Forgiving Vengeance
Part 1 Chapter: 3 Enter the fire
Hiro awoke and for a moment did not recognize where he was, then in a flash all the afternoons' happenings rushed back to him. He looked at his watch; it was 7:45. Evidently he had overslept but he did not mind. His body could use all the sleep it could get, he did not sleep like this at home, he was either too nervous or his dreams were haunted by laughing face that no longer existed.
He stepped out of the tent and stopped dead. The stars. They were so beautiful here, they were so bright and visible. At home, due to the new gases the Rykilions used and discarded, the sky constantly had a dark, gray hue to it. The only star that was still faintly visible was Polaris. Hiro gave a bitter laugh, how symbolic that the Rykilions could wipe out even the symbol for hope.
"Hiro," A quiet voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Trowa was leaning against a pole that held up one side of Hiro's tent. "Why do you look at the stars like that?"
"Because I want to remember them."
"Have you forgotten what they look like?"
"No. I've forgotten they were there."
Trowa gave him a pensive look. "It worse than what you're telling us isn't it? You're leaving something out."
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
"You couldn't possibly imagine the half of it."
Trowa shrugged, "Oh I don't know, I can imagine a lot."
Hiro gave him an almost amused look, "Can you now?"
"Try me."
Hiro smiled, although it held no warmth to it. "Oh, I intend to."
"That sounds very much like a threat."
"It isn't."
"Why should I believe you?"
"Have I given you any reason not to?"
"No. But you haven't exactly given me a reason either."
"Well now's your chance."
"What?"
"Ask me something, ask me anything you want to know." Instead of asking a question about his world or the Rykilions or something else even remotely around those lines, Trowa looked just stared at his face for a moment, then asked the last question Hiro wanted to hear. Or answer.
"How did you get that scar on your face?"
Hiro stiffened. "Except that."
"I believe you did say 'anything'."
"Anything excludes the death of my wife."
Trowa turned sharply, "You were married!"
Hiro nodded curtly.
"To who?"
"I thought I said this subject was off limits."
Trowa relented. "Then this is what I ask, that you tell me how you got that scar someday, when you are ready."
"You're going to have a long wait."
"I'm a patient man. Now give me your word."
"Fine. You have my word." Suddenly he heard footsteps running toward him, he crouched down and ducked just in time to see Wufei dive over him. He landed on his side and rolled to his feet, then brushed him self off calmly as if he hadn't tried to knock the hell out of him. "Diving over things just isn't your thing, is it?"
"I wasn't really trying to hit you that time, " Wufei snapped. "I was just making sure the last time wasn't a fluke."
"You could have just asked me, I would have been happy to knock the hell out of you again. It would have been my pleasure."
Wufei turned his back on him and started to walk away, "You should be careful not to become so confident."
"It's not confidence, it's knowledge."
Wufei stopped, "Really?" Spinning quickly he pulled a gun out of his shirt and pointed at Hiro. "Tell me, did you know that I had a gun!" To Wufei's great annoyance, Hiro just stood there, with his hands in his pockets.
"I have to admit Wufei that I honestly did not know that you were such a coward."
"What did you call me!"
"A coward, since that's what I consider somewhat who would shoot an unarmed man."
"Call it a test then. I will agree to go with you if you can take this gun away from me without getting shot."
Hiro looked at Trowa, who was still leaning on the pole, seemingly not bothered at all from Wufei's outburst. Suddenly a shot hit the ground next to his feet. He narrowed his eyes on Wufei, "That was your last shot."
"What!"
Opening his palm Hiro revealed the small device that was needed in a gun to generate a laser shot. Outraged, Wufei demanded, "When did you do that?"
"When you jumped over that table earlier."
Wufei swore.
Trowa shook his head.
Hiro smiled. "I guess you and me are going for a ride."
Wufei started an entirely new string of curses.
Together the three of them walked to the tent, where Quatre, Duo and Heero were waiting for them.
"How long do we have to stay?" Heero asked.
"Five days."
They all nodded. Pulling the beeper-like device out of his pocket, Hiro pushed the button. Light started to swirl, and swish around them, encircling them. They stared in awe as the bright light surrounded their bodies and then they were being thrown back off their feet. The flight was almost painful as they breached the fabric that held their universe together. They felt as if they were being pulled apart by the sheer speed of their travels, and almost as quickly as it began…it was over.
No longer were they in a tent in the desert. They were in a laboratory that still smoldered. Bodies were strewn over the floor and blood was everywhere. Hiro stared in horror as he recognized the all to familiar seen. They had been here. But how? How did they know where this lab had been located! How! A slight movement in the corner caused Hiro to turn. A hand, weak and fragile looking, lifted up. Hiro knew the hand instantly. "Sato!"
He ran toward the outstretched hand and knelt beside the body that seemed deathly still. Gently he cradled the head of the scientist who had been the closest thing to a father he had know. "What happened?" Hiro choked out.
The voice that answered him was faint, and barely audible. "Scab…brought them…"
"Who? Who brought them?" He cried franticly.
"Beware Hiro…" The old man broke off as blood started to pour from the sides of his mouth, but with one valiant effort he tried one last time to speak. "Tr-trust n-no one.." His hand fell limply to the floor.
Hiro felt the familiar rage that he had felt only once before. He shut his eyes as pain and misery wash over him, with the Gundam pilots starting in helpless amazement. Hiro fell to his knees, "No!" He shouted. He looked up towards heaven with his eyes still tightly shut. "Noooo!" His broken sobs echoed through the now lifeless room.