Notes: Ummm. Oh yeah. Gadreel, Sariel, Moloch, and the Morningstar are all names of fallen angels, just in case you're curious. Gadreel was the angel who introduced the weapons of war to men. Astaroth is one of the seven princes of Hell. Sariel showed men the course of the moon. Moloch was the most fierce fighter in The Fall, and the Morningstar...well, that's Lucifer, and he led all of them. ^_^
"'Tis better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven."
--- John Milton, Paradise Lost
And Semyaza, who was their leader, said unto them: "I fear you will not intend agree to do this thing, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin." And they answered him all and said: "Let us swear an oath and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations and not abandon this plan, but do this thing."
--- The Fall, Book Of Enoch, VI
"A little taste of hypocrisy
And I'm left in the wake of the mistake slow to react
Even though you're so close to me
You're still so distant
And I can't bring you back."
--- Linkin Park, With You
Requiem for the Sinners Part 8
'Tis Better To Reign In Hell...
"Howard, how are they going?"
There was a sliding sound of wheels on the smooth, oil-stained cement as Howard made his way out from underneath the bowels of the great ship. He came out at the feet of Duo Maxwell. The old man looked haggard, but satisfied. He managed a wan smile. "These babies are almost ready, Duo."
Duo smiled and offered a hand to him. The ex-Gundam pilot was dressed in a tech jumpsuit now, working alongside the other mechanics, his hair pulled back from his face in a low, dirty ponytail. There was a dark smear across his nose, and the stitches in his cheek stood out darkly against the paleness of his skin.
"Then get the hell out of here, old man. You're too damned old to be climbing up under ships anymore."
Howard took his hand and let Duo pull him to his feet. He pushed his welding goggles up on top of his head, cocking an eyebrow at the young man. "Don't sass me, boy. I can still out-sweep you any day of the week."
Duo grinned, shaking a wrench at him in mock-scolding. "If you did, we'd have to replace both your hips."
"Smartass, smartass..."
"That's my name. Don't wear it out. So..." Duo's grin stayed, but his eyes were frigid. "...are my babies combat-ready?"
Howard smiled back, but it tentative and tired. "The Gadreel, the Astaroth, and the Moloch. Not the Sariel or the Morningstar; they're not stealth-equipped yet. We're just Sweepers and roughneck rebel techs, kid. We ain't miracle-workers. And you were supposed to hold off on all of this for at least three months. They weren't ready to go now."
Duo shook his head. "L2 didn't have three months, Howard. You know that. I have walked past my last dead kid in the gutter, make no mistake about that. Besides... it had to be Christmas," he added, his voice soft and cryptic. "It has to be now."
Howard leaned wearily up against the side of the battle-shuttle, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you sure you know what you're doing, D?"
Duo looked at him for a moment, then clapped the older man on the shoulder, looking him in the eyes steadily, smiling genuinely now. "Don't worry, Howie. I'm a big kid now. And I know what I'm doing. I'm not going to fuck up. Okay?"
Howard looked back at him for a moment, then smiled. "Sure, kid. Whatever you say."
"Good man." Duo grabbed his com off the clip at his waist, speaking into it. "Harper, this is Duo. Do you read?"
"Roger."
"Get down to the docks pronto, buddy. I have an early Christmas present for you. Copy?"
Harper's voice sounded vaguely amused over the comlink. "Does it have thermonuclear weapons? Over."
"I guess you'll just have to come down here and unwrap it, won't you? So get your ass down here. Over."
"Roger, boss. Over and out."
He switched frequencies.
"Hilde, you there, babe? Copy?"
"Yeah, I'm here. What's the mission, maestro?"
"Get down to docks. I need a pilot."
"Finally! Jesus! I'm coming down. Over and out."
One of the younger techs came up to Duo, tapping him on the arm tentatively. "Uh, General..."
Duo turned to the kid, eyebrows raised. "Hm? What?"
"I don't wanna interrupt ya or anything..." The boy stopped, flushing in embarrassment, then tried again. "There's something on the Telnet I think you'd want to see."
Duo scowled a little. He had barely left the abandoned warehouses used to house the ships at the docks since he returned to L2, trying to get them combat-ready against the Preventers. He figured the World Nation would be too busy mourning their fallen leaders and trying to pull themselves together to come after him immediately. And he needed all the time he could get to rally troops and prepare his weapons.
The courier who came to him paled at the expression on his face, looking ready to bolt at the thunderous look, and Duo immediately relaxed, smiling a little, trying to let the kid know he wasn't angry.
"Alright, alright," He sighed and brushed a hand against his face, unwittingly leaving another smear across it. "Show me to a monitor, kiddo."
The boy nodded and led him through the warehouses Duo had set up his military headquarters in. In one of the old offices, someone had set up colonial radar and a laptop. Duo scowled again when he saw a group of techs gathered around the glowing screen. Harper had somehow gotten sidetracked on his way to the makeshift hangar and stood with the rest of them, his expression confused, suspicious and inscrutable. Why wasn't anyone working?
"What are you all-"
- has been arrested in connection with the thirty seven murders in the Patrician Massacre. Councillor Noventa has been unavailable for comment, but it is rumored that the councillor himself arrested Heero Yuy on the charges...-
"Get out of the way!" Duo said roughly, pushing the men aside as he stared down at the screen in disbelief. Heero was being led with Preventers on all sides, his hands cuffed behind his back. His face was covered with blood, and he wasn't wearing anything but a pair of flannel pants. But he was walking on his own two feet, glaring boldly at the cameras as he was led through the crowds on either side of him.
He's still alive. Duo felt his heart leap in his chest, and against his will, tears pricked warmly at his eyes. He blinked them back fiercely. God...I didn't kill him. I didn't.
Heero walked with his head held up, looking directly into the angry throng of people.
The crowds on the vidscreen were cursing, booing, hissing. "Die slow, you son of bitch! Traitor!! Die slow!" Duo saw someone spit in Heero's direction, and the former Wing pilot turned his head to glare disdainfully at the man. He only lifted his head higher.
Those bastards... Duo thought, furiously. Those fucking bastards...
Heero...
He could hear someone yelling in the background, even over the mobs.
(Turn that camera off!!)
"Get back to work, all of you," Duo said softly, his mouth dry. Raising their eyebrows, the techs did as they were told. Everyone knew about Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy. It was practically a legend. Just another part of the story about the war heroes. Finally, Duo and Harper were the only ones left in front of the laptop.
Harper crossed his arms over his chest, glancing at Duo. "General, correct me if I'm just totally fucked in the head over here, but didn't you shoot Yuy? I mean... I watched you. Three times. That was one dead dago."
Duo replied softly, unable to take his eyes off the screen, even after the news had switched to something else.
"...He's kind of hard to kill."
~*~
The two of them headed back to the hangar.
Hilde was waiting for them when they got there, stalking to Duo with a scowl. "Hey, Duo! You finally called me down here and then you just leave?! What is up with that?"
Duo waved her off dismissively. "Long story. I need you to patrol L2 airspace in the Gadreel, check out her handling, just generally make sure no Preventers try to crash our Christmas party early. If anyone enters our airspace that isn't L2, shoot them down. I don't care if it's Santa Claus and the eight reindeer. You got it?"
She rolled her eyes. "No. I was only an OZ pilot. I don't think I can handle it, Duo. I really don't." She cuffed him on the back of the head. "And there are nine reindeer..."
"Ow! Don't hit me in front of my men. Sarcasm is anger's ugly inbred cousin, Hilde..."
Duo turned away from her and grinned at Harper, who found the expression slightly unsettling, the same as he always did.
"You have a special mission. Supply procurement. There's a Preventer supply convoy on route nearby here. I want you to take the Moloch. Get Adam to fly the Astaroth, and work as a pair. Do the words ‘hunting and gathering' mean anything to you?"
Harper smiled back, realization crossing his features. "Roger, boss."
"Oh yeah..." He put his hand on Harper's shoulder, looking the older pilot in the eyes. "Try not to kill anyone, okay?"
Harper looked into Duo's dark violet eyes, knowing the shooting of Mariemeia was forgiven, but not forgotten, and nodded seriously. "Right."
"Okay..." Duo rubbed his hands together briskly, glancing at Howard.
"I have to go down to Earth. Think you can handle my ships for a while, old man?"
"You callin' me old, punk? I'm going to kick your ass right after I drink my Ensure, General Maxwell." Howard made this last into an indignant tease, grinning at the young man.
Duo threw his arm around Howard's shoulders companionably. "I'm sure you could, you mech dino. But how about just watching my ships in the meantime, eh? Make sure nobody dings ‘em? Maybe get that stealth equipped?"
"No problem, Duo." Howard grinned smugly. "Who was the one who helped build that scrap metal hulk you piloted in the Wars, you brat? I believe it was me."
Duo grinned back. "Just find a rocker and rock, old man. I'll be back to L2 before you know it."
~*~
He got cleaned up, grabbed a duffel bag full of supplies, then went down to the spacer-docks to find one of the Sweeper one-man shuttles, the smile fading from his face as soon as he turned his back on his comrades. He opened the hatch and threw the bag in, slipping into the small cockpit as if he had never stopped fighting, as if he had done the same thing for the last two years, instead of listening to other politicians slowly choke to death on their own lies.
As he closed the cockpit hatch, the interior was lit with a bloody glow, throwing him into shadow. He looked out the clear-steel window of the spacer portal. The stars looked close enough to reach out and touch.
"You ready, General?"
Duo grinned crazily in the darkness of the cockpit. "Fire when ready, Gridley."
There was a moment of silence. Duo gave it time to sink in.
"Oh, I get it! That's very good, sir!"
Duo rolled his eyes. "Right, right. Yeah. Open the dock."
"Yes sir!"
Duo eased the shuttle into the blackness of outer space. He placed it on autopilot and leaned back, closing his eyes.
Heero...
TBC...
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