Chapter 7: Ambushes and Battle plans

Zechs was in the small shuttle flying as fast as it could take him to the base. He saw a missile zooming toward him. "Damn!" he yelled as he turned quickly to miss it. Two more came in its wake with the first one turning around to join them. He was being pursued by three space missiles in a shuttle that had no weaponry and limited movement yet Zechs was smiling; he had not felt this alive in years. He knew that he had to find a way to lose the missiles; he calculated the distance in his head and the probability of outrunning them in that distance, "Little to none…" he mumbled. "What I wouldn't give for a Gundam right now." He looked at the space in front of him and saw a glint of metal. "Ah ha…" he smiled again as the pirate's cruiser appeared before him, "They weren't expecting me to be out and about."

Zechs sped toward them with all the speed that the little shuttle would allow; the missiles were inches away from his engines. The side of the cruiser was quickly becoming a big obstacle in his path, just the way he wanted it. Zechs breathed in deeply and images of Noin drifted into his head, the metal haul gleamed in the sunlight, the missiles sped toward him, I hope that this shuttle can pull up…hang in there, Noin, I'm coming.

Noin was on her headset calling in all available men and women while running down the hallway toward the armory. Baron came on almost immediately giving her an update on the people he had gathered, only two men. "Good, that's a start. Have you been able to contact Ramona?" he answered that he hadn't, "Well, keep on looking, we're going to need her for all the ins and outs of the station, what about Berta?" again a no, "Hmm…that's not like her, I'll look for she and Ramona."

Baron was shouting out commands to his two men then came back on the line, "Noin? What about Zechs?"

Noin sighed, "I can't find him either, I think he's off the station. We just have got to do our best. Check in with me once you reach the armory, I'm going to go look for Ramona and Berta, and keep an eye out for Kent, I'm worried about him." Baron acknowledged then went radio silent.

Noin continued running down the hallway and turned toward the control room as the Marauder's message continued echoing through the station. Zechs where are you? It's my fault isn't it? I made him leave. Stop it, Noin! Get a hold of yourself, you can do this, you can do this on your own without him! As she rounded another corner the lights went out and the red emergency lights came on, "Damn…that's all we need." She stopped to regain her bearings. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small form running toward her, she spun toward it gun in hand.

Zech was mere feet away from the cruiser when he pulled up on the controls as hard as he could. The shuttle screamed in protest as the missiles struck the side of the enemies ship. The explosion pushed the shuttle into the side of the ship and the left wing was taken completely off. Zechs gritted his teeth as he pulled on his space helmet and moved toward the door as the ship continued to spin at top speed losing control, "This is my stop…" he had discovered a small hatch opening with his scanners he knew he had one chance to make it to the hatch, if he missed it he would be lost in space. He closed his eyes; her face appeared in his mind, Noin, make me strong. He leapt out into space as the shuttle exploded behind him. The hatch was right in front of him; he reached out his hand grabbing the handle on the hatch. He had brought a small laser and began work on opening the hatch. Just then part of the cruiser exploded from the damage sending the shuttle speeding toward him. He had managed to cut the lock and was pulling on the door, it opened suddenly and he pulled himself in right as the shuttle flew past. The hatch closed up tightly behind him probably emergency doors. He tumbled across the room, his helmet's visor cracking against the ground. That was close.

The form moved toward Noin, she braced herself. "Noin!" the voice was Ramona's. Noin caught her as she collapsed into her arms. Ramona was crying and out of breath, "Noin…Noin…it's Bertie…"

Noin moved she and the panicked girl into a shadowy corner and stroked her hair trying to calm her down, "Ramona…shhh…shh, calm down and tell me what happened."

Ramona leapt up away from Noin, "No! You have to come with me!" She grabbed Noin's hand and pulled her through the hallways to the control room. Ramona released Noin and knelt next to a still form, "Bertie…" she started sobbing again.

Noin knelt next to her and took in the terrible view. Berta's eyes were still and dilated as they gazed heavenward, her chest had two bullet wounds that were trickling blood, there was one more wound in her head the blood was falling down the right side of her face. Noin checked for a pulse, nothing. "Oh Bertie…" Noin hung her head and cried silently as Ramona held one of Berta's hands close to her heart.

Noin lifted her head, we need to get back to business, no time for mourning now, "Come on, Ramona, we need to move."

"No! I'm not leaving her alone." Ramona pulled away from Noin.

"Come on, Ramona, she's not there anymore, it's just her shell…we'll…we'll come back for her once we secure the station." Noin smoothed Berta's hair and closed her eyes. She looked at Ramona and held out her hand, Ramona took it reluctantly and they headed out to rendezvous with the rest of their small army.

Zechs removed his suit and checked his surroundings. The walls were solid steel and there was a small door behind him. He moved toward the door, opening it with ease, he peeked his head out of the opening and saw a long hall running in both directions. No one was in sight so he jumped out and used his scanner for the best route to the bridge. He was going to find out what was going on and kill the basturd who was in charge. His footsteps didn't make a noise as he quickly moved down the hall. Suddenly to his left a door opened and a man came toward him, firing a laser weapon at him. Zechs dodged it with ease and grabbed the man's head quickly breaking his neck. He picked up the gun, placed the man back inside the room he had come from and continued down the hall.

Noin and Ramona ran through the hall toward the armory; Noin had detected movement behind them and she was not ready to turn and fight, especially with Ramona in the state that she was in. They moved quicker as the sound of people running started to echo behind them, followed by voices. Noin was being outrun and outmatched by the pirates' technology. She saw a service grate ahead and grabbed Ramona by the arm quickly instructing her to open the grate. Ramona did it with ease and they tucked themselves in the small space. Noin shutoff all her mechanical devices and they waited quietly for their pursuers to pass.

Noin and Ramona peered out of the grate as three men appeared outside. One, a tall well-built man was speaking to the others; he must be in charge of this group, Noin thought.

"Listen, you idiots…we would've caught them by now, they must have ducked in somewhere." He was looking all around the area as he spoke, "Khal, you said that this would be a piece of cake with you guiding us," he smacked the genius in the head, "Now I'm not so sure you are so useful after all."

Ramona and Noin were listening intently as the big man continued, "Well what do you have to say for yourself?"

Khal squirmed as the other man present, a smaller pimply redhead, trained a gun on him. Khal held up his hands, "Guys, easy, I've got the bitches where I want them. Didn't I prove my worth when I killed the engineer woman that was going to squeal?"

Noin felt Ramona tense up the anger building inside her. Noin placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her. Noin readied her guns.

Khal lifted up a scanner and began scanning the area; it was just a matter of time now until he found them. Noin knew that they were going to have to take these three on. She felt that she could take the smaller man and Khal pretty easily but the larger man was going to be a challenge. Khal was inches away from the grate and the other men moved a little further away looking at the rooms that stood across the way. Noin decided to make her move.

Zechs came to a dead end and he scanned the rooms to find his next course. Nothing. "Shit…" he tossed the scanner to the ground, "Must have broke during my jump in here, it's giving me garbage." He looked around the dead end and discovered a door a few yards back that looked promising. The door slid open with ease and he was met with a blast from a laser weapon. He was thrown backwards and hit the hallway wall sliding down into a heap on the floor.

"Should've expected this," a voice echoed above him, but his vision was blurred, "No one stows away on my ship and lives to tell about it."