A/n

Okay, here is the next Phase and I say again prepare for a twist. Please enjoy the Phase!


Phase 74: Descent and Aftermath

October 15th, 73 C.E.


Upper Atmosphere, Entry Interface Phase Two

With the space rock dealt with the best it could be, the two ships shifted their focus to doing reentry. Lisa ordered Paris to adjust the Normandy's angle to have the ship end out around the Mediterranean Sea area. The ship's other three mobile suits had already returned before the Normandy had gone after the large ruin chunk. All that was left was the Justice and Athena and they would be able to handle doing reentry on their own. If there was a need to communicate with them, there was still some time to do that before going into phase three of entry interface. Feldt did mention there was still the ZAFT Gundam close to the Justice and Athena. That point bugged Lisa a bit as it appeared the Gundam may end up doing reentry by itself. The idea was very much discouraged as it was so dangerous. Gundams may in theory be able to do the process, but most hadn't been seriously tested in that idea.

On the Minerva's bridge, Talia had ordered the ship's wings retracted and stored for entry interface. The wings could be damaged in reentry, so it would be better to store them for use on Earth. The Osiris and Rey's Phantom had landed on the Minerva's upper deck before the ship had come under the influence of the atmosphere. Luna had come in before the descent had begun as she'd taken damage fighting one of the rouge GINNs. "Meyrin, what do we have on the Impulse," Talia asked, "our other suits are accounted for but that one." Meyrin checked her sensors which were having trouble giving clear readings with the atmospheric interference. However, it looked to her that the Impulse was a worrisome distance away from the ship falling through the atmosphere. "Captain, it looks to be around red thirty-two indigo fifteen, but I'm guessing with the atmospheric interference," Meyrin replied. "It could be closer or farther than that, I can't get an exact location."

Talia didn't like the Impulse being a distance away from the Minerva. The current conditions made things harder for Shinn to potentially return to the ship. The Minerva was not that far off from entering phase three of entry interface. If the Impulse couldn't get back to the ship before it came into phase three, then the Gundam was on its own for atmospheric reentry. Talia knew there was a "class" ZAFT's military academy taught on entry interface and the condition it involved. However, unless it had changed since Talia had been in it, then the class wouldn't do much for Shinn. The young man was a valuable pilot the Minerva had to work with, and it needed all of those it could get. And yet, with the time there was left before phase three, it was a stretch for the Minerva to make up the difference for the Impulse to return to the ship. "Meyrin," Talia started, wanting more information, "get me a channel to the Osiris."

Talia hadn't been the only one going over the current situation for the Impulse, Matt was doing the same. He hadn't heard Meyrin state the location of the Impulse, but he could see it a worrisome distance away from the ship. From what Matt could see, Shinn couldn't get back on his own even if he did everything he could with the Impulse to try and get back. The Minerva could use its thrusters to close some of the distance between them and the Impulse. However, with how close the ship was to entry interface phase three, Matt was sure the Minerva couldn't move close enough for the Impulse to get to it. Thus, the Minerva wasn't a viable option for the Impulse to rely on for assistance with reentry. "Osiris," came the voice of Captain Gladys, "can you get eyes on the Impulse from the upper deck?" Matt could hear the faint tone of concern in the captain's voice. It told him the woman knew things were bad for Shinn and she was grasping for any option to work with. "I have eyes on it, captain," Matt replied. "But if you're asking what can be done to help it, sorry to say it is too far a stretch for us if you ask me."

Lunamaria was still in her ZAKU and had listened to the exchange between Dems and the captain. She hadn't liked the implications of Captain Gladys asking about the Impulse. It suggested Shinn could be in trouble which Luna didn't want nor would let stand. Then Dems had essentially said there was nothing that could be done for the Impulse, Luna wouldn't accept that. "There has to be a way to help the Impulse," Luna stated firmly. "The Minerva could move closer so it could land on the upper deck or something." She wouldn't take any other answer than an option to help Shinn, no matter how crazy it could be.

Matt would applaud an individual wanting to help and assist a comrade, for it was a good quality to have. He was all for watching out for another's back and they watched for his. That was one of the things that had started the relationship he had with Aila. However, Matt had to be realistic with circumstances as they were. The Minerva was going through entry interface, that wasn't a process that one did reckless things without an extremely good reason. The chances of success the Minerva had to get close enough to the Impulse before coming into phase three was beyond slim, and that was the truth. Wishful thinking while great to have needed to be realistic when things were harsh. "You're wish to help Asuka is great, Hawke," Matt remarked. "Yet, what you suggest isn't realistic." Matt would've said more and explained logically why the Minerva would very unlikely be able to get close enough, Luna spoke again. "The hell it isn't realistic, you're giving up on Shinn!"

Talia wasn't one to get into the middle of other's arguments, but she could end them when needed. And Matt and Lunamaria bickering wasn't helpful for the standing issue. Plus, Matt had a point with there being little that the Minerva could do for the Impulse. With Meyrin's estimated location, Talia could see the Minerva couldn't get close enough before entry interface phase three. Even should Shinn move the Impulse while the Minerva tried to close the distance, the chances were slim that would be enough to get the two together. Talia didn't like leaving Shinn to his own devices and having to manage, but there was little else those on the Minerva could do for him other than hope. The young man could possibly get help from others and have a slightly easier time with reentry, but that wasn't guaranteed. "That's enough you two," Talia interjected firmly. "Arguing isn't helping anyone right now." Talia paused for a moment, "Lunamaria, your concern with Shinn is notable, yet Matt makes a good point sorry to say. The Minerva isn't able to reach the Impulse before we enter phase three of entry interface. We will not be able to do anything for him in that phase without putting the whole ship at serious risk." Talia stopped, "I can't in good conscience put all on the Minerva at risk for one pilot and machine."

At the same time, Tyler was taking in his surroundings as he was descending in the atmosphere. The Normandy was a distance below him looking to be locking in its entry vector. The Minerva was higher up slightly than Tyler was but was also descending toward Earth's surface. The Athena was not too far from where the Justice was and appeared to be prepared to do reentry. There was one point that concerned Tyler and that was the ZAFT Gundam that was relatively close by. The Gundam was far enough from its ship that it wouldn't be able to get back to it before the Minerva came into phase three of entry interface. That fact put the ZAFT Gundam two options for what was immediately ahead. It would either do reentry on its own or it would need a shield, such as the Normandy to get it through the process. Tyler didn't know what tests ZAFT had done to either prove or disprove their Gundams able to manage reentry solo. However, he felt they unlikely had done a great deal as they weren't inclined to risk potential Gundam pilots.

Tyler wouldn't wish the harsh treatment that doing atmospheric reentry produced on most, for he knew the punishment it was himself. So, while he didn't know who the ZAFT pilot was, it didn't matter to Tyler as they deserved a chance to escape potential death in the atmosphere. However, getting the ZAFT Gundam over to the Normandy would be work involved for Tyler and Sakura. There was no time to waste as the more time it took to get the ZAFT Gundam to safety, the higher the chance they would miss the window to get help for themselves. Tyler switched over to a common ZAFT comm channel to start his attempt to help, "ZAFT pilot," Tyler stated clearly. "Do you read me?"

Tyler waited for a few seconds but got nothing from the ZAFT pilot. There were a few reasons for the lack of a reply, most of which weren't good for the pilot with circumstances as they were. The foremost of the reasons for the lack of response was either the ZAFT pilot was not listening or unable to answer. It would be foolish for a pilot regardless of the faction to ignore advice or offer for help in atmospheric conditions. If they were unable to answer, that was problematic for Tyler's loose plan, he needed the pilot's cooperation. Tyler felt that he and Sakura could get the ZAFT Gundam to be in range of the Normandy. However, they would have to stick the landing for the ship to shield it during the descent. No one else could do that part for the ZAFT pilot, so they needed to be awake and able enough to manage that.

With things as they were, Tyler turned to Sakura in hopes she could help in this situation. There were stories from soldiers in ZAFT that painted Sakura as one who could make others do things. She also had a "knack" of snapping others to attention regardless of the situation. They would have to be completely unconscious to be able to ignore Sakura. With that in mind, Tyler spoke up, "Sakura," he began, "Our neighboring ZAFT pilot isn't responding to my attempts to get their attention. They will not be able to get back to their ship at this point. Yet, they could get to the Normandy and use it to shield themselves from the atmospheric heat. I've heard you have quite a gift at getting attention from others when some fail in the idea. Would you be so kind to wake the ZAFT pilot up so I can talk to them?"

Sakura glanced at the blue and white Gundam which was falling around the same level as she and her beloved were. Tyler wasn't wrong with Sakura having a knack of waking up soldiers and getting them to pay attention to her. Granted, she hadn't needed to do such a thing with Federation soldiers, they paid attention when they were spoken to by a superior officer. Most within ZAFT would do that for those like Sakura, but there were some that thought they could be exceptions. She assumed Tyler had something in mind for the ZAFT pilot even if he hadn't stated specifically. "How far would you like them sent when I snap them to attention," Sakura asked. "I would guess you want them going toward the Normandy, but how close do you want me to aim for?"

Tyler didn't want Sakura to get the ZAFT pilot all the way to the Normandy. They would likely overshoot the ship and then end up having to do reentry on their own without any other option. Tyler would like to avoid that path if possible, which needed him to instruct the ZAFT pilot. "If you could get them relatively close that would be great," Tyler remarked. "I need to give them information before getting to the Normandy. And I need them aware enough to be able to comprehend what they will need to do." Sakura understood what he wanted and grunted in response. She then rushed at the Impulse and rammed the Athena into it sending the Gundam flying in the direction of the Normandy.

Shinn had been trying to stay awake after entering Earth's upper atmosphere. The Impulse had began rocking the deeper it felt toward Earth. Alarms had quickly begun blaring around the cockpit as the Impulse kept falling. He'd gripped his controls hard as they began fighting him. The Impulse's descent was rocky, and the atmospheric environment was buffeting him around. It was not like the descriptions given in the class at ZAFT's military academy about atmospheric conditions. It was a required class with ZAFT's military academy that all had to take, even when it was short. The course gave a "general" understanding of what it was like in Earth's atmosphere. And it wasn't for shuttles, but for mobile suits which were quite different. The reentry process had been explained in a straightforward enough manner for Shinn to understand. However, being in the said environment had Shinn questioning if the instructor had ever been in Earth's atmosphere.

The environment was a hard one, Shinn wouldn't argue that. Yet, the hardest part of being in the atmosphere was keeping awake and alert. It was like a haze had come onto Shinn and he couldn't shake it off no matter how hard he tried. The haze made it much harder to do anything to keep the Impulse from tumbling as it fell. Shinn knew he couldn't contact the Minerva with the distance between them. There was too much interference from the atmosphere for long-range communication to be possible. Shinn wasn't even sure if he would be able to make it through the reentry process without fainting. If he fainted, he would likely die either in the atmosphere or crashing on Earth. Nevertheless, Shinn was shaken as the Impulse was struck by something. The strike did get the haze to lift somewhat which helped clear Shinn's head a bit. Alarms were still going off around Shinn, but a voice coming over the radio registered to him. "ZAFT pilot, do you read me," the voice questioned urgently. Shinn switched his comm on, "Yes, I can hear you," he answered.

Tyler was slightly relieved the ZAFT pilot had finally responded after Sakura had snapped them to attention. But there was much to say and little time in which to say it left to work with before things became much more complicated. Tyler needed to briefly explain what the pilot needed to do to have the best chance to manage the descent. "Good, but there is little time to have a conversation," Tyler iterated. "If you haven't figured it out already, you are too far from the ship you're with. You'll never make it back to them in time before you will have to start the most difficult part of reentry. However, there is an alternative to you having to do the reentry process solo. I can get you to the Federation frigate descending a short distance ahead of us. You land on its upper hull, and they will be able to shield you from the worst of the atmospheric heat. But you'll have to stick the landing, no one can help you with that task. Should you miss, you will be doing reentry solo as there will be no other options left." Tyler paused for a moment, "I can get you within range to land, but that's all. Once you land, put everything you can into your phase shift armor system. That should dampen the environmental effects the best possible. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

The explanation was simple enough for Shinn to understand even if it sounded kind of reckless. But then, they were in an environment that could be and usually was fatal when mistakes were made. He felt he could manage what was being suggested even if it would be hard to pull off. And having any help was preferable to what he'd been going through already. Thus, Shinn was onboard for trying to land on the nearby Federation vessel. The Minerva was too far to be a viable option to get assistance from. Shinn could figure out a way to get back to the Minerva after descending to Earth. The Federation could help him, if need be, and Shinn was confident they could. He'd still kept his Federation citizen ID, more as a keep's sake than anything, but it could help him get the Federation's help. "I understand," Shinn replied. "I'll manage to stick the landing if you give me a push."

Tyler would applaud the young man as the voice implied the pilot was, the kid had guts to work with. The kid wasn't panicking, and many did when they were alone in the atmospheric environment. Yet, Tyler was intending to give more than a "push" to get the ZAFT Gundam in range of the Normandy's upper hull. But the kid sounded as ready as any could be to do something many would call crazy and could potentially go bad. "I would steel yourself, for I will be doing more than a push," Tyler returned. "But best of luck on sticking the landing kid, and I mean that." Tyler switched channels to get to the Normandy, "Lisa, sending a passenger the Normandy's way. They will be aiming for the upper hull so there will be a bump at the very least." Tyler then surged forward and rammed the Impulse's shield sending the Gundam toward the Normandy.

Shinn was keeping his breathing measured in order to remain calm and concentrate on what he was to do. Being rammed was one of the few ways to be sent a distance while in atmospheric conditions, that was what the ZAFT professor had said. Alarms were still going off in the cockpit as the Impulse was flying toward the Normandy. Shinn was gripping his flight controls, using the Impulse's maneuvering thrusters to maintain its orientation. He also kept the Federation vessel in his view in order to make the only attempt he would get to land on it. The tone had made it clear to Shinn that he would only have one shot to land on the ship. Should he miss, then he would be doing reentry and he didn't want to be forced into that position. His current circumstances were harsh enough already being in atmospheric conditions, Shinn didn't need to add to that with doing reentry solo.

The Impulse came closer and closer to the Normandy's upper hull as Shinn sailed toward it. He orientated the Impulse to have its legs pointing toward the ship's hull so he could stick the landing. Shinn made a quick adjustment as his target landing spot rapidly approached. His heartbeat slowed down slightly after he felt the cockpit shaking hard for a moment, for it meant he had landed on the Federation vessel. The most dangerous part of this experience should now be behind him, and it was a relief. The majority of the alarms which had been going off telling him of the dangers he'd been in had gone silent. There were still two alerts being sounded with him still being in higher than recommended temperatures, but they were screeching as the others had been.

With the cockpit environment being more manageable, Shinn moved on to diverting power from other systems the Impulse had to its phase shift armor system. That was what the Justice's pilot had told him to do as it was supposed to cut down the effects of the atmospheric environment. The integrity percentage for phase shift quickly began climbing as power was directed to it. As the phase shift strengthened, the edge of the heat faded away which pushed the haze over Shinn back a bit. The haze was still there, but it wasn't trying to crush him into unconsciousness. Shinn had the Impulse's shield collapse down and then the suit to get down on its hands and knees. The position made it easier for Shinn to have the Impulse keep with the Federation vessel's hull as it was descending.

Back with the Minerva, while the argument between Matt and Luna had been ended by the captain, that didn't end the subject it had been about. Rey had stepped in and began working to calm Luna down, which wasn't going well. Matt's gaze had shifted back to where the Impulse had been to try and gage what Shinn was likely going to face. The Minerva was no longer an option for the kid to rely upon, and Matt was sure Shinn would realize that. Should Shinn not find another option to work with soon, he would be doing reentry by himself. Matt had been told Gundams were "supposed" to be able to go through Earth's atmosphere without an entry capsule. However, as far as Matt had heard, the idea had never been tested practically to see if that was true. Supposedly one of the Alliance-produced prototype Gundams had gone through reentry, but that was more a rumor. Put simply, Matt was more than concerned for Shinn's situation as it was should it not change quickly.

What met Matt's vision had him blinking a bit to make sure he wasn't just seeing things he hoped for. He witnessed the Impulse being crashed into by the blue Federation Gundam, sending it flying toward a vessel a distance away from the Minerva. From what Matt could see, the vessel fit the description of the Federation frigate that had been seen around Armory One. The Impulse got reasonably close to the Federation frigate but would still need another boost to get the rest of the way. That came a moment later when the Justice rammed the Impulse and resumed its flight toward the frigate. Shinn adjusted his flight path and pulled off an impressive landing on top of the Federation vessel.

With the Impulse now on the Federation vessel, Shinn would manage to make it through entry interface, Matt was confident in that. The kid had found an option to work with and had seized it which Matt would applaud. However, there was one wrinkle as Matt thought about it with things as they stood. The Federation vessel's descent path differed enough with the Minerva's that they would come down in different places which wouldn't be in view of each other. Matt wasn't concerned that Shinn would be in danger with the Federation. The Federation tended to be reasonable and understanding with things that could happen. They would help Shinn get back to ZAFT territory and likely to Gibraltar. It would probably take Shinn time to get him and the Impulse back to the Minerva once it was docked at Gibraltar, but that was preferred to him crashing in the sea.

He did note something a tad strange as he kept looking at the Federation vessel. Matt swore he saw what looked like the signs of phase shift armor deployment with the ship. It could've been a trick of the atmospheric haze, but Matt didn't think it was. The fuzziness he saw looked nearly identical to what a Gundam did when its phase shift was activating. If he was seeing and assuming correctly, that would be an impressive improvement for the Federation to come up with. Phase shift armor had already proven an incredible defense for Gundams during the Alliance-PLANT War. Should the Federation have come up with a means to apply that same system to space-going ships, that would give them an advantage in battle. Projectiles would be useless against a vessel with phase shift armor. It was possible it was something other than phase shift, but Matt couldn't get what it could be.

Matt returned his attention to the exchange going on between Rey and Luna. Rey was still trying to calm Luna down but wasn't having much success. The conversation was unnecessary as Shinn was as safe as he could be now through entry interface. "That's enough you two," Matt cut over the younger pilots. "If you weren't busy arguing what was going to happen to the Impulse, then you might have had the chance to see it for yourself." That sentence shut up both Rey and Lunamaria. It sounded like Shinn had already found a means to help himself which they had missed.

Talia had also been listening to the exchange and wanted more information as to what Matt was referring to. "Elaborate on what you're talking about, Matt," Talia requested. Matt cleared his throat, "By what I saw, Auska got assistance to move over to the Federation vessel that is descending a distance away and ahead of us. He landed on the ship and that should shield him from enough of the atmospheric heat to get him through entry interface." Talia would like nothing more than what Matt said to be true. The Minerva had already lost people and she didn't want it to lose yet another. But she wanted confirmation of the point before she accepted the statement as truth. Thus, she turned to Burt Heim, "Burt, see if you can confirm what Dems has said," she ordered.

Burt had been working with Meyrin and another to make sure the Minerva was on track for the entry interface process. It was an intense labor involved task to do for a ship the size of the Minerva. However, Burt did what he could to sharpen the sensors' return to get an answer for the captain. Earth's atmosphere was causing dense interference with both radios and sensors which was expected. Yet, went he had done what he could, he saw a faint signal which had the Impulse's ID code coming from on top of the Federation frigate. But the Federation's descent path differed from the Minerva's so they wouldn't come down around the same place. "It appears what Dems is saying is correct, captain," Burt replied. "Interference is making sensors have a hard time pinpointing things, but the Impulse's single is coming from around the Federation vessel." Burt paused, "However, the Federation vessel's descent path is different from our own, so we won't come down in the same place and won't be able to retrieve the Impulse."

Talia was glad Shinn had found something to work with to get him out of doing reentry solo in the Impulse. And yet for the Impulse to be separate from the Minerva was worrisome. The Federation vessel had appeared to be the Normandy, which she preferred. Talia would rather have one the Minerva's mobile suits end out with a ship she knew if separate than one she didn't. However, that still meant it would require time and effort to get the Impulse back to the ship which she and the crew would have little say in. The Minerva was too close to phase three of entry interface to make course changes without potentially serious consequences. She could only hope that Captain McGregor and his crew would look after Shinn and help him get back to the Minerva. "We can't do anything for the Impulse for the time being, it will have to find its way back to the ship," she remarked. "Where will the Federation vessel land compared to us, Burt?"

Burt put in calculations of the estimated path of the Federation vessel. The Minerva on its present course would end up coming down in the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. When the results of the inputted calculation came back to Burt, he wasn't looking forward to telling the captain. The Federation vessel would come down around the western end of the Euros Coalition. Most likely it would land either west of Gibraltar or north of it. "From what I can estimate, captain," Burt started, "The Federation vessel will come down in the Atlantic Ocean, west or north of Gibraltar."

Talia sighed at the fact the Impulse wouldn't get back to the Minerva before reaching Gibraltar. There was a chance of an Alliance encounter in the Mediterranean Sea on its eastern end, low as it may be. Low chances hadn't stopped the Minerva from encountering Bogey One multiple times already. But there was nothing that could be done to get the Impulse back before docking at Gibraltar. It would take around a day for the Minerva to reach Gibraltar from its landing area. That was due to some engine damage which Aves had reported which prevented the ship from traveling at full speed. The Federation would likely get Shinn and the Gundam to Gibraltar since it would be the nearest ZAFT military facility to where the Normandy would probably come down. "Well," she exhaled, "The situation is what it is. Shinn will be on his own for a bit." Talia turned to Arthur, "Arthur, focus on getting the Minerva through entry interface. The situation with the Impulse is settled for the moment."

Arthur didn't like one of the Minerva's machines away from the ship, let alone a Gundam to be separated. However, the captain had a point that there was nothing they could do to get the Impulse back to the Minerva for the time being. There were still some things to do before the Minerva entered phase three of entry interface, so that needed to be the focus. "Yes, ma'am," he replied. "Lock the wings in their stored positions. Deploy ablative gel so it will cover the Minerva's lower hull for phase three."

Meanwhile, the Normandy was nearing the end of phase two entry interface. There had been a sharp bump when the ZAFT Gundam landed on the upper hull. Yet, the suit had gotten on its hands and knees which made the chances of it separating drop significantly. The Athena was descending on the right and slightly behind the ship while the Justice was doing the same on the left. Lisa had ordered the heat film system activated which had cut down on the heat affecting the lower hull. She had Paris adjust the Normandy's entry vector to have the ship come down around the western end of the Euros Coalition. After exiting the atmosphere, Lisa would have Alloy reach out to the Coalition's air-traffic control to get a safe landing zone.

The Normandy shook a little harder as it came into the thermosphere. The heat film handled the atmospheric fiction without much of a problem. After coming out of the thermosphere, Millais Alloy opened communication with the Euros Coalition's air-traffic control, which was called "Skynet." Skynet covered all air traffic that traveled over or near the Euros Coalition and the Kingdom of Scandinavia. The network it used worked alongside the Coalition's Sentinel system. The operators the Millais reached acknowledged her request for a safe landing zone for the Normandy and said they would calculate one. It was a minute later that Skynet replied with the coordinates and approach path for a safe landing zone for the Normandy. They also said that a Federation patrol was approximately five minutes out from the landing zone. Paris adjusted to match the stated path and began having the Normandy nose downward. The Normandy's wings shifted to be flat which helped with planetary flight.

At the same time, the Justice and Athena came out of the atmosphere still slightly behind the Normandy. Tyler spotted the Impulse still on the Normandy's upper hull which was a relief to have it stay with the ship through reentry. However, Tyler felt it would be better to have it removed from the Normandy before it splashed down. So, he connected to the Normandy with a comm channel, "Lisa, I think it would be best if I take our passenger off before you come down in the water. I hope you wouldn't mind me coming onto the ship's upper hull and picking them up." Lisa didn't mind Tyler taking the ZAFT Gundam off the Normandy, it was better to do that now than later. Splashdown would be rough, and the ZAFT Gundam might be dislodged from the ship. Should the pilot be unconscious, they would sink into the ocean until fished out. "Go ahead Tyler," Lisa returned, "I agree it would be best to have them off before splashdown."

Tyler closed the channel and had the Justice's Fatum-00 disconnect from the suit before he surged upward and landed on it. He then flew it to come along the left side of the Normandy and had the Fatum hold its course and speed. Tyler then lept off the Fatum and landed on the Normandy's upper hull in front of the Impulse. As Tyler stepped forward, the color the Impulse had faded and changed to gray, saying the phase shift armor had drained its power. The Justice continued forward and grabbed the Impulse under its arms and lifted it upward. Tyler then turned toward the Fatum again and jumped with the Impulse in his hold and landed back on the Fatum. The Justice leaned the Fatum to the left slightly and had it move away from the Normandy. Tyler wanted to give his ship the working room it may need for its landing.

The surface of the Atlantic Ocean was rapidly approaching the Normandy as if fell lower and lower. Paris nosed the Normandy down further, planning to have the ship dive into the water to lessen the impact of splashdown. The Normandy did shake a bit as it entered the water but not as much as it would've hitting the ocean's surface and then coming to a stop. Lisa ordered all stations to report in their status and any potential damage. She then told Feldt to have the Athena come in first as the Justice would have to come up with something to do with the ZAFT Gundam. The Normandy's hangar was already going to be full without adding another Gundam. Lisa hoped one of the ships in the coming patrol could store the ZAFT machine for the journey ahead. The Normandy would be heading for the Asgard base to repair and resupply. Lisa also suspected Tyler would have the Justice and Athena shipped back to Teswa and have the Aurora sent to Asgard.

Tyler brought the Justice down to a reasonable altitude which would have it below the level that normal aircraft would fly at. He kept ahold of the Impulse and tried to communicate with the pilot as he had before. However, Tyler got no response which inferred the pilot had fainted before coming out of the atmosphere. It wasn't uncommon for pilots that were doing reentry without a capsule to faint. It was the reason the Federation had installed remote control systems in their space fighters. So that if it was the case the pilot couldn't land on their own, others could get them to land safely. The kid would likely need a doctor to look them over, but there shouldn't be anything life-threatening to deal with. Tyler would have Dr. Noll glance the kid over and do what she could.

The view of a Federation seaborne patrol coming into view got Tyler's thoughts to shift. The ZAFT pilot was now separated from the ship they were assigned to. The closest ZAFT military facility was their Gibraltar base, but the Normandy would be heading for Asgard with no detours. The ZAFT Gundam would be stored on one of the Federation ships, likely the Lapis class at the Fleet's head. All that meant was there would need to be arrangements for the kid to be sent to Gibraltar which could and usually were a pain to make. ZAFT would be busy and so would say the Federation was responsible for getting "their" pilot back to them. The "red tape" procedures created for such a thing were tedious to Tyler. But the kid had gone beyond what would be expected of him so deserved the help. Thus, instead of complaining about what Tyler would face ahead, he reached out to the Lapis class and gave them a short rundown of the situation. The captain of the Lapis saw no issue with storing the ZAFT Gundam for the journey to Asgard. Tyler said he would be responsible for the pilot and their health during the trip and so the captain agreed to the request.

Tyler flew the Justice over to the Lapis before jumping off and having the Fatum reconnect to the suit. He then slowly lowered the Impulse to the deck where deck crews were directing him to do so. The Impulse was put in a dock and locked in before Tyler moved the Justice to the side and exited the cockpit. He rode the zipline down and waited for the deck crew to extract the kid from the Gundam. The kid was brought down slowly and placed on a stretcher as Tyler approached. From what Tyler could see, the kid looked to be in his mid to late teens, around sixteen were he to guess. The young man had black chin-length hair and red-chestnut-colored eyes. The kid was in the standard red ZAFT pilot suit which Tyler expected. When his helmet was taken off, the kid's face was a tad pale and showed signs of being recently drenched in sweat.

Tyler reached out to the Normandy to have the ship come alongside the Lapis class so the kid could be transferred. Lisa said she would have the Normandy do that. He turned to the deck crew and told them what would happen, which they acknowledged. Tyler then went back to the Justice and got back in so he could return to his ship. He lifted off before having the Justice move away from the Lapis and dove into the ocean. Tyler approached the Normandy which lowered its electron rails for him. He had the Justice move to line up with the catapult and moved down it, stopping at the plate waiting at its end. The Justice was brought into the airlock system where the water was drained out. Tyler was then moved into the Normandy's hangar and to the dock the Justice had been in during the journey.

Tyler exited the Justice and saluted Chief Volyon before he headed for the entrance of the hangar. Tyler was heading toward where the outside airlock for the Normandy was for the port side. He wanted to see the kid to the infirmary and make sure he would be okay. Tyler couldn't say what it was about the kid, but he was kind of reminded of Kira for some reason. Maybe that was why Tyler was planning to make the arrangements for the kid even when it would be a tiresome affair. He did call up to the bridge and asked on the status of the Normandy coming alongside the Lapis. Tyler was told they would be by the vessel in the next minute and the boarding path would be extended and connected. It wasn't longer than two minutes by Tyler's figuring that the airlock began cycling. That signaled the connection between the two ships was being established so the kid could be brought over to the Normandy.

Once the path was made between the Lapis and Normandy, a team walked over bringing the ZAFT pilot. There were the two nurses coming up behind Tyler when the airlock opened revealing the waiting team. The team boarded the Normandy and transferred the kid over to the nurses. The team then said they were heading for the bridge to confer with the commanding officer. Tyler was confident Lisa could arrange whatever was needed for the ship on the point of repairs and supply that he could leave it to her. Thus, Tyler waved the team to keep going before he jogged off to catch up with the nurses.

Maya had been going over reports of minor injuries that had been incurred by two mechanics. Volyon had said they had been dumb and not looking around where they were working, which had gotten them hurt. The injuries had been some bruises and cuts, but nothing that couldn't be patched up quickly. She was about to file the paperwork, when her two nurses came back into the infirmary. They brought a stretcher in with them that had a young man laying on it. Maya put down the papers and moved over to the nurses, telling them to move the young man over to the nearest infirmary bed. Her nurses were hooking their patient up to medical equipment when the door to the infirmary opened again. Maya turned to see who was coming in and found it was Captain McGregor. "Captain," Maya greeted. "What brings you down here?" Tyler nodded to the greeting, "I'm here to check on the kid and make sure he's okay," he returned. "He was in a mobile suit during reentry, and that is a nasty place to be in for anyone."

Maya glanced at the thermal sensor readout and saw the young man's temperature was higher than it should be. Being in a mobile suit and enduring atmospheric heat would explain the heightened temperature. That explanation would also help her, and the nurses know what they needed to look into for this young man. "You saying the young man went through reentry is helpful for us to know what to look at," Maya remarked. "It will take some time to examine him, but there are no signs of life-threatening problems needing attention. So, I believe the young man will be okay given time and us here working on him for a bit." Tyler was relieved to hear the kid would be okay. He would come by later to see what progress had been made. "Thank you to your staff and yourself doc, the work you do is appreciated."

Tyler left the infirmary and headed to the locker room so he could change out of his pilot suit. Once he was in his normal uniform, he traveled to his quarters to make a call he felt there wouldn't be time later to make. When Tyler reached his quarters, he sat down at the work terminal and dialed a channel to Teswa. He wanted to talk to Carlos and make some arrangements. Tyler wanted the Aurora back to use. He also felt it would be best to send the Athena and Justice back to the complex to be stored. Tyler hoped and prayed Sakura would be leaving the Normandy during its time at Asgard. She'd helped with the ruins incident and Tyler was thankful for that. However, Tyler wanted a break from her and not have to worry about her bothering him daily. Tyler was able to reach Carlos and discussed with him the desired arrangement Tyler was hoping to make. Carlos said he didn't see anything wrong with Tyler's request to send the Aurora to Asgard to get to the Normandy. And he also said Asgard would be able to send the two mobile suits back to Teswa.

After arranging things with Carlos, Tyler communicated with Lisa to get an update on the Normandy's status. The ship was traveling toward Asgard and would need to spend some time there getting work done on it. The Normandy would arrive at Asgard in a few hours at current speed. Tyler knew he would be expected to write a report on the incident with Junius Seven ruins. He was no stranger to writing reports, he just didn't like doing the idea if he didn't have to. Tyler felt actions spoke just fine for him, but the higher-ups disagreed, and their opinions overruled his. If it was only logic he needed to use to defend his standing and position, Tyler would be fine and golden. He could logically justify what he decided in the majority of situations Tyler faced or got into.

Nonetheless, things had changed with Tyler being made a ship officer. Now Tyler was required to justify his actions with more than just logic, especially those he took on the field. He could reason with most why he needed to do what he did as a Commander. Yet, as a ship officer, Tyler had to follow protocol more closely than he used to. Protocol and Tyler had a well-established relationship almost from the first day of basic training going forward, they didn't and wouldn't get along. Tyler followed protocol when he could when the situation allowed him to. It wasn't a surprise to Tyler that the circumstances didn't make it often protocol was easy or simple to follow on jobs. Far more often the work Tyler did make it necessary to ignore protocol to get the best results. And the missions' results and the goals that made the missions necessary were more important to Tyler than the red tape.

The most recent incident with the ruins of Junius Seven could serve as an example Tyler could use for his defense. Protocol would state that Tyler and the other pilots of this ship should have disabled the thrusters that were pushing the mass towards Earth. That would buy time for ZAFT's meteor breakers to be deployed and split the ruins up. Protocol didn't take into account the rouge GINNS that were hindering ZAFT and picking them off. It didn't take into account Phantom Pain sticking their noses into the mess and make it worse. Those kinds of factors "didn't factor in" to what protocol would have done. Why protocol didn't have some leniency to account for unexpected factors, Tyler couldn't say nor guess. But what frustrated Tyler with protocol was those like him had to say why he did what he did when it should be obvious. And yet the obvious reasons were not seen as enough for officers from what Tyler had seen. Ship officers, Tyler knew it were "discouraged" to do field work expected by the soldiers. His skills were to be put aside and not used according to protocol which he cursed.

Truthfully, Tyler was tempted to go to his boss and ask her to do field work again, even if it meant a demotion. He was close to be willing to beg on his hands and knees to the woman to get him out of being a ship officer for the problems with protocol. But he knew it wouldn't help his problems with being an officer. Plus, if he said anything to his boss, she might come down on him and make things harder for himself. Tyler felt his boss was giving what leniency she could afford him. He didn't want to spoil that as it was helping him not to be in more trouble than he could be. Thus, he would write reports, cursing under his breath as he did so to endure what he had to. It was for the Normandy's crew and Tyler wanted them to do well and have success in their service.

It took around an hour to get the report put together with much cursing and muttering along the way. Yet, Tyler had added some stuff that was humorous and either the reader would agree or would be shaking their heads in irritation. It was something that Tyler was known for with his reports, putting humor in them. For this report, Tyler had "turned" up the dial marked awesome up to eleven as the old phrase went. Tyler had ripped off that said dial before running away cackling with the utmost glee. He'd still put in the points the report needed for it to be up to snuff. Tyler was left to wonder who would be the "lucky" one to read this report from him. He could think of some that would be on the floor laughing as they tried to read it. But there would be others that would be frustrated after reading the report.

With Lisa still in charge on the bridge, Tyler turned to figuring out what would need to be done for the kid. Noll would get him back into good and healthy order, Tyler was confident in that. But there was still the task of getting the kid back to the Minerva. Tyler knew there would be red tape, but not what that red tape actually involved. Thanks to Tyler's mother, he tended to avoid red tape when he could. And as Tyler dug down into military protocol when it came to assisting those from other factions, he was reminded how much he detested the complexity of protocol. There would need to be records pulled from ZAFT to confirm the kid's identity and his service number at the very least. His current assignment would have to be checked over and verified with ZAFT's achieves. And that was just for the kid to be helped and transported to Gibraltar. The Gundam he worked with would have a similar list of things that would need to be checked and verified. All of that would take time and make the kid wait for the help he would need.

Tyler couldn't help the sigh that escaped him at understanding what would need to be done for the kid. He couldn't help but wish the kid had something like a Federation ID even if it was a non-military one. That would simplify the process a great deal as it would depend on the Federation's records for identity than ZAFT's. Getting ZAFT's records took time and work which just extended wait time for things to happen. If the kid somehow had a Federation ID, there would still be the need for his ZAFT military record. However, that was the work of less than an hour, and not hours for the whole process. And Tyler couldn't make the request until he knew the kid's name or records from the Minerva were pulled. So, he couldn't do much until the kid woke up, though he put in the request to the information network for the Minerva's mobile suit compliment and pilot assignments. Thus, Tyler went to his bed and got some sleep for the hours it took the Normandy to arrive at Asgard.

The announcement of the Normandy coming into dock woke Tyler up. He rolled out of his bed due to habit, but he forgot that the ship was on Earth and not in space. So, Tyler fell to the floor thanks to gravity which ticked him off a bit. However, Tyler shrugged off the annoyance of falling to the floor and got dressed. He glanced at the time piece in his quarters and said it was quarter till ten. Tyler decided to swing by the infirmary and check on the kid and see if he was awake. Tyler really needed information from the kid so he could help him get to where he needed to go. So, Tyler headed to the infirmary to check up on the kid, hoping he was doing better.

Shinn regained conscious slowly. The world around him was blurry, sounds were muffled as well. The last thing Shinn remembered was getting the Impulse on its hands and knees before things went dark. But even with the world blurry, wherever he was definitely not the Impulse's cockpit. That brought up the question of where Shinn was now, for he couldn't begin to guess. He heard voices somewhere nearby, but Shinn couldn't comprehend what was being said by them. Shinn did realize he felt hot, but not like he did in the atmosphere, and not like when he'd been descending in the Impulse. Being in the Impulse in atmospheric conditions had felt like Shinn had been in an oven being broiled if he were honest for a portion of it. But that he was aware said he made it through entry interface and down to Earth as he felt gravity affecting him. He tried to clear his head and the world became a little less blurry and the sounds going on around him sharpened a bit. "Doctor," said a voice, "It looks like our patient is waking up."

Shinn felt things touching him, but he was still sluggish enough to not understand what was going on fully. The mention of doctor suggested he was in a medical room, like an infirmary or a hospital. With what Shinn had heard reentry could do to someone outside an entry capsule or a shuttle, him ending out in a medical room would make sense. From what was said, pilots that went through reentry in a mobile suit without an entry capsule tended to be incapacitated before landing. His elevated temperature would be a side-effect of the atmospheric heat that he'd endured on the way down. Shinn had likely fainted and somehow ended wherever he was now.

A light was shined into his right eye and then his left which cleared up his vision a bit. Into Shinn's vision came two women and a man, all three in medical uniforms. One of the women waved a hand in front of Shinn's eyes, "Confirmed ocular response," the woman remarked. "Young man, can you hear me?" Shinn nodded to the question since his voice wasn't working like it was supposed to yet. The woman nodded, "I'm Dr. Noll," she introduced, then she turned to the man, "Help him rise to a sitting position, but do so slowly, he's still recovering from the effects of atmospheric conditions." Shinn felt a hand go behind his back and help him rise from the bed he was on. The world spun a bit, but then stabilized and merely swam sporadically. He brought up his head and looked at the woman who had spoken before who was watching him. "How do you feel," she asked, "You've been through quite the ordeal by what I'm told." Shinn took a few deep breaths and then tried speaking, finding his voice started working again. "My vision is still blurry in places," Shinn replied. He stopped and clutched his head as pain shot through it. Other than the pain in his head, Shinn didn't feel anything off with his body. He had to wait for the pain to subside, "My head hurts and I feel hot, but beyond that I feel okay."

Maya was having her assistants check the young man over when the door to the infirmary opened. When she glanced over in that direction, she saw Captain McGregor standing there. The captain had a knack for impeccable timing and so again he was showing that. "I see your timing is still as impressive as ever," she greeted. Tyler chuckled a bit as a reference to his "amazing timing" that others said he had. He stuck to him being where he needed to be when it was auspicious. "Yeah, I get told I have great timing on occasion," Tyler commented. He then looked over at the kid and was glad to see he was sitting up. "And I see our guest is doing better than the last time I was here." Shinn shifted his gaze to the new voice in the room and found an individual that appeared familiar, but Shinn couldn't explain why. The voice was the same one which had come from the Justice, which implied this guy had been the pilot. The guy appeared to be older than Shinn, likely in his early twenties.

Tyler closed the distance between him and Shinn, and waved a hand, "Hello," Tyler started, "It is good to see you awake." Tyler glanced at Dr. Noll, "Is he up to talking? I have some questions that really could use some answers which he has." Maya looked to her assistants who nodded to say their patient was well enough to talk. "His health has improved enough for a conversation as long as it isn't a drawn out one," she replied. "He really needs to rest so he can recover before he does a great deal."

Tyler turned back to Shinn as he needed answers from the kid to be able to help him get back to the Minerva. Granted, Tyler suspected it would be this evening at the earliest the kid could even be up to taking a transport to Gibraltar. Getting that transport would likely be a longer affair, so the kid would have time to recover. "I'll keep my questions brief as possible doc," Tyler returned. Tyler inclined his head, "My name is Tyler McGregor, it's nice to meet you. Can I get a name so I can call you by it?"

Shinn took a breath, "My name is Shinn Auska," he answered. The name he'd been given sounded familiar. Shinn thought Rey may have said it earlier for some reason. He tried to recall what the conversation had been about, and it came to him. Rey had been talking about the Federation representative that had visited the Minerva after the attack on Armory One. The name had come up in relation to the representative if Shinn recalled correctly. The one talking to him could be the same person, Shinn had only caught a glimpse of the Federation personnel that had been on the Minerva. "You were one of the Federation representatives that came onto the Minerva after the attack on Armory One," Shinn remarked. "I caught a glimpse of you I think as you were being guided to the captain." Tyler smiled at the comment. He'd never seen the kid while on the Minerva, but Tyler and the one with him had stuck out. Thus, it wouldn't surprise Tyler if a good portion of the Minerva's crew had seen him.

As nice as it was to be recognized, there were other things to do, and time was of the essence. "It's very possible that you glimpsed me while I was on the Minerva," Tyler returned. "I do stick out against others on the ship, I'll not deny that. However, I have some questions I need answers to. I would like to assist you in getting back to the Minerva. Yet, due to protocol, I need answers so you can be processed, and a transport can be arranged to get you to Gibraltar. Your name was a good start, but I need more info to get arrangements made." Tyler hesitated for a moment, "If you could give me some sort of ID or even a service number, that would help things along."

The mention of IDs brought back to Shinn's mind something he didn't normally talk about. After leaving the Federation and going to live in the PLANTs, Shinn's father had said the family didn't need to keep their Federation's citizen's ID. Shinn had kept his, more as a keep's sake than anything else. It was a reminder of how much the Federation had done to protect them when they had needed it the most. It also gave him motivation to have the same quality while he served within ZAFT. As far as Shinn knew, the ID didn't expire so would still be valid in this. And since it was DNA coded, the ID couldn't be used by another without some sort of equipment that the Federation had to read them. "Would a Federation Citizen's ID help," Shinn asked. Then he reached into his pilot suit and took out his ID stick, "I have the one which was mine while I lived in Orb."

Tyler blinked at the mention of a Federation Citizen's ID. And when he stared at the object the kid had taken out, he found it was a Federation ID stick. Citizens were given ID sticks more as a means for them to travel as they wished around the member nations. It was a valid form of ID which the Federation accepted as identification which was extremely difficult to fake. And with them being DNA coded, the sticks couldn't be used by another to slip into where they shouldn't. Tyler had more jokingly thought if the kid had an ID stick it would make things easier. The chances of him having an ID stick should've been low, but apparently, Tyler was wrong in that. The ID stick would definitely speed things along for arrange things for the kid to get to Gibraltar. Tyler shook his head, "Well, that's unexpected, but that will certainly speed the processing along." Tyler held out a hand for the ID stick and Shinn gave it to him. "I will return it once I get the needed info from it. As for your mobile suit, it is currently stored on a ship in the patrol we have been traveling with. It will be sent back with you, rest assured. But while I make the needed arrangements, you get some rest and recover. I'll come back with things are ready for you to head to Gibraltar."

Shinn watched as Tyler left the infirmary. Being told he would be transported to Gibraltar was comforting. The Minerva would likely head there after descending from orbit. Shinn could meet up with them there and this "adventure" could come to a close. The medical personnel began to ask him questions which shifted his attention to them. The questions were general health ones which Shinn was used to getting during the required annual physicals. After the questions were answered, he was lowered back to the bed and told he was to sleep. Food would be brought to him when he woke up next. Shinn realized he was still very tired so the order of sleep would be easy for him.

Once Tyler left the infirmary, he made his way to the Normandy's bridge. Upon entering, he looked out the forward window and saw Asgard coming into view ahead. The Asgard Base was the military headquarters for the Federation's Military on Earth. Construction on the base had begun during the forty-fifth year of the Cosmic Era and it had been completed a decade later. The construction took the time it had as a great deal of thought and planning had gone into the base and what it might face in the future. Its establishment had been met with controversy from some, especially when non-Federation people were forbidden to visit. Tyler knew there was little argument that the base was the most well-known stronghold on Earth of any faction. The base's notoriety had earned it the nickname of the "Unassailable Fortress," which the Federation had always controlled. The biggest reason for the nickname was that was because all attempts that have been made by the Alliance or ZAFT to take the base had failed.

The base itself was built on a large island at the western edge of the Euros Coalition's territory. The island had been called Iceland before the Reconstruction War and had been an independent nation before the war. The base took up the whole island from east to west shores and north to south shores, all the land was employed by the base in some fashion. The central interior area was where the Federation's military command facilities were located. Training facilities were placed on the southeastern sector of the island. Civilian areas were on the northeastern part of the island. The rest of the island was made up of military facilities such as housing, storage areas, docks, airfields, and hangars. The civilians which were permitted to work around Asgard were required to have specific background checks and permissions. Their Civilian's IDs had data to say they were to be permitted through security checks and onto the island.

The base is literally built as a fortress that sieging is extremely difficult, between its set defenses and the number of forces stationed there the odds are set against those who would try. The defenses in place made assaults from any direction extremely difficult. Along the perimeters of the island were lookout posts to keep an eye on any approaching the base and were always manned. The main defensive guns and batteries all around the perimeters would shoo away those that try to attack Asgard or else decimate them. And the recent addition to the base which Tyler had heard about from a contact of his were the orbital cannons. Two of them were supposed to be operational at this point and a third was being worked on. From what Tyler had read, the cannons could indeed as their name implied hit ships in orbit and be pretty accurate from specs. They had been originally built as a count to ZAFT drop force, but the opportunity to test the cannons for that hadn't come up.

Asgard had proven it had its nickname and reputation it had earned over the years of the Alliance-PLANT War. Both ZAFT and the Alliance had made attempts to infiltrate it. ZAFT had stuck to infiltration for a bit but then left the base alone as it had been made clear their attempts wouldn't work. The Alliance on the other hand, hadn't learned anything from their attempts and assaults on the base. Tyler could only imagine the embarrassment the Alliance felt when Asgard was mentioned to them. It had to bring back to them the horrible failures they had suffered trying to take the base for their own. And from what Tyler heard from his contact in Asgard, the Alliance regularly got close to the base and their ships shot off their guns, but little more than that. They supposedly did attack the base from time to time, but none of them had gotten close to reaching the base and the Alliance had taken heavy losses in exchange.

Tyler took his chair next to Lisa and exhaled, "Quite a journey to arrive here if you ask me," he remarked. "I hope we can get some rest for a bit while we're here." Lisa snickered, "The journey certainly has had several twists and turns to get here, I don't disagree with you on that." She then turned to face Tyler, "And how fairs our guest? He'll need to get back to the Minerva I would imagine." Tyler nodded, "He's doing better than when he got onto the Normandy, which is a good thing. The kid is certainly a tough one to be up in hours after reentry. And I'm working on arrangements for the kid to get to Gibraltar." Tyler glanced down at the Federation ID stick Shinn had given him. "Would you believe the kid was a Federation citizen at some point? The kid kept his ID stick, I would guess as a memento." Lisa glanced at the ID stick Tyler had in his hand, "Well, that will speed along the process of getting him a transport to Gibraltar from our end."

The two were brought back to the present when Millais said Asgard's port control was telling her the Normandy was being directed to a dock. It was assigned to them while they were at Asgard, and the dock was at the southwestern docking facilities. Paris changed the Normandy's course to have the ship head for the said dock they were assigned to. However, along the way, Tyler noticed there were more active patrols than normally would be out. He'd wondered what the patrol group which had reached the Normandy had done so quickly. But had thought they had just been heading back toward Asgard at that time. Now, he wasn't so sure it was just good luck the patrol happened to be around where the Normandy had come down. Something was feeling off, or at least there was an air of tension Tyler was starting to feel. "Is it just me or are there a lot more active patrols than is expected around Asgard," Tyler asked Lisa. "I'm getting a feeling something is going on that we haven't been told about, thoughts?" Lisa had noticed the increased patrols as Tyler had. And by the sound of it, he was getting a bad feeling like she was. "It isn't just you, I see it too," she replied. "I have a feeling we stepped away from one mess and are standing in the path of another."

As the Normandy was locking into its dock, Tyler couldn't help but agree with Lisa's assessment. It certainly felt like the Normandy had just wrapped up one mess and was in the path to have to help with another. Tyler could only hope he could get arrangements made for the kid soon or else he might get involved with whatever mess was ahead. He felt Shinn would voluntarily help out if Asgard came under assault or something like that. But Tyler didn't want to put the kid in that position he could be asked to do so. Tyler would say Shinn was too young to be putting his life on the line but couldn't. Tyler had been around Shinn's age when he'd joined the Federation's military.

Tyler left Lisa in charge while he sought out one of Asgard's commanding officers to tell them about the Normandy being there. He also hoped to get more information on what could be going on to have the air of tension Asgard was supporting. Should the Normandy be expected to help deal with a mess, Tyler wanted to know what kind of mess and how stinky it would be. He couldn't ask his crew to do things without knowing the facts as he wouldn't do that himself. So, Tyler had a list of questions he wanted to ask whoever got to listen to him. Shinn's need was on that list, even if Tyler didn't know how it would work out in the end. But the tenseness Tyler was feeling was annoying him and he couldn't ignore that.

When Tyler met with the commanding officer he was told to talk to, he gave a summary about what happened with the ruins of Junius Seven. Then Tyler moved on to his list of questions he wanted answers to. From what Tyler was told, the Alliance was becoming more active. The ruins falling had acted as a trigger as Tyler had feared it could do. OMNI appeared to be mobilizing both on Earth and in space. On Earth they were gathering their sea fleets to the eastern coast of the Atlantic Federation. What was coming from the Information Network implied the Alliance was looking toward Asgard. If that was true, then they were likely to assault the base soon enough. The Alliance attacking Asgard showed they were getting desperate for a fight among other things. Tyler did bring up the situation with Shinn as that was a standing issue technically. He was told that Asgard would reach out to Gibraltar. However, it would be on Gibraltar to send a transport to pick up their pilot and Gundam. Asgard couldn't spare the resources to send a single machine and pilot elsewhere right now.

The Normandy would be on standby until further notice, which Tyler was okay with. From what Carlos said, the Aurora would be arriving at Asgard tomorrow evening. The Normandy's crew would get some limited shore leave due to the ongoing Alliance situation brewing. Tyler wasn't happy he would have to tell Shinn he would have to wait for a bit to know when he could get to Gibraltar, but that was out of Tyler's hands. He would have the Normandy host the kid until he caught a ride to Gibraltar, that would be the nice thing Tyler could do for him. Hopefully, Gibraltar would be quick on a reply and get a transport to Asgard soon.

Meanwhile, the Minerva had come down on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. The ship had been contacted by the Euros Coalition's Skynet control and given a safe landing zone by them. Talia had heard of the Coalition's Skynet air traffic control organization, which covered the Coalition and the Kingdom of Scandinavia. The calculations they had given the Minerva had made splashdown simpler. Talia told Arthur to have a damage report made for the ship before telling the help to set course for Gibraltar. The sooner the Minerva got to Gibraltar, the quicker it could repair and resupply.

It would take around half a day to reach the base with the Minerva's engines in the condition they were. Aves was doing what he could to patch the engines from the damage they had taken during the chase of Bogey One and the descent to Earth. However, he'd said there would be repairs he and his mechanics wouldn't be able to do with the supplies and equipment they had to work with. Gibraltar would be able to do the work that Aves and the Minerva's mechanics couldn't. That Aves could have the engines repaired temporarily with the time he'd had without resupply was impressive. It made Talia proud of the Minerva's crew and the performance they gave.

It was also Talia's hope that the Impulse would have made it to Gibraltar by the time the Minerva came into dock. The Impulse being separated from the ship had not gone over well with some. There had been arguments which hadn't done anything to help the circumstances they had been in. Talia believed Shinn would be able to take care of himself while away from the Minerva. She was still worried about him and the Impulse, but there was nothing she could do to change the situation. While Shinn was with the Federation, he should be fine as the Federation had no reason to do anything against him. The Federation would try to get Shinn back to a ZAFT base as quickly as possible. That was expected Federation behavior, get members of the other factions back to them.

As the Minerva was heading for Gibraltar, Matt decided to swing by the infirmary and check on Aila. He was still worried about his girl as she hadn't woken up since the last visit when Matt had checked in. Matt hoped Aila would wake up soon, she was a better team lead than Matt tended to be. Lunamaria had been fighting and resisting almost all he'd said or told her to do. That had made things difficult, but not caused issues on the battlefield as of yet. However, if she kept questioning and arguing with orders, Matt felt it would only be a matter of time before it would cause problems. He hoped that Aila could talk to the girl and convince her to stop arguing with him while on the battlefield. Hawke seemed to respect Aila where she didn't care much for him. When Matt got to the infirmary, he went straight to the doctor to see what he could find out.

Inside the infirmary, Aila woke up slowly trying to figure out what was going on. The last thing she remembered was she had exited the Osiris and had been using the zipline to get to the deck. Things had been bad back at that time, but Aila was confused as to how that had led to her being wherever she was. As her vision started clearing up, she recognized the two medical assistants the Minerva's doctor had in it. That told her she was in the Minerva's infirmary likely brought here after fainting from blood loss. Aila's shoulder where she'd been shot still was throbbing but felt better than it had before. She couldn't begin to guess how long she had been out. However, feeling gravity said the Minerva was either in a colony or had descended down to Earth.

One of the assistants was asking how Aila was feeling, which helped her focus on them and not the world swimming around her. Aila said she was okay but was feeling a tad dizzy at the moment with the world swimming. The other assistant helped Aila rise to a sitting position, the blanket which had been over her falling to the bed. Aila found her pilot suit had been removed, leaving her in the medical wrap patients were normally put in. She glanced at her left shoulder and found stitches closing the hole the bullet had made. One of the assistants began wrapping her shoulder after a medical pad was placed front and back over where the bullet had entered and exited. The other assistant went off to talk to the doctor Aila imagined as they walked off.

The Minerva's doctor spotted Mr. Dems entering the infirmary before he came to his office. Mr. Dems swung by at least once a day to check on Miss Lakeen. The doctor understood some of the reasons Mr. Dems had to wish to know about Miss Lakeen's condition. The two were apparently a couple, so worrying about one's loved one was completely natural. Mr. Dems had even donated his blood to Miss Lakeen when she needed a transfusion to make up the blood she'd lost. Thus, the dedication the man had for the woman was clear and obvious, which the doctor applauded. Miss Lakeen had not "woken up" yet, even if she had shown signs she was recovering. The gunshot wound had been simple enough to patch and stitch up. However, the crash of the Osiris had done a number on Miss Lakeen. It had caused her a concussion and internal bleeding which had taken time to fix and repair. Her vitals had been getting back to where they should be, so it was going to be up to her to wake up on her own.

The doctor was going to tell Mr. Dems that there hadn't been much change since yesterday when one of his assistants came up to him. They whispered that Miss Lakeen had just regained consciousness. The woman was being checked over, but the test results were looking promising. The assistant went back to look over Miss Lakeen before the doctor turned back to Matt. "It would appear you have good timing, Mr. Dems," the doctor said. "My assistant has informed me that Miss Lakeen just woke up and it being checked over currently."

Matt was happy to hear Aila had regained consciousness at last. It had been close to two weeks since she had been out in the infirmary. He'd been worried about her and that had grown with each passing day. But with her awake, she had to recover and would get to being healthy again given some time. Matt had missed spending time with Aila, she had always made his days better since they had started seeing one another. And then dealing with the teen pilots had been taxing for him. Aila was better with such things and Matt would fully support her the best he could with a leadership role. Matt nodded to the Minerva's doctor, "The efforts of you and your assistants are much appreciated, doc," Matt said gratefully. "Sorry if my daily visits have been bugging you. I've just been worried about Aila with her injuries." The doctor shook his head and waved a hand, "It's fine Mr. Dems, I can understand your concern and do not fault you for it."

Matt left the doctor's office and headed for the bed Aila had been in for close to two weeks. He was relieved to see her sitting up while her shoulder was being wrapped in bandages. Her eyes were open and that was a sign of good progress in Matt's book which he would take. He moved forward and took one of Aila's hands, "Aila, how are you feeling," Matt asked. Aila squinted at the figure which had just approached. The world was still swimming pretty good, so things were blurry in her vision. But the voice certainly did sound like Matt's, which was comforting to hear. She wouldn't doubt Matt had been worried about her while she had been confined in the infirmary. Aila would be just as worried if their positions had been switched with Matt being in the infirmary and she not. In response, Aila squeezed the hand that was holding hers, "I'm okay, though the world is swimming at the moment," she answered. "Sorry for worrying you, Matt. I wouldn't doubt you've been fretting even if others haven't seen you doing so."

Matt had been stressing but had been dealing with that in private, so others didn't see it. Being in the team lead role had added to that thanks to Hawke pushing back as she had. But Aila speaking to him lifted a weight off his shoulders that he'd been carrying. "I'll admit, it has been stressful for more than a week," Matt replied. Aila giggled softly, "I'll bet, having to step up and do more." Matt shook his head, "You can have the leadership role, it was a hassle that was frustrating."

Aila paused as the implications of what Matt said he had trouble with the Minerva's other pilots. She didn't think Rey or Shinn would give Matt much if any trouble when orders were handed out. Shawn and Cid shouldn't be an issue either as they were inclined to follow orders without much question. Lunamaria on the other hand, the girl had fire within her which normally wasn't a problem. However, Aila could see how that fire could become fuel for stubbornness that would cause friction. "Let me guess," Aila began, "Lunamaria had been resisting and pushing back." Matt scoffed, "So much so that I can't help but wonder if the girl has something against me personally. I mean, I can understand she respects you, but I can't think of anything that would have her pushing and questioning orders from me."

Aila had a feeling she would have to have a talk with Luna when she got a chance. The girl's passion was fine, but if it had moved her to questioning orders on a battlefield, that was problematic. From what Aila had seen, Luna tended to listen to what she would say or from Captain Gladys. Whether that meant Luna had an issue with taking orders from men, Aila couldn't say with what she knew. Aila ended out sighing, "I'll have a chat with her when I'm able, Matt," she returned. "Perhaps you can get me up to date on what's going on? I'm feeling gravity, so the ship is either in a colony or on Earth. What happened with the enemy ship attacking Armory One?" The medical assistants finished wrapping Aila's shoulder, so Matt figured it would be better to tell Aila what had been happening in private. "How about we get you to your quarters and dressed and then I can give you the rundown?"

Matt helped Aila get up off the bed and to her feet. He had to sling an arm around Aila's back as she wobbled on her legs. He then helped Aila leave the infirmary and make their way up a deck and to Aila's quarters. Matt helped her into clothes and then to the bed so she wouldn't have to stand on her unstable legs. He then took a seat at the desk and began the summary of events. Aila processed what Matt was saying and didn't like how things had gone, but she knew it could've been worse for the Minerva. The enemy ship termed Bogey One had led the Minerva on an extended chase before it had slipped away to the Moon. There the issues with the ruins of Junius seven came up which had shifted the priorities the Minerva had. The ruins being broken down was good as if they had struck Earth, that could've sparked a war. The event still could do that, but there was less of a reason with the damage mitigated.

Matt said the Minerva had descended to Earth and was now heading for Gibraltar currently. He did mention the Impulse had been separated from the Minerva. It had apparently descended with a Federation vessel which had come down in a different area than the Minerva had. There had been no word on the Impulse's status nor Shinn's and that worried Aila. Shinn had impressive potential from what Aila had seen. He could really become a genuine Gundam pilot if given the chance and opportunity. She was actually thinking of approaching Talia and asking her to consider assigning Shinn permanently to the Impulse. Aila ended out chuckling, "It sounds like the Minerva has been busy while I've been out." Matt laughed, "That's the truth." He took a moment to calm down, "Listen, I have a contact at Gibraltar, and I'll reach out to them and see if the Federation has communicated with Gibraltar. They would be in the know if there has been any message about a ZAFT Gundam from the Federation."

That Matt had a contact around Gibraltar was a tad surprising, but Aila wouldn't question it. Aila smiled, "That would be appreciated, Matt," Aila replied. "I've been meaning to talk with Talia about some things. And I'll make some time to chat with Lunamaria and get her on the right track." Matt hoped that Lunamaria would listen to Aila in the said chat. Although he was curious what Aila wanted to talk to the captain about. "What did you need to discuss with the captain, Aila," Matt asked. Aila shrugged, "I think it is time for Shinn is considered to be assigned to a Gundam, the Impulse if I would make the suggestion. ZAFT higher-ups won't do that due to Shinn's age and inexperience. He needs the opportunity to prove himself and Talia can give it to him." Matt nodded, "You get some rest before doing that."

The sun had set hours ago when the Minerva came into communications range without assistance from other equipment. Matt was true to his word and reached out to his contact. Yet, Matt was left to wonder as his contact said it would be better to talk face to face about the subject of the Impulse. He thought about telling Aila about the point, but decided to see his contact to get more information about what was going on. His contact didn't ask for a meeting without a good reason. The two had been friends since their academy days, so they had developed trust between one another. Matt just hoped whatever the reason the face-to-face meeting was required gave info about the Impulse and Shinn.

At the same time, Aila woke up and when she got to her feet, she found she could stand without the threat of falling. The effects of the concussion had waned as far as Aila could tell, but she couldn't judge the condition accurately. What had come about due to the internal bleeding the doctor mentioned had sapped her strength. It was the reason her legs had been wobbly, and standing had been hard for her. She had found a cane which Aila assumed was left there by Matt. He was so thoughtful and went out of his way to do what he could for her. Aila took the cane and used it along the way toward the captain's quarters. The crew members she came across along the way greeted her and asked how she was doing. Aila was glad the crew was concerned for her health. It was nice of them to be concerned for her well-being. It took a bit of time, but Aila did manage to make it to the captain's quarters.

Talia was going over damage reports so she could have a summary ready for those in charge at Gibraltar. She did note one of the Minerva's mobile suits was missing for the moment, but specifically noted it was not lost. Talia hoped that she could talk to the one in charge of Gibraltar current as they were her mentor. She was sure that with his help, the Federation could be communicated with, and the Impulse and its pilot could be returned. There was also the question of what the Minerva would be assigned to do going forward. Talia had no idea what the Minerva would be expected to do. The hunt for Bogey One was essentially over for the time being and it would likely be passed on to others. And with the Minerva on Earth, it was likely it would help the ground forces going against the Alliance.

Talia was brought out of her thoughts when a knock came at her door. She looked up wondering who it could be. Arthur was managing things on the bridge and the running of the ship until it came to dock at Gibraltar. It had freed her up to catch up on paperwork and look into other things. So, Talia was hoping to get time undisturbed to catch up on things. But since someone had knocked, she would answer and give some time, "Enter," Talia called. The door slid open and in walked Aila. Talia was surprised to see Aila, for the last she'd heard Aila was still in the infirmary. Her injuries had gone beyond the gunshot wound as the crash of the Osiris had done damage to Aila. The Minerva's doctor had mentioned Aila had suffered a concussion and internal bleeding when Talia had stopped by. "Aila, I hadn't heard you'd woken up," Talia said, "Not that I'm complaining about it. I'm glad you're up and about after the injuries the doctor said you suffered."

Aila knew the relationship between Talia and her would have Talia worried about Aila being in the infirmary. The two had survived horrible events so they watched after one another when they were able. Aila smiled at the comment, "Thanks for worrying about me, Talia," she replied. "Sorry for being down for over a week by what I've been told." Aila paused, "But I was hoping to have a bit of your time to discuss something." Talia didn't blame Aila for being injured or being out of commission until recently. The Minerva could use her skills again for whatever lay ahead of it. However, Talia was curious as to what Aila could want to discuss with her. "Don't worry about it, Aila," Talia remarked, "I'm just glad you are on the mend." Talia gestured at the chair across from her in front of the desk, "Have a seat. Then you can bring up what you wanted to talk about."

Aila took the seat that Talia pointed to, ordering her thoughts on how she wanted to say Shinn could be assigned to the Impulse. There was a standing issue for Shinn to get the opportunity to be a Gundam pilot and that was ZAFT higher-ups. Talia could make a field decision that would override that for a time. And Aila hoped that time would be enough for Shinn to prove he could be a great Gundam pilot to ZAFT higher-ups. Aila took a breath, "Matt has summarized what the Minerva has gone through while I've been out of it," she began. "He also mentioned the Impulse was separated during the descent down to Earth." Talia nodded, "Yes, it was unfortunate, but we couldn't do anything to change that at the time." Aila waved a hand, "I'm not pointing out anything or pinning blame. I wanted to bring up the Impulse and Shinn, for I think the pairing is a good one that should be kept as it is."

Talia blinked at what Aila was saying for it certainly sounded like she was implying Shinn should be permanently assigned to the Impulse. Talia wouldn't deny Shinn had talent, the kid was skilled and could adapt well to unexpected changes from what she'd seen. But for that to translate into him being recommended as a Gundam pilot was a stretch. However, Talia wanted to hear what Aila's reasons could be for suggesting the idea before potentially dismissing it. "You're recommending Shinn Auska be a permanent Gundam pilot," Talia posed to which Aila nodded. Talia put a hand to her temple, "I need more than just a recommendation to make such a decision. The National Defense Committee will be quick to strike such down when it is found out should I not have a solid justification."

Aila knew she would have to defend the recommendation with her observations of Shinn. But convincing Talia would be easier in the long run than the National Defense Committee as they wouldn't take into account what happened on the battlefield other than results. "Indeed, I am recommending he be assigned to the Impulse going forward." Aila paused, "He has talent and real potential I believe to become an amazing Gundam pilot if he is given the time and opportunity. ZAFT needs what good Gundam pilots it can get for the conflict I think both of us know lies ahead. The Federation had more than ZAFT or the Alliance, regardless of what any others say to the contrary. Whether we want to admit that or not, it is the truth we know but don't say it out loud. Shinn is a diamond in the rough. If he isn't given the opportunity, then the kind of pilot he could become will be lost I feel."

Aila hesitated for a moment, knowing of some of the arguments that the National Defense Committee would make in opposition to this. Shinn was seen as too young and inexperienced which was held against him, wrongly Aila believed. The data the committee would look out wouldn't take into account the subtle signs of Shinn's potential. "I know some of the arguments that the National Defense Committee will used to say Shinn shouldn't be in a Gundam. He is young and doesn't have a great deal of combat and battlefield experience. However, those that piloted the Alliance Gundam-prototypes were around his age when they boarded them. They went on to serve with distinction and records will back that up." Aila took a breath, "I know it is my opinion, but Shinn is one of those rare pilots that will shine above the rest. He can be much like the war heroes from the Alliance-PLANT war, but only if he gets the opportunity to prove himself. I'm asking you to give him a chance to show what he can do out on the battlefield."

Talia had seen some of the signs that Aila was talking about while the Impulse had been fighting. Shinn had originally been one of the backup pilots for any of the Gundams should one of the pilots be unable to use them. And yet, Shinn had proven he was capable with the Impulse during the chase of Bogey One and the operation with the ruins of Junius Seven. Aila made a good argument for Shinn, Talia wouldn't deny that. However, until the Impulse was back on the Minerva, the decision was up in the air. "I will consider the idea, Aila," Talia stated, "Yet, until Shinn and the Impulse get back to the Minerva, that decision will have to wait." Aila nodded accepting the reply, "Matt did say he would reach out to a contact he had at Gibraltar to see if they had heard anything when he could." Talia smiled, "Then we'll have to wait and hope that the contact can give us good news."

It was a little over an hour before the Minerva arrived at ZAFT's Gibraltar base. It was early morning so there was more of a skeleton crew running things around the base. The ZAFT base was one of the older ones on Earth that had been built during the early years of the Alliance-PLANT War. It had served as a base of operations for the campaign that had claimed the North African Community from the control of the Earth Alliance. It was the only area on the continent that ZAFT controlled. The rest was the Federation's Euros Coalition and they just "allowed" ZAFT to have the Gibraltar base. Geographically, the base was on the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar that separated the African Continent and the Euros Continent. The bonus to the locations was that the Alliance left the base alone from the Atlantic end, mostly because the Federation's Asgard Base protected the Mediterranean Sea.

A/n

And that's where I'll leave off and pick up in the next Phase. All righty then, lots to go over from this phase with what was covered. Okay, let's start with the first scene which is where the twist I hinted at begins. So, after the ruins are handled as they can be, the Minerva and Normandy are forced to make a descent down to Earth. So, the big point in this scene is Shinn ends out with the Normandy before the end of re-entry. I remind you that Gundams are stated to be able to do re-entry in their specs. OMNI started this and Tyler countered that with his experience and that still holds true. So, were Shinn to do re-entry on his own in the Impulse, it wouldn't go well for him and may end out being fatal. But I'll get back to that point in a moment.

With the Minerva, naturally they are worried that the Impulse is a distance away from the ship. It is far enough to be impossible for Shinn to get back to the Minerva before Phase 3. As I've tried to get across with atmospheric re-entry in this story, Phase 3 of entry interface requires all a ship's attention to make it through without damage. It is where the thermosphere is and as we've seen in simulated instances, the heat there is the harshest. I will applaud those on the Minerva do try to come up with a way they can help Shinn. However, the truth is Shinn wasn't able to get any help from the Minerva or any but the Normandy at that time. I admit, Lunamaria is being portrayed as an emotional girl that has an attitude. It is just for the moment and that will change over future phases, this is her growth period.

Nevertheless, Shinn gets assistance from Tyler and the Normandy which solves the issue. Tyler with his experience with re-entry, knew Shinn would have a hard time doing on his own. He does have Sakura's help which is done in her "own unique" way. Shinn's description of what he was going through I want to think is what it really could be like for someone in atmospheric conditions. Of course, I have no idea what the idea is really like but cut me a little slack with trying to be realistic as I can. Now Tyler does give the quick explanation of what needed to happen for Shinn. Shinn does understand that atmospheric conditions are to be taken seriously and mistakes could be fatal. He also knows that the Minerva is too far away to be of help to him with his situation. I also refer to his knowledge and experience with the Federation with this as he was a Federation citizen before the second half of the Alliance-PLANT War. Of course, Shinn does land on the Normandy and uses it as a shield through the descent.

I would point out some of the observations made by Matt Dems during this scene. First, the fact about Gundams not being practically tested for re-entry may not be stated publicly, but it is known among pilots. Matt saw the Impulse get to and land on the Normandy which helps Shinn. However, that does separate the Impulse from the Minerva and that will last for a time and play a part in the next few phases. The other thing that Matt notes, is the deployment of the Normandy's heat film system. As I implied, it looks like phase shift when it activates, and does have some qualities that phase shift does. This is another show of Federation technology being ahead of the other two factions. Yet, I would note, this is for heat disbursal, not for projectile blocking as PS armor does. I will go into the idea at a later time and explain the difference and what the Normandy has for more advanced defense measures.

Now, onto the last point of this scene which is different from the original version of this story. The Normandy and Minerva do come down in different places in this version unlike the original. The Normandy lands a distance away from Asgard which is on what is to us Iceland. The Minerva lands in the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. I made the decision to do that for a reason which will be set up in the coming phases. It made more sense to me and hopefully will for you later to have the two come down in different places.

Let's move onto the next scene with the Normandy's descent down to Earth. Now for those of you readers who may be movie buffs, you will likely recognize the name "Skynet." Yes, I took it from the Terminator series but it ain't the same. It really is the air traffic control network/system in place for the European continent. You can go back to read the description about it, but I will say it makes controlling and directing aircraft more efficient. It is seen as the most efficient idea used for controlling air traffic in this story's world. Even ZAFT refer to Skynet for non-military aircraft coming and leaving Gibraltar. They also use Skynet to help direct their own military traffic, so efficient is the network/system. So, I will shift to the point that Shinn and the Impulse are with the Normandy/Federation. This will be the case for a few phases, but I will not say more as it would spoil things ahead. I will say that Shinn's time with the Normandy will have an effect on him which will help in his development. You will get a bit of a view into Shinn's opinions and views of the world. Tyler does show he is worried about the kid and Shinn grows on him.

That Shinn has a Federation ID has some implications which I mention and others leave unsaid. I know I say Tyler wished Shinn had one, but that was meant to be a joke at that point. The reason the ID makes things easier for Shinn is looking up Federation records is quicker than those from other Factions. It is because the Federation don't need to verify or check their own records to make sure they are accurate and factual. Shinn kept his Federation ID more as a memento than anything else. But as the IDs are DNA encoded, they really don't deactivate though the fact is not mentioned publicly. The ID stick will pop up after this from time to time, so do keep in mind Shinn has it.

When it comes to the Federation's Asgard base, I know in canon the Alliance had a major base on Iceland instead. However, as it should've been obvious by this point, the Federation took some positions the Alliance held in canon. This does give a strategic positioning for the Federation which the Alliance doesn't like. Also the base is more powerful and dug in than Heaven's Base was in canon. Asgard is seen as a symbol of the Federation's might and power which the other two factions don't appreciate. There will be more details about the base in later phases with the events coming up. But this Phase does give you a better view of the base which is the Federation's earth-based headquarters.

The last scene with the Minerva I want to point out something in it. Now originally, I had Aila waking up earlier than this point. However, I felt it was better that she not be actively in the story until this point. Gave screen time to others as I know some of you readers like Aila (not that I blame you.) Her injuries play a part in me explaining why she was out for so long. She wasn't just shot by one of the teens back at Armory One. Remember the Osiris crashed during the fight around there and that did harm to Aila. Not only did it give her a concussion which can be nasty, but she had internal bleeding which caught up to her later. Those two injuries had her down for longer than Matt. Plus, it gave me a chance to show Matt cares about Aila which is new in this version.

The other point from this scene is the discussion between Aila and Talia. Do remember that Talia and Aila are friends as they had worked on the same ship before the Minerva. Thus, Talia had been worried about Aila being out in the Infirmary for the time that she was. The subject of Shinn being a Gundam pilot is an important one. In canon he was one from the beginning of Destiny, he wasn't in my story. As mentioned Shinn is a backup pilot for any of the Gundams but is best with the Impulse. It is mostly due to his age and inexperience that such is the case. Pilot assignments are decided by the PLANTs' National Defense Committee and they don't think much of Shinn (yet.) I would also point out that Aila is sharing the unofficial view which is held of the Federation. Both the Alliance and ZAFT know the Federation is stronger with their military, they just don't like to admit it. This discussion will come back up later as Shinn will be a Gundam pilot, but there will be a journey to that.

That's all for this Phase's closing notes that I wanted to put up. As always, some of you please take the time to write a review and tell me what you think of the phase. You can ask questions, criticize me, or give your opinion. I read them and answer/reply to those I can. The next Phase is on track for the moment, and hopefully will be ready in two weeks or so. It is titled: "Searching for a Path" currently. Peace out until the next Phase!