By: Shadow Chaser
Author's Notes:
Chapter 7 – Arriving to Fight
Adler crept slowly and silently, using his training during his time at the Space Academy to his full advantage. His gun, still mostly emptied as a week had passed by since he escaped from the battle zone the Space Academy had been embroiled in, was in his hand and he clutched it tightly. He had received a mysterious email from someone who seemed to use the coded words of Preventer and Space Force, but the message wasn't too clear. It just said for him to meet the person at the fourth hanger bay of Colony L3-28886, an old Colony, but part of the L3 Cluster.
As he entered the darkened hanger bay, he pointed his gun at different angles, making sure to cover his back. He didn't really know the details of what happened to lead to the attempted arrest of Neo, himself, and his father, but he was sure it had something to do with things happening in Geneva, where the Unified Nations and Colonies met.
Adler decided against backing against the hanger wall, he wanted freedom of movement and shimmying along the wall wasn't ideal. He stepped out slowly; noting that the bay was mostly empty, save for a few shuttles that were near the sides. Anyone can hide in there, he noted to himself – the shuttles were far from him, and were a slightly good sniping point, but not that good.
Suddenly, he spun as he heard the soft whisper of fabric, but no one was there. The dim lights of the hanger bay made it hard for him to see, but he squinted…and suddenly recoiled as a leg came straight at him from nowhere. He ducked underneath the intended kick and retaliated in the dim light with a swipe. An 'oomph' of air being forced out greeted him and Adler was satisfied that he had hit something. He prepared another strike in the same direction when a voice spoke up.
"Good, at least your skills haven't dulled," a voice said, one he recognized came from the general direction he had attacked.
"Hawk?" he hazarded a guess.
His mother, Azure Williams, or Hawk as that was her codename, stepped forward, and Adler narrowed his eyes, wary for anything his mother was going to do. He noted with faint interest that her shoulder length blonde hair was a bit matted and straggly, but her bright green eyes were burning with a fire he hadn't seen before. Even in her mid-forties, she could pass for a late twenties woman, and that's what made many underestimate her.
"Hello Adler, it's been a while," she greeted, folding her arms around the flightsuit she was wearing. Adler noted that she held a gun and was hanging by her fingertips. "I see that you received my message."
"How do you know Preventer and Space Force codes?" Adler asked, as he began to relax a little. He still kept an eye out for anything suspicious, but knowing that his mother was here gave him some measure of comfort, how ever miniscule.
Hawk laughed lightly, but it was loud in the semi-empty hanger bay, "You forget, I am a Preventer agent."
"A what? When?!" he was shocked. When did his mother join Preventers? Was it after their war with Locke Dabnerba and the Omicron Empire?
"Go figure it out," was his mother's reply before she gestured for him to follow, "I was on an assignment before this whole fiasco broke out – don't worry, there's a safe house near here and the people of this Colony don't really bother with the politics of Earth."
Adler, seeing that he had no other choice, followed his mother out of the hanger bay. "So what happened?"
"Apparently, this Senator from L1 was planning a political coup before Locke even showed up. I was sent to L3 to check if it was a repeat of the Barton Foundation's attempt to take over the Earth, but then we agents got the call that just a week ago, the Senator from L1, I think his name was Hallsfield or something like that, made his move and deposed of Mariemaia Khushrenada and her supporters.
"He then denounced that the Gundam pilots, Preventers, Space Force, Winner Corporation, and Sweepers were all part of an elaborate coup that was taking place over many years. Unfortunately, he was able to snag both Winner Corp and the Space Force just as they were discussing disarmament negotiations at the Academy," Hawk led him to a lift that headed towards the metro-area of the colony and pressed a button to summon the lift. Seconds later a lift arrived and they both stepped in.
"So we got the call that a presidential order had been placed by Hallsfield to arrest all people associated with any of the groups I mentioned. You, your father, and Neo Winner happened to be caught on the bad side of things," she continued.
"Hnn, tell me about it," Adler commented as he remembered the sudden betrayal of Lieutenant Peirno, but was thankful that Neo was able to stop the psychotic Lieutenant before he could kill any of them. "So what happened on Earth-side?"
"Sweepers headquarters was blown up," Hawk stated flatly and Adler's eyes widened in surprise.
"No…Sweepers…" he was shocked, "who…did it?" In his mind's eye he could imagine seeing flames consuming the Parisian building…it was Reyna Maxwell's home and everything in it…
"Reyna Maxwell and her family, along with Commander Yuy and Val weren't hurt in the blast if you were wondering. My sources still don't know who did it, but I can guess Hallsfield had a huge hand in it. However, from what I could gather, they were confronted by Severn Cawley-"
"Shit, I thought they killed him back during the GNN confrontation-"
"No, he lived, but Severn captured Duo and Hilde Maxwell and also Commander Yuy. Apparently Val and Reyna escaped," Hawk replied, "Cavan Merquise also escaped, but his father and mother were captured-"
"What about Quatre Winner?" Adler hoped that the head of Winner Corporations was all right. He hated to see Neo's expression if she found out that her father had been captured by the enemy forces.
Hawk shook her head and Adler's hopes were dashed, "Unfortunately, he didn't resist and was taken into custody along with his whole family. Colony L4 is under martial law with the opponents of Winner Corp. heading the leadership of the Colony as we speak."
"Wufei Chang?" Adler knew that his father had escaped, but he if he was the only Gundam pilot to escape…besides he didn't know where his father would have headed, but he knew that he would lay low for a while.
"I think like other Preventer agents in the field, he's laying low like me. I'm assuming Sally Po is too, though I'm not too sure at the moment," Hawk shrugged, "that's the story so far."
Adler nodded as the lift stopped and they stepped out into the metro-area. He looked around, noticing that the big television screens on the sides of the buildings were broadcasting the news, not too many people paid attention to it. Adler suddenly froze as he saw his face, a picture taken when he had become a junior instructor for the Space Academy, on the news, along with his friends. He saw Neo's face appear next to his and felt slight pang of worry in him – he hoped she had made it to Earth, to the Maganac bases, and was staying safe.
But as he saw the pictures of his three other fellow Gundam pilots appear, he realized that Hawk had set him up! It was a trap! Bowing his head slightly, he looked around, hoping that no one took notice of him. Damn, how stupid am I? I shouldn't have trusted her…he thought darkly as he prepared to run.
Suddenly, Hawk's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist in a pincher grip. Adler winced slightly in pain – he never knew how strong his mother was until now. He struggled slightly, trying to get out of the grip she held him in when she turned and whispered sharply to him.
"They won't bother you. This is your home Colony Adler. Do you think so little of your community? L3 is your home Cluster and that of your father's. They know what oppression and propaganda is during the Barton Foundation's occupation of the L3 area, especially 28886's neighbor, 18999. They respect your father for becoming and Gundam pilot and helping them free themselves from both White Fang and Barton control."
"They'll recognize me," he said flatly.
"Of course," Hawk scoffed, "Have you been following the politics of Earth lately? No? Then you will know that Relena Peacecraft-Yuy has been working with the citizens of L3 since their occupation by the Barton Foundation. She's been advocating their freedom for a long time in Geneva and they respect her for that. Why do you think your father left on frequent trips, leaving you in my care? He was trying to help L3!"
Adler was silent. He didn't really know why he was abandoned with his mother and never knew why his father never took him after he was born. Now he knew…and he felt ashamed. As Hawk released her grip, he glared at her for a second before massaging his wrist to get the circulation flowing again. He looked around and noticed that many of the people were staring at him in a curious way, but they then seemed to acknowledge that he was here, but didn't do anything to alert any authorities or anyone.
It made him feel weird to say the least. If what his mother said was true, then he had nothing to fear, but, still, it made him uneasy.
As Hawk continued walk along the semi-crowded side walk of the metro area, he followed, but kept a sharp eye on things. He would bolt the second authority figures arrived on the scene.
"Do you know why L4's under martial law?"
"No," he replied neutrally.
"It's because the people, as a whole Colony Cluster, tried to protect Quatre Winner and his family – his whole family including his sisters," she said softly, "and that is why L3 is also going to be put under martial law. Those bastards that ousted President Khushrenada, knows of the efforts Foreign Minister Peacecraft-Yuy and your father have been trying to achieve for L3. They know that if you or your father escaped their clutches, one of you would head to L3 to hide out and so they decided to send in the military, their newly formed military-
"What newly formed military?"
"National Army, or Nationals, at least that's what I've been hearing on the news," Hawk shrugged, "but anyways, they know that the L3 citizens would shield you and your father or even if Relena Peacecraft-Yuy herself came here."
"When do they arrive?" he asked.
"In a few days. They're recruiting right now," she replied.
"Then what about L4? How did they…"
"They sent Xylon Riyet, apparently, since he knows of the Colony's layout and weak points and plus he had occupied it before during Locke's war a few months back," Hawk stated flatly and Adler frowned.
He remembered the psycho bastard who had turned Neo into an organic machine. God how much he hated that bastard and wanted so badly to squeeze the life out of him. He knew that he should be shocked by the fact that Xylon had survived, but all he felt was anger. If Xylon was alive, then Neo would have to be warned…
"So now what?" he asked, as Hawk led him to a building that was squashed in between two skyscrapers. It was an apartment complex that seemed well off and he followed her inside.
"You finally ask, took you long enough," his mother shot back a bit sarcastically, "we fight."
She opened a door to a room and Adler stepped through…and was promptly floored by what he saw. It was a sophisticated communications relay station, with the satellite images and data flowing in front all different points of the LaGrange points and even from Earth and Lunar Colony. There was no one inside and he noticed that there were four attaching rooms, two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen.
"In few days, L3 will be overrun by mobile suits from the Nationals-"
"I get it," he understood what he was going to do. If he didn't want his home Colony to fall under martial law, then he would fight to defend it, and possibly start a resistance against the unlawful new government.
"Good," his mother smiled a bit predatorily, "we give them hell."
* * *
Val stepped tentatively off from the shuttle he had hijacked from L1, his father's home Colony cluster. He looked around the decrepit ruins of what was once L5 Colony Cluster. Part of the former Colony had been repaired to house a base for Space Force, but they abandoned it after it became apparent that nothing occurred here, which was also why it was an ideal place for the Gundam pilots to hide.
After he had dumped Reyna into the waters of the Seine to save her, he had fought his way to the shuttle bays and took shuttle to Nairobi base. It hadn't been easy getting in and he had to resort to shooting his way in as the base had been overrun by enemy forces. He had made his way down towards where he kept his Gundam Falcon Zero hidden, but had found that it was gone, as was his cousin's Scorpion. He had deducted that his cousin was able to get away and probably take his Gundam along – using slave controls.
Even though he hated the idea of his cousin slaving Falcon Zero to Scorpion, as Falcon Zero was his Gundam after all, he was slightly grateful that he didn't let it fall to enemy hands – at least that's what he hoped.
He had then escaped from Nairobi on another shuttle and barely made it to L1 where he went underground for a few days, listening to the news and watching everything happened. The distorted news had shown footage of Gundam Scorpion blasting its way out of Nairobi Base and with Falcon Zero following it and that had confirmed his suspicions.
He had remembered that a long time ago, his Master Wufei had told him that if anything happened then L5 was the meeting point during his space mobile suit training in Preventers. Maybe Cavan and Master Wufei had gone there, since the news reported that they weren't found anywhere, and so he hijacked a shuttle and flew it towards the L5 Colony Cluster.
A gun rested in his hand and he could hear his own steady breathing in the space helmet he wore. He felt light in lieu of the almost non-existent gravity that was in the hanger bay he was in.
"So what took you," the deep drawling voice of his cousin made his straighten and stare as Cavan walked towards him, dressed in the black-red of Preventer flight suits. He also wore a helmet that was decorated with his own emblem, a black scorpion, and a grim smile was on his face.
"Trouble in Paris," Val shrugged, holstering his gun, "you might have heard something about it?"
"Yeah," Cavan replied neutrally and for once, Val was mildly surprised that his cousin hadn't baited him for a fight yet. There was something different about Cavan, something that had him mature (at least in Val's opinion), since a week passed from the start of this whole disaster.
"Come on," Cavan gestured for him to follow, "I got Falcon Zero and Master Wufei and Captain Barton are here too." He led the way towards the inner locks of the partially rebuilt Colony-base and once they were in the lift to take them down to where they were going, Cavan pulled off his helmet and indicated that Val should do the same.
Val took his helmet off and breathed in the recycled air. It smelled stale, but it was at least oxygen. "So where are the others?" he asked, leaning against one of the walls of the lift.
"Neo Winner and Adler Barton managed to escape when Space Academy was taken over. I assume Reyna is all right?"
"Yes," Val replied neutrally. He knew that his cousin liked Reyna.
"Everyone else has been captured and placed in prison. Have you been watching the news lately?" Cavan continued and Val shrugged.
"Sort of. Kind of hard when you're on the run," he replied a bit sarcastically.
"Then you know that they've put L4 and L3 under martial law, right?" his cousin asked.
"How? I thought the legislation wouldn't allow martial law for Colonies," he was puzzled. Even though he never really listened to his mother and since his father and mother were legally separated, he still paid attention to the politics as it intrigued him.
"Daemon Hallsfield, the one pulling all the strings to arrest everyone and sent Cawley and his goons to you guys in Paris, passed an act that allowed martial law to be implemented in emergency crisis or revolution. It's called the Militarization Act. There are more details, but that's the general idea. Since L4 is the Winner Colony, that's the first place he wanted it to be suppressed," Cavan explained, "L3 because of your mother's work."
"Hnn," Val grunted slightly as he understood what was happening. He didn't know the specific details of his mother's work, but he did know that she advocated the freedom of the L3 citizens, ever since Mariemaia Khushrenada and the Barton Foundation sprung out from L3 Colony cluster. After that brief war, L3 had been violently suppressed and all the citizens were left to suffer greatly as mistrust spread from the other Colonies towards L3.
The lift stopped and Cavan walked out first, followed by Val. He stepped into a control room with holographic projections and monitoring boards. As he followed behind Cavan, he noticed both Master Wufei and Trowa Barton looking up and promptly stopped, giving them a salute to which they returned.
"Glad that you could make it Val," Wufei greeted neutrally, "we got-"
"Val? Val Yuy?!" a female voice interrupted Wufei from one of the consoles and Val turned to see a girl about his age with dark brown hair and light purple eyes. Her face was one of shock, but Val could identify her anywhere…
As she launched herself from her seat and into his arms, Val awkwardly hugged her. He was shocked…his childhood friend…he hadn't seen her since… "Anima…" he whispered, "Anima Ryoji…"
* * *
Daemon Hallsfield was happy. No, he was more than happy, he was elated beyond joy. Everything was going according to plan and though he still had those pesky Gundam pilots' children to deal with, he knew that he had driven them to hiding like rats. It was going to be hard to ferret them out, but he was confident that his soldiers would get the job done.
No, he was happy for another reason. His Militarization Act had passed without a single vote against it. Attached to the bill had been a declaration that he was the new President of the Earth Sphere, no, not the Earth Sphere anymore – it was now the New Unified Nations.
He had four of the six Gundam pilots in his clutches, and especially with L4's Quatre Raberba Winner, it would prove to be some interesting bargaining with the L4 Cluster. But so far, Xylon said that he had everything under control so there wasn't any worry. Plus he had Relena Peacecraft-Yuy in his grasp.
He knew that she wouldn't be easy to manipulate, but he'll let a few idle threats stew in her mind before disposing of her. She was too powerful for her own good and too powerful to be kept alive for such a long time. No, she would serve his purpose then be executed, quietly of course.
Everything was going according to his plans…
"Miletus," he suddenly called from his couch in the huge spacious Presidential mansion.
"Yes milord," his servant approached and Daemon snapped his fingers.
"Summon my wife. I wish to dine with her this evening," he ordered and waved him away.
"As you wish milord," Miletus replied before leaving with a small bow.
Daemon stared into the fire that was burning in his fireplace, even though it was summer, and smiled. Everything was good…
* * *
Author's Notes:
Yes, yes, tension, peeps, sex, drugs, and rock and roll (heh…no, it's not Hathor…). Just kidding. I hoped you like the current chapter. I think it's going to be turning into a soap opera or something like that, especially with Anima thrown into the picture. Wahahah! Okay, next chapter will have Rey in it and more Val stuff. ^_^ Enjoy!