Gundam Wing: Ended Waltz

By: Qasur Zephlar Exlarr

Chapter 2: The Forged Secret

It's Saturday and it has been 2 weeks since Solo was first grounded. The circus has come to town. Duo said he was going to take them all to see it tonight. Solo wasn't into the circus really, but he could not tell his dad he wouldn't go. He was just anxious about returning to that military base near the ocean. He knew that Heero had been going there over the last two weeks.

"Everyone ready to go?" Duo asked, with his family sitting around the living room. "Yep, lets get going," Hilde replied to him. "Isn't this the same circus that Trowa is in?" Hilde asked him as they went outside to the car. "Yep. I can't wait to see him. It's been so long," Duo said to her. "Who is Trowa, dad?" Rei asked her father. "Oh, he's just an old friend of mine. He is in the circus," he told her. They all piled into the car. Duo backed out of the driveway and went on toward the circus.

About 20 minutes later, Duo pulled up to the big tent. Everyone hopped out of the car. "Well, here we are you guys. The circus," he said to them. "You know, it has been a long time since I have been to one," Hilde said. "This your first time to come here kids. It's a lot of fun. Lots of performances, animals, and clowns. You'll have fun! Trust me," he told them.

Duo had picked up some front row seats to the circus for his family. The circus started on time. The main lights went out as spotlights hit the center ring. The original manager of the circus had passed away and his son took as the new manager. He was dressed in his suit and had his microphone in his hand waving onto the crowd. He started by telling a bit about the circus and introducing the first act.

The circus had many wonderful animal tricks and performances done through the course of the night. Solo wasn't really too interested in the circus, but everyone else was having fun. His sister ate his cotton candy. The next act was a knife-throwing act with two clowns. Catherine walked out to introduce her daughter, Aria. She said that this was going to be her first time to do this trick for the public. She was a little bit nervous Solo could tell. She looked great to him. He smiled at her. She saw him looking at her and her eyes went wide for a moment. He was looking at her like no one else. She snapped out of her daze, then gave put on a small smile before turning to proceed with the act.

Trowa was going to be her target this evening. He had performed this trick numerous times before in front of many crowds. He had his half-clown mask on with a blue-white checkered shirt and green, baggy pants. Aria had just put on her blind fold and lifted the knife into the air. She then threw it and it hit the board behind Trowa, to the right of his head. She threw the next. This one hit to the left of his head, opposite the other. After she threw about another eight knives, Trowa was completely surrounded. Aria removed her blindfold as the crowd was going wild. She turned to bow and noticed Solo starring at her again. She started to wonder who he was. He bowed for the crowd and then left happily.

After the circus ended, Duo went to see Trowa. Hilde and the rest of his family followed him. "Hey, Trowa!" Duo yelled at him. Trowa turned around and gave him one of his rare smiles. "Duo," he said shocked. Duo walked up to him and gave him a handshake. "How are things man?" he asked. "They are just fine. Were you here for the circus just now?" he asked. "Yeah, my family and I came here. It was a great show," he replied.

Catherine walked over to Trowa and said hello to Duo. Aria was right behind her. She looked around and noticed that Solo was with them. He was turned around looking at the different animals and not really paying attention. "Hey, mom, I'm going to go look at some more of the animals, ok?" he asked her. "Sure, that's alright. Don't go to far away and don't try to touch them," she said to him. "Ok, I will be around there," he said pointed in a general direction. Solo walked off. He really just wanted to get alone.

"When I heard you guys were in town, I had to stop by and say hey. We'll have to go out for dinner sometime while you guys are here, my treat," Duo said to Trowa and Cathy. "Sounds good," Trowa said in reply. "I want you to meet my daughter, Aria," Catherine said to Duo. Aria came around from behind her and nodded to Duo. "Hey there, I'm Duo," he said to her. "I'd like you to meet my family. "This is my daughter, Rei, my youngest, and Solo, my son…" he said looking around for him. "Where is he?" he asked.

"Oh, he just went to look at some of the animals. I told him it was alright," Hilde informed Duo. "Oh, ok. Well, I guess you can meet him later then, my chibi shinigami," Duo said to them smiling. "It was good seeing you. We'll have to arrange those dinner plans. I'll give you a call," Trowa said. "Alright then, I guess Hilde and Cathy can arrange them," he said putting the new plans into Hilde's hands, like he has done before. They continued to talk for a little longer.

Solo was off looking at the lions in their cages. He wasn't keeping his distance like his mother told him. He crouched down up close to one of the lions in the cage. He put his hand on the page, as he crouched in closer to the sleeping animal. It stirred a little, but didn't wake. Suddenly, someone yanked on Solo's braid. He started to stand, while turning around yelling, "Oww… who pulled my braid!"

He stopped and just starred. There was the girl from the performance standing there smiling at him, about to giggle. His face went red. "H… hi…" he tried to tell her. "Hello," she said back to him. "What's your name?" Aria asked him. "Oh, it's Solo," he said, clearing his throat, "but my close friends and family call me chibi shinigami," he said happily, smiling like his father. "And you are, Aria, right?" he said asked her, rubbing his braid.

She nodded to him, while smiling. "You had a great performance out there tonight, you did good," he said to her. "Oh, thanks. It was my first time in front of a lot of people, I was kinda nervous. I guess I did all right though," she said. "You did great," Solo said back to her. "So, how long have you been in the circus?"

"I've been with the circus since I can remember. I didn't start to do anything until I turned 7," she said nodding. "This is my 10th year, this night, from starting to perform in the circus."

"Really, well, that's great. I just sit around at home and be lazy… or help my father organize the junk of parts in the backyard. Once in awhile we'll work on an antique car in too," he said to her. "It's fun and I get my out door exercise," Solo said trying to act like he had some muscle, which he did in fact, but not outstanding. Aria put her hand to her mouth and giggled at him. Solo just smiled and looked at her.

Duo was looking for Solo, when he stopped behind an animal cage to watch his son. "Heh, I thought he didn't like girls too much," Duo said. "Hey, wait, that's Cathy's daughter!" he said as he watched them, very intrigued.

"I guess I'll see you around then," he said to her. "Yeah, you will. We're going out to dinner some night," she replied. He smiled at the thought. "Then I guess I'll see you there," he replied. "I hope," she said. She looked around and knew it was getting late. "Well, I need to run along. My mom will be worried about me if I don't finish my chores before bed time," Aria said to him. "Oh, ok. Well, it was nice meeting you, I'll see you again soon," he said waving goodbye to her as she ran off behind him and disappeared behind a tent flap. He sighed, and began to breathe again, putting a hand behind his head, smiling.

Just then, Duo came walking around the cage toward him. "Hey, Solo, it's time to go. Where ya' been?" his fathered asked. "Oh, sorry dad. I was just looking at the animals," he said, sorta lying to his father. "Oh, ok. Well, let's go. I've got a big day in the morning. Also, later this week, we're going to go out to eat with Trowa, his sister, and her daughter," Duo said.

* * *

Duo did have a big day. He was shipping out his largest order of parts. Someone ordered an enormous amount of motors, small generators, and lots of large scrap pieces of neo-titanium alloy. Duo kept a watch on where his supplies went. He knew that only someone who wanted those parts needed to repair mobile suits, or build one.

Solo left early that morning and told his mom he would be back later that afternoon. Took the shortest path he could back to the abandoned military base. He didn't realize that it would pass by the circus. So, he decided to ride through it on his way. He came around a tent and saw her again. It was Aria. She was practicing more tricks for that evening. He got off of his bike and watched her by peering around the side of one of the tents.

Aria was busy trying to juggle 5 rings in her hand. She turned and saw Solo looking around the tent and she lost her concentration. The rings fell and hit the ground with the sound of metal clanging together. Solo laughed and took off to his bike. She smiled and giggled as she watched him ride off. Cathy saw who it was and gave her eagle eyes. "C'mon, start again," her mom said in a stern voice. "Yes ma'am," she replied and continued her practicing.

Solo came up to the wall he had jumped a few weeks earlier. He hid his bike in a better place this time before sneaking back inside the base. After a bit of time, he made his way down into the base. Right before he pushed the button to enter the room where he first met Heero in, a voice said, "So, you're back."

Solo knew who it was. "Go back to the intersection and take a left. I'll be in there," the voice said before cutting out. Solo did as he was told and turned around. He walked to the intersection leading to the three different doors. He saw that the one to the left had a blinking green light now. He walked up to it and pressed the button. The door hissed open.

Directly ahead of Solo were two, huge metal objects. He saw sparks coming from the one on the right. Then he noticed Heero up there. "Hey!" Solo yelled out to him. Heero set the torch down, then turned around and waved at him.

Solo ran over to an elevator and hoisted himself up to the platform that Heero was on. "What are these?" Solo asked Heero. Heero looked up at one of them, before saying, "They are the beginnings of mobile suits. I decided to build two of them. I thought you would want one," he said nodding toward the other hunk of upper-body super structure, "so I built the base over there." He turned to look at Solo, who was quite shocked.

"In the time I had, I was only able to build the super-structure to the main body. They will take time to construct," he said. "Oh, I have a folder down there by the computer terminals with all the information from the computer we were looking at. You might find it interesting," Heero said pointing down to the eight computers below them. "Ok, cool. Thanks," Solo said as his reply.

"So, you've been very busy since I left a few weeks ago. I see you did a lot," Solo said to Heero, as he read through the stuff Heero made for him, while sitting back in a char, with his feet propped up on a desk. "Yes. I started a day after you left. I wanted to see if I could make one first, then when I realized that I probably could, I jumped into the project. I found some base materials around here, but I had to order a shipment of gundanium alloy from an underground organization that still has some. It wasn't cheap, but I have the money," he told him.

"Oh, cool. How much did you get?" Solo asked him. "Just barely enough to complete one suit. I decided I'd combine it with the neo-titanium that I ordered from around here. Your father didn't have a problem selling it," he replied. "That was you that ordered all of that? I had to organize and dig up half of the components that you asked for! It was hard as hell to find half of those things lying around our junk yard!" Solo yelled at him. "My father is on to you, you know. At least not that you building anything, but he knows that someone needs these parts for a project like this. They were too specific to be used for anything less," Solo let him know.

"No problem. Its not like he knows what hey are for let alone where you are. He won't have a clue about it, plus he got paid, what does he worry about?"

"He doesn't want another war to break lose!" Solo said forming a fist with his hand. "My mother goes hysterically insane when war and fighting is mentioned. I don't think my father can stand it anymore, so it's more than getting money that he is interested in," Solo said to him with a stern voice. "Alright then…" Heero said, pretty much speechless.

* * *

Solo continued to study the information that came from the computers for the next two days. He was intrigued about it all. He liked the design of his father's gundam, so he decided to edit it. He noticed that Heero was re-creating his father's gundam, the Wing Zero custom. Heero had gone on and designed it so that it could have a neo-bird mode, which his father's lacked. He ran into the problem that he didn't have the files to create the twin buster rifle, which he saw the main schematics had. Heero read up on it and saw footage of the massive energy weapon. He decided to make minor changes around it and built on a heat-rod tail shield. He designed a double beam saber as its main weapon. To make sure he had a backup, he designed a double-barrel laser rifle. It had its own power source. Lasers drain too much power, so they usually could not be fired too many times before overheating. Heero knew this, so that is why he built a double barrel one. Each shot fired from the other barrel, this limited the heat problem and also could allow more firepower. He could use both at the same time if he wished too. Heero designed the rifle to lock into the inside of the Gundam's shield for storage.

Solo liked his father's gundam, like Heero liked his father's. He just guessed it ran in family blood. He smiled about it and continued his work. With some help from the computer and Heero, he was able to do a lot of changes. He liked the wing design, so he kept it. He removed the claw-like objects from the wrists of the arms. He designed a double-thermal warblade to be on both arms. They would ignite two; 5-meter long saber-like thermal weapons each. He had them directly connected to the gundam's power generator so he could give them maximum power while being used. He then re-designed the Deathscythe Hell Custom's main scythe weapon. It now has a double-beam scythe capable of reaching up to 50- meters in length. He added two more on the opposite end of the pole. This gives him great power on both ends and much more flexibility. He extended the length of the pole by almost half of its original length.

Solo replaced the head vulcans with two miniaturized laser cannons. They were also directly fed to the power generator. With the technology that was used to create the shielding system for the Mercurius gundam and Virgo mobile dolls, Solo designed them into the shoulder blades (literally blades), also built them into the spikes coming from the knees, and finally in the spikes on the feet. Together they provide minor protection to small energy weapons and some beam sabers.

As backup to gundam, which also included the stealth system and radio-jammer, he had two, meter-long beam sabers installed into the calves of the gundam. As one last resort, for you can see he's a very cautious person, he had 10 blinders installed. Each finger of the hand contains one. They were small devices that produced a huge bright light that blinded the enemy long enough for them to make an escape. Heero also decided to build them into his gundam's hands.

Solo spent more time designing things he wanted built on the gundam than Heero did. He later decided to remove the blinders and the two, short beam sabers in the calves. Instead he placed optional boosters in the calves to help with the foot boosters. He realized it was going to take a long time to build the mechas and didn't want to weigh things down with new stuff that was irrational to mobile suits and adding too much new stuff. They got started right away with Part 1. They needed to forge the metal they were going to use. Heero built the main bases from pure, gundanium alloy.

Solo and Heero took all the parts they had and melted them down. They were lucky to have such advanced machinery still in use at the abandoned base. Most of it was automated, but Heero reprogrammed a computer with a new program to let him use some of the machinery. Once completed, they were able to start on their mission. They made enough material to use for their gundams and a little left over for maybe one or two repairs.

* * *

Over the coarse of the next month, they helped each other build their gundams base bodies. Tedious work was involved in the electrical wiring and the computer systems. Heero even tore apart one of the suits from the other warehouse room while Solo was away to figure out how to do some of the wiring. He had taken many classes on electrical circuits, welding, plumbing, auto mechanics. He also had many computer classes that he took. His father didn't want him to be lazy like other kids were. Heero Sr. taught him how to program, make viruses, and hack.

"Damn, I didn't think it would take so much to build a robot," Solo said to Heero, who was halfway inside of a computer panel in the Neo Win Zero mobile suit. "Yeah, well," he said, smirking into a laugh, "it does."

"Well, at least you get a lot of time to work on it. My mom forced me to stay home for 9 days last month because she thought I was never home enough. Typical parents… boring," Solo replied shaking his head. Duo and Hilde were totally unaware. They just thought he spent a lot of time out messing with his friends.

"Yeah, well, I'm not listening to my parents right now," Heero said with a laugh, "but my mother would freak if she knew what I was doing. When I first started to lift weights and learn different styles of martial arts, she almost killed my father. He just shrugged at her… then later that week he taught me how to shoot, build, and repair guns; which blew her hat off for good," Heero said. He couldn't hold back the laugh that was coming the whole time.

"That's kinda cool. The only thing that my father taught me was how to use repair a wide variety of stuff, shoot and repair guns, pick locks, and get into places silently. He said they could come in handy sometime when I was older. My mother scorned him too, because she thought I'd become a burglar. She forced him to sleep on the couch for almost a week. I don't really care to steal I told her, because my father also taught me that everything I needed was myself and my life, but that didn't matter to her," Solo explained to Heero.

"Oh, well, continue programming that right arm motor. I want to get it working by the end of today," Heero said to him. Sometimes Heero would stop and joke around, but then he would always get serious about his work again for no apparent reason. He'd become a hard, cold-hearted person almost inside. He didn't always just work, but he and have a little fun and laughter.

Over the next few hours that day, Heero and Solo did get the right arm working. They even managed to complete the system for the left arm as well. Solo had to be getting home. He only had an hour to get here, and it normally took him that long. "Well, I've gotta run. See ya tomorrow Heero," Solo said lowering himself on the elevator, "we can get to working on fixing up my suit next time. Later," he said as he ran out of the large workroom.

* * *

In Moscow, Relena had just begun a meeting with the space delegates and the earth delegates. Mars had been colonized successfully over the last 15 years. She knew she could thank her brother for that. Many people who were from the colonies didn't like the plan to colonize Mars. Many of the outer-rim colonies rebelled against sending any transports to Mars, or accepting any from there. To keep their claim true, they set out a minefield between the outer-rim colonies and the asteroid belt.

"Welcome everyone. I hope your journey here wasn't too bad. As you know, we are here to discuss the Mars Project. It has come to my attention that you outer-rim colonies have placed mines between the colonies and the asteroid belt. I must ask," she said, " but why?" Relena said, sitting at the end of the huge table.

"I'll answer that," said an older man, one of the many who first rebelled against the Mars Project. He was rubbing his short, white beard. He was a larger man and kept one of his eyes partially closed all of the time. "I don't like the Mars Project, obviously. The minerals and things brought in by their shuttles always force the prices of my rare minerals from asteroids down. Plus, my colony is now 25% used for shuttling their cargo and almost 20% of my cargo space is used to store their needs," he said, "I'm losing profits from my business by being their warehouse!" he said screaming. "If they want a warehouse, build a new colony! … But no, it's too expensive you say… heh," complained the old man, smirking, before he said something under his breath, "too expensive my ass…"

"I see your point. But can we just stop helping out the colonists on Mars? We can not just stop sending them supplies. They are not ready for a self-contained society. We've also found many of their new plants and minerals to be helpful in the medical industries and food industries. We can't just stop the trade altogether," she said to him. "Aren't we paying you to store their materials and to let those shuttles dock? I believe so. Are we not paying enough?" Relena asked him. She was furious already with what the colonists wanted.

"Hell no! I could make almost double what you are paying me now if I could get my materials sold! The only reason I still run your shuttle program now is because if I stop, I'll be cut off for good from many of the colonies that still purchase my materials… you know, the dedicated people… unlike the earth's citizens" he said, before being cut-off. "Stop that! The earth does buy many materials from outerspace!"

"Yes, but none from my colony!" he yelled back at her. "I guess it's because I'm too far away. I'm too expensive because I have the rare items… heh, just the same. You and all the other damn bloody colonies that didn't rebel!" replied the old man again before getting a 'here, here' from the other colony officials.

Relena had fire burning in her eyes. She couldn't stand that the peace in the colonies and the outer space was being eroded just because of one simple Project to help the earth, and mankind. "You leave me no choice then sir. I am here-by cutting off all lines of traffic with your colony. You will no longer be in our service. We also will no longer need your help with supplies from Mars. From what we will save from paying you, we'll use to create the Midway Twins," she said to him. She gathered the attention of others as well. "It's a design to build two new colonies that the Earth Sphere will use to do trade between Mars and the colonies. They have decided not to build it yet because of the expensive price. The last colony built, X-19999 has had many problems early on. We are just taking measures before jumping into things. One will be built on one side of the asteroid field and will trade with the colonies there. The other shall be placed directly on the other side, but further away and a little bit closer to Mars. It will be a stopping point for shuttles from Mars so they won't have to make such a hard journey," she said nodding. She filled relieved with the look in their eyes. "Does this suit you?" she asked with a stern voice, still keeping the I-control-you attitude up.

"You're cutting us off? Then I have no problem at all," the old delegate said happily, chuckling. "I don't mind it one bit then. It will keep my business running smoothly again," replied the old man. Relena starred at him before she continued, "Maybe you didn't understand it very well then. You will no longer be able to trade with any colony that is loyal to the Earth Sphere. That is, unless you coincide with us and cooperate. As it stands your colonies are under your 'rebellion' and will only work with each," she said, seeing anger come to the man's face. "Also, we will also be using Colony Z-11192 as our base of operations for the building. It's the oldest colony to date and is right between your colony and one of the other major rebelling factors'. I expect no cooperation from either of you," Relena replied to his response. She felt proud that she told down such an older man. She was just afraid a bigger rebellion might occur if she didn't try to isolate the current situation.

"What! You can't do that! I use that old colony as a warehouse for my supplies! That old geezer that ran the colony told me I could!" he yelled out frustrated. "How dare you cut off my transports from colonies that are loyal to the earth me?! Many of them provide most of my business!" the old man barked. His eyes were pure red. He was pissed. He slammed his fist on the table while grinding his teeth together.

"This meeting is dismissed," Relena said as she stood up, "If you wish to continue this, then agree our terms. We would fix the old colony, but that old thing can't support our needs and is in no condition to be repaired for the needs of the Mars Project. I hope that we can come to good terms gentlemen," Relena said, "Good day." Relena turned and exited the room. She wasn't in the happiest mood. She wished the meeting had gone better. She tossed her speech she prepared into the garbage as she walked down the hall to the shuttle awaiting her. She began to worry more and more about things. She hadn't received any mail from her sister-in-law, Lucrezia Noin, in many months. She guessed the rebels were terrorizing the transports and trying to piss off the Earth Sphere, which they were doing greatly at the moment.

* * *

The old man looked over at another delegate and nodded his head. The other man closed his eyes in agreement. He then turned and left the room silently. In a whisper he spoke on the phone to someone, "Start Operation X."

"Yes, sir," replied the woman on the phone. "Immediately!" the man yelled. "We will stop operations here within 3 hours. We'll then ship out what we can to the nearby two colonies. Major deployment shall be hard sir," she said to him. "What! Why? We'll leave through the large exit bay," he said to her in confusion. "Oh, it's not that sir, it's just that we have identified 3 Earth Sphere ships on course here. They have 6 mobile suits surrounding the colony," she told him. "Oh no…well… continue with Operation X, then start Operation Meteor Shower, now!" he demanded to her. "Yes, sir! Operations will commence immediately. Good Day," she said as she hung up the phone.

"Damn! Those damn … pacifists!" the old man yelled banging his fist against the wood wall before he turned and walked out at the opposite end, back into the meeting.

* * *

He walked back into the room where only a few delegates were left. He walked over to the white bearded man that was talking to Relena during the meeting. "Sir, we have a Priority Zero problem," he said. "What! What is it?" the man said wide-eyed. He had a shocked look cross his face. Normally he would only get shocked if a Priority One problem occurred. Normally meaning they could correct it and not be caught. This one he knew there was no way out. "There are 3 ships on their way to the colony and they have 6 mobile suits surrounding the colony awaiting the transports," he said to him. "Damn them!" he yelled out. "No, damn her…" he said with a wicked smile, talking about Relena Darlian, "but she shall pay dearly."

"Launch Operation Meteor Shower at once, Commander Fenald," he said to the man who brought him the news. "I took that step early sir, I knew you would approve of it," he said bowing his head. "Don't do that again, it may have been vitally important to have waited… but, good thinking this time. We'll just have to gather what we already have. It can't wait any longer," the old man said standing up. He stretched his arms out. He then picked up his documents off of the table and started heading towards the door. "We must leave now, it's important that we get back to space," he said. "Yes, sir. Until we meet again captain, good day," Fenald said before escorting the other delegates out. They all reached their respective transports at the spaceport. Once they arrived, they all quickly launched into space.

* * *

Solo and Heero were steadily working on their suits for a solid week. The Deathscythe Hell Fire's main body was looking just as completed as the Neo Wing Zero's. Heero spent the extra time he had when Solo wasn't there to do extra work on his own gundam. He had the right arm almost completed. Heero needed help with the computer systems at the same time he was wiring, and building, the hand controls. That's why he never finished the right arm, he needed Solo's help.

"Hey, when we finish up with this arm, how about we work on the legs? I know these cranes have to be weighing down a lot now," Solo suggested to Heero. He just nodded in agreement. "Give it an input pulse at source 147 now, with a repeat of 5 seconds later," Heero said up to Solo in the cockpit. "All right, give me a second," he answered back as he typed in the programming code. He then gave it the command to run the code. Solo reached up and pushed the corresponding button, on the main hand controls, to impulse 147, which cause the index finger of the gundam to move inward, then back out again. 5 seconds later, it repeated the same process. "Good. It works," Heero said as he completed the permanent wiring of the control box to the hand of his gundam's right arm, from the control router in the wrist of the gundam's arm. "That's good. Now we have the right arm completed! Yes!" Solo said jumping out of the cockpit. "When you leave today, I'll build the armor for the shoulder pads," Heero said jumping off of the wrist onto the platform.

"I've still got like around 6 hours before I have to go. That's enough to begin the construction of a leg," Solo mentioned. "Oh, I've started construction of a pair one day when I was bored. Don't worry, they are just the bases with the leg motors installed," he said to braided boy. "Cool, that works for me. Who's gundam do you want to put them on?" he asked. "How about yours, since I have a right arm and half of a left arm?" Heero replied to shinigami. "Then let's get started!" he said rubbing his hands together.

Over the next week, they did create the first pair of legs for the God of Death's Son's gundam. He was pleased. It was taking a much more defined shape now. Although it had wires coming out of the main body, armor missing, plus no head or arms, and all the other extras. Heero started building the legs for his gundam in the spare time that he had alone. With the knowledge from what he and Solo did with the other legs, he was confident enough to create his own his own without help.

* * *

Over those two weeks, space wasn't quite the happy place. The media was left out of the commotion. The Earth Sphere discovered inside of the abandoned colony the re-construction of the old Peacemillion battle cruiser. They built a huge beam cannon in the middle of the vessel. The colonies that weren't apart of the rebellion were afraid of the rebels now. The rebellion demanded freedom under the name of the Barton Foundation! Relena was shocked and couldn't believe that what she had been doing for 15 years wasn't keeping the peace, but causing it to build up into a war, which she knew would escalate no matter what happened.

A few weeks later, Relena was going over documentation of the new proposal of what to do, in her office at her mansion in Virginia. Heero walked in and right up to Relena, who didn't seem to notice he was there. He laid a velvet box in front of Relena, on her desk. She looked up at him with puppy eyes, before he said, "I'll marry you Relena, but not after I take care of the Barton Foundation. I'll also find our son," Heero said as he turned and walked out of the room. "He stopped, "I love you." Relena grabbed the box and opened it. It was a ring with a huge diamond in it with 10 small cut emeralds circling around it. She looked up at the door where he exited, "Oh… Heero…" she said before letting a tear slide down her face. She cried for awhile after he left.

* * *

Over the next week, the news started 'rumors' of a possible feud between the Earth Sphere and the Outer-Rim Space Colonies, or ORSC. The Earth military force is controlling the news right now and won't show anything of what is going on. When the 3 cruisers reached the abandoned colony, it wasn't abandoned at all. The large hanger on the bottom side of the colony was open and the Peacemillion was being pulled out of it with about twenty-five black Taurus mobile suits guarding it. The government took quick decisive action against the protesting colonies and they immediately sent thirty-five of their light-blue Taurus mobile suits to meet up with the 3 cruisers.

The colonies then turned on their outer beam cannons and warned all Earth Sphere crafts to stay out of firing range. The Barton Foundation made a direct statement to the Earth, and to Mars. Max Barton, the younger brother to Dekim Barton, was the leader of this new rebellion. He told the Earth Sphere that he would rule outer space at all costs. He had already sent twenty mobiles suits to the 10 closest colonies. He had them take over each one and told their colony leaders to subdue to the rise of the Barton Foundation by giving them their colony and all resources. Only 5 colonies fell in at first. Two of the colonies that wouldn't join had their leaders shot at Max's command. After two others had their colony controls malfunctioned, which would cause the colonies to eventually loose total control and wouldn't be able to support life over the next 72 hours, the last agreed to join them.

During this time period, Heero and Solo completed the vernian booster systems for their gundams. Heero had already completed the legs for each of the mobile suits a few weeks earlier. Solo was inside of his completed cockpit working with the practice system. Heero had brought up a computer system that allowed the pilots to run mock-battles against simulated information. Heero thought this 3D system looked pretty new and advanced from anything he had seen so far. "Damn, this is harder than I thought!" Solo yelled out from his cockpit as he took on 10 Taurus mobile dolls armed with beam rifles and laser rifles. He had already managed to destroy 6 of them, but he took damage in the excess of loosing his left arm and causing his left leg to be malfunctioning, beyond use. "Ahhh! Take this you stupid mobile dolls!" he yelled as he sliced through another one with his warblades. He dropped his scythe because it was hard to use with just one arm. He then spun around quickly and fired his dual laser cannons a few times and they melted through the suit, causing it to explode. A Taurus flew up behind him and grabbed him from the back. Solo kicked upward in the back with his good leg, crushing the Taurus's weak titanium right leg. He then quickly fired the vernians, while spinning to the right and sliced the purple suit into two. To make sure he got it, he fired a laser through the suit's main camera. The parts then exploded right next to him.

The last Taurus popped up right in front of him and fired a shot from its laser cannon. Solo tried to move, but the shot caught his lower right chest armor. It melted through it and caused it to explode and smoke. Solo was shocked the suit didn't explode. "AHH!!!" Solo screamed while he fired the vernains on his suit and flew through right at the Taurus. The Taurus suit's actions were too slow for the fast suit and the Deathscythe Hell Fire's wings ripped right through the small titanium mecha. He flipped around and watched as it exploded into pieces. After it did, the computer displayed a rating of "B+".

"Yes! I did better this time! I didn't make a 'C'," Solo said jumping out of the cockpit with his arms in the air and a huge smile on his face. He landed with one kneeing touching the ground. "Good. You are improving. I checked the system, and noticed that it was using the gundanium alloy armor. Our suits are stronger, so you would have done much better in real combat," Heero said looking toward Solo from the computer.

"I'm going to see if I can dig up some more mobile suit data to sortie with. I heard of the Mobile Doll system while searching and the Taurus was the prototype for the system. Afterward, they created 2 more spawns: the Virgo and Virgo II models. From what I read about their siege on the Lake Victoria Base and the Sank Kingdom, the Virgo suits were powerful land models. The Virgo II's were later designed for space combat," Heero told Solo. He just kinda looked at him weird. "All right, well… you lost me. I don't know the history as well as you when it comes to the mobile suits or the major battles during that year, but I'll learn," he said with his right hand behind his head, smiling. He tossed his braid over his shoulder while walking to the elevator.

"Well, I'm going to run and take a quick shower. Those battles wear me out," he said wiping the sweat from his forehead. Heero had lit the other passageway, which led to quarters that once belonged to engineers. Solo had brought a bag with extra clothes just in case he may ever need them. Heero started living in those quarters now. He left the place he used to stay at about 2 months earlier so that he could spend all of his time working on the mobile suits. Solo was surprised he managed to stay there that long by himself.

* * *

Heero jumped out of the jeep he drove up into the mountains with. He tightened up his heavy, fur coat that he was wearing. He stared up between to snowy-peaked mountains and saw a light flicker about every minute. He walked for nearly 3 hours through heavy snow up through the mountains. He climbed up the side of this cliff, then jumped over to a rock, where climbed down the hole that was behind it. He dropped and fell about 10 feet down, landing just fine on the ground. He got up and walked through the dark-lit cavern until he came up to a metal door. He put a card into it and pushed a 9-digit code. The light turned green and a female voice said, "Please state your name for voice recognition."

"Odin Lowe, Jr." Heero said to the computer panel. "Access Granted. Welcome, Odin," the computer said back to him. Heero closed his eyes at the name. He rarely heard his real name spoken. The door slid open to the left and Heero ducked inside and the door shut behind him.

He took off his jacket, for the temperature was set to almost perfect for being in the mountains. He walked up to railing across the room, then he looked down into the huge, warm facility. The Wing Zero was standing there being held up by a crane. Heero climbed up on the railing, then flipped down onto a metal platform not too far below. He walked to the end of it and took the elevator down to the level where his gundam stood. He looked up at it. "Zero… it's time. I didn't rebuild you for nothing after all," Heero said to his gundam, smiling. "I built your twin buster rifle just in time also," looking over at the weapon hanging from a set of cranes. Heero used the suit's pilot rope to lift himself up to the cockpit, where he punched in the all-familiar code and the cockpit slid open. He crawled into it and sat down at pilot's seat. He closed his eyes and ran his hands over the all-to-familiar controls and the cockpit lit up and it turned on. The Zero system initialized and the eyes of the mecha lit up with a fiery glow.

Heero grabbed the huge double-barrel rifle and split it into two. He attached each half on the sides of his gundam's legs where he built a spot for them to lock down. The gundam crouched low, spreading it's wings before they came flapping down, while the suit sky-rocketed upward in the factory. Heero sent the command to open the roof hatch. It crept completely open, slowly, but just in time for the mobile suit to come flying out of it. It went flying onward into space flapping its wings, with little sparkles escaping its wing's boosters.

* * *

Solo and Heero took a step back from their suits. They marveled at their great creations. They had finally completed them. Heero threw a greasy rag on the ground that he used to wipe off his hands, while Solo just used his black shirt. Solo sighed looking up at his black marvel. "Well, we finally did it Heero. Can you believe it?" Solo said looking over toward Heero smiling with joy. "Yep, I can," he replied with a dull tone. "I am happy, although I don't quite show it," he then added. "Trust me, I know!" Solo said as he gave him a mean look. "All right, well, let's see how the work, alright?" Solo asked him trying to change the subject. "I still have about an hour and a half before I've gotta run. I'll have to leave a few hours early today," he added, before continuing, "I'm going out with my parents to dinner with a client of my father."

"All right. Don't do any damage to the suits. They were hell to create, plus we barely have the supplies to repair them. We'll only go for an hour, if we even last that long," Heero said before running over to his suit and jumping inside. Solo did the same. He ran through the startup sequence of his gundam. The cockpit lit up from the input of the cockpit screens. Heero was already walking toward the huge mobile suit door that he commanded open.

"Go through the door over there. You'll see a door to the right and one to the left. The right side will have a blinking red light, it leads to the outside. The one to the left will have a green blinking light on it. It leads to a huge indoor area that has a high ceiling. We can use that place for practice," Heero told Solo, who just nodded with his gundam's head. They both walked into the huge room that Heero had mentioned. He pushed in the command to give light to the huge room. It was huge and very tall with walkways and platforms running everywhere.

"This must have been a mobile suit staging area while this base was operational," Solo pointed out. "It was I think," Heero said back to him. Heero fired his vernians and flew up into the air in a diagonal line, before flipping over and spinning around. He then hovered there with his gundam's arms spread out. "Let's get going," he said to Solo, who then punched his gundam into a very fast speed-hover across the floor, before jumping up under the Neo Wing Zero and trying to punch it. Heero flew out of the way and flew off to his left. He then flew right at him while throwing a punch toward the main body. Solo yelled as Heero seemed to be much faster than him, so Solo's reaction wasn't so quick, but he did manage to knock the punch away. He then flew back from the other mecha to regain himself.

"Man, you are fast! I thought my suit had more boosting power?" Solo said to him. "It… does," Heero said before his suit's boosters gave out and he fell out of the air onto the ground. "help… me," Heero managed to get out before he passed out inside the cockpit. "Heero!" Solo screamed as he flew down and landed next to the other gundam suit. Solo opened his cockpit and jumped out. He landed on the ground and ran over to the cockpit hatch of the Neo Wing Zero and punched in the entry code. The cockpit slowly slid open and Solo jumped and pulled Heero out. "Damn! What happened to him?" Solo thought as he brought him back to the quarters that Heero was staying in. After about 30 minutes, Solo tried to wake him with some cold water. "uhh.." Heero groaned before opening his eyes. "Sol.. Solo?" he asked. "It's hard to see," he said trying to raise himself up from his lying position in the bed. Solo helped him to sit with his back to the wall. "Don't try to move too much," he told him, handing him a glass of water, "drink."

"I guess you just passed out while flying. Who knows why?" he said shrugging. "I think I do… it was the Zero system," he said taking a sip of the water. "The what?" Solo asked with narrowed eyes on Heero. He took another sip. "It's the system that made that mecha so powerful. It would get battle data to the pilot faster through brainwaves rather than relying on the pilot's reaction time, making him faster. I read reports of what it did to the pilots, it made them go insane," he said as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the cold, gray wall. "It also made some pilots pass out instead, which was a side affect that meant that they were getting use to the system. So, I guess I'll be all right," he told Solo. "Well, next time tell me if you do anything like that again. I might have just thought you were joking around, or have been hurt badly," Solo hissed at Heero. Solo stood and folded his arms. "Sorry," Heero said as he stood up and set the glass down.

Solo was kinda mad. He sat down on the couch across from his bed and turned on the TV. The afternoon news was just starting. "In today's news, the Earth Sphere has released the official information on the rumor of the creation of a large inter-planetary battle station," the reporter said from the TV. "What's going?" Heero asked Solo. "I don't know. I spent too much time here to keep up with what has really been going on with the world and space," he replied. "Good afternoon all, my name is Relena Darlene. The rumor of the ORSC declaring war on the Earth Sphere is a lie. We will continue to keep you informed on our current situation. We're putting together a space delegation team to comfort those who think we need better relations with the Space Colonies. There is nothing to worry about, so everyone be calm," Relena said standing in front of a podium at the Preventor's agency before stepping away. Wufei was standing in the back; left corner with his arms crossed looking at the camera. He left behind Relena as the emergency broadcast cut off and the TV returned to it's normal programming.

"M… mother…" Heero said. He hadn't seen her in over 3 or 4 months. He didn't remember how long it had been. "There is going to be a war in the space soon, Solo," Heero said as he looked at the news he had changed the channel too. Solo cried out, "A war?!"

"They have yet to declare they are going to send mobile suits to earth to take over Moscow. They are probably not going to even mentioned ones all ready stationed on earth. It would take them less than a few hours to deploy them. People wouldn't have a lot of time to seek refuge from the assault," Heero said, hoping to not completely scare Solo.

"The Preventors are working around the clock to try to keep this problem under control. I think we should try to stop the suits on earth," Heero said as he heard a large sound, then asked Solo to turn the TV off. He heard it again and motioned Solo to follow him across the walkway into the first room they met in.

Heero walked up to the door, then pulled a gun from his pocket. Shinigami reached behind his back and pulled out his gun as well. "Ready?" Heero asked him. Shinigami nodded, and then Heero hit the flashing green button. The door hissed open and they both jumped through pointing their pistols. "Holy shit!" Solo yelled out looking ahead of him. They looked together and saw hundreds of the Mercurius and Vaye-Ates walking toward a huge exit door. "Look over at the computer," Heero said pointing with his gun. "What does that say?" Solo said squeezing his eyes together. The computer was far away from him. "It says 'Operation Meteor Shower [Accomplished]' and 'Operation Armageddon [Begin]'," Heero said.

"I guess it's up to us to stop them after all. I though these were the ground troops that they had on the Earth," Heero said to Solo. "They have to be! But we'll take them down! Ready my friend?" Solo said to Heero as he put his gun back behind his back. "Sure Shinigami," Heero replied as smiled and then high-fived Solo.

Chapter 3: Armageddon?