Gundam Wing: Destiny's Call

by operation meteor

Sequel to Journey to a New Battlefield. It's been two years since the Bloody Valentine War and tensions are rising. When a shadowy group attacks the colony of Armory One, a certain Gundam pilot takes to the battlefield once again. However, little to his knowledge, some old friends are on a journey to his new world. M for language and violence (again, it's war. What do you expect?)

14. Chapter 14

Author's Notes: And here you guys were, worrying I'd take until December to get the next chapter out! I told you I'd try to make the next one shorter, although truth be told I simply decided to shift a bunch of the content I had planned for this one to the following chapter. As a result, both this chapter and the following one won't be action oriented; the focus will be primarily on character interactions, politics and strategic maneuvering as all the parties involved prepare for the next major engagement. Don't worry, the action will return, it just takes time to set up the big juicy battles.

Enjoy!

Episode Fourteen: LOGOS

Murrue smiled at the main bridge monitor as Heero completed his report. "Excellent work, as always. It looks like ZAFT owes you big time."

"You could say that," Heero replied, "Tell Natarle I said thanks for the support. The Wraiths made Trowa's diversionary attack on the canal much more effective than it otherwise would've been."

"I'll make sure to pass that along," said Murrue, "So, what's next? How long will you be in the area?"

"Not much longer," Heero answered, "According to Captain Gladys, the Minerva will be moving on tomorrow morning. Right now, she's helping the rest of ZAFT's force secure the base. They're supposed to be dropping reinforcements from space to help hold the canal and the ravine, but right now they're concentrated at the base. If you want to slip by unnoticed, the west side of the canal's wide open. Tonight will be your best shot."

"Sounds good," said Murrue before turning to Andrew Waltfeld, who was standing just behind and to the right of her chair, "What do you think?"

The Desert Tiger nodded. "I agree. We won't get another opportunity like this to make the passage to the Mediterranean. We'll move out come nightfall."

She turned back to Heero. "Did you catch that?"

Heero nodded. "Affirmative. ZAFT's orbital drop should take place sometime between midnight and dawn, so the sooner you get through the better."

"Will you remain with the Minerva for now?" asked Murrue nervously, "If she's still heading for Gibraltar then there's no telling what Durandal may decide to do once you and the other Gundam pilots arrive there. You'll be surrounded by thousands of ZAFT troops; if he goes after you, you'll have a hard time fighting your way out."

"I know it's a risk," said Heero, "but I don't think he'd make such a brazen move against us after we just helped his forces take the Suez Canal and the Gulnahan Ravine. It would send some seriously mixed signals to his troops, especially since they're still unaware of his attempt on Lacus's life. It's just a hunch, but I don't think that's a fight he'll be willing to pick quite yet."

Murrue sighed. "I hope you're right. Still… be careful, okay?"

"Roger that," Heero replied, "You too, Murrue."

After he disappeared from the monitor, Murrue turned to Andrew. "What do you think?"

"About Durandal? Hard to say," the Desert Tiger answered, "Heero's got good instincts, and it would be risky for the Chairman to make a move against the Gundam pilots at this point, especially since their support's been crucial to ZAFT's recent victories. Still, Durandal could see things differently than us."

Murrue sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I almost preferred going up against the Zala regime. They were monstrous, but at least their intentions were easy to read. We knew their endgame, so we could more readily adapt to counter them. Durandal's a much subtler opponent."

Andrew nodded. "All too true. I know Eric's doing his best to ferret out the Chairman's secrets, but there's a lot that we're in the dark about. Durandal has a loyal core of supporters who seem to truly believe in his vision, whatever that may be. Turning one of them into a mole's no easy task."

"There's the fake Lacus to consider as well," said Murrue, "The Chairman can use her to inspire loyalty in those followers who don't know that she's an imposter. Her influence is almost as powerful as his own, and he seems to know exactly how to wield it. If the Chairman's followers genuinely believe that his vision is hers as well, then it'll only make them fight that much harder to realize it."

Andrew smiled. "I'm impressed. You were no slouch before, but your skills at political analysis have come a long way."

Murrue smiled in return, and she couldn't help but blush slightly. "Well, it's something you pick up when you spend your days with someone as insightful as Heero."

Andrew chuckled. "Indeed. Mobile suit pilot, political commentator, intelligence analyst… whenever he sets his mind to something, he gives it everything he's got. Glad he's on our side."

"Him and the rest of the Gundam pilots," Murrue added before her brow furrowed in thought, "Well, most of them, at least."

Andrew raised any eyebrow. "What do you mean? They're all playing for our team, aren't they?"

"That's what I'd like to believe," said Murrue, "but ever since Wufei went his own way after the orbital battle, I know Heero's been concerned about him. Maybe he's being overly cautious, but… I don't know."

The Desert Tiger stroked his chin in thought. "Do you think Wufei came here with another agenda?"

Murrue sighed. "I'm not sure. Heero once told me that, out of all the Gundam pilots, Wufei's the ultimate wild card. That's not exactly an encouraging thought."

Andrew shook his head. "Hard to argue with that. Still, we're not really in a position to do something about it right now. That's on Heero and the other Gundam pilots. Whatever's driving Wufei, we'll just have to trust that they can figure it out. Hopefully it isn't something that'll blow up in our faces."

"Agreed," said Murrue.

"I'm going to head down to the hangar," said Andrew, "I want to make sure that my Murasame's all tuned up just in case we have to sortie tonight. Aisha should already be down there checking on her machine."

"Hopefully it won't come to that," Murrue replied, "Still, better safe than sorry."

Andrew nodded. "Let me know when you're ready to move us out. The sooner we make the crossing to the Mediterranean and are safely underwater again, the better."

Murrue smiled. "Will do."

He left the bridge, and Murrue turned her gaze to the forward viewport. There was nothing but water in front of her right now, but her focus wasn't on that.

It was on her favorite Gundam pilot.

Heero… please, take care of yourself.

….

Sitting in his office aboard the carrier John Paul Jones, Nazara scowled under his mask. Yet again, he was force to report an abject failure to Djibril, and yet again Wing Zero and those other pesky machines known as Gundams were to blame. It felt as if fate had conspired to throw those damnable mobile suits in his path as the ultimate obstacle, a giant 'fuck you' to all of his plans.

Djibril certainly didn't seem pleased about the matter, either. "Another disaster where we were supposed to claim victory. This is becoming a very disturbing pattern, Colonel."

Nazara held his ground. "We need to destroy the Gundams. As long as they're allowed to exist, they will be a constant threat to our designs."

"Destroying the Gundams was why the Winds of Destruction were dispatched in the first place," Djibril replied, "It seems that they were about as successful in that regard as you were. Then again, apart from Rodrigues, this was their first time facing the Gundams. You're on… what? Attempt five? Six? It's getting harder and harder to keep track of your defeats, Colonel."

"The Gundams will fall," Nazara growled, "I just need more time and resources!"

Djibril shook his head. "Time is something that you've run out of, I'm afraid. Recent history has shown that eliminating Wing Zero is a task that you're simply not up for. Therefore, we're making some changes. You're to withdraw from the front, Colonel, and go to Heaven's Base."

Beneath the mask, the Colonel's eyes widened. "You're pulling me away from the front lines? Have you lost your mind? I'm the best chance our forces have of killing Heero Yuy once and for all!"

"Your record in this war indicates otherwise," said Djibril, "However, I've been in contact with our partners in the Eurasian Federation, and they seem to believe that they can succeed where you've failed. Whether or not that's true remains to be seen, but at this point I'm more than willing to give them a shot."

Nazara all but spat in contempt. "The Eurasians? Those cowards have barely supported our war effort. If you think they have what it takes to eliminate Wing Zero then you're sorely mistaken!"

Djibril glared at him. "That is not your call to make. I've made my decision; the Eurasians will be given a chance to prove their worth in this war by assisting our efforts to eliminate Wing Zero and the other Gundams. Stella and the Winds of Destruction will continue to support those efforts, but you will not."

Nazara smirked. "If you pull me from the front lines, Stella will become impossible to manage. You're making a big mistake, Lord Djibril."

Djibril shook his head. "Hardly. The man I'm sending from our forces to replace you will be more than capable of keeping your pet on the leash."

"And who might that be?" asked Nazara.

"Major Allen Hamilton," said Djibril, "I trust you remember him."

Nazara grudgingly admitted as much. "Yes… I do. A skilled pilot, to be sure… but he can't match me or the Nosferatu. You're mistaken if you think that he can match Wing Zero."

"I'm not expecting him to," said Djibril, "I'm only expecting him to lead our forces in battle, including the mercenaries, and give Stella proper guidance, which he is more than capable of doing so. The Eurasians will provide the aces that will challenge Wing Zero."

"And what aces might those be?" asked Nazara disdainfully.

"For starters, the one they call Mihaly," Djibril replied.

Nazara's eyes narrowed; he'd heard that name before. "Mihaly? As in 'The Beast' Mihaly?"

Djibril smiled. "Ah, so you do know him. Good. In that case, I trust you can understand why he's replacing you as our answer to Heero Yuy."

Nazara shook his head. "Mihaly's time has come and gone. I've heard he still flies, but he's not nearly as young as he once was. Hell, even in the last war he was already showing his age. Speaking of prior conflicts, that one actually serves as a mark against him."

Djibril folded his arms. "Is that so? What fresh impudence has possessed you now?"

"Not impudence, but knowledge," Nazara shot back, "If you did enough homework, then you would know that at one point he actually fought alongside the pilot you wish to pit him against. In fact, given the circumstances surrounding that battle, one wouldn't be exaggerating if they said that Mihaly owe his life to our nemesis."

Djibril glowered at him. "I'm well aware of the engagement that you're referring to. It has no bearing on the new mission he's been given. His record is one of a professional. He'll follow orders. Besides, he won't be the only ace the Eurasians give to the cause. Others are also preparing for deployment as we speak."

"And what will I be doing while they attempt to take down prey that's well beyond their abilities?" Nazara sneered.

"Your task upon reaching Heaven's Base will be to oversee the final phase of construction for the Earth-based portion of Project Reaper," Djibril answered, "Sovereign must launch on time if we're to get our campaign back on track. I'm sure you'll be able to give any lagging workers sufficient motivation."

Nazara shrugged. "Well, if they require coaxing, I'm sure a few executions will do the trick."

"Try not to kill anyone important," Djibril deadpanned, "We want them to work efficiently and complete the project on schedule. Any loss of critical expertise now will put our goals in jeopardy."

Nazara rolled his eyes beneath the mask. "Fine, I'll be careful. Perhaps some torture instead of executions."

"I'll leave the details to you," said Djibril, "You won't be completely removed from frontline operations; the base's communications center will allow you to communicate with Stella should Major Hamilton require assistance in properly motivating her."

"Very well, then," Nazara replied, "I trust you won't mind if I have the technicians at Heaven's Base work on the Nosferatu? It needs a few more modifications."

Djibril shrugged. "As long as it doesn't draw resources from Project Reaper, do what you wish."

Nazara nodded. "Understood. Is there anything else?"

Djibril's eyes narrowed. "Only this; do not fail again. Farewell."

….

Night may have fallen on Lipetsk Air Base, but that did not mean that activity at one of the Eurasian Federation's major aircraft and mobile suit testing grounds had come to a halt. Far from it. As Professor Marius Morozov adjusted his glasses and glanced at his laptop again, he knew that it would still be quite some time before he could shuffle off to bed.

A man in his late thirties, the blond haired and blue-eyed scientist was one of the Eurasian Federation military's chief researchers when it came to mobile suits and their associated technologies. Educated at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, he had almost immediately been drafted upon graduation into the research and development arm of the nation's Air Force. While his early career years had been spent helping to develop next-generation fighter aircraft, it was the dawn of the mobile suit age that had allowed his talents to fully come into their own. Although mobile suits were primarily considered the domain of the Eurasian Federation Army and Space Force, an exception had been made for the program that Marius had been put in charge of; Project Mythos.

Shrouded in absolute secrecy, Project Mythos had its roots in the First Bloody Valentine War. To be more precise, the arrival of Wing Zero onto the battlefield had been the catalyst for the project's inception. While both the Atlantic Federation and ZAFT had competed fiercely to come up with mobile suits that could take on the seemingly unstoppable machine, they had both focused on matching the unit and its pilot in a contest of power. Marius had ruled that out from the get-go; Project Mythos's emphasis would be on speed rather than strength. In many ways, this actually made the effort more difficult as Marius and his team struggled to develop a frame that could push mobile suit agility to its absolute limits while at the same time keeping it capable of supporting enough armaments to pose a threat to a unit of Wing Zero's level once the two machines met in the field. The First Bloody Valentine War had come and gone without a working prototype being fielded, but the two years since then had given Marius more than enough time to refine his design until finally a testbed unit had been produced.

Unfortunately, getting the testbed machine operational didn't solve all of his problems. The mobile suit produced by Project Mythos was a very high-performance unit, and thus the task of finding a pilot suited for running it through trials was not an easy one. The Eurasian Federation's pilot corps had been decimated by the First Bloody Valentine War, particularly the carnage that was the First Battle of Alaska. Marius had been forced to burn up quite a few favors in his search for a qualified pilot, but after a relentless effort he'd finally found the man he was looking for.

Or at least as close as he could get.

The pilot's skills were beyond reproach; his combat record and exercise flights were exemplary. The problem wasn't one of ability or experience, but of age; the man that Marius had chosen for the test pilot of his prototype was well past the point that most pilots typically retired. A younger pilot would've been better, but Marius had not been able to find one that still had enough flight experience to properly test the prototype. Bringing on an old soldier had meant new research was required with regards to reducing the impact the testbed unit's acceleration would have on him. Eventually, a new flight suit had been developed, and thus far the results had been promising, but there was only so much that technology could accomplish.

He's the best damn pilot we have, thought Marius as he studied the readings on the laptop, but his body's not what it used to be. Even the new flight suit can't completely protect him from the g-forces the machine can produce.

A chilly evening breeze blew through his hair, but Marius wasn't bothered by it in the least. He'd grown up not too far from here; the cold was an old friend. That was why he had brought his laptop out onto the tarmac of the airbase rather than observe from the control tower with the rest of his research staff. They were all brilliant individuals, drawn from a pool of talent that stretched across the Eurasian Federation, but none of them could take the chill of the Motherland quite like he could.

A familiar and welcome scent wafted on the air from behind him, and as he looked over his shoulder he saw one of his assistants approaching. The red-haired and green-eyed woman was in her mid-twenties and one of the sharpest graduate students that the Paris Diderot University had every produced, at least in Marius's eyes. She was wrapped up in a thick coat and along green scarf and was clearly uncomfortable in the cold, but her smile was still warm as she presented a steaming cup of coffee to him.

"Care for a little refreshment, Professor?" asked Chloe Dubois, "Surely even you need a little fortification on a night like this, right?"

Marius normally prided himself on keeping a cool demeanor, but he would allow himself a smile here; Chloe was both a competent assistant and a kind-hearted woman, and he wasn't about to turn her down. "Well, I suppose a good cup of java does sound nice right about now. Thank you."

"Of course," she replied before looking up at a small blue-white streak of thruster fire in the night sky, "How's the Major doing?"

Marius didn't follow her gaze; he had already returned his focus to the laptop. "Very well. The adjustments we made to the flight suit after the last round seem to be doing the trick. His vitals are relatively stable, although there have been some fluctuations."

Chloe sighed as her eyes continued to follow the blue-white comet that was the prototype and its pilot. "I guess that's good, but still… this is only flight testing. When he goes into battle… when he goes up against him…"

Marius gave a small nod. "Yes…"

Word had come through just an hour or so before; the unit developed by Project Mythos and its pilot would finally see combat. Marius had always known this day would come, but he'd still been apprehensive about it.

Especially once it had been confirmed that they'd be going up against the very man and machine that had inspired Project Mythos in the first place.

Ever since it reappeared at Armory One, we knew this day would come, he thought, but still… are we ready?

The prototype developed by Project Mythos was a beautiful machine, and its pilot was among the elite of the elite, but Marius was acutely aware of a key flaw; it had been designed to counter Wing Zero as that legendary machine had appeared in its original incarnation. The footage from Armory One and subsequent battlefield had made it clear that the already fearsome unit had been upgraded since the First Bloody Valentine war, and it was now even deadlier than before. It was also readily apparent that not only had its pilot lost none of his skills, but he actually seemed to have become even stronger in the two years since the prior conflict.

It was enough to make Marius wonder if the pilot they were up against was even human.

His eyes narrowed as he focused on the data streaming from the mobile suit up above to his laptop. The machine was firing on all cylinders, and the pilot's readings remained nominal… although they were starting to inch towards the danger zone.

His assistant was right. This was only flight testing. When the time came to meet the enemy in open combat, man and machine would be pushed far harder than this.

Are you really up for this…

…Mihaly?

….

Most combat pilots, whether they flew jet fighters, helicopters, mobile armors or mobile suits, typically transitioned from the cockpit to a support or staff job sometime in their mid-to-late thirties if they survived that long. Occasionally they would fly a little longer in a training capacity, but the fundamental truth of aerial combat was that it was a young man's game, and everyone knew it. There was no shame when the time eventually came to leave the cockpit; on the contrary, it was typically a mark of great skill that the pilot had been able to survive long enough to reach that milestone. Of course, there were always instances where some might believe a particular pilot's survival was due more to luck than ability, but even then, they were afforded a certain deference by their peers, a respect for having lived a long time in a dangerous occupation. While they might look longingly at the sky, most pilots could at least rest easy in the knowledge that they'd put their time in, done their duty, and had passed on that wonderful horizon to a new generation.

Eurasian Federation Air Force Major Mihaly Reyne was not most pilots.

Born to a Hungarian mother and a British father, a pilot and a medic respectively in the Eurasian Federation military, he had loved the skies ever since he'd been a child and had known from a young age that he wanted to race across that vast expanse. Even his mother's death in an aerial combat training accident when he'd been just sixteen years old hadn't dissuaded him from wanting to follow her path. His father had tried to stop him, of course, but eventually he had relented in the face of his son's passion. It was a passion that had never faded, even as the years went by and the idealistic and reckless young man he'd once been was gradually replaced by a seasoned veteran who knew full well that the open sky could be as bloody and deadly as any other battlefield.

Now forty-eight years old, well past the age that even most senior flight instructors turned in their wings, Mihaly's age was definitely showing. Most of his black hair had gone silver, and there were at least a few distinguishable lines in his face. His thin beard and mustache were grey as well, although they were remarkably well-trimmed. A fresh scar went up his left cheek and jawline; a souvenir from a close call he'd had just a few months back when he'd pulled one too many Gs in an exercise and a piece of his visor had broken.

However, anyone who judged him as unworthy to continue flying at first glance was sorely mistaken. His blue eyes still had a razor-sharp edge in them, and they were capable of analyzing any tactical situation in a single glance. His years might've been starting to take their toll, but his body was still in very good shape for his age; decades of relentless physical training had seen to that. He was also by far the most experienced active duty pilot on the Eurasian Federation's flight roster in any branch of the service, and that showed consistently in both his combat record and flight test results.

It was fortunate that he had such a reservoir of experience to draw upon, because he needed every bit of it in order to pilot the machine he was sitting inside now. A slender mobile suit, the MSX-02 Wyvern was unlike any the Eurasian Federation had ever developed before. Sleek and streamlined, it had a primarily black paint job with orange markings; not out of personal taste on Mihaly's part, but to designate the unit as an experimental model. Its powerplant was a set of mostly conventional batteries, although they were much more efficient than previous incarnations. The armor of the frame was conventional as well, a break with the trend of advanced prototypes typically being outfitted with some form of Phase Shift Armor, although unbeknownst to Mihaly it was a trait that his machine did have in common with one that was currently wielded by a certain ZAFT-aligned mercenary.

The Wyvern wouldn't be winning any awards for originality or power when it came to its arsenal. Mounted in its head were a pair of fire-linked Igelstellung 75mm CIWS for missile and light aircraft interception. Mid and long-range firepower came in the form of the XFW-80 Designated Beam Marksman Rifle, a highly precise but otherwise entirely conventional weapon save for the fact that it could fold into a more compact form for storage on the mobile suit's back like it currently was. As for melee weaponry, the Wyvern had only a pair of beam sabers which were stored in compartments located on the unit's hips. It was a rather plain and unremarkable arsenal, especially when one considered the machine that the mobile suit had been designed to fight against.

The unit wasn't meant to overpower the opposition, though. It was designed to outrun and outmaneuver them. The MSX-02 Wyvern had been developed with one overriding imperative; speed. In that, Project Mythos had more than met its goal. The prototype was the fastest battery-powered mobile suit in the entire Earth Sphere, and its thruster output was even believed to rival that of most nuclear-powered machines as well. Every single aspect of the machine had been tailored to coax as much speed and maneuverability out of the frame as possible, and the result was a unit that could run circles around the competition.

Unfortunately, that speed made it almost as deadly to the pilot as it did to the enemy. The Wyvern was an absolute monster when it was allowed to cut loose, and Mihaly had found that out the hard way. He'd never encountered a more punishing and unforgiving machine in his life, and even after months of putting it through its paces he still felt like he was riding a tiger that could turn on him at any moment. Even the special flight suit developed to mitigate the impact of the g-forces exerted by the mobile suit's extreme acceleration was only enough to barely keep him conscious when he pushed the engines towards the redline, and it wasn't uncommon for him to require serious amounts of bedrest after a flight session.

A brutal machine, through and through, he thought as he took the Wyvern through a series of high-speed turns, but I suppose that's to be expected. After all, the machine it was meant to challenge is nothing short of a force of nature on the battlefield.

Increasing the throttle, Mihaly pushed the prototype harder and harder. He could feel himself getting pushed into his seat, and even with the advanced flight suit cushioning the blow the power of the Wyvern's acceleration was definitely making itself known. His brow was furrowed in concentration and sweat was building up there. His breathing remained under control, but there was a measure of strain.

Checking his sensors, he saw a series of red dots show up on the screen. Reorienting his mobile suit, he took a closer look and realized that they were target drones.

"Control, this is Grey Fang," he said, using his test callsign, "I thought we were done with target practice for the day."

"Change of plans," the female flight controller replied, "The Professor wants another round of long-range sniper data. You know the drill."

Mihaly nodded. "Understood. Am I clear to engage?"

"Momentarily," she replied, and Mihaly saw a timer appear on the bottom left corner of his main monitor, "You may start firing once the countdown hits zero."

"Copy that," he said, "Grey Fang, out."

The drones spread out enough that Mihaly was finally able to get an accurate count. There was a dozen of them. They weren't armed, and from the way there were deployed he figured that the test was designed to gauge how well he could balance speed with accuracy in taking them down.

If that's the game you want to play, Professor, then bring it on.

The moment the timer hit zero he gunned the engines. His rifle was already drawn and raised and his sights were locked on the lead drone, which he picked off a moment later. He then immediately shifted his aim and shot down the two drones that had been flying in cover position for the lead one before making a high-g turn and shifting to a new attack vector. He went high and rained a volley down on the targets from above, with each beam finding its mark. In a matter of moments half of the drones had been taken down, while the remaining ones quickly revised their flight patterns to account for the casualties.

It did them little good. Banking to the left, Mihaly flanked his targets and took down two more before they could react. The rest attempted to change formation again, but the units Mihaly had destroyed were the lynchpins of their prior configurations, so their programing had been thrown off balance. It only took a few seconds for him to reduce the rest of them to bits of flaming debris.

Drones lack the capacity to improvise, he thought as he put the Wyvern's rifle away, Artificial Intelligence still has its limits.

The flight controller's voice came over the cockpit speakers again. "Exercise concluded. Well done!"

"Thanks," Mihaly replied, "Got any more tricks to throw at me?"

"Negative," said the flight controller, "Please return to base."

Mihaly nodded. "Copy that."

There were no other machines from the base flying at the moment, so Mihaly didn't have to wait to land. The Wyvern touched down and was in its assigned hangar just a few minutes later, and he could see the Professor approaching. Undoing the flight harness, Mihaly powered down the machine and opened the cockpit.

"You did quite well," said Marius as he stepped out of the mobile suit.

"The drones have lost their edge," said Marius as he climbed down the ladder.

Marius shrugged. "They're drones. There's only so much we can do with them."

Mihaly nodded. "True enough."

Chloe came up a few moments later and passed him a bottle of water. "Excellent flight, Major. How are you feeling?"

"Well enough," said Mihaly as he took a swig, "I didn't redline this time, so that's nice."

"Nevertheless, you're still required to undergo examination," Chloe reminded him.

Mihaly sighed. "I know."

"Good," said Chloe, "The medical team is ready whenever you are."

"Give him minute or two, Chloe," Marius gently chided, "He should get at least a brief respite after that performance."

Chloe nodded. "Of course."

As she walked away, Mihaly saw Marius smile. "She means well enough."

"I know," said Mihaly with a chuckle, "Although part of me thinks that she's just eager to get me out of this flight suit."

Marius smirked. "Yes, well, you do seem to have that effect on the female staff around here."

"I always thought all the grey in my hair would be off-putting to them," said Mihaly dryly, "I guess this silver fox hasn't lost his charm just yet."

Marius nodded. "Indeed. You'll need more than charm come tomorrow, though."

Mihaly's eyes narrowed. "So it's official, then?"

"Yes," said Marius, "You'll be shipped out to join the Atlantic Federation's fleet in the Mediterranean. The commanding officer you'll be working with is Major Allen Hamilton."

"Never heard of him," said Mihaly.

"No reason you should've," Marius replied, "I managed to pull his file; he's got a decent record and plenty of skill, but he's not on your level. Still, he seems competent enough."

Mihaly's eyes narrowed. "Whatever happened to that black ops Colonel that was supposed to be in charge? You know, the one they say wears a mask?"

Marius shook his head. "I'm not sure. If I had to guess, I'd say a reassignment due to disgrace was in order; he's lost one too many times to the target."

"That makes sense," Mihaly conceded, "Although he's lucky he lived long enough to be reassigned given who he was up against."

"Quite true," Marius concurred.

"Speaking of the enemy," said Mihaly, "Do you have any updates on it?"

"Only that it's as deadly as ever," Marius replied, "You didn't really need me to tell you that, though."

Mihaly closed his eyes momentarily. "No… I guess I didn't."

As deadly as ever, he mused, I'd actually say more so when compared to two years ago, and it was powerful enough back then as it is.

Wing Zero…

He'd always felt a little off whenever he'd thought about the unit's supposed demolition prior to the signing of the Treaty of Junius Seven. Something had nagged at the back of his mind, but he could never quite put his finger on it. Once it had made its return at Armory One he'd finally realized that what he'd felt was suspicion, and he'd been vindicated; Wing Zero had not been destroyed. If anything, it had been reborn, and its resurfacing had heralded the return of the legendary pilot that could wield its awesome power unlike any other.

"It hasn't been further upgraded, at least according to the most recent reports," said Marius, "However, given just how advanced its current configuration is, one could safely make the argument that additional upgrades aren't really needed."

Mihaly chuckled. "One could've made that argument regarding its original form, too."

Marius nodded. "True."

"Any updates on the pilot?" asked Mihaly.

Marius shook his head. "As usual, the pilot's even more enigmatic than his machine. We don't know what his current objective is in siding with ZAFT, and that's not even getting into the four new machines that have been spotted fighting alongside it since the engagement at Armory One. As if just facing Wing Zero wasn't hard enough; now it appears that there's an entire team of units that are variants of that original design. No one knows what they're after, especially since most of them split off from ZAFT's force after the interception of the Junius Seven debris fragments only to rejoin the Minerva subsequently to the ship leaving Carpentaria after it fled Orb. Their movements are unpredictable and lend very few clues as to the motives of any of the pilots."

Mihaly sighed. "Last time, Wing Zero and its allies fought against both the Alliance and ZAFT because they determined that both superpowers were threats to the entire Earth Sphere. Maybe this time they've determined that it's only the Alliance that's the threat. Given how they opened up the war with an attempted nuclear strike on the PLANTs, it's hard to dispute that idea."

"You're right," Marius conceded, "It's awfully hard to feel enthusiastic about supporting our current allies given the circumstances."

Mihaly nodded. "Believe me, you're not the only one around here that feels that way. Still, if our government is determined to uphold their end of the alliance then there's not much that you and I can do about it."

Marius shook his head. "Americans… always trying to drag everyone else into their wars of conquest and then trying to justify it as a righteous crusade. You'd think that our leaders would've learned their lesson and cut ties with them after the last conflict."

"An alliance as broad and long-standing as ours is not easily torn asunder," Mihaly pointed out, "For better or worse, the leaders of both our nation and the Republic of East Asia seem to believe that they've invested too much into the Earth Alliance to jeopardize it now."

Marius rolled his eyes. "An example of the sunk-cost-fallacy taken to the point that billions of lives are now at risk. No one learned their lesson from the last time around. In that light, I suppose it's hardly a surprise that the soldiers who fought against both the Earth Alliance and ZAFT in the prior conflict upgraded their mobile suits and warships; they could see this new war coming long before the rest of us."

"Yes," said Mihaly, "and now here we are, pitted against them."

The Professor's eyes narrowed. "I don't doubt your skills, but… is this a battle that you're really prepared to fight? One moment of hesitation will be all a pilot of his caliber will need to win."

"What makes you think I'll hesitate?" asked Mihaly.

"You know why," Marius shot back, "Were it not for what he did at the First Battle of Alaska, you would've died there. If not at the hands of ZAFT, then definitely from that nasty trap the Atlantic Federation set for them. Regardless, you owe him your life, something that we both know you don't take lightly."

Mihaly's gaze hardened. "Perhaps, but that was the last war. This is a new one. If he's fighting against the Earth Alliance, then whether we like it or not that means he's fighting against us. My personal feelings have no place on the battlefield."

Marius shook his head. "Playing the cold professional? Come on, Mihaly; it's never that simple. We've worked together long enough that I know how you think. This isn't a battle that you want, and not because of how dangerous your opponent is."

Mihaly sighed. "Whether I want it or not is irrelevant at this point. This is the hand we've been dealt. All that's left to do now is play it."

Marius nodded. "If you're sure about it."

"I am," Mihaly replied.

"Very well, then," said Marius, "I'm heading inside; I need to run the latest batch of data so we can make final adjustments before you ship out tomorrow. Go see the medical team, and then get some rest."

Mihaly nodded. "Will do."

As the Professor departed, the Major walked to the edge of the hangar entrance. Looking up at the night sky, his mind turned to the foe that he would eventually be fighting.

I've wanted to meet you for some time now. I just never thought it'd be like this…

… Heero Yuy.

….

In his office in Aprilius One, Durandal nodded as he listened to the latest update from the head of the Defense Council. "So, the reinforcements are ready for the drop?"

On his desktop monitor, Grand Admiral Brinkmann nodded. "They'll begin their descent in a few hours. Once they've made it to the surface it shouldn't take them long to fully secure the Suez Canal and the Gulnahan Ravine in cooperation with our forces already on the ground."

Durandal smiled. "Would I be safe in assuming that would be enough to free up the Minerva so she can continue on her way without crippling our local forces?"

"That's correct, Chairman," Brinkmann replied, "She'll still have to fight her way through the Alliance's Mediterranean maritime patrols, but she should be able to make it to Gibraltar."

Durandal closed his eyes for a moment. "About that… I believe a slight detour may be in order, Grand Admiral."

The head of the Defense Council raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon, Chairman?"

"The Diocuia base in the Black Sea," said Durandal, "It's only recently been secured, and the troops stationed there are mostly green, correct? Would it not be easier for the Minerva to get there than to run the Alliance gauntlet to make it to Gibraltar?"

A rather unexpected bonus from Operation: Spear of Twilight was that, in addition to securing their Carpentaria and Gibraltar bases, ZAFT had been able to make a new acquisition in the form of the Diocuia base. This had come about not due to the original operation plan, but rather because the Earth Alliance had deployed so much of their surface strength in an effort to besiege the two main bases before reinforcements could arrive that they'd unwittingly left other key strategic areas wide open. As a result, ZAFT's massive orbital drop operation had been hastily modified with the intent of setting up a fresh base on the surface in addition to reinforcing the positions they currently held. Diocuia, with its valuable position on the western coast of the Black Sea, had been chosen as the point to take. It would present a threat to the rear of the forces that had been moving to besiege Gibraltar and would offer an additional staging area for potential operations against the Eurasian Federation.

The initial drop had included a wave of expeditionary soldiers to secure the beachhead, followed by groups of veteran engineers and prefabricated structural modules to allow for the quick assembly of facilities and fortifications. Thanks to the valuable hands-on-experience gained in the last war, establishing the new base had been done in near record time, including a comprehensive network of aerial and surface detection radars and an interlocking web of artillery positions supported by mobile suits. All the gear and weapons employed were the most modern that ZAFT had available, but if the new base had a weakness it was the fact that the combat troops assigned to protect it were almost all fresh recruits who had only recently made the transition from basic training to active duty.

Brinkmann's brow furrowed. "Well, the Earth Alliance doesn't have nearly as many ships or airborne units positioned near there as they do Gibraltar; our taking Diocuia caught them completely by surprise, so they're still struggling to reposition their forces. The Minerva could make it there easily enough. However, getting out would be another matter. Their quickest return route to the Mediterranean would be through the Dardanelles, and that's a natural chokepoint. If the Minerva enters the Black Sea then the Alliance could try to trap her there."

Durandal nodded. "I understand. That being said, I do believe it's a risk worth taking. A short stop at Diocuia would not only give her a chance to restock her supplies, but it would also bolster the confidence of the troops we've stationed there. It would also be the ideal place for a meeting."

Brinkmann looked puzzled. "A meeting, Chairman?"

"Tell me something, Grand Admiral," said Durandal, "If I attempted to descend to Earth in a shuttle and made either Carpentaria or Gibraltar my destination, how far do you think I would get before the Alliance shot me down?"

Brinkmann shook his head. "Hardly halfway. Even with their forces reduced in the Pacific thanks to the attacks from the renegades, they would still have enough firepower positioned around Carpentaria to mount a successful interception before you made it within the friendly anti-air umbrella. As for Gibraltar, that's completely out of the question; the Alliance forces in the Mediterranean are much more intact when compared to their counterparts in the Pacific."

"That's about what I expected," Durandal replied, "By contrast, a landing approach to Diocuia would be much easier, yes?"

Brinkmann nodded. "Well, it would be safer. Defending your shuttle on the approach would certainly be more feasible there, especially in light of the numbers of troops and artillery emplacements we were able to establish in the area. Combine that with the losses the Alliance forces have taken thus far in outer space and a landing at Diocuia becomes quite possible. Still, with all due respect, it seems like an unnecessary risk, Chairman."

"I can see why you might think so," said Durandal, "However, rest assured that I have my reasons."

"I see," said Brinkmann, "Shall I take this to mean that you would like to head down there immediately?"

"As quickly as possible," Durandal answered with a smile, "At least in time to meet the Minerva there. Also, there are a few special guests that I'd like to bring along."

….

November 1st, C.E. 73

Taking another sip of her coffee, Talia hoped she looked more awake than she felt. Composing her post-battle reports and after-action damage assessments had consumed most of the prior evening; she'd barely gotten four hours of sleep before she'd been woken by a notification from the Defense Council. She'd had to read over the new orders twice to fully comprehend them, and even now she was still struggling to come to grips with their implications.

Of all the places they could be sending us, she thought, I mean, I'm glad it's not another battlefield right off the bat, but still… there's a lot that can go wrong here.

There was a chime before she heard a familiar voice come over the office's speaker. "Captain? It's Athrun. I've got the Gundam pilots with me."

Talia nodded. "You're right on time. Please, come in."

The door slid open and the best pilots currently on the Minerva entered her office. None of them looked any worse for the wear, and while a few of them regarded her warily they didn't show any signs of hostility. They seemed more curious than anything else, which Talia would happily take; she didn't need to deal with someone as combative as Shinn when she only felt half-awake.

She smiled as she addressed the six young men before her. "Thank you very much for coming here this morning. I've just received new orders from the Defense Council, and I wanted you to be the first to know; it'll make things easier going forward."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "Why us? Athrun I get; he's officially back with ZAFT. The rest of us aren't part of your command structure, though."

"Shouldn't the rest of the ZAFT pilots on this ship be here?" asked Trowa.

"They'll be informed soon enough," Talia replied, "However, you six have far more combat experience than those three do, so I felt it prudent to read you in first. After all, you're the cornerstone of this ship's defenses."

Quatre smiled. "You're too kind. We're just doing our best to help, nothing more."

Wufei folded his arms. "So, what's going on? What are these new orders?"

"We've been redirected," Talia answered, "We're no longer heading to Gibraltar. Our next stop is Diocuia. It's a new ZAFT base on the shore of the Black Sea."

She saw Heero's eyes narrow almost imperceptibly. "Diocuia? First I've heard of it."

Talia nodded. "I'm not surprised. It's quite a recent acquisition, actually. Apparently, Operation: Spear of Twilight was modified to not only reinforce the Carpentaria and Gibraltar bases, but to set up a new one as well. Consider it an impromptu land grab."

"I thought ZAFT was waging a defensive war here," said Trowa, "Territorial conquest would indicate a much more aggressive strategy."

Athrun shook his head. "I'm sure that's not what the Chairman has in mind."

"Indeed," said Talia, "The Defense Council's campaign objectives remain clear; hold our ground and eventually force the enemy to sue for peace. Diocuia is nothing more than a tactical gain in pursuit of a broader strategic picture. Holding it divides the Earth Alliance forces in Europe, taking some heat off of Gibraltar. This makes maintaining viable surface positions more manageable for ZAFT. Once this war is over, I'm sure arrangements will be made to pull out."

Duo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."

Talia gave him a firm look. "Is there something you want to say, Maxwell?"

Duo shrugged. "Maybe you think ZAFT's different, but in my experience, when armies seize new territory by force, the nations they fight for don't like to just give it up once the fighting's over."

"With all due respect, Captain, he has a point," said Quatre, "None of us doubt you personally, but given ZAFT's behavior in the last war can you really blame us for being suspicious of your superiors?"

The truth was, Talia couldn't. She'd had similar misgivings when she'd read the initial report. Taking the Suez Canal was one thing; it was a vital strategic point in any global conflict, so to not contest it would be folly. Diocuia was another matter, though. Sure, the logic presented in the new orders Talia had received was sound, but a small voice at the back of her mind was telling her that it wasn't that simple.

Durandal… what are you playing at?

She forced herself to remain focused; regardless of her personal doubts, she had a mission to accomplish. "I suppose I can understand your concerns. That being said, what's done is done. The Diocuia base has been established, and the Defense Council has redirected us there. This will serve two purposes; it will allow us to refresh our supplies and perform repairs while boosting the new base's available firepower."

Wufei nodded. "A show of force to discourage attacks while the new base improves its defenses. Sounds reasonable enough."

Talia smiled; at least she had one Gundam pilot who was willing to roll with it. "Yes. We likely won't be staying too long, but even our temporary presence will serve as a message to the Earth Alliance, and its potency will be magnified by you and your Gundams being with us."

"It'll also be far easier to get there than Gibraltar," Trowa pointed out, "The Alliance's forces are mostly prepared to intercept us if we head west, not north."

"That doesn't mean we'll have a free ride, though," Heero countered, "We still need to remain on guard."

Athrun smiled. "That should really go without saying at this point."

"Perhaps, but it's sound advice nonetheless," said Talia, "You six will be our first line of defense should we come across any local Alliance forces. We'll be counting on you."

Duo nodded. "So, when do we head out?"

"Within the hour," Talia answered, "The reinforcements that ZAFT dropped here during the night should be enough to help our local forces hold the Suez Canal and the Gulnahan Ravine. We just need to make final preparations and we'll be underway shortly. I'll be informing the rest of the crew of our new destination momentarily."

"How far is it from here to Diocuia?" asked Quatre.

"A straight shot would be a little over fifteen-hundred kilometers," Talia replied, "Given that we'll have to outmaneuver enemy patrols, even if they won't be as numerous as those to the west, it'll likely require us a day or two in order to make it there."

Heero nodded. "We'll make sure our Gundams are ready for any potential trouble."

"That's all I can ask," said Talia, "Thank you. You're free to go, with the exception of Athrun; there's another matter I need to discuss with you."

Talia thought the Gundam pilots might protest, but they took it in stride. They simply gave the newly minted FAITH operative a look and a nod before leaving the office.

"What is it?" asked Athrun as the door closed behind him.

"In the new orders we received were some contents that were marked 'FAITH Eyes Only'," she said, "It's the first time I've ever seen that designation."

Athrun raised an eyebrow. "First time I've heard of it, too. I guess with our special positions it shouldn't be too surprising, though. I mean, we do answer directly to the Chairman and the Supreme Council."

Talia nodded. "True enough. With regards to those contents, they're concerning Diocuia; our stop there will be more than just to resupply and make a temporary show of force in the region."

Athrun looked puzzled. "What else do they want us to do?"

"Nothing directly," said Talia, "However, around the time that we're scheduled to arrive at the base, a group of VIPs will be coming to Diocuia."

"Who?" asked Athrun.

"For starters, a fellow member of FAITH by the name of Heine Westenfluss," said Talia, "He's a mobile suit pilot, and apparently he'll be bringing one of the new GOUF Ignited mobile suits with him; he'll be joining our ranks upon our departure from the base."

Athrun smiled. "I worked with him when the Alliance launched their attack on the PLANTs at the start of this war. He's a very good pilot. He'll definitely be a big help to us."

"I didn't realize that the two of you were already acquainted," said Talia, "I suppose that'll make integrating him into our forces a little easier, then. If he's as skilled as you say he is, then he'll be a welcome addition to our mobile suit squadron."

Athrun folded his arms. "Who else is coming? The Minerva won't have much room for additional mobile suits after Heine joins us."

"The remaining VIPs won't be joining the Minerva," Talia replied, "Rather, we're scheduled to have a meeting with them upon their arrival at Diocuia. You, me, and all of the other pilots on the Minerva have been requested to attend, and that includes the Gundam pilots. However, given the sensitive nature of who we're meeting, the others are not to learn of their identity until they arrive at the base."

"You still haven't told me who exactly 'they' are," Athrun pointed out.

Talia sighed. "Right. Sorry, I didn't mean to beat around the bush. It's Chairman Durandal and Lacus Clyne."

Athrun's eyes widened. "The Chairman's coming down to the surface? Along with M… with Lacus? Are they crazy?"

Talia was a bit taken aback by his reaction to the second VIP. It had almost been like he was about to say another name entirely. For a moment she considered pressing the matter but ultimately decided against it; there were more important things on their plate to deal with.

"While I too question the Chairman's decision to journey to Earth while the planet's waging war against us, it's not like any of us have the authority to stop him," said Talia, "His decision to meet with us in person is a major part of why our destination was changed from Gibraltar to Diocuia; since the Alliance hasn't concentrated its troops around the latter, the Chairman has a window to make it down here with a sufficient escort. As to why he's bringing Miss Clyne along, from what I understand it's to bolster the morale of our soldiers."

Athrun nodded. "I see."

There was a moment's hesitation that drew Talia's attention. The young man before her seemed rather apprehensive about the songstress coming down to Earth. The fact that they had once been engaged might've had something to do with it. Once again, she was tempted to dig further but ultimately held back; if it was a personal matter, then Athrun and Lacus would have to work it out themselves.

"Unfortunately, I have no further details at this time," she said, "Whatever the Chairman wants with us, we'll just have to wait until we meet him at Diocuia."

"Understood," Athrun replied, "Is there anything else you need from me?"

"Only that you be ready to deploy should the need arise," said Talia, "Our course north won't be as perilous as the one that we would've taken west to reach Gibraltar, but this is still the Mediterranean. The Alliance considers it their territory, and they could always move to engage us while we're on it. Be prepared for battle, and hope we can avoid it."

Athrun saluted. "Copy that, Captain."

….

The Middle Eastern coastline was well behind the Minerva as Wufei stepped out onto its upper deck. With the sun high in the sky and a pleasant sea breeze wafting through the air, the L5 native couldn't think of a better environment to get some training in. His curved sword was sheathed at his hip, and as he drew it the sunlight gleamed on the blade.

A thing of beauty, he thought as he took a moment to gaze upon the weapon, and yet it's nothing more than an archaic relic of a clan that's been reduced to little more than ashes and dust.

All except for me.

He brushed such musings aside as he began his preliminary exercises. A series of simple slashes was enough to get him limbered up, and a few minutes later he went into a crouch, blade held above his head; the real workout was about to begin.

"Got room for one more?" asked a familiar voice from behind him.

Turning around, Wufei saw Heero Yuy coming out onto the deck. A blade was sheathed at his hip as well; a slender saber of European design. Wufei's eyes narrowed as he studied it.

He knew that blade.

It had been held at his throat nearly three years ago.

"You still have it," he said, his eyes fixed on the saber.

Heero simply nodded. "Yes."

Wufei smirked. "I saw the fight, you know? The one with you and that Valkyrie woman? It's still got quite the following online even two years on."

"I should've figured you'd check that out," said Heero as he drew the blade, "I know Treize was more your rival than mine, but I hope you don't mind that I'm keeping the blade."

Wufei shrugged. "Lady Une gave it to you, right? Do with it what you will."

He watched as his fellow Gundam pilot went through a series of warmup drills. Thrusts, cuts, slashes; they were all precise and swift. Wufei expected nothing less.

He stepped forward and gestured at his curved blade. "It's been a while since I've had a good sparring partner. Want to go a round?"

Heero paused and studied him for a moment before nodding. "Sure."

The two warriors moved to opposite sides of the observation deck. In unison, they raised their blades in salute.

"Show me what you've got," said Wufei, his eyes narrowing behind the blade.

There was a frigid edge in the gaze of his opponent. "Be careful what you wish for."

Wufei felt the thrill of anticipation rush down his spine. Oh, how long he had yearned for the chance to test his skills against the likes of him. Heero may have answered his challenge casually, but the look in his eyes was all Wufei needed to know that he was taking this seriously.

They were so focused the imminent duel that neither of them realized they were being watched.

….

It wasn't as though Lunamaria had been planning on spying today. Since there were currently no threats to contend with she'd been hoping for the chance to relax a little bit, and the weather was nice enough that the ship's exterior observation deck sounded quite appealing. She hadn't counted on running into anyone, least of all Wufei, although she wasn't entirely opposed to the prospect either.

Needless to say, when she poked her head outside, the last thing she'd expected to see was Wufei and Heero facing each other with swords raised.

No way, she thought as she crouched in the doorway, are they actually going to…

She got her answer a moment later when, at some signal invisible to all but the two Gundam pilots themselves, they both lunged forward. The clash of steel blades rang out in the late morning air as Lunamaria was treated to one hell of a show.

She'd seen Wufei practice with his blade before, and like so many other people of her age group she'd watched the video posted online during the last war of Heero and Shemei dueling in the hangar of the Archangel. Those displays had been beyond impressive, but never had she dreamed that she would see two Gundam pilots clashing like this.

Their styles were distinctive and deadly. Wufei was the more acrobatic of the two, throwing in leaps and flips in an effort to confuse and overwhelm his opponent. His curved blade seemed to dance upon the air, weaving a string of sweeping slashes as he attempted to push his foe back. The combined speed and grace that she was witnessing made Lunamaria realize just how limited her perception of the term 'martial arts' had been until now. No combat instructor from her training days could ever hope to match the display of agility and elegance that was unfolding before her eyes.

In contrast to Wufei, Heero remained firmly rooted to the ground, but that did not make him any less impressive. Quite the opposite, in fact; his sleek saber moved so quickly to intercept Wufei's attacks that it almost felt like a solid wall of steel had been erected between the Demon Lord of Avalon and his foe. His defense was efficient and seamless, with each deflection and parry so swift and precise it was almost like he knew where Wufei would strike before he made his move. Each block used only the bare minimum amount of energy required, with the blade weaving an incredibly tight circle around the wielder designed to pick off any attack.

The tempo of the fight only increased as Wufei continued his assault and Heero kept fending him off, and Lunamaria was stunned to realize that despite the already phenomenal display she had already witnessed the two combatants were only just warming up. Wufei's speed was picking up incrementally by the second, and that naturally necessitated a reaction from Heero. The pace of his parries and deflections increased, and Lunamaria felt as if a storm was brewing between the two fighters.

"Why are you here?" asked Heero as he blocked an overhand strike.

For a second Lunamaria panicked, believing that his question had been directed at her. However, a moment later she realized she hadn't been the intended recipient; it was Wufei.

"The same reason you are," he replied as he shifted to a sequence of horizontal slashes.

Heero shook his head as he continued his deflections. "I highly doubt that."

"Come on," said Wufei as he pressed his assault, "You don't need to lie to me. A world of peace at the expense of those who fought to achieve it was never going to be our home. You simply realized it before the rest of us."

What the hell is he talking about?, thought Lunamaria, Something's not right here…

"You're mistaken, Wufei," Heero replied as he kept up his defense, "I came here entirely by accident."

Wufei nodded. "Sure, but then you stayed. You could've found your way back, but you chose not to. You knew the truth, just like I've learned the truth."

Heero's eyes narrowed as he parried Wufei's slash. "What 'truth' would that be?"

"When the war ended, we all believed for a time that the world that followed would be one where the sacrifices made would be given meaning," said Wufei as he launched a fresh and furious sequence of strikes, "However, those who put everything on the line to bring about the new era were cast aside. The ones who came to rule were those who never put themselves at risk like you and I did. They came to power only by leeching off of our strength."

"You're wrong, Wufei," Heero countered firmly, "Theirs was a different kind of strength; the strength to see the world beyond the battlefields that you and I had become accustomed to. Our battles were meant to give them the chance they needed to rise above the old order and build a new one that would truly deliver on the promises of peace and justice that rang so hollow in the former regime."

"Can you really say that peace at the expense of lives deserves to be defined as peace?" Wufei all but spat as he intensified his assault, "Can you really say that an order who owes its very existence to the soldiers that it's now pushed aside is one that can deliver on a promise of justice?"

"Our time was over," said Heero, and Lunamaria felt a chill at the harsh edge that was creeping into his voice, "Our war was over. We fought for the freedom of the colonies and the safety of the world, not to create a warrior's paradise."

Wufei smirked. "And yet that's exactly what you found here! That's why you stayed. We didn't belong in our old world anymore. It abandoned the soldiers that gave it the peace it desired. The Cosmic Era, though, is a world that will always need warriors like us!"

"A world…" Lunamaria muttered, "Wait a minute…"

Every conversation that she'd had with Wufei since he'd saved her life at Armory One flashed through her mind. All the cryptic reference he'd made to past events that she didn't recognize, to battles of such a scale that they should've been well-recorded in history and yet she hadn't been able to place them, to a campaign against a world order that sounded as bad as the Earth Alliance and yet at the same time had a different feel about it…

If she still had doubts, Wufei's next words were enough to put them to rest. "Admit the truth, Heero. The After Colony world's shameful version of peace repulsed you, so once you found this world you refused to go back. You journeyed to a new battlefield and found it in the Cosmic Era. In this world you found a Gundam pilot's Valhalla!"

Lunamaria was floored. There it was, finally out in the open. All the theories that had been floated ever since Wing Zero had first appeared two years ago, and all the new ones that had cropped up when the five Gundam pilots had revealed themselves at Armory One…

…none of them had been anywhere close to the truth.

Incredible, she thought as her mind struggled to take it all in, I had no idea… no one did…

The implications were enormous. The scientific community alone would be blown away if they found out, and their reaction would likely pale in comparison to those of the great military powers.

An entire world, separate from the Cosmic Era, with its own history, advanced technology…

…and pilots so powerful they might as well have been gods of war.

It was all Lunamaria could do to drag herself back to the here and now as the duel continued. The pattern of Wufei being on offense and Heero staying on defense remained, but something else had changed. If this skirmish had started out as a casual practice fight, it was no longer that now. Their blades clashed at a furious pace, as if mirroring the escalating tension in the air. She saw such intensity in both their eyes that she was honestly expecting bolts of lightning to start flying between them at this point.

"Is that what you truly believe?" asked Heero, and Lunamaria felt a chill go down her spine at the frigid edge in his tone, "You think I stayed in the Cosmic Era for the sake of endless battle?"

"You stayed because it grants a warrior of your caliber an eternal purpose!" Wufei declared, "The same purpose that I've been searching for. There is evil in this world that can only be countered by facing it head-on in combat! You defeated it two years ago, yet it regrouped and prepared the new campaign that it's now unleashed upon this world. You saw the truth; that you would always be needed in this world to contain and defeat that evil as it continuously reincarnated! This is where warriors like us belong!"

Heero shook his head as he continued to fend off Wufei's assault. "If that's what you think, then you disappoint me. I thought you were more perceptive than this, Wufei."

"You still deny it?" asked Wufei as he went into a series of vicious slashes, "Why? You and I are the same! We can only feel truly alive in battle! This world gives us an enemy that deserves to be extinguished by our hands. You know this is true!"

"What's true is that I didn't come here searching for a new war," Heero countered firmly, "and it's not why I'm staying here. If you had joined the rest of us after Operation Redemption rather than staying with the Minerva you would've seen what I mean."

Wufei's eyes narrowed as he further ramped up his offensive. "If you do not acknowledge the evil that we face, then how can you ever hope to defeat it?"

"I never denied what we are up against," Heero shot back as his saber raced to pick off Wufei's strikes as if it had a mind of its own, "The Earth Alliance opened this war with an attempt at genocide; that they must be fought is beyond questioning. However, they are not the only enemy we face. If you weren't blinded by desperation for a purpose then you would see that."

Lunamaria was baffled at how they could have a debate like this in the middle of such a ferocious sparring match. Were their moves truly so instinctive that they could actually spare thoughts for an argument such as this? More to the point, how had they come to diverge so sharply to begin with? Lunamaria wouldn't pretend to understand; she was still having trouble comprehending the magnitude of their revelation regarding where they had come from.

She could only look on as the duel continued, and she sensed that it was approaching a climax. The two fighters were actually starting to sweat now, and their blades were clashing at such a fearsome pace that the song of steel meeting steel was now a continuous staccato capable of rivaling a machinegun. Despite their contentious arguments, both fighters remained in firm control of themselves; their emotions fueled them, but they were not dominated by them. It was a distinction that Lunamaria knew Shinn could stand to learn a thing or two about.

As Wufei lunged forward, Heero finally shifted from defense to offense. Parrying Wufei's strike, Heero then thrust his saber forward, forcing his foe to twist to the side to avoid it. That was only the opening shot; the next flurry of thrusts and cuts from the legendary pilot was blindingly fast, and Wufei had no choice but to adopt a defensive posture.

"I came to the Cosmic Era by accident, Wufei," said Heero as he pressed his assault, "As for why I stayed, it wasn't out of desire for a meaningful battlefield. Yes, I suspected that the evil of the last war was not wholly defeated; I felt it would eventually regroup for a fresh campaign and prepared accordingly. However, the reason I'm still here is not to wage an endless war against that evil for the sake of giving myself a purpose. I fight, but fighting is not my purpose."

"Then what is it?" Wufei demanded as he furiously deflected Heero's attacks, "Why are you still here?"

His reply was the last thing Lunamaria expected to hear. "Love."

Her jaw dropped at that answer, and for a moment the ZAFT Red doubted her ears. Heero Yuy was a pilot whose reputation had been built almost entirely on his incredible destructive power on the battlefield. ZAFT intelligence reports fed to Lunamaria and her fellow pilots during training had given the portrayal of a relentless soldier whose lethality was as much the product of an inhuman determination as it was the advanced nature of the mobile suit he wielded. The idea that said determination might be fueled by an emotion such as love had never even been considered.

From the stunned look on Wufei's face, it appeared that Lunamaria wasn't the only one thrown for a loop by Heero's response. "You… you've got to be kidding me!"

Heero shook his head. "I can assure you that I'm completely serious, Wufei."

As if to emphasize his point, Heero surged forward. Wufei was momentarily off balance from the prior revelation, and the Demon Lord of Avalon had apparently decided to use that opening to bring the duel to a decisive end. He made a swift low thrust, which Wufei was able to block, but that was only a feint; the real finishing blow came in the form of a rapid follow-up thrust aimed high, which slipped through Wufei's defenses and brought Heero's blade to rest just a hair's width above his fellow Gundam pilot's throat.

"Match," Heero declared.

Wufei's eyes narrowed for a moment before he lowered his sword and nodded. "So it is."

"Incredible…" Lunamaria murmured in awe.

Unfortunately, as soft as her utterance might've been, it wasn't enough to keep her presence concealed. The moment the whisper left her mouth both Heero and Wufei, no longer caught up in an intense clash of blades and words, whirled around and locked onto her position with lightning speed.

"Get out here," said Heero, and Lunamaria felt a chill run down her spine, "Now."

"We know you're there," said Wufei, "Don't even try to run."

Well… fuck.

Running would be useless; Lunamaria knew that the two of them would catch her in no time at all. She took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself before cautiously stepping out of the doorway and onto the observation deck.

Wufei's eyes widened slightly when he saw her. "It's you…"

Heero went right to the point. "You heard everything, didn't you?"

Lunamaria highly doubted that she'd be able to get away with lying at this point. "Well… yes."

After a moment, Wufei sighed as he sheathed his sword. "We were sloppy."

Heero nodded as he did the same. "Yes."

The two of them looked at her, and Lunamaria felt as if they could both see right through her. What were they going to do? They'd sheathed their swords, so it didn't look like they were planning on silencing her right then and there, but that didn't change the fact that her position was extremely precarious.

"What will you do?" asked Heero.

Lunamaria blinked, taken aback by his question; she hadn't expected him to just straight up inquire as to her intentions like that. "I… well… I don't know."

She was struck by the approving nod he gave her. "You're honest, if nothing else. A strange trait for an eavesdropper, but not an unwelcome one under the circumstances."

She looked back and forth between the two of them. "What… what would you two do if I did tell someone?"

"Would anyone believe you?" asked Wufei pointedly, "Do you believe what you heard?"

It was a valid point. Lunamaria did believe what she had overheard, but would her friends and comrades? It all sounded so crazy that she suspected anyone's first reaction to hearing her account would be to recommend her for a psyche evaluation.

"I… I'm not sure," she admitted, "I mean, it's all so… strange."

"That's as good as any way to put it," said Heero, "You certainly wouldn't be the first to have such a reaction."

Lunamaria's eyes narrowed as another piece fell into place. "Athrun and Lady Cagalli… they both know, don't they? Before you all even came aboard the Minerva after the attack on Armory One, they already knew the truth."

Heero nodded. "That's correct."

He was so casual about it that it took Lunamaria completely off guard; she'd been expecting much more resistant. "So, then… the last war… it wasn't your first one. You fought another in… in the world you're from."

"Yes," said Heero, "as did Duo, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei. However, the four of them weren't here for the First Bloody Valentine War; they arrived in the Cosmic Era the same day as the Armory One attack."

Lunamaria turned to Wufei. "Is that true?"

"It is," said Wufei, "Heero might've been scouting out your arms development colony on purpose, but the rest of us just showed up by chance."

Lunamaria felt light-headed as she tried to absorb and process everything she was hearing. "This… this is all crazy. You know that, right?"

Wufei shrugged. "Just because it sounds insane doesn't change the fact that it's the truth."

"Whether or not it's a truth that you can accept is something that only you can decide," Heero added, "The same goes for anyone else that you might speak to about this matter."

He then turned to Wufei, and Lunamaria could feel the air once again thicken with tension. For a moment she feared that the two of them were about to start another duel, but it appeared that Heero had no interest in that.

"The truth is the truth," said Heero, "No more and no less. That's the same whether it's regarding how we came here… or why some of us might choose to stay here."

Wufei's eyes narrowed. "Indeed. It seems I was wrong about you. I thought you'd found a place where your skills could be constantly put to the test and where you would show the world what it truly means to be a soldier. I was mistaken. You've grown weak, Heero."

Heero shook his head. "If that's the way you see things, then somewhere between that final battle at the Libra and now you've gone badly astray. Fighting for the person you love doesn't make you weak; quite the opposite, in fact."

He turned to leave, but before doing so he looked back and forth between Wufei and Lunamaria. As he studied her, Lunamaria tried to get a read on just what he was thinking, but he was as inscrutable as ever.

"Wufei," he said after a moment, "When I came to this world, I wasn't all that different from you. I was looking for a purpose, although I didn't know what kind. The one that I found wasn't what I'd imagined when I crossed over from our old world, but it's one that I wouldn't trade for anything."

Wufei folded his arms. "Your point?"

"Take a step back and think about why you're really here," Heero replied, "I know how powerful your sense of justice is, as well as your pride as a warrior. There's a place for that here, but if you decide to stay that shouldn't be your only reason. In fact…"

He turned to Lunamaria again, and she was surprised at the look on his face; he almost appeared amused more than anything else. "You may find that the true reason you choose to remain here is very different from what you initially had in mind."

With that, he left the observation deck. Lunamaria couldn't help but blush as her gaze met Wufei's.

Had Heero actually been implying what she thought he was?

The silence between the two of them grew increasingly awkward, until Lunamaria couldn't take it anymore. "So… what now?"

Wufei raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

That was a good question, and it was one that Lunamaria struggled to find an appropriate answer for. "Well, I mean… what's next for you? Are you still going to stay with the Minerva? Are we still your ticket to a… meaningful battlefield?"

After a moment, Wufei nodded. "Yes. I have no reason to leave right now."

"So that's really all we are to you?" she asked, growing increasingly flustered, "Just… just a means to an end?"

There was another moment's hesitation on his part, and Lunamaria felt that she might've finally found a chink in his armor. "You… you wouldn't understand."

"How am I supposed to understand when you won't give me a real answer?" she demanded, "How am I supposed to figure you out when it takes this damn long to learn the truth about where you're really from? How can you expect me to understand if you won't be honest with me?"

Wufei shook his head in incredulity. "Why does it matter so much to you? Why does where I'm really from and what I've really seen in the past matter more than the fact that I'm here now and fighting against your enemies?"

"Because I want to know who you really are!" Lunamaria shot back, "You say that I couldn't understand, but how do you know that when you won't even give me the chance to try?"

He seemed genuinely torn for a moment, and Lunamaria thought she was on the verge of a breakthrough with him. That instant of vulnerability passed all too quickly, though, and it was replaced by the aloof mask that she found so infuriating.

"I don't have time for this," he said as he drew his sword again, "I need to keep training. So do you."

Lunamaria wasn't about to let him off the hook that easily. "This isn't over, you know! You owe me an explanation!"

"I owe you nothing," Wufei replied as he casually went through a few practice swings, "If anything, you owe me; how many times would you have died by now if I hadn't decided to fight alongside you and your comrades?"

Lunamaria sighed. "It's not that I don't appreciate that. It's just… I need this, Wufei."

"Need or want?" Wufei countered, "There is a difference. Why are you getting so worked up about this?"

Lunamaria stammered as her face flushed red. "Well… I… I just…"

She knew the real reason, one that she would finally admit to herself but couldn't directly come out and say to anyone. Why she was so fascinated by him despite his aloof and often abrasive demeanor, why she was determined to uncover the truth about him after only being given a few tantalizing hints.

I… I like him, she thought, I mean… really, really like him…

It was utterly surreal. Here she was, an elite ZAFT pilot aboard an advanced warship, acting like a schoolgirl unable to fess up to a boy that she had a crush on. It was frustrating and embarrassing beyond belief, and she could only imagine what Meyrin would say if she found out.

Infuriated and flustered like she'd never been before, Lunamaria's cool had flown right out the window. The only option open to her now was to leave, less she do something… impulsive.

"You know what? Forget it!" she snapped, "If you want to be so fucking difficult about this, then screw it! Enjoy your damn training!"

And with that, she stormed off the observation deck and back inside the ship.

It was times like these that she deeply resented ZAFT's 'no alcohol' policy aboard its warships.

….

Dressed in black sweatpants and a matching tank-top, Lan Zhao could feel the sweat building on her brow as she went through her training routine. Since the Dominion was currently underwater the top deck wasn't an option for her exercises, so instead she was using the battleship's hangar. The chatter of the technician crews and the sounds of their heavy machinery as they performed routine maintenance on the ship's mobile suits dominated the background, but she paid it no mind. She'd long grown accustomed to it and was more than capable of blocking it out.

Going into a series of punches and kicks, she steadily picked up the pace. Throwing in a few leaps and even the occasional back flip for variety's sake, she went through the routine that she'd practiced so many times now that her muscles had it memorized. It was purely instinctive at this point, which freed up her mind to think about something far more interesting than her typical workout routine.

Or rather, someone.

Even as she continued her workout routine, her eyes were inevitably drawn towards the spot in the hangar that had once been occupied by the Gundam Sandrock Saladin. It felt like it had just been yesterday that Quatre had departed, yet at the same time it also seemed like a lifetime ago. It was a sensation that Lan didn't know what to make of.

Damn it, she thought, I'm not used to getting so hung up over one guy. Quatre…

What am I going to do with you?

It was a question that didn't have an easy answer. She'd known from the beginning that he couldn't stick around forever and had gone into this flight of passion with the idea that it'd just be a friends-with-benefits deal while he was in the Cosmic Era. He had family and friends back in the After Colony world; there was no way that he could leave them behind for good. She'd been well aware of that.

And yet…

She shouldn't have been missing him like this, but it was hard to deny that his absence from the Dominion was having an effect on her. It wasn't interfering with her duties, but it was something that crept up on her in her off hours. She'd occasionally find herself entering the hangar expecting to see him checking over his Gundam, only to remember that both man and machine were no longer aboard the battleship.

She was so wrapped up in her private thoughts regarding the Desert Prince that she didn't even realize she'd gained an audience until she brought her routine to a close several minutes later. Turning to head towards the pilots' locker room, she saw none other than her flight lead standing in her path with a water bottle in hand.

"You worked up quite a sweat there," said Shemei as she tossed the bottle to Lan, "Thirsty?"

Lan smiled as she caught it and took a refreshing sip. "Thanks. How long have you been down here?"

"Since you started your little workout," Shemei replied, "I just wrapped up a sim on the Epyon Revenant when I saw you."

It still amazed Lan that her commander was able to handle that beast of a mobile suit, especially since it used the same fiendish operating system as Wing Zero. "How'd it go?"

Shemei shrugged. "As well as they usually go. Not quite as fun when I don't get to practice against Heero, but it's enough to keep me sharp. Can't exactly afford to lose my edge when we're at war, after all."

Lan nodded. "You're right."

Once again, her gaze drifted to where Sandrock Saladin had been stored before Quatre's departure. The simulator matches the two of them had engaged in had been quite exhilarating for her. He could really keep her on her toes, which was just one more reason why Lan was missing him.

Unfortunately, her flight lead immediately caught onto where her eyes had wandered. "Looks like I'm not the only one who's missing their sparring partner."

Lan couldn't help but blush even as she tried to deny the assertion. "It's not like that!"

Shemei grinned. "Come on, Lan. How long have we known each other now? Level with me. If you don't, I'll have Adaline and Pris pester you until you come clean!"

Lan folded her arms. "That's playing dirty."

Shemei chuckled. "I know. Doesn't change the fact that I'll do it."

Lan sighed; she knew all too well that her commander wasn't bluffing. "You know, I think getting hitched to Eric's made you more devious than you used to be."

The Valkyrie smiled. "Well, what do you expect? There's a reason they gave him the nickname 'The Wolf', after all. Besides, I don't know about you, but I find a cunning mind to be quite the turn-on. Don't you?"

It was hard to argue with that, especially given that Lan knew Quatre had sharp wits to go with those good looks of his. "I guess you've got a point, although…"

"Your new favorite Gundam pilot's smart, but he looks too cute for you to call him devious?" Shemei finished for her, "Sound about right?"

Lan nodded. "You got me."

Shemei smirked. "I know you too well. You're a flirt, Lan, but I've always suspected that when the right guy came along things would change for you."

Lan shook her head. "I… I don't think it's quite like that."

Shemei raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Funny; I can't recall any previous fling getting you this worked up."

"Well, I've never had a fling with a Gundam pilot before," she replied.

Shemei's eyes narrowed. "Lan, be honest; this is more than just a fling for you now."

Lan sighed; there was no point in lying at this point. "Well… maybe."

Shemei folded her arms. "Maybe? From what I've seen since the two of you met up in the orbital battle, I think 'maybe' is a bit of a dodge."

Lan looked down in embarrassment; she was not used to feeling like this. "Look, it's… it's complicated."

Shemei smirked. "I don't think I've ever heard you use that particular word to describe your feelings for a boy."

Lan gave her a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I guess you got me there. Quatre… he's not like other guys."

"That's given," said Shemei, "He is a Gundam pilot, after all. From what I've seen, each of them is about as unique as they come."

Lan nodded. "You got that right. That's the thing, really. He's a phenomenal fighter, yet he's also incredibly intelligent and possibly the kindest guy I've ever met. On the battlefield he's absolutely deadly, but off it he's so compassionate and gentle that if you'd just randomly met him out in public you'd never know that he's such a powerful mobile suit pilot. He's not just smart when it comes to warfare, either; he understands people. He… he gets me. I mean, I came on to him pretty strong at the club, but the day after… when I took him to mom's grave…"

Shemei gave her a warm smile. "He was able to genuinely empathize with you, wasn't he? He could show you that he really cared even though the two of you had only just recently met."

Lan returned her smile. "Yeah… couldn't put it better myself, actually."

"That's what I thought," said Shemei, her expression becoming serious, "Which means that you have some serious thinking to do."

Lan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Lan," Shemei replied, "Where is this going between you two? Where do you want it to go? Most importantly, though, is this; what will you do when the time comes for him to go back?"

Lan avoided meeting her gaze; that was the question that she'd been trying to avoid. "I… I'll figure it out later. We've got more important things to worry about, after all."

Shemei sighed. "I suppose we do. Still, I'm allowed to worry about you, Lan. I know how hard it was for you after your mother died. We all did what we could to help, but it wasn't until Quatre showed up here that I saw the brighter side of you truly begin to reemerge. He means something to you, Lan… and I'm willing to bet the feeling's mutual."

Lan's eyes widened. "You… you really think so?"

Shemei smiled. "Of course. You're a special woman, Lan, much more so than you might believe. I bet Quatre thinks that too. In fact, he might be trying to figure out the same things you are when it comes to the two of you."

Lan blushed; when was the last time she'd felt like a love-struck schoolgirl. "Wow… I never even considered that."

Shemei nodded. "I might not know him very well, but he strikes me as the kind of guy that takes a woman's feelings very seriously. Next time you get the chance, talk to him. You might be surprised by what you find out."

She turned to walk away, but Lan stopped her; there was something she had to ask first. "Shemei, wait. What if… what if this real? If you're right, then… what should I do? I mean, we both know he's not staying here."

Shemei sighed. "That's something for you to decide, Lan. You need to do what's right for your heart."

The Valkyrie then looked over her shoulder and smiled. "No matter what you choose, know that the rest of us will support you. We're your friends, after all. Catch you later."

With that she walked out of the hangar, leaving Lan alone with her thoughts. Her dilemma hadn't exactly been solved by their conversation, but it was still good to know that her commander had her back.

Now there was just the matter of what to do regarding her feelings for the Desert Prince.

….

November 3rd, C.E. 73

"How's it look?" asked Murrue.

Looking up from the sensor station, Lacus gave Murrue a nod. "We're still clear, Miss Murrue."

With Miriallia resuming her role aboard the Archangel as the ship's primary mobile suit combat controller, Lacus had been left without a role on the bridge. Murrue had tried to assure the young woman that she didn't need to have an actual military duty since her main role was to serve as an inspirational figure for Terminal, but she had insisted on playing a more practical part in their day to day operations. Unwilling to turn her down, Murrue had allowed the warship's sensor officer to begin training her to act as a backup, although as of right now it was just that; should actual fighting commence, she had ordered Lacus to immediately relinquish her position to the veteran operator, and the songstress had agreed to comply.

Still underwater, the Archangel was currently holding position just north of the entrance to the Dardanelles. The Dominion was positioned to the south, with both submerged warships keeping clear of the established shipping lanes. The Minerva had passed through some time ago, and while Murrue had been tempted to follow she knew that it wouldn't be a prudent course of action.

The Alliance will likely be moving additional fleet units over here now that ZAFT has established a base on the shore of the Black Sea, she thought, and if they try to box the Minerva in when she tries to return to the Mediterranean, then we may need to act.

Murrue had been on edge ever since Heero had contacted her to advise her of the ZAFT battleship's change in course. The capture of the Suez Canal and the neighboring ravine should've through the Earth Alliance forces off balance, but word had reached the Archangel that they were already regrouping. To make matters worse, a communiqué from one of their contacts in the Orb Union's armed forces had confirmed their worst fears; the Orb Navy's First Fleet, fully restored after being decimated in the last war, had put to sea and was moving west at a rapid pace. It hadn't taken a genius to figure out that the Atlantic Federation was calling upon them to reinforce their units in the Mediterranean, and while it would still take some time for them to arrive on scene things would get much more complicated once they did.

She wondered how Cagalli was taking the news. The girl had put on a brave front, but Murrue wasn't fooled; she knew it had to be tough for her to wrestle with the fact that her nation's armed forces were now being used by the power that had backed her cousin's de facto overthrow of her. A more pressing concern was the distinct possibility that they might have to fight against the First Fleet before too long. Its warships and mobile suits were the most up-to-date in the Orb Union's arsenal, and its personnel were well trained. Of course, the most fundamental problem was that they were still Cagalli's people; she would feel an obligation to protect them even if they turned their guns on Terminal.

Kira will fight with restraint, she thought, I know that the Freedom's advanced targeting system allows him to do that. It's how he's fought ever since he acquired that mobile suit. Our other pilots are highly skilled, but they may not be able to avoid inflicting casualties against the soldiers of the First Fleet.

And then there's Heero…

Murrue was no fool; for all that she loved the Gundam pilot, she knew exactly what his response would be if the soldiers of the Orb Union moved to attack the Archangel. He may not have been with the ship right at this moment, but he wasn't too far away, and the instant he realized the vessel had come under attack he would move to help.

And he would kill anyone who dared pose a threat to her.

Even if they were Cagalli's countrymen.

….

Duo whistled as he took in the view. "I gotta say, this is pretty impressive considering ZAFT only set up shop here just a little while ago."

Heero couldn't argue with that. From their perch on the battleship's top observation deck, the Gundam pilots had a good view of ZAFT's new Diocuia base. Nestled against a cliff along the shore of the Black Sea, the facility was a sprawling complex of prefabricated modules. A long runway jutted out into the sea from a hangar that had very recently been carved into the cliff-side, and Heero could only guess at how much space there was inside. He would give credit to where it was due; ZAFT's corps of military engineers certainly knew how to work magic when the occasion called for it. The base wasn't as large as more established fortified positions such as Carpentaria and Gibraltar, but it still had more than enough room to house at least several divisions' worth of ZAFT's surface fighting strength. If the Earth Alliance wanted to dislodge the PLANT military from their new holdings, they would have to fight tooth and nail in order to make them pack it in.

"Quite the setup," said Quatre as his eyes narrowed, "They've got a series of anti-air batteries set up on top of the cliff, and I think I see some surface-to-ship missile launchers set up there as well. Lots of self-propelled guns and mobile suits, too. Anyone who tries to take this place in an amphibious assault is going to have their work cut out for them."

"I wonder what their defenses against an assault from inland look like..." Trowa mused aloud.

Wufei shrugged. "It doesn't matter. If the Alliance is dumb enough to attack while we're here, we'll be all the defense that this base needs."

Heero heard a familiar voice laugh from behind him. "I wish I had your confidence, Wufei."

He glanced over his shoulder to see Athrun coming over to join them. Even now, it was still a little unnerving to see him in his ZAFT uniform, especially with the FAITH emblem so prominently displayed on his upper left torso. Despite all that they had gone through together in the final campaign of the last war, not to mention the two years since that they had been friends and comrades-in-arms in Terminal, it made Heero wonder just where Athrun would really stand when the chips were down.

Was that Durandal's real goal when he inducted him into FAITH?, he thought, To sow doubts about Athrun's loyalties and pit the rest of us against him? Is Athrun even aware that he could potentially be used by the Chairman in just such a manner?

"Did you receive any further information from the Captain regarding this base?" asked Heero.

Athrun shook his head. "No, sorry."

Heero shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

The warship altered course as it got closer to the base, angling for one of the larger docks. As it drew near, Heero spotted a few dozen soldiers lining up off to one side.

"That must be our welcoming committee," said Duo, nodding in the same direction Heero was looking.

Quatre leaned forward. "I'm not seeing anyone familiar. Then again, I guess that shouldn't be too surprising. After all, it's not like we know many people in ZAFT."

Heero heard the door behind them open up again. Turning around, he saw Shinn, Lunamaria and Rey all come out onto the deck. The red-headed pilot looked nervously at Heero and Wufei for a moment as she came forward with her friends, and it wasn't hard for the Gundam pilot to imagine why.

That little revelation from two days ago must be keeping her preoccupied, he thought, I haven't noticed anyone else aboard the ship looking at us differently than they normally do, though, so I don't believe she's spread the word about us yet. Interesting…

Shinn smiled as he took in the base. "This is great! It's nice to be back on friendly turf again!"

Rey shook his head. "This may be a ZAFT base, but it's one that's only been recently established. Its defenses are untested. The Alliance forces will likely begin probing the perimeter before long. They will not simply let ZAFT hold this piece of territory without a fight."

Lunamaria sighed. "I hate to admit it, but Rey's probably right, Shinn. We shouldn't get too comfortable. Besides, we probably won't be staying that long."

Athrun nodded. "We'll be here at least a few days to conduct repairs and resupply, but it won't be nearly as long as the time we spent in Orb. It'll still be good to rest up a bit, but at the same time don't let your guard down. After all, the enemy could mount an attack here at any time."

"You're right," said Heero, "It's nice to see that you haven't lost your touch completely."

Athrun raised an eyebrow. "Completely? What are you getting at, Heero?"

Heero shrugged. "Figure it out yourself."

Shinn looked back and forth between them. "Am I missing something here?"

"That's what I want to know…" Athrun muttered.

Rey stepped forward. "There is a matter we need to address before we dock, Heero Yuy. It concerns you and your colleagues."

Heero studied him carefully. "What is it?"

"Your… status aboard the Minerva as an independent fighter has been well established, as has that of your friends," Rey replied, "However, the base commandant and his staff will likely take issue with the fact that you're not officially under ZAFT's banner."

Wufei folded his arms. "That wasn't a problem before at Carpentaria."

"That's because you were the only Gundam pilot with us during the time that we were there," Rey countered, "With all five of you here now, the situation's a bit more complicated."

Duo's eyes narrowed. "Why are you even bothering with it in the first place? Isn't that something for your Captain and whoever the head honcho at this base is to work out?"

Rey nodded. "Normally, you would be correct. However, I feel that this should be dealt with between us pilots here and now; the Captain has more important matters to deal with."

"What do you propose?" asked Trowa.

"To avoid potential incidents with base personnel, I believe it would be best if the five of you remained aboard the Minerva," Rey replied firmly.

Duo snickered. "Yeah, that's not going to happen, pal."

"We appreciate that our presence does put ZAFT into a somewhat awkward position," said Quatre, trying as ever to be the diplomatic one, "However, restrictions on our movements hardly seems necessary when we're still fighting alongside you."

"We appreciate the fighting that you've done on our behalf," said Rey, "However, there will likely be personnel at this base that will have… issues with one among you."

Heero immediately knew where this was going. "You're referring to all the casualties that I inflicted upon ZAFT during the last war."

To his credit, Rey's answer was blunt and to the point. "Yes. Since the crew of the Minerva is composed mostly of new soldiers with the exception of the Captain and a few others, there have been no incidents because no one here holds a grudge against you."

"Most of us don't, anyway," muttered Lunamaria as she shot Shinn a scowl.

Shinn folded his arms. "Whatever."

Heero pointedly ignored the other two Reds and focused on Rey. "If there are soldiers at this base that hold a grudge against me, it's on them to exercise restraint. If they don't, I'll act accordingly."

"I would rather avoid any such confrontations altogether," Rey countered, "That's why I'm requesting that you remain aboard the ship."

"And I'm giving you my answer, which is no," Heero shot back, "If ZAFT can't keep its soldiers under control, that's your organization's problem, not mine. Besides, better than you have thought that they could control me in the past; you're out of your league, Rey."

Wufei chuckled. "That's putting it mildly."

"Sorry," said Quatre with a sheepish smile, "Don't take this personally, but none of us will be obliging you, Rey. We'll be cordial with the soldiers at this base and do our best to avoid unnecessary confrontations, but we're not going to confine ourselves to the Minerva just because you don't trust the discipline of your comrades."

If that's even his real issue, thought Heero, I can't be certain, but it seems like he's more interested in just finding a way to keep me from wandering around without ZAFT's eyes on me. Too bad for him that I've got no intention of going along with such restrictions.

Athrun stepped between them. "Rey, I appreciate your concerns, but it's not your place to try to command Heero or any of the other Gundam pilots."

Rey's eyes narrowed. "Would that be yours, then? Has the Chairman entrusted that role to you as a member of FAITH?"

Athrun shook his head. "No, and even if he had, it wouldn't work. Trying to confine our allies to the ship isn't productive in any case. Besides, Heero's not going to actively seek out a fight with the soldiers on this base. Isn't that right, Heero?"

Heero nodded. "If I engage anyone, it will only be in self-defense."

Athrun gave Rey a smile. "See? Under the circumstances, we can't really ask for more than that."

Rey didn't look convinced, but he also appeared to realize that this was an argument that he wasn't going to win. "Very well, then."

The others turned their attention back to the dock as the Minerva slowed to a crawl. However, Heero was keenly aware of the fact that Rey was still focused on him. He wasn't hostile, but there definitely seemed to be an undercurrent of suspicion.

This one might become a problem…

….

Athrun was a bit nervous as he followed Captain Gladys down the ramp to meet the base's welcoming party. It wasn't that he was apprehensive about meeting the head officer or anything like that. Rather, his concerns had to do with the five Gundam pilots that were behind him. While he hadn't exactly sided with Rey in the prior argument, that didn't mean that his concerns weren't valid ones.

In addition to the Captain, Athrun and the Gundam pilots, Shinn, Rey, and Lunamaria were also with the shore party. Greeting them all at the other end of the ramp was group of several dozen soldiers, and at the head of them was a tall man with light skin, bright red hair and blue eyes. He looked to be in his early to mid-thirties, and wore a tan uniform with a Field Marshal's rank insignia. The man gave Talia's party a courteous nod, although Athrun could not help but notice his eyes narrowing in suspicion when he saw Heero and the other Gundam pilots.

I hope this doesn't become an issue, he thought, I was hoping we'd all have the chance to relax, at least for a few days…

The head officer stepped forward. "Captain Gladys, I'm Field Marshal Quintus Magnus. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The Captain saluted. "Likewise, Field Marshal."

He then turned to Athrun. "So, you're Zala, yes? Welcome to Diocuia."

Athrun nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"It's unusual for two members of FAITH to be serving aboard the same ship," said the Field Marshal, "Still, I suppose the Chairman has his reasons. Speaking of which; Captain Gladys, he's waiting for you and Rey Za Burrel at the main headquarters building. I'll escort you there personally."

Athrun winced; he hadn't yet told Heero and the others that Chairman Durandal was at the base. How would they react to his presence given their accusations against him?

Duo was the first. "Wait a sec, the Chairman of the PLANTs is here? What the hell's going on?"

Heero immediately turned to Athrun. "Did you know about this?"

Athrun sighed; there was no point in hiding it. "Yes."

Trowa folded his arms. "And you kept it hidden."

"I wasn't at liberty to discuss it," Athrun replied, "I'm a member of FAITH, as is the Captain; we had our orders to keep it quiet until our arrival."

"So why is the Chairman requesting the Captain's presence and Rey's, rather than yours?" asked Quatre.

That was something Athrun was actually curious about himself. "I'm sure he has his reasons."

"Why come down to the surface in the first place?" asked Wufei, "And why here? Diocuia isn't as well fortified as Gibraltar or Carpentaria. If the Alliance learns the Chairman's here, it'll make this place even more of a target than it already is."

"We have taken appropriate measures," said Quintus as he scowled at the Gundam pilots, "As you are not members of ZAFT, I have no need to discuss the with you."

He then turned to Talia again. "Captain Gladys, per your request I've already notified my subordinates regarding the… guests aboard your ship. There should be no problems."

Talia nodded. "I'm glad to hear it.

"If you and Rey would please come with me," said the Field Marshal, "The Chairman is eager to meet with you."

"What about the rest of us?" asked Shinn.

Lunamaria elbowed him. "Shinn!"

The Field Marshal smiled. "It's all right. My adjutant will escort you to a special event that's being hosted for the soldiers."

A young man in his early twenties with raven hair, fair skin and green eyes stepped forward. He was wearing a green uniform with no special insignia.

"My name's Theodore Fischer," he said with a smile, "You can call me Theo for short, if you want. Everyone else does!"

Quintus chuckled. "Indeed, we do. Theo, please see that they make it to the performance without incident."

Theo nodded. "Will do, sir!"

The Field Marshal nodded at the rest of the assembled pilots. "I hope to meet with the rest of you later. Until then, please enjoy this base's accommodations."

The Field Marshal and the majority of his entourage left with the Captain and Rey, while Theo and a handful of fellow aides remained behind. Athrun took a moment to study them. None of them really seemed like anything more than typical officers' assistants, the sort of administrative functionaries required by any sort of highly staffed military facility. He didn't know how they would handle themselves if the Diocuia base was threatened with an Alliance assault, and from the way they carried themselves he guessed that they were mostly untested when it came to combat.

Staff officers and adjutants have their place, he mused, but is a newly established surface base really an appropriate setting for aides that haven't experienced anything approaching actual fighting? Are the higher-ups trying to give them a taste of life close to the front in order to sharpen their instincts, or are they simply short-handed and desperate for personnel? The latter would be rather unsettling…

"If the rest of you will please follow me," said Theo, "The base's morale boosting performance is due to begin shortly."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "Morale boosting performance? Don't tell me you guys are already down in the dumps after just a little time on the surface!"

"If that is indeed the case, then ZAFT entered this war on worse footing than we've been led to believe," Trowa noted.

"Their ranks are greener than grass," Wufei quipped, "What do you expect?"

Shinn scowled at him. "Watch it!"

Quatre stepped between the two of them. "Now, now, there's no need to get so worked up! I'm sure the situation's not that severe."

Theo nodded. "Indeed. While it is true that our position here is somewhat precarious, we are determined to hold our ground. That being said, the Chairman felt that it would be a good idea to have a performance staged that would both bolster our soldiers' fighting spirit and remind them of what they're protecting."

"Awfully hard to protect the PLANTs when they're down on Earth," said Duo, "If they want to play defense, then they're a bit too far forward."

Lunamaria rolled her eyes. "There's more to defending the PLANTs than just patrolling the space around them. I thought you Gundam pilots were supposed to be bright when it came to strategic warfare."

Wufei smirked. "Duo's the exception to that."

Duo shot him a glare. "I'm going to get you back for that, asshole."

Wufei shrugged. "Bring it on."

Theo smiled. "You independent fighters certainly are a lively bunch! The Field Marshal might've had his reservations about hosting you all here, but from where I'm standing it seems we'll benefit from your energy should the enemy decide to attack us while you're here."

"If the enemy strikes while we're present at this base, we'll play our part," said Heero, "However, don't get used to relying on us. We won't be here any longer than needed."

Theo nodded. "Understood. Your candor is most appreciated, Mister Yuy."

"Will the rest of us get to meet with the Chairman later?" asked Shinn.

"I believe so," Theo replied, "The Field Marsal did mention another gathering that's scheduled to take place later this afternoon. If you are to meet with the Chairman, I imagine it would be then."

A few minutes later the group came to a section of the base's airfield that had been cleared of all aircraft and support vehicles. Instead, a large stage had been set up, along with an impressive screen and sound system. Several hundred soldiers were crowded before it, although Athrun couldn't see anyone on it yet except for a few technicians checking everything over.

"What the heck is going on here?" asked Lunamaria.

The Captain mentioned 'Lacus Clyne' was coming here along with Chairman Durandal, thought Athrun, but she doesn't know the truth like I do. I've got a pretty good idea what this stage is for.

Theo smiled. "Our preparations may be a little rushed, but I think it's a fine stage for the greatest songstress in the Earth Sphere, don't you?"

Shinn's eyes widened. "Wait a second, do you mean…?"

Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a familiar female voice that came blaring over the speakers. "Greetings to my brave ZAFT soldiers!"

The voice was coming from the speakers on the stage, but the source wasn't there. It didn't take Athrun long to find it; the roar of mobile suit thrusters was pretty hard to miss. Looking up with the rest of the crowd, he saw three machines approaching. One was a DINN in the standard purple, black and grey livery, while the second was an orange mobile suit that Athrun recognized from briefing materials as ZAFT's newest frontline combat unit, the ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited. However, both of those machines were of secondary importance; it was the unit that the two of them were carefully bringing down towards the stage that had everyone's attention.

The mobile suit in and of itself wasn't all that special; just another ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior, just like the multitudes of its brethren that were currently deployed on the front lines. However, what separated it from other machines of the same model were the combination of its paintjob and what it carried in its left hand. Athrun didn't want to cast aspersions upon the unit given who it was associated with, but it was quite possibly the most garish and tacky machine he had ever seen. Pink dominated its color scheme, and there was a crimson heart on its right shoulder and a pair of crimson lips on its left. The shield mounted on its left shoulder had a bright yellow star painted on it, along with the words 'Lacus Clyne' below it in bright blue print. What it carried in its left hand was nothing less than the lady of the hour, or at least a doppelganger that was convincing enough to fool the crowd.

Most of the crowd, anyway. Athrun, of course, was already in the know, as were the five Gundam pilots. His apprehension increased as he looked back and forth between them and the descending trio of machines; if they spilled the beans here and now, what would the consequences be?

"How's everyone doing today?" Meer called out as the DINN and GOUF set the ZAKU down in front of the stage, "This is Lacus Clyne!"

Shinn looked stunned. "Whoa… it's really her!"

Athrun had to fight to keep from cringing at the young man's ignorance, even if it wasn't the ZAFT Red's fault that he was out of the loop. Anyone who knew the real Lacus Clyne would've been able to see through the setup; it was a cheap pop production that was beneath the genuine article. Still, since the masses knew her first and foremost as a singer and cultural icon, the deception was all the easier to pull off.

The crowd's reaction was all the proof Athrun needed to see that Chairman Durandal's ploy could reap dividends. The soldiers were cheering wildly, blissfully unaware of the fact that they were applauding a false icon. She played it for all it was worth, prancing up and down the stage, waving and smiling.

"Absolutely splendid," said Theo, "The Chairman's decision to bring her here was truly inspired!"

Lunamaria elbowed Athrun. "You knew about this, didn't you? I mean, she's your fiancé, after all."

People still believe that?, Athrun thought incredulously, Father declaring her a traitor during the last war should've been enough for people to realize that the engagement was off. Then again, since I defected too, maybe they thought that we kept the engagement alive as part of our defiance towards him and his regime…

He was caught a bit flatfooted and fumbled his response. "Well… I guess…"

Her eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's… complicated," Athrun muttered.

Meer had just started a song, and their conversation was rapidly drowned out by fresh cheers from the crowd. Athrun turned from Lunamaria to the Gundam pilots, trying to get a read on how they were viewing the situation. It was a mixed bag, with some being more open with their thoughts than others.

Duo appeared more amused than anything else. "Nice little bit of theater. Really playing to the crowd with an outfit like that. Bet they've got some nice pinups for the soldiers too."

Wufei scoffed. "No more than a prop. If the soldiers need a performance like this to motivate them to fight, then they can hardly be called warriors."

"She at least seems to be talented," said Quatre, "She's got a good voice."

"No more than a performer on the Chairman's stage," Trowa mused aloud, "Does she recognize her role for what it truly is?"

Heero was mostly impassive, although from the slight narrowing of his eyes Athrun could tell that he wasn't pleased. "As a façade, it works. Too bad it lacks the conviction and inspiration embodied by the source."

It was a sentiment that Athrun reluctantly agreed with.

….

Her manager was positively beaming as Meer came backstage after her performance. "That was absolutely wonderful! They loved you!"

Meer smiled, unable to completely keep from blushing. "Oh, you think so? Thank you!"

"Of course," her manager replied, "After all, you sang with all your heart and soul. Everyone could see that. I imagine the Chairman will be pleased, even if he wasn't able to watch the performance himself."

"What about Athrun?" asked Meer, "The Chairman said he was supposed to be here today. Do you think he saw it? I looked for him, but the crowd was so big that I couldn't tell if he was there."

Her manager nodded and smiled again. "Oh, he was there… and he wasn't alone. He had some very special guests with him… guests that the Chairman wanted you to meet, which is why I took the liberty of having our staff fetch them before your last song came to an end."

Meer's eyes widened slightly; the Chairman had briefed her before their descent to Earth on the people her manager was referring to. "You mean Heero Yuy and those other pilots are here?"

Given the identity that she had assumed, Meer had been aware that at some point she might meet the legendary pilot of Wing Zero. It was known that he was a friend of Lacus, although the nature of their friendship was only speculated at by ZAFT's assorted intelligence services. Meeting him would be a great test of Meer's acting abilities, and it was one that gave her pause. Was she really ready for this?

"Meer, are you all right?" the manager asked.

She nodded. "Yes. So, where are they?"

"I had them brought to your dressing room," he said, "Athrun is with them as well. I'm sure he's looking forward to seeing you."

Meer smiled; the thought of getting to see Athrun again after all this time was more than enough to restore her confidence. "I'll go see them right away!"

It only took a few moments for her to reach her dressing room. Sure enough, there was Athrun, looking quite handsome in his ZAFT uniform. She was pleased to see the FAITH emblem pinned on it too; if he was now part of the Chairman's elite force, then that meant he was on their side and she'd be able to see him more in the future.

She'd been shown pictures of Heero and the other pilots that were with him, but that wasn't quite enough to prepare her for meeting them in person. There was an intensity about them that caught her off guard; it was as if they could see right through her.

She wasn't about to break character, though, despite here reservations. "Athrun! It's so good to see you again!"

She rushed forward and hugged him before he could react. She felt him stiffen slightly in her embrace, which wasn't what she was going for. Didn't he know that it was okay for him to relax around her? She only wanted him to be happy, after all.

Happy together with her, at least.

"It's… good to see you too," he said as he gently extricated himself from her grip, "How've you been, Meer?"

Her eyes widened slightly. "Athrun, why…"

"You can drop the act," said Heero firmly, "We know who you really are."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart," said Duo, "but I'm afraid turning on the charm isn't going to work on us."

Wufei smirked. "It probably would've worked on you if you didn't know any better."

Duo shot him a glare. "What bug crawled up your ass today, Wufei?"

"Now, now, there's no need for that, you two," Quatre chided them before he turned to her, "It's nice to meet you, Meer. You have a lovely singing voice."

She smiled; it was nice to be complimented, even if she would've preferred it to have been in her guise as 'Lacus' rather than by her real name. "Thank you very much."

Trowa looked at her, and although his expression seemed impassive at first glance she thought she caught a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "You have genuine talent. Why not use it as yourself rather than craft another persona around it and let it take credit for your gifts?"

Meer was thrown on the backfoot by his blunt question. "I… I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I think you do," Trowa replied, "The question is; why don't you want to face it?"

This was rapidly growing uncomfortable, and Meer wasn't sure how to regain control. "I… I'm just doing my part to help the Chairman… to help the people of the PLANTs. It's what Lacus would do. She did it in the past."

"Your vision is selective," said Heero, "She sang for all, not just the PLANTs. Her vision was one where people could set aside hatred and suspicion and come together in mutual understanding and friendship. Her desire, her ambition, is a universal one; it's not limited to the PLANTs."

Duo gave her a sympathetic smile. "Sorry, sweetheart. You've got a great set of pipes on you, I'll give you that, but I don't think you've really considered who you're actually using them for."

Quatre nodded. "With your talents, you do have the potential to be an inspirational figure, but it's important to think about who and what cause you're using your gifts for."

"And you should hold true to yourself while doing so," Trowa added, and Meer almost felt a chill under his analytical gaze, "When you look in the mirror, who do you see? Who's the real you?"

"T-that doesn't matter!" Meer stammered; things were quickly getting out of hand, and she had no idea how to turn the situation around, "As long as I can sing and make the people of the PLANTs happy, it'll help bring this war to an end!"

"Wars aren't ended by songs," said Wufei, "They're ended by soldiers."

Athrun stepped between her and the others. "Guys, back off! Meer's just doing what she thinks is right. She's not the enemy!"

Meer smiled, although she couldn't help but notice that even Athrun was using her real name rather than the one the Chairman wanted her to be known by. If he was really on her side, then shouldn't he be willing to acknowledge the role that she was supposed to play?

The role that she was meant to play.

Heero shook his head. "Her intentions might be noble, but the same can't be said for the man that's using her."

"You're wrong!" Meer protested, "The Chairman's doing everything he can to restore peace to the Earth Sphere! By inspiring people as Lacus Clyne, I can help him accomplish that goal. Millions of lives will be saved! Why can't you understand that?"

Duo folded his arms. "Nice pitch, sweetheart, but it rings hollow when the man pulling the strings is willing to attempt murder to keep up the façade."

Meer blinked in confusion. "Murder? What do you mean?"

"You really don't know?" asked Trowa, his skepticism clear.

"I think she really doesn't," said Quatre, giving her a pitying look, "It makes sense, though. Do you really think Durandal would clue her in on something like that?"

"Good point," said Duo.

"What on Earth are you talking about?" asked Meer.

Athrun looked at the other pilots. "Heero, please don't…"

Heero gave him a hard look. "Why? Do you still doubt it, too?"

Athrun sighed. "I… I don't know."

Meer looked back and forth between them. "What is going on? Athrun?"

The young man looked at her, his expression one of sympathy and regret. "Meer… they… they're claiming that…"

"That Chairman Durandal attempted to have Lacus Clyne assassinated," Heero finished for him.

Meer was floored; that was not what she had expected. "That… that can't be right. You're lying! The Chairman would never order something so horrible!"

"It's the truth," said Duo, "We were there, sweetheart. We were the ones that took down the commandos he sent to do his dirty work."

"Their mobile suits, weapons and equipment all matched that used by ZAFT's special forces," Trowa added, "No other armed force in the Earth Sphere has access to the gear they brought with them."

"I can understand why you might not want to believe this," said Quatre, "but it is the truth. The moment Chairman Durandal conceived of the need for you to take on the role of 'Lacus Clyne' for the sake of his agenda, that necessitated finding a means to keep the real one from breaking the ruse. What do you think the best way to guarantee her silence would be?"

Meer shook her head vehemently. "No… you're wrong. Athrun, they're lying, right? Right?"

He looked down, whether out of shame or the desire to spare her pain she did not know. "I… I'm not sure myself…"

Heero glared at him. "How long are you going to blind yourself?"

"He can believe whatever he wants," said Wufei with a shrug, "The choice is his."

"I want to be certain," Athrun shot back, "That's all there is to it."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "So, the word of your friends and the combat data logs from our Gundams aren't enough to meet your standard for certainty? Sorry, buddy, but that doesn't cut it. You might be a pal of Heero's, but that doesn't change the fact that you're acting pretty delusional here."

"If we presented our proof to you, would you believe it?" asked Trowa, his sharp gaze meeting Meer's.

She was in over her head. So much so, in fact, that she felt the world begin to spin. Her legs buckled as she felt the heat rush to her head; what was she supposed to make of all this?

"I… I don't…" she began.

That was as far as she could get before fainting.

….

Athrun was the closest one to her, so he was the one that caught Meer before she hit the ground. "Meer!"

He checked her over and was relieved to find that she was still breathing. She'd just passed out, likely from stress. Of course, Heero and his friends certainly hadn't helped in that regard.

He gently lifted her up and moved her over to a nearby chair, shooting Heero a glare in the process. "I hope you're happy."

"None of us wanted to make her faint," said Heero, "We simply wanted to make her face the truth."

"Seeing as how you won't," Duo quipped.

Athrun shook his head as he carefully set Meer down. "You guys can't go around spreading these kinds of accusations."

"We haven't," said Quatre, "The only ones we've told since our return to the Minerva have been you, Wufei, and now Meer. Given the fact that we had a front row seat to the assassination attempt, I'd say we've shown remarkable restraint by only talking to the three of you."

He saw Trowa looking at Meer with an expression that seemed quite close to pity. "She needed to know the truth. After all, if Durandal was willing to make an attempt on the life of Lacus Clyne, Meer's life will likely be in danger as well if she fails to perform according to the Chairman's standards."

A chill went down Athrun's spine as he looked at the unconscious girl. Maybe he had mixed feelings about her impersonating Lacus, regardless if it was for a noble cause, but he'd never felt that it was a role that should be worth her life. Surely the Chairman didn't feel the same way.

At least, Athrun hoped he didn't.

"She gonna be okay?" asked Duo.

Athrun nodded as he looked her over again. "I think so. She probably just needs time to rest after all that you guys dropped on her. This job's probably stressful enough for her as it is."

Wufei shrugged. "If she can't handle stress, then she shouldn't be in a role like this. She's weak."

"That's a little harsh, Wufei," said Quatre, "I may not approve of what she's doing here, but it does take courage to take on a role like this."

Trowa nodded. "She's shouldering quite the burden, even if she may not recognize the full weight of it. Even if it doesn't claim her life, it could claim her identity. Is that not another form of death?"

"How far she wants to take this is ultimately up to her," said Heero grimly, "For now, there's nothing more for us to do here. We should go."

Athrun turned to Heero. "The Chairman's going to want to meet with all of us later, Heero. What are you going to say about all of this?"

"Whatever I please," Heero replied, "I'm under no obligation to keep up the Chairman's charade, especially after his attack on Home One. The only reason I've kept quiet up until now is that I want to keep him guessing as to our intentions."

Athrun's eyes narrowed. "He's not our enemy, Heero. Neither is Meer."

Heero shook his head. "Meer's just a pawn. Durandal, however, is indeed our enemy, even if you're not willing to see it."

He then walked out of the dressing room, followed by the other Gundam pilots. Left behind, Athrun stood by Meer, looking down on the poor girl with no small amount of fear and pity. Her desire to help people by embracing the role of 'Lacus' was sincere from what he could tell, but it was increasingly looking like she was in over her head.

What would the real Lacus tell her if she had a chance to meet her? Athrun didn't know, but he wanted to find out. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like such an encounter might be the only way to save the girl from the terrible weight that had been placed upon her before it consumed her.

Many more people will die before this war is over, he thought grimly, Meer… you don't deserve to be one of them.

….

Shinn sighed. "Man, this sucks! Why didn't we get an invite to see Lacus backstage? That's not fair!"

Lunamaria agreed; she'd always wanted to meet the famous songstress and icon, so being left out of the group that got to visit her backstage was definitely a drag. Still, it made sense that she would want to see Athrun and the Gundam pilots rather than her and Shinn. After all, Athrun was her fiancé, and she'd worked with him and Heero to bring the First Bloody Valentine War to an end. As for the other Gundam pilots, did she know about their literally otherworldly origins? Given the link between her and the first one to show up in the Cosmic Era, it was a distinct possibility.

"It's her call to make, not ours," she said, "She's the star, after all. We're just pilots."

Shinn folded his arms. "We're not just ordinary pilots. We're ZAFT Reds, and we're assigned to ZAFT's strongest battleship. Plus, look at all the battles we've fought in!"

Lunamaria shook her head. "That probably doesn't matter as much to her as you think it should, Shinn. After all, it's not like we know her personally like Athrun does."

"He could've at least brought us along," Shinn muttered.

Lunamaria shrugged. "If she's down here to raise morale, then we'll probably have another chance to see her before we leave the base. Either way, there's no sense in worrying about it now."

Shinn nodded. "I guess you're right. At least we get to meet the Chairman. I'm actually kind of nervous about that."

Lunamaria smiled; she hadn't expected her hot-headed friend to admit to something like that. "I never knew you got nervous, Shinn."

Her fellow ZAFT pilot seemed to sense an insult. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

Lunamaria shook her head. "Never mind. Come on, let's at least go find somewhere around here to sit down and take a breather. It feels like we've been walking forever."

Fortunately, their destination wasn't too far way. It was pretty hard to miss; while the bulk of the Diocuia base was composed of modern structures with prefabricated components and modules, the building that was serving as both the staff headquarters and housing for high-ranking officials and VIPs was a mansion that had been here prior to the base's establishment. Lunamaria was no expert on architecture, but she could at least tell that it was based on a classical design, with a white exterior, fluted columns at the entrance, a broad front staircase and multiple ornate towers. It was actually positioned on an artificial island and was connected to the mainland by a few short and sturdy bridges. Lunamaria idly wondered if the person who had owned the building prior to ZAFT's landing operation was still residing there, had been taken prisoner or been given the boot. Anti-air emplacements had been hastily set up around the structure, and there were several mobile suits on perimeter duty too.

Awfully fancy, she thought as she and Shinn climbed the stairs, I hope they've got a way to evacuate it quickly; if the base is attacked, a building like this would be an obvious target if the enemy were hoping to bag some VIPs.

The two of them had been instructed by Theo to head here after a member of Lacus's support staff had taken Athrun and the Gundam pilots backstage. Lunamaria idly wondered if the pilots that the songstress had requested to see would be able to make it in time for the meeting with the Chairman, or if they'd even been invited to begin with. Athrun at least seemed like he'd be on the guestlist; after all, he was a member of FAITH.

Stepping inside, they were greeted with the sight of a spacious and well-decorated atrium. The walls were lined with artworks, although Lunamaria couldn't begin to guess what kind they were or even if they were real or fakes. Several ZAFT officers were milling about, with one quickly breaking off from her colleagues and walking up to Lunamaria and Shinn almost as soon as the two of them had come through the front door. She looked like she was in her early twenties, and Lunamaria couldn't help but admire how the blue highlights in her black hair went well with her midnight eyes.

"Pilots Asuka and Hawke?" she asked, "I'm Viola Ricci, one of the Field Marshal's staff assistants. Please, come with me."

Shinn nodded. "Sure."

"Are we going straight to the meeting?" asked Lunamaria as the two of them fell in behind her.

Viola shook her head. "Not quite. The Chairman and the Field Marshal are still making final preparations. It should begin soon, though."

She led the two of them up a flight of stairs and to a spacious lounge with windows overlooking the sea. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. I'll come by again once they're ready for you."

Much to her surprise, they weren't alone; as Viola left the room, Lunamaria saw Captain Gladys and Rey were already there. Lunamaria recalled that they'd already had a meeting with the Chairman, so she was puzzled as to why they'd be here waiting rather than back on the ship.

The Captain gave them a polite nod. "How did you two like the performance?"

"It was pretty good," said Shinn.

Lunamaria nodded. "Captain, did you know that it would be Lacus Clyne putting on the show?"

"I did," she replied, "I was informed of her presence prior to our arrival, just as I was notified that the Chairman would be here as well."

Shinn's eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you tell the rest of us?"

"The file was marked as 'FAITH eyes only'," Talia replied firmly, "I do not breach security protocols unless the need is dire, Shinn."

Shinn then turned to Rey. "How about you? Did you know about this? You got the early meeting invite while they took us to the show."

Rey nodded. "Yes, I was aware."

Lunamaria folded her arms. "Hold on a second. You're not a member of FAITH! If the orders were marked as 'FAITH eyes only', then why would the Chairman invite you along with the Captain to the early meeting but leave Athrun out of it?"

Rey raised an eyebrow. "Are you questioning our commander-in-chief?"

"Well, no," said Lunamaria nervously, "I'm just… confused."

"The Chairman had his reasons," said Rey with a casualness that for some reason got under Lunamaria's skin, "We're soldiers of ZAFT, so it's not our place to doubt our leader."

Shinn nodded. "Well, I'm just glad we got the invite for this meeting. I hope it starts soon."

"It will," said Captain Gladys, "We're just waiting on our final batch of guests."

"Who would that be?" asked Lunamaria.

She got her answer a moment later as the doors opened again behind her. Another female ZAFT officer walked in, this one with light tan skin, chocolate hair and dark brown eyes. Behind her were none other than Athrun and the five Gundam pilots.

"Please, wait here," the aide said to the six young men, "The Chairman and Field Marshal will summon you shortly."

"Hang on a sec," said Shinn as the aide left the room, "How did you guys get here so quickly? We had to walk here and it took forever!"

Heero simply shrugged. "We were given a ride."

Duo chuckled. "You guys had to walk here? I guess they like us more than you if they gave us a lift!"

Shinn scowled. "You guys just keep getting the VIP treatment. You got to meet Lacus and you're not even part of ZAFT!"

"For what it's worth, you didn't miss much," said Quatre.

"Our meeting with her wasn't a long one," Trowa added.

"Waste of time if you ask me," said Wufei.

Lunamaria was skeptical. "You got to meet one of the biggest celebrities in the Earth Sphere. How is that a waste of time?"

"I didn't come here to meet celebrities," Wufei replied, "She's nothing more than a distraction."

"That's a little harsh," said Athrun, "You could ease up on her a bit."

The six of them settled in, and all Lunamaria could do was wonder at what had happened between them and the songstress. None of them felt like elaborating, although from the troubled look Athrun had on his face Lunamaria suspected that it hadn't been an entirely pleasant affair.

I'd like to meet her sometime, if only just to encourage her, she thought, I mean, she's probably under a lot of pressure since we're at war again. She should know that people appreciate what she's doing.

She couldn't help but notice that Rey was eyeing Heero while they waited to be summoned for the meeting. Although her fellow ZAFT pilot typically kept his feelings to himself, to Lunamaria the looks he gave Heero seemed to hold clear suspicion. She didn't get what his deal was. Was he really just that concerned about him and the other Gundam pilots being outside of ZAFT's chain of command? It seemed like there was more to it than that, but for the life of her Lunamaria couldn't place it.

A few minutes later the door to the lounge opened, and Viola poked her head inside. "The Chairman and Field Marshal are ready for you now. Please, follow me."

She led them all outside to a spacious upper deck that looked like it was typically reserved for high-society parties and other such events. A large table had been set up, with Chairman Durandal and Field Marshal Magnus seated on one side, with Captain Gladys moving to take the other empty chair that was next to Durandal. Lunamaria and the rest of the pilots moved to take the seats that were across from the senior officers.

The Chairman greeted them with a smile. "Thank you very much for coming here today. I'm pleased to see that you've all managed to survive the events of this war so far. It speaks quite highly of your skills as pilots."

He then turned to Shinn. "Especially you, Shinn Asuka. I've heard a great deal about your exploits on the front lines. I'm glad that I assigned the Impulse to your capable hands."

Shinn smiled at the praise. "Really? I'm honored, Chairman!"

Lunamaria raised an eyebrow. It wasn't that she disputed the Chairman's appraisal of Shinn's skills; he was a good pilot, even if his hotheadedness got him into trouble. However, she found it a bit jarring that he was being singled out for praise even though there were several far more gifted pilots sitting right there with him.

Flattery has a way of going to Shinn's head, she thought, I hope the praise he's getting doesn't inflate his ego further. It's hard enough to deal with as it is…

A nearby door opened, and several ZAFT soldiers came out carrying trays of food. Lunamaria had to wonder how they felt about being reduced to waiters; she highly doubted that it was what they had joined the armed forces for. Still, the food looked good, and she wasn't about to turn it down.

"Please, eat up," said the Chairman, "You had a long journey to get here, and while I would never insult the galley cooks of our armed forces, I daresay that you'll find this to be a cut above typical ZAFT fare."

Lunamaria licked her lips as she dished up. "Don't mind if I do!"

They spent a few minutes eating before Shinn spoke up. "Chairman, may I ask you something?"

Durandal smiled. "Of course. Feel free to speak your mind, Shinn."

Shinn nodded. "Okay. Are there any plans to bring this war to an end?"

It was a more thoughtful question than Lunamaria had expected. Perhaps he'd actually grown up a bit since they'd come to the surface. She could only hope that was the case.

Durandal sighed. "On that front, I'm afraid I do not have much in the way of good news. We have reached out to the Earth Alliance in an effort to arrange a ceasefire as a first step towards achieving a proper diplomatic settlement to this conflict, but our overtures have been rebuffed. They refuse any form of compromise."

Duo folded his arms. "What'd you expect? They did kick things off by trying to nuke your homeland."

Trowa nodded. "As nice as it would be to reach a negotiated peace, that is not possible when the goal of one side is genocide."

"Quite so," said Field Marshal Magnus.

"I wish it were otherwise," Quatre chimed in, "but given the circumstances, I can't see this war coming to an end anytime soon."

Wufei shook his head. "It won't be ended by the words of politicians. It'll be the soldiers on the battlefield who will see this war through to its conclusion."

Lunamaria couldn't bring herself to agree with his assessment. "Hold on! Maybe things look bad now, but the Earth Alliance can't possibly convince its civilian population to support this war forever. I mean, just looked at all the casualties they've suffered so far. There's no way they can sustain losses like those!"

"The Earth Alliance has a substantial manpower advantage," Heero countered, "More to the point, the will of the people matters less in the Alliance's member states than it used to. At the very least, the Atlantic Federation ceased to be a properly functioning democracy long ago; it's an authoritarian state with show-elections and a rubber-stamp legislature. Its rulers have a solid lock on the courts and on all major media outlets, allowing them to marginalize any meaningful internal opposition. From the outside looking in, their propaganda may seem ridiculous, but on the inside, it does have an effect. Even if the casualties suffered on the front lines become too much for the families of the fallen to bear, the road to organizing a successful opposition campaign that could actually force the government to end the war is an uphill one to say the least."

"Not to mention there's the revenge factor to consider," Talia added grimly, "Suffering the losses of family members to war drives many to question and ultimately oppose conflict, but others turn their grief into fuel for anger and retribution. The same goes for us soldiers in the field, unfortunately. Duty towards our homeland and our comrades should come first, but the desire to avenge those that we've lost can play a dark influence… as the last war showed all too well."

"Is that why the Alliance is still fighting?" asked Shinn, "Is it for revenge?"

"It's likely one of the reasons," said Field Marshal Magnus, "It makes for a powerful motivator."

Athrun shook his head. "It's shortsighted and won't get anyone anywhere. Someone once told me that if you kill for revenge, the cycle will just keep on going. Peace will never be achieved simply by perpetuating the cycle of retribution."

Durandal nodded. "That's a good way to look at things. It's part of the fundamental questions that have been asked about warfare since mankind first waged it. Why do people keep fighting, even though they know just how horrible war is? Why does war continue even into an age where humanity has moved beyond Earth to colonize space?"

Lunamaria was surprised by who he turned to next. "What do you think, Shinn?"

He's asking Shinn for answers to complex questions like those?, she thought, This isn't going to end well…

Thankfully, Shinn at least looked like he was trying to give the answer serious consideration before he answered. "Well… there are selfish groups out there who want to keep the war going. Organizations like Blue Cosmos in the Earth Alliance. Am I right?"

"That is part of the answer," Durandal replied, "However, there's more to it than that."

He stood up and motioned for the others to follow them. He led them over to the balcony's railing and gestured at one of the nearby mobile suits that was on guard duty.

"Take a look at that machine," he said, "Can any of you tell me what it is?"

Rey answered immediately. "A ZGMF-2000 GOUF Ignited. It's a new model high-performance mobile suit geared towards close-quarters-combat."

Durandal nodded. "That's the correct answer from a technical standpoint, Rey. However, it is also something more, something that could be said of all of our mobile suits. What might that be?""

Lunamaria raised an eyebrow; what was the Chairman getting at here? "Uhm… a weapon?"

"A good general description, Miss Hawke," said Durandal. "However, I'm afraid it still misses the mark. Try to look at it less through the eyes of a soldier and more through the eyes of a businessman. Take a capitalistic approach, if you will."

Heero's eyes narrowed, as if he could tell where this was going. "It's a product."

Durandal smiled. "Precisely."

Lunamaria was puzzled, and based on the look Shinn had she was relieved to see that at least she wasn't the only one. "I don't get it."

"Military industrial complex, kid," said Duo, "For a lot of people, war's where the money's at."

Trowa rolled his eyes. "Of course, you'd put it as crudely as possible."

Wufei chuckled. "That figures."

"He's not wrong, though," Quatre pointed out.

"Quite so," Durandal concurred, "During conflict, machines such as these go to the front lines in large quantities. They're damaged or destroyed, and what then? They are repaired or replaced, and to do on the large scale that modern warfare entails requires massive industrial support. Someone has to manufacture the components, if not entire units, and they do not do so for free. Think of how much just a single mass production mobile suit costs, and then consider how many are in the armed forces of the conflicting powers in this war. Consider the profit to be had by being an armaments manufacturer in times of war. Think of the companies that make up the armaments industry and what their stakes in conflicts such as this one are."

"With all due respect, Chairman Durandal," Captain Gladys cautiously interjected, "Is this really something that we should be talking about here?"

Durandal clasped his hands behind his back as he looked out at the mobile suit beyond the balcony. "It's simply the truth of the matter, Talia. For those who are in the business of creating these machines, of any form of weapons, war is profitable."

It was an angle that Lunamaria had never really thought about before. It made a certain amount of sense, but was that really all there was to it? Was their war being fought because of something as simple and disgusting as the greed of heavy industry?

"Whether they be state-owned or subsidized design bureaus or independent corporations," Durandal continued, "these manufacturers provide the machines that dominate our modern battlefields. Their products are damaged or destroyed in combat, so they then develop more powerful and efficient machines to replace them. They build upon the failures of the previous generation and sell the new products to those who can pay to send them into battle. As long as warfare represents a boon to their bottom line, then those who profit will continue to create not only the machines of war, but also the conditions of war."

"Where have we seen this before?" Duo muttered under his breath.

Trowa raised an eyebrow. "Do you really have to ask?"

Duo rolled his eyes. "I figured the subtext was clear enough."

"I'm surprised you even get subtext," Wufei quipped.

Duo glared at him. "How many times do I have to tell you to pull that stick out of your ass?"

"Tone it down, guys," said Quatre with a smile, "We're supposed to be in polite company, after all."

Seriously, thought Lunamaria, I mean, how can they act so casual when we're talking about what might be one of the underlying causes of this war? Sometimes I just don't get these guys…

If Durandal was aware of the background banter, he paid it no mind. "You can see the influence of these arms producers in where they spend some of their profits; on media outlets that promote certain views regarding warfare. These organizations often take hardline stances with regards to foreign policy, and in fact it would not be wrong to describe their views as jingoistic. They feed notions such as these into the minds of the people: 'That nation is hostile.' 'Those people are threats to our way of life.' It's an all too common occurrence in regimes both past and present."

"Sounds like the Atlantic Federation propaganda machine in a nutshell," said Athrun.

Heero nodded. "For the last war and this one. Of course, the PLANTs are hardly angels in that regard, either."

Shinn scowled at him. "That's not true! Take that back!"

"Shinn, calm down!" Talia reprimanded him.

"It's quite all right," said Durandal, "His passion is not misplaced. As for your remarks, Heero Yuy… I would not dispute them with regards to the former Zala regime. However, I would note that the PLANTs have been much more restrained this time around."

"Considering the former administration's policies, that's a pretty low bar to clear," Heero pointed out, "Besides, now that your government is at war again, it's in your best interest to have the media outlets in the PLANTs supporting your campaigns. The same jingoistic editorial stances that you decry with regards to your enemies serve you quite well when it comes to providing justification for ZAFT's operations, especially down here on the surface."

Durandal smirked. "Yes, I suppose that's true enough."

He turned back to look out over the balcony again. "The aggressive rhetoric by both state-sponsored and private media enterprises is not just absorbed by the civilian populace; it also finds its ways into the minds of the soldiers on the front lines. In life or death combat, the stakes become much more immediate. 'They shot at me, so they're the enemy.' 'They killed my comrades, so I must take revenge.' As you pointed out, Athrun, does this not continually feed the vicious cycle?"

Athrun nodded. "Pretty much."

"So, war's a big business opportunity for people, and those people also pay media outlets in order to influence their coverage in a more pro-war direction," said Quatre, "With all due respect, Chairman, although this may be a revelation for your military's youngest generation of pilots, you're not really telling the rest of us anything that we didn't already know."

Duo chuckled. "No kidding. This ain't even close to our first rodeo. We know how this shit works better than most."

Just a few days ago, Lunamaria would've been very confused. Now, though, thanks to the revelations from Wufei and Heero aboard the Minerva, she had a pretty good idea as to what they were referring to.

The war in their old world, she thought, I guess it's no wonder why they treat the rest of us like we're still rookies when they've got something like that under their belts…

"Industrialists using war to line their pockets is as old as modern warfare itself," said Trowa, "Did you call this meeting just to give us a history lesson, or do you have something of actual substance to offer?"

Field Marshal Magnus shot him a dirty look. "Insolent little…"

The senior officer wasn't the only one apparently ruffled by Trowa's remarks; Shinn, of course, just couldn't resist throwing himself into the fray. "Hey, show some respect! That's the Chairman your talking to!"

"I give politicians the respect they deserve," Trowa coolly replied, "That is to say, in most cases, little to none."

Wufei smirked. "Sounds about right."

Lunamaria was mildly surprised when Rey jumped in; he wasn't usually the type to get involved in an argument like this. "You may not be officially part of our armed forces, but that doesn't give you the right to act as though you know better than our leadership."

Durandal held out his hands as if to calm the rough waters. "Come now, there's no need for things get heated here. He has the right to his opinions, and I for one appreciate the frankness. For more experienced soldiers, a matter such as this is indeed something that's common knowledge, and I can assure you that I did not ask for your presence just so I could lecture you on what you already know."

"Have our intelligence agencies learned something new about our enemy?" asked Athrun, "Is that why you've called us here?"

Durandal smiled. "Yes. They've actually been investigating this for quite some time, even before the war officially began. There is much more to this conflict than meets the eye."

"What do you mean, sir?" asked Lunamaria.

"During the last war, the common assumption was that the leadership of the Earth Alliance, particularly the Atlantic Federation, was heavily comprised of actual Blue Cosmos members or their sympathizers," said Durandal, "This was true enough, but as it turns out, it also wasn't the complete picture."

Shinn's eyes widened. "There was more to it?"

Durandal nodded. "Quite so. There are those within the Earth Alliance who have encouraged warmongers to the point that armed conflict is actually an industrial plan for them. They dominate the heavy armaments sector of the Atlantic Federation's economy in particular, although their influence can be felt throughout the Earth Sphere. This faction is composed of not just arms producers, but also private military contractors and representatives of corporations that manufacture and sell non-combat-related supplies such as rations, electronic hardware, medicine, and much more besides. Blue Cosmos is not only directly financed by this organization, but are part of its leadership."

"Does this group have a name?" asked Athrun.

"Yes," Durandal replied, "They are known as LOGOS."

"LOGOS…" said Lunamaria softly.

The name didn't ring any bells, but if they were a secret organization then that was only natural. If what the Chairman said was true, though, then its very existence was incredibly unsettling. Was there really some hidden cabal of industrialists and tycoons with so much power and influence that they could drive the world to war? What kind of people could be part of an organization that was devoted to war as an industrial model? How could they look at themselves in the mirror each morning with the knowledge that they were profiting from the suffering of countless people?

She shuddered in equal parts fear and disgust. Looking at her companions, she saw that Athrun and Shinn both seemed rather unnerved as well. Rey, as usual, was impossible to read. As for the Gundam pilots, there was a grim sort of skepticism about them; if they weren't willing to take the Chairman at his word, they at least seemed to be acknowledging the possibility that what he said was correct.

Heero folded his arms. "Do you have any proof?"

Durandal nodded. "Our intelligence agencies have been quite thorough with their investigations. While I cannot release classified materials to those outside of the PLANTs or ZAFT, I can assure you that this group is quite real."

Duo smirked. "Just take your word for it, eh? You don't know us very well, do you?"

"That's not enough for us," said Trowa.

"With all due respect, Chairman, they're right," said Quatre, "While everything you've said is certainly quite plausible, especially given our own experience in matters such as this, that doesn't mean we're just going to believe you, no questions asked."

"Although it would explain quite a few things," Wufei murmured.

Rey gave the Gundam pilots a hard look. "Since you're not part of ZAFT, you have no right to expect us to share classified materials with you. Should you join our ranks officially, we might be willing to reconsider."

"That's not your call to make, Rey," said Captain Gladys firmly.

"Perhaps not, but it is the right call," Field Marshal Magnus countered, "If they're going to fight as independents rather than joining ZAFT, then they should be kept at arms-length, regardless of the kind of firepower they provide our forces in battle."

"They are correct, my friends," said the Chairman as he looked at the Gundam pilots, particularly Heero, "While I can certainly understand your doubts about ZAFT given the events of the prior conflict, I urge you to take this chance to reconsider. We have a common enemy in those who seek to prolong this conflict for the sake of nothing more than their own greed. We are already acting as allies, so why not take it one step further? As long as LOGOS has us playing their game, this war will never come to an end. Together, we can not only bring this conflict to a decisive conclusion but ensure that the conditions of the subsequent peace are such that the likes of LOGOS can never threaten us again."

"He's right, Heero," Athrun chimed in, "Working together with ZAFT is the best way to achieve lasting peace, not the temporary two-year lull we got at the end of the last war."

Durandal nodded. "Just the knowledge that you and your friends have joined ZAFT would provide a monumental boost of morale to our forces. With your combined skill and the power of your Gundams, all of you would more than qualify not just as ZAFT Reds but as members of FAITH. You would have the strength and authority to lead our forces into battle, and you could accomplish far more as the field commanders of our fleets and armies than you ever could as independent fighters. With the full-might of ZAFT backing you, not to mention every bit of information our intelligence services can provide, I have no doubt that you would become the agents that would make a true and lasting peace in our lifetimes a reality."

Lunamaria's breath caught in her throat as she looked at the Gundam pilots. Would they actually do it? She'd witnessed their power firsthand and knew what they had to offer to ZAFT. It was one thing for them to simply be allies, but if they actually officially became part of ZAFT, then that could decisively shift the war in their favor.

Not to mention she was pretty sure that they'd all look damn good in uniform.

She saw the five of them trade looks, and it was hard to make out what they were thinking. Were they seriously considering the Chairman's officer, or merely trying to figure out the best way to turn him down?

She got her answer a moment later when Duo chuckled. "So, that's your big play? Try to win us over with flattery and the promise of rank, authority and intel? You really don't know us very well."

"We'll keep our current position as independent fighters," said Trowa firmly, "What we don't know, we'll simply find out through other means."

Quatre nodded. "With all due respect, I'm pretty sure you already know why we're really saying no."

"Be thankful that we're not saying more than that," Heero added, his eyes narrowing, "For now."

Lunamaria could not help but feel like she was missing some key context. It seemed to be a rather common sensation whenever it came to being around Gundam pilots. Heero's words in particular stood out; it sounded almost as if he was threatening the Chairman.

For his part, Durandal simply nodded, although Lunamaria thought she saw his gaze harden ever so slightly. "So be it."

….

Murrue leaned forward in her chair as Heero wrapped up his report. "LOGOS… it doesn't sound all that different from the Romefeller Foundation that you told me about years ago."

Heero nodded. "There are some similarities, although given a choice between the two, I'd take Romefeller. Their goals were dominion over the Earth Sphere and the continued manufacturing of weapons such as the Mobile Dolls in order to enforce their vision of order. They might've been heavy-handed and weren't particularly concerned about civilian casualties, not to mention they weren't above threatening the colonies with missile satellites and Space Fortress Barge, but a campaign of outright genocide wasn't part of their agenda."

Andrew Waltfeld stepped forward. "What do you make of the Chairman's claims? Is this something that we can actually believe?"

"It does seem a bit too convenient," Aisha noted, "A cabal of industrialists in league with virulent racists and using them to launch a war for the sake of profit? If this were a book or movie, I'd say the plot needs some work. The 'villains' here make ZAFT look way too sympathetic… which serves Durandal's interests just fine."

"It's hard to take it just at face value," said Heero, "However, it's not as implausible as other theories might be. At the very least, it's a lead that bears investigation."

Murrue nodded and turned to the Desert Tiger. "Could we have Eric do some follow up on this?"

Andrew nodded. "Sure. His sources in ZAFT's intelligence services should at least be able to let us know if there's been any serious work on this angle done at the Chairman's behest. It won't be the same as actually digging around within the Atlantic Federation itself, but given our lack of contacts there that's just not a viable option; piggybacking on ZAFT's investigation is the only play we've got."

Aisha sighed. "Well, at least we'll be able to find out if Durandal's lying or not."

Murrue's brow furrowed. "What if he is telling the truth? The Earth Alliance was the primary aggressor in this conflict, so it's not like we don't have enough incentive already to fight them. Knowing about the true sources of the conflict will help us bring it to an end, and this could be a vital lead for us."

"That's true," said Heero, "but let's not forget that Durandal's hardly an innocent party here."

Murrue nodded; the attack on Home One was certainly proof enough of that. "I know. We're going to have to turn our guns on him sooner or later, but the timing will be tricky. Even without this 'LOGOS' in the works, the Earth Alliance is still the main threat pretty much by default at this point. I know that a time will likely come when we'll have to fight both them and ZAFT at once, but it's not something that we should rush into."

"True enough," the Desert Tiger concurred, "We'll need some serious backing for a two-front fight. Having Orb back in play for our side would be nice when that time comes, and if this 'LOGOS' was driving the Atlantic Federation's policy then there might be something we can use there as a means to drive a wedge between them."

Aisha smiled mischievously. "If the Seirans were being used by arms producers to bring Orb into the war on the side of the Earth Alliance, I bet that wouldn't play very well with the people."

"If we could find evidence that nails them, it'd certainly help in removing them from power," said Heero, "Speaking of Orb, where's Cagalli? How's she holding up?"

Murrue smiled. "She's been hitting the flight simulator almost non-stop lately. I think it's mostly been to keep her mind off of what Yuna and Unato are doing in Orb. At least her skills will be back up to par once the time comes for her to take the field in the Strike Rouge."

"Kira and Lacus have been taking turns keeping an eye on her," said Andrew, "She's doing all right, although the news regarding the Orb fleet heading out this way was a tough pill for her to swallow."

Aisha nodded somberly. "If we meet them on the field, it will probably be with them acting as an auxiliary for the Earth Alliance. Dealing with them could be… problematic."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "An auxiliary? I'd expect the Alliance to put them up front and use them as cannon fodder."

Murrue sighed. "We're well aware of that possibility, but… well, it's not one we wanted to bring up in front of Cagalli."

Heero's eyes narrowed. "I see."

"We can try to hold back if we run into them," said Andrew grimly, "but if push comes to shove, we might not have that luxury."

"I think it'd be best if we have Kira face them should they engage us," said Murrue, "After all, his fighting style and the Freedom's accuracy would be ideal for such a situation."

Heero nodded. "You're right. Hopefully he'll be able to handle it."

"What about you and your old friends?" asked Aisha, "You guys aren't exactly the types to pull your punches, and since the Seirans have allied Orb with the Atlantic Federation if you're staying with the Minerva then you're much more likely to encounter them before we do."

"True enough," Heero replied, "Murrue, can you keep tailing us? If we encounter Orb forces, the Freedom's speed should let Kira scramble and catch up to us pretty quickly as long as you're not too far behind."

Murrue smiled. "We've kept pace with you this far, haven't we? Trust me, Heero; we've still got your back. If you want us to send help your way, just say the word."

He gave her a small smile in return. "Thanks."

"That still doesn't quite answer my question," Aisha pressed, "I'm sure Kira can meet up with you guys quickly if need be, but until he does show up, it'd just be you Gundam pilots and ZAFT on the field against any forces Orb throws against you. What will you do?"

Heero closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again Murrue recognized the dark resolve in his gaze. "What we must. That's all there is to it."

A chill went down her spine; she knew full well what he meant. What was she to say, though? If he held back in battle just because he was fighting soldiers of the Orb Union, he'd be giving his enemy an advantage. Wing Zero Albion wasn't the Freedom; thanks to the railguns it now had some of the precision capability that Kira utilized with his machine to such great effect, but at its core the Gundam was a weapon of mass destruction. Besides, when she weighed the lives of the soldiers of the Orb Union against that of the young man on the screen before her, she knew exactly who she would choose. Perhaps it was selfish of her, but it didn't change her priorities. Heero's survival came first. As for the soldiers of the Orb Union…

…Murrue could only hope that Yuna wasn't stupid enough to order them to engage the Gundams in battle.

Preview for next time!

Suspicions simmer between the Gundam pilots and Chairman Durandal, but neither faction can afford to make a move against the other at the moment due to the forces of the Earth Alliance marshalling for a major confrontation. While the Minerva resupplies at the Diocuia base, a fleet consisting of combined naval units from the Atlantic Federation and the Orb Union enters the Mediterranean Sea, preparing for battle. Rendezvousing with them are a select group of Eurasian aces sent specifically to counter the Gundam pilots. Meanwhile, the crewmembers of the Minerva take this calm before the storm as a chance to rest, and while off-base Shinn stumbles into a chance encounter with a certain blonde-haired girl who, unbeknownst to him, is both an adversary and a victim. Next time, on "Destiny's Call", Episode Fifteen: The Brewing Tempest.

How long can a wounded dove survive in the company of ravenous vultures?

Author's Notes: In case you haven't guessed, the Mihaly that appears in this story is based off of the Mihaly that shows up as an enemy ace in the upcoming Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. At the time I wrote his intro scene, the character's last name hadn't been revealed, and even though that might change by the time I post this I decided to keep 'Reyne' as this version's family name just for the sake of providing a bit more separation between this one and the original. His mobile suit, the MSX-02 Wyvern is named for the X-02 Wyvern from the Ace Combat series, although the actual frame in this story is another variation of the Grimgerde like the Raijin that was introduced earlier in the story, only this unit actually has decent ranged capabilities in addition to the melee weapons.

As the preview for the next chapter indicates, Mihaly won't be the only Eurasian ace that'll be taking to the field soon; I've got a couple more that I'll be introducing in the next chapter. And no, before you ask, they won't be replacing the Desperado mercenaries, but will actually be fighting alongside them. Nazara's benched for now, and given his repeated failures to accomplish his mission that was inevitable, but he won't be off the field forever, and when comes back his machine will be upgraded again. Speaking of pilots, Heine will be making a proper reappearance next chapter too, so that's something to look forward to.

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!