Disclaimer: I am a fifteen year old kid. Therefore it should be pretty damn obvious that I don't own Gundam Wing or any affiliated characters. Enjoy.
Duo: The Great Destroyer Never Again
Chapter 6
A myriad of stars extended infinitely into oblivion. Around one of these stars, nine planets carried out their comically brief dance. But in the life of this star, one of its planets developed life. This wondrous form struggled from the primordial seas and grew, evolving, diversifying, and spreading. And so in a cosmic blink of an eye. Human beings developed. Boldly they thrust their way into space, building colonies and beginning to thrive.
From one of these metal disks, known by its creators as the L2 colony, a heavy transport disengaged. It began to move deeper into space, carefully shying away from the gravitational pull of the moon. The transport was huge. In its cargo hold it carried fifty one mobile suits. The upper hold had been converted into a barracks and crew area. A secondary bay had been converted into a tactical war room. The original upper decks had been expanded into officer's quarters and dining hall. The final unused hold was turned into a training facility.
In the officers' dining hall several men had gathered. Each was wearing a uniform reminiscent of the old Oz attire. All except one that is. He was a boy, no more than eighteen years old. But his eyes were so savage that he commanded instant respect from the others in the room. He was dressed in a simple pilot suit. His brown hair hung back behind his ears, coming to a ragged uneven edge.
The door slid open with a gentle hiss. Everyone in the room came to attention. A tall man strode in, his hair was short and blond. He had a pointed face and ice blue eyes. His most striking feature was his eyes. They were incredibly pale, like frost over a reflecting pool. They seemed to glow with their own luminescence. "Gentlemen, please," He indicated to the ornate table, "be seated."
Nodding their assent, each of the men took a leather seat and sat before the polished wood table. The young man found himself seated at the right of the blue eyed man. A few waiters came in and handed out glasses of wine and some sort of exotic salad. After a few moments the blue eyed man turned and addressed his guest. "You said your name was Drake Walker?"
"Yes. Who are you?" Duo responded.
"I am General Wraith. This is my operation. My true name however is General Hugh Cobalt. Formerly of Oz Lunar Base Command."
Duo nodded, "You've created quite a setup here," he said with genuine admiration.
"Yes I suppose we have. But pirating is just a short term engagement. Financing for our larger," he paused searching for a suitable word, "activities."
"I see. And what are those."
Cobalt let out a mocking laugh. "I'm sorry Mr. Walker but, though excellent pilot you may be, I don't trust you yet."
Duo nodded again, "Fair enough. So tell me, do you treat all new recruits to dinner?"
The general laughed again, "Dear Lord no. But I have yet to hire someone quite so intriguing. A mere boy and yet a warrior of admirable skill, in both piloting and hand to hand. Your aim is flawless and your knowledge of mobile suits appears to be extensive." His eyes took on a dangerous glint, "Who would posses such skill, I wonder? It would almost seem that perhaps a Gundam Pilot?"
The guards tensed and Duo prepared to spring, but he held himself back. Instead he laughed easily, "A Gundam pilot? I wish. But no they're all idealistic fools. As for my skill, I grew up on colony AB 47. Out by the border. We had our share of problems with unwanted visitors."
The general nodded and the guards relaxed. "I see. Still the age is correct and you almost look like the Maxwell boy. But that's impossible. He's dead. I killed him myself."
"You destroyed a Gundam?!" Duo did his best to sound incredulous. "But how?"
"I used my own of course."
"You have a, but how? Where did you...?" This time Duo's confusion was real, for though he knew about the Wraith he desperately wanted to know how it was built.
"In the confusion of the Lunar base's destruction I acquired several intriguing bits of technology. The first was the data for the Gundam designated 02-H. The second was an experimental formula for a new type of paint. Tell me did you notice anything strange when you fought the test Leos?"
Duo scratched his head. "Well I couldn't get them on scanners, I had to target visual."
General Cobalt grinned malevolently. "Tri frequency signal absorption inhibitor solution. The Crimson Paint. It makes the suits impervious to scanners of any sort. Infrared, Sonar, Radar, Light Reflexive. The only way to detect it is with your own eyes."
"There was another thing. I don't really know how Mobile Dolls are supposed to be when you fight them, "Duo lied carefully, "but they seemed too good for what I've heard. The last one seemed like it had a real pilot."
"That was the third and final piece of technology I recovered when the LB was destroyed. I pet project of mine. Remote simulation Mobile Dolls. It allows me to control a mobile doll from a VR input. It would have been a valuable tool during the war but as of yet I have found it's best used as a training device."
"So I was fighting real people? Who was the fourth?"
General Cobalt merely smiled.
"You? I defeated you?"
General Cobalt gestured to the other men seated at the table, "Each of these men will attest that I am not the best pilot in the Earth Sphere. I do not claim to be. However I have made up for this by constructing a Gundam. It was designed exclusively for space combat. Armor has been reduced to a minimum and the leg sections are taken up almost completely by grade four retro rockets. I have created the fastest most maneuverable mobile suit ever."
"How do you survive the G forces?" Duo asked praying he was not correct in his guess of the answer.
"An ingenious program called the ZERO system."
Dear Lord no! Duo thought. How could this mad man have access to that? He managed to keep a straight face as he asked, "What's that?"
"A performance enhancer. Quite difficult to handle."
"I see."
"I doubt that but, at any rate dinner is here. Let's not trouble ourselves with these details now."
A servant wheeled a cart in and the dinner began.
________________________________________________________________________
Deep underground a storage hanger had lain unused for years. A groan resounded as the huge door creaked and raised slowly to the ceiling. A pale light spilled into the vast chamber throwing a weak yellow gleam on its contents. Piles of old parts scattered the floors.
A framework stood against the far wall. In it a once noble looking figure hung rusting. A buster cannon hung of its white armored arm. The once red plumage from its helmet was covered in motes of dust.
For all intents and purposes, the Talgeese looked useless. But the person who had opened its tomb knew better. Lucrezia Noin Peacecraft smiled. She would protect Zechs any way she could...
________________________________________________________________________
Releena Peacecraft Yuy stared at the sunset sifting through all her memories. Heero lay beside her feeling the warmth from the sand seep into his skin and relax his body. Glancing over at Releena he smiled, she smiled back contentedly.
The orange disk of the sun sank lower to the horizon. All the waters were tinged purple and red. After a few minutes the top of the fiery disk dipped below the horizon, expending the last of its glory. The stars came out slowly at first. Then there were millions of them visible in the clear sky.
Releena stood and stretched, gathering her cloak about her to ward of the swiftly setting chill. Heero stood up beside her and helped to gather their things. Slowly they made their way back to the cottage, both content, hand in hand.
From a rock bluff two hundred meters away a silent figure watched them. They lay with a sniper rifle held in their arms. Carefully they tracked every move through the gun's scope. The Heero Yuy assassination, she thought to herself, ironic how history repeats itself. Her finger tightened on the trigger as she prepared to fire.
Duo: The Great Destroyer Never Again
Chapter 6
A myriad of stars extended infinitely into oblivion. Around one of these stars, nine planets carried out their comically brief dance. But in the life of this star, one of its planets developed life. This wondrous form struggled from the primordial seas and grew, evolving, diversifying, and spreading. And so in a cosmic blink of an eye. Human beings developed. Boldly they thrust their way into space, building colonies and beginning to thrive.
From one of these metal disks, known by its creators as the L2 colony, a heavy transport disengaged. It began to move deeper into space, carefully shying away from the gravitational pull of the moon. The transport was huge. In its cargo hold it carried fifty one mobile suits. The upper hold had been converted into a barracks and crew area. A secondary bay had been converted into a tactical war room. The original upper decks had been expanded into officer's quarters and dining hall. The final unused hold was turned into a training facility.
In the officers' dining hall several men had gathered. Each was wearing a uniform reminiscent of the old Oz attire. All except one that is. He was a boy, no more than eighteen years old. But his eyes were so savage that he commanded instant respect from the others in the room. He was dressed in a simple pilot suit. His brown hair hung back behind his ears, coming to a ragged uneven edge.
The door slid open with a gentle hiss. Everyone in the room came to attention. A tall man strode in, his hair was short and blond. He had a pointed face and ice blue eyes. His most striking feature was his eyes. They were incredibly pale, like frost over a reflecting pool. They seemed to glow with their own luminescence. "Gentlemen, please," He indicated to the ornate table, "be seated."
Nodding their assent, each of the men took a leather seat and sat before the polished wood table. The young man found himself seated at the right of the blue eyed man. A few waiters came in and handed out glasses of wine and some sort of exotic salad. After a few moments the blue eyed man turned and addressed his guest. "You said your name was Drake Walker?"
"Yes. Who are you?" Duo responded.
"I am General Wraith. This is my operation. My true name however is General Hugh Cobalt. Formerly of Oz Lunar Base Command."
Duo nodded, "You've created quite a setup here," he said with genuine admiration.
"Yes I suppose we have. But pirating is just a short term engagement. Financing for our larger," he paused searching for a suitable word, "activities."
"I see. And what are those."
Cobalt let out a mocking laugh. "I'm sorry Mr. Walker but, though excellent pilot you may be, I don't trust you yet."
Duo nodded again, "Fair enough. So tell me, do you treat all new recruits to dinner?"
The general laughed again, "Dear Lord no. But I have yet to hire someone quite so intriguing. A mere boy and yet a warrior of admirable skill, in both piloting and hand to hand. Your aim is flawless and your knowledge of mobile suits appears to be extensive." His eyes took on a dangerous glint, "Who would posses such skill, I wonder? It would almost seem that perhaps a Gundam Pilot?"
The guards tensed and Duo prepared to spring, but he held himself back. Instead he laughed easily, "A Gundam pilot? I wish. But no they're all idealistic fools. As for my skill, I grew up on colony AB 47. Out by the border. We had our share of problems with unwanted visitors."
The general nodded and the guards relaxed. "I see. Still the age is correct and you almost look like the Maxwell boy. But that's impossible. He's dead. I killed him myself."
"You destroyed a Gundam?!" Duo did his best to sound incredulous. "But how?"
"I used my own of course."
"You have a, but how? Where did you...?" This time Duo's confusion was real, for though he knew about the Wraith he desperately wanted to know how it was built.
"In the confusion of the Lunar base's destruction I acquired several intriguing bits of technology. The first was the data for the Gundam designated 02-H. The second was an experimental formula for a new type of paint. Tell me did you notice anything strange when you fought the test Leos?"
Duo scratched his head. "Well I couldn't get them on scanners, I had to target visual."
General Cobalt grinned malevolently. "Tri frequency signal absorption inhibitor solution. The Crimson Paint. It makes the suits impervious to scanners of any sort. Infrared, Sonar, Radar, Light Reflexive. The only way to detect it is with your own eyes."
"There was another thing. I don't really know how Mobile Dolls are supposed to be when you fight them, "Duo lied carefully, "but they seemed too good for what I've heard. The last one seemed like it had a real pilot."
"That was the third and final piece of technology I recovered when the LB was destroyed. I pet project of mine. Remote simulation Mobile Dolls. It allows me to control a mobile doll from a VR input. It would have been a valuable tool during the war but as of yet I have found it's best used as a training device."
"So I was fighting real people? Who was the fourth?"
General Cobalt merely smiled.
"You? I defeated you?"
General Cobalt gestured to the other men seated at the table, "Each of these men will attest that I am not the best pilot in the Earth Sphere. I do not claim to be. However I have made up for this by constructing a Gundam. It was designed exclusively for space combat. Armor has been reduced to a minimum and the leg sections are taken up almost completely by grade four retro rockets. I have created the fastest most maneuverable mobile suit ever."
"How do you survive the G forces?" Duo asked praying he was not correct in his guess of the answer.
"An ingenious program called the ZERO system."
Dear Lord no! Duo thought. How could this mad man have access to that? He managed to keep a straight face as he asked, "What's that?"
"A performance enhancer. Quite difficult to handle."
"I see."
"I doubt that but, at any rate dinner is here. Let's not trouble ourselves with these details now."
A servant wheeled a cart in and the dinner began.
________________________________________________________________________
Deep underground a storage hanger had lain unused for years. A groan resounded as the huge door creaked and raised slowly to the ceiling. A pale light spilled into the vast chamber throwing a weak yellow gleam on its contents. Piles of old parts scattered the floors.
A framework stood against the far wall. In it a once noble looking figure hung rusting. A buster cannon hung of its white armored arm. The once red plumage from its helmet was covered in motes of dust.
For all intents and purposes, the Talgeese looked useless. But the person who had opened its tomb knew better. Lucrezia Noin Peacecraft smiled. She would protect Zechs any way she could...
________________________________________________________________________
Releena Peacecraft Yuy stared at the sunset sifting through all her memories. Heero lay beside her feeling the warmth from the sand seep into his skin and relax his body. Glancing over at Releena he smiled, she smiled back contentedly.
The orange disk of the sun sank lower to the horizon. All the waters were tinged purple and red. After a few minutes the top of the fiery disk dipped below the horizon, expending the last of its glory. The stars came out slowly at first. Then there were millions of them visible in the clear sky.
Releena stood and stretched, gathering her cloak about her to ward of the swiftly setting chill. Heero stood up beside her and helped to gather their things. Slowly they made their way back to the cottage, both content, hand in hand.
From a rock bluff two hundred meters away a silent figure watched them. They lay with a sniper rifle held in their arms. Carefully they tracked every move through the gun's scope. The Heero Yuy assassination, she thought to herself, ironic how history repeats itself. Her finger tightened on the trigger as she prepared to fire.