Disclaimer: Don't own Gundam Seed in any shape or form.

Enjoy

Chapter 16: Reunion.

For two days since Kira had last spoken to Lacus, the Archangel had been moving towards Orb, limping along as the ship was still heavily damaged from the battle in Alaska. Chief Murdoch and his team did, however, manage to patch the ship together sufficiently for them to safely make the trip back to Orb. En-route they were assured that they could make use of the facilities, enabling them to make repairs to the ship and restock.

Kira stood on the bridge watching as an Orb fleet formed up around the limping Archangel. Everyone was tense, watching their stations closely. A sharp outcry from a lookout warned Kira a moment before the radar sounded. An object was incoming, its trajectory projecting a course from out of the Earth's atmosphere. The Archangel's alert claxons sounded level two battle stations, and the Orb fleet deployed fighters.

"What on earth is that?" Murrue studied the main screen intently, leaning closer for a better view.

It was glowing still with the friction of re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, much of it obscured by a rounded shield and wings tucked close in a protective envelope for the bulk of the suit. And it was a Mobile Suit, there was no mistaking that. With the need for a heat shield now over the wings unfolded, revealing the dark shade of lavender of the main body that contrasted against the white wings, arms and legs. The arms retracted to its sides, drawing the shield down, revealing a signature Gundam style head.

The Unit came to a stop with a blast of jets and hovered just outside of Orb's airspace, the wings every now and then shifting in an imitation flap, echoing a normal birds movement. For an instant it seemed to pose, shield held in one hand, extended in guard position and with purple suffused energy blade extended at the ready in case the Orb units attacked.

Kira, recognising the shape and features of this Mobile Suit was about to reassure the Captain when Lacus' face appeared on the main screen of not just the Archangel, but also the Orb ships.

"This is Lacus Clyne, pilot of the Valkyrie, requesting permission to land on the Archangel and to enter Orb."

Kira stepped forward, taking off Kuzzey's headset before anyone else could say anything.

"You can come on in Lacus, I already cleared you with Lord Uzumi. How did she handle getting here?" he asked, watching as the Orb fighters formed up as an escort for the Valkyrie.

It was obvious when the fighters received confirmation from Lord Uzumi as the escort peeled away and formed up to return to their individual ships.

Lacus smiled at Kira, a wide 'cat that got the cream' expression, though her voice was calm and professional when she replied. "She handled like a dream. Making it more 'feminine' helped with the handling for me Kira. The Faith was just a little… harder... to control than this one. I'd say shifting the weight and dynamics around worked."

Everyone watched as the Valkyrie flew past the bridge towards the blasted open hatch on the starboard side, the suits wings folding in neatly, allowing it to walk into the hanger.

"That's good and the main reason we designed her that way. I'll meet you down in your old room in a few minutes." Kira handed the headset back to Kuzzey before Lacus could answer, the screen going blank a moment later as Kira left the bridge.

Murrue watched the door as Kira left for a moment before giving the order to resume course for Orb. Instructing Murdoch over the com that Lacus' new unit wasn't to be touched and it was to be under the same rule as the Freedom. Going by the approach speed and size of the unit, she guessed it had to have a N-Jammer canceller onboard and, as such, Lacus would not want anyone poking around in the Valkyrie's systems or power-core.

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Lacus took the pilots lift down from the Valkyrie's cock-pit to join Murdoch and his team where they stood to one side, looking at the large machine with respect at the obvious workmanship. Lacus spared a look at the three other Mobile Suits in the hanger, the Freedom standing next to her new unit proudly. The Faith was on the other side of the hanger along with the Buster, both suits now fully repaired and waiting for a pilot.

Mr. Pink could be seen bouncing off into the hanger, some of the engineers sighed and groaned. The Haro had discovered a game called 'ambush the work crew' back when they had first set out to sea from Africa, and now it looked like it was going to take up the game again.

Taking her helmet off when the lift stopped moving, her long pink locks falling free around her shoulders and down her back, she waited. Many of the crew stared in shock at her as they had only even seen her with black hair. Those engineers who knew who she really was gave a brief smattering of applause, cat calls and the odd of wolf whistle or two.

Lacus smiled at the guys and waved. "You guys will never change." Many of them nodded at this and another round of whistles answered her, "What is it with men and thinking with their lower brain?"

She tossed her hair, winked wickedly, amused and well aware that her flight suit left little to the imagination, to the delight of some of the engineers.

Some of the men took a moment to realise she had just playfully mocked them, but by that time Lacus was in the locker room. Looking at the lack of clothes to change into she determined all she could do was sigh and make her way towards the door leading to the living quarters.

Lacus made her way to her quarters after leaving her helmet in the locker room, the few crew members to cross her path saying hello as the word spread that she had taken back her real name. Those who hadn't known her true identity now looked at her in shock, as it was well know that Lacus Clyne was a high ranking Coordinator. To their minds, that meant they would have expected she would have joined ZAFT.

Reaching her old quarters Lacus was greeted by the sight of Kira leaning against the wall beside the door, dressed once again in his modified Earth Forces uniform. No ranking or Earth forces insignia.

"Nice to see you again, Kira." She pulled him into a hug which he eagerly returned.

"Nice to see you, too. Did everything go ok up in the PLANTs after I left?"

Kira stepped back from the hug and Lacus nodded, entering her room to see a box partially packed with her things on the bunk. A clear indication that someone had thought she was dead or, at best, would never return. She considered it for a moment and made no comment.

"I'll be with you in a few minutes. I just want to change. Meet you in the mess hall and I will tell you everything then." She offered a brief smile and Kira nodded and moved off even before the door closed.

Lacus exited her room a half an hour later dressed smartly in her modified uniform. She had sewn a pair of white wings to the collar, which explained why it had taken her so long to change her clothes. Moving in the direction of the mess hall Lacus ran into Mir who was taking the captive Buster pilot his lunch. A quick hello was exchanged and the offer made to talk to the slightly older girl at a later time. Mir accepted the offer and moved on to finish her task.

The mess hall was mostly empty, only Kira and a few other crew-members occupied the room enjoying an early lunch in small groups. Kira was seated on his own and looked up from his glass of water and pointed to the chair across from him where a covered lunch tray awaited her.

"I got you some lunch. It might not be as good as the food back in the manor, but it will have to do. Besides, I would think that just about anything would be better than the rations you have been eating in that cock-pit for over a day." Kira commented.

Lacus took her seat as he made a note of the change to her uniform. It was only a small thing, subtle, but it set her apart from the Earth Forces uniforms that surrounded them.

"The wings suit you."

Lacus laughed softly at the comment and settled down to eat. A comfortable silence fell between them as they ate, crew members coming and going around them. No one disturbed them beyond a nod or quiet greeting until Mir entered with the empty tray from the Buster pilot and commented that the Archangel was approaching Onogoro island. They would be docking inside of the hour.

Both Kira and Lacus relaxed back in their seats at the news and Mir moved on, returning to work after leaving the tray for cleaning. Mu arrived not long after Mir left, a smile, wide and genuine forming on his face at the sight of Lacus, his eyes flicking to the now pink hair.

"Ah, the Pink Princess. Nice to see the real you again." He sat down next to Kira after grabbing a few packs of sandwiches, placing one in front of Kira and gently tossing another at Lacus who caught it cleanly.

"I just ate." She scrunched her nose delicately at the 'Pink Princess' comment and looked down her nose at him, setting the sandwiches to one side. It was wiser, she knew, to ignore the comment and not respond, he would only find a way to twist the words against her and have a bit of fun at her expense.

"A pilot must always keep up their strength. You never know when you might go into battle." Mu returned, shoving a whole sandwich into his mouth.

Lacus wondered if he chewed at all, as a moment later he was taking a drink of water, his jaw only moving a little before another sandwich met its fate in like fashion.

"I have to watch my figure," She pursed her lips and slid the packet towards him. "Besides, you obviously need it more than I do."

A shudder passed through the ship and a moment later a second one and a faintly heard metallic sound indicated they were taken under tow, indicating they were nearing the docks and would shortly be docked. When the locking clamps were secured to the hull they knew they had reached port, somewhat faster than they had expected.

"Sounds like we are here."

"Indeed." Mu agreed, watching Kira tucking into his packet of sandwiches. With Kira occupied with food he decided there would be no fun in questioning him, so he turned his attention back to the young woman. "I guess you have a point. It's such a good figure, I'd hate to see it go."

He laughed softly, watching as Lacus narrowed her eyes even more and slowly got to her feet.

"Is that why you eat so much? In a useless attempt to stop looking so girly?" She smirked an evil smile.

Mu paused mid bite, blinking mutely as he studied her. She couldn't help but notice he was thinking over her comeback carefully before he just shrugged and starting to eat again.

"I'll take that as a yes." She cooed.

"You do that Princess, you do that." Mu chugged the last of the water and got to his feet, leaving the room with a smile. It was fun to talk with Lacus when she was in a playful mood which, from her comeback, she most definitely was, but unfortunately he could not stay idle. He had work to do.

Kira didn't get to say anything as a familiar blonde haired girl in an Orb military uniform came running by the open door. Kira watched as Cagalli shot past the doorway only to hear feet sliding to a stop and a soft thud, which he assumed was her slowing her momentum using the wall, then the running feet were coming back. Thinking fast he put his cup of water down and braced himself as Cagalli rocketed through the doorway and hit him at a full run.

He was thrown out of his seat, Cagalli in his arms and onto the mess room floor, stunned as he listened to Lacus laughing over the sounds of the girl in his arms massively chewing him out. It took a few minutes for him to get the gist of the high speed garble of words which proved to be complaints about his idiocy. How stupid and dumb was he to nearly get himself killed and what had taken him so long to come to Orb?

Kira sighed before gently holding her, trying to calm her down and shooting a look at Lacus that clearly screamed 'help!' With a final snicker Lacus gently tapped Cagalli on the shoulder, though she could not quite lose the smirk.

"Nice to see you again, Cagalli."

Cagalli looked up at the pink haired young woman and was about to ask who she was when she had a brief flash of a young woman with black hair and a harder look about the face. Her eyes widened and after a moment she jumped up and hugged Lacus.

"Lacus! I almost didn't recognise you. What did you do to your hair?!"

Lacus grinned and stepped back from Cagalli, breaking the hug and running a few fingers through her hair.

"I only took the black dye out. I much prefer my natural colour."

Cagalli just stared at Lacus for a long moment before she leaned in closer to her, "You're really Lacus Clyne and not some look a-like, as most of the people in Morgenroete are saying!"

Lacus nodded, cool and calm and hardly caring that Cagalli looked shocked at her about being so open about her identity.

"Yes, I'm the real Lacus. I always have been, even when I was piloting the Faith. And speaking of the Faith, we are going to have to find a new pilot for her. It won't do for such a powerful machine to be left to gather dust before the end of this war."

For a moment longer Cagalli stared at her and shot a quick look at Kira, pursing her lips slightly. "Well... I want to show you something before you make any decisions. Come with me, both of you."

Cagalli led the way out of the mess hall and off the ship to a waiting Jeep. Kira heard Cagalli tell the driver that they were heading for the Mobile Suit factory and he frowned, wondering what this was all about. Cagalli turned around in the front seat, looking at them seriously for a long moment, and the driver gave no indication that he was listening to, or paying any attention, to what was about to be said.

"There is someone at the factory who wants to talk to you. I... Well, you will see. Also, there is a surprise for you, Kira."

Kira raised an eyebrow but chose not to say anything and Lacus merely acknowledged Cagalli with a brief nod, sitting back to enjoying the ride through the city. They were only stopped once and that was at the security checkpoint at the entrance to the factory. The Jeep came to a stop on one of the Mobile Suit elevator platforms used for transporting the suits from the underground factory to the surface.

Both Kira and Lacus exited the Jeep and watched as the M1's coming into view as the lift slowly descended. The suits pilots could be seen talking with engineers and from the snatches of conversation Kira managed to hear it seemed they were talking about what might need improving. After a moment he realised there was someone standing to one side.

A young man, perhaps a year younger than Kira, was leaning on a walking stick as he observed the activity around him. He was dressed in civilian clothes but the set of his shoulders and the erect posture suggested otherwise. There was an air about him, an alertness and seriousness that reminded Kira of a battle veteran, but that flew in the face of his obvious youth; no one that young should have that aura stamping him as being out of the ordinary. One leg was in a cast and he had a patch of white hair just starting to grow in above his left eye which currently sported an eye-patch.

Cagalli, noting who both Kira and Lacus were looking at, stepped off the lift as it settled into its base and motioned for them to follow her. She came to a stop not far from where the boy was standing and waited as he finished speaking to the technician who had joined him. Kira looked harder when he caught part of the conversation and realised the boy was giving instructions on how to improve the OS, and added some suggestions to improve the efficiency of the crews work on the Mobile Suits.

"This the person who wanted to talk with you. Once he found out that you had returned to Earth he said that he had to meet with both of you."

Kira looked even more closely at the young man and decided that he had never seen him before in his life, or at least he didn't think he had. Lacus was currently engaged in her own study and after a moment she frowned. He seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't place where she had seen him before.

The technician moved away and the young man eased his weight, a brief expression of pain flicking across his face, before he propped himself up against the wall and made notes on a pad. Feeling eyes on him he looked up and glanced around, noting the new arrivals and a small smile stretched his lips.

"Ms Cagalli, I see you brought guests with you." He walked toward them, leaning heavily on his cane and his free hand moved up the eye-patch finger slipping under it as if to scratch an itch.

"Stop doing that, otherwise you will lose the sight in that eye. The doctor warned you." Cagalli promptly slapped his hand away from the eye-patch. "And as to who our guests are, I think you have met them before... if only on the battlefield."

The young man sighed softly when he got a good look at Lacus. "Ah. I know Lacus, as we have met a couple of times on the PLANTs. However, I don't seem to recall her being in the Earth Forces the last time we meet."

Lacus smiled and nodded in greeting, moving a little closer to get a better look and her smile widened as she finally placed him.

"Nicol Amarfi, I'm glad you survived the destruction of the Blitz. I'm sorry for any injures I might..." she winced, there was no 'might', as she could plainly see. "I caused when I pulled the top half of the Blitz away from the power core."

"You were the pilot of the Faith then? That makes your friend here... I think Athrun called him Kira? The pilot of the Strike." Nicol limped slowly up to Kira, looking him in the eyes when Kira nodded that yes, he was the Strike's pilot.

"Nothing personal, you understand, but what you did really hurt!" With that comment Nicol brought his free hand back and punched Kira solidly in the jaw, and his cane came around and whacked Lacus in the leg, and he showed remarkable balance for the injures he had taken in the process. "Now we are even."

Kira rubbed his jaw as Lacus rubbed her leg, neither of them said not a word to the hits. Nicol smiled at them both, the thin split in his lip opening a little but not bleeding. A huff from behind them saw Mayura Labatt, one of the girls who Kira had worked with when he was writing the OS for Orb, came over with a tray and a few bottles of pills.

"Nicol, time for your pain killers and medication. And it looks like we need to take you to the doctor to get that lip re-stitched." The girl eyed Nicol for a long moment and the young man merely nodded and took the few pills he needed.

He waved her off, however, when she grasped his arm, intending to escort him to see the doctor.

"I'll see him later, I promise. For now I think Kira, here, would like to see the present we have for him."

Nicol started walking, heading for the doors to the main hanger where all of the completed and tested M1's were stored. The doors were opening and as they approached Kira's eyes widened. He had never thought to see it again, not after the last battle he engaged in with Athrun.

"The Strike!"

He moved forward quickly to look at his original suit, and Lacus whistled softly at how well Orb had put it back together in such a short time.

Mu and Murrue came from another entrance to the hanger from their meeting with Lord Uzumi concerning the recent actions of the Earth Force and the pressure that they were exerting on Orb to join in its attack of ZAFT bases.

"We found it, along with the pilot of the Aegis, on the island you were fighting on. After sending him back to ZAFT we took the Strike and bought it back here. After the repairs were completed we replaced the OS with the one you helped make Kira." Erica Simmons informed them from the sidelines, moving to stand beside Kira and look up at the Strike, "However, I don't think you will be needing this guy any more, not after reviewing the information we have on that new suit you have."

"So he is all ready to go... Just needs a pilot." Kira looked over the suit carefully from where he was standing, glancing at Erica who nodded confirmation.

Cagalli, with a glint in her eye, immediately jumped in, volunteering to be the new pilot only to be shouted down by Mu who took a few steps forward to look at the Strike and then at Kira.

"You're sure this OS would let someone like me pilot a Mobile Suit without a problem?" He questioned and Kira nodded.

"In that case, I think I'll take over the Strike-if that's alright with you, Kira?"

Kira once again nodded in agreement, quite willing for Mu to take on the suit and not unaware of Cagalli's growing pout. He was more than a little surprised when Nicol smartly rapped Cagalli in the side with his cane and her argument died before it began. At his curious look Nicol grinned and mouthed 'special permission from her father'.

Kira inclined his head slightly, turning his attention back to the mobile suit and Mu, who was staring up at it with a growing smile as Lacus stepped in to speak with Nicol and Cagalli.

"Would you like to start training in this guy, Mu?"

Mu just smiled, his grin stretching wide and he nodded, moving toward the locker rooms to change and prepare. "You're my training partner Kira, so go get ready. Bring the Freedom here for the moment."

As Kira moved off he caught Murrue glaring at Lacus and the comment that it was considered manners and good form for returning personnel to stop in to see the Captain upon arrival. But she welcomed Lacus with the admonition to not overlook such a simple protocol again.

Kira moved towards the lift, intending to return to the Archangel, knowing there would be no arguing with the man. Mu would be changing from Mobile Armour to a Mobile Suit pilot and he would be keen for his first run. Having flown the suit and knowing the kind of power you could feel from it enclosing you, it was more than just a simple rush, he could not blame Mu at all.

"I'll get the Freedom. I will meet you in the training room. Are you going to be alright for a while without me, Lacus... Murrue?"

Both of the ladies nodded and as he walked away Murrue turned to speak with Erica and Lacus motioned to Nicol, leading him over to the office area of the base where she intended to push him into a chair.

Lacus followed Nicol to what he informed her was his office and she looked around to see that besides a few files and a couple of plants the place looked rather empty. Nicol took his seat at the desk which was cluttered with diagrams and a computer, and then he waved Lacus towards one of the chairs.

"Sorry for not being a gentleman, but if I hadn't sat down I would have fallen down."

She waved aside the apology, gratified that at least he knew his limitations and settled herself in the single spare chair available.

"Let me guess, you want to know how I ended up here after the battle?"

"When Kira and I left that battle we hoped that you would make it, and if we had had the time we would have helped in the rescue. But we had to keep moving at the time. Your team mates were still attacking us, but I am sorry for leaving you there. But we did leave you the survival pack."

Nicol nodded his understanding, looking out through the window that looked over the Mobile Suit factory. The new suits could be seen being assembled down below and for a minute or so he watched in silence, but she had the distinct impression that his mind was not on the view.

"After I dragged myself to the survival pack, I treated what wounds I could. My leg was the biggest problem as it was a compound fracture." He glanced at Lacus and sighed, "I was able to treat most of my wounds, as I said, enough to stay alive at least, and I spent two days on that island. You know, they don't put enough pain killers in those things. I had to use them just to get through the day and ran out. But I got lucky and a deep sea fishing trawler on the way back to Orb picked up my distress signal."

"I take it they found you and brought you back to Orb, to a hospital? But why are you still here, Nicol? I would have thought that they would have returned you to Victoria, or one of the other major ZAFT bases as soon as you were fit enough to travel." Lacus noticed a water cooler tucked into a corner and poured herself a drink before resuming her seat.

"I didn't ask to be returned and when they spoke to me about it... Normally I would have returned as soon as possible, but... not this time. You know very few of us actually want to fight, Lacus. I guess you could say that I fell in love with the ideal that Naturals and Coordinators could live side by side. It's here, for anyone to see, the poof that we don't need to fight. When they came to send me back, I offered a deal. In return for allowing me to stay here, and even make me a citizen, I would help train their Mobile Suit pilots. I also offered to help with any upgrades and improvements that I could provide from the ZAFT training and my knowledge of ZAFT mobile suits." Nicol spoke quietly, his gaze still distant though he continued to look out through the window at the activity in the factory. "The M1's can now go toe to toe with most of ZAFT's units with the modifications and new components I gave them the plans for. Of course, all of this doesn't matter if the pilot isn't as skilled as the opposing pilot."

Lacus moved to the window and looked down at the factory floor quietly contemplative for a long moment. "And I take it that the pilots are moving along nicely and would rate at a green coat in the ZAFT rankings with the training you are giving them?"

"Yes. Before I came along they knew how to pilot the units, but they didn't know how to make them 'dance'. That is the difference between a good pilot and a great pilot. Take yourself and Kira, you both know somehow, instinctively, despite not having any formal training, how to make a Mobile Suit dance. The suit becomes an extension of you and isn't just a machine. It's an entity, alive to your lightest touch. To these pilots that Orb trained they only ever saw it as a machine. They did not see or feel it in the way we do." Nicol got to his feet with a soft hiss when he put a little too much weight on his leg, but he waved Lacus off when she moved to assist him. "It's fine."

"Well, it is nice to know that they will have a better chance of surviving this war with the training you have given them. I have to say you have done a good job and you seem to be doing very well at settling in."

Lacus watched closely as Nicol moved to the window, but he waved her off again, leaning against the glass. They watched the factory workers swarming over a new M1 being assembled. The test pilot was at hand, watching attentively.

They didn't know how long they stood watching, but both of them came out of their thoughts when the mass of the Freedom was lowered into the factory. Lacus moved towards the door quickly and headed for the training room's control centre, wanting to see how Mu would handle the Strike. Taking a deeper breath to fortify himself Nicol followed a few steps behind, largely managing to keep up the pace despite his leg.

They entered the training room's observation and control centre to find Murrue and Cagalli in the control room. The three young women who had been the original test pilots back when Kira and Lacus were last in the room were present as well. Erica stood to one side talking into a headset, Mu's voice coming though the line every now and then as she gave him advice on how to handle the Strike. Settling into a seat Nicol added his advice and instruction when he donned a headset.

Just then the training room doors opened, shifting slowly until the Freedom could enter the room. A training saber in hand the massive suit strode into the huge space and over the radio they heard Kira as he stopped the Freedom across from the Strike.

"I'm not sure about this Mu. I really don't think you're going to be ready to spar with me."

Kira could be heard to sigh as everyone in the control room, audible over the 'party line' agreed, having witnessed him fight in Alaska in the Freedom. Lacus nodded in agreement, thinking that Kira would rate as the number one pilot in his class, if not the training school itself, if he had been trained by ZAFT.

For his part Nicol did not agree, though he kept silent. There was natural talent, and it was good to have it, but experience counted too and Mu, from what he had learned of the man, was a combat veteran. What he lacked in the skill to handle a mobile suit, he would soon learn. It would be closer than the others thought. And he still had not exactly forgiven Kira for the way he now hurt, so a little payback by assisting Mu would not go astray.

"Shut up kid, I'm not going to get the hang of this baby flapping my lips. There's only one way to learn how to fly her, so let's get started."

Mu had been studying the controls, familiarising himself and performing basic movements whilst he had been waiting. With that the Strike lunged forward, training saber in hand and Kira sighed again, dodging the clumsy attack and bring his saber to rest across the shoulders of the Strike.

Mu could be heard muttered quietly to himself as he worked on sorting out the techniques needed to handle the mobile suit and was quick to get back into the match. He was a professional, battle trained and he knew it was not going to be easy switching from Mobile Armour to a Mobile Suit, especially one of this complexity.

Lacus watched them, taking up a headset and offering advice as needed to Mu, as did everyone else in the control room, but it became rapidly apparent that Mu was listening to one person give advice above the others. Nicol was precise in his instructions and suggestions. He had, after all, fought Kira in a mobile suit and had, in the past, gone through this kind of training himself.

He understood what it took to handle the huge machines.