Yo everybody. Sorry about the long wait. I've got this entire story planned and most of Destiny planned out. In fact, I've got most of the final chapter of SEED written out. Complete with the surprise I'm preparing for everyone. And frankly, I have to get to the end of SEED now and start Destiny. It's driving me nuts because I want to write Destiny because of all of the things I have planned. Because five characters that died during SEED, are gonna survive and be in Destiny. While Flay will obviously survive, she's not one of those five. Though there will be a price for their survival.
bloodyknight85: Lol. Yeah Zala's failures and actions will come back to bite him in the end. Particularly, with the 11th Fleet. Especially, since the Speartip Team are actual characters from Seed Destiny. I'm kinda surprised that no one has spotted that yet. As to your comment on Flay, you're absolutely right. I disliked Flay during most of Seed, then she was captured by Creuset and I began to like her and I didn't that at the end of all that, she died. The interesting thing is that when I created Chris and his backstory, I didn't realize that it was similar to happened to Flay. He's been to where Flay is gonna go and he's gonna help pull her out of that path. So you'll see a different Flay from the canon.
I'm kinda surprised that no one has noticed who the Speartip Team is. I would have thought that one person would have said, "Hey. I know those guys.". But no one ever did. So I'll tell you all who they are. The Speartip Team members are the future DOM Trooper pilots of Gundam Seed Destiny. Of course, those of you that didn't realize were I was going with the 11th Fleet, should have a very clear idea now.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam SEED.
Phase Eight: Fading Light
Athrun sat in the cockpit of the Aegis. Preparing it for for combat. Around him, the GINNs were equipping heavy weapons. Save for the blood red one standing across from the Aegis. Zane Scirocco's GINN.
There was something about Zane that unsettled him. Athrun had no idea what it was. But there was definitely something about him that made him uncomfortable.
Athrun opened up the comm to Zane's GINN. "Zane, why aren't you equipping your GINN with heavy weapons, like the others?"
"I don't need such weapons." Zane said. "This rifle and sword are more than enough for these weaklings."
"Weaklings?"
"Yes. Those pathetic Naturals are all weak. Even if they could come up with a mobile suit for Naturals, none could ever hope to match the skill of a Coordinator." Zane said nonchalantly. "They're like lambs to the slaughter."
"Alright guys, you know the drill." Hilda said to her comrades as they approached the EA warships. "Cripple and paint."
"Man. This won't be any fun. They don't stand a chance against us." Mars said.
"But it'd be disrespectful to them to hold back." Herbert replied.
"Ha ha ha ha...You got that right."
"Cut the chatter you two. We got work to do." Hilda said, silencing her comrades.
The trio descended on the Earth Forces. No doubt, the mobile armor pilots of this fleet thought that they could take three GINNs. But that would change when they saw their black and purple colors. Then the fear would come. Fear was the greatest weapon of the 11th Fleet. The Black Hawk had gather them all, the mavericks and undesirables of ZAFT's armed forces. And he molded them into an elite fighting force. The best and most feared fighting force in ZAFT.
They didn't bother slowing down. Speed was their second greatest weapon.
"For the Black Hawk!" Hilda shouted, firing on the incoming mobile armors.
"For the Black Hawk!" Mars and Herbert shouted as they too opened fire.
"Three silhouettes detected at long range. Identifying now. It's the Montgomery, the Bernard and the Law." Romero said.
"Looks like we've made it." Murrue said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Ma'am! Our radar's being jammed."
"What?"
"I'm detecting heat signatures from the advanced fleet. It looks like a battle is breaking out." Jackie called from the CIC.
"Ma'am, a message from the Montgomery. Reads: Cancel rendezvous. Continue to the Eighth Fleet on your own." Romero said.
"How many enemies are there?" Murrue asked.
"Four Nazca-class warships are position near the advanced fleet. Three GINN High Maneuver Types currently engaging the fleet."
"Your orders Captain?" Ensign Badgiruel asked.
"Looks like our luck has run out again. There's no guarantee that we would be able to escape safely if we fled now. Considering it's the 11th Fleet and possibly the Creuset Team we're up against." Murrue paused for a moment, sighing. "All hands, level one battle stations! The Archangel will provide reinforcement for the advanced fleet."
"All hands, report to level one battle stations! I repeat..."
"Figures." Chris said to himself. "Finally get a little time to kick back and relax. And they attack us again."
He left his room as Kira left his own room, across from his. The two sprinted towards the hanger.
"Here I thought we be home free. But I guess those guys pursuing us are a lot more stubborn than I thought." he said to Kira.
"I just wish they'd leave us alone." Kira replied.
Suddenly, to their surprise, the supposedly locked door to Miss Clyne's room opened and Miss Clyne stuck her head out. "My. What's all the commotion about?" she asked.
"Don't tell me that Liz has been talking to you and forgot to lock the door." Chris said in an annoyed tone.
"Actually, both she and Mr. Yamato have been visiting me." she replied.
'Kira's been talking to Miss Clyne? That's odd. I wonder why.'
"The ship's going into battle and we have to report to our battle stations." Kira explained. "And you should stay in your room."
"Are you going to be fighting Mr. Yamato, Mr. Dante?" she asked.
"Yes." Chris said. "Now listen to Kira and get back in your room."
"I don't wanna! I don't wanna!" that annoying little Haro squawked as it bounced around.
"Too bad." Chris said before grabbing the little robot. "Cause you're going back in."
He tossed the little pink ball back into the room. Not hard mind you, he didn't wanna break Miss Clyne's little robot pet, even if he did hate it. Miss Clyne stepped back into her room and closed the door.
They continued on their way to the hanger. But they didn't get to far when they bumped into Flay.
"Chris! Kira!" she shouted, getting their attention. "What's going on? Are we going into battle? Is the ship my dad's on, going to be okay?"
"Don't worry Flay, we'll protect the ship your dad is on. I promise." Kira said.
Chris, a bit more pessimistic, said. "We'll do our best to protect your father's ship."
Hilda opened fire on the Law's engines. Crippling the vessel. A trio of mobile armors opened fire on her. But her GINN was too fast. She dodged their shots and started to circle the Law. Her GINN's head always facing the Law, it's red monoeye glowing brighter than normal. Painting the warship for the warships of the 11th Fleet.
A green light blinked on her console, signaling that the Odin and the other warships had received the coordinates of the Law.
"This one's painted." Herbert said. "All we got left is the flagship."
"Good. Let's finish this up guys." Hilda said.
The Archangel entered the battlefield, firing it's Valiants as the Moebius Zero, the Strike and the Raven launched from the ship.
Unfortunately, that was what the two Commanders of the ZAFT fleet were waiting for.
"Sir. The legged ship has entered the battle."
Diana Kessel smiled. She had hoped that they would fall for the trap. "Recall the Speartip Team. Deploy all mobile suits. Have the Odin, the Valkyrie and the Einherjar fire their main batteries on the painted warships." she said from the cockpit of her CGUE. "And everyone, leave the Moebius Zero to me."
"But sir, we haven't received the coordinates of Nelson-class."
"Then we will bring you the coordinates or destroy it ourselves."
"Yes sir."
"Diana Kessel. Panther Mk II launching." She said as the catapult launched her CGUE.
All of the remaining mobile suits of the 11th Fleet followed.
Rau smiled as the legged ship and it's mobile suits arrived on the battlefield. "The stars of the show has arrived. Let's make sure we give them a warm welcome. Deploy all mobile suits."
The Aegis launched first, followed by Zane's GINN and the remaining GINNs. It was time to end this.
Kira fired at one of the black and purple GINNs, but it dodged the incoming beams and fired off an RPG at him. Kira dodged the RPG and was about to fire, when the GINN took off. Fleeing the battlefield.
The surviving Moebius pilots of the advanced fleet let out a cheer. "You guys managed to scare them off!" one pilot said.
"No." Lieutenant La Flaga grimly said. "We haven't scared them off. That was just the Speartip. The actual attack is coming."
"Incoming mobile suits!" Ensign Badgiruel shouted over the comm. "The Aegis, a single CGUE and at least thirteen GINNs!"
Kira's eye widened in surprise. How could they beat that many mobile suits?
"What?! That's at least fifteen mobile suits! How are we suppose to beat that many?" Chris said.
Mu sighed as the ZAFT mobile suits arrived. "We don't have any other choice. Here they come. Get ready."
Suddenly, two pairs of beams shot out and struck the Law and the Bernard. Destroying them.
'No...'
Kira gripped the controls of the Strike tighter. They had just taken out two of the three ships that made up the advanced fleet. He had to protect the Montgomery. He had promised Flay that nothing would happen to her father. And he wasn't gonna let her down.
"So Athrun, which one do you want? The Strike or the Raven?" Zane asked as the two reached the battlefield.
Zane already knew what Athrun was going to say. He was going to go after his traitor friend piloting the Strike. No doubt Athrun would try to disarm and disable the Strike so he could take his friend. It was pathetic. The traitor had clearly made his choice. Only thing that should be done is destroy the Strike and the traitor pilot.
"I'll go after the Strike." Athrun replied.
'Pathetic fool. Just as predicable as you father.'
Zane turned his attention to the remaining mobile suit. The Raven. There was an odd feeling in the back of his mind. But he brushed it aside. Now wasn't the time for such things.
"Time for our rematch, Mu La Flaga." a woman's voice said, as the CGUE firing on his Moebius Zero.
Mu barely managed to make a sharp right turn, dodging the incoming bullets. He recognized the CGUE's colors. It was same one as that last GINN he shot down at Endymion. Apparently, this woman was the pilot and she had survived and now wanted a rematch.
'Figures. This must be payback for all the skirts I chased when I was a kid.'
Mu dove as she opened fire on him. The CGUE closely followed, firing off well aimed burst as it chased him. This was going to one difficult battle.
The Raven, in it's mobile armor mode, dove as the blood red GINN opened fire on him. A few rounds struck the Raven, but had little impact on it's phase-shift armor. This pilot was good. Very good. But this mobile suit had some tricks up it's sleeve.
The Raven spun as it transformed back into it's mobile suit mode and fired it's railguns. Zane barely dodged the twin high-velocity rounds.
"Tricky bastard." Zane said. "Take this!"
Zane fired on the Raven while dodging more of the Raven's shots. To his annoyance, his rounds had little effect on it's armor. Zane discarded the useless rifle and drew his sword. He moved in close to the Raven, preventing it from firing it's railguns. He swung his sword at the mobile suit. Chris brought the Raven's shield up, blocking the strike. Chris drew a beam saber and attacked. The GINN sidestepped the attack.
"Not bad. But not good enough!!" Zane said as he drove the GINN's left fist into the Raven's head.
"Damn. This guy's good. Better than I am." Chris said.
The Raven swung it's beam saber at the GINN. The GINN turned, bring it's shield in front of the saber's path, blocking the attack.
"Captain. We've gotten coordinates for the Nelson-class."
"Alert our forces." Captain Lee said. "Once they've acknowledged, open fire."
A few minutes later, the main cannons of the Odin fired. Twin beams streaked through space. No one could stop the beams from hitting their target. The Montgomery. The beams pierced the battleship's hull. The Montgomery exploded in a massive fireball.
"No..." Chris whispered.
Things had gone from bad to worse. No, scratch that. This was beyond worse. The Archangel was now completely alone and outnumbered. The GINNs of the 11th Fleet moved in on the Archangel. With the Strike, the Raven, and the Moebius Zero busy with their own battles, it was defenseless.
"Attention ZAFT Forces." Badgiruel said over the comm. "This is the Earth Alliance warship, the Archangel. We have on board, Miss Lacus Clyne. Daugther of ZAFT Supreme Council Chairman Siegal Clyne."
Everyone stopped.
"Ah...Dammit." Chris said. "This isn't gonna end well."
"Who gives a damn about the Pink Princess?" Zane said.
"This is unexpected." Diana said. "All forces, withdraw immediately!"
"WHAT?!" Zane shouted.
Rau stared out on the battlefield. This changed everything. "I agree." Rau said. "We must withdraw for the time being."
The ZAFT Forces immediately started leaving the battlefield.
"Gah!" Zane shouted, punching his main screen, before he too withdrew from the battlefield.
The Archangel's Hanger
The Raven's cockpit hatch opened. Chris pulled off his helmet and sighed. Things were really screwed up. He hated what Badgiruel did. But at the same time, it save them from certain death. The question was, what now?
"Chirs!" Liz shouted, floating up to him.
"What?"
"Something happened." Liz said. "Flay dragged Lacus onto the bridge and demanded that we tell the ZAFT Forces to stop attacking or she'd kill Lacus."
Chris sighed. He was gonna have to talk to her about that.
Zane was angry. Not at the retreat. But at the damned Raven. Zane could tell that he was the better pilot, but the damned machine was too strong. The GINN's rifle was useless against that machine's armor.
"Sir, would you like us to get you another rifle for your GINN?" a mechanic asked.
"No. I need something heavier."
"We could equip it with a heavy particle cannon."
"No. That will slow down my GINN too much." Zane said. "Do we have any heavier rifles?"
"I'm not sure. I'll check our inventory."
"Do you have the 11th Fleet's inventory list as well?"
"Ah...Yeah. Why?"
"Check their inventory as well." Zane said. "I need a stronger weapon that doesn't weight down my GINN too much. If the 11th Fleet refuses to give you anything, tell them Commander Creuset ordered it."
"Yes sir." the mechanic said before leaving to carry out his orders.
"Next time, I will destroy that machine."
"LAIR!" he heard Flay shout as he entered her quarters.
Kira, Sai and Miri were there with her. Flay was yelling at Kira.
"And YOU!!" Flay shouted at him. "You're a lair, too!! You both promised that nothing would happen to my father! But you weren't even trying! It's because you're Coordinators!"
Normally, Chris would have let her vent for a little while longer. But enough was enough.
"That's enough!" Chris shouted. "We fought as hard as we could. But even that wasn't good enough to save them. Claiming that we weren't trying hard enough, is an insult! More people died today than just your father! Don't think that you're the only one that's lost someone today! This is a war! People are dying everyday! Quit being selfish and grow up! If you really want to take your anger out on someone, than take it out on me!"
Flay slapped him. "Come on! I thought you were angry!"
Flay slapped him again. Harder.
"Come on! Hit me! Use all that anger and hit me with it!"
"Stop it!" Kira shouted. "This is pointless!"
Chris turned to him. "Stay out of this. I know what I'm-"
WHAM!!!
Chris stood there for a moment. "Ow." was all he said, before collapsing.
Flay stood over him, breathing heavily, tears still following down her face and holding a now-bent food tray.
Later
Chris groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. "What hit me?"
"Flay." Liz said.
"Damn." Chris said, rubbing his head. "I wouldn't have antagonized her if I knew she hit that hard."
"She hit you with a food tray."
"Oh. That explains things. I thought I was getting weak there for a moment."
"So, besides the tray to your head, did that accomplish?"
"We'll have to see. Maybe nothing. Maybe something." Chris said. "So how long was I out?"
"About forty-five minutes." Liz replied. "You're lucky your skull's as thick as it is."
Chris shrugged. "Anything changed?"
"Nah. We're still pretty much in the same situation." his sister replied. "Kira's getting ready to take Miss Clyne to the ZAFT Fleet."
"Really? Aren't we using her as a hostage?"
"Yeah...Well...The Captain doesn't know."
"Should have known." Chris said, getting up off the bunk. "Well, I can't let him go something so reckless by himself."
It didn't take him long to find Kira. He, along with Sai and Miri, had just reached Lacus's quarters.
"Taking Lacus back to the ZAFT Forces?" he asked.
"Yes." Kira replied. "Are going to try to stop us?"
"Yes and no."
"What?"
"I'll take Miss Clyne to the ZAFT Fleet." Chris explained. "You and the Strike are far more valuable to the Archangel."
"That's not true." Kira said.
"It is. The Strike is far more versatile than the Raven is. And you're a far better pilot than I am. If things go bad, it's better that you stay with the Archangel, to protect it."
"Alright."
Chris zipped up his flightsuit and grabbed his helmet. So far, everything had gone smoothly. Miss Clyne was in another room, putting on her own spacesuit. Miri and Liz were on look out while Sai and Kira were making sure that the path to the hanger was clear.
Chris stepped out into the hallway. "Any sign of trouble?"
Miri shook her head. "No. It's clear."
"Good."
The door opened, and Lacus, clad in a spacesuit, exited the room.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yes Mr. Dante." Lacus said.
"Alright then. Let's go."
"Let's go! Haro! Let's go!"
He was not going to miss that thing. Chris sighed. "Keep that thing quiet."
When they reached the hanger, Kira and Sai were there waiting from them.
"Okay, we'll get the hanger doors. You two get to the Raven." Kira said.
"Right. This way Miss Clyne."
The two quickly reached the Raven and climbed into it's cockpit. Chris started the mobile suit up and headed for the hanger door. The hanger crew instantly started freaking out. Trying to stop the rogue mobile suit.
The inner hanger door opened. The Raven entered the mobile suit catapult.
"This about to get little rough. Hold on."
The catapult activated, propelling the Raven into space. Chris immediately transformed the Raven into it's mobile armor mode and took off.
"The problem is that with Miss Clyne on board, we can't take any action." Rau said. "But at the same time, we can't allow them to reach the rest of Earth Alliance Forces."
"Not necessarily. We could ambush them and launch a commando raid on the legged ship and rescue Miss Clyne. We may even be able to capture the ship, all in one fell swoop." Kessel said, via the ship's main screen.
Rau considered Kessel's plan. If it succeed, even if they just rescued Miss Cylne, she and 11th Fleet would be the heroes and he would be the laughing stock of ZAFT. If they failed however, it work out for him and Patrick Zala, especially if Miss Clyne and Commander Kessel died just the raid.
Suddenly, alarm sirens went off. "Sir! Incoming mobile suit!"
"What?! Identity it!" Captain Ades ordered.
"It's the X305!"
"It's hailing us."
"Let's hear it." Rau ordered.
"ZAFT vessels, this is the pilot of the Raven. Do not fire. I have Miss Lacus Clyne on board." the young pilot said. "I am here to transfer her over to you. Send out only the Aegis and it's pilot and I will hand her over."
"Very well then." Rau replied. "We will send out the Aegis."
They cut the communication. "You heard him Athrun. Deploy the Aegis and recover Miss Clyne."
"Commander! Allow me to go in the Aegis instead." Zane said.
Rau was surprised by this. Zane had no interest in Miss Clyne. Meaning that his only reason for going out there would be to destroy the Raven. If that happened, Miss Clyne would undoubtedly be caught in the crossfire. And if something happened to her, with the 11th Fleet here, not even Patrick Zala could save him from punishment.
"No. He requested Athrun. And that's what we'll give him."
Zane watched as the Aegis take off from the Vesalius's hanger. His rage was evident to everyone. Now more than ever, he wanted to destroy the Raven.
"What is the status on the railgun?!"
"Well sir, we've mounted the unit onto your GINN and replaced the ammo clip racks with clip racks for the railgun. We've also adjusted the computer to railgun's weight and it's recoil. We're about to calibrate the weapon's aiming system right now" the mechanic replied.
"Leave it. I'll calibrate in the field." he said. "I'm launching."
"Sir?"
"You heard me. Have the ammo loaded and put it on the catapult." he said, kicking off the ground, floating to the cockpit of his GINN.
He was going to end this right here and now.
The Aegis approached the Raven. The two mobile suits stood face to face with each other. Both cockpit hatches opened up.
"Why did you ask for me?" Athrun asked.
"Because of that battle before Artemis Base. You had the chance to blow both Kira and I away, yet you didn't." Chris replied. "I figured that if anyone would let me escape without a fight, it'd be you."
Chris turned to Lacus. "Alright Miss Clyne, this is where we part ways." he said, giving her a push out the hatch.
"Good bye." Lacus said, waving as she floated to Athrun and the Aegis. Athrun caught her. Chris sat back down and was about to close the hatch, when Athrun called out, "Wait!"
"What?!"
"You're a Coordinator, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Then come with us. You and Kira both don't belong with the Earth Forces."
"No."
"But-"
"Behind me is the Archangel. I will not abandon her. Because everything I love is on board that ship."
"CHRIS!!!"
Suddenly, a high-velocity round tore past the side of the Raven. Missing the mobile suit by only a few feet.
It was the blood red GINN. It's rifle replaced with railgun. The weapon was mounted on it's right shoulder. But that wasn't what truly caught Chris off guard. It was the voice that shouted at him.
Chris walked up to the battered boy laying on the ground. "You okay?" he asked, kneeling down.
"Yeah..." the boy said. "You didn't have to help me."
"True. But it was three against one and wasn't about to let a bunch of spineless bullies beat up somebody." he replied, extending his hand. "Here."
The boy took his hand and Chris helped him get back up to his feet. The boy was in pretty rough shape. He had a number of bruises and cuts but nothing appeared to be broken. "C'mon, I'll take you to my parents. They're doctors." he said, helping the injured boy walk to his house. "My name's Chris, Chris Dante."
"I'm Zane Scirocco."
"No...It can't be..." he whispered.
"It's been quite awhile, Chris." Zane said, aiming the GINN's railgun at the Raven.
Chris froze. "But how...Junius Seven was destroyed..."
"Isn't it obvious? Like you, I wasn't there." he replied. "Why did you betray your own kind?! Why are you fighting for those bastards?!"
Chris shook his head. This wasn't the Zane he knew. The Zane he knew was a pacifist, who hated violence in all it's forms. "What happened to you Zane? Once, you hated the idea of wars. So why are you in the cockpit of that GINN?"
"The Zane you knew, died alongside Junius Seven!" Zane shouted. "Now die traitor!!"
Railgun fired again. But the shot went wide. "Dammit!" Zane cursed as to properly calibrate the weapon. "You stupid weapon!"
Chris brought the Raven's own railguns to bare. But...He just couldn't bring himself to fire. Zane on the other hand, was more than able to fire again.
This time, the round hit it's target. Tearing through the left side of the Raven's head. Fortunately, it didn't destroy the Raven's head. Instead, it tore up the armor of left side of the head and damaged the camera in the left eye.
"Stop!" Lacus shouted. "Are you trying to start a battle in the presence of a War Memorial Representative?"
"Are you joking? Are you that stupid?!" Zane said. "This is war! There are no rules, but to wipe out your opponent! It doesn't stop because of some prissy, weak, pink haired brat wants it to!"
"That's enough Zane." Rau said over the comm. "You disobeyed my orders and engaged a mobile suit with a civilian practically standing right next to it. Return to the Vesalius."
"But sir-"
"Return. Or your punishment will be worse."
"Yes sir."
The GINN and the Aegis took off, heading back for the Vesalius. While the Raven left for the Archangel. Chris didn't say anything as the Raven entered the Archangel's hanger. He didn't say anything as armed guards pulled him from the cockpit. Nor did he say anything as they threw him in the brig.
His entire thoughts were on Zane. How could he become so consumed by anger and hatred? How could he just turn his back to everything he believed in?
Most of all, he wondered if he'd ever see the friend he once knew again.
That's all for now. Yay. One more chapter and the battles on Earth begin! Which is something I'm looking forward to. Though I am very pleased with this chapter. I really enjoyed the whole revelation on who Zane is. As to what Zane's railgun looks like, picture the gun of the Tallgeese I and II. That's pretty much what it looks like, expect a little larger. And those of you wondering why Rau is acting a little different than he did in the canon, it's because of the 11th Fleet. He knows that Kessel hates him and is watching him like a hawk. So being extra careful to avoid doing anything that she could use against him.