The next few days passed without incident. However on the fourth day, Alastair made good on his promise. The Ceres came alive when two Purity carriers were sighted off the coast of Orb. The order was issued and the pilots went to their machines. The battle plan was simple. The Gundams that could fly would go for the carriers while those that couldn't would stay on the mainland and protect it. The Chaos and Saviour took to the skies with the Ceres while the Duel, Sword Calamity and Launcher Strike stayed behind.
"Why can't they just give it up? They have ZAFT, Orb and the EAF united against them and they still fight… What for? Why can't they just surrender and leave this world in peace?!" Garret said, slamming his fist down on his console. He raised his rifle as several standard mass-produced suits broke through from Orb's sea defences. They weren't Gundams, Garret figured they'd be saving them. "I don't care how many you send, I'll shoot down every one!" he called, quickly dispatching two suits. The Astrays and Murasames around him struggled to keep pace as the Coordinator pilot destroyed enemy after enemy. The battle seemed fairly one sided with Purity's forces falling quickly and the carriers starting to fall back. Flares went up and the remaining Purity suits began retreating.
"Ha! That was easy, so much for Purity's best pilots" one of the Orb pilots laughed.
"Don't let your guard down, it could be a ruse!" Garret snapped, turning to the pilot's M1.
"Garret! Do you read me?" Aston's voice called over the Duel's radio, the urgency clear in his voice.
"Yes, what is it?" Garret asked in response.
"Victoria is under attack by four enemies, I'm sending her coordinates. Back her up immediately!" Aston called and Garret's eyes widened.
"Roger!" Garret said and his Duel ran. He glanced down, not too much power left he thought to himself. He rounded the ruins of a building and saw Victoria fighting three ZAKUs and a DINN. She had abandoned her Launcher pack and was down to only her Armour Schneider knives. "Victoria!" Garret roared, firing a shot that barely missed the closest ZAKU. That ZAKU as well as one of the others charged the Duel, their tomahawks raised. Garret threw his rifle and shield aside, drawing both beam sabres. He drove his right sabre through the cockpit of the first ZAKU and pushed it away as the second came. The green suit swung and struck the Duel just above the left elbow, shearing off everything below it. Garret didn't take the time to acknowledge the loss and drove his Gundam's knee up, staggering the ZAKU before he cut through its torso diagonally.
"Stay away!" Victoria screamed, slashing out with one of her knives, nicking the DINN's cockpit. Garret's eyes widened as he saw the Strike turn grey and the two Purity suits advance. The ZAKU's tomahawk took off the Strike's right arm before it shoulder barged the cockpit. It swung again and the Strike's right leg came off below the knee. As the Gundam fell the DINN fired it's shotgun from behind, wrecking the back of the Strike and forcing it to smash face-first into the ground.
"You bastards!" Garret roared, entering seed mode as he charged. The Duel's sabre sliced through the ZAKU and the green suit fell away and exploded. The Gundam's phase shift ran out and Garret grabbed one of the Strike's knives. He rammed the DINN, knocking it to the ground before repeatedly driving the knife into the suit's cockpit. As he came to his senses, Garret walked the Duel to the Strike and climbed out. He threw his helmet aside and ran to the Gundam, crawling under its raised shoulder. "Victoria!" he called, finding the emergency release for the cockpit and opening it as far as he could. He looked inside, able to get in and tears filled his eyes. He saw the red on the walls and Victoria's still form. He didn't even hear Aston or the medical team approach as the tears cascaded down his cheeks.
Garret stood outside the Ceres' medical bay, his head in his hands as he waited. "Shouldn't you go talk to him?" Hilde asked Marcel as the two watched from around the corner of the closest corridor.
"I wouldn't know what to say…" Marcel whispered, shaking his head sadly. The two watched as the doctor came out, wiping the sweat from his brow. They saw him talk with Garret and then walk away as the blonde pilot slumped down to the floor. Hilde nudged Marcel and the younger pilot rounded the corner and approached Garret. "What did he say?" Marcel asked, sitting down on the floor.
"Her injuries are bad but she should be ok. They've closed all the wounds but she's still unconscious, they're transferring her to one of Orb's hospitals" Garret spoke, his voice quiet and dull.
"It's good to know she'll be ok. Not to mention if she's in one of the hospitals here she'll be well looked after" Marcel said reassuringly.
"It's my fault. I should have been there, I should have moved faster" Garret spoke, tears appearing on his face again.
"It's not your fault Garret. You did everything you could, and what you did kept her alive. If not for you, she would have been killed out there. You saved her life" Marcel spoke. Garret didn't respond. He pulled his knees up to his chest and pulled his arms around them, lowering his head. "Come on, let's get you back to your room, we'll visit Victoria as soon as we can" Marcel spoke, getting to his feet and holding his hand out to Garret. The blonde pilot looked up, his eyes rimmed red. He reached out and took Marcel's hand, slowly getting to his feet.
"I thought I was going to lose her…" Garret spoke quietly as the two headed for Garret's room. "My mind went nuts when I saw her go down. I saw Cecil then I saw Victoria disappearing. I just thought, that I had to protect her, that I wouldn't lose another friend" he explained.
"You didn't. You protected Victoria, because of you she's going to be fine" Marcel said, trying to get his friend's mind back on track. When they reached Garret's room, Marcel opened the door, "Get yourself some sleep Garret, you need to rest" Marcel spoke. Garret nodded and walked inside. The door slid closed behind him and Garret sat down on the edge of his bed.
The blonde pilot let out a sigh and put his head in his hands. "Gundam, I will use it. The power to protect, I will not let Purity destroy this world. Together with the Duel, I will protect Victoria, the Ceres, everyone" Garret spoke looking up, his eyes burning with determination. "But will the Duel be strong enough? No… if I want to defeat the Tyranny I'm going to need something more powerful" Garret said, gazing at his laptop sitting on his desk. Garret let his mind wander for several hours before he finally fell asleep.
The next day Victoria was transferred to a hospital on the Orb mainland. The morale of the crew suffered but the ZAFT soldiers continued their work, repairing and restocking the ship and its mobile suits. Garret spent the majority of the following few days at the hospital, keeping Victoria company when she finally awoke. The others visited frequently, each spending time with their friend. The Ceres received word that the Izanami was heavily engaged with Purity forces in and around London but were given orders to remain in Orb for the time being.
Garret walked into the hospital room, the morning sun gently shining on Victoria who stood at the window. Her right arm was in a sling and her head bandaged. She also had a dressing on her left cheek and Garret had been told there were several more on her body. It was not the injuries that Garret noticed first however, it was Victoria's hair. The brunette locks that had hung almost halfway down the girl's back now stopped at her shoulders. As Victoria turned to face him, Garret was almost stunned when he didn't see the long hair spin with her.
"Nine thirty-two. You are two minutes late Mister Kross. I expect you to correct this in future" Victoria spoke as seriously as she could but Garret knew she was trying hard not to laugh.
"I apologise ma'am, it won't happen again" Garret said with a smile, gently hugging her while avoiding her injured arm.
"So, what do you think?" Victoria asked, putting her face right up to the blonde young man's.
"You mean your hair?" he asked in response and the girl nodded eagerly in response. "It looks nice, it really suits you" Garret said with a smile. Victoria's face lit up and the two sat on the bed.
"They said I can go back to the Ceres tomorrow morning. But no mobile suits until my injuries are fully healed" she explained, staring out the huge window.
"That's good news. I'm sure everyone will be happy to see you back on board. That's after they all ask if you're okay half a million times" Garret said. Victoria laughed and nodded.
"I don't know what I'll be piloting when I'm recovered though, I'm sure my Strike is trashed" Victoria sighed.
"Hey, worry about that after you're better" Garret spoke, shaking his head. Victoria smiled and nodded.
"So has the ship been given any orders?" Victoria asked and Garret shook his head. "So we're still on standby huh? Well I guess it's a good thing, it means Purity isn't doing anything too major except for what's happening in London" the brunette spoke.
"I heard Aston and Captain Phillips talking. It sounds like Purity is planning something in space, so I think we might be going back up there soon. It would be nice to get a chance to return to the PLANTs. I'd like to fight Purity on our home ground" Garret said. Victoria looked at Garret, she could tell something had changed in him, he seemed more determined to fight then he had been before. Before the conversation could continue, Garret's phone began to ring. He flipped the device open and put it to his ear. "Garret speaking" he said. Victoria watched as he listened to the other end of the conversation. "Roger, we'll be there soon" he spoke and then hung up.
"We'll be there?" Victoria asked curiously.
"Commander Aston wants the two of us to head over to Morgenroete" Garret spoke.
"Thank god, I can get out of here for a bit" Victoria said with a sigh of relief. The two left the hospital and hired a car to take them where they needed to go. Once the two arrived at Morgenroete they were led to one of the hangars by one of the company's workers. Once inside they saw Aston and Richard talking to Chief Mechanic Erica Simmons.
"We're here sir" Garret said, saluting Aston and Richard. The two senior officers returned the salute.
"So you're Garret Kross. I've heard a lot about you. I've been examining your combat data from your Duel and the Ceres' databases, I have to say that you're quite pilot young man" Erica spoke, examining the red-clad young man.
"Um thank you, but I'm really nothing special" Garret said in response.
"Nonsense, you handle mobile suits like an extension of your own self and you have a knack for piloting machines that you've never even been inside before. Not to mention you also possess the seed, both you and Marcel North" Erica explained.
"The seed?" Garret asked.
"Oh, that's just what we call it. I'm sure you've noticed times when you seem to have blacked out but everyone else has said that it was like a different person in your mobile suit" Erica spoke, Garret nodded. "That is the seed, the ability for you to increase your natural abilities under certain conditions" the mechanic continued. "But that is not why I had you brought here, this is the reason" Erica said, waving her hand to a massive silhouette. The lights came on and Garret's eyes widened at what he saw.