Positivity, that's what it takes. I've got less than a month till school starts again and when that happens you won't see as many updates so I am heading toward the halfway point, hoping to get there before then.

This is the Chapter I've been waiting for. I have been really nostalgic about the day when I first started writing this story and I've been thinking a lot about the process I went through to create the plot line. I knew I wanted to write the story with a female Gundam pilot as the main protagonist but it took a long time to create the character of Meiko and even longer to create Yaro, who I am still working on within the story. It's been a long hard process getting to this point because there were so many times I felt like I just wanted to skip everything and make the jump but now that I'm here I am happy I made it. There is plenty more story left and quite a few moments that I wish I could just give to you but it's been a long time getting here and I don't know how long it will take me to get to the end of this but I am sticking with it.

So I have also written a music score for this story, I know I'm kinda obsessed or maybe it's just that I'm passionate. After spending last week without inspiration I woke up this morning and played out almost all of the score pieces I have written for the story in order to feel all the emotions. Music is one way that I have always expressed myself and I've decided to use music to get into the mindset of my characters now and so far I think it's working. I hope to record my music score sometime and put it up on youtube for you all to hear, I think that would be fun.

Phase 21: A Wish For Redemption - granted?

"What is going on up there?" Gratsler said angrily slamming his hand on the table in front of him. A report had just come in that the fighting had suddenly ceased with neither side having a real edge over the other.

"Yaro Yamato was taken prisoner by ROW," Daubi said informing the rest of the council what he had just been told, "and they were told that if they withdrew no harm would come to him. Yaro is the adopted son of Lacus Clyne so ORB followed her in withdrawing as a precautionary method but with this going on the battle is now uncertain and a rescue would be very hard to pull of in this setting."

"Then we will have to trust that our forces in space will have a solution," Athrun spoke up. Him and Cagalli were both present at the council though they were told it wasn't necessary. Everyone understood why they had kept out of space for now and declined to make any public statements about the battle taking place. The whole nation had fallen under a shadow and everyone was anxious to know exactly what was going to happen next. The news stations were playing any news they could get on the battle situation and wild stories about tragedy and loss ran around. There was a lot of fear cast over the land now and Cagalli regretted not saying anything to assure her people that they would make it through but she still could not face the nation in light of what had happened. It was as if her heart was taken from her, she had lost one of the dearest people in her life. Athrun did his best to help her but he felt the same thing she did, unexplainable loss.

"The nation is in an uproar," Gratsler said holding up a report of the people, "they demand to know what exactly is happening up there and they want someone to tell them. They need you now Lady Cagalli, will you just stand down and watch this go on?"

"Gratsler!" Daubi responded harshly, "the people will know soon enough, you don't need to do anything Cagalli."

"But I do," she responded with tears in her eyes, "my father fought so hard for this country, I've fought so hard for this country and what do the people see now? They are scared and I'm to weak to just tell them that everything is going to be okay. I've tried so hard to think of something to say to them but I can't get do it. The nation needs me and I can't help them." She put her head in her hands as more tears filled her eyes. Athrun fought the sorrow that laid within him as well, he tried to tell himself that life goes on but he knew it would take time for Cagalli and himself to really be alright.

"I can speak to them," everyone turned to see Jeffery Zala standing up from his seat in the back of the council room. Athrun's eyes widened at his son's words.

"You don't need to Jeffery," Athrun said walking toward the boy, "the people will understand if we all just wait awhile longer."

"How much longer father?" Jeffery asked and Athrun saw his son's own anger and sadness through his own eyes, "the people need someone and if my mother can't do it then ORB needs me. I am their prince now, and Uzumi would not have wanted us to all just stand back and do nothing! Father I have to do this, please let me. Give me the chance to prove myself." Athrun put a hand on his young sons shoulder, the boy was too young to feel all this pain yet Athrun knew he couldn't stop it now.

"If you're sure about this," Athrun responded.

"Athrun?" Cagalli said his name in a questioning tone and Athrun gave her a reasuring look. He knew his son well enough to know he was every bit as stubborn as his mother when he got an idea in his head, the boy would not give up on his wish. He wante to do something to help.

"You have always been strong Jeffery," Athrun spoke, "there is no need for you to prove yourself to us, we love you but if you feel that this is something you really want to do then I won't stop you."

"Thank you father," Jeffery said when Cagalli stood up and embraced her little boy, he was all she had left and she wasn't going to let anything hurt him now.

"We love you," she said through her tears, "don't ever forget how proud of you we are."

"I won't mother," Jeffery said hugging her back, he knew how lucky he was to have them as parents and though the times were hard now he knew they would all get through this together as a family.

The shadow over the city was still there, the sky was still gray and the people still mourned but now they turned out to see something they never expected. The young Jeffery Zala was speaking to the nation for the very first time and in light of the recent tragedy the people were all amazed at the recent turn of events. Jeffery walked up slowly holding his head high and thinking of his brother as he walked to speak to his nation, for he was their only prince now and he knew now more than every that this is what his brother would have wanted for him and he was stepping into it. His parents and the council stood behind him all unsure of what to think of the young boy who had been completely broken a few days before standing in strength before his people.

"It is something that we have not expected," a news reporter said, "to see Jeffery Zala here before the nation less than a week after the tragic death of his brother. While many have expected Representative Attha to stand before us it is her youngest son who takes her place today and we all await what he has to say." All eyes were on him now as he breathed in looking out toward the crowd, a small ray of light shined through the clouds toward him and he looked up knowing that his brother was watching him now.

"Citizens of ORB," he spoke with authority, "friends, countrymen and to all those who are watching for the nations around the world. There are many things which I feel now and many things which I want to share with you, some more than others. You all know the pain that this nation has experienced from the sudden loss of my brother, Uzumi, but you do not know the pain which I have felt personally." He paused and looked out into the crowd, "I remember the very first time Uzumi addressed this nation, it was at the celebration of our grandfather and all he did for this country. I remember Uzumi telling me that he was not scared at all when I could see he was more nervous than he had ever been in his entire life but that was just the type of person he was. He never wanted to put a burned on anyone else and he never wanted other people to fix his problems because he knew that they had their own problems to solve. When the ORB ships returned with the news that my brother was gone I felt many emotions anger, pain, sorrow, loss and emptiness. I know I am very young but it was as if my life had been ripped from me but in those moments of sorrow I began to remember everything my brother was and I began to see that my wallowing in self pity over my loss was not going to bring him back." Cagalli leaned into Athrun to hide the tears that were falling down her face now.

"Uzumi was never one to show weakness, he always showed strength and even in the darkest times of his life he was able to smile. So now I face you all and in his memory I smile," Jeffery smiled though it was very hard to do, he kept reminding himself that he was speaking for Uzumi, "I smile today because I know it is what my brother would have done. Uzumi was the best of us and now I call you all to in his memory smile and think of all the times he stood before you ready to serve the people in any way he could." The people felt these words and many of them were able to smile. Jeffery paused thinking about the next part of his speech, the most important part. Now he would inform the world about ROW.

"As you all know from the various news networks, the force that now opposes us is not a nation but a militaristic organization known as ROW. The intentions of this nation are unknown but we do know that they have entered our airspace with a full force and have attacked out military. We initially sent troops up there to defend in case their intentions were not good but they attacked first. Using a large ship with a cyrstal based cannon that has the ability to fire more than one shot simultaneously. The fighting has currently stopped due to the capture of Lacus Clyne's oldest son Yaro Yamato. They two sides have agreed to a ceasefire for now but it seems that ROW is playing the situation to their advantage," Jeffery paused looking toward his father for approval at the words that he spoke. This whole thing was more nerve racking than he had expected but he knew he had to be strong and confident for his nation so he continued, "I know that this news of an uneasy ceasfire does not sit well with you all and honestly it is true that our nation is in danger from this threat but I am here to tell all of you that you have to trust in what our forces are doing up there. Lacus Clyne has been fighting for peace and our own troops are being led by Captain Meyrin Hawk and the Minerva."

"I am here to ask you all to remain calm in this threat of danger, though the dark has been cast over us now the sun will rise again," he spoke with the hope that he felt now, it was a hope that he had learned from the memory of his brother. He had been so very broken but the time he had been given had given him time to reflect on everything his brother was and everything he himself could be. He had always seen hope shining through everything that Uzumi did and over the past few days he had gone searching for that hope and he had found it inside himself. He wanted his nation to see his new strength and he wanted them to feel strong, "I urge you all to stay strong and keep believing in the people whom we have sent in our name to defend this nation. We are going to make it through this for we a stronger than them because we have everything the enemy doesn't have. We have faith, hope, strength, and right and good on our side. So though we go through this darkness we will not back down, we will not quit and we will not stop believing for right will always win and we have been unjustly attacked and so justice will win this!"

He stepped down as his heart raced from what he had just spoken. The people around him all cheered for his words and he felt a warmth growing on the inside of him and he knew his brother was watching him. He looked up toward the skies with tears in his eyes as he felt his fathers hand on his shoulder. He then saw it, the clouds were beginning to split in the sky and he knew that he had expressed everything inside of him this day.

"Uzumi would've been proud," his father said to him.

It was all black, everything he saw descending into blackness. He felt everything that he had tried to shut out with hate. It was a group feelings inside him so strong that he couldn't shut them out sorrow, fear, pain and guilt. Where there was once light now there was darkness, it gripped him tightly not allowing him to see anything else. Even in the unconscious state his mind tortured him with images of everything that had happened the last couple of days. Uzumi's death, Meiko's ultimatum and his own inner darkness. Hatred had ruled him in the aftermath of his cousins death and he had been unable to see anything else, though the people around him had tried to warn him of the emptiness that accompanied it he had not listened. He has succumbed to a hatred that was deeper than anything else he had ever felt and though only part of him wanted it he was completely overtaken by it. It was his way of blotting out the other painful feelings inside of him, the overwhelming pain.

Now he was dying inside from those feelings that he had tried so hard to escape and because of the hatred those feelings had escalated leaving him broken and battered. He wished he could be numb to it all but it had happened so suddenly. The girl he had loved but at the same time hated had caused a war within him of that love and hate. The battle raged on and love won when she called out to him so desperately but with that love came all the feelings of regret. It was eating at him now and he tried so hard to block it out but he couldn't. He had known all along that it wasn't Meiko, he knew that she would never do something like that yet it had seemed like the only way to destroy his own guilt. To place the blame on someone else.

He was falling into the blackness around him now as he lay on the ROW ship unable to move, unable to think and only able to feel the pain inside of him. His emotions were all one as he felt tears forming in his eyes and in his heart, for he was unforgivable and yet no one blamed him the person who had really caused everything. He felt that Uzumi's death was his fault because he hadn't tried to warn anyone else about the danger Uzumi was facing and he hadn't tried hard enough to save Meiko from the darkness inside of her. Now he saw that it was him that deserved death more than anyone else and he knew that it was coming, ROW would not keep him alive for long. He wanted to erase the pain, the scars of everything that he had done but he saw no way out except the way of his darkness, the way of death.

He lay there still in his sorrow and pain trying to blot out all feeling and being unable to when he became aware of another presence in the cell. He sat up to see another boy sitting against the bars near the exit of the cell, in the light away from the shadows. He looked as if he had been through a lot here and his eyes told his tale of loss and self sacrifice.

"I was wondering when you would wake up," the boy said turning away from Yaro as he spoke with a cold voice, "Yaro Yamato I presume. My name is Trey Likra Day, ex ROW agent and friend to Meiko Virea the girl you tried to kill." The wheels in Yaro's head turned instantly as he remembered the reason why Meiko would not go with him and Uzmi initially was because of some friend she had that she said ROW would kill if she left. He realized that this must be him, still locked up in ROW and still alive even after all Meiko had done on the battlefield.

"Where is Meiko?" Yaro asked quickly.

"How should I know, they never let me out of this place," Trey replied dryly, "but since you ask I can assume she is alive and that you didn't kill her like she said you would." Yaro's eyes widened at his words, so Meiko had told Trey everything. He turned away ashamed of himself for what he had done on the battlefield and ashamed of the darkness that he tired to bury deep inside himself.

"For everything I've done," Yaro spoke softly, "I only have regret. For it was all wrong, everything inside me is wrong."

"Meiko Virea," Trey said with a slight laugh, "not exactly the name of a killer. She believed in you when you didn't believe in yourself and knowing her she doesn't blame you for anything."

"Who is she really?" Yaro asked looking at the Trey, "you've known her longer than I."

"But no one really knows her," Trey replied, he was very angry at this Yaro fro what he had done to Meiko but he knew that Meiko felt something for this boy. "Meiko is a mystery. She is the greatest mobile suit pilot in ROW and she has potential to rival the best in the world. She is ROW's top assasian and can pull of a job more effectively than most. These are descriptions of who ROW thinks of her as but along side that I see a girl who has the world in front of her. She has potential to be great and a drive to be better than who people have tried to turn her into. The problem is she has been broken so many times that its almost impossible to see past it all to who she really is."

"Do you think she is going to rescue us?" Yaro asked and Trey nodded.

"With you here it is certain to turn out that way," Trey replied, "It just depends on whether or not she believes in herself. ROW has beaten her down so many times that she has always been afraid of them. That's why she hasn't rescued me yet but no doubt her feelings for you will overcome any fear she has."

"Feelings for me?" Yaro asked confused. Meiko had not really responded to his declaration of love toward her other than to say that she wasn't worth his love. Yaro knew that he had fallen in love with the girl he met on ORB but he wasn't sure if that was who Meiko really was. He didn't know how anyone like that could care for him after what he had done to her and to everyone else.

"She denies that she is even capable of love," Trey said and Yaro saw a hope in his eyes, "but she told me all about you and in that moment I was sure that though she doesn't quite realize it she cares more for you than for anyone else left in this world. She spoke of you in a way I've never heard her speak about anyone."

"I don't deserve it," Yaro said clenching his fists, "I don't deserve anything but death."

"She feels the same way about herself," Trey sighed, "but the truth is that I believe as long as your alive there is a chance that you can find redemption no matter what it is that you have done." Yaro heard his words and in his heart he hoped dearly that they were true because everything he felt now would destory him if there was no way to turn it around. The words of Trey struck a small spark of hope within him, hope for redemption. Wish for redemption.

"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Shinn yelled slamming his hand down on the desk in front of him, "we can't just sit around and wait for that girl to backstab us again! The time is running out, we only have forty five more minutes till ROW kills Yaro if we don't tell them what we know! We can't just let this happen!"

"Whats worse is that we need to destroy that weapon," an ORB captain said, "they are using the boy to hold us back, we need to stop them and I say that his life is forfeit. Do we even know that they haven't killed him already? And did they say if we met their demands that they would release him to us know? They don't expect us to attack now so I say we should go in before they realize we are not caving into their demands." Kira shook his head at these people, everyone had been mad at him since he said that they had to trust Meiko Virea, the ORB captains were all angry because it was Meiko's blood they craved. Kira had tried his best to explain things to them but they weren't buying it. Lacus and Meyrin had stood on his side along with the Clyne faction but the rest were getting more nervous as time went on.

"Yaro is my son!" Kira almost yelled loosing his cool as he felt anger over the insolence of these captians, "We already lost Uzumi don't you see we can't afford to attack them now!"

"What about giving ROW what they want," another Captain spoke up, "this Redemption has certainly proved it is no ally of ours! We don't even know if their intentions are good, they could be just waiting for ROW to fall so that they can take it's place as the world's greatest terrorists. Why protect something that we don't even trust?" It was a hard question for many of those there but Kira had spent time with Redemption, they had saved him from ROW and he believed that their intentions were good even though they seemed to not want to fight along side his forces.

"We've been over this!" Kira yelled this time, he was on edge with Yaro sitting inside a ROW ship for this long and waiting wasn't helping. Meiko had assured him that she was with them but what if she couldn't do anything from the inside like she had planned. Two hours had passed and they were still waiting for some signal from her but they got nothing. The people around him had been expressing the same things for the past two hours and he was tired of it. Didn't they realize that he was concerned for the life of his son here? He knew that no information he had on Redemption would satisfy Liene, he didn't know enough to help their situation, they had even flown him out to Lacus not letting him see where their base was. It was all getting to be too much and the constant arguments flying around weren't helping him. He put his head in his hands and he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He turned to see Lacus looking at him with concern in her eyes. She had stood by him on the waiting but he could tell she was just as anxious as he was. His heart beat quickly in his chest as he tried to keep himself calm but he couldn't do it. He had seen how Athrun broke over Uzumi's death and now he had no idea what was going on, if his son was even okay or not.

He hated himself for letting Yaro get captured and he knew he should have been able to break through those forces. It was all wrong, it wasn't supposed to happen and he knew that this waiting was beginning to drive him insane.

"Stop all of you!" Lacus Clyne stood up and yelled at the group that was arguing, "can't you see that we have no choice but to wait just a little while longer! Return to your ships all of you and await my orders! If anyone so much as moves to attack ROW we will consider you an enemy and contact ORB to deal with you accodingly, is this understood!" They all looked at her with shocked faces, they did not expect this but they knew they had no choice but to listen to her. Their forces were led by Meyrin Hawk of the Minerva and they knew that she would follow Lacus to the end so they all silenced themselves and left the ship except for Shinn, Lunamaria, Meryin and Andrew Waltfeld. Lacus walked over and wrapped her arms around Kira's defeated shoulders and rested her head on his right shoulder. He took comfort in her gesture knowing that she understood everything.

"You know they might be right Kira," Shinn said trying defend the captains, "we don't know what Redemption is planning, we don't know what Liene is going to do with Yaro and we can't be sure that this Meiko is really on our side. Yaro's life is in the balance and we may just need to try and contact ROW about anything we can do to get him released to us." Anger filled Kira as he listened to Shinn admit defeat so easily, their time was not up yet! They had to wait, for the sake of his son they couldn't afford to attack ROW and he knew Liene would make no deals with them. Liene wanted something more or he wouldn't have singled out Yaro. Furthermore Meiko's words were burned in Kira's mind, she was resolved and something about her made him trust her without question.

"I trust her!" Kira's head shot up and he yelled. Shinn had never seen him this agitated, his eyes were burning with anger and Shinn knew the reason why was Yaro. Kira was frustrated with himself and with everyone else around him, just waiting was very hard but he had no other choice.

"Then there must be some reason why it's taken her this long!" Lunamaria declared, "I mean we don't know that she is even capable of getting Yaro out of their in one piece. What if she gets caught?"

"You think I haven't thought about that!" Kira said in response, "do you think that this is easy for me to just sit back! Every scenario has run through my head and they all end without Yaro getting back to us! I don't know how it is that she was planning on helping us but I do know that we don't have any other options! We don't know enough about Redemption and Liene hasn't said he'll even give Yaro back to us! I hate just sitting here but I can't think of any other way! They have us at a stalemate!"

"Even so we can't just give up," Lacus spoke up now, Kira needed to calm down and the three here were not helping him, "Kiran is working out strategy's for possible rescues and if all else fails I will speak to Liene before the time runs out." Kira looked at her and she wasn't sure what he was thinking.

"If all else fails," he said, "that may be all we can do."

"What are you doing Kiran?" Alicesia had been watching him for a few minutes as he had a determined look on his face and he was typing a million miles a minute. He had been in this position for far longer. She turned to see the door to the bridge opening and saw that Captian Meyrin Hawk had returned with her sister behind her. Those two had been gone to the Eternal for about an hour and Alicesia wondered what orders they would have with them but instead of saying anything they silently sat in their seats both looking solem.

"I am planning an escape for Yaro," Kiran finally said responding to Alicesia.

"Your father has ordered us to wait a little longer," Meyrin spoke when she heard what Kiran was doing. Kiran sighed and slammed his head into his hand.

"I know that!" he protested, "I didn't say 'I am going to rescue Yaro right now' or 'I am on my way' or anything that implied I am disobeying orders all I said is that I am planning a rescue for Yaro! Key word PLANNING!" He shook his head and returned to his work. Alicesia knew he was worked up about the situation and everyone hoped that it could be remedied soon.

"Kids," Lunamaria said rolling her eyes.

"On the contrary I am a teenager," Kiran responded, "I am no longer a kid." Alicesia laughed, he was such a literalist sometimes that it was funny to see what he would say next.

"Do you think Yaro has a chance?" Alicesia asked.

"Yes," Kiran replied with a smile, "but it all depends on that girl, because we are all hoping we can trust her."

She was feeling a bit anxious, well maybe more than a bit. How could she not with her best friend and former friend both locked in the cell bay here in ROW's command ship the Prejudice. She knew now that Liene understood he had all the strings to her life and all he had to do was pull them yet he wasn't vying for his normal method. He had spent a whole hour explaining the world to her in a new way and explaining all his actions in an attempt to get her to choose ROW over everything else she felt. It was as if he didn't really understand what she had gone through in the past few days. He expected her to just brush off the past and move on while doing nothing about the pain she had gone through here.

She now stood with Liene on the bridge waiting for his orders. She knew that their time was running out but she was still a slight bit unsure of herself so she waited to see what Liene would do.

"We've waited long enough sir," Gilligan Manchester spoke to him with hatred. Meiko ignored the man knowing that Liene would wait for the time to expire before doing anything rash. She also understood that Liene wanted Yaro for another reason, not just for use as a bargaining chip. He wouldn't just kill the boy without making Yaro fufil whatever evil plans he had for him.

"We said we'd give them three hours and we are going to," Liene replied, "then we are going to attack."

"What about the boy?" Gilligan asked, "what are we doing with him."

"If they don't respond to our demands," Liene spoke with a twisted smile on his face, "we are going to show them a video of Yaro's fake execution and Meiko will do the honors of killing him."

"WHAT!" Meiko almost yelled in protest as she heard it.

"You are the only one who can convince them that he is dead," Liene said in an unsympathetic voice, "now smile for me Meiko please, we are about to win this battle and this war. The world will soon be restored all I need is your total cooperation." Her heart beat increased at his words and she was sure everyone on the bridge could hear it as her breathing changed from it's usual rhythm as well. She looked at him with horror in her eyes which soon changed to anger. He expected her to go through it all again, to let it all happen. Her whole life had been a lie and now when she had the chance to change it he expected her to just forget the past and move on with ROW. She was different now, ever since Uzumi's death her heart had for some reason healed. He had given her hope and a reason to keep on fighting for something more. Her wish was for redemption and it was that wish for redemption which she followed now.

Nothing Liene said would change that. No more speeches on how ROW is going to restore the world and no more talks on how she is just going to obey what he says. She had lived through it for too long and she had made up her mind. The path that Uzumi had taken was the one to truth in sacrificing yourself for someone else. She had chosen to join Kira Yamato and she would not go back on her choice.

"No," she said, her voice rang through the cabin. Everyone turned as that one word rocked the hearts of all of them, it was the first time any one had ever heard it said to their master for no one dared to define him. Liene looked at her in disbelief at what she had just said, the scarred little girl was gone and in her place was a young woman with strength and determination. She opened her eyes and looked at him straight in the eye. "I'd rather die." The simple three word phrase earned multiple gasps as they realized that Meiko, the girl that Liene said would accomplish all their goals, was done with her life and with ROW. Gone was the scarred little girl and in her place was a strong young woman.

"You will obey me!" Liene demanded, "you are a part of this organization! You were brought up in it!"

"No!" she said again this time with more strength, "I'm not your robot Liene, I'm breaking free from it all! I am my own person and I will never fight for you again!" Liene walked up to her slowly but she stood her ground defiantly.

"Obey me!" he shouted smacking her so hard she flew to the ground. Her eyes looked toward the ground and filled with anger as something exploded in her mind she looked at him with fury, rage and lighting. A slight glow electrified through the room and Liene stepped back in shock. The glow faded very quickly as tears filled Mieko's eyes.

"Seed mode!" Liene declared quickly pulling his gun from his side, he didn't have time now. He couldn't allow his weapon to defect, he could win without her but he could not win with her as an enemy. She stood up slowly as if mocking his attempts to weaken her.

"Shoot me!" she declared. He fired and she moved her head allowing the bullet to fly by her ear," I will make sure you loose!" She lept into action before anyone could take her out. She knocked through guards, crew members and Liene himself, flipping, kicking fighting hand to hand as she had been trained her entire life. It was here that her assassins training would be useful and Liene realized that his strongest agent had just defected. No one would be able to take her out.

Her moves were quick and precise as she flipped backward through the double doors leading to the hangar and drew a gun firing at anyone who dared come at her again.

"three, two, one," she whispered as all the sudden the doors shut fast and all the systems in the ship suddenly left black except for the emergency lights. She smiled to herself and ran toward the cell bay. She was no longer ROW's robot, she was herself, she had just begun and there was no going back. Her wish was for redemption and she would have it. She hoped Yaro and Trey were both still okay.

"Sir all main frame systems are down!" A crew member yelled, "It's like we've been taken over by some computer virus! There is no contact with the rest of the fleet and we can't find Meiko!" Mike looked around to see the panicked faces around him and he knew that some of these people were innocent of Liene's crimes and could be saved. He had no idea what Meiko was planning but he knew she was responsible for this.

"Search the ship I want her found now!" Liene yelled.

"She'll go to the cell bay," Gilligan said with an angry look, "you know it Liene!"

"Then send everyone we can there!" Liene shouted his orders, Mike had never seen him this angry before. Meiko had crossed the Liene and now there was no going back for her. "Get our systems back up!"

"No Liene!" Mike jummped into action, "there is no time! This ships systems are all damaged, you know that she has that ability! She's a lot smarter than she looks Liene! Now listen to me we have to get off this ship now! We have to get everyone off before she destroys it." Liene looked at Mike with pure hatred in his eyes but he knew that Mike was right. He had spent a lot of time making Meiko perfect and he knew that nothing he did now would matter to her, but if she got away she would be unstoppable.

"Order an evacuation then but I still want her found!" Liene declared looking out into space seeing the Eternal and the ORB forces sitting in the distance. Meiko would rather die than to serve him, then so be it. Nothing she did could stop the STING. He would have no other choice than to kill his warrior before she destroyed ROW.

She heard gaurds coming as she ran down the halls desperately, there was no going back now. She had made her decision and though it wouldn't lead her to the light she knew it was the right one. Uzumi had been right and his memory drove her onward. She qucikly jumped up grabbing a pipe above her and swinging herself onto it and out of sight. She drew her two guns and waited as the gaurds rounded the bend she fired four quick shots killing them all instantly. She then jumped down and resumed her run. She entered the cell bay and the gaurd turned to her.

"What are you doing?" he yelled when she quickly jumped and kicked him in the face knocking him out instantly. She bent down and took his gun and the keys then proceeded to the cells. She rounded the bend and she saw Trey standing up.

"Meiko!" Trey looked at her with assurance.

"Let's get out of here," Meiko said unlocking the door when she saw Yaro sitting at the back wall of the cell.

"Meiko?" he looked suprised to see her there and she turned her face away. She still felt guilty for how she left him completely defensless on the battlefield. He on the other hand felt guilty for what he had done to her, it was all wrong. Trey saw the situation and hurried back to help the weak Yaro stand. He knew that these two would have to hold back their emotions until later.

"We have to go now," Trey said desperately supporting Yaro, "Meiko?"

"This way," she said leading him down the hall. Seeing Yaro that weak hurt her, it was no doubt because of the electric batons the ROW agents commonly used as torture. She began to think about her plan and what she had to do next and she wondered if Yaro still blamed her for he wasn't really speaking to her. Hurt filled her heart as she thought of the wrongs she had done in her life, today she would atone for her sins and she would find her redemption. Yaro on the other hand felt the wretchedness of his own heart and prayed that somehow he would be able to undo all he had done.

"What is going on over there!" Lacus declared as the bridge of the Eternal watched the Prejudice loose all of it's power, something was definitely up.

"Meiko?" Kira gasped.

"Did you see it?" a transmission from Meyrin came over their line.

"Yes," Lacus quickly responded with a smile. It seemed that Kira had been right about waiting, something was definitely up. Kira held on to his hope that Meiko would pull through, that somehow she would get Yaro back to them safe.

So as I was writing this chapter I realized that it was going to contain way to much and that it would probably turn out to be a very long long long chapter. With that in mind I decided to split it in half which means the few phases are:

Phase 22: Sacrifice

Phase 23: Meiko Virea

Phase 24: A Broken World

Phase 25: Searching For Answers

So I am really excited to have gotten this far this summer and I hope to get farther before it's over. Thanks for being such great and supportive readers! Thanks to Fenikkusumaru, CPT freedom, Joaker Oak, Byron Lancaster, Shy Rose, survivor18, and SamuraiGundam for your reviews and keep REVIEWING! Those of you who don't review it's never too late to start!

-WinterChill