Disclaimer: Guess what...it still ain't mine!
So, another update and the start of the space arc. Well, the second one. So, please tell me what ya think?
Chapter 16
Jo lay on her bed, wide awake. One very, very bad thing about the captain's rule: no more night time strolls. And no Yzak to be there to insult me, or kiss me, or just be there. It's like I've lost him too, despite the fact I know I haven't. She sighed. Milly had come back from her shift a while ago and had fallen asleep instantly. So that was a no go. She rolled onto her side and stared at the door, listening to the silence. Footsteps sounded through the ringing.
She sat bolt upright, her body tense. Slowly, she swung her feet out of bed and silently pulled on the white trousers, before walking to the door. Her bare feet made no sound on the hard floor, but the cold caused her body to shiver violently. The footsteps outside paused right in front of the door and it slid open. Reflexs acting before her mind had time to assess the situation, she sprang on top of the figure, pinning the bigger frame underneath her.
'Wh..what do you think you're doing!' came the muffled voice from under her hand. She peered closer, squinting in the gloom. Recognising the profile as one of the members of the bridge, Set or something, she blushed and pushed herself off him.
'Sorry,' she whispered, 'Sorry, I...well, habit.' He sat up, fixing his glasses. 'Habit? You mean you attack your teammates out of habit?' She shrugged, 'Does pinning each other to walls and screaming at each other count?' The boy nodded. She followed suit, 'Oh, well then yeah.'. He shook his head, and pushed himself to his feet, offering her a hand. She accepted and he pulled her up as well. The move reminded her of her first kiss with Yzak and she suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to cry. Swallowing the sob rising in her throat, she looked away from the boy. Suddenly, a thought struck her.
'Hey? Do you think you could go for a walk with me? I can't sleep and sometimes walking helps.' He looked surprised, but nodded. She smiled, 'Thanks, Set isn't it?' 'Sai,' he corrected. She nodded, 'Sai.'.
Sai glanced at the girl walking beside him. It was amazing the strength in that tiny frame. And it was tiny.
'How are you even let into a mobile suit? I know from Kira that you have to be over a certin weight to be a pilot.' At that, she laughed, her head tilted back. It was strange, that was a trait of many naturals. In fact, the differance between the races was minamal. Except no natural would have purple hair, or green hair.
'Me? Have you seen me at meal times? I eat like a horse! I'm only so small because I use it all up on nervous energy! Hell, even Nicci weighs less than me! In fact, none of the other three even eat dessert! Me and Dearka always ended up with two and a half!' He laughed at that, feeling his face flush slightly. She caught the faint pink tinge, looking at him in a confused mannor. He looked down into her face.
'You know, Nicci looks a lot younger than the rest of you.' She still stared at him, before slowly saying, 'No, I'm the youngest. Nicci's nine months older than me.' He nodded. 'Oh... Well, um, what's he like when...not in a battle.' She remained quite, raising an eyebrow suspisciously. Then her eye widened to a rather colossal size and she grabbed his collar, driving him into the wall. He winced in pain, staring down at her angry face.
'Wh...what?' he stammered. 'What do you want with Nicci? If you ever hurt him I will personally make sure you live to regret it!' His jaw dropped, remembering that Nicci had died once, and that had driven the pilot of the Aegis to almost kill himself. They were so close to each other. He looked her in the eye and said sincerely, 'I would never hurt Nicol. I would die before I did.' She stared up at him. He placed his hands loosly round her wrists. 'I promise.'
Her hands uncoiled themselves from the material of his jacket. 'Alright, but I mean it.' He smiled, 'So do I. Now, we should probaby head back to bed.' She nodded and followed him back to her room.
'Here we are. Goodnight Jo.' Sai said as he opened the door of the room. He made to leave, but she caught his shoulder. He turned, confused. She beamed at him, 'Call me Little Lady.' He stared at her. Wasn't that the petname her teammates used? And she was letting him use it? He nodded, feeling slightly amazed. Her grin grew, and she turned back and walked into the dark room.
Flay jumped as the eerie glass gaze turned on her. 'What do you mean she said "Tell Onii-Chan I'm sorry"!' The calmness of his voice startled her, this was his sister they were talking about after all. And his little sister at that. 'That's all, I don't know what she meant. She just said not to call an alarm because no-one would listen and to tell you sorry and then she walked out. I didn't know what she was planning on doing.'
The man nodded and turned to the silver-haired teen standing beside her. A large bruise stood out against his pale skin. 'Yzak, would you please give me your report on the incident.' The boy nodded.
'At 0800 hours I entered the hanger to do a check up on the Duel. Some fifteen minutes later, Ensign Wheeler entered and walked over to the Caliber. It was obvious she hadn't noticed me, and I had no reason to be suspiscious just yet. I approached her to find out what she was doing, and noticed she was wearing her flight suit. She seemed to hear me moving towards her as she turned sharply. She told me she was sorry, and attacked. I'm afraid that's all I know sir.'
After the boy finished, Flay turned back to Commander le Creuset. He was staring at the boy in a calculating mannor. 'Well then, Yzak, as you have now found out, the Caliber and a support craft are gone. Ensign Wheeler has deserted ZAFT and taken some powerful weaponry. Where she has gone, we don't yet know. But if she is ever found by our side, she will stand trial and be executed for her crime.' The boy flinched, was he close to this "Ensign Wheeler"?
She didn't have time to ask. Commander le Creuset turned back to her. 'Mrs Alister, we will be heading to space soon. I'm afraid you cannot be seen in that EA uniform. I will have Yzak fetch you a ZAFT uniform and you must address me and other senior crew members as "Sir", understood?' She nodded, feeling shaky. Did this make her an offical member of the ZAFT army? Did this mean she was on the same side as the monsters of her childhood nightmares? She looked up at the commander. He had her father's voice. And he was protecting her. He was giving her a uniform to avoid attacks. To stop her getting hurt. Were these people really monsters? She improved her stance and saluted. 'Yessir!'
It was strange, to be fighting on the same side as the boy who'd blinded her in one eye. It was strange to be shouting warnings and strategies to the man who'd killed many of her kind. And yet, here she was, doing just that. The space launch had just been anounced and the EA had attacked not moments later. Their job: Hold off the EA until everything is ready and then get the fuck outta dodge. She glanced over at Strike. By all rights she shouldn't be watching his back. But he was her superior officer so she followed her orders and slashed the suit aiming for his back.
Mu spun round at the sound of ripping metal. The Caliber was standing back to back with him. It's pilot, ZAFT's Bloodstained Angel. A bitter taste formed in his mouth. An angel? Yes, she was. An angel born in hell. Her title, her power had come from the midst of a raging war. As had his. He was a hawk, she was an angel. Both spirits of the air, yet trapped by grounded war gods.
His radio crackled to life, and Murre's voice sounded through it. 'Lt Flaga? Pull back to the ship. We're launching in a few minutes and none of the suits bar Freedom and Justice have the ability to fly. You'll need to be on the ship when it launchs or you'll be left behind!' He pressed the call button and contacted Caliber.
'Jo, move back to the ship!' Her voice crackled from the recievor. 'Why?' He sighed. Well, that was to be expected. He pushed the call button again. 'Long story, to little time. Retreat now, and tell your companions to follow.' Her voice sounded one more time, only to say 'Yessir!', and then the massive bulk of Caliber, followed closely by Buster and the M1 with the green haired boy close behind her. He smiled and followed as well.
The touchdown to the ship was a bit of a jolt, partly because she wasn't used to the layout of the ship yet. Sighing, she stood beside Dearka and Flaga at the open door to hold the enemies of for as long as possible. All too soon, the door closed and they rushed the suits to their stations to be nailed down before real damage was done to the ship and the suits.
Jo descended from the Caliber and strode over to Dearka. 'D'you know what's happening out there?' she asked. He nodded slowly. 'Zala and Yamato are still out there.' She dropped her helmet with a loud clunk.
'Zala's still out there? But...but if he doesn't make it...then he'll be left behind!' Suddenly, a major jolt caused them all to stagger and grab the nearest thing possible. Jo groaned as her feet left the ground with the angle of the ship. 'We probably should've stayed in our cockpits,' Flaga yelled, seeming to be thoroughly enjoying himself. She growled at him. 'No shit, Sherlock!'
Then came the loud, unmistakable sound of an explosion from below them. Confusion crossed the faces of all in the hanger. 'What was that!' Dearka yelled over the noise of the engines. There was no answer from anyone until the noise and heat died down and the hanger rightened itself up. The pilots looked up.
'Well, I'm never doing that again!' Jo moaned pushing herself to her feet. The others followed suit, the low gravity raising them a few inches of the ground. Flaga floated to the door. 'Come on, we gotta report to the bridge and find out what the hell happened!' he yelled. The others followed him.
Murre looked thoroughly upset. Jo had her hands over her mouth and Nicol and Mu were hanging their heads looking solemn. Dearka, however, had his hands on his hips and was glaring at them. 'Um, guys,' he stated, 'Attha gave us this headstart. He destroyed the mass driver to give us some time. And you're going to waste it moping? Is this the ship that kicked our asses or what?' The last comment earned him two elbows in the ribs but it seemed to do it's job. Life sprang into the crew again as Freedom and Justice docked in the hanger.
Yay, I'm done! God the whole space launch seems crap! But it was really hard to do cause I don't know most of what goes on in that episode. So can you forgive me that one screw up and keep R&Ring? Please?
