GWStarlightSisters7
Chapter 7: Family Reunion
Early the next morning multiple bodies could be seen sprawling over the couch, the floor, and the chair. There was also the dull taping of the laptop and a Jade wide awake staring at the screen. Forest green eyes fluttered and opened just as she shut the computer and lifted a mug to her lips. He exhaled loudly and she opened her eyes and looked at him over the rim. Her eyes had a tint of red to them and Trowa questioned as to whether this girl would allow herself to cry. She got up from the leather seat and nodded her head toward a pot of coffee on the kitchen table. He unfolded his legs and nodded as he maneuvered his legs over the bodies sprawled everywhere. She smiled at his efforts and handed him a mug as a sort of reward and sat down at the kitchen table. Trowa followed suit and they remained like that for a long time, just enjoying the quiet company of one another's presence. Jade was reaching for another cup of coffee when Trowa in a quiet voice so he wouldn't wake any of the others questioned, " What happened to you and Heero as children?"
She looked at him quietly and took another drink of her coffee before answering, "Constant beatings, test missions, abuse of every kind, and a bond created between the two of us that even though he thought me for dead never died." she smiled despite the horrible memories. "Heero was giving to an assassin named Odin when we were just infants. I was immediately handed over to Dr. J. From what Dr. J told me, he and Odin were in it together from the beginning. Odin knowing that his time was short went on a mission with Heero and purposely got himself killed. After that Heero was intercepted by Dr. J in an ally way and was asked if he wanted to become a mobile suit pilot. Heero made the choice because of something Odin said to him when he died."
She took another drink of her coffee and looked at Trowa, "What about you?"
Trowa shrugged his shoulder, "Orphaned when I was really little and was picked up by a wandering band of mercenaries. I know I am from the colony cluster L3 but that is about the extent of it." Jade nodded understandingly as he told his tale with very little emotion in his voice.
She tossed her dark brown hair over her shoulder and the sun caught it making the strands seem to dance and sparkle in the sun. Trowa just stared at her hair enthralled by the strands that seemed to have taken on a life of their own. Suddenly, Duo could be heard grunting and groaning and a liquor bottle rolled into sight. Trowa just stared at the sight and Jade smiled. "So just how we suppose to wake them up?" Trowa asked knowing that she had probably been up for sometime planning their next move. Jade took on a devious grin and slowly stood up. Trowa followed her movement with her eyes as the young girl walked over to the couch where Woo, Wufei, and Heero had somehow all managed to fall asleep on. She stooped down to her brother and began to sing softly into his ear, "Brother your safe now and safe may you stay. For I have a prayer just for you. Grow my own brother, come back someday. Come and deliver me too." Heero's eyes began to flutter and he groaned and began to turn and toss. Wufei got hit in the eyes by Heero's foot and he reached out and tried to smack it away but instead it hit Woo. Woo in turn rolled over trying to get away from Wufei's flying hand and rolled off the couch onto Duo who promptly screamed waking everyone. Jade smiled at Trowa whose eyes had just taken on a sparkle and it looked like he was amused. Jade kicked the liquor bottle way and said to Steph who was looking up at her after being awakened by Duo's loud scream, "Time to rise and shine because we've got things to do." Step just shook her light brown hair and banged her head lightly on the floor. "Next time Duo pulls out a bottle without a label remind me never to take a drink of the stuff." Jade turned and walked out the door. She came back a few seconds later with five duffel bags. "I was up really early this morning and I already cleared out our safe house." She said as she handed each of the girls a duffel bag.
Stephanie had pulled herself off the floor and Duo was rubbing his sore back and glaring at Woo who was trying to apologize to him. Lily was leaning her back against the wall observing everyone and rummaging through her bag. She looked up at Trowa. "Hey can I use your room for a second?" Trowa nodded and Lily made her way toward Trowa room dragging her bag behind her. Quatre looked over at Stephanie. "You can use mine Steph if you want." She smiled at him, "Hey thanks." Woo just stood up saying, "Ok Wufei I'll use yours then." Wufei was about to argue when Trowa handed him and mug of coffee that took his attention away from Woo. Jade pulled her shoulder length hair back into a ponytail and handed her brother a bottled water. "Didn't figure you drank coffee." He nodded his head and took the water, getting up from his seat. Duo was fumbling with the tie of his braid. "Duo you need help with that?" Jade asked. He looked up to find her standing there with a brush. He nodded and she sat down on the couch and undid the tie of his hair. His hair was long, shiny, and reminded her so much of the hair she had once valued. She began brushing his hair while the others began making toast for breakfast or finished up their coffee. She was just finishing with the braid when Wufei asked, "So what are we to do today?"
Heero looked over at Jade. She sensed his look and put the tie in Duo's hair while saying, "We are headed over to colony VNT34667 and pick up Kari and a few supplies. After that it's up to you." Duo got up from the floor and grabbed a coffee mug downing it in a few seconds. The girls emerged from the multiple rooms and began eating breakfast and cleaning the house while the guys got their things together. In a few hours the place what spotless and a van could be seen pulling away from it. They made it to the shuttle and made it to colony VNT34667 with no strange events happening. They touched down and the misfit group made their way out of the shuttle and headed off into the direction of Heldi's house. Duo began chewing on the end of his braid clearly nervous. "Hey guys while we are on this colony maybe we could stop by and see Heldi." Heero turned around and looked at Duo for a second. "Heldi lives on this colony?" Duo nodded. The girls smiled at one another clearly loving the inside joke that they shared. "Jade just who has Kari right now?" Heero asked her. Jade turned around with her duffel bag slung over her one shoulder and began walking backwards saying, "Heldi." Quatre simply shook his head. "Is there anyone we know that she doesn't."
A pretty two-story house came into view just around this time. It didn't have much of a front yard and was built of red brick. Woo dropped her bag and ran up to the house and unlocked the door with the biggest grin on her face. Stephanie and Lily followed after her. The boys and Jade walked into the house quietly. "Kari! Heldi! Hey we're here! And we've brought some friends! Kari!" Woo began yelling happily. Lily began looking around, "Hey where are they?" Stephanie had pulled out her gun. "Guys this isn't right. Look." She said pointing to the mud stains on the floor and a deep gash on the wall. Heero pulled out his gun and pointed it the ground and motioned to the guys to spread out. Jade and Stephanie quietly moved up the stairs and the other's began to systematically search the bottom floor. Woo and Duo searched the basement. The two quietly made their way down the creaking steps. Woo hit the basement wall with her knuckles. "What are you doing?" Duo asked.
"Heldi told me that she had put in a hidden closet somewhere in the house but wouldn't tell us where it was. If the A's had broken into the house I think that is where she would have gone with Kari." The last of her words broke into a choke. "I won't ever forgive myself if something happened to her." Duo patted her arm and nodded. "Heldi's smart. I'm sure their ok." Just as he was saying this he tripped over a piece of unleveled dirt on the floor. "Ouch!" He began to rub his sore backside. Woo put her fingers to his lips to quiet him. "Listen." A small girl's sniffles could be heard directly underneath them. They began clawing at the earth until a wooden box appeared. They tore off the top of it and there was Kari crying with a passed out Heldi holding her close. Woo pulled out Kari and held the crying girl close. Duo pulled out Heldi and began CPR. In a few minutes Heldi opened her eyes and began breathing normally. "Duo? What are you doing here? Kari! Where's Kari! They, they buried us! Oh my god Duo!" Heldi burst into sobbing while Duo, who had never seen her cry before, held her close. "Woo why would they bury them alive?" Woo shook her head. "I don't know Duo." Woo moved up to the top of the steps and yelled up, "Found!" In a few seconds the basement was full of people. Duo had calmed Heldi down and Wufei, Heero and Trowa were inspecting the coffin. Woo sat on the steps with a sniveling Kari. Jade, Stephanie and Lily where inspecting the rest of the basement. "I don't understand. Why would they try to bury them alive? Why not just take them to a nearby base and drill them for information?"
"Because they had been drilling us for information for days in this house." Heldi's head went down and she couldn't look into the eyes of any one in the room. "They used the truth serum on me." She hid her face into her hands, "I had to tell them everything I knew." She began to sob. Jade's head went down and she sighed heavily. "They know everything?" Heldi nodded her head. Woo held Kari closer. Stephanie and Lily made eye contact over Trowa's head. Jade walked over to Heldi and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. It's alright. What really matters is that you and Kari are safe. For now."
Heldi looked up. "What do you mean 'for now'?" Jade sighed, "While Steph and I were looking around upstairs we found a bomb. Steph deactivated it, but I think this house is being watched. They are probably on their way here as we speak. We have to go, now." At that Duo helped her up, slinging one of her arms around his shoulder and Woo stood up hugging Kari to her chest. They all quickly to made their way up the stairs and out the sliding glass back door. They all hopped the back brick fence and ran into a local park. The sounds of police and military cars could be heard coming closer to the house. They weren't at their fastest with Kari and Heldi but they quickly made their way out of the local park. "Wufei hold her for me" Duo slipped Heldi's arm over Wufei's shoulder while Duo quickly hot wired a car. Woo hand already handed Kari to Steph as she did the same. All of them jumped into the cars and took off down the street in two separate directions.
"Where are we going?" Trowa asked in the back seat of a wired Monte Carlo with a stressed Oriental girl behind the wheel. "We are headed toward the South Axis of this colony where we stashed some very important equipment."
"Just where did you learn to hot wire a car Woo?" Asked Wufei from right beside her. "Are you complaining Chang?" Wufei simply shrugged and kept an eye out for the military police as they sped off toward the South Axis.
"Just where are we going?" Duo asked to Jade. Jade smoothly turned the steering wheel, "The South Axis of this colony. We've got things to pick up there." Stephanie held Kari on her lap and she stared at Duo weirdly. "I know you," she said pointing at Duo. Duo looked at the kid as if seeing her for the first time. "You're my cousin, my mommy told me so." She said smiling. Duo smiled and held out his arms to the little girl. She squirmed and Stephanie reluctantly released her. She jumped into Duo's arms and cuddled against his chest. "She told me you would protect me." Duo held her close. "Names Duo. I might run, I might hide, but I never tell a lie." Kari giggled. "Can I change my name to Triple since your Duo?" Duo's eyes lighted up as she say this. "Sure kid." Steph smiled and crossed her arms.
The two cars reached the axis at about the same time. Lily, Wufei, Woo, Trowa, and Heldi stepped out of the Monte Carlo, while Jade, Kari being held by Duo, Steph, Quatre, and Heero all got out of the Benize. Duo slapped the top of the Benize with his free hand, "Riding around in style man."
"Come on! We haven't got much time. This way!" Lily was already beginning to make her way through the crowded woods that provided enough oxygen for the entire colony. They all crashed into the woods and spent a good hour in the woods before they stopped at a large oak tree. Jade turned to the girls who were surrounding her. "Ok Woo you take Duo and Kari, Quatre and Heldi you go with Stephanie, Heero you and Wufei are going to go with Lily and I'll take Trowa."
"Whoa wait a second. Why are you sending Mr. Justice and Mr. Perfect Soldier with me?" Lily asked.
"Because of all of us you are the worst at this." Stephanie said. Lily scowled, but nodded in agreement.
"Ok break," Jade motioned for Trowa to follow her and the others all split up in according to the orders they had been given.
Man this girl is fast! Trowa could hardly believe how fast she was moving. Night was descending and she looked like a shadow. He couldn't see her but he could hear her and he followed the sounds she was making. Soon they came to a clearing in the woods and there inside the shadows looked like an enormous hill. Jade appeared beside him and she motioned for him to give her a hand. She headed over to the hill and began removing the soil with her hands. Trowa came up closer to get a better look at what she was doing and saw a glass blue eye staring at him from under the patch of soil she had just ripped up. He frowned and began helping her clear away the brush nearest to the ground. "Ok," she whispered to him. "I need you to hold up this pile of brush so I can get inside and get Starlight up." Trowa frowned, but did as she requested. She gripped a smooth metal handle and a hatch opened up and she slid in side ways into the machine. The hatch began to close as she said to him, "Ok step back alright." The hatch closed and Trowa walked to the edge of the clearing. Lights began flashing from underneath the soil and the sound of the booster engine starting up filled the air. The soil shifted, moved and fell away as a large gundam began to appear from underneath the dirt and brush.
The muddy, brown earth clung to the chrome of the gundam, but Trowa made out the colors of dark cobalt blue and silver. The air kicked up the dirt as it began rising into the air. Trowa covered his eyes with his arm as it settled back down on the ground. The hatch opened again and Jade dropped down the wire latter. Trowa ran to it and it began to take him up to the opening in the monster. "Ok Trowa this is going to be a really tight squeeze because of all of the compartments mine is the smallest. But if you think you can fit on that," she pointed to a console that looked like it was busted from a former battle with exposed wires and plastic buttons busted out of place right next to her. Trowa nodded silently and slid past her. "I'm sorry there isn't a safety belt for you." She said sadly as Trowa bent his head in an awkward angle to be able to fit on the console without his head hitting the top of the cockpit.
"Why do it look like a disaster area in here?" He asked. She punched a couple of the buttons on the console in front of her saying, "Because I have been having some problems when I have been trying to up grade Light to Starlight. We've tried to run tests on it but every time I get into the cockpit.....lets just say I can't handle the new program." She wouldn't meet his eyes and he didn't press the conversation. She loosely maneuvered the controls and pressed a couple of buttons on the screen and the sounds of metal, electricity, pressure release pumps could be heard as the machine morphed into another shape. Once the transformation was done and Jade looked out at her screens and breathed deeply and exhaling loudly. Trowa had only heard of what Christmas was and what kids must look like when they open their presents on that blessed morning, but looking at the face of Jade at the moment he thought that that was what they must look like. Jade grinning like a kid in a candy store smoothly maneuvered the controls again and flew that shuttle toward the docking station, which was the closest way out of that colony.
"This is tower. StarclassMS43358 originally from the Kai Kingdom now taking off for flight. Good luck soldier." Jade scowled but responded. "Thank you Roger and take care of yourself. StarclassMS43358 out." With that the large blocks of metal that had been blocking their way were put down to make a runway for them and they were off into the deafness of space. She did a few rollovers smoothly avoiding the large asteroids that happened to be in her way. "Trowa see that busted radio looking walkie talkie behind me?" She said pointing her thumb at a decrepit piece of machinery that was attached to the back of her seat. "Grab it and slowly move the frequency from the lowest to the highest number." She ordered as he gently to the thing. He felt that if he held it to tightly the thing might actually disintegrate in his hand. He slowly and gently moved the frequency button and a loud scratchy sound that resembled a human voice came on the line.
Jade got them out of the asteroid field and unhooked herself from the seat, slightly adjusting her jeans and loose t-shirt. She cocked her head to the side and seemed to be listening to a sound that Trowa couldn't hear. When Trowa had gone through all of the frequencies she seemed satisfied and rehooked herself into the seat and pressed a couple of button on the control panel above her seat. The three screens showed an array of people. Quatre and a more determined Heldi were scrunched in one seat behind Steph. Duo was bouncing an ecstatically happy Kari in a seat behind Woo. Mr. Justice and Mr. Perfect Soldier were sitting on the busted up consoles on either side of a disgruntled looking Lily.
Jade sadly shook her head and sighed unhappily. For the first time ever She looked as if she was lost. She closed her eyes and hung her head down, with her hands griping the controls so tightly they were turning white. "I don't know what to do. Heldi divulged to many of our secrets. We can't return to any of our safehouses. All of those months of planning and working." She rubbed her forehead with the pads of her fingers. "I hate to say it, but it looks as if we are going to have to totally depend on you Heero for safety and a place to stay." Heero shrugged his shoulders and all of the girls' faces turned grim at thinking of taking charity from their passengers.
But at moments like this always plan on Duo to say the thing to make everyone feel better. "Hey that was some really great work back there though. I mean first off how the hell did you guys get hold of weaponry like this." And with that he tapped the back of Woo's seat indicating the mobile suits. "Are they gundamium? And where did you guys get the classified information to fake security at the spaceport back there?"
Jade held up her hand to silence the over enthusiastic pilot. "Yes Duo they are gundam. I made mine from scratch with a little help from the blueprints that Dr. J left behind. That and a beat up old gundamium carrier. And your friend Heldi got us the clearance passed to get by the security." When she was explaining all of this to the braided goof ball Lily was scanning her side screen and nudging Heero to look at something. "Hey. I hate to interrupt social hour Jade, but I think there is someone coming. It looks like a carrier." Lily said. Jade reached behind her and grabbed the beat up old radio and flipped on the frequency. She frowned concentrating. "I don't know. Whoever it is they are trying to contact us. They know we are here. Weaponry? What kind of weaponry do they have Woo?"
"None."
"Speed Steph."
"Looks like we could out run them if need be."
"Ok everyone open up communications on visual frequency."
"Roger."
The screen went up. At first the young woman manning the controls of the ship looked normal. But the first thing that caught Trowa's attention was the way she carried herself. Then it was her long cornsilk colored hair. And finally when she looked up into the screen the sparkling blue eyes of Relena former Queen of the World. She manned the controls with a skill that he didn't think possible and by the look on Heero's face he obviously didn't think that she could man any heavy machinery much less a complicated system like a space shuttle. "Oh my fucking god! She ALIVE!" Stephanie more or less screamed the words. Lily's grip tightened around the controls in defense finally seeing her distantly related sister for the first time and not knowing another way to react other than to go into defense. Woo leaned back into her seat and crossing her arms a smile crossing her lips as if telling everyone that she had known all along. Jade seemed to smirk as if sizing up the girl and finding strength in her that she admired. Relena looked confused for a second and then seeing the eyes of Heero she smiled and relaxed. "Noin, Poe, and Une are on board in the bowels of the ship. They have been working extremely long hours and I insisted that they rest. Who are all of these people and what are you doing in these machines?"
"First of all Princess I want to know how you knew where we were?" Jade said offhandedly.
Relena focused her attention onto Jade. Her eyebrows came together and her eyes shifted for a second back to Heero as if she were comparing the two. She quickly turned back to Jade, "We picked up an old type of frequency coming from an old radio or walkie talkie. We traced them to you guys and well it's not every day you run across weapons of mass destruction made of gundanium aloe. The only people I have ever known in theses things I have known that I could trust. I thought you might be them." She said waving her hand at Heero and the others. Jade leaned back in her seat and she brought up the walkie-talkie that was still in her hand. "This walkie talkie I use to listen into other frequency so I know if I am being followed by enemy forces. It's a very old type of machinery and because it is so outdated there are no longer any ships installed with the system to track it. Or so I thought."
"Relena let us board. We're tired and need to rest also. Plus we in to update everyone on our new allies." Heero said coolly. They maneuvered their mobile suits and Relena let down the hatch. Each one orderly landed and docked. Relena, Poe, Noin, and Une all rushed out to greet them once the oxygen had been restored to the room. The hatches were let down and each one of them either climbed down, jumped down, or were lowered down by the cable. Noin leaned against the railing, Une standing straight up in her green pants suit, while Relena and Poe greeted the guys telling them how happy they were to find them alive and well. All of a sudden it went quiet as the Jade and Steph jumped out of their gundams and Woo and Lily slowly descended to the floor on their cables. Lily turned a small shade a crimson has she waved to Noin. "Hi Noin. Um hows it going?" Noin's face went white and she walked over to the young girl placing a hand on either of her shoulders. "I thought you were dead Lily." She said happily. Lily smiled and wrapped her arms around the older woman giving her a big hug. "Yeah and Zechs says he misses you too." Noin smiled and hugged the young woman.
Une had walked in front of Steph. "Miss Stephanie." She greeted her formally. Steph snapped to a military position and saluted. "Colonel Une. It is good to see you are well commander."
Une smiled. "As you were. It's good to see your well Stephanie. Your cousin and niece are both well and taken care of though they both miss you." Stephanie nodded, "Thank you for taking care of them for me."
"Not a problem." She replied smiling. "And you may call me Lady Une from now on?" Steph smiled and nodded.
A that moment a mass ball of brown hair energy jumped away from Duo and went running into the former Queen of the World slamming her to the ground. "Relena!" Kari squealed hugging her tightly. "Kari?" Relena sat up stunned and held the child up from under her armpits. "Kari what in the world are you doing here. And who are you people?" She said looking at Jade. Jade had remained leaning up against her gundam Starlight with foot planted on the crome of the metal. Jade looked up slowly staring straight up into the sky blue eyes of Relena. For a second molten fire cobalt blue clashed with sparkling sky blue. Jade smiled closed her eyes and pushed away from her gundam with her foot planting it firmly on the ground and walked purposely toward Relena. She held out her hand to the girl. Relena took it and Jade helped her up saying, "What you should really be questioning is what we are doing with two ton pieces of machinery that can blow up entire continents in an instant."