Author's note: One thing you need to know. Soma tried to infiltrate Celestial Being and was caught. I didn't feel like including that scene since these two chapters are jam packed with enough action already. Enjoy!
Mission plans
One month later...aboard the Regular Forces Mother ship.
"So let me get this straight you let her go alone? Without backup?"
"Lower your voice lieutenant Dyson." Kati Mannequin ordered as she tried to continue the briefing. The injured super soldier before her had spent the last hour trying to interrogate her on Soma's whereabouts. It was bordering on irritation. "Have you not heard a word I said? This is the best option for her right now, let it be. We need to focus on our defection from A-laws. It has come to my attention that Abra and Lindt have very different objectiv—"
"I don't give a damn!" Diego yelled, trying and failing to sit up for the umpteenth time as the straps worked against him. "You let her into hostile territory and you expect me to just lay here!"
Kati sighed, this was going nowhere. The idiot, clearly in love with Peries, would need a lot more than rationality to open his eyes. The shackles keeping him within the actual ship gave a loud creak under the strain. They both knew he was soon going to break free, but how soon was up to her. She stopped pacing, studying her lieutenant for a moment. Unnecessary bandages lined his body as well as an entire left arm, try as she might there was no way to convince the techs that the super soldier was already healed. He looked like hell. Yet she would've thought that someone who was saved from the field would be a bit more appreciative, but he surprised her. Super soldier or not, love seemed to be the ultimate tool of defiance.
"Right now it's best that she is with them. Her response to the winged one was more of a hindrance than an actual use." Kati said, "Besides, Celestial Being isn't the type to execute. They can provide the best asylum."
"From what?"
"From the downfall of A-laws." She said. Diego gave her a curious expression. Kati ignored it, placing a folder of classified documents on his lap. "It's going to be a messy battle, maybe it's best if the one you love is out of harm's way?" He seemed to ponder her words, igniting the first spark of hope she's had all week. "Work with me lieutenant. Do your duty as a soldier and do what's best for our country. Then we will make sure Soma Peries comes back safely."
"You wanna tell me what that was about?" Lyle asked Allelujah as he supported him under an arm.
"That's me escaping confinement." Allelujah replied, before adding in a lighter tone. "I heal quickly even if Sumeragi doesn't want to believe that. I'm not playing useless patient if we get attacked again." Lyle only laughed, unable to believe that he was an accessory to prison break. Although if he were ever in the med bay he would be sure to remind Allelujah of this generosity.
Allelujah came to a halt, reaching for the wall. Lyle respectively stood back and let him stand on his own, things looked good but they both knew he would need more than a few more hours before even entertaining the thought of going up for a mission.
"You sure you're not a Dylandy?" Lyle asked as Allelujah hobbled to the lockers. "You're as stubborn as one I'll tell you that."
"Any one in particular?" Hallelujah asked, before snapping his eyes shut. "Sorry...He gets out sometimes."
Deciding that his friend was in enough pain, Lyle didn't let the comment stick; waiving the apology away, crossing his arms and leaning against the door. "Allelujah, I want to know what happened back at the bridge. With Neil." Allelujah stiffened while pulling an orange uniform from his locker. "I mean I've seen him angry but that was something else..."
He was greeted with silence as Allelujah continued to suit up, seemingly contemplating how much he was willing to tell. Sometimes he hated the fact that this team was four whole years ahead of him. It made trust just that much more difficult to attain.
Before he could demand an answer the door to the laundry room opened to reveal Setsuna with a fresh uniform in one arm. Both meister's gave him a brief nod of acknowledgment, wondering just how much of their conversation the 00 pilot heard.
Setsuna sat down on the bench and began pulling on his suit. Silence filled the room as the three meisters tried to avoid the elephant in it.
"Ali Al-Saachez tried to kill Lockon," Setsuna spoke in his monotone while pulling on a black undershirt. Allelujah jumped back but before he could say anything else Setsuna continued, "Ali Al-Saachez is the terrorist who trained me to kill your family."
Anger surged through Lyle. Who did this little punk think he was? How could you hold a face of indifference when you talk about taking someone's life? Innocent people didn't deserve anything like that. Clenching his fists, Lyle welcomed the feeling of blood rush and the urge of getting ready to strike, but in the same instant he relaxed. This guy was testing him no doubt. Testing how far he would go to exact revenge, how much his emotions ruled his body. Well he wasn't about to be compared to his brother, not by his friends and definitely not by this outcast. Folding his arms Lyle played it cool, making a show of taking a deep breath. "I can't change the past anymore than you can, so don't dwell on it. Beside's we're on the same team now. Let's enjoy that."
With a final nod Setsuna left the change rooms, leaving Allelujah looking dumbfounded at Lyle.
Diego double timed it down the ship's corridor. Thoughts of what he read conflicted with everything he knew to the point where confronting Kati was the only solution. Careful not to be seen, he entered the officer's hallway. Colonel Mannequin made sure he was out of sight and out of file, it took a lot longer to recover on super soldier healing alone, since Pod's didn't heal supposedly dead soldiers. That took weeks out of active duty, the ship already felt foreign. In fact it was luck and guess work that brought him to her steel metal door, a tiny nameplate with her name was his only reward.
Flexing his gloved hand tightly over the rim of the helmet at his side, Diego entered her office.
Kati looked the epitome of in charge, sitting in apt attention behind a tasteful yet functional mahogany desk. A computer before her revealed that she was in a conference call.
"We're still searching Colonel Smirnov. No contact with Soma Peries since she went in search of 04 Diego Dyson," she said, glancing up and waving him forward. "We'll do our best to find both of them. Thank you."
Ending her call she sat back, looking up. A slight smile fought its way to her lips as she took in his black space suit, usually reserved for special operations members.
"I take it you're up to speed, Lieutenant?"
Diego choked back a harsh laugh. "What's going on Colonel? And why are you lying to Colonel Smirnov?"
She looked ready to reprimand but his hard expression quelled her anger. "We've had this discussion. Soma Peries is not your priority right now, Diego."
Momentarily stunned at her use of his first name coupled with her weary expression, he bit back an argument. She was right. If everything in her intel was true then the A-laws were more of a problem than a solution. Feeling her eyes on him, waiting for the undying cooperation they knew she'd receive he mentally went over her intel one last time. Let me finish here, Soma. Then I'll come for you, I promise.
"I think it's best if the colonel isn't distracted by his missing daughter right now. With you technically still MIA the future looks grim already."
He nodded, trying and failing to draw strength from the military discipline literally installed within him. "I read the proposition. It's risky but completely understandable. Memento Mori will do more harm than good, shutting it down won't be a problem."
"Good," Kati replied leaning her elbows on the table while clasping her hands before her. "However I need to know if you accept?"
He stared at her. "I'm your subordinate. I don't have a choice."
"Forget that, Diego!" she said. He raised a brow in question. "You prefer that over, Lieutenant Right? Look at the facts. You are missing. As far as this military is concerned you're a ghost answering to no one. All I ask is for your help before you inevitably get yourself killed, trying to save Lieutenant Peries."
Flinching, he grit his teeth before looking away. The organization that literally gave him life was no better than the terrorists they fought. Destroying them was more a payback than a mission.
"I accept, Colonel."
"Good."
"But I have one observation." He said. She nodded for him to continue. "There's no way a GN-X will have the power to fly up there undetected let alone stand a chance against their defence and the weapon itself."
"I agree." Smiling she pressed something beneath her desk. The door behind him squeezed open to reveal none other than the super annoying new recruit he remembered from the mother ship.
"Is he necessary?" Diego asked, not caring to hide his disdain as the enthusiast snapped to crisp attention and salute beside him.
"Colonel! Patrick Colasour reporting for your top secret mission, ma'am." Patrick bellowed.
Diego crossed his arms in annoyance. Those lungs will get us killed! Please tell me he's just the escort or better yet a decoy.
"Lieutenant! It's good to see you, we thought you died!" Patrick exclaimed before unsuspectingly smacking him on the back.
"Colasour, take the Leiutenant to your new suits. You will leave promptly." Kati ordered.
Diego waved him away. "Hold on, what do you mean 'we' colonel? I can do this solo."
"The same way you failed to take a celestial being hostage solo?" She replied, with an inquisitive expression.
Wincing at the memory he kept quiet, vowing to one day repay the orange pilot and his comrade.
"Colasour will be assisting you Leuitenant. The rest of us are on route to secure their intended target, the AEU elevator. There is no room for error."
He nodded, when Patrick interrupted. "This is gonna be great, sir. I'll take them on no problem, it'll—"
Diego punched him flat in the nose, ending the irritating stream of chatter as Patrick stumbled back.
Kati looked wide-eyed for a moment before giving in to a slight smirk. Looking to Diego she gave one last request, "Try and bring him back in one piece?"
"Can't promise you anything below two," Diego replied as he dragged Patrick out the door and towards the hangars, feeling strangely at ease for the first time since he could remember.
Warm fingertips ghosting across his chest coupled with sweet butterfly kisses brought Lyle out of another fitful dream and to the very real attentions of Anew Returner. Letting out a pleasurable sound he slid a hand along her back. "What time is it?"
"Too early for you to go," she replied, gliding a soft hand lower down his abdomen. "Bad dream?"
He breathed deeply. "Something like that."
Her hand withdrew, leaving him instantly cold and on edge. "Why'd you stop?" he asked, opening his eyes to meet her concerned ones. "Anew?"
She shook her head slowly as she leaned on an elbow and looked down to him. "I don't want to push you but something happened. Am I right?"
"What?" He asked, genuinely confused and missing her touch more than anything. A lot's happened, you need to be a bit more specific than that.
"You've been having the same nightmare for a while now." She pondered, "I mean I totally understand if you're not ready for full disclosure but Lyle if this is bothering you I just want to help."
Taking in her words he smiled. It's only been a couple of months and he was already smitten with her, this was a first but welcomed sensation. It was a welcomed distraction from the world that was falling apart around him. He couldn't get a hold of Klaus or anyone from Katharon, to make matters worse they scrambled their support network so there was no way of getting up to date Intel on their whereabouts. All this ate inside of him as he continued to fight each day, starting to wonder what good it was to waste time while his friends were in potential danger. Not wanting to get her caught up in his mess he focussed on what to do in order to put a smile on her face again.
Anew stayed silent, waiting him out as her hand brought more sweet sensations to his cheek. This time she tilted his head to meet her gaze.
"You're helping already," he said kissing her once, then again, then a third time, smiling against her mouth before deepening the kiss into a long passionate one. What started off as soft and sensual quickly escalated when he felt her fingers slowly combing through his hair, drawing him closer. They broke for air, breathing heavily but still holding onto each other. However, it didn't take long for her concern to resurface, if it ever really vanished. "It's just a dream, Anew."
Her only response was to lay back down on his side, letting unspoken concern flow through her silence as she resumed her caresses this time trailing a healed yet prominent scar from his right shoulder across to his left hip. "You're just a man of mystery, aren't you, Lyle. Well alright..."
Stilling her hand he raised it to his lips before speaking, "Neil freaked out when I got this. Never seen him that angry."
"With you?" She asked, meeting his eyes. Knowing about the bombings, she didn't want to press but curiosity must've won her over tonight.
Lyle shook his head. "I think it was the shock. Can't remember much from that day but losing them in seconds would make anybody angry." He laughed, "the medics had to pry him away from me. Their words not his."
She silenced his babble with a small finger to his lips. "I told you I'm not going to push. As much as I want to know everything there's no need to change the subject, just relax..."
He did just that, shutting up as she continued her sweet caress.
Allelujah stepped into the holding cell, making sure to lock the door before setting a tray of food in front of a handcuffed Soma Peries. She sat still, eyes transfixed on one spot, unwilling to meet his gaze. No doubt calculating an escape attempt.
Knowing that he shouldn't stay, but at the same time finding himself unable to leave he took a seat across from her, clanking his space helmet on the table between them. She showed neither surprise nor acknowledgment of Allelujah's existence.
"I really want to help you but I can't do that if you don't talk to me." He said, trying and failing to make eye contact. Finally deciding to put his life in his hands he reached forward to grasp her chained one only to have her sharply draw back and meet him with a glare. "Marie..."
"It's Soma you idiot." She yanked the chain which held her captive.
Allelujah sat back, masking his disappointment while trying to figure out the woman, or women, before him. She was definitely not Marie. Marie wouldn't sneak in here with the intent to kill you, idiot. Yet as the crew restrained her, Allelujah stood heartbroken as a confused Marie called out to him. The image stayed with him for the past two weeks as he recovered.
"I don't want to do this, Soma." Allelujah murmured. "I just want to speak to Marie. If that's not possible I'd like to at least know why you came, why you even tried..."
"You killed him."
Her eyes hardened and for a fleeting moment he saw pain reflected in them before it was replaced with a mixture of rage and sorrow.
"Coming here to kill us won't bring him back."
"It's a start." She spat, before desperately straining against her chains, trying to lunge at him.
There was no way she would talk, not now. Seeing how futile the attempt was, Allelujah stood and headed for the door, willing himself not to look back for fear of running back to her. His Marie.
No sooner had he gotten to the door when a sweet soft spoken voice took hold of his curiosity.
"You're going out again..."
Slowly, he turned back to the woman who now sat on the floor in utter despair and confusion.
"Marie?"
Soma clutched her head and winced as she spoke in the unmistakable voice of Marie. "Not exactly." She said with a grimace only to hold up a hand when he took a step forward. "Don't! I don't know what she will do. Just please be careful out there."
Allelujah smiled for the first time in days. Ignoring her pleas he moved closer. "Marie...I"
But before he could finish, an exhausted sigh and hard set eyes fixed upon his. He couldn't believe that in a matter of moment's Soma could look as defeated as she did now.
"You took him away." She said slowly, "Now, you're never getting her."
The sudden blares of the ship's proximity alarms were deaf to him as he knelt before her. Soma grit her teeth in agony, most likely trying to regain control as she spoke. "The attack...it's probably started. Let me fight alongside you, helping her is the least I can do."
"Help who?" he asked, sensing Marie was momentarily in control.
"You don't understand. The A-laws aren't what...Colonel Mannequin has been planning a counterattack. She/I should've been back to help her but I'm/she's not. Let us help!"
Cursing his bad timing he willed Marie to fight harder, before donning his helmet and running out.
Diego stared in awe of the marvellous Gundam Dinn. The machine specs on a tablet him seemed almost unreasonable. Active camouflage, Nuclear weapon cancellers, auto detect and target lock not to mention a space entry and re-entry thermal layer. How did they build this?
"The colonel was saving this for a special occasion," Patrick grunted from behind his tissue, the bleeding from his nose seemed to have subsided.
Diego looked over to his comrade. "You know this how?"
He smiled. "She trusts me. Had me fly and stow away this thing when all the AEU wanted to do was scrap it favour of the GN-X."
"Come on Colasour use your head. If they had this tech they would have put it on the GN-X units." He said while touching the golden shield panels of the Gundam's cockpit situated in the chest. "This isn't AEU tech."
Patrick blew his nose to an almost sickening sound before discarding the tissue. Diego suppressed a laugh as the ex-Ace and new recruit turned to him with a flaming red nose fit for a reindeer.
"What?" Patrick asked. Diego only shrugged, urging him to continue. "Well then hell if I know. The point is you're using it."
"What will you be using?"
"I have a secret weapon of my own," he said, walking the length of the bridge walk to point at a Gundam three stalls away.
It didn't look like a GN-X model, but neither did it look as stunning as the Dinn.
"Another scrapped project?"
"No. This one's from a private benefactor," Patrick smiled to him, "it pays to be an ace. Everyone looks out for you."
Diego shook his head, "don't expect that from me. Get ready, we're leaving in ten."
"Yes sir, lieutenant, sir." Patrick said, mock saluting as he went to tend to his machine.
"I just think he's been too quiet lately."
"That's what spies do Lees' they stay quiet." Neil replied as he calibrated his controls from the chair beside hers. "Wouldn't be surprised if the dummy somehow blew it on their end." Sumeragi smacked him upside the head. "What was that for?" he asked, feigning hurt.
"He's your brother, Neil."
"I'm aware of that. But he made it pretty clear that he's his own man and I made it pretty clear that his manhood shouldn't get us killed."
She laughed before looking to him seriously. "Come on, worrying about all of us is my job. This assignment for Katharon is probably tearing him apart. He could probably use the company of a caring person right now."
"I think Anew cornered the market on that end," Neil replied only to get another swat on the head.
"Comedian," She said before standing to kiss him on the spot where she smacked him. Both were thankful that the bridge was regularly empty these days. Of course the knowing smirks from Feldt and Lasse offered an explanation. "Please, Neil if not for him or yourself do this for me? Feldt's worried too and it's all we seem to talk about. I'd feel better if you at least offered him an outlet."
He sighed, wondering how on earth it was possible to resist her when she was like this. Who knew worry was a turn on? "Alright, alright for the sake of your conversational topics I'll speak to the bone head."
"Thank you," she said, looking to him. "This will be good for both of you."
"Yeah, yeah, but I'll need some more incentive if you want this done soon."
He grinned as she only rolled her eyes before wrapping her arms around his neck, but before their lips could meet she pulled up, kissed his forehead and scurried out of his reach.
No sooner had he stood to give chase when the proximity alarms went off.
Sumeragi was instantly back in her chair, scanning the data flying at her as Lasse ran through the door and practically dove for the controls. Neil reverted power back to the pilot before grabbing a helmet and moving for the Almagest. All the while cursing their rotten luck.
"Clear Gundams for launch." Sumeragi ordered Mileina as the girl took her seat.
"Yes, Sumeragi-san."
"The enemy is already engaged." Feldt relayed as she too took her seat. "They're not reacting to our presence, looks like Federation forces and the A-laws."
"Engage active camouflage." Sumeragi ordered as she took on a posture of deep thought.
The Almagest was fully powered on standby. Looking through his scope Neil was confused to see Feldt was right, it seemed like the two supposed allies were fighting one another. "What do you think this means?"
"If I had to guess I'd say they're fighting for the elevator...But why?" Sumeragi pondered.
"It doesn't matter. They're in a conflict. We end conflicts! SETSUNA F. SEIEI 00 GUNDAM LAUNCHING!"
Neil saw the blue Gundam whip by his sights entering the foray in mere moments followed by Arios then seconds later by Seravee. Laughing at their eagerness he turned back to Sumeragi at the corner of his screen. "What now?"
"Lasse take us to 3'000 feet, hang back so we can get a good perspective. Feldt I need an infrared scan of the entire battlefield, something doesn't seem right."
"On it Sumeragi-san." Feldt replied, when suddenly Lyle's voice came over the comms.
"Anew, are you there?"
"Lyle what's wrong?" She radioed back, an image of her in the gunner's seat popped on Neil's display.
"I just want to say...I love you."
The chatter of the bridge lit up the comms. Feldt and Sumeragi's surprise mixed with Lasse's yell of yeah! Neil only chuckled. See Lees' I told you the dummy has it under control. Well done little bro!
The breach alarms wailed like sirens. Thankful for the noise filter function in his helmet Diego switched on his comm before taking cover, amazed with deadly satellite's normal interior.
"I'm in. How far are you?" He asked, looking down the ominous hallways within memento-mori. Shouldn't there be more of these guys?
"Right behind you—" A loud crash was heard in the background. The structure around Diego shook.
"What was that?"
"Nothing boss, I'll be right there. Just picking off the stragglers."
"Stick to the plan dammit!" Diego yelled before taking off towards his designated route.
Two soldiers were up ahead, they seemed to be trying to activate a door. Diego smiled, it was the exact door he had prepared for. These two clowns were now his ticket in. "Colasour, meet me directly in the control room. Looks like there's no need for phase II."
"Aww man! And here I'm flying with extra semtex."
Signing off, Diego un-slung his pulse rifle and got straight to work.
"What are my orders Lees'?" Lockon inquired, slowly getting bored with just being a bystander, using his scope to observe the battle ahead. Sumeragi's troubled image on the right corner of his HUD didn't make him feel any better. "Something wrong?"
"Very." She said, typing a few keys to double check her theory. "Feldt, this is the entire area?"
"Yes Sumeragi-san. What does it mean?"
"The A-laws are positioned so as to avoid..." Studying the patterns before her she shook her head in grave disbelief, "Tell Setsuna to take the shot. Now! Bring down Memento-Mori. They are planning to destroy the elevator."
"What?"
"Sumeragi-san? How—"
"Now!" she yelled again. "Lockon, watch his back. Feldt, patch me through to all comms on battle, including the enemy."
Diego stood guard by the main power grid as the A.I program Kati gave him hacked into the system. Two men lay dead at his feet, their blood pooling into one continuous stream. Their lifeless faces seemed oddly at peace. His thoughts turned to Soma, would she end up like this? Would he?
The rush of footsteps brought a smile to his face. Finally, some response. Diving for cover, he levelled his rifle at the door. Knowing a quick headshot followed by a grenade would make quick work of the response squad. Slowing his breathing, careful to keep steady, Diego mentally counted down the unfortunate soldiers end.
"Lieutenant!"
The face of Patrick Colasour entered his scope. Surprise mixed with anger as Diego reluctantly let go of the trigger. "What the hell are you doing Colasour?" he demanded, standing from cover and moving back to the grid terminal.
"You said to meet here," Patrick replied, visibly disgusted as he stepped in blood. "What happened here?"
"You don't just run in, idiot. I could've killed you."
The AI announced its successful hack, letting Diego take over by uploading a virus. The loading bar appeared, showing that the Leech program was effectively sucking data from of the machine.
Patrick shrugged, coming to stand beside him. "You'd think they'd have better security out here. I mopped up what was left outside."
"Stay sharp and watch the door!" Diego snapped, aggravated at his partner's lack of discipline and common sense. "It's been too easy. I've pushed this feeling aside for now, but I can't deny that all this feels wrong. Any news from the Colonel?"
"None."
"Good. That means she's on target."
"And so am I," a voice behind them bellowed. Both Diego and Patrick dove for cover just as a barrage of energy hit the terminal they recently stood before.
The terminal immediately shut down and kick started one of the 100 backups in the room.
"Damn it! He woke the system, now this place is eating power from the backup generators." Diego bellowed as he dropped the intruder in one shot.
"I'll cover the door." Patrick yelled, running back to the hallway as Diego got to work on the backup terminal. At this rate they'll be on top of us before we can defuse anything. Shit!
"Damnit! Setsuna missed. Ian I need to get up there!" Lockon yelled as he shot down the last two pursuers on his friend's tail."
"Negative, Lockon you stay here the cannon is a sniper's asset." Ian interjected before Sumeragi could say a word.
"I'm not sitting around and watching them or those people die. Get me closer or get me an engine. I can shoot that thing out of the sky!"
"He's right," Sumeragi replied, surprising everyone. "Lasse get us closer. Lockon, can you handle the zero system?"
He took a deep breath, remembering the lack of control he experienced the last time the system took over. Though looking to the current chaos there was no doubt about what needed to be done. "I'm good. Ian, launch me."
Surprise and chatter filled the comms as Sumeragi's voice tried to override them. Ian uttered the final commands, and Neil felt the Almagest disengage, yet to his surprise instead of just being elevated his entire unit transformed into a black Gundam.
"Ian?..." Lockon remarked as the panels before him turned to the familiar display of a Gundam cockpit.
"Cherudim Saga, Lockon. No time to explain just be careful with it."
"Roger," he gasped. Gripping the controls he looked to his empty haro pod before realizing he still had A.I. "Alright, you take control I'll focus on sniping. Lockon stratus Cherudim Saga, aimed and firing!" With that he surged ahead and took aim for Momento-mori.
"What's the damage?" Patrick asked, breathing laboured as though he ran a marathon.
"The virus is back online so all shields will come down. I planted the bombs so all we have to do is detonate this thing and take the fight groundside to help the Colonel." Diego turned to the burned out pilot. He looked more than worse for wear as blood covered his uniform and the pistol hung limply at his side. "You did well, Patrick. You okay?"
He nodded, turning for the door. "Sooner we get down there, to her. Sooner we'll be done."
The ace didn't take more than two steps before a slight limp caught up with him. Diego ran up, putting Patrick's arm over his shoulders, supporting him as the A.I counted down the data transfer sequence.