Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed
Beowulf company is the idea of SSJ-Jolt
Livestock colonies is the idea of dragonngo
Gundam Seed Purpose Renew
Chapter 16: Battle in Orbit
Beowulf, a company on Jupiter that discovered Graviton tech. Their ships, their mobile suits, even some of their privately owned colonies are all powered by Graviton generators. Called graviton because they alter gravity, allowing for easy construction of machinery within graviton fields. Their weapons too distort space at times, the 'graviton effect' creates what appears to be a singularity. Some even theorise, based on Einstein's theory of relativity, that the power of a graviton reactor could even distort space time. It was this technology, reverse engineered from study of a machine excavated from a dig in Jupiter, that makes Beowulf company one of the most powerful military factions in Jupiter, a government super power in their own right.
Zack Tempest stared at the Blue Frame, measuring the distance between himself and his opponent, analysing his weapons. But more importantly, he was taking the measure of the man within the machine. He was opening his mind and his spatial awareness, considering every possible action based upon his priory calculations. All of this took place within the span of a few seconds, the process wasn't even like a calculator to his mind, but more like envisioning and feeling a light.
Newtype, the classification of enhanced spatial awareness that almost seems like clairvoyance or psychic abilities. Theorists from Earth and space all have their own opinion, but the popular one is that as a result of living in space, humanity's ability to perceive the world around them has changed. Eyesight, smell, touch and hearing are all trumped by the new perception that the mind itself offers. Some people even believe that this evolution means that humanity can understand each other better, their minds now linked through this Newtype resonance.
Around the Blue Frame, it was not a blue light that Zack saw, but a gold light. Zack closed his eyes for a moment, and in that moment he saw it. The Astray would fire its bazooka, then release a volley of missiles. Zack's first instinct would be to dodge the bazooka round, and then shoot down the missiles with his Vulcans. And with that distraction, the Astray Frame would fire another bazooka round. Zack would keep firing his Vulcans and destroy that round. But then the Astray would move through the explosion and strike at the Wild Arms with its beam sabre. Within that moment, Zack formulated a new plan, fire his graviton rifle, through the bazooka round. This would force the Astray to dodge, either flying up or down. But regardless of which direction, Zack would use the distraction to engage his Gundam's stealth mode. Then he'd slash off the Astray's arm with his beam sabre.
"Here it goes," Zack said.
He raised his rifle, just as the Astray raised its bazooka. Suddenly, the Astray threw its bazooka. On instinct Zack fired, destroying the bazooka. But the explosion, combined with the graviton particles resulted in a 'graviton effect'. A singularity appeared between the Wild Arms and the Blue Frame. Zack reversed the Wild Arms's thrust, keeping himself away from the singularity. The Blue Frame flew around the singularity, firing the missiles on its legs. The missiles would have missed the Wild Arms, but because of the Singularity, they adjusted their course and flew for the Wild Arms.
'He used the singularity to his advantage, my own weapon against me,' Zack gasped, then grinned.
He pushed a few buttons, opening vents across the Wild Arms's armour. The armour took on a brief purple glow and the Gundam crossed its arms together. Both missiles slammed into the Gundam, which uncrossed its arms after the explosions, revealing minimum damage.
"I may not have phase shift armour, but I can polarise the Wild Arms's hull with graviton particles, and," he engaged his thrusters. "Create greater acceleration!"
Purple particles burst out of the Wild Arms's thrusters. As if wings had been flapped, the Gundam rushed forward, firing its rifle at the Blue Frame. The first shot brushed against the Astray's shoulder, but the second missed as the Blue Frame swerved. Then, recovering quickly, the Astray kicked the Wild Arms across the head.
'He used the acceleration against me, this guy isn't all brute force like the others I've faced, he's cold calculation. I don't think it matters what move I make, this guys better at tactics than me, I can...I can feel it, he's just that good,' Zack thought.
He adjusted his course, and the Blue Frame was suddenly on him. It drew an armour Schneider knife from its shield, driving it into the Gundam's neck. It grinded against the armour, releasing sparks that illuminated the darker machine. Zack drew his beam sabre and slashed at the Blue Frame, which flew back. In that moment, Zack noticed that the Astray's leg had been damaged.
'This machine's armour is light, which makes it fast, but it also means that it isn't durable. My machine has the advantage in fire power, energy output, armour and speed. It's just our reaction times, this guy is like Sumika and the old man. No...I'd go so far as to saying he's better,' Zack chuckled and looked at the Blue Frame.
Another theory of relativity, time and its passing. A person's perception of time can be different depending on the events taking place. Like when people say 'time flies when you're having fun', or it drags when you're not doing anything. On the battlefield, a life threatening moment that has your blood pumping, that has you thinking of every option and tactic, well those minutes can stretch into perceived hours. This is an anime theory of mine, people laugh and its very meme-able, but in Dragonball Z Frieza was infamous for saying 'five more minutes until the planet blows'. Yet we got several episodes of Namek blowing up. I theorise that what we were watching was the perception of time between the fighters and those waiting on Earth. A terrible moment can seem like hours when in actuality, not a lot of time has passed at all. That, is battle time. For some soldiers, this will be the shortest moment of their lives, but for the survivors, it'll be one of the longest.
For me though, the apparently short journey to the battlefield will be a long time.
The Purpose, Delta and the Sensou-Legionnaire zoomed across space. Inside, the pilots bodies shook with the G-forces. Gekido kept his arms crossed, leaving control temporarily to Biggs.
"Hey Gekido," Kettei's voice came through the radio.
He widened his eyes.
No, no, don't you say it!
"Are we there yet?" Kettei asked.
Fuck!
"No," Gekido said.
"Are we there yet?"
"No!"
"Are we there yet?"
"No!"
"Gekido," Mujihiro's face appeared beside Kettei's on the main screen.
"What is it?" Gekido asked.
"Two questions, the G-Weapon prototypes, those machines from Heliopolis, are they strong?"
"Yeah, the pilots are pretty good," Gekido said.
"I see," Mujihiro smiled. "Also...are we there yet?"
GAAAAGH!
The Vesalius, Gamow and Ziegler seemed separate from the Storm fleet, as it was popularly called. Rau stood on the bridge of the Vesalius, remembering the exchange he had with Athrun. After Lacus had seen fit to impart wisdom on them, Rau told the young Zala of the Creuscet team's latest encounter with his friend. Athrun was shocked that Kira was capable of hurting someone, even if Yzak had somewhat brought it on himself. So far, Yzak had proven to have been a disappointment when it came to command. But the incident was serving as adequate motivation for him to fight harder. Rau smirked when he heard the doctor say that Yzak was insisting on launching.
"The Strike," Joule seethed as he climbed into the Duel.
The Duel launched, wearing its new assault shroud. The previously bare Gundam now sported heavier armour, a rail gun and a missile launcher. Yzak threw himself into the fight, firing both his shoulder mounted weapons. Moebius mobile armours fell in waves to the barrage of weapons fire. Fire that Dearka and the Buster added to, linking his cannons together, he fired and destroyed a Drake class ship. Nichol was behind them, cutting through enemies with his beam sabre. He deactivated the sabre and fired his beam rifle, then followed through with his missiles. Athrun carved his own path with the Aegis, shooting through mobile armours with his rifle. Then he transformed the Aegis into its grappler form, latching onto the bridge of one of the Earth Alliance ships. Athrun fired his impulse cannon, destroying the ship and flying through the splitting debris.
"The G-Weapons," Halberton muttered, seeing the devastation caused by the Heliopolis prototypes.
"Sir, a fourth unit has launched from the Laurasia class vessel," one of the CIC crew said.
The bridge of Halberton's flag ship grew silent as they watched a red and black suit fly between several ships in the fleet. Its eyes glowed red and it spread out its wings, red particles emanating from every flap.
"The Massacre," Halberton gasped.
Inside the black and red Gundam, the Kyusai wore a red and black ZAFT flight suit. He raised his head, fingers touching the numerous buttons on his control sticks. The Massacre's eyes flashed as patches on its shoulders, chest and legs opened. It raised the gatling guns it held and began to roll the barrels. Miniguns in the Massacre's chest also began to roll. Shells suddenly began to crash into the mobile armours and ships around him. Missiles with red particles on them flew in a wide arc, slamming against the ships. The Massacre span, creating a sphere of destruction around it. Mechanical arms on the Massacre's wings grabbed the gatling guns and the Massacre pulled two beam sabres off of its back. Kyusai dragged them across the side of a ship, and then fired his Vulcan's into the ship's hanger.
"By god," Halberton whispered. "I never approved the creation of such a suit," he muttered.
The Massacre kicked two Mobile armours into one another and then flew alongside the Duel and Buster. Dearka and Kyusai released a volley of missiles that slammed into Halberton's ship. The crew held on for dear life, sections of the ship had already been lit on fire. Kyusai sheathed his sabres and brought up the tail like profusion on the Massacre's back. It folded around the Gundam's hip, becoming a cannon.
"Goodbye Halberton," Kyusai said.
Twin beams suddenly flew towards the three mobile suits. Kyusai adjusted his course and looked towards the new arrival.
"Hyperion, engaging the enemy," Canard said.
He activated the Hyperion's Umbrella emitters, shielding himself from the Massacre's cannon and missiles.
"Dearka, Yzak, go after the Archangel," Kyusai said.
"Don't have to tell us twice," the Buster fired one shot at the Hyperion before flying around it.
Yzak didn't speak, he just seethed, eyes locked on the Archangel. Already the ship had begun to alter its course, much to Kyusai's delight.
"Are you both trying to save what's already lost?" he asked.
"To hell with that, I just want to kick your ass," Canard said.
He roared, blocking more shots before charging at the Massacre. Kyusai slammed the Massacre's arm into the Umbrella. Both machines pushed against one another, the Hyperion quickly drawing one of its beam daggers. Deactivating the umbrella, he slashed the Massacre's arm. Kyusai kicked the Hyperion across the head, then ejected his beam sabres. Grabbing them above his head, he ignited the sabres and swung them down. Canard activated emitters on the Hyperion's arm, illuminating it with a pink light. The diamond shape shone and the sabres bounced off of it. But as he was thrown back, Kyusai fired a missile from his shoulder, hitting the Hyperion's head. Canard yelled, flying through the explosion. The attack had broken part of the Hyperion's head off, revealing the main camera. He clashed his shield and dagger with Kyusai's sabres, the two machines grinding against the side of Halberton's ship before flying underneath it. Canard fired his submachine gun at the Massacre's back. The red and black Gundam moved almost gracefully, as it every movement was made by a flap of a pair of wings, not the thrusters inside them. It span and a flurry of missiles flew towards Canard. He flew back, firing his submachine gun and focusing on the missiles. Kyusai flew upwards, weaving to the side and dodging a beam. He and Canard looked to the approaching Archangel.
"Idiots," Canard grit his teeth together.
"Why the fuck have they come back?" one of the pilots in Wes's squad asked.
"They really think they can save us, damn it, we're supposed to be protecting them," Wes said.
He looked up as a Ginn flew over him.
"Going to do the whole land on me and then shoot me huh?" just as the Ginn moved its feet towards Wes's back, Wes tilted the mobile armour, making the Ginn fall. "I don't think so," he turned the mobile armour and yelled, firing his Vulcans and piercing the Ginn's cockpit.
"Wes, look out," Jacque said.
He looked over his shoulder, seeing a Cgue with its sword ready. Suddenly, a round ripped through the Cgue's chest. Wes and his team looked towards the darkness of space, where the shot had come. Another shot came out, bashing into the side of a Ginn. The Thanos elites looked towards the red machine flying towards them. Casvall sat in the machine, he didn't wear a flight suit, only a green shirt and grey fatigues. Cairo turned his cannons towards Casvall, only for Casvall to swerve and kicked the Ginn in the stomach. The giant pilot was thrown about in the cockpit, his Ginn pushed away from the red machine. More shots ran out through space, forcing the Thanos team to perform manouvres. Jessica and Michelle fired their rifles, but the red suit moved like a comet.
"That thing's moving at five times the speed of any suit I've seen before," Lucas said.
He grit his teeth together, firing his machine gun at Casvall, only for a round to break his gun apart. Lucas quickly flew back, out of the crosshairs of Sakon's rifle. The pilot had his targeting camera over his eye, and a grin plastered over his face. Casvall drew a pair of knives from his hips and flew towards Jessica and Michelle. He dragged them across the heads of their Ginns, flying above the two machines and dodging more cannon fire from Cairo.
"Unbelievable," Wes muttered.
"That red guy, he's not just matching them, he's overpowering them," Jacque said.
Zack pushed the Astray back, looking towards the battle between the red machine and the Thanos team.
"So that's him, he really is good," Zack said.
Dagger's Cgue had crossed its arms together, the beam glaive floating beside him. He focused on Casvall's machine, watching it land on the Ziegler. The crew inside screamed before Casvall imbedded his knife in the ship's bridge. From his sniping position Sakon smirked and expanded the barrel of his rail rifle, charging it before releasing a round that struck the Ziegler. The ship began to blow up, the red machine flying away from it, eye flaring as the ship was obliterated. Two Ginns flew to Dagger's side, carrying the double sided blade.
"We have it sir, Le Creuscet showed no resistance to parting with it," one of the pilots said.
The Ginns let the blade go, leaving it to float into Thanos's hands.
"Of course he didn't, such a blade is impractical, in the hands of anyone else it would be a hindrance but..." Dagger paused.
His Cgue flew upwards spinning around before hammer throwing the blade. It span around like a buzz saw, ripping through several mobile armours. Jacques widened his eyes as the barrel of his beam cannon was destroyed. The blade flew towards Casvall's machine. He came to a sharp stop, turning as the blade passed him. Suddenly, the red machine grabbed the double sided blade, looking up towards Dagger Thanos. The ZAFT commander grabbed the beam glaive beside him, twirling it around before holding it with the end pointed outwards.
"The blood comet and the black storm," Halberton whispered.
Both engaged their thrusters and flew towards one another, flying faster than they did before. They slammed their weapons together, releasing sparks from their blows. The force of the blow knocked them both back, before they rushed one another again, clashing their weapons viciously several times. Dagger thrust his glaive, and Casvall, parried, using the other side to slash the handle of Dagger's weapon. Casvall then pushed the Cgue forward and both machines separated, building up speed before clashing in front of the Gamow. Dagger deflected a slash and swung his glaive, only for Casvall to duck and knock Thanos back with a slash he dragged across the Gamow's surface. One of the Gamow's cannons turned to Casvall and fired.
"WHAT!" the gunner widened his eyes in horror.
The red machine span the blade around, creating a shield that deflected the beam. Casvall then flew forward, using his speed to rip the cannon off and throw it towards Dagger. Thanos cut the cannon apart, the two sides blowing up either side of him. Again the blades clashed and Casvall flew forward, crashing Dagger into the side of a Drake class ship. They flew around the side of the ship, neither caring much for the damage their slashes were doing to the ship. Thanos's skirt armour was cut off, and Casvall's right shoulder guard was split open. They crashed their blades together, locking their weapons. Both machines adjusted their footing, missiles from Ginns slamming into the drake class ship, yet missing them. As the ship began to blow up, Casvall flew back with Dagger in pursuit.
"They're relentless," Wes said.
He and many of the other soldiers were overcome by shock, seeing the devastation these two machines wrought even from a one on one battle. Dagger threw mobile armours that Casvall stepped off of and cut apart his beam glaive. But Thanos quickly drew his sword, cutting off Casvall's right arm, the one holding the double blade. Casvall quickly drew an axe from his hip, deflecting the Cgue's sword and cutting off its leg. He then kicked the leg, impacting it with Dagger's head. Thanos quickly thrust his sword, catching the red machine in the side. Casvall kicked the Cgue back and threw his axe, cutting off the Cgue's left arm. Dagger quickly drew a revolver from his hip, firing at the red machine and drawing it backwards. One shot struck its leg, and another its head, breaking apart some of the armour and exposing the main camera. A blade slid out of the revolver's barrel and Dagger yelled as he flew forward. Casvall drew his knife and locked it with the bayonet blade. They parried one another's blows, Casvall attempted a slash and Dagger deflected it. Thanos then attempted to lunge, but Casvall parried. The Red machine slammed the knife into the Cgue's shoulder, and Dagger thrust his bayonet through the red machine's hand.
"Commander Thanos," Jessica called out to the man.
He looked at the readings on his monitor.
"Low power," he muttered.
Likewise it was the same situation for Casvall. Jessica managed to grab Thanos's machine, leaving Casvall at the mercy of two Ginns. Before Thanos could speak, two rail blasts flew into the Ginns.
"A draw huh, better luck next time red," Sakon grinned, swooping downwards and grabbing Casvall. "We got ourselves some good kills," he said.
"Not so fast," two more Ginn pilots flew above the Dokuganryu.
Suddenly, a portion of the Dokuganryu's back folded off, revealing a mechanical arm of some kind. It extended, and the jaws attached to the arm opened.
"A A DRAGON'S HEAD!" one of the ZAFT pilots screamed before the arm pierced through his cockpit.
The other pilot looked at the appendage in horror, seeing it drag the lifeless corpse of his comrade behind Sakon. Letting go of Casvall, Sakon drew a sword from his waist. The ZAFT raised his rifle, only for the Dokuganryu to slice his Ginn in half.
"Bet you thought my expertise was sniping huh? I don't compare to Casvall at close range, but it's what I enjoy most," Sakon chuckled.
He turned, grapping Casvall and continuing to fly away from the battlefield.
"You really left an impact on them buddy," Sakon said.
Jessica flew with Thanos back towards the Argos. Inside his machine, Dagger took off his helmet and chuckled.
"Finally, a worthy challenge, looking forward to next time, red devil!"
There's a moment of calm in the battle, during which everyone is awestruck. Awestruck by the cheer might of two titans clashing. Its during that moment that the crew of the Archangel recall what drove them back into the fight.
Murrue and the bridge crew watched in shock as the Vesalius shot down two of the fleet's damaged and retreating vessels. The new captain grit her teeth together, also seeing the Hyperion clashing with the Massacre. With the damage done by the battle between the blood comet and the black storm, there seemed no other time.
"Connect me to the Menelaus," she said.
It was on the said ship, at the mercy of the Heliopolis prototypes, that in real time Halberton addressed the Archangel's captain.
"Admiral, please allow us to disconnect from the fleet," Murrue said.
"What?" Halberton's shock matched the reactions of his crew.
"At this rate, the fleet will be completely destroyed, if we leave the battle now we won't make it to Alaska, but we'll still be in Earth Alliance territory. We'll draw the mobile suits away, giving you time to retreat," Murrue explained.
"They'll all come after you Ramius," Halberton said.
"We'll take damage true, but they won't risk fighting us during re-entry," Murrue said.
"I see your reckless ways haven't change Ramius," Halberton commented, watching another fleet ship get destroyed.
"A subordinate learns from her superior after all," Murrue retorted.
They find themselves remembering that calm before the storm. When they had a chance to talk.
Murrue stood with Halberton in the hanger, watching two bundles being brought through by Mistrals.
"La Flaga isn't capable of piloting the Strike, so I figured he could use the next best thing," Halberton said.
"A Spear-head?" Murrue asked.
"FX-550 Skygrasper, the brass aren't ready to scrap atmospheric fighters just yet, it was composed as a support craft for the Strike, so it can equip the Striker packs. Some scientist had a bright idea of the Skygrasper flying towards the Strike's back and releasing its striker pack. The manoeuvre was tested, it worked, but the pilot crashed the jet afterwards," Halberton explained.
"My god," Murrue gasped.
"Oh he walked away from the wreckage!"
It was at that moment elsewhere that Vincent Rach sneezed. Murrue and Halberton meanwhile watched Murdoch's crew loud the two Skygraspers up. The Admiral's eyes glossed over to the Strike, and at the young coordinator looking up at it.
"Hard to believe a child would be able to pilot such a thing so well," he said.
"I know I am supposed to say that I wish he would stay, but Kira and his friends, they were caught in the crossfire of this conflict, I don't want to drag them further into this. He's a coordinator too, I can speak for the character of every crew member of the Archangel, none bear him any ill will..."
"But soldiers aren't always posted in the same place through their careers, it isn't even uncommon for a soldier to be put into a completely different unit. I see it too Murrue, he'll face hardship, especially at Alaska. That place is a nest for creatures, comparing them to vipers is an insult...to the vipers," Halberton frowned, his hands shaking as he spoke.
"Sir?"
"The path ahead will be filled with obstacles, but Alaska is no relief from it. Politics, the bane of my existence," he sneered.
Murrue chuckled softly as Halberton sighed. He raised his head and looked at Kira again.
"He's still a boy, not like the first child soldier I met," he said.
"You've met one face to face?" Murrue asked.
"It was before I made admiral, when skirmishes with independent colonies were common, what corporations call 'livestock colonies', they had less funding than the Plants and weren't really recognised as independent nations. At the time armed uprisings were common, infiltration of these 'terrorist cells' was a tactic we used. My superior officer hired someone who fit the profile, or could at least appear to fit the profile of a rebel recruit. Young, desperate, the truth though was that he was part of a mercenary company. He didn't just infiltrate them, he slaughtered them, I'll never forget the smile that was on his blood soaked face," Halberton explained.
"He was smiling?"
"Yeah, that's why I don't trust mercenary companies, official government militaries have limits, laws that they have to obey and ways that they are expected to treat their soldiers. We have treatment programs for post traumatic stress, ways of getting people back into the world after conflicts, but PMCs, they don't just want to turn soldiers into living weapons, but in some cases monsters that relish the fight."
"Something seemed wrong with Gekido, he certainly looked forward to the battles, but I can't say whether I saw him smile because of it," Murrue said.
"I see, maybe he's different, but it is a good thing you won't be seeing him again," Halberton said. "The G-Weapons must get to Alaska, so that the power to fight this war can be in the arms of soldiers, not monsters."
Just like that, it's clear to Ramius what she has to do. And it's clear to Halberton what he must do as well.
"Very well Archangel, prepare for descent at once," Admiral Halberton said. "We'll cover you until you commence re-entry!"
"Sir!" Murrue nodded her head.
The Massacre raised its sabre, knocking the Hyperion back. Canard and Kyusai grit their teeth together. The Hyperion activated its umbrella and the Massacre raised its cannon, firing it directly into the Hyperion's barrier. Athrun dodged and blocked machine gun fire and missiles fired by the 8th fleet's ships. He flew behind one and destroyed the propulsion rockets, leaving it vulnerable to Miguel's Ginn. Miguel fired multiple rounds from his bazooka, creating hull breaches on the ship. Wes destroyed one of the Ginns and looked towards the Blitz. It fired its rocket anchor through the bridge of a ship, and then slashed a mobile armour in half.
"Damn space monster!" one of the mobile armour pilots growled.
Nichol fired his Triskeros missiles, cutting through the mobile armour that attacked him. He flew straight towards Wes's mobile armour, firing a few shots from his rifle. Wes adjusted the position of his shield arms and blocked a few of the shots.
"Just barely, come on," he tried to get a lock on the Blitz, but it was moving too fast. "Damn it," he muttered, feeling a round scrape the side of his mobile armour. "Not in a place like this!"
He swerved, barely dodging the Blitz's beam sabre.
'But then again,' he thought. 'It's really no surprise, this...this is what humanity is like.'
He saw the Duel mercilessly shooting down enemies, it seemed as if the pilot was on a hunt. Inside it Yzak was driven by his pain and fury.
"Come out Strike, killing you is the only way, the only way the pain will end," he said.
"Athrun and Nichol are too good," Rau muttered as he commanded the Vesalius to fire on damaged ships. "If you don't destroy your enemy now, they'll come back at you with another weapon."
'This war, it's nothing new,' Wes thought bitterly. 'Coordinators vs. Naturals, fucking bull shit. We've been like this, for too long.'
He simply narrowed his eyes as the Blitz appeared above him, thrusting its sabre towards his main hatch.
"Sorry," Nichol whispered.
'It was always going to end this way!'
Suddenly, a blue and red beam flew out of the darkness of space. Nichol dodged at the last minute and looked towards where the shot had come from. The Proto-Dagger slid its Agni cannon back into its 'rest' state, and disconnected the fuel tanks. Vincent held the controls tightly, barely keeping the fast machine stable.
"Not exactly ideal piloting," Jacques huffed.
"Is that a mobile armour?" Nichol asked.
"No, I think it's a mobile suit," Athrun said.
"Firing pattern set, targets identified, firing...NOW!" Vincent yelled.
He released clouds of missiles. They exploded between some of the mobile armours and Ginns. But their main targets, the Blitz and Aegis weaved between them. Athrun fired his vulcans, intercepting some of the missiles before two hit him in the back.
"Now the Agni cannon, no, he'll just dodge it," Vincent muttered.
He looked between his targets uncertainly, firing his Vulcans at the Blitz with little affect. The Proto-Strike flew fast enough to dodge the Aegis and Blitz's beam rifle shots.
"I need to get me one of those, well maybe not that one," Wes said.
The Aegis and Blitz flew after the Proto-Strike, both trying to get it in their crosshairs. Vincent's breathing was harsher than Athrun and Nichol's. He sharply turned in ways that nearly threw him off of his chair.
"That piloting is clunky, does the Earth Alliance actually think it'll win with a unit like that?" Nichol asked.
"It won't with the kind of pilot inside it," Athrun said.
He managed to get a lock, but the Proto-Dagger tipped up, igniting the two beam swords on its hips. Vincent yelled as he swung both blades, bringing them towards the Aegis. Athrun threw his rifle and shield aside, igniting the beam sabres on the Aegis's arms. He blocked both beam swords and then ignited the beam sabres on the Aegis's legs. With two kicks he cut off the Proto-Dagger's beam sword emitters. Vincent reversed the suit and fired his missiles, knocking the Aegis back.
"Did that do it?" Vincent asked.
The Aegis flew out of the flames, its beam sabres still ignited.
"An academy trainee can fly better than this guy, but that quick thinking," Athrun muttered.
A good pilot has to start somewhere. Clunky flying, ill care of their suit. But indecision can quickly turn into quick thinking in a battle. Desperation can disguise smart tactics. And who cares how graceful your flying is, if you can fight.
Vincent was sweating, and breathing heavily, but his eyes were set with determination. He quickly snapped his head towards the Blitz, which was firing its rifle. Bringing up one of his shields, Vincent blocked the shots, and then fired his machine gun, pelting the Blitz with bullets.
"Say what you will about the phase shift armour, it may block bullets, but it still has a limit, firing solution set, target locked, firing now!"
He fired his missiles, but Nichol managed to destroy one of his launchers before it could launch its payload. Vincent quickly disconnected the launcher, and flew out of range of the Aegis's sabres. Hesitantly equipping the anti-ship sword, he turned to Athrun and batted him away with one swing of the sword. The Proto-Dagger held its sword out, in a pose vaguely similar to the Strike.
"Don't write me off just yet," Vincent said.
Fear can sometimes lead to the determination to survive. But this is Kira's story too, and from his hesitance came the desire to protect his friends. Which, unfortunately will drive him back into battle.
Next Chapter 17: Stars falling in space
Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter