Chapter 7
Trouble at Sanc aka The Evil Zero System

PEACECRAFT ACADEMY, SANC KINGDOM

"Students of the nobility of peace," Relena announced from the front of the classroom, "I'd like to introduce you to our new friends."

"I'm Quatre Raberba Winner" Quatre said, a nuance of a blush gracing his face, slightly smiling. He gave a slight bow.

"Usagi Tsukino," Usagi said, her voice flat, eyeing one of the girls. She straightened her jacket, inwardly muttering how stiff it was. The first time they had gone to school together with Relena, the uniforms had been much better. Relena had even made sure that Usagi wore the two bows in her hair, which was back into heart-shaped odangos. Such useless accessories made Usagi feel like a little girl, not the fierce Gundam Pilot she had become.

"Heero Yuy," Heero said, obviously still uncomfortable with the uniform. His eyes searched through the crowd of students, wondering what he was to expect from the duration of his stay at the Academy, which, he hoped, wouldn't be too long.

"Oh, Heero!" a certain obsessed blond wench whispered to herself. She ignored the glare Usagi sent her. "He's cute!"

-

First class break, of course they would hack the computers. "Hm… Duo seems well situated at a junk yard," Usagi muttered as she scrolled through the Peacecraft database. It contained updates on all Earthsphere news, census, and employment records. (1) "Wufei… last transaction in a L5 dojo for MS parts…"

"Sounds like their touching up on their gundams," Heero said plainly.

Usagi nodded, before looking at Quatre's screen. "Trowa Barton, last contact at point L3-0X. His death is unconfirmed," Usagi read over his shoulder.

"This network hasn't got his data yet, either," Quatre indicated, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Usagi slightly frowned. "But he's not dead. I know he's not dead. A gundam pilot does not die that easily. Look at Heero! He survived a self-detonation that destroyed a Gundam. Trowa's got to be alive!"

"…" Quatre was still heavy-hearted about his actions.

"The Peacecrafts have the best database available. We just have to wait," Heero said, leaning against the edge of the table. Usagi joined him, sitting up on the table next of him.

"Relena welcomed us in, so, we can stay and wait as long as we want," Usagi said, smirking at the slight emotion flickering in Heero's eyes. With a light air, she played with the end of one of her pigtails. "I think it's quite nice. She's not a bad girl, you know. Maybe just a little naïve."

"But can we trust her?" Quatre asked.

"Trust? I've never trusted anyone," Heero stated flatly.

Quatre looked at him in slight admiration. Usagi just sighed, shaking her head. "Yes, gundam pilots definitely have trust issues," she grumbled under her breath.

"You haven't changed a bit, Heero." A new person that Usagi didn't recognize had joined their little group. "Her Highness was sincerely worried about you."

"That's none of my business, OZ officer," Heero retorted, though Usagi could detect a hint of an acknowloging smirk. So, Heero approves of, if not trusts, this woman.

"Ex-officer. I work for Sanc now." She walked over and held out a hand to Usagi. "I'm Lucrezia Noin" she said warmly.

"Usagi Tsukino," the gold-haired girl replied, shaking the woman's hand firmly.She pulled the name from her memory."Milliardo spoke well and often of you."

Noin looked startled. "You know Zech's identity?"

Usagi nodded. "You could say he trained me a bit while we were both on Earth at Howard's base. Our first and only mission together required us to use our original identities." Usagi gave a short laugh. "I told him in the beginning that I wouldn't be able to call him a Peacecraft with a straight face, considering how deadly he was in his Tallgeese, yet after that mission, I haven't been able to stop calling him Milliardo ever since."

Noin smiled. "He has that mysterious effect. I'm glad you liked him. But if you weren't originally Usagi Tsukino, then who were you?"

"I was once called Serenity Maxwell," Usagi told her.

"You're the sister of 02 then," Noin concluded.

"Affirmative."

"This country is under reconstruction as a pacifist nation by Princess Relena," Noin said, changing the subject, opening the conversation to the other two pilots. "I'd appreciate your help very much."

"We're Gundam pilots. How can we engage in peace activities?" Quatre asked gently, reminding them all that they were tainted from the war.

"Do you expect us to fight for peace?" Heero asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, a smirk gracing his lips.

"I don't believe absolute pacifism is the same as non-resistance," Noin said. "That man didn't come back because of Relena's position."

Usagi nodded her head in agreement. "That's true. Because of this kingdom's importance, it will need the best defense." Quatre and Noin murmured agreement while Heero gave her a calculating glance, his smirk gone from his face. "However, the existence of this nation has become a symbol of peace," Usagi stated. "Won't it become defiled with Gundam pilots here?"

"It's dangerous for us to stay here," Quatre firmly stated. "We're supposedly at the top of the OZ's most wanted. When Duke Dermail realizes his mistake of releasing us, he's going to send waves of MS and MD down here to the heart of Sanc."

"You do have a point. Being a pacifist country, it would be a political failure if Sanc militarily retaliates," Noin conceded, "but Sanc must not fall at all costs."

Heero walked tow the open window and leaned out, gazing at the peaceful area. "I don't care about Sanc. If OZ attacks, I will fight," he stated firmly. "That's my mission."

-

Down below, behind a tree under the window…

A certain blondie was starting through binoculars. "I found him! My Heero," She leaned against a tree, not noticing that Usagi had joined Heero at the window and was staring right at her. "Well, let me see you fight now, my knight…"

-

'That girl… what is she doing? What does she want?' Usagi rummaged through her mind and found a name. 'Dorothy Catalonia… hm…'

"Dorothy Catalonia, she's the granddaughter of Duke Dermail, right?"

Noin nodded.

"There's something weird about that girl…"

"Don't worry about it, Relena's quite taken with her friendship. She's no obstacle with this," Noin replied.

"Oh really? Because she's not that bad of a spy… She tracks Heero better that Relena does." She couldn't help but grin a bit at Heero disgusted face, knowing that he had two stalkers. 'So, she's made fast friends with Relena…'

"Well, I don't know about Dorothy, but there are two other things I'm worried about," Quatre stated.

"About what? OZ?" Heero asked, turning away from the window.

"Gundanium alloy has been secretly carried to an OZ facility on Earth," Noin supplied.

"Gundanium alloy?" Usagi voiced. "Is someone trying to make another Gundam?"

"What's the other one?" Heero demanded, his voice deadly soft. I mean, what could be worse than OZ building another Gundam?

Quatre looked serious. "Wing Gundam Zero is now in OZ' hands," he stated clearly. "Including its internal system called Zero System."


OZ BASE ON L2

"Zero System… It analyzes battle data and programs its response directly into the pilot's brain," Professor S remarked from within the hanger-turned-prison.

"If it works well with the brain, the MS capacity goes up several times," Dr. J told him. "But I doubt an average pilot can start the system. We made this one differently, if you remember. The system would manipulate the mind and severely disable him. Look at what happened to Officer Trant."

Trant had just gotten out of the MS after running a test. He looked terribly thin and gaunt and there were bags under his blood-shot eyes, his face was pale and clammy, covered with drops of sweat. He took in great gasping breathes as he leaned against the wall for support on the way out of the hanger.

"He can't handle it," Professor G scoffed. "It even drove Quatre crazy."

Dr. J watched Trant stagger out of the room. "Zero will act as a pure demolition machine unless the pilot can overcome anger and fear," he said. "It's too dangerous."

-

"Damn it!" Trant cursed, throwing his piloting helmet on the ground as he plopped wearily into his chair. "What am I gonna do" he asked himself, totally frustrated. "If I master Wing Zero, I can be a Gundam pilot!" He started scanning through the OZ databases for information. "Maybe a Gundam pilot can tell me how…"

After several minutes of typing…

"What?" Trant exclaimed, almost shocked, staring at the image of a smirking Duo Maxwell. "That's the guy I saw at Hilde's!" He came up with what he considered the most devious plan. "He's gotta know something about Gundam…"


COLONY L2 SPACE TERRITORY

"We're close to the problem territory! Stay alert!" the head of a team of Leos warned the rest of his co-pilots.

"Investigating numerous missing cases sounds tough, sir," a pilot said.

"Well, there are a lot of rocks and remains around here. Probably just accidents," the leader reasoned, accessing the positions of the floating debris.

"Death came back to life," a mysterious pilot grinned, well hidden in stealth. "Today's prey, three loose Leos."

"Something is closing in, sir! Communications are jammed!" one of the pilots panicked.

"Here it comes!"

The gundam destroyed the three MS with one stroke of his double bladed green scythe. "Sorry, but I need you for parts. My Deathscythe Hell isn't quite finished yet," Duo Maxwell mock apologized as three explosions went off.

"Duo!" a cheerful voice rang over the radio. "I came to pick up your junk!"

Duo recognized the voice and the shuttle zooming in. "Thanks for coming all the time, Hilde. I feel bad."

"No problem Duo. You're a good supplier," Hilde reassured. "Besides, you…"

A loud beep from Deathscythe cut off Hilde mid-sentence.

"Stay back, Hilde! Six MS approaching," Duo grinned eagerly for some fun, and flew towards the incoming MS.

"What? That's… a Gundam! Is that Wing Gundam Zero!"

"We meet again, Duo!" a familiar voice rang out on the radio.

"Impossible! You're an OZ pilot?" Duo asked, narrowing his eyes.

"You can call me Trant, the OZ Gundam pilot," the officer snapped arrogantly, stressing his new-found status. "I wanted to talk with you, Gundam pilot to Gundam pilot."

"Then I've got nothing to say," Duo replied saucily.

"Uh-oh…! I wouldn't move if I were you," Trant warned teasingly, moving his weapon of choice into position. "My Twin Buster Rifle is awfully powerful. It can blow up the colony behind you."

"Kusoyaro" (2)

"Now, now Duo… watch you're language. Wouldn't want anything to happen to your precious L2, now, would you?" Trant asked, his voice maliciously taunting. "Come on, Duo, come over and sit in my cockpit. Make one funny move and the MD Taurus will destroy the colony."

"Humph! All right," Duo relented, gritting his teeth. Without further ado, he exited Deathscythe.

"Trant!" Hilde yelled. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, approaching the two men in a pilot suit. She floated up and landed on the platform.

"Hilde? This has nothing to do with you," Trant said.

"What are you going to do with Duo? Don't do anything stupid!" Hilde pleaded, hanging onto Trant's arm.

"Shut up! You don't understand my position," he spat, his gun pointed at Duo.

"Hilde, you better stand back. This is getting too dangerous," Duo cautioned, concerned for his friend.

"Come on Trant! Don't do this! You used to be so nice when we were little…"

"Shut up!" Trant rages, shoving Hilde roughly off of the platform.

"Whoa!"

"Hilde!" Duo's voice sounded strained.

"Get in, or I'll kill her too," Trant threatened heatedly.

"Taeme…" Duo cursed. (3)

Wing Zero roared to life with its replacement pilot, Duo Maxwell.

"What do you want with me?" Duo demanded, positioning himself as comfortably as he could in the cockpit with Trant breathing down his neck.

"It's easy. Just fight those MD with Wing Zero here."

"Do you realize if I don't, you'll die too?" Duo shot.

"Of course," Trant said as calm as can be, having already calculated the possibilities. "That's why I programmed the MD, so they'll attack the colony after destroying Zero."

"Well then, seems like I've got no choice then," Duo said. He grinned. Despite all the warnings he had gotten about Wing Zero and the insane Zero System, he'd been itching to try his luck. "Here we go!" Duo started out with one of Zero's sabers, knowing the colony was too close to use the other weapons.

"Huh? What's this on the display?" Duo's eyes widened as a gold flash nearly blinded him.

"Zero System's turned on!" Trant exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock.

"Ugh!" Duo felt as though something was penetrating his mind. "What the hell is this?"

Duo gave a small yelped, but then grew dangerously calm, except for the unearthly gold tinge in his eyes. "Now I see it."

Flashes went through his brain, calculating the positions of the MD and already, in his mind, destroying them. He glared at the vid-panels, and suddenly slashed at in MD, destroying it. "Wha…? I saw an enemy come from behind!" he exclaimed, destroying another. "What's happening to me?"

Suddenly, in the part of his mind that was enhanced by Zero, but not taken over, realized the awful truth. "This gundam controls my mind!" He slammed a fist on the arm rest. "Damn it! Where's the self-destruction switch?" he crazed, banging on the console. "I'm gonna blow this guy up!"

"Stop! You've destroyed all the MD!" Trant cried. "That's enough!" He dealt Duo a swift punch in the stomach, effectively knocking him out of Zero's gold control. "You're useless! I'll do it myself!" Trant threw Duo out of the cockpit.

"Wing Gundam Zero can enter the human mind…" Duo gasped to himself as the said gundam began to fly away. The Zero-induced adrenaline still coursed through his body, making him feel weak and silly. "What a rush…"

"Are you all right, Duo?" Hilde asked from within Deathscythe.

"Hilde? Yeah, I'm hanging in there…" Duo said a bit tired.

"What happened, Duo?" Hilde asked as Duo strapped himself back into his own gundam, internally happy that it wasn't Wing Zero's cockpit. "What happened to Trant?"

"The devil's stolen his soul," Duo grimaced. Shinigami was one thing, but Satan's a whole different story, even if he didn't believe in Christianity. "We've got to stop him soon, or he'll be in too deep."

Hilde stepped out of the cockpit as the platform into the gundam shut.

"I'll be back to get you, Hilde. Stay here," Duo instructed.

"Help him for me!" Hilde yelled as she watched Deathscythe Hell fly off in pursuit of Trant.

Trant had a relatively large head start on Duo, and was now weaving perilously through space debris.

"Mmm…" he groaned. "I still can't see it." The Zero System was only partially activated, but Trant was wasted and mad enough to be under its control already.

"Wait up Trant!" Duo yelled as Deathscythe Hell closed in behind the Gundam.

A flash went through Trant's mind and Wing Zero moved.

"He dodged me?"

"I saw it! I saw you move!" Trant laughed madly. Now, the Zero System fully activated, and into full battle mode.

"Stop it! Stop the system right now!" Duo demanded, desperation in his voice as Deathscythe Hell and the Wing Zero clashed with scythe and beam saber.

"I see it! I see you getting shot by the beam!" Trant raved. "I'm the best Gundam pilot!"

"He'll get me!" cried Duo, sensing Wing Zero locking on target: the newly repaired Deathscythe Hell.

Suddenly, the gundam stopped all motions.

"Hey…Trant?" Duo asked, suspicious. "What's the matter? Trant? Answer me, damn it!"

But it was too late.

"I told you to stop," Duo said, his voice choked up with tears. "There's a limit humans aren't supposed to pass."

"Fool!"


DREAMSCAPE

Once more Usagi was floating above the glowing black lake, shrouded in darkness except for the frequent flashes of gold spiraling around her. On her back, two wings protruded, but it was different from last time. This time, one wing was the pure white feathered angel wing, glowing brilliantly in the darkness. The other, was a demon bat-like wing, not unlike those of Deathscythe, giving a dark purple radiance. She was crying once more…

Before, she didn't know what her dreams had meant, but this time, she understood. Duo was sad… Her brother was crying… because of Wing Gundam Zero and the deadly Zero System… someone must have done something horrible when he had gold-tinted eyes…


COLONY L3

"A circus troupe is in town, guys!" a kid told his buddies.

"Come see us!" Catherine said, decked out in her circus uniform and make-up, handing out flyers to the next show. A young man walked up to her, his reddish-brown bangs concealing what must have been the left of his shocking green eyes. "You!" she cried, shocked. "Trowa! I never thought I'd see you again!"Grabbing his shoulers, he shookhim gently, as if to make sure he was really there.

"Is that my name?" the boy asked slowly. "Who are you?"

"Trowa… Have you lost your memory?" Catherine asked, horrorstruck.


COLONY L5, MS PLANT

"Isn't there anyone stronger? Wufei demanded, sending another fighter smashing down into the ground. "Try and beat me!" he demanded, kicking the attacking warrior. "That's not good enough to beat a Gundam pilot!" The onslaught of Chinese martial artists never ceased.

'That's right. I have to get strong. If I'm strong, then I will be worthy to pilot Nataku again.'


BACK ON EARTH, THE OLD CASTLE UNDER OZ CONTROL, WHERE GUNDANIUM HAS BEEN SECRETLY BROUGHT IN

Heero infiltrated to investigate, and found a man in a cage.

-

Little did he know that Usagi had also come to pay a little visit to the base…

She had ridden Twilight over here, and even for a MS the size of a Gundam, she was not stopped at from entering. She found that not only strange, but unnerving.

-

"Treize Khushrenada," Heero said, finding the proud ex-general standing in the library. He raised his gun.

"How did you sneak in? Did you come to kill me?"

"You pose no threat to me now," Heero said in a monotone, the safety of his gun clicking off. "But I have no reason to keep you alive, either."

"My, Heero Yuy, you have very good eyes," Treize said in a caustic way, his comment causing Heero's eyes to widen in memory of Dr. J telling him the same thing. "But then, I wouldn't miss the world with MD in it. Maybe my death would be much better?" he asked, raising an elegant eyebrow. Just then, Usagi chose to walk in on them, her gold braid swinging cheerfully behind her.

"Heero?" she asked, wondering if they were here on the same mission. Then she noticed who the gun was pointed at. She quickly stepped between the barrel and its target. "Hello, General. I wasn't expecting to find you already being threatened with a gun," she greeted amicably, though her back was to him. Heero, who was facing Usagi, was glaring at her.

"What do you mean already? Did you mean for you to be the one holding the gun?" Treize asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"I'm not sure… Depends on how much cooperation I get," Usagi admitted. "But for now, consider this payment, for what you've done for me in the past, especially saving me from her."

"She's much better now, quite nice if I should say so myself," Treize told her.

"Yes, I have already seen her. She was the one who told me where you had been cooped up," Usagi informed him.

"Then you two aren't going to be at each other's throats anymore? So I don't have to separate you two anymore?" Treize teased.

"Nope!" Usagi replied, almost happy to a light giddiness. "See how much better life can be when there's no conflict?"

Heero, was lost in this conversation.

"Humans evolve from conflict, Usagi," Treize told her sternly. "It seems our generation is slow in learning that."

"But think of all the people who have died, Treize. How much have they evolved in their precious short life?" Usagi asked quietly. "Must their precious lives be sacrificed unwittingly and even unwillingly?" There was an uneasy period of silence, which Heero finally broke.

"Usagi," Heero commanded, his gun still trained on Treize, or now Usagi since she was obstructing the path. "What are you doing here?"

"Well… I wanted to know who was behind the Gundanium shipment," she said. "Besides, I can come visit General Treize, can't I?"

"He's the enemy."

"Negative," Usagi said, mocking him. "He was the enemy. He no longer poses a threat now, since the Foundation's MD is a much bigger problem."

"He's still the enemy. Once an enemy, forever my enemy."

"Heero, sometimes you need to take on another perspective," Usagi said, shaking her head. "Treize isn't that bad. He saved my head a couple thousand times from Lt. Une. He knew from the very beginning that I wasn't a normal OZ soldier. He knew that I was the one working with the Gundams, yet he never told. He even saved my life from a bullet," Usagi said, gratitude in her voice.

"It doesn't matter, Usagi," Treize said. "Heero, if you're going to correct the Romefeller's folly, I'm quite willing to fully cooperate with you."

Heero clicked the safety of his gun back on and lowered his arm. "What can you do from your cage? In a place isolated like this?"

"Many things can be done from a cage like mine, Heero. I can provide information critical to the survival of the Sanc Kingdom," he said carefully. "I have something you can use. It's in the basement. It was completed not too long ago," he added slyly.

"It's made of Gundanium, isn't it." It wasn't a question.

"Affirmative. A brand new Gundam… Epyon."


A FEW HOURS LATER

SANC KINGDOM

After receiving Dorothy's reports, the Romefeller Foundation's MS troops circled the Peacecraft's castle.

"Sanc Kingdom! Hand over the Gundam pilots!"

"They'll destroy this country, Miss Noin. I'll turn myself in without Heero!" Quatre told her.

"Wait! That's not what Princess Relena wants! We will fight if we have to!" Noin argued.

-

OUTSIDE

"Come out and fight, Heero!" Dorothy called out.

But it wasn't Heero who came out.

It was Relena. All decked out in a princess's dress, her crown proudly placed on her head.

"Her highness!" both Dorothy and Noin said at the same time.

"Who the hell are you?" the Romefeller soldier demanded from inside his Leo.

"Welcome to Sanc Kingdom," Relena greeted, giving a polite curtsey. "I am the head of Sanc Kingdom, Princess Relena Peacecraft," she stated firmly. "You're invading a sovereign nation"

"What the…" the soldier muttered under his breath.

"We have no business with you! Leave immediately!" she commanded imperiously.

"Wake up, Princess!" the soldier said scathingly. "Your peace is just a dream!" The soldier opened fire on her.

Either this soldier was missing on purpose, or his was completely incompetent. "Drop your weapons! I will not tolerate your brutality" Relena declared, unscathed by the barrage of bullets. "I am the symbol of peace! Relena Peacecraft" (4)

-

"Oh no! The princess is in trouble!" Noin cried, turning away from the window, unable to watch Relena die in such a battlefield. "I'll borrow Wing Gundam!"

"Wait!" Quatre said. "What are those MS?"

"What?" Noin asked, startled.

-

Two MS landed, back to back, in the middle of all the MD.

Two beam sabers flared to life, on from Twilight, and one from the Epyon.

"Stand back, Relena!" Usagi yelled, noticing that the princess was standing right in the middle of the mess.

"Ikimasu," Heero ordered. (5)

"Ryoukai," Usagi replied automatically. "Let's kick some MD ass! Just like the old days, ne?" The two of the slashed into the MD, destroying multitudes of them. Okay, destroying all of them. But the Epyon had only displayed a fraction of its power.

"Heero!" Relena asked, staring at the MS. "Usagi!"

-

"It's Heero and Usagi!" Quatre yelled with joy.

"Is that a new Gundam?" Noin asked, staring at the awesome destructive power of the Epyon. Its power seemed to rival the infamous Wing Gundam Zero.

-

Dorothy, on the other hand, was far from being pleased. "That's it? Just explode? How boring…" Her gaze hardened as she watched Usagi jump out of Twilight. 'So, she's a Gundam pilot?'

Just then, Dorothy got a phone call. "Hm? What is it Grandpa?" she asked. "What? Get out of here right away? Why? You're dropping an asteroid on Sanc Kingdom!"

Dorothy immediately made preparations to leave, but not before Usagi caught her.

"Well well well, seems like our little spy is going somewhere," Usagi said, her voice wheedling. "Care to tell me where?"

"I'm just leaving…" Dorothy stuttered. Usagi tightened the grip on her shoulder. "I honestly don't know where. Grandpa just told me go get out of here."

"And, care to tell me why? Why would the Duke and Head of the Romefeller Foundation all of sudden desire his precious granddaughter to get out of one of the most well protected places on Earth?"

"…" The grip tightened painfully. "He's dropping an asteroid on Sanc,"

Usagi let out of the girl, almost in shock. "Nani? Heero!" she yelled, pushing Dorothy away, looking frantically for her partner.

Heero ran over, a bit startled. "What?"

"Duke Dermail's dropping an asteroid on Sanc!"

"Mission accepted." Heero glanced at Usagi, who nodded in agreement. "Let's go."

They dashed for their gundams, afraid that if they waited any longer, they might not have enough time to accomplish their mission.

The two got in to their gundams, Twilight and Epyon. "Transform! M. A. mode!" Two gundams shifted into their flying mode and took off.

Author's Notes:

(1) Err… how very convenient, ne?

(2) Kusoyaro along the equivalent of goddam bastard

(3) Taeme something Inuyasha likes to call Kouga (in other words, a very rude form of "you")

(4) Um…this is kind of lame for Relena to say, but that's what was in the English version of the manga, so…ya…

(5) Ikimasu let's go