Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
Song of the Storm Wolf: Howl of Destiny
By Storm Wolf77415, Wing Commander White Wolf, and Centurious the Azure
Mobilization and Escalation
(November 24th, C.E. 73, Orb, Yalafath Island, Orb Defense Forces Central Command)
Even though the Earth Alliance had been repelled, the joint Orb/ZAFT forces were still hurting from the attempted invasion. Durandal had managed to route a few thousand troops, along with a squadron of Vosgulovs to bolster the defense of the nation's costal waters. While the threat of an second full scale invasion wasn't imminent any time soon, smaller enemy incursions and raids against them were still possible. The two allied countries weren't taking any chances of a possible sneak attack, and it wasn't long before Murasames and ZAKUs on Guuls were patrolling the skies.
In the main operations center, the Twin Wolves, along with Cagalli, Arashi, Murrue, Mu, Natarle, Talia, Arthur, and even Kira himself stood around the central operations table, where a large map of the area around the Mediterranean Ocean was sprawled out. "Ever since Break the World, the bulk of the fighting has moved planet side, and it's centered here around the Med." The Arctic White Wolf indicated to the map. "The Earth Alliance has already begun mobilizing its forces into the region. ZAFT is doing the same. More and more troops have been arriving daily. While there have only been small skirmishes up to this point, it's just a matter of time before a large-scale battle breaks out."
"Which is why both the Archangel and Minerva will be deployed to the region as a show of force." Arashi's expression was stoic, his brilliant blue-hued eyes exuding a quiet fury. While he was satisfied with the recent victory, he wanted to make sure that the Earth Forces didn't get any further ideas. "I'm certain the Earth Alliance will send their own heavy hitters to the area as well, so I'm certain you can expect to run into the likes of the people you fought in orbit." The Storm Wolf's eyes narrowed slightly, silently anticipating a rematch against Neo.
It wasn't just him either. He and Kira had stepped up their sword training since the invasion. Kira knew in the depths of his soul that a few more clashes with Karen Willet and Reaver were also coming his way. It scared the White Knight to no end how skilled and ruthless his red-haired opponent had been during Break the World. While he hated fighting and always sought to disarm whenever he could. Kira had to conclude that if he went up against her again, there would be no other choice but to go for the killing strike. Putting such thoughts out of his head for the moment, he did his best to focus back on the briefing as Murrue laid out the general battle plan.
"We hope to deploy within another couple of weeks." Murrue said. "We'll make a brief stopover in Carpentaria and form a new task force centered around the Archangel, and Minerva. Admiral Russo has said Orb's latest submarine, the Seawolf will also be joining us." Our goal will be to make it Gibraltar, and we'll conduct operations out of there. I'm certain the ZAFT forces in the area will be quite grateful to see both our ships present in the region, and give the Earth Forces pause."
"I doubt the Earth Alliance is going to be as concerned as they were during the last war, Murrue. They're not being run by a clueless industrialist who knows nothing how the military works." Anthony remarked. "According to reports, the Crimson Fox has taken charge of one of three new Archangel-class assault ships. And his skill and experience outstrip anyone else we've come up against thus far. The Earth Alliance has already shown a deadly competency both in space and here when they attacked Orb. It's going to be an uphill battle." He smirked a little. "But then again we wolves thrive on challenge, otherwise life wouldn't be worth living."
"There's still a lot of ground to cover between Orb and the Mediterranean." Talia traced a finger between the two points. It seemed like a relatively short trip on paper, however the reality was far greater. "It would probably be smart to pick our route. I suggest heading south down through the Indian Ocean and into the Red Sea, we'll be able to enter the Med with relative ease."
"That's what we were considering as well." Cagalli said. "Although it's a sure bet the Earth Alliance will have naval forces stationed there to intercept us. We'll have no choice but to break through there." Kazuma gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. The blonde princess of Orb smiled and relaxed a little, always glad for the kind gesture.
(November 28th, C.E. 73, Edwards Mobile Weapon Base, Atlantic Federation, California)
It was early morning and there was only a smattering of activity at the base. Among the few people seen hurrying about, a single figure stood on a hill overlooking the vast desert that surrounded the installation. Neo was clad in a dark gray tank top and black sweatpants, his mask still present. Mugenjin was in hand. He brought it up in a slow, deliberate motion, letting the rising sun reflect off the polished steel blade. The Phantom Pain commander moved with a practiced gait, his faithful blade arcing outward in horizontal slash, a quick flick of the wrist and the blade flipped upward diagonally. If someone had taken a closer look at the weapon, they have seen the jagged edge of the blade.
The Black Comet moved with all the fluid grace of a predator as he continued through all of his sequences. He moved through each strike and swing with a decisive resolve, and his footwork was swift and agile. Neo then went for the finale, sheathing Mugenjin. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, his fingers gripped tightly around the red wrapped handle of his trusted blade. In the blink of an eye, expelling all of his energy in a single loud roar, the blade slice through the air as Neo Roanoke execute a picture perfect Iaijutsu strike, one that that would have resulted in his nonexistent opponent being decapitated. The masked commander let out a low chortle as he resheathed his weapon. "All too easy."
Mugenjin firmly clenched in hand, Neo began making his way back to the bachelor officer quarters. The day was just beginning and he had much work to do. He knew that ZAFT and Orb would soon try and make their way to the battleground in the Mediterranean and he intended to be there, for he knew that Sebastian would also be present. The memories of their battle during Break the World were still fresh in his mind. Neo had stepped up his training, waiting for when he would be able to lock blades with the Storm Wolf one more time. He then saw a pair of figures on the obstacle course. He saw they were the newest additions to his squad. Pausing for a bit, he watched as the two men moved through each station. The Black Comet reasoned it wouldn't be a bad idea to see how they did. Daniel held the current record and wondered if either of them could break it.
Second Lieutenant Yuuya Bridges breathed heavily as he scrambled up the climbing wall. Hitting the ground before taking off into a sprint, diving under the rope structure and crawling on his stomach. He paid no mind to the mud on his face or how the filth was accumulating on his clothes. Yuuya couldn't lose, his longtime rival, Second Lieutenant Leon Kruze right alongside him. The two men had been in the same training unit since boot camp. Almost immediately they had rubbed each other the wrong way, and a fierce rivalry had developed between them. Leon had managed to take the lead from Yuuya, getting to the rope swing next. "You're not fast enough, Bridges!" He said in a smug voice, making for the tire run.
Yuuya didn't like losing, doubly so if it was to Leon. He stepped up the pace. However, Leon was just a little faster, and managed to reach the end. He let out a short grunt as Leon gave a smug grin to him. "Oh, don't feel bad, Yuuya. Someone always has to be in second place. It's where you belong." Leon's face twisted into a scowl. "It's all I can do to repay you after what you did to Rick. It's as I told you at graduation. I will always be there to oppose you, and I will cut you down again and again to remind you of what you did!"
"Why don't you just piss off?" Yuuya snarled, fighting every instinct to slug Leon right there. The incident was still burned into his mind. "I told you already, Leon. what happened to Captain Sven was an accident! I have to live with it every day of my damn life. So why do you feel the need to bring it up every chance you get?"
The argument would have degenerated into a brawl, but it was then Neo made his presence felt by clearing his throat. The two men immediately snapped to attention, offering their best salutes. "Good morning to you, Captain Roanoke!" Yuuya spoke sharply. The two younger men struggled to keep a straight face. The last thing they needed was to look bad in front of their new commanding officer. Being assigned to the Phantom Pain was a huge step up the career ladder for both of them, it could mean a possible command of their own one day. Neo just tapped his sheathed blade on his shoulder. He had heard their entire exchange, he said nothing, just letting his subordinates stand there.
"Good morning to you, Lieutenant Bridges, Lieutenant Kruze. I see you were hitting the obstacle course, a little friendly competition I take it?"
"Yes sir!" Leon managed to bite out.
Neo smirked. He knew better than that, but he was content to just let the two pilots sweat for a bit. "Very good, let's keep it that way. I have news for you. We'll be moving out here in another couple of weeks." This made both Yuuya and Leon perk up a little bit. They were both clearly tired of sitting around at base and just training. They were ready for action, and the chance to test their skills was fast approaching. Neither of them wanted to look bad on the first day of work. Neo hefted Mugenjin. "I suggest you go and get yourselves cleaned up. We have a briefing at 1000 hours to discuss our role in what's to come." The two men nodded and offered deft salutes. Neo returned it and resumed his course to his quarters.
After a brief shower and now wearing a fresh uniform. Neo headed for the administration building to get some last-minute paperwork done. Along the way, he passed by the base swimming pool. There Second Lieutenant Sharon Heim was laying in a lounge chair, clad in a strapless black one piece bathing suit, showing off a pair of stunning, flawless creamy legs, her ample bust straining against the sleek black fabric. Long, thick pink curls fell down from a matching black sunhat which shaded her face from the sun. A content little smile on her face. She sat up a little straighter at the sight of her commanding officer. She was about to salute when Neo stopped her. "As you were, Lieutenant Heim. I see you're sunbathing?"
The busty pinkette gave a playful smile. "Yes sir, I heard we're going to be moving out soon, so I wanted to get as much relaxation time in as I could."
Neo sat down on the chair next to her. "I ran into Lieutenants Bridges and Kruze earlier. I recalled that the day you first arrived they had already gotten into two fights already. When I passed by them at the obstacle course, I overhead them arguing about an incident involving a Captain Sven. I was hoping you would be willing to shed some light on it." Sharon frowned, shrinking in on herself a little bit. The mask made the Black Comet's face unreadable, but the frown of disproval was enough to see he wouldn't be deterred. "If it makes you uncomfortable, Lieutenant, I'm sorry, but if the three of you are going to be in my unit, and there's some kind of bad blood, I want to know what happened."
"Of course, sir. Captain Rick Sven was our former commanding officer when we were stationed at Nellis. We were on a training run in a canyon that runs near the base. Yuuya was always the reckless type, he took a flight path through a dangerous part of the canyon. Rick became his chaser, he was able to help him navigate through it. Although Yuuya tried to avoid hitting the canyon wall, and it caused a rockslide…he ended up getting crushed underneath. Leon was very close to Rick, and he blamed Yuuya for his death." She shook her head. "As such, Leon has made it his mission to follow Yuuya wherever he goes and remind him of his failure."
Neo gave an understanding nod. "I see. It appears I'll have to sit down with both of them, but that will wait for another day. Thank you for the insight, Lieutenant Heim. We have a briefing at 1000, so don't sit out here all day." Sharon smiled, offering a salute and Neo headed for the office.
(November 30th, C.E. 73, Haumea Plaza, Olofat)
Haumea Plaza was one of Orb's most premier shopping locations, with numerous big name stores. Locals and tourists alike visited it daily, and was one of the Orb Union's top attractions. Lunamaria and Meyrin were taking the day for themselves and getting some much-needed shopping in before they would have to return to the battlefield. The girls had already managed to accumulate quite the haul if the multitude of shopping bags both Hawke sisters carried, not to mention the other parcels Yukimasa had in his arms, were any indication. Luna wore a plain t-shirt in the deep red she preferred and a pair of tight, black jean shorts that showed off her long, slender legs with black hiking boots. "I have to admit we did pretty well today." She smiled, pulling down her designer sunglasses a little bit.
Meyrin nodded, her pigtails bobbing up and down as she walked. She had gone for a light blue t-shirt and a white pleated skirt, white sneakers, and a purple baseball cap completing the outfit. Her own pair of sunglasses covering her eyes. "No doubt about that, sis. We'll be the best dressed ZAFT soldiers around!" She looked to Yukimasa, looking quite stylish in a red leather dress coat, pristine, linen white dress shirt, and jeans, with mirrored aviator shades completing the look. "Thanks for coming along, Yukimasa. It's really sweet of you to carry the heavier stuff for us."
"It's not a problem at all." He flashed a dashing smile. "A chance to hang out all day with a pair of bonafide cuties, who just also happen to be sisters, not to mention getting my own private fashion show with every store we go to. What man could possibly resist?" Meyrin started blushing and Luna giggled at the sight. The elder Hawke sister had been quick to see that there was something going on between the young noble and her younger sibling. This was just the confirmation she needed. She leaned over gave Meyrin a big hug.
"Sis!" Meyrin whined, her cheeks getting redder. Yukimasa just laughed.
"Aw come on, Meyrin. I think it's cute you have a boyfriend!" Luna winked at Yukimasa as she said that, who just folded his arms and nodded back to her. Although inside she couldn't help but be a little jealous that her little sister found someone before her. "He's so nice to haul all of our purchases for us."
"It's quite all right, Luna. I needed some time away from home. I had been staying at Sahaku Manor, but once the old man crawled out of the woodwork, I didn't have any desire to go back. My quarters aboard the Minerva aren't bad, but after a while, you get bored of staring at nothing but bare metal."
"Are things really that bad?" Luna asked.
"It's better if you don't read too much into my family's politics, Luna. Yukimura Koto Sahaku is not a good person at all. Dad didn't just encourage competition between us, he all but required it. It just got worse after our mom, Hitomi, died." He bowed his head slightly. "It's the reason I haven't introduced you to the rest of my family. I know my father. He would use you as leverage in order to keep me in line. There's no way in hell I'd let that happen to you."
Meyrin just smiled, reaching out to gently brush her fingers against Yukimasa's cheek. "That's okay. I understand." She said in a quiet tone. The moment was slightly ruined when her stomach began rumbling. "I guess I'm getting hungry." She pulled out her phone to check the time. "Oh wow, it's already noon. We should consider getting some lunch."
"I want to stop in just one last store." Luna said. The siblings walked into a fashionable women's boutique. The girls were surprised to see Kira sitting on a bench outside the fitting rooms, an even larger collection of shopping bags clustered around his feet. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt, jeans and sneakers. He turned and caught sight of them. "Uh, hello Major Yamato." Luna blushed slightly. While she admitted had more of an attraction to Athrun, she couldn't deny that the White Knight of Freedom cut a very dashing figure, not to mention his easygoing demeanor made it easy to become friends with him.
"Hello there, girls." Kira offered a gentle smile. "Doing some shopping I see? It looks you two have racked up a rather impressive haul. Although I think Flay has you beat. No one can shop the way she can." He let out a light sigh. "I suppose that comes with being the boyfriend, you get to haul around all her purchases, not to mention you get to offer the man's opinion."
"Kira, what do you think of this one?" Flay said as she came out, wearing a light red blouse with a dark blue jean skirt. The girls were taken by their fellow redhead's stunning looks. Flay moved with the poise and grace of a runway model. She flashed a dazzling smile at her boyfriend who just smiled back in approval. It was then she noticed the new arrivals. "Oh, hi there! It's always nice to meet fellow shoppers."
"Same to you, Lieutenant Allster." Meyrin said, noting how much Flay resembled the Hawke sisters. "I'm Meyrin Hawke, I run the Combat Information Center on the Minerva, and this is my sister, Lunamaria, she's a pilot."
"It's nice to meet you, girls, and please call me, Flay."
"Only if you call us by our names." Luna said.
"How about we all get lunch? It would be a great way to help us get to know each other if we're going to be working together." Kira suggested. The five made their way over to a nearby restaurant and all had a seat at the table.
"Orb is such a beautiful country. I can see why it's called the Land of Peace." Lunamaria remarked as she picked away at the salad she had ordered.
"It's a peace that we've had to fight for more than once." Kira remarked, his purple eyes taking on a haunted quality to them as he recalled the events of a few days prior. "It's the reason why we maintained the Archangel, Freedom and Justice after the war ended. It's also the reason why we started building the Takemikazuchis. The Atlantic Federation has made it clear they would love nothing more than to exploit Orb's technology and resources for their own selfish reasons. So we have to make sure that we have the means to protect ourselves."
"That will be easier said than done, Kira. Especially now that my father has returned." Yukimasa's eyes narrowed slightly. "It's not easy for me to admit this. Dad pressured me to join the service. I rose through the ranks quickly, eventually taking command of Tenchu. We handled all the dirty work for Orb. Assassinations, sabotage, anything that was required of us by my old man. Some of it was no doubt to help out the Atlantic Federation as well. I mean it when I say a whole chunk of my life was lost during that time."
"It really sounds like things have taken a turn for the worse now that he's here." Flay said.
"You couldn't have put it better, Red." Yukimasa replied. "Of course, I confronted my old man and he said that it was never his intention to keep me there. I could leave any time I wanted." He snorted derisively. "Yeah right! I know way too much. He would never let me just walk away." His fingers curled into fists. "Everything we've spent the last two years building he could topple in a few seconds and he knows it!"
"Certainly, General Connor and the others would be able to keep him in check." Luna offered. Her heart sank at the way Yukimasa just shook his head.
"I wish it were that simple, Luna. But Lord Sahaku." He bit back more than a fair amount of venom with those last two words. Just the thought of Yukimura being back in control made his blood boil. "Isn't so easily dissuaded. He's a man of many talents and skills, chief among them being a very skilled manipulator. If he doesn't already know what buttons to push, he will find them and then hit them so hard they'll break. I've seen it before and it's not pretty." The atmosphere was somber after that, everyone ate in silence.
(December 2nd, C.E. 73, Orb, Onogoro Island, Morgenroete)
Lunamaria moved with purpose as she walked down the halls, clad in her full uniform. She stopped in front one of the doors, composing herself for a minute. Grasping the handle, she opened the door, finding the Twin Wolves present. She entered quickly, standing at attention, offering her best salute. "Lieutenant Lunamaria Hawke reporting as ordered, General Connor, Admiral Russo." The senior officers returned the gesture, and Luna slipped to parade rest.
"I trust you're curious as to why you've been summoned Lieutenant. So I'll get right to the point." Sebastian said. "With the new arrangement between our two governments, it's been decided to institute an officer exchange program between the Orb Defense Forces and ZAFT. You'll be happy to know that both you and your younger sister have been selected for it." He passed a folder to Luna. She took a look at the papers inside, her delicate eyebrows shot up, and a wide smile crossed her face. The Storm Wolf of Jachin Due mirrored her expression. "As you can see, both you and Private Hawke will be stationed aboard the Archangel."
"T-thank you, General! I couldn't imagine a greater honor, Meyrin would say the same thing if she was here too!" Luna exclaimed.
Anthony adjusted his glasses. "That being said, the Archangel isn't equipped to handle Wizard packs, and given how soon we'll be departing there really isn't time to modify the ship's systems to accommodate them. As such, we thought we'd give you a new mobile suit. Please follow us."
Luna felt a small apprehension as she followed Sebastian and Anthony through the corridors of Morgenroete. They stopped in front of an elevator in an isolated corner of the facility. The metallic doors rolled open with nary a sound, and the three entered. Sebastian took his ID badge running it through the slot. The young ZAFT pilot watched with fascination as the elevator went down, past the subbasement, and into the regular basement, and then even beyond that. It wasn't long before the car stopped, and the doors opened, revealing stark gray halls. "Come on, we can't waste time." Anthony said, leading the trio down the corridor.
They soon stopped in front of a pair of large, metallic doors, large enough for mobile suits to walk through. Luna's eyes widened as she craned her neck upward. She stiffened when Anthony put a hand on her shoulder, watching as he and Sebastian both walked up to twin retinal and fingerprint scanners. After a litany of beeps and whistles, confirming the identity of the Twin Wolves, the doors slowly began opening.
"I imagine you're curious just as to where we have come, Lieutenant." Sebastian explained, a wry smile on his face. "As I'm certain you're aware, Morgenroete has been at the forefront of mobile suit technology for almost twenty years. They've built numerous prototypes for all kinds of models." The doors finished opening and the trio entered. "This secure vault is where all those prototype mobile suits are kept." Luna was in awe at the rows and rows of mobile suits lining the walls in their own docking slips. The majority of them bore the telltale look of the Gundams, and it was apparent to her that the lineage started much earlier than the Heliopolis line so long ago.
"If you're wondering why we still have all of them. It's cheaper to store them than to flat out scrap them. Besides, even if they're older models, they make good research material to help us find out what worked and what didn't. A lot of these machines were actually quite ahead of their time." Sebastian said. Indicating an empty slip marked with "MBF-X05A" in large black, block lettering. "As you can see, I took Maelstrom from this place. And given your new status as ZAFT liaison officer to the Archangel, Admiral Russo and I figured you deserved more than just a ZAKU."
Luna's eyes lit up. "Really?" She squeaked in disbelief, looking among the rows of mobile suits. "I…can have my own Gundam?" She asked. Anthony just pointed out, as if to say 'go nuts'. She let out a happy squeal and began looking at each mobile suit. Luna finally came to a stop in front of one mobile suit.
It bore a passing resemblance to the new the new Murasames, although it had a pair of large beam cannons mounted on the shoulders, the tip of the barrels caught the harsh glare of the overhead light, emitting a sinister looking glint. "The MBF-01 Phoenix Gundam, a very fitting choice in more than one way." Anthony remarked taking note of the mobile suit's name, eyeing the brilliant flame red color scheme. "Weaponry includes 75mm CIWS, twin Type 53K high energy beam cannons, and a 88mm machine gun, although I think it wouldn't be difficult to outfit it with a beam rifle and a pair of beam sabers."
"This is the one you picked, Lieutenant Hawke?" Sebastian asked, to which Luna nodded excitedly. "All right then, we'll get it transferred up to the main hanger. I imagine it will need some tuning up, but once it's done. The Phoenix will be yours to do with as you see fit."
(December 3rd, C.E. 73, Edwards Mobile Weapon Base, Atlantic Federation, California)
Stellar was curled up in her restoration chamber, fingers gripping her blanket tightly as she endured a fitful dream. She found herself walking through a dark forest late at night. The full moon hung in the sky. It would have been beautiful, if not for the fact the branches of the trees seemed like gnarled fingers reaching out to grab her and drag her off to a gruesome fate. Even with all of her enhancements and the special training she had received from Phantom Pain meant nothing, her greatest fears and doubts seemed ready to spring from the depths of the shadows.
The blonde timidly made her way down the weather-beaten path, a harsh wind blew through the night sky, causing the branches of the surrounding trees to start shaking angrily. Stellar's heart was beating faster and faster. There was some movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked to see nothing. Trying to ignore it, she continued down through the forest, hoping to find some way out of her current situation. Her entire body froze when she felt a sharp, warm gust of air on her back, causing her blonde locks to wave about in front of her face.
Instinct and training kicked in and she found herself face to snout with a massive wolf, fur as black as a thousand midnights, golden eyes seemed to bore right into her soul. More and more of the canines of the night began emerging from the trees. Stellar's greatest fear was coming to life right before her eyes. Without any weapons, she did the only logical thing, and took off running in the opposite direction, passing between a pair of the wolves, not even caring if they could run her down and promptly tear her to pieces. She didn't get very far, as she was so focused on escaping she missed the rock in the middle of the trail, tripping over it, and falling head over ass to the ground.
She winced in pain as she rubbed the sore spot on her backside, it hurt greatly, but nothing seemed to be broken. The wolves caught up with her, circling around her, and the large black wolf came straight up to Stellar, who feared this was her end. The beast opened its mouth, revealing the long rows of canine teeth, stuck out its long pink tongue…and began gently lapping at her face. The other wolves surrounded her, beginning to rub up against her, licking her repeatedly. The young Extended began to feel a sense of warmth. Despite their fierce appearance, they weren't going to harm her.
Two wolves in particular stood out to her. A male wolf with dark brown fur and purple eyes, and a female wolf with brilliant red fur and blue eyes had become very attached to her. They padded up to her on silent feet. She couldn't help but feel safe around them, as the red female wolf began rubbing up against her and gently licking her face. Stellar curled up with the red and brown colored canines, wondering if this was what a family was like. But eventually she felt herself waking up. The blonde Extended felt disappointed but she hid it as the masked visage of her commanding officer came into view. "Have a nice dream, Stella?" He asked, helping her out of the pod.
"Yes, I did." She said, noting that Sting and Auel hadn't been roused. She put on her best soldier face, seeing that she was now on the clock as it were. There wasn't time to be afraid. "Is something up, Neo?"
He handed her folded slip of paper. "I just got a communique from the higher ups. They aren't happy that the invasion of Orb has been repelled. Our orders are to assassinate the Storm Wolf of Jachin Due. I'm sending you in alone, because no one would expect a teenage girl to be the assassin. We'll drop you off in the Gaia on the coast of Orb. I would prefer if you handled this silently, but you can use any method available, just as long as the job gets done. You leave in less than twelve hours."
Stellar just gave a curt nod and made to get a shower. Although the images of her dream still lingered, and how the wolves crowded around her, welcoming and inviting her with their love and compassion. She hoped that she would be able to have that dream again.
(December 3rd, C.E. 73, Orb Union, Sahaku Manor)
The Sahaku family home was a stately affair, tucked away in the hills of the northern part of Yalafath Island. A three-story mansion fashioned from the highest-grade marble taken from Italian quarries in the heart of the Eurasian Federation, the front was supported by six Corinthian decorated columns. It was further accented by brilliant red brick, taken from the remains of a six-hundred-year-old church that had been destroyed during the Reconstruction War. The towering oak trees that lined the front driveway leading up to the house had been brought in from the Atlantic Federation as saplings.
The immaculately tended landscapes, made it appear as a warm and inviting place to the first impression of a casual viewer, but anyone who knew the history of the Sahaku family, they would tell you the whole thing was a facade. The private study of Yukimura Koto Sahaku was situated on the top floor, the walls alternating between wall paneling of deep mahogany taken from the rainforests of the United States of South America, and bookshelves made of the same material, containing tomes hundreds of years old. At the center of the room was a massive desk, also made of mahogany, complemented by a large, imposing leather office chair that could almost be considered a throne. Finishing the whole room off was a large square window that let him see out onto the whole of the island.
As it was, the Sahaku Patriarch was currently gazing out of the window, turning a pair of steel baoding meditation balls around in his hand. Yukimura had found much to his satisfaction that despite whatever his children had felt toward him, his sanctum had been well cared for in his absence, not even a hint of dust found when he opened the heavy walnut doors. The lord of the manor put the balls down at the sound of the doors swinging open, admitting Shinn and Mayu, both wearing their ZAFT uniforms. The two snapped to attention, offering their best salutes. "Lieutenant Shinn Asuka, reporting as requested Lord Sahaku." He said, a slight edge to his red eyes.
"Private Mayu Asuka, also reporting as requested, Lord Sahaku." The younger Asuka sibling was doing her level best to keep her face impassive, but struggled under the hawkish glare of the older man. The two tensed, not certain what was going to happen. Yukimura rose from his desk, rearing up to his full height, currently wearing a very expensive looking suit. His face softened as he removed his glasses.
"As you both were." Yukimura had put on a relaxed vibe, almost coming across as fatherly. "Please, have a seat." He gestured to the two chairs sitting before in front of his desk. The two nervously sat down, Mayu with her her hands in her lap, and Shinn folding his arms across his chest. "Let me start off by saying it's quite the honor to meet you in the flesh at last, Lieutenant Asuka. Your part in helping to repel the Earth Alliance's invasion of our country has spread rapidly. Even though you may wear the uniform of ZAFT now, everyone is singing the praises of one Orb's finest sons." He then turned to face Mayu, but started blushing, "And of course we can't forget you as well, Private. You have brought pride to your homeland, birth and adopted, by your service and dedication to a cause greater than yourself."
"Uh, thank you, Lord Sahaku." Mayu said, nervously shifting in her seat. Despite his easygoing demeanor, Mayu had heard stories of the Sahakus and how ruthless they could be, especially Yukimura himself. "My brother and I may not live here anymore, but we would never want to see the Atlantic Federation or anyone else for that matter overrun our birth place."
Yukimura just gave an understanding nod. "You are quite modest, my dear. I'm glad to know even though you've moved on with your life, there is still a part of you who keeps an attachment to Orb." He then looked to Shinn. "Do you feel the same way, young man?"
Shinn wasn't so easily fazed. "I'm not the type to mince words, Lord Sahaku. I was never a big fan of how Chief Representative Attha handled the invasion two years ago. His stubbornness and inability to seek out aid directly resulted in our parents dying. As such, I didn't shed any tears when Mayu and I got shuttled off to the PLANTs. For us, it was a fresh start that I readily accepted. Although…" He looked to his sister. "I will admit since coming back here and helping to defend the island from the Earth Forces. I've accepted a piece of me is still connected to this place."
Yukimura smirked, standing up to look out the window. "Honesty is a quality that I admire, Shinn, can I call you that?" The younger man nodded as he continued. "I'll be the first to admit, I greatly admired and respected Uzumi as a man and a politician, but at the same time, I told him that his pacifistic leanings would be his downfall one day. His older brother, Sarutobi, had no such compunctions. He knew that Orb would need strength if it was going to survive." Yukimura shook his head. "I'm still not sure if aligning ourselves with the PLANTs is the right move either, but I suppose that I can't really do much about it at this point in time." He steepled his fingers on the table. "I'll cut right to the chase, you two. I called you here because I have some rather pressing information to share with you. Information regarding your parents. It might be hard for you to accept, but I assure you it's all the truth."
"Just what exactly could you know about our parents?" Shinn's eyes narrowed. Even though they were both long gone, Shiro and Ryoko Asuka were their parents and it would always be a sensitive issue for him. "They were just ordinary citizens, certainly beneath the notice of one of the heads of the Five Families."
But Yukimura held up a calming hand. "You can relax, Shinn. It's nothing bad, quite the contrary in fact. The truth is, I knew both of your parents quite well, your mother especially. I see a lot of her in you, actually." A low chortle escaped his lips, as if he was laughing at a good joke. "Ryoko was always headstrong, even when she was a little girl, never content to do as your grandparents said. My dear sister always had to do things her own way. Oh well, stubbornness is in the blood after all." He smirked at the blank stares the Asuka siblings gave him. "I suppose there's no point in hiding behind theatrics anymore. Before your mother was married, she went by the name by Ryoko Kagami Sahaku, and thus in turn makes you my niece and nephew, so let me be the first to welcome you to the family."
Shinn and Mayu looked at Yukimura for a minute, then turned to each other, and just stared. They blinked twice, nodding in agreement before they both passed out in their seats. The Sahaku Patriarch said nothing, just pulling out a bottle of expensive whiskey and a shot glass, giving a bemused sigh. "Well, they took that better than I thought. I suppose I can wait until they wake up."
(December 4th, C.E. 73, Aprilus One, George Glenn Governmental Compound)
Commander Heine Westenfluss gave a nervous tug on the collar of his red uniform. Like a minority of his fellow commanders, he had decided to forgo the traditional white uniform that would go with his current status, instead continuing to wear the redcoat as a reminder of his roots. He hadn't expected to be approached by agents who said they came direct orders to bring him to see the Supreme Chairman at once. Heine was currently in the waiting room, staring impassively at the wall. When he got bored of that, he went to look out at the window down at the urban sprawl of the colony interior. It was relaxing on some levels. He folded his arms and sighed, his foot tapping impatiently.
"Excuse me, Commander?" He turned around to see the Chairman's receptionist. "I'm sorry for the wait, sir. Chairman Durandal will see you now." She keyed a button, and the large intricately carved, oak double doors swung open.
Heine took a deep breath and entered into the office, standing as straight as possible. The Supreme Chairman was not currently at his desk, rather standing in front of a large sculpture of a man with a hawk's head, and a large golden disk mounted on top of his head, adorning one corner of the room. Heine quickly took note that the entire office had been decorated as such. There were numerous paintings on the walls, and sculptures occupying every corner of the room. Clearly the Chairman had a taste for the finer things in life, and a love of antiquities. Durandal then turned to face his guest. "Ah, welcome, Commander. Thank you for being so prompt."
The orange haired redcoat instinctively snapped to attention, offering a perfect salute that would have made every drill sergeant on the parade ground proud. "Commander Heine Westenfluss, reporting as ordered, Your Excellency."
Durandal just gave a disarming smile, waving his hand. "Please stand at ease, Mr. Westenfluss. We don't need to stand on formality here. I noticed you checking out my collection. It took me years to gather it all. This sculpture right here is over five thousand years old, from ancient Egypt, it's a statue of the sun god Ra, one their primary deities." He just smiled again. "But that's not the reason I brought you here to chat. Come with me. We have much to talk about." Durandal led Heine to another part of the dimly lit room, it seemed to be a tradition, as it was kept this way by Patrick Zala and even Siegel Clyne before him. It was then Heine noticed why, as the large monitor on the wall was displaying technical data of some kind that Heine couldn't decipher.
It was then Heine saw where Durandal was leading him, a small table with a pair of chairs, on which rested a chess set. The board was made of a hard-gray marble, and the chess pieces themselves seemed to made of blown glass. "Please have a seat." Durandal offered. They settled down in the chairs. "I'm certain you're wondering just why I called you up here today. So I'll get right down to business. I'm certain you're aware of the threats currently facing the PLANTs right now, as you were present for the latest invasion." Durandal inclined his head slightly. "Let me thank you for your part in stopping the nuclear strike."
Heine gave a mild shrug. While Yzak and his team had engaged the Crimson Fox and his people. He had been part of the team defending the Neutron Stampeder, piloting a ZGMF-1001 ZAKU Phantom equipped with a Blaze Wizard pack and painted in his preferred color scheme of bright orange. "If I'll be honest with myself, sir, I really didn't do that much. All I did was protect the Neutron Stampeder. I shot down a few Daggers that got too close to it, but that's about it. I was actually surprised you even called me up here in the first place." He just found that thin smile Durandal gave to be a little unsettling.
"You're modest, I like that. It's just the kind of quality I'm looking for. I'll lay it out for you, Commander. In light of recent events, public opinion in the PLANTs has been calling for outstanding measures against the Earth Alliance. They attacked us, and then they attacked our new ally Orb just days later. A lot of people are scared, and even angry. These people are demanding retribution against the Atlantic Federation, Eurasian Federation and the other Alliance member states. I'm doing everything in my power to try and keep a full assault on the Earth Forces from happening on the political and diplomatic level, but that can only take us so far. I need someone to be out there in the field who can make decisions quickly." The doors opened, admitting Ren, resplendent in his red and gold trimmed uniform and mask, the ruby eye lenses just seeming to glow in the low light of the office. "I'm certain you've heard of Commander Za Burrel and what he does?"
Heine sized up the new arrival. He had heard the rumors, but it was the first time meeting the man in the flesh. "Yes, I have, he's in charge of that new unit you assembled a few months ago…FAITH, was it?"
Ren just smirked and nodded. "Correct, Commander Westenfluss. Fast-Acting Integrated Tactical Headquarters was assembled in order to allow those who are part of it to make decisions when there isn't time to consult the full chain of command. FAITH operatives serve as the elite troubleshooters of ZAFT. They have the full authority to get the job done by whatever means necessary. They don't answer to the regular team commanders, or even to the senior echelons at ZAFT High Command. Rather they report directly to the Supreme Council, and they consist of those who have proven themselves truly loyal to the PLANTs, and there is a place in our ranks for you, Commander Westenfluss. You only need to say yes."
Heine's brilliant green eyes widened in disbelief, and his jaw fell open as Durandal pulled a small flat box out of his pocket. one that the young pilot recognized as being reserved for military decorations, or new rank insignia. Durandal rested it on the chessboard, implying that Heine was to pick it up. With tentative hands, he picked it up, and opened the lid, revealing a badge he had never seen before. A gold, elliptical orb from which a sweeping wing in a whitish-silver color grew. "You have the potential to become much more than just another soldier. I ask you, Commander, will you take your place as one of the defenders of the PLANTs? To stand at the head of the line and lead the charge?"
His jaw still hanging open, Heine wasn't sure what to make of this. "You'll have to excuse me, I'm still trying to take this all in. I'm truly flattered you have such faith, if you'll pardon the pun, in my skills and abilities. Still, I'll pose the question to you, Mr. Chairman, how exactly can I do this? I know I'm good, but I'm still only one man. I'm not sure even one of the new GOUFs would make much of a difference on the battlefield."
Durandal and Ren both looked to each other in silent understanding. "You'll see soon enough. And because you are asking me this question before making a full decision is all the more proof you are exactly what we are looking for. Ren, please send her in." The masked blonde nodded and departed out a side door that Heine hadn't known was there. "What I am about to show you is classified Omega Black. Only a handful of people outside this room know the truth, but I'm confident in your choice then you'll be exposed to the truth soon enough." Ren came back in, followed by a hunched figure in a ridiculously long overcoat, and a hat covering their face, although Heine could see a flash of pink underneath. "Commander Westenfluss, meet Miss Meer Campebell."
In a fluid motion, the hat came off, and a flowing mane of pink colored hair tumbled down. The coat came off, revealing an elaborate costume, the bodice was mostly white, although the area around her chest was a rose colored, accentuating her considerable breasts, with cap sleeves trimmed in gold, coming down tapering at the navel, leaving her hips bare while it flared out into a long skirt, colored a rich purple. But what baffled Heine the most was Meer's face, it was a dead ringer for Lacus Clyne. Meer gave a warm smile, holding her hand out. "It's nice to meet you, Commander Westenfluss." She spoke in the melodic voice that was a perfect match for the songstress. He said nothing, just taking her hand and giving a limp shake. Meer giggled clapping her hands together. "I think we broke him!"
"Uh, yeah. How is she here, and why does she look like that?" Heine did his best not to raise his voice too much. "Last I recall, Miss Clyne is still on Earth with her husband, do she and Lieutenant General Connor even know about this?"
Durandal smirked as Ren just laughed. Meer covered her mouth, trying to stifle her own delicate giggles, with not much success before the Chairman finally spoke. "To answer your questions in turn, Commander, She's here because we selected her for this role, due to the fact her voice is a dead match for our absent Songstress. She looks this way due to very discreet and careful cosmetic surgery, and no, neither General Connor nor the real Lacus are aware we've done this, yet. And if I may anticipate your next question, why take such a measure in the first place? It's because we needed Lacus Clyne now, and she wasn't available to us. In order to keep the population calm, I felt it required a more delicate touch, one that even I as Chairman couldn't provide."
Ren folded his arms across his broad frame. "Even though Orb and the PLANTs are now allied. I have to imagine that General Connor will want to keep his wife close to him at all times. So Miss Campbell will be acting as Lacus's body double, she'll be making a long tour of the various military bases here in the PLANTs and on Earth. The Chariman and I wanted you to meet her so you weren't confused." Heine just sat back in his chair, clearly at a loss as he struggled to make sense of all this. Sensing his distress, Durandal poured a cup of water, pushing it over to the young redcoat. Wordlessly, he accepted it, knocking it back in one gulp, slamming the empty plastic container on the desk.
"If I may say gentlemen, I think i've had enough shocks to my system for one day. I'm still not sure what to make of all this. I'm just a pilot, and the whole public relations thing is way out of my skillset. That being said, I'll keep my mouth shut, and just leave it at that." He took a deep breath, the inkling of a smile forming on his face. "Since you have entrusted me with this level of classified information, and I can take a hint." He took the FAITH emblem out of the box, putting it on his uniform, much to both Durandal and Ren's satisfaction. "I'll be happy to join the FAITH team."
Ren offered his best salute. It was now apparent to Heine just impressive a physical specimen the FAITH commander was through the confines of his uniform. "You made the right decision after all, Commander Westenfluss. I'm happy to have you onboard, and I'll be quite eager to work with you. I'd like to stay longer, but I have other engagements and I can't keep them waiting any longer, so I will take my leave of you." He offered a salute and left the room through the main doors.
Heine then turned to Durandal. "I do have one last question, your Excellency, what mobile suit am I supposed to be using for this?" There was something in the back of his mind telling him he had an idea of what was to come. He almost didn't want to believe it. But he remembered being at Jachin Due, piloting his GuAIZ Experimental Firearms Type when he caught sight of the Freedom and Providence duking it out. He had long heard the stories of the power of the mobile suit known as a Gundam, and contemplated if he would be given one.
Durandal stood up. "Come with me, and I will show you myself. "Meer, if you will accompany us as well. This will also concern you." Meer said nothing, just adorning her ridiculous disguise once again, as the three departed the office through the side door, which led down a winding staircase to a private garage. "A security measure, just in case of assassination attempts." Durandal ushered both Heine and Meer into a long, sleek looking black limousine with darkly tinted windows, flanked by a pair of SUVs the same color. The motorcade pulled out of the office, and they drove off to the spaceport.
(Two Hours later, Maius Six, Classified Integrated Design Bureau Facility )
Heine felt a sense of uneasiness as he followed Durandal through the facility. Meer was right behind them, having finally ditched her disguise. The soft, delicate swishing of her long skirt was the only other sound besides their footsteps. It had been a short trip from the Chairman's office to his personal high-speed shuttle. They had then arrived at one of the Integrated Design Bureau's classified research and development bases. His suspicious were becoming more and more clear to him as to what was being kept in this installation.
Many of the personnel were perking up at the sight of "Lacus" accompanying the Chairman and Heine, and were soon surrounding the trio, hoping to get autographs and maybe a photo op, which Meer seemed more than willing to accommodate, but Durandal put a stop to it. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please return to your duties. I'm certain that Miss Clyne will be quite happy to take some time to meet with all of you later, but we're here on pressing business and we cannot be disturbed." He spoke in a gentle but firm tone, so the crowd dissipated, and the double pouted cutely.
The orange haired redcoat said nothing as they continued on their way. They stopped in front of a pair of heavy steel double doors, guarded by a pair of SOITs armed with BR55HB battle rifles, and an officer wearing the black uniform of a ZAFT captain. The three soldiers saluted their commander in chief, before the officer slid his access card and activated a retinal scanner. the doors swung open, admitting Durandal, Heine, and Meer. "It's awfully dark in here." Meer whined, clinging onto Heine's arm for comfort, and much to his embarrassment.
The lights finally came on, causing Meer to shriek in fright, her grip tightening on Heine's arm, and her manicured nails digging into the fabric of his uniform. Paying no mind to the pain. Heine showed disbelief, just a quiet satisfaction as he found his suspicions fully confirmed. He was staring at what could only be a Gundam. Durandal held an arm out to present it. "Say hello to the ZGMF-X23S Savior Gundam, Commander Westenfluss. Your new mobile suit. It is the last of the Second Stage Gundams. It was brought back here to the PLANTs from Armory One due to technical difficulties with its transformation system. Difficulties which have since been cleared up. It's combat ready and waiting to go."
The orange haired pilot looked up at the Savior, taking in every inch of his new mount. "It certainly looks formidable enough." He remarked, taking in the sight of the beam rifle clenched in its hand, and the beam sabers jutting out of the shoulders, not to mention the pair of beam cannons mounted on the back were any indication. "When do I leave, Mr. Chairman?" he asked. While he would like a little time to get acquainted with his new machine, he knew that time wasn't a luxury.
Durandal gave a slight nod of approval. Heine was already quick to get down to work and not waste time. "The sooner you get underway, the better, Commander. The situation on Earth has heated up considerably, especially around the Mediterranean. I'm sending you to Carpentaria. Once there you'll rendezvous with the the Minerva. I'm certain Captain Gladys will be very happy to have the other Second Stage Gundam aboard, they'll need all the firepower they can get. Also, I want you to give her this." He pulled out a second box, identical to the one he gave Heine back in the office. "As of today, Captain Gladys is also an agent of FAITH. I know she will carry out her duties to the best of her abilities, same as you, Commander."
Heine offered his best salute to Durandal. "Thank you very much for this opportunity, Your Excellency. I will do everything in my power to make you proud."
"I think the Savior will serve you quite well, Commander. The name is certainly poetic!" Meer chimed in. "The Gundams have long been a symbol of hope for the people who are oppressed, and in the hands of a capable warrior like you, it will be a savior for the innocent and do great things for the PLANTs. Just like Miss Lacus and I can do with our songs. So know I'll be cheering for you."
Durandal just smirked. "Actually, since you bring that up, Meer. You'll be packing your bags as well. For you will be accompanying Commander Westenfluss to Earth." This got both their attention. "I think it's only proper that you meet the real Lacus and her husband. I'm certain they will be very curious as to understand why this is happening, after that you can start your tour properly." He produced a letter to Meer. "Give that directly to General Connor, Meer." The girl nodded, holding it protectively against her ample chest. "Well, I have said enough for now, you two have a long journey ahead of you. I bid you farewell and a safe journey."
Another hour and a half later, Heine, now clad in his flight suit, colored a brilliant shade of orange, sat in the cockpit of the Savior, bringing the mighty engine of war to life. His fingers danced across the control panel, hitting switches and buttons. The screen blinked on, the letters Generation Unrestricted Network Drive Assault Module flashing in turn to spell out G.U.N.D.A.M. He hit another button, bringing the Variable Phase Shift Armor to life, giving the mobile suit a brilliant shade of red. He looked over his shoulder to his passenger, sitting behind him in a temporarily installed seat. "Are you ready, Miss Campbell?" He asked.
The doppelgänger of the Songstress of the PLANTs, wearing her own flight suit, colored a brilliant pink, gave a thumb up. "Ready when you are, Commander." She said.
"Control, this is Commander Westenfluss in the Savior, request permission for launch." Heine said.
"We read you loud and clear Savior, you are go for launch!" the air traffic controller announced over the radio.
"Heine Westenfluss and Meer Campbell, Savior Gundam, taking off!" He hit the throttle and gunned the engines. The ZGMF-X23S Savior Gundam's thrusters flared to life, and the brilliant red mobile suit flew out of the hangar, through the spaceport and out into the brilliant void of space. The Gundam shifted to its alternate mode, a sleek, aerodynamic mobile armor mode that was reminiscent of the Aegis and Orb's own Murasames. The transformed machine swept across the length of space, giving the pair a view of the moon, and finally Earth itself.
"The Earth really is beautiful. The pictures don't do it any justice at all." Meer said, unable to hide the sheer awe in her voice. "I've never been there before. Have you ever been planet side yourself, Commander?"
"Truthfully, no I have never set foot there at all. This will be my first time going to Earth as well." Heine remarked, also taking in the majesty of humanity's birthplace. "I spent all my time up in space during the first war, but I often wondered about what it was like. I guess we'll get to experience it together. You may as well get some rest while you can, Miss Campbell." He leaned back in his seat, trying to get comfortable against the restraints. "We have a very long flight ahead of us, and sadly the on-flight accommodations are far from luxury first class."
Meer let out another delicate giggle, before settling back, hoping to catch a quick snooze between L5 and Earth. It wouldn't do for an aspiring diva to look ragged due to jet lag.
Author's Notes: As the fallout from the failed invasions of Orb and the PLANTs dies down, both sides begin making moves to prepare for the next phase of the war. Also, Shinn and Mayu are hit with one of the biggest revelations of their lives, thanks to Yukimura's machinations.