Hey guys, here's the Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Gundam wing, Seed, or any part of the Mobile Suit Gundam Franchise.
Last time I left you off at a cliff hanger for the fight, Treize planning a battle with Phantom Pain, just what are they planning… As always please read and review, and as of this point forward the blind poll is open on my user page and will remain open until the final chapter of WWD.
"Hay Ald… mind if I ask a favor?" Duo asked as he walked over
Yeah sure what is it Duo?
"Mind laying off the face a bit don't want Hilde chewing me out…" Duo said as he rubbed his head.
No problem… don't want Hilde ripping my head off either…
"Thanks old buddy… well time to get to the" Duo turned holding the metal shaft of the scythe over his shoulder and started for the door
*THWACK*
"Huh… oh well…" Duo shrugged as he saw Ald out cold on his desk
xxxxxx
Ch 7
Heero ducked under Athrun's slash with the knife as Duo rolled behind him bringing the Scythe down trying to catch Athrun to take him out.
Shinn went low running into Heero tackling him before flipping off and going after Duo.
Heero rolled into a prone position and charged Athrun.
Athrun's knife clashed with Heero's as Shinn backed away from Duo's attacks with the scythe.
Heero smiled "This might just be interesting after all…"
"Don't get your hopes up for a repeat of last time!" Athrun yelled as he kicked Heero's feet out from under him and drop kicked Heero in the side putting him down hard on the deck.
Heero took the impact hard "Damn strained my left arm… well it gives him a chance this time…"
Heero rolled away as Athrun tried to finish him.
Shinn ducked under as strike from Duo "Crap how long until your arm tires out!"
Duo glared as he circled around behind him in an arching attack. Shinn tried to close but to his horror Duo brought the scythe up from below right across him from the right side of his hip to the left shoulder the intense pain caused him to collapse to the floor clutching his stomach.
"Long enough…" Duo said as he turned to face Heero and Athrun.
Athrun charged Heero who knocked Athrun's strike away as he brought his fist into Athrun's rib cage knocking him to the ground.
Athrun winced as he hit "Shit I think Heero just bruised my ribs…"
Athrun rolled and held his side "Not bad Heero but your left arm is a little slow…"
"He noticed…" "Your ribs took the brunt of that punch we're in the same boat but your partner is down for the time being…" Heero said.
Duo charged Athrun "TAKE THIS!" Duo roared as he brought the scythe down trying to bring it down across Athrun's back.
Athrun parried the attack with his knife the beam right over his shoulder "Not bad Duo… but…"
Duo's eyes widened as Athrun grabbed the shaft of the scythe and spun kicking his legs out from under him sending Duo to the ground.
Duo braced himself for the impact as he hit he rolled losing his grip on the scythe.
Heero charged Athrun as Shinn started to rise from the floor "Shit that hurt…" Shinn said as he watched Heero attempt to tackle Athrun.
"Shinn catch!" Athrun threw the scythe towards Shinn as he drew his knife Heero grabbed Athrun's shoulder and they hit the floor Heero on top of Athrun their knives at each other's throats.
Athrun smirked "Exact opposite as last time…"
"Yeah…" Heero said as he held his gaze on Athrun waiting for him to move.
Duo got up and charged Shinn "While Heero has Athrun down now's my…" "Awwww Hell!"
Shinn flipped the scythe over his arm and started in on Duo.
"Damn it all to hell!" Duo said as he backed away from Shinn's slashes with the Scythe.
Shinn smirked as he brought the scythe down over Duo "TAKE THIS!"
Duo smirked as he saw it "Good thing I forgot to…"
The beam deactivated as the pole hit Duo's shoulder the impact made him wince but Duo smirked as he grabbed the pole, "I'LL SEE YOU IN HELL!" Duo roared as he pulled Shinn off balance and right into his oncoming fist as he brought the punch right into Shinn's gut.
Shinn smirked as he countered him with a right cross hitting Duo across the face.
Duo's eyes widened as he blacked out from the punch "Damn him…" they both collapsed out cold.
Xxx
"Last time Heero's arm wasn't in pain… then again my ribs weren't in this shape either…", Athrun thought as Duo and Shinn fought. "Can I pull off the moves I need to, to bring Heero down this time…"
Heero glared at Athrun "If he grabs my left arm as I come off I won't be able to keep balance as easily, his ribs are injured so can he…" Heero thought as Shinn struck Duo with the pole.
"Now!" Athrun's foot kicked high aiming for Heero's head.
Heero rolled off of him to his right bracing his right hand on the floor as Athrun flipped.
Athrun grabbed Heero's right "Shit can I pull…" He tightened his abdominal muscles trying to pull his mass into the spin Athrun thought as he kicked sideways.
Heero balled his left fist ignoring the pain screaming in his ears Athrun using Heero's arm as a leverage point.
Athrun brought his foot down on Heero's right shoulder as Heero landed his punch in Athrun's ribs again.
Athrun felt his ribs crack as the floor approached him "It's over…"
Heero grit his teeth as his left arm gave under the impact and felt his right shoulder dislocate "It's over…"
They both hit the floor at the same time and did not move.
Nicol and Quatre ran over to them "Athrun you…" Nicol checked Athrun who was holding his ribs breathing hard.
"Heero are you…" Quatre started as Heero shifted over his left arm holding onto his right that was hanging limp unable to move.
Wufei walked forward "I think it's to whoever gets up first… though it will be hard… Athrun looks like he's cracked his ribs and Heero severely injured both arms…"
Athrun glared the short three feet to Heero's who glared right back "I won't lose this time…" he snarled.
"Bring it…" Heero groaned as he gripped his shoulder and forced the arm back into its joint.
Everyone in the hangar winced at the loud pop as the arm was replaced in its joint.
Athrun planted one arm onto the floor as he held his ribs with the other Nicol and Quatre backed up as they started to rise.
Heero pulled himself up slowly as Athrun did the same both rising to their feet barely able to stand.
Athrun and Heero both balled up one fist and started towards each other.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Talia yelled from the catwalk.
The two of them stood their ground as the senior officers made their way to the floor.
In less than a minute they were on the Hangar floor Heero and Athrun still glaring at each other Talia walked over "Why the hell would you…"
"It's not over…" Zechs said as he looked Athrun balled up his fist and Heero started forward.
"Stop it!" Lunamaria yelled as she and the other pilots started forward to break the fight up.
Heero and Athrun both threw their punches at the same time Athrun's hit Heero low on the right shoulder as Heero slowly rolled away and stepped into the attack.
Athrun watched as Heero brought the fist across him not fazed by the impact and stepped into the attack sending his fist in a left hook across Athrun's face he blacked out he spun and dropped to the deck with a dull thud.
Heero staggered on his feet and fell forward "Mission… complete…" he said softly as he hit the floor.
Xxx
Lunamaria sat across from the other pilots in the mess hall "If that's how intense your training matches are I'm putting in for a transfer…"
Shiho shook her head "No… something was different about that… something we didn't know about." She looked at Yzak and Dearka who were sitting across from each other "So what happened…"
"They were using it both as a rematch and as an outlet for their frustration…" Yzak said as he sipped his coffee.
Trowa nodded as he sat down with his lunch "Those rumors about the Archangel…"
Lunamaria slapped her hand over her mouth "Shit I told Athrun…"
"The plan was for them to run for it… but… we don't even know if they made it out completely none of us have gotten contact… I know Heero told them to go dark but you think they would at least send a message saying they made it out in one piece…" Nicol said as he unwrapped his sandwich.
"So why were they…" Lunamaria started as Meyrin sat down "Shinn said something about Heero having a connection with Orb…"
Quatre nodded "Yeah… His mother and younger brother both lived in Orb under an alias for about eight years until we showed up…"
"Heero's worried about them…" Trowa said as he stabbed his fork into the salad on his tray "What man in their right mind wouldn't be worried about his family…"
Meyrin nodded "Yeah… if that happened with our family…" Meyrin looked at Luna.
Luna nodded "Yeah… Mom… Dad." She looked down at her plate.
"So what about the rumors then…" Dearka asked "Any specific machines spotted?"
"They said that the Freedom, Calamity, Raider, and Forbidden were seen at least according to the speculation from the destroyed bases that ZAFT found…" Wufei said as he and Mayu took a seat at the table
"Any news on when we'll be leaving?" Dorothy asked from her seat next to Quatre.
"Tomorrow and we'll be escorted by a Vosgulov class submarine." Rey said as he took his seat.
Xxx
"Why didn't you stop them…" Talia asked as she sat across from Zechs and Noin.
"Heero and Athrun both have been stressed out recently… they needed…" Noin started as she looked over at Zechs.
"I won't try to explain it Noin, they felt a need to take their anger out on each other…" Zechs said as he looked at Talia.
"Still to allow them to take it that far… now we have two…" Talia started as a knock came at the door.
"It's open Commander, come in…" Zechs said as he looked towards the door.
As the door opened Heero walked in "The doctor on board this ship doesn't know how to take no for an answer…"
Zechs chuckled "Refusing treatment again… how's Athrun…"
"Two cracked ribs and the left side of his rib cage is bruised he'll be out of action for about a day or two… sore for the rest of the week…" Heero said as he made his way to a chair
Zechs nodded and looked at Talia who was gaping at Heero "Don't be surprised Captain, Heero has a reputation for not letting his wounds heal before he heads back into combat…"
"That's… just foolish, how can you permit…" Talia looked at Noin who threw up her hands in surrender.
"Trying to tell Heero to stay in bed is like trying to stop a mobile suit bare handed from walking forward…" Noin said with a smile "Take it easy though Heero… how are Duo and Shinn?"
"Duo's part of the reason why I didn't stay in bed… he snores louder than standing next to a moving freight train…" Heero said as he sat down.
"What about Shinn?" Talia asked.
"He's conscious and was being checked over when I left, it didn't look like he had any serious injuries…" Heero said as he poured himself some coffee.
Xxx
Treize looked up as a knock on the door caught his attention "Yes, who is it?"
"Lieutenant Sven Payang sir, permission to enter?" Sven asked through the intercom.
"Granted…" Treize said as the door hissed open and Sven made his way in "Sven, I take it you came wondering why…"
"I'd like to hear it yes sir…" Sven said as Treize looked towards a photograph.
"In that photograph are Zechs Merquise and Lucrezia Noin, back when they were my students... Tell me what do you know of Zechs Merquise?" Treize asked as he looked at Sven as he picked up the photograph.
"If he's the same Zechs Merquise then he's using an alias and his real name is Milliardo Peacecraft… the man who nearly destroyed the Earth…" Sven said and Treize nodded.
"That's correct, now tell me what would I do if you know my history with Zechs?" Treize asked as he stood and made his way over to his desk.
"Challenge him to a duel… no in the records of the events of the Eve war he turned you down…" Sven said as Treize took his seat behind the desk.
"Have a seat… I'll explain…" Treize said as he pulled a small collapsible chess board from the desk and sat it down.
Sven blinked "What does this have to do with…"
Treize sat a scenario up on the board "Right now our situation is as such…" he indicated the white pieces on the offense while the black held back in a strong defense.
"We're white and ZAFT's black…" Sven said as he took his seat.
"Not exactly but yes… who do you think is moving the pieces on either side of this board?" Treize asked.
"Gilbert Durandal is moving ZAFT's pieces but who's…" Sven looked up at Treize.
"Lord Djibril is moving ours… and with Romefeller backing him he is putting up a strong offense, however politically ZAFT is winning allowing us to run into their defenses." Treize said as he cleared the pawns away "Now tell me who are each of the pieces?"
"The King is Durandal, but…" Sven stopped "I have no idea who the others…"
Treize nodded he placed his finger on the knight to the right side of the king on the white side "This is Neo, the other…" he moved his finger to the Queen side knight "Is you, Now who is Durandal's Queen?"
Sven thought for a moment "The princess…" he mumbled.
"Correct, Lacus Clyne is his queen… now who is his knight?" Treize asked as Sven looked at it.
"The Impulse…" he said as he looked at it.
Treize nodded "And Lacus's knight?"
Sven shook his head "She doesn't…"
"Athrun Zala." Treize said "He lived and was the commander of the Orb Union's Preventers."
"The Red Knight…" Sven said as he looked at it.
Treize nodded "Very good… now what would you do if I said we had a third side in this conflict, a wild card?"
"The Preventers?" Sven asked as he watched Treize set up another line between the forces.
"Yes… but more specifically Orb's branch…" Treize said as he looked at it with a smile.
"Orb's branch was assassinated along with their chief representative though…" Sven said as he looked at the board.
"Wrong… you haven't heard the reports about a ship attacking bases belonging to Orb and the Earth Federation…" Treize smiled at the lines of chess pieces.
"If they are alive and…" Sven started and his eyes went wide.
"ZAFT was set up no that's what they would want us to think; it was more a convenient accident for them… ZAFT was after something when Orb attempted to assassinate the Representative…" Treize mused as he stood "The question is what?"
"Lacus Clyne…" Sven blurted out.
"What makes you say that?" Treize asked as he looked at the board.
Sven moved the black queen and switched it with a pawn in the middle "Durandal's is a fake… she only started making a reappearance after the assassination."
"Then we have found what the Archangel is hiding and guarding…" Treize said as he moved the bishop from the white side to face the black bishop "Now who would the two bishops represent?"
Sven looked at Treize "You intend to…"
"The Preventers will be ZAFT's first bishop the second would be the Minerva… or more precisely it's captain…"
"You have this all planned out then Colonel?" Sven looked at the board.
Treize nodded "The Earth Alliance has set itself up in a losing war, it's already moved all it's possible moves to date… the only hope to counter Durandal is…" he looked at the Black Queen in the center of the board.
"You intend to make contact then?" Sven asked.
Treize smiled "I found the codes they were using last night they will be in the area, now… Sven promise me you'll take care of yourself don't die until…"
Sven stood "Understood Colonel Treize, I will." He made to salute Treize.
Treize smiled and extended a hand to Sven "It's been an honor Sven Cal Payang."
Xxx
"The John Paul Jones will be departing at 0900 hours all hands to level one battle stations, maintenance crews stand by to battle status." The comm. officer said throughout the ship as the Earth Forces crew prepared Phantom Pain's machines.
The base commander appeared on the screen as Neo looked at him "Send out all of our Windam's! Is this some kind of joke!"
"I'm dead serious we're going up against a Vosgulov class, the Minerva, and the Preventers ship Dominion. Bringing them down is going to take everything we've got, didn't you review the data on that battle the other day outside orb?" Neo asked his voice irritated at the base commander's incompetence.
"Yes… of course but that's not my point! Our forces were sent here specifically to build a front line base to oppose Carpentaria we're nowhere near finished here so sending out our mobile suits is simply unthinkable!" The commander said glaring at Roanoke.
Neo remained calm "Your mission is to do everything you can to fight ZAFT along with building that base. Stop daydreaming and send out your mobile suits, I'll leave the Gaia behind to protect the area."
"But that's only…" The base commander choked out.
"That's an order, hurry!" Neo said as he shut the line on the base commander.
"You know Commander, if Zechs accepts my challenge we won't need all those machines…" Treize looked at him as he hung the comm. up.
"Yes Colonel Vingt I know that however we should always plan" Neo turned to him "So you really think that Zechs will accept your challenge?"
Treize nodded "Without a doubt… then they'll be ours." He started his way off the bridge.
Xxx
The hangars on the ships opened and the Windam's started taking off into the morning sky the Gundam's of the Earth Forces took the lead after they launched with the Tallgeese II ahead of them.
"Colonel, what should we do if the plan fails?" Sven asked as he opened a line with Treize.
"Act on your emotions, do as they tell you to do." Treize smiled as he said it "A former operative of OZ said that to me once, his name was Odin Lowe and I had the fortune to meet his son who now pilots the Wing Zero."
Sven thought for a moment "Understood sir, may we meet again." He closed the line.
"We shall Sven, and sooner than you think…" Treize thought as they flew towards the Minerva and the Dominion on the horizon.
Xxx
The radar operator aboard the Dominion blinked "That can't be right… HOLY SHIT!" "Captain!" he yelled "Multiple contacts incoming fast!"
Talia looked up at him "Who are…"
"Checking thermal patterns, they're Windam's thirty of them being lead by the Chaos and some unknown machines mam!" he looked at her.
Talia's eyes widened "We're facing them again, Phantom Pain… all hands level one battle stations, we're going to condition red."
A line opened with the bridge "Captain Gladys, all of our machines shall be launching, the units are the same as the debriefing." Noin smiled as Talia nodded.
The radar operator blinked "What are they doing?"
Talia looked up at him again "Bring it on screen."
The operator nodded and pulled the image onto the main screen the Windam's spread out and held position as they did one machine flew ahead of them one of the unknown machines.
Meyrin blinked "Captain they're trying to make contact with us, or more specifically one of them is…"
Noin blinked "What channel are they…"
"One of the channels you gave us, OZ-083542, Captain Noin…" Meyrin said as she looked at the screen.
Noin blinked "But that line…" "That's our old unit's channel…" "Broadcast it so that we can hear what they're saying."
Meyrin nodded "Understood Captain…"
"Attention ESUN Preventers Flagship Dominion and ZAFT warship Minerva, we have a request to make to the Preventers commander Colonel Zechs Merquise, I challenge him to a duel to settle this battle, we see no point in loosing so many lives here this day for a minor skirmish." The voice spoke through both ships.
Xxx
Yzak froze where he stood "It can't be…" he looked at Dearka.
"He's dead… Wufei killed him…" Dearka looked at Yzak "It can't possibly be…"
The other pilots looked at the senior pilots "Who is it?" Lunamaria asked.
Xxx
"It's not possible…" Wufei said as he readied the Altron to launch "he can't be alive I killed him…"
Heero opened a line with him "Wufei, it's slim but there is a chance it's him… the Epyon did have the drive installed... it's built into the base design for all machines and into the OS for all machines control systems, it's slim only about ten percent but it's there…"
Wufei nodded "Alright, if it is him then…"
"You'll do nothing Wufei, the challenge is to duel Zechs." Heero looked at him "So what is our reply Colonel?" Zechs appeared on their screens wearing his old uniform.
"You'll stay out of this and not interfere; this is a duel between old friends…" Zechs said as he slipped the helmet like mask over his head.
"Understood, Zechs…" Heero said as the line closed.
Xxx
"Colonel, it doesn't look like they'll…" Neo started.
"To the Earth Alliance forces, I accept the challenge however I would like to confirm the identity of my opponent." Zechs appeared on the screens of the Earth forces pilots his crimson red uniform silver mask.
Treize smiled "Zechs you've not changed at all…" "Very well then, your opponent is myself, your former commander Vingt Khushrenada." Treize appeared on the screens of the Preventers machines.
Xxx
Noin looked at him "That's him alright… Captain Gladys, we'll leave this to Zechs."
"You can't be serious we're going to…" Talia started then Athrun appeared on the screen.
"Captain, that is Treize Khushrenada the former leader of the ESUN and OZ if he's making a challenge like this he has something he wants to talk about for some reason… the only way he can do that is up close on a short range line." Athrun looked at them as Yzak and the others made their way in.
Lunamaria looked at Dearka "Who's Treize?"
"The former leader of OZ and the ESUN's forces during the last battle of the Eve war, we thought he was dead… Wufei fought against him and critically damaged his suit the Tallgeese II, though Wufei said he thought Treize threw the fight." Dearka looked at them "He trained Zechs and Noin, he's also on par with us when it comes to piloting…"
Shinn turned to look at the screen "This guy… he's on par with them…" the man in the blue uniform looked calm and ready to fight to the death.
Talia nodded on the screen "Alright then but standby in your machines…"
"Understood captain, if this duel is anything like when Zechs faced Heero over the Antarctic cap at the Barkley base then this might take a while…" Yzak said as he made his way towards the lift.
Shiho blinked "Wait you can't be suggesting…"
Dearka chuckled "Yzak's right better grab a book… pointless fights take a while…"
Xxx
"They're deploying their forces, are they intending to…" Sven started.
"No it's just a precaution we have ours deployed if either side tries anything then it will escalate, just sit back and watch." Treize said as he drew the beam saber on the Tallgeese II and flew ahead along the surface of the water.
The hangar on the Dominion opened and the Tallgeese III flew out at full speed "Let's begin…" Zechs said calmly.
Treize smiled "Alright…" the two blue and white machines clashed and the duel began.
The two circled high Zechs thrust the beam saber at the head of the Tallgeese II "So why did you crawl out of your grave Treize?" Zechs asked.
Treize ducked under the attack "Because, when the ZERO system found information about this world it gave me a purpose to live, it didn't take long for me to find out about the warp drive system…" he rammed the circular shield of the Tallgeese II into the shield of the Tallgeese III.
"Fine, then why didn't you return you…" Zechs blinked as Treize smiled.
"This is over a private line between the two of us, the reason is if I had then would the world have let go of its militaristic past? The cycle would have repeated." Treize said as he parried an attack from Zechs "You disguised yourself within the Preventers and fought to end the war here, I commend you for that Milliardo."
Zechs nodded "Then why now, you turned into legend, even now you're revered by the people as the defender of Earth." He lashed out with the whip against the shield of the Tallgeese II "Why are you with the Earth Forces?"
Treize smiled "I found out that a group known as Logos made contact with Romefeller shortly after this I came here disguised as a representative to find out their intentions, they are behind starting this war."
"What!" Zechs asked as he looked at Treize "Romefeller, but they…"
Treize shook his head "They're still very powerful Zechs and are supporting this conflict to hopefully regain ground, apparently they have a new chief representative who is using OZ Prize to fight their battles."
Zechs blinked "Prize the faction that Catalonia controlled" he rolled around the Tallgeese II and dove towards the surface.
"Exactly, and Durandal is doing something, I'm uncertain but he's defiantly up to something, so the reason I've asked to duel you today is so that you will defeat me and allow me to get in contact with Orbs branch." Treize said as he rammed Zechs with the shield.
"You're defecting to our side… then why don't you just join us and…" Zechs backed off as Treize leveled the beam saber in a stance for fencing.
"Because Milliardo, I don't need to be known by Durandal just yet and I need to confirm my findings the only way to do this is to get in touch with Orb's branch…" Treize said as he thrust and slashed at the Tallgeese III
Zechs parried the attack "So you want me to help you fake your death… so that it looks like you fell in battle…"
Treize nodded "I was in command of the unit that has counterparts to your own some of them are a little rough around the edges, but they reminded me of our old unit…" he blocked a thrust from Zechs with the shield.
"Well then, better make this look real enough, and say hello to Orb's branch for us…" Zechs smirked as he rolled through Treize's attacks.
Treize raised the beam cannon of the Tallgeese II and fired the shots kicking up the ocean from the impacts "I'm not going to make this easy cadet…"
"I stopped being your cadet long ago Treize, in some respects I even surpassed you!" Zechs roared as he dodged a shot and closed at high speed ramming the Tallgeese II crushing the beam cannon "Switch to an open channel we'd better make this seem real…"
Treize nodded and flicked the channel's open "That will get you nowhere Zechs!"
"SO SAYS THE TYRANT!" Zechs roared as he brought the whip down on the shield of the Tallgeese II.
"Hiding behind a mask to disguise who you really are, MILLIARDO PEACECRAFT!" Treize glared as he forced the whip away and thrust the beam saber through the power conductor of the high energy beam cannon mounted on the shoulder of the Tallgeese III causing it to explode.
Zechs smirked as they continued they rocketed high above the ocean trading blows "Treize hasn't lost any bit of his skill. Good thing neither have I…"
Xxx
"It sounds like they have a bit more than a grudge against each other… Milliardo Peacecraft… wasn't that the name of…" Neo pondered for a moment.
"It was the name of the leader of the White Fang in the Eve war" Sven opened a channel "He tried to drop the battleship Libra on their Earth… almost the size of a small colony with four massive thermonuclear engines powering it… it would have sent their world into a nuclear winter lasting hundreds of years…"
"What… that guy…" Mudie looked at the Tallgeese III "He tried the same thing that ZAFT did…"
Sven nodded "Milliardo Peacecraft thought that space should rule over the Earth, he was also known better by his alias of Zechs Merquise, one of the top aces of OZ…"
Xxx
Talia blinked "Wait Zechs Merquise is an alias… Milliardo Peacecraft was the leader of space during the final battle of the Eve war according to the reports…"
Noin smiled "Treize hasn't lost any of his skill in combat…" "What are you doing Treize…"
Arthur watched as the two machines fought back and forth "The maneuvers they're pulling off should have killed them by now… high speed turns and dives in excess of ten g's at this rate they'll…"
"Don't worry about them…" Noin smiled "it's probably because they're fighting as the machines demand of them…"
Talia blinked "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Zechs said once when he first piloted the original Tallgeese that it demanded that he pushed it harder, he said that the suit was designed different, he said that it had an audacious design that far exceeded today's most advanced equipment it was twenty years old, that it ignores the pilot's commands, takes into consideration all types of battle patterns and fights to win." Noin mused "When he first piloted it he pushed it to its limit and nearly killed himself in the process… the way he described it as not a suit for battle but more a suit for dueling, it takes a brave pilot to bring out its true potential… brave enough to risk death for victory."
"So they're machines are…" Talia looked at the duel on the screen as it progressed the battle back and forth of the two blue and white suits "Two mobile suits designed for dueling to fight a chosen opponent." "I see… the suits bring out the best in the pilots abilities…"
Noin nodded "Yes…"
Xxx
"Milliardo do you really think you have what it takes to beat me!" Treize glared as he charged the Tallgeese III.
Zechs smirked "DIE TREIZE!" he roared as he brought the beam saber down on the Tallgeese II the saber cutting off the left arm throwing the suits thrusters off balance as the vernier engines blew up.
The Tallgeese II plummeted the remaining thrusters not able to keep it in flight "Good Milliardo… now finish…"
Zechs charged "For the ESUN!" he glared as he caught up and cut the head off of the Tallgeese two and the remaining engine sending it into freefall as the head came free he caught It the faceplate cracked the eyes blackened the two crimson streaks looked like tears of blood flowing from the suits eyes.
Treize smiled "To my eternal friend Milliardo… I'll be waiting on the other side…" the suit hit the ocean's surface with a massive crash the suit sank quickly the hand the last thing to disappear as if it was reaching out asking to be saved.
Sven glared "Colonel…" "He said to act on my emotions, well my emotions tell me…"
Neo smirked "Now that the fool is out of the way, Attack!"
"That's more like it!" Mudie smiled "Death to the coordinators!"
The Earth Forces charged beginning their attack.
Zechs glared "They have no honor… Preventers forces engage at will!"
The Gundam's all launched towards the incoming forces "Understood Colonel." Wufei charged activating the beam trident at the same time "They have no idea of what they just lost!" he launched the arms into two Windam's latching onto their cockpits "Now burn!" he activated the flamethrowers and instantly incinerated the two suits.
Rey opened fire from the deck of the Minerva with the beam rifle of his ZAKU picking off any machine that got close "We won't let you touch our ship!"
Shinn rolled through the Windam's "Damn just how many of these guys are there…"
Heero flew past in the Neo-Bird flight form of Wing Zero and opened fire with the chain guns and low powered shots from the two buster rifles ripping through machine after machine "According to the readouts about thirty… nothing much…"
"Nothing much what's that supposed to mean!" Shinn gaped as he dodged fire from several Windam's.
"What he means is quit complaining and fight, we each took on fifty a piece in the last battle of the Eve war… and two whole armies in the second battle of Jachin Due!" Duo flew past at high speed and sliced several suits apart with the beam scythe of the Deathscythe Hell.
Shinn looked around at the others Quatre fighting back to back with Nicol supporting each other Trowa and Dearka firing waves of shots into the attacking suits that got near the two ships.
Mudie smiled "What's this, the pilot's seemed to have fallen asleep…" she charged the Impulse drawing a beam saber at the same time "DIE COORDINATOR SCUM!" she roared.
"What in the!" Shinn turned to see the Blu Duel charging him "Yzak what the!"
"THAT'S NOT ME!" Yzak roared as he closed blocking the attack "If you want someone to fight then fight someone who's on par with you!" he kicked the identical machine to his own away.
Mudie blinked as the Duel and Rosso Aegis blocked her path "Another of my… but how…"
"MUDIE!" Shams roared as he flew in to protect her "Take this you Coordinator bastard!" he opened fire with the beam rifles forcing Yzak back.
"Dearka I could use some help here!" Yzak roared as he fired a wave of missiles at the Verde Buster.
"Yeah… give me a second…" Dearka said as he targeted the long range beam cannon of the Buster "Alright let's see what you can…" he pulled the trigger and the high powered beam rifle fired destroying several Windam's moving to support the Verde Buster and Blu Duel "Well Damn…"
Athrun rolled through the shots fired at him by the Chaos "Amature…" he flew past at high speed and into a banked turn diving on the Chaos "Take this…" he opened fire with the beam cannons of the Savior.
Sting glared "What the hell!"
Shinn rolled out of the attacks from a pink and green Windam "Just who is this guy… he's fast…"
Zechs glared "Shinn, I'll deal with him." The Tallgeese III rolled and charged after the suit.
Neo glared "Well… if it isn't the Lightning Count!" he rolled into a cloud bank "Let's see just how good you are…" he fired out of the cloudbank at the suit.
Zechs dodged the shots "Coward!" he charged into the clouds after the suit the thermal sensors locked onto the custom Windam.
Shinn chased after the two "Damn it they're fast…" they closed on a small island at high speed.
Xxx
"Sir one sonar contact, it's fast…" the operator aboard the Vosgulov class sub.
"What!" The captain yelled.
"It's a mobile suit… The Abyss!" The Sonar operator yelled.
"Intercept, send out the GOOhN's immedeatly!" The Captain ordered as the underwater mobile suits activated.
Xxx
Auel chuckled as he closed on the sub "Time for some fun…"
Xxx
"Mam it's the Nyiragongo, it's coming under attack from the Abyss!" Meyrin yelled down to Talia.
"What, get Rey and Lunamaria down there." Talia ordered.
Xxx
The GOOhN pilots fired waves of torpedoes at the Abyss as it closed and Auel rolled out of the shots paths with ease the suit more capable in it's mobile armored form for under water combat he closed on the suits "Too slow…"
The pilot's watched in horror as the Abyss closed and carved through them with the halberd.
Auel laughed as he slaughtered them "Sorry guy's but you're outmatched!"
Xxx
Nicol rolled and launched the arrestors into a pair of Windams their engines shut off a second later as they blew up he circled around to take his next target as he did a black gundam closed.
"What in the, Hilde!" he rolled away from an attack from the suit as it held the two high powered beam blades.
"Nicol that's not…" Hilde started as the Noir closed.
Sven glared "For Colonel Treize!" he attacked Nicol again closing at high speed.
Nicol glared and activated the beam saber mounted in the shield of the Nebula "Just who is this guy!"
Xxx
Auel smirked as he fired four torpedoes into another GOOhN "You poor schmucks…"
An alarm blared in his suit "What the…"
Lunamaria glared "Take this! It's a little something for showing off!" she fired the rocket launcher at the Abyss.
"You think you can actually hit me with something that slow!" Auel yelled as he transformed and dodged the shot with ease closing on the two suits.
Rey glared and fired "Damn it!"
The Abyss got within melee range and transformed raising the halberd "Time to die!" he loomed over Lunamaria's ZAKU.
"Like hell I'll let you kill them!" Mayu yelled as she closed at high speed in the Scorpio the large red clawed suit rammed the Abyss away from Lunamaria forcing Auel to transform and avoid the high powered suit.
Xxx
Neo flew low along the surface as Zechs slowly closed on him "Damn it he's faster… and the Impulse isn't far behind…"
Zechs glared "Die you honor-less bastard!" he raised the beam saber to strike.
"NEO!" A female voice yelled across their channels.
Shinn turned to look only to get rammed out of the sky by the Gaia charging off of a cliff tackling him into the ocean.
Zechs slowed "Shinn are you alright!"
"I'm fine, take him down!" Shinn replied as the Impulse slowly rose in the low costal water.
"This bastard... Every time… Every time!" The Gaia launched itself at the Impulse as Shinn drew the beam saber forcing it back.
Xxx
The base commander glared "Hurry up with the anti air, Damn that Roanoke!"
The base personnel started to scramble to their posts to defend the base as the battle drew closer.
"Just what the hell is he doing… we're nearly defenseless here…" the commander glared.
Xxx
Shinn fought the Gaia inland as he slowed he looked over "What's going on… they're building a base here… it's not…" he looked down.
"What Shinn we couldn't get that…" Trowa started.
"They're forcing civilians to build the base!" Shinn yelled as he watched the civilians trying to make a run for it. "They're…" his voice died off as they opened fire on the civilians.
Xxx
Neo flew out towards the sea and glared as he looked at the list of destroyed units get longer "I think we've reached our limit… we could have chosen a better place to battle… attention Jones we're withdrawing prepare to meet us!" he ordered as he took off away from the battlefield.
Zechs smirked "Coward…" "He's not bad… but his machine is lacking…"
"Auel, Sting, Stella… Sven, Shams, Mudie we're finished here, we're leaving!" Neo ordered as he flew.
Auel glared "How come!"
"Because all of the guys we borrowed were wiped out and they've found the base we're still building…" Neo said as he looked at them.
"What! How'd that happen you loser's!" Auel glared.
"Just calm down you didn't take out any big targets now did you?" Neo asked as Auel glared at him.
Auel smirked "Fine then… I'll get one!" he rolled and took off for the Nyiragongo at full speed.
"Damn it!" Mayu yelled as she pulled the Scorpio into a turn trying to catch up to the smaller machine "The mass of the Scorpio it can't turn fast enough!"
Rey turned to fire "Damn it, out of range!"
Auel laughed as he closed opening fire on the massive sub with the beam cannons as he streaked past he fired a burst of the dual cannons mounted facing the rear of the suit the slugs penetrated the hull with ease causing the sub to explode.
Xxx
The preventers watched in horror as the sub's oil slick and wreckage floated to the surface following the massive water plume of the explosion "The Nyiragongo!" Shinn yelled as the Gaia took off away from him.
Heero rolled and glared "They have a base over here, permission to take it out?"
Noin nodded "After losing the sub, it's granted… don't give them anything to work with, if it can be used destroy it."
"Mission accepted." Heero said with a cold tone as he landed drawing the beam saber of the Wing Zero.
Shinn walked forward as two linear tanks opened fire on him he fired with the CIWS machine guns ripping the two tanks apart with the anti armor shells.
Duo landed inside the base and glared "This is for all those people onboard that sub!" he cut through the propellant tanks with the scythe turning the middle of the base into a raging inferno as he walked out of the flames he watched as the civilians ran trying to get away from the base "Hay guy's Shinn was right there are civilians here… these Alliance bastards were using them as slave labor!"
"What!" Yzak landed and zoomed in on the people "Oh that just… it if you see the base commander I'm using him for target practice!" he fired the rail gun into the command tower.
Wufei landed "These monsters don't deserve to live…" he glared as he opened fire on the hangar with the flame throwers.
Nicol and Quatre landed near the fence "Let's help them…" Quatre said as he grabbed hold of the one fence and started to tear it down.
Nicol nodded "Right…" he ripped the fence down opposite allowing the families to reunite.
In under ten minutes the base was a charred smoldering ruin the Gundams the only thing's standing amongst the wreckage.
Xxx
"Captain we have something trying to…" Erica started then stopped "It can't be…" she looked at the monitor.
Murrue looked up at her "What is it Erica?"
Erica flipped the screen to the main monitor where a message appeared Murrue blinked "Attention Archangel, I wish to request a meeting with you my coordinates are… sincerely Treize…"
"If it is him… you said he was dead… and in the message he says he has a message from Zechs." Erica said as she looked down at her from the communications post.
Murrue nodded and looked over at Natarle "What's your opinion Natarle?"
"With our suits we can be ready for an ambush… respond and request a video message." Natarle smiled "If it is him we can confirm it."
Murrue nodded "I agree…"
Erica blinked "It's him again…" she brought the new message onto the screen the video stream showing Treize sitting in the cockpit of the suit.
"Captain Ramius, if you need confirmation it's…" Treize started a little blood running down from a cut in his forehead.
Murrue blinked "It's him… it's not possible…"
Treize cracked a weak smile "If you wouldn't mind we conduct this meeting in person after I get a little medical aid…" he moved his hand from his left arm revealing some shrapnel that had cut the upper part of his arm still embedded in it.
"Understood, we'll be there shortly, Miss. Simmons contact Kira have him ready to retrieve Colonel Treize."
Erica nodded.
Xxx
"So Treize threw the fight…" Heero asked as Zechs looked at the pilots aboard the Dominion.
Zechs nodded "He said he had information, and suspected Durandal of using us… I don't blame him, all of the recent events making the Minerva part of ZAFT's branch… it's all too…"
"Convenient…" Wufei looked at the other pilots "Treize might be onto something, but why did he…"
Zechs nodded "He said he had to confirm something with Orb's branch, apparently they're in the area probably moving under water to hide their movements…"
"We'll just have to wait and see, nothing of what we said leaves this room…" Heero looked at the others who nodded "Until we find out what's going on we keep anyone aboard the Minerva out of this… we don't want Durandal finding out if we are onto something…"
Zechs smiled "Now that's more like the Heero I knew…"
Heero smiled as the others started out of the room.
Xxx
Treize sat in the medical bay onboard the Archangel as the Captain took a seat next to his bed "So why did you request to come aboard, and what's the message from Zechs?"
"The ESUN's branch says hello and wishes you well first of all, the second is I needed to confirm a hunch I had… is Lacus Clyne aboard this ship?" Treize asked.
Murrue blinked "How did you…"
Treize looked at her "Then I was right… Durandal is pulling the strings to this show…"
"Mr. Treize what do you intend to do?" Murrue asked as she looked at him "What do you think Durandal is doing…"
"Durandal is playing a game of chess… using the Dominion and Minerva as the pieces. His attempt to take out Lacus failed thanks to you, as such there's a unknown factor in this game of chess he's playing a third side." Treize smiled.
"Alright, and how will we stop him?" Murrue asked.
"The ESUN, I need to get in contact with the vice foreign minister…" Treize looked at her "Make an unannounced trip and I'll take care of the rest…"
Murrue nodded and looked at a person who had entered the room the boy stopped at the end of the bed "Do you really think it will be that easy… and why should we trust the former leader of OZ?" the brown haired lieutenant asked.
"The faction that attacked you was OZ prize correct?" Treize asked as he looked at the Lieutenant.
Kira blinked "Yeah but how did you…"
"The ESUN doesn't know about Prize, it was the other branch of OZ that wasn't under my control a group of elite units made up of ace pilots that answered directly to Duke Dermail Catalonia, he died in the war, and with my death Romefeller should have collapsed but it did not in fact they're backing the Earth Alliance… probably in hope of some sort of revolution…" Treize looked at the boy.
Kira nodded "Alright, Miss. Murrue I believe we should help him, our supplies are running low as it is…"
"Lieutenant Yamato see to it that quarters are prepaired for the Colonel while we prepare to head to the ESUN." Murrue said as she stood.
Treize smiled "Lieutenant, tell me are you the pilot of the Freedom?"
Kira turned and nodded "Yeah…"
"You don't aim at the cockpits mind telling me why?" Treize asked as he looked at Kira.
"I didn't sign up to fight a war… I don't kill if I don't have to…" Kira smiled as he made his way to the door.
Murrue smiled as the door closed "Kira was a civilian that was pulled into the war when his home was destroyed on the Heliopolis colony, he defended this ship alone until the others joined us during operation Meteor… after the war he left to live in peace…"
"Fighting without killing can lead to ones death, it's admirable for him to spare those who wish to kill him but eventually one will catch up to him…" Treize looked at her "With a machine like that he's not just some faceless soldier…"
"Are any of them faceless?" Murrue asked and Treize shook his head.
Xxxxxx
Ha ha another chapter complete Treize has gotten his wish, it did come down to Athrun and Heero and a double knock out… mwhahahahaha I'm an evil bastard, Durandal is enjoying his little games for now but what does Treize have planned, two masters of political maneuvering have taken the stage in this game of chess, who shall triumph? Well that's for another chapter…
"Say Aldaeus mind if we spice up the next chapter a bit… taking down that cannon isn't going to make it interesting enough…" Quatre said as he flipped through the script
"Yeah no kidding…" Duo groaned "All this is, is Shinn hogging the spotlight…"
What did you guys have in mind?
"How about that base over the ridgeline?" Trowa asked as he looked at the map on the wall
Sound's fun I'll see what I can do… no promises though…
*THWACK*
"No promises necessary Ald… we'll take it from here" Athrun said as he walked over "Rock paper scissors to decide how we get to the base…"
Quatre smiled "Alright…"
The pilots took their seats around the coffee table "Rock…" Duo smirked
"Paper…" Dearka looked at the others.
"Scissors…" Heero said calmly
"Shoot…" they all said in unison
