PHASE 20: The Divine Justice
C.E 79 Orb – Archangel (Present Day)
For the next few days that followed after they had docked in Orb, Kira would actually go as far as saying that he felt truly at peace. It seemed like an abnormally long time since he felt that way, ever since the war began those months ago. He filled his days helping out with repairs for the Archangel as well as the repairs for his Ultimate Freedom. Both made slow progress, but they still progressed nonetheless. It was a rather fake sort of peace, the kind where you know, deep down, something large and painful was going to happen. But for now, Kira felt perfectly happy to allow himself to be absorbed with his work and nothing else.
"Kira! Need any help there?"
Kira leaned back, his eyebrows raised. There, upside-down, was Athrun. Removing the spanner from his mouth, Kira gazed at his friend. Athrun, reading the unvoiced question, sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair. "I did receive the green light, Kira," he said, frustrated.
He couldn't help but smile. Athrun looked as if he would belong better in a museum with all the bandages that covered his body. But Kira knew how his friend was whenever he was injured. Athrun hated to be a burden, and he wanted nothing more than to help whenever possible. It was a trait Kira had learned to grow up with, and it was one of the qualities his best friend had never changed about himself, since they were children. "It'd be nice to have a toolbox up here," Kira said, turning back to the mainframe of his Gundam. In his eagerness to repair the Ultimate Freedom, he had armed himself with only the most basic of tools (screwdrivers, a wrench, a spanner, tapes, wires, scissors) and had neglected to bringing up his toolbox. It wasn't as if there was anywhere he could place the toolbox anyway, except at the platform that had now disappeared. Kira was working at an odd angle, with his legs hooked to the inside of the Freedom's back, holding him in place. Most technicians would have suffered from back cramps by now, but Kira was too focused to give the dull pain any thought.
There was a brief silence as Athrun disappeared for the toolbox and a platform. Last time Kira looked at the clock, it was nearing 2AM. He supposed at least two hours had passed since then. It didn't surprise him that Athrun was having difficulties sleeping. War had that effect. Once the war was over, Kira would usually hibernate for the first few months to compensate for the lack of sleep he had endured when he fought. One could never have enough sleep when in the military, in his opinion. Sleep was a rarity, a gift that should be embraced and enjoyed.
There was a whirring sound as Athrun raised himself to Kira's level, a toolbox in his hand. "How is it?" he asked.
Kira shrugged, the movement awkward when he was almost upside-down. "Murdoch-san said that there were a few problems with the thrusters. The power output just won't balance. I think there might be a leak somewhere, but I can't find it," he said, grimacing at the thought of an unstable Freedom flying through the skies. Kira had experienced the worst of the worst battle grounds in his many years of experience piloting mobile suits, but maneuverability was something that he could not forsake.
"What about the comm systems?"
"External cameras," Kira answered shortly.
Under normal circumstances, Kira would have refused to let anyone near the headpiece of the Freedom. Most things, like the power output, thrust, maneuverability and strength of weapons, could be easily adjusted with the Gundam's OS. But the external cameras needed to be tweaked manually, and this he normally preferred to do himself. It was generally important for him to be able to see even the most minute of details of the enemy mobile suits, but it was also typically important that he did not focus too much. The perfect balance was different for every pilot, but getting it to inch-precision was what always proved difficult. For pilots like Cagalli or Waltfeld, such slight tweaking might not be registered. To pilots like Kira, Athrun, Shinn and maybe even Mu, they could count for the number of mobile suits they could bring down. For Kira and Athrun, who had both been in each other's cockpits for far too long, their preferences were known to one another, at least enough for Kira to trust that Athrun would be able to adjust the settings correctly.
As Athrun disappeared to climb into the headpiece of the Ultimate Freedom, Kira paused what he was doing and watched his friend's retreating figure. He knew what Athrun was doing, of course. He was facing his fears, fighting against what he knew his mind wanted to do even though his heart was protesting against it. In truth, Kira felt a strange feeling of envy towards Athrun. Unlike Athrun, Kira was unable to face his fears. The thought of fighting against the Apocalypse and the Imperial terrified him. He had fought against his friends for far too long, and he refused to do so again. He feared that at one point, he would point the trigger to those he cared about and not feel anything. That possibility scared him more than anything else.
Releasing a small sigh, Kira turned back to his work, allowing his mind to distract itself with the repairs of his mobile suit. They worked in silence, except for the few words exchanged between them on what needed to be done and what had been completed. They were reprimanded by Murdoch several times, all of which they ignored in favour of the work they were doing, until the elder technician finally gave up and merely helped and instructed them on the repairs that they could do. Countless hours passed, with neither of them stopping as they continued to work. Kira, at the very least, began to enjoy Athrun's silent company. Despite the heavy bandages and the appearance of nothing short but a mummy, Athrun never complained. Nor did he give any indication of tiredness or pain, physical or mental. Still, Kira kept a close eye on his friend. By the time they stopped working, it was already late afternoon.
"Athrun. Let's stop for now," Kira called to the blue-haired Coordinator as he poked his head out of the Freedom's cockpit.
Athrun gave a final, satisfying wrench before craning his neck to look at his friend. "Ah. I've just finished with this part as well. How is it?"
"Better now," Kira said reassuringly as he grasped the lever of the Freedom. Athrun navigated the platform, both of them reaching the ground at the same time.
"So, you're finally calling it a day?" an amused voice made them turn as Murdoch walked over to them. "That Freedom should be able to fly again by now. You should test it later," he said, turning to Kira. "I'll have it transferred to Morganroete's hangar first."
Kira nodded. "Alright. We're just getting something to eat first."
"With those faces? I suggest a shower first. And sleep," Murdoch laughed, shaking his head. Kira and Athrun exchanged glances. Both faces changed as they tried to contain their laughter. They were smeared with all sorts of grit, blackened faces that shone with sweat. Both were thankful they hadn't worn their uniforms while working. They hadn't exactly worn a jumpsuit either. Kira wondered how Lacus would react if she found him like this. He supposed she would be busy with the remaining people of Orb, helping where she could, and hoped that she wouldn't return to the hangar and see him like this.
"Thanks, Murdoch-san" Kira said, smiling lightly as he turned to head out of the hangar. They made their way to the changing room, eager to get out of the sweat-drenched clothes. Kira hadn't expected that he would be working on the Freedom that long. He originally only wanted to check the cockpit and thus hadn't bothered to change into a jumpsuit. Naturally, when they arrived at the changing room near the hangar, there were no spare clothes… except for pilot suits and old Earth Alliance uniforms. Pulling the old uniform out, Kira could just feel himself grimacing at the thought of wearing it again. The uniform brought so many old memories flashing back that he hadn't realized Athrun moving to stand next to him.
"Earth Alliance uniforms?" Athrun asked, surprised.
Kira shrugged. "No others left. Unless if we want to head to the dorms."
"And risk getting caught like this?" An amused smile. "It should do until we get back."
Sighing, Kira followed and stepped into the shower, feeling the hot water cleansing his skin. He was surprised the old Earth Alliance uniforms were still kept inside the Archangel. Then again, there was no reason for them to be thrown out, either… not when the Archangel typically could have good use of them for sending out their members to infiltrate a base.
Armed with a bar of soap, Kira proceeded in scrubbing off the grime from his face and arms, his face twisting slightly as the old memories came back to him. The whole memory was years old, but Kira could still remember things very clearly. Studying in Heliopolis. Meeting Athrun. Piloting the Strike. Rescuing Lacus. Joining forces with Cagalli. Killing, endless killing. He shook his head, wondering how he had ended up as a permanent fighter of peace. Had he been destined to this path? Or was this his own decision, influenced by what he had been forced into? Kira wondered what would have happened if he hadn't been involved with the infiltration of Heliopolis that one day those years ago. Most likely, he would have been killed. But if he had survived… what then? He wouldn't have discovered everything. He wouldn't have met Athrun again. Wouldn't have known Lacus. Knowing that, Kira couldn't help but believe that he was probably better off finding himself in the cockpit of the Strike those years back.
Snapping himself out from his thoughts, Kira turned the shower off and toweled himself before stepping outside, his hair dripping wet. Steam filled the room, so it took a few seconds for him to realize that Athrun had finished showering and was buttoning the blue Earth Alliance uniform. Kira had to stop as he stared at his old friend. Seeing Athrun wearing an Earth Alliance uniform was like imagining Lacus in a ZAFT uniform. It was simply… impossible.
"These are oddly comfortable. Better than ZAFT's uniform, at least," Athrun said absently, then noticing that Kira was looking at him. He frowned. "I wouldn't have worn it if given the chance," he said, almost exasperated.
Kira chuckled lightly and began to get dressed. "Feels weird wearing this again."
"Brings back memories?"
"A lot," Kira agreed.
"Sometimes, I still can't believe that you were once an Earth Alliance soldier. Fighting for the Naturals."
"Sometimes, I still can't believe that you enlisted in the military. Knowing your hate for war," Kira answered. They exchanged a glance at each other, too many unspoken words between them. Sometimes, things just had ways of happening.
Finally buttoning the old uniform, Kira straightened. "Let's go, Athrun. I'm starving."
Athrun arched an eyebrow as they exited the changing room. "You're hungry already?"
"I can't remember the last time I ate!"
"Me either, but I'm not hungry."
"I don't have an enhanced stomach."
They both paused at that, Kira immediately biting his lip. He hadn't meant it as an offence, and he highly doubt Athrun would take it as such… Yet the subject was still one they both hadn't addressed, and Kira wondered if now was the right moment to address the matter. Sometimes, it was too easy for him to be himself, his old self, whenever he was with the blue-haired Coordinator. "How are you, by the way?" Kira asked, keeping his voice light. Neither of the two missed the underlying worry that was in his tone.
Athrun shook his head. "Alright…" he answered, turning his gaze away. It was a good enough answer. He knew Athrun was trying, difficult as it was. He would just need to put faith on the other Coordinator that he would be able to manage his own problems. Athrun knew better than anyone that Kira would always be near if there were any problems. They both took comfort in that.
As they proceeded to the cafeteria, they were stopped when they bumped into Shinn and Lunamaria exiting the place. Shinn, who had been drinking a canned drink, coughed and sputtered before wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "C-Commander? Athrun? What the hell are you –"
"Earth Alliance uniforms?" Lunamaria interrupted, her eyes wide.
Kira raised both his hands, palms forward as a signal that they were not the enemy. "There weren't any change of clothes in the pilot changing room," he said apologetically. Jumpsuits were typically as dirty as their previous clothes had been anyway.
"Wow. You both look so… different," Luna said, blinking as she stared at the two. She had liked Athrun since their first meeting, and she would also deem Kira to be rather appealing with his looks – not as much as Athrun, but definitely better than some faces she had come across. The Earth Alliance uniforms didn't match them, for sure. But she couldn't help but still admire how Athrun's looks had always complimented the attire he wore. Inwardly, she cursed at herself and sneaked a glance at Shinn. It was a good thing Coordinators weren't programmed to read minds.
Athrun moved his hand to his head, annoyed. "Maybe it's better if we change uniforms first," he sighed.
C.E 79 JOSH-A – Renegade (Present Day)
The check-up went well enough, at least in Genei's opinion. It had been quite a while since he last received a check-up in JOSH-A, though he suspected that he did not need it. He remembered reading over old files of the previous Extendeds, how they needed to be maintained with powerful drugs or have their memories modified and their bodies restored every time they participated in battle… Even reading it, Genei was already uneasy with how they were dealt with. He had little doubt that he would not have been chosen as the pilot of the Advocate if he had to undergo such terrible proceedings. He simply did not have the patience for it. Genei buttoned his shirt and tapped his foot, waiting for Tierra to come out. Doc had not given any hints on the results, but Genei supposed that if there were problems, he would have been told about them. The fact that he hadn't just spoke volumes, at least to him.
It took a while before Tierra finally stepped out of the check-up room, buttoning his shirt as he did so. Genei arched an eyebrow at him and he shook his head in response. Nothing he wanted to say. That was fair enough.
"Took your time in there," Genei remarked.
Tierra shrugged. "Up to the doc," he pointed out.
Sometimes, the guy was just so darn boring.
"We better get going," Tierra said, turning to leave. "I'd expect they're finishing up on the Zantetsuken now."
"Wait a moment," Genei held his arm out, edging closer to the door. The doc's voice had been low, but with his hearing, Genei couldn't help but eavesdrop… especially when he heard his name being mentioned. It was probably inevitable that his name would crop up, having just gone through a check-up moments earlier… but Genei felt that he had the right to know what the doc was saying, especially when the topic was associated with him. Much to his dismay, and true to his suspicion, Tierra merely rolled his eyes before disappearing through the doors.
"…Maybe two or three battles. The more intense, the more it'll affect them. This wasn't something that we hadn't expected. It was within the line of theories I had that this would happen… No, it's both of them. Genei's is worse… I expect he's been pushing himself. I read your reports, of course I did. He does seem to be obsessed with the Freedom…"
Genei smirked. The doc had that right. Still, something tugged in his mind… something about the doc's tone that seemed rather off. He focused, wanting to hear more.
"It's a sort of degeneration, a side-effect of not maintaining them as well as we did with the second-generation Extendeds. Over time, the third-gen Extendeds will lose their ability to utilize their bodies to the maximum potential… it's degenerating as we speak, but it'll proceed faster if they are involved in battle. I guess it's just as well that the war is coming to an end… They'd probably be of no use after three battles, at the very maximum."
Now, he froze. Degeneration? He hadn't been informed about that.
"…The Gamma Glipheptin? That is a double-edged sword… No, of course it won't kill them. It'll give them the strength needed to fight their best, but the effects afterwards will be very damaging. Repairing them would be impossible. But at this stage, it's still not impossible to fix them – no, of course not! Well, a few weeks… Yes… No, I don't believe so. They're your soldiers, Captain."
Genei was out of the door and away from the facility in less than five minutes. Getting caught eavesdropping would probably get him in trouble, and that was the last thing he wanted. He ran, quickly, to the edge of the place and arrived at the end of the road overlooking the sea. He took three deep breaths. No more. No less. Then, the hysterics began.
The laughter exploded from inside, the feeling of satisfaction and triumph taking over his mind. He couldn't believe it. He simply couldn't believe it. He had heard what he wanted to hear. The Gamma Glipheptin. The kick he needed to destroy the Ultimate Freedom in what would be their last battle. As a soldier, he couldn't have been prouder of himself. And he knew exactly where he could get that drug.
C.E 79 Orb – Morganroete (Present Day)
It was evening, just after dusk had settled, when Kira finally went back to the hangar of Morganroete, fully dressed in his pilot suit except for the helmet which he held in his hand. In truth, he still wasn't satisfied with the tweaks done to the Freedom, but Murdoch was right – they needed to test ride it first and identify the real problems his suit was having, if any. Both Lacus and Athrun walked beside him as they entered the hangar, Athrun fully dressed in his Orb uniform save for a few additional bandages that were visible on his face and hands. Beneath the uniform, Kira could just imagine the other bandages wrapped tightly around the Coordinator. The hidden bulges were obvious enough. He knew better than to ask Athrun to rest in the dorms, however. The only way he could keep Athrun sleeping was if he injected drugs, but that idea did not appeal to him at all. Not in the least.
So he allowed Athrun to follow and he could see the alertness in the emerald-green orbs as Athrun walked with him. His old friend was determined to prove himself, and though Kira had no idea how much effort Athrun was putting in fighting his internal conflicts, he knew that it must've been difficult. A small glance to Lacus soothed his fears, however, for her azure eyes were calm and reassuring, telling him without effort that everything would be alright. He took comfort in those eyes. He always had. As they reached the Freedom, Murdoch advanced towards them, a hand raised in greeting.
"It could have waited until tomorrow, you know," he said, the amused grin plastered on his face. "I can't understand you pilots. That Shinn kid has been in the cockpit of the Destiny for hours now. I'll put him on stand-by in case if anything goes wrong."
Kira managed a nervous, almost embarrassed chuckle. "Thanks, Murdoch-san," he answered.
"Hopefully, nothing will go wrong," Athrun said, raising his eyes to rest on the Freedom. "We checked everything earlier, and if everything was done right, there should be no problems," he said, the slightest hint of worry colouring his tone.
"Don't worry, Athrun. I'm sure it'll be alright," Kira said reassuringly. "Let's try it then!"
Eager to test his Freedom again, Kira grasped the lever and climbed into the cockpit of his Gundam. As soon as he activated it, two screens flickered to life – one showing Murdoch and Athrun from below, and the other showing Cagalli from the control room of Morganroete. She had been informed earlier of their plans and had insisted that she was also present for the Freedom to take off. Kira felt the familiar momentum as the Freedom was secured to the catapult system. He was very lightly armed, with only one beam saber and one beam rifle, but Kira wasn't worried. It was more important for him to test the maneuvering system of the Freedom.
GENERATION UNSUBDUED NUCLEAR DRIVE ASSAULT MODULE
G.U.N.D.A.M Complex
"Freedom, standby. Initiating the launch sequence…"
Activate phase-shift. Though he was by no means going into battle, it would be safe just to have the armour on. At the very last minute, Kira remembered to strap himself to the seat.
"Be careful, Kira. Any sign of trouble, head back to the hangar," Cagalli said lightly. At least she wasn't that worried about the condition of the Freedom.
"I understand," Kira answered.
"Freedom, please launch!"
"Kira Yamato. Freedom. Launching!"
Bracing himself for the catapult, Kira pushed his thrusters as he was propelled from the hangar and into the darkening sky. A few beeps from the screen took his attention and Kira adjusted the system and extended the Freedom's wings, carefully taking note of the readings with each move he made. Clear. With the wings extended, the U-HiMAT system now activated, Kira proceeded in turning the Freedom, taking sharp turns at first before somersaulting in the air, looping backwards and forwards and spinning sideways. A small smile formed on his lips and he raised the power of his thrusters, focusing on getting more speed.
From the edge of the hangar, Athrun watched the sky as the blue, white and gold Freedom displayed a range of moves that was enough to tell him that there weren't any major problems with the mobile suit. He watched, almost entranced, as Kira continued to move the Freedom, almost as if it was dancing in the air. It never ceased to amaze him how such a large machine could move so elegantly. From this distance, the Freedom looked small, not the least bit threatening… not like the killing machine Athrun knew it was. It was easier, as the hours passed, for him to combat the pain he felt inside. He could feel his body getting heavy with each passing moment, knowing that the effects of the drugs were deteriorating. He didn't mind that. Athrun preferred to be normal, than to be enhanced but want to kill his friend. He still came close to it, so many times… but either Kira never noticed, or he decided not to show that he had seen what Athrun was capable of doing. It was an act that Athrun was both thankful and irritated with.
"Looks like the Freedom is alright," a voice captured his attention. Athrun glanced to his right, smiling as Cagalli walked over to him. "Kira seems to be having fun, at least."
"Ah," Athrun agreed. "Though there are still a lot of things that we need to look over. It's not fully repaired yet."
Cagalli paused before finally shaking her head with a shrug. "You'll both figure it out. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"Athrun –"
"Imagine yourself walking," Athrun cut her off, his eyes focusing hard on the Freedom. Cagalli stopped and raised her eyebrows, surprised. Athrun inhaled deeply. "You're walking, and you suddenly came across a wall. How tall is the wall?"
"Athrun, what –"
"Just try it, Cagalli."
Perplexed, but curious at the same time, Cagalli paused for a brief moment. "...Around 180 centimeters," she said, arching her eyebrow.
Athrun paused for a moment, yet he kept his eyes on the Freedom. Curious, he thought, that Cagalli would use his exact height as the height of her wall. But he shrugged off the thought and continued to the second question. "How would you get past it?"
"I can climb that without any problem," Cagalli answered confidently.
A small smile. "So you climbed over the wall, and you see an island. How will you get to it?"
Cagalli hesitated. "I'll probably need a boat."
"And when you used that boat to get to the island, what is the first animal you see?"
"…A tiger."
"And after that?" Athrun asked, finally turning to face her.
Cagalli answered without hesitation. "A monkey."
Under normal circumstances, Athrun would have laughed. Yet the wonder behind her answers had stunned him. If only he knew the name of the girl… or if he would ever get the chance to meet her again. He shook his head, managing nothing more than a wry smile as he tried to process her answers. Cagalli shot him a look that told him he had better got a good explanation. Athrun smiled. "Back then… After I escaped from Phaedra's base and was making my way to the Archangel… I met a girl. And she asked me those questions."
Her face instantly changed to a look of utter confusion and surprise. Athrun didn't blame her. "Apparently, they are connected to how your life is at the moment. When you walked and saw a wall, the height of that wall is the height of your problems," he said, beginning his explanation. He noticed that Cagalli's cheeks immediately reddened. He did not need to be a mind-reader to know that he was probably the source of most of her problems currently… Despite her constant worry for Orb, Athrun also knew how much she worried about him. It made him feel guilty, so he pressed on. "How you get over that wall is how you will face the problem. In your case, you didn't use a ladder or a rope, meaning that you won't need to rely on anyone to solve the problems," Athrun continued. It rang true, even to him. "The distance of the island is how far you are from achieving your dreams… and the first animal you see is what you are."
Cagalli chortled instantly. "So I'll be a tiger? I always thought I'm suited as one," she said, obviously pleased with herself.
Athrun chuckled. "The second animal is your partner."
"So you're a monkey? That's interesting," Cagalli answered, shaking her head. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd believe in this stuff."
The blue-haired Coordinator couldn't manage anything more than a shrug. "A tiger is destined to have a monkey as a partner. In case if you're wondering, that was the first animal I saw," he said, the blush now creeping to his cheeks. Cagalli's eyes were wide. For once, she was silenced, but only for a moment. She soon opened her mouth to speak again, but never had the chance to say what she wanted to. Acting on pure impulse and need, Athrun had his arms around her in the blink of an eye, his lips pressing against hers gently.
He had distanced himself from her since his return, but as the days passed, Athrun soon realized that doing so pained him more than fighting against himself to keep her safe. The same applied to Kira… to Lacus… to the Archangel… His true calling, his role in the war, had never been something he hadn't been sure of, unlike how he was during the two previous wars. He knew, and it was as simple as that. When he pulled back, his eyes warm as they rested on her, he noticed with slight amusement that she looked surprised.
"Athrun…" Cagalli whispered, suddenly blushing when she realized that anyone could have glanced at their direction and see what had happened, no matter how short it was.
Athrun took a small step back. "Sorry," he said quietly. "I..." He wanted to say more, but they were immediately interrupted by alarms blaring around the hangar. Athrun's head snapped up at once, his eyes alert, while Cagalli immediately tensed. Turning his gaze to the sky, he noticed that the Freedom was still, facing the ocean.
"Something's wrong. Come on," Athrun said urgently, grabbing Cagalli's hand to return to the hangar. "What's going on?" he demanded to the technicians in general.
"Athrun! Cagalli!" Lacus ran towards them, her eyes shining with worry.
"I won't allow it! I won't allow it!"
"What's going on?" Athrun asked again, effectively blocking out the pink Haro from distracting him. He had had too many years of experience with Haros, more than Kira even.
Murdoch hurried to them. "There's an unidentified mobile suit heading this way."
"It's not unidentified!" Shinn called from the external speakers of his Destiny. Athrun turned to the direction of the mobile suit, realizing that the Destiny had been activated with the sound of the alarms. "It's the Imperial coming this way!"
"Can we get a visual?" Athrun turned to Cagalli.
She nodded once in response and turned to run towards the control room. Needing no invitation, Athrun followed, both sprinting quickly towards the room. In terms of the safety of Morganroete, Athrun was not worried. Kira was out there with the Freedom, and even armed with only a beam saber and a rifle, Kira was lethal. The DRAGOONs worked as well, though Athrun highly doubted that the Coordinator would need it. No, he was more worried about the Imperial itself. The pilot was one that both Kira and Athrun knew well, albeit under different names. That in itself worried Athrun on how Kira would react. He knew all-too-well how much fighting against his own comrades could hurt him. Cagalli was instructing the workers as soon as they arrived in the control room before finally turning to the main screen of the computers. The technician tapped skillfully, bringing up as close a view of the Imperial as he could manage.
Athrun's eyes widened as soon as he saw the mobile suit. Clearly, it had not been repaired since the last battle nearly five days ago. It was still missing its lower half, and the damage to the torso was obvious. Its usual flyer was gone, replaced with a red one that Athrun had never seen in battle before. And it was unarmed. Athrun reached over to the keyboard, tapping in different commands to bring up its armaments, just to make sure it wasn't his sight playing tricks on him – it wasn't. The Imperial was truly unarmed, all weapons unequipped.
But that wasn't what startled Athrun the most.
What was most bizarre about the mobile suit was that it was carrying another mobile suit as it flew towards them. And the mobile suit it was carrying was certainly one that Athrun had never seen before.
Activating the microphone, Athrun switched on the communication systems and tried to connect to it. "Imperial!" There was nothing but static.
"Athrun… It's Hikari in there. I can't get a visual in the cockpit, but it's her… She assures that she's not here to fight. She's injured. Badly injured," Kira's voice greeted them through the speakers.
Athrun bit his lips, exchanging a glance with Cagalli. Cagalli reached over for the microphone. "I'll alert the technicians," she said, proceeding to kill the alarms with swift commands to the deckhand below. Athrun watched as the Freedom approached the Imperial, beginning to help her with the other mobile suit. If they were to land, the Imperial would definitely need the Freedom to help.
He was running back to the hangar before he knew it, his side screaming in protest as he did so. Ignoring the pain, Athrun shouted towards the technicians to get ready for an emergency land as well as a rescue and medic team. He had enough faith in his old friend to know how to differentiate between friend or foe. The Freedom appeared only moments after his warning. Shinn was already moving, the Destiny then assisting the Freedom in steadying the new mobile suit. Together, they prised the mobile suit from the Imperial, and as Shinn attempted to steady the mobile suit, Kira lowered the Imperial to the ground. He stood, taking orders from Murdoch as he helped Shinn to position the new mobile suit properly, though with great difficulty without a pilot in its cockpit.
Athrun ran towards the Imperial as soon as it was set on the ground, already with the rescue team as they forced the cockpit open. Soldiers lined the mobile suit, guns ready in case of a fire. Opening the cockpit was done with ease, and Athrun gave a signal to the few soldiers there to remain on stand-by. He would approach first.
"Aya?" Athrun called, looking into the cockpit. Silence. Proceeding to climb inside, he halted as soon as she came to his sight, his eyes widening as he took in the damaged screens and burn marks on the walls… no. What caught his attention, truly, was the blood that was splashed around the walls of the cockpit, then at the familiar body lying in Aya's arms. "Seorin?"
The black-haired girl raised her eyes, managing a small smile. "Athrun… Zala. I knew I'd find you here," she said quietly. "My name is not Aya… It's Hikari. Seorin's name is Ken."
If he hadn't had the enhancement that came with Coordinator genes, Athrun doubted that he would have heard her. "Come on, I'll help you. But we have to get out, first. Are you hurt anywhere? I don't think –"
"It's too late. I'm too tired," Hikari said, silencing him. She reached forward, taking his hand, her eyes moving to rest on Ken's face. "He couldn't make it… He stopped breathing an hour ago." Athrun stared, numb with shock. "They killed him… the Commander. Daisuke. They killed him. That mobile suit… It's yours. He's been trying to deliver it to you, but you got away too quickly," she whispered. "ZGMF-X29A Divine Justice."
"D-Divine… Justice?"
Hikari nodded. "Apologise to Kira for me… I wanted to meet everyone properly. But I'm happy, because I did everything. It was important to do everything. Thank you... Athrun Zala..."
The hand went limp. Athrun pulled his hand back, noticing that she had pressed a data block in his palm. He barely registered how harsh his breathing was, how his hands shook as he stared at the two peaceful faces in front of him. He probably would have stayed there, if not for a voice that caught his attention from outside the cockpit, echoing around the hangar.
"Hikari!"
It was Kira.
Instantly, Athrun was out of the cockpit, spotting his friend jumping down half-way down the lever of the Freedom, running towards them and throwing his helmet away in the process. Athrun moved at lightning speed, jumping down and running towards his friend, colliding against him in a manner that was almost painful. He held Kira's arms firmly, shoving him back. No… That sight, he could not allow Kira to see. The bodies. The damage. The blood. So much blood. "Kira!" Athrun half-shouted at the Coordinator, angry tears threatening to course down his cheeks. Kira wasn't listening. Athrun realized his hands had a death grip on his friend, but he didn't loosen it. "Kira! It's over, Kira! They're gone," Athrun shook the other Coordinator. Slowly, Kira stopped the struggle, his eyes moving to the blood that covered Athrun's arms.
"They…"
"They're gone," Athrun said quietly. "I think the members of the Renegade attacked them… They're both in there. Hikari and Ken," Athrun said softly.
"And Daisuke..?"
Athrun stared into the amethyst eyes. He could not say it aloud.
Kira's knees buckled underneath him as the news finally sank in, the harsh sobs beginning to wrack his body. Lacus was by his side in an instant and Athrun sank to his knees, gritting his teeth as his emotions tore his insides. He slammed his knuckles onto the ground, a curse escaping his lips. How many more losses would he need to take? He raised his eyes to the new mobile suit, grey and silver with its phase shift armour off. The Divine Justice.
The harsh scream escaped his lungs as he tried to imagine himself piloting the thing.
C.E 79 JOSH-A – Renegade (Present Day)
Knowing that they were going to disembark for Artemis at any given time was reassuring. Genei had seen Captain Tienn earlier, had saluted in an almost mocking manner as the blonde-haired blue-eyed Captain entered the ship, Ryuu Apene with him. The Blue Cosmos leader was animated, speaking freely as if he and Sethe and long been close friends. Under the circumstances of what brought them together, Genei could see why. He kept his eyes level and unreadable as he watched, and made no effort to join them. No, he was comfortable with his own aimless wandering around the Renegade ship. The conversation he had overheard previously had awoken something within him, though he couldn't pinpoint what. All he knew was that he was ready for the final battle, and he would stop at no lengths to savour every single moment. Even if it meant dying in the process. Especially if it meant dying in the process.
As soon as the Captain and the head of Blue Cosmos disappeared from sight, Genei took a sharp turn with a smart turn of his heel and proceeded down the hallway, towards the mobile suit hangar of the Renegade. Liesel had not completely disappointed him, even if she had not managed to kill any of the trademark pilots from the Archangel. She had succeeded in damaging the Destiny to a rather considerably degree (even though it was with the help of the Zantetsuken), but more than that, the destruction of her mobile suit had left the Renegade with many spare parts to play around with. Spare parts that, conveniently, were compatible with the other RENEGADE mobile suits.
Genei had been to the hangar earlier and had seen the technicians and engineers working together, calculating and modifying and calculating again as they worked to transform his Advocate. One advantage that the Premium had was that it was a base mobile suit whereby most of its special equipment came along with its different flyer packs. After much consideration, Genei had opted to change his flyer pack with the Premium's gold flyer that would give him a Voiture Lumiere propulsion system. As much as he liked the use of his missiles to distract the Freedom, he believed it would hardly be useful... especially if the Freedom equipped itself with a METEOR unit as it did during the finale of the last war. His missiles might just be harmless flies if that were the case.
No, he did not want such a thing. The Advocate was a tall mobile suit, but also lean and light for such a height. He had considered adding manoeuvrability for better performance, but finally decided against it when Tierra quietly voiced that his Zantetsuken would make use of that feature. The Zantetsuken specialised in firing cannons at great speeds – moving around with such bulky weapons were difficult, and Genei definitely wanted Tierra to be able to fight to his best potential and not get killed just because the machine won't move as quickly as the Extended's reflexes could.
That would be... horrifying.
As he entered the hangar, a few technicians threw him wary looks. Genei paused, frowning. He had pestered them incessantly since their arrival at JOSH-A – actually, he just did a few hours ago – but he hadn't come to the hangar this time to pester about the progress of his Advocate. He already received report beforehand that everything was going well and that it would definitely be ready for battle once they reach Artemis. No, his purpose here was to find Tierra, and he was both smug and delighted when he found that his guess had not been disappointed.
"Tierra!" Genei called out to the open cockpit of the Zantetsuken, his head raised as he watched the shadow moved from inside – Tierra shuffling to poke his head out. Half-amused, half-irritated, Genei noticed the expressions of the technicians change from wariness to relief when they realised he wasn't there for his Advocate.
Idiots.
A head with golden-brown hair like his poked out from the cockpit, staring down below with an almost cantankerous look on his face. "What?"
Genei raised his forefinger, wagging it. "Come with me," he said, his tone half-inviting, half-commanding.
Tierra opened his mouth to argue, but Genei immediately silenced him with a glare. The annoyed look in the golden-brown orbs immediately changed to bewilderment before taking on a curious gaze. The change of emotions was nearly unnoticeable to an outsider, but Genei had spent too many years with Tierra to know him like the back of his own hand. Heck, they even looked similar. So similar, they were often assumed as siblings... a thought Genei once entertained, but decided was not interesting enough to pursue.
With a reluctant sigh, Tierra lowered himself to the ground, arching an eyebrow as a silent gesture. Genei merely turned on his heel and walked, knowing full well that Tierra would follow. Tierra wouldn't just abandon him for his Zantetsuken, anyway.
They walked in silence until they reached their quarters, a fifteen-minute walk from the hangar of the Renegade what with the elevators cramped and always occupied. Since they arrived in JOSH-A, the ship was absolutely packed with people doing maintenance, repairs, or some other work to do with the ship. It was beginning to get on his nerves. Tierra observed the need for secrecy without any difficulty. It was only once they were in their quarters and the door had slid firmly shut that he allowed his face to show his annoyance again. "Now what is all this about?" he snapped.
Genei smirked and flicked something in the Extended's direction. The quick flash from enhanced reflexes nearly missed his eyes as Tierra caught the transparent container containing no more than two oval-shaped pills. "What is this?" Tierra asked.
He took his time to answer, playing on the silence to add the effect to his words. "Gamma Glipheptin," Genei said, almost as if the name itself was music to his ears.
It worked. The other Extended's face showed all the emotion Genei wanted to see. "Why?"
"I overheard something interesting," Genei said, settling on the back as if it was a couch. He turned his bright eyes to the other Extended and began to tell his story, as well as what he intended to do with the drug. The dream for the last, final battle that would be worth remembering.
It took a while before Tierra finally responded when Genei had finally finished. "You plan on taking the drug?"
"Without a doubt," Genei said, rising to his feet. He could hear his Advocate calling him now. He walked to the door, pausing mid-way when the door slid open. "It's what we're here for," he pointed out, exiting the dorm as he did so. When the door slid shut, Genei smiled. Let Tierra think. He left the other Extended, still standing, eyes still on the closed door, with the container and two pills still in his hand.
C.E 79 Orb (Present Day)
Athrun felt resentment. Part of him would actually go as far as saying that he felt... envy. Envy at the two bodies lying in front of him, blissfully unaware of the heavy atmosphere that surrounded them. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, his arms still stained with blood that wasn't his, though felt as if he had been the cause for it being there. In a way, he had been. They died sending the new Justice to him. They died. And they had the luxury of not feeling everything that he was feeling now...
Yes, Athrun definitely felt envy there.
He had hurt Kira. Though the brown-haired Coordinator insisted that it was nothing, Athrun had hurt him. It wasn't deliberate... he believed it wasn't deliberate when he had clutched Kira, stopping him from looking into the cockpit of the Imperial, but... How could he have gripped so hard that it would cause bruises to appear? Of course nobody told him. It was a mere observation and worried comment on Lacus's part when she saw Kira change into his uniform that informed him... then again, he had overheard something he shouldn't, so he couldn't blame either Kira or Lacus for not telling him.
Damn it, and he thought he had himself under control.
He inhaled again, closing his eyes. Steady, steady.
He had exiled himself into a half-conscious state ever since he had forced himself to stop Kira earlier. Things moved in a haze. He vaguely remembered walking back to the cockpit, a new sense of calmness washed over him as he gave orders and helped to ease the bodies out of the cockpits. They had been transferred, and he had given orders to take the Imperial away for now before turning to Shinn, managing a nod of thanks for the black-haired Coordinator's help. Shinn had seemed perplexed at first, but he knew how to keep silent. There were many things he did not know, and Athrun did not blame him for being confused with the situation. And he was definitely grateful that Shinn knew better than to ask, at least at that moment in time.
Lacus and Cagalli were better, most definitely. Cagalli only needed to glance at him once to know what he needed – private time – before going off to settle matters with the confused soldiers nearby. In a few seconds, with experienced commands and the atmosphere of a leader that would make Uzumi Nara Athha proud, the hangar was buzzing with work again, the soldiers knowing more than to refuse orders. Lacus, ever the gentle soul Athrun knew she was, had helped Kira up to his feet and had ushered the Coordinator away, throwing Athrun a look that he could not decipher. Unknown emotions tearing through him, Athrun had watched until they disappeared from view before realising that Cagalli had moved to his side. He had turned his bright green eyes on her wordlessly, but she merely shook her head, her golden eyes welling with tears as she stepped forward to envelope him in a hug.
He had merely ducked his head and allowed the tears to flow, unable to embrace her in return.
Now, he watched as the two bodies in front of him rested, two faces unbearably peaceful for such cruel deaths. A shaky breath escaped him and Athrun lowered his eyes again, his fingers turning the data block that he had taken the effort to clean earlier. His hands were free of blood now, thankfully, but the white sleeves of his uniform were still the repulsive colour of blood.
Why was he constantly failing?
An examination on both bodies showed that at least some medical attention had been paid... some, but not enough. Not nearly as enough as it should have been. What pained Athrun most was that they certainly had time. They had time to stop somewhere, to have their wounds properly tended to, but they hadn't. Instead, they both resorted to doing the minimum, all to send the Divine Justice in his hands, and then to die straight after.
Divine Justice.
Athrun felt like laughing.
Forcing the tears to the back of his eyes, he stood and allowed his emerald eyes to rest on the bodies again. He was hardly aware of the presence of the others. Kira, Lacus, Mu, Murrue and Cagalli were all there in the room, silently observing, silently waiting. Nobody said anything. Kira held Lacus firmly in his arms. From an outsider's perspective, it looked as if it was Kira who was consoling Lacus and not the other way around. The pink-haired songstress had tears in her eyes, tears that silently flowed down her cheeks, but Athrun knew how Kira was holding onto Lacus like a lifeline... as if releasing her would make him collapse, which it might do. He could understand that, for he felt the same way. He wanted nothing more than to hold Cagalli and sleep in her arms, all nightmares and pain washed away. But he couldn't. He simply couldn't.
Walking over to where Hikari's body lay, Athrun gazed deeply at the face of the girl who had befriended him on the Renegade. She had a pretty face... beautiful, he would say, but not as lovely as Lacus, nor as striking as Cagalli. But beautiful all the same. In a different world, he could see her with a family with a handsome man. Is it worth it? Athrun asked her silently, his hand gripping the data block tightly. To give me the Justice... is it worth it?
He recalled a memory from five years ago, almost too strikingly similar to this one. He had stood at a similar place as this one, staring at what was the modified body and face of a once gentle-faced Meer Campbell who had also lost her life fighting for the war. Too many people... Athrun thought, clenching the data block tightly. Too many. And he would not forget, just as how he knew Kira never forgot... Their dreams and hopes would continue to live as he continued to live as a living legacy of those who had died fighting alongside him.
"...So we just have their names, eh?" Mu's voice finally broke the heavy silence surrounding them.
Athrun was vaguely aware of Kira shifting to face the pilot. "Their parents were killed long ago... They've been in hiding ever since," he said quietly, reminding them of his previous account.
Mu exhaled loudly. Athrun could hear the frustration behind it. He felt it, too. What was the point? They were two individuals who had fought and finally died, and what did they get? Nobody remembered their names. Nobody knew who they were. And to think that there were hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands who had died and received the exact same thing: nothing. It made him bitter.
"We should hold a ceremony," Lacus's voice, as usual, held her magic as the heavy air lifted slightly. She walked over to where Athrun was standing, standing right beside him. Athrun peered into her face, noticing how the sorrow was apparent in her azure eyes, how she rested her gaze on Hikari as if the other Coordinator was a long-lost sister and not a mere individual that had died before she had the chance of talking to her. It struck a chord within him, how such a person as Lacus could exist. It gave him hope that somewhere out there, there were still people who never forget those who died during the war, whether they knew them or not.
"I agree," Kira voiced suddenly, his voice near. Athrun turned, noticing that Kira was looking straight at him. The emotions behind those eyes forced Athrun to look away.
It was settled, then. A burial ceremony would be held before launching the Archangel to space. Athrun kept his eyes on Hikari's peaceful face, trying to block out Mu and Murrue's hushed voices as they discussed what they needed to do. An announcement. An explanation. Preparations. Reports. It was hard not to listen to their conversation, hushed as they were – Athrun didn't need the further enhancement to hear. He would have been able to do so perfectly well enough with his normal Coordinator hearing, especially to listen to a hushed conversation by Naturals. The realisation sickened him. So he could hear better. Was that a good enough reason to wage a war?
Murrue broke his thoughts. "I'm going back to the Archangel. We'll schedule a burial for tomorrow morning," she said, moving to rest a hand on Kira's shoulder. They exchanged a look and Murrue smiled reassuringly before exiting the room with Mu beside her.
The door slid shut. Athrun turned to look at Hikari again.
The Divine Justice...
"Kira," Athrun turned, addressing his old childhood friend. Kira, surprised, raised his eyebrows at him. Athrun closed the distance and held out the data block he had been holding in his hand. "Hikari gave me this..."
Kira accepted it, his eyes glazed. He seemed to deliberate whether to crush it in his hands or insert it into the nearby computer to view its contents. Finally, he raised his head. "That mobile suit," he said, leaving the end to his sentence hanging.
Athrun felt three inquisitive pair of eyes on him as Kira voiced the question. "A new suit. ZGMF-X29A Divine Justice," he replied.
"...I see," Kira answered, a small smile appearing on his face. The expression nearly threw Athrun off, but it was what Kira said afterwards that truly managed to shake him; "I'm glad. Finally, we can fight side-by-side again, Athrun," he said.
It was a moment of speechlessness. He didn't know what to say.
Coming to his rescue, Cagalli stepped in. "And me. I'll take the Akatsuki out for sure," she said, certain of herself. She was going to defend Heliopolis, the last hope of Orb, and she would not do so while remaining on a battleship.
Kira nodded, almost as if he was glad Cagalli was joining with the battle.
"Kira –"
"I don't want to fight against my friends any longer, Athrun," Kira cut him off. Athrun clenched his fists immediately, locking his jaw to prevent himself from retorting. "Whatever they did to you, Athrun, I know they haven't succeeded. You're still you, and I know you can fight it," Kira said quietly. Athrun wanted to snort. Trust Kira to place more faith on him than he had for himself. As Kira walked over to the nearby computer, the data block in his hand, Athrun bowed his head, defeated.
Divine Justice, is it?
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Maybe Daisuke is right... maybe it is time for us to stop running away and face the war once and for all. What use is it being able to do so many things, yet not doing anything at all? The things I found out... the things Ken and Daisuke built... They're all useless if we don't put them to good use. I think Daisuke is right... it's high time we stop pretending as if we're unknowns living in a world where we just don't exist. We do exist, and that's enough of a reason for us to fight. Because this is our world...
The war has just ended, but Blue Cosmos has already appointed their new leader. They're already plotting, even now, even as we speak. Daisuke said the pilot of the Freedom is Kira... Kira Hibiki. I wonder if it's true. But now is the time for us to act. Daisuke said that he has the way to stop the war. I don't understand his plans, not right now, but Ken agreed to it already. Apparently, a second war is inevitable. To what lengths will they continue all this?
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Daisuke was right... He had been right all along. He always had been. They're beginning the second war now... And Chairman Durandal is planning. Blue Cosmos is fighting. And people are forced to act. It is painful, to watch from the sidelines and not be able to do anything. Two years, and yet we are still not strong enough. Daisuke reassures me that it will take a lot of time, but we seem to progress faster than I thought possible. I guess all those moments moving around, taking different roles, actually meant something. I was just too naive not to notice. This is Daisuke we're talking about. Of course he has hidden motives. Of course he knows what he's doing. Of course he's planned.
I wonder if Kira Hibiki will be involved in this war. I hope he will be, if he will pilot the Freedom. The Freedom has been a symbol of hope, and since the last war, I took on it greatly to encourage myself to work hard. I have reservations that this will work. Are we chasing a fantasy? But Daisuke believes he is doing the right thing... I need to have faith. A lot of faith. Faith that things will eventually pan out as how they are planned to be. I shall leave the thinking to Daisuke. He will know what to do. In the meantime, I shall follow the orders accordingly.
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They have designed a weapon! I am not supposed to be surprised, but I am. Blue Cosmos is waging wars, but now I know they have the grounds for it. Genesis ZERO. Daisuke said that the idea behind it is complex, perhaps too complex... Maybe it won't be built in time. I hope so. This war has lasted many months too long now. But the Freedom is fighting. And I shall, too. We have been receiving a lot of resources lately. More and more are beginning to believe Daisuke. I think it has something to do with Mendel. Dr. Hibiki had been a brilliant scientist, famed and intelligent. I still cannot grasp Daisuke's plan fully. It has only been a few years, and even Daisuke himself that it was a long stretch that would only pan out according to what will happen. But he believed that he would rise. That we will all rise as a group to fight against war once and for all.
It is an appealing thought, an idealistic one rather than a realistic one... but then again, weren't all these wars sparked from idealistic views in the first place?
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The Destiny Plan. A world where Coordinators would rise to the top because of their genes, and the Naturals will be rendered useless. No wonder the Naturals are angry. Daisuke said the real war will be after this. The Freedom managed to stop the war again, but it is only a stalemate. Lacus Clyne has been appointed the provisional Chairwoman, but we all know that the Naturals are still distrustful. Angry. Lacus will need to work very hard, but maybe she will be able to buy us some time. Kira Hibiki has joined ZAFT. I am very surprised, but at the same time, it's probably for the best. The Freedom lies dormant, and Daisuke is already planning far ahead of time. The world is rebuilding itself, and he said that we need to use this time to use it to our advantage. To attack before they do. To force the agreement before they have the chance to fight again. It's all there, in the underworld. The resistance groups. The split-ups from both Naturals and Coordinators.
I think the worst that can happen is if Naturals fight against each other. And Coordinators, too. Something drives people to keep on fighting. Lacus Clyne. Kira Hibiki. And, I suppose, maybe us, too.
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RENEGADE. It has a nice touch to what we wish to do, to name something like this as 'Renegade'. What does renegade mean, anyway? It means a betrayer. A traitor. Someone turning against his or her organization or country, change allegiance. I guess in that sense, most of us are renegades. How are we fighting for humanity when we kill humans in the process? It does not make sense. I do not agree with what Daisuke has planned. But at the same time, I can see what he wishes to do. An idealist way of fighting the war, trying to stop everything once and for all. Separation between the Naturals and Coordinators. But actually, hoping for something even better than that as we fight.
Renegade is about finding one's own desires. To know in truth what you are fighting for, and who you wish to be loyal to. Renegade is about stopping yourself from blindly following orders, stopping yourself from fighting wars against enemies that are not yours. To stand up for what is right before the world is destroyed.
The true goal behind RENEGADE is to unite both Naturals and Coordinators. To make them realise that there is no way for separation after all. To unite them through war, after both sides faces hardship, and make them realise that there is never one side that is hurt, but that both sides are.
Daisuke is such an idealist... But I want it to work.
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We're finally beginning it. The pieces have been laid, now all we need to do is to play. What's most intriguing, and also depressing, is that the pieces were there without us needing to put them for us. We're just creating a cause to begin the war with the pieces that was already there to start it. And Daisuke was sure that now was the best time, more than ever. I am frightened, but I will not let him down. I will never let him down, and Ken, too.
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Kira is alive... Injured, but alive. He has a gentle face... It looks like Via's face. With such a face, I wonder if he can truly fight this war for us, but he has been piloting the Freedom all this time. I look at him, and I realise that I'm looking at hope itself. And I wish for him to know that I truly apologise for what we're putting him into. It is unfair. It is cruel. To use Kira Hibiki in such a manner is unforgiveable. But we are tired of the wars, which cannot be solved by mankind alone. Maybe it takes the Ultimate Coordinator. Just maybe. Maybe it takes a Kira Hibiki for things to work. A true fighter of peace.
He sleeps, but he will wake soon. If we are to use Kira in such a manner, I will ensure that I, too, will do my best. To fight for peace. Kira will be the one to unite humanity after the world has split in two.
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Funny, how Daisuke worded it. That we have sent the planted seeds, and can only wait for the fruit now. I have high hopes on Kira Hibiki. And I want to have high hopes on humanity as well. This will probably finally prove to us whether humanity can be saved, or whether it has been doomed from the start. If Kira is fighting, then that means that there is something worth fighting for. In truth, I cannot see where mine is. Where my reason for fighting is. I just wish to do so to allow Kira to rest, after fighting for so long. Watching him, the nightmares haunting him, the determination so evident when he wishes to fight... something tugged at my heart, and I truly wish for him to lead a happy, war-free life.
...Perhaps that is my reason for fighting.
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The Justice is one powerful foe, that I can give. I have been looking up his profile... Athrun Zala. Childhood friend of Kira Hibiki. Another fighter for what is right. Justice... the name suits him. Though I never knew him in person, he seems to be someone who always fought for Justice. He had turned back on ZAFT... and had joined fighting against the Earth Alliance when they crossed the line. Yet, he knew when to turn and put matters right again when needed. I wonder... Will he continue fighting for our side? He had been a friend of Nicol Amalfi, the pilot of the Blitz during the first war. Nicol is Yuri Amalfi's son, whose loss had been a great blow to those who knew him.
I am putting more faith that Athrun will continue fighting for what is right.
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Athrun is captured! This has never been part of our plans! I truly refuse to allow a Freedom fighter to be killed in cold blood aboard the Renegade. But Daisuke reassured me that he would be fine. That a new suit is being built for him already. That Athrun, like Kira, will play a part in the war. I know about Phaedra's Base. I know the experiments they are doing there, and so does Daisuke. He believes this is the best time as any to take that base down, to stop the nonsense of allowing it to proceed. But that would mean dissolving RENEGADE... It would mean unravelling the truth on whether we will continue living or not after this, and put everything on Kira's shoulders. It is time, anyhow. The war has progressed as we had thought it would... both sides wanting elimination more than separation.
But Daisuke said that there is no reason to worry. When asked why, he said it is because we have such willing fighters who wishes to try and put things right.
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It's over. RENEGADE is over. Daisuke told us to be ready, to be as ready as we could be to run away. He knows. Sethe Tienn... he's one of Rau Le Creuset's clones. I am frightened, very frightened... but not of death. I am frightened that we won't be able to play our roles 'till the end. Athrun has escaped. Phaedra's Base has been destroyed. But we couldn't get the Justice to him in time. He's just too good... He managed to escape without a Gundam. We underestimated him. Sometimes, it's a nice thing to know.
I can feel the end... it's near, so near...
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Kira Hibiki... I'm sorry. For putting this on your shoulders. For having faith in you.
Athrun Zala...
I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...
ENTRY ENDS
ZGMF-X29A Divine Justice (Athrun Zala)
Unit Type: Close-Quarters Combat Mobile Weapon
Model Number: ZGMF-X29A
Code Name: Divine Justice
Developed From: ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice
Launched: 79 C.E
Manufacturer: Unknown
General Characteristics
- Overall Height: 19.34 meters
- Empty Weight: 74.67 metric tons
- Colour: Red, Black, Gold
Power Plant: Ultracompact Hyper-Deuterion Nuclear Reactor
Accommodation: Pilot only, cockpit in torso
Armour: Multi Phase-Shift Armor
Armaments
1 x Fatum-02 backpack/sub-flight lifter
- 1 x MX-906A Multi-phase Beam Cannon
- 1 x MX-904A Beam Assault Cannon
- 2 x AX-294A Beam Saber
- 2 x AX-327A Short Beam Sabers
2 x MX-395A 15mm CIWS (mounted in head)
4 x MX-396A 20mm CIWS (mounted in chest)
2 x MX-000A Railgun (stored on legs)
2 x AX-294A Beam Saber
2 x AX-243A Beam Boomerang
1 x "Force Stealer" Sonic Anti-Ship Sword
Special Equipment and Features
Hardpoint for docking with METEOR
Ultra High-Mobility Aerial Tactics (U-HiMAT) System
Antimatter Hyper-Propulsion Catalyst System
- "Wings of Hope" Power Enhancer
Neutron Jammer Canceller
Sonic-Enhanced Sword
Optional Equipment
METEOR unit
"Wings of Hope" Power Enhancer - A small upgrade from the Antimatter Propulsion system. When activated, wing-like emitters will be released at the back where energy from the reaction will be utilised to the maximum potential, promising better manoeverability and control over the propulsion system. Depending on what the pilot wants, the size and opacity will change with the amount of energy needed.
Sonic-Enhanced Sword - A special feature of the Divine Justice's anti-ship sword. The sword emits sonic frequencies as it is used, making it extra sharp and more deadlier in close-quarters combat.
Author's Notes: That was a very fun chapter to write. Just so everyone is aware, this fic will have 25 Phases in total, plus one epilogue. So six updates to go! Thank you so much to those who responded to me for the last chapter! From all the suggestions I've received, I'm not playing around with one, but two story ideas. One will be a pre-Gundam SEED fic focusing on Athrun's life in ZAFT. Seriously, I wished we could have seen more of that before Nicol died, before we met Rusty, Miguel, etc. A second story I'm contemplating has been suggested by Maderfole, focusing on the life of Dr. Hibiki, and possibly the life of Seigel Clyne and Patrick Zala. They both have really intriguing pasts, especially where the official Gundam timeline is concerned, and Dr. Hibiki is such an essential character to the plot of Gundam SEED overall.
In any case, you guys are so awesome, readers and reviewers alike! Thank you to Ciel Phantomhive XiaoLang Li, Statius, IgNighted, Onymo Usan, Atlantislux and Fate Anasthasia Alitheia for the reviews, as well as to those who alert-ed and favourited. :D Next update, 4th December 2011!
Ciel Phantomhive XiaoLang Li:You changed your name! :D Sorry for the previous mistake! I like the idea of someone manipulating Kira because he's an Ultimate Coordinator. There's so many aspects of GS/D that we can play around with, it's awesome. Then again, this fic has a lot of Kira-manipulating as it is. I actually love the whole Kira/Shinn friendship that happened in this fic. Even if I end up writing a post-GSD fic after this, it will most likely be pre-Renegade. But we'll see. I'm currently interested in going to the past than looking at the future like I've done with this one. ;D
Statius: Thanks for the comment! I agree it wasn't written all that well, but I'm hoping to cover more of that in the next chapter. ;D Hopefully.
IgNighted: I agree, he's a character that's extremely fun to explore. I had a look at Equilibrium, and I did like what I saw. Rather than focusing on his thoughts in the future, which I've done on an extended scale with this fic, I think it might be fun to go back to his past and see what really happened. The Suit CDs tells us that he's probably the last person to join an army. It always interests me to see why he actually enlisted, and why he appeared on top.
Onymo Usan: Emotional fanfics are ones that I like writing the best. I'm such a sucker for drama. It'll probably be the best bet on what I'll write after Renegade. :D
Atlantislux: Ahaha. XD It's nice to see you commenting on different parts of the story. So many questions and thoughts, and all which will be revealed in time. I get excited when I read your reviews, mainly because you seem to be thinking a lot. I'm trying to work a lot with Shinn, I think he just doesn't get enough cameo in this story, but it's not exactly easy when he's a subordinate to Athrun and Kira. But well. He had enough of a cameo in Destiny, I thought it would be nice to focus on the "mains" one again. XD
Fate Anasthasia Alitheia: Many thanks for the review! :D Hope you enjoyed it!