Terrance watched as the Purity forces struggled to stop the two ZAFT ships breaking through their ranks. "I heard we're meant to have three ships attacking the Crucifix, I wonder where the other one is" the older man spoke, looking for any signs of another breach in Purity's defences. "I guess they must be Earth or Orb troops… looks like it's just us and the Ceres for now" he said.
"Your orders Commander?" the captain of the Bayonet, Quinton Jacobs asked.
"Do as you see fit Jacobs, I'm launching. Just make sure nobody here gets shot down, especially the Ceres" Terrance said as he left the bridge. He headed down to the hangar and boarded his black Slash ZAKU Phantom. "This is Terrance Kingston, ZAKU, launching!" he called as he flew onto the battlefield. "Raquel, Victor, Roberto, we'll cover the rear of the ships!" Terrance ordered, flying to the back of the Bayonet. A GuAIZ R and two GINN Type High-Maneuver 2s joined Terrance. The ZAKU drew its beam axe and shoulder charged a Duel before slicing it in two with the axe. The two GINNs flew side by side, firing their beam carbines into any Purity suit they could see.
"Raquel, there are a Sword Impulse and Sword Strike heading for the Bayonet!" Roberto called to the GuAIZ R.
"I see them" Raquel replied. She dashed forward and then strafed to avoid a swing from the Strike. She engaged the beam sabre in her shield and drove it through the cockpit. One of the beam boomerangs of the Impulse struck Raquel's right leg, severing it from the knee. "Shit!" she said, turning to see the red and white Gundam flying at her with both swords drawn. She boosted back to avoid the swords and then flicked out her two railguns, firing several shots at the Impulse. The Gundam avoided all of the shots except the last which destroyed its left arm. The Impulse came forward again but this time Raquel was ready. She dodged the sword swing by strafing left and then swinging her shield with the beam sabre activated. The sabre took off the Impulse's other arm at the shoulder.
"I'll kill you Coordinator!" the Purity pilot roared, ramming his suit into the GuAIZ. "You'll burn in hell!" he yelled. Raquel's eyes widened as the suit began to glow. She boosted back but when the Impulse exploded, the explosion caught the front of her GuAIZ, destroying the head and exposing the inside of the cockpit.
"Raquel get back to the Bayonet now!" Terrance ordered when he saw the damage.
"Roger" the female pilot groaned, ignoring the piece of shrapnel in her hip. The GuAIZ sped off towards the Bayonet. When she had nearly reached the ship, Roberto noticed a shimmer from behind her. He watched as the shimmer quickly turned into a Blitz Gundam.
"Raquel!" he yelled, dashing towards her. The Blitz seemed to raise its Trikeros in slow motion as the GuAIZ R turned. The three anti-armour penetrators launched and Roberto flew between the Blitz and GuAIZ. Raquel watched horror as the three needle-like weapons pierced the GINN, one going straight into the cockpit. "End this war… Ceres…" Roberto coughed seconds before his GINN exploded.
"Roberto!" Victor screamed, firing his beam carbine into the back of the Blitz multiple times, destroying the Gundam. Tears streaked down his face as he flew to the GuAIZ, Raquel to shaken to make it move. "Raquel… please go back to the ship. Don't let my brother's sacrifice be for nothing" Victor spoke. Raquel nodded and the GuAIZ quickly returned to the Bayonet.
"Victor, stand ready. The enemy is coming" Terrance said, moving closer to the Bayonet. The ZAKU leant forward and the Gatling guns sent out a hail of beam rounds that flew into the group of Gundams heading for the Bayonet.
"Yes sir. I'm taking your axe" Victor spoke without emotion. He took the ZAKUs beam axe and flew into the enemies, swinging it viciously and destroying several suits. "Take this you Purity bastards! This is for Roberto!" Victor roared, cleaving through a Saviour. He turned to see the beam sabre of an Aegis sever his left arm. He swung his axe with his right arm and destroyed the Gundam. He retreated from the mass of Gundams and handed the axe back to Terrance.
"Get back to the Bayonet Victor, you can't fight with just one arm" the older soldier spoke.
"I'll be fine" Victor said, flying away, drawing his carbine. He spotted a Purity Nazca-class ship heading for the Bayonet, its catapult opening. "I won't let you get the Bayonet!" he said, flyting at the ship. He opened a number pad on his console and hit four numbers quickly. "Burn in hell Purity" he spoke, crashing his GINN into the Nazca-class' hangar just as the self-destruct mechanism kicked in. The GINN exploded, causing a chain reaction in all of the Gundams on board the ship. Terrance watched as the Purity ship erupted into a ball of fire.
"Damn it… Bayonet I'm returning" he said, slamming his fist into the console of his ZAKU. The ZAKU turned and fled back to the Bayonet, docking in the hangar.
"Terrance, we have a spare GuAIZ R on board, I'll join you when you launch again" Raquel said, floating up to her Commander as his cockpit opened.
"Yes… we'll wait until we reach the Crucifix" Terrance said quietly.
"How are we faring?" Alastair asked, looking at Xero.
"We've lost eight ships so far. We've destroyed almost half of the ZAFT fleet and one ship from the EAF fleet. We've received word that a group of Orb ships are coming around and attacking from the right. For now the battle is in our favour thanks to our numbers but I don't think it will last too much longer" Xero reported.
"I see… What of the Ceres?" Alastair asked.
"It broke through out defensive line earlier with a Nazca-class and is heading towards us" Xero replied.
"As expected. Have the Cherubim intercept them. Allen should be able to hold them off with the Cherubim's forces for a little while" Alastair ordered. "Also, make sure the Tyranny and Prejudice are ready for launch" he added. Xero bowed slightly and left the bridge.
"So, since Allen's loyalty is wavering you'll have him go out and get shot down in a pointless attempt to stop the Ceres…" Xero muttered as he floated down a corridor. "You heartless bastard Alastair" he said, punching the wall.