Chapter 3 New Strength or New Enemies

AN: So I found that Shinn and company were really young in the Anime. Like insanely so for what they were being allowed to do and had achieved, so I'll be pushing their ages ahead by two to three years to try and made it somewhat believable.

Emily was scribbling down notes rapidly as she and the other pilots of the Minerva were briefed on the capabilities of the three captured GUDAMS, the Gaia, Chaos, and Abyss. Emily wasn't dumb by any meaning of the word, but keeping up with coordinators took constant effort and mental strain.

Whereas they could commit things to memory after being shown things once or twice, Emily would have to continuously practice or review her notes to be sure that she would understand and be able to use all the information given to her.

A rule of thumb was that coordinators needed a third of the time to learn how to do just about anything from trades work to university courses. A six year course for a natural taking only two for a coordinator. Life was easier for a coordinator in nearly all things, except for parenthood. Coordinators were notoriously infertile when paired with another coordinator which led to the PLANTs resorting to some rather draconian laws and practices to ensure a new generation of healthy and happy babies. A coordinator and a natural were usually very compatible, though the natural would be hard pressed to find a job where the competition was against people who could learn to do it faster and better than you could.

Not all coordinators were better than all naturals, it was really a crapshoot in all honesty. They picked the traits they wanted their baby to have and influenced them as much as possible, but undesirable traits could still be acquired from either parent, or desired traits could not take root. A natural born human, who studied and trained hard could compete on equal footing with a coordinator. Though they were the exception, not the rule.

The academy had been two years long and for two years Emily had focused entirely on her studies. Excluding social activity of any kind, all but the most basic fitness, proper meals, and a great deal of sleep. For two years she had put her heart and soul into her studies, managing to stay in even with the relentless pace set by an academy designed from the ground up for coordinators.

Emily had trained herself to take in vast amount of information, process, categorize it, and react accordingly. At the end of her hard work, she had written her final exams and passed with an 89.8% score. Only point two of a percent off of an elites jacket. She had wanted one so badly, more than anything else, but, it seemed as a natural, even with her entire effort focused on it, she was not up to the task. It had been...disheartening to say the least.

Still, the skills she had learned in the academy and subsequent service had helped her immensely and as a result she was much smarter than before she joined the academy. She was also one of the older pilots on board, being 24 while the median age was around 19 or 20. Most citizens of the PLANTs served only a short term in the military unless they were planning on making a career out of it. It was a free college ticket and the references provided were excellent. Emily wanted to make it a career though.

She had been scared honestly, in her first real battle, but she was confident that she would do better in the coming fight with Bogey 1 as they were now calling the enemy ship. 4 GuAIZ R mobilesuits had been rapidly reassigned from her wing to the Miverva, so including her, they had 10 combat effective pilots on board. Thanks to the Colonel, she also had a working GuAIZ to pilot since the one that she had borrowed was in need of repairs and refit now.

They would also be getting support from the Titan, a Laurasia class frigate and equipped with an AWACS GINN, two upgraded GINNS, and three regular GuAIZ. It had been on patrol close to Armory One, but too far to arrive in time to offer assistance.

Although armed with last generation mobilesuits, they were regular force navy and as such much better trained and prepared than the reservists who had mostly populated Armory One. ZAFT was sticking to the treaty and still mass producing the new ZAKU line by simply retiring the older models or throwing them into storage so that they were no longer on the nominal roll. They also sold them to many Earth bound nations, or neutral colonies thereby funding the new generation of war machines by selling the old one.

It helped that maintaining and operating GINNs and DINNs cost about a third of what it did for the new ZAKU units. They were reliable to the point of almost not needing to maintenance them except once a year, and even then they would still function to some degree. They had some drawbacks to be sure, but their weapons, upkeep, and use were at a bargain price. Even the bickering warlords of Somalia could afford to buy them, though not directly from ZAFT. To put it bluntly, they sold like hotcakes.

Assuming that Bogey 1 could hold 10-12 mobilesuits, they would be facing the three GUNDAMs, one mobile armor that they knew of, and possibly four to six mobilesuits, or combination of mobile armors since two MS units had been destroyed at Armory One that had belonged to the attackers.

Against that, they had fifteen mobilesuits and the Impulse GUNDAM. Against Bogey 1 itself they had the Minerva and the Titan, with more ships on the way. Though, they were still too far away to be of any use for at least the next day or so. That is, unless the Imperials felt so inclined to catch Bogey 1 for them, but that seemed unlikely. Those ships were fast from what reports she had read.

The briefing ended and Emily gathered up her belongings, already dressed in her flight suit and heading to the ready room. She was going to be with the first wave that launched once they were in range, along with Shinn, Lunamaria, Shawn, Dale, Chen, and three suits from the Titan. The rest were going to be held in reserve.

"Well we got the natural in our flight, I guess we'll have five and a quarter suits up front huh?"

"Let's be nice now, five and a third."

Emily bit her cheek at the comments, cutting off any retort that might make its way out, whether intentionally or unintentionally. She was used to this kind of treatment, but that didn't mean that she liked it.

"Shawn! Chen! Cut the chatter and act like professionals," scolded Lunamaria silencing the two with replies of yes ma'am.

"Sorry about those guys. I was hoping to see you before we went out together and officially welcome you to the Minerva," said Lunamaria, holding out her hand.

"Thank you Ma'am, It's an honor to be onboard. I never thought that I'd serve on a ship like the Minerva."

"I was pretty lucky to get posted here too, so don't sell yourself short. My name is Lunamaria by the way."

"I'm Emily."

"Well it's nice to meet you Emily. Tell you what, you can be my wing man when we go up against Bogey 1. Rumor is, you did pretty good against the Gaia GUNDAM."

"Well, I managed to not die fighting it."

"Better than most I'm sad to say," said Lunamaria, her voice heavy with both anger and sorrow. "It's an accomplishment that you were able to fight it on equal terms one on one when they were taking down full flights of mobilesuits. Anyone who can do that I'd be happy to have at my side."

"Thank you ma'am, I promise not to disappoint you."

"Don't worry about trying not to disappoint me, I'm nowhere near perfect. Now come on, I'll introduce you to Shinn and the others."

"Of course ma'am."

"Just call me Lunamaria huh? I don't like being formal all the time."

"Okay, sure thing Lunamaria."

"Lighten up Emily, nobody's going to bite you. Now come on," said Lunamaria, grabbing Emily's wrist, pulling her along with her and out of the briefing room.

Xxx

Lieutenant Colonel MS-45-05-01-01-4839-Peter, was the second in command of the Krieg 45th Mobile Siege Regiment and with the Colonel currently status unknown, he was in command of the regiment. A regiment that was now being called to alert status for potential escalation of conflict.

He was dressed in full battle attire, two Death Korps Grenadiers by his side as he entered the cargo hold of the Angry Beadle. Although it was a Mars Class Battle Cruiser, its 107 000 man crew more than filled its 5.4km long frame and so the 5000 men of the 45th had been assigned to the cargo holds for them to find space. Their cost lined side by side to save space, each row 200 cots long with all of the possessions that the regiments of Krieg saw fit to issue their property.

Every Korpsman from their last drop of blood, to the last polymer thread of their uniform belonged to the Death Korps. If 4839 saw fit he could kill every last one of them and face no repercussion from anyone but the Korps itself. On the nominal roll a Krieger was not listed as a Guardsman, rather, they were listed under the equipment manifest. On footing equal to, or below that of their las rifle.

As the great plas steel doors retracted, 4839 entered the hold to find his troopers assembled at parade ground readiness wearing a combat loadout, standing still as statues formed up in their companies, vehicles neatly arrayed into lines, ready for deployment or parade. Whichever was necessary.

As soon as 4839 stepped foot onto the cargo decking, a sharp command was given and 5000 pairs of boots struck the ground as one in a thunderclap, deafening even in the large cargo hold as the 45th came to attention.

4839 assumed his parade position, before the Regimental Watchmaster approached him, saluted, the remained fixed firmly at attention.

"4998 Troopers present and accounted for, including myself sir. Would you like to inspect?"

"Yes," said 4839 curtly.

He walked up and down the rows of Kriegers, the small indicator lights on their breathing apparatus the only indication that they were even alive at all. So still were they, so doll like and inhuman with their masks of dull brass and almost standardized height.

Their bayonets fixed to the ends of their las rifles glinting from the overhead lights, along with any other piece of metal present. Their boots polished to a mirror shine like liquid night.

"Stand at-ease!" commanded 4839, his voice amplified by the vox system built into his mask. A thunderclap filled the hangar as the regiment switched position as one.

"Combat operations may soon commence. Prepare for such conditions," informed 4839 in his nearly flat voice, then departed the cargo hold to make the necessary arrangements for a deployment if it became mandatory. Short, quick, and to the point. Just the way the Korps liked to do it.

Xxx

Heinrich frowned as he read the correspondence that his aide had brought him in addition to his wargear. He had broken the red wax sealed envelope and read the contents, most displeased with the contents.

In regards to the performance of Colonel MS-45-05-01-01-0001-Heinrich of the 45th Mobile Siege Regiment, his conduct has become such that it has deviated from the ideal Korps standard. In addition to his own failing of conduct, his behavior has affected that of Sergeant MS-45-05-01-01-3423-Otto. Please have yourself and Sergeant 3423 report for re-indoctrination and reeducation at the next scheduled event.

Signed: Brigadier General CS-0832-Ernst.

Heinrich suppressed a tremor of indignity at the letter, that he, Heinrich von Shreider, would need to be reeducated to be more in line with the Korps. He had only ever done as they has so ordered him, even this new post and his behavior was at their request. Was he now to be caught in a struggle between his family the von Shreiders and the Death Korps?

Upon his return to his family estate on his 27th birthday, his family had been most thorough in their reeducation, breaking the mentality that the Korps had placed upon him, returning some measure of individualism to him. He was one day expected to be the head of the family and as such it required him to be able to think critically and not do everything told of him without question. It had been tried before where the Korps had ever so covertly tried to get the offworld von Shreider assets to fuel the ever growing needs of the Death Korps, despite the generous donations routinely given to the Korps from his family coffers. The current head of the family at the time, so indoctrinated was he, had very nearly done it too. It seemed that his family had started a new tug of war between them and the Death Korps, each wishing him to think and act as they wished.

His family, the von Shreiders were wealthy beyond measure, powerful beyond reproach, and prestige above equal. Though he had love for the Death Korps, Heinrich also had the weight of a 10 000 year legacy upon his shoulders. A great dynasty that could never be broken and as the Grand Baron of the von Shreider estates his actions were not only representative on himself, but all generations before him and to come after him.

Heinrich folded the letter neatly, putting it inside of his desk so that it would not float away. The Minerva, as with all ZAFT ships lacked either gravitational controls at all, or sufficient ones to keep him or other objects grounded. It seemed that in some areas he could walk, albeit carefully and others he would float about aimlessly unless he was push off a bulkhead or other surface to give himself motion.

The living quarters seemed to have adequate gravity, mechanically produced by them being present in a revolving cylinder in the center of the ship, but were he to leave his assigned quarters, he would float aimlessly.

"All hands prepare for condition red and man your battlestations. All pilots to your mobilesuits, hostile ship has been spotted."

The general alert now sounded, Heinrich felt eager to do...something. Anything of merit. On the ground he could plan, strategize, fight, and win. In space, he was little more than an observer. Meek and helpless to whatever forces acted around him. As helpless against the enemy as he was against gravity here. How it shamed him.

"Sergeant, my wargear."

"At once sir," answered his Sergeant dutifully, coming from his position at the door and helping Heinrich don his grandmaster crafted carapace armor. How good it felt to be clad in ceramite again. With a hum he activated the magnetic soles of his boots and went into the corridors immediately outside his room, his Sergeant following obediently behind him.

He walked up the wall to the door that led to the corridors of the ship, immediately noticing the lack of gravity, his sergeant following behind him, pushing from surface to surface.

The inside of the Minerva was sterile, clean, with octagonal hallways and dull white walls. The air was recycled and clean, lacking the smells, both pleasant and more likely, unpleasant that permeated Imperial ships. Some smelling of grease, or sweat. Hot metal or oil were the most likely candidates. Yet this ship was new, recently birthed and smelled, for lack of a more articulate way of putting it, new.

Heinrich removed a glove and ran a bare finger along the metal wall of the ship. Marveling as his hand came away free from any dust or other pollutant. He could only stare in amazement. The millennium old ships of the Imperium were constantly dirty, filled with the dust of it's tens of thousands of inhabitants. The lives, death, and birth of its crew over the course of its life all leaving their mark upon its metal. They were old souls, their machine spirits wise and aged, yet still capable. Veterans of countless battles.

This ship, while but a mere infant, its machine spirit young and eager had yet to be tested in the crucible of combat. It had no legacy, the crew aboard it its very first. It had no history, no lineage to guide it through its life of service and martial glory. It was a spirit that was the first of its kind, with no others to look to for guidance. Yet even in its earliest of days so much was being asked of it. Heinrich wondered if its machine spirit was angry at the lack of proper devotion paid to it by its ZAFT creators.

Surely if this was an Imperial ship, the priests of Mars would spend weeks, months even venerating the new ship berthed into service. Honoring it for its majesty and power, asking it for its service and devotion to duty that the Imperium expected of it. Why would such a machine so powerful, it's machine spirit so wile and reckless, listen to masters that failed to pay it proper homage? It was something that baffled Heinrich.

He traveled towards the pilot ready room and when he arrived there found all the pilots dressed in their flight suits and heading in a group towards the hangar.

"Sir, you should really go back to your room, or at least get strapped in. We're going into combat right away you know."

"I am aware Lt. Towers. I merely came to wish you good hunting in your coming battle. May the Emperor watch over you and see you return triumphant or die gloriously."

"Uh...I think I'll try to return triumphant, thanks. Dying isn't really on my list of priorities."

"Of course Lieutenant. Miss Hawke," said Heinrich taking off his cap and bowing with a flourish to the magenta haired girl.

"Hi Colonel, come on Emily, we've got to get to the hangar. We're first out."

"Right, coming," said Emily, pushing off the decking and following the red elite pilot.

Heinrich watched them go, finding his gaze fixed on the magenta haired girl Lunamaria Hawke, her kind looking face split into a smile as she talked with Lt. Towers. She really was very fetching and to Heinrich's surprise he felt a flutter in his stomach like he was going to be ill as he watched her. Had he eaten something tainted?

When the pilots had disappeared from sight, Heinrich turned and then started walking the opposite direction, magnetic soles ensuring that he did not float away.

"Colonel, I appear to be stuck."

It was his Sergeant who had spoke, floating in the middle of the hallway, flailing around aimlessly, unable to push off of the walls to gain momentum.

"Hold on to my greatcoat, I will pull you along with me."

"Yes sir."

With his Sergeant so hanging on to him like a sucker fish, Heinrich continued on his way toward the bridge. It may have been rude, impertinent, and a great inconvenience to the captain of the Minerva. Yet, the idea of sitting helplessly, ignorant of what was happening around him was an even more appalling outcome.

"Ah, Colonel, what are you doing here?"

"Well met Chairman, I came to request that myself and my aide be allowed to view the coming battle from the bridge, if it would not be too much of an inconvenience to you or detrimental to the operation of the ship."

"I see no reason why not, though I would ask a favor in return."

"Of course."

"I would like to hold your sword, if I might be so bold as to request it. I understand it is very important to you, but I have never seen anything quite like it before."

"It is the von Shreider family Chairman. Though, I did promise the Captain that I would not draw it from its sheathe."

"I don't mean to wield it, just hold it, in its sheathe would suffice."

"I see no harm in that. Though I must ask that you treat it with the utmost deference and respect."

"Of course, I would never do anything less."

Heinrich unhooked the blade from his belt and handed it to the Chairman who held it up and examined it, obviously impressed by it.

"It is truly an elegant blade, easy to tell it is perfectly balanced even with low gravity. What is it made of though?"

"Truly? I do not know. As long as the von Shreider line has existed, so has this blade. We have never been able to measure how sharp the blade is and it never dulls no matter how heavy the use. The handle never wears despite how long it is gripped, nor does it chip. It is a relic from the dark age of technology and the pride of my family. Only a Blademaster of Krieg may wield it."

"It almost sounds like you revere the sword."

"I do. It is a weapon without equal and to have been allowed to wield it was the greatest honor I will receive in my lifetime. For 10 000 years my family has carried it to war."

"This blade is 10 000 years old?" asked Durandal, for once sounding shocked. "It looks in such good condition though."

"Yes, possibly more. I admit I do not know what it means when my family scholars have said that Gotterdammerung is the von Shreider family. What I do know is that whatever materials it is made of I have never encountered anywhere else in my service to the Emperor's Imperium."

"Tell me, does your Imperium know how to make things like this still? The materials that made this blade?"

"In the million worlds under the Emperor's light, it is possible."

"It is a fine weapon Colonel, one that is a treasure to possess. Perhaps it is one from a more civilized time?"

"More likely one that understood the importance of good weapons. War, besides the Emperor is the only constant in life."

"You seem to be of a similar mind to me Colonel. I've always believed that strength is necessary for peace, though some of my counterparts, even among the PLANTs disagree. What is your opinion?"

"To speak frankly Chairman? Strength isn't necessary for peace, it is necessary for survival. If you were to throw down your weapons and embrace the universe with open arms, it would embrace you only long enough to tear out your throat. Those who advocate pacifism and disarmament are blind children, self centered enough to believe that they are the only ones that exist in this world. That because they can not see the threat, it does not exist. Like a bird that sticks its head in the sand, they would close their eyes to what exists rather than confront it."

"That almost sounds like a warning Colonel. What other threats are you talking about? Are there aliens in the Universe that would threaten us?"

"Threaten is too soft a word to use Chairman. For over 20 000 years, since the Dark Age of Technology, mankind has been victim to their predations, their perversions. Many times we have rediscovered worlds lost when humanity fell from grace, only to find them picked bare of human life by marauding xenos. Others, reduced to tribal inhabitants as their forefathers abandoned their cities to hide in the countryside away from xenos. Many cannot be reasoned with, bartered with, or be made to show mercy, for they are incapable of understanding the human emotions of pity or mercy."

"You paint a very grave picture Colonel."

"Merely a realistic one Chairman. There are many threats in the vast expanse of the void, ones that seemed to have overlooked you for the time being. Though I must say, for your population you are surprisingly well armed."

"Then I am glad that with so many threats arrayed against us, we have made valiant new friends," said Durandal, handing back Gotterdammerung to Heinrich. "What does give me cause to wonder though, is you said that you rediscover human worlds as time goes on, yet you are an Empire. How are they treated when they are found?"

"With all the grace and the Mercy of the Emperor. So long as they are human, they have nothing to fear from the Imperium. We are the protectors of humanity Chairman, if you are wary of us, understand you have nothing to fear."

Xxx

"Today, is a dark day. A day, of mourning."

The voice was old and raspy, yet held onto a fervent strength by shear force of will. The speaker, covered in liver spots where his skin had once been as solid and smooth as old night. Frame bent under the march of time, held upright by life support systems, tubes snaking their way into his nostrils to assist him in breathing. His picture suspended above him in a giant hololith of light, projecting his image to the teaming thousands aboard the fortress cathedral Sacred Prayer who had come to see the oldest cardinal in the great fleet speak.

He was dressed in voluminous robes of crimson silk, the twenty foot long train held by ten plain clothed altar boys and ten sister initiates. A high and magnificent crown-like hat sat upon his head, a great two headed eagle depicted on the front forged of solid gold.

Hundreds of sisters forming the choirs of the Sacred Prayer were singing songs in sweet melodic tones of mourning and grief. Their voices rising and swelling like waves in a storm, yet guiding like a distant lighthouse, offering safe haven from all despair.

The teeming thousands of Guard, Sororitas, and Navy hung on his every word. Listening to the voice of the man who spoke the Emperor's will.

"Cardinal Sanchez was a valued member of the clergy, an Imperial Citizen, but before all else, he was a friend. Not just to me, but to the countless thousands he blessed or enriched with his presence. He was a devoted man, not just to the Emperor, but to his fellow man. Despite his station and duties, he was never too busy to share a word with the destitute. Never too rushed that he could not offer consolation to the grieving, and never too fearful that he would not brave xenos to deliver the last rights to the dying. For in Sanchez's heart, as in all our hearts, he was never afraid for he knew the Emperor was with him. In all ways, in all things, Cardinal Sanchez was a devoted servant of the Imperium, of the Emperor, and his fellow man."

"It is knowing of his character that it grieves me so to inform you all, that as of 17:32 standard time, Cardinal Sanchez, his Soritas escorts, along with Navy and Guard officers, was killed in an unprovoked attack."

Shouts of outrage and wails of grief filled the great amphitheater, calling for Vengeance and the Emperor to deliver mercy. Cardinal Hassan allowed the outrage to continue for a time, before with a single raised hand, the Amphitheater fell silent, save for the beating of wings of the cherubs flying high overhead in the vaulted sealing. Carrying sensor pots, giving off sweet smelling aromas as they flew between great chandeliers and across murals depicting great saints and heroic campaigns.

"Cardinal Sanchez was a man who abhorred violence against humans, yet allowed hatred for heretics and xenos to burn ever bright in his heart. He was a man who heard the voice of the Emperor, yet was not deaf to the pleas of his fellow man. He would not want us to be sad at his passing, though grief pulls at us all. He would not want us to carry his loss with us to our end of days. He would wish us to instead use our lives to give glory to the Emperor and his Imperium. To share ourselves with those that we cherish and remember that although life is fleeting, it is still precious."

Tears were seen on many faces, even the stoic Sisters of Battle, some veterans of a hundred years had fresh lines of tears streaming down their faces. The choirs now but a hushed murmur as the speech lulled for a moment.

"To honor the man who pledged his life to the common soul of the Imperium, I declare a day of mourning and reflection to be in effect. Only the most essential tasks will be done to ensure safe function of the ships in the fleet. Alms will be given to the serfs and those imprisoned for minor offenses may make pilgrimage to honor the fallen hero. But let us not forget the others who have fallen, loyal servants all," continued Hassan as he named ever Soldier and Sororitas that had perished alongside Sanchez.

"I would personally like to thank the dedication of the Sisters of the Argent Shroud. Each and every one of their number stood firm till the last, against the attack against Sanchez. Recovered records show Sister Superior Shiori shielding Cardinal Sanchez with her very body, even as the shuttle carrying them was torn apart. To our protectors, our ever vigilant angels, the Ecclesiarchy offers you our deepest and most sincere thanks for your devotion. You there, sister, step forward."

Hesitantly, a lone sister of battle stepped forward, timidly as a man so close to the Emperor as to touch his face called her forward.

"Come here child. Come now, up with me," coaxed Cardinal Hassan, his voice like that of a kindly grandfather.

With a whirr of power armor, the young woman advanced onto the stage, her silver colored armor glinting in the dim light of the amphitheater. Forest green eyes almost obscured by raven black hair as she walked, her white cape free of any blemish, the red linings on both her clothes and armor like fresh blood.

She knelt before the Cardinal, her breath heavy, unable to meet the eyes of the man who had called upon her personally. A man who spoke with the Emperor.

"What is your name my child?"

"Sister Amelia your grace," mumbled the Sororitas, her voice wavering and betraying her as the enormity of what was happening threatened to overwhelm her.

"You and your sisters have done us a great service on this day as you have always done faithfully and for that you have my deepest gratitude Amelia."

Then, in an unprecedented move, the Cardinal knelt down, supports for his aging frame whirring as he did so, so that he was on his knees and level with the Sororitas, drawing shocked gasps. A man of the Emperor lowering himself to the level of a simple soldier of faith? Unthinkable. Preposterous, and yet, he had done it.

Aged and withered hands cupped the pale chin of the sister, forcing her eyes to meet his own, though they brimmed with tears of devotion. Clouding the green orbs with sparkling pools of light.

"Let your tears fall if they must, but let your voice ever be joyous and your hate righteous Sister Amelia. Never forget that the Emperor is always with you and that the Ecclesiarchy will forever be thankful of you and your sisters service to us." Then, before a still stunned audience and a shocked Sororitas, he kissed her on the brow and wiped away her tears with a withered finger before taking his own rosary and looping it around her neck. Every word amplified by vox speakers and every action shown on the massive hololith for all to see and hear.

"Your grace, I am unworthy," said Sister Amelia through a tear soaked voice. Shaking hands cupping the rosary beads, like if she were to touch them to forcefully, they would shatter and be gone forever.

"No child of the Emperor is ever unworthy of his love, especially his daughters. Remember that Sister."

"I will your grace, I swear it," promised the sister, clutching at the rosary beads like they were a direct link to the Emperor. A holy relic of great importance.

"Return to your sisters now, but be ever ready should we ever call upon you."

"Yes your grace. Thank you your grace," said the sister, twin streams of tears coming down her face in sparkling rivulets.

"Now, I will lead us in prayer," said the Cardinal, rising to his feet and spreading his arms wide. A hundred thousand voices rose as one as they began their prayers, with many millions more following from the live broadcast to the rest of the ships in the fleet. 20 million voices raised as one, chanting litanies of first mourning, then hatred and revenge.

Xxx

"I didn't do well in debris field simulations," said Lunamaria over the general channel, as they cut their way through destroyed space stations, and lumbering asteroids. Giant solar arrays meant to power a colony, or rather sections of them spinning lazily around them as they tracked Bogey 1.

The GINNs from Titan were leading, the two high maneuverability types providing tight escort for the AWACs GINN sandwiched between them, with the three GuAIZ aboard the Titan still ready for launch should the need arise. Along with Ray and three other GuAIZ suits aboard the Minerva.

They were closing in quickly on Bogey 1, passing underneath a large asteroid with enough firepower to level a city between them and their ships.

"No change of speed or course from Bogey 1, intercept in seven minutes," called the suite operator in the AWACs GINN.

Lunamaria did a last minute systems check and made sure to keep scanning the debris field around her to make sure that no random pieces would collide with her suit and damage it.

"Power levels good, instruments function at optimal level, all systems green. How are you doing Emily?"

"Good ma'am, at your eight O' clock. Systems are green."

"Ready for some payback?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good, me too. Shinn, how's the Impulse handling?"

"Just like they said it would. Everything's running fine."

"Getting visual of Bogey 1 now in sector yellow 11-33. It's a decoy! It's not the real Bogey 1!"

"What?" said Lunamaria, mostly to herself.

"Heat signatures! 3 O' clock, it's the GUNDAMs! The GUNDAMs are here!" came the panicked voice of the AWACs operator, a moment before a brilliant red beam punched through the surveillance mobilesuit, making it explode spectacularly.

The three GUNDAMs came shooting out from behind the remains of floating habitat stations at full military power, firing as they came.

"Break Formation!" Lunamaria heard Shinn call over the radio and like leaves in the wind, the ZAFt mobilesuits scattered into pairs of two.

One of the two escort GINNs, its pilot perhaps seeking revenge for the AWACs, flew straight for the Chaos, shooting its 76mm rifle at it. A line of explosions traveled up the GUNDAM, but the rounds did little with its phaseshift armor active other than make brief flashes of light spark across its front.

The beam shots that came back from the Chaos however, punched clean through the GINN. One through the cockpit, the other through the battery pack. The machine moved aimlessly for a moment, engines still at full burn, before igniting and providing a brief sun in the empty vacuum.

The other GINN was maneuvering crazily, trying to avoid the beam pods of the Chaos, when the Gaia flashed by in BuCUE form, slicing it in half. Yet obscenely, both halves floated away from each other and didn't explode. Rather looking like a man caught at the waist by a snapped tow cable.

"Oh god, they've already taken out three of us!" said Lunamaria before she could help herself, watching as the IFF tags disappeared from her HUD. "Shawn!" cried Lunamaria as a GuAIZ R was destroyed by Chaos' beam pylons.

"Emily are you still with me?"

"I'm at your Seven O' clock low!"

"Alright, we'll try to gain some distance. Head for the burnt out mining station."

"Roger!"

"Lunamaria, 12 O' clock high! Lookout!" shouted Shinn over the Radio.

"Ah!" cried out Lunamaria, her warning sensors beeping as she gunned her thrusters, firing her beam cannon at the diving Gaia.

It jumped over top of the blast, leaving it to hit and shatter a large solar panel, but had to leap away again as a storm of green beam shots chased after it. Exploding and ripping apart the floating space junk.

"I've got your back ma'am," said the blue haired pilot confidently. Her GuAIZ tracking and firing at the Gaia.

"Right, let's make sure he doesn't get away!" Lunamaria punctuated her words by firing another high powered beam cannon shot after the retreating Gaia, causing a ripple of explosions across the remains of a storage hangar as its contents cooked off, hiding the Gaia from view.

Xxx

"It's a decoy!"

All eyes on the bridge turned to Alex Dino, or as he was really called, Athrun Zala.

The bridge had been lowered several meters into the bowels of the ship, thick steel slabs had closed over top of them to offer the bridge crew protection and now they saw only by the red lights on the walls and the console lights from the command stations, glowing like torches in the low light. Algorithms dancing across their screens, responsible for various systems and monitoring all mobilesuits belonging to them. The dim light only allowing the shadow of the young man's face to be visible as he called his warning, seated farther back away from the lights along with the Chairman and Heinrich himself. To Heinrich though, with his special Kriegan eyes, he could see him as though there was an entire bank of lumo globes lighting the Bridge.

"It's just a drone that they launched, watch for an ambush!"

"Ma'am! Heat source detected, Blue 3, 33-22, distance 600. It's Bogey 1. They were hiding on the far side of the asteroid. The Titan's been hit!" called out the CIC officer, another Hawke sister.

"Helmsman, 15 to port, increase thrust 20 percent. Weapons chief, launch tubes 1-8 at Bogey 1, target their bridge with the Neidhardts. Launch control, get our remaining machines out and defend the Minerva," command Gladys, in a commanding, but calm and orderly voice.

"Ma'am! The Titan is breaking up!" said the CIC officer sounding panicked. On her view screen, Heinrich could see the Laurasia class ship being pummeled with both missiles, mobile suit weapons fire, and ship grade beam weapons. It was point blank range for space warfare, at a range that Bogey 1 couldn't miss at and Titan couldn't evade at.

The ship was venting atmosphere, flames licking outside of the hull, only telling in the vaguest terms the kind of internal damage that the ship was dealing with on the inside. Entire sections of the superstructure breaking off, spinning away into the empty voide as hungry beams carved the ship up. It's engines trailing angry black smoke. Then, with one final stab from a green beam that must have hit the engines, a massive explosion ripped the Titan in half.

"The Titan, it's gone!" cried out the young girl.

"What about it's mobilesuits?"

"It managed to launch all remaining units before it was destroyed ma'am. Lifeboats detected, but, only two ma'am. Ma'am! They're destroying the lifeboats!" Cried out Meyrin in shock as the IFF tag of a lifeboat disappeared with a short, but dramatic increase in thermal readings.

"Incoming missiles! 20 in the first volley!"

"Hug the surface of the asteroid and use it as cover! Increase thrust to maximum, we'll circle around it and come out behind them. Get the CIWS guns active!"

"Missiles closing, brace!"

On the outside of the Minerva, the CIWS guns came alive, moving and tracking the incoming missiles, before their barrels began to spin faster than the eye could follow. Unleashing super high velocity 40mm rounds that could even destroy mobilesuits were they to strike them in a hail of high explosive, armor piercing mix. Like a stream of sparks, they spat out their rounds that cut into inky blackness of space, leaving explosions in their wake as they found and destroyed the missiles. Barrels whirring down as they ran out of targets to shoot at. Several missiles having been struck by the tracer fire spun out of control and into the asteroid behind the Minerva.

Heinrich sat calmly in his seat as the Minerva shook and shuddered like it was going to come apart, rattling all present rather violently.

"Where are our mobilesuits?" demanded Gladys.

"They're being engaged ma'am. We've already lost the three GINNs that were with them from the Titan. The others are all engaging the Chaos, Gaia, and Abyss. The other-we just lost Shawn!"

"Dammit. What about our suits on board? Can we launch them?"

"No ma'am, too much debris in the way," answered the launch officer.

"The three GuAIZ R suits from the Titan are engaging the mobile units from Bogey 1 Ma'am. They've already scored two kills, both Dagger models from their heat signatures."

"Another wave of missiles!"

"Same as last time, activate CIWS and launch depth charges behind us."

"Ma'am, they're, they're not aiming at us."

"What?"

"We just lost Dale's unit ma'am!"

"Get away from the Asteroid, move! They're going to bury us!" shouted Athrun above the confusion.

Heinrich gripped his seat as the bridge shuddered again, more violently this time though as rocks torn free from the surrounding asteroid fell on and damaged the Minerva. Warning alarms going off as starboard side engines were destroyed by the falling rock and metal.

"Ma'am, forward motion stopped, we're moving with the Asteroid now," called out the helmsman.

"Launch officer, get Ray and the others out. I don't care if you have to walk them out the ramp, just do it."

"Aye Ma'am, launching."

"One of the GuAIZ R units from the Titan was just destroyed Ma'am. Ensign Jose's unit, but they have three confirmed kills from Bogey 1."

Although Heinrich was not a naval officer, he did find this rather exciting, like watching battle footage replayed. It was more...frantic than what he would have preferred, used to his Korpsman remaining utterly calm and orderly even under the most intense of duress. By comparison, the excitable voices of the command crew on the Minerva was both distracting and in his opinion, annoying.

As things stood now though, with over half of the air arm of Bogey 1 destroyed and their three GUNDAM units too far away to provide support, once the remaining suits aboard the Minerva were thrown into the fray it would result in victory. Perhaps it would also mean the destruction of the Minerva, but victory would still be theirs. The energy of their elite units would be depleted by the time and if they managed to destroy the units arrayed against them from the Minerva. It was simple attrition warfare. They had more to send of similar quality and so they would win. Not to mention that Bogey 1 had used up a huge amount of its expendable armaments against the Titan, trying to destroy it as quickly as possible. It was very likely that they were out of missiles now, having shot nearly 140 missiles in this engagement. With only short range CIWS to defend itself against attack, it would be at the mercy of standoff attacks from beam weaponry.

Without its air arm to defend itself Bogey 1 would fall victim to the mobile units from ZAFT and be destroyed. After that, it would be a simple matter to retrieve the drained GUNDAM units from the void. Perhaps the relief ships would have to be the ones to do it, but it mattered very little.

"Ma'am, ray and the GuAIZ R suits are out and approaching Bogey 1," said Meyrin.

Whether the Minverva survived this engagement or not would be interesting to see.

xxx

"I love leave passes, and the sun," murmured Selena contentedly, laying on a towel atop a tan sandy beach. Coney Island Beach to be exact, soaking in the sun and nice weather. A bikini swimsuit leaving little to the imagination and mostly present for decency sake only.

It was a Saturday, so there were a lot of families out today too, enjoying the amusement park or the beach itself. Though they were farther down and away from the Cadian girls, the laughter of children and chorus of voices interlapped with rolling waves as it reached them. Not a private beach by any means, but supreme luxury for a Guard salary.

"I burn too easy in the sun," intoned the readheaded gunner Rachael, cowering from the suns rays underneath a large parasol, clothed in shorts and a sleeveless striped shirt. She was practically dousing herself in sunscreen to protect her fair skin from the malevolent sun. Unlike her amazonian blonde commander, she didn't bronze when put into the sun, she burned bright red like her hair. She supposed it was because she and her family had hailed from the polar regions of Cadia for countless generations while her Sergeant hailed from the Equator. Not that either of them had seen Cadia in over a decade. Well, a decade for them. Warp travel was strange like that. Disturbed how one might measure time.

Rachael and Lisa had been friends ever since they were in the Whiteshields together, later being inducted into the Cadian armored regiments. That had been over 12 years ago that they had met and though of similar age, were of a great different personality. That being said, they were the closest of friends, despite how they bickered with each other constantly. Rachael knew that she would die to save Selena, and Selena wouldn't hesitate to do the same for her. Or anyone under her command. That was one of the reasons that she had made commander, she cared for each and every soul under her watch. Between the two of them though, it was special. It was a friendship that was more of a sisterhood, family, in all but blood.

"Always complaining Rachael, live a little huh? Put on that top I picked out for you and go for a swim. Those guys by the volleyball net are looking at you."

"I'm pretty sure that they're looking at you Sergeant."

"Oh don't sell yourself short Corporal," said Selena, stressing the word. "I mean come on Corporal, if you would just get your Corporal self and flaunt a little of those Corporal goods, you could pick any one of them that you wanted Corporal."

"Are you done now?"

"I think so Corporal."

"Selena."

"Oh hey Rachael! When did you get here?"

"Ha...ha," droned the redhead.

"I'm serious though. I've seen you looking at that guy over there. The one with the tribal tattoo on his left arm. See him? Next to the lifeguard, by the weights?"

"It's on his right arm," corrected Rachael without thinking about it first.

"See what I mean? Go say hi, have some fun. Maybe even take him back home with you huh?"

"W-well, I, um," sputtered the normally stoic gunner. While unflappably calm and reserved while in combat, she was quite timid and shy when it came to anything involving new people. Or anything social for that matter. If it wasn't for Selena, she would most likely be in her bunk back at the embassy reading, drinking iced tea, and avoiding people as much as possible.

"Come on, it'll be fun. Go for it."

"No, I'm okay, really. I just want to sit."

"I know you do, but I want to hook you up. Come along now."

"But I really don't need to!" protested Rachael as Selena all but dragged her to her feet. As a final thought to not look completely foolish in front of the guys, Rachael tore off her wide brimmed and floppy hat, throwing it to the ground under the parasol.

The warm sand pressed between her toes as she walked, salt spray from the ocean tickling her nose. Even though she had been in countless fights and taken fire, even bailed out of burning tanks, sometime on fire, Rachael felt a sick flutter of apprehension in her stomach at going to talk to some of the hottest men she had ever seen. Men, who growing up as a late blooming teen plagued with acne, she had never had a hope of talking to, or ever attracting. Add to that her lack of social skills had her head was darting around like a rabbits looking for escape.

Selena however, had never had a problem like that. Tall, athletic, incredibly good looking, and a social butterfly, she had always been the center of attention. Captaining scrumball teams, swimming teams, and track and field teams. Always a star while Rachael had been content to merely follow along with her. Though to be fair, she really didn't want to do this.

"Hey boys, how's it going?" asked Selena with a confidence that couldn't be faked and a swagger that couldn't be imitated.

"Not too bad, yourself?" answered the man that Rachael had been watching, grinning a little foolishly at the long legged blonde.

"I'm doing fantastic, but my friend here has been wanting to do some weight lifting, but doesn't know where to start. Do you think that you could help her out?"

"Hi," said Rachael a little meekly from behind Selena, feeling rather plain and boring compared next to her friend.

"Sure thing, what did you want to work at?"

"Uhm, the bench press," said Rachael, pointing to the first that she saw without really thinking.

"Okay, just step right over here and we'll get you started. So where are you girls from?" asked the man, talking to Selena even as he helped Rachael set the bar, only putting about 20 kilos of weight on it.

"Cadia, but Rachael can tell you a lot more than I can."

"Where's Cadia?" asked the man again to Selena, but instead of answering the tall blonde nudged her friends foot to get her to respond.

"Oh, it's by the Eye," blurted out Rachael.

"The Eye? Where's that?"

"The Eye of Terror, by the Cadian Gate. Well, it's called the Cadian Gate, because of Cadia. That's the planet, by the Eye," rambled Rachael.

"Wait, where are you from?"

"Well, we're with the Imperium. We came on the big ships a few months ago," said Rachael rather lamely.

"So you're actually from space? Another planet?"

"Yeah. Cadia is in Segmentum Obscurus. We're actually embassy guards here as a delegation from the 13th Cadian Tank Hunter Regiment," continued Rachael, talking more normally as the topic switched to one that she was familiar with.

"Alright lift. Good. A few more times. Good. Do you want to add more weight?"

"Sure, this is fairly light."

The man added more weight and Rachael and him kept talking. Mostly about Cadia, the Kasr cities, and really about the Imperium in general. Occasionally adding more weight, while Selena chatted with a few others from the outdoor gym, glancing over and smiling at how well her friend was doing. Rachael just had to get pushed out of her comfort zone once in a while to have some fun, though she loathed it initially, she usually ended up having fun because of it.

"Are...are you sure that you want to add more weight? This is getting pretty heavy," said the man, a note of concern and disbelief getting into his voice.

"I'm fine."

"Okay. Remember, don't push yourself. If it gets too heavy, let me know alright?"

"Okay, I will," said Rachael somewhat awkwardly. It wasn't that heavy. Although she only weighed 54kgs, she was still Guard and she could pull her own weight.

"Alright. Lift. Hold. Down. Doing good?"

"Yup."

"You may be small, but damn are you mighty," said the man above her, shaking his tanned and dreamy face above her as he chuckled. "Do you know how much you're lifting right now?"

"About 35kgs?"

"Not even close. You're benching over a hundred and fifty kilos."

"W-what?" said Rachael shocked. "Are you joking?"

"Not even, take a look."

Rachael sat up and sure enough, the weights totaled over a hundred and fifty kilograms. How was this possible? She could bench sixty absolute max. This was, weird. Come to think of it though, ever since coming to this system everything had seemed lighter, even though they had been assured that gravity was a flat 1.0G on Earth.

"Want to see how much you max out at?"

"Uh, yeah. Yes, let's do it."

Before Rachael knew it, she had her own mini crowd around her, watching her bench press weight far above what should have been possible for her size and strength.

"Push, come on, you can do it! Just a little farther!"

The man was almost beside himself as Rachael strained every muscle in her body, her arms feeling like they could give out at any moment. The tendons in her neck bulging like rigging ropes as she grunted, trying to push up. The bar sagging under the sheer amount of weight at either end of it. All 240kg of it.

With a final titanic push and grunt, Rachael managed to set the bar back up on its rack above her head, sighing in sweet relief as she let her muscles rest, panting from the exertion. Exuberant cheers erupted around her and she smiled rather dumbly as people she didn't know congratulated her and patted her on the back. She thanked them and in time the crowd thinned to more or less the ones who had been there originally.

"That was really impressive, I mean damn!" said the man, practically grinning ear to ear. "How did you do that?"

"I pushed up," answered Rachael simply. She was surprised when the man actually laughed and smiled at her, making her stomach flutter a little.

"We're having a party on Friday if you're interested, here's my number if you want to come. I've gotta get going, but I hope to see you then."

"Uh, uh, thanks, I'll be there for sure!" said Rachael, clutching the number like it was a tithe voucher.

"That's my little seductress!" congratulated Selena, slapping her on the back once they were alone. "So how did you lift that much anyways?"

"I...I don't know. It was just...light."

"Really? Looks pretty heavy to me. Let me have a go, just spot me."

"Okay, go," said Rachael, holding out her hands as her friend lifted the overburdened bar, up and down with seemingly little difficulty, maintaining proper form, before setting it back down.

"Well what the Throne is that? Rachael, pick me up."

"What?"

"Pick me up," repeated the blonde, holding her arms out to the side. "See if they're weights are weird."

"Okay," said Rachael, picking up her friend at the waist who felt like she weighed little more than 16 kilos, before putting her over her head.

"Woah! Okay, you can put me down now astartes," said the blonde with a nervous chuckle. "Alright, now I'll try you."

Using one hand, Selena went and picked up the smaller woman and held her above her head like she was a trophy. Her friend sitting on her hand.

"How's the weather up there?"

"I want down now please."

"Alright," said Selena letting her friend down. "So, this is really strange right?"

"Yup."

"Weird that we didn't notice it before though."

"Maybe it was gradual?" offered Rachael.

"Maybe. Should we tell the commissar? Right, getting shot in unhealthy," said Selena, just looking at the face of her friend that was saying it was a terrible idea.

"I vote that we don't tell anyone Ser-lena."

"You were going to say ser~geant," sing songed Selena.

"I was not."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Very."

"Oh my sweet lying Rachael, we need to baptize you to cleanse you of the nasty sin of lying."

Rachael was already running the other way before Selena had finished. However, her Amazonian friend could run much faster than she could and had soon overtaking the smaller woman and scooped her up. Then began running towards the lapping waves cresting the beach, kicking up sand as she went and laughing like a maniac.

Their driver Lisa was just coming up out of the water from her swim, blinking what was in her eyes away as the rest of the Two for Flinching collided into her, sending them all sprawling into the surf in a tangle of limbs and a mixture of laughing and cursing.

AN: Well that's another chapter out of the way, and you didn't even have to wait three years for it huh? (Hides in an undisclosed location) I added a few more units to the Minerva and a supporting ship since I found that launching a ship at half strength without even trying to give it more Mobilesuits was a little ridiculous and the fact that it was alone. Also to let the extendeds get a few more kills since that they're supposed to be superhuman killing machines.