Gundam SEED Fan Fiction ❯ MS Seed Girls ❯ The Vanishing Gundam And New-Type Power At Work ( Chapter 6 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Baran 
The Archangel is "royally" welcome at Artemis.
Garcia meet the four officers of the warship.
Wait a minute. Four? Shouldn't it be three officers?
Alexandra Kerensky lift the veil on the true might of a New-Type.
Anime/Manga: Gundam SEED Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sci-fi / Mecha | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 01.18.2007 | Pages: 22 | Words: 16.6K | Visits: 511 | Status: Work In Progress
The Archangel is "royally" welcome at Artemis.
Garcia meet the four officers of the warship.
Wait a minute. Four? Shouldn't it be three officers?
Alexandra Kerensky lift the veil on the true might of a New-Type.
Anime/Manga: Gundam SEED Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Sci-fi / Mecha | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 01.18.2007 | Pages: 22 | Words: 16.6K | Visits: 511 | Status: Work In Progress
MS Seed Girls
Disclaimer: I own nothing except Alexandra Kerensky.
Da: yes.
Niet: no.
Tovarisch: comrade.
Priviet: hello.
Atlitchna: excellent.
Nitchivo: neither good, neither bad.
Paka : good bye (later).
Pajalousta: please.
Spassiba: thank you.
Bhoze moï: my God!
Chap 6: The Vanishing Gundam And New-Type Power at work.
As the Artemis' officer and his aide entered the command bridge, Lieutenant Murrue Ramius and Ensign Natarle Badgiruel saluted. Murrue smiled. “Thank you, sir. We're grateful that you've granted our request to enter port.”
“Artemis: A military fortress belonging to Eurasia, a member of the Earth Forces.
This base, built on a remote asteroid, is protected by a Light Wave Defensive Belt which to date has proven impenetrable.”
“After somehow shaking off an attack by the Le Creuset team the Archangel finally made it to within this Umbrella.”
But as soon as the Archangel docked inside Artemis, armed soldiers surrounded the ship. Startled and worried about it, Murrue whirled to the Officer. “Commander!”
The man turned to her and simply stated. “I advise that you remain quiet, Captain.”
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As soldiers invested the ship, the passengers looked bewildered to what the internals cameras showed them.
In the lounge, Fllay Allster's eyes narrowed. “I knew it! But, why are they doing this, Sai?”
Sai Argyle was as confused as his girlfriend. Kira Yamato, coming back from the hangar, was also very perplexed by the actions of the military. A soldier barked as he entered the room. “Okay! Freeze!”
Five soldiers invested the lounge and pointed their rifles. “Don't move!”
Another half a dozen soldiers rushed the bridge room and pointed their weapons on everybody to the dismay of Miriallia Haw. “Don't move!”
Murrue was furious. “What are you doing?”
In all the ship, repeats of what had happened on the command deck happened. “All of you are to gather in one place!”
In a small office, two soldiers threatened a redheaded and green-eyed Ensign. “Hands up!” Calmly, Alexandra Kerensky lifted her hands. The teenager was under a psychic glamour that gave her the appearance of an adult mature woman in the white uniform of an Alliance Officer. She smirked internally.
Natarle was a soldier. She was also someone who strived to strictly adhere to the rules and protocols of the army. What was happening was not standard procedure. She turned to the Artemis' Officer. “Commander Biddulph! I request that you give us an explanation for this! We've…!”
“I'm just blockading the ship's controls and fire control systems as a security measure.”
Natarle was incredulous. “Blockading? But the way you're…!” A soldier pointing his weapon interrupted her.
“Your ship is not registered, and so naturally we have no identification code for it. Given the circumstances, we did permit you to enter port but unfortunately we have not yet recognized you as an ally.”
Her newly revealed New-Type intuition kicked in. `He is not saying everything!' “However…!”
“This is a military facility. I'd like for you to at least understand that much.”
Murrue didn't need New-Type sensitivity to know that something was off with their attitude, but she was impotent.
“Now, I would like for the Officers to come with me. You shall explain the situation to us.”
Biddulph escorted the two women to the exit. They joined with Lieutenant Mu La Flaga and the disguised Alexandra. The New-Type smiled to the Officers and gently initiated a mental contact.
Are you all right?
The three Earth Officers slightly reacted to the voice. Murrue smirked internally. `Yes. We're all right.'
Natarle was finding those telepathic links very useful. `For now. They're hiding something.'
Mu felt better now that they had a means to `talk' without being listened in. `Yeah. And I bet that all this have nothing to do with our lack of accreditation.' A small shuttle took them into Artemis.
Chief Petty Officer Kojiro Murdoch wasn't happy. He, his technicians and the rest of the bridge crew were rudely escorted to the central lounge where everyone had been gathered by the soldiers of the base. “What is it with you guys? You've gotta be kidding me!”
Chief Petty Officer Arnold Neuman was of the same advice. “Damn!”
In his office, Rear Admiral Gerard Garcia admired the spectacle on his screens. “A top-secret military project of the Atlantic Federation. Who would've expected something like this to jump right into our laps?”
His Executive Officer nodded. “So the rumours that Heliopolis was involved are true.”
Garcia smiled. “We'll invite the crew to spend some time here.”
Someone knocked at his door and the Rear Admiral switched his view-screens to some landscapes.
The voice of Commander Biddulph sounded. “Excuse me. I've brought four Officers from the unidentified vessel with me.”
“Come in.”
Murrue, Natarle, Mu and Alex entered the room. Garcia stood up and smiled to them. “Welcome to Artemis.”
By a supreme effort of will, Alexandra Kerensky managed to not roll up her eyes. `Da! Right!'
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Inside the Archangel, the passengers were talking about the situation.
“What? What's happening?”
“Aren't we gonna be let off here?”
“Why is there no explanation?”
Sai was troubled by the situation and turned to Jackie Tonomura. “Eurasia is supposed to be an ally, right? Don't they get along with the Atlantic Federation?”
Jackie shrugged. “That's not the problem.”
Romero Pal sighed. “The problem is that we have no identification code.”
Tolle Koenig turned to Dalida Lolaha Chandra II. “Is that much of a problem?”
Chandra rolled up his eyes. “Apparently.”
Murdoch was worried. “Although I believe the real problem lies elsewhere.”
Arnold nodded. “You're right.”
Kira and his friends sighed. Why those things happened to us?
Probably because of karma.
The familiar Mind Voice spoke softly in the minds of Kira, Miriallia, Tolle, Kuzzey, Sai and Fllay. This time, the teenagers sighed in relief.
Using her budding telepathy, Miriallia tried to reply back. Alex! Are you all right?
They felt amusement. Nitchivo. It should be me to ask this question. Da, we are all right. This is just a priviet to show you that I have `an eye' on your situation. Stay calm and reassured the others. The captain, I and the others are in front of the Supreme Asshole of all Assholes. I will contact you soon.
Fllay blinked as she felt the mental presence slipping away and turned to Kira. “Supreme Asshole of all Assholes?”
The young Coordinator reddened.
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In his office, Garcia finished to read data on his computer. « Lieutenant Murrue Ramius… Lieutenant Mu La Flaga, Ensign Natarle Badgiruel and Ensign Alexandra Kerensky. »
He nodded. “I see. It appears that your identifications are genuine Atlantic Federation IDs.”
Mu took the challenge to manage two conversations at the same time: One mental with his comrades and the second with the Rear Admiral. `Wow! How did you managed to trick him, girl?' “We apologize for all the trouble.”
An illusion combined with a suggestion. He is seeing what I want him to see and he will refrain to check it again in the future.
Garcia crossed his hands. “Not a problem. In fact I've come across your impressive record, Hawk of Endymion. I also fought at the Grimaldi front.”
Mu smiled. “Oh? Then you must've been in Commodore Villard's unit.”
“That's right. Although we were forced to retreat in that situation, your heroics in downing five GINNs gave us much-needed encouragement.”
“Thank you very much, sir.”
“But who would've imagined you would appear on this ship?”
And here we go. Did you notice, Natarle?
Natarle frowned internally at what she was sensing and replied on the same telepathic channel to Alex. Yes. There is jubilation…greed?
Mu frowned a little. “Unfortunately, being on a special mission, I'm not at liberty to disclose details.”
“I understand. But you mustn't expect resupply right away.”
He doesn't want us to resupply.
Murrue frowned. “It is crucial that we head to lunar headquarters as soon as possible.
In addition, we're being pursued by ZAFT.”
“ZAFT?” Garcia activated his view-screen. The Gamov appeared, manoeuvring around the deployed Umbrella.
Natarle immediately recognized it. “The Laurasia-class?” Alex? This is the ship…
The ship with my friends and the stolen Gundams? Oh da.
Garcia turned to the view. “As you can see, they've been wandering outside the Umbrella. They've been there for a while now. Well, one or two vessels are of little worry to us here.” He turned to the group. “However, this means you wouldn't be able to leave here even if you were resupplied, would you?”
Mu was grim. “They're after us. We can't afford to risk damage to Artemis by staying here.”
Garcia laughed. “Damage? To Artemis? They won't be able to do a thing. And they'll eventually leave. It happens all the time.”
Mu tried again. “However, Commandant! They're…!”
Garcia lifted his hand to interrupt. “In any case, I suggest that you get some rest. You appear to be very tired. I'll have rooms prepared for you.”
Mu shook his head. “But, Commandant…!”
An Officer entered. “Excuse me, sir.”
Garcia stood up. “We'll be able to get in touch with lunar headquarters once they leave. We'll plan everything after that.”
Natarle's eyes widened under the sudden realization and her telepathic emission chilled her comrades. He's lying!
Alex attempted to salvage the situation. “Sir? ZAFT's actions so far proved that they are determined to do anything to capture or destroy the Archangel, our last G-weapon and the Exo-Frame.”
Mu nodded. “Is Artemis really that safe?”
“Yes. As safe as being in your mother's arms.”
Alex said nothing but her opinion echoed in the minds of the three Officers. Stupid Asshole!
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As he was taking his meal, Chandra sighed. “Is this situation going to continue for long?”
Jackie shrugged. “Beats me! We won't know a thing until the captain returns!” He leaned forward and whispered. “Or Alex sends us a message.”
Romero swallowed his mouthful and nodded. “We can't exactly cause a scene with our allies either.”
Sai gulped his water. “There seems to be a lot going on even within the Earth Forces.”
Kira picked his food. He was remembering the events so far and sighed as he thought of his clashes with Athrun.
Eat, Kira. You need your strength.
He blinked. `Alex?' He sighed. `Do you really need to read my thoughts?'
I am not reading your mind. I am `seeing' what you are doing and your face says everything.
Kira was nonplussed. `Oh… So? What is the situation?'
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Inside a richly decorated room guarded by two soldiers, three Officers and a disguised teenager were gathering their thoughts.
Natarle was pacing, angry. “Sure, the ship may be unregistered but the treatment we're getting is inappropriate!”
Mu sighed. “We can't help it. Right now, they don't want us to return to the ship.”
Natarle stopped. This fact and what she perceived of Rear Admiral Garcia wasn't a very good thing to them.
Murrue nodded. “They want the secrets of the Archangel, the Strike and…” She smirked. “…our Exo-Frame.”
Natarle shook her head. “How can they even think about it? We are allies!”
“Greed and ambitions. Garcia wants to be more than the Commanding Officer of a small base.”
The three Officers turned to the woman who was sitting cross-legged in the centre of the room. Her eyes were closed and only Natarle and Mu were able to sense her aura slowly deploying through the entire base.
Murrue thought about her ship. “What is the situation on the Archangel?”
“Atlitchna. Everything is calm so far. They are still trying to unlock the secrets of our computers.” Alex smiled. “But without the proper Atlantic Federation codes or my own little passwords, they won't find everything they want.” She smirked. “Of course, they are also frustrated to not finding where is the Exo-Frame.”
Mu frowned. “What I'm concerned about is that those guys believe that they're absolutely safe here on Artemis.”
Alex opened her glowing eyes. “Da. I know. And they're wrong.”
Natarle blinked. “What do you mean?”
“There is no such thing as a perfect defence.”
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Aboard the Gamov, the Captain Zelman exposed the situation. “The Umbrella doesn't allow any lasers or projectiles past it. Although the opposite is also true.”
Dearka Elsman was perplexed. “In other words, they won't be attacking us. It's kinda ridiculous when you think about it.”
Zelman nodded. “But it's first-class as a defensive weapon. Not being an important strategic position, our forces have pretty well ignored it to this point. We currently have no means to get past that Umbrella. They've gone into a most troublesome spot.”
Dearka smiled. “Then what'll we do? Wait until they come out?” He chuckled.
Yzak Joule frowned. “Stop kidding, Dearka! When the commander returns, do you want to report that we did nothing? That would be total disgrace!”
Dearka snorted.
Nicol Amalfi was observing the data on the Tactical Screen. “The Umbrella's not open all the time, is it?”
The ZAFT Captain turned to him. “No. It's not normally activated unless there is an enemy presence in the area. However, even if we did approach it while the Umbrella's closed they'd notice us before we'd get within the fortress's range and activate the Umbrella.”
“My machine. The Blitz may be able to pull it off.”
Everybody turned to him. The green-haired teen smiled. “It has an interesting function aside from its Phase-Shift.”
Dearka frowned. “What about the delicious ability of our “little Princess” to read our minds?”
Yzak snarled but replied. “No worry. I have analyzed our logs. Her range is limited to Mobile Suit-scale close-range and her concentration is a must. She never attempted it during direct combat.”
Rapidly, the Gamov turned around and blasted away from Artemis.
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In the Control Room, Gerard Garcia surveyed the operations on the Archangel when his consol biped. “What is it?”
A sensor operator answered him. “ZAFT's Laurasia-class is leaving the area. Yellow 18, Mark 20, Charlie. Distance, 700. The distance is increasing.”
“Very well. I'll leave the rest to Rize. Continue to maintain surveillance of the area.”
“Yes, sir.”
Garcia turned to his second who had entered the deck. “Well?”
“Sir. Well, examination of the ship is coming along smoothly but the Mobile Suit and the Exo-Frame…”
“What is it?”
“There's a lock on the OS that's impossible to analyze. We haven't been able to activate it yet.”
Garcia scowled. “What?”
“We have all of our technicians working on releasing the lock as we speak. However, for the Exo-Frame…well…”
“Well, what?”
His Executive Officer sighed. “We are unable to find it aboard the Archangel.”
“WHAT?! Damn it!”
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The sensor operator of the Gamov looked attentively to his instruments. “Distance from Artemis, 3500. Still no change in the Light Wave Defensive Belt.”
Inside the Blitz, Nicol finished his checklist. “Mirage Colloid voltage checked, systems all green.” He sighed. “We're putting this to use without any preliminary tests. I hope it works.”
In the pilot observation lounge, Yzak looked the Mobile Suit. “The Earth Forces sure make some weird stuff.”
Dearka turned to him. “Nicol would be perfect.” He smirked. “It's a job for a coward.”
The Blitz gained its place for the final preparations before catapulting.
The blond pilot of the Buster frowned. “Well, at least, it was what I used to think about him.”
The silver-haired pilot of the Duel blinked. “What do you mean?”
Making sure Yzak didn't see his face, Dearka continued. “We were…are still the “Three Musketeers”. In fact, you and Nicol are mirror images.”
“What?!”
Dearka shrugged. “Yes. Nicol “Aramis” overthought about everything he do and Yzak “D'Artagnan”…” He grinned. “…overreacted to everything.”
The teenager's blue eyes widened. “I'M NOT OVERREACTING!”
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The Mind Voice of the Russian girl erupted in the consciousness of her friends. Pajalousta listen everyone! Things are accelerating! Garcia is not happy about the Exo-Frame and the Strike. Her voice took a sarcastic edge. And, of course, instead to take it with the Officers and the Exo-Frame's pilot under their custody, they prefer to harass the crew of the ship.
Kira and his friends blinked. Miriallia and Fllay took refuge in the arms of their respective boyfriends.
Niet. Don't panic. I can do many things, even if I'm not here. All right! Boys, you warn the bridge crew! Girls, I need your help!
Miriallia and Fllay gulped. The honey-haired girl focused her thoughts on her friend. What do you want us to do?
They perceived her smile. Nothing. I just need you two to be my eyes and ears. I'm going to mainly acted through what you sensed. She giggled. So pajalousta relax and prepare yourselves for an amazing demonstration of New-Type powers.
It was just. As soon as Kira, Sai, Tolle and Kuzzey finished relaying around the message of Alexandra to the bridge crew, Rear Admiral Garcia and his second entered the room.
Garcia addressed the people. “Who are the pilot and mechanic of the Mobile Suit on board this ship?”
Kira blinked. `They are not interested in you, Alex?'
Oh, da. They are interested. But since I am already in their hands, they will `question' me later at their pleasure.
The Executive Officer asked the room. “The pilot and mechanic! They're among you people, right?”
Kira attempted to stand up but was prevented by Murdoch.
Arnold advanced to the two officers. He tried to see if Alexandra was with them. `Still with us, Miss Kerensky?'
Priviet and go ahead, Arnold. And pajalousta call me Alex.
Arnold confronted Garcia. “Why are you asking us?”
The second seized the dark blue-haired man by the lapels. “What?”
Don't worry, Arnold. I survey him. He will not hit any of you!
Bolstered by the warm presence, Arnold continued. “Is it because the captain and our Officers didn't tell you? Or because you couldn't ask them?”
Kira suddenly understood the uneasiness of Ensign Badgiruel and the words of Lieutenant Mu La Flaga. `“Put a lock on the Strike's activation program. Make sure no one can move it but you!'”
Garcia stopped his Executive Officer. “I see. That's right. Among the Atlantic Federation, you people are elite personnel selected for a top-secret military project.”
Arnold stayed firm. “What are you planning to do with the Strike?”
Easy, Arnold. Easy. Anger is difficult to deflect and redirect.
Garcia shrugged. “We won't do anything. It's just that we're fortunate enough to be granted the opportunity to observe it before the official announcement on it.”
This time, the Mind Voice echoed in the consciousness of the bridge crew and Kira and his friends. Da. And I'm the Tooth Fairy.
Garcia looked around the room. “Who's the pilot?”
Murdoch answered. “It's Lieutenant La Flaga. If you have any questions about it, please ask the Lieutenant.”
“We monitored the battle fought earlier. Even I know that he's the only person capable of handling the Zero and its Gun-Barrels.” Garcia seized Miriallia by the arm.
Tolle stood up. “Miriallia!”
Garcia smirked. “It's unlikely that a woman would pilot that thing. But when you consider that even the Captain of this ship is a woman…”
Mir! Look at him in the eyes!
Miriallia turned to the Rear Admiral. The level of lighting hided the slight glow of her green eyes. Her voice took a strange quality, but only Fllay truly remarked it. It was as if… “There is no need for violence.”
The eyes of Garcia glazed. “There is no need for violence.” His hold on her arm eased.
Miriallia continued. “I am not the pilot.”
Garcia acquiesced. “You are not the pilot.”
Fllay blinked. No, she wasn't dreaming. The transparent silhouette of Alexandra was covering Miriallia and speaking in synchronisation with her.
“You can let me go.”
Garcia released Miriallia. “I can let you go. You're not the person I need.”
Kira had been ready to jump to the defence of his friend before she stopped the Earth Forces Officer. The Russian girl's Mind Voice touched him as he speculated on how the heck did she do it?
Kira! I can't deflect him without calling suspicion on his actions. I'm afraid we must reveal that you are the pilot.
The Coordinator smiled internally. `That's okay. I was going to do it, anyway.' He stood up, shaking the attempts of Murdoch to stay silent. “Stop it! That's unfair!”
Murdoch was catastrophed. “Kid!”
Kira ignored him. “I'm the one piloting that thing!”
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EYECATCH
The Strike appears in its basic configuration and shows what he can do: The dual 75 mm Automatic Multi-Barrel CIWS “Igelstellung” in the head intercepts missiles. The Strike draws its twin Assault Knives “Armor Schneider” and takes a defensive posture. Finally, the Strike destroys a Mobile Suit with its 57 mm High-Energy Beam Rifle.
EYECATCH
Alex appears, sporting a red and white Mobile Suit Power-Armour designed around the RGM-79G GM Command. She demonstrates her capacities: The twin 6 mm Vulcan-Gun in the head forces Mobile Suits back away. She draws her two Beam Sabers and cut into a group of Suits. Finally, she empties her 9 mm Machine-Gun in the command deck of a cruiser.
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In the Control Room, the Master Operator of the sensors reported to his superior. “Regular patrol. No sign of enemies within close defence perimeter.”
The Officer nodded. “Okay. We should be all right now. Switching Light Wave Defensive Belt facilities to level two alert status.”
The energy projectors stopped their emission and the Umbrella disappeared around Artemis. It was the signal for the Gamov. His flight deck opened and the Blitz was catapulted.
Nicol activated the Mirage Colloid system and the Blitz became invisible. The Mirage Colloid itself was a particulate gas made up of microscopic prisms which absorbed and refracted light and radio waves, bending them around the outside of the mobile suit. The colloid was held in place by a powerful magnetic field.
The orange-eyes boy nodded to the lecture of his instruments. “Mirage Colloid formation satisfactory. Current dispersion loss rate, 37 percent. Usage is limited to 80 minutes.” His eyes narrowed as he looked to Artemis. “I hope Alex is occupied.”
The invisible Suit proceeded to the Alliance base.
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Garcia advanced to the brown-haired youth. “Hey kid. I appreciate your wanting to try to protect the girl.” He smirked. “But that's not something a young guy like you can handle, now, is it?” He prepared to punch Kira. “Get serious!”
In the room where the three Officers of the Archangel were detained, an emerald aura flared an instant around the cross-legged Alexandra Kerensky.
Kira was readying himself to dodge the slow punch when Garcia stopped and blinked. “Violence is not necessary.” He blinked again then scowled. “However, lying to a superior Officer is a grave offence!”
Kira was becoming angry. “I'm not lying!”
With two soldiers, the Executive Officer rushed to the side of his superior. “Commander!”
Kira continued. “What is it with you people?”
Murdoch attempted to restrain him. “Kira! Stop it! Don't fight back!”
The second went to seize Kira but stopped himself and resorted to signal the soldiers to point their weapons. “Bastard!”
In another sector of the base, Murrue, Natarle and Mu observed their MS Girl sweating under the stress.
Sai tried to break the tension. “Stop it!” He was promptly targeted by the rifles and backed away.
Fllay was divided between fear and anger. She was about to say something, to do something, anything to stop what was going on when she `heard' Alex.
Niet! Cool, Fllay! I'm still here! Look at those idiots and repeat what I say.
Fllay held back his threatened boyfriend and gazed furiously to the soldiers. “Sai! Would you stop it? What Kira is saying is true!”
The three Archangel's Officers gasped when a blue aura appeared around the emerald aura of the redheaded New-Type.
The attention of the Artemis' military turned to the blue-eyed redhead. “That boy is the pilot!”
Tolle was worried. What was she doing? “Fllay!”
The Executive Officer wanted to get angry but felt only irritated. “Would you guys cut it out?”
The light from the ceiling hided it but Kira saw the characteristic glow of the New-Type power in the eyes of Flay. “I'm not lying! That boy's the pilot!”
This time, the eyes of Garcia and his second glazed. “He is the pilot?”
Under guard, Kira was escorted out of the central lounge and in the direction of the hangar.
Okay, Kira. So far, so good. Just a few things to tell our friends and I will stay with you. Courage!
Tolle shook his head to Fllay. “Why'd you have to say such a thing?”
“Because…it's the truth! And that was what Alex wanted me to tell!”
Everybody except Miriallia, who was smiling, looked at her. “Huh?”
That right, guys! Mir and Fllay were awesome! Everything is now calm in your sector. Stay alert for now. I will be with Kira, so don't worry. She then focused on Miriallia and Fllay. Girls? You were fantastic. Spassiba. Thank you for allowing me to strike through you.
The displaced teenager concentrated only on Fllay. Fllay? No one is hearing this except you. The blue-eyed girl blinked. Alex seemed…worried? For a brief instant, you almost lashed out in fear and anger with your power. Be careful, those emotions are the most difficult to master.
Fllay Allster gulped and tried to reply telepathically. Does…Does that means that I am in danger?
Niet. But you can wound someone you like or love if you lashed blindly and without control. As you have felt, focus and control is primordial even if you don't want to use your power.
“Is there a problem, Fllay?”
Startled, Fllay whirled to her boyfriend. “Nothing! Nothing at all.”
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In the hangar, Kira smiled a little as he felt the now familiar warmth of the mental touch of Alexandra Kerensky. `Glad to `see' you with me.'
Glad to be with you. Da! We're going to give those Assholes what they want. Kira sensed the smirk. Or more exactly they will think we're giving it to them.
Kira turned to Garcia and his men. “So you want me to release the lock on the OS, am I right?”
Civilian technicians around the hangar wondered what was going on. This kid was the pilot?
“What? Are you sure?”
“That child?”
Garcia acquiesced to the violet-eyed teenager. “For starters. After that, we would like to see how this Suit comported itself. But, it will be for later.”
Kira snorted mentally. `Yeah, right. As if you would be satisfied with just that.'
You have no idea, tovarisch. Be thankful he doesn't know you're a Coordinator.
Kira blinked as he went to a lift. `What do you mean?'
This man seems incapable to just conceive the existence of a Coordinator who is not ZAFT and only ZAFT. Even Coordinator civilians do not exist in his mind.
Kira frowned. `So?'
So? He would have thought of you as only a traitor to the Coordinators.
This thought chilled Kira to the bones and rattled him so much that he froze for an instant. The soldier behind him prodded him forward.
Since she was respecting the intimacy of his mind, Alex didn't perceive how deeply those concepts hurt her friend and she pursued her dissection of the mind of Garcia.
For example, he would have treated you like a tool. For analyzing the Strike and build others. Or even conceive weapons effective against a Mobile Suit. And in all that, he would have thought having you as a slave because since you are a traitor, you could only be welcome in his federation.
Kira thought about Athrun when he gave him the robotic pet bird Torii. `He would have thought all that? Even if I'm only a civilian, a student? Even if I'm not a soldier or a military contractor?'
Da. For him, you would have been a Coordinator taking sides with the Earth Forces and as such a valuable tool.
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As the Blitz approached undetected, a false calm spread around Artemis.
Murrue, Natarle and Mu were reduced to wait after Alex had relayed them what happened so far.
The crew of the Archangel was also reduced to wait and see.
Aboard the Strike, under the supervision of some technicians and the gaze of a soldier, Kira was reprogramming the OS. Alex was making sure that no one saw the modifications he made. By reconfiguring its internal sensors, the Strike would refuse to unlock the weapon systems to anyone expect someone with all his bio-parameters like Kira. Garcia would think that the Strike was unlocked instead of being completely under the command of the young Coordinator.
In the Control Room, everything was all right. The Officer was reading a newspaper and the operators were discussing. After all, Artemis was invulnerable, right?
“I learned from the letter I got recently that my mother's not feeling well.”
Suddenly, Natarle jumped on her feet, violet eyes glowing. “Danger!”
Outside, Nicol targeted one of the turrets of the Umbrella and fired with his 50 mm High-Energy Beam Rifle. The tremors of the explosion shook the entire base.
An operator looked his consol. “What was that?”
The Officer turned to him. “What happened?”
Nicol began to systematically destroy all the turrets he could see.
Murrue whirled to Natarle. “What's that?”
Natarle shook her head. “I'm not sure. But we are in danger.”
Alex snarled, her eyes blazing with emerald fury. “It's ZAFT…! It's…Nicol with the Blitz! Bhoze moï! I was so focused on Artemis that I didn't detect him!”
Murrue frowned and turned to the disguised teenager. “Warn the Archangel! Tell them we're going back soon! The ship must be ready to take off at that time!”
The Russian girl breathed deeply and refocused her power. Wanting to spare her reserves of energy, she contacted the only two other active New-Types. Fllay! Mir! We're under attack by one ZAFT Mobile Suit! Warn everybody! Took control of the ship and prepare to take off! By force if necessary! Captain's orders!
Garcia flipped open his personal communicator. “Control Room! What were those tremors?”
“Unknown, sir! There's nothing within the perimeter!”
“But those were explosions!”
In the cockpit of the Strike, Kira finished his adjustments. “An attack?”
Kira? ZAFT is attacking! Prepare to get the hell out of here at the first occasion. Courage, tovarisch!
Tolle was listening to the noise of the explosions. “What is it? We're under attack?”
Miriallia and Fllay looked at each other, nodded and began to circulate to warn everybody.
The Officer of the Control Room tried to make sense of what he was sensing on the instruments. “It could be a long-range attack! Open the Umbrella, Rize! What are you doing?”
The main energy projector of the Umbrella began to deploy. The Blitz reappeared at its vertical. “That's it!”
Nicol activated his Beam Saber and cut the projector in two.
The operators were flabbergasted. “There's a Mobile Suit within the defence perimeter!”
Garcia listened to the report through his com-unit. “Our reflectors are being destroyed!”
“What?”
Nicol advised the armoured hatch of the main access to Artemis. “Is that the port?”
Having made his plan with his comrades, Arnold walked to the guards. “Why's the alarm going off?”
“Huh? Well, uh…”
Jackie approached the door. “Don't you know?”
Arnold continued. “Then go and ask! This has got to be an attack, no matter how you look at it!” The pilot's ship forced the passage and rushed to the bridge.
“S-Stop!” The soldiers targeted him.
Sai, Tolle, Chandra and Jackie jumped on the soldiers and seized them. “You've got to get your priorities straight!”
A soldier managed to push back Jackie and Sai. “You, bastards!” He pointed his weapon in their direction.
“NOOOO!” Fllay lost it. The weapon pointed on her boyfriend triggered the fear and anger she had accumulated since the attack on Heliopolis. A blazing blue aura flared around her and her eyes became two liquid turquoises. She waved her arms and the two soldiers flew, hit by an invisible force. The impact on the wall stunned them.
Sai smiled to the young girl before rushing to the command deck. “Thanks, Fllay!”
The bridge crew rushed to the lift, leaving the bewildered redhead looking at her hands. She began to shake. “Oh, my god! Did I do that?! What's happening to me?”
The crew gained the bridge being evacuated by civilian technicians afraid of the exterior situation. Arnold jumped to his post. “We're gonna start it up!”
Romero turned to him. “The Captain and the others aren't here!”
“Her orders were to ready the ship for their arrival and at this rate, we're sitting ducks!”
Mu swore as he listened to the tremors. “The enemy got through!” He began to scream. “There's a crack in the wall from that last explosion! Air's leaking out!”
He turned to the three women. “Shout out something. Make them open the door!”
Alex smacked her face and shook her head with Natarle. “Niet. Spassiba. I don't want to sound so ridiculous.”
The three Officers blinked as she banished her Psychic Glamour and reappeared as the sixteen years old teenager clad in her white blue-trimmed inner-suit.
She walked to the door and knocked. “Hey, outside! Get out of the way, we're coming out!”
Natarle raised an eyebrow. “And this sound less ridiculous?”
Alex simply focused her telekinesis and pushed. The reinforced door was ripped off its hinges and flattened the two guards who were busy looking at each other, wondering if the girl they heard was insane.
Natarle was speechless then scowled. “ALEXANDRA!”
“Hey, I warned them.” She shook her head. “They never listen.”
Mu shrugged. “Well, we're in a hurry. And it was a great way to open the door.”
Murrue quickly exited the room. “I certainly don't want to die here in Artemis. Sorry.”
Alex nodded and ran with them in the corridor. At a crossroad, she checked something and turned to Murrue. “Captain! I go my way from here.”
“What? Where are you going?”
“To Artemis Control Room. I will help our escape from here.”
“It's too dangerous!”
The Russian girl smiled. “Don't worry. If need be, I'll contact Natarle, Miriallia or Fllay and teleport back.”
Nicol was attacking the entry of the port and was blasting away the Moebius Mobile Armour despite their newly installed Energy Gun. Explosions began to ravage the interior of Artemis as he progressed.
In the hangar, Garcia was upon the point to rip off his inexistent hair. “They got through the Umbrella? That's impossible!”
“Commander!”
Kira seized the occasion. He kicked away the distracted soldier and closed the hatch.
Garcia looked to the departing Suit. “Bastard!”
Kira activated his exterior speaker. “We're under attack, right? This isn't the time for this!”
“Damn!” Garcia and his second ran to the Control Room.
Without losing time, Kira activated the automatic system of the hangar and selectionned the “Sword” Striker parts. He was going to fight in a closed environment: Close-combat weaponry was a must.
Destroying Moebius fighters one after the other, Nicol finally found his original target: The Archangel. “Found him!”
But the Strike appeared on his way. “I'll get that guy today!” `Even if you are a friend of Athrun.'
Nicol launched his Piercer Lock “Gleipnir”, but Kira countered it by using his own Rocket Anchor “Panzer Eisen”.
Kira was worried about the security of the Archangel and his friends. “Damn! He's come all the way in here!” He drew, activated his 15.78 m Anti-Ship Blade “Schwert Gewehr” and engaged the battle.
Outside, the Gamov had rushed back and was now catapulting the Duel and the Buster.
Yzak was determined to avenge his wounded pride. “What about that guy?”
Dearka smirked. “We'll sink him with the whole fortress!” He then heard the sigh of his comrade and spoke sadly and softly. “Yeah, I know. Let's pray we won't meet her.”
On the bridge of the Archangel, Murrue Ramius and Natarle Badgiruel took their places.
Arnold smiled to them. “Captain!”
In the Combat Information Centre, Mu La Flaga mussed the hair of Sai and Miriallia. “Excellent work, kids!”
Sai shook his head. “What is this fortress, anyway?”
Miriallia turned to the blond Mobile Armour pilot. “And Alex?”
“She's all right. She's helping us in Artemis Control Room before coming back.”
Murrue analyzed the situation. “We can't get around while in here! Archangel, taking off!” The six engines of the warship erupted in blue flames.
Kira nodded as he saw the Archangel taking off. He faced the Blitz, dodged the “Gleipnir” and cut overhead. Nicol evaded the attack.
In the cockpit, Kira remembered what Alex had revealed about Rear Admiral Garcia. `“He would have thought of you as only a traitor to the Coordinators.”' He tightened his jaw as others words flashed in his mind. `“For him, you would have been a Coordinator taking sides with the Earth Forces and as such a valuable tool.”'
Unshed tears shone in his eyes. “Damn it! Just leave us alone!” `If a Federation Officer could have believed that about me then ZAFT also could believe that I am a traitor to them.'
Like Alex had showed him, Kira focused his rage into his skills and rushed to the attack. The Blitz fired its three Hyperfast Kinetic Energy Penetrator “Lancer Dart”. Kira dodged two and cut the last one in half with his Blade. Unleashing a relentless assault, he pushed back Nicol.
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Garcia was screaming in the Control Room. “What are you doing? Send our ships out! Artemis can't be destroyed by just one enemy!”
The electronically locked door opened behind him. Garcia whirled to berate the soldier who entered without permission and stopped, his eyes widened.
Alexandra Kerensky stepped in, her emerald eyes blazing with New-Type energy. The door closed behind her and locked itself without human intervention.
Garcia blinked. “What…? WHO ARE YOU?! WHAT ARE…?” He stopped.
In fact, everybody in the Control Room stopped his activity as a steel fist seized their minds.
Everybody evacuate now!
The Mind Voice reached into their being and plucked their will like an adult stole a sweet from a little child. Quickly, everyone exited the Control Room. Everybody but one.
Rear Admiral Gerard Garcia felt like a small bird in front of a Royal Cobra. The glowing emerald eyes pinned him where he was.
“And now, Garcia. Let's see what you got in your head.”
When Alex said to her friends that she couldn't read their innermost memories, she wasn't lying. At her current level of power, she still couldn't do that, but she could rip them off a brain.
Her hands seized Garcia on the temples and the Alliance Officer screamed. The process she was using destabilized completely the neural pathways in a brain. While she was absorbing all the content of his brain like a vacuum cleaner, she was lobotomizing him.
She let go of the human husk after a few minutes. Garcia was still breathing but what defined him as a sentient being was no more. She swore. While what she gained from Garcia was what she needed to help the Archangel, the level of greed and secrets ambitions he hided from his men was abysmal.
She shook her head: There was no time for that, now. She froze as two others familiar auras came into range of her senses. `Yzak! Dearka! Shit! They're almost here!'
Using her new found knowledge, she rapidly accessed the base computer. She couldn't do anything but purging most of what Garcia had already taken from the Archangel's computers. When those two Gundams will invest the base, it will be a slaughter.
She frowned at the thought. Would her childhood friends really kill defenceless civilians? Or surrendering soldier? She narrowed her eyes. She didn't like to do such things, but innocent lives were on the balance.
She went to a communication consol and focused on her power. A Psychic Glamour formed around her in the appearance of the Rear Admiral Gerard Garcia. `He' looked at `his' form and frowned. “I really hate doing this.”
The pseudo Garcia opened a channel on all the frequencies. “Attention, everyone! This is Rear Admiral Gerard Garcia.” `He' paused. “Artemis base is to be evacuated! I repeat! Artemis base is to be evacuated! All military personnel are to help our civilian contingent to the shelters!”
Reactions were varied in all the parties on the battlefield.
Yzak was confused. “What the hell is going on?”
Murrue frowned. “What does he want to do?”
Mu blinked. “Is he surrendering?”
The Executive Officer of the real Garcia looked in surprise to the face on all the monitors. “Commander?!”
The Blitz and the Duel arrived at the entrance of the port and began to destroy everything on their path. In the confined environment of the port, the Buster revealed itself as a killer. Its Gun-Launcher was very efficient against the small Moebius and his Beam Rifle pierced through the armour of the ships docked.
“To the ZAFT Forces, I can only offer our unconditional surrender. I repeat. We surrender unconditionally!”
Using her telekinesis, Alex generated alterations on the emission to simulate a malfunctioning equipment.
“That is all. As a Commanding Officer, I asked ZAFT to treat fairly the people that were under my command. I…”
At that time, Alex destroyed the consol, simulating an explosion in the Control Room and `the death' of Rear Admiral Garcia. She banished the Psychic Glamour. “I hope they have listened to `Garcia'.”
She gazed down for an instant of the still living body of the Alliance Officer with cold, hard eyes. “I would have killed you, anyway.” She focused her senses on the `spirit light' created by Miriallia and Natarle, locked on the place they were and teleported.
A few moments later, the second of Garcia ran into the Control Room with some soldiers. “Oh! Commander!” He leaned on the lying shape on the floor. “He's still alive!” Five seconds later, a damaged Moebius crashed into the Control Room, killing everyone.
As he continued to fire upon any still fighting vehicles, Dearka searched for the main objective. “Where's the ship?”
A little miffed that so many soldiers have begun to surrender, Yzak searched also. “I don't know! Nicol! Where are you?”
The Archangel achieved his turnabout to the now opened rear exit, surrounded by explosions.
Murrue nodded. “Recall the Strike and Alex! We're escaping Artemis from the harbour exit on the opposite side!”
The voice of Miriallia erupted in the cockpit of the Strike. “Kira! Kira! Come back! Archangel's taking off!”
The green-eyed young girl then focused her telepathy on her redheaded friend. Alex! Alex! Answer me! Come back! We're taking off!
A Russian-accented voice from the middle of the bridge startled everyone. “You rang?” Alexandra Kerensky lightly stepped on the floor as the aura of her teleportation diffused.
Kira narrowed his eyes on the Blitz then kicked in his thrusters to return to his ship.
The Blitz followed. “You're running away?!” Unfortunately, the numerous explosions prevented him to pursue.
Kira landed on the front of the warship. Natarle nodded. “The Strike has returned!”
In perfect synchronisation with her second, Murrue continued. “Archangel, take off! Maximum battle speed!”
The three ZAFT Gundams could only look impotent as the legged ship flew away. The Artemis base had surrendered and they must now secure it and process the prisoners. Not an easy chore, especially with all the explosions going on, results of the damages during the battle.
Inside the hangar, Kira exited the Strike.
Mu raised his hand in salute. “Kid!”
Jaws tightened, eyes firmly on the floor, Kira passed him and Murdoch, without a word.
Mu blinked and turned to Murdoch. “What's the matter with him?” Murdoch could only shrug.
Exhausted, Kira gained his bunk-bed. His robotic pet bid landed on his shoulder as if it was sensing the suffering of its master. “Torii?”
“I'm…!” A tear escaped from the young Coordinator's closed eyes. `…not a traitor!'
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Preview:
Bloody Valentine.
All time was stopped by an insane light, shining in space.
Do the souls roaming in endless darkness no longer have any means by which to tell us anything?
The living and the dead.
The weakness of estranged boundaries.
As they arrive at a land in space, the youngsters learn of people's inevitable retribution.
But for the eternal young girl, it is the reflect of her past memories and past sins.
Next, On MS Seed Girls, “The Scar Of Space, The Scar Of Soul”.
Fly to the other side of sadness, Gundam!
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Notes: here is the result for the poll about the future girlfriend of Alex so far.
Fllay: 4.
Natarle: 1.
Miriallia: 0.
Murrue: 0.
Lacus: 0.
Cagalli: 0.
Aïsha : 0.
Remember to vote.
Here is the Strike in its “Launcher” configuration.
GAT-X105 “Launcher” Strike Gundam.
Height: 17.72 meters. Weight: 83.7 tons.
Armament:
Dual 75 mm Automatic Multi-Barrel CIWS "Igelstellung" in the head.
Twin Assault Knives "Armor Schneider", stored in the hips, handheld.
Combo Weapons Pod: 120 mm Anti-Ship Vulcan Cannon and dual 350mm gun-launcher. On the right shoulder.
320 mm Hyper Impulse Cannon "Agni". Backpack stored, two-handed weapon.
Thanks to James Axelrad and Vampwriter for their reviews.