Chapter 11 Arrival
"And it has been just over a day since the bombshell interview by Heero Yuy and the world has learned that a peace talk between two separate visons of Earth will take place here on the Italian island of Sicily." reported the red haired newswoman. As she and dozens of other news anchors stood outside the Preventer military base on the Southern tip of the island. Behind them, the massive manmade landing strip shot out into the sea with warships sitting at dock nearby. Standing over it all where three of the legendary mobile suits from the last war Sandrock, Heavyarms and finally Tallgeese mark III stood in the warm morning sun. "We are expecting the arrival of Admiral Heero Yuy any moment now."
Nearby inside the Tallgeese mark III Zechs sat strapped into his cockpit seat however instead of being dressed in his flight suit he was dress blue uniform. He was not expecting a fight but he knew it was not going to be easy day and if it went bad here the entire world will pay for it.
Flashback
"Well if you accept our terms for a peace conference inform one of your news outlet and I will arrive." explained Heero as finished his plate before turning toward his wife Luna.
"Will your wife join us at the talks?" asked Hilde as Luna smiled before shaking her head.
"No, I would cause too many issues with Relena and besides someone has to pull his ass out of the fire if things go bad." Explained Luna with a playful smile as the two of them left the room a few seconds they did the two auto turrets they had placed in the balcony deactivated and pointed up to the ceiling. Seconds after that Relena reached for her phone and pressed a small button on the screen. It took less than a minute for five armed agents to enter the room guns drawn.
"Secretary Peacecraft what happened?" asked the lead guard as he scanned the room noting the heavy machine guns sitting up in the balcony.
"We had some visits and I wanted them captured," cursed Relena as she quickly told the guards what had happened and soon the whole area in a ten-city block radius was in lock down.
End Flashback
Zechs out the rear view camera at the waiting leaders where his sister stood in a formal business pants suit beside the President, Lady Une, Duo and Wufei, all of whom waited in a hanger. The two other gundams where currently in a nearby hanger undergoing massive repairs under the watchful eyes of Howard. Suddenly an alarm filled the air inside his cockpit as his short-range radar picked up an incoming threat. His computer zoomed in to see Wing Angel descending on them slowly from out of a cloudbank.
"Impressive he got this close without us detecting him" asked Trowa as his finger rested above the trigger of his Heavy Arms gundam control. By now the news cameras had spotted the descending Wing Angel as it came in for a landing across from the Tallgeese III with a beautiful grace it's angel wings spread out as it came in for a landing before moving behind him. For a moment, the two mobile suits Wing Angel and Tallgeese Mark III stood across from each other as if they were two knights waiting to cross swords in a duel to the death. Then waiting just long enough for all the news cameras to train on the cockpit door it began to drop to show a darkness of the cockpit.
Slowly a finger began to take shape as a man dressed in a pure white military dress uniform with royal blue trip and highlights of gold stepped out of the cockpit his brown hair held down by a cap, on his shoulders where massive bars with five stars inlaid into them. A ceremonial sword hung from his hip the black and gold scabbard and hilt shinning in the sun. For a moment, Admiral Heero Yuy paused for the cameras to get a good view of him and almost as if on queue the wind picked up causing the back part of his uniform to flap gently in the warm sun.
"I am stepping out to meet him," stated Zechs as he placed his own cap on his head even as Trowa reported that their orders where to wait inside their mobile suits. The cockpit door opened as Heero turned his gaze across the two-football field distance between Wing Angel and the Tallgeese. Cameras instantly moved to the sudden devolvement as Zech's stepped out in his navy blue and gray dress uniform. Unlike Heero he didn't have a sword or the stars on his shoulders, he wasn't an Admiral like Heero or even a general he was only a commander. That being said he might as well had been the General of the Preventer core having had turned it done multiple times because it would require that he gave up being a pilot.
Zech's and Heero's eyes meet as they looked at each other dressed in their dress uniforms before slowly each of them reached for the cable which would lower them to the ground. It was as if everyone in the world held their breaths as Heero Yuy and the Lightening Count landed on the ground and began walking toward each other leaving their suits behind. Within moments, the two of them had closed the distance between them and they stood face to face.
"Admiral Yuy welcome to Sicily." Greeted Zechs
"Thank you Commander Merquise." confirmed Heero as his hand rested on the hilt of his ceremony sword which Zechs could now see was more of a saber then a straight sword. Both of them knew that every news camera was now on them and that their image was being broadcasted across the world live. "Maybe together we can prevent any bloodshed."
"I hope that as well." confirmed Zechs before admitting the truth "However it will be very difficult."
"I know." added Heero "Angel has a 10% chance of peace without bloodshed of some kind."
Zechs raised his eyes toward the towering Wing Angel.
"An impressive suit." noted Zechs "I assume you found someone besides yourself and Howard to work on it."
"I have a team of engineers which help maintain Wing Angel but myself and Erica Simmons designed it and two other gundams in Angel Squadron." explained Heero as he moved to stand beside Zechs before looking back at the white Tallgeese Mark III. "Your suit is also impressive."
"I am sure you know as much about my suit as me considering you got our files." Said Zechs as Heero grinned a bit before shaking his head.
"The Blue prints of the Gundams and the Tallgeese mark III was in the small percentage of information we didn't get." admitted Heero before looking away from the suit at Zechs "I am in the same boat as you, I have reviewed the training battles you have done and you have seen my little battle in Southern France."
"I see." Confirmed Zechs as he wondered if Heero was bluffing or not.
"Zechs before we go anywhere I must inform you of a small change to my terms for peace talks." Explained Heero as Zechs raised an eyebrow "Orders from higher up then me, I was going to lead the talks here while Dearka talk to Yzak but they want a civilian to lead the talks along with me."
"I see." confirmed Zechs not seeing how it changed anything important, they would have to put more rooms aside at the mansion where the talks would take place nothing more.
"The high ranking member will bring some support staff and some extra guards maybe a dozen to eighteen total," explained Heero as Zechs nodded his head, that would be troublesome but he would make the call without discussing with the President and his sister.
"That is fine," confirmed Zechs as Heero nodded his head before reaching down and pressing one of the buttons on his uniform, instantly it began to glow a light blue.
"We are good you may begin your decent," ordered Heero as the light went off. "Built in radio system."
"I see, now while we wait can I ask a question?" inquired Zechs as Heero gave him a look that said that was fine but he did not have to answer. "Yesterday your Phantom came but there has been no contact between them and any preventer forces so what are you planning? I can't see special forces sitting around in some hotel eating pizza and waiting."
"Believe me the Phantoms are not sitting around eating pizza." Chuckled Heero knowing what was happening just over a thousand miles away from them on the Sinai Peninsula at the largest Nuclear power complex in the world a group of four men dressed in black and armed with close quarters silenced weapons.
The complex covered multiple square miles and had twenty-four large cooling towers sending steam up into the sky. Altogether, there were twelve advanced nuclear reactors, which provided 85% of the power for the eastern Mediterranean Sea and of North Africa. Millions of people relied on this plant to power their lives. Mobile suit teams and highly trained guards patrolled the grounds but none knew of the team, which had broken through almost all their defensives levels.
"We are about a hundred yards from target," whispered one of them as his short sub machine gun aimed at the large metal doors covered with warning signs about radiation.
"Then why don't we place it down already this has a mile radius." stated the largest of the men who had been carrying the heavy backpack which held the object of their mission.
"That isn't the plan." Reported the commander as he looked down at a small screen located on a micro thin computer looked on his arm. The image showed what appeared to be a small air vent as a small drone toward a sealed air vent which at the moment was open. "Entering the reactor room now."
A few rooms away the spider like done moved out of the vent and into the room, its six legs sticking to the smooth walls of the currently down reactor. Slowly its camera scanned the room to show that the work was almost done only a small panel remained on the floor.
"Room is empty, they must be all watching Admiral Yuy." reported the commander as the spider droid moved toward the motion sensors panel by the door. Within moments, it hacked that system too as a fake playback of everything normal began, it was the same thing that the team had done in the camera control room to make sure they were not seen.
"Clear move." ordered the commander as the four men team stepped into the hallway guns at the ready, they moved down the thin hallway past all the warning signs and into the reactor itself. "We have five minutes get to work."
Instantly the larger man who had wanted to dump the load earlier knelt down as the only woman in their group picked up the lap top sized object from a pack on his back.
"Who would ever guess they would make it that small," reported the Zaft Commander as the only Earth Alliance member of the team glared at the small item with hate in his eyes. The woman placed the small item in behind other items as the others went to work on their duties.
Back on Sicily Heero's smile told Zechs that these Phantoms had been busy even though he and the rest of the Preventer high command had no contact with them. This was either something very good or something very bad, either they are still scouting their targets and preparing or they had already completed their missions getting past all their defensives.
"They should be down here shortly." confirmed Heero as to turned his gaze to the east since the spacecraft would be coming down with the sun to its back. This made spotting it visually hard since the bright sun was in in the way however quickly three shapes began to take form.
"So who is it that is coming down?" inquired Zechs
"Dearka for one since he is Yzak best friend but as for the others I am not sure." admitted Heero as he looked at Zechs "The three governments where still debating about it. I would image the President of the Earth Alliance is most likely."
"I see." confirmed Zechs as a group of black SUVs rolled up on the two of them, groups of armed men stepped out weapons lowered but ready. Moments after they stepped out three figures came out of the Humvees, one was an older man and the other two where women.
"President Barker, Lady Une, Relena." greeted Heero first as Duo and Wufei stepped out from the other side of the Humvees.
"Mr. President I approved the arrival of a high ranking civilian leader will join Heero at the peace talks, with all their support staff." Explained Zechs as the President and his sister glared at him but it was already too late as the suit and shuttle came into view.
The suit was what Heero expected to see, the Buster Destroyer a large heavy armed mobile suit with twin gattling guns under its right arm and a beam cannon under the other. It is green with orange highlights made it stand out against the blue sky even as it flew down on a Guul atmospheric transport. The Guul transport hovered a few feet off the ground as the Buster Destroyer stepped off, after the gundam was off it flew a spot on the suit's back. Moments after the suit landed the shuttle carrying the diplomat landed on the runway before taxing toward them.
Heero crossed his arms as he looked at the small shuttle, it was not the normal shuttle used it could hold maybe 16 people plus the two pilots. It was likely the largest one that they could fit inside the cargo hold of the jump capable ship. The white shuttle did not ID which nation it belonged to but the seal on the airlock door by the cockpit doors did.
"She didn't come did she?" asked Heero out load as he looked at the Zaft logo painted on the door. For a moment, he let himself believe it was not her then she saw the second seal of her family on the nose of the shuttle.
"Who is she?" asked Zechs as Heero moved toward the shuttle even as it came to a stop and the door opened. The moment it did two Zaft armored guards dressed in bright red uniforms stepped off the shuttle with assault rifles in their hands and pistols on their belts. The second person off the shuttle carried a folding pole with the red Zaft flag on it, which he extended. Heero reached the shuttle just as a woman with short light brown hair and light blue eyes stepped off. She had two large cameras hanging from straps around her neck and different packs on her belt. She screamed of a reporter as she moved to Heero.
"Please tell me she didn't come?" asked Heero to Miriallia Elsmen as she looked toward her husband's gundam, which had moved to stand beside Wing Angel.
"What can I tell you Heero?" laughed Miriallia as she moved off to take photos of the events. Heero closed his eyes for a moment as his mind raced as he processed the new situation; he had not expected her to come. He didn't have to wait long as she made her appearance there standing in the opening to the shuttle dressed in a white and deep purple dress which went down to her ankles. Her long light pink hair went down past her shoulder blades. Instantly the two guards at the side of the shuttle door snapped to attention, Heero followed suit by snapping to attention as he saluted the woman who walked gracefully down the stairs and onto the tarmac.
"Chairwoman Yamato." greeted Heero as he remained at attention.
"Heero…how many times have I told you not to salute me, we have known each other for years." laughed Lacus Clyne Yamato as he lowered his salute.
"Lacus I don't recommend you being here, it isn't safe." said Heero but Lacus brushed off his worry.
"I served on the Archangel during the second war and commanded my own ship during the first." Said Lacus as the former and still top selling musician smiled at her friend. "Besides I am sure your friends will not harm me. Now will you introduce me to everyone?"
"Very well." confirmed Heero as the two of them moved and walked toward where the representatives from this world had gathered. All eyes were on Heero and Lacus and no one paid the other staff members who had stepped off the craft most of them where speech writers and guards.
"This is President Barker of the World Nation." Introduced Heero as Lacus smiled at the much older man. "Beside him is Lady Une the civilian leader of the Preventer core, beside her is my rival Commander Merquise."
"Ah you must be Zechs then." Said Lady Une as Zechs nodded his head toward the woman. "Heero has talked about you more than a few times when he was teaching his flight students about true warriors."
"I am honored." said Zechs as Lacus eyes fell on Relena.
"And you must be Relena Peacecraft." Noted Lacus as Relena nodded her head while she tried to figure out why any political leader would color their hair pink.
"Allow me to also introduce my old brothers in arms Duo Maxwell and Chang Wufei." introduced Heero before taking a breath. "Now allow me to introduce to you all Chairwoman Lacus Clyne Yamato head of the Plants."
"It is a pleasure to meet you all," said Lacus as she offered her hand to the President only to get refused. Lacus paused for a moment before putting her hand down somewhat upset about the insult. "I understand you not wanting to shake hands with a coordinator there are still some on our earth who would do the same thing but I am your last chance to avoid war."
"And what is stopping us from gunning you down and then distorting the Coordinators on Malta." cursed Relena to the coordinator woman.
"Nothing but they you would have to deal with the effects of those actions." Stated Lacus who had spent years in politics knew how to deal with the threat. "I am the head chairwoman of the Plants a major military power, my husband is one of the legendary three gundam pilots, my sister-in-law is the Queen/Chief Representative of the Orb Union and her husband is the final part of the Legendary three gundam pilots. Heero and the rest of our little band from the 1st and 2nd war are all but family. On top of that I am beloved across Earth and Space from bring peace. I was and still am a top selling musician and I still preform form time to time for charity."
"She is pretty much the Relena of our world and if she is harmed then total war would start at once." stated Heero as he glared at Relena.
"Also unstoppable hell fire will descend upon you," laughed a new voice as a man dressed in a black and deep navy Zaft dress uniform walked forward his blonde hair held down by a military cap. Slowly the man reached behind him causing the guards around Relena to pull their weapons fearing a weapon however, the man only pulled out a few folded pieces of paper. "Here you go Heero twenty dollars, I think that makes us even from our last poker game."
"Well Dearka maybe next time you won't go all in with a pair of sevens." said Heero as he told the bills from the man's hand with a slight smile on his face.
"Well how was I suppose to know that two kings would fall and that you had the other two." Laughed Dearka as Heero's old friends stood there stunned at the friendly exchange between the two of them.
"Old no smile plays poker?" asked Duo as this Dearka laughed.
"Old no smile that is good." commented Dearka "I'll have to use that."
"The last thing I need is you two working together to drive me crazy." noted Heero as he put the money away.
"Chairwoman with your permission I will head to Malta and try to talk to Yzak?" asked Dearka to his friend and leader.
"Go ahead Commander," said Lacus as Dearka snapped to attention and saluted her before moving off and stopped by the camera woman and kissed her on the lips. The two of them shared some words before he moved off toward his gundam.
"Now shall we begin with the talks so that maybe we can avoid any bloodshed?" asked Lacus
Well I hope you liked this chapter and the arrival of Lacus, I have also posted a brief clip of a story idea I am working on so please go to my profile and read it to tell me what you think. Now until next time I hope you keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75