A/N: RVD you can use my character, but I was having you wait until Chapter 12 came out so you could pretty much know who he really was. Chapters 14 and 15 will give more of an explanation of what makes Nicholas Peacecraft tick in a sense. What put him on his path to join ZAFT and reform White Fang; updates are easy for me I have already pre-made up to 24 chapters and working on chapter 25. I got more surprises in store thanks to help from Lightning Count and Gundamvid as well as Frostblaze.
Chapter 14
Wing Zero and Epyon clash once more
(Resource Disposal Satellite: Vulkanus C.E. 68)
Deep within resource disposal satellite known as Vulkanus; Captain Lewis Halberton and a young female Cadet with him were held at gunpoint by a thirty four year old man with brown hair, an athletic and sender build wearing only a button white shirt and black paints with some running shoes. "Whoever saw Epyon and Vulkanus must die." The man was aiming when suddenly a powerful tremor knocked them over as Epyon was suddenly standing over them.
"All of my enemies must die!" The enraged pilot of Epyon enraged shouted as he tried to step on them. Heero dove into a small opening as Natarle and Lewis dropped and scrambled to the opening before Epyon could kill them. Once inside they saw Heero running down the hall as the two decided to go in pursuit after Captain Halberton drew his own pistol from a pocket in his own space suit he wore. They ran for minutes down a curving corridor until they reached a large storage room where junk parts and metal ore were lying about. Halberton turned his head searching the room for the one who had held them at gun point before Epyon arrived.
"Where did he go?"
"Behind you." The mysterious man said as he appeared out from the shadows with his gun pointed at his backs. "Drop it." Halberton reluctantly dropped his weapon as their mysterious gun man kept his gun aimed at them. "It appears I will need your help to stop Epyon. So I am considering of letting you two leave this place alive, but there is a condition."
"What would that be?"
After the Captain issued his question the man answered it promptly. "You must tell no one you saw or even know about this place. Otherwise I will kill you both right here right now." The Atlantic Federation Captain and the woman with him were surprised to hear such remarks from their captor. "If Epyon continues to go out of control then it will mean serious problems for everyone. Would like it if it attacked civilians next?"
"No, but…what is Epyon. You mean that machine that destroyed our fleet." Halberton shouted as he demanded an explanation. His captor maintained a serious glare on his face showing no change whatsoever as he answered.
"Epyon is a mobile suit called a Gundam. It's too powerful for your military to stop, but I can stop it before it can do any more harm. However its pilot doesn't want me to reach Wing Zero, but I could reach it if I have some help."
"But why do not want anyone to know of this place." The female solider next to the captain asked.
"Because this place carries weapons and technology that would mean Armageddon for the earth and anyone else if they fall into anyone's hands. I will not allow that. The results will be unspeakable."
"But the technology here you speak of could help many." The Captain added.
"Maybe, but it will be used for destruction which I cannot allow. I don't like taking unnecessary risks. If only you knew the power and the danger many of these machines possessed then you may better understand my reasons. Take Epyon for example…if similar mobile suits like it were built to be used as war machines then the death toll would be too horrible to image. Now will you swear never to tell anyone of this place or shall I shoot you both now."
"Very well…we'll agree to keep this place secret." Halberton said with some reluctance in his voice as the young woman solider with him spoke out.
"But Captain!"
"Be quiet Cadet…we need to stop that machine from doing any more damage, and if what he said about the weapons here are right then I do not what the bloodshed that could be caused from this to be on my hands. Do my make myself clear Cadet."
"Yes sir."
"Alright then…follow me. These corridors will lead us to through the storage compartments. Then we'll follow them to the main factory, and if we can avoid Epyon then we should reach Wing Zero." The man said as he pointed to a doorway near a pile of boxes and drum barrels. He began walking to lead the way, but before they continued; the woman with them shouted at the man.
"Just who the hell are you?"
"I have no name, but you may refer to me by my codename Heero Yuy."
After Heero's cold reply he lead the way into the dark hallways. Halberton and the female solider followed Heero for several minutes until they reached a large open storage room area. In one corner of the room they had boxes and crates of objects pilled up while in one area of the room were a line of Serpent mobile suits along with one or two MD Virgo units. All of them were leaning against a wall. The Captain and female solider looked at them in awe as one of them asked "What are those things?"
"Those machines." Heero said pointing to the Serpents before continuing "Are MMS-01 Serpent and those are." Pointing at the Virgo mobile dolls. "Are Virgo mobile doll units."
"More weapons I take it then."
"That is correct." Heero said as he turned his head to look towards the Captain.
"Shouldn't we use them against Epyon?" the female Cadet suggested.
"No…Epyon would rip those machines apart in seconds. We wouldn't stand a chance using them. They simply don't have the speed and the maneuvering capability to keep with Epyon."
"You seem to know a lot about this machine."
"I used to pilot it years ago. I know its weapons, systems, everything about Epyon right down to its ZERO system."
"Zero System?" the female solider asked them.
"The ZERO system is a very powerful pilot interface system that was designed to improve the pilot's abilities to handle his mobile suit or Gundam by boosting his reflexes; he or she gets faster in making crucial decisions on the battlefield. This is accomplished by connecting the brain directly with the mobile suit's combat system - it bypasses normal human interfaces such as visual and audio input by feeding the data collected directly into the brain. The pilot doesn't have to wait for his brain synapses to tell him what he saw or heard. The ZERO system will already have the information and a suggestion for action ready. The system thus acts as a sixth sense, communicating directly with the brain. It is the most powerful combat system ever created, and Epyon has it."
"So what you're saying is…that the Zero System allows the pilot to predict his opponent's every move before they can even execute it." The Atlantic Federation Captain asked.
"Technically yes, but a system like this dose process one serious drawback. The system is what you can say…too powerful." Heero said as he remembered all of those who had suffered from this drawback of the powerful combat system.
"Too powerful I don't understand." The female officer asked with a confounded expression on her face.
"The Zero System is so powerful that it not only draws data from the combat computer of a mobile suit and the surrounding area to help the pilot in the heat of combat, but it also causes hallucinations which those who have used it believed is the undeniable future, but this fact is only half true. You see the system analyses all options and suggests an action to be taken, and the possible result of those actions. So while the system seems to have the ability to predict the future, but it is only a possible future among endless possible others. There really is no telling how the system chooses one particular future, or whether the ZERO system manipulates the version of future the pilot sees to suit its needs or not. If there is no apparent target or mission, the pilot comes into the danger of being manipulated by the ZERO system, which will seek out all possible targets and analyses the situation. The other hallucinations caused by this direct brain interface system; the ZERO system seeks out and retrieve needed information for the current situation, and communicates with the conscious part of the brain drawing needed data from there as well. Anyone who can't handle the massive in-data feedback loop drives the pilot insane. Everyone who had used it had gone insane or was killed by the system. Only two people have mastered the system successfully drawing out its full potential."
"I see the possible dangers of this system, but what the worst that could happen if someone can't handle it if doesn't kill them." The female solider asked as Heero turned his head as he stopped walking to look at the short black haired female with one of his death glares as he answered her question coldly.
"One time a friend of mines used the system. When he couldn't handle it he went insane and then on a rampage and destroyed a whole colony. Fortunately, the colony was evacuated just in time. I believe that is as bad as a worst case scenario as one can be when it involves the Zero System don't you think?"
"You have proven your point. As useful I believe the technology and weapons here would be, the more I think they are better left undiscovered especially the Zero System." The Captain admitted as they entered another hallway that was dark and had some pipes on the ceiling.
"Well then…that means you'll live to leave this place."
"What is wrong with you…I have never known anyone so…cold." The female solider shouted at Heero while the prefect solider kept walking he only replied.
"I am technically not cold, but I am just a very serious person."
"I think you're too serious." The woman said under her breath.
"I have been raised learning how to fight and kill as a solider most of my life. If I have to…I will destroy this whole facility taking Epyon and Wing Zero with it."
"And kill yourself in the process?"
"Life is cheap…especially mine. If I must die to complete a mission then so be it."
This guy isn't just serious, but he seems kinda suicidal and determined to be the average solider. The Cadet thought as she followed the two men though the hall until it started shaking until pipes began falling down as a part of Epyon's sword was seen coming through. "Everyone look out." The two Atlantic Federation soldiers dove forward as Heero jumped and rolled across the ground to avoid Epyon's sword as it came down, but before Heero and others could be out of harms way the crimson mobile suit was already preparing trying to cut down into the hall again from the level above them. That was when the Gundam pilot eyed a ventilation duck near by, and it was open as well as just big enough for them to get into. "Everyone get inside." Heero was last seen diving into the duct as he dropped down several floors. The other two jumped in after him as they all fell down the duct where Heero broke their fall.
After they got up; the Cadet with them noticed that Heero had dislocated one of his legs and his right arm. "Are you alright…I believe you dislocated one of your joints." Heero looked down at himself as he began twisting and turning his leg followed by a few grunts of pain.
"Actually I dislocated my left leg and my right arm when you two landed on me."
"Wait let us help you." Lewis offered as Heero tried to relocate his joints.
"Don't worry I suffered much worst than this. I will only be a minute." Heero replied as he twisted his leg one more time to hear a snap as he relocated his leg. It didn't take him long to do the same to his arm. Within moments he was moving about again fit as fiddle walking about as if nothing had happened to him. "See it was nothing." The man began crawling down the ventilation duct.
"What kind of person are you?"
"A Gundam pilot."
Heero continued his way down the duct until they exited the ventilation system reaching a control center. There were monitors lined up on a wall with a control board at the base of it. It was the security center for the whole satellite. Heero went to the console and began bringing up computer images of the whole facility. One image showed Epyon roaming the facility in one of the enlarged passageways used for mobile suits to move around in. It was searching the satellite for them. "According to this display Epyon is moving around on the far side of the facility which is prefect for us. Wing Zero isn't too far away, but if we want to avoid Epyon reaching it will still take some time."
"Perhaps I can stay here and monitor its position from here. Take this." Halberton said as he pulled out a radio he had in a pocket of his space suit. "Cadet hand me yours." The Captain asked as the Cadet handed him her own hand held radio she had. "We can stay here and monitor Epyon's movements and let you know where it's at." Heero typed in a few commands on the keyboard before him as a full three dimensional map of the satellite's interior. The Gundam pilot created a green bar that outlined the path he would be taking to reach Wing Zero.
"Alright…this is the path I will take to reach Wing Zero. Let me know if Epyon comes anywhere near these areas."
"No problem."
"Wait I should come along just in case." The Cadet said as she volunteered to help Heero.
"I am not sure if that's a good idea."
"Maybe, but if she wishes to come that's fine. Just as long as she doesn't get herself killed." Heero said as he didn't seem to mind someone accompanying him. "Epyon could have damaged some of the passageways so I may need a hand with them if they had been sealed off." Halberton was sure about the idea, but they did need to stop Epyon from doing anymore damage.
"Ok then. Good Luck you two."
Heero and the Cadet walked down the hall until they reached a hatch that lead down into some service and maintenance tunnels for the satellite. After opening it the two descended down a ladder entered a long tube looking passageway lined with pipes and a few cobwebs. There was some dim lighting in the tunnel as the two traveled through it. An untold amount of time passed as inside the security control room Halberton sat there watching Epyon as it was still lurking about on the other side of the satellite. While he was waiting he did a little snooping around the database and found a file or rather a record regarding Heero Yuy. The database contained a record of Heero's accomplishments such as his battles with the Lightning Count, military bases he had destroyed among other activities or events he was involved in. However a video file that caught his eye named G Pilot Training (introduction) video one: year A.C. 188.
The Captain opens the file and a video plays on the screen. He sees an old looking man wearing a lab coat with an old pair of glasses and a mechanical hand while he sees a little boy is there who looks exactly like Heero Yuy. The old man known as Doctor J and the boy were alone in the room. Doctor J was standing on one end of the table and Heero on the opposite end. Heero looked like he was about eight or seven years old. The old man was the first to speak.
"I know that you agreed to join our little operation, but this is just a standard procedure we must follow. You understand right?" The young man that would be known as Heero just stares in silence. "I'll take that as a yes. So, do you have a name?"
"I have no name."
"I see. Do you have a family?"
"I have no family."
"Alright, do you have any friends?"
"I have no friends."
"Okay. Do you have anything else you want to share?" Dr. J asked as he had about finished asking Heero all of the questions he needed as the said young man replied.
"I have no past, no history, and I have no identity."
Doctor J just chuckle at this little discovery as he added to his finishing statements. "I see. Interesting. I can see you will be a fine addition to our group." The small boy only remained silent as the doctor continued speaking. "Anyway, we will be doing more tests tomorrow. Then we will begin your training next week. For now, we want you to rest. Also, you're going to have to put up being nameless, until we find you a proper code name. You understand?"
"Yes."
"I have total faith in you boy. So, rest well, for you will become our "Perfect Soldier." The old man said as he leaves the room with a hardy laugh.
Halberton was shocked that someone as young as eight like Heero was trained to become a solider. He scrolled down the list of other video files OZ had found when they asserted Dr. J. One video had shown a young Heero Yuy signal-handily fighting and defeating twenty men with his bare hands in an extreme bad-ass fashion. Another video showed him when he was nine years old punching a large sheet of metal. He had been punching it for hours until the bandages warped around his hands were bleeding. Dr. J ordered to him to stop, but he only replied that he would keep going until he was too tired to continue. The fourth one showed him practicing how to fly a mobile suit, a plane and some training within a G-forces simulator to help him build a strong tolerance to intense G-forces. The next video was an accident recording that took place during A.C. 194 when Heero was only fourteen, and in the room with Dr. J was an older man with a bald head known as Dekim Barton.
"That is ridiculous…The Gundam is a symbol of peace not a bringer of death?" Dr. J argued as he looked Dekim in the eye as the head of the Barton Foundation replied.
"That boy is too green for Operation Meteor. Besides this is war! It is no big deal sacrificing the general public! Got it?" Dekim turned his attention to Heero who stood at attention like any other solider would. "Now retrain him at once. The humane feeling of kindness is unnecessary for our weapon."
"Your right there. But do you really believe Heero Yuy would be pleased if we buried his humanity?" Dr. J asked as he seemed to be against retraining the boy.
"I will hear no more of this!" Dekim Barton turns his full attention to Heero Yuy as he roars. "Now you listen to me boy. You are not a human being. You are a tool, a weapon that will kill for our ideals. You will spare no one: Man or woman, soldier or civilian, not even a child. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? NO ONE!" Heero just stand there unmoved by Dekim Barton's words as he just made only a simple reply.
"Understood."
Halberton was sickened by the way Heero was being trained it was just wrong. Now finally the last video he saw was at the bottom of the list. He was hesitant to open the file at first, but when he did he learned it was the worst of all of them. It showed Heero being chained to a metal table as he saw six men surround Heero. Two are armed with whips and clubs while two more are armed with a pipe and a blow torch, and one man is holding a bucket of water and the last man is holding two cables attached to a car battery. Dr. J steps in and demanding an explanation from the men.
"What the hell are you doing? I did not order this type of training!"
"We're sorry sir. We didn't want to do this. We were just following orders." One of the men replied.
"Who's orders?" the professor demanded as the same man who answered him earlier gave him another reply.
"Dekim Barton sir."
Dr. J's face bore strong signs of anger on his face as he didn't like what Dekim wanted done with Heero, but to his surprise as well as his horror the young boy tells him. "It's okay. I will endure it." The professor looks at him with a look of concern as moments of silence passes. Dr. J proceeds to leave the room as he tells the men.
"Alright. Do whatever you want." But before the professor left the room he turned to look at Heero to tell him "Heero. Be strong."
Halberton could only watch as his stomached turned at the abuse Heero received as he was first beaten with clubs. Then whipped without mercy for a long period of time. Then other two men would use the blow torch to heat the pipes and press the red hot pipes against Heero's skin. Then finally Heero was drenched by the bucket of water and the man with the cables electrocutes Heero as a finishing touch. To the surprise of the men; Heero didn't scream not even once during the whole thing. Halberton wanted to hurl when the video was finished, but when it was over he downloaded the videos and Heero's file onto a small computer he had with him in his suit. He managed to connect the two machines together as the data was downloaded onto his computer. He prayed that no one would even put someone though that kind of training, but he was so distracted by the videos he didn't notice Epyon was in the area where Heero and the Cadet were.
Inside the service tunnels the two were about half way to where Wing Zero was kept. Suddenly Halberton's voice cracked over the line as he noticed Epyon was in their vicinity. "Be careful you two Epyon is in your area so watch it." Heero felt the hall shake as Epyon was right above them walking down the mobile suit size corridor, but suddenly without warning a steam pipe explodes and bits of metal was sent flying everywhere. A few bits hit Heero in the arm, but a large piece stuck the woman in the leg forcing her to drop to her knees. As the steam cleared Heero pulled the metal shards stuck in his arm out before he bent down to tend to woman.
"A few metal shards are in deep. I can't get them out with your suit on. I will have to ask you to remove otherwise you will bleed for while which may cause your wound to get inflected if I don't remove those metal bits." Heero informed the woman as the Cadet was hesitant at first as she began removing her suit revealing her uniform she had under it since she and the Captain had almost no time to change out of their uniforms into their space suits. Once the Cadet's leg was exposed Heero began removing the metal bits from her leg. "Hold still…this will hurt for a short time." The woman grunted and moaned in pain as one metal piece after another was removed until after several minutes later all of the metal bits were removed and Heero used a part of his shirt as a bandage to warp up the woman's leg. "That should work for now. I think you should be able to walk."
"Thank you."
Heero didn't answer as he stood up and he looked down the passageway ahead of them. The Cadet stood up, and tried to walk, but found it a little difficult. The Gundam pilot noticed it and told her "I suppose we can rest here a moment for you to regain your strength." Heero sat down while the Cadet sat near him until she broke the renewed silence by speaking.
"There is something I want to ask you." Heero remained silent as the Cadet continued. "How could be so cold, and so resilient to pain. I have never seen anyone like you who was so serious?"
"So you are curious about me is that it?"
"That's one way to put it."
"The events of my past are not important, but I will divulge a small bit of my past to you if that will satisfy you. However if you want to a little about me then I want to know something of you in return." Heero spoke as he retrained his always serious expression on his face as he had his eyes on the woman until she answered him by saying.
"Fine…my name is Cadet Natarle Badgiruel of the Atlantic Federation."
"And I am Heero Yuy formerly of the Preventers and Gundam pilot of the Wing Zero."
"So you're a solider?"
"Correct…I was trained at a very early age." Heero kept his glare on Natarle as he added. "I believe that will satisfy you for now." The Gundam pilot stood there for a moment before he continued down the passageway with Natarle following him. As they continued walking Natarle noticed blood dripping from Heero's arm, but she noticed another wound which was from his leg as blood was dripping from it as well.
"You're bleeding."
"Its nothing I will be fine."
"Stop right there. You stopped to tend to my own wound; we should do the same for yours." Natarle snapped as Heero turned his head and shot her another glare.
"I don't need your help."
"Stop acting like some emotionless jerk and let me fix that wound or would rather drip blood everywhere you walk. Or would rather do it yourself?"
"For your own information I may appear emotionless, but the truth is that not even I can be completely void of all emotion, and if you are going continue insisting on wanting to tend my wounds then I will shoot you. I will take care of them myself later once the mission is done since I don't have the time to worry about the rest of my wounds. If I die after I bleed to death; then that's how it will be." Heero said as he pointed the gun right at Natarle as the young cadet seemed like she was looking into the face of death itself judging by the expression on her face.
"Are you always so serious?"
"I am always serious in everything I do so get used to it."
The two continued down the passageway until they reached a ladder that led up to hatch. Heero climbed up as he opened the hatch, after it was opened Natarle climbed as she and Heero arrived in what appeared to be a mobile suit automatic manufacturing plant, and at the far corner of the room sat a mobile suit with angel wings. "There it is…Wing Zero."
"That's Wing Zero?" Natarle asked as she saw the Gundam resting near a pair of assembly arms and a few catwalks that lead up to it. "It looks almost brand new."
"Technically it's older than Epyon, but during my last battle with it. Zero was heavily damaged and its remains were dumped here to be scrapped. After the incident that trapped me here, and brought me to this neck of the universe I used the factory and the Gundanium alloy stored here to rebuild it. I figured I might need it just in case something happened like someone would take Epyon for a joy ride." Heero answered as he and Natarle walked over to Wing Zero and climbed up the catwalks to reach the cockpit. Once inside Natarle placed herself atop of Heero's seat in a similar position as Murrue was when she was inside the Strike although it was difficult to remain in that position with all things considered. On the screen the words XXXG-00W0 ZERO System appeared.
"This machine has a Zero System as well?" a surprised Natarle exclaimed.
"Yes, and remember what I told about being two people who mastered it. I am one of the two." Heero replied as Wing Zero came to life as its eyes flashed green making its activation known. Wing Zero has risen once more to battle with its counterpart Epyon. "Now its time to put a stop to that boy's mischief; lets good Zero…its time we fight Epyon once more."
The white mobile suit entered the long hall way where it saw Epyon standing at the other end. It seemed to have been expecting them. Epyon ignited his beam sword, as Heero had Wing Zero draw one of its own beam sabers. Once both machines had drawn a weapon both of them charged head on to engage one another. Once in the middle of the hall the two Gundams clashed as their beam weapons met creating a rain of sparks of energy that fell from their blades.
Halberton watched from a pair of security monitors that gave him a viewing of what was happening as the two Gundam fought one another. Zero kicked Epyon back as the red mobile suit lashed out its whip to slap the angel winged Gundam in the face knocking it back a few steps giving Epyon enough time to jump up and deliver a roundhouse kick to the chest. Wing Zero recovered and went back into the fight as it drew its other beam saber to do battle with Epyon.
The two machines resumed their clash as the pilot of Epyon had indeed either mastered the Zero System or was getting better at handling it. Heero had Wing Zero jump up to deliver a double kick to its check knocking the red machine down. The crimson machine didn't stay down for long as it whipped out its whip and it wrapped around Wing Zero's leg. The angel winged mobile suit was pulled off its feet sending it crashing into the ground as Epyon shot back up from the ground head butting Zero as while was it was getting back up. The two machines slammed into a wall while Epyon stood up leaving Zero stuck in a large dent made by their impact into the wall.
The crash into the wall hurt the two people sitting within the cockpit of Wing Zero as Heero seemed to be beginning to fade away towards losing consciousness. Natarle noticed what was happening to the young man as blood was floating up in the cockpit. "It seems I should have let you treat me while I had the chance. I was hoping to finish this quickly, but he is much stronger than I thought. I have really botched this mission."
"Just hold on and we'll"
Natarle's words went unheard as Heero lost consciousness; it appeared it was due to blood lost which meant that he had lost more blood than they had thought. However that wasn't their only problem as standing there with its beam sword ignited was Epyon ready to deliver the finishing blow. Natarle sat in the pilot seat on top of Heero's lap as she hurried trying to figure out how Wing Zero work, but with Heero out cold and now she was in the pilot seat the Wing Zero began to effect her. She hit the pedal on the floor as Zero's boosters came to life once again at full power. Breaking Wing Zero free of the dent it was stuck. It rammed Epyon head on as it carried it down the hall at blazing speed.
As the two machines continued down the hall at a speed which would danger both pilots of both machines if they were to crash into something. As they continued down their path Natarle felt her senses tingling as the Zero System was already adapting to her while the system was finished linking to her mind. In seconds the young woman started to feel weird as she felt something in her mind. The cockpit seemed to glow as her eyes started to flash red. In her mind's eye she saw herself by Epyon's hand as it cut into the cockpit killing her and Heero. The next vision was more distributing as she saw something that seemed to be a possible future for the earth. She could see a massive battle as mobile suits of different designs were fighting one another as Atlantic Federation ships were battling with ships she had never seen before. On the side of Federation nuclear missiles were launched at the PLANTs, but were stopped by two silhouettes. She couldn't recognize them, but suddenly behind the forces that were protecting the PLANTs a large weapon of some kind appeared before her eyes. From it a gigantic wave of energy was fired as it destroyed the entire Atlantic Federation fleet of ships, and eventually she saw the beam fried on earth destroying it and in the end missiles hit the PLANTs destroying them. All that was left was a void filled with destroyed ships and mobile suits as all life was destroyed.
The image of death horrified Natarle as the Zero System picked at her mind feeding her more images of death and destruction of the possible future she saw. As Epyon and Wing Zero crashed into a wall hard Natarle was screaming as the Zero system of Wing Zero was ripping her mind apart, but thankfully the blow of the crash was so powerful she banged her head on the cockpit console rendering her unconscious while the same thing happened to the pilot of Epyon as the blow from the crash knocked him out as well. The battle between the two machines was at a draw…for now.