Arctic Blaze

By Dolfinz

CHAPTER 3

The busy hum of the hangar Andraya was led to reminded her faintly of the OZ base she had just seen destroyed. Workers playfully teased each other, supervisors telling them to get back to work. Besides the one Duo had just brought in, there were 2 other Gundams currently being repaired in the large hangar. Andraya instantly recognized them as the suits piloted by Gundam pilots 01 and 05, once again reminding her of her most recently destroyed home. With a sigh, she climbed down from her Aries suit to a catwalk stretching across the hangar's length, and followed a smiling Duo into a quieter corridor. After a few moments, he led her to a closed door with sounds of arguing and fist-slamming coming from behind it.

"Ah, always good to see these guys," Duo said somewhat sarcastically, knocking loudly on the door. The noise inside instantly ceased.

Without waiting for a response, Duo opened the door, gesturing for Andraya to enter first. As she did so, she was greeted with an atmosphere that reminded her of the lab back at the OZ base. The room was dimly lit, with computer screens flashing various messages here and there. Five rather old looking men sat at a table in the center of the room, all of which looked up at Andraya as she entered. Duo came in and shut the door behind him.

"Whaddya know! Another mission completed successfully by the great Shinigami!" Duo proclaimed, seating himself backwards on a chair by a computer. "Andraya Saino, at your service, gentlemen!"

Andraya remained silent and still as a stone. She was staring at Professor G, instantly picking him out of the 5 men before her. He looked the same as she had remembered him from the last time they had met, and now looked at him quizzically, as if to silently ask what was going on.

"I take it you remember me then," came the response from the scientist.

"What?!" Duo said, surprised that the female pilot and scientist knew each other.

Andraya simply nodded.

"And you would like to know why I have requested your presence."

Andraya nodded again.

"It has come to my attention," the old scientist said, rising from his chair, "That you have made excellent progress in your training as an OZ soldier." He walked over to a table and started absently playing with a mini projector.

"One of the best!" Duo piped in.

"And," Professor G continued with a glare in Duo's direction, "It has also come to my attention that you became an OZ soldier because they tried to protect your family in the wars 8 years ago."

Andraya hissed her response. "You don't know anything about me," she said coldly,

"I know more than you think. And I would appreciate your cooperation here, at least for the time being," the scientist said calmly.

Andraya nodded reluctantly. "Why do you care why I became a soldier?"

"Because… well…" The scientist now made the mini projector he had been toying with come to life, projecting an image of a Gundam Andraya had never seen before on the wall opposite him.

"Do you recognize this suit?"

"No…should I?"

"It is meant to be yours."

A Gundam pilot? Me?! she thought, taken aback by the old man's words and finally understanding the intent of her capture. Apparently sensing her realization, the scientist went on to elaborate.

"Eight years ago, a massacre known as the Maxwell Tragedy took place. I take it you remember it well," the scientist began.

Andraya gave curt nod. "You know that."

The scientist sighed in slight frustration, but continued on. "There were only a few survivors of the battle--"

"It wasn't a battle. Battles are two-sided, where each side has a fighting chance. This was an invasion," Andraya said, her voice shaking ever so slightly.

"Fine, there were only a few survivors of the invasion," the scientist corrected.

"I know all this," Andraya said, feeling the conversation was going nowhere. "There was me, a handful of war orphans, and a few soldiers who escaped the suppression of their rebellion."

"Yes, that's correct." The scientist paused for a moment. "Did you recognize Duo before he identified himself?"

"Not really," Andraya admitted. "But I have come to the conclusion that he was the boy from the church that I saw the day of the Tragedy."

Duo folded his arms over the back of the chair he was sitting on and rested his head down on them, a more serious and severe expression overpowering his usual happy-go-lucky one.

"You are correct in thinking that," the scientist affirmed. "But you don't remember him from the Sweepers. That's surprising, being your…trip there was only 2 years ago."

An angry look came across Andraya's face. "I was fulfilling my duty," she said slowly, through teeth clenched in anger. "I wasn't exactly sightseeing."

"Hmm," the professor said, glancing back at the projection still lighting up the wall opposite him.

"Enough of this!" Andraya said, slamming her fist on the scientist's table for emphasis. Everyone in the room looked up at the sudden interruption of the somewhat placid conversation. "Tell me why you meant to bring me here," she said, in a somewhat calmer tone. "And why you want me to pilot that thing."

"We have recently voted amongst ourselves," the scientist said, gesturing to the table of his so-far silent colleagues, "To find another suitable soldier to fill the spot of a 6th Gundam pilot, to pilot this suit, Arcticblaze." Professor G gestured to the projection he was making on the wall. "I knew where you were located, and that you were an outstanding pilot, and therefore thought you to be an excellent choice to pilot this new suit."

Andraya now looked more closely at the projection of the Gundam she couldn't identify earlier. It reminded her of Duo's Gundam, actually, except for a few minor differences here and there. There were no intimidating bat wings looming above this suit, no wings at all for that matter. The suit was mostly a medium blue and black with a navy middle and head. It was posed in a fighting stance, holding a weapon she had never seen before. Its eyes glowed green, completing the suit's threatening presence. It looked formidable enough to Andraya, something that would be granted her second glance in a battle.

"Andraya, we are asking you to do something you may flat out refuse to do," Professor G began again, looking Andraya straight in the eye. "I am going to ask that you consider becoming the pilot of this suit, which I strongly believe you can do with only some minor training. I know what OZ has told you, all the lies they have made you believe--"

"Lies? Such as what?" Andraya was beginning to dislike this whole situation she had been brought into.

"Such as the fact the OZ tried to protect L2 the day of the invasion," the scientist clarified, using the word Andraya had coined for the battle 8 years ago. "In fact, OZ was one of the two organizations who suppressed the colony's defense when the people tried to fight back."

Andraya was shocked, her head spinning. She couldn't decide who was telling her the truth--her OZ colleagues and mentors, whom she had lived and trained with for 7 years, or this old scientist whom she had just really met. The decision seemed easily made in her mind, but there was something about the way this old man spoke that made her give the decision a second thought. And the very fact the he sought her out to tell her this…

"Aw, c'mon Andraya!" Duo piped up again, regaining his usual optimistic personality. "You have excellent piloting skills, and without that awful Aries suit limiting your capabilities…" he ended with a rather convincing look directed straight into Andraya's eyes.

Andraya sighed. "This isn't a decision I can make quickly," she said firmly.

"Of course it's not. Why don't you stay here for a few days, until you have had time to think things through a little more. I'm sure Howard wouldn't object to your staying." Professor G said, referring to the owner of the hangar they were in.

Andraya nodded, and found herself thanking him before being led out of the room by Duo. I guess this'll be my new home for now… she thought, following Duo down the hall once more. I just wonder how long that will be true.