Sabre
Part:1
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Sucks, huh?
"Are you sure you want to do this, Miss Ciara?" Rashid asked, laying a hand on the young, blonde girl's shoulder. She looked around the Maguanac base nervously with its blaring alarm system and men scrambling for their mobile suits.
The girl nodded once, then clamored into her waiting Leo. She took a deep breath as she activated the navigation system; this would be her first battle. As her hands were shakily flying over the controls, she guided her mobile suit out of the main hanger and joined the rest of the core in the battle.
Rashid shook his head knowingly as the base was rocked by another explosion. The Cinq Kingdom's boundaries had been breached by OZ soldiers, and the Maguanacs were rushing to Master Quatre's side. The Winner family, he thought, is fiercly determined and fought for what they beleived in. And Ciara beleived in fighting beside her brother, Quatre. Rashid knew it was useless to try and stop the girl, he had seen just how stubborn she could be. The first time she had been in the Maguanac base, she refused to leave until Quatre had shown her how to pilot a suit.
The core moved out to join the Cinq kingdom's defensive line and drive back the OZ soldiers. The battle had already begun by the time they arrived.
Ciara wasted no time in diving into the fight. Her cutomized suit made short work of the three mobile dolls that imediatly attacked her.
Nolan, another of the Maguanac pilots and her best friend, came thorough on the communications system as she sliced her way through a pack of the unmanned killers.
"You ok?"
"Yeah," she responded, then emitted a promal growl as an enemy suprised her from behind. She spun her suit around, then used her thermal sabre to skewer the machine.
"You Ido/I know that Quatre will kill you if he finds out about you fighting." Nolan's voice again sounded on her intercom.
Ciara sighed while brushing her family's trademark blonde hair out of her eyes. Even though her brother had intructed her on how to pilot a mobile suit, he made her promise not to fight against OZ-ever. He always said that he had lost to many people to the war. But, dammit, she wanted to fight!
"Well, "she grumbled, "Quatre's not going to find out, is he?" Ciara never heard the answer to her question because just then, an explosion racked her suit. She turned to witness her brother's Gundam and Lt. Noin's Tarus demolish half a dozen OZ soldiers. She smiled in pride at her little brother's accomplishment, even though she knew he couldn't see it.
Suddenly, a comunique was patched through the armies.
"My name is Relena Peacecraft, the cheif representitve of the Cinq Kingdom. I do not wish to be the cause of this conflict, because the Cinq Kingdom, under the Peacecraft ideals, is supportive of total pacifism. Therefore, I resign the monarchy, and hereby disolve this nation. Stop the fighting, there is no reason to continue this meaningless bloodbath."
The announcement ended, then dead silence followed.
"No!" Ciara cried, slamming her hand upon the console. "Agh, Kuso! That stupid bitch!" She slumped over in the pilot's chair with hot tears pouring down her cheeks, "Everything we fought for," she muttered impasivley, "She just gave up. She didn't even resist them. Its people like that I'll never understand. And never want to."
Ciara slowly guided her suit back to base, thinking on her first battle. "Not to bad," she thought, "I'm still alive, and our losses were few. But why did Relena Peacecraft just give up? She is most certainly weak."
She landed her mobile suit in the hangar and proceeded to her tent. She needed a nap, a shower, and about three hours to recuperate from her ordeal.
* * * * * *
"Why?"
Ciara fidgeted underneath her brother's intense stare. He hadn't yelled at her, just given her a guilt trip all the way to China and back.
"I wanted to help," she said weakly. Quatre acted like an older brother to her, even though she was a year older. Ever since their mother died, the two youngest Winner's had watched out for each other. Then came the war, and Quatre lost touch with the family. Ciara had come looking for him, and when she found the Maguanacs, she had insisted on fighting with them.
As soon as they had reached camp, Quatre heard his sister was there and sought her out. Presently, they, along with Rashid, were in his tent. Quatre was sitting on on his make shift cot, and the other two were standing before him.
"And you, Rashid," the boy's voice hinted at betrayl. "You let her!! It could have been any other of my 29 sisters, but why you?" He hid his face in his hands to conceal the emotion there. "You could have been killed!"
Ciara sat down by him and put her arm around him.
"No, you taught me well, little brother. I knew how to handle myself out there." She stood as she continued her speech. "I want to be out there fighting with you! For what we beleive in! I could help you! And besides, the Sabre has some special modifications."
Quatre looked up. "What's a Sabre? Its not another Gundam, is it?"
She laughed then, a thing she rarely did this side of the war.
"No," she responded. "That's just the name I gave my Leo."
Quatre allowed himself a small grin as he recalled the machine. His sister found the suit in the desert after OZ had first attacked. She rebuilt it, with her own adjustments. When she was finished, the Sabre could only be piloted by herself or Quatre.
"Well," he said after a moment's pause, "Since you're already here, you might as well help us. But I don't like the idea of a woman fighting. Its against our culture."
Ciara stood tersly and retorted,
"Don't give me that crap about culture and society, Quatre. I'm a better pilot than a lot of the Maguanacs, even if I'm not better than you." She crossed her arms as she made her next point. "Besides, look at Lt. Noin!"
"She's different," he exclaimed, suddenly rising.
"Why, because you have a crush on her?"
Quatre blushed, "No. That's not why!! That's not why at all!"
"Ah ha...so you do have a crush on her?"
"I never said that!"
Ciara held her hands up in defeat. "Hey, its ok. I'll just find out from Trowa if you like her or not!"
"Like he would know!" Quatre shot back. When Trowa had stayed at the Winner house in the desert, Ciara had met him, and they became good friends. In fact, she had taught him how to play the flute. (But that's another story for another time!)
He walked over to his sister and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"The reason Lt. Noin is different is because she has had years of military training and experiance, which you have had none of. I wish you wouldn't fight, but I know how stubborn you are."
Ciara grinned as she hugged her brother.
"Thank you for letting me stay."
She gave Quatre one of her rare smiles, then left him and Rashid to talk.
Nolan was leaning on Sandrock as Ciara exited the tent. He rushed up to her and playfully punched her in the arm.
"So, how was the interogation?"
"It was ok," she responded, "I get to stay and fight with you guys."
Nolan chuckled as he slung an arm around his best friend's shoulders.
"I'd like to see him try and stop you."
Ciara hit the black-haired man on the back of the head.
"Shut up!"
"Ok, ok, I'm sorry!!!" He held his hands up resignedly.
*Attention all Maguanac pilots. Please report to the main tent for breifing. Thank you.*
The loudspeaker clicked off, and Nolan took his leave of Ciara. Heading towards the meeting, he was met by Quatre.
"Het, Quatre, what's up?" the pilot asked as the Winner heir approached him. He had a serious look on his face as he drew Nolan aside.
"You know my sister pretty well, right?"
"Well, yeah. I guess."
"Can I ask you to do a favor for me?" the blonde asked him.
"Um...sure. No problem."
"I'm going to outer space with Lt. Noin. I want you to watch out for Ciara while I'm gone; make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. And don't tell her about our 'little agreemant', or she'll never forgive us!"
Nolan nodded in agreement, then the two men shook hands and went to the breifing.
* * * * * *
Ciara stuffed the last of her clothing in the oversized duffle bag, then surveyed the vacant tent. The Maguanac core was heading back to L5 colony to await Quatre's orders. Presantly, the camp on earth was picking up and pulling out.
She slung the bag over her shoulder and walked towards her transport. She and Nolan were sharing one, because the Sabre's special modifications made it too big to share with the other mobile suits.
Taking out a ragged-edged book from the bag and tucking it under her arm, Ciara ran onto the ship and plopped down in the pilot's seat, awaiting Nolan's arrival.
"Uh-uh. Oh no. You're not driving!"
Ciara heard his voice behind her as she propped her feet up on the console.
"I'm not moving. I'm comforatable."
He proceeded to pick her light frame from the pilot's seat and unceremoniously dump her in the co-pilot's. Nolan took over the captain's chair as Ciara stuck her tongue out at him, then folded her arms to sulk.
"Hey, what's the book?" the Maguanac pilot asked, pointing to the dog-eared volume that had landed on the floor. She picked it up and held in protectively to her.
"Its my journal."
"Can I see it?"
She gave him a funny look, then said,
"No, you baka! You can't see it!"
"I guess I'll just wait 'till you're asleep to read it, like I always do."
She was about to retort back when a blaring voice came over the intercom:
"HEY YOU TWO!!! QUIT BICKERING AND GET A MOVE ON!!!!"
They looked mischeviously at each other.
"Yes, Rashid," Ciara responded, in a sing-song voice.
Nolan started up the ship, and they joined the other Maguanacs in outer space.
* * * * * *
"And in other news today, Relena Peacecraft was named the cheif representitive of the Romafeller Foundation . She now has power over 2/3 of the globe-"
Ciara reached out and switched off the radio/alarm clock. Grumbling in discontent, she rolled over and pulled the blankets over her head. A sliver of light streamed through the room and hit the girl in the face, causing her to wince in pain at the sight of first light. Squinting, she sat up, only to see Nolan throwing clothes at her and yelling like a maniac. Yawning, she stated,
"Whatever has you so upset can wait another 15 minutes." The female pilot stretched and laid back against the pillows, fully intent on going back to sleep.
"Not if its an Oz attack!" Nolan's answer jolted her back to conscienceness, and she lept out of bed.
"Well, why didn't you say so?"
"I did, but you were off in God knows what dream."
"Shut up!"
Ciara dressed, then met Nolan at the conn. There were about 50 mobile dolls moving in on the Maguanac Core, but oddly, their transport was out of combat range.
"Nolan, why arn't we engaging?" the blonde inquired,her blue eyes growing wide with curiosity.
"We won't be fighting in this battle." The black-haired man's green eyes were hidden from veiw as he turned his face from her.
"What?!? Why?" Ciara shouted. "If you don't want to fight, that's fine with me, but let me go out there and help!"
Nolan looked at the enraged girl and decided to tell her. Knowing her, she'd find out anyway.
"Quatre made me promise not to let anything happen to you."
Ciara's face became dark as she realized she had been tricked.
"So, my little brother doesn't think I can take care of myself, eh? And neither do you, I suppose. You all think that I'm some sort of fragile thing that will break if dropped. Well, I'll show you!" She turned and began to run towards the mobile suit hangar when Nolan's hand reached out and restrained her.
"I can't let you do that."
Ciara whirled around to face him, eyes flashing angrily.
"I'd like to see you try and stop me!"
A pained look came acrossed the other pilot's face as he raised his other hand.
"I'm sorry, but a promise is a promise. I can't let youu destroy yourself."
He brought his hand down upon the back of the girl's head, then her world went dark. Her body fell limply to the floor, and Nolan gently picked her up and held her against him.
As he was carrying her back to her room, he took his time to examine his friend's face, She was so peaceful when she was unconscience, he thought. The complete opposite of what she was like during her waking hours: loud, rambunctious, always getting into trouble. The one thing about her that always infuriated him was her damned stubborness. She could drive a man insane with her steely tenacity.
She certainly did drive him insane, he thought fondly as her laid her on her bed and tucked the covers up around her. He brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, then left the room, making a mental note to rename the password to the mobile suit hangar. No telling when she would regain conscienceness.
* * * * * *
Ciara woke up in her darkened room with a splitting headache. She growled and flipped off the covers; departing the room, she stormed to the conn and grabbed Nolan by the neck.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the male pilot squeaked as her fingers closed around his windpipe.
The blonde allowed herself a small smile as she responded,
"You bastard! I can't beleive you hit me! So, to be even, I think I'll kill you."
Nolan's eyes got wide as he struggled against her iron grip.
"No! Please! You don't understand! I had to! I promised!"
She looked at Nolan's pleading, pathethic face, and did the thing that he would least suspect- she laughed. She laughed so hard that tears rolled down her face and her sides hurt. Ciara released her grip on the frightened man and he slipped to the floor while she doubled over with laughter.
"Oh...your face...that look!" she cried, while wiping the tears from her cheeks. "It was priceless!"
Nolan mumbled something incoherent, but it sounded something like "Ha ha, very funny," as he picked himself up off the floor and sat in the pilot seat. Ciara, after regaining her composure, sat in the co-pilot's chair, putting her feet up on the console.
"Hey! Get your feet down!" He smacked at her, but she dodged him.
"Fine! Fine!"
The two sat in silence until Ciara saw a blip on the radar.
"Hey, what's that?"
"I dunno. Let's check it out."
Nolan piloted the shuttle towards the object, and they stared in shock as they recognized the craft.
"Oh my God..." she trailed off.
"Its the remains of the Tallgeese." She and Nolan exchanged glances, then locked a tractor beam onto the white suit.
* * * * * *
"Hey, Nolan, hand me that plasma inducer," the blonde asked of her companion.
She crawled out the Sabre's cockpit and held her hand out for the tool.
They, well, more acurately she, was pirating the remains of the white Gundam and applying them to her own suit. So far, her Leo had Gundainium armor, a beam cannon, and a more advanced computer system. At the moment, she was installing the hydralic system from the Tallgeese into the Sabre.
When I get finished with these upgrades, there will be no stopping the Sabre she thought joyfully. She wiped sweat out of her crysal blue eyes and continued her work.
"Ciara, don't you think you should take a break?" the black-haired man inquired, concerned for her health. "You've been working on this thing for 15 hours straight. You nest some rest."
"Yeah, in a minute," she called down, stalling for time. She heard someone climbing up the suit, then saw Nolan's face outside the cockpit.
"No, now!" He hauled her out of her seat and threw her over his shoulder.
"Hey! Put me down! Stop it!," Ciara cried in protest, her small fists beating futily against his back.
"Nope, you're taking a break, and that's final!"
"Fine,"she pouted, "Just put me down, and I'll go with you."
Nolan smiled triumphantly, "Good."
He set her down and she glared at him. She reluctantly followed the Maguanac pilot to the kitchen area of the ship. Ciara sat exhastedly at the table while Nolan searched the 'fridge for food. He appeared a few minuted later with a cup of yogurt, a twinkie, and a bottle of cheap wine.
Ciara cocked an eyebrow. "What, did you forget to run to the grocery store before we left?"
"Ha ha, very funny." Nolan plopped the food down on the table and reached for the twinkie.
"Hey!" The blonde smacked his hand waya and grabbed the cake. He muttered something about her feeling lucky and proceeded in devouring the yogurt.
'SO, Nolan," she started after a moment's silence, "I've known you for two and a half years, abd don't know how old you are."
He gave her a funny look as she took an overly big gulp of wine.
"I'm 17"
"Really? *hic* I'm 16, but you knew that already, didn'y you?"
"Hn," was his only response as he watched her guzzle the liquor. His hand shot out when the bottle became half empty.
"No more for you," Nolan commanded.
Ciara pouted, "You're *hic* not the boss *hic* of me!" He head was resting heavily on her wavering hands.
The Maguanac gave her a wry look, then chugged the remaining alcohol. The girl giggled, then passed out, her head hitting the table with a resounding thump. Nolan peered around the bottle and poked his friend with a finger.
"Hey, Ciara? What's wrong wich you?" Then, unused to binge drinking, Nolan stumbled to the bathroom, were he tripped and hit his head off the toilet seat. He lay there on the cold, tile floor, unconscience and unaware of the trouble that was about to befall them.
Part:1
Disclaimer: Don't own it. Sucks, huh?
"Are you sure you want to do this, Miss Ciara?" Rashid asked, laying a hand on the young, blonde girl's shoulder. She looked around the Maguanac base nervously with its blaring alarm system and men scrambling for their mobile suits.
The girl nodded once, then clamored into her waiting Leo. She took a deep breath as she activated the navigation system; this would be her first battle. As her hands were shakily flying over the controls, she guided her mobile suit out of the main hanger and joined the rest of the core in the battle.
Rashid shook his head knowingly as the base was rocked by another explosion. The Cinq Kingdom's boundaries had been breached by OZ soldiers, and the Maguanacs were rushing to Master Quatre's side. The Winner family, he thought, is fiercly determined and fought for what they beleived in. And Ciara beleived in fighting beside her brother, Quatre. Rashid knew it was useless to try and stop the girl, he had seen just how stubborn she could be. The first time she had been in the Maguanac base, she refused to leave until Quatre had shown her how to pilot a suit.
The core moved out to join the Cinq kingdom's defensive line and drive back the OZ soldiers. The battle had already begun by the time they arrived.
Ciara wasted no time in diving into the fight. Her cutomized suit made short work of the three mobile dolls that imediatly attacked her.
Nolan, another of the Maguanac pilots and her best friend, came thorough on the communications system as she sliced her way through a pack of the unmanned killers.
"You ok?"
"Yeah," she responded, then emitted a promal growl as an enemy suprised her from behind. She spun her suit around, then used her thermal sabre to skewer the machine.
"You Ido/I know that Quatre will kill you if he finds out about you fighting." Nolan's voice again sounded on her intercom.
Ciara sighed while brushing her family's trademark blonde hair out of her eyes. Even though her brother had intructed her on how to pilot a mobile suit, he made her promise not to fight against OZ-ever. He always said that he had lost to many people to the war. But, dammit, she wanted to fight!
"Well, "she grumbled, "Quatre's not going to find out, is he?" Ciara never heard the answer to her question because just then, an explosion racked her suit. She turned to witness her brother's Gundam and Lt. Noin's Tarus demolish half a dozen OZ soldiers. She smiled in pride at her little brother's accomplishment, even though she knew he couldn't see it.
Suddenly, a comunique was patched through the armies.
"My name is Relena Peacecraft, the cheif representitve of the Cinq Kingdom. I do not wish to be the cause of this conflict, because the Cinq Kingdom, under the Peacecraft ideals, is supportive of total pacifism. Therefore, I resign the monarchy, and hereby disolve this nation. Stop the fighting, there is no reason to continue this meaningless bloodbath."
The announcement ended, then dead silence followed.
"No!" Ciara cried, slamming her hand upon the console. "Agh, Kuso! That stupid bitch!" She slumped over in the pilot's chair with hot tears pouring down her cheeks, "Everything we fought for," she muttered impasivley, "She just gave up. She didn't even resist them. Its people like that I'll never understand. And never want to."
Ciara slowly guided her suit back to base, thinking on her first battle. "Not to bad," she thought, "I'm still alive, and our losses were few. But why did Relena Peacecraft just give up? She is most certainly weak."
She landed her mobile suit in the hangar and proceeded to her tent. She needed a nap, a shower, and about three hours to recuperate from her ordeal.
* * * * * *
"Why?"
Ciara fidgeted underneath her brother's intense stare. He hadn't yelled at her, just given her a guilt trip all the way to China and back.
"I wanted to help," she said weakly. Quatre acted like an older brother to her, even though she was a year older. Ever since their mother died, the two youngest Winner's had watched out for each other. Then came the war, and Quatre lost touch with the family. Ciara had come looking for him, and when she found the Maguanacs, she had insisted on fighting with them.
As soon as they had reached camp, Quatre heard his sister was there and sought her out. Presently, they, along with Rashid, were in his tent. Quatre was sitting on on his make shift cot, and the other two were standing before him.
"And you, Rashid," the boy's voice hinted at betrayl. "You let her!! It could have been any other of my 29 sisters, but why you?" He hid his face in his hands to conceal the emotion there. "You could have been killed!"
Ciara sat down by him and put her arm around him.
"No, you taught me well, little brother. I knew how to handle myself out there." She stood as she continued her speech. "I want to be out there fighting with you! For what we beleive in! I could help you! And besides, the Sabre has some special modifications."
Quatre looked up. "What's a Sabre? Its not another Gundam, is it?"
She laughed then, a thing she rarely did this side of the war.
"No," she responded. "That's just the name I gave my Leo."
Quatre allowed himself a small grin as he recalled the machine. His sister found the suit in the desert after OZ had first attacked. She rebuilt it, with her own adjustments. When she was finished, the Sabre could only be piloted by herself or Quatre.
"Well," he said after a moment's pause, "Since you're already here, you might as well help us. But I don't like the idea of a woman fighting. Its against our culture."
Ciara stood tersly and retorted,
"Don't give me that crap about culture and society, Quatre. I'm a better pilot than a lot of the Maguanacs, even if I'm not better than you." She crossed her arms as she made her next point. "Besides, look at Lt. Noin!"
"She's different," he exclaimed, suddenly rising.
"Why, because you have a crush on her?"
Quatre blushed, "No. That's not why!! That's not why at all!"
"Ah ha...so you do have a crush on her?"
"I never said that!"
Ciara held her hands up in defeat. "Hey, its ok. I'll just find out from Trowa if you like her or not!"
"Like he would know!" Quatre shot back. When Trowa had stayed at the Winner house in the desert, Ciara had met him, and they became good friends. In fact, she had taught him how to play the flute. (But that's another story for another time!)
He walked over to his sister and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"The reason Lt. Noin is different is because she has had years of military training and experiance, which you have had none of. I wish you wouldn't fight, but I know how stubborn you are."
Ciara grinned as she hugged her brother.
"Thank you for letting me stay."
She gave Quatre one of her rare smiles, then left him and Rashid to talk.
Nolan was leaning on Sandrock as Ciara exited the tent. He rushed up to her and playfully punched her in the arm.
"So, how was the interogation?"
"It was ok," she responded, "I get to stay and fight with you guys."
Nolan chuckled as he slung an arm around his best friend's shoulders.
"I'd like to see him try and stop you."
Ciara hit the black-haired man on the back of the head.
"Shut up!"
"Ok, ok, I'm sorry!!!" He held his hands up resignedly.
*Attention all Maguanac pilots. Please report to the main tent for breifing. Thank you.*
The loudspeaker clicked off, and Nolan took his leave of Ciara. Heading towards the meeting, he was met by Quatre.
"Het, Quatre, what's up?" the pilot asked as the Winner heir approached him. He had a serious look on his face as he drew Nolan aside.
"You know my sister pretty well, right?"
"Well, yeah. I guess."
"Can I ask you to do a favor for me?" the blonde asked him.
"Um...sure. No problem."
"I'm going to outer space with Lt. Noin. I want you to watch out for Ciara while I'm gone; make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. And don't tell her about our 'little agreemant', or she'll never forgive us!"
Nolan nodded in agreement, then the two men shook hands and went to the breifing.
* * * * * *
Ciara stuffed the last of her clothing in the oversized duffle bag, then surveyed the vacant tent. The Maguanac core was heading back to L5 colony to await Quatre's orders. Presantly, the camp on earth was picking up and pulling out.
She slung the bag over her shoulder and walked towards her transport. She and Nolan were sharing one, because the Sabre's special modifications made it too big to share with the other mobile suits.
Taking out a ragged-edged book from the bag and tucking it under her arm, Ciara ran onto the ship and plopped down in the pilot's seat, awaiting Nolan's arrival.
"Uh-uh. Oh no. You're not driving!"
Ciara heard his voice behind her as she propped her feet up on the console.
"I'm not moving. I'm comforatable."
He proceeded to pick her light frame from the pilot's seat and unceremoniously dump her in the co-pilot's. Nolan took over the captain's chair as Ciara stuck her tongue out at him, then folded her arms to sulk.
"Hey, what's the book?" the Maguanac pilot asked, pointing to the dog-eared volume that had landed on the floor. She picked it up and held in protectively to her.
"Its my journal."
"Can I see it?"
She gave him a funny look, then said,
"No, you baka! You can't see it!"
"I guess I'll just wait 'till you're asleep to read it, like I always do."
She was about to retort back when a blaring voice came over the intercom:
"HEY YOU TWO!!! QUIT BICKERING AND GET A MOVE ON!!!!"
They looked mischeviously at each other.
"Yes, Rashid," Ciara responded, in a sing-song voice.
Nolan started up the ship, and they joined the other Maguanacs in outer space.
* * * * * *
"And in other news today, Relena Peacecraft was named the cheif representitive of the Romafeller Foundation . She now has power over 2/3 of the globe-"
Ciara reached out and switched off the radio/alarm clock. Grumbling in discontent, she rolled over and pulled the blankets over her head. A sliver of light streamed through the room and hit the girl in the face, causing her to wince in pain at the sight of first light. Squinting, she sat up, only to see Nolan throwing clothes at her and yelling like a maniac. Yawning, she stated,
"Whatever has you so upset can wait another 15 minutes." The female pilot stretched and laid back against the pillows, fully intent on going back to sleep.
"Not if its an Oz attack!" Nolan's answer jolted her back to conscienceness, and she lept out of bed.
"Well, why didn't you say so?"
"I did, but you were off in God knows what dream."
"Shut up!"
Ciara dressed, then met Nolan at the conn. There were about 50 mobile dolls moving in on the Maguanac Core, but oddly, their transport was out of combat range.
"Nolan, why arn't we engaging?" the blonde inquired,her blue eyes growing wide with curiosity.
"We won't be fighting in this battle." The black-haired man's green eyes were hidden from veiw as he turned his face from her.
"What?!? Why?" Ciara shouted. "If you don't want to fight, that's fine with me, but let me go out there and help!"
Nolan looked at the enraged girl and decided to tell her. Knowing her, she'd find out anyway.
"Quatre made me promise not to let anything happen to you."
Ciara's face became dark as she realized she had been tricked.
"So, my little brother doesn't think I can take care of myself, eh? And neither do you, I suppose. You all think that I'm some sort of fragile thing that will break if dropped. Well, I'll show you!" She turned and began to run towards the mobile suit hangar when Nolan's hand reached out and restrained her.
"I can't let you do that."
Ciara whirled around to face him, eyes flashing angrily.
"I'd like to see you try and stop me!"
A pained look came acrossed the other pilot's face as he raised his other hand.
"I'm sorry, but a promise is a promise. I can't let youu destroy yourself."
He brought his hand down upon the back of the girl's head, then her world went dark. Her body fell limply to the floor, and Nolan gently picked her up and held her against him.
As he was carrying her back to her room, he took his time to examine his friend's face, She was so peaceful when she was unconscience, he thought. The complete opposite of what she was like during her waking hours: loud, rambunctious, always getting into trouble. The one thing about her that always infuriated him was her damned stubborness. She could drive a man insane with her steely tenacity.
She certainly did drive him insane, he thought fondly as her laid her on her bed and tucked the covers up around her. He brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, then left the room, making a mental note to rename the password to the mobile suit hangar. No telling when she would regain conscienceness.
* * * * * *
Ciara woke up in her darkened room with a splitting headache. She growled and flipped off the covers; departing the room, she stormed to the conn and grabbed Nolan by the neck.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the male pilot squeaked as her fingers closed around his windpipe.
The blonde allowed herself a small smile as she responded,
"You bastard! I can't beleive you hit me! So, to be even, I think I'll kill you."
Nolan's eyes got wide as he struggled against her iron grip.
"No! Please! You don't understand! I had to! I promised!"
She looked at Nolan's pleading, pathethic face, and did the thing that he would least suspect- she laughed. She laughed so hard that tears rolled down her face and her sides hurt. Ciara released her grip on the frightened man and he slipped to the floor while she doubled over with laughter.
"Oh...your face...that look!" she cried, while wiping the tears from her cheeks. "It was priceless!"
Nolan mumbled something incoherent, but it sounded something like "Ha ha, very funny," as he picked himself up off the floor and sat in the pilot seat. Ciara, after regaining her composure, sat in the co-pilot's chair, putting her feet up on the console.
"Hey! Get your feet down!" He smacked at her, but she dodged him.
"Fine! Fine!"
The two sat in silence until Ciara saw a blip on the radar.
"Hey, what's that?"
"I dunno. Let's check it out."
Nolan piloted the shuttle towards the object, and they stared in shock as they recognized the craft.
"Oh my God..." she trailed off.
"Its the remains of the Tallgeese." She and Nolan exchanged glances, then locked a tractor beam onto the white suit.
* * * * * *
"Hey, Nolan, hand me that plasma inducer," the blonde asked of her companion.
She crawled out the Sabre's cockpit and held her hand out for the tool.
They, well, more acurately she, was pirating the remains of the white Gundam and applying them to her own suit. So far, her Leo had Gundainium armor, a beam cannon, and a more advanced computer system. At the moment, she was installing the hydralic system from the Tallgeese into the Sabre.
When I get finished with these upgrades, there will be no stopping the Sabre she thought joyfully. She wiped sweat out of her crysal blue eyes and continued her work.
"Ciara, don't you think you should take a break?" the black-haired man inquired, concerned for her health. "You've been working on this thing for 15 hours straight. You nest some rest."
"Yeah, in a minute," she called down, stalling for time. She heard someone climbing up the suit, then saw Nolan's face outside the cockpit.
"No, now!" He hauled her out of her seat and threw her over his shoulder.
"Hey! Put me down! Stop it!," Ciara cried in protest, her small fists beating futily against his back.
"Nope, you're taking a break, and that's final!"
"Fine,"she pouted, "Just put me down, and I'll go with you."
Nolan smiled triumphantly, "Good."
He set her down and she glared at him. She reluctantly followed the Maguanac pilot to the kitchen area of the ship. Ciara sat exhastedly at the table while Nolan searched the 'fridge for food. He appeared a few minuted later with a cup of yogurt, a twinkie, and a bottle of cheap wine.
Ciara cocked an eyebrow. "What, did you forget to run to the grocery store before we left?"
"Ha ha, very funny." Nolan plopped the food down on the table and reached for the twinkie.
"Hey!" The blonde smacked his hand waya and grabbed the cake. He muttered something about her feeling lucky and proceeded in devouring the yogurt.
'SO, Nolan," she started after a moment's silence, "I've known you for two and a half years, abd don't know how old you are."
He gave her a funny look as she took an overly big gulp of wine.
"I'm 17"
"Really? *hic* I'm 16, but you knew that already, didn'y you?"
"Hn," was his only response as he watched her guzzle the liquor. His hand shot out when the bottle became half empty.
"No more for you," Nolan commanded.
Ciara pouted, "You're *hic* not the boss *hic* of me!" He head was resting heavily on her wavering hands.
The Maguanac gave her a wry look, then chugged the remaining alcohol. The girl giggled, then passed out, her head hitting the table with a resounding thump. Nolan peered around the bottle and poked his friend with a finger.
"Hey, Ciara? What's wrong wich you?" Then, unused to binge drinking, Nolan stumbled to the bathroom, were he tripped and hit his head off the toilet seat. He lay there on the cold, tile floor, unconscience and unaware of the trouble that was about to befall them.