Gundam SEED Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Hell Knows No Fury Like A Woman Scorned ❯ The Promise ( Chapter 20 )

SailorStar9: A new chapter up and no review. You guys don't love me anymore. (Wails). Anyway, this is Chapter 20. 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 20: The Promise

“Stella… why are you…!” Shinn whispered, cradling the unconscious Extended.

Stella then let out a series of coughs.

“Shinn!” Athrun called out as he landed his mobile suit.

“Dying is bad… it's scary… need to protect…” Stella mumbled.

At her mumbles, Shinn carried the unconscious girl and ran back to his mobile suit.

“Shinn!” Athrun rebuked. “Hey, Shinn, what are you doing?”

Ignoring him, Shinn took off.

“What's wrong, Athrun?” Talia inquired over the intercom. “What's Shinn doing?”

“I don't know.” Athrun replied. “But he's heading towards the Minerva with the injured enemy pilot.”

“What did you say?” Talia exclaimed.

“What? What is he thinking?” Arthur demanded.

“The Impulse is returning?” Yolant inquired in confusion.

“What is it all of a sudden?” Vino inquired.

“I don't know, but…” Yolant replied.

“What is this about Shinn?” he asked the pilot once the Impulse docked.

“Shut up! Get out of my way!” Shinn rebuked as he rushed Stella to the infirmary.

“Either way, I'm returning to the ship.” Talia told her vice-captain. “Please have Rey retrieve the Gaia.”

“Yes madam!” Arthur replied.

“No… I don't want to die…” Stella was mumbling as she lay in Shinn's arms.

“Please get out of my way!” the pilot of the Impulse requested as he elbowed two officers aside as the lift door slid open.

“Hey, what's going on?” one of them demanded.

“Protect…” Stella was still mumbling.

“Doctor, please take a look at this girl right away!” Shinn requested as he burst into the infirmary.

“What is this all of a sudden?” the doctor inquired as the Savoir docked.

“That uniform… she's an Earth Alliance soldier!” the nurse beside him gasped.

“But she's injured.” Shinn protested as he laid Stella on the bed. “So, please…”

“I'm scared… I need to protect…” Stella continued mumbling.

“But I can't treat an enemy soldier without the Captain's permission.” The doctor replied. “And I haven't received any notifications.”

“I'll go get permission right away, so hurry!” Shinn retorted.

“Dying is…” Stella was still muttering.

“What are we to do if she dies on us?” Shinn shouted.

At the mention of her block word, Stella muttered, “Dying is bad…”

With a war cry, she leapt at Shinn before jumping onto the doctor and nurse.

Stop it, Stella!” Shinn tried to stop her assault just as Talia was arriving at the infirmary. At her gesture, the armed soldiers rushed in.

“Stella!” Shinn gasped as he ran to break her hold on the nurse's neck.

“Hold on.” Talia instructed as she watched. Just then, Athrun entered the scene.

“Shinn!” he called out.

“I'm sorry Stella. It's my fault.” Shinn apologized as he held onto the struggling girl. “It's alright now, so please calm down.”

“No!” Stella screamed before she slackened in his arms.

“Just who gave you permission to transport an enemy soldier onto the vessel?” Talia rebuked. “What you did violates military law, Section 4, Clause 2. And it infringes upon Section 11, Clause 6! It is an incredibly foolish and serious violation. What would you have done if there were casualties on this vessel?”

“I apologize…” Shinn mumbled.

“Although I hear you that know this girl… Stella?” Talia added. “Just when and where did you meet her?”

“I saved her when she was about to drown at sea in Sanc.” Shinn replied. “I didn't understand it… but back then, I thought she was another victim of war.”

“But she the pilot of the Gaia.” Talia pointed out. “She was piloting it after all. You understand, don't you? And she might be…”

Just then, the intercom rang.

“What is it?” Talia asked.

“Captain, may I ask you to make your way to the infirmary?” the doctor requested.

“Okay.” Talia replied.

Back in the infirmary, Stella was placed through a full body scan. The medical staff gasped in surprise as the scan revealed the results.

“So I hear the Earth Alliance pilot is a girl?” Yolant asked.

“I went through a lot of crap thanks to her.” The nurse from before complained.

“But why would Shinn do something like that?” Meyrin was puzzled.

Athrun got off his leaning position as Talia and Shinn walked out. Around the corner, Lunamaria paused in her step.

In the infirmary, both Talia and Shinn found Stella strapped down to a gurney.

“Why are you treating her like this?” Shinn demanded. “She's injured. I mean, she did get a little too excited back there, but…”

“That's not the issue.” The doctor replied. “It seems that this girl is an Extended.”

“Just as I thought…” Talia muttered.

“I've put her to sleep with medication for now.” The doctor added. “But to be honest, I don't know how long that'll last. Even after performing a routine checkup on her before we treated her, we discovered a series of shocking parameters. First off, the levels of various elements in her body are simply abnormal. And in addition, numerous compounds that shouldn't exist in a human body have been detected in her.”

“So, she's been artificially made this way?” Talia asked as she scanned through Stella's medical report. “With drugs?”

“Most likely.” The doctor replied. “Although we don't know the details until we can get her to a more specialized facility. But from just browsing through them, I can see similarities between what we had obtained from that laboratory.”

“I see…” Talia noted.

“Although she also has some serious injuries from the battle, with the situation being what it is, I have no idea how her body will react to various treatments.” The doctor admitted. “And most of all…”

He trailed off as Stella woke up.

“Stella!” Shinn was immediately at her side.

“Who are you?” Stella asked.

“What is this place?” she screamed.

“Step back.” The doctor instructed as Stella struggled against her restrains.

“Stella…” Shinn gasped as the Extended panicked when she realized she was on a ZAFT ship and began to thrash underneath her straps, as well as digging her nails into her hands until they bleed.

“Stella! It's alright now. Stella. It's alright. I'm here for you. Calm down. You can tell right? It's me, Shinn.” Shinn quickly hugged her, consoling the panicking Extended.

“I don't know… I don't know you!” Stella hissed.

“Neo!” She wailed.

“Stella…” Shinn gasped as he backed off.

“She also has an odd brain pattern.” The doctor added as he took out a sedative.

“There's a good chance that her consciousness and her memories are also being manipulated. It's no use. Give it up.” He advised as he injected the sedative into Stella's thigh.

“I don't like… this place.” Stella mumbled before she passed out.

“Her memories?” Shinn echoed.

“Neo…” Stella whimpered.

“That can't be!” Shinn gasped as he backed away.

Aboard the John Paul Jones…

“The issue with the lab at Ladonia aside, we are to declare Stella Loussier has been lost.” An officer remarked.

“It was careless of me.” Neo admitted as Sting and Auel underwent their memory-erasing procedure.

“No Captain.” The officer replied. “You've handled them very well, and that fact has even been recognized by Lord Djibril.”

“Yeah, enough of that talk.” Neo waved his praise aside. “Lost… huh? Well, I guess that's what the military would call it.”

“Yes…” the officer agreed.

“Well, whatever. I understand.” Neo added.

“I'm sorry, but can you remove stellar from their memories?” He turned to the technician.

“What? We're erasing her?” the technician inquired. “That's going to be quite a task.”

“I know, but I must ask you to do it.” Neo replied.

“I understand.” The technician answered. “We'll start right away.”

“Alright, the Minerva is launching.” Arthur declared. “After lifting off, we will head to Port Talqius.”

Talia was in her office, going through the reports she had gathered on the `Extended'.

Athrun was sitting on the edge of his bed, thinking back to the conversation he had with Kira and Merci.

“Damnit.” He hissed.

Lunamaria was going through the photographs she had taken earlier.

The nurse was still running scans on Stella when Shinn came in.

“Neo…” the unconscious Extended mumbled.

“She doesn't remember anything?” Shinn asked, looking at the canister in his hand that contained the half seashell Stella had given him previously.

“How could you be Gaia's pilot?” he asked, kneeling beside her. “How could you have been in a laboratory like that?”

Just then, Stella awoke.

“Shinn?” she gasped. “Shinn…”

“Stella…” Shinn blinked.

“You came to see me, Shinn.” Stella muttered.

“Yeah I did, Stella.” Shinn smiled. “You can tell who I am?”

Stella nodded, “Shinn…”

Back on the Archangel, Kira was looking out to the sea.

The door slid open behind him.

“Kira.” Lacus called out.

“Lacus.” Kira turned to face the pink-haired girl.

“So, you were here.” Lacus remarked as she walked forward.

“Yeah.” Kira replied.

“Haro, Haro, what the heck?” Lacus' Haro chirped.

“Isn't it beautiful?” Lacus asked as she leaned her head on Kira's shoulder. “The Earth is mysterious.”

“Yes it is.” Kira agreed. “Merci has a huge burden on her shoulders guarding this land.”

“Thank you! Thank you!” Lacus' Haro quipped as it bounced up and down.

“Were you thinking of Athrun?” Lacus asked.

“Because I can understand what he said, I'm not sure what the truth is anymore.” Kira admitted.

“That's true…” Lacus agreed.

“If PLANT is just as Athrun said it was, we…” Kira voiced out.

“I don't want to admit it!” Lacus' Haro chirped.

“And that's the problem with Sanc too… but then what is the best thing for us to do?” Kira asked.

“We don't know, do we?” Lacus answered.

“What the heck?” Lacus' Haro chirped.

“Which is why I'll go take a look.” Lacus replied.

“Huh?” Kira blinked.

“I'll go see what's going on in PLANT.” Lacus clarified.

At Kira's horrified look, she added, “We need clues to help us find our way.”

“You can't do that! You can't go to PLANT!” Kira objected.

“I'll be fine, Kira.” Lacus assured him as a trail of glittering snow dust; Chione's Cosmo, flowed past them. “I'm alright now as well.”

Opening her hand to let Chione's Cosmo brush past her palm, she added, “Kira, can't you feel your sister's gentle Cosmo; her benevolent love for the humans living on Earth? She's fighting hard also, to end this war.”

“Lacus…” Kira muttered.

“It's time for me to go.” Lacus told him. “Please let me go, Kira.”

On the news, the newscaster announced, “Lacus Clyne's image tour, which has been going on at various ZAFT bases around the world since last month, will finally come to an end tomorrow.”

At that announcement, Andrew let out a knowing smile.

“The voice of ZAFT's charismatic songstress, who called for an end to the previous war along with her father, Siegel Clyne,” the newscaster added. “now works with Chairman Dullindal, is greatly hurt by this current war and is searching for a swift resolution to the conflict, provided an unparalleled comfort to the hearts of the soldiers who are working in harsh conditions, far away from home.”

The next day…

“Okay, okay, okay, okay. Thank you very much.” Andrew, disguised as Lacus' manager, King TKED, greeted the soldier who opened the car's door for him. “I'm counting on you guys.”

“Good afternoon, everyone.” The real Lacus beamed as she stepped out. “Thank you for your hard work!”

Everyone else watched in awe as Lacus appeared.

“No, thank you for your good work, Lacus-sama.” The head officer saluted her.

“Oh no, not at all.” Lacus smiled as she returned the salute.

“I'm sorry to be abrupt, but we're short of time.” Andrew remarked. “We need to hurry, so can you hurry with the preparation to the shuttle?”

“Oh yes.” The head officer replied. “However because you arrived earlier than expected…”

“We came early because we're in a rush and a slight change in plans.” Andrew retorted. “So can you guys rush it, too?”

Handing the officer a piece of paper he added, “Read this and you'll know what to do.”

The officer took the paper and his eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh yes, sir.” The head officer noted

“This way please, to Peacecraft-sama's personal shuttles.” He added, gesturing the two to the space ports.

“That's not good!” Lacus' Haro chirped as Andrew and Lacus gave each other a knowing smile.

“Lacus-sama's shuttle will be launching ahead of schedule, as soon as preparations are complete.” The port controller declared. “All personnel, please support this work with the highest priority.”

Meanwhile, Lacus was sighing autographs when the announcement was broadcast.

“I repeat…” the port controller announced.

“Here you go.” Lacus smiled as she handed the autograph book back.

“Thank you very much! It's an honour.” The soldier beamed.

“You're welcome.” Lacus replied as Andrew looked on in awe as Lacus signed book after book.

Meanwhile, Meer's vehicle had arrived.

“What the heck?” the real King TKED inquired. “There's nobody out here to greet us?”

“Geez… and I'm here.” Meer frowned.

“Excuse me!” one of the officers saluted Lacus. “Peacecraft-sama's shuttle is ready for launch.”

“Just what is going on?” Meer fumed. “Why isn't anyone coming out to greet us?”

Just then, two soldiers were discussing something when they took a double back.

“Lacus-sama?” one of them echoed at the fuming Meer.

“Why are you over here?” the other asked.

Once on board the shuttle, Andrew dispatched the ZAFT pilots easily, knocking them out.

“What is the meaning of this?” Meer demanded as she ran to the shuttle, her aides on her tail as they brushed past another shocked ZAFT soldier.

“This is no good! That's the real one!” King TKED remarked as he burst into the port control.

Catching Meer's look, he amended, “Oh no, no, no, that's a fake! She's a fake that's using her name!”

“Stop the shuttle!” the port controller declared. “Abort the launch!”

“I'm sorry. It seems that you were a little too late.” Andrew joked.

“Well then, we're ready to go now.” He told the real Lacus.

“Okay.” Lacus replied.

“Launch the mobile suits!” the head officer ordered. “Don't let the shuttle go!”

“A scramble has been issued.” One of the technicians told the mobile suit pilot. “Launch!”

“Ravi squadron, Babi, launching!” the mechanical voice announced. “Dial squadron, path clear. Aristea squadron, hurry with anti-air combat positions. Maguin squadron, launch.”

“Damnit!” Andrew hissed as the mobile suits attacked the shuttle.

“Damnit, rise!” he cursed when he realized that they were being targeted.

Just then, the Freedom fired its laser beams at the missiles, destroying them and the shuttle emerged from the dust cloud.

“What is this?” one the pilots demanded in shock.

In a relatively quick combat, Kira disarmed the mobile suits.

“This guy…!” one of the pilots gaped.

“Impossible!” another exclaimed as he was shot down.

“No way!” yet another cried as he was hit.

Dodging the mobile suits on land, Kira flew in, taking out the base's cannon.

Meer screamed as the Freedom closed in.

“What in the world is that?” King Tver, Kira merely flew past the port control, the wind force, breaking the windows. Then, he headed beside the shuttle

“Lacus!” he called out over the intercom.

“Kira!” Lacus beamed as the Freedom came into view.

“Thanks for the good work.” Andrew remarked. “Although I'm caught off guard by the Songstress's bold plans every time. But it seems we're okay now.”

“I'm worried, Lacus.” Kira admitted. “Let me go with you.”

“No Kira, you mustn't.” Lacus objected. “You must stay with the Archangel. Otherwise what become of Murrue-san and Merci-san?”

“But…” Kira protested.

“I'll be alright.” Lacus assured him. “I swear that I'll return to your side. So please…”

“Don't act capricious now.” Andrew chided. “I'll protect her for you with my life.”

“Waldfred-san…” Kira gasped.

“Just believe in me and leave her to me.” Andrew told him.

“Kira…” Lacus remarked.

“I understand.” Kira smiled. “I'm counting on you. Please be careful, Lacus. No matter what.”

“Kira!” Lacus gasped as he cut off the connection and the Freedom pulled away.

Kira looked on as the shuttle flew out to space.

SailorStar9: Well, that's done. Read and review.