[For warnings and notes, please see part 1.]
Notes: Well, first off – thanks to everyone who replied to the first bit-thing of this ficcie. It really means a lot to me!~ *scratches head* I think elyndys-sama even said she remembered it from before... which was a little – 'wow'. ^-^ Thanks, elyndys! And again, kisses and glomps to Blue, my beta, without who there would be much less coherence and a great deal more dashes than there ever needed to be. *glomps*
Second, I'm sorry, especially to the 1x2ML, but this part doesn't have all that much – well... 1x2. It *does* have it, and it's a bit more graphic than the previous part... but all in all, this is an annoyingly info-laden part, centering around Zechs and Noin on Mars. Gah... I'm really, really, sorry about that... but this fic is *not* just 1x2. *sighs* which is probably as much for my sanity as it is for the plot, as that relationship is giving me *hell*. It's so damn uncooperative. _
Tis now the very witching time of night
When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out Contagion to the worldHamlet [III.ii.]
i. Dawn
wide awake
and keeping distance from my soul
i am scared like you
-- Tool, Cold and Ugly
pt.2
* * * * * * * *
[AC 200, January 3rd, 13:45 hours (Greenwich): Sector 2 – DB003, Sinai Planum, Mars]
"Well?"
"Sir!" The red-uniformed group of mechanics and labourers sprung up from the floor, their hands snapping to salute as Zechs Merquise strode through the door into the destroyed docking bay.
A woman in a white uniform jumpsuit, still crouched where the others had been, flung a piece of metal to the ground. "Looks like the same as the last one. They set up bombs here, here, there, and there," she said, pointing along the wall at four different points. "The explosions must have blown off the exterior coverings pretty easily because the panels weren't completely secured yet, and then that same compound must have been released with the detonation. It completely soldered the wires and panels together." She rose, brushing the dust from her legs. "They're ruined. The entire construction schedule of the docking bay will have to be pushed back at least another three weeks."
"Has someone filed a report?" Zechs asked, brushing past the line of still-saluting recruits to examine the walls.
"I'll do it," the woman said, brushing dark hair from her eyes and coming to join him at a ruined console. "I want to examine it a bit further beforehand."
Zechs was silent, one hand pressed to the mess of wires and melted metals. "Are they still saluting?" he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.
She laughed quietly, and then turned. "That's enough, everyone," she called to them, "We'll have the new work schedule out to you all by the next 24 hours. Until then, use this time to catch up on any work that needs to be finished."
"Sir!" The group exclaimed and then scattered.
"They're still OZ, through and through," she moaned quietly.
"Not much you can do about that," Zechs agreed. "Noin?"
"Yes?"
"What were the results from the lab?"
Noin sighed. "From the previous attack? Not any different from what we thought. It's a simple magnesium compound injected into a powerful explosive, that upon detonation, severs and destroys the paneling before demolishing and soldering the wires – rendering the whole circuitry useless."
"Dammit."
"It's going to be hard to counter, unless we figure out who's doing it right away. There isn't any viable alternative for the wiring materials at this point – and the magnesium just happens to be exactly the right thing to screw it up."
"Has WEI been notified again?" Zechs asked, turning.
"Yes," Noin said, gesturing for him to follow her out the door. "We should probably prepare ourselves for a conference call at some point within the next 14 hours or so. Catalonia Corporate is going to crawl all over this – and this //is// three acts of sabotage in a row, now... the media are starting to get hold of it."
"Then the public – "
" – then the stock market."
" – then our funding gets cut."
They moved out into the passageway, the ribbed silver tubing of a hallway that led to the spider web structure of the developed colony, a collective sigh in their throats.
"This is awful," Noin muttered as they passed two young recruits. "We're lucky the attacks haven't targeted any living quarters yet, but what if they do...?" She sighed loudly. "Winner Enterprises can't give us enough funding to provide an extra security detail – especially with current circumstances being what they are."
"Well, unless we //get// an extra security detail, the current circumstances won't improve all that much. It's Project Rust's fault that WEI stocks have been falling," Zechs growled.
"It's //not// our fault," Noin said adamantly. "It's those damn Anti-Mars Colonization groups. Stupid People's Union [1]," she sniffed.
"They've denied any attachment to attacks, Noin," he reminded her.
"Doesn't change the fact that Gary Rhysborov is a self-proclaimed Anti-Colonizer. In here," she moved to an open doorway. "Toby can give you the lab results himself."
"An Anti-Colonizer, yes. Anti-MCP [2], yes. But a politician first. He's not a violent person, much less a terrorist," Zechs countered, following Noin into a small, low-lit room where two young men were bent over a flickering console, both of them dressed in Project Rust uniforms.
"What're we talking about; Rhysborov?" One of the boys asked, without raising his eyes from the information on the console.
'Unfortunately," Noin sighed. "Do you have another available copy of the damage reports, Toby?"
The boy glanced up cursorily, his dark eyes flickering over Zechs. "Commander," he nodded. "Which ones did you want?" He asked of Noin.
"What?" She asked, confused.
"Russell and I just finished the most recent report with the information you sent," Toby smiled, looking nonchalantly proud, gesturing with his head at the other boy.
"You mean, today's?" Noin glanced at the console incredulously. There, indeed, were the results of the most recent attack.
"Impressive," Zechs nodded.
"Thank you, sir," Russell flicked a salute without turning from the console. Toby grinned.
"So, what's up with Catalonia's lackey?" He asked, ejecting a floppy disk and tossing it to Noin, over Russell's bent head. Noin caught it and slipped into the pocket of Zechs's jacket.
Zechs closed his eyes, looking rather exasperated. "Noin, you cover this – I have things to do. Russell," he motioned to the red-haired boy concentrating on the console, "Can I enlist your help for an hour?"
Russell, glancing for approval from his colleague, nodded smartly to Noin and followed Zechs out the door.
"Really, did he just //order// you to engage in impropriated gossip, sub-commander?" Toby laughed, settling himself comfortably into a chair by the console.
"I //think// so," Noin managed a weak smile at the infectious grin on Toby's face.
//He's so much like how I remember them...//
Toby let out a raucous laugh, settling down to smirk at her again.
"So what //is// your take on this?" She asked him.
"On the attacks?" he replied, twisting his mouth into a thoughtful frown. "Well, I know the Commander hates it when people jump to conclusions, but I wouldn't put it past PUACOM. I mean, they might not be doing it directly, but they're certainly sharing philosophies with the terrorists; who says they're not sharing money or materials too, right?"
"It's a good point," she nodded, leaning against the console. "One we've thought of, yes. Zechs – the Commander – was thinking of asking the Preventers to set up a case."
"You mean they haven't already?" Toby looked genuinely outraged.
"Well – "
"That's pathetic!" he spat. "I thought Winner's friends were on the payroll!"
"Toby," she admonished. "This should have nothing to do with friends."
"We have 'em, why not use 'em?" That grin was back, completely disarming her.
"Ah, well... they've had their own problems, I suppose," she shrugged. "You think...?"
"Don't know why you're asking //my// opinion." He swiveled in his chair, casting her an arch glance. "I'm just a lowly OZ recruit."
She swatted him across the back of the head. "Idiot. Really, what do you think?"
"Call 'em," he nodded, seriously. "The attackers are using specific compounds – the magnesium, especially, should be an important clue in tracking the materials and payments, I think. Get 'em on it."
She nodded, pushing herself away from the console. "Thanks for the input, Tob. I'll run it by the Commander and we'll see."
"Why not just do it yourself, anyway?" Toby asked, distractedly, as the console beeped loudly. "I know Russell said the Commander was going to busy with him for a while – trying to organize a security patrol for developing docking bays – all volunteers and stuff."
"All right then. I'll call HQ now," she stopped in the doorway. "By the way, how's Russell holding up?"
"Shane Russell is pure gold, Sub-commander. You got nothing to worry about."
//...exactly like him...//
"Thanks Toby."
"Anytime, sir."
* * * * * * * *
[AC 201, September 22nd, New Angeles, Earth]
"I'm sorry, sir. But as I told you, she can't – "
"Oh, fuck this. Relena!"
"Sir, please don't shout – there's a meeting in pro – "
"RELENA!"
"Sir!"
The massive oak doors swung open revealing an extremely irate-looking, professionally dressed Relena Darlian-Peacecraft.
"Duo."
"Relena, listen I – "
"//Why// were you shouting?"
"Relena, I need to talk with you."
"Well, obviously. Usually one wouldn't barge in on important colony-relations briefings if it were otherwise," she raised her eyebrows meaningfully.
He paused, blinking rapidly, taking in her angry expression, her uniform, her neatly dressed hair.
"Aw fuck, I'm sorry," he exhaled loudly.
She tilted her head, noticing the frantic wildness in his eyes, the lines on his forehead. Her anger dissipated into worry; Duo was too good a friend to let this pass.
"Duo, is there something wrong?"
"God, I don't know what I was thinking... I'm sorry... I'm such an idiot..."
"Duo. What is it?"
He passed a hand over his eyes, rubbing at his forehead. "It's just, have ya talked with Heero lately?"
She looked puzzled. "No."
"Oh," Duo said, looking extremely uncomfortable. "Oh. Okay then. Look, sorry for the interruption and stuff. Go back to the meeting, uhm... we can talk later, k?"
"Now you've got me worried Duo," she said, catching his arm as he turned to leave. "Did something happen? Is Heero - ?" Then she paused, catching sight of the look in Duo's eyes – a look she wished she didn't know quite so well.
"Did he leave again?"
A dark grimace pulled at Duo's mouth and he brushed his hair back from his face in a slightly uncomfortable gesture. "I think so," he said at length. "I just wanted to check to see if – "
"No, he's not here."
"All right. Well, look. I'd rather not talk about this here, now."
"Of course. I could call you after the meeting, if you'd like that?"
He nodded absently, turning to go. "Sure, sure." Dismissing her help.
"Duo," she wished she could pull him back – he looked so very tired. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," he laughed. "Forget about it. It's not like this hasn't happened before..."
She sighed, squeezing his hand before releasing it. "I'll call you, Duo."
"Bye, Miss."
* * * * * * * *
[AC 201, November 12th, 19:06 hours (Greenwich): Sector 4-LQ389, Sinai Planum, Mars]
Something was beeping loudly in her ear.
Flinging out a sleep-slowed hand, she made contact with the keyboard and managed to locate the source of the incessant sound, discovered it was a call, and activated it, pulling herself up onto her elbows.
"Mm... Hello?"
"Hey, hey, Noin!" Duo Maxwell's familiar voice cackled over the speakers. There was a pause. "You becoming a dark avenger of the night? Mysterious voice behind the curtain? 'Good Morning Charlie', and all that?" he chuckled.
"What are you talking about?" She laughed weakly, rubbing at her eyes.
"The vidscreen, hon. I'm talking to the nicest blank monitor known to man."
It took her a moment to register. "Oh!" She exclaimed sheepishly, pouncing on the screen activation button just before a huge yawn almost split her face in two.
"Woah! Lu," Duo's voice warbled with laughter. "Someone keep you up last night?"
She glared at him, rubbing on eyes to clear the sleep-bright stars that still sparked behind the lids. "As a matter of fact, yes," she responded haughtily.
Duo pulled a face. "What are you, //trying// to corrupt me?"
She laughed. "I didn't expect you to call until later," she admitted. "You usually don't until – "
"2100, I know," Duo sighed. "But Heero needs the 'phone for a Preventers thing later tonight..."
"But don't you usually call Quatre right about now?" She asked.
"You sound like you're trying to get rid of me, or something..." Duo cocked an eyebrow, a grin tugging at the ends of his mouth.
"What? Oh, no!" She exclaimed. "You're always so punctual with the Sunday calls, though. It comes as a surprise."
'I'm joking, Lu. Yah, I know... but Qat's spending the weekend at Trowa's apartment, so I'll call them later. It's good for him to have these breaks every once and a while; he's been //really// stressed lately."
"I wouldn't blame him," Noin sighed, "PUACOM doesn't like to settle down, do they? I hear they've been making some trouble for him."
Duo laughed, averting his eyes for a moment to tap on the keyboard beside him. "Call it trouble, if ya want – it's just Rhysborov being a jerk. Well, it's not him – probably – but the tabloids hafta get it from somewhere. A month ago, when WEI had to let go a few people because of Mars profit losses and stuff," He swept his hands in a grand gesture, framing an unseen headline, "'Bitter WEI CEO fires ex-lover!' Heh... and oh, this Friday's supermarket splash - 'Q.R. Winner: Heartthrob's Shocking Secrets!' Turns out Quatre's really an android, and he forgot to tell us."
"You made that up."
"Nope, The New Angeles Inquirer did. The headlines are never a big deal, though – I just like making fun of Qat. But PUACOM's been having these 'Awareness and Reality' meetings. Big, shmoozy dinners with main courses upwards of $300 per dish and these puffy fluffies marching around proclaiming the Mars Colonization Project to be not only a waste of time and money, but also - "
"Dangerously anti-terra."
'You got it," Duo snorted. "I mean, maybe they'd present a good argument if they stuck to the basics. I can understand how people would be concerned about rebuilding our //own// strength as a sphere before going on to 'conquer' other planets – and yanno, the People's Union's manifesto wasn't half-bad before they got so involved with finances and politics."
"Before Gary Rhysborov, I guess," Noin sniffed.
"Yah. And before Catalonia Corporate started using PUACOM to their advantage in the Stock Market," Duo muttered.
"That's not proven yet," a soft voice cut through from off-screen.
"Eh, nobody asked you, Preventer Boy," Duo grinned at Noin. "Heero's all antsy about me leaking info through the phone calls. Thinks I talk too much."
Noin laughed. "It's a private line, Heero. Hooked up through an individualized and self-sufficient cyber-connection!" She stated confidently.
"See?" Duo winked over the monitor at the unseen man, "They love me so much they give me individual cyber-connections!"
Heero snorted.
"Ah, the true meaning of appreciation!" Duo mock-swooned. "I'm actually really grateful for it, Lu," he grinned. "It saves me a lot of time. Well, that and avoiding the possibility that I might interrupt Tall, Blonde and Princely on an //important// call."
"He doesn't hate you, Duo."
"Right. And I'm a test-tube baby," Duo snorted, before sobering. "Anyway, I'm glad you guys haven't been... hurt, you know. It's damned lucky the bombings haven't targeted any populated areas."
Noin nodded. "Mm. And as far as we can tell, they won't. They seemed to be focusing on developing labs and docking bays – just enough damage to keep us from making any real progress."
"Wonderful," Duo sighed. "Man, that sucks. I can see how frustrating it must be for everyone there... no leads yet?"
"Well, no. We're too busy here – and too constricted in finances to set up a real security patrol ourselves. Zechs has kind of taken it up on himself. But so far... nothing. Although, there was that arrest on Earth a few weeks ago..."
"The one at the artificial metals lab? Naw, turned out he was just a big talker. Didn't have any connections to the Terrists at all – "
"Terrists. Is that what they've been dubbed, now?" Noin interjected.
"Apparently. Media again," he grinned darkly. "Fits, don't it?"
Noin sighed. "Too well. Ah well, concerning the arrest... I mean, that's what I had heard, but I thought maybe the media was told that to keep things quiet and under control."
"Nope, both Wufei and Heero can vouch for it. Guy was a complete bull-shitter," Duo shrugged. "Turns out he had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. They charged him with mischief and some other petty allegations, then they let him go. There //was// that small window of hope for about all of three hours, though, when they really thought they had something. I mean, the guy worked at a //magnesium// manufacturing plant! What more could they have asked for?"
"For him to have worked for the Terrists – "
"I thought you didn't want me talking about it over the phone, Heero..."
"Individual cyber-connections."
"You approve?"
"Mm."
Duo rolled his eyes at Noin. "Wunderbar."
"If you're finished," the voice of Heero muttered from off-screen.
"Yah, yah," Duo waved a blasé hand and grinned apologetically. "Sorry, Lu-babe – gotta cut this short."
"Of course, Duo. I'll talk to you next week."
He nodded, another grin suffusing his face with happiness.
"By the way, you're looking much better, Duo."
"Oh yeah!" He smiled brightly, but she could tell he hadn't wanted to understand her comment. "Work's been going great! I finally got to expand my imports to the colonies, and I just got a Sweepers crew hired for almost a third for what they usually charge! Plus, the new guy I hired a while back, Ray Manada – he's working out great, totally perfect. I just promoted him to lesser metals supervisor. Really knows what he's doing. Makes it a lot easier for me!"
"That's wonderful," she looked at him meaningfully. "But you know that's not what I meant."
He paused, and then looked almost embarrassed, uncomfortable. "Well," he laughed, wavering, and his eyes shifted almost imperceptibly off-screen. "...a month an' a bit... s'a long time... and, you know..."
She smiled, not trying to suppress the happiness she felt for him. "Goodbye, Duo."
"Later!" And she was treated to one more dazzling smile before the screen went black.
Turning in her seat, she sighed deeply and closed her eyes, bringing one hand to her forehead to brush her bangs back from her face. Her back resting against the chair, her cheek nestled in the curve of her elbow, she turned her face and stared tiredly at the landscape presented through the window; a desert world nestled in barren mountains, crowned by stars and night.
"Lights off," she said suddenly. The computer complied with a discordant beep, the room went black with a //snap// of mechanics, and she closed her eyes.
"Are you off the phone?" a rich voice asked from the back of the room.
Starting, she opened her eyes to see the shadow of Zechs emerge from hallway.
"Mmhm," she replied, pushing herself up in her chair. "It was Duo."
"Of course," Zechs snorted, not unpleasantly, shrugging off his uniform jacket. An unspoken question that she knew he would never ask hung in the air.
"He's better," she said in reply, gazing absently out over the Martian landscape again. "Much better."
"Ah," said Zechs
"Heero Yuy's back."
"Ah," said Zechs
"It was a month or so this time."
"Not quite so long as before, then," he pushed his hair back from his forehead. "Does he know where he went?"
"That's a silly question," she admonished. "He was a wreck, Zechs, anyone could see that. He never has any idea where Heero goes. No one does."
"Mm," he murmured absently.
"Lights on," she snapped, and their quarters went starkly bright. "Zechs, I was very worried about him!"
"I know," he said, blinking once to adjust to the light. "So was Winner."
"Well, of //course// Quatre was worried! He's Duo's best friend... Zechs. Maybe you should talk with Heero..."
"What?" He looked almost outraged.
Noin faltered. "Well," she paused. "He respects you. Maybe if you let him know how much these weird... absences... of his hurt Duo... he wouldn't leave anymo – "
"Noin." He cut her off sternly. "I don't think that's any of our business."
"Zechs, I'm //very// worried about him!"
"You said that already."
"Well, I am. He never tells anybody how he feels, especially concerning Heero. //He'd// never bring it up with him – but I seriously think someone should."
"Then you can," Zechs growled softly. "I don't want to interfere. Besides, we've got our hands full as it is: dealing with //real// problems - "
"Zechs..."
" - And I certainly don't have time to deal with Duo Maxwell. The boy's a complete nutcase."
Noin, seeing the soft smile tugging at Zech's mouth, had to laugh – albeit a bit sadly.
"Well, at least I agree with you there..."
* * * * * * * *
[AC 201, November 14th, New Angeles, Earth]
He knew. Heero was watching him again.
"Mmm?"
He saw him push himself away from the doorjamb, his shadow swallowing the light from the hallway.
"Can I sleep here tonight?"
He felt a tremor slip through his legs and up his back. He pulled the sheets up against his chin, his knuckles resting against his mouth.
"...yeah."
He felt Heero's body slip under the covers, his arm slipping over his stomach, his hand cupping his waist. A dry kiss was pressed to the underside of his jawbone. He kept his eyes closed; tried not to breathe too fast, not too erratically.
Heero kissed him again, gently pushing his hands away from his mouth. The hand on his waist slipped down onto his hip.
"Hey..."
"What?" Heero kissed his ear.
"...did you miss me?"
It was a wonder Heero heard it all. It sounded like a dead, frightened whisper, even in his own mind.
But the hand moved from hip, snatched at his fingers, threaded them together.
"I love you, too."
It might not have been said. He didn't know, after all. The only thing he could hear was fear and laughter.
[end part 2]
* * * * * * * *
[1] People's Union Against the Colonization of Mars (PUACOM)
[2] Mars Colonization Project (AKA Project Rust)