The city of Berlin has suffered war since ancient times. Two World Wars, internal skirmishes and the most recent of them that destroyed most of the city. Again and again, its people managed to rebuild it, with help or not. Right now, Berlin was somewhat the symbol of what the Confederation wants. ZAFT, former EAF personnel, Naturals and Coordinator equally helping each other to bring back the ancient German city. Following earlier orders prior its descent to Earth, the Archangel is one again in the city, last visited during the Berlin Engagement a year after, and the sole presence of the ship was a morale boost for everyone outside. Inside the Pegasus, its main crew discusses the mission details.
"As you all can see, it will be a 2-sided operation. Strange enough, most of our MS compliment will stay on board." Athrun directed the briefing. Even though Murrue was the AA's captain, most of the tactical and technical issues for the MS squads and many missions were for the Sword of Justice.
"What are HQ's expect us to fight with? Foul language?" Since the AA reach Berlin, it seems that Shinn has reverted to his old self. But unfortunately for him, he wasn't in the Minerva any longer.
"Shinn, shut up for once and listen. Most reports target the area closer to Berlin as the center of irregular activities. As a matter of fact, the first part of this operation will take two of us to an open event." Standing alongside with him, Meyrin continued the briefing. Little red's ability with computers and her quick thinking of any situation were at hand with Athrun's management, and a great asset to the AA.
"Since the reconstruction of Berlin, an air race through the Alps has been the main attraction and income resources for the city and what remains of the old European Community. We'll use this air race to reach up one of the two targets we're aiming: a factory of some kind discovered deep in the mountains." Watching the diagram on screen, Dearka seemed puzzle as the mentioned site was in what seems a mountain natural-crater.
"I don't understand. Why can't we blow that thing from the orbit?"
"HQ already tried, but failed for this." A click and some footage was enough for everyone to see what Meyrin means. A huge beam bombardment being defected easily by a well known device.
"Beam shielding technology…"
"That's why we're using the air race. The Skygrasper in Aile-Grasper mode and the Core Splendor can fly closer to that site without much suspicion and make a clinical strike on it."
It was Mwu who explained the reason of the use of the aging Mobile Armor alongside with the Impulse flight module.
"Impulse' parts and the Force Pack are being modified to stay on hold airborne at a certain position, just in case things got out of hand as we speak." Miriallia informed everyone after receiving an internal comm. from the hangar. For Chief Murdoch this was a challenge that he wanted to attempt.
"Meanwhile, a second group will infiltrate a suspected warehouse in the outskirts of the city at the same time. In case that both targets are connected, they won't have time to warn the other."
"Well, and the chosen ones are…?" Yzak spoke. Everyone could see that he was impatient.
"Colonel Flaga and Lunamaria will fly on the air race. Yzak, Dearka, Shiho and I will infiltrate the warehouse. Shinn will stay here, guarding the ship" Needless to say, the kid exploded after.
"Wait a second! Why's that?! Since I have more experience with the Core Splendor, I should be the one flying!" There are times when Shinn's rants are bearable, but right now, Athrun didn't have the time –or the mood whatsoever– to discuss with him.
"Two main reasons. One: Lunamaria is the Impulse designated pilot. Two: Everybody in German territory knows about what you did on Berlin with the Destroy, and I don't think that the presence of the Butcher of Berlin will help." While he really wasn't at fault about what happen to the city then, Shinn even attack the Freedom when it was attacking the gigantic EAF MS, something that most of the remaining citizens of Berlin saw that day. And, since Shinn was a well known pilot thanks to Dullinal's propaganda, he was really a marked man in this city. He just opted to shut his mouth and comply with the order, just when Athrun dismissed the briefing.
"Ok, people, let's get to work!"
A couple of hours later, Mwu and the AA mechanic crew prepare the Aile-Grasper in the hangar. Since Lunamaria and he were going undercover, Mwu had the idea of reviving his old EAF alter ego. Already dressed as Neo Lorrnoke, –helmet included– he saw Luna checking up some things inside the hangar. Still preoccupied from a conversation the two of them had a time ago, he approaches the red-head pilot.
"Are you sure that you want to use her name?"
"It is the only name I've been hearing since we got here. Besides, it's for a good deed."
"What I'm worried about is the kid. He may not take this too good."
"As a matter of fact, he was the first person who I told about it"
"Oh man…"
"Yeah, that's what my sister also said."
"You're not going to let him breath, isn't it?"
"Not if he still lives in the past…" As Mwu got back to the Skygrasper, Lunamaria took a moment to reflect about the name she'll be using for this. She can help to feel a little jealous of it, and as a matter of fact, she thinks that is a name with some mystic.
"Stellar Loussier…"
While the plan was in motion, the Archangel is keeping its position over the city, and its remaining crew helping with some of the construction works. But for one Shinn Asuka, his idea of being here is not somewhere near this, as he plans to go to a very special place. Even with Athrun's orders, he knew one way to do so without much suspicion.
"CIC, Destiny waiting on the catapult for schedule patrol."
On the AA bridge, Murrue and Meyrin knew what Shinn was doing, but with the not so pleasant idea of having him ranting until the strike teams returned, decided to play along… for a while.
"Mirialia, let him free. At least we'll have a couple of hours scotch-free." Murrue was convinced that with the MS defending the city since the work started, Shinn would be better gone battling his own ghosts.
"Roger. Destiny, you're clear for taking off."
At the GO signal in the catapult's claxon, Shinn took off… to visit a part of his past.
It took him a while to reach the place, but instead of just landing on the lake, Shinn descend a couple of clicks away. Just as before, the place almost hidden from almost everything. Approaching the shore, Shinn still didn't know what to say. All in all, he just wanted to get out of the Archangel, but now, in front of what became Stellar's grave, he didn't know what to do… or say.
"Its peaceful here, isn't it, young man?" Startled, Shinn turn to see who did say that. The figure of an old man dressed in what seem casual clothes –at least in German territory– was beside him. What Shinn wanted to know was where the hell did he came from and how did he was beside him without making a sound in a completely desolate area.
"It is a place where souls came to rest before parting on a journey."
"Journey, you said?"
"Most of them just stay for a while, make its deeds, and then leave, making this place look even more beautiful than when they came first." For Shinn, it was truly strange that he didn't feel any danger or evil coming from that man. As a matter of fact, he seemed relaxed.
"You're here because of one of those souls?"
"In a way…" Not wanting to alarm the man by saying what happen to Stellar or the fact that he was partially responsible of the destruction of his country, Shinn kept the details only for him.
"Maybe, instead of worrying on one that already make peace with her own soul, you could start taking care of the one beside you now." How does that man could guess Shinn's situation was something that the pilot of Destiny may ponder later, but in this moment, what the old man say had some sense…
"I'm the one to blame. If I had made the right decision… And now, I may have done the same." … specially when almost everything he has thought since the arrival on Berlin was Stellar, and not Lunamaria. While Shinn was lost in its thoughts, the old man pulls away from his line of sight.
"Stellar do not blame you, Shinn Asuka." At hearing that, and after turning to retort, the old man was nowhere to seen. Even a young person wasn't able to just disappear in thin air like that.
"Now I'm paranoiac…" But, just as Stellar's NT aura managed to speak with him at Messiah, Shinn sensed something else.
"The soul return to the planet, making the planet stronger, and thus, giving mankind a future…"
Shinn Asuka wasn't a full believer of the "Newtype Resonance" that General Yamato spoke so often, but he has lived things that may change his point of view. Those last words he heard were testimony of what Stellar say –or what he thought–to him in space.
While pondering of the real meaning of this experience, his portable comm. went off, signaling a battle alert of some kind. Turning over the Destiny at full dash, his resolve was clear.
"If I don't protect the future that she gave to us, then I can't be called a man. And if I can't even protect Luna, I don't deserve to be forgiven… not for her"
After Destiny took off, the ghostly figure of a young blonde lady watched him.
"A future for you to share with your beloved one. Now live… Shinn."
As Stellar Loussier ascends to a higher plane, finally letting him go, she can't stop thinking about the gift that she will left.
AN: Not my brightest chapter (and the shortest of all up to now), but after being blocked for a while, is an advance. Actually, this chapter was meant to be the fist part of "Operation Berlin", but then I saw that I needed a first chapter for babble (and Shinn's out of this world experience)