Chapter 2: Heero meets the Minerva

The alarms were going off inside the ZAKU that the green eyed pilot known as Athrun was flying.

'Not good,' said Athrun. 'I don't think I'll be able to pull myself up before I hit the water, this is going to hurt.'

Athrun then braced himself for the impact that was about to come. Suddenly his radar beeped as he noticed a mobile suit flying towards him.

'Need a hand?' asked the red eyed pilot as he neared Athrun.

'Don't Shinn; the Impulse doesn't have enough thrust to keep both mobile suits in the air' replied Athrun as he felt the Impulse grab onto the ZAKU.

'Why do you have to say something so noble?'

'Well what would you rather have me say?'

'Something like "Save me you bastard"'

'Alright, if that's what you want'

'No that was just an example'

On board the Minerva the radar went off as the two mobile suits were in range.

'Captain, we have the Impulse and ZAKU insight' said Meyrin as the IFF for the ZAKU and Impulse appeared on the radar.

'Get as close as you can and fire a signal flare to show our location,' ordered Gladys.

'Yes Mam.'

Just as Shinn noticed the flare and started to fly towards the Minerva, Heero in Wing Zero also caught sight of the bright object.

'That's them Zero,' said Hero as he flew towards the ship.

'The unknown mobile suit from Junius Seven is on radar captain. The pilot is trying to make contact.'

'Open up the line Meyrin.'

'Yes Mam.'

'This is Heero Yuy, pilot of the Gundam Wing Zero,' said Heero as he kept out to the ships guns range.

'This is Thalia Gladys, captain of the ZAFT battle ship Minerva. We are in your debt for your help in destroying Junius Seven'

'ZAFT?Then perhaps you could repay that debt by letting me land on your ship?'

'That seems fair. Permission granted Heero Yuy, please head towards the landing platform.'

'Roger that' replied Heero as he guided Wing Zero towards the ship.

'Meyrin, add the unkwon mobile suit to the library and label it as Wing Zero.'

'Yes Mam.'

Suddenly the radar went off as a large object came at the Minerva.

'Captain, a large object is about to hit the Minerva. It looks like a piece of Junius Seven,' said Meyrin.

'Can you hit it with the rear guns?' asked Gladys.

'No Mam, the guns took damage during the Junius Seven operation, and it we move the ship we'll loose Athrun and Shinn.'

'Damn it,' grunted Gladys as she slammed her fist on the console.

Just as Heero had the ship in sight his radar went off indicating the falling object heading towards the Minerva.

'We need to stop that meteor Zero,' said Heero as Zero's eyes flashed and Heero hit the boosters to maximum.

'Captain, the unknown mobile suit is heading in between the Minerva and the meteor,' said Meyrin.

'Let's hope he can get the in time,' replied Gladys.

Heero flew Wing Zero towards the meteor and in mid flight spun around and transformed back into mobile suit mode.

'Did he just transform his mobile suit in mid air at that speed?' asked Gladys in awe. 'He must be one hell of a pilot to do that.'

Heero then hovered Wing Zero at the rear of the Minerva as he aimed the Twin-Buster Rifle for the umpteenth time that day. He waited till it was close enough to be considered too close for comfort, then fired and blasted the meteor into a billion tiny pieces that only scratched Wing Zero and the Minerva.

'Thank god for that,' said Gladys. 'We owe that pilot our lives, again.'

Just then Wing Zero landed at the rear the same time the Impulse landed with the ZAKU.

'It's that mobile suit,' said Shinn as he caught sight of Wing Zero.

'Captain, all three mobile suits on board,' said Meyrin.

'Good, let's try and land somewhere safe,' ordered Gladys.

'Yes Mam,' replied the pilot of the Minerva.

The pilot of the Minerva then guided the ship towards the surface of the ocean and landed with a thud and splash.

The Impulse walked into the hanger and placed the damaged ZAKU on the ground before walking to his spot in the hanger. Just as Shinn had powered down the Impulse, Wing Zero entered the hanger and walked to an empty spot opposite the other mobile suits.

'Can these people be trusted Zero?' asked Heero as he saw a group of people stand in front of Wing Zero, one he recognised as the captain. 'Roger that Zero, we'll be careful till we find out what we need.'

Heero then powered down Wing Zero and opened up the cockpit. To everyone's surprise Wing Zero didn't turn grey like the Impulse, instead it was still blue and white. As Heero grabbed a hold of the cord and lowered himself to the ground, the people gathered could only gaze in awe at the pilot.

'He's so young,' said Arthur to Gladys.

As Heero walked up to the captain, Gladys froze to the spot as she looked into the deep blue eyes that showed nothing but cold, darkness and death.

'I'm Heero Yuy and this is Wing Zero,' said Heero in a cold monotone voiced that matched his emotionless face.

Gladys shook herself out of the trance that Heero's eyes put her in and held out her hand.

'Thalia Gladys, Captain of the Minerva.'

Heero reluctantly took her hand all the while not taking his eyes off of everyone and everything.

'We are in your debt Heero, not only did you save the Earth from destruction but you saved this ship as well.'

'It's my job as a Gundam pilot. But in return could you please rearm and repair Wing Zero as well as answer some questions that I have?'

'Yes, I also have some questions for you. But first, why didn't your mobile suit turn grey when it powered down? Does it have continual Phase Shift Armour?'

'No, Zero is made from Gundamium; I don't even know what Phase Shift Armour is'

'Gundamium?' asked Arthur with a blank look on his face.

'I think better continue this conversation in my office, but first I bet you want to change out of your flight suit and freshen up. Lunamaria,' called Gladys as magenta haired girl in a red uniform with a pink mini skirt walked up to Heero and the group. When Heero caught sight of her he got a strange feeling that he'd never felt before as he looked into those bright violet eyes.

'Yes Captain?' asked Lunamaria.

'Would you be so kind to take Heero to an empty room?'

'Yes Man,' replied Lunamaria as she looked at the brown haired, blue eyed pilot. The look in his eyes made her fell like ice they were that cold.

'I'll get my bag first,' replied Heero as went back to Zero.

As he walked back to the group he noticed some mechanics looking with lust at Wing Zero and some had already reached the cockpit.

'I wouldn't do that' said Heero just as one mechanic was about to step in.

'Why not?' asked a mechanic with black hair and an orange streak.

'Because if anyone tries to touch the cockpit, Zero will activate its self-destruct and blow up and take this ship and everyone onboard with it.'

The mechanics had a look of fear on their faces and started to walk away from Wing Zero altogether.

'You've got to be joking,' said Shinn.

Heero just looked at Shinn and said 'Try me.'

The look Shinn received made him shut his mouth.

'Just reload the machine cannons on the shoulders and replace any armour, I'll take care of the computer when I get back.' Heero then turned back to Lunamaria and said. 'Let's go.'

Lunamaria then led Heero towards the elevator out of the hanger. They were about to get in when the blonde haired girl in a maroon suit ran past them towards the pilot of the damaged ZAKU.

'You had me worried Athrun,' she said as she wrapped her arms around him.

'I'm fine Cagalli,' replied Athrun as Heero and Lunamaria stepped into the elevator and Lunamaria pressed the button for the sleeping quarters.

There was an uneasy silence as the two stood in the elevator. Lunamaria wanted to say something but she felt uneasy around the young pilot. When the elevator stopped they got out and Lunamaria led Heero towards and empty room.

'Are you a pilot?' asked Heero as he followed the young women.

'Yes,' answered Lunamaria. 'I pilot a red ZAKU warrior.'

'I see,' replied Heero. 'What's a ZAKU? Must be like a Leo.'

'We're here,' said Lunamaria as they stopped outside a door breaking Heero from his thoughts.

Lunamaria then opened the door and turned on the lights as Heero followed her inside.

'I'd like to thank you for saving this ship, Heero was it?'

'Yes, and you're welcome, Lunamaria?

'Yes but you can call me Luna, all my friends do.'

'I'm not you friend,' replied Heero making Luna feel a little taken back.

Heero then proceeded to empty his bag. As he unzipped his flight suit a photo fell out.

'Who's this?' asked Luna as Heero looked up and saw Luna holding the photo.

Flashback

'Here takes this,' said a girl to Heero as she handed him something as he got into Wing Zero's cockpit before the final battle with Zechs.

Heero looked at it and saw that it was a photo of the girl.

'It's so I can protect you on and off the battle field.'

End Flashback

'Relena,' answered Heero as he took the photo back.

'Is that your girlfriend?'

'No, just a girl I protect,'

'Oh, I'll wait outside while you change,' said Luna as she left the room.

Heero then changed from his flight suit and put on a pair of jeans, jacket and some boots, and placed his pistol in the waistband of his jeans, and a revolver and combat knife in his boots. He then left the room after he stashed everything under his bed.

'Ready,' said Heero as Luna jumped from his sudden voice and appearance.

'Follow me,' said Luna as she led Heero back to the elevator and up to the captain's office.

As they were about to enter the office the pilot of the damaged ZAKU known as Athrun and the blonde girl Cagalli walked out. When Cagalli saw Heero she walked up to him and offered thanks.

'On behalf of Orb and the rest of the Earth I would like to thank you for your help in reducing the damage of Junius Seven and saving the planet.'

'And you are?' asked Heero.

'Where are my manners, my name is Cagalli Yula Atha, Chief Representative of the Orb Union. This is my bodyguard Athrun Zala.'

'You aren't related to the Patrick Zala that that mobile suit pilot said was right?'

'Yes, he was my father,' replied Athrun.

'I see,' said Heero as he sensed some sadness in Athrun's voice.

A silence then fell over the group.

'We should let you get on,' said Cagalli. 'Thanks again.'

Cagalli and Athrun then walked toward the elevator leaving Heero and Luna waiting outside the captain's office.

'That was awkward,' said Luna. 'Time to see the captain.'

'Righto,' said Heero as Luna knocked on the door.

'Yes?' asked Gladys.

'I've brought Heero Yuy to see you captain.'

'Come in Heero,' said Gladys as she opened the door. 'Please wait outside Lunamaria.'

'Yes Mam,' said Luna as Heero walked in.

The office was a reasonable size with the captain sitting at a desk with the man called Arthur standing beside her.

'Please take a seat Heero,' said Gladys as she indicated a seat near the desk which Heero took.

An uneasy silence took over the office as no one knew where to begin until Heero spoke.

'Who exactly are you?'

'I'm Captain Thalia Gladys of the ZAFT mobile assault ship Minerva.'

'So who or what is ZAFT?'

'ZAFT stands for Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty. It's our nation which is made up of coordinators who live in space colonies called the Plants. I thought you would have known that, even being a natural'

'I've never heard of ZAFT or Orb or naturals or coordinators or the Plants before.'

This statement stunned Gladys and Arthur.

'Then where are you from?' asked Gladys.

'L1 Colony Cluster'

'Well I've never heard of that before. What group do you belong to?'

'The Gundams aboard Peace Million'

'Who did you fight?'

'We originally started fighting a group called OZ who were oppressing the colonies. Then the colonies betrayed the gundams and we began fighting the colonies military group known as White Fang.'

'So you were involved in a war?'

'Of sorts. My group as you call it had just defeated the Earth Sphere Alliance and White Fang. Before we could declare the war over, a piece of the White Fang's battleship Libra began falling towards Earth. I had just destroyed that piece when I was hit by some kind of vortex caused from the explosion caused by Wing Zero's Buster rifle and the piece of Libra. I lost consciousness and when I woke up I saw you guys and that thing you called Junius Seven which I now am guessing was a Plant colony, correct?'

'Yes but like you I have never heard or any of those organizations. I Wonder?' pondered Gladys. 'Could the explosion have caused a rip in the space time continuum between the universe you come from and ours?'

'I don't know but if that is true then that means the others will probably be looking for me.'

AC 196

It had been 3 months since the battle between White Fang, the Earth Sphere Alliance and the Gundams was over .Four mobile suits flew around the debri left from the battle that had decided humanities fate.

'I can't find any trace of Heero or Wing Zero.' Said one pilot in a black mobile suit with bat like wings. 'Any luck Quatre?'

'Nothing over here Duo, you Trwoa?" asked the pilot of a black mobile suit with twin swords.

'Nothing either,' replied the pilot of a red mobile suit with twin gattling guns. 'You Wufei?'

'Nothing, where could he be?' said the final pilot in a green mobile suit with dragon heads on his arms.

'I don't know but there is still a lot of radiation activity around here. I hope nothing bad happened,' said Trowa.

'What are we going to tell Relena and the others,' replied Quatre.

'The same thing we always do, but she will only send us out again until we have found some proof of what happened,' replied Trowa.

'Let's just hope that Howard's research pulls up something soon,' said Duo as the four pilots started heading back to base.

Well that's the end of chapter two. I hope you enjoyed. You know the drill, Read and Review.