An Emissary from Axis
The wounded Aestivalis pilot was taken to the nearest hospital located in Von Braun. There were conflicts of interests regarding on where he should be put into, until Agrippa Maintainer contacted the Nergal's moon base, and they were given instructions that he should be surrendered under their care in the hospital under their jurisdiction. Though Gai was alive, he was pretty much in a very serious situation where the doctors would need to constantly oversee his recuperating progress.
"He'll be in a comatose state for quite some time." Quattro said. "But I'm surprised he held on as much as he could. Anyone else would have simply died instantly."
Jed felt a bit sad that this was all Lond Bell could do for him now. La Kairam has no extensive medical facility to treat those serious wounds. Wishing the Aestivalis pilot for a swift recovery, he left with Quattro as they both returned to the ship. Though Bright remained behind for a while, engaged in a conversation with Nergal's president.
It was comforting to see Luna's metropolis continuing its activities as though the battle with ZAFT a month ago was nothing more but a bad dream. It caused quite a strain for the two nations, though; most of the current ZAFT council members consider Dianna's people to be their loyal allies, while some held suspicion that if the push comes to shove, Dianna would side with her Natural brethren. The fact that Von Braun's ally was developing Gundams for the Federation was the seed of that suspicion. And although ZAFT send their apologies for attacking her city, Dianna was beginning to think that Clyne's hold on the council was not very strong, for letting the military destroy a Colony and attack Luna without knowledge. Granted, she too was surprised to find out Heliopolis' secret, she had seen to it that the people involved were punished, as well as making more meetings with Orb's leader to explain his actions. She was so irked with the Federation that she refused personal meetings with any diplomatic visitors from Earth, including Relena Darlian.
Relena, in her part, could only mourn at the political damage caused by her government, and wonder what her father would have done, had he been alive long enough to see this. But Dianna was no longer her concern; as another diplomat was assigned to fix relations. Now that she lost this assignment, perhaps it was time to attend a meeting in the colony at L3, where the head officers there personally asked her to visit.
She looked up at the La Kairam… Bright Noa's ship as Noin said when Relena met her former protector near the docks quite by accident… and wonder if total peace and the destruction of weapons was such an attainable dream after all. Now that the euphoria from the Eve Wars was fading away… people who vocally claimed the acceptance of total pacifism were in fact the same people who conspired to hid it away MS and armaments from the Preventers. Fear and hostility from ZAFT, Neo-Zeon and Titans did not help any either, not to mention the unspoken rumor of corruption in the Federation's top ranks. People with power that the former Sanc princess eventually knew she can never break.
With a sigh, she headed for her private ship.
-----
Commander Gou informed Bright's of his next mission after the captain send his report to Miwa regarding their failure to recapture the Nadesico. This did not hugely upset Bright and Gou though, knowing the true mission of the renegade ship.
From the moon, La Kairam headed for the direction of the Colony of Sweetwater. Quattro, for his part, became silent upon learning their next objective. Sweetwater was one of those Colonies that were formed after the One Year War… a place where war refugees from Side 3 goes. Shoddily constructed from the lack of funds and materials, as well as the hastily moving in the population, it was amazing that the Colony survived through the violent battles that followed after the War. Though the populace of that colony has their resentment for the Federation, it was abated somewhat from the dangers of the outer forces… news of Heliopolis destruction has finally reached the Spacenoid's ears. And what small trust and respect that they had for ZAFT's Coordinators that time were destroyed entirely, and that they have no choice but to be tolerant to the Federation forces, and Haman's own Neo-Zeon.
Bright looked up at the screen to see Adeneur Paraya greeting their timely arrival from a Federation Salamis Kai. He had never met the Senator personally, but he has heard of him from one of Mirai's letters: his only daughter Quess was the girl his own son Hathaway was dating at the boarding school they both attended back on Earth.
"I'm glad to see your ship, Captain Noah." Paraya was saying after exchanging a quick salute. "I couldn't ask for a better timing."
Quattro doesn't need to know why they were here. He already knew way before Paraya could even explain.
A third ship was approaching from La Kairam's port bow, an Axis flagship, the Gwadan.
There was only one person who could use such a ship.
Bright half-stand from his captain's chair, confused and bewildered by Paraya's next words.
"Haman Khan of Neo-Zeon wishes to enter peace negotiations."
-----
Camille frowned, staring at window at the new ship's general direction. Immediately he threw a look of apology to Jed, who was talking during their conversation regarding the Aestivalis pilot they've left behind.
"I feel a mental pressure…" he explained when Fa and Chidori insisted on what was wrong.
"Pressure?" Chidori asked.
"There are studies regarding that: but a popular assessment that those sort of things usually occurs between two Newtypes who had a higher brainwave activity." Jed said quietly. Chidori would have sworn she saw Sousuke wearing a very serious expression. The one he uses before throwing a grenade in a girl's locker room. "They somehow resonate each other."
Fa stared to him in amazement. "So whoever that person is in that other ship…"
Camille nodded, "Is a very strong Newtype…"
Fa looked at Chidori, "You looked bewildered."
Chidori scratched the back of her head in obvious embarrassment, "It's not the stuff people usually taught to us from our school. This whole Newtype ideal, I've never understand how it works, you see."
"It's because Neo-Zeon is causing trouble as it is…" Fa said. "And there's so many different ideas to the word that it caused a lot of debate."
Camille sobered, "But maybe the reason you never understand is… to the Earth, what us Spacenoids do isn't much of a concern for them."
Chidori looked shock by that flat sentence. "That's not true… we do care what's going on in space."
Sousuke intervened, "But you have to agree you don't know anything about it."
"…"
"It's a mechanism to prevent public panic." Sousuke explained to her gently but with a firm undertone. "The Federation imposed it ever since the Coordinator Extermination incident. And even though it may seem heartless to deny the people the knowledge of what's truly at work, I believe it was all for the better."
"That's why the whole telecast on the Eve Wars last year pretty much caused a ruckus." Jed nodded, he sobered by the thought… a year ago he was leading a normal life, though under a false past. Ignorant with Gundams, military bases, Lond Bell ...and everything else in between. Though he and their grandmother certainly didn't share a lighthearted Christmas in light of those events, he wasn't so sure if he was happier back then either.
Camille sighed, "It didn't stop the problem though."
Sousuke nodded, "No. It didn't." He doesn't have to say it aloud, since it was obviously a depressing tale to tell to a sunny girl like Chidori. The 30th Bunch Incident occurred, killing all the Coordinators in that Colony. And though many people criticized and pointed fingers at each other, there was never any closure for the victims and the families they left behind. This was most likely why ZAFT decided to be involved in the war; they could no longer stand being ignored and take pot shots from the Naturals. Given their violent history, Sousuke was not surprised… but it was a shame there were no other options to choose from for them that time.
Though despite that, Chidori clenched her glass, obviously upset by this. "But that is…
"…cruel…"
-----
"Solomon held a special place in Lady Minerva's heart." Haman Khan began, seated at the head of the Neo Zeon negotiation team, opposite of the table were the Federation's representatives, led by Adeneur Paraya. "Her father, the great Dozul Zabi, fell in combat defending it. We consider it one of our important landmarks."
Paraya assessed her quietly. Haman was the only daughter of Maharaja Khan, the regent that Minerva's mother had bestowed the title upon when she fell ill years after the conclusion of the One Year War. And when his own old age ended his life, he gave the responsibility to Haman. And even though Minerva was the last living Zabi, he believed that that her guardian holds the true military power. Rumors of Haman's amazing fighting prowess were quite well known.
"We understand that you have established the Gate of Zedan…formerly known to the Zeons as A Bao A Qu… as an HQ for your army."
"Yes." Paraya said in a businesslike tone. "And unfortunately we cannot afford to hand it to you."
"We have no intention to," Haman answered. "We don't want anything to do with the one that marked Zeon's defeat. I'll leave it to your capable hands."
"Then we understand each other?"
"Of course." Haman nodded, but hiding a grim smile as she nodded to one of her soldiers, who were pushing a heavy looking crate.
"Give this to our accountant, Mr. Cameron Bloom." Paraya told the soldier, "He will see it done."
"Y… yes, sir." Cameron said. The lawyer from Side 6 was quite taken aback by the political game play that had just occurred in this room. He also barely managed to hide his surprise when he had opened the crate, and inside containing hundreds of gold bullion neatly stacked together. He quickly gave a glance to Senator Paraya… what on earth were the Federation doing, anyway?
"A pleasure doing business with you." Paraya finished the meeting, extending his hand, in which Haman returned the gesture with a firm handshake. "We will not see each other for awhile."
"I hope so." As the rest of the Federation officials quietly left the room, Cameron Bloom summoned his secretary to send a private message that he wishes to speak with the La Kairam's captain.
-----
Haman Khan would have immediately went with the rest of her officers to the ship, but she found herself glaring at the La Kairam class ship docked nearby the Colony. Though it was quite far away, she knew that tangible presence anywhere.
"Char." She whispered under her breath, "What the hell are you doing?"
-----
Bright took the news from Cameron not so graciously, he feared, when he found himself storming into the docking bay where a Salamis Kai ship was waiting for the Senator.
"Captain…"
Bright decided to cut to the chase, he dislike subtlety anyway. "Why did you give Zeon the Axis?!"
Paraya flared, "It was the quickest way to obtain for ourselves peace and a potential ally." He shouted, "With those Coordinators stirring things up as it is, I prefer we have more available options."
"ZAFT is not causing trouble enough for such a hasty move."
The senator stared, "Are you willing to bet on that?" when Bright couldn't answer he added, "We have information that something huge was going on from the PLANTS. Minerva is threatened by the army that the Coordinators are forming… that's the only reason why she agreed for the peace treaty."
"Surely Clyne would not allow this."
"He won't. If he remained in power," Paraya gave the captain a wry smile. "It wouldn't be long now for the public to know that Patrick Zala is now in charge of ZAFT's military."
"Patrick Zala…"
"Stubborn old man." Paraya replied. "He refused to open negotiation with us."
"And Lond Bell…"
"Will unfortunately must remain uninvolved from this until further notice. Admiral Sutherland has stressed to have the Titans handle ZAFT."
"…"
"Your mission for now is to accompany my ship until we reach Federation space."
Bright felt a bitter taste in his mouth of defeat. There was truly nothing he can do. "Roger."
----
Midway on their consorting duty from Side 3 to Luna 2, however, when Jed was rudely shaken to wakefulness by Sousuke, telling him to suit up for a possible attack.
"What?" Jed asked him groggily. Glad that Sousuke took his advice and not use his favorite simulated grenade explosions to wake him up like last time.
"We're near the vicinity of a Tulip."
"So?" Jed flopped back to his pillow. "Nothing to be scared about." It took another second for his brain to realize the meaning of that, and so he grudgingly sat up. "Don't tell me we have to fight those things that technically destroyed the Sasebo port?"
"Yes."
"Damn. Why can't aliens wait for us to finish a decent sleep?"
----
Chidori stared at the giant tuliplike rock floating in space. It was hard to sleep when one wakes up by the sound of footsteps from fighter pilots who were preparing themselves for a sortie. "What's that?"
"A Tulip." Nana Izumi explained. "Big brother Kazuya studied that."
"Not really…" Kazuya told her, "We just observed the thing, but we're not given clearance by Professor Yumi to conduct studies on it. It's been said that thing is a Jovian weapon."
Chidori looked at it again, oddly enough she never sensed anything from the rock. Then again, she and Tessa never found out the extension of her Whispered powers, and Chidori was certainly not eager to find that out soon.
And sure enough, she saw the Tulip, opening, the entrance forming the shape that gave its name. And something emerging from the glaring light. The familiar yellow bugs, hordes of it in fact, pouring out from the Tulip's mouth.
Kyoshiro whistled "Those distortion fields are pretty tough, I wonder if we're up to it."
"This isn't the time to be impressed!" Nana scolded him.
Camille, who had also joined in the group, frowned at the Tulip. "There's something else in there." He said slowly. And suddenly Chidori felt it as well, a rather familiar presence.
Then from the same mouth the gravity blast tore through the bugs that emerged from its way. Fortunately both ships were not close enough to get caught by the attack. And Bright, who studied the ship's weapons and fighting capability, managed to gather his wits fast enough to give a clear order to his bridge not to retaliate.
Instead he opened all communication signals, hailing the unseen ship…
And from their end, Yurika Misumaru disheartedly identified themselves.
The Nadesico emerged from the Tulip soon after the bugs were cleared, looking heavily damaged, as the La Kairam approached it.
-----
"So let me get this straight…" Ippei said, rubbing his temple, "We lost sight to that ship we were originally chasing for…"
"Three days." Jed reminded him.
"That the trip from Von Braun to Mars usually takes a week, five days tops, with a very fast ship and a clever use of gravity." Ippei continued, "So how come it took them just three days to get there and back here again?"
"There's a popular theory that the Tulips are wormholes." Hiroshi replied. "But recent studies show that the human body can't withstand it."
"But they emerged from the thing." Nana pointed out.
Hiroshi chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully. "That is strange." He admitted.
"Did you notice, though, that Nadesico's captain seems… rather distant, lately." Megumi asked.
Kenichi nodded. He remembered the his surprise when the cheerful female Captain gave an appreciative wave at Voltes, silently thanking them for escorting her to her ship, ignoring the missiles that were getting too close to the helicopter. He wasn't sure if she was being too nice, or being too reckless. Still, he had to agree with Megumi that Yurika's spirits seems to be low when she came to the ship a second time. He wondered if something happened.
-----
It took Bright a moment to swallow the report that Yurika Misumaru , Akito Tenkawa, the pilot/cook and Inez Fressange… the only living survivor from Mars. Because she happened to be in the bridge while the rest were in the refuge of an underground bunker and were crushed to death when the Nadesico was forced to put up her shield when the Jovians gave them a surprise attack. What happened to those people obviously weighed heavily on Yurika's shoulders. Akito was looking at her in obvious concern.
"My first mission, and I blew it in huge proportions." Yurika said quietly. "I couldn't save them at all."
Bright found out that Yurika ordered her ship to get on top of the bunker, in hopes to allow the refugees to transfer into the ship quicker, but that allowed the Nadesico to become vulnerable from an enemy attack. An oversight that she apparently regretted.
Akito, remembered that he was enraged when Yurika ordered the distortion field. Despite his pleas to stop for the refugees. But as days pass by her lack of enthusiasm was enough for Akito to lose his anger and gave way to concern: he had never saw her in this depressing mood at all, it was so unlike her that he himself was at lost on how to cheer her up.
Her obligatory captain duties to overlook the ceremony in honor of the dead certainly didn't help either.
So Akito was very surprised when Bright told her evenly, "You have done nothing wrong."
That flat reply was enough to snap Yurika out from her heavy thoughts. "But…!"
"Captain… I'm sure you are aware that whatever your objectives may be… the captain's first and only concern in that situation is the welfare of the ship and her crew whom she commands."
Akito looked at his hands, though he was opposed by such cold logic, he could almost see Yurika's burden being lifted off a bit from her shoulders.
"I, too, would have done the same thing. Even if you didn't put on that shield, you still wouldn't have helped those people. So don't beat yourself up for that."
"But those people…" Akito said.
"Were dead." Bright repeated. "But then the Nadesico would have joined them, have your captain wasn't fast enough to make a decision."
"I guess…"
"So what happens now?" Inez asked him.
"As I was told: to accompany you back to Earth. But not as prisoners…" Yurika looked at him in puzzlement that Bright continued, "Nergal has made promises for the Earth Federation regarding your daring escape. They've formally allied to the government."
This raised Inez's eyebrow. "That's interesting," she told him.
Even Bright silently conceded to her assessment. The whole thing seemed too seamless and too convenient for his liking. For all his talks with Akatsuki Nagare and Erina Won back in Luna, they weren't visually concerned when he asked them what they should do if the Nadesico does come with the refugees. Almost as if they weren't expecting to have any.
"But even still…" Bright concluded, after shaking Yurika's gloved hand. "I'm glad to be working with you."
Yurika beamed, her old self slowly resurfacing. "Me too."
As they left the room, Yurika was holding her glove with a starry eyed look. "I'll never wash this again."
"Sheesh." Akito said, rubbing his left side of his head… his annoyance disappeared though, when relief flooded into his entire being.
He was glad to see Yurika happy again.
In fact, he was sure that everyone else in the Nadesico felt the sentiment, as he stood there beside her in La Kairam's screen to contact the other ship… saw Megumi and Minato smile in relief as Yurika extended her hand, her two fingers stretched out in a V sign.
----
After seeing off the Salamis class ship carrying Paraya, Bright and Yurika were working together to have their ships head for Afghanistan, currently under ZAFT control, in hopes to reunite with the Archangel that was stationed there in a mission to get rid of the "Tiger of the Desert".
"He's cute." Hikaru commented without thinking as soon as she saw his profile in the briefing room.
Bright gave her a condescending glare forcing the other fighter pilots in the room to stifle their laughter and assume a straight face.
Jed gave a glance to the stoic Sagara… from what he can pick from what little conversation they had that country was as close as he could call his homeland. But as usual he couldn't pick up anything from his friend's poker face. Sousuke, for his part, was studying the man's features in an intense concentration.
"Sir." Ruri's calm countenance appeared in the small corner of the screen. "Nadesico's radar is picking up an enemy fleet heading towards our direction."
"Can you give us a visual?" Bright asked her.
"Yes." Immediately some familiar giant robots replaced her image… "The Balms." Kazuya said, half-standing.
"Not just that." Kenichi pointed at the saucer-shaped things accompanying the other Godamons. "Our mom… er… Professor Mitsuyo Gou, gave us info before we got Voltes… and I'm confident to say those were not Balm units."
"The Boazan army." Megumi said.
Ippei cursed. "Just our luck: they joined forces."
Kyoshiro looked calm… "So the Balms weren't content with a peace mission at all…"
Kazuya cut him off. "That's not true."
Kyoshiro stared at him unflinchingly. "Whatever you say. It's not my dad who was killed by those people."
Kazuya looked like he was about to punch him when Ruri cut into the screen again saving Bright the trouble to reprimand them for their behavior. The Nadesico 'fairy' looked a bit puzzled as she said that they have received a transmission from one of the Godamon robots.
When Bright gave his go ahead, a confident voice of a young man filled the briefing room. "I am Haleck of Balm, the general of this batallion under Lord Lithiel's command…
"And I wish to confront Kazuya Ryuzaki in a one to one combat."
-----
"A duel?" Ryoko repeated, an eyebrow raised. "That's kinda old-fashioned don't ya think?"
"It could be a trap." Kyoshiro warned his friend.
"What choice could we have?" Kazuya replied, suiting up. "Both ships are now entering in orbit. And at least I could buy some time… besides," he said. "I don't think Haleck's the type to deceive people."
Kyoshiro shrugged in exasperation, "That's just your blind optimism talking."
"Regardless…" Quattro butted in, "Voltes V and your Galvar will follow Daimos… as support. Surely this Haleck person wouldn't mind… considering he has consorts as well."
"I'm worried we can't pin point the Skull Rock." Kenichi said. "Those saucers wouldn't be here without a mother ship."
"The rest of you will be in a defensive stand by." Quattro told to the rest of the fighters. "Our first priority is the safety of both the La Kairam and the Nadesico."
Akito's hands were shaking slightly though. This was the Earth atmosphere… he had lost a friend here in a past battle.
"Hey…" Ryoko said in obvious concern, apparently the only person who noticed it. "Are you alright?"
Akito gave her a sheepish smile. "It's alright, I'm OK." A pause. "Just make sure you won't get killed out there."
"That's bloody unlikely!" Ryoko retorted.
"With a tough guy like her, don't you worry!" Hikaru said, her right arm up in enthusiastic vitality.
"Tough… tough… like beef jerky…" the freaky woman Izumi who finalized the trio sang.
Ryoko glowered at her two team mates who were taking perverse pleasure of teasing their obvious tomboy leader that she almost shouted at them for being idiots, if it hadn't for Quattro who happens to glance in their direction.
"I'll get you two for this." She whispered at them from the corner of her mouth. Her two friends merely whispered a merry "Oooooooohhhh…" for the threat.
-----
Haleck did not mind at all to see Voltes V and the Galvar FX accompanying Daimos, as the duelists approached each other, breaking away from their respective groups.
Though Lithiel personally ordered him to destroy Daimos, Haleck wanted a more honorable and private battle as a warrior fitting his rank and station. He couldn't help but felt a grudging respect for this brave human.
The Godamon unsheathed its giant sword as Daimos moved into a forward stance.
The two mechas were still, as if assessing their strengths and determining the other's weakness. And then the Godamon lunged. Swinging its broadsword in an overhead arc, which the Daimos blocked the sword with its right arm.
Both fighters were stunned by this simple attack. Haleck for seeing his sword stopped as though Daimos had anticipated the attack and Kazuya to feel the power of the blow… though Daimos made a successful block, Kazuya felt himself being moved a couple of inches behind.
They broke off, and Daimos struck next blow with a roundhouse kick in which the Godamon blocked with its own sword…
…exactly what Kazuya wanted him to. Daimos delivered a second kick, shattering the Godamon's blade. And Haleck could only grin, he admired the human's strength, and he silently thanks the god of war for giving him the opportunity to fight such a person….
When suddenly Daimos toppled back in surprise when missiles appeared out of nowhere and struck Daimos from behind. Kazuya barely willed his mecha in a defensive position.
"Kenichi!" Megumi shouted from the Voltes leader's screen. "I've detected a Skull Rock ship near the vicinity!"
Kyoshiro shouted a curse "I knew it was a trap!!!"
But the Godamon did not follow the attack, instead it turned to the area where the missiles came from "Belgan!!! What's the meaning of this?!" Haleck shouted.
From within the Skull Rock, a fully armored Boazan stood up from his chair, though his face was behind an iron plated visor the man called Belgan's voice was disapproving. "I thought you'd agree. You were clearly losing."
Haleck snarled, "Losing or not, it is not honorable for a Balm warrior to attack his enemy from behind!"
"Honor? From what Lithiel told me those humans doesn't deserve it. Have you forgotten what they have done to your old leader in the red planet's summit?"
Daimos took a step forward. Though the news of his father's death in that event was well known, it was always assumed it was Balms who attacked first, and that the humans were the victims there. Kazuya had not heard of this before. "What do you mean?"
"None of your concern!!!" Belgan shouted. "DIE!!!" The Skull Rock's jaws opened, releasing a giant missile. Voltes V lunged forward clearly going in for the initiative.
But it was not Voltes who would intercepted that missile. It was rather the Godamon where Haleck manned who stood in the way between the missile and Daimos. Though the missile exploded and caused extreme damage, it was the robot's own tough alloy that saved itself from being destroyed.
Belgan looked at the event in astonishment. But what astonished him even more was when the Skull Rock literally shook from a sudden impact.
"Sir!" a Boazan soldier shouted. "The enemy mother ship is attacking!"
Sure enough, Nadesico followed up the attack with another Gravity Blast. Voltes V and the Galvar continued the attack with the rest of the grunts. And Belgan knew he shouldn't stick around for the human reinforcements. He looked at Haleck's machine, though, and silently vowed his enmity towards the Balming.
Daimos and the Godamon simply stared at each other. Then Haleck chuckled, "It is unfortunate. But I will look forward to the next duel on better terms."
"Haleck."
"Until next time, Kazuya Ryuzaki." And with that the Godamon flew back towards the Skull Rock, which was now inching away from them.
"Hey, you alright! Kazuya!" Kyoshiro shouted.
"Yeah." Kazuya said distractedly. "I'm alright."
But the Daimos still held its ground, its pilot lost in thought with the puzzling words Haleck and Belgan just said.
-----
A young 14 year old boy left the train station in Tokyo 3, staring at the letter that was ripped in two and then in an afterthought decided to tape the pieces together in his hand, wondering if going here was a good idea after all.
And then the sirens around the city rang loud and clear. The young boy Shinji Ikari raised his gaze to the sky and could only wonder what on Earth is happening now.
Next chapter: Roar, EVA-01Shinji Ikari finally meets his father whom he has never seen for many years. The awkward reunion intensifies when an Angel attacks Tokyo-3. And basically… it was all up for first steps in everything…
After much thought, I have decided to add King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final. I may regret it later, though, but what the heck. Having Lond Bell fighitng the 11 Master of Sol would be interesting.