The Eighth Space War: A Light in the Black

by Aldaeus

Fifteen years have passed since the end of the seventh space war, with the UNE's ultimate weapon the GX-9900 firing a shot that shook the world to its very core. During those fifteen years many wars have occurred across the galaxy, and with them have seen the rise of the Gundams, and the Preventers. Now finding this shattered world, will they be the light in the black for the A.W.?

4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, here's the disclaimer: I do not own any part of Gundam Seed, Wing, X, or 00, all credit goes to their respective creators.

Added disclaimer/warning: This chapter gets a little to the upper end of the scale with regards to the T rating, and does like previous chapters in this fic series gets a little "suggestive".

Finally I've gotten chapter 4 completed! As always please read, review, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

*Tap*

Huh…

*THWACK!*

What the heck!?

"YOU LEFT ME BEING TORCHED BY TWELVE MOBILE SUITS!" Witz yelled as small wisps of smoke wafted off of his badly singed jacket and hair.

"Hey now, you two can't we all just…" Roybea started before Witz gave him a glare. "Well alright then…"

Uhh Witz…

"WHAT!?" Witz wheeled on Ald again.

*Point*

Your jacket caught fire again…

"AHHH!" Witz dove for the floor trying to put himself out again.

*Grin*

Enjoy the chapter folks!

xxxxxx

Ch. 4

With the Rain of Fire

Ennil looked at Garrod as she sat on the end of his bed "Did I wake you?"

Garrod looked back at her "I knew you'd come here." He stated flatly.

Ennil reached out with her hand towards him only to have Garrod meet her gesture with his handgun, aimed directly at her. Ennil blinked a little before her expression hardened and she narrowed her gaze at him.

Xxx

The Airmaster shielded itself as the twelve Daughtress Fire Wallaby units opened up with their flame throwers engulfing it completely "AHH!" Witz glared as he slowly roasted in the cockpit of his suit.

Xxx

"Aim for the cockpit!" Zakott ordered. "Fry the pilot!"

Xxx

Witz glared as he felt the sting of the sweat droplets sliding down into his eyes, while the Fire Wallaby units increased the output of the flame throwers therefore further engulfing his suit. As his vision blurred he struggled to remain conscious in the high temperature, his breathing was becoming more labored with each second. He looked at his monitor and noticed a faint light coming towards them. "Eh…"

Suddenly two missiles rocketed downward and struck the Fire Wallaby units to his rear. As it got closer he noticed it was some sort of large carrier plane. The aircraft opened fire on the Fire Wallaby units to his front with its internal rotary autocannons, strafing them. One of the suits turned and unleashed a jet of flames high into the sky narrowly missing the plane as well as illuminating its deep bluish black form, before it rolled in on them and opened up again taking two suits out.

"Now!" Witz took his chance and launched getting into the air and away from the Fire Wallaby units that were still being attacked, before quickly punching his thrusters and rocketing high into the sky out of their reach.

Xxx

Zakott glared. "Damn it! Get moving!" He bellowed as he shot out of his seat "Take the gold from him!" he commanded before seeing the Fire Wallaby units, all heavily damaged. "Sh…SHIT!"

Xxx

Witz sighed a little as he flew, turning the cooling system up as high as it would go to cool off the cockpit. He glanced over at the photograph of his family. "Brother, I was able to keep the treasure from them. But there's a problem. I can't carry the gold with me… while I look for a new place to hide it…" A light chirp caught his attention and he glanced at his monitor noticing the transport that had saved him on his six. "There's the guy who saved my life." He smiled. "I don't know who you are, but thanks for your help." He shifted the controls a little, waggling the suit back and forth in a friendly gesture to the plane.

Xxx

"Was that a thank you?" Shagia asked as he watched the Airmaster rocket away from them at high speed.

Olba let out a light laugh. "We didn't save you." He smirked as he pulled up, rising higher into the sky with their mobile suit transport plane.

Xxx

Garrod stood in front of Ennil who was now sitting in a chair, keeping his gun trained on her. "How long are you going to just sit there?" He asked. "You were planning on killing me, then you'd retrieve the GX without paying."

Ennil didn't say a word and just kept looking at him.

"Now tell me the truth!" Garrod snapped at her.

"Do you really want the truth?" Ennil asked calmly looking at him.

Garrod blinked a little surprised before Ennil stood up, he leveled the gun at her again keeping it trained on her. "Don't move!" He ordered.

"You have no home to return to, do you?" Ennil asked as she approached him.

Garrod glared at her. "I told you not to move!"

"You have no one waiting for you, either?" Ennil looked at him over the gun's sights.

"I'll shoot!" Garrod glared at her, his voice shaking slightly as he said it.

Ennil reached out with her hand. "Being by yourself is lonely, isn't it?" She asked and then she slipped her hand past the gun and around his.

Garrod clenched his eyes tightly as Ennil smiled at him, a shot rang out. Ennil froze her eyes wide as Garrod looked at her, the smoke drifted from the end of the barrel, as he shifted his gaze, the small hole in the wall behind her was barely visible.

Garrod glared at her. "Next time it's for real! Get the hell out!" He snapped as he leveled the gun directly at her head.

Ennil was a little shocked, she'd never been refused by anyone. She turned and left, leaving Garrod alone in the dark of his room, he sighed.

Xxx

Ennil hurried through the hotel lobby brushing past James in the process. "Sorry…" James apologized as she just continued onward out the door.

"Geeze what's with the…" James paused as it finally registered who she was. "Oh shit…" He quickly started walking towards the stairs. "What floor was he on?"

Xxx

Ennil glared as she looked back over her shoulder while she piloted her Daughtress High Mobility Command type away "How dare he…"

Xxx

"Do you really intend on carrying out that shoot on sight order?" Shiho asked as she looked at Yzak from the bed in their quarters.

"I don't see any reason why I shouldn't…" Yzak muttered as he undid his uniform jacket and continued getting ready for bed.

"Because he is a child." Shiho looked at him.

Yzak paused and looked at Shiho. "Yes, a child with a mobile suit that has enough firepower to vaporize an entire army in one blast, and who is at one of those points in life where they are emotionally unstable."

"Pot calling the kettle black…" Shiho propped her head up on her fist as she lay in bed.

"No, there is a difference, I unlike him was more responsible, trained military, and…" Yzak looked directly at her. "…didn't jump to conclusions and run off."

"No, you were impulsive, reckless, and jumped to every conclusion imaginable, when you were his age, you weren't military and trained, till you were seventeen." Shiho looked at him "I also remember someone going to extreme lengths to get my attention at that age."

"Because you had your nose in a book, or you were drawing most of the time to have even noticed me." Yzak looked at her. "I wasn't trying to show off to impress a girl by doing something so dangerous… oh, why am I even bothering arguing with you?!" Hegrumbled as he forced his boot off.

"Because you know you'll be sleeping in that chair, if you don't change your mind." Shiho looked flatly at him.

"You wouldn't…" Yzak looked at her a little dumbstruck.

"Did I say chair, or did I say hallway?" Shiho looked at him, giving him a quaint smile knowing she knew exactly how to pull his strings.

"Why are you taking his side…?" Yzak glared at her.

"Because I, like many of the other girls, think you boys need to learn to play nice and to understand that you were once also impulsive brats…" Shiho smiled.

"Fine… I'll lower the order to a restrain if seen…" Yzak looked at her.

Shiho smiled. "That's good to hear… but before you even think about getting into this bed…" She picked up the phone, and held it out for him. "…you relay what you just said to everyone else."

Yzak grimaced as he took the phone "You…"

"I know you and…" Shiho smiled as she let the sheet slip away, revealing the deep blue and white lacy lingerie she was wearing.

"Exactly how to push all of my buttons…" Yzak gulped trying to wet his mouth, as he felt his face warm a little as he quickly dialed the bridge.

Xxx

Ennil marched through the corridors of the ship towards her quarters still fuming.

"Did you find the GX?" Zakott asked as he caught up with her. "I guess you didn't find it, huh?"

Ennil glanced back over her shoulder at Zakott as he continued. "When we're done with the mobile suits, we'll start searching for the GX. You can rest a little until then…" He reached out and caught her wrist as it swung slightly back as she walked.

Ennil looked at him. "Would you like some wine?" He asked.

Ennil glared with a level of disgust and hatred, he'd not even seen her show, as she spun and brought her hand across like a whip, the sharp crack of her hand smacking him directly across the face and leaving a red mark on his cheek in the process, before she turned and stormed off. "Wh… What's wrong?" He asked as he rubbed his cheek looking at her as she opened the door to her room.

Giving him one last glare she slammed the door on his face. "If she doesn't want to, fine…" Zakott winced a little.

Xxx

Ennil stood fuming in her room, not even able to really contain it anymore she shook as she finally slammed her clenched fist against the wall, the strap of her top slid down her shoulder from the sudden movement. Glaring at the photograph of Garrod on the table."I won't forgive him!"

Xxx

"The Leopard is coming… ahh!" Toniya's eyes widened as she gasped.

"Wha… what's wrong?" Shingo turned and saw it, flying above the Leopard, was the Airmaster.

"Why is the Airmaster with the Leopard?" Toniya asked.

Xxx

Witz smiled as he saw the Freeden and the Astarte. "I was looking for the Freeden. Luckily I met up with you." He smiled as he looked down at the Leopard.

"Yeah, right…" Roybea looked up at the Airmaster and almost rolled his eyes.

Xxx

"Say what? Jamil's in a coma…" Witz gaped as he heard the news. "And the GX is gone!?"

"We wouldn't be hiding in the forest… if we weren't in this situation." Shingo looked up at the Leopard as he made notes of any maintenance that may need to be done.

Sala looked at Witz "That's why I asked Roybea to guard us."

"I see. Damn it, I didn't expect that…" Witz stopped and started to think as he cupped his chin and mouth with his hand.

Roybea looked over at Sala. "I heard that he was going to leave some important stuff here."

"Important stuff?" Toniya asked as she turned around next to the large metal briefcase the Airmaster had been carrying.

"What kind of important stuff?" Heero asked as he walked into the hangar bay near them.

At that moment Toniya leaned back against the case and bumped the control panel. A light beeping started causing her to look. "Huh… AHHH!?" Toniya nearly jumped out of her skin as the case's lid opened, and the bright warm yellowish gold glow reflected out of the case.

Heero stopped. "Oh…"

"Y…You idiot!" Witz gaped at Toniya as everyone else gawked at the gold bars. He covered his face with his hand. "Oh… crap."

"That's…" Roybea blinked astonished. "…not what I expected…"

"That's incredible…" Shingo gaped as he dropped his clipboard.

"This…" Sala gestured to the gold. "Was the stuff you were going to leave?"

Witz looked up as he was nudged by Roybea. "Anyway, how could you have saved this much?"

"Knock it off!" Witz snapped back at him. "I might just have to kill you now, won't I?" He wheeled around on the others. "This is my life here! If you touch it, I'll kill you!" He snapped.

Heero was seemingly the only one of them not on edge because of Witz. "Fine by me…"

"Wha…" Witz looked at him as the others turned to look at Heero.

"I have no interest in your gold." Heero stated flatly. "My only concern is that you won't let it hinder you during a battle. Well?"

Witz glared at Heero. "I said it's my life… I mean that."

"I wasn't expecting anyone to come over from your ship…" Sala looked at Heero.

"We weren't expecting either of them to show up, however I was coming over to tell you that after a day to cool off a little, we've decided to lower the orders to our pilots searching for Garrod, from a shoot on sight to detain him."

"Shoot on sight… what the hell did the brat do?" Roybea gaped.

"Ran off, nearly got himself, Jamil, and several of our pilots killed in a nuclear blast, then jumped to conclusions, ran off with the GX and attempted to sell it in an auction." Heero looked at the two other Gundam pilots.

"Okay, that makes sense now…" Roybea nodded.

Xxx

"If you touch it, he'll kill you?" Dr. Tex asked as he sat at his desk in the medical bay. "So, did you decide to keep it for him?" He looked over at Sala.

"Yes, I asked him to protect the ship until the captain recovers." Sala looked over her shoulder at Jamil, where Hilde was performing the regular checks to make sure his vitals were remaining stable.

"He's getting better, his body is strong." Tex nodded to her.

"So, is he recovering well?" Sala asked before the click of the door opening caught her attention. The three of them looked just in time to see Tiffa poke her head into the room before noticing Sala, following that she quickly withdrew and closed the door.

"Your face looks serious." Tex looked at Sala.

"Huh?" Sala blinked at him.

"Being the second in command is hard work." Tex returned to his reading as Sala stood there and thought about what he said for a moment.

Xxx

A knock came at the door to Witz's room as he unpacked on the bed. "May I come in?" Toniya asked.

"Yeah!" Witz called back to her as he rummaged through his bag trying to find something.

Toniya opened the door and giggled as Witz turned to look at her. "What is it?"

Toniya continued smiling as she closed the door behind her. "The kid gave me something you forgot." She pulled her hand out from behind her back and produced the picture of his family, which he'd been looking for. "This."

"Ack!" Witz lunged forward and snatched it out of her hand.

Toniya smiled at him as he looked at the picture, she nudged him with her elbow. "Those are your brothers, aren't they? It's easy to see. Because your face is so similar."

"Shut up!" Witz snapped at her.

Toniya just continued smiling at him. "With the exception of your looks, you have a homey atmosphere. The youngest brother looks closest to you." She said in a sweet tone before drawing back as Witz glared at her. "W…What?"

"My youngest brother, Pastel… doesn't exist anymore." Witz stood there looking at the photograph with his back to Toniya.

"Eh…" Toniya blinked.

"He died two years ago… from the colony disease." Witz tried to keep his voice calm.

Toniya stood there keeping silent; she knew what that disease did, that at very best the people who caught it had a fifty, fifty chance.

Xxx

"So, you convinced Yzak to change his mind…" Dearka sat down across from Shiho in the mess hall of the Astarte.

"It didn't take much to make him realize he was being an idiot…" Shiho sipped on a juice box as she continued reading.

"I want to know what you did to make him change his mind." Dearka smiled at her "He was dead set on…"

"Not gonna happen Dearka." Shiho stated flatly as she flipped the page in the small paperback book.

"Oh come on…" Dearka groaned. "Yzak is such a pain to deal with when he has his mind dead set on something… And it usually means I have paperwork to do…"

Shiho looked over the top of the paperback book. "Dearka, just leave me alone before you end up on the floor…"

"Aww, come on Shiho…" Dearka groaned before he ducked avoiding the jab aimed at his left eye. "Alright! Alright! I get it!" He scrambled to avoid her next attack and quickly left the mess hall.

"So, you did convince him…" Hilde slid in next to her.

"Yeah… and…" Shiho looked at Hilde a little irritated at this point.

"At least you finally got him to do something…" Hilde took a spoonful of her pudding and plopped it in her mouth.

"Oh, I knew I could get him to… it's just that I normally won't let him… he's such a blockhead when it comes to romance… do you want to know what one of our "normal" dates consists of during the small amount of time we've not been at war?"

"Like our double date a few years back?" Hilde asked as she blinked at Shiho.

"No… that was good… normal by Yzak's standards… he's just so awkward… once he actually took me on a visit to his mother's and thought that counted as a date…" Shiho sighed.

"Ouch…" Hilde grimaced just thinking about it.

"Is James that idiotic?" Shiho asked.

"No… at the very worst, we'll wind up dragging back something mechanical that needs fixed, which he thinks he can tinker with to get it to work…" Hilde shrugged. "…and we haven't really been on a date since we got married, and with Helen it makes it even more difficult…"

"Well, if you want my opinion…" Mayu sat down with Marie across from them. "Yzak has a similar problem to what I have to deal with to get Wufei to act normal… Just drag him along to where you want to go and he'll follow… If he complains, just smack him upside the head and act like you're angry…"

"Won't work… he's too sharp for that, and he'd just groan that he's bored or something…" Shiho sighed then looked at Marie. "How do you deal with Allelujah?"

"I don't have to… Allelujah is sweet, kind, and if I want to go somewhere he doesn't mind… when we go out, we just go wherever we feel like. And we'll just take turns picking where to go or what to see…" Marie shrugged and blinked as the other three gaped at her. "What?"

"Man what I'd give to have it that easy…" Mayu groaned.

"Did you ever think about going over his head?" Amia asked as she took a seat with Kathy on the other side of Shiho.

"What?" Shiho and the other girls looked at her.

"You know his mother right… just ask her to prod him in the right direction… it's what I did with one or two boys I went out with for a while…" Amia looked at her.

"Oh no… you don't know Ezalia Joule… her little angel is perfect in every way…" Shiho looked at Amia. "And, do you really think I can say that to the chairwoman of the PLANT supreme council?"

"Well… when you think about it…" Hilde paused as she plopped another spoonful of pudding in her mouth. "You were complaining that she had been pestering you for grandchildren… if you play that angle, saying that Yzak is being a cold fish when it comes to the romance side of things… you could have her on your side."

Shiho wheeled on Hilde. "Are you trying to get me pregnant!?"

"No… no one said you have to get pregnant…" Hilde spoke with the spoon in her mouth. "Just that you could use it to your advantage playing her off of him…"

"I'm twenty three, do you really think I want to have a kid yet…?" Shiho trailed off as she looked at Hilde. "Yours doesn't count…"

"Well you could consider that as an option… I mean look at the colonies, test tube babies are pretty normal…" Kathy shrugged as she cut her roast beef sandwich in half.

"I just want to have a normal relationship with some romance, the kids can come later, preferably in five to six years…" Shiho rested her head on her hands propped up on the table.

"So… I'm really that blunt…" Yzak's voice came from behind her, causing her to nearly jump out of her seat.

"How long have you…" Shiho spun around to find out he had been sitting with his back to her, and realized he was in a regular uniform, none of them had recognized him.

"I slipped when we were refilling the water tanks near that lake…" Yzak looked up at her. "I think I get the gist of what you were talking about… also Hilde, that would be pretty low, to use my mother against me…"

Shiho's mouth was dry knowing he'd heard their conversation about him. "I…"

Yzak stood up reached over Shiho's shoulder and took the book she'd been reading. "We'll talk later… also, I'm borrowing this, I need something to read…"

"You won't like it…" Shiho looked at him a little worried.

Yzak flipped the book over to the cover. "Fifty Shades of Grey, tercentennial edition…" He flipped the book back over and read the back of the paperback. "So, it's an old cheesy romance novel from over three hundred years ago… So what…"

"Uhh…" Shiho blushed a little trying to figure out what to say without really saying it.

"Well then, I'll see you later…" Yzak turned and made his way out of the mess hall before she could stop him.

Shiho paled in the face as she sat there. "Oh no…" She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"That book huh…" Amia looked over at her. "I remember hearing about it…" She took a sip of her juice.

"It can't be that bad…" Hilde looked at Shiho then to Amia. "Can it?"

"I read about a paragraph of it and… yeah…" Amia shrugged. "If he gets the wrong idea from it…"

"I picked it up because it was some classic best seller romance novel from like three hundred years ago…" Shiho grimaced. "I didn't know it would be…" She blushed.

"What?" Mayu asked.

"Kinky…" Shiho spoke softly.

"Like sexy kinky… or…" Hilde asked and Shiho instantly blushed a deeper shade of red. "Oh… no…" She couldn't resist giggling a little at the thought of Yzak reading that kind of book.

"What?" Marie blinked as she looked around at them.

"You're too innocent…" Hilde continued suppressing outright laughter.

Marie looked at Shiho. "What am I missing here?"

"It's an erotic romance novel from just after the turn of the millennium that gets pretty… well…" Amia bit her tongue and couldn't say it.

"What?" Marie looked at them. "Shiho…"

"It gets really descriptive and…" Shiho stopped unable to tell her.

"Alright… fine… I'll look it up myself, I'm sure the ship can download it remotely to my terminal…" Marie activated her portable terminal and started searching.

Xxx

Sala slowly made her way through the hallways back towards the bridge, as she rounded a corner she noticed Roybea heading in the opposite direction.

Roybea smiled at her as he closed with her. "You're more beautiful than before." He smiled and winked at her while she just continued thinking.

Sala stopped and turned to look at him. "Is that really the truth?"

"Eh…" Roybea blinked a little taken aback at the question.

Sala waited for a moment "Don't make fun of me." She turned and just continued her way on to the bridge.

"Sorry…" Roybea apologized even though the compliment had been sincere, and scratched his head a little confused.

Xxx

Dr. Tex poured some coffee for himself as the soft sound of footsteps came from outside the open door. He looked over his shoulder and smiled "Sala's gone."

Tiffa smiled and made her way in and stood next to Jamil's bed, as Dr. Tex did the hourly checks on his vitals while he sipped his coffee. "What you did isn't good… if you do that no one will be happy."

"I'm…" Tiffa paused.

"Anyway, I wonder what Garrod is doing right now?" Dr. Tex mused after hearing what Tiffa was thinking.

"Huh?" Tiffa blinked before looking at him.

"You should try to understand his feelings a little." Dr. Tex looked at her.

"Understand… his feelings?" Tiffa asked.

Dr. Tex looked into the dark brownish black coffee. "No, not just Garrod's… but also other people's. You have to live with a lot of problems that you can't tell anyone."

Tiffa understood what he meant, with her abilities she could feel what everyone else was feeling around her, how they were.

"Well, maybe you'll understand someday." Dr. Tex smiled before taking a sip of his coffee.

Xxx

Yzak snapped the book shut and closed his eyes trying to not picture what he'd just read, and failing spectacularly at not turning scarlet in the process.

"Are you okay Yzak?" Dearka asked as he heard the book's pages clapping together.

"Fi…Fine… I'm going to bed… the… you have the bridge…" Yzak tried to keep it together as he hurried out of the bridge tucking the book into his pocket as he went, as the door hissed shut behind him he sighed. "Romantic novel…" Yzak giggled a little. As he reached the floor that his room was on he hurried through the hallway brushing past Kira on the way.

"What's the rush Yzak?" Kira called out.

"None of your business!" Yzak snapped back as he quickly punched in the code for his room and entered.

Shiho looked at him as he entered. "You read it…" Yzak just turned red in the face in response.

"I didn't want you to read that…" Shiho looked at him.

"No shit…" Yzak replied flatly. "…this really isn't a romance it's…"

"You don't have to say it…" Shiho responded.

Yzak sighed. "About earlier… am I really…"

"No you're…" Shiho stopped. "I won't lie, I told myself I wouldn't lie… yes Yzak, you're utterly terrible when it comes to romance. And romance isn't how overly dramatic they make it out to be in the books I read…"

"Well at least you're honest about it…" Yzak ran his hand through his hair. "You do have a point… taking you to my mother's on one of our dates was pretty bad…" He stopped as he noticed her glare. "Okay really bad… but I just don't get this romance stuff…"

"Its not hard… a normal relationship is easy… we don't have to be on pins and needles all the time trying to be perfectionists for your mother…" Shiho looked at him.

"Alright then… what would you consider a good date then?" Yzak asked bluntly.

"You could just go back to the easiest one in the book… dinner and a movie… go somewhere fun… go out dancing." Shiho prodded hoping he'd take a few hints.

"None of those are all that easy when we're deployed…" Yzak slid down the door and just sat there.

"Well, we don't have to go anywhere… we could eat dinner here… and well…" Shiho shrugged. "…watch a movie or something?"

"I guess it's somewhere to start…" Yzak looked at her. "I have to ask… is the reason why we never… because of the whole baby issue… or am I…"

Shiho blinked. "Uhh… well, it really is mostly the whole baby issue… I just don't want to be a mother yet… everyone seems to be in a rush and I just want to take my time. And with the other part… I'm still getting used to it…"

"Are you saying I'm sm…" Yzak couldn't bring himself to finish it.

Shiho blushed a little. "No! I'm just saying that we've only done it twice… and… it really felt good last time… unlike before…"

"Sorry about that…" Yzak grimaced. "I tried to make you comfortable…"

Shiho looked at him. "We don't need to talk about it…"

Yzak nodded. "Alright… but one thing first…"

"What?" Shiho blinked.

Yzak fished the book out of his pocket. "You aren't into…" He ducked as she threw one of the two pillows at his head.

"How could you even!?" Shiho yelled at him as he dodged it before avoiding the second and diving towards her in the process wound up on top of her. "Get off of me you idiot!"

"I was avoiding the pillows…" Yzak rolled off of her.

"Well you didn't have to…" Shiho paused as she realized something was off. "No… oh hell no…" She turned scarlet as she sat up and held out her hands which had been cuffed. "Give me the key right now."

Yzak chuckled a little. "What… afraid of being a little adventurous?"

Shiho grabbed his collar. "You unlock these handcuffs right now, or I'll show you adventurous… I am more than capable of kicking your ass without the use of my hands."

"I thought you liked that book you were reading…" Yzak looked at her and she gaped at him.

"I like reading it, I never…" Shiho stopped. "I am not going to call you anything other than what I already call you… and we're not getting any more adventurous when it comes to this… I don't like pain…"

"Then we'll leave it at this…" Yzak smiled as she released him, before kissing her.

Xxx

Tiffa sat looking at the blank canvas in front of her. "To understand feelings. To understand people's emotions." She turned and looked out of the window at the setting sun. "Garrod…"

Xxx

Garrod sat on a small wall next to a building in the brightly lit streets of the small city, watching as people passed by. He turned and noticed a couple looking into a window at some dresses. A happy family of three was celebrating their daughter's birthday, and they were not too far away as well. He looked in the other direction and noticed a window showing the interior of a bar, where some men were celebrating for some reason, happily enjoying each other's company. "Being by yourself is lonely…" Ennil's words drifted back to him.

"She was right." Garrod sighed as he continued to sit there on the cold stone wall, alone.

Xxx

"You're looking for mobile suit maintenance?" The shop owner smiled at the two men who'd entered his garage's office. "We can do that, but our prices have gone up." He leaned on the counter a little "Because, look, we've worked on two famous Gundams!"He turned and looked at the photographs of the two machines pinned side by side on the board.

"Brother…" Olba looked at the pictures of the GX and the Leopard.

"Yeah…" Shagia looked at them. "I didn't expect to find it so soon."

"Wait, wait, do you know them?" The mechanic asked a little confused.

Olba let out a little laugh. "Something like that, right, brother?"

"Sort of…" Shagia replied with a smile.

Xxx

Zakott took his seat and looked at the main monitor showing the map of the region. "All mobile suits, prepare for launch!" He ordered. "Try to find the hidden GX."

"That won't be necessary." Ennil opened a line with the bridge, causing Zakott to look up and seeing her on the main monitor. "I have an idea. Leave it to me."

"I see, Ennil. Then I'll leave it to you." Zakott replied as he looked at her.

Xxx

Ennil smiled softly as the line closed, all the Daughtress High Mobility Types activated as their cameras began to flicker to life around the darkened hangar. "That boy still feels bad about leaving his friends. So…"She smiled as the hatch opened for them to launch, and she took off followed by the other Daughtress High mobility types into the bright sunny clear day.

Xxx

"The Airmaster's damage is much worse than I expected!" Rococo yelled down from his spot up next to its head.

Sam looked at Nine, who looked at the list of the damage they'd compiled. "Some parts of the body started to melt."

"Oh well…" Sam groaned. "I guess I'll have to overhaul it…" He looked up at it.

"It shouldn't be too hard…" Ian looked at him. "The biggest problem we may have is if any of the panels melted together along their seams. Nothing an oxyacetylene torch can't fix…"

"If the external components started to melt, the internal temperature must have been higher, the wiring harness is probably a solid mass of badly melted cables and is a short circuit waiting to happen." Sam sighed. "The hydraulic fluids were probably boiling so they'll need replaced…"

"Why not just strip it down and rebuild the whole suit?" A female voice interjected, causing them to look and they saw Feldt.

"Do you have any idea how long that would take?" Sam gaped at her. "It would be like we were building a whole new mobile suit…"

Ian looked at Feldt. "If you can convince Yzak to let us use our hangar... maybe… but even then, it would take longer than it would to replace the parts… or rebuild it with scavenged parts that have been modified to work."

"Just how different is it compared to…" Feldt stopped as she looked at Ian who just shook his head.

"The technology that went into these suits is closer to the…" Ian trailed off. "Give me that parts list…" He held out his hand to Nine who gave it to him. "A06283… I'll be damned… Feldt, see if we have a spare wiring harness for an Aquila. A few modifications and it'll be damn near identical." He smiled. "I now know why the parts looked so similar… it's because Able reused what he could from older suit designs, their internals are similar to the older suits from the ESUN. I'd bet money that some of the Daughtress'internal components are similar to other suits from the ESUN."

Xxx

"So, how'd it go…?" Hilde asked as she plopped herself down across from Shiho at the table.

"Well…" Shiho paused and looked over her shoulder. "Seeing as Yzak isn't here… it went pretty well, needless to say he isn't reading it anymore…"

Hilde couldn't resist laughing. "Well that's good… I heard he nearly ran over Kira, when he left the bridge?"

"I think so…" Shiho trailed off as Marie sat down with them. "I know that look…"

"This is…" Marie looked at them as she sat her terminal down on the table. "…a little…"

"Kinky…" Hilde finished for Marie, who seemed to be a little flushed as she just nodded.

"You're so innocent…" Shiho smiled. "So what chapter did you make it to?"

"I read it all…" Marie spoke softly.

"Wait… all…" Hilde blinked. "Uhh…"

"I liked the story, so I just couldn't put it down…" Marie looked at them.

Shiho looked at her. "Well it was a best seller… so I guess it makes sense…" She shrugged.

Marie looked at her "It's your fault…"

"Hmm?" Shiho blinked.

"My and Allelujah's room happens to be next to Yzak's quarters…" Marie looked at Shiho who very quickly turned beat red.

"Wha… oh…" Hilde got a sly grin on her face. "So, I'm guessing Yzak got a few "ideas" huh… AHH!" She found herself face to face with Shiho, pulled half way across the table.

"Don't breathe a word of this to anyone…" Shiho hissed in her ear.

"Sure… you're making a scene you know that right?" Hilde muttered back.

Shiho released her and sat back down. "Sorry…"

"So I'm guessing he got a clue then?" Hilde asked.

"Well it's a start… it's mostly because we always have to be on pins and needles when we're home… making a perfect image for the media…" Shiho shrugged. "I think if things settle down a little, we may end up treating this operation as a little vacation."

Xxx

Garrod meandered through the streets with his hands in his pockets as he thought. Taking a slight glance over his shoulder, then he waited till he reached a small alleyway before slipping his hands out of his pockets and bolting down it across to the next street over. Quickly hugging the wall as he got to the other street, he glanced down the alleyway and saw the figure of a man looking back and forth on the opposite street. "I knew it, someone's following me." He turned and began quickly walking away.

Xxx

Tiffa continued looking at the small canvas on the easel before turning and looking over her shoulder, then her eyes widened. She got up and hurried out of her room.

Xxx

"I'm not the only one then…" Tieria looked at Setsuna who seemed to be on edge.

"Something feels off…" Setsuna muttered before nodding in the direction of the hangar.

"Who's on standby?" Tieria asked as they both began making their way towards the hangar.

"Right now, Lockon, and Shinn." Setsuna replied as they rounded the corner of the hallway leading to the hangar.

Xxx

Sala checked the ships sensor before continuing with the checklist for the ship. She noticed Roybea entering the bridge.

"Yo…" Roybea smiled happily at her.

Sala gave him a glare. "What is it?" She asked flatly.

"Nothing. Nice weather we're having." Roybea looked out of the bridge's windows at the clear blue sky with a few light wispy clouds drifting slowly on a light breeze.

"Yeah…" Sala replied as she looked.

Roybea looked at her as she continued to look out the window. "You look like my mother who passed away."

Sala gave him a little glare out of the corner of her eye. "I've heard that line before."

Roybea let out a light laugh. "Man, first love is better than this."

"I hate jokes." Sala replied to him calmly.

"Why don't we have dinner?" Roybea suggested looking at her.

"Please stop joking." Sala turned to get back to work.

"That was honest." Roybea looked at her and she blinked in surprise before looking at him.

"AHH!" Roybea jumped as someone brushed past him.

"Run away!" Tiffa grabbed hold of Sala. "Hurry, run away!"

"Well, excuse you…" Roybea scratched his head at the sudden intrusion, before a shell strike caused the whole ship to shake, as massive blasts erupted around the ships while more shells struck.

Three mobile suits shot out of the dense forest and opened fire on the Freeden, peppering it with 90mm machine gun fire.

Xxx

"Hurry and fix it!" Witz yelled at Sam as he braced against the catwalk to stop himself from falling.

"I told you, it'll take a little longer!" Sam snapped back at him.

"You're too slow!" Roybea yelled as he ran past them towards the Leopard.

"Roybea! Damn it!" Witz yelled after him as the Leopard launched.

Xxx

The Leopard rocketed out of the rear of the Freeden and instantly found two of the Daughtress High Mobility type units that had started the attack on them. "Let me show you something good!" He activated the inner arm Gatling and opened fire on the nearest of the two, peppering it with a hail of bullets before it was quickly destroyed.

The deep blue Daughtress High Mobility Command type hovered around the destroyed suit along with the other Daughtress High Mobility type, both opening fire on him as they closed.

Ennil smiled. "Another Gundam, huh? Split up!" She ordered and they broke away from each other, engaging Roybea.

Xxx

"Boy, Roybea seems rather high spirited today." Toniya blinked as she watched the Leopard fighting from her place in the bridge.

"You think so?" Sala asked as the Astarte launched a GYAN and the GN-X IV Sniper Custom.

"It looks like he won't need our help." Shingo noted as the two suits joined in the battle.

"Witz's help either." Toniya spoke as she continued watching the battle.

Xxx

"Damn it, don't get carried away or you'll get hurt, Roybea!" Witz glared as he watched the battle unfold on a small terminal monitor in the hangar bay.

Xxx

Three Daughtress High Mobility types opened fire on Roybea through a line of trees, peppering his suit with their machine guns. Roybea shielded himself for a moment with the Inner Arm Gatling. "I'll take care of this."

"Don't get carried away… we are still outnumbered…" Lockon relayed as the GN-X IV Sniper Custom fired, sending a shot directly through the head of one of the Daughtress High Mobility Types.

"It's fine…" Roybea flipped a switch and the armored covers that housed the vents lifted, revealing the two smaller breast gatlings as he opened fire on the remaining suits, slinging a wall of bullets and grenades into them.

Xxx

Ennil smiled as the flash of an explosion illuminated her suit which was hidden by some trees. "Information broker… get ready and stand by."

"Roger…" The information broker relayed, as the faint glint of light could be seen from a ridgeline overlooking the battle.

Xxx

Garrod whistled as he walked down the sidewalk glancing back in his peripheral vision, he thought he was being followed again so he took off at a run and entered an alleyway. Slipping up against the wall he drew his handgun from inside his jacket, and waited. A few tense seconds passed before he finally rolled out and took dead aim down the street. He blinked, it was empty.

"AHH!" A voice yelled from above him causing him to jump, he spun seeing the man dropping down from above him, taking aim he was alarmed as the man's hand came down on his wrist and breaking his grip on the gun. As he landed he took a jab at Garrod's head.

Garrod ducked just below the jab and kicked, narrowly missing the man as he jumped back avoiding it. "Y…you!" Garrod glared at him, he was the man from the auction who he'd duped.

"I came for the Gundam." The man glared at him.

"I won't give it to you, asshole!" Garrod clenched his fists as he put them up getting ready for the fight, he charged as the man also lunged forward, he ducked under the man's attack and dove for his gun.

The man spun and kicked Garrod in the lower back, sending him to the ground short of reaching the handgun. The man knelt down and rolled Garrod over as he knelt over him. "You're still too young to be doing this! Now then, where did you hide the GX?" Theman asked.

Garrod cracked his eyes open, he was still in some pain from the hit. "I forgot because you hit me!" He spoke before being decked square in the face by the man.

"This will help you remember. Did you recall where now?" The man grabbed Garrod's jacket and pulled him up a little.

Garrod had blood running down the side of his face from his nose and lip. "Wh… what're you talking about?" Garrod muttered.

"Do you want more help to jog your memory?" The man asked as he reached behind his back and pulled out a sheath knife "In that case, I can do whatever you'd like." He brandished the knife above Garrod.

Garrod turned his head clenching his eyes, knowing he was about to get it, when a shot rang out, his eyes snapped open just in time to see the blade drop and imbed itself in the dirt of the street a few inches away from his face. Suddenly the man got up off of him and was backing away.

"W… wait, don't shoot!" The man held out his hands. "EHAHHH!" The man screamed as he ran away.

Garrod turned to see the man holding the gun, he was wearing a long black coat with a ruffled button down shirt and stood there looking at Garrod on the ground.

"Who're you?" Garrod muttered before Olba stepped out from behind him. "You…"

"It's so kind of you to remember." Olba looked at Garrod. "This is my brother, Shagia Frost. Gundam Virsago's pilot."

"It's nice to meet you." Shagia bowed a little. "I would like to have a long talk with you."

Garrod slid his hand along the dirt towards his handgun and just before he reached it Shagia fired, the shot struck the handgun and knocked it away further down the street. Garrod turned back to them.

"Forget it." Shagia looked at him. "I will not fight you, because you're unarmed."

Olba smiled at Garrod. "Let's have tea to celebrate our second meeting. Of course, everything is your treat."

Garrod glared a little at the two men, knowing he really didn't have any choice in the matter.

Xxx

The Leopard swung the Inner Arm Gatling like a club, bashing a Daughtress High Mobility Type back and getting its machine gun out of the way before Roybea punched its upper torso, knocking it over. Before he could finish it, a hail of machine gun fire flew past his suit's torso. He turned and saw a Daughtress High Mobility type turning and running away. "YOU CAN'T GET AWAY!" He turned and charged after it, after a short distance he found himself in a small clearing near a cliff.

Looking around, he didn't see the suit he'd chased in this direction "Hey, hey, are we playing hide and seek?" He chuckled a little before he noticed the ridgeline, where four Daughtress High Mobility Fire Wallaby units appeared looking down on him. And a further two hovered out of the woods from behind. "An ambush, huh?"

"Shit, they split us up on purpose!" Shinn yelled over the frequency.

Ennil chuckled as she looked down on the Leopard. "That's as far as you go. Fire!" She gave the command and all of the suits opened up with their flamethrowers, igniting the clearing and enveloping the Leopard in an endless stream of fire.

"AHHH!" Roybea's yelled as the temperature steadily climbed in his suit.

Xxx

"They were ambushed…" Yzak looked over at Meyrin.

"They're now being engaged by units equipped with flamethrowers, and all are pinned down." Meyrin brought up the map on the main monitor.

"They divided us and are now engaging with intent of drawing the battle out… exactly what Gundams aren't intended for… even theirs aren't designed for a protracted battle…" Yzak glared. "Send out the other units we have available. Try to put fire on that ridgeline with the main guns!"

"If our shots miss by even a little, we'll obliterate Shinn, Roybea, and Lockon!" Dearka looked at him.

"Detecting more of those suits equipped with flamethrowers closing on the ships!" Miriallia yelled up "Wait, they're…"

"They're turning this entire valley into a killing field…" Wufei glared as he saw them. "They intend to turn this valley into a massive firestorm that will either burn us alive or drive us out… to where they want us."

Xxx

Two information brokers sped away from the battle on hover bikes. "It's strange work, isn't it?" One yelled over to the other. "Just go to town and tell everyone that the Gundam is fighting."

The other man shrugged. "I'll do whatever they want, as long as they pay me."

Xxx

Shagia and Olba sat at a table in a courtyard in front of a small restaurant. "You no longer pilot the GX?" Shagia asked.

"Not only the Gundam, but I won't return to that ship." Garrod glared as he held the small glass of ice tea.

Olba looked at Shagia "Looks like a problem, brother."

Shagia rubbed his forehead a little. "I want you to pilot the GX until your death."

"Until death?" Garrod blinked as he looked at him.

"Yes…" Shagia looked at him. "We'll kill all of the Gundam pilots, and send you all to heaven. That's our wish, as brothers."

"What?" Garrod gaped at the lunacy he was hearing.

"The last battle we had was the first time we have ever lost against anyone." Shagia continued.

"As brothers, no, as pilots, you could call us both artists who wish to correct such an error." Olba elaborated.

"That is why you must pilot the Gundam." Shagia looked at him.

Garrod shifted in his seat. "What a load of bull!" He glared at Shagia "The reason for your hate has nothing to do with the Gundam."

"Don't get conceited!" Shagia slammed his fist down on the table.

"What?" Garrod looked at him.

"You won because of the GX, not because of your abilities!" Shagia glared at him.

Garrod sighed. "Oh, really." He sat his glass down on the table. "If you think so, you may regret it."

"Don't take me for a fool." Shagia looked at him with a cold glare before kicking sharply upwards, slamming directly into Garrod's hand which had been pointing a handgun at him from under the table, the sharp crack of the handgun going off echoed as a planter on a small wall near the entrance of the restaurant exploded from being hit. Many people gasped as it nearly had hit a waiter, who had been less than a foot from it.

Shagia turned to Garrod again "Do you understand me?"

Olba looked at him. "You will return to the Gundam, won't you?" He asked.

Garrod rubbed his wrist a little as he hid the gun. "I refuse."

Shagia leaned on the table "Then it cannot be helped." He looked at Olba.

"The Freeden will be threatened."

Garrod blinked momentarily. "Do whatever you want…" He hid the gun in the back of his pants under the coat. "It's got nothing to do with me."

"Really?" Shagia asked before exchanging a glance with Olba.

"Where's the manager?!" A man yelled. "There's some great news!" An information broker shouted as he walked over towards the entrance to the restaurant.

"There's a Gundam type fighting to protect some ships in the forest." The information broker sat down on a small fountain near their table.

Shagia looked at them. "We have an early guest, then." He smiled as Garrod got up seemingly alarmed.

"What's wrong?" Olba asked. "I thought it didn't concern you."

"I… uhh…" Garrod sighed for a moment before taking another glance at the information broker.

Xxx

The Leopard backed away as it knelt down, its armor melted in places and discolored with soot as the blaze roared around it and the other suits.

"This is crazy… we don't know where they are in this blaze…" Lunamaria glared as her GOUF Ignited backed away from a collapsing tree that sent up a shower of hot cinders and smoke as it fell.

"This much of an attack shouldn't…" Roybea glared as he looked around for a way back to the ships. "Uhh…" His eyes widened as he saw a Daughtress High Mobility type charge him and raising its beam saber to finish him.

"AHH!" Lunamaria turned to face it just as a beam roared down from above and carved diagonally through its torso, destroying it.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Witz yelled as the Airmaster flew in at high speed.

"That was still quick." Roybea relayed.

"This time we'll kick their ass!" Witz yelled back as he continued firing on more closing on their position. He took aim at two on the ridgeline, which were preparing to attack, and fired sending shots through each of their cockpits. Rolling high he tried looking down into the forest, where it was nothing but smoke and flame. "Where are the other mobile suits?"

"Infrared is useless right now, it's masking their heat signatures!" Heero yelled as his Aquila circled with Kira's Murasame Custom.

"Not good!" Allelujah yelled as he looked down closer to the ships. "They've been cut off!"

Xxx

"We can't escape?!" Toniya gaped as Witz relayed the news.

"It looks that way." Witz looked at them. "We're okay, but the ships are trapped!"

Sala glared "That's what they wanted."

Xxx

Witz landed knowing that he couldn't abandon the suits on the ground with an unknown number of enemy suits still around. "What should we do?" He asked.

"I wish we could stop this fire somehow, but that's impossible." Roybea relayed as they took up a three point defense.

Xxx

Ennil smiled as she looked down into the blaze, where cinders drifted up and down like a rain of fire. "The boy will come." She smiled. "Garrod Ran will definitely come."

Xxx

Garrod ran past the mechanic as the Virsago and Ashtaron took off heading into the sky. "Damn it!"

"Oh, I forgot to take a picture." The mechanic gaped as the two Gundams flew away.

"This isn't the time for that!" Garrod snapped.

"You're right…" A voice called out, causing him to turn to see James. "So… what are you gonna do?"

Xxx

"Come, Garrod." Shagia smiled as he looked at Garrod standing there on the ground.

"For our aesthetics…" Olba chuckled.

Xxx

"I have to… There's no other way." Garrod looked skyward as the two dots that were the Ashtaron and Virsago, as they flew away towards where the Freeden and Astarte were.

Xxx

Tiffa closed her eyes calmly and sat in front of her easel before reaching out and beginning to draw what she'd just seen in the small vision, which she'd received.

Xxx

Garrod clicked the control unit into its place in the GX and brought it online as it stood. "There's no other way!" Its eyes flashed an acid green as it prepared to launch with James' Vulpecula.

"By the way… you looked like you'd been roughed up… I'm guessing that you had a run in with that guy from the auction?" James asked.

"Yeah…" Garrod replied. "How'd you know…?"

"I got there a few seconds after doom and gloom did…" James chuckled a little. "Still wondering how you managed to get your handgun back…"

"I had a backup…" Garrod replied as he launched.

Xxx

Having fallen back to and around the two ships, the mobile suit forces stood their ground between them and the attacking Daughtress High Mobility types. "What should we do? Should we commit to a double suicide with the Freeden?" Roybea asked.

Witz let out a light laugh "The treasure I have on that ship is too important." He glared before turning back to look at the enemy suits. "If you wanna run, go right ahead!"

Roybea chuckled. "I can't leave, I was hired." And then looked over at him just as a scattering beam like a massive shotgun blast struck, forcing them back.

"What in the…" Allelujah looked over as the two landed near him and Soma.

"That attack just now…" Witz glared.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Roybea looked over in the direction the beam had come from. Suddenly out of the smoke a claw lashed out and seized the Inner Arm Gatling forcing it skyward.

Witz's eyes widened as the Ashtaron engaged Roybea at close range. "Roybea! Huh…" He turned around to face something his sensors picked up, when the Virsago stepped out of a thick blanket of smoke that had been clinging to the ground.

Shagia chuckled lightly. "I've been waiting for this day for quite some time." He opened his eyes and looked at the Airmaster, Brave Test Type and GN-X IV caught between them.

Olba smiled. "Finally, I can take my revenge today, brother."

Witz glared. "You can sure as hell try!" He opened fire on the Virsago with the two buster rifles of the Airmaster, but the enemy dodged the shots and pulled skyward getting above them.

"Soma deal with the other one!" Allelujah leveled the Brave Test Type's GN Beam Rifle at the Virsago and fired, forcing Shagia to roll.

Roybea threw the Ashtaron back while he leveled the grenade launchers at it and then opened fire at near point blank range bombarding Olba, forcing him back.

Ennil blinked as she saw the suits being engaged by the Virsago and Ashtaron. "Who's that? Well, that's fine with me. I can still defeat that ship." She gestured to the Fire Wallaby units to focus on the Freeden and the blaze began to intensify around it.

"I don't care who you guys are…" Stella glared as she backed up a little, hugging the hull of the Freeden to avoid being trapped in the flames. "You won't beat us in those antiques!" She took aim at one of the suits and opened fire with her ES-05 MS Lupus' twin beam gatling. The spray of green beams engulfed the two suits on the end, destroying them and making a temporary opening for her.

Xxx

Garrod and James looked down on the battlefield from a cliff overlooking the valley. "Man, it's hot…" James tugged on his collar before undoing the top button.

Garrod looked at the Freeden and memories from the past few days drifted back. "Garrod!" Shingo glared at him.

"This is all your…!" Toniya started as she glared at him before Sala held out her hand in front ofToniya andstoppingher,prior to turning and walking over to Garrod.

"I…" Garrod started as he looked up just in time to be smacked across the face by Sala.

His thoughts drifted further to what happened with Tiffa. "Tiffa, are you there? I… I…" Garrod looked down as he stood in front of her door.

"Don't." Tiffa's voice replied softly. "I don't want to see anyone."

Garrod tightened his grip on the controls as he remembered what Ennil had said. "It's lonely, isn't it?"

Blasts rocked him back to reality as he saw some Daughtress High Mobility types shelling the Freeden and Astarte with bazookas.

Xxx

Dr. Tex fell back against the wall near Jamil's bed as the ship shuddered from more explosions. "I shouldn't have said he was in critical condition." He looked at Jamil lying in bed.

Xxx

"Shit I don't know where to shoot…" Chen glared. "The targeting system is all screwed up because of the fire!"

"At this close range we can't use the big guns…" Romero looked at him. "Don't even bother worrying about them, try to use some of the missiles."

"That's what I was talking about!" Chen glared at him.

"You two quit arguing!" Kathy snapped at them as she took the Captain's chair. "We have to focus on supporting the mobile suits, what other weapons do we have so we can hit back!?"

"What about the torpedo launchers?" Amia suggested from her seat in the bridge.

Chen snapped his fingers. "That's right… the ground use torpedoes!" He smiled.

"Ground use torpedoes?" Kathy blinked looking at Chen along with everyone else who wasn't from ZAFT.

"A special type of burrowing torpedo was developed for the Lesseps-Class for use on land." Meyrin looked at them.

"I forgot all about them because I've been assigned to the Eternal for so long…" Martin smiled. "Let them have it Chen!" He yelled back from the helm.

"Targeting enemy mobile su… crap they're so close they would go right under them and wouldn't pull up in time! We'd end up hitting the Freeden!" Chen glared.

Xxx

Tiffa steadied herself against the wall of her room as the ship shook, having knocked her and her easel to the floor. She reached forward and picked up the drawing she'd been working on. The still unfinished landscape she'd seen. She blinked as she sensed something and then looked to the other side of the room.

Xxx

Ennil launched skyward before touching down on the Freeden's upper deck. Looking directly at the bridge she locked onto the target.

Xxx

Sala's eyes widened as she saw the Daughtress High Mobility Command Type had touched down and its main camera flashed. "AHH!" She drew back as the suit leveled its rifle directly at the bridge.

Xxx

"You're mine!" Ennil glared as she prepared to fire. A pinkish white beam streaked out from ahead of the ship nailing the rifle just ahead of the trigger, causing it to explode in her suits hands and knocking her suit from the ship. "AHH!" She winced as she looked up to see what had hit her. "What?" She blinked as she saw the GX.

Xxx

Witz blinked "That's…"

"Waddya know…" Roybea blinked a little surprised himself as the GX touched down between the mobile suits aiming at Ennil's suit.

"TA DA! Here's the ultimate mobile suit pilot, Garrod Ran! Here with the Gundam X to take you out!" Garrod cheered over their frequencies.

Xxx

Sala blinked seeing it. "Garrod!"

Shingo looked over at it. "What the hell have you been doing?"

"Probably waiting for a chance to return." Toniya winked as she smiled at the suit.

Xxx

"Did he really just say that?" Yzak looked over at James's Vulpecula that had touched down near his GYAN.

"Well at least he's got the right attitude…" Dearka couldn't stop laughing.

"What did I tell you… the kids on the level…" James smiled as he targeted a Daughtress High Mobility Type that had a bazooka and charged it, activating his suits two arm mounted beam sabers in the process.

Xxx

Garrod watched as Ennil's suit pushed itself up off of the ground to face him.

Xxx

Tiffa got up and looked out of her window, seeing the GX looming just outside. "Garrod, you're still…"

Xxx

"Let's do it!" Garrod yelled as he opened fire on Ennil, sending two beams streaking past her suit as it hovered back, allowing another suit that still had its rifle to engage.

The Daughtress High Mobility Type opened fire on Garrod with its 90mm machine gun, sending a hail of bullets sailing past the GX.

Garrod fired again putting a shot in the dead center of the enemy pilot's cockpit, destroying the suit with one shot. He turned on another two suits that had begun to engage him and in the same manner fired twice, taking them both out.

Xxx

"Move the ship!" Sala ordered.

"M…Move it?" Shingo gaped at her from the helm. "To where?!"

"But there's fire everywhere!" Toniya gaped at her.

Sala brought up the map on the main monitor. "Look, in the three o'clock direction… there's a lake through the forest." She pointed at the monitor.

Shingo's eyes widened. "I get it, a lake!" He smiled "That's our acting captain for you!"

Toniya looked back at Sala. "You're great! You were just hiding that great idea!" She winked at her.

Sala looked at Toniya and nodded a little in reassurance. "Relay it to the others to follow us, if we're lucky we can make a fighting retreat, and escape."

Xxx

"The ships are moving! Let's hook up!" Witz relayed to Roybea as he transformed the Airmaster and began flying after the Freeden and Astarte.

"Roger!" Roybea replied as he broke off from the Daughtress High Mobility Types and launched into the sky, catching a handhold on the Airmaster. As the two suits flew away the Ashtaron and Virsago fired on them with their claw and scissor beam cannons.

Shagia watched the two retreating. "Running away?" He stopped as an explosion erupted behind their suits. They turned to see a wave of incoming Daughtress High Mobility Types firing their weapons at them, sending a hail of 90mm bullets whizzing past them.

"Let's take these Gundams for ourselves!" One of the pilots shouted as they charged.

Shagia glared. "You backstabbers!" He opened fire with the claw beam cannons only to miss with both shots as they hovered towards them at high speed. Coming under direct fire from one of the suits he fell back and Olba flew forward as he opened fire with the two Scissor Beam Cannons, nailing one of the suits in the upper torso causing it to explode.

Xxx

The Leopard touched down in front of the GX on top of the Freeden.

"Looks like you've returned, running boy." Roybea looked back at the GX and smiled. "You seemed to be pretty confident in yourself."

Garrod grinned. "Yeah, whatever! I'm not the type to worry about things!" He snickered to himself.

"Hey you two…" Witz transformed and landed next to the GX. "We don't know when they'll attack again." His words snapped Garrod back. "Stay alert until we reach the lake."

"Yeah, alright." Garrod looked at the Airmaster before sticking his tongue out at it, as Witz spoiled his fun.

Xxx

"Everyone alright?" Yzak looked around at the suits in the hangar. "Who's topside?"

"Myself, Stella, Allelujah, Lockon, and James." Heero replied over the frequency. "Do we know anything about this lake we're heading towards?"

"No, we hadn't gotten a chance to get to it yet…" Marie replied over the frequency. "We were intending on going to it tomorrow to fill the water tanks anyway, so we were holding off."

"Great for all we know we could be going to a bone dry lakebed…" Tieria grumbled.

"Relax if it wasn't a water source, it wouldn't be marked as one on their maps…" Setsuna responded to Tieria.

Xxx

Jamil cracked his eyes open and they slowly adjusted to the light. "Ahh…" He groaned a little, feeling as if he'd been kicked in the chest.

"I see that you've awakened." Dr. Tex looked over at him.

"Where am I…?" Jamil asked looking at him.

Dr. Tex smiled "At least it isn't heaven."

Xxx

"What do you mean, stop the ship?" Sala asked as she looked at Tiffa.

"It's just that… because, well… but…" Tiffa looked at her.

"That's not a good enough of a reason." Sala looked at her.

"But doesn't she have a special power?" Toniya looked over at Sala.

"The Captain may take her advice." Shingo looked over at them.

"I'm…" Sala started before a line opened with the bridge and Dr. Tex appeared.

"Good news, everyone." Dr. Tex adjusted his glasses a little. "He's awake." He adjusted the view and Jamil was sitting up in bed with his coat over his shoulders.

"Captain." Sala looked at him.

"How's your injury?" Shingo asked.

Toniya walked over. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Sorry for making you worry." Jamil looked at them. "Now tell me everything that has happened."

Xxx

The Ashtaron leapt back as it avoided a slash from a Daughtress High Mobility Type's beam saber. Olba retaliated by opening fire with the two machine cannons mounted on the upper torso next to the head, their bullets shredded the enemy suit at close range knocking it out of the fight.

Shagia glared as he lashed out with the Virsago's claw, seizing the head of one of the remaining Daughtress High Mobility Types before firing the claw beam cannon through the upper torso destroying the suit.

Xxx

Ennil smiled as she saw the explosions coming from the two suits that had interrupted her battle. "Just keep playing around." She turned and gave chase after the two retreating ships that headed for the lake.

Xxx

The two massive warships slowly made their way out onto the lake, skimming along its surface and kicking up a light spray as they went.

"Do you mean we have to follow her advice?" Sala blinked as she looked at Jamil.

"Yes. Turn the ship around, quickly." Jamil looked at them from the monitor.

"So you mean her advice is better than our judgment?" Sala asked a little surprised.

Jamil looked at her. "Even without her advice, I would do this." Sala's eyes widened as she heard this.

Toniya gasped. "What's that over there?!" She blinked as she pointed to something out on the lake.

About a hundred yards ahead of the two ships, was a man standing there with his back to them, seemingly standing on the surface of the lake.

Xxx

"What in the…" Lockon blinked.

"There's a person on the water?" Garrod blinked a little amazed and confused.

Roybea let out a light laugh. "Is he some sort of magician?"

Bubbling foam erupted around the man's feet as he stood there, he slowly began to rise out of the water.

"What?" Garrod blinked.

"Oh crap…" James's jaw went slack as they saw what the man had been standing on slowly rise from the lake.

Zakott turned to face them as the Trieste-class amphibious battleship rose to face the two ships. Though not as large as the Astarte, they had walked right into the trap that their enemy had laid. "Welcome to the burning lake." He called out to them as he leapt down and climbed down the hatch into the bridge.

Witz glared. "You bastard you've been waiting here this whole time!"

As he finished the Trieste-Class deployed its eight 140mm machine guns and opened fire in a barrage. All of its shots sent up huge columns of water as they struck around the ships, sending a light shower down on them.

"They misfired?" Garrod blinked as he looked at them.

"They must be wet, because they were waiting underwater." Witz glared at it.

Roybea blinked as he noticed something from the splash from one of the spouts, a light green compound quickly dried upon contacting the air and the ship's hull. "That's…!"

"Volatile compounds in the water…" Heero glared as the green compound quickly began to catch fire and spread across the surface of the water like an oil fire.

"What!?" Garrod was shocked as he saw the water itself was burning.

Xxx

"Commence attack!" Zakott commanded as the Trieste-class's main guns all opened up fully now, their initial attack having done its job, they began pounding the two ships with their eight 140mm machine guns.

Xxx

"Return fire! If they want to play it that way, give them a taste of their own medicine!" Kathy ordered.

"STOP!" Yzak yelled as he entered the bridge. "If you fire our main guns there's a good chance you'll only make things worse for us, unlike their guns, ours require a larger charge and the muzzle blast is greater, we may end up lighting our own ship on fire if we do!"

Xxx

"Shit! So this is what he meant by burning lake!" Garrod glared at the Trieste-class as it continued to bombard them.

Xxx

"The temperature of the ship's hull is rising rapidly!" Shingo yelled from his station.

"Trouble in engine room number one!" Toniya yelled from her post.

Sala stood there almost in shock, knowing she'd let them into this trap without realizing it.

"Sala! Don't worry about it." Jamil snapped her back into reality. "Everything will be fine."

Sala looked at him. "Captain." She paused for a moment prior to looking over her shoulder at Tiffa before turning away again.

"Sala…" Tiffa looked at her.

Xxx

The Virsago sent a shot from its claw beam cannon through the chest of a Daughtress High Mobility Type, finally having taken out the last of them Shagia glared. "In addition, they forced me to use all of the Megasonic cannon's energy."

"Don't worry, I'm here to help you." Olba replied as he looked over at his brother's suit. "Hey, lets go, brother. To where they are."

Xxx

As the Trieste-class closed firing its eight 140mm machine guns, shells continued to rain down on the ships covering them in the flammable compounds.

The GX launched into the sky towards the Trieste-class. "Garrod!?" Witz yelled seeing him fly ahead.

"I'll take it out! I won't let them beat us!" Garrod yelled back before turning back to see Ennil's Daughtress High Mobility Command Type just in front of him, preparing to slash his suit in half with its beam saber.

"AHH!" Ennil screamed as she struck downwards.

"AH!" Garrod deployed the shield mode of the shield buster rifle, blocking the attack.

Ennil smiled. "So we meet again, boy."

"This voice." Garrod's eyes widened. "You must be Ennil El!"

"Bastards!" Witz yelled as he prepared to launch just as a claw lashed out and grabbed his suit, while another seized Roybea.

"I told you that you couldn't run away." Shagia glared as he grappled with the Airmaster.

"Prepare yourselves!" Olba glared at the Leopard.

Xxx

"Sam!" Ian yelled trying to get a response from him.

"Over here!" Sam yelled before he turned and ran towards Rococo and Nine. "Hey, are you okay!?"

Ian ran down the steps of the catwalk as smoke continued to billow through the hangar. "Go call for the doctor!" Ian yelled as he ran over.

"Right!" Sam replied as he ran over to a terminal, and opened a line with the medical bay.

"What's wrong?" Dr. Tex asked as he answered.

"There are two mechanics down because of the attack! Please hurry!" Sam yelled.

"Alright!" Dr. Tex replied not even bothering to close the line as he left.

Xxx

"AHHH!" Ennil yelled as she charged the GX using the powerful thrusters of her suit, she nailed it with a flying kick to the upper torso, causing it to crash hard into the baked earth.

Garrod glared as he blocked her beams saber again with the shield buster rifle. He watched as the searing heat of the thermal energy weapon slowly melted through the protective coating of the shield, getting to the metal beneath.

Ennil giggled lightly "I'll let your friends live, if you listen to me."

"What did you say?!" Garrod snapped back at her.

"Because I like you, boy." Ennil smiled at his suit. "Be more honest with yourself."

Garrod blinked as she continued. "I know that you regret the other time…"

Garrod suddenly had a thought of Tiffa in his mind and he glared at her suit. "That's… NOT TRUE!" He kicked her suit off of his.

Xxx

Tiffa blinked "That person… and Garrod…"

Xxx

Garrod glared at Ennil's suit and drew the GX's large beam sword. "I would never!" He charged her slashing back and forth repeatedly as she dodged from side to side with ease.

"You're kinda cute when you get angry." Ennil smiled as she continued her duel with Garrod.

"You bitch!" Garrod lashed out before realizing it she'd slipped past him.

Ennil smiled at the GX. "From this point on, it's still not too late." She flew directly at the bridge of the Freeden preparing to take it out with a single strike.

Garrod landed, spun, and charged after her at high speed quickly making up for the lost ground, he slashed at her from behind, only to glare as she dodged it. His eyes widened as he saw the bridge getting closer, too close. "AHHH!" He pulled back hard as he swung the large beam sword the opposite way and rolled with it around the bridge, crashing on the upper deck. He winced as he cracked his eyes open and looked to the bridge, Tiffa was looking down at the GX. "Tiffa…"

Ennil charged Garrod preparing to attack him again directly.

"My... my home is…" Garrod glared as Ennil leapt high preparing to thrust down to finish him. "THIS SHIP!" He roared as he dove below her suit and slashed out some of its thrusters in the process.

Ennil quickly continued skyward and began retreating from the battle with her suit's mobility now impaired.

Garrod turned to face her again and then noticed a light signal coming from the top of the bridge. It took him a moment but he realized who signaled him, it was Jamil.

Xxx

"Garrod, in this situation, you're the only one who can save us." Jamil looked at the GX.

Xxx

"What're you saying? There's no other way." Garrod looked at him.

Xxx

"To both ships, full reverse on my mark!" Jamil announced to them.

Xxx

Witz, Roybea, Stella, and Heero stopped as they noticed the light signal from the Freeden. "Damn, a change in plans." Witz glared as he and Roybea leapt backwards, while Heero and Stella broke away from the Virsago and Ashtaron under the covering fire from the Airmaster and Leopard.

"They can't really be planning that…" Stella looked at Heero on her monitor.

"We have no choice, but to believe in him now!" Heero yelled back as they all pulled back.

While they fired on the Ashtaron and Virsago, forcing them back as small explosions erupted from the lake's surface in front of the two enemy Gundams, they quickly returned to the ships.

Xxx

"Freeden, full reverse now!" Jamil ordered as the Freeden began to quickly retreat from the lake.

Xxx

"Full reverse, get us off this lake DaCosta!" Yzak commanded as the ship began retreating with the Freeden passing it. "Damn it, if we don't pick up speed we're going to be…"

"I'm trying to get the ship going as quickly as I can, but this thing isn't exactly small… and water isn't exactly the best surface for the scale system to perform on!" Martin yelled up from the helm.

Xxx

Zakott grinned as the ships began making their hasty retreat from the lake. "Finally made up your mind. Continue attacking! Force them into a corner!" He ordered as his ship continued closing on them while it continued the bombardment. He smiled as more water spouts erupted around the two ships. "Fools, do you think you can defeat our ship on the burning lake?"

Xxx

Everyone on the Freeden's bridge braced themselves as a shot struck directly ahead of it, sending a massive shockwave through the ship and a towering waterspout up directly in front of them. "At this rate, the engines will explode!" Shingo yelled over from the helm.

"Sala!" Toniya yelled at her.

Sala looked at them for a moment before turning and looking at Tiffa, who simply nodded in response. "Everything will be fine."

Xxx

Shagia and Olba looked up at the Airmaster, Leopard, Aquila and Lupus as they flew away from them. "Why are they running away?" Shagia asked a little puzzled. "What?" He looked over at Olba's suit.

"They're really… Look over there!" Olba gestured out onto the lake between the ships and the advancing Trieste-class.

Shagia turned and saw it, there floating just above the water amidst the flames and smoke of the burning lake was the GX. "I believe this contest is over." He looked at Olba's suit "We'll start over."

"Why?" Olba looked at him shocked before realizing it. "I understand, brother." The two quickly launched and began hurrying away from the lake.

Xxx

Garrod glared at the looming Trieste-class before looking skyward at the moon. "From laser contact to direct microwave it will take 4.03 seconds. Can I make it?"

Shells continued to whizz over the suit as they splashed around the two retreating ships.

Xxx

Jamil braced himself as he was thrown back against one of the railings of the open deck of the bridge tower. "Captain, we can't hold out much longer!" Shingo's voice yelled from the consol near him.

Jamil turned and leveled the flair gun skyward. "It's up to you, Garrod!" He fired sending the shot directly over the ship as it burst in a white phosphorous flair.

Xxx

Zakott looked at it. "Wha…"

Xxx

"There it is!" Garrod smiled as he flicked the switch activating the satellite cannon's system. The laser circuit streaked down from the moon and connected with the GX. "NOW!" He spun and rocketed away, breaking the connection with the circuit that had already confirmed contact and raced for the shoreline.

"Four… three… two… one!" Garrod still counted down while he was just barely leaping off of the lake over the shoreline as it happened "Here it comes!"

The microwave beam transfer struck the surface of the lake at that moment, sending a shockwave of energy through it and dispersing the water in a hurry, releasing more of the volatile chemicals and vapors trapped in the lake as it exploded.

Xxx

"HIT THE DECK!" Yzak yelled as everyone dove for cover in the bridge, the blinding white flash from the blast seemed to engulf everything still on the lake.

Xxx

The Trieste-class ship was forced into the sky before being enveloped completely. "AHHHH!" Zakott screamed as the ship was flung like a toy through the sky prior to crashing on the shore hundreds of yards away and exploding.

Xxx

Ennil tried to brace her suit against the blast before being flung away from the shore, seemingly tumbling across the ground like a ragdoll. "AHHHH!"

Xxx

As the blast cleared a torrential downpour of rain began to fall around them. Jamil slid down the small wall on the open deck of the bridge tower as he felt the cold droplets hitting his face.

"Directing the microwave into the lake and causing a vapor explosion, huh?" Dr. Tex looked into the sky as Jamil noticed he had found him. "And now this miraculous rain." Dr. Tex turned to him. "Kinda neat, huh?" He walked over to Jamil and held out a hand to help him up.

Jamil took his hand and was pulled to his feet before being helped to stay upright. "You're soaked. Let's change your bandages."

"Sorry." Jamil apologized.

Dr. Tex smiled. "Like rain on the street. It's raining in my mind as well."

Jamil looked at him. "Was that Rimbaud's poem?" He asked.

Xxx

"I told you he was good…" James lightly punched Heero on the arm.

"He was lucky…" Heero entered the hangar while James continued following him. "By all rights he should have been dead three times over."

"How do you figure?" James cut him off from the catwalk leading to his suit.

"First, he should have been vaporized by that nuclear explosion a few days ago… two, in the town you said he was nearly killed for the suit… and encountered those two other Gundam pilots, who now apparently have it in for him. And three, he was lucky he escaped that vapor explosion on the lake."

"Hey Heero!" Quatre called to him as he walked towards them from the opposite direction.

"What?" Heero turned to look.

"We have mail…" Quatre held out a letter to him.

"Who the hell uses snail mail these days beyond packages?" James scratched his head as Heero began opening the letter.

"Relena…" Heero slid the letter out. "When she doesn't want to deal with…" He folded the letter up again and slid it into his jacket pocket.

"What is it?" James prodded his side.

"Just…" Heero paused trying to figure out what to say.

"Well, it has to be important…" Quatre looked at him.

"It is…" Heero nodded.

James grinned "She sent you something dirty, didn't she…"

"No…" Heero stated flatly. "Just something unexpected…"

"What, something happened with the family?" James leaned against the railing.

"You could say that…" Heero sighed before turning and walking towards his Aquila.

"Unexpected… and something to do with family…" James mused. "It's one of two things, either someone died… or…"

"Can it James!" Heero yelled back to him.

"What? It's not like it's all that hard being a father…" James shrugged.

Quatre blinked. "Oh, so that's what the box was for…"

"What box?" Heero spun around.

"There was a package that came with the letter; I just dropped it off in your quarters…" Quatre gestured in the direction of their rooms.

James gave Heero a sly grin. "I can only think of a few things she may have sent you to go along with those news…"

"Oh hell no James!" Heero quickly hurried back down the catwalk as James tried to get around Quatre.

"It said something like baked goods on top of it…" Quatre looked at Heero.

"Even more of a reason, they're cookies!" At that exact moment both Heero and James got past Quatre and scrambled for the hatch.

"Those are mine! If you want some, get your wife to bake for you!" Heero yelled.

Quatre sighed. "Why is it that James always goes after our treats from home…"

"Because I don't keep sweets around the house…" Hilde walked over. "Mainly because I know he'd just plop down on the couch with Helen and eat them all."

Quatre turned to see her munching on a pudding cup from her lunch. "Oh… so that's why all of the pudding has been going missing…"

"I can't help it if I have a craving every once in a while… Besides, this stuff isn't exactly cheap." Hilde looked at him. "Especially in L2!"

Xxx

Dr. Tex looked at the collected crewmembers of the Freeden. "We'd like to hire you until our injured have healed."

"The Freeden's private mobile suit pilots, huh?" Roybea looked at him and Jamil then to Witz.

"I don't think I'll be able to find any better place to hide my treasure." Witz looked at him.

"I have to agree with that!" Toniya chimed in catching the two pilots off guard.

Witz spun on her. "Why don't you shut up!"

Roybea smiled. "Well, I'm tired of drifting around." He turned and smiled at Sala who blinked a little.

"And, Garrod…" Jamil spoke looking at him.

"Uhh…" Garrod straightened up again.

"As long as you're on this ship, you can't just keep doing whatever you like." Jamil looked at him. "As punishment, you will have to take care of Tiffa."

"Eh… ME!?" Garrod gaped as he pointed at himself.

Shingo and Sam couldn't resist grinning as they stood next to him, Shingo quickly put Garrod in a playful headlock as Sam lightly punched him. "Looks like you did well!"

"You lucky son of a bitch!" Sam grinned. "Don't sneak around with her!"

Garrod broke free from them. "You idiots! I'm not like that! I…"

"Oh, Tiffa." Toniya blinked as she noticed Tiffa enter the room.

They all turned and looked at her as she held the canvas under her arm.

"Tiffa?" Garrod blinked as she showed them the picture she had drawn.

"We need to go to this place." Tiffa looked at them as she showed them the landscape portrait of a town nestled in the mountains.

"I see, so you think there is a Newtype there." Jamil looked at her, and she nodded in response.

Xxx

Olba and Shagia watched the Freeden and Astarte as they began heading northward towards the Rockies. "Henceforth, are we destined to be their rivals, brother?" Olba asked.

Shagia smiled as he watched the two ships. "I want them to eventually realize that. Otherwise…" He looked at his brother. "Olba, there may be some problems with completing our mission."

Olba chuckled lightly. "Roger, brother."

Xxx

Ennil staggered a few feet from her downed Daughtress High Mobility Command Type before collapsing to her knees, and glaring at the dust cloud that came from the two ships leaving the area.

Xxx

Toniya blinked as she noticed Sala entering the bridge. "Oh?" She turned and followed her over to her station "Sala…"

Sala turned and blinked at her.

"Huh, huh?" Toniya looked at her before narrowing her gaze at Sala's face. "Sala, you changed your lipstick, didn't you?" She muttered softly.

"Eh…" Sala blinked "Yeah, I guess so." She shrugged before spinning Toniya around. "Anyway, go back to work." She nudged her across the bridge.

Toniya huffed a little as she looked back at Sala.

Xxx

Tiffa leaned against the railing of the open deck above the bridge looking at the shade of lipstick Toniya had given her.

"What are you doing?" Garrod asked as he finally found her.

"I'm feeling the breeze." Tiffa looked at him as he meandered over and joined her.

Garrod leaned over the side a bit as he stood next to her. "Tiffa, uh… well… to tell you the truth… About when I was in town…"

"Garrod." Tiffa spoke softly to get his attention.

"Eh…" Garrod looked at her as she shook her head. "Huh…" His eyes fell on the tube of lipstick in her hand. "Huh? Is… isn't that lipstick? What do you have that for?"

Tiffa held it up and smiled at him. "It's a secret."

"Huh…" Garrod gaped at her.

Xxxxxx

Kinky…

*WHACK!*

"You… you…" Shiho fumed as Ald found himself on the floor "You're so dead…" she leveled her handgun at him.

*Gulp*

SAVE ME!

*Fwump!*

"WHA…!?" Shiho found herself on the floor near the door.

"I'm terribly sorry I'm late Mr. Ald…" The blond haired boy helped Ald to his feet. "I don't think it would be good if you were injured before I even entered the story…" he smiled.

"Who the heck are you?" Yzak glared at him as he helped Shiho up.

A cold breeze drifted through the open window of the room as the boy smiled at them "My name is Carris Nautilus…" as he spoke they finally saw what had hit Shiho, as the pilots were all driven back into the center of the room surrounded by dozens of small mobile suit bit weapons.

*Smile*

I believe this is a good wrapping up point, don't you Carris?

"Tiffa, come over here quick!" Garrod gestured to her as she hadn't moved from her seat.

"She's fine where she is." Carris glared at him.