I don't own anything except Ken DiFalco, his team, and Sophia DiFalco
Archangel, Ken's Quarters, May 4th, C.E. 71
It was 0600 hours; as usual, Ken had awoken long since, after another round of nightmares. Now he sat in the dim lighting of his quarters, intently reading the data on his computer terminal. He knew it all by heart, of course; this particular operation was one he'd studied time and again over the past months, especially after it became clear that ZAFT was mobilizing for it.
You're a clever bastard, Patrick, he admitted in the privacy of his own mind. Once you had the balance of forces required, you went right for the plan that would cut off the beast's head... and you even recognized that, for all my knowledge of the plan, there's little I can do to stop Spit Break. You're even counting on destroying Archangel here... The ace smiled to himself, grimly. But you reckoned without Preybird.
The powerful machine was currently in the Archangel's hangar, cloaked by Mirage Colloid, while its nuclear reactor put out only enough energy to maintain the stealth field; yet the reactor could go from standby to full combat output very quickly, now that it was active in the first place. That could prove very valuable, when the coming battle occurred.
Then we escape from Alaska, and, hopefully, make our way to Orb... Ken frowned, and sighed. And see what I can do to help my partner... He knew full well how deeply Cagalli had been hurt by Kira's death, and wished he'd been able to do something for her when last they'd met. Unfortunately, he'd been in a hurry, needing to get back to the Archangel before she crossed the Tropic of Cancer; that was one reason he'd left Leanne with Orb, in the hopes that his subordinate -what with her newfound friendship with the princess- could do for Cagalli what he could not.
Kira Yamato... If Ken was the brains behind the Archangel, the calculating mind, then Kira had certainly been the vessel's heart. Everyone had liked him, even Natarle Badgiruel... and none more than their onetime shipmate, Cagalli. His death had ripped the heart and soul out of the mighty ship's crew; they were only now beginning to recover from that blow.
If he'd been a true soldier, Ken mused, we might've been able to move on much sooner; soldiers have no choice but to learn to deal with the deaths of their fellows... but Kira was more than that, to all of us. He brought something to the ship... an innocence, perhaps. A fresh perspective, wounded yet unsullied by the ravages of war. Heliopolis, Athrun, and Flay... they all tore at him, yet he remained as he was, our White Knight, our paladin...
Ken smiled slightly, amused at himself. To think that he, of all people, would be thinking of Kira that way... He'd thought from time to time -most of the time, if truth be told- that Kira was naive, not understanding what war required. The ace suspected that his protégé had never quite understood why the elaborate battle plans such as Operation Aquila, or the long, meticulously-prepared campaigns like the Shiva Option were necessary.
No, his idealism prevented him from understanding that you can't end the war in one swift stroke. Unless you have a doomsday weapon -usually counterproductive, unless you don't mind rendering the enemy's territory uninhabitable- you have to whittle away at them, take them a piece at a time, until they're weak enough to bring them to heel in one final, decisive battle...
He'd thought, before the battle in the Marshall Islands, that he and Kira were going to have an argument about that eventually; most likely after the new Shiva Option began to come together. Ken knew Kira would have a hard time accepting it... but he also thought -hoped- that the younger, idealistic pilot would, in the end, accept the fact that, however distasteful the body count might be, ZAFT and the Earth Forces had to be weakened before the war could end.
Ken firmly believed that negotiation was, at this point, impossible. Unless ZAFT finally gained the upper hand -without a situation that would justify resorting to GENESIS- the Earth Alliance would never come to the negotiating table, at least not in good faith; and the Earth Alliance would never accept negotiations at all, if they won. He didn't think Murrue or the other officers realized it, but he knew full well that those truly in control of the Alliance desired nothing more and nothing less than the total extermination of all Coordinators.
This war has to end... and as it stands now, there are three ways that can happen. The Earth Forces somehow regain nuclear capability -via stolen NJC plans, no doubt- and blast the PLANTs into oblivion. Patrick deals enough of a blow to the Earth Forces to gain breathing space, but still manages to construe them as a terrifying threat, and scorches all life off the planet.
Or, if we're very, very lucky, all the elements come together, and Orb, True ZAFT, and the Archangel join forces, gather their strength, and launch our Shiva Option, with the eventual result of forcing both sides to the negotiating table... and gaining independence for the PLANTs at last.
Even now, every action he took -or almost every action, at least- was for the ultimate goal of securing victory for the PLANTs. That was the goal that had sustained the Grimaldi Falcon in the dark days after Endymion, and the time he spent on Heliopolis; he would not abandon it now.
Though meeting Dearka face-to-face once again, for the first time in months, had helped advance the process that had begun when Ken joined the Archangel's crew; his detachment was beginning to fray... and the memory of someone they'd both been close to, once upon a time, tore at it even more...
Ironic, when it was the loss of that same young woman that had set him on this path in the first place.
Ken clenched his jaw as memories flooded into his mind, memories he'd kept locked up for over a year. The mental techniques of Der Schreckick Eins had allowed him to seal them away, permitting him to maintain the detachment that he'd needed to devise the third Shiva Option, to continue fighting after the loss of Junius Seven... but they were not up to the task of holding that door closed after speaking with Dearka about the subject again... especially when his gunner resembled her so much.
Steeling himself, the ace went to his pack, and pulled out the photo he'd not yet had time to set in Preybird's cockpit. He himself stood within that frame... next to a young blonde in a flightsuit of gold and blue. Her malachite green eyes seemed to stare out into his own...
The chime sounded at the hatch. "Falcon?" Murrue called. "You there?"
Quickly resuming his usual mask of imperturbability, Ken turned to the hatch. "It's open," he said, letting it slide aside. "Something up, Murrue?"
Stepping into the ace's quarters, Murrue took a moment to examine his expression before she spoke. He seemed as unemotional as usual... and yet there was something in his visible eye, something she hadn't seen before... "Falcon... are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Ken answered calmly.
Her eyes narrowed. "Are you sure? If you need to talk to anyone..."
"I don't want to discuss it," he said, a slight edge creeping into his voice. "I already told Dearka the subject was closed; I'm not about to reopen it with anyone else."
Murrue blinked, taken aback by his unexpected vehemence. What's with him? I guess there is something wrong... and that ZAFT pilot knows what it is. But what? It didn't take her long to decide to drop the subject; she noticed that, while Ken wasn't wearing his trench coat, his sword was within easy reach, and she wasn't sure if it would be wise to test his temper on this matter.
"Sorry," she said after a moment. "Anyway, I... What happened to your shoulder?" she said, interrupting herself. "You look like you've been..."
"Shot, yes," Ken acknowledged, sounding normal again as he lightly touched the bandages covering his left shoulder. "There was a slight misunderstanding in the Infirmary involving a prisoner, firearms, and cutlery; remind me to tell the crew not to leave sharp objects and handguns lying around where some grief-stricken or whacked-out teenage girl can find them."
Murrue frowned. "Flay and Miriallia, right? I assume their... actions were the reason for Elsman's swift removal to the brig?"
"That's right; and frankly, if I didn't know Flay was unstable at the moment -or if she'd succeeded in killing Dearka- I might've taken... drastic measures myself."
She glanced at the sword that hung at his side, and winced; she could guess what he meant. And I suppose I can't blame him. Having someone try to kill his best friend, even if he is a prisoner of war... Knowing Falcon, I'm not surprised at all...
"Are you all right?" she asked after a moment.
Ken nodded. "I'm fine; hardly the first time I've been shot since coming aboard. Now, I believe you were about to tell me something when you noticed my... injury?"
"Um, yes," Murrue affirmed, bringing her mind back to the subject that had brought her here in the first place. "Yes, Captain Sutherland has instructed us to appear for a Board of Inquiry, in about an hour. He specifically requested your presence, as a matter of fact."
The ace nodded to himself. "Did he, now..." The bastard is Blue Cosmos to the core; not that I expect Murrue to believe that quite yet... "Well, then, I suppose I'd better get ready." He reached for his uniform tunic, and stiffly pulled it on over his shoulder wound. "If you don't mind," he began, fastening the tunic, "I'd rather you not mention this particular incident to the good Captain. Under the circumstances -my being a ZAFT ace, and whatnot- I feel it would be unwise for me to display any weakness today. The questioning will be rough, I'm sure; so I need to maintain a strong front. Any chinks in my armor, anything he can possibly use against me, he will."
She nodded. "I know what you mean. I don't know Sutherland, but I'll grant anyone among the top brass -at least, to hear Admiral Halberton talk- will be disinclined to believe that you're actually helping us. And," she admitted unwillingly, "there will probably be a certain amount of anti-Coordinator prejudice involved. This is Headquarters, after all, and they aren't paid to be nice to Coordinators... unfortunately."
The slightest trace of a smile appeared on Ken's face. "Well, then," he murmured, "it's a good thing that I'm not paid to be nice to fathead desk jockeys."
PLANTs, Aprilius One, Clyne Residence
Kira leaned against the railing overlooking the PLANT's huge lake, pensive. He'd been here for over two weeks now, recuperating at the Clyne Residence, and now his wounds were essentially gone. But that wasn't much of a load off his mind... for now he had to make a choice.
I've shed so much blood in this war, he thought sadly. Miguel Aiman, the Desert Tiger... almost Nicol... and who knows how many others. I don't want to go back into that... but I should atone for what I've done... shouldn't I...? After everything that's happened...
Only now did the young Coordinator begin to appreciate what had driven Ken DiFalco onto his single-minded path of atonement. He still had no idea what had been the catalyst, what specific act had driven him over the edge, but Kira now understood the power guilt could have over a man. Guilt for failing to save Flay's father had driven him to kill, over and over... and now guilt for those deaths had presented him with the choice between staying out of the rest of the war, and thus avoiding more bloodshed... or plunging back into it, to halt the war before more lives could be lost.
What am I supposed to do? Kira wondered. Do I stay here, away from the conflict, and let those like Commander Cooper and Ken shoulder the burden? Or do I return to battle, fighting for peace...? What can I do, all by myself? Is it even possible for me to change anything on my own?
He didn't know the answer to that. Ken, to be sure, had taken it upon himself to change the course of the entire conflict... but he had three fanatically loyal subordinates, with a steadily-growing support structure behind them. He was just Kira Yamato, a confused young man who just happened to be good in the cockpit.
Unknown to him, Kira was being observed by two others, one with worry and sympathy, the other with sympathy and more than a little speculation...
You're a great pilot, kid, Sparky thought to himself. And you've got a good heart... you just haven't yet learned enough about the real world to make a decision. And it's one only you can make; nobody else can see into your heart and tell you the right thing to do...
He knew that, as did Tom, Leanne, and Shiho. They'd all looked inward, wondering if they truly wanted to follow their Commander's seemingly mad scheme to stand against the might of ZAFT all by themselves. In the end, they'd all made the same choice... but they were professional soldiers, which Kira Yamato was not. The choice would be even harder for him...
The big Demon heard footsteps behind him. "So, how's the kid doing?" Shiho Hahnenfuss asked quietly. "He looks healthy enough..."
Sparky nodded. "He is. It's not his body that's the problem, but his mind. He's got a choice to make... and he's not sure what the right choice is."
"Hm." Shiho glanced over at the pink-haired girl who was making her way over to the troubled youth. "Maybe Miss Lacus can help him figure it out..."
He shrugged. "Beats me. Personally, I wish Lord Uzumi's daughter were here; from what the Boss says, she always had a way of getting the kid out a funk. But, as it is... yeah, Miss Lacus is probably the right -and only- person for the job."
"That's what I thought. Which reminds me..." She frowned. "Just how much does the Clyne family know about your activities, anyway, Sparky? Doesn't look to me like they've been driven into direct opposition of Chairman Zala's policies yet, so just how freely do you talk around here?"
"Not very," Sparky admitted. "Lacus at least knows that we've got a ship under our direct command -and she may've heard the term 'True ZAFT'- but I don't think she or her father realize that we're operating completely outside the normal ZAFT command structure. They certainly don't know that we've built a machine specifically intended to wipe the floor with the main force, or that we have two new warships under construction for the purpose of defying Patrick."
Shiho nodded slowly. "So it isn't time yet to go overt."
"No... but we'll be taking direct action very soon, I think..."
Outside, Lacus had finally reached Kira's side. "You look sad, Kira," she remarked quietly. "Are you all right?"
He stared out at the water. "I'm... just thinking," he said slowly. "About everything I've done so far... about the things I might have to do again..."
"You've only done what you had to do," she told him gently. "None of this is your fault, you know; you were only protecting those close to you."
"I know, but... it even forced me to fight against Athrun. He's my best friend; how could I do that...?"
"Fate put you on two different sides of this conflict," Lacus said slowly. "There was nothing else either of you could've done. But now... there's no reason for you two to fight anymore."
Kira sighed. "Maybe now there isn't... but if I do go back to the battlefield, I may have to face him again. I don't know... if I can bring myself to fight him again.."
She touched his shoulder. "That's not something you should be worrying about right now, Kira. You're here, well away from the war; now you can rest, for as long as you like."
"Maybe so... but still, I can't help but think that this isn't over..." He met her eyes. "If I have the power to make a difference, I should put it to good use, shouldn't I?"
Lacus started to answer, then stopped, making herself think about it. Maybe... he has a point, she thought, beginning to understand him -and why he fought- better than she ever had before. We should all be doing our parts, shouldn't we? Kira's been out there, fighting for what he believes in... and what have we been doing? My father and I, we've been trying to use words to overcome Chairman Zala's intentions... yet sometimes words aren't enough. Zala himself has said that if you must fight to protect something, then you have no choice but to fight... and while we have been, we haven't been using every resource we have.
That was something that merited much thought; but for now, she only had a few words for Kira. "That's something you can only decide for yourself, Kira," Lacus told him. "If you believe that you have the power to make a difference, and if you have the will..."
Kira nodded thoughtfully. "I guess you're right... but you're also right that I shouldn't worry about it right now." He frowned, turning inward. "Though... I really should return to Earth soon, even if I don't go into battle again. There's... there's someone waiting for me, in Orb. I promised her I'd come back, so..."
Lacus smiled in understanding. "Then we'd better make sure you can return, shouldn't we? And that means, Kira, that you can't let yourself stand out here and waste away. Come on; it's about time for lunch."
As the "Pink Princess" led the young man back indoors, Sparky nodded to himself, and turned to Shiho. "He'll do," he said simply.
She leaned against the wall. "You really think he'll want to go back into that chaos down there, Sparky? You heard the story; he's gone through a living hell down there."
The big Demon shrugged. "He's tough, Shiho; if he wasn't, he never would've made it this far. No, his will is strong... and his conscience will never permit him to leave all the fighting to others."
"Hmph. Well, that reminds me why I came here in the first place: I have news."
He looked at her sharply. "What kind of news?" he demanded.
Shiho smiled slightly. "Just this: Tom hacked Council computers this morning, and he's learned that Operation Spit Break is scheduled to be launched tomorrow."
Sparky cursed. "That's not as much time as I'd counted on. Well, Eileen Canaver should be getting the information sometime tomorrow, too, which means Master Siegel will be getting it shortly... which should set off the chain of events we're hoping for." He looked over at the door through which Kira and Lacus had vanished. "I just hope the kid is as ready as I think he is... because he'll be right back in that chaos soon enough." He cursed again. "And not even any way to warn the Boss..."
JOSHUA Base, Conference Room
Virtually everyone from the Archangel, save a skeleton crew, filed into the chamber at precisely 0700 hours. All wore proper uniform, even Murdoch (whom Ken had never seen in formal uniform before), and all wore virtually identical blank expressions.
So, Ken thought, adjusting his uncomfortable, hated uniform. We're here; now where's the Board? If they're just going to make us sit here and wait, I'll be of a mind to hack the computers, lock all the doors, and let them rot until Spit Break arrives. Of course, I'm inclined to do that anyway...
Fortunately, the door at the other end of the room opened before the ace's temper could snap, and the officers of the Board entered, led by a man Ken presumed to be the captain Murrue had spoken of earlier. If that is him, though, I can't say I'm impressed...
"This Board of Inquiry shall now commence," the man intoned. "I'm Captain William Sutherland; and you, I presume, are the officers of the Archangel, assigned to the Eighth Fleet."
Murrue nodded. "Yes, Captain. I'm Lieutenant Commander Murrue Ramius, and these are Lieutenant Commander Mu La Flaga, Lieutenant Commander Sophia DiFalco, Lieutenant Natarle Badgiruel, and Commander Ken DiFalco, all of the Archangel."
Sutherland nodded. "Very good. Now, Commander, let me begin by congratulating you on making it this far, through so much danger." His voice hardened perceptibly. "How much of that danger could have been avoided, we'll determine in a moment. First, however, I'd like you to summarize the Archangel's actions, from the attack on Heliopolis up to now."
"Yes, sir." She cleared her throat. "To begin, the Archangel's journey began on January 25th, when ZAFT's Le Creuset team attacked Heliopolis, and succeeded in capturing four of the six prototype mobile suits under construction there..."
Murrue went on for several minutes, with occasional interjections by her officers, and enumerated the ship's long journey. The attack on and eventual collapse of Heliopolis, the silent run to Artemis, the brief capture and subsequent escape, the journey to the Eighth Fleet... the battle that led to the Fleet's destruction... and the various actions on Earth itself.
She deliberately glossed over several matters, such as their alliance with the Desert Dawn resistance fighters... and especially their actions in Orb. Even Natarle had, in the end, agreed that it might be unwise to enumerate exactly what had gone on there. The people at Headquarters might not be entirely sanguine about their aiding Orb in Morgenroete's Astray program.
Finally, after describing the battle wherein the Strike, Raptor, and captured CGUE had been lost, she was finished. "...and that, Captain, is about all there is to tell. We left the Marshall Islands, and made it here to Alaska without further incident."
Sutherland nodded, as though to himself. "And you see nothing that you might have done better, Commander Ramius?"
Murrue shrugged. "Hindsight is, of course, twenty-twenty, Captain. There are probably a number of things we might've done better. However, based on what we knew at the time, I see nothing I would've done differently; we worked with the limited options we had, sir."
"I disagree," the Captain declared. "You made mistakes from the very first day, Commander... mistakes you should've known to avoid from the start."
Her eyebrows went up in surprise. "Excuse me, Captain? Would you care to explain?"
Sutherland snorted. "Come now, Commander, surely it's obvious. You allowed a child -a Coordinator, no less!- to pilot the Strike, when you knew full well that Coordinators were -and remain- our enemies."
Murrue frowned. "With all due respect, Captain Sutherland, I don't see that we had much of a choice. With the operating system we had, a Natural stood little chance of even moving properly, let alone fighting, in the Strike. Accepting Kira Yamato's aid was really our only option."
"Hmph. Well, Commander, while I agree you made the right choice when you detained those civilians, I must say that it was still a rash and very ill-considered move to put a Coordinator in that machine's cockpit. With time, we could've created an operating system that even a Natural could use properly."
She shook her head. "Sir, we didn't have time-"
"And," Sutherland went on, cutting her off, "not content with that, you accepted the services of another Coordinator, this one a decorated ZAFT ace! Commander, you may -may- be able to justify Kira Yamato's presence in the Strike, but accepting on your own authority the assistance of the Grimaldi Falcon was absolutely unjustifiable!"
Ken's eye flashed, as did Mu's; and not just at the slander of his own name. The way this... this slug was talking about Kira, he was clearly implying that every calamity that had befallen the Archangel was his fault.
And questioning the Grimaldi Falcon's integrity was never a wise move.
All right, Ken thought, you want to play hardball, do you? Fine; I'm game. See if you can win the war of words with me, supercilious bastard.
These thoughts flashed through his mind in less than a second, and then he stood up, an instant before Mu did. "All right, Captain Sutherland," the ace said evenly. "You don't like Coordinators, and you think that everything that the Archangel went through was the fault of Kira and me." His eye narrowed. "I don't agree, but I can accept that; however, if you're going to be tossing such accusations around, I'd prefer you not speak as though I'm not even in the room."
Sutherland fixed his gaze upon the Coordinator, a look of unwilling respect on his face. "Very well, Commander DiFalco," he said slowly. "You've made your point." A smile slowly grew... a look the ace didn't like at all. "Yes, you've made your point... so, would you care to say anything in your own defense?"
Ken nodded slowly. "Indeed, Captain. First, let me say that, while you may think accepting my aid was unjustifiable, Lewis Halberton thought differently, and personally approved the Archangel's actions at Heliopolis, but in regards to myself, and the late Kira Yamato."
The captain snorted. "I don't recall hearing that a single rear admiral directs policy for the entire Earth Alliance," he said coolly.
The ace's response cut to the bone, and wiped the man's smug expression away. "Neither does a mere captain," he pointed out, voice like a keen blade. "Unless the Earth Forces' rank structure is nothing like what I've heard, a rear admiral does outrank a captain, does he not?"
"That may be," Sutherland acknowledged through gritted teeth, "but that does not change the fact that he should've cleared the decision through Headquarters before unilaterally acting on his own."
Last I checked, "unilaterally acting alone" was redundant, but I suppose a Blue Cosmos bigot like you can't be expected to remember the finer points of the English language.
After all, your native tongue is Orkish.
"If you'll remember, Captain Sutherland," Ken riposted, "the Eighth Fleet was then in orbit, out of radio range of Headquarters. Sometimes decisions have to be made without first consulting higher authority, and this was one of them. Lewis made the choice he thought was best."
"Halberton always did have too much sympathy for your kind," Sutherland mused. "In any case, Commander, I might point out that the reason he couldn't contact Headquarters was the very one your people were responsible for: the Neutron jammers you scattered across Earth, causing disruption of communications, and, worse, widespread famine-"
"You left us no choice," the ace said coldly. "Using a nuclear weapon on a farming colony was utterly inexcusable, and violated your own rules of war."
Sutherland started to snap back angrily, before realizing DiFalco was leading him into a trap. He's trying to get me to admit Blue Cosmos involvement in the upper levels of the Alliance, he thought, grudging respect welling up. If he does that, he can redirect the entire course of this inquiry... and we don't dare go public yet...
His only option was to change the subject. "Back to the matter at hand, Commander. You can't deny that the Eighth Fleet was utterly destroyed, while you and Yamato were in control of the Strike and Raptor."
"Irrelevant," Ken shot back. "We didn't even launch until late in the battle; and I strongly argued against the delay. If you'll check the records, you'll find that I had to independently order the launch myself, when it became clear Admiral Halberton had misjudged the situation."
Murrue's eyes widened at the implied criticism of her mentor, but then she realized that if anyone had a right to make such judgments, it was him...
And she, along with the other members of the Archangel's crew present in the room, realized that, in some intangible way, Ken had just taken control of the Inquiry. Now it was Sutherland who was on the defensive... and the ace seemed determined to keep him there.
The captain tried again. "What of the collapse of Heliopolis?" he demanded. "According to the battle records, it was your failure to completely destroy a missile-armed GINN that led to the disaster, in the end; when you left part of it intact, you triggered the launch of the weapons."
"I don't deny it," Ken replied calmly. "However, such mistakes are an unavoidable part of war; and it was Rau Le Creuset's choice to use heavy weaponry there, not mine." His eye narrowed dangerously. "And don't forget that it was the Earth Alliance's decision to construct mobile suits at a neutral space colony that led to the attack in the first place. Had you not involved Orb, none of this would've happened."
Point and counterpoint. Thrust and riposte. Sutherland had begun the proceedings with complete confidence, expecting to be able to take apart the reputations of the Coordinators that had served aboard the Archangel, both living and dead, without any repercussions.
Unfortunately, he'd left himself open to attack, and now ZAFT's most brilliant strategist and tactician ruthlessly destroyed his arguments.
Sutherland tried a new tack. "What of the destruction of the advance force, sent ahead of the Eighth Fleet? You and that other Coordinator were both there, yet Captain Koopman, Vice Minister Allster, and the entire crews of the Montgomery, Bernard, and Law all died anyway."
"We were badly outnumbered in that battle," Ken said evenly. "The Strike was engaged in single combat with the Aegis, while I attempted to fight off a number of GINNs and a prototype CGUE simultaneously. Matters were complicated by the fact that the CGUE in question was piloted by a man of unusual skill, the one some call Huckebein the Raven. Under the circumstances, no better could've been expected. It's a miracle the Archangel herself survived."
The captain seethed inwardly. That blasted Coordinator is too good at words games... "All right, then," he conceded irritably. "I should, however, point out that not long before your arrival at Alaska, you managed to lose not just your own former CGUE, but also both the Strike and the Raptor. Can you give me any justification for that, Commander?"
Murrue herself wondered how the young pilot would answer, but she had the feeling he'd anticipated the question, and already had an answer prepared for it. He has an answer for everything, it seems, she thought fondly. If anyone can make Headquarters eat their own words, it's him.
Ken's expression didn't change, but he had the air of a man about to blow an argument out of the water in a most satisfactory manner. "The losses suffered during the battle in the Marshall Islands were regrettable," he acknowledged. "They were also not the fault of the crew at large. The CGUE -which, I might mention, was not Earth Alliance property- was lost as a result of a brash young man attempting to pilot a machine he'd never flown even in a simulator. The decision Crewman Koenig made was one that I disagreed with, but I had no opportunity to prevent it; at that moment, I was engaged in combat with the Buster. Strike was destroyed because Ensign Yamato found himself in combat with a pilot whose skill very nearly equaled his own, and who was willing to die to avenge the death of his friend, in a previous battle. I was unable to intervene, for attempting to get in the middle of such an engagement would very likely have been suicide; the fact that Ensign Yamato fought the Aegis to a standstill, and left its pilot with no other option but to self-destruct, is a testament to his skill as a pilot."
Sutherland's eyes narrowed. "Hmph. And the Raptor, Commander? Can you explain that loss?"
"Certainly. The machine simply couldn't keep up with my flying ability, and so tore itself to pieces." Ken's lip curled in the barest trace of a sneer. "It's not my fault that your Earth Forces machines aren't capable enough for someone with my skill."
Sophia might've felt inclined to dispute the slur against her creation, but she decided against it; seeing the interesting shade of purple Sutherland's face turned was compensation enough.
That final sentence appeared to have snapped something inside the Earth Forces captain. "It's your existence that has thrown this world into chaos," he said tightly. "Without you Coordinators, this war would never have occurred in the first place!"
Murrue came to her feet. "Captain Sutherland, I must protest! That is uncalled for!"
Ken raised a hand. "Calmly, Murrue," he murmured, almost inaudibly. "Calmly. He's left himself open with that one..." He raised his voice. "You brought it on yourselves, Captain. You wish Coordinators didn't exist? Well, don't blame us; we didn't just evolve, you know. It was Naturals that created us in the first place. It was a Natural who created George Glenn; it was a Natural who created me." His voice hardened. "And it was the sponsor nations -Naturals- who placed the unreasonable demands upon the PLANTs, and framed us for the bombing at Copernicus last year. And need I remind you that it was you who declared war on us?"
Sutherland's fists clenched under the table. He had a number of things that he wanted to say to this punk, but most of them would require conceding several of his points. So instead, he attempted to steer the discussion back to the original subject. "If we're through trading insults, Commander," he said tightly, "I believe it's time we brought these proceedings to a close."
Ken nodded amiably, and sat back down. "And what, may I ask, is the finding of this Inquiry?"
"This Board," the captain said, anger beginning to drain from his voice and expression, "finds that the Archangel is not responsible for the various calamities that befell her during the journey here. We believe that some decisions were not as wise as they might have been, but, in the end, you succeeded in arriving at Alaska, bringing with you the combat data from the Strike and Raptor; data which will prove invaluable to the war effort." He nodded at the assembled crew. "This Board is adjourned."
Murrue caught the ace's eye, and smiled gratefully; she suspected the inquiry would have been even less pleasant had he not taken matters into his own hands.
But one question remained: why on earth did he look so pleased with himself? She'd never seen him look so amused in the whole time he'd been with the Archangel...
As the crew began to stand, Sutherland spoke again. "One more thing, Commander Ramius," he began. "There are a few changes that will be made in assignments. Lieutenant Commander La Flaga, Lieutenant Junior Grade Badgiruel, Commander DiFalco, and Crewman Allster will be transferred within the week."
Murrue froze. What? "Sir?"
The captain allowed himself a slight, satisfied smile. "Commander DiFalco and Lieutenant Badgiruel will doubtless prove invaluable elsewhere, Commander, with their demonstrated tactical skills; and Commander La Flaga has talents of his own."
"I see," she said quietly. Not now, she thought resentfully. We've come so far; why break us up now? This is a good, solid crew... and I don't want to lose any of them... She cleared her throat. "I... can understand why they would be transferred, sir; but what about Crewman Allster? Why would she...?"
"She's an Allster, Commander," Sutherland told her. "That name is still respected; people will be glad to hear her words. One doesn't have to be a fighter to be useful, Commander."
Murrue nodded slowly. "I see, Captain."
Archangel, Corridor
No one said another word until they were back aboard the Archangel... safely away from interested ears. "This is unbelievable!" Natarle exploded. "First they try to pin the blame for everything we went through on just two members of the crew, and now they want to transfer us out?"
The next sound was perhaps the most startling thing Murrue had ever heard: Ken DiFalco, unable to contain himself any longer, burst out laughing.
She and the other officers stared at him as though he'd gone mad. Indeed, they were afraid he might have, because such an outburst was so out of character as to be unbelievable. "Uh, Falcon..." Murrue began carefully, "are you... all right?"
Still chuckling to himself, Ken nodded. "Oh, I'm fine, Murrue, perfectly fine. I'm just pleased with myself, that's all."
"Pleased with yourself about what?" Natarle demanded. "Just what is so funny, Commander?"
He smiled; an expression that somehow made him look even more like a bird of prey than usual. "Just this: I'm going to get the last laugh. You don't like Sutherland's attitude? Don't worry about it; he won't have much longer to be a self-satisfied bastard."
Mu cleared his throat. "Uh... would you care to explain that, little brother?"
"It's quite simple, Mu," Ken said, satisfaction in his voice and face. "You've heard that there's an upcoming ZAFT operation, right?"
"We all have," Murrue acknowledged, puzzled. "Supposed to be a massive attack against Panama. But what does that have to do with...?"
"It's called Operation Spit Break," he informed her. "And Panama isn't the real objective. It never was. No, Spit Break's objective is JOSHUA Base... which means that, probably within days, the largest force ZAFT has ever assembled will be coming right here."
Natarle's eyes widened. "How do you know that?"
Ken's smile became, incongruously, a genuine grin. "Well, I certainly ought to know it. After all... it was all my idea in the first place."
Pieces fell into place in Murrue's mind. Of course... that's why he's been so tense lately, she realized. He knew that it was coming... but now, he's actually looking forward to it...
"It's a pity you won't be here to see it," she said finally. "But I suppose you'll be better off this way; out of the line of fire."
Ken raised an eyebrow. "I don't recall saying that I intended to leave."
She blinked. "But... your transfer..."
"I thought you knew, Murrue: I don't particularly care what Sutherland and his ilk want me to do. I stayed with the ship for a purpose... and I'm not going to leave it now." He leaned against the bulkhead. "And it so happens that I can probably alter the orders within the computers to keep someone else aboard, as well. In the confusion, I don't think anyone will notice, especially if I seem to be complying with it myself. But I can only do it for one; any more than that might well be noticed."
Mu came to a quick decision. "I suggest you keep Lieutenant Badgiruel here," he said slowly. "If need be, I can make my own arrangements; and if not, well... it's not as if a single Skygrasper pilot would make much of a difference here, anyway."
The ace looked over at Natarle. "Well, Lieutenant? You willing to go against the Book, just this once?"
She started to speak, then closed her mouth and made herself consider it. "Yes," she said at last. "I think so. Something... doesn't seem right here. I'd better stick around." She looked over at him. "But... aren't you going to warn Headquarters that an attack is imminent?"
Ken shook his head. "No, Lieutenant, I'm not. There's more at stake here than you know; and besides, I don't think they'd believe me."
Natarle nodded unhappily. "You're probably right."
"But we believe you," Murrue put in. "So at least we'll be ready." She still didn't like the notion of losing Mu and Flay, but at least this was a problem she could do something about. "Do you know when the attack is supposed to begin?"
He shrugged. "Soon, that's all I know. Sparky's messages -back when I could still receive them- said that the Supreme Council had approved Spit Break, but he wasn't able to get a timetable. Still, I'd say it'll be only a few days from now, if that."
She nodded. "Then we'd better get ready."
PLANTs, Aprilius One, Clyne Residence, May 5th, C.E. 71
It was to be one of the most momentous days in the entire Earth/ZAFT War... and at this moment, Kira Yamato had no idea of the role he was about to play in it.
Instead, he was sitting in the gazebo, drinking tea with Lacus and the Reverend Malchio. They were waiting for Siegel Clyne to arrive; they'd begun making arrangements for Kira to return to Earth, but none of them were sure if it was even possible at this time... what with the preparations for ZAFT's next major operation.
Sparky, in his usual position near the door, wore an expression that bordered on grim; had his self-control not been as formidable as it was, it would have been grim. There's no way they'll let any flights take off for Earth, he thought. Not with Spit Break being launched today. But... will it lead to the scenario we need, or will we have to do the dirty work ourselves, and hope for the best?
Lacus wasn't paying any attention at all to her bodyguard. Instead, she was watching Kira, who was sipping his tea with the abstracted air of someone with a great deal on his mind. "Are you all right, Kira?" she asked. "You seem pensive."
He nodded absently. "I'm fine, Lacus. I'm just... wondering what it is I'm doing here."
She raised an eyebrow. "Well, where would you like to be, if you had the option? Would you rather be on Earth right now?"
Kira shrugged. "I... don't really know. I just... feel like I should be somewhere; but I don't know where..."
"You will know, when the time comes," Malchio predicted. "When the time is right, you'll know what you should be doing, and that will tell you where you should be going. For that is what it means to be a bearer of the Seed."
Kira didn't know about that... but he found the blind monk's words reassuring nonetheless. Kinda sounds like how Ken always talks, he thought. Feels like... home...
Wait. Home? Was the Archangel... home? Was that why he felt out of place here? Because his place, his home was on the Archangel?
Maybe so... Maybe I do need to return...
The door leading into the residence proper slid aside, and Siegel Clyne stepped in. "I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. "But right now, they aren't letting any flights for Earth lift off; not even private shuttles, like the Reverend's."
"I'm not surprised," Sparky put in. "With the preparations going on right now..."
He was interrupted by a sound from the screen that suddenly appeared on the gazebo's wall. "A call for Master Siegel, from Ms. Eileen Canaver," the operator said. "Shall I put it through?"
Siegel nodded. "Yes, please."
The face of Eileen Canaver, Siegel Clyne's closest ally on the Supreme Council, appeared. "I have bad news, Clyne," she said grimly. "Zala appears to have lied to us all... again."
Siegel's expression tightened, and Kira felt the beginnings of dread in his gut. "How so?" the politician asked. "What has he done now?"
"Panama's not Operation Spit Break's target," Canaver answered. "It's JOSHUA Alaska."
Kira's teacup fell from his hand, and shattered. No... the Archangel...
"What's wrong, Kira?" Lacus asked, hurrying to his side. "What's the matter?"
He couldn't answer; he could only listen as Canaver continued. "The Council didn't approve any of this. He's going for a strike to decapitate the Earth Alliance in a single blow."
"What could've led to this?" Siegel demanded. "Has he lost his mind?"
"Possibly," she said dryly. "However, I think that it's his fondness for the direct approach... and the rumors that the Grimaldi Falcon is at Alaska may have something to do with it, as well. You know as well as I that Zala's been obsessed with neutralizing Commander DiFalco for months now."
Kira stared at nothing... and in his heart, a long-delayed decision was made.
He had to go back.
"Kira, you have the power to make a difference, don't you? So why not put it to good use?"
"Yes, what he does is something we all wish no one had to do. But there are few purposes more noble than the defense of others. It's a sad thing that a machine such as these comes alive only on the field of battle, where blood is shed, but it is also right. To be a protector is a noble calling, Kira."
Kira Yamato remembered the words of those who had been like mentors to him, on the Archangel. At the time, he hadn't truly understood; but now, now that he'd fought in a number of battles himself...
The gazebo was now deserted except for himself, and he had time to muse on what had brought him this far... and where he'd go from here. Yet there wasn't anything to think about anymore; not really. The choice was made. All that remained now was determining how to carry out his decision...
The small building's door slid aside, and Lacus stepped in. "Kira...?" she called softly. "Are you all right?"
Kira turned to face her, and she was startled to see tears in his eyes, as though he'd just made a momentous, irrevocable decision... But what? Lacus wondered.
"It's time I left here," he told her simply. "I... I can't stay here any longer."
Somehow she wasn't surprised; this was something she'd seen coming ever since he started acting restless... ever since he mentioned there was someone waiting for him. "I see. But... where were you thinking of going?"
"I have to return to Earth. I..." Kira paused, gathering his thoughts. "I still have things I need to do."
"But why?" Lacus asked. "Even if you go, what can you do? You're all alone..."
"No, I don't think so," he said slowly. "But even if I am... Well, think about it. If everyone decided not to act, because they thought it wouldn't do any good, then nothing would be done. Then nothing would change... and nothing would end. I can't let it go on like this..."
Lacus heard his words, and thought about them. There's only so much one young man can do... That's why we've been trying to work from within to end this war. But... When that fails, what is left but to take direct action? Even if it's but a small ripple, one day it may grow into a large wave... and it will swallow even him...
"I understand, Kira," she said at last, and smiled. "Maybe... we can help you. But... who will you be fighting? The Earth Forces, or ZAFT?"
"I suspect both," another voice rumbled. "Am I right, kid?"
Kira raised an eyebrow at Sparky's entrance, but nodded. "I think that I understand what you people are fighting for now; how you can fight against both sides like that. But..." he said slowly, "I don't want to hurt anyone, either, if I can help it."
Sparky smiled. "Not to worry, kid. We've got something you might be interested in; it's capable of mass destruction, but I think it'll fit your philosophy just fine." He smirked slightly. "Better than the Boss's machine would, anyway."
The younger Coordinator nodded. "Thanks."
The big man stuck out a hand. "Welcome to the Revolution, Kira Yamato."
PLANTs, Maius Six, ZAFT Experimental Mobile Weapons' Hangar
With Kira properly outfitted in a ZAFT top gun uniform, it was a surprisingly simple matter to gain access to the required facility. Lacus Clyne's fame, combined with Sparky Cooper's imposing figure and even more imposing reputation -and security clearance- gained them quick access to the interior.
"This feels... strange," Kira confided, when they were out of earshot of others. "This uniform... and sneaking into a place like this..."
"We're not sneaking," Sparky told him, an easy smile on his face as they drifted down a corridor. "We're just on an inspection tour. It's amazing what you can do with the proper influence... as we Gray Demons have had cause to discover lately."
Lacus looked at her bodyguard carefully. "Commander Cooper... just how long have you been conspiring against Chairman Zala?"
"Since he was Committee Chairman Zala," he told her. "When he was just the man in charge of ZAFT, the Boss set us up to counter him. If you're asking me if we've betrayed ZAFT... then I'd have to say we have. Last September, in fact, we began to work against the regular forces."
She sighed. "All this going on, and none of us ever noticed... How could we be so blind?"
"If you're referring to our activities, you weren't blind... you were just unprepared for the Boss's stratagems. But if you're referring to Zala... He's a crafty bastard, that's all. Never lets anyone know his real agenda."
They were nearing a large hatch, and Kira glanced about. "So it's through, there, huh?" A sudden thought struck him. "Hey, where's Nicol? I'd have thought he'd be here..."
Sparky shook his head. "Sorry, but we couldn't risk it. He's officially dead, remember; that made it a lot easier to integrate him into the True ZAFT faction. Because of that, we don't dare let him show his face in a place like this. In fact, the only reason it's safe for you is the fact that nobody in ZAFT, except for your buddy Athrun, has any idea what you look like."
"Right; I should've realized." After all, Kira knew full well just how covert the "True ZAFT" faction's activities truly were. If Preybird were any indication, they had big plans... such big plans that only a monumental amount of caution could possibly have gotten them this far in the first place.
The small group saluted another pair of ZAFT soldiers along the way, and then a hatch ahead of them slid open, granting access into a large, dimly-lit chamber. Only two of them knew what lay within... but the third would recognize it swiftly enough.
"Here it is," Lacus said, as they drifted out onto a catwalk. At a nod from the Pink Princess, Sparky touched a control, and light blossomed in the chamber.
Kira gasped. "A Gundam," he whispered.
Indeed, it bore lines remarkably similar to the Strike; but where the Strike had hard edges, this mobile suit was well-rounded, making the Strike look crude in comparison. Where the Strike had a blue torso, with red trim, this beauty had black and red, and where the Strike had the six wings of the Aile Striker, this had ten folded wings that appeared nearly identical to those of the Preybird.
It was one of the most dangerous-looking pieces of machinery Kira had ever seen, surpassed only by the menacing Preybird; and this had cleaner lines, making it look majestic instead of threatening. He felt a sense of awe, just looking at it.
Lacus smiled. "Actually, 'Gundam' isn't what it's called; but that does sound more powerful, doesn't it?"
"It's the ZGMF-X10A Freedom," Sparky informed the young pilot. "Most of the technology used in its construction is based either on the original six G-weapons, or on the new devices the Boss created for the Preybird. Where Preybird is meant for one-on-one total-destruction, this is intended as long-range, multi-target interceptor." He smiled. "Perfect for your stated intentions, kid."
Kira glanced from one renegade to the other. "But why... are you letting me...?"
"Because I feel that you'll need this power," Lacus answered. "In the coming struggle, neither will alone, nor strength alone, will be enough. That's why."
"And," Sparky muttered, "just possibly to make sure Patrick can't use it for his own ends. I doubt the Boss would be very happy if we let that happen."
"Thank you," Kira said sincerely. "Will you be all right, after this?"
Lacus smiled. "I'll be just fine, Kira." She glanced at her bodyguard. "Right, Commander?"
Sparky grinned. "Absolutely, Miss Lacus. Don't worry, kid; the Demons still have a few tricks up their sleeves." He jerked his head toward another hatch. "There'll be flightsuits through there; get changed, and get going. I don't know how much time we have before someone notices something's wrong."
Soon, Kira was properly attired (and he had the distinct impression that the Gray Demons had anticipated his decision and made prior arrangements, because he'd found a flightsuit his size with a pair of gray feathers on the collar in the locker room), and he drifted over to the Freedom's hatch. Back to the battlefield again, he thought; but this time, the thought held no disgust for him, nor resignation. Only a sense of purpose.
"Will this take you where you want to go?" Lacus asked him. "Will it help you when you get there?"
He nodded firmly. "It will. Thank you, Lacus. And you, Sparky."
"Anytime, kid," Sparky said waving a hand. "Just don't forget what you're fighting for, ever. Oh, and take this." He held out a package, which appeared to be the uniform Kira had worn minutes before, though something seemed different about the insignia... "I don't know if you'll need this or not, but if you do..."
Puzzled, Kira took it. "Why...?"
"Let's just say I have a feeling we'll be meeting again," the big man said enigmatically. "Which reminds me: get this disc to the Boss, will you?" He held up a data disc. "My latest report; I think he'll need it."
The young pilot tucked the disc into a pocket of his flightsuit. "I will." Then he turned to the Pink Princess. "Are you sure you'll be all right, Lacus?"
She nodded. "I will be, Kira. And I, too, will be singing the great song of peace. Good luck."
"Thank you." With a final wave, he disappeared down the hatch, into the mighty Freedom. Let's go home, to the Archangel...
Once inside, Kira began to realize why Sparky thought the Freedom would be of so much use to him. Its cockpit was much better than that of the Strike, its weapons were more powerful than anything short of the Launcher Striker's Agni, and the powerplant...
"This is nuclear-powered," he breathed. "A Neutron-jammer canceler... this machine has more than four times the power of the Strike!"
Hands moving with increasing confidence over the controls, he brought the powerplant fully online, and then hit a familiar button, activating the Freedom's Phase-shift armor. Neither will alone... nor strength alone...
On his display, he saw Lacus waving to him, and Sparky raising a hand in salute, before the hatch closed; and then it was safe to open the main hatch, leading out into space.
Ignoring the sudden radio chatter calling on him to stop, Kira powered up the Freedom's thrusters, and with a responsiveness the Strike never had, the wonderful machine shot out into open space. It's time to go home...
Earth Orbit, Near PLANT Colonies
The sudden theft and activation of the Freedom left ZAFT's defense forces scrambling to react, and the only units in range were a small handful of GINNs... which suited Kira just fine.
They're no threat, he thought to himself, and simply blazed right past the first pair, who literally had no idea what had just gone by. Security regarding the new machines had been tight enough to prevent any leakage, even with ZAFT itself.
"What was that?" one of the pilots wondered.
"Whatever it was, it was fast," his partner breathed. "What could it be...?"
Up ahead, a second pair was more alert, and had their weapons ready and firing as the Freedom approached. "That's useless," Kira murmured to himself. "They have to know that can't hurt me..." He threw the Freedom into a dizzying evasive pattern, throwing off their aims, and drew his Lacerta beam sabers. "Just get out of my way!" he called out.
The two pilots were stunned by the stranger's speed, and by the ease with which his fiery blades swept out, sheering through armor and internal systems alike as they ripped through the GINNs' arms and heads.
In an instant, Kira was past, and nothing lay in his path but open space... and Earth itself. He didn't even notice the shuttle that he shot past... and thus had no idea that Athrun Zala had just passed him.
Kira Yamato was going back to the Archangel, to his home... and nothing was getting in his way.
Author's note: The verdict of the Board of Inquiry has been handed down, and Operation Spit Break has commenced. Now Kira has the Freedom, and is on his way to Earth; and Preybird will soon have its true test in battle…
Yeah, I know, another late update. Well, that was the last section I should have any real trouble with, so the next update should be a little faster.
In the meantime, let me know if this chapter was any good. -Solid Shark