If Braids Could Kill... Confessions of a Gundam Pilot

Chapter 2

Remember how I said that my life would one day change? Well... now you get to read about it. It was about a year later, tops. Someone in the colonies got the bright idea to stage a rebellion against the Earth Alliance's armed forced inhabiting the colonies. This wasn't just the colony I was on, either. There was a rebellion somewhere in the L1 area, as well as the L5 area. But, I'm not gonna talk about them - I only cared about what the hell was going on outside my very adopted home.

No mobile suits were involved at the time, but just about every other manner of personal weapon was. There were soldiers just about everywhere on both sides - with machine guns, tanks and so forth. It got so bad that, not only was school cancelled, no one was allowed out of their house. It went double for the church, which also would take in the occasional injured civilian or even soldier.

After a week of this shit, the fighting was beginning to die down. The bodies lying along the streets were finally being picked up by the local authorities, and the new bodies joining them mostly belonged to the rebels. It was around this time that one of the nuns, Sister Helen, asked me if I believed in God. Despite her being almost a mother to me, I decided to answer her truthfully. What happened next I distinctly remember, like many things that would happen in the following years.

"Y-you say there's no God?" was her slightly bewildered response. Her eyes were wide, and I swear that she almost fell off her chair. Father Maxwell was behind me, and I could almost feel him smirking softly.

My response was quick: "Yeah! If there really was a God, then wouldn't he make it so there weren't any more wars? And if there were no more wars..." I paused, looking down, "there wouldn't be any more orphans like me..."

Father Maxwell's face fell slightly, "Duo, wars aren't started by God, but people..." I remember he looked pained, like somehow he knew exactly what I was feeling, "What people begin...." his eyes closed shut, "people must end for themselves..."

I distinctly remember being confused from his words, "So... it doesn't matter if God exists or not?"

Sister Helen looked completely shocked now, "T-t-that's not true!"

Despite the protest, I continued, "Then the only God in this world is the God of Death."

Sister Helen looked truly disappointed, "Duo... you don't believe in God, but you believe in the God of Death?"

I distinctly remember laughing, happy at being right, "Yeah! I've never seen any miracles, but I sure have seen a lot of dead people!"

There was a long pause, then Father Maxwell began to laugh, "I guess you are right, Duo."

I remember thinking that this was a good life - who needed family when the church could take care of me?

Man, was I naive.

Finally, the day that changed my life, a day I'll never forget, rolled around...

The day the smiles disappeared from everyone's faces...

I remember waking up a few days after that nice conversation you just read, hearing these rhythmic pounding sounds echoing throughout the colony. Running to the open window, I saw the Earth Alliance had unleashed their 'trump card' - the mobile suit.

As you may recall, the mobile suit is somewhat like Voltron, the Transformers, or even the Power Rangers - only it's for one person. This model I saw outside my window was the Leo suit. This one was about 17 meters high - 65 feet off the ground, and was painted this strange olive green. As it paced down the street, it's blank face searching presumably looking for more rebels.

When I say 'face,' it was really just a flat panel in place of an actual face - where the camera sat, displaying information to the pilot in the center of the torso. This Leo suit even had a gun sized for it - a rather large machine gun sitting in its hands like a grizzled war veteran.

I remember watching this suit from my second-story window with a combination of awe and disgust - awe in the way the mobile suit looked, and disgust in the fact that these Leo suits were being deployed inside the colony.

It was then that I heard some noise going on downstairs - a scuffle or something. Getting on my clothes, I ran downstairs and into the chapel to see what the hell was going on. As I got closer, I heard voices. One voice was Father Maxwell, and he was obviously talking to someone.

"...Mobile suits..."

Ok, so I didn't hear much, so sue me.

As I snuck closer, I was able to figure out what they wanted.

"If only we could get our hands on a mobile suit," one of the men said, "then we could pay back the Alliance for all they've done."

Something sounded familiar in those words, and I thought...

It's starting all over again.

We were all living happily until a little while ago...

Father Maxwell walked forward, simply replying with calm words: "Didn't Heero Yuy once say: 'We, the people of the colonies, didn't come to live in space so we could fight?' No matter what happens, we must not fight."

One of the men - presumably the leader looked outraged, "Bastard! I dare you to say it again!" he took a step forward, looking ready to pummel the Father. So, he did - and received a beating for it.

Sister Helen ran to his side, shoving away the soldiers, "Stop it, please!"

"Do you think they're Alliance spies?"

"It's possible."

"Should we make them confess?"

Something within me snapped at that moment - my family was in danger...!

"Hey!"

Before I knew what I had done, I was out in the middle of the room - looking what I hoped was very pissed off. That man had abused Sister Helen and Father Maxwell, and they were family to me... "All you guys want is just one mobile suit?!" I asked incredulously, half ready to run if anyone pointed a gun at me. The leader only looked at me, slightly confused.

"I'll go steal one for you! And in return, I want you guys to leave - this is supposed to be a peaceful place!"

The leader scoffed, adjusting his sunglasses, "The kid's talking nonsense."

I took a deep breath and said, trying to sound confident, "My name's Duo, Duo Maxwell. I may run and hide, but I never tell a lie - like you guys." Before anyone could react, I was out the door, "One mobile suit! Coming right up!"

I ran - my body was on autopilot. My mind, however, was elsewhere... As best as I can remember, what went through my brain was...

Dammit!

Dammit!

DAMMMIT!

Why?

Everyone used to HATE war a few weeks ago! Why go start another one?

I climbed up and leapt over the fence into the Alliance's military compound - the same one from that last failed raid me and the others had tried to do – you know, last chapter. That felt like ages ago as I ran faster, zipping behind several guards standing at attention while others fought the rebels a few meters off.

I hate the Alliance too!

But....

But still!

One of the soldiers noticed me, calling for me to halt. I didn't. Gunshots chased after me for a few minutes – maybe some rebels killed him, maybe someone ordered him to stop. I didn't care which.

If you all want a war so much, then why don't you jerks all go fight each other!

...they keep making more orphans like me...

I came across a garage-like building. That had to be it; not stopping, I ducked inside. There they were... About 5 mobile suits, all on their flatbed trucks, the engines running. Not even bothering to stop and think, I ran for the first truck - speeding past some Alliance soldiers.

"H-hey!"

I slammed the flatbed truck into gear, driving the truck pell-mell out of the garage.

At this moment, a thought burst through my head:

I'm only alive through luck, anyway. If someone's gonna do the dirty work, it should be me.

More gunshots rang out behind me, creepy sounds made as bullets ricochet off the truck in various places - some even hitting the stuff around me in the cab of the truck.

I needed new underwear.

A guard about 100 yards ahead of me opened fire - bullets spraying the windshield and ripping the seat next to me to shreds.

I REALLY needed new underwear.

I pulled the truck to a stop about a block away from the church. I leapt out, running toward my home of a few months - expecting to see the steeple of the church stick out from the surrounding buildings....

But...

I didn't. I didn't see the steeple.

I rounded the corner, almost falling down - hoping to see what the hell was going on.

What I saw, I'll never forget, no matter how much I'll try:

The Maxwell Church was in ruins... complete ruins... The bodies of the clergy and soldiers...

I froze. Just to the left, Father Maxwell and Sister Helen lay, not moving, surrounded by rubble.

You know, I wish I could say I've forgotten about this day by now – or, at least, a portion of it – but, I still remember it all:

Father Maxwell's body was crushed by falling debris - maybe he tried to save Sister Helen, or she him. I couldn't think, didn't want to think. I ran to her side, hoping that she was still alive. Before I got there, though, she spoke:

"D-duo.... I'm glad you're safe..."

She was alive. I knelt at her side, tears stinging my eyes.

"Don't make us worry like that," I remember her saying, "Father was... worried about you... even till the end..."

I stood up quickly, "I'll go get a doctor!"

"T-the Alliance came... and attacked...." She paused - taking a ragged breath, "But, we couldn't.... couldn't leave the church...."

Part of myself was getting angry - not with her, but myself, "Was it my fault? Because I stole that mobile suit?" I gestured angrily to that truck a block down - the mobile suit still beneath the covering cloth.

She ignored me, blood slowly trickling out of the corner of her mouth, "Father was so noble... H-he kept on preaching peace..."

I shook my head, angry, "That's not noble! That's just dumb!" I turned away, "...what's the point if he's dead now?"

Her hand brushed against my cheek, it felt cold... like ice...

"D-duo... may you have God's blessing..." and then...

Sister Helen fell silent, never to move again.

From there, my memories are a complete blank. I wish I could tell you what happened for the next few hours, considering that this is my Autobiography and everything, but it's a complete blank. I only remember that I woke up several days later in an Alliance prison - but was released in a few days.

That would turn out to be a serious mistake for them...