Gundam SEED Fan Fiction / Vandread Fan Fiction ❯ GunDread SEED (Redition) ❯ Broken Hopes ( Chapter 14 )

GunDread SEED

 

Disclaimer: How many times do I have to do this? VanDread belongs to Gonzo and Gundam SEED belongs to Bandai. I'm just borrowing them for a while.

 

< >: Thoughts

 

Chapter 13A

 

Broken Hopes

 

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The planet Megele…

 

“Lady Grand Ma, we have received a data recording from the missing pirates.”

 

A female aide slides a container with a data disk inside. However a withered hand loomed over it and waved it away, the supreme leader of the females deemed the contents to be of little interest and unimportant.

 

**************

 

The planet Talark…

 

“Lord Grand Pa, we have received a data recording from the female pirates.”

 

The images in the data disk were being reviewed by the supreme leader of the men, and with one old finger he pressed the button to delete all the disk's contents.

 

It became clear the both the supreme leaders of both planets have deemed that the data from a band of renegades to be of little importance.

 

How wrong they were…all of them…

 

**************

 

On the other side of the galaxy…

 

“AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!”

 

This was the first time in all of his life that Kyo fought so hard before. Then again this was the first time he had fought so hard against the single enemy in front of him, namely an AI controlled machine. Long before, he had deemed that he was the only person who owned a Gundam and knew how to use it with skill and power in this side of the galaxy. But now it seemed that fate had other ideas, and he and Freedom were now dealing with an enemy that was just as equal to each of them, both in terms of powers, abilities, arsenals, and skills. But in this case, this enemy had no weakness in terms of piloting errors; no person was piloting it, just a cold calculating machine with only one intention…to kill them both

 

Kyo, who was in SEED mode, knew that he and Freedom were in serious danger. Their respective injuries were not fully restored and their respective strength and reaction times were badly depleted, since their battle with an Earth Battleship, and this affected their coordination and response time, they were taking blows that they normally could dodge, block and evade. It didn't help them either that they were even more exhausted from engaging squadrons of Cube Fighters and other fighters, before Dominion showed up. Now they were battling for their very lives against a single enemy with only one thing in it's programming…to wipe them out of this world!

 

The Nirvana Gundam and its dark counterpart darted like maddened fireflies and traded blows at each other with speeds rivaling the very speed of light, each of them trying to outmaneuver one another in a deadly dance in the void of space.

 

Kyo used his beam rifle, but the Dominion took out it's own beam rifle as they traded shot after shot in space. The rifles were then set aside as the two machines once more went at it with their beam sabers. The energy blades clashed on each other, trying to overpower each other with sheer physical and energy force. Every slash Kyo and Freedom sent was blocked effectively, while they barely blocked Dominion's own assaults.

 

The Dominion then launched it's plasma and rail-gun cannons at Freedom, forcing the Gundam back towards the Nirvana. Freedom's P. Phase Shift Armor System held but barely, as more areas of the Freedom were broken by the blasts.

 

The Gundam and it's pilot slammed hard on the shields of the Nirvana, and before they could even recover, they had to block the attacks from Dominion as the enemy Mobile Suit came right at them. The area of the shields where they were had already taken a lot of abuse from the enemy forces, so it wasn't much of a surprise when the shields gave way, and a moment later they slammed into the hull of the pirate vessel, at least several kilometers from the bridge.

 

**************

 

“MR. ALIEN!”

 

“KYO!”

 

Dita, Meia, and Jura wanted desperately to come and aid the young man, but they could not even come close. Dita had to dodge every incoming shot from her Earth counter-part who relentlessly pursued her and her Dread. Meia gritted her teeth in desperation as she tried to out maneuver her own opponent, but had little success; her clone had all the advantage in speed and maneuverability. As for Jura, she had a real hard time dodging her own clone as she tried without success to bypass the grotesque copy's shielding; this was hopeless without combining with Freedom and Kyo. With the three Paeksis-enhanced Dreads totally preoccupied, The ATCISS unit inoperative, and the pirates being unable to support them due to the interference of the Harvesters. The Nirvana's Gundam and it's pilot were totally on their own.

 

**************

 

Magno and the others within the bridge could do nothing at all, but watch as the grisly battles between the Earth's own Gundam and their Gundam ally on the ship's hull. Freedom and Kyo were able to match up with Dominion, but the Gundam from Earth was able to counter every move and tactic the Gundam pilot tried to use. So far, the Nirvana's Gundam and it's pilot were able to hold on, but the aged woman knew better, she knew that Kyo's still untreated injuries were hampering his abilities to pilot Freedom effectively, and Freedom's damages were unable to repair themselves in time when the Harvesters came calling. Many areas of the formidable Gundam were further hampered by the power shortage as the reactor of the Gundam had been pushed to it's highest limits from it's previous battle. So they both couldn't maintain their defense in this brutally intense battle for long. Magno wished desperately that there were weapons onboard the Nirvana which could help them. But Parfet had found no such weapons ever since the creation of the Nirvana.

 

**************

 

Kyo winced in pain as he was jostled around in Freedom's cockpit by another hit from it's assault guns, he then had to another vicious stab at the torso of Freedom, but he wasn't able to dodge a kick from Dominion and was knocked down and slammed hard on the hull of the pirate vessel. Kyo managed to score a blow to Dominion with his guns, right at the joint of it's left arm, but the Gundam from earth wasn't stopping for anything. The young man managed to get his bearings as fatigue washed over him as he got his Gundam to it's feet, but he and His Mobile Suit were suddenly knocked back as the dark copy slammed into them in full throttle. They then rolled away as their rival began stabbing and slashing at them with it's beam sabers, with the sole desire to destroy them. The attacks missed their intended marks, but their effects were felt by someone else.

 

**************

 

“OW! OW! OW! OW! MAKE IT STOP! AAAARRRRGGGGHHH!” Bart shouted in pain inside the navigation well as he felt slashing and stabbing pain on his head.

 

Magno gasped in realization, she recalled that Bart was linked to the whole ship through cybernetic uplink, which meant that whatever injuries the ship suffered, then Bart would suffer the same pain. And the pain was increasing with the two Gundams battling on the hull. She knew that they couldn't afford to lose Bart, now that he was in the bridge. She immediately raised Kyo on the communicator.

 

“Kyo! Get off the ship! You are going to kill Bart if you keep on fighting on the ship's hull!”

 

**************

 

Kyo got the message, and knew that he had to keep Bart alive. The risk of losing Bart was too great for everyone onboard the Nirvana. He gunned Freedom's thrusters to maximum power and slammed into it's tormentor, catching the Earth Gundam totally off-guard. They broke through the shields, and resumed their duel in space once more.

 

The two combatants went at it once more, with space littered with cannon shots, missile vapor trails, laser bolts and explosions. The fierce and desperate battle between the Megele pirates and the Harvester hordes were totally ignored by the two Mobile Suits, as they focused only on one another. It became apparent that the outcome of these battles will decide the fates of everyone present.

 

Freedom and Kyo retaliated with their beam arsenals and assault guns at Dominion, but the earth Gundam was able to dodge, with merely minor damage as it then slammed it's left fist right at Freedom and slammed it's knee into the torso, as Freedom was sent back, it barely blocked an incoming beam saber, but got hit by the other as it stabbed through the left leg, severely damaging the Nirvana's Gundam.

 

The battles reached their climaxes as the Earth Battleship decided to get involved as it unleash a massive barrage of particle beams, lasers, and proton torpedoes on the severely injured Freedom. A small but powerful portion of the attacks smashed on Freedom as Kyo tried to summon up whatever strength he had left in him and get as much power from Freedom's dual reactors to help the Gundam fight better. Kyo knew that this time, he and Freedom were not going to make it out of here alive; no one was coming to help them now. But they were going to take these bastards down with them!

 

**************

 

The Megele pirates were valiant and tough fighters, and their long record of successful battles stood as the evidence of their effectives as a team. However, there were times that a person must know when one was way over one's head. This battle WAS definitely one of those times.

 

Magno and Buzam knew that if this battle should continue, they would lose too many irreplaceable crew-members and valuable pilots. The appearance of Kyo and Freedom gave a morale boost and had temporarily turned the tide of battle to their favor, but now with the appearance of the GunDread Clones, and that new Gundam who was on the side of the Earth, who was keeping the Nirvana's tactical advantage preoccupied, the remaining Dread and Vanguard pilots were being overwhelmed. Due to the rift caused by the mutiny, formations began to break down and chaos began to seep into the ranks. Finally Magno decided on the last option they had left… retreat.

 

“Initiate the automatic recall on all Dreads and Vanguards! Bring all of them back now!”

She immediately began barking orders to Bart in the navigation well. “Navigator! Send the ship to these coordinates, ASAP!”

 

Bart looked at the coordinates and became confused at the data. “You want me to guide the ship there?”

 

“Just do it!”

 

Bart then realized something. “But captain! You're asking me to abandon Kyo to that monster! I can't…”

 

“You…heard the…captain, Bart! Get the ship to safety…now!” Kyo shouted through the communications as Freedom barely dodged the incoming barrage.

 

“What about you?”

 

“I'm not…going…to…make it. Bart, you have a job…to…do. Get the others out of here! They're lives are in your hands, now go!” Kyo said as blood appeared all over his features, and body from his severe wounds, it was only sheer will and his constitution as a Coordinator that kept him from unconsciousness.

 

“No! You can't just…!”

 

“Yes…I…can. I am…just a soldier. Captain…I want the Nirvana…and everyone out of here as fast as Bart can take you all.”

 

“What are you going to do?”

 

“P…Parfet told you that my Gundam, has a Nuclear and a reactor similar to the Paeksis reactor? And there's a remote-linked self destruct system in both?”

 

“Are you…?”

 

Kyo nodded while in pain. “That's…right…Once you and…everyone…are clear. I'm going…to drive myself and Freedom…right into the maw of the Harvester ships…and I'll self-detonate Freedom. The blast…hopefully…will cripple the Harvesters…while you all escape…”

 

Everyone, onboard the Nirvana, from the bridge to the engineering section were shocked.

 

Kyo smiled sadly. “I've…never told anyone this…but, I've always been alone. All the time, I have been alone. But…but that changed the day I came to the Nirvana….The girls…there, who are…jealous of me and my skills, namely Barnette…don't know…how wrong they are. I'm the one…who should…be jealous. You all have…a home, friends waiting for you, and beside you…loved ones…a family…you all have memories. Me? I…have nothing of that. I can't remember anything about myself…I can't…remember my parents' names…their faces, my siblings…their faces…my friends…my relatives. I can't… remember them, I can't tell if they…are waiting for me…to come back home, or if…they're even alive. I can't remember…where I was born, where I studied. I can't even recall my own birthday. What…good am I…if I can't recall…all that? That's why…I'm the…one who should be…jealous. I'm nothing but an empty shell…of a human being. A ghost with no…past. You all have memories of all the things…important to you. I'm just an empty being made of shadow and dust, searching for the shards my…broken and forgotten life. Only the ghosts… of my forgotten past were my companions. I've always been alone.”

 

“But that…changed when I came to the Nirvana. I…may not show it at times. But you all have given me memories. It…never mattered to me at all, if they were good…or bad. I welcomed them all without regret, and I can never repay you for that. You became…a family to me…Gasco's like a big sister to me…You, Captain are the closest thing…to a mother…to me. Paiway's…like a baby sister to…me…I feel that she's going to be…a great nurse someday. I was…really hoping to see that smile of hers for that meal Dita and I made for her. Duero…and Bart…are like brothers to me. All of you…are now the only thing I have left to a family. I…have no regrets to die today…I lost everything…dear to me…before. I…WILL NOT…lose anything I care for…anymore. Before…I'm afraid to die…and I still am. But…if I must die now…I can die…knowing that…I died saving the people closest to me. Even if many of you hated me…I will not hold it…against you. I can…finally release…my ghosts. I…know that…I wasn't not alone in life anymore. I can say that I am happy, for at last…I can die…free…with no fear…and no regrets.”

 

Kyo said sadly with a smile as tears flowed down his faces, mixing with his blood, making them look like scarlet tears.

 

“Good-bye…my family…my friends. You have a future, go live it, I go to meet my end, and this time…I will be free of fear…and regret, I can smile at death…now. Thanks to you all…” Kyo said as he cut off his communications and dived once more into the fray.

 

**************

 

Dominion powered up it's arsenals once more as it's opponent attacked it once more.

 

Kyo winced in pain as his injuries created a symphony of agony as Freedom's armor and systems was badly mangled and torn. Their enemy was also damaged, but the injuries were mostly superficial and couldn't hamper it at all. He knew that if he and Freedom ever have a chance to defeat this enemy of theirs…they had to do it now!

 

They charged headlong into the fight as they tried valiantly to hold off the enemy, but they were about to suffer even more.

 

Kyo tried to block an incoming strike at Freedom's head, but his Gundam suffered a swift power kick to Freedom's torso. Freedom also parried a slash to it's right side, but got a fierce right hook to his temple. Freedom barely recovered, and got hit with a combo of assault gun-fire and a beam saber slash to the back as dominion dodged the strike from Freedom's beam saber.

 

The midnight black, crimson, and green Gundam of Earth knew that it was on the verge of victory. More and more of it's attacks bypassed it's opponents' defenses which were diminishing. Freedom and Kyo were now only giving a token of defense, and they were now drifting out in space. Normal pilots would have gloated and taunted their foes at this stage, however the Dominion's main CPU wasn't programmed to simulate the human psyche well and it had a job to do for it's designers so wasting time in jokes and taunts wasn't allowed. With that thought in mind it prepared to finish of it's target once and for all as it prepared it's weapon.

 

**************

 

“MR. ALIEN!”

 

“KYO!”

 

“K!”

 

“COMMANDER!”

 

**************

 

Whether he heard his comrades' cries wasn't known to that day. But Kyo was able to spot Freedom's dark clone level it's beam saber to skewer Freedom through the torso. With whatever strength he had left in him, he managed to move Freedom to the side, shielding the cockpit with the armor that Freedom had left, and that saved him…but barely. The sharp point of Dominion's beam saber tore through the badly weakened P. Phase Shift Armor and hit a massive amount of the system in Freedom; ironically, it struck the firing mechanism for Freedom's self destruct system. The OS determined that the damages were critical and reverted whatever power the reactors could give to life-support to Kyo as a large part of the integrity of the Freedom was compromised.

 

**************

 

“KYO!” Meia cried out in despair and horror as she saw Freedom impaled on the chest by the beam saber of it's dark counterpart, so near the cockpit. This made her careless, allowing her clone to take advantage of her distraction. The GunDread Meia Clone made a tight turn and fired a precise blast at the Megele female and her Dread. The blast sheared off her right wing and stabilizer, causing her fighter to spiral aimlessly into space.

 

Fortunately for Meia, Gascogne was nearby to get her out of a really messy situation; the head supplier managed to reach her and grapple on to her fighter and get it to safety towards the Nirvana. Inside of her Dread's cockpit, the blue-haired girl nursed a bad wound on the shoulder, which she got from being jostled around, after her Dread was hit. She looked back and spotted the other Dreads and Vanguards move back towards the Nirvana as well, towards the gas giant.

 

But the Dread Leader wanted desperately to go back and try her best to save Kyo, and in her heart, she knew that she wasn't alone with that wish.

 

Dita, and Jura cried out in desperation and horror, as their Dreads automatically returned to the Nirvana, they wanted to go back and save Kyo. But they knew that they couldn't

 

**************

 

Kyo screamed in agony as the damages sent hot shrapnel his way, thankfully the cockpit held on to it's design and his wounds in his body were lessened by his uniform. He watched as Dominion was about to use it's other beam saber to severe Freedom's head off. As the Gundam pilot felt shock wash over him as he finally succumbed to his wounds, he tried to make one last attempt to fight back, despite the horrendous injuries he and Freedom suffered. Kyo used his beam sabers, one to block the incoming saber and slammed his other saber right into Dominion's shoulder and fired all his guns at Dominion's chest.

 

The crimson, black, and green armored Gundam retreated from the unexpected attack. These actions allowed Freedom to kick it's clone in the torso, knocking Dominion further away. This also caused Kyo and Freedom to be propelled towards the gas giant, where the Dreads, Vanguards, and the Nirvana were heading to. The Earth Harvesters had no intention of letting the Gundam escape, as they closed in.

 

Kyo knew that he wasn't not going to survive, he felt the last of his warm blood flow out from his wounds, and his body began to freeze as he became cold and numb. As he fell towards the gas giant, drawn into the giant by it's gravitational fields; he decided that before he joined his ancestors and family in death, he would make sure that he would still take out as many as he could. He diverted what power was in life-support and powered up his beam weapons and prepared to fire the weapons in overcharge mode, at his enemies, and Freedom's copy for what seemed to be the last time. He watched as his Gundam's counterpart got to recover, as he collected whatever energy he could.

 

**************

 

Dominion's CPU determined that it could still function properly even with the damage to the shoulder joint. The Earth Gundam was able to focus and spot it's enemies prepare to launch the beam attacks. That suited the Gundam fine as it too powered up it's now extended plasma and rail-gun weapons. Energy condensed in the Gundam's own weapon-systems as it was now ready to end the Freedom's existence once and for all.

 

**************

 

Kyo made his final prayers as he and Freedom launched their last ditch attack…

 

**************

 

Dominion made no sound as it answered with it's own beam attacks…

 

**************

 

Unlike the beams used by Freedom which were green and yellow, the beams of the Earth Gundam were blood red and emerald green. The beams expanded and engulfed their counterparts and cancelled them, and in turn, washed over Kyo and Freedom, with lethal results.

 

Kyo gave a scream of agony as his body was hit by the energy of the beam blasts. Freedom's Prominence Phase Shift Armor failed to stop all the energy as the Gundam was hit hard. The Gundam suffered great damage. A section of the head was melted off, it's right arm was torn at the elbow, and it's lower left leg was blown off, and it's left upper and right lower wings were destroyed to stumps. Soon, the last of the former Z.A.F.T Gundams and the last of the Coordinators were falling like a burning comet as they plunged into the gas giant's outer ionosphere. Several enemy vessels were in hot pursuit, included with them were the three GunDread Clones. However, they weren't prepared for the intense gravitational forces inside the gas giant. The Copy GunDread Meia struggled and screamed in pain as it finally exploded as it entered the area, along with a Seed Ship. But the clone of Jura's GunDread was able to erect it's barrier to defend itself and the Copy of GunDread Dita. They immediately high-tailed it out of the planet's ionosphere.

 

**************

 

With it's shields on full power, The Nirvana was safe for a while, in the planet's gravitational fields. On the bridge, Magno waited for the news of the Dreads and Vanguards return. Eventually, everyone was safe an accounted for…except for three Dread pilots, the head supplier… and a Gundam and it's pilot…

 

**************

 

“Come on K! Hurry! I can't keep this up much longer!”

 

Gascogne had spotted Freedom as she and the three other Dread pilots entered the gas giant's outer layers of gases and energy storms, she was happy to know that Kyo was still alive, though barely, and she knew that she didn't hurry, Kyo would be dead. She tried to grab and tow to safety the Gundam and the young man who was her comrade and most of all, her friend with the grappling arms on her supply shuttle. However in order to rescue them; she had no other way but to lower her ship's defensive shields. As of now, the hull of her shuttle was threatening to buckle and collapse under the strain of the intense gravitational fields. Behind her were Dita, Jura, and Meia, who right now couldn't do anything but watch and pray that Gascogne could make the catch before time ran out for all of them.

 

After one minute of doing her best to rescue them, Gascogne knew that her ship could no longer stand the pressure, and would be crushed, along with Meia's Dread. She was about to reactivate her barrier when she spotted movement from the Gundam.

 

Kyo was barely conscious when he spotted the supply ship near him, tantalizingly close, yet so far away. Freedom's thrusters were totally damaged and they could barely move. But with what life he had in him and whatever power Freedom had left in reserve, he decided to do one last act. Freedom, despite being badly damaged and the left arm severely mangled managed to grab the arms, effectively linking the Gundam to the Dreki.

 

Gascogne smiled in triumph as she reeled in the Freedom and reactivated the barrier. With Meia, Kyo and Freedom safe and sound, she, Dita, and Jura made their way to the awaiting Nirvana.

 

**************

 

“CLEAR THE EMERGENCY ROOM! NOW!!”

 

Duero shouted as he took the lone gurney into the medical bay.

 

Kyo's bloodied and battered form was wheeled into the operating area. Duero immediately went to work to save the young pilot, hooking him up to several instruments, and immediately instructed Paiway to start administering sedatives. The Gundam pilot was gently but quickly taken out of the cockpit of his critically damaged Gundam when they were brought to the Nirvana, his uniform was removed as Duero began patching up Kyo's grave wounds. Kyo's eyes were glazed over and were staring aimlessly at the ceiling as he felt his body go colder and colder and his breathing became labored.

 

“We have got to prevent him from going further into shock! He's lost large amounts of blood and has suffered multiple lacerations, broken bones, organ damage, and several trauma wounds!”

 

The doctor, and apprentice nurse worked desperately to save Kyo. At that same moment, Dita, Jura, and Meia burst into the emergency ward.

 

“How's Kyo?”

 

“Is he going to make it?”

 

“How badly is Mr. Alien hurt?”

 

The doctor was about to order the three of them from the room, before he heard the most dreaded sound in the medical profession…the warning sounds of the pulse meters. Kyo's heart rate and breathing climbed erratically, as his body went into convulsions that increased in ferocity. Duero tried in desperation to hold him down, but he continued to tremble until finally, his body stiffened and fell back on the gurney. His eyes closed. The pulse meter showed only one thing…a flat line.

 

The three Dread pilots gazed upon the unmoving man in total shock and horror. At that moment Kyo's last tears flowed down his bloodied face, and fell on the floor like the rain-drop.

 

“NO!”

 

“MR. ALIEEEEEEEENNNNNNN!”

 

End of Chapter 13A