Chapter 3:
"I believe you." Heero replied as he crossed his arms and sighed deeply. There was so much more to this girl than he had thought, suddenly he got an idea, "Lark, are you some kind of a leader on your planet?"
"Leader?" she asked, then frowned. "No, I work with rare animals on the planet, all of which are respected as gods. They sent me because they thought that the animals would assure success and then they would be freed."
At this point, Heero did not know what to believe, "What kind of animals are you talking about?"
Lark could hear the sarcasm in his voice. Maybe she should take him to see them, but he probably would not go. And why should he believe her anyway? She was a stranger, but, Oh yeah! Duh! Nishada! Lark sat back and smiled, "How about I start by showing you my Gundam."
Her Gundam! Heero looked about the room at the other pilots. They too were shocked.
This time, Quatre spoke up, "You have a Gundam?"
"Yes," Lark said as she paused. When no one spoke, she went on. "It is called Nishada. Nishada was given to me as a way to convince you of my mission."
"So you don't know how to pilot it then," Chang replied.
Lark turned to him suddenly, her eyes flashing angrily, "What do you mean by that?!" she demanded.
"You said before that Emperor Khan recruited young boys to pilot the suits," he replied coolly, looking her up and down, "You're not exactly a young boy."
"Fine then! If you think that, then that's your problem, but watch your back, you may meet me in a dark alley one night, and...." she was cut short by Trowa.
"So where exactly do you keep these animals?"
"Uh-I-a," it was the first time he had spoken to her, and now that her momentum was ruined, she was at a loss for words.
"Are they here on Earth?" he asked.
"Yes," Lark replied. "They stay with me wherever I go. Tula and Keely should be right outside."
"Oh really?" Heero asked sarcastically, "Right outside huh? Why don't you bring them in?"
Lark was angry with Heero now, so just to prove him wrong, she stood and started for the door.
He jumped up and grabbed her by the arm, "Where do you think you're going?"
"You want me to bring them in, so I'm going to go bring them in!" she replied as she tried to pull away from him, "Let me go!"
Trowa suddenly stood to his feet, "I'll go with her and make sure she doesn't get away," he volunteered.
Heero frowned at him and dropped Lark's arm.
Trowa moved over to Lark, "Come on."
Lark walked ahead of him and opened the door. Walking out onto the porch she called out into the night for Keely, then she called for Tula. Trowa watched in anticipation as Lark stood there, her eyes closed.
He watched her with interest, never had he met such a girl as this. Suddenly, a massive black panther jumped up onto the porch, and stopped in front of her.
Lark turned to him, "This is Keely." She turned back to the huge feline, "Keely, this is Trowa, he's a good man."
Trowa started forward, but Lark stopped him, "Don't approach me, he's very protective." But Trowa did not listen, he walked forward till he came within a yard of Keely and knelt down. When he reached his hand out, the panther came forward and rubbed his head against it. Trowa looked up at Lark and smiled. She was shocked, never before had she seen a man get this close to Keely without him getting to know him first.
Keely turned suddenly as a loud roar broke through the still night. Trowa stood and watched as Keely ran forward and met a white object. When Keely returned to the porch, a huge white tiger followed him.
Lark ran down the porch toward the tiger, "Dinah!" she exclaimed suddenly, "What are you doing here? I told you to wait for me at home!"
Before Lark had returned to the porch, a beautiful bald eagle had landed on her shoulder, "There you are! Why didn't you come when I first called you?" waving her finger, she scolded the bird. The large bird bowed its head in submission as Lark started back up the steps with Keely at her right side and Dinah at her left.
"Well, I guess they all followed me," Lark said as Trowa looked down at the white tiger. Never before had he seen one running free like this. Even though he worked at a local circus, the large cats stayed in cages. Lark looked down at the tiger and introduced her, "Trowa, this is Dinah," then she reached up and brought the eagle down from her shoulder, "and this is Tula."
Tula suddenly left Lark's shoulder and landed on Keely's back.
"They are all very beautiful," Trowa told her, then, "Let's get back inside before Heero blows an o-ring."
Lark nodded as she followed Trowa with the two cats into the house.
Heero looked up as Trowa reentered the room. His eyes grew big as Lark entered with the three animals. He was shocked. Lark smirked as she walked over to the couch and sat down. Keely and Dinah lay down by her feet and Tula perched on the back of the couch near her head.
Introducing them one by one, she said, "This is Keely, this is Dinah, and this is Tula."
She was telling the truth, Heero thought. Staring at the two cats silently, he again had that feeling that something about Lark was familiar. He stood and walked over to the window. After thinking for a while, he said without turning, "How far away is this planet, and what exactly are we up against?"
Lark smiled as she replied to his question, "Quarantine is beyond Pluto and in a whole new galaxy. It takes at least a whole month to get there from here, but our scientists built me a ship, which cuts that time down to three days. I don't know if you will be able to handle the speed, but we'll work on it.
"Emperor Khan has a large army of Gundams, I think at least a hundred were manufactured before the rebellion. If you could somehow get a handle on that speed, I could rebuild your Gundams to withstand it, and then you'd actually have a chance at defeating Emperor Khan."
Heero turned to Quatre, "If we could install the Zero system, then we could handle the speed."
Quatre nodded, then looked at the others, "Well, we're going to have to teach some people how to handle the Zero system."
"No way!" Duo exclaimed, "That system makes you crazy! I ain't gonna be a part of that!"
Heero just smiled at him as he crossed his arms.
"Heero!" Duo exclaimed, then gave in, "Oh all right, I'll train, but I don't have to like it."
"Um," Lark interrupted, "What's the Zero system?" _____
Late that night, when Heero took Lark home, he borrowed one of the Noventa's limousines and drove it himself. There was no use in trying to get a driver because of the animals, and how much trouble would result.
Mrs. Noventa had consented to letting him borrow the car, but only after much convincing. She was the only woman in the entire house who knew about the trio of rare animals, and she had no problem with them.
Lark sat in silence, leaning against Dinah. Keely lay in the middle of the car, with Tula perched on his shoulder. Heero looked back at her through the rear view mirror, "So, what did you think of Trowa? Pretty good with animals huh?"
Lark looked up at him in wonder, does he know that I like Trowa? "Yes, he's great with them. And his girlfriend is so beautiful."
"Catherine?" Heero asked. "No, she's not his girlfriend. Trowa doesn't really like her all that much."
"Oh really?" Lark asked as she stroked Dinah's massive head, "How interesting."
"So, what did you get in the gift exchange?" he asked.
"Huh?" Lark asked absently, "Oh, I got a basket of bath stuff." _____
When they got to her house, Heero shut the car off and turned around, "When do you want to start working on the Gundams?"
"Tomorrow morning will be fine," she replied as she opened the door and let the animals out. "Where do you want me to meet you?"
"There's a hangar down at the beach, called Howard's. Do you have a transport for your Gundam?"
"Uh, my Gundam is on an island not far from here, maybe we should take all the Gundam's there," she replied.
"Is there a place to work on them?" Heero asked.
"Yes, my ship, The Yahara Moon, is very large," Lark assured him as she started to get out.
"The Yahara Moon, that must be named after your family or something," he replied.
"Yeah, something like that," she said, her thoughts drifting to her family.
"Well, I'll have a truck here for you anyway, bright and early," he told her.
"Ok," she replied. Saying goodbye, she went inside and closed the door.
"I believe you." Heero replied as he crossed his arms and sighed deeply. There was so much more to this girl than he had thought, suddenly he got an idea, "Lark, are you some kind of a leader on your planet?"
"Leader?" she asked, then frowned. "No, I work with rare animals on the planet, all of which are respected as gods. They sent me because they thought that the animals would assure success and then they would be freed."
At this point, Heero did not know what to believe, "What kind of animals are you talking about?"
Lark could hear the sarcasm in his voice. Maybe she should take him to see them, but he probably would not go. And why should he believe her anyway? She was a stranger, but, Oh yeah! Duh! Nishada! Lark sat back and smiled, "How about I start by showing you my Gundam."
Her Gundam! Heero looked about the room at the other pilots. They too were shocked.
This time, Quatre spoke up, "You have a Gundam?"
"Yes," Lark said as she paused. When no one spoke, she went on. "It is called Nishada. Nishada was given to me as a way to convince you of my mission."
"So you don't know how to pilot it then," Chang replied.
Lark turned to him suddenly, her eyes flashing angrily, "What do you mean by that?!" she demanded.
"You said before that Emperor Khan recruited young boys to pilot the suits," he replied coolly, looking her up and down, "You're not exactly a young boy."
"Fine then! If you think that, then that's your problem, but watch your back, you may meet me in a dark alley one night, and...." she was cut short by Trowa.
"So where exactly do you keep these animals?"
"Uh-I-a," it was the first time he had spoken to her, and now that her momentum was ruined, she was at a loss for words.
"Are they here on Earth?" he asked.
"Yes," Lark replied. "They stay with me wherever I go. Tula and Keely should be right outside."
"Oh really?" Heero asked sarcastically, "Right outside huh? Why don't you bring them in?"
Lark was angry with Heero now, so just to prove him wrong, she stood and started for the door.
He jumped up and grabbed her by the arm, "Where do you think you're going?"
"You want me to bring them in, so I'm going to go bring them in!" she replied as she tried to pull away from him, "Let me go!"
Trowa suddenly stood to his feet, "I'll go with her and make sure she doesn't get away," he volunteered.
Heero frowned at him and dropped Lark's arm.
Trowa moved over to Lark, "Come on."
Lark walked ahead of him and opened the door. Walking out onto the porch she called out into the night for Keely, then she called for Tula. Trowa watched in anticipation as Lark stood there, her eyes closed.
He watched her with interest, never had he met such a girl as this. Suddenly, a massive black panther jumped up onto the porch, and stopped in front of her.
Lark turned to him, "This is Keely." She turned back to the huge feline, "Keely, this is Trowa, he's a good man."
Trowa started forward, but Lark stopped him, "Don't approach me, he's very protective." But Trowa did not listen, he walked forward till he came within a yard of Keely and knelt down. When he reached his hand out, the panther came forward and rubbed his head against it. Trowa looked up at Lark and smiled. She was shocked, never before had she seen a man get this close to Keely without him getting to know him first.
Keely turned suddenly as a loud roar broke through the still night. Trowa stood and watched as Keely ran forward and met a white object. When Keely returned to the porch, a huge white tiger followed him.
Lark ran down the porch toward the tiger, "Dinah!" she exclaimed suddenly, "What are you doing here? I told you to wait for me at home!"
Before Lark had returned to the porch, a beautiful bald eagle had landed on her shoulder, "There you are! Why didn't you come when I first called you?" waving her finger, she scolded the bird. The large bird bowed its head in submission as Lark started back up the steps with Keely at her right side and Dinah at her left.
"Well, I guess they all followed me," Lark said as Trowa looked down at the white tiger. Never before had he seen one running free like this. Even though he worked at a local circus, the large cats stayed in cages. Lark looked down at the tiger and introduced her, "Trowa, this is Dinah," then she reached up and brought the eagle down from her shoulder, "and this is Tula."
Tula suddenly left Lark's shoulder and landed on Keely's back.
"They are all very beautiful," Trowa told her, then, "Let's get back inside before Heero blows an o-ring."
Lark nodded as she followed Trowa with the two cats into the house.
Heero looked up as Trowa reentered the room. His eyes grew big as Lark entered with the three animals. He was shocked. Lark smirked as she walked over to the couch and sat down. Keely and Dinah lay down by her feet and Tula perched on the back of the couch near her head.
Introducing them one by one, she said, "This is Keely, this is Dinah, and this is Tula."
She was telling the truth, Heero thought. Staring at the two cats silently, he again had that feeling that something about Lark was familiar. He stood and walked over to the window. After thinking for a while, he said without turning, "How far away is this planet, and what exactly are we up against?"
Lark smiled as she replied to his question, "Quarantine is beyond Pluto and in a whole new galaxy. It takes at least a whole month to get there from here, but our scientists built me a ship, which cuts that time down to three days. I don't know if you will be able to handle the speed, but we'll work on it.
"Emperor Khan has a large army of Gundams, I think at least a hundred were manufactured before the rebellion. If you could somehow get a handle on that speed, I could rebuild your Gundams to withstand it, and then you'd actually have a chance at defeating Emperor Khan."
Heero turned to Quatre, "If we could install the Zero system, then we could handle the speed."
Quatre nodded, then looked at the others, "Well, we're going to have to teach some people how to handle the Zero system."
"No way!" Duo exclaimed, "That system makes you crazy! I ain't gonna be a part of that!"
Heero just smiled at him as he crossed his arms.
"Heero!" Duo exclaimed, then gave in, "Oh all right, I'll train, but I don't have to like it."
"Um," Lark interrupted, "What's the Zero system?" _____
Late that night, when Heero took Lark home, he borrowed one of the Noventa's limousines and drove it himself. There was no use in trying to get a driver because of the animals, and how much trouble would result.
Mrs. Noventa had consented to letting him borrow the car, but only after much convincing. She was the only woman in the entire house who knew about the trio of rare animals, and she had no problem with them.
Lark sat in silence, leaning against Dinah. Keely lay in the middle of the car, with Tula perched on his shoulder. Heero looked back at her through the rear view mirror, "So, what did you think of Trowa? Pretty good with animals huh?"
Lark looked up at him in wonder, does he know that I like Trowa? "Yes, he's great with them. And his girlfriend is so beautiful."
"Catherine?" Heero asked. "No, she's not his girlfriend. Trowa doesn't really like her all that much."
"Oh really?" Lark asked as she stroked Dinah's massive head, "How interesting."
"So, what did you get in the gift exchange?" he asked.
"Huh?" Lark asked absently, "Oh, I got a basket of bath stuff." _____
When they got to her house, Heero shut the car off and turned around, "When do you want to start working on the Gundams?"
"Tomorrow morning will be fine," she replied as she opened the door and let the animals out. "Where do you want me to meet you?"
"There's a hangar down at the beach, called Howard's. Do you have a transport for your Gundam?"
"Uh, my Gundam is on an island not far from here, maybe we should take all the Gundam's there," she replied.
"Is there a place to work on them?" Heero asked.
"Yes, my ship, The Yahara Moon, is very large," Lark assured him as she started to get out.
"The Yahara Moon, that must be named after your family or something," he replied.
"Yeah, something like that," she said, her thoughts drifting to her family.
"Well, I'll have a truck here for you anyway, bright and early," he told her.
"Ok," she replied. Saying goodbye, she went inside and closed the door.