Chapter 69
Once Rey Za Burrel enter the enormous mobile suit hangar, the very first thing he laid eyes on, was the Destiny gundam standing not that far in front of the Legend, with it's Phase Shift armor activated.
And that alone served as a pretty obvious sign, that Shinn was already inside, the extremely powerful mobile suit, waiting for him, and knowing, how much Shinn probably disliked the idea of having to go up against Athrun. Even after hearing about what the blue haired moron had done to Nicol, the soon to be pilot of the Legend gundam, quickly decided, that it was probably best not to give Shinn too much time, to think about all of this. And with that it mind, Rey hurried made his way over to the DRAGOON equipped gundam, and immediately took a hold on the black cable, that was meant to take him up to the Legend's cockpit.
Once inside the mobile suit, Rey was quick to get in contact with Shinn, over in the Destiny. "So are you ready to do this?!" He asked, as both machines, began walking slowly towards the exit of the hangar.
Taking yet another glance down at the controls, to make certain, that the Destiny was ready for whatever Athrun could throw at it, Shinn slowly opened his mouth, and began talking in a somewhat far away tone.
"I...I guess so, Rey! But I am still completely clueless about why? Athrun would betray us like this. While I can't deny that I really I disliked him from time to time! I seriously thought that he was an honorable person! Who was just, as determined as the rest of us, to help rid this world of Logos. So why!? Why the heck would he do this, REY?!" The red eyed teenager asked loudly, just as the two powerful mobile suits step out of the hangar.
Knowing that there was noway he could tell Shinn the truth about Athrun's betray, Rey gave his lower lips a severely hard bite, while trying to figure out what the best response would be, to that question.
Yet finally after a few short seconds he let out a small sigh. "I don't know, Shinn! I have NO idea about what in God's name, could be going could be going through, Athrun's head, right now. But one thing I can tell you Shinn, is that I seriously despise the very thought of having worked together with a no good traitor, like that! So let's go make certain that he will never again, get the chance to betray anybody else like this!"
Thinking strongly about every single thing, Rey had just said to him, it did NOT, take more than few short seconds, before the red eyed teen found himself nodding slowly a few times agreement.
While it was truth that he and Athrun, have had their fair share of disagreements, these last few months. Shinn had still considered the blue haired, slightly older man, as a friend, so it was simply unforgivable, that he would betray them all like this.
And the more the red eyed short tempered teenager thought about it, the more determined he felt, to make Athrun Zala, pay as badly as possible, for his betrayal.
"Reeyy! We need to get that guy! If he thinks, I'm going to let him get away, with everything he has done. That stupid bastard, got another thing coming!" Shinn growled out, through his teeth, as the two extremely powerful gundams, took off in the exact same direction Athrun's GOUF, had disappeared in not that long ago.
000000
Meanwhile out on one of the approaching Earth Alliance warships.
Ledonir Kisaka, slowly rubbed his chin, in a deeply thoughtful manner. It hadn't really been all that long since, he had received small a message from Kazuma, asking him if he want to go get a soda later.
But while that message in itself, was relatively innocent. It was as a matter of fact meant as a sign, that was meant to tell him, that Athrun Zala was trying to escape from Gibraltar, and might need some sort of assistance. And having seen that GOUF fly by not long ago, Kisaka had little trouble figuring out, who was piloting that mobile suit.
Yet as he was trying to decide what to do now. The huge man suddenly heard a small sound from his pocket, which of course meant, that he had just received yet another message, on his cell phone.
And knowing who it was likely from, and how important, it might be. The huge Orb soldier immediately reach down into his pocket, and pulled out the small noisy cell phone, and as he used his right hand, to shield his eyes, from the rain, Kisaka swiftly read thought the text, on the small screen. 'I'll go get coffee by myself now...'
'Hmm that's good! So Kazuma managed to get away scot-free! But I am still concerned about Athrun, he is are good kid! And it would surely break Cagalli's heart, should Athrun get kill while trying to get away!' Kisaka growled inside his mind. More than just a little pissed off, at how much the young woman who was almost like a daughter to him, had gone through since the Seiran family had gained control of Orb.
If Cagalli, ended up losing the man she loved so dearly now, Kisaka wasn't really sure, that she would ever be able to get over it, and he for one did NOT WANT her to go through the same sorrow again, like when she had lost her father.
Besides, Kisaka himself liked and respected the last Zala. The blue haired teenager, had done so much to end the last war. Even gone up against his own father. And Athrun's deep desire for peace between Naturals and Coordinators, was most definitely something, that had earn him a great deal of Kisaka's respect.
Yet whatever thoughts, he had about Cagalli and Athrun, immediately disappeared from his mind, the very instant he saw two gundams flyby, with unbelievable high speed. 'As skilled as Athrun might be in a mobile suit. I have my doubts, that he will be able to handle both of them, in nothing but a GOUF!' The huge man thought, before he turned around, hurried and left the ship's deck.
000000
At the exact same time back at Gibraltar. Talia Gladys, was hastily making her way through the base's main building, heading straight towards Gilbert's office, with a angry frown on her forehead.
'Why the heck did it have to end up like this? I knew right from the very first moment, we receive those orders to attack the Archangel, how depressed, Athrun was about the whole situation! So why, didn't I realize sooner, that something like this could happen!? Did I really expect him to remain loyal to Zaft, after seeing his friends and family, die so gruesomely by our hands?' The brown haired woman, silently questioned herself.
Truth was, the more Taila thought about the whole thing. The none soldier part of her could not really blame Athrun Zala for wanting to get the hell away from Gibraltar and Zaft, after what they had taken from him.
Actually no matter how many times the Minerva Captain twisted and turned it in her head. It was simply impossible for the brunette haired woman to decide, if she was rooting for Athrun to get away, or hoping that Shinn and Rey would be able to somehow stop him.
Yet as she was trying so hard to make up her mind about that, the woman suddenly heard a familiar female voice calling out after her, and quite frankly a bit surprised to discover, that Lunamaria would be hanging around here when Nicol was in the hospital.
Talia immediately stop and turned around, where she saw both the older Hawke sister, and Vino Dupre coming hastily towards her. Each of them with a highly confused expression on their faces.
"Captain what's going on?! It's like, the whole base is falling apart!" The red haired soon to be pilot of the Impulse said. Clearly more than just a little freaked out about the base, being in such an uproar.
"I'm sorry! But don't really have time, to explain it to you guys right now Luna! I'll tell you everything about it, once the situation have been dealt with. But for now Lunamaria, I really think, you should go down to the base's hospital building, and see Nicol. I'm certain, that he would appreciate a visit from you. Even if he is still unconscious!"
Blinking rapidly one or two times, Lunamaria moved a tiny bit close to her commanding officer. "Wh...what happened to, Nicol?" The redhead asked, with a great deal of concern in her voice. Yet halfway through that question, Luna saw the Minerva captain, swirl around on one foot, and raced off, yet again, yelling back to her, that she would tell her all about it later.
Watching the woman she respect so much, leave with such haste, Lunamaria could not resist, muttering out a few displeased curses over the fact, that she hadn't really gotten any answers, to her questions.
Yet before she had the chance, to really start complaining about that, Vino moved over, and place a hand on her left shoulder. Thereby tearing her attention away, from the direction the captain had disappeared in, and thereby making her look back at him.
"You go see how Nicol is holding up, down in the medical room! Yolant and I will stay put here for now. If anything happens, that require us to get back to the Minerva! Then one of us will come get you Luna" the mostly brown haired boy said, in a deeply serious tone.
Still greatly annoyed over the fact, that she still had no knowledge whatsoever about, what this crazy uproar, was really about, and if that didn't serve as a big enough of a thorn in her side. It reeeally piss her off, that the Captain had left, without telling her anything about, what had happened to Nicol.
Yet as tempt as she was to take out her frustration on the mechanic in front of her. The young red haired woman, somehow manage to keep her boiling temper under control. Vino was after all trying to help her out, so he didn't really deserved, to get yell at by her right now.
So in the end, the older Hawke sister quickly made the decision, that it was best for her, to leave, before she did something, she was going to regret. The girl, seriously did NOT want people to think about her, as a person, who was so mean and crazy, that she would actually scold somebody, for being nice to her.
Which meant, that the redhead's only reaction to Vino's words, was to mumbled out a small thank you. Before she hurried turned around and left the area.
Seeing her go like that, Yolant slowly step away, from the people he had been talk to, these last few minutes, and over beside his fellow mechanic and friend. "It's been awhile since I have last seen Luna, that piss off. I actually thought there for a second, that she was going to tear your head off. What in the world did you say to her, to make her that angry?" The black haired teenager asked curious, having not heard anything the Captain had said early.
"Why do you automatically assume, that it's my fault that she is angry? For your information Yolant, I haven't done anything!" The young mechanic said in a displeased tone, that would have made it clear, to even the most simple-minded person in existence, how much he truly despised, getting blamed for something he hadn't done.
"Ok I'm sorry for jumping to conclusion, Vino. It's just that...this whole thing got me kind on edge. I hate not knowing what's going on! So would you mind telling me buddy what exactly Lunamaria left for in such a hurry?!"
Staring silently at the floor, for a long moment or two, Vino was somewhat uncertain, about how to explain the situation, to his best friend. "Well I don't really know all the details, but from what little the Captain said, I think that it is safe to assume, that Nicol was somehow hurt during this chaos, and is now in the hospital. Lunamaria went there to see him" Vino explained. Then watched as a group of five soldiers ran hastily past him and Yolant.
"And you have no idea about, what happened to Nicol?" Yolant asked. Sincerely concerned about his green haired friend.
Slowly shaking his head back and forth a few times, Vino moved over to an empty seat, and sat down. "No I don't. The Captain was in SUCH a hurry. That she did not say anything about that" Vino said in a soft far away tone.
Quite frankly doubting, that Nicol being injured, was gone be the only bad news they where going to get today, Yolant drop down in the old leather chair beside Vino, and looked up at the ceiling with a tired expression on his face.
"Man this is frustrating" he sighed just loud enough for Vino to hear, not that the other boy gave him a response, he just nodded a few times in agreement.
000000
Yet while this was going on, Talia Gladys, had arrived at Gilbert's office.
But with her, still so conflicted about this whole matter, she remained by the entrance the first few minutes, listening quietly, as her lover explained to the large group of men presently in there, how exactly they where going to handle this situation.
"While it is of the uttermost important, that Athrun Zala it dealt with. I do believe that Shinn and Rey, are more than capable of dealing with one traitor. What, we need to concentrate on gentleman, is making certain, that the situation back here, doesn't escalate any further, out of control" the Zaft leader said from his location behind his desk.
Then after taking a small breath, the black haired man once more began talking in the same down to earth tone, as before. "Turn off the alarms, and get all off-duty personal, to go back to their quarters, and please do make sure, that whatever rumors, are presently circulating around about this matter, is subdued as much as possible!" Gilbert said.
Then found himself, briefly wondering, how much time it was going to take, to get the base back to normal again, after all the chaos Athrun had create, during this. He did however not get long to think about that, when a soldier, working on one of the many computers in there, interrupted his thoughts.
"I finally found out who, is the one responsible, for hacking into the base's mainframe, and setting off that alarm down by the harbor. Apparently the computer that was used belonged to one of the Minerva's crew. A woman, named Meyrin Hawke!" The man said loudly, not once, turning his attention away from the screen, in front of him.
Hearing that, Talia instantly step even further into the room. "Wha...what!? You can't be serious! Meyrin would never do something like that!" The Minerva Captain insist in a shrill tone.
Even though deep inside Talia realized, that Meyrin, was such a kind heart person, that she would never be able to stand-by and do nothing. When one of the people, she really cared about, was danger.
So as much as Talia truly hated to admit it, she knew that if Meyrin, had ran into Athrun at some point during this, it was highly doubtful, that the younger Hawke sister, would be able to resist helping him out.
Yet once she heard, Gilbert ask where Meyrin was now, she instantaneously snapped back out of her thoughts, and move a bit towards the very soldier that had been the one to inform her lover about Meyrin's involvement, in Athrun's escape.
"Unfortunately Mr Chairman, we have no idea about, where she is! I already had somebody check out her room here on the base. And I just received confirmation, that she isn't back on board the Minerva either!" The man said.
Narrowing each one of his eyes thoughtfully, the Zaft leader reached up and slowly rubbed his chin a few times. Obviously giving the information he had just received about Meyrin, a lot of thought.
"Hmmmm get me in contact with the Destiny, and the Legend immediately! With the hacking skills she possess, we need to know exactly where she is NOW! If she didn't leave together with Athrun Zala and is still somewhere on the base, I want her found at ONCE, and locked up before she can cause any further problems!" The Chairman said, with a tiny hint of anger in his tone. Which not surprisingly Talia was the only one to noticed.
'Ahhh Meeyyyrrriiinn, for God sake! Why couldn't you somehow have avoid meeting Athrun during this crazy nightmare! It would have been so much better if you hadn't gotten involved in this mess!' The kind hearted Captain of Minerva thought bitterly, sincerely hoping Athrun and Meyrin could somehow get away from the pursuing Shinn and Rey.
000000
Not having any idea about how concerned Talia Gladys, was about Meyrin and him. Athrun swiftly evaded a ball of lightning, that came dangerously close to actually hitting the GOUF, and even as he practically forced the stolen mobile suit, through a overwhelmingly huge wave, the blue haired man took a glance backwards, where he easily spotted the two powerful gundams, mercilessly chasing them.
"Ah damn it all! I was hoping to get even further away, before they caught up to us! And it's impossible for the GOUF to outrun either of those machines. I guess we got on other choice but to fight them" Athrun growled out angrily.
Then hurried brought the GOUF further down towards the rampaging sea, in a small attempt to make it that much harder, for Rey and Shinn to see them. It did however, not take much of a genius to figure out, that they would NOT be able to elude, the two extremely fast mobile suits for very long.
"Athrun...why haven't they attack yet? They are close enough to do that, ain't they?" Meyrin asked in a tone, divided almost equal between confusion and concern. The girl just couldn't fathom, what reason the two pursuing men had, for not shooting at them yet.
Also quite puzzled over what was going on, Athrun threw the mobile suit, into a circle like motion, so they end up flying backwards, thereby making it so, he could get a clear look, at the two mobile suits following not that far behind them.
Yet seeing no signs of hostility, from either one of the machines, at least not right now. The blue haired man, quickly got the GOUF back into a proper position again, so he could once more see what was going on, in front of them.
"I seriously don't know what dunderhead one and two are up to Meyrin. But as long as keep their distances, and don't attack us! We'll just keep going!" Athrun said, while staring down at the sea, seriously considering the idea, of trying to hide down in the dark gloomy water.
'Hmm it's true that the ocean makes a pretty decent hiding place! The problem is, that if I'm forced into fighting those two morons down there, both the beam gun, and the whip will be completely useless' the young man thought. Then took a swift look over at the redhead beside him, to see how she was coping with the situation. Yet much to Athrun's small amazement, the younger Hawke sister actually seemed somewhat calm, considering the dire circumstance.
The redhead, had both of her eyes closed, and almost looked like, she was just about to fall asleep in there. "Meyrin, are you alright?" Athrun asked. Seriously concerned about the well-being of the kind girl, who had helped him out so unbelievable much.
Quickly snapping back out of her deep thoughts, Meyrin slowly turned her head, and looked over at Athrun from her position in the cockpit. "I'm...I'm fine Athrun. I was just wondering how Luna will react, once she hears about me leaving together with you like this" the young woman said, obviously sadden about how much her defection, would likely hurt, her older sister's feelings.
Having no trouble at all understanding why, Meyrin was so worried about her older sister's reaction to all of this. "Once Lunamaria, learns the truth about the Chairman, I'm certain that she will understand, why you did this, Meyrin" Athrun said, truly doing his uttermost, to sound as reassuring as he possibly could, considering the large amount of trouble they were presently in.
000000
Yet as Athrun forced the GOUF through yet another huge wave, the dark haired pilot of the Destiny gundam listened with open mouth, to what Rey and the Chairman was saying to one another.
"That is indeed, some very disturbing news, Rey. So what you are telling me is, that Meyrin Hawke, actually went with Athrun Zala voluntarily?" The Zaft Chairman questioned calmly, not once raising his voice.
Simply unable to tear his stone cold gaze away, from the stolen mobile suit, flying not that far ahead of Shinn and him, Rey nodded hastily a few times to the Gilbert's question. "Yeah, from what I could tell, she is just as much a traitor, as Athrun is. And I for one believes that our best course of action here, is to get ride of both of them" the blond haired man said, in a low wicked tone, that left little doubt about the seriousness, in that statement.
Then even as he heard Captain Gladys protesting loudly. Shinn decided to cut into the conversation, and share his opinion about the matter. "I...I just can't believe, that Meyrin would actually do, something like this! Are you sure, Rey? That she wasn't somehow forced by Athrun, into helping him out?!" The boy asked, sincerely hoping, that Rey had somehow mistaken Meyrin's part, in the former Saviour pilot's betrayal.
"I'm sorry Shinn, but Meyrin is clearly on Athrun's side in this, and with all the information she could have stolen from the base's mainframe. She is in someways, an even bigger threat than, Athrun! Think about it Shinn, she might even be carrying plans about how we are going to put an end, to Logos, and if those terrorists ain't stopped Shinn, more people will end up suffering like your friend, Stella!" Rey said calmly, of course knowing, that the mere mentioning of that crazy girl, should be more then enough to make Shinn forget all about his unwillingness to attack the blue mobile suit.
Not even close to realizing, that he was being manipulated, by his best friend, Shinn swiftly went through, everything Rey had just said to him. "Your right Rey! I'll GET them!" The red eyed boy growled out, after a few short yet highly tense seconds.
Then without paying overly much attention, to what else Rey and the Chairman was saying to each other, Shinn moved a bit ahead of the Legend gundam, where he instantly made the long range beam cannon, move from the Destiny's back and down on to the left arm.
Seeing that, Rey felt a small yet wicked smirk running over his face, as he yet again looked back at the Chairman. "I assume we have your permission, to shoot them down, Sir?"
Yet before Gilbert could get out some sort of answer, Talia began protesting loudly to what the pilot of the Legend had just asked. "You...you can't just kill them, Rey! Can't you find some peaceful way, to force the GOUF back to the base!?" The woman practically begged.
But while Rey could see, Gilbert glaring briefly up Talia, it did not take long, before he got the response, he had been waiting for. "Shinn and you, have my permission to do what most be done, Rey. Use whatever means you see fit to stop them" the Chairman ordered, in a cold tone, and as Talia's protesting could once more be heard, Rey reached over, and cut off the communication to the base.
Hearing that they, finally had the green light to attack, Shinn show no hesitation whatsoever about pressing down on the small button, which his left index finger had been resting on, all of this time, thereby firing a highly deadly red beam after the GOUF.
"Athrun you treacherous bastard!" Shinn growled out, as he began continuously shooting off the beam rifle after the slow moving blue mobile suit.
000000
Having quite frankly not expect Shinn, and the Destiny to attack first, it was to put it mildly more luck then anything else, that Athrun actually manage to evade, the extremely powerful red beam.
And as Athrun kept on swiftly moving the stolen mobile suit, from side to side, in an almost desperate effort to avoid getting hit, by the many beams, the brain dead brat, was presently firing towards them. And as his frightened passenger let out a loud scream, the blue haired man muttered a few highly displeased curses.
"Damn it, Shinn. Why do you have to be so unbelievable gullible, that you just automatically assume, that whatever Rey and the Chairman tells you, are the correct thing to do?!" Athrun wondered out loud, even though he did of course realize, that the simple minded fool, piloting the Destiny, could not hear him right now.
He did however not get long to wonder about how dense Shinn truly was, when the Legend suddenly appeared only a few short meters above them. where Rey instantly fired all of the DRAGOONs down at them.
"Ohhh crap!" Athrun cursed, then swiftly throw the GOUF to the side, so the only thing the large amount of beams hit was, the gloomy ocean. Yet as Athrun barely evaded, yet another massive attack from the grey mobile suit's DRAGOONs, he hurried aimed the beam gun up at the Zaft gundam and began shooting back, thereby forcing the maniac piloting the grey mobile suit, over on the defenses.
Unfortunately he was forced to break of his attack, when a beam boomerang, was hurl after him from the Destiny, and with Rey still flying around above them, the only choice Athrun had, to avoid the hastily approaching throwing weapon, was to increase, the GOUF's speed and hastily roll downwards, so the two of them ended up near the ocean surface.
But even with the large amount of water that was pouring in over them, Athrun immediately turned around and began firing the beam gun up after the boomerang, destroying it before it could get back to the Destiny.
"Damn this is insane?!" He growled out through his teeth, while throwing the whip out after the Destiny, in an minor attempt to get the incoming blue and grey gundam, to back off just a bit.
Shinn however just moved slightly to the side, and once Athrun saw his opponent, reach up after the remaining boomerang, Athrun instantly decided, that it was a good idea to get some distance between them, and Shinn's new mobile suit.
Yet whatever thoughts he had of getting away from the Destiny, was immediately brought to a hold, when the Legend start shooting violent at them from behind, thereby leaving Athrun with no other option, but to move forward towards the Destiny gundam.
That not surprisingly, hurled it's hand-held weapon out after them, obviously aiming for the cockpit. And having no time at all, to try and shoot the hastily approaching, beam boomerang down. Athrun did the only thing he could think of in the heat of the moment, he narrowed each one of his dark green eyes determinedly, and the exact moment the throwing weapon was about to hit them, he instantaneously, slammed the shield on the GOUF's left arm, into the side of the boomerang, thereby knocking the overall dangerous weapon, completely off target.
But while it was seriously a bit of a relief know, that Shinn did not have any more of those things to throw at them, tet even before the boomerang could vanish completely down into the sea.
One well aimed shot from the Destiny's beam rifle, shook up the GOUF violently, when the lower part of the right leg, was blown off, and when the alarm inside the GOUF, so kindly warned him, that the Legend was coming right at him, from the opposite side, Athrun waste no time in getting the beam sword ready for action.
And it was only one short instant later, when the blue haired man, slammed the weapon out after the DRAGOON equipped mobile suit, which of course defend itself by using it's beam shield.
Yet as the two of them struggled fiercely to overpower one another, the radio silence was finally broken, by the short fused teen piloting the Destiny. "Rey get out of the way! I can't shoot the stupid bastard down, with you so close to him!" Shinn practically screamed into the radio.
Having of course also heard, Shinn's loud words, Athrun took a small glance away from the bulky grey mobile suit, he was currently wrestling so hard against, and over in the direction he had last seen the Destiny gundam. And just one single look, at the multi-purpose mobile suit, was all Athrun needed to tell, that Shinn was more than ready to start shooting at them again, once Rey was out of the way.
"Shhiiiiiinnnn! I realize just how important it is for you to end this war. But you are fighting the wrong people here! If you truly want to fight the bad guys in this war, Shinn! Then take a good thorough look, at Rey, and the Chairman. I know, how alluring their words sound! But Gilbert Durandal, is crazier then most dictators. If he wins this war, then the world is going to be completely destroyed, in the process!" Athrun yelled out, sincerely hoping, that Shinn would listen to what he was saying.
Feeling some of his determination, to blast the blue mobile suit apart vanished, Shinn blinked rapidly a few times in confusion, as he found himself lowing the beam rifle slightly.
As much as Shinn truly despised Athrun right now, and would very much like to see, the dumb bastard burn in deepest corner of the hell. Those words about the world being destroyed, was NOT SO easily ignored, and it made the deep hesitation, Shinn felt about attacking the stolen GOUF, return full force.
"Wha...what the heck are you saying Athru...?" Those few words of that highly important question, was all Shinn manage to get out, before Rey interrupt him.
"Shinn do NOT listen to him! Athrun is obviously a master manipulate. Otherwise how else would he had gotten Meyrin over on his side! The two of us have to stop him, before he can ruin anybody else with his totally insane lies!" Rey yelled, just before he gave the GOUF, a hard shove backward. Then hurried reached down and pull out the right beam saber. Which he instantaneously slammed out after the stolen GOUF, cutting off the remaining leg, before Athrun could get too far away.
Seriously pissed, that Rey couldn't have kept his damn trap shut, so Shinn, could at the very least, have gotten just a little time to think about his words, Athrun hurried threw the GOUF to the side, as the Legend fired all of it's DRAGOONs, at them, but even while struggling so hard, to evade the many beams, he began shooting back with the beam gun.
"REY! Why don't you just shut the hell up! Shinn, I know that you are a good guy who wants to do what it's best for the world, and the people in it! But following the Chairman and Rey is not going to do anybody any good! Think about it, Shinn. Don't some of the things they say seem weird to you!" Athrun yelled, doing his best to sound as reasonable as he could, even with the crazy bastard piloting the Legend, trying so damn hard to blow Meyrin and him out of the sky.
Yet as Rey kept on using the legless stolen GOUF, as target practice, for the Legend's many weapons, the blond haired man, did of course have a couple of comments about everything Athrun had just said.
"Shinn my friend, the world is in tumult because of Logos, and their leader Djibril. Are you really going to allow these traitors to mess up everything we have accomplish against those terrorist, just think Shinn, Athrun might be planning on giving all the information Meyrin and him have stolen, to none other then Djibril himself. Beside, you told me before leaving, that you where going to stop Athrun, no matter what!" Rey calmly remind his friend, over in the Destiny.
Angrily shaking his head back and forth, as he tried to decide who the heck he was suppose to believe, Shinn knew who of the two men, he trusted and believed most, Rey was after all his best friend.
If it had not been for Rey's help, he would never have been able to find the Freedom pilot's weakness, and thereby destroy the annoying blue and white mobile suit and avenge Stella's death, Athrun on the other hand, hadn't really done overly much for him, since he had joined up with Minerva, other then yelling at him, and slapping him around.
"You...how dare you deceive us like this? We trust you Athrun!" Shinn growled hatefully in a tone nobody, other then himself could hear. And as the boy practically spit out Athrun's name like it was poison. Each one of his dark red eyes fell shut, and he saw the faces of the many people he had lost both in this war, and the last one. And when he finally reached that very moment where Stella died in his arms, his blood red eyes instantaneously flew back open again, where the immediately found the legless GOUF was still preoccupied with fighting the Legend.
And after staring silently at the blue machine, for a about five seconds, Shinn Asuka, finally snapped. The dark haired teen got over into seed mode, with a large wrathful scream, that instantly made the three other people out there, look over at the Destiny.
And as a bight flash of lightning, could be seen directly behind the Destiny, Athrun watched as the blue immensely powerful mobile suit, practically hurled it's beam sword, up over it's head, and of course realizing what that meant, Athrun made, one last desperate attempt to reason, with the short tempered boy.
"Shinn! Neither Meyrin, nor I are your true enemies!" Yet even as those words left Athrun's mouth, the blue haired man realized, that his words fell on deaf ears, and that it was totally waste of effort, trying to make Shinn see reason now.
"Logos! I...I want to destroy Logos! And I'm not, NOT going to let you prevent me from doing that ATHRUN!" Shinn screamed over in the Destiny, then took off full speed straight towards the GOUF.
Seeing that, and knowing that the only way, he and Meyrin would get out of this alive, was if his could somehow beat the completely insane brat, inside the Destiny. Athrun swiftly raised the right arm, and threw the heat rod out after the hastily approaching mobile suit.
Shinn however just bashed, the whip aside, with the beam sword. Then immediately seized the stupid thing, with the left hand, before Athrun had the chance, to retract the pretty much useless weapon, and while glaring murderously over at the soon to be trashed, blue mobile suit, Shinn used the Palma Fiocina to completely destroy the GOUF's whip.
While Athrun had known right from the beginning how much stronger the Destiny was, compare to a normal everyday GOUF mobile suit. He was still more, than just a little surprised over how unbelievable fast, Shinn had actually been able to master his new machine.
And even before Athrun could finished swallowing loudly, a single time. The blue and grey mobile suit once more charged full speed towards them like a runaway locomotive.
"SHINN STOP IT!" Athrun yelled.
Then rapidly took aim with the beam gun, and was about to open fire on the gundam, when Shinn swung the huge beam sword downwards with such brutality and speed, that the right arm was cut straight off, before Athrun could even fire one shot.
"We have, to get away from them!" Athrun mumbled. But even as he said that, Athrun knew that it was simply impossible for them, to outrun any of the gundams. And seeing Shinn heading right for them, and realizing what the crazy little bastard, was about to do, Athrun hurried turn around, and immediately wrapped, both of his arms, protectively around Meyrin, sincerely hoping that would be enough, to save her from Shinn's insane wrath.
Having nothing else on his mind right now, other then tearing apart whatever opponent, was in front of him, Shinn charge mindlessly, towards the defenseless GOUF. Yet just when, the beam sword, was about to pierce, the blue machine's armour.
Three smaller missiles was suddenly fired from out of nowhere, and even before the alarm inside Shinn's new machine, could give him a warning of some kind, the missiles slammed into the Destiny's back and exploded one after another.
But while the explosions themselves, did look quite nasty, they didn't really do a whole lot of damage to the Destiny gundam. Actually the only thing they really did, was knock the fast moving mobile suit completely of course, almost causing Shinn, to crash head first into the rampaging sea.
"What the hell is going on here?!" Shinn screamed loudly, while swiftly getting the Destiny back under control, again. Once that minor task, was taken care off, the highly piss off teen immediately turned around, to locate the source of that attack. Yet the only thing behind him was Legend, and judging from the way Rey kept on looking around, he was just as shocked and confused over that attack, as he was.
"Rey? Where did those missiles come from!?" Shinn asked, in a low tone, simply unable to hide that he found this whole thing kinda nerve-racking and creepy.
Taking yet another thorough look around the place, for whoever had fired those missiles at Shinn. Rey was starting to get a sneaking suspicion about what had attack the Destiny just now.
"I don't know what's out here, Shinn. But stay alert, we are NOT alone!" The blond haired man warned, in a deeply serious tone.
Also severely puzzled about this turn of event, Athrun had honestly thought, that Meyrin and him would have been torn apart by the Destiny just now. "Thiiis can...can only mean one thing. But there is noway that mobile suit, can actually be here. The last time I saw the Blitz, it was missing both of it's arms, and legs. So it has to be something else" the young blue haired man whispered softly.
It was at that point a black and golden mobile suit deactivated it's Mirage Colloid, thereby making it so, everybody out there could finally see it.
"Huh what the heck is that thing?!" Shinn asked, with a great deal of anger and confusion, in his voice.
While it didn't really come as an overly huge surprise, to Rey, that those missiles had been fired by some sort of stealth type machine, that had been using, it's Mirage Colloid. Yet the sight of the black and golden mobile suit, hanging not that far away from them, told him next to nothing. He had no information or knowledge whatsoever, about this mobile suit.
"I have no idea at all about what that thing is, Shinn! But it is obviously hostile, so get ready to fight it!" He ordered angrily, while looking the strange looking black gundam over, to try and determined what kind of weaponry it had.
Athrun on the other hand had seen this machine, and met it's female pilot, once before. Back when Erica Simmons, had present the very first squadron of newly complete Murasames, to Cagalli, and the rest of the Orb politicians. And seeing as he had been functioning, as Cagalli's bodyguard, back then, he had of course accompany her during that event. But as impressive as the Murasame truly had been, Athrun had honestly thought that this weird black mobile suit, that had been standing by itself over in a corner, was just so much more impressive looking, then the new Orb Murasame would ever be.
"What? A...Amatsu...Miss...Miss Mina" the blue haired man said in a whisper, simply unable to fathom, what reason the Amatsu's female pilot, could have, for being here of all places. Truth be told, it would probably have been less surprising if Kira and the destroyed Freedom, had shown up to help Meyrin and him.
While it was no big secret back home in Orb, that the Sahaku family, despised the Atlantic Federation, with an almost blinding passion, that had probably lead that family to disagree with the Seirans's totally idiotic idea, of joining up with the Earth Alliance.
But while Athrun felt absolutely certain, that whoever was piloting the Amatsu, was in fact not a Seiran supporter, he was far from certain, that Rondo Mina Sahaku, was on Cagalli's side, in this extremely complicate soap opera, better known as the Orb government.
Athrun did however not get many seconds to think about, how messed up the Orb government truly was, thanks to that idiot Yuna Roma Seiran, and his equally stupid father. When a somewhat mischievous female voice, interrupted his thoughts. "Hmm, I am pleased that you remember me Athrun Zala, or do you prefer Alex Dino?" Mina asked over from the Amatsu, doing very little to hide, that she was finding this kinda amusing.
But even while she was so busy teasing, the former Justice pilot, the clever black haired woman made certain, that Athrun was the only one that could hear her. She did not want to give any kind of information, to the pilots of the two Zaft gundams. In her eyes information was key, to winning any kind of batttle.
Blinking rapidly a half dozen of time, Athrun, moved the almost totally trashed GOUF, over beside the Amatsu. "Miss Mina! Just what are you doing here!?" He asked with a great deal of confusion in his voice.
Letting out a light chuckle. Mina Sahaku, slowly moved her highly serious gaze down over what little that remained of the Zaft GOUF, to be totally honest she was actually somewhat disappointed, that the blue mobile suit, was in such a bad condition.
She really would have loved to take a more thorough look at the GOUF's weaponry. Maybe by doing that she could have found some sort of weakness in it's design, which would have enabled her, to come up with some kind of countermeasure, against the GOUF mobile suit. Yet with all of it's weapons destroyed, she really didn't get much out of helping Athrun Zala like this.
"That's a very long story, Athrun. Let's just say, that with all those forces Gilbert Durandal has gather here at Gibraltar, I let Erica Simmons convince me, that it was a wise move on our part, to keep an eye on this place! I'm sure that you realize, how well suited the Amatsu is for spy missions" the black haired woman said, sounding amazingly calm.
Then after taking in a short breath, she continued. "I wasn't really planning, on revealing my present here to anybody, but when you got in trouble, Athrun, Kisaka asked me to help you out. And having you, him and Erica owning me favors, is definitely not a deal I'm going to deny"
Feeling a light shiver run down his spin, Athrun seriously did not like the thought of owning this woman favors, she really did seem like the type of person, who would demand a very hefty price, to repay them. It would most likely have been less nerve-racking had it actually been a mafia boss, he now owned a favor or two.
Yet before the blue haired teen, could really start wondering, how much of a burden it was going to be, to get even with this woman for saving Meyrin and him, the next few words he heard from her, instantly made Athrun realize, that now was not the best time, for him to be worrying about that.
"Well as much as I enough our idle chatter, Athrun, I do believe it's about time for us to get going. Head down into the ocean for now! I'll come pick you up, once I'm done playing around with these two Zaft machine. I'm kinda hoping that I can learn something useful about these two mobile suits, by during battle with them" she said, still sounding like she didn't take this serious at all.
Forcefully tearing his angry gaze away from the Amatsu, and back over at the blue mobile suit, that had been about to slaughter Meyrin and him, so merciless only a few short minutes ago.
"Just DON'T underestimate either of them, Miss Mina! Both the Destiny, and the Legend are extremely dangerous. Not even the Freedom, and Justice was this powerful" Athrun warned in a tone, that left little doubt about the seriousness in that statement.
Narrowing each one of her blue eyes slightly over in the Amatsu, Mina sincerely hoped that it wasn't a mistake on her part, to challenge both of these Zaft machines. She was confident that what skills she had in piloting the Amatsu, should be more then enough for her to defeat at least one of these mobile suits. Yet if she had to fight both of them, at the same time, it did not, take much of a genius to figure out, that she could very well, be biting of more then she could chew. It was after all highly obvious from the way the Destiny, and the Legend was moving around, that whoever was piloting them, worked quite well together. And that she was going to have a very tough time beating them both.
"I'm grateful for your concern, Athrun. But it is unnecessary, I'll only fight them until you are safely away, then I'll withdraw too!" The black haired woman said, then instantly pull out both of the Amatsu's long sabers. Pointing the left one of them, at the Destiny in a somewhat provoking manner.
Seeing her do that, Athrun instantly knew, that such actions, would undoubtedly serve to anger Shinn even more, than he was already, the dimwitted red eyed brat, was after all extremely easy to provoke.
Yet much to Athrun's amazement, Shinn did not, attack the Amatsu right away. Actually the only thing he did, was change his hold on the beam sword, so now he only was holding on to it with the right hand.
Otherwise, he stayed put over in front of the Legend. Apparently the two mindless lap dogs was busy having some kind of conversation of the own right now. So after quickly reminding the Orb politician and scientist to be careful, Athrun got ready to head down into the sea, like Mina had suggest.
Still severely piss off by the black gundam's interference, and even more so by it's obvious attempt to provoke him, Shinn hurried tore his angry red gaze away from the overall weird mobile suit, and took a brief glance back at the Legend.
"I don't know what that thing is, Rey! But I am SOOO going to tear it apart!" He growled out in a deeply hateful tone.
Letting out a thoughtful sound at those words, Rey slowly brought his own mobile suit over beside, the Destiny gundam. "I understand your enthusiasm Shinn, and I share it. Just don't forget, that Athrun is still our primary target here, Shinn. So you go deal with him, while I'll keep our new opponent distracted. Afterwards you'll come help me out against that thing, if it is somehow possible, I believe we should try and capture, that weird machine! A Mirage Colloid equipped machine like that, could be highly effective in tracking down, Djibril!" Rey said in a loud determined tone, seriously believing that whatever secrets, that black mobile suit was carrying, would soon be over in Zaft's rightful hands.
It did however not take very long, before Shinn's angry voice brought what daydreams Rey had, about taking a more thorough look at the black mobile suit, to an end. "We better hurry and get moving, Rey. Athrun is clearly getting ready to take off again!" He yelled, watching intensely as the half beaten up GOUF, turned around and began heading downwards.
Instantaneously after, those few words, had left Shinn's mouth, Rey snapped back out of his highly curious thoughts, about the black colored mobile suit. And immediately located, the legless stolen GOUF, that was like Shinn said slowly making it's retreat down, towards the dark ocean surface.
"Let's go get them Shinn!" Rey growled out angrily.
Not even bothering taking the time, to give Rey a response, the only thing the red eyed teen did, when he heard those words, was to activate the Destiny's Wings of Light, and rush full speed towards the very target, Rey had so kindly given him, only a few short seconds ago.
Seeing the blue one of the two enemy gundams, charge like that. The black haired woman in the Amatsu, slowly raised one of her eyebrows, in a slightly thoughtful manner. 'Hmm that's quite an intriguing way to use Mirage Colloid. I wonder...if it's possible somehow to copy that, and use it on either one the Amatsu, or some other Orb mobile suit' the female scientist thought, seriously impressed by the Destiny's high speed, and the fact that it actually looked like there was more then just one of them, thanks to those wings.
Yet even with all of those thoughts racing through her mind, Mina swiftly threw the Amatsu a bit to the side, where she immediately raised the right arm, and fired a single beam, at the hastily approaching gundam.
And the very instant, the Destiny it lowed it's unbelievable high speed, to defend itself from the attack, the black haired woman wasted no time at all in firing both harpoons, at the Zaft mobile suit. The left one aimed at the middle part of the Destiny's ugly head, while the right once target, was none other then the cockpit.
While Rondo Mina Sahaku honestly respect those mobile suit pilots, like Kira Yamato and Jean Carry who did not kill everybody they came across. The Orb politician did not really have a whole lot against, ending the lives of whoever was dumb enough to actually challenge her.
Having never seen weapons like that on a mobile suit before, Shinn found himself growling out a few unhappy curses, as he swiftly used the beam shield to knock away the first one of the spears, or whatever they where.
'Damn I'm starting to understand why Rey, is insisting on capturing this thing! I wonder what else it can do?!' He questioned himself, as he bashed aside the second spear with the beam sword.
But even while doing that, he made the beam cannon, glide down on to the Destiny's left arm, and so to prevent the black machine, from showing what other tricks it might have up it's 'sleeve', he instantly took aim, and fired the huge cannon at the unknown mobile suit's head. Seriously hoping, by destroying that, he would not ruin to many of the black gundam's secrets.
Yet much to Shinn's deep anger, and annoyance, his opponent didn't really seem to struggle overly much to evade the powerful beam. And as he watched the enemy gundam practically throw itself down under the attack, he was forced back on the defenses, when the stupid piece of trash, hurled it's left saber at him, clearly out to pierce the cockpit with the otherwise close quarters combat weapon. Finally realizing how unwise it was for him, to underestimate whoever the hell was inside that black mobile suit.
"Ahh shit! I didn't expect a move like that! Whoever is piloting that mobile suit is definitely no amateur! REEYYY WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?! I thought you said, that you where going to keep this stupid thing busy!" Shinn yelled loudly, then after knocking the incoming weapon aside, using the shield, he hurried got out the rifle, which he instantaneously began firing, at the highly irritating black mobile suit, that of course, was quick to shot back, with the beam weapon it had installed in it's right arm.
It was at that exact moment, the Legend suddenly appeared not that far beside Shinn, where it immediately fired each and everyone of it's DRAGOONs, at the strange mobile suit, that swiftly throw itself backwards to avoid the large amount of green beams.
"Think about it, Shinn. The Destiny, is so much faster then the Legend. So when you took off with such haste, there was nothing I could do, to prevent that mobile suit from attacking you first. But never mind that now. I'll keep that machine off your back, while you continue after those traitors!" Rey ordered in a cold tone of voice.
Honestly more then just a little tempted, to say something about, Shinn needing to learn how to control his temper. Now however wasn't really that best time for that discussion. And so while mentally promising himself, to talk with Shinn about that later, Rey yet again, fired all of the DRAGOONs, in the direction of their fast moving opponent, that almost miraculously, manage to get in between the many beams. And before Rey could once more, aim the DRAGOONs at the mostly black mobile suit, it spread out, those weird crawl like things, on it's back. And it was only a split second later, when it send off both of it's harpoons, and fired a single shot from one of the many weapons, on it's right arm.
Immediately moving forward, so he got right in between, the two hastily approaching harpoons, Rey hurried used the beam shield to defend himself from the incoming beam. Yet having been momentarily distracted like that, it was only after lowing the shield again, that the pilot of the Legend realized, that the black mobile suit, was now again invisible.
The blond haired teen, did however not get anytime to search or worry about where exactly the stealth type gundam, would appear next, when something suddenly grasped on to the Legend's right leg.
And as he looked down, Rey witness the sight of the extremely powerful black mobile suit slowly appearing again, now with those two crawls wrapped tightly around his mobile suit's leg.
"What in the world is it doing now?!" He wondered out loud.
Yet almost instantaneously after, that question had left the blond haired man's mouth, he got a response, which he quite frankly could have lived without. "Ahhh damn!" He complained loudly, when he finally realized what those crawls was meant to do. They where absorbing the Legend's power.
Seeing as it happened so rare that Rey actually cursed, Shinn stopped his approach towards Athrun's GOUF and looked back at the Legend. Seriously concerned that something bad had happened to his best friend. "Are you all right back there, Rey?!"
"I'm find Shinn! Just stay on target! If Athrun and Meyrin escapes now! Then everything that has been done to stop them, will have been for nothing!" Rey said, with a rare hint of anger in his voice. Then while quickly fighting down the temptation, to go for the kill, and destroy this overly 'clingy' mobile suit, Rey raised the Legend's free leg and gave the black gundam a kick in the face, in an attempt to get it to release him.
Seeing Rey do that, Shinn instantly knew, that whatever that thing was doing right now, Rey was still more than capable of playing kick the can, with whatever the hell that mobile suit was called. So without any further hesitation, the boy swirled around, and immediately aimed the giant beam cannon at the slowly descending GOUF, and just when it was about to touch the water, Shinn pressed down on the trigger.
Hearing the alarm go of inside the GOUF and having a pretty good guess about who was attacking them, and what weapon he would be using, Athrun immediately cut off all power to the GOUF's remaining engines, thereby making almost totally trashed mobile suit fall the rest of the way down into the sea.
And the exact moment they hit the water, Athrun turned around in his seat, and once more wrapped his arms protectively around the deeply frightened redhead beside him.
"Damn you Shinn you bastard" Athrun mumbled mostly to himself. Just as the top part of the GOUF mobile suit, was blown to pieces.
Fortunately the beam did not hit the cockpit, but that certainly did not mean, that they where out of danger. There was after all a very high possibility that Shinn might actually fire another beam at them. And if he didn't do that, they could very well end up drowning in the cold sea water which was already streaming full force into the cockpit.
"Mina we are going to need some help here!" Athrun yelled loudly, into the radio, not sure at all, if the communication had already been cut, between them and the Amatsu. But the half crazy Orb politician, was their only hope to survive this.
While Mina might not have understood half of what Athrun had just tried to tell her, having seen what the Destiny gundam had done. It wasn't really all that difficult to figure out, that it was a request for her to help him out.
So just when the Legend was about to kick the Amatsu's face, a third time, the black haired woman finally released her hold on the DRAGOON equipped mobile suit, then after quickly getting some distances between herself and the Legend, she got in contact with the two Zaft mobile suits.
"I'm sorry boys. But seeing as I am presently request elsewhere, I have to cut our date short. I'm sure the two of you can understand that, but if it's any consolation, it was highly interesting seeing your mobile suits in action" Mina said, with an almost equal amount of seriousness and mockery in her voice.
"You are not going anywhere, you bitch!" Shinn practically screamed, just as he rushed full speed forward with the wings of light activated, and holding on to the beam sword with both hands.
Seeing the way he was holding the sword, Mina instantly knew, that the rude fool inside the Destiny was going to try and pierce, her mobile suit's cockpit. It was getting more and more obvious to her that these guys wanted the Amatsu somewhat intact.
And that was most definitely not something she would allow to happen.
The very thought of her machine ending up in Zaft's dirty hands, was more than enough to piss her off quite a bit. So just when the enormous sword was about make contact with it's intent target, Mina instantaneously throw herself sideways to avoid the attack.
"You really shouldn't speak to a woman like that. She might take it personal, and whip your butt. Unfortunately I do not have time to do that now. Hopefully we will met again someday so I can teach you the proper way, to speak to a lady". With that said, Mina once more activated the Mirage Colloid making the Amatsu disappear, before either of the two Zaft pilot could do anything to stop her.
And it was only a brief moment later, when Rey and Shinn both saw a huge splash, which served as a pretty obvious sign, that the stealth type gundam, had just gone down into, the dark gloomy sea, to save the GOUF's cockpit.
"What do we do now, Rey?!" Shinn asked, already feeling pretty certain, that he knew what the response was going to be, to that question.
"We are of course going down there too, Shinn! We can not allow that woman, to save those traitors!" The blond haired man answered in a tone, that left little room for disagreement.
Not that Shinn had any complains about, going down there after that black machine. So with nothing else to say to each other, the two pilots, immediately took off full speed straight downwards, towards that very spot, where they could both see, a great deal of GOUF parts floating around.
Once down in the water, Shinn was greatly disappointed to discover, that there was no sign of the black gundam. "Ahh damn it! I can't see that crazy bitch anywhere!" The red eyed boy complained loudly.
"Never mind her, Shinn. We can always deal with her some other time! What worries me, is that I can not locate the GOUF's cockpit in all of this mess. And that means we have noway to make absolutely certain, that Athrun and Meyrin, are really dead" Rey said. While again taking a thorough look around for the blue mobile suit's cockpit.
Hearing those words, Shinn was quick to let out, a few more displeased curses. "Ahh damn it all! I'll bet a whole month's salary, that damn woman took it with her. When she got down here! So WHAAAT now Rey!? ANY IDEAS?!" The piss off Destiny pilot asked, seriously more then ready, to search through more then half the ocean, to find Athrun, Meyrin and that irritating stealth type mobile suit. So he could show that stupid woman, piloting it, just who the heck she was dealing with.
Still looking through the many parts of the destroyed GOUF mobile suit. Rey let out a small thoughtful sound, after a few long tense minutes. "It's pointless staying out here, Shinn. Since we have no way to find that woman's gundam, when it has it's Mirage Colloid activated! We should return to Gibraltar. The Chairman needs to know what happened out here. Maybe he knows something about that strange mobile suit, that we don't! Beside, the Legend is almost completely out of power, after she used that strange claw like thing, on it. And if it become necessary for us, to do battle with that woman again. I would honestly prefer, not to do it in a totally powerless mobile suit" the blond haired man said, doing very little to hide, that he was far from happy about having to retreat like this.
"The Destiny still has plenty of power left, Rey. So perhaps, we should consider the idea of you going back to Gibraltar alone. I don't really mind, searching for the three of them on my own, Rey!" Shinn growled in a hostile tone.
Using a few short moments to consider Shinn's suggestion, Rey slowly moved a bit closer to the Destiny gundam. "Believe me, Shinn, I'm just as keen on finding the three of them, as you are. But judging from what that woman, said about the Destiny and Legend. I think it's safe to assume, that she was just as interested in capturing our mobile suits, as we where in capturing her's. So if you are left out here, all on your own, Shinn. She might just show up and attack you again. And seeing that we have no way to know for certain, that she doesn't have any reinforcements hidden away down here, I believe it's best that we head on back to Gibraltar together" Rey said in a serious tone.
Honestly having trouble believing, that Rey had just said those words, Shinn hurried turned around and looked over at the Legend. "You can't be serious Rey, we are not giving up now are we?! I know that woman is down here somewhere! We just have to keep searching for her!" The dark haired teen growled loudly, seriously hoping, that Rey was actually kidding around, for the first time in his life.
"Shinn calm down. I'm not happy about this either, and I'm all ears if you have some sort of idea to lure that woman out of hiding. Otherwise it would be like trying to find, an invisible needle in a haystack. Besides Shinn, I kinda got that feeling, that whoever that weird woman is, she is already mils away from here" The pilot of the Legend gundam said calmly, just as his mobile suit lost what little that remained of it's power.
Not saying anything at first, the red eyed teenager just stared silently at the Legend, for who knew how long. Then finally, after a long highly tense moment, Shinn let out, a deep sigh of annoyance. "Ah fine, I guess you are right, Rey. Now lets hurry up and get going. If we have no reason to stay out here, I do NOT, want to be here a moment longer then I have to" Shinn said. Then without giving Rey a chance to come up with some kind of response, he took off full speed, straight upwards.
Also deeply annoyed by this turn of event, Rey watched the Destiny gundam silently, until it broke through the ocean surface, and quickly vanished from his line of sight. 'I do not blame him for being angry. That woman ruined everything! She is definitely somebody we need to keep an eye out for, in the future. Yet what really bothers me, is how in God's name did she know that Shinn and I, where fighting Athrun out here. Somebody had to have told her about it, which means, that there is most likely more spys back at Gibraltar' the blond haired man thought with a displeased frown on his forhead.
And so while still thinking hard about everything that had happened, since that black stealth type mobile suit had prevented Shinn, from killing Athrun and Meyrin, Rey hurried went off in the same direction as Shinn.
000000
Yet what neither one of the two Zaft pilots realized. Was that Mina had actually left the sea again, the very instant, they had gone down there to find her.
So while the black haired Orb politician actually found it somewhat amusing, how easy she had been able to fool her two opponents, she was quite frankly more then a little concerned about Athrun right now.
While it was truth, that Ledonir Kisaka practically had to begged her, to help Athrun out, there was truth be told a small part of Mina, that kinda liked the blue haired Coordinator. He had impressed her greatly with his knowledge about mobile suits, that one time they had met in the past.
"You better be alright, Athrun. If your dead, Kisaka and Erica will never let me hear the end of it" the Orb politician whispered softly to herself, sincerely hoping, that it would not take too long for her to reach the tiny island, where she was suppose to rendezvous with Kisaka and Kazuma.
And so, while seriously wondering, if the two men where already there, Mina looked down at the severely damage cockpit, she was holding on to tightly with each one of the Amatsu's hands.
000000
It was a little over fifteen minutes later, when Rondo Mina Sahaku finally arrived at her destination, where she saw an Orb 'flying boat' transport plane and a green Murasame in mobile suit mode, waiting for her.
"Kisaka I have no idea about what condition Athrun is in right now! So get your ass outside immediately, with whatever medical equipment we have on board the plane!" The black haired politician ordered in a loud bossy tone, just as she brought the Amatsu down beside the weird colored Murasame, that was watching her intensely, with it's two gloomy purple eyes.
And as Mina carefully placed the GOUF's cockpit down on the ground. Kazuma Tokai, got in contact with her, and instantaneously started asking questions. "I knew that Zaft had some pretty slick machines hidden away, back at Gibraltar, but what kind of monster, can tear up a GOUF so badly?!" The young Orb pilot asked, sincerely concerned about the blue haired man who he had helped out only a few hours ago.
"I'll share what information I got, about the mobile suits he fought later. As of right now it's much more important that we get him out off there as fast as possible. So he can be treated for what injuries he most likely has!" Mina said in a severely strict tone, before she hurried opened the Amatsu's cockpit. And without wasting even a second, she wrapped her hands around the black cable, that was meant to take her down to the ground, where she could see Kisaka and a few of the transport plane's crew members, working hard on prying the GOUF cockpit open.
And the exact moment, her feet happened to hit the ground, Mina heard one of the men shout out in surprise. "Holy crap there is a girl in here too! I wonder who she is!"
"We can figure that out later! Go back to the plane and get ANOTHER STRETCHER!" Kisaka ordered loudly, and as his deeply serious gaze, quickly ran down over the many deep scars Athrun had on his back, from the control panel blowing up, Kisaka reached into the cockpit, and gently placed two fingers against a certain spot on Athrun's neck.
And once he felt what he was hoping for, Kisaka instantly let out a relieved sigh. "Oh thank God! I don't know, what I would have told Cagalli, Kira and everybody else. Had you been dead, my young friend" he whispered softly. While carefully, pulling the unconscious young man out of the cockpit.
Yet as Athrun was being placed on the first stretcher, Mina hurried crawled into the GOUF cockpit, to check on the unconscious passenger, Athrun had brought with him. Yet before the politician could actually check, if the young red haired woman had a plus or not, she let out a small pain filled moan, as she moved around a tiny bit.
"The girl is alive too! But there is of course a chance, that she might just have some internal injuries! We need to get both her and Athrun on board the plane immediately, so we can run a complete check-up on them!" She said loudly, then after wiping a bit of blood away from the girl's forehead, Mina kneeled down and hurried pulled the redhead out of the cockpit then place her on the second stretcher only a second later.
And as she stood back up again she watched silently, as four of the men carried the injured teens, back to the transport plane. Her concerned thoughts was however instantly brought to a hold by Kisaka's loud voice.
"Listen up people! Get the Amatsu, on board the plane too. With Gibraltar, not further away than it is, there is a chance, that somebody might just discover, that we are out here! So we should definitely hurry up and leave this area!" The Orb Colonel yelled.
Having no reason at all to disagree with him, Mina slowly turned around, and went back over to her black mobile suit, without saying a word to anybody. Yet, she was pleased to see, that the few remaining Orb soldiers out there, was quick to start doing what Ledonir Kisaka had told them to do. Which frankly served, as a pretty obvious sign to her, that they where just as eager to distance themselves from the Gibraltar base, as she was.
And it did not take more then a half hour. Before the huge transport plane took off into the night, escorted by Kazuma Tokai's special colored Murasame.
To be continued.
The idea to have the Amatsu show up to help out Athrun, was one I got when I was reading one of the Astray mangas, I start wondering how the Amatsu would do going up against the Freedom and Justice, then later on the Destiny and Legend.
Let me know what you think guys.