Chapter 34
It had not been long since Athrun and Shinn had finished taking yet another look around the creepy base.
"I seriously hope we can get out of here soon. I already gather more then enough material for a dozen of nightmares!" The pilot of the Impulse said, while turning his eyes upwards towards thick clouds that was hanging far above the base.
Just one tiny glance at them, was more then enough to make it clear. That it would not be long now, before it was going to rain. Fortunately they where just about ready to return back to the ship.
Which meant that they could properly avoid most of the heavy rain, that was treating to fall on them at any minute now.
He did however not get long to watch the somewhat gloomy skies. Before the person walking beside him began talking in quite a far away tone.
"I do agree with you Shinn that this place is quite depressing. But I most admit I'm slightly disappointed that we weren't able to find anything else about the Extendeds project or whatever the Earth Forces call it, while they where here!" Athrun said.
While at the same time going over all the more terrible things, they had found inside this base.
And those thoughts alone, was more then enough to make him wish, that they had found something in there. That could somehow prevent the Earth Forces from ever doing something this cruel again to another human being.
Thinking a brief second or two about what the other gundam pilot had just said. The red eyed teenage found himself nodding slowly in agreement.
"Yeah that really would have been great. But I guess we just have to be satisfied with the knowledge, that they wouldn't be able to use this damn place again anytime soon. Even true I seriously do want to beat the crap out of those bastards that ran this place!" He said, while he slowly narrowing his eyes a bit.
After seeing all of those things inside this base.
The teenage just couldn't help but feel somewhat impatient about leaving this place. He seriously wanted to show those Earth Forces bastards, just how he felt about them treating other human beings in such a none caring way.
Truth be told, there was a minor part of him, which was actually looking forward to their next encounter with the Earth Forces. So he could give them such a beating that they would never be able to forget him or the Impulse gundam.
Yet as he was dreaming about that. Athrun once more interrupted his thoughts.
"Yeah it certainly can't be denied, that it is a good thing that we are able to keep them away from this place. But if you take a logical look at it Shinn, it's nothing more then a temporary solution, we have to stop the Earth Alliance before they can start up another place like this, or do something even more repulsive!" The blue haired young man said, in a deeply determined tone.
Already knowing what the Saviour pilot had just told him was the truth. Shinn slowly opened his mouth, and was just about to tell Athrun that he totally agreed with him about everything he had just said.
Yet before he could get even one sentence out, a loud siren could be heard over the entire area. Which could only mean that they where just about to be attacked or there was some kind of threat heading their way.
"Ahhh man! What the heck is happening now! Don't tell me that those stupid bastards, have actually gone through the trouble of traveling all the way back here. Just to try and scar us away?" Shinn shouted loudly, while trying to figure out the reason for the alarm.
Fortunately the whole place seemed pretty empty, which made him wonder if this was actually a drill of some kind.
He did however not get the opportunity to voice his suspicion about the alarm.
When the very person, he had been talking with about the Earth Alliance for the last few minutes, place a hand on his left shoulder. Which immediately made him turn around, and look back at the slightly older teenage behind him.
"Lets hurry back to the Saviour and the Impulse, so we can figure out what this is about!" Athrun said in a deep serious tone.
While taking a brief look around the area. Where he immediately noticed that everybody else out there, was now making a hastily withdrawal back to whatever ship they where assigned to. None of them wanting to be out there incase this really did turn out to be a full-scale assault by whatever forces that was approaching the up until now deserted base.
So still with no clear signs of enemies nearby.
The two young pilots turned around and ran full speed back towards their mobile suits. That was fortunately still standing outside, since they had first entered the base.
It wasn't long after that before both of the pilots was back in their respective mobile suits.
"Captain Gladys? Both Shinn and I are back in our mobile suits and ready to take off. But to be honest I don't see any kind of hostile forces nearby, so could one of you please tell us what this is about?" Athrun asked loudly, while still trying to find the direct source of this commotion.
Yet there was still not a thing to see above the base, other then the clouds.
That was most definitely getting more dark and gloomy, by every single moment that went by.
And even true it couldn't be denied, that the thick clouds was almost the perfect cover to launch a surprise attack of some kind, there was just nothing to see up there that looked overly life treating.
Which was truly a bit bizarre.
Hearing Athrun ask that and realizing where the Minerva's two gundam pilot was trying to find the enemies. The captain of the grey space ship slowly narrow both of her eyes slightly, as she began speaking to them in a serious voice.
"The reason why the two of you, are unable to find anything up there. Is because the enemy which is now approaching our location, is coming by ground. It's the Gaia gundam!" The brown haired woman explained. Somewhat concerned about what exactly the Earth Forces was planing by sending that machine here on it's own.
But up until now she had already asked Meyrin twice if there was anything else out there somewhere.
Yet from the looks of things there was nothing around that could back the Gaia up in this battle.
Which truly did make her suspicion about this whole thing raise even more. What in heaven's name where the Earth Forces thinking, they could not possibility believe that they could recapture this base with just the Gaia gundam alone.
She did however not get the opportunity to tell the two pilots about her concern, when Shinn decided to interrupt her and tell them his opinion about this.
"This is just great! If that freakish four legged machine is here all by itself. I can finally get even with it, and tear it in to four identical pieces of trash!" The red eyed pilot said.
With a slightly wicked smirk on his lips. Which made it pretty obvious for everybody that was watching this conversation, that he was seriously itching for a rematch against the black stolen gundam.
Yet before he could really start planing, what truly terrible things he was going to do to the Gaia. The pilot over in the red gundam began telling him what exactly their strategy was going to be for this battle.
"Shinn I do understand that you want to get even with the Gaia and it's pilot. Yet neither of us have any idea about what precisely it's motivation for being here is, and what it might be carrying around!" Athrun said. While using a second or two to go over his own battles with the black mobile suit.
Hearing the former member of the Le Creuset team telling him something like that. Shinn just couldn't help but let out a few colourful curses.
"So what exactly do you want me to do commander Zala? And please do make up your mind fast, because here it comes!" The boy shouted out loudly.
Just before the black BuCUE like mobile suit came over the hill top, and was now hastily coming straight towards them, undoubtedly determined to take both of them on at the same time.
"Defeat it without blowing it up Shinn. There has been a lot of talk recently about trying to get the three stolen mobile suits back. And recovering the Gaia would be a big step in that direction. And perhaps the person inside that machine knows something about this place!" Athrun explained loudly, to his fellow mobile suit pilot over in the Impulse. Seriously hoping that this time around Shinn would follow his orders.
He did however not get long to worry about it, before the Gaia fired off it's three beam weapons at them. Which forced both of them to get their mobile suits moving and get out of the way in a hurry.
"Yeah, yeah I'll try and take it down without messing it up too much!" Shinn growled out in a unhappy tone.
Just as he quickly took aim and fired two shoots after the fast running machine.
That swiftly change it's direction and was now heading full speed towards the Saviour. That at this moment in time was floating not far above the ground, clearly trying to find an opening in the Gaia's fighting style.
Which wasn't really the most difficult thing to spot right now.
There wasn't really all that much sanity in the way it was attacking them. It actually seemed a bit like the only reason it was fighting them at the moment. Was because there was nothing else nearby it could go up against.
Yet as Athrun was thinking about that. The enemy gundam was getting dangerously close to the Saviour, which truthfully did worry the pilot of the Impulse slightly.
He and Athrun might not agree on everything. There was however no way he wanted to voluntarily see the Saviour getting hit by those damn beam blades.
But once he got his rifle up and was about to press down on the trigger. He quickly realized that if he began shooting now, there was a very big possibility he might just hit the Saviour instead.
"You idiot! Move it already!" He yelled loudly. Just when it seemed like the two mobile suits was about to smash together.
Yet just before that could actually happen. The Saviour got over in to it's mobile armor mode and took of full speed straight upwards, and away from the more earth bound war machine.
"Thanks for the warning Shinn! But I'm all right, I was just trying to figure out what the Gaia's purpose is for being here. But it pretty much seems to me like, that the only reason why the pilot actually came here, was to look for a fight!" The blue haired man said.
Still not seeing any kind of logic in the Gaia's odd behaviour, or it's somewhat reckless attempts to defeat both of them.
Hearing that. Shinn fired two more shoots down after the still quadruped mode transformed mobile suit.
Which quickly jumped over the beams and without even take the time to aim properly the Gaia fired it's own beam weapons up after him. Two of them flying far past him, while the last one hit the shield.
"Well if this bastard is looking for an ass kicking. I'll say we give the crazy little bitch what she wants!" Shinn yelled. Only now remembering in the heat of the moment that it was a girl, who was the pilot of the Gaia.
Not that it matter all that much to him who was inside that damn machine. The only thing he cared about right now, was to show her, just what he truly thought about her killing Heine.
And with that in mind .he again point the beam rifle down at the Gaia, which was now running hastily over the rocky ground, clearly trying to make itself a harder target to hit.
But that only served to make Shinn even more determined to take the Gaia out.
So just as it again land on the ground and change direction. He began firing the beam rifle down at the black mobile suit. This time destroying the beam rifle that was sitting on it's right side on the BuCUE like mobile suit.
Yet just when it actually seemed like the rifle was about to blow up, and do some serious damage to the Gaia, the weapon fell away from it's location on the mobile suit and exploded not far behind the quadrupedal mobile armor.
Which pretty much meant that the enemy machine was still more then ready to fight.
But it was becoming quite obvious for all the people that was watching the battle, that the Gaia was starting to have some serious trouble going up against the Saviour and the Impulse.
And even now as it was making it's way over the exact same hill it had appeared from in the first place.
Athrun hurried got his red machine back over in to it's mobile suit mode, where he immediately fired of both plasma cannons down after the Gaia. Taking off the right one of the beam blades, and knocking the Gaia over on to it's back.
But that was far from enough to actually put a stop to the black mobile suit.
So as it was laying there on the ground, both pilots watched, as it got over in to it's mobile suits mode the very first time since it had arrived there.
Yet with the beam rifle destroyed, it's only option for a weapon was to pull out one of it's beam sabers.
But even true the black mobile suit was still quite a dangerous foe. Even all the way down on the ground.
It seemed pretty much impossible for it to reach the two other gundams, that by now was floating far above the enemy machine, just waiting to see what it's next move was going to be.
And it quickly became obvious for both of the Zaft pilots, that the person inside the Gaia gundam only had one objective in her head at the moment. And that was to do battle with them.
It almost seemed like the crazy little bitch as Shinn had call her before. Had completely forgotten that she was all but surround by enemy forces, who where all ready to take her on, should she actually defeat the two Zaft gundams.
The three mobile suits did however not get long to have their little staring contest. When Talia suddenly cut in and began talking to the Minerva's two gundam pilots in a loud tone.
"Not that I'm impatient or anything like that you two. But the commander of the Tsuchi has already bugged me twice about sending out his own mobile suit forces. Apparently he believes that the task of defeating the Gaia is better left in the hands of real soldiers, instead of two little kids as he so kindly described it!" The brown haired woman said. Not doing anything to hide that she was seriously getting tired of that man's constant complaining.
Hearing what was now giving the leader of the Tsuchi grey hair and wrinkles on his forehead. Shinn couldn't stop himself from saying the very first thing that enter his mind.
"Man what an idiot! Why the heck couldn't we have left the Tsuchi behind. That would definitely have made this trip at least a little easier to bear!" The unhappy pilot said in a angry voice.
Before taking a brief glance away from the Gaia gundam, and over at the Compton class, that was clearly just waiting for the right excuse to send it's own mobile suit forces out.
And if the pilots of that ship was just as stubborn and smug as the commander. There wouldn't be anything left of the Gaia to capture.
Yet just as the red eyed boy got his mouth opened and was about to yell out a few more curses about the commander of the Tsuchi.
The pilot over in the other gundam interrupted him, before he could even get one word out.
"I totally agree with you Shinn about that man being quite unbearable. But I do believe we should show him, a thing or two about what two little kids can do!" Athrun said in a low tone. Also feeling more then just a little tired of the Tsuchi's commander.
To be completely honest. Athrun had met his fair share of stubborn and headstrong people, in his time as a soldier.
But this man definitely took the first place, he could pretty much get on everyone's nervous.
Athrun actually felt more and more certain that even his old commander Rau Le Creuset would have run out of patient with this man, and would have tried to strangle him at some point in time.
He did however not get long to imagine that, before Shinn's voice pull him back to reality.
"Ok Athrun you just lead the way! I seriously want to humiliate this bastard and show him, who the heck he is talking about!" The red eyed boy said, in a determined tone, as he again turned his attention back down towards the Gaia, that was still standing on the ground not doing anything.
Smiling slightly at his fellow pilot's words. Athrun too looked back down at the black mobile suit.
And even from all the way up there. He could easily tell that the Gaia still had it's beam saber out, and that it was just waiting for the two of them to come back down there, so they could continue their battle.
"All right then, here is what we are going to do Shinn, your only job is to remove the Gaia's left arm, while you do that I'll take care of the right one. If it's armless it shouldn't really be that hard to overpower!" The blue haired man said.
Still keeping a close eye on the Gaia for anything abnormal. Yet as far as he could tell it didn't really do anything that forced him to rethink his plan.
And even true this strategy was kinda simple. Shinn found himself agreeing with the idea almost immediately. He seriously did not want to waste anytime in showing the thick-headed commander of the Tsuchi, just how good a pilot he truly was.
"That's sounds all right to me Athrun, now lets go and show everybody what the pilots of the Minerva can REALLY DO!" He shout loudly.
And with nothing more to say to each other. The two pilots took of full speed towards the Gaia, that immediately tried to shoot them down with the two beam assault cannons on it's back.
Yet neither of the Coordinators had all that much trouble avoiding the attacks. But that only served to make the mostly black colour gundam, fire even more beams of after them.
Which kinda made the task of removing the arms a bit more difficult.
Yet after reducing the distance between them and the Gaia a bit more. Both of the Zaft pilots pull out their sabers, then hurried increase their speed slightly.
Just as they evade another round of beams from the Gaia, after that the black mobile suit hurried slammed it's saber out after the Saviour. That of course defend itself with it's own close combat weapon.
Yet as the black and red mobile suits, where snuggling hard with each other for control.
Shinn made a quick manoeuvre to the side, then immediately thrust his own saber out after the Gaia, and thanks to the small diversion the Saviour was providing right now. The female pilot inside the Gaia had no idea what was happening before it was to late.
And once they all saw the left arm hit the ground, the Gaia hurried jump away from the Saviour in a somewhat desperate attempt to get some distance between them.
But that only serve to be the final error in this battle.
As Athrun hurried fired of the two plasma cannons, blowing the right arm straight of the Gaia and sending the black mobile suit crashing straight to the ground, where it immediately lost the last bit of it's power.
Seeing that happening Shinn hurried put the beam saber back where it belong on the Impulse, then turned and flash the Tsuchi a victory sign. Which he frankly hoped would piss the annoying commander over there even more off.
Yet once he heard Athrun let out a few light chuckles. He lowed the hand and looked over at the Saviour.
"What now? Ohhh great and powerful leader!" He asked. Not doing anything to hide, that he was joking around right now.
But not all that surprising Athrun answer his question with a great deal of seriousness in his voice.
"We will stay here and keep guard, you never know if the person in the Gaia still in the mood to fight. So we better make absolutely certain that she is unable to keep resisting us, before we get out of our mobile suit!" Athrun said. While turning both of his eyes downwards towards the Gaia, that hadn't moved since it land there not long ago.
He knew that it was very likely, that whoever was inside the armless mobile suit was unconscious right now.
But he certainly didn't want to run the risk of either Shinn or him getting shoot while they where trying to get the Gaia's cockpit open.
If the woman piloting the BuCUE like mobile suit was crazy enough to attack this place on her own. There was literally no telling what else she might do.
So he would definitely feel a whole lot better about the situation. If it was a few well equipped soldiers who pull the highly reckless and somewhat insane pilot out of the black war machine.
And even as he was thinking about that. He realized that the captain apparently had the same thought on her mind, seeing as both Rey and Nicol was now slowly making their way over to the Gaia, with a few other soldiers following closely behind them.
Yet once they got up on the gundam. Shinn let out a deep obviously bore breath, which could clearly be heard over the radio.
"Doesn't seem like anything is going to happen, can I please head back to the Minerva now, I'm hungry?" He complained loudly. While slowly turning his gaze away from the grey gundam and over at the Saviour, seriously hoping that Athrun would allow him to go back to the ship and get something to eat.
He was however in for a disappointment, as Athrun told him to stay put until they got the cockpit open. "Ah man what are bother, can't they hurry up down there. It's not like I got all day to sit out here!" He said. While turning his attention back towards the Gaia, where he could easily tell that they where having some trouble getting the cockpit open.
Apparently the emergency release system had taken some damage, when the mobile suit had crash to the ground. Yet before the short temper boy in the Impulse had the necessary time to complain about that, Athrun cut him off.
"Captain Gladys, unfortunately it doesn't seem to be possible to get the Gaia's cockpit open out here. We need to get it back to the hangar, so the mechanics can try and force it open!" He told the brown haired woman.
While at the same time, still making extra sure to keeping a very close eye on everything that was going on. Not that far away from where the Saviour was standing at the moment.
Hearing him say that, it took least then a second before the female officer began talking back. "Are you absolutely certain that's our only option Athrun? I don't want any crew members to get hurt over this!" The woman asked in a deep serious tone. As she watched the video footages of Nicol and Rey once more trying to get the Gaia's cockpit open.
Yet one small look at them, was more then enough to make it clear. That they had no more luck gaining access to the stolen gundam this time around, then any of the previous attempts they had made to get in to the mobile suit.
And once she heard Athrun's next words.
She made the decision, that it was properly best to get the armless mobile suit on board the Minerva as quickly as possible. Before the highly irritating commander of the Tsuchi could start complaining again.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about captain, it seems very unlikely that the person inside the Gaia is even conscious right now. So I frankly doubt she is all that much of a threat at the moment!" Athrun said.
Just as he saw the two other Minerva pilots and the soldiers began making their way down from the Gaia. They too apparently realizing, that getting the cockpit open now, was pretty much impossible.
And once all of them where safely back down on the ground. Athrun turned his attention over towards the Impulse gundam, wondering briefly what Shinn was doing right now. He had been pretty quiet the last few minutes, which was kinda unlike him.
"Mine giving me a hand with this Shinn? We need to be a little careful when carrying the Gaia back to the Minerva. I know that the girl in here has done some terrible things. But if she is actually seriously injure in there, we shouldn't really shake the Gaia around to much!" Athrun said.
And without waiting for a reply, he slowly kneel down and careful took a hold on the Gaia.
Yet it was only when Shinn grapped on to the legs, that they cautiously lifted the grey gundam. And together the two Zaft pilots carefully began transporting the smash up mobile suit, back to the Minerva.
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It was just about twenty minutes later down in the Minerva's hangar.
The Gaia was laying on the floor, while Yolant and Vino was trying their best to get the mobile suit open.
Which had proven to be quite a hard task to do. No matter what the two young mechanics thought of they just couldn't, get the emergency release system to function as it was suppose to.
Which meant that the enemy pilot inside the Gaia was pretty much trap in there.
"Damn I'm running out of ideas fast, this stupid thing is just impossible to get to work right now. It actually seems like that the only way we can get in to the Gaia is to remove the cockpit hatch, and that can take quite a long time if we don't want to injure the pilot in there!" Yolant said in a thoughtful. And still with all of this attention turn towards the hatch.
Where his expression made it clear to all of them, that he was thinking quite hard about how to the Gaia open in a hurry.
Yet as he was thinking about that Vino came with a suggestion that actually made some sense to all of them.
"Well if the release system is so badly damage that we can't get it to work, why don't we just borrow the release system from Impulse's Chest Flyers. It's pretty much the same one that's on all of the gundams, so it should be able to get the Gaia's cockpit open!" He said. While looking over at the Saviour and the Impulse, that was standing beside each other, not that far away from them.
Thinking a brief second or two about what his friend's suggestion. The other mechanic felt a small smile ran over his lips.
"That's a great idea Vino! You are not nearly as stupid as you look!" He said loudly.
Just before he turned around and rush full speed over to the ladder, which he quickly descend down to the ground, where he immediately began making his way over to the door, that lead to the place where all the Silhouettes was store.
Not totally happy about hearing his friend's last comment. Vino kept on glaring after his best friend until he was completely out of sight.
"Ok that was just mean. He is definitely going to pay for that one later!" The mostly brown haired boy said in a determined tone.
Just before he slowly began crawling down the ladder, being slightly more careful then Yolant had been. He seriously didn't want to fall down from up there, he might not show it much. But it always made him a tiny bit nervous being high up like this.
Properly because he had fallen down from a tree once when he was about four or five years old.
And even true the fall hadn't really been that long. He had still ended up breaking his left arm when he had hit the ground. Which had truthfully hurt like hell, and there was just no way he want to experience that again if he could avoid it.
So it took a few more minutes before he disappeared through the same door Yolant had ran out off not long ago.
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Seeing them leave like that. And knowing what they where about to do. Shinn could not stop himself from narrowing his eyes a tiny bit. He seriously disliked the idea of them pulling out one of the Impulse's parts to save an enemy pilot.
Yet he realized that it wouldn't do him any good argue about it. The captain had after all ordered the two of them to get the Gaia open as quickly as possible.
That however certainly did not mean that he had to be overly cheerful, about them using the Impulse to carry out the task.
So while still sulking about that. He slowly turned his attention away from the Gaia and downwards towards the floor, where he pretty much immediately mutter out a few displeased curses, that actually made it sound like he was being treat completely unfair right now.
Yet while he was trying to figure out just how much this was truly bothering him. The only female pilot station on board the Minerva slowly moved her hand over and place it on his shoulder.
Which immediately made him turn his gaze back at her, where the first thing he noticed was the smile on her face.
"I don't seriously think you have anything to worry about Shinn. It's not like they are going to completely disassemble the Impulse, they are just going to borrow a single part from it, which I'm pretty certain they will put it back where it belongs once they are done!" She said in a loud tone, while taking a glance away from him and over at the mobile suit on the floor.
Hearing Luna tell him something he already knew. Shinn took a small step away from her.
"You can stop with the nice little pep talks Luna! I just don't like the idea of them messing around with the Impulse to save an enemy pilot. So until they actually start pulling things out of your machine don't talk to me about it. Now if you have nothing else to say I think I'll go down and get something to eat, I'm hungry!" He told her in a somewhat vicious tone, as he hurried turned around and began making his way over towards the exit of the hangar.
Seeing him disappear out of the hangar like that. And going over everything he had just said to her, the red haired teen narrowed both of her eyes a bit, as a small yet angry vein appeared on her forehead.
"Man! He can just be such a childish jerk at times. I was only trying to cheer him up!" She yelled loudly.
Just before she crossed both of her arms over her chest, in a displeased manner, while making the tough decision that this was going to be, the very last time she was ever going to talk to Shinn.
But even true she was deeply determined to keep this promise to herself right now, a small part of her had already realized that after a few hours or days. She would most likely be talking with him again.
And that thought alone was enough to make her even more angry at him. It had always bother her greatly that every time he made her mad, she would always forgive him so easily.
Yet this time however she was going to do her best, to give him the silence treatment for as long as possible.
If there was one thing she knew, then it was that Shinn definitely hated when he was getting ignored, when he was busy with his own childish complaining.
"I hope for his sake, that he has a sincere apology ready the next time I see him!" She mutter quietly to herself.
Just before she turned and began making her way over to the two former members of the Le Creuset team. That at this moment was currently busy discoursing what they where going to do, if they for some reason couldn't get Gaia gundam's cockpit open.
And it didn't take very long for her to join the conversation about the armless mobile suit.
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At the exact same time up on the bridge.
There was another conversation going between the captain and the second in command, about the recapture mobile suit.
"I do believe it's quite dangerous having that thing on board captain. Especially since the pilot haven't been restrain yet!" Arthur said. Not doing one thing to hide that he was slightly on edge, and that he was very uncomfortable about everything that was going on right now.
He just couldn't stop himself from thinking about the many Zaft soldiers that had been mercilessly slaughter. When the three gundam had first been stolen from Armory One.
Just thinking about it, was more then enough to make him feel somewhat sick. In his eyes it seriously would have been best if the Gaia had stayed outside, at least until they had been able to pull the pilot out of the machine.
That way they could have made absolutely certain, that the gundam wasn't a threat to any of them. Yet with all the troubles they where having getting the Gaia open, it could just be a matter of a little time.
Before the gundam would suddenly spring back to life and start attacking them again.
Which could definitely be quite a disaster if it happened in here. Even armless the black war machine shouldn't really that much trouble killing everybody down in the hangar, if there wasn't anybody around to stop it.
And that was why he thoroughly believed that they should hurry and get the Gaia gundam back outside again. If anything happened out there, it at least wouldn't result in a bunch of their own people getting either hurt or even killed.
Not really having a whole lot of trouble understanding why Arthur was so concerned about this. The brown haired woman began talking to him, in the most calm tone she could manage under the circumstance.
"Recapturing the Gaia is quite an achievement for all of us Arthur. Not that I don't agree with about the mobile suit still being dangerous. Yet I was hoping to get some useful information from pilot, which could be somewhat difficult to get if she is seriously hurt in there, that's why I do believe that it's best that we let the Gaia stay where it is for now!" She said, while thinking a few seconds about everything the Gaia had done.
She did however not do that for long, before she once again began talking to the grey haired man.
"And if the girl in there truly want to continue fighting us. She would most likely have done it immediately after she was brought on board, which is actually the reason why I do believe that Athrun is right about the pilot being unconscious right now!" She said loudly.
Just before she slowly turned her attention away from overly concerned man and over at Meyrin. Where she immediately asked the girl, how far along the mechanics was in the task of getting the Gaia's cockpit open.
Not really needing a whole lot of time to figure out the answer to the captain's question. Meyrin slowly turned her seat around and got eye contact with the only other woman present up there.
"Well according to the last report we receive from the hangar not long ago, the mechanics are still having a great deal of trouble getting the emergency release system to function as it's suppose. Yet it would seem that both Vino and Yolant are working quite hard on a solution. But it apparently is going to take a while before they are done!" The red haired girl explained.
Just as she once more turned her attention back towards the controls at her left side.
Nodding a single time in understanding to that. Talia let out a small breath as she looked back out of the window where the sun could be seeing slowly disappearing in the far distance.
"Please do make sure to keep me post about their process Meyrin. I want to be informed immediately after the pilot of the Gaia have been restrain!" She said, while looking out at the orange glowing sun, it truly was a magnificent sight no doubt about that.
Yet a minor part of her kinda wished that she could enjoy this view, without having to think about everything that was happening on the Minerva, at this very moment in time.
She might be doing quite a nice job at hiding her somewhat worrisome thoughts.
But deep inside she was just as concerned about the situation down in the hangar, as Arthur was.
Yet she was absolutely determined to make sure, that the rest of the crew gather up there, didn't realize just how much this was actually bothering her. Which was the reason why, she kept on staring out at the slowly descending sun.
Even when Arthur once more began telling her, just how unwise he found this whole situation.
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A small hour had gone by since the Gaia had first been brought on board the Minerva.
And even true things had been pretty tense, since the crew had discover that they couldn't open the mobile suit's cockpit.
Yet now that Yolant and Vino where almost done installing the emergency release system, they had borrow from one of the Impulse's Chest Flyers.
The atmosphere around the ship wasn't nearly as tense and panicky any more. Most of the crew had calm down quite a bit, seeing as the Gaia had yet to do anything that could even be consider hostile, it had pretty much been lying there quietly the entire time it had been on the ship.
That however did not mean, that the few people gather down in the hangar, had let their guard down completely. All of them where somewhat cautious about moving to close to the Gaia's feet, incase it would suddenly start kicking and moving around.
There wasn't one single person present, who had much interest in getting step on by the enormous war machines.
Yet while the two mechanics was busy working on top of the Gaia. Three of the Minerva's pilots was resting on a small crate, talking with each other about everything they had experienced since they had arrived at this abandoned base yesterday.
Luna just couldn't help but be somewhat curious about this place. Seeing as she had pretty much been stuck on the ship this whole time, which meant that she had yet to take a look around inside the creepy laboratory.
But after listening to some of the things Athrun and Nicol had told her about this place.
The excitement she had been feeling about taking a small look around the area had gone down quite a bit.
So if anybody asked her now, if she want to join them on a small trip around this sickening base. She would most definitely say no, she seriously did not want to see some of the things, the two former members of the Le Creuset team had said, they had found in there.
"So you are saying that they where using children as test subjects in there? That's totally disgusting!" She said loudly. While wondering if the people who had lead this place in the past, even had something that could be consider as a conscience.
Yet even if they did, she was pretty certain that it was completely stain by all the blood, they had spilled while being there. How the heck could those people live with themselves after doing something like this to so many children.
She might not have had the displeasure of seeing what was inside the base, which was something she was truly relieved about.
Yet she was honestly starting to regret quite a bit, that she had asked Athrun and Nicol to tell her about what they had seen inside this base. It truly was disturbing as hell.
And once she heard the answer to her last question. She hurried shook her head a few times, as she used her right hand to cover up her mouth, forcing back the food she had eaten not long ago.
"Please stop guys! I really don't want to hear another word about all the gross and disgusting things you guys found in there. So could we please talk about something else instead?" She almost begged the two other teenagers.
Just before she lift her hand and rubbed away the few drops of sweat gather on her forehead. But even after doing that, she still felt somewhat sweaty underneath her clothes.
Which of course meant, that there was an enormous part of the young woman. That just wanted to get out of there and go take a nice long shower.
But even true that would most definitely be wonderful right now. She just couldn't bring herself to leave, before she had seen the lunatic inside the Gaia. She had after all had fought the person in there more then just a few times.
So her deep curiosity simply prevent her from leaving the hangar.
Smiling slightly at Lunamaria's request to change the subject over to something else. The pilot of the yellow GOUF got a bit more comfortable where he was sitting on the crate.
"So what exactly would you like to talk about Luna?" Nicol asked in his usual friendly voice.
Thinking a second or two about that question. The female ZAKU pilot scratch her short red hair in a thoughtful manner, as she tried to figure out what else they could talk about.
But seeing as they had all been stuck, at this deeply disturbing base for quite a while now. She honestly had next to no idea about, what she and the two other pilots could discourse, that was at least a little bit interesting.
She was slightly tempted to ask Athrun about his feelings for Cagalli. But she knew that was a really bad idea, she truly didn't want to remind him too much about her blond haired rival.
Yet one single look over at him was more then enough to tell her. That he didn't need her for that, it was pretty obvious from his expression that he was badly listening to anything she and Nicol was saying.
He was simply so far away in his own thoughts right now, that he didn't even notice, that she was watching him so intently. And knowing that he wasn't in the mood to talk with her or anybody else at the moment, she once more turned her attention back towards Nicol.
"I really don't know what we should talk about Nicol. But if we just sit around here quietly without saying anything, there is a very high possibility that I might just end up falling asleep here, so why don't you tell me a few jokes or something like that!" The worn out red haired girl said.
Just before she slowly stretch both of her arms up over her head and let out a small yawn.
Seeing her look so tired, Nicol couldn't help but be slightly concerned about her. "If you are actually this exhaust Luna, why don't you go back to your room, and get some sleep? It's pretty obvious that you could really use it right now" he said in a somewhat serious tone, and with a worried look in both of his eyes.
He really didn't like seeing her like this, she almost looked ready to collapse at any second now.
Hearing him say that. and seeing the worried expression on his face. Lunamaria smile a bit at him, as she began talking in a out of focus voice.
"I'm not going anywhere before I see who is inside the Gaia. I might have found Heine a bit annoying at times, but that doesn't mean I wanted for him to be shoot down like he did. So there is no way I'm leaving this place, before I can see who it was that murder one of our friends!" She said.
Just as she turned and took a short glance up at the two mechanics on the gundam. Before she again looked back at her fellow pilot.
Nodding a few times in understanding to that. Nicol too looked up at their two friends. "How long will it take before you guys a done up there?" He asked.
Doing his best not to show, that he was just as physically exhaust as Lunamaria was. The last couple of days had seriously taken quite the toll on him, he couldn't even remember the last time, he had been able to get a good long night of sleep.
"A few more minutes Nicol, then we should be able to reveal who the pilot of the Gaia is!" Yolant yelled back down to the green haired GOUF pilot. Just as he once again turned his attention back to what he and Vino had been working so hard on the last half hour.
It might have been a piece of cake pulling this one part out of the Impulse's Chest Flyer.
But getting it adjust so it would work on the Gaia was a bit more difficult. Yet if everything work as it was suppose, it shouldn't be all that long now before they could finally see, who exactly the pilot of the stolen gundam was.
"Good work you two. I'll contact the bridge and tell the captain and the second in command that they can come down here. I'm certain that they too are curious about seeing who is inside the Gaia!" Nicol told the two mechanics.
Just as he slowly got up from his location on the crate, and began making his way over to one of the many monitors down there.
000000
It wasn't long after that before one of the doors down there flew open, and in stepped the captain follow shortly by Arthur and Shinn.
"I most admit I'm kinda surprise by the lack of people down here. I thought most of the crew was at least a bit interest in this, well it's not like I can really blame any of them. It has been a couple of hard days for all of us!" The captain said. While she and the two men was slowly approaching the crate, which the three mobile suit pilots was resting on.
Once over next to them. She again open her mouth and continued speaking.
"So it's definitely wise that they all take advantage of this small break to get some rest. We should follow their example, once the pilot of the Gaia has been restrained, we can always start questioning her tomorrow!" She said. Before she got comfortable beside Lunamaria on the metal crate, she frankly didn't want to stand up any more today then she had to.
Truth be told the only thing she want to do right now, was to crawl in to her bed and just rest her extremely sore legs for the rest of the night.
But before she could do that, she need to make absolutely certain that the girl inside the Gaia, didn't create anymore problems for them, then she already had.
There was just no way she could sleep calmly knowing that the girl in the Gaia was a danger for crew and her ship. Yet just as she got her mouth open and was about to ask the two young mechanics how much longer it would take before they where done.
Vino's extremely loud voice cut her off. "We got! We finally got! Hurry up here guys, I want to see who the hell is inside this machine!" He shout. Making his excited voice echoing loudly out through the pretty much empty hangar.
After that he kneel down and was now just wait for everybody else to get up there. He could just badly contain his deep curiosity about the Gaia's pilot.
Fortunately for him it didn't take many minutes before everybody else was up there too.
"Ok open it carefully, we don't know if she is armed in there. But if she does try something, make sure that you don't kill her, we want as much information from her as possible!" Talia said in a deep serious tone. Then took a brief glance around at everybody up there.
Just to make absolutely sure that none of them, looked like they where about ready to do something utterly foolish.
She was especially worried about Shinn's reaction to this, from what she knew the dark haired boy had been having a very close friendship with Heine. So there was just no telling what he was going to do once he saw the person the had murder the orange haired man.
But after watching him for a few seconds she let out a small sigh. As she again turned her attention back towards Yolant, that was kneeling by the cockpit, holding on to his gun.
"Open it carefully Yolant, then move away from there immediately after!" The woman order in a serious voice.
Just as she saw him nod a single time in understanding as he slowly pressed down on the button that made the cockpit fly open.
And it was only a brief moment later when all of them where able to see the person inside the Gaia. Yet much to their big relief, there was no kind of movement from the blond haired girl.
"Wow it's a shame she is an enemy, she is a real cutie!" Vino said out loud, without thinking it over even for a second.
Yet before either Talia or somebody else could say anything about his drooling over the enemy pilot.
The red haired ZAKU pilot hurried lift her hand over and gave him a hard smack at the back of his head, while telling him loudly to stop admiring the unconscious girl inside the Gaia.
"Ok, ok Luna there is no need to hit me like that" the young mechanics grumbled unhappily. Making sure to glare angrily at the female ZAKU pilot. As he rubbed the slightly sore spot, the violent red haired girl had hit not long ago.
Yet while this little display was happening.
Shinn was looking with wide eyes at the familiar person inside the Gaia. Of all the people he had expect and want to see in there, this was properly the very last one.
Why in the world did it have to be Stella that was the pilot of the Gaia. Why couldn't it have been somebody he didn't know and cared about, that had been using this mobile suit since it was stolen from Armory One.
But as he stood there trying to figure out some answers, to all the questions that was running through his head.
He was just barely listening to a single word of what the others was saying to each other.
And it was only when he heard Nicol ask the captain what they where suppose to do with her. That he finally snapped back out of the shock, he had been in since he had first seen her again.
So as the brown haired woman stood there trying to come up with some kind of answers.
The short temper boy hurried moved right past her, and over in front of the opened cockpit, where he immediately kneel down and reach out and softly caress the girl's right cheek.
"Stella why does it have to be you that was inside the Gaia?" He asked her loudly. Even true a small part of him did realize, that there was no way she could give him a response right now.
But just hearing him ask her that, was more then enough to make a shock look appear on everybody else's faces.
"Shinn, you are not telling us that you actually know this girl?" Talia asked in a tone, that made it pretty clear for everybody down there, that it would without a doubt be wise to give her some kind of reply.
It did however take almost a minute. Before the boy got his mouth to work again.
"Yes...yes...I...I...saved her from drowning a few weeks ago, and now I have to do something to make sure that she is all right. I wouldn't let anything happen to her!" He yelled, with a deeply determined look in his eyes.
Just before he gently pull her out of the cockpit, and began making his way over to the ladder.
Which he carefully descend down to the ground, still holding on to the blond haired girl, doing everything possible to make sure that he wouldn't drop her. And before any of the others had to opportunity to say anything to him.
The boy disappeared hastily out of the hangar clearly heading for the Minerva's sick bay. Apparently expecting that the doctor down there to actually treat the knock out girl.
But Talia knew, that there was no way he was going to look over an enemy pilot, without being directly told by her to do so.
"Seems like it's going to take quite a while yet before I can get some sleep. But the rest of you should go back to your rooms and get a little rest before tomorrow. I'll go after Shinn and talk with him about this, I don't really think it's a good idea for him, to have a crush on an enemy pilot" the tired woman said, a bit annoyed that she had to deal with something like this, so late in the evening.
She had kinda expect, that they could lock the girl up in one of the cells for the night, then have a long serious discussion with her tomorrow.
But as things looked right now. It truly did seem like it was going to take quite a while yet, before this day was going to be over.
So while trying her best to hide the deep exhaustion she was feeling at the moment. She she slowly crawled down the ladder and hurried rushed off in the exact same direction, the stubborn boy had disappeared in with the pilot of the Gaia.
Once out of sight. Luna slowly turned and looked back at the five men standing behind her.
"I kinda feel sorry for the captain right now. She actually looked a bit like she could sleep standing up!" The red haired teen said. While thinking about the completely exhaust look the captain had in both her eyes, before she had left the hangar.
Nodding slowly in agreement to that. Nicol smile a bit at Luna as he began talking in a somewhat reasonable tone.
"Yeah she seriously did look like she was ready to collapse any minute now. But we all know just how stubborn Shinn can be at times. So if he really does have crush on that girl, he would most likely yell and complain about it until something is done to help her!" The green haired man said. As he slowly reach up and rubbed his chin in a thoughtful manner.
He just didn't understand what Shinn saw in that girl. If one gave it just a little thought, it wasn't really all that hard to figure out that the Gaia's pilot had murder a great deal of loyal Zaft soldiers, including one of their fellow team mates and friend.
Yet once Shinn had laid eyes on the blond haired girl, it was almost like all the awful things she had done, had just disappeared from his mind. Like he was actually willing to forgive her for everything she had done.
"I just hope that the captain can talk some sense in to him, that girl is most definitely a very risky person to fall in-love with!" Nicol said in a hard voice. Just before he turned around and began making his way over to the ladder, with everybody else looking after him.
And once he was gone too.
It became Athrun's turn to say something about this whole matter.
"I totally agree with Nicol about this girl being a dangerous individual, but I quite seriously doubt it's going to be that easy talking Shinn out of the deep feelings he has for her. Emotions like that doesn't just disappear from one day to another" the blue haired man said. As he thought a brief second or two, about the gorgeous woman he was in-love with.
He did however not get long to do that. Before Arthur interrupted his slightly roaming thoughts. "Well to be completely honest, most of the things the two of you said does make a lot sense!" The man said, obviously still thinking quite hard about the two pilots words.
Yet after doing that for a few seconds. He again opened his mouth and once more continued with his little speech.
"And even true I really want to help the captain out with as much as I can. There isn't really a whole lot any of us can do about this matter, so seems like the only thing we can do now it's hope for the best and follow the captain's advise about getting some sleep!" He said. While looking at the rest of the people gather up there on the armless gundam, where he could easily tell that they all agreed with him.
So with nothing more to say each other.
It did not take long, before all of them where back down on the ground. Now making their way towards the exit of the hangar.
To be continued.
I'll see all of you in the next chapter which will be back on board the Archangel.