Hero: Chapter 5: "Turning"
"Well, well, what do we have here... it seems the curtain has been raised on this little show." The commander said, studying through another set of diagram with Captain Ades and Yzak.
"... The eternal and two other ships, sir. One of them is the legged ship. And the earth forces are attacking with one ship." Captain Ades announced.
There came a momentary pause as the Commander thought and analyzed the situation at hand. He leaned on his elbow, crossing his fingers of both hands.
"Until we have a better understanding of the situation, we are better off staying out of it. Yzak and I are to head out together into the colony. We will gather information."
"You are going personal Commander?" the Captain said in surprise. In situations like this, normally, it would be more practical to send out privates or lower ranking officers to gather information. Being their Commander, Commander Rau Le Creuset was not only overqualified for the task, but also too important to put at risk. But apparently the Commander had other plans.
"I want the Visinger and Helldarling to stay here." Commander Le Creuset stood up from his seat. "The Mendel colony." He added, amusedly thinking. "If we dig enough, we could bring a number of matters into a close." He then turned his attention to the Captain again. "Are my orders clear?"
"Sir." The Captain saluted.
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What is the Commander thinking?
If this was about gathering information then wouldn't he, plus some other private be enough for the mission? Yzak scowled. Sending out the Commander is just preposterous! He should have said something!
However, Yzak knew better than to question his superiors. It was a sign of disrespect and the strict military discipline that he learned in the academy and in the Joule household refrain him from doing so. Curse his ethics and principles!
"Are you ready, Yzak?" The commander asked, contacting him trough an intercommunication device from a separate cockpit as they readied.
"Sir." Yzak confirmed. Captain Ades should have said something!
"Let's go." The commander launched, closely followed by Yzak, and the two headed off on their way to the Mendel Colony.
Commander Le Creuset's Unit was on front while the Duel brought the rear. Yzak looked around the Colony that was left in ruins. Falling buildings, dusk filled atmosphere. There was nothing much to see.
"They are coming!" Commander Le Creuset warned all of the sudden even before his radar could pick up signs of the two incoming mobile suits.
Yzak looked at the first one on his screen causing his brow to narrow. "Strike..." As expected from those Archangels nosy bodies. Yzak then turned to the second one completely shock with outrage. "Buster?"
GAT-X103 Buster. There was no doubt that it was Dearka's Unit.
Dearka...
Yzak felt an unsolicited pain within his chest as his late comrade's image popped into his head. Dearka Elsman. He was... a complete dumbass. The only guy who managed to find gratification in his fiasco with Athrun. The blond, although not exactly the most pleasing guy in the army, happens to be his closest friend!
Also the only Red officer who was clarified as MIA by ZAFT military.
Damn it!
Yzak have never felt so insulted. How could Dearka lose to a bunch of Naturals?
As the Commander took on the Strike not far from them, Yzak could think nothing other than wanting to eliminate the bastard who took his comrade's life and Mobile Suit. Filled with anger, on impulse, Yzak fired rapid shots at GAT-X103 Buster who dodged them skillfully.
"Damn you!" he screamed, pulling out a beam saber to charged at it. "How dare you use Dearka's unit!" Yzak swung his sword, attempting to cut the dynamic machine in half.
In failed attempts to catch the mobile suit, Yzak who was determined to bring it down, fired missile pods at it. The missiles forced the Buster to shoot its beam rifle to protect itself. And the impact between the firearms caused an interval explosion amidst the two of them.
It was at that moment the current pilot of the Buster took the intuitive to speak up.
"Yzak!" The guy called.
The second he heard the familiar voice, out of surprise, Yzak halted from any further assault.
"Dearka?" could it be? "Dearka... Is it really you in there?"
"Yeah, it's me."
In knowing this, Yzak gritted his teeth. He did not know whether to be glad or furious about this sudden realization. "Why the hell are you fighting along side the strike? What the hell is going on here?" Yzak demanded, seriously wanting answers.
The Strike was an enemy Mobile Suit. And for Dearka to be fighting along side it would make him a- a-... Yzak did not want to think it.
"I mean, I am really glad you are alive but I cannot forgive you if this is what it looks like!"
"Yzak..."
"Dearka!" A third party interrupted the communication.
"Kira!" Dearka called, after noticing the Strike Freedom hastening towards their direction ready to assist the Buster in battle.
Yzak apparently saw it too.
"That is-..." Yzak's eyes grew wide. He clearly remembers the machine as the one that saved- trashed his unit in Alaska. Yzak pulled out his beam saber ready to strike. He would not allow the same mistake back in Alaska to happen a second time!
Freedom incoming on- 3...2...1...
Dearka flew in between them, preventing a fight.
"Stop, Yzak! You too, Kira!" Both were forced to halt action. "Leave this guy to me." Dearka reasoned to the Strike Freedom.
"Will you be, okay?" The pilot asked, wanting to make sure.
"Yeah." Dearka answered.
Yzak was in the brink of confusion, watching the two exchanged conversation.
Dearka is alive and is still the pilot of Buster-, who is now fighting along side Strike-, a military threat, who killed Miguel and Nicol! And now this new mobile suit comes along, swooping down from the sky and Dearka knows the Pilot too! To Yzak, war was starting to turn into a wild roller coaster ride. What the hell is going on here?
"Understood..." The pilot of Strike Freedom confirmed. "But, please, don't do things that Athrun and I have done." And with that, the Freedom flew away.
"Athrun?" Yzak repeated, after hearing the guy's name. The hell... Athrun is involved too?
Dearka landed and opened his cockpit. "Let's put our weapons down and talk, Yzak..." He said sounding sincere.
Going along with his former teammate's odd request, Yzak landed his mobile suit in front of the other. Then both pilots jumped out from their machines.
Still acknowledging Yzak as his comrade, Dearka came out and stood in front of his best friend, completely unarmed. Thus, when Yzak pointed a gun at him... Dearka had been clearly shock.
"Do I look like I'll listen to my enemies comfortably?" Yzak explained himself.
"Am I your enemy?" Dearka distressed.
"You became my enemy!" Yzak pointed out.
"I don't' remember becoming your enemy."
"Shut up! You are a traitor!" Yzak said. It was hard for him to accept this, but he had to. What Dearka had done was fact!
"I haven't betrayed PLANTs either!"
"What did you say?" Yzak held his stance, gripping the gun tighter within his fist. What the hell was Dearka getting at? Of course, he betrayed PLANTs. This was a perfect example of deflection! Like what Athrun did!
Damn. Like what Athrun did!
"It's just that the Naturals are... I just lost the interest to listen to the military like a lapdog and shoot down any Naturals they want me to shoot down!" Dearka argued.
00000
Meanwhile, back at the Vesalius.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Enemy Forces were sighted near their location.
"Captain Ades!" The one on the communications controller alerted.
"Damn..." Captain Ades checked his wristwatch again. It was getting more and more difficult for ZAFT Military to stay idly hidden when the Earth Forces and two other ships were exchanging crossfire around them. "Where is the Commander? What is happening on the inside?" The captain asked frustrated. None of them have the permission to act until they received further instruction from the Commander.
00000
"Lacus Clyne, Captain Waltfeld, and even Athrun?" Yzak named the people who Dearka mentioned, who have turned sides to join their little group called-the three ship alliance.
"Yeah."
"Why, Dearka? Why?" Yzak still did not drop the gun. He simply could not comprehend-why these people, who he had trusted, would turn their backs so easily against them. Against ZAFT. Against PLANTS.
"The Freedom pilot is the one who used to pilot the strike. He's also a Coordinator. And Athrun's childhood friend."
"What!" Dearka had failed to answer his question, but what Dearka had just revealed was shocking news still.
Dearka seems to be deeply thinking... "I don't have as much karma or determination as those two. But I end up seeing things. I've seen their suffering. I was also at Panama, Alaska and Orb. After all that, I can't go back to ZAFT and follow the military's orders anymore."
Without warning, an explosion from afar caused the ground to shake, blowing both Yzak and Dearka off their feet.
"Yzak, can you hear me?" A voice asked urgently through Yzak's communication device. "We are going!" It was the Commander.
In hearing this, Dearka recomposed himself and decided that he should be going as well. The blond turned his back at his former comrade, heading toward his own Unit when Yzak pointed the gun at him again.
The gun was to intimidate him, as Yzak wanted so bad to prevent his best friend from walking away and head towards the biggest mistake of his life.
But Dearka did not stop.
"If you see those that are not ZAFT as enemies then go ahead and shoot me." Dearka said without turning back.
"You are being deceived!" Yzak pleaded.
"I wonder which of us is really being deceived... I don't know but I'm going." Dearka hopped into the Buster and flew away, leaving Yzak alone by himself again.
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Catching a glimpse of a limp white thing, making its way out from one of the buildings, "Commander? Commander! Are you-?"
The man was clutching onto his chest, looking like he was in a great amount of pain. Yzak ran to his aid, but Commander Le Creuset waved him off; not allowing the officer to touch him.
"Just hurry and take me back to the Vesalius!" Commander Le Creuset commanded, panting forcefully.
Yzak nodded, quickly rushing to the Duel and hopping on. He turned on the machine with haste and carried the Commander along with his beaten-up mobile suit back to the Vesalius before the Pilot of the Strike and Strike Freedom could return.
Once they were back in the hanger, "Commander!" A worried Yzak quickly jumped off the Duel to check up on his superior, only to surprisingly find the man gone.
00000
Father...
Kira...
Archangel...
Unaware to what was happening outside the small vicinity, Flay sat alone on a sofa looking down at the disk, which she wrapped protected around her slim fingers. She thought of the disk, and the daunting complex mission Commander Le Creuset has left her only a few hours before he departed for something that he had mentioned to be of utmost importance.
Flay closed her eyes and squeezed the palm of her hand, recalling the incident.
Commander Rau Le Creuset had looked extremely exhausted when he had returned to his quarters then.
Flay had watched him with both wonder and concern as the blond commander plop down on his work chair.
Floating over, "You look exhausted".
Aware of Flay's presence, he calmly turned to her "Even I am only human my dear. I live a life from battlefield from battlefield. And I cannot really disagree. If you say it's my own fault for being a soldier and choosing this life but no body is ever born in to this world as a soldier."
In hearing this, Flay felt a connection. She unconsciously thought of her friends, everyone. Kira, Sai, Miriallia and so many others who were never soldiers to be begin with.
"I would like nothing but to put an end to that... Forever. You agree with me don't you?"
Flay thought about what the Commander had just said. It was a nice thought. To be able to revert everything back into how they used to be before the war. She would like that. Everyone including herself could lead a normal life again. She could go back to school with her friends. Where the most complicated problems she would have to face include homework and boys. Except the idea of a blissful life for her seemed like a faraway dream and a tad too late now. Now, that her father was forever gone.
Flay simply continued to stare blankly down at the Commanders desk; not saying a word while unconsciously, mirroring her unspoken thoughts and heart through her expressive blue-gray eyes.
In noticing this, Commander Le Creuset could only smile. As he had predicted, now would be the perfect time to assign Flay to what he had been long planning for.
Gently, he revealed a floating disk at the palm of his hand for Flay to see. "I have the final key in my hands." The disk spun freely yet gradually in zero gravity. "But if the final key stays her then that final door will never open. I wish I could open that door as soon as possible."
Bang.
Flay bolted up noticing the sound that came from outside.
A few seconds later, the door to the Commander Le Creuset's quarter flew open as the said Commander returned.
When the Commander had came rushing back into the room looking completely haggard and mask-less in front of Flay for the first time, Flay thought, he looked nothing like his usual self.
For the first time, Commander Le Creuset was neither calm nor composed. And Flay moved to get closer, partially worried of him until she lost the courage from- witnessing the said Commander desperately digging through his desk drawers, like a mad man, in search for a pack of medicine.
After spotting the sedatives, the commander consumed the pills rather quickly before grabbing a new mask from the drawer which he hurriedly wore.
Paying no attention to anything else, the Commander pressed the call button on his desk.
"Commander, what happened?" a male voice spoke up from the receiver.
Not caring that Flay was there with him, Commander Le Creuset yelled through the speakers. "Get the Vaselius moving, now! Get ready to deploy the Mobile Suits. Have the Visinger and Helldarling do the same!"
"Are you sure?" The man on the other end replied.
"Do you think we have come all this way and do nothing! No matter what, we cannot let those Earth Forces get those machines!"
"But sir..."
"I'm going too. Have my Zaku prepared. I will be on the bridge shortly!" And with that, the Commander ended communication. Taking a couple of deep breaths, Rau Le Creuset turned to Flay with a smirk, instantly, after recomposing himself. "I will need your help as well." He told her, "This is my final gamble to see if the door will be opened. I presume you still have the disk?"
Flay froze at the Commander's gaze. "I- I have it..." She said, displaying the small rectangular disk between her quivering hands.
"Good. Come with me." The Commander grabbed Flay roughly by the arm before she was even ready; his grip inflicting pressure against her skin, as he dragged her out and into a changing room located a few halls away.
Flay was told to put on a space suit without question, which she obeyed out of fear. And then she was handed over to the administration of two other men, whom Flay were not familiar with when Commander La Creuset suddenly disappeared,
They took her to the hanger and explained nothing.
Frightened, Flay had watched at a distance as the men readied a small green life pod, made to fit only one person.
Once the pod was ready, one of the two men pushed Flay forward telling her to enter it. And what terrified Flay more was the fact- she was ordered to aboard the thing on her own.
Hesitant to enter, Flay paused outside the open life pod entirely confused of what was going on. Where is the Commander? Where is Yzak? Flay was getting real scared being alone with the two of them. What are these men planning to do with her?
"Just get in there!" The first guy commanded, leaving Flay to follow-through with the door automatically shutting her in behind her.
Completely terrified, Flay's first initiative was to quickly glance out from one of the two windows available in order to gesture out for possible help.
"What do they got in mind for that girl?" Flay caught a glimpse of the second guy asking the first.
"I don't know. Maybe the Commander had some kind of plan for her." The first guy replied as the two men floated away.
The Commander...
Flay paused, then sat down. Suddenly grasping a small idea of why she was there. Alone with nothing else to do, Flay took a deep breath, then quietly took another glance at the disk entrusted to her.
The Commander's voice echoed clearly within her memory. "I am very tired now. So please deliver this final key for me. If this reaches the Earth Forces, this war will come to an end."
00000
Currently, at the bridge, with no time to spare, Commander Le Creuset floated over beside Captain Ades and called to open public communication.
This was his final gamble.
"Attention the Archangel Class Earth Forces Vessel. Before we commence battle I'd like to return a captive to you." The commander's amplified voice announced, raising a whole lot of eyebrows.
At the hanger, Yzak as well as the rest of the crew there keened up at the Commander's surprising announcement. Return a captive? Yzak pondered for awhile before a realization hit him. Flay! The Commander can't be serious!
Back at the bridge, the commander then turned off the communication device and left for the hanger, leaving orders to the release a specific pod as soon as he sorte.
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This must be just one of the Commander's tricks. Yzak switched on his machine as he readied for launch. After all, the Commander always has some hidden strategy behind his sleeves. Yzak entered his code on the Duel's mainframe. That has to be it! The Commander wouldn't just hand Flay over in such a chaos, would he? Of course, the Commander wouldn't! Yzak so wanted to believe.
"The main target is the Eternal!" The commander ordered, suddenly appearing through the screen of his intercommunication device.
"Sir." Yzak complied.
GAT-X102 Duel launched. Followed by ZGMF-X13A Providence. And then as ordered, the Vesalius released a small life pod into the middle of the battlefield.
Feeling his own heart thumping hard, Yzak observed the said pod rather carefully as it spun around in unhinged circles.
From a distance, the pod looked raw, empty, and of no control.
As expected. Yzak thought out with a sense of unconscious relief.
If this was indeed a trap planned out by the Commander then it was apparently poorly done. No one would be dumb enough to pick up a strange pod freely given to them by an opposing force.
But then, why should he be concerned about this? He should not be bothered with useless things like this when he had more important things to take care off.
A couple of orange mobile suit appeared on the Duel's screen. Yzak rushed to bring them down when he was suddenly intercepted by a beam shot from above.
Yzak looked up then glared. "Dearka..."
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Flay felt more scared than sick. What is she supposed to do? Flay breathed hard, trying to access SOS through the systems. She had watched how the soldiers operated the Vesalius many times. But at her heighten state, calling for help had proven to be rather difficult. She could not think clearly.
Please work. "Archangel!" Flay called, after pressing a couple of buttons, fearing that she might be left there forgotten.
Nothing happened.
Flay desperately tried again, pressing another set of buttons when she screamed, having felt something blow up not so far away. Flay gasped for air. She did not want to die here! She could not possibly die here! Not when she has the key that could end war...
Flay panicked, suddenly recalling how her father died. How Kira disappeared. And then her thoughts unconsciously drifted to Yzak and how he would not have given up there.
She needs to calm down at least...
Flay shook her head, shaking herself awake. And while half shaken, she pressed a new set of buttons again, hoping...
Please... Please...
"Archangel!" Flay screamed; her voice successfully amplifying through the battlefield this time.
It can't be! Yzak paused, his attention quickly drifting to the sole life pod, similar to the many other pilots who heard the girl's cry of distress with complete disbelief.
"I beg you Archangel. I'm here!"
Le Creuset smirked behind his mask. Everything was starting to fall into place.
When Yzak became aware of the ZAFT life pod had Flay in it. Yzak could only watch in complete horror as the girl not meant for war was thrown helplessly back into the bloody battlefield again.
Why? Why would the Commander-? Yzak was lost. Was it not the Commander who strangely cared for the girl that lead the Vesalius' unusual hospitable treatment to a Prisoner of War? So why would the Commander suddenly just throw Flay into such a risks as surrendering her in the middle of crossfire, where she could easily get killed! This made no sense at all! Unless... Yzak felt as if he had been hit. Could it be possible that... Yzak did not want to believe it, but he was really running out of options. Back then, all this time, could he be the only one who actually cared for her?
Yzak cringed as Flay's cry for help, once again, echoed through his ears. And he closed his eyes painfully shut, feeling like he had just been stabbed hard in the chest for being unable to do anything about it while the Calamity and Strike Freedom raced to reach Flay's pod first.
Again... Yzak shuddered. He couldn't-even—stop- something like this from happening…
It was only then did he realize that Flay was nothing more than a scared girl, trying to be brave while forced to grow up too soon and too fast due to the war. She was a lot like him: confused, frightened and insecure, yet too proud and stubborn to admit it.
'I wonder, which one of us is really being deceived?'
**End
FACT: The Vesalius is shot down after this.
Flay realizes that Kira is alive.
WHY THE TITLE: "Win. Lose. You will always be a HERO in my eyes." From Flay's point of view. Hero as in someone- you look up to or admire.
A/N: Not exactly my best work but I feel accomplished finishing this fiction nonetheless.
Comments and Criticisms would be awesome. Questions regarding the story will be entertained just remember to leave an email so I can get back to you. Thank you for reading the last chapter of "HERO".
And have a Happy New Year!