Gundam Wing: Journey to a New Battlefield

by operation meteor

The war is won, yet he cannot find peace. When a mission gone wrong throws Heero into another world, how will he survive? And how will he react when he is confronted with his greatest challenge yet? For love can be trickier than any battlefield foe...

5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I almost posted this without my usual notes and the end preview, good thing i caught myself. Believe it or not, this chapter is actually longer than four, crazy huh?

A few things you should know before you start. One: I made Andrew Waltfeld into a full Field Marshall, and I know full well that the highest rank shown in the show of the ZAFT combat command structure is commander. I made this change because I'm greatly expanding the scope of Waltfeld's command, and as such I felt he deserved a cooler rank. Also, Waltfeld was created in part as a shout out to the legendary Erwin Rommel of the WWII wermach north africa corp, so in that sense I felt that having Andrew be a Field Marshall like Rommel was fitting.

Two: I make brief mention early on about events going on in Libya presently. I made it kind of an alternate history scenario, i really do hope things turn out better over there than i've forcasted. I'll admit to being a bit of a pessimist though: historically speaking, African civil wars don't tend to have pretty ends.

Three: I'd like to give special thanks to yoshinoyuy, who helped me develope the names for some of the new characters. I'll let you know which ones at the end of the chapter. Thanks alot pal, i owe ya one!

Well, enjoy!

Episode Five: The North Africa Campaign, Part One: Desert Dawn

"Where are we?" asked Murrue.

One of bridge crew brought up an area map on the main monitor. "It looks like we touched down in the former Libya, about sixty kilometers south of Tobruk." After twenty-six years of civil war in the twenty-first century, Libya had effectively ceased to exist as a country, and had become a failed state, nearly as bad as Somalia. In the early Cosmic Era, the United Nations had put some effort into revitalizing the area, and had turned it into a protectorate of sorts. Once the U.N. was dissolved after the Tragedy of Copernicus though, the region had turned into a collection of city states, with Tripoli holding sway in the west while Benghazi and Tobruk vied for dominance in the east. Now the area was once again unified, though under a foreign invader.

It was dusk outside, and fierce winds were blowing the surrounding sands of the desert dunes. Murrue was grateful for this, as it would help to hide the ship's radar signature. Not to mention give us a moment to catch our breath.

They had touched down about an hour ago, and had spent the time thoroughly checking over the ship. Fortunately no major damage had been suffered during the descent, although the interior was a bit of a mess due to all the turbulence.

Lieutenant Commander La Flaga, who had come to the bridge after his Moebius Zero had been secured in the hangar and was down in the CIC with Lieutenant Badgiruel, groaned. "Great, there's a ZAFT airbase in Tobruk. We're lucky a major sandstorm is brewing out there, or they would have already detected us and launched an attack."

"We should use the opportunity to take stock of the situation, not to mention plan our next move," came a voice from the rear of the bridge. Murrue turned around to see Heero enter, having already changed back into his normal clothes, although in this case he had forgone the jacket. Walking up next to Murrue's chair, he looked out the window. "I had a friend who was pretty experienced in desert warfare. I remember him saying that a storm like this can last for days. We won't be able to move, but the enemy won't be able to attack us, so things work out in our favor."

She nodded, and then looked down at La Flaga and Natarle. "Do we have any Intel on ZAFT's Tobruk airbase?"

"Hang on," said Natarle as she typed on the small terminal on the arm of her chair, "I'm checking the database." After a few seconds, she spoke again. "They've been building it up since it was conquered last August. As of right now, they have about two dozen attack helicopters there, along with several DINNs. Hang on, there's an addendum… looks like it just got tacked on a few days ago." She studied the screen for a moment, and then groaned. "Damn, not good…"

"What is it?" said Murrue.

"Commander Shemei Rehema and her team just arrived there last week!" exclaimed Natarle.

"Commander Shemei Rehema? The Valkyrie Rehema?" said Murrue, her eyes widening. Natarle nodded, her face fraught with worry, and Murrue couldn't blame her.

"Who's Shemei Rehema?" asked Heero.

Murrue sighed. "An elite ZAFT pilot. Her parents are native Egyptians, and she's a First Generation Coordinator. I suppose it should be no surprise that she was moved here; she grew up in the desert before leaving to join ZAFT."

Murrue pulled up the Intel file on the enemy commander on the main screen. Heero saw a picture of a very beautiful woman, with long, flowing black hair with purple highlights, light brown skin, and grey eyes with a playful spirit in them. She wore a white uniform, and Heero couldn't help but wryly note that, like Murrue's, it did little to suppress her rather ample bosom. He read aloud as words scrolled by next to the image.

"Born in Cairo, June 21st C.E. 46. Parents were both officers in the Egyptian Air Force. Attended Cairo University and graduated at the age of nineteen, with a bachelor's degree in aeronautics. The family immigrated to Aprilius One soon after to escape local Blue Cosmos agents who were targeting both Shemei and her parents due to them making her a Coordinator. She joined the newly founded ZAFT academy in September 65 C.E., and was part of the first graduating class, completing her final examinations the following spring. Top of her class, with exceptional skill shown in piloting and small-unit tactics."

He paused to let the scrolling words catch up with him, and then continued. "Became part of the new military's corps of fighter pilots. She earned a reputation for a rare combination of audacity and finesse that she showed in exercises. She was selected two years later to be one of the first test pilots for the GINN series combat mobile suit. When the unit made its official debut in 69 C.E., she was made a full commander, only twenty three years old at the time. Once the war started a year later, she gained renown as a pilot, shooting down three hundred-fifty-four mobile armors over nine months, along with seven battleships, a record unmatched in all the Earth Sphere. She eventually formed her own elite unit, consisting of three other pilots, all women, and her, and they were transferred to the terrestrial Carpentaria base. They now pilot ZAFT's atmospheric equivalent of the GINN, the AMF-101 DINN."

Taking a breath, he finished his summarization. "She's known as ZAFT's Valkyrie, and from what I can see she has earned that title. Her team's machines sport a custom paint job, black base with red trim. They've fought in several engagements since arriving on Earth. It looks like they were transferred to North Africa to take part in the raids on the Eurasian Federation's Mediterranean fleet."

Turning to Murrue, he said, "I have to admit, I'm impressed. We're fortunate this storm kicked up the same time we landed here, or she'd be all over us."

Murrue nodded. "Having to face her would be troubling enough, but unfortunately our situation is even worse than that."

Turning towards the monitor, she brought up another image. This time it was of a man who looked to be about thirty. Tall and ruggedly handsome, with thick brown hair and rather long sideburns, he had very dark grey, almost black, eyes that seemed to have a mischievous glint to them. His skin had a slight tan to it, fitting for a man who had spent time in the desert. He wore a yellow uniform, a color Heero had not seen in any of the files he had browsed so far on ZAFT's command structure.

This time Murrue did the reading. "Field Marshal Andrew Waltfeld. He's ZAFT's greatest surface commander. Also known as the Desert Tiger, due to his exploits in the Saharan region against the Alliance Army. He also fought in the Suez campaign, and his tactics and personal piloting skill were vital to taking the canal. He uses a TMF/A-802 BuCue, ZAFT's main ground mobile suit, although there have been rumors that a custom unit is in the works for him. Has a lover, Aisha Marlene, who occasionally fights alongside him. Apparently she's a talented pilot herself." An image of a black haired woman with light skin appeared next to the field marshal's.

Murrue turned to Heero. "Waltfeld commands the entire North African front. The majority of his forces are stationed along the coast to prevent an amphibious assault by the Europeans, but he has plenty of units to use in the interior. He's made the city of Banadiya his headquarters. He's the one we'll eventually have to deal with if we want to break out and head to Alaska."

"Yeah, but how do we do that?" said Nararle, "The Mediterranean is a battlefield, and I doubt the Eurasian Federation would be too keen to help us after how we broke out of Artemis. So we can't go north."

"We should rule out the west too," said La Flaga, "Geographically speaking, we're further east than west, so we'd wind up facing more of the Tiger's forces if we went that way than if we went another."

"I wouldn't go south either," chimed in Heero. "We don't know how far into the interior ZAFT's reach extends."

"That just leaves the east then," Murrue concluded. She pulled up a map of the region, encompassing eastern Libya and all of Egypt. "We'll break through Waltfeld's forces and make for the Red Sea. From there we travel across the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and head to Alaska."

"Sounds good to me," said La Flaga, "but do we have the supplies for that kind of journey? Other than the two new Skygrasper fighters, the fleet didn't give us a whole lot in the way of supplies, since they were expecting us to make a direct descent to Alaska."

"ZAFT should have some supply depots in the region," noted Heero. He turned to Murrue. "We could raid one of those once the storm clears and replenish what we're low on."

She nodded. "That's a good idea. Once we have clear skies we can use the new fighters for aerial reconnaissance and try to find to closest one. After we locate one, we can move out and launch an attack."

"I do have a question though," said Heero. "Where's Banadiya? I've never heard of it."

"It must not have been built in your world," she said. Pulling up a map of Egypt, she continued. "Banadiya is a relatively new city. It was founded in the early Cosmic Era, and reached its current size only a few years ago." A point on the map blinked red, roughly halfway between Matruh and Alexandria. "It's a port town. The residents' primary income is based off of fishing and tourism… or at least it was until the Mediterranean became a battleground. Now the fishing fleets can hardly venture into international waters before being halted by either a ZAFT vessel or an Alliance one, and tourists don't exactly flock to towns on the edge of a warzone. From what I've heard, its economy has been in a slump since ZAFT's invasion of Earth during Operation Uroboros."

"I see," he said.

Looking out the bridge viewports at the swirling sands for a moment, he then turned to Murrue. His face had softened somewhat, and he looked concerned. "You should get some rest," he said. "This storm will last for quite awhile, and I can tell you're exhausted."

Murrue gave a weak smile. "Is it that obvious?"

Heero shook his head. "Not to most people; you hide it well. It's just that I've gotten pretty good at reading others over the years."

She nodded and stood up. "Alright… but only if you do the same." His eyes widened slightly at that, surprised that she had been able to see the weariness he'd been trying to suppress. She gave a small laugh. "You're not the only one who's good at reading people."

Heero smiled and nodded. "So I've noticed."

"Lieutenant Badgiruel," she said, "you have the bridge. Ensign Neumann will relieve you in four hours, and I'll be back in eight."

Natarle nodded. "Yes ma'am."

Before leaving she asked, "By the way, any word from the medics on Kira's condition?"

"Only that he's still unconscious and running a high fever," said Natarle.

"Are you really surprised though?" said La Flaga. "Remember, he did pull a partial reentry in a mobile suit. The cockpit temperatures and the pressure must have been intense. It's probably due to the fact that he's a Coordinator that he managed to survive at all."

"I see," said Murrue. "Let me know if his condition changes at all."

"It probably won't for awhile," said Natarle. "According to the medics, he'll probably be unconscious for a few days at least."

Murrue sighed. "Then let's hope this storm keeps up for that amount of time. I don't want to face the Tiger and the Valkyrie without our full strength."

"Agreed," said Heero.

Both Murrue and Heero left the bridge. As they made their way towards the section where the officers' quarters were, she turned to him. "By the way, Heero? Thank you for all you did up there during the battle. We would have had a much tougher time of it without you."

"You're welcome… Murrue," he said, another one of those small smiles on his face.

They reached her quarters, and she remembered that his own were right next door to hers. As they moved towards their respective cabins she gave him one final glance. "Goodnight Heero. Get some rest."

"You as well, Murrue," he said. "Sleep well."

With that she entered her room, and after removing her uniform until she was in a gray tank top and a pair of shorts, both standard military issue, she practically fell onto the bed, and was asleep mere seconds after her head hit the pillow.

….

Several kilometers away, a jeep was parked atop a dune. Sitting in it, feeling the winds of the very fringe of the storm in the distance were two ZAFT scouts in tan desert uniforms.

The man in the passenger seat, a mid-sized fellow with black hair and a well-trimmed beard, stood up and peered through his binoculars. While doing so he spoke to the driver. "Hey Mike, are you sure your math's right?"

The other soldier, a dark-skinned man with a very short haircut, nodded. "I told you Carson, I checked the descent angles the orbital group sent us three times. The enemy ship definitely touched down over there."

Taking a sip from his canteen, Carson looked through his binoculars again at the monster of a sandstorm that was whirling around where the Earth Alliance's new warship had reportedly touched down. "I don't envy those guys," he said, "even if the storm hides them from radar, riding it out like that won't be fun."

"Nah, wouldn't be that bad," said Mike, "In a ship that size, they'd just be bored out of their minds waiting for the thing to blow over. So, are we calling this in?"

Carson nodded. "Get the Lesseps on the line. This monster will probably last a few days, so it will give the Field Marshall time to get here from Banadiya. We'll wait and see how he wants to play this."

Mike reached for the jeep's radio and began relaying what he and his partner had found.

….

Several hundred kilometers to the east, the flagship of the Desert Tiger's North Africa Corps loomed over the surrounding dunes. An innovation of ZAFT, the machine was a cross between a tank and a battleship. At 250 meters in length it was almost the size of the space-based Nazca-class destroyer. At each corner of the vessel were four box-like protrusions that housed its unique 'scale system', a propulsion mechanism that liquefied the surface directly beneath the ship, allowing for it to travel over both land and water with equal ease. At the front of the tan machine were two dual forty cm cannons, with another mounted at the rear behind the upraised bridge. The vessel bristled with many smaller weapons as well, and at the front was a circular hatch through which the ship's mobile suit compliment could deploy. Normally stationed on the outskirts of Banadiya, the Lesseps was just a few kilometers south of the city, having just wrapped up a series of exercises.

Sitting on the bridge, the Field Marshal was quite relaxed, taking a sip from the cup of coffee that never seemed to leave his side, save for when he went into battle. He smiled and turned to the lovely black-haired woman at his side, who was dressed in a custom black and pink uniform.

"Aisha, you have to try this," he said. "I added an extra pinch of mint leaf in this brew, and I have to say, it's really something else."

Accepting the cup from her lover, Aisha took a sip. She smiled back at him. "Mmm, you're right Andy. You're going to have to think of a name for this one, it's a keeper."

"How about 'Arabian Delight'?" he asked.

She shook her head. "You already used that one, remember? That was the batch where you added the beans from your Yemen stash to the local brew in Alexandria."

"Oh, is that right? Then how about 'Brew of the Pharaohs'?"

She laughed. "A bit pretentious, but it works."

Waltfeld sighed. "Everyone's a critic these days."

A voice came from the front of the bridge. "We've received contact from one of our patrols in the former Libya."

"Oh? What's up?" inquired Waltfeld.

"They say that the Alliance's new battleship has landed south of Tobruk. There's a large sandstorm brewing in the area, so it should keep them pinned for a couple of days," the man replied.

"Is that right? So that means the Alliance's new weapons, including the suit that handed Creuset his own ass to him, are in our backyard. How interesting…"

Waltfeld clasped his hands in front of him and smiled. "Set a course for their location, if we hurry we should be able to make it before the weather clears."

The crew scrambled to carry out his orders. Aisha giggled. "This should be fun, eh Andy?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I've got a good feeling about this one. Although, I'd hate to hog all the fun…"

He turned to the man at the radio station. "Contact Commander Rehema and her squad. Tell them to remain on standby until we arrive in the area. We'll coordinate our operations with them."

As the man established contact, Aisha looked at Waltfeld. "You're letting Shemei in on the hunt? I'm a little surprised; I thought you would have wanted this one to yourself."

The Field Marshall shook his head. "The mobile suit designated Omega One is far more dangerous than the other one, the Strike. I'd rather have Shemei and her subordinates fight that machine and focus my men on the legged ship and the other suit. The Strike has proven itself to be quite capable in its own right, so I'm sure it will make for interesting prey."

Aisha laughed. "I imagine Shemei will be quite grateful to you. I remember the last time we talked how she said she wanted to fight someone who was actually close to her level. The Alliance fighters and mobile armors just can't measure up to her."

Waltfeld smiled. "By now, she's probably seen the same recordings we have of Omega One in action. I bet she's just itching to get into the fray. Besides, she's a good friend of ours. We can't just throw a party like this and not invite her."

"The timing couldn't be better either," said Aisha. "I heard that the Valkyrie and her crew just got outfitted with the modified DINNs. They should be finishing up the final adjustments on them as we speak."

The Field Marshall nodded. "It should be fun seeing those machines in action, especially considering the way Shemei and her pilots tend to fly. They take the phrase 'pushing the envelope' to a whole new level." He grinned. "I can't wait to get things rolling."

….

Sitting in an office just outside the main hangar of the Tobruk airbase, Shemei Rehema was a picture of relaxation. Leaning back in her chair, feet kicked up on the desk, long dark hair falling behind the chair, she looked at the screen in front of her with a mischievous smirk on her face, grey eyes gleaming with interest as she listened. Her white commander's uniform only served to accentuate her light brown skin, the overall effect further enhancing her beauty, and it had often been said by both male and female members of the service that it made her seem like one of the legendary Masamune katanas; exquisite and deadly.

"Is that so?" she said. "Send Waltfeld my regards, and tell him to say hi to Aisha for me."

The communications officer of the Lesseps was a little put off by her casualness, despite having spoken with her before and knowing to expect it. "So, uhm, you do acknowledge this message then, correct ma'am?"

She sighed. "Of course I do. Geez, you need to lighten up a bit." She smiled and winked, serving to throw the man even more off balance. "We'll wait for the Tiger's call; we'll be ready when it comes." With that she signed off.

She got up and exited the office, entering a hangar full of activity. Tech crews were milling around, making the final adjustments to four black and red mobile suits.

Looking up at one of them, she sighed. They call these the DINN Mark II's, but it's not that much of a change from the first model. All they did was add a beam saber and mount additional maneuvering jets on the legs. I mean sure, the mobility increase is nice, and having a beam saber means we can engage something like Omega One or the Strike in close-quarters combat, but do the higher ups have to act like they're rewarding us with a whole new model?

From what she had seen in the combat recordings she'd gone over, Creuset had had his CGUE modified in a similar manner, yet had been outmatched by Omega One. She was willing to grant that his foe had obviously been a superior mobile suit piloted by a stunningly skilled opponent, but she had still been disappointed in how her fellow commander had performed against it. You're getting soft Creuset, she thought, you've been spending too much time either on the bridge of the Vesalius or in the capital playing politics with Defense Chairman Zala.

Shemei wouldn't go so far as to call Creuset a rival, but she could not hide her disdain for the man. While she would readily admit that he had good tactical and strategic instincts and was an exceptional pilot, she disliked how he seemed to spend most of his time out of combat conniving with politicians. What concerned her even more was how most, if not all of them, were from the radical faction.

Though they would never admit to it publicly, she mused, I know that most of them would turn this war into a genocide campaign if they were given the reigns, or at least one of subjugation. Patrick Zala in particular has hardly made an effort to disguise his contempt and open loathing of Naturals. Though she could not blame him for hating them, since his wife had died in the Bloody Valentine Tragedy, she could not condone blood-for-blood on that scale, something she knew the radical faction wanted.

"Not to mention mom and dad…" she whispered. The fact that her parents were Naturals living in Aprilius One, the seat of PLANT power, made her very nervous. Over the past few months she'd tried to convince them to move to one of the colonies that were under the sway of the moderates. Last time she had visited the capital, about two months ago, she had noticed an increasingly charged political atmosphere, and did not like her parents living in the middle of that.

The majority of the civilian population of the PLANTs just want to live in peace, she thought, but since Aprilius One is the primary governmental colony, a significant portion of its population are political functionaries and top military brass. Under those circumstances, she was well aware that what might have been a polite political debate in another colony would have become something much more heated in the capital.

Not to mention that the elections for the chairmanship of the Supreme Council are little more than a month away, and Patrick Zala is the leading opposition candidate! Though Shemei wasn't a huge fan of politics, she did at least try to keep up to date on what was going on in those circles, primarily because what happened there could always spill over to the military in one form or another. She was also an acquaintance of the incumbent, Siegel Clyne, so she had better access than most into the latest bit of ZAFT intrigue should she be so inclined to inquire. The man was the nominal head of the moderate faction, and like his contemporaries he'd been accused by the radicals of being too indecisive in the prosecution of the war. The last time they'd spoken, when he personally had called her to let her know of her upcoming transfer to Tobruk before the High Command made their official call, she had seen new worry lines in his face, and he'd seemed to have acquired a few gray hairs as well.

Zala may act civil, but I know his cronies have been running a brutal campaign. I have no doubt it's having an effect on the Chairman, no matter how much he may try to rise above the political vitriol. She felt a great swell of pity for not only Siegel Clyne but his daughter, Lacus, who had just been recovered from Alliance captivity. She did not want the girl to see her father as he was now, and Shemei knew that Lacus was smart enough to pick up on the Chairman's worries, no matter how hard he tried to hide them. She's as perceptive as her father. If she put her mind to it, she'd be a stunning politician. Her talents are wasted as a singer, though I'll admit her voice is one of the most beautiful I've ever heard.

A voice rang out from behind her. "What's on your mind, Commander?"

Shemei turned to see her subordinates coming over to her, all wearing the red uniforms reserved for ace pilots. Leading them was the one who had asked the question, the seemingly delicate flower who in actuality had proven herself to be quite an energetic young woman, Lan Zhao.

With pale, almost white skin, dark brown eyes, and black hair that was held up by a pair of lacquered chopsticks, she was a classic picture of Far Eastern beauty. The daughter of a Triad boss from Shanghai who had made her a Coordinator in the hopes of having a super-human enforcer loyal only to him, Lan had quickly decided she wanted no part of that life. With the help of her mother, one of the boss's mistresses, she managed to rob her father's private safe when she was fourteen, taking nearly a million dollars worth of stolen gems. Fleeing the Republic of East Asia with her mother, the two of them sold the stones and bought passage to the PLANTs.

After arriving on Aprilius One, her mother had found work as a hotel secretary, while Lan was sent to school. After attending classes for only a year she had decided she wanted something more exciting, and enrolled in the ZAFT academy. She graduated at the age of sixteen in the year 69 C.E., having shown her best performances in piloting and unarmed combat. Eventually she had gained enough of a combat record to be noticed by the Valkyrie, and Shemei had recruited Lan for her new unit. Bright and easy-going, she had a very upbeat personality, which had originally surprised Shemei when she had learned of her past and the circumstances under which she had been raised, but she had quickly come to realize that it was a means for Lan to suppress her childhood memories and live for the present and the future. The girl had soon become the source for much of the squad's humor, and had developed into a minor gossip as well.

In her wake were the other two pilots, also former classmates of hers. On her left was Priscilla Dalca, a blond haired eighteen year old girl of mixed Italian/Romanian heritage. She had lovely green eyes that glowed with gentleness, and kept her hair tied in a pony tail. A kind and soft spoken young lady, she was the quiet one of the group, and could often be found with her head buried in a book. A lover of mystery and suspense thriller novels, historical accounts, as well as an avid follower of PLANT politics, she could often provide useful insights into political intrigue, making her a treasured source of information to Shemei. Priscilla has also proven herself at the academy to have an uncanny knack for reading an enemy's strategy, and was a superb shot with a pistol as well. Her parents both worked in a major PLANT software company, and Priscilla herself had become a gifted amateur programmer and hacker under their tutelage.

To Lan's right was Adaline Bellerose. The Australian born nineteen year old had the body of a surfer, which indeed had been one of her favorite hobbies before moving to the PLANTs in 68 C.E. Her long, flowing red hair fell almost to her waist, and her blue eyes seemed as dark and deep as the ocean she so loved. A born daredevil, becoming a mobile suit pilot had just seemed to her to be the next logical choice after arriving in the PLANTs, and after a brief stint as a lifeguard in order to save up some cash, she had enrolled in the ZAFT academy, where she had met and become fast friends with Lan and Priscilla.

Shemei actually saw a bit of herself in Adaline, with the girl's relaxed outlook on life, combined with the need for a rush, reminding the commander of how she had gravitated towards military service in the first place. Adaline had quickly earned her trust, and her fighting abilities combined with her taste for flair and audacity had made her a natural pick for the Valkyrie's personal team.

Shemei smiled. "Oh, not much. I was just thinking about the modifications for the DINNs." She looked up at her machine, the gazes of the others following hers.

"I know what you mean," said Lan, "I mean yeah, they perform fine in simulations, but I want to test them in combat. Best way to really get a feel for it."

"You might get a chance sooner than you think," said Shemei, and she told the three girls about her recent conversation with Waltfeld's officer.

The other three were quiet for a moment, and then Adaline spoke up. "Wow, a joint operation with the Tiger…" A smile was slowly breaking out on her face. "Should be fun, especially since the target is the legged ship."

"Actually," chimed in Priscilla, "if I heard the commander correctly, our responsibility will be to assess the capabilities of Omega One, while Field Marshall Waltfeld's forces deal with the warship and the Strike."

"Even better," she said, a full grin displayed now.

"Have you three reviewed the footage from the orbital forces yet?" said Shemei.

They nodded. "Good," said Shemei. Turning to Priscilla she said, "I know you have some background in programming. Can you possibly work up a simulation of Omega One for us to fight against?"

"I suppose so…" the blond said, "although the images alone give me a very limited amount of data on the machine. Not to mention that without a psychological profile or performance dossier on the pilot I can't come close to creating a simulation that will fight like the genuine article, and the full extent of Omega One's capabilities are still unknown to us. It is entirely possible that it possesses greater power than we have already seen, particularly in regards to its rifle and the strength of its armor."

"In that case don't worry about it," said Shemei, "After the engagement, let me know if you can work one up with the data we acquire on that run."

"After?" said Lan. "Wouldn't it be better to take down Omega One as soon as possible?"

Shemei nodded. "Yes, but I have a feeling it won't be that simple. When I was watching the recordings, I could tell that the pilot was incredibly skilled, and I still think he may have been holding back to some extent. That amount of skill combined with the power of that machine, and I don't think we'll take it down in the first round. It will be better to use the opportunity to get a feel for how the enemy fights this time around. We can figure out how to take it out later on."

"So what do we do in the meantime?" said Adaline.

"Rest up, do some sim runs, and make sure your machines are in peak condition," replied Shemei, "We're officially on standby from here on until Field Marshall Waltfeld says otherwise."

The three of them saluted her. "Understood, Commander Rehema!" they said in unison.

….

"It's been two days! Come on doctor, isn't there something you can do?"

The speaker was Miriallia, pleading with the Archangel's chief medical officer. The two of them, along with Flay and Tolle, were in Kira's quarters, where the young man was still lying unconscious.

The man shook his head. "I'm sorry miss, but there really isn't anything I can do, mainly because he doesn't need my help."

"What do you mean?" asked Flay, who, to the surprise of everyone, had hardly left Kira's side over the last forty-eight hours. She had been diligently tending to him ever since he had been brought out of the Strike, wiping the sweat off his brow, checking his temperature, and just watching over him in general.

The doctor sighed. "I mean he's recovering on his own. His body shutting down like this is a restorative function. He's recuperating through this deep sleep. It's fortunate that he's a Coordinator, or he would not have survived the extreme temperatures in that cockpit."

He stood up and made for the exit. "Just keep an eye on him, and he'll wake up in due time."

After a few minutes, Miriallia turned to Flay. "Hey, why don't you go take a break? I know Sai's been worrying about you…"

Flay shook her head. "No, I'm alright. I said some pretty bad stuff to Kira… when my father died. I… want to try and make up for it, somehow." She looked up and smiled. "So I'll stay here until he wakes up."

"Alright," said Miriallia, and both she and Tolle got up to leave. "I'll bring by some food and water a little later, okay?"

"Sure. Thanks Miriallia."

Nodding, they both left, leaving Flay alone with Kira.

Alone with the boy she despised, loathed with every fiber of her being…

At least, that's what I want to think. In actuality, she had been surprised to find herself feeling… torn, over this scheme of hers. On the one hand, it was a delicious bit of drama, having the Coordinator who had let her father die kill as many of his own kind as possible in the name of defending the ship and, more importantly, her. It was the sweetest form of vengeance she had ever imagined.

And yet… looking at him now, it was hard to see Kira as anything but just a boy, someone who had gotten caught up in this mess through no fault of his own, someone who was trying to survive and protect those he cared about in any way he could. She had actually found herself worrying about him when he had gone into battle in orbit. She'd told herself that it was just her desire to not have him die so soon, to have him suffer longer, but she was already having trouble believing that.

No, I can't be feeling that. My revenge has only just begun, he needs to feel as much pain as I did… no, more than I did.

She kept telling herself that, but as she kept looking down at Kira… kind, gentle Kira, she thought…

It was already becoming difficult not to actually care about him.

….

"Looks like the weather is starting to break," said Heero. He was standing on the bridge, once again next to Murrue's chair, a habit he had begun developing since they had touched down in the desert almost three days ago. Looking out the forward viewport, he could actually see flashes of sky, though the sand was still flying around them. The storm was losing intensity, and would probably die down by late evening.

He looked down at Murrue, who was checking one of the outer hull monitors on the small screen on the arm of her chair. "It doesn't look like there are any major sand buildups on the hull," she said, "the wind's been helping out quite a bit in that regard."

Heero nodded. "Once things clear up and we make sure everything's in one piece, we can lift off. That should shake off any remaining sand deposits."

She turned to him and smiled, and he found himself realizing how much he enjoyed seeing her do so, and how he wished she'd do it more often. Though with all the stress she's under, I guess it's a miracle she can smile at all. I can't be greedy.

Looking at her, he gave one of his small smiles in return, something he did because he knew that, ever since their talk before the battle in orbit had begun, she had begun worrying about him, and he didn't want to add to her concerns. I owe her. She's pretty much given me free room and board since I've arrived here, not to mention somewhere that I can stay while I try to figure out what I want to do with myself, what my purpose is for being in this world. Plus, the fact that she seemed to genuinely care about his well being, and had offered to be a confidant and friend to him… well, that meant a lot to someone who'd only known a very few people that he'd been able to trust before now.

He knew that he had told her to consider him a mercenary, but the truth of the matter was that he had not asked for any kind of payment since arriving, hadn't even discussed a retainer plan with her. They had come to a kind of unspoken agreement; he would fight and protect the Archangel, and in return he could stay aboard. He knew that the fighting was considered his work, but he realized that he actually didn't mind it. It wasn't that he liked the killing, far from it. However, he had come to realize something else; he actually enjoyed being on the ship. The comradery, the struggle… it reminded him of the time he had spent aboard the carrier Peacemillion with the other Gundam pilots and their friends during White Fang's Artemis Revolution and the Eve Wars. The fighting fit in with that, and had even begun to evoke a sense of nostalgia, something he had been relatively unfamiliar with until now.

"Once we're ready," Murrue said, "we can start scouting for a suitable supply depot to raid. Hopefully we can find one before the Valkyrie scrambles from Tobruk."

Heero nodded. "You should send Lieutenant Commander La Flaga out in one of the new Skygraspers once the techs finish making sure they're combat ready. I can stay here and protect the ship with Wing Zero in case the enemy decides to engage us."

"That's a good plan," said Murrue, "Hopefully Kira will wake up soon; I'd hate to have you defending us solo."

Heero gave a small laugh. "Yes, the help would be appreciated." Becoming more serious, he added, "He should be fine. From what I've read, Coordinators are pretty durable. Him being out like this helps him shake off any ill effects from the partial reentry. He should be fresh and ready to go once he wakes up and gets something to eat and drink."

She nodded, and then looked at the screen on her chair. "Speaking of which, my watch has just about ended." She turned to Heero. "Do you want to grab something to eat with me?"

"Sure, I could use a bite."

The bridge doors opened, and Natarle walked in. "I'm here to relieve you, Captain Ramius."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Badgiruel. The bridge is yours." With that she stood up and made her way towards the exit, Heero in her wake.

….

When they arrived in the cafeteria, they found that the only other people there were Tolle and Miriallia. They both stood up to salute when Murrue entered.

She shook her head. "Relax you two, I'm just here to get some food. No need to stand on ceremony."

"Sorry ma'am," said Miriallia. She looked behind her and saw Heero enter as well. "Hello Heero. How are you?"

"Fine," he said as he dished up alongside Murrue, "how about you two?"

"We're doing alright," said Tolle, "though we are kinda worried about Kira."

"Well I can hardly blame you," said Murrue as she and Heero sat down across from them. "He is your friend, and he has been unconscious for nearly three days now."

The two of them nodded. "At least he's not alone," said Miriallia. "Flay's been keeping him company. She's hardly left his side, in fact."

Is that so?, thought Murrue. I was under the impression that Kira was one of the people she blamed for the death of her father, along with Heero. She'd heard from Lieutenant Commander La Flaga about the incident in the cafeteria shortly after Heero had come aboard. However, when she'd asked Heero about it, he'd simply shrugged and told her he wasn't worried about it. She looked over at the young man, and noted that his eyes had narrowed slightly. So I'm not the only one who thinks that something is off about this. I'll have to ask for his opinion later, once Tolle and Miriallia have left. She didn't want to worry the two students, especially after they had volunteered to stay aboard the ship rather than return to Orb.

"Why would she do that?" asked Heero.

"Well," Miriallia replied, "she said something about wanting to make up for the way she had yelled at him after her father died. So she's keeping an eye on him." The girl smiled. "I'm glad, I was afraid she really hated him, and Kira doesn't deserve that."

"Although I think Sai is getting a little edgy about it," said Tolle.

"Oh, he can deal with her not being on his arm for a little while," said Miriallia.

That's right, the Argyle family had engaged their son, Sai, to marry the Allster girl, recalled Murrue, having overheard that bit of gossip while both Tolle and Miriallia had been on the bridge a few days ago. Since it was an arranged marriage, Murrue couldn't be entirely sure as to the feelings of the two teenagers involved. And now that Vice Foreign Minister Allster is dead, I can't say with certainty whether or not the engagement is still on.

Before she could inquire further, Miriallia stood up, along with Tolle. "Well, we have to get going, our shift starts soon."

Alright, take care you two," said Murrue.

Once she was sure they were out of earshot, she turned to Heero. "Well, your thoughts?"

"Hard to say," he said after a moment, "I don't know enough about the girl or her prior relationships to either Sai or Kira. She could be feeling genuine guilt, but there could be more to it."

He turned to her. "Sorry, but I don't have anything solid to offer you right now."

She shook her head. "It's alright, don't worry about it. Still, what are your instincts telling you?"

"That something's up. What it is I can't put my finger on, but something does not feel right about her actions. Want me to keep an eye on them?"

"No," said Murrue, "you do enough for me as is, I don't want to add to it. Besides," she smiled, "if I have you watching them, you won't be able to visit the bridge, and I greatly appreciate the advice you give while there."

"I think you've done a good job thus far," said Heero, "you don't really need my input."

Murrue shook her head. "You're wrong, Heero. The fact that you're from another world gives you a unique perspective, one that I value. Your judgment isn't clouded by prejudices that the rest of us may have developed as a result of growing up in this world. Also, you have a whole separate war's worth of experience behind you; the insights and wisdom you've gained from that are incalculable."

She met his gaze. "I'd greatly appreciate it if you would continue to be on the bridge while you're not in combat or resting. Though you've only been here a few days, you've already proven to be an invaluable member of this crew, both on and off the battlefield. The insights you can give to our planning may prove to be the difference between life and death."

He nodded. "Alright, but what do you want to do about Kira and Flay?"

She sighed. "Not much we really can do for now. He's still unconscious, so what happens next depends entirely on his reactions when he wakes up. The ball's in his court now. Unless either of them breaks Alliance regulations in one way or another, there's little I can do. On the bright side, Tolle and Miriallia seem to chat freely about developments among the volunteers, so I think we can count on them as an intelligence source of sorts. If anything happens, they'll know before we do, and eventually they'll talk about it within earshot. Who knows, they might end up coming to us for help. Once that happens, it will make it easier for us to investigate without creating any unnecessary tension on the ship."

"Sounds good to me," said Heero.

….

Slowly but surely, Kira Yamato began to regain consciousness. He couldn't see much at first, just a lot of light and a blurry figure. "Who…who's there?"

He heard a gasp. "Kira!" Raising his hands to rub his eyes, he could now see Flay Allster sitting next to his bed.

"Flay? What's going on?" he said as he sat up, seeing that he was in his quarters.

"You were unconscious for almost three days. We were all so worried…" she looked down at the floor.

"Have you been here this whole time?"

"Well…" she said, "most of it. I mean, I went to get some sleep a few times, but that was it."

Kira couldn't help but blush at that. "Flay…"

Then she held out something. "One of the mechanics gave this to me. He said it must be yours, since they found it in the Strike's cockpit." It was the yellow paper flower from the young girl.

Then he remembered what had happened to her… along with the other refugees on the shuttle.

"That little girl…" he said, his eyes welling up with tears, "I… couldn't save her…"

Suddenly Flay was right in front of him. Pressing herself against him, he found himself being pushed back onto the mattress. "It's alright," she whispered as she leaned in to kiss him. "Everything will be alright…"

And in the heat and passion that followed, Kira was, for a little while, able to believe it…

…as he made love to the girl of his dreams.

….

It was past midnight in the desert, and the moon shone down upon the dunes. Sitting in a jeep atop one of them, Andrew Waltfeld looked through his binoculars and smiled. The weather had finally cleared, and he could see the white Earth Alliance warship parked several kilometers away.

He turned to his adjutant in the driver's seat, Martin DaCosta, a young man with red hair and tan skin. "Looks like the scouts' report was right on the money."

DaCosta nodded. "I've signaled Commander Rehema as you've instructed. She should be in position in about an hour and a half."

"Then we'll be starting soon," said Aisha from one of the rear passenger seats. She looked at Waltfeld. "Will we be taking the field this time, Andy?"

The Field Marshall shook his head. "No, we'll observe for right now. I want to gather as much data as possible on this new enemy."

He looked behind the dune, where several of ZAFT's ground attack mobile suits, the four-legged, almost wolf-like BuCues. There were also several attack helicopters, and Waltfeld new that the Lesseps would be moving into position with more choppers shortly.

Turning to his adjutant he said, "DaCosta, take us in about a kilometer closer. We shouldn't draw too much attention, what with the strong N-jammer interference in the area. Signal our group to follow, except for the helicopters; they'll stay put until I signal for the attack."

As the man grabbed the jeep's radio and carried out his orders, Waltfeld turned to his lover and smiled. "We should be in for quite a show. I can't wait to get started."

….

Meanwhile, on a different dune, stood three figures. Two were men, one tall and muscular, with long black hair and a bow and quiver on his back, the other shorter, with a large beard. Both wore combat fatigues, vests, and cloaks. The girl had blond hair that fell about to her shoulders, brown eyes, and light skin, clearly a foreigner. She had tan pants, a red shirt with a vest over it, and a rifle slung over her shoulder. She appeared to be in her mid-teens.

She lowered the binoculars she had been looking through. "That's it," she said, "the Earth Alliance's new battleship. I saw a blueprint of it in Heliopolis. The last of their mobile suits should be aboard it as well."

"What about the rumors that have been going around?" said the bearded man, "The ones about another, more powerful machine?"

"They can't be accurate," said the girl, "the Alliance only had five machines built, I saw them myself."

"In that case, we should get ready," said the other man. "The Tiger will probably attack them soon now that the storm has cleared."

She nodded. "Right, let's go rendezvous with the others."

….

"Heat signatures detected!" yelled the radar operator, "They're missiles!"

"Cold start the engines," yelled Natarle, "Raise the ship immediately!"

It would take precious seconds to activate the engines, and Natarle knew that they wouldn't be able to evade the incoming warheads. "As soon as they come in range, open up with the CIWs." Then she activated the intercom. "All hands to battle stations!"

….

Murrue flew out of bed as soon as she heard the lieutenant's voice. Moving faster than she had previously thought possible, she had her uniform on in mere seconds, although it looked fairly disheveled, much like her hair. She ran her hands through it once as she moved towards her cabin doors, managing to straighten it out a little.

As she exited her quarters she saw Heero already moving down the corridor towards the hangar, dressed in his civilian clothes. He looked over his shoulder and yelled.

"I'll launch Wing Zero right away and find out what we're up against!"

All she could do was nod her head before he rounded the corner and was out of sight. Please be careful, Heero, she thought.

….

Kira quickly put on his uniform, still struggling with his shirt as he ran out the door. As he did so, a certain red-headed girl looked up from where she lay scantily clad in his bed.

She smiled as the door closed. "That's right, Kira. You have to fight to protect us… to protect me." She started laughing, thrilled with the ease at which her revenge plot was unfolding…

…all the while unaware of the tears that were falling down her face as she did so.

….

Murrue braced herself against a wall as the ship shuddered. A hit?, she thought, I hope it wasn't too bad. Regaining her footing, she entered the bridge.

"What's the situation?" she asked Natarle as she took her seat.

"The enemy launched a missile attack from somewhere to the south west of us. We were able to shoot down most of them, but the hull took a few hits. Nothing was breached though."

"What's the status of the Skygrapsers? Are any of them battle ready?" said Murrue.

"Not yet," said Natarle, "The techs are still making adjustments to them. They need a few more minutes."

That's time we might not have. "Get me Wing Zero!" she ordered.

Heero's face appeared on her monitor. "Does Wing Zero have atmospheric flight capability?" asked Murrue.

Heero nodded. "It performs as well on Earth as it does in space."

That's good to know, she thought. "Heero, as soon as you launch I want you to gain some altitude. See if you can spot where the attack came from; the N-jammer interference is playing hell with our radar."

"What about the ship? The missiles could have been a diversion for an approaching ground force," he said.

"We'll give the Strike the Launcher pack and have it act as our defense. The techs are making final adjustments to the Skygraspers, so La Flaga will eventually be able to join you for aerial recon, but it will take time. I need you to be my eyes in the sky until a fighter can launch," said Murrue.

Heero nodded. "Mission accepted." He signed off.

"Doors open, Wing Zero is launching!" said Miriallia.

"Get the Strike to the catapult, Launcher load out!" ordered Murrue.

As the second mobile suit was being prepped for launch, Murrue looked at her chair monitor, where Wing Zero was rocketing skyward. I'm counting on you, Heero…

….

"Let me launch already, damn it!" said Kira. "The enemy could be upon us at any moment."

"Kira, we need Wing Zero to get into position and find the enemy first," said Miriallia. "We can't just…"

"There's no time for that! Let me go now!"

Captain Ramius appeared on the screen, her face stern and reproachful. "I don't appreciate your attitude, Ensign Yamato. However, under the circumstances, I will overlook your brashness. I'll let you launch, but stay close to the ship. You're our point defense, so don't move too far away."

He nodded. "Yes ma'am." He checked his monitors, where he saw that the Launcher equipment had been mounted on the Strike. On its right shoulder was mounted a stabilizer wing, along with a 120mm anti-ship Vulcan Gun and two 350 mm Gun Launchers, while the left arm had the massive Agni Hyper Impulse Beam Cannon.

With this, he thought, I'll waste anyone who comes near us.

Miriallia appeared on his screen again. "Okay Kira, you're all set."

He nodded. "Kira Yamato, Strike, launching!"

….

At four thousand feet, Heero halted his climb and put his machine into a stationary hover. Pushing all of his sensors to the limits of their capabilities, he was able to instantly comprehend the situation they were in.

He quickly got on the line with the Archangel. "What do you have, Heero?" said Murrue as her face came on screen.

"One large heat source roughly thirteen kilometers to the southwest, most likely a land battleship. That's the source of the missiles," he began, "I also have a group of contacts moving in from the southeast. I count four mobile suits, BuCues from the looks of it, along with twenty aerial contacts, profile suggests attack helicopters."

As he spoke he saw the Strike launch from the ship. When it hit the sand, though, it began to stumble and quickly lost its balance, dropping to one knee. Idiot, he thought, you should have adjusted your O.S. for desert conditions before launching.

Suddenly he saw a new image on one of his monitors. Enlarging it, his eyes narrowed as he saw what was approaching. Not good.

"Sorry Murrue, but I'm afraid I'm going to be occupied for a little while," he said as he gunned his engines and headed north, where the new threat was coming from.

"What do you mean?" she said.

Heero sent her the image, and he saw her eyes widen on his screen. "Those are…"

He nodded, and turned towards the four DINNs that were approaching.

Black DINNs, with red stripes on the shoulders, arms, and legs.

"I'm engaging the Valkyrie and her subordinates."

She nodded. "Understood… be careful, Heero."

"Roger that," he said.

….

Checking her monitor, Shemei saw Omega One moving directly towards her team. She smiled. You don't waste any time, do you? I like you already.

"Lan, Priscilla, go in low along the dunes. Try to flank him and use your rifles and missiles. Adaline and I will engage at close quarters."

"Yes ma'am," the two girls said, and they broke off from the formation and dropped altitude. Meanwhile, Shemei and Adaline continued to move in for a head-to-head confrontation with Omega One.

She saw the machine raise its rifle. "Scatter!" she yelled. As she and Adaline made evasive maneuvers, a large yellow blast flew between them, narrowly missing them.

"Adaline, you okay?"

The red-head responded. "Wings are a little singed, but I'm good. That thing packs a wallop."

Shemei nodded. "Let's get him!"

She and Adaline drew their violet beam sabers, saw Omega One activate its green blade, and they went at it.

….

For a pilot of Heero Yuy's caliber, a four on one mobile suit battle wasn't a daunting proposition. However, against four highly skilled pilots, even he knew that he would have a rough time of it.

At least, were he in a normal mobile suit… but Wing Zero was as far from a normal mobile suit as one could get. He closed his eyes as his foes approached, immersing himself in the Zero System.

The Zero System worked by expanding the consciousness of the pilot. It fed the operator enormous amounts of data, encompassing all tactical and strategic possibilities for any given situation. Under the system, anything could be considered a target, which was why it was such a double-edged sword. It was up to the pilot to give the system guidance, to nudge it towards a desired course of action in order to achieve his goals. It was essentially a balancing act between logic and emotion, with the pilot imposing a conscience on the ruthlessly efficient program. However, this required a degree of mental discipline that was practically inhuman, and anyone without it who tried to use the system could become a mass-murdering psychopath, a victim of sheer sensory overload. Only a very few people had achieved that degree of mastery over the system, to the point that they were granted a kind of short-term precognition, an ability to read an enemy's moves before they made them; future sight.

And Heero was the very best of that elite group; he'd reached the zenith of battlefield awareness.

Opening his eyes, he swiftly moved to block a strike from the leading DINN. At the same time, he used Wing Zero's sheer power to push it back, and then parried an attack from another black and red machine that had tried to move in on the left. Then he hit his thrusters, gaining altitude and at the same time dodging a flurry of cannon fire that had erupted from below as the other two DINNs came up from the dunes. A volley of missiles fired from the two units' chest launchers, but they were shot down by Wing Zero's shoulder gatlings.

Whirling around, he parried another strike from the first DINN, and then blocked another from the second with his arm shield, shoving it aside. The other two machines circled around them, firing bursts from their rifles, but Heero managed to side slip the incoming rounds. Gaining a bit of distance, he fired several low powered shots with the Twin Buster Rifle. He didn't score any hits, but he did force his foes to go evasive, giving himself a bit of breathing room.

He then charged the first DINN that had attacked him, confident that it was piloted by the commander herself. The machine parried skillfully, and Heero had to quickly break off in order to block an attack from the other DINN that had dedicated itself to close quarters combat in this fight. Diving towards the dunes to evade another cannon and missile barrage from the other two units, he raised his rifle and fired another burst, then gained altitude and moved in with his saber once again.

….

Kira was having a much rougher time than Heero, still stumbling around in the sand. As the first group of helicopters approached, they fired a volley of missiles at the mobile suit. Kira barely managed to evade them, and his return fire with the shoulder guns was way off the mark. The Archangel threw up a barrage of covering fire, but the enemy pilots were quite skilled, and managed to dodge the counter attack.

Damn, though Kira, I can't keep my balance! Every time he tried to stand and fire his main cannon the Strike kept slipping in the sand.

His radar suddenly showed four larger contacts, and a group of wolf-like BuCues, armed with twin rail guns on their backs, emerged from behind a dune. Kira hastily fired a blast with the Agni, but the enemy machines easily dodged the crimson beam.

Thinking quickly, he used the Strike's thrusters to leap into the air. Though the machine did not have flight capability in the atmosphere, it could use its engines to jump and temporarily hover. He used this breathing room to begin adjusting his Operating System, fingers flying across the keyboard.

Unfortunately, the Strike began descending before he was even halfway done, and he once again lost his footing as he landed. The machine moved slightly better than before though, and he was able to take down a helicopter with a burst from the shoulder Vulcan.

The four BuCues circled him, firing as they did. Several shots hit the Strike, and Kira stumbled under the blows. He quickly hit his thrusters again, and rushed to complete his adjustments to the O.S. as the machine went skyward.

At the same time, he aimed the Agni towards the BuCues below and let lose another crimson blast. He missed again, but the shot threw a large amount of sand up, temporarily blinding his foes.

As the Strike began to fall again, he rapidly typed in new parameters for the machine. Adjust for contact pressure… recalibrate the aiming software… increase shock dispenser strength to ease the landing… all these thoughts flew through his head at lightning speed, and his hands seemed to be like a blur as they input the new commands into the O.S.

When he hit the ground again, his machine held its footing. Feeling a renewed sense of confidence, he cut loose with the massive cannon. The enemy formation scattered again, and Kira closed in on one of the machines, kneeing it in the side. The enemy was nearly knocked on its side, but before Kira could finish it off several missiles impacted the Strike from behind.

As he turned around, Kira fired the Agni, and three choppers became fireballs. Whirling around, he fired again, this time at an approaching BuCue, and managed to take out its rail guns. The machine withdrew, and Kira didn't bother trying to finish it, for another group of helicopters was moving in on him, along with the other three BuCues.

Suddenly two more large blips appeared on his radar. "What?" he cried, "More of them?" Indeed, two more BuCues appeared from behind a dune, this time carrying racks of missile launchers on their backs.

At the same time, five helicopters let fly with a volley of missiles. Kira managed to dodged most of them, but two hit him in the back and he was forced to drop to his machine's knee to avoid falling face-first in the sand.

The attack choppers prepared to fire another salvo, but two of them suddenly exploded as green energy beams pierced them. Kira saw a blue and white fighter jet soar by, coming around for another pass against the helicopters.

"Sorry I'm late kid!" said Mu La Flaga.

"Better late than never," said Kira, and he couldn't help but grin while doing so.

"I'll take care of things up here," said the Lieutenant Commander, "you focus on the ground units."

He nodded, and fired another volley from the Agni at the BuCues swirling around him.

….

Murrue breathed a sigh of relief as the Skygrasper made another run on the swarm of choppers, taking out two more of them. Nice to have some air cover, she thought.

Meanwhile, the Archangel was throwing out streams of fire from is CIWs. Three helicopters were hit, but the rest managed to evade the shots, too agile for the guns to track.

Down to thirteen machines, the remaining choppers began to back off, peppering the ship with missiles, most of which were intercepted by the CIWs, but otherwise spending their time trying to counter the new fighter jet that was attacking them.

Glad to have some breathing room, Murrue turned to the other matter that was concerning her; Heero's fight with the Valkyrie's team. The five machines were slugging it out in a fantastic display of aerial combat, the likes of which Murrue had never seen before. The four DINNs moved with incredible agility, and she could see that their teamwork was top notch. However, what impressed her more was how Wing Zero seemed to always be one step ahead of them, maneuvering to dodge rifle rounds and missile volleys while at the same time blocking the sword strikes of the machines attacking at close range, and then swiftly moving to counter attack.

And I thought his duel with Creuset was impressive, she thought, but this…

This is unbelievable!

….

Commander Rehema's thought's mirrored Murrue's. Never had she seen someone move so quickly, with such grace and precision. Omega One's attacks, dodges, and blocks all seemed to flow together so smoothly, and the enemy never once showed a hint of hesitation, not an instant of second-guessing themselves.

She saw the machine whirl around, and a volley of gatling fire hit Priscilla's machine in its right side. Adaline quickly moved in with her beam saber to take the heat off her comrade, and Shemei went to support her as Omega One once again countered her blow and pushed her back.

"Priscilla, status!" yelled the commander as the traded blows with the enemy.

"Starboard missile launchers damaged; no biggie since they're empty anyway. I've lost half of my right wing though, and my thrusters are damaged. Maneuverability is down by forty-one percent," the blond girl said.

"Withdraw then," Shemei ordered as she dodged a volley of gatling fire herself, "if you keep fighting this guy in that shape, you'll die."

"Yes ma'am," said Priscilla, clearly upset to have to leave her friends. "I'm falling back to Tobruk. I should be able to make it solo, though the landing might be a bit rough."

Satisfied that Priscilla would be alright, Shemei quickly moved in to launch another attack on the enemy. As their blades met, Shemei couldn't help but smile.

I can't recall the last time someone forced one of my teammates to withdraw, let alone fight us four-on-one on an even footing!

"Finally," she said as Omega One once again shoved her back before blocking a strike from Adaline, "someone who can push me to my limit!"

….

Another crimson beam ripped forth from the Agni, the Strike's shot vaporizing the rail guns of another BuCue. That unit began to retreat, leaving four machines circling Kira; two with cannons, and the two newcomers with missile launchers.

Charging the nearest one, Kira quickly closed in. Moving too fast for the enemy to dodge, he kicked the machine's head off, sending it on its back. He finished the BuCue off with a blast from the Agni at point blank range.

Suddenly a new host of contacts appeared from the southwest, moving fast. Checking their heat signatures, Kira saw that they were missiles.

They're too large to be from the helicopters, he thought, is there a heavier machine nearby? He didn't have time to wonder though. Moving quickly, he hit his thrusters and leapt clear of the BuCue's, then fired the Agni at the peak of his jump.

….

Murrue watched as a red beam from the Strike lanced through the incoming swarm of missiles, igniting all of them like firecrackers. Good shooting, Kira, she thought.

She turned to Miriallia. "Tell Lieutenant Commander La Flaga to track down the source of those missiles." The girl nodded and relayed her instructions.

We'll be without air support again, she thought, but those were heavier missiles than the choppers carry. We need to find the source quickly before it launches another salvo.

Emboldened by the sudden absence of the Skygrasper, the remaining helicopters renewed their attack on the Archangel. Flitting around like flies, they fired missiles and machine guns. The warship returned fire, but only one chopper went down, leaving a dozen to go.

Suddenly one of the helicopters exploded. A flurry of rockets flew through their formation, and two more fliers went down in flames.

"New contacts!" said the radar operator. "Putting them onscreen."

A group of jeeps and half-tracks appeared on the monitor. They were approaching from the northeast, a dozen of them. As the ship's cameras zoomed in on them, Murrue could see a rather rag tag group of individuals in the vehicles. "They're resistance fighters," she said.

A voice came over the radio, male and gruff. "Please don't fire on us. We're here to help, though we'll want something in return of course."

"I understand," said Murrue, "we'll discuss it when the battle is over."

Satisfied that they were no immediate threat, Murrue turned her attention back towards the main battle. Kira was still fighting three BuCues, and could not seem to land any hits on them, although he was keeping them at bay. Meanwhile, Mu La Flaga was racing towards the southwest in an attempt to take out the source of the heavy missile barrage from earlier. She remembered Heero saying earlier that a large contact was in that direction, most likely a land-battleship. Could it be the Lesseps? If it is, then La Flaga won't be able to take it down. Actually, a single Skygrasper without an augmentation pack from the Strike, which it could equip since it was designed to support that mobile suit, would pose no major threat to any ZAFT land-battleship or the smaller land-cruisers, though it could harass one for awhile. That'll have to be enough for now, she thought.

She brought up once again on her small monitor the image of Heero's fierce engagement with the DINNs. She saw him fire a blast from the Twin Buster Rifle, which completely disintegrated the right arm of one of the machines, rifle and all. The damaged mobile suit withdrew to the north, leaving just the two with the beam sabers left to fight Heero. The fact that he hadn't actually been able to kill any of them was testament to the skill of both Shemei Rehema and her subordinates.

They aren't exaggerating when they call her the best pilot in the Earth Sphere, thought Murrue.

Although, she mused, a slight smile appearing on her face, it seems that someone may finally be able to contest that title.

Heero Yuy.

….

"Damn it," said Adaline over Shemei's radio as Omega One managed to cut her unit's left leg off. Things would have been worse had the commander not moved in to take the heat off the Australian girl.

"How much has your mobility been cut?" said Shemei as she traded blows with the enemy.

"Thirteen percent," said Adaline, "It's not too bad, but the uneven weight distribution and unequal thruster output on both sides is throwing my balance off."

"Get out of here then," Shemei ordered, "that small difference will mean your death in a fight like this!"

"Understood commander," Adaline replied, clearly clenching her teeth at the thought of leaving her superior to fight alone. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, just get back to Tobruk."

As her comrade made her retreat, Shemei turned to Omega One and once again smiled as their blades met yet again.

To be honest, as long as they're not dead I'm perfectly fine with them leaving the field.

"Now I can fight you one-on-one!" she said, adrenaline surging through her.

The first rays of sunlight began peaking over the dunes as the two aces continued their spectacular clash.

….

A swarm of rockets rained down on the group of BuCue's that were fighting Kira. None of them were destroyed, but they were forced to back off momentarily. In that instance a jeep moved in next to the Strike, and one of the occupants fired a cable at the machine.

When it impacted, Kira could hear a voice coming over his radio. Must be a direct communications cable, he thought, no risk of eavesdroppers that way.

The voice was female, and Kira thought it sounded familiar, though he couldn't quite place where he had heard it before. "Attention," the speaker said, "pilot of the Strike. If you want to live, you'll do exactly as I say."

….

Soaring above the battlefield in his new blue and white Skygrasper, Mu La Flaga soon found himself nearly right on top of his target. Nestled in the dunes below was a ZAFT land-battleship, and it opened up on him the instant he dived to commence his attack run.

Dodging missiles, flak bursts, and machine gun fire, the ace pilot fired off several shots with his beam cannon, sending up smoke from some parts of the ship but otherwise doing little damage. As he pulled away from his target, his scanners finally came up with an IFF beacon for the enemy. As he read it he swore.

So he came out himself, thought La Flaga.

He radioed the Archangel. "Captain, I've confirmed the identity of the land battleship. It's the Lesseps. Waltfeld himself is out here."

"Understood," said Murrue. "In that case, return to the Archangel. I want you to fly over us and help with missile interception if the Lesseps launches another salvo."

"Got it," he said. As he made his way back towards the ship, he saw the Strike heading away from it, three BuCues in pursuit. What is that kid up to?

He got his answer when, as the three machines ran over a particular spot the Strike had just passed, the whole group was engulfed in a massive explosion.

I see, the local resistance must have set explosives here and coordinated with the kid to get the BuCues to this spot. Not bad…

Satisfied that the ground threat had been neutralized, he also saw that the remaining helicopters were withdrawing. Captain Ramius signaled him on the radio.

"Looks like the Tiger has ordered a retreat. Good timing too; the Strike just lost its Phase Shift Armor."

"The Lesseps is withdrawing too. Where do you want me?" he said.

"Return to the ship," she ordered, though he could hear a bit of hesitancy in her voice, and he had a feeling he knew why.

Turning his attention northwards, he saw the duel taking place between Heero and the Valkyrie. Commander Rehema still had her beam saber in her right hand, but had now also drawn a rifle from her suit's hip, and both she and Wing Zero were alternating between trading long and close-range attacks.

Much as I want to help, he though, I'd be outclassed if I went into that fight. The Captain probably realizes that as well.

He gave Heero a two-fingered salute. "Show her what you got, kid!"

….

"Looks like Shemei is still going at it," said Aisha, a hand on Waltfeld's shoulder.

He nodded. "I ordered our forces to withdraw, but I specifically left her out of it." He turned to Aisha and smiled. "She's having too much of a good time to listen right now anyway. Besides, what kind of friend would I be if I interrupted the best fight she's ever had?"

"I'm glad you didn't," she said as she looked past her lover's shoulders towards the two machines as they rampaged across the sky. "I've never seen anything like this."

Waltfeld nodded and grinned. "Neither have I," he said as he too turned his gaze towards the duel. He looked at Omega One, wondering…

Just who in the world is that pilot? I mean sure, the one in the Strike was pretty good too, especially that little bit in how he reconfigured his O.S. and adapted to the desert so quickly…

But this guy's in a league with only one other occupant, and that's Shemei.

….

"Lieutenant Commander La Flaga has just landed in the hangar," said Miriallia, "The Strike is currently standing outside the ship, main batteries are down."

"What about the resistance fighters?" asked Murrue.

"They're gathering near the Strike, according to Kira," reported Miriallia. She looked up from her post, a bit of worry on her face. "What about Heero, ma'am?"

Miriallia's friendly concern was a shallow version of Murrue's, who was much more worried. She knew that Heero could handle himself, and quite well at that, but still…

I want to do something! I told him I wanted to be his friend, but I can't think of anything to do to help him. Rationally, she knew that there was little she could do in this situation. The Strike had run out of power, and she knew that Kira was probably quite tired. At the same time, she understood that while Lieutenant Commander La Flaga was probably one of the best pilots in the Earth Alliance forces, even his skill paled in comparison to the two combatants overhead. If Murrue tried to use the Archangel itself to aid Heero, she knew that there was the chance that the ship's weapons could hit him. More importantly, she had a feeling that if she were to move in towards the Valkyrie, Heero would become distracted, and wouldn't be able to fight at full strength out of concern for the ship… and for her.

She clenched her teeth, frustrated at being so helpless, so useless to the young man who had, in the course of just a few days, had become a valued comrade, a friend.

All she could do was watch on the monitor, and pray for his success. "Heero," she whispered, "You can win… you have to win."

….

Losing was never once an option for Heero Yuy. Even as the duel intensified, with bursts of rifle fire added to the mix, he never once worried, his confidence in his own abilities never wavering.

He smiled as he fired a blast from his rifle, then closed in with his saber after his foe dodged the shot. He turned on his radio, broadcasting on an open channel so she could hear him. "Don't get me wrong," he said as he struck at the machine's head, a machine he knew belonged to Commander Rehema, "you're good." As she blocked, he swiftly kneed her DINN in the lower abdomen, then made a thrust at her upper chest, which she barely managed to block. "You're very good; second best I've ever fought…"

"But," he said, parrying her counter attack, then swinging at her unit's right shoulder, "you're no Zechs Merquise!"

The blow severed the DINN's arm at the shoulder, and also cut into one of her thrusters. Shemei fired a burst from her rifle, which Heero blocked with his shield, but the move bought her a little time to back off.

A reply came over the radio, and the voice Heero heard held an interesting mix of emotions. The woman seemed both playful and respectful at the same time.

"Is that so? We'll I'd certainly like to meet this 'Zechs' you speak of sometime. He must be quite the pilot if he's the best you've ever fought."

The commander's mobile suit had lowered it rifle, and Heero followed suit, putting away his beam saber as well. She spoke again. "You sound younger than I expected. I don't suppose you mind giving me your real name, Omega One?"

Heero laughed. "Is that what ZAFT is calling me now? It's Heero Yuy, and this machine is the Gundam Wing Zero. I'd appreciate it if ZAFT could at least get that bit right; I'm not a fan of Omega One."

Shemei laughed too. "Hey, don't look at me; the guys at Intelligence are pretty lacking in creativity."

The black and red DINN turned to go, but before it did, it raised its rifle and fired a burst skywards. "Until next time, Heero Yuy!"

Heero nodded, and reignited his beam saber and raised it in salute. "I'll meet you on the field, Shemei Rehema."

"So, you already know my name, eh? Guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Later!" With that she switched off her radio, and Heero saw the DINN make haste northward.

….

As she watched the last DINN withdraw, Murrue breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't bother to suppress the smile on her face. "You did it, Heero… you beat the Valkyrie."

You're really something else, she thought.

"Wing Zero is hailing us," said the communications officer.

"Put him on the main monitor!" Murrue ordered.

She was relieved to see that he looked no worse for the wear, his blue eyes as deep and piercing as ever, though his brown hair and his brow were a bit matted with sweat.

He looked at her. "You alright over there?"

Murrue nodded. "Yes. Heero… that was incredible. Thank you for keeping Commander Rehema and her subordinates away from us. Things… would have been much worse without you."

He gave her another one of those small smiles. "You're welcome, Murrue." His face became more serious. "Where do you want me?"

"Land by the Strike," she said, "With its batteries depleted and La Flaga having already docked, you're our best defense if these guerilla fighters try something."

"Roger that. You're coming out to meet them?"

She nodded. "Yes. They mentioned wanting something in return for helping us. Might as well hear them out, at least."

"Alright," he said, "I'll cover you the best I can. If you need me on foot instead, let me know; I'm pretty handy in a fist or gunfight."

She smiled. "I'm sure you are, Heero."

As he signed off, Murrue stood up. "Ensign Neumann, you have the bridge. Lieutenant Badgiruel, I want you to come with me to the hangar. We'll head out with La Flaga and some security personnel. Let's see what these fighters want."

Natarle nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

As they left the bridge, Murrue was a bit apprehensive. I hope these rebels are trustworthy. If not…

Then Heero will have to demonstrate his abilities to them as well.

….

Heero watched on his monitors as Murrue, Natarle, and Mu La Flaga exited the Archangel through the forward loading bay. He turned his audio pickup sensors to maximum, wanting to catch every bit of detail from their conversation with the rebels, in the event that he might have to intervene.

Three people walked up to meet them, two men and a girl who appeared to be around sixteen. One of the men was tall and had long black hair, while the other was a bit shorter, and had a thick beard and wore a bandanna on top of his head. The girl was blond, and wore a red t-shirt under her combat vest. The rest of the people behind them were dressed in a motley assortment of civilian and paramilitary clothing.

He watched as Murrue held out her had, which the bearded man shook. "My name is Murrue Ramius. I'm the captain of the warship Archangel of the Earth Alliance's 8th fleet."

"My name is Sahib," said the man, "I'm the head of the Desert Dawn resistance movement. The man on my left is Kisaka, and the girl is Cagalli. We'd heard that the 8th fleet was destroyed in orbit."

Murrue looked down. "Yes… they gave their lives so that we could make it to Earth."

"But it would seem you've hit a snag. Since you're here and not Alliance territory, I imagine that you were forced to change course during the battle, correct?"

She nodded. "Yes, you're correct. I want to thank you for the help you gave us earlier. You've made our situation a little more bearable."

"Before you thank us, you should hear what we have to say," said Sahib. "We are enemies of both ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. The way we see it, both are just out to control us and to take what is ours. We're fighting for independence from both groups. However, we are willing to temporarily join forces with you and help you get out of North Africa, if you will in turn help us defeat the Desert Tiger."

La Flaga laughed. "You don't ask for much, do you?"

The man named Kisaka spoke up. "It is true that we are asking you to take on a tremendous task, and you will probably end up bearing the brunt of the fighting. However, we will give you a place to rest, and help you get the supplies you need to make your journey to the Alliance's Alaska headquarters."

"However," said Sahib, "before we go any further, perhaps you could have your pilots exit their machines. I'm not too keen on negotiating when there are very large guns potentially aimed at my head." The man had a wry smile on his face.

Heero saw Murrue stiffen slightly, clearly hesitant. Your call, Murrue, he thought.

She turned towards the Strike. "Come on out, Ensign Yamato."

As the Strike's hatch opened, Murrue looked at Wing Zero. "Heero… you as well."

"Understood," he said over his machine's speakers.

Both Kira and Heero lowered themselves to the ground on cables, Heero pausing to make sure that his mobile suit was secure before doing so. He noted that Kira was not taking such precautions. He's still acting like a rookie. I'll have to talk to him about that later.

The moment Heero hit the ground, he swiftly walked over towards Murrue, and placed himself slightly to the right and in front of her. Kira was taking a little longer to get over to them, and had yet to remove his helmet.

Heero looked back at Murrue and nodded. She smiled and leaned forward. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear. Heero turned his attention back towards the people in front of him, and noticed that the three resistance leaders were intimidated by his gaze. Strange, I never really have to work at a 'death glare', he thought, it's just like another combat reflex to me.

Turning towards Kira, he saw his fellow pilot finally remove his helmet. He heard a gasp, and saw the blond girl run towards the Coordinator. Could it be…

She looked stunned. "What the… what the hell are you doing in that thing?"

Kira seemed surprised as well. "You're… the girl from Heliopolis!"

"I asked you a question! Answer me!" she yelled, and she took a swing at him.

Kira caught her fist with almost comical ease, and he seemed quite taken aback by how events were playing out. Heero could only give a small laugh.

So they do know each other… interesting.

Preview for next time!

The members of Desert Dawn guide the Archangel to their secret base. There they are able to rest and plan for the next move in their campaign. While the Alliance crew gets settled in, tensions flare between Kira and his friend Sai as his new relationship with Flay is revealed. Meanwhile, Murrue wishes to know more about Heero's past, a request he fulfills as a sign of his trust in her. What she learns proves to be more shocking than anything she has experienced thus far. Next time, on "Journey to a New Battlefield," Episode Six: The North Africa Campaign, Part Two: Reminiscence.

Author's note: Priscilla Dalca, Lan Zhao, and Adaline Bellerose were the names provided by yoshinoyuy. Character design wise, they just kind of came to me, no real inspiration.

As for Shemei Rehema, her name is taken from old Egyptian, not Arabic, which I know is the main language in the country nowadays. Shemei means "desire", and hell, who wouldn't desire a woman like her, while Rehema means "compassionate", evidence of her soft side and the overall kindness she shows to her subordinates and the people around her. Character design wise, I'll admit that Yoruichi Shihoin of Bleach was a major influence. Couldn't help it, I've always liked her character, she needs more screen time damn it!

Anyway, the new characters will be playing an important role as the story moves along, and they will be around long past the north african campaign!

As noted in the actual chapter, the DINNs used by Shemei's team had the same basic modifications as the CGUE in episode four. Later on in the series I intend for Shemei to get a whole new, original mobile suit, and the other girls will upgrade as well. But that's much later on, so you're just left with that little teaser for now. Oh, I'm cruel, I know! Paint job wise, the red stripes are actually homage to those of the 181st, the most feared TIE wing in all of the Empire (yes, I'm a star wars fan as well as a Gundam one!). Long live Baron Fel!

Next chapter won't be very action heavy, though Waltfeld's raid on Tassil will be in the latter part of it. It will be more romantic than the previous ones actually, focus on Heero and Murrue, of course, though the Kira/Flay drama will play a part as well.

It will also be long. I'm sure you're starting to notice a pattern here...

As always, please review, feed back is always welcome (and i crave it!)!

Until next time!