Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam
This chapter is the Canard and Gekido(?) battle I promised you all, with some tie in to my story Gundam Rise Purpose and even Gundam Seed Purpose Renew, also includes an in scene promise by the characters from me, that I will update this fic as regularly as I used to.
Gundam Seed Destiny or Liberty
Chapter 32: Moving past
Canard: We will not interfere in the affairs of another nation, we will not attack another nation, nor will we allow ourselves to be attacked. The words of my sister's adopted father, the close friend of my real mother. Cagalli got to live in a palace and the rest of Orb flourished under the leadership of Uzumi Nara Athha, a good man, according to some people but one might also say a hypocrite. When people within his nation aided the Earth Alliance in the development of their mobile suits he didn't punish anyone, oh he protected his borders sure but the Seiran's and the guy in that Gold Astray he didn't lift a finger against them and he took advantage of my brother too, Mr perfect coordinator. In reality Athha just took advantage of the success of the Strike to increase his own power, he built up the power of Orb, isolating it from the rest of the world and making it a target. The people of Orb, they got caught in the crossfire of Athha's sins.
Shinn Asuka sat in the park, looking up at the sky. He truly did live in a peaceful nation. Suddenly, a pile of leaves landed on his face. He coughed through the leaves and looked up at his sister. She laughed as he chased after her. Shinn laughed too, his sister was one of his few friends. In truth Shinn had been a challenging teen before Onogoro. He ran with his sister through the park, promising to forever cherish the memory of the peace they had together. His parents believed in the nation and their leader.
"Athha will do the right thing," his father always told him.
The Earth Alliance was expanding, but it was also growing ever more desperate. They claimed small victories, ace pilots rose but they still couldn't prevent the destruction of key resources like the mass drivers.
"Shiiin, I lost my phone," Mayu groaned at her brother.
"Okay take it easy you must have dropped it in the leaves when we were running lets just…"
BONK!
Shinn clutched his head, falling to the floor. Mayu rushed to her brother's aide but then looked at the object that had hit him.
"My phone," she smiled.
"Glad you found it," Shinn groaned.
Mayu laughed, smiling at Shinn and despite the bump on his head he smiled too. Months later, Onogoro happened, Strike Daggers clashed with the Gundam copies, the Astrays. One such Strike Dagger was strangely securing paths for refugees. The lone unit raised its shield as stray shots from aerial forces flew to the ground. Shinn and his family ran for an evacuation transport. Again Mayu lost her phone, but there was no one to throw it back. Shinn rushed down the hill to get it and when he returned he saw his family dead, his sisters arm was the only thing left of her. Orb naval soldiers discovered him screaming, the captain personally guided him into the escape boat. As Shinn sat in the boat, moving towards an uncertain future he thought about the Athha's, about how they fought for their ideals only for their people to die. He thought about the pilot of the Strike Dagger and his interference. Why was he part of the Earth forces if had been working to save the civilians? Would they have lived if he didn't interfere? He knew one thing for sure; Uzumi Nara Athha was responsible not just for the near destruction of Orb but the death of his parents too.
Canard: After Athha died the Seiran's rose up. The slimy bastards worked with the Earth Alliance, taking money to assist in the reconstruction of the major population centres. Many people had fled but because of Vincent's efforts there were still people alive to swear allegiance. But then Cagalli returned and they saw a better leader in her, someone who actually cared about them. Someone who would walk across the street without a heavy guard. They saw her as the perfect queen to lead them, but Cagalli isn't perfect. I love her and Kira, but at the same time I hate them, I don't want to kill them I'm long past wanting to kill Kira. I just couldn't forgive them.
"GEKIDO!"
Canard yelled as the Dreadnought slammed its sabre into the Decade's. Gekido grinned as he flew into the air. The Dreadnought flew after the Mark 3, firing its Vulcans. Both machines flew around one another, leaving a trail of smoke and energy behind them. They slammed their sabres together, then flew through the crowds. Bullets ripped through the air, Gekido fired the Gatling gun underneath his rifle and Canard countered with his Vulcans. The two Gundams slammed their heads together and began diving towards the ground. Canard switched one of his swords to cannon mode and fired, whilst Gekido returned fire with his beam rifle. They raised their shields, blocking the shots. One shot hit the Dreadnough's foot and another hit the Decade's shoulder, ripping off some of its armour. Gekido switched to wave rider mode and flew straight towards the Dreadnought.
"TIME FOR YOU TO GO!" Gekido laughed.
The Decade slammed into the Dreadnought's chest, pushing it through the air before throwing it towards the ground. Canard gripped his controls tightly, grunting as his suit slammed into the ground. Dirt covered the Dreadnought, but Canard wasn't finished. He stood up, igniting both his beam swords and looking up at the Decade with a growl. Gekido transformed his suit, igniting the dual sabres in his shield.
"That all you got Pars?" Gekido asked.
"NOT BY A LONG SHOT!" Canard yelled.
Canard: About eight months into my service with Sensou we started receiving rumours, leads I called them. An incident on the Moon, another at a mobile suit factory, a clash between two Gundams near a space colony protected by OZ, a scuffle at the Build colony, whispers within Celestial Being and many more stories following the deep space team. I knew who it was, who it had to be and I went to Kira and Cagalli about it.
"That's impossible," Kira looked at Canard in shock.
"It isn't and you know it Kira," Canard retorted.
He stood in Reverend Malchio's house, Kira sat on the sofa and Cagalli was standing up, dressed in her parliament clothes. Canard was wearing his Sensou uniform, a black jacket with his brown fingerless gloves. Kira sighed as he stood up and looked at his older brother with a sympathetic expression.
"Canard Gekido was right at the centre of the Omega explosion, not to mention the explosion of the Nenshou, he had also completely given in to his cyborg abilities so he may very well have felt the damage of his mobile suit. That long in outer space with a wrecked suit, there's no way he could've survived," Kira explained.
"There is, I know it sounds crazy but what if before he left for Jachin Due he had someone recover what was left of the Purpose and then rebuild it, or maybe salvage its memory core, you know that the Purpose gained sentience when it saved Lacus and Gekido."
"And it would have come and saved Gekido, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, you dragged me away from a meeting for this?" Cagalli asked.
"At least you're away from that creep Yuna," the black haired youth huffed.
"Yuna Roma Seiran is a representative of my country, he ran the country while we were out in space," Cagalli said.
"And the people were practically bowing to you when you returned so it shows how good a ruler he was, he's a creep Cagalli, he doesn't give a damn about the country and if he looks at you like he did when you opened our embassy here then I'll…"
"You'll do no such thing, the Seirans are part of the nobility and leaders of our country," she interrupted her brother.
"Only because that idiot didn't leave anyone else to rule the country," Canard snarled.
"Canard don't," Kira said.
"What do you mean?" Cagalli glared at the former Eurasian soldier. "What do you mean? Which idiot?"
"The man you spent most of your life calling father," Canard growled.
Cagalli widened her eyes and grit her teeth together. But not even her show of anger stopped Canard. In fact Canard showed a greater show of anger as he grabbed the memorial photo of Uzumi.
"This man and all his followers, they could have fled with the Archangel and then come back and led Orb the way it should be, because of him you're surrounded by people ready to stab you in the back whenever things get tough," he explained.
"How dare you, he sacrificed his life to give us a chance, he took responsibility for his failures…"
"HE WAS A DAMN COWARD!" Canard yelled.
Kira and Cagalli widened their eyes as Canard snapped the frame apart. It was a show of the enhanced strength even a failed ultimate coordinator had.
"Accept responsibility? He abandoned it, you make it out to be a sacrifice but killing himself and all the other competent politicians like that was a cowards way out, not to mention idiotic…like Seiran is the kind of leader Orb needs. He left you in a nest of vipers, and worst of all you keep those vipers around when alls you got to do is kick them out of the office, or send Kojiro to visit them, hell I think killing the Seirans is one of the few things that'll make him smile," Canard explained.
"And what does that make me?" Cagalli asked.
"A leader doing what's necessary, what's right for her country even if it's the hardest thing to do and I'm not talking about some sentimental taking a stand against evil, sometimes you have to be evil to keep people safe," Canard said.
"How does that make you any different from Uragiri, she genuinely thought she was doing the right thing," Kira said.
"The right thing for herself, that's the difference between Sensou and Uragiri, we get our hands dirty for others, she got her hands dirty for her," Canard explained.
"Why are you doing this Canard? Why can't you live your life in peace with us?" Kira asked.
"Why are we going into this conversation anyway? Are you going to help me find Gekido or not?" Canard asked.
Kira and Cagalli remained silent and Canard looked at them both. His look of anger turned to one of sorrowful shock. The young man leant back against the wall and touched his head as his hands shook.
"You, you don't want to leave your comfort do you, this place of sickening peace? You want to keep your peace no matter what, even if it means Gekido isn't in your lives," his mouth trembled as he spoke.
"Canard, Gekido is dead…let it go," Kira said.
Canard rubbed the tears threaning to burst from his eyes and then glared at Kira.
"We found out Uragiri wasn't the leader of those war mongers, Uragiri is the actual name of the organisation, they just give the title Uragiri to their chosen leader. They helped to fund Mendel so that they could have a perfect coordinator, Uragiri could have been you Kira…that information came from an anonymous tip, the same guy who saved the moon race, the same guy who saved the Build colony, the same guy who pushed you into becoming a competent fighter, the same guy who inspired Vincent to become a warrior, my first friend and the man Lacus claims to love…Gekido is alive, I know he is and I will find him," Canard explained.
Canard: I walked away angrily, turning my back on my family that day. I lost them a second time, Mendel was the first. Our parents are Ulen and Via Hibiki, both scientists whom worked at a colony called Mendel, they were experimenting with an artificial womb in order to resolve the issue of low coordinator birth rates, that's the official story anyway. The truth is Ulen wanted to build the perfect coordinator, to bring out Newtype attributes inside the subject. To do this he carried the experiments out on his offspring, I was the first. But once I was old enough to understand that there was a world around me, father said that I was a failure. I don't know what my mother did to try and stop him. I see the picture of Kira and Cagalli in her arms and I know that they made her happy, didn't I make her happy or was I a failure in her eyes too?
It didn't matter, they didn't matter to me. I went up into space on a mission that Cagalli and Kira said was doomed to fail. There was only one person with knowledge of the mission, to everyone else it seemed like I was running away. But the truth is lodged deeply into Sensou's plan. Vincent Rach truly is a good commander; I believe he will endure more pain than even Gekido has had to go through.
Vincent looked at the book Gekido had left him. His eyes were locked on a single sentence highlighted over Gekido's comments.
Nothing is ever as it seems in the world of Gundam.
The translation was of course that Vincent should not get into any alliance without his suspicions. He gripped his head, trying to remember pieces of his life. His eyes flashed over the phone, his phone and the single message left by his father. Vincent leant his head onto his bed and tried with everything he was to remember just what he was forgetting. Battles flashed before his eyes, and then a wave of guilt ran through his heart.
"Stop for someone, not something!"
"You don't understand, he didn't assassinate a bunch of terrorists, he destroyed the entire civilisation, killed thousands."
"The Dagger that was over Mayu, it was you?"
"So your Vincent Rach, the one who holds the wishes of Gekido Jaeger, I should tell you now that you will never reach your hero or any other coordinator for that matter."
"WHY! ANSWER ME! TELL ME WHY! WHY DID THAT LITTLE GIRL HAVE TO DIE!"
"AAAAAGH!"
Vincent rolled off of his bed, breathing heavily. He relived his part in Mayu Asuka's death.
'Mayu Asuka, Shinn is her brother, Gekido is my friend and the others,' Vincent thought of the people he had met and began to reform his connections.
Then he remembered something else that tore his heart apart. A memory, his last memory of his mother.
The first time Vincent saw his parents after the war was the day Flay made the official announcement of Sensou's formation. He had already caused a stir when he told his parents he wanted to be a pilot. His father was a labourer, a dockworker whom had worked hard to get Vincent into decent schools. His mother's great grandfather had been a test pilot and died because of a malfunction in his plane. When Vincent told his parents that he wanted to fly it was his mother whom trusted him the least.
"Test piloting is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous than flying real planes," she said.
"Why not go for transport, they can get pretty cushy jobs and the pay isn't bad," his father was fair and diplomatic.
"This is what I want," Vincent said.
"Regardless of the risk?" his mother asked.
"She's worried about your safety Vincent, I'm worried about your potential, you could be doing so many other things, things I never got to do. Teaching? How about teaching maths and aerospace engineering?" his father asked.
"Dad I don't want to be sitting in front of a classroom, I want to be in the plane, I want to…"
"Feel the rush? You're a risk addict," his mother hissed.
"That's a bit harsh Laura."
"No James, its clear why he's doing this, he wants adventure he always has done."
"You need to stop coddling him," James Rach said, almost glaring at his wife.
"You're taking his side?"
"It's what he wants," the man said.
Of course despite his mother's disapproval Vincent became a pilot anyway. He had a mediocre score, or at least a bad reputation. Vincent always pushed his planes to their limits; he crashed at least four times. He was trying to show the fault of the aircraft but the mechanics didn't see it that way. Piloting became a sport to his fellow test pilots, even as the war began reaching its mid stage. Vincent never did compare to the other pilots in the trials, particularly his ex girlfriend Christine. He did however possess the determination to never give up and a greater talent for the combat simulators. When he decided to join the front lines he caused yet another stir.
"I cannot believe you," James said, frowning at his son through the screen.
"Dad," Vincent sighed.
"Your mother has been crying for days, she's worried about you," James said.
"I get that but seriously dad there is a war going on, the Alliance needs good pilots," Vincent explained.
"The alliance has an agenda of its own son, you join the front lines it'll only be a matter of time before you're forced to carry out their will, the will of people who can not see their people," James explained.
"What do you mean?" Vincent asked.
"The Earth Alliance government has rarely if ever done anything to help the people. They thought there were terrorists on the Plants, what do they do? They nuke a fucking colony filled with innocent people and put a giant wreck in the debris field that could one day crash into our planet," James was by no means a government supporter, as someone whom had experienced firsthand how rough life could be when governments ignored their people he had a view of the world Vincent didn't, the view of the working man trying to get by.
"That then triggers a response from the Plants, the N-Jammers, thousands of cities left powerless, we're in the middle of an energy crisis and I guarantee you that the first thing they're gonna do when they get their nukes back is blow up those hourglasses again. The Plants are the same way, they preach of independence, of the coordinators being superior yet look at what they're doing…they're short on logic but not irony it seems," he half laughed.
"I just want the war to end," Vincent said.
"And do you want to be the person to pull the trigger, to get the final kill?" James asked.
"I don't want to kill anyone!"
"But people will die, that is a guarantee of warfare, no war ever ended without someone dying," James said.
He understood all along that Vincent's involvement wouldn't end at merely scouting out enemies. The man's health gradually began to deteriorate over time. When the war was finally over and Sensou was beginning to form, Vincent saw a man who was weaker than he remembered. James had gotten thinner and bills had piled up on the desk.
"It's good to see you back Vincent, you can start helping your father at the docks now," Laura of course had expectations of Vincent, she always had expectations of him.
James was the only one not smiling at the fact that his son had returned. He saw the look in Vincent's eyes and couldn't see the little boy he let sit on his shoulders anymore.
"I'm not going to be staying mom," Vincent said.
"Of course, I don't expect you to live with us anymore, I'm sure you got hazard pay for fighting at Jachin Due," Laura explained.
"I didn't get hazard mom and I'm not staying in New York," Vincent stated.
Laura dropped the plate she was cleaning and turned to her son.
"Are you being redeployed?" she asked.
"No, I'm getting a new job, an organisation Flay Alster is putting together, we're going to stop a lot of conflicts before they happen," Vincent explained.
"By holding a gun to everyone's head and saying this is the line you can't cross," James huffed.
"No, we're going to do everything we can to give freedom and democracy to people, whilst also respecting their own desires. There are tyrants out there who are not the only source of order in their countries, they're the problems and there are terrorist organisations out there that the Earth Alliance is not looking for effectively," Vincent explained.
"It's never that easy Vincent, you're going to have to kill people," James said.
"If it's a line I have to cross then I'll do it," Vincent turned away from his father, causing the man to sigh.
Vincent left without the blessing of his mother. But he had no idea just what his father thought. He threw himself into his work, receiving updates on his father's health from his mother. Eventually the updates stopped and when Vincent began deep space campaigns after the true faith incident he called his mother one final time.
"About time you called," she growled.
He could tell that she had been crying. His father's cancer had clearly taken a turn for the worst.
"You should be here," she snarled.
"We're making a final push against rebel cells in space, it has to be all hands on deck for this one," Vincent said.
"So you're father dies without having seen you, that's disgusting Vincent," Laura said.
"I have responsibilities mom, but that doesn't mean I can't talk to dad still."
"You think he wants to talk to you? After everything you've done, there's no redemption for what you've done Vincent, there's no taking it back, a whole village dead, children dead because of you…your father was an honest man, never lifted a finger to anyone in his life, how do you live with yourself knowing that you've spat in the face of that legacy? How many people have you killed? How many people have died under your great command, grand commander Rach?"
"Six hundred and forty eight so far," Vincent said.
His mother widened her eyes.
"I remember all of them, I remind myself every day of them, people who die so that you can dad can continue to criticise us. People should be able to live in that world,a world with boundaries where their views can be respected, a journalist who doesn't agree with the president isn't many less of a patriot than a loyalist soldier. The name and face of every soldier, their families, I remember them all and I just want to remember my dad," Vincent explained.
"Well it's too bad, he doesn't want to see you Vincent, if this is the path you've chosen then so be it. But there's room for that in our lives," she said and cut the communication line.
Vincent stood in shock, holding his phone.
"I just wanted to talk to dad one more time," he said. "Just one more…" he shook his head and grit his teeth together, "JUST ONE MORE TIME DAMN IT!" he yelled, throwing the phone aside.
He later got a message from his father. But he couldn't bring himself to listen to it. Not after the text his mother left him.
"Your father died hating you," she had said so cruelly.
That's when Vincent realised the kind of person his mother was. She wanted her son to be successful, but on her terms. Vincent didn't want a suffocating life like that, for him or anyone else. So he stayed away from his family, and he never listened to his father's last words.
"How can I remember you father?" he wondered.
He was back in his room on the Minerva; looking at the book Gekido had left him. But as Vincent began to open the book he felt a stinging sensation in his head. His eyes grew wide in anger as he raised his hands to the clips on his mask. He released the straps and pulled the mask away from his face. The liquid that nullified his pain and supposedly repaired his brain damage spread across the floor, staining his bed sheets. Vincent then felt it, the agony of the accident. He screamed, running a hand over his viciously scarred face. Everyone was off on sure leave, enjoying the city Vincent had supposedly helped liberate. He began to remember that he had been spending his days in a hospital bed.
'Durandal, he lied to me,' Vincent snarled.
He grabbed his jacket, pulling the hood over his face and grabbing Gekido's book and his phone. Vincent crashed through his door, clutching his sides in agony but still fighting the pain enough to walk. He needed to get away from the Minerva, to find answers for himself.
Canard: Vincent respected my decision to leave; he needed someone to keep an eye on Thanos after all. I had my own reasons for leaving Sensou though. It gave me the opportunity to do something Kira refused to do.
Canard yelled as he slammed his sabre into the Decade's shield. Gekido roared back, pushing Canard back. The failed ultimate coordinator grit his teeth together. Images rushed through his mind, his memories of Gekido, all of the good times and all of the bad. The days they fought and spoke, encouraging one another in ways that were never the same. Canard narrowed his eyes as the Decade Gundam backed away from his cannon fire.
Canard: Gekido is the one who got me to change my view of the world, but to completely change who I am? No, he didn't demand that of me, he just wanted me to throw my hatred aside and point my anger towards something more meaningful.
The Dreadnought raised its sabre as the Decade swung its arm forward. Canard smoothly dodged Gekido's attack and rushed his sword through the Decade's arm, cutting its weapon apart. He then swung his leg around, slamming it into the Decade's head.
Canard: In the end, I just wanted to find my friend, my best friend.
Canard smirked as he flew the Dreadnought away from his enemy. He opened his communication channel, contacting his ally outside of the Thanos faction.
"He's good, just not good enough," he said.
"Indeed, do you intend to join the Archangel?"
"Not yet, just keep watching them Biggs, just like Silver Mask is watching Durandal," Canard said.
"You in the Thanos faction, me on the Archangel and that man on the Minerva, fitting I suppose," Biggs laughed.
"Yeah, maybe it is fitting," Canard smirked.
Canard: Did I find my friend? Well let's just say that that is another story entirely.
Branden yawned as he and Kojiro walked through the corridors of the hotel. They had both been summoned late in the night by Sheryl. Branden barely had his jacket zipped up, in contrast to Kojiro whom had dressed into his uniform perfectly.
"Man, can you believe everything that's happening, Thanos declaring himself an enemy, the boss taking up a ZAFT uniform," Branden stated.
"You're worried about him dissolving Sensou, I would worry not, the final decision is not up to him," Kojiro said, stoically.
"I know, Flay's in charge of it, but things change all the time, Sensou was once a mercenary company after all," Branden lowered his head slightly as he spoke.
"It still is, now that the EA no longer recognises us as a peace keeping force," Kojiro said.
Branden raised his head as he saw Nia walking ahead of them. She was dressed in dull and baggy sweat clothes and yawning herself.
"Why isn't she all dressed up?" Branden asked.
"Cause its four in the fucking morning," Nia groaned.
"Eloquently put yes," Kojiro said.
"Yet you seem awfully chipper Kojiro," Branden said.
"I'm just more used to waking up early!"
"Bullshit, you weren't even sleeping were you?" Branden asked.
"Well you see...I was waiting," Kojiro said.
"Really? What for?"
"An update!"
"From what?"
"A story I've been following, two years since its last update."
"Even if the writer hasn't given it up, there's no way anyone would continue reading a story after two years without an update," Branden explained.
The trio finally arrived at where Sheryl had asked them to meet, the same rooftop they had spoken with Durandal on the day before. Sheryl was already waiting for them, rubbing sleep out of her eyes and wearing a white and blue onesie.
"Nice pyjamas Mercis," Branden said.
"Nice hair Kamal," Sheryl retorted.
Branden growled, then his eyes saw the back of the person who had called the meeting. He wore a sleeveless brown jacket over a black muscle shirt, gloves and gauntlets covered his hands, he also wore fatigues. But most striking of all was the brown helmet covering his face, with white lenses over his eyes. The three pilots widened their eyes slightly as he spoke.
"Sorry I had to wake you all," he said.
"Vincent," Nia gasped.
"What about the other mask, and the uniform?" Branden asked.
"I'm not ZAFT, never was, never will be, our alliance is something we can't permanently count on either, our purpose is clear, we've been so focused on fighting and ending this war, that we've never worried about how it started in the first place," Vincent explained.
"Are you still in pain?" Nia asked.
"Yes, but I'm learning to work through it, that's not why we're here," Vincent said.
"It sounds like you're suggesting, treason," Nia felt her hands shake and her heartbeat quicken.
She looked around, making sure there was no one else here. But also, she scanned both Kojiro and Branden, marking them for weaknesses, checking if she could see guns underneath their jackets. Vincent suddenly gripped her shoulder, and she raised her hands in defence, her fingers touching the phone in Vincent's hand.
"Please, hold onto this for me Nia, you know what's on it, I haven't looked at it yet, but I know it'll be safe in your hands," he explained.
"Why are you..."
"You said that you trusted me, that you'd help me if it didn't conflict with your personal feelings or your duty, tell me, your duty is to protect the Plants right? That's why ZAFT was formed in the first place right?" Vincent asked.
"Yes, but what are you getting at?" Nia asked.
"What if someone within ZAFT's infrastructure, deliberately triggered the war, you'd have a duty, no matter how high up that person was on the command chain, to see him brought to justice right?"
"Damn right I would, do you have reason to believe one of the higher ups has been working with Logos? If so then we should take this to Durandal," Nia explained.
"No Nia, this is something we can't let Durandal know about, nor the others, they're still too loyal to him," Vincent said.
Nia looked at Vincent in shock, stepping back slightly. The trio of Sensou members raised their heads, each one fully processing what Vincent was saying. Each one formed a part of a pattern. The theft at armoury one stuck out the most in Kojiro's mind, as he considered the possibilities of why they happened? Not just security leaks, but something much worse. For Branden, he remembered the new Lacus Clyne, an obvious fake and the sudden disappearance of the real Lacus Clyne. For Sheryl she remembered every speech Durandal made, and the sudden knowledge of Logos he shared with everyone, presenting them with all to convenient an evil to fight.
The blonde haired ZAFT pilot however thought of something else. Dagger Thanos's distrust of Durandal, and Lain's insistence that he was in the wrong somehow.
"That Lacus who sung yesterday, she's not the real Lacus Clyne, the real Lacus Clyne had been living in Orb," Vincent straight out told her, shocking his Sensou allies.
"Vincent don't," Branden said.
"I may not know Lacus well, but I know she wouldn't have stood by as the Plants drove into civil unrest, and that she wouldn't be continuing to run away if she didn't have a valid reason for being in hiding. My agents in Orb outright confirmed that the place Lacus had been staying in had been attacked by people using ZAFT weaponry," Vincent explained.
"Junius Seven," Nia said, putting her hands to her head. "The equipment those guys had been using, they had to have funding of some kind," she said.
"Exactly, despite the tragedy it created, everything seems to have gone in Durandal's favour, how? Why? I know it's better to believe that he is just that charismatic, but if there is even a one percent chance that he could have manipulated all of these events, then we in Sensou have to take that as an absolute, the patterns are there Nia!"
The girl leant her hand on the railing and shook her head, only in momentary denial. Then she grit her teeth together in self hatred. No matter who she chose to believe or follow, Vincent or Durandal, she was still betraying her oath. This knowledge, could break ZAFT, divide it and undo all of the good Durandal had done since taking office. But it was still Nia's duty to find out the truth of this conspiracy.
"Which means, those sons of bitches, both the Earth Alliance, Durandal and thus by extension ZAFT knew that Junius Seven was going to happen, they knew and they let it happen!" Branden snarled.
"This alliance, how will we look to the public if we don't reveal this now?" Sheryl asked.
"If we reveal all of this now, we'll only cast doubt, until we have concrete evidence, we can't do anything," Kojiro said.
"He's right," Nia said. "We need to dig deeper," she turned to Vincent, a look of determination on her face.
"I know I'm not the best person to be saying all of these things Nia, which is why I wanted you involved, you don't have any bias that these three others would have. If I ever come off as a raving lunatic, then I'll trust you to be the one who takes me out," Vincent explained.
"Okay, a little severe there Vincent, plus unnecessary, if you ever go crazy I'll kill you myself," Branden grinned.
"So for now, we carry on business as usual?" Nia asked.
"No!" Vincent said, shocking the others.
He grinned underneath his helmet and looked over the edge of the building.
"We keep moving forward, with renewed purpose," he said, squeezing his hand into a fist. "The four of you are dismissed!"
He continued leaning against the railing as the others began walking away. Nia stopped at the door, looking at the phone in her pocket.
"You need to hear it, so you can let go," she said, walking up behind Vincent and accessing the messages. "You still keep doubting yourself Vincent, I can see it, don't doubt yourself anymore," she snarled, pushing one final button.
Vincent raised is head in horror, as he heard a voice he didn't think he'd hear again.
"Hey Vincent, I know you're busy right now, hell, you probably don't even want to talk. I just want to say a few things, a few things I should have said. I'm not idiotic enough to believe what papers or bloggers might say, I develop my own opinion, everyone should. I know that there was more to what was going on with true faith than what the government chose to reveal, I understand that they were determined to put an end to our way of life, and as cruel and violent as your solution to them was...I understand why you did it, I'm not proud of the results, but I am proud of your reasons!"
Vincent's shoulders shook as he continued to listen, to the voice of his long dead father.
"I wish your mother agreed with me, about how worthy of our pride you are, I wish we all agreed about conflict resolution. But if we agreed on everything, there wouldn't be a need for people like you, there wouldn't even be freedom or liberty. It sounds cheesy, but freedom and liberty are things we shouldn't throw aside. There are people out there who disagree with this, sometimes they won't rest until that way of life is gone."
"I know that you'll only ever do what you feel is right, that's all people can do sometimes, it's all anyone should do. Compromise is an important part of your job, it's the only way most war's end. But when you can't compromise, don't, even if they whole world disagrees with you, and says that something wrong is something right, you don't give in, you don't back down!"
"Any inspiring words I have would just be taken from the internet," the man said.
"You got me at 'Hey Vincent' Dad," Vincent muttered.
"What I can say is, I'll always love you no matter what, knowing that you are out there, doing what you want to do, what you feel is right, is enough for me, it will always be enough for me! This isn't goodbye, it's see you later son!"
Nia walked to Vincent's side, and placed the phone on the railing gently. Vincent suddenly took hold of her hand.
"Thank you," he said.
Nia smiled as she dropped the phone into his hand. She continued smiling to herself as she walked back to her room. Vincent held both his phone and Gekido's journal, smiling underneath the helmet.
'Despite how painful the past can be,' he thought. 'Remembering it, and taken a lesson from it can help us to move forward with renewed purpose. I won't let the past drag me down anymore, it's time to see if you do the same Shinn!'
Next Chapter 33: Wandering eyes
Branden: We all know why it's called wandering eyes don't we Athrun?
Athrun: please stop talking
Branden: Is Meer's body a hundred percent match to Lacus's?
Kojiro: He wouldn't know
Stella: I don't want to die!
Shinn: It'll be okay
Jone: Nice to finally meet you, Vincent Rach!
Vincent: Impossible, you're dead!
I hope everyone enjoyed the two chapter special, next time we continue the story, and this time it will be a quicker update. Vincent's new outfit is based on the Red Hood's look in Red Hood and Arsenal, except without the red and bat motive :), it establishes that he's not ZAFT, but also gives him a more militaristic and mercenary look, in fact it will be the look Gekido has in Gundam Seed Purpose Renew.
Also little preview :)
Shinn: I was wrong about you, the whole world was wrong about you!
Athrun: I'm sorry Shinn, he's my friend.
Shinn: So was I!
KIDOU SENSHI GUNDAM SEED: CIVIL WAR
Lol just kidding
Shinn: Stella, you're killing Stella!
Marcus: What does that mean?
Shinn: Save Stella.
Marcus: Why did you say that name?...WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME!
Again just kidding, or am I? :)