SailorStar9: This is Chapter 9 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny.

Chapter 9: Signs of the Final Battle

The Peacemillion, with its Mirage Colloid stealth system activated, was hiding out in an abandoned Colony.

"Okay, it's all done." Duo smiled, finishing up Deathscythe Hell's repairs. "You never know when we'll have to fight next, right? I'm counting on you, bud." he looked at his Mobile Suit. "Quatre, what are you doing?" he peered into Sandrock Kai's cockpit.

"Disengaging the ZERO system." Quatre pulled out the data container. "I don't need it anymore." he shouted over to Hiiro. "Don't worry, I can still fight without it."

"Hiiro, you've got to be careful yourself." Duo warned. "You can control it now but that doesn't change the fact that it's a dangerous system."

"You're right." Hiiro agreed.

"I can't believe he agreed." Duo was astonished. "But. seriously, what was that girl thinking when she created it?"

"I was thirteen, D-chan." Ami reminded. "We all do stupid things when we were thirteen."

"Well, not me." Duo defended.

"Oh, really?" Makoto raised a skeptical brow.

"Where's Rei?" Ami asked her best friend.

"Where else?" Makoto shrugged.

"Right..." Ami drawled.

"Hey, you guys!" Howard shouted. "I thought I told you to leave the repairs to the mechanics! Don't forget it's your duty as pilots to rest when you can."

"We know!" Duo shouted back. "I'm famished. Let's grab something to eat."

"Sounds good." Quatre agreed.

"Natural resource satellite, MO-2." Sally voiced as the space map came up. "They're done mining it, so it's been left circling Earth. It's perfect for a front-line base."

"Look at all those Mobile Suits." Noin added. "The World Nation's bringing all the weapons from Earth to this one location."

"Sure looks that way." Sally agreed. "It's astonishing they could assemble this many suits. Does Treize Khushrenda honestly expect that he'll be able to settle this war in space?"

"I don't know." Noin replied. "But they've never done anything like this before. What in the world could those guys be thinking?"

"The repairs to the engine is almost done." Quatre stated in the mess hall.

"Howard is quick about getting his work done." Duo complimented. "More so, I'm impressed with those two barriers you girls put up. Just how do you do it?"

"We had a lot of free time." Makoto grinned.

"I wonder if it'll make up for our delays." Trowa noted after Duo moved his rook.

"Now what move should I make?" Duo thought after Trowa shifted his rook.

"Excellent move." Trowa noted, Wufei having moved Duo's rook up.

"Offense is the best defense." Wufei related. "If you're only defensive, you limit your prospects."

"Thanks for the great tip." Duo grinned. "Hiiro, wanna play?"

"What's the matter, Hiiro?" Quatre asked, having exchanged a look with Duo.

"They've beaten us to the punch." Duo sighed as the battle alert came on.

"Let's go!" Quatre gave the command and the boys took off.

"Enemy Mobile Dolls, Virgo units confirmed." Hiiro took the lead. "Proceeding with mission."

"The engine's just been fixed." Howard came over the intercom. "Don't go and wreck it."

"Roger that." Hiiro replied.

"They're coming from the right!" Quatre reported, as the Gundams immersed in the battle.

"I'll get them." Wufei replied.

"I'll back you up." Trowa offered.

"Thanks." Quatre noted and the two shot off.

"There's just no end to them!" Duo cursed, destroying another two Mobile Dolls.

"Peacemillion!" Hilde's fizzled broadcast came on. "Peacemillion, do you read?"

"That sounds like..." Duo blinked.

"Please come in, Duo!" Hilde pleaded.

"Hilde!" Duo called after hearing her scream before the line was cut.

"Duo, go find her." Quatre instructed. "Hurry!" he urged. "We'll handle things here."

"All right." Duo relented. "Thanks!" and shot off to find Hilde.

Just before Vayeate could finish off Hilde's Taurus, Duo intervened. "Hilde, you alright?" the braided pilot asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Hilde replied.

"Stay back. "Duo pushed her aside. "I'll take care of these guys."

"Duo, be careful." Hilde warned.

"What's going on?" Duo muttered, pushed back by Mercurius' rifle. "They're way too strong for mere Mobile Dolls."

"Duo," Hilde called. "Those Mobile Dolls, they're programmed with data on you Gundam pilots."

"Are you sure?" Duo gaped. "Hiiro and Trowa?" he recognized the attack patterns. "You've gotta be kidding! So this like fighting the two of them at once. Even so!" he glared at Vayeate which had blasted him from the back. "They're pretty good copies! But they're still dolls." and stabbed Vayeate. "A Gundam pilot won't lose to a buncha dolls!" he destroyed several planet defensors. "You've met your match!" he ended the fight by slicing the Mercurius in half. "Next time, try programming my data. Hilde! Hey, Hilde!" he called.

"Duo," Hilde looked up. "I'm glad you're safe."

"Yeah, but you're in terrible shape." Duo retorted. "What did you come all the way here for?"

"I brought you this data on Libra." Hilde took out the floppy disc. "I want you to use it."

"But... why..." Duo gaped. Why'd you risk your life?"

"Because... I just... I wanted to." Hilde replied.

"You stupid fool!" Duo roared.

"I figured you'd say something like that." Hilde chuckled.

"We can't let the data she brought us go to waste." Quatre noted after Hilde was wheeled into the operating room.

"Right." Duo agreed. "Hiiro," he turned to Wing ZERO's pilot. "Relena Peacecraft's on Libra. "Hilde said she met her there."

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.