Companions of a Kind – Battle
Zech's clunky boots covered up the sound of the doors as he, accompanied by Noin, walked into the Enterprises briefing room for hopefully the last time. The enemy fleet was in range, a little over an hour away.
"You're cutting it close, Milliardo," Treize purred. Zech's ignored the older mans words and easily took he seat, Noin sitting next to him. He had been almost late. Treize, Une the normal Enterprise officers and a few Starfleet personal he didn't recognize were already present.
Quatre and Trowa, wirily sat in their seats... if educate didn't dictate Quatre looked as if he would be sleeping on Trowa's shoulder. No doubt they were tired, although with Trowa's return to the ship all tracterbeams had released the Companion, Trowa had been working non stop and with only four boys to prepare the ship they must have been busy.
"Actually, our ship has been long prepared. It is other matters that have put me in this state," Quatre's voice was stronger than his body looked. Zech's raised one blond eye brow at the boy. Before he could ask Picard cleared his throat to start the briefing.
"This is the last time we will be able to prepare for the up coming battle. Our scanners show that the enemies fleet it over 75 visible ships, probably more cloaked, in size. They are about an hour away. The Enterprise is prepared for battle and so are the Federation ships that have made it here in time. Ten have just arrived with in the hour and three more will make it in time for battle. These are the other commanders; they have been briefed on the situation."
"There is more to add to this situation," Quatre's voice clearly took over as Picard paused to continue. Quatre stood and moved his staff slightly in front of him. The wall behind Picard was suddenly covered in a brightly colored map... obviously one of the new planetary system in neutral space. Zech's eyes squinted as he tried to read the mass of information that covered the wall but it was to confusing and mixed to understand.
"How did you come across this map?" Treizes voice was slightly put off and Zech glanced over at the generals slightly widened eyes.
"We made it, or I should say we helped make it. Heero and Cassandra did most of it. What is important it no the map," Quatre waved his hand and the map slowly began to sort itself out and zoom into a semblance of order. "But the information gathered as it pertains to the situation."
Zech moved his focus to the map as the planets became distinct. Dark patterns with a lighter line in the middle traced every planet... sun included.
"What you are seeing now is the Magical writing that split out planet apart thousands of years ago. Not only that but there are a few more glifs that we have not seen in years connected to the patterns already present, those are the ones that have only the lighter line tracing them. The dark line is magic already in existence but that were recently reactivated the lighter line is just patters that were recently written," Quatre explained pointing in the appropriate places. "No mage wrote these patters... Cassandra has not been on the Companion sense the patterns appeared."
"What the full pattern makes up we are not quite sure," Trowa took over smoothly. "Duo recognized it as the dimensional shift, however the knowledge of that was lost right after the first shift. The patter is active and eating the excess energy from the planets... but at the rate it is going it will be a millennium before it is powered up. It is only feed on energy not used or that is a byproduct." Quatre drew everyone's attention back to the map as it began to swirl and move.
"Once the pattern is at full power, we don't know what will happen. Only one person knows and that it Cassandra... she wrote the patterns. No one else could have."
"And what does this have to do with us?" It was Zech that cut in this time.
"We will be taking one of the Gundams out of the fight to deal with Cassandra if the ruins begin eating the excess energy from the battle. It will be Gundam 01. Gundam's 03 and 05 will be covering space if... when this happens."
"Has Heero been in contact with Cassandra?" Troy asked.
"Yes, but Cassandra's answers are evasive and we can't trust them," Quatre's voice sounded angry at the comment.
"Why?" Troy began. "You seem to have some fundamental issues with Cassandra sense we first met, yet I have sensed no evil from your ship..."
"Have you even sensed Cassandra?" Quatre cut in his voice under control but still hinting at anger. Zech watched Troy as her head tilted down in thought. Her expression was unreadable as she met Quatre's eyes.
"I can't say I have," Troy calmly stated.
"Neither can I," Quatre closed his eyes and then opened them again. "Heero has relayed the message that her intentions will have little effect on us and not hurt the planets permanently. But she has not said what she is doing and 'not affect the planets permanently' is not reassuring. Zech's and Treize will both tell you that Cassandra's only side is her own. I will not discuss all the oddities with you about Cassandra... but I will leave it with the possibility that Cassandra informed the enemy so that they would come and stage this battle for her own ends. Even Heero wouldn't put it past her," Quatre whispered the last sentence before he sat.
Zech's remained silent as Trowa squeezed Quatre's shoulder before taking over. "Because of this we only want to solidify the plans before we adjourn... the enemy is less than half an hour away."
Zech's brought his gloved hands up to his chin as Picard took the conversation over once again. Cassandra was a puzzle, but unlike Quatre Zech's knew that what Cassandra said she meant. The battle would go on, the curtains would unfold and the truth would be revealed.
30 minutes later Picard
"All hands to battle stations," Picard's voice bellowed over the com. Only a moment later the alarms and red lights signaling read alert filled the ship. Picard briefly thought of the many family members that had already been evacuated from the Enterprise in light of the battle. As his eyes scanned the swarm of ships filling the screen that covered the front wall of the Enterprise. He slowly pulled his eyes from it and walked to his seat.
"Worf, all weapons are on stand by," Picard more affirmed than asked. The Enterprise would not back down on this one; peace was not possible. Picard sat and looked back at the screen. Just as little pieces of it began to blur.
"Sir, two Cardassian vessels are decloaking on our starboard and port," Worf rushed.
"Shields up!" Picard barked. The Enterprise rocked as it was bombarded by torpedoes.
"Prepare photon torpedoes and return fire on my mark," Picard ordered. He waited until ships began to fad before giving the order. Two orange bright orange balls of destruction flew toward their targets. The first hit, the ship shuddered as sparks flew. But the cloak was unaffected and a moment later the ship disappeared from view. The second ship was uninjured having the cloak halted to keep shields up.
Picard grabbed his chair as the Enterprise rocked forward.
"Sir, ships are firing at our flanks and more have decloaked at our sides. We are surrounded," Worf said his voice steady.
"Worf, fire at will. Jordi I need all the power to weapons and shields as possible. Riker take control of phasors. If it's not on our side, I want it shot down,"
Treize
"We are out numbered six to one... the newest arrival of the Federation has already sustained massive damaged," Une's voice reported.
"The Federation is as unprepared as usual, ignore the injured fleet. Dorothy, when you are surrounded and can not retreat what is the best plan of action?" Treize smoothly asked.
"No one ever wins by defending, battle is beautiful but only if both sides want to win. Escape is never an option. When surrounded, you attack the weakest point and then charge straight ahead," Dorothy lectured. Her hands were clasped if front of her, just above breast level, as she watched the fight unfold. Her mind bathed in the essence of battle.
"Although strategically that is not always right in this case it is correct," Treize praised. Une quickly began bellowing out orders to the smaller ships under her as the viewer changed directions.
"A class two Romulan vessel at mark 13.5, shoot it down!" Une commanded. Phasors easily tore through the lesser ship. Before the Romulan and Cardassian line could reform torpedoes rained down on the remaining circle as Une maneuvered the main fleet out of the circle they had been surrounded in.
"Une, keep every ship in motion. Circle and destroy is a tactic that will not work on us.
Zechs
"Quatre, have you identified the lead ships?" Zech's calmly asked over the com system. His ship bucked as it was hit by a volley of phasor fire but the shields held. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Relena stumble before taking the seat Noin had earlier offered her. The young woman had refused to leave or stay safely in her room, not that anywhere was safe in the middle of battle.
"Shields down to 70, returning fire. Ships decloaking on our flanks," Noin yelled. "Po..."
"Already moving," Po yelled as her fingers whipped over the consul. Zech's agile ship turned bit not quite in time as torpedo fire hit the shields, the ship bucked harder butt the shields continued to hold.
"Yes," Zech's blinked at Quatre's voice, his mind so focused on the battle he had almost forgotten his question. "Transmitting the ships data now."
"Got it," Zech's said as the consul on his chair and the main one being controlled by Noin flashed the data.
"Give me the helm," Zechs ordered as he stood and walked to the head of this ship. Po was already out of the chair as Zech's typed in the command for the joystick to rise from the console.
"Noin, shoot my path clear, we're not stopping," Zech declared.
"All White Fang vessels, follow me and take down as many as you can on your way," Zech's ordered. A small smile came onto his face as he slightly caressed the joystick before grasping it and pushing forward. The ship surged forward under his command.
Picard
"Zech's what are you doing?" Picard yelled over the com. This battle was not going as planned. Only the Enterprise seemed to be following any of the set plans.
"I'm going after the leader ships," Zech's voice was cold.
"What about the formation," Picard demanded.
"Some plans work and others don't," Picard heard a blast over the com and Noin's voice softly in the background gave a damage report.
"At least we would not be so spread out if we had stuck to the original plan," Picard stated. Picard lurched as he was almost thrown out of his chair.
"Shields down to 20, damage to deck 5. Damage crews on there way," Worf stated his calm voice containing a hint of worry. Picard's attention was drawn away from Zech as the Enterprise was once again surrounded.
"Full power to shields," Picard ordered. "All hands prepare for impact!" Picard watched as the three ships in front of his prepared to fire.
Suddenly a streak of gold and light blue flamed across the screen, seeming to go through the ships. There was a moment where time seemed to stand still then suddenly the ships exploded, pieces hit the Enterprises shield.
"It's Heavyarms, we have been pushed back to the last line of defense," Worf declared.
"If we are going to win, we must form up," Trowa's voice seemed young over the com. His face tinted light blue sparkled with his magic. "The Gundams have begun to use magic now; we are out of your technology."
As if to illustrate explosions filled the viewer and colored beams and balls shot out from the Gundams.
"As least you are still following the plan," Picard stated. "Jeordi, I need more power to the shields and weapons. Cut off unnecessary functions."
"Yes sir, I'll give you as much as she can give," Jeordi responded.
Heero
Heero forced his Gundam's arms and legs out of their tucked position and splayed them out to stop his fast rotation. With Duo covering him, the ball of raw power and fire than he had combined would take out a good portion of the ships that had once again surrounded Treize.
His Gundam easily sunk down to that he could push the ball hard with its hands. The ball went flying, fast for its size, but slow enough that several ships were able to escape its deadly path, but only a few.
"Treize is down to a third of his fleet. Zechs it no better, his attempt to get to the leaders in the back have been halted by a line of war birds. His ship is damaged... shit did you feel that?" Duo interrupted his own report.
Heero's eyes had followed the invisible trail of left over energy for the fourth time as it had been pulled into the glifs on the sun. The excess energy was massive in battles like this. Every portion of that ball that had not destroyed a target or that had but easily, became excess energy that mages could draw on when their own was depleted. But all of it was going into the sun.
Why?Heero dead panned into Cassandra's mind.
NecessaryCassandra dead panned back. Heero wasn't fazed as he kept his hands up and began shooting small bolts of power at ships, picking them off as they tried to attack. Phasor fire bounced off his shields, as of yet the only thing to effect the ship were the photon torpedoes.
How much more?Heero asked.
Half fullCassandra replied.
"Hey, I know your talking with her," Quatre's voice was sour and distant as he concentrated on his own battle. "Heero, it's too much energy. Go after Cassandra and take her out" Quatre began to give orders. "Wufei, leave the last line and help Treize in the second. Duo, find Zech's his idea is good even if his actions are brash. Trowa, you and I will stay with the last line and help defend our planets and the Federation ships. Only a few of them have the special shielding."
"Confirmed," Heero dead panned.
"On my way," Duo sang his bright voice at odds with his grim face. Heero looked up at Duo on his monitor, his eyes trying to memorize every line. "Heero, when this is over... promise you'll take me on a date in the holodecks again."
Heero studied Duo's face for one last second before he turned his attention to his Gundam. "Mission accepted."
Duo's bitter laughter rang through Heero's Gundam for a moment before it was cut off and Duo's face disappeared from its box. Heero felt a chill want to run up his spine, but shrugged it off. Duo would be fine; he could take care of himself.
Heero's hands flew over the Gundam controls as it searched for Beta, the only ship that Cassandra could be on. It didn't take long sense Heero knew exactly where to look.
FightAlthough Heero heard it as an order, Cassandra's tone gave not indication.
Doing?Heero asked.
AwayCassandra answered. Heero narrowed his eyes, away had many meanings this time. Quatre had so much empathy, other than Cassandra Heero trusted Quatre's judgment... but for the first time they were not coinciding. Incomplete dataCassandra sated in his head.
Complete itHeero ordered. If Cassandra would tell Quatre the entire story than Heero would not be in this situation. Split between allies... maybe even friends.
Friends. Don't fightCassandra correct.
HnHeero responded. He and Cassandra often disagreed on the definition of words and their true use. Cassandra believed that Friends fought while Allies don't... Heero believed the opposite. If you fought an ally that obviously they were not your ally any more.
FightCassandra insisted.
WhyHeero asked again.
NecessaryCass stated. Heero knew that Cassandra was leading him in circles. Her evasion to answering his questions was often done this way.
Already answeredHeero blinked at Cassandra's statement. He rarely forgot her answers, it was almost impossible that he could have... as if the thoughts triggered it Heero's mind began to turn, the wheels of memory sliding backwards. Heero let his mind bring back up the only situation where he and Cassandra had used words to communicate.
Heero's fingers ran over the consul as the beginning image of the map of 01 reflected off his clear eyes. The only other sound in the room as the soft clicking of Cassandra's consul as she worked on the same project.
Why?Heero asked in Cassandra's mind.
Necessary dataCassandra's cold mind voice gave no hints.
ExplainHeero asked, although it could have been an order.
"Are you happy where you are?" Heero's hands froze on his consul as the silence was broken by Cassandra cold dry question. Heero closed his eyes and looked inward, unsure of how to answer.
"Don't answer. You are too young to know the meaning of the question," Cassandra's voice cracked with lack of use. It sounded raw, although still cold like her mind voice. Heero opened his eyes, the glint of fire smoldered in the blue depths.
"Emotions are for the weak, leave them behind. Life is a longer road for some than others. My time here needs to end soon, but the cycle of life has me trapped. I will be leaving," Cassandra's voice had a finality that Heero had never heard before. And it was only a second later that her presents left the room, and her mind voice became unresponsive.
Heero opened the com to Beta as the rush of memories he had stored haphazardly with all the other none useful ones tried to come out of their box. Heero had not understood that conversation. Cassandra was obviously not dying and had just started a major project so could not be contemplating suicide.
Cassandra's face was clear against the tidied walls of Beta. Black hair outlined the pail ghost like skin with stark small features.
"If you will not fight others than you will fight me," Cassandra's physical voice was just as Heero remembered it. Heero barley got out of the way as a blast of pure energy brushed against his shields. Heero glanced back at Cassandra's image and froze, Cassandra's face was covered in green and black tattoos and the light that surrounded her was the same fuzzy dirty yellow of his own, but laced with all the other mage colors.
MageHeero's mind whispered into Cassandra's. Heero's shock prevented him from even dodging as Cassandra's next attack took down the last of his energy shields... enveloping Wing in a blast of yellow power.
Duo
Duo's heart froze as the largest blast of mage energy he had ever felt enveloped Wing. His wide eyes starred at black that was left after the blast, trying to see the condition of Heero's Gundam; heedless of the massive amount of energy getting pulled into the sun from the raging battle around him.
The impact of his face against the screen in front of him woke him from his terror. Duo shook his head, ignoring the burning in his shoulders where the straps had lessened the damage to his head.
"Duo pay attention," Quatre's sharp command came over the con.
"Right, He... Heero is fine," Duo more mumbled to himself than for Quatre's benefit. Quatre's face went off the screen a moment later as Duo fired at the ship that had hit him with the torpedoes. Two more hits and his shields would be down completely.
"Hey, Zech's man. Let's get this party started!" Duo yelled happily over the com. Zech's face was far from pleased as it appeared on his screen.
"I've lost most of my fleet and lost our enemies leaders," Zech's mildly stated.
"Well based on your tone; the weather is just as interesting. Have you ships follow me, Q is transmitting the new location now," Duo didn't wait for Zech to respond as he plunged Dethscyth into battle.
Unlike the others, the damage of Duo's attacks was harder to see on the outside. Duo easily drew on his staff, balling the black energy of necromancy into Dethscyths hands.
"Welcome to your own personal hell," Duo whispered as he sent the ball flying in front of him. The black passed through several ships before dissipating.
"Unless I am mistaken, you powers are failing," Zech's cold voice grated on Duo's ears.
"Well, than don't follow me," Duo said sarcastically as he darted up to a Cardassian ship. Duo smiled as he gave a push against the shields, sending the ship flying into the one next too it. Duo did the most mature thing possible as he stuck his tongue out at Zech's image on his monitor.
"I'll get details later," Zech's voice was withdrawn in defeat but hinted with wonder.
"Sounds like a plan, we'll do lunch... as long as you don't bring Relena along. CHARGE!" Duo yelled at the end as he once again took the lead toward the back of the enemy ships. Which, fortunately and unfortunately were not that far anymore.
Duo changed a glance behind him as he sent out a cloud of black. Although many enemy ships littered the battle field, it was not many more than his allies. The bright bursts of Wufei, Trowa and Quatre's powers were all that he could make out against the swarms surrounding them.
Duo cursed and pulled up just in time to dodge two torpedoes, one still nailed the leg of Deathscyth. Duo cursed as buttons started flashing and with difficulty he pushed his thoughts of his friends aside and began cutting off and rerouting power from his almost blown off leg. He grabbed the controls once again just in time to dodge, the torpedoes exploded on one of Zech's minor ships directly behind him.
"Screw this," Duo screamed as he grabbed his staff behind him. "Zech's cover me, it will be worth your while," Duo ordered.
"It better, after blowing up my ships like that," Zech's responded. Duo, eyes closed, grinned but concentrated, collecting the power of mind and necromancy into his core. He bit his lip as Dethscyth bucked but the phasor damage was minimal. Black and while swirled in his vision as he took the controls of his Gundam and started writing glifs in the void in front of him, the glifs stayed, the fuzzy grey of the combined powers.
"Deal with this, suckers!" Duo yelled as the glif was complete. He sent it soaring toward the thickest group of enemy ships that he could spot. Duo kept his eyes close as he felt his spell start to work. The spell was simple; it put the death curse on all that it touched, but the mind modifications allowed him to keep whom ever he wanted alive until he chose to no longer had use of them.
Thousands of minds started to connect with his, and Duo as quickly as possible reconnected the control hooks to keep his sanity. Forcing the crew to become mindless, only taking orders from their caption and keeping the captions directly connected to him. Duo lost track of time until the minds finally sorted them selves out.
All captions, follow Zech's fleet, shoot at anything I would consider to be an enemy and protect my alliesDuo ordered into their minds. The blank feelings he got in exchange were exactly what he was looking for.
Violet eyes snapped opened to look a pissed off Zech's right in the eyes. "Hi, sugar. I'm done, we've got some new allies, play nice," Duo stated with a giggle as he pushed Zech's face off the screen and plowed into the enemy ships that were now allies. None fired at him. But turned and joined Zech's lower ranks.
"Duo, the leader ships are being transmitted; there are 5 main ones and 1 head leader... if you can take the leader alive do so. We have more questions than answers; even if we win the battle might not be over.
"Gotcha Q-ball... how is Heero?" Duo risked the extra time to ask.
"I'm not sure... he is fighting Beta. Duo, Cassandra is a Mage and much stronger than Heero, maybe even stronger than all of us," Quatre's voice was quiet for the end. Duo felt his heart flip. Heero was alive, but fighting Cassandra. Duo suddenly grinned.
"He will be fine, Cassandra won't kill him. I know it," before Quatre could ask Duo cut off communication and shot toward the main ships, hopefully to end this battle.
Wufei
Wufei swung Nataku around with a yell, a blast of fire showering the enemy that had once again tried to surround him.
"Treize, if you don't organize with the Federation than your fleet is doomed!" Wufei growled into the screen for what felt like the 100th time.
"Dragon, calm down. And thank you for saving so many of my ships but I will not leave this position... if I do it will leave one of the planets vulnerable," Treize smoothly explained.
"Finally, I no longer have to speak with that Ona," Wufei breathed. He moved one of his sweat covered hands onto the consul to his left and quickly began scanning the area. He grunted as a torpedo hit him square in the back, but his shields held. Nataku would not be beaten by inferior weapons.
"Une is not my first officer for no reason..." Treize began smoothly. Wufei glanced at the young general's form on the screen. Although the man was not near as sweaty as Wufei his face was showing the same stress of battle.
"If it is that important to you we can discuss it at a later date," Wufei said almost absently. There, his data blinked. Treize was right; the battle had spread further than predicted. "I am sending the new data to Quatre," Wufei declared. He grimaced as Quatre's voice came over the com, speaking with both Wufei and Treize at the same time.
"Treize fall back to the last line to prevent a gap from forming in our forces. Wufei continue to help Treize in what ever form he needs, some thing needs to happen soon. Or we will lose in a mater of minutes," Quatre said gravely before his voice disappeared from the com.
"Dragon, make up the focal point between my fleet and the Federation. If it splits this will all be over," Treize ordered. Wufei gritted his teeth but would have gave himself the same order, but too have to take it form a man who insisted on calling him Dragon... although it was much better than any of Duo's nick names.
"Understood," Wufei ground out. Treize nodded before his face disappeared from Wufei's screen. He followed Treize's slow but heavily armored ships as they locked into position in the final stand.
"All ships don't let anything past you," Quatre's voice was clear and confidant over the com system. "If you are too badly injured to continue than fall back and those next to you will close rank. Mages don't hold back, we must trust that Heero will take care of Cassandra." Wufei bet that the last part was not on the over all channel. He set a silent prayer out for Heero, as the battles raged on.
Heero
Heero stretched his neck from one side to the other, reliving some of the whip lash pain from Cassandra's first attack. His peripheral vision absently took in the damage to Wing as he eyes studied Cassandra' face on the monitor.
His initial surprise was long past, after the blast first hit it had taken him a few moments to recover... those few moments that Cassandra could have easily destroy him. Beta was close when his mind came to and he had taken some shots are here with balls of intense water magic, but Beta moved impossibly fast and the magic was absorbed into the glifs on the sun.
Cassandra had not attacked him – yet. Her tattooed face seemed was as cold as her ghostly white one. Heero recognized none of the markings, even as they followed down her neck and disappeared under her overly large sweat shirt.
DefendCassandra's cold voice had an underlay of power Heero had never heard before.
His power shield bounced Cassandra's blazing fire balls back at her, but she dodged and the balls were soon absorbed into the sun. Heero could feel the glifs swell as a rush of energy from the main battle was sucked into them.
Why do you need to leave?Heero questioned in Cassandra's mind. He was careful to pick full sentences that Cassandra could not purposefully get around.
Board, huntedCassandra stated blankly. Fight
WhyHeero heard his mind voice clearly, despite his focus on his own shield. Cassandra didn't answer as she continued to bombard him with attacks. Heero's mind saw an opening and without a thought he sent a massive power stream. The Beta didn't get completely out of the way, but was till functional as most of the attacks energy fed the glifs on the sun.
Heero mentally cursed. By attacking, or defending he was only helping Cassandra's plans... which were bad. According to Quatre. But Cassandra had said that the planets would only be mildly affected.
Heero's reaction started to take over once again, but he stopped them in time to conserve the extra energy. However in stopping them he opened himself up to attack and Cassandra did not miss this time. Red alarms flashed on Heero's screen a hard knife bit into Wing's arm, rendering it useless.
Why can Quatre not sense you?Heero's mind was spinning. He needed either Quatre or Cassandra to be the true enemy. Heero's hands absently skated across the console, salvaging the functions that he could to his arm.
Not aliveCassandra's mind voice stated.
Explainthe command was out of Heero's mind before he had really fully grasped it.
FightCassandra insisted.
Before Heero could for another question a powerful blast came at him and his only option to defend was to create a blast of his own. The two blasts collided in the center, both the exact same size and stuck together. Heero cringed as the two balls exploded on each other sending Wing and Beta flying in opposite directions.
"Heero the glifs!" Quatre's voice helped Heero pull his Gundam out of its out of control spin and right itself. Heero looked just in time to see the glifs from the sun glow a bright white, before it darkened into the dark red of blood and burst out lighting up all the other glifs.
Whatever Cassandra had been planning would not be stopped now.
Duo
"Get out of my way you stupid small fries!" Duo yelled as a fried a group of ships in his path. Only a few seconds now and he would be to the leaders!
"Duo there is not point in getting to the leaders if your Gundam is damaged beyond repair," Zech's voice carried a mild hint of anger.
"Deathscyth is fine! A few missing parts and a few extra holes won't hurt him that badly," Duo shook off. His cheery voice and face hid his underlying concern as another phasor fire scratched the metal. He had lost his shields a few minutes ago; magical and technological.
Duo moved his eyes to his main screen once again, and grinned as he spotted the lead ship, surrounded by its subordinates.
"You see them Masky?" Duo asked without looking at Zech's on him monitor. If he had he would have seen Zech's blanched and turn white at the nick name. "You see them. Here is the plan... you and my new allies charge in a wedge. I'll be at the bad point but Deathscyth won't live through the charge if I lead it. So, once were through the main lead ships I'll hit the main one while you finish off the others."
"Sounds solid, although risky," Noin's voice was quiet but strong.
"Risks must be taken in situations like these," Relena's voice was diplomatic, although a little weak. Duo grimaced, but waited a few more seconds for Zechs to decide. When no answer came Duo finally lost it.
"Look, I only have the fuel, and magic for one more strike and that's if it's in this century," Duo suddenly yelled.
"Ah, so life is not always peachy. Your plan is good, I already sent the orders to my ships," Zech's responded.
"You did that too me just so that I would pop didn't you?!" Duo accused.
"On my command," Zech's easily evaded the question. Duo fumed as he gave his orders to the remaining ships under his command. "Begin," Zech's commanded.
Duo gave a mock salute as Zech's face disappeared from his screen and the now wedge shaped small fleet attacked. Duo hung back as his forced Cardassian and Romulan allies led the tip of the wedge. The sound of phasor and torpedo fire could be heard from inside Deathscyths cock pit as ships blew each other apart. Duo let his eyes wonder over the mass of flying ship parts and explosions until a line parted enough in the battle that he could make out the green vessel that made up the leader.
Remember, we need him aliveQuatre reminded Duo.
I know, I don't have to power to take destroy the ship anywayDuo admitted, his mind voice tired but happy to have seen the light at the end of this battle that seemed to be lasting a life time.
He couldn't afford to close his eyes this time as he summoned his mind control powers. This was going to be hard. First he scanned the minds of the inhabitance of the enemy lead ship. The ideas and thoughts were in the wrong language but emotions were universal. Duo easily traced them until he found the caption of the vessel.
Duo felt his body wriggle like his mind hooks as he sunk them deep into the captions psyche. Once he was sure they were planted he turned his attention to the remaining three enemy vessels that he had under his control. With a thought he easily turned their targets to the main ship. Similarly he forced the caption of the ship to signal the abandon ship.
Duo was surprised to meet resistance but he brutally forced the man's conscious thoughts back, making the body go through the movements. Escape pods began flying off the ship, Duo releasing the mind of each inhabitant as they left.
He followed the captions mind as he made his way to the escape pod. His ship was hit buy Duo's earlier commands, it rocked throwing the man to the floor. Duo's command drove him to continue. It was like a story as Duo watched the captions mind make it to the last escape pod just in time. Duo darted forward and cut the engines of the escape pod off and simultaneously giving the inhabitance back both their life and command of their bodies.
Mission accomplished Q!Duo cheerfully sung in Quatre's head. His monitor showed the ships quickly retreating. Duo grinned as he wrote simple illusion glifs in the space in front of him and then pushed them forward. With a pop, they formed into a shinny grey and ghostly blue cloud that quickly morphed into a round smiling ghost and chased the retreating ships.
Quatre
Duo, don't waist you energy!Quatre's voice was panicked.
It didn't take much, it's just a harmless illusion... kinda funny... you knowDuo started to ramble.
Heero is fighting Cassandra and he is not...Quatre didn't get to finish his thought as his attention was pulled toward the sun as the glifs covering began to swell and the bleed out their energy into the ones covering the planets.
We can't be too late! I'm on my wayDuo yelled into Quatre's mind.
"All remaining vessels, get out of fire range of the planets, but hold a defensive position incase there is a second strike. Don't come near no matter what you see," Quatre ordered. Confirmations came from the remaining ships as Duo sped past Quatre.
Gundams to me... we must stop CassandraQuatre cried as he turned his battered Gundam toward the sun and hit the engines as hard as possible.
Every moment that Quatre wasted, the blood colored energy further stained the glifs on his, all the systems planet. His Gundam seemed to slow down, as the images of his fellow Gundams and Beta slowly came closer.
Beta was a wreck, the paint on the outside was burned off completely and chunks of it were missing. There was no way the small shuttle could still sustain life. Wing was in no better shape, although the cockpit was still in tact.
Heero?Quatre questioned, he needed the reassurance of Heero's voice that he was alive.
IntactHeero dead panned.
Cassandra, is she alive? How can we stop the glifs?Quatre asked in the same moment.
Alive, glifs unstoppableHeero dead panned. Quatre paled and slumped, the blood read started to take over his vision. But he didn't give up. Despite Heero's words no living creature could have stayed alive in Beta.
No there has to be a way!Quatre angrily said, he raised his head to the monitor again and started to fly toward the sun, everyone but Heero following his example.
Hold up Q, I see somethingDuo mind voice also sent the direction he was looking and without stopping his race against time changed his monitor to the direction Duo was looking. It looked like there was a floating body in space. Quatre zoomed in and gasped as smoldering fully opened green eyes seemed to stair into his soul.
Quatre turned off the screen, panting and gasping for air; his mind grasping for anything solid to function. Cassandra was floating in space... she had to have just had her eyes opened when she died, that's the only way...
Quatre's eyes winded and his breath caught in his throat as the tingling of Heero and Cassandra's communication filled the back of him mind. Automatically his hands clicked the screen back on.
Cassandra tattoo covered naked form was splayed, her finger tips and toes reached for the glifs of each planet, her head and long hair grasping for the last. The fully activated blood red glifs reached out in return, circling her seemingly tiny form in a ball of semi translucent shimmering magic.
Cassandra's cold eyes slowly focused on Quatre, and a small unpracticed smile tugged at the corners of her mouth before her head turned toward Heero's Gundam. The smallest bit of tingling brushed the back of Quatre's mind before the ball suddenly collapsed, shrinking until it disappeared from sight, Cassandra with it.
Quatre felt the breath he didn't know he was holding out and moved to change his screen...
Brace for impactHeero's voice rang through Quatre's head as a magical wind suddenly gusted out of the spot the ball had disappeared into. Quatre grabbed a hold of his chair as it hit. The physical shock wave slightly rocked his Gundam as the mental shock wave decimated all magic in its path - destroying the magical lines that connected the physical and the mental.
Quatre couldn't even feel his mouth open for a silent scream as his world went black.
mtc
Sorry it took me so long to update... won't make excuses. Thanks for everyone that reviewed and emailed!