Gundam Seed Destiny Remake
Phase 4: Stardust Battlefield
Debris Field...
The Forbidden, Raider, and Calamity armed with additional weaponry, takes up positions amongst the debris. The Girty Lue had also deployed a decoy that would lure them to their position and leave them unaware of the trap they were walking into.
Law, in an ideal sniper spot, readies his new anti-ship rifle and takes aim at the advancing ZAFT mobile suits. He had the hangar crew of the Girty Lue create a backpack to store all his additional weapons and ammunitions.
Looking through the scope he was surprised by what he saw.
"I think they're insulting us. They've sent in a Gundam, ZAKU and two GuAIZ Rs." Law said.
"Don't be too sure. My radar tells my two ZAFT patrol groups are meeting up with that new battleship.", Kagura said. "My estimate is six battleships and thrity mobile suits all together for the reinforcements."
"In any case we must take down that new warship and gundam unit." Law orders, taking aim at the approaching ZAFT. "Don't attack, until I fire."
Shinn's team...
Luna scans the debris in front of them. She couldn't see anything yet. But she didn't doubt that they were out there.
"I didn't score very well in debris field simulations.", Luna said in concern.
"I'm sure the enemy has noticed that we're in here by now. Stay on your toes.", Shinn suggests.
"I know! You know you're starting to sound alot more like Rey and Sally! It's starting to bug me!", Luna said in annoyance.
Bridge of the Minerva...
"Bogey-1, I wonder what the real name of that ship is," Durandal muse. "A name reflects its owner's nature. But what if the name is really a fake? If something goes by a false name, does that mean that thing is a fake? False by nature? Is that what it would mean?" He turned to Athrun. "Alex? Or is it Athrun Zala?"
Everyone else on the bridge gasps. Athrun Zala? The son of deceased former Supreme Council Chairman Patrick Zala. A hero of the Bloody Valentine War. Cagalli scowls at the Chairman as orders were being given on the bridge. "Chairman Durandal, that's-"
"There's no need to worry, Representative Athha." Durandal assures. "I did not mean to accuse him of anything. I'm already fully aware of the actions taken by my predecessor, Eileen Canaver, against you and the others. However, if we are to talk, I'd like to talk with the real you, Athrun Zala."
"Mobile suits 1400 to Bogey-1." Burt reports.
"Has Bogey-1 made any sudden movements? Any changes in their bearings?" Talia asks.
The operator shakes her head. "No ma'am. They're still traveling on the same course."
"What's going on here? Do they have something planned?" the Captain said aloud.
An instant later, both she and Athrun realize it. "It's a decoy!" the two shout together.
Shinn's Team...
The Calamity pulls the trigger and fires a piercing round.
Shinn looks ahead and sees a flash. He widen his eyes in horror realizing what it is. "Sniper! Scatter!"
The group scatters instantly, barely avoiding the first shot, however Shawn's GuAIZ R reacts too late as the bullet hits the cockpit, destroying his machine.
"Shawn!", Luna screams in horror watching her academy mate die.
"That bastard's going down!" Shinn growls as he rockets forward towards the hiding Calamity. Before he could even come close to the Calamity, he was cut off when the Forbidden and Raider emerges from their hiding spots, firing on him. "Dammit, they were waking for us!" The three suits force Shinn and Luna on to the defensive.
Bridge of the Minerva...
"Captain! We've lost Bogey-1's signal!" exclaims Burt.
"I've also lost the signal from Shawn's unit!" Meyrin adds. "Also three heat signals at Yellow 60, Beta! It's the upgraded Forbidden, Calamity, and Raider!"
"Locate the enemy! Locate Bogey-1 immediately!" Talia orders.
She was no fool. The Commander of Bogey-1 knew that they were following them and had left a decoy for them to follow. Undoubtedly, the real Bogey-1 was moving to ambush them while they were struggling to figure out what was going on.
Aboard the Girty Lue...
Scirocco smirks. They had caught the ZAFT ship completely off guard and reinforcements will arrive in five minutes. It was time to deliver the killing blow. He raised his hand.
Captain Nataly nods. "Launch the Dagger Team." the Captain orders. "Start the engines and fire missile tubes Five through Eight. Target the enemy battleship with the Gottfrieds."
Two GAT-02L2 Dagger L + AQM/E-M11 Doppelhorn Striker launch out of the ship heading towards the Minerva.
"Heat signature detected at Blue 18 Mark 9, Charlie!" Burt turns to Talia. "It's Bogey-1. Distance: 500."
Arthur glance back from his station. "What? But how?"
"Two mobile suits incoming as well!
"They were hiding behind us." Talia curses.
"Captain! We're being targeted by Bogey-1!"
"Fire anti-beam depth charges! Turn 30 degrees to port! Target with the Tristan!" Talia said as Bogey-1 fires a spread of missiles and then it's Gottfrieds.
"We can't, ma'am! Mobile suits at Orange 22, Delta." the radar operator reports.
Talia grit her teeth in frustration. "Engines to maximum. Go around the asteroid. Use it as a shield."
The helmsman turns the ship as hard as he could. Practically hugging the asteroid. The missiles collide with the rock. The force of the explosions shaking the Minerva.
Talia turns to Meyrin. "Meyrin, order Shinn and the others to return to the ship at once." she orders. "Prepare all remaining units for launch as well." Then she turns to helmsman. "Malik, continue to use the asteroid's surface to avoid further fire." Finally, she turned to her XO. "Arthur, prepare to return fire."
"Launcher Five, Launcher Ten; Dispars, fire!" Arthur said as the ship continued to shake from the missed shots of Bogey-1.
"We must hold out! ZAFT reinforcements are on their way.", Talia said.
Battlefield...
Shinn and Luna continues avoiding being shot by the hidden Calamity. The Forbidden notice the GuAIZ R is missing and turns to where it's hiding.
"Coward!", Kagura said as the Forbidden throws the Beam Trident taken from the Abyss towards the hiding GuAIZ cutting it in half.
"Dale!", Luna screams. "They already taken out half our numbers!"
At that moment, a text message appears on Shinn's and Luna's console. The Minerva was under attack, as he thought. It was a two-pronged attack. One force to draw out and engage their forces while the other force ambushes the Minerva.
"Dammit, it was a trap and we fell right for it like amateurs!" Shinn said over the comm. "But we can't do anything to help them. These three have got us pinned down! ZAFT reinforcements will arrive any minute now!"
The Dagger Ls fire their entire arsenal while avoiding being shot. Below them, the Minerva traveled through a shallow canyon in the asteroid, desperately firing its weapons.
"Neidharts, fire!" Arthur shouts.
The Minerva's missiles streaks towards the duo. The Dagger Ls pull back and use the debris to block the missiles.
Talia grimace as the enemy mobile suits are taking advantage over the field. "We can't do anything as long as they've got our backside." she said to her helmsman. "Can we pull around?"
"No ma'am." Malik replies. "Dodging their fire is all I can manage at the moment."
"What about the other mobile suits?"
"It's no good ma'am. We don't have a clear launch vector for them."
Athrun grits his teeth in frustration as he watch on. He felt completely helpless. Everyone else was going what they could to protect the ship from their attackers while he was stuck here, unable to do anything to help. He can already tell that whoever are piloting the three machines possess skills rivaling his and Kira's.
Battlefield...
The Forbidden chases after Luna's ZAKU. Luna stops and point her beam cannon towards the approaching Forbidden. She fires a shot which the enemy unit avoids.
"Who do you think you are anyway? You're nothing but theives!", Luna shouts firing another shot, but to her shock the Forbidden cuts the beam in half with it's scythe. Luna begins to show fear wondering what the are.
"You're afraid.", Kagura states chasing after the fleeing Luna.
Shinn twists and dive around debris, dodging Law's shots as Rick chases him. He quickly spins around, firing a barrage of missiles at the Raider, but the Calamity shoot the missiles down. Shinn switch to his cannons and fires. Rick evades the beams and fires back with his rifle. "This guy has some spunk!" Rick said. "Let's see if you're good in close combat with that gear!"
Rick discards his rifle and draws his spiked mace. Rick throws the mace towards the Impulse, but the suit draws one of its beam javelins and blocks the weapon.
"Unlike the last model. This one does have anti-beam coating.", Rick explains throwing his mace again.
Bridge of the Minerva...
The Minerva shutters as the Girty Lue and its mobile suits land more near hits. Talia let out an annoyed, tired sigh. "In this position, we can't even use half of our weapons." she said. "The very rock that's protecting us from the bulk of their attacks is restricting our ability to fight back."
"Captain! Incoming missiles!" Burt shouts.
"Shoot them down!" Talia orders.
"But Captain, they're not on a direct course for us."
Talia turn her head to Burt's station. "What?"
Talia may not have realize what they were trying, but Athrun did. He shot up from his seat. "Captain! Pull the ship away from the asteroid!" Athrun yells, trying to warn them before it was too late.
Unfortunately, he was too late.
The missiles streak past the Minerva, impacting the asteroid just ahead of them. Debris rain down on the Minerva. "Pull us out! Pitch 15 degrees!" Talia orders.
The Minerva started to pull away from the asteroid as more missiles raced towards them. "Reduce thrust by twenty percent!"
Though none of the missiles hit the ZAFT ship, chucks from the asteroid slams into the Minerva, leaving large gashes and dents in its hull. A massive chuck of rock crash into the Minerva's path, blocking their escape as more debris rain down around the ship, pinning the Minerva.
Bridge of Girty Lue...
"I'll finish them off with the Messala. You're in charge for now and tell our reinforcements to launch their mobile suits.", Scirocco said heading for the hangers. "I apologize for interrupting your launching ceremony, but at least allow me to give you a honorable death."
"Thrusters Four and Six are damaged." Arthur reports.
"Captain! An additional mobile armor approaching and not only that two Nelson-Class battleships have entered the area and are launching their mobile suits." Meyrin adds.
Talia grabs the phone on her chair. "Sally, launch the mobile suits."
"Yes, ma'am. But the catapult is blocked by debris." Abes replies.
"I don't care if they have to walk out. Just get them out there!"
"Yes, ma'am."
One of the Minerva's catapults opens. A ZGMF-1001/K Slash ZAKU Phantom emerges from it a moment later. Following it is a white ZAKU Phantom, equipped with a Blaze Wizard Pack. The two ZAKUs takes off, heading towards the Girty Lue's forces.
The three BABIs then launch out heading for the Nelson-Class on the right. The Kampher, Dom, and Gouf launch out towards the Nelson-Class on the left.
'Gil in onboard the Minerva. I will not let you destroy it.", Rey declares firing on the Dagger Ls.
The Minerva shudders as the Messala starts to fire on the warship through a narrow space in-between the rocks. "Where're Shinn and Lunamaria?" Talia asks.
"They're still fighting the other mobile suits, ma'am." Meyrin answers quickly. "And the Impulse's power is getting critically low."
"Doesn't this ship have any more mobile suits?" Durandal asks with a note of concern in his voice.
"Yes, three GaZUOOTs and a ZAKU and we have no more pilots." the Captain replies.
"Captain, what if we blow away the debris in front of us with the Tannhauser?" Arthur suggests.
"We'll just end up blowing up more debris around ourselves."
"Ma'am, two ZAFT patrol teams have just arrive!", Meyrin announce in relief.
"Just in time.", Talia said.
Battlefield...
"Law!", Rick calls noticing the ZAFT reinforcements as well.
"Yeah, I know. My anti-ship rifle can take them down at this range, but my suit lacks any long-range sensors that a recon unit have. And I only have a few clips left.", Law said reloading his rifle.
"I'll be of assistance then.", a female voice said.
Law turns and sees the GAT-X285 Artillery Gundam.
"Is that you, Saria?", Law asks with a smile.
"That's right. I'll inform you of where the targets are, since my unit possess superior range sensors. Unfortunately the debris field hinders my weapons usefulness.", Saria explains.
"Alright, tell me the coordinates.", Law said readying his rifle.
Bridge of the Minerva...
It was then that Athrun thought of something. "Captain, how many of the starboard thrusters are still active?"
"What?" Talia said, turning to face the young man.
Durandal nods his head. "Six." she answers. "But even if we use them to get out of here, we'll just be a target again."
"Captain, fire up those thrusters and at the same time, fire all of your still functioning starboard weapons at the asteroid." Athrun orders.
"But-"
"The force of the explosion should push the ship and the surrounding rocks clear of the asteroid."
"If we do that, the Minerva's hull will be further damaged in the process." Arthur argues.
"Our top priority is to get out of this situation." Athrun shot back. "If we stay here, we'll be sitting ducks."
Talia sighs. "He's right. Do it."
"But Captain-"
"Do it Arthur. Prepare to fire all armaments on the starboard side. Fire them simultaneously as we initiate a maximum burn on our starboard thrusters." Talia orders.
Arthur reluctantly nod. "Yes ma'am." He turn to his console. Preparing all starboard armaments for firing."
"When I give the signal, fire the starboard thrusters."
Battlefield - Rey's Team...
Rey suddenly have a strange sensation in his head and quickly avoids a knife thrown at him. Rey turns to where the knife was thrown, but sees nothing. Suddenly a mobile suit in a resemblance of a ninja appears out of no where. The GAT-X208 Stealth Gundam stands on a debris with it's arms cross.
"A Mirage Colloid unit.", Rey notes.
"I'm impressed that you manage to avoid that one.", the pilot said.
Rey notice a Dagger L firing at him from behind. Sayla's ZAKU flies in and fires a shot at the Dagger L destroying it.
"John!", the second Dagger pilot cries.
"Fall back, Miller! Leave these two to me and Henzo. Get the ship!", Scirocco orders.
"Sir!", Miller answers flying towards the Minerva.
Rey quickly chase after him, but the Messala blocks his path with a barrage of beams. Henzo throws a beam kusarigama towards Sayla, which she barely blocks with her beam axe. Rey fires a barrage of missiles from the ZAKU's Blaze Pack, forcing Scirocco on stophis assault and evade. Rey quickly takes the opportunity to shoot down the last Dagger L on his side, which he succeeds.
Battlefield - Sally's Team...
The Kampher, GOUF, and DOM head towards the Nelson-Class with a ZAFT patrol group behind them.
"Strange, that ship hasn't launched their mobile suits yet.", Sally said.
Suddenly the a Nazca-Class ship behind them explodes.
"What the?!", Gordon shouts in surprise.
"Sniper!", Tristan said drawing his beam sword.
Another Nazca-Class explodes, but this time Sally locates where the shots are coming from. The trio head towards the Artillery's and Calamity's location, but not before the Calamity shoots down the the Laurasia-Class ship.
"You shot down three ships before they could launch any of their mobile suits.", Saria said impressed.
"An easy way to decrease their numbers.", Law said reloading his rifle and grabbing a beam bazooka. "Time to great our company."
Saria grabs a beam gatling gun and follows.
Battlefield - Mathew's Team...
The three BABI reach the Nelson-Class on their side and notice it has launched one unit.
"They're sending in a single mobile suit?", Joey questions.
The mysterious unit fires it's shoulder cannons at the trio. The three avoids the blasts, but the Laurasia-Class behind them did not get lucky and was hit badly. The ship survived, but is unable to send in their mobile suits or fire back.
"ZAFT patrol group fall back to the PLANTs. You'll just be killed against this monster.", Mathew orders which the ship captain agrees.
"Strike back!", David said firing at the unknown unit, but did little damage to it.
"It'll take more than that to take out my Vengence Gundam!", the pilot, James said as his GAT-X253 Vengence Gundam fires again.
"That suit may have the advantage in weapons and armor, but our BABIs have the advantage in speed and maneuverability.", Mathew said as the trio circles the enemy and fire the weapons.
Meanwhile, the Girty Lue advanced on the trapped Minerva as Rezin.
"Bogey-1, distance: 150." Burt reports.
"All hands, brace for shockwave impact." Talia said. "Starboard thruster at maximum!"
The remaining starboard thrusters of the Minerva activate, pushing the ship against the rocks pinning them. "All starboard weapons, fire!" Arthur orders.
The starboard missile tubes fires off a spread of missiles as the starboard Tristan beam cannon and Isolde triple cannon fires. The explosion threw up rocks into space. Nataly curses as she orders the ship to evade the flying rocks while gunning them down at the same time. The rest of the nearby mobile suits stop fighting and turn to the asteroid. The Minerva, battered but still functional, emerges from the asteroid.
"30 degrees yaw!" Talia orders. "Fire at Bogey-1!"
"Targeting Tannhauser at Bogey-1" Arthur said.
The powerful positron blaster cannon unfolds from the front of the warship as a wave of dust and rock head for the Girty Lue. "Evasive maneuvers! Hard to port!" Nataly orders as the small debris reach her ship.
"Fire!" Talia shouts.
The Tannhauser fires. The beam tearing through the dust cloud, grazing the starboard side of the Girty Lue, damaging it. The Minerva flies past the Girty Lue as smoke pours out of the damaged carrier.
"Damn." Scirocco curse. "To think that they would actually manage turn things around like that..."
Suddenly, Rey fires on the Messala, but Henzo blocks his shots with a large beam shuriken. "We're withdrawing! Nataly, fire the signal flares and tell the other ship to do the same and rendezvous with us!"
At all sides of the battlefield, flares were shot from the Girty Lue, signaling their pilots to return.
"The ship must have been hit." Law said. "Everyone, time to go."
The Forbidden, Raider, and Calamity along with the newly arrived Stealth, Artillery, and Vengence returns to the Girty Lue.
Bridge of the Minerva...
"Captain. Bogey-1 and its mobile suits are retreating." Burt reports.
"The Impulse and Lunamaria's ZAKU are critically low on power." Meyrin pause for a moment. "We also lost Shawn and Dale."
Talia sighs. "Ship status?"
"Due to the explosions earlier, Engine Number Two and the port side heat sensors were critically damaged," Arthur answers.
"Captain Gladys, we've done enough," Durandal said. "We need to stop and lick our wounds before planning our next move. Plus I can't risk keeping Representative Athha around here any longer."
The Minerva fires its own signal flares alerting their mobile suit to return. Shinn growls in frustration while Lunamaria breathes heavily from the battle.
Minerva's hallway...
"I do apologize for everything, Representative.", Durandal said to Cagalli as they, Athrun, and Talia walks down the hallway.
"Don't worry about us. Forgive me, Mister Chairman, but I'm sorry this incident didn't come to a better conclusion.", Cagalli said. "I never expect the Alliance have pilots like them in their ranks. It makes me wonder, why they weren't use in the First Bloody Valentine in the first place."
"It is possible that the Alliance feared their power back then and had no way to control them, until someone who can came along. Although that is a speculation.", Durandal suggests.
"Well it is the only possible explanation.", Cagalli said.
"The ship has finally reestablished contact with the homeland.", Durandal said.
"Apparently rescue teams and investigative units have been dispatched with Armory One. I requested that they send a vessel to rendezvous with us. It'll pick you up and take you to where you want to go.", Talia reports.
"Thank you, captain.", Cagalli said.
"Wouldn't you say we were saved earlier due to his help, captain?", Durandal suggests to Talia looking at Athrun.
"Uh, yes.", Talia said realizing what Durandal meant.
"I was impressed. The experience of a veteran such as yourself.", Durandal said.
"Thank you.", Athrun said before turning to Talia. "I would like to apologize for speaking out of turn, captain."
"You're decision was the correct one.", Talia reassures with a smile. "I thank you."
Both Talia and Durandal leaves Athrun alone with Cagalli.
Athrun sits alone in the mess hall remembering his involvement in the First Bloody Valentine war and the death people dear to him and his friends; Miguel, Nicol, Flay, Mu, and Natarle.
Athrun snaps out of his thought when he hears the ZAFT pilots and Meyrin walking to the mess hall talking about him.
"Listen, Meyrin whatever his past he..." Luna cut off her speech whilst Meyrin put her hands to her mouth. Meyrin hides behind Rey as the four stands before Athrun. Shinn merely glares.
"Well we were just talking about you Athrun Zala and now here you are." Luna said walking to him. "It's a honor to meet a legendary ace like you here."
"You're mistaken, I'm Alex Dino." Athrun said.
"Is that why you don't pilot mobile suits anymore?" Luna asks. Athrun went uncomfortable at that question.
"Leave him alone Luna, who cares what people from Orb? They don't know anything!" Shinn said snidely as he walks out. Athrun watches Shinn leave in confusion wondering what Shinn have against Orb.
"Excuse me!", Rey salute before following Shinn. Lunamaria salutes as well after thanking Athrun and leaves with Meyrin.
Elsewhere in a ZAFT Space Station...
"What?! That can't be right!" A supervisor condescend, walking over to his subordinate's work station.
"No, I checked several times." The subordinate states. "It's slight, but it's happening." On the computer screen next to him, there was a diagram Junius Seven's orbit, which was slowly degrading.
"Impossible! It's supposed to be in a stable orbit!"
"Shall we inform the Chairman?"
"Without a doubt, moron! Contact the Minerva immediately!" The supervisor orders.
In the Minerva...
Shinn walks over to his sister's cell phone and plays the answering call to here her voice.
"Hi, Mayu here. Sorry, I can't talk to you right now..."
In the Girty Lue...
The same brown hair girl who talked to Law, Rick, and Kagura is holding a similar phone playing the same message.
"...I'll call you back later. Please leave you name after the beep."
The girl closes her phone and falls to sleep.
Flashback...
Law takes the injured girl to the ship's medical bay and the doctors starts doing their job. Law looks over her bag and finds her I.D., Mayu Asuka
In the ruins of Junius Seven...
A pilot walks out of a building carrying a corpse towards his ZGMF-1017M2 GINN High Maneuver Type II branding a logo G.O.D.. Another GINN HMII lands behind him.
"Captain Baron. You are needed at the operation point.", the pilot reports.
"Let me at least pay my final respect to this place in peace.", Baron said.
"But you are needed to do the final preparations of Operation: Break the World. As a member of the Zodiac Thirteen of GOD you have responsibilities.", the pilot said in a more frightened tone.
"You needn't be so scared of me.", Baron said turning to the pilot revealing his face. He bears a resemblance of Athrun Zala, but much older and with a scar on his forehead and right cheek. "I know my duty."
Baron enters his mobile suit with the corpse and departs with the other GiNN following. The name of the building that Baron walked out with the corpse falls to the ground, Zala Residence.