Gundam Seed: Kira Reloaded c21 (Patreon)

Lacus sighed in relief that she had been able to persuade Kira to change out of his pilot suit instead of going with her to the brig. She didn’t want him to traumatise Athrun anymore.

As she walked into the brig, the prisoners were spread into identical small cells. There is quite a bit of space to keep even more prisoners.

“You have five minutes, Ms. Clyne.” The guard motioned for her to enter. 

‘It would seem everyone is respectful to me because of Kira.’ The girl had a strained smile on her face. She still recalled how many times the same guards would point their automatic rifles at her not long ago.

“My thanks.” The girl nodded before entering the brig.

She walked over and stood in front of Athrun’s cell.

“Earth Alliance uniform doesn’t suit you that well, Lacus.”

Instead of Lacus, another person replied from another cell.

“Come now, pink suits her well.” The gunner girl, and from what people said, this woman is Andrew Waltfield’s girlfriend. Lacus is quite surprised to see her serving in the military beside her boyfriend.

“I needed a change of clothes, and this is a warship.” The girl clarified before looking around for a second. 

There was no one here apart from the ZAFT soldiers.

“Athrun…”

The blue-haired teen gulped down. He didn’t like her tone and felt foreboding about this.

“...Do you know what I promised to Kira to spare your life?” she asked with a strained smile. That smile was a look of pity or sadness, something along those lines.

“...I don’t.”

“Well, to put it simply, Kira’s friend said he was obsessed with training, robotics, and software engineering until he rescued me from that escape pod.”

“...Oh, my love at first sight?” The same lady looked curious about what Lacus just said.

“...” Lacus looked at her.

“...I suppose. When he learned that I was engaged to Athrun, he well…”

“Decided to blow him up from his mobile suit?” Daerka chipped in.

“...Yes.”

“Not surprised. Not anymore.” The blonde Buster pilot sighed.

“...Since he kept his promise, the only thing I can do is keep mine.” Lacus turned back to Athrun and said to him.

“...But Lacus…he is with Earth Alliance.”

“...Not for long.” The pink-haired girl said with a small smile. From what she has seen, he doesn’t have much faith in Earth Alliance. To her, it was as if he was waiting for something.

After a while, she learned how to read him. His actions are quite calculated, and he always gets something out of them.

“...Are you saying he will leave Earth Alliance?” 

“Who knows Athrun? Regardless, I am here to tell you that our engagement is over.” After saying that, she turned around and left.

“...Ouch… I felt that burn from here.” Daerka acted as if someone burned him.

“...That kid…” Andrew shook his head before remembering something crucial.

“....Wait, do you think we will get some coffee?” 

No one replied to him. Instead, everyone looked at Athrun, who had a spacey look on his face. It only lasted for a few seconds, as he looked quite angry.

~~~

After changing his clothes, Kira walked out of the changing room. Lacus was already waiting for him as she was leaning against the wall.

“Well, you are quick.” 

“There was not much reason to talk more than necessary.” She said with a sigh.

“I see. We can have dinner after I speak with the captain.”

“...You have something on your mind?” She enquired.

“...Sort of. We are in the clear. ZAFT's presence in North Africa is gone. We can do some crucial cleaning and reforge all the metal I have collected.” 

“...Reforge?”

“Yes, refine it. We can use it to make more spare parts for Strike, Aegis and Buster.” He said with a thoughtful look before taking her hand and proceeding to walk towards the bridge.

The girl looked at him for a second before looking at her hand.

Internally, she giggled. Is someone feeling threatened?

“...I still have to thank you for sparing Commander Waltfeld.”

“Hmm?” He looked at her. 

“I could say it was just a lucky thing that he piloted a model I hadn’t seen before.”

“Still, my thanks.” She smiled at him. The girl knows that he said it like that to have taught front. The girl already learned that he does have a kind side. Though… her lips twitched. She knows that the moment someone threatens his stuff, he will get violent very quickly.

For example, her… 

She did see what was left of Aegis. The machine needs to replace all the limbs and the head.

Kira had dismantled it before he classified it as ‘safe’.

After walking in silence for a moment, they arrived at the bridge.

The teen acompanied by Lacus entered the bridge. This was first time she was in the bridge. Since he didn’t let her go she had to follow him.

“Captain.”

“...Kira? What is it?” Captain Murrue turned her head and looked at the Strike’s pilot.

“I request we make a pit stop at one of the refineries.”

“...refineries?”

“Yes. It's time we put to use all the metal I have acquired. Once Buster and Aegis are fully functional, I could dismantle Strike and start the upgrades I've been thinking about.” 

“...Is there such a refinery in the area in the first place?”

“There are.” Ensign walked over, she looked at Lacus for a second; She can allow her presence to slip.

“There are several refineries which are out of use thanks to war. They still should have raw materials ready for use. Considering ZAFT had plans to use the place to make spare parts for BuCUE.” The woman explained with a small smile. She is quite proud that the forces she is from have defeated the North African Occupation Force, and they have all the intel.

“But do we even have time for such a thing?” The captain said with a frown.

“We do, and it would be to our advantage since ZAFT would focus on the Indian Ocean if they would want to find us. But we didn’t even leave Africa.”

“...That’s a gamble, as they would have time to gather forces?”

“Not from the intel we collected at the base. From what we have ZAFT seen, they have been gathering forces somewhere and not sending as many resources to Earth.” Ensign Badgiruel pondered out loud.

“So they are gathering forces for a major offence somewhere.” The Lieutenant strolled into the bridge. He smiled at seeing Kira all protective around the Pink Princess.

“My bet is Panama. The only Mass Drive left out of ZAFT’s hands.” Mu La Flaga said with crossed arms.

‘If only that were the case, Lieutenant.’ Kira said to himself. At that moment, Lacus looked at Kira with a small frown. She had a feeling something was odd with him. Like sixth sense telling her that he knows something but not telling.

“Regardless, that means even if we face opposition, there won’t be enough to threaten us. For now, we should rebuild our forces. Get another GAT unit running for Lieutenant.”

“Hold it, kid. You can’t just give me a mobile suit like that!” The blonde replied with a twitchy smile.

“Don’t tell me you are planning to continue fighting with that relic,” Kira said with a sigh.

“Skygrasper is not a relic!”

“Its a fancy jet, nothing more.” The pilot of Strike rolled his eyes at him.

With that said, the teen left, leaving the brooding blonde and the rest behind.

The captain laughed while the Ensign smiled as she knew the pilot had just roasted the Lieutenant who was trying to evade the issue of piloting a new machine he had no idea how.

‘Kids these days! They have no respect for their elders!’

~~~~~~Supreme ZAFT Council, Aprilius One~~~~~~

Meanwhile, the news of Africa’s Northern Occupation destruction has reached the ZAFT command. The Desert Tiger left his second-in-command behind in case his forces were destroyed.

With no mobile suits returning, Martin DaCosta, the Second-in-Command, rushed back to PLANTs to report.

“This is troubling.”

“That kid is at it again. We must stop him.”

 “But Operation Spitbreak. We are still gathering forces. We can’t re-route more forces to Earth.” 

The military officers are discussing among themselves. The only one who is quiet is Patrick Zala, the current Supreme Chairmain. He was recently elected over Siegel Clyne, ending his three-year reign.

He won because PLANTs people want more action over defensive orientated Siegel Clyne. The man wanted piece, while he wants to crush Earth Alliance.

But now…

With this, Kira Yamato is constantly in his path. He is the reason why Operation Spitbreak was delayed. He is the reason why ZAFT lost half of a continent, and now Patrick’s son is most likely KIA…

Well, he was pissed beyond reason.

“We can spare some men.” Patrick Zala finally spoke. He barely controlled his voice.

“...But Chairman…” The men were shocked.

“We have the new Submarines, so why not use them? The moment that Legged Ship is in the Ocean, we shall know, and we shall sink it.” Patrick said with an angry frown.

“Understood.”

‘You might adjusted to the Desert, but water is a different beast, Kira Yamato. Let’s see how you fare against that.’ The new Supreme Chairman smirked as he thought about that.

“Send all of our ships.”

“...all?”

“All!”

~~~

Kira had no idea that he was becoming quite a thorn in the side of ZAFT extremists, which took over the colonies.

Instead he focused on the things he has too do. Fixing GAT units, sorting out the scrab he has acquired and making more weapons.

“Lieutenant. How is your aim?” Kira asked the blonde man who was looking at the Buster.

“It’s alright…” The lieutenant didn’t comment that he was nowhere near what the kid next to him could do.

“Good, then we will restore Buster for you, and then I will give you one of those Ultra Impact Linear Railgun Sniper Rifle.” 

“....That’s an unnecessarily long name for a weapon…” The blonde deadpanned when he heard the name of a weapon.

“True, but that's what it is.” Kira didn’t deny the name. However, it’s what it is. He packed the linear Railgun into an assault rifle.

“We shall adjust some of the specs and add hoovering function once we are in the sea we will be fighting ZAFT’s navy.”

“...true, but will you finish in time?” Mu La Flaga looked at the Buster’s state. Considering they didn’t have that many spare parts for the machine, they converted whatever they had to Strike, and now all those parts have been used for customisations.

They need more.

“Give me a couple of days. In that time, jump into one of the simulators and practise mobile suit combat.” Kira motioned to him the simulations cockpits they had in place.

Those are being used by Cagali and some of Kira’s friends.

Some of them have some grand ideas to pilot one of the GAT units or maybe one of the BaCUE which Kira is thinking to restore for his future collection.

Regardless, everyone is busy with something.

Without even realising a couple of days had passed, work was going full swing, and Kira was already in his engineering clothes working in the hangar. 

Not to overwork, his Purple Princess would make sure to drag him away from the hangar bay.

In one of the breaks, Kira heard the blonde girl complaining to the security guard.

“I just want to speak to them!”

“Sorry, but you are a civilian. We can’t allow you to speak with prisoners.”

‘Hmm… that could be interesting.’ 

“Lacus, why don’t we grab another cup of coffee.” 

“...Sure. But to many can’t be good for your health, Kira.” The girl agreed but was sharply reminded about too much coffee.

“Don’t worry, it’s not for me.” He reassured her. But it only confused her.

“In that case, it’s fine.” 

She nodded as the pair went to the mess hall for a shortstop, and then they walked back. 

Kira smiled that his dearest sister didn’t stop pestering the guard, who looked annoyed.

“You sure are a stubborn one.” The pilot of Strike poked at her with a joking tone.

“Oh, it’s you.” Cagali rolled her eyes as she saw him. 

“The one and only.” He joked even more before looking at the guard.

“Let her in. She wants to nag at the people who blew up her colony.”

Cagali’s eyes widened when she heard that!

“...W-Wait, you know!?”

The way she responded made Lacus interested as well. What does he know?