Chapter 6: Before the Mast

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny. I do not own pirates. This fic though? Mine.

Warning: Yaoi (finally, proper ReyxShinn!) and fighting

Yeah…I know. I was inspired recently to start this back up if anyone is still interested. Got some plots a-brewin' in me head. Also, this Shinn will look more in-character now (wink).

Shinn's red eyes were older and far colder as he stared out at the sea. He was standing on the deck with his hands on the railing, dark locks of hair whipping around in the wind. Mouth set in a grim line, he held down all the anger from the past two years as he beheld his brother's pirate ship, the Freedom. He felt like a completely different person now. The scars from his first public whipping were still there, faint but distinguishable. At first they were signs of humiliation, but later they turned into a symbol of survival and strength.

Strength which allowed him to not only endure, but to conquer his time at the Versailles School for Boys. Upon arrival he realized his father sent him to a military academy disguised as an educational institution for the sons of nobles and wealthy families. To him it was Hell—but damned if he didn't emerge out of that prison as a wraith of darkness. He earned a reputation of being rebellious, stubborn, fierce, and hauntingly talented. After embracing his hatred and allowing it to fuel him, he climbed the ranks to make it into ZAFT. Rau immediately placed him in command of his very first ship, one of the latest models, the S.S. Impulse. The name suited him. Rey was also known for his aptitude in warfare and became First Mate—partly to keep watch over Shinn, partly to stay close to his father. After assembling a crew he was deployed as a ship in Rau's main fleet.

The mission: to capture and destroy Kira Yamato, Captain of the Freedom, as well as his pirate crew.

Shinn Asuka was more than ready and willing to aid the efforts of Captain Rau le Creuset under his father's command. With Rey by his side, they set out to wreak vengeance against his brother and those despicable band of vagabonds.

Shinn's eyes burned as he searched the deck of the Freedom, knowing his brother was there trying to do the same. He could feel Kira's presence, and he had a hunch Kira would soon figure out he was behind the helm of the Impulse. Rau wanted him to hold back, reinforce his attacks but stay away from prying eyes. Of course, he wanted to be the one to take down Kira, and Shinn allowed him to believe he would…for now. Perhaps it was out of his sick sense of humor, but Rau wanted to reveal Shinn's involvement once they captured the pirates, so he could see Kira's look of shock and dismay in person and up close. Shinn didn't care when or how he found out. He wanted the knowledge to haunt Kira and the others like a phantom in the night, bringing all the guilt and sorrow they deserved for putting him in this situation.

Gripping the rails tight, he practically growled as Rau and the S.S. Voltaire made the first move in the latest battle of the war with the pirates. "Pull over to the starboard side and lay into him with the cannons!" he roared.

His crew scrambled around, fearing the repercussions of screwing up the captain's orders. His wrath instilled a sense of loyalty and obedience, so he was never challenged. But there was still one person…

"Shinn, try not to get too worked up this time. We'll get him." Rey whispered, clasping his shoulder.

Shinn shrugged his hand off. "Not now, Rey." He snapped, prowling the deck as he watched the fight. Rau was advancing forward, meeting Kira's guns with his own. So far there were near misses, mostly due to being out of range, but soon those cannonballs would start dealing out damage. Kira's maneuvering abilities were phenomenal, but he couldn't always escape the onslaught awaiting him. Shinn was ready to chase him down should he stray too far away from Rau, the two ships gathering on either side to cut off his entry to the seas behind them. Kira's desperation was commendable, but unfounded. Shinn was right here, waiting for him.

Rey stared at the back of his lover and friend, thinking of those scars he carried from the whipping. They contorted with the way Shinn moved, curling and rolling across his shoulder blades like they were living flesh. He admired them while the other man slept, tracing them gently with a finger. Sometimes Shinn would flinch, other times he would twitch and roll his shoulder to push Rey's prying fingers off. He had a feeling Shinn knew about his obsession with the scars, but he never said anything.

The viciousness with which he glared out across the ocean didn't frighten Rey—instead he pitied him. They took a sweet boy and turned him into a monster. He would be the doom of them all: Kira, Athrun, Cagalli, and the rest of the pirates…as well as himself, Gilbert Durandal, and Rau. He would annihilate them all in his fury.

"Forward advance! Ready the main cannons!" Shinn shouted.

His crew came to the front of the ship and began arming the forward cannons: sweep the barrel, load the powder, then the ball, and prepare the flint to light. Shinn stood behind them, glancing over at Rau's vessel for the signal. At the wave of a small flag, Shinn brought his hand down.

"Fire!"

Rey plugged his ears as the cannons reeled, exploding with enough force to push back the sailors behind them. Roaring and ringing in his ears accompanied the sight of the cannonballs shooting out of the barrels across the ocean to their target.

Landing a few feet to the side of the ship, the cannonballs forced Kira to turn away and back towards Rau. But that wasn't good enough for Captain Asuka.

"You bastards missed!" Shinn barked, punching one in the face. "Again! Put a hole through his side or drown yourselves!"

Rey sighed. There was no getting to him when he was like this. That unstoppable rage helped him in battle, providing victories and medals of honor. He already proved efficient against enemy ships, and now sinking the pirates would line him up for a promotion. But Rey knew he didn't care about that. He just wanted to get his hands on Kira.

Sometimes Rey wondered where this hate came from. Shinn blamed his brother for allowing him to be taken away, and during his training at Versailles he learned to hate corruption and decided to rectify his past mistakes. He also kept his vow. The change in viewpoint and behavior turned him into an almost unrecognizable man who thirsted for blood. His anger flared within a moment's notice and often left bruises and broken bones on those who got in his way. Rey learned his lesson after a few attempts to calm Shinn down just to leave him alone.

The second explosion of the cannons rocked Rey on his feet, and he saw the smug smirk winding across Shinn's face as the cannonball crashed through the Freedom, sending splinters and goods flying into the water. Rau followed with a barrage of his own, littering the ship's side with holes. The pirates turned to the other side, falling back a bit.

"Keep forward!" Shinn commanded as they gave chase. Rau was ahead of them, hunting Kira down. They were close, very close. They might succeed today.

"Shit! They've got us Kira!" Athrun yelled, running along the deck after inspecting the damage.

"Keep firing, we need to make a break for it. Obviously they were prepared for us like always and we won't make it through today." Kira ordered, the bitter taste of disappointment on his tongue.

"They work so well together, where did this guy come from?" Yzak hissed, preparing the next cannonball for launch. He kept his eye on the new vessel and already told the Kira it was new since his days with ZAFT. Now he was trying to figure out what hotshot they had behind the helm. 'That should have been me.' He thought sourly.

"Should we bring in the Minerva and retaliate?" Mwu asked, turning to his Captain.

Kira was silent, staring ahead at the Impulse.

"They may try to chase us down. If they find the other pirates they'll send even more ships out to get us." Dearka commented.

"Does that mean we hold our ground?" Cagalli appeared beside her brother.

"I thought I told you to stay below with Lacus!" Athrun shouted in panic, gripping her wrist.

She tugged out of his grasp. "I'm helping whether ye want me to or not. Besides, it's not much safer down there than up here."

"If they get too close they'll be able t' shoot across our decks, and I do not want ye in the crossfire!" Athrun snapped, dragging her to her stairs. "And y'need to stick with Lacus so she doesn't get hurt."

"It's not like I don't worry about you up here!" she yelled back, face in his. "How would ye feel if I forced you t' hide while I fought? How would ye feel if I came down peppered with lead and bleeding buckets?"

"That's why I want you out of danger." he whispered furiously.

"That's not me point." She growled.

"I know, love, but it's different."

"The hell it is!"

Athrun sighed and pulled her into an embrace. He clutched her tight and she felt him wrap her arms around him, squeezing tightly, digging her fingernails into his back.

"Someone needs to defend Lacus. If they board us, you'll need to protect her if Kira can't."

She huffed but nodded, tears forming in her eyes. Too many close calls, bandaged wounds, and uncertainties clouded her mind, but she didn't let the thoughts overwhelm her.

Athrun ran back up on deck to see Kira flagging the Minerva over. The Hawke sisters signaled back and raced forward, preparing their cannons once they got within range.

"If we can push them back and keep 'em off our tails we can make an escape and try again later." Kira said.

"What if they pursue? You know they will one day." Athrun asked. Dearka looked up, nodding.

"Then we'll have t' fight until we can break free. If it comes down to it, we'll sink 'em. I will get Shinn back." The determination in Kira's voice and fierce glint to his eyes betrayed the raw emotion hidden just beneath the surface.

The crew shared knowing looks but did as ordered, preparing another round of cannons to fire back at the S.S. Voltaire and S.S. Impulse as they got closer. The Minerva came forward, sticking to the Freedom's damaged side to protect from further attacks. They began firing at Rau as he approached, turning the tide slightly.

Rau's face scrunched up in fury as he saw the Minerva approach beside the Freedom. That ship was earning a reputation of its own, mostly as an accomplice to Kira and the Freedom. They were tough and fearless, which was why he gave Shinn command of the S.S. Impulse assigned to his fleet, hoping to counter the two ships. He was ready to bring in more ships from the fleet waiting behind him, but he didn't want to ask for help. He wanted to take Kira down himself, but those nefarious pirates kept thwarting is attempts. After taking some damage they would always flee, seeking refuge in larger waters, probably going back to other pirates close by for repairs and to stock up on supplies for the next battle. This time he wouldn't let them get away, at least not without sustaining major losses.

"Evasive maneuvers! Get on the other side of Freedom and blast him to bits! I want to get close enough to board the bastard!" Rau called out to his crew. They drew in, cutting across to the other side and aiming for the Freedom. "Signal Impulse to divert the Minerva while we target Kira!"

A flag was raised, moving at different angles to relay the message.

"They want us to focus on the Minerva while they go after Freedom." A crewmember approached Shinn.

He turned with a scowl, glaring at Rau on the other ship but snorting. "Fine, cross behind them and fire at the Minerva." He ordered.

The man nodded and hurried back to his post while the others changed course, readying the cannons. Shinn kept an eye on the fight between the Voltaire and Freedom as they got in range of the Minerva's weapons. Both ships began firing, exchanging shots and avoiding hits as they zig-zagged toward each other.

"If they hit us, you're all facing the lash!" Shinn bellowed as cannonballs landed dangerously close to the ship's hull. He had a cat o' nine hanging in his cabin to fix any mistakes these sailors thought of making. It was also a reminder of his past.

The crew enhanced their efforts, changing course as shots approached and retaliating quickly. They had members on stand-by to reload and look-outs giving safe locations to evade the Minerva's cannons. They started getting close, and Shinn eyed Rau's ship again. It looked like he wanted to board.

"Ready a boarding party." Shinn ordered.

Rey glanced at him hesitantly, then gathered weapons and assembled men to come with him when they crossed over to the other ship. "Are you sure we'll even get the chance?"

Shinn inclined his head to the battle of Rau versus Kira. "That's what he's going for. If they do, you know the Minerva will try to help out. We need to make sure that doesn't happen."

"They're getting close, Kira." Athrun warned. Tension and apprehension filled his voice. They never got this close before. 'Would they board the ship?' he thought warily.

"I see that, Athrun." Kira replied with a sardonic edge. "Turn to the side facing Minerva and fire the cannons."

"Wouldn't that leave us open as well?" Mwu blurted, wondering why they would give an open access to fire at.

"It's the best we can do." His captain answered, staring ahead at the two military vessels.

The Freedom was angled over to face the Minerva, using the larger amount of side guns to bombard the Voltaire. The Hawke sisters saw what Kia was up to and also angled their ship to face the Freedom, forming a wall of the two ships as they blasted away at the ZAFT military vessels.

"Pull back!" Rau shouted as he growled and stormed across the deck. "So much for boarding. We can't get close enough with them like that."

"Sir, should we signal the others?"

Rau glared at the pirate ships, who were already beginning to turn back. He thought about chasing them with the full fleet, but decided it would be better to get the Freedom alone. They were already wasting time and resources on this hunt, so he didn't want to cause unnecessary harm to other ships by involving them. He also knew that other pirates would be waiting in case they followed, ready to beat them back.

"We may not get another chance like this le Creuset, why the hell are you turning back now?" Shinn hissed, pacing as he watched the Freedom and Minerva get away.

"Perhaps he has a new plan." Rey suggested with a slight shrug.

Before Shinn could reply with a vehement response the messenger returned. "They want us to return to the fleet."

Shinn let out a furious yell, but ordered the ship to follow the S.S. Voltaire back to the fleet. Whirling around, he marched into his cabin and slammed the door. Rey cast a look at their shared quarters for a moment, then made sure the crew did as he said before he had them clean up the ship and start repairs.

Inside the Captain's Cabin, Shinn sent his fist through the wall. He whacked the contents of his dresser aside, making decorations and tools crash to the floor. Rey entered quietly, observing Shinn's anger. He let the man vent for a bit longer before speaking up.

"We mangled their side. Even if they flee, they won't get far without repairs."

Shinn didn't reply with words, but animalistic noises came from his lungs. Rey approached slowly, his eyes cautious but unwavering.

"Let's see if father has some ideas for next time." He prompted.

"There wouldn't be a next time if he didn't let them get away!" Shinn snapped, turning on him. "Don't try to defend him, we had them!"

Rey remained calm and reserved as he stared down the beast before him. "I told you not to take this too seriously."

Shinn's face contorted in rage as he flew at the blond, tackling him to the floor and swinging his fists. Rey caught one and swung his leg over Shinn's hips, switching their positions. He held one fist down as the other aimed for his gut, with Shinn's legs kicking out of the hold. They wrestled, rolling around and slamming against furniture until Rey caught Shinn's mouth in an embrace. The other stilled, then entwined his hands in blond hair. When they broke apart Shinn was calmer, the fire dying out in his eyes.

"You were right, I was being…irrational." Shinn said. He sighed and leaned back, allowing Rey to nuzzle his neck.

"I'm sorry. I know this hurts you, but we're getting closer." He murmured.

"Your father's ego will cost us. He needs to just capture them and quit toying with them."

"Mmmhm, but until then you should keep your anger in check. The crew won't listen to a captain who is throwing a temper tantrum."

Shinn glared at him half-heartedly, then flopped on the bed. "I'm just tired of this. I want it to be over." He groaned.

Rey smiled a bit and joined him. "I know, me too." He whispered. He leaned in close, about to kiss a trail along Shinn's neck. There was a knock on the door and Rey scowled, getting up to answer it.

"Captain Rau would like a meeting over on his ship."

Rey turned to Shinn, who was laying on his back with one arm behind his head. He waved the crew member off with his other hand and Rey shut the door. After closing his eyes and breathing deeply for a few minutes, calming himself, Shinn stood and followed Rey out to board the S.S. Voltaire.

"It doesn't look good." Dearka murmured. They were all standing at the side of the ship which got hit the most, staring over the railing. A few crewmembers were down below, getting a first-hand inspection to estimate repairs.

"At least we got away." Nicol replied.

"But not without Shinn. Again." Kira growled.

"Maybe…" Mwu trailed off as Kira shot him a glare.

"Maybe what."

Mwu glanced at the others before continuing. "I just think…it might be time…"

"Time for what."

"He's gone, Kira." Yzak finally spoke up, voicing what everyone else thought.

"No he isn't. I am not giving up on him!" the captain snapped.

"It's been two years already and we've got nothin' to show fer it." Yzak countered.

"That's nothing. Besides, our efforts got us a lot of information."

"Like what?" Dearka spoke up. "The only thing we learned is it's impossible to get past Rau and his fleet."

"And why is that? Because he has a new partner! It means he's serious and there's definitely something he's hiding."

"Or it could mean he has more firepower to take us down." Mwu replied.

Kira considered his crew. Yzak had a stern expression, Mwu looked concerned, Nicol was biting his lip, Dearka matched Yzak's with a lighter version. Athrun was staring at the ground, silent.

"If this be a mutiny…" he snarled.

"It's not, Kira." Athrun finally spoke up. "But we should probably reconsider our options here. Today was a close call. They would've boarded us if they got close enough. We can't let that happen again. We escaped the Hangman's Noose once, but only barely and with a lot of help. Rau knows what we're capable of now, so we won't get that chance again."

"I can't just let him go." Kira whispered.

"We know that, and we're not asking you to." Mwu replied in a soft tone.

"There's just needs to be another way to do this. Instead of repeating our actions until they succeed or get us killed, we need to try something different, something smaller." Yzak added.

"And that would be?"

"Infiltration."

-Author's Note: My pirate speak is lacking, I know. Anyway, sorry about the long wait, but hopefully this chapter makes up for it. If you have any questions, comment, ideas, suggestions, whatever please feel free to leave them in a review.

I keep forgetting to add this to my latest story updates, but I made an RP site based around the Gundam fandom called Gundam Titanium: w11 dot zetaboards dot com /Gundam_Titanium/index/ and I'd really appreciate it if you guys check it out! I'm working on bringing some of my Gundam Seed fics over (they'll still remain on here though) as well, and anyone can bring their own fics over too. It's centered mostly on role-play, with an original Gundam concept.

Peace-