Research Colony L10

A flute was playing somewhere. Trowa groaned and turned away from the noise, pulling a pillow over his head. Whoever was disturbing his sleep should be shot! Despite the pillow, he could still hear voices.

"You will make him soft, Virineia."

Trowa couldn't hear the flute anymore.

"I will make him human, my dear Zeno, something you would not understand."

Trowa growled, threw the pillow, and then bolted up.

Dishes clattered, and he heard an exclamation. Trowa blinked his eyes. Relena was sitting on the edge of his bed. "What are you doing here?"

"You're awake!" Relena seemed more surprised than he did as she held a spoon in her hand.

Trowa looked around the unfamiliar room. "Where…where am I?"

She busied herself with picking up the dishes he had knocked on the floor. "We are at Dr. Stryfe's research station."

"I don't remember coming here." Trowa had absolutely no memory of how he had gotten to this room.

Relena set aside the dishes, and after wiping up the spilled broth, she patted his hands. "The doctor said the shock was too much for your mind to bear. You haven't been yourself for a long time."

So he lost his mind? He tried to sit up and found that he was weak. "How long have we been here?"

"A couple of months. You have drifted in and out of consciousness." Relena walked over to the telecom. "This is the first time you have actually spoken to any of us." She pressed the button to speak. "Trynity, will you locate Heero and tell him that Trowa is awake. He spoke to me!"

"That's good news," he heard Trynity respond. "I'll let Heero know right away. He and Duo are on patrol."

Relena returned to Trowa's bedside. "I will send the doctor in."

He looked at the dishes. "Were you feeding me?"

She smiled. "I was about to, but apparently you don't like the soup."

Trowa managed to laugh although he did so weakly. "Did you cook it?"

"Don't be ridiculous! Me cook? We have had a full staff here for at least three weeks. Every day transports arrive with supplies, scientists and their families or colonists willing to settle on L10."

"Has Dr. Stryfe tested his fuel?"

"He is very pleased with the results. He now has a team of designers who are creating an engine that is capable of using it for extended periods. I know you will find this difficult to believe, but Dr. Stryfe's fuel is too volatile for conventional spacecrafts."

Trowa couldn't even smile at her jest. He felt out of place. He didn't belong here. But he didn't know anymore where he belonged.

A doctor soon replaced Relena. After interviewing him for almost an hour and checking his physical condition, the man pronounced him unable to return to active duty for at least a month, perhaps longer pending the results of a psychiatric examination. Were it not for the efforts of his friends to keep him alive, Trowa would surely be dead. They had taken turns forcing him to eat and caring for him, talking to him to bring him back from the catatonic state into which he had lapsed when he had wanted nothing more than to die.

After the doctor had gone, Trowa expected Relena to return, but Trynity came into the room. "The doctor has prescribed a short walk. Let's go."

"Where is Relena?" he asked.

"She's on duty," Trynity told him.

"On duty?" He couldn't imagine what Relena would be doing.

His confusion must have shown because Trynity laughed. "Relena is under Heero's command here. The king himself approved it, although he was furious about what she did. Relena has been working very hard in mastering navigation, so she has been busy with shuttle flights to different parts of the colony. I think her shuttle is escorting a supply transport."

Trowa felt foolish having to lean on Trynity, but he hadn't been out of his bed in weeks. She didn't seem to mind that they moved slowly from his room. "They are finally going to finish the colony," she told him as they walked along a corridor. "Technicians are already working on the artificial atmosphere, so we're hoping to see a sky by the end of the month."

After leading him to a bench on an observation deck only a few corridors from his room, Trynity left him long enough to press some buttons on a control panel and doors opened to reveal a breathtaking view of space. But all Trowa could think about was who was out there, probably a galaxy away.

"Don't cry, Trowa." Trynity reached up to catch a tear on her finger.

"I can't stop myself," he admitted. "I thought she loved me. But it was someone else, someone I couldn't be for her."

Trynity took his hand. "I wish I could help you."

He stared out at the stars. "I understand their need to be protected."

"What they did to you was beyond cruel," said Trynity angrily. "Don't say that you can understand them!"

Trowa sighed. "Their ability to give me Prince Trey's life was incredible." He looked at Trynity. "I felt everything he felt, relived everything that had shaped his life. Yet they could not give me the one thing they did not understand themselves, and that was the memory of the day the crowned prince left Calabria alone, unprotected, and why he had taken Arora's sword, a sword that meant so much to her."

"Because they did not know why he had betrayed them."

"After have his memories, I cannot believe that Prince Trey betrayed them." Trowa looked down at his hands. "He was in love with Arora. He would have done anything for her. And Apolo was more his brother than Prince Dilan."

"Trowa, you saw what they believed, and they did not want to believe that Trey would leave them behind, turning his back on them to gain power from his alliance with Bayman. Perhaps he was capable of deception, and they did not want to accept that. In the end, he paid a high price for his disloyalty."

"But they had a strong bond with him." Trowa turned his hands to look at his palms, half-expecting that the scars had been a clever illusion, but they were still there. He stared at them incredulously as he heard voices in his head again.

"How could you do such a thing to a child?"

"It is our custom, Virineia."

"I hate your customs, and I hate you!"

"If your son's flame burns half as brightly as yours, my dear wife, he will be a man to fear. But in a female it is unnatural."

"Trowa?"

He blinked and looked at Trynity. "I still have memories," he told her.

She smiled sadly as she put her hand on his cheek. "They aren't yours, Trowa."

He showed her his hands. "What about these scars? My father cut my hands for the blood oaths given to me by Apolo and Arora."

Heero answered from behind them. "The Calabrians were deviously clever, Trowa. Arora told you herself that she planned what she did to you when she took your hands on the beach. She saw or felt the scars and gave you a memory that incorporated them to convince you." He came to him and put his hands on his shoulders. "You have to try to forget."

Trowa buried his face in his own hands. "How can I? How can I ever forget when they made me so much a part of their lives?"

"You have to realize that you never were, that it was a fantasy they created to suit their purposes."

Trowa looked at him. "For a short time, I was to them who they wanted, and for that short time, they were important to me. For the first time, I had a past, and I don't think I give a damn if it was mine or not! You can't imagine how that made me feel."

Heero sighed, knowing that Trowa's recovery was going to take a long time. "According to the doctor's report you can return to limited duty in four weeks and active duty in six. I suggest you concentrate on your recovery."

Turning on his heel, he left Trowa with Trynity, then made his way to the headquarters where he had an office. Heero still felt strange being saluted on his way by the soldiers sent by the Cinq Kingdom to defend the research station from any possible attacks by the Calabrians. Being in command was still very new to him, and at times he felt uncomfortable with the respect he was suddenly given.

Since their arrival at L10, the wormhole had opened another two times, but nothing had come through before it closed again, and they were careful to keep all spacecraft and mobile suits away from the disturbance. Trynity, who did some research on it during her spare time, reported that it stayed open for shorter periods of time each instance. Although it was still too early to formulate a theory or know for certain, she believed the hole was collapsing. All the better for them, thought Heero as he sat behind his desk and flipped on his computer. Once the hole was collapsed they would never have to worry about the Calabrians again. What they did to Trowa proved they were amoral monsters, and while their technology was not nearly as advanced as their own, their mental powers proved them dangerous.

Heero glanced at the duty roster and saw that Relena was navigating a shuttle that was meeting another supply shipment from the Cinq Kingdom. Her commanding officer on the flight was an aristocrat's son, Graham Sheraton. Heero didn't like him, but he hadn't done anything yet to justify his enmity. There was just something about the young man, perhaps the way he looked down his noble nose at everyone, that didn't sit well with Heero. Of course, his distrust had nothing to do with the incessant flirting he did with Relena.

Without knowing why, he opened communications with the shuttle. "Lieutenant Sheraton, what are your coordinates?"

"Is there a problem, commander?" asked Sheraton with his silky smooth voice. "We are on course and should return from G sector in approximately thirty minutes."

Heero drummed his fingers on his desk. Why had he contacted the shuttle? It couldn't be that he was checking up on Relena. She had left on this assignment even before he could get out of his gundam. Heero was beginning to regret his harsh words to her when he found her on the transport on the way to L10. In the last eight weeks she had barely spoken to him. True, he had been busy with his duties, and after Zechs had angrily informed Relena that she would have to make her way like any other new recruit, Heero had made sure she was busy with her own. Now life was settling into a routine on the colony, and the only possible threat, an invasion from Calabria, even seemed remote. The fact that he and Relena could be so close and yet she could distance herself so well from him was somewhat unsettling to Heero.

"There were no problems encountered by the transport?" They still relied on the Cinq Kingdom for all their raw materials as well as their food and would continue to do so until a resource satellite could be put into orbit near the colony. The Winner Foundation had already approved the moving of the resource satellite from L3 to L10, but that would still be several weeks away, but until that time, each shipment from the Cinq Kingdom was vital to the fledgling colonies survival.

"No problems, commander."

Heero sighed. "Then I will take your report later." He flipped off the telecom. No sight of Relena. Under these conditions she was unlikely to make mistakes, but Heero had a hard time separating the competent officer she had become with the screeching ninny whose servants did most of her homework.

After reading through several reports, Heero left his office and made his way to the laboratory complex. There was construction underway all over the colony, but few problems as of yet. Once the colony was completed, Heero, as chief of security, would likely be busy with the riffraff that would sooner or later drift into this remote part of space. At one time he had been among the riffraff. It was ironic, he thought as he slid his security clearance card through the optic reader then placed his hand on the pad for the DNA scan, that he was now in charge.

When they had first arrived at L10, Heero couldn't believe Stryfe had actually lived in the desolate station, even worse, raised a child there. Heero understood why Trynity had become a target for Barton's plans. There were few comforts, if any. Trynity had been ashamed to point out her quarters, which was little more than a closet off the giant hanger where the Shadowhawk had been built. Dr. Stryfe had stared at the dark area strewn with wires and scraps of gundanium in silence for a few moments before he walked to a paper-strewn desk and leaned on in as if in need of support. At least they had a roof over their head and a place to call home, which was more than Heero could say for himself. If pampered, sheltered, Relena Peacecraft was horrified by the conditions in which Trynity Stryfe had been raised, she didn't say so. Duo just sighed sadly and held her in his arms.

The laboratory was far different now. Overrun with scientists and technicians working to perfect the new engine design for the fuel, there was no lack of activity. Heero had little time to do more than check their security clearance of the people entering the colony, but he did recognize some faces. Seeing Trynity talking to one of the test pilots, he paused when he recognized the face: Tayra Rothschild, another spoiled heir of the Cinq Kingdom nobility. He wondered why an attractive, rich young woman like her would enter into pilot training and volunteer to pilot a craft that might end up a ball of flames. If she had ever sat in on one of Dr. Stryfe's chemistry lectures, she wouldn't be so eager to jump in a craft fueled by his creation.

Trynity smiled and waved when she saw him approaching. "Heero, do you know Tayra?"

"I've seen her file," he said without a glance at her.

"I've seen yours too," said Tayra sarcastically.

Now he looked at her and found her looking him over. She had guts, he thought, and a quite package to go with them. "I hope you are enjoying your stay on L10," he said for lack of anything else.

"What's not to like? The entertainment sector is under construction, I live in a tin can and there aren't any men around."

Heero chuckled. "I think the men under my command might take offense."

"Those security officers?" Tayra laughed. "The only thing dangerous or interesting about them is their guns, and I doubt they are loaded."

Heero raised a brow. "I assure you, they have been issued ammunition."

Tayra rolled her eyes and walked away.

He was watching her when Trynity cleared her throat. "Trowa is resting."

He looked back at her. "He is going to be trouble."

"Do you think he should return to Earth?" She turned her attention back to the calculations on her computer screen.

"No. He wouldn't be able to make the trip without someone to hold his hand." Heero crossed his arms over his chest and leaned on the edge of Trynity's desk. "They messed him up pretty damn good."

She didn't look at him. "I wonder if you considered the possibility that he is who they made him believe."

Heero sighed. "I have considered it."

Trynity looked at him. "And what have you decided?"

"That he is Trowa Barton. Who he was is irrelevant. If you believe that he is Prince Trey, then you can assume that his imperial guards did not take him back to Calabria for a damn good reason."

"I have come to the same conclusion you have." She turned to look at her calculations. "I think they made a great sacrifice to protect him."

"We can't let Trowa know. He's barely back from the breaking point as it is," Heero told her. "As far as everyone is concerned, Prince Trey is dead."

She was studying her screen intently. "What if his full memory returns?"

"He'll never know for certain if they are his memories or those Apolo and Arora planted in his head."

Trynity looked at him. "If he ever remembers why and how he left Calabria in the first place, Prince Trey will not be happy to find himself stuck here, far from his home, far from his birthright, far from the woman he loves."

"He will have to accept the hand fate dealt him."

"You mean the hand Arora and Apolo dealt him. Maybe if we really considered ourselves his friends, we would help him any way we can."

Heero was about to argue, but Tayra returned, changed out of her pilot's suit into a tight, short dress cut low enough to distract him. She hooked her arm around his. "Why don't we get a bite to eat in the canteen?"

"I was headed to the hanger to check on the incoming transport." He wasn't used to attractive women coming on to him.

"You will eventually eat, won't you?" She was grinning at him. He caught Trynity smiling as she continued to work on her calculations, and he felt embarrassed about his inexperience.

"I suppose I will." He disentangled his arm from hers. It just didn't feel right. "Feel free to tag along."

He didn't wait for her, but then he didn't have to. She stuck by his side as he made his way to the hanger and stopped in the control room to check the progress of the incoming transport. The men working in the control room saluted him and looked curiously at the woman hovering around him.

She winked at them. "Hello, boys. Commander Yuy wants you to take a break."

He raised a brow as they filed out of the control room exchanging knowing glances. Heero turned to the screen and saw that the shuttle and transport that it was escorting was approaching the colony.

Tayra pushed herself between him and the control panel and slipped her arms around his neck. "They are quite all right, Heero. We have a few minutes. Let's not waste them." She pulled his head to hers.

Although her behavior seemed to come out of left field, having nothing better to do, he just let her kiss him. She knew what she was doing, was his last coherent thought, and she knew what she wanted. Just as things began to get intensely interesting, the buzzer on the telecom began to sound incessantly. They both reached out, Heero to answer, Tayra to shut it off.

"Leave it!" She tried to regain his interest, but Heero shoved her aside and opened the communication.

To his aggravation it was Sheraton. "The worm hole is opening, sir."

Heero changed the screen to view space, glad to get pretty boy's face out of his sight. He doubted he would ever get used to seeing the change wormhole made to the space around it when it appeared and opened near the station. "Move the shuttle to a position behind the transport in case of attack."

As he watched the transport move ahead of the shuttle and head towards a docking bay on the colony, Tayra hung on him. How did he get himself into this? She was like a leech. What was she doing to his neck? He had to check the urge to slap her off.

He stared at the screen, at the shuttle waiting, facing the wormhole. Once the transport was in the colony, he heard Sheraton order Relena to put in the course for docking procedures. The shuttle remained where it was. Sheraton repeated his order. Still no movement.

Annoyed, Heero punched buttons until he had Relena's face on the screen. "What are you doing? Bring in the shuttle."

"Navigation systems are not responding," she said calmly. She was working at her control panel. The lights dimmed in the shuttle.

"We seem to be caught in an energy flux from the worm hole," said Sheraton.

No shit, Sherlock, thought Heero. He shoved Tayra away. "Relena, plot a course yourself."

"I can't. The computer system is not responding."

Heero looked at another screen and saw that the shuttle was drifting towards the wormhole. He couldn't help the panic that was rising as he imagined the shuttle being sucked into the distortion. Although Relena seemed to be keeping her composure, he dared not show her his fear. "Switch to manual systems and fire boosters to break the pull."

"Firing the first set of boosters," she announced. The shuttle lurched forward but quickly moved backwards toward the hole.

Tayra leaned on the panel. "Fire the second set and the forward thrusters," she said. "Turn the shuttle ninety degrees from the worm hole."

Holding his breath, Heero watched the maneuver, daring to hope Relena could do it. When the shuttle shot away, he let out a sigh of relief. It continued on course towards the docking bay.

Tayra flipped off the telecom. "I'm not just a pretty face and a gorgeous body."

He raised a brow. "Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?"

She laughed. "Very sure. My father tried to convince Miliardo Peacecraft to allow me to pilot a gundam."

"You're not gundam material," he scoffed. "You don't know the first thing about killing."

"Is that what it takes to pilot a gundam?" She ran her hands over his chest. "How many have you killed?"

"Too many to count."

"That excites me," she whispered in his ear.

"You disgust me." He turned to the control panel to open the hanger door, then watched as the shuttle gracefully entered. After several moments, the shuttle door opened and Lt. Sheraton drifted out first and landed on the floor, then turned and held out his arms. As he watched Relena float down to him, Heero gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

Shoving past the clinging Tayra, he left the control room and entered the hanger where he found Sheraton holding Relena in his arms. When Relena turned to him, he first saw guilt, then hurt surprise. Heero half-turned to see Tayra coming to settle against him, putting her hand on his arm possessively.

"Relena Darlian!" Her voice reminded Heero of an alley cat.

Relena didn't look at Heero. "Tayra. I didn't know you were here."

"I didn't know you were here! When did you arrive?"

"She is under my command," said Heero. This could get ugly. "She was with me."

A blush rose to Relena's cheeks, and the bottom seemed to fall out of Heero's stomach. Her innocent blush was far more attractive than anything tawdry Tayra could do to get his interest. And just what brought on that blush?

"Did you have an interesting flight with Sher?" Tayra went past Heero, to his relief, and almost bumped into Relena in her haste to greet Lieutenant Sheraton.

"What a pleasant surprise, Tayra," he said in his patented aristocratically false voice.

"This is just like old times," purred Tayra as she looked from Relena to Sheraton.

"You all know each other?" asked Heero.

"Isn't it obvious," snapped Relena as she picked up her helmet. "I'm hungry." She didn't explain any further.

"I'll walk you to the canteen," suggested Heero.

"That won't be necessary," she informed him tersely. Relena wanted to throw her helmet at his head. Tayra's lips were puffy and Heero had an enormous mark on his neck. She had wondered what had taken so long for a response to Sheraton's call. Now she knew. That Rothschild slut had been with him, distracting him from his duties. What were they doing in the control room anyway?

She turned back to Sheraton. That ass was looking at Tayra like she was about to become his meal, and she didn't mind one bit. As if Relena cared! They could all go to hell! "Are you coming, Sher?"

"What a coincidence! Heero and I were headed the same direction!" Tayra moved to wrap her arm around Heero's.

Relena dismissed them all with her eyes, then headed toward the exit. This day couldn't get much worse! The only bright spot was that Trowa had awakened. During that blasted shuttle escort assignment, Sheraton had put such strong moves on her that she had finally threatened him with a gun. He made it quite clear that he did not take her seriously as his navigator, that she had earned her position either through her brother or under Heero Yuy. To spend two hours in his company, alone on that shuttle with him and his insinuations was too much to bear. To his credit he did not show any surprise at her invitation to join her in the canteen, but then why should he when he knew exactly how she felt about Tayra? Now he probably thought she would give in. Relena wanted to cry about the mess she was in.

Tayra Rothschild! When had that wretched girl arrived on L10? The three of them had briefly attended the same academy on L4 when the alliance government had stationed Vice-Minister Darlian there. Tayra had been obnoxious and rude, making her dislike of Relena no secret. Relena could look back now and honestly admit she had been jealous of the vivacious, self-assured girl. They competed at everything, and Tayra always came out ahead. That all came to an end when she was expelled for being caught making out in the headmaster's office with, of all people, Graham Sheraton. Relena had had a crush on Sheraton, and Tayra bragged she would get him first. Doing it in the headmaster's office was her way of announcing to the world that she would do what she wanted where she wanted. Relena had been humiliated, and even the fact that the two offenders were sent away from the school hadn't soothed her wounded pride. How could she possibly sit across a table from her and Heero in the canteen? She mustn't let Tayra know that she had any interest in Heero whatsoever or she could kiss any hope of a relationship with him goodbye.

After making their orders at the counter, they sat at a table. Tayra managed to put herself between Heero and Sheraton. She was in a strategic position, thought Relena, to launch an offensive on whichever man she thought Relena preferred.

"So, Relena, is your relationship with Heero Yuy over?" she asked with a half-smile that was so utterly false it was insulting. Where did everyone get the idea that she had a relationship with Heero?

Relena didn't look at Heero. "It was just a silly infatuation." She laughed and tossed back her hair. "I can't believe how stupid I was." Did she sound convincing enough? What did Heero think of that?

"Probably as stupid as you were over Sher." Tayra winked at Sheraton. Sheraton was looking over Tayra while Heero was staring at nothing off to the right. Relena wanted to kick him for his blatant disinterest.

Tayra laughed. "How delightful to be together again."

Relena wished she could watch Tayra get the snot pounded out of her. She certainly didn't have the strength to do it. Even a year of training under Trynity's direction wouldn't give her necessary grit to do it. She drummed her fingers on the table. How could she get it accomplished? Hire a hitman?

"You did a serviceable job handling the shuttle," commented the other girl. "Of course, you would have found it impossible to come up with that last maneuver on your own. Fortunately Heero and I were…" She giggled. "Oops! That wasn't very discreet!"

Relena looked at Heero. His face was red. Jerk!

A movement at the door caught her eye. Duo Maxwell sauntered into the canteen, and he was alone. Relena noticed that Tayra followed her gaze, then looked back at Relena curiously. Relena forced herself not to laugh. Vengeance is mine! she wanted to shout.

"Excuse me," she said calmly before leaving the table and walking over to Duo.

"Okay, let's see what you have." He was looking at the menu overhead.

"We don't have enough in the kitchen to feed you!" remarked one of the waitresses with a giggle.

Duo chuckled. "I'm a growing boy! How about that steak and potato meal? Give me two steaks and some extra potatoes and gravy. I'm hungry enough to eat the whole cow."

Relena snagged his arm.

He looked at her. "What do you want? Hey, that was pretty good piloting out there."

"Shut up! Now listen. See that bitch over there?"

Duo turned his head.

"Don't look!" Relena tightened her grip on his arm. The buffoon was going to spoil everything!

"How am I supposed to see if I can't look?" he asked, scratching his head.

"I'm talking about Tayra Rothschild."

"Oh, Trynity told me about her. Tempting Tayra! I heard she's had half the technicians in the lab and most of the pilots already."

Relena wasn't surprised. "She's over there with Heero and Sheraton."

"Hmm. So you want me to get Sheraton jealous."

"You're smarter than you look," she commented sarcastically. Duo couldn't be more wrong. "Let's go."

"Girls, hurry up with the meal or I might have to come back there myself." They giggled as Duo followed Relena to another table. "Say, where does Heero fit in all this? Do you think he's going to like watching you get Sher all worked up."

She didn't bother answering him as Duo sat down. Heero could make of it what he wanted. Relena pulled her chair closer to Duo and she pretended to be enthralled by him.

Duo's brows drew together. "Hey, I don't know if I like this."

"Zip it and pretend to enjoy." She smiled at him. "I never noticed just how nice your eyes are."

Duo looked around uncomfortably then leaned in to talk to her. Good, Relena thought as she saw Tayra move out of the corner of her eye. "I hope this doesn't get back to Trynity."

A sad and useless hope. Relena reached out to touch his hand. Duo almost jumped out of his seat. "Don't be so nervous! It looks bad."

"That clod Sheraton isn't even looking. He's talking to Heero."

Probably bragging about himself. Sher was good at that. For effect she moved even closer to Duo.

Bingo!

A shadow came over them just as the waitress delivered two piping hot plates of food. "Relena, aren't you going to introduce me to your admirer?"

Duo's fork was en route to a steak, but he dropped it and looked up. His eyes were directly even with Tayra's cleavage. Relena bit her lip to keep from laughing at the look on his face and the smug, triumphant smile on Tayra Rothschild's lips. The stupid slut thought he was interested!

Relena smiled falsely back at her. "I warn you, Tayra, that if you so much as touch a hair on his head, you are a dead woman."

She leaned closer to Duo who tried to back away. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Standing, Relena said. "If you will excuse me, I have to use the lady's room." She walked calmly from the table without looking back although she wanted to run. Turning the corner, she peeked back and saw that Tayra had pulled a chair close to Duo and she leaned toward him so that he would have an unobstructed view of what she had to offer.

Snickering, she turned to press the telecom button, but a hand was blocking it. She looked up to see Heero staring at her. Relena knew she must have turned eight shades of red and pink. She took a step away.

Heero raised a brow, glanced out at Duo who was trying to get the steak from his plate to his mouth, but it dropped to his plate at about the same time Tayra's hand disappeared beneath the table. A smile curved Heero's lips, and he pressed the telecom button, then keyed in the code to the lab.

"Dr. Stryfe, will you tell Trynity that Duo is waiting for her in the canteen."

They heard him relay the message, then Relena heard Trynity say, "I'll be right up."

"Why did you do that?" asked Relena. She was ashamed to be caught in an immature prank by Heero just when she thought she had earned his respect.

"Why did you?" He backed her against the wall, his hands on either side of her head. His body was almost touching hers and she was beginning to feel lightheaded. "What happened out there with Sheraton?"

"Nothing," she squeaked.

"It was a rather routine flight."

His head was coming closer to hers. "Must have been rather dull. Did Sheraton spice it up a bit?"

"Nothing happened," she said, raising her head and putting her lips under his. They were almost touching. Relena was going to faint.

Suddenly he turned away. "She's here."

Relena turned with him to watch as Trynity walked into the canteen. Poor trapped Duo! Tayra had been picking food off his plate, saying who knew what that made the fearsome god of death blush. But she chose that moment - Relena decided there was a God - to slip onto his lap and try tempting him with a kiss by holding a piece of meat between her lips.

"She has no shame," commented Heero.

"None whatsoever," agreed Relena.

"Hey, just what do you think you're doing? Get the hell off me!"

Tayra didn't have a chance to comply. Trynity grabbed a handful of her hair, jerked her off Duo's lap and planted a fist in her face. Tayra fell to the floor wheezing. Sheraton leapt to his feet and headed straight to Duo.

"Rele…." Duo didn't have a chance to finish calling for her before Sheraton smacked him.

Trynity took one of Duo's plates of food and smashed it over Lt. Sheraton's head.

Tayra was coughing, and Relena suspected she was choking on that piece of steak. Trynity was kind enough to punch her in the gut and the steak flew outwards to hit one of the security officers sitting nearby trying to eat in the face. Furious, he launched his food back. Duo's table was overturned. Tayra, no longer choking, was clawing at Trynity, but she really was no match for the pilot of the gundam Valkyrie. Sheraton was beating Duo, for what reason, Relena didn't really know. Sheraton was probably too stupid to know. Food was flying everywhere.

"Leave it to Maxwell," remarked Heero. His hand slipped into Relena's. "Let's get out of here."

She didn't ask where they were going, but she laughed as they went and she even heard Heero laugh. When they reached a deserted corridor, he stopped, leaned against the wall and pulled her into his arms. Relena didn't know who started the kissing, nor did she care. It was wild, uncontrollable and she thanked that newly discovered God for making it happen.

As he unzipped her flight suit, his lips moved to her neck and his hand slipped inside. Relena was dizzy and weak.

"I was so worried about you out there."

"Lucky thing Tayra was with you," she pointed out breathlessly.

Heero raised his head to look at her. "Don't worry about her. She is nothing. A piece of meat."

"What an interesting comparison." Relena pushed herself away from him. "Am I a piece of meat, too?"

His brows came together. "What are you talking about?"

She put her hands on her hips. Relena didn't know where this anger was coming from. Wasn't she getting what she wanted? But she couldn't stop her mouth from putting an end to it. "The only time you show me any interest is when you have your hands all over me."

Heero ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I don't see you protesting."

She swung out to slap him, but he caught her hand.

"Once is enough, princess." He shoved her hand away. His eyes were dark with frustrated anger. "I'm going to my quarters. If you want to be with me, then tag along."

Relena watched him walk away, and she actually took a few steps after him, but she stopped herself and spun away. Heero Yuy could go to hell!