade, and was shocked to see everyone else look to the direction of Leva. He had stepped forward from the pack, in a stance that hinted his aimed throw. Leva rushed forward and caught Solar, who was still dizzy with pain. "Are you alright?" he said.

Confused, she looked at him. "Why did you do that?"

Leva glanced at his brother, who was grabbing his hand, writhing in pain. "What he was doing was wrong. He overstepped the bounds."

"But he's your brother-"

Leva smiled at her. "I know. But he has to know the limits. Or else he'll end up out of control."

The crowd had surged towards Leva and the combatants, some helping the green-haired Extended lift Solar off her feet while others converged on the injured Naki. But Naki pushed them all aside and started to lunge on his brother, shouting curses and eyeing him with a look that could kill. Things were about to go out on control when a cold voice of command cut through the chaos.

"Stop!"

Everyone turned to the direction of the voice. Solar saw Adam walk towards them, anger evident in his body language. The crowd parted, and let their commander pass. He stood in between Stellar and brothers, and stared at them coldly.

"Naki, Leva and Solar, follow me. I expect no more foolishness from now on." With that Adam strode away, expecting them to follow.

Naki pried himself loose from the others and followed behind Adam, sparing glances of hatred for Solar and his brother. He whispered something as he passed Leva, which made him stiffen.

Solar stepped beside him. "What did he say?"

"Nothing, Solar," Leva answered. "It's just something between me and my brother." Leva walked slowly behind Naki, leaving Stellar to think about what was going on between the twins.


Delia looked up at Adam as the gray-haired warrior entered the briefing room. He was followed by Naki, who was grabbing a bleeding hand wrapped in a bloodstained towel, his brother Leva, who looked troubled, as was Solar, who mirrored the green-haired boy. The three Extended pilots stood at attention in front of the table, as Adam sat beside the young Isis.

Delia was still wary about the reason their master's daughter was here. Adam told her when he arrived with Isis that the girl was there to join them, but the look Adam gave made her sense that he wanted her nowhere in their midst. At first Delia wondered why Adam was bothered, but when she saw the bald man accompanying the young girl, she understood Adam's troubles.

So Delia tolerated Isis' presence, with the knowledge that not only was she here to strut around, but that her companion was here to report back to the master their movements. It was the testament on how much the master may have trusted them, sending his most trusted lieutenant to observe Adam's operations.

Adam nodded for a tech to open the holoscreen, and started the meeting. "I will be brief. We have pinpointed the location of the items we will acquire. It is located in a storage hanger on the south end of the port facilities. It will be heavily guarded by infantry, with quick responding forces from the mobile suit platoon stationed here." Adam pointed at a holographic representation of the facility in question. "As we have talked about in our previous planning sessions, we shall conduct a pre-strike ocular recon of the area. We will use the information we gather to reinforce our current data. Am I understood?" The Extended confirmed by nodding.

"I have a request to allow Isis and her friend here to accompany us on this mission, and my answer is a flat no." Isis' eyes were bulged with anger and she was about to protest but Adam cut him off with a raised hand. The bald man kept silent and said not a word. "I will not allow anyone who has not trained with us for this mission to accompany us. Your presence will not be required, nor will be of any help. You will be a liability if you join us since you don't now what we intend to do and the actions we are going to take. The mission called for a small team to minimize security risks. Your presence will just increase it."

"We will leave in two days time, flying to the target. We will rendezvous with our equipment the day after we arrive, which should give us enough to time to complete our recon. You all know the targets and I expect to complete the mission without any major mistakes. We hit the target, take the items and withdraw."

Again Isis was about to protest, but once more Adam cut her off. "Everyone is dismissed."

"Again, Adam, you amaze me with your candor." Delia spoke up for the first time as the door closed behind the last one to step out of the room, leaving her and Adam alone to speak.

"Is it important, mother, that I should act like a caring individual to them, when what we will do demands ruthlessness?" Adam asked. "No, I acted properly. To my pilots and to that brat and her bodyguard."

Delia sighed. "Do not underestimate Isis and her companion. He is the Pharaoh's hatchet man. He is here for a reason."

Adam nodded. "And that is another reason why I did not let them go with us. I don't appreciate the fact that the master wants me watched."

"Be wary with your words-"

"Don't you dare think that I am careless, woman!" Adam shouted. "I know what I am doing. That is why I am ordering you to keep an eye on them. Monitor their movements carefully, especially the hatchet man. I don't want them meddling in my business."

Adam stood and started to leave. "That will be your primary concern while I am gone, Doctor. And I would like you to study some files the master has given me. I have left it in my office. You will know which one it is when you see it."

Delia was intrigued. "It is something I know well?"

Adam smiled as opened the door. "Very well indeed, mother." The door closed behind him, leaving Delia alone in the room brimming with curiosity with what Adam revealed.


Forward Deployment Base

USSA Army

Twelve Miles East of Manaus

Amazonas Sector

Brazil State

United States of South America

December 28, CE 74

Scott Hinomura took little sips from his steaming cup of coffee as he and Gunny warmed themselves with the fire from the small camping stove and watched as Michael gave William a verbal chewing. They had just come back from their ambush mission a little less than an hour ago after the entire team joined up in their rendezvous point. They were just relaxing and going through their debriefing. What he thought would be a quiet, uneventful debrief was turning into one of Shousa Michael Ward's rages.

Although Scott and Gunny both agreed that their mission was generally successful, their commander evidently did not share their view. Michael thought that William's clumsiness almost cost them the mission, and was giving the harassed youngster a harsh reprimand. Scott thought that Michael was being too hard with the youngest member of their platoon, but Gunny told him to let him be. "Let him vent his anger, Scott. And Willy can learn a lesson or two about being careful," the grizzled veteran warrior said. Scott had acquiesced to his old friend, but didn't necessarily agree with him.

Scott regarded the small group of men he had lived and served with in this jungle for the last two years. It was remarkable that a Coordinator like himself could join forces with these three Naturals in a fight for a cause they all shared. They all agreed that the Atlantic Federation was wrong in annexing the USSA, who did not share their anti-Coordinator sentiments. Though they all came from different backgrounds, they all shared a common bond between them that brought them into this hidden and wild conflict; Michael, William and Scott all shared friendships with the middle-aged Gunny Beldezi.

In between sips of the bitter Brazilian brew, Scott thought about how someone like himself, a civilian Coordinator mobile engineer, with no practical combat training whatsoever, could end up enlisting into a jungle war. Sure, he did work for the Asimov Group that developed ZAFT's first generation mobile suits as a first- and second-stage test pilot in the prototypes' initial test runs, but he never really used a mobile suit in combat, until now. It all started when he met Gunny before the wars, when both men studied for their master's degree in advanced robotics in the United Nations University in France. When Scott began piloting the experimental work suits they were working on for their thesis, Gunny remarked to Scott that he had the knack with these man-made behemoths. Scott was skeptical at first, but came to accept the fact that he was good at what he does, regardless if it was natural skill or genetically enhanced talent stemming from his Coordinator genes. He privately wondered how he would have done if he ever did enlist with ZAFT in the war, and found the chance when the just defected Gunny approached him two months after the first war, recruiting him to join their group down in the fight for freedom of the USSA.

Master Sergeant Noah 'Gunny' Beldezi was a strange character. Rough and tough looking, with broad shoulders and a long white handlebar mustache that contrasted with his chocolate brown skin, he styled himself like a rowdy street biker, wearing bandanas to cover his bald head, dark sunglasses and leather pants and vest. But behind the tough guy façade was one of the brightest intellects Scott has ever known. Gunny was the group tactical genius, his grasp of mobile suit warfare unmatched by no one on both sides of the fighting. He championed for aggressive tactics that called for close in diving attacks with aerial mobile suits, using speed and flying height to maximize an attack. He had the innate talent for maximizing their advantages and minimizing their disadvantage in combat, often resulting in spectacular successes in their missions for the freedom fighters.

Gunny was born in this wild rainforest, on a small village lying twenty-miles to the west of their camp. Nothing remained of the small cluster of homes now, a victim to a Atlantic Federation bombing mission early into the rebellion. Gunny was lucky to have relocated his family deeper to the south, and they survived the massacre of the remaining inhabitants of the community at that time. Gunny decided not to return to the OMNI Enforcer, where he served as a mobile suit combat instructor, and defected to the rebels. He also began contacting those he trusted to share his sentiments regarding the evils of the Blue Cosmos-controlled Federation, and recruited those like them who were willing to join in the fight for equality and independence of the Naturals and Coordinators living in harmony within the USSA.

William Bartley was one of those who joined, but he came without being recruited. He just came along for the ride when then Tai-I Michael Ward came over from the OMNI Enforcer after resigning his commission after the massacre of Berlin. William was happy-go-lucky young surfer kid of seventeen from Honolulu who just entered the Atlantic Federation military two years ago for a life of adventure. He opted for training in the Mobile Suit branch, where he fell under the tutelage of Gunny as his training sergeant.

Reckless, hot-dogging and at times completely clueless of what he was doing in a mobile suit, Gunny reluctantly passed him as a pilot, where it not for his natural talent as a pilot like Scott has. So to put some sense into the kid Gunny recommended that he'd be assigned to a tough disciplinarian, and his old student Michael Ward got saddled with the crazy teenager. Under Michael's wing William learned to be more responsible and disciplined as a military man, and the older Tai-I saved the kid's ass more than once during the second war. It instilled in him a strong bond of friendship and loyalty to the serious officer, and William never hesitated to join him when Ward suddenly left the military and surfaced a month later as a freedom fighter with the USSA.

And now William was striving to survive another one of Michael's stern lectures on how the wise-assed William should perform.

And then there was Michael Adrian Luvon Ward, the serious and temperamental commander of the Twenty-First Platoon, a catalyst that brought this rag-tag bunch together. Michael was handsome man, with gray penetrating eyes underneath that neatly cut blonde hair. Tall, firmly built like a Prussian military officer of all, he commanded respect and admiration from those around him. But all the charisma in his physical features disappears with the cold stare of grief and hatred that haunted his eyes. Added to his burning obsession to avenge the loss of his wife and one child at Berlin, Michael looks more than avenging demon rather than the dashing knight that once earned him the moniker 'Lancelot' during his days with the Atlantic Federation mobile corps.

From the stories about him the Gunny told to Scott, Michael was more like William before the wars. Gunny remembered the young Ward when, like William, he came under the grizzled drill sergeant's command. He was brash and confident in his abilities, with an air of aristocracy borne from being raised in luxury by powerful parents, a father who was the owner and CEO of a major player in the arms industry, and a mother who was a influential senator in the Atlantic Federation legislature. Like William, he joined to military for adventure, and to escape from his father's intention for him take over his business. Unlike William, Michael completed training top of his class, and went on to become one of the first mobile armor commanders in the Atlantic Federation space forces. He was so skilled as a mobile armor ace that he was chosen to be among the few aces to take up training in the new mobile suit division, and eventually ended up as a company commander of front line forces.

Michael would have become of high rank in the military, when family life intervened. A family man first and foremost, he opted to decline a higher position in the First Mobile Suit Division for a backwater assignment in France so as to stay with his family. His wife Mia was a doctor in a French hospital, so he chose to be near them. He was assigned to a local OMNI Enforcer base, together with William, and commanded a company of Atlantic Federation Windhams assigned there. He would have enjoyed his chance to stay close to his family, had not the anti-Logos sentiments flourished in the Eurasian Federation. The tensions between the Eurasians and the Atlantic Federation rose, until it escalated into the destruction of Berlin by Logos-backed forces. Caught in the inferno of the Destroy's terror strike into the grand city where Mia and the children, who were visiting the city on a vacation. The three died in the carnage, and Michael never even had successfully recover their remains.

A month later, Michael had left France with William, and got in contact with Gunny in the Bahamas. Scott joined them a week after, and the four secretly left for the embattled USSA capital of Montevideo, where they joined the rebel military. Assigned mobile suits the USSA rebuilt from salvaged parts acquired from the Junk Guild and supporters from Eurasia, the four formed the Twenty-First Platoon, one of the USSA's few elite strike forces deployed along the Amazon Forest front line with the OMNI Enforcer armies.

They have been fighting the OMNI Enforcer for almost a year now in a battlefield with no major gains had been taken by both sides for as long at the team was there. The OMNI Enforcer was trying to contain the rebellion with troops from two mobile suit and six mechanized divisions, strung along the almost five hundred mile front. The USSA, its military already stretched thin with the multiple fronts the Atlantic Federation was threatening them from, could only assigned two polyglot divisions to the Amazon hastily formed from various smaller units, but they were backed up by volunteer forces from local militia and foreign mercenaries.

And now they completed one of the numerous missions in this jungle conflict. Michael was evidently winding up with his reprimand. He was now stressing a point to William, with his finger wagging at the scared youngster. He dismissed the kid with a command, and a sullen William walked briskly towards him.

"Want a cup?" Scott offered him his drink.

William shrugged, and flopped himself on the ground beside Gunny, warming himself with the heat from the stove. "No thanks. I think my appetite won't be back for weeks after that drubbing Old Stone Face just gave me. And I'll just crap that out at once when I swallow. I feel like just got a new asshole torn open."

Gunny reached out and patted the forlorn teen on his shoulder. "Don't mind him kiddo. You know he just said that because he looks out for you."

William shook his hair. "I wish he just cut me some slack sometimes, you know."

Scott stood up and stretched. "We know that, Will. But you know Michael-"

"Yeah, I know him," William said. He was about to start a rant, but this was forgotten by the loud droning sound coming from the direction of the camp's gates. A brown four-by-four SUV came barreling through the open gates, to the alarm of the surprised guards. Everywhere people jumped up in alert, with guns coming out from holsters and storage places. The guns were trained on the rampaging vehicle, which stopped with a hard skid meters away from Gunny's Dagger L.

The front door of vehicle opened up, and a scruffy looking man got out. The man was ugly, with the awful smell around him to match. He had dirty hair covered by a dirty ball cap, and he was chewing bad smelling tobacco with green teeth. His small and scrawny body was covered with tattoos, which he proudly displayed on a shirtless chest. He strode up to Gunny, who hesitantly stood to greet him. "Hey there, Rat. What's up?"

The man called Rat smiled at him. "I was passing by the area, plying my trade, when I figured you'd like to see what I got on the convoy." Rat pointed towards the road, where several lights from large flatbed trucks were coming towards the base. "I got some stuff your platoon could be interested in."

Scott saw Michael stand behind Gunny, who was looking at Rat with a piqued interest. "I'm listening." The Rat was one of the unofficial supply providers the Twenty-First. He had the talent to acquire stuff one needs, regardless of how legal or not he got them. The Twenty-First has relied on him for more specialized equipment, even though the price was high.

But price wasn't a consideration, what with the covert monetary support Michael was getting from his father's arms company. The Rat served as a middleman, a contact with the Junk Guild and arms dealers who owed Ian Ward, who were trying to pay him off by acquiring salvaged or stolen weapons for Michael's platoon. Though illegal, the elder Ward had hated the other powers of the Atlantic Federation arms industry who'd sided with LOGOS and greatly affected for the worse the state of business of smaller non aligned companies like Ward Armored Technologies, and the hate intensified with the deaths of his beloved grandchildren. So even though they didn't see eye to eye, Ian Ward did all he could to help in his son's quest for vengeance.

"I've got my hands on a pair of flight augmentation packs for Daggers, which I know you guys need."

"Did you bring it in the trucks?" Gunny asked.

"Yep. Plus a half-dozen Morgenroete Type 71 beam rifles the Guild scooped up from a wrecked carrier down in the Aegean. Some of them's waterlogged, but your wizard there could do some of his magic with 'em." The Rat grinned at Scott.

Scott pondered over that. "Yeah, I can adapt them to the conduits on the Daggers' hands, and I maybe able to rig one up on my GINN. Do you got some Asimov type circuit boards for hand actuators?"

The Rat shook his head. "Nope. Didn't get any last time. But I could order some."

Scott nodded. "Did you find that GUUL I've been asking for?" The GUUL was a remote controlled subflight lifter designed for ZAFT mobile suits like the GINN and ZAKU to allow them atmospheric flight capability while on Earth.

"Well I did scrounged one up, but I left it in the shack," the Rat said. "They chassis and armor looks good, but the left engine's busted and it's out of missiles. I can't seem to get any reloads."

"How bad is the engine's condition?" Scott inquired.

"My techies said that the turbine was burned out, but it could be replaced. I'm still foraging for parts though."

"I'll take what you've got, Ratman," Scott said. "Just get me the parts. I'll see what I can do with launchers. Can you bring me the lifter on your next run?"

"Yeah I think so. Gimme a couple of days."

Scott accepted that. He looked over to his commander. "Anything you need, bossman?"

Michael stared at the Rat. "Just get my reloads for the Windham." With that he turned around, and strode into the dark woods.

The Rat whistled. "Mighty friendly your boss is, isn't he, Gunny?"

Gunny sighed. "Don't mind him. We just got back from a mission and he's just tired."

The Rat nodded silently. "We all are, tired I mean. This damn war's better end soon."

Gunny laughed. "But you'll be out of business, my friend."

The Rat frowned at Gunny. "I didn't say that. I just meant I hate wars in jungles. It's too hot and too many mosquitoes down here in the Amazon. Let's end this war so I could go to another one with a nicer climate and more money. That should make my life easier." With that, the Rat walked away, and waited for his convoy to arrive.


Archangel

Angel's Point

Orb Union

December 30, CE 74

Murrue watched as the participants to the pre launch meeting began filing into the conference room. They had just completed the preparations for their journey with two days of none stop work for the crews. The command group spent a large part of the time crammed into this cramp room, going over the final plans for their mission. They broke up the meeting only six hours ago, to allow for some time to rest up before the launch. They were now coming in small groups, still looking tired, but a little rejuvenated by a few hours sleep.

Mu sat beside her, grinning sleepily as he slouched into his seat. Murrue touched his hand and squeezed it, as if to help shake away the last traces of drowsiness from the blonde pilot. Kira came in with Lacus, both of them seemingly having a different glow between them. The two seemed getting along better after their encounter with the raiders in space, and Lacus looked more at ease than troubled. Again Murrue reminded herself to have a private chat with Lacus when she had time. Meyrin entered next followed by Athrun, who did not look like he got any sleep at all. Meyrin touched his shoulder and gave him a look of concern, which the blue-haired Coordinator shook off with a small smile. They sat on the other side of Murrue. Chief Murdoch, Neumann and Chandra joined the group, and took empty seats opposite her. Finally, Andrew and Dearka took their places, and the group fell into silence, eagerly to get the meeting going.

Andy spoke up first. "Are we all here?" Everyone looked around, checking for who was meeting. Athrun noticed who was. "Where's Shinn?"

"I saw him hanging around the hanger deck," Murdoch answered. "But I don't think he wants to be bothered." Shinn was spending a lot of time hanging around the decks, watching the tech crew work on the five mobile suits now safely nestled on the maintenance gantries. He didn't really socialize much and contended himself with watching the work progressing. He didn't bother the crews, but his presence kept the men on their feet, wary of him exploding in anger after the display he had with Kira two days ago.

Athrun started to stand. "Should I go get him, Kanchou?"

Murrue gestured for him to keep seated. "Iie, the meeting's about to start - we could just fill him in before we cast off. But I expect him to be present in future command meetings." Athrun nodded in assent and returned to his seat.

The door slid open, and Kisaka entered in a determined pace. Erica Simmons followed Kisaka, trailed by a lieutenant colonel from the Intelligence Division of the Orb Defense Force. The short man looked to be in his middle thirties, and had the look of competence in his gray eyes, covered by simple looking wire-framed glasses. He carried a black briefcase, which probably held important reports concerning the mission at hand. He took a seat beside Kisaka, who nodded to everyone inside the room.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," Kisaka said, starting the meeting. "We will now begin the final pre-launch briefing of the Archangel's operations group. As we all know you are scheduled to launch in four hours when night has fallen, to ensure your stealthy departure from Orb. I understand from Taisa Ramius' last report this morning that all is in preparedness on board the ship. Therefore I would like to skip the readiness of the ship first and proceed with our intelligence briefing. My aide, Chusa Ford Tourneville, will handle the brief." Kisaka gestured to the gray-haired man, who stood and took out a digital disc from his briefcase. He slid the disc into a laptop on the table, and the large holoscreen on the wall displayed the information it held.

"We have further data gathered from the salvaged raiders," Tourneville began. "We've checked the parts for serial numbers, but we didn't find any. We did however, did a geological study of the metals used in the fabrication of the parts. We've traced the metals used to mines in the Eastern Siberia region, specifically a batch that was supposed to be earmarked for exportation to Orb. But the batch of metals where known to be lost at sea, when the cargo vessel carrying was presumed lost in a storm than happened near the Tsushima Straits three months before the Bloody Valentine Incident."

"Our techs also recovered several system boards and wiring harnesses that were based on designs developed by Morgenroete for the Astray mobile suit series, but we can't confirm if they were built by Morgenroete or in a different facility. Again because there was no serial numbers recovered on the parts." Murrue stole a glance with Erica, but the orange-haired Coordinator revealed nothing in her eyes.

"As for munitions, several unexploded missiles were salvaged from Onogoro. We can identify them as two hundred twenty millimeter all aspect heat seekers produced by ZAFT, with serial numbers to booth."

Dearka raised an eye at the revelation. "Have you checked in with ZAFT about this? They have instructions to provide cooperation with Orb with certain requests."

Tourneville nodded stiffly. "We are thinking of requesting the government to check with ZAFT, but our sources have information that may only require confirmation from ZAFT. The sources indicate that the missile were assigned to the Hawkins, a Laurasia-class destroyer heavily damaged in the first war and scrapped in the debris field after the Armistice."

Dearka exchanged looks with Athrun, but the two said nothing. Tourneville took this as a signal to proceed. "Although the knowledge that ZAFT weapons were used in the attack is a source of concern, we are more disturbed by the raiders' use of Orb technology. We do not know how they came to have possession of electrical components based on Morgenroete designs, and I am recommending to Chujo Kisaka that an investigation on this be done as soon as possible. Questions?"

Waltfeld raised a hand. "What about the identities of the two dead raiders you recovered?"

Tourneville shook his head. "We could not make positive identification from the remains. One was burned to a crisp, while the other had fingerprints and DNA patterns that don't match anyone's on our databases."

Kira was next to call his attention. "Have you anything else on the ID of the unknown submarine? Do you know where it went?"

Again Tourneville shrugged. "No additional data on that, Shousho. Be we've correlated enough data to indicate where that submarine was probably headed to South America." The lieutenant colonel pressed some buttons on the keyboard, and the map of the western coast of South America appeared. "We believe they could possibly land anywhere with a two-hundred mile radius between Valparaiso and Concepcion on the Chilean coast. There are many small harbors deep and hidden enough to hide a secret submarine base, just like your Angel's Point."

Mu snorted. "That's a lot of help," he remarked sarcastically, which earned him a glare from Tourneville and a kick in the shin from Murrue.

"Forgive my exec here, Chusa," Murrue said. "But in a way he is right. The information is still thin, but I guess it can't be helped."

Tourneville smirked. "Thank you, Kanchou. The Division will do its best to collect more data, and we'll forward it too you when you make contact. We do need your procedures for contact us."

"I understand Chusa Tourneville. I will explain that and the rest of our plans when you finish report."

"I've already reported everything I know, Kanchou." Tourneville took out his digital disc and sat down once more. Kisaka nodded to Murrue, who stood to begin her briefing.

Murrue highlighted the area indicated by the intelligence officer. "Thanks to the additional information given by Chusa Tourneville," Mu grimaced, but Murrue ignored him "we have a better picture of the situation we will face. The Archangel will make a submerged run for a point one hundred miles from the Chilean coast at these coordinates," Murrue pointed to the numbers. "From there we will send an encrypted satellite communications via Orb's intelligence satellite, which Chujo Kisaka will task to settle overhead for a orbital pass. We will wait for the Orb's reply on the satellite's next pass. I expect any information you might acquire to be sent via this method. Chujo Kisaka has been working to make contact with Orb agents in occupied South America, and the Archangel will make contact with them when the need arises."

"We've settled on the mobile suit complement we'll carry. We'll have Kira's, Athrun's, Mu's and Dearka's units, plus the new one, if we could convince a certain someone to fly it." Murrue caught Athrun's eye, and he nodded silently. "We'll leave Ikeya's squad here on Orb, and the Gaia, since Andy won't be coming with us on this mission." Everyone turned to Waltfeld, who just grinned as Murrue continued. "He'll coordinate our efforts with Orb Command from here, and act as our lifeline. I expect him to form up with Ikeya's group and our friends from Terminal should we need them."

Murrue looked at Mu. "I'm giving tactical command of the mobile suit team to Mu, since he is the senior pilot after Andy. Athrun will be his second. I'm assigning Meyrin as the team's control officer in the CIC. I will retain overall command of this mission, with Kira as my operations and intelligence officer and Lacus as communications officer. We will proceed with this mission covertly, and avoid any contact with any other armed force if we can avoid it. Our rules of engagement are simple: we will not engage unless attacked first, and we will engage only to cover our withdrawal from the area.

"As per Chujo Kisaka's words from yesterday's meeting, we will be on our own. We will only be resupplied only when we really needed, and we will expect our supplies from sources other than Orb directly. We will be informed of these supply sources in our further communication with him. But we must always remember that this mission requires totally secrecy on our part since we won't be sanctioned by the Orb government. If we do receive reinforcements, it will most likely be Andy and his group." Murrue eyed everyone in her group. "Are we all cleared on this?" Everyone agreed silently. "Good. Chujo, that concludes my brief."

"Thank you Ramius-Kanchou. I would like to thank everyone here that will be joining in this mission. The Orb government knows the importance of this endeavor, with the security of Orb and the world at stake. I pray that you will all be successful and return safely. May the gods of the sea protect you all."


The Pharaoh's Estate

Diego De Almagro

Chile State

Occupied South America

December 30, CE 74

The beeping of the video communications screen woke him up from his fitful sleep back into his living nightmare. The Pharaoh pressed a button on the remote mounted on his bed for his easy reach and answered the call. Only one person had this direct access to him, and the Pharaoh always allowed this communication.

The evil face of the Knife appeared on the screen. "Forgive me for bothering you, master."

The Pharaoh nodded slightly. "Speak, my friend. What do have to report to me?"

The Knife bowed as he spoke. "Adam has left for the target area, master. He has taken the Extended team with him. They will arrive at the target in ten hours. They will rendezvous with the Barracuda off the coast of southern France after three days. Adam will use the time in between to make final inspections of the target."

"Why did you not go with them? What about my daughter, Isis? Is she with them?"

The Knife shook his head. "No my master. Adam was adamant not to allow either her of me to come. He stated the reason that this was a rehearsed mission between his immediate team members, and we would just get in the way. I didn't want to draw his suspicions by insisting."

The Pharaoh laughed. "Very clever, that Adam. By leaving Isis, he forces you to be left behind too." The Knife frowned at his words, but the Pharaoh went on. "Don't feel embarrassed my friend. This gives you the opportunity to do the other things I instructed you."

"I will proceed to New York in two days. I shall meet with the board of directors and tell them of your orders."

"You have done well my friend," the Pharaoh was pleased at the work of his most trusted lieutenant. "Keep it up. And in addition to that, I ask you to begin the next phase of my plans. Contact your agent in Columbia. Let him commence his part in conjunction with Adam's next raid. Then reward him in the normal way."

"Yes, my master." The Knife bowed once more.

"I sense frustration from you," the Pharaoh spoke, closing his red eyes and reading the Knife's angry mind. "What is it my friend? Something is bothering you."

The Knife hesitated before speaking up once more. "I am worried about the success of Adam's mission, master. He again moves too early. He is too impulsive."

The Pharaoh laughed. "You are angry because he has acted in way that contradicts the assessment of him you gave me before you left. I understand your frustration; it is a product of your loyalty to me. Do not be disturbed. The worst that can happen is that the weaker ones will be culled." He turned away from the video screen. "Report to me immediately any more updates and information you gather."

"Yes, my master," the Knife said, bowing one last time as his image faded away from the Pharaoh's screen.


The Knife was about to stand up from his desk when the beeping of a incoming call came alive from his secure satellite phone. He opened his phone and spoke into it. "Hello."

It was the voice of one of his trusted agents. "The seraph is just about to leave the point. It is on its way. I have done what you have ordered. Everything is in place." The line clicked dead.

Good, the Knife thought. At least one of my plans is working to perfection. The Knife got up from his place and went down into the living areas of the base, thinking of other way to further their cause for his master.


Angel's Point

Orb Union

December 30, CE 74

As night fell on Angel's Point, the Archangel began its journey. Kisaka watched with Tourneville from the dock control room as the carrier was submerged as the dry dock filled with millions of liters of seawater. Erica Simmons sat in front of him, supervising the procedure that will allow the ship to enter the deep ocean when the massive doors opened into it. They were waiting for the report on the water levels inside the dock area, waiting for the optimum moment to open the doors.

"Water Level now at four-hundred meters, Mrs. Simmons," a tech reported. "Archangel is starting up her engines."

"Open docking bay doors. Release stabilizing arms," Erica ordered.

The large stabilizing arms that held the carrier in place retracted away from the ship, releasing the Archangel from its grip. The two giant doors in front of the carrier began to slowly open, revealing the darkness of the deep ocean in front of it.

"This is the Archangel," Lacus Clyne's voice came alive from a speaker. "Permission to launch requested."

Erica answered her. "Confirmed, Archangel. Permission granted. Good luck and Godspeed."

The Archangel began to inch forward, slowly cruising at three knots. It took the massive vessel two minutes to clear the doors, and it gradually disappeared in the dark waters. Kisaka and the control room crew followed its progress from a passive sonar display for a silent five minutes, and the carrier's signal weakened until it vanished completely.

"There goes our last, best hope for peace, ladies and gentlemen," Kisaka whispered. "May it succeed in its quest and not be swallowed by the chaos that awaits it."