PHASE 06: The Freedom Arrives
October 3rd, C.E. 73
COUNTDOWN TO IMPACT: 28 Minutes and 41 Seconds.
"Ugh… it's getting creepier the closer we're getting to it." Sonic cringed as he watched as they flew close to the face of the dead colony in front of them. To his displeasure, it was becoming way bigger than he had anticipated. And just the massiveness of it would be enough to warrant the trouble for everyone back down on Earth. Even if it wasn't falling at high speeds towards the Earth like the ARK had, it would be foolish to think of how large it would cause due to its size.
Its appearance didn't even help in the slightest.
The description the hedgehog could use upon seeing the place for the first time, with the way its gnarled surface look, and the tendrils dragging behind it, made it look like a dead jellyfish floating through space.
It made Space Colony ARK look decent appearance wise.
"Hard to believe this was supposed to be a colony."
"It looked far different than what it used to look like before it got bombed." Kira said.
"I bet." Sonic said, with grimace.
…
"I didn't think I would come back to this place again," Kira said, breaking the silence.
"You've been here before?" Sonic asked. "Before it was…?"
"No, after," Kira stated. "When we were trying to Earth, Miss Ramius had us stop here, to get supplies."
"Supplies?" Sonic said, baffled. "Here?"
"Yeah," Kira looked at him. "Even though, it was destroyed, the place still had some cargo to salvage. That… and a lot of water that was in a lake of ice."
"Water in space? Wait... because its in space..." Sonic looked on at that. "Oh... that makes sense."
Kira nodded, before looking out the viewport. "It wasn't just supplies we found…" Sonic then noticed a strange look on the boy's face. As if a nostalgic smile was forming. "It was here… I met Lacus for the first time."
"Huh? Lacus?" Sonic was dumbfounded by that. "You met her… here?"
"I stumbled… upon her lifepod." Kira said.
"Lifepod? You mean like a…?" Sonic tried to define it. "But… what was she doing in something like out here?" He pointed back at the falling land before them.
"It… It's a long story…" Kira hung his head.
"Right…" Sonic was interested to learn more, till he heard a strange grumbling coming from…
…
"Uh… speaking of Lacus…" The hedgehog rubbed his gloved hands together anxiously.
"What about her?" Kira asked.
"Well, you know… since she… well… maybe before we get started to save the world… we can take a bite?"
"Right now?" Kira asked.
"Yeah, why not? Can't save the world on an empty stomach, right?" Sonic grinned. "I'm gonna need some fill if I'm gonna that super-duper trick, I'm excited to show you."
"We should get in a better position first," Kira said, looking out of the viewport as the Freedom was flying past the bottom of the colony. "There's a chance we'll run into ships that will be trying to reduce the chance of impact."
"Well, at least more audience for the big show," Sonic smugly commented, before going over the tied-up lunchbox. "And just bite of a ham sandwich and a sip of…HEY!"
"Huh?"
"Birdy!" The green mechanical bird flew up from the open lunchbox and around the cockpit, before coming upon Sonic's face.
"Hey, where did you come from?" The hedgehog said, bewildered. "Who's this stowaway?"
"Not a stowaway," Kira smiled, as he lifted his finger for the green bird to rest on. "A dear friend."
"Friend, huh?" Sonic looked closely at the mechanical being, who twitched and turned its head at him, like any real bird would.
"This is Birdy." Kira introduced.
"Birdy!"
"Huh, I can see why…" Sonic smiled, just as Birdy started flying in front of him. "Heh… he reminds a bit of another pal of mine."
"Who?" Kira asked, curious.
"Oh, well," Sonic smiled. "You see there's these…" His smiled faltered. "What the…?"
"What's wrong?" Kira asked, before the hedgehog pointed back to the viewport, and the Gundam pilot noticed it. "Wait, is that…?" He saw the array of pink explosions happening in the distance. Taking place at the center of the colony.
"Is that supposed to be the relief team?" Sonic asked, but started to doubt it.
"No…" Kira shook his head, his fears coming to light. "It's a battle!"
Seven Minutes Earlier
ZAFT Battleship Minerva
"So, they are using GINN's?"
That was the first thing Cagalli heard as the door slide open and she walked into the Minerva's bridge.
"Yes," Captain Talia Gladys nodded to the Chairman's question from her seat. "They appear to be using High Maneuver Type 2's." She turned to one of the operators on her right. "Any mother ships close by?"
"No, ma'am."
Cagalli looked with confusion upon what she was hearing as she floated closer.
"If they are attacking the construction team," Arthur Trine. "Does this mean these people are responsible for altering Junius Seven's orbit?" Cagalli glanced at the first officer in shock. "Who in their minds would do such a thing?!"
"If that is true, it's all the more reason we can't let them drop it on the Earth!" Captain Gladys said. "Please update Rey and the others!"
"Right away, ma'am!" Meyrin Hawke nodded as she started relaying communications on her monitor.
"Princess…" Cagalli turned to Chairman Gilbert Durandal, who motioned his hand towards the vacant seat next to him.
"Uh… thank you," The representative said as she moved to sit in the seat next to the PLANTS Chairman, but there was one question lingering with her. "By the way… do you know where Athrun is?"
"What?" Durandal looked confused. "He didn't inform you?" The girl looked baffled. "He came to the bridge earlier and asked that he be allowed to help. He's out there, right now."
Flying in the ZAKU unit felt much easier than it had been the last time Athrun had been piloting it. Not only was he better equipped and prepared, but not having to worry about fitting Cagalli on his lap.
The standard green-painted mono-eyed mobile suit was the very same one he and Cagalli had got in during the chaos at Armory One. It was the best place they could find during time where, and a means of transporting both him and Cagalli to safety. Shortly after piloting it, they were unfortunate to run into the same thieves who had taken ZAFT's new Gundams. They had been outnumbered and cornered, and they would have died right there if it hadn't been for Shinn Asuka's timely intervention in the Impulse Gundam.
The damaged ZAKU had been repaired by the engineers aboard the Minerva since their exodus from the Armory One, and it was best that Athrun could use in order to assist in the ship's mobile suits in reinforcing the demolition team.
"You hanging in there?" The teen looked up at the small monitor to see the redhead smiling back at him.
"I've piloted worse," Athrun shrugged. "I can manage well in this."
"Let's hope so," That was when he heard another voice piping in. "I'm not in the mood to have to save your ass again."
Athrun frowned as he looked at the Impulse flying ahead of him, while inside was the black-haired boy who might as well be looking through him with a doubtful look.
"Shinn… cut the guy some slack, would you?" Lunamaria scolded.
"Won't be my fault if he starts losing, and I have to baby him," Shinn retorted. "He's the one who wanted to tag along."
"I think we should know by now Athrun can handle himself," Then came Rey Za Burrell's voice. Unlike Shinn, the long-blonde haired teen was far more reserved, calm, and apparently level-headed. "That mess in Amory One wasn't his first time fighting."
…
No, it wasn't. Athrun made no reply to confirm it.
He somehow felt off, perhaps because he didn't get to tell Cagalli that he was moving out with them. That due because she fell asleep next to him, and she still was by the time he made it back from the bridge.
It felt almost strange. He was now piloting a mobile suit to battle again. A ZAFT mobile suit, even though he was no longer part of it. And now flying in a squad of four mobile suits.
Four. Just like back then…
Ah, forget it. Dammit.
It didn't even help since they flying in sight of the falling dead colony that started the war. The colony that was his mother's grave.
Athrun pursed his lips together, nearly grasping at his controls. He nearly pushed his engines to boost up, ready to get to the sight of the battle faster. The eagerness he was feeling was biting him. That what was happening to the dead colony was no doubt going to cause the very thing he and Cagalli feared.
He couldn't stay sleeping next to Cagalli if there was something he could do to make sure another Bloody Valentine didn't happen again.
"DAMMIT!" Yzak Joule cursed as he maneuvered his Slash ZAKU Phantom make cover fire at the rogue GINN's firing at the Demolition Team. By the time he had to get ready and sortie, already half of the team had been slaughtered.
Green laser fire was raining down on the dusty surface of the dead colony towards one of the demotion teams made of ZAFT GINNs were carrying an untouched Meteor Driller.
"GET BACK!" Dearka's black-painted ZAKU Gunner skidded across the dead, before lifting up his Othros High-Energy Long-Range Beam Cannon rifle up, before launching a burning crimson blast towards the purple rogue GINN's. The enemy maneuvered, only for the red beam to hit a colony cable, that erupted into a fiery explosion.
The explosion caused a smokescreen, and one of the rogue GINN's burst out of it towards one of Yzak's soldiers. The GINN blasted green fire, only for the rogue to dodge it by making a barrel roll. It was fired upon again, only to bring up its shield that deflected the emerald blast, giving it the chance to unsheathe its katana and plunged it into the opposite GINN's chest. The rogue pushed the blade down, and the GINN was ripped in half, before it exploded.
"Who the hell are these bozos?!" Dearka yelled. "They're making good work with just using GINN types!"
"Worry about that later!" Yzak flew in and fired his assault rifle to separate another rogue GINN from coming close towards the meteor drill. "Defend the demolition squads! If we stop now, we'll be playing into their hands!" He moved his Blaze ZAKU Phantom back to avoid a laser ray, before he pulled his assault rifle to shoot the attacking rogue through the chest, exploding it.
Suddenly, the radar started beeping in alarm.
"What?!" Yzak noticed three more incoming. "Reinforcements?"
"Yzak!" Dearka cried out, and Yzak turned the other direction to see three shining figures that were no doubt what the radar had detected. However, as the three figures came closer, the more their mobile suits came into view…
"What the?!" Dearka cried out.
"Those mobile suits!" Yzak cried out. "Chaos? Gaia? And Abyss?!"
"The same machines that were stolen from Armory One!" His comrade exclaimed with recognition.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Sting yelled with distaste towards the sight of the ZAFT mobile suits in front of him. "All of you causing a mess here of all places!"
"So, you're the ones responsible for making this tombstone fall, huh?!" Auel yelled with condemnation.
Sting transformed the Chaos into its mobile armor form, and launched his gun barrels out. The green funnels swarmed and maneuvered around the GINNs, before blasting a green beam and shooting one down. Stella in her Gaia, flying right next to him used her assault rifle and shoulder-mounted guns to fire three emerald beams that penetrated one purple GINN, killing it.
Auel, in the Abyss, activated his Calidus chest beam cannon, and unleashed a crimson burning beam torrent that blasted towards a group of GINNs that had surrounded a long mechanism. The blasted resulted in the destruction of both the on-ground GINNs and their machine.
The four mobile suits were now flying close towards the boundary of the dead colony, and they could now see the string of pink blasts and explosions occurring at the center of it. As well the three mobile suits taking part of the carnage.
"Wait, those are…" Athrun couldn't believe it as he saw them.
"It's them!" Shinn growled in recognition as he boosted the speed of the assembled Impulse Gundam towards the battlefield. "Should have known they would be involved in this!"
"We'll get those three for sure this time!" Lunamaria said, determined.
"Those machines are NOT our priority!" Athrun protested. Did these kids forget already why they were here?!
"I know that! But they're attacking our allies!" The girl retorted back. "If we don't get rid of them now, how is the demolition team going to work?!"
Athrun couldn't deny that.
"Luna is right," Rey called out. "If we can't stop those stolen machines from distracting the demolition squads, then we'll fail!" The pale ZAKU Phantom flew beside Athrun's green ZAKU. "Athrun, you're with me. Shinn and Luna, take the left. We'll strike those machines from both sides!"
Phantom Pain Battleship Girty-Lue
"Captain Roanoke!"
"What is it?" The masked-man questioned as he sat in one of the two command seats at the center of the bridge of Girty Lue.
"We got four new mobile suits entering the field!" One of the operators exclaimed as he relayed the information. "Three ZAKU's. And the combining G-Weapon."
"You gotta be kidding me. Not them again." Right next to him, sat the ship's official captain and his right hand, Ian Lee, exclaimed with a now worried look.
"If they are here…" Neo Roanoke put a hand to his chin. "Then so is the Minerva."
ZAFT Battleship Minerva
"Junius Seven's descent angle has increased by 1.5!" The operator stated quickly as both Cagalli and the Chairman could see the map table before them showing colony's rapid pace towards the Earth. "Four percent acceleration!"
"Captain!" Meryin turned her chair. "The Joule Team are being attacked by new mobile suits! Chaos, Abyss, and Gaia!"
"If they're too busy trying to keep them off, then they won't be able to the demolition work!" Arthur exclaimed, his face now starting to look ready to sweat. "Captain! We should go after Bogey One!"
Captain Talia Gladys did not reply, but stay still and silent in her chair for a moment.
"Mister Chairman," She turned to address the Chairman. "What is your assessment of Bogey One's current involvement?" The black-haired man glanced back at her, questionably. "Pirates? Terrorists? Or do you perhaps think they belonged to the Earth Forces?"
Cagalli paused, considering that last option. And yet, if so then…
"Hm…" Durandal considered with narrowed eyes, before looking away. "That's a difficult one. I would rather not go into battle with the Earth Forces."
"There's no saying what it could trigger after all." The captain said.
What it could trigger? Cagalli thought, but dreaded it. If perhaps those who had not only infiltrated the armory, but even stole three Gundam and used them to openly attack them were indeed part of the Earth Forces, then it would only foreshadow what she feared could result because of it.
"But the situation has changed," Durandal said.
"In this emergency situation, if they declare themselves to be Earth Forces or associated with them, battling them would be meaningless." Gladys said.
"On the contrary," Durandal offered. "They could be interpreting our actions as protecting those rogue GINNs."
"They couldn't be!" Arthur exclaimed at that.
"It can't be helped," Gladys said. "If those machines happened to be Strike Daggers, you'd be suspicious of the Earth Forces and their participation, wouldn't you?"
"Can't we get in touch with Bogey One?" Durandal questioned.
"Perhaps, if we use the International Rescue Channel." Gladys said.
"Then use it to try and reach them." Durandal said. "Make it clear that we are making every effort to break Junius Seven before it reaches the Earth."
The Impulse flew straight towards Abyss, raising its rifle to blast a shot, which was only deflected by the large oval shields over the shoulders of the latter.
"Was that a tickle?!" Auel smugly mocked. The Abyss lifted its shoulder shields to fire two sets of three lasers that fired at the Impulse. The Impulse dodged the rays, causing the blue Gundam to circle around it. Its chest turned and fired its beam cannon that sent a torrent of crimson beam that the Impulse narrowly dodged.
"SATO!" The scar-face man barreled his GINN to avoid another line of green. "They are too many of them! They're going to picking us off one by one at this rate!"
"Don't falter, now!" Sato yelled. "We have come to far to let them undo our work! We just need to stall them from activating any of those breakers!"
"I know that, but... AHH!"
"Kay!" Sato cried out as the head of Kay's GINN was shot, before his torso was pierced through by the second green beam, causing the whole thing to explode. The man turned with a glare towards the one who did the moved his GINN's shield in time to deflect a green beam coming from the approaching a ZAKU's assault rifle. A white-painted ZAKU Phantom. A command unit.
"ZAKU's…" Sato sneered with contempt. "Those new machines lack the finesse that a GINN holds!" He unsheathed his katana, and started flying towards the ZAKU Phantom with his shield. "RAAAAHHHH!"
Athrun pierced a round that blew off a rogue GINN's rifle, before blowing its head off. He moved aside when two more rogues fired at him from his left. He returned fire, flying backwards while avoiding the green rays. He fired at the first GINN's shoulder, before he moved his rifle and aimed from behind the low of his back. He hadn't performed that trick in a long while, but it managed to help in firing from an angle that shot through the other GINN in a ball of flame.
He heard another explosion behind him, and he looked to see the Chaos striking down another ZAFT GINN, before going to another one.
"STOP IT!" Athrun growled as he turned his ZAKU towards that green pile of trouble.
Fighting was the last thing to do at time like this. And in the last place that was Junius Seven. Everywhere these three thieves go, they just bring a baggage of trouble with them. And that baggage would be unzip to add chaos in this time of crisis.
The Chaos unfurled its two weapon pods and they started to move and aim towards Athrun. They fired their green beams, only for Athrun to dodged them, and pulled up his assault rifle to shoot one of them. That gave him the opening to dash in front of the green Gundam.
"ENOUGH!" The ZAKU reared back its fist and slugged the Chaos at its faceplate.
"DAH!" Sting cried out as he felt the impact of that punch. "I got hit already… by some small fry?!" His face twisted with rage. "You're fried now!" He turned his four CIWS face-mounted guns to spray the ZAKU back. The Chaos reversed back, and pulled up his remaining weapon pod to shoot at the ZAKU. The ZAKU, however, brought up its green spiked-shield to deflected the shots. It then pulled something from inside the shield, and it was revealed to be a beam axe. The cyclops suit reared it back, and threw its beam tomahawk which ricochetted through the space like a boomerang, till sliced through the Chaos' remaining pod.
"What the heck…?" Sting widened his eyes at the ZAKU. He realized there was something wrong about this suit. These line of ZAFT's suits should be easy fish to fry, but it wasn't the case with this one. "Who is this guy?!"
"Where are you, Red?!" Stella snarled as she had the Gaia skid through the deserted streets of the ruined city on the ground of the dead colony. Gaia stood out as a black mark the dead gray infrastructure around her. And it would make it so much easier to spot the red cyclops she was hungry to blow apart or cut open with her sabers. If possible, she wished she could rip the pilot form inside it and cut their throat open with her knives. They deserved it after the pain they put her through earlier, and…
The blonde girl gasped when she turned and noticed a faint glint coming from behind one of the crumpled buildings. She thought she saw a single glow. The glow being the eye of a ZAKU. That ZAKU.
She acted first, and Gaia jumped before a burning wave of radiating energy melted through the block of buildings near her. While hovering up, Stella looked down and saw the red ZAKU down below, and it glanced back up at her. Its glowing eye glaring back at her.
It wasn't long when it lifted its cannon and made ready another shot of the burning energy.
The Gaia quickly descended back to the street, transforming into its bipedal form. The mobile suit had shifted to look like that of a giant metal black panther that started running on all fours across the street. It made a turn from one corner towards the ZAKU, and fired all three of its guns at it. Stella rapidly fired more in effort to see the red suit skewered and burning.
The red ZAKU jumped high above, aiming its beam cannon down on the Gaia. The black mobile suit hopped high in the air before the crimson beam struck where it stood on the street. It glided through the space past the ZAKU, before it pounced upon a large piece of debris floating above. The Gaia used it to bounce from it and glided straight towards the ZAKU. Stella yelled as the ZAKU was too late to lift its beam cannon up, and the Gaia smashed its front against it. The hit caused the ZAKU to fall back down and slide across the ruined street.
Stella grinned with excitement, and she wasn't done yet. She glided the Gaia towards the downed ZAKU, ready to strike the finishing blow.
"You're finally finished, Red!"
"Don't count on it!" Lunamaria spat, before making her ZAKU to make a flip back, before the Gaia struck the ground where she had fallen. She used the chance to dash back towards and reared her ZAKU's right foot before quickly bringing up, and it connected immediately with the chin of the Gaia's beast-like head. The redhead grinned as she felt a crunch from where her foot connected, and hoped the pilot inside could feel the impact.
She wasted no more time as she unsheathed her beam tomahawk from her left shield and threw it like a boomerang that broke a piece of the Gaia's wings, while it was dazed in mid-air. Unfortunately, its front was still facing towards her, and it shot a ray of green fire towards her ZAKU.
The girl panicked, and she jumped back to avoid the fire. Unfortunately, while the green laser fire didn't hit her main body or cockpit, she was too late when she felt them penetrate the shin of her MS's right leg, before it blew apart.
"Dammit!" Luna cursed, knowing her situation was going to be even more challenging.
Phantom Pain Battleship Girty-Lue
"Sir! We're receiving a transmission on the International Rescue Channel!" An operator exclaimed.
"Bring it up," Neo said, now curious.
"What?" Ian beside looked in confusion as the text played out on the screen. "It's from the Minerva?"
International Rescue Channel
Subject: Urgent Information
From: LHM-BB01 "MINERVA"
To: Nationality Unknown Ship
Article:
Now, we are supporting the work to break Junius Seven.
If you want to prevent generating of damage to the ground by Junius Seven, stop the attacks on our mobile suits immediately.
Talia Gladys (Captain/LHM-BB01 "MINERVA")
"Ah…" Neo looked at the screen with interest. "I see, now."
"Captain!" Another operator exclaimed. "It could be a trap to throw us off guard!"
"How should we proceed with this, Neo?" Ian asked, with an uncertain look.
Yzak unsheathed his beam axe which emitted a glowing pink blade that he used to slash open a rogue GINN's before cutting open its shoulder. He moved when another tried to shoot at him, only for him to turn the SLASH ZAKU Phantom's two Hydra gatling guns on his shoulders to shoot out barrels of green beams that sprinkled over the GINN, and caused to fall back, its armor chipped and burning smoke.
The Commander of the Joule Team took a moment to scan the ongoing battle. He from afar, the Chaos being in a stalemate with a green BLAZE ZAKU Warrior. They were locked with their beam sabers and tomahawks clashing against their shields, before they broke off from one another, before dashing back to clash their blades again.
On the dead surface, the Gaia was hopping like a mad dog towards one-legged red ZAKU Warrior, who pulled up her Orthos beam cannon to shoot to unleash a torrent of fire at it.
Then there was the Abyss, and it was dealing with… the Impulse.
At least, there was one Gundam that hadn't been taken by the enemy. Yzak barely took relief in that, especially with how the Impulse struggling to keep hold of Abyss alone.
The Impulse used its beam saber to parry the stab of the Abyss' halberd. The pink beam swiped up to deflect the fork beam from reaching its face. Abyss swiped its halberd horizontally, causing Impulse to bring up its red shield. It parried a hit from above, causing Impulse to dash towards the Abyss, only for the latter's chest to start glowing red. The Impulse quickly raised its shield to take the brunt of the Abyss' Calidus multi-beam that pushed it far back. The Abyss rushed back towards, only for Impulse to pull out its assault rifle and shoot green beams back at it.
If those three stolen Gundams were occupied, then Yzak and the rest can focus on keeping those dam GINN's off their backs. Yet, there were still many of them scattered around, and he pondered if they still have leftover manpower to deal with the rest of them. They were running out of time as it is.
"HAA!" Sato raged as his GINN made a barrel-roll and brought down the katana upon the ZAKU Phantom. The pale-grey mobile suit brought one of its spike shields up to absorb the blow, before kicking the GINN aside. The ZAKU Phantom gripped its assault rifle in both hands, and fired emerald beams that chased after the GINN. Only for one shot to burn through the right knee of the GINN, before it burned away.
"Dam it!" Sato cursed, hating the sight of the ZAKU even more. "I won't let you interrupt our holy mission!"
"Almost got it!" The pilot of one of the demolition team GINN's cried out to one of his comrades that was still at the controls of the Meteor Breaker on the ground.
"Sounds great, but if you can get it on quickly, now is the dam time!" Dearka exclaimed as he pulled his Orthos cannon to shoot another flare of red beam towards the rogue GINN's that were hovering over him and demolition team on the ground like vultures.
"I still need more time!" The GINN beside him was busy using its metal fingers to type the code on the machine, even with the gunfire and chaos happening right above them. "I can still turn it on!"
"Dam!" The ZAKU Gunner made another volley with a torrent of red flame firing up the sky above him, the flames burning at the face of an incoming GINN.
Suddenly, Dearka turned and from the corner of his eye, he saw another GINN flew close and lifted the worst thing he feared: a rocket launcher, aiming in his direction.
Both him and the meteor breaker. The ZAFT soldier felt his breath caught from inside his helmet, as he watched from his camera as the rocket was about to lift off from the bazooka…
...
...
It didn't fire… because another green beam had shot through its barrel first, resulting in the weapon to explode in the rogue GINN's hand.
"Huh?" Dearka said.
"WHAT?!" The rogue GINN pilot exclaimed with disbelief as his rifle was destroyed. He turned up to see which of mobile suit had made that lucky shot to ruin his kill. His eyes widened as he saw a white blur coming down straight towards him.
The next thing he saw was a flash of pink light, and the head of his GINN had been cut clean off, before his suit fell back.
ZAFT Battleship Minerva
"Captain! Something else just entered the battlefield!" Meyrin exclaimed as she turned from her seat.
"Oh, come on!" Arthur facepalmed.
"What is it?" Talia inquired. "How many are there?"
"Not many, Captain!" Meyrin replied. "It's just…" The girl looked baffled. "…one."
"One?" Talia questioned, confused.
(Meteor – T.M. Revolution)
In that moment… all mobile suits had paused their duels, and instead looked upon the new arrival hovering high above the meteor breaker.
The new arrival was a single mobile suit.
And it was a Gundam.
…
…
It's action of disarming the GINN, but its appearance in the middle of the dead colony caused the fighting to suddenly hold. White with black-painted chest, and eight sprouted blue wings on its back. The sight of it caused a respite from the chaos happening above the falling land in space. And to all those bearing witness of it.
"That… mobile suit…" Rey spoke in a whisper.
"It's another G-Weapon!" Lunamaria spoke with both awe and shock.
However…
"It… It can't be…" Shinn Asuka sat frozen in place, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of the G-Weapon hovering high.
"Yzak, are you seeing this?!" Dearka asked on the commlink.
"It's… the Freedom?" Yzak gaped, upon seeing the same mobile suit he had come across years ago. He realized that its unexpected entrance was like that of when it appeared during the Battle of Alaska. "It's back?"
"Are you kidding me?!" Sting's shock at the new mobile turned to that of frustration. "There's another one of those things?!"
"How many more of those of things are there?!" Stella exclaimed, her frustration building clearly evident.
"Well, this day just keeps getting better…" Auel quipped, clearly annoyed.
Phantom Pain Battleship Girty Lue
Every man and officer on the bridge were caught off guard by the appearance of the new G-Weapon.
Neo was briefly startled, before he gazed directly at the screen.
Athrun Zala paused in place, no longer moving, but staring wide-eyed upon seeing the Freedom in front of him.
"Wait… why is it here?" He questioned. "Who's… who's piloting it?"
ZAFT Battleship Minerva
A collective echoed across the bridge, as everyone present had their eyes glued on the screen with widened eyes and dropped jaws at the sight of the white mobile suit now hovering in the middle of the battlefield.
"Th… that's…" Meyrin stuttered. "What is that?"
"That… that mobile suit…" Arthur Trine stood in place, now looking ready to fall over.
"I don't believe it…" Captain Gladys leaned forward as the surprise was clearly in her eyes as she took in the sight of the unexpected arrival.
Cagalli stood up from her seat, her eyes blinking before she realized she was not seething things from the zoomed image on the bridge's screen. It was a sight she had not beheld for so long. Two years ago. In the time of the war that shook the foundations of the world.
The very same mobile suit that stood as a pinnacle of hope. And the one person who piloted it… the one who could…
No. No, it can't be. Cagalli internally shook her head. He couldn't be here. Because…
"Captain, we're receiving a transmission from the mobile suit!" Meyrin said. "It's calling to all communications in the area."
"What is it saying?" Gladys questioned. "Put it up!" Soon, a new voice echoed across the bridge.
…
"This is Kira Yamato, piloting the Freedom Gundam!"
"What…?!" Cagalli heard Durandal exclaim, hearing the complete disbelief in his voice, but the girl was unable to focus on the man, since she was transfixed upon hearing the voice on the transmission. His voice. His unmistakable voice.
"Kira…" She started to feel the tears ready to seep from her eyes.
"Speaking to all forces in the area of Junius Seven! Cease this fighting immediately!"
Phantom Pain Battleship Girty Lue
"It… He's calling… for a ceasefire?" Ian Lee spoke, completely baffled.
"Hmm…?" Neo looked on with even more interest.
"Kira…" Any speculation Athrun had that the Freedom was being piloted by someone else, faded immediately upon hearing his friend's voice.
"That's really Kira?" Dearka said with astonishment, now remembering his one-time comrade during their time in the latter part of the war years ago.
"Comrades! Don't be deterred by what that mobile suit is spouting out!" Sato yelled as he turned his GINN at the Freedom. "Don't let it stop us from completing our sacred mission!" He pulled out his rifle. "All hands corner that mobile suit and take both it and that the drill down!"
He heard confirm of reply, as he and the remaining GINN's flew straight towards the Freedom.
…
"Don't think those guys listened…" Sonic cringed as he pointed to the purple GINN's coming down towards him, and they were already started firing.
"Hang on," Kira told his passenger, now turning the Freedom's engines back, and the Gundam started to flying and dodging the green lasers with ease. "Sonic, hold tight for sec!"
"For what?!" Sonic questioned, before looked… and paled when he saw the pilot's eyes from behind his blue helmet… turn completely violet. "What the?!" The pair of eyes were blank violet, with the pupil no longer in sight.
The map radar in front of Kira beeped to mark the multiple enemies approaching him. He didn't falter. The Freedom's rifle, railguns, and Baeleena cannons took aim… and fired an array of red, yellow, and green beams that blasted towards the squad of GINNs.
The rays of fire struck different parts of the enemy mobile suits, but not one was fatal or even harming their cockpits. The rays burned through their arms, weapons, and their helmeted-mono-eyed heads. The shot parts of the GINN's blew apart, which caused many of them to staggard and fall back.
"What just happened?!" Sato exclaimed as he had felt the crimson heat of one of the Freedom's Baleena rays shot through his GINN's right arm, causing it to explode.
His comrades, however, came to realizations that left them completely baffled.
"I'm hit… but I'm still alive…"
"He got all of us already?"
"I'm not dead. I'm not dead!"
"Uh… what the…" Stella's eyes shook, completely shocked.
"No way!" She heard Sting cry out.
"That guy's mobile suit!" Auel exclaimed. "That firepower!"
"Huh…" Yzak said, looking from ZAKU in awe. "He just took down five High Maneuver Type 2 GINNs in a matter of seconds." The silver-teen's mind flashed to a familiar memory. "Just like how he was able to do back then… in Alaska."
"Heh…" Dearka from his ZAKU Gunner smirked.
"Who the heck is this guy?!" Lunamaria exclaimed as she looked up from her ZAKU Warrior at the mobile suit hovering victoriously and resolute in the field. Not only that… but how precise he was. Very precise. And how he was able to utilize the arsenal of his mobile suit to take down half a dozen enemy mobile suits in one volley. "That was… incredible."
"Kira…" Athrun let out, looking at the mobile suit, and somehow looking past it… picturing the image… of who he knew was his best friend… once again at the cockpit and controls. "You're really here… but… how?"
Rey Za Burrel, sat in his seat, momentarily caught in awe by the display of power. However, his look turned into a frown as he looked again upon the white mobile suit. And especially who was inside it.
"Kira… Yamato." He repeated the name, while narrowing his blue eyes.
ZAFT Battleship Minerva
The bridge had erupted with an even greater cry of shock and amazement.
"Did you just see that?!" Arthur cried out.
"I don't believe it!" Meyrin turned back, completely in awe. "It shot at more than five targets at once, but not one of them is offline! Only disabled!"
"What?!" Talia Gladys made a double-take at that, looking with unbelief. "How is that possible?!"
Cagalli still stood on her feet, her eyes glued to the screen showing the image of the Freedom.
"Kira…" It truly was him. Only he could use Freedom to shoot and not harm anyone, whether they be ally or enemy. He was here. Once again, piloting the Freedom.
"Chairman…" The captain turned to the man, but paused upon seeing the look on his face. And it was look that she had never expected to see upon him before. Still sitting in his seat, Gilbert Durandal looked frozen in place, as was the clear shock. Widened eyes and gaping mouth, his gaze was still fixed on the bridge's screen that showcased the display of the Freedom's arsenal.
It was a kind of face that she rarely-to-ever had seen on him. Eventually, others on the bridge started notice the dumbfounded look the Chairman had. And he barely looked away from the image of G-Weapon, as if he was in a state of disbelief.
Phantom Pain Battleship Girty Lue
"I recognize it," Neo said. "That is the Freedom."
"What?" Captain Lee said.
"The very same mobile suit that stood against the Earth Alliance in the last days of the war," Neo stood up from his chair. "First before the destruction of the Atlanta Base, then the invasion of Orb, before final battle at Jachin Due."
"It can't be!" Lee exclaimed, while many other officers and operators on the bridge murmured in shock. "But I thought data recorded it as KIA."
"That or it could have been rebuilt," Neo said, his masked eyes trained on the screen. "But it's here now, and it is very much armed to the teeth."
"Uh…" Ian Lee looked nervous, glancing back from his masked superior and the mobile suit on the screen. "What should we proceed next with, sir?"
"I repeat to all forces, whether they be ZAFT, Earth's, or others!" That voice called out again. "Cease all fighting at once! There's no need for it!"
No need… for it?
He could hardly keep his face from shaking, the same as it was with how his hands were gripping his controls. He nearly crouched in his seat, barely taking more of the chatter coming from it. Let alone… after seeing it made its volley that took out many of those enemies.
Those weapons… those very weapons… that fired… upon that day…
His red eyes shook as he can clearly picture again the scene before him.
And how it had been caused…
Slowly, the black-haired teen glanced back up, to look upon the mobile suit that was of the same type of his own. It looked… just as it did that very day. The worst day.
It had the gall to hover over all of them as if it were victorious and superior. And now, it was making the demand… for them to stop.
Who… Who did he…?
He nearly trembled. His teeth grounding together. Just looking at it. That very same mobile suit. Just as it was that very day. It was back. It was still standing. It was still functional. It was still fighting. Just like when it…
Shinn Asuka eyes furrowed down, and his lips curled back with a snarl.
"The Freedom…" He growled, before he screamed.
There!
This was a quick one to do, and boy a way to get this party started!
I've been waiting to do where the Freedom makes its shocking and unexpected entrance in front of everyone present at Junius Seven! Seeing a mobile suit many thought was destroyed at the Second Battle of Jachin Due, arriving out of the blue, and in the middle of the great crisis looming over the Earth!
And just imagine the looks on everyone's faces over this arrival! Some are in awe, while others, however...
Now, how shall the Freedom's intervention change the course of everything? Time to find out.
This is where it feels like Mobile Suit Gundam... where the battle is in space! No gravity keeping one down.
This is where the fun begins...
"I repeat to all forces, whether they be ZAFT, Earth, or others!" Kira called out from his seat. "Cease all fighting at once! There's no need for it!"
"Like to think they finally got the memo after that display you put up, kicking some of those fin-heads down," Sonic said, from behind him. "What was that you just pulled? Your eyes going all purple… and you just when all-out… and somehow… you… you…" The hedgehog shook his head. "I don't know! But it was crazy! And awesome. Awesome!"
"It's complicated to explain…" Kira said. "I just made sure I didn't harm any of them."
"What, for real?" Sonic looked baffled by that. "You mean… you just shot… their non-fatal points? So, they're still alive!" He shook his head. "Uh, okay. Maybe we can discuss all about that later…" He looked to the backpack next to him. "When I can finally get down to business—"
Suddenly, Kira felt the sense of a flicker that pulse through his thoughts. A sudden alarm that echoed through his senses.
He couldn't describe it. But the sudden vibe. It was something like…
"KIRA! LOOK OUT!" Sonic suddenly screamed, and Kira looked to his left, and barely had time to pull up his shield to block the beam saber of a mobile suit holding a shield with a gold-star emblem on its red-painted surface.
It was none other than a Gundam.
NEXT PHASE...
Impulse Strikes...