I don't really have much to say other then read and enjoy.
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Chapter 33
It was in the early hours in the morning on the John Paul Jones.
But even true most of the crew was still fast asleep at this moment in time, the top commander of the vessel was wide away, using a pen to play around with the small fish he kept on his desk.
It hadn't been all that long since he had finished talking with Lord Djibril, who had been quite displeased about their somewhat poor success rate against the Minerva and her forces.
And it wasn't like he could just tell the terrorist leader, that they had almost succeed in destroying the grey Zaft ship. It just didn't work that way, far from it actually.
If there was one thing Neo Roanoke knew about Djibril, was that the man had a very low tolerance for mistakes and bad excuses. He wanted results no matter what it took.
Yet the mask man could frankly say, that if the Archangel had not interfered in the last battle when it did. They might have been able to finally send that the damn ship to the bottom of the sea.
"Damn it, I'm seriously getting tired of this. Perhaps the next time we run in to the Minerva, we should focus our attention on taking down the two gundams it has on board, with them out of the way, it would definitely be easier taking out the ship" he muttered quietly to himself in a thoughtful tone. While trying to come up with the best possible strategy to take out the Minerva.
Yet not knowing if the Freedom and the Archangel was going to interfere again. It was somewhat difficult for him to come up with some truly brilliant plan that would defeat the Minerva and her forces no matter what.
But as he sat there thinking about all of that. He once more began to wonder, why exactly he was having those odd feelings, like he somehow knew the pilots of both the white ZAKU and the Freedom.
Yet when he seriously thought about those two mobile suits and their pilots. He could not help but think about one of them as an enemy he hate more then anything else in the world.
But for some unknown reason, which he couldn't figure out. He did not have the same kind of hateful feelings towards the Freedom.
It was kinda like he actually cared about the person inside the white and blue gundam.
Which truly didn't make any kind of sense to him. It wasn't like he had actually meet the person piloting the Freedom, so why did that machine and the Archangel feel so damn familiar. Like they where just so incredibly important to him.
"Damn! Once we are done kicking Zaft ass in this war. I could seriously use a good long vacation. Preferably on a nice hot beach somewhere, with a ton of beautiful women running around, dressed in nothing else, other then tight skin showing sexy bathing suits!" He mumbled, with a small grin on his face. As he sat there dreaming about such a paradise.
He did however not get long to do that, before somebody suddenly knocked loudly on the door. Which resulted in that he was immediately got pull out of his slightly naughty daydream.
"Ahh man! Can't somebody get at least fifteen to twenty hours, to relax on this boat?" He unhappily asked himself. As he slowly moved his somewhat lazy gaze away from his small aquarium and over towards the door.
Seriously hoping for a second or two that the person out there would just turn around and leave. So he could either continued fantasizing about that lovely beach with the many gorgeous women playing volleyball, or perhaps find someway to destroy the Minerva.
But much to his minor annoyance the person out there apparently didn't get that he want to be alone right now. Seeing as it didn't even take a minute before there was another hard knock on the door.
Which was more then enough to make him sigh loudly, as he call for the person outside his room to come on in, and it didn't even take a minute before the grey metal door flew open, and in stepped the second in command of the vehicle.
Where he immediately gave him a small yet respectful salute, which made Neo smile slightly at him.
"What is it commander? As you can see, I'm quite busy at the moment. So please do make this short!" The mask man told him, while trying to act and sound like he seriously did have a lot of important work that need to be done in a hurry. And fortunately for him all the paper spread out all over his desk, did help him out a great deal, with his tiny bluff about him being busy.
And when the second in command realized that his timing was pretty bad right now. He let out a small breath while he hastily began explaining to him what was going on at the laboratory in Lodonia.
And the news about Zaft discovering that place, was more then enough to make a small frown ran over Neo's forehead. Not that the other man in there could actually see that.
Yet once Neo began talking to him again. The second in command had no trouble at all figuring out that the captain of the John Paul Jones, was now in an even more foul mood then before.
"That seriously is bad news, but there isn't all that much that can be done about it from our location here. It's not like we could actually take the John Paul Jones there and scare them off. So it would pretty much seem like, we are forced to leave them alone!" He said in a slightly unhappy tone. As he slowly reach over and pick up a single piece of paper.
Which made it seem like, he was going back to work now. Yet that action alone was far from enough, to get the other man to leave.
"But captain sir. I realize that the John Paul Jones can't go there. But both the Gaia and the Chaos should be able to get there with no trouble at all, and if we send all of our Windams with them as reinforcement, I'm sure that they would be able to beat all the Zaft forces gather at that laboratory!" The man said, in a loud displeased tone. As he wondered what Zaft could be doing at Lodonia.
Thinking briefly about what the man had just said to him. Neo slowly shook his head, after a couple minor seconds.
"Believe me commander, I really do understand your desire to keep Zaft away from that place. But you don't have the slightest idea about what kinda forces Zaft has there!" The mask man said. As he slowly moved his hand over, and once more used his pen to tease the small fish inside the glass aquarium.
Yet even while doing that. He opened his mouth and continued with his explanation about not wanting to send any military forces to Lodonia.
"So even true your plan about sending the Gaia and the Chaos to the Lodonia lab does sound somewhat logical. I quite frankly don't want to run the risk of losing any of those mobile suits, in attempt to recapture a base we have no interested in any longer" he explained.
Just before he took a minor glance away from his pet, and back up at the commander, where his expression made it pretty clear to Neo. That the man wasn't entirely satisfied with his decision in this matter.
But even true Neo could easily sense the deep anger from the other man. He quickly made the decision to just ignore it.
While he slowly reached over and pick up a small bottle of fish food, which he immediately pour a tiny position of in to the water. Now watching as the small creature happily eat it's breakfast.
Yet while he was sitting there admiring the little things big appetite. The other man in there was sending him a look that would definitely have scared most people quite a bit.
Unfortunately the mask man wasn't really the most easy person to intimidate. And if anybody saw the way he kept on playing with the tiny animal, they would without a doubt believe that he didn't have a care in the world.
Which to put it mildly bother the second in command quite a bit.
Yet the only thing he did to show that, was by giving his low lips a small hard bite, in a minor attempt to keep himself from saying anything disrespectful to the mask man.
"But sir! Don't you think it would be a wise choice to at least discourse the matter with high command. You never know if somebody accidently left something critical behind back there!" He said loudly, while seriously hoping that the blond man would take his word serious.
And stop fooling around with that disgusting animal. He quite honestly didn't get how the mask man could give that creature so much attention, while they having such an important conversation.
And a small part of him was actually tempted to just grab the aquarium and flush the fish out in the nears toilet to get rid of it. He really hate that ugly thing right now.
Once more moving his gaze away from the small animal, and upwards at the slightly older man. Where he couldn't stop himself from narrow his eyes a bit underneath his mask.
"As far as I know, that place was fill with people, that was actually able to use more then just ten percent of their brain. So if they actually did leave something behind back there, I'm pretty sure that it wasn't all that important to begin with!" He said. Not doing one thing to hide, that he was quite frankly getting tired of this discussion about the Lodonia lab.
Yet before the other man could come up with something else to say.
The mask man took in a long deep breath, as he again opened his mouth and continued speaking in the exact same tone as before.
"And our orders here are to hunt down and destroy the Minerva. So there is just no way I'm going to use our valuable resource and time to fight for a base we have already abandoned once!" He said. Seriously hoping that this was the end of this discussion.
He really didn't want to waste anymore time arguing with the other man about this.
To put it lightly he was starting to work on his last nerve. So if he actually kept on insisting to continue this discussion. Neo might just have to throw him out of there in the end.
Fortunately the man seemed to realize that the conversation was about over.
"Very well sir I understand! Yet once we are finished out here, I will be sure to mention to high command. Your unwillingness to help out in this matter!" He said in a proud tone.
Which made it pretty obvious to Neo that he was serious about this. Yet those brainless threats, didn't really offend Neo all that much. He just sat there looking up at the other man for a second or two.
Then he slowly opened his mouth and let out a big loud yawn. Like he was extremely bored with the whole thing, and just on the verge of falling asleep right there in his chair.
And his next words almost made the other man's face completely red with anger and hatred.
"You do what you want! Do you need some help to write your report, or can you do it on your own? Your name is after all pretty long, so it might be a little hard for you to spell on your own. Now what was the first letter again do you remember that?" He asked. Making it sound very much like he was actually talking with a small kid.
And even true, most people would properly have been quite scared of that deep hateful look, the second in command was presently giving him.
Neo didn't really give it all that much attention, a small part of him was actually hoping, that the other man would try something. That way he could throw him down in to the closed cell, and be free from his damn complaining for the rest of the trip.
Unfortunately the man was way to smart to do something stupid like that.
"I will be seeing you later sir. I'll be going back to the bridge now" he said out through his teeth. Then turned around and left the room, still with that deep murderous glare in both of his eyes.
Seeing him leave like that. Neo slowly leaned back in his somewhat comfortable chair.
"Wow man talk about a short fuse! Apparently I'm not the only one here, that could use a vacation. No way I'm taking that fool along on mine, he can go somewhere else like the north pole" the mask man mumbled. While taking another glance over at his fish, that was now peaceful swimming around with no idea about what had just happened between it's owner and that other man.
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Meanwhile out in the John Paul Jones' halls.
A certain almost hysterical man. Was slowly making his way down to the ships mess hall, determined to get a steaming cup of newly made coffee, in a minor attempt to calm himself down. After the argument he had just been having with that mask wearing bastard.
"Damn, that arrogant fool! Who the heck does he think he is talking to me like that? I was a member of Logos long before he had even heard of the organization. So why the heck, do I have to take orders from that man!" He growled loudly to himself, while thinking about some of the more unrealistic actions the mask man would from time to time do in the middle of a battle.
He might not show it all that much to the other crew members on the John Paul Jones. But a very big part of him firmly believed that someday in the future, one of the blond man's more crazy strategies would get them all killed.
"I seriously don't understand how Lord Djibril could choose that bastard, as the commander of this this vessel over me. I have been a loyal support of Logos for so many years now! So how the heck can some foolish novice, come from out of nowhere, and take the position which is rightfully mine!" The displeased officer asked.
Just as he turned and enter the mess hall.
Where the first thing he noticed in there was the blond pilot of the Gaia gundam.
The teenage girl was sitting quietly by herself, at the very end of the mess hall. Where she was playing around with that crappy seashell, she was always carrying with her just about everywhere she went.
That was another thing he didn't understand.
Why the heck was an almost useless tool like this little brat, walking around with something like that. For what reason had the mask wearing bastard decided to let her keep that thing.
Yet when he had asked Roanoke about it, the man had just told him, that it was Stella's and that she could keep it if that was what she truly wished to do. Even if she had no memories about where she had gotten it from in the first place.
He however didn't think a tool like her should be permitted to have something like that. She was a killing machine and nothing else in his eyes, and that dumb piece of crap did have a somewhat calming effect on the girl.
"Why does he treat such useless equipment, as those kids so well?" He asked himself.
While he watched the blond haired brat lift the seashell up to her ear. Where a small content smile made it pretty obvious to him, that she was really enjoying listening to the sounds that was coming out of the shell.
Yet once he heard a small soft humming from the girl. He couldn't help but narrow his eyes a bit.
"If this continue on like that, she is going to be even more worthless then she already is. Why the hell can't Roanoke understand that, we need to make extra sure that neither of these brats get to much of a normal life. That would most definitely ruin their high combat capability!" He muttered quietly. While still watching the girl just as she began slowly running her fingers over the seashell, like it was one of the most important things in her life.
Yet even true this display would usually make most people happy and delighted to know, that the girl was having a good time right now.
The second in command however had a completely different reaction to all of this. He honestly thought the whole thing was absolutely disgusting.
'I seriously need to do something about this. Before we end up losing the little perfect killing machine' he thought determined, before he slowly started making his way over the innocent girl. That was still having a nice peaceful moment by herself.
It was however only once he stood directly in front of her, that she finally took a small glance away from the seashell and up at him.
Yet before he could get his mouth open and say anything to her.
The blond haired girl slowly turned her attention away from him, and back towards the seashell. Which she once more continued playing with, acting pretty much like he wasn't even there.
And just the sight of her doing that, was more then enough to piss him even more off then he was already. First that bastard to Roanoke had talked to him like he was a complete nobody and now this little bitch was ignoring him.
Which seriously made him feel like just wrapping both of his hands around her throat. And just watch as her almost worthless life slowly left her. Yet he knew he had to remain calm if he wanted this girl to do his biding.
And with that in mind he began talking to her, in the most sweet and caring tone he could muster under these circumstance.
"You know what girl, it hasn't really been all that long since we where informed that Zaft has capture our laboratory in the Lodonia region. And if we don't somehow get it back, we might all end up getting kill by Zaft!"
Just hearing that man say those words. Was more then enough to make Stella completely frozen with fear, as she sat there looking up at the man with wide eyes, and it was only because he was concentrating his hearing that he understood her next words.
"Killed...? Are they really going to kill us all?" The frightened girl asked in a small tone. While a single tear ran down her right cheek, and landed with a soft splash on the white seashell.
Not that any of them noticed that. Stella was too far away in her panic attack, while the large man was completely rejoice in the fact. That it had been so easy for him to manipulate the girl.
And it was pretty clear by her frightened expression. That the only thing needed now, was one more minor push, and he could get the naive teenage to do just about everything he wanted.
"Yes, if we don't do something to stop the Zaft force gather at Lodonia, there is a very high possibility that you and everybody else here could end up dead!" He told her in a sweet tone. While he watched the expression on her face get even more panicky and scared.
And he only had to wait a few short seconds before he heard the girl's next words.
"Dead!...I...I...don't want to be dead, I'm scared...!" She said sounding very, very much like a small child, that had just heard her very first ghost story. And actually believed every single word she had just heard.
Yet before she could say anything else. The man told her that they where all going to be so sad and lonely when she was gone.
Which was more then enough to make her let out a loud whimpering sound.
Just as she collapsed down on to her knees. Where even more tears left her slightly red eyes, and began making their way down her face.
"Stella doesn't...doesn't want to be gone. Stella wants to stay alive no matter what!" The frightened girl sobbed softly in to her hands. Not realizing that the man who had put her in this miserable state, was actually smiling wickedly at the way she was acting right now.
And before she could say anything else the man slowly kneel down next to her, and whispered a few words in to her ear.
"If you are really that frightened Stella, you should do something about it. I already explained to you that if you stop the Zaft forces at the Lodonia laboratory, then all of us is going to keep on living" he said in a gentle tone.
Actually doing quite a good job in sounding like he was truly trying to protect her, from the very thing that was scaring her so incredibly much.
Hearing him say that. The blond haired girl slowly got back up on her feet, still with that deeply frightened look in her eyes. "Yes Stella will do something, that way nothing will happen to Stella, and she can keep staying alive!" The girl said.
Just before she turned around and began walking slowly towards the exit of the mess hall. Looking very much like some sort of sleepwalker, that was in serious need of some help right now.
Unfortunately the few people that did noticed her, was simply way to scared of her and the rest of Phantom Pain. To even consider for a second to help the poor girl out.
Which pretty much meant, that there was nothing between her, and the destination she had in mind.
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And it was only a few short minutes later, when she enter the hangar.
Where she didn't waste any time in making her way over to the Gaia gundam. That was standing in it's usual location at the very end of the hangar, directly behind the Abyss.
Which a few of the younger mechanics was busy trying to repair, after the massive damage the Freedom had made on the blue mobile suit, in the last battle they had been in.
Not that the totally freaked out girl pay all that much attention to that.
The only thing she was interested in right now, was getting in the Gaia and getting out of there as quickly as possible.
Yet just as she was about to get in to the mobile suit, somebody began talking to her in a loud tone. "What's going on Loussier! It's very unusual for you to be down here, unless we are going out in to battle!" The chief mechanic asked.
Before taking a short glance down at the report in his hand, which told him that they still needed to do a few minor adjustments to the Gaia. Before it was completely ready for combat again.
He did however not get much time to really study the report. Before a small fist came flying in from out of nowhere and hit him straight in the face.
And even true there wasn't really all that much force in the attack. It was still enough to knock him over, simply because the punch took him completely by surprise.
So after sitting there for a few minor seconds, trying to clear his head and figure out what had just happened. He saw the teenage girl crawl in to the Gaia, where she immediately closed the cockpit after herself.
"What the heck do you think you are doing Loussier?" He asked loudly.
Just as a small glow flash through both of the mobile suit's blue eyes. And it was only shortly after that, when the Phase Shift armor was activated, and the now black gundam began moving around.
And before either him or anybody else could do something. They all heard the girl's voice shout out through the hangar.
"Open the hangar now, before I blast my way through the door!" She yelled loudly. While moving the mobile suit around in such a way, that it actually seemed quite a bit like, she was just about ready to fire the rifle in to the side of the ship.
Hearing her say that, the chief mechanic hurried got back up on his feet, where he immediately call out after the girl. "Stella Loussier! Please try and calm down. Then we will call captain Roanoke down here. So you can talk with him about what made you do this!" The man yelled, in one last desperate attempt to get the girl to stop what she was doing right now.
But even true Neo's name usually did have a somewhat calming effect on the girl.
This time around it was just no use, she was simply to scared and freaked out about everything the second in command had said to her not long ago.
So pretty much the only thing she did. Even after hearing the chief mechanic's words, was to once more scream out for them to open the hangar door, and let her out of there. Before she blow the ship apart.
And hearing those few words, was enough to make the slightly overweight man realize that there was nothing he or anybody else there could do, to talk the blond girl out of this.
And not really overly keen on losing his life to this insane brat. He quickly turned and looked down at a few other mechanics.
"Why the heck are you two just standing looking stupid, stop wasting time and get the hangar door open. Before she actually sinks the entire ship!" The mechanic yell out in a loud treating tone, that promised both of them a lot of pain, if they didn't do what he said.
Fortunately the two of them valued their lives so much, that neither of them felt like arguing about what he had just said.
And it was only a few short minutes after that, when the Gaia gundam left the ship. And ran off in to the horizon, as fast as it's four legs could carry it.
Once completely out of sight. The two mechanic who had opened the hangar door slowly fell to the floor.
"Damn, I seriously thought she was going to kill us all!" One of them said. While he tried everything to calm his rapidly beating heart down, which pretty much felt like it was ready to fly straight out of his chest.
Yet as he was sitting there, he didn't see his friend nod a few times in agreement. "Yeah tell me about it. That really was nerve-racking. I'm glad that's over with!" The other one said, also breathing quite hard at the moment.
They did however not get long to relax. Before the chief mechanic began yelling loudly at them.
"What in the hell are you guys talking about, this is far from over with, we need to hurry and inform captain Roanoke about this. And it would definitely be wise for us to try and figure out why she freaked out the way she did!" The man said loudly. While hastily making his way over to them, so he end up standing directly in front of them.
Hearing him say that, they each turned and looked up at him.
"I already know why she did this boss. She is absolutely insane just like the two other gundam pilots on this ship!" The right one said. While thinking about how many times, he had witnessed that Auel kid threatening one of the other crew members on the ship.
Not really overly surprised at hearing something like that. After the life and death experience all of them had just been through the chief engineer narrowed his eyes a tiny bit.
"Well I certainly don't want to disagree with you guys after this. But one thing I have noticed about that Stella girl, is that she only freaks out like that, if there is somebody nearby who is talking about killing or death. So I'm pretty sure that there is somebody around this ship that made her do all of this!" He said, in a deeply thoughtful tone.
Now just standing there trying to figure out if there was anybody on board the John Paul Jones. Who didn't know about the teenage's problem with the whole death and killing thing.
Yet before he could really start thinking about it. Roanoke and the two other gundam pilots enter the hangar.
"Would somebody please tell me what the heck happened down here, and more importantly where is the Gaia?" The mask man asked in a loud displeased tone.
While slowly letting his hard angry glare, ran over the condition of the hangar.
Not that there was much to see down there.
Pretty much the only notable differences in the hangar, was that they where now missing one of their extremely powerful mobile suits, which they had gone through so much trouble to steal from Zaft in the first place.
And after hearing the mask man repeat his loud question, one more time.
The chief mechanic let out a deep breath.
As he began making his way over to the captain of the enormous grey war ship, absolutely determined to tell the blond man about everything that had taken place down here, not that long ago.
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It was a half hour later back in Neo's room.
It hadn't really been difficult to figure out who exactly had fill Stella's head with the whole kill and death thing. And knowing that the man had only done it as a way to get back at him, for not treating him with the respect he wanted was more then enough to piss Neo off quite a bit.
Doing something so idiotic to one of the people he cared about was a big mistake. And he had immediately order, after learning the identity of the culprit that the man was throw in the closed cell for risking all of their lives, and for losing the Gaia gundam.
"Damn it! If I had know he was that crazy, I would have had him transfer off this ship a long time ago" the blond muttered. As he reached up and slowly removed his mask, which he placed on the desk in front of him.
After that he moved his hand up and rubbed both of his blue eyes in a tired manner.
"I really do hope that Stella comes to her sense. Before she actually reach the Lodonia lab, even if she is in the Gaia. I seriously doubt that she can handle all the Zaft forces there on her own!" He said. Generally worried about the blond haired girl, who had taken off not long ago to fight their enemies all on her own.
He sincerely hoped that she could somehow survive the meeting with whatever forces Zaft had at Lodonia.
If she actually did that, there was a possibility that they might be able to get her back at some point in the future.
"If you do lose your life in this. I'll be sure to avenge your death!" He said in a determined tone. As he reached out and pick up his mask, which he once more placed where it belonged on his head.
After doing that he slowly stood up and began making his way over to the door.
"I better make completely certain that both Auel and Sting forgets all about Stella. If they remember her it might be hard for them to fight like they use to!" He said to himself.
Before he opened the door and left the small room.
To be continued.