DISCLAIMER: It turns out I do own Gundam Seed--just not beyond a DVD set. This is for fun, not profit as I own no character rights.
Two weeks after temporarily becoming the Zala team, the four redcoats of the Le Creuset team had finally tracked down the legged ship. They launched from the submarine carrier, and attacked the Earth ship, flying their mobile suits on Guuls.
The legged ship quickly launched a fighter plane, and the Strike walked out onto the deck. With the space ship's maneuverability confined to a short distance above the ocean's surface, the advantage seemed to be with the ZAFT soldiers.
Dearka ignored the fire coming down from the plane and combined the Buster's beam weapon and gun launcher into its long range snipping configuration. He fired the gun at the legged ship. The ship tried to evade, but the beam grazed the side. The ship returned fire with both its Valiants and Wombats. The ZAFT quartet had to scatter from their formation.
Athrun fired the Aegis' beam weapon at the smoking side of ship. At the same time, the Duel fired off the missiles in the Assault Shroud. "What are you thinking, Dearka?" Yzak complained as he maneuvered the Duel away from the returned fire. "Hurry up and stop the ship all ready!"
"I know! Keep your pants on!" Dearka retorted.
Yzak dodged from the Strike. The plane went after Dearka. The legged ship launched several missiles that Yzak barely avoided. "Yzak!" Athrun called. "Don't go too far on your own!"
"SHUT UP!" Yzak retorted with his usual venom, though he slowed his advance at the ship.
"Try to aim at their engines," Athrun continued. "Nicol try to flank them from port!"
"Right!" Nicol acknowledged as he looped the Blitz toward the left.
Athrun fired and took out a pair of the Earth vessels' guns. Nicol fired all three of his Lancer Darts into the side of the ship. They exploded, and the legged ship began to slowly loose some of its altitude.
The Aegis and the ship exchanged fire. Athrun soon had to dodge fire from the Strike as well. The Duel approached. "Stay back Athrun! I'll get this guy!" Yzak called as the Duel closed in on the Strike.
"Yzak, don't be reckless!" Athrun called after him.
Yzak ignored his order and continued to rush the Strike. The Strike promptly shot the Duel's Guul out from under it. The Duel drew its beam saber and attempted to land on the battleship, but the Strike jumped up to meet him. Its own beam saber disabled the Duel's. "WHAT!?" Yzak cried in frustration.
"Yzak!" Nicol cried as the Strike flipped and landed on the Duel's back. The Strike jumped off, dodging the shots of the falling suit.
Nicol realized a second too late that the Strike's ascent would reach his Guul. For one horrible instant as he attempted to counter the attack, Nicol thought he was finished. Rather than go for a killing blow, the Strike merely knocked the Blitz off. The blue and white suit then trashed the Guul. "NICOL!" he heard Athrun call as he fell.
The Blitz hit the water's surface, and the battle vanished from sight. As he sank, Nicol looked for the Duel. He quickly spotted Yzak's suit, all ready being loaded onto the Costeou. A few minutes later, the Duel and Blitz stood side-by-side in the Costeou's hangar.
With the Phase Shift powered off, the two mobile weapons looked like giant metal statues.
Yzak and Nicol remained in their cockpits as technicians effected repairs and topped off the suits' batteries. Another team of mechanics readied a fresh pair of Guuls. As he waited, Nicol pulled up the bridge's feed on the battle. Athrun and Dearka had held their own so far.
"We have a large number of surface contacts approaching from the east," the sonar officer reported.
Orb! Nicol's eyes widened as he turned to the GPS display. The battle had drifted to the edge of their border.
"Keep an eye on them," he heard Captain Monroe order.
"Attention ZAFT and Earth Alliance vessels. You are currently approaching Aube territory. Alter course at once! In defense of our neutrality, we strictly prohibit all armed vessels and fighters from entering our waters. Turn back at once!"
Yzak scoffed over the open line. "This guy's nuts!"
"I repeat, alter your course at once! This is your final warning. Should you fail to heed it, we will exercise our right to defend ourselves and open fire."
Nicol frowned as he watched the closing ships. If Orb chose to get involved...
"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT WITHOUT DEMANDING OUR PURPOSE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Nicol turned on the radio's visual display. A blond, teenage girl in a red shirt and khaki trousers spoke from the bridge of the legged ship. "Now the Archangel's going to cross into Aube territory. I demand you provide cover until we reach a safe location to allow refugees to disembark. After that, should you chose to sink us, I'll die without any regrets."
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?" a black haired officer on the legged ship's bridge demanded.
Nicol could hear other complaints coming over the line, including a rather strangled, "What about us?" from the kid sitting at the communications station the blonde had co-opted.
"I don't know who you think you are," the Orb captain protested, "but I--"
"If you don't have the authority to make a decision, then call someone who does!" the girl demanded. "Call my superior! Get me Uzumi Nara Attha!"
Nicol raised an eyebrow at the name of Orb's recent Chief Representative.
"My name is Cagalli Yula!" The Orb captain's eyes widened. "I'm OS, ID number 130267."
"I don't know who you think you're kidding!" the Orb captain exclaimed. "There's no way a Specials agent would be aboard that ship!"
"Now listen--"
"Even if you are who you say, I can't just let you in without evidence!"
"BASTARD!" the girl spat. "An off--"
An explosion sounded over the transmission as the Buster scored a hit on the ship. "Don't worry," Dearka's voice came over the line as the fighter plane rushed him. "I'll sink them before they get to your territory."
"AN OFFICER OF AUBE'S FIRST AND FOREMOST DUTY IS THE PROTECTION OF HER CIVILIANS!" Yula roared as Dearka traded shots with the plane. " When ZAFT initiated their assault on Heliopolis, several of the factory district shelters were disabled or destroyed."
"Dearka! You'll hit an Aube ship!" Athrun cut in. "Attack from the other side!"
"How do I do that?" Dearka protested.
"In the confusion, many people found refuge aboard this ship--"
"I'm aware of Halberton's message," the Orb captain cut Yula off as the submarine's cameras showed the Strike shoot out the Buster's Guul. "Intelligence has confirmed these facts.
"And the refugees' demise."
"There wasn't time for everyone to transfer to the Menolas before ZAFT attacked the Eighth Fleet--"
As he fell, Dearka again combined the Buster's weapons and shot a wide blast of beams at the rear of the ship.
"A few ar--"
Dearka's blasts hit one of the legged ship's nacelles. Yula nearly strangled the Communications Operator with her arm as she struggled against being thrown across the bridge. "A FEW ARE STILL ABOARD THIS SHIP!" she continued as the ship began to fall to the sea. A burly man with long gray hair whispered something to the woman in the captain's chair. Like Yula, he wore no uniform.
"DON'T INSULT US!" the Orb captain retorted.
"YOU HAVE A DUTY TO AT LEAST IMPOUND US UNTIL YOU CAN VERIFY THEIR IDENTITIES!"
The legged ship hit the ocean surface and coasted into Orb territory. "As you have ignored our warnings, we have no choice but to defend ourselves!" the Orb captain proclaimed.
A flurry of missiles drove the Aegis away from the Earth Forces' vessel. Another flurry surrounded the Legged Ship, missing it in a suspiciously precise pattern.
His leg throbbed. His nose itched. His arm tingled.
And thanks to the last, he just smacked his forehead trying to take care of the nose.
With a sigh, he dragged the numb hand down his face and rubbed his nose against it. He opened his eyes and sat up slowly as he flexed the muscles in his right arm and hand. His flight suit was gone, leaving him in his shorts and undershirt. A blue plastic cast hugged his lower right leg. An IV line had been inserted into his left wrist. The attached bag hung in an alcove to his left.
"You're onboard an Aube vessel." He turned to the right. A familiar blond girl sat across the room. She held a gun pointed directly at him. "We took you prisoner."
"Why?" he asked as his movements woke his arm and hand. "We moved our battle away from your boarders. Or..." A cold weight settled in his gut, and he swallowed hard. "H-Have you officially joined the Earth Forces, Agent Yula?" He smiled with satisfaction as her eyes widened. Hopefully, her surprise would distract her from his nervousness. "I heard your transmission to the Orb fleet."
"Good ear," the Orb operative replied flatly. "What happened to the pilot of the Strike?" she demanded. "Did he eject like you?"
He blinked. What no name or ID number? he thought.
"Answer me!" she demanded harshly. "We can't find Kira anywhere!"
Anger rushed through him as he stared at the hypocrite. At least the rest of the Earth Forces are honest about their allegiances. "I killed him," he told her harshly. "I grabbed the Strike. It grabbed one of its knives and disabled my beam saber. The only weapon I had left was the Blitz itself. It was about to lose power so, I grabbed the Strike's other arm, set the self-destruct, and bailed.
"Then I watched him burn."
"YOU BASTARD!" Yula clenched the gun barrel so tightly her knuckles went white.
Good thing her finger wasn't on the trigger, Nicol thought.
"Kira..." Tears welled in the Blonde's eyes. "He could be such an IDIOT! He was whiney and annoying and had NO business in the Earth Forces. But he was kind and decent and only wanted to protect his friends! HE DIDN'T DESERVE TO DIE!"
"NEITHER DID ATHRUN!" Nicol yelled. "THAT DIDN'T STOP YOUR KIRA, SO SHUT UP!"
"Wha-What?" Yula stared at him. "What are talking about!?" she demanded.
"Athrun was my friend, so I don't want to hear how his killer deser--"
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN KIRA KILLED ATHRUN!?"
Nicol winced at the piercing volume. "The previous battle where the Strike cut down the Aegis. Athrun was the name of the pilot."
The blonde dashed across the room and slammed the gun barrel against Nicol's jaw.
"LIAR!" Yula grabbed the front of Nicol's teal shirt as stars filled his vision. "Kira'd nev--HOW COULD YOU SAY SUCH A THING!?"
"IT HAPPENED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!" Nicol roared back. He gulped for breath before continuing. "The Aegis lost Phase Shift, and the Strike was standing there with its sword, and--" Tears began flowing down his face. "I JUST WANTED THE STRIKE TO LEAVE HIM ALONE! I DIDN'T EXPECT--" Nicol choked back a sob. "I signaled Athrun to fall back, but the Strike intercepted--Athrun saw it. The Aegis got between us. I tried to stop my attack--My dart damaged the Aegis' shoulder. But the Strike--"
"Its weapon would have cut through it like warm butter," Yula said flatly.
"No..." Nicol frowned as he thought back. "The sword lodged in the power relays. They overloaded, and triggered the destruct charges." He clenched his hands into fists. "THE BASTARD COULDN'T EVEN LEAVE HIM ALONE IN HIS FINAL MOMENTS! HE WAS TEARING, POUNDING AT THE AEGIS!"
Yula's eyes widened. "Tearing?" she whispered.
Nicol drew a choked breath. "I couldn't save him," he continued meekly. "It was right in front of me, and I--The least I could do was put it right."
"Put it right?" Yula asked coldly. "So now that Kira's dead, do we get Athrun back?"
Nicol glared at her. "At least he can have peace now."
"PEACE!?" Yula turned and pounded the wall with both hands. A moment later, she turned back to him. "'You attack because you're attacked'," the blonde stated as if quoting something. "'And someone attacks you in turn.' How is that supposed to bring the dead peace? Or..." She stalked to the door. "If you died, would you want the war to escalate and take more of your comrades?"
The blonde left.
I certainly wouldn't want them killed by the same guy who killed me, Nicol thought, as he stared at the door. It's not like we can end the war so easily. But after Spit Break...
He sighed as he fell back and stared at the ceiling. Crazy blonde.
"FINE!" Asuran and the blond haired girl yelled simultaneously. They turned their backs to each other and stalked off down opposite sides of the sidewalk. Seconds later, a loud shriek filled the air. Asuran spun around to face a muscular man standing right behind him. The man grabbed his arms and pulled him into the edge of the road.
As Asuran kicked at the man, he saw a brown haired man jump into the back of a van, a glint of gold on his arm. The redhead that had seized Asuran spun him around. Asuran sunk his teeth into the man's arm, but he still dragged the kid towards the open van.
"HEY!" a voice called. Asuran heard several footsteps racing over.
"FORGET IT! WE'RE GOING!" another voice yelled. Asuran found himself thrown onto the ground, spitting blood and torn flesh from his mouth. He looked up and saw a red bookbag sitting on the pavement…
"SAKURA!" Asuran cried as he sat upright. As his breathing slowed, he found himself in the hospital room from earlier. He looked at his wrists. Still restrained, his left wrist now had a white bandage wrapped around it. The restraint cuff sat further up his arm, just after the bandage. Asuran doubted he could slip the cuff over the bandage, much less his hand.
Anyway, with his head pounding, Asuran doubted he would get far even if he did get loose.
"You pulled against the cuff until it cut into your skin."
Asuran looked up and saw the doctor standing by the curtain that hid the rest of the room. "I remember," he said flatly as he turned his head to the wall. He absently wondered why he had trouble pronouncing the words. "You said I was an enemy."
The room no longer shook violently. A slight vibration did come through the bed. The sensation reminded him of riding a bus. Or a shuttle...
"Is there a war going on?" Asuran asked as the doctor's comment on sinking crossed his mind.
"Yes," Zeks replied. "The PLANT colonies are at war with the Earth Alliance--the nations that sponsored the PLANTs."
Asuran frowned. "What does Aube have... Wait. Someone from PLANT wanted to adopt me." And change his name, but the man had not wanted Kira. Asuran sat up. "You said you had my brother too. Can I see him?" When his head cleared, Asuran tried to peer around the curtain.
"Asuran," the doctor sat on the chair next to the bed. "Kira wasn't a prisoner. He was aboard this ship as a volunteer for the Earth Forces."
"I am PLANT, right?" Asuran asked. "He wouldn't..."
"You did join ZAFT," Zeks told him. "But the war disrupted personal correspondence. Kira didn't initially know--and he got swept up in events outside his control."
"Oh," Asuran replied, feeling disconnected from whatever he should feel. "Doesn't he want to see me?" he asked quietly.
"He'd like it very much--If he's still alive." Asuran gasped. "I'm afraid we lost contact with the Strike during the last sortie."
"Strike?" Asuran asked numbly.
"His fighter."
"Oh."
"We contacted Orb, and requested they search the battle area for him."
"You're not looking?" Asuran asked, still numb.
"The battle was too intense. If we stayed, we wouldn't have lived long enough to search. But since we withdrew, it likely drew away the ZAFT forces away from him."
"Oh, " Asuran replied. Then after a moment: "Is that... good?"
"That depends on if Kira survived, his condition, and how your unit treats POWs," Zeks replied. "We'll know soon enough. Orb won't turn down a request to save lives."
"Especially Ari's twi--."
A blonde face flashed through Asuran's mind. He saw himself wearing red as he sat and watched her yell over a monitor. Asuran could not hear her words, but he had an impression of ships on water. And behind the girl...
Zeks clamped a hand on Asuran's shoulder. "That's not a factor," the doctor said firmly. "Don't go saying it is."
Asuran barely registered the doctor's words as he tried to puzzle out the memory.
He would almost welcome the crazy blonde's company. Nicol rubbed the bruise on his jaw. Almost.
After Yula had stalked out of the room, Nicol decided to hobble his way over to the desk and computer station. Even putting his weight into the wall, the trip had tortured his cast-bound leg. All for a terminal that would not power on.
It's unlikely I could have hacked their communications, anyway, he had thought gloomily.
Unwilling to aggravate his broken limb further then he had to, Nicol continued to sit at the terminal and stare at the bed. Time passed slowly, and he had long since exceeded his boredom threshold. Nicol had even resorted to counting the specs on the floor.
Nicol looked up sharply as the door slid open. The Orb agent walked in with a tall, stern-looking man in the uniform of an Orb colonel. Nicol recognized the gray haired man as the one from the legged ship's bridge. The colonel held a pair of crutches in one hand. Nicol's flight helmet was in the other. A jacket and pair of red jeans lay draped over an arm. "Your ride's here," Yula told him.
"Ride?" Nicol asked.
"We're not allowed to bring foreign soldiers into Aube territory--"
Nicol snorted at Yula's words. He knew that Orb had admitted the legged ship.
"--So we're handing you over to a ZAFT transport."
Nicol nodded. "Where's my flight suit?"
"We had to cut it off your leg," the colonel spoke as he walked over. "The swelling was too intense. We'll return the remains if you want, but you'll have to make do with this for the transfer."
Nicol nodded. "Thanks."
After he changed, they escorted him to the ship's door. They passed several people, most in Orb's naval uniform, but a few wore the white pants and orange jacket of Morgenroete.
Nicol frowned at that. The must have hoped to salvage the Blitz and Strike, he thought.
"It's the next left, then we'll be there," the colonel informed him brusquely. Nicol nodded. As they turned, another Morgenroete engineer passed them, though he wore a white skirt and looked just a few years older than Nicol. Ahead of him, Nicol could see the hatch opening--
Wait. He?
Nicol stopped and looked over his shoulder. The engineer had passed out of sight.
"Keep moving," Yula ordered.
"Was that..." Nicol caught the look on Yula's face and decided not to press the issue. It was probably just a poor-built girl, anyway, he decided as he reached the door.
Nicol put the random event out of mind, and leaned his weight onto the crutches. He watched a small motorboat make its way from the ZAFT transport. Two figures in elite red stood on either side of the transport's door. "BASTARD!" the shorter one bellowed into a bullhorn. "WHO THE FUCK TOLD YOU TO GET BLOWN UP!?"
"That's quite a show of affection," Yula remarked dryly as Nicol groaned and closed his eyes.
That's Yzak for you, he thought. A light touch on his chest caused him to pull back as he opened his eyes. He instinctively put more weight on his left leg then it liked, over corrected, and fell into the blond agent's arms.
"I'm sorry," she said as a flushing Nicol rebalanced himself. "I didn't mean to startle you."
"What were you...?" Nicol trailed off as he glanced down and spotted a red, teardrop-shaped stone hanging from a cord around his neck.
"It's an amulet of Haumea. Let it protect you."
Nicol blinked at her. "Why?"
"Do you want to die or something?" Yula snapped.
"No! But I killed Kira. Why--"
"KILLING YOU WON'T BRING KIRA BACK!" Yula snarled.
"I know that! But… Why would you want protect me?"
Yula sighed. "I just don't want to see anyone else die. Besides, you said Aslan died to save you."
"Athrun," Nicol corrected.
"Whatever! The point is, you owe it to him to try to stay alive! So don't go inviting grudges!" Yula walked behind him and placed her hands on his back. "Now let's get you down to that boat."
"Sai?"
The young man in the blue Earth Forces uniform looked up from his supper tray. He smiled at the pink uniformed speaker as she sat across from him. "How are you holding up?" he asked.
"Depends on when you ask," the redhead replied. "Any word from Orb?"
"Not yet." Behind tan lenses, blue eyes looked down at his food. "At least we're out of ZAFT's range. It should be smooth sailing to Alaska."
"And the little brother?"
Sai sighed. "Zeks says he's out of danger, but that his memory loss and Japanese accent is troubling."
"Why?" a black haired, brown-eyed teen asked as he set his lunch on the table. "He was originally from Aube, and about half the original settlers were from Japan."
"Hey, Kuzzey," Sai greeted. "Zeks is adamant that it's a Japanese accent, not Gatonic. And 'too damn strong', for that matter."
"It's the head injury," the gray-eyed girl told her two companions.
"Yeah," Kuzzey answered, his brow furrowed in confusion. "He thinks he's still a kid."
"No," the redhead shook her head. "It's separate from the amnesia. In… that place, there was this kid Michael--about as Hispanic as sushi--who took a head blow. When he woke up, he had all his memories and faculties, but talked with a Spanish accent--to most of us. There was some disagreement from the Spanish speakers--Anyway, he spoke normally by the end of the month, though the doctors said it could have been permanent."
"Oh," Sai replied. "Well, Athrun's started recovering strength and memories, so I guess that's a good sign."
"I hope so." Gray eyes stared at the table. "But Alaska--I know we've discussed it, but--"
"Flay." The brown haired boy reached across the table and squeezed her wrist. "If something unexpected happens," he spoke in a quieter voice, "we'll deal with it. It'll be fine."
"Yeah," Kuzzey echoed, looking nervously at the rest of the room.
"If Kira's--He'd want us--"
"Kira wants us to look after ourselves as well as his brother," Sai told Flay. "Excessive worrying won't do you any good."
"I know, but--Miri." Flay pulled her arm away from Sai as another young woman entered the cafeteria. With short, auburn hair, she wore the same pink uniform as Flay and looked as if someone had punched her gut. She walked over to their table.
"What's up?" Sai asked.
"We heard from Orb."
Sunlight poured through the room's wide windows. The woman ignored it as she sat at the black grand piano with her head bowed forward. Her forest green hair brushed the piano's keys. She lightly played the keys as she dreaded the next phone call.
Her mobile phone sat on the bench next to her, and had rung a few times over the last hour. As all the ringtones belonged to friends or associates, she had ignored them. Only one call meant anything: the one that would either answer her hopes or destroy her.
"Romia?"
The woman spun to the room's door. "Yuri! What ar--" She paled abruptly. "It's bad news."
Ever since Yuri told her that Nicol had gone MIA, she had known the odds favored his death. She had tried not to place too much hope in the fact that his team had been forced to withdraw without a proper search of the area.
"No!" Yuri exclaimed. "Orb found him, and turned him over. He's probably at the Carpentaria hospital all ready."
Relief and worry warred within her as she crossed the room. Nicol's alive. Nicol's hurt. "Hospital?" Romia demanded. "What happened?"
"It sounds like he just got a little scrapped up. He's going to be fine."
"Did you get a copy of the medical reports? And why the hell didn't you call me the minute you heard?"
The brown haired man winced. "Rosie called and said you were holed up, ignoring all calls."
Romia briefly considered killing their housekeeper. "Only because the ringtones weren't yours or a ZAFT exchange. I needed time to process things without dealing with everyone's sympathy." She frowned and brushed her hand across her husband's cheek. "Oh Yuri, I'm so sorry."
Yuri smiled. "Me too." Romia smiled weakly, thinking back to that argument…
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Romia shrieked. She swung her hand forward, and raked her nails down Yuri's cheek. "'He'll be fourteen,'" she mimicked. "'He won't do as well as the older volunteers. I can get him assigned away from the frontlines.'"
"'Keep him safe?'" Yuri threw right back. "'He can get nuked in his own bed!' How ca…"
Yuri embraced her, drawing her back to the present. "With luck, Spit Break will settle things enough that he doesn't have to go out there again," he whispered as he held Romia.
"Torii!" Flap-flap. "Torii!" Flap-flap.
Asuran smiled sadly as he watched the mechanical bird hopping back and forth between his knees. If not for the robotic pet, Asuran reckoned, he would have gone nuts two days ago. Whether from boredom or frustration as he tried to make sense of the jumble of memories in his head, he could not say. As he healed, he had recovered disjointed slices of his life in the PLANTs. Some, like his wartime confrontations with Kira, were intensely vivid. Others felt like watching the life of a stranger called "Athrun".
And for all that he remembered accepting the spelling change--the two versions were pronounced the same in Gato, after all--that change now bothered him. While the English pronunciation of Athrun came closer to his familiar name, it now felt like his father had ripped his identity away.
"Torii!" The bird landed on the back of his hand and peered up at him. Asuran smiled down at the bird.
"And how's my patient this fine morning?"
Asuran scowled. He hated this ship's doctor.
"Any pain, discomfort, new memories?" the cheerful voice continued.
Asuran settled for throwing a dark look at the man, before silently turning back to Torii.
"Look," Zeks sighed. "I know you don't want to deal with me, but it's easier to treat you if I know what's going on with you. So I need you--"
"Yes," Asuran cut the man off as he kept his gaze on Torii.
"Pardon me?" the doctor queried.
"I am experiencing discomfort," Asuran replied clinically as Torii landed on his palm. "My wrists feel constricted and restrained. Can you do something about that?"
Zeks threw back his head and laughed. "Cute, kid." He reached out and patted Asuran on the head. "Very cute," he added, apparently unaware of Asuran's glower. Zeks removed his hand from Asuran's head and turned to grab the chair. "But seriously," he said, as he sat down. "You're sleeping less and eating more. Those are good signs."
"Lot of good that does me tied up," Asuran replied bitterly.
"It won't last forever, kid."
Asuran stared at his lap. True, he hated being chained down, but he found getting locked in a cage just as unpleasant. The odds of escape from the ship's brig were lower--not that his current chances ranked high, or even likely. But a thin strip of plastic gave the illusion of flimsiness that no metal bar could.
He would not mind the freedom to stand and walk that a cell offered, though.
"What's going to happen me?" he asked.
Zeks sighed. "Once we get to Alaska, they'll eventually transfer you to a POW site. After that, it depends on when the wars ends."
The Earth doctor spoke as calmly and clinically as ever, but Asuran could not shake his unease. "Really," he replied. "That's all?"
"Would you prefer something more medieval?" the doctor drawled. "Perhaps a nice rack and thumbscrew ensemble?"
Asuran's jaw dropped. He jokes about that? He abruptly closed his mouth, then opened it again to tell the doctor off--
"Sorry to disappoint, but there are rules governing the treatment of prisoners."
"There are rules against nuking my mom, too!" Asuran snapped. "Don't go preaching about your rules! When you clearly don't even--"
The doctor slammed his fist onto the top of his desk. "You don't know me," he hissed. "So don't presume to tell me my feelings! Further, there are rules against ZAFT targeting civilians as well! Don't lump me in with the scum of the Earth Forces, unless you'd like me to return the favor." The door behind the doctor slid open. A redhead walked in with the day's lunch trays. Zeks sighed. "Look, I won't say there are never any problems, but you don't need to worry. There are people who'll look out for you."
Asuran snorted. "Maybe if Kira were still alive. But that fool got what was coming, so--"
The trays crashed the floor, and their contents jumped out--Asuran's pre-cut beef and peas, as well the doctor's slab of meat and two forks. "Flay!" the doctor turned to stop the girl as she rushed towards Asuran.
The girl threw back an arm and gut-punched him into the wall. Asuran's green eyes widened as he realized she held the doctor's steak knife in her other hand. He threw his hands up as she reached his bed. With a cry, Torii lifted off. The robot pet bounced off Flay's descending hand. The restraints would not allow Asuran's arms to fully extend, but he managed to catch her wrists before the knife skewered his brain.
Flay threw herself onto the bed. As she straddled Asuran's waist, he realized that the knife slowly descended despite his efforts. I thought I'd regained most of my strength... "Aah!" he grunted, as the girl's knees dug into his waist like a vise. She pulled her arms away from Asuran. Not expecting the sudden reversal, he failed to keep her wrists in his grasp. Flay's left arm batted Asuran's arms to the side. The knife's blade cut Asuran's cheek, ear, and hair as it sank in the pillow.
"WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH YOU!?" Flay shrieked.
"ME!?" Asuran spluttered. "WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH YOU?"
"KIRA!" As tears welled in her gray eyes, Flay pulled the knife up, and stabbed it down again. Asuran grabbed her arm. The knife slowed, but still lodged into the pillow. "He's so--So--HOW COULD YOU SAY HE DESERVED TO DIE!"
"HE BETRAYED HIS OW--"
The knife cut through his cheek again, crossing the first cut. "HE NEVER SET FOOT IN THE PLANTS, MORON! HE WASN'T--"
"HE'S A COORDINATOR!" Asuran retorted. "HE HAS NO BUS--"
"YOU CHANGED THAT!" The crimson-haired girl drew the knife back again. The doctor's hand grabbed Flay's wrist.
"Flay!" he commanded. "Get ahol--"
Flay elbowed the doctor in the nose. "YOU ATTACKED!" she continued. "YOU KEPT COMING FOR THE KILL, WHEN KIRA ONLY WANTED--"
"FLAY!" Zeks roared, as he continued to struggle for control of the knife. Blood flowed from his nose down over his mouth. "I DON'T THINK--"
"I THINK THAT IF I HAD A BROTHER LIKE KIRA, I'D HATE ANYONE WHO TRIED TO KILL HIM!"
Fury raced through Asuran. "SO DID I!" he roared, tired of putting up with her self-important assumptions. "THAT'S WHY I HAD TO DO IT!"
Flay blinked. She sat back and let the doctor take the knife. "Huh?"
Next: Athrun explains himself, Zeks plots, and Nicol gets a surprise.