Disclaimer: Don't own, so don't sue.
*****
His carrier was small, almost too small for its intended purpose: to transport him, his family, and his Gundam to Berlin, where he would present himself before the government of Neo Germany so that they could again anoint him their representative in the Gundam Fight.
It sufficed, however, and it carried them to the airfield. As they landed, a pair of defense MS's emerged from the shadows to flank the shuttle as it taxied into position. When Tobias stepped out, their spotlights flared into existence, illuminating him against the darkness of the night.
"What?"
"Tobias Andarion, you are under arrest on charges of desertion and grand larceny under false pretenses. You are to come with us. Resist, and your family will be shot."
He froze, recognizing the one threat against him that worked. Slowly he raised his arms while muttering to himself. "Since when is this place Communist again?"
Under armed guard, he walked into the building nearby, where he was sat a table, and told to wait. After several minutes, a familiar face entered.
"Chancellor Zornig."
"Why is it that you constantly must defy me, Tobias? It seems that every time I have a request, you do just the opposite."
"Dunno. Why am I under arrest?"
"You heard the charges. Most of your insubordination I can tolerate, but stealing the hope of our people is going one step too far. In addition, you abandoned the fight when you still had the chance to succeed in the Fight. That is a charge punishable by death."
"I can give you a reason why you can't kill me."
"Why is that?"
Smirking, he responded. "You need me as a pilot. No one else is qualified to pilot the Blackheart."
There was an uncomfortable silence. Finally the Chancellor responded. "We have built another Gundam. We also have a pilot to use it. Your position is not as secure as you thought. In fact," he paused while removing the gun from the nearest guard's holster; "there is nothing but our friendship that is keeping me from shooting you right now."
He observed as the Chancellor rotated the chamber, noting the full round of bullets. He could only raise an eyebrow as the gun was returned to the holster. "There is a better way to see how loyal you are."
"Loyal enough, it would seem. I came back, didn't I?"
"Also, it will be a test to see how you have fared in the past four years. You will have to fight our new representative, to see who will fight for us."
"You will throw this into my arena? You really have no faith."
"This will be a fight to the death. And speaking of our new representative, I believe the pilot and crew of the Panzer Gundam have arrived."
He waited for a moment as the door opened and a woman with black hair and eyes came in, a vicious scar lined across her arm. She was shorter than he was, and looked to be around seventy pounds lighter. In a word, she looked frail.
"Mister Andarion. My name is Raven Darklight. I accept your challenge."
*****
His carrier was small, almost too small for its intended purpose: to transport him, his family, and his Gundam to Berlin, where he would present himself before the government of Neo Germany so that they could again anoint him their representative in the Gundam Fight.
It sufficed, however, and it carried them to the airfield. As they landed, a pair of defense MS's emerged from the shadows to flank the shuttle as it taxied into position. When Tobias stepped out, their spotlights flared into existence, illuminating him against the darkness of the night.
"What?"
"Tobias Andarion, you are under arrest on charges of desertion and grand larceny under false pretenses. You are to come with us. Resist, and your family will be shot."
He froze, recognizing the one threat against him that worked. Slowly he raised his arms while muttering to himself. "Since when is this place Communist again?"
Under armed guard, he walked into the building nearby, where he was sat a table, and told to wait. After several minutes, a familiar face entered.
"Chancellor Zornig."
"Why is it that you constantly must defy me, Tobias? It seems that every time I have a request, you do just the opposite."
"Dunno. Why am I under arrest?"
"You heard the charges. Most of your insubordination I can tolerate, but stealing the hope of our people is going one step too far. In addition, you abandoned the fight when you still had the chance to succeed in the Fight. That is a charge punishable by death."
"I can give you a reason why you can't kill me."
"Why is that?"
Smirking, he responded. "You need me as a pilot. No one else is qualified to pilot the Blackheart."
There was an uncomfortable silence. Finally the Chancellor responded. "We have built another Gundam. We also have a pilot to use it. Your position is not as secure as you thought. In fact," he paused while removing the gun from the nearest guard's holster; "there is nothing but our friendship that is keeping me from shooting you right now."
He observed as the Chancellor rotated the chamber, noting the full round of bullets. He could only raise an eyebrow as the gun was returned to the holster. "There is a better way to see how loyal you are."
"Loyal enough, it would seem. I came back, didn't I?"
"Also, it will be a test to see how you have fared in the past four years. You will have to fight our new representative, to see who will fight for us."
"You will throw this into my arena? You really have no faith."
"This will be a fight to the death. And speaking of our new representative, I believe the pilot and crew of the Panzer Gundam have arrived."
He waited for a moment as the door opened and a woman with black hair and eyes came in, a vicious scar lined across her arm. She was shorter than he was, and looked to be around seventy pounds lighter. In a word, she looked frail.
"Mister Andarion. My name is Raven Darklight. I accept your challenge."
