Title: Priorities

Notes: Since the 'alphabet scientists' are obviously working together on some level, I took a few liberties with the orders that the scientist who designed Duo's Gundam issued to his pilot/machine team. And in my world, Gundams can talk.

Duo heard the thick steel door slam shut behind Trowa, and slouched back against the side of his dark Gundam's head.

"All right, the others have left. What the hell happened out there, 'Scythe?"

"Weapons ignition malfunction," Deathscythe rumbled, tonelessly.

"That was no malfunction, you son-of-a-washing-machine! Don't lie! Why wouldn't you let me kill Zechs?"

The Deathscythe made no reply.

"Come on, please?" Duo looked into a auxiliary surveillance camera near the Deathscythe's 'ear', and cocked his head to the side.

Nothing.

"Yeah, sure, shut me out, I'm used to it..." Duo sighed, "-you're a real pain in the ass sometimes, you know that?"

"So are you," observed the Deathscythe.

"Ahh, you're talking! Good," Duo folded his arms over his chest, "-now REPORT, partner: describe the logic behind this 'malfunction' of yours."

"Destroying Zechs Marquise is not consistent with achieving our mission objectives," stated Deathscythe.

"EH?" Duo blinked. This was sounding more serious than he'd originally thought. "-Go on..."

"Specify."

"Why have you re-classified Zechs as neutral?"

"I have not re-classified Zechs Marquise as neutral. Zechs Marquise is considered a protected hostile."

"Okay, now you've REALLY lost me. -You're protecting Zechs now?"

"Yes."

"State reasoning," Duo was mentally rolling his sleeves up for a long night of Gundam de-bugging.

"Zechs Marquise's actions have, on average, been consistent with our primary mission objective."

"State our mission objectives," Duo instructed.

"Standing shared mission objectives of GMS-02-Deathscythe and GP-02-Duo Maxwell:

One, protect and provide strategic support to GMS-01-Wing and GP-01-Heero Yuy. Two, destroy OZ installations, equipment, and personnel. Three, avoid civilian casualties wherever this does not conflict with objectives one or two. Four-"

"Stop," Duo interrupted, "Zechs still works for OZ, 'Scythe. What gives?"

"Review objective one."

"Protec- -oh!" Duo smacked himself in the forehead, "-this is about Wing, isn't it? Zechs repaired Wing after the self-destruct, and now you--" he trailed off in amazement.

"Correct," confirmed the Deathscythe.

"Jeez..." Duo pushed his bangs back with one hand, and tried to think of what to say to that.

"Are we agreed on the designation of Zechs Marquise?"

"...No. I'm sorry, Deathscythe. Zechs only backed off and fixed the '01 because he wanted to finish their duel later. If Zechs attacks us again, we've got to fight him. Re-classify Zechs Marquise as... neutral. We are NOT protecting this guy, but if you want to make him fire the first shot, that's cool with me."

"You changed your mind since the beginning of this conversation," observed the Deathscythe, "-why?"

"You know what they say about gift horses, 'Scythe..."

"I require this information. You are my pilot, and I need to be aware of your priorities."

"Well don't YOU sound trusting!" snorted Duo, "...still, I see your point. Fine. I'm agreeing to this because I understand how you feel about Wing."

"Duo, I do not 'feel'," Deathscythe reminded him, "-I am simply following the mission directives."

"Yeah, right," Duo rolled his eyes, "-this from the Gundam that didn't see fit to tell me about Heero's midnight parts-raid!"

"That falls under the category of 'strategic support'," the Deathscythe retorted.

"Uh-huh."

"Tell me you would not do the same for GP-01," challenged the Gundam.

"Ahh, we don't even have the same blood type," shrugged Duo.

"I rest my case."

Duo sighed.

"I have a question," said Deathscythe.

"Shoot," Duo waved a hand vaguely. -They had long since established the contrast between the words 'shoot' and 'fire'.

"What is the difference between my programming and your 'feelings'?"

"I've wondered about that myself," admitted Duo, "-the way I figure it, feelings are like a set of directives, except that there's so many OF them that it's hard to tell which one you're gonna act on... -Except when there's that one priority that over-rides all the others, like your 'objective one'..."

"Priority 01?" guessed the Deathscythe.

"Exactly," chuckled Duo.

"Then we agree on our mission objectives."

"Call it what ever you want, 'Scythe," smirked the pilot.

"Likewise," his Gundam replied, neutrally.

-end-