Author's Notes:

I'm glad you liked my last chapter, which was like a comeback for me. I really had a hard time choreographing the combat scenes; I didn't have any reference and research material on how that goes, except for the anime episodes, so thanks to those who said I did a great job making it work.

Sorry about the cliffhanger, but that part was essential to the story. Like some people said, I've been trying to work this story out in chapters designed to play out like a episode in the anime series, so I hope you don't mind that something like that happens once in a while. I apologize to those I may have inadvertently given a heart attack or a stroke, but isn't the suspense exciting? 

Please bear with me if it sometimes takes a long time for me to update. I really want to write a good story for you, and that's why I put effort into the small details. But that makes it harder to write, and if you notice my chapters are in the average of 11,000 words per. So it's kinda takes a long time to finish. I promise, however, that it won't take another three months to finish a chap, you could bet on that. Probably a week per chapter; two weeks at the most.

Once more thanks for reading this fanfiction, and I hope you enjoy this new chapter.

SEED Mode On!


Disclaimers:

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


Phase Ten: TheTerror In The SouthernSky


ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom

Somewhere Over The South Pacific

January 3, CE 75

The Phoenix remained motionless and silent, and remained that way for some time. Suddenly the right hand went up, its beam rifle pointed directly at the Strike Freedom's cockpit. Kira was caught unawares by the sudden movement, and was still frozen in place as a green beam flared from the end of the rifle barrel directly towards him. Alarm klaxons were screaming inside the Strike Freedom, giving warning to Kira of the impending doom that was about to befall him.

But the hammer blow never came. The beam passed dangerously close to the side of the Strike Freedom, grazing within meters of the left side of the mobile suit's head. The beam continued its deadly path beyond Kira's machine, finally striking dead center on the chest of a black mobile suit four hundred meters away. The beam caused an eruption of fire upon impact, but the extra energy did not die out, penetrating through the chest and cockpit area of its victim, and coming out of the main thrusters on its back. Secondary explosions peppered the doomed raider, culminating in one massive one that sealed the fate of the black machine.

Kira watched momentarily as the debris of the dead raider fell from the sky, before he turned his attention back to the Destiny Phoenix. The mobile suit was still silent, hovering a hundred meters away from Kira, as if flexing its strength to the Strike Freedom, delivering a message to Kira that it had just saved him from certain death, but in the same time it had the power to kill him without question. Not that I really needed another reminder, Kira thought, remembering the death of the Freedom from Shinn's hands. Seconds later Shinn's face appeared on an MFD, and the red-eyed Coordinator spoke up to Kira in thinly veiled, threatening tone.

"Just like you said, Yamato - always keep your eyes open." The line was cut and the Phoenix Destiny blasted pass Kira before he could say anything. Kira watched Shinn go after the other surviving enemies. The raiders were trying to break away, realizing the futility of continuing this battle. But Shinn didn't relent, and with horrified eyes Kira watched the Phoenix Destiny hunt down mercilessly the beleaguered enemy, cutting them down from the air with a barrage of beam fire and cutting flights of boomerangs.

Kira saw the Infinite Justice chase the Phoenix, trying to head it off from continuing its blood spree. But the Phoenix just kept on avoiding it with ease, and kept of gunning down its victims. Kira heard Athrun's loud cries over the net. "Stop it, Shinn! They're already retreating. They've already given up!" But Athrun's pleas fell unto deaf ears, as the Phoenix continued its butchering of the helpless raiders. This went on for a few minutes, until finally the last victim fell, and Kira could now take his eyes away from the horror he had just witnessed.

Kira flew to Athrun's side, and opened a line to him. "Are you alright?"

Athrun's face looked stunned. "Hai. I'm fine," he whispered, not really meaning what he just said.

"I think we should go back," Kira suggested. "There's no way to find out where they came from now."

Athrun nodded, an angry look replacing the horror that was bleeding away. "I'm sorry, Kira. I should have been watching over Shinn. I never imagined he'd do such a thing."

Kira kept his eyes on Shinn, who had just stopped and was hovering. "Iie. It's not your fault. And I can't blame Shinn either. Given how much he hates me, I'm lucky he even saved me."


Barracuda-class Submersible Carrier Piranha

Somewhere Beneath The South Pacific

January 3, CE 75

The submarine's captain watched grimly as emergency signals from the Wraith squadron flared the suddenly disappeared. With the storm causing problems with their sensor arrays, his crew could not confirm what fate had fallen on their mobile suit pilots. The Piranha picked up the last signals over eighty miles out, but not their exact locations. But the disappearance of their signals obviously heralded their end.

"We lost all of the signals, Kanchou." His man at the sensors station reported the obvious.

The captain wanted to berate the young crewman, but reined back his anger. He couldn't blame the boy for the deaths of twelve valuable Extended pilots. Extremely valuable ones, he corrected himself. There was not enough trained Extended that were ready for combat; those capable enough to survive the rigors of flying and fighting in mobile suits, and the audacity to participate in the missions the Wraith organization was in too. A majority of the Extended who died were the ones who pulled off the successful Onogoro raid, with some replacements for Commander Adam and the pilots he took with him back to the mainland. Plus twelve expensive mobile suits, which were a lot more difficult to replace than the pilots.

The captain was a zealot and fanatic to the Cause. He believed in everything their leader said, and had no doubts of their eventual victory in this shadow war they were fighting. But this battle he had witnessed was different from what he expected. He never realized that such an elite force could be wiped out in a matter of minutes by a smaller-sized enemy. He knew the capabilities of the enemy, and he had been trained not to underestimate them. But he never realized that they were this dangerous and terrible.

This was a major defeat for their cause, and for the moment he could do nothing about it. The Piranha was a carrier submarine and not a hunter-killer; she was nothing without her mobile suit squadron, and the captain did not nurture ideas that his ship could go toe-to-toe with the Archangel. He had no other options now but to retreat. He turned to his executive officer. "Secure from battle stations. Prepare to dive from periscope depth. Bring us down to four hundred meters. Set a course of one-one-five degrees, speed of eight knots. Plot a course for home."

"But Kanchou, the squadron could still be–"

"The squadron has been destroyed, Commander," the captain interrupted his exec. "They are dead, all of them. We drew the enemy to an ambush but they escaped and destroyed our force." The captain headed for the hatch leading out of the submarine's control center. "We have been defeated, and we cannot engage the enemy in our state. We will report their current position and return to our base to replenish, and I will face the Master to report our defeat and ask for forgiveness for our failure personally."


Archangel

Somewhere In The South Pacific

January 3, CE 75

Kira saw that Athrun was waiting for him at the foot of the Strike Freedom. He looked impatient and angry, and Kira had a good idea why. He knew he was not the reason why his best friend was currently in this state of mind, but he was still wary to approach him. He was looking so scary that it even terrified Meyrin, who standing close by, apparently having finished her bridge shift after Kira landed, and waiting for and anxious about Athrun. Lacus was also waiting for them, standing beside Meyrin, and she gave a danger signal with a shake of her head that Kira had better keep quiet before Athrun for now.

It was obvious that Athrun didn't notice the two were there, which said a lot about his current emotional state. His angry features didn't change as Kira stepped off the lift cable and stood in front of him. "Let's go," was all he said, as he stalked off in the direction of the pilot's ready room, with Meyrin silently in his wake. Lacus sighed as she and Kira fell in behind the pony-tailed CIC officer.

The four reached the ready room, and went inside. Only two persons were inside; Mu-san was still in sickbay being checked out for his sprained shoulder. A thoroughly exhausted Dearka was slumped on one of the room's sofas, and Shinn, who was storing his flight helmet inside an open locker. The red-eyed pilot stopped what he was doing as soon as he heard them enter.

"Shinn, I want to speak to you," Athrun said, without preamble.

Shinn didn't face them, but tossed his helmet roughly into the locker, and began to get out of his flight suit. He did, however, acknowledge Athrun's cold entrance with his own grimness. "Do you have a problem with me, Zala?"

"You're damn right I do! Why did you do that?"

At this point Dearka had woken up, and eyeing both pilots warily. Shinn kept his attention to Athrun, and gave him a questioning look, as if he was oblivious to what Athrun meant. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kira could feel Athrun's anger close to spilling over. Like Meyrin he was getting worried; he had never seen Athrun this angry before. He was now shouting harshly at Shinn. "I really didn't want to talk to you about that reckless stunt you pulled with Kira, but why didn't you just capture those raiders? They were already beaten, Shinn! But no, you had to shoot all of them down! We could have captured some of them! Or we could have followed them to their ship! They might have surrendered to us! But you had to kill them all!"

Shinn was not showing any sign that he was intimidated with Athrun. Instead, he looked more defiant, as if this had happened between them a few times before. "So?"

Athrun was seething. "You stupid idiot! They were retreating and giving up the fight!" Meyrin had already mustered some courage to hold him back, but Athrun struggled out of her weak grip, slowly moving threateningly towards Shinn. "They weren't fighting back! You slaughtered them!"

Shinn slammed the locker door, which swung back from the force of the push. He had a look that could kill as he started to meet Athrun halfway. "Why do you care? We all had to kill during the time of war." He nodded to Kira's direction. "Even your show-off, murderer friend understands what I did. He even probably relishes it."

Kira heard a cry from his back, and just remembered the Lacus was there too. She had covered her mouth in her shock, and her face was so pale she looked like a ghost. Before Kira could say or do something, Athrun had launched himself at Shinn, and both men sprawled into the floor in a heap.

Everyone froze with surprise at the scene, and it took a second before anyone could react. Kira was the first to move, reaching out for Athrun, who had just punched Shinn in the nose. Kira grabbed hold of Athrun with both hands and pulled his angry best friend away from the fracas. Dearka caught Shinn before his head hit the floor, and pinned him down as he struggled to charge Athrun back. Kira pushed Athrun to the opposite wall, where Meyrin held him back and pleaded for him to calm down. Kira stood in between him and Shinn, who had stopped struggling, but laughing maniacally on the floor. Blood was flowing from Shinn's nostrils.

"Shinn – " Kira started, but the black-haired Coordinator cut him off.

"If you want a piece of me Yamato, then take your best shot." Shinn had stopped laughing, and was eyeing Kira with a murderous gaze.

"Why you son of a –", Athrun started, as he shifted his weight to lunge once more at Shinn, but Meyrin held him firmly and Kira blocked his way.

"It's alright, Athrun," Kira said softly to his friend, who reluctantly stopped, but kept his eyes locked on Shinn. But Shinn's red eyes wasn't looking back at him; it was now locked on Kira's purple ones, and both held there gaze for several silent minutes, and Kira sensed that everyone else was holding their breath, waiting for the first one to break the stare. Kira felt Lacus edge nearer behind him, while Dearka was tensing preparing to hold Shinn back should it come to a fight between the two. Shinn's fists were clenched, cocked to strike should he reach Kira.

It was Kira who made the first move, and it was something nobody in the room was expecting. He took one step forward and placed himself in the middle of the room, stood straight in attention, and bowed.

It was a deep bow, as a sign of respect that he knew Shinn would understand. And Shinn looked like he did, because Kira could see from the corner of his eyes that the evil stare Shinn had was gone, replaced by one of unexpected surprise.

"W-what are you doing, Yamato?" Kira heard Shinn croaked in a breaking voice. Kira held his bow, and answered Shinn in a very soft whisper that everyone had to strain their ears to hear what he was saying.

"I'm thanking you, Shinn, for saving my life out there."

Shinn was totally confused. "But I could have –"

Once more he was cut off by Kira's soft reply. "I know what you were going to say, Shinn, that you could have killed me as easy as saving me. I understand that. And I accept that."

Athrun was shaking his head in disbelief. Meyrin looked awestruck. Dearka was watching both men carefully. Lacus wanted to take hold of Kira to stop from bowing, but was holding herself back.

Shinn, however, was totally speechless. Kira took his silence as an opportunity to continue what he wanted to say. "I know you're confused, but here me out. The world could is falling into chaos as we speak, but we have to power to do something about it. But in order for us to succeed, we must be united. But I understand that there are things between us that have to be settled before that could happen, or we will only fail."

"That's why I am doing this, Shinn. I am humbling myself in front of you so that you would understand. I know I have done you wrong in the past, and for that I apologize." Kira paused to let his words sink with Shinn. "I ask for your forgiveness for all the wrongs I have done to you - for killing Stellar Louisser; for not stopping your friend Rey and Gladys-Kanchou and letting them die; for the death of your family. I don't relish the fact that it happened, and I'm accepting the responsibility for them. You said I took your life away. In return, I offer you mine."

"Kira – "Athrun was saying, but once more a hand gesture from Kira stopped him. Lacus was sobbing. Shinn, however, finally got his head cleared, and got up to his feet. He stood over Kira, and shouted down at him in a very angry, but confused voice.

"Damn you, Yamato. Why are you doing this? Why are you doing this to me?"

Kira sighed before he continued on, not moving from his bow. "Because I want this to end. This vendetta of yours is only taking us farther from where we have to go, and sending us down the path that will destroy us all. We cannot save our chosen future by living in the past. So if it means that I have to die for you to soothe your thirst for vengeance, then I will." Kira paused, his last words ringing like thunder.

Kira tilted his eyes slightly so that he could see into Shinn's. "As long as you promise me, no, you promise yourself, that you would find a way to protect the future for everyone in this world, Natural or Coordinator, and not to let it fall into the spiral of chaos and hate again."

Kira looked down once more. "We owe it to those who want to live in a better future. We owe it to those who lost their lives meaninglessly in the madness of the past. And we owe it to those who died fighting for this present we have been given to protect."

Once more, the room fell silent, and nobody moved or said anything for several moments. After what felt like a lifetime, Kira saw Shinn shuffle back, then straighten up once more. Shinn quickly walked past him, and ran out of the door as soon as it opened up into the Archangel's corridors. Kira waited for the door to close before he straightened up from his bow.

He turned to his friends. Kira saw Lacus crying on one of the sofas, with Meyrin comforting her quietly. The red-haired girl nodded to her, assuring Kira that she would take care of Lacus for him. Dearka was looking at him with a wistful stare.

Athrun strode purposely towards him and looked him in the eye. "Tell me why you did that, Kira."

Kira sighed. "I had to, Athrun. I had try and reach out to him. Or in the end, this madness will just kill us all." Kira glanced sadly at Lacus, who was being led out of the ready room by Meyrin.

"I don't want anyone to cry anymore."


Mu sat quietly on the edge of the bed, gingerly stretching his sore muscles. The ship's doctor had just finished putting his sprained left arm on a sling, and had just stepped out of the sickbay. Murrue was still speaking to Dearka on the video screen, and Mu could she her frown becoming more pronounced. Mu couldn't here what they were talking about; Murrue had taken to use the handset to mute out the audio from the other inhabitants of the room. But from her looks and the one from the blond Coordinator, Mu figured it was not good.

Finally Murrue concluded her talk, and put the handset back on its cradle. She turned her frowning face at Mu as the video screen shut off. Mu didn't like that look in Murrue, especially if it was directed to him. "Uh, what did I do now?" he asked sheepishly.

Murrue sighed; to Mu she looked like she deflated. She sat down beside him, closing her eyes and resting her head on his right shoulder. Mu could feel her trying to calm her breathing, and waited for her to speak.

"It's not you, dummy. Something's happened between Shinn and Kira, again." She repeated what Dearka told her on what happened in the pilot's ready room. As he heard the details, Mu couldn't help but chuckle. Murrue instantly stood up straight, and glared at him. "What are you so amused about?"

"That kid," Mu said, grinning. Murrue knew he meant Kira. "He never fails to amaze me." He shook his head at wonderment.

Suddenly Murrue gave Mu a swat on the head. "Oww! What was that for?"

"For being an idiot," she answered, glaring at him angrily. "How could you think this is funny?"

Mu closed his eyes and sighed. He should have expected Murrue would be that concerned about the young Coordinator pilots. She had taken them under her wing, in a motherly or elder sister kind of way. Regardless of if they didn't get along or were enemies at the start, event, Murrue afforded the young men the respect they deserved, and eventually they came to trust her.

Murrue was trying her best to make Shinn feel accepted, but though there were signs that he was opening up to them, this last incident was a sign that he was still holding on to some lingering hatred for Murrue's group. And it had affected her deeply, Mu was sure of that, and Mu knew he had step a bit overboard with his attempt to lighten things up. He stood up and held Murrue close with his uninjured arm. "Gomen."

Murrue nodded. "Yeah, I know. It's just so frustrating. We thought we had a breakthrough with him, but it seems –" Once more she rested her head on his shoulder.

Mu grabbed her shoulder and started to lead her out of the room. "C'mon. Let's debrief them."

Murrue looked him over worriedly. "But you're hurt," she said. "Why don't you stay here first? I can handle it."

But Mu didn't give in. "Iie. I know we're all tired after the fight, but a sprain won't keep me here in the sickbay long. I'll go with you to the debriefing then get some rest in my room. I promise, Murrue."

Murrue gave him a tired nod. "Let's go."


They reached the conference room after asilent walk. Mu automatically took note of the somber mood of its occupants. Dearka was leaning on a wall, and nodded to Mu in greeting. Lacus looked like she had cried her eyes puffy and red. She seemed to be in the verge of collapse, much more than the others, but either her remaining strength or her will was keeping her barely awake. Meyrin hovered near her, ready to give her support, like a true friend would. Athrun was engrossed with something on his laptop, ignoring their arrival, angrily hammering away on its keyboard. Kira sat beside him, his purple eyes deep in thought. Kira looked at them as Mu and Murrue sat down, but said nothing.

"Tell me what happened out there," Murrue said without preamble, starting the de-briefing.

"We got jumped," Athrun began, taking it upon him to report for the whole team. The others kept to their silence. Athrun continued his report, narrating everything that happened in the mobile suit battle, including Shinn's erratic behavior after Kira arrived to support them. "I mean, he had been performing well till that point. He was doing cooperative tactics with me effectively. But after Kira showed up, he just went crazy." He told them about Shinn's uncontrolled brutality when he finished off the retreating raiders. "If we could have captured even one, we could have used the information on our mission. But he had to cut them all down! He's just –", Athrun shook his head in frustration. "He's just…"

Murrue nodded sympathetically. "I understand how you feel, Athrun-kun. But eventually those raiders would have killed themselves than be captured. Shinn just took it to the extreme. You had every right to feel angry."

Athrun looked at Murrue. "I'm sorry about how I acted back in the ready room. And I'm asking forgiveness for Shinn as well. I was the one who asked him to join us and he's my responsibility."

"You did nothing wrong, Athrun-kun," Murrue replied. "We were right to trust Shinn-kun, and he is the best choice for the job, but we have to realize that he still has some things he has to work out. And it's not going to be easy for him, especially here on the Archangel. Too many bad memories, I suppose." Mu watched as Murrue looked at everyone in the room. "Each one of us, with the probable exception of Dearka-san, had an adverse influence on him. Although I applaud all your efforts to reach out to him, please remember to be patient with him."

Everyone nodded affirmative.

"Any news on where those raiders came from, Kanchou?" Dearka asked, attempting to change the topic.

"Iie. We began trying to find out if there's a carrier or a submarine out there that could carry them after you and Kira cleared the skies around the Archangel." Murrue brought up flight data and gun-camera videos of their mobile suits up on the main screen on the conference room wall. "If your combat data is correct, we were up against a dozen raiders - that's two squadrons worth of mobile suits using EA force structures, three squadrons in ZAFT parlance. Based on known capital ship designs, both sides don't have any ocean-going vessel large enough to carry such a force. The EA's Tarawa-class carrier can carry six mobile suits, same goes with ZAFT's Vosgulov-class submarine."

"Reports we got before we left Orb indicates that the EA has carrier battlegroups in the South Pacific, but losses in the last war left them operating only one carrier per group. And I don't think they'll move two carriers to take us on, what with the instability in the USSA plus the dangers of operating carriers in a storm."

Athrun nodded understanding, before he faced his compatriot in the former La Crueset team. "What about ZAFT? What do you know, Dearka?"

Mu watched Dearka as he shuffled his feet, obviously uneasy about having to share information he wasn't sure he could give. "I'm not updated about our deployments in the South Pacific, nor am I not sure I could tell you everything." He looked at Murrue for understanding, and he was rewarded with a nod.

"The South Pacific is under the command of Carpentaria Base, as is the South American sector. From what I know of their force composition, they only have one Vosgulov patrolling this area, and no surface forces. ZAFT and the EA has an understanding that the USSA is an internal matter of the Earth Alliance, and that ZAFT won't interfere directly. And there are only two ships that I know that's capable of carrying that large a mobile suit force and operate in Earth's oceans: this ship, and the Minerva."

Mu contemplated what Dearka had said. It coincided with what Terminal already knew. And Murrue didn't reveal their knowledge of the unknown contact the Vosgulov had detected on these waters.

Murrue, however, made her next line of questioning less revealing of that fact. "What about a new class of ship - something large enough to carry twelve suits and enough stealth to escape detection?" She asked to know one in particular.

Mu watched Dearka's reaction, but his reaction was stone cold. It's either he has no knowledge of this kind of information, or Dearka was really a very good poker player. Better not play cards with him.

It was Athrun who answered the question, not Kira, who was the one who told Murrue and him about the strange submarine detected by the Vosgulov. "That's a possibility we can't dismiss. From what we know about the raiders, they have access to very advanced military technology and possible production facilities. We have to consider the existence of new capital ship out there, plus another one in space that they probably used to attack the Archangel and the Minerva."

Everyone fell into an uneasy silence, thinking about what Athrun had concluded.

Mu took the chance to change the subject. "So what did we find out? What did we get from the transfer?"

"Before that," Athrun interrupted. "I want to know how the raiders knew we were here. Sumimasen, Taisa, but I think that is more important for the moment." He glanced down at his laptop. "I've been making some checks on my own, and I may have found something interesting. I'm not sure about this; I think we should have Chandra-san and Meyrin take a look at it."

"What did you find?" Mu asked.

Athrun typed in a few commands, and the contents of the laptop was projected on the main wall screen. "I think it has something to do with our transmission. I checked the frequency of the transfer pulse, and it looked normal. But I noticed that after the pulse reached the satellite, the return pulse was delayed than normal. Lacus couldn't have noticed it at once, unless we were expecting such a possibility."

"I checked the protocols, and the return should have been instantaneous. But from where I see it, the satellite may have initiated some other subroutine of programming before sending back," Athrun sat back on his chair, and scratched his head. "I can't be certain unless I see the schematics for the satellite's systems, and Meyrin's a lot better than I am when it comes to communications systems." Athrun smirked at Meyrin. Mu could see from the corner of his eyes the redness in the red-haired girl's face growing from Athrun's compliments.

Murrue thought over what Athrun had said. "What about the ship? Isn't it possible that there might be something, or someone, that initiated that compromised transfer?"

Athrun nodded, and from her the look on her face, Mu knew Murrue didn't like that answer. "We'll have to assume that, Kanchou. It's a highly likely scenario. It's one of the options we have to look deep into. Someone could have tampered with our system as a means for the raiders to track us. Again I am not sure of this, but this method is ingenious."

Murrue looked grim. "So what you're saying, Athrun-kun, is that we may have a possible traitor aboard the ship? Someone may have betrayed us?"

Athrun hesitated. Mu saw from his blue eyes that he was calculating his response carefully. "Hai, Kanchou. It's a possibility we can't dismiss."

"What about the status of the transmission we received?" Murrue turned to Lacus.

The pink haired girl shrugged. "It's still being decrypted by Chandra-san, and he's looking over its integrity."

"Do you think it was compromised?"

It was Athrun who answered the question. "Iie. I'm fairly positive the transmission to us was safe. I can't say about the contents though. We have wait till Chandra-san reports."

"Very well. I guess that should cover everything for now. We'll have our next conference at twenty-one hundred hours. For now, get some rest everyone. Meyrin-kun, please inspect the communication protocols with Chandra-san on your next shift. That's all. Dismissed."


As everyone filed out of the room, Mu included, he noticed Murrue didn't move from his seat. She called out to Kira, who had said nothing in the entire meeting, and asked him to stay. Mu eyed her, but she indicated that she didn't need him to stay. An elder-sister-younger-brother talk huh? Mu watched Kira sit down, his eyes revealing nothing. Guess I have to leave that to you, love.

"You want to talk about it, Kira-kun?" Murrue asked the young man, as soon as the door hissed closed.

He shrugged. "There isn't really anything to talk about, Murrue-san. Things just happened."

Murrue swiveled her chair to face away from him. "You really didn't need to do that to Shinn, Kira-kun."

"Iie. I had to start making amends to him - for the good of group."

"The group?" Murrue stared into Kira's eyes.

Kira broke the gaze and closed his eyes, a smile forming on the edges of his lips. "You know me very well, Murrue-san. I should have realized you'd know how I feel."

Murrue nodded solemnly. "You're doing this for yourself. To ease whatever pain you feel."

"I know I sound selfish, but that's the truth. I don't want people to cry anymore because of whom I am and what I have done."

Murrue leaned turned towards the conference table and leaned forward, resting her weary head on her open palms. "We're not sure you were the cause of all his suffering, Kira-kun."

Kira shifted from his stance and began to head for the door. He stopped just as he passed Murrue and patted her on the shoulder. "Thanks for saying that, Murrue-san. I know you mean well. But I know I had something do with it. And being human, I'm affected as well." Kira left the room silently, leaving Murrue to contemplate the most recent events alone.


Raider Base

Location Unknown

January 3, CE 75

Delia Samson shivered under her parka as the gust from the VTOLs engines blew the cold air and snow around her. The aircraft that had carried Adam and his team back from the Barracuda was landing on the short airfield their group had carved on the side of this snow-capped mountain. Reports of the team success had reached them a day before, and that the initial studies of the information they acquired was favorable.

She knew she didn't have to meet him as soon as he landed, but the other project Adam had ordered her to study, based on the Pharaoh's gift for him, was very revealing and she was excited to share her initial findings. But now she was regretting having to watch the VTOL's arrival at these extreme weather conditions. A blizzard was blowing through the mountain range, and pounding their base with tons of snow. Her parka was not helping her warm down, even the heat from the VTOL's engines wasn't giving her much relief. But to Delia, the cold was much more bearable than the unease she felt from her companion, who was waiting for Adam's arrival with more longing than she did.

The Pharaoh's daughter stood beside her, braving the cold wearing only the black pilot's jump suit she had come to prefer. Isis watched as Adam and the others stepped out of the VTOL's hatched, and broke into wide smile as she dashed towards the brown haired pilot and grabbed him with a hug. Delia fought from breaking out into a grin in amusement, as Adam tried to get loose from the golden-haired teenager's grip. Isis eventually let go of him, and was satisfied to follow him as Adam walked over to Delia. Adam's three other Extended pilots, a pair of twins and another golden-haired girl, followed silently, revealing nothing of how they saw the scene that had just happened.

Adam walked pass Delia, deigning to greet her. "What do you have?" was all he said. Delia fell in step with Isis, who seemed annoyed that she followed them. The six walked deeper into the main hanger of the base, away from the cold of the outside world. They just reached the lift and got into it when Delia said her first words.

"First off, I would like to congratulate you, Adam, for a successful mission. The Master also sends word, and hopes you could visit him to make your report." Delia saw that Isis screwed her face more, with Delia's breaking the news of the Pharaoh's summons. Delia ignored her. "I'll order the engineers to begin study of the data you recovered immediately, so that we could design our parts for the prototypes as soon it's possible."

"The data is usable," Adam replied. "I suggest we use ZAFT data that Azrael acquired in the First War and integrate them. We could use existing ZAFT designs and reverse-engineer them. That would make application easier and faster."

The door to the lift opened as they reached the main living level of the base. Adam dismissed his three pilots, who saluted him and walked away quietly. Adam tried to shoo the Pharaoh's daughter away, but Isis was adamant to stay.

"Why can't I be with you, Adam?" Isis pouted. "You've been away for some time and I missed your presence."

Adam looked at her angrily. "Because what I need to do is more important, Lady Isis - your father's wishes come first."

Isis tried to respond, but the look on Adam's face stopped her. "Very well, I guess you are right. But I you can't stay away from me forever, Adam. I am my father's daughter and I can do what I want," she said with a barely veiled threat. She stepped back into the lift. "Maybe I could see you later - tonight, if you like." The door closed in front of her, as the lift headed deeper into the installation.

Now that they were alone, Delia broke out in laughter. It was a mocking laugh, calculated to infuriate and annoy Adam, as she had done all those years to the serious young man. "What are you laughing about, woman?"

Delia stopped laughing, but the smile that was left on her lips was just as irritating to Adam. "Because, my dear, for all your genius and strengths, you still can't seem take grasp of the diplomatic. Good relations with your Master and his kin are paramount to your success."

"Bah," Adam waved her comments off. "I can deal with the Master and his wishes. At least his goals are clear. But that girl-"

"-Is the Master's daughter. Never forget that, Adam." Delia reminded him, as they entered her office. She walked over to her table and sat down on her seat. "Please take a seat."

But Adam kept standing. "The results, Dr. Samson."

Delia sighed and opened a cabinet on her table, which held her personal safe. She opened the safe and took out the binder that held the documents the Pharaoh had given Adam during his last visit to him. He hand immediately handed off the file to Delia for study, and seeing Adam's excitement about the Pharaoh's gift, she began to work on it after Adam and his team left for Gibraltar.

She glanced at the numbers on the cover of the binder, and opened them to were she left additional notes she had annotated. "My initial estimates are correct. The subject discussed here was the only officially accepted one to be called a success for the project. The numbers all indicate improvements from the initial subjects, while retaining the norms for neural activities for human beings. The enhancements are a mix of the standardized one available in the PLANTs or in Coordinator-friendly nations, but there are some others that are remarkable and revolutionary, unlike those I have encountered in the past."

"The revolutionary techniques provided for the development of the subject were beyond my time. The end result was close to perfect, but from first look, the statistics shows that successful subject was no different from the failed ones, with no significant increase in performance, except for some mental areas, which proved that the subject was more mentally stable."

"So does that mean the other subjects are mentally unstable?"

Delia couldn't help notice the hint of fear coming from Adam's voice as he spoke. "Iie. I said that the subject was more stable than others, especially in his mental calculations and decision making, but it does not mean the others are unstable."

"Although considered a failure, the project had produced several successful subjects, rather than the only one they accepted officially as a success, as we both know and have evidence of. The grants the project received from its generous donor had borne fruit, in fact many of them. As for the fate of the other subjects, we can only speculate."

"What about the other project?"

Delia hesitated. She didn't want to open that topic for now. "We are still on the testing stages, Adam. The design of the nanotechnology is so complex that the machines are very advanced but very fragile. The life expectancy for the system if so short that its still not feasible for its designed mission."

"Is there nothing else you can do to speed it up?" Adam asked. "With the data we acquired the development of the delivery platforms can be accelerated."

"Iie. We are working as fast as my scientists and biomechanical engineers can."

"Work faster, mother." Adam demanded. "What with this situation brewing in the USSA, the opportunity to spread more chaos in the world has increased tenfold. And I intend to exploit it. And with the studies you are undertaking and the applications of its results, nothing can stand in my way."


Onogoro Airbase

Onogoro Naval Base

Onogoro Island

Orb Union

January 3, CE 75

It was chilly that early evening, as Cagalli was about to step out of the supersonic transport that she flew from Oslo. She thanked the head stewardess for the pleasant flight, and shook hands with the aircraft's captain. Cagalli stepped into the cold night, and was greeted by the applause and loud cheers from supporters who were waiting for her on the airfield's tarmac, the mass of people waving flags of Orb framed by the lights of news cameras and the airfield's facilities.

Carefully, she walked down the mobile ladder and unto the tarmac. Although the wounds she received in the Oslo attack completely healed, the doctors wanted her to ease up on her activities and not to strain herself. Normally Cagalli would have rebelled, but seeing that she was lucky to have lived through the experience almost unscathed, she tried to do whatever the doctors, whose skill saved her life, asked. Thus she took extra precautions in her mobility, much to the happiness of her aides, who was used to strong-willed and independent, mobile woman.

As she reached the tarmac, Cagalli turned to the young lieutenant of the Orb Defense Force Naval Command that had received and saluted her. She looked the officer over, and though they were kept hidden by some copious amounts of makeup, the traces of scars from the injuries this young man had received in his defense of the Onogoro Base that happened simultaneously with Oslo. That this man had risked his life to protect others and still stand strong and tall for his head of state gained him Cagalli's respect, which she showed by the crisp salute she returned his with. The young officer led Cagalli towards a small, raised platform with Orb's flag flying on a pole, and both stood in attention, leading the gathered crowd in the playing of the island country's national anthem.

As soon as the music from the brass band ended, and another round of applause died away, Cagalli took her place on a podium beside the pole. And with a voice full of strength and pride for her beloved country, once more the Chief Representative of Orb spoke to her people.

"My fellow citizens of Orb," she began, nodding to the ranks of officials and well-wishers. "Tonight I have returned to our homeland, after surviving the viciousness of a vile attack on my peers. The my peers and I were working for the peace of the world was of no consequence to whoever instigated the evil that has befallen our brothers in Oslo, and took the lives of leaders of the world whose only objective was an end to the violence that had shadowed over the world for the past year."

"As Oslo burned, I survived due to the efforts of brave rescue personnel. Oslo's doctors saved me from certain death, so I thank them gratefully. But my relief at my survival was broken by the news of a more violent attack in my homeland. I grieve for the lost lives of those brave defenders of our beloved country who gave their lives protecting our homes and families. And as I grieve for them, I wish to honor them. I wish to honor their memories by taking care of their families, of giving hope and security to their children, by raising their names to the pedestal of heroes that Orb is known to father."

"To them, we should give our thanks. For without them, then Orb would have burned more and more would have been lost. Their sacrifice gave us new hope to live better lives, but I so wish that their lives will be the last ones sadly lost. We need to continue on for them. To do our part in building a world were all men, be a Natural or Coordinator, could live with the best of his abilities, and be happy."

"My father once said to me that fighting could only bring hatred between men. That if one strikes down another out of hatred, the family of that one will hunt down his hunt in his own shroud of hatred. And from this hatred, chaos will again dominate our world. Let us not let our hatred and yearning for vengeance drive us to embrace chaos again. Let us find a way to the light of peace, freedom, justice and equality that all men wish to have."

"And Orb is finding its way. We have successfully signed the Oslo Treaty, even though evil men tried to derail it, the spirit of Oslo still lives. With the agreement we have entered a new era of cooperation with the other nations of the world. With the return of the United Nations, the whole mankind is once more united - united to bring peace and prosperity to all men; united to give security for all to live without fear of hatred and violence; united to bring an end to war."

"But there are something we need to keep; ideals that kept Orb as a shining example for all through the dark days of conflict. We reaffirm the ideals of Orb for neutrality; we shall not partake in war, nor shall we start a war. We will only take arms to defend our lands, as our brave members of the Orb Defense Force have done days ago. But for the sake of our new heroes, we will not forget what happened that day here in Onogoro. I will not forget."

"This is a promise I will keep as long as I live, and as long as Orb stands. I will not forget. Thank you."

Thunderous applause erupted as Cagalli finished her speech. Camera flashes burned once more as she walked down the receiving line and shook hands with dignitaries. Several media people called out her name for questions, but she deigned to answer them, telling them that she would entertain them in the next scheduled press conference.

Finally she reached the end of the receiving line, and approached the waiting limousine she would ride away to the main administrative building. Standing by the door of the vehicle was his military advisor and good friend Ledonir Kisaka, smiling at her while standing in rigid attention in his Orb Defense Force dress uniform. Cagalli returned his salute, and got into the limousine before him and Veronica Hathaway, Cagalli's personal secretary and confidante. She found two other officers, also decked out in dress uniforms, waiting for her inside the vehicle; one she recognized on the spot, the other someone she had not yet met. She took the hand of the one she knew and shook at as she sat on the limousine's seat. "We need to stop meeting like this, Waltfeld-sama."

The scar-faced Coordinator agreed. "It seems that we only meet when there's trouble afoot, Chief Representative."

Cagalli had to laugh. "We have to improve our social calendars, then." She faced the other occupant in the car. "And you are?"

"Chusa Ford Tourneville, Madam Chief Representative," the man with glasses answered. "I am with Military Intelligence, assigned to Chujo Kisaka's staff. I'm here to help the Chujo brief you on the situation."

Cagalli nodded. "Do you have anything new to report? My last brief came twelve hours ago in Oslo."

Tourneville opened his laptop, which showed a new intelligence brief. "Orbital command has received word from the Archangel via the communications satellite we tasked over the South Pacific coast of South America over five hours ago. The ship has reported readiness for the mission, with all their mobile suits finally prepped for action. They will begin reconnaissance of the mainland as soon as we send them word on the next communications window."

"Any indication on how they plan to push through with the recon mission?" Cagalli inquired.

"Iie. I'm certain their waiting for our next update in twenty hours. But given that they already sent out their first transmission that indicates that they are in the position to begin their mission."

"Have they been updated from our side?"

"Hai," Tourneville confirmed. "As per plan, we sent our latest information and strategic intelligence estimate coinciding with their transmission."

Cagalli pondered about what Tourneville said, before turning his attention to Kisaka. "What do you think, Kisaka-sama?"

"Personally I think Kira-sama and Ramius-sama are in a good position to succeed in their mission, and we have mobilized all possible assets in the area in support - its all down timing and implementation on their part."

"Timing is becoming critical, Chief Representative," Waltfeld added. "With the recent raid on Gibraltar, the raiders are becoming more aggressive. And from what I heard from my contacts in Europe, ZAFT has taken quite a blow. They are checking what they lost and re-assessing their security,"

"What are the chances of success for the Archangel's part, Shousa?" Veronica asked, speaking for the first time.

The Desert Tiger smiled at Cagalli's beautiful green haired secretary. Cagalli knew Andrew Waltfeld to be somewhat of a Don Juan, and would use his wits and rugged looks to charm beautiful young women to approve of what he said. But she also knew that her friend Veronica could hold her ground.

"I believe they have a reasonable chance, Ms. Hathaway. I can fill everyone in here of their initial plan, as long as everyone hear is cleared."

Cagalli answered that with a nod. It took three minutes for Waltfeld to fill them in. "I know it's still shaky, but we're doing everything we can to provide support."

"Whose idea is this?" Cagalli had to ask, even though she dreaded the answer.

Tourneville kept silent, wanting to keep out of this. Waltfeld grinned but said nothing. It was Kisaka who answered for them. "It's Kira's and Athrun's idea."

Cagalli blinked. That wasn't the answer she expected, thinking it was his brother or Taisa La Flaga alone who thought about this crazy mission, but Athrun too? She was already uncomfortable with Athrun's idea to bring in Shinn Asuka, and she was worried for him when he left with the Archangel, but this plan of his was way out on the limb. She looked at Waltfeld incredulously. The Coordinator had the grace to lose the smile before he explained why Athrun planned it this way. "He's got some good ideas and a much more reasonable tactics than Kira would have. And I've made sure to help them in my own inimitable way."

Cagalli sighed, as the limousine was nearing the Administrative Building. As much as he loved Athrun, she had come to be wary of lame-brained ideas he and his brother had hatched in the past years. But deep inside, she had to admit that between those two and the rest of the Archangel crew, they were the best hope for Orb and the world now.

As long as they don't get caught - or Orb will be in a lot of trouble. I hope whatever Waltfeld-sama is thinking could keep them safe.

"I guess we just have to support them. Given the neutrality stance we have to keep, all of our hopes once more are in the hands of those two idiots."


Forward Deployment Base

USSA Army

Twelve Miles East of Manaus

Amazonas Sector

Brazil State

United States of South America

January 3, CE 75

Miriallia woke suddenly at loud rumbling sound that had roughly shaken the field tent that was her accommodation in this base. The orange-haired news photographer took a moment to regain her balance, before she slowly got up from her bunk and stretched. She checked her watch and saw that it was close to six in the evening; she had stayed up the night before, monitoring the news reports coming from the satellite TV, and those filtering in from the occupied north, and as result had slept through most of the day.

The stories were grim; the successful and brutal assassination of the puppet government's highest leader had drawn the anger of the Atlantic Federation overlords who ruled from Cali, and the reports of crackdown on known opposition leaders and Resistance cells were increasing in number and level of brutality. But what was more troubling was the news of a massive mobilization effort, with military forces massing along the Rio Grande line, ready to cross the river into the territories held by the beleaguered United States of South America. Miriallia was knowledgeable with the history of this conflict; it was one of her first assignments when she started becoming a freelance war photographer after the First Bloody Valentine War. She knew the suffering that the people of the free lands of the USSA was still going through, and she feared that things would be a lot more difficult for them should the conflict escalate further.

Washing her face with water from a basin that sat beside her bunk, Miriallia shook the last webs of sleep away. She combed her hair with her hands to groom it a bit, then took off her sleeping clothes and shuffled through her bags for something new to wear. She had taken to wearing practical clothes, especially when in the field. Her tan shirt matched her brown cargo pants, and the gray photographer's vest went over it, giving her ample freedom in movement, plus all the carrying capacity she needed. Stuffing her sleepwear away, she grabbed her clothes bag and her camera bags, which carried her digital cameras and video recorders which she did most of her work with, plus a very old film camera for emergency purposes.

Swinging the flap of the tent, she got out into the sunlight morning and bedlam. The rumbling sounds that Miriallia heard from her tent were the sounds of several army trucks and armored vehicles revving up and moving away from the base. Miriallia watched soldiers and support personnel run all over the place, frantically attending to their duties. She saw a VTOL descend unto the landing pad at the west side of the base, and watched as a GAT-04 Windham launched from nearby to patrol the skies.

Miriallia started to walk around the camp and scanned the placed, before she found where she could go for more information. The blue custom GINN docked on a GUUL lifter was parked alongside the other mobile suits of the Twenty-First Composite Mobile Platoon, and the photographer could pick out its pilot working on its leg actuators. She had come to trust the members of the team in the few days she had spent here interviewing them, and the Coordinator was the easiest to warm up to and approach. She figured that Scott should know a lot more of what's going, and she decided to take a chance and ask him.

"What's going on, Scott-san?" Miriallia asked, as she reached him.

The Coordinator paused before he answered her, looking at the procession with a scared look. "Something's up. We just go word from Division, and they're ordering everyone to full alert."

Miriallia's brows furrowed. "You think it's to start again? The war, I mean."

Scott answered with a nod. "It's inevitable. We've been fighting a war for over two years now, but for most of the last year it's been a stalemate, with the Earth Alliance busy fighting ZAFT. But with the end of that war and the assassination –" Scott gestured at the procession of vehicles.

"Yeah. Now there's nothing to stop the EA from focusing its efforts on you." Miriallia glanced towards the city of Manaus, to the west of this USSA Army encampment. "So what are you guys gonna do about it?"

Scott grinned down at her. "You know I can't say anything about that, Haww-dono. But you could figure that out from all the racket going on here."

Miriallia nodded. She knew that Scott couldn't divulge classified information on their operations, especially to the media. But from what she was seeing, it was plain to see what was going to happen.

War. Again.

"So when are you heading out?"

Scott stopped and scanned the northern horizon of the Brazilias, where the Atlantic Federation military were waiting to pounce on them. "Soon."

Silence fell between them. Miriallia took this chance to look over the Scott's mobile suit. It look like a standard, first generation ZGMF-1017 model, the bane of the Earth Alliance forces in the first year of the First War. Miriallia could still remember those days - her quiet and sheltered existence as engineering student in Heliopolis Colony shattered by surprise attack of ZAFT's La Crueset Team, aiming to steal the prototype OMNI Enforcer mobile suits that the supposedly neutral nation of Orb was secretly making for that power. She could remember the fear she felt that day, as she and her friend were almost killed after being caught in the middle of a mobile suit battle between a GINN like this one and Morganraete's GAT-X105 Strike, only to watch in wonder as the prototype, piloted by her good friend Kira, save them all.

That battle was the beginning of Miriallia's journey through the war and her dawning into adulthood. She experienced a lot of things during her months serving in the Archangel, meeting new lifelong friends, and losing loved ones as well.

She still could see Tolle's face. Her boyfriend would have been a good man had he not become one of the victims of the battlefield. She could still remember his kindness and wit, his dedication to his duty, his courage to fight for his friend as Kira had. When he died she thought she would go insane, driven by the madness to avenge her boyfriend's death, and to seek out the death of one of those who helped killed him.

But Fate had other plans for her. At the moment she was about to thrust the knife into the Coordinator boy's chest, she fortunate that another friend, Sai Argyle, was there to stop her from turning into what she detested the most, a killer. Had Sai not been there, then should have had the Coordinator boy's blood in her hands.

That Coordinator boy…

It was ironic that their meeting could lead to something that she thought to be positive, although fleeting. He had been the enemy, an ally of those who hunted them down and killed Tolle. But outside the cockpit of his mobile suit, Miriallia found Dearka to be another person - although still sarcastic and foolhardy, he could be sensitive and mature when he wanted too. And be caring too.

And he did care for her - he did look after and protected her in waning months of the war, first probably out of guilt for being a conspirator in Tolle's death, but eventually there was something mutual between them. Dearka never openly admitted it, but Miriallia felt that he stuck around because he felt something for her, as much as she felt something growing in her for him. Miriallia wanted to explore these things during the time they spent after the war, and she thought the mutual trust and feelings between the former enemies could blossom into something more.

But things weren't meant to be. Miriallia, after being exposed to the harsh realities of life and war, wanted to do something about. She figured by being a photographer, she could expose the rest of the world to those realities, and they could learn from those mistakes and never commit them again. And she imagined that Dearka would support her, and go with her on her journeys.

And he did support her. He applauded her noble goal in life. But eventually she learned that he couldn't go with her. He had other things he felt he needed to do, first and foremost was to return to the PLANTs and re-enlist. He felt he needed to be in the military to guide them along the true path, and not to stray into war once more.

So they went on there separate ways, but their parting wasn't peaceful. To use her own words, she literally "kicked" Dearka out of her life. They had quarreled that night, both arguing why the other should acquiesce to the needs of the other. In the Miriallia had enough, and, while crying all her sadness out from within her, she dragged Dearka out of her place and told him screaming to never come back. She risked seeing Dearka's grim face from under all her tears, hating him more for showing that he didn't care. But maybe it was her imagination playing, or the wetness of her eyes playing tricks on her vision, but she seemed to see tears coming from the boy's own eyes, as he turned his back on her and walked away into the night.

Things were never the same for them after that night. She packed her bags after saying hurried goodbyes with her confused and worried friends. She only said that she had been given her first assignment as a photographer, that much was true, but she didn't need to leave at once – and she had to go. She left explaining about Dearka in the air. She never explained anything eversince.

For almost two years she journeyed the world, coming to conflict areas that even though not as widespread as the last world war, was just as brutal and bloody. She spent a lot of that time here in the USSA, and was here when the rebellion started. She always came back here between assignments for the major networks, working freelance to document the horrors South America was undergoing.

During those two years, Miriallia came into contact with a lot of people: from the simple folk living out quiet lives, from military men who fought and died for country and cause, from low-life scum who exploited the suffering and profited from it, to powerful politicians whose ideals and self-righteousness were primary catalyst for the suffering of those they supposedly serve.

And from the diversity of cultures, Miriallia came to form new friendships, and even was exposed to friendly attempts to develop more lasting, or intimate, relationships. She endured to through all of them, and expertly avoided getting stuck in their webs. Miriallia first thought that it would be easier not to be committed, especially with people who could die in an instant in these war-torn lands. But though she denied it, Miriallia also knew it was because of the memories of the two men who made a difference in her life, her young boyfriend who died courageously to help protect her and their friends, to the former Coordinator who cared for her so much, but was driven by a noble yet potentially violent cause that she couldn't see her supporting and caring about.

Even after the Second War, during the few days that the Terminal group had met with those from ZAFT who supported their fight against Gilbert Dullindal's Destiny Plan, Miriallia did everything she could to avoid him. Dearka was there, second in command of Yzak Joule's forces, standing nobly in that green uniform, participating actively in the post-war diplomacy between the factions. He looked more matured than before, and from what she head and saw a lot more quiet and introspective. He looked better and friendlier with his Terminal compatriots, but all together avoiding her too, as much as she avoided him.

She felt pain from his ignoring her, something she could explain nor accept. Maybe she had hurt Dearka that much - she couldn't know, nor did she have the courage to find out. But deep inside she wanted to know, but could get herself the courage to see him, to see his hurt face.

So once more she left, and once more she found herself here in the jungles of South America. As she watch and listened to news about the activities of some of her Terminal friends to keep the peace, she kept to herself, not calling on them to keep in touch. She felt her full attention had to be focused with everything that's happening in this war this time around. She felt something was different to this new phase in this conflict. As if the fate of humanity was hanging upon what will happen here.


They came from the north, the sword point of a massive force moving forcefully through the heavens. The four GAT-02L2+AQM/E-A4E1 Dark Daggers were flying along at three top level, away from the main force of over three hundred tactical fighters and mobile suits aggressively patrolling over the area near the north bank of the River, thus attracting the sizable USSA mobile forces to shadow their movements. The nap of the earth flying was to avoid detection of air defense radars the USSA deployed with their anti-aircraft missile artillery. Intelligence indicated one of such radar sets positioned on a hilltop coming within five miles of their flight path, but the attack group was relaying on the darkness and the ground cover to mask their approach.

Their target was not military, but still essential to the war making capabilities of the USSA rebels. At the river harbor near Manaus, lies the USSA last functioning oil refinery and depot. With a capacity of over five hundred million barrels of military grade crude, the Manaus depot was the primary supply point for the USSA Army's conventional forces. With the blockade of the major shipping lanes into the USSA held territories, the USSA had been hoarding all the fuel they could keep for use in war by their forces.

The six months of low intensity conflict had decrease the fuel consumption of the Army, but a full-scale war could eat up the hoarded supplies in a matter of three weeks of sustained heavy fighting. So it was of strategic importance for the USSA to protect the depot to assure their ability to fight in a short war, as it was of strategic importance for the EA to destroy the depot to eliminate the conventional forces of the USSA.

The squadron was tasked to totally destroy the facility and was prepared for it. The Jet Windams carried four Mk785 five hundred fifty pound smart bombs with one hundred twenty-five pound high explosive warheads, weapons designed to penetrate reinforced bunkers fifty feet deep underground, which would be devastating against massive but thin-skinned oil depots. The charges will ignite the depot contents into a great conflagration, eliminating the precious fuel in a matter of hours.

The mission seemed simple enough, but the approach wasn't. The USSA had deployed a sizable air-defense force around the facility, including mobile missile launcher tracks armed with the Mk439 Wurger anti-aircraft missiles. Intelligence also placed a small mobile suit base nearby, ready to scramble its mobile suits to intercept them. But their mission planning had taken this into account, and tasked assets to deal with these threats. And by their mission clocks, their allies were about to engage those threats in a matter of minutes.


"So you got it hot-wired huh?" Miriallia asked Scott.

The brown haired coordinator looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"

Miriallia pointed at the weapons on the right hand of GINN and the GUUL. "Those Type 71s. You got them working?"

Scott scratched the stubble growing underneath her skin. "How'd you know about mobile suit weapons?"

Miriallia had to grin to that. "Long story," she replied non-commitantly. The Coordinator had the grace not to ask about it.

Miriallia wanted to say something else, but the sudden blaring of sirens all over the base caused her to stop in shock. She saw Scott look towards the north, before he turned to her, face ashen in fear. "Get down!"

Miriallia didn't know what was happening, except that she felt Scott's body over her as both fell to the down. She started to protest, but her voice was drowned out by the whining of jet engines and the streaking of high explosive rounds. Miriallia felt the ground shake as explosions blanketed the ground around her. She heard more blasts, and screams as other personnel died being cut down.

The loud noise of the attack died as quickly as it came, and she felt Scott lift himself over her. He knelt above her, and she struggled to stand and see what had happened. At first the dust had blinded her view, but as it settled Miriallia saw the first view of the carnage the sudden attack had dealt them. Several bodies lay mutilated and dead, while some gravely injured people were crying out in agony. A couple of tanks were burning, and a GAT-01 Strike Dagger had toppled over, riddled by large bullet holes, and crushing several tents in the process. Fires were scattered everywhere, and people were just shaking off the shock and reacting to the attack.

Miriallia wanted to run and help with the victims, but Scott held her back and pushed her away from the carnage. "Get to safety now! That Alliance fighter is gonna make another attack run. Get away and go!" As of to validate Scott's claim, she saw a clam-shaped figure darting down from the darkening sky, bearing down on them. A USSA GAT-02L2 Dagger L was firing at it with its beam rifle, the green beams casting an eerie aura in the darkness. The enemy fighter pulled up before it could make an attack run, and Miriallia felt that she was safe for the moment.

She risked a glance at Scott, and saw him climbing into the cockpit of the blue GINN. He saw her looking and waved. Miriallia returned his wave with a nod and thumbs up, before she darted off towards one of the bomb shelters built around the base.

Scott tracked the orange-haired photographer as she disappeared into the shelter. He felt relieved that she was safe and out of the exposed danger zone. He jumped inside his cockpit, and began to strap himself into the seat. The alert status of the base had him wearing his flight suit all day, and he was grateful for that. As soon as he was pat on the seat, Scott began the boot up sequence for the GINN's main computer, and the main screen and instrumentation flared into life. He scanned the area once, and found the rest of the team save for William, was now on their mobile suits, and ready for battle. Scott opened his comlink to his commander for orders.

Michael Ward looked pensive, underneath his black flight helmet. "We're tracking two Euclids, backed up by four Spearheads." The TS-MB1B Euclid was the newest, mass produced, atmospheric combat mobile armor that the EA was fielding, heavy armed with beam weapons and cannons and mounting a positron reflector like the new mobile armor designs, but as fast and maneuverable as standard F-7D Spearhead fighters. They were powerful opponents, and two would be a hard fight for the four mobile suits of the Twenty-First Platoon. That they were deployed to attack them meant that this was a major threat, a possible opening salvo of the larger offensive the USSA was preparing contingencies for.

"We're going up?" Scott asked, although he knew it was a useless question.

"Hai, but just the three of us," Michael replied. "William's Strike Dagger bought it, but he wasn't onboard and he's safe. He's sitting this one out."

Scott saw the fallen mobile suit, bullet holes smoking as it lay on it back on the ground. It didn't really change their chances - the Strike Dagger was not flight capable without a Striker Pack, which was not designed for that type of mobile suit. But with an enemy like a Euclid, they needed all the help they could get.

Scott checked the systems of the GINN. His mobile suit looked intact, with no major damage except for some armor hits on its shoulder and the GUUL lifter system. All in all he was lucky that his ride wasn't badly hit, and fully flight and battle capable. He goosed power into the lifter, and felt the mobile suit shake and soon settled as it lifted out slowly off the ground. As he climbed into the air, he oriented the GINN to the direction of the enemies' last position. He began tracking the skies with his targeting computer, and it tagged six bogies, all out of range of his installed weapons.

Michael's black and red Windam flew on his left, and the two mobile suits joined up with Gunny's Dagger L, who was already engaging the enemy from long range, trying to keep them from closing in on the base. As they approached the other mobile suit, their friend lifted off from the ground and took his place on the Windam's left. Scott listened as he gave orders to his wingman. "Gunny, go around their left and draw those fighters away. I'll go after the mobile armors. Scott, cover me." Scott saw the Dagger L bank sharply eastward, while Michael launched his mobile suit forward. Scott followed at his back, and dropped his started to track the first Euclid with his HUD crosshairs.

At the pull of his primary triggers, Scott fired off a volley of beams from the twin Type 71 beam rifles he custom built unto his modified GUUL subflight lifter. Though his aim was true, his attack was rendered ineffective by the quick parry from the Euclid's positron reflector; the shimmering energy shield absorbing the force of the green beams. Scott continued to batter the mobile armor with a continuous barrage, but the reflector absorbed all of his attempts. It did, however, allowed Michael to approach it unhindered, and the black Windam got in close enough to use its saber. But the positron reflector once again bore the brunt of the attack, and Michael failed damage the body. An angry burst from one of the Euclid's autocannon forced Michael to back off.

Scott saw that Gunny managed to get the Spearheads to chase him, and they were now rocketing away towards the east. One fighter managed to draw a lock on the Dagger L, and two air-to-air missiles soon streaked after the mobile suit. But a hard Immelman maneuver put Gunny in a position to shoot them with his M2M5 "Todesshrecken" CIWS, and the subsequent explosion covered Gunny's new evasion pattern. The Spearheads turned to avoid the cloud of fire and debris at the last second, but one was caught in the edge and blew out an engine, as particles were sucked into its intakes and fatally damaged its powerplant. The Spearhead slowly dove towards the ground to its death, but not before the pilot managed to eject.

Scott wanted to see what had become of his friend's remaining pursuers, but he and Michael had problems of their own. The other mobile armor had joined up with the Euclid they were fighting, and the Coordinator knew that the danger to him and Michael had just doubled. Both EA armors opened up on them with the large, twin M464 "Degtyarev" high-energy beam cannons, and four angry lances flared between the GINN and the Windam.

Scott pulled hard to his right, banking his GINN away from the terrible fire. He could feel the mobile suit protest the stresses it was taking, as the GINN struggled to compensate with the extra weight and drag from the subflight lifter. His consciousness was also fighting the stress, as G-forces was pulling blood from the upper parts of his body. The temperature in the cockpit rose briefly as another powerful beam flew dangerously close to the mobile suit. Scott risked a glance at his six, and found that the Euclid was gaining on him fast.

Studying his options, he knew his chances of surviving a one-on-one fight with the Euclid were very slim. The mobile armor just outgunned and out sped him, and the positron deflectors rendered whatever he threw at it useless. He had to think of something quick, or he was a definite goner.

Then he saw it, his last and probably his best, though reckless chance to get out of this alive. Scott pulled back on his stick and climbed as fast as he could, rising to the maximum height he could push the GINN to. The Euclid was slow in reacting, passing the point where Scott pulled up, and lost some of the distance gained as it rose after him. From what he saw of the maneuvering of the Euclid, Scott saw that he had a good chance.

As he reached a height of eight thousand feet, Scott dove sharply at a one hundred sixty-degree straight angle, and pushing his throttle to the max. Once more the Euclid dove after him, and was now launching everything at him. Scott felt impacts from the Euclid's fire hit the GUUL's surfaces, and felt the GUUL resist his control. Damage indicators reported hits on the GINN also, but with the GINN dropping down at terminal velocity, Scott didn't care about the damage he was taking. All of his thoughts were now on the pursuing mobile armor, and the rapidly growing canopy of the rain forest.

In seconds the altimeter was now at fifteen hundred feet, and the ground was now dangerously close. But Scott did not waver in his high-speed dive, and in milliseconds he knew it was time. He pushed a release button on his console, just as another explosion signaled the death of one of the GUUL's engines..

At a thousand feet from the canopy, explosive bolts erupted at the GINN was released from the GUUL. As soon as he felt the feet of the mobile suit jump free from the clamps, Scott fired off the back pack thrusters of the GINN, hoping to gain momentum and slingshot the mobile suit away from the doomed lifter. The GINN shot forward, and Scott was pressed to the back of his seat by the sudden lurch. The cockpit rocked violently as the mobile suit struck the canopy, slicing off unevenly the tops of the trees like a blunt power saw. Scott grabbed out with the GINN's hand to slow down the hard ride, and barely brought the mobile suit to a stop, lying on a bunch of toppled trees.

A split second later the GUUL made impact with the canopy, shattering the tops of trees as it continued to plummet downward with its remaining kinetic force. The GUUL damaged surfaces could not resist the stress, and the lifter disintegrated from the collision with the branches. The remaining engine exploded, and the force detonated the energy capacitors of the battery and the beam weapons. The explosion knocked trees down, and started fires all around a newly made clearing.

The Euclid saw what had happened to the GINN, and tried to pull out of its own dive. But it was too late, for the speed of its own dive coupled by the aerodynamics of the design had decreased its ability to maneuver out of the dangerous maneuver, and sealed its own fate as the GUUL. The Euclid activated its forward reflectors at the last minute, just as its struck the canopy itself, and quickly plowed into the ground. Though the reflector held, the rear part of the mobile armor was left unprotected, and the engines crumpled and blew up from the jarring impacts, as parts of falling trees struck the mobile armor. A massive fire broke out from behind the Euclid, and most of the rear parts was ripped away as the Euclid slid to a stop.

Shaking the pain he was feeling all over his sore body, Scott knew he won this round, but he was out of the fight from here on. He knew he had played his part, but with the lifter gone, he couldn't get airborne anymore. He could still fight on the ground, but with the enemy in the skies, all he could do was support Michael and Gunny from afar. Scott dropped the GINN to the ground, the soil rocking as the heavy machine made contact with the surface. Scott began to walk the GINN to the direction of the base, carefully avoiding the trees and obstacles in the rain forest. He had just reached a clearing overlooking the camp when frantic calls from Gunny reached it.

"Frak! This was all a decoy! They're heading for the river from the northeast!"

Instantly, Scott faced to the direction Gunny indicated, and watched in horror as he saw the danger his friend was warning them about. Four black shapes were flying to the direction of the city, on a course that would put it right on top of a nearby oil depot.


The Dark Daggers were now in the clear. Even though several of their escorts were lost, including a Euclid that was defeated by a lone, obsolete GINN, there was no longer any plausible threat to them as they neared their target. All they had to avoid was missile defenses, but the suddenness of their decoy attack, plus the presence of other threats, had kept the attention of the USSA air defense away from them.

Soon the four where in range, and activated their targeting systems. In a second they had their aiming points, signals from laser designators painted on the targets by ground special forces who had infiltrated the USSA lines for this specific mission. At a distance of four hundred feet away and a thousand feet above, the Dark Daggers launched their payload.

Sixteen Mk785s launched quietly from the bomb racks, physics thrusting them forward. The laser guidance systems adjusted their flight paths, using extending flaps on the back of the bombs for minute course corrections. The bombs were traveling at the speed of four hundred knots, and were almost undetectable in the darkness. It took the sixteen weapons five seconds to reach their targets.

A second before impact, rocket boosters on the bombs ignited, thrusting the weapons deep into the soft skinned targets on its steep angles. The weapon pierced the oil tanks at its top, and jet through the crude and struck the bottom. Force pushed the weapon another twenty five feet into the concrete foundations, and it ruptured the tanks all around. When it reached this depth, the igniter fuse on the warhead flashed, and detonated the explosives on the bomb. The sudden fire ignited the crude, starting an inferno heralded by the loud BANG of the explosion. All the tanks erupted in this manner, causing a massive fire only scene in an angry volcano, and rocking the surrounding area in a shockwave equal to several nuclear explosions. Everyone within the refinery and its environs died, either instantly from the explosions, or burned in the inferno the followed.

The fires spread along the oil lines, and exploded several buildings in the outlying suburbs of Manaus. People living in these areas were killed as their homes and establishments burned down in a man-made Hell of war. Several thousands died or were burned from this brutal attack, heralding the start of another wave of tears and anguish from the war weary South Americans.


Miriallia watched in horror as the red haze from the flames illuminated the darkness of the skies from the direction of the city of Manaus. She stood motionless, thinking of those who had died and were suffering in the hell the city was going through, and what portents the mass of metal demons flying by would bring. Miriallia closed her eyes as tears began to fall from them, and wished to see no more.


LHM-BB01 Minerva

Outbound Gibraltar

North Atlantic

January 3, CE 75

But someone else was opening her eyes. Slowly she sees the light of reality once more. From her land of troubled dreams she awakens to the world of suffering and life, as the bare spirit of her living struggled to gain back her strength. But as Hitomi Minamoto came back from her brush with death, the first thoughts on her mind brought her back to the agony of her tragedy.

"Leva…"

And she cried – cursing her life; cursing the fact that he had to kill the boy that troubled her dreams.


"Is it ready?"

Youlan cocked his head to one side. "Hai. Gibraltar's done everything they could with it, Kanchou. They said it was lucky the parts were mostly intact when it was decapitated. The slice points on the limbs were so clean it was almost clinical. Most of the internals were waterlogged, but they finally got around replacing them. They upgraded some of the systems and modified parts of the chassis; all we need is to get its pilot working on it." The tech checked something from his tablet PC. "It'll be ready, Ma'am."

Jane Devereux nodded grimly. "It better be. Where we're going, we'll need all the help we can get."