Disclaimers Note - I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters therein. All of the unfamiliar characters are my own, but some unfamiliar ones might become familiar, in which case they are not mine, or they may not! You'll have to read this and find out! Any correlation of this story to any persons living or dead is purely coincidental, honest. Phew! The characters of Hayley Reo, Kaia McInrae and Emma Kentley are mine, 'though, all mine! MINE!
**The Original Age Part 14 – (To mark a break away from dull chapter names)
What's in a name? The truth about the McInraes begins to emerge
By Espion
'Kaia! Kaia can you hear me!' yelled Emma, running forward into the now only thin dust cloud. Hayley followed her.
Incredibly, Kaia's voice came to them.
'I'm…I'm Ok! I'm Ok!'
'How can she be Ok?' Hayley wondered aloud, 'that's no balsa wood plank that fell on her, that's solid steel…'
Her voice trailed off, as the answer to her question became apparent. Emma stood at her side, and regarded what she was looking at calmly.
'Get this thing off me!' cried Kaia, her earlier calm wearing off, and a note of hysteria gracing her normally cool and sensible voice.
Duo couldn't believe what he was looking at. He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes and rubbed furiously, then stopped and looked blearily at it again.
In the dead centre of the hangar, exactly where Kaia had been standing, a Gundam was crouched close to the ground, a dent in its shoulder indicating that the rafter had, in fact, hit it and not the floor, or…
'Kaia!'
''Hang on, I can get out…' There was a sound of scrabbling.
'What happened?' Heero asked Duo in a low voice.
'I really dunno,' muttered Duo, 'It was almost as the Gundam 'knew' she was in danger, and rescued her…on its own! Dumb, huh?' His cheery tone belied what he was feeling. He'd been damn scared.
Heero blinked. That was something he'd've thought Espion, Eron or especially Doloria would do, but this was a bipedal Gundam, and the way it had sprung forward made it impossible to tell which one it was from their angle.
Emma ran forward to help Kaia as she wriggled out of a narrow gap between the Gundam's arm and its body.
She looked terrified, and backed away hastily from her gundanium saviour, her face very pale.
'Things like that…shouldn't do that…' she muttered. Damn, and just when she'd thought she was getting on top of all this Empathic stuff…
Hayley, who was still standing by the crouching Gundam, called out, 'Heero, it's your one! It's Wing Zero!'
Heero's face gave away nothing, he tried to convince himself as he walked over, that it had been a 50% chance that it would be his anyway, but he couldn't fool one part of himself, the Trensa McInrae part.
Kaia looked at Wing Zero. Why had it saved her? If that beam had hit her she'd've been dead for sure. Weird, though. Everyone else around looked on Zero as 'the scary one'. Why was that? Because of the Zero system…perhaps, or was it because Heero was the pilot…but he wasn't so scary…she quite liked him.
'Look at this,' she heard Hayley say, 'it's ruptured the connection from the cockpit to the limbs during it's fall.'
'How long will that take to repair, d'you think?' Hayley looked up in surprise.
'Weeks…all those connections to be made.'
'When day comes, it'll be easily visible from the air, directly under that hole…'
'What're we gonna do?'
Am I Empathic? Kaia didn't know. She wasn't telepathic, but neither was Hayley. She knew that. Zero couldn't be her mech, because it was Heero's. Yeah. That's right. So it wouldn't hurt to try and watch nothing happen when you do? Precisely.
'Am I to blame for this?' Kaia asked Duo quietly, as she began to flex her mind.
'No, no worries kid, you won't be blamed…but why didn't you run?'
'I…I was too scared…' she expected to be patronised, but Duo just nodded and said, 'Figures.'
Kaia was having difficulty. Either this was hopeless, or else Zero was resisting. She rather suspected that the latter was the case. Without realising, she snapped at the machine to stop being so damn stubborn and move its ass.
Heero and Hayley leapt back as Zero rose a few metres then fell back. Kaia was shaking, and ducked behind Duo, squeaking in terror. Now she was scared, what on earth was she? Some kind of weirdo?
'What just happened?' muttered Hayley, but then something came to her.
'Heero, is Zero an Empathic Gundam?'
'No.'
'Ah, then I reiterate, what just happened?'
Kaia knew that if she could persuade Zero to get up and move back to where it had been before it had saved her life, then it, and all of them, would be saved from the attentions of prying eyes in the sky. The roof had been damaged, and could no longer shut.
It was hard, but she had to tell someone about this. The answer was obvious.
Emma had moved back towards them, leaving Heero and Hayley by Zero. As she walked near, Kaia grabbed her arm.
'Emma, I need to speak to you, it's urgent…'
'What is it?'
'Can you read my mind?'
Emma looked shocked.
'Not without a person's consent, no.'
'What if I give you my consent?'
'Kaia, what's…?' Emma suddenly got a large shock in the form of Kaia's mind. It was as though someone had hurled her a large ball of string and she had to mentally untangle it; that's what Kaia's mind was like. She carefully put back everything that Kaia didn't want her to look at, and gasped out loud.
'It…was you?'
Kaia looked distraught. She couldn't have put what she wanted to say into words, and that way had been easier.
'What happening Emma?' Despite her best efforts, a tear rolled down her cheek. Emma put her arms around Kaia. She could feel her wiry, thin shape though her T-shirt.
'Listen to me,' she whispered, eyeing Duo, who was standing out of earshot, 'if you can move Zero, then do it now…'
'It's really heavy…'
'I know it must be, but get it so far and Eron will push it the rest of the way, Ok?'
'I'll try…'
'That's all I can ask for, your best attempt.'
Hayley, Heero, move away, I've got an idea to move it, she empathised, twisting the truth a little. To Hayley's surprise, Heero complied as readily as she did, and they both walked over to Duo.
Go on Kaia.
Kaia screwed up her mind like a fist, being careful not to show anything on her face. Zero didn't move.
'It's too hard,' she gasped quietly.
'Keep trying, it gets easier.'
Come on Zero
Get up
I'm trying to help you
I don't need help
You heard what they said, all your cockpit wiring's busted
This is the only way
No
All right, don't move, but answer me this
Why did you save me?
You are linked to me
How?
I cannot divulge
I promise I won't try and control you ever again, if you co-operate now
Ok
The weight was instantly lifted, and Kaia found she could open her eyes, which had been screwed shut. She watched detachedly as the huge machine began to try and stand, then it got stuck. Kaia looked at Emma, who had her eyes fixed just to the left of Zero.
As Zero began to fall forward, Kaia tried as hard as she could to stop it, but it was just too heavy. Then out of the darkness of the hangar on Zero's left, Eron stepped forward quickly and pushed Zero upright. This time, it stayed.
The minute Zero's weight was taken off her by Eron, Kaia collapsed onto the cold floor. Emma couldn't see to her immediately, as she had to control Eron, and she had to maintain eye contact.
Heero knelt down beside Kaia and gently picked her up. Hayley walked over.
'I knew there was something about that kid,' muttered Duo, 'we'd better tell…ya know, them.'
Duo and Hayley discussed what to do, but Emma watched Heero and Kaia. Kaia's head was on Heero's shoulder, and she was completely out of it. Emma moved over to Heero.
'What d'you make of it?'
Heero looked at Kaia.
'I don't know.'
'We don't even know her name… Full name I mean,' sighed Emma, gently reaching out and brushing a few strands of loose hair away from Kaia's damp forehead. By pure luck, Duo overheard the last thing she'd said.
'Oh, Quatre found out her name, her full name. Why? Don't you know?' Heero looked up from Kaia and fixed his gaze upon Duo.
'What is it?'
Duo screwed up his face.
'Um…McAllister…I think…not a certainty 'though…' Duo suddenly felt furious at himself. He sensed that this was important, and he couldn't even remember her name. Now that he'd said it, he was sure that McAllister was wrong. It was shorter than that.
Heero merely nodded and began to walk slowly out of the hangar, so as not to disturb Kaia. Emma followed close behind. Hayley looked slightly shell-shocked at what had just happened, and Duo felt glad that he wasn't the only one.
He didn't cease to comb his brain for the name as he began to follow the others, and just as Heero and Emma were turning the corner and starting towards the sleeping quarters, it came to him in the proverbial flash of inspiration.
'Hey guys! I remembered it! I knew it was unusual! Hey! Wait up!' Hayley turned, but Heero and Emma had already turned the corner, and Duo felt too drained to dash after them.
'What is it?'
Duo cocked his head.
'Kinda weird name actually. McInrae. Never met any others… What the hell's wrong?' Hayley's eyes had gone wide for a moment.
Hayley told herself to pack it in. McInrae probably wasn't an uncommon name, but still…she had to tell Emma when none of the others were around…
Hayley seemed to shrug, and told Duo lightly, 'You're right, not too common. But I don't know any other McInraes either.'
Duo looked suspicious, but then yawned involuntarily, setting Hayley off as well.
'Bed for us I think.'
'Agreed.' Hayley rubbed her neck and shrugged her shoulders a few times. It had been a very weird night. She would be glad to sleep.
*
You're gonna die you know
I know
Then why are you holding on?
Where there's life, there's hope
You call this life? You're a vegetable
I'm gonna survive this. I've survived twelve assassination attempts
None of them even got close to hurting you. You have nothing to go back to…
I have Doloria, and Hilde, and…
Doloria. A machine. Hilde. Probably dead. Next?
Who are you? Why can't you leave me in peace?
Fool. I'm you
I don't care, and Doloria is more than a machine, he's a friend
Maybe, but as its pilot you are useless
I won't deny that
Someone else could have been Doloria's pilot, someone who could pilot it well, and they could have saved lives. Who knows how many lives have already been lost due to…?
SHUT UP!!
*
Quatre broke out of the atmosphere first, with Wufei just behind. They had been supplied with the co-ordinates of the anarchists' base. It wasn't hard to find. It was on the dark side of the moon.
They cruised, conserving fuel. The journey to the moon took them an uneventful four days.
'We don't know what to expect guys,' said Quatre, as they approached their target, 'probably a trap. Someone stay back and bring up the rear.'
'Got it,' replied Trowa, and Heavyarms peeled away to the right, hanging back. Quatre smiled. Trowa was the best person for the task. If the worst came to the worst, Heavyarms' incredible firepower could bail anyone out. He knew that, and so did Trowa.
As soon as he and Wufei rounded the moon, they both received the same text-only message.
Continue and be destroyed
'That sounds like an invitation to me,' chuckled Wufei, but Quatre didn't see the funny side. As soon as the caught sight of the roughly put together base, random mobile suits began to pour out of it.
'Ok, I'll take that ten and you…' began Wufei, but was cut off by two things. The first was a vocal message.
'So, they've sent Gundams to deal with us. We are honoured. But for you, I feel it is only fair to say that, for you, this will be your last mission, divine pilots.'
'You seem very confident,' bit out Wufei. He hated sarcasm, because only he was allowed to use it. Grr.
The voice, slightly warped by interference, chuckled.
'Oh yes, we are. But soon you will see why. Look, my little pilots.'
Wufei had already seen it. It had been the second thing that had prompted him to stop talking. An enormous suit had erupted out of the base, its enormous boosters blazing ice blue against the non-colour of space. It was magnificent. It's grey, black and white bodywork seemed to gleam and reflect the glare of the rockets propelling it.
What was so strange about it was that it was unlike any suit that the two Gundam pilots had ever seen.
Wufei rattled off the names of every suit he knew mentally.
Leo, Aries, Taurus, Pisces, Wing, Zero, Deathscythe, Heavyarms, Sandrock, his own Shenlong, Espion, Eron, Doloria, Cancer, Mercurius, Vayeate, Virgo, Tallgeese, Jupiterius*… None of them came close to the grace of this one suit.
Quatre clocked its speed and realised that the dimensions and other statistics that had been emailed to Dr J were accurate. This thing was either a Gundam itself, or as fast as one. Faster.
Wufei was transfixed. As the machine began to close on them, he could think of nothing but how incredible their opponent was, but then Quatre's shout shook him out of it.
'Wufei! I'll pull back! Watch out for those claws!' For the machine itself seemed to be modelled on a big cat, such as a leopard or a panther. Complete with claws and a serious arsenal of dated but deadly weapons. It was closing fast.
Wufei dodged to the left as the suit blew past, and just managed to catch sight of its registration. He relayed it to Quatre as the suit turned quickly to take another shot.
'Registration Felflowne-Delta.'
'What? Felflowne D?'
'No! Felflowne, and the word 'Delta'.' Wufei tried to bring his Gundam's Kendo-style stick down onto the attacking mech, but it twisted and grabbed the stick in its teeth, yanking it out of Shenlong's grip.
Wufei cursed, but then paled slightly as the other mecha swiftly transformed into a bipedal mech. It retained its cat-like characteristics, but could now use the weapon it had stolen against its former owner.
It did so viciously, swiping hard at Wufei, who only just managed to dodge. Sandrock immediately backed Shenlong up valiantly with its scimitars, which Felflowne knocked aside with one swipe.
'Trowa! We're outnumbered!' It was true. Whilst Sandrock and Shenlong were both engaged in battling Felflowne, they could not do anything about the encroaching ring of old Aries and Leos, significant enough as a threat due to their numbers.
Trowa dealt with the older suits easily, but soon he had to give the order to retreat himself, as staying any longer would have meant heavy damage. The other Gundam was not sparing with his arsenal. He didn't need to be. Missiles erupted from its head, shoulders, and forelegs. The thing that cinched their defeat was when its two side body panels opened outwards, revealing a buster rifle and number of Andronia Flare weapons tucked under each one. Its firepower seemed limitless. The only sensible option was to retreat. Wufei was fuming.
'This is ridiculous! Three Gundams beaten by one…'
'Gundam.' Finished Trowa, 'Which doesn't look like it's gonna let us get away.'
'Fight to the death!' screamed Wufei.
'Live to fight another day,' chorused Trowa and Quatre, and grabbed Shenlong, dragging it back towards Earth with a purpose.
'Cowards!' crowed the voice, 'Well, you won't get away! I'll program the computer to track you and destroy when you stop to refuel! Ha ha hahahaaaa!'
'Did you hear that? It has no pilot, it's automated!' said Quatre, not bothering to keep his voice low as their com. connection was secure.
'Then we all lost to a mere mobile doll!' spat out Wufei bitterly.
'A Gundam doll,' Quatre reminded him.
'To add insult onto injury,' muttered Trowa.
'As soon as we're within range, we'll radio the base in Eoar and warn them. I can't believe that that thing can beat all five of us.' Wufei snapped.
'Seven. All seven of us. Don't forget Espion and Eron,' said Quatre quietly.
Then he had a thought. Perhaps the quadruped Gundams would have better luck against Felflowne… Then another thought crept into his head. That transforming ability it had matched what he was sure Doloria was capable of… But Doloria was out of their arsenal, with an untrained pilot and no means of programming in another. Besides, it was meant for self-defence. It probably didn't even have any weapons… Damn. He'd had one of his feelings about it too, and that couldn't be good. If he had a feeling about something, it turned out to be true 99% of the time. In fact, he'd never been wrong yet.
I can't be right this time… It's Relena! Be serious Winner!
*
What if they need Doloria? You're useless and pathetic…
Doloria is meant for self defence only…
It's a machine for a COWARD! You're a fool! You've been like this for a week now! How much longer are they gonna run 'round after you?
I don't like you… You can't be me… I would never act like you
I…
What?
Look…I'm the part of you you've always hidden… You've let me show just a little recently 'though…
I need you to help me
What?
We can only get through this together.
You won't regret this
Relena's eyes opened. Her gaze swept the room. It was empty. She gingerly touched her side. It hurt, but it was bearable. She had to get back to the school. She tried to sit up, but a dull pain in her arm stopped her. They'd put her on an IV. Made sense. Without giving the action a second thought, she gripped the IV needle and pulled it out of her arm.
*
Felflowne tracked the retreating Gundams like the cat it was based upon. It stayed out of range of their weapons, but remained as an ominous blip on their radar.
As soon as he was able, Quatre began to transmit signals.
*
Duo lay asleep with his head resting on the communications desk. His mouth was open and he was snoring loudly. He didn't stir as a shadow passed the doorway.
Relena had found her clothes in one of the bins. She had borrowed a T-shirt she'd found in the laundry pile, which didn't seem to be dirty, as hers had been ruined. As she walked silently past the room Duo was dozing in, she noticed a red LED beginning to flash. Duo was completely oblivious to it, and continued to snore.
Summoning up her courage, Relena pushed Duo gently aside and pressed the LED. Immediately Quatre's voice began to emanate from the headphones that Duo had let drop to the floor. Relena pulled one to her ear.
'Come in Eoar! We have failed in our mission and are being tracked back to the base by an enemy we cannot defeat between the three of us. The allegations were true. Come in Eoar!'
'This is Eoar,' said Relena.
'Emma! Wake the others! We'll be arriving at 0600, and the ETA of the other Gundam is 0700. The registration is Felflowne Delta, and…' The signal was cut off.
Relena checked behind her. No one. It had in fact been a waver in the airwaves that had caused the loss of the signal. She thought for a moment, then retrieved some paper and a pen, and wrote down everything Quatre had said. It was now 0430.
She pushed the note under Duo's hand, and carefully put the headphones on his head. She retreated out of the room with the microphone in her hand. As soon as she had built up the nerve, she threw the microphone overarm into the room then ran as quickly as her wounded side would allow down the corridor.
*
'Arrgh!' Duo was woken by a terrific screeching which, unbeknownst to him, had been caused by the thrown microphone suddenly coming into close proximity of the enormous speakers. He immediately felt guilty. He should've been awake. His fingers closed on a piece of paper, which he quickly read. He leapt up and began to tap buttons on the console. An image of Trowa appeared on the monitor, and he quickly bought Duo up to date.
Duo roused the base, and soon everyone was crammed into the small room except Heero, who was leaning against the doorframe, and Kaia, who wasn't there.
'What're we gonna do?' muttered Duo.
'If only Doloria were online, we could use its shields. They're different from OZ commission SBGs. They can be set to stop missiles, or entire mobile suits. I have a suspicion they can be programmed to allow certain suits pass through and block others.' Quatre looked thoughtful.
'Well, it isn't, and even if it were, we couldn't use it, so, next suggestion?' Heero sounded odd, and a bit ticked off.
'I know I'd normally be the last the suggest this, but it looks like all out violence could be the most feasible suggestion,' said Emma, looking grim.
How they hell are they controlling you?
'Emma, I told you that all the allegations were true.'
'Who?'
'I told you. You intercepted the first signal, right?'
'No, Duo woke us all up. He raised the alarm…'
'Cos I found this,' said Duo, handing Emma the note. Emma looked at it.
'Oh…'
*
Relena had hoped to slip away undetected, but this place was a maze. She felt strangely bad at leaving Emma when she might need her, but she had her own place, and so did Emma.
Relena finally found where they had put poor Suvius. He was tied to a railing near the main hangar, which looked oddly like bomb had hit it. Relena wondered what had been happening.
He whinnied loudly when he saw her, and she froze. She didn't want to be discovered. She ran quickly over to him and threw her arms around his neck, telling him in a whisper how he was the best horse in the world, and thank God he was all right. She decided to leave him where he was for now until she discovered the way out.
Emma, don't freak. I need a favour.
*
Duo, who was stood next to Emma, yelled as she suddenly cried out. All eyes were instantly on her. She coughed.
'Sinuses,' she sniffed. Duo glared at her.
Relena, where are you? Are you all right? What's wrong? Emma noticed Heero still watching her.
To answer all those questions in order, in the base, yes, I'm lost
You need to get away, there's another Gundam coming…
I know
How?
Quatre thought I was you. He told me it was coming. I wrote a note and gave it to Duo.
'Ah…' Emma muttered aloud, looking at the note still in her hand. Hayley looked at her. Duo and Quatre were still talking, and now the developers had arrived.
I can't get to you now, because we all have to fight this thing away
All of you?
Yes
Heh, you'd better turn up those invisibility shields around the valley.
Good point. Listen, get to the safest place you can find and stay there, Ok?
*
0630
Don't act like that. This is the safest place I could think of
coincidence
Indeed
*
'Put up a one way shield around the base. I don't want Kaia seeing this,' said Emma.
*
Kaia wandered around aimlessly. She had no idea what was going on. She knew, of course, about the enemy Gundam that three of the non-Empathic Gundams had gone to destroy, but she didn't know that at that moment, it was drawing ever closer. She also knew that the Gundams had returned, and assumed that they had been successful.
*
'Here it comes! Ready?' All seven Gundam pilots watched Felflowne as it drew closer. Finally Wufei couldn't take it anymore. He launched himself into the air and fired several shots at Felflowne, which appeared to bounce off. Felflowne swiped him aside and shot past every single Gundam that was uncloaked.
Hayley rammed Felflowne hard, knocking it back a few steps, but she couldn't stop it. As Quatre had predicted, her four-legged shape made it easier to block the powerful Gundam, but it was just too much.
*
Kaia heard the noise, and foolishly ran out of the base. Relena watched her through Doloria's eyes.
Oh no…
Kaia looked left and right, but of course couldn't see anything, due to the invisibility shield.
*
Felflowne disabled Espion and Eron by flinging them both against the opposite cliff, after morphing to its bipedal form.
'Emma! Hayley!'
'Dammit!'
'Everything's off-line!'
Suddenly Felflowne's computer detected another person, unprotected by a mobile suit. The signal must be coming from inside the base. The 'scent' would lead her right there. The visual monitor picked up the small person standing on the ground.
*
'Heero, Duo! Kaia's outside! Didn't you even tell her what was happening…?' Hayley gasped in fear as Felflowne stepped through the shield as if it were nothing.
*
Kaia screamed as the huge machine just… appeared. It raised one of its paws to swipe her aside. If that hit her, the impact of the metal alone would kill her. She dropped to the ground and curled into a small ball. Felflowne began to bring down its huge metal claw, when it found itself sprawling suddenly on its back.
'It's Doloria!' Quatre cried.
It was. As soon as Relena had seen Felflowne appear, she'd activated the mech, and sprang out of the hangar doors by pushing off of the far wall.
Felflowne was up instantly, but it was immediately obvious that this was not going to be so easy for it. The two machines were too similar.
Kaia found herself being pushed by an enormous metal nose into the hangar. She instantly sprang to her feet and ran.
Felflowne swiped in a feline way at her new opponent, but Doloria grabbed the paw in its teeth and yanked down hard, causing Delta to smash into the ground.
Think we've got his attention now?
no doubt about it
Ok, let's haul
with you
Of course you are, you dumbass
Doloria spun around and began to streak across the valley floor, with Delta right behind it. Suddenly Felflowne put on an extra burst of speed and pounced onto Doloria's back.
*
'What's happening?'
'I don't know and I don't care, all I know is that Doloria is doin' better against that thing than any of us, so let it get on with it,' Duo called back to Wufei.
'It's in trouble now.'
*
Relena tried to twisted D's head behind to see Felflowne, but it was on her back.
Suddenly she had a brainwave. She gripped the control arms and pulled them towards her quickly.
The huge wings that had been stored flat against the Dragon's back erupted outwards, sending Felflowne to the ground, but it bounced back and transformed into a Gundam with two legs.
Hey, if you can do that too D, do it now
Quatre watched as Doloria drew itself up onto its hind legs. Felflowne lunged forwards to knock it over, but it withstood the blow by digging its claws into the ground.
The two mechs were now locked in a struggle to remain upright. They pushed as hard as they could against each other, neither giving up any ground.
'What's wrong with us! Attack while it's preoccupied' cried Emma. Heero had forgotten about her experience, and it surprised him to hear her coming out with something like that.
Relena, has it gone nuts again?
No
Bring him over here
Here you go
At that moment, Doloria suddenly leant forward, and whipped its tail around, knocking Felflowne's legs from under it. It tried to get up, but Relena leapt forward and pinned it to the ground. This time, however, it didn't go exactly to plan. Felflowne kicked out back with its back legs, after swiftly transforming, and Doloria was sent skidding across the ground on its side. With a wild thrash of its legs to try and get upright, the huge mech fell over the enormous cliff.
Relena couldn't think straight. She was falling, and dimensions didn't seem to make sense.
'Doloria went over the cliff!' cried Hayley, grappling with Felflowne. But Felflowne had singled out Doloria as its primary target, and fought free of the two horse mecha and loped over to the cliff edge.
What happened next was 99% luck 1% incredibly good luck. Relena had pulled the controls towards her, but she'd done it too hard, and as well as opening the wings, Doloria had spun around and was now powering up into the sky, staying close to the sheer cliff face. As Felflowne leant forwards to jump, it was grappled around the neck and dragged up by Doloria, going the other way.
'Heero! Follow them!'
He complied. Even Heero Yuy didn't dare to defy Emma Kentley when she was in battle mode.
Because Doloria was carrying an extra load, Heero caught up fast. He watched as Doloria somersaulted, sending Felflowne towards the ground. Heero aimed and let fly several well-chosen missiles. He knocked out a jet, which prompted the computer to shut down the other. Felflowne landed on its feet, but it immediately fired its back-up jets, and sprang back into the air.
It didn't get far.
The computer was beginning to lose its control. Doloria's attack had knocked important wiring loose. It hadn't picked up god-knows-how-many tonnes of angry Gundam Alpha charging it.
Hayley was dragged down memory lane by her next move. In her adrenaline rush, she forgot about her space upgrades, but she didn't need them.
As Felflowne leaped, she leapt too, and caught its leg in Espion's jaws. Her momentum knocked both of them to the ground.
It was the first time that most of the Gundam pilots had seen Hayley fighting for real, and it was impressive.
From its near-defeated position, Felflowne's dying controlling computer decided to take one last shot at the mech that had caused its downfall. The regal head twisted towards the dragon high up into the air, and instantly the early morning sky was lit up by twin buster rifle shots from Delta's sides, which travelled quicker than sound towards the damaged Gundam.
Relena was tired, and her side was killing her. One choice left. She let go of the controls.
D. Freefall. Now
understood
Now twist. Dive for Felflowne. Rip out that projecting thing behind its left ear. That's the computer.
The fall was unexpected. The shots missed. Doloria flared, landed on its hind legs and lunged forward, ripping the enemy computer out of its host. Without its controller, Delta fell to the ground, completely dead.
Wing Zero landed behind the Dragon, and looked at the immobile Delta Gundam. Heero swung his own buster rifle around to destroy the treacherous Gundam.
Doloria didn't try to stop him. It stepped aside, giving him a clear shot.
As he levelled the weapon at the Gundam, the eyes flashed green for an instant. Before, they had been dark.
Hayley gaped as Heero turned aside and moved past the fallen battle machine.
Relena watched him go. Some questions didn't have answers.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Felflowne: Long chapter. I know. Sorry. Been busy downloadin' loadin' loadin'… Also, I can't seem to get into FF.net, so at the moment I am typing this, I have another chapter waiting. Chapter 13. Review please, and ask questions if you are totally confused… *^_^*
Thank you to the person who has this story on their favourites list! *hugs*
Just a note. Whenever I finish a story, I repost it so new people can read it as well. I keep all my reviews on a special file, and look at them and grin *^_^* They don't just get deleted, no fear. They're rare things for me, which is why I get so happy when nice people review!!
If anyone wants to get into contact with me, my email is espionthehamster@gundamwing.net k?
Coming up next - What's happening at the School? Did they see the battle? How will the Gundam pilots decide to use Doloria? Or Felflowne?
* Jupiterius. Okay, this is NOT in the series, but a friend of mine invented it. I decided to include it even though he had the cheek to say it could beat Espion AND Felflowne AT THE SAME TIME! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…
He will pay for his blasphemy *^___________^* Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes…
Bwa hahahahahahaha!
*curls up and sleeps*
ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz…