[b]Deep Space

Wherever[/b]

The imposing figure of the ReGHOST traversed the darkness of space, it's scanners tuned towards tracking the Agamemnon-Class ship [i]Ortygia[/i].

For several hours, it searched the area, scans set to full deep in ZAFT territory. Oddly enough, although the Guild Tech did not go undiscovered, the ones who approached him were generic ZAFT patrolmen, who took his contract and Junk Guild status at face value. It was on one such encounter that Aaron felt the need to inquire about something.

"You know, for a place thats supposed to have seen the destruction of a Federation ship by violent and explosive means, there isn't much debris."

The helmeted figure of the patrolman nodded, "I was a bit surprised too, I've been on this route for weeks, and this is the first I've heard of any engagement in the area."

The blond's eyes narrowed beneath his helmet, "Yeah, it's making me reconsider this whole dogtag retrieval contract."

"No bodies no paycheck, eh, buddy? Good luck." The GINN turned around, blasting off in a wave of heat and light, as the Engineer cut communications.

[i]So...There was no battle.

Interesting. That means that Azrael sent me out here off shoddy intel, or he just wanted me to walk into an ambush. The former isnt plausible, given his position and the fact he contacted a potential asset like myself. His type make sure that the information they receive is accurate, even if they botch the execution of whatever the hell they're scheming. 

So he wants me caught by surprise. The question is: Why? It couldn't be revenge. I only ever killed contractors that tried to backstab me, and those were only ever small time bit crews. Big mucky-mucks like him don't give a crap about them, even if any of them were pawns of his. I'm a Natural, so rampant racism isn't a motivation. If he wanted the Gold Frame he wouldn't have put me into a combat situation under these circumstances...So if he doesn't want me dead for some kind of infinitely small reason to the point of picking me out in particular, that means that I'm....being tested.

Wonderful.[/i]

Unseen, the blond sighed, and fiddled with his instruments. Turning them from seeking out random debris, to a long range-scan for a ship matching the [i]Ortygia[/i]'s descriptions.

Several more hours later, right after recharging his suit and moving the [i]Nava-Hoe[/i] into a new searching area, Gentles received readings from his mobile suit's scanners confirming the [i]Ortygia[/i]'s presence.

"Looks like I've found you, 'Project X'. Pfft." Snorting to himself, the Gold Frame turned and abruptly sped towards the ship. As if in answer, a white trail of light erupted from the craft, speeding towards him. "And now for work."

Seconds later, static burst into the Astray's cockpit, before a shrill, effeminate voice roared, "A GUNDAM!!! DO YOU KNOW KIRA YAMATO?!" before an image of a young...person came up on his display.

"Afraid I don't."

The helmet nodded once, before continuing in a more pleasant tone, "Oh, I see then. Thanks for your time...NOW DIE!"

Sighing, the black and gold mobile suit lowered its position, avoiding a burst of beam...pellets.

[i]Beam submachine gun? Interesting way to tackle the energy consumption limit, if ultimately stupid and unnecessary.[/i] The Guild Tech banked to the left, avoiding another stream of fire as a high pitched roar of frustration filled his ears. "Excuse me," Aaron began, hailing his opponent, "But I'm with the Junk Guild, firing on me, even if ineffectual, is a violation" Aaron paused, glancing around expectantly, "...of the Non-Aggression Pact between the Federation, Plants, and ORB regarding our organization. I'd really-"

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" The child screamed, ejecting the clip from his beam gun, a concept the Guild Tech was still wrapping his head around, before replacing it with another. "Hold Still! I don't [i]care[/i] about your shitty Junk Guild status! Fight me! As a man piloting a Gundam, that's your destiny!"

The man waved his hand at the other pilot dismissively, "Nope."

"YES IT IS!"

"Explain this to me, then."

"FINE! But only if you agree to fight me afterwards!"

"Sure."

The genderless creature in front of him sighed, taking a deep breath, "My name is Cahard Pars, Special Operative X of th-"

For some reason, images of the Gold Frame becoming transparent filled the eyes of the all observers, as each individual part of the ReGHOST was dyed the color of the void, before vanishing entirely.

"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GO?!"

"Didn't ask for your life story, kid. Later."

"GET BACK HERE YOU COWARD!" Cahard screamed, tearing off his helmet in frustration as his long, womanly black hair filled his cockpit in the zero gravity environment. 

A transmission cut in, showing the younger pilot an image of a librarian in a Federation suit, adjusting her glasses as she looked at him sharply, "Special Agent! We've pinpointed the location of the enemies craft, I'm sending you the coordinates now!"

The failed coordinator felt a savage grin grow across his features, "I've got you now, you little punk!" He growled, his voice cracking in the process, "Activating Armure Lumiere!" He shoved a thumb down on a button, as several antennae extended from the boy's Gundam, emitting a hard blue light which surrounded the mobile suit completely. "Now I've got you, you little bitch!" A countdown starting from 5 minutes lit up on the Hyperion's display, "With my shield up, I'll rush that pathetic little ship of yours and reduce it to a scrap heap! AHAAHAHA!"

"Would have mocked you for leaving your channel open, but this is still pretty satisfying."

A blue axe tore through the Hyperion's right arm, cleanly separating it from the rest of the machine, as a gold and black arm grabbed it while behind the larger mobile suit.

"Yoink." The blond man states in a flat tone.

Cahard's eyes opened wide in shock, "But, how?! How did your cheap suit get past my Armure Lumiere?!"

In front of him, the brown suited image of Aaron Gentles appeared once again, "Easy. As soon as I stealthed..." Another image popped up on the Hyperion's monitor, showing a helpful diagram to illustrate the Guild Tech's explanation, "I went behind you. Then I let you do whatever it was you were going to do. And then took the opportunity to disarm you." The Gold Frame lifted up the Hyperion's severed limb, "Quite literally."

The failed ultimate coordinators mouth gaped like a fish in shock, "You! YOU BITCH! I'M GONNA VIOLATE YOU!!!!"

Aaron snorted,"Poor choice of words." The engineer replied, as the black panels on his mobile suits back flipped over, dropping over the shoulders of the Hyperion. His hand reached towards a button labeled "Maga no Ikutachi". It then slammed down on it.

"Data! Draaaaaaaain!" He mutters unemotionally, as the black extensions crackled with energy. Within seconds, the phase shift armor giving the Hyperion it's color faded away, as did the shining blue shield which had previously surrounded it.

"Now then," Aaron warned the blubbering child, "Don't go anywhere while I dispose of your friends."

Cahard simply watched helplessly as the Gold Frame sped towards the only place in the universe he could call home, it's massive blue axe slicing the engine's clean off, before emptying several seconds of machine gun fire into what the Coordinator already understood to be the ships living quarters. His eyes widened in sick fascination as he saw the gold and black mobile suit destroy what he already knew to be the source of the ship's life support functions. The figure set the axe over it's shoulder, admiring it's work as frost leaked out from the craft's hull, marking the violent exit of the ship's atmosphere.

"A job well done. I'll back in a sec, keep an eye on things here for me, will you?"

Suddenly, Cahard's cockpit was flooded with live camera footage of the inside of the [i]Ortygia[/i]

"You..." The failure muttered in horror, "You son of a bitch..."