Gundam SEED Fan Fiction ❯ Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Last Impression ❯ Episode 2: Its Name is Gundam ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Last Impression

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Episode 2: Its Name is Gundam

Legend

Word denotes character thought

Word denotes flashback dialogue

Word denotes com-link dialogue

Word denotes setting, time

-Word- denotes sound effect

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Timeline: C.E. 71, January 25; +0915 hours

Location: Heliopolis, Morgenroete Research Facility

As the Strike Gundam stood up to its feet, Athrun activated the Aegis Gundam's controls. A GINN joined him after a few minutes, piloted by his comrade, Miguel Aiman.

“What the hell happened, Athrun?” he asked him via com-link.

“I couldn't steal the Strike… it was a failure,” Athrun replied, disappointed at his failure to capture the Strike.

Miguel pressed the triggers of the control sticks, prompting his GINN popping some shots from its heavy assault machine gun at the Strike.

Murrue desperately shifted its controls, clumsily dodging the attack. She and Kira lurched back and forth from the movement.

“Tch,” Miguel clicked his tongue annoyed. His GINN unsheathed its heavy sword and threw its heavy assault machine gun away.

“Athrun, I'll capture that MS, you go back to the Vesalius with that MS you're piloting!”

The GINN moved in to attack the Strike with a thrust from its heavy sword. At a split second before contact, Murrue activated the Strike's special feature --- Phase Shift armor. The dull gray color scheme all over the MS was suddenly turned into brilliant colors of blue, red, and white.

-SHWAAK-

-TINK-

The attack was ineffective, with no mark made by the heavy sword.

“Impossible!” Miguel exclaimed surprised.

“Miguel, the Strike has Phase Shift armor,” Athrun commented, amazed by the Strike's said special feature.

“Phase Shift armor… what's that?”

“With that armor, any conventional attacks are rendered useless.”

Warning sirens buzzed in the Aegis's cockpit, prompting Athrun to turn around and noticing on the CIS missiles trailing towards him.

-BA-DA-DA-DA-DA-

With rounds from the Aegis's CIWS, they were destroyed.

Athrun gave a reluctant look at the Strike, before his MS boosted up and flew off, leaving Miguel behind to take care of it.

“You maybe piloting a new MS, but you sure don't look like an ace to me!” Miguel exclaimed, charging at the Strike. The GINN continued to attack with its heavy sword and knocked it into a nearby building.

Dazed by the impact, Murrue and Kira were knocked over. Kira noticed on the CIS his friends --- Kuzzey, Miriallia, Sai, and Tolle --- standing there amazed and shocked, looking at the Strike.

“No! My friends will be crushed!” he exclaimed, suddenly taking the controls, moving Murrue aside.

The Strike managed to get back up and shoved the GINN away.

“What… ugh…!” Miguel exclaimed, his MS crashing against another building nearby.

Kira saw an opportunity and took it. Taking the keyboard interface to him, he began typing commands to adjust the Strike's OS system.

“What kind of OS does this MS has? It's so awkward!”

“Hey, we haven't tested it yet, it's a prototype!” Murrue replied surprised, while she noticed the speed Kira was typing and his reconfiguring of the OS.

Incredible… he's no ordinary human by the looks of this!

Kira muttered to himself, taking note of the actions he was doing to the OS.

“Adjusting the hydraulic system…”

“Increasing the energy output to raise efficiency levels to maximum…”

“Adapting to environmental features… finally getting to pilot this MS easily.”

The GINN got back up and pulled out its heavy assault machine gun after reclaiming it, shooting at the Strike.

“Eat this, fool!” Miguel exclaimed heatedly.

-BA-DA-DA-DA-DA-

With Kira taking the controls again, the Strike boosted up to the air, avoiding the shots. The GINN quickly gave chase.

Kira quickly browsed through the Strike's weapon systems.

“Hmm, what weapons can I use in this MS?”

He checked inside and found only one.

“2x “Armor Schneider” combat knives! I guess it can't be helped.”

Selected, the mentioned combat knives popped out from the Strike's hip armor and were held in both hands. The Strike and the GINN landed to the ground, with the ZAFT MS pressing on with its attack

Kira thought grimly, wary of the worst-case scenario if he managed to destroy the GINN.

I can't destroy the GINN… it might blow up, damaging the colony. I have to find a way to disable it.

He scanned for two weak spots found at the GINN's sides of the body.

Its engine should be near there.

“STOP IT---!” he uttered a battle cry.

The Strike charged at the GINN, avoiding its machine gun fire. It drove the combat knives into the GINN's body sides, disabling its battery-powered engine.

Inside the ZAFT MS, Miguel found himself out of power. He tried restarting his GINN.

“What, no power? Damn! I've got no choice then.”

He pressed a switch on his seat's right armrest, allowing a mini keypad control instantly popping out. He keyed in a code for the self-destruct sequence. With a small jetpack worn behind him, he quickly flew out of the opened cockpit of the GINN.

Kira noticed his escape, perplexed by the action.

“Why's he escaping from the GINN?”

Murrue figured out the enemy's real intention, widening her eyes in warning, and quickly warned the Strike pilot.

“Get away from the GINN! It's going to blow up!”

“What?”

-BOOM-

The GINN suddenly exploded within seconds, knocking back the Strike with force from the explosion's impact.

While it waited smoke to clear from the explosion, inside its cockpit Murrue felt her wound on her arm catching up to her. She clutched it firmly, trying to stop the bleeding. Suddenly, she slump unconscious on Kira, who was startled at her condition.

“Huh? Hey, hang on! Are you ok? Miss… Miss!”

Those were the only words she heard from the Strike pilot as she drifted into darkness.

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Timeline: C.E. 71, January 25; +0930 hours

Location: Heliopolis, docks

Amongst the debris and wreckage from the explosion moments ago, an EA female officer regained consciousness, opening her eyes to find herself face-to-face with another recently deceased EA officer. Startled, she pushed him away, watching his deceased form floating away from her.

She then looked around the area.

“What happened here?”

Last thing I remember I was on my way to see the admiral of the Archangel, the secret battleship.

She composed herself and realized she was inside the said battleship's hangar. Looking closely around her, she found most of the crew dead.

I hope there are some survivors here.

She then started to search the dock for survivors.

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Timeline: C.E. 71, January 25; +0945 hours

Location: Heliopolis space

Inside the bridge of the Vesalius, Ades was asking for status updates on his fleet's attack on the colony.

One of the communications operators received an instant message. He hailed the captain, “Captain! There's a message from Miguel!”

“Put it on screen!” the captain ordered. Miguel's image was displayed on the main screen.

“Commander Creuset! It's about that new MS, one of the 5 that were to be captured. I tried capturing it, but I failed… it knocked out my GINN, and I had to abandon it,” the ZAFT soldier reported.

The masked commander figured out the situation's seriousness upon hearing his officer abandoning his GINN.

“I understand. Get back here in the Vesalius on the meantime and await further orders. Do you have footage of it?”

“Yes sir, I have it with me, I'm sending it to you now,” Miguel replied, sending in footage of his battle with the Strike. The entire personnel in the bridge were surprised at the sight as it was shown on the main screen.

Rau rubbed underneath his chin and raised a right eyebrow in wonder.

“Thank you for the footage, Miguel. Rejoin with the infiltration squad, I'll be issuing a retreat signal.”

“Yes sir!” Miguel saluted, before his image flickered off from the main screen.

“Ades, I've decided to go into battle. Have my CGUE ready,” Rau turned his attention at the captain.

Ades looked at him little surprised. He knew the masked commander rarely went into battle given the situation wouldn't be serious.

Now was an exception.

“Understood… have the commander's CGUE supplied and ready for launch!” he relayed his order to the bridge crew.

Before the masked commander left the bridge, he issued another order to the captain.

“Ades, have a signal flare fired. I want all our forces back here as well.”

“Yes sir.”

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Elsewhere within the colony exterior, Mwu continued fighting the invading GINNs. He lined his sights up on one of them and opened fire with his MA's linear gun.

“Take this!”

-BOOM-

It was destroyed within seconds.

The Moebius Zero pilot went after the remaining ones, which flew off from the colony. He gritted his teeth as he felt the situation worsening within the minute.

Just great, I'm the only one doing the defending here. But why are they retreating from the colony?

He noticed a signal flare fired from a distance.

“Strange… now they're returning to their ships?”

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Moments after being launched from the Vesalius, Creuset's CGUE jettisoned towards Heliopolis. Inside the MS's cockpit, the masked commander contemplated.

I wonder if he can sense me the way I sense him.

His lips curved into a small smile as he felt his intended enemy's presence nearby. He spotted Mwu's Moebius Zero near the colony exterior.

The CGUE immediately opened fire at it with its heavy assault machine gun.

Mwu then felt the masked commander's presence, and spotted enemy fire coming towards him. He quickly took evasive maneuvers, dodging the shots.

“Rau Le Creuset! Is that you?” he inquired heatedly.

“We meet at last, Mwu La Flaga!” Rau replied delightedly.

The CGUE fired off few more shots at the Moebius Zero before heading inside the colony.

Mwu returned fire at its retreating form and decided to give chase.

“Where do you think you're going?”

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Timeline: C.E. 71, January 25; +1000 hours

Location: Heliopolis, docks

Inside the bridge of the Archangel, the female EA officer found few survivors --- four EA officers to be exact. She immediately recognized one of them as her escort that accompanied her to the ship previously before.

“Arnold!” she called him.

The said male EA officer looked at her, suddenly recognizing her face. His face showed surprise and relief.

“Miss Badgiruel! I'm glad you're ok,” Arnold Neuman, her personal escort, spoke, walking up to her.

Natarle Badgiruel, the addressed female EA officer, was making a visit to the admiral of the Archangel, on orders from EA main HQ Alaska to assume position as second-in-command of the said battleship.

What she hadn't foreseen was the sudden attack on the neutral colony happening at present. That and finding herself miraculously survived in the Archangel's hangar (after that huge explosion occurred a while ago, knocking her unconscious) was a plus.

But discovering most of the crew dead wasn't.

Natarle looked around the survivors, taking count.

“Are these all available crew members in this ship?” she inquired.

“Yes ma'am. Most of the major crew members were killed in the explosion. We're just reserved personnel for this ship,” one bridge operator replied, adjusting his big, black tinted spectacles. He sported brown, curly hair and dark brown eyes.

Natarle cut the air with her outstretched right hand.

“Then we better get this ship moving now, all of you man the necessary posts here,” she stated the small bridge crew, who complied with her order.

She then ran a diagnostic check from a nearby bridge operator's terminal, who scooted aside for her to use. The bridge operator had a one sided, light brown hair, and a chubby build.

The terminal showed the ship's diagram and its systems.

“Hmm… it seems the ship isn't damaged, but the port instead,” she remarked.

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Timeline: C.E. 71, January 25; +1005 hours

Location: Heliopolis, interior

Inside an open, undamaged area of the colony, the Strike Gundam stood, kneeled down on its left knee. With help from his friends whom he saved earlier, Kira laid Murrue on a bench. Bringing along a small first aid kit with her, Miriallia tended to the engineer's wound and bandaged it, prompting the female engineer to wake up with a small cry of pain.

“W…what happened? Where am I?” she asked Kira, who popped in her view. She noticed Sai and Kuzzey near the Strike, with Tolle trying to work the controls.

“Wow… how can this MS work?” Tolle wondered.

“Hmm… how come it lost its color? What's up with that?” Kuzzey added, observing the Strike.

“Guys, I don't think we should mess with that MS,” Sai warned.

-BLAM-

A bullet missed Tolle by inches. It was fired from a pistol held by Murrue.

“Get away from that MS, now!” she warned them. The three teenagers quickly complied with her order and rushed back to Kira and Mirallia.

“What are you doing? Stop this!” Kira angrily retorted.

“You've seen the Alliance's top secret project. Now, all of you stand in line,” Murrue forced the teens at gunpoint. They had no choice but to follow the order.

“Good. Now, one by one tell me your names.”

“Sai Argyle.”

“Kuzzey Bushirk.”

“Tolle Koenig.”

“Miriallia Haww.”

“…Kira Yamato.”

Having heard their names, Murrue added, “Now that you've seen this secret, I'm afraid you'll stay with me until I receive further orders.”

The teens refused, surprised and shocked with the revelation.

Sai spoke on their behalf, “Heliopolis is neutral, and we're just citizens! Besides, what's the Alliance doing here in Heliopolis anyway?”

-BLAM-

Murrue fired another shot in the air, silencing him. She looked at them sternly, “After what you've seen now, you can't stay neutral anymore.”

Kuzzey groaned, shaking his head in dismay.

Tolle and Miriallia held in each other's arms, afraid to let go.

Sai rubbed his forehead, sighing.

Kira looked away from the engineer, with a sad frown.

Murrue sighed as well, before starting again, “I'm sorry, but it's for your own good. As to your parents, you'll get the opportunity to meet with them. But for now, you'll have to comply whatever I tell you, understand?”

The teens slowly nodded in defeat.

“Sai, Kuzzey, and Tolle there's a trailer for the Strike parked nearby. I want you all to drive it here,” the engineer gave her first order.

“Huh? Why?” Kuzzey wondered.

“Just bring it here right away. No time for questions…!”

“Yeah fine…”

Sai, Kuzzey, and Tolle ran off. Murrue turned her attention to Kira.

“Kira, I want you to contact the Alliance using the Strike's com-link. See if you can get some help from them.”

“I understand, Miss?”

“Ramius… Murrue Ramius.”

“Yes, Miss Murrue,” Kira hopped on board the Strike and activated its com-link system, starting up communications.

“Um, Miriallia, can you get me some fresh water? I feel thirsty,” Murrue asked Miriallia.

“Sure, just lie down and relax while I get you some, ok?” the girl ran off, searching for fresh water.

“X105-Strike here, Earth forces, please respond!” Kira exclaimed, after getting a weak signal in the com-link.

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Timeline: C.E. 71, January 25; +1015 hours

Location: Heliopolis, Morgenroete Research Facility

Inside the Seraph Gundam's cockpit, a nostalgic feeling swept in Kenji's mind.

“Kenji… war is inevitable upon us. The EA and we ZAFT are pummeling each other for supremacy!”

“Eiji, don't you see how low some of our fellow comrades have sunk into --- murdering surrendered EA prisoners, conflicting civilian casualties, and have no regard to the ideals we're supposed to believe in?”

“'Ideals'… bah, what are you to say about that?It's simple: ZAFT must dominate and purged the Earth of all Naturals!”

“…Fool… you've been heavily influenced by the `Bloody Valentine' incident. I too felt the pain and remorse of those lost souls there… especially Lunamaria… but the way to exact retribution seems to have lost purpose!”

“…You dare mention her name! Those Naturals deserve to die for ruining her life! It's only fitting: the strong survive and the weak perish! Those Naturals dare look down upon us, thinking they can use their nuclear weapons to gain an easy victory!”

“I disagree with you… I think I shall take a different path than live this life without certainty.”

“Kenji… you'll regret betraying ZAFT! You even insult Lunamaria's memory by doing this! I swear… I'll take you down personally…”

“…Goodbye, Eiji.”

“Traitor… that's what you are from this moment on!”

“Kenji… Kenji!” Peter shook his nephew by the shoulders.

“…What happened?” Kenji snapped out from his trance-like state, regaining composure. He looked around the cockpit and found himself behind the Seraph's controls.

“Kenji, what's gotten into you?” his uncle asked, concerned for his nephew's condition.

“…It's nothing. I just remembered something, that's all,” the Seraph pilot recollected his thoughts from the recent battle he fought.

“Well, the GINN is taken care of. What now…?”

“Aile requested that we escape Heliopolis with this MS. After all, it's part of his top-secret project.”

“We shouldn't leave Professor Kato then!”

“No, it's ok. Trust me, Kenji, he'll find his way out.”

The Seraph pilot looked at his uncle in the eye, taking in the truth of his words.

“…Alright, you win. So, where do we head off to?”

Peter rubbed his chin in thought, coming up with a small plan. After a few seconds, he snapped his fingers in triumph.

“I've checked details from that small booklet Aile gave you before,” the professor pulled out the mentioned booklet from his lab coat pocket and flipped through a number of pages, “there's a secret EA battleship called the Archangel built inside the docks. We should investigate it.”

He tossed the opened page of the booklet for Kenji to see. It showed a blueprint of the EA battleship. Kenji studied it for a while before returning it to his uncle.

“Well… we could use some help if we stumble across one. Maybe we'll find help from the ship's crew. But still…”

“What is it?”

“If you remembered our conversation with Professor Kato back then, he mentioned that this prototype is of one of 2 experimental MS suits in his personal project. Funny he didn't mention about the second one.”

Peter was surprised by his nephew's memory and perception.

So that's a trait of a coordinator, huh.

“Hmm… we'll ask him about that if we meet him again. But for now, we'll just head for the Archangel. Say, can you switch on your com-link? We'll need to be updated with the situation happening now.”

Kenji typed in commands to activate the Seraph's com-link system.

All that could be made out from the com-frequency was garble. Suddenly, a weak transmission was heard.

“-BZZT- X105-Strike here, Earth forces, please respond! -BZZT-”

“…`X105-Strike'… that must be one of the five main prototype Gundam units Aile created! It sounds like a distress call from the pilot. Kenji, can you contact him by his frequency?” Peter inquired.

“I'll try,” Kenji replied, contacting the unknown Strike pilot by matching with his com-link frequency.

“This is XP01-Seraph. Can you read me?”

“-BZZT- X105-Strike here, Earth forces, please respond! -BZZT-”

“Hello! Can you read me?”

“-BZZT- X105-Strike here, Earth forces, please respond! -BZZT-”

Suddenly, the transmission was cut. Kenji tried again to contact the Strike pilot, but to no avail. He banged his hand on the CIS.

“Damn… it's cut off.”

“Hmm… judging by the frequency, he shouldn't be too far away from our position. Keep communications open for the meantime, Kenji, we're moving off.”

“You got it.”

The Seraph's eyes flickered bright yellow, its wings spread out. It immediately leapt up to the air with a boost from its thrusters, and flew off instantly.

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Timeline: C.E. 71, January 25; +1030 hours

Location: Heliopolis, docks

Inside the Archangel's bridge, Natarle was giving orders to the remaining crew personnel in the bridge, seated in the captain's chair.

“Activate engines, get this ship running now! Have the weapon systems operational! We're going to meet resistance from the enemy!”

The crew hastily complied with her orders, performing their assigned tasks from their operator's booth.

“Opening auxiliary power… engine reading 75 percent... 100 percent... done.”

“Activating weapon systems…”

“Ma'am, we've received transmission!” another bridge operator reported from his post, catching Natarle's attention. He sported black right-sided hair, having small Chinese-like eyes.

The temporary captain went over to him. He pressed a button on the keyboard terminal, emitting a radio transmission.

“-BZZT- X105-Strike here, Earth forces, please respond! -BZZT-”

“What can you get out of the message, operator Tonomura?” Natarle asked.

“It's a weak transmission, but it sounds like a distress call from an unidentified mobile suit pilot, ma'am,” the operator known as Jackie Tonomura reported.

Natarle pondered the transmission's words in her mind as she returned to her seat. Suddenly, she hit a realization.

So, it seems ZAFT is after the new mobile suits developed here!

“Start the Archangel!” she commanded.

Within seconds, the ship's engines roared to life, its thrusters open and propelling the ship forward slowly.

“Miss Badgiruel, we don't have enough personnel to launch this ship!” Arnold complained, who was on the helmsman's seat.

“I'll not sit here and do nothing! We've got a situation in our hands now, Arnold. Now sit there and do something for a change. You're driving, and quit complaining!” Natarle retorted to her escort.

“Crap…” he muttered in defeat, taking the helmsman steering controls.

“Aim cannons at the debris ahead… fire!” Natarle exclaimed.

With a single shot from the “Valiant Mk.8” linear cannons, the debris blocking the Archangel was smashed in pieces. The ship then sailed through, emerging outside.

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Timeline: C.E. 71, January 25; +1045 hours

Location: Heliopolis, interior

Meanwhile, an intense dogfight was occurring between Mwu and Rau inside. The two traded fire with each other, taking evasive maneuvers.

“Rau Le Creuset, what's your problem with me!” the Moebius pilot exclaimed while dodging a near-miss shot from the CGUE.

“Why do you ask that question, Mwu La Flaga? It's pretty simple… it's because of your existence!” the masked pilot replied, evading fire from the Moebius Zero's wired Gunbarrel pods.

“My existence… I don't know what you're talking about!”

“You'll find out at a convenient time…!”

Rau quickly took cover from a big and wide steel plate that was part of the support holding the colony.

Mwu noticed his foe disappeared, and looked around for him. Suddenly, the CGUE appeared from its hiding spot and took careful, fast shots from its Vulcan shield at the Moebius Zero.

“Perhaps I should dispose of you… right now!”

“What the… damn!” Mwu spotted enemy fire, but dodged it a little late.

-BA-DA-DA-DA- -BA-DA-DA-DA-

The Moebius Zero's Gunbarrel pods were instantly destroyed. The Moebius Zero then flew away from the CGUE, trying to escape further into the habitable area.

“Running off so soon, Mwu?” Rau smiled evilly, giving chase.

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After the three guys (Sai, Kuzzey, and Tolle) found and brought the trailer Murrue mentioned, they rejoined the EA engineer and Miriallia. The trailer contained the Launcher components for the Strike Gundam.

“Kira, I want you to attach the Launcher pack components on the Strike,” Murrue instructed the Strike pilot.

“Understood… but what for?” Kira wondered.

“Just follow my instructions now; we don't have time for arguments!”

“Fine…”

As Kira was preparing to attach the Launcher components, a small explosion happened at the very top of the colony. Rau's CGUE emerged from the hole it made just now, with the masked pilot spotting the Strike below.

“So… that's the new MS Miguel fought with. Well… I can't have that existing now.”

As the CGUE started to dive in for the Strike, the Moebius Zero suddenly attacked it from behind again.

“Tsk, tsk, you're beginning to lose your touch, Mwu,” Rau commented disappointed.

The CGUE quickly flew around, getting behind the Moebius Zero. It fired off shots from its heavy assault machine gun, damaging the Moebius Zero's linear gun.

“Damn… no more weapons…” Mwu dejectedly remarked, as smoke emitted from the MA's damaged linear gun. With no other choice, he withdrew.

“Now that he's taken care of, back to that MS,” Rau turned his attention back at the Strike.

Kira and company spotted the CGUE bearing down on them fast. The Strike pilot quickly tried to get into battle as he was finishing setting up the Launcher pack for the Strike.

“Take cover! Kira, ready the Strike now!” Murrue warned prompting the other teens to take shelter in the trailer parked near the Strike.

“I'm almost done, Miss Murrue!” Kira retorted.

Rau took careful aim at the Strike and prepared to fire.

-BOOM-

Suddenly, another explosion occurred nearby, but this time from the docks. Everyone noticed the new battleship Archangel emerging out from the shadows and smoke, breaking into the habitable area.

“A new battleship… that must be the legged ship from intelligence reports,” Rau commented, with his CGUE stopping momentarily to look at the ship.

“Is that… the Archangel?” Murrue stammered, as she looked on at the said battleship.