The Guardian of the Cosmos

V2 - (19) The future

As I fly back up to the battlefield, the fight was almost over, with Destiny and Legend disabled, and Minerva's main thrustered destroyed, I meet up with Kira and fly into the ZAFT fortress, where Duraldal will meet his end.

What I assume to be his last stand is his Genesis charging for the second time, as I picked up large heat spike. "LEONARDO TO ALL UNITS, GENESIS FIRING THE SECOND TIME, BREAK AND EVADE!" The shot swept through their own formation, as we destroy the large ring structure surrounding it and enter the fortress, hoping to take him down along with the fortress.

As we disembark from our Mobile Suit, nearly most of the personnel are already evacuated or caught in the blast during our destruction. I grab my Strum Handcannon as we walk through the the fortress, or rather, what's left of it. At the main hall stand a elevator. We share our glance for a brief moment, and with his firm nod, we enter the elevator, and press the "1" button.

The elevator opened again, and a large room of importance was shown before us, on top of a stairway is a chair, facing against us. As we approach, it turned to us, and the Chairman of ZAFT, Gilbert Durandal rise from his seat, stand before us. I aim my gun at him, if he want to say anything, we gave him our full attention.

"Never had I thought you would made this far, Kira Yamato." "Hmph, it seems fate would like to have him live a better life, rather than a soldier. And that's when you, Hibiki, and Rau hopepd into the train." "So it would seems." As he draws his gun on Kira, I trailed my sight on his head, so is Kira. "Now I wouldn't suggest you doing that, Durandal..."

"That's my line, consider the fact that we've come this far to achieve the goal of a world with no more conflicts. If you do that, the world will be once again be plunged into darkness and chaos." "Does that gave you permission to manipulate the fate of others? A world without conflicts seems promising, indeed, but at the cost of a controlled live? Thanks, but no. Fate should be controlled by one's self, and freed from the control of anyone."

"Then what? People withness tradies happen with their own eyes, they would weep, grief from it, and they would promise the dead and vow to change the world where such thing will be ceased to exist, and see for yourself! No one can make certainties when we don't know what lies ahead." 

I looked at my radar and a a small red dot appeared behind us. So I walked a few steps back. "Neat, then we can walk our own path, and see what the uncertainties is going to lead us. That's what make our life interesting. It's boring to walk a one-way path."

"How, interesting. Perhaps you are not a mere living machine, made only to kill." I narrowed my eye, but blocked by my helmet. "We are just human beings, with no difference from each other, be it Naturals, be it Coordinators, or be what you claimed as a 'Ultimated Coordinator'!" 

"And what will they choose, if you shoot me here, right now, are you prepared for the consequences?" "Well none of us will kill you." I lowered my gun and looked to my left and right, while unexpected saw Captain Gladys of the Minerva. "But something will." As I looked up, then back to the Chairman.

As the ground shakes, a gunshot was heard, but it's not from me nor Kira. We looked back to see the one who shoot the gun that hit the chest of the Chairman — Rey, the clone of Rau Le Cruset, who now knee to the floor, weeping. I looked back at Captain Gladys, who is now holding Durandal with his last breath, sighed, walked to wards Rey, and offered my hand, which he hestiated a bit yet decided to take it.

As I carried him to the two, he begin to wisper among his weeps: "I'm... sorry... Gil... but his future...!" Another explosion hit the command center, and Athrun, who approached this room just moment before the shot, called out to Captain Gladys. "Leave, the three of you. I will take him with me... And please refer the following to Captain Ramius... that I have a son, and ask her to look after him."

As I put Rey by the two, I muttered "Requiescat in pace" and back on my feet. "C'mon, we have to go!" "I understand." As they turned and leave. Right before I leave, I turn back to the trio, give them a short salute, and leave the place as well.

We leave the fortess just in time before it crashed into the surface of the Moon. And we watch the firework made by numerous Red-Blue-Green signal flashes — Signal of retreat of the Cosmic Era forces — Emitted from all sides, accompained of tails of the  Mobile Suits returned to their vessels.

Justice and I landed at where I put dow Impluse and Gouf, with a broken Destroy lying near them. As we landed to retrieve them, I looked at them with a sigh. and get out of Holdfast. I appraoch the three. "Good to see all you in one piece, as for Rey... he choose to stay with Captain Gladys amd Durandal... sorry for your losses." As I patted Shinn and Lunamaria in the shoulder...