Seaside Laboratory
One agonizing week had passed since Trynity's arrival. After that first day, she managed to control her temper although she found it very difficult living under the same roof as Quatre Winner, Trowa Barton, Heero Yuy and especially Chang Wufei and Duo Maxwell. While Wufei treated her with blatant disrespect, Duo took every opportunity to tease and annoy her until she escaped to her room, very often fuming with anger.
This night Sally Po warned her to dress well for dinner because Prince Miliardo Peacecraft would be their guest at a formal dinner after he visited the laboratory. Trynity had seen the facility and met the scientists, but saw nothing spectacular in the experiments they ran. As far as she was concerned it was a waste of Cinq Kingdom resources.
Sally had left a white suit for her to wear, and Trynity viewed it with distaste, hating the elegantly designed outfit. But she was expected to wear it, so she put it on, tied back her hair as best she could, then jerked her glasses on the end of her nose. Leaving her room, she bumped into Duo in the hall.
He looked down at her feet. "No strings at least!"
Trynity grudgingly admitted to herself that he looked quite good in the white breeches and formal dark green jacket. Although their attire was similar, she was quite sure he looked much better. He offered his arm, but Trinity moved past him. They entered the salon together despite her effort to stay ahead. By the time they arrived, she was almost running and breathless. Duo was huffing behind her and skidded to a stop, almost knocking them over. Sally Po looked at them with disapproval, and Trynity crushed the urge to kick the long-braided oaf for making her look bad. Ever since that first day when Wufei reported Mrs. Drivel's disciplinary action, Miss Sally seemed disappointed in her. Trynity disliked being grouped with Duo Maxwell. Sally said nothing now, but her eyes begged them to behave.
The prince had not yet arrived, so Sally crowded them together for a photographer sent by the prince to capture his wards at their best. The whole episode was a fiasco from start to finish. Sally pushed flowers in Trynity's hands, and not to be outdone, Quatre ran into the garden to find some for himself. Several times the picture was shot, and more than once Duo Maxwell was at fault for some ridiculous thing he was doing behind her back. Trynity sat stiffly in a chair. Quatre posed himself. Heero scowled. The photographer complained that the lenses of Trynity's glasses were causing a glare. She considered fighting to keep them, but relented when Sally frowned. All in all, Trynity could not imagine anyone being proud of the group captured on film. She hoped Prince Miliardo wasn't going to use the picture to elicit funds for his laboratory of orphans.
Hilde and Catherine arrived wearing gowns that made Trynity feel like a fool until Relena Peacecraft arrived also wearing a suit that was similar to Trynity's. Soon the young men segregated themselves on one side of the room and the girls were on another enjoying a glass of punch. Sally gave Trynity an encouraging smile. Although she wanted to see what Duo was talking about that caused such grave interest among the boys; she forced her feet forward to join the girls.
"You look nice," commented Relena politely. She clearly thought otherwise.
Catherine smiled. "Next time I shall come early and I will figure out something to do with your hair!"
"Isn't Quatre adorable!" sighed Hilde, breathing in from the bouquet of roses he had gone to so much trouble to get for the picture. She turned her aqua eyes on Trynity. "Are you and Duo…?"
"Certainly not!" Trynity could not stand to hear their names in the same sentence.
"What's the matter, Hilde?" teased Catherine. "Don't want to burn your bridges in case you lose Quatre when Dorothy returns from vacation?"
Relena and Catherine giggled. Trynity glanced toward the boys and saw Duo talking to a rapt audience. For once he was serious.
"Quatre is breaking up with Dorothy when she returns," sniffed Hilde.
My lord! Don't those girls think or talk about anything else?
"Dorothy might have something to say about that!" Relena and Catherine laughed.
Disgusted, Trynity started towards the boys, but before she could get close enough to hear their discussion, they stopped completely and suddenly became intensely interested in their fingernails. Wufei glared at her.
Before she could make a scathing remark, the butler announced the arrival of their guest of honor.
"His Excellency, Prince Miliardo Peacecraft and Commander Lucrezia Noin."
Lucrezia Noin.
"Noin!" came a voice from Trynity's memory. "What is your status, Noin?"
Status? Alive!
Trynity was horrified to find herself face to face with her failed mission. She wore the uniform of a commander, a ceremonial sword at her side. There was barely a scratch on the beautiful Commander Noin. As Miss Sally introduced her, Trynity could only think of her father's danger because of her failure. Trynity managed to mumble some response to the military leader's greeting, then dropped into a curtsey to Prince Miliardo Peacecraft. Trynity didn't expect to find intelligence in the dark blue eyes of Relena's too handsome brother, but Miliardo Peacecraft scrutinized her carefully before brushing his lips to the back of her hand.
"I am pleased to meet you, Miss Stryfe. Relena has told us much about you, and your esteemed father's reputation has proceeded you."
Her esteemed father? Dr. Ivan Stryfe had been a failure in their eyes. But she said, "I am honored, your Excellency."
"You are looking better, Noin," said Sally as she handed her a glass of wine. "Suffering no ill effects of your recent ordeal?"
Noin laughed softly and reached out to run her hand down the prince's arm, ending by clasping his hand, and she gazed into his eyes. "I am better by the experience."
Trynity bit her lip to leash her anger and frustration. That her quarry could stand so healthy and make cow's eyes at Miliardo Peacecraft when her father might be tortured because of her failure was galling.
Dinner was a quiet affair where polite conversation was the rule. The topics of discussion ranged from the weather to the formal dance at the academy in a few weeks. Relena and Quatre dominated that conversation with comments from Catherine from time to time. Trynity was annoyed to see the prince frequently find an excuse to touch the commander of his forces.
She should not even be at this table!
Noin should be dead!
They returned to the salon after finishing the meal where they were served an after dinner drink. Duo tried to commandeer the prince's stronger drink, then settled for weak wine. The prince merely smiled at his foolishness. In the salon, Heero quickly began the conversation; obviously uncomfortable with continuing the high level planning session carried out by the three that had begun with general Relena in command.
"I read something interesting about Dr. Stryfe in a scientific journal. Did you know, Noin, that he was given the responsibility of designing and building a gundam for Operation M?"
Trynity stared down at her drink as she waited for Noin's response.
"I am aware of that. It was designated Gundam 06, but Stryfe's project was destroyed by an explosion in his laboratory on L10."
"Hey, Trynity," asked Duo curiously, "do you remember the explosion? Were you there?"
"I was away at school," she lied although in reality she had helped her father set the charges.
"Dr. Stryfe did not continue his work," remarked Miliardo Peacecraft.
"Too bad," commented Wufei with his dark eyes on Trynity. "If he had it would explain much."
"Such as?" Trynity disliked Wufei intensely and could not hide it.
His eyes told her the feeling was mutual. Wufei started to speak, but the prince interrupted with a laugh. "I sense a little dissension here. Is there a rivalry, perhaps?"
"Trinity was at the top of her class on the satellite school network," said Miss Sally.
The prince fixed his gaze on Wufei. "I hope you are making her welcome. Her father was very respected in the scientific community."
"…whose gundam was a failure," pointed out Wufei.
"What would you know of gundams?" she demanded.
"What would you, a girl-woman, know?"
"Touché," whistled Trowa softly.
"Miss Stryfe One, Wufei one," responded Heero. The two chuckled.
Sally Po frowned before Trynity could unleash her anger. "Quatre tells me one of his rare exotic flowers has bloomed today. Girls, why don't you join me for some air in the garden."
Trynity had no choice but to follow. Maybe she could make an escape.
After the girls had been gone for several minutes, Noin spoke. "There are no intelligence reports on the unidentified gundam."
"It is called the Shadowhawk," reported Duo. "I studied the data from Deathscythe's memory."
"The memory was not damaged?" asked Miliardo with surprise. "Epyon was wiped clear."
"We didn't take a hit from one of those arrows!" exclaimed Duo with nervous laugh. "This morning before school Sam and I salvaged the memory of at least that attack."
"The design of that gundam is quite amazing," commented Heero. "Its dive seems to defy the laws of physics. The agility and speed with which it attacked is far superior to any that we have on our gundams."
"Like a soaring hawk," volunteered Quatre. Duo wondered if he was going to add it to his poetry.
"Man has never quite been able to duplicate the movements of a bird in flight," remarked Trowa.
"Obviously someone has," pointed out Wufei. "My money is on the recently departed Dr. Ivan Stryfe."
"Miss Stryfe may know more than we think," commented Miliardo as he contemplated the golden liquid in his glass.
"She doesn't know anything," hissed Wufei.
"Perhaps you can but away your jealousy for a moment," snapped Noin with annoyance. "Try to think objectively where your rival is concerned or you may underestimate him - or her."
"She is very intelligent," said Trowa.
"It takes more than intelligence to pilot a gundam," argued Wufei.
"You aren't suggesting her?" asked Duo with a laugh. That carrot headed snob was constantly falling on the floor because of her ridiculous habit of leaving her shoes untied.
Noin shook her head. "Of course not! You and I both heard the voice of that pilot. I will never forget it."
"I don't understand why the Shadowhawk didn't use one of those arrows on the Deathscythe when I was unconscious," mused Duo aloud. "It could have destroyed us, but all I got was a bump on the head and Deathscythe will need more repairs, but it is not destroyed."
"The Shadowhawk disappeared from radar over the ocean." Miliardo drained his glass of wine. "Exhaustive sweeps of the region have turned up nothing."
"It may have soared back into space," suggested Heero. "The speed at which it flies may have fooled conventional radar."
Sally Po returned to the dining room. "Trynity went to bed. She had a headache." Sally laughed. "A few minutes with those girls could give anyone a headache. When I left them, I believe they were discussing their escorts and what they would be dressing them in for the Stardust Ball."
Duo almost laughed at the expression on Heero's face.
"If you need me for any mission that night…" began his friend.
"Any mission," continued Trowa, "even if it is to use Heavyarms to rescue a cat out of a tree…"
Miliardo laughed and set aside his glass. "Sorry, guys, but we will not be using gundams to shoot animals out of trees. You understand the absolute need for secrecy. Critics of my government would use any excuse to call for my abdication. They cannot forget Zechs Merquise."
"Not to mention the New World and Space Alliance," added Noin. "Vice Minister Une would be ruthlessly unforgiving if she knew the gundams were here instead of dismantled as she ordered."
"Fortunately the press hasn't discovered the destruction of Epyon. They still believe a meteor crashed to earth," said Sally Po.
Before they could continue the discussion, the girls returned demanding the attention of their boys. Noin ordered Duo to send any new information to her as soon as possible, then Miliardo escorted her out after warning Relena to return home soon.
Trynity quickly pulled off her suit and slipped on a pair of pants and a jacket over a tee shirt. Jerking up her sleeves, she put on leather gloves, and with her tennis shoes in her hand, she opened her window and did not even pause before hopping out the window to fall many feet below to the beach. Upon hitting the sand, she rolled, then jumped up and dashed away along the shoreline until she came to the rocky shore where the Shadowhawk rested.
From inside her jacket she pulled out a small device and pressed a few buttons. Almost instantly her gundam appeared and Trynity scrambled over the rocks up onto its sleek form. Its sinister face was the most familiar and dear one she had seen in a week.
Once inside, she quickly flipped switches to cloak it again, then ran a diagnostic, searching for a reason the pilot of the Epyon had not been killed. She reviewed the data and came to a conclusion that someone had sent her a faulty report on its strength. She could not rely on the incompetence of the Coalition to carry out missions! It might take days or even weeks, but she would program the Shadowhawk to analyze the enemy's power levels appropriately in order to deliver strikes that would destroy.
As she was contemplating the work ahead, she noticed the communications button flashing. Trynity pressed it.
"Ah, Miss Stryfe! Finally you answer. I was beginning to think that perhaps Commander Noin had defeated you."
Trynity recognized the eerie voice although the face was unfamiliar. This man had sent her the orders. His dark eyes made her flesh crawl. "How is my father? Let me speak to him!"
"Not so fast, my dear girl. We have something to discuss. Your mission."
Trynity clenched her fists. "The Epyon gundam was stronger than your reports indicated," she accused. "But rest assured, my scanners report that it has been rendered inoperable."
"And the pilot?" he demanded angrily, his lip drawn in a sneer. "Commander Noin?"
Trynity swallowed her frustration. "I made a miscalculation based on your data. I assure you, it won't happen again!"
"I suggest you rectify your miscalculation."
The communication ended.
Trynity stared at the blank monitor for a moment, then switched views to scan the area with heat sensors. The monitor displayed results from the Seaside Lab, and after counting, Trynity determined that Prince Miliardo must have taken the prey away. Changing the scope of the scan, she found four objects headed away from the lab, the driver of the prince's limousine, the prince's personal aide who had remained in the laboratory, the prince, and the soon to be inoperable Commander Noin.
"Send out a dozen Leos and a half dozen Aries."
"Is that wise?" Noin was settled comfortably against the plush seat of the limousine. "That size force will likely attract attention, both from the press and the World and Space Alliance."
Miliardo leaned forward. "Benton, have you located the object on the radar?"
"No, sir. I saw it briefly. It may have been a blip in the system, or I saw something that wasn't there."
Miliardo raised a brow. "Our system doesn't make mistakes." Then he added, "Neither do you."
Noin pressed the button to close the partition between the front and back of the limousine. As it slid shut, she said, "Don't worry, Miliardo. Now that you have called out an army to protect us, we can concentrate on other things."
"Other things?" Miliardo turned his attention back to the computer screen built into the limousine. "Such as the latest report from Nelson?"
The screen went blank before his eyes and Noin's slender fingers were grasping the lapels of his jacket as the lighting began to dim, courtesy of the control on her side of the car. "No, Miliardo, other things. We haven't been alone together since I was in the hospital."
"Eight days," he said softly as he let her draw him to her.
"Twenty-one hours," she sighed, sliding her fingers up through his hair.
"Nine seconds," he finished just as their lips met. For a few moments he could forget about any potential danger. They were alone; no reporters to write editorials about the impropriety of a relationship between them. And danger from the stray sighting on the radar? Well that would be taken care of with the Aries suits that should arrive soon to patrol the skies above.
As he slid his arms around her, he heard the door to the skylight above slide open, and lifting his head, he could see the stars reflecting in Noin's dark eyes.
"Lucrezia," he murmured as his long contained feelings for her bubbled to his lips. He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him, but he was struck speechless as the stars in her eyes suddenly melted away to be replaced by the menacing form of a gundam swinging a pulsing object.
Even before he could react, Noin threw him off. "Stop the car!"
They were thrown together as the driver slammed on the brakes. A loud explosion from ahead rocked the car.
Miliardo heard Noin laughing beneath him. "I knew there would be fireworks with you!"
Despite the danger, he had to laugh. He pulled her up and jerked the door open. They dived out and rolled away just in time. The gundam had flung energy bursts that resembled small stars at the car, and Miliardo covered Noin to protect her from the debris raining down on them. He saw Benton dive to safety, but the driver hadn't escaped.
"Where are those damn Aries suits?" shouted Noin.
As if in answer, the gundam above jerked as several shots hit its back. Before further attack could disable it, the wings of the Shadowhawk unfolded and it shot high into the sky.
Noin shoved Miliardo off her. "I can take care of myself! Get behind the Leos." Before he could stop her, Noin was running to the nearest Aries that touched down. She threw off her sword, tossed aside her ceremonial uniform jacket and scrambled up to the open hatch. The pilot inside leapt out, and Noin gave Miliardo one last look before she swung into the cockpit and the door closed.
The Leos arrived to take up position beneath to protect the prince as Noin took her mobile suit into the sky. She opened communications to her forces. "This is Aries I, state you positions." She received reports from Aries II, III, IV and V, but Aries VI did not respond. Noin realized it must have been destroyed already. There was no time to regret the loss.
The Leos were firing, and Noin saw the Shadowhawk diving, its deadly bow nocked with a pulsing arrow aimed for her. But Noin had already been in this position before and she wasn't about to be so easily defeated. The arrow sliced through the air towards her.
"Noin!" She heard Miliardo's voice and almost didn't turn to the side in time to avoid the attack.
"Zechs!" She shouted angrily. "Where are you?"
"Aries VI."
"I should shoot you down myself! I told you to stay with the Leos."
He laughed. "I am not going to hide like an old woman while you steal all the glory."
The arrow exploded into the ground, taking out two Leos. The Shadowhawk swung its mace, knocking out two more while deflecting with its wings laser beams shot by the others. Noin ignited the boosters of her suit and flew high, planning to dive attack, but the gundam hawk turned to follow instantly. Aries II and III tried to attack, but the gundam threw out more energy stars, knocking them down. Noin continued her ascent, her suit shuddering as she neared the atmosphere, the heat becoming almost unbearable.
"Turn back, Noin!" warned Zechs. "The Aries can't take it!"
Nor could she, but the Shadowhawk did not relent. Suddenly she saw another Aries attack the gundam with its laser beam sword, the blow falling on its left wing. The gundam paused for a split second, but it was long enough for Noin to begin the descent away from the atmosphere. The Leos were scattering their firepower to the sky and Aries IV and V were fast approaching. But the Shadowhawk threw off the Aries Noin realized must be Zechs. Aries VI tumbled away, and the gundam nocked its bow again, this time with two arrows. Noin was horrified to see it aim at Zechs, but suddenly it spun and let them loose toward her.
As she braced for the impact, Aries IV and V crossed her path, taking the hits and exploding into fireballs that crashed to the earth destroying another Leo. Noin had no time to mourn the loss of the pilots. Flying through the debris, she ducked beneath the Shadowhawk's widespread wings and approached Aries VI.
"Miliardo, get out of here! Please!"
To her surprise, he flew straight to her, throwing the arms of the mobile suit wide and pulling hers into an embrace.
"Zechs!" she shouted angrily. "I'm glad you care, but now is not the time!"
"Noin, the Shadowhawk wants to destroy you. You, Noin!"
The gundam soared high, them began another dive toward them, and a deadly arrow already nocked. She realized Miliardo was right! The attack on the Epyon when it had been destroyed and Deathscythe merely damaged, the attack on the car, the destruction of Aries IV and V, all pointed to her as the object of the gundam's attack.
Quickly, she unbuckled from her seat and opened the hatch to see the hatch on Aries VI opening. There was no time to wait. Noin leapt the distance, barely managing to grasp the edge of the door. She dangled thousands of feet above the earth for a moment before Miliardo grasped her forearms and dragged her in.
Landing on his lap, she quickly released Aries I as Miliardo closed the hatch door. They both watched Aries I drift away, and Miliardo maneuvered Aries VI quickly away just as the Shadowhawk released the arrow. It hit the mobile suit in the middle, and they watched as it shuddered with energy pulses before exploding from the inside out.
Noin felt Miliardo shudder. He flipped open the communications. "Noin!"
She slid her arms around him and laid her head on his chest as he repeated the agonized cry. His heart was pounding erratically, and so was hers.
The Shadowhawk's laughter rang out. Miliardo held her tightly against him and she felt his lips against her head. Although the Leos were still firing at it, the Shadowhawk soared upward until it disappeared. A moment later, the Heavyarms and Sandrock gundams arrived on the scene and stopped near the Aries were Miliardo had landed.
"Are we too late?" asked Trowa from the Heavyarms.
"Yes," snapped Miliardo. He relayed the last known coordinates of the Shadowhawk, and they hit their boosters to soar upwards in pursuit. But they soon returned. The hawk had disappeared.
Noin remained silent as Trowa and Quatre gave their report. Their communications might be monitored, likely was. Although their systems indicated a scan was run on them, they could not find the gundam.
"We came as soon as we could," said Quatre. "I'm only sorry it was too late." Noin could see by his mournful eyes that Quatre deeply regretted their tardy arrival. He could not see her because Miliardo had switched off visual from the Aries.
"Where is Commander Noin?" asked Trowa.
Miliardo did not answer right away, and when he did, Noin was touched by the intensity of his sorrow. "She didn't make it. The Shadowhawk killed her."
Noin flipped off the switch closing communications and turned to look into his teary eyes. "I love you, too."