Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. Never have, never will.

XXXXXXXXXX: represents scene/time change

Author commentary (03/20/10): This poor, poor fanfic. Due to the brutal attack of becoming an adult, this fanfiction has been on a five year hiatus and it has bothered me to no end (obviously not enough since I haven't touched it in years); but, I'm putting out the effort to try again. Gundam Wing: The Lost Year is an alternate telling of the year between the Gundam Wing series and Endless Waltz. After looking over the completed chapters of this continuation, they will all be reedited and many of the chapters I wrote in high school will be burned in an angry, fiery furnace. So, as to where this fic is going, your guess is as good as mine.

Warnings: language, violence, possible shonen-ai/yaoi references and/or content (I'm serious when I say I don't know where I'm going with this)

Prologue

The war of AC195 had devastated the world economy and created a lack of unity within the separate governments of Earth and the space colonies. However, through the combined efforts of Relena Peacecraft and her many devoted followers, the Earth Sphere Unified Nation was effectively established to bring peace to a civilization whose development had been compromised by war.

After Colony 196: Peace between the Earth and space colonies has been sustained, thanks to the efforts of the Gundams in their last battle, and people seem eager to return to lives that are free from the loom of conflict. However, there are those who believe that not all people within the governing powers of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation are ready for this so-called peace.

Recently, the remains of mobile dolls in the atmosphere have come to light around the L7 colony cluster, and, despite thorough investigations, no apparent cause has been detected. Colonists and the people of Earth are shifting uneasily as new discoveries in the Earth's atmosphere are being made, their minds still lingering in past bloodshed. Just as the Gundams have not gone cold, neither has the heat between Earth and the colonies been entirely extinguished. It would not take much to shatter this newfound peace…

XXXXXXXXXX

"This station has really come a long way," Sally commented, looking out of the portal of the newly constructed space station, PM2. "The ESUN can't seem to find money in their budget to support the Preventer's Division, but when it comes to flashy technology, money never seems to be a problem."

Sally could hear Noin typing away on her laptop, quickly glancing through her e-mails. A pause in her clatter stoked Sally's curiosity and she walked over to peer at the monitor.

"Find anything interesting?" Sally asked, as she leaned on Noin's chair, trying to get a closer look. Noin gave the information on the computer screen one last glance before turning off the machine with an irritated sigh. As Noin slumped in her chair, Sally could see that her face was etched with an uncomfortable scowl.

"Do they think we're idiots?" Noin asked sourly. She rose from her desk and settled uneasily in an adjacent couch, chewing on her lip as her nerves began to get the best of her. "When I ask, 'what information do you have on the L7 incident,' what the hell do you think I'm going to do with an internet article? I haven't been a civilian for that long. I expect more from a colony's security headquarters." Sally followed Noin's steps and sunk in beside her.

"You'd think after this incident the ESUN would be more open to accepting the Preventer's Division, but I guess they don't want to send any unspoken messages to the public," Sally noted with disappointment.

"I'm getting fed up," Noin continued. "It's about time we started taking matters into our own hands. That's what Preventers is supposed to do, right? Investigate suspicious activity…try to maintain peace. We're like firefighters trying to put out fires, but these guys aren't helping us out by telling us where the fires might be."

"Maybe they don't have anything to give us." Noin scoffed, irritated at the notion.

"Sally, I know what it feels like to be treated like an annoying reporter rather than a soldier. If they had any respect left for us vets of the Eve Wars, you'd think they'd take any help they could get. If we were able to get the pilots back out here—"

"Whoa, now hold on a minute!" Sally interrupted. "You can't just pull those boys back at your beck and call. You can't be sure of anything without the proper information."

"What do you think I've been trying to do for the past month?!" Noin snapped, her frustration fully coming to the surface. "I know how to trust my instinct, and I'm telling you, if we sit around and try to wheedle any more information out of colonial security without addressing the problem head-on, we're all going to be sorry!"

Noin sighed, running her hands through her hair, trying to calm herself when she knew that Sally didn't deserve to feel the brunt of her emotions.

"We've come this far," Noin said quietly, attempting to ease her aggravation. "I don't want to see any of our efforts go to waste."

"I agree with you there, but do you think the guys would be up for this? I mean, we know them, but we don't know them. Maybe they're not cut out for this thing?"

"Not cut out for…"

"Okay, okay," Sally interrupted before Noin could continue. "That sounded better in my head than when I said it. Basically, what I'm saying is… maybe they're just not interested. Maybe they like eating real food and playing sports and going on dates with cute little high school girls—"

"This conversation is pathetic," Noin said, raising her hand as if she was giving Sally the motion to desist from any further mention. "God help us if we're going to delve into the personal lives of five ex-terrorists.

"But please, let's be serious. Something is going on out there. The colony representatives know about it, and they're not going to tell us anytime soon. Maybe… maybe I'm contacting the wrong people."

"What do you mean?"

"Une… has found an agent for hire."

"Does the agent have a name?" Noin closed her eyes, searching for a name somewhere within her mind, only to turn up with nothing.

"I don't think she said. Maybe he could give us a lead."

"Yeah, you might as well, but be careful; I'd hate to throw all our money on a gamble like a nameless agent."

Noin nodded in agreement and rose from the couch; she paced slowly back and forth, her restlessness coupling with the thought of the chance to actually get some answers. "Well, we have to make a decision soon. Even if we're being paranoid, I'd prefer to get them out here in case of an emergency."

"How about we send a letter to Quatre and he can notify the others?" Sally suggested. "Chances are the communication lines between them haven't completely dried up, but… do you think they'll really come over some mobile doll parts?"

"We can't force them to come out here," Noin said, smiling a little. "Guess if they decide to take up our offer, they'd be the paranoid ones, not us." Sally chuckled lightly and stretched out her back.

"Sure, we'll send out invitations." Noin smirked at her comment and stopped her pacing, having come to a decision.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

TBC