Celestial Being Chronicles - Chapter 47
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.
The Freedom, Destiny, Justice, Divinity, Infinite Justice, Impulse, Blitz and the Kusanagi's Astrays floated around the separated compartments of the Kusanagi, aiding in the vessel's assembly.
Celestial Being's countless mobile suits and Gundam had returned to the Excalibur and the dagger-shaped vessel was now preparing to take the Kusanagi, the original Archangel, and later, the Eternal into its hanger bays.
"This is just like the Archangel's bridge." Murrue said, in false surprise as she floated onto the Kusanagi's bridge.
"Can you bring up a map of this region of space?" Kisaka asked, looking to one of the stations. One difference between the bridges of the Archangel and Kusanagi was that the Kusanagi include a sub-bridge for the CIC.
"Sure." A familiar voice answered. Mu looked to see a woman whom he was familiar with.
"Chief Erica Simmons." Mu said with a grin. "It's good to see that you made it as well."
"Since we'll be using M1s and the other new suits in the unfamiliar environment of space, we're here to make sure they function smoothly." Erica said, as she typed on the keyboard in front of her, bringing up a map on a nearby screen. "This is our present location." She said, pointing to a flashing green dot. "As you know, all the PLANTs are located at L5 and the remains of Heliopolis and Artemis are at L3. For the time being, we should make our way towards the L4 area."
As they talked, Kira, Hope, Mayu and Cagalli stepped onto the bridge.
"What's at L4?" Murrue asked.
"There are some abandoned colonies located there." Nicol explained. "The Kusanagi and Archangel won't need supplies for some time, but we still have limits, especially concerning water. The colonies at L4 were damaged and abandoned shortly after the fighting began. While they are uninhabited, they'll be useful as a means of a water supply."
"This sounds awfully familiar." Mu muttered, remembering a similar dilemma the Archangel faced months ago concerning a low water supply.
"Don't worry." Kira said, trying to assure him. "This isn't like Junius Seven."
"There might actually be several fully functioning colonies at L4." Athrun said, getting everyone's attention. "Quite a while back, ZAFT investigated reports of a suspicious group roaming the area, but found nothing out of the ordinary. Also, while nobody actually lives there, there should be some colonies operational facilities. They'd be perfect for an out of the way hideout for the time being."
"That sounds like a great plan." Kira said. "The Mendel Colony would be a good place to hide out"
"Mendel? Wasn't that place the victim of two separate biohazard accidents?" Mayu asked. "Would it really be safe to go there?"
"The accident from seventeen years ago was a false alarm," Hope said. "A number of theories concerning who was involved have cropped up, but the most likely is that personnel from the GARM R&D facilities used it as a means of escaping Blue Cosmos."
"And the real biohazard accident that resulted in Mendel's abandonment was three years ago." Cagalli said, recalling her history lessons regarding L4. "It was then sterilized with x-rays. By now, it should be safe for occupancy. The other colonies aren't in nearly as good of condition, and where else can we go? Lunar territory is controlled by the Earth Forces, including L1, and both L2 and L3 are too far away for us to be able to act."
"Well, let's get to it." Captain Andrew Waltfeld said, picking up the phone on his chair's arm, switching on the Eternal's intercom while suppressing a smirk. "Uh, the ship is beginning its final preparations. Is that understood? The ship is in its final preparations. Get to work."f
The Captain's words left a number of crewmen utterly confused, at least until the others suddenly drew guns on them.
All across the ship, the Clyne Faction supporters amongst the ship's crew quickly gathered up those that weren't and kicked them out as others rushed to bring the Eternal's systems online.
Moments later, the door of the bridge opened.
"Sorry for the delay." The voice of Lacus Clyne said, as she floated onto the bridge and took the commander's chair.
"No worries." Andy said. "As long as you made it safely. So, should we make our exit?"
"Yes." Lacus said, her future-self had actually merged with her past-self only a few hours before, while also utilizing her more divine abilities to teleport the Chimera Gundam into the Eternal's hanger.
"Prepare to fire the main cannon! Target the main gate!" Lacus ordered. "Fire as soon as we take off!"
"Preparing main cannon, targeting main gate." The fire control officer announced. Andy looked back to Lacus and nodded slightly. Lacus nodded in return.
"Now Eternal, launch!" Lacus ordered.
The Eternal's engines lit up, propelling the ship steadily forward.
"Eternal, what are you doing?" The dockmaster demanded. "Cut your engines! Alert headquarters!"
The only response the dockmaster received was the angelic form of the Divinity Gundam suddenly appearing outside, its beam claws ignited, and before he could scream the angelic machine smashed its hand through the control room, obliterating it, even as the Eternal fired its main cannon, destroying the gate blocking the exit and speeding out of the hanger.
The Divinity Gundam was quck to catch up to the fleeing Eternal and enter the rear hatch. As the Divinity was secured, the Eternal's pilot punched the engines up to maximum thrust, the pink warship blazing across the stars at speeds no other ship had ever achieved.
But even with that speed, there was one last obstacle to the Clyne Faction's escape from the PLANTs: the space fortress Jachin Due and its defense forces.
"Commander, orders from HQ." The communications officer suddenly said. "The Eternal has been stolen from Aprilius One. The Chairman is ordering that all available ZAFT forces intercept and destroy the Eternal."
Athrun Zala nodded as he stood on the bridge of a Nazca-class destroyer. "Very well." He said. "Bring all ships up to Level One Battlestations! Get the GuAIZs ready for launch! Bring our ships into position to flank as the Jachin defense forces move in to intercept!"
"Commander, the Eternal is sending out a message to all ZAFT forces." The communications officer said.
"Oh? Let's hear it." Athrun said.
"My name is Lacus Clyne." The voice of the PLANT Songstress spoke. "Although I am an enemy of Chairman Zala because we imagine different futures for our people, I have no desire at all to fight against you. Please, let our ship go in peace. And I beseech you all once again to think carefully about what we should really be fighting against."
The Jachin defense forces hesitated a moment, but their ultimate response was an attack. The Eternal suddenly let loose with dozens upon dozens of missiles that intercepted everything the defense forces had fired.
"You're orders, sir?" A bridge officer asked.
This was wrong. Just as Athrun had long-feared, the ZAFT he'd once known, the ZAFT he'd joined and fought for, was slipping away more and more with each passing day.
It had to stop.
"Do as you please." Athrun said. "I'm launching. I will not follow my father's orders any longer. But I will not force the rest of you into betraying ZAFT. All I ask is that you give me a head start."
No one on the bridge moved for a moment. Then, Shiho Hahnenfuss stepped forward.
"No sir," she said. "I believe I speak for everyone here when I say...to hell with our orders."
"And to hell with Patrick Zala!" Dearka Elsman added.
Silence filled the bridge for a moment, a small smile gracing Athrun's features.
"Thank you." He said.
"What are you waiting for then?" Shiho demanded, both of the commander and of the rest of the team. Athrun's smile dropped.
"Bring our ships closer to the Eternal! Scramble all mobile suits!" Athrun ordered. "We're protecting the Eternal. I don't want a single mobile suit to get within striking distance of that ship! And do not fire until I give the signal! Is that clear?"
"Yes sir!" Came the chorus of replies as the bridge crew rushed to carry out his orders.
"Will you still be going out as well, sir?" Captain Lee asked.
"Of course." Athrun replied. "You have the bridge, Lee."
Within moments, all the mobile suits of the Zala Team were launched. The Justice Gundam in the lead, followed closely by the Savior Gundam, the Buster Gundam, the Duel Gundam, the Eclipse Gundam and the Twilight Gundam. All six mobile suits heading for the Eternal. The regular ZAFT forces heading for the red warship let out a cheer.
"Those traitors are done for now!" One GINN pilot shouted.
"Yeah! No way can they escape the Zala Team!" Another said.
"Damn, Athrun's people are here." Andy growled on the bridge of the Eternal. "This won't be easy."
"Sir, we're being hailed by the Zala Team." DaCosta said.
"Put it through." Andy ordered. "I'm sure Athrun will listen."
The cockpit of Athrun's Justice Gundam appeared on the main screen.
"Eternal, this is Commander Athrun Zala," he said. "We have been ordered to destroy you. However, we can no longer follow my father's orders. The entirety of the Zala Team is at your disposal, Miss Clyne."
"Good to hear that Athrun." Andy smiled.
"Andrew? You didn't tell me you were the captain of that ship." Athrun said, surprised. Andy chuckled.
"What? You damn traitors!" The commander of the mobile suit force shouted. Dozens of GINNs advanced angrily, but suddenly, several of them were attacked and disabled from the rear. "What the?"
"We're with you all the way Miss Clyne!" A GINN pilot shouted, one of several turncoats that had disabled their fellows in a surprise attack.
"While I'm sure everyone appreciates any assistance we can get, you should move in with our forces so you don't get slaughtered." Athrun said. The five mobile suits in question did so, moving forward and taking up defensive positions around the Eternal with the forces of the Zala Team. With those orders, the Eclipse and Twilight both igniting their Wings of Light and began speeding around the battlefield, expertly severing the heads of dozens of GINNs and GuAIZs. The afterimages left in the wake of the two Gundams helping to confuse the approaching ZAFT reinforcements.
Meanwhile, Jachin Due launched over a hundred more mobile suits.
"Damn you, Patrick Zala, for forcing us to do this." Shiho growled within the Savior Gundam. "All forces, engage the ZAFT forces. Try to avoid the cockpit if you can. But do not let them near the Eternal!"
The Zala Team snapped into action, attacking the ZAFT forces like men and women possessed. The Vesalius and its sister ships fired their cannons as did the Eternal. Many GINNs lost heads and limbs to the six Gundams of the Zala Team. Sadly, many more were destroyed. But even then, there were too many mobile suits for the Zala Team and other turncoats to hold back. GINNs armed with missile launchers flew past the GuAIZs, heading for the Eternal.
"Stop them!" Athurn shouted as he blew a GINN's head off.
But it was too late. A barrage of missiles was fired, all of them heading for the Eternal. The Eternal fired its anti-missile countermeasures, but there were too many for them to stop, and a number of the missiles continued for the vessel.
At that instant, a series of perfectly aimed beam blasts tore through space, obliterating all of the missiles in an instant as an angelic white mobile suit appeared from nowhere, moving in front of the Eternal.
Where the Jachin defense forces had even stood against the Zala Team despite their fear, they suddenly found themselves backing away from this new arrival in terror. The Divinity was projecting an aura of power and divine fury that blanketed the entire battlefield.
Without pause, Kira brought the Divinity's plasma cannons and rail guns to bear, and opened up repeatedly on the entire ZAFT force that had dared try to hurt Lacus.
In the blink of an eye, the battle was over, and more than a hundred GINNs had been reduced to nothing more than useless torsos. None of the pilots were harmed, but every GINN had been stripped of weapons, limbs and head, the ZAFT forces utterly pulverized by the power of the Divinity.
Not only that, but the ZAFT forces had been crippled without any of the Eternal's protectors being hurt by the assault, despite several locking swords with their foes at the time.
"To think that she managed to escape with something like this ship and three Nazca-class ships. She's really something." Cagalli commented, staring at the Eternal with Athrun and Meyrin, as the three stood in the Excalibur's massive hanger bay as it floated near the Mendel Colony, the dagger-shaped vessel hiding under the veil of its Mirage Colloid.
"Yeah." He said as the three glanced at Kira and Lacus together on another catwalk.
"You don't mind, do you?" Meyrin asked. "She is your fiancée, right?"
"Ex-fiancée at this point in the timeline." Athrun replied, smiling slightly. "I should've realized even before this war started just how those two would be if they ever met."
Cagalli shrugged. "Well, better to realize that now than never." She said, a smile forming on her lips. "And I think Kira is just as much a fool. I guess even Coordinators can do stupid things. So we might as well get used to it."
"You think so?" Athrun asked. "I guess you're right."
The three glanced up again at Kira and Lacus.
"My father...he's dead Kira." Lacus said to Kira, finally releasing tears and sorrow she had held in since she learned of her father's death.
"Lacus." Kira said softly.
She hugged Kira and cried into her chest. Kira simply hugged her back. This war had claimed many loved ones already. Flay's father. Those people on the shuttle. Waltfeld's lover. Cagalli's father. And now Lacus's father. It had to stop before more loved ones were killed. They had to stop it.
Meanwhile, a black Archangel-class battleship floated above the Earth Alliance Ptolemaeus Crater Base.
"Sensors are detecting something." Said the sensor operator, Chief Petty Officer Oran Pressly. "Large heat source approaching, distance 500, Orange 14 Mark 233 Alpha. Looks like a warship class."
"Stand by for anti-ship and anti-mobile suit combat!" The Dominion's Captain ordered. "Ten to starboard, lower bow pitch angle fifteen! Activate Igelstellungs! Target enemy warship with the Valiants! Load launch tubes one to four with Korinthos missiles! Valiants! Fire!"
The bridge crew rushed to fulfill their tasks, fingers flying over the controls. But though experienced, they were all green with the systems of this new ship and weren't fast enough to finish in time, facing difficultly with the differences between the Dominion and every other ship in the fleet. The simulation ended with the Dominion's destruction.
Natarle Badgiruel sighed. That was the third simulation in a row they had failed, and she was beginning to become annoyed.
"What the hell are you guys doing?" She asked. "I know you're all capable of doing better than this. Are the systems really that different?"
"Sorry ma'am." Said the pilot, Ensign Jeff Moreau. Natarle sighed. Even the children from Heliopolis were better than this. She had a strong suspicion as to why her crew was having so much trouble.
"You need to remember that this ship works differently from other ships in the fleet." Natarle said. "You can't be trying to operate it like it uses the same control systems."
"Yes captain." Moreau said. "We'll try to remember that."
"Well, you've been getting better." Natarle admitted. "Reset the systems. We'll run another simulation." Natarle paused for a moment. She was about the order a simulation recreating the Archangel's battle with the Zala Team when the communications officer, Petty Officer Grissom, interrupted her.
"Captain, we have an incoming message from the fleet headquarters," he said. "Hold position for incoming shuttle and mobile suits."
Natarle glanced out the window. A group of mobile suits led by a shuttle, was approaching the ship. Most of the mobile suits were Strike Daggers, but there were four that clearly weren't. Those four reminded Natarle of the G-Weapons from Heliopolis and she assumed they were the next generation of those mobile suits.
"As some of you already know, this colony was abandoned before the war because of a biohazard incident a few years earlier." Hope Yamato explained to the gathered group of people from the original Archangel, the Eternal, the Kusanagi, the Zala Team, and Celestial Being, as they all stood in the Excalibur's massive main breifing room.
Mu La Flaga nodded. "Yeah, I remember that incident." He said. "It caused quite a stir."
"But because of that, it has received only minimal damage and pirates and the like have avoided it out of fear of being exposed to what caused the biohazard in the first place." Hope continued. "So this place is ideal for us to use as a base for now."
"Our immediate concern is most likely the moon." Lacus said. "I hear that now that they've recaptured Victoria, the Earth Forces have continuously been sending up troops."
"That can only mean one thing." Athrun said grimly. "They're planning an all out attack on the PLANTs."
"You think they'd actually do that?" Murrue asked.
"Of course." Andy replied. "Their forces are full of people who have always wanted to pull off that kind of stunt. For the preservation of our blue and pure world."
"That's enough." Mu said in an annoyed tone.
"Hey, they're the ones saying it, not me." Andy shrugged.
"I know." Mu said. "But you're right."
"I can't see how getting rid of all the Coordinators will lead to a pure world." Andy replied. "Hell, I don't even know what a pure world is."
"Then there's Patrick Zala and those that think like him in the PLANTs," Hope added. "They believe that because of the superior abilities of Coordinators, they are the new and superior race of humanity, and Naturals are nothing but vermin compared to them. As Lord Uzumi said, neither side will tolerate the other to exist. That's why Kira had me playing mercenary, allowing me to see things that would be carefully hidden from most. Mercenaries are...inconsequential, in the eyes of most."
"We live in such a cruel era." Murrue said.
Mu nodded. "Yeah," He replied.
"No. This isn't a cruel time for humanity. It's actually fairly normal," Athrun said. "Look at our past. Just about every war, every conflict, has, in the end, been like this. Two groups of people unable to tolerate each other for whatever reason and descending into violence. That's the flawed nature of humanity. People tend not to like people that aren't like them."
"While what you say is true, Murrue is still right." Shinn Asuka said, as he stood beside his wife, Lunamaria Hawke. "This is a cruel era we're living in. Orb, Alaska, Panama, Victoria, the Bloody Valentine...all of these things are proof enough that this has gone far beyond even the human norm."
"But it has always been we humans who do this and who stop this." Lacus said, as she placed a hand on Kira's shoulder. "Throughout history there have been many people who feel the way we do. Wouldn't it be great to create a world where fighting is not necessary?"
Kira smiled. "Yeah."
"That's an ambitious dream." Luna said.
"But it's one worth striving for, regardless." Shinn's sister, Mayu added.
"This is the Eternal's projected course, calculated from the data we received from Jachin Due." Rau explained to Ades and the gathered pilots as they stood on the bridge of the Nazca-class destroyer Deliverence.
"The L4 Colony Group." Ades said. "As expected. That place has always given us trouble. First it was dealing with those suspicious people hiding out there, and now this."
"I didn't think the Clyne Faction was that organized." Rau commented. "When did they get the urge to fight? And a number of our forces have defected to their side. We should expect anything."
"I've personally met both Captain Waltfeld and Commander Zala before." Ades said. "And I thought I knew them. But I never would have expected this from either of them."
"They're both charming and likeable men." Rau replied. "Captain Waltfeld's a war hero who miraculously made it back alive after an encounter with the legged ship and its mobile suits, and Athrun Zala is one of our best space pilots who led our forces in many critical battles. Who would have expected this from them?"
"Too bad we're involved now." Ades said with a sigh. "This will get messy."
"Yes, well, it can't be helped," Rau said. "Things seldom go as you plan. It's not an easy thing to try and understand, the thoughts hidden within one's heart." Rau turned his attention to one of the other pilots.
"Shiho." He said to the female ZAFT ace, whom was in reality an undercover agent for Celestial Being. "From now on, the other members of the Zala Team are your enemies. Can you shoot them down?"
"Yes sir." Shiho said, without hesitation. "I'm fully capable of shooting down any traitor to the PLANTs."
One week later, the Excalibur floated near the Mendel Colony, the dagger-shaped warship now flanked by ten other vessels; the original Archangel, the upgraded Bismarck, the Enterprise-E, the Eternal, the Executer, the Kusanagi, the Minerva, the Prometheus and the Ptolemaios. Suddenly, the ten ships dropped their Mirage Colloid, revealing the entire Celestial Being fleet to anyone nearby.
Celestial Being was arguably stronger than both the Earth Alliance or ZAFT.
The impromptu ten-vessel fleet was arguably stronger than any fighting force the Earth Forces or ZAFT could field at the moment. Each vessel, even the Eternal, though it faced weaknesses the others did not, was stronger than any of the vessels that comprised the fleets of the two sides, and each could field a very formidable mobile suit team, with a total array of nearly five million mobile suits at the fleet's disposal, including dozens of Gundams, all of which were either nuclear-powered or posessed GN Drives.
"Hope? Is something wrong?" Kira's older-self asked as the brunette in question entered the Excalibur's hangar a few hours later, massaging her temples.
"I'm not sure." She replied. "I've just got a really weird feeling...something's about to happen, something big."
Kira paused, frowning thoughtfully. "That sixth sense of yours acting up again?" He asked. Hope shook her head.
"No." She answered. "This is different. But whatever it is, I've got a really bad feeling about it."
Kira sighed slightly, he had been sensing something big coming as well, but he had shrugged it off as nothing more than interference from the dozens of merged timelines. "Hope, why don't you take Mayu and go to the Inner Sanctum?"
"What if we're attacked?" Hope asked, concerned.
"If we're attacked, the alarms will go off." Kira replied before kissing Hope on the lips. "So, go have some fun with Mayu before we come under attack."
"No, Kira." Hope replied, smiling. "You haven't had any time alone with Mayu yet, and you've been working too hard lately."
"Are you sure?" Kira asked.
"Yes, I'm sure, Kira." Hope nodded, and after a few seconds of silence, Kira walked out of the hanger.