Author's note: Others own the rights to the G-Gundam characters. All other characters are my creations. Please do not use them without my permission.
Shadow Life – Part 13
By: Diane Maher
As the Neo-Austria ship approached Neo-Hong Kong, Schwarz finished repairing Shadow Gundam. He then considered what he had learned about Karla. That she was the Neo-German chancellor's daughter was both interesting and unexpected. His training time with her in the Guiana Highlands was short when compared to the time he spent hovering over Domon. Humph! Hovering isn't the word for it! Schwarz thought.
Most of Karla's improvements were coming as a result of her budding relationship with Niklas. He was the one that Karla had learned to trust and confide in. Schwarz wasn't aware of everything that had transpired between her and Niklas, and he knew that it wasn't necessary for him to know. Karla was well on her way to earning her freedom and reaching her full potential as a fighter.
A change in the sound of the engines alerted him to the fact that they were approaching Neo-Hong Kong. It was time for him to leave. Schwarz sat up, pressed the intercom button, and said, "Niklas, I have to leave now. I can't arrive in Neo-Hong Kong with you. Please come to the cockpit."
A few minutes later, Niklas came to the cockpit. He was still somewhat sleepy. "What's happening? Why can't you arrive with us?" Niklas asked.
From behind him, Karla replied, "Schwarz can't let anyone know how he arrived in New-Hong Kong and we can't show the Neo-Austrians that we've helped or cooperated with him in any way."
Niklas turned and looked at Schwarz. "Is this correct?"
"Yes," Schwarz replied.
"Good bye, Schwarz," Karla said. "And good luck in the upcoming battles."
"Good luck to you too, Karla. Thanks for coming back for me," Schwarz said. "I'm looking forward to meeting you in the finals."
"Yes, me too," Karla said. She went to the hangar with Schwarz.
Before they entered, Schwarz said, "Thanks for helping me get the Shuffle Alliance members together in the Guiana Highlands."
"You're welcome, Schwarz," Karla replied. "I'm glad I could help."
Schwarz nodded silently, Karla hugged him briefly. When he stepped back, he put on another mask that he kept in case one was damaged. He opened the door, watched her dark hair blow in the breeze for a moment, she smiled and he turned and headed for his gundam.
Karla watched as Schwarz climbed in his gundam and then, it powered up and left the hangar. She closed the door, pressed a button on the intercom, and said, "Niklas, he's gone, close the outer doors."
"I will, but I think I should land so you can fly your gundam into Neo-Hong Kong," Niklas replied. "It would be impressive."
"You're right, it would. I'll fly the gundam to the city," Karla said. "I'm not here to impress any politician, least of all, Claus. It's bad enough that I have to listen to him."
"I can tell that you're ready for the gundam fights to be over," Niklas commented.
"What was that?" Karla asked.
Niklas replied with a chuckle, "Nothing. I'll be landing shortly."
When both the ship and her gundam touched down, Karla pulled on her mask, climbed inside its cockpit, powered up the gundam and flew toward the city lights. Niklas followed in the ship. They landed close to the ship from Neo-Russia.
"I see most of the Shuffle Alliance made it here, with the notable exception of the Neo-Japan fighter," Karla said.
"Look at all the fighters who are already here!" Niklas exclaimed in awe.
"Until Domon arrives, he isn't eligible for the finals," Karla said.
"The Neo-Japan people are here from the colony," Niklas said. His tone became contemptuous as he added, "I see a vehicle flying the Neo-Austrian flag approaching."
"Yes," Karla muttered as the car stopped next to her gundam.
The driver opened the car door and Claus stepped out with his bodyguards and secretary and casually walked toward where she and Niklas stood. Claus wore a dark suit and hat and a pair of polarized sunglasses.
"Hello Karla," Claus said.
"Claus," Karla replied in a barely civil tone.
The secretary came over and said, "You'll address him as President."
Karla's gaze turned on the secretary and she was about to say something when Niklas touched her shoulder. He shook his head and said, "It's not worth it to try and argue, Karla."
"Bitch!" Karla muttered under her breath.
Someone else touched her other shoulder. "Now don't you offend my secretary," Claus said in a patronizing tone.
Karla's gaze shifted to Claus. Her eyes narrowed and her tone was indignant when she replied, "I'll say whatever I please."
Claus' brow furrowed and he nodded to the security men. They grabbed Karla by her arms and Claus moved to stand in front of her. "You'll do what I say or else I'll see to it that you're arrested and publicly humiliated far worse than you were before. I'll see to it that the whole world watches this time," Claus threatened. "I'll be in touch with you, Karla." To his security men, he said, "Release her."
Niklas was speechless as Claus threatened her. As Claus walked away, he asked, "You'll be at the Neo-Austrian embassy?"
"Yes," Claus replied.
Karla watched in stunned silence as Claus and his entourage returned to the car. Her brow furrowed and then she whipped out a small device, made a few swift adjustments, pointed the device towards the departing Neo-Austria car, and fired. A tiny disk attached itself to the vehicle and blended in with the surface.
As the car drove away, Niklas came over, and stood next to her.
"Will I ever be free from Claus?" Karla whispered.
"You will be free of him at the end of the gundam fight," Niklas whispered.
"I am a person without a country or an identity," Karla whispered.
"We'll deal with that later. Come; let's go back to the transport for the night. We need to rest and catch up on our sleep," Niklas said. "I think the flight here from the Guiana Highlands is catching up with me."
Karla bowed her head, closed her eyes, clenched her fists and angrily muttered, "You will pay for my humiliation at the hands of the Neo-Austrians, Claus. I..."
Someone broke her train of thought a moment later. "Karla, you mustn't allow him to goad you like that."
Karla whirled around and found an older man standing there. "Schwarz, is that you?" she whispered.
"Yes. I don't want to reveal my presence to the others until the introductions tomorrow," Schwarz replied.
Karla asked, "You heard what Claus said to me?"
"Claus is an arrogant fool," Schwarz said with a nod.
"He is also the President of Neo-Austria," Karla said. "I may despise him, but you are right, I shouldn't let him get to me."
"Remember your training and what you learned in the Guiana Highlands," Schwarz commented.
Karla nodded. Beneath her mask, she smiled demurely. "I will, Schwarz."
"Neo-Japan still isn't here," Niklas said.
"No," Karla said. A flash of light caught her eye. "Look at that!"
"What is it?" Niklas asked.
"I don't know. It's a glowing light," Karla replied. She pulled out a small pair of binoculars and raised them to her eyes. "It's Rain!"
"What?" Schwarz asked.
"Yes, I don't understand what is going on, perhaps you might?" Karla replied and handed the binoculars to him.
Schwarz looked through them and commented, "Hmmm. I think I understand what is going on there. If I'm not mistaken, she is probably communicating with Domon. That device was only in the design stages last year."
Niklas said, "I see. So Neo-Japan has invented a device that allows humans to speak telepathically to one another over great distances?"
"I wasn't involved with that project, though I knew something of the technology as we used something similar for the Ultimate Gundam's pilot to control its systems," Schwarz replied. "The Shuffle Alliance members are gathered around her."
"Look! Up in the sky! There's a shooting star!" Karla exclaimed.
Schwarz took his eyes off Rain and looked up in the sky.
In the background, a female emcee shouted, "Only one minute to go until all the gundams are required to be here for the final round of the thirteenth gundam fight!"
"What is going on? Now there are five lights," Niklas observed.
"It must be Domon!" Schwarz exclaimed.
"But who or what are the other four?" Karla asked. "Surely Domon doesn't need an escort to arrive here?"
"It's not an escort, they are attacking him. Or perhaps just informing him that they exist," Schwarz commented seriously.
Domon's gundam landed just in the nick of time. The Shuffles, Rain and the various support teams were in the area around the Neo-Japan gundam. Karla and Niklas returned to their transport and Schwarz left to return to wherever his gundam was hidden. The gundam fight final match would soon begin.
