I woke when Hiro knocked on the door. I knew it was Hiro because I wasn't laying next to him, and plus, I could feel him.
We spent last night watching the TV, and must have fallen asleep about three in the morning. We didn't talk much, but then, there was no need to.
Hiro walked in carrying breakfast in bed for two. I was still in my pajamas, Hiro was wearing his slightly rumpled clothes. I smiled at him.
"Good morning, Hiro."
"Good morning, Relena." He said. While no emotion was apparent on his face, I knew he was smiling with his heart. We turned on a movie and sat back to watch it as we ate breakfast.
When the movie ended, the Com beeped. "Excuse me for a second, Relena," She nodded, and I went into the hall. I looked at the caller ID; Angel's Tear.
"Yes, Noin?"
"Hiro, can... Are you busy?"
"Noin, if I was busy, I wouldn't have answered your call."
"Good point."
"Is there something to report?"
"Just this message that was sent out to everyone, and you will want to hear this."
"Will it wait?"
"How long?"
"Two days."
She hesitated. "Yes... it will."
"All right. Now, how did you find out the direct number for this communicator?"
"When you need to know, I'll tell you."
She disconnected. I shook my head at her impertinence. For a moment, I wondered over Quatre's and Noin's friendship then drifted over the relationship between Duo and Hilde, took a left at Trowa's relationship with Katherine, and then my mind stopped at Wufie.
He and Sally got along well enough, but I think that he needs someone who can truly understand war. Sally comes close, but she has never piloted a Gundam.
"Relena," I said as I walked into the room. I then froze, my mind automatically analyzing the situation.
Knowing exactly what might happen, I reached for my communicator and turned it on, broad band. All the rest of the Gundams, The Tall Mage, and PeaceMillion heard this.
"Eve."
"Hiro..." She said slowly, like through a fog. Her gun remained trained on Relena sitting in fear on her bed.
"What's Eve doing there?!" Sally asked.
"How did she get in?!" Noin asked.
"How she got in doesn't matter Noin, that she is in, and how are we going to take care of it matters." Quatre said coolly.
I fired the powered arm of Nataku, and moved it silently toward the window on the floor below Relena's room. I then grabbed my saber, and raced down Nataku's arm.
I saw him fly high, and land right behind the invader.
"It is your choice Eve, you do know that I have my sword." Wufie told her.
"Will your blade stop a bullet, Altron's pilot?"
"What do you think?" he said with complete confidence. I didn't see it happen, but the next thing I knew, there was a bullet hole near the corner to my left, her gun lay on the floor, and Wufie's sword stood at Eve's throat.
"Now, what do you think?"
"Pilot of Altron, do you think to duel with me?"
The next thing I saw was his blade in her hand at his throat.
I kicked the blade, and it landed in the ceiling.
She had the look of a caged animal. I motioned to Hiro to move.
"I. Do. Not. Want. Your. Pity!" She said and disappeared.
I leaped, grabbed my blade, and landed, silently as a cat. I bowed to them both, and left out the window, walking silently up the arm of Nataku. I pulled out the Com as I climbed into the cockpit.
"Situation averted, resume watch." I broadcasted.
"Extara?" I added.
"Yes Wufie?"
"I thought you said she was fast?"
I didn't have time to think about the fight, I ran over to the bed, I had to be certain Relena was all right.
"Hiro..." She cried and clung to me.
She cried her reaction into my shoulder.
"You... must think..." She sobbed.
"Shhh... Don't worry, Relena... You have angels guarding you." I whispered that last line, but I had no doubt that she had heard me.
"...Got that?" Hiro asked his Com as I walked into the garage.
"Roger that Hiro." Sally Po's voice came out.
"All right. I'll see you later."
"Have fun Hiro." He shut off his Com, and took out the batteries.
"We have plans?" Hiro looked at me. He nodded.
"PeaceMillion will keep an eye on us, just in case, and we have the entire weekend to ourselves."
"Really?" He nodded.
"So what do you want to do?" I laughed at that.
"No matter where we go, I'll be recognized. What should I tell them about you?"
He opened the door for me, and before he shut it, he said, "...That I'm your boyfriend?" Then he shut the door and walked slowly around.
"Then what do you say to the mall, huh Hiro?"
He nodded, started the car, and pulled out of the driveway.
I sat in the Tall Mage and watched them drive off.
My sister had betrayed me, and had dared to attack an innocent. Though, as her brother, I was able to see out of her eyes.
I saw her make that lightning fast move that disarmed Wufie, and felt her surge of triumph, then her humiliation at having to accept Hiro's movement in order to escape.
Well sister?
Brother you annoy me.
You used to love me. She said nothing. What happened Sister?
You changed.
And you changed worse. I was the one that wall fell on sister!
Then why was my soul crushed? She cried, and she was gone, Omega flying off into the distance.
I cradled my face in my left hand, and idly tapped on the keyboard.
Trowa and Katherine Barton. Duo and Hilde Maxwell. Quatre and Noin might make a good couple... but that is pretty iffy. Hiro and Relena Yuy. Then there is Wufie... Sweet as Sally is, I just can't see them together.
I sighed.
We watched them while they were in the car. I suppose Noin might have been watching them in the buildings, good as she is with security systems while she was down there. Between the Tall Mage, the SandRock, and the Angels' Tear, our bays weren't even a challenge, and even worse, I wasn't on duty.
I was bored. Wufie was on the planet, watching the Sank Fortress, so he wasn't here to hang out with. I thought about going to talk with Quatre and Noin, but decided against that. They needed time alone just as much as Hiro and Relena.
I wandered around until I found the hydroponics bay, a satisfied smile on my lips.
"Flowers always make me smile too." X said as he floated silently around the corner. "Hello."
"Hello. Your X." His smile became lopsided.
"I suppose I must be. If not, I would feel sorry for someone else because I am the only person on the ship in a chair. But you have a half of one up on me. My name is Extara Rain." He said and extended his hand.
I took his in a hand shake and introduced myself. "Sally Po."
"Delighted to meet you Ms. Po." I was flattered by the courtesy, but nonetheless...
"You can just call me Sally."
"And I'm X, but you already knew that. Might I inquire as to what brings you to the Hydroponics Garden?"
"Boredom in the fifth degree, you?"
"I wouldn't go as far as boredom, but a definite need to relax." He reached out to touch a rose. He closed his eyes and sighed. "I used to be a skateboarder. I loved to skate in gardens. With my sister at my side, we would do everything, and anything. as long as we were together, Everything would be all right...
"Wanna play some chess?" He asked me in a direct tangent from his former line of thought. He wasn't ready to traverse that memory yet. But I liked the idea of about a three minute match with an amateur.
"Sure."
She underestimated me. I can understand, but still, what else do I do all day while the Tall Mage was being built? I underestimated her as well. The match lasted all afternoon, and well into the evening hours. "Good game."
"Likewise. We'll have to play again some time." She said as she stood up and stretched. I sat back in my chair. "Not tonight though." I nodded.
"Maybe some other time. I need sleep."
"Good night then." She said as she left.
Noin and I watched a movie. Just being together, the lights low, nothing in particular to do, and nothing to look forward to but more of the same.
Until tomorrow.
But that is another story.
Hilde was waiting for me when I got home.
"Hey Duo." She said as she leaped off the couch to come put her arms around me.
"Hiya Hilde. Sorry I wasn't home last night, I had to run to the L25 cluster..." I had to stop then, because Hilde used the single most effective way for her to shut me up.
She kissed me.
Well, that's one way to end a conversation.
Before she left, Noin transferred the link to Nataku, so I saw the events unfolding in the food court of the mall where Hiro and Relena were. I saw the figure that looked so familiar, except his hair was black...
I was enjoying my time with Hiro, and since it was dinner time, I took Hiro to the food court. We got our food and found an empty table. I wasn't particularly surprised when I heard my name, but then, the voice struck cords in my mind.
"Relena."
"I don't think I've ever met your friend," The black haired youth stated from behind her. I looked him over, and was about half tempted to smile.
"My name is Tarrot Dorlyn," Zechs said extending his hand in my direction. I reached out and took it, introducing myself.
Still looking at me, Relena said, hope against hope, "Brother?"
He sat down next to her.
"It's good to see you again, Relena." She was gripping the table with strength not expected of a woman of her build. "It's me, Relena, your brother. My name is Tarrot Dorlyn. Look at me, please, sister."
She looked at me with desperation on her face.
I reached over, and put my hand on her blood drained hand holding the table. I raised my eyebrow. She nodded, braced herself and looked at the three persons sitting next to her.
Lt. Cl. Zechs Marquise, killed with the Tall Geese, a warrior with honor, but hands that were bathed in blood.
Prince Miliardo Peacecraft, loving elder brother with a slight (huge) tendency to vengeance, and a need to fight only on a level playing field.
And now, this new personality, Tarrot Dorlyn, his appearance a radical change from Either Zechs or Miliardo. His hair was black, shoulder length, and flat as usual. His clothes were also a change, wearing a black sweater, black jeans, and black space shoes.
"Tarrot? How did you ever choose such a name... brother?"
I was so relieved that she forgave me.
"Tarrot is a religion, isn't it?" Hiro asked me. I bowed my head to him.
"I wanted to see my sister tonight, little did I know what she would be accompanied by one of the Gundam Pilots," I said to Hiro, my eyes betraying the truths that only Hiro himself would know. "And now that I have seen you, Relena, I was wondering if you might have seen Ms. Lucretzia Noin recently?" She smiled slightly, Hiro looked like he wanted to, but maintained a straight face.
"Ms. Noin, I believe, is on the space craft PeaceMillion II."
"Probably hanging out with Quatre. Should I ask her to come down and see you?"
"No. I will go up and see her. Thankfully, I hadn't destroyed my shuttle."
"I'll send a message up in front of you, so you don't got shot into the atmosphere."
"Thanks Hiro."
"See you later... Tarrot."
"Good bye brother.
"Good bye Relena." I said, then kissed her on her forehead, and walked away, placing my hands into my pockets.
"This is Hiro."
"Hiro? What's up, I thought you were off duty for the next few days."
"Can you get a hold of Noin right now?"
"Right here, Hiro."
"You have a visitor coming up Noin. This is someone you will want to see as soon as possible."
"Visitor...?"
"Hello Ms. Noin."
"Hello Ms. Relena, It's good to see you."
"The gentleman coming to see you, his name is Tarrot. You DO want to meet with him."
"Roger that. Good bye."
"Bye Ms. Noin."
"See you later, Noin."
We had finished the movie early, so I went to the bridge as Quatre got ready to go to sleep. He would be woke up in a few minutes, by someone he never expected to see again.
I went down to the docking bay in time for a small red pod to come in and land. There were two people in the pod, The male got out first, then turned to give the female a hand out.
His hair was black... He looked just like him, but his hair was black. It used to be silver.
"Tarrot?" The black-haired adult looked to me and smiled. He said something to his companion.
"Ms. Noin, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Tarrot Dorlyn."
"Relena's brother?" He smiled at me.
"The very same." I never even let him finish, but I ran to him, and held him as tightly as I could.
"It's all right Noin. I'm never going away again." he said returning my hug just as hard.
I snuck around Mr. Miliardo and Ms. Noin, why he had to go see his sister first is beyond me though. The one I was looking for wasn't down there.
That's sad, a woman who can't even cry.
But I could now.
Every battle you participate in, you kill another small part of yourself.
But I'm done with battles.
"Please Trowa, don't worry about me."
"She'll be fine Quatre."
"You must live Dorothy, you must survive!"
And So I have.
Knock-knock-knock.
I stood up and put on my robe, and went to the front door. I unlocked the door, and it slid open.
"Dorothy-"
"Quatre-" We spoke at the same time, which effectively made us start laughing.
Wordlessly, I invited her in.
"Thank you Quatre."
I practiced with my sister. She threw her knives, I didn't move. Then I worked on my flips, then those same flips in my heavy arms.
Afterwards, Catherine and I went to sleep early.
The humiliation, having to accept the charity of an escape route from those who should have killed me... I would get that Chang Wufie, Son of the Dragon Clan, and I would destroy him.
I continued to watch the two as they wound their way through the mall, when they left, I sat back and wondered how Sally had spent her evening.
"Hey Wufie, what's up?" X asked.
I snored my answer.
"That interesting, huh?"
"Yeah. Watching those two is enough to make me want to..."
"Hurl?"
"Almost."
"Well, want to play a game of Chess?"
"Sure."
Naturally it was a great game, especially after the game I played against Sally.
You can tell a lot about people by engaging them in a sport of their preference. I didn't want to challenge Wufie in mobile suit Combat, so a different game of strategy was called for. Chess was perfect. I've played my sister many times before... Wufie would never win against either my sister or Sally Po. Neither would he lose.
Draw your own conclusions.
"T'was a night before Christmas, and all through the ship, not a creature was stirring, on the screens not a blip. The earth was most beautiful, an image from heaven, The stars will all twinkle, uh..."
"Like a gift sent to man." Lady Une said as she came into the bridge.
"Hey Lady, how are you?"
"Well, we're working on it, and you Howard?" I nodded.
"Yeah, we're working on it. Have we come up with any ideas on The Hiro-Relena situation?" She brought a cup of hot chocolate over to me. "Hey, thanks!"
"Well, that depends entirely on The Omega and her pilot. If she continues to attack Hiro and-or Relena, we can use that for public relations, the more the public likes the match of Hiro and Relena, the better for all concerned."
"So we hire Hiro as a bodyguard for her, that puts him in the public eye with her."
"She'll not like moving out of her Jet."
"Well then, I play a little game of transformer with her Jet and his Wing-Zero." I sat at a terminal, and brought up images of the Queen and Zero (in rapid transfer mode), pointed them in the same direction, and found a way to make the systems talk to each other, specifically, a new door into the Cockpit of the Zero.
"Hiro isn't going to like you messing with the Zero."
"There is nothing wrong with planning. Hiro says he isn't to be disturbed more than absolutely necessary while she is on vacation. We'll run this past him later."
"Relena doesn't have a guardian... but I'll talk to her. First we need to convince her. After I have her convinced, then you can talk with Hiro."
"I think Ze-... Uh, that is Tarrot should be the one to tell him."
"Zechs is back... I don't know weather to be happy or scared."
"Your wrong, Lady. Zechs is dead, he died with the Tall Geese. Even Miliardo Peacecraft was killed, though arguably he killed himself. Tarrot Dorlyn is Relena's brother. That is how it should be."
"Does he still Pilot Epyon?"
"Nah, He's got a shuttle made of the Left foot of the Epyon, and the lower leg. Under the circumstances, not even I could have done better." I took a drink of my hot chocolate, and put more commands to the computer. "There. A little too Power Rangers, but Hiro will be OK with it."
"What?"
I chuckled a bit. "Don't worry about it Lady. It's time we went to bed too," She nodded and stood. "Computer, activate Al."
AL online.
"Good night Al."
Good night Lady, Howard.
The next day, Hiro and I spent all day at home. We watched movies all day.
With one thing and another, I think I was about to cry. First Hiro. How long would he be by my side? If he asked, We would be wed on the morrow, I know. And my brother... Alive! I wonder what Quatre's going to do now. Noin never quit loving my brother, I know...
While I'm on that thought, what about Wufie? Sally has a way with him... She can explain things to him with enough illogic to make sense to him, but I wonder if they could ever actually hook up...
"Hey, Hiro, What do you think Quatre will do?"
"Hmmm..." he pulled out his communicator, Linked to Zero, and from there, to the Camera in Quatre's room, and then activated the holographic system. Much like Hiro and I were Quatre was snuggled up on the couch with Dorothy Catalonia.
My jaw dropped, and he deactivated his communicator.
"What do you think about Wufie?" Hiro asked me.
"Him and Sally wouldn't make a bad couple..."
"But?"
"I don't know. I think it's something about their suit of preference. Wufie his Nataku, Sally her Leo... but more than that..." I just shrugged. Hiro wrapped his arm around me.
"It's alright, thanks."
Just then the phone rang. I looked to Hiro, and then went to answer the phone.
"Relena?"
"Hello Lady Une, how are you doing?"
"I'm doing wonderfully, Relena, thank you for asking. I was wondering if you might have a moment we could talk tomorrow, say over lunch?"
"What about Hiro?"
"He can come along, his input will be useful as well. I'll pick you up at 11:30, alright?"
"Roger that!"
"Good bye, Relena,"
"Good bye, Lady."
Kathy and I were at the mall. She wanted to see if she could find a better clown mask for me, I guess. I had a different reason for being there.
"Mr. Barton! Welcome back! I assume this to be the Lady Catherine?"
"Yes, this is her."
"Trowa?" Catherine asked me, confused. The jeweler went behind the partition, and I pointed a ring out to her.
"What do you think of that one?"
"It's beautiful, but Trowa, what are we doing in a jewelry store?"
"Here you are Mr. Barton," The jeweler said, bringing a small ring case with him. "Just as you requested." I took the small black box from the hand of the Jeweler.
"Exactly?" I asked.
"Exactly as you requested." he assured me with a nod.
I nodded, and turned to Catherine.
"Cathy, you alone saw through all of my armor, and showed me what I needed to know in order to live for life... not death. My life is a direct result from your intervention." I turned the jewelry box to face her. "And I love you for it."
I dropped to bended knee, and opened the box.
"Will you marry me?"
I had gotten bored waiting outside the mansion, so I reactivated the link just in time to see Trowa and Catherine enter the Jewelry store. When Trowa dropped to one knee... my mind short-circuited.
Kathy could only nod as Trowa put the ring on her finger. I shut down the link.
Sally Po. Former Alliance Major Sally Po, MD. Currently employed by PeaceMillion... Just like the five of us.
She is lovely, isn't she?
"Who?" Duo asked. I hadn't realized he had been contacting me. I hadn't realized I had spoken out loud.
"Sally."
"Might I just ask what brought this question about?"
"Trowa just proposed to Kathy."
"Really?! That's great! How do you know this?" I sent him a data burst with the video, the whole sequence.
"So we don't know that this happened, right?"
"Right."
"All right then. So what are your thoughts on the Omega?"
I called up all the info on the Gundam Omega.
"She is after something, what, I'm not sure, but it has to do with us five, and our girlfriends."
"As per Sally..." Duo stated.
"What?" I asked him sharply.
"Well... To each his own." Duo was already escaping, and I didn't feel like chasing him.
Instead, I checked my email. There was an invitation to A Christmas party from Relena. I raised my eyebrow.
Somewhere on PeaceMillion...
"So what do you think?"
"I think it's beautiful, Quatre, no matter where you are, the stars give you hope."
"Yes, they do. So where have you been?"
"Libra, of course, thinking."
"What about?"
"A lot of things... My parents, my grandfather, my life up to now, and what my life could be. Mostly you. I kept wondering, even after I had ran you through with a fencing blade, you wanted to make sure I was all right. Why?"
Quatre's hand went over his heart. "A curse of nature," he replied with a sigh. Dorothy put her hand on Quatre's face, just under his right ear.
"Kindness isn't a curse Quatre. Never a curse."
Dorothy had been... unmasked by her recent, and I use the term loosely, trials. Her eyes were no longer guarded, though they remained the cold blue they always were. She wore a solid black ship suit, no pockets at all, no purse, and somewhere, she had acquired a cross, she wore it around her neck. Her hair was now shoulder length, though it looked like she had done it with dull scissors. She had grown thin in the time she spent on the remains of Libra.
Now that her heart had shown through, no one could ever have claimed anything other than beauty for her.
"Relena, Hiro, good morning," as I knew he would, Hiro only nodded.
"Good morning Lady Une." If you happened to be paying attention, you may have noticed that his expression softened to the point it might be considered a smile.
"I thought we might go to Marionette's for lunch." Once more, Hiro nodded as he climbed into the drivers seat of my car. I handed him the keys and got in the back seat, leaving the front for Relena.
"So what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Well, two days ago, Eve had managed to sneak past PeaceMillion surveillance, two Gundams, and she climbed outside the building to get into your room." Hiro looked at me in the rear view mirror, warning me.
"The point is, I think you'd be better off with a body guard." Hiro looked at me in the rearview mirror again, confused this time. Relena understood right away.
"Someone who would be by my side all the time, someone to watch and make sure no one else can get close enough to draw a gun on me. Someone to keep me safe."
"Did you have someone in mind?" Hiro asked.
"Actually, yes. but we haven't discussed this with this person yet.
"And if he says no?" Relena asked.
"Well, I doubt he will, but we'll simply find someone else."
"I have to approve of this person."
"Of course Relena, you will be spending the most time with this person." My alarm went off. Idly, I shut it off. The mission had been accepted.
Hiro looked at me in the rearview mirror.
I had listened to the conversation, Zechs, that is, Tarrot was listening as well. After she had agreed with Lady Une, I turned to Tarrot, a question in my eyes. He nodded. I smiled and set off Lady Une's watch alarm.
"So Howard, how is the new suit coming?"
"Dyne's doing great, he'll be done within a month."
"Good. I am still a Gundam pilot, am I not?" I nodded. "Then, I need a suit."
"Well, I think that if you refrain from piloting a suit, you might not become part of Eve's attack..."
"Eve is not something I'm worried about."
"You should be. She blows the doors off you and Epyon by almost two times."
"How about me and Dyne?"
"Too close to tell right now. Not even Hiro's had a good fight with her. We have very little battle data..." but he was already gone.
"You ready Lu?" Tarrot asked me, whereas Zechs had always called me Noin.
"Always Tarrot, shall we?" He nodded and we took off from PeaceMillion. He piloted his shuttle very well. The techs must have fixed everything that was wrong with it.
We went down to earth, to the Sank Fortress. Hiro and Relena wouldn't be back for an hour yet. We landed in the Mobile suit bay I had installed in the Compound. There were still six land Taurus' here. Tarrot walked right past them to the elevator.
"May I help you?"
"Hello Pagan, it's good to see you again. It's me, Tarrot Dorlyn."
"Relena's brother. Welcome home Tarrot, and Ms. Noin, you are always welcome here."
"Thank you Pagan."
Tarrot, impatient, asked; "Have they been staying in the same room?"
"They are never more than twenty feet from each other."
"I need to talk to him alone as soon as he gets home. Lu here can talk to Relena while I talk to Hiro. It shouldn't take too long."
"Will you be staying here tonight, Tarrot?"
"I don't-"
"Yes Pagan, we will be." Pagan looked at Tarrot, who nodded. He looked at me and raised his eyebrow. "And miss the chance for a decent meal, I don't think so." Tarrot smiled and talked to Pagan in a hushed voice. Pagan walked off and Tarrot led me to the music room.
'You should go to him.'
I know.
'Why don't you go to him?'
I can't.
'And why not?'
Because he wouldn't want me.
'Sally, look at yourself over the past year! You were the one who approached Lady Une with the idea of the spaceship base for the Preventers, and it was YOU who insisted you hire the four, and supply the fifth!'
Yes, Quatre, Duo, Trowa... Most of all Wufie. Hiro... I wanted him to be able to see her... Even if it took a year and a letter to get them to talk to each other.
"Wufie..." Justice can only be served by those who have been served an injustice. This is how he thinks. He is Chinese, a samurai, a warrior.
A soul of honor.
"Hey Sally."
"Then why doesn't he realize..."
"Sally?" Wufie asked.
"Wufie?!"
"Are you all right Sally?
"Uh... da... Yeah! Yeah... doin' fine, and you?" We had slept in the same bed often enough (anytime we were both on the base at the same time), why is he so blind?
"I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner with me tonight."
My mind Froze.
"Dinner?" I repeated.
"Yeah, you know? We borrow a car from Relena, drive out to the Colony, order dinner, argue about what super hero is better, Spiderman or Batman, and then... Whatever." I could hear the shrug in his voice.
"...Yeah, that would be... nice."
"Good then... Will you need a ride down here?"
"Nah... I'll just borrow the Angel's tear. If I can't, I'll call you back, all right?"
"Perfect. I'll meet you out front of the Sank compound at 6:00, all right?"
"Perfect. See you then."
"Good bye."
I must have missed something there, regardless, I was already dialing Noin's number.
Lu's Com went off just as they were pulling in. My sister burst through the French doors and ran right over to give me a hug. Hiro stood in the door. He almost smiled. He nodded, and turned to walk away.
"Hiro!" He looked back at me.
"Yes Zechs, mission accepted, but not until tomorrow!" I did smile.
"Thank you Hiro, but please, call me Tarrot."
"Very well, Tarrot."
"Hiro?" Relena asked.
"I'll be back in a second, ask Tarrot to tell you."
"Brother?" He looked to where Hiro had just been.
"Your bodyguard." I said, nodding in that direction.
My jaw hit the floor.
"Lady... Hiro... you?!"
"Lady Une's idea, Hiro has very wide open senses. I was asked to request Hiro's services."
"Hiro... How... I..." I was hopelessly confused, and ready once more to cry.
"Come on Relena, What do you say we go for a swim?" Noin came over and put her hand on my shoulder. "It'll make you feel better." I nodded.
They went off to get Relena's suit, and Tarrot walked just outside the music room, and turned to me.
"Howard told me to give you this, and he says to let him know if you don't like any of the changes, or can think of things to add." He handed me a disk.
"Will you be here tonight yet?"
"Yes."
"I'll read it later then. How is your new suit going?"
"What new suit?" I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "Dyne will take a month."
"Good. The skirmish I was in with her tells me that even at full strength, the fight would be difficult, I may not even win."
"I'm not sure about Dyne's ability-"
"Show the Plans to X. He'll be able to up it."
"X?"
"Ask Howard." I said and walked to the pool.
The disk contained information on alterations to her jet and Zero, I read them, and then understood everything. I smiled as I shook my head.
"Isn't that against regulations?" Noin asked. She wore a green tank top and blue jeans, typical sleepwear for her.
"How many people did you tell about my little problem?"
"What brought this up?" I gestured to the screen where an image of The Queen Zero still lay. "I had told Lady and Sally. That's all."
I reached over and turned on my communicator. "Lady Une?"
"Yes Hiro?"
"This was your idea?"
"Yes."
I only nodded. "Mission accepted. Did X approve of these designs?"
"No, would you like him to?"
"Yes. And ask him to find a weapon for the Queen. An unobtrusive weapon."
"Roger that." I hung up.
"What's your call?" I said nothing as I tapped out a few more keys, then shut down the computer, then grabbed the hard copy.
"Good night Noin."
"Are you sure you have to go?" Dorothy asked me. I held my communicator out to her.
"Call me in a half hour." I folded her hands around the Com and squeezed them.
Then I left.
X met me in the bay.
"Me 'n' you?" He asked me.
"Yep."
"Quatre!"
"Sally?" I looked to her and my jaw hit the floor. She wore a flaming red dress, and her hair...
"Can you give me a ride down to earth?" I was confused and it showed.
"Hunting tonight?" X asked her. She smiled wolfishly. "I can take you, Sally. I have the obvious space in the second cockpit of the Tall Mage."
"Thanks X, your an angel."
"Ready Quatre?" He asked me.
"Uh... yeah. Ready X."
We landed outside the Sank Compound. Sally used her line to get out of the Tall Mage's upper cockpit, and ran all the way to the Front Gate, no easy task in her clothes. There was a green Jeep sitting in front of the gate.
My Com bleeped.
"Hello, Dorothy."
"Hello, Quatre."
My machine and I stood just outside of their sensor range. How simple it would be to kill almost all of them. Wufie and Sally by the front Gate, My dear brother, Relena and Hiro, Zechs and Noin... but I stayed my hand.
Quatre was there, but Dorothy was up on the station. Duo and Hilde were no where to be found, Trowa and Katherine were on the L4 colony with their circus. I flashed in, stopped in front of first the Tall Mage, then SandRock, and then back out.
Sister? I did not respond. I know your there. Well, I know your listening. You haven't been there for almost a year. It breaks my heart.
Their hearts break every day. I only want that to end. I said and then left.
"Hey X, did she actually attack?" Howard asked me.
"No. She just wanted to let us know that there was nothing we could do to stop her."
"I see. Well. Do me a favor X, take a look at these plans." He sent me a data burst. I scanned the data and saw two sets of plans, one for the Wing Zero and The Queen; The second set of plans were for a new mobile suit called Dyne.
"Who is Dyne for?" I asked bringing those plans to the front. "Tarrot Dorlyn?" I asked in confusion when he told me.
"Relena's brother, the original pilot of the Tall Geese."
"Oh! That makes sense... almost. Did you want my opinion, or did you want me to see if I could make it faster?"
"Any improvements you could make, X, would be a blessin'."
"What about Wing Zero and Queen?"
"Hiro says he wants an unobtrusive weapon for the queen, other than that he wanted your approval."
"Maybe we could get some lasers... put them on the bottom curving around the front like this?" I said tracing the design on my side screen for Howard to see.
"We don't have anything like that."
"Yeah we do, the Tall Mages staff."
"So that's what that is?"
"Yeah, it's a crystal that responds to thought."
"Well, We'll have to talk about that... big yawn ... tomorrow. I need sleep."
"Good night Howard."
"Later X."
I stayed up working on those plans. Obviously the Queen Zero was quicker, but Howard had done a good job on this.
Dyne on the other hand...
I woke up the next morning, but didn't get up right away. It was just before dawn, I really wanted to go back to sleep... but I needed to spell X and Quatre.
I looked down at Hilde. I reached over softly and moved a strand of hair away from her nose.
How did I ever get so lucky? I wondered to myself for the millionth time in the past twelve hours. I gently kissed her forehead, then got out of bed, tucking her into the bed against the cold. I got dressed and walked to the door. Before I left, I looked once more at the girl who changed my entire life.
Hilde... She rolled over in her sleep, her arm landed where I had been a few moments ago. I expected her to go back to sleep.
She sat up in bed, and looked around frantically, then she spotted me by the door. "Duo?"
I walked over to her, and hugged her.
"I have to go guard the Sank compound."
"I'll go with you." I shook my head softly.
"Not enough space in the DeathScythe." Then she'd ask me for a Leo. I shook my head on that too.
"I'll be back in time for Dinner. Give me a call in an hour." I hugged her again, gave her a quick kiss, then I was gone.
But only just outside the door, where I turned back to her.
"I love you, Hilde."