Chapter Eight

I've never really met anyone who says that wars are good. You only see people like that in movies, or video games, or on the TV. There are a lot of them on the TV nowadays, both on the Earth and PLANT channels, talking about why they have to fight. I say that they talk, but actually they shout a lot, and wave their fists, and act really angry. PLANT says the Alliance blew up Junius Seven and killed all those people, and the Alliance says they didn't. Mom says they're acting like a bunch of spoilt kids. I think she's right.

When Sensei asked us to write an essay about one of the reasons war is bad, I didn't know which one to choose. Then I saw something on the TV about people in the Alliance countries going on marches, carrying signs and banners saying that all Coordinators should be killed. I felt really bad seeing it, and got really angry. But my Dad told me that there are people in the PLANTs who feel the same way about Naturals, and that a lot of Naturals feel the same way as I do. He told me that's why he and Mom wouldn't go to the PLANTs, because they didn't want to have to choose a side.

I'm really grateful that they moved to Orb, and that I and my sister were able to grow up here. I really wish that people everywhere else could see how things are here in Orb. I hope that someday they'll understand that Naturals and Coordinators don't have to fight, and that it's better if we're all friends and work together. After all, it's obvious that we're all human, because Naturals and Coordinators can have healthy babies together. At least, that's what Mom told me.

Extract from an essay by Shinn Asuka, aged 12

Then

Corona Colony, Europa, Kingdom of Jupiter, CE-70 (AL-132)

He couldn't sleep.

Daniel Scirocco, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Jupiter, had a lot on his mind. This in itself was not unusual, for he generally had a lot to think about and it sometimes made sleep difficult. But this was far worse than usual, because the occasion was of far greater import.

She was getting married in the morning.

He cursed himself for it. He felt foolish for getting so nervous, for allowing himself to be so affected. He had known it was going to happen for at least a year, ever since the trip to Sinope. That little adventure had changed a lot of lives, his own more than most. He should have understood, and accepted, that things would not stay the same forever.

So then why couldn't he sleep?

Daniel sat on the end of his bed, staring down at the floor. Darkness hung around him like a shroud, seeming to weigh down his spirit. He felt strangely empty, lonely even, in a way he had not felt in many years.

Not since that incident.

A part of him longed for company, even if just for someone to talk to. But he didn't want to bother Hannon or Damien, not at such an hour. Ninin was always pleasant company, but she was currently occupied. Doubtless she was in Lenara's rooms, enjoying herself with the bridesmaids.

And he was too old to be clambering into Lenara's bed in any case.

He felt pathetic, unworthy. Poor lovelorn little prince, moping because his big sister was getting married, because his childish dream was about to die. A deluded thirteen-year-old, pining for a beautiful girl two years his senior, whose heart was long since given.

A gentle knock on the door shocked him from his reverie. He looked up as the door eased open, and a figure slid inside.

"Lady Lenara!" he gasped, leaping to his feet.

For it was she. Lenara Gable stood before him, her slim figure concealed by a diaphanous white nightgown, her honey-golden hair hanging long and straight as it generally did. Her dark blue eyes sparkled with affection, belying her slightly bashful air.

"Can't sleep?"

"I…I have had a bad night, Lady Lenara." Daniel blushed, looking down at his toes. He loved Lenara like the older sister he'd never had, but for an awkward thirteen-year-old the sight she presented was the stuff of fantasies. Or of one of Damien's porn discs.

"May I?"

"Of course!"

It barely occurred to Daniel that Lenara was exercising a very rare privilege. There were not many who could wander in and out of his chambers with barely a word said of it. He was more concerned with his pounding heart, and the sweat on his brow, as Lenara sat down on his bed.

"Come now." She patted the sheet next to her. "Sit here, and tell me what ails you." Daniel swallowed, then did as she asked. His face flushed, making her giggle.

"I wanted to thank you for letting me borrow Ninin for the wedding," Lenara said. "She'll do very nicely."

"I don't own her," Daniel replied, a little too quickly. "I couldn't bear the thought of it."

"But she is your companion," Lenara insisted, smiling. "And I know how important protocol is to you."

"I…trust she hasn't given you any trouble." He knew only too well how much of a handful Ninin could be.

"She's excitable, but nothing I can't handle." Lenara chuckled. "Though getting her to keep still during her dress fitting was a challenge. She keeps going on about that boyfriend of hers. But she's got Sera and Gracia to keep her distracted." She eyed him meaningfully.

"You've been a stranger recently," she went on. "You've been making excuses to stay out of things. It's almost as if you're trying to avoid me."

"I…" Daniel cleared his throat. "This isn't something I should be involved in, Lady Lenara. I…didn't want to intrude."

"Oh?" Lenara feigned surprise. "Does that mean you don't want to attend tomorrow?"

"I didn't say that!" Daniel blurted out, realising too late that he'd been played. Lenara's smile returned, and she ruffled his hair affectionately.

"I want you to be involved, Daniel."

"I…don't know how I would be of much help, Lady Lenara."

"Aside from keeping Sera and Gracia amused?" She giggled again, but something was different. Her aura had shifted, just slightly. "But there is a favour I would ask."

"Ask it."

"You'll be with Hannon and Damien tomorrow, obviously." Lenara was still smiling, but she seemed more subdued all of a sudden, more cautious. "I'd like you to…watch Juzan for me."

"Watch him, Lady Lenara?"

Daniel was mystified, and then mystification turned into disquiet when he saw the look in her eyes.

"I need to know…how he feels."

Daniel's heart skipped a beat, an electric sting of fear running through him. Did she know about that? How had she found out?

"Well," he began, trying to master himself, "I could ask him, but…"

"No Daniel," Lenara insisted. "I need more than that." Her words were a spear of ice through his heart.

"Lady Lenara…" He cleared his throat, trying to stop himself from shaking. "You…know not what you ask."

"Yes I do, Daniel." Before Daniel could reply, Lenara had wrapped her arms around him and pressed his head against her shoulder. Daniel was too stunned to say anything.

"It's all right," she said, her voice suddenly hoarse. "I know. I know all about it. Your father explained everything."

"Lenara." Daniel pulled away from her to look her in the eyes. "Lenara, are you worried about Captain Oz?"

Lenara looked away, and Daniel felt suddenly cold. He wondered what could have upset her so.

"I love Juzan," she said, her quavering just slightly. "A part of me is certain of it, but…" She trailed off. Daniel had never seen her so unhappy. The cold, sick feeling in his stomach worsened as a thought, a terrible thought, crept into his mind.

No. It wasn't possible. He couldn't believe Juzan Oz would actually harm her. He didn't seem capable of it.

"Lenara, if…"

"No Daniel!" The words came out too quickly. "Please, don't tell mother or father about this, and definitely don't tell Hannon. They'll get the wrong idea I know it!"

"But surely…"

"It's not that I don't want to marry him" Lenara went on miserably. "I'm just so…it feels so…" Daniel shivered.

Jovians married young. He hadn't thought of it that way until his tutor had mentioned it a few days earlier. Lenara had always seemed so mature, so graceful, and self-possessed. He had thought of her as a grown woman. But by the standards of the people living on Earth, assuming there were any left, Lenara was a child.

And for the first time in many years, Daniel saw a child. Juzan was only a few years older, but still…

"Lenara," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "Please…allow me to help you. If something happens I can…protect you."

Her eyes met his, and Daniel's hauteur evaporated. He felt utterly foolish. What could a mere child like himself do to help her? How could he, a boy, talk of protecting her?

Then Lenara cupped his face in her hands and kissed him on the forehead.

"My precious prince," she said, her voice full of warmth. "Thank you for saying that."

Now

Onamuji Island, Orb Union, November 3rd CE 73

It was a warm day, the sun high and bright in a bright blue sky, all but devoid of clouds.

It was the perfect day for a wedding, or perhaps for a coronation. It was the kind of weather that put people in the right kind of mood.

Daniel would have felt somewhat better about it if he wasn't quite so hot. The foyer of the Seiran mansion was large and airy, but the sheer number of people crowded in there was enough to put the ambient temperature through the roof. On top of all that, his dark blue dress uniform wasn't a good getup for the heat. The only reason he wasn't swimming in sweat, and smelling like Damien's underwear drawer, was the anti-perspirant cream he had rubbed on after his morning shower. It was good stuff, but made him feel as if his body had been laminated.

Not that it was the first time he'd gone a little too far in order to keep up appearances.

Nor, Daniel thought, suppressing a sigh, was the heat the only thing making him sweat.

He had barely been able to sleep the night before. That cold, sick feeling in the pit of his stomach had kept him awake, tormenting him with the knowledge of what was to come, and the part he would play in it.

He glanced around the foyer, noting the faces he recognized and wondering at those he didn't. Of the various big noises assembled, almost all that he recognized were Seirans; relations, lackeys, clients, hangers-on of one sort or another. It was as Myrna had intimated to him, and as Brand had concluded. The Seirans were worming their way into every branch, every department of Orb's government. This wedding would be the final act, the sealing of their control by a means as old as civilization.

And he would bear witness to it.

The clunk of doors opening drew his attention up the grand staircase. His heart skipped a beat as Cagalli appeared at the head of the stairs, a gasp of adoration going up from all around him.

She was beautiful, that he could not deny. Her flowing, bell-like gown was pure, gleaming white and the palest blue. Matching gloves ran up to her elbows, followed by narrow, milk-white arms and shoulders, and a swan-like neck. Her normally spiky hair had been curled and styled, delicately framing her face. Her veil was trimmed in white fur, likely a suitably expensive ermine substitute, hanging from the top of her head like a garland.

As she descended the stairs, her skirts swishing and rustling, Daniel could see her face more clearly. Her bronze eyes had been rimmed in black, making them seem larger, and the skin had been powdered and shaded to accentuate her features. Her eyes fell on him, and he made out the pink paint around her eyes, and the thick pink lipstick. It was all he could do not to shudder.

Memories of another wedding day, another bride, hovered in the back of his mind. Lenara Gable, younger sister of Hannon Gable, and the girl he'd loved like the older sister he'd never had. He had seen her in her wedding dress, a sight indeed for the awkward thirteen-year-old boy he had been. He remembered her dress, her honey-golden hair piled atop her head, her shimmering veil.

And her smile. More than anything else, her smile. Lenara had glowed, radiant with the hope of perfect happiness, despite the fears she had confided the night before.

Whatever Cagalli had become, she wasn't glowing.

Daniel mastered himself. Clasping his left hand around his sword hilt to hold it steady, he stepped forward to face Cagalli. As they had rehearsed, she proffered a gloved hand.

"My lady," he said, bowing low to kiss it.

"My kinsman," she replied. There was a rumble from the crowd as she leaned forward to plant a decorous kiss on his cheek. Fighting down a blush, Daniel turned to take his place beside her. Cagalli laid her hand over his, and the crowd parted like twin receding waves, clearing a path to the main door.

As they stepped out into the sunlight, the honour guards flanking the steps snapped to attention, raising ceremonial swords to en garde. More guests waited outside, oohing and aahing as prince and bride promenaded.

"Lady Cagalli!"

"So beautiful!"

"Such grace!"

Daniel managed to keep his eyes straight ahead, his face graciously expressionless, until they reached the cars. The white bridal limousine was directly in front of them, an odd-looking vehicle with a broad oval passenger compartment taking up the rear half. The crowd oohed as Daniel handed Cagalli through the open doors, the high roof allowing her to step through effortlessly. Once she was in place, Daniel sat down next to her.

"Aren't you roasting in that getup?" Cagalli asked waspishly, as the doors were closed.

"I endure," Daniel replied mildly, as the limousine moved smoothly away.

As the motorcade passed the gates, motorcycle outriders manoeuvred smoothly into position in front and behind. People thronged along the route, held back by barriers and police officers. The cars moved along at a sedate pace, allowing them a clear view of their beloved Chief Representative and her knight errant.

Daniel glanced out of the window to his left. The barriers were only a few metres away, a sea of smiling faces just beyond. Cameras flashed every few seconds, and Daniel could hear the cheers and cries of approbation. He forced his face into a gentle smile, and raised a gloved hand in a regal wave.

"Be sure to wave," he said, for Cagalli had barely moved since the journey had begun. He immediately regretted the insensitivity of it, but she complied without a word. The cheers grew even louder as the crowds beyond saw her smile, and the gentle wave of her hand. A beautiful scene was playing out before them, as if from the pages of a children's story. Daniel knew they would be talking about if for years, about how the noble prince had escorted the lovely young bride to the side of her handsome betrothed. It could not have been better if he were riding a white horse.

They could not see what he saw. They did not know what he knew. They could not see the tears waiting to flow, the sorrow and desperate hope in her eyes, concealed behind a gossamer veil. They could not see, and would never be allowed to see.

A part of him rebelled. This wasn't how it had been in the stories. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. The noble prince was supposed to rescue the princess, not escort her to the marriage made in hell. Something inside him wanted to resist, to fight, to save Cagalli from the irrevocable mistake to which he was carrying her.

"Sorry about that." Cagalli's voice drew him from his reverie. I was just thinking…about my father."

"My lady…"

"Please…" She glanced at him, and he saw pleading in her eyes. "Call me Cagalli, while we're in here."

"As you wish."

More silence.

"Cagalli…" Daniel began cautiously. "Are you…all right?"

"I'm perfectly fine Daniel, thank you," she replied, her tone as empty as it was polite. "After all, this is my wedding day." She somehow managed to smile, and the sight of it sent a shiver down Daniel's spine.

"What is it, Daniel?" she asked. "Are you jealous? Would you like to take Yuna's place?"

"Cagalli!" Daniel spluttered, his face turning red.

"I'm kidding." Cagalli reached over and squeezed his hand. "Honestly, you're just like Athrun." She looked down at the bouquet on her lap, made of flowers Daniel didn't recognize.

"I have to do this," she went on. "I have to go through with this. For the sake of Orb, and for all humanity."

Daniel wanted to believe in her words. He wanted to believe that she was doing the right thing, that they were both doing the right thing. But her words were as hollow as the look in her eyes.

"Cagalli…" Memories of Lenara rose unbidden. "There's still time. You can still…"

"No, Daniel." Cagalli shook her head. "I can't back out now. I can't jilt him at the altar and still be Chief Representative. Tonight I'll be his wife, or nothing at all."

"Cagalli!" Tears of mingled shame and pity pricked at Daniel's eyes. "I'll…I'll protect you! I'll protect you from him!"

"How, Daniel?" Cagalli's eyes were full of pain. "Will you fight the Seirans for my sake? Will you burn Orb, as the Alliance did?" She paused, letting the implication hang in the air.

"There's nothing you can do for me, Daniel," Cagalli went on. "If you destroy one innocent life for my sake, even if you never meant it, then it's one too many."

She gestured at the window, at the smiling crowds all around. Men, women, and children, enjoying what they thought was the denouement of a fairytale romance, the final prelude to a happily-ever-after.

"These are my people, Daniel." Her voice was hoarse with emotion. "I understand now, more than ever, why my father laid down his life. If they're worth his life, then they're worth a wedding. I can only hope…that Athrun will understand."

"Then why?" Daniel asked, a lump rising in his throat. "Why did you give me this ring? Was it not so that I could be near you? So I could help you, and protect you?"

"A part of me wanted to think so," Cagalli replied. "But really, I just wanted to fight them, in any little way I could. If I could have just one little thing for myself, even that is a victory."

Daniel's heart clenched as he saw the glistening thread running down her cheek.

"Thank you, Daniel. Thank you for being with me, here and now. If I had to be alone now, I don't know what I'd do."

The motorcade rounded a corner. Daniel glanced out of Cagalli's window, and saw the military guards in white and blue lining the route. They were approaching the venue.

"For my sake, Cagalli," he said, his voice cracking. "Please accept this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pristine white handkerchief. As gently as he could manage, he dabbed at Cagalli's cheek, drying the single tear.

"Thank you, Daniel."

Secret Dock, Onamuji Island

They were good to go.

It had taken only a few days to get the Archangel ready. The mighty ship had remained hidden in its underground hangar for almost two years, but teams of technicians from the ODF and Morgenroete had kept it well-maintained, albeit in total secrecy. The Archangel was to be Orb's trump card, a secret weapon ready to be unsheathed in a time of direst extremity.

The time had come, though not in the way anyone had expected.

Kira Yamato certainly hadn't expected it. He had thought, and dared to hope, that he would never need to walk its decks again. It wasn't that he hated the Archangel, far from it. But too much had happened within its bulkheads, amid its chambers and corridors, behind its heavy armour, for his feelings to be so black and white as love and hate. For that whole long adventure, all those months of anguish and exultation, of death and rebirth, the Archangel had been his home.

He had chosen his path. So had Lacus, Murrue, Andrew, Prayer, and all the others. The Archangel would become their shared home once again, for who-knew how long.

All for her sake.

It had been good to see the others again. Chief Murdoch had come, as had Arnold Neumann, and even Dalida Chandra. Kira had been happy to see them, even if not all the old team would be coming. Miriallia Haw was still alive, as far as he knew, but busy with her new career as a investigative journalist. Kuzzey Buskirk was gods-knows-where.

But all those happy reunions had nevertheless reminded him of those who could never share their comradeship again.

Tolle Koenig.

Mu la Flaga.

Natarle Badgiruel

Flay Allster.

Supplies had been loaded, and all arrangements made. For Kira, there was only one thing left to do.

Caridad Yamato stood in front of him, anguish in her eyes. He didn't blame her for being worried. Though biologically his maternal aunt, she was his mother in every way that truly mattered. Kira had never thought of her in any other way, even after learning the truth of his origins. Losing her husband Haruma, his uncle and adoptive father, had been hard enough on her without the prospect of losing her son too.

"Mom, I'm sorry to do this again, but…" He trailed off as Caridad wrapped her arms around him, pressing him to her. He returned the embrace, the warmth of it bittersweet.

"It's okay," she said. "You must do what you believe is right. Only…please remember, this is where your home is. I will always be here for you, and I'll always love my boy."

"Ah mom." In spite of everything, Kira felt his cheeks redden. He hadn't changed so much that such words didn't feel a little awkward.

"Mom…" He paused, gathering himself. "I know it's been hard, this last couple of years. What with the kids and everything, and…" He trailed off again as Caridad shook her head, smiling wistfully.

"I was never so happy as when I was here with all of you," she said. "With you, the reverend, and the children…and Lacus."

"Uh, yeah." Kira blushed again.

"I'm so glad you found her," Caridad went on. "She's a fine girl. If only you two would hurry up and get married."

"Ah, right." Kira chuckled awkwardly, massaging the back of his neck. Both glanced sideways, to where the children had Prayer Reverie trapped in the middle of a chaotic group hug. The sight was enough to make them both laugh.

"Promise me you'll return home one day," Caridad said, taking his hands. "Promise me you'll all come back."

"I promise."

They embraced one last time, and Kira waited a moment for Prayer to extract himself from the children and bid farewell to Caridad and to Reverend Malchio, who stood silently nearby.

"All set?" Kira asked, as they mounted the walkway to the Archangel.

"Yes, Mister Kira," Prayer replied, smiling. "I've got everything I'll need." He tweaked the shoulder strap of his holdall.

"That's not much," Kira commented, mildly surprised. "We could be gone a while."

"I don't need much, Mister Kira." Kira smiled, and patted Prayer on the shoulder as they neared the hatch.

By the end of the trip, with any luck, he would have learned a lot more about this mysterious little boy.

And maybe gotten him to stop calling him 'mister' all the time.

Temple of Haumea, Onamuji Island

The venue for the wedding was quite impressive.

The site was dominated by an enormous stepped pyramid, made from blocks of sun-browned sandstone, set in front of a cliff and waterfall. There were a total of six steps, with twin ceremonial stairways running up the face until the third step, where they combined into one for the final ascent to the upper dais. Twin colonnades curved around the edges of the pyramid, demarcating clusters of sacred trees.

Two pairs of MVF-M11C Murasame mobile suits stood sentinel on the first step, to honour their Chief Representative. Though their wings were folded and their beam rifles lowered, they were a clear reminder to all who saw them of the dangers of those times.

Consecrated to the Goddess Haumea, it was the place where the rites of inauguration, marriage, and death were performed. It was where Cagalli's father had undergone his funeral, symbolically for his body had been totally destroyed, and where Cagalli herself had become Chief Representative.

And in a few moments, it would be the place where she was married.

The most important guests were seated in rows upon the sixth and highest level, before the dais where the priests waited. All stood as Cagalli and Daniel ascended, stepping onto the red carpet leading to the dais. Daniel saw his companions, along with Ambassador Brand, standing on the right, the groom's side, while Unato Ema Seiran and his wife were located on the left, the bride's side. He hid his irritation at this arrangement, no doubt made as a subtle slight, a reminder that he was neither Cagalli's kinsman nor her protector. The cheery wave Ninin gave him did nothing to improve his mood.

Yuna was waiting by the final stairway, wearing a triumphant smile. He could not have made a greater contrast with his father, whose aged face was a stoic mask. His wife seemed positively exuberant.

"My lovely bride, at last!" exclaimed Yuna as they drew near. "Thank you, your highness, for this great honour." He bowed low, but the insincerity of his words spoiled the effect. Daniel drew only a little satisfaction from the look of irritation that flashed across Cagalli's face.

"The honour was mine," he replied, acknowledging Yuna with a much shallower bow. Trying not to shake, he passed Cagalli's hand to Yuna, stepping back just fast enough to prevent Yuna bumping into him as he stepped into his place.

"I hope those are tears of joy I see," he heard Yuna say, as the couple began their ascent.

It took all of Daniel's already over-wrought self-control to stop himself from clenching his fists as he strode towards his seat. A liveried page bowed as he approached, gesturing towards the empty chair. Ambassador Brand sat to the right, while Ninin had grabbed the seat to the left, with Hannon and Damien next to her. Daniel was somewhat mollified by the nervous look on the page's face. He sat down, holding himself as if it were his father's royal throne on distant Jupiter, not a front-row seat at a farce.

"I didn't like him before," Ninin said harshly, as the couple neared the stop of the stairs.

"And I really don't like him now."

"The feeling is mutual, Ninin," Daniel replied, without taking his eyes from Cagalli.

"Your highness." Brand sounded a little stressed, though his face was entirely expressionless. "Perhaps you should forgive his…ardour."

"There's nothing to forgive," Daniel half-whispered coldly. "For I acknowledge nothing."

"The best way, your highness."

"Today, we humbly ask Haumea's blessing," intoned the white-robed priest. The sound system carried his voice out over the pyramid. "As we join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Are you Yuna Roma Seiran and Cagalli Yula Athha?"

Daniel forced his face into a cold mask, trying to fight down the anger welling up inside. He saw no sign of the Minerva's officers, or of the PLANT ambassador for that matter. That was no surprise, for the wedding was to mark the beginning of an as-yet unspoken alliance between Orb and the Atlantic Federation. No treaty had been signed, no overt agreement made, but the whole world knew its true meaning. Especially the Atlantic Federation, whose Ambassador Masterman was seated nearby.

That, after all, was the plan. By binding House Athha to itself, House Seiran would prove their worth as an ally, and give the Atlantic Federation good reason to take them seriously. Then, perhaps, a global war might be averted.

Daniel focussed on that hope, wishing he could engrave it upon his heart. It was the reason why he had played along. It was the reason why he had lowered himself to promenade her to the altar, to watch her throw her life away and do nothing to prevent it.

Thoughts of Lenara rose again. As he gazed up at Cagalli, for an instant he was that awkward boy once again, watching Lenara recite her vows. Her gown had been nothing like so fine as the one Cagalli was wearing, nor the venue half so grand. But Lenara had been so beautiful, so happy. And her groom, Juzan Oz, had proven himself the good and noble man he had always seemed to be.

Cagalli was the opposite. Daniel felt cold in his stomach as the truth came upon him. She was not a bride, but a prisoner, a parody of herself. With every moment he stared at her, her makeup seemed more garish, more bizarre.

And what of her groom?

Daniel felt his heart clench as the ceremony reached its denouement.

"Should this marriage truly be of the heart," the priest proclaimed, "and your vows of devotion be genuine, then Haumea will harken unto you, and this union shall be blessed."

"Oh Lord, forgive me," Daniel silently prayed. "Immortal Lord, forgive my cowardice! I have allowed this to happen!"

"Dan-dan?" Ninin glanced at him, and her irritation was replaced by fear. Daniel's fists were clenched, his brow furrowed, his eyes cast down.

"I ask you once again," the priest went on. "Do you make these vows in good faith, with all your hearts?"

"I do," Yuna said emphatically. The priest looked to Cagalli, but she did not reply. The silence lasted only a few seconds, but to those present it seemed like an eternity.

Cagalli opened her mouth to speak…

…and then paused, as she heard the commotion behind her.

The guards were moving, hustling the guests from their seats and towards the stairs. Yuna's parents were already moving, military guards clustering around the Prime Minister and his wife as they hurried away.

Daniel was on his feet in an instant, his melancholy gone. He glanced left and right, wondering what the commotion was about.

The hiss of a particle beam in air made his nerves sting. An explosion followed, and Daniel looked to see that one of the Murasames had been hit, its weapon arm a blasted stump. Another beam followed, and its partner was similarly disarmed. The other two Murasames raised their rifles, but two more emerald beams rushed in to maim them.

But Daniel was no longer looking at the unfortunate Murasames. The sight of the beams had shown him from whence they had come. He stared out over the coast, over the distant cityscape, and the sea beyond it.

He saw it.

It came on, engines roaring, descending from the sky like an avenging angel. Daniel stared in amazement as the mobile suit approached. Its plastron was midnight black, its arms and legs gleaming white in the sun. Six mighty wings extended from its back, wreathed in unworldly radiance. Upon its brow was a crest of white and gold, the crown of a mighty king.

For a king it was, a king among mobile suits. ZGMF-X10A Freedom.

And it was heading straight for the dais, straight for Cagalli.

Daniel moved. He sprinted for the stairs, ignoring the cries of protest from behind. All he could see was Cagalli, her gown billowing in the wind thrown up by the Freedom as it came in to land. Yuna cried out in terror, cowering behind his would-be bride.

He couldn't do anything. He couldn't fight a mobile suit. But he couldn't just…

As he neared the top of the stairs, he could see the mighty machine in all its terrible glory, its massive hands reaching down to Cagalli.

"Kira!" Cagalli stood her ground, shouting up at the Freedom. "Kira, what're you doing?!"

Yuna cried out in fear, and fled for the stairs as the giant hands closed around Cagalli. Distracted by the looming colossus, neither Yuna nor Daniel saw the other until it was too late. Yuna shrieked as he crashed into Daniel, toppling him over backwards. Hannon was too close to react, as was Damien. Only Ninin managed to leap out of the way as the four rolled down the steps to sprawl all over the stones below.

For a few moments Daniel lay where he had fallen. His mind was a blur, his whole body a mass of dull pain. His face felt damp, and his ears rang.

Slowly, his mind began to clear. He blinked, shaking his head as he tried to pull himself up, his joints aching with the effort. He made it on to his knees, his eyes scanning the sky for any sight of Cagalli.

Then he saw it. The nightmare-angelic shape of the Freedom, soaring away towards the sea. Daniel could not see what was clasped, almost protectively, to its black plastron. But he didn't need to.

He slumped, despair flooding through him. She had been taken, there wasn't a thing he could do to prevent it.

"What're you doing, you idiots!" The angry shout caught Daniel's attention. He looked to see Yuna standing a few metres away, yelling at a small group of ODF officers. Yuna's white suit was torn and dirty, but he didn't seem particularly the worse for wear.

"He's taking Cagalli!" Yuna roared. "Hurry up and open fire!"

"But Lord Yuna," the luckless officer replied. "If we fire, we might hit Lady Cagalli." This brought Yuna up short. He half-turned, shaking with frustration, then spied Daniel.

"What the hell are you staring at?!" he bellowed, rounding on Daniel. "You're supposed to be our allies! Aren't you going to do something?! And look!" Yuna grabbed the lapel of his suit, which bore a large red stain. "You got blood on my suit! How useless can you idiots be?!"

Deep inside Daniel, something snapped.

"You…!"

It rose within him, like a dam bursting. It cleared his addled mind, overriding the pain in his body as he rose to his feet.

"What?!" Yuna demanded, too angry to know or even care about the danger he was in. "What's the evil eye for?!"

"Dan-dan!" Daniel could hear Ninin's voice in his mind, pleading and fearful. "Daniel! Don't use your power! He can't defend himself!"

But Daniel paid no heed. He felt his consciousness expand, rising above and beyond himself. Incandescent rage bloomed behind the walls of his mind, demanding to be let loose. He could not contain it much longer, even if he wanted to.

Ninin's frantic pleading faded into silence as Daniel's spirit rose, blazing like fire. Yuna's face fell, his harsh anger turning into soul-bending terror as Daniel loomed over him. His defences were thin, weak. A dull, untrained mind lashing out at an attacker it couldn't comprehend. Yuna screamed in terror as Daniel's power erupted, thundering down upon him like a tidal wave.

And then he saw.

Daniel recoiled, his mind fleeing away from what it had found. His fury vanished as suddenly as it had risen, his heart freezing over with the horror of it.

Yuna's eyes rolled up, and he collapsed writhing and thrashing to the ground. Daniel slumped to his knees, his lips and chin wet with the blood gushing from his nose. He felt arms catch him as he fell backward, familiar voices calling to him, but almost silently, as if from a great distance. His vision began to blur, but held just long enough for him to make out Ninin's face looking down at him, eyes wide, blood running from her nostrils and eyes.

As he fell into the darkness, he felt the touch of another mind. A child's mind, warm and pure, a short distance away.

"Who are you?"

Archangel

He was losing the connection. The presence in the distance, which had burned so bright a few moments ago, was fading like a lamp turned down.

"Wait! Don't go! Tell me who you are!"

Prayer Reverie strained to regain contact, reaching desperately into the void. He didn't want to lose the connection. He didn't want to miss this chance, a chance he never thought he would find.

It was gone.

"Prayer?"

Lacus' voice drew Prayer from his thoughts. He looked up at her, seated in one of the operator's chairs set behind and perpendicular to the captain's chair. She wore the same outfit she had worn during the war, during the days the Three Ships Alliance. It consisted of a short black dress trimmed in purple, over which she wore a white coat with pink trim, flaring shoulders, and purple sleeves. Her pink hair was raised at the back in a long pony tail, tied with a red ribbon.

She was a magnificent sight, but it was the warmth in her eyes that made Prayer's heart skip a beat.

"Miss Lacus?"

"You were staring into space there," Murrue Ramius spoke up from the Captain's chair. "You feeling all right?"

"I'm sorry!" Prayer's face reddened with embarrassment. "I…my mind wandered."

Murrue gave him an indulgent smile, matched by Lacus, and gestured towards the CIC, located behind and below the captain's chair.

"The Reverend says you're pretty capable," she said, cocking an eyebrow. "Can you do much with that?"

Prayer glanced down into the CIC pit. Of the four stations there, located in pairs either side of a commander's chair set below and with its back to the captain's chair, only one was occupied.

"I'll do my best, Captain Ramius!" Prayer almost saluted, then remembered that he was neither a soldier nor in uniform. "Which station should I take?"

"You'd best take combat coordination," Murrue replied. "First on my left. Your job will be to stay in touch with the Freedom."

Prayer nodded in understanding, and darted down the steps to take his new post. It took him only a few moments to work out the array of controls before him. After all, he had used such equipment before, in another time.

Another life…

"Where is the Freedom now?" asked Murrue.

"One hundred K and closing fast," Dalida Chandra replied, from his own station back-to-back with Lacus.

"Prayer, contact the Freedom. Ascertain his status."

"Yes Captain." Prayer slipped the headphones over his head, took a second to adjust them, then keyed for the Freedom. "Archangel to Freedom. Mister Kira are you there?"

"I am!" replied Kira's face on his screen. It was partially obscured by a mass of white. "Tell Murrue I've got Cagalli and I'm on my way."

"Who is that?!" demanded a female voice. Prayer almost recoiled in surprise as Cagalli Yula Athha forced Kira's helmeted head aside. "Who's there?!"

"Cagalli…!" Kira protested vainly.

"P…Prayer Reverie, my lady!" Prayer managed to reply. "We…met during your last visit."

"Prayer?" Cagalli was incredulous. "What the hell are you doing on the Archangel?! You're just a kid!"

"Uh, Cagalli," Kira tried to interject. "I'm trying to pilot here."

"Tell whoever's in charge over there to have a change of clothes ready!" Cagalli barked, ignoring him. "And when I'm done changing, I'm gonna chew you all out! Understand?!"
"Yes, Lady Cagalli!" Prayer blurted out. "You…look lovely, Lady Cagalli!"

"Stow it or I'll spank you!"

The window vanished as the Freedom signed off. Prayer sighed, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"I don't think you should've said that," Dalida commented mildly.

Temple of Haumea

"Stupid Dan-dan!" Ninin wailed, clutching a blood-stained cloth to her nose. "You never listen to a word I say!"

Daniel lay unconscious on the stretcher, an RJSM medic tending him from opposite Ninin. The ambulance, one of several positioned around the site in case of trouble, was large and well-equipped. Hannon and Damien stood outside, handguns drawn, occasionally glancing at Daniel through the open doors. Feretrius Brand stood a short distance away, talking urgently into his communicator. Surrounded by trees, they could see little of what was going on.

"That was it, wasn't it," Damien growled, staring intensely at Hannon. "He used his power."

"I see no other explanation," Hannon replied. His skin was naturally pale, the mark of an upper-class background in which Jupiter's natural radiation played a minimal role, but the shock of what he had witnessed had made it deathly white.

"You sensed it, didn't you," Damien pressed. He leaned closer, his eyes blazing. "You could feel it, couldn't you?" He looked haunted, and Hannon knew why.

"I sensed it," he admitted. "Not as well as you, though. Or Ninin."

They fell silent.

"They say it's our destiny," Damien mused, in a low voice. "They say…it's a sign from God. The blood tears."

"So they say." Hannon gave him a dubious look. "They also say that it's a natural side-effect of a century and a half spent living in space. The human brain is very adaptable, so I'm told."

"So you don't believe" Damien said sourly.

"I don't know what to believe," Hannon almost growled. "I don't know what to think, and I certainly don't know what to do."

"What to think?" Damien snorted. "I know what to think! I think we're in this up to our necks!"

"You're exaggerating!"

"How am I exaggerating?! Some lunatic made off with the bride, and Daniel psy-blasted the groom!"

"We don't know that!" Hannon insisted. "And they certainly can't prove it!"

"It was Dan-dan though!" Ninin sniffed, her voice croaking slightly as if she were about to cry. "I told him not to use it like that! It makes people go funny!"

"That Yuna guy was funny enough already!" Damien snorted. "But don't expect them to admit it. They'll want a scapegoat."

"Nonsense!" Hannon snapped. "They've no basis! Not even a fig-leaf!"

"We're Jovians," Damien growled. "And they're Terrans. That's all they'll need."
"I won't be a party to that line of thinking!"

"Well they sure will!"

"Gentlemen!" Feretrius' voice interrupted their argument. The ambassador stepped closer, putting away his communicator. "This is no time for bickering!"

"Have you any news, ambassador?" Hannon asked. Ninin jumped down from the ambulance to listen more closely.

"None I'm afraid. The Prime Minister's office isn't answering, and no one else seems to know what's going on."

"Told you," Damien replied, cutting Hannon off. "We need to get out of here right now. We should call a shuttle down."

"I advise against it."

Their heads snapped round, following the new voice. It belonged to a young woman, standing in the centre of the clearing as if she owned the place. She had long black hair, and a smooth, small-featured face dominated by an aquiline nose. This, combined with her piercing red eyes, made her look for all the world like a bird of prey sizing up a potential kill. A pink cravat hung at her throat, while her lithe body was partially concealed by a long purple cloak.

"Who the hell are you?!" Damien snapped, his handgun whipping up to aim at her. "What do you want?"

"Rondo Mina Sahaku," she replied. She seemed to find Damien quaintly amusing. "And I've come to give you a warning."

"A warning, huh?" Damien sneered. "Speak your piece, woman."

"I will, but first I suggest you lower your gun. I'm not your enemy, and it won't do you much good in any case."

"The hell it won't!"

"Damien." Hannon put a gentle but firm hand on his wrist, pressing it down. Damien opened his mouth to snap at Hannon, but no sound came out.

There were six of them, in three pairs. Two of them emerged from the trees directly behind Rondo Mina, advancing with fluid grace to stand behind her, the others holding their positions in the foliage. Their carbines were steady, and aimed at the Jovians.

"Relax, gentlemen of Jupiter," Rondo Mina said languidly, her smile widening. "My lovely boys aren't here to kill you, unless you threaten me, that is."

Hannon stared in disbelief at her followers. He couldn't quite make out the others, but the two behind her had silver hair, and finely-carved faces so similar as to be…

"Clones," he breathed.

"Correct, Lieutenant Gable." Rondo Mina made a flapping gesture with one gloved hand, and her followers lowered their carbines. Damien, Hannon, and Ninin had already holstered their handguns.

"Very well," Feretrius said. "What warning do you bring, Lady Sahaku?"

"Your arrangement with the Seirans is in the process of falling apart," Rondo Mina said, her voice rising slightly. "For your sake, and his," she gestured at the unconscious Daniel, "you must leave Orb immediately."

"Leave?!" the ambassador spluttered. "What nonsense! We are protected by the law of nations! We have a declaration of friendship!"

"And a secret treaty?"

The last brought Feretrius up short. Damien and Hannon snapped their heads round to stare at him.

"What?" Hannon demanded. "What secret treaty?"

"Relax, ambassador." Rondo Mina almost laughed. "I have my own sources of information, some of them quite well-placed. I know that you gave Morgenroete one of your fusion reactors in return for an order of Helium-3 and ownership of Inari colony."

The ambassador sagged, deflating like a balloon.

"I am bound by the Declaration of the Heavens," Rondo Mina said imperiously. "I respect your individuality, and your desire to secure the wellbeing of your people. But by that same token I must say that you've made a terrible mistake."

"It's not what you think," the ambassador pleaded, regaining some of his dignity. "This was his Majesty's plan, in accordance with the wishes of George Glenn, for the good of all."

There was silence.

"The technology wasn't just for Orb," Feretrius managed to continue. "It was meant for all the nations of Earth. No one nation, no one power, would be able to control it."

"But there's Helium-3 on the Moon," Rondo Mina pressed, as if testing him. "And the Atlantic Federation controls the Moon."

"Not enough for the whole Earth Sphere!" Feretrius pleaded. "We would be the balance, the relief of the others! It wouldn't matter who controlled the Moon!"

"And it wouldn't, if your plan was completed," Rondo Mina agreed. "But for the moment, Unato Ema is sitting on a means of making Orb the dominant power in this world. Already he has an arrangement with the Lunar free cities to provide what Helium-3 they can. It's not much, but enough for his needs."

"But there's no way Orb could rule the Earth!" Ninin spoke up. "It's too small!"
"The idea is madness, yes." Rondo Mina looked away, a shadow falling over her eyes. "The same madness that claimed my poor brother." She looked up again, regaining her composure.

"Unato Ema has played a dangerous game with your gift," she went on. "Doubtless he planned to cower under the Atlantic Federation's skirts while the superpowers tore at each other's throats, then make his move when they were all too weak to stop him. The Freedom has made a fool of him this day, and the Atlantic Federation will start to question his usefulness. Worse, they'll want an explanation as to why the Archangel has suddenly turned up in Orb waters. The only way out is either to hand over the fusion technology…or your prince."

"Never!" Hannon gasped. "He…they wouldn't…!"

"Oh yes," Rondo Mina replied harshly. "He would. He's that desperate right now, and your young prince will make a valuable bargaining chip, even if he doesn't hand him over right away."

"How long do we have?" the ambassador asked gravely.

"Not long, a few hours at the most."

"Call a shuttle!" Damien barked. "Let's call a shuttle and get outta here!"

"That won't work!" Rondo Mina interjected. "Orb's aerospace defences would shoot it down. I know, I advised Cagalli on their design."

"Then what do we do?" Hannon asked. "What do you suggest?"

"Your only hope is the Minerva. I'll give you their codes. You must warn your people at the diplomatic compound."

Feretrius nodded, and pulled out his communicator, stepping away from the group. As he did so, Rondo Mina stepped forward to look the three companions in the eyes.

"Cagalli believed in you," she said gravely. "She believed in your prince, and the chance for peace. She believed in it enough to cast aside the man she loves and marry a piece of human trash. She believed in it enough to serve a lie."

"A lie," Damien said. "So there'll be a war."

"I fear so," Rondo Mina agreed. "Doubtless Cagalli will try to stop it, in her own special way. Please…" Her eyes pleaded with them. "Promise me you'll help her."

"We will do as we must," Hannon replied.

"Yes." Rondo Mina sighed. "I fear you will."

Minerva, Onogoro Island

"Any word on what's happened?" Talia Gladys asked.

"No ma'am," Meyrin Hawke replied, looking up from her station. "It's complete chaos out there. No one seems to know what's going on."

Talia resisted the urge to bite her thumbnail, knowing it was the last thing her crew needed to see. They were supposed to be leaving that very day, and she was growing increasingly glad of that fact. But the Chief Representative of the Orb Union had been kidnapped from her own wedding, by no less a personage than Kira Yamato if the reports were to be believed, and taken to the Archangel, which had then submerged and taken its leave.

That, assuming any of it was true, was enough to make anyone nervous. But she was captain of a ZAFT warship, the Minerva no less, berthed in an Orb port on the day that Orb announced itself to be an ally of the Atlantic Federation, though not in so many words. It was the stuff of nervous breakdowns.

"Arthur, what's our status?"

"Final checks are almost complete captain," Arthur Trine replied. "We can be underway within the hour."

"The sooner the better, vice-captain."

"Captain ma'am!" Meyrin called. "A message on the diplomatic channel. It's...the Jovian ambassador."

There was a pause. Talia nodded to Meyrin, then picked up the phone handset set the armrest of her chair.

"Ambassador Brand, to what do I owe this pleasure?" The whole bridge watched in tense silence.

"Yes…I see...yes…By all means, ambassador. We'll be waiting." She put down the handset, her face grim.

"What is it captain?" Arthur asked, worried.

"The Jovian diplomatic party has requested immediate evacuation," Talia replied. "Meyrin, order the hangar deck to prep a shuttle for immediate takeoff, and tell the infirmary to prepare for incoming casualties."

"Casualties?!" Arthur spluttered. "Captain, what's happening?!"

"I don't know Arthur!" Talia almost snapped. "Prince Daniel has apparently been injured, and the Jovians seem to think the Seiran administration is out to get them."

"Captain, does that mean…" He trailed off, the unspoken meaning hanging in the air. Talia glanced around the bridge, and saw them all staring at her, the question in their eyes.

"Meyrin," she said. "Prepare for ship-wide address."

"Yes captain." Meyrin tapped a few keys, then nodded. Talia picked up the handset again, and took a moment to master herself."

"All stations, this is the captain." A brief pause, as she marshalled her words. "No doubt you have heard of the situation on the mainland. I can safely say it has taken a turn for the worse. A few moments ago we received an urgent request from the Jovian diplomatic party, asking that we evacuate them from the territory of the Orb Union." She paused a moment.

"I won't lie to you all," she said. "While the situation remains unclear, the possibility that we'll be attacked cannot be ruled out." She cleared her throat.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear," she went on. "Uncertainty is a soldier's worst enemy. I know this, just as I know that giving sanctuary to the Jovians may increase the risk to this ship. But we are already at risk, and I for one will not abandon those who've sought our help in the hope of uncertain safety." Another pause.

"This is a combat vessel of the ZAFT forces, and we are leaving this place. We will not seek battle, but neither will we allow ourselves to be restrained. If the forces of the Orb Union seek to bar our way…then it will be upon their heads." She signed off, and sighed.

"But will they?" she wondered darkly. "And will history be so considerate?"

Archangel

"What the hell where you all thinking?! That was a really dumb move! You guys should know better!"

The atmosphere on the Archangel's bridge was distinctly awkward. If those present had expected Cagalli to be overflowing with gratitude, they were in the process of being sorely disappointed. The demure, shy bride Kira had brought back a few moments ago had vanished, replaced by a vision of the apocalypse in the uniform of an ODF commander.

Cagalli stood on the bridge, shoulders squared, in the midst of a towering fury. Kira and Lacus stood before her, regarding her with sad looks. Prayer stood next to Lacus, trying not to look like a chastened schoolboy. Neumann sat at the pilot's station, head down in the hope of not drawing her attention. Murrue sat in the captain's chair, with Andrew Waltfeld at her side. Chief Murdoch stood a short distance away, hands on his hips, while Dalida Chandra watched from his own station. All four were glad to be out of the line of fire.

Fortunately for all concerned, the Archangel was safely submerged, and the Orb Defence Forces did not possess any submarines.

"Kidnapping a Head of State from her own wedding practically makes you international criminals!" Cagalli went on. "Who asked you to do something so…stupid?!"

"Miss Cagalli," Lacus began awkwardly.

"Yeah, we know," Andrew admitted. "It was a bit reckless. But…"

"But we really had no choice," Kira completed the sentence. Cagalli turned her head to face him, fixing him with a particularly imperious glare.

"These are crazy times, Cagalli," Kira continued, unabashed. "And if you insist on doing stupid things, then it's only going to get worse."

"What stupid things?!" demanded Cagalli.

"Kira…" Lacus pleaded, fearful of what was to come.

"Someone has to say it," Kira replied, putting his hand over hers. Cagalli erupted.

"What do you mean stupid things!?" she roared. "I'm Orb's Chief Representative!" She squeezed her eyes shut as months of frustration and rage boiled over within her.

"I have so many things to worry about! And think about! And I do!"

"Do you think it's a good idea to side with the Atlantic Federation?" Kira asked mildly. "And that it's really in Orb's best interests that you marry Mr Seiran?"

Cagalli recoiled, the rage vanishing from her face.

"I…well…of course I do!" she stammered, trying to regain the initiative. "Why wouldn't I want to get married now?!"

One look into their eyes told her that it hadn't worked.

"I have no choice!" she shrieked. "How can you not understand?! How can you not see what's coming?! You were there! You were all there!"

Lacus' heart ached with sympathy, and the terrible knowledge of what she had learned, and what it had driven her to.

"I did the only thing I could!" Cagalli went on. "I had to do it! I had to try and stop the war!"

She glanced desperately from one face to another. There was sympathy in their eyes, but no support. They had all made up their minds.

"Is it worth it, Cagalli?" Kira met her gaze. "Is it worth the price you were about to pay? Is all that worth your life? Your happiness?"

"How can it not be?!" Cagalli snapped back. "What's my life compared to Orb?!" Her words hung in the air.

"So it's okay so long as Orb is safe?" Kira asked. "Nothing else matters, so long as Orb doesn't burn again?" His eyes flashed with anger, and for an instant Cagalli saw the Kira she had first met three years earlier on Heliopolis.

"No of course not! It's…"

"It's what the Seirans want, Cagalli." Kira's tone was cold and harsh. "They knew what they were doing. They don't care how many countries burn, or how many people die, so long as Orb survives and they rule it."

"I…!" Cagalli faltered, looking away as her heart tore itself asunder. "I…I had…to try…!"

The anger faded from Kira's eyes. His face softened with pity as Cagalli began to cry.

"There's blame to share," he said softly. "I should have come to you sooner. I should never have turned you down. I…I left you alone, Cagalli." He reached into his pocket, and drew out the ring she had sent to him a few days earlier.

"Please forgive me, Cagalli." He held out the ring, hoping he wasn't making a terrible mistake. Cagalli's misting eyes fixed on it, staring for a few moments, until she took it in shaking hands.

"All for nothing," she whispered, her voice croaking with unfathomable sorrow. "Now there'll be war. War…without end. Athrun…"

"It's not too late," Kira said, yearning to ease her agony. "We can still set things right." Cagalli looked up, staring around the bridge, looking into all their eyes as if she had never seen them before. She looked back at Kira, saw the smile on his face, and the light in his eyes. She let out a shuddering, racking sob, and Kira put his arms around her shoulders, drawing her close.

"Let's do it together, Cagalli," he half-whispered, as she wept into his shoulder. "More importantly, let's do it our way."

After a few moments, Cagalli drew back her head to look him in the eyes. Smiling proudly, Kira stepped back.

"Chief Representative," Murrue said, straightening in her chair. "What are your orders?" Cagalli sniffed, and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"Kira's right," she said, her voice clearing as her old strength returned. "We'll stop this war ourselves. Is this ship ready to fight?"

"She's in full working order," Chief Murdoch replied with a grin. "But we've a only a skeleton crew, and no munitions or spare parts."
"I know where we can get those," Cagalli said, straightening her back. "Captain Ramius."

"My lady?"

"Set a course for the Giga Float. Best possible speed."

"Aye aye, my lady!"

Minerva

"Great, just great," Shinn Asuka snarled, glaring out of the standby lounge window. "We're stuck babysitting a bunch of Jovians! As if we didn't have enough problems!"

"Shinn, quit complaining!" Lunamaria Hawke retorted, slamming her locker shut. She was getting more than a little tired of his attitude. "It's not as if they're gonna take up much space. This doesn't cost us anything."

"They sided with Orb!" Shinn went on angrily. "They made a deal with those Seirans, and that so-called Chief Representative! And now they want out?"

"What do you suggest Shinn?!" Lunamaria put her hands on her hips. "You heard what the captain said! They've asked us to help them, and a ride isn't much all things considered!"

"Why?!" Shinn demanded, glowering. "For what reason?!"

"Oh I don't know," Lunamaria snarked. "Common humanity perhaps? The honour of ZAFT maybe?"

Shinn almost spat. He was truly sick of Orb, and had hoped to be well out in the open ocean and on the way to Carpentaria by now. That everyone else insisted on watching the so-called Chief Representative make a fool of herself in front of the entire world was annoying, but something he could tolerate so long as he didn't have to watch it himself. It meant staying out of the wardroom, but at least the shooting gallery had been quiet.

But now they would be delayed, because the captain had sent a shuttle to bring the Jovians over from Onamuji island. It was quicker than actually going over there, or waiting for the Jovians to find their own way, but it still meant going slow out of the harbour while they waited for the shuttle.

It also meant that he, Rey, and Lunamaria were on alert. The Orb forces hadn't made any overtly hostile moves for the moment, but the way things were going, there was no telling what might happen.

"Whatever!" Lunamaria snorted contemptuously. "We should go check our mobile suits. Rey's already down there." Shinn grunted in agreement. Carrying their helmets, the duo headed for the elevator.

"Listen, Shinn," Lunamaria said, as the doors closed. "I understand if you're on edge. This…was your country once."

"Save it, Lunamaria," Shinn replied coldly. "If the Orb forces attack this ship, they'll be my enemies for real. I'll do what I have to." Lunamaria glanced at him, wondering at the storm behind his eyes.

"It doesn't matter if you don't," she quipped, unable to stop herself. "I can always take the Impulse out if you're not up to it." She smiled. Shinn didn't.

"Shuttle secure!" Meyrin's voice came over the PA. "Ready hanger deck for combat launching."

"Ah," Lunamaria commented, her smile widening. "Our guests have arrived."
She thought best not to say so aloud, but she had been rather looking forward to the Jovians' arrival. It meant an opportunity to see him again, and for him to see her piloting in action.

She giggled, eliciting a snort from Shinn. It wasn't that she was all that interested in Hannon, but he was quite the delectable specimen, and she was a young woman on the make. She might as well make the most of the opportunity, especially since that hottie Athrun Zala wasn't around.

The elevator reached the hangar deck. As they strode out, Shinn and Luna caught sight of the shuttle, sitting on one of the elevator platforms normally used by the Impulse. It was already being moved, ready for the Impulse fighter module to take its place, and a gaggle of people were hurrying in their direction. The ZAFT medics were clearly identifiable in green, while the others wore a mix of civilian garb and Jovian military uniforms. Lunamaria glanced from one to the other, looking for Hannon.

Her enthusiasm faded when he saw the gurney they were clustered around.

"Clear the way! Clear the way!" barked one of the ZAFT medics, gesticulating at Shinn and Lunamaria. The two pilots darted out the way as the gurney was hustled past. Lunamaria saw Hannon, but the grim look on his face brought her no pleasure. It merely drew her eyes down to the gurney's occupant.

It was Prince Daniel, his eyes closed. His mouth and nose were covered by an oxygen mask, but she could still see the dried blood where it had gushed from his nose and eyes.

"What the..?!" But the group hurried past her without another word. Lunamaria glanced at Shinn, but her question died in her throat. Shinn was staring after the gurney. He looked horrified.

"Shinn?"

"Hatches are closed and secured ma'am!"

Talia controlled her breathing, seeking that calm centre within herself. She looked up, gazing through the bridge viewports and out over the blue water.

She wanted to leave, to get the Minerva out away from Orb as quickly as possible. But Orb was a major shipping hub, with hundreds of ships moving in and out every day. The Minerva could take a beating, but she would do neither herself, the Minerva or ZAFT any favours by ramming her way out. They would have to take this slowly.

"Helm, harbour speed. Get us out of Orb waters."

"Yes ma'am."

Talia forced herself not to stare at the helmsman's back as she felt the Minerva come about.

"Sensors," she said. "Report contacts."
"Thirty-two contacts within one hundred K," Bart Heim replied. "All show civilian transponders."

"Okay, keep an eye on them." Talia swallowed hard. She had let her nervousness get the better of her in asking the question. If she couldn't get a grip, the bridge crew would start to notice.

"The only thing worse for a crew than a nervous captain," one of her academy instructors had once quipped, "is a captain they know is nervous."

Image was everything. For a captain, getting the look right was in many respects more important than prowess in combat. Some said a captain should be a vision of perfect control, aloof yet all-knowing, everywhere and yet nowhere. Others said a captain should be on a level with the crew to some extent, watching over them like a stern but genial and considerate father.

Or mother.

Talia was a new captain. The losses taken by the ZAFT fleet at Jachin Due had raised her straight to the white coat and command of the Minerva. Dead men's shoes had to be filled, but it had denied her the opportunity to learn from other officers, from other captains. She hadn't been able to spend a few years in the blackcoat ranks, learning for herself what motivated the enlisted men and women, and how best to lead them.

She would have to figure it out for herself.

The rear hatch slid open. Turning her chair to look, Talia saw Arthur Trine come striding in. He looked as nervous as she felt.

"How are our guests?" she asked, with forced levity.

"Alive and unhurt, but for his highness," Arthur replied gravely. Talia stood up and strode towards the hatch, Arthur following close behind. She felt the eyes of the bridge crew boring into her back as she stepped through, but there was no choice. She couldn't have them overhearing.

"Report," she said, when the door had closed.

"The prince is unconscious, but alive." Arthur glanced up the corridor, as if he feared someone might be listening. "There'd been a terrible nosebleed, but the CMO insists he's in no immediate danger."

"Any idea of what happened?"

"Not much ma'am. The Jovians just said he fell down some stairs."

"And you think they're lying?"

"It's plausible ma'am, except for what CMO Pavkovic told me. He said it was as if his brain had overloaded."

"Come again?"

"He said the brain scan showed signs of a massive surge in activity, with neurotransmitter and adrenalin levels well above normal. The arteries were so overstrained that they burst in the nasal cavity and sinuses."

Talia resisted the urge to bite her thumbnail as the revelations thundered through her mind. She thought back to her time as a medical student, searching for something, anything, that might explain it.

"Who knows about this?" she demanded, her eyes narrowed.

"Just the CMO and the infirmary staff," Arthur replied. "I told them to keep it to themselves."

"Good, because until you hear from a higher authority, this matter is classified top secret. Understood?"

"Yes captain."

Captain and vice-captain strode back onto the bridge and took their seats.

"Sensors, report contacts."

"Contacts are…wait…" Talia's head snapped round as Bart paused in his report. "Multiple contacts in formation to the south-east."

"Distance and heading?"

"Distance one hundred K. Course inbound."

Talia gripped the armrests of her chair.

"Active scanners! Identity them!"

"Active scanners online!" Malik Yardbirds called out. "Identifying…one Aegis class cruiser, two Kuraokami class destroyers. It's their southern patrol group."

"Six more contacts to the north-west!" Bart barked. "Coming round Onamuji island. Fifty K and closing!"

"I have ID," Malik added coolly. "Two more cruisers, four destroyers."

Talia bit her lip. She was well past worrying how she appeared to her subordinates. But she could feel their eyes upon her.

"How long to international waters?"

"Thirty minutes ma'am."

She decided.

"Helm, increase to flank speed."

She felt the shudder through the deck plates as the Minerva accelerated. She also felt the tension rise, like walls pressing in all round her. They had not yet passed the point of no return, but it was getting very close very quickly.

"Airborne contacts north-east and north-west! Two of six!"

"Orb Murasames in low altitude attack pattern! Firing range in two minutes!"

"Captain!" Arthur pleaded, sweat glistening just under his cap band.

"Meyrin, contact the Murasames," Talia said, her voice clipped. "Ask them to state their business."

"Yes ma'am." Meyrin sounded scared, but set about her task without hesitation.

"One hundred seconds to firing range!"

"Message from ODF command, ma'am!" Meyrin called out.

"What are they saying?" Meyrin half-turned her chair, and Talia saw dread in her eyes.

"They're ordering us to switch off our scanners and return to port under escort," she said, sounding as much bewildered as afraid. "They're…accusing us of kidnapping the Jovians."

"What nonsense!" Arthur blurted out. "Captain, they can't possibly expect us to cooperate!"

"They don't" Talia growled.

"But then…?!" Arthur spluttered, his face pale.

"They're covering their butts," she went on, her brow furrowed, her shoulders hunched. "The law makes no allowances for timing."

She raised her head. Her voice was high and clear.

"Battle stations!"

Shinn's head snapped up in reflex as the klaxon began to wail.

"Upgrading to condition red!" Meyrin's voice called over the PA. "All mobile suits prepare for immediate launch! Rig for anti-aircraft and anti-mobile suit combat!"

It had come to this.

He glanced back over the hangar deck. He could see Lunamaria's red ZAKU Warrior and Rey's white ZAKU Phantom standing in their maintenance bays. Techs in green overalls were completing the final checks. He couldn't see either of his friends, meaning they were already in their cockpits, ready to go.

A part of him wished he could see them, wished he could see their eyes.

He shook his head, driving the thoughts away as Vino and Yolant came jogging over from the Core Splendour, standing on its platform in front of him.

"She's all yours Shinn!" Yolant called out as they halted before him. "Bring her back in once piece, okay?" Both saluted. Shinn forced himself to smile for their sake as he returned their salutes.

He dashed towards the blue and white fighter and vaulted into its cockpit. As the roof lowered above him, Shinn was already powering up. The HUD came alive before him, a panoply of lights and displays. Shinn's eyes flicked over them, taking in every detail.

Good to go.

He heard a metallic clunk, and felt the lift plate shift under him, moving him up towards the launch tunnel. The time had come.

"Meyrin here," said Meyrin's face on his comm screen. "Your targets are a flight of six Murasames coming at us from the north-west. They're at low altitude, and they almost certainly intend to launch missile attacks on the Minerva."

"Right," Shinn said. "I'll intercept in the Core Splendour."

"Negative," Meyrin replied. "Your orders are to intercept them in mobile suit configuration. If they fire before you reach them, shoot as many missiles as you can, but prioritize the Murasames."

Shinn suppressed a shiver of irritation at the suggestion that he couldn't take them on air-to-air. As light and manoeuvrable as the Core Splendour was, it was no match for a transforming aerial mobile suit like the Murasame, let alone a purpose-built fighter like ZAFT's Infestus or the EA's Spearhead. If he tried, he would likely just get an air-to-air missile in the face, Coordinator reflexes or no.

But in mobile suit configuration, there was at least a chance. At close range, a flight-capable mobile suit could engage targets in any direction, whereas a fighter could only attack what was directly in front of it. If he made it past their air-to-air missiles and got into firing range, the Murasames would be forced to transform and face him as mobile suits, dumping any external munitions.

Shinn had to hand it to the captain. She knew what she was doing.

"Understood. I'm good to go."

The platform clunked to a halt, the inner hatch opening in front of him to reveal the launch tunnel. The sky ahead was bright and blue, with nary a cloud.

There would be clouds soon. Smoke clouds.

"All units stand by to launch!"

Shinn willed his heart to slow as the countdown began. He flexed his fingers, before curling them lightly around the joysticks.

"Don't grip too hard. Don't react too quickly. Let it come naturally."

4…3…2…1…

"Core Splendour! Taking off!"

Shinn felt inertia slam him against his seat as the electromagnetic plates along the tunnel walls hurled the Core Splendour forward. The Minerva fell away around him, and all he could see was blue sky. Shinn counted down the seconds in his head, then thumbed the engine ignition. The thrusters blazed, and Shinn felt the Core Splendour shift smoothly under him as he banked to his right. On his HUD, the icon for the chest flyer lit up as it was launched, followed swiftly by the legs flyer, and the Force Silhouette. He would need them in a few moments.

He glanced down at the scanner screen. It was still in passive mode, but icons representing the six Murasames glowed bright. They were in a double triad formation; two in front, one above and behind. Shinn gritted his teeth. Likely the two behind would sacrifice themselves to let the other four get into firing range.

He keyed for air-to-air missiles. He had two tubes of six Ladybirds, but they had a range of only two kilometres, and it would take more than one to do any meaningful damage to a mobile suit. He keyed for a full spread, then looked up through the canopy.

There they were. Six of them, tiny dots in the near-distance, flying low as Meyrin had said. Holding the joystick steady with his right hand, Shinn reached for the sensor dial. As his fingers closed upon it, he paused. If he went to active scanning first, the Murasames' passive scanners would have an instant fix. The delay would be no more than a couple of seconds, but it could make the difference between life and death.

Reach for the prize, or let it come to him?

How long could he afford to wait?

Shinn felt a cold hand clench his heart, and ice water in his veins. He was about to kill them. He had to kill them. And yet…

For a brief, horrible moment, he couldn't do it. He despised Orb, but it was his home. He loathed Orb, yet it had nurtured him. He hated Orb, yet he had loved it.

His parents had loved it too. They had loved Orb enough to make their home there, and to bring their children into the world there.

Images of his parents, and his sister, flashed through his mind. What would they say if they could see him now? They would tell him not to do it. They would not want him to kill those people, those six pilots.

And why should he? What had they done to deserve it? It was Uzumi Nara Athha who had burned Orb for the sake of pride! Why should people like them, people like his parents, be the ones to take the blame?
A electronic screech snapped Shinn back to reality. He glanced down at his HUD, wondering if it meant what he thought it meant.

They were actively scanning. They would have a firing solution within a second or two.

They would kill him. They would attack the Minerva. They would kill his friends. They would kill the Jovians, whom only hours ago they had called friends.

He could see his friends in his mind's eye. He saw Lunamaria and Rey, Meyrin, Vino and Yolant. He saw Daniel, unconscious on the gurney, his face red with blood.

With a shout of fury, Shinn squeezed the triggers. The missiles burst forth, white contrails criss-crossing the sky as they sped towards the Murasames. Shinn keyed to transform, and felt his chest tighten as the Core Splendour curled up on itself, his seat gimballing around to stay level. It took only seconds for the chest flyer and leg flyer to catch up and take up position, but even that might be enough to doom him.

The screens came online. Shinn snarled a curse as he saw the lower Murasames, still in formation and still approaching. One of the upper two was tumbling away in a stream of black smoke, but the other was coming straight at him.

"No!" Shinn roared, bringing up the Impulse's beam rifle. He fired, sending a burst of particle beams straight at the oncoming Murasame. The orange and white machine blew apart, and Shinn spun the Impulse around as the lower four passed underneath. He almost cried out as he saw the Minerva there, wreathed in a bow wave of white foam, smoking from a direct hit.

"You can't have him!" Shinn fired the beam rifle again, downing another Murasame. He took aim on another, and saw the white contrails lancing out from under their wings.

Minerva

"Missiles inbound! Impact sixty seconds!"

"Twenty to port!" Talia barked. "Weapons free!"

She felt the Minerva come about, the manoeuvre painfully sluggish compared to what she was used to. Gravity was as unforgiving as the sea.

"Chaff firing!" yelled one of the gunners. "Guns firing!"

Talia gritted her teeth. The Minerva carried twelve 40mm rotary CIWS, each one powerful enough to shred a mobile suit and precise enough to hit a free-fall bomb. If they couldn't stop the barrage, nothing could.

"Number seven gun lockup! Rebooting!"

"Intercept failed! Incoming!"

"All hands!" Arthur roared. "Brace for impact!"

Talia gripped the armrests of her chair, her knuckles turning white. The Minerva lurched as the missiles struck.

"Damage report!"

"Two direct hits on the starboard side! The armour held!" There were sighs of relief.

"Barrage incoming! Impact ten seconds!"

"Evasive manoeuvres!"

The bridge was dark, but for the light from the duty stations. Lowered for combat, without natural light or any view except from the viewscreens, the atmosphere was dark and oppressive. Talia could not see the shells screaming in, or the plumes of white water thrown up as they landed. But she could feel the shudder and rumble as one or two struck home. She felt sick inside as she pictured the armour torn open, the bulkheads breached and twisted, the black smoke billowing into the sky, the remains…

"What's the status of the southern group?!" she demanded.

"Destroyers are down!" Malik replied. "Scanners offline. The cruiser's still active!"

Talia cursed as she pictured the Aegis class cruiser, its distinctive tumblehome hull cutting through the water like a blade, leaking smoke from the hit she was certain they had scored in the last missile attack. She wondered what was driving its captain, its crew, to keep on fighting after taking such a blow.

"Leave, damn you!" she thought, staring at the cruiser's icon on the tactical monitor. "Disengage! Don't make me finish you off!"

"Status of the northern group?!"

"Continuing on current course! Scanners active!"

"Tristans and Isoulde," target the northern group!" Arthur ordered. "Gunners fire as you bear!"

"Southern cruiser is launching! Missiles inbound!"

"So," Talia thought. "You choose death."

"All Parsifals!" Arthur roared. "Return fire!" The ship shuddered as the anti-ship missiles leapt from their tubes, soaring away over the waters on white contrails. Talia watched as the missiles disappeared over the horizon, knowing how their journey would end. Her eyes switched to the tactical monitor, the eight icons racing across the screen towards the cruiser icon, closer and closer, inexorable.

"Thermal spike!" Bart called. "We got'em!"

"Northern group firing!" Malik interjected. "ASROC barrage!"

The Orb warships to the north were too close to use their heavy ship-killers. ASROC was normally used against submarines, but here it would work just as well.

"Maximum speed!" Talia yelled. She felt the Minerva accelerate, but knew with a sinking feeling that it wouldn't be enough as the ASROC fell from the sky like rain. The Minerva shuddered and shook as they landed, the near-misses wreathing the ship in white spray.

"Damage report!"

"Main sensors are down! Guns two, three, five, eight, and nine offline! Multiple hull breaches topside! Fire control teams to deck two aft!"

Talia fought to master herself as her heart clenched.

"Isoulde!" Arthur barked. "Return fire!" The Minerva bucked as the three-barrelled M10 Isoulde opened up, sending a trio of shells back towards the Orb warships. Talia wished she could add the firepower of the two twin-barrelled Tristan beam cannons, but by their nature they could only fire what they could see, at least on Earth. The Orb warships had not yet come over the horizon, and under the circumstances had no reason to.

"Meyrin!" She turned to the CIC station. "What's Shinn's status?!"

"He's holding ma'am, but he's got about five minutes of power left!"

"Northern group launching!" Malik barked. "Six Murasames! They're heading for the Impulse!"

Talia almost cried out in protest.

"How are Lunamaria and Rey?!"

"No contacts in their zone!" Meyrin replied.

"Tell them to get over to the Impulse!" Talia roared. "Shinn needs help!"

Shinn levelled the beam rifle, picking one of the three mobile suits as they transformed. One vanished in a flash of light, but the other two had finished transforming. Shinn slammed down the pedals, dodging their return fire.

"I'll protect them!" He fired again, blowing another apart as it finished transforming. Its comrade leapt at him, thrusters blazing, pulling a beam saber from its hip. Shinn dived, drawing his own saber from the Impulse's back. The Murasame swung at the Impulse's waist, seeking to cut it in half. Shinn boosted straight up, kicking Impulse's legs back to somersault over the blade. He sliced as he passed overhead, his saber cutting into the Murasame's back. Shinn dropped away as the Murasame exploded.

"Minerva! I got them! What's your stat?!"

"We're holding our own for now!" Meyrin looked harassed. "Luna and Rey have dealt with theirs!"

"Meyrin, ready the Sword Silhouette!" Shinn barked. "I'll take out those ships coming round the island!"

"Shinn you can't!" Meyrin cried. "There's more Murasames coming at you! Six from below!"

"Just get it ready! I'll deal with them!"

The Impulse's sensors pinged with new contacts, as if on cue. Shinn snarled as the HUD beeped, warning of weapons locks. He threw the Impulse into a roll as two of them fired their missiles. The missiles shot past, and Shinn brought the Impulse up and around. He saw three of the Murasames levelling off in mobile suit mode, levelling their beam rifles at him. Shinn accelerated towards them, barely avoiding the hissing, searing particle beams as they flashed past. The trio split apart as he approached, but Shinn was already reacting, breaking off to follow the one heading down and left. The Murasame fired frantically, but Shinn would not relent. He shot past, his momentum carrying his blade clean through the Murasame's waist.

One down, but five remained. Shinn spun the Impulse to face them, barely evading the fusillade of particle beams. Three of them had formed another triad in front of him, the other two flying away above and below.

Shinn felt himself beginning to panic. He had seen manoeuvres like it before, back at Junius Seven. They were trying to outflank him, to box him in with bracketing fire and wear him down.

It was working.

Shinn fired his beam rifle, the shot slicing through a Murasame's wing and sending it tumbling out of the fight. He fired, missed, fired again, missed again, and warning buzzers screamed as a shot severed the Impulse's right leg. Shinn cried out as he lost control, the Impulse tumbling end over end. He tried to stabilize, but without the right leg's vernier thrusters it was that much harder. The Impulse shook as more beams hit, the buzzers squawking louder and louder.

He was going to die.

They had beaten him. They had maimed his mobile suit. He was falling.

He was going to die.

This was what he had lived for. This was what he had survived for. All his life, all his effort, all his pain, led to this.

The sound of the buzzers faded into silence. Time seemed to slow down. His entire body had frozen solid, cold and numb but for the pounding of his heart. His consciousness shrank, as if fleeing from the fate that awaited it.

Then it exploded.

Shinn was moving. The Impulse responded as if it were his own body. He came about, bringing up his beam rifle as the Murasames dived on what they thought was a mortally wounded enemy. He fired, blowing one, then another, and another of the Murasames apart. The two survivors broke left and right, but Shinn was already moving, banking left as he had done before.

But this time was different. He wasn't trying to predict the enemy. He had known he would go that way. He had felt it. Just as he could feel the Murasame trying to turn, drawing its beam saber. The Murasame came at him, but its movements were sluggish, as if moving in slow motion. Shinn jinked past its stroke, the glowing saber hissing through empty air, and cut the Murasame in half.

Rey was awestruck.

He had known for some time that Shinn Asuka was a capable pilot. He had seen something in his old classmate that others had not, a…potential that defied easy explanation. He had told Chairman Durandal, and the Chairman had agreed with him, going so far as to ensure that Shinn was chosen as the test pilot of the Impulse. It was, they had both reasoned, an opportunity to see just what that taciturn, bad-tempered young man was capable of.

It was paying off, and how.

"Did you see that?!" Lunamaria gasped over the comm. "He's tearing them a new one!"

Rey could see. He could see the maimed Impulse tearing its way through the Murasames, making Orb's elite mobile suit corps look like a pack of blithering incompetents. He could see the wreckage tumbling away, wreathed in smoke and flame.

Lunamaria could not see what he saw, or feel what he felt. She could not sense Shinn as he did, blazing in the distance like a newborn star. She did not know, and could never know, what Shinn truly was.

But he knew.

"Lunamaria, how's your battery?"

"Another ten minutes maybe," Lunamaria replied. "We should finish this up fast!"

Rey glanced sideways at the red ZAKU Warrior, holding position alongside his ZAKU Phantom. The shield covering the red ZAKU's left pauldron had been shot away, and the armour was scored and blackened in places, but there seemed no immediate danger.

"Agreed," he said, and keyed for the Impulse. "Shinn, are you all right?"

There was no reply. The Impulse did not even acknowledge his message.

"Shinn!" he repeated, almost shouting. "Shinn! Respond!"

As the last Murasame fell away, the Impulse turned, facing the line of Orb warships rounding a promontory a few kilometres away. Rey could see flashes and puffs of smoke as the ships fired off their deck guns, tormenting the Minerva with a hail of gunfire.

"Shinn!" he yelled, his heart skipping a beat as he realised his friend's intent. "Wait! You can't…!"

The proximity alarm beeped insistently, and Rey had to pull hard on the joystick to avoid the Sword Silhouette. The drone flashed past, followed an instant later by the spare leg flyer, both banking to rendezvous with the damaged Impulse.

"Shinn!" he pleaded, as the Impulse transformed. "Shinn! Answer me!"

The newly-transformed Impulse dived towards the ships, red armour gleaming in the sunlight. Rey stared in horrified disbelief, tinged with despair at the knowledge that no word of his would make a difference.

It could not be. Even the Impulse couldn't take on six high-tech, fully upgraded warships. Did Shinn not know?

Or did he not care?

But through his despair, Rey could still feel Shinn's presence as it blazed towards the ships. Something about it, something he couldn't put into words, made him believe that he could do it.

"Lunamaria?"

"Right!" she replied. Her face on his comm screen was set, her eyes bright. "If Shinn wants to die that badly, he's not going alone."

Rey did not reply. There was nothing more to be said.

He pressed his feet down on the pedals, and thumbed the joystick control. The Blaze Wizard pack's thrusters ignited, the verniers aiming him down towards the ships. Beside him Lunamaria did likewise, banking away to flank Shinn on the other side. Rey ignored the scanner warning buzzer, keying calmly to reload his beam rifle. The danger from the ship's defences mattered not, for so long as he and Lunamaria were there, Shinn's chances of survival were increased by two thirds.

It was worth it.

The buzzing became an electronic screech as a cluster of white contrails reached up from the deck of the nearest warship, an Orb Kuraokami class destroyer. Rey keyed for the autocannons housed in his ZAKU's forehead, setting them to automatic. The guns chattered, lines of tracer reaching down to spear the rising missiles. Some exploded, but others continued, accelerating as they ascended towards him. Rey fired his beam rifle, finishing off the spread.

The warship's guns opened up, filling the sky around him with tracer. Rey jinked wildly, but could feel the bullets tearing at his mobile suit's armour. He strained his eyes for any sight of the guns, knowing that if he didn't take them out soon he would be shredded. He spotted one and fired, the emerald beam blowing the turret apart. Thinking fast, Rey drew a bead on its counterpart to the front, destroying it with a quick burst. The gunfire slackened, then faded to nothing as Rey manoeuvred his ZAKU around the destroyer's superstructure.

A thermal spike on the sensor screen, followed an instant later by a gust of hot wind, drew his attention to his right. There lay one of the Aegis class cruisers, smoke billowing from its wrecked forward gun turret. The Impulse stood on the burning deck, twin Excalibur swords glowing in its hands. Rey watched as Shinn drew one of the blades across the cruiser's bridge, then leapt for the sky as flames blossomed from the shattered viewports. The Impulse drew its beam rifle, firing straight down into the vertical launchers. The cruiser exploded with a thunderclap, clouds of grey and black billowing out around it.

Rey looked back at the destroyer, staring straight into the bridge. He could just make out the figures behind the viewports, their faces staring back at him.

He fired, blasting off as the bridge exploded in a fireball. Gaining altitude, he saw Lunamaria blasting away from a burning hulk that had been the rearmost destroyer. An instant later there was another explosion as the second cruiser went the way of the first. That left two destroyers, both of them on the seaward side of the formation and moving away as fast as they could. Already Shinn was pursuing one of them.

"Lunamaria" Rey said. "Let's finish this."

"Right!"

Onamuji Island

The Minerva continued on its way, a trail of destruction behind it.

Rondo Mina Sahaku stood on the coast, watching the ZAFT warship take its leave. A pall of smoke hung around the distant promontory, marking the graves of those who had sought to bar her way.

"So, Reverend," Rondo Mina commented to her silent companion. "You think we did the right thing?"

"There's no simple answer to that," Reverend Malchio replied. Rondo Mina was sure he was blind, yet he seemed to have his sightless gaze fixed firmly on the shrinking outline of the Minerva.

"I suppose if things really were that simple," she mused, "the last war would have taken place long ago."

"You may be right."

They stood in silence for a while, watching until the Minerva had vanished over the horizon.

"As I see it, we'll just have to trust in them," Rondo Mina said wistfully. "In them, and that we did the right thing."

"We could," replied the priest. "But my money's on Prayer Reverie."

"You're fond of that boy, aren't you," Rondo Mina commented with a vulpine smile.

"I am," Malchio admitted. "He represents a considerable investment."

"Investment?" Rondo Mina chuckled in spite of herself. "I never took you for a businessman."

"An investment of resources," Malchio retorted, a hard edge in his tone. "An investment of faith." His voice softened. "And of love."

Rondo Mina decided to press no further. There was an…understanding between the two of them, albeit not a conventional one. It was based on tolerance rather than trust, which sometimes meant leaving questions unasked, and answers unsaid.

"Well then, Reverend," she said, more cheerfully. "Shall we see to our Martian friends?"

"As you wish, Lady Sahaku."

Another chapter done at long last. I was thinking of making the chapters shorter, but I wanted to get things caught up, so this one kind of dragged.

The main point to cover here will be Daniel's 'power'. It falls broadly into the 'Newtype' category, and is similar to that displayed by the various La Flagas (Mu la Flaga, Rau le Creuset, Prayer Reverie, Rey za Burrell, etc). I know I'm skirting Gary Stu territory by giving him this power, but I've tried to balance it out by making it not entirely under his control and not entirely helpful. It manifests primarily as empathy, meaning he has a tendency to pick up on other people's emotions, often whether he wants to or not. Him psy-blasting Yuna was inspired by the scene in ZZ when Judau attacks Haman, but with more extreme results. I don't know if the bleeding from nose and eyes makes any sense medically (beyond that blood vessels bursting inside his brain would probably have killed him), but I thought it useful as a narrative device. The wider significance of all this will be revealed later.

As a minor point, I ran Daniel through 's Mary Sue litmus test. He scored 15, so I feel justified with him.

EDIT - I forgot that the Force Silhouette doesn't have the beam boomerangs, so I wrote those out. Thanks to Wing Zero Alpha for pointing it out, and apologies for the error.