Disclaimer: None of us own Gundam SEED. Goddamn Sunrise… Furthermore, any franchises that make cameos here belong to their respective owners.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"Radio"

Chapter One: Crossing Stars

Heliopolis Island 3-Class Colony, Recreational Park

A young 16 year old woman with waist length, wavy brown hair, expressive amethyst eyes following lines of coding as she wrote them out into her personal portable terminal, she was an attractive woman with firm C-cupped breasts and a slim waist with enough hip to catch attention. She was currently clad in a black, skintight tank top that clung to her curves, much to the appreciation to passing males, and some females, with a pair of jogging pants and running shoes. "Ah, man!" she moaned out in complaint. "Why does Kato have to dump this stuff onto us, Hanami-chan?"

"Probably be… because we're the only two students in his class that can consistently score high in our projects?" A young woman of the same age sitting opposite her looked up from her own terminal. Hanami also ranked among the most attractive women in their class, with large, soft E-cup breasts that flowed into a slightly wider waist than her friend, although her womanly hips were currently hidden under the flowing white dress she currently wore. Her long, wavy silver hair was currently tied in a ponytail to prevent it getting in her way, though she usually didn't tie it up.

Kira groaned again. "That's true, but this is ridiculous," she groaned out. "This is the work for actual Morgenroete Engineers and Programmers, they can't be that stupid that they can't figure it out!"

"Well…" Hanami scratched her head as she stared at a particularly tricky algorithm. "How many of them are Coordinators like us again?"

"I guess, but the least he could do is pay us!" Kira declared angrily. "Jeez, this almost looks like that OS Commander Hisanaga had us look over for his unit."

An error warning tone suddenly popped up as Hanami accidentally hit the wrong key. "Ah," her cheeks gained a light dusting of red. "I was wondering why there was an algorithm for compensation for ALL kinds of terrain characteristics in the mobility program…" she attempted to cover up her mistake.

Kira's smirk told Hanami all she needed to know about what Kira thought of her excuse. "So… made any headway with your… boyfriend?" she asked teasingly.

"It's… it's… it's not like that!" Hanami waved her hands in the air comically. "I mean… we're not even THAT… that close yet… and we haven't done anything…" she sighed and started poking her fingers together shyly.

Kira giggled in response to her friend's embarrassment. "Well, there is that rumour I heard where you were kissing the Commander goodbye when you went to see him on base…" she informed, her grin widening. "I would call that something."

A thump ensued as Hanami's head crashed onto the table. "Eh… uh… ah…" she stammered intelligently.

Kira let out a laugh at her friend's expense. "It's alright Hanami-chan," she assured. "I remember how long it took you to work up the courage to admit your feelings, only for him to ask you out before you could say anything."

"I… didn't expect that one either," the silverette confessed, rubbing her thighs together. "I was so close to doing it first… but then Ryu-kun…"

"Although his expression when you fainted was hilarious," Kira informed with a giggle. "He just stood there for like a minute, dumbfounded before he began to panic!"

"Kira-chan!" a scandalized Hanami covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.

Kira laughed again in amusement as she reached over and hugged her friend. "I'm sorry, Hanami-chan, but you make it so easy to tease you," she informed between her bouts of laughter. "He did tell me though, he thought it was cute how embarrassed you get sometimes."

"Mou… It's… it's not like I want to faint every time I meet him…" Hanami pouted.

Kira giggled. "But you do, and he loves you for it," she teased, poking her.

Hanami's shoulders sagged in resignation. "I guess so… but I don't really… wanthimtocarrymetobedeverytimeIfaintwhenIkisshim."

Kira smiled at her friend as she gave her a hug. "Just have more confidence in yourself, Hanami-chan," she told her roommate. "You are one of the most beautiful women on the Colony right now, smart enough to keep up with me, that's a rare feat believe me, an amazing cook, really kind and gentle and a large heart. And believe me, he's more than happy to play Prince Charming and carry you to bed, and that little kiss he gives you after tucking you in is just adorable."

Hanami froze. "He… he… he… gives me a little ki… ki… kiss… after… after tucking me in…?" She promptly fainted on the table after the realization.

Kira let out a sigh as she mentally counted to three before looking at her unconscious friend. "Good afternoon, Kagami-chan," she greeted as the silverette stirred.

"Not again," Hanami's alter ego made herself known with a grumble as she got up, her formerly cerulean blue eyes having changed to a deep red to indicate the change. "How many times has this happened already? Actually, don't bother counting, I'm pretty sure it's in the triple digits already."

"Three hundred and seventy two times," Kira informed cheekily. "Since we've met."

"So… a little over a third of the way to the quadruple digits," Kagami muttered. "You'd think Hanami would have built up a bit more confidence by now… Well, at least she's happy."

Kira giggled. "Gave the Commander quite a shock when you first showed up, eh?" she asked her alter-ego friend. "I think he nearly fainted."

"I think I still have the photo from that time, hold up a second," Kagami grinned as she dug into her terminal and brought up the photo in question. "Yup, that look on his face was, and still is priceless!"

Kira and Kagami shared a laugh as they looked at the photo. "Wonder when Hanami-chan will realize that those 'little kisses' you get from the Commander, aren't so little," Kira wondered, sending the alter a sly look. "Kinda surprised you haven't kicked me out of the dorm room yet when you guys got back from a date, Kagami-chan."

Kagami got a dreamy look on her face at the thought. "Well, think of it as me enjoying it for Hanami's sake. I'm sorely tempted to do the deed myself… but I'm pretty sure Hanami will notice if she wakes up in the morning all sore down there."

"Probably," Kira agreed, giggling again. "Still, gotta admit, I was surprised when you and the Commander of the local garrison got together, hell, I heard he was dancing during the drills the morning after, wait, I got a video of him doing the can-can in his mobile suit."

"Oooh, blackmail material on Ryu-kun," Kagami giggled at the thought of a mobile suit doing the can-can. "Can't ever have enough blackmail material!"

Kira laughed in agreement. "That you cannot," she said before an idea struck her. "Hey, do you think Ryu would be willing to help us get out of this, y'know, like when he took you to see the circus by telling Kato he needs our programming skills to check base security?"

"I'm pretty sure he wouldn't mind helping. Wait, let me send him an e-mail," Kagami quickly began typing on her terminal, her lithe fingers flashing across the keyboard so fast they were barely visible. "Aaaaand done."

It took only a few minutes for the response to come in the form of a video call. "Hey… ah, Kagami-chan, should've known it was you trying to sneak out of homework," Commander Ryu Hisanaga of the ORB forces stationed on the Colony said to his girlfriend as she picked up, it was easily visible that he was in his mobile suit from the cockpit around him, although he wasn't wearing the standard flight suit. "So, wanna skip class, huh?"

"But Kato keeps chucking these assignments at us that are waaaaaay above our pay grade!" Kagami pouted and stuck out her tongue. "Not that we even have a pay grade, but still!"

Ryu chuckled, his vibrant green eyes flashing as he ran a hand through his slightly shaggy brown hair. "Well, if you don't mind, there is something I could use your help with," he informed. "A real hush-hush ORB Project, you'll have to sign a confidentiality agreement, but you'd be getting four figures cash if you figure it out."

"I take it we can't talk about it over an unencrypted video conference then?" Kagami raised an eyebrow.

Ryu shook his head in a negative. "Unfortunately no, when I say real hush-hush, I mean even speaking the name of the project is grounds for dismissal, if not prison time," he informed. "You don't have to, and I'll still get you out of class, but I'm talking high-end four figures here."

Kagami whistled. "Count me in. Kira-chan?"

Kira shrugged. "I don't see why not," she agreed as she closed her terminal and packed it away with the papers she was working on. "Where do we go?"

"I'll pick you up outside of the base, talk to Ivan, he'll have you sign the forms necessary for access," Ryu informed. "I'll bring you in from there."

"Alright, Ryu-kun. By the way… what's this I hear about doing the can-can in a mobile suit?" Kagami snuck in a final shot with an all-too-innocent grin adorning her face.

Ryu froze before scowling at Kira. "You hacked the Base Security camera's, didn't you, you witch!" Ryu shouted at his fellow brunette who only laughed in response. "I'll get you for that!" he swore before the link cut off.

"Priceless," Kagami grinned, taking her finger off the printscreen key.

Kira laughed as she looked at the picture of Ryu's shocked face. "Nothing like having blackmail, huh?" she asked. "What are you going to do with it?"

"Hmm…" Kagami tapped her finger on her chin in thought. "Well… I've been thinking I need to go on a shopping trip recently and I can't use Hanami's money for it or she'll notice…"

Kira giggled. "I think I might get in on that action," she informed, before hefting her breasts. "It's been getting tight around the chest area lately, although… probably not as tight as yours is."

"Tell me about it. They're still growing too - we have to get new clothes almost every 2 months or else they start chafing uncomfortably," Kagami grumbled, looking down at her own assets.

Kira sighed. "I bet Ryu enjoys them, though," she said with a look at Kagami's… assets. "Have you let him 'in', so to speak?"

"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't," the silverette's eyes twinkled in amusement.

Kira snorted in amusement as she shook her head at her friend. "My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard," she sang through her laughter, making the hobbyist chef laugh with her. "C'mon, let's go meet your boy toy."

Kagami nodded in agreement as she packed away the last of her stuff and followed Kira towards the Vehicle Terminal.

"Hey there, Imouto!" called out a man around 21 years old, with hair and eye color just like Kira's, though his hair was done in a buzzcut and he also had a fairly bushy moustache. He was also wearing a dark blue jacket over a similar color shirt, with black pants, shoes, and socks.

"Hey, Take-nii!" Kira greeted her older brother, Takeshi Yamato. "Where are you off to?"

"Got a meeting with some potential business partners," Takeshi replied, having decided a long time ago that he didn't want his sister getting involved in his particular line of work. "If things go well, I'm afraid I'll need to go on a trip again."

Kira let out a huff as she pouted. "Man, Take-nii, why don't you ever tell me what you're really up too," she whined out. "Fine, but I want you over for dinner when you get back!"

Takeshi nodded. "Sure thing, Imouto," he replied. "So, what are you up to? I'd have thought you'd still be at that gazebo, working on those assignments for Kato."

Kira shrugged. "Commander Hisanaga is offering us an actually paying quick job for some real classified project he's involved in," she informed. "And since Kato doesn't pay us…"

Takeshi nodded again. "Makes sense," he replied. After a moment, he seemed to come to a decision as he added, "And Imouto, I'm sorry about keeping just what I do secret from you, but given the war, my job tends to place me in danger a lot, and I feel like the less you know about my work, the safer you are."

Kira sent her brother a look. "Take-nii, my best friend is the girlfriend of the Commander of the Local ORB forces here on Heliopolis, I have the entire Colony's camera system under my command, I am a Black Belt in Muay Thai, Kick Boxing and Aikido," she informed. "I am more than capable of taking care of myself, but… you can keep your secret… for now."

Takeshi nodded. He still wasn't all that convinced, but he realized she likely wasn't going to let this drop, and he'd have to come clean eventually. "Alright," he said, as they approached the Vehicle Terminal.

"Oh great, the bitches three," Kagami groaned as she glared at a trio of girls who were gossiping at the Vehicle Terminal. "I wouldn't hate the other two so much if it wasn't for them blindly agreeing with Flay's Anti-Coordinator bullcrap."

"Agreed," Takeshi replied. "Though in Flay's case, it's a matter of the apple not falling far from the tree - don't forget who her father is, after all." He sighed. "I'm glad Linda-chan was able to get out from under his thumb, but her greatest regret is failing to take Flay with her."

Kira sighed as they entered the Terminal. "Still, she hasn't been as much of a bother since I hacked her private webcam and took some… interesting photos," Kira informed with a sly grin. "She knows better than to bother us."

Takeshi grinned at his sister. "Always the uber hacker, Imouto," he remarked. "Still, I'm going to have to bring Linda-chan over to meet you sometime - I've been meaning to for a few months now, but haven't had a chance to yet."

"I would hope so, Mr. I-got-engaged-without-my-sister's-approval," Kira informed angrily. "Who knows what kind of trouble she might get you in!"

Takeshi sighed. "Alright, alright, I'll try and bring her over once I get back from our business trip," he replied. "And honestly, the only 'trouble' we might get into would be the kind that means we have to move the wedding date forward."

Kira narrowed her eyes at her brother. "Don't you dare say that you have, Take-nii, if so I will hurt you."

Takeshi shook his head. "Haven't developed that kind of trouble yet, Imouto," he replied. "Just saying that it's about the only possible 'trouble' she could personally get me into - she's one of my co-workers, so she naturally gets drawn into any work-related troubles that I am, but neither she nor I am to blame for those troubles."

"We'll see, Take-nii, we'll see," Kira informed. "If she doesn't show up when you return, I'll be hacking into her public file to figure out what she's like!"

Takeshi nodded. "Alright, I'll do my best," he replied, before spotting a trio of newcomers, ones he recognized from some of the 'business discussions' he'd had. "Ah, Miss Badgiruel," he called out. "Fancy seeing you out here."

"Mr. Yamato," Natarle Badgiruel, a stiff looking woman with short black hair and hard blue eyes, replied. "I did not know you had family here."

"My Imouto," he replied. "She's a student at the technical college, though she's currently been bailed from classes by a friend of a friend." He gestured from Kira to Natarle. "Imouto, this is Natarle Badgiruel, one of the business partners I mentioned earlier."

"Hello," Kira greeted politely. "This is my friend, Hanami Yukikaze, a pleasure to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Badgiruel," Kagami nodded, responding to her original personality's name.

Badgiruel nodded to the pair before turning back to Takeshi. "Please remember to be on time for final launch preparations, Mr. Yamato," she ordered, before walking to one of the vehicles and headed off.

Takeshi waved as she drove off, then sighed once she was out of both earshot and visual range. "She's one of the… stiffer members of that group," he remarked. "Always worried about rules and regs, and following them to the letter… I don't usually say this, but she needs to get laid."

"Locked into a room until completely unwound," Kira agreed. "Good luck with that one, Take-nii."

"That almost felt suffocating," Kagami agreed.

"Yeah," Takeshi replied. "Well, have fun with Ryu, you two," he said as he got into a car.

"Cya later Take-nii, and don't forget to bring her this time!" Kira shouted out as he began to drive away.

Takeshi simply waved, as his car drove towards Morgenroete, more specifically the special facility dedicated to his part of the project Morgenroete was working on… and his payment for making sure the products of the project made it to their destination safely.

Kira and Kagami were next into the auto cars, selecting the local base as their destination they began to ride off. "So, wonder what this project is that he wants out help on?" Kira mused as the car sped through the Colony.

"Definitely something to do with mobile suits, otherwise he wouldn't even be suggesting this kind of work," Kagami mused.

"Do you think Morgenroete's making some new mobile suits for ORB?" Kira asked. "Cause I know there's people worried about ORB not having any Mobile Suits of their own…"

"I won't be surprised if that's really the case. Kato's pushing military-grade work to us after all…" Kagami sighed. "Helps that the code looks faaaaar too much like a mobile suit OS to be a coincidence."

Kira nodded in agreement. "At least with the Commander we get paid when we do his work for him," she replied with a grin. "Even if we are considered to be members of ORB's Military for the duration of our work."

"So… did you get any data on what's going on in Morgenroete?" Kagami smiled.

"Some, looks like some kind of armor system is being developed," Kira informed. "Aside from that, not much, they got a lot of alerts waiting to be tripped."

"Definitely some really top secret stuff if even you can't crack the protection," Kagami frowned, loosening her ponytail and letting her long silver hair fly in the wind. "Ah, that feels so much better."

Kira giggled. "It's not that I can't get past it, I just don't want to risk it right now," she amended. "After all, don't want the men in black knocking at my door."

"So you say, but you'd probably just martial arts them to hell if they did come," the silverette rolled her eyes. "And don't forget your onii-chan. I'm still pretty convinced he's a siscon."

Kira groaned in response. "Dear lord, don't remind me," she said as she slumped. "He's the reason no one on this Colony has enough balls to date me!"

"Have you ever tried using the puppy eyes technique on him? It works wonders on Ryu-kun you know," Kagami laughed.

Kira sent her friend a dry look. "That just makes it worse, Kagami-chan," she informed. "FAR worse."

"Tch, I thought it worked on every guy out there," Kagami deflated slightly, then perked up as she got another idea. "What about hunting down his collection of unmentionables for blackmail material?"

Kira shook her head. "He knows me too well," she informed. "And he keeps his personal terminal off of the public networks so I can't get a link to hack it with."

"Ugh," Kagami made a face. "That's not fair."

"I know, right!" Kira agreed with a pout. "How can I be a proper sister without any blackmail material!?"

"And I don't think I can get Ryu-kun to pull any strings to help you out…" Kagami sighed. "Speaking of which, I see him!"

Looking up, they say Ryu, clad in the white ORB uniform with the sleeves to the shirt rolled up with the markings of a Commander on it, waving at the pair from the entrance to the Garrison base, the vehicle slowed down at the Base Terminal before stopping, allowing the pair to step out. "Hey, Kagami-chan, witch," he greeted, kissing his girlfriend before teasing Kira. "Curdle any milk recently?"

"Ha ha, very funny," Kira remarked. "Nothing really going on, aside from Take-nii having another business trip."

"Him and his 'business trips' huh," Ryu commented as he led the two to the check in station where they quickly went through several forms. "Like usual you two will be apart of the ORB Military at the rank of Ensign, upon completion of the project you two will be discharged and paid a total of $7,800 each for services rendered, understand?"

Kira nodded. "That works for me," she said. "What about you, Kagami-chan?"

"Of course!" Kagami chirped, pressing her chest against Ryu's arm. "So… can we get some info on what's going on now?"

"We need your help developing a Natural-Use Operating System for some mobile suits Morgenroete is producing for the ORB Military," Ryu informed as he led the two deeper into the base. "The units themselves are ready, but we don't have a proper operating system for them."

"Alright," Kira replied. "Makes sense… by the way, Kagami-chan and I were speculating that the work Professor Kato's been having us do is a Mobile Suit OS, too. Is he a part of this project?"

Ryu shook his head. "Another Project that is unfortunately above your current paygrade… ensign," he informed, teasing her with her temporary rank. "And it looks like I'll be having to have a conversation with Kato about proper management techniques…"

Kagami stuck out her tongue. "And his lecturing skills. Honestly, half the time I feel like he's just tossing us headfirst into the pool and asking us to swim right off the bat. I know Kira-chan and I can handle it, but it ends up making the rest of the class ask us for pointers every time a new project comes around."

Ryu sighed. "Screw Kato, I'm going to Simmons about that," he groaned, mentioning the Chief Engineer of Morgenroete. "That guy touts himself as a genius, tell me, was it you two who figured out the energy transference ratio?"

"Yeah," Kira replied. "Took us a few days, and had to get Kagami out to the forefront again, but we managed to do it."

"My brain still hurts from that," Kagami groaned. "Hanami woke up with a headache after we were done with it."

"I am going to murder that fucker," Ryu growled. "Using students for military projects, not even having them sign a confidentiality agreement so that they know what they are working on, no, death is too good for him."

"He needs to be pranked, and pranked hard, I think," Kira replied with a feral grin, before turning to Kagami. "What do you think, Kagami-chan? Ultimate Revenge Prank?"

"Oh, definitely, Kira-chan," Kagami cackled, already running through a mental checklist of the ideas she had for pranks.

Ryu raised his eyebrow before sighing. "Let me know if you want my mobile suit for this one this time," he told the duo. "Command was not happy when they found out that my girlfriend hijacked the Dragon to play a prank."

"No promises," Kira remarked. "We don't want to potentially implicate you in whatever we do, after all."

"That was just the one time… and we made sure to give it a fresh coat of paint after we were done with it anyway," Kagami grinned.

Ryu sent her a glare. "You painted it pink!" he countered angrily. "Not to mention the property damage!"

"Maa, maa, it was just a house… or two," Kagami squashed her breasts against Ryu's chest and started idly drawing circles on his chest. "It all turned out okay in the end anyway, right, Ryu-kun?"

Ryu's eye twitched as he felt her… assets against his chest. "You damned succubus," he groaned out as the matter was dropped, unable to resist Kagami's capabilities to uses her feminine assets against him.

"You know you love me anyway," Kagami smiled cheekily as she dropped a hint. "I don't think it'll be long before Hanami decides she wants to do it, she's been considering it these last few days. So you should definitely have something to look forward to."

Ryu coughed slightly into his hand, a flush building onto his face. "Minx," he growled at her. "You're just as bad as the witch over there sometimes."

"I'll take that as a compliment," the silverette laughed and leaned forward to kiss Ryu.

Ryu rolled his eyes but pulled her in for a kiss nonetheless, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist. "What will I ever do with you?" he asked jokingly. "I'm almost scared of the time Hanami-chan decides to take me to bed, between the two of you, you'd drain me dry!"

"Let's just say… there are some things I've been meaning to try," Kagami chuckled seductively, squeezing her breasts with her arms for extra emphasis. "I'm pretty sure Hanami's going to faint at some point and let me out after all."

Ryu chuckled as he shook his head. "Minx," he said again. "Now stop distracting me, we've got work to do, La Flaga is waiting for us."

Kira nodded, and they headed out once more.

Ryu quickly led them to what seemed to be a simple structure built next to a cliff, but was quickly revealed just to be the entrance to a large underground complex. "Welcome to Heliopolis' Secret underground testing facilities," Ryu said as they entered in to spot a trio of mobile suits in docking stations. "Those are the ones we're working on, the MVF-P01 Astray Gundam Black Frame, the MBF-P07 Exodus Gundam, and the MDF-P00 Astray Gundam Zero."

"Hmm. They look nothing like ZAFT's mobile suits," Kagami idly commented as she sized up the three units. "What's with the Gundam in the names?"

"Acronym for the Operating System: General Unilateral Neuro - Link Dispersive Autonomic Maneuver," Ryu informed. "One of the Engineers coined the phrase 'Gundam' for the project early on."

"Sounds like a powerful name," Kira remarked. "I'd imagine these things are going to be mass-produced eventually?"

"Eventually, but only if we can get the OS working for Natural Pilots," he informed as they approached one of the computer stations where a blond haired man wearing the same uniform as Ryu, only his Lieutenant Barred Jacket was off and tied around his waist. "La Flaga, you remember Hanami-chan and Kira, right?"

"Yeah, I remember them," Mu la Flaga replied. "Hard to forget the ones who somehow managed to reverse the controls on my Locker Room Shower."

"Oh, hello there, Hawk-san," Kagami grinned cheekily.

Mu let out a defeated sigh as he slumped. "I just can't escape it, can I?" he groaned out piteously. "Not when I was in the Alliance, and not when I'm in ORB, well… at least they're no Commando Fangirls…" both he and Ryu shuddered at the thought.

"Hawk, you promised to never bring that up again!" Ryu hissed. "You'll bring them down upon us!"

"You two really are terrified of Fangirls, aren't you?" Kira asked.

"Let me put it this way, no matter what your minds think of, they will not even come close to what their depraved minds are capable of, and their bodies capable of following through," Ryu informed, looking around. "No more, to speak of them, is to summon them…"

"From the ones I've seen roaming around the campus, I'd say they were an entirely different species of humans," Kagami nodded.

"Those are normal fangirls," Mu clarified. "Commando fangirls are a breed apart… so much rope…"

"You know, that actually gives me a couple more ideas for pranks," the silverette rubbed her hands together gleefully. "Rope, huh…"

"No!" the two males coursed as one. "Absolutely not," Ryu continued, before thinking for a minute. "So long as Mu and I are not involved and we don't see it."

"Oh don't worry about it… I'll just save those for anyone who even thinks of going after my dear Ryu-kun… ufufufu~" Kagami's form shimmered for a moment before the spectral visage of a Noh mask appeared floating in the air behind her and the air was saturated with killing intent.

Ryu deadpanned as Mu blanched and Kira shuddered at the sight of the Noh masked. "That thing is creepy as fuck," Ryu deadpanned. "Please stop it, Kagami-chan."

"Ara ara, what could you possibly be talking about?" Kagami brought her hand to her mouth, smiling faux-innocently as the mask and accompanying killing intent disappeared into thin air.

Mu shuddered again as he looked at Kagami. "Your girlfriend creeps me out, man," Mu informed. "How is it you met again?"

"Back alley? Dozen Blue Cosmos Thugs," Ryu replied. "Ring any bells?"

Kagami stifled a gasp as her face paled. Half a second later she was hiding behind Ryu, clutching his uniform in her clenched fists and hyperventilating while burying her face in his back.

"It's alright, Kagami-chan," Ryu informed softly as he turned around to wrap his arms gently around her. "So long as I draw breath, no one will harm you…"

"R-Ryu-kun…" Kagami whispered softly, relaxing into the hug as she attempted to calm herself down. The memories of that night rose unbidden to the forefront of her mind - it had been the incident that had created Hanami's alter ego after all, and it had been rather traumatic for both of them.

Ryu softly kissed her temple as he whispered soothing words into her ear. "You're safe here, Kagami-chan," he whispered. "Within these arms of mine you will always be safe…"

"Kagami-chan?" Kira asked in surprise from her friends confident and fearless alter. "Wh… what happened to make you so scared?"

Kagami took a deep breath, drawing confidence from Ryu's warm arms wrapped around her shaking form. "That night… Hanami came very close to being ra-ra-raped by a whole bunch of Blue Cosmos thugs. It was the… incident that created me in the first place. I managed to fight off a few of them in hand-to-hand after they ripped off my clothes, but I g-got pi-pinned down… a-and…" she lost her composure again and buried her face back into Ryu's shirt, sobbing gently.

Ryu simply squeezed her closer to him as he kissed her temple. "That's when I arrived," he informed. "Every single one of them save two are now serving life in prison, the two are now dead."

"I came thi-this close to being de-defiled before Ryu-kun stepped in," Kagami hesitantly raised her index finger and thumb, roughly half an inch between them. "Even now I still remember that night as if it happened yesterday…" her eyes gained a haunted look to them as her shaking form leaned into Ryu's embrace.

"Kagami-chan…" Kira murmured, her eyes brimming with tears as she ran forward to join the embrace. "You idiot! You should have told me about that! Bearing that alone…"

"I… can't even talk about i-it without Ryu-kun nearby… Kira-chan, I'm sorry… I just get a panic attack until he comes to help…" Kagami whimpered.

"It's alright, Kagami-chan, I understand," Kira replied, slightly tightening her grip on Hanami. "I honestly can't say I'd react any differently if it happened to me…"

Mu growled. "Which prison are those assholes in?" he asked, his eyes flashing angrily.

Ryu smirked. "Hanison," he informed. "That triple max prison out in the middle of butt fuck nowhere Lagrange 5, and I may or may not have paid off a few of the guards to let slip that they were all pedophiles…"

Kagami let out a forced laugh. "I heard pedos get treated the worst, especially by other prisoners…"

"Which is why I bribed the guards," Ryu commented, softly running a hair through her silver hair. "And I may or may not have slipped notes to the prisoners telling them to make them suffer without the release of death."

"Serves them right…" Kagami breathed out a sigh of relief. "Ryu-kun… I'm okay now," she added, though still in a somewhat more subdued manner than normal.

"Who said I'm willing to let you go?" Ryu asked as he continued to hold her, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I know you Kagami-chan, you're still scared… stay with me…"

The silverette stayed silent, and simply let Ryu hold her close.

"So, Kira, mind taking a look at my OS," Mu said softly to the student. "We should leave them be for a bit."

"Sure, that works," Kira whispered back. "Any problems, or just a fine-tuning?"

"Too many problems," Mu announced. "Need a complete revamping, this was the Earth Alliance's attempt at making an OS a Natural is capable of using, right now we'd need a Quantum Computer to assist in piloting it, which isn't really applicable for mass production, and the reason we're trying to solve this now."

Kira nodded, as she was brought to a computer. "Alright, then," she said as she started typing, bringing up the coding. "Let's see what we're… working… with… What the hell?!"

The reason for the expletive was quite clear - the OS she was taking a look at was exactly the same as the one Kato had given her and Hanami to start out with!

"Look," Mu whispered into her ear. "I am aware that both you and Kagami/Hanami are the ones who made this, Kato will be dealt with later, but… ORB needs this OS for its new Mobile Suits…"

"Alright," Kira replied, as she set to typing. "Just make sure we're a part of dealing with him… I am going to be pranking him so hard…"

Mu smirked as he patted her back. "Thanks kid," he said gratefully. "And don't worry, we'll let you get a solid prank out of him before we turn Ryu loose on him."

Kagami let out an odd noise which sounded like something in between a bark of laughter and a grunt.

Ryu chuckled as he ran a hand through her hair. "Better?" he asked in a soft whisper.

"A bit more time… please," Kagami replied softly.

Ryu nodded as he tightened his arms slightly around her. "As much time as you need, Kagami-chan," he informed. "I know how hard this is for you…"

Kira smiled, even as she continued typing. Ryu and Hanami/Kagami were such a cute couple, no matter which of Hanami's personalities was dominant…

A part of her wished that she could have a relationship like that someday…

Mu let out a sigh. "Man, Ryu was always the lucky one with the ladies," Mu informed. "For me it was always the One-Night Standers."

Kira simply nodded, even as she kept working. She didn't really feel attracted to Mu, but she could understand his plight.

Mu sighed as a Non-Com Private came running up and whispered something into his ear. Letting out a loud curse, he caught the attention of the others. "ZAFT has been spotted outside of the Colony in the Asteroid Field."

"What!" Ryu called out, still holding a now-startled Kagami. "How many?"

Kira immediately shifted her typing, shifting the OS off to the side as she gained access to the cameras and sensors. "Looks like a Nazca and a Laurasia," she remarked as she read the data. "That's a lot of firepower, especially considering their Mobile Suit Contingents… hold on… Dammit, I'm also picking up a couple empty shuttles near an external hatch! I think we have infiltrators!"

Ryu frowned before sending Kagami an apologetic smile as he let go of her. "Ensign, go to the security room and sound the silent alarm," he informed. "Then I want a thorough search of the ventilation, Kira, Kagami-chan, can you help them with that by searching the Colony Camera network?"

"Already on it," Kira replied, her fingers flying over the keyboards. "No sign of them yet, but I'm still looking - hello, what's a Warship doing in that bay?"

Ryu looked over to Kagami. "Kagami-chan?" he asked, concern filling his eyes.

Kagami nodded at Ryu, flashing him a look with her eyes that told him not to worry about her, before running to a terminal beside Kira and quickly booting it up.

"Thank you," Ryu whispered to her. "Mu, load up that Quantum Computer into the Astray Zero, we'll be launching, see if we can scout out the situation outside."

"I don't have the infiltrators now," Kira remarked, "but I managed to get some archive footage, so I know where they've been." One image showed up on a screen large enough for Ryu and Mu to see - several people in ZAFT Normal Suits, five Red and the rest Green, inside the bay with the Warship, planting what even Kira could tell were explosive charges.

"That's the Archangel's construction bay," Ryu murmured before bringing up a radio set. "Hisanaga to Ghost Squadron, explosives found in Bay F33, we need you there and disarming the explosives."

Kira filed the name of the warship, Archangel, away for later. For now, she continued searching through camera after camera, as she searched for the infiltrators - "I've got them!" she called out. "They've just entered into the colony interior - looks like they're on a hill overlooking the Morgenroete facilities!"

"Hisanaga to Sword and Hammer squads, Infiltrators are in section Three area Four," Ryu informed. "Do not let them near the G-Weapons, Mobile Armor Squadrons, prepare to launch, well, Hawk, ready to show we're still the threats they thought we were?"

"Ready when you are, Dragon," Mu replied. "Let's go show ZAFT just why they feared us so much!"

Asteroid Field, ZAFT Ship Nazca-class Vesalius

"We're reaching the time to launch our units, Commander," an officer reported to a blond haired, masked, white uniformed man.

"Very well," the man replied. "Have all units prepare to launch. I'll be launching, too - might as well get in a little target practice."

"Yessir," the ship's captain agreed. "Alert the pilots to standby for launch in their machines! They launch in twenty."

The commander, Rau le Creuset, smirked a bit as he made his way to the hangar. Soon, the explosives his infiltrators had placed would destroy the Earth Forces' new Warship, while the infiltrators themselves would capture their prototype Mobile Weapons. There shouldn't be much damage to the colony, and he could always blame the damage on the Earth Forces, if there was.

All the while, he would continue moving pieces around the board, slowly driving the hatred between Naturals and Coordinators higher and higher… until they destroyed each other of their own volition.

He was soon in his custom colored CGUE that was moved into the launch catapult. "This is Rau le Creuset, CGUE, Launching!" he informed before he pushed the thrusters to the maximum, making the CGUE struggled against the launch cable before it snapped, sending it hurtling into space.

Around him were all the GiNNs from the Vesalius and Gamow, some dozen Machines in total. More than enough to crush any resistance from local defenders.

Little did he know just how wrong he was, as around the Mobile Suit force four small camera's darted around by their own rockets, seemingly guided an unseen hand as they watched the Mobile Suit Forces.

Universal Century, in Atmosphere near Axis

"This Nu Gundam isn't just for show!" Amuro Ray, a young man in his twenties, shouted out as he guided his mobile suit, the RX-93 Nu Gundam, into pushing against the falling asteroid Axis.

It had been a massive battle between the Earth Federation's Londo Bell taskforce and Char Aznable's Neo Zeon forces, Neo Zeon attempting to drop the asteroid, Londo Bell trying to stop it.

In the end, they'd partially succeeded, blowing Axis into two pieces, but one piece was still falling, and large enough to cause significant damage.

So now, Amuro, down to only one Beam Saber for weapons and holding on to the captured escape pod of Char's MSN-04 Sazabi, was moving to shove the asteroid away from Earth.

"It is our job to show humanity the warmth of the human heart!" Amuro Ray shouted as he struggled with keeping the controls steady.

As Char and Amuro argued, the psycoframes in their respective cockpits resonating and putting out enormous energy and light, countless Mobile Suits, both Earth Federation and Neo Zeon, moved to try and assist, pushing their machines to the limit to try to stop the asteroid from falling.

"For someone who says that, you were awfully cold to Quess!" Char Aznable, a blond haired man with ice blue eyes, shouted back angrily.

"Give me a break, I'm a human being!" Amuro shouted, even as the other machines trying to help were picked up and moved aside and out of danger from the energy the psycoframes were putting out. "I couldn't serve as a surrogate father for her!" There was a brief pause, and then, "Was that the reason? Was that why you made Quess function like a machine?!"

Char sighed. "Alright, so Quess was searching for a father figure," Char relented. "Now I see why I found her so annoying, why I turned her into a machine."

"I thought you would be more broad-minded!" Amuro chastised. "She was just confused!"

"Lalah Sune was a young woman who may have very well been a mother to me!" Char retorted. "And you took away her life! So don't you dare judge me!"

"Lalah? A mother?!" Amuro asked incredulously, before letting out a loud scream as the energy of the psycoframes enveloping them, and expanding out in a belt of light that surrounded the Earth, pulling Axis up into a more stable orbit.

As the two argued, the light continued to envelop the two of them, the phenomenon dragging the Asteroid out of the free fall and back into stable Orbit, however, as the light shone, the disappearance of the Nu Gundam and the cockpit for the MSN-04 Sazabi went completely unnoticed as the light consumed them.

Unknown location

"Wha… what's going on?" Amuro shouted as he looked around the cockpit at the blinding light surrounding him.

"I will… I will… I WILL SURVIVE!" A voice shouted out desperately, echoing through his mind.

"We are not defined by our abilities alone!" another voice shouted.

"I will sever that distortion of yours!" another echoed through him.

"Amuro…" this voice was female, and he recognized it instantly.

"Lalah?" Amuro called out. "Is that you? Lalah Sune?"

The spectral image of a middle-eastern girl in a yellow dress appeared before him. "You have done great deeds, Amuro," she said. "You have done so much, and you still have more to do… but what awaits you is no longer in the Universal Century… your time there is done…"

"What do you mean 'my time is done'?" Amuro asked. "Am… I dead?"

"No, you are not dead…" Lalah replied. "You are going to another time… another place… you are going to where you are needed most…"

"Wha… what?" Amuro asked out in confusion. "Why? Why me? Why am I being sent to this place?"

"Another world faces the fires of war…" Lalah said to him. "A world facing hatred greater than any experienced in the Universal Century…"

"Another war?" Amuro asked, a pained expression on his face. "You want to throw me into another one? After everything I went through in this one?"

"The world you are going to needs to be shown that the light of the human heart remains unchanged, regardless of the nature of one's birth…" Lalah replied. "Watch over the Valkyrie, Amuro… she will need your help to show that light…"

"Lalah?" Amuro questioned as the spectre began to fade. "What do you mean? Who is the Valkyrie, LALAH!"

His shout, however, went unheeded as the spectre vanished completely and his mobile suit began to violently shake.

At the same time, the light around him began to fade, revealing he was still within the cockpit of the Nu Gundam.

Outside of the mobile suit was a completely different story, in front of him was a large cylindrical Colony whose design he'd never seen before with a large group of unfamiliar, mono-eyed, mobile suits bearing down on it.

"It almost looks like Side 7 again…" Amuro remarked, before frowning. "I won't let something like that happen again!"

As he began to move the Nu Gundam, one of the mono-eyed mobile suits spotted him and seemed to report his position as it and several others broke off and made a beeline for him, their assault rifles leveling at him.

"Well, they at least see me as a hostile, why I'm not sure," Amuro remarked as he looked over his controls. "Looks like all I have is a Beam Saber… well, I'll make do."

As Amuro drew out the Nu Gundam's beam saber the lead mobile suit opened up with it's assault rifle, firing projectiles at the Nu at about the same rate as the Zaku would.

Amuro easily dodged, his Newtype senses letting him react before the bullets fired, as he closed in faster than they could react and sliced off the arm holding the assault rifle.

The second one closed in holding a physical sword as it attempted to cut the Nu Gundam in half at the cockpit. Amuro blocked with his Beam Saber, the beam slicing through the metal blade like a hot knife through butter, before he sliced that machine's arm off, too.

As the other mobile suits began to circle the Nu Gundam warily Amuro let out a small breath. "It's like an adult beating children up," he said to himself. "And the children don't even realize it…"

Bracing himself he gunned the thrusters and started attacking the enemy mobile suits.

With Ryu, in the cockpit of the GAT-X100 Dragon

Ryu's eyebrow rose as he looked over the images that the four RT-Y00 'Farsight' DRAGOON Targeters were sending him, it was a primarily white mobile suit that looked a lot like his mobile suit, the GAT-X100 Dragon, developed by the now bankrupted Savant Heavy Industries, and the five other units being developed now by Morgenroete. "Hawk, I'm sighting a mobile suit fighting against ZAFT forces nearby, unknown, looks like a Gundam unit, though…" he reported as the shield of his mobile suit split open to reveal a large targeting camera and slid it onto the large rifle he was carrying, using it as a Bipod as he rested it on an unmoving asteroid. "You recognize it?"

"Not really," Mu replied. "It's seriously kicking their butts, though… and is it just me, or are you feeling a sensation similar to what happens whenever we're in the same area as Rau le Creuset?"

"Yup," Ryu agreed. "Marking him as an unknown third party for now, we got bigger problems to worry about right now, like Creuset and a dozen units bearing down on us."

"Right," Mu replied. "Let's show him what happens when people mess with our new home!"

"Damn straight!" Ryu shouted out as he lined up a shot with the assistance of the DRAGOON Targeters. "Going live! All units, attack!"

Mu launched into the fray, his DRAGOON Beam Assault Units firing a series of rapid-fire beam blasts at the approaching GiNNs.

As Ryu fired a shot of his own, gutting a GiNN completely, a large group of Moebius Mobile Armors swept in from the flanks of the ZAFT forces, all of them flying in ORB's colors as they quickly tore through the formation before disappearing back into the Asteroid Field, allowing Ryu and Mu to get clear shots of the units.

Mu continued the assault with his DRAGOONs, adding a few blasts from his machine's Beam Rifle as well, as he took out three GiNNs at once.

"I Ain't letting you guys get into my Colony where my girlfriend lives, ASSHOLES!" Ryu shouted out as he nailed two mobile suits in a single shot.

Mu, meanwhile, had zeroed in on a CGUE painted in a familiar silver and white color scheme. "So, taken to the field personally, have you, Creuset?" he muttered, before unleashing his DRAGOONs on the CGUE.

"Mu la Flaga, I see you've finally upgraded from your mobile armor!" Rau called out mockingly. "I didn't think the EA was that advanced that far yet!"

"You think I'm still fighting for the EA, you bastard?!" Mu yelled out. "You wish - I've got a new home now, and you're not invited in!" He fired his Beam Rifle off along with a burst of rounds from his DRAGOONs.

"What?" Rau asked in surprise. "What the hell?"

"Definitely need to thank the man who designed these," Mu remarked as he triggered another volley. "They're even more effective than my old Gunbarrels!"

Ryu snorted as he backed away from a GiNN that closed in on him with a sword, the chest compartments opened up to reveal an array of tubes that shot out a series of pellets, much like a Claymore. "I may be a sniper, but I am not defenseless up close!" he shouted out with grin.

Meanwhile, with Amuro

Amuro had just finished dealing with the Monoeye machines, by disarming them and forcing them to withdraw, when he felt a distinct flash across his senses - a flash he recognized all too well. "This feeling…" he whispered to himself. "Are there other Newtypes here?"

His gaze narrowed onto what seemed to be a pair of Gundam-types fighting side-by-side as they fought off the monoeye'd machines, one wielding a sniper rifle and the other a beam rifle with a series of some type of remote funnels.

"They're likely part of the colony's defense forces, if they're fighting these Zaku-like machines…" Amuro remarked. "Well, let's give them a hand." Turning towards that fight, he charged forward, Beam Saber drawn.

The sniper Gundam noticed him as he charged the monoeye'd machines and seemed to chose to ignore him for the time being at it set itself up into a sniping position once again, several moving dots caught Amuro's attention, zooming in he saw them to be a type of funnel with a camera attached to them, shortly before the sniper took a shot, destroying a mobile suit outside of even Amuro's visual range.

He immediately realized that the Sniper Machine must be using the Camera Funnels to increase its sight range, to hit targets even further away. That was rather impressive. Still, enough time to talk with him later - he needed to help fight this attack off for now.

Unknown to the three of them, a pair of black colored GiNNs slipped into the colony, having used their color to hide from the Gundam-Types and continued on.

Inside the Colony

Kagami typed furiously away at the terminal, every now and then bringing up a camera feed to see what was going on outside. Having recovered from her panic attack earlier, she was starting to get a bad feeling about the whole situation. And she definitely trusted her woman's intuition. "Kira-chan, how's the battle going on outside?"

"Fairly well, actually," she informed. "But.. there's a third Gundam-Type that joined them, no data on it in the records though…"

"A third one?" Kagami furrowed her brow in concentration. "No other nation should have gotten the technology for the Gundams ORB is developing, much less know about them… but it's not in the records? That doesn't sound right."

"Tell me about it," Kira growled. "Looks like the Sword and Hammer squads are engaging the infiltrators… hold on," she keyed the commset Ryu gave her. "Ghost Squadron, next bomb is Ventilation 4… access 3."

"Ghost Squad, understood, thanks Overwatch," came the reply.

"Something doesn't feel right…" Kagami murmured as she brought up the specifications for the Nazca-class and Laurasia-class. "There aren't as many ZAFT mobile suits out there as they can actually field… Are they underarmed? No, it takes too much firepower to take on a colony for them to launch without a full complement. Unless… Kira-chan!"

Kira looked over to Kagami with a surprised expression. "Kagami-chan?" she questioned. "What's wrong?"

"Double-check and triple-check the camera feeds inside the colony, not just where you think the bombs are placed!" Kagami stopped her programming work and instead started pulling up the camera footage. "I think ZAFT managed to sneak in a few mobile suits!"

Kira frowned before calling up the camera feeds and searched through them. "Here!" Kira shouted. "Black colored GiNNs, just entered the Spaceport!"

"The Spaceport!? That's far too close!" Kagami gasped in horror as she pulled on a headset, tuning in to the frequency she knew Ryu used. "Ryu-kun, a pair of GiNNs got into the Spaceport!" the silverette practically shouted into the mike.

"What!?" Ryu shouted in return before letting out a string of curses. "Dammit, I'm sorry to say this, you two, but… I am hereby ordering you two to use the Exodus and Black Frame to intercept the GiNNs!"

Kagami froze and stared at the mobile suits standing upright in the docking stations before casting a hurried glance at Kira. "Ryu-kun are you sure? Neither of us have any actual fighting experience in mobile suits! There was that one time I borrowed the Dragon, but I didn't actually fight with it!"

"I am really sorry to have to ask this of you, Kagami-chan, Kira," Ryu said, desperately apologetically. "But you two are the only ones capable of piloting those mobile suits! Me and Mu are being swarmed by the ZAFT forces out here and two aces… if there was any other way…"

Kagami sighed resignedly as she got up from her seat and nodded at Kira. "Kira-chan, you heard Ryu-kun. Although… Ryu-kun, you owe me a shopping trip for this," she smiled as she broke into a dash towards the Exodus.

Kira sighed. "I'll watch out for her, Ryu," she told the pilot who sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Kira," he replied gratefully. "I owe you one."

"Kira-chan, we need to hurry up!" Kagami waved at Kira from the cockpit hatch of the Exodus. "Those GiNNs aren't gonna wait for us to blow them up!"

Kira sighed as she dashed for the cockpit of the Astray Gundam Black Frame and jumped in, quickly reconfiguring the Operating System she powered up the mobile suit. "All systems green," she informed as she checked the unit over. "How is yours, Kagami-chan?"

"Everything's checking out green," Kagami scanned the pre-flight checklist while tinkering away at the OS. "It's a good thing Ryu-kun had a fully-functional OS installed, I really, REALLY wouldn't have liked it if Kato's half-assed one was loaded on this machine. Just a few changes… and there!"

Kira took in a deep breath before grabbing the controls. "Right then, Kira Yamato, Astray Gundam Black Frame, Launching," she announced as the docking frame separated from the two suits and the launch doors above them opened allowing them to exit.

"Kagami Yukikaze, Exodus Gundam, taking off!" Kagami ramped the thrusters to max, taking off closely behind her best friend.

The two came out above the Base that was scrambling Anti-Suit Defenses, due to the base being the closest to the spaceport, they were in the direct path of the Black GiNNs. "This is… Ensign Kira Yamato and Ensign Hanami Yukikaze to Base Control, on the orders of Commander Hisanaga we have taken control of the MVF-P01 Astray Gundam Black Frame and MBF-P07 Exodus Gundam to intercept the two GiNNs that broke past the defensive line!" Kira reported as the two began to hover near the entrance/exit to the spaceport.

"Understood, Ensigns," the Base Controller replied. "We've got someone else sortieing to deal with them, as well."

As if on cue, a Gundam rose out of the Morgenroete Facilities, its Phase Shift Armor coming online and coloring the unit a dark blue, with a black torso and trim. It had two Beam Boomerangs mounted on its shoulders, two Beam Sabers on the back-mounted Flight Unit, a Long Sword/Short Sword set on its hips, and what looked like a Giant Switchblade weapon with a small buckler shield on the right arm, along with the larger shield on the left arm. Emblazoned on its left shoulder was the insignia for Terminal, while the right shoulder had a Katana imposed over a blue Whirlwind.

Kira looked over at the unit and switched to the tight band frequency. "Unknown Mobile Suit, this is Ensign Kira Yamato and Hanami Yukikaze with the ORB Forces," she called out. "You are?"

The next thing she heard was a masculine sigh. A very familiar masculine sigh. "Dammit…" he muttered. "Of all the things that could happen…" There was a pause, and then he continued, "This is Terminal Agent Takeshi Yamato. I was hired to keep the main G-Project safe until the products of said project were delivered to their final destination."

"TAKESHI!" Kira screeched out in shock. "THIS IS YOUR BUSINESS TRIP!?"

"We can talk later, Imouto," Takeshi replied. "Once this battle is over, I'll tell you everything I know." He paused again. "And… for what it's worth… I'm sorry for hiding my status as a Terminal Agent from you - I only did it because I didn't want you getting involved in this life."

"Oh, it's the siscon," Kagami commented off-handedly as she flew up beside Kira. "You know Kira is going to prank you to hell for this later on right?"

"Be quiet, Kagami," Takeshi replied annoyedly. "I know that, but the life of a Terminal Agent is constantly fraught with peril - I wanted Kira to be able to live a peaceful life, without needing to worry about me!"

"Dammit Take-nii, my best friend is the girlfriend of the local Base Commander!" she shouted out. "Hell, he even admitted to wanting to scout me for the military! My life with Hanami/Kagami alone is anything but peaceful!"

Takeshi sighed. "I… I just didn't want you to be dragged into the war, Imouto," he muttered. "War… tends to bring out the worst in people at some point or another. I didn't want you to experience it happening to someone else… or have it happen to you."

Kira growled angrily at her brother before an alert informed her of the presence of the two GiNNs. "We'll talk later!" she informed her brother. "C'mon, Kagami-chan!"

"Right, Kira-chan!" Kagami nodded, retrieving a Beam Multi-Rifle from one of the Exodus's weapon hangers.

Takeshi also turned his Gundam to face the incoming GiNNs, his switchblade weapon moving to the active position. "I'll help you out," he said. "I'm actually one of Terminal's more successful aces, the Azure Tempest - time for me to show why I earned that title!"

Kira ignored her brother for the time being as she and Kagami charged one of the two approaching GiNNs, Takeshi moving to intercept the other one. Quickly scrolling through her weapons she selected the Type 74 Dual Barreled Beam Sub Machine gun and took aim at the GiNN before firing, sending a stream of small bolts of green energy at the GiNN as it maneuvered away until the weapon clicked empty. "What? Clip fed beam weapons?" Kira asked in surprise. "Kagami-chan, cover me as I try and figure out how to reload!"

"Look on the bright side, they don't put as much stress on our units' batteries," Kagami fired a burst of green energy rounds at the approaching GiNN, not really aiming to hit it, but rather to push it away. The GiNN responded by firing back, but the Exodus's large shield easily deflected all of the comparatively puny machine gun round.

Meanwhile, the other Black GiNN had drawn its sword and charged at Takeshi's Gundam, only for his switchblade weapon to block the blade, and even carved through the GiNN's weapon, followed up by bisecting the GiNN itself right down the middle.

"Got it!" Kira shouted as her weapon was reloaded with a fresh clip and she flew towards the GiNN, her submachine gun firing away. "Flank him, Kagami-chan!"

"Right!" the silverette fired up the extra thrusters on her shield, jetted around behind the enemy mobile suit and plowed the end of the not-so-defensive equipment into its shoulder, ripping it off.

As the GiNN spun from the impact, several of Kira's shot's impacted against the mobile suit, piercing into its Ultracompact Energy Battery and setting off a chain reaction as it exploded with tremendous force. "Nice job, Kagami-chan!" Kira whooped as she boosted her suit over to Kagami's.

"Nice teamwork!" Kagami flashed Kira a thumbs up on the video communications, grinning widely. "Anything else on the sensors?"

Kira took a quick look before shaking her head. "Not that I can see…" she quickly made a link to the Terminal she had been working on and used it as a link to check the camera feeds. "But Sword and Hammer Squads may need some assistance with suppressing the on foot infiltrators."

"What's the overall situation?" Takeshi asked. "I need to know whether I need to help with protecting the prototypes, or if I'm needed outside."

"Well if your prototypes are near the Morgenroete University Factory, then I would say that the infiltrators are after them," Kira informed sharply, having not quite forgiven her brother yet. "And those idiots you're with are trying to move them now."

"Idiots? More like unicellular organisms!" Kagami groaned. "Moving them is the worst thing they could possibly do while under siege! It's like dunking themselves in bright neon pink paint!"

"R-right," Takeshi replied, really hoping Kira would be able to forgive him for keeping his status from her soon. "I'll move to support them."

Kira sighed. "Kagami-chan and I are heading there as well," she informed. "I'd rather not have my home destroyed because of something that ranks lower than idiot on the idiot scale…"

END CHAPTER!

Custom Mobile Suits

Model Number: GAT-X100 Dragon Gundam
Unit Type: Experimental Newtype Sniper-use Mobile Suit
Powerplant: Ultracompact Energy Battery
Manufacture: Savant Heavy Industries
Operator(s): Earth Alliance, ORB
Equipment and Design Features:
Lightweight Titanium-Carbonite Armor
Impulse Thruster Flight (I.T.H) Pack
DRAGOON Control Unit
Sniping Control Unit
Fixed Armament:
4x 60mm Anti-Missile Vulcans, two mounted on each wrist
2x 75mm Auto Cannons, mounted in the shoulders
2x Beam Sabers, stored in forearm, hand carried in use
2x 200mm Impulse Beam Cannons, mounted in Impulse Thruster Flight pack, deployed under shoulders in use
Claymore Launcher, mounted in chest
4x RT-Y00 'Farsight' DRAGOON Targeters, mounted on I.T.H, Deployed in use, relays targeting data to the Dragon
Optional Armaments:
PBW-S33 'Archer' Experimental Extreme Range Particle Beam Sniper Rifle, hand carried in use
HPR-S22 'Slingshot' High Powered Extreme Range Sniping Railgun
Shield with Sensor Units Mounted onto it, shield splits open when sniping, revealing sensors and attaches to either Sniper Rifle, acting as the Rifle's Bipod
Pilot(s): Ryu Hisanaga
Appearance: Has the head of the Nu Gundam, torso of the Buster Gundam with the shoulders of the Blitz Gundam, arms and legs are similar to that of the Hyaku Shiki's while the I.T.H looks like the Ootori Striker Pack
Colors: Colored Dark Brown with a black chest and DRAGOON Units and red trim
Info: The GAT-X100 Dragon Gundam is considered to be the predecessor of the G-Weapons later produced by Morgenroete. Developed by Anaheim Electronics for the use of the Coordinator Ace Pilot of the Earth Alliance, Ryu Hisanaga, after the destruction of the X after the Battle of Endymion, while it had only been deployed once for the Earth Alliance, during the Battle of Junius Seven, where it showed amazing Performance as it acted in support to his wingman, Mu La Flaga and his Custom Moebius Zero. Armored with Lightweight Titanium-Carbonite Armor that is capable of taking several hits before being breached, in addition it is armed with prototype DRAGOON 'Targeters', units that are capable of relaying targeting information to the Dragon from long ranges allowing for precision sniping.

Model Number: MBF-P07 Exodus Gundam
Unit Type: Prototype Multipurpose Modular Mobile Suit
Powerplant: Ultracompact Energy Battery (removable)
Manufacture: Morgenroete
Operator(s): ORB
Equipment and Design Features:
Laminated Pot Metal Armour
Hardpoint System
Weapon Hanger System
Field-replaceable Energy Battery
Fixed Armament:
4x Beam Sabers
2x "Igelstellung" 75mm Multi-barrel Anti Air CIWS
Optional Armaments:
1x 57mm Beam Multi-Rifle, can add several different add-ons to change role
- Sniper Rifle (barrel) + Extended Stock (stock) + Long-Range Radar Scope, requires free arm hardpoint. Can fire either physical ammunition (more stealthy) or beams. Silenced too.
- Beam Gatling (barrel) + Liquid Cooling (stock), requires nearby water source, includes pipes.
- Beam Bayonet (underbarrel)
- Physical Shotgun (underbarrel)
- Physical 152mm High-Velocity Cannon (underbarrel), cannot be fired on the move
1x 'Atlas' High-Density Beam Rifle/120mm Linear Cannon/Anti-ship Sword
1x Revolver Bazooka
(Numbers not stated due to versatility of Hardpoint and Weapon Hanger system)
2x Arm Hardpoints:
- Ram Shield w/ Ion Field Generator
- Extra Beam Saber Wrist Mount
- 'Sin' Anti-Ship Sword
- Sniper Rifle extra power feed
2x Rear Hardpoints:
- Cargo Container/Missile Launcher (carries add-ons for the Beam Multi-Rifle and/or extra batteries, can also fire torpedoes)
- Cargo Container (pure cargo, no extra missile launcher on top - Hanami uses this to carry trap materials around too)
- Weapon Hanger (for carrying extra weapons)
- 'Avenger III' 50mm beam gatling
- 'Equus' Energy Leech Harpoon
Note: Cargo containers can be launched into the battlefield using cruise missiles for long-range resupply.
1x Backpack Hardpoint:
- Ion Lifter Backpack
- Heavy Weapons Backpack (1x Heavy Weapons Hardpoint, replaces standard rear hardpoints)
- Dual 100mm Gatling Gun
- 'Longinus' Ion Cannon
- 'Schlagen Kanone' 450mm Siege Howitzer
- MLRS
- 'Agni' 320mm Hyper Impulse Beam Cannon (from Launcher Strike)
- Multipurpose Backpack (adds 4x extra rear hardpoints, but combined with the ability to fire weapons from the weapon hanger can make the Exodus capable of fighting enemies in all directions around it. Burns through energy like mad though when firing beams)
- Turbines w/ torpedo launchers (for underwater combat)
- Stealth Cloak - a net that can change camouflage patterns for use on any terrain. Also disrupts electronic sensors. Looks like a mobile suit-sized ghillie suit when deployed.
- Mirage Colloid Backpack (used less often than the Stealth Cloak due to high energy consumption)
Pilot(s): Hanami Yukikaze / Kagami
Appearance: http:/arkhonus.deviantart.com/art/Exodus-Gundam-Backpack-attached-405210549?q=gallery%3AArkhonus&qo=3
Since AstralXYZ doesn't know how to texture yet (those are just simple, temporary colours) it's supposed to be mostly silver with black joints and highlights. The eyes are green, and the V-fin is the usual yellow.
Info: A mobile suit designed by Morgenroete around the idea of interchangeable modules to tailor the suit to very specific battlefield conditions and the ability to operate independently deep within enemy territory for extended hours. The Exodus features a unique Beam Multi-Rifle capable of changing from a normal beam rifle to a sniper rifle or even a heavy assault gatling gun simply by swapping gun parts in the heat of battle if necessary, and also a shield with built-in thrusters designed specially for ramming. The suit is also capable of changing its own battery by running on a backup activated only when the main battery runs out and is ejected.

Model Number: MVF-P01 Gundam Astray Black Frame
Unit Type: Prototype Transformable High Performance Mobile Suit
Powerplant: Ultracompact Energy Battery
Manufacture: Morgenroete
Operator(s): ORB
Equipment and Design Features:
Mirage Colloid Propulsion System
Titanium-Carbonite Armor
5x Battery Extenders, loaded on wings
Fixed Armament:
M3M4F 25mm CIWS, mounted in head
M4M7A 50mm CIWS, mounted in wings, usable in MA form, loaded with High Explosive Ammo
2x Beam Sabers, mounted in waist, Hand Carried in use
2x Type 72 High Energy Beam Cannon, mounted on wings, deployed under arms in use in MS mode, mounted on Wings in MA Mode
Optional Armaments:
Type 74 Dual Barreled Beam Submachine Gun, clip fed, 20 shots per clip Hand carried in use, mounted on nose in MA mode, additional clips loaded into shield
Aerodynamic Shield
Pilot(s): Kira Yamato
Appearance: Looks like the Murasame with the head and chest of the Gundam Astray Units and the Oowashi backpack with foldable wings instead of the regular Murasame Wings, shares the same color scheme as the other Gundam Astrays with black replacing their titular color
Info: The Sixth Gundam Astray Mobile Suit built by Morgenroete alongside the G-Weapons, the Black Frame was constructed to test the limits of transformation capabilities and the experimental Mirage Colloid Propulsion System. While in normal operation, the MCPS is capable of double the normal speed of regular thrusters, but at a greater cost of energy, leading to the addition of several disposable battery extenders to being added, especially with two High Energy Beam Cannons. When the MCPS is put into 'Full Release Mode' it will triple the units max speed and maneuverability at the cost of an even greater drain to the battery supply, unlike the other Astray Units the Black Frame is armored with the same Titanium-Carbonite mix as the Dragon, making it more durable than the others..

Model Number: MDF-P00 Astray Gundam Zero
Unit Type: Prototype DRAGOON-Use Mobile Suit
Powerplant: Ultracompact Energy Battery
Manufacture: Morgenroete
Operator(s): ORB
Equipment and Design Features:
Reinforced Foam Metal Armor
DRAGOON Control System
Fixed Armament:
2x 55mm Anti-Missile Vulcans, mounted in head
Optional Armaments:
DRAGOON Equipment, can deploy a maximum of four from the following
DRAGOON Beam Assault Units, mounted on back, deployed in Use
DRAGOON Fang Bit Units, four per unit, mounted on back, deployed in use
DRAGOON Beam Cannon, mounted on back, deployed in use
Type 71 Beam Rifle
Anti-Beam Shield with Beam saber mounted on underside
Pilot(s): Mu La Flaga
Appearance: Looks like an Astray Gundam with an orange color
Info: ORBs first DRAGOON-Use mobile suit to be developed for the use of the former Earth Alliance Zero Corps pilot Mu La Flaga who defected to ORB alongside Ryu Hisanaga following the nuking of Junius Seven. The Astray Gundam Zero is capable of loading up to four separate DRAGOON units onto it's back before deploying, the options being Beam Assault units, Fang Bit Units - that contain four 'Fangs' per pod, and a Beam Cannon Unit.