GUNDAM Convergence

by Ezekiel Zeta Stigma

When Celestial Being tests out the 0-Raiser for the first time, they end up in another space, at another time, beyond another Earth and soon embroiled in a full-blown war. As the crew of the Ptolemy attempts to find out what happened and how to get back, Kira and his friends aboard the Archangel struggle to stay alive in hopes of returning to Earth.

8. BONUS Original Text

MEMO ~ Hello! This is Ezekiel Zeta Stigma speaking. Don't worry, I'm still working on the Fic (as well as the other ones), I'm just letting you all know that the previous chapter was litterally the last segment of the amended content. That means, from here on out, I will be continuing with original content curtosey of yours truly. In the meantime, here is the original & 100% unaltered version of the story that I was able to recover via the internet's WayBack Machine.

...just so you all know what I had to work with.

Anyway... a Merry Christmas to everyone, God Bless you all, and here's wishing for a much better New Year!

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{Author's note: Hello everyone, welcome one all to the first chapter of my newest Fanfic, now O may be off some details so just a heads up if you're someone who judges an entire story on some points being incorrect. If I do get something wrong please let me know so I can fix it then or for future chapters...enough of that let the story begin!...OH and btw...NO SAJI IN THE STORY. HE'S CUT OUT, NEVER EXISTED!...enjoy :3

On another side note in future chapters I will include mention on insert song which is something just for fun if you want to try playing the song during a scene it will be shown in the very beginning like (1.) or (2.) and maybe so on and the number here would list the song and artist and then when you see that exact font number in the story that's when the song would be used.}

(1.) Invoke by TM Revolution

Chapter 1- To the Cosmic Era

Opening- Endscape by UVERworld

Several asteroids drifted around large area, total silence filled outer space, it was only a few of these asteroids contained long range scanners all around as a lone ship flew slowly passed them all toward a massive asteroid. After several moments a large section of the stone slid t the side revealing a bright glowing landing port which then projected a series of beams toward the approaching ship allowing safe projection of its landing. The ship called the Ptolemaios II or Ptolemy moved toward the Celestial Being's Lagrange-3 base. "Laser sensors have synced with Ptolemy." Mileina Vashti said at her station reading her monitor. Feldt Grace glanced out the bridge's main window seeing Ptolemy approaching the landed port, she looked back at her own terminal. "Ptolemy landing." She said seeing her computer open up a clock, "3...2...1." the entire ship came to a halt at that point. "Connection is complete." She sighed leaning back in her chair.

"Beginning connection of stabilization arm." Feldt said her own monitor flashing its own data, "Now connecting boarding hatch." She finished. Feldt got out of her own seat to stretch while Mileina did the same. "It's a good thing we got here." Feldt smiled turning to leave with Mileina with Miss. Sumeragi right behind them. "How long should we be here?" Feldt asked looking behind her turning with Mileina.

Miss. Sumeragi looked over and shrugged, "Who knows maybe a day, a few days or even a week. I can tell you that we're not leaving until we are fully resupplied and rested to head back." She responded seeing the Meisters and other members of the crew ahead at the exit to the station. "Everyone here?" she asked looking at Feldt, Mileina, Tieria, Lasse, Lockon, Allelujah, Marie, and Setsuna who all nodded to her, "Good." Right after saying that the airlock slid open to the hanger where they all saw Ian as well as a younger blonde woman next to him while a light violet haired woman stood several feet away watching.

"Mom!" Mileina cheered jumping toward the blonde woman and wrapped her arms around her, "I'm home!"

The woman smiled back to her, "Mileina have you been well?" she asked which she nodded to.

Allelujah blinked several times looking quite curious, "D-did she just say mom?" he asked still staring surprised remembering Mileina's age and Ian's age.

"Ya, she did." Setsuna responded before they all stepped forward to the Ian and the woman.

Lockon himself looked curious too, "Which means..." he trailed off not knowing how to continue in the subject. Once they all stopped by Ian Lockon glanced over to the violet haired woman still watching everything with a smile that Lockon smiled back to. Tieria also looked at her thinking if he had seen her somewhere before but he couldn't quite think of anyplace he could have.

Ian grinned at the group, "I almost forgot that some of you have never met her. This is my wife." Ian said looking to the blonde woman with glasses.

"I'm Linda Vashti." She introduced herself.

Lockon's eyes widened and his mouth opened shocked, "She's so young!" he exclaimed still not seeing how this should be considered legal but apparently someone thought the same way as him.

"This is a crime." Allelujah smiled joking.

Later...

The glittering new machine caught everyone's attention; its colors matched that of the 00 Gundam with its white and blue coloration and bright orange cockpit. Beside it was another fighter type machine that was white and red with large cannons along the top. "So this is the 0-Raiser?" Setsuna asked eyeing the machine that would help his machine in combat.

Linda nodded looking over, "This machine is equipped with a function that will enable control of the twin drive system. It will also be able to amplify Trans-Am." She added which Setsuna nodded to glancing at the violet girl seated in front of him. Her name was Anew Returner...that kind of name left Setsuna feeling unsettled.

"What about that other machine?" Lockon asked leaning against a nearby wall, "Looks like it can pack a punch." He added seeing its bright green cockpit.

"It's a support fighter for Arios. The GN Archer." Anew answered for Linda looking across from her control console.

Allelujah eyed the machine closely hearing it being described that way, "GN Archer." He repeated to himself in silence with no one hearing his voice.

"Should we start the test Setsuna?" Ian asked looking to the young dark haired man who looked over and nodded.

"Roger." Setsuna responded before he turned to go get his flight suit for the 00. Setsuna exited the room and proceeded down the hallway and was about to pass a door until he bumped into that person. Setsuna grunted for a moment before he caught himself on the wall, "My apologies." He said looking back to see Feldt.

"I'm sorry." She apologized at the same time looking up to see Setsuna. "Oh Setsuna have you seen Haro I thought he went this way." She asked glancing around.

"He must have gone the way I was going, the only other way would be from where I just came from." Setsuna responded passing Feldt, "I have to go; we're testing the 0-Raiser with 00." Setsuna said walking down the hall, "Best of luck finding Haro before Lockon finds out that you lost him." Setsuna called back before turning a corner. Feldt stared at the way that Setsuna went for a short while before she looked back to where they were testing the 0-Raiser.

"I suppose that it wouldn't hurt to just take a look at it." Feldt smiled walking to where Ian, Linda, Anew, and Mileina where getting reading to test the two machines. Several minutes passed as Feldt stood quietly behind the others getting ready to test the power of the 00's Trans-Am with the 0-Raiser. Allelujah was in the hanger taking a closer look at the GN Archer seeing it up close to see what it was and he could see it was clearly a transformable unit like the Arios. Lockon was probably out and about the station taking a look around or getting himself something to eat, Feldt figured it was the same for Miss Sumeragi. Tieria on the other hand she heard he was off to go get washed up...didn't seem like such a bad idea Feldt thought she would go do the same after the test was over with.

Setsuna remained seated in the 00's cockpit as it began to be pulled back toward the 0-Raiser which had itself ready to attach to the 00. With a loud click and thud the two machines were connected and stood by to be activated. "0-Raiser has been linked with 00." Mileina said at her own console looking up the two machines.

"All connectors are green." Linda said working on her console to allow for all the output data to be transferred to Anew's own console as she was taking care of the data.

"Okay, Setsuna time to test the 0-Raiser's control system. Get ready to start the Trans-Am." Ian said leaning forward in his chair seeing the lights in the hanger dim slightly and Anew's console registered a clock.

"Time remaining until Trans-Am commences." She started looking to her screen; Feldt continued to look at the 00. "8, 7..." Setsuna tightened his grip on his controls getting ready for the start of the Trans-Am. "6, 5, 4, 3..." Anew counted as Feldt crossed her fingers. "2, 1." She finished looking back up just before Ian shot his chair forward.

"Setsuna!" he called giving him the signal.

"Roger." Setsuna responded on the other end of the line, "Activating Trans-Am." Setsuna's terminal in front of him turned into the normal purple screen for Trans-Am just as a loud hum was heard through the hanger and 00 turned bright red and gave off a bright light which at first Feldt had to look away from until the viewing window auto tinted to darken the glow to let them watch as the 00 gave off thousands of particles.

"Topographical defect is moving to a high transition state." Mileina said out loud her screen reading different data from 00's systems.

"The amount of particles produced and output is increasing at the same time." Linda said looking at her readings.

"We're above 180% of normal output and rising." Anew said seeing the numbers quickly rising with each passing second that 00 remained in Trans-Am with the 0-Raiser. "230...260!" she ready still slightly surprised by the numbers. "We've exceeded 290%!" she said surprised by the results which were enough to get to stand to look over.

"What?" Ian yelled looking over. Feldt seemed to be the only one to notice but she saw that the entire room seemed to be filled with GN particles.

"It's exceeding theoretical boundary." Anew responded still the numbers increasing slowly.

Setsuna's eyes widened as the glow got even brighter "Is this its true potential?" Setsuna asked out loud. It wasn't a moment after when Setsuna felt a strange sensation; he looked at his right hand and could see as he moved it gave off afterimages. "What's going on?" Setsuna now thought just before he saw everything around him start to grow quiet and dark.

"Setsuna are you alright in there?" Ian's voice now entered the cockpit but Setsuna didn't respond as he began to slowly close his eyes, "Can you hear us Setsuna?" Ian asked again. Setsuna opened his eyes back up until he felt a strong cold sensation which seemed to cut through his skull.

At that moment Anew shook her head feeling light headed herself having to turn her chair away, "I don't feel so well." She said trying to get her vision clear as it would get fuzzy every few seconds. Anew tried to stand but almost fell to be caught by Lockon.

"Hold on I'll take you to sick bay." Lockon smiled helping her up and started helping her out of the room with Anew still having a hard time keeping her head up.

Unknown to everyone of the entire station at Lagrange-3 a large concentration of GN particles had consumed the entire station and it had begun a process the moment that 00's Trans-Am had started. The asteroids that surrounded the base disappeared and there was nothing but black while the particles continued to crawl along the surface, "I feel...a presence..." Setsuna grunted slowly losing conciseness in 00. Setsuna finally blacked out as Ian and Linda shut down the 00 from their position. The moment that 00's Trans-Am stopped Lagrange-3 slowly had its particle cloud disappear leaving it hovering in space with nothing around it except debris from a foreign battle not too long ago.

Ian looked over to Feldt who looked just as confused as the rest of them, "Well go on and go help Setsuna we need to shut all of this down." Ian said until a monitor on a nearby wall flashing got his attention, "Hold on a sec." He said walking to it just as Feldt dashed out of the room to investigate what was happening with Setsuna. Feldt entered the hanger looking up at the 00 as it began to be moved away from the 0-Raiser.

Feldt let herself drift upward to the 00 and climbed along it till she was at the opening to the cockpit which she opened. Setsuna had his head hung down with his hands still on the controls, "Setsuna are you alright?" Feldt asked shaking his shoulder but no response came from him.

"Feldt" Ian's voice echoed in the hanger through an intercom, "We need you and Setsuna out of there right now." He said, "We called for a medic to come for Setsuna but for now we need you here there is a problem...we have no idea what happened." the comm. cut off just before Feldt heard a door open and saw a crew member of the station float over with someone else with them.

"Excuse us ma'am." He said as Feldt moved to let him pass and grab onto Setsuna where he and his friend took Setsuna and took him in their arms and glided off in the zero gravity to the door they had entered through to take him to a medical bay.

"Please be careful with him!" Feldt called back over which one of them gave her the thumbs up to. Once they left Feldt kicked away from 00 back to where she had entered from, while Feldt moved through the halls she noticed several members of the station were scattered around talking and seemed to be one step away from panicking."What's going on here?" Feldt thought quietly kicking around the corner. Once Feldt reached the observation room she was surprised to find Miss. Sumeragi with Ian who were both looking at a 3D map of the area around the station, a few feet away from Feldt was Mileina who remained silent but smiled to Feldt who returned with a nod.

"This is an odd situation to say the least" Miss Sumeragi started looking closely at the hologram while it made a panning motion across their area, "It seems the station is no longer in its original position...at all." She said as a damaged ship appeared on the hologram and was projected in front of her showing a large white ship that didn't look like anything she had seen before. "An unidentifiable ship, an unknown location, and to top it off we have zero communications with any of the other stations." She said seeing the hologram fade.

Mileina raised her hand like an excited student, "Does that mean that we teleported?" she asked.

"Hold on now Mileina we have no proof of such a thing happening." Ian sighed at his daughter's suggestion, "This isn't a sci-fi movie that you watch this is real life." Ian looked back to Sumeragi who didn't change her stare from the map. "You agree with me don't you?" Ian asked sweat dropping just as the door opened for Allelujah and Marie to enter. Marie stumbled slightly but Allelujah caught her fast and held her upright.

"Does anyone here know what happened?" Marie asked weakly trying to stay on her own feet which was easier said than done.

"Marie maybe you should lay down or something." Allelujah suggested.

Marie shook her head slowly letting herself out of his grip to stand straight, "I'm fine just need to stay mobile." She said smiling but gasped slightly almost falling again.

"You and Tieria should both be resting." Allelujah said in protest feeling himself starting to feel weaker.

"What's wrong with Tieria?" Miss. Sumeragi asked looking to the two, "When did this condition start for you both and Tieria?" she asked thinking. "This is odd that no one here but those two and Tieria were affected."

"Actually Anew started feeling weak herself." Ian interrupted, "She's down in sick bay with Lockon right now and is trying to get some rest." Ian looked back to Allelujah who looked at each other.

"Marie do you think that..." Allelujah trailed off starting to doubt what he had started to say.

"Quantum brainwaves?" Marie finished, "It could be possible but that woman Anew...who is she?" Marie asked looking to Ian, "She was scouted by a person named Wang Liu Mei was she not?"

"That is what happened." Ian responded, "But how could she have that? She has no history of anything that could have anything to do with it, it could have been from being close range of the 00 when it Trans-Am'd." Ian said but stopped to think about that, "Well then chances are that more of us would have been affected by it...maybe her blood type has to do with it." Ian shrugged.

"That doesn't matter at this point." Tieria interrupted staggering into the room, "I have been informed that long range scanners have picked up unknown heat sources." Tieria said standing beside Feldt. "I'm going to take Seravee to investigate." He said looking to Miss. Sumeragi, "With your permission of course." Miss. Sumeragi stared at the star map in front of her thinking but then nodded her head which then Tieria nodded to before he turned to exit the room almost hitting the door frame on the way out but caught himself.

"Tieria if there are any problems you get back here as soon possible." Miss. Sumeragi called to him as he left the room. "Feldt" Miss. Sumeragi said looking over to the pink haired girl who straightened her stance, "Go and find Lockon and have him launch as well but tell him to be careful, we have no idea what is out there." She said looking to Ian who went off on his own with Mileina right behind him.

Miss. Sumeragi began walking away until Feldt spoke up, "What is Setsuna's condition ma'am?" she asked concerned remembering the young man passed out in the middle of the test of the 00's Trans-Am. "He was taken to medical but is he alright or is he in any danger?" Miss. Sumeragi looked over seeing the concerned expression on Feldt's face.

"Setsuna is fine he is only tired. I have made it an order for our personel to keep him in bed until we are sure that he is healed and able to move around." Miss. Sumeragi responded before exiting leaving Feldt smiling happily hearing the news before she left to find Lockon.

Later

"All systems green and ready for launch." One Celestial Being member said over a comm. while Seravee and Cherudim were both being setup on their launch catapults. "Seravee launch in 1 minute." A voice echoed in the hanger as one of the hatches of the base opened allowing for the suits to exit.

"How is that woman?" Tieria asked running his last few checks on his machine while a small timer remained in the top right corner of his helmets visor. "She didn't feel well is what I had heard."

Lockon leaned back, "She'll be alright, just tired and all that. So you have any idea what happened earlier?" Lockon asked seeing Tieria had less than thirty seconds till launch.

"I have no idea; I wasn't around 00's Trans-Am test." Tieria answered as he tightened his controls just before his clock ran to zero. "Seravee, Tieria Erde...Launching!" Tieria shouted as Seravee burst forward toward where there was a bright sparkle of light ahead. "I'll see what's going on; you stay here for now until I'm sure I need help." Tieria said while he continued ahead seeing the sparkle turning into a shape. "Looks like some kind of craft. I'm going to get a closer look at it." Tieria said over comm. setting Seravee's GN field on standby just in case. Once Seravee got near some debris as cover it was clear that it was a large carrier style ship that could carry several mobile suits, the ship had large fins in the back half by the engines with a command bridge spouted upward, and there was a large blade along the bottom of the ship. The entire ship was white with small areas being red and blue, darker shades of grey were there too. "I'm going to try to make contact now."

"Be careful Tieria we have no idea what could be onboard that ship or even what you see is really what it seems to be." Miss. Sumeragi's voice cut into his own helmets headset with a small amount of static buzzing in his ear.

Tieria was about to have his suit take off when his radar flashed three targets coming from his far right, "There's something else out here." Tieria said looking around not seeing anything, "No sign of movement yet, I'll decrease radar's range to get a better area of the range." Tieria said as his Gundam's radar perimeter shrunk slowly until the borders of it were level with the blinks. "It appears that they are several seconds away, fifty at the most...wait four, one is bigger than the other three it must be one ship and three mobile suits or armours."

"I'll launch right now." Lockon said his suit getting lowered to his own launcher, "I'll be there in a few minutes just hang on." Lockon said with his launch timer beginning.

"Roger that." Tieria responded clicking off his comm. while he moved forward out of the debris to get a better look at the scenario and he then saw the large curves on the white carrier open like hangers. "I can see activity from the unknown vessel; it seems that they may be launching their own combat equipment." Tieria said moving forward again the blips on his radar getting closer. "Unknowns arrival in twenty seconds." Tieria said Seravee looking forward with its GN bazookas ready. While still watching the ship Tieria saw a fast orange fighter exit one of the hangers and take off to circle around and take off toward the direction of the other unknowns. "Looks like they are aware of each other, in fact it looks like an armed conflict might..." Tieria froze his voice watching in both surprise and shock seeing the second hanger launch something else. The white mobile suit exited with a shield to its left arm and a rifle in its right it was equipped with a type of propulsion system that Tieria had never seen before, "...It's...a Gundam." Tieria's eyes widened at the sight.

"Don't worry Tieria I'm heading over right now." Lockon grinned as his counter running to zero, "Cherudim, Lockon Stratos...Targeted and firing!" Lockon called with his Gundam taking off.

Seravee backed away as two large green beams were fired at the carrier, "Green beams?" Tieria questioned looking back down at a large green ship that had three units flying from it toward the armour and the Gundam; they were Gundams as well from their design. "More of them?" Tieria questioned again looked at the white ship fire back at its enemy Gundams. "Sumeragi Lee Noriega I have confirmed enemy units and they all seem to be like Gundams." There was silence on the comm. for a while Tieria only heard the sound of his Gundams GN drive running. After the long delay he saw several shots of combat by the white ship as the lone white Gundam and orange mobile armour both were fighting off the three enemies and their own ship. Tieria manipulated his controls to have Seravee raise its GN bazookas toward the white ship. "Seravee attacking carrier!" Tieria said ready to fire when Miss. Sumeragi's voice interrupted him.

"Don't even think about it Tieria!" Miss. Sumeragi said sternly through the headset which made her sound right next to him scaring Tieria, "We have no idea what the situation is here, we don't know what the purpose of this conflict is!" Tieria sighed taking his fingers off his fire controls.

"Roger that." (1.) He sighed looking ahead, "Whoa!" he shouted his GN field activating to be struck by a missile which knocked him back several yards, "Someone just fired at me, I didn't see who but they..." Tieria trailed off seeing a shimmer of movement ahead of him. "Cloaked target!" he asked out loud ready to fire his bazookas but remembered Miss. Sumeragi's orders. "Damn." He grunted as Seravee backed away quickly to evade a green beam that appeared out of thin air.

The cloaked machine's pilot kept up his speed circling the Seravee trying to get behind it, "What's with that shield?" the pilot asked himself before he tried firing again to continue to back away the enemy. "Yzak, Dearka, I found some other target and it isn't friendly whatever it is." The pilot said over his own comm. to the other two units fighting. One of the other units was blue and white and was in hard combat against the white ship's Gundam while the other was fighting the orange fighter. The second had a light brown armour with its torso primarily green with spots of red along it and the rest of its body and carried a large pair of rifles while it continued to fire at the fighter.

"Where?" the pilot of the twin rifle one asked looking toward the cloaked unit, "Watch yourself Nicol, is it a EA unit?" the pilot asked avoiding the fighters own shots.

"I have no idea but his unit is pretty fast and it looks alot like it was built with these models." Nicol answered firing another missile after Seravee who dove under a large chunk of debris and out of sight, "The heck, where did he go?" Nicol asked himself looking around but shrugged, "If he were smart he would have retreated somewhere far away." He said quietly to himself flying back toward the battle and toward the white ship.

"What the hell was that unit?" Tieria asked out loud looking over his shoulder to see if there was any sight of it but due to it attacking him cloaked he wasn't going to let his guard down for a moment. "This is Tieria I'm heading back to base after I just encountered an unknown battle with a cloaked enemy unit and I'm falling back to base." Tieria sighed seeing Cherudim approaching him.

"Hey Tieria you seem kinda spooked did something happen back there?" Lockon asked as his Gundam stopped close by in front of Tieria's. "What was out there anyway?" Lockon asked but Tieria passed him quickly heading back to the base, "That bad huh?" Lockon asked following behind, "Sad part is I didn't even see anything."

Meanwhile

"Dammit, why won't you just die!" Dearka shouted angered firing at Mu's Zero fighter which evaded his shots and returned with its own by firing off its Gunbarrel pods. Dearka dodged several shots some of which that grazed his mobile suit's armour which just pissed him off more, "Give me a break!" he shouted firing again but cursed under his breath as he missed again.

Nicol moved his Blitz closer to the Archangel dodging several shots fired until he was close enough to land on the side and in a blind spot and started firing along the side of the ship near the base of the bridges tower.

The Strike backed away from Duel which almost laid a hit on it, Kira was focused on the enemy in front of him blocking every attack and trying to get a hit on the Duel but it was too close and neither could hit the other. "Kira!" a voice of his friend Miriallia interrupted his thoughts, "The enemy is beside the bridge, hurry and get back here!" Mir called through his video monitor to his top right. Kira moved the Strike to turn to see his enhanced sensors to see an image of explosions on the ship.

"No! The Archangel!" Kira gasped thinking how stupid he was forgetting that there were three enemies out there attacking them. Kira looked thinking back to Flay's father's ship being destroyed and images and voices from not too long ago. A mere second later Kira visualized a seed floating in front of him before it exploded into thousands of sparkles of light. The next thing that happened was Kira's became dilated, "I won't let you destroy the archangel!" Kira shouted in his mind turning to face the charging Duel. Once the Duel's beam saber came down it was already too late, the Strike had dodged it at the last second and was right behind it.

"What!" Yzak shouted just before sparks flew from the Strike's beam saber striking it in its thigh. Yzak growled glaring to the now retreating Strike, "How about this!" Yzak shouted firing several shots from his beam rifle only for every shot to be dodged by the Strike. "He dodged them?" Yzak asked himself in surprise seeing the sudden speed and manuverability that the machine possessed.

Nicol meanwhile was still firing at the ship; the Blitz took a step back from an explosion, "almost there." Nicol thought until a shape was caught in the corner of his eye. At the last second Nicol dodged the Strike's beam sabers slash but suddenly it recovered and dashed to the Blitz and kicked it in the torso.

Duel appeared moving in on the Strike from the back with its beam saber ready, "I have you now!" Yzak shouted swinging but within an instant the Strike drew its dagger from its hipline and turned to dodge the saber and impale the Duel in the same place as before. In the cockpit Yzak grunted as his control console sparked and smoked until a sudden explosion happened and shattered metal and glass sprayed all over him cutting into his suit and through his helmet's visor.

Blitz appeared by Duel's side to pull it away from Strike, "Yzak are you alright in there?" Nicol asked over his comm. but got no response, "Dearka we have to go back Yzak is injured!" Nicol called looking to the fighting Buster which looked over after taking another couple of shots at Mu.

"Alright I hear you; this is hopeless in our current condition." Dearka growled dodging a small barrage of fire before he and the Blitz and the damaged Duel retreated from the Archangel and Strike as their transport did the same.

Kira was left panting heavily after such sudden combat, "They're gone!" Mu's voice emitted into the cockpit, "You were terrific kid...ah hell, you were incredible."

Kira sighed, "Not really."

Meanwhile

Setsuna lay still in his bed with his flight suit opened but covered by his blankets, Feldt sat a few feet away as the doctor looked over Setsuna and looked at his heart beats and so on. "Is Setsuna going to be alright?" Feldt asked the older man who looked over to her then back at Setsuna for a moment then back and nodded. Feldt sighed with relief, "That's good news."

"Yes it is. It is very odd though with our current situation. I heard an announcement earlier about how we're in a different location and such." The older man said striking his beard and fixing his glasses, "Setsuna will be fine though as long as he gets some rest. Same with Miss Returner." The older man exited the room quickly, "That reminds me that I should check on Allelujah and Marie." He said as the door automatically opened for him then closed behind him.

Feldt looked back to Setsuna who breathed slowly but she frowned at the sight of sweat covering his forehead, Feldt looked over seeing a bowl of water and decided to go ahead and take the wet cloth and stood up over Setsuna and gently swept it across his forehead before she placed it back in the bowl. "I hope we can figure out what's going on." Feldt thought to herself as she got comfortable in her seat and leaned back and closed her eyes and in a few seconds she was asleep. Hours passed while Feldt remained asleep next to Setsuna who as well was asleep. After most of the crew had all gone to bed after trying to figure out what was happening Setsuna began to stir and finally opened his eyes for a few moments to look around but he could still feel a killer headache, Setsuna could feel a bit of weight on his stomach so he waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark and he looked down to see Feldt resting her head on his stomach sleeping softly.

Setsuna stared at her curious and slowly moved his hand to her head and stopped right before he touched it hearing her breathing get louder; after her breathing got quieter he finally moved his hand to touch her head and slowly rubbed her head. "Things have been loud. At least until now they have." Setsuna whispered thinking to all the voices he had been hearing while he was unconscious, "Things are quiet with you around...how odd." Setsuna said his head tilted to the side seeing small smile appear on Feldt's face. Setsuna moved his hand away and tucked it under his covers and he snuggled his head into his pillow and fell asleep just as fast as Feldt had.

Ending- Friends by Stephanie

Next chapter...Battle of the Gundams

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Chapter 2- Battle of the Gundams

(1) Revolve by UVERworld

Opening- Endscape by UVERworld

Tieria remained quiet as he stood watching Seravee's armour being examined like all the other Gundams, "Those missiles that Mobile Suit was using weren't part of any GN tech...Are their suits inferior as four years ago?" Tieria thought just before a monitor in front of his lit green to register the results of Seravee's armour being in perfect condition. "The missiles didn't even come close to getting through my GN field either." Tieria now said out loud not caring, Tieria was just too fascinated to say the least about their situation. "Hell even our old Gundams would be able to take them out and now that we have such improved machines...I can't even come to imagine how much more powerful we are then them."

Tieria looked to his right as a door opened for Allelujah to walk in, "Hey Tieria." Allelujah greeted stopping next to him to see Seravee being moved into another hanger while the other Gundams were going to be examined, "I heard that you had a weird experience out there."

"If by a weird experience you mean seeing an unknown ship as well as unknown mobile suits and being ordered to retreat then you would be correct." Tieria said seeing that 00 was now being moved into the hanger to be checked and worked on. "Seeing 00 reminded me, how is Setsuna doing?" Tieria asked still looking at the several crew members moving to the unit to check its GN drives; Tieria could see Allelujah's reflection watching him curiously.

"The last that I had heard from Setsuna was that he was asleep and so was Feldt." Allelujah answered, "In all seriousness what did you see out there?" Allelujah asked Tieria who looked over his shoulder to Allelujah.

"One of the ships had a Gundam. I wasn't sure about the other ships and their mobile suits but one of them chased after me, it had weak weaponry but it had a cloaking ability." Tieria answered thinking back to the shimmers of movement he had seen and those green beams. "They had beam weapons like us but their machines produced green beams, they clearly didn't have any GN drives or any GN particle technology."

"You think that they could be more advanced or less advanced?" Allelujah asked noticing Ian through the window shouting at some of the workers, "What's with Ian?" Allelujah pointed to the window which Tieria looked to. Tieria and Allelujah both moved to the side of the room to activate the terminal that connects to the hanger and waited for Ian to pick up and appear on the other line.

"Allelujah and I noticed that you seemed to be angered about something." Tieria said over the comm. gesturing to both himself and Allelujah.

"Damn right I'm angry, both of 00's GN drives won't activate!" Ian yelled looking over to repair crew member floating passed him, "Get someone in there to test it again...Now!" Ian yelled over before he looked back, "Either 00's GN drives are in a state of shutdown due to some kind of overload or they are totally fried." Ian sighed backing away slightly from the monitor. "Tieria there's some more bad news, I just heard from Linda and Sumeragi that there are several unidentified ships nearing the station and they match the look of the one that one mobile suit you encountered launched from."

Tieria nodded backing away toward the door, "I'll be on standby, please give the order to have Seravee to be placed for launch." Tieria called over until the door was blocked by a green flight suit. "Lockon Stratos get out of my way." Tieria said trying to budge passed but Lockon stayed in front of him.

"You want to go out but Miss. Sumeragi gave me the order to go onto standby and that you are to stay here." Lockon told Tieria who now backed off. Lockon looked up at Allelujah, "Get in your flight suit; we're going out." Lockon waved until he jumped away, "If things start to go off then we'll handle it." Lockon called until Allelujah caught up next to him.

"So how is Miss. Returner?" Allelujah asked moving down the hall with Lockon, "You've been keeping her company for a while is what I have heard." Allelujah chuckled seeing Lockon's face turn bright red."Haha, what's with you? Are you embarrassed or is that your Trans-Am?" Allelujah burst out laughing which Lockon chuckled at as well.

"I would be a damned liar if I said that wasn't a really good joke." Lockon laughed seeing the hallway divider up ahead, "I'll catch you later Allelujah." Lockon waved taking a left while Allelujah went right.

Lagrange-3's Medical Ward

Setsuna lay on his back staring at the dimmed ceiling of his room while Feldt was seated next to him with a lamp on a few feet to help her read her book. Feldt would glance over to Setsuna every few moments to see his staring blankly as always. "How are you feeling Setsuna?" Feldt asked lowering her book to look over, "I heard that Tieria and Miss. Returner feel much better." Setsuna nodded his head slowly still keeping his ember eyes focused on the darkened lights above him. "I read Tieria's report and he encountered a cloaked unit that followed him for a short distance until he met back up with Lockon." Setsuna stayed quiet still not looking toward Feldt who sighed in defeat and went back to reading her book.

"Do you feel fine?" Setsuna finally said still his head straight upward, "I imagine that you're tired of keeping an eye on me." Setsuna turned his head over to face Feldt, "I can manage for now you should go see if there is any work to be done on the station."

"Miss. Sumeragi told me to monitor you and that's what I will do Setsuna you can't change my mind." Feldt said setting her book aside, "You may be feeling better now but they may change later as time passes." Feldt and Setsuna remained silent for several minutes just staring at each other until Setsuna's voice broke the silence.

"You have very bright eyes." Setsuna commented still looking at Feldt, "Different than mine." Setsuna began to sit up slowly until Feldt put a hand onto his shoulder, Setsuna was about to protest against her holding him still but when he took another look at the concerned look on her face all his prior thoughts all went to lying back down. Setsuna rested his head onto his pillow and closed his eyes.

Feldt watched Setsuna remain still for few moments until she smiled hearing his soft breathing escaping his lips, "You have very bright eyes." Setsuna's voice echoed in Feldt's mind as she felt her face begin to redden and warm. "Thank you Setsuna." Feldt thought to herself before she took her book back from the side, Feldt's attention was drawn to the window once she saw two green lights leaving the station.

The two moving lights were Arios and Cherudim as they both flew by several asteroids, Allelujah felt that he needed to do several flips and spins in between several of these asteroids. "Hey Lockon you can't do this like me." Allelujah teased as Arios went closer to Cherudim and slowed to the same speed as it as they began to near the closing ships. "Are these the ships that Tieria saw?" Allelujah thought until his side monitors flashed. "We have unknown targets moving." Allelujah said over his comm. to Lockon who stopped Cherudim seeing that the ship's launch bay was opening on the center of the three.

"I really hope that Tieria didn't piss these guys off and that we're going to have to pay for it" Lockon sighed seeing two suits exit the ship, they both looked the same. They both had a single eye that reminded Allelujah and Lockon of old HRL units, the units were silver in color and both carried a type of assault rifle that looked like it carried live ammo. The suits also had large single horns sprouted from their heads, their eyes trailed side to side. "Be careful Allelujah just take it nice and slow and try not to draw any attention to yourself."

"Hold up." Allelujah said stopping and had Arios point toward the three blue ships, "Check this out." Lockon stopped and looked over seeing a small shuttle exiting one of blue ships and toward a green carrier type ship. "I wonder what's going on over there." Allelujah asked himself watching the gray mobile suits making another pass around toward them.

"We should get moving." Lockon said to Allelujah as Cherudim took off, "Haro how many ships can you detect?" Lockon asked the small orange robot.

"Count three, count three!" Haro responded his eyes flashing.

"That's not too bad." Lockon smiled.

"Others further away, others further away!" Haro added opening and closing his eye flaps.

"How many more?" Lockon asked slightly worried, "Are they like those ones or others?"

Archangel in lower Earth orbit

Kira stood looking into the golden eyes of the Strike Gundam or Gundam as he liked to call it as an acronym for the G-weapon. Kira's thoughts were filled with memories of past battles from several days, from when he first defeated a GINN with the Strike all the way to a few hours prior, the thoughts made Kira feel sick deep down. "You feeling nostalgic now that you're disembarking?" a voice called up to Kira who looked down as well as his small robot bird named 'Birdy'. "Kira Yamato I presume?" the older man asked, he wore a uniform of that of a high ranking EA officer and had golden hair that showed up clearly in the well lit hanger. "I read about your actions in the report."

Kira stood wondering why Admiral Halberton was there, "Y-ya." Kira stuttered not knowing what really to say to him.

"Once again I can't help but shake my head in amazement at the sheer abilities of you coordinators." He smiled while Kira remained silent, "These were only built to help give us an adequate counter to ZAFT's mobile suits but with you guys inside piloting them they become some kind of super weapon."

"I wouldn't go that far." Kira called down.

"I have also been told that your parents are naturals."

"Yes that is correct."

"Part of me wonders what they hope to achieve by making you a coordinator." Admiral Halberton said shrugging slightly, "In any case I'd like nothing more than an end to this war...a quick one at that."

"Sir!" an officer who seemed to appear out of thin air called standing next to the Admiral and saluted, "The ship needs you back onboard sir."

The admiral sighed shaking his head, "Here we go again." He looked back over to Kira, "They just let have a chance to chat with any of you. What I really wanted was to thank you for protecting the Archangel and the Strike up till now. May you live to see the dawn of a better era." He added before he saluted to Kira quickly before turning to follow the officer.

"Sir!" Kira called to stop him, "So what happens now to the Archangel and to Lieutenant Ramius and the others?" Kira asked. Kira wanted to know just like anyone what was going to become of ship he was safeguarding for several days and the people onboard.

"The Archangel will be heading to Earth just the way it is so they will be returning to the battlefield."

"I...I thought that I-" Kira started but he had a hard time trying to say what he wanted.

"I know exactly what it is that you are worried about, you possess very special abilities that are attracted to the military...However it isn't assured a victory if we have you. War isn't that simple, don't flatter yourself."

"But if I have the power to make a difference I should put it to good use!" Kira called back.

"Sir we should-" the young officer stopped when the Admiral held his arm up to signal him to be silent for a moment.

"Only if you have the will to do it, anyone who lacks the will never does see it through until the end." The Admiral responded turning and walking out of the hanger leaving those words with Kira. Kira stood quiet as before staring at where the Admiral had been, after a moment he looked back to the eyes of the Strike.

Arios and Cherudim

"There is some action going here." Lockon said to Allelujah who was a fair distance away watching their flanks, "The ships seem to be flying toward...Earth?" Lockon asked looking away from the scope for his sniper interface. "That's the Earth." Lockon repeated for Allelujah, "The god damned Earth is right there!" Cherudim raised its arm to point directly ahead of the unknown ships which were launching their suits.

"We should call this in." Allelujah said as Arios turned away from Cherudim who looked back, "This is Arios can you read me Ptolemy?" Allelujah asked but only received static, "I repeat, this is Arios can you hear me?" Allelujah said starting to feel nervous but sighed with relief with the next voice he heard.

"Hey Mr. Haptism!" Mileina responded with her always happy attitude, "What's up?" she asked as though it was like she was talking to one of her friends on the phone.

"Lockon just pointed out what looks like the Earth but there's something off about it, there aren't any orbital elevators so it kind of looks pretty odd." Allelujah said seeing still images that were sent by Lockon a few moments ago, "Also the ships we have been monitoring have been launching mobile suits for a short while now, they have collected a small group of ships which seem like combat styled so it's safe to assume that they are moving in for combat in a nearby location...Mileina?" Allelujah asked, "Hello?" he repeated.

"Oops sorry about that you cut out after something about you monitoring ships." She responded, Allelujah shook his head resting his face in his palms.

"It's just faulty equipment it isn't the user." Allelujah repeated in his head trying to remain calm, "Please...just put Miss. Sumeragi on the line." Allelujah sighed tapping his head against his fist.

"Righty'o!" Mileina responded before it cut out.

"God damn Loli!" Allelujah growled but looked around surprised after that, "Whoa, what was that?" Allelujah shook his head, "Been out here for a while I suppose." Allelujah laughed sliding his helmet off to grab his water bottle and take a drink.

Meanwhile in the medical ward on the Lagrange-3 station Setsuna was still asleep while Feldt had gone to take a shower. Setsuna began to stir, "Launching...team...Duel...Zala...formation...Kira." all these words echoed in Setsuna's mind making him start to move around more and more with each passing second. Finally Setsuna's eyes tore open, Setsuna's pupils shrinking from the sudden light over him when he sat upright placing his hand on his forehead. "What was all that?" Setsuna asked himself. Setsuna looked up around the room to see Feldt was gone, "The unknowns" Setsuna thought getting up and walking to the door which he exited through and begun walking down the halls of the station looking around and evading the eyes of the Celestial Being members that were around the place, Setsuna had become quite good at his stealth even in a bright blue flight suit.

Feldt hummed to herself as she washed her hair with hot water that filled the entire room with steam, "You're to monitor Setsuna and make sure he rests until we can sort this entire problem out." Miss. Sumeragi's voice echoed in Feldt's mind. "Is there any ideas what has happened?" Feldt's own voice also joined in, Feldt twisted off the shower handle so the water reduced to dripping. Feldt wrapped herself in a towel and opened the shower to see her reflection in the mirror, "You have very bright eyes." Feldt shook her head trying to clear her thoughts hoping that the shower would have helped with that but it was obvious that it didn't. Feldt grabbed a change of new clean clothes to wear which looked just like her old pair; she placed her gloves into her pocket before she left the washroom to drop off her dirty laundry. When Feldt was doing so she noticed someone up ahead pass the hallway entrance toward the hanger and it only took a moment for Feldt to realize who it was. "Setsuna!" Feldt called running faster down the hall turning the corner almost slipping but recovered to continue after him. Feldt looked side to side trying to figure out which turn he may had taken seeing as he was no longer in sight, "Did he take a short cut or has his condition made him confused?" Feldt thought finally going around to the hanger where Ian was busy talking to several work crew members.

"That's good news, get 00 Ready in case we- oh hey Feldt." Ian greeted looking passed the worker who turned and walked away, "Great news, we found out that it was an overheat with 00's GN drives but we managed to cool it down so 00 should be good to head out whenever Setsuna is ready." Ian explained, "Good to hear that he was feeling better too."

"What are you talking about? The doctor said that he needed to at least rest for another day before he got up to do anything." Feldt explained noticing the 00 being loaded in the launch bay through the large glass window.

"What did you say!" Ian yelled in surprise looking toward where the counter for the 00 was at 4 seconds, "Call off the launch!" Ian yelled running toward the hanger control room but by the time he reached the door the loud sound of the 00 being shot out of the hanger entered the entire ship. "Dammit Setsuna." Ian growled seeing the 00 slowly fading from sight. Ian continued into the room passing several personel who all looked pretty confused what had just occurred, "Sumeragi?" Ian asked stopping at the terminal, "We have a problem here, Setsuna just left in the 00 Gundam."

"Alert Allelujah and Lockon about it." Miss. Sumeragi said appearing on the screen, "We can't let Setsuna near the unknowns, we have no idea what weapons they have."

Meanwhile

Several Ginn units began flying around the EA carriers firing damaging them little by little at a time. The Duel passed on of the carriers digging its beam saber into the side cutting a missive cut into the hull of the ship, "You all don't stand a chance against me!" Yzak shouted as the Duel backed away from the machine before it cut into the engines, once Duel was far enough away it drew its beam rifle and fired a direct shot on the engines and after a few seconds the entire carrier exploded. "Where is he! Where could that Strike be hiding!" Yzak yelled looking around seeing the battle all around, in the distance the Buster fired a shot that cut through an entire ship which blew up.

"This is just too easy." Dearka smiled dodging machinegun fire from a turret on a carrier which the Aegis snatched onto and fired point blank and destroyed the ship before backing away transforming to its mobile suit mode.

Watching from afar was Lockon who was scoped onto the Buster with his rifle, "Their weapons are so damn powerful...this is just madness." Lockon commented seeing the Blitz fly by his sights which startled him for a moment before he remembered that they were well out of range. "Jeez scared me, I forgot for a second I was scoped at full." Lockon sighed leaning back, "Wish I knew the whole story about-" Lockon was interrupted by Allelujah appearing to his side, "Hey Allelujah what's up?"

"Miss. Sumeragi contacted me to give us a heads up that Setsuna has launched and that we need stop him and bring him back to the ship." Allelujah answered as Arios appeared as an asteroid drifted from it, "Chances are that he's going to go attack both sides here which would cause a major issue." Allelujah looked to the side.

Lockon nodded looking to Haro, "Anything on radar?"

"Negative, negative!" Haro responded his eyes flashing.

"How long ago did he launch then?" Lockon thought before his radar flashed, "What!" he yelled as 00 took off past him in a matter of seconds. "Haro!" Lockon shouted as Cherudim reattached its sniper rifle to its back.

"Came out of nowhere, nowhere!" Haro responded.

Arios took off behind Cherudim, "Setsuna you have to stop right now for all we know they could make our Gundams explode just by looking at us!" Allelujah shouted feeling pretty nervous the closer they got to the battle. (1.)

"This is an armed intervention." Setsuna responded appearing on Allelujah's monitor, "All these forces pose a threat not to just us but themselves meaning that we have to intervene." Setsuna said as 00's GN blade IIs switched to their rifle modes and then aimed toward the Duel. "00 dispatching targets!" Setsuna shouted as 00's GN drives went to full speed and he took off passing several Ginn suits and EA mobile armours.

Yzak fired off several more shots at the passing ships, "Where is-what?" Yzak asked seeing his radar flashing red, "An enemy!" he shouted turning drawing a beam saber but backed away as a violet beam passed his machine's leg. "What kind of suit is that?" Yzak asked himself but then gasped seeing it right handed rifle switch into a physical blade which was swung toward him. The Duel raised its beam saber to block the sword but the moment that the 00's sword his Yzak's beam saber the Duel was knocked back as if it were nothing, "WHAT THE HELL!" Yzak shouted falling and collided into a Ginn before spiralling into the side of a carrier.

"Yzak!" Athrun shouted as Aegis shifted into its mobile armour mode and took off at the 00. After the Aegis was close enough it shifted into its mobile suit form again and aimed for the 00 until a beam was fired passing the Aegis' head, Athrun looked to see Arios flying straight toward him. "What in the world?" Athrun asked himself backing away to aim his rifle to the jet and fired but the shot was evaded so Athrun fired again but that was also dodged, "What agility!"

Arios transformed and punched Aegis away denting its head and knocked it back, "I...I hit him?" Allelujah asked seeing the Aegis flying back. "Setsuna stop right now before things get worse!" Allelujah shouted on him comm. not noticing the Blitz flying at him from behind.

"You'll pay for that!" Nicol shouted swinging the left arm of the Blitz at Arios but a sudden beam blew the arm clean off, "Huh?" Nicol asked looking at the melted metal. Nicol looked and saw the 00 with its beam rifles aimed at it until it turned away to go after an EA mobile armour. "Did he mean to miss?" Nicol thought turning back but yelped seeing Arios' blue eyes filling up his entire combat screen, "Holy smokes!" Nicol shouted before Arios kicked it in the torso knocking him back farther than Arios had planned.

"We'd Setsuna go?" Allelujah asked himself looking up at the Ginn units, "Maybe he went that way." Allelujah sighed as Arios shifted to jet mode and took off toward the Ginn squads.

Athrun recovered fast and Aegis levelled out to look around, "That was a hard hit, what kind of mobile suit was that?" Athrun asked out loud until his radar flashed red, "Another one!" he shouted looking up at 00 coming down on him with its GN sword II ready. Aegis swapped its shield and rifle for the beam sabers that expelled from the Aegis' wrists and crossed them to block the heavy metal blades as they came down. "The engine power of this machine is amazing." Athrun grunted as he tried to use Aegis' own thrust to hold back to the 00 but it was like trying to plug a running tap with your hand. Aegis finally got pushed back by 00 who was forcing him down toward where the Duel had begun to emerge from the wreckage of an EA carrier. "Yzak heads up!" Athrun comm. his teammate who looked up to see Aegis and 00 heading right at him. Duel took off into the air and dodged to the right with its own beam saber to swing at 00 but 00 removed its left GN blade from the crossed blades of the Aegis to block it.

"Now Athrun!" Yzak shouted both suits used their full thrust on 00 and begun pushing it back up toward Dearka who aimed his combined rifle at it. "Shoot now Dearka!" Yzak shouted as both he and Athrun kicked 00 toward the Buster whos scope locked directly onto the 00's back.

"Sorry pal!" Dearka smiled until he fell forward as the Buster was knocked forward but a sudden impact, both Buster and 00 slowly passed each other but while doing so 00 turned toward the Buster and kicked it in the head to knock it to the side, "Dammit all!" Dearka shouted looking back to where he was to see a green mobile suit in his place. "Another one of those things?" Dearka growled raising his rifle, "I'm taking you down!"

Lockon narrowed his stare at the Buster as it readied its rifle, "Haro let's go" Lockon shouted as Cherudim took off toward the Buster with his beam sub beam rifles drawn. Buster fired a shot while taking off ahead and then disconnected the two guns and began charged the beams of them. Cherudim dodged to the right to evade the heavy blast and fired his weapon which struck the Buster knocking it back slowly with each hit, "I'm taking you down!" Lockon shouted switching the sub beam rifle out for his beam rifle. Cherudim aimed while Buster did the same and both fired at the same time one of Buster's shots collided with Cherudim's shot while the other struck Cherudim in its shoulder causing it to spin around. The Buster looked to its right and then ducked to evade a blast of machinegun fire; Lockon looked and saw a new mobile armour going after it. The mobile armour looked like a large orange fighter jet with several large cylinders attached to its main body. "That's new." Lockon thought seeing both machines were fighting so he figured that it would be best to go.

Arios flew around a Ginn which tried to keep its eyes on him but couldn't seem to keep with the Arios' speed. "What kind of machine has this speed!" one of the Ginn units said to the others before he set off several shots to Arios who dodged and fired back blowing a hole through the entire mobile suit which exploded.

"We lost Jin!" one of the pilots shouted his bazooka shots having no effect on the Arios, "I say that we retreat!" he shouted turning away and he only got a few feet when a beam cut into his machine from below and destroyed it. 00 was flying toward the Ginn units with its GN swords now in rifle modes. Both Arios and 00 surrounded them and managed to take the last three of them out with ease.

"Setsuna do you see what you started here?" Allelujah asked as Arios transformed, "We'll be lucky if we ever get to see the light of day after this."

Setsuna didn't respond as he looked around, "Where is that person I keep hearing?" Setsuna thought as he looked up and down and side to side until he spotted two units entering the atmosphere of the planet. "There it is!" Setsuna shouted charging toward them. Cherudim came to hover next to Arios as they just floated watching the fleets now all smaller than a few minutes ago.

"This was just insane." Allelujah said shaking his head seeing all the destroyed ships floating about.

"Allelujah, Lockon!" Miss. Sumeragi's voice suddenly echoed in the cockpit which startled Allelujah, "What were you both doing! You just may have made our situation worse!" Allelujah stared silently not knowing what to say, "Well?"

"Uh it was Setsuna who started it, he fired at them and we were just protecting him!" Lockon said to break the tension, "Don't worry. When we get him back we'll take care of the entire situation."

"No, you both get Setsuna back here. When he gets back I'll deal with him." She said almost smiling, "Just please you both never do this again, you both could have died out there."

"Sorry ma'am." Allelujah said looking ahead, "I'll go find Setsuna and be right back with him."

"Hurry and do so. We're loading Ptolemy as we speak and Marie has been wondering what has been taking you both so long on your 'surveillance' mission." Miss. Sumeragi said before the comm. disconnected.

Meanwhile both the Strike's and Duel's beam sabers clashed against one another while the atmospheric entry was heating their suits, the Buster was falling through toward the surface no matter how hard it used it propulsion, "It's no use I'm stuck!" Dearka shouted, "Athrun, Nicol get back to the ship me and Yzak will be fine!" Dearka reassured the two before his machine's link to them was lost.

Both the Duel and Strike clashed against each other with beam sabers against shields and moved their faces closer to one another, "You're finished!" Yzak yelled to the Strike as the blades of the violet beam sabers began to show colors of red from the heat of the two suits.

"You won't defeat me!" Kira shouted himself as both Gundams broke away to fire at each other; Kira moved his shield in front of him as he charged toward the Duel yelling a battle cry before ramming his shield into the mobile suit and knocked it back before kicking in the face which made it fall more drastically due to the gravity.

"Why you!" Yzak growled as the Duel drew its beam rifle and aimed it at the Strike but both pilots noticed a shuttle nearing the two. Above the 00 was flying toward it as well.

"Gundams..." Setsuna whispered under his breath. Setsuna looked closer to the shuttle seeing people inside, "Those aren't soldiers...those are civilians" Setsuna's eyes widened slightly in surprise before taking off after the ship feeling the gravity pulling him faster. "This won't be enough to slow me down." Setsuna thought hearing the power of his GN drives keeping him from plummeting to his death.

"Setsuna get back here!" Allelujah's voice entered the 00's cockpit, "We have our orders to go back Setsuna."

"I have to protect these civilians!" Setsuna called back getting closer noticing the white and blue Gundam was firing at the shuttle while the other one with a red shield took off toward it.

"Don't do it! They're just civilians!" Kira shouted at the same time as the Strike was after the shuttle not noticing the 00 as he was too focused on the people inside the shuttle. The Duel fired its shot which tore through space; time almost seemed to stop as the 00 was inches from the shuttle when the green beam from the Duel cut through the shuttle.

"What?" Setsuna thought before the blast hit him point blank and Setsuna blacked out instantly. The 00 was knocked back fast by the blast while the Strike only took minor damage but was knocked for toward the Archangel. The Strike glanced up to the 00 who's GN drives had deactivated and was falling at the same pace as the Strike.

"There's...there's someone else out here!" Kira said trying to reach the Archangel but he only got static, "Hold on!" Kira called trying to increase the Strike's speed to try to reach the 00; both suits almost touched when the Strike grabbed the 00's hand and started pulling it along toward the Archangel. "Archangel!" Kira called trying to get a hold.

Setsuna grunted opening his eyes slightly to look at the Strike, "G...Gundam..." Setsuna moaned as 00's eyes flashed blue for a moment before they dimmed and went immobile again. The Strike finally touched down onto the Archangel with the 00 tightly held in its hand.

"Are you alright in there?" Kira asked trying to get connected to 00. "What is this mobile suit? Its head design looks so much like the Strike's." Kira felt the heat in the cockpit starting to affect him, Kira tried to stay conscious but he felt his head dropping from shear exhaustion and the heat was too much and he blacked out.

Arios remained suspended just above the line where he would enter the atmosphere, "Setsuna no..." Allelujah felt his hands shaking, "No no no no NO!" he shouted remembering the explosion, "What do I do now?" Allelujah thought turning Arios around to head back toward the Lagrange-3 base. Allelujah looked back over his shoulder to the planet, "Where are we?"

Ending- Friends by Stephanie

Next Chapter...Desert Gundams

---

(1) Zips by TM Revolution

(2) 00 Gundam by Kawai Kenji

Chapter 3- Desert Gundams

Opening- Endscape by UVERworld

"So he's dead?" Lockon asked Allelujah while they had both met up with Tieria and were all busy talking as Ptolemy was getting prepared to be launched, "We lost 00, just great." Lockon sighed leaning back against the wall clenching his flight helmet angered, "We're lucky that these mobile suits that we're fighting are weak!"

Allelujah shook his head, "I never said that Setsuna was dead, all I had said was that it looked like that he was hit and I lost track of him."

"Which can also mean dead." Lockon added trying to be difficult, "All we can do now is move on." Lockon started walking toward the door to go to his room but Tieria grabbed his shoulder to stop him, "What is it Tieria?" Lockon asked but froze seeing the serious expression of Tieria.

"I'm positive that Setsuna is far from dead, if what Allelujah said is true then he survived that explosion and is somewhere on the planet surface and at this moment could be fighting and waiting for us to find him." Tieria said but Lockon broke away from him.

"I want to believe that but I don't know what the hell is going on here! Where the hell are we? What the hell is going on here? And what the hell is happening back home?" Lockon shouted turning back to Tieria and Allelujah, "Setsuna is dead."

Tieria and Allelujah shook their heads until they noticed the door open behind Lockon but he failed to notice seeing Feldt standing there about to walk in but stopped, "Uh Lockon." Allelujah started but Lockon held his hand toward Allelujah's face.

"Setsuna has passed on, that person is no more, he has ceased to be, he's expired and gone to meet his maker, he's a stiff, he rests in peace, he's pushing up daisies, he's off the twig, he's kicked the bucket, ran down the curtain and joined the fricking choir invisible!" Lockon shouted at the pair while Feldt was standing in shock, "He...is a...EX-PERSON!" Lockon shouted leaving Allelujah speechless and Tieria in shock himself. "Got it!" Lockon took a deep breath. Feldt stepped back but ultimately she took off down the hall which Lockon heard. "Oh crap, Feldt was right behind me wasn't she?" Lockon asked but Tieria quickly pushed him aside to go after Feldt.

"I need to really say things." Allelujah sighed hanging his head down.

"You think?" Lockon asked looking down the hallway as Tieria made a quick turn.

The Archangel- Northern Africa

Setsuna lay unconscious in a bed across from Kira in the med bay of the Archangel, it had taken several hours to get Setsuna out of the 00 sense it had taken that long to open the cockpit due to its security codes. Flay was seated next to Kira placing a cold cloth onto Kira's forehead while Tolle, Sai, Kuzzey, and Miriallia were standing by the doctor. "So as I said, despite his fever there's no sign of infection and no internal damage either. Right now we can't do much more than give him plenty of liquids and try to lower his body temperature."

"That's it?" Sai asked while Flay looked over to the group.

"Well this is the first time I've had to give medical treatment to a coordinator. I don't claim to be an expert when it comes to diagnosing his symptoms; however what I do understand is their physical functions are far superior to ours. So if I were you I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"But still-" Sai started to say.

"He may look the same as the rest of us but his internal capabilities are completely different. He has a body physically capable of greater strength, and a mind capable of acquiring more knowledge and so on. No fatal disease will develop with that immune system, sure a bullet wound would prove lethal and sometimes he may get sick but it would be a greater risk to us than to him." The doctor continued while Flay again used the cloth to help keep Kira cooled.

Setsuna slowly began to wake up opening one of eye halfway to look upward to have his pupil shrink from the sudden bright light of the room. Setsuna began to feel his strength returning to him, slowly but it was coming back. "What happened?" Setsuna thought feeling a pain in his head, he figured that it was from earlier and it was returning after not resting for long enough. "This isn't the med room on the station." He continued to think.

"Did you hear about the extreme temperatures he was exposed to inside his mobile suits cockpit?" the doctor asked Sai and the others.

"We didn't." Sai responded shortly.

"Well I can assure you that none of us would have survived. This fever is nothing in comparison." Sai looked over to Flay who was still watching over Kira.

"La Flaga here. I'm coming in." Mu's voice entered the room just before the door opened; Setsuna closed his one eye and shifted his head back to where it was before as Mu entered. "Is there something I should know about?" Mu asked looking around seeing the crowded room.

"No nothing's wrong. I was just explaining to the kids about-"

"What about him?" Mu asked looking toward Setsuna who was still in his flight suit, Setsuna's helmet was lying on the floor next to the bed with the visor on it still closed and tinted. "He's what really worries me." Mu added looking at Setsuna's wear seeing it wasn't anything that an EA pilot would wear to his knowledge unless they got a new dress code that didn't reach space yet. He had to admit that that suit looked damn nice.

"Oh right. His condition is much less than Kira's, as far as I can tell is he is just unconscious and he could wake up at any time." The doctor explained looking over to Setsuna's calm breathing, "Just a quick question...do you think he's a threat to anyone here?" he asked staring in a way which made it obvious that he was feeling cautious about the presence of Setsuna.

"No idea but I don't want to take any chances to I think it would be best if we had him moved to a more secure location." Mu suggested, "Give it a little while before we do that though."

"He could wake up at any second sir." Sai said looking to Setsuna, "For all we know is that he's with ZAFT."

"As far as we know he could also be from the EA...I saw another machine out there like the one he was in and it was fighting the stolen Buster and doing pretty well against it. I'll bet anything that his suit might match the Strike." Mu said thinking back to that fight in orbit but did recall that same suit attacked EA mobile armor units.

"Or Gundam whatever Kira calls it." Sai joked but Setsuna heard that word clearly and did his best to stay still no matter how much he wanted to see this so called Gundam.

Earth Orbit – ZAFT ship Vesalius

Athrun was hovering watching the hanger where the Blitz and Aegis were being repaired; Athrun had his thoughts going to several days ago to when he, Yzak, Dearka, and Nicol stole the mobile suits built by the EA. Thinking back to his childhood friend Kira being the pilot of the Strike and how many times they had fought already. The door to his left slid open to let Nicol in, "Oh, so there you are." Nicol smiled over while Athrun glanced over, "Both Yzak and Dearka made it to Earth safely, we just found out a minute ago."

"Good." Athrun responded watching Nicol float into the room and stop a couple feet from him.

"No ETA on the return though. From what I've been told they're expected to remain at the Gibraltar base for a while." Athrun looked away clearly with something on his mind which made Nicol curious.

"Yzak's wound isn't a major problem for him is it?"

"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be too worried about him even in the last round he was able to put up a good fight." Nicol said while Athrun then looked over.

"Until those machines showed up. The ones that attacked both sides." Athrun said regarding toward the Gundams. "Those mobile suits were insane, it took me and Yzak's machines to even try to push back one of them and even with Dearka's help we still got beaten."

"I know. That orange one from there didn't even try to attack me; it looked like it was just trying to keep me out of its way." Nicol said looking into the hanger, "Strange machines indeed."

Ptolemaios II- Lunar Orbit

For the last hour or so Tieria had been with Feldt trying to calm her down. The two sat in her room on her bed with Feldt just as upset as before. "I went to go find Setsuna and found that he was gone and then I tried to go after him but I was too late because he managed to get to the 00 and take off." Feldt finished her eyes swollen from crying, "It's my fault that it happened!"she cried into Tieria's shoulder who sighed trying to remain calm. Tieria wasn't the best person to talk about your problems with mainly because he doesn't give a crap but it didn't mean that he wouldn't listen to you. "I'm an idiot..." Feldt cried again but Tieria patted her gently on the back.

"No it isn't. The problem wasn't you it, it was Setsuna...and maybe Ian but Setsuna none the less." Tieria said as Feldt moved away, "It was bad timing."

Feldt looked away toward her window, "Even so Setsuna's-"

"Alive." Tieria cut in looking at her sternly, "I know that he's not dead, Lockon can say that he's dead but it won't mean that those words will assure his death. Allelujah never said that he was the 00 destroyed; he said it was caught in an explosion yes but he then lost sight of it. Miss. Sumeragi has already begun with Ian to determine where the 00 could have landed and we have three locations already mapped to search." Tieria explained before Feldt looked back over.

"Really?" Feldt asked seeming much happier, "What are the locations?"She asked wiping her tears away. Tieria moved away to remove his glasses and out of nowhere a small cloth appeared in Tieria's hand as he started cleaning the lens of his glasses.

"Location one which will be searched by myself resembles Spain. Location two will be searched by Lockon and it seems to be much like Egypt and the final location to be searched by Allelujah will be northern Africa presumably the desert areas to be specific." Tieria explained before he slipped his glasses back on and fixed his collar on his uniform, "We should go, I and the other Meisters will be launching soon enough and you'll be needed on the bridge."

Tieria began exiting the room with Feldt right behind him looking down, "What do you think are the odds that we'll find Setsuna?"

"As a percent you mean?" Tieria asked looking over his shoulder. Feldt nodded, "Well I'd say...68% would be a good guess. I only say that due to this being an entire planet we have to search for but if we do come close enough to the 00 we may be able to pick up its signal which increases our odds." Tieria said, "Anew Returner has been assigned to this ship did you hear?"

Feldt nodded again, "I did and isn't Miss. Linda also coming aboard with the 0-Raiser and GN Archer?" Feldt asked.

"Correct...I still don't trust her though." Tieria said turning to go toward the hangers leaving Feldt alone in the halls.

"Please be safe Setsuna." Feldt thought holding back even more tears knowing that she had to go see Miss. Sumeragi face to face and couldn't be seen crying.

The Archangel- Northern Africa

Setsuna had let himself fall asleep for the last few hours and it didn't seem to cause any problems as the crew just left him to do just thinking that he was still unconscious from the last battle. Kira was starting to wake up to see Birdy right in front of him, the small green robot looked at him curiously and flapped its wings. "Hey Birdy..." Kira greeted the small robot. Kira heard his curtains open next to him and turned to see Flay.

"You're finally awake." Flay said seeing Kira looking at quite surprised.

"Flay." Kira said surprised to see her. Kira tried to get up but could feel his body aching which kept him from getting up all the way.

"You really shouldn't try to sit up so quickly!" Flay said helping Kira back down to relax and smiled to him.

"Where am I Flay?" Kira asked seeing the room but hadn't seen Setsuna yet on the other side of the room behind Flay.

"The ship's infirmary, they said you were unconscious when you landed on the ship. I guess that explains why you don't remember."

"So then we must have landed."

"On Earth in a desert, we arrived sometime last night." Flay explained to Kira who laid his head back down to look at the ceiling while Flay looked over her shoulder to Setsuna seeing his slow breathing, "Wish they would lock that guy up soon."

Ptolemaios II- Lunar Orbit

Ptolemy began to move around the underside of the moon the Earth was clear in view. Sumeragi stared out seeing the Earth but she found it difficult to look at it and not to see the orbital elevator after being so used to them. "Have the Gundams launch." She said over to Mileina who nodded before looking back to her computer.

"Roger that ma'am." She responded before connecting to the controls for the launching procedures, "Deck 1, deck 2 are now open."

"Seravee, Arios, prepare for launch." Feldt comm. to Tieria and Allelujah who were getting ready to launch, "Increasing linear catapult voltage. Transferring launch timing to Seravee." Feldt glanced away toward the Earth seeing it still a fair distance but were going to do their best to remain out of sight of anyone.

Tieria watched as Seravee was raised to see out into space, "Roger that. Seravee, Tieria Erde, launching!" Tieria said as he pushed against his controls and Seravee took off down the launch hanger and out of the ship toward the Earth. "There's still the problem with the Innovators back at our Earth...what will happen back there?" Tieria thought worriedly as he continued on his way.

Allelujah sighed staring at his helmet while Arios was being raised to take off, "I won't abandon my friends, I will only fight them if I have no other choice." Allelujah thought knowing from habit that he should put his helmet on because he was seconds from the launch deck.

Mileina appeared next to Allelujah, "You have control."

"I have control." Allelujah repeated holding tighter onto his controls, Arios, Allelujah Haptism, flying to the target!" Allelujah said just before he took off approaching Seravee to meet up with Tieria as they were going to slow for Lockon to catch up to them. "What do you think Tieria?" Allelujah asked appearing next to Tieria, "You think that we'll find Setsuna?" Allelujah asked.

"I don't know but we'll at least attempt to get him and 00 back." Tieria responded.

"How was Feldt?" Allelujah asked as both Seravee and Arios slowed to a stop to look back to Ptolemy getting ready for Cherudim's launch, "She seemed really upset after you know what."

"She's better; if she wasn't do you think that she would be helping with the launch?" Tieria asked.

"Good point." Allelujah chuckled, "That was pretty harsh of Lockon."

Meanwhile Cherudim was raised onto the launching position, "Next, Cherudim, stand by." Feldt's voice was in Cherudim's cockpit.

Lockon sighed looking to his side then back to Haro, "Before we go..." Lockon thought turning back to his side and connected to have Feldt appear, "hey there." Lockon greeted but Feldt stared at him blankly. "Um...look I'm sorry about before, everyone is making a big deal out of Setsuna going gone and all and it was making me feel stressed after having that happen on top of what happened to all of us. So again I'm sorry...no hard feelings?" Lockon asked but Feldt clicked out of the comm. "...That was pretty harsh wasn't it?" Lockon asked Haro who was looking over curiously, "It's not like I was insulting Setsuna, half the crap I said was funny."

"Not funny, not funny!" Haro responded while Lockon stared at him surprised.

"Ok then. We'll be serious now is that alright buddy?" Lockon asked looking ahead feeling ready to go ahead.

"Linear system clear. Transferring launch timing." Feldt's voice again appeared.

"Cherudim, Lockon Stratos, targeted and firing!" Lockon said just before his Gundam took off at full speed toward Seravee and Arios. "Haro set the location I need to head to." Lockon said seeing Seravee and Arios watching him before they turned and took off toward the Earth.

Several hours later...

Setsuna sighed opening his eyes to see that he was in another room, it seemed to be a crews quarters, "They must had moved me while I was out..." Setsuna thought sitting up but quickly out his hand to his forehead, "How long I been out though?" he continued to think getting up to look around the room. Setsuna noticed on the other bed across from him his helmet was there which he didn't delay to grab and slip in and quickly attached it. "Now find where 00 is and leave." Setsuna thought walking toward the door and exited but once he was outside he quickly ducked back inside the room but kept the door open once he sighted someone leaving another room. The person he saw was Tolle who had just woken up himself. Setsuna spotted Mir leave the room to help him put on his EA uniform but couldn't hear what they were saying but saw they were looking away down the other hall so Setsuna took the chance to rush out of the room and start running down the hall not knowing where to go but he didn't care, he would go looking until he found his Gundam. Setsuna looked around all over the place but every hallway seemed the same to him no matter which way he went. "Is this some weird maze what the hell is wrong with this place?" Setsuna muttered under his breath but turned a corner fast and hid around it hearing someone coming and saw them pass, Setsuna waited a few moments before he stepped back out to look around. "Dammit." Setsuna thoughts were interrupted by a sudden alarm that started echoing throughout the halls, "Alarms? Did they find out that I'm gone!" Setsuna said out loud in slight surprise but he figured that they would have noticed sometimes so he didn't delay in running down the halls looking fast around taking corner after corner.

"All hands to level two battle stations, I repeat, all hands to level two battle stations!" a voice said over the intercoms. After only a minute there was a series of loud explosions and the structure shook slightly which caught Setsuna off guard.

"An attack it would seem. Got to go faster." Setsuna thought but stopped seeing an open door which an engineer stepped out of to start jogging down the hall but Setsuna caught up fast and grabbed him and forced him against the wall, "Where is the hanger?" Setsuna asked in his cold voice which startled the engineer greatly.

"I-it's just down the hall to the right!" he stuttered scared by Setsuna's appearance, it was most likely that this crew member was unaware about Setsuna's presence on the ship.

Setsuna shoved him away and took off in the direction that he directed and soon came to the door which he opened but froze once he entered seeing several armed guards all aimed at him. "This...is trouble..." Setsuna thought slowly raising his hands.

Spain- ZAFT Base (1)

"Fire fire!" a Ginn unit shouted firing his bazooka toward a tree line which landed a hit on what he fired at, "All units fall back to the inside of the base we'll keep it away from the-" suddenly a violet beam struck the Ginn from the side which vaporized it without delay. Five Ginn's began to retreat toward their base where soldiers were all preparing with turrets being setup and several buildings were being unloaded to get their vehicles and the rest of their mobile suits out.

"Everyone fire at will, all Ginn units fall back to the center of the base and keep to long range, all BuCUE units are to head for combat ASAP!" The commander of the base yelled over his intercom while soldiers and officers around him were scrambling to get their things in order. Out of the hangers up to twenty BuCUE mobile suits exited and began to converge on the area that was marked.

"All units standby to fire." The commander of the group calmly said as his unit aimed into the trees that began to rustle, "missile launcher units fire in ten seconds." He ordered seeing half of them ready their weapons, "Railgunners you fire after they use up their ammo to blow this thing to hell, if anything is left of it we'll take out." All pilots stared some of them scared seeing a large object come into view bellow, "Ready...FIRE!" he yelled which then he was deafened by the sounds of missile after missile being fired and striking the mobile suit with series of explosions after the other. "Fire railguns!" he shouted firing his weapons which all his and the others struck the trees with explosions after explosions. A minute passed as he released his firing controls seeing his machine was out of ammo like the rest of them.

"Commander Twi please confirm that the target has been taken out." The commander of the base said communicating to the commander, "We have all our soldiers ready to-"

"No problems at all, nothing could survive that barrage. Have all units fall back to...WHAT THE!-" the commander began to scream but his unit was vaporized suddenly by a massive beam blast which swept across the cliff and took out the last nineteen of the BuCUE as well. From the burning trees Seravee appeared flying upward until it was high enough to look down at the base seeing the Ginn start to fire at him, several shots hit but didn't leave a mark on Seravee's armor.

"GN field is still needed apparently. This is Tieria Erde, Seravee Gundam dispatching targets!" Tieria shouted as Seravee took off down toward the base, he kept guiding his eyes around the base searching for any sign of 00 but there didn't seem to be any luck as Seravee landed on the ground. "This is what happens when I ask if a mobile suit landed anywhere around here." Tieria sighed seeing turrets and mobile suits starting to fire at. Tieria easily used the GN field to cancel every shot fired at while he continued looking around him. "Setsuna do you read me?" Tieria asked over a private comm. that all Gundam Meisters use, "Setsuna F. Seiei, this is Tieria Erde can you hear me?" Tieria asked again but he was only getting static for some reason. "Ptolemy I am unable to get a signal in this area so I think that Setsuna may not be here as we had thought. It would be best to depend on Lockon and Allelujah for now." Tieria said but he was shocked to hear static, "Communications are out. Is that even possible for us?" Tieria thought looking upward before Seravee took off toward the sky leaving the base and its mobile suits to watch it fly into the clouds above and out of sight.

The commander of the base stood trembling and sweating, "What in the hell was that thing!" he shouted toward several officers who were just as spooked as he was.

Egypt- ZAFT Base (Continue 1)

Cherudim crushed the head of a Ginn as it walked over its body before taking up its sniper to fire at a charging BuCUE and managed to fire and have the beam go right down the center of its body before it exploded. "Targeted and firing..." Lockon muttered quietly before he fired again taking a Ginn's right leg out before firing again through its torso. "Haro is there any signal from 00 yet?" Lockon asked just before firing again, "These guys really are getting on my nerves. Setsuna answer me!" Lockon yelled into the comm. but there was no response, "Keep an eye out for any flying targets Haro."

"Roger that!" Haro said spinning around once then looked ahead to see another Ginn shot through the face by Lockon, "Headshot, headshot!" Haro said flapping his ear flaps.

"Still no connection to Ptolemy?" Lockon asked Haro before shooting a Ginn's arm off before it could fire its bazooka.

"Negative, negative!" Haro responded his eyes flashing.

"Fine..." Lockon growled before Cherudim took off toward the last three Ginn's with its sniper slung to its side before taking its beam pistols and started firing. Two of the Ginn's with rifles backed away while the third readied its sword and dashed toward Cherudim but Cherudim ducked under the sword slash and sprang back up with its pistols in the Ginn's back and fired slowing it apart. Cherudim took off into the air to evade a barrage of bullet from the Ginn's before spinning to fire one of the rifles out of the Ginn's hands, "Haro use the bits!" Lockon called noticing five BuCUE's coming toward them from the right.

"Deploying shield bits, deploying shield bits!" Haro called before several small green plates detached from Cherudim and took off toward the BuCUE's and started flying around firing and blowing them apart bit by bit. The BuCUE's began to split away trying to divide the attention of the bits but it did the opposite, the bits began to chase them down one by one taking them out even faster before going after the next then the next.

"Last one!" Lockon shouted before he fired at the last Ginn and cut through its torso and it quickly exploded and it's remain showered onto the sand. "Got them." Lockon sighed landing with Cherudim's bits connecting back throughout its body. "Still no signal Haro?" Lockon asked staring at the empty tents around and several vehicles retreated in the distance.

Archangel- hanger

Mu stood beside either guard watching Setsuna with his hands up, "Woke up I see." Mu chuckled while Setsuna shrugged in response. "Now that you're awake answer this. Who are you?" Mu asked before another blast was heard. Behind Mu Setsuna saw the Strike being loaded up onto the launch catapult. Setsuna looked to his right and saw 00 lying on the ground in the hanger and quickly turned toward it. "Don't move!" Mu warned drawing a gun. Suddenly the entire ship began to shake knocking Mu off balance as well as the guards so Setsuna took off toward 00 and quickly managed to climb along its chest to the entrance hatch which was open before he dropped down inside and sealed it. Mu looked fast to see 00's eyes flash bright blue and slowly start to sit up, "That thing is still functional after what happened in orbit?" Mu thought before he turned and ran toward his Sky Grasper which was getting prepped for launch. "Open the hanger for that thing to get out, we'll need him out of here for me to launch."

"But sir what about the mobile suit?" one engineer called seeing 00 walking toward the second launch bay which slowly opened and entered it.

"If he was with ZAFT do you think we'd still be alive right now?" Mu asked slipping his helmet on before another shake filled the ship. "Get ready for my launch!" Mu called while 00 entered the launch area and began to walk toward the exit hatch instead of using the launch catapult it stopped at the opening of the launch hanger.

"00 Gundam, Setsuna F. Seiei, launching!" Setsuna called before the GN drives faced backward of his machine and took off with Mu's Sky Grasper taking off from the other launch catapult. (2) "00 despatching targets!" Setsuna shouted as 00 grasped its duel GN Sword II's and switched them into rifle mode once he saw the ZAFT combat helicopters and began firing then managed to strike one with a single shot. Setsuna saw the Strike punch a BuCUE in the face and sent it flying into a missile and destroyed it, "That pilot is good." Setsuna thought spinning 00 around with its rifle now aimed at another copter and fired at it.

"Damn you..." one of the BuCUE pilots growled charging toward the Strike and leapt over dodging its Vulcan guns and started to speed off.

Kira aimed down the main rifle of the Launcher Strike and was about to fire when an alarm rang in the cockpit to signal that the Strike was running low on power. "This is bad; I've used the Agni way too much." Suddenly a series of missiles struck around the Strike, the copters flew overhead and one fired a direct hit into the torso of the Strike knocking it onto its rear end.

In the bridge of the Archangel Captain Murrue Ramius and the rest watched all that was happening as the 00 was currently out of sight. "Give him cover, Archangel slow advance." She ordered watching three helicopters and the last of the BuCUE's surrounded the Strike.

"Too risky, if the Strike takes a hit in its current state its PS armor will be drained!" Natarle Badgiruel called up.

Kira watched as ZAFT forces got even closer and the warning of his low energy continued to ring through the cockpit. Setsuna cut a copter in half before he heard a missile and looked to the Strike's position and saw a missile hit one of the copters with a direct hit. "Reinforcements?" Setsuna thought looking toward where the missile came from and saw several vehicles approaching. Setsuna stared curious until they started firing more missiles and several heavy machinegun turret shots, 00 moved downward and took off toward one of the BuCUE's which swerved to evade the missiles but 00 kicked it in the side of the head knocking it away but it landed on its feet and changed into its tank mode to try to move away but Setsuna pursued it without delay.

Through the cloud Arios appeared gliding, Allelujah stared at his radar seeing several moving targets bellow him so he had Arios dive downward where he saw explosions and the machinegun fire. "What's going on here?" Allelujah thought before he looked to his right and smile seeing the 00 chasing down a BuCUE, "Setsuna!" Allelujah called out happily seeing his ally was still alive. "I knew you were still alive!" Arios transformed and slowed toward 00 which stopped and landed its feet into the sand to stop and look up to Arios.

"Allelujah, glad to see one friendly face around here." Setsuna commented but his attention was drawn back to the BuCUE which went after the Strike which started jumping away from two helicopters and the three BuCUE's. "I'm going after them!" Setsuna said before 00 connected both blades into its double bladed mode and took off toward the mobile suits.

"Setsuna hold up!" Allelujah called as Arios transformed and followed after Setsuna who had his eyes set on that one BuCUE, "Trouble then more trouble." Allelujah sighed.

Setsuna continued to watch the BuCUE's and the Strike, "He's leading them somewhere." Setsuna guessed seeing them trying to keep up until the Strike landed in a dune, "I've got it!" Setsuna shouted charging toward the spot.

Kira turned the Strike toward the BuCUE's seeing them jump toward him, "I have no choice but to trust them." Kira thought thinking back to the instructions he had received a few moments ago from an unknown person. The Strike jumped back once more just before the BuCUE's landed.

"Perfect." Cagalli smiled taking out a switch and pressed the red button, suddenly several explosions came from that same dune exploding around the BuCUE's. Cagalli smiled pressing another button which set off a massive explosion on the BuCUE's but at the last second one emerged from the dune flying after the Strike.

"You're mine!" the pilot screamed after the Strike but through the fire of the massive explosion behind him the 00 emerged with bright blue eyes and its massive sword, "What!" he shouted looking over his shoulder before the 00 swung its double bladed sword into the back of the BuCUE and forced it down toward the desert ground with it, once both machines hit the ground the BuCUE exploded without delay.

The Strike landed as pieces of BuCUE's landed around it; quickly the Phase shift armor deactivated and the suit became completely gray in color. Kira anted seeing the massive cloud of smoke and burning dune where he was seconds ago. Arios lowered next to 00 while the 00 stared at the wreckage of the BuCUE. "Happy now Setsuna?" Allelujah asked depressed seeing the destroyed machine, "We have to leave now." Allelujah said as Arios rose up but there was no response from 00 as it just stared at the Strike.

"I'm staying for now Allelujah. Let everyone know that both I and 00 are safe." Setsuna said blankly seeing the vehicles of the unknowns appear next to the Strike on a cliff as they watched the ZAFT forces retreat. "I'm going to find out what is up with that Gundam if it takes everything." Setsuna said seeing the Archangel now in full view flying toward the same cliff.

Cagalli exited her vehicle to look up to the Strike as it stood reflecting the light from the sunrise, she turned her head back to face the 00 and Arios then back to the Strike. "G-Weapons that I didn't know about?" Cagalli thought before a loud sound was heard and looked back to the transformed Arios flying straight up toward the sky and was flying until it was well out of sight.

00 turned to face the Strike as both mobile suits stared at one another for a few moments until 00 rose off the ground and slowly flew toward it, "Greetings, I am a member of Celestial being, I am a Gundam Meister." Setsuna said over the intercom of 00.

"Gundam Meister?" Kira thought stunned to hear someone else use the word Gundam.

Ending- Friends by Stephanie

Next chaper...The princess and the Messiah

---

(1) Setsuna by Kenji Kawai

(2) Fight by Kenji Kawai

Chapter 4- The Princess and the Messiah

Opening- Endscape by UVERworld

Archangel- interrogation room (Mu's room)

"Why do we always take these things to MY room?" Mu asked looking around to Murrue and Natarle but both were watching Setsuna who was seated in front of them. "I'll even take 'because' as an answer at this point." Mu added but sighed seeing them both not even looking his direction.

"Tell us how to activate your mobile suit." Natarle said to Setsuna as an order but he didn't respond to her, Setsuna was seated with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. "We need to see the systems of your machine to see if it poses a threat to us."

"Am I in it?" Setsuna asked.

"Well no"

"Then how can an unpiloted mobile suit be a threat to anyone?" Setsuna asked glancing up, "I am not a threat to you...right now that is. If I had wanted to kill you all I would have done so instead of willingly coming back to your ship and allow you to hold me captive in return for-"

"Yes, yes. We know, in return for being able to examine the Strike."

"Yes, your Strike Gundam."

"Gundam?" Mu asked out loud.

"Yes Mu, the G-weapon...took a while for us to understand what he meant by that and I still don't know why." Murrue said shrugging.

"No wait, Kira called that thing a Gundam as well." Mu responded now him and the two women talking with him while Setsuna sat thinking about what was just said.

"Kira?" Setsuna thought thinking back to the voices he heard during the 00's Trans-Am, "Who is this Kira?" Setsuna asked out loud, Murrue and Mu looked over.

"He's the pilot of the Strike." Mu answered, "It isn't anything to do with you. Sorry but we can't have you just walking around our ship.

"I understand that you have to monitor your ship's status and ensure it is a safe environment for your crew but I only wish to speak to this Kira person." Setsuna said but the room's comm. flashed for a moment before Murrue answered it.

"Captain please report to the bridge, there's something here you might want to see." Mir said then looked to her side then back, "You as well Lieutenant Badgiruel." Both women looked at each other then exited with Mu leaving right behind them. Setsuna stood up about to walk out after them but Mu stopped looking over to him.

"Look I'm sorry kid but I'd love to be able to assist you, trust me I would. We might have a situation here so I can't let you walk around on the ship if something does happen." Mu said feeling kind of bad about having to lock Setsuna in the room.

"I understand but what if you're my escort?" Setsuna asked but Mu sealed the door, "...guess not." Setsuna sighed sitting back down thinking about that name Kira again. "That captain of theirs...she sounds just like Miss. Sumeragi." Setsuna thought looking up at the ceiling.

Ptolemaios II- Lunar Orbit

Tieria and Allelujah both exited their Gundams sliding their helmets off, "You really found Setsuna?" Tieria asked once they reached the door to enter the ship halls. "This is good news; I was feeling quite nervous about the entire situation." Tieria chuckled lightly as they entered the hall but stopped seeing Miss. Sumeragi and Marie standing by a few feet from them.

"S-sorry to make you wait." Allelujah said scratching his head nervously.

"You're in one piece so that's the important thing." Marie responded floating over to Allelujah. The pair both walked off talking leaving Tieria and Miss. Sumeragi.

"Allelujah found Setsuna and 00." Miss. Sumeragi smiled while Tieria shrugged starting to float away, "Which were you more worried about? Setsuna or 00?"

"Both." Tieria answered.

"Equally? You were worried about Setsuna's life as much as the fighting condition of 00?"

"No." Tieria said turning around, "That's not it, but we do need 00."

"Not as much as before Tieria, you said yourself that their tech is nowhere near ours." She said following after Tieria, "Perhaps the 00-Raiser isn't going to be of any use to us."

"I could be wrong. What if we have only seen old models that they just happen to use? What if their main armies have tech that surpasses us?" Tieria asked as they came to a corner and kicked off down the hall, "We have to be ready for anything to come at us."

"Maybe you're paranoid." Miss. Sumeragi sighed once they passed her room, "Don't bother giving a report yet, Allelujah's will suffice in the meantime." She said entering her room and sealed the door behind her.

Tieria continued down the hall, "What is Setsuna thinking staying on the Earth?" Tieria thought as he continued but stopped by the mess hall overhearing Allelujah and Marie talking.

"Why Allelujah?" Marie asked while Allelujah was sitting down in the air, "Why should we leave?"

"Marie, the reason I stayed to fight was to help stop A-Laws and to protect you. If we leave we'd be safer on the Earth than in space." Allelujah responded, "I don't want to fight anymore Marie...I want to just stop."

"We're still needed back home Allelujah!" Marie said leaping next to him, "We can't just abandon everyone back there."

"I swear that if we do get the chance to go back home I'll take it so we can go stop A-Laws but the way I see it right now Marie is that it would be best for us to just go into hiding for now...maybe give everyone here any data we may find." Allelujah explained.

"We?" Marie asked.

"Oh...sorry, I didn't mean that." Allelujah said looking away out the window, "I'll just drop it then."

"It just feels sudden to leave everyone and go on our own to a place we've never been to an entirely new world. What would we do for money?...or whatever they have for currency." Marie asked as they both still failed to notice Tieria outside listening to them both. "I know what you mean and I think that's a good plan but we need to plan this out with the crew." Marie added.

Tieria chuckled quietly as he continued down the hallway, "That could be a good plan." Tieria thought as he passed by Feldt's room. A second after he went by Feldt looked out.

"Tieria hold up!" Feldt called exiting her room and sealed the door before going to follow Tieria, "I heard that news that Setsuna is fine." Feldt smiled as they turned another corner.

"Yes, he's on the other Earth as we speak. Allelujah left him and 00 in pretty good shape from what I heard. I overheard Allelujah and Marie's discussion."

"You shouldn't do that; private matters need to be private."

"Something tells me it won't be secret." Tieria said before they stopped by his room, "I'll speak to you later." Tieria said before opening the door to enter but Feldt grasped his shoulder.

"Thank you." Feldt smiled.

"For what? If it's about finding Setsuna then you should thank Allelujah sense he was the one who found him, not me." Tieria responded.

"I mean for earlier...I feel a lot better." Feldt said. Tieria nodded and was about to walk in when Lockon appeared around the corner down the hall.

"What do you mean by earlier and feeling better!" Lockon asked as he had only heard what Feldt had just said.

"Huh?" Tieria looked over confused while Feldt looked over.

"What! No! That's not what I meant!" she shouted shaking her head, "Just leave me alone!" she shouted at Lockon before turning to float down the hall to go back to her room.

Tieria and Lockon just stood by staring at Feldt until she was out of sight, "She is still really mad at you and that sure didn't help." Tieria said turning to walk into his room.

"Why did she take it so personally? She's acting like she's upset over losing her boyfriend in those stupid romance stories." Lockon sighed, "I really didn't mean any harm before, things are getting really trippy right now and I feel kind of...nervous I guess would be a word for it."

"You? Nervous? I never expected such a thing." Tieria said before the door sealed behind him. Lockon shrugged turning to go down the hall opposite from which Feldt went as she was around the corner of that other end listening to the pair.

"She's acting like she's upset over losing her boyfriend..." Lockon's voice echoed in her mind, "...Am I really?" Feldt asked herself leaning her head back against the wall.

Archangel-Desert Dawn Base

Setsuna sighed holding his down, the ship had been moving for several hours now sense he was left alone. It would be best to assume they were still near the surface sense the gravity had not seemed to change all that much, "Do they have their own base around here?" Setsuna thought until he heard a click from the door and got his attention to glance up. The door opened and Mu looked in, "Can I exit now?" Setsuna asked and Mu nodded gesturing him to follow him.

"We just met up with some locals; they're against ZAFT so it would be best to hang with them." Mu explained as they moved down the hall.

"ZAFT?" Setsuna asked, "What faction are they?" Setsuna asked but Mu looked at him as though he had three heads.

"You don't know ZAFT? Next thing you'll say is that you have no idea what the PLANTs are..."

"What are the PLANTs?" Setsuna asked leaving Mu frozen in place staring at him in disbelief.

"Kid have you lived under a rock for your entire life? The Coordinators-WAIT...lemme guess...you wanna know who the Coordinators are?" Mu asked but was still surprised to see Setsuna nod. "Damn you are weird. The Coordinators are humans who have their genes modified to make them stronger and smarter than Naturals..." Mu started but once he said Naturals Setsuna looked at him curiously, "Us." Mu added, "They exist in space colonies which are called the PLANTs. We've been at war for a while now."

"Why?" Setsuna asked as the pair passed two guards which got Setsuna curious to watch over until they turned another corner then looked back, "What happened to start this war?"

"...before I answer that, are you with ZAFT or the Earth Alliance?" Mu asked once they reached an elevator to take.

"...Neither." Setsuna responded while Mu laughed.

"Haha, rebel faction I guess. A few have shown up all around the world, but where the hell did you get that mobile suit of yours, it seems too advanced for some small organization to fund such a construction."

"It's secret." Setsuna responded as they entered. As the elevator moved both men remained silent not knowing much of what to say to one another. Once they reached the bottom the door opened and Setsuna was slightly startled by Murrue and Natarle standing waiting.

"What the hell? What is he doing out here!" Natarle shouted looking to Mu who shrugged.

"Captain's orders." Mu responded backing off while Natarle looked to Murrue.

"...I see. Then I suppose that you have a good reason for this captain?" she asked crossing her arms. Setsuna looked back and forth to the pair while they talked, Setsuna was starting to feel like an animal that was caged. "We're going into a rebel base so I don't think it would be best to bring him along, he could be a ZAFT spy for all we know."

"What has ZAFT done to you?" Setsuna asked before Murrue could respond, "I understand you are at war but what did these Coordinators do to you?" Setsuna asked. Natarle glared at Mu who shuffled beside Setsuna.

"...they have been killing our soldiers and attacking our planet what do you think?"

"How did this start?" Setsuna asked but all three remained silent, "Do you not even know why?" Setsuna asked.

"We do but we aren't in a position to be interrogated by you." Murrue said, "I'm sorry for this but it would a long story and would need a lot of detail to be explained correctly."

"A version to make your actions seem justified and make them seem evil?" Setsuna asked.

"ZAFT are the ones killing and-" Natarle started but Setsuna cut her off.

"I was there watching all the fighting I was fighting both factions. I only saw fighting, fighting is never justified, no matter what excuse your making it's still taking human life and that's all that wars do." Setsuna said leaving Natarle silent until Murrue spoke up.

"You say that but you also confessed you were fighting, you're contradicting yourself."

"I know, I never said I was right or wrong." Setsuna said closing his eyes.

"I think we should go now." Mu said uneasy now about what had just happened, "We don't want to keep our hosts waiting now that they very kindly let us hang at their base." All four now began walking away and once they reached the door and it opened it left Setsuna blinded for a moment from a bright sun but his vision adjusted, once Setsuna exited the ship his eyes widened seeing they were in a small canyon.

(1) "Th-this is..." Setsuna trailed off as an image of the Katharon base flashed in his mind. A moment later as he looked up a vision of the 0 Gundam appeared as he looked to have the sun block his vision until as he moved the sun was blocked by the Strike on top of the Archangel; it was slowly moving tarps along the ship to aid in camouflage. "This place is so..." Setsuna trailed off again until he noticed Murrue and Natarle and Mu had gotten ahead and were walking with some older man. The man seemed like a local, he had a dark beard that matched his hair which was barely exposed under his bandana; he was clearly fit if he was going to be fighting and had a scar down his left cheek. They entered the base and Setsuna was looking around seeing there were people all around working and there were large supply crates lying around being unloaded with supplies. "Too much like Katharon..." Setsuna thought again as they eventually entered a room with computers set up. In the corner of Setsuna's eye he caught a gold glint and looked over to see a young girl who was reading over a clipboard.

Mu gave off a short whistle seeing the room's condition, "You're forced to live in this sort of place?" Mu asked while Setsuna still was very much interested by everything he was seeing around him.

"Resistance against this ZAFT faction?" Setsuna thought then looked back to the way they came.

"Don't even think about running off." Natarle warned Setsuna but Murrue looked over to Setsuna kindly.

"I think it's far that sense we had you sit in that room for the last few hours that you should get some fresh air." She said gesturing to the exit, "Please just stay in the canyon, and if you do go back inside the ship go back to Mu's room."

"I understand." Setsuna said while Natarle stood with her mouth hanging open. Setsuna left Murrue, Mu, and Natarle to speak to the older man. Once Setsuna was back outside he almost bumped into a young boy who did a double take to Setsuna seeing he was still in his blue and white flight suit. Once the boy turned away Setsuna got another image of young child soldiers from his life, "No...It has to be different than that..." Setsuna thought trying to shake the feeling away. When Setsuna shook his head he stopped seeing the Strike high on the cliffs watching over the base. "That Gundam" was all Setsuna thought as he proceeded to the mountain side and started climbing to get a closer look at the Gundam. While climbing Setsuna noticed that blond girl from earlier was walking up as well but didn't seem to notice Setsuna, Setsuna began speeding up his pace to get there first to see if he could speak with the man who was the pilot of the Strike Gundam. Cagalli noticed Setsuna and then started increasing her speed slowly but then Setsuna did the same then Cagalli when then they both took off up the rocky terrain trying to reach the top first.

Kira was meanwhile standing letting the wind current at his higher elevation cool himself off from working in the Strike for the last few hours. Sai walked over by Kira passing by carrying rope. "Excellent job." Sai complimented going by.

"Ya sure, I guess." Kira responded watching Sai walk when he noticed Cagalli and Setsuna both dashing up the hill side by side pushing against each other trying to get to Kira first, "What the?" Kira thought until he then realized what to do and jumped out of the way as Cagalli stopped right in front of him but Setsuna tripped and fell onto the ground sliding on the rocks until the friction stopped him. Setsuna slowly got back up while Kira stared at him confused Setsuna shook it off.

"She's fast." Setsuna thought as he stood back up and looked back to Kira and Cagalli. "Young man do you know where the pilot for this Gundam is?" Setsuna asked. Kira blinked confused while Cagalli casually gestured to Kira. Setsuna looked to her then back to Kira and back to her than to Kira, "He is?" Setsuna asked while Kira nodded.

"Uh ya, Kira Yamato." Kira said introducing himself and held his hand out. Setsuna had another flash in his mind of his 16 year old self before he returned to reality.

"I am Setsuna F. Seiei." Setsuna said taking Kira's hand and shook it.

"Seiei? No offense but that is kind of an odd name." Kira chuckled while Cagalli sighed crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

"I get that a lot." Setsuna replied.

Kira looked back to Cagalli, "Sorry..." Kira said while Setsuna looked away from the pair to look at the Strike.

Cagalli looked over happy to see Kira was now paying attention to her, "I came to apologize for earlier..."

The PLANTs - Supreme Chairman Zala's office

Patrick Zala glared at the low quality recording of Cherudim as it tore through a team of BuCUE's until it seemed to shoot the recording device as it went to pure static. "This mobile suit attacked and wiped out one of our bases?..." Patrick asked keeping a calm posture. "As well another that attacked us in Spain?" Patrick asked moving to a recording of Seravee flying straight up into the clouds and out of sight. "I want an explanation!" he shouted to a high ranked ZAFT officer

"It would see sir that their armor is stronger than that of the new armor for the G-Weapons. The beam weaponry also seems different with the color difference-" he begun explaining but Patrick rolled his eyes to those words.

"I know all this by seeing these recordings. How did these mobile suits just vanish without a trace?" he asked but the officer remained silent. "I see...at least we have some recordings of them in combat...at least." He sighed while the officer saluted and left Patrick to look at the replayed image of Seravee. "Is this another suit made by those damn Naturals?" he thought. A moment later his console flashed. "What is it?' Patrick asked opening the comm. to see a captain on his screen.

"Chairman Zala we have confirmed reports that those mobile suits have left the Earth's surface hours ago." The captain said as he looked to his right then back, "Some of our patrols spotted what was classified as The big one." He explained.

"Are you sure about this?" Patrick asked clenching his fists feeling a cold sweat in his hands, "They can enter space on their own!" he thought feeling worried of what other things these suits could do. "What else? Do you any other details?"

"I'm sorry sir but that's all, we tried to have our mobile suits dispatch it but it managed to get away. It was far too fast for our Ginn suits to keep up with it." The captain explained.

"I see...good work." Patrick sighed again, after the comm. cut out he sighed and slumped into his chair, "First the G-weapons and now some new models appear?" Patrick thought, "Is this really the Earth Alliance's work or is it someone else?"..."

Ptolemaios II – Lunar orbit

"Marie and I have decided that we're going to the planet surface for now." Allelujah said handing his uniform over to Miss. Sumeragi and everyone, "We could collect data on anything that we need. Current events, possible weapon data and even base positions." Allelujah explained.

"Allelujah...does Marie agree with this?' Miss. Sumeragi asked taking his uniform and tucked it under her arm.

"What are you talking about!" Ian shouted stepping forward, "You can't just leave Allelujah, we have no idea what that Earth may be like."

"I know that but we have to try to give ourselves some kind of way to see what they are doing. Marie and I could head down with Arios and-" Allelujah started but Miss. Sumeragi raised her hand to stop him.

"If you're going to the surface and it's not for combat purposes or a mission of any kind then I can't allow the use of the Arios, Allelujah. I'm sorry but we have to be careful." She said. Allelujah nodded faintly.

"I understand...but now how do we reach the surface?" Allelujah asked. Ian and Miss. Sumeragi remained silent. "Maybe...Tieria could take us?"

"No, it could be too risky. The landing can wait for a few days. Get some rest Allelujah in the meantime." Miss. Sumeragi said holding his orange coat back to him, "At least hold onto it." She smiled. Allelujah chuckled taking the jacket under his arm and nodded.

"We'll remain on standby for now I suppose." Allelujah said turning and left the room.

Miss. Sumeragi and Ian nodded to one another and Ian left to the hanger to check on Seravee and Cherudim some more. "Anew." Miss. Sumeragi said to the colored haired woman who glanced over.

"Yes ma'am?" Anew responded looking over.

"Can you assist Ian?" she asked. Anew nodded and left the room while Tieria and Mileina left to the bridge to assist Lasse. Miss. Sumeragi looked over to Feldt who stood staring at her. "You should go rest Feldt, everything can be handled." Miss. Sumeragi smiled. "Sense we left the base several more people have joined the crew."

Feldt nodded, "I noticed. I'll go get some shut eye then." Feldt smiled leaving to go rest. "Thank goodness." Feldt thought going down the halls, "I'm going to sleep for DAYS." Feldt thought, she wasn't serious about days but Feldt indeed feeling very VERY tired.

Miss. Sumeragi looked to a computer screen with an image of a new weapon for 00 being built "The GN sword III." Miss Sumeragi thought as an image of 00 with a shield in its left arm, the GN sword III on its right arm and the GN sword II's on its hips ready to be used. "What about the 0-Raiser?" she thought looking at another image.

Desert Dawn base

Setsuna remains seated on a rock looking up at the starry sky seeing the bright sparkles. It was so much different to be on the Earth to see the stars than in space...it looked so much when at home. "Hey." A voice said a few feet away and got Setsuna to look over, Setsuna was more or less surprised to see Cagalli standing looking at him. "You're not with them are you?"

"By them do you mean those members of the Earth Alliance?" Setsuna asked while Cagalli nodded, "No I am not. I'm not with the ones you call ZAFT either."

"Hard to tell from what I saw of your mobile suit last night." Cagalli said as images of the 00 emerging from the burning wreck of a BuCUE emerged in her mind. "Your mobile suit seems pretty advanced, could quite easily be a new ZAFT model-"

"Why would I have attacked ZAFT if they were my allies?"

"To fool us." Cagalli answered walking over and sat next to Setsuna, "My name is Cagalli Yula." She said holding her hand out but Setsuna didn't budge, "Pretty anti-social aren't you." She sighed but Setsuna looked over.

"If I was with ZAFT I could have had a blade hidden and grabbed your arm and pulled you close to slice your throat before you had a chance to scream." Setsuna said coldly as Cagalli looked at him quite surprised but amused.

"I see...and maybe I have someone watching over me and is ready to kill you even now." Cagalli shrugged looking up at the stars. Setsuna looked over to his left and could see an older man armed with a bow watching the both of them. "Don't worry he won't do anything unless you do."

"I wasn't worried at all...what do you know about that pilot and his Gundam?"

"Gundam?"

"Uh, mobile suit." Setsuna said forgetting that Gundam has no meaning in this world it would seem.

"Oh. Well the pilot is someone I met a few weeks ago. The machine he's piloting is a new mobile suit that is one of five which are known the G-weapons." Cagalli explained looking over while Setsuna nodded. "Sorry but I need to go." Cagalli said standing to walk away.

"My name is Setsuna by the way." Setsuna said as he looked back up to the stars. Cagalli nodded walking off to see if she could find Kira and talk to him.

Setsuna sat thinking to himself, "I hope everyone else is alright...I shouldn't have just left like that I suppose. Feldt must be mad with me." Setsuna sighed until he heard some commotion not too far away and decided to take a look at what was going on. Setsuna got up to go but dodged at the right moment as one of the members of the Desert Dawn almost ran into him. "What's going on?" Setsuna thought seeing them all moving to vehicles and getting weapons. Setsuna saw Mu walking toward the Archangel and took off after him. "Mr. La Flaga what is going on?" Setsuna asked once he caught up with Mu.

"It seems that the local town is under attack by ZAFT." Mu responded. Setsuna stared surprised as the thought of when he saw Azadistan being burned before he saw that red Gundam.

"...I'm going..." Setsuna said under his breath.

"Huh?" was all Mu got out before Setsuna took off passing him toward the Archangel and toward the hanger. Setsuna kicked off the walls going past guards and engineers who were going to assist in the launch of the Sky grasper once it took off. Setsuna got to the hanger and saw 00 standing up near a wall, Setsuna ran to the cable hanging down and grasped onto it then it raised him up to the entrance of the machine. Setsuna dropped inside and his flight suit plugged into the seat as he grabbed his helmet and slipped it on, Setsuna grasped onto the controls and activated 00, the machine's eyes flashed bright blue. "I won't let that happen..." Setsuna thought as another image of Azadistan appeared in his head. 00 began moving toward the launch catapult and Setsuna noticed the Strike being loaded onto the other while Mu was being prepped in the Sky grasper. "I'll get there before them." Setsuna thought before 00 stopped at the start of catapult, "00 Gundam...Setsuna F. Seiei...launching!"

00 was in the air fast and without delay took off where Setsuna could see red and orange in the distance and smoke rising from the ground. BuCUE's were leaving the area as Setsuna was getting closer 00's scanners opened a zoomed in image of seeing many people gathered together out of harm's way. Andrew Waltfeld watched as 00 was making a pass overhead watching everything, "it doesn't look like he's going to attack us..." Andy said seeing 00 stop overhead looking down at them.

Setsuna had 00's weapons locked onto the very vehicle that Andrew was in and was about to fire when he heard a voice in his mind say his name. Setsuna's trigger finger was gently against the trigger as he saw the BuCUE's and other vehicles were turning and retreating. "...None of the people here were killed." Setsuna thought as 00 slowly began to lower itself toward the ground but his radar flashed and Setsuna evaded a missile from one of the BuCUE's, Setsuna looked to it and saw it continued to retreat. Setsuna didn't bother going after it sense it didn't even harm 00. Once Setsuna landed he saw that the Sky grasper had landed nearby and Mu seemed to be having some trouble with the locals. "That man isn't very good at talking..." Setsuna thought as the 00 began walking toward them all. Once Setsuna lowered himself he saw Cagalli shouting at Mu.

"You call this minor? Having a town burned to the ground is nothing to you? How could you even think of who done this as generous!" she yelled but everyone stopped seeing Setsuna approach and slipped his helmet off.

"He did spare the lives of many people here...they easily could have attacked without warning and then ambushed you as you approached." Setsuna said.

"You don't have any idea what's going on." Cagalli growled turning away walking away.

"I could have killed them but I didn't." Setsuna responded and everyone looked at him. Cagalli looked back.

"If that is true then why didn't you take the shot?"

"No one died here tonight so there's no need to be bloodshed for a few scraped knees." Setsuna responded, "You're all alive, be proud of that." Setsuna said turning away to walk off but a sudden rock hit him in the back of the head and he stopped looking back expecting to see Cagalli but was surprised to see a young boy.

"You're a bad guy too aren't you?" the boy yelled, "Helping the evil ZAFT!" Setsuna stared at him not sure of what to say so he turned and started walking away hearing people calling at him from behind. People were calling him a coward or even started blaming him for what happened. Cagalli stared at Setsuna was he walked away not saying a thing because she knew deep down that he was right to an extent but didn't want to say anything.

Kira was in the Strike watching everything from far away he watched Setsuna walking back to 00. "What a strange guy." Kira thought as Setsuna stopped at 00's feet. Setsuna looked back to the crowds of people while it seemed like Mu had said something pretty stupid seeing as they were all now glaring at him.

"Said something wrong I suppose..." Setsuna thought as he turned his attention toward the Strike as it watched him back. "The Strike Gundam...it doesn't deserve the title of Gundam." Setsuna thought looking away and was surprised to see that several jeeps were being loaded with some of the Desert Dawn. "What in the world?" Setsuna thought again walking over seeing them take off quickly. "Where are they going?" Setsuna asked stopping by Mu and Natarle.

"Going to get themselves killed, that's where." Natarle responded as she turned away and started walking off leaving Setsuna and Mu.

"...with that weak equipment it is more than likely they'll be killed." Setsuna said while Mu nodded faintly, "What do you plan on doing?"

"I'm not sure...how about you?" Mu asked looking to Setsuna; he chuckled lightly seeing Setsuna was looking back at him. "You're going to help them aren't you?" Setsuna shook his head walking back toward 00, "Why not?"

"I won't need to." Setsuna responded looking up seeing a green light in the sky.

Ptolemaios II – Lunar orbit

"Wake up Lockon." Miss. Sumeragi called knocking on his door. "We need you to go on patrol." She said. She heard a loud yawn and the sound of thumbing around which was clearly Lockon, getting up and around. A few moments later Lockon opened the door with his hair a total mess. "You kind of look like crap."

Lockon shrugged, "I know, I've been trying to sleep but I just can't do it." Lockon yawned reaching to his right and pulled his green jacket into view and slipped it on. "Why do I have to patrol? Can't Tieria or Allelujah do it?" he asked with another yawn.

"Tieria can't and Allelujah and Marie are busy packing." She sighed shrugging, "They're thinking of going to the planet surface in a couple days." She mentioned which got Lockon confused.

"Then we'll be down a pilot though" he started, "Is that really the best idea?"

She turned and started walking away, "I can't force them to do what we want them to. They're human too and have the right to quit right now." She responded before disappearing around the corner.

Meanwhile Feldt entered the bridge feeling tired after not being able to rest, "Hello sleepyhead!" Mileina greeted passing a bottle of water to Feldt who caught it. "Wow. Tired and you still caught it like a pro."

"Ya..." Feldt sighed yawning loudly getting Lasse and Anew to glance over. "What is it?" she asked but they shrugged and turned away.

"Nothing." They both responded looking back to their consoles.

"Oh. By the way..." Anew started looking back to Feldt, "Could you try to get a hold of Setsuna? Lasse, Mileina and I have been unable to from our ends." She explained while Feldt hovered to her console and opened her files and moved to their comm. channels and went to the one most used with 00.

"I can't see anything." She said looking through the rest, "All channels that are connected to 00 normally can't seem to get a lock on his location."

"That's what we thought." Miss. Sumeragi said walking in. "Same thing occurred when Seravee and Cherudim were on the surface looking for 00. I'm thinking that it may be some intense radio disturbance that could be affecting every channel for everyone on the planet." She explained while Feldt looked over than back.

"Ma'am there's something wrong here. It says that Seravee is activate but its comm. is down." She said trying to confirm this.

"I know that. I sent Tieria down about an hour ago. He's going to try to make contact with Setsuna." She explained walking over to Mileina's position. "We should be fine up here with just Lockon. The enemy doesn't seem to have weapons powerful enough to overpower us."

Feldt sighed looking back at Setsuna's blank comm., "I hope he's alright down there..."

Northern Africa Desert

Andrew Waltfeld was leaned back in his seat while a trio of BuCUE's were right behind his vehicle, "Can't we go a little faster than this?' the young red haired man named Martin DaCosta.

"You're that eager to get back?" Andrew asked opening one eye to look over.

"At the speed we're going they'll catch up to us. I for one don't want the odd chance of that mobile suit to catch us either." He added thinking back to what they saw the day before of the 00. "The armor on that thing was insane."

"It wasn't phase shift either." Andy said, "That machine has some other kind of power system and I think it has to do with its special propulsion as well." Anew looked ahead, "If we meet then we meet. It's fate. Those resistance fighter's artillery trucks don't stand a chance against our BuCUE's."

"Commander? There are vehicles approaching us from behind." One of the BuCUE pilots comm. to them. "Six...no eight vehicles. They appear to be those resistance fighters."

"Maybe those people would rather die after all." Andy said out loud leaning his head.

Several of the jeeps appeared and headed toward the BuCUE's and jeep that Andrew was in. One fired at Andy's jeep but a BuCUE jumped in the way and blocked the missile. The BuCUE shook it off and tried to stomp one of the jeeps but then got a missile in the face and then two in right front left paw and caused the entire thing to fall over. "I'm going to stomp you annoying bugs!" the pilot shouted seeing another jeep headed toward him. One missiles struck the left shoulder but it quickly jumped into the air and then shifted into its tank mode and landed on one of the jeeps crushing it. The BuCUE took off after another two vehicles. "Got you now."

(2) A beam cut through the head of the BuCUE and then the entire machine started rolling until another beam struck it blowing its right arm off. Andy stopped the jeep to look over, "This is it...what a second..." he trailed off seeing the bulky mobile suit lowering toward the ground. "That's not the Strike or that other mobile suit!"

Seravee looked to another BuCUE charging toward him while another BuCUE was pursuing the vehicle that Cagalli and Ahmed were inside. "Such pathetic attempts." Tieria sighed then remembered the charging BuCUE but saw it retreating. "What the hell?" Tieria thought then looked back hearing something and saw the other BuCUE knocking the vehicle it was chasing into the air. "Why you..." Tieria started taking off toward the BuCUE but a green beam fired at the BuCUE and it quickly backed off. "Green beam?" Tieria thought turning to see the Strike. "I see...he'll handle it then." Tieria thought again looking to see a BuCUE headed toward him.

"I want to see the Strike's performance so please kindly move." Andy said over a comm. which startled Tieria. Tieria had Seravee activate duel beam sabers and as about to attack when he felt a sudden pulse in his head like earlier.

"Dammit." Tieria grunted as Seravee's beam sabers deactivated and he has to remove his helmet to hold his hands to his head, "Not again."

"Wow I guess I just had to ask." Andy chuckled looking back at the Seravee standing and not moving. While Andy took off toward the Strike alone, the other BuCUE retreated toward the Seravee. Andy's BuCUE evaded left and right to dodge Kira's shots until the BuCUE leapt forward and knocking the Strike back while in the air. The Strike landed and was ready to fire back but received a missile to the face and staggered back to be smashed again in the side. Kira had the Strike jump into the air to get a better position but Andy's BuCUE was there already as its monoeye lit up and then kicked it back toward the ground. "Even if you only use regular missiles the phase shift loses its effect after 76 hits!" The Strike used its full propulsion to let itself glide over the sand, "When that happens the rifle simultaneously loses power!" Andrew's BuCUE fired another barrage of missiles at the Strike.

The second BuCUE charged at Seravee but didn't expect Seravee to suddenly turn around and grasp the BuCUE's head stopped it dead in its tracks. "Aw crap!" the pilot shouted getting the BuCUE free and backed away and fired its missiles at Seravee, all missiles hit. "Hell ya!" he cheered but froze seeing that once the smoke cleared that Seravee was surrounded by a green circular field. "What is that?" he shouted but Seravee charged toward his machine but didn't bother with any of its beam weapons.

"I can take you out without my beam weapons!" Tieria shouted as he tossed his helmet aside ignoring his headache. The BuCUE ducked down to dodge the first fist but the second smacked it in the side of the head and knocked the BuCUE over. The Seravee grasped the BuCUE's legs and took off with it into the air, "Hey Gundam!" Tieria called to Kira who looked over, "take this one." Tieria called kicking the BuCUE down toward Kira who turned and locked onto it and fired through its body and then it exploded.

Andy's BuCUE quickly took off with the headless BuCUE after the jeep, "Damn those mobile suits...didn't have a good enough chance to test that Strike out." He said looking over his shoulder seeing its phase shift armor shutting down while Seravee lowered to the ground.

"I don't even need to use my main weaponry their mobile armors are so weak." Tieria sighed slipping his helmet back on to open the cockpit and exit his machine. Once Tieria was down Kira was already being shouted at so Tieria was curious and started walking over.

"That's the last straw." Cagalli started which got Tieria's attention to move faster toward them, several of them were looking at Tieria and Seravee but Cagalli and Kira didn't seem to notice him walking toward them both. Cagalli walked over grasping Kira's collar of his flight suit, "You heartless moron, look!" she said gesturing to her dead friend's Ahmed's body. Tieria glanced over and was more or less surprised.

"If I had gotten here sooner..." Tieria thought, "I didn't think that someone had gotten killed." A loud slap got Tieria looked back and saw Cagalli's surprised face while Kira was glaring at her.

"What the hell can you protect when your feelings are the only weapons you've got!" Kira shouted but Tieria walked closer and that got Kira looking over. "You..." Tieria grabbed Kira's collar.

"These people are trying to fight a war they can't win, give them credit for that!" Tieria shouted but Kira stood surprised as he hadn't seen Tieria approach them.

"I..." Kira trailed off not sure to say but Tieria pushed him back, "Your voice...it sounds just like-" Kira was quickly cut off by Tieria.

"Tell me...where is Setsuna F. Seiei?" Tieria asked slipping his helmet off and looked at Kira.

Ending- Friends by Stephanie

Next Chapter...Ptolemy and the Archangel

---

(1.) Power by Kenji Kawai

Chapter 5- Ptolemy and the Archangel

Opening- Endscape by UVERworld

Archangel- Main Bridge

Tieria was standing leaned against a wall as Mu and Murrue were talking quietly with Natarle, "I'm telling you that it's suspicious to have two of those kinds of mobile suits around. They are amazing machines that are capable of things that we couldn't do with our suits in decades." Natarle whispered looking over Mu then back to him and Murrue.

"I know what you mean, that guy's mobile suit just picked up a BuCUE like it was nothing and threw it for Kira to take out. I think that these guys are special ops or something." Mu said as he looked over his shoulder to Tieria who seemed to be getting impatient.

"We can't rule out the possibility that this could be some trick by ZAFT, we're in war so anything could happen." Murrue said as she looked to her right to Tieria then back. "We've kept him waiting long enough."

Natarle tapped her shoulder, "If he does try anything insane or to harm any of the crew I think it would be best to contain him and try to dismantle his machine and give the parts so command once we reach them."

"I can hear everything you're saying." Tieria sighed startling the trio, "I wish to speak to Setsuna F. Seiei and then I will be closer to being out of your hair." Tieria said examining the bridge seeing everyone at their stations and out the main window he could see the desert base. "We have noticed that this planet seems to be causing interference with our communications."

"That would be the N-Jammers in the planet." Murrue answered, "In order to stop the use of Nuclear weapons."

"Is that safe for the planet?" Tieria asked looking over, "That seems to be a kind of technology that could effect other means of power." Tieria said but heard a door open and looked to see Setsuna enter. "You're alive." Tieria said walking over to Setsuna who returned with a nod.

"So are you. How is the rest of the crew?" Setsuna asked as he and Tieria just ignored the rest of the Archangel crew around them.

"You had them worried for a while. I knew you'd be fine, you survived 4 years along with Exia against the Federation." Tieria said holding his hand out as Setsuna grasped it and they shook hands. "Good to have you back."

"I won't be gone for too much longer but I'll be heading out soon." Setsuna said while Tieria stared at him confused. "I will be accompanying Kira Yamato and Cagalli Yula today in town." Setsuna continued while Tieria sighed.

"You must be joking, why would you do that?" Tieria asked, "Did these people tell you to do this task?"

"He volunteered." Mu said cutting in, "Setsuna here said he wants to accompany the kids as backup if they need it."

"Kids? Setsuna will be going with children?" Tieria asked, "That is absurd."

"One of them is the pilot of their Gundam." Setsuna whispered to Tieria. Tieria looked back to Setsuna who was looking at him with a look that was clear that he knew what he was doing.

"...very well, but what am I suppose to do while I'm here? I came here to see if Setsuna was safe and ensure that this area is secure for Ptolemy to land." Tieria said.

"Ptolemy is coming here? Why?" Setsuna asked starting to have a bad feeling that it was his fault, "Is space not safe for us?"

"That's not it. We did checks and it seems that even with only Cherudim, the odds of Ptolemy being damaged are low thanks to the weaker suits of this enemy we've encountered. We think it would benefit us if we did come to the surface where we can all be together at the least."

Setsuna nodded looking away to Murrue, "About that mission of mine..."

"Yes?"

Setsuna looked down at his feet and trailed his vision up his flight suit, "Something less likely to gain unwanted attention?"

"Oh, right. Mu, you can assist him." Murrue said to Mu before she turned to leave with Natarle.

Mu looked to Setsuna and Tieria, "Well...with your friend here I guess I'll have to get him a room in the meantime...C'mon Setsuna, I should have some clothes that you can wear." Mu said turning to leave with Setsuna right behind him following close behind.

The PLANTs - Supreme Chairman Zala's office

"The moon?" Patrick asked seeing data that was sent to him, "You're positive that The big one came from there? I don't want to risk any of our resources on a wild goose chase."

"Sir, we are all confident that wherever the big one came from is on or near the moon surface." The ZAFT commander explained as a highlighted path from the moon appeared showing it connected to the Earth, "It seems that it went straight to the Middle East."

"If that's the case then the Desert Tiger can handle that mobile suit. Send whatever units are available to that location." Patrick said turning and left the room to the commander who looked back to the terminal and saw data reading that there was a fleet which was close enough to dispatch a squad of suits to that location.

ZAFT Carrier "Collateral" – 5 hours from unknown target location

Several works crews were preparing a trio of Ginn suits while their pilots stood by in the briefing room being given their orders by the captain. "Our target is near the moon, it seems that a new mobile suit was confirmed to come from this location and it needs to be dealt with."

The young pilot with long red hair raised his hand, "How close sir? Can we expect EA interference with the mission?" he asked while the white haired girl next to him nodded with the question.

"That is unlikely unless an EA patrol ship comes by but we've been seeing less and less of them lately, plus the location is outside of EA sensor range as far as our tests have proven. It should be easy job of getting in the area and taking out the possible ship small base."

"So we get in and get out then?" the white haired girl asked as the captain nodded, "Are we all to go or..?"

"We'll dispatch you and Fern." He said looking to the red haired boy who grinned, "As well as Hahnenfuss." He said as he and the other two looked to Shiho who was seated close by but not paying any attention looking at a monitor seeing her CGUE DEEP Arms being repaired and recharged. "Shiho." The captain repeated to get her attention, "You'll use this chance to perform further test with the prototype." He said as she glanced over to nod then looked away back at the monitor.

"Let's go sis." Fern said standing up to walk out with the white haired girl, "This shouldn't be too hard."

"A walk in the park." She said quietly as they left the room to Shiho and an older black haired man who was sitting on a close by couch and was reading a book.

The captain also turned to leave, "Sir." Shiho started to stop him to look over, "How long till deployment?" Shiho asked eyeing her machine.

"5 hours." He answered, "At last get some shut eye until then."

"Yes sir." Shiho said getting up to leave but gave one last glance to the man reading before she left.

Northern Africa

Setsuna was leaned back in his seat letting the wind blow his hair around as the sun was beating on him, they had been driving for close to half an hour and weren't there yet. "You know the plan?" Natarle asked as Setsuna nodded in response.

"Yes, I am to accompany Cagalli and Kira in town while they get supplies...I'm not one to forget mission plans." Setsuna said closing his eyes as he wanted to get some rest before they arrived at the town they were going to.

Meanwhile Tieria was on the Archangel walking through the halls seeming to be unaware of Flay was following him and before he would turn a corner she would hide a doorway. "I don't trust this guy..." Flay thought seeing Tieria turn another corner. Flay walked over and looked around but then stepped out surprised to see Tieria was nowhere in sight. "What in the hell?" Flay said out loud looking around but froze hearing something and looked over her shoulder seeing Tieria leaned against the wall staring at her.

"You should speak up if you want questions answered, just following someone while trying to be hidden as an attempt to have questions answered is stupid." Tieria said sighing.

"How did? I was dead silent!" Flay said still surprised that even after 5 minutes before Tieria didn't notice her.

"Easy...you wear too much perfume." Tieria said turning his head away as if Flay smelled bad, "WAY too much."

"Shut up you!"

Tieria looked back, "I'm amazed you were so silent if you can't keep an indoors voice, you look like a woman who can't shut her mouth for a minute." Tieria mocked but didn't expect Flay to swing her fist at him but he stepped to the side easily dodging it. "Why are you in the military if you're like this?" Tieria asked dodging another fist by casually ducking under it and walked behind Flay who tried to swing again but Tieria caught her arm. "I don't want to cause a problem with you, just at least give a reason why you...OH." Tieria seemed to get it as he let Flay go who backed off. "You think I am one of those modified humans that Setsuna told me about don't you?"

"Clearly you are. Your hair is a dead giveaway." Flay said rubbing her sore arm while Tieria rolled his eyes.

"Maybe I dyed it." Tieria said crossing his arms and turned away while Flay stopped and thought about it.

"Well...that's...did you?" Flay asked looking over.

"No." Tieria said before he turned away and walked away leaving Flay shouting at him from behind.

With Setsuna...

Setsuna opened his eyes feeling his entire body aching to see he was floating in space; he looked to his hands seeing his flight suit. Setsuna looked to his right seeing mobile suit parts floating around and could in the distance see lights and what seemed to be hourglass shaped structures in space. "What happened?" Setsuna thought looking over his shoulder and saw the remains of a white mobile suit with blue wings floating by him, seeing the face of it reminded Setsuna of the Strike Gundam he had seen before, "What mobile suit is that?" Setsuna thought before he saw in the distance something all too familiar. "00!" Setsuna called out seeing the machine missing both its legs and its left arm floating away in the debris of its own parts. Setsuna used the propulsion of his flight suit to move toward the Gundam and his attention went straight to the right arm where it had a weapon which looked just like the GN sword that Exia had but the blade was green. As Setsuna got closer he could see clearly that the 00 was equipped with the 0-Raiser.

Once Setsuna reached 00 he grasped onto the Gundam's V-fin and looked back seeing what seemed like flares being lit and hundreds of mobile suits all flying toward the moon and toward the large hourglass structures. "The aftermath of a battle?" Setsuna thought looking over 00's shoulder and saw the 0-Raiser seemed fairly damaged but what surprised Setsuna was seeing a seemingly lifeless body floating by and it was a white Celestial Being flight suit. "Hey!" Setsuna called jumping off 00 toward the figure, Setsuna turned to evade a floating piece of the 0-Raiser's binders. Once Setsuna reached the body he grabbed their shoulder and turned them toward him to see their face...

Setsuna jumped slightly in his seat as he looked around seeing the jeep had stopped and Kira and Cagalli were getting off, "It was a dream." Setsuna thought to himself before he jumped out of the vehicle himself and stood up in his black sleeveless shirt and tan jeans. Setsuna took a look around and the town seemed to be like any other.

"We'll see you in exactly 4 hours." Cagalli reminded Kisaka while Kira and Setsuna were standing by looking around them.

"Be extremely careful." He warned while Cagalli nodded and started walking away with Kira and Setsuna while the jeeps drove off.

Setsuna glanced to Kira seeing Cagalli stop him, "What with the stunned look on your face, you're supposed to be my bodyguard aren't you?" she asked but Kira seemed to not be effected by the question as he was still looking around.

"Are you sure this is where the Desert Tiger's headquarters are?" Kira asked seeing everything seemed calm, Setsuna stepped beside Kira. "It's looks lively and untroubled."

"Looks can be deceiving. Isn't that right?" Setsuna asked looking to Cagalli who nodded and passed Kira. Setsuna and Kira both followed her until they came to a crater surrounded by debris. "More or less what I expected." Setsuna shrugged.

"It may look peaceful but it's as Setsuna said, appearances can be deceiving." Cagalli said looking to Setsuna who looked back to her then away, "You seem to be a bit on edge sense we arrived." Cagalli mentioned but Setsuna ignored her feeling that it wasn't something to bring up...that dream really got to him.

Ptolemaios II – Lunar orbit

Allelujah opened the cockpit of Arios and exited to see Lockon was standing by watching with Haro spinning around in place in the Zero-G hanger. "Hey Al, how are things going with Arios?" Lockon asked while Haro continued spinning around.

"Just some last checks, we'll need Arios' Trans-Am to get us to the Earth faster." Allelujah answered touching down next to Lockon, "I'm glad that Tieria could let us know we can head down to the surface sooner than Miss. Sumeragi had expected."

"What? How? I tried to contact Ptolemy but I just got static." Lock responded.

"Static! Static!" Haro replied opening and closing his head flaps.

"Tieria sent a coded transmission; it seems to only affect our radio systems on our machines." Allelujah explained passing Lockon. Lockon grabbed Haro and took him along as he and Allelujah left the hanger.

"So he just texted us?" Lockon asked while Allelujah nodded. "We should be down there in less than 4 hours with Trans-Am."

"Right, that is why I was getting Arios ready. Now I can just wait by for a little while for Miss. Sumeragi to give me the word." Allelujah smiled as they made a turn to stop by the corner. "Anyway I'm going to go see Miss. Sumeragi anyway about a more clear idea of our plan."

"Okay, see you later." Lockon waved as he floated off.

"Bye bye!" Haro said to Allelujah, Allelujah gave a quick wave to Haro before he went down a different hallway.

As Allelujah went down he felt a pain in his head, "Not another one of these headaches, these have been happening for a while now sense that accident." Allelujah thought passing by a viewing window on the ship but stopped in place then looked back seeing his surprised reflection but sighed with relief. "Ha. I thought I saw something." Allelujah laughed shaking his head and turned away continuing down the hall with his back to the window but failed to see his reflection grinning at him from behind.

ZAFT Attack Team- Lunar Orbit

Shiho's CGUE DEEP Arms moved ahead of a red Ginn that Fern was in as a blue Ginn with two more normal Ginn's approached them. "Long rage sensors have detected something ahead, high energy readings so we can expect that it's an enemy ship." Fern said as his Ginn's blue mooneye trailed to the blue Ginn, "You ready Bree?" Fern asked while the image of his sister appeared next to him.

"I am. The other pilots as well." She said as her machine pointed to the two standard ZAFT Ginn suits hovering by. One was armed with just a rifle and the other had a bazooka in hand with a rifle on its back. "Shiho are you ready?" Bree asked looking to her machine but it was already moving with the two Ginn suits following behind.

Fern had his Ginn fly to an asteroid and kick off of it just missing another asteroid before he levelled out beside Shiho. "You're determined aren't ya?" Fern asked but Shiho ignored him by disconnecting their comm.

Ptolemaios II

"There's several unknown heading in our location ma'am." Mileina said looking to Miss. Sumeragi who was talking to Allelujah but the pair looked over to her. "It seems like five of them are heading in our direction." She confirmed looking back to her console seeing the long range sensors showing five red dots heading toward them, "Three in the lead of two others and sensors detect high energy levels coming from one."

"Understood. Allelujah get to Arios and activate Trans-Am. Lockon is to head out and distract them for now." Miss. Sumeragi said looking back to her seat and sat down but Allelujah stood staring at her confused.

"Why are you sending Lockon out? We can escape with Trans-Am easily." Allelujah said.

"Lockon could easily catch up with us with his Trans-Am before we enter the atmosphere, the data that Tieria and Lockon managed to collect on the combat abilities on those suits and the effects our weapons have on them it would be unlikely they could safely enter the atmosphere." She explained, "We can make our escape and Lockon can keep them busy and possibly draw them into disarray."

Allelujah left to go to Arios while Feldt and Mileina begun to prep for Cherudim's launch. As Allelujah went down the halls he saw Marie ahead with Anew and the pair seemed to be talking. "Really? I didn't figure that you'd be leaving." Anew said as she and Marie failed to notice Allelujah.

"It's Allelujah's idea, honestly I can see what Allelujah is talking about but at the same time it seems a little bit too much. I'd much rather stay here." Marie finished then looked ahead surprised as Anew was to see Allelujah, "Oh...Allelujah."

"It's okay. We don't have to leave if you want to." Allelujah smiled passing her, "I've got to go to Arios in the meantime."

"Don't get me wrong Allelujah, I won't mind going but just not for good." Marie said as she turned to look at as she hovered backward with Anew.

"Don't worry about it, we can talk later." Allelujah responded grabbing onto a corner and pulled himself around and out of sight.

"He is really nice, and so considerate of your feelings." Anew commented while Marie turned back ahead, "I wish I could find a guy like that."

"I'm sure you will eventually."

Lockon connected Haro into his port and started up his controls which followed with the humming of the GN drive powering up. "Which direction from us?" Lockon asked as Miss. Sumeragi appeared on his main monitor.

"Once you exit the ship you will head to location T-23" she responded as a chart showing the location appeared.

"You could just say fly out turn around and head at a right angle." Lockon responded but Miss. Sumeragi ended the comm. "I just don't understand her sometimes." Lockon sighed as Cherudim was raised onto the catapult.

"Cherudim is clear for launch." Feldt's voice echoed in the hanger just before the entire hanger folded open.

"Roger that. Cherudim, Lockon Stratos, Target and Firing!" Lockon said as he took off straight ahead and out of the ship. Once he was out Cherudim flew upward then performed a front flip to face the direction he had to go. "Let's do this." (1.) As Cherudim took off toward the asteroid field he looked over to Ptolemy seeing it getting further away by the second. "Good luck guys."

Shiho looked ahead seeing Ptolemy and Cherudim, "I see the potential targets; they don't look like anything from the Earth Alliance." She said as he machine armed its beam weapons and begun to lock onto Lockon. "I'll handle the mobile suit. Fern, Bree, please go after the ship." Shiho said just before firing a beam cannon shot which almost hit Cherudim.

"Roger that." They both responded taking off while the two standard Ginn suits remained with Shiho and fired their rifles, while Fern passed one of the Ginn suits it passed him its bazooka.

"I see all five ma'am-whoa!" Lockon was interrupted as he ducked under Shiho's shot, "This guy is good!" Lockon said as he evaded another beam before he drew the beam rifle, "Wait...two are breaking away from the group and are headed toward Ptolemy!" Lockon turned to fire at them but then Cherudim got shot in the shoulder by Shiho, "Dammit." Lockon grunted turning back to her and aimed but Shiho and the Ginn`s took cover behind several asteroids, "Clever."

Fern and Bree both evaded several beams fifed from Ptolemy while Fern tried to line up a shot but then after a few moments he had his chance, "Got ya!" he yelled but a beam from behind sot through the bazooka and detonated it. Fern looked seeing the charred hands of his Ginn then looked behind to see Cherudim looking at him with its rifle still aimed in his direction but then looked back to Shiho`s location to evade another beam. "That guy is accurate." Fern complimented looking back to Ptolemy, "What the hell!" he yelled. Bree looked and was surprised to see Ptolemy bright red and was speeding off three times as fast as before. "These guys are really Leeroying it...but how is it going that fast?" Fern thought then looked back seeing Cherudim fire and destroy a Ginn. "Those beams are powerful too..."

Lockon started strafing from side to side dodging the rifle shots of the last Ginn until he was close enough to front flip toward it and stopped right in front of it with duel beam pistols drawn and against the chest of it. "Shit." Was the last thing the pilot said before Cherudim fired multiple shots through the suit and tore it to pieces. Shiho fired through the debris and almost hit Lockon who took off toward her. Shiho drew the heavy beam sword and charged him; Cherudim used the blades along the bottom of its pistols to block the saber. The Cherudim raised them pistols and crossed them to block the large sword as it slowly started to push closer toward Cherudim`s torso area.

"The guns blocked it?" Shiho thought to herself before she kicked Cherudim in the leg and knocked it back and was about to try to impale it when the front skirt opened and fired four micro missiles Shiho had to have her machine lean back t dodge, Shiho took this chance to back off which evaded Lockon`s following attack. Shiho straightened out and fired both cannons at Lockon which struck the Gundam and knocked it back against an asteroid.

"This isn't good...Haro how is our condition?" Lockon asked the small robot which looked up at him.

"Minimal! Minimal!" Haro responded.

"Oh really?" Lockon smiled as Cherudim pushed itself away from the asteroid and placed its pistols away and charged the CGUE DEEP Arms with its rifle aimed down at it, "Targeted and firing!"

"Target locked." Shiho said as both cannons locked onto Cherudim's torso and fired.

Ptolemy was still traveling and begun to approach with planet quickly. "Trans-Am has been lifted." Allelujah comm. to the bridge as Arios' glow faded back to its white and orange. Ptolemy slowed itself as it neared the entry point. "Lockon, this is Allelujah. We're almost ready; get back here before you're left behind."

Shiho's CGUE DEEP Arms spun and smacked Cherudim's head and knocked it away about to fire but Lockon aimed the sniper down and fired and managed to blow Shiho's machine's head off. "I hear you." Lockon said turning away and activated Trans-Am to speed off.

"Hey you alright?" Bree asked as her and Fern approached Shiho from behind, "Let me help you back to the ship."

"It's not a problem. I can still get the suit to the ship even without the main camera." Shiho said while she turned herself away and started moving back toward the ZAFT ship. "We have to leave before Earth Alliance patrols come across here."

"Ya, ya." Fern sighed as he and Bree following close behind as the bodies of the other two Ginn's were still hovering in space.

Northern Africa

Setsuna was half asleep in his seat while he, Cagalli, and Kira had taken a seat a table for lunch. "We managed to get most of everything we needed but the requests that Flay girl made are ridiculous. None of these things are sold around here."

"What's she looking for?" Setsuna asked opening an eye.

"Hair products, skin moisturizer and all that." Cagalli responded.

"Here you are." Setsuna glanced to his right and saw a waiter set a plate in front of Cagalli then Kira then himself. Setsuna was it looked like a wrap with meat strips, cucumbers and some kind of sauce. He set down two containers of something which Setsuna assumed was to go on the wrap as a choice.

"What is this?" Kira asked looking at it as well. Setsuna watched the waiter walk away.

"These are Doner kebabs. I am so tired and hungry ...let' dig in." Cagalli seemed pretty excited over this which surprised Setsuna. "First add some chilli sauce." She said picking it up. Setsuna nodded when he saw someone was approaching the table.

"Hold it right there. Wait just a moment!" he called grabbing the other teal container, "How could you just stoop to put chilli sauce on your kebab? This yogurt sauce, that is the proper thing to add to such a dish." Andrew said. He had tanned skin, big sideburns and wore heavy sunglasses and a red and yellow shirt...must be a tourist who travels here a lot. "Or rather than saying it's the proper thing how should I put it...hmm...right! Not adding yogurt sauce to this dish is considered a form of sacrilege against Doner kebabs." Setsuna blinked several times to look back and forth from the chilli sauce and yogurt sauce.

"What he says is tempting..." Setsuna thought looking to the teal container but then to the red one, "But it is chilli sauce...then again I have never tried it with yogurt."

"Do you have a screw loose or something?" Cagalli asked spurting chilli sauce onto her food, "Who invited you anyway, you've got no right to walk up to strangers and tell them how to eat their food." Setsuna tilted his head as Cagalli took a bite and the man turned away as if he just saw a pile of rotting corpses...Setsuna had an odd way of identifying reactions.

"What a waste!" he cried still not looking.

"Delicious!" Cagalli said in a way to mock him, which was clear. Cagalli handed the container toward Setsuna, "Here. As a tourist let me know what you think." She said while Setsuna stared at her confused. "Chilli sauce and kebabs are made for each other."

"Hey, hey, hey! No! Don't force your bad habits on this guy!" he said pushing the chilli sauce container away with the yogurt container. Setsuna looked back and forth confused what to do as they both started arguing over it until they both ended up putting chilli and yogurt sauce onto it. "Oops..."

"Moron." Cagalli growled turning away to eat her food, "Way to screw it up."

Setsuna heard something and glanced up to the roof of the building across from them and saw movement for a moment but then it was gone. "...Someone cleaning their roof." Setsuna thought to help relax himself as he took the kebab and took a bite and right away he liked it. "This isn't too bad actually." Setsuna said sounding quite surprised.

"Look at the shopping you two guys did. Were you planning to throw a party?" Andrew asked seeing their multiple bags on the ground next to them.

"Keep your trap shut. It's really none of your business." Cagalli started while Setsuna handed Kira both containers to put onto the kebab. "First I want to know is who are you? You sit at our table and start lecturing us on stupid stuff?" she asked. Setsuna's vision instantly went back to the roof seeing movement in the corner of his eye and saw someone with a bazooka. Both Andrew and Kira noticed it as well one microsecond after him.

"Hit the dirt!" Andrew yelled standing up and kicked the table up; Setsuna grabbed his kebab before it went flying. The rocket went right over them and hit the building behind them. The table landed beside them as cover. Setsuna heard gun shots and he went into combat mode instantly setting his food on a plate lying on the ground. Setsuna grabbed a gun from a holster he had hidden under his shirt and stood up taking a shot. "Are you alright?" Andrew asked Kira and Cagalli seeing as Setsuna was firing several warning shots at the armed men but they didn't back down as he took cover behind the table again.

Setsuna noticed someone else at a nearby table firing at the attackers with another man. "Die Coordinator you lousy, rotten space invader!" one of the attackers yelled before Setsuna stood up to fire a shot at the attacker when his fingers froze on the trigger but then his hand moved and fired the gun close to the attacker's foot who jumped back before firing at Setsuna who took cover again.

"Coordinator?...this because of that?..." Setsuna thought hearing another.

"For the preservation of our blue and pure world!"

"We are fighting for an ideal era. To stand in His presence, we are guided by Him." Setsuna heard Ali Al Saachez's voice in his mind and it caused him to freeze up, "...this world...is even worse." Setsuna thought glaring backward and turned back around and leapt over the table at one who was busy firing at the other table and didn't see Setsuna until Setsuna had his gun against his head but Setsuna didn't fire but instead smashed his gun against his head.

"You're dead!" another aimed at Setsuna but Setsuna threw his gun and knocked it out of his hand and it slid over by the table. Setsuna ran over and punched him in the stomach which knocked him out instantly. Setsuna heard a loud gunshot and looked over seeing one attacker got his gun knocked in the air after Kira threw that pistol that had landed on the ground over to hit the attacker's gun. After recovering he looked back but Kira kicked him right in the face. "He's good." Setsuna thought seeing Kira's abilities in combat, "I'm starting to think that he is a capable pilot...imagine if he was in a Gundam." Setsuna thought looking around seeing only a few were dead and others were unconscious. Setsuna jumped hearing a gunshot and looked by Kira and saw someone had shot the unconscious one in the head. "Hey!" Setsuna yelled running over and grabbed his collar and threw him to the ground, "What was that! He was down, there was no need to kill him!" Setsuna glared at him and turned away.

"Do either of you know how to use a gun?" Cagalli asked looking back and forth from Setsuna and Kira.

"Sorry that it wasn't to your liking." Setsuna responded walking to grab his kebab and took a bite until he heard a click behind his head and looked over seeing a gun. "Oh hi gun."

"Easy now." Andrew called over while Setsuna wasn't scared at all by the gun that was right in his eye, "Those two guys did help me after all." Andrew said gesturing to Kira and Setsuna before he removed his glasses and hat to show them who he was.

"We were talking with Andrew Waltfeld? The Desert Tiger..." Cagalli said quietly but not quite enough sense Setsuna heard her and walked toward Andrew while several ZAFT soldiers had their hands on their weapons.

"You're him?" Setsuna asked stopping right in front of Andrew to look at him in the eye, "To be honest I expected you to be more...wild." Setsuna said an image of Ali appearing in his mind.

"Hey it's just a name. I'm not that bad of a guy." Andrew laughed while Setsuna stood staring at him blankly.

"I would like very much if we could speak...with him." Setsuna said looking to Kira.

"Huh? Me?" Kira asked pointing to himself.

Setsuna nodded and looked back to Andrew, "I want both sides of the story...I want to know who my enemies are."

Earth's atmosphere

Cherudim approached Ptolemy as both were getting close to the atmosphere. "Opening hanger number one." Feldt said as the hanger opened for Cherudim to land inside.

"Preparing GN field for atmospheric entry." Mileina said as Ptolemy's bridge dimmed.

"Seal the hanger once Cherudim has landed and bring us in." Miss. Sumeragi said as she sealed her helmet while Feldt and Mileina did the same. Cherudim entered the hanger and faced forward as it did so.

Ptolemy was surrounded by the green particles of the GN field as it begun to have an orange glow as it entered the atmosphere. Lockon exited his machine to see Allelujah standing close by, "Hey Al, got here just in time." Lockon laughed while Allelujah just stared at him. "Are you okay?" Lockon asked while Allelujah shrugged.

"I'm only concerned about what we can expect down there."

"Not a big deal. We have our Gundams after all."

"I heard that you had some trouble with some of those suits."

"To be fair I wasn't even trying my best and that pilot was pretty good."

Allelujah turned away and walked away as Lockon followed after him, "We should head to the briefing room before everyone else, I have a feeling that we're going to in a short while." Allelujah said as they left the hanger, "I know that I've said this already but I am concerned about this entire situation."

"You're like a broken record." Lockon sighed while Haro floated after them.

Ptolemy cleared through the clouds and the ship was far above the desert as its GN field faded. "We have entered a safe atmospheric location." Feldt said looking over to Miss. Sumeragi who nodded.

"Approach the location was marked by Tieria."

"We should arrive within twenty minutes at the most." Feldt said locking in the timer, "Radars are all clean for now; no enemies are within scanning range." Feldt got out of her seat to stretch, "Is it alright that I stay on board when we arrive?" Feldt asked.

"Uh, sure. You don't want to come along?" Miss. Sumeragi asked looking over to Feldt, "We might only be here to get Tieria and Setsuna and then head back into space."

"I'm sure. I'd rather stay here. I'm not a huge fan of deserts."

"Think of it as a really big beach." Mileina suggested but Feldt just turned to leave and change out of her suit and back into her uniform.

North Africa- ZAFT base

Setsuna and Kira both entered a room with Andrew who was busy preparing coffee. Andrew's girlfriend had taken Cagalli to be cleaned up, Setsuna stood by looking out a window seeing BuCUE's and Ginn's outside of the building. "This is how you operate?" Setsuna asked seeing the mobile suits and patrolling soldiers, "You seem to have a firm grip on this area."

"I guess, we just want to hold this position sense it is perfect for ZAFT deployments from space to land safely and be deployed to southern Africa areas or toward the Middle East." Andy explained pouring two cups of coffee, "Go ahead, you too kid. Both of you take a seat, make yourself at home." Setsuna shrugged while Kira walked over to sit but stopped seeing a fossil on the fire mantel. Setsuna glanced over seeing the fossil of what looked like a thick fish with skeletal wings. "Evidence 01. Weird how they call this thing a Whale Stone." Andrew said walking over with the coffee. Setsuna glanced over at the fossil but looked away feeling a pulse in his head and seeing images of silver objects that looked like a cone. "Does that look like a whale to you?" Andrew asked handing Kira a coffee and looked to Setsuna, "Sorry but I've only got two cups on me at the moment."

"I don't mind. I don't drink it anyway." Setsuna said looking away thinking for a moment and an image of the first Lockon drinking coffee appeared in his mind. Setsuna clenched onto the top cushion of one of the chairs. "Lockon..."

"If you ask me those look like wings. Whale don't normally come with wings now do they now?"

"Well no." Kira answered, "It was brought back from a space mission as proof of the existence of extraterrestrial life."

"The point I'm making is why is the figure in this fossil assumed to be that of a whale."

"So what would be a better name for it?" Kira asked turning around while Setsuna was looking toward Andrew now. Kira and Andrew both took a sip while Setsuna sighed shaking his head thinking about how he disliked the taste of coffee.

"Nothing really comes to mind." Andrew said, "Now more pressing matters. What is your assessment of this coffee?" he asked, "or perhaps you haven't yet acquired an appreciation for such an adult taste."

"Extraterrestrial life." Setsuna thought looking at the small rock, "That's quite a find you have."

"As amusing at that thing may be its also problematic." Andrew shrugged looking over to it, "Or so I think."

"Problematic? How is that?" Kira asked looking over to it and then back, Setsuna stood behind Andrew looking down at him.

"I too am curious by what you mean." Setsuna said while Andy was taking another drink.

"This thing could be the reason this war got started." Andrew answered looking up at Setsuna who now looked to it, "Don't even think about breaking it. It's worth a lot of money kid. The reason I say that is because it gave the humans the idea that they could go further."

"Modifying their genes?" Setsuna asked while Andrew nodded in response, "What really started this entire war?" Setsuna asked but before there was any answer a knock was heard at the door and all three of the men looked to the door.

"Hey Andy." The female voice of Aisha said behind the door.

"Well, well, well." Andy said as Aisha and Cagalli entered. Setsuna had to look closely to see that it was indeed Cagalli in the green dress and high heels. Aisha gently pushed Cagalli closer toward the men. Kira was pretty shocked to say the least, Setsuna just stared at her casually but looked back to Andrew who seemed to have forgotten they were talking before.

"You're a...a girl." Kira stuttered. Setsuna looked back to Kira.

"My respect for this boy has now gone lower again." Setsuna sighed while Cagalli shouted at Kira as Andrew and Aisha both laughed.

North Africa- Desert Dawn base

"Uh, Mir?" Tolle asked poking her shoulder, "Look at this."

"What's up?" Miriallia asked looking over and saw Tolle pointing toward the canyon entrance and she looked over and saw Ptolemy as did several other people. "Is that a ship?" she asked while in the bridge of the Archangel Murrue and Mu were watching the approaching ship getting closer to the ground. After several seconds they could see particles emitting along the top of the ship as its cloaking. "...you want to check it out?"

"I'm not sure, this is like when people go to a ship and it turns out they're aliens that are bent on killing us and sucking out our brains." Tolle said. Mir flicked his forehead and started walking away as Tolle chased after her.

"That's their ship?" Mu asked Murrue as they still stared at Ptolemy. Mu noticed movement and saw one hanger of Ptolemy was opening. "Oh! Look!" Mu pointed.

"I can see it commander." Murrue sighed.

A shuttle from Ptolemy launched from the hanger and started flying over the canyon. Members of the Desert Dawn stood around watching the massive ship and mobile suits. Mu and Murrue both started heading to exit the ship. "What if they try to attack us?" Mu asked.

"I have no idea; let's just hope that they don't." Murrue answered as they reached to exit the ship and opened the door with several guards and exited onto the sandy ground. The shuttle lowered to the ground as they got closer. Tieria appeared in view walking from behind the nearby Seravee which had a large tarp over it. The shuttle landed and Mu and Murrue stopped by as several guards from the Archangel and Eternal Dawn camp were around it. The shuttle's main hatch slowly opened and lowered, Tieria stopped beside Murrue and Mu as he slipped his helmet back on.

Lockon and Allelujah both started down the ramp with their full pilot suits on and their helmets dimmed to hide their faces. Lockon stopped and looked around them all staring at him, "Hmm..." Lockon thought for a moment then raised his hand up, "We come from the Celestial galaxy! Our planet of Gundam is close to implosion and we need your help to...save..." Lockon couldn't finish as he burst out laughing while Tieria and Allelujah stared at him confused. "I'm sorry everyone, I'm just joking around!" Several people looked like they believed what was being said for a moment.

"This is a great start..." Tieria sighed as Miss. Sumeragi and Mileina started walking down the ramp in their usual uniforms.

"Hi everyone!" Mileina smiled waving while everyone stared at her.

"Mileina..." Miss. Sumeragi sighed. The young girl smiled and hoped down and ran over by Tieria who stood by with his arms crossed. "Hello, my name is Sumeragi Lee Noriega from Celestial Being. I would like to thank all of you for allowing us to take shelter here." She said acting as friendly as she could but felt pretty nervous.

"I am captain Murrue Ramius." Murrue said walking forward up the ramp passing Allelujah and Lockon. She held her hand out and shook with Miss. Sumeragi. Allelujah and Lockon both slowly moved closer to the pair looking back and forth.

"Uh...is it me or do you both sound the exact same?" Allelujah asked while Lockon nodded.

"Do we?" both Murrue and Miss. Sumeragi asked at the same time.

"...Creeeepy." Lockon said shaking his head while Allelujah nodded.

Tolle and Miriallia both stepped forward looking between everyone, "Cool flight suits and uniforms." Tolle complimented but then Allelujah shot a look startled, "What?"

"What the heck?" Allelujah said surprised hearing Tolle's voice, "Your voice is..."

"Just like mine?" Tolle finished looking almost as surprised.

"What in the heck?" they both asked while everyone stared at them now.

North Africa- ZAFT base

Setsuna, Cagalli, and Kira were all seated across from Andrew. Setsuna was sitting with a glass of water while Cagalli and Andrew had their coffees in hand; Kira's was on the table. "That dress looks very flattering on you. From the looks of it would seem you're accustomed to dressing up in fine clothing like that." Andrew said in order to break the silence.

"Say what you want." Cagalli responded taking another drink.

"You're the perfect little lady until you speak."

"It's just as difficult for me to believe that you're the desert tiger. Why spend your valuable time dressing people up? Is this another way for you get your kicks Waltfeld?" Cagalli asked as Setsuna placed his glass down.

"Well Aisha is the one that picked it out." Andrew corrected her prior statement, "What do you mean by getting my kicks?"

"Taking a trip into the city while wearing a disguise. Or having have residents evacuate their town before burning it. That's what I mean." Cagalli asked seriously. Setsuna looked between them.

Andrew looked at her curiously, "You've got a lovely pair of eyes, something sincere about them. Very lovely eyes." He added with a tone that seemed to try to get a reaction.

"Don't toy with me!" Cagalli growled slamming her hands on the table.

Andrew's face became serious within an instant, "Are you another one of those people who would rather be dead?" he asked serious. Setsuna and Kira and Cagalli looked back. Cagalli and Setsuna both seemed unafraid at all while Kira seemed to be slightly startled.

"What about you then?" Andrew asked Kira, "What do you think about all this? What do you think needs to be done in order for this war to finally end? Give me your opinion as a mobile suit pilot."

"Enough." Setsuna cut in standing up, "I've heard enough here...Kira and Cagalli, we should leave." Setsuna said turning to walk away but stopped hearing Cagalli.

"How would you know that?" she asked but Andrew replied by standing and laughing. Setsuna looked over curious about his actions.

"Being too sincere can also be a liability." Andrew said walking toward the corner of the room, Kira and Cagalli backed away while Setsuna reached to his side and grabbed his gun. "Unlike in sports the game of war has no set time limit and no points are awarded. So how do you determine the winners and losers?" Kira and Setsuna both looked at Andrew sternly, Setsuna loosened his grip on his gun. "At what point do we put an end to it?"

"At what point?' Kira asked quietly as Setsuna slowly walked toward them.

"When every single one of your enemies has been destroyed? Perhaps then?" Andrew asked drawing a gun to the trio. Setsuna stepped in front of Kira and Cagalli staring sternly at Andrew who did the same.

"You seem to know your fair share of war." Setsuna said blankly while Andrew nodded.

"As a soldier it's only natural. What about you? I saw you that night also; you killed those people without hesitation. It makes me question why you didn't kill anyone in town today. Tell me...why is that?"

Setsuna stared back in silence for a few moments, "...I don't know." Setsuna said looking down at the floor, "I can't answer that...something stopped me. I didn't think about it until now."

Andrew chuckled moving the gun to point over his shoulder to Kira, "Don't try anything; you don't have any chance of escaping successfully. Every one of us here is a Coordinator like you, there is no way you can overpower us all."

Cagalli looked over to Kira surprised, "Wait...you mean you're a...?" Cagalli couldn't even finish she was so surprised.

"I saw you as well in battle but on two separate occasions. One with him." Andrew looked to Setsuna, "And then that other machine." Andrew said referring to Seravee. "If rumours are circulating around that it's actually a natural who's the pilot of that mobile suit I'm not one to believe it without question. On top of that, considering the amazing job you did getting us out of that jam earlier. I have no idea what your reasons are for fighting against your own people but as long as you remain the pilot of that Earth forces mobile suit you and I are destined to be sworn enemies even if we are both Coordinators." Kira and returned with his own glare eyeing the barrel of the pistol, Setsuna was ready to draw his gun if he needed to but wouldn't do so unless necessary. Setsuna was surprised when Andrew's face lost some of its seriousness and he lowered his gun. "It's actually makes you wonder if there's no other option but for one of us to be destroyed." Setsuna eased up and regained his proper posture as Andrew turned away to return the pistol. "The fact is you saved me today and we aren't on the battlefield." Andrew said tucking the gun away and then pressed a button on his desk. A few seconds later Aisha opened the door. "You have permission to leave. I sure have enjoyed talking to you...wish we could have talked more." Andrew said looking to Setsuna who didn't bother looking at him and walked out. Kira and Cagalli followed behind but all three stopped hearing Andrew, "See you on the battlefield." Both Kira and Setsuna looked back but then continued out of the room.

Setsuna was walking down thinking about what was said, "It makes me question why you didn't kill anyone in town today." Andrew's words echoed in Setsuna's head. "Why didn't I?" Setsuna thought as he and Kira and Cagalli exited the building and saw a car waiting by.

"I am to drive you back into town." The ZAFT officer said not looking at them. They entered the vehicle and started driving off; Setsuna looked over his shoulder back to the building seeing the mobile suits around.

"...A war over such a foolish reason...I still need to hear both sides." Setsuna thought leaning back to have his hair blown around, "If I can't come to one I'll have to suggest...a worldwide armed intervention."

Ending- Friends by Stephanie

Next Chapter...Gundam Meisters vs The Desert Tiger

---

Chapter 6- Gundams vs The Desert Tiger

Opening- Endscape by UVERworld

Ptolemy- Conference room

Mu looked around the room to Tieria then to Murrue and to Miss. Sumeragi. "This is too weird. Why would they let us board their ship?" Mu thought then the door opened and was startled when Mileina peeked in while Lasse looked over her shoulder.

"Is the meeting over yet?" Mileina asked waving her hand over but Lasse grabbed her pulled her back outside.

"I don't think they are done yet." Lasse sighed as he pushed Mileina down the hall so they could leave the two captains with the pilots.

"You have a kid on your ship as well?" Mu asked still surprised by Mileina, "She doesn't look very used to combat." He shrugged but was nudged by Murrue. "It's true!"

Murrue looked to Miss. Sumeragi, "I am sorry for his behaviour."

"It's fine. We're used to Mileina so it's not a problem." Miss. Sumeragi looked over to Tieria, "You seem a little tense Tieria." She commented, Tieria looked over then looked back to Mu.

"I only find it interesting how well your pilot performs with such a low performance machine." Tieria commented turning away and started walking away.

"Hold on now." Mu called over stopping Tieria, "The Strike happens to be one of our most advanced machines, or one of the most advanced mobile suits ever created."

"Where we come from machines like your Strike are from the last decade." Tieria said back then walked out, as he exited Lockon was walking by and stopped to look into the room. Lockon walked inside to look to Mu and Murrue.

"You both are from that other ship I assume?" Lockon asked smiling while Mu nodded.

Outside the ship Allelujah and Marie had their bags packed and had them lying on the hot sand, "Maybe leaving right away wasn't the smartest idea after all..." Allelujah sighed hanging his head down while Marie patted his back. "Guess we'll stick with that other ship until they get out of here." Allelujah thought looking up at the Archangel. Over the last few hours the plan was that Ptolemy was going to fight ZAFT and create an opening for the Archangel to escape. A problem was that Kira wanted to help Ptolemy but then there was chance that he would be left behind.

"That young boy really is determined to let his allies escape." Marie sighed, "Ptolemy should be able to handle these enemies alone, at least that's what Mr. Erde has said."

"Tieria might be a little dramatic with that statement but it would make sense for us to help them. They did put a good word in for us with these locals to let Ptolemy stay here for a little while as we sorted this out."

"That's for certain."

Archangel- Kira's room

Kira was sitting on his bed thinking over the events of the prior day when he heard the door open and glanced to see Flay enter then looked back down at the floor. "Hey Flay..." Kira responded still in deep thought about Andy.

"This is where you've been? I've been looking all over for you-"

"Then look here first. There aren't many places for me to go right now without being hassled or talked to about that one pilot." Kira responded looking away and lay on his back, "I just need some time to myself."

"What did he do?" Flay asked blankly as she sat next to Kira and stroked his arm but he moved it as a sign to leave him alone. "You're better than him Kira, I know for certain." Flay lay down next to Kira about to put her arms around him but he got up too quickly and walked toward the door.

"I need to be alone for now Flay...I'm sorry." Kira responded before he dashed out before Flay could get a word out to him.

Flay sat back upright thinking, "It's that guys fault. He seems to be messing with Kira's head by being around...I can't allow that." Flay thought hopping up and smiled as she walked off to go look for Setsuna.

Kira meanwhile turned around a corner and leaned against the wall and slid onto the floor putting his knees to his chest as he sat thinking. "What really started this entire war?" Setsuna's voice echoed in Kira's mind. "Differences sparked it..." Kira sighed hanging his head down further. Then he heard someone clear there throat, Kira looked up to see Tolle.

"Hey, Kira." Tolle said holding his hand out to Kira, "What are you doing on the ground?"

"Things are starting to come down on me. Things with Sai have gone horrible and these new mobile suits and their pilots are just adding to this." Kira explained but Tolle helped him up.

"It's okay Kira. There's no need to feel so stressed, the rest of us can handle things. Do what you can to ease yourself and not feel so alone." Tolle said as he and Kira started going down the hallway. "Maybe you should try talking to the pilot of that one mobile suit next that you see him." Tolle suggested.

"I'd rather not." Kira sighed.

"Why? What happened?"

3 hours earlier – Desert Dawn base

Setsuna and Tieria both passed several groups of soldiers from the Desert Dawn and proceeded toward Ptolemy which had lowered itself to the ground so that the crew could enter and exit the ship through one of the lower levels. "Hey, mister pilot!" Setsuna and Tieria looked over and saw a little boy which Setsuna recognized.

"You're the kid that threw a rock at me." Setsuna said blankly. The boy looked down saddened then looked back to Setsuna.

"I'm sorry...my family could have died and I just was scared..." he sighed hanging his head down but was surprised feeling something touch his head and he was just as surprised as Tieria was when he saw Setsuna was patting his head.

"I promise I will fight ZAFT, they will regret their actions." Setsuna said still with a monotone voice. The kid smiled back to him but Setsuna's mouth didn't even twitch, Setsuna turned away and started walking toward Ptolemy again.

"You could have smiled back." Tieria whispered as they both started back toward Ptolemy. Setsuna remained silent but stopped looking ahead. "Another fan of yours?" Tieria asked seeing the young man ahead of them with his bright violet eyes.

"Kira Yamato." Setsuna said as Kira approached them. "Go ahead Tieria, I won't be too long." Tieria walked off toward Ptolemy and entered though a lower door where one of the extra crew members from the station was waiting for him. "What is it?" Setsuna asked Kira.

"Who are you guys really?" Kira asked quickly eager to get an answer.

"We are Celestial Being." Setsuna answered.

"I know but whose side are you on?"

"No one's side." Setsuna answered, "Yet everyone's." He added which confused Kira. "If you fight today we may have to shoot you down." Setsuna said walking past Kira.

"What? We're fighting to defeat ZAFT; if we don't then they'll kill us!" Kira shouted turning around. Setsuna stopped, "You're hypocrites that don't pick your friends or enemies! Do you even trust your own friends?"

"I trust them more than any of the people I have met on this world." Setsuna said walking away toward Ptolemy.

3 hours later – Ptolemy

Setsuna soaked shampoo into his hair as he tried to rinse the sweat and sand that was stuck around his body as he had been trying to do for the last few hours when there was a knock. "Occupied." Setsuna said to the door as he slipped his shirt on.

"It's me." Feldt's voice said on the other side. Setsuna stopped what he was doing and looked toward the door. "I wanted to see if you're okay." Feldt added. Feldt was outside the room leaning against the door with her hands in her pants pocket. "I feel somewhat responsible for anything that happened to you earlier when you..." Feldt stopped and pushed herself away from the door and started walking away.

The door slid open and Setsuna looked out only letting one half of his face show, "When I went out?" Setsuna asked. Feldt stopped while Setsuna stared at her. "Your apology is not needed; I should apologize to you for my own actions." Setsuna said but Feldt started walking away again acting like she didn't hear him. Setsuna stood watching her curious about her response but shrugged turning to walk away and finish his shower again.

Feldt kept going down the halls thinking to herself, "I must look like a jerk now just ignoring him like that." Feldt turned the corner and stopped spotting one of the doors that went outside. "Maybe I do need some fresh air...maybe the air of this planet might be cleaner." Feldt smiled at the thought of even fresher air. Feldt went to the door entering her own ID to have it open and had to go through a couple commands to open the door and then the door had to ensure it was a safe environment then once it checked if it was it asked for Feldt to confirm the command which she did. The door opened and Feldt was blinded for a moment by the bright sun as it was positioned to glare at the side of Ptolemy that she was exiting from. Feldt wiped her eyes and exited the door and took one step in the sand and almost fell face first but caught her footing. "Suddenly I have a bad feeling." Feldt sighed looking at her shoes and thinking about how they must already be filled with sand.

"I thought that you didn't want to go out." Miss. Sumeragi said appearing by Feldt who jumped slightly at the captions appearance. Feldt turned around and saw Mu and Murrue with Miss. Sumeragi.

"I changed my mind; I figured that I should try to get a little bit of sun." Feldt explained. She was curious seeing Mu whispering to Murrue. "What's wrong?" Feldt asked tilting her head slightly feeling very confused.

"Nothing! You just sound like someone we've met before..." Mu responded then leaned back toward Murrue, "Pink hair is rare too." He whispered as she nodded. "Anyway, you shouldn't be walking around unless someone is around. Your purple haired pal got into a little trouble earlier for his special hair color." Mu explained, "Locals thought right away that he was a Coordinator, I don't blame them but with your hair it could cause you trouble."

"But I dye my hair." Feldt explained running her hand over her hair, "Why wouldn't they stop to ask?"

"Well being at war with Coordinators might cause delays in questions." Mu answered smiling.

"I suppose. Then what about Anew? I'll head back to let her know then." Feldt sighed walking away.

"Feldt, can you also check on Setsuna?" Miss. Sumeragi called over. Feldt looked over and nodded then took off into the ship almost running into someone and stopped to apologize before she ran off again.

Meanwhile Setsuna was in his shower washing his hair, "Not being able to use the water on their ship...what nonsense." Setsuna thought rinsing the shampoo out of his hair. "I helped them on two accounts." Setsuna continued but stopped and just stared at the blank wall of his shower. "...They did save me." Setsuna remembered when he was close to that transport that it exploded right in front of 00 which knocked it out of control and was caught in the Earth's gravity. "I suppose that I did owe them." Setsuna thought running his hand through his hair again then heard a knock through his bathroom and it sounded like it was coming from the door from the halls of the ship to his room. Setsuna wrapped a towel around his waist and walked out of his bathroom to open the door and opened to find Feldt with her back turned to the door waiting. "Feldt? What now?" Setsuna asked to get her attention.

"Oh. Setsuna, Miss. Sumeragi wanted me to-" Feldt started but froze in midsentence seeing Setsuna . "Uh...Uh..." she stuttered staring at him not able to look away. Setsuna stood confused and looked over his shoulder wondering if it was something behind him that was distracting her but he could see no such thing.

"Feldt?" Setsuna asked snapping his fingers.

Feldt snapped back looking around, "What? Oh right...Miss. Sumeragi wanted me to check on you." Feldt continued forcing to keep her eyes on Setsuna's eyes.

"I'm fine. Tell Miss. Sumeragi that I understand that mission and I'll be prepared to launch when I need to." Setsuna told Feldt before he stepped back to close the door but Feldt quickly grasped the door to hold it open. "Feldt?" Setsuna asked.

"Um...I just wanted to say that I'm happy that you're alright." Feldt said smiling to Setsuna who responded with a faint nod.

"Well, I think that I should say that I'm sorry for making you look bad." Setsuna said opening the door all the way to continue the conversation which surprised Feldt.

"Setsuna wants to continue a conversation with me?" Feldt thought to herself, "No it's fine. You did what you felt was best to do."

"I did but at the same time I had no idea what I was doing."

"People are known to do that. It's just called trusting your gut." Setsuna stood silent which left Feldt nervous sense she didn't know what to say after that, "Well I'll leave you to your things then and I should go find Anew." Feldt said letting go of the door and turned to walk away.

"Feldt do you trust Anew?" Setsuna asked suddenly.

"Trust her? I haven't known her very much but I trust her more than Lyle." She answered walking away.

"Feldt." Setsuna called to her and she stopped to look back. "I didn't mean to upset you." Setsuna continued, "I guess it's just some stupid feeling I have about her." Setsuna said going back into his room and closed the door but stayed by it to lean against it thinking to himself. "What about Anew feels off?" Setsuna thought as he remembered Allelujah, Marie, and Tieria were affected as well by Anew when they were transported. "Anew, Allelujah, and Marie all were effected, Allelujah and Marie have quantum brainwaves so maybe...wait, that argument is invalid because who knows if there were other Celestial Being members on the base who didn't report feeling ill."Setsuna sighed going back to his bathroom thinking back to several hours ago.

5 hours earlier

Setsuna stood staring at 00 as Ian was making some adjustments to it...and getting sand out of its joints. "I am sorry about 00's condition." Setsuna called over. "How long till 00 will be ready to sortie?" Setsuna asked but quieted down when Ian looked at him like Setsuna just asked something like "Can you make 00 talk?"

"Setsuna, 00 took some real damage from that atmospheric entry. Taking 00 into combat like you did when Allelujah found you was foolish."

"But 00 functioned correctly when that town was attacked..."

"It was a fluke. 00 isn't flying again until I find out the problems with the drives; they keep crapping out every time you test them." Ian explained. Setsuna set his helmet on a crate next to him and saw a red Haro roll next to him.

"There's a problem!" Red Haro said rolling side to side but Setsuna ignored him as he walked away.

"I'm going to shower up then check on you again." Setsuna called to Ian who just waved back.

"Go ahead; it'll just be the same story once to get back here."

Present

Feldt was leaned against the other side of Setsuna's door overhearing his small talk with himself, "Setsuna was also affected though." Feldt thought stepping away from the door to continue down the halls.

ZAFT attack force base

Andrew tossed a folder onto his table looking to DaCosta, "What is with the guys at Gibraltar? Why are they handing us ZuOOTs?" Andy asked over to DaCosta who was standing by the doorway, "Are they out of BuCUEs?"

DaCosta shrugged, "Well, they say that they can't provide us with any more of those. Perhaps they think they're making up for it by sending those two to us." DaCosta said thinking about when he saw the Duel and Buster being loaded up to be taken to the battlefield later.

"With experience limited to battle in space, I can help thinking they'll only get in our way."

"Their team is considered one of the elite."

"But hell, I don't like the fact that they're from the Creuset team." Andy responded shuddering slightly, "I never liked that guy." Andy jumped from his desk and passed DaCosta who took off after him. "I suppose that we should meet these two pilots if they're going to be assisting us against that white ship and the mobile suit on it."

"What about those other mobile suits sir?" DaCosta asked, "The ones that have shown up in the area, what if they show up again?"

"Then I guess we'll just have to shoot them down too." Andy asked grinning stepping into an elevator to head down to the lower levels of the carrier. After several minutes Andrew and DaCosta got out of the carrier and saw the Duel and Buster both standing outside the smaller carrier they were in and Yzak and Dearka weren't too far from their suits.

The wind started to pick up and blow sand over Dearka and Yzak who seemed pretty surprised by the sudden splash of sand in their face. "What is it with this place?" Dearka asked covering his eyes with his arm, "This is terrible." He sighed as it slowly calmed down.

"As they say, you don't know the desert until you've experienced it." Andy said getting within earshot of the pair, "Welcome to the Lesseps. I'm Andrew Waltfeld, the commander here." Andy introduced himself while DaCosta stood behind him.

"I'm Yzak Joule of the Creuset team." Yzak introduced himself as he saluted.

"I'm also from the Creuset team, Dearka Elsman." Dearka said fixing his posture and saluted to Andy.

Andrew and DaCosta returned with their own salutes, "It must've been tough getting you from space. We welcome you."

"Thank you very much." Yzak said before lowering his arm.

"You know that we can fix that scar with some simple surgery...but it looks more like a symbol of a promise you made to yourself." Andrew said smiling. Yzak turned away trying to evade the question. "Looking away after hearing those words implies that this symbol reminds you of a humiliating experience, perhaps?"

Yzak looked back ignoring what Andrew said, "More importantly, tell us where the legged ship is!"

Andy turned and took a few steps looking up at the Duel and Buster, "That ship is currently about 180 kilometres southeast of here at a resistance base...with another ship from what my scouts have said." Andrew said looking over. "A ship that came from orbit on its own and landed here without any trouble. It's easy to assume more of those unknown mobile suits are here."

"Unknown mobile suits?..." Yzak asked then remembered in orbit against the Earth Alliance fleet when he was against 00."Those things are here?"

"Oh, so you've already had a run-in with those guys?" Andrew asked looking back toward Duel and Buster.

"I remember that they were tough bastards." Dearka commented, "Hostile too, they attacked both sides from what I can remember."

"Not really hostile. More friendly in a way." Andy said walking away, "They attacked both sides yes but from what I read it sounded like they were trying to fight to get both sides to go after them instead." Andy said.

"Well it worked well, ZAFT is pissed at them." Yzak said crossing his arms, "Next time I see that bladed one its going down."

"The one with the sniper seemed pretty tough too...I was lucky that he didn't seem too keen on killing us." Dearka sighed.

Desert Dawn base

Allelujah jumped back to make sure he wasn't run over by a jeep that was going to pick up more supplies. "These guys really are serious about fighting...but what will those do?" Allelujah asked looking to the rocket launchers they had. "They'd have better luck using any kind of mobile armor than they do with those."

"You have to remember their state right now." Marie said fixing her backpack. "Mobile armours for them would be like asking for an entire fleet of ship for us."

Allelujah shrugged, "I suppose so..." Allelujah trailed off watching one of the vehicles stop by, "...Marie?" Allelujah asked looking over his shoulder.

"Yes?" she asked looking up slightly to look at Allelujah's face.

"I...I want to help them. Just this once. I want to try to make sure less of them have to die because of this ZAFT faction." Allelujah said clenching his fist. "I feel selfish..."

Marie closed her hand around Allelujah's, "Do what you want Allelujah. You decide who you are. I don't want to stop you if you want to help them; I encourage you to aid them." Marie said, "Just...don't die."

"I feel like a hypocrite saying how I don't want you to be involved in violence but I go head first right into it myself." Allelujah sighed. "...After...after this is all over." Allelujah said looking up. "If we're going to be here then I should do what I can to end this war. If you have to stay here too Marie then I want to make sure that there isn't anything to drag you into conflict anymore." Allelujah said straightening his posture.

"You almost make me want to accompany you." Marie joked, Allelujah smiled nervously.

"I'll come back after...you should stay on the Archangel for now as they leave the area." Allelujah said turning to head to Ptolemy but stopped seeing Kira standing there looking at him. "You're the pilot of that Strike Gundam aren't you?" Allelujah asked. Kira nodded.

"You're another one of the Gundam Meisters right?" Kira asked. Allelujah also nodded.

"...We're going soon...I thought I'd say good bye if we don't see each other. I'll be heading out today so, good luck."

"Actually I've considered aiding you today with my allies." Allelujah said. Kira seemed to have a brighter look in his eyes.

"That's great. The fight will end sooner with help on our side."

"With our Gundams we should be more than enough to handle these ZAFT guys." Allelujah said smiling back to Kira.

Kira noticed several more vehicles going, "I have to go back to the Archangel. We're leaving soon." Kira said but was surprised when Allelujah threw a bag to him which Kira barely caught. "Hey what gives?" Kira asked trying to regain his balance.

"Could you carry Marie's things real fast?" Allelujah asked but Marie walked over to take the bag back which was easy for her to hold.

"It's all right Allelujah, I can handle these myself. You should hurry back to Ptolemy anyway if you really are sure about helping." Marie reminded Allelujah.

"Right. I'll be back soon. Take care of yourself Kira; I'll see you later then." Allelujah waved to Kira then took off running back toward Ptolemy while Kira and Marie started walking toward the Archangel.

Ptolemy – briefing room

"We'll have Seravee posted to the east of the battle and have Tieria remain on standby. Once enough enemies have gone by Seravee, Tieria will go to the enemy carrier and attack directly while Lockon and Cherudim provide covering fire for the Strike Gundam and any other allies." Miss. Sumeragi said to the crew who were standing by.

Feldt looked to Setsuna who was looking to Miss. Sumeragi then she looked back, "Ma'am what about 00? It's still under repairs?" Feldt asked feeling Setsuna looking at her.

"Unfortunately that is the case. I was hoping that 00 could aid the Strike Gundam in attacking the units named the BuCUEs but because of its condition it should remain on the ship."

"What about me?" Allelujah asked panting by the door with his orange Celestial Being coat wrinkled on his body. "Sorry that I'm late."

"Allelujah? I thought Marie and yourself were going to the Archangel." Miss. Sumeragi said surprised to see the super soldier in front of them.

"I figured that I should do what I can to help. If I just stood by on that ship more people could die." Allelujah said fixing his collar and walked over to stand between Lockon and Setsuna. "Allelujah Haptism ready ma'am. What can I do?"

"...I had an idea for Arios." Miss. Sumeragi smiled, "A little overhead work."

(1.) Intervention by Kawai Kenji

(2.) Scramble by Kawai Kenji

(3.) Memory by Kawai Kenji

-Ptolemy's Hanger-

Setsuna was looking through 00's systems to see if there was anything that could be done to 00's drives through that method but he was having no luck within the hour. "Ian could be right that one of 00's drives could be causing the error...then..." Setsuna thought looking down to where they had been storing Exia R1 just under the hanger floor. "Then again it's also possible 00 just needs to stay offline for a while."

You should just go rest kid." Ian called from the railing beside 00. Setsuna climbed out of 00 and looked over to Ian, "You won't be participating in the battle so you should have some rest while you can."

"Rest? While there's a battle? I would think that it would be hard to do so." Setsuna responded while Ian laughed to himself. "Ian?" Setsuna asked sitting down onto 00's shoulder.

"What is it?" Ian asked stopping to look back to Setsuna.

"I was thinking that maybe if we tried attaching the 0-Raiser to 00 then it might assist in it running at full power as the 00 Raiser." Setsuna suggested trying to block Exia out of his mind for now.

"I'm not sure. It would take time to set it up and even if we did it might not repair the drives."

Setsuna sat in silence and looked back down then back to Ian, "Could you consider it?" Ian stood staring at Setsuna but nodded and gave him the thumbs up before he turned and left. Setsuna sighed and leaned back against 00's neck and was silent as he thought about the coming battle and how he couldn't do anything. A loud rattle of metal got Setsuna's attention to look around; the sound was like if someone dropped a wrench or some other metal tool. "Is someone there?" Setsuna asked blankly looking around not really worried sense he doubted that anyone hostile was onboard. Setsuna was silent as he listened for any response but he heard nothing so he decided to leave it alone as he got up to go sense the hangers would start being used soon when they entered combat range. They had already sent Tieria and Seravee ahead to position itself between ZAFT and themselves so that once enough ZAFT mobile suits passed it he would be free to charge the command ship and do so easier. Setsuna reached the door to leave the hanger then stopped looking back to where it had sounded like the sound had originated but he didn't see anything that seemed out of the ordinary. Setsuna started down the halls and headed toward the bridge to get a view of the battle, Setsuna slowed his walking every so often to hear footsteps end shortly after his. Once Setsuna turned a corner he stopped and turned around waiting and wasn't that surprised when Flay peeked around the corner but froze seeing Setsuna staring at her. "I should have known..." Setsuna sighed before grabbing Flay by the arm and started pulling her along.

"Hey! Let go of me! Do you have any idea who I am?" she yelled but Setsuna ignored her question and asked his.

"What are you doing on our ship?" Setsuna asked turning another corner toward an elevator.

"We don't need your stupid machines' help! Kira can fight ZAFT alone, he SHOULD fight them alone!" Flay shouted which Setsuna stared at her confused about.

"What is wrong with this you? Is there some medication you should be on?" Setsuna asked but Flay continued pulling away but Setsuna pushed her into the elevator and went in after and it immediately started up. "Why were you spying on me in the hanger?" Setsuna asked.

"I'm not answering any of your questions." Flay said turning away.

"If you answer that one question I'll ensure you get returned to your ship before the battle begins." Setsuna said which seemed to get Flay's attention for a moment. "I may also lend Kira my mobile suit sometime..." Setsuna said closing his eyes.

"I'll answer your question!" Flay replied looking over, "I wasn't. There's your answer." Flay said looking away again.

"What are you talking about? I heard someone besides me in the hanger knock over some metal."

"I don't know what to tell you but I have no idea where your hanger is. The reason I was following you is because for the last hour I've been looking around this ship and when I saw you I thought that if I followed you that you would lead me to your hanger." Flay explained as the elevator reach its location and opened. Setsuna grabbed Flay's arm again and started walking with her and started down the hall when he noticed Anew up ahead talking with Feldt. "Anew! Feldt!" Setsuna called down speeding up his walk which Flay had to run to keep up with, "I found a stowaway" Setsuna said stopping by the two girls.

"Well that's trouble then." Anew said thinking while Flay looked back and forth between Feldt and Anew.

"Are they Coordinators?" Flay yelled glaring at Feldt who was startled and stepped behind Anew who was just confused.

"Coordinator?...Oh wait. In briefing I was told this...um...those are...the genetically modified humans, right?" Anew asked and Setsuna nodded. "Oh ok. That would explain why you'd be concerned. No we're not. Why do you ask that?"

"Your hair is a dead give away!" Flay said pointing, "That is not a natural hair color...and don't say that you dyed it."

"Maybe my hair is this color because people can have hair colors like this from what universe we're from." Anew said poking Flay's forehead and pulled her hand back dodging Flay swiping her hand.

"Does everyone on this ship enjoy mocking me?" Flay yelled again but Setsuna sighed feeling a headache coming from being around Flay.

"Anew would it be fine if you took her to Miss. Sumeragi? The bridge is just down the hallway." Setsuna said.

"Sure, I'm going there so I don't see why not." Anew replied while happily taking Flay's hand and ran with her down the hall. Setsuna leaned against the wall feeling a burden lifted while Feldt looked down the hall after Anew and Flay. Flay seemed very afraid by Anew's enthusiasm

"Sorry if she troubled you." Setsuna said to Feldt as he stepped back to lean against the wall to look across at her, "I'm going to have to bring her back to her ship." Setsuna sighed shaking his head. "She thinks so high of herself that it sickens me. She thinks that I didn't hear her in the hanger." Setsuna said.

"Hanger? She was there?" Feldt asked leaning on the wall opposite of Setsuna to face him, "Why would she go there?" Feldt asked but Setsuna shrugged.

"Perhaps to try to take one of our machines for that ship...or for Kira." Setsuna said staring up at the ceiling, "Something about that kid is unnerving. Like he's something more than he seems." Setsuna said while Feldt nodded but looked down the hall.

"I should go Setsuna. Let's try to talk later, would that be okay?" Feldt asked as Setsuna looked over and nodded. After Feldt moved down the hallway Setsuna turned around to head back toward the hanger.

-Archangel's Hanger-

Kira stood by the Strike staring at it waiting in his blue flight suit for when they would have to have him launch in it, "I just hope he doesn't show up..." Kira said to himself thinking about Andrew Waltfeld. Kira heard footsteps and the catwalk shook slightly with each step, Kira turned over to see Marie was walking down toward him. "You're from that other ship, right?" Kira asked as Marie nodded and stopped by to look at the Strike. "You're name is Marie?" Kira asked to confirm.

"Yes. You're Kira Yamato correct?" she asked back still looking along the grey exterior of the Strike.

"Yes. I guess my name got around fast with your crew. Was it that guy in the blue that told you all?" Kira asked.

"Blue? Oh, you must mean Setsuna. Yes, he told us about you...and your mobile suit. It does look like a Gundam type but its tech seems much less advanced. No offense of course."

"I'm not offended. Do you have space colonies back where you're from?" Kira asked trying to find out more about where Ptolemy's crew was from.

"Yes. We do but not too many of them. Most people still live on Earth. Where we're from we have solar energy which we get from large structures called orbital elevators." Marie explained turning to Kira, "Back where we're from mobile suits used by the government have the same power supply as our Gundams. It really is all about the pilot though."

Kira nodded thinking about this, "Sounds like completely different worlds."

"I am sorry that yours has a full scale war happening."

"Strike standby for launch!" there was an announcement in the hanger which cued Marie to leave and go to the room she and Allelujah were assigned to. Kira ran over to the Strike and jumped across the railing and into the cockpit and started up its systems. Kira sat as the Strike was being moved to the launch catapult. Meanwhile Cherudim and Arios were being prepped for launch.

"Allelujah you know your place in the plan right?" Lockon asked as Cherudim's systems all read as green.

"Yes." Allelujah answered seeing the additional rifle being lowered next to Arios and he had his Gundam grasp onto it. "I am going to make circle runs around the targets and draw them away from the Archangel and give them more time in the open for Tieria to record their movements so we can see how they function. It'll make this difficult not being allowed destroy the enemy Gundams" Allelujah said repeating it. "You're in charge of making sure they stay focused on us and let the Archangel get away."

"I know!" Lockon replied rolling his eyes, "You don't need to remind me. It's not like you're telling a bunch of people."

"Cherudim, you're clear to launch." Feldt said over the comm. while Mileina was watching over Allelujah's launch.

"Cherudim, launching!"

"Arios is good to go!" Mileina told Allelujah as he watched Cherudim take off toward his forward position.

"Roger. Allelujah Haptism, Arios Gundam, taking off!" he said as Arios bent its knees down and then was fired across the launch catapult and then once he reached the end it gave a short leap then its GN drives went to work to keep the Gundam in the air. (1.)

Cherudim lowered toward the ground then raised its beam rifle to fire a beam that passed an approaching BuCUE which started to slide toward a sand dune but another beam from the sniper Gundam hit the mobile suit and tore through it down the center before it exploded. "Do your thing Allelujah!" Lockon called as he tried to fire at another BuCUE but missed, "Damn. This sand is making it hard to stand." Lockon said as the sand was shifting at Cherudim's feet.

"Remember that you have to stay on the ground for now." Tieria reminded Lockon while he was keeping an eye on his monitor with Seravee submerged to its chest in sand and was keeping itself far away enough to not be seen. "Keep the BuCUEs moving." Tieria said removing his helmet to adjust the part of his suit that connected the helmet and suit together.

Arios fired down at a BuCUE which leapt to the side and was about to fire but a beam was fired and blew its front, right leg off. Allelujah looked and saw the Strike was flying toward the battlefield. "Miss. Sumeragi, the Strike Gundam is here now." Allelujah transmitted to Ptolemy before he saw a glitter of yellow and quickly moved to dodge a cannon shot from the Buster Gundam.

"Guess it was worth a shot." Dearka shrugged as he tried to take aim again but Arios was made alert to his range and was moving around faster than Dearka could see it. "Stop moving around so much..." Dearka thought but decided to leave Arios alone and then moved his target reticule to Cherudim. "Gotcha." Buster fired its main weapon but was surprised as a pair of shield bits from Cherudim's knees moved in the course of the beam and connected blocking the beam completely. "I would be lying if I didn't say that was cool."

Kira fired at several ZAFT helicopters while some would be chased away by Allelujah; Allelujah didn't bother shooting at those because he figured they wouldn't be a threat to him or the other Gundams so there was no point in killing the pilots. "Where's Waltfeld?" Kira thought as the Strike leapt back and used its thrust to get higher into the air and fired down at a BuCUE that was going to try to ram him. The Strike hit the center of the mobile suit and without delay the entire machine exploded. The Strike touched back down onto the sand. Kira glanced over to see Cherudim send several of its shield bits to either fire at enemies or knock them around and confuse them into his range. "These guys really know their machines." Kira thought blanking out for a moment but then shook his head trying to refocus and looked back to watch for any more BuCUEs.

Beside Dearka; Yzak had the Duel jump from their position and used the propulsion to get further toward the battle, "Yzak what are you doing?" Dearka called looking away from his target ridicule.

"I'm going to get that Strike; he's my prey so I can't have someone else kill him!" Yzak replied as his machine touched down hut started to sink in the sand, "Whoa, whoa, WHOA!" Yzak grunted as he tried to adjust the Duel's stance but it couldn't stay upright. "How can the Strike move normally on sand but I can barely walk?" Yzak asked himself then noticed movement and managed to have the Duel duck in time to evade a shot from Cherudim. "Him? He's done for this time!" Yzak shouted as the Duel activated its thrust and lifted off the ground briefly and drew its beam saber as it dropped down toward Lockon's position. Cherudim backed away just in time to evade being impaled from above. The Duel swiped its beam saber around throwing the sand into the air around itself and Cherudim.

"Where did he go?" Lockon asked looking around then switched to a different camera type and saw the green outline of the Duel pointing its rifle at him, "Hold up now!" Lockon called raising Cherudim's arm to take the shot and stagger back, "Got you now!" Lockon called raising a beam pistol and aimed it at the Duel and fired a series of shots which the Duel turned its shoulder mounted shield to block before it used its thrusters again to ram into Cherudim and knock it over. "What is this guy?" Lockon shouted as the Duel stood upright beside Cherudim and raised its saber over and was about to swing down to impale the Gundam when it stopped to look up then jumped back using its thrusters to keep it stable so it managed to evade a missile fired from Arios which moved closer to assist Lockon. Arios flipped forward and shifted into its Gundam mode and activated one of its beam sabers to clash with the Duel while the other hand had one of the beam rifles aimed at a BuCUE and fired off it blindly trying to keep the mobile suit occupied. "Thanks Al!" Lockon called as Cherudim kicked at the Duel's leg and forced it onto one foot while it stood back up, "Let's take him down!" Lockon chuckled as he attached the beam rifle onto Cherudim's shoulder and grabbed a second pistol and aimed both pistols at the Duel and was about to fire but a missile hit next to Cherudim knocking it around. Lockon had Cherudim raise into the air and out of the sand that was thrown up from the blast.

"This red uniform isn't for show!" Yzak yelled having the Duel force Arios back and then deactivated the beam saber and stepped back into the sand so that he could take cover before Allelujah fired into the cloud.

"Where did he go now?" Allelujah asked activating the GN drives to raise Arios into the air, "Lockon watch your back. That Gundam vanished." Allelujah said as Arios trailed its rifle from side to side trying to get a view of the Duel Gundam.

Lockon glanced to the side and had Cherudim back away before a shot from the Buster hit him, "Allelujah, let's back off for now." Lockon said as he and Allelujah backed away to try to lure ZAFT closer, "Hey Kira, where are you?" Lockon asked and noticed the Strike jumping to the side to dodge an orange mobile suit that looked like a BuCUE but faster.

Tieria continued watching as BuCUEs begun to slowly pass by him several clicks away, "There seems to be enemy reinforcements approaching...wait." Tieria had Seravee turn and look away, "There seems to be a new enemy command station approaching."

"What's wrong? Can't you just rush these guys?" Lockon asked firing at another BuCUE but it rushed to the side to evade the beam.

"We don't want any enemies blocking my way so that I can quickly go in and take out the enemies' command post." Tieria said watching the counter go down.

"Plus these guys are more mobile on the ground then we counted on." Allelujah added, "Heads up!" Allelujah called toward Lockon as a beam passed by Cherudim's head. Allelujah looked and saw the Duel was kneeling in the same with both hands on the rifle aimed down at Lockon, "I don't think he likes you."

"The feeling is mutual." Lockon said annoyed as one of Cherudim's bits deployed before the rest to block the beam from the Duel, "Haro, have the bits take care of him." Lockon said holstering the beam pistols and got the beam sniper rifle out again to take pot shots at BuCUEs. The bits went after Yzak but the pilot managed to use his thrust to strife side to side and block the beams with its shield and begun to return fire at the bits. "Damn...Haro, call the bits back in a few seconds. Allelujah, you and I are taking this guy down." Lockon said as Cherudim slowed to a halt in the air then took off toward the duel while Arios followed behind. Once the pair got close the bits abandoned their target and attached back along Cherudim's body.

A BuCUE was struck in the leg by a rocket fired from a member of the Desert Dawn as they made several passes around the battlefield exchanging shots at BuCUEs, the BuCUE tripped up and rolled toward the Strike. Kira turned toward the approaching machine while Andrew was approaching him from behind, Kira used the thrust of the Aile pack to run faster toward the BuCUE and leapt toward it and landed onto the machine and vaulted into the air, the Strike used the thrust to keep itself in the air as it slowly turned toward the BuCUE now rolling toward Andrew and shot the stomach setting the machine to explode right in front of Andrew's LaGOWE. The LaGOWE appeared through the fire as it leapt into the air and fired its railed cannons which Kira barely blocked. "That was a neat trick." Andrew said just before the LaGOWE landed and watched as the Strike started to fall toward where Yzak was fighting off Lockon and Allelujah.

Yzak leapt forward to evade the fire from Arios' rifle and locked its beam saber against Lockon's pistol which was holding against the beam, "He's fast!" Allelujah said turning to fire but stopped thinking of if the Duel moved out of the way and if he hit Lockon. Arios activated its beam saber in the other hand and flew toward the Duel which kicked Cherudim in the stomach and turned toward Arios to lock sabers but then forced the Arios to release its saber by knocking it out of its hand. "This is what Coordinators are like?" Allelujah asked backing away from another swipe, Lockon backed away but the Duel turned around with its rifle in its other hand and begun to fire at Cherudim which took cover behind a sand dune. "How is he this good all of a sudden?" Lockon shouted opening a comm. with Allelujah, "He was a pushover a couple days ago in orbit but now he's completely different."

"It could be possible that he's using the gravity to his advantage." Allelujah suggested having Arios also take cover, "In zero G it was easy to knock his mobile suit around but on the ground he has better chances to hold his ground, close range combat against this guy was a bad idea."

"But his reflexes make it almost impossible to hit him from long range."

"...Both?" Allelujah suggested finding the location of his lost beam saber marked by Arios' systems, "You go long, I'll hit at close." Allelujah said as Arios took off toward the location. A BuCUE charged toward Arios directly but Arios moved closer drawing its beam rifle and dodged the BuCUE's beam saber swipe and then fired at the head ripping it to pieces before shooting out the legs.

-Ptolemy's bridge-

"Miss. Sumeragi! We have another enemy ship behind us!" Feldt called seeing the radar pick up its signal.

"What? How did we not see it before?" she asked looking to Feldt who was typing wildly at her computer seeing the radar was working fine.

"It's possible the rock formations were blocking it." Feldt said looking to Mileina who was trying to contact Tieria.

"Mister Erde! You need to hurry back here now!" Mileina said just before the bridge gave a sudden jerk from a series of shots from the new enemy ship.

"Roger!" Tieria said looking from his own console and activated Seravee's GN field to force sand all around to be knocked away so Seravee to lift into the air but quickly activated its GN field due to a series of beam shots from the main enemy ship.

"What's going on?" Flay yelled appearing next to Mileina startling her, "use your machines to take them out!" she shouted at Mileina's computer.

"I already disconnected from Mister Erde." Mileina said smiling but Flay glared at her before yelping in surprise from another hit from an attack.

"What's happening?" Setsuna asked walking into the bridge and another shake shook the hanger.

"Another enemy ship is behind us. Tieria is on his way back to defend us. Lockon and Allelujah are engaged in combat with an enemy Gundam at the moment."

"Ma'am." Feldt called over to get Miss. Sumeragi's attention, "make that two. The second seems to have engaged them."

"It what?" Miss. Sumeragi asked looking back to Feldt, "They're breaking formation so easily?"

Setsuna stared blankly out the window seeing the battle and with every explosion in the distance his hands twitched as though he longed to pull a trigger due to past experiences. "...I'm going out." Setsuna said making everyone quiet and stared at him.

"Isn't 00 busted?" Mileina asked but Setsuna turned around and walked out the door.

"He really is compelled to fight isn't he?" Flay asked surprised how different he was from Kira, "I thought that pilots hated fighting."

"Setsuna is a different case altogether." Miss. Sumeragi said just before Ptolemy fires one of its own beam cannons at and destroyed an enemy BuCUE.

"That was pretty accurate." Anew said surprised by the hit despite the range.

"Thanks. I guess piloting AND shooting helped me sharpen my skills." Lasse chuckled taking another shot at a BuCUE but it struck beside it knocking it around, "...that was a warning shot." Lasse chuckled. Meanwhile Feldt was still staring out at the door that Setsuna exited out of.

-Ptolemy's hanger-

Ian heard a door open and turned around surprised to see Setsuna enter the hanger, "Update me later." Ian said looking down toward a couple of Celestial Being members they brought with them from the Lagrange base. "What's up Setsuna?" Ian asked looking over and was surprised by Setsuna's stare. Setsuna was approaching in his pilot's suit with a look of determination.

"Please prep the launch catapult." Setsuna said looking to 00, "00 will work this time. I know it will."

"Setsuna." Ian started but saw Setsuna look back with that intense expression, "You really are serious aren't you?" Ian asked, "It is possible that even if 00 activates that the GN drives could shut down or even sustain working damage, do you still want to take that risk." Ian asked again and Setsuna's response was him taking the helmet in his hand and putting onto his head.

Only a couple minutes passed and 00 was being lowered onto the launch catapult, "I am about to activate 00's systems." Setsuna said on a comm. with Ian as the retinal scanner trailed along Setsuna eyes. Setsuna heard the drives starting to power up with their usual hum but the sound faded, "Come on..." the sound again built up but then died down.

"Setsuna it isn't going to work. We will take the time to-" Ian's words couldn't reach Setsuna's ears as Setsuna tried powering 00 up once more but without success.

-With Lockon and Allelujah- (2.)

Cherudim fired at a beam fired from the Buster to negate the beam effect while Arios was fighting close range against the Duel. "Get out of the way now!" Allelujah grunted knocking the Duel away, a moment later a missile passed Arios. Allelujah and Lockon both turned to look and saw Ginn mobile suits in the air, "Reinforcements!"

"That's just great." Lockon growled looking back to the Buster as it fired a short barrage of missiles, Cherudim jumped backward and suspended into the air and shot down the barrage quickly and the bits detached to move around and block other shots fired by the Buster.

"That guy." Lockon sighed but grunted as a beam hit Cherudim from behind, "The hell?" he turned around and saw the Duel sitting in a sand dune up to its knees shooting at him, Lockon looked toward the Buster and saw it was starting to sink in the sand, "I think these guys are done." Lockon said as a bit flew by the Duel and shot the rifle out of its hand.

Arios raised into the air and begun firing its rifle at the approaching Ginn units, "Lockon, we should start to fall back, at least until we decrease their numbers." Allelujah said as Arios took several more shots at a Ginn which fell over after being struck by several beam shots and then exploded when it hit the ground.

"You bastard!" Yzak shouted trying to have the Duel swing its beam saber at the very distant bit. Cherudim lifted off the ground again and took off toward a pair of BuCUEs which were getting closer to Ptolemy.

Tieria was getting closer toward Ptolemy and quickly had to have Seravee dodge to the side to evade a beam from the enemy ship. "I can see the target...ETA 120 seconds." Tieria said as Seravee activated its GN field to block another beam shot while the enemy wasn't making it through Ptolemy' GN field. "I can see that they're taking cover behind the rocks...Ptolemy should be able to cover itself." Tieria said as a comm. with Miss. Sumeragi appeared.

"I understand that Tieria but Ptolemy is providing assistance for Lockon and Arios, we can't allow any enemies to get by us undetected and locate the Archangel, and they'll go after it immediately. They still need time to get farther from here." Miss. Sumeragi explained while Tieria nodded.

"Very well." Tieria responded as Seravee blocked another beam.

-With Kira-

The Strike fired its beam rifle hitting Andrew's LaGOWE and blew the front right leg off, "He's going to get us. Be careful!" Aisha called to Andy as the LaGOWE caught its balance and rushed toward the Strike with its beam sabers ready.

"I know!" Andrew said as he fired at the Strike and managed to get a hit on its beam rifle and destroy it. The LaGOWE and Strike both jumped at one another and passed by, the LaGOWE lost one of its glide wings while the Strike did the same.

-With Tieria-

Tieria lowered onto the enemy ship and aimed its shoulder cannons toward the bridge and without hesitation he fired the beams vaporizing the structure then lifted upward so the shoulder and knee cannons could start to fire along the entire structure. "The enemy ship seems to disabled." Tieria said but he didn't expect a pair of ZuOOTs to emerge from the smoke, "Enemies are still present!" Tieria reported quickly activating the GN field to take the shots again before he took off toward the ground activating all six of Seravee's beam sabers and used them to impale around the body of one of the ZuOOTs then backed away for it to explode. The second turned to Seravee and fired its heavy cannons; with the current range Seravee's GN field wasn't enough to keep Seravee from being knocked away. The ZuOOT fired another barrage at Seravee and managed to cause some minor damage to the Gundam. "Their beam weapons are stronger than they appear..." Tieria grunted as Seravee's armor was smoking at its right shoulder. Seravee drew its beam bazookas and locked onto the ZuOOT while the shoulder and knee cannons charged at the same time then all six cannons fired and vaporized the mobile suit. "Now to get back to the mission." Tieria said as Seravee stood up while the enemy ship's remains were burning and falling apart beside him.

"That won't be needed Tieria. Return to the ship." Miss. Sumeragi's voice said in Tieria's cockpit.

"What? Please repeat." Tieria said putting his hand to his helmet, "What about the enemy ship?"

"That's being taken care of." Miss. Sumeragi answered while Ian stood next to her shaking his head and saw a green light fading from their view and would be appearing in view of the enemy.

-With Lockon and Allelujah-

A BuCUE sped around a sand dune but a beam shot from Cherudim blew down the center of its body and destroyed the suit, "Keep on coming..." Lockon said looking along the hill and either side of it while Allelujah in Arios was firing at any enemy units that tried to go around behind Lockon. "There we are..." Lockon said targeting a Ginn that was carefully walking around the sand hill looking around not seeing the two distant Gundams but was then shot right in the cockpit by Lockon.

"It seems unfair how much at an advantage we're at here." Allelujah said spotting a BuCUE swerving around different dunes trying to confuse Allelujah but with an estimated shot Allelujah made the hit to blow off the front legs of the BuCUE to let the pilots escape. "At least I can do this much." Allelujah smiled to himself seeing the pair running away. Allelujah noticed some movement on his radar, "Friendly...moving fast over us." Allelujah said looking up barely seeing the mobile suit fly over them.

"Was that Tieria?" Lockon asked looking up, "Didn't look like Trans-Am but that was too fast for Seravee." He said looking up from his scope for a moment.

"Gotta go fast!" Haro said twirling around.

"That looked more like..." Allelujah trailed off thinking about a certain mobile suit aboard Ptolemy. Allelujah was put back into reality as his cockpit shook from a blast next to him and glanced up to see the Buster falling toward the pair after propelling itself. The Buster landed next to Arios and swung its rifle at it knocking Arios back but it managed to regain its footing with its thrust then Arios drew a beam saber and charged at the Buster and slashed just as the Buster jumped to the side to evade the beam saber but the slash took out the Busters right arm and right leg, the machine collapsed onto the sand trying to get back up but as it moved the mobile suit sunk deeper into the sand catching its body in the ground.

"On the bright side I'm alive." Dearka laughed nervously to himself, his cockpit gave a short shake as the Duel landed next to him with its rifle aimed toward Arios and Cherudim. "Nice that you have my back Yzak!" Dearka called. Arios sheathed its beam saber and took out its duel beam rifles while Cherudim pushed its beam rifle closer toward the Duel. "...Hold up!" Dearka's voice called over the speaker system for the Buster, "I'll willingly deactivate my mobile suit and surrender to you if you let my friend go!" Dearka called.

Allelujah opened a comm. with Lockon, "I think we should do it."

"Why? We could just take these guys out right now." Lockon protesting keeping his eye on the Duel's beam rifle, "You can take one and I'll take the other."

"The one leaving could tell his leaders about our Gundam's strength. That could help keep ZAFT away from the Archangel. He does seem like a higher ranked officer so they'd be more inclined to listen to him than some other grunt" Allelujah suggested, "The pilot we bring onboard could also answer some questions about the other faction's perspective on this war and maybe we could get a clearer picture about what we're up against." Allelujah added.

Meanwhile Yzak and Dearka were also in a private comm. "What are you thinking?" Yzak shouted, "You can't let the enemy get their hands on the Buster."

"Have you been paying any attention? I think that these guys will just use the Buster for target practice." Dearka responded looking back to the Gundams then back to Yzak, "I'll be fine. Get back to the commander and tell him everything you saw them do. Maybe ZAFT will think of some anti-air mobile suits to use against them." Dearka said before Lockon's voice cut them off.

"Deal. The damaged mobile suit and its pilot will come with us. Other mobile suit, get out of here." Lockon said as Cherudim and Arios approached the Duel and Buster. The Duel moved aside for Arios and Cherudim to grasp onto the Buster and used their thrust to move it from the sand and lift it back toward Ptolemy. Yzak stared after the machines worried about how his friend would be in the hands of the unknown enemy.

-ZAFT forward base-

A BuCUE scanned its eyes across the sand dunes watching the battlefield just before a beam appeared from nowhere and struck the side of the base. The mobile suit looked toward the damage then turned and charged toward the direction just before another beam hit it. Over the sand dunes the GN Archer appeared as a pair of Ginn approached the front of the ship with rifles drawn and fired toward the mobile suit but couldn't hit the swerving machine. The Archer lowered toward the ground and transformed into its mobile suit form with both GN blasters out and fired at each Ginn managing to get a shot through each ones cockpit. The GN Archer then propelled upward in front of the bridge of the base where everyone on the bridge stared in shock seeing the mobile suit. "Commander a mobile suit has us cornered..." DaCosta said in a comm. with Andrew who was still fighting Kira at the moment.

"How?" Andrew asked just before the LaGOWE swerved and kicked against the Strike's legs knocking it the side but it recovered quickly and rushed toward him with a beam saber drawn.

Setsuna sat in the Archer's cockpit staring silently at the bridge having the camera zoom in seeing all the personal quickly rushing toward the exit but for DaCosta. "These machines are powerful sir. Don't underestimate them." DaCosta said staring toward the Archer as it raised its beam blaster toward him and slowly turned away and begun running down the hallway.

"What do you mean DaCosta?" Andrew asked before he grunted from having the Strike kick him away, "Get out of there!" Andrew yelled turning the LaGOWE toward where the base was just as the Archer fired its beam that cut down through the ship and out the other side. The Archer backed away before an explosion destroyed the bridge and fire spread throughout the ship and cause further damage. "DaCosta!" Andrew screamed his attention drawn away from Kira who stood back seeing the LaGOWE facing away.

"Why did he stop?" Kira thought to himself backing the Strike away seeing the LaGOWE not moving then he saw it make a fast turn around and charged toward Kira. Kira raised the Strike's shield as the LaGOWE slammed its body against the mobile suit slashing its front claws against the shield and trying to force its weight onto the Strike.

"I can't lose here..." Andrew growled, "Aisha get out of the machine. I'll take this kid to my grave with me if I have to." Andrew said as she looked away from her controls.

"Andy...I'm sure DaCosta is fine. There's no need to be so reckless." She said but Andy looked back down at her with a serious expression.

"I can't lose two people close to me in one day. Please just do it for me." Andy said as the Strike slowly started to raise the LaGOWE.

Aisha sat in silence but nodded faintly, "If you're sure." She said unlocking herself from her seat and held on as Andy had the LaGOWE jump back from the Strike and it slid along the sand a pair of BuCUEs approached from the Strikes sides keeping its attacks focused on them. Aisha quickly exited the cockpit and lowered herself to the ground with a boarding cable and touched down on the ground, once she was down she took off away from the Strike which had finished one of the BuCUEs while the other was retreating. Andy had the LaGOWE watch her making sure she was getting a safe distance and noticed a ZAFT convoy of some survivors were approaching her.

"She should be fine." He said turning the LaGOWE back toward the Strike as it stood upright, "It's just you and me now kid." Andy said while the LaGOWE's eyes gave a darker glow.

The GN Archer backed away from the flaming craft managing to dodge several more beams fired from the other commander vessel and several of its own mobile suits. Setsuna noticed the mobile suits stop firing one by one and begun to retreat while the base also started to fall back. The GN Archer turned away and took off toward where Andrew and Kira were.

Kira wrapped the Strike's arm around the LaGOWE's neck and used its thrust to force both machines back but the Strike's legs struck against the ground and caused it to lose its grip on the LaGOWE and fell backward into a sand dune. Andrew had his machine grip tightly onto the ground and used its thrust to keep itself from falling after the Strike. Andrew turned his LaGOWE toward the Strike seeing it unable to stand, the Strike's white body faded to a dark grey as is phase shift had reached its limit. "Looks like this is it kid." Andrew said looking down at the Strike, "You fought pretty well." Kira sat in his own cockpit and had the Strike raise its beam rifle toward the LaGOWE and was ready to fire but felt a delay in his hand giving time for the LaGOWE to leap into the air above the Strike. Kira was frozen seeing the mobile weapon was blocking the sun leaving him in its shadow and saw its mono eye staring at him. As the LaGOWE began falling toward the Strike with its beam sabers ready to kill a beam came from its side and struck it forcing it through the air and collided into the ground making the suit roll and crash several times as parts flew off and fire was thrown around. The LaGOWE remained still on the ground for a few moments as it started to raise itself off the ground and focused its attention toward the GN Archer which lowered to the ground. Andrew breathed heavily as his visor was cracked and he could feel blood running down the side of his head, his entire body ached from the impact which would have broken the bones of a normal human. "Well? Finish it..." Andrew grunted on the machine's speakers while Kira managed to have the Strike detach its Aile pack and slowly climb out from the dune.

Setsuna sat staring at the LaGOWE while the GN Archer landed on the ground, the GN Archer's rifle folded back on its right arm so it could grasp its beam saber. The pink blade activated and the tip reached the sand turning the surface to glass. The GN Archer slowly approached the LaGOWE as it used its thrusters to charge toward the GN Archer and used another burst to leap into the air and forced its beam saber on the head at the GN Archer. The GN Archer ducked its head to evade the saber and within that second used its own to take off the LaGOWE's head as the left arm rose toward the LaGOWE and fired.

Kira managed to have the Strike emerge from the hole to see the violet beam cut through the LaGOWE's stomach and out its back. "Mister Waltfeld!" Kira yelled seeing the machine land on the ground the metal melted from the beams and fire across its body leaving it there. The Strike stood motionless seeing the wreck and Kira stared at the GN Archer seeing it still with its beam saber.

(3.) "Kira are you there? Kira?" Mir's voice cut into Kira's thoughts over the comm. "Celestial Being has given word that ZAFT forces seem to be withdrawing from this area. The Captain was your own confirmation." She said while Murrue was going down to where Mir was.

"Y-yes." Kira answered shakily seeing the GN Archer look toward Kira with its bright glowing visor. "The commander is down too." He said having the Strike turn away and begun to walk away.

"Kira." Setsuna's voice said over the speaker as the GN Archer continued staring at the Strike, "This blood wasn't spilled by you." Setsuna said calmly while the Archer walked after the Strike, "There's no point in being upset by this, he was an enemy and he knew that it would come to this." Setsuna said while his machine passed the Strike. "Return to your ship, I'll handle your equipment." Setsuna said having the GN Archer rise off the ground and inside the dune to retrieve the Aile pack.

"Thank you." Kira said while Setsuna remained silent. Kira turned the Strike away and started walking toward the sunset and noticed several vehicles from the desert dawn were driving alongside the Strike; Kira used the camera to zoom in on one seeing Cagalli resting in the back of one. Kira thought about the BuCUEs that he did fight and the pilots he killed today, Kira started thinking "What if Setsuna fought in my place? He wouldn't delay. His machines are faster and stronger than the Strike. What if I mess up?"

-Ptolemy-

"Ma'am I have a confirmation from Setsuna. The enemy commander has been taken out and the enemy has also withdrawn from the area." Feldt said looking to Miss. Sumeragi who fell back in her seat, "Allelujah and Lockon have also taken the enemy pilot from his machine. Seems that he gave no trouble."

Miss. Sumeragi looked toward Feldt and waved over before she saw everyone else seemed worn out, "Lasse, set us on course to rendezvous with the Archangel." She said standing up, "Good work everyone." Anew and Lasse both nodded to one another while Feldt smiled at Mileina's cheers. Flay stood by surprised seeing everyone's reactions to the post battle.

Lockon and Allelujah walked with Dearka not even hand cuffing him as he surrendered with no problem, Ian was in the hanger with several mechanics and unlike normal Ian was excited to see a messed up mobile suit, gave him an excuse to examine the insides of this one before they gave it to the Archangel. "I'm glad you guys believe in mercy." Dearka sighed shrugging, "So when are you handing me over the Earth Alliance?" he asked.

"We're not. Those are our orders." Lockon answered while Allelujah nodded, "We will have to turn your machine over to the Archangel though."

Dearka looked side to side confused at Lockon and Allelujah, "Then what's going to happen to me?"

"After you answer some of our questions and fill us in on what's going on we'll return you to your own faction. We have no reason to hold a hostage." Allelujah answered as they turned a corner passing by Tieria who had his recordings of the BuCUEs and several Ginns that had shown up as reinforcements.

-5 hours later-

Kira lowered himself from the Strike while the Archangel and Ptolemy were both hanging above the beach as the Desert Dawn were seeing them off. "I can't thank you enough." Murrue said shaking hands with Miss. Sumeragi. Several yards away Allelujah and Marie were sorting the last of their things to take with them on the Archangel. "Thank you for keeping Kira safe as well."

"He wasn't too much trouble." Miss. Sumeragi said looking to the young boy land on the ground only to force himself onto the ground and yawn. "You shared valuable information with people you hardly know so we still owe you a great dept."

"Is that why they're coming with us?" Murrue asked looking to Allelujah and Marie.

"No. I want you to take them to Alaska with you and let them be taken with civilians. They both agreed they could handle themselves there." Miss. Sumeragi said glancing to Allelujah thinking about Arios. "Allelujah will want to help you though, that's why we're also giving you his Gundam. When we meet again we'll take it off your hands." Miss. Sumeragi added, "We've been able to clear up our communications, you should be able to reach us now wherever we are."

Setsuna exited Ptolemy after leaving the GN Archer, "That kid needs to manage his things better." Setsuna sighed noticing Kira laying on his back in the sand, Cagalli was approaching him from the side and stopped to sit next to Kira. Setsuna went head and continued toward Kira.

"You're okay?" Cagalli asked while Kira remained silent but forced a nod, "You guys didn't leave much for us to do during the fighting. I am kind of relieved at that." She said. Kira looked up confused, "I want to stop this fighting but being included would just cause trouble, we would have gotten in your way."

"More than likely." Setsuna said once he was close enough.

"Look who it is. How goes it Setsuna?" Cagalli asked the Gundam pilot that sat down so that Kira was between him and Cagalli.

"Tired from cleaning Kira's mess." He said referring to the Aile pack, "Not to worry though, it's in good condition as it is." Setsuna reassured him.

Kira chuckled lightly sitting up, "I'm glad that you were here today Setsuna. I wish I could have done more to help you."

"There was nothing more you could do; your machine has its limits." Setsuna said roughly ruffling Kira's hair which hurt more with Setsuna's gloved hands.

"Cut it out!" Kira said waving his arms around while Cagalli couldn't help but laugh.

"Take care of yourself kid." Setsuna said taking his hand back to his side, "We're heading back into space in a few hours." Setsuna said leaning back to stare up at the darkening sky, "Don't die before I see you again."

"Didn't you talk about shooting me down before?"

"You're not in the wrong. Your reason for fighting is more justified than mine." Setsuna said still staring upward as Kira and Cagalli both moved their attention upward to the stars.

-One of Ptolemy's holding rooms-

"Do you have psychic powers then?" Mileina asked through the comm. to Dearka who sat by feeling annoyed by all the questions he'd been given.

"No."

"Do you have any kind of sense to alert you of other people like you being around?"

"No."

"Do you have some super mode?"

"No."

"...Not very super human are you?"

"...Coordinators don't work that way!" Dearka yelled feeling annoyed.

-ZAFT Carrier "Collateral"-

"The Archangel seems to have some powerful allies." Fern laughed hovering in the briefing room while Shiho was reading over their mission. "Our guys got their asses kicked by them."

"Five mobile suits. One was the Strike. Three were mobile suits that attacked our forces prior and near the end of the fighting another made itself known." She read out loud.

"Sounds like we're needed down there." A voice said entering the room, Shiho recognized him from several days ago. He was the man that was reading in the corner of the room. "I've been told we need to go down there for support against the Archangel." He said.

"Who are you?" Shiho asked setting the report down.

"Oh right. Sorry. My name's Ren Takeshi." He said smiling. Shiho held her hand out and shook his hand, "I'm piloting one of the new prototype mobile suits." He said, "The ZGMF-600." He said.

Fern glanced up, "You mean a GuAIZ?" I didn't think those things would be able to go out for another year.

"After we captured the G weapons they've helped us with construction, the introduction of these unknown mobile suits have also given a reason to speed up production and hopefully make them our new mass produced type has also been considered." Ren said, "I've been told we're heading to the surface to support the Creuset team." He said while Fern laughed kicking himself up. "Tomorrow we're going." He said.

"Is Yzak Joule with him?" Shiho asked.

"Yes. He was picked up by some of our stragglers a few hours ago."

"All right. I'm just making sure." She said turning away and left to go tend to her machine.

Ending- Friends by Stephanie