Author's note: I do not own Gundam Wing or its characters. Both Zechs and Noin are nineteen years old. This is set during Episode 16. Some of these chapters have been posted before as part of This Kiss.
Marching Orders
Zechs listened to the reports coming in. Things were heating up. In some ways he was rather glad for the reprieve. He understood why Noin had done what she did (he was a little irked at her to tell the truth, but he could understand why she felt it was necessary; even if he didn't really want to.) , but he really wasn't ready to face a Relena who knew that he was her brother. But then, it was looking like that wasn't likely to happen right at this moment.
"Numerous carriers approaching from three o'clock. Probably from the search party."
"How many?" Noin's voice was calm.
"Over thirty, but that's only a portion of their fleet."
"Get all the mobile suits ready. Prepare to attack them," Noin's orders came over the airways crisp and clear.
"Can you hear me, Heero and Zechs?" Trowa's voice came reached him; Zechs hadn't really been aware of the other pilot's return to the battlefield. "There are about thirty suits in flight. A hundred if they unload all Aries suits from the carriers. We should be able to handle thirty each pretty easily."
An idea occurred to Zechs. Noin was probably going to kill him for this.
"No, wait," he told the gundam pilots. "I'll attract them all myself. Glory to all the colonies!"
"No, Zechs!" Heero protested.
Zechs ignored him. He needed to this. "Heero, we'll meet again, to continue our battle!"
But the gundams did make their exit. Zechs continued towards the search party as Noin contacted him.
"Colonel Zechs, our Aries troops are all prepared to go into battle."
She didn't actually say 'you idiot', but Zechs could hear it in her voice. He smiled.
"Then take Relena with you and make your escape," he ordered. Noin wasn't going to like that, but it was what he needed her to do.
"Zechs!"
No, his wife was not happy with him at all.
"Once I know you've gotten away safely, I'll surrender myself," he told her.
Noin glared at him. No, she didn't like this plan at all. "Then I'm going to fight too."
"Noin. Please let me protect the promising leader of the Sanc Kingdom. Allow me to protect her."
"I understand, Colonel." He could hear the sigh in her voice. She didn't like this at all, but she would do it because he had asked her to, and she understood why he needed her to. "Colonel, take care."
What she meant was she loved him. He heard both the frustration and worry in her voice as well as the affection. He couldn't offer her any promises that he would be coming back. But at least he could make sure that both his wife and his sister were safe. He would protect them both.
