Okay, I am very well prepared to take on any complaints of not updating enough. After my life completely decided to throw everything at me all at once, I have finally found the extra time to update. But that's not the end of the story.
Because its been a month or so, I am updating multiple chapters to the story. I apologize again for being lazy and not updaing. Please, don't stab me.
Word of warning, the story is going to start to pick up now. I'm not exactly how many chapters there will be in Part II, but probably around 20. I also edited all of the recent updated chapters myself, so if there are any mistakes, PLEASE don't tell me. I already know I suck at editing.
Thanks, everyone. Review and tell me what you think!
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Seed Destiny
Rey was pretty sure that if this was a real inspection, he probably would have passed them with flying colors. That is...if he had actually been a member of Twilight, which he was not.
The soldiers greeted the both of them formally at the bay. Rey saluted the first officer, Brent Hayworth...whatever his name was..., and the proceeded to finding his quarters. Suzuka had complied with his request, and had taken the job of carrying around the papers and sticking to Rey like glue. Although she had been in ZAFT for quite a long while, she had agreed that it was best to let Rey take center stage in this mission.
"Would you hand me the report for the 16th, Miss Hino?"
"Yes, sir." she obediently handed him the clipboard.
She trailed behind him as he spoke with the officer. Suzuka had to admit...Rey was excellent. No one would ever suspect who they were, or their real intentions. Everyone on the base truthfully believed he was Commander Rei Minami and that she was Sargent Keiko Hino.
"...how are the 4th and 7th engines functioning?" Rey continued, "I find that in the past reports, these areas were the most neglected."
"They are functioning within 95 percent." Commander Hayworth told him, "I have made sure the maintenance crew tends to these engines everyday, as well as the others."
"The port side buster cannon was replaced last week, what was the reason behind this?"
"It was functioning abnormally, sir. We were afraid that it would be a danger to the soldiers."
"Indeed, very good."
It went on for most of the day. After a 12 hours work day, Suzuka thought she was going to keel over with exhaustion. The entire time, she trailed silently after Rey carrying papers, running errands, and answering to his orders. She really did not understand how Rey could keep going on for so long without any breaks. But once they dismissed the Commander to return to his duties, she followed Rey to his quarters. As the door slid shut, she set the papers on his desk and flopped on the bed.
"Tired?" he asked her.
"Yeah." she rolled on her side, "Now, I understand how my aids feel when I run them ragged around the ship."
Rey chuckled, "We're not finished yet, we only have 2 days to find Cagali-sama. Although, if everything works out, we'll free her tonight."
She nodded, and then sat up.
"Alright, so what did you find out?" she replied.
"Commander Hayworth is part of the Twilight structure. He may not know any access codes, but I am sure he has something stored on his server." Rey sat in his chair, and began to boot up the laptop. It was a special sort of machine that Ezekiel had given him. The computer was completely undetectable, and all transmissions were completely untraceable. Rey did not feel like asking the young hacker how he managed this, as he probably would not have understood anyway, even though Rey was well adversed in computers himself.
"Hail the Kamaitachi." Suzuka said, unbuttoning her collar, "I want to speak with Ezekiel."
"Yes, ma'am."
She watched his hands fly across the board, and before she knew it, she was staring at the tired eyes of Ezekiel Marks. He stared blankly at the computer, rubbed his half-closed eyes, and yawned.
"Mr. Marks...did you fall asleep at the helm again?"
"Captain." he rubbed his eyes, "Sorry...it boring as hell around here and I've been up for 2 days straight. Coffee just wore off so I nodded off on the console. Vana is monitoring the system for me..."
"Make sure to thank her later."
"Of course, Captain." he said, rubbing his head, "What's up?"
"I need you to hack a server for me."
The boy's eyes lit up slightly, hacking was one of the things he enjoyed in life. He smirked,
"Oh?"
"Commander Brent Hayworth." she said, "He may know Cagali-sama's location, please get whatever information you can."
"Consider it done, ma'am."
"Alright, and Mr. Marks?"
"Yeah?"
"Get some rest." she smiled, "Put Brooks on a shift."
He chuckled, "He's getting even less sleep then me, if you know what I mean."
Rey found himself chuckling at this statement as well. Suzuka smiled and shook her head, it could not be helped. At least everyone sounded happy, and that was all she cared about. Even though they were her subordinates, they were all her close friends.
"Understood." she said, "Kiriyuhi out."
The message ended, and Suzuka sighed, "I leave my ship for a day and look what happens. They work hard, but still..."
"As you said, Suzuka-san, it can't be helped."
She stepped back, and sat on the bed again. They would have to wait till the transmission of Ezekiel's information to come. They would need to analyze it and delete it right away, to avoid anyone actually finding the computer and discovering them. It would be a long night.
Reaching to take off her shoes, she flinched.
"Is something wrong?" he turned from the desk.
"My shoulders are sore."
Rey stood up, "It must have been from carrying all those files. I'm sorry I made you do all of that."
"It's alright." she shrugged, "I don't mind, it was a good work out."
"Here, let me."
She watched as he walked around the other side of the bed, pulling off his own shoes, and knelt behind her. Sitting cross-legged, he began to rub her shoulders. Smiling, she leaned back, letting him do whatever he wanted.
"That's nice."
Suzuka stopped, feeling his breath brush over her ear.
"Rey?"
His arms slowly wrapped around her, pulling her into his chest.
"On the shuttle, you had a bad dream."
She frowned, "Just bad memories."
"Tell me." he said.
Suzuka sat there a moment in his arms. For some reason, whenever she was with him, she was never afraid of anything. Rey watched as she pulled herself out of his arms and lay on the bed. She was facing away from him. She was not sure how telling the story again would effect her, and she never liked to cry in front of people.
"Suzuka?"
"Niissan!" she ran after him down the street.
He was upset, she could tell. Grabbing his arm, she stopped him.
"What's wrong!" she yelled, "What wrong with you!"
Katsuya garred at her, "I don't want to go to war, Suzuka."
"What?"
It had been a year since she had overheard the conversation in the hallway. Since then, Katsuya and June acted liked nothing happened. The three of them still hung out together, played together, had fun...but there was always something in their eyes that scared her.
For Katsuya to express any feelings against battle were very unlike his character. Sometimes she was see him come home from long training sessions, and he would be unresponsive. Like something had simply snapped in his mind. It was getting worse and worse over the years, and now it was worse since he graduated and entered the academy
"I can't do this anymore, Suzu." he said, "I can't keep lying to mother and father, or to myself."
"I don't understand."
Katsuya turned to her, and wrapped his arms around her.
"Whatever happens, Suzu...know that I will always think of you." he said, "I know that someday you will understand."
"Understand what? What is going on..."
He let go of her, and then he disappeared down the alleyway.
It was times like this that she was confused herself. Afterwards, she was go home, and simply lay on her feather bed and stare at the ceiling. Once in a while, she would hear her mother hum in the hallway, or her father pacing up and down the steps...but it was nothing out of the ordinary.
It was the day she graduated that it first began.
Katsuya sat next to her father as she accepted the diploma for her school. Turning around, June was not far from her, smiling and waving. As she stood off to the side, waving to her other classmates, she smiled at her brother, who waved back at her.
"...June Von-hild Romanheim..." the announcer replied.
June walked off the risers, heading towards the front.
Suzuka did not hear where the shot came from. All she remembered, was hearing a wave of screams from the audience, and watching as June began to fall to her knees. She remembered watching, speechless, and her best friend fell to the floor in a heap. It was the that she realized, it was the teacher announcing the names that had just shot her.
He pointed the gun at the young girl. She rolled on her side, holding her bleeding shoulder.
"Natural barbarians..."
Suzuka gasped, what? June was a-
"JUNE!"
Her brother sailed out of nowhere, landing on the stage. The bullet grazed his arm as he grabbed the elder man's arms and threw him to the floor. He lay in a heap as Katsuya took the gun from him.
"June-chan!" Suzuka ran towards her.
But her brother was already there. A crowd formed around them as he held the injured girl in his arms.
"Call a medic!" he yelled, "She's been shot! She needs a doctor!"
June stared at them dazed, reaching out for Suzuka's hand.
"What did he mean?" Suzuka asked, "June-chan...he called you..."
It was then that she realized that June had gone limp in her brother's arms.
Hospitals always bothered her. They had a white and sulfur aura about them, something that only got stronger as the war started. Katsuya had been silent for a while, looking up at him, she finally asked...
"Niissan-"
"Suzu..." he looked at the glass that overlooked June's room, "...June is a Natural."
It was like the whole world broke at that moment.
"KATSUYA!" a voice boomed from down the hallway.
She stared in horror as her father grabbed the young man and shoved him against the wall.
"You little fool! What have you done?"
He garred at him, "Then only thing I could do, father."
"You knew?" he said, grabbing the top of his son's collar, he ripped it halfway down his shirt. Sitting on a silver chain was a golden ring.
A wedding band.
Suzuka stared at her brother, "Niissan? You-"
Her mother looked at him in shock, her father was enraged. Katsuya stared at them, defiantly.
"I will not make any excuses." Katsuya said, "Other then the fact...that I love her."
"Suzuka-san!"
She jumped, looking at Rey, who was staring down at her in alarm.
"What?"
He reached his hands forward, brushing the tears from her eyes. "That's enough."
Trying to move her head away, he turned it back towards him. It was not a pleasant memory to remember. He sat there for the longest time, simply taking away her tears and brushing the hair from her eyes.
"I'm sorry." she replied, "I...I didn't mean to-"
"It's alright." he said, "I shouldn't have asked."
"Rey-"
He laid a hand over her lips, and leaned forward. Kissing her softly, pulling her into his arms, she rest her head against his shoulder.
"Sleep." he said, "I'll stay awake."
"But you haven't been sleeping much."
"I'll manage." Rey smiled, "Rest, I'll be right here."
She nodded, and felt herself slipping away.
Shinn Asuka stood on the helicopter launch pad, saluting to Yzak Jule once before he departed to make a short return visit to Orb. Apparently, Athrun Zala needed to speak to him about something important that could not be said over a transmission.
"I'll be back soon, Asuka." Yzak said, "Take care of the base."
"Yes, sir." Shinn said, "You can trust me, Captain."
"Good." he nodded, boarding the copter, Shinn watched until it had disappeared in the clouds.
Turning around, he walked back towards the base. Walking along the boardwalk, he raised his arm slightly and glanced at his white uniform. Athrun had really made him a captain. Despite the fact that Yzak was a captain and still his superior, Shinn was still dressed in a captain's uniform.
It was something that he had never thought about. Truthfully, he hated the military and what he really wanted was to go back to the little house he and Luna stayed in. He wanted to return to his car repair job where the only thing he had to worry about was fixing carbirators and dealings with his boss who tried to rope him into occasionally employee poker games. Shinn also missed his late nights with a certain scarlet-haired woman. This though brought up another thought in his mind that he had been entertaining from time to time-
His cell rang.
Picking it up, he answered.
"Asuka here."
"Shinn!" Lunamaria's voice called, "Get over here quick!"
"Is something wrong!" he asked.
"There isn't much time. Just get here!" she said.
"Alright, I'll be there right away."
Dearka stared grimly at the map, exchanging glances with Eli, Ellanor, and Miriallia. The caravan of jeeps had stopped, and were waiting for his orders.
"What are we going to do?" Ellanor sighed, "ZAFT has blocked all routes to Carpentaria. We need to get there soon or we WILL start having more then just injured on our hands."
Dearka leaned against the back of the jeep. Miriallia could tell he was exhausted...more then just exhausted. Running a hand threw his hair, he looked up at Eli,
"I think we should just meet them head on."
All three stared at him like he had grown a horn in the middle of his forehead.
"The eastern route takes us too close to the cliffs, the jeeps can't make it over that. We have some injured that could move over that area, but some that can't and I will NOT leave anyone behind. The western route takes us over the river, and unless jeeps can drive over waterfalls I don't think that's an option."
"Dearka-"
"We need to get to Carpentaria today." he said, "It's only five miles if we go on the northern route. Of course, if it doesn't work, we could go east and it'll add five days to our trip. No Twilight, but harsher traveling."
Before anyone could speak up, Ellanor put her hands on her hips,
"Well, I think we can do it." she said, "I think we've made it this far and we can make it."
"I agree." Miriallia nodded.
"Eli?" Dearka looked up at the elder man. He smiled at Dearka, and shrugged,
"We trust your judgment, Elthman." he said, "If you think we can do it, then we'll do it."
Dearka could not help but smile at that comment. He nodded, and after a couple more points to plan out, people disbursed to help prep the rest of the group. They were going to have to move fast. Twilight was only two or three hours behind them, and at the rate they were going, would catch them today if they did not reach the base.
Dearka let out a tired sigh, and leaned his head back, looking at the sky. A smirk spread across his face as he felt someone lean against his chest, wrapping her arms around him gently.
"You look like hell." Miriallia murmured.
"I'll bet."
Looking down at the top of her head, he buried his face in her hair. She was the only thing keeping him sane. Craning her head up, she pressed her lips to the inside of his neck. Miriallia did not have to do much to capture his attention. Pulling her face out of his neck, he kissed her lips, pulling the rest of her into his chest.
"When all this is over-" he kissed her cheek, moving onto her ear, "-I'm going to whisk you away and not let you out of bed for a week."
"Sounds like a good idea." she said, "But not after you get sleep."
"Fascist." he frowned.
"Dearka, you look like you're going to drop. Ellanor says you haven't been eating or sleeping. I know you're a Coordinator, but you're still a human being."
He smiled at her, resting his forehead on hers.
"I'll be fine, don't worry, Mir." he said, "I'll get us through this, and then I'll take a much needed vacation."
"Mmm...vacations." She smiled at the thought.
"Stay with me?"
Miriallia looked up at him for a moment. His strong arms tightened around her, waiting for an answer. By this point, she was tired of running away from him. Sliding her hands over his face, he stared at her in slight shock as she kissed him.
"Of course." she nodded, "Why would I say no?"
Dearka beamed at her, and scooped her up into his arms. She yelped, crying out and laughing at the same time. He could never get enough of her. Burying his face in her neck, he trailed his lips down her neck-
They were surrounded by screams as a loud explosion went off.
Thanks for reading! Review if you can.
Arigato
Lilith