SR: Well, this one's only a slight bit shorter than the last chapter. only by about 250 words... ok... maybe that is a fair bit shorter... but anyway... here ya go. Read and enjoy! Hope you don't mind the shortness of the chapters! I'm writting these when I get the chance, which is usually at class when I'm not actually in class... so around an hour each. Let me know what I could do to increase your interest for this story please! (Aside from longer chapters. I already know that would make it better)

Heero kneeled carefully beside the fallen captain as various members of the crew made their way over to their leader, and while others stomped angrily over to Mueller's corpse and spat viciously on it while cursing him eternal damnation in the hands of hell. Wufei, swaying slightly on his feet found himself suddenly supported by Trowa, and the two made their way slowly over to their captain, sometimes wondering if the odd bond that all of the cobalt eyed mans' crew shared with his crew was really such a good idea. Especially for those that were particularly close with him. The bond caused them to share simple, strong emotions, such as a furious rage or extreme hatred. Both of which that had flared to an exponential height when the young captain had seen Duo drop from the assassination attempt that seemed to have worked. The two doubted that the rest of their crew had felt it, not quite knowing how far away the ship was, but had a feeling that at least one other crew member had felt that unholy rage because of how strong his abilities were.

When the two were finally close enough, Trowa helped Wufei slide gently to the ground as the Chinese youth was panting from the strain on his abdominal wound. The crew had parted enough so that the two could come closer, a slight surprise seeing as they weren't actually a part of Duo's crew, but did not argue the point seeing as it put them closer to their captain and the man they had, all three of them, come to respect in a very short period of time. Trowa settled on hand on Heero's shoulder as he glanced over his shoulder at them. They were all silent, when finally a black haired girl stepped closer, an unreadable expression on her features.

"He's not going to make it, is he." Monotone and chilled, it appeared as though she had already accepted the inevitable and was just verifying the fact. The rest of the crew didn't seem to notice something off, but cobalt narrowed in distrust at the girl, sensing a hidden note to her question. Solo shook his head at the girl; grief written upon features that, for the first time, Heero noticed looked suspiciously similar to Duo's. The same slender nose, eyes of an indigo jewel, and the same arched eyebrows.

"I don't think so Hilde…" he trailed off and Hilde, the black haired girl, sighed. Again, Heero noticed something off about her grief; almost as if she was faking the entire thing. That thought, unfortunately, immediately left his mind when the deathly pale captain stirred in his first mate's arms. "Duo…!"

"You, shut up Solo." A glare formed in slightly open eyes and lasted only a few seconds before his eyes closed and a strained smile wormed its way onto the boys' face. "You should full well know that this won't kill me." His voice was quiet with restrained pain, and a cough came unbidden to his lips causing more blood to be added to the amount that was pooling on the deck as it trickled from his lips. Frowning in concern, Solo gently wiped away the blood from the younger male's lips. Heero spoke softly as Duo opened his eyes once more.

"You realize you don't look very convincing right now…" an almost non-existent shrug caused Duo's shoulders to move slightly, and then he seemed to deflate slightly. His eyes slid closed, his hand went limp from it's slightly knarled form from the pain, and it seemed as though he stopped breathing for even his chest stopped moving. The blonde that held the captain tight in his arms appeared shocked for a moment, before snapping out it.

"Duo…?" tentatively, Solo shook Duo's shoulders. "Come on Duo… Damnit this isn't funny little brother!" Much of the crew looked slightly taken aback by that simple admittance, and Heero finally understood why he thought the two looked similar; but he was not shocked as the rest of the crew, Wufei and Trowa included, appeared to be. Despite the silence, no reply could be heard from the still captain, and Solo hung his head. "Duo…" Defeat hung heavy about his person.

The profound stillness that encompassed the ship was abruptly broken when a canon went off and a shrill cry came from a man standing looking off the port side of the ship.

"It's Trieze! He caught up!"

PortPortPortPortPortPortPortPortPortPortPortPortPortPortPort

Sky Blue eyes gazed straight ahead as their owner smiled grimly. They had caught sight of the Deathscythe a good half hour ago, and it seemed as though the other ship had caught sight of them at the same time and, for fifteen minutes it seemed as though the other ship would actually be able to escape this round of their violent game. But then the other ship had slowed down, obviously due to some commotion upon it, and Trieze had been able to bring the Epyon closer the Deathscythe. They had crept steadily forward, completely unnoticed by the other ship and Trieze had a fair guess as to what had occurred to cause the crew to become so unobservant. After all, it was impossible for Trieze to be Trieze without having some form of devious plan to stop his enemies dead in their tracks. Nor was it unusual for him to have one or more back up plans. He turned his head at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"You think Mueller was able to pull it off?" sultry without intending to be sultry the voice belonged to a tall, platinum blonde whose eyes were the shade of tinted ice. Trieze shrugged before turning his face back towards the intended prey. The blonde chuckled at the unsaid reply. "I suppose… that it doesn't really matter. After all…" he trailed off and Trieze spoke in a velvet soft voice, only loud enough for the other to hear.

"After all, we'll be seeing him soon enough regardless."

SR: Ughh... I feel lame for giving you guys such a short chapter... but I'm trying to get you guys updates. This is what... two updates within a seven day period? I'm actually amazed...