On board the Cousteau...
Rau's voice was silky smooth, as always. But his displeasure was evident. Over the video intercom, the 3 "Red Coat" pilots could imagine their commander blowing his top at the back of his mind.
"So, in short, not only did the Archangel and the Strike escape, the Duel and the Buster had also lost an arm and a leg each, and Athrun is captured?"
"Actually, Commander, we do not know if he's captured...or dead," replied Dearka.
"Is that so? In that case, the 3 of you will return to the PLANTs immediately. I will have to seriously reconsider your status in my team." With that, the screen went black. The 3 sighed. If the Commander didn't even bother to sign off, they're really in big trouble.
Yzak fought hard to restrain himself. He knew it was useless to do anything now. He felt that he had let his mother down. While she's hard at work fighting for the Supreme Council to take a harder stand against Earth, here he was, getting a dressing down from his commander. He stormed out of the room in silence.
Dearka was nonchalant. Sure, he's feeling sore for being beaten by the Strike. But he like to think of his return home as an unexpected holiday. Also, it'll be a time for Yzak to cool off too. He was a little worried for his friend. Though Yzak was an ace pilot, his repeated defeats in the hands of the Strike has left him tired both physically and mentally. As he watched Yzak take his leave, Dearka could only hope for the best.
As for Nicol, he was happy that he was heading home. With this break, he could finally catch up with his piano practise. On the other hand, he worried about Athrun. He hoped that Athrun's friend on the other side will take care of him. Nicol didn't relish the thought of seeing the Strike in combat again, but he knew that it was probably only a matter of time before ZAFT seeks out the legged ship again...
Rau Le Creuset was pondering his options. Despite this failure, the Zala team cannot be disbanded. He could not deny the fact that he had the best of ZAFT under his command. Well, perhaps Athrun Zala could be dropped. Rau knew that Patrick Zala will find ways to put his son back into the war, even if the teen will not fall under ZAFT's official command. It's settled then: If Athrun is still alive, he'll no longer be part of the Le Crueset team. Also, Rau reasoned, he would probably do better in assignments not involving the Archangel or the Strike...
Meanwhile, on the Archangel...
Kira took his friend's meal to the cell. Outside, the guards saluted him with their rifles. After Kira told them the purpose of his visit, one of them unlocked the main door. Kira went into the dark and cramped room. He had came here before, during Sai's imprisonment (although he had stayed outside). Now, another friend of his is locked up in here as well. He placed the tray in front of Athrun. It's been a few hours since that outburst of his; he should have calmed down by now.
Athrun looked up at his visitor. He immediately averted his gaze.
"I'm sorry. I know it's not right for us to search through the ruins. But we needed supplies, especially water." Kira stopped when he realised that Athrun wasn't listening. He sighed, and sat down close to his friend.
Athrun knew that Kira wouldn't have done such a thing unless it was a last resort. He regretted screaming at his best friend just now.
"Sorry."
It was barely audible. But it warmed Kira's heart. He now felt confident enough to go ahead with his chat.
"I've talked to the captain. There may be a chance that we'll release you back to ZAFT before we reach JOSH-A. But, the Aegis will remain here." Although Natarle had VERY strong objections, Murrue refused to dismiss the possibility of letting Athrun go. Although, like Lacus beforehand, the officers had deduced that Athrun was the son of PLANT Defence Chairman Patrick Zala, they figured that since Athrun wasn't a civilian, his value as a hostage is almost non-existent. On the other hand, the EAF could use him to humiliate Zala, as Natarle pointed out matter-of-factly. She was then greeted by stares from Kira, Murrue and Mu.
Athrun didn't know what to say. Actually, the thought of spending the rest of the war as a prisoner of war didn't seem all that bad. Suddenly, he grew so tired of all the fighting and killing. It's been a year since the war began. Despite efforts from all parties, the violence did not abate at all. What had he achieved so far? Avenging his mother's death? But then, what about his father? Athrun realised that if the EAF decides to display him in front of the Naturals as the son of Patrick Zala, the shame which his father would have to endure...
"Athrun, have you ever thought of leaving the battlefield for good?"
The ZAFT pilot looked at Kira. His friend was right; perhaps he should consider leaving ZAFT. Even if he's released, Athrun knew that Rau Le Crueset would drop him from the ranks of the Red Coats; a failure such as his will not be tolerated. If he couldn't serve with the best, it would be meaningless for him to remain in ZAFT. He enlisted because he wanted to help bring the war to an end. If he's no longer a pilot, he'll just become an ordinary crew member on board some ship or submarine. Again, his father's reputation was at stake.
"Here's some food for you. You must be starving." Kira pushed the tray closer to Athrun. He then stood up and made his way to the door.
"Don't worry. You will go home safely, I promise."
Murrue Ramius and Mu La Flaga looked at the Aegis. Kojiro Murdoch and his crew had been hard at work repairing the Mobile Suit. Natarle was now on the bridge of the ship; given half a chance, she would have wanted to be here as well. Having another of their X Numbers back in the fold was a great morale booster to everyone on board, including the first mate. Still, the question remained: who will pilot the Aegis? La Flaga thought that Kira would be a better choice than him. Murrue, on the other hand, believed that with Mu's experiences with mobile armour, the Aegis will be more versatile in his hands.
Kira joined the 2 officers in the hangar. They asked about his opinion on the matter.
"The lieutenant commander will make for a better pilot of the Aegis than me. Besides, didn't you say that the Strike's my baby," replied Kira, while winking at La Flaga. Mu laughed out loud while Murrue smiled. Kira was become more cheerful by the day. Perhaps we did the right thing by forcing the truth out of him back then, thought Murrue.
"Come. I'll rewrite the OS of the Aegis, then we'll see how you fare in a Mobile Suit," said Kira teasingly, as he hosted himself into the cockpit...
"It's done. You can try it out now."
Somehow, La Flaga and Murrue weren't surprised that Kira took only 3 minutes to settle everything inside the cockpit. As La Flaga got himself into the red Mobile Suit, he was a little nervous. He could sense everyone in the hangar looking at how he would perform. He checked the OS. It was indeed simple to use. Looks like Skinny's got it all fixed up, thought the Hawk; time to see what she can do. After everyone cleared the area, Mu made his first move.
The Aegis roared to life and took a solid step forward. Every mechanic in the hangar cheered. Kira and Murrue smiled.
After taking a few more steps, the Hawk's voice boomed over the intercom.
"Can I take her for a spin outside, Captain," asked La Flaga.
Murrue ran near the Aegis and gave the thumbs-up. La Flaga then remembered to contact the bridge. For once, Natarle gave the green light too. The first mate thought that a little hands on will be important for the pilot to adjust to the Suit. Mu got the Aegis into mobile armour mode and prepared for his launch.
After launching from the Archangel, La Flaga spent some time trying out both forms of the suit. As Kira and Murrue had guessed, he enjoyed the mobile armour form. As for the Hawk, this Suit was definitely better than the Skygrasper. He couldn't wait to test it out in battle. However, there was a little problem: The Aegis could not fly in the atmosphere while in its mobile suit form. (To test out the mobile suit mode, he had to land on a deserted island which the Archangel happened to pass by.) This little fly in the ointment stayed in Mu's mind as he returned to the ship.
"So, I guess you're thrilled by your new toy," teased Murrue as Mu descended from the cockpit.
"This going up and coming down thingy's a little troublesome. Needs some getting used to" said La Flaga in a mock serious tone.
"Now, you know how I feel," deadpanned Kira. All three officers laughed.
"But, there's a small problem. This baby can't fly unless it's in mobile armour form," mused La Flaga.
Both Kira and Murrue sighed. Although the Aegis is now theirs, if the Archangel was to remain on Earth, its usefulness to them will be limited without an external flyer assigned to it.
"I'll think of something," said the captain. The other 2 nodded before taking their leave.
After returning to his room, Kira lied down on his bed. Staring at the ceiling, he thought of many things. Athrun, the platinum-blond pilot of the Duel, the return of the Aegis, Cagalli, Flay... Kira was a little troubled whenever he thought of the girl. Although he knew that she was using him (in a way), he truly cared for her. After all, he was indirectly responsible for her father's death. Upon seeing its master, Birdy had flown to perch next to Kira. Kira patted his little green friend.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." Kira sat up as Flay came in. The lady sat next to Kira. Birdy flew from the bed back to its place on the table.
"Kira...I'm sorry." The boy knew what she had apologized for. He decided to tell her that he already knew what she was up to. Flay looked down at the floor. Kira put his hand on hers.
"I still like you, Flay. I understand how you felt back then, and your decision to use me."
Flay was tearing. She didn't expect Kira to be such a kind person. The girl hugged him and cried on his shoulder. Kira stroked her bright red hair. After she stopped her sobs, Kira continued,"From now on, why don't we become a real couple, like Tolle and Miriallia?"
Flay nodded, a brilliant smile on her tear-stricken face. She had come to ask for his forgiveness, and he wanted their relationship to continue. For the first time, she finally realised that she's a teenager. Moreover, with her father gone, she's now just an average girl. Her days of being a spoilt brat are over. She hugged Kira again.
"Come. Let's go outside." He held Flay's hand and led her out. They were now truly a couple.
Their friends were gathered in the mess hall. Most had just ended their shifts. They were discussing about the recovery of the Aegis when Kira and Flay came in. Sai looked up. He was a little surprised to see the sight before him. Not only were the couple holding hands, Flay had a smile which Sai had never seen before. He knew then that he had made the right choice to give her up to Kira. The rest looked a little shocked too. But Tolle was quick to get up and catch Kira in his trademark headlock. "Looks like you managed to win her heart after all," teased the teen. Kira and the rest laughed. Flay felt relieved. She hoped to be a pillar of support for Kira, along with the rest of the gang. She looked apologetically at Sai, who simply shrugged his shoulders with a resigned smile.
Kira got out of Tolle's headlock; there was something else he needed to do. He told Flay to stay with the rest. The girl didn't question his request; he must have other things to worry about. Kira left the hall and made his way to the cell.
Athrun had finished the food Kira left for him. As he sat leaning against the wall, he began to think deeper into Kira's abilities. He knew that his team mates were the elite of ZAFT; their red coats proved it. If Kira was able to defeat them so easily, there must be something special about him...He heard footsteps coming his way. He stood up.
Kira looked at the empty tray. Since Athrun was willing to eat, perhaps he would tell Kira what the captain needed. But, no, Kira couldn't get anything out of his friend. He decided to leave. Just as he turned around, Athrun called out to him.
"Wait! You know something, Kira? You're quite a talented kid."
Kira faced his best friend. He had no idea what Athrun meant.
"You managed to defeat some of ZAFT's best pilots out there. Tell that to your captain. That's about the only thing you'll get from me."
"I...beat the best of ZAFT?" Kira seriously thought that Athrun was joking. Athrun nodded. "Either you're really talented, or you're different in some ways, even for a Coordinator."
"Me, different?" Kira thought that he was already a fish out of water, a lone Coordinator among Naturals. Now, his best friend is saying that he's unlike other Coordinators too? Then, what was he? Some kind of freak? With that in mind, he left the cell. He needed to discuss this with the other officers.
"What!" Natarle couldn't believe her ears. She knew that Kira was good, but she didn't expect their opponent to throw their best pilots at the Archangel and the Strike.
"Is that kid lying," asked La Flaga. After all, he had shot one of them down himself, and he didn't consider himself to be that good when compared to Coordinators. He's proud of his achievements, but he's no fool either.
Murrue was deep in thought. If what Athrun say was true, then Kira was really one-of-a-kind. But, there's always the chance that he was telling a lie.
"Assuming that the prisoner is telling the truth, then we have a super-ace in Kira," said Murrue. She had to refer to Athrun as "the prisoner" in front of Natarle. If not, the ensign will accuse her of being too friendly to the enemy.
"Well, Skinny did beat them soundly in the last battle. So, if he's really different..." La Flaga looked at Kira from top to toe. "he sure doesn't look like it."
"Captain, when can we let him go," Kira asked suddenly. He was a little sick of being treated like an extraordinary genius. Time to change the subject, he thought.
"Ensign Yamato, what do you mean? The prisoner will follow us to JOSH-A," exclaimed Natarle.
"Natarle, I've said it before. We might let the kid go before we reach Alaska," interrupted Murrue. She did not need to be reminded that Natarle was totally opposed to the idea of letting "the prisoner" go.
Natarle glared at Murrue. The captain gave her a stern look as well. She then turned her gaze towards Kira, who gave her an uninterested look. He did not see the need for a confrontation with her. The decision on Athrun's fate lies on Murrue, not her first mate.
"Fine. But if you let him go..."
"You'll take the matter to higher authorities at Alaska. Yes, we know." Mu too was getting tired of her threats.
Natarle decided to leave. As far as she was concerned, the conversation was over. After the door closed behind her, Murrue made up her mind.
"We'll release Athrun. Dalida." Chandra snapped to attention.
"Use our open frequency to hail any ZAFT ships nearby. Tell them we have a prisoner to return to them."
"So, you don't want to grill him any further," said La Flaga.
"Give him some credit. The least we can do is to let him leave this ship with his honour intact," replied Murrue.
"Well, I reckon that there IS a way to tell if he's saying the truth about Kira," mused La Flaga. Both Kira and Murrue looked at him.
"If he's really a part of this 'elite' squad, I think we won't be seeing him for a long time. His superiors will definitely chew him out over such a failure."
Athrun stood up. He had visitors again. It was Kira, but this time, there were guards along with him. Birdy was there too, perched on Kira's left shoulder.
"Come with me," said Kira.
Following his friend, Athrun made his way to the exterior of the ship. It was then that he realised Kira was serious about letting him go. He looked at Kira.
"Well, I did promise that you'll be going home safely, right? Don't worry, it's official. Your guys will be coming to pick you up."
Athrun didn't know what to say as Kira led him to a small speedboat. He could see a Vosgulov-class submarine in the distance, ready to receive him. Realising that they might never see each other again, Athrun decided to bid farewell to his best friend.
"Goodbye."
"I hope the next time we meet, the war will be over," said Kira. Birdy gave a little chirp of "Birdy!" as well.
Athrun smiled as he patted the robo-pet. He looked at his creation and then at its master. He gave Kira a nod and hopped onto the boat. The speedboat's motor chugged to life. As it sped towards the submarine, Athrun didn't see Kira's eyes becoming a little misty...
Afterthoughts
-Please RnR!