SORRY! DIDN'T LOAD IT RIGHT. HAD TO DO IT AGAIN!

Vega: ::peaks around the corner:: Hello?Wufei: Move! ::pushes Vega into the area::
Vega: Ack! Dun do dat! People will pelt me with fruit!
Wufei: Just 'cause you've been out of the loop for a few months doesn't... mean... ::sees people aiming at them::
Vega: Tolja! Ok, ok sorry for not updating. But between school, writer's block and people in general i haven't been inspired, but now... :shrugs:: So to make up for all that time, here's two chapters! Now put the fruit down...

Notes: Since won't let me use certain characters remember these:

'blahblah' are personal thoughts
::blahblah:: are mind speak
#blahblah# are dreams or (in this chapter) Quatre's space heart thingy

Chapter 8

When the two got back to the others, they noticed Christian has once against picked his way out of his bonds and was reclining comfortably on the little cot. Duo glanced at the others and almost burst out laughing at their expressions. They stood looking at Christian as if to ask 'How the hell did he do that?'. Duo knew that once Christian was with them, he and Duo would cause such chaos among the pilots.

Trowa looked towards the door, seeing that Heero had returned with Duo and took a step toward the cell. "Everyone's here now. Tell us why you are here."

Christian sat up straight and eyed all the pilots, calculating how to start off the subject. He looked into Duo's eyes and at his unnoticed nod, began his tale.

"My lord and master, Lord Dumatre, sent me here as a "helping hand" so to speak. He and his associates have been a neutral party in this war between the colonies and Earth. Until now he has taken no sides, but after a recent attack, he has seen it is high time for things to change. So he sent me to help with your cause."

"Help? How can you help us? And better yet why should we trust you to help?" Wufei asked, looking suspiciously at Christian.
"I have some extraordinary skills and talents and I could be an informant."

"Or a leak," Trowa countered.

"I can understand you young men being skeptical about this, but I am here to lend a hand. Besides I have already proven myself."

"When?" Quatre asked.

"When Duo was knocked out of his gundam."

Duo tensed slightly, wondering what Christian would say as to HOW he helped.

"What? How?"

"Lord Dumatre has many advances gadgets and technologies at his beck and call and I am allowed access to them. I simply caught him with one of his more recent inventions. I can explain more about his resources at a later time, once I have permission to do so. That light was created when the device was activated."

Christian noticed how all their eyes lit up slightly at the mention of the technology; Christian guess they saw it as an upper hand on OZ. Duo eyes in particular were sparkling with mirth and laughter.

Duo had to suppress the smile that threatened to grace his face; he was very proud of the way Christian handled that. But despite the tall tale, he hoped that the prospects of a supply of advanced weaponry aiding the battle would appeal to the g-boys. It did.

Heero looked hard at Christian, trying to see the truth in his words. Seeing no falsehoods in his eyes made Heero want to think the man was telling the truth. But Heero, being the perfect soldier he was, had to take another precaution. "Quatre."

"Yes, Heero?"

"I want to make sure he's telling the truth, do you think you could search his intentions using your Space Heart?"

Quatre looked momentarily taken aback, but nodded. For some reason he suddenly felt anxiety, not from Christian but from Duo. He briefly wondered why.

::Oh crap! Christian, what are we gonna do::? Duo almost shouted with his mind.

::Do, m'lord?:

::Yes, Q-man has the ability to pick up things from a person's feelings and thoughts; he's a kind of empath.::

Christian frowned in silent thought. Quatre could possibly sense that Christian wasn't exactly what he said he was or he could feel things that the young mortal shouldn't have to experience. He began to worry his bottom lip. He knew hiding his feelings would be useless. Finally he sighed.

::M'lord, he's going to sense most of my surface thoughts and a few memories, but nothing else. My defenses are strong enough to keep him from sensing our true nature. That's the only way I can find to avoid it.::

::I understand.::

"Excuse me Mr. McLowry," Quatre said sweetly, approaching the cell's bars.

"Call me Christian."

"Christian, I need you to extend you arm please. You do understand that we must know certain things about you."

"I understand and I'm sorry."

"Sorry? For what?" Christian stretched out his arm between the bars. "You'll see."

Confused by the statement, Quatre took Christian's arm in his hands and pressed one of his hands palm to palm with Christian. Then with an unspoken command, both blondes closed their eyes and concentrated. Quatre gasped suddenly as the images and feelings began to pour into his mind.

#Pain, physical and emotional pain…. Sufferings, sadness, fear, happiness, despair… a child smiling and skipping through a grand hallway, tripping and strong hands helping him up…. The same child giggling chasing a butterfly…. Fire and dead bodies littering the ground, the child crying over a bloody woman…. The child-turned-teenager, fighting another teenager and losing…. Blinding pain, more dead people surrounding the boy and himself, more fires…. Failure, hope, kindness, evil, and finally peace…finding and loosing loved ones, honesty, determination. Relief after saving Duo from falling from his gundam. The last image that flashed into Quatre's mind was one of Duo asleep in his room. Then all was black.#

The others looked on as Quatre released the man's arm and slowly stepped back to Trowa's side. He kept glancing at Duo and finally made eye contact with Heero.

"He's telling the truth, he's here to help."

"Quatre?" Trowa placed his hand on his shoulder; Quatre was shaking. "What's else did you see?"

Christian looked at Quatre with intense eyes as if begging the little Arab not to speak of what he'd seen in his mind. At least not yet.

"I'll tell you later. He's been through a lot. I think we should let him out and give him a proper room and meal."

Duo smiled and snatched the keys from Wufei's loosened hand, proceeding to unlock the cell door. He offered his hand to Christian.

"Welcome to the team, Christian!" Christian accepted Duo's hand, hating having to resist hugging the violet-eyed boy. He returned the smile. "Thank you, Duo Maxwell." He meant it from the bottom of his soul.