"Kudelia..."
Murrue had heard Mikazuki mention that name more than once. He seemed to place an immense amount of trust in that person.
"The Archangel is going back to the port for repairs in a little while, right?" Mikazuki asked.
"Yes. When the time comes, we can just head straight to the factory canteen for a meal. The Archangel's galley crew will be there helping out as well."
"Then I'll pilot the Barbatos back. The thruster fuel is spent, and I need to get the weapons from Orga," Mikazuki said, standing up and heading toward the Gundam Barbatos behind him. He stopped when he saw the large crowd standing there, looking at them with his typical dead-fish eyes. "What are you all doing...?"
"No... it's you. Aren't you going to rest for a bit?" Cagalli scratched her head awkwardly. Eavesdropping wasn't exactly polite. If she were alone, she could have brazened it out, but now... she realized there were quite a few people behind her.
"I'm fine. That Earth Alliance group won't just give up. It's better to get the Barbatos tuned up as quickly as possible. Besides..." Mikazuki looked into the distance at the red machine standing opposite the Freedom. "That's the 'Justice' Lacus talked about, right?"
"Justice? Mikazuki, you know that mobile suit?" Standing behind Kira, Athrun was taken aback. He stepped forward with a serious expression. "So, you're the one who stole the Freedom and the Sastry from PLANT? The Wolf?"
"Oh, so you're Athrun. Yeah, something like that." Mikazuki didn't say much else. He brushed past Athrun and the others, jumping onto the Barbatos. He maneuvered the machine slowly toward the Sastry; he needed to move the mace and other weapons brought back from PLANT onto the Archangel first.
After all, the Sastry didn't have its own maintenance crew to help service the machines.
As soon as he sat in the cockpit, Orga's face appeared on the screen. "Mika, is your body really okay?"
Orga was still worried that Mikazuki was pushing himself too hard. The corner of Mikazuki's mouth twitched slightly. "I'm really fine. This time was just like the last. I didn't have to release many limitersit wasn't even as bad as the previous time. The Barbatos's performance is a lot higher than it used to be, after all."
"I suppose that's true..."
In the Morgenroete mobile suit hangar, if the daytime belonged to the soldiers fighting on the front lines, then the night belonged to the maintenance staff. No one knew when the Earth Alliance might launch another attack, so they needed to maintain every single machine at maximum speed.
After finishing his meal, Mikazuki arrived at the hangar. Since the Archangel's maintenance crew was helping out there, the Barbatos had been moved over for servicing to save time on back-and-forth travel.
"Mikazuki."
"Hmm?" Mikazuki, who had been planning to find a spot on top of the Barbatos to sleep, heard someone call his name. He turned around to find Kira and Athrun. "Is something wrong?"
Kira and Athrun shared a look. Athrun gave a slight nod, and Kira continued, "Athrun and I both wanted to have a chat with you. Do you have a moment?"
Mikazuki thought about it for a second before answering, "Sure."
The three of them sat down on some crates in front of the Freedom.
Murrue and several others were standing not far from the machine. They saw the trio and, sensing a conversation, moved closer to listen in.
"So, what do you want to talk about?"
Mikazuki looked toward Kira and Athrun with eyes where only the left could see. No one had noticed that his right eye had completely lost its luster.
Athrun stared at Mikazuki with a grim expression. He had, after all, suffered quite a bit at Mikazuki's hands. "I truly didn't expect that ZAFT's elite forces would suffer blow after blow at the hands of a child like you..."
"Skip the nonsense. What are you actually trying to say?"
"Um... Lacus has been branded a criminal guilty of high treason. My father... Chairman Zala, has ordered her execution. Her situation is very dangerous."
"Is that so?" Mikazuki's face remained indifferent. He didn't seem worried in the slightest.
This reaction sparked a flame of anger in Athrun, and he raised his voice. "Aren't you worried about her at all?"
The outburst startled everyone nearby, yet Mikazuki continued to stare at Athrun with cold apathy.
"Worried? Does being worried help? If I worry, will Lacus be safe?"
"This..." Athrun leaned weakly against the foot of a nearby M1 Astray, his face full of frustration. Kira looked at him with concern.
"Athrun..."
"I... I received orders from my country to bring the Freedom back. If it can't be brought back, I am to destroy it, along with the pilot and anyone else involved." Athrun's voice was thick with exhaustion. "But... I don't want to be enemies with Kira, or you, or your allies. Mikazuki Augus, is it? I want to know... what is the purpose of your fight?"
Athrun stared sharply at Mikazuki, demanding an answer to the question.
"Purpose?" Mikazuki pondered for a moment. "Because I have to fight, so I fight. That's all."
"But why? Do you mean to say you fight us without even knowing the meaning behind the battle? Lacus said you aren't part of the Earth Alliance, but rather a security organization. However, the way you fought that black machine and the things you said make me feel like your struggle is much more complicated. Answer me, Mikazuki Augus!"
Mikazuki looked up at Athrun, his face devoid of emotion. "Meaning? What use is something like that?"
"What?"
"Someone once told me that there isn't a shred of a righteous cause in my fighting. I don't understand things like 'righteousness' or 'glory.' I fight because there are things I need to protect. That's it... No, maybe we just want to prove something..."
As he spoke, Mikazuki tilted his head back, looking up at the Barbatos standing beside them.
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