PHASE SEVEN: The War Begins
C.E 79 Orb Union – Archangel (Present Day)
Athrun did not notice at what time he had fallen asleep. He remembered sitting at the empty area by the side of the Archangel, but he did not realise when the exhaustion took over him and left him unconscious. He did not even remember what dreams had haunted him that night. All he knew was that the dreams (or nightmares, more rightly) were connected to the two previous wars, a disturbing dream that he could not protect himself from. Snatches of deaths, fights, battles, tears, laughter... Athrun opened his eyes slowly and sat up with a rather sleepy yawn. His back was aching – clearly, he had chosen the wrong place to fall asleep.
"Are you awake?" Cagalli's voice made him look up. She was walking towards him, two mugs in her hands and a small smile on her lips. Athrun moved over, allowing her to sit, and he accepted the coffee gratefully. "Sorry. I found you sleeping a while ago, but I didn't want to disturb you," Cagalli said quietly, leaning against the blue-haired Coordinator.
Athrun blushed slightly, but he let her rest against him as he took a sip of the drink. "No... Sorry," he apologised. "How long have I been sleeping?"
"All night," Cagalli answered, surprising him. "It's fine. You've been working hard all by yourself again, Athrun. Are you alright?"
"Yes... I can't remember the last time I slept that long," Athrun frowned. "I was sitting here alone last night... I was thinking about Kira."
"Is that so..."
"I want to believe he's still alive."
Cagalli's eyes widened. "Athrun..."
"I can't bring myself to believe that he's dead, Cagalli. That guy... He wouldn't allow himself to die on us at a time like this. He's alive somewhere out there," Athrun said determinedly, clenching his fist. Cagalli saw that there was a faraway look in his eyes. "I have to believe that."
She understood him, of course. How could she not? Cagalli wanted to believe that Kira was alive herself. She could not accept that he had left them. Not him, not her brother, the one and only family she had left. Cagalli bowed her head, her free hand moving to grab Athrun's. She felt him squeezing her hand tightly and smiled slightly despite herself. "I first met Kira in Heliopolis," Cagalli said quietly, surprising herself that she was telling him this now. "I went there to investigate Morganroete – I wanted to find out if Orb was really assisting the Earth Alliance by developing new mobile suits. Then ZAFT attacked and I bumped into Kira... He chased after me and forced me into a shelter with only one empty space left, saying that he would be fine. I thought he had died before I met him again on Earth."
Athrun laughed darkly. "I met him at Heliopolis, too. After we parted from the moon, I had been waiting for that guy to make his appearance in PLANTs, but he never did. I was about to stole the Aegis... but Captain Ramius was there, so I ran towards her with a knife. I wanted to kill her. And there he was, right beside her..." he trailed off, shaking his head. At that time, Athrun had been confused... He did the one thing that, for the many years he had been a ZAFT soldier, he never regretted; he ran away.
He hadn't been surprised that Kira had turned out to become the pilot for the Strike. He had been surprised at first when Kira told him that he wasn't with the Earth Alliance, but then understanding had taken over him and he realised that Kira must've been at the wrong place at the wrong time. With his undeniable skills and talents, as well as being a Coordinator trapped in a neutral colony, Kira would've been the ace that the Earth Alliance needed. Athrun had been so angry then... angry because Kira was used by the Earth Alliance... angry because he couldn't rescue Kira's friends whom Kira had wanted to protect... angry because he was forced to fight against Kira...
"Athrun! Cagalli! Please come to the bridge right away!" Murrue's voice was urgent, breaking through the blue-haired Coordinator's thoughts. Athrun and Cagalli looked up in surprise – Athrun's brows pulled together. Something had happened. He wondered what could have caused the Archangel's captain to sound so distraught, but a part of him was already making accurate guesses. With a nod to each other, they quickly made their way to the Archangel bridge, spotting Mu, Miriallia, Sai and a few others there already.
"What's going on?" Athrun demanded, concerned.
"We received a message from Terminal," Murrue said, hugging herself. Mu came over to her side and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Sirne Anfiel has been assassinated. Not only that, shortly after the assassination, Washington DC was bombed. Many civilians were killed."
"What did you say?" Cagalli cried out, the shock clearly portrayed in her golden eyes. "Was it RENEGADE..?"
Murrue shook her head. "I don't know. They haven't released a statement claiming that it was them. In any case, it doesn't change the fact that Sirne Anfiel is dead..."
Athrun clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "At this rate, Blue Cosmos will..."
Mu nodded. "Most likely, that new leader of Blue Cosmos, Ryuu Apene, will take over the Earth Alliance."
"Captain!" Sai called, turning to face the group. "We have another message from Terminal! It looks like a footage of the assassination."
"Put it on the screen, please!" Murrue answered.
Sai turned back to his station and tapped the keyboard several times. In only a few quick seconds, the footage was displayed on the Archangel bridge's main screen.
Surrounded by bodyguards, Sirne Anfiel fiddled with his keys to the shelter in his mansion. He struggled to open the door, but it was evident that the shelter lock had been tampered with, and they were cornered in the Anfiel family manor. He turned back towards his bodyguards and shouted something, fear clearly portrayed in his green eyes. One of the guards shouted back at him and he shook his head, slamming a fist against the wall. Then, suddenly, there was a large explosion and a guard ran towards the Vice-President of the Earth Alliance, shielding him from the rocks. A few guards were instantly buried in the debris caused by the blast. There were ten guards left, but amazingly, only three people entered the room after the explosion. Two were wearing body armour fit for a soldier, but one was clearly wearing a woman's pilot suit. The two soldiers attacked the guards while the woman dodged the attacks, running very swiftly, armed only with a curved knife which she used to kill five guards instantaneously before turning to stick the knife into Sirne Anfiel's chest. She watched as the man struggled to stay alive, but when it was clear he was gone, she signalled to the two soldiers and they hurried away. Before she left, she raised her head to the security camera and raised a hand, as if in greeting, before disabling it speedily with the throw of her knife.
Athrun clenched his teeth together as the screen turned black. That girl... It was impossible for him to see her face or hair, but something about that girl was familiar to him.
"That girl was no Natural," Mu said suddenly, though everyone in the room knew that by now. "I suspect that those soldiers with her are Naturals, however."
"Those soldiers were Sirne Anfiel's guards," Athrun said, turning his eyes back towards the group. "I could see the Anfiel logo on the side of their uniforms. They must've turned their backs on him and assisted the girl in the assassination."
"This will cause an uproar..." Cagalli whispered, shocked.
C.E 79 PLANTs – Supreme Council Building, Aprillius One (Present Day)
In the Supreme Council Building in Lacus's private room, the pink-haired songstress and her private advisor had just finished witnessing the footage given by Terminal. Lacus pressed her lips together and leaned back, her head bowed as her mind raced with thoughts. She, too, could clearly see that the assassin in the pilot suit was no Natural. But who issued the attack? Could it truly be RENEGADE? The way the situation stands, the assassination was most advantageous to Blue Cosmos leader, Ryuu Apene, who would undoubtedly take over the Earth Alliance. It was possible that Blue Cosmos were now working hand-in-hand with RENEGADE, for they did share the same ideals of separating the Naturals and Coordinators. Lacus's brows furrowed. Why..? And what will they do after this?
Yzak ran a hand through his silver hair angrily. Now, more than ever, Lacus was in danger. But he knew that asking her to step down or go into hiding would be futile – she would definitely insist that it was now that she needed to be here the most, to persuade ZAFT and PLANTs to keep on opposing RENEGADE. But with so many wanting to be separated from the Naturals... Yzak clenched his fists tightly. He, too, knew that Lacus needed to stay. He eyed the silent songstress and narrowed his eyes slightly at her. If she had to stay, then he would make sure that whatever happens, he would keep her safe.
Taking out his mobile device, Yzak tapped into it a few times, alerting Dearka and Shiho of the situation. Yzak may be a loyal soldier to ZAFT, but he wasn't stupid. He learned to trust his own judgement of a situation since the first war. At this rate, he would be a fugitive very soon, but he couldn't care less. His squadron, at the very least, will see through Lacus's safety until the very end, for the sake of PLANTs and the world.
C.E 79 PLANTs – Second Generation Nazca-class Ship, Aurora (Present Day)
The news of Sirne Anfiel's death spread like the plague, and even before the Earth Alliance had made their announcement, the news was widely known among the ZAFT officers. Laniel had seen it coming. He had been counting the hours, wondering when the news would come – in his opinion, either RENEGADE or Blue Cosmos would make their move to assassinate the man, and he was slightly saddened by the fact that he had been correct. They could no longer pretend as if this wasn't a grave matter. It was apparent that Yzak had thought the same, for Laniel received a message from the young General, alerting him of the situation. The General's orders were clear, but even if Yzak hadn't issued the warning, Laniel would've done the same thing Yzak was doing anyway – he would protect Lacus with his life, as a true and loyal member of the Clyne Faction. He had no doubt that Yzak was just waiting for an assassination to be attempted on the pink-haired songstress. In truth, Laniel wouldn't be surprised if even Lacus was waiting for it herself.
In terms of protection, Lacus had many ready bodyguards by her side, Yzak included. But with part of ZAFT working quietly under RENEGADE, the situation was truly dangerous for the provisional Chairwoman – perhaps too dangerous for Laniel's liking. In case they needed to turn their backs on ZAFT in the future (in which Laniel could see no escape from), he needed to be sure that his squadron was loyal. It was essential, considering that he himself could not pilot a mobile suit. He had no concern about Sierra, who was also a member of the Clyne Faction, but his two other senior pilots were worrying him. Laniel made his way to the Aurora's mobile suit hangar quickly. He had been with this pilot long enough to know that this was where he would be, tending to his new Gundam. As usual, Laniel was correct – he could just make out the pilot's figure from inside the open cockpit of the ZGMF-X19X Destiny Gaia.
"Shinn!"
Shinn looked up from the screen of his Gundam, surprised. He climbed out of the Destiny Gaia's cockpit and looked down, spotting his Vice-Captain there. "Captain..." Shinn trailed off. It was apparent that the Aurora wasn't about to enter any missions, so why..? Shinn grabbed the lever and allowed it to transport him onto the ground. He faced Laniel and saluted. "Is everything alright, Captain?"
Laniel smiled and shook his head, placing a hand on Shinn's shoulder as he steered the black-haired Coordinator away. "Walk with me, Shinn," he said, surprising the young pilot.
They walked until they reached the room that would lead to Aurora's deck. It was empty, except for another red-uniformed ZAFT pilot – Lunamaria stood and saluted in surprise but Laniel waved her off. He released Shinn's shoulder and sat at the seat available, gesturing for them both to sit down. They followed.
"I'm sorry. It's not my intention to be mysterious, but I needed to talk to you both," Laniel said gravely.
"What's wrong, Captain?" Shinn asked again.
Laniel looked away. "Sirne Anfiel has been assassinated," he said quietly. "The Earth has yet to make an official statement about it."
"No way!" Shinn cried out in surprise. "But... who? Was it RENEGADE?"
"I don't know. But the attacker was no Natural," the Vice-Captain answered grimly. He leaned forwards, resting both his elbows on his knees. "At this rate, Lacus-sama is in grave danger. So are the neutral countries like Orb. So I need to ask you... What are you both fighting for?" he asked seriously.
Lunamaria and Shinn exchanged glances. "I..."
"I am fighting for the sake of this world," Laniel said, turning his eyes away. "I don't doubt that you two are fighting for the same thing."
Shinn's brows furrowed slightly as Athrun's words from the previous war echoed in his mind. Think back Shinn! What is it that you really want? "But..." Shinn trailed off, the image of Rey coming to mind. "We are soldiers of ZAFT. We fight according to their orders and defeat the enemies that we are told to fight... right?"
"You can say that," Laniel said slowly, "but if something happens to Lacus-sama, and she is replaced by someone who wants to separate the Naturals and Coordinators, will you follow that person's orders then?" he challenged.
Shinn was surprised. Lunamaria cast her eyes away. "It can't be helped if that's the case... can it?" she asked slowly. "In the end, we're still ZAFT soldiers."
"I would feel very sorry if that were the case," Laniel answered. "I may be a ZAFT soldier, but I am also my own person."
"Your own person..?" Shinn echoed.
"That's right. If the time comes when ZAFT makes the wrong decision, I will try my best to correct their actions. If they continue, then I will no longer be a ZAFT soldier."
Shinn clenched his hands. "You will turn traitor to ZAFT?"
"Yes," Laniel answered, not even hesitating. "If ZAFT no longer fights for the reason I am fighting, then I see no more reason to support it. That is my stand," he insisted. "Do you know what those badges mean?" he asked, nodding to the silver unofficial badges of the Archangel that Shinn and Lunamaria were wearing. They remained silent, knowing that their Captain would provide the answer. "Those badges symbolises free will. They symbolise one's own beliefs, and the determination to fight for those beliefs. You are both wearing those badges. I assume that if the time comes for us to turn traitor, you will not hesitate, if it is to fight for your own set of ideals," he said, standing up. "Do not fight your enemies without knowing why. Do not fight in battles when you don't know the source of your anger. Otherwise, you're nothing but a killing machine," he said, leaving the room.
Shinn was stunned. Laniel's last words echoed what Athrun had told him during the war five years ago. Admittedly, they were also common words that Kira had always told them as well. "I wonder what's on the Captain's mind," Lunamaria said softly, confusion in her eyes.
Shinn remained silent. Killing machine... Stellar...
An hour after their conversation with Laniel, Shinn and Lunamaria found themselves in the Aurora's resting area, watching the live declaration of the Earth Alliance regarding the assassination of Sirne Anfiel. Ryuu Apene, the leader of Blue Cosmos, declared that the EA had appointed him as the new leader and he showed the footage of the assassination, claiming quite rightly that the act wasn't done by any Natural. Following this, Ryuu announced that the enemies of the Naturals had always been the dangerous Coordinators, using the assassination and bombing in Washington DC as proof. He also claimed that Lacus Clyne, the provisional Chairwoman of ZAFT, had only announced that they were against RENEGADE in order to let the EA's guard down so that the murder could be carried out easily. Ryuu Apene declared the Earth Alliance's decision to support RENEGADE's ideals following Sirne Anfiel's death and highlighted the dangers of the Coordinators to the Naturals, reminding the world on how close they had been manipulated by Coordinators during the war five years ago.
To Shinn, and many others who had witnessed the war, the look in Ryuu Apene's eyes was unquestionable: It was the look of absolute triumph of a cold-blooded murderer.
C.E 79 Location Unknown – Second-Class Minerva Ship, Renegade (Present Day)
Sethe Tienn, the Vice-Captain of the Renegade, was a very impatient man. With messy light blonde hair that went down to his shoulders and deep blue eyes, he was a man whom many feared due to his biting temper and sharp intellect. He watched the news with bored eyes, occasionally glancing at the monitor that remained black. Sethe clenched his teeth together. What is Amalfi thinking? It's about time we launch an attack already and strike while the iron is hot, he thought angrily. The Renegade, like its predecessor, the Minerva, was a very capable ship. Sethe was just itching to try it out in combat.
"Captain! Two unknown mobile suits coming in!" Carnell Toren, one of the Renegade crew members, informed.
Sethe was surprised. That was a quick wish granted, he thought to himself. He stood and moved over to stand by her side, examining the radar carefully. "Can you get a visual?" he asked.
"Yes! One moment," Carnell answered, her fingers moving quickly across the keyboard. "Visual coming up."
The large screen by their right flickered to life, showing two mobile suits heading their direction. One mobile suit was dark green while the other was a dark shade of teal, with a few hints of orange. The two mobile suits were, without a doubt, Gundams. Sethe smiled. "About time. Open the hatch! They're not our enemies. Those two units are for the Renegade. Alert the technicians!"
"Yes, sir!"
Sethe quickly exited the bridge and made his way to where the mobile suits had made their entry – the mobile suit hangar. The ship, he was told, had the exact same layout as the previous Minerva. He reached the place just in time to see the two pilots climbing out from their cockpits. They lowered themselves to the floor and removed their helmets, facing him. If Sethe didn't know better, he would think that the two were brothers – twins even. They both had the same shade of light brown hair and black eyes and they saluted as Sethe approached them.
"RENEGADE-A1001 Advocate pilot, reporting for duty! Alias: Genei Alens."
"RENEGADE-A1002 Zantetsuken pilot, reporting for duty! Alias: Tierra Hito."
Sethe nodded and saluted them. "Second-class Minerva ship, Renegade Vice-Captain. Alias: Sethe Tienn. Good work getting here," he said, smiling slightly. "I'm sorry your real duty has been taken away from you."
Genei shrugged. "It's easier for us now that the Freedom is gone. Commander Aiten apologises for the lateness of the development of these two units," he informed, his thumb moving to point at the two Gundams behind them. "Why isn't he here with us? Isn't he the commanding officer of the Renegade?"
Sethe's eyes narrowed. As much as he hated to admit the fact, they were right. Sethe wasn't the commanding officer of the ship, and he didn't like that one bit. "Commander Aiten has another task in his hands. He will rendezvous with us when the time comes. In any case, with you two finally here, we will soon be given our first mission, so stay alert," he ordered. The two nodded and saluted as Sethe walked away.
A low whistle caught the two pilots' attention. They turned, facing an older man with black hair and eyes. "Those are two brilliant units," he commented, examining them before walking over. They saluted but the man shook his head and instead offered his hand. "No need for formalities with me. We're not exactly soldiers. I am the mobile armour pilot in this ship. I honestly cannot remember my alias. My name is Takeru Irashi," he said, shaking their hands.
Genei and Tierra exchanged glances. "Is that okay?" Genei asked, surprised.
"I can't see why not. Having aliases means that you cannot be trusted – at least that's my opinion on the matter. But I don't blame you both to keep your real names to yourselves. That's to be expected when you join a group of terrorists," he smiled. "In any case, forgive Captain Tienn's cold attitude – he's not the nicest guy around, if you get what I mean," Takeru said, winking. He grabbed both their shoulders and led them away. Surprised, they could do nothing but to follow. "You guys are young – no need to act like soldiers, it's rather annoying. Just be yourselves. I'll show you around the ship! Welcome to Renegade."
Tierra laughed and shook his head. "Thanks, Takeru."
"It's my job to make people happy," Takeru replied.
"What's going to happen after this?" Genei asked curiously.
Takeru shrugged. "Beats me. All I know is that I'm here to pilot that mobile armour, kill whoever goes in our way, and hope for the best. Who they are or why we're fighting them doesn't exactly matter to me. It's not my job to think."
Takeru showed them around the ship easily, pointing out the important places like the sickbay as well as the cafeteria and their sleeping quarters. He took them on a full tour around, except for the bridge which he only pointed to as they passed through, and kept on walking until they arrived at the mobile suit hangar again. "I heard that we're expecting more mobile suits like those two beauties," he said, nodding at the Advocate and Zantetsuken. Apparently, one of your mobile suits will be using the Minerva-class's special catapult modules?"
Genei's brows furrowed for a moment before he finally realised what the mobile armour pilot was talking about. "Oh, that. You must be talking about Liesel's unit. RENEGADE-A1003 Premium. I guess you'll see it when she joins us," he said, shrugging. Takeru pursed his lips for a moment, as if in deep thought, but before they knew it, the black-haired pilot began talking again.
Meanwhile, Captain Sethe Tienn was standing behind Carnell, the ship's enemy detection and electronic warfare identification crew member. She tapped into her keyboard a few times, her fingers moving swiftly. "Here they are. Genei Alens and Tierra Hito – and there's another who still hasn't joined us; Liesel Asien," Carnell informed as the profiles of the two new pilots were displayed on her screen.
"Third Stage Extended Humans, eh..." Sethe said softly as he read their profiles.
He knew about Extendeds, of course. They were human weapons – pilots – created by the Earth Alliance since the first war to provide better capabilities in fighting against Coordinators. The First Stage Extendeds that were known to have participated in the war were Clotho Buer, Orga Sabnak, and Shani Andras, the pilots of the GAT-X370 Raider, GAT-X131 Calamity and GAT-X252 Forbidden. They were lethal fighters who went against the Archangel, but Sethe read the report of them needing the Gamma Glipheptin drug to perform at peak performance and ensure loyalty to the Earth Alliance. The Second Stage Extendeds appeared during the second war under the names of Sting Oakley, Stellar Loussier, and Auel Neider. They piloted the ZGMF-X24S Chaos, ZGMF-X88S Gaia and the ZGMF-X31S Abyss, and were known to need maintenance for their mentalities, including the modifications of their memories. In terms of battle capabilities, they weren't as lethal as the first stage Extendeds.
Neither Commander Oern Aiten nor Yuri Amalfi had informed him that he would be receiving three Extendeds as pilots for the Renegade. In a way, it was a fair deal due to how the Renegade worked in complete secrecy, down to their names which were kept unknown. But as far as Sethe's knowledge went about Extendeds, they needed high maintenance. The fact that these two came without anyone to care for them unnerved the Vice-Captain somewhat. Had the Earth Alliance finally succeeded in developing human weapons that were finally capable of standing against the real Coordinators?
C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Area 4 (Present Day)
Kira opened his eyes slowly. All night long, he had thought back to his conversation with Daisuke, wondering what to believe and what he really was. Was it true that this was his destiny, determined due to his existence as an Ultimate Coordinator? Or was it his own choice to fight for the world, and the fact that he was the Ultimate Coordinator was just a coincidence? Kira shook his head, clearing the thoughts from his mind. He looked around – once again, he was alone in the infirmary. His eyes caught sight of a crutch resting by the side of his bed and he smiled slightly at the sight of it. Clearly, someone must've known that he wanted to get out of this place after staying down for so long. Gritting his teeth, Kira sat up and reached out for the crutch, grasping it firmly with his left hand. He placed his feet on the floor gingerly and proceeded to put his weight on them – it did not seem as if he would topple over.
Ken said that I'm in the abandoned Mendel Colony... Kira thought, finding it absolutely ironic that he was back at the place where he was created. Rau Le Crusset's face came to his mind and he quickly shook his head, getting rid of the image. Lacus said that this place has been thoroughly abandoned... The air is supposed to have been sucked out completely since the last war. They must've restored the place...
Kira limped slowly. He poked his head out of the infirmary door and found himself in a hallway. Immediately to his right was a clearing. A large screen covered the left wall, and there were also seats and a long table. To the right were cabinets, stored with books and food. The clearing was empty, but Kira could see another hallway at the end of the room. I wonder where they are... Kira thought as he tried to find the three Coordinators, shaking his head. He decided to go left. His footsteps echoed loudly as he moved, but the hallway was empty. When he finally reached the end, he came face-to-face with an automatic door which opened as it sensed Kira approaching. I have to be careful in this place... But everything seems fine... Kira thought. He entered.
The room looked like a research lab. Rows of books were stored inside the cabinets lining the walls, and there were also several tables laid out. One large incubator was placed in the middle of the room and the lighting was very poor. Kira gazed around, the image of the place filled with scientists suddenly appearing in his mind. He shook his head quickly. It was apparent that this place was the research lab for the Ultimate Coordinator project. Kira listened intently, but the place was truly quiet. He walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a book, skimming through it. They were reports. Failures. Endless names and numbers of children who ended up as failures, unable to survive as they went through the tests. Kira felt sick.
"You shouldn't wander around too much in your condition," Ken's voice reached his ears.
Kira turned quickly, his hand knocking over the pile of books that he was looking over earlier. Ken chuckled. Swiftly, the red-haired Coordinator walked over to the surprised pilot, picking up the books carefully before storing them back in the cabinet. "Sorry," Kira muttered.
"No, I should apologise for surprising you," the other responded, turning to him with an amused smile. "This place is the secret lab of the scientists involved with the Ultimate Coordinator project. It's a good thing Daisuke is one of them, otherwise, we wouldn't have anywhere to hide you," he said, laughing slightly. "The late Chairman Durandal made sure that all the records were wiped clean, but apparently he did not know about this place. It's sealed pretty securely."
"Your parents... You said they were involved with the Ultimate Coordinator project..?" Kira asked hesitantly.
Ken nodded. "Our parents were great scientists, Kira. Perhaps the best during their time, which was why they were chosen. Most of the scientists involved with the Ultimate Coordinator project were killed after Rau Le Crusset murdered your parents and the most recent sponsor of the project, Al La Flaga. I heard you battled against Crusset," he said, raising his eyebrows slightly. Kira looked away. "I see. That happens in war, I suppose. You meet people who have ties with you under the strangest circumstances. My parents were killed a little later after yours. I managed to run away with Hikari with the help of Daisuke-san. We've been with him since. For a while, we lived quietly in Heliopolis until that place was taken down by ZAFT. We never settled in one place after that – Daisuke-san's pretty paranoid."
"I didn't know anything about all this," Kira said, almost angry at himself.
"Good," Ken laughed. "That means we all did a pretty good job. You weren't supposed to know anything. The Ultimate Coordinator project was supposed to die a quiet death, with no records of any successful creations."
"You..." Kira trailed off. Ken arched an eyebrow and nodded, prompting him to continue. "No, I mean... You and Hikari are also Coordinators. Are you..."
Ken shook his head. "Our parents wanted their children to be Coordinators, but no more than that. We weren't involved with the Ultimate Coordinator project... At least, that was what Daisuke-san told us. So don't worry," he said, placing a hand on Kira's shoulder. "Even though many perished as failed experiments, you are still you. An Ultimate Coordinator, but still yourself. It's not like you asked to be an Ultimate Coordinator. You shouldn't blame yourself for what you see here," he said gently.
Kira could feel the emotions threatening to overwhelm him. Was he such an open book to read? "But... Everyone..."
"Humans have ambitions, Kira. And that led to your creation. That's all there is to it. Coordinators are supposed to take humanity to the next stage of a brilliant future, but if that has been destined for us when we were created, then I guess there's a lot of useless Coordinators around – or failures, more like it," Ken said, turning his eyes away. He laughed suddenly. "Ah dear... I'm starting to sound like Daisuke-san, aren't I?" he asked.
Kira couldn't help but smile. "I guess so."
The other Coordinator crossed his arms. "Even as an Ultimate Coordinator, you have the choice to stop fighting, Kira. You need to believe that – believe that you always have a choice. Once people stop believing that, it's over."
"I wonder what we are really supposed to do..." Kira trailed off despite himself. "The world is already shouting for independence from each other. To separate the Naturals and Coordinators. Is there no hope left? Are we supposed to let them get what they wish for..?"
Ken shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. We don't know the answer to that, do we?" he asked. "There is a story that I've heard before this... about two enemies who were fighting for the same girl. No matter what, they wanted her, and they fought with each other, each trying to kill the other endlessly. In the end, the girl killed herself and ordered her servants to cut her body in half and give the two halves to each of the men. When they received the halves, they cried so hard that they made peace with each other."
Kira frowned. "What are you trying to say?"
"Beats me," Ken laughed again. "I just thought you might be interested in hearing it."
They went silent then, both trapped in their own thoughts. Kira, for one, was beginning to get exhausted. The thoughts of Lacus and the others clouded his mind and he wondered if they were alright. He wondered if Lacus would forgive him for destroying the sword she had given him, yet again. Even if he was to leave the Mendel Colony, how was he to fight his battles again? How was he supposed to protect her?
Are we created for a purpose..? Kira thought to himself, bowing his head. Yes... Of course. Kira refused to believe that they were alive without any reason for existing. To live, and then to die, without a purpose that they needed to reach... the thought was depressing, even to him. The images of Athrun, Cagalli and Lacus, laughing and smiling, came back to him. Did they think he was dead? They must have... And he needed to get back to them quickly. Kira couldn't believe that they had no purpose in staying alive. Believing that would make his life meaningless, in which saving the world would also be a futile attempt, which he knew it wasn't. He knew it wasn't. Yet, he also refused to believe that he wanted to fight because he was an Ultimate Coordinator. Coordinator or Naturals, all that did not matter. There were still things he couldn't do, which his friends could. If only the world could see that similarity within their differences...
"Kira!" Hikari's voice reached his ears and Kira raised his head slowly. Her image was blurred. "Ken! What have you done to him?" Hikari admonished the surprised Coordinator. Kira felt a hand press against his forehead. "Daisuke-san will scold you for sure!" I need to get back to the Archangel...
"He's fine," Ken's voice was annoyed, but he moved to Kira's side anyway. "...Or maybe not. Come on, let's get you back to the infirmary."
Kira nodded, gripping his crutch again, but it was apparent that his body was failing him. He half-registered his legs giving away, then bumping against something hard as Ken caught him. "Jeez, Kira. You're an Ultimate Coordinator, but don't push your luck," he joked as Hikari took the crutch from his hand. "Your body is still prone to getting damaged when hit by debris." Ken shifted and carried Kira on his back easily.
"Sorry..." Kira mumbled, his eyes closing. He registered them moving away from the room, their footsteps echoing loudly. He could vaguely hear the sound of the door sliding open, followed by a surprised gasp.
"What happened?" Daisuke's voice was shocked and sounded faraway.
"Just exhausted," Ken answered.
"Yeah right," Hikari snorted. "Ken is responsible for this!"
Daisuke huffed. "Don't push him too hard, Ken. The Earth Alliance has made its announcement about Sirne Anfiel's assassination. It's just as we thought – Ryuu Apene is taking over."
What..? Sirne Anfiel's dead..? Ryuu Apene... That's right... Blue Cosmos's new leader... Then... The Earth Alliance... And RENEGADE... No... Lacus... I need to get back... Lacus... Wait for me...
Kira mind registered no more.
C.E 79 Orb Union – Archangel (Present Day)
"Athrun Zala! Please come to the bridge immediately!" Murrue La Flaga's voice was urgent as she repeated the statement. Surprised, Athrun looked up from the report he was holding in his hand. That's twice today... he thought, his eyebrows raised in bewilderment. He was in the Archangel's mobile suit hangar, tending to his Justice as well as to the Akatsuki. With the Earth Alliance now officially joining RENEGADE under Ryuu Apene, leader of the Blue Cosmos, Athrun had no doubt that there would be a battle that needed to be fought soon. Judging by the tone of Murrue's voice, he was convinced that the time had finally arrived – it was typical for Blue Cosmos to act so quickly, after all. Athrun handed the report to Murdoch and ran to the bridge, vaguely aware of the green mechanical bird that was following him. Cagalli and Kisaka were already there when he arrived, along with Murrue and Mu La Flaga. "Athrun-kun!"
"What's going on?" Athrun asked urgently.
"We received a message from Terminal," said Kuzzey – one of Kira's old friends from Heliopolis, and Archangel's Communications Controller. "An attack has just been launched on the Kingdom of Scandinavia. The flagship has been identified – a Second Generation Minerva-class ship called Renegade," he informed, his eyes on the screen. "It's a ship that has been reported missing from Maius One. There are mobile suits from EA with the Renegade," he said, turning to look at Murrue.
Minerva..? "They've made their move," Mu said, crossing his arms. "It's not even surprising that they're attacking the neutral nations first."
"The RENEGADE sent an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Scandinavia before the attack, demanding them to accept their ideals or risk being eliminated but they refused immediately. The Earth Alliance used the excuse that Sirne Anfiel was assassinated by a Coordinator to join RENEGADE. Apparently, RENEGADE did not issue the assassination order," Kuzzey continued.
Athrun moved to Kuzzey, reading the message quickly before straightening and turning to Cagalli. He may be an Archangel member, but he was still an Admiral of Orb. "What will you do, Cagalli?" he asked.
Cagalli thought briefly. "We can't leave it like that," she said quietly, turning to Murrue. "Captain... will you launch the Archangel? That nation has always helped Orb at times of need," she said immediately.
"That is fine," Murrue nodded, "But what about Orb's ideals?"
Cagalli clenched her fists together. Orb will not attack another nation, will not allow another nation to attack them, and will not intervene in the conflicts of other nations – that has always been Orb's motto. "RENEGADE is not a nation, and we have already issued a statement that we do not accept their ideals. Their proposal of separating the Naturals and Coordinators goes against Orb's ideals and their attack on the Kingdom of Scandinavia proves that it is an enemy to the neutral nations. Orb will offer their help," she said determinedly. "Please launch, Archangel! Orb will try to send their forces as soon as possible," she said. "If we leave it like this, Orb will definitely be targeted next."
Athrun and Kisaka nodded. Under the circumstances, even ZAFT should send their forces to help.
Mu ran his hand through his hair. "They've done the pincer attack on the Kingdom of Scandinavia. They've really done it this time."
Cagalli turned to Mu. "Will you pilot the Akatsuki?" she asked, smiling slightly. "Even if I go, I don't think I can launch."
Mu looked surprised. "If you're sure," he said, giving her a thumb's up.
"I'm counting on you," Cagalli nodded. "Athrun, please launch with the Justice and the Archangel," she said, turning to the Coordinator.
Athrun couldn't help but feel surprised. "Are you sure?"
"Archangel is a fast ship. In any case, you'll definitely arrive before the Orb forces," Kisaka answered, moving to pat the young Admiral on the shoulder. "I'll lead Orb's fleet. You can take a squadron of Murasames if the Captain allows it."
"Of course!" Murrue answered, not even hesitating. "I know we all wish for a world without fighting, but at this rate, it cannot be helped."
Cagalli clenched her fists. "We must not allow them to succeed. As long as RENEGADE still holds their ideals to separate the Naturals and Coordinators and attack the neutral nations, they are deemed as enemies of Orb, and Orb will fight to protect its nation. We cannot wait to be attacked before we attack. The attack on the Kingdom of Scandinavia was done because they refused to separate the Naturals and Coordinators – Orb must help."
"We know," Murrue said, placing a hand on Cagalli's shoulder. "Archangel will prepare to launch!"
As the preparations were being held, Athrun followed Kisaka and Cagalli towards the deck. The Kingdom of Scandinavia was known as the largest neutral nation on Earth, and yet, their military forces were not as first-rate as Orb's. If the battle was truly to separate the Naturals and Coordinators, the Earth Alliance must've prepared enough to bring the whole nation down. Athrun clenched his hands, his brows pulling together. It was as ridiculous a situation as it could get, but it was indeed happening. After two wars where both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT tried to eliminate each other, he supposed it wasn't at all that surprising.
They gathered a group of twelve Murasames. The pilots stood facing Athrun, Cagalli and Kisaka, their eyes unwavering once they found out about the nature of the battle.
Cagalli faced them, her golden eyes fiery with her resolve to fight. "Orb has always been a nation that protects their ideals and strives to remain a neutral ground between Naturals and Coordinators. We have always rejected the ideas of separation between the Naturals and Coordinators, but what Orb really strives for most is peace between the two," Cagalli said, her words firm as she addressed the twelve pilots in front of her. "In a way, this fight will still be for Orb. As loyal soldiers who wish to protect Orb's ideals, I wish for all of you to not just think about Orb's best interests, but to think and protect those who share our opinion. I'm counting on you," Cagalli said, saluting them. She turned to Athrun and nodded to him before turning to leave with Kisaka. They would follow after the Archangel soon enough.
Athrun turned to the pilots. "You all have trained very hard up until now, and the purpose of that training is for this battle – a battle to fight for peace. Please do your best," he said, saluting them.
They moved quickly. The Murasames docked with the Archangel in a manner of minutes. Just before Athrun was about to board the Archangel, he heard his name being called and he turned, spotting Cagalli who was running towards him. Athrun closed the distance between them and hugged her. "Take care, and be careful," he said gently.
Cagalli nodded. "You too, Athrun. Make sure you come back..." she said quietly, casting her eyes away as she remembered her brother.
"I promise." Athrun kissed her briefly. "Don't worry, Cagalli. For sure, I'll be back," he said determinedly. He smiled and turned, quickly making his way back to the Archangel. He definitely was not going to allow himself to be shot down, no matter what. Athrun made his way to the bridge, nodding to Murrue to signal that they were all ready to leave.
"We're launching!" Murrue commanded.
"Engine starting," reported Arnold Neumann, Archangel's pilot. Athrun moved to sit on the co-pilot seat, tending to the checks on the Archangel's armour and APU, reporting as he did so. "Conduit and APU online. Power flow nominal. Confirming the closure of all hatches. Life support system activated. Main engine, contact. Systems, all green. Archangel, all stations online."
"Open the floodgates!"
"Floodgates opening. Full gauge! Opening the main gate. Restraining arms, removed."
"Engine output at 15%. Advance slowly."
"Engine output at 15%. Advancing slowly."
"After exiting the channel, advance at full speed! Archangel is a faster ship now – we should make it in time," Murrue said, turning to Mu. "This will be a rather troublesome battle," she mused.
Mu shrugged. "Don't you always engage in troublesome battles?" he challenged and she couldn't help but laugh slightly at that.
C.E 79 PLANTs – Supreme Council Building, Aprillius One (Present Day)
"The Kingdom of Scandinavia has rejected ZAFT's offer for assistance!"
"What are they thinking? Don't they realise that the Earth Alliance is looking at total annihilation?"
"I propose we forcefully enter that battle. Our Coordinators are in that country!"
Lacus closed her eyes, breathing deeply as she listened to the voices of the council members around her. She certainly did not expect the King to reject ZAFT's offer of assistance in order to fight against the Earth Alliance, but perhaps it couldn't be helped. The King of Scandinavia had always been a wise man, and part of her respected the man for rejecting their offer. Accepting help from ZAFT would immediately mean that they were forming an alliance with PLANTs. Though, at the time being, they were allied in the sense that both nations were against RENEGADE, the Earth Alliance would definitely take that as an opportunity to justify their actions and further their battle against the Coordinators. An attack on a neutral nation was never a popular approach – without the assistance of ZAFT, there would definitely be an uproar, which Lacus presumed was what the King had aimed for with his decision.
"What will we do? At this rate, our bases on Earth will be attacked as well!"
"Everyone," Lacus raised her voice, immediately gaining their attention. "We cannot force the Kingdom of Scandinavia to accept our help. Orb has already issued an order to send out support forces. We have done what we can," she said quietly. Lacus herself was unsatisfied with her answer, but what else could they do?
"What about our bases on Earth?" A council member asked.
"ZAFT will defend their bases if it comes under attack," Lacus insisted. "We will not be driven out of Earth and conform to RENEGADE's ideals. Please ask our forces to remain alert and on stand-by with the situation in the Kingdom of Scandinavia and assist them if they accept our help," she said sternly, clenching her fists.
C.E 79 Kingdom of Scandinavia (Present Day)
"Captain!" Sai called urgently, his eyes on the radar. "There are ZAFT Vosgulov-class submarines just outside the territorial waters of the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Count: Seven. The Earth Alliance also has vessels surrounding the outside of the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Three Spengler-class carriers, one Fraser-class escort ship, five Arkansas-class cruisers, and Des-Moines-class cruisers."
"What?" Murrue stood, barely able to believe the report. "What are those ZAFT submarines doing outside of their territorial waters?"
"I don't know. They don't seem to be engaged in the battle," Sai reported, raising his eyebrows.
"The Kingdom of Scandinavia must've rejected ZAFT's offer of help," Athrun realised, clenching his fists together. Lacus...
"Captain! There's a report saying that resistance groups at the border of the Eurasian Federation are assisting Scandinavia's forces against the Earth Alliance!" Miriallia informed urgently. "Visual image coming up!"
The screen to their right flickered to life, showing multiple sections of the battles taking place in the large nation. Murrue gasped. The forces from the Kingdom of Scandinavia were surely being pushed back, their forces and defence lines wavering as they battled. "At this rate, they've got no chance..." Mu said quietly, shaking his head. The Eurasian Federation might be holding up a resistance group, but there was no denying that they were also part of the Earth Alliance. Forces from the Eurasian Federation were also on their way to the Kingdom of Scandinavia – some to attack, some to assist.
Athrun clenched his teeth together. "What about that Second-class Minerva ship?" he asked.
"It's not showing on the radar. It must be on land," Sai answered.
"Captain!" Athrun called Murrue urgently.
Murrue nodded. "Engines at maximum! Surface at 30 degrees! We will engage them in battle!" she commanded.
Athrun and Mu immediately ran towards the hangar, stopping only briefly to change into their pilot suits. Athrun could feel the small rush of adrenalin as he zipped the suit, his hand reaching out for his red helmet. Five years had passed since he last wore this uniform for the purpose of battling a war, yet here he was again. He clenched his teeth, his eyes blazing with anger. The image of Kira came to his mind and he glanced at the locker beside him where he knew, loyally, Kira's blue pilot suit was still stored. Athrun grabbed his helmet and ran to the mobile suit hangar.
"All hands, first level battle status! All hands, first level battle status!"
"Do your best, everyone!" Mu called over his shoulder as he grasped the lever of the Akatsuki, immediately climbing into the mobile suit's cockpit.
Athrun turned to his Murasame crew. "We will attack the naval ships first and support the Archangel until the Orb fleet arrives. Be careful and do your best," he said, saluting them, watching as they climbed into their Murasame units. Athrun moved quickly to his Justice, descending into the cockpit as Mu had. He strapped himself in and activated the mobile suit, putting himself on stand-by for launch.
GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE
G.U.N.D.A.M Complex
Miriallia suddenly appeared on the right screen. "Commander Flaga, Captain Ramius asked you to stay close to defend the Archangel."
"Hey, hey, that's Captain Flaga, Miriallia," Mu reprimanded her.
Miriallia immediately blushed. "I-I'm sorry!"
Mu laughed. "Never mind about that. Old habits die hard when you're a soldier."
She couldn't help but laugh. "I guess so. Be careful."
"Roger. Athrun?"
Surprised, the blue-haired Coordinator looked up. "Y-yes?"
"Are you alright?"
Athrun nodded firmly. "Yes. Don't worry, Commander Flaga." For sure... I'll make sure these guys never succeed... Athrun thought determinedly. For Orb, for Kira, and for the rest of the world.
"Archangel has surfaced. Preparing mobile suits for launch. Connecting APU. Catapult, connected. Akatsuki, standby. Systems, all green. Akatsuki, please launch!"
"Mu La Flaga. Akatsuki. Launching!"
"Justice, please launch!"
"Athrun Zala. Justice. Launching!"
Athrun activated the phase shift armour and boosted the thrusters of his Justice, launching the crimson mobile suit out of the Archangel. His radar immediately detected enemy mobile suits coming their way and he tensed, equipping his dual machine gun and swiftly disabling the mobile suits one by one from afar. "Windams?" Athrun noted in surprise at the large number of blue and white mobile suits. Blue Cosmos must've been waiting for this moment...
"Murasame units, please launch!"
As the twelve Murasames exited the Archangel, Athrun slowed slightly, allowing them to build a formation behind him. "Murasame units! I'm opening a path. We'll cut through the Windams and proceed to destroy the cruisers first. Follow me!" Athrun switched the dual machine gun to the beam sabers, moving swiftly as he cut through the Windams, making a path for the Murasames to pass through as they, too, shot down the mobile suits that threatened them. As he did so, Athrun switched the communications channel, informing the remaining forces of the Kingdom of Scandinavia that Orb had come to help. They accepted gratefully, much to Athrun's relief. He still couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling knowing that ZAFT's forces were just outside of the territorial waters, watching the battle.
Once they were in the clear, the Murasames split into three groups consisting of four units per group as they each attacked an Earth Alliance cruiser. Athrun boosted his thrusters again, and switched the beam saber on his left hand for a machine gun, shooting down the visible weapons from the EA carriers. He probably wasn't as skilled or merciful as Kira, but Athrun was determined to fight the battle as how he knew Kira would fight it. He refused to allow his anger to swallow him and allow him to kill more people if he could help it.
.
"Hey hey! That red mobile suit – that's the Infinite Justice, isn't it?" Genei asked as his screen showed a close-up image of the Justice taking down an Earth Alliance cruiser before disabling five Windams. "It doesn't look very friendly to me."
Tierra laughed. "That mobile suit... If I'm not mistaken, the name of the pilot is Athrun Zala. He fought with the Freedom in both wars."
Genei narrowed his eyes. "Captain Tienn! I can see the Archangel – they've just arrived and are now battling against the Earth Alliance fleet. I want to take down that red mobile suit," he said, his fingers itching for the fight. Genei disliked the Freedom, but to have it destroyed before he could get the chance really irked him.
The grey-haired Vice-Captain nodded. "Take it down if possible. That mobile suit is as dangerous as the Freedom. Tierra! You handle the gold one. We'll engage the Archangel," he commanded.
"Roger! Alright, let's go!" Genei said, boosting his thrusters.
.
The alarm sounding from his cockpit surprised him. Athrun's eyes widened as the screen of his Justice showed two mobile suits heading his direction – one was green, the other a mix of dark teal and orange. They were, without a doubt, Gundams. His screen caught another movement and Athrun finally spotted the Second-class Minerva ship, Renegade. It looked exactly like the Minerva he had joined five years ago. He had no doubt that the Renegade was going to engage with the Archangel. "Kuso!" Athrun cursed, boosting his thrusters. Whatever happens, he must not allow those two Gundams to get near the Murasame units. "Third Murasame units! Please defend the Archangel. Commander Flaga!"
"I see it!" Mu answered, the Akatsuki appearing beside the Justice instantly. "So this is the flagship."
"Let's go!"
Athrun wondered which mobile suit to engage in battle, but it was apparent that they had made that decision. The green mobile suit took out its beam sabers and Athrun immediately switched the machine gun on his left hand with his own beam saber. Their sabers clashed instantaneously and Athrun clenched his teeth. It's these guys who started it... he thought angrily. He lashed down with his right arm and it dodged swiftly, before attacking with its left hand, which Athrun blocked quickly. Sharp reflexes... He's not a Natural... Athrun thought, the image of the Sting, Auel, and Stellar from the previous war coming to mind. Extendeds... could it be?
"So you're the Justice? Athrun Zala?" The pilot's voice confirmed Athrun's suspicions – it was a guy, and a young pilot at that. Athrun tensed, switching his left beam saber for his machine gun once again and he began to shoot. "Wah..! You're quite skilled. It's to be expected, as Freedom's companion," the pilot taunted him again.
"Why are you doing this?" Athrun shouted, the mentioning of Kira hitting a nerve. He lashed out quickly, moving as fast as ever, but the pilot was equally skilled.
"Naturals and Coordinators cannot live together, and we're here to make sure of that. Don't underestimate the Advocate and Zantetsuken! These mobile suits were specially designed to bring down the Freedom... but unfortunately, it has already been taken down, has it? I guess the Freedom guy isn't that strong after all." Kira... Surrounded by mobile suits from ZAFT and the Earth Alliance, two halves falling and exploding before it hit the water's surface... With a cry of anger, Athrun lashed out, his beam saber finally coming into contact with the Advocate's armour, damaging it slightly. "How dare you do that to my Advocate!"
.
"Gottfried! Fire! Release Sledgehammers!"
The last Arkansas-class cruiser in front of them took a direct hit. The engines exploded and the anti-air cannons were blasted by the Archangel's missiles, rendering the ship useless as the Murasames proceeded in disabling their missile launchers. At least where the territorial waters were concerned, they were swiftly defeating the Earth Alliance ships.
"Captain!" Sai called, a hand pressed against the listening device on his right ear. "Enemy ship coming at one o'clock! It's the Renegade!"
"Visual coming up!" Miriallia reported.
The screen showed a Second-class Minerva battleship heading their way. Murrue's eyes widened at the sight as memories of the previous war came back to her. According to Kira, Captain Gladys had died in the Messiah along with Chairman Durandal, so she immediately shook away that Captain's face from her mind. I wonder who's piloting this ship... Murrue thought, her brows pulling together. "Thirty-degrees to port! Set the Renegade as a target. Aim for their cannons! Valiants! Fire!"
C.E 79 Mendel Colony, Lagrange Point 4 (Present Day)
"Daisuke-san..?" Ken moved close to the silver-haired Coordinator, turning his eyes on the battle taking place in the Kingdom of Scandinavia. Daisuke didn't respond, his eyes hard as he watched the fight. Ken sighed. He hadn't expected Daisuke to answer, but still...
Ken turned and watched as Hikari replaced the wet cloth on Kira's forehead before moving to stand by his side. He smiled slightly at her and placed a reassuring arm around her shoulders, allowing her to nestle against his chest. One of the images on the screen switched to reveal the Archangel firing its beam cannons and Ken felt Hikari tense. "Don't worry," he said calmly as they watched. "The Archangel is a strong ship. They'll make it."
"The purpose isn't exactly to win," Daisuke said suddenly, surprising the two. "If I'm right, the Earth Alliance and RENEGADE are not looking at total annihilation. Merely devastating the military forces in the Kingdom of Scandinavia should be enough to reach their goals. What country can protect its nation without power, after all..?" he asked quietly, receiving no answer. "This is just the beginning."
C.E 79 Kingdom of Scandinavia (Present Day)
"Kuso!" Athrun clenched his teeth and fired his machine gun, finally hitting the Advocate's beam rifle which exploded in front of him. He could hear the young pilot's scream as the unit was thrown back, but that unit wasn't giving up just yet. From the corner of his eye, Athrun could see the golden Akatsuki battling against the teal and orange Zantetsuken – it was apparent that Mu, too, was having problems with the skilled pilot. The Advocate moved back, putting some distance from the Infinite Justice before launching eight missiles from its flyer pack. Surprised, Athrun boosted his thrusters, the Justice moving swiftly as he broke away from the missiles, taking two sharp turns to divert them before turning back and firing before the missiles could hit the land below. The Justice's shoulder took a powerful hit as he was occupied and Athrun cried out as the mobile suit was thrown forwards from the force. He turned back, spotting the Advocate again – the mobile suit had combined its beam cannons, hitting him with a powerful Hyper Impulse Cannon which, thankfully, only grazed the Justice – a few inches to the right and he would have been in deep trouble.
"Hey... You're better than I thought you might be. Maybe you're even better than that damned Freedom pilot who couldn't even hold up against those stinking mobile suits," the pilot laughed, taking out the remaining beam rifle and shooting at the crimson Justice again.
Athrun gripped the handles of his Justice tightly. "You... Don't you dare talk about Kira like that!" Athrun shouted furiously, the beam cannons mounted on his shoulders immediately locking onto the Advocate. Athrun was vaguely aware of an image of an emerald-coloured jewel exploding in a burst of light at the back of his mind, the fury heightening his senses immensely. The beam cannon fired, striking the Advocate's left leg which suddenly exploded. The pilot cried out again and Athrun boosted his thrusters, combining his beam sabers to form a double-bladed sword and lashing out instantly.
.
"Captain! The Advocate is being pushed back! Both the Advocate and Zantetsuken are getting low on power!" Schellen Iyadomi cried out, Renegade's CIC.
Captain Sethe Tienn was beginning to lose his temper. Four of his thrusters had already taken a direct hit from the Archangel's Valiants, but they too had given their fair share of attacks on the ship. He clenched his fists as he examined the situation around them. Despite the battle with the Archangel crew, the majority of the Earth Alliance combatants had devastated the vast land of the Kingdom of Scandinavia. He decided to ignore Schellen's warning for now. Those two mobile suits were equipped with an ultracompact fission reactor – it might not be as effective as that Justice's hyper-deuterion nuclear reactor, but they should be able to hold on for long enough still.
"Aim the Archangel with the Tannhäuser! We'll take out that damned ship with this one for sure!" Sethe commanded, gritting his teeth. They might not be aiming for a complete success with this battle, but he sure was beginning to despise that red and white ship.
.
"The enemy has locked onto us!" Dalida shouted, bracing himself.
"Evade!" Murrue commanded.
Arnold Neumann, the ship's pilot, immediately steered the ship to starboard as the Renegade fired its Tannhäuser, the high-energy beam grazing the side of the Archangel. The crew cried out as the Archangel shook with the impact. "Thrusters seven and eight are damaged! A fire has broken through!" Kuzzey shouted.
"Archangel!" Athrun's worried cry came from the Justice.
"Kuso! These guys..." Mu cursed.
"Put out the fire first!" Murrue ordered. "We're right beside the city... If we can only fire the Lohengrin," Murrue said angrily, clenching her hands as she turned her eyes on the devastated forces of the Earth Alliance fleet by their left. They were right beside the ocean, but the Renegade was in the middle of the city. The enemy ship might have fired their positron cannon, but there was no way Murrue would allow her ship to do the same. These guys... They don't even care about the civilians...
"Valiants! Fire!" Murrue shouted as they locked onto the Renegade again. At the same time, a large number of missiles rushed past from behind them, hitting the Renegade as it dodged the Valiants. Murrue was shocked. "Those missiles..!"
"Orb's fleet!" Sai's cry was like music to her ears. "Three Aegis-class battleships, three Kurokami-class battleships. And this is... the Harutsuki!" Sai turned, his eyes shining with gratefulness as he identified Orb's new flagship carrier. As if confirming his detection, a large number of Murasames whisked past the Archangel, immediately assisting the Akatsuki and Justice as well as the remaining forces from the Kingdom of Scandinavia.
"Captain!" Cagalli's face appeared at the Archangel screen, her golden eyes clearly troubled as she contacted them from the Harutsuki. "I'm sorry – we were late," she apologised.
Murrue shook her head. "No, Cagalli – in fact, you came just in time. Thank you," she said kindly.
Cagalli nodded, turning to Kisaka. "Support the Archangel! Direct your attacks on the carriers! And that ship... the Renegade. Third and fourth Murasame units are to assist those in the mainland!" Kisaka ordered as they deployed their forces.
.
"Captain!" Carnell turned, her eyes troubled as she gazed at the Vice-Captain of the Renegade. They were already aware of the new arrivals of the Orb fleet.
Sethe cursed loudly, slamming his fist against the armrest of his seat. "Signal flares! The Renegade is to retreat from this battle! We have already devastated their forces – the rest is up to the Earth Alliance. Whatever happens, this ship must see through RENEGADE's ideals until the end. We cannot afford to be taken down here."
.
The signal flares were unexpected: It was apparent that the Earth Alliance was still battling. Shocked, Athrun stopped as the Advocate also halted in its tracks. Athrun wanted to ask why, but then his radar detected the seven new ships that had just arrived. One of them, he noticed with relief, was the Harutsuki – Cagalli's flagship. I see... Thank goodness... Athrun thought as the Advocate turned and progressed towards the Renegade with the Zantetsuken by its side. He eyed the two mobile suits, narrowing his eyes at them both before noticing two Murasame squadrons heading his direction.
"Murasame!" Athrun commanded, switching the communication channels.
"Admiral Zala! We received an order to assist the forces in the mainland," one of the squadron leaders informed.
Athrun nodded. He could already see that the Archangel had no intention of pursuing the fleeing ship. "I understand. Follow me. The rest of my Murasame squadron should follow as well! The Orb battleships and Archangel can keep this under control," Athrun said, storing his beam blades and taking out his remaining machine gun which he used to disable the Windams that were trying to block their path.
"Roger!"
Half an hour passed after the Renegade escaped the battle before the Earth Alliance finally pulled back their forces, but the damage was done and their objectives were achieved. The vast land was devastated due to the attack. Athrun tightened his grip on the Justice's controls, clenching his teeth as he watched the horrors below. They did not give a single shred of sympathy to the civilians that couldn't get to the shelters on time. Issuing another order to help the civilians, Athrun boosted his thrusters and began to help the victims of the battle.
C.E 79 PLANTs – Supreme Council Building, Aprillius One (Present Day)
The Council was silenced as they watched the footages of the battle in the Kingdom of Scandinavia from the large screen in the room, split into nine sections. That nation, never known to have the best military forces among the neutral nations, was an easy kill for the Earth Alliance and RENEGADE. The King's refusal to ZAFT's offer of aid had the desired effect as shouts of protests from resistance groups began to form around the Eurasian Federation, much like during the previous war. Still, that desired effect came at a great cost. The cities were burned, the military practically destroyed, and people were once again angry and hurt. Lacus lowered her eyes, sorrow threatening to overwhelm her. Kira... he had fought so hard during the past two wars, only to have this happen again...
The image of the Justice landing at the bottom-right screen caught her eye. She watched as Athrun, clad in his red pilot uniform with the helmet off, climbed out of the Justice's cockpit and grasped the lever as he was transported to the ground. She watched as he began to order a few Orb soldiers before moving to help the other civilians remove a pile of rubble, revealing an injured, crying child. She watched as he picked the child up, taking her towards safety before issuing a few orders and running to help again. She watched his figure, worn and exhausted, as he continued to fight Kira's battle.
"Lacus-sama... What should we do?"
Kira... "Please send them humanitarian aid. Give orders to the ZAFT soldiers to help with the rescue and repairs. The King will not refuse us this time," Lacus said quietly.
Author's Note: The war has officially started! Which means that it won't be long before Kira will be joining the Archangel again, but there's also a lot more twists coming up. Information on the Advocate, Zantetsuken and Premium can be found in Chapter 5. All the Earth Alliance and ZAFT vessels mentioned in the battle (except for the Harutsuki) as well as the mobile suits are from Gundam SEED/Destiny, so you should find the information online if you're interested. The Harutsuki's specifications are the same as the Takemikazuchi in GSD. I'm sorry if I've made any mistakes during the battle scenes, or with any technicalities regarding the situation! D: I rarely write things like this. XD To clear any confusion that might be caused:
1) "Port" or "Portside" basically refers to the left side of the ship. "Starboard" refers to the right side of the ship.
2) There are basically three levels for battle stations, according to GundamOfficial. Starting from Third Level Battle Station: This one is where the crew are to be alert for possible combat, but the activities of other non-combatant personnel are unrestricted. Second Level Battle Station: The condition is more urgent, and the activities of non-combatant personnel are restricted. First Level Battle Station: Pretty much means that you're in battle. Pilots are to stand by their units, gunners to stand by their positions and be ready to engage the enemy in battle.
3) I know the Infinite Justice is equipped with the Multi-Lock Weapons System ("Full Burst Mode") like the Strike Freedom (that ability where they can lock onto many enemies at once and fire all weapons at once). But if I'm not mistaken, Justice can only use that when it equips the METEOR unit, unlike with the Strike Freedom. Canonically, at least, I assumed that Justice is unable to use it like the Freedom can, but as usual, let me know if I'm wrong. :D It's why I didn't let Athrun use that ability to open the path for the Murasames in this battle.
Anyway, I can't thank all of you enough for the reviews! It's amazing to see how much support I'm getting from all of you, and I really want to thank you for that! :D Thanks to PathKeeper, PrincessOfDestiny14, sugarcarly, WaaWaa, San17, StormriderX, nxkris and AngelicFox12 for your awesome reviews. You guys rock! :D Also thanks to those who favourite-d, alert-ed and read the fic. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know!
San17: Thanks for the feedback! :D Just as how you can't wait to read that long-awaited reunion, I can't wait to write it. If things goes to plan, we'll probably read that reunion in the next chapter, or the one after it. It should be very soon. XD Another version of Rau Le Crusset will appear in this fic! :D We have been introduced to him already.
PathKeeper & nxkris: Thanks a lot for the feedback, guys!
AngelicFox12: I'm glad you enjoyed the Haro scene. I really had fun writing it. :D And thanks also for the review you gave in my other fic, AngelicFox12! I really appreciate it. :D