Celestial Being Chronicles - Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Gundam series, nor any of the various series which are used or referenced in my fic, so please point that damned lawsuit cannon at someone else, also, don't read this if you are not of legal age to read such material. The story contains possibly disturbing content and should not be read by close-minded people (i.e., people who are easily offended.) Everything in the story is fictional. I am also not responsible for any actions taken by people who read this story and society's problems. I do, however, own my original character; Hope Yamato.

"Still no change in his location?" Mu La Flaga asked Athrun Zala as the group of soldiers carefully made their way towards the Nerv command center.

"None I can detect. He's about thirty meters above us, and maybe fifty meters to our right." Athrun answered, pointing off in the indicated direction. "He is very agitated and somewhat afraid."

"You think he'll surrender?" One of the soldiers asked, cocking his head in bemusement.

"Oh no." Athrun shook his head definitely. "He intends to fight us."

"Surrender, Ikari." Athrun yelled a few minutes later as he stepped into the blood soaked command center, coming face to face with Gendo Ikari. "Give youself up to us. We will take you back to our ship and you will have a fair trial." Athrun replied firmly. "It may very well be the court's decision to end your life for what you have done, but I will give you the chance to make at least some amends to the world. Although you will never be able to erase the sins you have committed upon the world and humanity."

Gendo laughed bitterly. "A fair trial? Don't bullshit me. There can be no such thing with regard to me. Where would you get a jury that was not biased either for or against me? Where would we find a judge that did not blame me for what I have done? No, my guilt is assured, and so is my fate. I won't sell you my pride, its all I have left." Just as he finished, Meyrin Hawke slammed the butt of her rifle into the back of Gendo's head, knocking him unconsious.

"I'm of a mind to consider your bullshit antics yesterday as an act of war." Cagalli said, her anger hot and readily visible on her face as she leaned partway across the heavy wooden table to glare more closely at Gendo Ikari, seated comfortably across from her, just outside arm's reach. "God himself knows, I'd be justified in doing so. You attacked and destroyed Celestial Being military forces without warning. Moreover, you purposefully cut communications between those soldiers and their upper chain of command, to prevent them from getting an official word on how to respond to your illegal actions. And then you took my soldiers hostage at gunpoint after they had suffered and died. If you want a fight with us, Ikari, I'll be glad to give you one you'll never forget."

"Your Majesty, I am offended." Gendo replied with smug calm. "These baseless accusations serve no purpose but as an ill conceived outlet for your personal feelings. They have no place at the diplomatic table. If you cannot be civil, I will have to ask that you be removed from your position."

"WHY YOU LITTLE PIECE OF FUCKING SHIT!" Cagalli almost came over the table at him. Only Murrue all but leaping forward from her position by the doors and slamming Cagalli back into her chair by her hands on the blonde's shoulders prevented that very thing from happening. "HOW DARE YOU!"

"We have eyewitness reports from over forty people of your illegal actions, you lying bastard!" Hope Yamato, in the chair next to Cagalli, spoke up with barely uncontrolled rage, although she was perfectly willing to let Cagalli supply the bombast and emotion they all so desperately wanted to release in this emergency meeting. "Our accusations are hardly baseless. All the stories state the exact same thing. Unless, of course, you're willing to call Lacus Clyne a liar..."

"Of course I'm willing to call her, and every other liar you provide, a liar." Gendo answered crisply. "You have the eyewitness reports of over 400 of your own patriotic soldiers, who are legally and morally obliged to follow your orders and even lie for you, plus a handful of personal friends. What you don't have is solid proof, visual or auditory, or eyewitness reports from unbiased sources. And if you cannot offer me proof, then I am afraid I can lend no credence to these fantastical and frankly disturbingly partisan accusations."

Hope was about to retort when Gendo held up a finger to quell her, and continued on, glancing from time to time at a small monitor that was clipped to his side of the table, the screen turned so only he could see it. "Furthermore, leaping directly into threatening to declare war over these unsubstantiated rumors and accusations, I cannot help but regard as another personal attack. I cannot believe Her Majesty speaks for all of Celestial Being when she displays such a warmongering attitude. That would be very, very unfortunate. Because Celestial Being currently has near zero military power, just a regiment or two of infantry, as well as outdated aircraft and armored vehicles. So if you really want to go to war with Nerv, well then I have this to say." Gendo paused and smirked. "Bring it on. I can have four divisions of mechanized infantry on the ground below, plus an additional three regiments of those weapons that you call "mobile suits", and that is before calling upon the JSSDF to help subdue your rebellion. I can promise you, it will be one of the shortest wars in history."

"You captured our soldiers and then stripped them naked and confiscated all of their gear, including their combat recorders. It's little wonder we don't have any proof to show you." Cagalli snapped. She pointed furiously off to her side, where Lacus and Kira were sitting, both of them merged with their Gundams, with deep frowns on their faces. Kira especially was all but trembling with rage. "Your soldiers, on your orders, stripped a pregnant woman naked in front of hundreds of men and then cavity searched her! THREE TIMES! DON'T YOU HAVE ANY SHAME!"

"I have no shame for events that did not occur. Or cannot be proved to have occur-" Gendo's reply was suddenly cut short, as Kira had finally lost his cool. Before anyone knew it had even happened, Kira had armed his railguns and fired. The high-veloctiy shells effortlessly tore through Gendo's body, instantly reducing it to nothing more than a fine red mist which slowly dispersed and vanished.

A few days later, the Excalibur drifted silently through space as it orbited the moon. The massive ship was currently out of action while its crew was allowed to rest. Crew members filled many of the ship's large observation decks and spaces. All except the upper most observation deck located just behind the main bridge.

Misato Katsuragi stood alone in the massive rotunda looking out at the stars. The observation deck in question was a massive dome with a full three hundred and sixty degree view. The dome was ringed with a long artificial flower garden that met with the base of the dome and a hand rail on the opposite side.

In the center sat a large white marble obelisk also surrounded by a smaller hand rail. At the base of the obelisk were four small statues of the Ptolemaios, Ptolemaios II, the Archangel and the Eternal. On the sides were four carved tear drop shapes, each representing one of the original four GN drives. Higher up on what could be considered the 'front' was a carving of the angelic Celestial Being logo with Latin words circling it, which read 'Celestial Res, Ut terminus totus bellum' the words, when translated into English meant 'Celestial Being, to end all war'.

It was then that the main entrance door opened with a pneumatic hiss and Lacus Clyne floated through. She had come here to relax after she had finished some last minute work on the bridge. It was then that she saw Misato on the far side looking out at the stars, lost in her thoughts. Lacus drifted over to the former Nerv lieutenant colonel. Lacus grabbed the railing next to Misato steadying herself in the zero gravity.

Misato hadn't noticed that Lacus was now standing next to her as she was busy looking at her old Nerv rank insignia pins, which she held in her hand. After a few moments of complete silence, Lacus decided to make her presence known as she asked. "Are you feeling alright, Ms. Katsuragi?"

Misato squeaked with a start as she turned to face Lacus. "Oh, it's you." She said, even as she kept her grip on the brass railing to keep from floating away. "You startled me."

"My apologies, ma'am." Lacus said politely.

"It's alright uh..." Misato trailed off trying to remember the younger woman's name.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't properly introduced myself." Lacus said extending her hand out towards the other woman. "I'm Lacus Clyne, Celestial Being's chief representative and one of many Gundam Miesters."

Misato hesitated for a moment, but then she smiled and took Lacus's hand, shaking it. "I'm Lieutenant Colonel Misato Katsuragi, chief tactical officer of Nerv combat division section one...well formerly."

"I think can sort of understand how you must be feeling right now, Ms. Katsuragi." Lacus sighed. "We were once faced with overwhelming odds, and were forced to abandon our planet and our people." As the blue-eyed woman continued, Misato noticed tears welling up in her eyes. "After about two years we finally returned, but there was nothing left. The Earth had been hit by a giant, space borne gamma-ray laser called GENESIS, and our orbiting colonies, known as PLANTs, had been bombed out by nuclear weapons. Most of the PLANTs had been thrown from their orbit while being bombed and eventually crashed into the Earth, sealing the planet's fate, and guaranteeing the extinction of humanity."

"In a way, that sounds somewhat similar to what was supposed to happen if the Third Impact ever took place." Misato said, smiling sadly. "It was said that if an Angel, our name for the creatures which had been attacking us, ever came into contact with Adam, the first angel whom we had been protecting, humanity would be annihilated in the Third Impact."

"It seems that we both lived in violent times." Lacus sighed, wiping a tear from her eye and after a moment of silence, she continued. "I have not forgotten the atrocities which were committed in the past, and I want to end all conflict. That is why I joined Celestial Being and have dedicated myself to eliminating all conflict."

"The elimination of all conflict." Misato mused.

"Yes." Lacus replied. "That is Celestial Being's purpose."

"Ms. Clyne?" Misato asked, after nearly an entire minute had passed in complete silence. "If I may ask; why does Celestial Being need a ship like this?"

Lacus allowed a sad smile to cross her features as she answered the other woman's question. "While a ship as powerful as the Excalibur may seem to be overkill, we have learned from past experience that some people do not stop fighting unless faced with truly overwhelming firepower." The blue-eyed beauty paused for a few seconds before adding. "And you can call me Lacus."

"You guys are all so laid back." Misato commented. "Considering the mission to which you have dedicated yourselves, I can't understand how you can all be so relaxed."

'Does she know that we are Gods?' Lacus thought to herself, but she pushed the thought to the back of her mind as she replied. "While we may seem to be ruthless and emotionless on the battlefield, we are still human, Misato."

"No offence, Lacus. But given what I have seen so far, I will need proof that you people are still human." Misato frowned. "No human I know is capable of fighting in the manner you people can."

Lacus didn't answer, at least not verbally. Instead, the pink-haired beauty grabbed Misato's shoulders and turned her so that they were facing each other. An instant later, Lacus pressed a deep and passionate kiss to the other woman's lips.