Standard Steelcase normal template.

Chapter Two: Homecoming

"There's a call for you, sir," Heero heard and looked up to see Mrs. Laning in the doorway.
"Can I call them back?"
"She said it's urgent. A Lucrezia Noin."

Heero rose from the table where breakfast sat before them and without a word, headed to the library. He shut the door behind himself and sat down at the desk, turning on the viewscreen. It had been seven years since Lucrezia had been seen or heard from. It had to be very important. He answered the call and her friendly face popped up before him.

"Heero, its been a long time. How come I found you so easily, huh," she joked and smiled.
"Times have changed. I'm a public citizen now."
"Serious as always. Not everything's changed."
"Are you just calling to chat or do you have something else to discuss, because my breakfast is getting cold."
"Of course. I can't go into great detail, but I have something that you'll want. We need your help."
"Doing what?"
"Piloting Wing Zero."
"Wing Zero was destroyed seven years ago by Mariamaia's army. What are you talking about?"
"It's complicated. I don't have that much time. Can you round up the other Gundam pilots as well?"
"It may take some time, but I'm sure I can handle it. I take it we need a meeting place?"
"Yeah."
"There is an abandoned airfield not far from the former capital of the Sanc Kingdom."
"Got it. We'll be Earth-bound by around midnight tonight. See you there," she replied and the transmission ended.

Heero sat back in his office chair and sighed, thoroughly perplexed. What was Noin doing with Wing Zero, a machine that had been completely decimated years ago? He was curious now and knew in his mind that this turn of events meant something big. He asked Mrs. Laning if she could escort Keno to the park today and set to work finding the whereabouts of the other guys.


* * *

"What's so important that Heero would drag us out to an empty airbase in the middle of the night," Duo Maxwell complained to his companions as the three stood on the tarmac near a hanger.
"I'm not sure. He was pretty vague on the phone," Quatre Reberba Winner replied and watched Duo play with his yard-long braid, swinging his head back and forth to make it move.
"Heero is always vague. That's nothing new for him!"
"Oh, come on now. We can't all be so chatty like yourself, Duo," Trowa Barton broke his usual silence to tease his friend.

A shadowy figure walked out of the broken fenceline and Quatre shined his flashlight in that direction. They all recognized Chang Wufei. He took them in with his large black eyes in one sweep, cool as always.

"So glad to see you made it, Wufei," Duo joked with their overly serious Chinese friend. His scowl deepened.
"I was checking to make sure this wasn't an ambush," he replied and pushed his nose upwards a bit, as if in a snit now.
"How long have you been watching?"
"At least a couple of hours. I witnessed all of you arriving."
"Of course. Now, where's Heero?"
"The Master of Ceremonies is pulling up right now."

As if on cue, Heero's limo parked and the driver opened the door for him. He stepped out, swathed in a black dresscoat against the fall chill. He strode up to the group, who were all in various states of awe.

"Wait a moment! I'll awake up and Heero will be here in his jeans, riding a motorcycle," Duo wisecracked and knew that the other man would understand there was no offence meant.
"Good to see you again too, Duo. Guys," he greeted them.
"You look good."
"Thanks. Money changes the outside, but not what's inside."
"Now that's the Heero Yuy I know, always ready with words of wisdom."
"I was saddened to hear about Relena. I mourned for your loss," Wufei bowed his head and Heero's grin disappeared.
"Thank you. She considered all of you her friends. I would have invited all of you, but I just wanted it to be our son and me."
"A son! Another Yuy in the world! Help us all," Duo feigned surprise and they all laughed.
"So, why are we here," Trowa asked, bringing them all back to the business at hand.
"I received a call from Lucrezia Noin this morning. She's in need of our help."
"She disappeared seven years ago after Mariamaia's attempted take-over. She's coming back with Zechs to Earth," Quatre asked with some disbelief in his gentle voice.
"Yes. That should be their landing lights right now," Heero gazed at the approaching spotlights that touched down on the runway.

The whine of powerful engines being powered down could be heard and soon both freighters came into view. They taxied up to the hanger doors and shut down to cool off. The hatch opened and crewmembers disembarked a skeleton's crew at best. The rear doors could be heard lowering. The guys watched as a hugh black metallic shape appeared and walked towards the hanger. They all seemed surprised, except Heero who hid his true emotions.

"Its a Gundam," Quatre exclaimed.
"It's a new one! Who's piloting it and where it come from," Duo looked to Heero, who simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Sierra 4 built it. Along with a few others. Hello guys," Lucrezia came over to greet them.
"Sierra 4? What's that?"
"A planet where an Earth colony began about 50 years ago. We lost contact with them along the way. Come to find out, they were still there and thriving. Also, they were sitting on a motherload of Gundanium Alloy."
"How many are there?"
"Seven, including the Tallgeese."
"How many pilots," Wufei asked.
"Right now, two. We're a little short right now."
"A black Gundam. Impressive to look at," Duo nodded his head in appreciation.
"Yes, well I think you'll like the other designs too. Come help us unload them into the hanger," Lucrezia laughed and lead them to the back of the freighter.

What they found shocked them all into silence, eyes widening in surprise and delight. Life wouldn't be the same for any of them again.