Chapter Six: Indispensable

Act Three:  "She's a turning point, now, the fusion of war and peace."

By: Alexandria the Great (…no comment…I guess…working on the Plight of Ferguson Mueller…)

            Lance hooked the last cable to the upgraded Leo and swiped the greasy back of his hand across his forehead.  He slid down the great top of the mobile suit and hit the elevated platform with a THUD! of his black high-top boots.  He dusted his hands on the grimy thighs of his mock-mechanic uniform.  "That oughta hold her."

            "Perkins!" a deep voice hollered, it authority as clear as Col. Steed's.  Lance looked over his shoulder and saluted.  Heero gave his comrade a look.  Lance dropped his hand in slight embarrassment, and jumped down the last few feet between the floor and the platform.  It was weird being a slight shorter than the famous pilot Yuy, and being is head honcho, but a supreme honor nonetheless. 

            "Yuy?" Lance answered with a kind smile.  Heero lowered his face just a bit. 

            "Thanks."

            Lance furrowed his brow. "Uh, no prob.  She wasn't working out in few places, but I found a good place to store her until she's ready."

            Heero nodded.  "I have to hand it to you: I didn't expect you to just take on something that I should have done myself."

            "Heero, it's no problem. You've got huge problems on your shoulders.  I may lead, but I help out when I can."

            "I just want to make sure she's taken care of—"

            "A piece like that? I don't blame you."

            Heero showed his reluctant smirk. "Watch it, Perkins.  Only I get to talk about what's mine like that."

            "Gotcha," Lance smiled again.  Heero walked away, is combined faith and confidence installing in Lance.  He shook himself. No, Yuy, you cannot establish any personal anything with a comrade. HE probably wants to help out a sexy rich girl as much as the next guy.  Lance rubbed his neck in disbelief. First time I've ever seen Yuy so concerned about the well being of a Leo… Lance shrugged it off and reported to the locker room. 

            Heero adjusted his hat to better cover his bandages.  He definitely couldn't let his buddies or his comrades see him like this—not that they would be able to stop him from going—but their confidence in him might just shrink.  Heero was least confident about this whole escapade to begin with; it just didn't make any sense.  Recover Epyon's system? Why? Heero answered his own question: they were going to fix it.  But what kind of manic could possibly fix the Zero System?  Howard, maybe, but Howard could do nothing six feet under.  That was the last time Heero or Relena had seen Zechs, Milliardo…either of them. And then, he came here…

            Relena straitened her ponytail and changed her lipstick (not that Heero couldn't recognize her anywhere). 

            "Come on, Lena, they'll leave without us." Dorothy muttered impatiently. 

            "I'm coming, how do I look?"

            "I'm still cuter. Sorry."

            Relena sideways smirked and leaned on one hip.  "But I don't look like me, right?"

            "You look like a prostitute."

            "Good." Relena grinned. She capped Dorothy's lipstick and stuck it in her pocket. "Lets go."

            Both young women checked their guns and ammo before leaving the room and locking the door behind them.  

            Heero leaned on the side panel one side of the cockpit entrance with his arms crossed.  He watched as Lance turned on this-and-that and switched this-and-that, all the while jabbering wildly into the microphone attached to his earpiece. 

            "Prime boosters activated, main logic systems are a go.  Stellar Radio Transmitters and neurological panels standing by, zero-effect nitro tanks charged, all systems are go."

            Heero, of course understood every word of it, but ignored the familiar information.  He heard the last of the company boarding the shuttle, the door closing behind them.  It just now occurred to Heero that neither Lance nor Relena specified where it was that Relena was safe.  He stood away from the supportive panel and walked slowly down the middle aisle, stealing glances at each face as he passed by.  In the first four seats were his buddies 02-05.  Duo insisted on sitting by the window, and Quatre smiled at Heero, who pretended not to notice.  Trowa and Wufei sat together, the battle between quiet and quieter.  Behind each of his friends were hand picked members of their trainees.  Heero's trainee was supposed to be sitting by himself, but instead sat with an incredibly attractive dirty blonde, who turned away the moment she caught a glimpse of Heero.  Heero's look at her lasted for slightly longer than the one second he'd spent with everyone else, and it was longer than Akihiko, Heero's hand pick, needed to read his master's eyes.  He looked at Londona, who looked past him at Catalonia, another pretty soldier, who sat with Quatre's hand pick.   Dorothy gave her a 'that was too close for comfort' look, and acknowledged Akihiko, who looked hard at Londona. 

            "'Londona Chi, P.S.I.D 1-40?'"  he inquired suspiciously.

            "Yes?" Relena answered sexily, her smile matching her voice.  Akihiko wasn't fazed.  He slid his brow up every so slightly. 

            "How long have you been a member of our organization?"

            "Just as long as you have."

            "A year?"

            "Uh huh." She replied sweetly.

            "I've been here for two, but this is my first meeting with my master, Londona.  By the way, P.S.I.D. 1-40 is Forough Cray.  He and I went to boot camp together."

            Relena froze, her teeth clamped down hard on her lip.  "Don't tell Heero.  It's me, Vice Foreign Minister Darlian."

            Akihiko's eyelids vanished and he stiffened. "You are engaged to Commander Yuy?!"

            Relena put her fingers to her lips.  "Just call me Londona and act like I'm what I say I am."

            "A soldier?"

            "Exactly."

            "How can I when you can barely say it?"

            "I'm not here to fight, really, I'm just here for my Heero.  I'm going to watch him and make sure he doesn't get killed."

            "And what do you plan to do when he's out there?" Akihiko pointed out the window into space.

            Relena hardened her gaze to imitate her love's. "I guess I'll have to go out and get him, won't I?"

            Dorothy smiled.  "Where is Commander Yuy?"

            "He probably went to get in his suit.  We'll be landing soon."

            "I need you to help me."

            Akihiko gave her the 'with what?' look.

            "How do you drive a Leo?"

            Akihiko looked away at Dorothy. "Promise you won't fight after I teach you how to…'drive.'"

            "I promise."

            Akihiko jumped up and led her away to his assigned mobile suit.  He opened up he cockpit and helped her in, securing her with the safety belts.

            "Look, basically all you need are those two levers.  Push them away from you to fly down, pull them toward you and push and hold the buttons to fly up.  Push them from side to side in the direction you want to walk or fly.  Got it?"

            "Yeah, what if somebody shoots at me?"

            "Push that orange button overhead.  It'll put up a shield. You'll have to get help or something.  I can't teach you how to use this thing properly in a few minutes."

            "Soldier!" Heero called from his mobile suit. "What are you doing?"

            "Hurry out," Relena whispered, "Don't let him see me!"

            "Be careful, try not to fight."

            "I won't fight, I'll just get out of the way."

            Akihiko jumped down, did a quick bow to excuse himself from Commander Yuy, and hurried back to his seat.  Heero assumed he'd been adjusting his suit, but it was obviously nothing that couldn't be done once they reached earth.