Chapter Six: Battle stations
Early next morning a frantic knock on the door woke Noin. She looked around for the noisemaker, discovered it was the door and got out of bed to answer it. It was Herro.
"What?" she was almost afraid to ask as a visit this early and that anxious could only mean one thing; trouble.
"The rebels are about to attack a military installation in space, there is an emergency briefing." Hero chose his words carefully.
"Well I'm sure the other pilots can handle it. Zechs needs his sleep." Noin said quickly, panic rising from the pit of her stomach.
"Lucretzia who's at the door?" Zechs asked as he got up from the bed.
"Nobody Zechs, go back to sleep." She tried to close the door on Hero, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn't just go away. For the first time in years she felt the almost instinctual need to protect and keep her family together, knowing that the briefing could negate both of those feelings.
"Zechs, there's an emergency briefing in the conference room now." Zechs got dressed then walked to the door.
"You can't go, what am I going to tell the girls?" Noin grabbed his arm.
"Noin I have to go. I have to go protect the world we live in now so that the girls can enjoy it." But she still wouldn't let go of his arm. Feeling that time was of the essence Zechs swept his other arm under his wife, sweeping her off her feet and carried her all the way to the conference room. When they arrived the screens were turned on and the fight already under way.
"Alright we launch the Gundams in an hour to meet the rebels." A tired Une stated.
Zechs felt set Noin down in a chair next to him, noting the distinct angst on her face. Attempting to soothe some of her emotions Zechs rested his hand on his wife's thigh as Herro stood up to speak. Through the breifing Zechs felt her began to shiver and realized she was clad in pants and a sleeveless shirt. Noin fell asleep as the meeting continued dreading the departure of her husband.
As the meeting finished Zechs was tempted to let Noin sleep. However she would hate him for not waking her up and saying good-bye and then getting hurt or worse in battle. She woke and accompanied Zechs to the lower deck. Much to the dislike of the matinence and security Noin climbed into the cockpit of the Tallgeese III. Zechs sat there in the chair and let Noin sit on his lap.
"You don't have to go, you can take the next bat-" her thoughts all slipped out at once but diverged as Zechs slipped his tongue into her mouth and tasted the sweetness he loved so much about her. Noin could sense her husband becoming aroused. She was tempted to take his clothes off and make love with him right there. She stared at him refreshing her memory and memorizing every contour of his face hoping that this would not be the last time she would see it. Letting her anxiety run away with her she started to imagine if she would be able to go on with out him. Zechs' keen eyes saw her own grow damp with tears. He cupped her face with his hands
"Lucretzia..." he tired to continue however his throat had constricted much too even speak. So they just held each other.
"All non essential personal must leave the area before departure of the Gundams." came the voice of the maintence chief.
"Tell the girls I love them," he said finding his voice once more
"Let me tell you something for you information, if you manage to get your self blown up or something and leave me a widow to raise those children on my own, when we are together in the afterlife I will still be mad at you." He leaned over kissing her lips for what might be the last time. Zechs then opened the hatch and let Noin climb out of the massive machine.
The floor was cold when Noin stepped down on it barefoot. She unconsciously began to shiver as she waved to the departing mobile suits. Those were not pilots walked up to the conference room to watch the battle unfold. As the two sides clashed the Gundams were doing as well as they could out numbered twenty to one. But soon the sheer force of numbers began to catch up with them and they began to falter.
An enemy suit as big as the Gundams stealthy made its way behind the engaged Tallgeese III. It activated the laser sword and positioned itself for a direct hit on the Tallgeese. Noin sprung from her chair and tired to contact her husband and warn him of the impending danger.
"Zechs behind you!" she screamed thought the COM system.
He heard the frantic yell from Noin. Even though he was a skilled pilot, no amount of speed or strength would get him out of the bind. In no more than an instant his whole life flashed before him, from the times when he was a young prince in the Sank Kingdom to the last time he had kissed his beloved Noin in this very cockpit. The Gundam like suit raised it's sword to converge upon its target, Lowering at what seemed like inches per second. Zechs wait for the fatal blow and said a quiet prayer that his loved ones would be well taken care of after he was gone.
To be continued.
Early next morning a frantic knock on the door woke Noin. She looked around for the noisemaker, discovered it was the door and got out of bed to answer it. It was Herro.
"What?" she was almost afraid to ask as a visit this early and that anxious could only mean one thing; trouble.
"The rebels are about to attack a military installation in space, there is an emergency briefing." Hero chose his words carefully.
"Well I'm sure the other pilots can handle it. Zechs needs his sleep." Noin said quickly, panic rising from the pit of her stomach.
"Lucretzia who's at the door?" Zechs asked as he got up from the bed.
"Nobody Zechs, go back to sleep." She tried to close the door on Hero, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn't just go away. For the first time in years she felt the almost instinctual need to protect and keep her family together, knowing that the briefing could negate both of those feelings.
"Zechs, there's an emergency briefing in the conference room now." Zechs got dressed then walked to the door.
"You can't go, what am I going to tell the girls?" Noin grabbed his arm.
"Noin I have to go. I have to go protect the world we live in now so that the girls can enjoy it." But she still wouldn't let go of his arm. Feeling that time was of the essence Zechs swept his other arm under his wife, sweeping her off her feet and carried her all the way to the conference room. When they arrived the screens were turned on and the fight already under way.
"Alright we launch the Gundams in an hour to meet the rebels." A tired Une stated.
Zechs felt set Noin down in a chair next to him, noting the distinct angst on her face. Attempting to soothe some of her emotions Zechs rested his hand on his wife's thigh as Herro stood up to speak. Through the breifing Zechs felt her began to shiver and realized she was clad in pants and a sleeveless shirt. Noin fell asleep as the meeting continued dreading the departure of her husband.
As the meeting finished Zechs was tempted to let Noin sleep. However she would hate him for not waking her up and saying good-bye and then getting hurt or worse in battle. She woke and accompanied Zechs to the lower deck. Much to the dislike of the matinence and security Noin climbed into the cockpit of the Tallgeese III. Zechs sat there in the chair and let Noin sit on his lap.
"You don't have to go, you can take the next bat-" her thoughts all slipped out at once but diverged as Zechs slipped his tongue into her mouth and tasted the sweetness he loved so much about her. Noin could sense her husband becoming aroused. She was tempted to take his clothes off and make love with him right there. She stared at him refreshing her memory and memorizing every contour of his face hoping that this would not be the last time she would see it. Letting her anxiety run away with her she started to imagine if she would be able to go on with out him. Zechs' keen eyes saw her own grow damp with tears. He cupped her face with his hands
"Lucretzia..." he tired to continue however his throat had constricted much too even speak. So they just held each other.
"All non essential personal must leave the area before departure of the Gundams." came the voice of the maintence chief.
"Tell the girls I love them," he said finding his voice once more
"Let me tell you something for you information, if you manage to get your self blown up or something and leave me a widow to raise those children on my own, when we are together in the afterlife I will still be mad at you." He leaned over kissing her lips for what might be the last time. Zechs then opened the hatch and let Noin climb out of the massive machine.
The floor was cold when Noin stepped down on it barefoot. She unconsciously began to shiver as she waved to the departing mobile suits. Those were not pilots walked up to the conference room to watch the battle unfold. As the two sides clashed the Gundams were doing as well as they could out numbered twenty to one. But soon the sheer force of numbers began to catch up with them and they began to falter.
An enemy suit as big as the Gundams stealthy made its way behind the engaged Tallgeese III. It activated the laser sword and positioned itself for a direct hit on the Tallgeese. Noin sprung from her chair and tired to contact her husband and warn him of the impending danger.
"Zechs behind you!" she screamed thought the COM system.
He heard the frantic yell from Noin. Even though he was a skilled pilot, no amount of speed or strength would get him out of the bind. In no more than an instant his whole life flashed before him, from the times when he was a young prince in the Sank Kingdom to the last time he had kissed his beloved Noin in this very cockpit. The Gundam like suit raised it's sword to converge upon its target, Lowering at what seemed like inches per second. Zechs wait for the fatal blow and said a quiet prayer that his loved ones would be well taken care of after he was gone.
To be continued.