E 2 Part 2:

No narration. Cut directly to people gathering to monitors, and communicators throughout Earth and the Colonies. Relena is seen addressing the people. She is dressed in the white uniform of the Peacecrafts. Include various shots of people watching and reacting to her speech as she speaks. She is speaking from Lana's control room. Noyn is watching from a monitor in Zechs' room.

(R) "People of the Colonies and Earth. I am Relena Darlian, though many of you may recognize me as representative Peacecraft, and Vice-foreign minister. I have some grave news to deliver to you all today. It is imperative that you do not panic, and follow the orders of your sector or country leaders.

"Sensors have detected an alien force heading for our sector of the galaxy. We do not know their intentions yet, but we are taking whatever precautions we can to protect all of humankind. I have been asked to personally inform you as the situation unfolds. Earlier today, leaders from the Colonies, and Earth met to discuss the matter.

"Procedures will have been decided upon by this hour, and following this announcement your sector, or country leaders will provide local information for your specific needs…"

*Quick shot of Zechs and Noyn in the medical lab. Close up of Zechs. His brow furrows as he hears Relena's voice. We hear a slight sound from him, as he turns his head. Noyn attends to him.

(R) "Once again, it is vitally important that you follow all instructions after this announcement, and do not panic. Thank you for your cooperation."

*End transmission. Symbol of the Earth and the Colonies on-screen. Cut to Relena standing in Lana's control room.

(L) "Well –done. I knew you would have the instinct for what to say. Showing the people everything at once would cause panic indeed…. Even chaos."

Relena turns around, and faces Lana with a little distaste.

(L) "What is it?"

(R) "I'm not sure I can trust you. You're not open about yourself, and furthermore, you were party to the creation of the mobile suit that drove my brother insane."

Lana is unshaken.

(L) "The Epyon was designed to show its pilot their worst possible future. It was meant to drive the pilot away from it. Zechs… CHOSE his future, Relena."

(R) "But how could he escape his future then?"

(L) (Gently) "Relena, the future is indefinite. It is a choice of many paths for everyone combined. The Epyon had the capability for the best future or the worst in its design. If its pilots saw the best, they may cease to fight for it to happen, or become addicted to the use of the system. With the worst outcome, they would do anything to avoid it, or desire to fight no longer. Either that, or they would choose to fight their worst future at all costs."

Lana takes a step forward,… no longer gentle.

(L) "The Epyon was designed to end the war in case I could not with my new technology. I knew the Epyon would be flown by Treize, Zechs, and possibly even Heero. Those people were the major forces in the war. If I could stop them from fighting, I hoped I could stop the war."

Lana is cast in a commanding light, now.

(L) " The Epyon worked. For all but ONE person. Zechs CHOSE the very fate my machine warned him about…. I own no guilt for that."

Relena looks a little stunned, and puts her head down.

(L) "I did not mean to be harsh."

(R) "It's o.k, I asked." She pulls herself together. "I never thanked you for taking care of my brother. I should have been more understanding. And indeed, we would all be in trouble without your help, right now."

(L) (Unsure how to reply) "Uh… Thank you."

Suddenly, a messenger comes running into the room… he salutes.

(M) "Ma'am!"

(L) "Yes?"

(M) "Zechs has just regained consciousness!"

*Cut to next scene. Noyn is seated next to Zechs' bed in the medical lab. The woman in the wheelchair is occasionally checking him out during the first half of the scene. The oxygen mask is off. The I.V. is still in. He looks sleepy, but stronger."

(N) "I'm just so grateful you're alive."

Relena races in, followed by Lana, walking. Lana stops just halfway inside the doorway.

(Z) "Relena,…" He reaches his arms out, a little weakly.

(R) "Milliardo!" (She hugs him).

(Z) "Is there peace?"

(R) "Well, yes… uh…"

(Z) "Oh good. I had a terrible dream that the Colonies and Earth were still at war. I could hear your voice addressing them all."

(R) "Well, I… was."

Relena straightens, and Zechs looks confused.

(R) "There is a new threat, now."

Zechs looks worried, of course but then he spots…. :

(Z) (Gasp!) "LANA!! I thought you were dead!"

(L) "You were not too far from the truth." She approaches the foot of the bed. She indicates the wheel-chair-bound doctor. "This is Chief Medical Officer Ashe Burton. She co-designed the technology that saved you. She will be giving you orders for your health."

The woman smiles, and nods at him before continuing her work. Her eyes are a startling gray.

(Z) "What's with the mask?"

(L) "Oh, I dunno,… I liked your style."

Zechs manages a soft laugh.

(L) "But seriously, I don't think you're ready to see what's underneath it yet.."

(Z) "Alright. Have it your way… FOR NOW."

Lana smiles, ironically.

(L) "I had better have it my way! My training saved your life several times, my men saved you yet again, and our technology saved you yet again! How many is that now,.. hmmm…."

(Z) "You sound like you're trying to defend yourself from something."

(L) "You were found in the wreck of the Epyon."

Zechs shrugs, and closes his eyes, leaning back.

(L) "You of all people should remember my participation in the Epyon project."

Flashback to the episode in the previous series when Treize said goodbye to Lady Une in his pictures, and brought out the Epyon. The woman standing behind him is wearing a blue uniform with a white rose. We see now without the fog that it is Lana.

In the present, Lana walks up to Zechs a little menacingly.

(L) "It was designed to frighten you away from your worst outcomes. You chose to EMBRACE them."

(Z) "I don't have the strength to defend myself right now."

Lana backs away from him.

(L) "You will have other opportunities. And besides. I need no apologies. However, many others do."

She folds her arms, defensively.

(L) "Still, doubtless I will understand in the end. I will probably even forgive you, even if I don't agree. But… you already know that, don't you?"

Zechs nods, and does not look worried anymore. He even smiles a bit.

(L) "In any case, you actions during the war have just become obsolete. We're going to need as many Gundam pilots as possible with this new Alien threat."

(Z) "WHAT?!?!" Zechs starts to get up, and Noyn practically forces him back down.

(L) "The Gundam pilots are already here."

(Z) (With a hand to his head) "Does Heero know I'm alive?"

(L) "Yes."

(Z) "……….."

Ashe Burton leaves. Her work is done for now. Lana turns to leave, speaking to Zechs on her way."

(L) "Heero will forgive you as I will."

(Z) "How can you be sure?"

Lana faces him again.

(L) "You fought with him… you figure it out."

Lana has reached the door.

(Z) "Wait,"

Lana turns ½ way, traditionally hiding her right side.

(Z) "Aren't you a Gundam pilot as well?"

Lana visibly stiffens. Her shoulders go up, and she takes a quick, sharp breath.

(L) (Facing back away from everyone.) "Yes."

(Z) "What are YOU going to do?"

(L) "My technology still needs work. It's too soon to use it in combat. In the meantime I will update the Gundams, and Repair the Epyon."

Lana leaves.

Relena approaches Zechs.

(R) "Milliardo, I forgive you."

Zechs smiles at her.

(Z) "I'm still not sure if we're even on the same side."

(R) "It doesn't matter. Nothing can make you stop being my brother."

She hugs him again. Sweet music. Dissolve to next scene.

*Lana is walking down a dark hallway alone. There are several security doors on either side. Just before the end of the hallway, she turns to a door on the right. Over the door, a sign reads "Code Delta Security". She puts a hand to the sensor, and the door opens for her. She enters, and walks down a long platform high above the floor. It is low gravity.

The Gundam pilots are busily working on their suits. Lana strolls among them. Wufei is using a blowtorch on Nataku with the help of two other engineers. Trowa asks Heero for assistance, and Heero leaves Zero for Heavyarms. He leaps over the walkway in low gravity. Quatre is at a lit computer on the walkway with Fioree.

(Q) "Wow,.. I never thought I could get the supplies to DO that!"

Both Quatre and Fioree are momentarily distracted by Lana's passing. They both give a concerned look, and then return to their work. Duo leans out of the Deathscythe to wave, and call-out:

(D) "Hey, Lana! Thanks for the tune-up!!" Before returning to his work with one or two other engineers.

Lana exits the platform, and the code-delta-doors close behind her.

Cue eerie music.

In slow motion… as if in a nightmare… Lana turns to face the end of the hallway. The door at the end is dimly lit, and we can make out the words:

"Code Alpha Security—LINCS Project"

"NO ENTRY"

Over the image of the door, a flashback plays. It is like a double- exposed photograph. Eerie music continues. Superimposed over the door, is an image of space. The stars rapidly move in this direction and that as if the image is floundering helplessly in space. We hear Lana's heavy breathing. Fioree's anxious voice comes over the radio….

-Lana! Commander Lynx! PLEASE RESPOND!!!-

Breathing. Lana's voice is weak.

-eric-

-Commander! WHATS HAPPENING?!?!-

Lana answers faintly at first, and then screaming.,…

-It's too much… too much…. IT'S TOO MUCH !… TOO----

Lana screams outright in the flashback. That scream is chocked by a sudden gargle. Then the flashback goes black, and we see nothing but the door again.

In the present, from Lana's point of view, the Alpha Security Door gets fuzzy, and turns sideways….. as Lana collapses to the floor.

Fade to black. Fade to white.



Lana awakes in the medical lab. They have apparently removed Zechs. (Switch back to our view of the room instead of Lana's) Heero is sitting on the side of her bed, next to her. She is not hooked-up to any equipment.

(H) "Lana?"

(L) "Mmmmmph.. how… long… Have I been out?"

(H) "About three hours."

Lana tries to get up, but Heero gently stops her at a sitting position. He is insistent.

(H) "What happened?"

(L) "It was… the memory. I'm alright now, but when I saw the A.S. door, I…." She tries to shake it out of her head. "I didn't expect," Her voice trembles a little. Heero moves closer to her on the bed, and wraps his arms around her. Lana seems very angry with herself in this scene. It is apparent even though her mask is still on.

(L) "I can't use the LINCS in battle yet. I wish I could help you. I wish…(Sigh*) That machine can BEAT those things, you know!"

(H) "You don't know that."

(L) "I do… it CAN… I just need to adjust the trainer. There are some major differences between the two that left me unprepared."

(H) "Maybe you should fly Zero, and I could fly the LINCS."

(L) "NO!!!" She grips Heero by the arm, facing him now. "That thing's high speeds could create physical damages that your body is not ready for! At least with this new heart, I can be sure I'll be able to take it!"

(H) "But not your mind."

Lana breaks,.. an buries her face in Heero's shoulder. She can no longer escape her frustration. Her shoulders shake. Heero is wise enough to remain quiet for a moment before he speaks.

You were always the better scientist, or assassin than a pilot. You should stick with that. Especially now, that Dr. J. is gone."

(L) "Gone?"

(H) "Duo was there (Scenes from the episode). The Gundam Scientists fired the Libra engines one final time to re-direct it from hitting the Earth. They were killed in the resulting explosion. Duo could fill you in."

(L) "Dr. J. was like a father to me after….."

(H) "He was as so to me too."

Lana straightens with renewed strength, wiping a tear.

(L) "No,… they've survived worse. I have hope for them yet."

Heero nods, and stands up.

(H) "So you're alright?"

(L) "Physically," She swings her legs off the bed. "Did anyone else see?"

(H) "Fioree and Quatre. Fioree helped me bring you in. He was very concerned."

(L) "He was on radio communication during the accident."

(H) "You should let him know you're alright."

(L) "I will," She puts a hand to her forehead. Heero prepares to leave.

(H) "So when are you going to get me into the High Gravity Chamber again?"

(L) "You already have access." She sees his look. "Oh. You want the new safety code, don't you. It's A-D-I-N-1-8-0."

Heero looks at her strangely for a moment, then leaves. We follow him. It seems to be part of the night by now. Most of the medical staff has left. On his way out, Heero spots a communicator, and activates it.

(H) "Lieutenant Fioree,"

(F) Yes, Sir!"

(H) "She will contact you as well, but you wanted to know from me as soon as Lana awoke."

(F) "Thank you, Heero." We can see Fioree's obvious relief on the communicator image of him.

(H) "I also wanted to thank YOU."

(F) "For what. Sir?"

(H) "Monitoring the colony while she was injured…. And I would like to thank you very much for heading up her care after the accident."

(F) "It was a matter of personal concern, Sir. It was nothing."

(H) "Still, I hope to repay you one day."

(F) "Well-accepted, Heero. Over and out."

*Beep. The communicator shuts off. Cut to Heero walking down the security hallway alone. As he walks, we see a large, white door on his left. On it's front is a sign that reads:

"H-G-C Code Gamma Security."

Heero looks at it, then thinks better of going in just yet. He passes by, and looks almost like he will go in the Code Delta door, but he stops. He spots the Alpha Security Door. He walks up to it, and places his hand on the sensor. A computer responds:

"You do not have Alpha Security. Access denied."

We hear Heero's inner voice.

-I wonder who else might have Alpha security access. There's no way any medical team could help Lana during an accident without it.-

(H) "Hmmm……"

Heero instead, goes over to the Delta security doors, and enters the room. He returns to the update of Wing Zero, now that he's returned. We see a few shots of the other Gundam pilots finishing off their work on their own suits. Slowly fade to a shot of the Alpha Security door. Eerie music. End of episode.