DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters with the exception of Kumi Yuy and Sette Devion.
This goes out to all of my friends and supporters: Snodin, Traci, Sam, Beekay, Ruby, Mylia, Ryla, GREETER 600, D-max, Stormy, Naz, Akuma, Kai, Enigma, Lily, Kit, Toynit, my entire 1x2x1 family and everyone who reads and enjoys this fic. *tackle glomps*
IMPORTANT NOTE: Okay... I will need a liiittle more than a week to finish the last three episodes for this fic. I just want to cover everything that I need to and make them exciting. I'll need two weeks tops between the next three episodes to accomplish this. Thank you for your patience. I promise to see that you're not disappointed! Lots of Love, SkyLark
Gundam Wing: The Second Chapter
Episode 46: The Domino Effect
by SkyLark
NARRATOR: In the days to immediately follow the destruction of Orion, Brian and Relena Weatherall returned to their Council to speak on behalf of their friends. Seeing the Weatherall's as the King and Queen of the World again gave new hope for the people of both the Earth and Space. It showed them that order was finally coming back into the realm of chaos that they had been living in for a year now. Meanwhile, the Gundam pilots never allowed themselves long to rest. Returning to their training, they focused everything on preparing themselves for the fights to come. The time would come when they would be needed again. And they were all determined to be ready when that day arrived.
* * * * * *
With Mirando in her lap, Marimaya set up several small blocks in a row. She smiled to the little boy, "Now, Mirando, in wars, there is something known as the Domino Effect. When a force as powerful as OZ makes creates a stronghold, they rely solely on holding everything of theirs together." Placing a block to stand in the row as she stated, "Nebula..." She placed another block in front of it. "Orion." Another block was set. "Gemini..." Another. "Scorpio."
Smiling still, the young girl wheeled herself and the child to the end of the row of blocks at the edge of the table that she placed them on. "When one of these elements falls..." Gently, she tapped the first block to began a chain reaction, the dominos that Marimaya had carefully set and placed throughout the large table in a display of rings all began to drop until not one left standing. Marimaya smiled to the blonde child in her lap, "They all fall."
Mirando clapped and laughed at the display that his red-haired aunt had shown to him. The girl chuckled deeply as she hugged her nephew, "If the war keep up at the rate it's going now, it'll only be a matter of time before OZ will completely crumble again, including my dear Uncle Quinze." Looking to the fallen blocks, she sighed deeply, "Let's just hope that we can hold onto our own elements... namely our own Gundam pilots."
* * * * * *
In one of the small hospital rooms of Pulsar, Derek was lying still in his bed as he was still recovering from the injuries he received after the struggle he had with Azrael while the Gundam pilots destroyed Orion. After days of coming in and out of consciousness, the ex-spy groaned deeply as his head tossed to his right. His brown eyes blinked a few times as he felt something holding his hand. Lifting his head a bit as his eyes fully opened, he whispered, "Catherine?" Delapan released the pilot's hand as she crossed her arms and glared to him. Anderson gave a small, weak smile as he chuckled deeply, "I know... Let me have it."
Delapan growled deeply, "What the hell were you thinking by going after Azrael like that? You could have been killed!" Derek lowered his head but never broke his gaze on the redhead. He answered gently, "I wasn't going to let anything happen to you." Catherine's eyes widened for a moment as a small gasp left her. Realizing that she left her guard down, Slither's pilot shook her head as he eyes narrowed again. "That's no excuse, Derek," she warned. Anderson rose as his elbows pressed against the mattress to support him. The pain was no where near as great as it had been the last few days, he noted to himself as he continued to focus on Delapan.
"I'm sorry that I scared you," the blonde pilot said quietly. The redhead's face softened as these words sunk in. Sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, she warned, "Just don't make a habit of that." She gently wrapped her arms around Derek. The embrace was returned with just as much gentleness as the pair held each other for a moment. Delapan pulled back just enough to gently kiss Anderson's lips. Both a little stunned by this gesture, Derek and Caterine looked to each other for a moment, just a breath away from kissing again. Finally, their eyes slid closed as their lips met again for a longer exchange that deepened. The sound of a throat being cleared by the doorway was all that broke them.
Delapan sat up quickly along with Derek as they looked back to see who joined them. Trowa stood with his back leaning against the doorway and his arms crossed as he looked to his sister and her boyfriend with a look that couldn't be read. The tall pilot smiled sincerely, "Sorry to interrupt." Delapan sneered, "Nice timing." Her brother gave a sharp laugh as he shrugged, "I just came to see how Derek was." The blonde pilot smiled nervously and responded, "Thank you, Trowa. I'm doing well." The European pilot nodded, "I can see that." Delapan shot with a wider grin, "Trowa!" Heave Arm's pilot walked to the pair and rested his hand on his sister's head, patting it a few times. Anderson couldn't help but chuckle at the endearing scene between the siblings.
Trowa extended his hand to the ex-spy and smiled, "Good to have you back." Derek smiled and shook the offered hand as he nodded, "Thank you... It's good to be back." Lowering his hand to his side, the blonde pilot sighed deeply and looked away as he frowned, "After everything that I had done, I'm amazed that any of you are willing to talk to me again." Trowa shook his head, "Whatever happened in the past doesn't matter. Lady Une also mentioned the fact that you saved her, as well, when she went to spy on OZ a while back." Anderson shrugged as he huffed, "So I helped her get out of the base. Everyone of you still has more than the right to despise me."
Catherine smiled warmly and gently brought the other pilot to look at her. "If you really were someone that was an enemy, you would have killed Lady Une before she could have escaped. And you never would have save me or Sette when we were up against Gemini a few nights ago." A small smile slowly crossed Derek's lips as he looked to his comrades. "Thank you for being so forgiving... I was afraid that I never would have had the chance to apologize for everything." Trowa smiled, "We all know that you never meant anything to harm us. Heero, Kumi, Sette, Quatre, Zes and Wufei all send their best." Anderson was moved beyond words as he lowered his head and whispered, "Please tell that I said thank you." The tall pilot replied, "You can tell them, yourself. You can come back to the Earth and stay at the safe house there with us." Anderson smiled and nodded, "I'd like that."
Delapan looked up to her brother and shrugged with wide eyes, motioning to the door with her head. Her brother chuckled deeply, "Well, that's my cue. See you soon, Derek." The injured pilot smiled back and waved, "That you will." Trowa left the room quietly as Catherine turned back to the ex-spy as she smiled, "So where were we?" Anderson chuckled deeply as they leaned in to kiss sweetly then deeply again. Just then, Trowa poked his head in and interrupted, "Oh, yea, I almost forgot-" He couldn't get another word out before his sister tossed a pillow, laughing, "Very cute!" The tall pilot laughed and dodged the weapon before making a quick escape. Not bothering to look back to the door, Catherine and Derek laughed before kissing yet again.
* * * * * *
In the hallway of one of OZ's carriers, a handful of soldiers walked to their quarters as they spoke silently to one another. Their concerned expressions were more than enough to prove that there was a great deal of fear in them after the events that had taken place almost a week prior to now.
One young woman in the group whispered, "It's bad enough that Orion was lost... But with Scorpio and Gemini gone as well-" Her words were cut short when one of her comrades interrupted as he hissed, "There's no need to remind us. We all know how bad the situation is for all of us right now." A third soldier shook her head as she asked, "It's so strange knowing that General Stanton, Azrael and Abrazia are dead." The guards continued their conversation as they continued to walk down the corroders of the craft they were now staying on.
In one of the rooms that they passed, the only light that existed was that which came from the hall through the opened door. The dim room was empty spare a desk that fell close to the wall opposite of where the door stood. In the darkest corner of the office, Carter was sitting on the floor, legs all but held against his chest, as he looked into the darkness of his room with an empty look in his eyes. A large bottle of Vodka stood to his right. The pilot's brown hair was a mess as it had not been brushed or tended to in days. Looking to the bottle of alcohol, he took it into his hand and spun the glass before his face. As his green eyes focused on the swirling liquid, Carter heard another group of soldiers in the hall speak amongst one another.
One of the young men in the group said in a small voice, "It was only going to be a matter of time before something like this was going to happen." A female voice whispered as she growled deeply, "Don't say such things. We are far stronger that those Gundam pilots and the Preventers combined." Carter took a swig from the bottle as he heard a third voice replied deeply, "The fact remains that they are capable of beating us, whether we want to admit it or not. It doesn't help that we've lost three of our best pilots and their Gundams in the process." The remainder of the conversation faded as the soldiers walked further down the hall, their voices fading until nothing could be made out.
Carter pushed himself onto his feet, never releasing the bottle from his grasp as he walked to his desk. The distraught pilot took the framed image on the wooden surface into his possession as he took another, long drink from the bottle. The image of Stacy was one that had been taken not long after they had met. The young woman's genuine smile was one that appeared all too rarely while she was alive. Carter ran his thumb against the glass that encased the photo of his lover as he whispered, "I told you to keep your head out there." Narrowing his eyes, he growled loudly and deeply as he threw the frame against the wall, shattering it. Raising the glass straight in the air with his lips tightly wrapped around the bottle's neck, Carter downed the remainder of the alcohol.
Throwing the bottle in against the same wall, he opened his desk and removed three pistols from his drawers. Loading the guns, the OZ pilot growled deeply, "If you want something done, you just have to do it yourself." Locking the safeties on all of the pistols, he placed two of the firearms in his front pockets and the third in his right back pocket. Walking from the room, he wiped the alcohol that ran down the from the corner of his mouth. His green eyes narrowed, he brushed back his long, brown locks from his face as he made his way down the halls.
Several soldiers that he passed froze in their places and stopped whatever they were doing as they looked to Carter with concern and shock. It was the first time they had seen their comrade since the death of his lover. No one moved to say anything to him, and the young man never gave any sign of recognition that he knew they were there in the first place. Everyone watched in silence as he disappeared around the corner of the hall. Looking to one another with varying levels of fear in their faces, the OZ soldiers soon went back to their previous activities, never bringing up the icy glare in Carter's eyes or the chill in the air that his presence brought.
Entering his laboratory, Carter looked over to where he stored the reports on the location of the Holocausts that had been created. The scientists that were working their shifts looked in disbelief as the pilot began removing every bit of data from the system as he stored it onto a disk.
One of the men ran to him with wide eyes as he shouted, "Carter, what do you think you're doing!?! You of all people should know that-" There was not another word from the scientist as a bullet ripped through his forehead and exited the back of his skull. The staff that remained shouted and cried out as they watched one of their own fall to the ground in a bloody heap. The pistol in Carter's hand still had smoke rising from the barrel as he aimed the weapon to the terrified team. "Does anyone else care to give me a lecture?" The doctors remained still with their eyes wide and faces pale as they made no move to respond.
* * * * * *
Quinze Kushrenadah was looking out the window of the last stronghold that his colony still had in tack. The enormous ship continued to float in the unknown confines of the galaxy as he gathered his thoughts. The young man remained still as he watched the countless gleaming specks beyond the glass. Quinze's face was expressionless and his hands were folded behind his back as he stood straight and tall, never moving nor blinking. Finally, an all too familiar voice said quietly, "Your Excellency?" Turning to his right, the OZ leader saw his best soldier standing with an expressionless face of his own.
Demetris informed his commander, "We have not heard from Carter since he left the carrier where he was stationed." Quinze sighed deeply as he asked, "And?" The giant hesitated before answering, "He stole the detonator of the Holocausts with him... as well as Sagittarius." Kushrenadah turned his head away from the pilot and looked to the stars again. Lowering his head, he chuckled deeply. That chuckle grew into a full, loud burst of laughter as his head fell back.
Demetris looked confused as he asked, "Sir?" Quinze turned to him as he continued to laugh, "That's the best news that I have heard in almost a week, my friend." The tall pilot didn't have a chance to respond before the smug OZ leader crossed his arms and leaned his back against the glass. The OZ leader sneered, "Carter is carrying out what we planned to do with those Holocausts when we first created them... Destroying Colonies with those weapons early in the war was just a test to see if they worked."
The tall man shook his head, "Whatever was intended for those weapons, Carter is not in his right mind to carry it out. He's is still distraught after what happened to Stacy." Kushrenadah sneered, "All the more reason why he won't allow the very pilots responsible to go un repaid for her murder." Demetris lowered his head and replied, "Then I suppose that requesting permission to bring him back is out of the question... even if it means that we could lose another of our Gundam suits and one of our best pilots with it."
Quinze replied coldly, "While Stacy, Azrael and Abrazia were all wonderful pilots, their efforts and skills fell short when they mattered most. They would still be alive if they weren't so foolish in their final battles. If Carter gets himself killed, it's his own damn fault. And if anything does happen to Sagittarius, we will treat it as we have the loss of Scorpio and Gemini... a minor setback."
Demetris saluted, "Very well, sir. I shall return to the control room and await any word on Carter." The young commander nodded, "Do that." His right-hand-man left without another word to carry out his tasks. Kushrenadah chuckled deeply and looked back out the window as he said to himself, "Oh, what men would do for revenge." He smirked in content, "This should be more than interesting to watch."
* * * * * *
On a small hill a mile ahead of their safe house, Quatre, Sette and Kumi were sitting and speaking amongst themselves. The beautiful weather was enough to bring them out and try to relax a bit. The Arabian was lying on his back with Sette lying across of him, her head resting in the middle of his chest. Kumi sat up beside the two of them, just looking ahead to the open fields. The tomboy closed her eyes under the hot sun. "Nice to actually get out for a change," she sighed deeply. Her fiancee nodded, "Yea. It's still hard to realize that we've managed to gain such an advantage at this point."
Sette looked to her silver-haired comrade as she sat up and smiled, "I've been meaning to ask what will you do when the war is over." Kumi turned to face the tomboy with a look of uncertainty. She shrugged, "I won't think about that until the war actually 'is' over. We still have out work cut out for us before that time comes." The young queen lied her back flat against the grass as she sighed deeply, "I figured that you would say that." The blue-haired pilot folded her hands behind her head and closed her eyes as she smirked, "Once a 'Perfect Soldier,' always a 'Perfect Soldier.'" Her response was a the very common, "Hn." from her friend.
The silver-haired pilot turned back to her partner and questioned, "You really plan on handing your crown over?" Sette smiled and nodded, "Yep. And I know exactly who it'll go to." Kumi chuckled deeply, "Can't say I'm surprised. I know that you plan on staying with Quatre." The tomboy smiled wickedly and nodded, "You know it." The Arabian chuckled deeply and ran his hand through his fiancee's hair. Picking a small, blue flower and spinning it over her nose, the young queen continued, "Besides, I could never part with Mason. Like it or not, there's always going to be something threatening peace." Quatre sighed deeply, "You're right about that."
Trowa and Delapan walked towards the trio after returning just a short while before. They smiled to their comrades as they neared the hill where they were sitting. Sette sat up and chimed to their friends, "Well look who's come home." Quatre sat up as well as he smiled, "I saw that was Derek dropping you off earlier. How is he?" Catherine answered, "He's fine." Her brother smirked, "He seemed to be better than that when he saw you." The redhead's face almost matched her hair as a small gasp left her. Sette smiled, "Aaawww. Monkey Girl's in love." Delapan shouted, "Knock it off, baka!" Catherine glared as she chased the tomboy back to the safe house. Sette's laughter could be heard even as the two pilots disappeared from the sight of their friends.
Quatre and Trowa laughed as they watched. Kumi merely smiled and shook her heads. "They make quite the pair," the tall pilot said in a smiled. The Arabian chuckled deeply, "Yes they do. I better make sure that Sette doesn't get herself killed." The silver-haired pilot nodded, "Good. Tie her down if you have to." Quatre chuckled, "I'll see you both later." Trowa and Kumi waved to the blonde pilot as he walked back to the safe house.
The moment that they were alone, Kumi smiled warmly to Trowa and hugged him. The tall pilot smiled and sighed deeply as he returned the embrace, tightening it. With a note of hesitancy in his voice, Trowa said quietly, "I was... just thinking... about how close we are to ending this war." The pilots continued to hold each other as they pulled back just a bit to look into each other's eyes. Taking a deep breath, the European pilot continued with uncertainly all over him, "I was wondering what you were panning to do... when all of this is over."
Kumi frowned and lowered her head, sighing deeply, "Trowa, whether or not the war is close to ending, it's still here now... I can't think about the future when I'm not even sure I'll be in it." The tall pilot's eyes widened at this response. Lowering his head with his eyes closed, he whispered, "Please, don't talk like that, Kumi... I know that it's still a possibility that any of us could be killed... but please don't remind me about that right now."
The silver-haired plot lifted her lover's head gently until their eyes met. She said gently, "This is just the way that I am, koi... As much as I don't want to think that anything would happen, I can't do otherwise... not until peace exists again." The European pilot nodded and kissed her forehead. Holding his partner closely to him, he whispered, "I know... I was just hoping..." The 'Perfect Soldier' sighed deeply, closing her eyes as she whispered sadly, "I know you were..." The pilots just held each other tightly in silence. The pink petals from the blossom trees nearby danced around them with the breeze.
* * * * * *
In the bedroom that they shared, Heero and Duo lied in each other's arms as they recovered from a long day of exercising and preparing their Gundams for the next fight. Wearing only their boxers, they slept under the thin white sheet of their bed with their limbs intertwined. The braided pilot took a deep breath and yawned softly as he woke from the much-needed rest. The Wing pilot soon did the same soon after. They smiled lovingly to one another through their heavy-lidded eyes. Duo kissed the tip of his love's nose before resting his head on his chest again, tightening his arms around the Japanese pilot's body. Heero's smile never faded as he returned the gesture, kissing the top of her partner's head a few times.
"Sleep well?" the Wing pilot asked quietly as he rubbed Duo's back in smooth circles. The American sighed deeply in content and nodded with his eyes closed, "I always do when you're here." Heero smiled again and lifted Duo's head to kiss his lips gently. The kiss deepened as the pilots held each other until there was almost no room for them to breathe. Then the exchange finally broke by need of air, Heero panted and smiled, "We better get going." Duo smiled and nodded as he lied on his back.
Closing his eyes, the braided pilot let out a long, loud yawn as he stretched as far as he could, raising his arms over his head. Heero rose from the bed and walked to the dresser to gather his pale blue jeans and gray T-shirt. Duo continued to lie on the bed with his eyes shut. He subconsciously ran his right hand over his chest, where his pendant would normally fall. Not finding anything there, his cobalt spheres opened in search of the gold chain. Sitting up, the wide-eyes American gasped loudly, "My cross!" Quickly, he sifted through the sheets and pillows in search of his keepsake.
Heero had just pulled his jeans past his waist when the sudden cry left his lover. With concern in his face, he walked over to the bed and helped search for the necklace. "It couldn't have gone far. It was on you before we fell asleep," the 'Perfect Soldier' noted gently in effort to assure his koi. Duo rose from the mattress and got to his knees to look under the bed. Lying flat on his stomach and managing to crawl halfway under the bed, his muffled voice said quietly, "It has to be here somewhere."
They continued to search through the room and still couldn't find anything. Duo sighed deeply and lowered his head, "Maybe I lost it while we were jogging earlier." Heero replied, "I'm almost certain it was on you before we had our nap." The braided pilot whispered sadly, "I thought so, too." The Wing pilot frowned and kissed Duo's forehead before hugging him tightly. "We'll find it," he promised in a determined whisper. The American hugged him tightly in returned and nodded and gave a small smile, feeling much more assured at his lover's words. Clearing his throat he moved to the dresser to retrieve his black jeans and deep green T-shirt. Once he was changed, he smiled warmly to his love, "Ready?" Heero smiled back and nodded as he took Duo's hand.
* * * * * *
Wufei walked into the hanger late that same night, his mind too preoccupied to sleep well. Walking to the main system of the room, he sat before the central monitor and began to type at the keyboard. The monitor blinked on as Sally Poe's image appeared. She smiled warmly to her husband, "I had a feeling you would still be awake." The Chinese pilot smiled warmly to her, "You always did know me better than anyone." His smile faded as he said quietly, "You look tired, Sal." Water frowned and replied, "I just haven't been able to sleep well these last few nights... It's not like me to worry, but..." Wufei nodded and sighed deeply, "We all know that Quinze and his men are going to try to pull something soon enough." His wife nodded back, as she closed her eyes.
The Chinese pilot gave a small smile as he continued, "Whatever happens, you know we'll get through it." Sally's eyes opened as she sighed deeply, "I know... It's just the not knowing what's coming that's hard right now." Wufei leaned back in his seat, whispering just so that the Preventer to hear him, "I never thought that I would have ever said this to anyone again, but... I do love you... and I wish that I was there with you." Sally bit her lip and smiled sadly, "Same here." The raven-haired pilot sat up and suggested, "Maybe we both should try going to sleep again-"
Before her husband could say anything more, Sally was interrupted as the monitors before her began to flash and beep suddenly. Both she and Wufei were on the guard as the braided young woman took a closer look at what the radars of the ship found. After waiting a brief moment, the Chinese pilot asked in concern, "What is it?" Sally's typing concluded as her eyes widened to the radars beside her.
"It's Sagittarius." Instantly, her partner's eyes shot wide open as he rose from his seat, shouting, "WHAT!?!" Wufei clenched his fists to hold back the anger coursing through his veins. His hands sped over the keys before him, commanding the hanger doors to open in the ceiling just past the Gundams. "Where is he," was all that he growled. Water answered, "He's making his way to the Earth... I'm sent the coordinates to your Nataku's cockpit."
Not needing to hear anymore, Wufei ran to Nataku, strapping himself in quickly. Taking hold of his handgrips, the cockpit's cocoon closed over him. The Gundam suit shot off down the runway once the doors fully opened. From where she sat in Pulsar's control room, Sally called upon the Preventers on the ship as she sounded the alarms that would bring them running to the control room. Lowering her head, she whispered sadly, "Wufei... Please be careful."
Nataku shot into the skies through the ground as it opened closed behind him again. His Gundam darted in a streak of light as it left the Earth's atmosphere. The moment that the thrusters were turned on before the suit's departure, everyone within the safe house was awaken as they jumped from their beds and ran into the hallways as they soon reached the hanger, in whatever nightwear they had on them. Derek met them as they entered the hidden room. Seeing that Shenlong was missing, Delapan shouted, "What is Wufei doing!?!"
Heero was the first of all of them to reach the main monitor as he punched at the keys. Patching into his comrade's transmitter, he hollered, "Wufei, what's going on!?!" The Chinese pilot's image appeared as he answered, "I have something that I need to take care of." Noin shook her head, "Whatever it is, let us help you. This isn't the time for us to be broken up." The raven-haired pilot replied, "I'm sorry, but this is something that I need to do on my own." Wufei severed the connection as the monitor showed only static. The Gundam pilots backed from the control panel, all with looks of concern or frustration.
Kumi turned to her comrades and began, "Alright. We'll just pick up his signal and bring him b-" In mid-sentence, the Japanese pilot stopped as the screen blinked on to reveal Carter's image. Instantly, everyone's eyes fell on him with mixed expressions, not fully knowing who the young man was. The OZ pilot smiled, "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Carter Foxx, pilot of Sagittarius and creator of the Holocausts that had been used in the beginning of the war." The pilots glared back to the screen, finally being able to put a face with the person responsible for killing everyone on L2 and F32.
* * * * * *
The doors to the royal chambers of the Council House flew opened as two guards ran into the large room. Brian and Relena Weatherall had been meeting with several Advisors as they all sat together at a long table. The guards lowered their heads and bowed as one of the young men stated, "Forgive us for interrupting, Your Majesties." Brian nodded and assured them, "It's alright. What is the problem?" The second of the soldiers answered with fear in his eyes and his tone, "There is something that you both need to see." Zes looked to her husband in great concern. As they both rose from their seats, she replied, "Show us."
* * * * * *
Carter chuckled deeply and continued, "I have a message for the Gundam pilots... During the course of the war, I was able to create over fifty more Holocausts. Everyone of them had been hidden in Colonies throughout Space and they are now set to detonate upon my command." The Gundam pilots gasped and shouted at this as they looked in fear and shock to the screen. "H-he can't so this," Quatre whispered breathlessly. The man on the monitor glared, "If anyone of those pilots so much as attempts to save the people on those threatened Colonies, I won't hesitate to destroy them all."
* * * * * *
Derek ran to one of the computers beside the Wing pilot, typing to see what else he could gather. After taking a moment to look over the report that he pulled up, his face became pale as his eyes widened in disbelief. Slowly turning to his friends, he informed them, "I have the location of the Holocausts... They're all attached to the hearts of the Colonies that they were placed within... and Carter would be aware if anything was to try and interfere."
Sette brought her hands to grip the top of her head as she hissed in rage, "There has to be something that we can do." As he continued to type, Derek sneered, "There is something an OZ pilot can do." Delapan's face brightened as she replied, "Or an ex-OZ pilot." Her boyfriend nodded as he continued to type, "I can hack into the systems and disarm the Holocausts from here. As long as something can distract Carter, we should be alright."
* * * * * *
Sagittarius was flying just beyond the Earth as its pilot within awaited some kind of response to his announcement, ready to pull the detonation device that he clutched onto tightly. A familiar voice patched into Carter's transmitter as he said calmly, "This is Wufei Chang. And I have a proposition for you that I am sure you would be more than happy to accept." Foxx's eyes widened upon hearing that name. His eyes then narrowed as he chuckled deeply. His sneer in place, he replied in a dark voice, "I'm listening."
Wufei's voice replied, "I'm challenging you to a fight. The winner decides the fate of the Colonies in danger." Carter could now see the Gundam suit of his challenger making its way to him as he asked, "You're all alone, correct? No outside interference or that's it." The raven-haired pilot answered, "It's just you and me. There won't be any involvement from anyone else." Foxx nodded, "I accept."
The two Gundams shot right for each other. Carter removed Sagittarius's golden bow, taking aim as a laser arrow appeared the moment the he pulled back. Wufei raised his laser trident as he shouted loudly. Foxx shot three arrows, all of which were blocked by the other pilot. It was moments before the two suits met head-on, throwing every punch and kick that they could at one another. As always, the winged centaur Gundam moved amazingly fast, never missing a beat whether it was to block an attack or to send one reeling into Nataku.
* * * * * *
The Gundam pilots looked to the fight closely as they remained helpless to do anything. Milliardo growled deeply, "We should be out there with him." Derek shook his head as he began to type at the main system. He smiled and shook his head, "No this is just the distraction that we need to disarm the Holocausts."
Kumi's eyes widened at this. Leaning down to look to the ex-spy, she asked, "How much time do we need to disarm all of them?" Anderson replied, never taking his eyes from the screen, "With all of us working together, one hour. That'll be just enough time." As he continued to type, he explained, "Carter likes toying with his opponents for that length of time. If we goes any longer, he starts to tire, so he gives them everything he has while he can."
Noin cringed, "That's not as comforting as I'm sure you intended it to be... It's Wufei that he's going to 'toy' with." The ex-OZ pilot nodded, "I know, but I saw the first time that he and Carter faced each other. Wufei's the only pilot that has fought him and given him a real challenge. He'll be fine. But for right now, I need everyone of you to help me. We have over fifty Colonies to worry about right now." Heero nodded, "Just tell us what we have to do." Everyone of them walked to a private station where they had a monitor and keyboard that they could work at. Their reunited friend informed them, "I'm sending each of you the procedure to knock out each Holocaust one-by-one.
Patching into Nataku's transmitter, Carter asked, "Wufei, do you think that you could hold on for about an hour?" The Chinese pilot's voice grunted as he received another blow. He panted and answered, "I'll do what I can... He's a lot faster than I remember from the first time we fought." Anderson nodded, "He's been waiting to face you again. Just hang on as long as you can." Wufei replied, "Alright."
The Gundam pilots understood and followed the instructions that they had to follow, picking up on them quickly and knowing them by memory before long. Soon, they were all lost in their tasks as they concentrated solely on disarming the Holocausts. Meanwhile, they allowed their ears and an occasional glance to their screens to let them know what was taking place with the battle between their friend and Carter.
* * * * * *
Wufei had managed to unleash a brutal attack of constant blows and thrusts with his trident as he backed Sagittarius in his efforts. Carter didn't have a chance to take aim with his bow as he was more concerned with blocking everything that came his way. Grunting loudly, the young Gundam pilot never let up as he continued to back his opponent. While it was good to see that he could get several good shots, the Chinese pilot knew that he couldn't be able to rely on this for too long. He growled deeply to himself as he continued to strike, "He's holding back for some reason..." As if he could read his challenger's thoughts, Carter chuckled deeply, "You're a very bright one... Never giving me a lot of time to think of my next move."
With a deep chuckle, Carter spun Sagittarius in a swift move that Wufei could never have been prepared for. The back pair of hooves of the centaur Gundam kicked the Chinese pilot's suit with incredible force, sending Nataku flying backwards. Wufei shouted in pain as he gripped his controls, fighting the horrendous jolt from the blow. Carter sneered, "But you're still as slow as I remember."
Taking his bow into his possession again, the OZ pilot fired a rain of laser arrows upon the Chinese pilot. Wufei was only able to hold off a few of the golden shots. Those that made their make were more than enough to shake him. Not wishing to use up his chance to enjoy himself, Carter replaced the bow as he rested it over his suit's chest. He shot Sagittarius to meet his enemy again, this time moving to fight him with blows and kicks.
Seeing the winged Gundam approaching him, Wufei's eyes narrowed. Aiming his dragon arm, he shot a wave of flames that hit their target. Never letting up on the spray of fire, the Chinese pilot watched closely while sweat was pouring down his face. It wasn't long before the dark silhouette of Sagittarius was visible through the fire. A sharp gasp left Wufei as his eyes shot wide in disbelief. Sagittarius shot up through the fire, unscathed as the pilot within cried out loudly. Removing the sharp-ended bow, Carter fell upon Nataku, hitting the suit in the chest before the other pilot had any time to stop him.
* * * * * *
The people of the Earth and Colonies alike all watched the struggle in fear and awe as it was displayed everywhere. Nataku never surrendered, despite the fact that it was being hit left and right. "How can he keep this up," one young woman asked as she held her young daughter close to her.
Everyone in the streets stopped what they were doing as they gazed upon the large screens all around. The children that had been playing 'Soldiers' in the streets looked up to the screens with their toy swords and plastic armor in sheer amazement. One of the little boys removed his helmet as his wide eyes remained glued on the large screen. Seeing the terrible battle before him, the nine-year-old looked to the foil sword in his hand for a moment before returning his focus to the enormous monitors on the tall buildings again.
Time stood still as the fight went on. There was no telling how long the two pilots had been at this. Not one soul that witnessed could tear their sight from the image, wherever they were watching. Despite the fact that he was at a terrible disadvantage now, Wufei continued to push forward in attempt to knock Carter off guard. Both of the pilots recalled and relived the first time that they faced each other. Try as he might, the Chinese pilot could not free himself from the past, falling into the same traps that he had before. Foxx had been waiting for this day with as much anticipation as Wufei. But he had the advantage from the beginning in preparing himself from day one after their first meeting. And now they had every eye and ear in Space and on the Earth as their witness.
* * * * * *
The King and Queen of the world had been watching the battle as they sat before a television in a small room that had been prepared for them. Zes wrapped her left hand over her stomach as she rubbed it, feeling the babies kick within her. She whispered, "How long have they been at this?" One of the Council members looked to his watch before answering, "Almost a half-hour now." The young queen's eyes closed slowly as she lowered her head, "If this keeps up much longer, Wufei won't be able to hold him off." Brian kissed the back of her hand that he had been squeezing for support.
Before he could say anything to give his wife more assurance, a Councilman knelt beside the Duke and whispered something in his ear. Brian's eyes widened as the young man spoke. Nodding to the messenger, he rose from his seat. Relena looked up in concern to her love as she remained frozen in her seat. Her husband smiled warmly and kissed her lips gently. He whispered, "Everything is fine. I'll be right back." Zes smiled back and nodded. She knew that if anything was truly wrong, Brian would have told her right away. So, the young queen watched as her Duke was led from the small room with three Advisors. Biting her lip, Relena turned back to the screen before her.
* * * * * *
In their hanger, the Gundam pilots continued to work quickly at their posts. Sette smiled and turned to the others and announced, "Two more Holocausts been disarmed here." Noin added, "I just finished three." Quatre replied, "I'm working on a forth now." Derek smiled and nodded as he wiped some sweat from his brow. "Alright, that's more than half of them down." He scanned names and of the Colonies that still needed to be focused on. Delapan was the closest to him as she asked, "What are the chances that we'll finish this before Carter realizes that something is happening?" Her boyfriend turned to her and answered, "If Wufei can holds up as well as he has, we'll be fine."
Returning to his work, Anderson smiled, "I'm surprised he's lasted this long." Duo turned back in his seat to face where the ex-spy was sitting. "You're still not helping with the comforting here, Derek," he smirked. Anderson laughed, "Sorry, everyone. Just thinking out loud again." He turned his gazed to the main monitor, looking to the fight. Wufei was still holding on, despite the challenge that he faced against Carter. Derek chuckled deeply to himself as he shook his head, "You Gundam pilots never cease to amaze me." He continued to smile as he returned to his work.
* * * * * *
With a cold glare in his eyes, Brian Weatherall stormed into his main office, where his laptop waited in the center of his desk. The image of a man in his late fifties with dark hair looked to the King of the Would with grief all over him. The young King crossed his arms as he stood before the Foreign Minister. With his glare becoming even more threatening, Brian growled deeply, "I'm listening." Lowering his head, the man on the screen began, "Your Majesty, we all deserve your competent for what we have done." The Duke remained silent, but stern as he allowed the Minister to continue, "When we... all of the Colonies that sided with OZ acted as such because we were certain that they would be the victors in the end of this war."
Brian shouted, "And now you come crawling back to us because you want to back the right horse!?!" The Foreign Minister gasped loudly and shook his head, pleading, "Your Highness, we feared for our lives. We did not realize that OZ would go to such extremes to obtain domination." Shaking his head, the Duke asked deeply, "After all that happened in the Eve Wars, none of you questioned OZ and their methods?" Closing his eyes, the man on the screen lowered his head, whispering sadly, "We are sorry for our agreement with them, King Weatherall. I know that nothing we say or do could ever make up for the trouble that we have caused... The Gundam pilots and the Preventers had been our only true friends from the beginning, as well as you and Queen Relena... and we let all of you down."
Looking back up to face the young man, he said quietly, "Please don't cast us away." The young king's glare never faded as he stated, "I want a document showing every single Colony that you are representing, that wishes to side with us again. I will not turn away that request..." Brian's face saddened as he lowered his own head and sighed deeply, "God knows how much of a mess this war already is."
The Representative replied sadly, We did not help the situation any by turning our backs to all of you." The Duke turned his head up to meet the older man's eyes again. "As true as that is," he began, "I cannot pass judgment. No one who asks for forgiveness will be turned away." His stern gaze and voice returned as he warned, "However, I will discuss with Relena, the Gundam pilots and Lady Une what should be done with you when this war is over... If we are fortunate enough to defeat OZ."
The Foreign Minister sighed deeply in relief as he threw his head back, silently praying his thanks. Looking back to the fair Duke, he smiled sincerely, "You are indeed, a righteous leader, Your Majesty... Thank you. And I will send that document of the Colonies that I am speaking for immediately." Brian nodded, "Very well. We will discuss this further after the war. Until then, I want you to gather all of the soldiers that are willing and able to fight along with us when they are needed." The man continued to smile in relief as he replied, "Of course, Sir. God speed." At this, the screen went black. Brian stared at the laptop for a moment before allowing a small smile to cross his face. He turned and walked from his office quickly.
* * * * * *
There was still enough fight in Wufei to get some good hits in with his trident. However, he received countless more blows than what he was able to give. Carter, in the mean time, was beginning to feel the effects of the long battle weighing on him. Not a man who was willing to conserve his energy, Foxx threw everything he had from the get-go just as Derek knew he would. He continued to laugh loudly as he knocked Nataku back through the stars with ease.
As he continued to punch his foe without mercy, Carter shouted, "Why don't you just give up!?! You know that you don't stand a chance!" Wufei was sweating and bleeding from different wounds by now. "I'm still breathing," he panted with a cold glare. The OZ pilot chuckled deeply, "I'll have to do something about that, then." With a loud grunt, he fired a large round of arrows at Shenlong, still never bothering to take the time to look after the Holocausts.
Wufei felt the force of another punch from the Sagittarius. His eyes opened once the cockpit stopped shaking. Only able to see red at this point, the Chinese pilot's eyes narrowed into thin slits as he growled loudly. Giving a loud cry, he pushed forward on his controls with the strength that he managed to spare. Taking his suit's dragon arm and trident, he began taking control of the struggle again. Foxx was taken by surprise as he now found himself in danger. Nataku struck Sagittarius with every kick, punch, slash and offence that it offered.
Unable to take aim with his bow or to counterattack, the OZ pilot was being thrown within his cockpit after every strike. For the next ten minutes, he was pushed back at great force with no way of defending himself. Wufei never allowed himself to let up, lest he leave a window open for Foxx to retaliate. The raven-haired pilot cried, "I won't allow you or anyone to harm the Colonies! Even if you kill me, my friends will still be alive to finish you off!"
* * * * * *
Everyone watching in the streets remained mesmerized by the image of the fight. They listened as Wufei continued, "Any one of us would be more than happy to die to defend the lives in Space and on the Earth!" There were many watching and listening that had been moved by the Chinese pilots actions and words. Still, he continued, "Novem wasn't thinking of her own life before you took it from her! And there isn't a day that goes by that we don't think of her and hate the fact that she's not with us anymore. But she knew the risks that came with being a Gundam pilot and never thought twice about the possibility of having to sacrifice herself."
* * * * * *
Zes had tears rolling down her cheeks as she and her husband held hands tightly, never turning from the screen. "I'm well aware that I could be the next to join her, just as any of my friends could be," Wufei stated. "But that's not going to stop us from putting an end to anyone who so much as tries to harm the innocents that we were meant to defend!" Relena lowered her head as she smiled through her tears. Her husband was smiling to her lovingly as he rubbed her back. The Council men and women present were struck speechless as they remained still, unable to breathe with everything that they witnessed.
* * * * * *
The Preventers on Pulsar couldn't have been more proud of their comrade as they smiled and followed the intense scene as carefully as they had when it begun. Sally smiled fondly to the screen as she sat in the midst of her friends. There were few dry eyes amongst any of them at this point. Still, the Chinese pilot spoke, "We're not concerned with being recognized. All that we want is to protect those who cannot fight for themselves. In the end, nothing, not even our own lives, matter more than that." Sera and Lady Une smiled down to Water, seeing the pride and love that she felt for her husband radiating from her.
* * * * * *
Wufei concluded his speech by saying to Carter through his strained voice, "And no matter who wins this war or who manages to stay alive when it ends, nothing will be able to take away the loyalty that we have for what we believe in." His strike ended as he fell forward, moaning loudly in pain as he fought to sit up again. That was the last of what he managed to save after everything that he suffered during the battle. Falling slack in the harnesses, the Chinese pilot panted with his eyes closed.
Wiping some of the blood and sweat that drenched his face as he panted deeply, Carter sneered to himself, "Enough of this game." He spun Sagittarius quickly, managing to kick Nataku right over its cockpit with the winged Gundam's back hooves again. The incredible force was enough to send the Chinese pilot flying backwards, crashing right into the metal ring of a nearby Colony.
With his eyes squeezed shut, Wufei growled loudly as he held onto his controls tightly, forcing himself not to be jolted by the blow. The right side of his mouth had been cut from biting down as the kick was delivered. Nataku was now trapped within the metal and wires that provided the Colony's oxygen and electricity. Unable to move from the amount of abuse that his body had taken during the long fight, Wufei's eyes opened slowly to look to the centaur Gundam that was now hovering just a few feet above him.
* * * * * *
Sally stood from her seat as she gasped loudly and cried, "WUFEI!" She covered her mouth as tears instantly filled her eyes. Lady Une instantly hugged her tightly. Sally buried her head in her friend's shoulder as she sobbed quietly. The head of the Preventers looked up to the screen as she continued to hold her friend. Seeing the lifeless form of Nataku on the monitors as it remained trapped, she held her breath and thought to herself, "God, please don't take another."
Lieutenant Keiser walked to his comrades as he added more assurance to Water, resting his hand on her shoulder and squeezing it a few times. Sera Makato ran to them as she whispered to the frigntened Preventer, "Hey." Sally managed to lift her tear-streaked face to look to Heero's mother. Sera dried her eyes gently as she smiled sadly, "Wufei knows better than to go down without a fight." Sally paused then gave a small smile. She nodded and looked back to the screen along with her comrades.
* * * * * *
Relena and Brain held hands tightly with their eyes still glued to the screen before them. The members of the Council that stood behind and around them all watched in horror as they all held their collective breath. "I-I can't believe that this is happening," Brian whispered gravely. Zes shook her head as she watched in horror, "Come on, Wufei, I know you're a better pilot than this."
One Representative watching and listening carefully whispered, "All those Colonies... It's impossible to think that OZ managed to become this much of a threat in the five years that we had peace." The young Councilwoman that he was speaking with nodded as she whispered back, "We let our guards down in thinking that there could never be another uprising."
* * * * * *
Back in the hanger of their safe house, the Gundam pilots along with Derek were still working at their centers as quickly as they could to disarm the Holocausts that threatened the lives of thousands. Looking back to the fight on the monitors, Trowa growled deeply, "Wufei can't hold on any more." Derek continued to type at a quick pace as he never looked up from his keyboard. He whispered to himself, "Just... a little more."
* * * * * *
Wufei panted as he hissed to his enemy, "Bastard... I'm not... finished yet." Struggling to sit up, he groaned and fell back as excruciating pain ran throughout every part of his body. Panting from his efforts, he squinted through the sunlight that was beaming upon him as he looked back up to try and see Sagittarius. The OZ pilot chuckled deeply, covered in sweat as he panted with a nasty sneer. "And now to finish this," he said to himself.
Taking hold of the detonator again, Carter's made sure that his image appeared in Wufei's monitors, along with all those screens throughout Space and the Earth. "You never should have challenged an opponent you couldn't possibly have defeated," he growled deeply. At this, he Removed the safety from the detonator as the light at the tip blinked red in its preparation. "Now you'll watch hundreds of thousands perish for your mistake." Wufei's gasped loudly and his eyes widened through the bright light as he screamed, "NO!" With a nasty sneer on his face, Carter said quietly, "And so it ends." Wufei's eyes squeezed shut as a loud whimper left him just as Carter pressed the detonator's red button.
There was nothing but silence to follow. Carter's smug grin faded, and his eyes shot wide as he screamed, "WHAT!?!" A loud, maddened growl left him as his face burned red, looking to the scans of the Colonies that were in danger. Nothing had happened. The Holocausts were silent and still as they had been when they were hidden within the Colonies.
The long and tense pause of silence was broken when Duo's voice chimed into every transmitter and radio on the Earth and through Space as he announced, "Uh, Huston we have a problem." Immediately following this, the laughter of the Gundam pilots could be heard loud and clear through the transmitters. Carter's eyes burned with fury at this remark and the laughter that echoed in response. Wufei laughed loudly as he fell back in his seat, finally feeing the burden of his mission rising from his shoulders.
* * * * * *
The Gundam pilots, in the meantime, were still laughing hysterically following Duo's announcement. Kumi rose from her post as she removed her headset and leaned over Duo's monitor behind her to give him a swift high-five. Heero walked to his braided lover and cupped his face in his hands, landing a quick, but forceful kiss on his lips. He chuckled deeply and winked, "Nice touch." Duo laughed, "Thanks, koi." The pilots continued laughing, knowing that they managed to save the Colonies and all of the lives on them.
* * * * * *
Carter gave a long, loud cry of rage as his face was as red as it could be. He violently threw his fists into his monitors as he let out his fury and frustration. As Foxx continued to release himself, Wufei's voice called through his transmitter, "Carter!" Turning his suit to face Nataku as it continued to lie in the thick wires and metal of the Colony's ring, the OZ pilot glared fiercely with a maddened growl. Wufei smirked as he shouted, "Paybacks are a bitch!" The moment he said this, he held a large sheet of gold-plated metal that he crashed into when he collided with the Colony, reflecting light of the sun that faced him head-on to bounce it back into the cockpit of Sagittarius in one swift movement. Foxx screamed in agony as the light burned through his eyes. Wufei glared intensely as he continued to shoot the blinding rays upon the centaur Gundam.
Finally, the Chinese pilot threw the large chunk of metal aside. Carter's closed eyes opened slowly in a few blinks. "No," he whispered gravely to himself. He gasped loudly with his eyes wide. He couldn't see anything, not even his hands before his face as the stained desperately. "NO!" he screamed. He heard the raven-haired pilot chuckle deeply. The OZ pilot whimpered as he fell back in his seat helplessly.
"This one's for Novem!" Wufei cried as he threw back the end of his trident. Carter whispered to himself, "I'm coming, Stacy." The Chinese pilot shouted as he thrust the end of is weapon through the cockpit, stabbing it through until it exited the back. The winged Gundam began to shoot flames through the hole that was made. Nataku shot off to safety just before Sagittarius was taken in a great explosion. Wufei panted loudly, still covered in sweat and bleeding as he fell back in his seat, exhausted and hurting. Looking back to the spot where Sagittarius had been destroyed, he saw that there was nothing left but a ball of flames. He smiled and whispered to himself, "Four Gundams down... One more to go."
* * * * * *
The Gundam pilots cheered and shouted at the top of their lungs as they shot from their seats. Most of them jumped onto their chairs and desks as they let out their elation. Derek soon himself being tackled by all of his friends as they thanked and congratulated him for all of his help. Delapan was the last to reach him as she threw her arms around the ex-spy for them to share a long, deep kiss. The other pilots continued to high-five, kiss and hug each other as they could hear the cheers and shouts from everyone on the Earth and in Space joining them.
* * * * * *
Sally fell into her chair, doubling over as she cried in sheer relief and happiness in knowing that her husband was alright. Lady Une, Sera Makato, Keiser, Marimaya and Mirando were all around her with huge smiles and hugs as she slowly looked back up to them, smiling brightly through her tears. Lady Une smiled warmly as she dried her friend's eyes, "Go to the others on the Earth. I'll let Wufei know he can find you there." Water bit her lip and whispered, "Thank you." Hugging all of her friends tightly again, Sally ran out of the room as she made her way to the hanger.
* * * * * *
Relena and Brain jumped from their seats as they embraced and cheered along with all those present in the room with them. Zes turned to the screen as everyone around her continued to shout and hug. She smiled warmly as she whispered, "Good work, Wufei." Zes dried the remaining tears that had fallen from her eyes and Brian hugged her tightly again, kissing her head she buried it in his chest.
* * * * * *
It wasn't long later when Wufei landed back into the hanger on the Earth. His friends ran and gathered just below his Gundam as it touched the metal ground. Using his rip cord, the Chinese pilot lowered himself and was instantly hugged all around as everyone cheered and spoke at once. Water made her way to her husband with a loving smile. Wufei sighed deeply, "Sally." They hugged tightly, the raven-haired pilot forgetting the pain coursing through him as he held his wife. Water whispered, "I'm so proud of you, love." They kissed deeply as the other pilots allowed watched fondly, giving them room. Wufei and Sally continued to leave their arms around each other's waists as they smiled and hugged their friends.
As the excitement died down, the Gundam pilots began filing out slowly. Duo whacked the back of the Chinese pilot's head as he chuckled deeply, "You son of a bitch, you had all of us in tears with that speech of yours!" He laughed loudly, "You even had Kumi crying!" From the stairway, Kumi's monotone voice called, "ONLY A LITTLE!" Wufei laughed loudly and followed his comrades to the steps that would lead them to the ground level.
Before actually climbing the stairs, Wufei pointed and smiled to Derek. Anderson smiled and shook hands firmly with his comrade before they hugged tightly. "Thank you," Wufei said quietly before releasing the embrace. Derek nodded and smiled back, "Thank 'you'." With those words, everything of the past had officially been laid to rest as Derek and the Gundam pilots looked to defeating OZ together. They walked as a unit back upstairs.
* * * * * *
Very late that night, Trowa was tossing and turning in his sleep as he was coated in sweat and moaning. Sitting up with a loud gasp and wide eyes, he shouted, "KUMI!!!" Panting, he looked to his left, where his lover normally slept. Seeing that he was alone in his room, the tall pilot flew from his bed, wearing only his gray sweatpants that he had slept in, concern and fear all over his face. In a flash, he left his room and ran down the hall.
The full moon through the clear night sky gave more than enough light for Trowa to see everything as he ran onto the porch. Stopping at the top of the steps, he panted and looked located the silver-haired pilot easily, thanks to the moonlight illuminating her long locks. Kumi was sitting on a large boulder in the middle of the fields about a mile-and-a-half from the cabin. She sat with her legs crossed and her head looking up to the star-filled heavens, her back facing the safe-house.
Trowa remained frozen as he looked to his partner from the porch steps. "She's waiting," a voice from behind suddenly stated. The tall pilot jumped and turned around quickly. Sette stood in the doorway, resting her back against the post as she looked to her friend. The tomboy walked to stand beside him as she continued, "She knows that he's going to be coming soon." Trowa sighed deeply as he closed his eyes. Looking back to where he lover remained deep in thought and unaware of their presence, he whispered, "Demetris."
TBC
This goes out to all of my friends and supporters: Snodin, Traci, Sam, Beekay, Ruby, Mylia, Ryla, GREETER 600, D-max, Stormy, Naz, Akuma, Kai, Enigma, Lily, Kit, Toynit, my entire 1x2x1 family and everyone who reads and enjoys this fic. *tackle glomps*
IMPORTANT NOTE: Okay... I will need a liiittle more than a week to finish the last three episodes for this fic. I just want to cover everything that I need to and make them exciting. I'll need two weeks tops between the next three episodes to accomplish this. Thank you for your patience. I promise to see that you're not disappointed! Lots of Love, SkyLark
Gundam Wing: The Second Chapter
Episode 46: The Domino Effect
by SkyLark
NARRATOR: In the days to immediately follow the destruction of Orion, Brian and Relena Weatherall returned to their Council to speak on behalf of their friends. Seeing the Weatherall's as the King and Queen of the World again gave new hope for the people of both the Earth and Space. It showed them that order was finally coming back into the realm of chaos that they had been living in for a year now. Meanwhile, the Gundam pilots never allowed themselves long to rest. Returning to their training, they focused everything on preparing themselves for the fights to come. The time would come when they would be needed again. And they were all determined to be ready when that day arrived.
* * * * * *
With Mirando in her lap, Marimaya set up several small blocks in a row. She smiled to the little boy, "Now, Mirando, in wars, there is something known as the Domino Effect. When a force as powerful as OZ makes creates a stronghold, they rely solely on holding everything of theirs together." Placing a block to stand in the row as she stated, "Nebula..." She placed another block in front of it. "Orion." Another block was set. "Gemini..." Another. "Scorpio."
Smiling still, the young girl wheeled herself and the child to the end of the row of blocks at the edge of the table that she placed them on. "When one of these elements falls..." Gently, she tapped the first block to began a chain reaction, the dominos that Marimaya had carefully set and placed throughout the large table in a display of rings all began to drop until not one left standing. Marimaya smiled to the blonde child in her lap, "They all fall."
Mirando clapped and laughed at the display that his red-haired aunt had shown to him. The girl chuckled deeply as she hugged her nephew, "If the war keep up at the rate it's going now, it'll only be a matter of time before OZ will completely crumble again, including my dear Uncle Quinze." Looking to the fallen blocks, she sighed deeply, "Let's just hope that we can hold onto our own elements... namely our own Gundam pilots."
* * * * * *
In one of the small hospital rooms of Pulsar, Derek was lying still in his bed as he was still recovering from the injuries he received after the struggle he had with Azrael while the Gundam pilots destroyed Orion. After days of coming in and out of consciousness, the ex-spy groaned deeply as his head tossed to his right. His brown eyes blinked a few times as he felt something holding his hand. Lifting his head a bit as his eyes fully opened, he whispered, "Catherine?" Delapan released the pilot's hand as she crossed her arms and glared to him. Anderson gave a small, weak smile as he chuckled deeply, "I know... Let me have it."
Delapan growled deeply, "What the hell were you thinking by going after Azrael like that? You could have been killed!" Derek lowered his head but never broke his gaze on the redhead. He answered gently, "I wasn't going to let anything happen to you." Catherine's eyes widened for a moment as a small gasp left her. Realizing that she left her guard down, Slither's pilot shook her head as he eyes narrowed again. "That's no excuse, Derek," she warned. Anderson rose as his elbows pressed against the mattress to support him. The pain was no where near as great as it had been the last few days, he noted to himself as he continued to focus on Delapan.
"I'm sorry that I scared you," the blonde pilot said quietly. The redhead's face softened as these words sunk in. Sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, she warned, "Just don't make a habit of that." She gently wrapped her arms around Derek. The embrace was returned with just as much gentleness as the pair held each other for a moment. Delapan pulled back just enough to gently kiss Anderson's lips. Both a little stunned by this gesture, Derek and Caterine looked to each other for a moment, just a breath away from kissing again. Finally, their eyes slid closed as their lips met again for a longer exchange that deepened. The sound of a throat being cleared by the doorway was all that broke them.
Delapan sat up quickly along with Derek as they looked back to see who joined them. Trowa stood with his back leaning against the doorway and his arms crossed as he looked to his sister and her boyfriend with a look that couldn't be read. The tall pilot smiled sincerely, "Sorry to interrupt." Delapan sneered, "Nice timing." Her brother gave a sharp laugh as he shrugged, "I just came to see how Derek was." The blonde pilot smiled nervously and responded, "Thank you, Trowa. I'm doing well." The European pilot nodded, "I can see that." Delapan shot with a wider grin, "Trowa!" Heave Arm's pilot walked to the pair and rested his hand on his sister's head, patting it a few times. Anderson couldn't help but chuckle at the endearing scene between the siblings.
Trowa extended his hand to the ex-spy and smiled, "Good to have you back." Derek smiled and shook the offered hand as he nodded, "Thank you... It's good to be back." Lowering his hand to his side, the blonde pilot sighed deeply and looked away as he frowned, "After everything that I had done, I'm amazed that any of you are willing to talk to me again." Trowa shook his head, "Whatever happened in the past doesn't matter. Lady Une also mentioned the fact that you saved her, as well, when she went to spy on OZ a while back." Anderson shrugged as he huffed, "So I helped her get out of the base. Everyone of you still has more than the right to despise me."
Catherine smiled warmly and gently brought the other pilot to look at her. "If you really were someone that was an enemy, you would have killed Lady Une before she could have escaped. And you never would have save me or Sette when we were up against Gemini a few nights ago." A small smile slowly crossed Derek's lips as he looked to his comrades. "Thank you for being so forgiving... I was afraid that I never would have had the chance to apologize for everything." Trowa smiled, "We all know that you never meant anything to harm us. Heero, Kumi, Sette, Quatre, Zes and Wufei all send their best." Anderson was moved beyond words as he lowered his head and whispered, "Please tell that I said thank you." The tall pilot replied, "You can tell them, yourself. You can come back to the Earth and stay at the safe house there with us." Anderson smiled and nodded, "I'd like that."
Delapan looked up to her brother and shrugged with wide eyes, motioning to the door with her head. Her brother chuckled deeply, "Well, that's my cue. See you soon, Derek." The injured pilot smiled back and waved, "That you will." Trowa left the room quietly as Catherine turned back to the ex-spy as she smiled, "So where were we?" Anderson chuckled deeply as they leaned in to kiss sweetly then deeply again. Just then, Trowa poked his head in and interrupted, "Oh, yea, I almost forgot-" He couldn't get another word out before his sister tossed a pillow, laughing, "Very cute!" The tall pilot laughed and dodged the weapon before making a quick escape. Not bothering to look back to the door, Catherine and Derek laughed before kissing yet again.
* * * * * *
In the hallway of one of OZ's carriers, a handful of soldiers walked to their quarters as they spoke silently to one another. Their concerned expressions were more than enough to prove that there was a great deal of fear in them after the events that had taken place almost a week prior to now.
One young woman in the group whispered, "It's bad enough that Orion was lost... But with Scorpio and Gemini gone as well-" Her words were cut short when one of her comrades interrupted as he hissed, "There's no need to remind us. We all know how bad the situation is for all of us right now." A third soldier shook her head as she asked, "It's so strange knowing that General Stanton, Azrael and Abrazia are dead." The guards continued their conversation as they continued to walk down the corroders of the craft they were now staying on.
In one of the rooms that they passed, the only light that existed was that which came from the hall through the opened door. The dim room was empty spare a desk that fell close to the wall opposite of where the door stood. In the darkest corner of the office, Carter was sitting on the floor, legs all but held against his chest, as he looked into the darkness of his room with an empty look in his eyes. A large bottle of Vodka stood to his right. The pilot's brown hair was a mess as it had not been brushed or tended to in days. Looking to the bottle of alcohol, he took it into his hand and spun the glass before his face. As his green eyes focused on the swirling liquid, Carter heard another group of soldiers in the hall speak amongst one another.
One of the young men in the group said in a small voice, "It was only going to be a matter of time before something like this was going to happen." A female voice whispered as she growled deeply, "Don't say such things. We are far stronger that those Gundam pilots and the Preventers combined." Carter took a swig from the bottle as he heard a third voice replied deeply, "The fact remains that they are capable of beating us, whether we want to admit it or not. It doesn't help that we've lost three of our best pilots and their Gundams in the process." The remainder of the conversation faded as the soldiers walked further down the hall, their voices fading until nothing could be made out.
Carter pushed himself onto his feet, never releasing the bottle from his grasp as he walked to his desk. The distraught pilot took the framed image on the wooden surface into his possession as he took another, long drink from the bottle. The image of Stacy was one that had been taken not long after they had met. The young woman's genuine smile was one that appeared all too rarely while she was alive. Carter ran his thumb against the glass that encased the photo of his lover as he whispered, "I told you to keep your head out there." Narrowing his eyes, he growled loudly and deeply as he threw the frame against the wall, shattering it. Raising the glass straight in the air with his lips tightly wrapped around the bottle's neck, Carter downed the remainder of the alcohol.
Throwing the bottle in against the same wall, he opened his desk and removed three pistols from his drawers. Loading the guns, the OZ pilot growled deeply, "If you want something done, you just have to do it yourself." Locking the safeties on all of the pistols, he placed two of the firearms in his front pockets and the third in his right back pocket. Walking from the room, he wiped the alcohol that ran down the from the corner of his mouth. His green eyes narrowed, he brushed back his long, brown locks from his face as he made his way down the halls.
Several soldiers that he passed froze in their places and stopped whatever they were doing as they looked to Carter with concern and shock. It was the first time they had seen their comrade since the death of his lover. No one moved to say anything to him, and the young man never gave any sign of recognition that he knew they were there in the first place. Everyone watched in silence as he disappeared around the corner of the hall. Looking to one another with varying levels of fear in their faces, the OZ soldiers soon went back to their previous activities, never bringing up the icy glare in Carter's eyes or the chill in the air that his presence brought.
Entering his laboratory, Carter looked over to where he stored the reports on the location of the Holocausts that had been created. The scientists that were working their shifts looked in disbelief as the pilot began removing every bit of data from the system as he stored it onto a disk.
One of the men ran to him with wide eyes as he shouted, "Carter, what do you think you're doing!?! You of all people should know that-" There was not another word from the scientist as a bullet ripped through his forehead and exited the back of his skull. The staff that remained shouted and cried out as they watched one of their own fall to the ground in a bloody heap. The pistol in Carter's hand still had smoke rising from the barrel as he aimed the weapon to the terrified team. "Does anyone else care to give me a lecture?" The doctors remained still with their eyes wide and faces pale as they made no move to respond.
* * * * * *
Quinze Kushrenadah was looking out the window of the last stronghold that his colony still had in tack. The enormous ship continued to float in the unknown confines of the galaxy as he gathered his thoughts. The young man remained still as he watched the countless gleaming specks beyond the glass. Quinze's face was expressionless and his hands were folded behind his back as he stood straight and tall, never moving nor blinking. Finally, an all too familiar voice said quietly, "Your Excellency?" Turning to his right, the OZ leader saw his best soldier standing with an expressionless face of his own.
Demetris informed his commander, "We have not heard from Carter since he left the carrier where he was stationed." Quinze sighed deeply as he asked, "And?" The giant hesitated before answering, "He stole the detonator of the Holocausts with him... as well as Sagittarius." Kushrenadah turned his head away from the pilot and looked to the stars again. Lowering his head, he chuckled deeply. That chuckle grew into a full, loud burst of laughter as his head fell back.
Demetris looked confused as he asked, "Sir?" Quinze turned to him as he continued to laugh, "That's the best news that I have heard in almost a week, my friend." The tall pilot didn't have a chance to respond before the smug OZ leader crossed his arms and leaned his back against the glass. The OZ leader sneered, "Carter is carrying out what we planned to do with those Holocausts when we first created them... Destroying Colonies with those weapons early in the war was just a test to see if they worked."
The tall man shook his head, "Whatever was intended for those weapons, Carter is not in his right mind to carry it out. He's is still distraught after what happened to Stacy." Kushrenadah sneered, "All the more reason why he won't allow the very pilots responsible to go un repaid for her murder." Demetris lowered his head and replied, "Then I suppose that requesting permission to bring him back is out of the question... even if it means that we could lose another of our Gundam suits and one of our best pilots with it."
Quinze replied coldly, "While Stacy, Azrael and Abrazia were all wonderful pilots, their efforts and skills fell short when they mattered most. They would still be alive if they weren't so foolish in their final battles. If Carter gets himself killed, it's his own damn fault. And if anything does happen to Sagittarius, we will treat it as we have the loss of Scorpio and Gemini... a minor setback."
Demetris saluted, "Very well, sir. I shall return to the control room and await any word on Carter." The young commander nodded, "Do that." His right-hand-man left without another word to carry out his tasks. Kushrenadah chuckled deeply and looked back out the window as he said to himself, "Oh, what men would do for revenge." He smirked in content, "This should be more than interesting to watch."
* * * * * *
On a small hill a mile ahead of their safe house, Quatre, Sette and Kumi were sitting and speaking amongst themselves. The beautiful weather was enough to bring them out and try to relax a bit. The Arabian was lying on his back with Sette lying across of him, her head resting in the middle of his chest. Kumi sat up beside the two of them, just looking ahead to the open fields. The tomboy closed her eyes under the hot sun. "Nice to actually get out for a change," she sighed deeply. Her fiancee nodded, "Yea. It's still hard to realize that we've managed to gain such an advantage at this point."
Sette looked to her silver-haired comrade as she sat up and smiled, "I've been meaning to ask what will you do when the war is over." Kumi turned to face the tomboy with a look of uncertainty. She shrugged, "I won't think about that until the war actually 'is' over. We still have out work cut out for us before that time comes." The young queen lied her back flat against the grass as she sighed deeply, "I figured that you would say that." The blue-haired pilot folded her hands behind her head and closed her eyes as she smirked, "Once a 'Perfect Soldier,' always a 'Perfect Soldier.'" Her response was a the very common, "Hn." from her friend.
The silver-haired pilot turned back to her partner and questioned, "You really plan on handing your crown over?" Sette smiled and nodded, "Yep. And I know exactly who it'll go to." Kumi chuckled deeply, "Can't say I'm surprised. I know that you plan on staying with Quatre." The tomboy smiled wickedly and nodded, "You know it." The Arabian chuckled deeply and ran his hand through his fiancee's hair. Picking a small, blue flower and spinning it over her nose, the young queen continued, "Besides, I could never part with Mason. Like it or not, there's always going to be something threatening peace." Quatre sighed deeply, "You're right about that."
Trowa and Delapan walked towards the trio after returning just a short while before. They smiled to their comrades as they neared the hill where they were sitting. Sette sat up and chimed to their friends, "Well look who's come home." Quatre sat up as well as he smiled, "I saw that was Derek dropping you off earlier. How is he?" Catherine answered, "He's fine." Her brother smirked, "He seemed to be better than that when he saw you." The redhead's face almost matched her hair as a small gasp left her. Sette smiled, "Aaawww. Monkey Girl's in love." Delapan shouted, "Knock it off, baka!" Catherine glared as she chased the tomboy back to the safe house. Sette's laughter could be heard even as the two pilots disappeared from the sight of their friends.
Quatre and Trowa laughed as they watched. Kumi merely smiled and shook her heads. "They make quite the pair," the tall pilot said in a smiled. The Arabian chuckled deeply, "Yes they do. I better make sure that Sette doesn't get herself killed." The silver-haired pilot nodded, "Good. Tie her down if you have to." Quatre chuckled, "I'll see you both later." Trowa and Kumi waved to the blonde pilot as he walked back to the safe house.
The moment that they were alone, Kumi smiled warmly to Trowa and hugged him. The tall pilot smiled and sighed deeply as he returned the embrace, tightening it. With a note of hesitancy in his voice, Trowa said quietly, "I was... just thinking... about how close we are to ending this war." The pilots continued to hold each other as they pulled back just a bit to look into each other's eyes. Taking a deep breath, the European pilot continued with uncertainly all over him, "I was wondering what you were panning to do... when all of this is over."
Kumi frowned and lowered her head, sighing deeply, "Trowa, whether or not the war is close to ending, it's still here now... I can't think about the future when I'm not even sure I'll be in it." The tall pilot's eyes widened at this response. Lowering his head with his eyes closed, he whispered, "Please, don't talk like that, Kumi... I know that it's still a possibility that any of us could be killed... but please don't remind me about that right now."
The silver-haired plot lifted her lover's head gently until their eyes met. She said gently, "This is just the way that I am, koi... As much as I don't want to think that anything would happen, I can't do otherwise... not until peace exists again." The European pilot nodded and kissed her forehead. Holding his partner closely to him, he whispered, "I know... I was just hoping..." The 'Perfect Soldier' sighed deeply, closing her eyes as she whispered sadly, "I know you were..." The pilots just held each other tightly in silence. The pink petals from the blossom trees nearby danced around them with the breeze.
* * * * * *
In the bedroom that they shared, Heero and Duo lied in each other's arms as they recovered from a long day of exercising and preparing their Gundams for the next fight. Wearing only their boxers, they slept under the thin white sheet of their bed with their limbs intertwined. The braided pilot took a deep breath and yawned softly as he woke from the much-needed rest. The Wing pilot soon did the same soon after. They smiled lovingly to one another through their heavy-lidded eyes. Duo kissed the tip of his love's nose before resting his head on his chest again, tightening his arms around the Japanese pilot's body. Heero's smile never faded as he returned the gesture, kissing the top of her partner's head a few times.
"Sleep well?" the Wing pilot asked quietly as he rubbed Duo's back in smooth circles. The American sighed deeply in content and nodded with his eyes closed, "I always do when you're here." Heero smiled again and lifted Duo's head to kiss his lips gently. The kiss deepened as the pilots held each other until there was almost no room for them to breathe. Then the exchange finally broke by need of air, Heero panted and smiled, "We better get going." Duo smiled and nodded as he lied on his back.
Closing his eyes, the braided pilot let out a long, loud yawn as he stretched as far as he could, raising his arms over his head. Heero rose from the bed and walked to the dresser to gather his pale blue jeans and gray T-shirt. Duo continued to lie on the bed with his eyes shut. He subconsciously ran his right hand over his chest, where his pendant would normally fall. Not finding anything there, his cobalt spheres opened in search of the gold chain. Sitting up, the wide-eyes American gasped loudly, "My cross!" Quickly, he sifted through the sheets and pillows in search of his keepsake.
Heero had just pulled his jeans past his waist when the sudden cry left his lover. With concern in his face, he walked over to the bed and helped search for the necklace. "It couldn't have gone far. It was on you before we fell asleep," the 'Perfect Soldier' noted gently in effort to assure his koi. Duo rose from the mattress and got to his knees to look under the bed. Lying flat on his stomach and managing to crawl halfway under the bed, his muffled voice said quietly, "It has to be here somewhere."
They continued to search through the room and still couldn't find anything. Duo sighed deeply and lowered his head, "Maybe I lost it while we were jogging earlier." Heero replied, "I'm almost certain it was on you before we had our nap." The braided pilot whispered sadly, "I thought so, too." The Wing pilot frowned and kissed Duo's forehead before hugging him tightly. "We'll find it," he promised in a determined whisper. The American hugged him tightly in returned and nodded and gave a small smile, feeling much more assured at his lover's words. Clearing his throat he moved to the dresser to retrieve his black jeans and deep green T-shirt. Once he was changed, he smiled warmly to his love, "Ready?" Heero smiled back and nodded as he took Duo's hand.
* * * * * *
Wufei walked into the hanger late that same night, his mind too preoccupied to sleep well. Walking to the main system of the room, he sat before the central monitor and began to type at the keyboard. The monitor blinked on as Sally Poe's image appeared. She smiled warmly to her husband, "I had a feeling you would still be awake." The Chinese pilot smiled warmly to her, "You always did know me better than anyone." His smile faded as he said quietly, "You look tired, Sal." Water frowned and replied, "I just haven't been able to sleep well these last few nights... It's not like me to worry, but..." Wufei nodded and sighed deeply, "We all know that Quinze and his men are going to try to pull something soon enough." His wife nodded back, as she closed her eyes.
The Chinese pilot gave a small smile as he continued, "Whatever happens, you know we'll get through it." Sally's eyes opened as she sighed deeply, "I know... It's just the not knowing what's coming that's hard right now." Wufei leaned back in his seat, whispering just so that the Preventer to hear him, "I never thought that I would have ever said this to anyone again, but... I do love you... and I wish that I was there with you." Sally bit her lip and smiled sadly, "Same here." The raven-haired pilot sat up and suggested, "Maybe we both should try going to sleep again-"
Before her husband could say anything more, Sally was interrupted as the monitors before her began to flash and beep suddenly. Both she and Wufei were on the guard as the braided young woman took a closer look at what the radars of the ship found. After waiting a brief moment, the Chinese pilot asked in concern, "What is it?" Sally's typing concluded as her eyes widened to the radars beside her.
"It's Sagittarius." Instantly, her partner's eyes shot wide open as he rose from his seat, shouting, "WHAT!?!" Wufei clenched his fists to hold back the anger coursing through his veins. His hands sped over the keys before him, commanding the hanger doors to open in the ceiling just past the Gundams. "Where is he," was all that he growled. Water answered, "He's making his way to the Earth... I'm sent the coordinates to your Nataku's cockpit."
Not needing to hear anymore, Wufei ran to Nataku, strapping himself in quickly. Taking hold of his handgrips, the cockpit's cocoon closed over him. The Gundam suit shot off down the runway once the doors fully opened. From where she sat in Pulsar's control room, Sally called upon the Preventers on the ship as she sounded the alarms that would bring them running to the control room. Lowering her head, she whispered sadly, "Wufei... Please be careful."
Nataku shot into the skies through the ground as it opened closed behind him again. His Gundam darted in a streak of light as it left the Earth's atmosphere. The moment that the thrusters were turned on before the suit's departure, everyone within the safe house was awaken as they jumped from their beds and ran into the hallways as they soon reached the hanger, in whatever nightwear they had on them. Derek met them as they entered the hidden room. Seeing that Shenlong was missing, Delapan shouted, "What is Wufei doing!?!"
Heero was the first of all of them to reach the main monitor as he punched at the keys. Patching into his comrade's transmitter, he hollered, "Wufei, what's going on!?!" The Chinese pilot's image appeared as he answered, "I have something that I need to take care of." Noin shook her head, "Whatever it is, let us help you. This isn't the time for us to be broken up." The raven-haired pilot replied, "I'm sorry, but this is something that I need to do on my own." Wufei severed the connection as the monitor showed only static. The Gundam pilots backed from the control panel, all with looks of concern or frustration.
Kumi turned to her comrades and began, "Alright. We'll just pick up his signal and bring him b-" In mid-sentence, the Japanese pilot stopped as the screen blinked on to reveal Carter's image. Instantly, everyone's eyes fell on him with mixed expressions, not fully knowing who the young man was. The OZ pilot smiled, "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Carter Foxx, pilot of Sagittarius and creator of the Holocausts that had been used in the beginning of the war." The pilots glared back to the screen, finally being able to put a face with the person responsible for killing everyone on L2 and F32.
* * * * * *
The doors to the royal chambers of the Council House flew opened as two guards ran into the large room. Brian and Relena Weatherall had been meeting with several Advisors as they all sat together at a long table. The guards lowered their heads and bowed as one of the young men stated, "Forgive us for interrupting, Your Majesties." Brian nodded and assured them, "It's alright. What is the problem?" The second of the soldiers answered with fear in his eyes and his tone, "There is something that you both need to see." Zes looked to her husband in great concern. As they both rose from their seats, she replied, "Show us."
* * * * * *
Carter chuckled deeply and continued, "I have a message for the Gundam pilots... During the course of the war, I was able to create over fifty more Holocausts. Everyone of them had been hidden in Colonies throughout Space and they are now set to detonate upon my command." The Gundam pilots gasped and shouted at this as they looked in fear and shock to the screen. "H-he can't so this," Quatre whispered breathlessly. The man on the monitor glared, "If anyone of those pilots so much as attempts to save the people on those threatened Colonies, I won't hesitate to destroy them all."
* * * * * *
Derek ran to one of the computers beside the Wing pilot, typing to see what else he could gather. After taking a moment to look over the report that he pulled up, his face became pale as his eyes widened in disbelief. Slowly turning to his friends, he informed them, "I have the location of the Holocausts... They're all attached to the hearts of the Colonies that they were placed within... and Carter would be aware if anything was to try and interfere."
Sette brought her hands to grip the top of her head as she hissed in rage, "There has to be something that we can do." As he continued to type, Derek sneered, "There is something an OZ pilot can do." Delapan's face brightened as she replied, "Or an ex-OZ pilot." Her boyfriend nodded as he continued to type, "I can hack into the systems and disarm the Holocausts from here. As long as something can distract Carter, we should be alright."
* * * * * *
Sagittarius was flying just beyond the Earth as its pilot within awaited some kind of response to his announcement, ready to pull the detonation device that he clutched onto tightly. A familiar voice patched into Carter's transmitter as he said calmly, "This is Wufei Chang. And I have a proposition for you that I am sure you would be more than happy to accept." Foxx's eyes widened upon hearing that name. His eyes then narrowed as he chuckled deeply. His sneer in place, he replied in a dark voice, "I'm listening."
Wufei's voice replied, "I'm challenging you to a fight. The winner decides the fate of the Colonies in danger." Carter could now see the Gundam suit of his challenger making its way to him as he asked, "You're all alone, correct? No outside interference or that's it." The raven-haired pilot answered, "It's just you and me. There won't be any involvement from anyone else." Foxx nodded, "I accept."
The two Gundams shot right for each other. Carter removed Sagittarius's golden bow, taking aim as a laser arrow appeared the moment the he pulled back. Wufei raised his laser trident as he shouted loudly. Foxx shot three arrows, all of which were blocked by the other pilot. It was moments before the two suits met head-on, throwing every punch and kick that they could at one another. As always, the winged centaur Gundam moved amazingly fast, never missing a beat whether it was to block an attack or to send one reeling into Nataku.
* * * * * *
The Gundam pilots looked to the fight closely as they remained helpless to do anything. Milliardo growled deeply, "We should be out there with him." Derek shook his head as he began to type at the main system. He smiled and shook his head, "No this is just the distraction that we need to disarm the Holocausts."
Kumi's eyes widened at this. Leaning down to look to the ex-spy, she asked, "How much time do we need to disarm all of them?" Anderson replied, never taking his eyes from the screen, "With all of us working together, one hour. That'll be just enough time." As he continued to type, he explained, "Carter likes toying with his opponents for that length of time. If we goes any longer, he starts to tire, so he gives them everything he has while he can."
Noin cringed, "That's not as comforting as I'm sure you intended it to be... It's Wufei that he's going to 'toy' with." The ex-OZ pilot nodded, "I know, but I saw the first time that he and Carter faced each other. Wufei's the only pilot that has fought him and given him a real challenge. He'll be fine. But for right now, I need everyone of you to help me. We have over fifty Colonies to worry about right now." Heero nodded, "Just tell us what we have to do." Everyone of them walked to a private station where they had a monitor and keyboard that they could work at. Their reunited friend informed them, "I'm sending each of you the procedure to knock out each Holocaust one-by-one.
Patching into Nataku's transmitter, Carter asked, "Wufei, do you think that you could hold on for about an hour?" The Chinese pilot's voice grunted as he received another blow. He panted and answered, "I'll do what I can... He's a lot faster than I remember from the first time we fought." Anderson nodded, "He's been waiting to face you again. Just hang on as long as you can." Wufei replied, "Alright."
The Gundam pilots understood and followed the instructions that they had to follow, picking up on them quickly and knowing them by memory before long. Soon, they were all lost in their tasks as they concentrated solely on disarming the Holocausts. Meanwhile, they allowed their ears and an occasional glance to their screens to let them know what was taking place with the battle between their friend and Carter.
* * * * * *
Wufei had managed to unleash a brutal attack of constant blows and thrusts with his trident as he backed Sagittarius in his efforts. Carter didn't have a chance to take aim with his bow as he was more concerned with blocking everything that came his way. Grunting loudly, the young Gundam pilot never let up as he continued to back his opponent. While it was good to see that he could get several good shots, the Chinese pilot knew that he couldn't be able to rely on this for too long. He growled deeply to himself as he continued to strike, "He's holding back for some reason..." As if he could read his challenger's thoughts, Carter chuckled deeply, "You're a very bright one... Never giving me a lot of time to think of my next move."
With a deep chuckle, Carter spun Sagittarius in a swift move that Wufei could never have been prepared for. The back pair of hooves of the centaur Gundam kicked the Chinese pilot's suit with incredible force, sending Nataku flying backwards. Wufei shouted in pain as he gripped his controls, fighting the horrendous jolt from the blow. Carter sneered, "But you're still as slow as I remember."
Taking his bow into his possession again, the OZ pilot fired a rain of laser arrows upon the Chinese pilot. Wufei was only able to hold off a few of the golden shots. Those that made their make were more than enough to shake him. Not wishing to use up his chance to enjoy himself, Carter replaced the bow as he rested it over his suit's chest. He shot Sagittarius to meet his enemy again, this time moving to fight him with blows and kicks.
Seeing the winged Gundam approaching him, Wufei's eyes narrowed. Aiming his dragon arm, he shot a wave of flames that hit their target. Never letting up on the spray of fire, the Chinese pilot watched closely while sweat was pouring down his face. It wasn't long before the dark silhouette of Sagittarius was visible through the fire. A sharp gasp left Wufei as his eyes shot wide in disbelief. Sagittarius shot up through the fire, unscathed as the pilot within cried out loudly. Removing the sharp-ended bow, Carter fell upon Nataku, hitting the suit in the chest before the other pilot had any time to stop him.
* * * * * *
The people of the Earth and Colonies alike all watched the struggle in fear and awe as it was displayed everywhere. Nataku never surrendered, despite the fact that it was being hit left and right. "How can he keep this up," one young woman asked as she held her young daughter close to her.
Everyone in the streets stopped what they were doing as they gazed upon the large screens all around. The children that had been playing 'Soldiers' in the streets looked up to the screens with their toy swords and plastic armor in sheer amazement. One of the little boys removed his helmet as his wide eyes remained glued on the large screen. Seeing the terrible battle before him, the nine-year-old looked to the foil sword in his hand for a moment before returning his focus to the enormous monitors on the tall buildings again.
Time stood still as the fight went on. There was no telling how long the two pilots had been at this. Not one soul that witnessed could tear their sight from the image, wherever they were watching. Despite the fact that he was at a terrible disadvantage now, Wufei continued to push forward in attempt to knock Carter off guard. Both of the pilots recalled and relived the first time that they faced each other. Try as he might, the Chinese pilot could not free himself from the past, falling into the same traps that he had before. Foxx had been waiting for this day with as much anticipation as Wufei. But he had the advantage from the beginning in preparing himself from day one after their first meeting. And now they had every eye and ear in Space and on the Earth as their witness.
* * * * * *
The King and Queen of the world had been watching the battle as they sat before a television in a small room that had been prepared for them. Zes wrapped her left hand over her stomach as she rubbed it, feeling the babies kick within her. She whispered, "How long have they been at this?" One of the Council members looked to his watch before answering, "Almost a half-hour now." The young queen's eyes closed slowly as she lowered her head, "If this keeps up much longer, Wufei won't be able to hold him off." Brian kissed the back of her hand that he had been squeezing for support.
Before he could say anything to give his wife more assurance, a Councilman knelt beside the Duke and whispered something in his ear. Brian's eyes widened as the young man spoke. Nodding to the messenger, he rose from his seat. Relena looked up in concern to her love as she remained frozen in her seat. Her husband smiled warmly and kissed her lips gently. He whispered, "Everything is fine. I'll be right back." Zes smiled back and nodded. She knew that if anything was truly wrong, Brian would have told her right away. So, the young queen watched as her Duke was led from the small room with three Advisors. Biting her lip, Relena turned back to the screen before her.
* * * * * *
In their hanger, the Gundam pilots continued to work quickly at their posts. Sette smiled and turned to the others and announced, "Two more Holocausts been disarmed here." Noin added, "I just finished three." Quatre replied, "I'm working on a forth now." Derek smiled and nodded as he wiped some sweat from his brow. "Alright, that's more than half of them down." He scanned names and of the Colonies that still needed to be focused on. Delapan was the closest to him as she asked, "What are the chances that we'll finish this before Carter realizes that something is happening?" Her boyfriend turned to her and answered, "If Wufei can holds up as well as he has, we'll be fine."
Returning to his work, Anderson smiled, "I'm surprised he's lasted this long." Duo turned back in his seat to face where the ex-spy was sitting. "You're still not helping with the comforting here, Derek," he smirked. Anderson laughed, "Sorry, everyone. Just thinking out loud again." He turned his gazed to the main monitor, looking to the fight. Wufei was still holding on, despite the challenge that he faced against Carter. Derek chuckled deeply to himself as he shook his head, "You Gundam pilots never cease to amaze me." He continued to smile as he returned to his work.
* * * * * *
With a cold glare in his eyes, Brian Weatherall stormed into his main office, where his laptop waited in the center of his desk. The image of a man in his late fifties with dark hair looked to the King of the Would with grief all over him. The young King crossed his arms as he stood before the Foreign Minister. With his glare becoming even more threatening, Brian growled deeply, "I'm listening." Lowering his head, the man on the screen began, "Your Majesty, we all deserve your competent for what we have done." The Duke remained silent, but stern as he allowed the Minister to continue, "When we... all of the Colonies that sided with OZ acted as such because we were certain that they would be the victors in the end of this war."
Brian shouted, "And now you come crawling back to us because you want to back the right horse!?!" The Foreign Minister gasped loudly and shook his head, pleading, "Your Highness, we feared for our lives. We did not realize that OZ would go to such extremes to obtain domination." Shaking his head, the Duke asked deeply, "After all that happened in the Eve Wars, none of you questioned OZ and their methods?" Closing his eyes, the man on the screen lowered his head, whispering sadly, "We are sorry for our agreement with them, King Weatherall. I know that nothing we say or do could ever make up for the trouble that we have caused... The Gundam pilots and the Preventers had been our only true friends from the beginning, as well as you and Queen Relena... and we let all of you down."
Looking back up to face the young man, he said quietly, "Please don't cast us away." The young king's glare never faded as he stated, "I want a document showing every single Colony that you are representing, that wishes to side with us again. I will not turn away that request..." Brian's face saddened as he lowered his own head and sighed deeply, "God knows how much of a mess this war already is."
The Representative replied sadly, We did not help the situation any by turning our backs to all of you." The Duke turned his head up to meet the older man's eyes again. "As true as that is," he began, "I cannot pass judgment. No one who asks for forgiveness will be turned away." His stern gaze and voice returned as he warned, "However, I will discuss with Relena, the Gundam pilots and Lady Une what should be done with you when this war is over... If we are fortunate enough to defeat OZ."
The Foreign Minister sighed deeply in relief as he threw his head back, silently praying his thanks. Looking back to the fair Duke, he smiled sincerely, "You are indeed, a righteous leader, Your Majesty... Thank you. And I will send that document of the Colonies that I am speaking for immediately." Brian nodded, "Very well. We will discuss this further after the war. Until then, I want you to gather all of the soldiers that are willing and able to fight along with us when they are needed." The man continued to smile in relief as he replied, "Of course, Sir. God speed." At this, the screen went black. Brian stared at the laptop for a moment before allowing a small smile to cross his face. He turned and walked from his office quickly.
* * * * * *
There was still enough fight in Wufei to get some good hits in with his trident. However, he received countless more blows than what he was able to give. Carter, in the mean time, was beginning to feel the effects of the long battle weighing on him. Not a man who was willing to conserve his energy, Foxx threw everything he had from the get-go just as Derek knew he would. He continued to laugh loudly as he knocked Nataku back through the stars with ease.
As he continued to punch his foe without mercy, Carter shouted, "Why don't you just give up!?! You know that you don't stand a chance!" Wufei was sweating and bleeding from different wounds by now. "I'm still breathing," he panted with a cold glare. The OZ pilot chuckled deeply, "I'll have to do something about that, then." With a loud grunt, he fired a large round of arrows at Shenlong, still never bothering to take the time to look after the Holocausts.
Wufei felt the force of another punch from the Sagittarius. His eyes opened once the cockpit stopped shaking. Only able to see red at this point, the Chinese pilot's eyes narrowed into thin slits as he growled loudly. Giving a loud cry, he pushed forward on his controls with the strength that he managed to spare. Taking his suit's dragon arm and trident, he began taking control of the struggle again. Foxx was taken by surprise as he now found himself in danger. Nataku struck Sagittarius with every kick, punch, slash and offence that it offered.
Unable to take aim with his bow or to counterattack, the OZ pilot was being thrown within his cockpit after every strike. For the next ten minutes, he was pushed back at great force with no way of defending himself. Wufei never allowed himself to let up, lest he leave a window open for Foxx to retaliate. The raven-haired pilot cried, "I won't allow you or anyone to harm the Colonies! Even if you kill me, my friends will still be alive to finish you off!"
* * * * * *
Everyone watching in the streets remained mesmerized by the image of the fight. They listened as Wufei continued, "Any one of us would be more than happy to die to defend the lives in Space and on the Earth!" There were many watching and listening that had been moved by the Chinese pilots actions and words. Still, he continued, "Novem wasn't thinking of her own life before you took it from her! And there isn't a day that goes by that we don't think of her and hate the fact that she's not with us anymore. But she knew the risks that came with being a Gundam pilot and never thought twice about the possibility of having to sacrifice herself."
* * * * * *
Zes had tears rolling down her cheeks as she and her husband held hands tightly, never turning from the screen. "I'm well aware that I could be the next to join her, just as any of my friends could be," Wufei stated. "But that's not going to stop us from putting an end to anyone who so much as tries to harm the innocents that we were meant to defend!" Relena lowered her head as she smiled through her tears. Her husband was smiling to her lovingly as he rubbed her back. The Council men and women present were struck speechless as they remained still, unable to breathe with everything that they witnessed.
* * * * * *
The Preventers on Pulsar couldn't have been more proud of their comrade as they smiled and followed the intense scene as carefully as they had when it begun. Sally smiled fondly to the screen as she sat in the midst of her friends. There were few dry eyes amongst any of them at this point. Still, the Chinese pilot spoke, "We're not concerned with being recognized. All that we want is to protect those who cannot fight for themselves. In the end, nothing, not even our own lives, matter more than that." Sera and Lady Une smiled down to Water, seeing the pride and love that she felt for her husband radiating from her.
* * * * * *
Wufei concluded his speech by saying to Carter through his strained voice, "And no matter who wins this war or who manages to stay alive when it ends, nothing will be able to take away the loyalty that we have for what we believe in." His strike ended as he fell forward, moaning loudly in pain as he fought to sit up again. That was the last of what he managed to save after everything that he suffered during the battle. Falling slack in the harnesses, the Chinese pilot panted with his eyes closed.
Wiping some of the blood and sweat that drenched his face as he panted deeply, Carter sneered to himself, "Enough of this game." He spun Sagittarius quickly, managing to kick Nataku right over its cockpit with the winged Gundam's back hooves again. The incredible force was enough to send the Chinese pilot flying backwards, crashing right into the metal ring of a nearby Colony.
With his eyes squeezed shut, Wufei growled loudly as he held onto his controls tightly, forcing himself not to be jolted by the blow. The right side of his mouth had been cut from biting down as the kick was delivered. Nataku was now trapped within the metal and wires that provided the Colony's oxygen and electricity. Unable to move from the amount of abuse that his body had taken during the long fight, Wufei's eyes opened slowly to look to the centaur Gundam that was now hovering just a few feet above him.
* * * * * *
Sally stood from her seat as she gasped loudly and cried, "WUFEI!" She covered her mouth as tears instantly filled her eyes. Lady Une instantly hugged her tightly. Sally buried her head in her friend's shoulder as she sobbed quietly. The head of the Preventers looked up to the screen as she continued to hold her friend. Seeing the lifeless form of Nataku on the monitors as it remained trapped, she held her breath and thought to herself, "God, please don't take another."
Lieutenant Keiser walked to his comrades as he added more assurance to Water, resting his hand on her shoulder and squeezing it a few times. Sera Makato ran to them as she whispered to the frigntened Preventer, "Hey." Sally managed to lift her tear-streaked face to look to Heero's mother. Sera dried her eyes gently as she smiled sadly, "Wufei knows better than to go down without a fight." Sally paused then gave a small smile. She nodded and looked back to the screen along with her comrades.
* * * * * *
Relena and Brain held hands tightly with their eyes still glued to the screen before them. The members of the Council that stood behind and around them all watched in horror as they all held their collective breath. "I-I can't believe that this is happening," Brian whispered gravely. Zes shook her head as she watched in horror, "Come on, Wufei, I know you're a better pilot than this."
One Representative watching and listening carefully whispered, "All those Colonies... It's impossible to think that OZ managed to become this much of a threat in the five years that we had peace." The young Councilwoman that he was speaking with nodded as she whispered back, "We let our guards down in thinking that there could never be another uprising."
* * * * * *
Back in the hanger of their safe house, the Gundam pilots along with Derek were still working at their centers as quickly as they could to disarm the Holocausts that threatened the lives of thousands. Looking back to the fight on the monitors, Trowa growled deeply, "Wufei can't hold on any more." Derek continued to type at a quick pace as he never looked up from his keyboard. He whispered to himself, "Just... a little more."
* * * * * *
Wufei panted as he hissed to his enemy, "Bastard... I'm not... finished yet." Struggling to sit up, he groaned and fell back as excruciating pain ran throughout every part of his body. Panting from his efforts, he squinted through the sunlight that was beaming upon him as he looked back up to try and see Sagittarius. The OZ pilot chuckled deeply, covered in sweat as he panted with a nasty sneer. "And now to finish this," he said to himself.
Taking hold of the detonator again, Carter's made sure that his image appeared in Wufei's monitors, along with all those screens throughout Space and the Earth. "You never should have challenged an opponent you couldn't possibly have defeated," he growled deeply. At this, he Removed the safety from the detonator as the light at the tip blinked red in its preparation. "Now you'll watch hundreds of thousands perish for your mistake." Wufei's gasped loudly and his eyes widened through the bright light as he screamed, "NO!" With a nasty sneer on his face, Carter said quietly, "And so it ends." Wufei's eyes squeezed shut as a loud whimper left him just as Carter pressed the detonator's red button.
There was nothing but silence to follow. Carter's smug grin faded, and his eyes shot wide as he screamed, "WHAT!?!" A loud, maddened growl left him as his face burned red, looking to the scans of the Colonies that were in danger. Nothing had happened. The Holocausts were silent and still as they had been when they were hidden within the Colonies.
The long and tense pause of silence was broken when Duo's voice chimed into every transmitter and radio on the Earth and through Space as he announced, "Uh, Huston we have a problem." Immediately following this, the laughter of the Gundam pilots could be heard loud and clear through the transmitters. Carter's eyes burned with fury at this remark and the laughter that echoed in response. Wufei laughed loudly as he fell back in his seat, finally feeing the burden of his mission rising from his shoulders.
* * * * * *
The Gundam pilots, in the meantime, were still laughing hysterically following Duo's announcement. Kumi rose from her post as she removed her headset and leaned over Duo's monitor behind her to give him a swift high-five. Heero walked to his braided lover and cupped his face in his hands, landing a quick, but forceful kiss on his lips. He chuckled deeply and winked, "Nice touch." Duo laughed, "Thanks, koi." The pilots continued laughing, knowing that they managed to save the Colonies and all of the lives on them.
* * * * * *
Carter gave a long, loud cry of rage as his face was as red as it could be. He violently threw his fists into his monitors as he let out his fury and frustration. As Foxx continued to release himself, Wufei's voice called through his transmitter, "Carter!" Turning his suit to face Nataku as it continued to lie in the thick wires and metal of the Colony's ring, the OZ pilot glared fiercely with a maddened growl. Wufei smirked as he shouted, "Paybacks are a bitch!" The moment he said this, he held a large sheet of gold-plated metal that he crashed into when he collided with the Colony, reflecting light of the sun that faced him head-on to bounce it back into the cockpit of Sagittarius in one swift movement. Foxx screamed in agony as the light burned through his eyes. Wufei glared intensely as he continued to shoot the blinding rays upon the centaur Gundam.
Finally, the Chinese pilot threw the large chunk of metal aside. Carter's closed eyes opened slowly in a few blinks. "No," he whispered gravely to himself. He gasped loudly with his eyes wide. He couldn't see anything, not even his hands before his face as the stained desperately. "NO!" he screamed. He heard the raven-haired pilot chuckle deeply. The OZ pilot whimpered as he fell back in his seat helplessly.
"This one's for Novem!" Wufei cried as he threw back the end of his trident. Carter whispered to himself, "I'm coming, Stacy." The Chinese pilot shouted as he thrust the end of is weapon through the cockpit, stabbing it through until it exited the back. The winged Gundam began to shoot flames through the hole that was made. Nataku shot off to safety just before Sagittarius was taken in a great explosion. Wufei panted loudly, still covered in sweat and bleeding as he fell back in his seat, exhausted and hurting. Looking back to the spot where Sagittarius had been destroyed, he saw that there was nothing left but a ball of flames. He smiled and whispered to himself, "Four Gundams down... One more to go."
* * * * * *
The Gundam pilots cheered and shouted at the top of their lungs as they shot from their seats. Most of them jumped onto their chairs and desks as they let out their elation. Derek soon himself being tackled by all of his friends as they thanked and congratulated him for all of his help. Delapan was the last to reach him as she threw her arms around the ex-spy for them to share a long, deep kiss. The other pilots continued to high-five, kiss and hug each other as they could hear the cheers and shouts from everyone on the Earth and in Space joining them.
* * * * * *
Sally fell into her chair, doubling over as she cried in sheer relief and happiness in knowing that her husband was alright. Lady Une, Sera Makato, Keiser, Marimaya and Mirando were all around her with huge smiles and hugs as she slowly looked back up to them, smiling brightly through her tears. Lady Une smiled warmly as she dried her friend's eyes, "Go to the others on the Earth. I'll let Wufei know he can find you there." Water bit her lip and whispered, "Thank you." Hugging all of her friends tightly again, Sally ran out of the room as she made her way to the hanger.
* * * * * *
Relena and Brain jumped from their seats as they embraced and cheered along with all those present in the room with them. Zes turned to the screen as everyone around her continued to shout and hug. She smiled warmly as she whispered, "Good work, Wufei." Zes dried the remaining tears that had fallen from her eyes and Brian hugged her tightly again, kissing her head she buried it in his chest.
* * * * * *
It wasn't long later when Wufei landed back into the hanger on the Earth. His friends ran and gathered just below his Gundam as it touched the metal ground. Using his rip cord, the Chinese pilot lowered himself and was instantly hugged all around as everyone cheered and spoke at once. Water made her way to her husband with a loving smile. Wufei sighed deeply, "Sally." They hugged tightly, the raven-haired pilot forgetting the pain coursing through him as he held his wife. Water whispered, "I'm so proud of you, love." They kissed deeply as the other pilots allowed watched fondly, giving them room. Wufei and Sally continued to leave their arms around each other's waists as they smiled and hugged their friends.
As the excitement died down, the Gundam pilots began filing out slowly. Duo whacked the back of the Chinese pilot's head as he chuckled deeply, "You son of a bitch, you had all of us in tears with that speech of yours!" He laughed loudly, "You even had Kumi crying!" From the stairway, Kumi's monotone voice called, "ONLY A LITTLE!" Wufei laughed loudly and followed his comrades to the steps that would lead them to the ground level.
Before actually climbing the stairs, Wufei pointed and smiled to Derek. Anderson smiled and shook hands firmly with his comrade before they hugged tightly. "Thank you," Wufei said quietly before releasing the embrace. Derek nodded and smiled back, "Thank 'you'." With those words, everything of the past had officially been laid to rest as Derek and the Gundam pilots looked to defeating OZ together. They walked as a unit back upstairs.
* * * * * *
Very late that night, Trowa was tossing and turning in his sleep as he was coated in sweat and moaning. Sitting up with a loud gasp and wide eyes, he shouted, "KUMI!!!" Panting, he looked to his left, where his lover normally slept. Seeing that he was alone in his room, the tall pilot flew from his bed, wearing only his gray sweatpants that he had slept in, concern and fear all over his face. In a flash, he left his room and ran down the hall.
The full moon through the clear night sky gave more than enough light for Trowa to see everything as he ran onto the porch. Stopping at the top of the steps, he panted and looked located the silver-haired pilot easily, thanks to the moonlight illuminating her long locks. Kumi was sitting on a large boulder in the middle of the fields about a mile-and-a-half from the cabin. She sat with her legs crossed and her head looking up to the star-filled heavens, her back facing the safe-house.
Trowa remained frozen as he looked to his partner from the porch steps. "She's waiting," a voice from behind suddenly stated. The tall pilot jumped and turned around quickly. Sette stood in the doorway, resting her back against the post as she looked to her friend. The tomboy walked to stand beside him as she continued, "She knows that he's going to be coming soon." Trowa sighed deeply as he closed his eyes. Looking back to where he lover remained deep in thought and unaware of their presence, he whispered, "Demetris."
TBC