I'm getting this one up fast, but it's a little shorter than the previous ones. Sorry

Gundam Wing After Eve

Chapter Seven

As if the day couldn't get any worse...

"We're getting a transmission," said Rachel, observing a small light blinking on the HUD. (HUD Heads up Display. That's pilot jargon)

"Put it through," said Kreed. The face of a short man with suave brown hair and brown eyes appeared on screen. His hair was slightly disheveled.

"Rachel!" he exclaimed when he got through. "Thank God. I've been trying to contact you for a long time."

"James!" replied Rachel and Kreed simultaneously. "James, what happened at the banquet?" asked Rachel... "How bad is it?"

"So you know already," said James. "It was really bad. All the top officials of the Preventers Corps were killed, and just about every nation's leader as well. It was horrible."

"My God," whispered Anita.

"It was that new Mobile Suit," continued James. "The one you guys found in the picture?"

"Yeah, we know," said Kreed. "What happened?"

"It was very fast," said James. "What was so weird was that it looked exactly like the legendary Wing Zero Gundam."

"It isn't Win Zero, James," said Rachel. "It's some kind of look-alike. Just tell us what the hell happened."

"It was the Buster Mechanism in the arms," said James, his voice cracking a bit. "It just launched this massive wave of energy at the building. Everything a mile in diameter was incinerated... A lot of people died."

"Shit," muttered Anita. They were all silent in shock for over a minute. James finally broke the silence by speaking up.

"There's just one more thing," said James. "Rachel."

"What is it?" she asked.

"As I was saying, every high-ranking official of the Preventers was annihilated, and even a bunch of officers from the Terra Alliance Military... You were the next in command for the Preventers, based on your experience in the military in the past..."

"What are you getting at?" asked Kreed.

"Rachel is the Chief President of the Preventers as of two hours ago."

"Whoa," said Stephen.

"President?" asked Anita, to no one in particular.

"You all need to get back here immediately," continued James. "The entire planet is in chaos, as are the colonies. It's a mad house everywhere."

"Where is 'here'?" asked Anita.

"Oh, the old Military Base Airfield outside of Varsity City," said James. "It's a couple hours' flight from Augusta. Do you need coordinates?"

"No James," said Rachel. "I've been there before."

"Right," said James. "I'll see you all when you get here then. Over and out." The screen with the man called James disappeared, and it left the four pilots up front to stew in their frustration.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Stephen. "What happened? I thought we were at peace? I thought we were holding it up fine."

"We screwed up somehow," said Rachel. "We weren't able to save all of them... So many things went wrong."

"Will you people ever stop talking about it?" asked Jin from the doorway. Kreed stood up, but Anita, standing behind him, pushed him back into his chair.

"What's on your mind Jin," asked Stephen.

"You guys are sitting here moping about how all this shit went wrong," said Jin. "This was out of your control. There was no a damned thing you could do to stop this from happening. Everything they were doing was planned extensively. Their plan was brilliant. Whatever it was, their plan was good enough to fool us. I don't mean to sound egotistical, but it's not easy to fool the best damn pilots in the galaxy. That's what we are: the best.

"So, being the best, we can chose to do something about it...or we can chose to dwell on the past and think about what could've been. What do you all think? Stephen?"

"Jin's right," answered Stephen. "We are the best there is, and we can do something about this."

"How about you Anita?" asked Jin.

"It's our job," answered Anita. "It's our job and privilege to do what we do. We should never do that. I chose to fight."

"Rachel?"

"I don't know what I can do?" asked Rachel. "I'm the president of an organization that failed to do its only task... But I'll do everything in my power. I know that's the right thing to do. If I can fight, then I'm going to."

"And you, Kreed?" asked Jin. Kreed sat with his arms crossed in his copilot chair. "Are you with us Kreed?"

"Nothing changes that what happened today in Augusta is a tragedy," said Kreed. "It was evil, and evil-doers must be punished. It's my responsibility and God-given right."

"Good," said Jin. "I'm glad you all are ready. I honestly don't know where to go from here, but we'll come up with something. Like I said, we're the best at what we do, and we can truly accomplish anything that we put our minds to. We single-handedly defeated OZ's entire army a few short years ago, and I say we still have it in us... We may have lost this last battle, but this war's only just begun."

"It's good to have you back Jin," said Anita. "It's good to see our leader jump back in."

Jin nodded and limped out of the cabin back to his small bed in the back room.

"He's not back yet," said Stephen. "Something's still wrong."

"Oh?" asked Kreed.

"Yeah," said Stephen.

"I see it too," said Rachel. "He meant everything he said, but he himself is having a hard time coming to terms with something still."

"No doubt it's the whole killing thing," said Anita dismissively.

"My parents went all psychotic early on in my life and killed a bunch of people with now remorse," said Stephen. "They were imprisoned, and they still to this day think it was a great time. They loved it... Why can people have such drastically different views of death?"

"I think it's more than the killing thing," said Rachel.

"Maybe he's afraid I'll beat the shit out of him again," said Kreed.

"Oh grow up," said Anita. "I already said that you know full well that he could've easily whooped you. He'd kill you in an instant."

"I'm still not done with his ass," said Kreed.

"I'll tell you what Kreed," said Anita. "If we get through this whole mess and you still believe whatever you do about Jin, and if you still want to beat him up, no one will try to stop you. We'll let you take your swings at him. I'll only warn you that he probably won't let you by this next time."

"Oh shut up already," fumed Kreed. "Fine. I'll deal with his ass after this debacle is sorted out. Then we'll see who can beat who."

"Whatever," said Anita as she walked away to sit down again. Pompous, arrogant jackass... If he knew just what Jin's motives were... if any of them knew what his motives were, they wouldn't know what to do. They'd certainly feel better, and Jin would feel a whole lot better, but he's too much the hero to do that. He won't let them know the truth. He'd rather live a life time of agony and defeat than get Rachel hurt.

Anita shook her head. The poor guy can't be left to die to himself... I know that he asked me not to tell anyone, and I won't tell Rachel or Stephen. But Kreed has to know. If Kreed doesn't find out, Jin will allow Kreed to beat him to death next time. I have to find a way to tell Kreed. And then I have to figure out a way to make him shut his damn mouth at the same time.

End Chapter Seven

Another crappy filler chapter. I apologize. All you get to see here is Jin's supposed return from his mental stress. In reality, he's still really depressed and all, but he's hiding it for the benefit of the group, so that he can sort of boost their morale. Because I got this chapter up so soon after the last, I didn't expect to be answering any reviews. But please, give me reviews. I need them to continue working. I may actually quit this thing if I don't get some evidence that more than two people are reading.

(An if you do review, leave a name I can use to address you with)