"Is this the new GuAIZ?"
Yzak stood in the nostalgic mobile suit deck of the Vesalius, looking up at the new commander's machine. After returning to their homeland of PLANT, the Creuset team stopped at their original mother ship for the time being, Yzak and the rest of the crew were to be given a short vacation thereafter.
The mechanic working on the new mobile suit turned around at [Yzak's] voice and replied amicably. "Oh, yes, it's the latest state-of-the-art MMI machine."
(There was a lot of mech jargon here. I AM NOT TRANSLATING ALL THAT here's a GuAIZ Wiki for it)
The mechanic looked up proudly at the mobile suit and said, "These guys will be riding the line more and more! Once we start deploying these, we'll wipe out those Natural's from space in no time, right?"
The simple hope which hung in his voice put Yzak off. Did this solder understand what exactly he was saying? Did he know that 'those Naturals' die bleeding the same red blood that they did? No, he didn't know. That's why he could so innocently hope for victory.
Yzak wanted to win. Losing only meant a dark future ahead of them, as Chairman Zala said, and that much was true. But he didn't think that should mean eradicating all of their enemies.
Stop it already! Suddenly, he heard the pained voice from Alaska in his ears. The enemy who saved Yzak, but revealed the existence of CYCLOPS to everyone to save them. What were the thoughts of the person in the cockpit of that mobile suit?
But, how do we stop?
What can you do if you speak outloud "let's stop this now" and then as soon as you turn your back, you're shot? Even if one pilot called for an end, as long as there's at least one other person who doesn't listen to that, the battle won't end. And very few listen. No matter how much Lacus Clyne called for peace, people still called to fight. Driven by revenge and fear of the other person, stuck on one's own superiority.
"I'll leave that part to you!" Yzak turned his back to the carefree-speaking mechanic and silently walked away.
One of them, Yzak, was listening to their words with a depressed expression. The news that Athrun had fled after stealing a new, state-of-the-art mobile suit seriously shocked him.
(Rau and Ades talk about stuff, particularly Andy/the Eternal being stolen)
Yzak remembered the man who helped steal the Eternal. For a brief time, he served under Waltfeld. He was an upbeat and cheerful guy back then, Yzak thought to himself. He was frivolous and indecisive, and back then he wasn't someone Yzak felt he could respect as a person, never letting up in front of his men and having a woman on the battlefield with him. But now hearing someone like Creuset talk down about him made Yzak indecisive, as he glanced over at the red haired girl that he had with him.
He used to judge Waltfeld's personality as a commander, but now he wondered if that thinking was correct. While he seemed sloppy, Waltfeld was adored by his men. If asked about him, they'd say something stupid about him but then laugh and say "well that's just the kind of person he is." If [Yzak] were asked that about Rau, how would he answer? After a compliment about being a calm and composed person, there was a feeling of wanting to add a "but..."
Rau continued speaking to Ades with a meaningful tone. "Things don't always work out as you have them planned in your head. And, it's difficult to understand the thoughts someone is hiding in their heart."
Yes, even in Waltfeld's case, the most surprising thing for Yzak was that even though he came off as a sloppy hedonist, he had shown a surprising defiance against the regime with his actions. It was said that one should not only look at a surface to understand something.
Rau looked up at the pensive Yzak. "Yzak. From now on, Athrun is your enemy."
The words broke Yzak's thought.
"Can you shoot him?" Rau continued.
He heard that Athrun had stolen a new state of the art machine, attacked his father the chairman, failed, and then fled. He couldn't believe it, the usually serious and calm Athrun... But those facts couldn't be changed. However, it's impossible to understand the thoughts a person is hiding in their heart.
"Of course... I'll shoot any traitor...!" Yzak spat out. At first, he disliked everything about [Athrun]. He was better at things in so many ways, but never boasted about it, which only fueled [Yzak's] inferiority complex even more. However, as they fought together, feelings other than opposition began to emerge in Yzak, such as respect and understanding of the other party, and perhaps he was beginning to feel something like friendship.
That guy... even my feelings were betrayed!
With some distance, he could calmly look at Waltfeld. But he couldn't think of Athrun that way. He bitterly looked at the tracking of the ship in the monitor. Once a rival, he stared at the footsteps of someone he considered a comrade.
Next to [Rau], Yzak glanced at the battle scenes beyond Mendel. "Two Archangels--?" From their position, they couldn't see details even if they expanded the monitor. The two ships shot at each other, and several mobile suits were interlaced and fighting in the surrounding airspace.
"In addition to the Eternal, three ships..."
Inside the harbor was a heatsource that was assumed to be the Eternal. But what about the others?
"One is the Legged Ship, but why is it fighting against an Earth Alliance ship?"
(Some Rau dramatics/talk here but NEXT)
Yzak understood how [the Archangel] escaped Alaska, as he too was able to get away before the slaughter. However, he didn't understand how [Archangel] was connected to the Eternal. Freedom came to the support of the Eternal, the ship seized by Lacus Clyne, at Jachin Due. Thus, they had to have a relationship with the Archangel. But if it was the Clyne faction in the first place that sold information about Operation Spit Break to the coalition, why were they opposing the Earth Alliance now?
"Anyway, if we don't understand the situation, we can't do anything about it." Rau turned away from the monitor to Yzak. "Yzak and I will infiltrate the colony and collect information first."
"The commander is heading out?" Ades asked, surprised, and Yzak too was confused for a moment. Usually reconnaissance was left to a subordinate. However, Rau seemed to have no intention to reverse the decision and continued to instruct Ades. "The Vesalius, Helderlin and Heusinger will not move from here. ... Colony Mendel... if all goes well, we can put an end to many things..."
He left the bridge, Yzak following. Did Rau also wonder what kind of power the Eternal had, and what its purpose was? That last murmur of his didn't seem to imply that was his focus. Once again, Yzak felt frustrated because he could not understand [Rau's] intentions.
< Let's go! >
When he heard the voice of his superior through the communication device, Yzak looked into the monitor and noticed two mobile suits. The computer expanded its functionality as the monitor identified the models. Yzak's eyed widened.
The GAT-X105: Strike ... that Athrun said he had destroyed--!
However, even that surprise was blown away by the subsequent display. GAT-X103.
"Buster...?"
It felt like [Yzak's] body temperature dropped. The sarcastic smile of the friend who used to pilot the machine flashed in front of his eyes and disappeared in an instant. Yzak had already given up on Dearka - or so he had thought. But seeing the machine again, he found himself far from giving up. He didn't see his death with his own eyes, so maybe Dearka was out there and just unable to contact them. somewhere in his heart [Yzak] couldn't give up hope. So seeing his machine with the Earth Alliance...
Dearka's...!
The blood that just felt ice cold was now boiling in anger.
Stupid Naturals! First they kill Dearka and take his machine, and now they're riding it around in front of me...
"Bastards!"
Yzak took out his beam saber and swung it toward the Buster.
"How dare you use Dearka's machine!"
The Buster avoided the attack, and attempted to move back to a safe distance. Buster was better suited for long distance battles, so it was natural for it to move back against the Duel. It looked like it was scared and trying to get away, which made Yzak angry.
"You Natural!"
Dearka felt lost. Now that he walked with Kira and Miriallia, he had a fact to face. This was ZAFT, so eventually this road could lead him to have to fight Yzak. Although he knew that from the start, he couldn't put his finger on the trigger when facing the Duel.
(Gundam fight stuff and weapon jargon here. NOT DOING IT. Duel try to slice slice etc)
No. Yzak was in there. He couldn't shoot someone who had always been a comrade up until now. Without thought, Dearka opened the communication line. "Yzak!" The frequency seemed to be the same as it used to be. After the sound of a sharp intake of breath A familiar voice came from the speaker.
< ...Dearka!? > It felt like so long since he last heard that voice.
< Dearka...? Is it really you? > Yzak asked in a whisper. Dearka answered as the he turned the camera on the monitor on. "Yeah... it is."
The monitor showed that the handsome face of his friend was still marked with the scar. It was the same old stubborn Yzak. Yzak's eyes were wide, dumbfounded, as he stared at Dearka on the monitor. That stunned expression gradually stiffened, and he then stared back at Dearka with a look of betrayal.
< Why are you with the Strike? What's going on, you bastard!? >
Hesitantly, Dearka raised his head. Yzak - a friend who was so stubbornly loyal to the army, how could he explain himself to him?
< I'm glad you're alive, but depending on how you answer, I might not be able to forgive you! > Though his eyes faintly swelled with tears, Yzak didn't lower his weapon.
"Yzak..." Dearka already knew. Whatever he'd try to explain, to Yzak's perception, could be taken as nothing more than an act of betrayal. But just as Dearka was going to answer--
< Dearka! >
A third voice interrupted the communication. Dearka looked at the monitor and saw the Freedom coming in from the port. "Kira!"
< That... that machine is...! > Yzak's voice shouted in surprise. He hesitated for a moment, then turned his aircraft toward it, but Dearka quickly moved between them.
"Stop it, Yzak! And Kira, too!" When Dearka yelled, Kira immediately realized the situation and stopped, hovering in front of the Buster. "Leave this guy to me!" He didn't want to fight Yzak. And just as much, he didn't want Kira to fight him, either.
< Is it really okay? > Kira asked quizzically, and Dearka replied with a 'yeah' as confidently as he could. < I understand. > Kira turned his aircraft away, but muttered as he moved away, < But, please don't let this turn into what happened between Athrun and I... >
Dearka was terrified when he realized. Despite being friends, those two turned into enemies and tried to kill one another. At this rate, he could very well repeat the same mistakes the old Kira made.
< Athrun...? > Yzak repeated the name with a confused look. He also seemed to recognize Freedom. He was probably wondering what the relationship between this Kira and Athrun was, what with them fighting for the coalition. Even if it was told to him, he might not understand...
Looking at the childlike-bewildered expression in the monitor, Dearka realized there was no use in just worrying about it. No matter how difficult it was, if he didn't want to fight Yzak, there was one thing he had to do.
Dearka opened the hatch. Yzak took in a breath.
"Let's talk without pointing guns at each other ... Yzak."
If you don't want to kill each other, you can only try talking to each other.
Buster descends to the surface, and Yzak watched it for a while. He couldn't make any sense of it. Dearka was alive when he thought he was dead, why was he in such a place? Alongside the Strike and the Freedom, and having a friendly conversation with the pilot? And why did they mention Athrun?
He didn't understand anything.
He thought Dearka could be an irresponsible guy, but not the kind that would betray his country. But when he thought about it, he couldn't understand why Athrun and Lacus did the same. There was no way for him to understand the thoughts hidden in their hearts.
"Let's talk without pointing guns at each other ... Yzak."
Recalling Dearka's earlier words, Yzak bit his lip. He didn't need to hear the story of a traitor. Action was everything. Although Dearka was alive, he never returned to the team. Not only was that considered a desertion crime, but he was also acting along with traitors. Wasn't that enough of a reason to kill him? But Yzak hesitated. Because he wanted to know. Dearka, Athrun, Lacus, Waltfeld, what they thought and why they left. Even though the anger toward them and their betrayal still remained. But, Yzak still wanted to understand the thoughts hidden in their hearts.
So he let the Duel descend in front of the Buster and got out of the cockpit. At The sight of Yzak landing on the dry earth, Dearka approached him with a look of relief. Yzak held up a pistol to his face.
"Without pointing a gun... I'm not so naive to believe an enemy's words!" Dearka's legs stopped at the sight of the gun. [Yzak] would listen to him. However, if he tried to conciliate him with some nice words, he'd change his mind about that.
Dearka looked at the determined expression on Yzak's face and sighed impatiently. "Am I really your enemy?"
When asked that, Yzak's hand that held his gun shook. No - Dearka was a friend. He's been there since they were in military school, and could dissuade Yzak's short temper as an intercession to the people around him.
So why do I have to point my gun at this guy now!?
It was Yzak who couldn't do it. "You're the one who became my enemy!" he yelled, feeling like he wanted to cry. This guy - he's the one who left me behind!
But then Dearka answered, "I don't remember becoming your enemy."
"Give me a break! You're a traitor!" Yzak yelled, holding his gun tight, worried that [Dearka] was trying to cajole him.
But Dearka continued steadily, staring at the gun. "And I'm not betraying PLANT either."
"What did you say!?"
"I just think, Naturals..." Dearka gave a sharp look that Yzak had never seen before. "I don't want to silently obey military orders and fight just to wipe out the Naturals!"
Wipe out the Naturals? Yzak was shocked by the words and unintentionally lowered his gun a little. Is that what they were trying to do? Yzak recalled the voice of the mechanic that had innocently spoke. 'We'll wipe out all the Naturals with these in no time, right?' Is that what they desired?
Dearka noticed Yzak's hesitation and smiled. "I've.. been fighting all this time without thinking." Yes, so was Yzak. "But when I became a prisoner, I thought about a lot, because what else did I have to do?" Dearka talked awkwardly about the fact that he had surrendered to and had been held on the Archangel. About how he was almost killed by a girl who had lost her loved one. "Until now, I always thought of Naturals as something so different from us. But what was the difference between their tears and the tears you shed when Nicol died? I thought..."
That's right. Natural's bled the same as he did. Yzak already knew that. But... "That's..." Yzak yelled out. "So now you's stopped killing Naturals, and are going to kill Coordinators instead?!"
"You're wrong." Dearka answered softly, with a calmness that never existed before. "We want to stop all that. That's why we're here."
Yzak's eyes widened, unable to understand what the other person was saying. "Lacus Clyne, commander Waltfeld, the same goes for those on the Eternal. Naturals killing Coordinators, Coordinators killing Naturals, we have to do something before everyone is killed, and that's why we're all together here."
Yzak was stunned, but he asked, "So - what are you doing to do?"
"Well, I don't really know yet."
"That's foolish, you bastard!" Yzak yelled in spite of himself. "You're being fooled! What can you do with three battleships?!"
Dearka laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "If you say you can't do anything, and then don't do anything, you really can't do anything."
"...!"
"That's what Kira - Freedom's pilot said. He was also Strike's former pilot."
Strike - the word still had the power to make Yzak's heart burn. Stunned, Yzak recalled the voice of the boy he heard before: 'Stop it already!' In Alaska, he had accidentally saved Yzak's life - no it wasn't an accident. Perhaps he had made up his mind since then. That was why he tried to save lives, regardless of if they were friend or foe. That boy was the enemy they used to fight with constantly? The one who injured Yzak's face, who killed Nicol--? When Yzak remembered that, his hatred reflexively started to rise.
To the already confused Yzak, Dearka gave an even more shocking statement. "He's also a Coordinator." Yzak's eyes went wide when he heard those words. But Dearka continued with an inconsolable expression, "And a friend of Athrun's since they were children."
"... What did you say?" Athrun was--? Friends? Yzak felt a chill running up his spine. "Unknowingly... they tried to kill each other?"
"No. They were aware from the very beginning. That their friend was in the enemy unit."
"That's ridiculous!" Yzak shouted, forgetting everything. Every time Strike was in front of them, a dark shadow falling over Athrun's face came to Yzak's mind. Such a thing ... was there such a tragedy?
"But if someone is an enemy, you have to shoot them, as a soldier." Dearka said bitterly. Although Yzak was still stunned, when Dearka met his gaze, he realized it. They were also facing that same situation. "Maybe I haven't seen as much as they have or have the same amount of devotion. But I've seen things." Dearka said with a decisive tone. "Seeing them. Seeing Alaska, Panama and Orb - I can't just return to ZAFT and continue taking orders after that."
"Dearka...!" Yzak was still stunned. Why? At first, he couldn't believe it. That they would betray PLANT and help the Earth Alliance. That was why he wanted to confirm their true intentions. But even upon hearing them, Yzak regretted knowing. If they were simply betraying them and joining the enemy, he could pull the trigger with no hesitation. However, with a resolve that [Yzak] never saw before, Dearka took a third path where he was neither an enemy nor an ally. Yzak on the other hand, felt as if the ground he stood on suddenly started to shake. Did he really have any words to refute [Dearka]?
He couldn't forgive the Strike. He couldn't forgive the enemy who killed Nicol. However, the people who chose to fight alongside that pilot--? These others who would also be an 'enemy' - Athurn, as well as the person standing in front of him telling him about the path he chose, could he really shoot them? The value of being a soldier required Yzak to shoot the enemy. However even though those values were very clear, he cannot eliminate the doubt in his heart. To shoot ... to not shoot... Yzak's heart kept swaying. The hand that held the gun was clammy.
Suddenly there was the faint sound of an explosion in the distance, the ground beneath Yzak's feet shook. The two realized the battle that had been interrupted had began again. They both knew that the time they had to speak to one another was over. The voice of his superior flowed out of the Yzak's communicator, mixed with other noises.
< Yzak... can you hear me?! Let's go... >
Hearing the voice, Dearka turned to return to his machine. Yzak hurriedly raised his gun. Dearka looked back over his shoulder, and despite the gun being pointed at him spoke casually. "If you think anyone not in ZAFT is an enemy, then shoot." Despite saying that, he didn't think he'd be shot. And certainly, Yzak couldn't shoot him. Whatever Dearka says, he was a deserter and a traitor. Even though he knew it was his duty to shoot such an opponent, Yzak couldn't shoot someone who was once his partner.
"You're being deceived!" What Dearka had told him was confusing, trying to stop a war with three ships that weren't on either side. Yzak didn't think it was right to simply win by killing all the Naturals. But those beliefs had to also be held by those who held higher ranks. How can people be so stupid?
But Dearka's answer was ironic. "I wonder who really is, here..."
Am I really being decieved?
Yzak stared at him. It was the only thing he could do now.
"I may not know, but I'm going." Dearka said in the end, sadly. "If it's possible, I'd rather not have to fight with you." He grabbed onto the ladder and headed up to the cockpit.
You're the one who turned into an enemy, and are saying such things...!
But- were they really the enemies...? Yzak watched Dearka disappear behind the hatch, while suppressing his wavering heart.
Around the same time on the other side of the colony.
On the Vesalius, Ades was impatiently looking at the clock waiting for the commander to return. Having lost its head and both legs, the Duel helped [Rau's GuAIZ] return to the gate.
Feeling too impatient to power down his machine when he landed, Yzak hurriedly climbed out of the cockpit and headed to the gate. Rau was in the cockpit when he retrieved the machine and had instructed to make haste in returning. His voice had sounded distressed, but Yzak didn't care if he had been injured. However, by the time he rushed to the cockpit it was empty. Yzak looked around, perplexed. Rau was nowhere to be found. Was he rushing to the bridge to take command? In that case it would have been faster to just communicate from the cockpit. Yzak, who had only seen his calm side, felt a sense of discomfort, but at least he didn't seem injured in that case.
A brief relief he felt, until the memory of his previous experience came back to mind, and Yzak bit his lip.
Enemy... Dearka, an enemy...
His head would not accept that concept. Even though Athrun and Lacus were difficult to think of as traitors, this was the person he was closest to, or at least he thought they were friends...
At the same time, there was something in Dearka's expression and demeanor he had never seen before. While they were apart, Dearka changed. Yzak felt the emptiness of being left behind. But he had already made up his mind. If he left and stopped fighting too, who was going to protect PLANT? Even now, the Earth Forces are sending soldiers and supplies from Victoria into space over and over. It wasn't possible to protect PLANT from them unless he fought. Protecting PLANT, that was the reason he entered ZAFT...
Yzak, who had been fighting in the Duel, was also watching that light. "The Vesalius is..?!" He stared at the light, appalled. The last moment of their other former battleship, the Gamow, which was destroyed along with the 8th Fleet, came to mind. "Damn it...!"
He clenched his fist tightly. Ades, the familiar crew, that mechanic who innocently commented about wiping out the enemy, were scattered in that light. Like the Gamow, but also not like the Gamow. It was Dearka, Athrun, Lacus, Waltfeld, his former brethren that shot down this ship.
Unforgivable, I can't forgive you..! Yzak clenches his teeth to try to hold back tears.
With the flagship sunk, the remaining ships and mobile suit squadrons were sent into confusion.
< What the hell? The Vesalius.. >
< Should we pursue the Eternal? >
< Idiot! We can't show our backs to the Earth Army! >
The voices of the soldiers filled the communication lines. Then, the smooth voice of Rau Le Creuset echoed, < We're going to withdraw. All remaining troops gather at point delta zero. >
"... Commander Creuset..." Hearing the commander's calm voice seemed to have calmed the soldiers. But Yzak couldn't quite believe Rau's calm.
< Even if we try to engage with the Earth Army, we won't do anything. >
That calm voice and smile that never changes, rubbed Yzak the wrong way. Why was Rau okay? Did he feel nothing about the deaths of his compatriots who he had fought alongside of?
... am I being deceived? Dearka?
Yzak's heart continued to be shaken by hate, a sense of duty, and suspicion.
"The attack on Boaz has begun?!" Yzak jumped into the briefing room. One subordinate approached "commander Jule" with an uneasy expression. Two defense bases were built in front of PLANT. The two space fortresses, Boaz and Jachin Due. The Earth Army fleet, at the moment, was heading for Boaz.
It was two months since returning home after pursuing the Eternal. Yzak was in an ring satellite floating near [PLANT] assigned to a military headquarters. Eventually, he was given subordinates to start his own team.
There was a time where he dreamed of being called a commander, but now that he actually had that position, his heart wasn't as pleased as it once would have been. The invasion of the homeland of PLANT had been expected for some time, though it was a general view it was never the time yet. For that reason, the expressions of the soldiers gathered in the briefing room were confused and tense. They spoke of their frustrations and doubts.
"Damn those Naturals!"
"What's the situation? How big are the enemy forces?"
"Commander, are we sortieing?" one member asked Yzak.
"Settle down. Wait until I receive an order. We still don't know the situation."
"Huh, but if Boaz were to fall..." a new recruit who had just joined began to say uneasily.
Yzak shouted back at them, "Boaz will not fall!"
"I - I'm sorry...!" The newcomer shrunk back.
Yzak regretted his temper a little. What was he doing snapping at a newcomer? Maybe he just wasn't good at being considerate to others. But even so... Boaz, Jachin Due, if these lines of defense were breached, there was nothing in the way of PLANT. Both were boasted as impregnable fortresses and a full range of soldiers. They couldn't fall by a half-hearted attack. But, that was something that the Earth Forces had to know.
Hiding his doubts, Yzak spoke gruffly to the shrinking recruits. "It may be useless to wait. I'm sure Boaz doesn't need our help!"
"Oh, that's right!" When the soldiers started to speak with enthusiasm, the new recruit smiled with relief.
Yes... Boaz cannot fall... Yet Yzak was not able to abandon the anxiety he held.
The battle had already begin between the Earth Forces and the PLANT Defense Force. Yzak in the Duel had already taken down many enemies in a fierce battle. To his rear, he could see the PLANTs shining like silvery hourglasses. If they pulled out here, there would be nothing to stop the enemy from reaching PLANT. This was a battle where they could not afford to take a single step back from. He shot down another Dagger with his beam rifle, then looked around saw them. A blue-green aircraft shot a huge cannon mounted on its back, taking down two GINNs at once. A mobile suit with black wings nearby instantly changed into mobile suit form, swinging a crushing ball with its left hand at a GuAIZ, which shattered without PS armor. Another khaki colored aircraft using a beam cannon that curved, aimed at a dense area and without being able to read their lines of sight, several more wingmen were killed.
"These guys are...!" Yzak cried out in anger and headed toward the three mobile suits. These were Earth's new GAT series he had encountered on L4 the other day. He shot at Forbidden with his shoulder missiles, and when he turned and aimed at the black machine, it spun it's hammer to prevent the missiles from hitting it.
"Shit...!" The performance of these guys was better than expected. In that moment, the khaki colored machine swung down its curved sickle to slice a GuAIZ in two from the shoulder. The blue-green aircraft fired all of its guns, its fire illuminating the surrounding area for a moment. At that time, Yzak saw it. Beyond the three mobile suits protecting them was a formation of Mobiuses headed toward PLANT.
"Damn it, that's...?" He zoomed in on the monitor to see these large aircraft all carrying large missiles, and his spine froze. "... Nuclear weapons!?"
Yzak turned his aircraft and tried to reach the group of Mobiuses. But, he was blocked by the new G units. Yzak screamed desperately while dodging a beam released from the head of the black unit in mobile suit form.
"Stop those missiles! Don't let them reach PLANT!" A GINN heard his scream, tried to point his beam gun at the Mobius squad, but it was penetrated by a beam from the blue-green machine and exploded. A GuAIZ moving in another direction was caught by the bending beam of the khaki unit. The black unit kept Yzak from approaching. Then, the first Mobius fired off its missile.
"Aah..!" Yzak screamed grievously. Another missile was shot from a Mobuis toward PLANT - heading straight for his homeland. There was no longer anything standing in the way. When the first shot was about to reach the hourglasses in space--
From behind Yzak, dozens of missiles and several beams were shot. They passed him, raining heavily down on the nuclear missiles heading toward PLANT. The missiles exploded in front of PLANT, the rings of their explosions hitting other missiles the further expand the flashes of light.
When the blinding white light disappeared from the monitor, the hourglasses floating in space could be seen, untouched. Yzak felt relief fill his entire body, and he glanced behind him to see who it was that saved his homeland. At that moment, something shot by the Duel like an arrow. Seeing what looked like a small white spacecraft, Yzak gazed at the familiar red mobile suit at its center.
"Athrun? And..." The other was the white one in Mendel - the Justice and the Freedom. But why were they here...!? And why did they save PLANT? Yet at the same time, an unbelievable feeling of 'ah, so that's it' filled Yzak's heart. He was confused by his own feelings. Wasn't PLANT the original enemy of the Freedom - Strike's pilot? Even if it was Athrun's home country?
But in Yzak's chest, he strongly remembered the voice that cried "stop this!" in Alaska, the action of trying to save everybody whether they were friend or foe.
Three new battleships were approaching, the Eternal, the Kusanagi, and the Archangel. A cool voice echoed through the battlefield. < Earth Forces, cease your attack immediately! > It was the voice of Lacus Clyne. She sent a sharp denunciation on all communication frequencies. < Do you really understand what it is you're trying to shoot? >
The ZAFT soldiers were startled by the familiar voice of their diva.
< That voice... >
< It's Miss Lacus! >
But the enemy did not listen to Lacus' voice. From the Earth Forces ships, more Mobiuses with nuclear missiles were launched.
Yzak quickly turned his machine toward that direction. In front of him, another round of the Mobiuses firing their nuclear missiles began. "Shit!" While shooting his "Shiva" missiles, he realized that he wasn't the only ZAFT machine that was intercepting the same way. The familiar white body of the Strike, as well as the Buster with its long gun...
--Dearka...! Along with the Justice and Freedom and their additional equipment, they stopped all remaining missiles. Yzak felt his chest grow hot. --their thoughts were true. They were serious about stopping this. They weren't fools who were deceived by fake tricks, or cowards who fled from fear of battle. Could he call Dearka or Athrun, who were protecting PLANT, traitors anymore? Yzak frowned hard, clenching his teeth. Otherwise his already heated eyelids would have started overflowing.
A laser communication arrived to Yzak through the nearby airspace. "'All troops retreat from nearby firing airspace'...?" His narrowed eyes widened as he read the next sentence. "- GENESIS?" There had been recent rumors among the general soldiers about the existence of some ultimate weapon. But, for the day to come where they actually use it...
After staring at the message for a couple of moments, dazed, he suddenly turned around and looked forward. Among the ZAFT mobile suits that had started to retreat from the area were the red and white machines, simply floating there. Yzak involuntarily opened the communication line and shouted. "Get away! Justice, Freedom!" It no longer mattered if they were enemies or allies. Just like Kira had in Alaska, he yelled, "Get away! The GENESIS is going to fire!"
Yzak stopped in the passage of the military headquarters, spotting his mother Ezalia as she walked while talking to her aides. His mother also noticed her son, entrusted what documents she had in her hands to her aides, approaching him with a smile.
"Yzak."
"Mother, you're still here?" Yzak replied restlessly.
"Yes, because this is such a critical phase." His mother nodded.
Yzak had something he wanted to ask her. But before he could open his mouth to ask her, she continued speaking.
"GENESIS' second shot will be fired soon."
Yzak's body secretly stiffened with fear. That was what he was going to ask about. So, the officials are going to shoot it again? It was hard to believe how powerful the GENESIS was, after Yzak saw it up close. Why couldn't they realize? Wasn't this the same thing the Earth Forces just did to Boaz! But he lost his chance to counter-argue when his mother continued.
"After that, this long war will finally come to an end."
"Ah..." The war, ending - that was why Yzak and others fought so far, why so many companions lost their lives. If everything would end after the second shot... In order for the deaths of Nicol, Miguel, and Ades to not be in vain, PLANT had to be protected and the war stopped. Yzak pushed the words he wanted to say back into his chest.
Ezalia smiled without knowing what was currently in her son's heart. "I know you're tired from all the fighting, but it won't be long now."
"... yes..."
"The future shall be ours."
For a moment, he remembered Dearka's face, as well as the Justice and the Freedom all bravely rushing toward PLANT, and felt a pain in his chest. "Um, mother, the target of the second shot..."
However, the aids who had stopped to wait for her called for Ezalia, and his mother hurriedly said what else she wanted to say.
"Don't be too crazy out there. Your team will be assigned to the rear." The second half of that was whispered to Yzak, which caught him off guard so he asks, "Mother?"
Ezalia continued with a low voice, as Yzak looked reproachful. "You'll have more work to do after the war is over." Giving him a kiss on the cheek, his mother walked away while Yzak remained where he was, surprised.
That's not the sort of thing I'm seeking by fighting...! At that thought, Yzak was surprised by his own heart. When he entered the military, wasn't he just looking to get ahead by aiming for the top? Before he knew it, he could no longer afford to think of such a thing. He realized there was something more important than that. Basically, Yzak grew irritated and older, so nothing was fun about the idea of succeeding where there was no Athrun to look down on or Dearka to be amused with.
And yet... what will the post war story be...? Anxiety once again rose to Yzak's chest, and she shook his head hard to try and ignore it. There's no way, no way they'll turn that mirror toward the Earth... They couldn't be that stupid.
At that time, the garrison to which Yzak had belonged was intervening with the Peacemaker corps in the airspace near the military headquarters. "They're coming! Scatter!" Yzak ordered his troops and plunged into the group of Mobiuses with the nuclear weapons. "Don't let even one shot get to PLANT!" he screamed desperately, but was blocked from his path by three machines. The Calamity fired all of its guns at once, the Forbidden unleashed its bending beam, the team of GuAIZes quickly dropping one after the other, unable to avoid it. The Raider shot its beam, and Yzak just barely maneuvered out of the way.
While being protected by the three machines, the Mobiuses shot nuclear missiles toward PLANT again. I'm not going to make it this time! Yzak became desperate, trying his best to get past the Raider. Suddenly he turned his eyes on an image that flew by. Freedom and Justice released dozens of missiles from the METEORS, clearing the nukes heading toward PLANT.
However, the moment he was distracted by that, a tremendous shock hit Yzak from behind. The Raider's crushing ball directly hit the Duel. "Shit...!" Yzak lost his breath from the shock, he couldn't recover in time from the blow of the impact. When the Raider was about to take its last shot, someone suddenly shot at the black machine.
Yzak turned his eyes toward the person who shot to support him, and saw the very familiar image of Buster, calling out, "...Dearka...!" Then, a second wave of nuclear missiles started to launch.
"Dearka!" Yzak moved the Duel toward the Buster, which was missing its head and arm and simply drifting.
< Damn! >
His ears picked up a pained voice, telling him that his friend was still alive in the cockpit. Yzak first checked the chest area to see if it was either the overall system or the PS system that was down, leaning against the iron grey machine.
When he began to try and drag it toward the Archangel, an alert started to blare for an incoming aircraft. Yzak glanced behind him. It was the Earth Force's black mobile suit.
Of all times...!
The Duel was already low on energy. Yzak tried to cover the Buster with his aircraft while retreating, shooting the Vulcan. The rifle was caught by a bullet and exploded.
"Shit!"
< Yzak! > Dearka cried hoarsely.
He might have been injured. Forgetting that he ever pointed a gun at him, the only thing Yzak felt then was the desire to protect the machine behind him. However, all he had left was the Vulcan. He couldn't take down that aircraft with such a weapon. And his energy was decreasing with each hit.
Shit! What should I do!?
At that time, Dearka tried to get his aircraft to move to no avail, in an attempt to aim his gun at the enemy craft. Yzak was struck with an idea. "Give me that!" Yzak reached for the IMPULSE long range sniper rifle in Buster's hand. Although Buster's power may have already been down. But there were no other weapons.
Meanwhile, the black machine approached, the energy gun on its head began to glow white. [Yzak] felt the cold sweat on his back.
"I won't lose to a guy like this!"
The enemy was imminent. There was nothing else to do. As soon as the enemy fired its energy gun, Yzak hoisted the long gun to mirror the Buster and pulled the trigger.
The two lines of light intersected. The large beam released by Yzak penetrated the center of the black G unit, and the enemy beam flew back after hitting and melting the Duel's left shoulder. The black aircraft flew past, and then exploded in a blinding light. At the same time, the Duel's PS armor powered down.
Yzak confirmed that his friend's aircraft drifting next to him was safe, tension relieving from his shoulders.
< -- Thank you. You saved me. >
"There's no reason I helped you specifically!" Yzak spoke reflexively, confused by the changes in his heart. I thought that I couldn't forgive him - so why did I help him?
He still had feelings that he couldn't forgive, but those feelings were now put aside - as he now realized what it was that he needed to do. The fighting had to be stopped, not just to protect PLANT - there was no room to be hung up on his own personal feelings.