Beta written by Snow Tigra.
Gundam Wing: The First Chapter Part 17
Unable to sleep after what he found when he went to check on Heero, Duo threw himself into work. Forcing out all thoughts that screamed for recognition, the braided pilot typed at the large scanner linked to Deathscythe's monitor. After finishing all of the necessary adjustments to his suit, Duo ran tests that he had already run several times already. When he was finished, he found something else to keep himself busy... Anything to keep his mind from recalling when he had seen earlier that night.
A young man from the crew walked into the hanger. Shaking his head, he smiled, "Duo, you've worked enough on that Gundam of yours." Using a thumb to point over his shoulder, he suggested, "You really should get something to eat. They just started serving breakfast in the cafeteria."
Having lost track of time, Duo realized for the first time at that friendly advice that it was morning. He had worked non-stop through the night. While he had yet to regain his appetite, he knew better than to avoid eating another meal if he was going to be needed to pilot again. Turning with a small smile, Duo nodded back to the young man, "Thanks, Alex. I guess I could use a break right about now."
In the cafeteria, Heero was on his way to the table where Trowa and Quatre were sitting with his tray in hand when Duo entered the room. The Wing pilot froze in his footsteps and his back straightened at the sight of the American. Taking a deep breath, Duo cast his heavy eyes away as he walked towards the line just as the Japanese boy lowered his own eyes and moved for the table. Heero and Duo almost brushed shoulders as they past each other. Not a word was spoken between them.
Quatre blinked in confusion as Heero took his place across from him and Trowa. Having seen the brief exchange between his two friends, the Arabian knew that something was wrong. All the while, Trowa had his head lowered as he returned to his meal. Instead of asking, he decided to stay silent for the time being.
Walking back to the tables with his own tray, the braided pilot heard Quatre's smiling voice call, "Duo, why don't you sit over here with us?"
Turning back to his comrade, Duo gave a tired smile that didn't reach his tired eyes as he replied, "Thanks for the invitation, but I had a pretty long night. I don't think I'd be much company right now." Having said that, he made his way to the table beside where the others sat.
Frowning in concern, Quatre watched the braided pilot take his seat as he said softly, "A long night?"
Sitting alone at his own table, Duo turned his head just enough for his sad violet eyes to meet Heero's own pained cobalt. Unable to gaze on the Wing pilot any longer, Duo sighed deeply and turned away again. His hands came up to cover his face as he rubbed his eyes.
"He looks awful," Quatre's concerned voice whispered. "Whatever happened must have been pretty bad." Heero's own head lowered and looked away from the braided pilot, silently wishing that he could undo the prior evening's events.
* * * * * *
Late that evening, Heero found himself sitting inside of Wing Zero's cockpit. He had hidden himself there for most of the day as he worked to gather his thoughts. The more he thought about everything leading to that point and time, the more confused the Japanese boy found himself. Looking to his blank screen ahead, he considered what to do. Finally, taking a deep breath, he began typing at his controls.
When he found the signal he was trying to patch into, he sat back and gazed on his dark monitor as he stated, "This is Heero Yuy. Are you there, Kumi?"
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Inside the hanger of the ship where she and Sette had been staying, Kumi was repairing Excalibur's right arm following her recent duel with Demetris. At the sound of the beeping from her cockpit, the silver-haired pilot shut down the blowtorch in her possession as she raised the protective mask over her face and peered up. Removing all of her gear, she floated up to her seat and closed the cockpit hatch behind her.
Entering her password, she allowed an audio of who was patching into her signal. "Kumi, if you can hear this, it's me," the familiar voice identified. With a soft gasp, her cobalt eyes widened.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Heero continued to watch his screen as he waited in silence for a response. Suddenly, the screen beeped an affirmative that the other side was picked up, but there is a bit of an unsure silence as the receiver's image did not appear right away. Softly, Kumi's voice asked, "Heero?"
Smiling in relief, the Wing pilot replied, "Hi, ni-san."
The screen flipped on as Kumi's image was displayed. Slowly, a small smile spread on her own lips as she and her cousin gazed on each other for the first time in almost a year. "It's been a while," she greeted.
With sadness in his own grin, Heero nodded and whispered, "Yea." Taking in the hint of cuts and bruises on the silver-haired pilot, his cobalt eyes fill with concern. He noticed that her own eyes seemed to carry their own weariness that she managed to hide from all others. Frowning, he commented, "You look... tired."
Kumi shrugged a bit, "War is a tiring business." Quickly changing the subject, she asked, "How are things on your end?
"The same," Heero answered. He could feel his cousin's own gaze study his own tired state as he assured her unspoken concern, "Everyone is saying it should be close to an end."
Taking a deep breath of silent relief, the teenage girl responded, "That's good news to hear. We both look like we're due for a vacation."
Heero snorted bitterly, "That's if we even live through this."
Nodding, Kumi stated, "I didn't think there was a need to state that fact, but yes. If we live through this." Heero frowned and lowered his head with closed eyes as he lost himself in thought. Biting her lip, the other pilot hesitated before questioning, "Is there anything you need me to do to help you, Heero?"
Knowing better that to try and hide what she would get out of him, Heero sat up without lifting his head and asked quietly, "Kumi,... do you think that you and I could ever be normal?"
It was clear that she wasn't expecting the question when her cobalt eyes slightly widened for a moment. Tilting her hear slightly to the side, she repeated, "Normal? I'm not quite sure... what you mean. Normal in what sense?"
Taking a moment to think on that, Heero looked up at her and shrugged, "I mean normal in everything- feeling, knowing, understanding. Since Doctor J trained us, I'm not even sure what emotions feel like." He frowned, "At least, not the way I see and hear them described."
Kumi leaned back in her seat, frowning in silent thought. Finally, she said, "I don't see why not. After all... wouldn't it be like learning a new technique? Children learn it when they grow up, I don't see why we wouldn't be able to."
Turning his head away, Heero thought back to the reason for the question, knowing fully well that would be her next question. Faintly, he explained, "Someone... Someone that I know told me that they see me as a person and not some weapon that J taught you and I to be." He bit his lip before whispering, "...He said that I have a soul."
The silver-haired pilot murmured in hidden astonishment "A soul." She had never considered any of this before. Silently, she seemed to dwell in deeper thought over the discussion.
Shaking his head, the Wing pilot lowered his head and said, "I should let you go. I'm sorry that I bother you over this."
"Odin," Kumi's voice interrupted softly. Looking up with wide eyes, he saw his cousin's soft smile as she watched him. She rarely addressed him by that name. It was something sentimental to them both since it was the name he was given until he left for Operation Meteor. Heero had even admitted that he liked being called by that name once in a while.
The young girl's smile remained as she stated, "We were raised and molded to become weapons. But, we were human first. You can't deny the material that the weapon is made out of... nor what it was, could have been... or can be."
Blinking once at the screen, a small smile finally spread on Heero's face. He nodded, "Thank you, Kumi." His voice lowered as he admitted, "I... needed that."
The smallest hint of relief reached her eyes. Smiling softly back at him, she nodded and replied, "You're welcome."
There was a brief silence between them as Heero realized how much he wished they were back together. Kumi was the only person who really understood, having gone through the same intense training he had with Doctor J. They had been separated for less than a year but it felt like years. He remembered how as kids, they had they snuck into each other's beds at night for comfort in the confinement of the base where they lived. Kumi was the only family he knew. And in many ways, she was all he had.
A glimpse of regret and sadness crossed his face as he smirked, "Take care of yourself out there...." Taking a deep breath, he whispered, "I miss you."
Biting her lip, Kumi nodded and responded gently, "I miss you too. Good luck."
"Same to you," Heero said as he straightened himself in his seat. Slowly, he reached for his control panel with one last nod to his cousin before he cut their connection.
With a deep sigh, the Japanese pilot sat back in his seat when the screen blackened again. Looking up to the low ceiling of his cockpit, a small smile crept across his lips. Kumi's words replayed in his mind as he thought back to all of the events leading up to his contacting her. "You can't deny the material that the weapon is made out of... nor what it was, could have been... or can be." Heero had to admit that it made sense. Maybe Duo had been right all along. Perhaps there really was more to him than even he was aware, himself.
Thought there was little unshaken fact to prove anything at this point, it was the first time that the impossible didn't seem so impossible. Even if he didn't know anything further than this, Heero would have been happy with that much.
* * * * * *
Kumi watched the blank screen in her cockpit for a moment before leaning back in her chair to think for a moment more. It had been the first time she ever considered any of the things she and Heero had just finished discussing. For such a brief talk, it left a lot of questions in her own mind. At last, she rose to her feet, opened the cockpit to her suit and jumped down to the hanger floor.
Sette came running through the doors with a beaming smile on her face and her hands waving at her friend as she ran towards her, shouting, "Kumi! Guess what!?" The silver-haired pilot turned to look at her and raises an eyebrow in question.
Panting as she came to a stop before the other girl, the tomboy informer her with a relieved shout, "We found the asshole running this whole affair out here! Once we get him, we'll have all of the Colonies on our side!"
For the briefest of seconds, Kumi's eyes seemed to light up at the announcement before they darkened again. "One person?" she frowned.
Closing her eyes and waving her hand in the air to make vague gestures, Sette answered, "Well, one guy in charge of a whole Assembly of OZ activists." Meeting her comrade's gaze, she continued, "We know where their headquarters is located. If we tried freeing the last of the two hundred colonies still under their control, it'll be years before we can end this war."
Shaking her head, Kumi responded, "Killing one person, or even just one person and his council won't end it either."
The princess frowned as she intervened, "Even if Treize was to die, this guy, Jeffrey Dalton, would work to rise to take his place. If we have any chance at peace, we have to cut the thorn off by the roots. Dalton is responsible for the take-over of the Colonies beyond Mar's orbit."
Roots are important," the silver-haired pilot agreed. "But don't forget the seeds, Sette. If you forget the seeds, we'll just be stuck doing this all over again."
With a deep sigh of exasperation, Sette forced her voice to remain calm as she stated, "Kumi, this is a start. We're not talking about quick fixes, just what will give the Colonies a chance to work together before the next threat."
Nodding, Kumi crossed her arms and relented as she thought aloud, "I know. And we should find him. We can worry about the roots first, and then go after the seeds... hopefully before they grow too much on their own."
"Glad you're finally agreeing with me for a change," Sette smiled in relief.
The Japanese pilot chose not to elaborate on the comment as she replied with her usual 'Hn.' Noting the rolled stack of reports under the tomboy's right arm, she gestured with her head to them and asked, "So where is this Dalton?"
Collecting and unfolding the papers in her possession, the blue-haired girl answered, "The Assembly that he runs is located just off the skirts of W541." She held the printouts to her partner and waited.
Kumi took the reports and glanced over them, her face expressionless in thought. Shuffling through the stack, she found the layout of the large hideout in which the Assembly was well hidden. Her cobalt eyes scanning the design, she inquired, "Have you come up with any ideas on how to get to him? Looks like his Assembly is pretty well guarded."
Rubbing her hands together in anticipation, Sette grinned evilly, "Well, we have the old-fashioned 'Let me introduce myself and my ten thousand friends.'" She chuckled at the thought and shrugged, "Or we can let our troops make themselves known while we sneak through the back way."
Considering both options briefly, Kumi suggested, "As much as I know you like the upfront approach, the second would seem to be the best. Especially if we take this route here." Leaning forward, she showed the blueprint of the base's layout and pointed out a route through the halls.
Sette looked over the route that was pointed out and nodded, "Yea, That would work best." Pouting, she crossed her arms and sighed, "Man, I was looking forward to knocking and giving a nice, friendly, 'Hello.'"
Expressionless at best, the silver-haired pilot assured her, "No doubt you'll be able to 'greet' his body guards."
"True," the tomboy snickered. Her smile quickly faded as she gasped, "I almost forgot. You remember your friend from the other day? ...Demetris I think he's called?"
Her hands clutching tightly to the stack of reports in her possession at the mention of the pilot's name, Kumi replied coldly, " I remember."
Taking the reports carefully from her friend's clenched fists before they were torn, Sette, "Well, our research team pulled up quite a bit on him and his suit, Capricorn. Turns out he was a hired hand of Dalton's. Seems Jeffrey was getting tired of our meddling and no one being able to stop us."
Flatly, the Japanese girl remarked, "Typical."
"This Demetris guy is wanted on more than fifty Colonies for murder," the princess continued. "He gets off on hunting and killing his prey. And from the looks of things, chances are more than good that he'll be with the Assembly when we hit."
Kumi folded her arms and closed her eyes as she nodded, "Either there or somewhere nearby. Which means that if we're going to get past him to get to Dalton we'll need to be careful."
Biting her lip, Sette paused before saying, "We might not have to worry about that as much as you may think." Her friend's cobalt eyes snapped open and quickly in her direction, waiting for further explanation. Taking a deep breath, the tomboy smiled nervously, "Matt offered to handle Demetris while we sneak in."
Concern flashed in those deep blue eyes for an instant before Kumi concealed it again. She shook her head, "I don't like the idea of making him do that." Her voice lowered as she looked away and thought aloud, "...but it's one of very few options we have." She paused for a long moment in consideration.
"What other options do we have?" Sette finally asked, quietly. Concern filled her own eyes at the thought of Matt taking on that man by himself, but it was clear that she needed to plead her case. "Demetris nearly put you in the ship's hospital ward for a day," she reminded her partner.
Eyes narrowing at the memory, the silver-haired pilot looked beak to the other girl and said, "I know. Just because I don't like the plan doesn't mean I'm not going through with it. After all, we have a job to do, and that comes first.
After another long silence to think further, Kumi sighed, "We should go speak with him about the plan, get his input before we set it into motion." While her friend masked her concern for the young man that had befriended them not long after their attack against OZ, Sette knew that Kumi cared for Matt probably even more than she knew herself.
Changing the subject as not to dwell on what may or may not happen, the tomboy smiled in relief, "Well, the sooner we get this plan in motion, the sooner we can live in peace. ...The sooner everyone can live in peace." She blinked when she say the deep frown spread on Kumi's face. Placing a hand on her hip, Sette questioned, "What's wrong?"
Turning her head away, the Japanese pilot answered, "Striving for peace is one thing. Actually getting it and keeping it is a completely different thing. Don't try to stand on clouds, just because they look solid."
Glaring at her comrade, Sette shook her head and growled in frustration, "You always look at the glass half-empty don't you? You mean to tell me that all this time you've been fighting, you never believed in peace!?"
"Peace is something people strive for. That doesn't mean it's obtainable, it's merely a target," Kumi explained. "Face it, there will always be someone, somewhere, who disagrees and wants to change everything."
Sagging where she stood, the princess of H7 released a deep sigh. As she straightened herself, Sette's frowned, "Yea. I forgot. A soldier like you only worries about the target. You never look around to see what else is passing by your arrow when you let it go."
Looking up, Kumi watched as the tomboy stormed from the hanger with the doors closing behind her. To the empty room, she said quietly, "I don't only look at the target." Frowning, she lowered her head and whispered after a long pause, "...do I?"
Only the cold, empty silence answered.
* * * * * *
Stepping into Peacemillion's hanger, Duo looked up to Nataku as Wufei knelt inside his opened cockpit as he made adjustments to his suit. Floating up to the cockpit, Duo sat himself on the edge of cockpit's platform. Smiling, he asked, "How's it going, Fei?"
Keeping his back to the other boy, Wufei focused on his task without acknowledging his comrade with the exception of a small grunt. The small beeps and clicks made as the Chinese pilot conducted his work were the only sounds as Duo sat in the awkward silence. Planting his hands behind him as he peered up to the ceiling, the braided pilot sighed, "Things sure have been quiet the last few days. Maybe we'll get to see some action soon." Again, Wufei never responded.
Chuckling nervously, Duo shrugged, "It'd be nice to fight again before we forget how to pilot our suits." When the silence remained, the American looked over his shoulder to gaze questioningly at his friend's back. Frustrated, he asked, "Are you going to say anything?"
Wufei's head lifted, but never looked back as his amused voice replied, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that my ignoring you would stir such a problem." Peering out of the corner of his eye, he smirked, "Especially seeing how you've been ignoring and avoiding another certain Gundam pilot for the last few hours. It must be pretty crappy being on the receiving end for a change." Duo's violet eyes narrowed and his teeth gritted at the sharp comment. He snapped his braided head forward.
Shaking his head as he continued his work, the Chinese pilot's own eyes narrowed and he continued, "For someone who cares so much about him, I'm surprised that you're behaving like such a child towards him." Rage and shock filled Duo's eyes as he quickly spun back to glare at Wufei's back. His mouth opened to speak when the raven-haired boy spoke again, "If you really want to work something out, you're going about it the wrong way."
Closing his dark eyes, Wufei suggested, "Both of you are too damn stubborn for your own good. On the other hand, it's what makes you perfect for each other. It still wouldn't kill you to sit down with him and talk this out, you know."
Duo shouted in anger, "That's easier said than done, pal! I would have done that by now if it were that simple! You don't even know what happened! But, you're still going to sit there and tell me what I should do."
Looking back over his shoulder at the other pilot, Wufei smirked, "You're right. I don't know what happened last night. And from what I've seen, I don't think you even know all of the details, either. There are two sides to every story. Maybe if you sat down with him to hear his own side, you'd get over this immature silent treatment."
His fists clenching, Duo turned away, hissing, "Thanks a lot of the words of wisdom, man. I'll remember to write to Dear Abby the next time I need any advice." At that, he kicked off of the platform and floated down. Returning to tack, Wufei closed his eyes and chuckled deeply to himself as he shook his head.
As he lowered himself to the ground, Duo's teeth were gritted and his eyes narrowed as he growled, "And what really sucks is he has a point! Damn it, I hate it when that guy's always right!"
* * * * * *
In one of the ship's lounges, Heero sat silently by himself, milling through his thoughts. Quietly walking into the empty room, Trowa bit his lip nervously before speaking softly, "Heero." Closing his eyes, the Wing pilot never looked behind him at the other boy. Taking a deep breath, Trowa spoke quietly, "I meant to talk to you... about last night, I-"
"There's nothing to discuss," Heero's voice cut in. His eyes remained closed as he sad firmly, "What happened was a mistake on both our parts. It should be left as that."
His green eyes widening, Trowa shook his head, "I just wanted to apologize for last night." He cleared his throat before admitting, "...Heero, I apologize for that 'someone else' you have mentioned getting involved... But I'm not so sure what happened was a complete mistake."
At that, Heero turned to the other pilot, his cobalt eyes opened widely. They closed when he turned away and replied, "You're entitled to think what you want... While I can't change your own opinion on what happened, I would rather forget about it all together."
Placing a step closer to the Japanese pilot, Trowa frowned, "Heero..."
Before he could say anything further, the lounge doors slip opened as both young men turned back to see Sally Poe standing on the entrance, panting with a concerned look on her face. Taking a deep breath, she yelled, "Guys, we need you in the hanger! We've located Zechs and his ship, Libra. On top of that, OZ has taken over a Colony not far from here!"
* * * * * *
In Peacemillion's control room, Sally and Noin said in the far back at their own stations as the Gundam pilots took their places on the level below them. Sitting at one of the computers, Trowa watched the crowd of civilians on the captured Colony. Standing in a row beside him, Heero, Duo and Quatre gazed up to the main monitor in the front of the long room.
The situation was worse that the pilots first ascertained before entering the center of the ship. Being able to see the prisoners gathered in a large circle at gunpoint, they each felt a cold chill run through them. While the colony was within their reach, it was too soon to make any sudden moves without understanding the situation better. Something just didn't seem right with the OZ soldiers stood in waiting for something.
Their other concern what Zechs, now leader of the White Fang, was planning on doing with his ship, Libra. Reports had flown in that the massive weapon was not all that far from Peacemillion. It would only take one hit from the main cannot to obliterate all of them. Libra had been flying in a discrete path, managing to avoid Peacemillion's radars for long periods of time. Until there was a certain location on the destructive ship, no one was safe.
Time stood still for the Gundam pilots as they stood in the control room, waiting for any news. Finally, above them, they heard Sally report, "Libra has changed direction. They're heading to the Colony taken over by OZ."
His arms crossed as he watched the large screen before him, Heero's eyes slightly widened as he replied, "They've only changed their direction?" His eyes narrowed a bit as he stated, "So they're going to fire the main cannon."
Looking to the Japanese pilot beside him, Duo's violet eyes were filled with concern as he added, "And destroy the whole Colony." Turning back to gaze up to the large screen, he frowned grimly, "That guy's unreal."
Noin's voice shouted behind them, "Impossible!" Heero, Duo and Quatre all looked back to see the young woman sitting up in his seat. Her eyes thinned, the ex-Lieutenant said pleadingly, "Zechs would never do such a thing."
Seeing the young woman's fear and frustration, Quatre's eyes filled with sympathy as he told her sincerely, "I can understand how you would want to believe that. But right now, he's the leader of the White Fang."
Clenching her fists, Noin growled quietly, "I know." Sighing to herself in concern, she lowered her head. Before, she was able to say that she knew Zechs. Now, it was as if he had become a complete stranger. Not being able to say for certain that he would not put innocent lives in jeopardy was more painful and terrifying than anything Noin had ever experienced.
Trowa suddenly rose to his feet with a sharp gasp and his eyes wide. On the screen before him, in the midst of the Colony's prisoners, he spotted a familiar wave of red hair. Looking more carefully at the image, there was no mistaking that it was Catherine. With another small gasp, the tall pilot focused on the girl that he thought of as a sister as she was held at gunpoint along with all those hostages. Taking a deep breath, Trowa's eyes narrowed in determination before he quickly walked from the control room unnoticed.
Sally looked to her own computer as she suggested, "This could just be a bluff on Zechs's part. Having as much power in that cannon as he does, he may choose not to use it on the Colony."
"Zechs isn't exactly the kind of guy to pull a bluff, Sal," Duo commented as he looked back to the braided woman. "As much as none of us want to believe that he wouldn't use that weapon, he wouldn't be on it in the first place if he didn't plan on using it."
Lowering her head, Noin frowned said sadly, "Duo's right. Zechs is a man of his word. If he means to use that cannon, he won't let anything stop him." Sally gently placed a comforting arm on her friend's shoulder.
Heero's eyes narrowed as he stated, "We're still jumping to conclusions. While he means to use the cannon, we don't know for certain that the Colony is Zechs' target."
Before anyone could reply or think further on Heero's remark, Quatre's concerned voice suddenly asked, "Um... guys? Where's Trowa?"
All eyes widened, the Gundam pilots looked to where the tall pilot had been sitting. Finding it empty, their eyes scanned the room just as Howard ran in. Panting, he hollered, "Trowa just took Wing Zero! He must be headed for the Colony that was taken!"
Lowering his head and closing his eyes, Duo summed up everything for his comrades in one, sighed word. "Shit."
TBC...
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