Disclaimer: I must hate to admit it, but Gundam Wing does not belong solely to me. OK. It doesn't even belong to me at all. Hitherto, I wish it to be known that I own nothing to do with Gundam (except the merchandise I buy online) and have produced this work along with my best friend solely based on whim, boredom, and the occupation of having no life. Therefore, I must disclaim any and all responsibilities, obligations, and cares of owning such an enterprise. We sincerely wish that you, the reader, will not flame, criticize, sue, or turn us into the authorities for having written this work of art. (*humbly* we are poor. We have no money. *sniff*) Thank you for taking the time to read and enjoy this fanfic, and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it.
-love, Shadow and Treble(like the musical squiggly)
Project Redemption: Prologue
Trowa came awake slowly. It was dark. He tried to turn over, but movement made him nauseous.
"We should kill them all now, and put their Gundams in museums," muttered an Australian drawl.
Someone was talking to his left. He turned his head and saw Heero lying open-eyed and alert. They were right. He was immortal.
"We'll need them later on, lady," came another voice. Trowa identified it as a female.
"Don't lady' me, it's Red 5 to you, and I would never fight with them," the first voice snarled.
Trowa blinked. "Red 5?" he thought. He inched off the ground and shot a look at his surroundings. All five of the pilots were here, wherever "here" was.
"They'll come with us if they know what's good for them," a new voice with a slight Southern accent intoned.
"Don't count on it. You know 05's pilot wouldn't trust a woman any farther than he could throw his Gundam."
"Well, we aren't quite women yet, are we?" someone snorted in response.
Trowa heard someone moan next to him. Quatre. There was a click as guns were loaded and cocked.
"It was the blonde one."
"I still say we should put them out of their misery."
"Hey, now, we need them."
"And
their Gundams.""Besides," said someone standing next to Trowa's head, "they're kinda cute!" Giggles issued around.
Yup,
Trowa thought, with disgust, girls. Sneaking a look, he say Heero slowly rising, ready to pounce."And anyway," the Australian girl was saying, "Jay will be disappointed if we–" Her sentence was cut off when Heero jumped her from behind. She crouched and rolled, and put Heero in a headlock, a pistol pointing in his left eye. "One move," she warned, a mask shielding her face. Trowa could see her glaring politely.
"Or what?" Heero asked, feigning boredom. "You'll kill me?"
"Oh, no, nothing like that," she trilled sweetly, eyes glinting evilly. She turned her gun down towards his crotch. "You just lose somethat's all."
Heero's eyes flashed, while the girls sniggered.
"You," another one kicked Duo in the side. "Wake up."
Duo jerked awake. "What the–"
"Shut up, stand up, and follow orders, pretty-boy."
The girls got every boy to his feet, after which they were prodded outside to a van.
"You take it from here," one called to a heavily armed and uniformed guard.
"See y'all round," called another, with a Texan accent, blowing them all a kiss.
Trowa glared, and turned to see the butt of a gun as it collided with his forehead.
* * *
Duo blinked at the bright light. He was in a hospital wing. How the hell did I get here?! And where's Deathscythe!? A nurse trotted in.
"Who–?" was all Duo got out before she stuck the biggest needle he'd ever seen in his life into his arm. He reckoned he screamed loud enough to wake the dead. It certainly woke his roommate.
"What the–?!" came Wufei's voice as the nurse yanked the needle out of Duo's arm.
"There'll be some slight side-effects," she informed him as she readied another dose for Wufei.
"You mean besides the fact that I've got a hole through my arm?!" Duo snarled. The nurse sent him an amused glance and swept around the curtain dividing the room. Wufei's curse spoke that he was receiving a dose of whatever that drug was. The nurse trotted back and handed Duo a cup of water.
"Drink!" she ordered cheerfully. Duo obeyed. "Now, you'll feel very strange when you wake up," she informed him as he finished. "Don't worry, just concentrate, and listen closely. It takes some time to connect to the right one."
" Right one' wha
* * *
Quatre felt someone calling him. Why won't they leave me alone? That damn drug hurt and made him tired and it hurt. And it hurt. A lot. "No, I am not going to wake up," he told the voices. "I'd rather have Sandrock step on me."
:I would
never do such a thing.:Quatre jumped to awareness. He suddenly felt bombarded with thoughts and images not his own.
:No,
yours is over there.::Is it really
him?::Wake u-up!:
:Why
should he?::03 to 02. Houston, we have a problem.:
(Hey, who said Gundams don't have a sense of humor?):Roger that.:
:Will you two
shut up?!::Did you copy that 03? Z wants us to shut up. Over.:
:Roger that. But what's he gonna do? Get us with his buster rifle?:
A mechanical snicker. :Over.:Quatre felt a sigh the size of a tank. :Inexperienced rookies.:
:Rookies?!:
:We have been around much longer than you have, Z.:
Quatre began to yell, trying to drown out the voices, covering his ears with his hands.
:All you guys shut your metal mouths!:
one of the voices yelled, making Quatre wince.:Sorry, 4,:
came one of the voices guiltily.:Yeah, sorry.:
The voice that yelled seemed to speak directly to him. :Quatre, please listen.:
No! Quatre thought fiercely. It's something in that drugjust let me sleep it off!
:I can't; I'm sorry. They said this wouldn't hurt.:
Quatre suddenly recognized the voice. "Sandrock!" he gasped. "No, you're not alive! You can't–Who–?"
:Quatre Raberba Winner,:
Sandrock stated firmly, metallic tones coloring his voice, :you need sleep. Now. I'll watch over you. And if you don't.: Quatre had a vision of green eyes flashing and a huge foot stamping down. Then he fell so deeply asleep that even Trowa's yell from next to him didn't make him stir.* * *
Heero sat glaring at the nurse, whose main objective seemed to stand, smile, and blink prettily. "So let me get this straight: You drugged me, fiddled with my Gundam–"
:I don't really mind, Heero.:
"I do not require your input, Zero," he added to the air. "So I now have psychic connection with my Gundam."
"Yessir. Actually, that was the boss people."
"And you are holding me hostage."
"We prefer calling it a forced vacation.'"
"No," Heero's eyes hardened all the more, "let's call itlet me go now or I set Zero on you all."
:I wouldn't!:
:Just shut up for now, okay? It's called intimidation.:
:Right.:
The nurse smiled and blinked prettily some more. "Anything you say, sir." She started to leave, then turned. "Would you like anything to drink?"
"Two ounces of arsenic."
A sickening giggle, followed by a "Coming right up!" called cheerily from the hall.
* * *
Wufei sat staring at his hands, a slight frown marring his features. :Are you sure?:
:Of course, Wufei. I would never leave you.:
:Where are we, anyway?:
A pause. :Somewhere on the North-American continent, in a place called L.A. Los Angels.:
:?:
:A while ago, before the space colonies, North America was the world power, and this was a major metropolis.:
:Is it still big?:
:Sort ofit was completely wiped out in World War III. But it's making a comeback.:
:How are the other pilots?:
:The pilots are having sometrouble accepting the communicative link with their Gundams, but nothing major.:
:May I call you Nataku?:
:Of course. You did before, and I would be honored to carry that name once again.:
Wufei frowned. :Can you always hear me?:
:I think so unless either of us denounces the other.:
Wufei shuddered. Never again.
:I will never leave you. I promise, Wufei.:
Wufei bowed his head in acknowledgement.
* * *
A tall, golden-brown haired girl strode into the hangar. :Please check on all the new pilots,: she asked her Gundam.
:Everyone is fine, except forHeero Yuy. Zero can't calm him. He's attacking a few guards, trying to escape.:
The girl sighed. :Please send back up.:
:Yes, Anna.: A pause. :You'll want to see their Gundams?:
:In a while, Little Devil. In a while.:
A gunshot resounded through the wing. Five armed guards were trying to restrain Heero Yuy.
"Grab him!"
"Sit on him!"
"Use stunners!"
"Let me go!"
:Heero, calm down!:
"Get his feet!"
"No, I won't, Zero!"
"What
is going on in here?!"BANG! BANG!
"Get him away from the guns!"
:Heero!:
"Get a pilot!"
"Everyone, hold still!" an accented, authoritative cut through the melee. A dark-haired, masked teen was striding across the debris-strewn room. "You, boy." She pointed at Heero. "Sit." When he didn't obey, her eyes slitted evilly behind her slightly lowered sunglasses. "Now."
:Do what she says, Heero, she's a friend.:
:How do you know?: Heero sneered mentally.
:I can tell. Plus,:
Heero felt smugness in his Gundam's tone, :her mobile suit is rather cute:Oh, my god,
thought Heero. He sank reluctantly to the bed. Just like a Gundam–flashy chrome and polished bolts were all that mattered."Now," the girl said, "no more causing trouble in here, or we'll have to see you punished."
Heero snorted. "With what?"
He got the impression that she was smiling. "We have our ways."
For the first time in his life, Heero shuddered with fear.
* * *
All five girls stood, masked, in their flight suits, reviewing their battle strategy.
1) Let the boys simmer for a while.
2) View all the male pilot's Gundams.
3) Show them theirs.
4) Alienate the boys for all their worth.
* * *
The male pilots stood in the middle of a huge hangar, watching their Gundams with amusement. Deathscythe Hell and Sandrock were tormenting Zero, while Heero glared at Duo and Quatre as they snickered with their Gundams.
:02 to 04 - enemy target at 4 o'clock. Over. Shck-shck.:
:Copy that, 02. Over. Shck-shck.:
:Ai-i-i-im carefully. Shck-shck.:
:Will you two
shut up already!?: Zero was watching a technician repair one of his feet, and was in a slightly cranky mood.:What are they doing to his feet, 04? Over. Shck-shck.:
:I think they're cutting them down. Shhck. They were
huge! Over. Shck-shck.:Zero gave them both an evil, green glare. :Watch out, you two, I know where your pilots sleep.:
:Oohwe're so-o-o scared!: "cried" 02.
:Just wait. I'll get you.
And your cheesy sound-effects!::Let me guess. "And our little dog, too?":
taunted 04. He and 02 let loose a bout of hysterical, silent laughter.Heero looked ready to either punch or shoot Duo and/or Quatre, when there was a small diversion at the end of the hangar.
The ruckus at the other side of the hangar drew their attention. A tall someone was pushed out the back of a van, protesting loudly. From the voice, Trowa recognized it as Lt. Noin. "Let me go! You idiots, what do you think you're doing?! If you really want to keep things a secret, try not talking amongst yourselves and while you're at it, get an automobile that doesn't have any windows!" Someone leaned forward and whispered something in her ear before turning her in the direction of the pilots. Then they got back into the van and took off. "Okay, boys!" she called out, resigned. "I know you're over there, because those bozos just told me you were. If one of you would be so kind as to get these infernal bindings off of me, we can all leave."
Duo rushed up to her. "Lt. Noin! What happened?" he asked, concerned.
"They got me at the rendezvous. It's they told me that I couldn't see where we were supposed to be going, so I had to be blindfolded. Then they tied my hands, got new people, and threw me in the back of that infernal, smelling van. Bakas. They were arguing over the directions, so I know exactly where we are. The only reason I went along with this was because I was under orders. Now then, I have new ones, and it is to get you boys up to the ship. If you will all get into your Gundams and follow me? I will debrief you when we get to space."