Author's Notes
- Everything is copyrighted by Bandai, except for this story, which is copyrighted by me. Everything else in copyright Bandai
- This story takes place at the end of Gundam SEED, but is an alternate ending fic. Thus, there are no real major spoilers; everything that happens in this fanfic is different than what actually happened. These are some of the differences:
- Yzak didn't get a chance to talk to Dearka on the Mendel Colony
- There is no Genesis Cannon.
- Raww la Kleuze doesn't exist.
- A variety of other small details that will become apparent.
Oh yeah, no yaoi here, or yuri for that matter. This is primarily a dramatic fic, not romantic, but in the slight romance that there is, its all straight. There's enough yaoi out there .
Anyways, those aside, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. And don't forget to review. Constructive criticism is very much appreciated, as are other comments.
Chapter One: Warriors of Light
"They owed it to the dead, they said, to fight on to victory. However, they
owed it to the living to stop."
Excerpt from 'The Evolutionary War' by John Yamato, CE 170
***
Ka-thunk...
Ka-thunk...
The empty sound of a basketball echoed through the gymnasium. A lone figure was there, aimlessly dribbling the ball. Sweat beaded on his brow, but he paid no heed. His eyes smoldered... he had the looks of someone who'd been to hell and back.
Ka-thunk...
Crimson hair flipped over his forehead. He ignored it and kept dribbling.
Ka-thunk...
Ka-thunk...
Swish...
The basketball sailed across the gymnasium and made a lazy arc towards the far net. It cleanly swished through the netting, making barely any sound.
Anger. Loss.
Helplessness. Rage.
Betrayal.
"Crot?"
The figure stiffened. A familiar voice called out to him.
"Orga."
Out of the shadows, another figure emerged, "Why are you still here?" it asked, "It's after midnight..."
"How could I sleep?" Crot muttered, "I keep thinking... about Shani... and Azrael..."
Orga nodded. Memories came back, memories of the battle, the terrible, terrible battle...
They stared at each other. Everything that they knew was gone. They only had each other left. Everything else was... gone.
* * *
Kira Yamato walked along one of the many hallways on the Eternal, making his way to the conference room. The memorial ceremony was going to be held there, and there was no way he was going to miss it.
"Kira! Lets hurry!"
Kira looked back to see his best friend, Athrun Zala, running towards him. Kira managed a small grin and started walking faster. He looked at the time on a nearby clock. Damn, he was nearly late. He was planning to talk to Lacus before the ceremony, but...
Athrun opened the door to the conference room. The survivors were all there, seated on green foldable chairs. Lacus was already getting prepared to speak. Athrun steered Kira to a relatively empty corner where they sat. Lacus looked at them, gave a slight nod, and began the ceremonies.
"We gather here today, to commemorate the dead. Please be seated."
She was at the podium, dressed in a black blouse and skirt. Her eyes were grim, and her Haro was on the podium with her - somewhat ironic, but it always traveled with her.
"We have gathered here today to remember those who have fallen in the fight for peace..."
She paused, letting the irony roll on thick before continuing.
"They have fallen, but they will be forever remembered by their friends and comrades..."
One by one, they were sent off, away from the land of the living. Their remains were draped with red silk and ejected out into space, where they would peacefully spend the rest of eternity. Kira couldn't help but shed a few tears... and think back to the battle that had taken all of their lives...
* * * * * * * *
"Contact in ten minutes. All crew, man your stations!"
The three ships Eternal, Archangel, and Kusunagi were hives of activity. Everywhere, crewmen triple-checked weapons, mechanics put finishing touches on mechs, and pilots readied for the battle.
On board the Eternal, Kira Yamato was getting dressed for war. He had already put on his green and white flight suit, and grabbed his helmet from the locker, trying to find his gloves. He found them, cracked his knuckles and sighed. He was going out to fight again. He hated fighting.
He zipped his gloves on and looked at the picture that he had taped onto his locker; a picture of one Lacus Clyne. It was a picture of her before she became the captain of the Eternal, when she was still simply the minister's daughter. She was so young and innocent...
A far less innocent looking picture of Kagari Yula Asra was taped below that. Athrun, who shared a locker with him, insisted on taping it there. Kira wondered how Athrun got a camera into the pool, much less how he managed to get a picture of her in a bathing suit. However, such questions were probably best left unanswered.
Kira caught himself almost getting lost in thought. There was a mission to accomplish, damnit. He grabbed his helmet and pushed himself off the locker, into the hallway.
"Lacus..." Kira said, almost running into the pink-haired girl.
"Kira..."
They simply stared at each other for a few seconds, a few seconds that seemed like the longest time.
"Be careful..." Lacus said, looking at Kira, all dressed up for war, "I... I don't know what I would do if I lost you..."
Kira blushed a little, "Lacus... I've never been careful... I have to do what I can to save PLANT... and Earth..."
Lacus shook her head and hugged Kira, "No! Please... promise you'll come back to me..."
Kira smiled and kissed her on the cheek. Then he was gone.
---
"Kira Yamato, Freedom, verifying that all systems are green. Standing by for launch."
"Roger that, Freedom. Stand by."
Kira sighed and relaxed a bit. It was almost time for battle. When he was fighting, he didn't have to think about anything else but fighting.
"Kira!" Athrun shouted over the comm. Kira perked up when he heard his best friend's voice.
"Hello, Athrun. Did you get a chance to say bye to Kagari?" Kira said, teasing slightly.
"Sure did," Athrun said, "It was pretty... uplifting..."
Kira chuckled a bit. If he had the choice of one other person to fight with, he would pick Athrun.
"Say, didn't you take that picture of Lacus down from our locker yet?" Athrun asked, " It's getting in the way of my picture..."
"Dude," Kira said, "That picture is practically pornography. I was covering it up for the sake of decency."
Kira and Athrun both chuckled a bit at that one. Boys would always be boys.
"You guys have pictures of us in your locker?"
"Umm... Kagari, how did you get on the comm?" Athrun asked, turning slightly red.
"Remember? Strike Rouge? I'm a MS pilot now, baka!"
Kira laughed, "Athrun... looks like you're gonna be having a long talk with Kagari when we get back."
Another voice crackled over the comm, "Hey, did someone say pornography? Where is it? I want some!"
Athrun and Kira both grinned at the same time.
"Shut up, Dearka," Athrun said, "It's mine, and mine alone."
"Hey, you let me see it, why not him?" Kira asked.
"Remind me to slap every male MS pilot when we get back," Kagari muttered.
"Can do, Gari-chan," Athrun said with a small grin. She absolutely hated being called by her nickname.
"Why you little..." Kagari started.
"Well, you've certainly learned how to talk up the ladies, haven't you, Athrun?" Dearka asked, covering up a steady stream of curses from Kagari.
"Shut up!!" Athrun shouted, laughing. He flipped off the comm. If there was one thing that could kill him, it was Dearka.
--
Mwu la Fraga was making final adjustments to his suit, the X-105 Strike Gundam. A small knock on his cockpit interrupted his thoughts.
He opened the hatch and stepped out. There she was, the captain of the Archangel.
"I thought I wouldn't make it to you on time!" she exclaimed, still a bit breathless.
"I wouldn't go without seeing you, battle or no battle," Mwu replied slyly.
"Promise me... you'll come back," Maryu said, her tone a little more serious.
"I will return to you," Mwu promised. He kissed her again, and then disappeared into the cockpit of the Strike.
--
"Contacts! Launch all mobile assets!"
Archangel's CIC, Milliaria Haww, nodded. One by one, she sent the mechs off.
"Athrun Zala, Justice. Launching!"
The Justice Gundam boosted out of the hangar, the glorious red mech flashing past Archangel's bridge.
"Kagari Yula Asra, Strike Rouge, Launching!"
The newly-assembled Strike Rouge thrusted out of the hangar, spinning twice and taking up position on the left flank.
"Dearka Elthman, Buster, Launching!"
One of the original five Earth Gundams, the Buster had stood the test of time very well. The slow but powerful suit launched out of the hangar.
"Mwu la Fraga, Strike, Launching!"
The captain of the Archangel, Maryu Ramiasu, nodded. She only vaguely remembered the last words he said to her before he left, "I will return..."
"Kira Yamato, Freedom, Launching!"
The Freedom Gundam boosted out of the hangar, wings fully outspread. It looked like an angel from afar, its wings making a deadly halo of destruction around it.
"And now... all we can do is watch," Maryu said simply. "Please... return to me..."
--
Onboard the Earth battleship Dominion, the leader of the Blue Cosmos, Muruta Azrael, looked proudly at his own three Gundam Pilots. As 'Living CPU's, they had no rights, no record... they were just like property. And it was because of this that Azrael was able to keep a hold over them.
"Alright, you three. It's time to finally destroy PLANT... and end the Coordinator menace once and for all. We shall succeed today, and make the world a better place."
"For a blue, natural world..." stated Shani Andras, one of the pilots. It was the motto of the Blue Cosmos.
"For a blue, natural world," Azrael agreed, "Now... go, and end this now. Destroy the pathetic Coordinators."
--
The menacing Earth Fleet approached on PLANT. Over a thousand Earth contacts littered Kira's radar screen. Spearheading the attack was Azrael's trio, the Raider, Calamity, and Forbidden Gundams. Flanking them were hundreds of Strike Daggers and Mobiuses. The great Earth capital ships were arranged behind the screen of Mobile Suits.
On the other side, ZAFT's mobile army waited. Squads of GINNs awaited the start of the battle. A few elite squads of CGUEs took position at the flanks. They were fighting with their backs to the wall, the wall being PLANT.
"Kira... I think Lacus is going to try to get them to stop fighting..."
Kira ignored Athrun... he was too busy staring at the two forces. The ZAFT forces would fight to the death... the casualties on both sides would be terrible... they could not allow so many lives to be lost...
Over at the ZAFT front, Yzak Jule was going over final defensive plans. His orders were to protect PLANT at any cost. He looked grimly at the outmatched ZAFT forces... they would fight like animals, but in the end, they would be defeated by sheer numbers. A slight static interrupted his thinking. Frowning slightly, he fiddled with the dials on his radio.
".... This is Lacus Clyne....stop this madness....please, try to work things out....too many dead already....think of....peace..."
Yzak frowned a little more and went back to his calculating. PLANT was at stake. There was no time for that silly girl and her 'peace'. There was no making peace when the lives of all his kind was at stake.
--
Lacus shook her head, "It's no good. No response. Expect the escalation of the situation."
"Eternal to all mobile suits. Prepare for war."
--
On the Buster, Dearka Elthman was feverishly scanning the battlefield. He was looking for one suit in an ocean of suits. He was looking for the X-105 Duel.
His friend, Yzak Jule, was the pilot of that suit. If, by a cruel twist of fate, he had to fight his friend...
There. In the center of the ZAFT line. The distinctive gray and blue suit was spearheading the wedge, surrounded by his unit of CGUEs. Dearka hoped that Yzak would be careful. Yeah right, like he was ever careful.
No more time for lamentation. The battle loomed ahead. He turned on his thrusters and boosted into the jaws of death.
--
Earth's opening salvo was a tidal wave of plasma. A split second later, ZAFT fired its own barrage. The two massive clouds of projectiles clashed in a brilliant flash of light. Stray shots whizzed on and were easily deflected. The mobile divisions met and collided in the middle. Fierce dogfights broke out, and bright explosions bloomed out from unlucky suits.
Yzak gritted his teeth and fired his suit's rail guns at an oncoming suit. The Strike Dagger was hit in the head, and did two back flips before exploding. He gunned down two more Strike Daggers before taking another glance at his radar. The enemy was launching a new group of ships. Yzak's heart sank.
Nuclear troops. The cowards would wipe out his home planet with nuclear weapons.
"Get the nukes! Protect PLANT! Andrews, Haverson, you're with me!" Yzak shouted into the comm to all his squad members. He zoomed in on one of the M1-Mobiuses. A large nuclear symbol was painted on the giant missile. There was no doubt.
"Hey, don't touch that! It makes pretty lights!"
Yzak turned around to his left in time to see Haverson's suit crumple up and explode. He turned his suit around to face one of the Earth suits, the X-303 Raider.
He shuddered. Earth's new experimental models. He could only watch as the Raider shot a giant hammer out on a chain, right into Andrews' suit. The CGUE's cockpit caved in, crushing Andrews and exploding a second later.
"Damn it! Don't you see you're destroying an entire population with those things?" Yzak shouted, firing a barrage of missiles at the Raider.
Crot grinned a bit, but remained silent. The Raider spun its hammer on its chain, creating a spinning shield. The missiles exploded harmlessly on this shield.
Yzak started to worry more. As he dueled with Raider, the nuclear troops drew closer to PLANT...
Raider's twin machineguns interrupted his thoughts. The bullets chipped away at his armor, sounding the audible alarm.
Yzak grimaced and boosted aside, firing his beam rifle. He managed to score a glancing hit, doing some cosmetic damage.
But not doing anything to stop the missiles.
Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of white light, followed by dozens more. Yzak's heart sank. Those were the detonations of nuclear missiles.
But PLANT was still there.
And then he saw it, all alone, the Freedom, wings spread like an angel's, it continued to fire at the nuclear missiles from afar. More nukes exploded, until there were none left.
PLANT was safe, for now, at least.
--
"What?! The nukes were destroyed?"
Azrael was in a fit of rage. PLANT was still there. That meant coordinators were still alive.
"Launch a second wave of nuclear fighters!"
--
"More?"
Kira was in a state of disbelief. How could they send yet another round of nuclear missiles after seeing the horrific effects of the first?
"Athrun! More missiles!"
"On em'. Lets roll."
--
Yzak was dead, and he knew it. One arm was gone, blasted away by Raider's hammer. There was damage everywhere, and it was a miracle that the Duel was still working. He fired his last missiles and drew his beam sabers, planning to make one last attack.
Crot grinned from inside his cockpit.
"Now, its time for you to die, pitiful Coordinator."
He spun his hammer and struck again, scoring a direct hit on Duel's chest. The phase shift armor gave way, and the cockpit collapsed. The hammer withdrew, leaving Yzak there to die in the dead husk of the Duel Gundam.
All he could do was watch out of the gaping hole, as the second wave drew closer and closer... watch, and pray for a miracle.
"For... PLANT..." he whispered, as his vision dulled into inky blackness...
--
Kagari gritted her teeth and fired her beam rifle. GINNs and Strike Daggers alike fell like flies to her gun. One stray Strike Dagger charged her with its beam saber, but it too fell victim to her rifle.
"Well... it's better than an Astray..." she muttered to herself. An alarm sounded and she looked back just in time to dodge a huge laser beam.
"Hey, hey, hey!" came a voice over her comm, "Care to dance?"
Kagari squinted and saw the X131-Calamity in the distance. Its two shoulder mounted laser cannons were pointed directly at her. One hit with those could vaporize her suit.
"Sorry, not your type," she replied, firing a few shots back and boosting away, right into the Forbidden Gundam.
"Ah... crap..."
The Forbidden hefted its scythe and swung. The Rouge boosted back, managing to avoid the brunt of the attack. The very tip of the scythe connected, cutting a jagged line in Strike Rouge's chest.
Kagari boosted to her left and ran. There was no way she could take on two of the New Earth models.
"Hey, come on... a dance?"
Kagari ignored Orga and boosted toward a chunk of debris. Her only hope was to hide, and hopefully get overlooked amongst the debris and combatants.
"Well... if you won't dance, then..."
A green bolt shot out from Calamity's right shoulder cannon, hitting the Rouge square in the back. Its Phase Shift failed and it drifted powerlessly forwards. Kagari pulled out her self-destruct. If she was going down, then she was taking one of them with her.
--
Yzak stirred. Through his blinding pain, he thought he saw an angel on his viewscreen. A wounded angel.
Delirious, he forced his shattered body to move. His left hand, broken in six places, clumsily manipulated controls. The enemy suit raised its scythe for one final blow against the Rouge - his Angel.
He pushed a button. The Duel, in its last throes, extended its left hand protectively toward the Rouge. The scythe impacted on the hand, and slid down the arm, scraping and destroying armor plating. Finally, it sliced through Duel's shoulder.
The Duel gripped the scythe and launched itself towards the Forbidden. It traveled up the Forbidden's scythe, and embraced it.
His body dying, his mind racked with pain and delusion, Yzak Jule hit the self destruct. His angel was safe.
--
"Shani!"
Orga watched helplessly as the Forbidden was enveloped in flame. There was no way that he could've survived the explosion. Sure enough, a second later, there was a even larger explosion.
Orga's jaw hung slack. Until that moment, they had been invincible. No one had managed to kill one of their kind.
For the first time, he wondered - why did he fight? What did anyone have to gain from it?
Was there anything to show for it besides dozens of dead bodies?
--
"Another wave!"
Athrun looked up at his rear viewscreen. Yet another wave of destruction was coming.
"Take em out!" came a frantic voice over his comm. It was Mwu.
"I can't! They're on the other side of the battle!"
"Shit... I don't have enough firepower to take down all of them..."
Athrun looked at the battle. There was no way he could blast through the whole thing and survive. Even the great Justice Gundam had its limits.
"But... we're all on the other side!" Athrun exclaimed, "You're the only one there!"
"Acknowledged."
Athrun gritted his teeth and watched the nuclear missiles draw closer and closer...
On board the Dominion, Azrael watched with glee as his mission drew closer and closer to accomplishment...
On board the Eternal, the crew watched in horror and prayed for a miracle...
In the silence, everyone heard the muted crackling of a radio over the Eternal's comm.
"I... knew I could make... the impossible.... possible..."
One giant flash erupted, rivaling the sun in brightness and power. It was done.
Next time:
Kira and the others mourn lost comrades, but also welcome former enemies as comrades. Together, they may have a chance to save humanity from destroying itself.
Next time on MSG SEED: Darkness Falls: Chapter 2: Shadows of the Past.
Remeber those who've fallen, and fight on, Gundam!
- Everything is copyrighted by Bandai, except for this story, which is copyrighted by me. Everything else in copyright Bandai
- This story takes place at the end of Gundam SEED, but is an alternate ending fic. Thus, there are no real major spoilers; everything that happens in this fanfic is different than what actually happened. These are some of the differences:
- Yzak didn't get a chance to talk to Dearka on the Mendel Colony
- There is no Genesis Cannon.
- Raww la Kleuze doesn't exist.
- A variety of other small details that will become apparent.
Oh yeah, no yaoi here, or yuri for that matter. This is primarily a dramatic fic, not romantic, but in the slight romance that there is, its all straight. There's enough yaoi out there .
Anyways, those aside, sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. And don't forget to review. Constructive criticism is very much appreciated, as are other comments.
Chapter One: Warriors of Light
"They owed it to the dead, they said, to fight on to victory. However, they
owed it to the living to stop."
Excerpt from 'The Evolutionary War' by John Yamato, CE 170
***
Ka-thunk...
Ka-thunk...
The empty sound of a basketball echoed through the gymnasium. A lone figure was there, aimlessly dribbling the ball. Sweat beaded on his brow, but he paid no heed. His eyes smoldered... he had the looks of someone who'd been to hell and back.
Ka-thunk...
Crimson hair flipped over his forehead. He ignored it and kept dribbling.
Ka-thunk...
Ka-thunk...
Swish...
The basketball sailed across the gymnasium and made a lazy arc towards the far net. It cleanly swished through the netting, making barely any sound.
Anger. Loss.
Helplessness. Rage.
Betrayal.
"Crot?"
The figure stiffened. A familiar voice called out to him.
"Orga."
Out of the shadows, another figure emerged, "Why are you still here?" it asked, "It's after midnight..."
"How could I sleep?" Crot muttered, "I keep thinking... about Shani... and Azrael..."
Orga nodded. Memories came back, memories of the battle, the terrible, terrible battle...
They stared at each other. Everything that they knew was gone. They only had each other left. Everything else was... gone.
* * *
Kira Yamato walked along one of the many hallways on the Eternal, making his way to the conference room. The memorial ceremony was going to be held there, and there was no way he was going to miss it.
"Kira! Lets hurry!"
Kira looked back to see his best friend, Athrun Zala, running towards him. Kira managed a small grin and started walking faster. He looked at the time on a nearby clock. Damn, he was nearly late. He was planning to talk to Lacus before the ceremony, but...
Athrun opened the door to the conference room. The survivors were all there, seated on green foldable chairs. Lacus was already getting prepared to speak. Athrun steered Kira to a relatively empty corner where they sat. Lacus looked at them, gave a slight nod, and began the ceremonies.
"We gather here today, to commemorate the dead. Please be seated."
She was at the podium, dressed in a black blouse and skirt. Her eyes were grim, and her Haro was on the podium with her - somewhat ironic, but it always traveled with her.
"We have gathered here today to remember those who have fallen in the fight for peace..."
She paused, letting the irony roll on thick before continuing.
"They have fallen, but they will be forever remembered by their friends and comrades..."
One by one, they were sent off, away from the land of the living. Their remains were draped with red silk and ejected out into space, where they would peacefully spend the rest of eternity. Kira couldn't help but shed a few tears... and think back to the battle that had taken all of their lives...
* * * * * * * *
"Contact in ten minutes. All crew, man your stations!"
The three ships Eternal, Archangel, and Kusunagi were hives of activity. Everywhere, crewmen triple-checked weapons, mechanics put finishing touches on mechs, and pilots readied for the battle.
On board the Eternal, Kira Yamato was getting dressed for war. He had already put on his green and white flight suit, and grabbed his helmet from the locker, trying to find his gloves. He found them, cracked his knuckles and sighed. He was going out to fight again. He hated fighting.
He zipped his gloves on and looked at the picture that he had taped onto his locker; a picture of one Lacus Clyne. It was a picture of her before she became the captain of the Eternal, when she was still simply the minister's daughter. She was so young and innocent...
A far less innocent looking picture of Kagari Yula Asra was taped below that. Athrun, who shared a locker with him, insisted on taping it there. Kira wondered how Athrun got a camera into the pool, much less how he managed to get a picture of her in a bathing suit. However, such questions were probably best left unanswered.
Kira caught himself almost getting lost in thought. There was a mission to accomplish, damnit. He grabbed his helmet and pushed himself off the locker, into the hallway.
"Lacus..." Kira said, almost running into the pink-haired girl.
"Kira..."
They simply stared at each other for a few seconds, a few seconds that seemed like the longest time.
"Be careful..." Lacus said, looking at Kira, all dressed up for war, "I... I don't know what I would do if I lost you..."
Kira blushed a little, "Lacus... I've never been careful... I have to do what I can to save PLANT... and Earth..."
Lacus shook her head and hugged Kira, "No! Please... promise you'll come back to me..."
Kira smiled and kissed her on the cheek. Then he was gone.
---
"Kira Yamato, Freedom, verifying that all systems are green. Standing by for launch."
"Roger that, Freedom. Stand by."
Kira sighed and relaxed a bit. It was almost time for battle. When he was fighting, he didn't have to think about anything else but fighting.
"Kira!" Athrun shouted over the comm. Kira perked up when he heard his best friend's voice.
"Hello, Athrun. Did you get a chance to say bye to Kagari?" Kira said, teasing slightly.
"Sure did," Athrun said, "It was pretty... uplifting..."
Kira chuckled a bit. If he had the choice of one other person to fight with, he would pick Athrun.
"Say, didn't you take that picture of Lacus down from our locker yet?" Athrun asked, " It's getting in the way of my picture..."
"Dude," Kira said, "That picture is practically pornography. I was covering it up for the sake of decency."
Kira and Athrun both chuckled a bit at that one. Boys would always be boys.
"You guys have pictures of us in your locker?"
"Umm... Kagari, how did you get on the comm?" Athrun asked, turning slightly red.
"Remember? Strike Rouge? I'm a MS pilot now, baka!"
Kira laughed, "Athrun... looks like you're gonna be having a long talk with Kagari when we get back."
Another voice crackled over the comm, "Hey, did someone say pornography? Where is it? I want some!"
Athrun and Kira both grinned at the same time.
"Shut up, Dearka," Athrun said, "It's mine, and mine alone."
"Hey, you let me see it, why not him?" Kira asked.
"Remind me to slap every male MS pilot when we get back," Kagari muttered.
"Can do, Gari-chan," Athrun said with a small grin. She absolutely hated being called by her nickname.
"Why you little..." Kagari started.
"Well, you've certainly learned how to talk up the ladies, haven't you, Athrun?" Dearka asked, covering up a steady stream of curses from Kagari.
"Shut up!!" Athrun shouted, laughing. He flipped off the comm. If there was one thing that could kill him, it was Dearka.
--
Mwu la Fraga was making final adjustments to his suit, the X-105 Strike Gundam. A small knock on his cockpit interrupted his thoughts.
He opened the hatch and stepped out. There she was, the captain of the Archangel.
"I thought I wouldn't make it to you on time!" she exclaimed, still a bit breathless.
"I wouldn't go without seeing you, battle or no battle," Mwu replied slyly.
"Promise me... you'll come back," Maryu said, her tone a little more serious.
"I will return to you," Mwu promised. He kissed her again, and then disappeared into the cockpit of the Strike.
--
"Contacts! Launch all mobile assets!"
Archangel's CIC, Milliaria Haww, nodded. One by one, she sent the mechs off.
"Athrun Zala, Justice. Launching!"
The Justice Gundam boosted out of the hangar, the glorious red mech flashing past Archangel's bridge.
"Kagari Yula Asra, Strike Rouge, Launching!"
The newly-assembled Strike Rouge thrusted out of the hangar, spinning twice and taking up position on the left flank.
"Dearka Elthman, Buster, Launching!"
One of the original five Earth Gundams, the Buster had stood the test of time very well. The slow but powerful suit launched out of the hangar.
"Mwu la Fraga, Strike, Launching!"
The captain of the Archangel, Maryu Ramiasu, nodded. She only vaguely remembered the last words he said to her before he left, "I will return..."
"Kira Yamato, Freedom, Launching!"
The Freedom Gundam boosted out of the hangar, wings fully outspread. It looked like an angel from afar, its wings making a deadly halo of destruction around it.
"And now... all we can do is watch," Maryu said simply. "Please... return to me..."
--
Onboard the Earth battleship Dominion, the leader of the Blue Cosmos, Muruta Azrael, looked proudly at his own three Gundam Pilots. As 'Living CPU's, they had no rights, no record... they were just like property. And it was because of this that Azrael was able to keep a hold over them.
"Alright, you three. It's time to finally destroy PLANT... and end the Coordinator menace once and for all. We shall succeed today, and make the world a better place."
"For a blue, natural world..." stated Shani Andras, one of the pilots. It was the motto of the Blue Cosmos.
"For a blue, natural world," Azrael agreed, "Now... go, and end this now. Destroy the pathetic Coordinators."
--
The menacing Earth Fleet approached on PLANT. Over a thousand Earth contacts littered Kira's radar screen. Spearheading the attack was Azrael's trio, the Raider, Calamity, and Forbidden Gundams. Flanking them were hundreds of Strike Daggers and Mobiuses. The great Earth capital ships were arranged behind the screen of Mobile Suits.
On the other side, ZAFT's mobile army waited. Squads of GINNs awaited the start of the battle. A few elite squads of CGUEs took position at the flanks. They were fighting with their backs to the wall, the wall being PLANT.
"Kira... I think Lacus is going to try to get them to stop fighting..."
Kira ignored Athrun... he was too busy staring at the two forces. The ZAFT forces would fight to the death... the casualties on both sides would be terrible... they could not allow so many lives to be lost...
Over at the ZAFT front, Yzak Jule was going over final defensive plans. His orders were to protect PLANT at any cost. He looked grimly at the outmatched ZAFT forces... they would fight like animals, but in the end, they would be defeated by sheer numbers. A slight static interrupted his thinking. Frowning slightly, he fiddled with the dials on his radio.
".... This is Lacus Clyne....stop this madness....please, try to work things out....too many dead already....think of....peace..."
Yzak frowned a little more and went back to his calculating. PLANT was at stake. There was no time for that silly girl and her 'peace'. There was no making peace when the lives of all his kind was at stake.
--
Lacus shook her head, "It's no good. No response. Expect the escalation of the situation."
"Eternal to all mobile suits. Prepare for war."
--
On the Buster, Dearka Elthman was feverishly scanning the battlefield. He was looking for one suit in an ocean of suits. He was looking for the X-105 Duel.
His friend, Yzak Jule, was the pilot of that suit. If, by a cruel twist of fate, he had to fight his friend...
There. In the center of the ZAFT line. The distinctive gray and blue suit was spearheading the wedge, surrounded by his unit of CGUEs. Dearka hoped that Yzak would be careful. Yeah right, like he was ever careful.
No more time for lamentation. The battle loomed ahead. He turned on his thrusters and boosted into the jaws of death.
--
Earth's opening salvo was a tidal wave of plasma. A split second later, ZAFT fired its own barrage. The two massive clouds of projectiles clashed in a brilliant flash of light. Stray shots whizzed on and were easily deflected. The mobile divisions met and collided in the middle. Fierce dogfights broke out, and bright explosions bloomed out from unlucky suits.
Yzak gritted his teeth and fired his suit's rail guns at an oncoming suit. The Strike Dagger was hit in the head, and did two back flips before exploding. He gunned down two more Strike Daggers before taking another glance at his radar. The enemy was launching a new group of ships. Yzak's heart sank.
Nuclear troops. The cowards would wipe out his home planet with nuclear weapons.
"Get the nukes! Protect PLANT! Andrews, Haverson, you're with me!" Yzak shouted into the comm to all his squad members. He zoomed in on one of the M1-Mobiuses. A large nuclear symbol was painted on the giant missile. There was no doubt.
"Hey, don't touch that! It makes pretty lights!"
Yzak turned around to his left in time to see Haverson's suit crumple up and explode. He turned his suit around to face one of the Earth suits, the X-303 Raider.
He shuddered. Earth's new experimental models. He could only watch as the Raider shot a giant hammer out on a chain, right into Andrews' suit. The CGUE's cockpit caved in, crushing Andrews and exploding a second later.
"Damn it! Don't you see you're destroying an entire population with those things?" Yzak shouted, firing a barrage of missiles at the Raider.
Crot grinned a bit, but remained silent. The Raider spun its hammer on its chain, creating a spinning shield. The missiles exploded harmlessly on this shield.
Yzak started to worry more. As he dueled with Raider, the nuclear troops drew closer to PLANT...
Raider's twin machineguns interrupted his thoughts. The bullets chipped away at his armor, sounding the audible alarm.
Yzak grimaced and boosted aside, firing his beam rifle. He managed to score a glancing hit, doing some cosmetic damage.
But not doing anything to stop the missiles.
Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of white light, followed by dozens more. Yzak's heart sank. Those were the detonations of nuclear missiles.
But PLANT was still there.
And then he saw it, all alone, the Freedom, wings spread like an angel's, it continued to fire at the nuclear missiles from afar. More nukes exploded, until there were none left.
PLANT was safe, for now, at least.
--
"What?! The nukes were destroyed?"
Azrael was in a fit of rage. PLANT was still there. That meant coordinators were still alive.
"Launch a second wave of nuclear fighters!"
--
"More?"
Kira was in a state of disbelief. How could they send yet another round of nuclear missiles after seeing the horrific effects of the first?
"Athrun! More missiles!"
"On em'. Lets roll."
--
Yzak was dead, and he knew it. One arm was gone, blasted away by Raider's hammer. There was damage everywhere, and it was a miracle that the Duel was still working. He fired his last missiles and drew his beam sabers, planning to make one last attack.
Crot grinned from inside his cockpit.
"Now, its time for you to die, pitiful Coordinator."
He spun his hammer and struck again, scoring a direct hit on Duel's chest. The phase shift armor gave way, and the cockpit collapsed. The hammer withdrew, leaving Yzak there to die in the dead husk of the Duel Gundam.
All he could do was watch out of the gaping hole, as the second wave drew closer and closer... watch, and pray for a miracle.
"For... PLANT..." he whispered, as his vision dulled into inky blackness...
--
Kagari gritted her teeth and fired her beam rifle. GINNs and Strike Daggers alike fell like flies to her gun. One stray Strike Dagger charged her with its beam saber, but it too fell victim to her rifle.
"Well... it's better than an Astray..." she muttered to herself. An alarm sounded and she looked back just in time to dodge a huge laser beam.
"Hey, hey, hey!" came a voice over her comm, "Care to dance?"
Kagari squinted and saw the X131-Calamity in the distance. Its two shoulder mounted laser cannons were pointed directly at her. One hit with those could vaporize her suit.
"Sorry, not your type," she replied, firing a few shots back and boosting away, right into the Forbidden Gundam.
"Ah... crap..."
The Forbidden hefted its scythe and swung. The Rouge boosted back, managing to avoid the brunt of the attack. The very tip of the scythe connected, cutting a jagged line in Strike Rouge's chest.
Kagari boosted to her left and ran. There was no way she could take on two of the New Earth models.
"Hey, come on... a dance?"
Kagari ignored Orga and boosted toward a chunk of debris. Her only hope was to hide, and hopefully get overlooked amongst the debris and combatants.
"Well... if you won't dance, then..."
A green bolt shot out from Calamity's right shoulder cannon, hitting the Rouge square in the back. Its Phase Shift failed and it drifted powerlessly forwards. Kagari pulled out her self-destruct. If she was going down, then she was taking one of them with her.
--
Yzak stirred. Through his blinding pain, he thought he saw an angel on his viewscreen. A wounded angel.
Delirious, he forced his shattered body to move. His left hand, broken in six places, clumsily manipulated controls. The enemy suit raised its scythe for one final blow against the Rouge - his Angel.
He pushed a button. The Duel, in its last throes, extended its left hand protectively toward the Rouge. The scythe impacted on the hand, and slid down the arm, scraping and destroying armor plating. Finally, it sliced through Duel's shoulder.
The Duel gripped the scythe and launched itself towards the Forbidden. It traveled up the Forbidden's scythe, and embraced it.
His body dying, his mind racked with pain and delusion, Yzak Jule hit the self destruct. His angel was safe.
--
"Shani!"
Orga watched helplessly as the Forbidden was enveloped in flame. There was no way that he could've survived the explosion. Sure enough, a second later, there was a even larger explosion.
Orga's jaw hung slack. Until that moment, they had been invincible. No one had managed to kill one of their kind.
For the first time, he wondered - why did he fight? What did anyone have to gain from it?
Was there anything to show for it besides dozens of dead bodies?
--
"Another wave!"
Athrun looked up at his rear viewscreen. Yet another wave of destruction was coming.
"Take em out!" came a frantic voice over his comm. It was Mwu.
"I can't! They're on the other side of the battle!"
"Shit... I don't have enough firepower to take down all of them..."
Athrun looked at the battle. There was no way he could blast through the whole thing and survive. Even the great Justice Gundam had its limits.
"But... we're all on the other side!" Athrun exclaimed, "You're the only one there!"
"Acknowledged."
Athrun gritted his teeth and watched the nuclear missiles draw closer and closer...
On board the Dominion, Azrael watched with glee as his mission drew closer and closer to accomplishment...
On board the Eternal, the crew watched in horror and prayed for a miracle...
In the silence, everyone heard the muted crackling of a radio over the Eternal's comm.
"I... knew I could make... the impossible.... possible..."
One giant flash erupted, rivaling the sun in brightness and power. It was done.
Next time:
Kira and the others mourn lost comrades, but also welcome former enemies as comrades. Together, they may have a chance to save humanity from destroying itself.
Next time on MSG SEED: Darkness Falls: Chapter 2: Shadows of the Past.
Remeber those who've fallen, and fight on, Gundam!