Gundam SEED Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Hell Knows No Fury Like A Woman Scorned ❯ The Shadows of War ( Chapter 17 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

SailorStar9: A new chapter up and no review. You guys don't love me anymore. (Pouts). Anyway, this is Chapter 17. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Don't own, don't sue or I'll sink a SEED mode Kira after you. And no flames. Flames will extinguished by a fire extinguisher.

Chapter 17: The Shadows of War

“The Tannhauser has been hit! The FCS is down!” one of the Minerva's officers reported.

“Hurry and extinguish the fire. Restart the FCS.” Talia instructed. “Damage control squad, stand by. We're landing on water. All hands prepare for impact.”

“Kira?” Athrun gasped as the Archangel pulled in behind the Freedom.

Stepping a few steps forward, Merci, with her Staff in hand, announced, “I am Princess Merci Peacecraft of Sanc.”

Shocked gasps were heard all around.

“Merci?” Athrun blinked.

“Former forces of ORB, cease your combat operations immediately!” Merci continued. “Pull back your forces!”

Flashback to the Archangel's transmission some time back...

“The former forces of ORB are... sending their forces to Suez? But that's...” Merci gasped in horror. “Jona... and the rest... what are they thinking?”

“But it can't be helped.” Andy told her. “That's what it means to form an alliance.”

“And the Sarans are doing this to bring both you and Sanc down.” Kira added.

“Kira...” Lacus blinked.

“Did you not expect something like this to happen?” Kira asked.

Merci sighed and nodded.

“Don't be so harsh on her.” Murrue chided.

“But... things are different now, aren't they?” Lacus pointed out. “I believe that you can now see things that you weren't able to see before, Princess.”

“Lacus...” Merci blinked.

“But what will we do about this situation?” Andy asked. “Now that the former ORB forces have joined with the Earth Alliance, a lot of things will change again in the balance of power.”

“Yes, that's true.” Murrue agreed.

“And in the future...” Andy added.

“I'm going over!” Merci responded determinedly.

“Merci...” Kira blinked.

“Although this might be a foolish attempt at this point in time, I would like to stop this battle if possible.” Merci replied. “The former factions of ORB..., if they still hold true to ORB's beliefs, then they must not participate in a battle like this!”

“No, not just the former forces of ORB. No other country, and no one else.” Merci added. “We mustn't exist in a world like this, where all we do is fight. The peace we've all been hoping for will never come at this rate!”

“That's why,” she smiled at the crew of the Archangel, “I have to go. The former factions of ORB must try to at least turn around from the wrong path they've taken.”

End of Flashback

“Although ORB has been dissolved,” Merci continued, “It doesn't change that fact that ORB was the original Sanc and I, Princess Merci Peacecraft, the great-granddaughter of King Peacecraft, is the current sovereign of Sanc. In the name of the Peacecrafts, I order all of you! The former ORB military must pull away from this battle, which goes against Sanc's ideals.”

“Merci...!” Athrun gasped.

Back on the Takemikazuchi...

“Yuna Roma Saran.” Neo called. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Uh... ah... well, this is...” Yuna stammered.

“Who is that? Neo demanded. “Is she really the Peacecraft Princess? If she is why is she showing up now and telling your forces to pull back? If I can't have your prompt reply, things might become rather messy with our treaty.”

“This is... well, I mean..., this is...” Yuna stuttered.

“Damnit!” he cursed, recalling how his family was forced out of Sanc.

“I don't know anyone like that!” he replied hotly. Both Todaka and Amagi gasped in horror.

Smiling at Yuna's reply, Neo gave his assent to his three pilots to launch.

“Yuna-sama, what are you saying?” Todaka asked.

“That is really Princess Peacecraft.” Amagi agreed. “And that Staff belongs to Chione-sama.”

“So, how does that prove that it is really Princess Peacecraft? We don't know that!” Yuna protested.

“But that voice is...” Todaka pointed out.

“She's a fake!” Yuna insisted. “I can tell!”

“Yuna-sama...!” Todaka gasped.

“If not, she's being manipulated.” Yuna added.

Back on the Minerva...

“Captain...” Arthur turned to Talia.

Back on the Takemikazuchi...

“Yuna-sama.” Todaka pressed.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and fire, you fools!” Yuna ordered. “We're shooting down that cursed ship. Prepare to fire a volley!”

“You're such a...” Todaka hissed.

“If not, we'll be attacked by the Earth Alliance!” Yuna reminded him. “I came all this way for the sake of restoring ORB. There's no way we can just say, 'Oh, okay' and quit.”

Back on the Minerva...

“Captain... um...” Arthur was waiting for her instructions.

“Just hold on for a bit.” Talia told him. “We're the ones at the biggest disadvantage right now. Honestly, just what in the world is going on? There's no way the remaining factions of ORB will just back off now.”

“Captain, if I catch any movements on their side, I'll be launching.” Heine informed her. “Are you alright with that?”

“Yes please.” Talia replied.

Back on the Takemikazuchi...

“Target the Freedom with missiles.” Todaka instructed.

“Colonel Todaka!” Amagi protested.

“We will take out the rough force that is attempting to confuse us.” Todaka replied.

“Hurry and fire!” Yuna ordered.

I'm counting on you, Freedom. Todaka thought.

“Fire!” he ordered.

The battleships of the former ORB military fired their missiles at the Freedom. Everyone else gasped at the decision.

Kira quickly lifted his shield to protect the two females while firing his laser beams which destroyed the incoming missiles.

“ORB forces, what are you doing? I am...!” Merci cried out.

Back on the John Paul Jones, the side hatches opened as the mobile suits were launched. The Abyss then took to the water.

“Alright, the confusion is advantageous to us, despite the confusion brought on by the peculiar intrusion.” Neo instructed. “The Minerva is damaged. We'll finally sink it today.”

“I've been waiting. It's about time.” Auel replied.

Back on the Minerva...

“Arthur, countermeasures.” Talia instructed.

“Yes madam!” Arthur replied.

“Meyrin, please launch all your mobile suits.” Talia added.

“Yes madam!” Meyrin replied.

With a battle cry, Sting flew towards the battered Minerva.

“Go!” Auel cried out underwater, piloting the Abyss to his target.

“I won't let you dammit!” Shinn retorted as he flew towards to the Minerva.

“Damn!” Athrun cursed as he dodged another attack.

“Heine Westenfluss, Gouf. Here I go!” Heine launched in his mobile suit.

“Lunamaria Hawke, Zaku. Heading out!” Lunamaria followed.

“Rey Za Burrel, Zaku. Launching.” Rey completed the launch.

Both Lunamaria and Rey then positioned themselves on the deck to fend off any attackers.

Back on the Takemikazuchi...

“What are you doing?” Yuna demanded. “Hurry up and have our forces attack too! Order our mobile suits, quickly!”

“Uh, no...” Todaka protested. “But...!”

“Fire at the Minerva! At this rate, they'll gripe at us again! We're now part of the Earth Alliance!” Yuna ordered. “And that ship! The Archangel!”

“What!?” Todaka gasped.

“That ship is the primary cause of the confusion plaguing ORB in the first place.” Yuna reasoned. “Always, each and every single time...! That's why we have to shoot it down and show off to that masked man a little.”

Stella let out a way cry as she fired at the flight mode Savior and Athrun skillfully dodging her attacks.

Sting clashed with Shinn in the sky. Then, Auel rose from the water, the Abyss changed into its battle mode.

“I'll kill you today, you bastard!” the pilot of Abyss swore as he fired his lasers.

“Damn!” Shinn cursed as he dodged Auel's attack.

“All ORB mobile suits should join the Earth Alliance in engaging the Minerva.” Todaka instructed. “That is not Princess Peacecraft. That is not Princess Peacecraft.”

“That's not the Princess?” one of the ORB's pilots echoed.

“Is it a fake?” another wondered.

“Rey!” Lunamaria turned as the ORB's mobile suits flew towards the Minerva.

“Damn!” Heine frowned, whipping out his heat rod and joining the battle.

“ORB forces! Can't you hear my words? Can't you understand me?” Merci cried out in desperation. “ORB forces, stop fighting!”

Kira quickly lifted his shield to protect the two females as another ORB mobile suit fired at them.

“Merci, it's no use anymore.” Kira told her. “It's unfortunate, but it seems it's hopeless now.”

“Kira...” Merci gasped.

“I'll do what I can now.” he told her.

“Kira...” Merci replied, tears in her eyes. At his words, she sank to her knees and wept as the battle raged on.

"Archangel," Kira opened his com link. “Take care of Merci and Lady Kakyuu.”

“Understood.” Murrue replied and opened the main hatch.

After depositing the two females on the Archangel, Kira went back to the battlefield.

“There!” Auel called out as he and Stella concentrated their firepower on the Minerva.

“Missiles incoming from 10 o'clock. Count: Eight.” the radar officer reported.

“Evasive maneuvers, 10 degrees to port!” Talia ordered. The side guns fired at the incoming missile, managing to destroy some of them. However, a couple managed to hit the ship.

“Tristan, fire!” Arthur ordered.

“Have the Kuramitsuha and the Iwasako move forward.” Yuna instructed. “We'll corner those two vessels at once.”

“Evasive maneuvers, pitch 15 degrees, descend!” Murrue instructed as an ORB mobile suit fired tis missiles at them.

Kira blocked most of the missiles before going into 'SEED' mode. Instantly, he fired his lasers at the mobile suits, disarming them, just as Merci ran into the bridge of the Archangel. The Peacecraft Princess could only watch on in horror.

“Waldfred-san, please look after Merci and the Archangel.” Kira requested, pulling out his laser sword as he flew into battle.

“Roger that.” Andy replied, taking off his headpiece.

“But I'm not as skilled as Kira. Please back me up, Captain Ramius.” he requested.

“Roger.” Murrue replied.

“After the Murasame launches, we will approach the Minerva.” she instructed. “Please hold of the ORB and Earth Alliance forces.”

“Yes madam.” Arnold replied.

Back on the battlefield, Stella watched onshore as the battle raged on. In the sky, Heine whipped a Windam with his heat rod, destroying it.

Outraged, Stella fired her laser beams at him, which Heine dodged quite easily.

“Damn, why you...!” he cursed. Turning around, he then whipped the Gaia Gundam, destroying her lasers. Stella screamed in pain and jumped back, morphing into Gaia's battle mode in the process.

“This unit is different... it's different from a Zaku.” he told her. Not giving her anytime to retaliate, Heine quickly used his heat rod, destroying Stella's beam rifle.

“You...!” Stella screamed, whipping out her laser sword and charging at Heine who blocked her attack with his shield.

Back in the sky, Shinn was firing at the Abyss which had dived back into the water.

“Damn you...” Auel hissed. Turning his beam rifles up, he fired at the Impulse.

Meanwhile, Athrun and Sting were locked on combat.

“Damn! Am I losing to him in my combat capabilities?” Sting wondered as Athrun dodged his attack.

“Path clear! Commander Waldfred, the Murasame has a go for launch.” the mechanical voice declared.

“Andrew Waldfred, launching in the Murasame.” Andy announced.

On the bridge of the Archangel, Merci could only look on, helplessly as the battle raged on.

“Mobile suits to the Minerva's starboard. Count Four.” Ramel reported.

“Can you aim between them?” Murrue asked.

“I can do it!” Ramel replied.

“Please don't hit the mobile suits.” Murrue added. “Gottfried Number Two, fire!”

“Captain, that ship is...!” Arthur gasped as the Archangel's lasers deflected the mobile suits away.

“What are they thinking, after destroying our bow gun to start things out with?” Talia wondered. “Could it really be that they're seriously fighting to prevent this battle?”

“Kira...!” Athrun gasped as his best friend destroyed yet another mobile suit.

Switching on his com link, he called out, “Kira!”

“Damn!” he cursed when he received no response.

“Just who is that?” Shinn wondered. But before he knew anything, the Freedom had already disarmed the Impulse. Then, using two of his laser beams, Kira destroyed the Abyss' motors.

“What is he...?” Heine was shocked.

“What is this?” Neo wondered.

“We will stop the movement of the Kuraumikari class to our port and aft.” Murrue instructed. “Valiant, fire!”

Firing the Valiants between the two carriers, the Archangel managed to prevent the two battleships' movements.

“What are they thinking? Just whose side are they on?” Yuna demanded.

“Damn, you can't be serious.” Heine cursed.

“Who the hell are you?” Stella demanded as she leapt at the Freedom. Kira knocked the Gaia away, but not before removing her wings.

“Kira, stop! Why are you doing something like this?” Athrun questioned.

“Coming out of nowhere like that... don't you get cocky on me, you bastard!” Heine hissed as he fired at the Freedom who simply dodged his attack, cutting off the Gouf's right arm.

“What?” Heine was shocked.

“How dare you... how dare you do that to me!” Stella screamed in rage. Powering up her motor blasters, and revealing her beam sabers, she charged at the Freedom.

“Get out of the way!” she yelled as Heine's Gouf entered into her attack range. Before Heine knew what happened, the Gaia's beam sabers sliced through his Gouf right at the waist, killing the pilot instantly.

“Heine!” Athrun screamed in horror.

Stella continued her attack but was knocked back by Kira.

Seeing that their forces were utterly defeated, the former ORB forces fired a retreat signal.

“Damn.” Sting cursed as he withdrew.

Seeing the battle was over, Kira headed back to the Archangel.

“Heine...” Athrun muttered, looking at where his comrade had fallen.

“Kira...!” he hissed, turning to the direction his friend had gone.

SailorStar9: Okay, this chapter is short, I admit it. But I suck at battle scenes!