Athrun prefers using his shield, anyway. At least hits to that don't cost mana. He quickly dispatches the remaining enemies, then turns around...

"What the..."

...Then he hears the ticking and it dawns on him.

"SHIT!"

As quickly as he can, Athrun grabs the creature and hurls it toward the descending chunk of space rock above him. His wife would probably gasp at the treatment to such a cute creature...but hey, she wasn't around. And hey, it could still land on the rock...