Carpentaria was a welcome sight when it came over the horizon, the impromptu ZAFT fleet breathing a collective sigh of relief at the sight of it. None more so than the Minerva, with its engines so damaged it could hardly manage ten knots in the water. Its offensive armament now consisting of a highly sensitive positron cannon, and Shinn in the Impulse. A trio of ZAFT warships having to act as its tenders, thick tow lines snaking away from the Minerva as the rest of the fleet dragged it alone with them.

They had been shadowed by the Equatorial Union fleet they had engaged shortly after leaving Orb territorial waters. That fleet having received reinforcements, but not itself strong enough to engage at maximum range with spearheads launching anti-ship missiles and then fleeing at maximum burn. Such attacks were easily intercepted as too large a formation saw Dinn's and BABI's scrambled to intercept, and ones small enough to avoid detection, skimming across the surface of the ocean didn't carry the overwhelming number necessary to breach the defensive screen of the fleet. Now that they were in sight of Carpentaria though? The Earth Forces had broken off pursuit for easier prey.

"Lean forwards into the stance," instructed Heinrich. "Use it to control the pistol as much as to get yourself into a combative state of mind. Think of it like a boxing stance, by adopting it, you will subconsciously understand that you are under threat. Like so," said Heinrich, in an instant pointed to the targets to their front, entire body language changing and giving Lunamaria the distinct impression that he wasn't going to so much as shoot at the target as rush up to it and rip it to pieces. Heinrich firing off a rapid pair of shots, before returning to a Sul position, pistol held against his chest.

"Alright," said Lunamaria, leaning forwards more into her stance and firing off a pair of shots into the target. "Like that?"

"Better, but you need more aggression. Just like in mobilesuit combat, fractions of a second matter. Now again!" barked Heinrich, voice taking on a more commanding tone. "Fire!"

A pair of shots rang out.

"Again!"

Another pair of shots rang out.

"He is coming to kill you! Kill him first! Shoot him!"

A single shot rang out, but in a movement that was becoming almost second nature, Lunamaria hit the mag release, allowing the empty magazine to fall to the ground and slapped a new one in its place. Pistol up again in an instant and emptying the new magazine in rapid succession, all shots hitting within the 8 or 9 score ring of the target. Lunamaria adopting the same neutral Sul position that Heinrich had, looking for a new threat. A heat shimmer in the air in front of her pistol's muzzle.

"How was that for aggression?" asked Lunamaria grinning.

"Much better," praised Heinrich. "Keep practising and you'll find that such reactions will become second nature."

"I just can't wait to show up Shinn when we all do target practice. Rey is pretty good, so I don't know if it's a sure thing, but I might be able to beat him."

"The training will serve you better when you need to rely on your sidearm to protect your life," admonished Heinrich.

"Well, I'm a pilot. If I ever actually get in a situation where I need to use this, I don't think it's going to help me all that much," said Lunamaria. "I mean, if the beam cannon my ZAKU carries isn't enough, I don't think a 9mm pistol is going to do a whole lot better," added the pilot, making sure her pistol was clear and returning it to the holster on her hip.

"Think of your sidearm as a tool. You may not always have need of it, you may never have need of it; but if the situation does arise where you do need it, you will not regret having it."

"I'm a pilot," repeated Lunamaria laconically. "But, I suppose I could start calling you one too eh? You even have a mobilesuit kill to your name."

"I am afraid you are still mistaken."

"Am I?" asked Lunamaria coyly. "You've been holding that pistol pretty steady, but are you sure that this isn't sore? Not even a little bit? The teeniest tiniest bit sore from say, I don't know; a dagger mobilesuit turning your GuAIZ R into a pin cushion?" continued Lunamaria prodding Heinrich lightly in the arm, watching his face for any change in expression. Disappointment spreading on hers when Heinrich gave no reaction.

"Maybe you simply cannot reach high enough?" offered Heinrich.

"Hey! Was that a short joke?"

"No, I pride myself on being above such low brow antics."

"Now you are teasing me."

"I would not sink so low."

"And to think I spend my time with a man who makes fun of me so much? I was going to ask a certain someone if they wanted to go into the city with me when we get to Carpentaria, but if my height is such a point of contention," said Lunamaria, feigning offence, and turning her nose up into the air.

"I can assure you, that your height is not a point of contention," said Heinrich quickly.

"Well then Heicko, would you like to spend a day with me in Carpentaria when we're allowed?" asked Lunamaria, almost subconsciously brushing her hair away from her face in a casual flick. Eyes darting away from the Imperial, then back again, a slight tilt to her head.

"I would be honoured to be your escort, Luna."

"Great! I'll have to check and see if I'm assigned any duties first, but I doubt it. Shinn's got the only working mobilesuit on the Minerva, and when we're in Carpentaria their garrison wing provides security for everyone anyways."

"I will make preparations for our departure then and," began Heinrich, falling silent as the door to the range opened up and a pair of his skull-faced grenadiers entered, but not the two who were standing guard outside, they were still at their post. These were the ones who stayed with his Regimental Watchmaster to see to his needs.

"Sir, a situation has arisen that requires your attention," was all the grenadier said.

Like a switch had been flipped, Heinrich's face lost its warmth and turned to stone, unbuckling the holster he had been using and setting it on the range bench.

"Lieutenant, we will convene at a later point in time. Sergeant 0384, see to the cleaning and return of my borrowed wargear."

"Sir," said Heinrich's aide, clicking his heels together and entering the range to collect the pistol.

Heinrich left the range without saying another word, or looking at Lunamaria, flanked by his skull faced warriors.

Xxx

Opening the message was not a simple process, not with the encryption that was used to seal it. Vermilion. One of the highest. The decoder ring he had been given upon his promotion key to its decryption. Upon the final code being entered, the jumbled mass of unintelligible code became readable on the pict screen. The top of the screen read 'EYES ONLY.'

'Threat of corruption detected among Adeptus Telepathica members and Imperial Navy Navigators. Quarantine and purity tests being implemented until safe determination can be made. Exposure to senior naval and guard commanders to be investigated under the purview of Cardinal Hassan. Crusade Force to continue to remain in system until further notice to bring inhabitants under the light of the Imperium. Forceful assimilation may prove necessary. The Emperor Protects.'

Heinrich reread the curt message over and over again, to insure that he understood it properly. It didn't make sense to him, that the threat of corruption would spawn now, when they had been neglected warp travel so much as that was when navigators or Adeptus Telepathica were more likely to fall. Still, the warp was not something he fully understood, nor wanted to, for that path lay damnation. Best not to think too hard into the matter, or pry too deeply.

The investigation into the Guard and Navy commanders was new though. Senior level commanders were often, in not always accompanied by their own psykers, commissars, and a coterie of aides and specialists to make sure that such a thing did not happen. The halting of the entire crusade however, was shocking in of itself. They had delayed here longer than they should have, but it was not unheard of to delay a crusade by a year or two upon discovering a new world to bring under the umbrella of the Imperium. Then to top it all off, putting the entirety of the crusade under the scrutiny of a single man? Even a cardinal, it was not done. The Lord Militant and the Lord Admiral held sway on a crusade, not the ecclesiarchy. Despite their influence upon the faithful, they did not have the authority to order the military of the Imperium around. Been barred from doing so since the days of Vandire. They were given more power to be sure during a holy crusade to be sure, but not command.

Heinrich was about to purge the message, when he noticed a small imperfection on the screen. Like a smudge, or else a faulty part of the pict screen. Yet, when he scrolled the screen, it disappeared. It was a part of the missive itself. That could only mean one thing.

Using his decoder ring again, he entered in more codes, every access he could think of that he had been granted, but nothing new appeared. He was about ready to give up, when he thought of one more thing to try. He put in his old security codes, having to dig through his personal belongings to find his old decoder ring. Putting in the regimental codes, now most likely out of date and invalid. The pict screen seemed to pause, before showing a screen with new text.

'General. You are to remain aboard the Minerva. If necessary you are authorized to relocate to a safer refuge. Do not return to the fleet, and do not contact the Ecclesiarchy, you are being targeted. The Emperor protects.'

Heinrich sat starting at the short, terse message, reading and rereading it. So, his life was in danger like he had thought. The only question being, was this a legitimate warning, or a cleverly disguised ruse? If he were to leave the Minerva, he would be violating direct orders that had witnesses on the directive of an unofficial message hidden under outdated codes. This in itself brought into question the validity and trustworthiness of the entirety of the message. How much could it have been tampered with, if at all? He had to know, but from sources he could trust.

He drummed his fingers briefly on his desk, before making a decision. Allowing the cogitator to destroy any trace of the message, he made one of his own, and sent it out. He didn't have to wait long for a reply, as reports flooded in from his agents and spies spread throughout the crusade fleet.

The official report on the secure message he had received was true, or at least the rumours going around the Imperial Fleet supported as such. Other reports were more troubling. Accusations of corruption, heresy, and sedition against Imperial Authority. The beginnings of a witch hunt among the Imperial Command of the crusade force. It seemed that those of regimental rank and lower were being spared any scrutiny, but any higher were subject to harsh investigations.

There were dozens of dossiers sent to him, giving him reports on anything and everything that could prove useful to him, or of interest. He would have to read through them in length later. One was labelled copycat though, and it caught his eye. He read it, and found it interesting to say the least. The fate of those involved was not of direct concern to him, or the Imperium at large, but perhaps thwarting it would strengthen the Imperial position at a later date? The potential for blackmail almost made it worth it in of itself. Why not? Heinrich sent a single word reply, before closing down and locking the cogitator.

'Intervene.'

He found Lunamaria at the message board, looking to see if she had any duties to attend to, but it seemed that she wasn't really looking at the board. Distracted by her own thoughts, clearly uneasy.

"Hello, sir," said Lunamaria, saluting, but there was a hesitance to her voice. An unease hanging heavy over her and she studied Heinrich carefully, perhaps warily. He understood why.

"Lieutenant," said Heinrich returning the salute, then surveying the message board with her.

"The message dealt with internal Imperial matters, not of any new threat to the PLANTs or ZAFT. They are as safe as they can be while you are at war."

While not breaching operational security, he still should not have let her even get an inkling as to what it had been about. The sigh of relief she gave at the news however, was palpable.

"Sorry, it's just that last time," said Lunamaria trailing off.

"You've learned that unease through experience, it would have been naive to have not been concerned," said Heinrich.

"Yeah. Hey, Heiko?"

"Yes?"

"If something is going to happen again, I mean, if my family, or the PLANTs are going to be hit with nukes again or something, would you let me know? Would you warn me?"

"I can not disobey my orders or violate operational security," said Heinrich. "But I will do what I can. That is all I can promise. I...could send a suggestion to my superiors that limiting collateral damage to civilian populations would be in our best interests. That could allow me more leeway."

Heinrich immediately chastised himself for promising such a thing, for committing to aid a military and people not under the control of the Imperium. A people they may have to use force to bring into the Imperial fold. For promising it to make one woman happy. True, he believed the conflict between the coordinators and naturals to be a foolish internecine debacle, but if his orders said to let them kill each other, then that was what he had to do. Now he had just committed himself to making his position known which could quickly run counter to Imperial policy. What did he get for his trouble? A smile. A beautiful smile.

"Thanks. I know that I'm asking a lot, but...you know what? Let's forget about it for now. There's nothing scheduled for me and my leave pass is approved. I'll get ready and we can head out. Do you have any clothes that aren't a uniform?"

"No."

"Oh, well we'll have to pick you up a set today then."

"Very well, but I still have a few things that need tended to first. I will catch up to you later."

xxx

"And the girls are all back together again!" proclaimed Selena happily, putting her arms around the crew of the Two for Flinching. "Tell me that you missed me, huh?"

"Every moment we were separated was an aching eternity," said Rachael in a dry monotone.

"I missed you too, my little bucket of sunshine. Lisa, you cut out all the sex and drugs right? I'm not going to find out that you made Javier swallow a bunch of little baggies of obscura to get it through security am I?"

"Who's Javier?" asked Lisa.

"Yes Lisa, who is Javier? Hmm?" asked Selena, looming over the smaller woman, eyeing her severely. "I'm just fucking with you, get over here my little choir girl. Rachael, you can come too," said Selena, dragging all three of them into a hug.

"So, wartime flights fucking suck, eh?" said Selena, looking over the Carpentaria airport where all their flights had been forced to divert to, their mini titans standing guard on the runway. Turns out ZAFT didn't like civilian flights from hostile nations going through their airspace, and the Guard being the Guard had bought the cheapest tickets they could find. Which, invariably had made their flight paths cross ZAFT military airspace. Or rather what ZAFT has expanded to include in their airspace.

Thankfully, their status as Imperial Guardswomen made them avoid the detention that the rest of the passengers were subject to. They'd been cooped up in the airport for the last couple of days, being able to get in contact with absolutely no one as was tradition in the Guard, and so far as anyone was aware, they'd dropped off the face of the world. They'd changed into civvie clothes, since wearing their dress uniforms for days on end would make them start to smell pretty ripe pretty quick. It made them have to present their Guard ID regularly, but it was better than looking like a bag of shit in a uniform they'd been wearing for a week straight.

"Who wants to go for a walk? You both do? Great! Let's get going," said Selena, dragging her compatriots with her to the doors to the airport.

"I don't recall saying anything," said Rachael.

"Of course you did Rachael," said Selena. "You said, and I'm quoting you here: 'I want to go for a walk really bad, because I'm tired of laying on my rats nest of earthly possessions in the corner all day and reading."

"I don't remember saying that, and I like my corner," huffed Rachael.

"Well Lisa heard you say it, didn't you Lisa?"

"Well..."

"Lisa, I literally hold the power of life and death over you."

"She said it," said the brunette quickly.

"You failed the test Lisa. That was a lie. You're a little liar Lisa. I'm going to have to tell the commissar on you."

"Wha-but I," sputtered the brunette.

"You can tell her to frak off, Lisa," said Rachael.

"You going to do that private? You going to tell your sergeant to go frak herself?" demanded Selena, whiplash of command in her voice.

"N-no Sergeant," said Lisa to the menacing gaze of her sergeant, which gaze way to a smile.

"You passed the test Lisa. You stayed true to the code of conduct and discipline of the guard, I'm proud of you. Now you just-not the ear! Rachael! Fuck! Seriously!"

"I think you spent too much time by yourself Selena," said Rachael, holding the blonde woman by the ear. "Going a little stir crazy, eh?"

"I have had to be professional Sergeant Selena Williams for the past week Rachael, and I'm about ready to pop. I am ready to go and get liquored up. Or caffed up so our little friend here can join," said Selena, ruffling the hair of their newest and youngest crew member, before letting go of them both and rubbing at her ear.

"We taking a cab?" asked Rachael, to which Selena laughed.

"We're Guard Rachael, we don't have money."

"So then how were you going to pay to get drunk?"

"Always have money to get drunk Rachael, first thing they teach you in boot camp. Secondly, I was going to sell Lisa here into slavery."

"That's not funny," said Lisa.

"I know. They hardly offered me anything, honestly I was a little offended. On a more serious note, if you girls are into it, and don't mind some overly desperate people wanting kids, Coordinators are offering a mint for eggs."

"Ha. Ha," said Rachael dryly.

"No, that part is actually true," said Selena, taking a business card and giving it to Rachael as they headed further into the city.

"Wait. What?" said Rachael, surprise actually entering her voice.

"Yeah. They're loaded, but kinda weird. Really Weird actually, but nice."

"Cathy will probably do it if there's money involved, but she's kind of a cunt," said Rachael studying the card.

"That's what I said!" laughed Selena. "Oh, that place looks busy, must be good," said Selena dragging her crew members into the cafe.

"Looks pretty full," said Lisa.

"Nah, there's room at that table," said Selena pointing.

"There's people there," added Rachael.

"One person is not 'people' Rachael. And you said that I didn't finish school. Jeez."

"I must proclaim my salutation at your astute tack in elucidating me on my gaffe, the contrition I feel is boundless," said Rachael, smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Rachael. Why do you always have to make me look dumb?"

"It's not hard."

"Ah, you bitch," said Selena, smiling as she said it. "Let's go make a new friend girls," added the Cadian, dragging her two crew members with her.

"Hi there, is it alright if we sit with you?" asked Selena, switching to the language that they had been taught before coming planet side, as it was the most widely spoken.

"Hm? Oh of-hey! You're Selena!" said the short woman who appeared to be about twenty or so, wearing a black shirt with a graphic that Selena couldn't make out at the bottom that exposed her midriff and salmon pants with a wide white belt.

"Uh...yeah. I guess you saw that thing in the Atlantic Federation, huh?" said Selena, wondering if that would cause problems here in the center of a coordinator military town.

"I think everyone did. I know the guys won't shut up about it. Standing up for coordinators in the middle of a mob like that was really brave. Especially with how things are now."

"Wait...you...saw that?" said Selena, wondering how this girl knew about that. It happened halfway across the globe.

"I think everyone who's from the PLANTs has seen it. Here, there's a video," said the girl, pulling out a rectangular pict viewer from her back pocket and playing the video for them.

"Oh throne," said Selena numbly.

"Nice hook," said Rachael in low gothic watching the video.

"Oh throne," said Selena again, worry in her voice.

"Roger is going to be pissed with you," said Rachael chuckling.

"S-so, um, how many people have seen this?" asked Selena.

"This one? Not that many compared to the others. Only about eight million on this one, but this is one of the newer ones. I think the most popular one has something like a hundred million?"

"Oh. Just a hundred million huh?" said Selena numbly.

"I guess you're popular now private Selena Williams," barbed Rachael.

"I'm sorry, what's she saying?" asked the short woman.

"Oh, you know. Just making fun of the end of my military career," said Selena, still managing a smile.

"Oh, I don't think it'll be that bad," said the woman.

"You don't know the Guard," said Selena.

"Well you already seem a lot different than the ones I've met," said the woman. "Take a seat if you like, I'm just waiting for someone, it'll be nice to have some company."

"So who are you waiting for?" asked Selena when they all had their drinks.

"My boyfriend I guess."

"Guess?" queried Rachael.

"Yeah, we just started going out, so it's kind of like a first date thing. Honestly I didn't see me and him being anything when I first met him, but he kinda grew on me and; I don't know, I guess that's just how things go. Figured I'd give things a try. I mean, he's not hard on the eyes."

"See Lisa, she got a boyfriend. Keep sucking like that though and you won't have any problem getting one either," said Selena, making the brunette Cadian choke on her iced coffee that she had been greedily gulping down through a straw.

"No, you gotta work past the gag reflex Lisa," admonished Selena, chuckling at the blush that spread across the Cadian's face, earning a swat from Rachael.

"Here, have a napkin," said the short woman, giving a handful to Lisa, who gratefully accepted them.

"Do you guys all have those tattoos?" asked the short girl, pointing the Aquilla that was visible under the edge of Rachael's short sleeved shirt.

"Every member of the Guard has one," said Rachael, rolling up her sleeve to reveal her Aquilla in full, Lisa doing the same. Selena merely adopting an embarrassed grin.

"So funny story. I'm a dumb farm girl right? Well, I go and join up with the white shields and I'm talking to people on where to get it, because I was thinking shoulder, but this older dude with a chest full of medals was like, 'oh no, your flak vest will chafe it and make it get infected.' So, me being dumb little naive 14 year old farm girl is like, 'oh shit, that makes a lot of sense. Where should I get it?' So, he leaned in close and let me in on the very best place to get it. Know where I got it?" asked Selena leaning in towards the short woman who shook her head.

Without saying another word, Selena stood up, turned around, pulled her white t-shirt out of her jeans and revealed her Aquilla.

"He had me get a throne damned Aquilla tramp stamp!" cursed Selena, and the table burst out laughing.

"Hey, if you guys aren't busy later would you mind meeting a couple of guys from the ship? I know that Vino and Yolan would lose their minds if they got to meet you."

"We've got time, sure. What ship you from?"

"Are you," corrected Rachael and Selena rolled her eyes at her in response.

"The Minerva. Oh, I never introduced myself, I'm Lunamaria Hawke, it's nice to meet you all," said Lunamaria shaking Selena's hand.

"You too. This little bundle of purity here is Lisa, and this bundle of sunshine here is, fun is illegal and sinful," said Selena, pulling Rachael into a hug.

"Rachael," said the redhead, extending her hand from the tangle of limbs and Lunamaria shook it.

"So, your boyfriend going to come tagging alone when we go visit the boys, or what?"

"Oh, it'll definitely have to be later if that's okay. I think he's really looking forward to this. It's kind of funny, I'm pretty sure he wanted this, but wasn't going to make the first move. I mean, he kept giving signs thinking he was was keeping it under wraps, which was kinda cute, so I just helped things along."

"That's my girl, large and in charge," said Selena, fist bumping the smaller woman. "So who is this guy anyways?"

"Oh, he's guard like you, but a bit different. Different planet I guess? You guys all come from different planets right?"

"Mostly, me and Lisa here are from Cadia, while Rachael here was hatched from an egg. That's why she lacks emotion and fun, she's part reptile-and she has my ear!" said Selena, voice raising an octave.

"So, first of all, ow," said Selena rubbing at her earlobe. "Second of all, where's this boy from? Need us to rough him up a bit for ya to keep him in line?" asked Selena, winking at the magenta haired girl.

"No offence, but I don't think you could," said Lunamaria. "He's pretty tough."

"I'm pretty tough myself and Cadia is a fortress world. What?" asked Selena, noticing the look on Lunamaria's face.

"It's just, well, I don't think that you'd win. You might even be under his command."

"He's a Cadian? Well, come on then, who is this guy?"

"Oh, here he comes now," said Lunamaria waving to someone over Selena's shoulder. "I was hoping he'd get some other clothes before coming out though," lamented the magenta-haired girl.

Selena looked at who the mystery man was when heavy boots came to a rest by their table, choking on her coffee as she finally got a good look at the man.

An Imperial Guard General. A general. Not a trooper, not a regimental officer, not ever something like a brigadier general. A full fledged, full rank, army commander, general of the Imperial Guard. Uniform a greyish black, skull lapel pins on his collar, and ribbons for medals that you basically had to die to get adorning his breast in neat lines across carapace armour. His uniform was utterly immaculate, knee length boots polished to a mirror shine, wearing a greatcoat without a thread out of place made his already large frame seem larger. His offhand resting on the pommel of a power sword. Blade sharp and intelligent grey eyes set below the shiny brim of his officers cap. Features so sharp it was like they were cut from stone and giving away just as little. His eyes cutting through her like las beams.

The patch on his greatcoat was for the third army. The third army was chock full of and exclusively the Krieg Death Worlders. Crazy, psychotic, fanatical soldiers who actually wanted to die on the battlefield to expunge their sins from their being. Who believed that by continuing to live, that by merely existing they were transgressing against the Emperor of mankind and only their blood could buy his clemency.

"Cadians," he said. His voice clipped and curt, carrying an aristocratic tenor, spoken only loud enough to be heard if you were utterly silent and hung on his every word. "What are you doing here? Which regiment are you from?"

"Sgt. Selena Williams Sir," said Selena, stomach tying itself in knots, feeling like she was going to throw up as she did her best to sit at attention. Lisa and Rachael doing the same, looking straight ahead, faces pale. On a good day you didn't want to get involved with high command, and it most definitely was not a good day when you were dealing with a Krieg General.

"13th Cadian Tank Hunter Regiment Sir. Our flights were diverted by ZAFT forces since they originated in countries they are engaged in hostilities with sir."

"They didn't send Imperial transport craft for you?"

"No sir."

"And you attempted to get a hold of your chain of command to rectify this?"

"Yes sir. No luck sir, logistics says they're too busy sir."

"Give me your voxponder and contact code Sgt."

"Yes sir," said Selena, fumbling with the device, feeling the eyes of the Krieger boring into her as she made him wait. Black gloved hand taking the small phone-like voxponder from her. The General putting in the contact number and holding it up to his ear.

"Who am I speaking to? I am aware of where I called Guardsman," said the General, an edge to his voice that made the hair on the back of Selena's neck stand on end.

"Identification code Delta, Delta, Sigma, Thule, 3, 3, 9, 4, 8, 5, Alpha, 2, 7."

There was a pregnant pause as they waited to hear the rest of the one sided conversation.

"Just three of you Sergeant? No others?"

"Just three sir," said Selena quickly.

"Transport for three Guardswomen of the 13th Cadian Tank Hunter Regiment tomorrow by 0900 at Carpentaria Airport, no later. Identification code. Your identification code trooper. 1-1-9-3-0-2-4-1-2-Erebus-4-6-Gamma. Understand that if craft is not equipped for troop carry, late, or absent, I will hold you and your immediate superior personally responsible for refusal to carry out orders. Dismissed," said the General, ending the transmission, his masked aide, having dutifully copied down the identification code.

"You understand when and where your transport will be Sergeant?"

"Yes sir."

"You understand that failure to make that timing will be considered that you and your fellow guardswomen have gone AWOL, an act fully punishable by the commissariat?"

"Yes sir," Said Selena, voice thick and tongue feeling swollen, praying not to misspeak.

"Heiko, ease it up a little will you? They didn't do anything wrong and you're treating them like criminals," said the magenta haired girl, a frown creasing her features, making all three Cadians look to her in disbelief. More disbelievingly, was the General looking chastised, or at least contrite. The stony look on his face cracking and falling away.

"Sergeant, I've been known to have a very curt and direct way of speaking, a byproduct of my homeworld. I hope I have not made you feel that you or your comrades were under scrutiny. Or the object of my disdain. I was merely upset with the inefficiency of your travel orders and seemingly laissez faire attitude to your predicament. If I have, I would like to offer you my most sincere apology."

"It's...fine, sir," said Selena, not sure what else to say. Afraid to say anything else.

"Then I'm glad your travel issues have been resolved."

"Oh, Heiko, I got you a cappuccino," said Lunamaria, offering the second drink she had been hanging onto.

"I beg your pardon?"

"A cappuccino. It's good, try it."

"Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated Luna. I must say, you look truly stunning. I regret being unable to dress as informally," said the so named Heiko, voice losing its clipped, curt edge and now almost seeming like the young man he was. Selena realizing with a start that he was at most three or four years older than her. Not just looking that way with juvenant treatments either, legitimately young.

"Are your new friends going to be accompanying us?" asked the General, now speaking almost entirely differently, Selena would have said affectionately to the magenta haired girl.

"Oh, no, I was just wondering if they would go and see Vino and Yolan with me later, they've been obsessed with Selena since they saw that video of her in the airport," said Lunamaria.

"Oh, a video?" said the Krieg General, looking directly at Selena. His damned eyes cut as deep as steel.

'Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,' kept repeating Selena in her mind, silently cursing Lunamaria for mentioning it.

"We could go now," offered Rachael quickly. "We wouldn't want to interrupt you guys after all."

"You sure you want to go right now?" asked Lunamaria. "I mean, you don't even know what they look like, and we could all go later. Oh, wait, Klaus knows," said Lunamaria, looking at the Krieg Sergeant standing at parade rest. "You sure it's not asking too much of you though? I don't want to make you guys feel like you have to go or anything."

"We'd be more than happy to go," said Selena truthfully.

"They are at the rec center, if I remember correctly. Here, I do believe there is a cover charge," said the General, only half paying attention as he peeled off several bills of local currency from a wad in his pocket, intent on paying full attention to Lunamaria.

"Sergeant 0384, chauffeur Sergeant Selena and her cohorts around for the day. See to their needs and point out technicians Yolan and Vino to them."

"Sir," said the Krieg Sergeant, clicking his heels together, Selena and the rest of her crew quickly standing and making polite farewells. Noticing that the General took her spot directly across from the Hawke girl as soon as they had vacated it.

"What just happened?" asked Lisa when they were in the back of a luxury rental car, their Krieg Chauffeur driving them to their next destination.

"He gave us a thousand dollars," added Rachael, counting the wad of bills they'd been given.

"Well, we survived an encounter with the general staff," said Selena. "I guess we just go and see what these ZAFT boys are up to now."

xxx

"Dude, I am so glad that we're in Carpentaria, I've been working double shifts every day for the past week," complained Vino, drinking a soda. Still dressed in his green uniform and lounging on a spinning stool. Slowly rotating in circles. "Am I an engine tech? No. But it's 'hey Vino, go help fix that thing you're not qualified on. It'll be fine."

"Was it hard?" asked Yolan.

"No. At least not the parts they had me trying to fix anyways. It was more of, 'oh cool, I can totally replace a thirty tonne shaft with the overhead crane broken. No biggie. Didn't fix shit. You?"

"Remember how I said that we couldn't get any of those suits working even if we cannibalized all of them to try and get one to work? How we'd used up more of the spares to replace the broken bits after the fights in space?"

"Yeah."

"That's exactly what they tried to get me to do."

"Let me guess, everything was slag?"

"Everything was slag, yes. It was all, 'are you sure it won't fit,' as I'm looking at a servo motor that looked like it was butter put into a microwave. I go 'pretty sure it's not gonna work,' and they go, 'well at least try it.' So I try it."

"Didn't work?"

"Did not work at all," said Yolan. "Luna's suit was the least damaged looking from the outside, but most of the interior was broken. Totally unsalvageable. Battery pack, totally destroyed. Rey's was a melted candle inside and out and Emily had better buy a lottery ticket, because it's a miracle she survived in that GuAIZ R."

"Why doesn't anyone ever listen to us?" asked Vino to no one in particular.

"Because we're not officers," answered Yolan.

"Yeah. Yeah, that sounds about right. Still, Jesus am I glad that I didn't join as an engine tech. Engineering got hit hard outside Orb and," Vino gave a shudder instead of finishing his sentence.

"You know what I want?" said Yolan.

"What?" asked Vino.

"I want one thing to go our way this week. Just one."

"I hear that," said Vino. "Preferably six feet tall, blonde, and beats the shit out of naturals."

"You're on about that almost more than volleyball," said Yolan.

"She would be awesome at volleyball."

"Never gonna happen Vino," said Yolan.

"It might," defended Vino.

"I guarantee you it won't."

"Yolan, you lack positivity," said Vino leaning back on his stool. "Sometimes you just gotta have faith."

"Hey, you boys Vino and Yolan?" asked a confident, feminine voice. Vino leaned up and had to blink a couple of times to make sure he wasn't seeing things, mouth opening slightly in shock.

"Catching flies there?" asked the tall blonde that Vino instantly recognized from the video he had watched different cuts of and in its entirety. She was dressed in blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt, but it didn't hide her form like her uniform had done. Jeans hugged her long legs, even though they weren't tight fighting and clung to her hips. Her breasts clearly outlined against the cotton material of her shirt, and her purple eyes startlingly clear. Her hair that had looked so well groomed before, more wild and falling to just above the top of her shoulders.

"I...I'm Vino."

"Great. You must be Yolan then?" and the other tech merely nodded.

"Sweet. Well, a little Hawke landed on my shoulder and said that you boys wanted to meet me and my girls?" said Selena, and Yolan then noticed the two other women with purple eyes standing behind her.

Vino merely nodded.

"Come on there stud, speak up a little, eh?"

"C-can we get a picture?" asked Vino.

"Sure, crowd on in boys," said Selena, standing between the two, stooping down slightly so they'd all be in frame.

"Guys, squeeze in here, you can touch me you know," said Selena, pulling the two techs in close for the picture who had been standing as though they needed a minimum six inches separation.

"You sure?" asked Yolan.

"You boys just don't grab my titties, and you're golden Yolan," said Selena winking at the tech. She took a couple of somewhat serious photos with them, before kissing Vino on the cheek, making him blush bright red for one.

"Hey. Rachael, Lisa, get in on this," called Selena, getting the two other Cadians to crowd in. "So, just so you boys know, Rachael, my fiery compatriot here does like it if you grab her ass a little bit."

"I do n-OT," said Rachael in a monotone, rising several octaves when Selena pinched her butt, making the gunner jump and stare sourly at her commander.

"So, what do you boys feel like doing?" asked Selena when they were done taking pictures. "We promised to spend some time with you boys after all, and we've got a pocket full of cash."

"Do you want to play volleyball?" asked Vino, to which Yolan put a hand to his face in embarrassment.

"Volleyball?" asked Selena in confusion. "Oh, you mean that game with the white ball and the net? Shit yeah, we played that all the time in New York."

"Thank you god," said Vino.

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Selena.

"I said, do you think you've got the hang of it?" said Vino.

"Oh little ZAFT boy. I'm going to warn you now, I'm gonna crush you if we play."

"I am oddly okay with that," said Vino.

"Wait, what?" asked Selena in confusion.

Xxx

Djibril leafed through the reports he had been given. Not what he had wanted to be sure, but better than he could have hoped for seeing the failed decapitation strike on the PLANTs.

With the full weight force of the Earth Sphere's space forces behind the Earth Alliance, save for Orb and the Kingdom of Scandanavia, the pressure on ZAFT was mounting. While Durandal only wanted to reinforce their Earth based installations, there were calls from the PLANTs themselves to do more. Calls that he couldn't simply ignore with how they had lost eight colonies. The more hard line voices demanding a strike of equal or greater magnitude against the Earth Sphere. A call that Djibril had was sure to make sure that the people of Earth knew about. They would be forced to participate in the war, even if they had to be dragged kicking and screaming into it.

ZAFT had already tried to reinforce their bases on Earth, but had been unable to break through the defensive screen to the planet. It was only a matter of time though, the EA wasn't large enough to guard the entirety of Earth's orbit, and ZAFT's ships were simply faster than theirs. No, it would be a longer fight than they had anticipated, but the end result would still be the same.

Djibril didn't look, but knew that his tea was ready for him. Only the lightest clink of china of wood to alert him that it was ready. That sound for his benefit too, had she wanted, it would have been silent. Besides being excellent at killing, Dabria was the most skilled attendant he had ever had.

There was no unnecessary sound with anything she did, was never in the way, but always on hand when needed. She had added milk, sugar, stirred, and prepared the rest of his morning meal without so much as a drop of tea or a crumb being out of place.

Sipping the tea, it was perfect too. Perfectly steeped, perfectly proportioned, and the perfect temperature for drinking.

She was dressed in simply white robes, the fleur de lys visible on her face, but underneath that she would be dressed in her black bodyglove. Blades within easy reach and it made Djibril more confident having her at his side than a gun.

He knew that she was an Imperial, that she was working for Cardinal Hassan and was as much a blade to his neck as she was to the people he sent her after, but she was still human. Or at least, human enough that he knew that with time, she would be loyal to him.

"Dabria, I have a question for you," said Djibril, seeing the razor sharp gold eyes brimming with intelligence flicked down to him. Slowly lifting a cupped hand to her ear, in her usual jester mimicry rather than actually answering him.

"Do you enjoy what you do?"

There was a momentary pause then, Dabria staring simply at Djibril, hand falling from her ear and returning with the enamel while mask of joy. Holding it to her face.

"But is it something you always wanted to do?"

There was a subtle shift to Dabria's body language, quick and brief enough to easily miss, but Djibril hadn't gotten to where he was by missing signs from people.

"I mean you're quite clearly intelligent, you wouldn't be good at what you do if you weren't. You're skilled and determined, tenacious even. I was just wondering, when was it that you decided to do what it is that you do?"

There was a momentary pause, and with a flick of the wrist that made the mask look like it shuddered, the mask of joy gave way to one of confusion. Dabria tilting her head with the mask at Djibril. But he saw it again, the momentary shift in her body at the praise. She was used to doing what she did because it was demanded of her, never once expecting thanks or gratitude for. Never expecting to feel valued.

"Well I mean when I was growing up, I wanted to do many things. Be many different things. I tried out many different paths, experienced what each was, and realized that only in the position that I'm in now could I truly succeed. What else did you want to be?"

For a few long moments Dabria didn't do anything, but then put down her mask on Djibril's desk and strode to the center of his office. Slowly lifting her arms above her head, she brought her leg up like a ballerina, then began to slowly spin. Faster and faster, as graceful as any ballerina that Djibril had ever seen. More even, her balance utterly flawless. Soon she was leaping and dancing, moving like a ballerina who had spent her entire life training. Even in her loose fitting robes, she was incredible. Finishing her performance, not even breathing hard, she gave a bow.

"That was incredible, well done!" said Djibril clapping.

Dabria brought her hand to her mouth and turned away slightly, miming embarrassment, but Djibril could see at how she delighted at the praise for her performance. How she had enjoyed dancing, even for that brief moment. Through these small, seemingly insignificant steps, would he slowly bind her to him.

Xxx

"Huh, what's going on?" asked Kira, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he stepped out into the hall, but taking only an instant to realize that Mr. Watlfeld was holding a pistol in his hand.

"We've got unwanted visitors. Get your clothes on kid and meet up with Captain Ramius. You guys will need to look after Lacus."

"Right," said Kira, dressing quickly and heading to Lacus' room, meeting reverend Malchio along the way, and helping the blind holy man navigate his way to Lacus' room.

"Lacus, are you," began Kira, opening the door to her room, falling silent as a black clad hand strong as steel wrapped around his mouth, pulling him into the room and forcing him to the floor. Another pair of hands with inexorable strength forcing his own hands behind his back. A gag was forced into his mouth, and a knee placed into the small of his back, pinning him in place.

There were at least a dozen men in heavy body armour and dark clothing holding rifles standing in the room. Glassy night vision or thermal goggles covering their faces, but Lacus wasn't bound, even if Captain Ramius was kneeling on the ground facing the wall, hands on her head.

All eyes darted to the sound of gunfire and glass shattering from further in the mansion.

"Please, if you're truly here to help me, I ask that you offer your aid to Mr. Waltfeld as well," said Lacus, speaking to the apparent leader of the armed group.

He stared at Lacus for a moment, before making a quick series of hand gestures to the others in the room, four of them responding, rifles up and searching as they left.

The apparent leader of the armed group cocking his head slightly, as though listening to someone speak, and then made another series of hand gestures, his men responding and forming a protective box around Lacus, preparing to move her.

"No, I won't go with you, unless you take Kira and everyone else with us too," said Lacus forcefully, stepping back from one of the black clad figures when they made to grab her. One made as though to forcefully take her along with them, before a curt gesture stopped him. A few more quick gestures saw the knee removed from Kira's back, and Captain Ramius returned to her feet.

Without saying a word, the black armoured figures formed a protective box around them, moving them through the halls of the mansion, though it being quite obvious the only one they were truly concerned about keeping safe was Lacus. Gunfire echoing from further in the house. Automatic bursts shattering the quiet of the night. The children with them crying out fearfully, shushed by Lacus as they headed for the shelter.

Their black clad protectors moved like predators, moving quickly and with purpose, rifles scanning every corner and rushing forward to every adjoining hallway, stacking up on the corners; while the rest of them hurried Kira and the others past the opening.

Kira found a strong hand on the back of his neck, forcing his head down as they went through a stairwell with wide windows, forcing him below the sill, an instant before their self assigned guardians let loose a fusillade of automatic fire through the glass. Sending a spray of broken glass in all directions, brass casings pining off the stone steps. The return fire, more muted that the deafening reverberating crack of their defender's rifles, sent a shower of stone fragments over them as rounds impacted the far wall of the stairwell.

Kira stumbling forwards as one of their protectors grabbed the collar of his jacket, dragging him along after them as they engaged in a running gun battle. Kira and the others forced to keep their heads down as muzzle flashes lit up the darkened hallways, practically having to crawl so they stayed out of sight of the windows.

Kira finally got a good look at their attackers as they were heading down one of the last hallways to the shelter. A man wearing a headpiece with four red glassy eyes rounded a corner, rifle equipped with a silencer raised. His body jerked and shuddered as their black clad protectors immediately fired automatic bursts into him, spraying the wall behind him with blood, and shattering the optics covering his face as well as the face beneath. Bits of brain leaking through the shattered remains of his helmet and skull.

A pair of their black armoured protectors rushing to the hallway intersection he had emerged from, firing controlled bursts at more unseen assailants, their muzzle flashes giving them a hellish glow. When they stopped shooting, one of them gave a curt hand gesture and they were moving again.

Kira and Lacus were forced to the ground as they were fired at from behind, their protectors answering in turn with a barrage of bullets, then quickly all but dragging Lacus and the others to the shelter. The crying of the children a near constant in the background. They paused to catch their breath as Reverend Malchio put in the code to open the shelter doors.

Rifles flicked up for an instant as a door opened, but it was Mr. Waltfeld and the four black armoured protectors who'd been sent to help him who emerged.

"Know who our friends are?" asked Waltfeld to Ramius, as a pair of their black armoured escorts fired around a corner at more of their unseen attackers.

"No idea," said the captain, a moment before the doors to the shelter opened.

This time, their black armoured protectors did grab Lacus and formed a protective box around her as they dragged her into the shelter first.

"I won't accept that, I won't accept that!" said Heero, the little pink automaton bouncing up and Kira saw one of their attackers behind the grate in an overhead vent.

"Lacus!" cried Kira, but saw that she was protected by a moving wall of flesh and body armour, rifles snapping up to the vent and firing, but one of their own dropping, the glassy optics on their face shattering as they fell. From the vent however, blood flowed down the wall in steady streams.

Kira helped another of the black armoured figures drag their wounded member into the shelter, reinforced doors closing behind them.

"If those are what they consider special forces, I can't wait to see what they think passes for a front line unit," said one of their protectors, dropping a magazine from his rifle and snapping in a fresh one with a clack of metal on metal. Only to fall silent as he was given a curt hand gesture.

They were ushered further into the shelter, dragging their still unconscious comrade with them as they went.

"Thank you for coming to our aid," said Lacus as another set up armoured doors closed behind them. "But I do have to ask, how did you know we even needed help?"

"Let's just say that someone has a vested interest in making sure you stay alive," said the leader of the black armoured protectors.

"Those were coordinator special forces, weren't they?" asked Murrue, and Waltfeld nodded, before looking at the black armoured figures in their midst.

"You guys aren't though, are you?" he said pointedly.

"I think you would find it best to not concern yourself with that," answered the leader simply, before pausing and putting a hand to his ear. A moment later, the shelter shuddered and shook, causing the children to cry out again.

"Mobilesuits?" asked Waltfeld and the leader nodded.

"Looks like a couple of them managed to break out past out picket and back to shore. Seems they had mobilesuits in the water."

"Do you have anything to stop that?" asked Murrue.

"No. We didn't think they'd be so brazen. There's no way to hide the kind of damage those things will do. Guess they really want Lady Lacus dead. We can probably get Lady Lacus out of here through the secondary access if what we have outside can offer a distraction to their mobilesuits."

"What are they carrying?" asked Waltfeld.

"Small arms mostly. Some explosives and a few shoulder launched RPGs. Should get their attention for a couple of minutes anyways."

"They'll get killed if they try to engage with that," said Waltfeld.

"They know their duty."

"No, I don't want anyone to die for us. I'll be the one to put a stop to this," said Kira. "Lacus, I need the key."

"Kira," said Lacus, sorrow in her voice as she opened a compartment in her pink robotic Heero, revealing two stylized keys.

"Look kid, unless you've got a titan behind that door, you aren't going to stop anything," said the leader in black armour.

"Oh shit, that's a titan," said one of the other black armoured figures as a large blast doors retracted and revealed the Freedom.

AN: I decided to have a bit more of a fun chapter this time around, and I always find it fun to write the Cadian girls, especially Selena. In the show, I always found it odd that two people with pistols managed to fight their way past a special forces platoon in body armour and armed with rifles, so I decided to make it more believable how Kira and Lacus survived. This chapter went a lot faster than I thought it was, but I suppose a lot of it was just easy to write. Not as deep as others, just fun mostly.