Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Create the Future
Chapter 6: He Who Wields Power
October 15, 2314 A.D: HRL District
"Louise, I'm home and I brought back some dinner," Saji announced, closing the door behind him and taking off his shoes.
"Welcome home. What did you get?" Louise asked as she walked over to him.
"The usual. How was your day?"
Louise shrugged. "Nothing special. Was everything alright at work?"
"Yeah, just a typical day. Were you alright here by yourself?" Saji asked. While the doctors had told him that Louise had recovered, Saji still worried about leaving her on her own. She was still new to the neighborhood and hadn't had a chance to meet people. On the off chance that something did happen, there might not be anyone there to help her. Saji would make sure to call her when he was on break to check up on how she was doing.
"Well, there wasn't much to do, but it beats staying in the hospital. I'm doing alright. Really, I am," Lousie said reassuringly. She had been trying harder to convince Saji that she was fine.
Saji looked over at the television and saw that it was news coverage over the Federation's press conference. "They're still talking about the Innovator?"
"It's all they've been talking about on the news. Here let me take that," Lousie said holding her hands out. Saji handed Louise the bag of food and kept his eyes on the television. He had heard some things during the day but hadn't had a chance to see the Federation's broadcast. One of his coworkers who managed to see the broadcast had told him about the Innovators and what they could do.
On the television, a clip of the press conference played, showing the Innovator's eyes began to glow gold. Saji eyes narrowed as he tried to remember where he had seen those same eyes before. He could have sworn that it wasn't too long ago. It took him a moment for him to remember that Setsuna's eyes had done the same thing. He remembered wondering what was going on with his friend. But with everything that was going on he hadn't given it much thought after seeing it. After the last battle, he hadn't learned anymore about what they had discovered about Veda or Aeolia Schenburg's plan. It wasn't his place, after all. He had gone back to being a citizen. The days when he would have to become involved in war were behind him. Now he knew that those eyes were a sign that Setsuna was an Innovator.
"Saji, is something wrong?" Louise asked as she placed the food on the table.
Saji snapped out of his thoughts and went to join his girlfriend. "Oh, its nothing."
Would the world once again change? If it did, would they be able to keep the peace that had taken place the last two years? Saji wasn't one who considered change a bad thing, but with the results from the last several years, a part of him was worried about what would come. He had seen how the Federation had changed to ensure peace and how much progress the world had taken. Could the emergence of Innovators undue everything that they had worked for? Would Celestial Being have to return?
"Setsuna, what are you going to do now?"
"What are you worrying about, Saji?
"Its nothing. Let's just enjoy our dinner," Saji said. Since she moved into their apartment, Louise seemed to be able to figure out how he was feeling. If he constantly worried about what was going on, it wouldn't do anything to help Louise. He needed to get his mind off of what might happen and live in the present.
October 16, 2314 A.D: Ptolemaios
Allelujah ran his hand through his hair absentmindedly, stifling a yawn. He and Marie had never expected to be called back so soon, or to be called in at such a time. But even at the suddenness of the call, once they learned about the situation, the two returned without a second thought. The message they received hadn't told them much. They were told that the Ptolemaios would be retrieving them and that one of Celestial Being's facilities had been attacked. They weren't given the full details of what had occurred. He was sure that the others would explain everything to him soon enough. The two entered the room and met a familiar figure.
"Mr. Haptism, Miss Peires. Long time no see," Mileina greeted. Allelujah couldn't help but noticed how her usual cheerfulness seemed a little forced.
"Look at you. You've certainly changed, Mileina." Allelujah said, smiling at the young girl.
Marie drifted closer to the girl. "I love your hair. It really suits you."
Mileina grinned. "Thought I tried something a bit more grown up. Anyway, I'm sorry that no one else is here to greet you."
Allelujah shook his head. "Don't worry about it, we understand. A lot has happened. How're you holding up?"
"Mama and Papa are okay thanks to Mr. Erde. Miss Sumeragi said she'll give you the details once you're settled in," Mileina said, relief practically flowing off her body.
"I'm glad to hear that. You must have been so worried," Marie replied. Mileina simply nodded in response.
"Anyway, you two probably want to get settled in. We left your room just the way it was since you left. You can get some rest if you need to and you should get ready for space. We'll should be at the rendezvous point pretty soon," Mileina said.
Allelujah nodded. "Thanks, Mileina. Let's go, Marie"
"Right."
Being back on the Ptolemaios brought a feeling of nostalgia to Allelujah. Technically it was a different ship, but the Ptolemaios had been the place where they had formed bonds and created a family. The time on Earth had been pleasant and he wished he had come back under happier circumstances, but coming back felt a lot like returning home to Allelujah. After all, he had a family waiting for him and Marie.
Quantum Computing System: Veda
He had been surprised by Descartes Shaman's interest in Setsuna F. Seiei. What had his ally felt during that short contact? A meeting between the two had been expected but the results weren't quite what he had anticipated. Two Innovators in such close proximity would likely meet via quantum brainwaves. It made no difference. He already had a plan for that Gundam meister. In time, there would be other Innovators, ones who would dedicate themselves to the plan. Soon Descartes Shaman would learn how much of a failure the Gundam meister had turned out to be.
He had to admit that he had shipped out the Melquth, Nezach, and Gevura earlier than expected mainly to appease his three pilots. There were still some features and equipment that had yet to be finished. Fortunately, his three mobile suits could be upgraded in the future and their current status would be adequate. He had known that his pilots had wanted to engage Celestial Being. The failure to capture the GN drives and the destruction of the 00 Qan(T) had been the breaking point. The three had been longing for battle and he did go to all the trouble of recruiting them. He decided it was best to appease them and gather battle data with the new models.
Tieria and the faculty of the asteroid satellite had already abandoned their facility, no doubt relocating to one of their backups. He hadn't been able to find out which other base they were heading, but he had been able to track them. It was a shame to destroy the 00 Qan(T) but given the circumstances it was necessary. Although the mission to take the GN drives had ended in failure, his contingency plan had made sure that his soldiers hadn't come back empty handed. Besides, his team still had a chance to capture those GN drives. And even with his contingency plans, it would be some time for results to appear. A second attempt on the GN drives wouldn't be ill advised.
If they retrieved the GN drives, then that would be a fortunate outcome. It would certainly speed things along. However, he was nothing if not patient. If the Ptolemaios intervened and thwarted their efforts, then at least Setsuna F. Seiei would not walk away unaffected. The Gundam meister was most likely still troubled over what had happened on Earth. He was easily affected by the past after all.
After over two hundred years, everything was finally coming together. His plans were proceeding smoothly. The time for the world's next reformation was approaching. Humanity's reign would end and the age of Innovators would begin. They were out there in the world, living among those inferior beings. It was his mission to gather them and allow them to reach their full potential. As long as the world remained stagnant, the Innovators would never be able to complete the Aeolia plan. However, he had already set things in motion. Soon, Descartes Shaman would become the Innovator that Aeolia Schenburg had envisioned. The Innovator who would unite the world and guide humanity through the dialogues to come.
MS Carrier: Mobile Suit Hangar
They had finally been granted a mission. Their benefactor had been sure to move them out quickly. They had launched the cruiser with the three new mobile suits some time ago, along with a small group of Mr. Vardon's own GN-XIIIs. It would only be a matter of time before they came into contact with Celestial Being.
Slouching in the seat of the Melquth's cockpit, Cypher made himself comfortable as he waited for the orders to begin the mission. He had to admit that there was a part of him interested in seeing just how his Melquth would handle in real combat. Although he and his comrades had used simulations and test flights, the real thing would no doubt be different to an extent. Would they be able to stand against Celestial Being's Gundams? Melquth wasn't as heavily armed as Nezach or Gevura, but Cypher could make fine use of what he did have. He was, after all, created to excel in battle. Now would be the chance to put his skills to use.
Soon, the world would change again. There was little doubt that Earth would experience another war and Celestial Being wouldn't stand idly by. Cypher would finally see them once again. He had to admit to himself that he was looking forward to their reunion, even if it was unlikely for him to be recognized. In fact, the three of them were hoping to see all the Gundam meisters on this mission. The mission was to capture Celestial Being's GN drives, but there was one Gundam meister there to protect them and there was the possibility of meeting the other three. It would be the first of many encounters. And Cypher would watch the events play out, watch as the world traveled down its destined path.
He had been born and raised to fight, to become a living weapon. From the moment he was born, his life's path had been chosen. Even now, with all the changes the world had gone through, his life was still on rails. The one time he had been able to make his own decision, when he had chosen to pursue freedom and become something more, had been proven moot. There had been five of them who had chosen to attempt to escape and live a real life. They spent months planning and when they executed their plan, it had seemed like they would succeed. Unfortunately for them, they had chosen the day when Celestial Being had conducted one of their armed interventions. Cypher could still remember the flames that surrounded him and the He should have died that day along with the others. Instead, he had survived and been recovered by someone. He never gave any thought to those who had died that day. And despite what had happened, his fate was the same as it had been before.
That event had opened Cypher's eyes. Those other children were fated to die no matter what they could or couldn't accomplish. He may have lived but he still ended up as a fighter controlled by someone else. And in time, he too would die, just like the rest of the world. In the end, he was and always would be a puppet. His only fate was to put his abilities to use in battle until his last breath. There was no such thing as choice.
And here he was. He did not look at his past with sorrow or anger. In truth, Cypher was unable to feel anything in particular. Over the years, he had learned to act out emotions that he believed suited the situation. Emotions were something that escaped him. There were a few, fleeting moments when he felt something but most of the time, it was all an act. Emotions after all were only a weakness for a soldier.
A communication channel opened. Miss Talion's face appeared on the monitor. "Cypher, are you there?"
"Is something wrong, Miss Talion?"
"I think you should use Haro for this mission. I can operate the Nezach fine without him," Miss Talion stated, concern apparent in her expression.
"Miss Talion, we both know that I can use the Melquth quite well without Haro's support. This mission will be simple enough," Cypher replied. "Now, is that really what you wanted to talk about?"
The woman hesitated, most likely trying to find the proper words. "This is the first time you're going on a mission. There is still a chance that the other Gundam meisters will appear. Don't do anything unnecessary during the mission. If that happens the-"
"There's no need for you to be worried about that." Cypher interrupted. "Besides, if we're talking about personal history, then I doubt that I am the one you need to speak to."
Cypher knew why his comrades joined their cause. Mr. Vardon wanted wealth and to rule over his colonies. Mr. Shaman wanted to break free from the Federation's control. Their benefactor wanted to complete Aeolia Schenburg's plan. The only reason these two were even in this whole affair was because of their pasts. The other two pilots wanted to settle the score after all this time. They had spent months training to battle Celestial Being. While the Celestial Being ships were at there most vulnerable, there was still one Gundam and anything could happen in battle. If their mission happened to take longer than expected and the other Gundam meisters appeared, then they would just have to cope with the situation. Mission or no mission, Miss Talion wanted to fight Celestial Being just as much as they did.
"Just be careful out there," the woman pleaded. How hypocritical. He found it annoying, at least that was what he believed he was feeling, that a woman who dedicated herself to revenge would tell him to watch himself. Then again, most would have expected him to want revenge. After all, he had nearly lost his life during one of Celestial Being's interventions and would soon meet the person responsible. But he just couldn't bring himself to care about revenge against the organization. The Gundam pilot hadn't changed anything. Had the intervention never occurred, it was likely that they would have been recaptured and Cypher would be fighting under someone else's orders. What had happened to him had been part of his fate. He had no reason to let himself be chained to the past like the others. Revenge wasn't the reason he wanted to see Celestial Being in person. He just wanted them to know his existence.
And what would it matter if he died? Cypher had no qualms with death. The others with him on that day had died so easily. Besides, dying in battle was only natural for soldiers. Miss Talion should have understood that. Why worry about him? A life was a life. His life was worth no more than anyone else's, at least from his point of view. Her concern only bothered him.
Cypher gave her a smile as he reached over to close the channel. "Miss Talion, you worry far too much."
What difference would choice have when the end result was always the same? All people submit to death and yet they try desperately to cling to life. They live out their lives for some purpose, but they have to know that in the end, they would die and it would all be meaningless. Why had Aeolia Schenburg gone to such lengths with this elaborate plan of his when he wouldn't even see it come to fruition? Could his plan even succeed? Why would his benefactor go to such lengths to carry out the will of a dead man? Miss Talion would not be able to regain what she had lost? Along with emotions, this was something that he didn't understand. He would never understand why they bothered to let the dead influence them so greatly. It was one thing to learn from the dead, it was another to let them bind you.
Humans, Innovades, Innovators. His circle of allies had their reasons, whether it be revenge, obsession, greed, ambition, or freedom. They all continued to chase after a goal, to see the end of some journey. All cast under the illusion of choice, believing themselves to be in control of their own destiny. But he was different. He had realized how futile it was to try to change the natural flow of the world. There was nothing in this world that he desired and there was nothing that he would have to gain. He was content to be used for the rest of his life.
Cypher smirked at his thoughts. It wasn't his place to question his benefactor's actions. He had been given a specific role in this organization. All he was here to do was fight on his benefactor's behalf. And if he would lose his life as a result, then so be it.
Another channel opened, no face appeared this time. Cypher smirked, knowing what the message was. "The Celestial Beings ships are within range. It's time to commence the operation."
Cypher sat up, preparing his mobile suit for launch. "Cypher Aleph, Melquth, beginning the mission."
Celestial Being Cruiser
They had evacuated the asteroid satellite with four ships that they had on hand. Once the enemy had been eliminated, they had made sure to transport everything out of the satellite. The process had been done quickly.
Tieria walked into the mobile suit hangar. Allelujah and Soma, or Marie which ever one she was, had been by the Ptolemaios. The enemy didn't seem interested in the Ptolemaios, know their location, or had the ability to attack them. Whatever the case, he was glad to know that his comrades were safe.
The Gundam meister walked over to the edge of the walkway and looked at his Gundam. The Raphael had sustained only light damage in the previous battle. They had switched out the main body's GN Tau drive for Exia's old drive. His GN Claws still possessed their Tau drives. Once they reached their facility, Ian would have the chance to install GN condensers. The Tau drives had been useful, but true GN particles would suit him better.
Tieria couldn't keep his mind off of what Ian had said. The mere thought of the enemy having access to Veda disturbed him greatly. In the entire time he had lived within Veda, he had never sensed anything that would suggest that it had been compromised. He had been monitoring the Federation's use of Veda and knew what they could and could not access.
An alarm sounded in the ship. "Unknown units approaching."
Without a moment's hesitation, Tieria rushed towards Raphael. He had a feeling that the enemy would make another attempt for the GN drives. He just didn't expect them to move so soon. Tieria jumped into Raphael's cockpit and put on his helmet.
"Linda, how many are there?" Tieria asked as he started Raphael's systems.
"Sensors have picked up eight mobile suits," Linda reported. Tieria wondered if this was part of their plan. If they had more mobile suits, shouldn't they have launched them earlier? Tieria dispelled his questions, and focused on the task at hand.
"Tieria Erde, Raphael, launching."
In front of him were five GN-XIIIs. Tieria deployed his Claws. He fired a blast from the Claws, taking out one of the mobile suits. The rest scattered, trying to get out around him. Tieria kept his Claws out to push the enemy away. The enemy danced around the Claws, attempting to shoot them down.
One of pilots tried to go under him. Tieria descended on the GN-XIII and slammed Raphael's feet on to the mobile suit's back. In a fluid motion, he fired a shot through the GN-XIII's center and leapt away. Another charged at him, landing several shots on Raphael. Tieria was able to catch it with a Claw and crush the mobile suit. Without turning, Tieria fired one of his Claws, destroying a GN-XIII that attempted to fly by while he was distracted.
Seeing that he had destroyed three of their comrades, thee last two retreated away from the ships. On his monitor, Tieria saw that there were three more units approaching. So far he had been able to handle the enemy's attack. He prepared himself for what ever they had.
The three other units appeared. Tieria's eyes widened as he saw them in full view. The design of the mobile suits was unmistakable. The layout of the armor and the design of the heads were features found on only one type of mobile suits. "Those are Gundams!"
The first one had a pale green scheme, with a bulky upper body, white joints, and wing-like appendages on its back. Handguns had been attached to its forearms, a similar design to what he had seen on the Throne Gundams. Other than the handguns, there weren't any other weapons visible on the Gundam.
The second Gundam was black with blue trimming. and judging from its equipment it was a heavy assault unit. It had a missile container on its back and a GN mega launcher attached to its right shoulder. It carried a rifle in its right hand. He could also make out two more weapons mounted on the Gundam's legs.
The last had a mostly red color scheme. The Gundam made a sudden stop, making no indication that it would participate in the battle. Attached to its right arm was what looked to be shield like armament. On its left shoulder was what Tieria recognized to be a GN buster sword. It carried a GN sword blaster in its left hand.
One of the enemy Gundams sped up, breaking away from the other mobile suits and advanced towards him. It moved upwards and spread its wings. Parts of its armor and its wings opened and waves of GN particles emitted from it, flooding the area in an orange glow. Tieria began having trouble controlling his claws. The enemy had surrounded him and the ships in a stealth field. Tieria fired his beam rifle on the green Gundam. The stealth field wasn't strong enough to disrupt his beam weaponry, only messing with communications. The enemy ducked and weaved between the beams, showing a surprising amount of speed and mobility. It aimed its handguns at one of the Claws and destroyed it with several shots. Before the enemy could destroy the other, Tieria flew towards it and reconnected it to his backpack.
As GN particles continued to pour out of the enemy Gundam, it dashed towards Raphael. Despite Tieria's efforts, the enemy Gundam remained unscathed. A beam saber ignited from its handgun. Tieria reacted quickly and ducked under the saber. The enemy flew past him and circled the area, not even attempting to make a move towards the ships. Was the pilot toying with him? The GN-XIIIs fired their rifles at him, hitting Raphael. Tieria aimed and shot through one of the GN-XIIIs.
A large beam grazed Raphael's side. The black Gundam was providing support with its mega launcher while the last two GN-XIIIs flew past him. The assault Gundam fired another blast that went past Raphael. The attack hit the engines of one of the ships. Three more shots followed, leaving all their ships stranded. The last Gundam had yet to make a move, simply remaining in place. Tieria was forced on the defensive, firing at the enemies that attempted to near the ships. The green Gundam swooped down, aiming its blade at the Raphael's backpack. Its blade was able to cut through the upper portion of Raphael's backpack.
Tieria gritted his teeth in frustration. With the damage done to the backpack, he wouldn't be able to deploy Seravee. While he had wanted to keep Seravee hidden, the situation was dire enought to justify its use. Trans-Am was too risky to use at the moment. If he used it, the enemy would follow suit. Detaching one of the GN bazookas from his backpack, Tieria aimed and fired a large blast at the assault Gundam. He needed to focus his efforts on keeping the enemy away from the ships. Turning away from the Gundam types, Tieria dashed off to intercept the last two GN-XIIs. The Ptolemaios should be arriving soon and he wouldn't have to face the enemy alone.
Even with the last mobile suit not participating in the battle, Tieria knew he wouldn't be able to hold off the enemy on his own. The enemy was far more dangerous than before. He may have been able to keep them away from the ships at the moment, but he hadn't been able to deal any critical damage on their Gundams while they had been able to damage Raphael. It was only a matter of time before they would be able to overpower him. His only choice of action was to stall the enemy long enough for the Ptolemaios to arrive and provide support.
Ptolemaios, Bridge
The crew were all occupying the bridge, with the exception of Setsuna. Sumeragi and the others had given Allelujah and Marie a warm welcome back. The time on Earth seemed to have done them some good and they had been safe when they were contacted. Sumeragi was glad that the couple could have some much deserved happiness after all they had been through. Once the returning couple had settled in and changed to their spacesuits, it hadn't taken long to get Allelujah and Marie up to speed on the situation. They had kept the details scarce in their message, preferring to give the full report in person.
"But who could know about the Qan(T) and GN drives?" Allelujah asked.
Sumeragi shrugged. "Your guess is as good as ours. Regardless, we'll need to be more alert. I doubt the enemy the enemy is going to stop there. At least we still have the Zabanya and Harute."
"Well, I suppose thats fortunate," Allelujah said. "Has Ian said anything about how long it will take to rebuild the Qan(T)?"
"Well, you know how long it can take for mobile suits to be built. Could be a while. Don't forget, we're kinda tight with resources. Setsuna will just have to hang on to the 00 Raiser for a little longer," Lyle said.
"By the way, where is Setsuna?" Allelujah asked. "I haven't seen him at all since I've been here."
"Knowing him, he's off brooding or whatever. Thats pretty much all he does now," Lyle replied.
From her seat, Mileina nodded in agreement. "Mr. Seiei doesn't talk to any of us unless its mission related."
"Setsuna hasn't been opening up to us lately. It's like something is bothering him," Feldt added.
"It wouldn't have anything to do with his Innovator abilities, would it?" Allelujah asked.
"Who knows. The only one who could tell you is another Innovator," Lyle said.
"Speaking of Innovators. We saw the Federation's broadcast. Is there any news on how the world is handling the news of Innovators," Marie inquired.
Feldt shook her head. "There are some news reports but its still too early to say. We'll need to wait and see what the Federation does first."
The door to the bridge opened. Everyone turned as they heard Setsuna enter the room. "Has Tieria contacted us yet?"
"Not yet, but we are close to the rendezvous point. Is there something wrong?" Sumeragi asked. It wouldn't be long until they had reached Tieria and the others. Was there something that Setsuna needed urgently?
"There's something I need to talk with him about," Setsuna muttered, just loud enough for the others to hear.
"I'll try to reach to reach him." Feldt said, getting straight to the task.
Sumeragi moved to Setsuna's side, leaning close to him. "Does this have anything to do with what happened on Earth?"
The Gundam meister didn't say anything. Since he had returned from the mission, he had been more detached than usual. Even when Sumeragi had reprimanded him over his actions, his mind seemed to be off elsewhere. He refused to say what had happened, only apologizing for what he had done. The tactical forecaster was at a loss over what to do. On one hand, the mission had been accomplished and she had given them permission to go around the city. On the other hand, leaving Feldt and Mileina had been irresponsible and ignoring their attempts to contact him even more so. If he would just tell them what had happened, Sumeragi may have been more lenient with him. Whatever had happened on that mission had disturbed him greatly. With an enemy out there, they would need Setsuna to fight them off. Sumeragi only hoped that the Gundam meister pulled himself together soon. While she may cut him some slack, the enemy most definitely wouldn't.
"That's odd," Feldt said suddenly.
Sumeragi turned to the pink-haired operator. "What's wrong?"
"I can't communicate with the ships. Nothing I try seems to be working," Feldt explained as she continued to fiddle with the computer.
"Mileina, can you get a connection?" Sumeragi asked.
Mileina shook her head. "It's not working for me either."
"Something isn't right," Setsuna said, drawing everyone's attention.
"What do you mean?" Lyle asked.
Setsuna continued to look forward, not directly at anyone. It was as if he was seeing something that they couldn't. "I can't explain it."
Sumeragi turned to Mileina. "Use the ship's camera to check the rendezvous point. They should be there or at least close by."
"Roger that," Mileina turned to her controls. The crew waited in silence as Mileina worked. "Everyone, look at this!"
Mileina pulled the image up on the front of the bridge. The area on the screen had been covered by an orange mist, the cause of their inability to contact the others. The team could see the beams being fired. A battle was being fought at the rendezvous point. The unknown enemy had returned.
"Mileina, zoom in!" Sumeragi ordered. They could make out two GN-XIIIs and three other mobile suits. As the mobile suits slowed down for a moment, they got a better look. A shocked silence enveloped the room as the crew was stunned by what they saw.
"Those look like-" Allelujah gasped.
Setsuna cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "I'm taking the Gundam!"
The team had moved quickly. Moments after they saw the Gundam types, Miss Sumeragi gave the crew orders. Lyle Setsuna had headed to the 00 Raiser as fast as he could. Feldt and Mileina were to remain where they were and analyze the combat zone. Allelujah and Marie were to be on standby.
"There are five enemy's in the combat zone, three of the Gundam types. Setsuna will go in and support Tieria while the Ptolemaios provides support fire and rendezvouses with the ships. After that, we will launch Zabanya and Harute as soon as possible. Your priority is to protect the ships. Do not let the enemy harm them or obtain the GN drive," Miss Sumeragi stated over the Ptolemaios' communication channel.
Setsuna started the 00 Raiser's systems. Was Ribbons Almark behind this? If only he had located him back on Earth. Setsuna took a deep breath. He had to stop thinking about Ribbons Almark and concentrate on what was happening. Whoever the enemy was, they needed to be stopped. As the systems showed that he was ready to launch, Miss Sumeragi opened a direct transmission link to the 00-Raiser.
"Setsuna, as I'm sure you're aware, we've added expanded particle tanks to the 00-Raiser in place of the GN drives. You have to take it easy on that machine," Miss Sumeragi warned. Setsuna understood why the tactical forecaster felt she had to warn him. This would be the first time deploying the 00 Raiser without GN drives. But he could still use the Gundam well enough and once they drove off the enemy, they would be able to install true GN drives.
"Roger. 00 Raiser, Setsuna F. Seiei, launching." The 00 Raiser was launched out of the Ptolemaios' catapult. Immediately, Setsuna opened fire on the enemies closest to Tieria. His attack destroyed one of the GN-XIIIs. However, the green Gundam, aware of Setsuna's presence, evaded his attacks. It also stopped dispersing particles in the area. Tieria fired at the enemy before he flew back to the ships to deal with the GN-XIII that had broke through. The Ptolemaios opened fire on the other two Gundams, leading them to scatter.
Setsuna pursued the enemy Gundam, attempting to shoot it down. The pilot evaded his attacks, seemingly uninterested in fighting. The 00 Raiser was closing in on the enemy and the pilot noticed. Fluidly, the green Gundam made a sharp turn to the right. Sensing the action, Setsuna forced the 00 Raiser to give a burst of speed and found himself next to his target. The enemy blocked his attack with a beam saber from its arm. As Setsuna tried to push through the enemy's defense, a transmission appeared.
"Sorry, Mr. Seiei. I'm not the one who you'll be fighting this time and you aren't the one I'm interested in," the voice on the transmission was young and he could sense the mocking and attitude of the pilot. Taken back by the pilot's carefree attitude, Setsuna wasn't prepared for the kick the enemy landed on the 00 Raiser. The enemy took the opportunity to retreat. Recovering quickly, Setsuna fired several beams at the Gundam. Suddenly, he sensed a strange pressure from the green Gundam. It was similar to those of Descartes Shaman, but much more unrefined and wild.
Ptolemaios, Hangar
Allelujah and Marie had headed to the hangar. They were needed to fight once again and needed to sortie in the Harute as soon as they could.
"Sorry about this, Marie," Allelujah said.
"It's all right. If there is something we can do to help we should," Marie replied. Allelujah knew that they were both ready to return to battle. He just apologized because it felt like he should. It pained him to have to break the promise he made to Colonel Smirnov, but Marie, or rather Soma Peries, had been determined to fight.
A sharp pressure hit Allelujah's head, bringing a small throbbing pain to him. Raising a hand to his head, he was shocked at what he had felt. Although it had been years since he had felt this sort of feeling, Allelujah was able to recognize what it was. These were a specific type of quantum brainwaves.
He turned to Marie. "Marie, did you sense that too?"
She nodded. "I did. Allelujah, you don't think that..."
"I don't know. But we're going to find out."
Setsuna ignored the quantum brainwaves. He wasn't sure what the enemy was, but they needed to be eliminated. As he continued to target the enemy, it didn't take long for him to notice something peculiar. For some reason, his target didn't return fire, preferring to focus on Tieria. The dark Gundam's attention was on the Ptolemaios, which had created a GN field to protect itself from the enemy. Tieria had dispatched the GN-XIIIs that had nearly broken into their ships. That just left...
No sooner did Setsuna finish his train of thought, the third Gundam appeared at his side, swinging a sword rifle at him. Setsuna parried the attack and found himself locking blades with this enemy. Setsuna noticed that the enemy's weapon resembled the old GN swords that the 00 Raiser possessed. He also began sensing something from the pilot. He was fighting with confidence and had an aura of anticipation and joy. Ignoring those emotions, Setsuna focused on taking down the enemy. He charged at the enemy with his blade raised. The two engaged in close combat, blade meeting blade. Every swing of the 00 Raiser's blade was met with the red Gundam's sword rifle. Though Setsuna's abilities gave him an advantage, the red Gundam fought with a surprising amount of ferocity and skill that allowed him to hold his own. The enemy pulled off a feint, and slashed at the 00 Raiser's left. Setsuna dashed to the right, but the enemy managed to slice the edge of the 00 Raiser's wing. Setsuna thrusted his blade at the enemy, who blocked it with the buster sword on its left shoulder.
As he forced back the Gundam, Setsuna caught a glimpse of his radar. The Ptolemaios had reached the Celestial Being ships and Tieria, having eliminated the last GN-XIII, was engaging the black Gundam, with the pale green Gundam giving a minimal amount of support to its ally. It would only be a matter of time before Zabanya and Harute launched. The enemy wouldn't stand a chance.
Setsuna switched his GN sword to rifle mode and landed a shot on the enemy's unprotected shoulder. The enemy responded by firing from its GN sword blaster. Setsuna easily evaded the attack and continued to pressure the enemy with his beam fire. He still could sense that the red Gundam's pilot was enjoying the battle, relishing every attack. Was the pilot even trying to kill him?
The red Gundam suddenly dashed forward and aimed its blaster at the 00 Raiser's head. Setsuna barely dodged the blast from the enemy. Before the enemy could pull back, Setsuna swung the 00 Raiser's GN blade, aiming for the side of the sword blaster. His GN blade sliced through the enemy's weapon easily, destroying it. The red Gundam raised its buster sword defensively, using it as a shield. Setsuna's next blow knocked the enemy with enough force to spin the Gundam so that he was facing its unprotected side.
"It's over!" Setsuna shouted. Taking advantage of the enemy's vulnerability, Setsuna raised the 00-Raiser's GN sword and prepared to land the finishing blow.
A transmission opened up from the enemy. "Not bad at all, Soran."
Setsuna froze, stopping himself from landing a blow onto the enemy Gundam. The second he heard his name, time seemed to stop. His body tensed and he could feel every beat his heart made. The enemy took advantage of his vulnerability, detaching the buster sword from his shoulder and swinging it at the 00-Raiser. Setsuna responded just in time to block the attack but was knocked away from the enemy with the force behind the buster sword. He looked at the man on the transmission link.
"How do you know that name? Who are you?" Setsuna asked, his mind frantic. He could sense the man's emotions. There was an aura of delight and familiarity coming from the enemy. This man didn't just learn his name, he knew who he was. But how was that possible? Who was this pilot?
The man removed his helmet, giving Setsuna a better look at his face. He looked to be about the same age, with curly, dark brown hair. His eyes carried a look that Setsuna saw in many veteran fighters. There was something familiar about him, but Setsuna wasn't able to remember who exactly this man was.
A smirk appeared on the pilot's face. "What's wrong, you don't recognize me? Well, it has been quite awhile, hasn't it? Over ten years since we last met. I guess we've both changed since Krugis fell. Tell me, Soran, are you still afraid of dying?"
"Are you afraid of dying?"
"No..." Setsuna uttered, his eyes widening as he realized who this man was. All these years, there had been another survivor.
"That's blasphemy against God."
"You're supposed to be dead."
"I'm going to carry out my duty in the name of God."
"Kamal Majirif."
Author's Note: At this point of the story, I'm going to pull a slight retcon and there will most likely be a few more. If you remember, the name Kamal Majirif was an alias Setsuna used in episode eight of the first season. I've chosen to give that name to the boy who appeared in the Krugis flashbacks. More will be revealed in future chapters. I've tried to hint at the character but I'll admit that it kinda comes out of nowhere. So now Setsuna has another thing to angst about...I am so sorry.
Anyway as for the new Gundams, they turned out to be based strongly on the Throne Gundams, more so than I had anticipated. I didn't describe everything about them because it was from Tieria's point of view and there are still some details I'm working on. Melquth has the equipment of the Throne Arch Drei except with a weaker stealth field and the appearance of Avalanche Exia without the blades and Throne Arch Drei's wings. Nezach's appearance is a cross between the Cherudim SAGA and maybe some elements of the Freedom Gundam with the color scheme of the Gundam Mk. II and Throne Eins' GN mega launcher instead of what was on the model. Gevura is based off of the 00 Gundam Seven Sword G Inspection without the GN katars or the other swords and its appearance is slightly different. I'll list the specs in one of the later chapters. Feel free to tell me what you think so far. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.