Entry 14: Myriad Truths


Aboard the ZAFT battleship Eternal, Miss-L stood alone in the captains quarters. They wore a large, heavy cloak with a hood over their head, and a mask that covered their eyes, making their features, half of their expressions, and even their gender undefinable. The only thing that could be said for certain about them was that they were slight in stature.

Everyone that called themselves a crew-member of the Eternal wondered why, exactly, they chose to do this. After all, they already knew who was under that mask. Talking about them by pseudonym when not on the ship, that was one thing, and very understandable, but going so far as to actively hide all traces of their identity 24-7 was a bit much.

The intercomm beeped. Miss-L pressed a button, and the face of a brown haired man with a scar over his left eye appeared. "Captain, we've received word from the Kusanagi," he said. "They're making their way around to our position, and they believe the enemy ship is about two days behind them."

"Thank you, Andrew Waltfeld," Miss-L responded. "I'll be down shortly to prepare for their arrival."

"Finally going to keep the mask off, princess?" Andrew laughed. "The boys have been wondering if you just have a wack sense of fashion."

Miss-L allowed herself a giggle. "It's more for the mental comfort, in all honesty," she replied. "I've been like this for so long, wearing this attire allows me a sense of inner peace."

Andrew laughed again. "Well, far be it for me to judge you for that. Over and out."

The comm switched off, and Miss-L was left with her thoughts for company.

Well, almost.

"He's quite the handsome human, isn't he?" spoke the blonde haired woman that stood in a corner previously unoccupied. "In a rugged, veteran kind of way."

"I would not argue that, Yukari," Miss-L responded. "Although, you could have announce yourself when you got here. I didn't hear you come in."

Yakumo Yukari chuckled. "Only because I didn't use the door," she said, fanning herself. "So, do you think that boy was there to receive his sword?"

"All I have to work on are gambles and hope, Yukari," Miss-L said. "Once we meet with the Kusanagi and its crew, we shall see."

"And what of the enemy ship? The one you have dubbed 'Artemis'?" Yukari asked. "Do you truly believe they are as far behind as two days?"

"I doubt it, personally," she admitted, "but, even just one day would be a blessing."


In the hanger of the Kusanagi, Shinn Asuka sat in the cockpit of the Core Splendor. He allowed his hands to pass over the buttons and sticks of the console, and his feet to lightly tap at the pedals.

It was all so familiar. As he closed his eyes, his mind drifted to a distant memory, as if he were browsing a bookshelf. This whole 'reincarnation' thing was very weird, but, at least he could use it to help others. There was solace to take from that.

From up on the rafters, the combination of Mayu, Kuzzey, Meer, Sara, and Miyu all looked down at Shinn in the small jet fighter.

"What is it about boys and their Mobile Suits?" Meer questioned. "Three hours every day since he got that thing, and all he does is sit in it and play with the knobs. Does he even know what he's doing?"

"He's remembering," Mayu said distantly. "Ever since Junius Seven a year ago, he's had these moments where he's... not quite there. Most times, he's thinking about this place called 'Gensokyo', but other times, it's... a bleak future, where he's a ZAFT pilot."

"A bleak future?" Kuzzey asked. "How do you mean?"

"It's... hard for me to say," Mayu admitted. "He doesn't talk about it all that much in detail, but by the way he became so... protective of me after he started 'remembering', I... I think I died."

A solemn silence fell over them. How was one suppose to continue a conversation after that?

Miyu, the younger of the two Lunar Rabbits, however, found a way. "Ah! Gensokyo!" she exclaimed. "We know that place, right, Sara?"

"Gensokyo?" Sara repeated. "Yes, I believe it was that closed off land located somewhere on our Earth, wasn't it?"

"Wait, it's real?" Meer asked. "And here I was, thinking that 'Gensokyo' was just a fake name for a fake land."

"You're really at odds with Shinn, aren't you?" Kuzzey asked. "Why is that?"

"Dunno," Meer shrugged. "Something about his just rubbed me the wrong way, I guess."

As their conversation drifted on, Cagalli floated through the open door, looking like she'd just seen a ghost.

"You alright there, Cagalli?" Kuzzey called out.

"Yeah. Just... processing some new information," she responded in a daze. "New, very weird information, that's recontextualised a whole lot of things in my life."

"Really?" Kuzzey asked. "Like what?"

"Where do I even start," Cagalli muttered. "Well, for the least surprising bombshell that was just dropped, turns out Dad wasn't actually my dad."

There was a moment of stunned silence. "Wait, hold on," Kuzzey said. "Finding out you're adopted was the least surprising thing? Also, it sounds like Lord Uzumi wasn't the one who told you."

"You'd be right," Cagalli answered. "Kira's parents did."

"And why did they know?"

"Because guess who else is adopted, and also my twin brother!"

Out of everyone present, only Kuzzey reacted with shock. "I think the rest of us are missing a whole lot of context," Meer said.

"But... Kira's a Coordinator!" Kuzzey stated. "You're... aren't you a Natural?!"

"To my knowledge!" Cagalli shouted back.


From back down in the hanger, Shinn looked up at the girls (+ Kuzzey) as they talked rather animatedly. "Wonder what's going on over there," he muttered. "Something about Cagalli's brother?"

The door on the far end of the hanger opened, and through it floated Uzumi and Kisaka.

"Ah, Shinn," Uzumi spoke, noticing the boy. "How are you holding up?"

"Well enough, sir," Shinn responded. "Is everything alright?"

As if on cue, the ship shook slightly. "Very much so, I believe," Uzumi replied. "From the sounds of it, we've finally rendezvoused with the Eternal, the allied ship Kuzzey and Meer came from."

Shinn allowed himself a sigh. "That's a relief," he said. "Any idea who this Miss-L person is?"

"Your guess is as good as ours," Kisaka said. Then, looking up, he noticed the others. "Cagalli seems... worried about something."

Uzumi looked up. "Indeed," he noted. "Any idea what they're talking about?"

"All I heard from down here was something about having a brother she didn't know about," Shinn answered.

Uzumi had a look of shock on his face for a brief moment, which was quickly replaced by sorrow. "I see... so Caridad and Haruma told her, then," he muttered.

Kisaka placed a hand on his shoulder. "It was bound to come up eventually, sir."

"Attention all hands," a voice spoke over the comms. "The hanger will be opening momentarily. Please put on your Normal Suits or leave the area immediately."

"Guess we should step out for now, huh?" Shinn said, trying to ease the tension in Uzumi's heart.


As they waiting for the hanger to repressurise, an awkward air hung between Uzumi and Cagalli. Because of course they had to all wait outside the same door. It's not like it could go any other way.

"So," Cagalli started hesitantly. "I... spoke with Kira's parents."

"I... had a feeling you might have," Uzumi responded. "And here I was, preparing for a time I'd have to tell you the truth."

"They told me everything," she continued. "Especially how you guys did it to protect us from Blue Cosmos. So... I won't hate you for that, okay?"

Behind them, Shinn and the others stood around awkwardly. "You... think we should say something?" Mayu asked. "Words of encouragement, maybe?"

"Best leave it between them," Kisaka answered. "It's a family matter, after all."

"Hanger in now fully pressurised," the voice over the intercomm spoke again. "You may enter at your digress."

"Moment of truth, then" Uzumi stated, as he stepped up to the door and opened it.


The hanger was much the same, save for the new addition of the transport craft that was now docked in it. As Uzumi, Kisaka, Cagalli, Kuzzey, and Meer floated down to the floor level, leaving Shinn and the others on the top floor, the shuttle door opened.

Out of the shuttle floated a few individuals. First were two pilots that looked to be around Shinn's age, if not a year older, with one being female and the other male. Next, came the heavily robed and masked person that they guessed was the enigmated Miss-L.

"We've got a real Darth Vader looking person," Mayu commented. "That's Miss-L?"

"Guess so," Shinn replied. "Wonder who their escorts are."

"Miss-L, I presume?" Uzumi spoke. "I am Uzumi Nara Athha, though I'm sure you already knew that."

"Indeed I did, Lord Uzumi," Miss-L said with a bow. The inflection in their voice told everyone present that 'they' were in fact 'she'. "It is a pleasure and a relief to see you in one piece."

"My thanks," Uzumi said. "Now, I could have sworn I've heard your voice before. Might I ask if the disguise is entirely necessary at this point?"

Miss-L showed a look of mild surprise. "Oh! I do apologise. I've gotten far too use to wearing this, that I forget about it at times," she said. "It's dreadfully comfortable, I'll have you know."

'She's an eccentric one, then,' Uzumi thought, as Miss-L set about removing her hood and mask, revealing...

"No freaking way," Cagalli muttered in disbelief. "Lacus Clyne?!"

That pink hair, those cerulean eyes, that kind smile, everything about Miss-L was, without question, Lacus Clyne.

"Good day, everyone," she spoke. "I am the captain of the Eternal, Lacus Clyne. How do you do?"

From up above, Shinn and Mayu looked with slack jaws.

"I... did not see that coming," Shinn said. "I mean, who puts an idol singer in charge of a warship?"

Sara looked over at the two Coordinators. "I'm guessing she's someone of importance in this world?"

"She's the daughter of one of the PLANTs' leaders, and an active pacifist," Shinn answered. "But, this... this is just shocking."

They looked down at Mayu, who seemed to only stutter ineligibly. "Mayu-chan broke," Miyu commented.

"Can't blame her," a strangers voice said. "Even we were surprised when Lacus approached us about joining her faction."

Shinn looked to the side, to see the two pilots that had escorted Lacus float up to them. The woman in the red pilot suit removed her helmet, revealing indigo eyes and red hair. "So, you're that Shinn fellow, yeah?" she asked. "You're a lot shorter than I expected."

"Well, sorry for being the second youngest person here," Shinn said.

"It's an unfortunate thing, but nothing we can do anything about," the male in the off-white suit said. Removing his helmet showed blonde hair and blue eyes.

Shinn felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. Truthfully, he knew why that was, but he kept himself from saying it outright. "Is it... strange, if I said I felt like I'd met you two before?"

The two looked at him oddly. "Maybe a little," the woman said. "But... I can't say I don't share the feeling."

"Captain Clyne was pretty insistent about her unique 'life' scenario," the man said. "Something similar to that?"

"Who knows?" the woman shrugged. "Well, name's Lunamaria Hawke. Good to meet ya."

"Rey Za Burrel," the man added. "Likewise."

"Lunamaria... and Rey," Shinn muttered, the names feeling almost second nature through his voice. "Yeah. It's good to meet you two too."

It was plain to see that there was something between these three. Like they were schoolyard friends who hadn't seen each other until late into university.

"So, what's up with those girls?" Lunamaria asked, pointing towards Sara and Miyu. "This doesn't seem like the kind of situation for cosplay."

Sara and Miyu both hid behind Shinn. "That's... because it's not," Shinn spoke for them. "It's..."

"It is because those two are Lunar Rabbits; humanoid beings from another dimension to your own," a much older, sultry voice spoke.

Something in Shinn's heart froze, like it had been dunked in liquid nitrogen. He knew that voice, too well in his opinion.

"Yakumo," Rey said sourly. "I had thought you stayed aboard the Eternal. I'm sure some of us would have preferred that."

"As cold as ever, Rey-kun," Yakumo Yukari said. "And here I was, planning to explain the existence of the Lunar Rabbits to you."

"There's not much to explain," Mayu spoke up, finally coming to terms with the existence of 'Captain Lacus Clyne'. "They lived on the moon, then Earthlings that would later call themselves Lunarians came, and did what Earthlings did best; slavery."

Yukari gave a slight laugh. "My, but that is remarkably accurate," she said. "I do not think I could have put it better myself."

Yukari's gaze passed over the two Lunar Rabbits, and fell on Shinn. "Well, well," she said, "I never thought I'd end up see you, of all people, again."

All eyes fell on Shinn. "Shinn, you know this woman?" Mayu asked.

Shinn struggled to find words to speak. Just being in this woman's presence made it hard for him to breath.

Yukari noticed this, and while grinning mischievously, did the one thing that was largely impossible in zero-g, and walked towards him.

"A fine day to you, Eloper. It would appear you're an Outsider, even in your own world."


He wasn't completely sure what had happened next. As Shinn Asuka gradually came back to his senses, he couldn't say with certainty where he was, other than that he was still aboard the Kusanagi.

Shinn let out a heavy sigh. How long had it been since he'd last been that afraid of anything? Probably since Junius Seven, in all honesty.

His memories of his past life were patchy at the best of times. Sometimes, he could recall entire scenarios, and other times, it was little more than a blurry image. There was, however, one thing he could recall with crystal clarity.

The moment he died.

Unbearable pain. The heartbroken expression of that girl. That warm, late spring night of the full moon. The twisting of his very existence into something... abnormal.

"Shinn Asuka?" came the voice he recognised as Rey Za Burrel. "Are you in here?"

"Yeah, just... give me a minute," he called back. "Where is 'here', by the way?"

"Mess hall, by the looks of it," Rey answered. "Can I come in?"

Shinn let out a small grunt of acknowledgement, and the door opened. Seemed Rey was alone, at the very least. "You look like death warmed over," Rey commented bluntly. "Shouldn't be too surprised, I guess. Yakumo tends to enjoy scaring people."

"If I told you she had me killed in a past life," Shinn said, "would you believe me?"

"Considering all the evidence, ranging from her walking in zero gravity, Captain Clyne knowing things about everything that she shouldn't be able to know, our current plan to open a hole in the fabric of reality to go to this place called Gensokyo, and as of recent, Lunar Rabbits? You having a past life is by far the least shocking thing I've heard all week."

"That so?" Shinn said. "Guess I can be glad about that."

Rey hummed slightly. "So, when you asked if we'd met before, were you talking about that?"

Shinn nodded. "Strange, isn't it? Meeting someone who knows you more than a stranger should."

"The captain did the same thing," he replied. "She even knew about my origins, hence why I believe her."

"I won't ask," Shinn said. "I get the feeling it's not something you want to delve into."

"More that I'd rather it not define who I am," Rey said. "If you don't mind me asking, though, how did we know each other? In this past life?"

Shinn thought about it. "You, me, and Lunamaria were all MS pilots on the same team," he answered. "Out of the three of us, you were the voice of reason to our impulsiveness."

"So that's why Captain Clyne insists on putting her and I on the same team," Rey muttered. "Here I was, thinking it was some inappropriate attempt to hook us up."

Shinn barked out a laugh. "You and Luna? Seriously?"

Rey chuckled. "Romance not my strong suit in the other life too, then?"

Two boys, who by all rights, hadn't met yet, but here they were, laughing like old friends.

Then, the alarm began blaring through the ship.


"Enemy ship detected!" an operator yelled out. "It's gaining on our position rapidly, and will be in range within 20 minutes!"

"Already?!" Uzumi shouted. "We should have had days on them!"

"Seems we've underestimated the Artemis," Lacus commented. "Lord Uzumi, we can begin working on our escape plan, but we need at least 45 minutes for it. Will you assist us in buying time?"

"Of course we will." Uzumi turned to face his daughter. "Cagalli, I know I've no right, nor do I take joy, in asking you to do this, but..."

"I'll go out there," Cagalli stated. "You couldn't convince me to sit around and wait, no matter what."

Uzumi allowed himself a humourless chuckle. "The one time I'm glad you were a rebellious child." Then, he turned to the rest of the crew. "All hands, to your stations! Anyone who's going to pilot, get a suit on!"

Everyone began rushing to and fro. As Lacus returned to the shuttle, she noticed Lunamaria there, but no Rey. "Where's Rey?"

"Checking up on that Shinn kid," Lunamaria responded. "Seems Yakumo gave him a serious scare."

As she said that, Rey came through the door, and drifted towards the shuttle. "Apologies for the delay," he said.

"Yo," Luna greeted. "How's the kid doing?"

Rey gestured over his shoulder, showing that Shinn had donned his own pilot suit, and was getting into the cockpit of the Core Splendor. "Seemed he and Yakumo did know each other, and not in a good way."

"I see," Lacus muttered. "I'll have to bring that up with Yukari later. For now, though, we still need her power. Once we're back on the Eternal, I'll need you two to sortie as well."

"Understood, captain."


Shinn's eyes drifted from the console before him to the shuttle as it took off and left the hanger. Then, he looked up to the rafters, and saw Yakumo Yukari, still there, looking down at him. How she was breathing in a vacuum, he chalked up to her being more than human.

He glared long and hard at her from the supposed safety of the Core Splendor. Of course, he knew she could get to him, no matter when either of them were.

"Eternal to Core Splendor, do you read me?" spoke a voice over his comms.

"Core Splendor reads you," Shinn responded. "You the CIC for the Eternal?"

"I am," she responded. "My name is Meyrin Hawke. You're Shinn Asuka, correct?"

"Yeah," he said. "Hawke... You're Lunamaria's sister then? I'm going to guess younger."

"You can tell?" Meyrin asked. "Guess I sound a bit more naïve than sis, huh?"

"More that I've got a little sister of my own, so I can kinda tell," Shinn laughed. "But, still... so many of us young folks on the battlefield."

"That's the unfortunate truth of our world," Meyrin said sadly. "Now, we're picking up roughly 100 Mobile Suits being deployed from the enemy ship, designated Artemis."

Shinn stretched his psychic muscles, and felt all the responses from the Lunar Rabbits. "That woman... she's sending out all her soldiers?" he muttered.

"Shinn? Are you okay?" Meyrin spoke up.

"Don't think I could properly explain without confusing you," Shinn said. "Tell me, how tightly packed are they?"

There was a brief sound of keyboard typing. "Pretty tight, I think," she responded. "the group size is roughly 200 metres in diameter."

Shinn allowed himself to grin. "Perfect, then," he said. "Pass along this message to your crew: under no circumstances are they to shoot down an enemy. Leave this to us."

"To you? Alone?" Meyrin asked in surprise.

"You can trust him on this one," Cagalli stated, joining the call. "Those pilots aren't fighting because they want to, and we've got a way to fix that."

Shinn nodded a thanks to Cagalli. "Now, let's get to work!" he shouted. "Shinn Asuka! Core Splendor! Taking off!"

"Cagalli Yula Athha! Strike Rouge! Launching!" Cagalli followed up.


In the hanger of the Eternal, Rey sat in the cockpit of him MS, and pondered his new orders.

"Try not to kill them?" Lunamaria asked incredulously. "They're the enemy, for pities sake!"

"Do you not recall what Mayu Asuka said?" Rey said. "The Lunar Rabbits have something forcing them to fight this war for the Lunarians."

"You really believe that?"

"Shinn was very certain about being able to help them," Rey explained. "What can I say? I'm feeling inclined to bet of his Impulse."

Lunamaria looked at him funny. "Did... you just make a pun?" she asked. "Who are you, and what have you done with Rey Za Burrel?"

"Just take off already," Rey said.

"Fine, fine," Luna sighed, as she moved her MS onto the launch pad. "Lunamaria Hawke! Justice! Launching!"

The bulky Mobile Suit known as the ZGFM-X09A Justice launched off at high speeds as its Phase Shift armour took on its iconic red hue. It, alongside Rey's current MS, were the only two suits to be equipped with N-Jammer Cancellers; that was to say, they were the only machines present to their knowledge to operate on nuclear reactors.

Rey found it quite fitting, in a way. When Lacus had first approached them, Meer, and even that Kuzzey fellow, the four had been more than ready to just go with the flow of their original fate. Now, though, she had given them something to fight for. She had given them justice, and...

"Rey Za Burrel! Freedom! Taking off!"

For him, at least, she had given freedom.


The three Mobile Suits plus Core Splendor soared through space at a crisp, brisk pace, as their pilots gradually took in the amount of enemies.

"I... think that's more than 100," Lunamaria said. "Radar's picking up on at least 150 of them."

Shinn closed his eyes, and sent out a mental ping. "And it's still all the Lunar Rabbits," he said. "None of them are remaining on their ship."

"How do you know that?" Lunamaria asked.

"We'll spare you the details for now," Cagalli said, "but one of them gave Shinn the power to use their telepathic network."

"I'd call you crazy," Rey spoke up, "but we're buying time for a woman in fancy clothing to tear a hole in reality."

A light began beeping on the console. "A transmission from the enemy ship?" Cagalli questioned. "It's on an open channel, too."

Shinn hesitated briefly, before opening the channel.

"This is a message to all surviving humans of the Cosmic Era," a loud, bombastic voice spoke.

"Kishin Sagume..." Shinn spoke bitterly.

"So that's the enemy leader, then?" Rey asked. "Well, from the looks of the camera feed, she's at least got a skeleton crew onboard."

"Don't compliment her," Cagalli chastised.

"This is your single chance to surrender. Do so, and you will be granted a painless death," Sagume continued. "For too long, you impure humans have threatened peace and tranquillity, but no more! After this war, the..."

Shinn, having had enough, turned his microphone on. "Oh, shut the hell up!" he yelled. "Those are some pretty flimsy excuses for genocide! Tell me, how many Lunar Rabbits have you condemned just to get where you are?!"

"An irrelevant notion," Sagume responded bluntly, unphased by the interruption. "It was to their honour to die for our cause."

"You seriously believe that crap?!" Shinn yelled. "They don't respect you; they fear you! You're a tyrant, not a leader!"

Sagume looked through the camera at Shinn dispassionately. "I would not expect one bound by the sins and punishment of Earth to grasp us," she said. "The sin of living on that planet... the punishment of living on it... your impurities continue to spread into the cosmos simply by existing."

Shinn grit his teeth in frustration. "Sin... punishment... who gave you the right to judge us?!" A press of several buttons, and the Core Splendor collapsed into a more compact form, before joining with its other three components, becoming the Force Impulse. "You've killed hundreds, thousands, probably even millions of people! You're the sinner out of all of us, hands down!"

"And? What do you plan to do about it?"

"The one thing I can do!" Shinn yelled, forcing the Impulse forward at high speed. "The opposite of you!"

"Can you all hear me?!" Shinn yelled through the telepathic connection. "I know you're all afraid, but please, believe in me! Just get a bit closer!"

The armada of Mobile Suits didn't show it, but their pilots felt his intent, and charged at the Impulse.

Lunamaria quickly raised the Justice's beam rifle. "Damn it, you reckless idiot!"

Cagalli, in response, maneuvered the Strike Rouge into Lunamaria's line of sight. "Don't," she said. "Believe in him."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Luna shouted. "He's going to..."

"Point 43..." Cagalli muttered. "Point 29... Point 008... Shinn, now! Do it now!"

Shinn slammed his hand down on the console, activating his 'big plan', so to speak. A signal emanated from the Impulse, spanning over 1km in range, hitting all the 'enemy' Mobile Suits.

Every GINN, Zaku, and Dagger stopped, as a single message emanated throughout all their cockpits.

"Now disabling Loyalty Collar. Thank you for your service."

For each and every Lunar Rabbit, the black Slave Collars all undid themselves, and began floating harmlessly in the cockpits. Shinn felt the wave of relief wash through his connection to them.

"What are you idiots doing?" Sagume yelled. "Shoot that human down!"

Shinn began laughing. "Ah. It's useless, Sagume," he said. "It's all useless. Those collars are ancient technology! Once we had them figured out, getting past them was easy! So much for being a 'superior' Lunarian, you bitch!"

Suffice it to say, but Kishin Sagume was seething with hatred right now. "You... You...!"

A light began to blink on the Impulse's console. "Shinn! That's our cue!" Cagalli shouted. "They got the portal open!"

"Roger!" Shinn shouted back. "All of you, make for our ships!" he told the Lunar Rabbits. As every MS began leaving the field of what-would-have-been battle. Shinn looked towards the Artemis, and aimed his rifle at it. The Artemis, by design, was one that was inherently familiar to Shinn from his past life. It looked so much like the Minerva, only with a blue and white coat of paint. "Kishin Sagume!" he yelled. "When you get to Hell, tell them Shinn Asuka sent ya!"

The beam was fired, striking where the bridge should be. There was no grandiose explosion, other than smoke emanating from the struck area. For Shinn, though, that was enough for now.

As Shinn turned around, however, an overwhelming sense of dread filled him. He accelerated quickly, narrowly avoiding a barrier that had just formed around the ship.

Then, it clicked what was happening. "Shit! The combat bridge!" he exclaimed. "I forgot that they would have moved the bridge into combat mode!"

Shinn felt his MS get pushed back by the expanding barrier. The Artemis was continuing to move forward, toward the Eternal and Kusanagi.


"Seriously?" Cagalli questioned. "They just couldn't have given us this win? I mean, the execution was flawless!"

"They're nothing if not tenacious," Rey said, firing his rifle once at the barrier, only for it to bounce off. "Physical attacks seem to do the most to it, but that's like comparing a leaf to a pebble for us."

"We can't let them any closer!" Lunamaria shouted. "If they crash into the ships, they'll get knocked off course and be sitting ducks, waiting to get picked off!"

"No kidding! Cagalli yelled. "But what can we do? Our attacks aren't working, and we don't have enough thrust to push our way through it!"

The radar began beeping, telling that something big was approaching from behind. "Then, let me take care of this!"

Flying past them... was the Kusanagi.

"Wha... What the hell are you doing, dad?!" Cagalli shouted. "You can't just..."

"Everyone's already been evacuated," Uzumi responded. "The lifeboats have already joined up with the Eternal. Now, go!"

"But, this is illogical!" Rey called out. "Why are you throwing your life away like this?!"

"You've all already completed your mission," Uzumi stated. "The Lunar Rabbits have been saved, and the Artemis was held off long enough. Now, let me put myself on the line to save you kids."

The Kusanagi rammed into the barrier around the Artemis. Electricity began springing from the collision, but it was quite obvious that the Kusanagi was gradually pushing through.

"Lord Uzumi!" Shinn called out. "You can't do this! Even if you survive it, you'll... you'll be left behind here! The last human in the entire Cosmic Era!"

"A price I'm willing to pay to spare you kids!" Uzumi shouted back. "Now, go! Bring this war to a close!"

With heavy hearts, the four Mobile Suits turned, and shot off to the Eternal.

"Shinn Asuka," Uzumi spoke, before Shinn was out of radio range. "As one final message from me to you: Believe in better."

"Believe in... better?" Shinn repeated, only for the screen to show he was now out of range.

As they finished their approach to the Eternal, Lacus opened a channel with them.

"Cagalli, I'm sorry," she said sadly. "I tried to stop him, but..."

"I understand," she responded. "That guy... he's as stubborn as a mule."


Uzumi felt odd, being alone on the bridge of the Kusanagi, staring down the Artemis. All controls had been directed to his seat, so he didn't have to move from station to station.

Pressing a button, he opened communications with the Artemis. "So, am I speaking to Kishin Sagume?" he said loudly.

The camera opened, and while he did see Sagume, he immediately knew she wasn't on the bridge. "And who do I have the displeasure of speaking to?" she responded.

"Uzumi Nara Athha, supreme leader of Orb," he answered. "Also, the one who found the way to deprive you of your soldiers. You're welcome for that."

"You... you're the one, then," she spat. "The one who has ruined my victory, and damaged my honour as a Lunarian."

"You did that yourself when you condemned your own soldiers," Uzumi stated. "I've heard tell you go by the title of 'White Heron of the Lunar Capital', yes?" He allowed himself a rather threatening grin. "Then it's only fitting that you should lose to the Lion of Orb!"

"And what can one damnable human do?!" Sagume shouted. "You're alone! You can't hope to beat us like that!"

"Don't you realise?" Uzumi stated, as the Kusanagi broke through the barrier. "This call was just to distract you."

Located at the rear of the ship, four large Lohengrin cannons made their presence known.

As the cannons charged up power, Uzumi spoke. "Allow me to repeat what Shinn Asuka said!" he yelled. "When you get to Hell, tell them the Lion sent ya!"

The four Lohengrin cannons fired, punching through the ship with ease. Explosions ran up and down the ship, and before long, all that was left was a cloud of smoke and debris.

Uzumi looked at the camera that was currently on the Eternal, and saw it, the Mobile Suits, and the lifeboats, all disappear through the portal.

Even when the radar began blaring it's alarm that something was breaking out of the wreckage, Uzumi allowed himself a smile. "At the end," he said, "it'll still be known that I beat you, Kishin Sagume."


The insides of the portal, the space between dimensions, was a very unpleasant looking place. It was both static and moving, and the far flung edges felt as if they were watching them.

Cagalli let out a small sniffle. "Damn it, dad," she muttered.

Shinn put a hand on Cagalli's shoulder -that was to say, he made the Impulse do so on the Strike Rouge. "Cagalli..." Shinn muttered. What the hell was he going to say? Even if it didn't kill him, there wasn't enough time for Uzumi to make it back.

Then, as if to tear them away from the sombre moment, the radar began to beep.

The Impulse and Strike Rouge turned around quickly, scanning the horizon. Through the small gap back to the Cosmic Era, the saw the Kusanagi explode.

"Dad..." Cagalli muttered. "Shit!" She slammed her hand down on the communicator. "Strike Rouge to Eternal! An enemy has broken through!"

The Impulse, Freedom, Justice, and Strike Rouge all flew back to back, scanning the area. Intermittently, something would blip on the radar, before vanishing like a phantom.

"Small," Rey noted. "Some kind of Mobile Suit?"

"It's way too fast," Lunamaria said. "What kind of mech can go that fast?"

Cagalli grit her teeth. "Damn it... Come out, you bastard!"

Then, a large beam shot past them, and several Mobile Suits and a lifeboat exploded.

Shinn's mind was overwhelmed by screams of pain and death. He had to do all he could not to pass out from the onslaught.

"What... what power," Rey muttered. "Where did..."

"I see them!" Lunamaria shouted.

In the distance was a Mobile Suit that looked distinctly like the Impulse. It had a pair of red wings on its back, a small shield on its left arm which was gripping a high-powered beam cannon, and a standard beam rifle in its right.

"You..." the voice of Kishin Sagume came from the Mobile Suit, the ZGMF-X42S Destiny. "Shinn Asuke... Because of you... I will be returning to the Lunar Capital in shame."

The Impulse shot off towards the Destiny, with Shinn screaming his head off. "You!" he yelled, firing his beam rifle wildly. "They didn't deserve this! They didn't deserve to die!"

The Destiny dodged easily, firing back. "You do not deserve to claim that!" she shouted back. "Those rabbits are traitor to the cause! You humans are sin incarnate!"

The Impulse finally closed in, and swung its shield bearing hand at its target. The Destiny pulled back flawlessly, collapsing the cannon in its left hand, and fired off three precise shots, which the Impulse blocked as quickly as it could.

Reaching its left hand back, Shinn drew one of the Impulse's beam sabers, and began trying to slash at its target. In response, the Destiny's wings flared out, and while it looks as if Shinn had struck true, the Destiny vanished.

"An afterimage?!" he exclaimed, before the Destiny's foot collided with the Impulse's head, the shock of which knocking the beam saber and rifle out of his hands, and forcing him against the edge of the dimension, which was suddenly a whole lot closer.

Curiously enough, it was like being forced against a raging river. As the Destiny's foot pressed against the Impulse's head, forcing it below the raging, torrential void, Shinn saw something he didn't expect.

An idea struck him at that point.

"At the very least, I'll have your head as a trophy!" Sagume shouted, aiming her beam rifle at the Impulse's cockpit and charging it up.

From the Impulse's skirt-armour, Shinn drew forth one of the machines two Folding Razor knives, and, gripping the Destiny with his right hand, rammed the knife into the edge of the void above his head.

Imagine a flowing river, for a moment. Now, imagine what happens when a large wedge is placed in that river. Sometimes, it can create a dry spot behind it, should the wedge be large enough and the river fierce enough.

Fortunately for Shinn's plan, the ferocity of the void was enough to compensate, and a tear was created, causing him to fall through, and drag the Destiny along with him.

"Shinn!" Cagalli called out, charging down after them. "You crazy bastard!"

Before the tear closed, the Strike Rouge was barely able to squeeze through, which had the added benefit of leave both Rey and Lunamaria absolutely bewildered and shocked.

"What..." Luna started, "the fuck just happened?"

Rey turned his radio on. "Yakumo, I know you saw all that," he spoke. "Where did they end up?"

"It's hard to say," Yukari responded indifferently. "Could be our destination, could be anywhere in the multiverse, could be death."

Rey clenched his teeth, and switched off the radio. "Impassive woman," he spat. "She really does seem to hate Shinn."

"Rey, we need to go after them!" Lunamaria shouted. "We can still..."

"We can't, Luna," Rey said. "This dimension is too unstable. If we tried that, there's not chance we'd be able to follow them."

"But..!"

"Believe me, Lunamaria Hawke. I hate this as much as you do." Rey's gaze fixed on the dimension around them, in all its violet and eyeball horror. "I hate that all we can do is pray for a miracle."


A/N:

I can already tell some will not agree with the path I've chosen for Uzumi. I'm just going to hope it wasn't too poorly executed.

So, Lunamaria, Rey, and Yukari now join the roster, and the not-so-mysterious Miss-L reveals herself. An almost flawless win, tarnished by what might be this fics closest equivalent to a Char clone.

I won't say much more, so let's press on.