Chapter 18 The Tables are Turned
"They did what?" asked Heero as he looked at Cagalli.
"Admiral Keys launched a Destroy Gundam to attack the preventer Lunar base." said Cagalli as both of them and Luna stood in the Orb command center.
"That base was too heavily guarded for a frontal attack." said Luna
"They aren't even supposed to have that machine anyway." said Cagalli "I thought they agreed not to make those weapons after the last war."
"Government agree to a lot of things but they don't always follow their agreements." said Heero "Do we have any idea how much of the suit survived the destruction."
"A lot of it." said Cagalli
"Not, good now they can study EA technology up close." said Luna
"Did the power supply make it?" asked Heero
"No we were luckily the N-jammer canceller was destroyed." said Cagalli
"Ok, then we are safe from a nuke attack." said Luna
"It gets worst." said Cagalli "They captured Admiral Key's son and now he wants him back?"
"We would do the same if it was one of our kids." said Heero
"That is the main reason why the ministers don't like that Uzumi is a pilot." said Cagalli "It's too risky for a member of the royal family to be on the front line."
"I don't think we could get him out of the cockpit if we tried." Said Heero
"Besides you were a mobile suit pilot and besides wasn't your dad a chopper pilot in the military when he was Uzumi's age?" asked Luna
"Ya, he was." said Cagalli "however what are we to do, the EA wants us to offer to trade Victor Maxwell for Commander Keys."
"I can tell you right now Leilani will not like it if we do that." said Heero "He has been in lock up for two days and each day she visits him."
"There is nothing we can do about that." Said Cagalli "We have to keep the EA happy or else what did you say Heero we don't stand a chance."
"Yes, it will take all three nations to stop Relena." said Heero
"Leilani will understand." said Luna "She will not like it but she will understand."
"You know it is kind of nice to see that Leilani has a boyfriend that Heero isn't threatening to kill." said Cagalli
"Believe me it took some time to make sure he didn't threaten to kill him." said Luna
"But I did." said Heero as Luna and Cagalli looked at him "I told him if he did anything more then kiss Leilani that I would kill him."
"That is still a lot better then normal." Said Luna "So what are we going to do are we going to offer a trade?"
"We have no choice." said Cagalli "Send the message."
"Has he told us anything?" asked Relena
"No, but I have Dimitri working on it." said Wufei
"I can't believe these coordinators would make a weapon like that." said Relena
"It's the EA machine so it was actual built by naturals." said Zechs
"Like I believe that, it has to be based off a coordinator design." said Relena before she smiled "No matter this weapon has put the fear of god into the people, they now want to destroy the monsters."
"President Dorland we have a message coming in." said an aid as she walked in.
"Show me." ordered Relena as the add brought up the image. Standing there was Heero Yuy. "President Dorland we know you are holding the son of Admiral Keys and commander of the Destroy Gundam. We want him back."
"Like we will give him back." said Wufei
"We will give you back one of your own." said Heero as an image of Victor locked up inside a cell Orb gauds standing just outside his door. "We have Victor Maxwell."
"Son." said Duo as he looked at his son.
"A gundam pilot for a gundam pilot, please send your answer within 24 hours." said Heero before he disappeared from the screen.
"Relena you have to do this." yelled Duo
"I don't have to do anything." said Relena "However yes, we will trade them. Would you send a message back. Tell them yes, and we want the trade to happen on a neural ground in 24 hours."
"Where?" asked Wufei
"How about one of Quatra's colony. Each of us sends one shuttle with on soldier and the prisoner." said Relena
"I will inform Quatra." said Wufei
An hour later down in the prison Victor sat on a small bed, just looking up at the ceiling.
"So what is going to happen?" asked Victor as Leilani sat just outside his cell door.
"Well I am sorry to say that I can't keep you locked up here." Said Leilani
"They have the son of Admiral Keys." Said Leilani
"Prisoner exchange?" asked Victor as Leilani nodded.
"Sorry but if we lose the support of the EA then we might as well just surrender." said Leilani
"I understand." said Victor "Maybe once I get back I can talk my folks into defecting."
"We can arrange that." said Leilani
"Ya, the only problem is right now my sister is in Relena's private school for girls in the Sanc Kingdom and my Mom is at our home on L-1." said Victor "That is what my dad is afraid of. That we can't get her and my mom out before Relena could get someone there to kill them."
"I can't blame him; he is only trying to protect his family." Said Leilani
"He is also worried that your dad wouldn't believe that he betrayed Relena." said Victor
"At first he would probably put you all under house arrest or something like that." said Leilani "But in time he would let you all out."
"Makes sense." said Victor
"I'll ask my dad if I can take my gundam to get your sister out." said Leilani "And I am sure I can talk him into sending another one of the pilot to get your mom."
"You are his daughter it makes since that you can get what you want." said Victor
"Just because I am his daughter doesn't mean I get everything I want." said Leilani "I had to work to get were I am just like you."
"I know." said Victor "So when do I leave?"
"Tomorrow." said Leilani "and I am going with you."
"But your arm?" asked Victor
"You mean this arm?" asked Leilani as she raised healed her hand. "It his healed."
"Are you sure?" asked Victor "It would take weeks for you to heal."
"That is for a natural coordinators take a lot less time." said Leilani "Now I am going to get us some supper."
"Well I can't really go answer." said Victor as Leilani stood up and headed out the door.
The next day Leilani sat behind the controls of a shuttle. "L19 this is Orb carrier ready for the prisoner exchange." Said Leilani
"Very well." said Quatra's voice as he ran a scan of the shuttle.
"No weapons or heat source that would mark a mobile suit." said Rashid "It's the same for the preventor shuttle."
"Number of people on board?" asked Quatra
"Heat sources show two on each." said Rashid "A guard and a prisoner."
"Alright open the door let them in." said Quatra as two doors opened letting the shuttles enter the main hanger.
"We are here?" said Victor
"Ya." said Leilani as she stood up Hand cuffs in hand, Victor held out his hands as Leilani put them on him. "Sorry about this."
"That's ok, I always wanted to be handcuffed by you." said Victor as Leilani glared at him.
"Pervert." said Leilani as she slapped him across the back of his head.
"That hurt." said Victor
"It was ment too." said Leilani as she opened the shuttle door. She looked across the hanger to see Dimitri standing there with a locked up Adam Keys.
"So they sent you." said Dimitri
"Does that matter?" asked Leilani as they started to walk toward each other. "Are we going to make this trade?"
"No." said Dimitri as he pulled his gun from his holster and with one quick movement shot Commander Adam Keys in the head. Leilani just stood there for a second as Commander Keys' body fell to the ground.
"What are you doing?" asked Leilani as she pulled her own gun. Slowly she pointed it at Victor making sure the safety was one.
"What is going on?" asked Quatra as he looked at the monitor
"Master Quatra we have mobile suits coming in fast." said Rashid "They are Preventers."
"What?" asked Quatra
"We are getting a message." said Rashid "Surrender control of the colony or else."
"They are coming to take over the colony?" asked Quatra stunned by Relena's actions.
"You wouldn't shot Victor; you love him." said Dimitri with a grin "Besides you have the safety on."
"How can he see that?" thought Leilani
"Besides my orders are to kill you both." said Dimitri
"What?" asked Victor
"He is a preventer." said Leilani
"He knows the truth, he can't be allowed to live." said Dimitri "Relena decided to test his loyalty and he proved that he is on your side by be captured."
"Well then I guess there is no reason to hide it then." said Victor as he got himself out of the handcuffs.
"I am so going to enjoy killing you both." said Dimitri
"Wait we don't have to do this, Dimitri you have been lied too." said Victor "We nuked the colony not them."
"I know." Said Dimitri as Leilani's and Victor's eyes widened.
"You knew?" asked Leilani
"Ya, I also know that most of the things Relena says are lies." said Dimitri "And I don't care."
"How could you not care?" asked Leilani "Everyone who died, died because of a lie."
"And why should I care?" asked Dimitri "Now make this easy just stand there while I shoot you."
"What?" asked Quatra over the radio.
"Your colony has sit on the side line for too long Quatra." said Relena "You can't sit on the side line anymore."
"Relena you're stepping on the right of the colonies, the people of this colony was made with the idea of total pacifism." said Quatra
"That idea is pointless in a war to stop man kind's enemies." said Relena
"Relena, you and I both know the truth about what happened." said Quatra
"The truth is whatever is written down in the history books." said Relena "And I will make sure it is my history that is written down. Now just surrender and join our fight against the coordinators."
"I will not." said Relena
"Then you leave me no choice Quatra." said Relena
"Master Quatra they are coming closer." said Rashid
"Relena call them off." ordered Quatra
"Goodbye Quatra, it was nice knowing you." said Relena as she cut the link.
"Order all civilians to the bunkers." said Quatra
"At once Master Quatra." said Rashid
"And Rashid make sure my family makes it to the bunker?" asked Quatra
"I will master Quatra." said Rashid as mobile suits started entering the colony.
"Like we are going to let you kill us." said Leilani as she looked at Dimitri "You are out numbered."
"Victor has no weapon." said Dimitri
"Did you also forget that I am a coordinator?" asked Leilani
"No and I don't really care." said Dimitri as he raise his gun just as fast as Leilani both of them pulled the trigger. Victor ducked behind a cargo case as Leilani and Dimitri traded rounds. Both of them ran between different cover points trading rounds.
"How in the world is he keeping up with me?" though Leilani as she empty her clip. As she went to reload she felt a gun barrel touch her temple.
"I got you know Leilani." Said Dimitri
"I am not going down without a fight." said Leilani as she threw her hands up grabbing the gun. The gun went off the bullet grazing Leilani's check. Dimitri grabbed Leilani's arm twisting it so hard behind her that Leilani felt her bones breaking.
"Nice try Leilani." said Dimitri "Just what I expected from Heero Yuy's daughter."
"Let me go and I will show you what I can do." said Leilani
"Very well." said Dimitri as he threw Leilani against a crate so hard that she made a huge dent in the metal. Slowly he raised his gun only to find the top part was broken off.
"Looking for this?" asked Leilani as she stood up holding the slide she had broken off the gun.
"No matter." said Dimitri
"Leave her alone." Said Victor as he stepped between Leilani and Dimitri
"I was going to deal with you later." Said Dimitri "But right now works for me."
"Victor move!" yelled Leilani, Victor jumped to the side as Leilani threw her knife straight at Dimitri's heart. Dimitri just grinned as he side stepped the knife.
"Nice try Leilani but you can't beat me." said Dimitri as he pulled his knife.
"How are you doing this?" asked Leilani "You were never this fast during training."
"Like you I was holding back then." said Dimitri "I had to hide who, what I really am."
"What are you talking about?" asked Leilani as she rose to her knees.
"Well since I am going to kill you I might as well tell you." said Dimitri "Look at who the gundam pilots are. Three are kids of gundam pilots; one is the student of a gundam pilot. Now how could I get into that group?"
"Because Relena wanted you a mass murder like you in a gundam." answered Leilani
"But how did she know I would be the person she needed?" asked Dimitri "The simply answer is that she is my mother."
"What?" asked Victor as his and Leilani's eyes widened
"Maybe mother is too broad of a word." Said Dimitri "But she start the program that created me."
Leilani's eyes widened as the pieces started to fall into place "You're a coordinator aren't you?" asked Leilani
"Yes, I am." Said Dimitri as Leilani struggled to stand up "But I am beyond a normal coordinator I was trained from birth to be the perfect soldier just like Heero Yuy was suppose to be. I don't have any of the emotions which allow me to carry out actions you would never do. I will be the end to all coordinators."
"And what happens to you after you kill all of us?" asked Leilani
"Simple I kill myself, the last coordinator." Said Dimitri "The official report will say that I couldn't take all the kills I had done but in fact I will enjoy every kill."
"You will not kill her!" yelled Victor as he charged forward with a large steal pipe he had found.
"Idiot." said Dimitri as he ducked under Victor's swing. "Time to die."
"Victor!" yelled Leilani as her eyes widened in horror as Dimitri shoved the knife into Victor's gut. Dimitri grinned as he took his knife out of Victor's gut.
"Don't worry, you will see him soon." said Dimitri as he walked toward Leilani's Victor's blood dripping off the knife.
"I will get you back for that." said Leilani with tears in her eyes as she lashed out at Dimitri. Dimitri just rolled his eyes as he stabbed Leilani in the upper chest.
"All too easy." said Dimitri as he threw Leilani to the ground.
"I..will…get." said Leilani weakly as she tried to stand up to keep fighting.
"Looks like I am not done yet." said Dimitri as he neared Leilani. Just as the final blow was coming a canister came to a stop at his feet and started spraying gas. "What the?"
Dimitri had no time to react. He fell to his knees as the gas entered his system. Just before he passed out he looked up to see an older man standing there in a gas mask. "You?" asked Dimitri as he looked at the man's face. He remembered it from the historical records. "Trowa Barton?"
A lot has happened in this chapter, I hope you liked it. Now I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and I ask that you keep on reviewing. Thank you Wilkins75.