Hanma Schism Part 2
Duo awoke the next morning to an odd sound. He blinked, his brain processing the noise. A few more blinks and he recognized it.
Getting up, he walked quietly out of the room and down the short hallway to the large cargo space in the middle of his ship.
The Jedi was there, his lightsaber activated, as he practiced. Duo wasn't surprised by the color of the saber. It fit the man's personality- no color whatsoever. He watched as the twin blades spun in burning white opposing arcs. He was good though, Duo admitted silently. Not many could handle the double blades.
"Almost finished?" He called out. "Dad and Master Odin will be wanting to leave soon."
Heero merely finished the last move and turned the saber off, clicking the two parts together before placing the weapon in its sheath. Duo rolled his eyes.
"You have got to be the rudest man I have ever met." He said as Heero walked towards him. "I wasn't aware that they had added that requirement to the Jedi training."
"I am not rude," Heero said flatly.
"Oh no? Last night you tuned me out when I was talking about my ship..."
"That information was irrelevant."
"Really? Scythe is the one we'll be taking out to the temple. What happens if Dad or I become incapacitated and you or Odin have to fly us out? Did you catch all of the 'quirks' of her operating system that I told you about last night?"
Heero blinked. He had not even considered that. Duo's mouth twitched.
"Not to mention the complete lack of a courteous reply this morning. Even Jedi have to make small talk and occasionally be diplomatic. You aren't better than everyone else, no matter what you might think."
"I don't think that..."
"Give me a break." Duo opened the hatch. "All Jedi consider themselves superior and you are the worst one I've met."
Heero opened his mouth and then closed it again. He didn't know how many Jedi Duo had met out here, other than Odin, but it would be arrogant to suppose that there weren't many.
It would also be arrogant to simply dismiss Duo's criticisms. They weren't emotional- but factual.
Was he arrogant? Did he think of himself as superior? Those were character faults that could destroy him. He'd have to be very careful.
They had reached the other ship. Duo had stayed silent, though Heero knew that the other man was watching him closely.
"I apologize. My behavior was arrogant. You are correct to reprimand me."
"It's all right, Heero. I know you won't do it again." Duo managed; a bit surprised that Heero had caved so easily. But then the next part explained it all.
"If I do, I request that you inform me. Arrogance is a weakness. I can not afford such a weakness."
"All human beings have weaknesses Heero. That's what makes us human."
"I know that. But Jedi must learn to control their weaknesses. Those that do not fall to the darkness."
"Do you always talk like a training book?" Heero blinked. Risking his neck, Duo put an arm around Heero's shoulders and gave him a brief squeeze. "Forget it. Next time you talk like an arrogant bastard, I'll smack you, okay?"
"That's not... " Heero protested as he followed Duo down the hallway. The two older men were sitting at a table, eating breakfast.
Odin looked at his apprentice out of the corner of his eye. Heero looked slightly upset and a bit off balance. Duo was having an effect already.
Excellent.
"Good morning," Duo said as the younger men sat down at the table. "Did Dad make something edible, Odin, or is this you?"
Maxwell laughed and tugged on his son's braid. "Just eat it Duo. We have to be at the Winner residence soon."
~*~
The Winner estate was heavily guarded. The four men were not searched however, once Maxwell identified himself. What had the ex-Jedi done to gain such trust? Heero wondered as they paced down a long hallway.
He expected to be led into a reception room- the head of the family at one end in a throne-like seat. That was how most crime lord families operated- as Heero knew well enough. Instead, they were ushered into an office. The desk was large, but not imposing. And the young man behind it looked nothing like a hardened crime lord. But appearances were often deceiving.
"Maxwell," the young man rose out of his chair. "I see your friends have finally arrived."
"Rudeness must be spreading," Duo muttered. Heero glared at him.
"Yes," Maxwell replied easily, clasping the other's hand. "They are here to bargain. This is Master Odin and Jedi Yuy. Gentlemen, this is Quatre Winner."
Odin and Heero nodded to the young man who sat back down behind his desk with a faint frown.
"Well let's get right to the point. What is it that you want from the temple?"
"The holocrons. They contain the knowledge that the school acquired. That is all we desire." Quatre's eyebrow went up.
"That's all? But the temple is sure to contain other things."
"That is all the Jedis wish to have." Odin replied calmly. "You may have first claim on anything else."
"Very well then." Quatre's frown vanished. "I am sure we can come to a beneficial agreement. What do you need from us to carry out an expedition into the temple?"
"Supplies. Maxwell and his son have already agreed to go with us. We will go in and then inform you when it is safe for your team to follow us in. I know it's asking a bit much, but we do not want to take any of your people in with us. I do not want to have to protect anyone."
Heero wondered if the man would agree. It was a difficult thing to agree to. Most people would want a pair of eyes that they trusted there.
"I have already lost several people to the temple." Quatre's face hardened. "Some I could not afford to lose. I have no trouble with that stipulation."
"If there's something of him to find, I'll make sure to bring it to you." Duo spoke up, ignoring the startled glances that the Jedi gave him. Maxwell merely nodded at his son.
"Thank you Duo." Quatre looked away for a moment then focused back on Odin.
Heero was puzzled. The way Winner reacted someone very dear to him had gone into that temple and had not come out. Why had he let someone he had such an attachment to go? Who was it?
Why was he so curious? He squelched the emotion. This was pointless, he'd find out soon enough.
"The best thing would be to send a team with us, have them wait outside the temple for our signal. In the meantime they could salvage the ships outside." Maxwell suggested.
"A good plan. I can have a team ready in about two hours. The supplies can be sent now. Let my assistant know what you need." Quatre stood up. "The bargain is agreed on then? Supplies and you get the data, we get everything else that we consider useful." He paused for a moment. "If there is something else in the temple that you consider valuable, then I would be more than happy to renegotiate. You are being generous with your terms."
"Thank you. I had forgotten to ask if you were open to such a situation. I accept this bargain." Odin bowed his head. "We will get ready to go. May the force be with you."
Quatre grinned suddenly. "I think you will need it more Master Jedi. May the force be with you." He pressed a button on his desk and a older man entered the room. "Walter- these gentlemen need supplies. Take their list and make sure it arrives at Maxwell's hangar in less than two hours."
Walter bowed, light glinting off his monocle.
"Very good sir. Follow me please?" He ushered them out of the room.
~*~
Duo was busy stowing supplies for the flight. Quatre had lived up to his end of the bargain; the supplies had been there in an hour.
Heero, surprisingly enough, was helping him. He had been sure that stowing supplies would be beneath a Jedi, and that Heero would be up in the cockpit with Odin and Maxwell deciding on the best way to approach the temple.
But Heero had stayed with him and when the supplies had shown up with the ever-efficient Walter, he had started to help Duo with them.
He'd stowed the last carton and then sat down on the ramp, waiting for Duo to finish fueling the ship.
Duo knew that he wasn't being fair. Heero wasn't that big of a jerk. It would be easier if he was, though. Duo sighed, blowing his bangs away from his face.
"I have a question." Heero said as Duo finished his task and joined him on the ramp.
"What is it?"
"Who did Winner lose to the temple?"
"The one I promised to find?" Heero nodded.
"His second-in-command. Trowa Barton."
Heero's brow crinkled. He had sent his second-in-command in. Why?
"Wasn't he valuable? Or does Winner have others who could do his job?"
"He was valuable, but not because of his job. Oh, he did it very well. Barton was a bounty hunter before he joined Quatre's organization. Former Mandalorian."
"Impressive record."
Duo nodded. "He- was-" he grimaced over the past tense, "Quatre's lover."
Heero frowned. Duo waited for the next obvious statement.
"Why did Winner let him go then? Why not send someone else?"
Duo blinked. That wasn't what he had expected.
"Trowa's one of the best. He had a good chance of coming back. And Quatre isn't the clingy type. That shows weakness to your rivals."
"Keeping your lover safe is not a weakness. If anything wouldn't the rival organizations wonder how much value Winner placed on anything? Or would they wonder if Barton had betrayed him and so Winner had sent him to a certain death?"
Duo stared at Heero for a moment. "I hadn't thought of it like that."
"That's because you know them. An outsider would consider those things." Heero frowned. "We will have to make sure to find something for Winner."
Duo smiled. "Ah, you aren't such a big jerk after all!"
"Excuse me?" Heero lifted an eyebrow.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen." A voice spoke from the bottom of the ramp. A tall blonde man stood there, a shorter red head by his side. "Mr. Winner says that everything has been arranged. We're part of the crew that is supposed to follow you and do some salvage while we wait."
"Ah, are you ready?" Duo asked as he got to his feet.
"As soon as we get to our ship- bout a block or so from here. We'll be ready to go in about a half-hour?"
"Can do." Duo nodded. "We'll be ready."
"Are you sure this thing can fly?" The redhead sniffed as he looked at the ship.
"Just try to keep up with us." Duo's grin turned wolflike. "Mr..."
"Captain." The redhead nodded. "Fujimiya. My crew will be ready." He turned on his heel and stalked off. The blond man rolled his eyes and shrugged apologetically.
"He's a sweetheart, really."
"Yeah, I can see that." Duo grinned back. "See you in the air."
The blond man hurried off and Duo gestured Heero into the ship.
"Time to go."
TBC...
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