Gundam SEED Fan Fiction ❯ MS Seed Girls ❯ Collapsing Land, Collapsing Heart ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Baran
The crew of the Archangel meet Kira and Alex.
Both are very surprising.

A decision is needed of them.
Will they protect their friends no matter what the cost?

Anime/Manga: Gundam SEED Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sci-fi / Mecha | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 01.05.2007 | Pages: 17 | Words: 14.6K | Visits: 512 | Status: Work In Progress

MS Seed Girls
 
Disclaimer: I own nothing except Alexandra Kerensky.
 
Notes: Some words in Russian and their translations.
Da: yes.
Niet: no.
Tovarisch: comrade.
Pradva: truth.
Atlitchna: excellent.
Sivodnia: today.
Bhoze moï: My God!
 
 
Chap 3: Collapsing Land, Collapsing Heart.
 
 
Year 70 of the Cosmic Era.
 
Due to the Bloody Valentine tragedy, tensions between Earth and the PLANTs quickly developed into a full-fledged armed conflict.
 
No one doubted that the larger Earth Forces would be victorious but these early predictions proved to be wrong.
 
Almost eleven months passed since the war began, with no end in sight.
 
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The CGUE of Rau Le Creuset rushed to the immobilized strike. “I'll sink you now while I have the chance!”
 
In extremis, Kira Yamato managed to connect the Launcher striker pack. The armament panel changed to the new configuration. Kira could read that he had a Hyper Impulse Cannon `Agni' 320 mm and a Vulcan Gun/Gun Launcher `Combo Weapon Pod'. He selectionned the `Agni'. “A beam weapon?”
 
He didn't have the time to analyze the characteristic of the weapon as the CGUE opened fire with its Heavy Machine Gun. He activated the Phase-Shift Armour and the projectiles were neutralized.
 
As that time, an entire wall of the colony exploded. Before Rau, the Archangel appeared, fully operational. “The new warship? They failed to destroy it!”
 
Aboard his damaged Moebius Zero Mobile Armour, Mu La Flaga was surprised. He knew of the existence of the G-weapons but not their dedicated transport ship. “A warship? Within the colony?”
 
On the ground, Murrue Ramius gasped as she witnessed the apparition of the ship she believed destroyed. “The Archangel!”
 
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Arnold Neumann couldn't believe it but they've done it. “We made it through the exit! We're in the colony's interior!”
 
Jackie Tonomura concentrated on his sensors. “Morgenroete has been destroyed! The Strike has been activated! No! It's in combat!”
 
Natarle Badgiruel frowned. What was going on? She blinked: The CGUE was flying to them. “Evade! Starboard!”
 
The CGUE fired but the remarkable agility of the ship enabled it to evade. Rau frowned. The situation was becoming serious. He needed to destroy the Strike swiftly. He ejected his current magazine and exchanged it with one that contained enhanced Armour-Piercing Speed Velocity ammunition. “Phase-Shift? Then how about this?!”
 
Murrue detected the attack. She whirled to protect her charges. “Duck!”
 
This was too much for the Russian girl. Alexandra Kerensky had been paralyzed by her fear to re-enact the Millennial War in this universe. Her friends were in danger: She simply reacted. “Mobile Suit Power Armour… ON!”
 
Seeing his friends in danger, Kira knelt to interpose the Strike, providing a visual cover for the transformation of Alex.
 
Rau could only acknowledge the inefficiency of his attack. “Not even enhanced APSV?” He blinked. “What is that?”
 
Behind him, the RX-78 NT1 `ALEX' type Gundam was flying to his pursuit. A cold rage was burning in the heart of the immortal teenager. Her friends had been almost killed because of her hesitation. If Kira hadn't shielded them…
 
Aboard the Archangel, Natarle was preparing her riposte. “Prepare stern missile tubes seven to ten for firing! Target enemy Mobile Suit!” She turned to Romero Pal. “Laser designator! Listen! Under no circumstances are you to hit the shaft or the ground!”
 
The four large missiles acquired missile lock. “Fire!”
 
Rau winced and began to evade, fired on the approaching missiles and used the landscape for cover. Three of the four missiles exploded in the vicinity of the main shaft and support lines began to break. On the ground, Miriallia Haw screamed in terror as something that all colonists feared was beginning to happen.
 
Dismayed, Alex contacted directly the bridge. “Alliance warship! Cease fire! I repeat, cease fire! Let Strike and me deal with the Mobile Suit!”
 
“Who's talking? Mr Tonomura, who was it?”
 
Jackie frowned as the results of his sensor sweep. “Got it, but… It's too small… It's giving the target analyzer fits.” He switched to a normal enhanced image and his eyes widened. “Wha… What is that?”
 
The entire bridge could only gaze dumbfounded on the image of a flying girl in an armoured suit that looks like a G-weapon.
 
Alex opened fire on the CGUE. Rau was a very competent pilot, but he found himself pressed as the beams narrowed on him. He blocked a direct hit on his shield and his eyes under the mask widened when the damage status on the hit indicated a loss of fourteen percent of the armour.
 
Aboard the Strike, Kira decided to act. It was too dangerous for the colony to allow the ZAFT Mobile Suit to pursue its actions. “Wha…? You've gotta be kidding!” He brought online the targeting scope and locked into firing position the `Agni'.
 
Seizing the chance offered by the masterful gunnery of Alex, he locked on target. Murrue's eyes widened in horror as she witnessed the armament of a weapon that was supposed to be used against ship-scale targets. “Wait! That's too…”
 
Too late! A blue and red beam erupted from the weapon. Rau managed to narrowly dodge a direct hit and loose the right arm of his Mobile Suit. But the beam was not finished and rushed to the colony wall.
 
“NIET!”
 
Alex focused her New-Type energy to her thrusters and manoeuvred in the path of the beam. She intercepted the attack on her shield. The pseudo-material gave a good fight but was vaporized under the stream of pure destruction. Alex screamed in pain and whirled on herself, trailing smoke and blood from her left arm.
 
Kira could only contemplated in horror what he had almost done. He couldn't choose what was the most horrifying: Killing his best friend or destroying the colony.
 
Damaged and incapable to pursue the attack, especially against a warship, Rau flew to the exit. “How could they allow a Mobile Suit to have such firepower?” He frowned. “And how can they manage to reduce Mobile Suit weapons to such a scale?”
 
Jackie confirmed the retreat. “The enemy Mobile Suit is retreating! The damaged…er… ally is still operational!”
 
Natarle raised an eyebrow. Well, yes. She supposed she could consider it…er… her as an ally for now. “We're landing. Adjust speed to match ground rotation. Be cautious of gravity kicking in.”
 
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Aboard the Vesalius, ZAFT personal were continuing to analyze the captured Alliance Mobile Suits. “All unauthorized personnel are restricted from access to areas designated for captured Mobile Suits.” Inside the `Aegis', Athrun Zala was downloading all the information of the main computer. “Security clearance is in effect for all maintenance crew until confirmation that Mobile Suits pose no immediate danger.” He was remembering what happened inside the factory prior to the capture of the Suits. “Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action.”
 
Outside, the technicians gasped as something happened on their status screen. Athrun refocused on the situation and swore internally as he immediately saw his error. “Sorry! I started working on yours as well by mistake.”
 
“Oh, n-not to worry, we're done with the external check and recharging. What about you?”
 
“I'm done as well.” He shook his head as he retracted the keyboard. “But how'd they manage with this OS?”
 
Alarm rang on the flight deck. “Commander Le Creuset has returned. There's damage from a direct hit. Firefighting and relief squads to B deck.”
 
The flight deck's technicians witnessed the arrival of the CGUE and noticed its shape. “The commander's unit has lost an arm!” They immediately began their procedure to help the commander. “Begin cooling armour!”
 
Athrun looked in dismay to something that should be impossible considering the skill of the commander. `How'd that happen? But if it was against him…'
 
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The Moebius Zero landed on the exterior deck of the Archangel. Kira had gently taken his friends and Murrue and managed to put them safely inside the right hangar.
 
“Lieutenant Ramius!”
 
Murrue turned and smiled to the approaching group. “Ensign Badgiruel.”
 
Natarle gathered herself and saluted her superior. “I'm relieved to see that you're safe!”
 
Murrue returned the salute. “And you. I'm pleased to see that you were able to protect the Archangel. You saved us.”
 
The hatch of the Strike opened and Kira descended under the bewildered gaze of the crew. The Chief-Technician Kojiro Murdoch looked in surprise. “Come on. What's going on here? He's only a kid.” He turned to Jackie. “You mean that child piloted that thing?”
 
As Kira landed, his smiling friends surrounded him. Natarle blinked and turned to Murrue. “Lieutenant Ramius, what's going on?”
 
“Wow, what a surprise.” A blond man with blue eyes, in a purple and grey pilot suit walked to the group. “I'm lieutenant Mu La Flaga of the 7th Orbital Fleet.” He saluted. “Nice to meet you.”
 
The officers in the group returned the salute. “I'm Lieutenant Murrue Ramius of sector 2, 5th Special Division.”
 
“Ensign Natarle Badgiruel of the same division!”
 
Mu smiled. “I'd like authorization to board this ship. Who's in charge here?”
 
Natarle lowered her gaze. “The captain and top officers of this ship have all perished in battle. I believe Lieutenant Ramius is now in the position of responsibility.”
 
Murrue gasped and turned to the violet-eyed woman who continued. “Only a dozen or so of us were saved, mostly non-commissioned officers. Fortunately, being in the shaft, I was able to escape danger.”
 
Murrue didn't think that it was so serious. “The captain? How could that be?”
 
Mu sighed. “Oh, man. What a disaster. In any case, please give me permission, Lieutenant Ramius. The ship that I came in has been shot down.”
 
“Ah, sure. I grant you permission.”
 
The Mobile Armour pilot turned to the group of teenager and more particularly Kira. “And who's that?”
 
“As you can see, he's a civilian teenager. For some reason, he was in the factory district while we were under attack. I let him on the G-weapon. His name is Kira Yamato.”
 
La Flaga hum-hummed and Murrue continued. “Th-Thanks to him and someone else, we were able to fight off a GINN, destroy another one and protect this one machine.”
 
Natarle blinked and turned to Murrue. “Fight off a GINN? Destroy one?” She turned to Kira. “That kid did that?” She raised an eyebrow. “And who is this other person?”
 
It was then that everybody noticed the armoured silhouette approaching the ship. She was holding her still bleeding left arm. Her Power Armour was without her shield and Beam Rifle, but had protected her. The beam of the `Agni' had `only' vaporized her shield, the entire armour of the arm and damaged her flesh beneath. Still, Alex felt lucky that she was still alive. Her power level was too low to reinforce her Armour up to the level of ship-scale weapons.
 
She landed on a last burst of her thrusters and walked to the group. Her friends smirked a little: It was the turn of somebody else to be completely baffled by the appearance of the redheaded green-eyed girl.
 
Murrue smiled. “Here is the person who destroyed single-handedly a GINN.”
 
Miriallia gasped and rushed to her friend. “Alex! You're wounded! And it's serious!”
 
“Don't worry Mir. I can take care of it.” She smiled, warmed by the genuine interest of the honey-haired girl. “I was just waiting to be in a secure location to do it.” She turned to her wounded arm and concentrated.
 
Everyone gasped as an emerald glow surrounded the limb. Under their gazes, the wound clotted itself, the flesh sealed and the blood disappeared. After a few moments, only a few angry red scars remained.
 
She smiled and flexed her healed arm to her friends, to the immense relief of Kira who still felt responsible of her wound. She focused again and an armoured forearm protection glowed into existence. “There! Atlitchna! As good as new!”
 
Natarle whirled to Murrue. “Lieutenant! What…? How…? Who…?”
 
Murrue shrugged. “Her name is Alexandra Kerensky. Apart the fact that she acknowledged herself as an authentic Esper…I have strictly no idea.”
 
Mu whistled. “Wow! I'm impressed! I thought that we were still in the `Rhyne' cards stage. And that Suit… Wow!” He frowned as he reminded what he wanted to ask before the apparition of this girl. “I came here as an escort to the young pilots trained to pilot those Mobile Suits. Where are they?”
 
Natarle shook her head and answered in order to take a little breathing space about this mysterious civilian, her improbable powers and her impossible Armour. She had a rather nasty headache since the armoured girl landed. “We were bombed when they were in the control booth being welcomed by the captain. So they too…”
 
Mu lowered his gaze. “I see.” He approached the youngsters and looked squarely to Kira.
 
The teenager frowned. “Wh-What is it?”
 
Mu continued to smile and then gazed to Alex. “You two are Coordinators, aren't you?”
 
Everyone gasped and tension filled the hangar. “Wha…?” Alex's eyes narrowed and locked on the four armed soldiers in the back of the group of crewmen.
 
Kira and Alex looked back to the blond pilot. “Yes.”
 
The soldiers reacted and armed their automatic weapons. Tolle frowned and stepped in front of Kira. However, a high-speed whirring sound drew the attention of all to the Russian girl. Eyes widened as they contemplated the right pop-up Gatling Gun outside its forearm bay, whirling at maximum speed and pointed to the armed contingent.
 
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On the command deck of the Vesalius, Rau Le Creuset was smiling as he looked to the compiled data of his black box combined with the log of Miguel Airman's Suit. “You sure saved my neck by bringing this back, Miguel.”
 
The pilots were mesmerized by the display of the Strike and the Power Armour on the screen. “Otherwise, I'd have been a laughingstock for damaging my unit in a battle against weapons created by the Earth Forces…” Athrun, Olor, Matthew and Miguel were frowning as they witnessed what they believed to be an Exo-Frame with Mobile-Suit scale firepower. The prodigious agility of the Strike and the firepower of the `Agni' were also disquieting. “…no matter how I'd try to make my case.”
 
Rau floated back to the tactical screen. “You're all already aware of the situation with the original OS. Given this fact, I have no idea why this unit was able to move so well. I have also no idea how they managed to cram an energy weapon so powerful and a so efficient armour on an Exo-Frame. But what is clear is that we cannot afford to leave them in their hands and ignore this situation!”
 
Everyone listened intently to the white commander. “If we cannot capture them, we shall destroy them here and now, along with their ship. Don't underestimate them.” He saluted the four pilots.
 
“Yes, sir!”
 
Ades addressed the young men. “Miguel! Olor! Prepare to take off at once! Authorization has been granted to mount the D-equipment! This time, make sure you put an end to it!”
 
“Yes, sir!”
 
Athrun turned to the captain of the Vesalius. “Captain Ades! Please allow me to sortie as well!”
 
Ades raised an eyebrow and Rau turned to the elite pilot. “But you have no machine. Besides, you have already completed the important mission of capturing those units.”
 
“But…”
 
Ades took is decision. “Let the others go this time, Zala. Miguel and Olor have a stronger case, given the humiliation they incurred.”
 
Athrun sighed internally. It was not because of humiliation that he wanted to go back to Heliopolis.
 
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Aboard the Archangel, the situation had transformed into a western-like confrontation. Tolle addressed the soldiers. “Wh-What do you think you're doing?”
 
Kira looked to his friend protecting him. “Tolle.”
 
“They may be Coordinators, but Kira and Alex are not enemies! Didn't you see what went on earlier? You've gotta be outta your mind!”
 
Alex was still pointing her weapon to the soldiers. “I agree. Let's not make any sudden movement.” She smirked. “This little beauty is a 9 mm Gatling Gun with a rate of three thousands rounds per minute. I can make a few holes in a cheese with that.”
 
There were a few gulps as the power hidden under the high-speed sound was clearly announced.
 
Murrue knew she had to intervene before a blood bath occurred. “Lower your rifles!” She turned to the MS Girl. “Please, lower yours as well. I give you my word that nobody will fire.”
 
Alex looked closely in the orange eyes, searching for something. The Gatling Gun stopped and retracted in its concealing bay.
 
Natarle whirled to her superior. “Lieutenant Ramius! Please explain yourself.”
 
“There's no puzzle, is there? The Heliopolis Colony belongs to a neutral state, after all. It's natural that some Coordinators would choose to come here to avoid being involved in the war.” She turned to Kira who was now protected by the rest of his friends. “Am I wrong, Kira?”
 
“No, you're right. Especially with us being first-generation Coordinators.”
 
Romero turned to Kojiro. “`First-generation'?”
 
Alex sighed. “That means that like myself Kira is registered as a first-generation Coordinator. Our parents are Naturals” `Well, I'm not lying. I am registered as a first-generation Coordinator. I have simply omitted to mention that it is a lie.'
 
Mu La Flaga smiled. “Well, I apologize for causing such a stir. I was just curious. Nothing more.”
 
Murrue was sceptical. “Lieutenant La Flaga.”
 
The Mobile Armour pilot gazed up to the Strike. “On my way here, I observed a fair number of simulations involving the guys who are expected to pilot this but no one of them could do much more than get it to move.”
 
Natarle had an intense intuition: The young civilian will be the only pilot of the Strike! She shook her head. There was no time for such silliness.
 
Mu sighed and walked to the exit of the hangar. “Man oh man.”
 
Natarle called to him. “Lieutenant! Where to?”
 
“Where to? I landed after being shot down, and the team waiting outside is Le Creuset's.”
 
All the military gasped and Alex nodded. “Da! That explained why I couldn't nail that CGUE. He's one of their best pilot and a very competent leader.”
 
“Yep, and he's one persistent fellow. If you ask me, I don't think we can afford too much time here.”
 
Sai turned to the still armoured teenager. “You know this guy, Alex?”
 
“Niet. But I made a research on the main protagonists in this war. Rau Le Creuset…” She frowned. “I don't like this person.”
 
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Aboard the Gamov, the technicians were arming the Mobile Suits. “The number six container! Mount the D-equipment onto the GINN!”
 
The control room was directing the preparations. “Operation commences at 0100. Matthew, proceed to standby position!”
 
Inside the pilot lounge directly above the main hangar, the blond elite pilot Dearka Elsman was drinking in a zero-gee bottle. “D-equipment, I hear. Does Commander Le Creuset plan to capture a fortress or something?”
 
Orange-eyed Nicol Amalfi turned his green-haired head to his comrade. “But what'll happen to Heliopolis?”
 
“Can't really be helped, can it?”
 
Yzak Joule closed his eyes, the bottle of the silver-haired youth spinning before him. “It serves them right, calling themselves a neutral state.”
 
Nicol was not convinced: D-equipment inside a civilian colony?
 
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Inside Heliopolis, Trucks were rapidly conveying to the Archangel.
 
Romero Pal was shouting to some technicians. “We have no choice but to bring water from Morgenroete!”
 
Kojiro Murdoch was juggling with all he must do `at once' and was currently supervising the reparations of the Moebius Zero. “Our top priority now is to load parts and ammunition for the Strike! Hurry!”
 
And already a technician was hailing him for another urgent problem. “Petty Officer Murdock! Please come here!”
 
Inside the crew quarters, the group of Orb residents were attempting to get a few moments of rest. Kuzzey was looking to Kira sleeping on an upper bunk and to Alex, without her Power Armour, meditating with her eyes closed on the floor. “I'm impressed that they can sleep in this situation.”
 
Miriallia turned to Kuzzey. “There're tired. It was really tough for Kira and Alex, you know.”
 
Kuzzey smiled wearily. “It was tough? Well, I guess that's true, but…”
 
Sai sighed. “What are you getting at, Kuzzey?”
 
“Nothing. Just that in Kira and Alex's case, we can only say “it was tough for them”, and that's it. Kira said he rewrote the OS for that thing, right? When did he do that?”
 
Sai frowned. “What do you mean?”
 
“I can't imagine Kira had any previous knowledge of that thing. So then, when did he rewrite the OS? And don't get me started on Alex. An Esper? And where does her Power Armour come from?”
 
Everybody remained silent. There was only one explanation about Kira: He did it on the fly. And Alex still didn't explain herself to them.
 
Kuzzey continued. “I figure all along that Kira and Alex had to be Coordinators. To think that Coordinators, born genetically-enhanced do these amazing things, but to them it's nothing more than “tough”. And now, they can receive psychic powers too? The guys in ZAFT are all like that. Do the Earth Forces have any chance fighting against these guys?
 
“Better than what you think, tovarisch Kuzzey.” Everybody blinked and turned to Alex who opened her eyes and coolly gazed upon her friends.
 
Miriallia blushed. “You were awake, Alex?”
 
The Russian girl sighed. “Meditation enables rest AND awareness of the exterior.” She stood up and smirked to her friends. “All right! I have promise the pradva and I will give you an explanation. But first…”
 
She walked to Kira and lightly touched his arm. The now familiar emerald glow played on the skin of the young boy. “Huh?”
 
Kira blinked. He was awake and felt completely rested. He turned to his friends. Alex was smiling to him, the rest were looking bewildered. He sighed. “All right. What did you do to them this time, Alex?”
 
She giggled. “Nothing. I have just absorbed your fatigue.” She became serious. “I was about to tell my tale and I wanted all of you gathered and ready to listen to me.”
 
The teenagers sat down on the bunk beds as Alex retook her place cross-legged on the floor. She thought about what to tell, what to ignore and launched herself.
 
“First, I must dissipate a misunderstanding… I am NOT a Coordinator.” She smiled. “I'm a Natural.”
 
Kuzzey gasped. “How…?”
 
“I should amend this affirmation. I am also NOT a Natural…I am what is called a New-Type. You never heard of it because it doesn't exist in your universe.” She held a sad smile. “I was not born in your world. I came from another one.”
 
Sai was perplexed. “This is preposterous! I mean…”
 
“Hard to believe, right? Well, if you can explain why there is sivodnia suddenly an Esper in front of you without, at least, some rumours about this kind of power before…”
 
Kira jumped into the discussion. “And your Power Armour: It was an impossibility. Such a thing is impossible to create with current technology.”
 
“Correct, my Armour has the same origin as my powers: New-Type energy. That was what the Scientifics of my universe called it.”
 
Miriallia blinked. “So… You're an Alien from another Dimension…”
 
Alex nodded. Tolle thought a little then asked. “But you're like us… I mean…”
 
“Parallel evolution, Tolle. Apart for a different history, my world is completely identical to yours.”
 
Kuzzey was confused. “Why are you here…?”
 
Alex looked down, sadness obscuring her gaze. “I… I escaped from my world.” Her friends frowned, not understanding. “I escaped a war that was going on for a millennium in my home-world.” There! She said it.
 
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EYESCATCH
 
The Strike Gundam appears in its `Aile' configuration and demonstrates its abilities: His high agility. The supreme mobility in space and air. The dual 75mm automatic multi-barrel CIWS "Igelstellung" against some missiles. The assault knife "Armor Schneider" in close combat. The beam saber in melee. And, finally, the 57mm high-energy beam rifle.
 
EYECATCH
 
Alex appears with a Power Armour like the original RX-78 Gundam. She demonstrates its armament: The Vulcan Gun on the head that mow down lesser Mobile Suits, the beam saber cutting through any armour, the shield intercepting any attacks and the beam rifle destroying any enemies.
 
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On the command bridge of the Archangel, Murrue Ramius, in uniform, sighed as she put down the phone of her command chair. “I'm told that the colony interior is almost a hundred percent evacuated…” She turned to Mu La Flaga and Natarle Badgiruel. “…but that with the last incident, the alert level is up to nine.”
 
Mu frowned. “Which means the shelters have been completely locked. Oh, but then, what'll happen to those kids?” That was the question that perturbed Murrue. “It's too late now to look for a shelter to throw them into, isn't it?”
 
Natarle brought up her military thinking. “Lt Ramius detained those children because they'd seen military secrets. We can't exactly let them go.”
 
Mu was sceptical. “So you're having them join us on our escape? Once we leave here, we'll be involved in some pretty heavy fighting.”
 
“Yes! We must!” Natarle affirmed with force. She then stopped herself and blinked in confusion.
 
Murrue turned to the Ensign. “Why are you so vehement on their presence on board?”
 
“I… I don't know…?” She blinked again. Why was she so sure that the absence of those children would spell the doom of the Archangel?
 
Murrue returned to the problem of ZAFT. “I'm thinking that we'll need to rely on the strengths of the Strike. Alexandra Kerensky is an unknown quantity for now.”
 
Natarle was alarmed. Her intuition about the young Kira Yamato was too strong in her mind. “You're using that in actual battle again?”
 
“How do you expect us to escape without it?”
 
Mu was more practical. They need a pilot. “Has the kid and the girl agreed to it?”
 
Natarle frowned. “I wish we don't have to rely on them… Why don't you pilot it this time, Lt La Flaga?”
 
“Hey, don't be silly. There's no way I can operate that thing!”
 
Natarle sighed. She had intuitively already known that.
 
Mu continued, unaware of the ill-feeling of the young woman. “Haven't you seen the OS that the kid told us he rewrote? It's impossible for a normal human being to handle that thing.”
 
“Then make him change it back to… No, I'm being stupid.” She shook her head, trying to grasp straws. “In any case, we shouldn't have a civilian especially a child Coordinator, in charge of such important machinery.”
 
Mu smirked. “I know. But we can't casually go out and be an easy target for them? Can we?” The pilot shrugged before his sighing comrades.
 
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The Vesalius was catapulting its GINNs with the electromagnetic rail of the main hangar: The operation was launched. “Olor unit takeoff complete. Miguel, to the catapult.”
 
Aboard the Aegis, Athrun brought online the Mobile Suit.
 
The technician responsible of the launch order was finishing his work. “Close hatch!” It was then that the Aegis walked out its booth of maintenance to the dismay of the technicians.
 
“What's going on?”
 
“Is that going out, too?”
 
“Nobody told me.”
 
The former Alliance Mobile Suit launched rapidly.
 
Ades was aghast by what was going on. “What? Athrun Zala has taken off in a captured unit?
Call him back! Order him back to the ship!”
 
Rau smiled and turned to Ades. “Let him go.”
 
“Huh?”
 
“We're already done with the data extraction. This may, in fact, be quite interesting. A battle pitting one Earth Forces Mobile Suit against another.”
 
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Chandra's eyes, assigned to the communications, widened. “Electrical interference throughout the colony! N-Jammer levels rising!”
 
Natarle turned to him. “I knew it!” Indeed, it was a moment that she felt tensed, waiting for a blow.
 
Mu stood up. “It seems he has no intention of waiting until we head out there. That bastard!”
 
Natarle frowned. “So, they do intend to hit us again within the Colony.”
 
Mu shrugged. “Easy for them! We can't fire but they can fire as they wish!”
 
In the crew quarters, Murrue was talking to Kira and Alex. The young boy was not very cooperative. “I will not do it! Please don't involve us any further in this war than you already have!”
 
Murrue sighed. “Kira.” She turned to the Russian girl. “And you, Alexandra?”
 
The teenager smiled. “I have already taken my decision long before you came, Lieutenant. I'm just waiting to hear the decision of Kira.”
 
Kira's eyes narrowed. “What you say may be correct, that there is a war going on outside our world. But we don't agree with it! We dislike war! And that is why we choose to be here in neutral territory! Yet you…”
 
The intercom spoke. “Lieutenant Ramius! Lieutenant Ramius! Come to the bridge at once!”
 
Murrue connect with the bridge. “What's the matter?”
 
The voice of Mu La Flaga sounded. “There are Mobile Suits approaching!” The group of Orb residents winced and the eyes of Alex narrowed. “Come up here and take command! You're the captain.”
 
Murrue was flabbergasted. “I am?”
 
“I may have seniority, but I don't know anything about this ship!”
 
“I understand. Then prepare the Archangel for takeoff! All hands to level one battle stations! What about your Mobile Armour?”
 
“No good! It's not ready!”
 
“Then, Lieutenant La Flaga, please take charge of the CIC.” She turned to the teenagers. “It's like you heard. We're entering another battle. With an alert level 9 for the shelters, I can't let any of you off the ship now. If we can somehow overcome this and escape Heliopolis…”
 
Miriallia leaned into her boyfriend. “Tolle…”
 
Kira's fist clinched. “Your people are not being fair!”
 
Murrue prepared herself. “Kira.”
 
Tolle spoke to his friend. “Kira.” It was a disguised scream for help.
 
Kira was still mad. “And you'll tell us that there's only one Mobile Suit aboard the ship and that right now I'm the only one capable of operating it, right?”
 
Kuzzey turned to the redheaded New-Type. “Can't you pilot it instead, Alex?”
 
Alex smiled sadly to her friends. “I could, but there's only one of me and only one Kira. The enemy has the advantage of numbers. Two Suits are better than one. It is simple and inescapable logic.” She walked firmly to the main hangar. “That does not mean we have to like it.”
 
The Archangel took off and prepared itself for the battle. On her command chair, Murrue Ramius gave her instructions. “Our top priority is to escape Heliopolis. Be careful not to damage the colony during battle.”
 
Jackie, near Natarle and Mu in the CIC, was very sceptical. “That's impossible.”
 
In the main hangar, Alex was already in her Mobile Suit Power Armour and was waiting for her best friend. The technicians were equipping the Strike with a Striker pack better adapted for the imminent battle. “Open number three container! Attach Sword Striker!”
 
This time, Kira was finding everything about the new armament. He didn't want the same problems with the Launcher Striker. “Sword Striker? A sword. Odds are that won't happen again.” He activated the Phase-Shift Armour and prepared himself.
 
The threat screen of Tonomura blipped. “One heat source approaching. Thermal pattern. It's a GINN!”
 
As he received the enhanced image redirected by Tonomura, Mu's eyes widened when he recognized the weapons mounted on the GINN. “What are they thinking? It has heavy bombing equipment used for taking out bases! Are they planning to use that here?”
 
Receiving the transmission, Alex's eyes narrowed. “Bhoze moï! Then they left us very little choice.” She focused on her external armament and exchanged her Beam Rifle for her 10 mm Machine Gun. There was too much risk for the structure of the Colony already. She winced: Cockpit shots were the best option here, but she couldn't ask that to Kira.
 
A sector of the glassed panels of the colony exploded. Two more GINNs entered Heliopolis. The heat sensors of Tonomura nailed them. “A separate team is approaching from the Tannenbaum district!”
 
Natarle took control. “Send out the Strike and Alexandra!”
 
Unfortunately, a red Mobile Suit was following the GINNs. Jackie gasped. “One of them is X-303, Aegis!”
 
Murrue's eyes narrowed. “They're already sending it back out in an actual battle?”
 
Mu was feeling a little cynical. “Right now it's an enemy! You wanna be sunk by it?”
 
Natarle concentrated on the multiple threats. “Prepare to fire long range missile “Korinthos”! Direct laser designator at the GINN!”
 
Murrue turned to her second. “Projectile weapons are useless against Phase-Shift Armour!”
 
“Correct! But there's only one of the G-weapons and three GINNs.” Natarle thought furiously about the problem. “Alexandra! Stay here to cover us! Prepare both `Gottfried' to Emergency Mode firing only! Fire at will!”
 
The enemy group dispersed under the salvo of missiles. Holding his M69 Barrus Heavy Ion Cannon, Miguel manoeuvred and instructed his squadron. “Olor and Matthew, focus on the warship! Athrun! You came against orders. Now show us more of that spirit.”
 
On the screen of Athrun, the Strike, appearing as an enhanced image, was flying in their direction. The armoured silhouette, dubbed Exo-Frame by the target analyzer, remained near the Archangel. “Sure.”
 
Tolle called his friends from the main lounge. “Hey! We can see what's going on outside on the monitor over there!”
 
Sai, Kuzzey and Miriallia nodded to each other and rushed to observe their friends locked in mortal combat.
 
Kira drew the 15 metres long Anti-Ship Blade “Schwert Gewerh” and activated the laser edge. He began to circle with Miguel.
 
“There! Fall!” Miguel opened fire with his powerful weapon. Kira dodged the beam but it hit and destroyed one of the main cables supporting the main shaft. Kira was aghast: The enemy didn't care about collateral damage. Miguel fired again. Again, Kira managed to dodge and the ion beam eradicated a residential block.
 
The young engineer student understood that he must take the initiative. “I can't hit the colony! What should I do?”
 
Miguel fired dead on and Kira intercepted the beam with the shield holding the Rocket Anchor “Panzer Eisen”. Miguel rejoiced. “Did I get it?”
 
The Strike burst from the explosion to the dismay of the ZAFT pilot and the two machines continued their death ballet under the gaze of Athrun.
 
The situation was better for the Archangel. The volume of fire of the CIWS “Igelstellung” and the high-speed and very precise fire of Alex were doing wonders against the GINNs.
 
Olor launched half his payload of his leg-mounted short range missiles, hoping to open a path to fire his heavy missiles. Guided by her instincts, Alex whirled around and pointed all her weapons. Her Machine Gun, head-mounted Vulcan Guns and left Gatling Gun created a field of fire impassable. All the missiles exploded. The shockwave rocked the ship but that was all.
 
Chandra consulted the Damage Control display and smiled. “No damage! Number four weapons bank is still operational! The emergency seal off bulkheads has functioned perfectly!”
 
The shockwaves were not appreciated by the technicians attempting to continue their work. Murdock swore as he caught himself from falling. “Damn it!”
 
Believing he found the perfect lane of fire as Matthew was distracting Alex, Olor launched all his four heavy missiles on the top right of the ship. Natarle immediately pinpointed the threat. “Intercept them!”
 
Romero was attempting to redirect the automatic fire controls. “There's not enough time!”
 
Mu played his cards. “Give me manual targeting control!”
 
Understanding what he was doing, Murrue redirect the ship to provide partial cover. “Starboard forty degrees! Full speed!”
 
The warship managed to evade the missile spread. Unfortunately, all the missiles hit the ground, sending vibrations to the whole colony and weakening its internal structure.
 
Inside the shelter where Kira had sent her, Cagalli Yula was sensing the shockwaves of the explosions. The people with her were afraid. “Has another battle started?”
 
The computer managing the shelters reacted to the threat. “Alert level has been increased to ten. There is a chance that this shelter may be ejected as a life boat. All persons are to fasten their seatbelt!” Cagalli bite her lower lip. `Oh, Alex… I hope you're all right… And that boy too.'
 
Miguel was beginning to lose his cool as him and the Strike continued their deadly dance. The agile Suit evaded all his shoots. Only the encumbrance of the sword had protected him so far. “Damn!” He launched a salvo of beams to gain a little time. “It's fast! Get behind it, Athrun!”
 
Athrun manoeuvred behind the Strike. Kira's sensors pinpointed him and the brown-haired boy looked to the Aegis. “That Mobile Suit!” He thought about the person he thought was his best friend from Copernicus.
 
Aboard the Aegis, Athrun had the same thoughts. “Kira. Is it you?”
 
Miguel seized the occasion brought by the diversion of Athrun. “Gotcha!” He opened fire with his ion beam.
 
Kira dodged and drew the Beam Boomerang “Midas Messer”. Miguel dodged the deadly ring of energy and retook aim. Unfortunately, as the name implied, the Beam Boomerang acted like a boomerang and reverse course. It cut through the right leg of the GINN to the surprise of its pilot. “What?”
 
Kira rushed to the attack. The “Schwert Gewerh” cut the Mobile Suit in a diagonal cut like a hot knife through butter. The GINN exploded almost immediately as Miguel screamed.
 
“MIGUEL!” It was not possible. A friend had been killed under the eyes of Athrun by the hand of his best friend.
 
The Archangel's “Korinthos” nailed Olor's Suit as he tried to evade the precise sniping of Alex. Unfortunately the Suit hurled itself on the main shaft and exploded, doing structural damage, to the horror of the crew and the Russian MS Girl.
 
“OH!”
 
“OH, SHIT!”
 
“BHOZE MOÏ!”
 
Matthew was aghast. His group was one of the best and they were falling like flies. “Olor! Damn!” He rushed angrily to the attack: He still had all his payload of heavy missiles.
 
Murrue issued a general communication. “We can't afford to cause any more damage to the Colony!”
 
Natarle snarled. She knew that! “Then what do you suggest we do? Do you want us to let them sink us?”
 
Alex sighed. “I know, Captain Ramius…” Her gaze hardened. “I'm going for cockpit shots!”
 
Among the falling debris of the central shaft, The Strike and the Aegis were facing each other. In the cockpit of Kira, the frustrated voice of Ensign Badgiruel sounded. “Strike! What are you doing? We're under attack by the enemy here!”
 
Inside Athrun's cockpit, the voice of Matthew called to him. “Athrun! Where are you, Athrun?”
 
Kira ready himself. `Athrun? It can't be!'
 
The two Suits flew to each other and Athrun used the occasion to initiate a close range communication. The voice of his best friend erupted inside Kira's Strike. “Kira. Kira Yamato!”
 
Athrun's eyes widened then hardened when he received the image of the pilot of the Strike. “So it is you, isn't it, Kira?”
 
It was not possible, and yet, the face behind the helmet on his communication screen, was too familiar. “Athrun? Athrun Zala!”
 
Alex brought online her targeting goggles and locked onto the last GINN. Her mind voice echoed on the battlefield.
 
Targeting!
 
Most automatic weapons have three mode of firing: Single shot, a burst of three to five bullets and unrestricted burst. Alex was known in her home-world for the amazing precision of her psi-assisted shots. She lodged the three bullets of her short burst directly through the cockpit hatch of the Mobile Suit, killing instantly the pilot.
 
Was it a security measure of the weapon itself, a last action of the dying pilot or a plain short-circuit in the control system? No one would be able to find the truth. Nonetheless, the heavy missiles launched themselves and exploded against the main shaft. This time, horror paralyzed all aboard the Archangel. Alex was still pointing her weapon, eyes widened and skin completely white.
 
Kira was facing the Aegis piloted by Athrun. “Why? Why are you here?”
 
“That's what I wanna know! What are you doing in that thing?”
 
The central shaft collapsed and the colony began to lose its structural integrity. Massive pieces of Heliopolis separated themselves. Air rushed out in sudden decompression.
 
The computer of the shelters sensed the imminent destruction of the colony. “Compulsory evacuation orders are now in effect.” The escape pods-shelters began to be ejected from the doomed space station.
 
Aboard the Vesalius, Ades contemplated, aghast, the destruction of Heliopolis. “Commander.”
 
Rau Le Creuset said nothing as he looked to the dislocation of the structure.
 
Due to its mass, the Archangel managed to resist to the hurricane-like rushes of air. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Kira and the still paralyzed Alex.
 
Better pilot, Athrun looked in horror as his best friend was aspired into space. “Kira!”
 
Heliopolis disintegrated in the void.
 
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Preview:
 
What they lost was the time they took for granted and the future they believed in.
When the land, diminishing into empty space, portrays the greatness of what will never return, of what should have been, where will the youngsters try to go?
As they try to make sense of their feelings the approaching reality ejects them from familiar territory and into past terrors.
And the darkness of battles found on the other side of the opening gate is endless, gloomy and deep. She knew about it, he will know about it.
 
Next, on MS Seed Girls, “Silent Run, Silent Cry”. Cut through that darkness, Gundam!
 
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Notes: here is the character sheet of Alexandra Kerensky, using rules of Mekton Z.
 
Name: Alexandra Kerensky, `Alex'.
Age: 16 (apparent)/ +1000 (real). Height: 160 cm. Weight: 60 kg.
Hair: red. Eyes: green. Nationality: Orb (actual)/ Russia (original).
 
Attractiveness: 8.
Body type: 6.
Cool: 10.
Empathy: 8.
Intelligence: 8.
Luck: 10.
Movement allowance: 10.
Reflexes: 9.
Technical ability: 8.
Psi: 10.
 
Education: +9.
Stability: 25.
Psi points: 50 (currently, normally she has 100 and more psi points).
Head hits: 6, torso hits: 12, limbs hits: 9. Stun: 6. Lift: 60. Throw: 20. Dmg: 0. EV: 4.
Run: 30. Jump: 2.5 m/5 m (psi-assisted). Running jump: 7.5 m/15 m (psi-assisted).
 
Skills:
Attractiveness: Personal grooming: +5. Wardrobe & style: +6.
Cool: Interrogation: +5. Intimidate: +6. Persuasion & fast talk: +3. Resist torture/drugs: +6. Streetwise: +5.
Empathy: Acting: +6. Human perception: +8. Interview: +6. Leadership: +8. Seduction: +5. Social: +5.
Intelligence: Awareness/notice: +5. Compose or write: +4. Disguise: +5. Expert (many): +3. Gamble: +2. Know language (many): +6. Programming: +6. Shadowing: +5. Survival: +6. Teaching: +6.
Reflexes: Automatic weapons: +5. Blades: +7. Dodge & escape: +7. Handgun: +7. Hand to hand: +7. Rifles: +5. Aircraft/aeroshuttle pilot: +6. Athletics: +8. Dance: +4. Driving: +6. Stealth: +6. Swimming: +6. Zero gee: +8. Mecha fighting: +7. Mecha gunnery: +9. Mecha melee: +7. Mecha missile: +7. Mecha piloting: +7.
Technical: Basic repair: +9. First aid: +8. Jury rig: +9. Mecha design: +3. Mecha tech: +4. Medical: +4. Play musical instrument (many): +4. Paint or draw: +3. Photography & film: +2. Pick lock: +6. Sing: +6.
 
Psi skills (current, she is normally level 10 in all psi skills, and she used to have more powers):
Astral projection: level 3, can travel 1 km from her body. Cost: 2 points/level.
Aura viewing: level 3, can read if the target has psionic potential, if she is active or latent and roughly how powerful she is. Range: 30 m + 10 m/psi points. Cost: 1 point/level.
Clairvoyance: level 5, can sense known person or location (to 11 km), familiar (to 4 km) or unknown (to 1 km). Range: + 2 km/psi points. Cost: 3 points/level.
Danger sensing: level 5. Cost: 0, always active.
Emotion scan: level 4, can sense complex emotional patterns and their reasons and can made slight modifications on existing emotions. Range: 40 m + 100 m/psi points. Cost: 1 point/level.
Energy manipulation: level 6, can deflect 16 hits of energy. Range: 30 m of radius. Duration: 6 actions + 1 round/psi point. Cost: 4 points/level.
Healing: level 5, can heal 11 hits. Cost: 3 points/level. Range: touch.
Illusion: level 3, image and sound are diff 16. Range: visual sight or telepathic contact. Cost: 1 point/level. Duration: 3 rounds + 2 rounds/psi point.
Levitation: level 3, fly at MA speed. Duration: 3 rounds + 2 rounds/psi point. Cost: 1 point/level.
Mind lock: level 2, target frozen for 1 round per roll. Range: 40 m, 2 point to affect another target. Cost: 2 points/level.
Possession: level 4, can sense all sensations of the target, can take control of the voice and can take total control but the body moves jerkily. Range: touch, 1 m/psi point. Duration: 10 days.
Precognition: level 10, numerous precognitive flashes. Cost: 2 points/level.
Psi blast: Level 5, major feedback, target loses 3 turns. Range: 25 m. Work only on psionic character. Cost: 3 points/level.
Psi block: level 5, can block level 5 ability, can protect others. Range: self or 25 m + 5 m/psi point. Cost: 2 points/level.
Psychometry: level 7, simple history behind the object. Cost: 1 point/level. Range: touch.
Pyrokinesis: level 8, can heat up non-flammable objects, 2d6 damage. Cost: 3 points/level. Range: 160 m, 7 m area, + 5 m/psi point or area + 1 m/psi point.
Regeneration: level 4, 1 hit point for every round of concentration. Cost: 2 points/level.
Retrocognition: level 5, can look 1 year in the past. 1 psi point for each increment sup. Cost: 3 points/level.
Stat boost: level 3, one stat gain +1 for 10 rounds. Duration: + 1 action/psi point. Range: touch or self. Cost: 3 points/level.
Suggestion: level 4, major modifications to an important memory. Cost: 3 points/level. Range: 100 m + 10 m/psi point. Duration: 4 days + 1 day/psi point.
Telekinesis: level 10, move 460 kg, 4d6 damage, 24 hits shield. Range: 200 m + 10 m/psi point. Cost : 3 points/level.
Telepathy : level 6, conversations with up to 10 people, can send to 6 people at once. Cost: 1 point/level. Range: 600 m + 1 km/psi point. Duration: 60 minutes.
Teleportation: level 3, can teleport himself and one other up to 4 km to a well known location. Cost: 5 points/level. Take 1 turn of concentration per level, 2 psi points per turn reduced.
 
Thanks to James Axelrad and Blitz12 for their reviews.
 
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