Disclaimer: I'm skipping ahead to when the battle is over for the start of this chapter. As for when I plan to modify Wing-Zero you'll just have to wait a while. I'm not giving you any hints so don't ask for them, just enjoy chapter 4.
"Speech"
'Thought,'
"Communications"
Freedom, Justice and Wing-Zero.
The battle had been won thanks to the assistance of resistance fighters who had set a trap for the BeCUEs. Commander La Flaga had just returned to the Archangel after identifying the enemy battleship as the Lesseps under the command of Andrew Waltfeld the infamous Desert Tiger. The Strike now depleted of power for its PS armour stood in front of the Archangel as Captain Ramius and the Commander made their way from the ship to talk with the resistance fighters. On the bridge everyone was watching all except Heero who was still asleep, mumbling something incoherent. That was until five minutes in to the talks when his mumbling became understandable.
"Leave me alone Zero, I'm trying to sleep," he complained cracking his eyes open, looking slightly annoyed. "Fine I'll take a look outside if it'll shut you up,"
'Has he completely lost his mind?' Natarle thought as he watched the display on the end of his chair's armrest.
"What was that about?" Sai whispered to Miriallia.
"Probably something he does without realising," Miriallia whispered back with a giggle. "The big bad Mobilesuit pilot talks in his sleep,"
"Wait a sec. Shinobu?" Heero gasped bolting out of his chair and into the elevator.
"That was unexpected," Tolle said.
Outside the ship Kira had just dismounted from the Strike and managed to get backhanded by the same blonde haired girl he met in Heliopolis after taking off his helmet. While everyone was concentrating on the small drama Heero came running out of the Archangel shouting someone's name at the top of his lungs, running towards the group when he suddenly tripped and fell right on top of Murrue. As the small dust cloud settled everyone saw Heero sprawled over Murrue's partially dazed form with his face planted between her breasts.
"Would you care to get off me Heero?" Murrue asked blushing scarlet.
"Huh? Opps, sorry Captain," he replied rolling off her. "Shinobu's going to kill me for this,"
"You're damn right I'm going to kill you Heero Yuy!" came a shrill voice from a brunette wearing brown and orange overalls. "But since it was an accident I'll let it slide,"
"I'll glad you're still alive Shinobu," Heero said standing to his full height.
"Me too," she replied running up and throwing her arms around his neck. "I thought you were dead big brother,"
"So did I you little brat," Heero smiled returning the hug.
"Excuse me, what's going on here?" Mu asked scratching his head in confusion.
"Oh sorry, you see this is my sister Shinobu Yuy, she's about three years younger than me and she's great with machines," Heero answered pulling away from the hug but keeping an arm around his sister.
"Hey Heero are Jake and Zack on that ship?" Shinobu asked, Heero instantly losing his smile. "They're dead aren't they?"
"Yeah. And what's worst is that Tallgeese and Epyon are being piloted by elite ZAFT pilots," Heero replied frowning at the sand. "But don't worry, I won't let ZAFT continue using them. I'll use Zero to destroy them,"
"Are you really his sister?" Kira asked looking between the two.
"That's right. Shinobu Yuy at your service," she said proudly grin from ear to ear. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure,"
"Do you have a girlfriend right now?" She asked tilting her head to the side.
"Shinobu!" Heero shouted letting go of her.
"Uh not really," Kira answered blinking repeatedly. 'She looks so cute like that,'
"Don't get any funny ideas about my sister Yamato. She's probably trying to get you to show her the Strike so she can fiddle with it," Heero scoffed spotting a certain blonde looking at him. "And what would your name be?"
"My name is Cagalli Yula Athha," she frowned as he walked up to her. "You got something to say?"
"I need you to take off your pants," he said calmly. Everyone stopped to watch what would happen next.
"WHAT!" Cagalli screamed causing everyone to cower. "What in the hell makes you think I'll just undress for you?"
"I meant to say take off your pants so I can get that scorpion that just crawled up your leg," Heero replied moving around behind her. "Unless you want it to sting you,"
"Shit!" she cried going completely stiff. "What do I do?"
"Just unzip your pants so I can drop them when it gets a little higher," he instructed watching the scorpion climb up her leg.
"Oh god, it's reached my thighs," she squirmed doing as instructed. "How much longer?"
"Right about now!" Heero answered grabbing her pants and yanking them down to her knees, giving him a clear view of her green panties and backside. "Got it,"
"This is embarrassing," Cagalli whinged.
"You're in luck Cagalli, this is one of the non-venomous species of scorpion. Probably crawled up your leg to get out of the sun," he said showing the scorpion resting on his hand.
"Thank goodness," she replied fainting from shock.
Desert Dawn Resistance Base.
"So you're really one of those coordinators that are genetically altered during pregnancy?" Shinobu asked as she sat behind Kira in the Strike's cockpit.
"That's right. And the only reason I'm fighting against other coordinators is so I can protect my friends," Kira answered using the Strike to cover the Archangel with camouflage netting. "This whole war is about two sides who can accept each others existence,"
"Well I don't care if you are genetically altered, I still think you're cute," Shinobu added with a giggle causing Kira to blush.
"Uh thank you," Kira replied blushing even harder.
"Aren't you going to say anything nice about me?" she asked pouting like a little kid.
"You look really nice in those overalls," Kira answered bring the Strike back into the hanger. "You wanna get some lunch with me?"
"That'd be great, assuming my brother will let me be alone with you," she replied rolling her eyes.
"But aren't we alone already?" Kira asked opening the cockpit.
"I am such an airhead sometimes," she sighed stepping onto the catwalk. "I wonder where Heero's run off to?"
"I thought I saw him entering Wing-Zero just before we started putting the camouflage netting on the Archangel. It looks like he hasn't come out yet, the cockpit is still closed," Kira replied pointing over to Zero. "What's he doing in there?"
"I wouldn't worry too much then, he only keeps the cockpit closed when he wants to be alone or has a lot on his mind," Shinobu answered. "I heard he was sleeping throughout the battle this morning. I swear he can be so lazy sometimes!"
Heero's POV.
Watching Kira and Shinobu laugh as they left the hanger I sat back in the pilots seat after running a full systems check. Flying through the atmosphere yesterday I notice the wing mounted jets weren't providing the thrust they should have been in the mobile armour mode. The systems check proved there wasn't anything wrong with the jets, however something was interfering with the transfer of power to the thruster assembly. How it would affect Zero in battle was impossible to determine at this point. I was about to contact the bridge to get them to open the hatch when a communications window opened to my right with Lacus smiling at me.
"Lacus? How'd you get Zero's comm. Frequencies?" I asked seeing her wearing a simple white dress. (A/N: the one she wears when Kira is with her in the Plants after his battle with Athrun.)
"I was watching when you contacted the Vesalius four days ago. My father said you contacted him two days ago and asked him a favour for rescuing me, but wouldn't tell me what it is you asked of him. But I actually contacted you because I've been thinking about you every since we parted," she answered looking away from the screen with a blush gracing her cheeks.
"Why were you thinking about me? I thought you were in love with Athrun Zala," I retorted noticing how cute she looked when she was embarrassed.
"Our marriage was arranged by our fathers. The only feelings I have for him are feelings of friendship and I intend to explain it to him when he comes by for a visit in three days," she explained taking on a stern look. "I think you stole my heart when you kissed me,"
"I didn't know I was that good," I joked getting a giggle from Lacus. "And it looks like I found a second cute thing about you,"
"You think I'm cute?" she asked very surprised.
"I thought you were cute when I first woke up on the Archangel while you were singing. You have such a wonderful voice Lacus," I replied leaning back in the seat.
"You really know how to make me smile," she said smiling brightly.
"Dear lord. Lacus, you are the embodiment of cuteness. I am not worthy of talking to someone so cute," I dramatised hearing Lacus giggle almost uncontrollably.
"I don't think I've ever giggled so much in years and I'm afraid I must go now. However there is something I want to give you as well as a document from my father. I'll try and contact you again soon. Good bye for now," she replied blowing a kiss before terminating communications.
The document from her father Siegel Clyne was an authorisation form allowing me access to ZAFT bases and equipment around the world. Putting that aside for the moment I looked at the 16.1 megabyte folder Lacus had sent me which had 170 files. Opening the folder all Zero's cockpit screens lit up with pictures of Lacus from her seventeenth birthday and the last eight months. Pictures from her concerts, practice sessions, shopping trips and others taken from random days. There were 10 to 15 where she was wearing different bathing suits some where she was in nothing but her underwear yet totally at easy. Even a small handful of her getting changed in her dressing room for a concert into a dress where she wasn't wearing a bra, in one of those she was facing the camera waving while topless with a huge smile on her face. I quickly saved all the pictures to a removable disk so Shinobu wouldn't accidentally stumble onto them while doing maintenance and ejected it. Why would Lacus send me pictures of herself half naked and topless?
"I guess I'll have to ask her next time she contacts me won't I Zero?" I asked suddenly feeling hungry. "I'll get Shinobu to take a look at your thruster assembly when she's finished in the cafeteria buddy,"
Archangel Cafeteria.
Before I even entered the cafeteria I could hear Shinobu's voice as she talked with Kira about modifying the Strike's Agni beam cannon with parts from Zero's buster rifle. It sounded like a good idea but if Zero's power was being drained somehow, putting them into the Strike would only cause trouble for Kira in battle.
"So you really think we can separate the Agni beam cannon from the main battery?" Kira asked looking at the data on Shinobu's laptop.
"Hey I've been doing modifications to Zero's systems ever since Heero got his hands on it and not once has it failed in combat," Shinobu answered taking on an offensive tone.
"That's not a good idea right now Shinobu," I said sitting on the opposite side of the table with a tray of food. "Something on Earth is effecting the power transfer to Zero's thruster assembly. It wouldn't be a good idea to modify the Agni cannon if the Buster rifle's been effected,"
"Must be the Neutron Jammers. They effect all fission based technology," Kira suggested.
"If Wing-Zero had a fission based reactor Kira, I'd be dead right now," I replied munching on my roll. "Zero has a fusion reactor of alien design just like its buster rifle. The Tallgeese and Epyon have the same thing. That's why the technology is impossible to duplicate with current engineering,"
"I'll go take a look at Zero now," Shinobu said giving Kira a peck on the cheek. "See you later Kira,"
"Uh sure thing," Kira replied sporting a massive blush. "Your sister's a really interesting person Heero, I think I like her,"
"Then as her brother I must give you this warning. Do anything that might hurt her feelings and I will hurt you without a second thought only ten time worst," I warned from behind my cup of coffee. "It's just a warning Kira, I have doubt you wouldn't do anything to hurt her feelings intentionally,"
"Is Wing-Zero alive or something? I heard you talking to it last night before I fell asleep," Kira asked.
"Something like that. Zero has a cockpit system which forms a link to the pilot allowing for better control and efficiency in combat. It also calculates the enemies movement and feeds that information directly into my brain. It's called the Zero System and it dose much more than assist me in combat. It shows you the direction you're supposed to take in life but it can also lead a pilot to his or her limits and even to insanity," I explained keeping my eyes locked with his.
"If it's such a dangerous system they why use it?" Kira inquired.
"I've been able to master it. The Tallgeese and Epyon had the Zero System but Jake and Zack almost lost their minds so it was removed. Somehow Zero and I are connected because of the Zero System. He told me the Desert Dawn was coming that's why I didn't launch during the battle and that Shinobu was with them, but he can't move on his own though," I answered finishing off my lunch. "Wanna help with Zero's maintenance?"
"Sounds like fun," Kira replied as we left the cafeteria.
Hanger.
"Great timing guys, I was just about to come get you," Shinobu said typing on a computer terminal connected to Zero by numerous wires.
"You did all this?" I asked pointing to the wires.
"Are you kidding, there's no way your sister could have sent all this up on her own," Chief Murdock answered popping out of the cockpit.
"We found out the N-Jammers are having a dampening effect on Zero's power frequency when the jets are being used, so I just changed the frequencies. I was going to call you so we could run a test," Shinobu added.
"And the buster rifle?" Kira asked.
"Haven't started on the rifle yet, it's taken me this long just to find the problem with the jets," Shinobu explained.
"Let's just focus on the jets for now, we'll see if the rifle's been effected when I use it in battle," I said riding up the zip cable. "Chief get you boys away from Zero please,"
"Roger that," he replied jumping onto the catwalk. "All personnel in the hanger move away from Wing-Zero immediately!"
"Ok bro, everything's good down here. Go ahead fire them up," Shinobu instructed through a comm. window.
"Got it, initiate start up sequence," I replied my fingers flying over the control panel. "Power flow normal, not detecting any drop in thrust. I'm powering up 50,"
"Activating heat shields! Thrust is stable! No interference from N-Jammers!" Kira shouted over the noise of Zero's jets.
"Powering down then," I said reducing power. "Chief Murdock,"
"What's up?" he asked.
"I need two loads of 50 calibre bullets for Zero's gatling cannons. That is if you can spare 2000 rounds," I requested noticing the ammo display for the first time since arriving in this reality.
"No problem, I'll get to it right away," he replied.
"Thanks Chief. Ejecting ammo cartridges," I retorted.
Early Next Morning.
Most of the crew had stayed up during the night, hanging out with the resistance group under the stars. Shinobu and Kira had finished their modifications to the Strike's Agni beam cannon and were having fun with Sai, Miriallia, Tolle, Kuzzey and myself. If you can call staring into a small fire all night fun. Cagalli even joined us sometime after midnight, blushing every time she looked at me. Tolle smirked and asked if she had a crush on me, which earned him a slap to the back of his head from Miriallia giving all of us something to laugh about.
"Ow, what'd you do that for?" Tolle asked rubbing the sore spot on his head.
"Maybe you weren't watching before but Cagalli had a scorpion crawling up her leg and had to pull down her pants so Heero could catch it," Miriallia fumed. "It's embarrassing for a woman to show her underwear to a large group of people,"
"It's all right Miriallia. I'm just glad it wasn't venomous," Cagalli said hugged her legs to her chest. "Heero is it true you walked in on that Lacus Clyne girl when she was putting her bra on?"
"Yes, do tell big brother," Shinobu sneered ready to clobber me with her favourite wrench. "Did Zero tell you she was getting dressed,"
"For the last time it was an accident, I was half asleep when opened the door and Zero said nothing to me all day. I thought she would still be asleep seeing how it was still early in the morning," I replied showing no fear. "But she did have really nice legs,"
Shinobu just couldn't contain her smirk and had to sing. "Heero and Lacus sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G. first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Lacus ….,"
"I kissed her as well Shinobu, twice," I said causing all jaws to drop except Sai's.
"I thought you said she was engaged to the pilot of the Aegis?" Sai asked.
"She is but she contacted me yesterday and said I might have stolen her heart. The pilot of the Aegis is just a friend to her," I replied throwing another stick into the fire.
"You're only been here for five days and already you manage to steal a girl's heart! Lucky bastard," Sai fumed.
"That's what you said after I told you the colour of Miriallia's panties," I retorted suddenly realising my mistake. "Oh shit!"
"Heero Yuy!" Shinobu shouted clenching her wrench even harder. "You are such a pervert!"
"Who gave you permission to look up my skirt!" Miriallia growled balling up her fists.
"You were floating ahead of me after you and Sai agreed help me get Lacus off the Archangel. It's not my fault you wear your skirt so short and it wasn't a big look really, just a little flash of blue," I joked suddenly looking over to the south with a serious expression. "ZAFT's attacking a town half a mile from us,"
Disclaimer: well here is the end of a rather naughty chapter 4. I'd like to know what you thought of the talk between Heero and Lacus as well as the pictures she sent him. I'm still trying to decide when Tallgeese and Epyon should show up and I am not letting Flay used Kira for her revenge. I'll be back in chapter 5 after you leave a review.