Fated Shift: Rearmed

by Centurious the Azure

A Rewrite of Gundam SEED: Fated Shift with co-author Storm Wolf77415. Sometimes a small ripple can create a change. And a simple change can create a tsunami in destiny. Experience the new wave of Fated Shift: Rearmed. OC/Flay. Kira/Imported Character. Mu/Murrue.

14. A Quiet Day with the Tiger (pt2)

Disclaimer: see Chapter 1

Fated Shift: Rearmed

Centurious the Azure and Storm Wolf77415

A Quiet Day With the Tiger Part 2

"You're not with ZAFT, are you?" Natarle snapped, trying to get a read on the new arrival. "Are you with Atlantic Federation intelligence then?" The uniform was beige like the Earth Alliance, but the cut and styling were different. The only decoration was a small elaborate black cross on both collars and a larger one on his left breast, topped off by a black ascot. It was simple but elegant all at the same time. The man just smirked as he leaned forward.

The man just chuckled. "I'm afraid not, Commander Badgiruel." He let out a puff of smoke as he looked down on them. "Don't presume ZAFT and the Earth Alliance are only the games in town. Because they're not. There are many parties at work in our world. Powers that work beyond the ken of the usual suspects. I answer to a higher calling that is the pursuit of peace."

Keijiro just looked at him confusedly. "Wow, that isn't vague at all." He screwed his eyes slightly. "And dude, are you wearing a fucking ascot?"

"And there's something wrong with my ascot, Mr. Mishima?" The man drawled.

Keijiro was about to open his mouth when Kisaka nudged him in the side. "Don't antagonize him any more than you need to! That man up there is Colonel Georg Crossman, commanding officer of the Schwarze Kreuzen, the Black Cross Squadron!" He stepped forward, his eyes blazing in silent fury. "He is not a man to take lightly at all!" The man, Georg, just laughed and started clapping mockingly.

"Well done, Colonel Kisaka! I'm so glad you recognize greatness when it comes across you." He took a sweeping bow. "Yes, I am Colonel Georg Crossman, for I am the one who bears the great cross of peace. Orb Naval Intelligence is known for its very quick-witted operatives." His smirk vanished, replaced by a hard stare that sent a chill through Natarle's very soul. "It is such a shame that your precious country would sully its honor by breaking the seal on those nightmarish demons called Gundams. I truly respected your nation being that we are both agents of peace on Earth. I can't imagine what you were thinking by breaking the Crusader Accords so blatantly?"

"Like the Accords mean shit anymore, every country has violated them by this point." Koji pointed out.

"Oh shit!" Keijiro finally put it together. "You're here for the Gundams?!" His hands clenched, no one was going to touch his Eurasian beauty! "Well, guess what, you ascot wearing fuckjob? I left my keys for the Hyperion back at the house! Besides which, everyone has Gundams now, so what's the point in enforcing some worthless old treaty? From where I'm standing, you're out of a job!"

The commander of the Black Cross just sneered at the stoner like he was a lower form of life to him because Keijiro might as well have been. "As if the minion of one of those foul demons would ever understand! You willingly sold your soul for power, and the pain and suffering of your fellow man is what fuels your addiction for that power."

Keijiro wasn't fazed at all. "So what? Your fucking point? If it's that I enjoy lording my strength over others, then yeah you're right on the motherfucking money! Hyperion gives me a shit ton of power and I wouldn't trade it up for anything! Don't tell me you don't get your rocks off by pushing people around while hiding behind your precious accords and dumbass treaties. Because we both know it gives you a major boner to do so!" He leveled his own contemptuous sneer at Georg while pointing an accusatory finger at the man. "Do not kink shame when you aren't much better than me, bro."

The older man harrumphed, flicking the ash off his cigarette before taking a long drag off of it. "Touche, I suppose it's not wrong to say we both have our vices." He indicated to the cigarette still held in his hand as he blew a loud cloud of smoke from his nose, billowing out in a menacing fashion. "It's a filthy habit, really, and I've been meaning to quit for years. Yet I just find something about it that I can't let go of. But you WILL let go of your Gundam, Mr. Mishima." He bared his teeth at Keijiro, like an angry animal. "Mr. Yamato and the others as well. I'm being very polite this time, I can assure you that it will be your only chance."

"With all respect Colonel Crossman, I'm aware of the Crusader Accords. Surely the Gundams we created at Heliopolis don't fall under the same restrictions the machines from the Reconstruction War, do they?" Natarle asked, hoping that there was some kind of leeway allowed. The hard glare she received didn't fill her with much hope. Georg's nostrils flared, smoke billowing again before he put out his cigarette, flicking down to the polished floor below.

"Oh, how naive you are!" The man snapped, slapping his hands against the guard rail. "You and those old fossils in Washington and Alaska really think such a ruinous power will be your salvation! Have you learned NOTHING from history? 600 MILLION! That's how many people died during the Reconstruction War! The man was so desperate for a victory that he crossed every moral and spiritual boundary they possibly could! The cost to our souls was so high but no one cared at all!" He raised his arms to the sky. Making Natarle think of an old-school firebrand preacher delivering an impassioned sermon on the pulpit. "And what of the children who were sacrificed to the cause of the war? Hundreds of thousands of them were ripped from their homes, abducted, and experimented on by the nobility and the rich oligarchs to fulfill their petty desires!"

He lurched forward, ripping his sunglasses off and giving everyone a full view of the mad look in his eyes. "Nothing was sacred to them at all! They developed all kinds of terrible weapons and technology powered by forsaken children! And the culmination was the demon called Gundam!" Georg snarled the name, almost seeming to cause him actual physical pain just saying it. He calmed down slightly, putting his glasses back on and lighting another cigarette. "War, war never changes. There will always be war, but there was no other war where the Gundams existed, a mockery of the shape of mankind. Gundams had no mercy, no sense of right or wrong. They fought without honor, just horror, blood, and death en masse. It was a tragic time to live, and it could have been avoided. That is why I will never let any Gundam, no matter what their origin or intended purpose, walk the sacred soil of the planet we call Mother Earth."

"Bravo! Bravo!" Keijiro began clapping sarcastically. "Way to sell it to the cheap seats, chucklehead! You almost had me convinced! I can tell you're quite fond of that little speech, probably tell it to all the kids at school. I'm sure they all love it."

"Well, I sure don't! Don't even think your pretty little speech will make us relinquish our weapons!" Alissa snapped, stepping forward with a fury of her own building. "All you're doing is cheap pandering to people who don't give a damn at all! You act like you have some kind of moral purpose, but Keijiro is right! You are no better! What about the slaughtering of innocents at Mendel, Mercury, and Junius Seven? Because I know who you really are beneath that finely pressed uniform! For the preservation of a blue and pure world. The rallying cry of Blue Cosmos!"

"I couldn't have put it better myself," Kisaka stated. "You might take the moral high ground, but anyone with a background in ONI knows what banners were flown at their tragedies. That the cross of your squadron was emblazoned on the mobile armor that carried the nuke that glassed Junius Seven."

Georg just shrugged, that arrogant grin creeping back across his face. "You're not wrong on that front. I am also with Blue Cosmos, but they and the Black Cross are not one and the same. You could say we're separate branches on the same tree, but there is some overlap when our goals are the same."

"I was here to assassinate Commander Waltfeld, but when we saw the Gundams then our priorities changed very quickly. It's why I pulled my men here to spring this little trap. Money will change the tune of any man." He snapped his fingers and about a dozen men surged in through the entrances, wearing the same uniform as him, with heavy body armor over it, the black cross present. "Keep the commander alive. I'm sure Captain Ramius will be willing to negotiate for her XO's safe return. When I say that you'll be treated well if you surrender here and now, I really do mean it. You can see reason in that you've been outflanked."

Natarle took it all in. She looked up at Georg. "I consider myself a reasonable person, Colonel, and here's my response." She looked over to Keijiro and smirked, holding up her left arm and flipping him off. He let out a throaty chortle and clapped. "Fuck off, we're not giving you anything!" Georg was nonplussed, and just snapped his fingers, the soldiers raised their rifles.

Kisaka, Natarle, and Alissa pulled out their pistols, the sounds of cocking weapons echoing throughout the room. "N-now wait a minute here!" Waterboy whined, wiping his face again. "I want to be compensated triple for this since this is my warehouse in the middle of the city on less. It will hurt my business." He pulled out a Desert Eagle, plated in gold with elaborate scrollwork engraved all along the barrel. "And I won't allow my business to be hurt in any way!" Everyone just looked at the fat idiot.

Keijiro whistled. "Nice piece! I call dibs on it after we kill the lardass and everyone else here." He pulled out his own sidearm, holding it gangster style. "I don't have nearly enough gold guns in my collection and I'm always looking to add more."

"Don't get cocky you little punk! I may have packed on the pounds but I'm not to be taken lightly! I've served in the army before and I've certainly killed for less than you're being paid."

"Surrreee, and the hits keep on coming. He hasn't seen street combat or his pathetic, flabby cock in eons. All it takes is one little scratch and he'll start shrieking like a banshee." Koji's voice spoke. Keijiro smirked. He was going to use that.

"Oh yeah you're so tough. You haven't seen your cock in an eternity, and you need that ridiculous strap to compensate for how broken and useless it really is." Keijiro giggled. "Now as for yours truly, I have a cock for days. It will be the perfect match for that monster. So, it would fit me better!"

"How does whiskey dick count?" Koji asked from within the stoner's head.

"Shut the fuck up will you?" Keijiro growled, waving the air with his gun as everyone looked at him confusedly.

Georg laughed triumphantly. "And I prove my point! the Gundam is clearly affecting his mind if he's talking to himself!" A single shot rang out, pinging off the handrail inches from where his hand had been. Keijiro's smile was without remorse as he lowered his weapon, smoke rolling off the barrel.

"Nice try you Gendo wannabe, but I was already fucking crazy before I came upon my sweet Hyperion." He cocked his gun. "So do me a favor and stay still while my peeps and I kill you and your ridiculous little toy soldiers." Keijiro threw a look at Alissa, nodding slightly. She seemed to understand what he was talking about, before pulling out a pair of sunglasses and putting them on, her hand going into her pocket. Realization dawned on Kisaka, and he did the same. Ashman looked rather confused until he saw what was clenched by her side, before donning his own.

Keijiro gently elbowed Natarle in the side. The XO saw the others and put on her own glasses, his gaze never breaking from Georg. "I hope they're tougher than the usual stooges I shitstomp on." He beckoned with his hand. "So come on boys, let's have a party! Hope you brought your A-game!" He produced a pair of very sleek rimless shades. "You'll need it!" That was Alissa's cue, chucking a cylindrical object in the air over their heads. Georg's eyes widened.

"Flashbang!" He cried, shielding his eyes with his arm as the aptly named device went off, the purest white light blinding everyone who hadn't protected their eyes. But it wasn't a normal flashing, it was a 9-Banger. All nine explosions equally deafening off the walls of the warehouse. For Keijiro's group, the light didn't bother them, nor did the earplugs they had subtly slipped in. The rest of the occupants were disabled, and they pounced! Natarle amazingly was the one who drew first blood, hitting a double tap on one of Waterboy's guards. Alissa didn't miss how she winced at directly taking her first life, it was one thing when they sunk a ZAFT ship, she couldn't see the faces of the crew, but this was right in front of her.

Ashman tapped her on the shoulder, reminding her of just where she was in that moment. "Don't falter here, Commander! We're still right in the danger zone!" He managed to plug one of the Black Cross soldiers in the leg before Kisaka got him with a couple of rounds in the face. He glared at up Georg who was hurrying down the walkway, trying to get away from the fight. "The bastard's getting away!" Alissa gave him a slight nod and went after him. She surprised everyone by nimbly springing up a stacked pile of boxes onto the catwalk, blocking off Georg's escape.

"You won't leave here alive!" She snarled, ready to drill him right between the eyes. Only for the far door to open, admitting two more guards, armed with heavy ballistic shields. She tried to act quickly, shooting at Georg. One of the guards quickly moved in front of his boss, the bullets pinging off. He fired his assault rifle, but she deftly evaded every bullet, bringing her pistol up to fire in quick two-round bursts. The commander of the Schwarze Kreuzen's eyes widened for a minute before narrowing slightly.

Alissa quickly closed the distance, crouching low to kneecap him before elbowing him in the gut, and shooting him twice in the chest, his still-cooling body collapsing to the metal floor. She then kicked the barrel of the other guard's assault rifle, sending a burst into the wall. The remaining guard thrust his ballistic shield forward, catching her in the gut with the edge of the reinforced slab of metal. Alissa grunted as she went falling backward, going down to one knee. The guard looked stunned that it hadn't knocked her out. "Nice try, tough guy. That could have really knocked the wind out of me." Her face split into a sinister grin. "Too bad my lungs aren't exactly standard human issue anymore!"

Before the guard could react. She full-on rammed him with the force of a small truck, rewarded with the sound of several of the soldier's ribs breaking, before grabbing onto his head and snapping it, ending his life. The corpse fell to the ground, and Alissa had a moment to see the door slamming shut, indicating Georg had been smart enough to not hang around. "I'll get you next time!" She snarled, before leaping off the catwalk back into the larger fracas. Luckily one of Waterboy's guards was there to break her fall.

Landing on his shoulders, She flipped around into a hurricanrana, driving his square to the ground and snapping his neck in a single motion. "Die you skank!" Another of the gangsters shot at her, but Alissa easily dodged the bullets, rolling across the floor, before pointing her sidearm square at his groin. A pair of shots were reported, and the guy fell to the ground, moaning in agony while clutching the bloody stump that used to be his genitalia. Alissa looked at him with a flicker of pity before producing a knife and stabbing him in the heart, ending his misery. She idly flicked the blood off before taking in the sight around her.

Kisaka was a stoic island in the ocean of chaos he waded through, dropping enemies that came near him with single rounds from his pistol, interspersed by a punch to the jaw or a kick to the jaw before putting a bullet in whatever poor fool crossed his path. He saw Natarle duck being punched by one guy, and another about to bludgeon her with his rifle. He snapped his pistol up, plugging the guy in the neck and forehead. The Archangel's XO looked in shock and then saw who had saved her. She threw Kisaka a slight nod who responded back, each of them decking another soldier.

Having picked up a rifle from one of the fallen, Ashman retreated up the catwalk Alissa just vacated, making use of the higher elevation to pick up anyone getting close to his comrades. He had very good aim, considering he was hitting either center of mass or headshots every time. One Black Cross operator nearly got Natarle from behind, only for him to get a third eye courtesy of a 5.56mm bullet lancing through his skull.

Keijiro zeroed in on Waterboy, hemmed in by three of his guards as he waddled out of the room, or at least tried to. He ran as fast as he could, going for a flying drop kick that got one guard in the back. He spun in midair, twisting his body to plug the second guard in the knee before another bullet caught him in the spine and then the back of the head. Keijiro whipped around, kicking the last guy inside of the head, spinning around with a pained expression. The stoner just grinned menacingly before shooting him in the groin.

Waterboy whimpered slightly as he now had no more meat shields to defend him and now had to face a crazed stoner. "I told you I'd take your gun, fatty." He taunted, not blinking as he found himself staring right down at the gilded and engraved barrel. "You say you have some moves, Waterboy? By all means! Show me what you got!" The dealer's face hardened, and he threw a punch at Keijiro, who idly dodged to the left, batting his oversized fist to the side, while kicking him in the side, but his leg sank into his fat. "Ew!" he groaned, "It's SO saggy!" Keijiro was so preoccupied with getting stuck he missed the meaty fist hooking into his jaw.

"Ha ha! You're not so tough, you cannabis-loving slacker!" Waterboy sneered, slapping his stomach. "All the extra padding does have its uses after all! I told you I've seen my time in combat!" He planted his foot, covered by a very expensive-looking loafer square in the stoner's gut, Keijiro groaned, doubling over at his waist. Waterboy uppercut Keijiro in the jaw. "Not to mention I have that great equalizer that is money!" A squad of fresh guards entered. "It will always ensure I come out on top!" One of the guards bludgeoned Keijiro with the butt of his rifle, before shoving him back into the wall with an audible crack, leaving him lying face down on the hard concrete floor.

"You're like so many young punks." Waterboy sneered, standing over Keijiro, and giving him a kick in the side. "All of you hotshots think they can take what I have? Ha! You're twenty years too early!" He was so busy gloating, the fat moron didn't notice Keijiro quickly roll onto his back, driving a steel toe-booted foot squarely between his legs, causing his voice to rise by three octaves.

"Ya missed a spot! Too bad a little of that padding didn't go around your balls!" Keijiro hopped to his feet as Waterboy teetered about on his legs. He holstered his own piece and snatched the gold-plated DE out of the chubby, sweat-covered hand. "And yoink!" Waterboy's guards pointed their guns at Keijiro even as he held their boss in front of him in a chokehold, the golden pistol inched from his jowly face, tears already forming in his eyes. "Any of you guys so much as twitch and your boss gets it with his own gun! I bet the walls will look lovely with their new blood-red paint job!"

"S-save meeeee!" He started blubbering, snot running down his chubby, pig nose.

"Ugh, you are so unhygienic, that BO dude! There's this lovely invention called tactical deodorant! Please get some!" Keijiro shook his head, his grip still ironclad. "Then again, on the other hand it probably won't matter much if you get it or not. In the end you are just another fat sack of crap, but you can perform one last duty for me before eating it. I call this littler number…FAT FU!" He yelled, running forward using him as a combination shield and battering ram. The arms dealer still crying and screaming as his own guards opened fire, bullets of all calibers ripping through his flesh as blood started flying.

Keijiro laughed like a maniac, unleashing fifty-caliber death with his newest acquisition, relishing the sound of the pistol's mighty roar. The front third of one guard's skull coming clean off when the gilded Desert Eagle was shot in his face point blank range, and another who's neck disintegrated, actually decapitating him. His entire head circling in the air, trailing blood. The stoner shoved Waterboy's shredded corpse at the guards, dropping each of them with a single bullet before turning on his heel and getting one final guy. "Now that is fun!"

A Black Cross operative flew over his head. He looked up to see Alissa mixing it up with the Black Cross soldiers. "Hey! Save some of that for me!" He ran over, shooting a couple off them in the back. He noticed a considerable amount of them were lying dead around her. "Looks like you're having fun! Mind if I crash the party?" Kejiro pistol whipped one of them in the face before putting his barrel under the chin and pulling the trigger. "Damn girl, looks like you really letting it all hang out! I'll admit I find that to be WAY hot!"

"Never going to happen!" Alissa said, chuckling another guy in the air and Keijiro plugging him with a double tap.

"I suppose you're too sweet on Kuro then?" Keijiro smartly asked, killing one of Waterboy's former guards by twisting his neck all the way around.

"Oh, will you shut up!" Alissa snapped, crushing the forearm of one Black Cross soldier before reducing his jaw to bone powder with a forceful punch.

"Hey, I get it! Kuro is way too stuffy for a wild filly like you, not to mention he only has eyes for our little whiner of a princess." Keijiro kicked one of the Schwarze Kreuzen into a wall before shooting him in the face. "Although I've heard Cagalli does have a killer body." So busy with running his mouth, Keijiro lost track of someone about to get him from behind, only to get a foot attached to a long, slender leg in his mouth. Alissa just looked at Keijiro irritably.

"Perhaps you should focus on the fighting?" Annoyance coloring her tone. "Honestly, how many of these soldiers did Crossman bring?" She dropped another one with a couple rounds, before slapping in another magazine.

"Nice to see you emote, regardless. Being a damn robot, all the time doesn't suit you." He quipped. It was then Keijiro caught something out of the corner of his eye. A trio of bright red canisters. "Hey, I think I got an answer to your little problem!" He fought his way over to the canisters, hoisting one of them on his shoulder, his mad grin returning. "How accurate are you with that little pop gun?" Alissa cocked her head slightly. "These are filled with flammable gas. Feel like charbroiled bad guys?" It wasn't long before the blonde's expression mirrored her marijuana-loving comrade.

"For once, I think we're in agreement with other." She finally said, Keijiro hefted the canister. "Pull!" She cried. Keijiro grunted, hurling it into the air over some of the bad guys. Taking careful aim, she punctured the casing, causing a sizable fireball to erupt, immediately incinerating anyone unfortunate enough to be in the blast radius, skeletons charred black by the fire and soot were thrown into the walls, knocking guns and other weapons off the racks.

"Ha ha! Toasty!" Keijiro quipped in a falsetto tone. "Scorpion would be proud of us!" He immediately hefted a second canister. "GET OVER HERE!" He yelled, hurling it again, this time joining Alissa in blasting the container, flash-frying more hapless mooks and leaving the smell of ash and roasted flesh in the air. Keijiro grimaced slightly. "Ugh, while I do love a great barbecue, I'm not sure about the choice of meat." He poked at one of the roasted bodies. "It seems kind of gamey if you ask me."

"Only you would find this amusing." Alissa rolled her eyes, watching Kisaka continue to wade through the foes, almost casually dispatching them. "Enjoy living your video games, I'm going to help out Kisaka. He's at least sane." Keijiro just threw her a wink as he heaved the last canister. She paid him no further mind, climbing up on the crates, and deftly leaping over them, landing next to the big man, while crushing a soldier under her weight. "Hello Colonel, mind some assistance?"

"As long as you're offering." He said, snapping the neck of a Black Cross operator, before idly backhanded one of Waterboy's few remaining guards over to Alissa, who reduced the man's jaw to the equivalent of finely ground dust and pureed blood courtesy of 9mm round square to the face. "Very nice execution, Alissa. Although it could be a little more precise."

"Not all of us are perfect like you," Alissa stated, quickly assessing the situation. The bodies of several dozen guards wearing the tan uniform of the Schwarze Kreuzen and the assortment of old fatigues, tracksuits, and sports jerseys that Waterboy's men had thrown together littered the warehouse floor. But there were still enough of the enemy present to make escape difficult.

The doors flew open, admitting more of Waterboy's guards. "Oh no, you don't!" Ashman proclaimed, sliding down the banister with his stolen rifle, even when letting loose on full auto the Desert Dawn leader's aim didn't falter. Lightly milking the trigger, three and four-round bursts found their mark and more bodies hit the pavement. Ashman winced as he hit the ground on his feet. "Ugh, getting too old for this shit!" He said, dropping the empty weapon and picking up another.

"Mr. Ashman! He looked around to see Alissa standing, weapon in hand. It made him think of the ancient Amazon warriors of yore. "I think it's a good idea for us to vacate the premises. I'm sure our little rave here is going to attract the locals. It's enough that we have to deal with Blue Cosmos. I really don't want ZAFT on top of it." Ashman needed no further convincing. He didn't relish the thought of the Desert Tiger sticking his nose where they didn't need it. Crossman had filled the quota for a devious enemy commander already. They needed a way to get through this crowd and out the door.

He then caught sight of something, a wheeled cart with a couple of wooden crates stacked on it. Ashman had a wicked idea. Scooping up a second rifle, he grabbed the cart and ran toward Natarle who executed a perfect hip toss into the wall, causing the racks to break and weapons to clatter all over the floor. "Nice form! The impact wasn't half bad either." He commented, pushing the rifle into the XO's hands. "Climb on, we're clearing a path out of here!" Natarle looked at the cart, and then to Ashman and back. She almost looked ready to protest before sighing and climbing on.

"It's official, I have been hanging around Mishima and his ilk for way too long to even consider this being a good idea!" Natarle then cocked the rifle. "On the other hand, I've had enough excitement for one day so let's get out of here!" Ashman smirked and started running, with Natarle crouched to keep her stability. She opened fire, managing to pick off one of the Black Cross operators in the shoulder, with Ashman providing the kill shot from his own appropriated rifle. She quickly snapped onto one of Waterboy's few remaining guards, a three-round burst reporting tearing into his leg before a second round severed his spinal column.

"Coming through!" Ashman yelled, charging through the melee by Kisaka and Alissa. "Hate to ruin the fun, but we've worn out our welcome and it's time to get back to camp." Natarle perched up on the crates, slowly rising to her feet, getting beads on any targets of opportunity. Keijiro was merrily blasting away with his new Desert Eagle, having found some more ammunition, shooting under his arm at one guy before double tapping two more. He heard a burst of gunfire from behind him. He looked to see two Schwarze Kreuzen operators who had been seconds from ending his life slump to the ground, and saw Natarle roll by with the rest of his comrades.

"Aw, thanks Natty!" Keijiro said, shooting one more of Waterboy's guards in the groin as they crashed through the exit of the warehouse into the courtyard. "Didn't know you cared so much!"

"I'm afraid playtime's over, Mr. Mishima!" Natarle said, taking the proffered magazine from Kisaka and reloading. "We don't want to hang around here any longer than we have to. And don't worry, I'm sure you'll get plenty of chances to cause mass property damage down the line. Let's just return to camp and the Archangel before ZAFT gets involved." Keijiro just shrugged, he got a new piece out of the deal and shit-stomped some bad guys. So, it was a pretty good day in his eyes.

He then noticed the crates on the cart. "Hey, what's in there?" He noticed a slight glimmer from a slight break in the top crate. Never one for subtlety, Keijiro smashed the lid side open. His eyes widened and he let out a happy squee. "OH HELL YEAH! This day just became the best evah!" He triumphantly lifted a metallic yellow bar into the air, the brilliant finish catching the light of the sun. "I can rebuild my entire collection with this shit!"

"Gold bars?" Natarle looked inside, amazed at the stacks of bullion inside the crate. A quick check revealed that the other two crates are more of the same in all its brilliant, gilded glory. "There must be a least a couple million right here!"

"I had heard this supplier only dealt in gold and silver bars. This must have been a payment for one of his other customers." Kisaka said, he smirked a little. "His loss is our gain. Besides the weapons and other supplies, we can certainly make use of this. Don't worry Keijiro." He threw a look at the stoner, already giving a protective glare. "You will get to keep some of it for yourself, but you don't get all of it. This could be a huge help to the people of Tassil to rebuild their homes."

"I call twenty percent then!" He hissed, hugging a couple of bars to his chest.

Alissa rolled her eyes irritably. "Fine whatever it takes! Let's just get the truck, load up our supplies and vacate town! It's not going to take long for someone to notice what went down here and then we have to contend with ZAFT, and I've had enough excitement for one day." It was then something came to her mind. "Wait a minute! If those Black Cross goons came after us because of the Gundams. Then they must know about the kids as well! Keijiro, make yourself useful and go join up with Yukimasa and the others. We'll pack up our gear and meet up with you as soon as we can." She ripped the gold out of his grasp. "Don't worry about the gold, it will be in the brig when you get back!"

Appeased for the moment, Keijiro found a battered old motorcycle, he quickly revved it up and was about to leave when he remembered the main reason, he had come to Waterboy's place initially. "Hey, think you could check inside and see if there's any of that medicine for Yukimasa? I did say I would get it for him, and something tells me that the fatty just might have had it."

Knowing what Keijiro was talking about, Alissa went back inside while Kisaka, Ashman, and Natarle worked on loading up the truck with as much haste as possible. They had it done in less than five minutes. The engine was running and everyone was inside. She ran out, a small crate in hand. "Found it, he had all kinds of narcotics in there." Alissa hopped in the back of the truck. "I pale to think what he was dealing in, but that's not our problem anymore."

She took a small dark green bottle out and chucked it over to Keijiro, deftly catching it out of the air. "Give that to Yukimasa. I'm sure he'll be happy about it." The stoner gave a jaunty wave before gunning the engine and riding back into town proper. "Let's get out of here, Kisaka!" Alissa snapped. Kisaka hit the gas and drove away from Waterboy's compound.

(Banadiya, the same time.)

The shopping trip had been quite pleasant in Yukimasa's eyes, his sudden flare-up and Kuro and Cagalli's continuing aloofness notwithstanding. Kira had found a couple of circuit boards and even a couple old vacuum tubes to play around with. The master of the Masamune had never seen the White Knight so excited about anything if how he was talking to his lady was any indication. Yui got herself a new sand-colored tote bag, which accented her sundress nicely. Flay had chosen a smart-looking red fedora, and he had to admit they looked good with her shoes and those pale-toned legs of hers.

Flay noticed her man's attention on her and smiled, coming up to take his arm. "You having a good time? I know I am." She drawled, the stark desert wind blowing through her hair. "Even if this arid environment is murder on my skin. I can endure it because you're here with me." There was something about the noonday sun that gave her hair such a brilliant luster, it was more precious than gold in Yukimasa's eyes. Nothing could ever replace this girl whom he loved so much.

"Yeah, It hasn't been a terrible day after all." His vision then flickered back over to his brother and his problematic charge. "For most of us at least. A gulf developed between those two ever since we first arrived on Earth. But that whole fail of an attack on the Waltfeld Team really drove the wedge deep." Flay gave a nod of affirmation. "I'm at a loss for how to help Kuro out with this. They've been dancing around their feelings for years now. I don't what keeps them from just admitting it. Both are so stubborn at times. But he's still my brother."

"It shows how much you care about them, but ultimately the ball is in their court. Whatever happens, has to be done on their initiative. We can't force that." Flay kissed him lightly on the cheek and rested her head on his shoulder.

"When did you get so smart?" Yukimasa asked, eliciting a light giggle from his beloved when his stomach growled. He had only eaten a light breakfast. Between his earlier episode in the marketplace and all the walking about it left him drained. "Ooh, I guess a little lunch is in order. How does everyone feel about grabbing some chow at that place?" He pointed to a small outdoor cafe.

"I'm okay with that." He knew exactly what Flay's response would be, the dazzling smile adorning her face being the cherry on top.

"Sounds good to me." Yui brushed some hair out of her face, while gently tilting her head. Kira just nodded, looking quite famished himself, and he was taken by his girlfriend's slight gestures. Yukimasa just thought the two of them were so cute together.

"Hn," Kuro grunted, making Yukimasa think of Keijiro's earlier remark about how the Sahaku brothers could be like Sasuke Uchiha at times, wondering how Kuro would look with red and black pinwheel eyes, while Cagalli just folded her arms while sticking her nose in the air. She clearly wasn't backing down from her position and nothing short of a Gundam being dropped on her head was going to make The Lioness of Orb budge.

"Okay, everyone's on the same page." Yukimasa decided it was better to keep the drama to a minimum. They could make Kuro and Cagalli sit down and resolve their issues back at camp. The group sat down and ordered drinks and started looking through the menu. "I'm not sure what to pick, everything looks really good." He said, looking to Flay. "I'm thinking seafood. The grilled salmon looks good, what about you, sweetheart?" She gave him a slight nod, before looking to Kuro. "What about you, brother mine? Anything jumping out at you screaming eat me?"

"Hn," This time the grunt sounded almost amused as Kuro scanned the menu. "I suppose the meat kababs look nice. I'll try those out. Unless our beloved Sun Princess has a different opinion?" He glared at Cagalli across the table. Yukimasa didn't think he could muster that kind of venom at her. "I'm surprised you even agreed to join us, given how close you've become to your new bestie. I figure you'd have wanted to hang out with Ahmed more!"

"Here we go." Kira rolled his eyes, figuring he would just sit back and enjoy the show. He had come to like Kuro, but his opinion of Cagalli had gone down slightly due to the last few days. Yui suddenly became very interested in the side dishes, but there was no hiding the disdain flashing in her purple eyes. She had no need for this pointless drama either. Flay just pulled out her compact and started looking at herself in the mirror, intentionally blocking out whatever argument was coming.

Flay herself couldn't help but be captivated by Cagalli's behavior. Had this been just over a year ago, she could have easily seen herself in Cagalli's position. A spoiled, entitled brat who didn't really understand how the world worked. Funnily enough, the blonde was acting far worse than the redhead ever had been on her worst day. While Flay realized she still had a lot to work on, seeing this made her realize she had made a lot of progress in the past twelve months. She didn't think Cagalli was a bad person, just needed to find her reason again.

"Ahmed is a good person! He at the very least understands how I feel about all this!" She snapped, her voice not too loud, but it still carried enough to get a couple of patrons looking in their direction. A newspaper drooped slightly as a pair of eyes hidden behind sunglasses and a straw hat peered over the edge, watching intently at the building quarrel. "This is his home, and he wants nothing more than to protect it. They all do. Why can't you just accept he knows what he's talking about, Kuro?"

"Oh, he's such a good person is that it?" The black-haired Sahaku sneered back at her. Not even caring if everyone was looking at them. His blood pressure rose by the second. "Some random guy you met in the desert only yesterday and he suddenly makes more sense than people you've known your whole life, Cagalli? Are you really that disconnected from reality? Is your sense of righteousness so great you've lost touch with that little thing called common sense?" The man reading the newspaper laid it down, now intently focused on the unfolding drama.

Kuro's eyes were like two solid pieces of obsidian, but Cagalli's malachite glare was pushing back just as hard. "Ahmed and the Desert Dawn stands for something! Unlike Orb which seems to not care about the principles and ideals, it was founded upon! We got into bed with the Earth Alliance to build the Gundams and violated every belief our country stands for!" Tears formed in Cagalli's eyes. "Everybody loves to dump on Orb's ideals and say how stupid they are. No one realizes that some people actually do care! I seem to be the only one around here who cares about it!"

"Our dad actually reached out to yours," Yukimasa spoke up suddenly, taking the wind out of Cagalli's sails. "It's true, your family's biggest rival reached across the aisle, looking for some kind of cooperation in keeping our country safe. Dad hoped, he really hoped Lord Uzumi would see reason that we needed some kind of protection from hostile forces and that working with the Atlantic Federation even in a small capacity would give that means to protect what matters. You what the response back was?" He looked to Kuro, who had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Uzumi Nara Attha said, no thank you, told our father that Orb's ideals were more important than the lives of her citizens. Our father and a few others were at least trying to protect us. Your old man is content to sit in his ivory tower and watch as the rest of the world bursts into flames. But here's the thing, you preach about how Orb's neutrality is so sacrosanct, but the truth of the matter is you're the exact opposite. You think like us, but don't want to admit it. In my eyes, that makes you just one thing, Cagalli Yula Attha, a massive hypocrite!"

The pressure gauge shattered into a million pieces. "I absolutely hate you, Kuroto Takeshi Sahaku!" Cagalli finally exploded, slamming the table hard, tears flying everywhere. "Ahmed was right about everything! The Gundams really are cursed, and you've been completely swallowed up by it!" She pointed at him accusingly. "All you care about is how much destruction you and that white devil of yours cause! I have half a mind to destroy all of them right here and now!" The silence was so great a million pins could be heard dropping.

Everyone sitting at the table was dumbstruck at Cagalli's outburst. Not at the fact she had done it in the first place, or even how fierce it was. But at what she had said. Shock fast gave way to anger on Kira's part. "Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom. I suddenly got very ill from the foul odor around here!" He glared hatefully at Cagalli with those words, before angrily pushing his chair away and stalking inside, slamming the door hard, making the blonde flinch.

"Cagalli, I think you need your head examined in a big way," Yukimasa said, going back to the menu. It was starting to become clear to Cagalli just how much she had insulted those who had been her friends for so long. The man in the red and yellow shirt shook his head, flipping another page of his newspaper.

Kuro, just looked disappointed. He just gave her a slight shake of the head. Not even dignifying her with a response. She felt the eyes of the other patrons boring into her. It made her feel very much alone at the table despite all the people sitting there. The man with the newspaper smirked.

The girls were both incensed, and unlike the menfolk, they were going to make their opinions on this felt. "What the fuck did you just say, princess?" Flay was a second away from double bitch slapping Cagalli. "I seriously cannot believe that just came out of your mouth." She let out a very haughty-sounding laugh. "Oh, I am loving this irony here! You're just as much a daddy's girl as I am, and you think you're so righteous and hot. I seem to recall the other day how you glared at me for beating your score in the simulators by a very high margin in fact. How much was it, Yui?" She looked across the table.

The Japanese beauty was truly incensed at Cagalli's remark about Kira being a monster thanks to the Gundam, the only reason they had gotten this far in the first place. Yui was kind most of the time, but she could turn on the frost with the best of them, thus leveling a contemptuous look at Cagalli. "I believe by about 400 whole points, it was quite the achievement on your part, Flay." She rested her chin in a dainty hand, to give Cagalli the sweetest, passive-aggressive smile possible. "This is why we don't include you in our girl talk, Caggy. We don't need your ego and rudeness to make it worse."

Tears were forming in Cagalli's eyes again, but this time it was from shame as the full weight of what she said sunk in. Her impassioned arguments had the total opposite effect of what she wanted and alienated them all. She never thought Kuro could look at her with such disgust. It was then their meals came and the pilot of the Gravesend tore into his kebabs, doing anything to dispel the rage in his mind and his heart. The meat was a bit on the dry side, so he looked at the condiments, he reached for some chili sauce.

"Don't." A voice said as a swarthy-colored hand grabbed Kuro's wrist. Everyone looked at the tall male with the shirt and hat, having gotten up from his table. "Wow, I saved you from a terrible fate there, friend. Seriously though, chili sauce on kebabs? I can't imagine a worse choice." The man pulled his shades down revealing a look that was trying to be irritated but at the same time seemed far too relaxed. He picked up the white bottle from the table. "Yogurt sauce, now that would give that finely grilled meat just the kick you're looking for." He sat down in Kira's vacated chair.

"Who the hell are you to get involved with our business?" Yukimasa asked, his finger twitching close to where his sidearm was. It was then the man looked up, and he froze. Those eyes were hard, the eyes of a predator, of a tiger on the hunt. The realization struck him of just who had graced them with his presence. Yukimasa drew on all of his training to keep from instinctively shooting the man in the face, grabbing Flay, and running like hell. He instead went for an air of general boredom. "Well, so the Desert Tiger is out for the day. We should be so honored." Flay and Yui gasped at this.

Cagalli was about to go for her own pistol when Kuro smacked her in the leg hard. He tilted his head toward a couple of guys standing at the corner. At first glance, they seemed like any other, but Cagalli had keen enough vision to note the outline of the holstered pistols under both their shirts. the Tiger had brought friends of his own and wouldn't take kindly to their boss being attacked. Knowing she had caused enough discord for one day, Cagalli promptly shut her mouth. Kuro just nodded gravely. "How nice to finally meet you in person, Commander Waltfeld." The master of the Gravesend spoke in his usual apathetic tone. "I enjoy meeting new people when bullets and missiles aren't involved."

The smile of the Desert Tiger just got wider. "Greetings to you as well, Colonel Sahaku. The same to you, Captain." He looked at Kuro and then Cagalli. "And you as well Lady Attha. Word of advice, If you're trying to keep a low profile. Having a lover's spat and blurting out your full name in public is usually a really bad idea. You never know who might be listening. I could have shot all of you right here and now. Fortunately for you, I'm a relatively nice guy and I'm in a good mood today so no lead for you kids." He shifted in his seat, looking over to Yui. "I'm going to assume that the chair I'm occupying belongs to the pilot of the Strike, correct?"

"What's it to you?" Yui asked, wishing she had a sword to run him through, unfortunately, her sundress didn't exactly allow for it, a part of her cursed that she hadn't thought to pack a sidearm in her purse. The Tiger's gaze fell on the young woman.

"Ah, you must be the kid's girlfriend then. He chose well." Andy said. "In fact, he's the main reason I'm here." His eye went to the door, knowing Kira was still cooling off inside. "I know he's a Coordinator, I saw it in the way he moves from the last two times we met. I wanted to know what drove him to fight for the Earth Alliance, but now I can get a pretty good picture." He patted her on the shoulder. "He's going to need you to get through this, especially now." The door opened and Kira came out. He halted at the sight of the man sitting with his friends, not sure what to make of it.

"Come on, Kira." Yukimasa waved him over, and the student-turned-soldier walked with tentative steps as the man sitting stood up. "There's a gentleman here who wishes to meet you. Isn't that right, Commander?" Waltfeld turned to face the White Knight. Kira couldn't believe it. "Ensign Kira Yamato, meet Commander Andrew Waltfeld, the Desert Tiger."

"N-nice to meet you, Commander Waltfeld," Kira said, taking the older man's hand and shaking it, noting his strong grip. "You are as formidable as your reputation says, sir."

"As it is for you, Ensign Yamato. By all means, sit down with your sweetheart and friends, and we'll have a little chat." Kira did so as Andy pulled up another chair. Despite Andy's affable demeanor, the atmosphere was very tense. He helped himself to a couple of Kuro's kebabs, with a generous helping of yogurt sauce.

"So, is this some kind of twisted game of yours?" Cagalli asked as Andy licked the last bits of sauce off his fingers. "You just came here to torment us for your own sick sense of amusement?"

The Tiger's laugh bore no malice at all. If Kira had to be honest it sounded like he was enjoying a good joke. "I would hardly call it tormenting you, Lady Attha. I'm not a sadist." He knocked back a whole glass of water. "But to be fair, I would be lying if I said seeing you all squirm a little wasn't mildly amusing. It's so hard finding good entertainment out here in the middle of nowhere."

"Forgive us if we don't share the sentiment." Kuro's voice had an edge to it. Even if he did respect the Tiger on some levels, he wasn't up for games, especially after today. "You wanted to speak to Kira, here's your chance. So just get it over with already so we can be on our way!"

Waltfeld sighed. "All right then, I'll stop jerking your chains and hit all of you with some knowledge. I look at you three boys, and I see that despite being killers, very hardened killers for some." He gave a pointed glance at the Sahaku Brothers. "You're still kids trying to enjoy your lives as much as possible, despite all the death that surrounds you. Lady Attha, you've fallen into the same trap that so many people here on Earth believe about the Gundams. It's not your fault, it's been kept secret for a reason. That reason is control."

The Tiger's voice had softened, almost sounding like a college professor lecturing his class. He pulled up his sunglasses and laid his hat on the table. "Let's face it, power in its simplest form is control. The oligarchs and politicians who run the Earth Alliance are the descendants of those who won the Reconstruction War, and they'll do anything to keep that control, like say, create all kinds of ridiculous propaganda about how evil the Gundams are in order to keep anyone from using them to overthrow their administration. It's total bullshit when you think about it."

"They say weapons shouldn't kill their pilots when they've been cramming alcohol, opioid-based pain medication, and cheap cigarettes down our throats for centuries. The oligarchs don't care, as long as they stay ruling the roost, they'll do whatever it takes. To be fair though, there is a certain beauty to battle. Dying a warrior's death is akin to watching a spider lily bloom in all its glory. Mr. Yamato, in your ancestral land, the land where your family name is derived from, you would already be in training to be a Samurai, embodied by the Sakura flower, known for a very short life span, but admired for its beauty regardless."

"I'll put it in another way for you kids. The battlefield is like soil, and your Gundams are like a natural flowerpot. Young ones, you are the seeds of something beautiful coming to be. Even with the bloody history represented by your machines. I think the three of you can be better, and not end up dead for it." No one had any words for the Tiger's lesson. All of them were silently taking it in. When there was movement out of the corner of Kuro's eye.

A squad of peculiarly dressed men, all in heavy body armor over tan uniforms and carrying very large machine guns, marched into the town square. It set off every red flag and warning alarm in Kuro's mind, especially the stylized black crosses on their armor. "Cagalli." He whispered. "Whatever our current issues are, I think we'll have to table them for the time being. Try not to be too obvious, but look who came in." The blonde looked in the reflection of the windows to see the soldiers marching through like the owned the place. She nodded, indicating she was ready for trouble.

Kuro then gently nudged Kira in the side, indicating with a slight nod to look in that direction. The Strike's pilot noticed the new arrivals, and felt a sense of impending dread. While he had gotten some lessons on the shooting range, and had come armed at Murrue's insistence. The young scholar-turned-warrior knew he wasn't the best shot. Not that it would keep him from protecting Yui. He put his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, making her start blushing.

Yukimasa noticed the men, and subtly inched closer to Flay, ready to push her to the ground in case trouble started, watching intently as his hand slowly went for the pistol holstered at the small of his back. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek to reassure her and himself, as he observed the Tiger also had the Black Cross soldiers on his radar as well, noticing the deft gesture he gave to his incognito bodyguards, who were already moving into position and waiting for the inevitable strike.

"Friends of yours I take it?" Kuro whispered to the older man.

"Hardly, Captain Sahaku." Waltfeld grimaced, sidearm already in hand, held low by his side. "Those pleasant folks are here for you guys, specifically your mobile suits." The Tiger shook his head. "I don't know about you, but I think giving those machines up is a terrible idea." The grimace became a devious smirk. "What do you kids say we flip the script on them? Since they were most likely here to assassinate me before finding out about Gundams being on Earth, I'll draw their attention, Sahaku boys, you see a chance, light them up!"

"Will you be okay?" Kira asked worriedly, noticing the soldiers getting closer to the diner.

"I'll be just fine. Like I said, it's hard finding good entertainment out here." The Tiger smirked as he pulled his sunglasses back down. "That being said, the best thing you can do is kick up the table, hit the dirt, and keep the girls covered. Time to put on a show" Waltfeld was confident, not just in his own skills but in knowing his men were set to cover his back. He put his hat back on, and swaggered out into the street, pistol behind his back. "Well! Well! Well! Look who showed up!" The soldiers stopped their advance, pointing their rifles, and glaring at Waltfeld's brashness.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Naturals and Coordinators of all ages. We are graced by the brutes of the Black Cross!" The Tiger threw his arms in the air, announcing it to everyone in the square. "I tell you; it was smart hammering out the ends of your swastika and turning it on its side, trying to pretend not to be followers of your precious Adolf, but seriously you're doing a terrible job of it! I mean, you may as well pull out the armbands and start goose-stepping down the street! And all of this for little old me!" He let out a mock sniffle. "I'm so touched."

"Hey! We're not racists! We're geneticists, there's a big difference!" One of the soldiers protested, earning some snickers from the crowd.

"Doesn't change the fact you've murdered thousands of my countrymen." The Tiger shot back. "You have all the trappings of Nazis. You may as well be Nazis! There it is, out in the open for all to see and hear!"

A beefy soldier, the squad's commander, stepped forward. "Andrew Waltfeld, you did us a favor by coming out here. While we were ordered to kill you, a much greater threat has emerged that requires our immediate attention." He sneered contemptuously at his ZAFT counterpart. "Where are the Gundams? We know they're here, and we know you've engaged them in battle twice already. If you tell us what you know then I'll make your execution merciful."

Waltfeld scratched his head, making the appearance of really thinking about it hard. "Oh wow, so a mere bullet then? Such a kind offer. I think I'll pass. But if you want to be executed. Be my guest!" His pistol came up, double-tapping the officer in the chest and neck. The Tiger didn't flinch at the barrels of the many assault rifles now pointing at him. He snapped his fingers, a massive bang echoed over the rooftops, the helmets, and skulls, of three soldiers shattered in seconds of each other. Kira caught note of a trio of snipers on the rooftops.

Kuro and Yukimasa weren't about to be left out of the fun. Their pistols were up and downed two more of the Black Cross soldiers. Of course, this meant the enemy's attention was now on them. Kira heeded Waltfeld's advice, grabbing Yui around the waist and Flay by the arm, pulling them both to the ground, while Kuro kicked over the table, which of course sent everything on the table into the air. The girls shrieked as they got doused with chili and yogurt sauce, a red and white mess on all three of them.

"Oh, gro-hoss!" Flay whined, taking note of the sauce dripping from her hat. "And I just bought this thing too!"

"Ugh, it's going to take forever to get these stains out!" Yui noted the bright red marks splattered across the once pristine white fabric of her dress.

Cagalli's temper was quick to turn on, and she soon joined the Sahaku brothers in firing on the enemy soldiers. Between her issues with Kuro and her subsequent condiment bath, She was enraged and looking for an outlet for said rage. Luckily these guys were happy to oblige. Yui and Flay clung onto each other while Kira covered them both with his own body, only taking shots when he thought they were getting too close for his comfort. He plugged one in the hip, wincing as the operator fell to the ground, yelping in pain. His agony didn't last long when one of the snipers headshotted him.

Waltfeld quickly scrambled for cover with aid from his two bodyguards. "Ah, now this is more like it!" He exclaimed, squeezing off some rounds, as another soldier fell victim to the snipers. "This is way more exciting than sitting at my desk and filling out paperwork all day!" There was a commotion and the Tiger saw a second squad of Black Cross soldiers coming down a side street. "Ah, more party crashers! Good thing I brought my own friends." He made a gesture to one of the guards who pulled out a cell phone, and a uniformed contingent of ZAFT soldiers came from another alley.

"Now the party's really started!" Yukimasa quipped, watching the reinforcements draw the fire away from them. "So, they were here for you initially?"

"Oh yeah!" Waltfeld was fully in his environment, blasting down another couple of guys. "Let's face it, I am a legitimate high-value military target, so taking me out helps the Earth Forces. But this particular group, let's just say they have a particular hate on for Gundams!" One of the ZAFT soldiers hunkered down next to him. "Ah, welcome to the show, DaCosta! So nice of you to join us! Colonel Sahaku, meet my executive officer, Sergeant Martin DaCosta!"

"Yo!" Yukimasa waved. "Nice to meet you, let's talk when we're not in danger of being killed!" It was then that one of the Black Cross soldiers suddenly fell, and it wasn't from any of them. They heard the guttural sound of a motorcycle engine. "What the hell is that?" He said, looking down the road, and rolled his eyes and groaned at who was coming to their rescue. "Of course, he would." He sighed, watching as his stoner friend rode in, firing what appeared to be a gold-plated hand cannon.

"Coming through!" Keijiro bellowed, shooting a bad guy in the face. "Keijiro the Heavy is in the house, bitches!" He cheered, firing a couple of rounds in the air, before leaping off the bike to punch one guy in the face, kneecapping him and punting him in the temple. "Say hello to my little friend, fuckers!" The girls winced, covering their ears at the deafening roar of the Desert Eagle as Keijiro delivered fifty-caliber death to anyone stupid enough to cross his path, madly cackling the whole time. The Black Cross soldiers broke ranks and retreated. "Yeah, you better run!" He crowed, turning to his friends and taking a mock bow.

"Bravo to you, Kei. You got to be the badass hero you always wanted to be." Yukimasa said, giving some begrudging applause. "I will admit that was pretty good timing on your part, so I'll say well done."

"A true hero knows exactly when to show up!" Keijiro drawled, taking in the sight of the sauce-drenched princess. The red of the chili sauce had mixed with the white of the yogurt sauce and became a slightly pink, goopy mess. "Whoa? Is this some kind of new beauty treatment I don't know about?" He scooped some of the sauce off her shoulder and tasted it. "It looks good on you Caggy." He gave a cheesy grin and thumbs up.

"Oh, shut up! and really, Keijiro the Heavy?" Cagalli brushed more of the slop from her hip, craving a shower in that moment, or at the very least a bucket of water to dump on her head. "I wasn't aware you were so fat, Mishima!"

"I'm just stout." He shot back, reached into his jacket, pulling out a small dark green bottle. "Your medicine as promised, Masa. We got a whole crate of it from Señor Porky, and a whole lot more baby!" He grinned. "In fact, you could say we struck gold!" He couldn't stop thinking of those magnificent glittering bars waiting for him back at the camp. "Alissa better not have snuck any out of my cut." He muttered under his breath.

"Let's just get back to camp so we can clean up!" Flay said, flicking gunk off her sleeve. "I hope no one needs the shower too much, because I'm definitely going to be camping out there for most of the day." She looked to her equally filthy crew mate, noting how dismayed Yui was at having her dress ruined. It was a cute one. "Yui, want to have some spa time?" It was then Waltfeld cleared his throat.

"Why wait until you get back to camp to clean up? If you want that spa day, you can do it at my place. My girl Aisha will help get you looking like the gorgeous women you were meant to be." Flay arched an eyebrow at the Tiger's proposal. Even Yui seemed receptive to a nice warm shower. Although Cagalli didn't seem too enthused at the prospect. "I'm sure you ladies will appreciate not having to worry about rationing water and whatnot." This was something even Cagalli could get behind. Thanks to military training she was fine with the brief showers allowed by the Orb Defense Force, but to feel the running water was just as fine.

The boys were far more uneasy. True Waltfeld gave off a relaxed air, and kept them from a potentially gruesome fate, but this was still the Supreme Commander of the African Theater of Operations. He was still the Desert Tiger; he was still the enemy. "How do we know this isn't a trap?" Kuro just figured he had nothing to lose by being blunt to Waltfeld. "I mean, sure you're a pretty affable guy, but who's to say you're just going to take us to some shitty back alley and put a round in each of our heads?" The Tiger just laughed.

"Very astute, Captain Sahaku. The simple answer is you don't. If not for your sakes, at least think of them." He indicated to the ladies. "Well, girls?"

"Please?" Flay and Yui gave the biggest, cutest eyes they could manage, the former batting them as hard as she could. Cue a triple facepalm from Kira, Yukimasa, and Kuro. They could face an army of thousands of GINNS, and stand toe to toe with ZAFT's very best, but they couldn't say no to these ladies that meant so much to them. They relented and let the Tiger lead them to his domicile, while his men dealt with the corpses.

(Waltfeld's Mansion)

The mansion that served as the Desert Tiger's headquarters sat on the edge of Banadiya, its stately grandeur a stark contrast to the barbed wire fence, guard posts, and the large contingent of guards out front. It was dwarfed by the presence of the massive land battleship parked behind it. Kira's mouth clenched at the two machines parked in the front yard, one he recognized straight away. It was Waltfeld's own BuCUE, looking just as intimidating as it did when they first fought on the burning sands.

But it was the second machine that really set Kira on edge. It looked like a BuCUE, but even bigger and nastier, this painted entirely orange and trimmed in gold. A large horn protruded from the mobile suit's head. And he just knew that those were beam cannons mounted on the turret in the back. He subconsciously took hold of Yuri's hand, not paying any mind to the sauce. Yukimasa nudged Keijiro in the side, the engineers in both of them sizing the machine up.

"ZAFT has been busy, Looks like they decided to create a commander-style unit for their ground forces, just as they did for the CGUE and GINN. It's probably got much higher performance than the BuCUE. They even managed to include the beam weaponry in the design after just a couple months. Not bad."

"Not bad at all." The stoner whistled in appreciation, taking in the predatory nature of the machine, it appealed to him on many levels. "If I wasn't so attached to my precious Hyperion, I might think about lifting it myself and having some fun. Makes sense they'd give Tiger Man a machine that he could really cut loose in. Maybe if we get back to Orb we could see about procuring one for ourselves."

"Admiring the Boss's new ride?" A familiar Australian drawl Yukimasa recognized cut in, as a tall, lanky man sauntered up. Lively green eyes peered out from the mess of scraggly brown hair covering his head, tied in a ponytail. He wore the brilliant red uniform of a ZAFT elite, the sleeves of the jacket rolled up and the collar unbuttoned, revealing the light blue t-shirt underneath. "She is a beauty, isn't she? The TMF/A-803 LaGOWE, explicitly designed for aces and team leaders, of which Commander Waltfeld just happens to be both." He held his hand out to Yukimasa, who readily shook the Oceanian's hand.

"Looks like I missed quite the party while you were in town, Boss." Dingo took note of the soiled, dirty women accompanying his commanding officer. "Sorry I wasn't able to get there in time."

Andrew just waved him off. "Oh, you didn't miss much, Lieutenant. Just some irritating folks looking to kill me and make off with our guests' mobile suits. Could you let Aisha know that she's got some clients who are looking to have a spa day?" He indicated to the girls. Dingo threw out a salute and quickly hurried inside. "Come on folks, while the ladyfolk gets nice and pretty, we'll have some drinks." With no other recourse, Yukimasa, Kira, and the others followed the Tiger into his den, praying they wouldn't become his dinner.

They were greeted at the door by Aisha, no one could deny she was beautiful. Yukimasa already knew where Keijiro's mind was going. The blue bodysuit she wore certainly wasn't hiding those voluptuous curves of hers. Flay found herself slightly jealous of how lustrous Aisha's dark blue hair was. "I see you brought some guests Andy." Her voice was light and warm as she regarded the group of teenagers, eyeing the girls especially. "Oh dear, you all got slopped!" She clicked her tongue. "That will not do at all!"

"Go ahead and clean them up, dear. I'll entertain the menfolk until you're finished." Andy said. Aisha ushered the girls upstairs, Cagalli trailing behind, only for both Flay and Yui to grab her and drag her up the steps. The Tiger led the boys into his office. It was a simple but opulent affair, with dark ebony wood paneling, and a large desk in front of the window. A leather couch and chairs. Prominently displayed was a large portrait of a BuCUE, marching across the desert at night. But it was the sculpture over the couch that grabbed Kira's attention.

"Is that?" He asked in awe.

"Evidence 01." Andy nodded, having taken a seat at his desk. "Or at least a representation of it. The genuine article is much bigger. George Glenn brought it back from Jupiter as proof that humanity is not alone in the universe." The Tiger helped himself to a large cup of coffee. "It caused quite an uproar when it was revealed to the public. I guess you can say it's one of the reasons the war started." He sighed, indulging in some of his favorite brews. "Ever since he revealed his status as a Coordinator, a gulf grew between those who had their genes altered and those who did not. We were scorned and forced off the planet to live in what amounts to a ghetto made of glass and steel."

"A very well-made, very fancy ghetto." Yukimasa quipped, finding himself agreeing with the Tiger's wisdom. He was sure others would agree with the Tiger, but wouldn't dare bring it up in pleasant conversation. "Not that some people would stop there. They'd just want to slaughter all Coordinators outright. We do seem to be exceptional at finding ways of killing each other and reasons for killing each other. It's something that goes back through our history."

"Yeah, and unfortunately that's called life!" Keijiro snarked, lighting up a marijuana-laced cigarette and taking a heavy drag. "It's a dog-eat-dog world, and if you want something you better be ready to take it because asking nicely won't get you a single thing."

"Life can be very cruel at times, but in my eyes, it is a cyclical process. Things live and die; it simply exists through nature. We're part of that cycle as well. Animals kill each other to feed themselves, man is no different. Only for us, it takes the form of not only just food, but gold, land, power, and resources in general. Countries are a good example of this, a greater extension of humanity, and they have this existential need to grow, it's how tribes, kingdoms, and nations either thrive or die."

"It's that way right now if you really think about it," Kuro said, cottoning onto Waltfeld's wavelength. "Countries eventually run out of fodder, so they turn inward and cannibalize their own countrymen. They start turning within rather than without. It's why politics developed in the first place. People try to find this existential feed once you run out of enemies, and it turns into the sterile, moral tribalism since our lives have become so comfortable."

Waltfeld smiled, the teacher had given his lesson and clearly, the students had been paying attention, although Kira was silent, clearly not liking the implications of what everyone was saying. "How do you feel about this whole thing, kid?" He asked.

"Politics really isn't my thing, Commander. I'm in this war to protect what I care about. Simply put, that's my friends and the girl I love. The rest doesn't concern me." Kira's expression hardened slightly. "That being said, do you really believe the world is so cruel and heartless? That such things as love, friendship, and understanding are meaningless?" The last several weeks had opened the White Knight's eyes to many sad and unfortunate truths, but he wasn't ready to be cynical about everything like Kuro, or become a hedonistic asshole like Keijiro who only cared about himself.

He looked to Yukimasa, while there could be a slight apathy to him at times. He also saw something else in his red eyes, the spark of love. Yukimasa's love for Flay was something Kira understood quite well since he too loved a woman. Yui had been his support, his sanity since everything started. That love represented hope to the pilot of the Strike. If nothing else mattered, Yukimasa loved Flay and would fight to protect her and keep her safe. "Maybe this world really has some dark spots, but there are things in it still worth fighting for, you just have to be willing to look for them." His gaze was as solid as his Gundam as he said this, looking at each of his fellow pilots in turn.

Kuro just nodded slightly. He knew what Kira was getting at. Despite Cagalli's recklessness and stubbornness, and all of the vitriol exchanged. Kuro knew his feelings for the Lioness of Orb. It wasn't something he could just throw away. Kuro had to keep trying to get through to her.

"Not bad," Keijiro said, his voice totally devoid of mockery. "I'll be honest, I always wondered if you had any backbone." He sounded genuinely impressed. "Not only do you have bacon. You've got some steel on top of it. But regardless, you gotta walk the walk, that's where it really matters." It was then the door to Waltfeld's study opened, admitting Aisha, moving with all the fluid grace of a dancer. It was quite a lovely image.

"They're ready." She smiled, looking to the entryway, beckoning them in. "Come in ladies, knock the boys off their feet!" With that, three women of stunning beauty entered, bringing everyone to their feet. Keijiro whistled in approval.

Yukimasa wasn't taken off guard at all. Flay Allster may not have been of nobility, but she came from a prestigious family nonetheless and carried herself with all the grace of an aristocrat. Her crimson locks, more lustrous and silkier than ever before, hung free, coming down to well belong her shoulders. Flay's makeup was picture-perfect, it made her face glow. The strapless gown she wore was the same brilliant red as her hair, flaring out just above her waist, coming down all the way to her ankles. A single strand of pearls adorned her swanlike neck. She sauntered up to him, and Yukimasa took her hand, kissing it before taking a seat on the couch.

Kira had to forcibly lock his knees to keep them from giving out, such was the beauty his girlfriend emanated. For Yui Takamura was true nobility, and it was on full display at that moment. Her dress was a simple column of silk, golden yellow, tightly clinging to her curvaceous figure and not hiding a single thing, the skirt going up to her knees, revealing legs in dark black pantyhose. Long black leather opera gloves covered her slender, elegant arms. Her hair caught the light of the sun flowing through the window. Yui had been uncomfortable entering the room, but she started blushing at how Kira looked at her, Yui smiled, and it was forever burned into the young warrior's mind. She kissed him lightly on the cheek, and demurely sat down beside Flay.

Kuro's usual cynicism was stuffed into the back of his head. He had to cast it aside if just to see Cagalli as she was at that moment. Despite her tomboyish demeanor, the light green halter neck dress fit her quite well, as did the green ribbons in the sidelocks framing her face, and it was the tangible proof that Cagalli Yula Attha was still a woman. Knowing how she was, Kuro took a more forceful approach, he put his hand under her chin. "I know how much you hate being stuffed into finery like that, Cags, but can I just say if anyone physically embodied the true beauty of Orb, it would be you right now. Keep shining like the bright sun you are, and don't let anyone darken it."

"Looks like the curse of the Gundam isn't all it's cracked up to be." Cagalli smiled, glad to see there was still in hope in one of the few people she trusted above all else.

"Glad to see you appreciate these magnificent treasures, gentlemen. Even in war, there is beauty, and it's all the more important you protect it. Because of what you three have right here." Waltfeld said, indicating to the girls. "You won't find anyone like this ever again. Don't squander it." Six pairs of eyes locked with each other. No words needed to be exchanged, their feelings were quite clear.

"Commander Waltfeld, what you said earlier about us blossoming like spider lilies, is that what you want to happen to you?" Kira asked, his gaze subtly shifting to Yui, who was looking at him worriedly. "You're looking for a warrior's death?"

"Take a good long look at these women, Ensign. All of them are the picture of beauty." Flay and Yui both smiled at the compliment, the latter even blushing slightly. While Aisha just winked at him. "Women are naturally like flowers, they are born with a grace we men simply are not. We must work to be beautiful from the very start. It's why warrior cultures around the world are obsessed with death. From the Vikings to the Samurai, we as men live to die so our bones might become the fertilizer for all the flowers of Earth."

"So quick translation, yes?" Kuro asked.

"Yes, Captain Sahaku. As your brother said, we people are very good at finding ways of killing each other and reasons for said killing." The Tiger came around his desk, everyone tensed at the handgun he held, but it remained at his side. "War is by its nature as unforgiving as it gets, and only the strong survive and flourish. I want to see just how much all of you can flourish. The next time we meet will be in battle and it will be for keeps, so I'll just say that you and the rest of your crewmates bring your A-games. You will need it. Aisha will show you out, have a nice day."

The seven left the Tiger's lair where Dingo and a couple of the Tiger's men stood at attention, giving them all a salute as they left the gate. None of them were sure what to make of this meeting, but they had a greater understanding of the war and what was going on behind it. They were all apprehensive at having to face the Tiger again in combat, but they would meet his challenge head-on and survive.

(February 22nd, C.E. 71, GUND-ARM R&D Technologies, Maius Eight, L5)

Martius and Maius Cities were the combined heart of the PLANTs' war machine. ZAFT's various design bureaus and the two major industrial conglomerates, Maritus Armaments and Maius Military Industries all had their headquarters, factories, and various development centers located in sprawling industrial complexes. As such the one small building on the fringe of one of these compounds seemed rather insignificant. But to the occupants of said building, it was a dream finally realized through lots of hard work and dedication.

A dream Miorine Rembran would have taken on the whole of the Earth Alliance Armed Forces to protect. A young woman of sixteen, her long white hair hung down past her waist, clad in a smart pantsuit, looked up at pride at the white sign in front of the building she owned. For her it was everything. It represented a future that wasn't bound to anyone else. "Good morning!" She chimed in a melodious voice as the doors slid open, admitting her to the office where several small desks sat in front of a larger one.

"Hello there, Mio." A quiet voice said. The owner was another girl about the same age as Miorine. She had red hair tied in a ponytail, and her eyebrows were cut short and thick, contrasting with her dusky complexion it made the young woman a stunning and exotic beauty. Dressed simply in a cream-colored sweater with red and blue stripes and jeans, Suletta Mercury was a rather interesting character, having hailed from the planet Mercury, considered by many to be one of the grittiest places in the entire solar system. She had come to the PLANTs to attend ZAFT's Keystone Academy where she had met those who would become closest friends. "How are you today?"

Miorine couldn't help but find Suletta cute when she talked all shy like that. "I'm just fine, Letta. I was up late looking over the budget for the next month, not to mention we were contacted by one of our clients. They're wondering how to work on the new operating system is going." Given they were a brand-new company with a modest budget, they were starting small developing software for various companies, and even managed to land a contract with ZAFT itself. "So, tell me, Lan, how is our new product coming along?" She looked at her third business partner.

"Coding's almost complete, Mi. It should be ready by tomorrow." The girl with white hair tied up in a ponytail with a sleek black ribbon chirped as she tapped away at her computer. Lanca Lilywhite was the total opposite of Suletta, bold and brash in her demeanor. She wore a white short-sleeved one-piece dress, a silver chain with a black metal pendant hung around her neck. "I had to pull an all-nighter with almost a dozen cups of coffee, but I think it's some of my best work to date. As if you'd expect anything less from me after all!" She grinned.

Miorine sighed as she took her jacket off before getting herself something to drink. "While I'm grateful that you're willing to go such lengths to ensure you give out quality work, under no circumstances are you to overdo it. I need your brain intact, Lan." She sat down at her desk. "That being said, I'll be glad to finally have a product to show our clients. This new operating system is more efficient than anything currently in use."

"It should be, considering who initially developed it and where it came from." Lanca's voice became solemn as all three of them looked to a corner of the room where two desks sat. They were barren save for name plaques reading "E. Kanitz" and "F. Anderson" and a thin layer of dust. Miorine's face immediately screwed itself up in contempt, but Lanca held firm. "Let's face it, Miorine, who else but Ezra would think to use the Thunderbolt's operating system as a starting point? It can prove Gundam technology can be used in different ways besides war."

"Then he should have stayed here!" Miorine snapped, "This was our dream, the five of us together! And he and Felecia decide to go running off to the front lines, just to get themselves killed? It's like they forgot about the future we promised to build." Both Lanca and Suletta remembered the day when Ezra announced he had been called up to the front. Felecia of course went where he did. The office had felt that much emptier without them. Neither of the girls had liked the decision either, but respected their wishes. It was their CEO who had the biggest problem with it, viewing it as a personal betrayal.

Lanca rolled her eyes, the two of them had done this back and forth more than a few times over the past couple of months. But before she could start, the video terminal on Miorine's desk started buzzing, indicating an incoming call. Miorine put on her best PR face, but it vanished when she saw just who was calling. "Ezra? Felecia?" She cried out suddenly at the sight of the remaining founding members of GUND-ARM R&D on the screen before she found her voice. "Oh, you have a lot of nerve calling us!" Miorine let all her fury out. "Tell me why I should listen to anything you have to say after abandoning this company! I have half a mind to just hang up."

"Schwarze Kreuzen is back!" Silence reigned with those four words. Suletta and Lanca quickly stood on either side of Miorine's chair, looking intently at their old friends. "I see that took the wind out of your sails right quick, Mi. Listen, whatever bad blood exists between you and me, that's minor in comparison to the threat the Schwarze Kreuzen represents. We all remember the Black Cross's little visit to the Academy a few months ago, I doubt any of us will forget it for the rest of our lives."

Indeed, none of them would remember what happened that day. It would haunt their nightmares until they drew their last breath. "Where are you guys right now?" Lanca asked, deciding to change the subject.

"Earth, Gibraltar to be more specific. We ended up here after a huge slugfest in orbit. We're both okay and in one piece. So, you don't need to worry about us too much." Felecia said.

"You made it to Earth at last?" Suletta recalled what Felecia's dream was. The excitement in her voice rose. "Does that mean you've had the chance to swim in the ocean yet?"

"I'm afraid not yet, but I intend to do so before we ship out. However, we both agreed that you guys needed to know about the Black Cross, it was something we couldn't keep to ourselves. You're our friends and we want to look out for you guys."

"How do you guys even know it's the Schwarze Kreuzen Squadron?" Miorine was willing to keep her anger in check, but she was still skeptical about the whole mess. It could have been just a way to get back into their good graces. "Where is your intel coming from?"

"It came from an Earth Alliance defector. She described being pursued by fighters in Black Cross colors before she was shot down off Gibraltar, even mentioning their stylized cross." Ezra sighed. "Look Mio, as I said earlier, I know how you feel like the two of us just abandoned you to go off and play soldier, but any issues between us pale in comparison to the threat that organization represents. Felecia and I need your help. There it is, simple and to the point. Can we count on your assistance?"

Silence again permeated the air. Miorine looked to Suletta and Lanca, before going back to Ezra and Felecia. It was true that the two of them leaving broke her heart, the memories of the good times they shared at the academy were still prevalent in her mind, and the threat the Black Cross represented was indeed far greater than the petty grudge she had built up in her head. Elegant fingers tapped the desk, before curling up into a balled fist. Letting out a sigh, she finally gave her answer. "You got lucky I'm in a good mood today, Ezra. What do you need?"