Chapter 11: Reflections
The Archangel soared low over the waters of the Indian Ocean, causing waves to form around the prow of the ship. They were now heading towards Alaska, the home of the Earth Forces. With the threat of ZAFT hopefully long behind them, everyone aboard the ship took some time to think about things that were important to them, the thoughts that had been pushed aside because of the conflict with ZAFT, Andrew Waltfeld and each other…
Duo allowed a yawn to escape from him as he lay on one of the balconies, enjoying the ocean breeze. It was a much needed change from the desert air they had been forced to endure for such a long time. He sat up to watch the ocean disappear beneath the Archangel's hull.
I wonder if we've been considered dead back home yet… Damn… this must be killing Hilde…
He sighed and shook his head.
All we can do for now is hope we can survive this war long enough to find a way to return home. I just hope the situation there hasn't deteriorated beyond our aid by then…
He stood and went over to the railing, leaning on it to watch a few small uninhabited islands speed by.
I'm sure Howard and the rest of the Sweepers are taking good care of her for me…All I can do is hope that everything is fine. But I hate that! We need to do something soon…
The roar of thrusters caught his attention just as the Wing Zero, in its Neo-Bird Mode, flew by.
"Damnit Heero, you're always ruining the good views!" He yelled at the tail of the Wing Zero as it turned and vanished from view.
He braced himself as the wind currents generated by the Wing Zero's speed blew past. Once it died down, he sighed.
"Glad to know some things haven't changed." He said sarcastically as he decided to go inside before the Wing Zero came around the ship again.
Quatre waved goodbye as he left the lounge. He had been talking with some of the crew while they were on their break period. His smile faded as he walked away from the lounge and he was left with his thoughts.
Rashid and the others must be so worried… I hope they're holding together well. They've probably already activated the contingency plan I had set up just in case something happened to me. It's going to be hell to retake the company if they have…
A little chuckle of amusement escaped him as he shook his head.
It's strange that I'm more concerned about the Winner Corporation than I am about actually making it home… it's amazing how much my priorities have changed in the last four years…
He paused at a window and stared out it just in time to see the tail end of the Wing Zero fly past.
I don't know if we'll make it home… so Rashid… please take care of everyone for me…
He thought as he continued down the hallway, seeing Cagalli walking up ahead.
"Cagalli! Wait up!" He sped up to catch her as she paused and turned back to look at him.
Trowa sat alone in their room, cleaning his gun, even though it had yet to be fired.
Things have been… interesting… to say the least… We've been so busy lately; it's nice to be able to relax, even if it's only for a short time.
He closed one eye as he examined the barrel of his gun carefully to make sure there was nothing wrong with it.
I wonder how the circus is managing without me…
He sighed as he moved on to another piece. I do my job too well. Anyone who they've brought in would be harshly criticized. It almost makes me feel sorry for any replacement they bring in.
An amused smile appeared on his face.
Catharine and the others are resilient; I know that all too well. They'd keep the show going even if it was in the midst of a battlefield. I don't have to worry about them. I just have to remain focused on the current situation. And live to return home.
The amusement was replaced with determination as Trowa began piecing his gun back together. With a final click as the ammunition clip was locked into place, Trowa placed the gun behind his back and stood.
"It's almost time… I guess we'll learn what the future holds in due time…" He muttered before leaving their room.
Wufei stared down the cold steel blade of his katana. He had hidden the katana away within the Altron's cockpit as a precaution in case a situation such as the one they now found themselves in arose. He had holed himself up in an unused room so he could practice.
The others are probably wishing we could go home… but honestly: I missed this. The thrill of battle isn't something one can easily forget. The Gundams are essentially useless in our universe because the Defence Council gets rid of any resistance before it gets to the point where we're needed. Our skills are going to waste as we wait for something to happen. Here, at least, our skills are being put to good use. We can't keep fighting forever. Our time for being soldiers is limited because our bodies can only take so much. I want to keep fighting until that day comes, so long as the cause is right…
After a few more frustrated slashes of his katana, he sheathed the katana and slung it over his shoulder.
"So tonight is the night… this will prove to be interesting…" He muttered to himself before leaving the room.
To avoid Kira and Flay, Heero took it upon himself to patrol the region around the Archangel just in case something got past its radars. He was especially on the alert for this universe's equivalent of the Deathscythe Hell, as he knew what to look for if it came.
Hmph… I wonder what's wrong with me. Normally, I would never have involved myself in the personal issues of others…
He frowned in irritation.
I wonder if that means I'm going soft… Four years of peace, despite the profession I've chosen, seems to have taken its toll on me.
He noticed Duo standing by the railing of one of the balconies and shifted the Wing Zero's path slightly to bring it closer to his position. As he passed, he zoomed in on Duo to see that his fellow pilot was yelling angrily at him. A slight smile mixing amusement and satisfaction formed, but it quickly faded as he resumed his hunt for enemies.
Relena and the others have been a bad influence on me. My training's been compromised thanks to them… it makes me worried…
His grip on the Wing Zero's flight controls tightened.
Relena entrusted leading the others to me, even though none of us need a specific leader… If my training has been compromised, I don't want to take the risk of accidentally leading them into a suicide scenario in this universe. Maybe it would be better for us to split up, that way I can have time to relearn my training. A soldier who has lost his edge in battle is a dead soldier. I can't afford to let that happen…
He could only shake his head, forcing the thoughts away.
"Archangel, I'm returning." He said simply before the Wing Zero began to dive towards the hangar wing.
Cagalli sighed as she stood on another of the Archangel's balconies.
Things have been getting so out of hand lately… I sometimes wonder why I'm here…
She glanced behind her as she heard footsteps.
"Oh, it's just you…"
"Hmph… Are you in a bad mood today, Cagalli?" Ledonir Kisaka, a fellow rebel and her guard, asked as he approached.
She shook her head. "No… I've just been thinking about everything that's been going on. Things have been so chaotic ever since we joined up with the Archangel."
Ledonir nodded. "What do you think Uzumi would say about this situation?"
Cagalli frowned. "He's the last person I want to think about right now. We just have to worry about what the Archangel is going to do next."
He chuckled. "That's fine. If the Archangel should run into trouble, will you step in?"
She shrugged. "I don't know… I guess it depends on where we are if it runs into trouble." She sighed as she shook her head. "I'm going back in." She said before walking past him and back into the ship.
Kisaka sighed as he watched a few sea birds fly past.
She's as headstrong as her father is…
He smiled in amusement.
Cagalli was walking the hallways, not really knowing where she wanted to go, when Quatre called out to her. She paused and looked back at him, wondering what one of the pilots could want with her.
Mwu sighed as he stared at the Gundams while he waited for Murdoch to arrive.
Those guys… We don't know anything about them… the only thing we do know is that they're obviously more skilled than we thought they were. For that Heero man to have taken on Kira and held his own…
An involuntary shudder ran through him.
How can five men, so vastly different in personality and views, be able to fight together so well? It's almost impossible to comprehend it. Hell, even a seasoned fighter like me would always have problems on the battlefield with somebody I don't agree with off the battlefield…
He shook his head.
I just can't figure them out. I don't know if that's how they want it or if it's just because they're just that different from us…
"All we can hope is that they don't turn against us…" He muttered.
"You're right about that. Or at least we get to see what makes their Gundams function like they do without a battery pack before they leave." Murdoch replied as he stood beside Mwu.
Mwu smiled in amusement at the mechanic. "I should have known you'd wanna know about them."
"I tried asking them, but they refused. They wouldn't even let me look at their blueprints!"
Mwu chuckled. "You should know better. A pilot charged with something like these would never allow anyone else to see how they were engineered. It prevents them from enhancing their own weaponry."
Murdoch shrugged in defeat. "True… come on; the SkyGraspers are repaired and ready to get back into the action."
"Great! It's about time!" Mwu said happily as Murdoch lead the way to where the SkyGraspers were. Mwu took one last glance back at the Gundams before following with a shake of his head.
Murrue watched the Wing Zero fly past the bridge again with irritation. She had told him it was an unnecessary waste of energy, but he promptly ignored her and had begun patrolling the ship.
Isn't there anyone who can control that man?
She thought in frustration.
Then again, all of them seem to have a problem with authority… even the nice ones.
She sighed as she looked around the bridge. A shift change had happened and the secondary crew was on hand, so none of Kira's friends were on the bridge. She was worried about Kira. He hadn't come out of his room very often for fear of running into Heero and causing trouble again.
Natarle stood beside her. "Are you all right, Captain?"
Murrue nodded. "I'm fine, Natarle. How are you?"
"I'm fine, don't worry about me, ma'am."
Murrue chuckled. "I worry about all of my crew. You know that."
"So what do you intend to do about them?" Natarle asked with a frown as the Wing Zero passed by again.
"Honestly? I want them to stay." Murrue raised a hand to silence Natarle, who appeared to be on the verge of protesting. "In our situation, we can use all the help we can get… even if it is from trouble makers like them."
Natarle knew she couldn't argue with that reasoning. Before she could respond, Heero notified them he was returning.
"Understood." Murrue said as she ordered the hangar wing opened. "We'll decide what will happen when the time comes." She said to her second, who remained silent as they watched the Wing Zero fly in.
Kira sat alone in his room, staring at a blank screen. His room was the only place he was certain he wouldn't run into Heero. He didn't want a repeat of their previous encounter, and he was afraid if he did run into Heero that his emotions would take control and he'd attack the older pilot again.
Why do I feel this way whenever I see him? Is it because we're so different? Ever since I first saw him I've had this feeling of great distrust and wariness. I could try to overlook it if he didn't keep doing things to confirm my feelings…
He sighed and shook his head. "I don't know what to do anymore…" He muttered in frustration as his thoughts turned to what Heero had said. It had been churning over and over in his mind since he was released from the medical room, and the only time it had vanished was when he was fighting.
Could Flay really be using me? …It could explain her sudden change in attitude towards me… But they're outsiders! How would they know something like that? They don't know how things were before they came here…
He rested his head on his arms before a knock came to his door.
"It's me."
Kira blinked in surprise. "Lieutenant La Flaga?"
"Can I come in? The Captain wanted me to talk with you…"
Kira frowned. "All right…"
What could it be now…?
He thought worriedly.
Sai, Tolle, Kuzzey, Miriallia and Flay sat in the cafeteria discussing the strange events that had lead to this point.
"There are rumours going around that those five will be leaving soon. Do you think it's true?" Kuzzey asked.
"I don't know, but Captain Ramius gets really agitated whenever any of them are mentioned…" Sai said with a frown.
Miriallia nodded in agreement.
Tolle sighed in disappointment. "Despite their differences, they were really cool. It'll be sad if they do leave."
Sai looked at Tolle in surprise as he adjusted his sunglasses. "How do you mean they were cool?"
"Well, they kept most of the pressure off Kira when it came to battles, which we should be thankful for considering Kira's not really suited for fighting… and they were pretty friendly… at least Duo, Quatre and Trowa were…" His voice lowered to a mutter as he spoke, but Miriallia nodded in agreement.
"He's right. There was a great deal less pressure on Kira whenever ZAFT attacked because he knew they were helping to defend the ship. He wasn't by himself…"
Flay's eyes narrowed, but she continued to hold her silence.
Kuzzey and Sai nodded in understanding.
"That's true… and Quatre was nice enough to tell me things about where they came from when I asked. I honestly thought he'd brush me off. He seems to have that aristocratic vibe about him." Kuzzey said with a smile.
"Yeah, he does seem to be out of place when it comes to them… He reminds me of Kira before we landed on Earth…" Sai said with an observing tone.
The conversation quickly turned to which pilot reminded each person of somebody on the ship. Jokes and laughter quickly ensued by the topic.
Suddenly, Flay stood as she slammed her hands on the table. "How can you say such things?!"
"Flay…?" Miriallia trailed off uncertainly.
"They're nothing like any of us! I'll be glad when they're gone! I hope they don't ever return either!" She snapped before storming off.
Sai grabbed Miriallia's arm as she tried to pursue Flay. "Leave her alone… Just let her blow off steam." He said calmly.
Miriallia nodded uncertainly before sitting back down.
Flay stormed down the hall in a fury.
They're nothing like us! They're just like those filthy Co-ordinators! I hope they all die for what they did to me…!
Night weighed heavily on the Archangel as it soared above the ocean. Most of the crew had gone to bed or were on the bridge, watching the ocean for enemies.
In the darkness of the room that the pilots shared, a stirring could be heard as the clock struck midnight.
"Are you sure about this…?" Duo's voice was heard as the thumps of feet hitting the floor sounded.
"Yeah… Let's go…" Heero's voice spoke as the door opened and the pilots vanished.
Author's Notes: A little break to gather their thoughts before the next part begins. What will happen next? Keep reading to find out. =P
Also, remember that Flay was mentally destabilized from the death of her father and it never really went away. The A.C. pilots are able to see this destabilized nature more easily than those who have hung around with her all of this time, especially since many of their own have gone through similar destabilization. Their presence and their awareness of her mental state are pushing her further to the extremes whenever they're around, which is why she seems so much more unstable than she was in the original series.
Also just to make it known: the Sandrock did NOT have its sub-machine gun while on guard duty, and as such, it didn't have it when it was taken to the other universe, so the Sandrock is stuck without its only long-ranged weapon until it can return to its home universe.