Celestial Being Chronicles - Chapter 44
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.
In the cockpit of the Chimera Gundam, Lacus Clyne listened as the ZAFT pilots argued with one another; all of them voices she recognized.
"What are you doing, Athrun?" Yzak Joule yelled from the cockpit of the Duel Gundam.
"I'm capturing this machine!" Athrun Zala responded. Well, that solved that mystery, a small part of Lacus's mind noted. Athrun was piloting the Aegis.
"What was that?" Yzak shouted.
"We were told to destroy it, you're disobeying orders!" Dearka Elsman growled from the cockpit of the Buster Gundam.
"You two shouldn't be talking about disobeying orders!" Athrun retorted. "We've seen how this thing performs. If we have the chance to capture it, all the better. This isn't about personal glory, now let's go!"
"I have to agree with Athrun." Nicol Amalfi's voice replied from the cockpit of the Blitz Gundam. "Besides, we were told to destroy it only if we couldn't capture it."
"Damn it...that bastard." Yzak muttered.
Throughout all this, Lacus remained silent. She wanted to call Kira for help, but felt certain that he was already on his way, and she knew that any communications attempts would be intercepted by the Aegis.
Taking a deep breath, Lacus pressed a button on the arm of her seat, revealing the self-destruct controls for the Chimera.
'I'm sorry, Kira, Cagalli.' Lacus thought, as tears floated from her eyes. 'Please hurry. I don't want to leave you...but I can't let them find out that I'm in here.'
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER, YOU BASTARDS!" Cagalli shrieked in rage as the Akatsuki roared into the fight, grabbing the Aegis Gundam's claws and forcibly prying them open before then slamming a beam saber through the crimson machine's cockpit, and finally obliterating it with a blast from her twin buster rifle.
As soon as the Chimera had been freed, the golden machine's DRAGOON units moved in and opened fire on the three remaining Gundams, the glowing green beam blasts piercing the cockpits of the Blitz, Buster and Duel Gundams, and the three machines vanished within a trio of massive fireballs.
As the three fireballs slowly faded, all of the Excalibur's launch doors opened, and millions upon millions of mobile suits, and fighter craft, from various timelines and alternate realities, launched from the massive vessel and swarmed towards GENESIS.
Among the mobile suits were machines from ZAFT, the Orb Union, the Earth Alliance and even the A-LAWs, not to mention dozens of Gundam units. The Orb Union mobile suit compliment consisted exclusively of Astrays and Murasames. The Earth Alliance mobile suit compliment consisted mostly of Dagger Ls, Deep Forbiddens and Windams, although there were a few Strike Daggers as well. The ZAFT mobile suit compliment consisted of GuAIZ-Rs, ZAKUs and GOUFs. And finally, the A-LAWs mobile suit compliment consisted exclusively of Aheads. In addition to the millions of mobile suits, six warships also launched from the Excalibur's hangers; the Archangel, the Dominion, the Purity, the Minerva, the Izumo and finally, a ship from a completely diffrent universe, the sleek and fast Soveregin-class ship known as the Enterprise-E.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the angelic Divinity Gundam was very clearly toying with the pink and red colored Destiny Impulse Gundam of ZAFT as it continued to defend GENESIS, and the machine's pilot, Mayu Asuka was growing tired of being toyed with.
"Just die already!" Mayu screamed, charging in with her anti-ship sword.
Also tired of this game, Kira Yamato dodged, cutting apart the anti-ship sword with his wrist-mounted beam sabers, he then deactivated the weapons and grabbed hold of the Destiny Impulse, and Mayu watched in horror as the Divinity's shield split down the middle.
Mayu tried to grab her beam rifle, but Kira fired both of his hip-mounted rail guns at the Destiny Impulse's legs, the beam shielded shells effortlessly slicing through the ZAFT machine's legs. Kira then fired his twin plasma cannons, severing the machine's right arm and head.
Suddenly, a solid blade emerged from within the Divinity's shield, stabbing straight into the cockpit armor of the Destiny Impulse, and the blade began to glow with heat as it slowly forced its way through the armor.
"Hahahaha!" Kira laughed maliciously, shooting down any who tried to interfere without paying any real attention to them. "You were fun, for a time. If you can entertain me until your brother shows up, maybe, just maybe, I'll be merciful and kill you quickly...or, if you're really lucky, I might even let you live."
Mayu's terrified screams filled the communications lines as the superheated blade began to pierce into the Destiny Impulse's cockpit at an agonizingly slow pace.
"Any last words?" Kira asked cruelly. "Will you cry for your mommy? Beg for your brother to come save you? Or maybe cry to god for help. Not that it would matter...god is an illusion for control after all."
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Shinn Asuka roared, as the Destiny Gundam screamed in, its wings of light leaving blinding afterimages in its wake.
"It's been fun, Mayu." Kira smirked, looking back at the Destiny Impulse. "But you're a hindrance now!"
The Divinity's heat blade suddenly stabbed forward, splitting Mayu in two at the waist, the wound immediately cauterized by the heat as the blade pierced out of the Destiny Impulse's back. The Divinity's eyes flashed with a bright yellow light as the angelic machine finally released the Destiny Impulse and flew away as it exploded, while firing on the Destiny with its twin beam rifles.
Kira scowled as he activated the Divinity's electrified heat whip, setting it to maximum power, not caring that it would drain all of the Divinity's reserve battery power. An instant later, the angelic machine lashed out with the heat whip, the weapon quickly wrapping itself around the Destiny's waist. A storm of electricity overtook the Destiny less than a second later, even as Kira added fire to the mix with the Divinity's quad flamethrowers, and finally the ZAFT machine exploded.
The Divinity flew away, trailing dozens of afterimages, as the Destiny exploded. Kira raised the visor of his helmet in order to see as tears of blood flowed from his twin orbs.
Kira's eyes would've shocked any who looked at them. The pupils were dilated into seeming non-existence, and the irises almost completely engulfed them. The irises were also faceted, like a diamond, and shifted through countless colors, the whole spectrum of light flashing through Kira's eyes as blood continued to flow from them.
The battle around Jachin Due had intensified even more. The Alliance forces had smashed through most of the outer ZAFT lines and were battling the rear defense forces that were protecting the space fortress itself.
But they weren't the only ones. The battered Zala Team, formerly of ZAFT, had managed to slice through a section of the ZAFT line, opening a path for the Purity and the Promethesus to fire on GENESIS. But they had paid for it. Besides the loss of both the Izumo and the Kusanagi, the Enterprise-E had sustained heavy damage, with several large breaches in its hull. The Minerva had lost its positron cannon and had even more breaches in its hull. Added to this, over half of their mobile suits had been shot down.
"I demand that ZAFT cease firing GENESIS immediately!" Lacus said from the cockpit of the Chimera Gundam, even as the Purity and the Prometheus reached the Zala Team. "We've all experienced the pain and sorrow of nuclear attacks and yet we're inflicting the same suffering on them now. Will anything be made right if you fire it? If you kill more innocent men, woman and children, is that justice? Don't you realize what these attacks on each other are giving birth to? Do you want even more sacrifices?"
The Divinity, Eclipse, Akatsuki, Justice and Strike Freedom Gundams were nestled within the menacing confines of their METEOR units as they raced towards Jachin Due and GENESIS, the five pilots listening grimly to Lacus's broadcast as they approached the massive weapon. Athrun desperately hoped that he would still be able reason with his father; and make him see the truth of what he was doing, before it was too late. But regardless of the outcome, Kira and the others were going to destroy GENESIS.
Suddenly, Kira felt something. Something was wrong. He knew he had to check it out. Kira turned and headed off towards the source of the feeling.
"Kira!" Shinn called out as he left.
"Something's wrong here." He replied.
Although the ZAFT warship Principality had been destroyed by the Calamity, Forbidden and Raider Gundams, both the Archangel and Dominion had already paid a heavy price for the battle. Their hulls had been pierced in numerous locations, most of their weapons were destroyed or disabled, and there were a number of fires raging within the two mighty ships.
"Blocks 125 through 144 are sealed!" Sai reported.
"Thrust is reduced to fifty percent!" Arnold said, trying to keep the ship steady.
"Thirty-three percent of sensors are offline!" Mir added.
"We need to stop the fires now." Sumeragi Lee Noriega, the current captian of the Archangel, said, absently hearing Natarle giving similar orders on the Dominion. "Before they inflict more damage to the ship. Tell Murdoch to seal off the sections that are on fire and vent the air out. Once the fires are out and the air has been vented back in, they need to get the engines up and running."
"Yes ma'am." Sai said, rushing to carry out his orders.
Rau was shocked to see the Archangel and Dominion fighting side-by-side, and was even more surprised as he passed by the wreckage of the Strike Gundam. Distantly, he realized that he'd wanted Mu to survive, and he was disappointed that his nemesis was gone.
He glanced at the debris field left behind by the warship Principality, which was actually from a completely diffrent timeline, but had quickly allied itself with ZAFT upon entering the fray. He then looked back to the Dominion and shook his head.
"Oh Azrael..." He said. "What a disappointment you were."
Azrael could have at least taken a few of the PLANTs with him. But no matter. After GENESIS was fired at Earth, the surviving Earth bases on the moon would strike back with every last nuke they had.
Rau approached the Archangel. The legged ship had been a thorn in his side for far too long. He'd deal with it first, then finish the Dominion.
"That mobile suit..." Cagalli growled, as the Akatsuki, Eclipse, Justice and Strike Freedom sped towards the Providence.
"That looks like..." Athrun started. He and Shinn had managed to shake off their surprise, and were merely content with the realization that they wouldn't be fighting the Calamity, Forbidden or Raider Gundams again, since they had been captured and immobilized by the Excalibur's tractor beams.
"It's the Providence Gundam!" Shinn exclaimed.
"Damn!" Cagalli swore as she, Murrue, Shinn and Athrun opened up on the new machine.
The Providence dodged and fired back with its beam rifle. However, Athrun and Shinn rushed forward, their armor deflecting the attacks. Rau smirked, and deployed his DRAGOONs, attacking the group from all sides.
As he did so, he felt something. A presence he had only felt once before. It wasn't Mu nor was it Rey.
It was Kira Yamato. The Divinity flew in, METEOR beam cannons blazing, forcing Rau to evade. But he didn't let up his assault on the four defenders, even as Kira activated one of his beam swords and swung it at the Providence.
"Not you again." Rau said.
"Oh, for fuck's sake." Kira muttered, even as he began to broadcast his impending arguement with Rau on every communications channel.
The Providence's DRAGOON units spread out, firing on the Divinity. Kira pulled a quick series of rolls, twists and dives, evading the beams before firing the METEOR's missiles at the Providence. But the DRAGOONs quickly repositioned themselves and fired, creating a net of beams in front of the Providence, sparing it from harm.
As the Divinity and Providence began to fight each other, the Akatsuki, Eclipse, Justice and Strike Freedom ejected their METEOR units, and sped towards Jachin Due.
"What's the delay? Hurry!" Patrick yelled, even as the technicians in the GENESIS control room exchanged nervous glances. "It'll be over when we finish this."
"Mr. Chairman, we've already won the battle!" Officer Yuki objected. "Sir, if we fire, we'll wipe out half the life on Earth! There have already been enough sacrifices!"
A gunshot suddenly echoed through the control room, shocking everyone. In Patrick's hand was the still-smoking pistol which he had just used to shoot Yuki.
"They're right there! Our enemies are still out there! Why would you even suggest that we not fire it?" Patrick ranted as everyone stared at him in horror and disbelief. "We must fire it again! Before they have a chance to retaliate, the enemy must be annihilated! Why won't you all understand that?"
As Patrick spoke, he pushed one of the operators from his console and started typing away.
"Your Excellency! Our forces are still in the line of fire!" An officer protested.
"All of our soldiers are fighting for one thing: victory!" Patrick shouted. "I'm sure they're prepared to pay the cost!"
"Sir!" The officer objected as Yuki weakly reached into his coat and pulled out his own pistol, aiming it at Zala.
"You...bastard..." He said weakly. Patrick looked over at him just as he pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting its mark.
He fired three times, each bullet hitting Patrick's chest. Patrick let out a liquid gurgle as his body floated backwards. Yuki let out one last gasp of breath before he died. By now, confusion and horror filled the ranks of the ZAFT personnel, and many began to abandon their positions.
At that moment, Athrun, Cagalli and their comrades entered the command center. The sight of a group of armed soldiers broke the courage and morale of the remaining ZAFT officers. Everyone fled, leaving only those seven pilots and the dying Patrick Zala.
A horrified Athrun rushed to his father's side. He may not have been a doctor, but Athrun knew his father was dying. And there was nothing, he or anyone else could do.
Gently, Athrun and Cagalli pushed Patrick down to the ground.
Patrick grasped his son's shoulder. "Athrun...don't let...Junius Seven happen again," he choked. "You must...make the world...ours." Patrick coughed blood and the life faded from his eyes.
Tears began to well up in Athrun's eyes. "Father!"
Meanwhile, the Divinity and Providence continued their battle.
"You're nothing but an irritant! A pest!" Rau shouted, firing his rifle.
"And you're nothing but a donkey-raping shit eater!" Kira retorted, his blood boiling.
A lone beam hit the METEOR's right cannon, forcing Kira to discard it before it exploded. But before the fireball had faded, Rau lunged at Kira with his beam saber ignited. Kira pulled up the remaining cannon, blocking the blade. Though he lost the cannon, the Divinity was spared any damage.
The Providence's DRAGOON units let loose a barrage on the Divinity. Kira, somehow, barely managed to evade them. But before he could retaliate, Rau fired at him.
"You're something that shouldn't have been allowed to exist, boy!" He roared, even as Kira evaded his shots.
"You're a million times worse then I have ever been, you brainless cunt!" Kira roared as he fired his remaining missiles at the Providence, forcing Rau and his DRAGOONs to stop their attack on him, so that they could shoot down the incoming missiles, that didn't last long. Kira fired the Divinity's rail guns, plasma cannons and the remaining cannons on the METEOR at Rau. But he effortlessly dodged them and returned fire with his DRAGOON units.
"If people learned of your existence, they would want to be just as you are. They would want to become like you!" He ranted as Kira struggled to avoid the numerous beam blasts surrounding him.
"Are you done talking out of your ass yet?" Kira snarled, having calmed down somewhat, even as a beam hit the METEOR's right wing, destroying its cannon and the now empty missile launcher. Kira growled as he drew his beam sabers and started deflecting as many of the beams as he could, while the Divinity's energy deflection armor bent other beams away, sending some of them towards the Providence.
"And that's the reason why your existence cannot be allowed!" Rau shouted, as a DRAGOON hit one of the METEOR's engines.
"Please, shut the fuck up!" Kira shrieked, dodging the Providence's beam blasts and deploying his own DRAGOON units, while simultaniously activating Trans-Am. "Even if that's true." Kira scowled, as the Divinity sped towards the Providence, the angelic machine glowing with a blood red light. "I'm not defined by my abilities alone!"
The crews of the Archangel and Dominion heard the conversation. Most of it made no sense to them, but both Natarle and Flay were shocked. They knew that voice!
Kira smirked slightly as his own glowing DRAGOON units shot down three of the Providence's DRAGOONs, but ten of the grey machine's DRAGOONs were still moving through the blackness, and now that Kira had destroyed three of the Providence's eleven DRAGOONs, the remaining eight seemed to have increased their speed, moving in and out of the line of fire before the beam blasts from the Divinity's own glowing DRAGOON units could hit their targets, the grey DRAGOONs then returning fire.
"Who's going to believe that line? Will they understand that?" Rau shouted as they continued to exchange fire. "Of course they won't! Nobody will!"
Rau lunged at Kira's side. Kira pulled out of the path, but his METEOR ended up taking the hit.
"It doesn't matter, you mindless moron!" Kira roared. "I believe in the future!"
"Ridiculous!" Rau said, pulling back, and aiming his rifle at the bridge of the Dominion, shocking everyone.
The Justice Gundam, now under the control of Lexi, the Excalibur's AI, fired its rifle and beam cannons on a hatch, exposing a tunnel leading into GENESIS, and the crimson machine quickly sped into the exposed passageway.
"Wrong move." Kira scowled, as six of his DRAGOON units ceased their attacks and surrounded the Providence with a transparent green, diamond-shaped beam shield, just as Rau pulled the trigger. Rau watched in shock as the beam blast bounced off the beam shield, forcing him to dodge his own shot.
"Dance!" Kira laughed as the Providence continued to dodge its own beam blast which was continually being reflected by the beam shield which surrounded him. After a moment of mild amusement, Kira raised both of his beam rifles and added two of his own beam blasts, the searing bolts entering the diamond-shaped shield surrounding the grey machine and forcing it to dodge more frantically then before.
"I'm not letting you go, you'll die in there, one way or another." Kira smirked in triumph, as the Providence tried to recall its DRAGOON units, only for the weapons to uselessly bounce away after impacting the beam shield which was still being generated by the Divinity's own DRAGOON units.
"I'll take those, if you don't mind." Kira grinned as the Providence's DRAGOON units suddenly lost their Phase Shift, only for the armor to reactivate an instant later, the weapons now bearing the pure white color of the Divinity's own DRAGOON units.
Within the GENESIS control room, the countdown for Jachin Due's self-destruct reached zero.
Explosions tore through the space fortress as the firing sequence for GENESIS initiated. A nuclear explosion began in GENESIS and shot out of the weapon as the Divinity pushed away from the Providence. The beam tore through the shattered remains of the Providence Gundam that fought against peace, obliterating it, the nuclear detonation catching the Divinity in its wake.
Within GENESIS, the Justice Gundam detonated, and the nuclear explosion tore the weapon of mass destruction apart from the inside out.