Gundam Wing: Journey to a New Battlefield

by operation meteor

The war is won, yet he cannot find peace. When a mission gone wrong throws Heero into another world, how will he survive? And how will he react when he is confronted with his greatest challenge yet? For love can be trickier than any battlefield foe...

22. Chapter 22

Author's notes: Hey, how's it going? Sorry it took so long to get this done, it's been a very busy fall quarter for me. I've only been able to write a couple of pages a day, if that. There's a lot of dialogue in this chapter, and the duel's not until the second half.

Anyway, to business. The song list for the chapter, for those of you who care, is as follows: "Forsaken Sanctuary" and "Fearless Eyes" from Soul Calibur Three, and "Zero" from the Ace Combat Zero soundtrack.

Enjoy!

Episode Twenty-Two: Duel of the Last Knights

"Captain," said the sensor officer, "we're approaching the L4 debris field. ETA at current speed is approximately ten minutes."

Murrue nodded. "Are we in visual sensor range of the colony?"

"Yes, ma'am," the officer replied, "bringing it up now."

A large structure appeared on the bridge's main monitor, surrounded by a vast field of twisted metal, ranging from tiny bits to large slabs of steel. The large, intact habitat was the Mendel colony, the battle scarred survivor of the month-long Battle of Nova that had been waged during the first year of the war. Its main body was a cylindrical core that stretched for nearly ten kilometers, with a large disk-shaped solar collection mirror flaring out around it at one end, like a giant all-encompassing flower petal.

The Battle of Nova had been a fierce and brutal fight. Initially fought over an Earth Alliance resource satellite bearing that name, the engagement had quickly spread throughout the Lagrange point and the rest of its artificial constructs, colonies and asteroid facilities alike. Ultimately the Alliance had been forced to abandon the Nova resource satellite, and the ZAFT forces had towed it to their territory and converted it into the space fortress Boaz. Their victory was pyrrhic though; the month-long battle had savaged both forces, and had forced a complete evacuation of L4's civilians as their colonies were converted into frontline bases by the Alliance… and were subsequently destroyed in the fighting. Now, a year later, the only colony left standing was Mendel… and it had been abandoned prior to the start of the war.

The official statement offered was that a viral outbreak had forced the colony's evacuation, mused Murrue, but Mendel always had an… odd reputation, to put it mildly. The colony was home to several major R&D labs, both government run and independent, and according to the rumors I heard their operators were always very hush-hush about the work that went on there. That 'viral outbreak' could well have been a bio-weapon breaching containment for all we know…we'll have to take precautions if we decide to venture out to examine the habitat.

Though the station had survived the Battle of Nova, it had not done so unscathed. Murrue could see several blackened holes marring the colony's body, and the solar collection mirror had several large gashes torn into it, all from energy beams, railgun slugs, and missiles of the battle that had ravaged L4 a year ago. However, despite its damage the colony still maintained its rotation, and preliminary scans were showing scattered signs of power, likely from auxiliary generators; Atlantic Federation colonies may have lacked the size and utopian-esque elegance of the PLANTs, but they were rugged, and built to last. It was a sign of just how vicious the Battle of Nova had been that Mendel was the only surviving colony in the area now, and Murrue knew that was thanks in no small part to the fact that the facility had already been abandoned before the engagement, meaning it hadn't been subjected to concentrated fire; the hits it had taken were from stray shots.

It had been three days now since the daring raid on Aprillius One. In the immediate aftermath of the battle, it had been obvious that the vessels of the Three Ships Alliance needed to find a place to hide out for awhile in order to rest and plan their next move. As the warships had withdrawn Waltfeld had suggested that they go to L4, indicating to Murrue that the Desert Tiger had been considering the abandoned Mendel colony as a staging area prior to the launching of the attack on the PLANTs. Considering the area had been abandoned for so long now it made perfect sense, though the murky reputation of the colony they would be residing in did have people a little nervous. Nevertheless, everyone had already acknowledged Waltfeld as the military commander of their little group, and despite their past battles in the North African desert Murrue trusted his judgment.

As long as we're careful regarding the colony we should be ok, Murrue thought, due to the damage it's taken, much of the colony is now exposed to vacuum; that would kill any airborne plague, if that is indeed what caused the place to be abandoned initially. Our ships will be residing in one of the main hangars, and given their exposure to outer space the risk of any biological contaminants should be minimal. Nevertheless, Murrue planned on having the ship's medical personnel take thorough scans of the area where the Archangel and the other vessels set down; she was taking no chances.

"Continue on course," Murrue ordered, "and reduce speed once we're a minute out; I don't want us taking damage from any of the wreckage."

"Aye, Captain," said the helmsman.

"Miriallia," said Murrue, "tell Murdoch and his crews to make sure everything down in the hangar is secured; once we enter Mendel the hangar will lose weightlessness, and if anything heavy is floating around things could be problematic."

"Yes, ma'am," Miriallia replied.

"Also," Murrue continued, "issue a ship-wide warning to the crew prior to entering the colony; anyone not prepared could get injured when we hit the colony's artificial gravity."

"Understood," said Miriallia.

Though a very unique and incredibly sophisticated vessel, the Archangel shared a feature that was common with all warships in the Cosmic Era; it had no artificial gravity except for a very specific section of the ship. That area was the crew quarters, which were situated within a specially designed hull-bloc that had a ring rotating around it to simulate gravity. This was necessarily in order to ensure crew-comfort in their quarters; one could not have people floating out of their own beds when they needed to rest, after all. However, this feature was expensive, and as thus was limited on ships to only crew and officer quarters; everywhere else lay outside the ring, meaning there was no gravity of any kind unless the ship was either on Earth or in an environment that generated its own artificial gravity.

"Captain," said the communications officer, "the Eternal is on the line."

"Patch them through," Murrue replied.

The face of the Desert Tiger appeared on the main monitor. "Captain Ramius," he said, nodding, "I'm sending you the location of the bay we'll be using."

Murrue nodded, and the image on the screen was replaced by a schematic of the colony, with a section of it flashing red. "I see it," she said, "helm, set course for that docking bay."

"Aye, Captain," said Neumann.

The screen shifted again, and Waltfeld once again appeared on the monitor. "I've just sent those coordinates to the Kusanagi as well; that bay is more than large enough for all three of our vessels."

"Good to know," said Murrue, "regarding the Mendel colony, are we going to send teams to examine it at some point?"

Waltfeld shook his head. "That's an unnecessary risk at this point. Since the hangar bay's exposed to vacuum it should be clean, but we can't say the same for the rest of the colony, and I don't want to risk someone bringing a virus back on board. We've got enough supplies to last us for quite awhile, so there's no need to risk sending people out for a salvage operation. Besides, this place has a…foreboding reputation, to put it lightly."

"It certainly does in the Alliance," said Murrue, "but I'm rather surprised it has one in ZAFT."

"Mendel's a very old colony, Captain Ramius," Waltfeld replied, his expression becoming contemplative, "It was rumored to be the sight of several genetic experimentation labs run by private groups. Some people even claim George Glenn was involved in some of the research that took place out here."

Murrue's eyes widened. "The first Coordinator? But L4 was dominated by the Atlantic Federation; I can't imagine they'd have welcomed his presence out here."

"They wouldn't," said Waltfeld, nodding, "but Mendel wasn't completely under Atlantic Federation control; a lot of private groups had operations running here. One of them could've easily smuggled Glenn in under the radar." The Desert Tiger then shrugged. "Either way, it doesn't really affect us; it's just a rumor, and I have no intention of sending anyone out to investigate the lab areas of this colony. There are just too many unknowns involved, and I want to play things safe; we can't afford to lose people."

Murrue nodded. "I agree wholeheartedly, Waltfeld. I will be sending out members of my ship's medical staff to investigate the hangar when we land and ensure that it is safe, but beyond that I will not send my people further into the colony than is absolutely necessary."

"Of course, Captain Ramius," said Waltfeld, "I would appreciate it if your people would forward their findings to the Eternal and the Kusanagi. Again, given the docking bay's exposure to space I'm not expecting anything threatening beyond the occasional piece of debris floating our way, but I want to be cautious here."

"I'll have Dr. Clark send out whatever data he collects," Murrue replied.

"Appreciated," said Waltfeld. A distant and slightly mournful look crossed his face. "Too many people have already died in this war; I won't add our own to the casualty list if I can help it."

To Murrue it didn't seem as though Waltfeld was just referring to the overall casualties, but something more personal. However, she couldn't tell what it was. Maybe it has something to do with whatever intelligence Bristow passed on to him, she thought.

When the Wolf of the Far East had defected from ZAFT, he had brought not only his unique mobile suit but also several flash drives packed full of information. The now former ZAFT Field Marshal had compiled a veritable treasure trove of data regarding the activities of the radical faction, both political and military, along with intelligence regarding the latest developments in the conflict down on Earth. While Bristow had agreed to unveil everything once they convened a meeting, Murrue was sure he'd already passed at least some of the information on to Waltfeld via his mobile suit's wireless data transmitter.

Perhaps it has something to do with his old command, thought Murrue, Waltfeld was in charge of ZAFT operations in North Africa, and though our battle against him inflicted serious casualties against his forces, plenty of his soldiers did survive the engagement. In his absence ZAFT no doubt sent a new officer to take command of the survivors and reorganize them, and they probably reinforced their overall position in North Africa. Now that the Earth Alliance has gone on the offensive in this war, Waltfeld's old command may well be engaged in combat now, if they haven't been already. What's happening down there?

Murrue and the rest of the Archangel's crew knew nothing of events that were unfolding down on Earth, and the same went for the people on board the Kusanagi. With the fall of Orb they were effectively out of the loop as far as intelligence on developments in the war down on the planet itself went; whatever information Bristow had managed to get out of ZAFT would hopefully bring them at least somewhat up to speed.

Our own struggle may now be focused in outer space, she thought, but we cannot forget that the Earth is still a theater in this conflict. We know nothing of what's happened down there since we took off from Orb; perhaps some of Bristow's intelligence will cover what's occurred on the surface since we left. I'll just have to wait until we convene our next conference on the Eternal to find out.

In the end, all Murrue could do was nod at Waltfeld's words. "Nor will I. Not if I can help it."

"Indeed," said Waltfeld. He then glanced around for a moment, as if he was trying to see something on Murrue's end. "By the way, where's Heero? Kira said he's usually up on the bridge with you."

Murrue sighed. "He's in the crew quarters section of the ship, practicing… warming up for the coming fight."

"Ah," he replied, nodding in understanding.

Word about Heero and Shemei's intended duel had spread rapidly throughout the Three Ship's Alliance, as their group had come to be known by its members, and Murrue had secretly prayed that Waltfeld would try in some way to talk Shemei down and help her talk some sense into Heero. However, the Desert Tiger had dashed her hopes, stating that he understood why the two of them felt the need to settle their score. He had then suggested that the two of them wait until the group reached the Mendel colony so there would be gravity throughout the Archangel instead of it just being concentrated in the ship's crew quarters; that way they could use the vessel's hangar as the ground for their fight.

Murrue had had little choice but to agree; she'd had no luck in dissuading Heero from the notion of having a saber fight with the Valkyrie to put closure on their rivalry. Why is he being so stubborn about this?, she thought, Yes, I know he respects her, and that he regretted the circumstances under which they fought their previous battle, but they're on the same side now! There's no reason for them to fight at all!

The prospect of the upcoming fight had Murrue worried to no end, though she did her best to hide that from her subordinates. Still, it was eating away at her heart, and she was sure at least some of her crew had noticed it to some degree. At the very least, they had to be wondering if she was at all concerned for Heero considering that the coming duel was public knowledge, and they would've been quite right in their guesses.

He came back to me after a mission that would've been suicidal for anyone else, she thought, gripping her chair, so why does he feel the need to put his life on the line again, and for something that isn't vital to our cause at that or affects it in any way? After we finally confessed to each other, after we finally became a couple… why is he doing this? Does he know what this is doing to me?

Murrue knew that Heero had to have some idea of the worry she was feeling; she'd made her protests and concerns very apparent when he and Shemei had first spoke of settling their score, and she had made little effort to hide her distress three days ago. Murrue's love for the Gundam pilot was as strong as ever, but she could not understand why Heero felt the need to go through with this. She'd talked to him during the travel time from L5 to L4, but he'd been reluctant to go into detail regarding his motivations. No, that wasn't the right way to put it; Murrue realized he didn't know how to properly explain his motivations to her in the first place, at least not in a way that Murrue could accept.

"Captain Ramius," said Waltfeld, snapping her out of her thoughts, "are you alright?"

Murrue shook her head, trying to brush off the Desert Tiger's concern. "It's nothing," she said.

Somehow, even over the monitor, Waltfeld saw through her. "I doubt that very much," he replied, "you're worried about Heero, and it's perfectly natural for you to be. Even if he and Shemei aren't going to settle their score in mobile suits, a saber duel still poses its risks, though definitely less than a fight with their machines would." He then gave her a small, understanding smile. "Bristow's called me a few times to talk over the past three days; he's worried about Shemei, and I imagine his concern reflects yours for Heero."

Murrue's eyes widened at the news. It was natural for Bristow to be concerned, of course; the Valkyrie was his lover, after all. Still, she hadn't thought that he would talk to someone else about it; she certainly hadn't done so with regards to her own worry for Heero.

"Captain Ramius," said Waltfeld, "go talk to him."

"What?" said Murrue, taken aback by the man's bluntness.

"Go find Heero and talk to him," said Waltfeld, "it's obvious you're concerned about him; everyone can see it, regardless of how you try to hide it."

Looking around her bridge, Murrue was startled to see Lieutenant Tsukino looking at her, a small smile on her face as she nodded at the Captain. Ensign Neumann wore a similar expression, as did several of her other veteran subordinates.

Am I really that easy to read?, she thought, before realizing the simple truth of the matter; they all knew she loved Heero, and anytime the young man was at risk she would naturally worry. This was no different, even if the level of risk Heero faced in the coming duel was less than he did on the battlefield or if he and Shemei were going at it in their mobile suits.

Murrue then sighed, knowing that there was no point in hiding it; it would only be an insult to her crew now. "I've tried," she said, "I've tried to talk him out of it, but… he won't listen. He's been gentle about it; not nearly as blunt as he was when it was first brought up down in the hangar. Still… I haven't been able to get him to change his mind."

"And you shouldn't," Waltfeld replied, taking her off guard, "I know what it's like to have someone you want to defeat, an opponent who can push you to the limits of your abilities; it's part of the reason I fought against Kira during our clash in North Africa. Kira may not have shared that particular sentiment, but Aisha and I did; we both admired his skills, and we wanted to test ourselves against him. It's the same thing with Heero and Shemei, though it might be a little more nuanced in your boyfriend's case."

"So are you saying I should just accept this?" said Murrue, her voice rising as her temper began to flare, "Are you saying I should just walk up to Heero and say, 'go ahead and have your fight Heero, even if it may result in your death; I understand you have to test your skills against her and see who is better'? Are you saying that I should just back down and not protest the fact that Heero is putting himself into danger unnecessarily after already completing an assignment that was practically a suicide mission? I can't do that, Waltfeld!"

"Nor should you," said Waltfeld, "I'm saying you should sit down with him and explore his motivations; I did say that they were probably more nuanced than Shemei's in this case. Heero's not the kind of guy that goes looking for a fight under most circumstances, you know that. Something is driving him, something that even he may barely understand. Talking with you about it may help both of you; it can clear Heero's head a bit before the fight, and give you some insight into why he wants to do this."

"I can't just settle for insight, Waltfeld," Murrue replied, "not when Heero's life will be in danger."

"I know, Ramius," said Waltfeld, "but if you weren't able to talk Heero out of this down in the hangar, you won't be able to do so now." His expression then softened. "That being said, I'm sure Heero knows that you're worrying about him, though perhaps he may not be aware of the extent. I know he doesn't want to hurt you; everyone can see his devotion to you, just how much he truly loves you. What you need to do is show him that even though you're very worried about him and against the idea of this duel as a whole, you still want to understand what's driving him towards it. More importantly, you need to show him that you love him despite the misgivings you're feeling now; it's still safe to say you love him, isn't it?"

"Of course I love him!" Murrue snapped back, "That's why I'm so worried about him, why I'm so set against this!"

"I understand that," said Waltfeld, "and I think Heero does too… but it might also be causing him to have doubts."

"What do you mean?" asked Murrue.

"It's not about his own skill," said Waltfeld, "you and I both know that one thing Heero doesn't lack is confidence in his own abilities as a fighter. Nor is it about his desire for this duel; he's been quite clear that he wants it almost as much as Shemei does. What could be causing Heero to have doubts though is the fact that you're so worried about him, and that his decision to go through with this is the reason for it, that it's hurting you. No one can argue that it is, and again it's quite natural given your strong feelings for him."

Am I talking to the Desert Tiger or Dr. Claudia?, Murrue thought, Waltfeld didn't strike me as the therapist type… It struck her that the Desert Tiger may well have been speaking from personal experience. He'd been with Aisha for years, after all; surely they'd had their share of disagreements. The fact that theirs was also a relationship forged between two people who risked their lives on the battlefield gave further weight to that thought and his words.

"Captain Ramius," said Waltfeld, "what I'm trying to say is that I think Heero's concerned about whether or not his decision to go through with settling his score with the Valkyrie is right because of the pain he's causing you as a result. He sees Shemei's desire to get some closure on their rivalry, and because of his respect for her he reciprocates, but at the same time he also sees just how concerned you are for his safety, and he may feel that because of that… well, to put it bluntly he may think he's being cruel towards you, hurting you intentionally, despite the fact that we both know that's the last thing he would ever do."

Murrue nodded slowly, processing everything Waltfeld had said. It was true; despite her protests against him going through with the duel, Murrue knew that Heero wasn't insisting on it because he wanted to hurt her. He truly did love her; his devotion to her safety, her well-being, and her happiness was inhumanly powerful and selfless. However, here he was acting on a personal desire, a selfish one…

A human one.

Murrue's eyes widened as she came to a realization. I've always praised Heero for his selflessness, she thought, It's one of the many, many reasons why I fell in love with him. He's put me before himself so many times, others before himself so many times… hell, he's hardly done anything for himself his entire life! Getting into a relationship with me was probably one of the few things Heero felt was selfish on his part, but he wanted to do it anyway; not just because it made me happy, but because it made him happy. I've encouraged him in the past to do things for himself… and this is one of them. His desire to duel Rehema, to settle things between him… it's one of those selfish desires, one of those human desires, and he's torn between that desire, the wish to follow his instincts, his emotions, and his devotion to me! That's the doubt Waltfeld's trying to explain! Heero's struggling with his selfless love for me and this one selfish desire, and he thinks that because he's following his emotions on that desire that he's being cruel, that he's deliberately hurting me… and that he doesn't deserve my love if he's doing so! That's absurd; I know he's not doing this to cause me pain, and he's probably hurting himself as much as he's unintentionally hurting me!

It still didn't make Murrue any less upset over the coming duel, but already she felt she had gained little bit of that insight into Heero's current emotions that Waltfeld believed she needed.

"Waltfeld," she said slowly, "I… I think I understand, at least a little, what you want me to do. You're saying that when I ask Heero about his motivations, I need to be clear that, even though I don't agree with what he wants to do, I still love him, and that he still deserves my love."

"In a nutshell, yes," the Desert Tiger replied, nodding, "of course, there's more to it than that; you need to show Heero that you still have faith in his abilities even if you oppose the use he's about to put them to. Captain Ramius, with Heero and Shemei both fighting at their best in this manner, I don't believe either of them will die; victory will be decided by first blood drawn, after all, and that hardly requires a fatal wound, something that they're both well aware of. However, if Heero's doubting himself while he's fighting…"

Waltfeld let the unspoken part of that sentence hang in the air, and Murrue understood it perfectly. In a way, it was similar to why she and Heero had decided to confess to each other prior to the raid on the PLANTs; if either one of them felt doubts going into the operation, they would not be at their best, and it could get them killed. This was the same principle, though in this case Heero needed to be at his best out of concern for his life and that of his opponent.

Murrue nodded; she didn't need Waltfeld to spell out what would happen if Heero wasn't focused. His duel with the Valkyrie would be incredibly demanding, and the last thing Heero could afford was any sort of doubt holding him back. Murrue didn't have to like that Heero wanted this duel nor agree with it, but she did have to demonstrate her faith in his abilities… and her faith in him. His desire to settle his score with Shemei may have been unnecessary, misguided, and foolish… but it was also human. Murrue could at least recognize that, though it was entirely possible that Heero didn't, especially given how selfless he had been up until now; doing something for himself rather than for others was still a relatively new concept to him. Murrue knew that, while she disagreed with this selfish desire of Heero's, said desire was not wrong, at least not morally. She saw it as risky, reckless, and pointless… but just because Heero was following it did not make him bad. That was something she recognized… but it was something that she realized Heero might be having problems figuring out on his own.

For so long he's been a master of the battlefield, she thought, but when it comes to his own heart, he still has much to learn. He may believe in acting on his emotions, but he's still trying to understand what some of them are… and that's something I have to show him is ok, is understandable, especially given what he's been through in his life.

Murrue knew what she had to do. She had to go and sit down with Heero, get him to talk about his motivations, discuss what was driving him to accept the final duel with the Valkyrie, so that both he and she would have a complete understanding of what was going through his heart and mind. Murrue did not have to endorse the duel, and she would not do so… but at the same time, she had to make it clear to Heero that his actions, though foolish, were not morally wrong, that he was still the good man that she so dearly loved, and she had to show her faith in his abilities even if she disagreed with how they were about to be put to the test.

She looked up at the Desert Tiger. "Waltfeld… thank you. I have to go; Lieutenant Tsukino will coordinate our landing with the Eternal and the Kusanagi."

Waltfeld nodded and smiled. "Of course, Captain Ramius. Remember; give him a chance to explore his motivations, to explain his own feelings about all this… but don't be afraid to give him an earful, to show him the affect all this is having on you. After all… love is a two-way street."

Murrue smiled. "I will."

"Then I'll see you later," said Waltfeld, "Eternal out."

As the image on the screen shifted back to the Mendel colony and the debris field surrounding it, Murrue stood up and turned to her XO. "Lieutenant Tsukino, you have the bridge. There are some things I need to go discuss with Heero."

The black haired woman smiled. "Of course, Captain Ramius."

As she left the bridge Murrue felt a strange mix of nervousness and relief come over her. On the one hand, the coming conversation she would have with Heero would probably not be easy. However, it was one she realized, thanks in no small part to her talk with Waltfeld, that she and Heero needed to have. There had been a subtle tension between them since Heero and Shemei had made their decision to settle their score three days ago, one Murrue had initially chalked up to her own worry but she now knew had some of its roots within the Gundam pilot as well. They hadn't fought, though Murrue had pled with Heero to call off the coming fight, and as she had said to Waltfeld the Gundam pilot had been much gentler in refusing her request than he had the first time down in the hangar bay. It hadn't directly affected the very warm welcome Murrue had given Heero as he'd 'officially' moved into her quarters that night… but it was hanging over them like a cloud on the horizon in an otherwise sunny day. It was something that they both needed to resolve, and Murrue had faith in their ability to do so.

Since I fell in love with him, she thought as she headed down the corridor towards the crew and officer quarters, I believed that any obstacle we faced could be overcome together, and that belief, that faith, has only grown stronger since we became a couple. This tension we're both feeling due to the upcoming duel is simply one of those obstacles, just as the raid on the PLANTs was. Granted, this isn't an enemy we can fight but a divergence of views that we need to discuss. Still, that doesn't change the fact that we can find a way to come together on this, to truly understand each other's thoughts and feelings… especially since we're now openly a couple, now that we've finally confessed to each other our affection… our love. That love is more than capable of bridging this divide, of bringing us together in a mutual agreement on this issue. All we have to do is be honest with each other… and act on our emotions.

….

Once again dressed in his immaculate Sanc Kingdom Royal Guard uniform, Heero stood at the center of his quarters… or, to be more precise, his and Murrue's quarters. Just as his lover had desired, Heero had moved in with her the day of his return from the raid on the PLANTs. As the Captain's room it was naturally the largest bedroom on the ship, with just enough floor space for Heero to run through a limited practice session with his blade. It was something he would only do alone; if Murrue were in the cabin he wouldn't dare try it. Despite it being the largest quarters on the ship Murrue's room was still somewhat confined, and if both Heero and his lover were in it while he was practicing there was the very real chance that Heero could hurt her, and he refused to let that happen.

No more than I am now, anyway, he thought ruefully as he raised his blade and began the next stage of his practice session.

Keeping himself rooted in one place, the Gundam pilot initiated a series of blocks and parries, keeping the blade close to his body. It was a purely defensive style, designed to provide maximum coverage with minimum exertion on the part of the wielder, and a skilled practitioner could use it to wear down their opponent. Of course, if the attacker was skilled enough they could eventually work their way past even that tight of a defense, which was why Heero would not be relying on it exclusively during his coming duel with the Valkyrie. His blade-work during the fight would mirror the style he used with Wing Zero; a mix of hard-hitting offensive strikes combined with blocks and parries when the opponent seized the initiative. The current moves he was employing at the moment were perfect for the limited room of the quarters, and were mainly meant to help Heero get his blood flowing and his limbs loose; a warm-up routine. There was no sense in him wearing himself out before the duel, after all, especially given the nature of his foe.

The style was also largely reflexive to Heero; most of the moves involved in it were ones he'd done before and had been honed to the point that he could perform them by instinct, and combined with the non-existent footwork in his current routine it left his mind with plenty of room to think.

And think he did. About the coming duel, about his motivations for fighting it… and about Murrue.

The last one by far took up the most of his attention.

A small kind of tension had built up between them over the past few days, and Heero knew it was his fault. Murrue had been overjoyed to see him return safely to her from a mission that was without a doubt one of the deadliest he had ever undertaken… and mere minutes after she had so lovingly welcomed him back to the ship he had turned around and set himself up for another life-risking encounter, and one that was both tactically and strategically unnecessary at that. Heero had recognized that even before Murrue and Bristow had argued against the duel, as he knew Shemei had… but he had been unable to curb his desire to settle the score once and for all with the Valkyrie. Part of it was naturally due to his respect and admiration for the woman that had become his rival, but there was something more to it… something that even Heero was having trouble understanding. What he did feel was that it had little to do with his adversary and more to do with himself, with his life of near-constant battle, but he couldn't quite put his finger on exactly what it was.

What he did know was that his inability to truly put his feelings regarding his need for closure with the Valkyrie into words was a part of the subtle tension that had come between him and Murrue. It hadn't stopped Murrue from giving him a very… passionate evening after their guests had been settled in and her shift had ended and he had moved his meager belongings into her quarters, nor had it stopped him from returning her fiery affection with his own. Her relief and joy at his survival combined with his own excitement born from coming back alive from such a dangerous mission and returning to the woman he loved, fulfilling his promise to her, had temporarily swept aside Murrue's concern regarding the upcoming duel, but in the time they had spent traveling from L5 to L4 Heero could feel it lingering between them. Several times Murrue had tried to gently persuade him to reconsider his feelings… and each time Heero had gently refused. It bothered him greatly to know that he was causing her to fear for him again, that he was hurting her heart, and he dearly wanted to sooth her anxiety, but at the same time the need to finish what he had started with the Valkyrie was incredibly strong, a force within his heart that nearly rivaled his powerful love for Murrue… and he couldn't entirely understand why.

I swore to protect Murrue, he thought, not only that, but to do all I could to make her happy, to give her the love she deserves, and prove that I am worthy of her love. So why… why can I not stop myself from hurdling down this path even though I know it's causing her such stress? I've always tried to put her needs above my own, just as she deserves, as I should for the woman I love… so why can't I do it now?

The admiration and respect alone that he felt towards the Valkyrie should not have been enough to drive him to seek out such a confrontation, especially if doing so hurt Murrue in any way. Heero was fully aware of that, and a part of him was disgusted with himself for being unwilling to just let the matter drop. Yet at the same time, a part of his mind was telling him that he couldn't just let this drop; he had to see it through to the end.

It isn't just because I respect her abilities as a pilot, he thought as he swung his blade in a series of tight, close blocks, there's something more… and I think it has to do with that first fight… with the feelings it brought up within me. When we clashed over the sands of North Africa, I was reminded of my duels with Zechs… and that feeling has been present in each of our subsequent fights.

Another person would've just chalked it up to nostalgia, and while Heero knew that was part of it, he also felt that it wasn't the whole truth of the matter. His battles with Zechs had taken place in a time when Heero had felt that his purpose was on the battlefield, was not struggling to move beyond it. However, his fights with the Valkyrie had occurred in a time where he was trying to move forward with his life, to find a new purpose beyond war and conflict.

They're connected somehow, he thought as he continued his routine, bringing the blade up high to deflect an imagined series of overhand attacks, my duels with Rehema, the reminiscence of my fights with Zechs, and my struggle for a purpose before I fell for Murrue… they're all bound together like strands of fabric in a grand tapestry. I feel like if I could just pull my perspective back far enough I could see the real picture, what I'm really trying to do by finishing this rivalry with Rehema… so why can't I? What am I missing?

He was broken out of his thoughts by a very familiar voice coming from outside the cabin door. "Heero? I'm coming in."

The Perfect Soldier wasted no time in lowering his blade, and was in the process of sheathing it as the door opened and the woman he loved walked in. As her eyes met his Heero once again marveled at the open affection he saw within them; it was all the more incredible in light of the worry he knew he was making her suffer, albeit unintentionally. A soft and warm smile was on her face as she moved towards him.

Heero nodded in greeting and gave her a small smile of his own, hoping it didn't look nervous. How can she still show me such affection after the fear and anxiety I've been causing her these past few days?, he thought, How can she still let me stay here with her, share her cabin, her bed… how do I still hold her heart, her love?

He forced himself to talk. "Murrue… is everything alright?"

He wanted to smack himself for asking such a stupid question; of course everything wasn't alright. Not in light of the difficulty he was causing her by being so stubborn about the duel… all the more so when even he was still trying to completely comprehend his own motives for wanting to go through with it.

However, Murrue did not chastise or ridicule him over his query, did not respond with any sarcastic retort or barb. Her smile remained on her face, though Heero could now detect a hint of strain to it, and he was sure that his foolish question had tugged at heartstrings that were already under a great deal of stress, had brought to the forefront her fears for his safety and the coming duel… if they weren't already what she was thinking of.

"We're on our final approach to the Mendel colony," she replied as the door closed behind her, "Lieutenant Tsukino will coordinate the landing with Waltfeld and Colonel Kisaka. We haven't taken any major impacts from objects in the debris field either; everything's going well so far."

Heero nodded. "That's… good to hear."

Murrue closed the gap between them and put her hand on his shoulder. "Heero," she said softly, "can we talk?"

Heero nodded slowly. "Yeah… I'd like that, actually."

"As would I," Murrue replied.

She moved over and sat down on the bed. Heero hesitated, not sure if he should join her or remain standing. Murrue responded by patting the spot to her left with her hand and giving him another soft smile. Taking her cue, Heero settled in beside her. The Gundam pilot felt his chest tighten in nervousness; he didn't know how to start what he was sure would be a very important conversation between them.

Fortunately for him, Murrue took the lead. "Heero," she said softly, "you know full well my objections to this duel with Ms. Rehema. I just can't see it as anything less than an unnecessary risk of your life, all the more so after what you went through to rescue her parents from Aprilius One. You came back to me after such a dangerous mission, only to turn around and set yourself up for another fight with your life on the line, and I just can't sit back and accept that! I love you, Heero, and it pains me whenever you risk your life in battle, but this is worse because I see no necessity for it. I know that you admire and respect her as a fellow pilot, and I can understand that… but what I can't understand is how that would drive you towards this duel… and I don't think it's the real motivation for you, either. Heero, I know you; you're not the kind of man that goes looking for a fight. I know you've spent most of your life on the battlefield, and in the past you believed your purpose was in combat… but it's not what you want. You told me yourself how you've been trying to find a purpose away from the battlefield… and how, through our bond, our relationship, I've given you that."

Heero nodded and looked down, unable to face her out of shame for the pain he knew he was causing her. "You have, Murrue," he said quietly, "Being with you, protecting you, loving you…that's the purpose I want in life. To stand by your side, to enjoy life with you, to make you happy… I want that far more than I do any battle. You're the reason I've stayed with the Archangel, the reason I've continued to fight in this war; I want to defend you, to help give you a world where you can live in peace, safety, and happiness. I want to experience that world with you, and I know that my purpose lies there, not on the battlefield."

He then felt Murrue put her hand on his shoulder, and heard her soft, gentle voice. "Heero; look at me. Please."

He did as she said, and as he did so he was surprised to see another soft smile on her face. "I know that's what you want," she said, "to be with me, to fight alongside me and protect me so we can survive this war and build a future together. I don't have a shred of doubt about that, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that it is also what I want. I know this because I love you, just as you love me." Her expression then became more serious as she continued. "I know that your true purpose lies away from the battlefield, that you don't want to feel alive only during a fight… which is another reason why I can't understand you seeking out this duel with Rehema."

She then turned towards Heero and put her both her hands on his shoulders, holding him gently but firmly. "Heero, I cannot support this fight… but that doesn't mean I can't support you. I am against this duel just as I was against you taking the lead role in the raid on the PLANTs, but I believe in you skills here just as I did then. I do not doubt that you can win… but I need to truly understand why you feel the need to fight this battle at all. The assault on Avalon may have been insanely risky, but there was also value to it, both tactically and strategically. Despite my opposition to the plan, I still understood the payoffs it had to it, the reasoning behind it. I knew that you saw it as well, and I could support you without hesitation because of that. Here, though, with this duel… it's not nearly as clear cut, Heero. There's no tactical or strategic value here, no gain for either you or Rehema beyond bragging rights, which are something I know you don't care about. Your desire to have this fight goes against your personality as I understand it. That being said, I know you have a serious motivation for doing this, a strong desire to resolve this rivalry you have with Rehema, and I think it goes deeper than the respect you have for her as a fellow pilot. Heero, I have to understand what that is before I can truly support you here… so I can truly believe in you despite the fears I hold in my heart for your safety."

Heero nodded. Every point his lover had brought up was entirely valid. However, coming up with an answer was another challenge for the Gundam pilot. Not only was he still struggling to figure out what his true motivation was for seeking such closure on his rivalry with Rehema, but there was still the shame he felt at putting her through the worry and pain she had now openly given voice to.

After a moment of struggling for words, Heero decided he'd start with the apology he knew he owed her.

"Murrue," he said as he looked at her, "I'm sorry, I truly am; the last thing I want is to cause you any kind of pain… and I knew when you first voiced your opposition to my duel with Rehema down in the hangar three days ago that I was once again putting in your heart the same fear and worry that the attack on Avalon did. I knew I was hurting you in going along with Rehema, in insisting on settling our score… and I did it anyway. I've done it for the past three days, hurting you all the while… I'm sorry. I'd understand if you couldn't forgive me, if you…"

"Don't," said Murrue, and Heero's eyes widened at her firm tone, "don't even think of finishing that sentence, Heero! Heero, I know that you would never act to cause me pain, not intentionally! Even down in the hangar when we first argued about the duel, even in my distress, I could see your confliction. As you said, you knew that your desire to settle your score with the Valkyrie was causing me distress and heartache, as it has for the past three days… but I know that you would never try to hurt me like that on purpose! You've always been so devoted to me, so selfless towards me… and that's how I could tell just how strong your desire to have this duel with Rehema was. Something in your heart and mind is pushing you towards this fight, and I believe it is far more powerful than the simple admiration and respect you have for her as a fellow pilot and soldier. You're acting on a selfish impulse, one that I don't understand… but one I want to understand, Heero! For so long you've fought for everyone but yourself. In your old world it was the colonists, the people of the Earth Sphere, your friends, and in this one it's been me, the other friends you've made, and the countless people that are threatened by the genocidal intentions of ZAFT and the Alliance. Not once in all that time have you fought for yourself. You, more than anyone else, have earned the right to be selfish for once in your life… but I want to understand the reason why. Why does it have to be on this issue, and in this manner?"

"Heero," she continued, "I love you. Despite the anxiety, fear, and pain your desire to settle this score with Rehema has sown in my heart, that does not change the fact that you are the person I hold dearest to me, the man I would give anything to protect and be with. You have earned that love a thousand times over, and are far more worthy of it than any other man I've ever met or ever will. Your desire to fight Rehema, and the fear I've suffered because of it, has not changed that in the least; it never could. I love you, which is why I'm so set against you putting your life in danger in a fight that I feel is unnecessary… but at the same time, I can see clearly that you do feel that it is a fight you need to have. Please, help me understand why. I may not be able to support this fight, but I want to support you, especially since you feel so strongly about this."

"Murrue…" said Heero softly, completely blown away by her words.

For the past three days he'd been mercilessly berating himself in his head for putting Murrue through such fear and pain, telling himself that he didn't deserve the incredible love she'd so eagerly given him. Now, here she was, on the day that his final duel with his rival was to take place… the fight that was the source of her distress, the match that he had insisted on… and not only was she reaffirming her love for him, but telling him that he wasn't any less worthy of that love now than he had been the moment he had confessed his feelings to her.

She's… amazing, he thought as he looked at her, at a loss for what to say, After what I've put her through the past three days… she still loves me. Even after the fear and heartache I've caused her, she still cares so deeply for me, and even though she's against the duel, she still wants to support me when I go up against Rehema.

Murrue then smiled and leaned in to kiss him. It lasted only a second, but to Heero the very fact that she was doing that was simply incredible. As their lips parted their eyes met again, and Murrue removed her hands from Heero's shoulders and instead grabbed his right hand with her left.

"Heero," she said as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, "I want to know why you feel this way. Please, tell me."

After a moment the Gundam pilot nodded; she deserved that much, and definitely more. The only problem was that he was still coming to grips with those very motivations that Murrue wanted to know.

"Alright," said Heero, "however… I'm not entirely sure how to explain it myself. You were right in that it goes deeper than my respect for Rehema as a pilot… but I'm still having trouble figuring out how to describe it."

Murrue nodded. "I thought as much. When we've spoken about this before, you did not elaborate much on your reasoning beyond your admiration for her skills and her own respect for you. It sounded half-hearted to me at the time, but I could also tell that you weren't being dishonest with me. Those factors played a part in your reasoning… but they weren't what were truly driving you. You… you were still looking for the main reason yourself, weren't you?"

"Yeah," said Heero, "I felt bad giving you the answers I did, but… I was still trying to comprehend my own feelings, and I didn't have anything else to give you at the time. I'm sorry. I wasn't about to lie to you, but at the same time I couldn't give you a real answer because I didn't know what that answer really was."

"It's alright, Heero," said Murrue, "Do you remember that day when we were traveling over the Red Sea, and we were out on the observation deck looking at the sunset?"

Heero nodded, and he couldn't help but smile slightly; it was a treasured memory, one he could never forget. "At the time I was still worried about finding my place in the world, a purpose beyond the battlefield. I hadn't felt as though I'd made any progress… and you convinced me to ease up on it, to slow down and take my time."

"Yes," said Murrue, "I also told you that sometimes the hardest questions to answer are those that have to do with ourselves. For many people the thing that is the most difficult to truly comprehend is one's own heart… and that is the challenge I know you are having right now. Heero, it's perfectly alright to struggle to comprehend your own motivations, and I know you've spent the past three days thinking about them. Normally I'd tell you to take all the time you need… but I know that once we've landed and made sure the immediate area surrounding our ships is secure, you and Rehema will want to get your duel underway. Heero, you can't fight against her if you're not a hundred percent sure as to why you're doing so. You'll doubt yourself during the duel… and that could well be your undoing. It could lead to your death, Heero, and I refuse to let that happen, especially now that we've finally become a couple!"

Heero nodded. "I know, Murrue," he said softly, "Believe me, I'm well aware of the consequences if I go into such a fight with any kind of doubts, and I have been giving this matter serious thought. I think I'm close, I just… I'm not entirely sure how to describe it."

"Well," said Murrue, smiling, "why don't you start with what you do know? You may not be completely sure what the true force that is driving you towards this duel is, but from what you just told me you must at least have some suspicions, or clues of some kind. Start with those, and together we can work this out."

Heero gave her a small smile in return. "Yeah… you're right."

He then closed his eyes for a moment, doing his best to put his jumbled thoughts into some semblance of order. After a few seconds he opened his eyes and met Murrue's gaze as he began speaking.

"Murrue," he said, "since I came to this world I've been trying to find a purpose for myself beyond the battlefield; that you're well aware of. As my feelings for you grew, evolved from just a strong friendship into actual romantic affection, I slowly came to realize that the purpose I was looking for was to protect you and be by your side, to be in a loving relationship with you. It's been that way since I realized that I was in love with you."

"I'm certainly pleased to hear that," said Murrue, surprising him by leaning over and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, "but how does that relate to your desire to settle your score with Rehema?"

"It doesn't directly," Heero replied, "at least, not my love for you. However, when Rehema and I first fought… back then I was still adrift, if you will… still trying to find my purpose in life, trying to understand why the Zero System wanted me to come to this world. I knew I wanted to move beyond the battlefield, but I did not know my exact destination… and at the time, I still felt a sense of fulfillment in combat. Fighting to protect the Archangel, working together with you, Kira, La Flaga… it reminded me of my days on board the Peacemillion, fighting alongside my fellow Gundam pilots and our allies as we tried to bring our own war to an end. It made me feel nostalgic, I guess… it reminded me of the purpose I'd once thought was the only one I'd ever have; to be a soldier."

Murrue nodded slowly. "I… I suppose I can see that, but… Heero, you can't expect me to believe that your desire to finish this rivalry with Rehema is based on nostalgia!"

Heero shook his head. "I don't, Murrue, and it is not. What our duels reminded me of, though… it does play a part in all this."

"How so?" asked Murrue.

"Fighting Rehema," said Heero, "it reminded me of the multiple dues I'd had with Zechs Merquise over the course of my last war. Our first meeting was a very brief fight during my initial descent to Earth in the Wing Gundam, and I swiftly destroyed the squad he was operating with, but he survived… and from what I was able to gather later on, my performance in that battle had left an impression on him, though at the time I did not care or even know who he was; his survival in that fight was unexpected, but given my own objectives I did not give it much thought."

He closed his eyes for a second, his mind drifting back to the past.

"In our second fight," Heero continued after opening his eyes, "he was flying the Tallgeese, and had trained to do so specifically to fight me. At the time, I still didn't know who he was, nor did I care. All I saw in front of me was a skilled foe in a strong mobile suit, and I was determined to defeat it and continue with my mission. That fight ended in a draw… though not for conventional reasons."

"You told me about that," said Murrue, and Heero was taken aback by how her voice had suddenly become hushed. As he looked at her he saw a haunted expression on her face. "OZ had taken the colonies hostage during your duel," she continued, "and demanded that you surrender your Gundam. Rather than do that…"

Heero nodded. "Yes… I self-detonated the Wing Gundam. I had my orders; my Gundam was not to fall into the hands of OZ and the Alliance, and I carried out those orders. My own survival was not a concern… both to those behind Operation Meteor and myself." He then gave Murrue a small smile, and hoped it would lift her spirits at least a little bit. "My sense of self-worth has greatly evolved since then, Murrue."

"Something I'm well aware of, Heero… and very grateful for," she replied, and she surprised him by once again leaning in to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "Still," she said as their mouths parted, "knowing that you once held so little concern for your own life… I feel awful just thinking about it, Heero."

"I'm sorry," said Heero, "I didn't mean to…"

Murrue shook her head and gave his hand a squeeze. "I know, Heero. Please, continue."

Heero nodded. "Our battle in Siberia… to me it was just another mission up until Lady Une interrupted my fight with the Tallgeese. I was focused on my objective, the battle, and nothing else; my personal feelings were held in restraint, as they should be during an engagement. Even in this world, that hasn't changed for the most part; though I may fight to protect you, Murrue, I still keep my emotions in check… with Orb being the standout exception."

Murrue nodded, and Heero saw a slight shudder run through her. "Yes… I remember that all too clearly."

No doubt, thought Heero, feeling a pang of guilt at the pain he knew he had put her through when he had succumbed to his rage, his desire to avenge the betrayal of Murrue at Alaska by the Alliance, and ripped a bloody swath through their forces in a Zero-System guided rampage.

"Anyway," Heero continued, "for the most part, my mental state in my battle with Zechs in Siberia the same as it had been throughout my campaign; focused on my mission and defeating my enemy. That being said, I did note his capabilities. He was a formidable opponent; the strongest enemy I'd come across at that point… the strongest I would fight throughout our war."

Pausing for a moment to put a few thoughts in order in his head, Heero then spoke again. "As I told you back in North Africa, sometime after I survived the self-detonation of the Wing Gundam an associate of Zechs, Lucrezia Noin, tracked down me and the Gundam pilot I was traveling with, Trowa Barton."

"Yes," said Murrue, "you said she brought you to a secret base in Antarctica, where Zechs had rebuilt your original Gundam… and that he sought to do battle with you there, to finish the fight that had been interrupted by OZ's threat against the colonies."

Heero could not help but give her a small smile; her memory was truly remarkable. Perhaps it's due to her feelings for me, he mused, back in North Africa, she dearly wanted to learn about my past, and she has clearly held onto the memory of the conversation we had that night when we took our dinner out into the dunes. All these months later, she still recalls such details, and so readily… perhaps it's because of her devotion to me, both as a friend and a lover.

His expression became more serious as he continued. "If you remember that much, then you must also recall that I refused Zechs' charity; I did not pilot the rebuilt Wing Gundam, though that was his wish. However… I did not refuse his challenge either, and instead fought him in Trowa's Gundam, Heavyarms."

"I do remember you saying that," Murrue replied, "Heero, how is does your fight at Antarctica relate to our present situation… to your desire to settle this score with Rehema?"

"It's complicated," said Heero, looking down for a moment, "how it all ties together… that's what I've been thinking about over these past three days. Even now… I'm still not entirely sure how to put it into words."

Murrue released her hold on his hand and put her own on his shoulder. She then gave him a comforting smile. "Take your time, Heero. I'll stay here for as long as it takes you to figure out how to describe it… and I'll help in any way I can."

The Gundam pilot nodded. "Thanks."

He took a few more seconds to think before continuing. "Murrue, that duel at Antarctica… it wasn't a fight I had to take part in. It had no tactical or strategic importance with regards to our struggle against the Alliance and OZ. More to the point, I could've refused Zechs' challenge; I wasn't under threat from him or Noin, nor were they using the reconstructed Wing Gundam as collateral against me. I had no logical reason to accept his challenge… but I did so anyway."

"Why?" asked Murrue.

"I think part of it was because I didn't want to owe him," Heero replied, "When Trowa recovered me after I self-detonated my Gundam, Zechs was still there, in the Tallgeese. He could've attacked Trowa and attempted to capture or kill me, if he believed that I was still alive after that explosion… but he let Trowa go. Noin told me later that it was because he respected both my skills and my resolve far too much to finish me off in such a manner; he wanted to beat me fairly. By accepting his challenge in Antarctica even if I refused to accept his charity by not using the Wing Gundam, I felt as though I was settling my obligation to him for letting Trowa and I go back in Siberia."

Murrue nodded. "That makes sense… but was that all there was to your reasoning there, Heero?"

The Perfect Soldier shook his head while at the same time marveling at her perception; she saw through to the heart of matters so clearly. "Not entirely. Settling that debt was my main reason… but in the back of my mind, I also felt a sense of respect for the man, stemming from both his actions after I blew up my Gundam and before, during our duel. I could tell that he was on my level, the level of a Gundam pilot… and a small part of me wanted to see just who was better. I'm not naturally competitive, Murrue; things such as being the strongest mobile suit pilot don't mean much to me. However… my duels with Zechs came at a point in my life where I felt that my purpose was on the battlefield. I did not like it or hate it; it was simply how I saw my place in the world. That being said… a small part of me felt fulfilled in fighting him. I did not actively seek out our battles, did not hunger for them the way Zechs did… but neither did I turn them down."

"You respected him too much for that," said Murrue.

"Partially, yes," Heero replied, "but our battles were also driven by circumstances; don't forget, we never truly fought on the same side. The closest we came to that was after our duel in the Sanc Kingdom and we swapped mobile suits, and even then I just used Wing Zero to attack Romefeller's fleet while Zechs went off on his own in the Epyon. After that I battled him as an enemy of White Fang and their Artemis Revolution, to stop him from following the path that Epyon's Zero System had shown him." He then gave a small chuckle. "Ironically enough, it was due in no small part to what Epyon showed Zechs that true peace in my world was finally obtained. That's beside the point though; it doesn't factor into our current conversation. However, my duels with Zechs do… more specifically, how they relate to my fights with Rehema."

"And how is that?" asked Murrue.

"As I said before," Heero replied, "my duels with Rehema reminded me of my clashes with Zechs during my last war. We were on opposite sides, fighting for our own reasons… and had encountered someone that could engage us on our own level. I respect Rehema for that, as you already know… but what really affected me was how it reminded me of my last rivalry."

"That can't be all there is to it, though," said Murrue, her eyes narrowing.

Heero shook his head. "No, it's not. Remember what I told you earlier about my first two clashes with Rehema… about where I was in my life at the time, with regards to my search for a purpose?"

Murrue nodded. "Yes. Back then, you were still well into your search… and we were just good friends. Your feelings for me had begun to evolve beyond that during the latter part of our stay in North Africa, but it would still be quite some time before you realized what they truly were… that you were falling in love with me."

"Yes," said Heero, meeting her gaze, "falling in love with you… and making you my purpose for living and fighting in this world. During my first two clashes with the Valkyrie though, you and I were just friends, and while I did want to protect you, that wasn't the only reason I fought Rehema, fought alongside you and the rest of the Archangel's crew. Back then… I still felt a measure of fulfillment on the battlefield, thanks in no small part to how my duels with Rehema reminded me of my clashes with Zechs in my last war."

"I suppose I can see that," said Murrue, "At that time, when you were fresh from your world and new to ours, when you were still far from certain on what you wanted your new purpose in life to be… I guess I can understand you finding that sense of fulfillment in a fight with Rehema, especially if it reminded you of your duels with Zechs."

Heero nodded. "Yes… but Murrue, that's not the purpose I want anymore, you know that. I don't want to feel fulfilled only when I'm in a fight. I want to get away from that, truly move beyond it. Falling in love with you, getting into a relationship with you… that, more than anything else, showed me that I can find a purpose beyond the battlefield… that I have found it, in my love and devotion to you. With you I do feel fulfilled… but so long as my score with Rehema remains unsettled, I can't completely break away from who I used to be; I can't completely turn the page on the part of my life that revolved solely around the battlefield. That's what this is about."

Heero sighed. "Murrue, my rivalry with Rehema reminds me of my rivalry with Zechs… and I can feel it anchoring me to my old life, when my purpose was only to fight. During our first two clashes over the dunes of North Africa, the feeling of purpose I got in that battle was fresh, powerful. In our most recent battle, though, that feeling was muddled and weak. That was because I had made protecting you, standing by your side, and making you happy my reasons for living. I was glad that my feelings had come so far since I had first come to this world, that I had grown so much, and I was glad that the sense of fulfillment I got when fighting Rehema had weakened so much when compared to our first clashes… but it was still there, and that is the problem."

He saw Murrue's eyes widen in comprehension as she came to the same conclusion that Heero had been working towards throughout the conversation… the same conclusion he had been unable to adequately put into words.

"I get it now," she said softly, "I get it… you're trying to get rid of that feeling, that sense of purpose your rivalry with Rehema, and how it's reminded you of your old rivalry with Zechs, has given you. By closing the books on this rivalry, by engaging her in this final fight, just as you did Zechs during the last battle of the Eve Wars… you can turn the page on that chapter of your life; you can move on."

Heero smiled slightly. "Yes, Murrue. When I finished my duel with Zechs in my last war… I turned a corner. The part of me that cared nothing for my own life… it died in our final battle. I did not know what the future would hold for me, but I knew that I wanted to survive and see what it would bring. The main purpose of my final fight with Zechs was so I could stop the falling section of the Libra from impacting the Earth… but in the process I'd grown and entered a new phase of my life, one where I felt that my survival actually had meaning, one where I truly wanted to live. Closing the books on my rivalry with Rehema… I feel like it will have a similar affect. In this case though, what it will end is my finding a purpose on the battlefield; I'll be rid of that feeling for good."

"Murrue," he continued, "the only reasons I want to fight are to protect you and the people of the Cosmic Era… of my new world. I don't want to find purpose in fighting just for the adrenaline rush or the excitement, or because it's all I've ever known; I want the purpose of my fighting to be defending the woman I love, and the people she and I care about."

"Heero…" said Murrue softly, and the Gundam pilot swore he saw a hint of red flash across her cheeks.

The two of them were quiet for a moment before Heero spoke again. "I need to do this, Murrue. I have to settle this score with Rehema so I can close that last page on my old life… and truly begin my new one with you. I need to completely purge that feeling of fulfillment I used to get from being in a fight… and the only way I can do that is to finish this rivalry with Rehema, and to do it with everything I've got. That's why I couldn't accept Bristow's proposal for a simulator match; I can only go all out if there's risk involved. I don't know Rehema's reasons for doing so… but that's mine. I'm sorry for the fear, stress, and pain the prospect of this fight causes you; believe me, the last thing I want is to hurt you in any way. Still… I have to do this, Murrue."

The beautiful Captain nodded. "Alright, Heero. I still don't like this fight, I still don't support it… but I support you." She gave him a soft smile. "I understand now why this is so important to you, Heero."

She then leaned forward and kissed him. As their lips parted she spoke again. "I believe in you, Heero," she said softly, still smiling, "I believe in your abilities, your strength… and I believe in your survival and triumph. I don't endorse this duel, but I believe that you can win it… and that you'll come back to me again."

The Perfect Soldier nodded and returned her smile. A warm feeling was spreading through him, and he knew it was because he and his lover had reached the understanding that they'd needed to. The tension that had grown between them over the past three days was fading away… and he would banish it for good.

"Murrue," he said, taking her hand in his, "I swear that this will be the last time I engage in a fight like this. No matter what happens in the future, I promise that I won't engage in any further unnecessary battles. No rivalries, no grudge matches; the only reasons I'll fight will be to protect you, our friends and allies, and the people of this world… of our world. I know that you fear for my safety whenever I go into a fight, and it means a lot to me that you care for me so much, but I also can see the pain that causes you, and I want to do all I can to keep you from suffering that heartache. I'm aware that I can't completely stop you from feeling it, of course; I'm sure we still have plenty of battles left to fight before this war is over. However, I can reduce that pain by only engaging in necessary engagements, and that I'll do. No matter what happens in my fight with Rehema today, win, lose, or draw… it will be the last duel of its kind that I engage in. Any more one-on-one fights will only occur against the enemy; this is the last time I fight an ally, and definitely the last time I engage in a fight for my own selfish reasons."

It was a vow he was determined to keep. Murrue had made perfectly clear the stress she was under due to his insistence on fighting Rehema in this manner, and Heero had hated knowing that he was causing her that kind of pain. Never again, he thought to himself, I will never do this again! Murrue deserves far better than that, and I'm going to give it to her; I'm going to do all I can to be the man that's worthy of her love, and that means doing everything in my power to spare her pain.

His lover's response to his vow was swift and decisive, and took Heero completely off guard. The beautiful Captain lunged forward, taking him into a fierce embrace and a fiery kiss. Her forward momentum was so strong that it knocked Heero back, and it was only by good fortune that his back hit the bed rather than the floor. The Gundam pilot may have been taken by surprise by Murrue's enthusiastic response, but he very quickly got a hold of himself and returned her passion, pulling her close to him as the kiss continued.

Eventually the two lovers parted to breath, though they kept each other in their embrace. Murrue smiled down at the Perfect Soldier. "Heero…" she said softly, "thank you."

Heero nodded. "You're welcome, Murrue… and thank you. Talking things out like this… it helped give me the perspective and insight I couldn't reach by myself."

"I thought as much," said Murrue, "and you are most welcome, Heero. Please, any time you need help understanding your feelings, do not hesitate to come to me. Like I told you before, sometimes the hardest questions to answer are those that have to do with ourselves. Often we find that our own hearts can be harder to understand than anything else. When that time comes, I've always believed it helps to have someone to talk to. Someone you trust and care for… and, ideally, someone who loves you."

The Gundam pilot smiled slightly. "You know, you're pretty good at helping me sort out my feelings. I bet you'd be a good psychologist. You could probably give Dr. Claudia a run for her money."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Murrue replied, her face flushing at Heero's praise, "I took a basic psychology course as an elective credit back in college, and I did well in the class, but I never seriously considered going into that field of study."

"I think you would've been great at it," said Heero, letting go of her with his right arm and bringing it around to caress her cheek, "you really have a knack for understanding the feelings of others. That being said, I'm glad you chose the path you did. Otherwise… I might never have met you."

"Same here, Heero," said Murrue, "the road I've traveled to get here, with you, has been long and difficult… but it was worth every second of it. Every hardship, every tragedy… they're all more than offset by being with you, by loving you."

Heero nodded. "I feel the same way. All I went through in my old world, my last war, and all that I've done here… it brought me to you. It helped me get closer to you, fall in love with you… and that made everything worth it. I would endure it all again in a heartbeat if it meant that I could be with you, Murrue."

His lover responded by leaning down again to kiss him. It was brief, but to Heero the feeling of her warm, moist lips pressing against his was absolutely phenomenal, regardless of how long the contact lasted.

As their mouths parted Murrue spoke softly to him. "I'm behind you all the way, Heero. Fight like I know you can, and I know you'll triumph today. I believe in you, Heero. I love you."

Heero gave her a small smile. "I love you too, Murrue. Thank you for understanding… thank you for everything."

"You are most welcome, my love," she replied, returning his smile.

….

Her blade danced through the air like a thing possessed, and Shemei lamented that her body could not do so as well in the confined space of the quarters she and Eric shared. While the quarters the two of them had been given were designed for high-ranking officers and thus had more room available than standard crew accommodations, that did not change the fact that they were ill suited to an activity as physical as swordplay. As thus her footwork was kept to the bare minimum, and the Valkyrie focused her blade work on small, precise cuts. It was hardly a fraction of what she was truly capable of, but she had no intention of going all out before her big showdown with Heero. Her long, flowing dark purple hair was once again tied up in a ponytail so that it would not get in the way of her blade, and her breathing was faster than normal, though she was nowhere near tired; she had no intention of wearing herself out before the big fight. This was simply a warm-up routine, though it was still much more limited than she would've liked it to be.

Can't be helped, she thought, initiating a series of mid-level thrusts, as advanced as the Archangel may be, it still suffers from one of the principle limitations of all modern space-born warships; a lack of complete artificial gravity. Just like ZAFT ships, what little they can muster is limited to the crew quarters. It's only natural, of course; ensuring that the crew is well-rested is vital to the functioning of a warship, and that goes double for us when one considers just how vastly outnumbered we are in this conflict. Almost the entire Earth Sphere is arrayed against us, though matters are somewhat alleviated by the fact that the Alliance and ZAFT are mainly focused on fighting each other. Still, no denying that we have set ourselves up for one daunting campaign.

The thought of challenging both of the world's super powers to battle in a conflict with unimaginable stakes made the Valkyrie both nervous and excited. One the one hand, the price of failure could well be the death of the entire human race, or at least a very large segment of it. Over nine billion lives, Coordinator and Natural, were riding on the shoulders of Shemei and her friends, and there was no small amount of pressure inherent in that knowledge. The odds stacked against the Three Ships Alliance were nigh-incalculably long, and even one as prone to flipping off probability as the Valkyrie had to take a long, hard look at the cold facts of the matter.

However, despite the enormity of the task that she and her friends had taken upon themselves, Shemei could not help but get a rush at the prospect of the enormous forces arrayed against them. While she by no means enjoyed the killing that was an inherent part of her duties as a pilot and soldier, the Valkyrie had long ago embraced the adrenaline rush that came with putting her life on the line. The more she cheated the Grim Reaper, the better, and taking on both the Alliance and ZAFT promised to more than fulfill that urge.

I've always been a thrill seeker, she thought as she smoothly transitioned into a series of low slashes, That's why I got into fencing back in my days at Cairo University, and why I got back into it when we moved to the PLANTs, not to mention why I upped the ante by throwing myself into underground dueling.

Her desire for excitement had also played a role in her becoming a pilot, though it had not been all of it. Shemei had been greatly motivated to join ZAFT out of a desire to protect her parents and their newfound home. The PLANTs had accepted them when it had seemed as though everyone in their native land was out to kill them, and the Valkyrie had seen joining the nation's fledgling military as a way of paying off a debt. The adrenaline rush that came with being a combat pilot was a bonus to her.

I truly did love my new country, she mused as she swept her blade up, moving into a sequence of vertical strikes, and had its rulers not decided to walk the same path of blood as those that sought to destroy us, I would've stayed with ZAFT. I'm sure Eric, Waltfeld, and Aisha would've done the same. We were all loyal to the idea of the PLANTs being the home of our people, free from those on Earth that wanted us wiped out… but at the same time, we also understood that those who wanted to exterminate us were in the minority, and we did not wish to return the genocidal fervor of the extremists in Blue Cosmos and its affiliate organizations. We simply wanted to protect our homes, our people, and our loved ones. Then the radical faction grew in power, in both the military and political sphere… and now both are held in the iron fist of Patrick Zala. All our advanced science, all our sophisticated technology, and all the advanced strength, speed, and mental processing power that comes with being a Coordinator… it's all being twisted and corrupted, forged into a weapon aimed at billions of innocent people. We were a people born of cutting-edge breakthroughs in genetic engineering, blessed by mankind's scientific progress… and now the radicals are turning us into a pack of murderers.

While Shemei was very grateful for the gifts that came with being a Coordinator, she was not arrogant about it. Her viewpoint on her own people was much the same as the one touted by the late Siegel Clyne and his supporters; they were simply humans modified by science, no more and no less. The moderate faction flat out rejected the notion that the Coordinators were a newly evolved species, a stark contrast to those in the radical faction who had embraced the idea that Coordinators were the genetic destiny of the human race, a new and superior form of life.

We are not better than the Naturals, she thought as she smoothly transitioned to a sequence of mid-level parries, merely different. Our minds may be able to process large quantities of information more quickly, but that does not make us smarter, no matter how much Zala and his ilk claim otherwise. We are not perfect people; we stumble, we make mistakes. We are as flawed as any natural-born human, and that's fine. Imperfection is part of what makes being human so special. We have the capacity to make mistakes, and then learn from them, improve ourselves for the better. It's a gift that's shared by both Naturals and Coordinators, and it's a pity the radicals can't see that. Arrogance and hatred have blinded them to that simple truth… as they have to so many others.

Shemei then shook her head; there was no sense in musing on the prejudices of the regime that now ruled the PLANTs, nor on how Naturals and Coordinators were not nearly as different as both the radicals and the Earth Alliance's Blue Cosmos proclaimed them to be. It made for an interesting exercise in contemplation, but right now she had something far more important to focus on, at least in her mind; her upcoming duel with Heero Yuy.

She smiled as she thought of the impending clash, which she suspected was now mere hours away, quite possibly less. Going at it like this, old school, she mused, it wasn't exactly how I imagined we'd settle our score. And yet… I wouldn't have it any other way. There's still the aspect of danger involved, but our chances of killing each other are much more reduced than they would be if we went all out in our mobile suits. That's good; much as I may want to fight Heero, I don't want to kill him, and I'd certainly like to avoid dying at his hand.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice coming from outside the door. "Shemei?" said Eric, "I'm coming in."

"Alright," she replied, lowering and sheathing her blade.

She turned around and smiled as the door slid open, revealing her lover in all his rugged, handsome glory. He was once again dressed in his dark blue flight suit, and his thick black hair was slightly disheveled. There was a black grease stain along his left cheek, and Shemei figured it had come from performing maintenance on the GuAIZ Werewolf; though her lover trusted the Archangel's mechanics, he also enjoyed tinkering on his machine. There were also a few dark streaks along the sleeves and chest area of the flight suit, further reinforcing her conclusion. Sweat matted his brow, and there was a small cut on his right cheek, with a thin trickle of blood flowing from it.

She raised a hand to her mouth, trying and failing to suppress a giggle. "I thought you were a Field Marshal, not a grease monkey," she teased Eric as the door closed behind him.

Her lover smirked. "Technically speaking, I'm no longer the former; I'm sure Zala terminated my commission immediately after our raid on the PLANTs, not to mention put an execution order out on my head. As for the latter, you know I've always had a little technical side to me; comes with the territory when your family has a major stake in one of the government's chief weapon design and manufacturing companies."

"Yeah, I know," she replied, walking up to him. Not caring in the least how dirty he was, she put her arms over his shoulders and pulled him in for a kiss. She knew some of the grease would rub off on her ZAFT uniform, but it didn't bother her; she had little concern for the uniform of the military that had lowered itself into becoming the tool of the regime that had taken her parents hostage.

As she pulled back she brought her left hand up to the cut on her lover's right cheek. "What happened here?" she asked.

"I got careless," said Eric, wincing, "I was checking the hydraulic lines in the Werewolf's right arm. I was trying to shift a bundle of wires out of my way to get a better look when one of them snapped out of its socket and lashed me. I got lucky; a little higher and I'd be shopping for an eye patch right about now. Anyway, figured I'd let the mechanics take it from there, so I came up here."

"Hang on a second," said Shemei. Pulling away from her lover, she went to the quarter's private washroom and ran water over a towel. She then brought it out and pressed it to Eric's cheek.

"And here I always thought you were the cautious type," she teased as she cleaned the cut, "always with a plan, always making sure your blind spots were covered… and you get hurt by your own mobile suit."

"It's just a scratch," Eric replied, smiling slightly at her playful mockery.

"And it would be a shame if it got infected," said Shemei, smirking, "the feared Wolf of the Far East, laid up in the infirmary from a scratch acquired from performing maintenance on his machine… you'd never live that down."

"Not with you, Waltfeld, and Aisha around, I wouldn't," chuckled Eric.

It was another thing Shemei adored about the man; he was always ready and willing to role with the punches, both in and out of battle. Any teasing she and her friends could dish out, he always took in stride. Good natured, witty, relaxed, and more than willing to engage in a little self-deprecation, she mused as wiped Eric's cheek, just a few of the qualities I love about you, dear.

"There," said Shemei, handing the wet towel off to Eric, "a little better. Keep up the pressure for a couple more minutes and you won't even need a bandage."

"I'm a soldier too, Shemei," said Eric, an amused expression on his face, "I can take care of myself."

"You sure about that, lover boy?" Shemei teased, "You've been stuck doing paperwork in the PLANTs for the past few months, if I recall. Do even remember how to hold a gun, Field Marshal?"

"Again, that's ex-Field Marshal. I wasn't there by choice, you know that Shemei," Eric replied, smirking, "besides, I managed to stay productive and get my hands dirty even with all that deskwork. In fact, I seem to recall a certain someone worrying that all my extra-curricular activities might put me in danger…"

A slight flush went to the Valkyrie's face as she recalled what her lover was talking about; her fears for his safety when he had been passing information to the moderate faction while working on the Defense Council. The risks Eric had put himself through on their behalf had served as a significant push for Shemei's feelings for him, helping her realize that she was falling in love with him.

"As for my combat skills," Eric continued, bringing her thoughts back to the present, "I think I handled myself pretty well in our little tussle with the ZAFT Home Fleet, not to mention Aprilius One's interior forces."

Shemei couldn't help but give him a warm, genuine smile, and she leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "No arguing there, dear," she said softly, "you were spectacular."

This time it was her lover's turn to blush slightly. "I'm not sure if I'd go that far," he said, "I can hold my own in a fight, but I don't hold a candle to you or Heero."

"Still, don't sell yourself short," Shemei replied, running her hand through Eric's thick black hair, "much as I love your modesty, dear, I wouldn't mind you taking a little more credit for your skills and achievements, of which, I might add, you have many. You were in top form in that battle, Eric; don't doubt that for a minute."

She then looked down for a moment, a shiver running down her spine as an unpleasant thought crossed her mind. "If you hadn't hit Charon when you did, bought time for Heero to get into the colony… my parents might not be alive right now." Shemei turned to meet her lover's gaze again. "You may not have been the one to extract them, but that doesn't change the fact that you saved my parents' lives just as much as Heero did. Thank you, Eric."

The former ZAFT Field Marshal nodded. "Anytime, Shemei."

The smile on his face then faltered, prompting concern from the Valkyrie. "Eric? What's the matter?"

The Wolf of the Far East sighed. "Shemei… my little mishap down in the hangar wasn't the real reason I came up here. Can we… can we talk for a minute?"

Shemei was about to reply that they were doing that now, but the seriousness in her boyfriend's tone was enough to make her realize that the situation was no longer appropriate for humor. She had a feeling what it was he wanted to talk about too.

"Sure," she replied. She moved towards the bed and sat down, with her boyfriend settling in on her left.

"Let me guess," she said, "this is about the duel, right?"

Eric nodded. "I… I've wanted to talk to you about this for the past few days, but I couldn't figure out how to broach the subject. You were so happy to have your parents back, not to mention be on the same side again as Waltfeld, Aisha, Lacus, and the girls… I couldn't bring myself to put a damper on that."

"I was wondering why you'd stayed quiet on the subject for the past three days," Shemei replied, "you were pretty set against this, especially after Heero and I shot down your proposal for a simulator match."

"Yes," Eric replied, "and try as I might, I just can't accept that you and Heero have to fight in this manner. I know you don't like to leave things like this undone, Shemei, and I understand the respect and admiration you have for Heero as a fellow pilot… but why do you two have to put your lives on the line to settle this score? Why couldn't you go with the simulation, Shemei? I long ago accepted the fact that you were a daredevil, Shemei; hell, it's even part of why I love you. Still… is the reason you want to fight Heero like this just so you can get your adrenaline fix?"

The Valkyrie sighed, her heart acing in sympathy for her boyfriend. The concern he felt for her was clear in his voice, and she knew it was the real reason he was opposed to this duel, practical considerations be damned. It touched her deeply to know that he cared so deeply for her, and it tore at her heart to know that she was troubling him so with her insistence on fighting Heero in a manner that put both their lives at risk when a far less risky option for settling their score was available.

Shemei shook her head. "No, it's not, Eric. At least, not quite."

Her boyfriend raised an eyebrow. "You're gonna have to elaborate on this one for me then, dear."

Shemei smiled at him, though the expression was not entirely one of mirth. "Of course, but before I do… I owe you an apology, Eric. You've done so much for me, and were it not for the intelligence you provided Waltfeld, not to mention your own actions during the battle, my parents would either remain in the hands of the radical faction… or they would be dead. I owe you more than I could ever hope to repay in a single lifetime...and here I am, returning the favor by throwing myself into a dangerous confrontation, one that has no place in the larger conflict… and one that is causing you no small amount of anxiety. I'm sorry, Eric, I truly am."

"Shemei," said Eric, putting his hand on her shoulder and taking the Valkyrie by surprise with the firm tone of his voice, "you owe me nothing. I wanted to help rescue your parents because I love you, and I could see plain as day the suffering Zala was inflicting upon you by using them as hostages against you. I would've done anything to save them, to free you from that hellish burden, and I would've acted without hesitation or thought of reward. I didn't do this to curry favor, Shemei; I did this to help the woman I love. I did this so I could see your true smile, the one you could give when there was nothing weighing you down… that smile that helped draw me to you like moths to the flame. To see you happy and free… that's all I've ever wanted, and that's why I took part in that mission."

"Eric…" said Shemei softly, her silver eyes widening.

The Wolf of the Far East smiled at her. "Shemei, you don't have to apologize to me… though I'll readily admit that the prospect of this duel is making me nervous to say the least. I know that settling things with Heero is important to you. That being said, I'm having difficulty completely understanding what's driving you towards this confrontation. I know you're a thrill seeker, Shemei, but I still find it hard to accept that you're doing this for kicks." He sighed, his smile becoming a little bittersweet as he gave his head a small shake. "Much as I'd like to, I know I've got no chance at talking you out of this. I could see the fire in your eyes down in the hangar when you first brought up the unfinished business between you and Heero; I knew that you were committed to getting a solid conclusion on this rivalry you have with him, regardless of what anyone else might say. I guess I'm just having a hard time completely understanding all of your motivations and reasons. Sorry."

"Oh, Eric," Shemei replied, returning his smile, "It's not like I can blame you for questioning my desire to have this duel. You are right; I'm not doing this just for kicks. The whole adrenaline rush bit is important, but it's only one factor in all this."

"I thought as much," her boyfriend replied, "and I know your respect for Heero is another driving factor behind this. Still, help a guy out here; how does all this fit together inside of you? What's going through your head, love?"

Shemei chuckled. "What isn't, Eric? It's… really a whole bunch of things. The adrenaline rush, my respect for Heero… those are two of the factors, but they're not the whole story."

"So what else is in the mix?" he asked.

She thought for a moment before speaking. "Well, this is going to sound strange, but… part of it is gratitude."

"Not sure I'm following here," said Eric, "I mean, I know you're grateful to Heero for saving your parents, but I can't see that driving you to fight him."

Shemei shook her head. "That's not the gratitude I'm referring to, Eric."

"Then what is?" he pressed.

"It has to do with our first two clashes in North Africa," she said, "based on what I saw in the raid on the PLANTs, I know now that Heero definitely wasn't going all out against us in our first encounters. Don't get me wrong; Heero was still fighting to kill, don't doubt that for a minute. It was only thanks to our skill and no small amount of luck that the girls and I got out of those first two scraps with nothing more than damaged machines. Even then, we were vulnerable; Heero would've been within his rights as a soldier to follow up the damage he'd already inflicted upon us with a finishing blow. However…"

"He let you go," Eric finished for her.

Shemei nodded. "Yes… and he didn't have to, Eric. He knew that as each of us took damage, it signaled that the person who had taken the hit had lost the fight; no way could a damaged DINN Mk. II stand against Wing Zero."

"You did for awhile," said Eric, "in you second battle with him, when it was just the two of you, you lost your rifle to fire from Wing Zero's shoulder gatlings, but you pressed your attack with your beam saber until Heero outmaneuvered you."

"True," said Shemei, "but the rifle wasn't going to be the weapon that beat Heero, and you know that; no way its rounds could've pierced Wing Zero's armor. Anyway, Heero had another chance to kill me in that fight, when his blade was pointed at my cockpit, and he would've been well within his rights to finish me off there. Instead, he let me go; the battle was over. He spared me just as he did the girls, didn't push things further than was necessary. More than that, when he spared me… well, I told you what he said to me."

"Yeah," Eric replied, nodding, "he thought you could do more with a better mobile suit. As skilled as you were, you were limited by the sheer gap in technology between your DINN Mk. II and Wing Zero, and Heero recognized that."

"Indeed," said Shemei, "I don't like making excuses...but I knew that he was right; for all my ability, I was held back by my machine. The only reason our first two clashes hadn't ended sooner was because I'd initiated each of them with the girls flying with me. Once our fights became one-on-one… well, I gave him a decent tussle both times, the best to my abilities, but the DINN Mk. II just can't go toe-to-toe with Wing Zero. I recognized that… and so did he. When he spared me in that second fight, he not only let me live to fight another day, but he gave me the chance to get myself a machine that could bring us into parity, or close to it. That's why I was so keen on getting a new mobile suit when I got back to the PLANTs, and why I was so studious in my training, both for the research teams and the practice runs I did with the girls on the Fort Jupiter simulators. I just had a feeling that the next time I fought Heero, it would be with a better mobile suit, and I wanted to make sure I was ready to give him the one-on-one fight he deserved."

The Valkyrie sighed. "I was right about the new machine and the rematch… but if I'd known the cost would be my mother and father being taken hostage…"

"There's no way you could've known that," Eric cut in, "Shemei, you have to stop beating yourself up over this. It wasn't your desire for a rematch with Heero or to engage him in a better mobile suit that cause Zala to imprison your parents; the bastard would've done so regardless to ensure your continued loyalty to ZAFT."

His hand squeezed her shoulder as he continued. "It's true that Zala wanted you to fight Heero, but that was only because you were the only pilot he had with a chance in hell at standing against Wing Zero in a one-on-one engagement; your desire for a rematch had nothing to do with it. Shemei, it wasn't your fault that your parents were imprisoned by the radicals, you have to accept that."

Shemei gave her boyfriend a soft smile. "I… I'm working on it, Eric. Intellectually, I know that what you're saying is true, but…"

"Your heart still feels somewhat responsible," he finished for her, nodding in understanding.

"Yeah," the Valkyrie replied, "you know that old saying, 'be careful what you wish for; you may get it'? When my parents were taken hostage and I was given the Judgment, those words kept going through me… I guess I kind of embedded them in my heart. It's illogical, I know… but I somehow gave myself the idea that my desire for a rematch with Heero, a true one-on-one duel, without having to rely on the girls for backup, had helped bring this disaster upon my parents."

"You have to let it go, Shemei," Eric said firmly, "you can't let this keep eating away at you. It was the radicals' fault, not yours."

Shemei nodded and leaned over to give her boyfriend a quick kiss. "I know, Eric. Give it time, love; I think that will do the trick. Still, thank you; it means a lot to hear you say that."

"You're welcome, dear," he replied, smiling.

They were quiet for a moment before Eric spoke up again. "Ok, I'm starting to get a better handle on the gratitude angle as far as you and Heero are concerned; you want to repay him for giving you the chance not just to escape back in North Africa, but to retrain and prepare for your next engagement. Does that also tie into what happened in the fight you two had before the raid on the PLANTs?"

"Yeah," said Shemei, "you heard Heero down in the hangar bay three days ago; he recognized in that fight that I couldn't go all-out against him, despite my best efforts to do so. The knowledge of my parents' captivity, the fact that they were being held by people who would kill them without a second thought depending on my actions… it weighed me down, held me back. Again, I hate making excuses… but that's the truth. More importantly, Heero recognized that. Granted, he did contact Waltfeld during the battle to get information, but even before that he didn't engage me full-out. Part of that was of course because he was trying to assess the Judgment, get a handle on what it could bring to a battle… but I know he could sense that I wasn't giving that engagement the same energy and vigor that I had during our clashes in North Africa. Had he actually gone all out during that fight… well, I wouldn't be here today, Eric, no getting around that."

"But you did survive," said Eric, "because Heero limited himself, kept himself fighting at the level you were in that duel until the larger battle came to a close and you were able to withdraw without your actions putting your parents' lives in danger."

"Exactly," said Shemei, "I survived because of his understanding… because Heero's a good man. I survived because he's one of those increasingly rare kinds of soldiers in this war; the kind with a sense of human decency and mutual respect for his foe. I'm grateful for that, and I know I owe him a great debt for that, one separate from the one I owe him for saving my mother and father. The latter is one I will never be able to repay, even though I think he doesn't want me to feel indebted to him… but the former I can repay."

"By giving him the fight you wish you could've given him then," said Eric softly.

Shemei nodded, her silver eyes narrowing. "Yes… by giving him the fight he deserves, Eric. There is truly no other pilot in this world like him, and I imagine there are very few like him in his old world. I won't claim to completely understand Heero's motives when it comes to our rivalry; I'm sure they have more than a few differences with my own with regards to this duel. However… I know he wants to settle this with both of us going all out, one way or another. I can't really explain why I know it… I just do." She chuckled before giving her boyfriend a small smile. "Call it a gut feeling, love."

Eric smirked. "As an officer who's acted on his share of gut feelings, both on the field and off, I won't begrudge you doing the same. It'd be more than a little hypocritical, I think."

Shemei giggled. "Just a bit, dear."

After a moment Eric spoke up again. "All that clears up some of this for me, but I think I'm still missing something here. You still haven't quite told me why this confrontation can't be a simulator match, Shemei."

The Valkyrie nodded. "Right, about that… I won't deny that the thrill of putting my life on the line in such a confrontation plays a role, but not as big as you might think. It's… I guess you could call it a push, really."

"I'm not sure I'm following you," Eric replied, raising an eyebrow, "What do you mean by 'push'?"

"A push to truly go all out," said Shemei, "having my life hang on my actions in a battle is part of what propels me to excel as a pilot, as a fighter. The will to survive is pushed into overdrive in such a confrontation… and that goes for me and Heero. In fact, under such circumstances it's even more important that we're both going all-out. Our match does not have to be decided by one of us killing the other, but simply by who can draw first blood, and I'm sure I don't need to remind you that there are plenty of ways to achieve that without a fatal blow."

"Though you just did anyway," said Eric.

"Not the point, love," said Shemei, smirking, "My point here is that both Heero and I need to be at our best to ensure that this confrontation ends without a fatality. We both want our lives on the line as they were in our previous clashes, but at the same time the last thing we want is to kill each other. By fighting like this, with the will to survive and the desire to not kill each other pushing us to excel, we'll be at our best, our most precise. We'll have the most control over our bodies, our blades, which we'll need if we're both to walk away from this fight alive and in a condition to continue opposing the Earth Alliance and ZAFT. It's paradoxical, I know… but I feel that by dueling like this we can truly settle this rivalry, find out just who's number one, without one of us dying. Sure, one of us will get a cut, but if we're truly at our best then I think it won't go beyond that. I believe that. I believe in my abilities… and Heero's." She then sighed. "I'll understand if you have trouble making sense of that; I know it was a bit contradictory and all."

"A little, yes," Eric replied, smiling, "but… I do understand it, Shemei. I'm still not exactly thrilled about all this, Shemei… but now I at least understand why you want it to be this way. I may not like it… but that doesn't change my faith in you, my support for you, or my love for you."

"Eric…" said Shemei softly.

Her lover surprised her by leaning over to kiss her. When their lips parted he gave her a smirk. "Don't tell me I've rendered you speechless; that'd be a first."

She had to laugh at his words. "Hardly, dear." She then grabbed his hand. "Just touched, my love. What you said… that means a lot to me, Eric. Thank you."

"Anytime," he replied.

They were quiet for a moment before the former ZAFT Field Marshal spoke again. "I'm glad we got all that sorted out. That being said, there's still one thing that I find out of place about all this."

"What is it?" asked Shemei.

"The nature of this fight," said Eric, "it's a physical confrontation; no mobile suits. Shemei, I know you have a strong sense of fair play when it comes to duels like this, but you have a decidedly unfair advantage here. You're a Coordinator, love, and Heero's a Natural. In a fight like this, the deck's stacked in your favor, and I can't believe that you haven't considered that."

Shemei nodded, smiling again. "Oh, I have, Eric… and I can tell you right now that my enhanced abilities aren't a game-breaker here. In reality, they're the only reason I can go at it with Heero like this."

"You're going to have to elaborate on this one, Shemei," said Eric.

"It's true that my inherent abilities as a Coordinator put me above most Naturals in a physical fight," said Shemei, "but Heero's not like most Naturals, love. The skill he shows in combat… it's so far above and beyond anything I've seen from Alliance soldiers, or ZAFT soldiers too for that matter."

"That's in mechanized warfare," Eric replied, "and while I know one still needs to be physically fit and possess swift reflexes to truly take a mobile suit to its full potential, there's still a considerable difference between that and hand-to-hand, or in this case blade-to-blade, combat."

"Not as much as you might think," said Shemei, "the moves we use when we wield our machines' beam sabers are not too dissimilar from what we would use in a normal sword fight; the only real distinctions when it comes to mobile suits are size, power, maneuverability, and ranged weapons being thrown into the mix. Heero's skills with Wing Zero's energy blade will transfer over to his saber in this duel... and there's another factor that comes into play here."

"And what's that?" asked Eric.

"Our backgrounds," Shemei replied, "Eric, it's true that I'm a veteran and gifted pilot, not to mention an experienced duelist, but I've only been fighting for a few years. Heero, though… he's been on the battlefield for far longer."

"What makes you say that?" asked Eric.

Shemei looked down for a moment, her expression growing grim. "Do you remember that meeting we had at the Clyne estate? It was a little after I returned from North Africa."

"I think so," said Eric, his brow furrowing in concentration, "it was just us and Lacus, right? Her father was still at work, and I think she actually wanted to meet us without him present that time."

"Yes," said Shemei, "we talked for awhile about the political situation in the PLANTs regarding the coming election, along with Zala's intentions of turning the conflict against the Earth Alliance into a war of annihilation against Naturals in general. Then Lacus asked me about my time in North Africa and the battles against the Archangel and her pilots."

"Right," said Eric, nodding, "she was rather eager for news of Kira and Heero, I believe."

"That she was," said Shemei softly, "Eric… do you remember what I said about Heero… what I saw in his eyes when we met in person at Waltfeld's Banadiya headquarters?

The Wolf of the Far East nodded slowly. "Yes. You said they were calm, but also had intensity to them, one that gave you a thrill similar to the one you felt when you were fighting him."

"That wasn't all, Eric," said Shemei, meeting his gaze, "it was subtle, but behind that surface I saw something else. It was sorrow, anguish… pain. Even before we'd met I'd figured he'd been fighting for quite awhile; you can't get to his level of skill just from training, regardless of how fierce the regimen may be. I was sure he had experience beyond the battles we were aware of him participating in… but it was only when I looked into his eyes that I realized just how much he had… that he'd been fighting for far longer than I'd originally guessed."

"Right," said Eric softly, his tone haunted, "You, Waltfeld, and the others… you all came to the conclusion that he'd been a child soldier."

"Yes," said Shemei, a hint of sorrow creeping into her voice, "I can't say for certain just how long he's been fighting, of course; that knowledge only Heero has, and maybe Captain Ramius. Considering that they're in love, it's possible that Heero may have confided in her about his past; I'm sure she would've given him whatever comfort and solace she could. Regardless… Eric, Heero has something that I don't, that none of us here have; a mind, body, and soul forged, honed, and refined by a lifetime of war. It's a burden I can't begin to imagine carrying… and an advantage that I think will provide an appropriate counter to my enhanced abilities as a Coordinator."

Eric nodded. "I can see that… though I imagine Heero might see it as a curse rather than an advantage."

"As would I," Shemei replied, "in a just world, it would be one he'd never have at all… but then again, if either of our worlds were truly just, we would never have met on the field of battle, nor would either of us have ascended to the heights of ability and skill that we have."

"But there is no truly just world, is there?" said Eric softly.

Shemei shook her head sadly. "No, there is not… nor will there ever be, I think. I'm normally not a pessimist, Eric, you know that… but I think you and I are both well aware that the kinds of injustice that give birth to soldiers like Heero and I can never truly be erased from humanity. Lessened, perhaps… but never truly destroyed."

"Perhaps," said Eric, and Shemei was surprised to see a small smile on his face, "but I'm also well aware that neither you nor I are ready to truly give up on humanity, nor will we ever be. The world isn't perfect, Shemei, nor are people perfect, but they do try. It is always easy to see the evil minority and let it cast a pall over the rest of the world… but we can never forget that most people are not like that; they do not wish to drown the world in a sea of blood. Call me an idealist, Shemei… but I think the good inherent in the majority of humanity far outweighs the evil of the minority. Yes, those good people are not perfect; they stumble, fall, argue with each other… but they're trying the best they can to live their lives to the fullest, and to do so in friendship with those around them."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them Shemei saw a gentle gleam in those warm, brown orbs. "The world's not perfect, Shemei, but it's trying… and that's what makes it so damn beautiful."

"Eric…" said Shemei softly. She couldn't help but smile at his words, as they were a display of an aspect of the man that she adored. Her boyfriend could be a pragmatic man, as was necessary in his line of work… but he could also be sentimental, idealistic, and hopeful. He knew that the world and humanity were not perfect, nor would they ever be. He recognized that there would always be good and evil in one form or another, and that there were always shades of grey thrown into the mix as well… but he still held onto hope for a better tomorrow, still held onto his faith in the human race as a whole. The divide between Naturals and Coordinators meant little to him, as it did to her; for the two of them, the differences just came down to quirks in the genetic code, nothing more.

The Wolf of the Far East then chuckled. "Ah, there's my soft side coming out to play again. So much for my image as a professional officer, eh?"

"Screw that image," said Shemei as she leaned over to kiss him. She grinned as their lips parted. "This is who you really are, love; don't hide it."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Eric.

The two of them shared a content moment of silence before Shemei spoke again. "So… any other reservations on your part?"

The former Field Marshal shook his head. "No. As I said before, I still don't like this duel… but I've got your back all the same, Shemei." He then sighed. "As for Heero's… counterweight, for want of a better way to put it, to your advantages as a Coordinator, I can definitely understand why you think it'll make for a fair fight. It's a terrible curse he has to live with… but the fact that he's among us today means he's learned to live with it. More than that; he's turned it into a weapon, one he's using to make the world a better place… not to mention protect the woman he loves."

"Speaking of which," said Shemei, "you don't have any reservations about… well, him and Captain Ramius?"

"Do you?" asked Eric, raising an eyebrow.

Shemei smiled and shook her head. "None at all. I can understand that the age gap between them would definitely make others uncomfortable, but I'm sure they've given a lot of thought to the issue. More importantly, when I saw Captain Ramius greet Heero in the hangar three days ago… they looked happy, Eric. Call me a romantic, but I believe that they truly love each other, as much as I do you."

"I will call you a romantic," Eric replied, smiling, "and I agree with you wholeheartedly. You may have been the main focus of my attention that day, but I did take notice of Heero and Captain Ramius… and I saw the same things that you did. The age gap between them doesn't matter; a blind person could tell you that the connection they have is a powerful one, based off emotion rather than physical desires, though I'm sure the latter has it place somewhere in there. Still, that doesn't change the fact that those two are clearly devoted to each other, and I think the relationship between them is a healthy one."

"As do I," said Shemei.

"Why ask me about it, then?" said Eric, raising an eyebrow.

"I just wanted to check," she replied, "I was perfectly fine with it, but I wasn't entirely sure if you had reservations about it. I know you, dear; you're far too polite to voice such concerns when the couple in question just reunited after a mission as dangerous as the raid on the PLANTs. That sort of thing is a conversation you would save for another time."

Eric smirked. "Yeah, guess you have me there."

"Of course I do," said Shemei, "I know you better than anyone else."

"No argument there," replied Eric.

Her boyfriend then glanced down at her uniform, which now had a couple black smudges on it courtesy of the dirt from his flight suit when she had embraced him earlier. "You'd better get that cleaned up," he said, "Your big rematch is mere hours away, quite possibly less."

Shemei looked down for a moment before shaking her head. "I'm not going to be able to get that out with just a wet towel, and we probably don't have enough time for laundry before the fight. No matter; I've got something else that'll work." She thought for a moment before speaking again. "In fact, I'm surprised I'm still wearing this uniform; habit, I guess."

"Plenty of defectors are still wearing the uniforms of their former militaries, Alliance and ZAFT," said Eric, raising an eyebrow.

"True," said Shemei, "but still… I feel wrong wearing this, now that I think about, especially since the regime that it represents took my parents hostage. I wonder if the people on this ship feel the same way; their own government did try to kill them at Alaska, after all, and again at Orb."

"I imagine they'd have a few things to say about that were we to ask," said Eric, "but it's not like they had much else to wear when they fled their former military. Plus, like you said; habit."

Shemei nodded. "Right. Still, I'm going to break this one. When I first fought Heero, started our rivalry, it may have been as a soldier of ZAFT… but it's not how I'm going to finish it."

She stood up and went over to the closet. "I'm ending this on my terms, not ZAFT's," she said as she opened the door and looked around, "I'm ending this as Shemei, not Commander Rehema. I'm going to fight this final duel as myself, not a pilot for Zala's regime; this uniform represents the latter, and it has no place in this clash. Wish I'd seen that sooner… ah, there it is!"

Reaching into the closet, she pulled out her custom flight suit. Normally Commanders flew into battle in a standard white flight suit, but the Valkyrie's skill and reputation had given her more leeway with the rules than most. She had stuck with the normal white flight suit up until recently simply because she didn't know what she wanted, but her duels with Heero had given her new inspiration, and after her return home from North Africa she'd commissioned a private group outside the military to design her attire. Her three subordinates had been happy with their standard red flight suits, but Shemei had wanted something more unique, though due to the nature of life as a frontline pilot she had not gotten the time to have her new flight suit designed and made until she and her girls had been recalled to the PLANTs a few months ago.

I didn't wear this when I was still fighting under ZAFT against Heero, nor when I launched during the raid on the PLANTs, she mused, I guess it's because I felt it would be tainted if I wore it while I was being used by the radicals. Now, though, I can give it a proper debut.

In an inversion of the standard Commander's flight suit, hers was jet black, with red trim on the shoulders, arms, and legs. In addition to that there was a small red circle over her left chest, and emblazoned within it was the image of an angelic figure, with a sword in her right hand and a shield in her left; a Valkyrie. Unlike the traditional images of the Norse angels, though, this one was a dark figure. She wore dark gray armor, had raven hair, eyes the color of blood, and her spread wings were as black as the void. Shemei felt it was appropriate for her, symbolizing her role as a reaper on the battlefield… along with the unholy thrill she got from a fight.

Turning around, she held up the flight suit in front of her and smiled at Eric. "What do you think? Fitting, eh?"

Eric nodded, smirking. "In more ways then one."

Shemei giggled. She'd meant fitting for the fight, and she was pretty sure Eric had gotten that, but the Wolf of the Far East had obviously decided to take things up a notch. Shemei had a pretty good idea what her boyfriend was referring to, but she decided to play the coy maiden for the fun of it. "Whatever do you mean, dear?"

"Oh, I think you know," said Eric, chuckling, "I've told you this before; no woman I know fills out a flight suit quite like you, and I can't wait for you to get that thing on."

"Flirt," she said, winking as she headed towards the washroom.

"Come on, you know you love it," he replied.

"Hell yes, lover boy," said Shemei before she closed the door.

….

Standing just outside the entrance to the hangar, Murrue could feel her heart hammering away in her chest. The Archangel, Eternal, and Kusanagi had settled down in the Mendel colony two hours ago, and all three ships had sent out teams of medical and engineering personnel to inspect the landing area, both to ensure structural integrity and a clean environment. The latter hadn't turned out to be a major issue due to the docking bay's exposure to vacuum, but the commanding officers of all three ships had agreed to conduct a scan of the immediate area surrounding the vessels for biological and chemical contaminants just to be on the safe side. As for the framework of the area, despite the damage the colony had taken during the Battle of Nova, all the major bulkheads surrounding the docking bay were intact, and there were no signs of damage in the large hangar. Murrue was thankful for the colony's sturdy construction; she suspected it would be home to the Three Ship's Alliance for the foreseeable future.

It was not concern for the environment that the Archangel and her companion vessels found themselves in that was causing Murrue's heart to race; it was the upcoming duel. Her talk with Heero had greatly helped matters, but it was only natural for her to still be nervous about the whole affair.

She suddenly felt a very familiar hand take her own in a gentle, reassuring grip. Murrue looked to her left and smiled at Heero. The Gundam pilot gave her a slight smile of his own, along with a small nod. Words weren't needed between them at that moment; those simple gestures were more than enough. They didn't completely dispel her fears, but they did ease them considerably.

Murrue could also draw some comfort from the fact that she wasn't the only one that still had their share of nerves regarding the imminent duel. Standing with her and Heero by the door were Mu La Flaga, Dearka Elsman, Soran and Akila Rehema, Eric Bristow… and the Valkyrie herself. The Archangel's captain could not guess the first two individuals' thoughts on the impending fight, but Commander Rehema's parents weren't making much of an effort to hide their anxiety. As for the Valkyrie's boyfriend, the Wolf of the Far East seemed calm on the surface, but Murrue could detect a subtle tension within him, not too unlike one she'd seen with Heero when the young man was on edge. Bristow was nervous, no doubts there; he just had a really good lid on his feelings. Regarding the Valkyrie, Murrue could detect a tension with her as well, but it wasn't of the same flavor as her lover's. This was born of brimming anticipation, restrained excitement, and Murrue caught hints of it in Commander Rehema's stance. She would periodically give a small bounce on her heels or glance over at her rival and give a small nod and smile. If Heero noticed the latter gestures, he gave no sign of them; other than the small smile he'd given Murrue, his expression remained calm and relaxed… save for his eyes. There was a quiet intensity in those piercing Prussian blue orbs, and to Murrue it felt like an expression of restrained energy.

He's ready to do this, she thought, he's focused, resolved… and prepared to end this rivalry.

The tension within the group could've been cut with a knife, and Murrue found herself wondering who would be the first to break the silence. A couple seconds later she had her answer in the form of the Valkyrie.

"So," she said, looking over at Murrue, "any idea who's all coming over, Captain Ramius?"

The reason they were all waiting outside the hangar bay was because the bay itself was currently depressurized due to the arrival of two shuttles, one from the Eternal and the other from the Kusanagi. Each bore a party that was coming over specifically to watch the duel in person, and the former was also bringing a camera crew so that people who were unable to get away from their stations could watch the fight via monitor if they were so inclined.

"I'm not entirely sure, Commander Rehema," Murrue replied, "I'm sure your girls will be part of the Eternal's delegation, and I imagine Waltfeld and Aisha will be among them as well. I don't know if Kira and Lacus will be coming; a duel like this may not be their thing. As for the Kusanagi's party, that's up in the air. Colonel Kisaka didn't offer any details, and I didn't ask. I wouldn't be surprised if Cagalli was among them, though; she's a very… passionate young woman, and I have a hard time seeing her sitting this thing out. I think she'd want to be here in person."

"It'll be interesting to meet her if she does show up," said the Valkyrie, "I heard a few things about her from Waltfeld and Aisha. Orb's tomboy princess…"

La Flaga chuckled. "The little Missy can be a real hot-head sometimes. Still, she's a good girl. She really cares about her people… and her friends."

"And Heero's counted among them?" asked Shemei.

Murrue and La Flaga glanced over at Heero, who responded with a silent nod. Shemei chuckled in response. "If she's as temperamental as Waltfeld led me to believe, then I imagine she'll want to give you an earful about this, Heero."

"Perhaps," the Gundam pilot replied, shrugging, "we'll see shortly."

The Valkyrie shook her head. "Nothing ruffles your feathers, eh?"

"I wouldn't be as effective in combat were I easily perturbed," said Heero.

"True enough," said Shemei, smirking.

Murrue was struck by the casual banter between the two ace pilots, especially in light of both the tension in the air and the efforts both of them were putting into restraining their energy. There wasn't a hint of animosity between the two of them, despite their numerous clashes on the battlefield before now. Instead to Murrue Heero and Shemei appeared to be two colleagues having a friendly conversation; they certainly weren't trash talking each other.

I guess it's another sign of the respect they have for each other, she mused, in other rivalries one might expect some trash talking, and both sides chomping at the bit to get things underway… that's not the case here. There's excitement, yes; both of them do want this fight. However… it's very controlled, contained. Commander Rehema's given more visible signs of eagerness than Heero, but even then she's still composed. She has a strange combination of both excitement and easiness about her… relaxed yet intense, one might say.

Murrue could at least take some relief that the undertones running between the two pilots seemed to be completely platonic. Of course, Murrue had no doubt regarding Heero's romantic loyalty to her, but she hadn't been able to completely keep herself from warily eyeing the Valkyrie for signs of interest that went beyond professional or even friendly. However, she could not detect a hint of intention in Heero's female rival. Quite the contrary; any signs of affection from Commander Rehema that Murrue had seen were only directed at Eric Bristow, and despite the subtle nervousness in the former ZAFT Field Marshal's body language the man was quite ready to return his girlfriend's gestures, whether they be a smile, taking her hand, or sharing a brief kiss.

They truly are devoted to each other, Murrue thought, the feelings they have for each other must be quite strong… that's good. With the bevy of attractive women within the Three Ship's Alliance, Murrue was wary enough about female attention drifting towards her boyfriend, even if she knew Heero wouldn't return the interest. It was a considerable comfort to Murrue that she could cross Commander Rehema off the list of those ladies eying Heero with… less than pure thoughts, for want of a better way to put it.

"Captain Ramius?" said the Valkyrie, and Murrue was surprised at the Egyptian woman's suddenly serious expression.

"What is it, Commander Rehema?" Murrue asked.

The Valkyrie looked down for a moment, and when she raised her head again Murrue was struck by the combination of regret and sincerity in her silver eyes. "Before things go any further," she said, "I… I owe you an apology. You and Heero, in fact. The two of you put yourselves in harm's way to save my parents, and I'm in your debt… and here I am, insisting on a final match to settle our score, one where my life and Heero's will be on the line."

"Commander Rehema…" said Murrue softly; she had not expected this.

"This doesn't solely rest on your shoulders," said Heero, "You may have brought up the duel, but I didn't back down; I agreed that our account needed to be settled. I'm as much a party in this as you are."

"Perhaps," said Shemei, looking between Murrue and the Gundam pilot, "but… that does not change the fact that I insisted on pushing forward with this after you two rescued my parents." The Valkyrie then met Murrue's gaze. "Captain, it also does not change the fact that I will be endangering the life of the man you love. I also imagine that the whole idea of this fight has probably caused some tension between you… tension that I do not wish to bring upon a loving couple." Shemei bowed her head. "I sincerely apologize for any distress this has caused you, Captain Ramius, as well as for any difficulties it has put upon your relationship with Heero. I ask your forgiveness, though I will understand if you cannot grant it at this time."

Murrue was taken off-guard by the Valkyrie's sudden apology, and she needed a moment to put her thoughts in order. It was indeed true that the Valkyrie had initiated the idea of a final duel between her and Heero, just as it was true that the Gundam pilot had readily responded to it. By the same token, Shemei would indeed be endangering the life of the man Murrue loved, certainly not something to be taken lightly.

A part of Murrue wanted to be angry at the Valkyrie, to verbally attack her, to take out her stress on her lover's rival… but in the end, the lovely Captain couldn't bring herself to do it. Standing before her was a woman who had acknowledged the difficulty that she had helped bring upon Murrue, and was offering a sincere apology for it. At the same time, Murrue's knowledge of Heero's respect for the Valkyrie, along with his own admission of complicity and his earlier conversation with her regarding his own feelings about the duel and why it was so important to him, helped to sap away the strength from whatever anger she might attempt to muster.

In the end, all Murrue could do was nod her head. "Commander Rehema," she said softly, "I can forgive you for this, and I will. It's true that I do not like the idea of this duel, especially not the fact that you will be endangering Heero… but I also know just how important this is to him." She turned to her boyfriend and smiled before facing the Valkyrie again. "I know that Heero would not want me to hate you for all of this; he respects you far too much for that. So... I accept your apology, Commander Rehema."

"Captain Ramius…" said Shemei softly, her silver eyes widening.

Murrue's smile took on a predatory edge, and her eyes narrowed. "I can also accept your apology, Commander Rehema, because I know who's going to win this fight… and it won't be you."

Shemei chuckled at the Captain's words. "Heero won't trash talk, so you'll do it for him, eh? Fine by me." She then looked at Heero and smirked. "She's really got faith in you. I admire that; it's well placed. That being said, I'm going to make you work your ass off to earn it."

Heero nodded, his eyes narrowing. "I expect nothing less, Commander Rehema... and I won't let Murrue down. Make sure to bring your A game; you'll need it."

"Whoa," Shemei replied, grinning, "So you can get in on the action, huh? Glad to see it. And don't worry; this time, the two of us can truly go all out."

"As long as the two of you come out of this alive," Eric chimed in.

"Yes," said Murrue, "my thoughts exactly."

"Don't worry," said Shemei, "If the two of us give this our all, whoever lands the winning blow will be able to make it a precise one. Remember; the victor's decided by first blood, not a fatality. Besides, the loss of either of us would severely weaken our chances of ending this war, and Heero and I will both do our best to ensure that doesn't happen."

Heero nodded. "Agreed."

Once again Murrue could not help but reflect on the paradoxical nature of the whole enterprise. Her boyfriend and his rival were about to engage in a duel that, while certainly much less risky than a clash of mobile suits, had a definite element of danger to it. Any mistake on the part of either combatant could result in one of their deaths… so the only way to truly ensure both a decisive ending to their rivalry and for both to survive was for Heero and Shemei to go all-out in the fight. That was the logic to it all, and one had to work to really get a grip on it.

The premise is simple, Murrue mused, a duel to decide the strongest between them. However, the underlying motives are decidedly more complex… at least as far as Heero's feelings go. I can't say what Commander Rehema's driving emotions behind all this are with any real certainty… still, I have a feeling they aren't quite as simple as she made them look three days ago.

In the end, it didn't matter to Murrue what was driving the Valkyrie. All she cared about at that moment were Heero's motivations and his survival. She understood his heart and mind, grasped his reasons for taking on this challenge, and she would do all she could to support him, to make sure that he went into this confrontation without any doubts weighing him down so he would endure and triumph.

And as her gaze met his, Murrue knew that her lover was fully prepared to get the fight underway. His eyes held the same combination of strength and calm that had done wonders for her morale so many times in the past, and it was all the proof she needed to know that he knew that she had his back. She did not support the endeavor, but she supported him… and that was enough.

"Hey, Captain Ramius?" said Shemei.

"What is it, Commander?" asked Murrue.

"Please," said the Valkyrie, smiling, "would you mind dropping my rank? It was my title as a soldier of ZAFT, but the moment my own government took my parents hostage, it lost all meaning to me. I wish to leave it behind. More than that… I would like to be your friend, and I don't use formalities among my friends. Though I would understand if you do not quite return the sentiment…"

Murrue returned the smile, shaking her head. "No… I too would like to be your friend, Commander… sorry, I mean Shemei. Even if you are Heero's rival, that does not change the fact that he holds you in very high regard… so I shall do the same. I believe he already considers you a friend of sorts, and I would like to do so as well; I don't believe in turning down those that offer their hand in friendship. Also, I can understand why your former title holds no meaning to you now. That being said… I would not abandon it quite yet."

"Why?"asked Shemei.

"While it is true that the rank you held as a member of ZAFT no longer holds any meaning in that context, it does hold other forms of meaning," said Murrue.

"I'm not sure I follow, Captain Ramius," Shemei replied.

"Allow me to use myself as an example," said Murrue, "Like you, I was betrayed by the military I used to belong to; in my case, the Atlantic Federation branch of the Earth Alliance's OMNI Enforcer. My rank of Captain in that organization holds no meaning to me now… but it has a purpose beyond that. My responsibilities as Captain, to command the Archangel and watch over the people on board her, do have meaning to me. That is why I still allow myself to carry the rank of Captain… but not as an officer of the Earth Alliance. I am the Captain of the warship Archangel, leading my comrades and friends in our effort to help bring this war to an end that does not involve genocide against Coordinators or Naturals, and to survive to bear witness to and live in the new future that will arise… to enjoy the fruit of our long labor." She looked over at Heero and smiled. "And for me, doing so also means fighting for the future that I will share with the man I love."

The Gundam pilot nodded and gave her a small smile in return. Emboldened, Murrue turned back to the Valkyrie and spoke again. "I will call you Shemei as a friend, but I would still advise that you hold onto your rank of Commander; it still has meaning, and you need to take responsibility for that meaning. In your case, it holds meaning to the three brilliant young women you lead into battle. You are Commander Shemei Rehema, leader of the Valkyrie Team, the superior and guiding hand of your subordinates, as well as their comrade in arms. Do not discount the affect your title has on them, Shemei. It is a symbol of the authority that you have well and truly earned, and not just as a soldier of ZAFT… but as a pilot and a leader. Do not see yourself as a Commander in your old army, Shemei; see yourself as a Commander in our force, one that is fighting to ensure that the injustice you faced at the hands of the radical regime will not be inflicted upon anyone else. See yourself as the Commander of your team, as I see myself as the Captain of the Archangel."

Once again the Valkyrie's eyes widened. "Huh… I never thought of it that way." Then she smiled. "You really are something else, Captain Ramius. No wonder Heero fell for you."

Murrue could feel the heat rushing to her face, but that did not deter her response. "Thank you, Shemei… and please, call me Murrue; like you, I would prefer my friends did not refer to me formally."

Shemei nodded. "Alright, Murrue… and thank you. I… I wouldn't blame you if you did not feel the same way, considering that Heero and I will be fighting shortly."

"Perhaps," said Murrue, "but I believe in Heero… and, in a way, I suppose I believe in you as well, Shemei. I know that the two of you will do your best not only to win this fight, but to preserve each other's lives. It does not change the fact that this duel will still be risky… but I believe that, win or lose, you will both survive. At the very least, Heero respects you, both for your skills and your sense of honor; that is enough for me."

Shemei bowed her head to both Murrue and Heero. "Thank you, both of you."

"You're very welcome, Shemei," said Murrue, nodding.

Heero nodded as well. "Same here."

Murrue then watched as the Valkyrie turned to her parents. "Mom, dad," she said, "I know I've said this before, but… well, I'm sorry for making the two of you worry like this. I know you don't like this, but… I hope you understand just how important this duel with Heero is to me."

Murrue was surprised when Heero spoke up before Shemei's parents could reply. "I apologize as well," he said, meeting their gaze, "as I told your daughter earlier, I'm as much a party to this as she is. She may have been the first one to bring up this duel, but the fact of the matter is that there was no way we were going to avoid it forever; this rivalry between us is something we both feel we have to settle, and sooner rather than later. I am just as responsible for this as Shemei is… and I will be putting her life in danger during this fight." He bowed his head. "I'm sorry."

His voice was as calm as ever, but Murrue could still tell that Heero's apology was a very heartfelt one. Just as he felt guilty over the distress he was causing her by going through with this duel, so too did he feel responsible for the fear and stress that the prospect of the coming fight was causing Soran and Akila Rehema. Murrue wanted to step in, to speak up and support Heero, but she realized that it would be inappropriate for her to do so in this matter. She settled for giving his hand a tight squeeze as a way to let him know that she was here for him.

Any worries Murrue had regarding the response of the Valkyrie's parents were proven to be misplaced as both Shemei's mother and father smiled at the two pilots. "It's alright, both of you," said Soran, nodding, "Yes, it is true that we would much rather you not do this… but we can see just how important this is to you."

"We can't help but worry for the two of you," said Akila, looking at her daughter and Heero, "We would dearly like for the two of you to let this matter go… but we understand why you cannot. Please, you need not apologize to us, Shemei… and neither do you, Heero. You saved my husband and me from the radicals at incredible risk to your own life, and we have not forgotten that. Yes, you will be fighting against our daughter, endangering her… but we do not hold it against you; Shemei would have it no other way, and we will respect that."

Shemei smiled. "Thanks a lot, you two."

Heero nodded. "Thank you."

Spotting movement out of the corner of her eye, Murrue turned to see Dr. Clark and one of his medical assistants, a girl in her early twenties with a slim figure, short-cropped black hair and dark brown eyes that had been assigned to the ship courtesy of the Orb Navy to fill in crew vacancies, coming down the corridor. They were both carrying a metallic case in their hands, and Murrue knew that both were full of first aid supplies. Depending on what happened in the duel, one or both of the combatants could very well get seriously injured, and Murrue wanted her ship's medical staff on hand so they could act as quickly as possible to stabilize and save whoever was wounded.

Hopefully their services will not be necessary, she thought, With their skills it is quite possible that the only wound Heero or Shemei may receive will be a superficial cut… still, I'm not taking any chances here.

"Sorry we're a little late, Captain," said the ship's Chief Medical officer, "It's been awhile since I've packed a field kit, so to speak."

Murrue nodded. "It's quite alright, Doctor. Do you have everything you'll need?"

"Yes, Captain," he said, turning towards his aide and smiling, "Miss Fan Li here was most helpful in checking our cases."

The Orb girl bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, Dr. Clark."

Murrue did her best to commit the girl's name to memory; with all the additional crewmembers the Archangel had received from Orb prior to their departure, keeping track of the new faces was a considerable challenge. She gave the assistant a warm smile and a nod. "I'm grateful for any assistance you can provide Dr. Clark, Miss Li."

The girl's eyes widened in surprise; no doubt she had not expected to be addressed by the Captain. "Ah, yes, ma'am," she replied, slightly flustered, "Anytime, Captain."

At that moment a small green light appeared on the console next to the door. "Hangar's pressurized," said La Flaga, "looks like they're ready for us."

"About time," Dearka chimed in, "let's get this show on the road."

La Flaga smirked and nudged the former ZAFT pilot with his elbow. "Easy there, kid. You can't rush stuff like this; it's gotta go at its own pace. Besides, it's healthy to get all this stuff aired out before the fight."

Dearka shrugged. "Whatever. I just came for the action, not the small-talk."

Murrue shook her head in amusement. That young man has a lot to learn… fortunately for him, Miriallia's a very understanding girl. The lovely Captain had not missed the growing closeness between Dearka and Miriallia, and Murrue was happy about it; it meant that Miriallia's recovery from Tolle's death was going very well.

She's found the strength to love again, Murrue thought, and to do so with a young man who was once an enemy… someone she once threatened, in fact. Of course, it's early, and I might be reading too much into things… still, I think there's something there between them. If there was, Murrue was content to let it develop at its own pace; she would not interfere unless Miriallia sought help or was hurt in any way.

Yet another rule I'm breaking, she mused, willfully ignoring fraternization between soldiers… Natarle would not be pleased. Then again, I did it often enough when she was on the ship, with regards to Kira and Flay… and Natarle and La Flaga. Not to mention my own conduct with Heero… and in all that time, Natarle never raised a concern about it. Perhaps that was one rule even she was willing to overlook. Wherever her former XO was now, Murrue could only hope that she was safe… and not being ordered by her superiors to commit atrocities.

"Well," said Murrue as she moved towards the door, "let's not keep our guests waiting." She raised her hand and touched a button on the console, and the door slid open. With Heero by her side, Murrue led the way into the hangar.

The two rectangular shuttles had set down, and their passengers were disembarking. From the one from the Eternal Murrue saw Shemei's three subordinates get off first, followed by Waltfeld and Aisha. Murrue had expected them, but was mildly surprised to see that they were in turn followed by Kira and Lacus. She was curious as to why the two of them had decided to come; neither of them struck her as people who needed to see a duel like this in person. Following them were two men in the standard green ZAFT uniform carrying some equipment, and Murrue knew that they were the camera crew that would be recording and broadcasting the fight throughout the three ships so that those who could not come in person could still watch the duel if they wanted.

As for the Orb delegation, Murrue wasn't surprised to see Cagalli leading the party, with Athrun and Kisaka in her wake. Following them was Erica Simmons, which did strike Murrue as odd; the woman was an engineer, not a soldier. Murrue was curious as to her motivations for coming over… as well as the identities of the three girls that followed in her wake.

I suppose I'll find out soon enough, she thought as everyone began gravitating towards the center of the hangar.

The three groups gradually came together into one large party, and everyone began exchanging pleasantries. The Valkyrie immediately went over to her girls, who practically jumped onto her as they embraced her. Murrue certainly couldn't blame them; this was the first time they had seen their Commander, and their dear friend, in person since their flight from the PLANTs.

"Hey, Captain Ramius," said Cagalli, and Murrue was surprised to see Orb's tomboy princess come up to her and Heero, along with Athrun, Kira, and Lacus.

"Hello, Cagalli," said Murrue, "how are you?"

"I'm alright," she replied, glancing at her companions before turning her gaze back to Murrue… and Heero, "We all are… though we've got a bone to pick with Heero."

Here we go, Murrue thought, resisting the urge to shake her head, I should've guessed that she would have a thing or two to say about this fight, and the same goes for Kira and Lacus. I'm not sure about Athrun's feelings though; he doesn't know Heero as well as the others, and he might not be as concerned as them.

"What is it?" asked Heero, looking at his friends.

"Heero," said Cagalli, shaking her head, "what the hell are you thinking here? You just came out of a freaking suicide mission alive, and you're throwing yourself into another risky fight? What gives?"

"There's no point to this, Heero," Kira chimed in, "I know you and Commander Rehema fought in the past, but the two of you are allies now; there's no reason for this duel!"

"I'm with them," said Lacus, and Murrue could see the concern in the girl's eyes, "this is a meaningless battle; it does not further our purpose in any way. This is a pointless risk of your life and that of Commander Rehema's. Please, I urge you to reconsider this; we all do." Lacus then turned towards Murrue. "Captain Ramius, surely you've spoken to him about this matter, haven't you?"

Murrue nodded and gave the songstress and her companions a gentle smile. "I have, Miss Clyne. Heero and I had a long talk about this duel… and I'm not going to stop him from participating in it."

"What?" said Cagalli, her eyes widening in shock, "You've got to be kidding me!"

"I don't get it," said Athrun, "how are you ok with this?"

"It's completely pointless!" cried Kira, looking at the Gundam pilot, "Heero, I know you're a good pilot, and I'm sure you're skilled in personal combat, but you can't win this fight!"

"Kira's right," said Lacus, "I have no doubt that Heero is a gifted physical combatant, but Commander Rehema has an overwhelming advantage simply because she is a Coordinator. Please, I mean no racial offense in any way; this is the simple truth. Heero, you may be able to go head-to-head with her in a mobile suit fight, but in physical combat Commander Rehema has an edge that you cannot hope to match."

"So you say," Heero replied, and Murrue was struck by just how casual his voice was; it was almost as if he were discussing the weather rather than the culminating duel with his rival.

"Don't deny it!" said Cagalli, "Heero, you're probably the best soldier our world, or any other, has ever seen, I'll be the first to say that, but biologically you just can't equal a Coordinator in a personal fight! No Natural can!"

Technically speaking, thought Murrue, recalling her conversation with Heero several months ago in North Africa, Heero isn't a pure Natural any more. According to what Heero told me, Dr. J and the other people involved with his section of Operation Meteor did perform some genetic and biological experiments on him prior to his launching the mission. However, those experiments were mainly geared toward making Heero more durable, tougher to kill; they didn't go nearly as far as what is done to create Coordinators. They're a small edge in his corner, but not enough to match the Valkyrie… at least, not on their own. Heero's intense training, combined with the incredible amount of combat experience, both mechanized and otherwise, that he's accrued over his lifetime of war… that's what helps to make him so deadly, and I believe it's more than enough to counter the biological gifts of Commander Rehema in this duel.

Murrue was about to speak up in Heero's defense when someone else beat her to the punch; her boyfriend's opponent. "Do you really think genetics are what's going to decide this fight?" asked Shemei, walking over with her subordinates in tow, "I'm disappointed, Lady Cagalli, all the more so since you're one of Heero's friends." Her eyes narrowed. "Heero's biology has little to do with his skills, and that's something I think you and your friends really should've thought of already. Trust me; Heero's by no means disadvantaged in this fight."

Murrue nodded. "Yes. Cagalli, I understand your objections… and a few months ago, I most likely would've agreed with them. I know you and the others mean well… but you are severely underestimating what Heero's capable of."

"Exactly," said Shemei, "and I wouldn't have asked to settle our score this way if I thought it was unfair to Heero; I want our final match to be as equals."

Cagalli looked from the Valkyrie to Murrue. "Captain Ramius… you really don't object to this?"

"Oh, I do object to it," said Murrue, turning to Heero and smiling before looking at Cagalli again, "I've already made it clear to Heero that I don't endorse this fight. However, I do support him, and I know that this is very important to him. This score between him and Shemei is something they both need to settle, and getting it out of the way now, in this manner, will prevent it from interfering with our larger struggle in the future." Murrue gave Heero's hand a squeeze before speaking again. "Have faith in you friend, Cagalli; Heero wouldn't do this if he didn't think he could handle it."

Cagalli shook her head. "Right… Captain Ramius, no disrespect intended, but you are talking about a guy that went to war against an entire world here. I don't think Heero's aware of his own limitations."

"Trust me, I am," said Heero, causing the others to look at him, "A good soldier knows what they can and can't do. I can win this fight, Cagalli; don't count me out just because of my genes."

"So," said Lacus, looking between Shemei and Heero, "there truly is no way that we can talk the two of you out of this?"

Both fighters shook their heads. "Sorry Lacus," said Shemei, "but this is just too important to me and Heero; it's not something we can let go."

The songstress shook her head. "Forgive me… but I just cannot understand why that is."

"Neither can I," said Kira.

"That's a good thing," said Heero.

Kira, Lacus, Athrun, and Cagalli looked among themselves before turning back to Heero. "What do you mean?" asked Lacus.

"It means you've held onto a semblance of normality, despite all that you've been through," said Heero, "Yes, this war has been hard on all of you… but you have spent far more of your life in peace rather than war; the battlefield has not defined who you are. Your morals and ideals reflect in some part the fact that you had a relatively normal upbringing. It's why you can't see a duel like this as anything other than a pointless risk, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, just because you do not see purpose or meaning in this fight doesn't mean that others share your sentiments. Shemei and I have our reasons for seeking this fight out. Part of it stems from our mutual respect for each other, one that has been established and built up over the course of three battles, but much of it is also rooted in our own, private motivations... motives that, given our unique situations, are by no means completely identical."

"Heero's right," said Shemei, "He and I both have our own stakes in this fight, desires and motivations that make sense to us, though we do acknowledge that they may not do so for others. There's nothing wrong with that; to have differing points of view is part of being human. That being said, Heero and I need this duel; we have to settle things between us. It's just something that neither of us can let go. It would take quite awhile for both of us to really explain to you why we feel this way. And while I may not have spent as much time on the battlefield as Heero, conflict and the emotions inherent in it have helped shape who I am as well, and the feelings I get while in a fight play a serious role in why I need to settle this score with him. These are feelings that most people would have a hard time understanding, and as Heero said, that's a good thing; it means you four have not been altered nearly as much by fighting and the emotions involved in it as we have. All we can ask is that you respect our decision, even if you disagree with it."

The four of them were quite for a moment before Cagalli sighed. "Alright, fine… not like we have much choice in the matter."

Athrun shook his head. "No kidding; you two are too stubborn."

"You're just now figuring that out?" asked Shemei, smirking.

"We've known Heero was that way for awhile," Kira chimed in, looking at the Perfect Soldier, "but we didn't think it extended to you as well."

"Indeed," said Lacus, "I had hoped that you would be willing to show more flexibility regarding this, Shemei… but it seems you cannot be dissuaded; neither of you can."

"Rivalries, even friendly ones, have that effect on people," said another voice. Murrue and the others turned to see Erica Simmons encroaching on their conversation, with the three young ladies Murrue had spotted earlier close behind her. The Archangel's Captain was not pleased to see that the girls trailing Morgenroete's Chief Engineer were making no effort to hide the fact that they were ogling Heero.

I think it's safe to say why they're here, Murrue mused, doing her best to keep from glaring daggers at the young ladies, Heero did mention back during our first stay in Orb that he worked with them, and I suppose it's natural that they were taken with him in that time period. Still, that doesn't mean I have to like it… It had not escaped Murrue that the three Orb pilots were not the only ones starring at her boyfriend; the Valkyrie's subordinates were doing so as well, though they were not being quite as blatant about it.

Erica, for her part, was far more composed, and as she gave Murrue a small smile the beautiful Captain could reasonably reassure herself that the lovely engineer did not have any intentions towards the Gundam pilot. That only served to increase Murrue's curiosity as to why Erica was here in the first place. What was her interest in this duel?

"And you are?" asked Shemei, raising an eyebrow.

Erica gave a small laugh. "That's right; we haven't been formally introduced yet. My name is Erica Simmons, Chief Engineer of Morgenroete." She held out her hand. "It's an honor to meet you, Commander Rehema… all the more so given your history with my colleague."

"Thanks," said Shemei as she shook her hand, "What colleague are you referring to?"

Erica smiled, and Murrue was surprised to see her gaze settle on Wing Zero's pilot. "That would be Heero, Commander Rehema. Although he may not be an official member of Morgenroete, I did work closely with him on Orb's mobile suit program. Indeed, were it not for the efforts of Heero and Kira, our machines would not be ready for combat… and, in Heero's case, we would not have such a magnificent machine like the Tallgeese Kai in our arsenal."

"The white and blue one over there, right?" asked Shemei, nodding at Mu La Flaga's machine.

Erica nodded. "The designs for that machine are from Heero's world. In fact, according to Heero… the Tallgeese was the predecessor of sorts to none other than Wing Zero."

"Really?" said Shemei, her eyes widening. She turned to Heero and Murrue. "I don't suppose I could check that thing out sometime?"

"I have no problem with it," Murrue replied, "but you should ask La Flaga; he is its pilot, after all."

Shemei nodded. "Right, I'll put that on my to-do list."

"Miss Simmons," said Murrue, "If I may ask, why did you decide to come over here?"

Erica shrugged. "Call it curiosity, Captain Ramius…along with a touch of professional and friendly courtesy." She looked over at the Perfect Soldier. "It's unheard of for a Natural and a Coordinator to fight in such a manner, and conventional wisdom would deem such a duel to be a very unfair way of settling a score given the difference in physical capability. That being said… conventional wisdom's never really applied to Heero, has it?"

Murrue had to smile at her words. "Indeed, it has not, Miss Simmons."

Erica nodded. "Anyway, I'm here because I want to see just what trick Heero has up his sleeve that will let him go toe-to-toe with a Coordinator in personal combat. I'm also here because… well, quite frankly, I owe Heero great debt, both for his work with me at Morgenroete and his actions on behalf of Orb." She turned to Heero and gave him a small smile. "I'd like to watch your duel as a courtesy to you. It hardly makes up for all you've done for us, but… well, it's something."

"You don't owe me anything," said Heero, "I didn't help Morgenroete or Orb to curry favor; I did it because by helping you, I was also helping Murrue."

"I thought as much," Erica replied, "Still, allow me to act on my own perceived obligation, Heero."

Heero nodded. "In that case… thank you."

"You're quite welcome," said the engineer. She then glanced back at the three girls behind her and sighed. "These three, on the other hand… well, let's just say that courtesy is not what's behind their presence here." She turned to meet Murrue's gaze, and her expression became apologetic, though she said nothing.

No doubt Erica was paying attention to that open-air transmission Heero and I shared when he launched from the Archangel and commenced Operation Knight Lance, Murrue thought, and even before that I think she had some suspicion as towards my feelings for Heero, and his for me. Those three girls, on the other hand…

"Hey, Erica," said the blonde girl, "just what are you getting at?"

"Don't try to hide it, Asagi," said the blue haired one, "you're here for the exact same reason me and Mayura are; to see Heero."

"Way to blow our cover, Juri," said the third member of the trio, a brown haired girl, who nudged the blue haired one with her elbow.

Please, thought Murrue, giving her head a slight shake, you three were hardly being subtle about it…

"Hey!" said Lan, speaking up for the first time; she and her fellow pilots had been hanging back silently behind Shemei for so long that Murrue had almost forgotten about them.

"If anyone's going to be hitting on Wing Zero's pilot, it'll be us!" the Chinese Coordinator continued, moving forward.

"Jeez, Lan," said Adaline, shaking her head, "I know you get all hot and bothered by that guy, but do you have to be so up front about it?"

"Oh, come on, Adaline," Lan replied, "you know you want to flirt with him just as much as I do, and the same goes for you, Pris!"

"What are you talking about?" asked the blonde Coordinator, and despite her protests Murrue could not help but notice her face flush slightly.

This is starting to get out of hand, Murrue thought, not to mention get on my nerves… She glanced over at Heero and was relieved to see that the Gundam pilot was not responding in any way to all the female attention. His expression remained calm and controlled, and to Murrue he seemed like the eye of a storm. Her boyfriend turned to meet her gaze, and Murrue felt him give her hand a tight squeeze. It was a silent message of loyalty, an affirmation of his devotion to him. The attention from the Valkyrie's subordinates and the Orb pilots meant nothing to him; Murrue was the only woman who Heero had eyes for.

Her boyfriend's faithfulness had never been in doubt, but Murrue was still considerably bothered by the situation unfolding around her. She was able to maintain a calm appearance, but on the inside the beautiful Captain was rushing to think of a way to beat back her lover's flirtatious admirers, and to do so in a cordially manner. She had been able to ward off Lan back when she had first gone aboard the Eternal over a week ago, but the situation here was not quite the same.

"Alright, everybody," said Waltfeld, interrupting Murrue's thoughts, "let's clear out some space here. I think it's time to get this fight going."

Both Heero and Shemei nodded. "Agreed," said the Valkyrie.

The group that had gathered around the two contestants began to back off, though Murrue was not quite ready to leave Heero's side just yet… especially since Waltfeld's command had not put the lid on the Orb girls or the Valkyrie's subordinates efforts at flirtation.

"We'll be rooting for you, tiger!" called Asagi.

"Go get her, handsome!" said Mayura, winking.

"Man," said Lan, looking between her Commander and the Gundam pilot and smiling, "so hard to choose who to root for. Let's see, my leader, or the dream boy?"

"Hey," said Adaline, "I know he's the hottest guy in this whole alliance, but are you really considering rooting for him over our Commander?"

"Hard not to," Lan replied, her eyes focusing on Heero with a very familiar hunger, "He's not just delicious eye candy, but he's got the moves to go head to head with our leader. Man, I can only imagine what he could do…

Murrue's eyes narrowed. Alright, that's it; time to show these girls their place.

Before Lan could further elaborate on her lusty train of thought, Murrue turned to her boyfriend and smiled. "Heero?"

The Perfect Soldier met her gaze. "Murrue?"

The lovely Captain swiftly pulled Heero into a fierce kiss, one he readily returned. Murrue reveled in the warm feeling of his lips against hers, and could only imagine what her wannabe rivals looked like now.

After a moment their lips parted, but Murrue did not spare a glance at the three Orb pilots or the Valkyrie's subordinates, keeping her gaze locked with Heero's. "Beat her," she said, her voice firm, resounding with her confidence in him.

Heero gave her a small smile. "Roger that. And Murrue?"

"Yes?" she asked.

Her boyfriend surprised her by pulling her back into another passionate kiss. Murrue wasted no time in returning it, nor did she hesitate to open her mouth and let her tongue briefly intertwine with his.

After a couple seconds they parted again, and that slight smile was still on Heero's face. "I love you."

Murrue smiled as well. "I love you too, Heero." She then nodded over his shoulder, where the Valkyrie was standing not too far away, arms folded and a smirk on her face. "Now go out there and show her what you're truly made of. Show everyone why you're the best damn soldier this world, any world, has ever seen."

Heero nodded. "Got it."

Returning the gesture, Murrue then moved back to join the rest of the crowd, who were gathering near the feet of Wing Zero. Everyone had split up according to what ship they were from, with the Eternal's delegation on the right, Archangel's in the middle, and the Kusanagi's on the left. As she walked towards the gathering she noted with satisfaction the dropped jaws of both the three M1 pilots and the Valkyrie's subordinates, all of them dumbstruck by the very passionate and public display of affection between the lovely Captain and the Gundam pilot.

I've staked my claim, girls, she thought, giving them a meaningful glance, I've made my mark, and Heero's more than returned the gesture. Go play your charms on some other young man; Heero's beyond your reach.

Murrue situated herself in her ship's group, and she was mildly surprised to see that Bristow and the Valkyrie's parents were there as well; even though they were residing on the Archangel, Murrue had expected them to stand with Waltfeld and the others whom she guessed would be supporting Shemei. Glancing around, she saw the camera crew that she had spotted earlier was in position and ready to record the action.

"I can't believe they're actually going through with this," she heard Kira say, "It's so pointless. They're risking their lives for nothing!"

"To us, it seems like nothing," said Lacus, and Murrue saw her slip her hand into Kira's, "but to them, it is something, and they asked us to respect that. They did not demand our understanding, only our acknowledgment that this duel has meaning to them, and that they must go through with it. Let's give it to them, Kira, out of courtesy and the friendship we have with them."

Well said, Miss Clyne, Murrue thought, given that you and the others were not privy to the conversation I had with Heero earlier, your doubts are quite understandable. Even with your gifts of intuition, Miss Clyne, you could not truly comprehend why Heero feels the need to have this fight with Shemei unless he told you; his motives are far more complex than one might guess at first glance. Thank you for recognizing that.

The songstress's closeness to Kira reminded Murrue of similar behavior she had witnessed between them when she had gone aboard the Eternal for the conference over a week ago. She was now growing more confident that there was indeed a romantic attachment blooming between them, though Murrue did not think that they had openly stated their feelings for each other yet. Nonetheless, she was glad to see that the two of them were growing closer. After all he had been through, Kira deserved a little bit of personal happiness in his life, and Murrue was not sure that his prior relationship with Flay had truly given him that.

Something didn't feel right about those two, she thought, though I'll admit I didn't pay them too much mind; I was more focused on commanding the Archangel… and more than a little preoccupied with Heero. Perhaps I should've given them a little more attention back then… well, it's too late for that now. No sense in dwelling on the past, and as long as Kira and Miss Clyne are happy, that's enough for me. I just hope Flay's doing alright; I have no idea what happened to her after she was transferred out of my command at Alaska.

"That idiot," she heard a familiar voice mumble from the Orb delegation, and Murrue glanced over to see Cagalli standing next to Athrun, "he's always so stubborn, and he doesn't give any concern to his own life! I can't believe Captain Ramius is actually letting him go through with this!"

"I don't think that's entirely accurate," the former ZAFT pilot replied, "I think Heero does care about his own life; he just thinks that having this duel is worth the risk. You saw him earlier with Captain Ramius, Cagalli; I don't think Heero would let Commander Rehema kill him in front of the woman he loves. Heero may be stubborn, but I also don't think he would engage the Valkyrie in a fight like this if he didn't think he had a chance at winning. Besides, you heard Captain Ramius; she may not approve of the fight, but she does support Heero. She's not happy with this fight, but she understands why he has to do it; I imagine they probably talked about this before we all came here."

Cagalli looked at him for a moment before speaking again. "Yeah… I guess you're right. Still doesn't mean I have to like it, though."

"I know," said Athrun, "but he is your friend, so shouldn't you at least have a little faith in him?"

"I do," said Cagalli, "I just wish he didn't have to be such a stubborn guy."

"It's just how we are sometimes," said Athrun, smirking.

Orb's tomboy princess gave the young man a small smile. "Yeah… you do have a point." She then slipped her hand into his in a manner not dissimilar from what Lacus had done with Kira.

Is there something going on between them as well?, Murrue mused, I suppose it's possible; love does have a habit of blooming in trying times. I think my relationship with Heero is proof enough of that…

Murrue turned her attention back to Heero and Shemei. The two fearsome fighters were standing just a few meters apart, gazes locked and hands hovering over the hilts of their swords. They both presented very unique figures. One the one hand there was Heero, a picture of calm determination. His eyes were narrowed, and Murrue could practically feel the resolve burning within them. His magnificent blue uniform only served to enhance the aura about him, adding a sense of nobility to the quiet strength he exuded. His body seemed loose and relaxed, yet at the same time ready to act in the blink of an eye. In contrast, the Valkyrie was now much more open with her excitement, displaying it with a fierce, predatory smile. Her silver eyes were narrowed as well, and gleaming with an energy that struck Murrue as both playful and intense. Her custom black and red flight suit clung tightly to her body, accentuating her athletic figure, and Murrue felt as though Shemei was like a lioness waiting for the chance to leap into an attack at a moment's notice.

"Hey," said Dearka, "shouldn't someone give them a signal to go?"

Murrue glanced over and saw La Flaga shake his head, a small smile on his face. "No way, kid. Those two don't need any cue from us; they'll know when it's time to move."

Turning back to observe the two combatants, Murrue felt that the Hawk of Endymion's words were right on the mark. The way that Heero and Shemei were staring each other down felt very much like a final lead-up into the fight itself, like the two of them were giving each other on last evaluation before kicking the action off. No signal from anyone else would be acknowledged; only they could start the show.

The crowd watched in silence as the two contestants stared each other down. Save for their breathing, which was almost imperceptibly light, Heero and Shemei were as still as statues.

After a moment Shemei nodded at her opponent. "Before we get started, I just wanted to thank you, Heero. Not just for saving my parents, but for agreeing to do this with me; I don't like to leave this sort of thing unsettled. No matter what way this goes, win or lose, I know I'll have no regrets when it's over."

"No problem," Heero replied, nodding as well, "Commander… no, Shemei… I want you to know that this will be our final fight, no matter what happens. I swore to Murrue that after this duel I would no longer engage in a duel like this, one for the sake of a rivalry rather than a larger objective. I will keep that promise… so we settle things between us here and now, once and for all. There won't be any rematches, not in this manner; if you want another fight, it'll have to be in the simulator. I've put far too much stress on the woman I love because of my insistence on fighting you in this manner, and she doesn't deserve that; I'll never do it again."

The Valkyrie's eyes widened for a moment, and Murrue thought she might protest, but then she smiled again at Heero. It was quite unlike the predatory one she'd been giving him earlier; this one was soft and understanding. "Alright, Heero. I get where you're coming from; I know this hasn't been easy on Eric." The Valkyrie glanced briefly over at her boyfriend and nodded before turning back to Heero. "No matter which one of us wins, I won't press for a rematch like this; no more duels with our lives on the line after this one. You have my word on that, Heero."

Murrue smiled at the exchange. Thank you… both of you.

For his part the Gundam pilot simply gave his rival another nod. "Thanks."

"Anytime," she replied. Then the intense focus and predatory smile returned to her face, her silver eyes gleaming with energy just begging to be released. Her hand edged closer and closer to the hilt of her blade… and Heero's did the same.

Murrue found herself holding her breath, as did her fellow spectators. The tension in the air was growing thicker by the millisecond, swiftly approaching the bursting point… and only the two fighters in the middle of the hangar could let it rush free.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, and everything else seemed to fade into obscurity; all Murrue could focus on was the man she loved and his opponent.

Suddenly there was an almost imperceptible flash in their eyes, a signal going between them that was all but invisible to outsiders. Then, in the space of a split-second, there was the cry of steel being unsheathed at an inhuman speed, the two combatants moving so fast that they seemed to blur at the edges, the flash of blades streaking through the air on a collision course with destiny…

…and the fight was on.

….

(Start "Forsaken Sanctuary")

She was fast.

The Valkyrie's saber draw was like a bolt of lightning, and Heero barely managed to bring his blade up to deflect her opening slash. Angling his sword towards the floor, the Perfect Soldier managed to redirect the strike while minimizing the force of the impact that he had to block, but Shemei recovered in a display of fluid grace that Heero could not help but marvel at. Rather than fight the deflection, she let her body flow with it and using it as momentum to whirl around and launch another attack, this time a horizontal strike. Once again Heero parried the blow while taking a step backwards to bleed off some of the force behind the attack.

Shemei wasted no time in recovering, swiftly moving into a quick and precise sequence of slashes aimed at Heero's torso. Keeping his blade close to his body for maximum coverage, the Gundam pilot found himself on the defensive as he fended off his foe's attacks. The style he had practiced earlier in the quarters he shared with Murrue paid off now, but unlike earlier Heero now had most of the hangar to use as fighting space, and he adapted accordingly, moving backwards to take some of the bite out of his rival's strikes.

Just backpedalling won't be enough, he thought as he parried a diagonal slash, if I rely only on that then eventually I'll hit a wall. I need to keep giving myself room to maneuver.

So rather than move in a straight line, Heero introduced a slight deviation in the direction he was moving each time he deflected one of Shemei's swift attacks. A small step to the left here, one to the right there, all in an effort to keep himself from being boxed in. He wielded his saber using both hands in order to increase the strength with which he could fend off the Valkyrie's attacks, and he made sure to keep his body loose so he'd be better able to react to her attacks; if he got too tense, to rigid, his rival would be far more likely to find a gap in his defenses.

To the casual observer it would seem as though the duel was already as good as done, that the Valkyrie already had Heero on the ropes and that it would only be a matter of time before she scored first blood and ended the match. However, a more seasoned eye would note Heero's careful footwork and swordplay, how each of the tight and efficient moves he employed were designed to conserve energy and give himself a little space, room to either dodge his foe and counter… or study her as she continued her assault, to learn about his foe as she attacked him.

It was the latter that the Gundam pilot was doing. His continuous defensive efforts, not once trying to counter-attack, were not because he couldn't strike back, but because he did not want to… not yet. As he blocked, parried, and deflected the rapid-fire assault of cuts, thrusts, and slashes from his opponent Heero was carefully eying her movements, analyzing how she fought now when compared to her past performance in their beam saber fights. There were plenty of differences, of course; this was natural given the fact that this was a personal fight rather than a mobile suit engagement. However, there were also some similarities, and as he continued to defend himself from Shemei's strikes the Gundam pilot was already building a picture in his mind of her fighting style, keeping an eye open for patterns and tendencies.

In terms of raw speed, there was no doubt in his mind that she had the edge; were this contest a footrace rather than a fight, Heero knew that he would lose. The increased speed Shemei got thanks to being a Coordinator was refined by her combat training and her practice with her blade, and her improved reflexes and fine motor control meant that she was incredibly precise with her attacks and swiftly able to recover from having her strikes blocked and parried and adjust her form appropriately.

However, despite her advantage in speed in this duel, Heero was still able to keep pace with her and withstand her fierce assault. This was due in no small part to a particular talent of his that Heero had spent a lifetime refining; the ability to read the flow of a fight and the intentions of his foes.

While the Zero System enhanced his ability to anticipate his enemies to the level of near-prescience in mobile suit combat, even without the highly sophisticated program Heero was still able to read the moves of his opponent and discern her next move. His upbringing under Odin Lowe, his years spent surviving as a child in the battles waged by the colonial rebels against Alliance occupation forces, and his experience in Operation Meteor and the Eve Wars, had heightened his instincts and intuition to an inhuman degree of sharpness. Even without the Zero System, Heero possessed a battlefield awareness that was very difficult to match, and it was serving him well now.

While he could not directly match the speed of Shemei, Heero's ability to read her emotions and intentions meant that he was able to react accordingly, sharpening his reflexes to an inhuman degree, enabling him to keep up with her quick and precise attacks. He could discern her intent through any number of subtle visual cues; a shift in stance, a slight adjustment to her wrist, a minor bend in her waist… and the look in her eyes.

The last was by far the most important. The old adage that 'the eyes are the windows to the soul' rang especially true with regards to hand-to-hand, or in this case, blade-to-blade, fighting. It was within the Valkyrie's gleaming silver eyes that Heero could truly read his foe's emotions and intentions. A subtle shift in one direction, the expansion or contraction of the pupil, the narrowing of her gaze… all of those and more were critical cues to helping Heero anticipate her next move and respond accordingly. It wasn't nearly as prescient as the Zero System was, but Heero's instincts and intuition were still refined to the point that it was enough to keep him on even ground with his phenomenal opponent.

Of course, being able to read his foe's moves did not detract the least from her extraordinary combat abilities… abilities that she was unleashing on him with great enthusiasm and vigor.

Her skills are amazing, he thought as the Valkyrie transitioned into a series of cuts aimed at his legs, this isn't just her beam saber abilities transferring over to our clash; she's a professional duelist, no doubt there. The fact that she's a Coordinator means her capabilities are greatly amplified, but even if she were a Natural her swordplay would definitely be considered top tier. Her form was graceful and fluid, swift and flowing, precise and elegant. As Heero blocked her stabs at his legs it felt as if his foe was as much dancing as she was fighting.

Suddenly Shemei swung her blade upward, and only a careful sidestep and parry on Heero's part prevented him from taking a long, vertical slash across his chest. This was in turn quickly followed up by a right-to-left diagonal strike, and as Heero deflected it he noted that Shemei had once again moved back into a sequence of mid-level strikes. It made sense, of course; she was going for his center of mass, the area she was most likely to land a hit.

Shifting his defensive strategy, Heero began moving along a backwards right curve, one that theoretically could take him in complete circle were he to continue on it long enough. As he did so he kept up his close blocks, deflections, and parries while he continued to gauge his foe's tactics. Eventually he noticed a tendency on the Valkyrie's part to utilize wide, almost circular movements when slashing, whether it was vertical or horizontal. In these moves fluidity and flexibility were her greatest assets, but she did sacrifice some coverage for when her foe was able to counter-attack. Her cuts and thrusts, by contrasts, took much tighter motions, an offensive version of Heero's own defensive moves. However, these attacks were a little more rigid than the slashes, requiring a bit more effort on the part of Shemei to recover from and adjust when they were blocked or parried. They were quick and precise, but each time she had to pull back her arm to launch another one of them it gave him an opening, though it was very, very small.

She's naturally aware of this, he thought as he deflected a horizontal slash, redirecting the Valkyrie's momentum to the left, that's why she changes up her sequences, to counter the separate weaknesses. She seems to favor the slashes a bit more than the cuts and thrusts, though; again, natural as it allows her more flexibility in her movements. She's stretched out a little further on them than she is on the cuts and thrusts though; I might be able to use that.

Even as he began planning his counter-offensive, though, he could not afford to let his guard up. Just as he was observing the Valkyrie as she attacked, so was she studying him as he defended. Heero could tell from the look in her eyes that she was analyzing his blade and footwork, trying to determine how to throw him off balance and pierce his defenses. At the same time, Heero knew that his opponent was well aware that he was studying her fighting style, and that she would take that into account in her coming attacks.

Shemei recovered beautifully from Heero's earlier deflection, whirling around and lashing out in a low slash at his upper left leg. Again, Heero managed to parry the strike, but instead of following up the strike with another slash the Valkyrie instead shot back with a thrust towards Heero's right hip. The Perfect Soldier was able to block the blow, but it forced him to shift out of the long right arc he'd been traveling along. He pivoted to the left and brought his saber up again to block an overhand chop aimed at his right shoulder.

His foe had changed tactics, now interspersing her wide, fluid slashes with tight and precise thrusts and cuts at a more rapid interval. Instead of a separate sequence of consecutive slashes or thrusts, now she was alternating the individual moves, sometimes one after the other, sometimes at more random intervals. This new barrage of attacks was much fiercer than the earlier ones Heero had fended off before… ones that the Gundam pilot now realized were a setup.

She started like that to lull me into a false sense of security, he thought as he blocked a mid-level slash before redirecting a swift thrust aimed at his gut, those earlier sequences of continuous slashes or thrusts… those were misdirection; she wanted me to think that was her true fighting style.

Now her attacks were much more varied, and as Heero fought fiercely to fend them off he had to admire Shemei for her earlier deception. In using her patters of either slashes or thrusts she'd been trying to get him to think that those were her preferred methods of fighting in this kind of duel… and it had almost worked. However, what had saved Heero was his prior experience in fighting her in mobile suit combat; the way she used her machine's beam saber in those clashes was much like how she was attacking him now, with the kinds of attacks she launched at him being considerably more varied than the earlier sequences she had used against him in the opening stage of the duel.

He could still read her moves, though anticipating her actions now was definitely harder than it had been earlier. Still, Heero was able to discern her intention by keeping an eye on the same visual cues he'd been monitoring throughout the duel. He parried a thrust aimed at his left side and then blocked a diagonal slash that had been meant for his right shoulder, all the while studying this new form… or rather, her true form, and the emotions driving it.

The emotions of the Valkyrie were actually not difficult for Heero to read. On the contrary; his foe was making no effort whatsoever to conceal her excitement and joy as they continued their fight. As Heero deflected a horizontal slash he once again saw Shemei's smile, one that was both predatory and quite genuine. The thrill she was getting from their duel was readily apparent, as was her happiness at finally having her wish granted; a clash where the two of them could truly go all-out with no interference. The Perfect Soldier was struck by the contrast Shemei presented to him, a young man who believed in keeping his emotions under control when in the midst of a fight. On the one hand, the Valkyrie seemed to be giving her feelings free reign. On the other, Heero could feel that they did not truly rule her; she still maintained her razor sharp focus.

Her feelings walk hand in hand with her combat awareness, he thought as he redirected a fierce thrust aimed at his left shoulder, She's acting on her emotions, but she isn't controlled by them… she's achieved true balance. In a way, she's actually like me, save for the fact that she's much more open with her feelings, more free with them. She gives them much more leeway in a fight than I do with mine… but she's still mindful of them, aware and in control.

As he blocked an overhand strike an odd image flashed through Heero's mind. It was a picture of him and Shemei, standing back to back, with a great orb in the background. The left half of the orb, the portion behind the Valkyrie, was a brilliant yellow-orange, while the part behind Heero was a much more subdued blue-white.

The sun and the moon, Heero realized as he took a step to the left and parried a diagonal slash from his foe, I suppose that's an apt comparison. Shemei burns brighter and more passionately, her light and heat given freely to the world. As for me, I'm calmer, more restrained. I take the light of the sun and refine it, focus it, limit it… but I still let it out, in my own, quieter way. Shemei expresses her emotions freely, while I do so in a much more subdued fashion. However, we both still act on those feelings all the same. Like the sun and the moon, we still give light… just in our own, unique fashions.

As their clash of blades continued Heero also noted a sense of curiosity in the Valkyrie, mixed in with her joy and excitement. The Perfect Soldier had little doubt as to the root of it; she was wondering why he hadn't launched an attack yet of any kind. She was certainly aware that part of it had to be because Heero was studying her fighting style, but even then the Gundam pilot should've at least launched a counter of some kind by now.

Oh, I'm more than ready to counter now, Shemei, he thought, his eyes narrowing further as he redirected a low thrust aimed at his left hip, I'm just waiting for the moment when it will have maximum impact. A simple deflection and strike was not enough for Heero; he wanted to completely disrupt her rhythm and go on the offensive. Towards that end, the young man knew that timing was the key.

Of course, that was much easier said than done. The Valkyrie's new offensive, her true fighting style, was incredibly formidable. She was aggressive, swift, graceful, precise, and relentless. The blows she rained down upon Heero came in rapid succession and much greater variety than before, which made finding that opening he needed to launch his counter-attack much more difficult. Pivoting to the right to redirect a vicious vertical strike, Heero could not help but note that Shemei's technique bore more than a little resemblance to that of Zechs. Her speed and daring were quite reminiscent of that of the Lightning Count.

No surprise there, he thought as he parried a thrust aimed at his chest, the fact that fighting her reminded me of fighting Zechs was one of the factors that got me invested in this rivalry in the first place. It drew me in… but I won't let it keep me here. I wanted this final duel so I could break free of that feeling, to truly move past that part of my life where I only felt at home in battle, and I'm going to do it. Not just for my sake, but for Murrue… for her above all else!

That drive, the will to once and for all move beyond what he had once seen as his only role in life, that of a soldier who had only known a life of war, to truly become the man he believed could forge a new life with the woman he loved… that was what fueled his determination to have this fight, and to win it. It was what had allowed him to patiently endure the Valkyrie's phenomenal assault, to weather the storm of blows she unleashed on him. It was all for the sake of analyzing his opponent, learning all he needed to before going onto the offensive and decisively ending this rivalry… and going back to Murrue Ramius as the man that truly deserved her love, a future with her, and who would challenge Heaven and Hell to defend it and her.

Taking a step to the right, Heero redirected a thrust aimed at his right shoulder. That attack was almost instantly followed up by a left-to-right diagonal slash, one that Heero barely managed to deflect. As the Valkyrie continued to rain blow after blow down upon his defenses, the Perfect Soldier had to admire just how smoothly his foe chained her attacks together. He form was incredibly fluid, like a river that easily adapted to and flowed around large boulders strewn in it. Her footwork struck him as a combination between that of a fighter and that of a dancer, with her weight constantly shifting from her toes to the back of her feet and everywhere in between. At times it seemed as though Shemei were performing a ballet, one where the cry of clashing blades replaced the sound of audience applause. There was a deadly sort of beauty to it, one that Heero could appreciate in the same way that he did an expertly crafted weapon.

As he blocked another vertical strike from the Valkyrie, his foe gave a small laugh. "Come on, Heero," she said, unleashing a lightning fast thrust at his neck, one he was barely able to deflect, "you can't play the defender forever. Don't get me wrong; it's beyond impressive, the best defensive swordplay I've ever seen."

As she launched a flurry of swift cuts and stabs she spoke again. "However, as incredible as it is, you and I both know that such a rock-solid defense won't win you this fight… and it's not how either of us truly want to settle this rivalry. Come on, Heero; show me what you can really do. I don't want to win before I've seen you hit me with that incredible offense I've survived in our last battles."

"What I gave you before," said Heero as he fended off her blows, "in our last three fights… that wasn't my full strength, and you know it."

"Oh yeah," said Shemei, grinning, "Trust me, I'm well aware of that… which is why I want it now."

"Be careful what you wish for, Shemei," said Heero as he parried a slash, "you just might get it."

"Believe me," she replied as she launched another attack, "that's a saying I'm well versed in by now. However, this is different; I know that your best offense is exactly what I want. I don't want to beat you until I've survived the assault that only you can bring to the table."

Heero nodded. "You'll get your chance soon enough."

"I'd better," said Shemei as she lashed out again, "otherwise this just turns into a match of endurance, with each of us trying to outlast the other. I don't want that, and neither do you; we each want to win when the other is at their best! Am I right, Heero?"

The Perfect Soldier nodded again as he blocked her attacks, "Yes… you are."

The truth of the matter was that utilizing his incredible endurance and his defensive skills to simply wear down the Valkyrie had never occurred to him, and even now he did not consider it as a strategy he would use in this duel. While it may have been a practical and viable plan to employ, it would not satisfy Heero's need to beat Shemei when she was at her best. If he simply made the contest one of endurance, he was confident he could win it, but it would detract from the meaning that the duel had to both of them. It would leave them both feeling disappointed, knowing that they had not truly settle things between them with both of them unleashing everything they had against each other… and it would not provide a satisfying conclusion to their rivalry and enable Heero to move forward into the next stage of his life, his future with Murrue. If the two of them were going to get the truly decisive ending to their rivalry, one that they could both accept with no regrets, then they had to bring everything they had to the table, both offensive and defensive.

However, Heero wasn't about to let Shemei goad him into making his move before he was ready. If he moved prematurely, the Valkyrie could take advantage of the gap it would open in his defenses and quite possibly get in the winning blow. As he continued to fend off her strikes, Heero maintained his patience, waiting for the precise opportunity he needed to launch his counter-offensive.

Pivoting to the left, Heero deflected an overhand attack. The Valkyrie almost instantly recovered, swinging her blade back up in a diagonal strike. Sidestepping to the right, Heero managed to block and redirect the attack, once again avoiding taking the full force of the impact on his blade in order to conserve energy for when he went on the attack. Adjusting with her incredible fluid grace, Shemei immediately moved to attack again. She leapt into the air and flipped over Heero, swinging her blade as she did so. The Gundam pilot ducked and rolled to the right, narrowly avoiding the aerial attack. He came up just as the Valkyrie landed on her feet with cat-like grace, and she almost instantly came at him again, launching another swift sequence of strikes.

As he parried a vicious thrust, Heero saw the Valkyrie shift her stance in preparation for her next attack. Gambling that he had observed enough of her fighting style now to anticipate what was coming, Heero brought his blade up in a high guard… and was rewarded by Shemei launching a fierce downward, diagonal slash from right to left.

Here we go, he thought. Shifting his saber so the tip pointed slightly down, Heero braced himself for the impact of the slash. The moment Shemei's sword hit his saber the Perfect Soldier drastically altered the angle of the blade, turning a slight tilt into a steep decline. As the Valkyrie's momentum carried her forward the Gundam pilot stepped back. Pivoting on his left foot, Heero whirled around, adding centrifugal force to his own formidable physical strength…

…and finally attacked.

(End "Forsaken Sanctuary")

….

(Start "Fearless Eyes")

He was strong.

Shemei's eyes widened in shock as Heero's sword slammed into her own. Taken off-guard by the sudden pivot and spin of Wing Zero's pilot, the Valkyrie had barely been able to bring her blade up in time to block her foe's attack… and she was astounded at the power behind it. Unable to prepare for a proper parry, Shemei took the full force of the strike on her sword, and the impact was enough to actually send her skidding back a few feet across the floor.

Where the hell did that come from?, she thought.

The strike had been incredibly powerful, and what made it all the more shocking to Shemei was that Heero had delivered it with only his right hand. Now that he was moving onto the offensive he was abandoning the two-handed style he'd been using while guarding against her earlier assaults, which would've meant that he'd be able to put less strength into his attacks… but his blow had still impacted her saber like a hammer, rocking the Valkyrie.

She had no time to inquire; her foe was already pouncing on her, following up his incredible counter with his first offensive of the duel. Once again the Valkyrie was barely able to bring her blade into position to catch a vicious horizontal slash. Yet again she took the full force of the impact on her saber, and she felt the amazing strength the Gundam pilot could put behind his blows. Heero gave her no room for respite, swiftly launching a thrust at her neck. This time Shemei was able to parry the blow, but it was a near thing; she could feel the wind generated from the attack against her skin, and she knew that the sword had been mere centimeters away from cutting her. Adjusting her stance, Shemei was about to launch a counter-attack of her own, but Heero had already beaten her to the punch and was coming at her again with a slash at her right shoulder. The Valkyrie deflected the blow, taking a step back to help her bleed off at least some of the incredible strength behind the attack.

This time Shemei was able to counter-attack, lashing out with a swift horizontal slash as Heero's midsection. Just as he had done before, the young man parried the attack, but this time he immediately followed it up with a strike of his own, a fierce thrust at her left leg that she was barely able to parry.

Shemei smiled as she made another attack, only for Heero to deflect it and respond with a diagonal strike. Now he's getting into it, showing me what he's really got, she thought as she blocked the attack, no… that's not quite right. He was into it before, giving me his best… his best defense, that is. I knew he was giving himself time to study my technique, hence his lack of attacks until now, but he wasn't exactly holding back on his skills, just utilizing his defensive ones. It was very impressive… and this is even more so!

Now she was getting a taste of Heero's offensive capabilities, and he did not disappoint in the slightest. His style was much like what he had employed during their beam saber clashes with their mobile suits; efficient, precise, and downright brutal. As she parried another powerful overhand strike, Shemei noted that while Heero was not quite as fast as her in this physical confrontation he more than made up for it with economy of movement; there wasn't a hint of wasted motion in his form. He lacked the more polished grace and finesse of professional duelists, but that was more than offset by his rock solid offense and defense, along with the phenomenal awareness and instincts that had evolved in him over what Shemei believed to be a lifetime spent on the battlefield.

He's amazing, she thought as her foe redirected her thrust and instantly struck back with a mid-level slash, taking the full force of the impact on her blade and once again skidding back about a foot, physically he's actually slower than me, but his ability to read the flow of a fight more than makes up for it! He can not only react to my attacks but set up his own immediately after he's blocked them, and he does it so seamlessly. It's not graceful, but it is very efficient, and because of it he can keep up with a Coordinator in physical combat!

Her eyes met his as she lashed out with a cut at his left shoulder, one he swiftly deflected and countered with an overhand strike. Shemei could not help but be awed by the incredible focus and intensity that she found within those Prussian blue orbs. It was striking, piercing… all the more so since his facial expression was one of complete concentration; he had a solid grip on the energy that was burning inside him, and he had confined it to his eyes. It was a stark contrast to Shemei, who knew she had a habit of wearing her heart on her sleeve. This duel was no different; she was making no effort to hide the excitement the fight generated within her, smiling through most of the match so far.

I just can't help it, she mused as she fended off Heero's attack and made a stab at his legs that was deflected in the blink of an eye, I'm a girl that likes to express her feelings; keeping them hidden just isn't my style. Sure, I keep a reign on them; it's essential for fighting effectively. That being said, I do let them come to the surface a lot more in a fight than someone like Heero does.

Parrying a down-up slash from the Gundam pilot, Shemei tried to renew her offensive. Coming in hard with a vertical strike which Heero deflected, the Valkyrie used her momentum to whirl around and add centrifugal force to her follow-up attack. Once again her adversary blocked her strike, and this time Shemei did not have time to launch another attack on its heels; her foe had smoothly transitioned from defense to offense with a brutal slash.

Deflecting the blow, Shemei thought she saw an opportunity to score the winning blow on Heero as he spun to absorb and bleed off the excess momentum that had resulted from his redirected attack. The back of Wing Zero's pilot was exposed for a split-second, and the Valkyrie wasted no time in making a stab at it. However, Heero surprised her by swiftly bringing his blade over his shoulder and angling it down to catch the attack and parry. As her foe looked over his shoulder his eyes met hers, and Shemei saw a fierce gleam in those blue orbs, an unspoken challenge.

'You'll have to do better than that, Shemei.'

The Valkyrie grinned.

'Challenge accepted.'

Taking a step back, Shemei braced herself for Heero's counter, which was swift in the making. Her rival continued his spin, bringing his blade around in another brutal and powerful slash. Pivoting on her right foot, Shemei adjusted the angle of her blade and managed to deflect the strike while bleeding off some of the impact force, but she was still rocked by the strength behind the attack. However, she managed a quick recovery and lashed out with a cut at his right leg. Her blade was intercepted by Heero's, and Wing Zero's pilot replied in kind with a low cut of his own.

Shemei parried the attack before swinging her blade up, attempting to catch her rival across the chest. Taking a step back, Heero evaded the attack and struck back with a vertical chop. Shemei rolled to the side, dodging the blow entirely and swiftly launching a horizontal strike in return. Once again Heero blocked her blow before ducking and making another swipe at her legs.

This time Shemei jumped over the strike entirely. Her enhanced Coordinator strength and agility made her much more acrobatic than her foe, and as she flipped over Heero she brought her blade down, attempting to cut his shoulder. However, Heero immediately raised his blade and batted aside her attack. Spinning around, the Gundam pilot lunged at Shemei just as her feet hit the ground, and the Valkyrie was barely able to bring her saber up to block his strike.

God damn!, she thought as she took the full force of the blow on her blade and felt herself skid back almost a foot on the steel floor, Such speed and power, precision and ferocity… none of the people back in my old dueling club could come close to matching this, and they were all Coordinators! Shemei smiled even as she rushed to parry Heero's follow up attack, a thrust at her left hip. This duel was turning into everything she had hoped for and more. Granted, a classical sword fight was not how she had originally pictured settling her rivalry with Heero… but here and now, as she crossed blades with the young man whom in her eyes symbolized the zenith of combat and piloting prowess, she knew that she would have it no other way.

It had to come down to this clash, she thought as she deflected a vicious diagonal strike, up close and personal, with nothing to get in our way, and no ranged weapons for either party. I don't know why, but fighting him like this, in such an archaic manner… it feels so right! Yes, our battles before now were as mobile suit pilots, the blades that clashed were those of titanic machines of war, our contest one of our flying skills… but this is what it had to come down to. As she lashed out with a cut at her foe's torso, which he swiftly parried, Shemei knew that her feelings made no real sense; there had been no logical explanation to believe that they would settle their score in this manner until three days ago.

Logic be damned, she thought as she fended off a ferocious thrust, I went into this fight by following my feelings, and I'm not going to second guess them now!

Striking back with a vertical attack at Heero's shoulder, Shemei could not help but marvel at the young man's reaction speed as he batted the blow aside and almost instantly transitioned back onto the offensive with a mid-level slash. She could not begin to imagine what kind of training and how much combat experience had been needed to refine his reflexes to such an incredible degree, to make his awareness and intuition so acute, so comprehensive, and to give him such speed and strength as to challenge even a veteran Coordinator duelist like herself in a physical confrontation.

It must have been brutal, she mused as she parried the slash, To have forged such a young man into such a formidable fighter... hell, his body looks like that of an Olympic athlete, not a sixteen year old soldier! His training alone must have been hell, probably surpassing the programs that our Special Forces operatives go through. As for the battles themselves, I doubt all of them were fought from the relative comfort of a mobile suit combat; I'm sure Heero's seen more than his share of physical fights and shootouts.

As their clash continued, with Heero quickly moving into a series of ferocious and precise slashes and stabs, Shemei could not help but feel a pang of sadness in her heart even as she was in the midst of the fight that she'd so dearly wanted.

The price he must've paid to ascend to this level of combat prowess, she thought, I can't imagine what it was... but I'm sure it was a heavy toll, one he should not have been forced to pay. To have reached this incredible state of ability at the age of sixteen… I can only guess when he actually started training and fighting. Was he even a teenager when he first fought? Somehow I doubt it. I can't say for sure, but… that's the feeling I get. When people like Kira, Athrun, Cagalli, and Lacus were in grade school, enjoying their childhood… Heero was on the battlefields of his world. They kept their innocence until they were pulled into this war… but Heero's was sacrificed long ago. He lost any chance for a normal childhood…and became a soldier. It's what allowed him to get to the point that he can stand against me on even ground in a physical confrontation, but I wish he could've achieved this level of skill some other way.

Shemei took comfort in what she had observed both today and three days ago; the affection and love her rival shared with the Archangel's Captain. It was clear that the woman who commanded the ship cared deeply for Heero, and Shemei knew that Murrue would do whatever she could to give Heero the comfort and peace he deserved. It would not bring back his innocence; that had been taken from him long ago, and it could never be recovered. However, as she had watched the two of them kiss prior to the start of the duel, it was abundantly clear to Shemei that Murrue had given Heero a future. More than that, she'd given him a happiness that the Valkyrie could only imagine had been incredibly rare in the young man's life up until now, and it was obvious that Wing Zero's pilot was deeply devoted to her in return.

His past is no doubt a tale of hardship, struggle, and sacrifice, she thought as she deflected and parried a series of brutal strikes, and his time in our world probably hasn't been easy either… but he found her, grew closer to her, fell in love with her, and I believe to him that made it all worth it. I don't know all of Heero's motives for agreeing to this final clash with me, but I'm sure that his love for Murrue is involved in some way. He's determined to settle this rivalry with me and go back to her, to devote himself completely to her. She's made his present one where he has someone to care for him, someone who truly loves him and will comfort him amidst the battles he continues to fight… and she can give him a bright future, one that can burn away the shadows of his past.

Knowing that Heero had found someone he could be happy with, with whom he shared a deep and powerful bond of affection, was enough to outweigh the sadness she felt when she thought about how tough his past must've been. That being said, she would not hold herself back due to such sentimental feelings. On the contrary; she would give this battle her all. It was contradictory, but Shemei knew that both she and Heero had the best chance of surviving this confrontation if they gave it their best effort, went at it with everything they had.

Our skills must be at our sharpest, she thought as she managed to get herself back on the offensive, initiating a sequence of slashes and cuts that Heero proceeded to block and parry as appropriate, our control over our blades and bodies at its most refined. Only that will allow us to end this rivalry decisively and give both of us the chance to walk away from this alive and able to return to the people we love… and to the war against the extremists that hold sway over Earth and space.

She launched her fourth strike in the sequence; a thrust at Heero's left shoulder. Once again the Gundam pilot managed to parry her blow, but this time he retook the offensive with a powerful overhand slash. Taking a step back to reduce the impact, Shemei managed to deflect the blow. She had no time to set up a counter-attack though, as Heero was already following-up the strike with another blow. Wing Zero's pilot lashed out with a vicious flat thrust, with the edge of the blade running parallel to the floor. Shemei rolled to the right to dodge the attack, but as she came up her eyes widened as she saw Heero suddenly swing the blade at her in a ferocious horizontal slash. She managed to bring her sword up to block the attack, but she had no time to set up a proper parry and thus took the full force of the blow on her saber.

Unbelievable, she thought as she skidded about a foot across the floor, staggered by the incredible power behind the strike, the moment I dodged that thrust he turned it into a lateral strike!

She quickly proceeded to fend off a diagonal slash from Heero, only for that to be followed-up by another flat thrust. This time Shemei rolled to the left instead of to the right, but Heero was still able to transition from the thrust to a horizontal slash, and the Valkyrie was once again barely able to bring her saber up in time to block the blow.

No way, she thought, I've read about this move! Well, not quite this one, but close; the original one was meant for a left-hander, and was used by a katana rather than a European style blade. Still, I know what he's doing; it's a right-handed version of the flat thrust developed by the Shinsengumi during the Bakumatsu! What was it called again? I think it was the Hirazuki…

Shemei grinned even as she continued to fend off the Gundam pilot's assault. You continue to impress, Heero, she thought as she deflected a diagonal slash, You're not just a capable fighter in your own right, but you've obviously studied the moves of past masters. To incorporate an attack like that into your form… not only did you do your homework, but I bet you practiced a great deal to pull off that move without disrupting your natural technique.

"I don't know if I ever told you this," she said as she countered with a quick stab at Heero's left abdomen, which her foe proceeded to bat aside, "but you truly are something special, Heero Yuy!"

Her foe nodded as he struck back with an overhand blow. "Thanks," he said as she blocked the attack, "so are you."

"Still the second best you've ever fought?" she asked, smirking as she lashed out with a low thrust that her adversary immediately parried.

"As far as mobile suit combat goes, yes," Heero replied as he struck back with a mid-level slash, "I never got the chance to fight Zechs in a more traditional duel like this though, so as far as physical combat goes, you're at the top."

"Why, thank you," said Shemei as she blocked his strike, "I kinda wish this 'Zechs' was here so I could find out how good he was in a fight like this; I'd like to know where I stand compared to him in a fight like this. If he can stand against you in a mobile suit clash though, I think it's pretty safe to say he'd give you a hell of a fight under these circumstances as well."

"I'm sure you're right," said Heero as he parried her counter, a stab at his right shoulder, "but he's not here, and I only fought him in mobile suit combat, so you'll just have to settle for guessing."

"That's too bad," Shemei replied as she deflected a vicious thrust, "Oh well, I'll just have to live with that." She smirked as she struck back with a thrust of her own. "Sometimes it's better to have some things be unknown; it keeps your mind active, keeps you sharp. You wonder who else may be out there to test your skills; you never grow complacent."

Heero nodded as he parried her attack. "Well said."

"Thanks," said Shemei as she deflected a slash, "of course, since you came onto the scene all those months ago, the last thing I've been is complacent… and I don't think I ever will be again. So it doesn't matter to me if I never get to meet this Zechs and test my skills against him; knowing I've got you to compete with is more than enough for me."

"Remember what I said earlier," Heero replied as he blocked her next attack, a powerful overhand strike, "I won't be engaging you in any more fights like this. I made a promise to Murrue, and I will keep it."

"Oh, I don't doubt that a bit," said Shemei as she fended off a fierce two slash combo from her foe, "and I won't put you in any position to break it. However, your promise only covered clashes like this, with our lives on the line; simulator battles are still on the table, if I recall correctly."

Heero nodded. "Indeed they are. If you want another fight, it'll have to be with those."

"Fine by me," said Shemei, smirking as she made a low cut at his legs, which Heero immediately caught and redirected.

Though a simulator battle could never measure up to this, she thought as Heero initiated a sequence of vicious slashes and cuts, putting her on the defensive, Fighting you like this, with both our lives hanging in the balance… a sim fight could never come close to matching this thrill! It lacks the edge, the danger… and that's what makes me feel alive in combat. The rush of pitting your skills against an enemy in a contest of ability, cunning, and nerve, knowing the slightest miscalculation, the smallest mistake, could be your last… no mock battle can come close to matching the feeling I get from that.

Blocking her foe's blows and retaking the offensive, Shemei reflected on the battles that had led the two of them to this point. She had gone full tilt in the two clashed they'd had in North Africa, but she'd been unable to tell if she'd pushed him to that same point. After hearing reports of the battles Heero had fought in after their first two encounters, Shemei knew that hadn't been the case, and she'd found herself longing for the chance to meet him in battle again with the skill and machine that would let her push him to his limit, to truly experience the best that he could bring to the table. Unfortunately, their next battle had occurred under dismal circumstances, with both fighters being unable to truly bring their A-game to the engagement. That had frustrated Shemei almost as much as the thought of her parents being held hostage by the radicals, and it had deeply bothered her to know that their chance to settle their score had been robbed from them by Zala and his band of socio and psychopaths.

Even if I had been able to go all out in that third fight, she thought as she made a counter attack with a hard right-to-left diagonal slash, which Heero instantly parried, I would not have been able to know for sure if Heero was doing the same. His skill level is beyond anything I've ever seen before in a foe, and it was clear that he was holding back in North Africa even when he soundly defeated me. I'm sure I was able to push him more with the Judgment, but he and I both weren't giving that engagement our all, and if I had I couldn't have been able to tell if Heero was doing the same. A mobile suit battle is not like a personal fight; it's much harder to read emotions and intent when your foe is inside a machine, when you can't look them in the eye.

This, however, was an entirely different kind of duel. This was a physical, personal confrontation, which meant that Shemei could more accurately judge Heero's feelings and the effort he was giving the battle. As the Valkyrie fended off another fierce round of attacks from Wing Zero's pilot, she could feel the intense energy radiating from his eyes, piercing her like a dagger. Her adversary was calm, but at the same time he was incredibly focused and possessed a determination about him that Shemei had never seen in another person before. His strikes were swift, powerful, efficient, and downright brutal.

Deflecting a ferocious thrust, Shemei went back onto the attack with a down-up slash. Heero immediately parried the strike and instantly turned the move into a counter with a quick stab at her right shoulder. As Shemei intercepted the attack her eyes once again met his, and she was struck by the fierce gleam in them, a fire burning in those magnificent blue orbs unlike any she had seen before.

And that was when she knew, when she finally got the answer to her question, when she knew that they were finally fulfilling her greatest desire in this rivalry, that she and the phenomenal pilot from another world…

… were finally going all out.

(End "Fearless Eyes")

...

(Start "Zero")

They were incredible.

Murrue's eyes were wide with amazement as she watched the two phenomenal combatants continue their duel, the culmination of the rivalry that had been born in the skies of North Africa months ago. The beautiful Captain could recall clearly just how awed she had been back then, watching those fierce aerial battles even as she commanded the Archangel in the engagements with the Desert Tiger's forces. The same had gone for the third fight roughly a week and a half ago when the Valkyrie had once again taken the field, and in a much more formidably machine to boot. However…

…none of those duels came close to the astounding clash that was unfolding before her eyes now.

The two combatants moved with a speed that Murrue had never imagined possible for Naturals or Coordinators. Their sabers flew through the air so fast that they were almost impossible to track, and the cries of the blades meeting rang out almost every second, so swift and frequent were the fighters' attacks. Heero and Shemei moved all over the floor of the hangar, charging, backpedalling, rolling, pivoting, sidestepping, and more as they dueled, covering far more ground than Murrue had anticipated their fight doing so.

Their fighting techniques were clearly distinguished, with even someone like Murrue, who had little experience with swordplay apart from the times she had watched Heero practice, able to discern differences in the duelists' methods and tendencies. Her boyfriend's style was very much reflective of how he wielded Wing Zero's energy blade, with the focus being on efficiency, a tight and rock-solid defense, and swift and ferocious attacks. Even at a distance Murrue could feel the powerful determination that Heero held inside him, his drive to finish this rivalry with Shemei once and for all. Though he appeared calm, the way he narrowed his eyes and the firmness in his jaw gave away, at least to Murrue, the intense energy that the Perfect Soldier was holding just below the surface.

When compared to Heero's stoic but driven demeanor along with his pragmatic and brutal fighting style, Shemei was much more open and elegant. Like Heero she was fast and strong, but the way she moved was to Murrue almost reminiscent of a dance at times. She struck with speed and precision, much like her foe, but unlike Heero Shemei's moves had a looser feel to them, like water running downstream. The Valkyrie was also much more acrobatic than Heero, using her physical advantages inherent with being a Coordinator to leap through over her opponent and launch the occasional aerial attack. As for her feelings... well, those were readily apparent even for someone like Murrue, who had only just met the Commander for the first time in person three days ago. Shemei had been smiling throughout most of the duel, as she was doing so now. The thrill, the excitement she was getting from the fight, was quite clear on her face, and Murrue could sense the energy that lay within her silver eyes, similar to Heero's but not quite the same. Both Shemei and Heero shared a sense of focus and intensity about them, but in contrast to the Perfect Soldier's more serious demeanor the Valkyrie had an air about her that struck Murrue as a practically joyful.

Murrue realized that the differences between their techniques and emotions were reflections of the mentalities of the two combatants. Shemei, even though she had been a member of the Coordinator armed forces, was a duelist at heart. Heero, by contrast, was a soldier through and through.

Heero never fights for the thrill of it, she thought as she watched her boyfriend move onto the offensive with a powerful overhand strike, even when he thought his only purpose in life was to be on the battlefield, he didn't fight our of the need for a rush, for excitement. He fights to protect people, to ensure that they won't have to suffer like he did. In his past he felt that he belonged on the battlefield simply because he'd known nothing else throughout his life, and he wants to move beyond that. That's why he's fighting Shemei now. It's not for the excitement, for the adrenaline rush, but to finally, completely, pull himself away from that dark past where he only felt his life had meaning on the battlefield, and to truly move forward into a new future… his future with me!

That was why, even in the midst of what Murrue was sure was a duel that very few others Heero had been through in his life before now could match, the Perfect Soldier's expression was one of calm but focused determination as opposed to the Valkyrie's practically ecstatic excitement. While Shemei had wanted to fight Heero because he could push her to the very edge of her abilities, like no other combatant in the Cosmic Era, Heero had gone into the duel to settle their account out of respect for her skills and the desire to truly begin the new chapter of his life, so he could completely devote himself to Murrue without having to worry about the call of the battlefield, of finding purpose only in fighting.

He'll still fight after this duel, she though as she watched Heero press his assault in a series of fast and brutal slashes and thrusts, but only to protect people and bring peace to the Earth Sphere, not because he knows nothing else but war. He'll fight to defend me, to save the people of this world and bring peace to it… and I'll be by his side to the end of the war and beyond.

Though she was focused almost entirely on the epic clash between Heero and Shemei, Murrue was not entirely blind to her fellow audience members. As she watched Heero's relentless attacks on the Valkyrie she noted that everyone that was observing the duel with her had very similar expressions on their faces. They were stunned by the incredible display of skill that the two combatants were giving, awed by their phenomenal reflexes, speed, power, precision, and prowess… caught up in the beauty of the fight.

Yes, despite her protests regarding the duel, Murrue could not help but find a sense of beauty to the astounding confrontation unfolding before her eyes. Perhaps it was because she could so clearly see and feel the energy both Heero and Shemei were putting into the fight, or maybe it was because it was a personal confrontation rather than a mechanized brawl… or perhaps it was simply due to the powerful and undeniable respect the Perfect Soldier and the Valkyrie had for each other.

It's unlike anything I've ever seen before, she thought as she watched the Valkyrie deflect a powerful slash from Heero and counter with a swift stab at his left leg, forcing the Gundam pilot onto the defensive, this admiration they have for each other… I don't think there's anything like it in this war. So much of this conflict has been all about the differences between Naturals and Coordinators, with extremists like Blue Cosmos and the PLANT radicals driving both sides into a war of annihilation, unable to see the other as anything besides a race that needs to be eliminated, but Heero and Shemei are entirely unaffected by it. Any differences in their genetics, in how they were born, mean nothing to them! All they see when they look at each other is an equal in their chosen field, or at least a worthy competitor. They see each other's skills, their determination, their morals and ethics, and they have nothing but the utmost respect for each other. Who or what they were born as has nothing to do with this duel, with their rivalry. There's no fear, no distrust, no hate of each other; only acknowledgement of their abilities and the desire to see who's the best between them.

That was why Murrue could find beauty in the fight even as she opposed it on the grounds of the danger it put the young man she so dearly loved in. It was such a stark contrast to the brutal conflict that she, Heero, and their friends and allies were fighting to end. There was not so much as an iota of anger or hate between the two combatants. Their contest was entirely friendly in nature despite the deadly edge it had to it, and its beauty was only enhanced by the supreme skill both fighters had at their disposal.

As she watched Heero fend off a flurry of thrusts from his rival it dawned on Murrue that while this kind of clash might be unheard of in the Cosmic Era, that might well have not been the case for the world that the Perfect Soldier had originated from. She recalled clearly what Heero had told her about his past war in the After Colony timeline and the myriad of battles that he and his fellow Gundam pilots had fought in, and just how different they were from the clashes in her own world.

Though there was hate between the factions on Earth and in outer space, she thought as she saw Heero block a graceful sequence of slashes and cuts from the Valkyrie, Heero and his fellow pilots did not fight out of it… nor did some of their adversaries. His duels with Zechs, and Chang Wufei's two encounters with Treize Kushrenada… I do not believe they were all that different from what I'm seeing here and now. Yes, the clashes between Heero and Zechs involved far more than just a rivalry between two highly skilled pilots; indeed, their battles were fueled more by their ideals rather than personal competition. Still, I'm sure that the respect they had for each other's abilities played a role, as did Wufei's for Treize's.

In other words, what Murrue felt she was seeing now was not just the culmination of the rivalry between Heero and Shemei… but a hint of what some of the clashes in her lover's old world had been like. It was a precious glimpse of how Heero had fought just a few of his many past battles. The form was different, of course; the young man's duels with Zechs had been in mobile suits, not with steel blades. Symbolically, mentally, emotionally, however… Murrue could not help but feel that there was more than a little similarity to those old duels.

She watched as Heero parried the latest of the Valkyrie's lightning-quick slashes before countering with a hard and fast thrust at her left hip. Shemei swiftly parried the blow and struck back with a down-up diagonal slash. Heero took a step back to evade the attack while at the same time pulling his sword arm back. Murrue wondered what he was doing for a moment before she saw him retaliate with a powerful overhand strike, and she knew Heero's earlier pullback had been so he could put more strength behind the blow. Murrue's eyes widened as the Valkyrie was driven back by the ferocious attack, which Heero wasted no time in following up with a vicious horizontal slash.

"Unbelievable," she heard Cagalli say, her tone one of hushed awe.

"Oh, my…" said Lacus.

The other audience members exhibited similar reactions as they continued to watch the duel unfold, and Murrue could not help but notice that even the people that had protested the duel as much as she had, like Cagalli and Lacus, were completely caught up in the spectacle. Of course, she could hardly blame them for that.

It was the Desert Tiger, though, that put it best. "Magnificent," he said, smiling slightly as he watched the two fighters go at it.

Even with her fears for Heero's safety, Murrue certainly couldn't argue with Waltfeld's assessment.

Strangely enough, there was no open cheering for Heero or Shemei from either of their supporters. Naturally there were members of the audience who very much wanted one or the other to win, but none had given so much as a whistle in the name of their champion. Reflecting for a moment, Murrue realized that the reason they were all holding back was the same reason she was; the respect they had for both fighters was tampering their urges to openly root for the combatant that they favored. While Murrue naturally wanted Heero to win with all her heart, at the same time she had to respect the effort and skill his adversary was giving to the fight. Any open cheering for the man she loved, while appropriate, would also be an insult to an opponent that Murrue knew her boyfriend had nothing but the utmost admiration for… and therefore it would also be disrespectful to Heero. That was why Murrue was holding her tongue, resisting the urge to openly shout and cheer for her champion, and she guessed that the others were keeping relatively quiet for a similar reason.

The tempo of the duel had reached a fever pitch, and it was abundantly clear to everyone watching that Heero and Shemei were truly giving this battle everything they had. The energy they put into their attacks, blocks, parries, deflections, and counters was too much for them to be giving the contest anything less than their best effort, and Murrue could not help but feel that the clash would soon approach its climax; give the much more physical nature of the duel when compared to a mobile suit fight, she knew that Heero and Shemei were exerting themselves far more than they would in a mechanized battle.

I know that combat piloting is very strenuous work in its own right, she thought as she watched Shemei parry Heero's latest strike and retake the offensive with a stab at his right shoulder, which the Perfect Soldier instantly batted aside, but this is so much more of a workout. They're using their entire bodies in this duel, and I can't imagine many fighters could fight this long. It just goes to show how extraordinary Heero and Shemei are; their stamina is truly outstanding. Still, this cannot last forever… something I'm sure both of them are well aware of.

Indeed, as impossible as it seemed, the two combatants were growing ever bolder, ever fiercer with their attacks, as though they knew that they were approaching the peak of their incredible duel, and they wanted to win while the other was still at their best, before fatigue began to set in. The Valkyrie continued her assault on Heero, but as she lashed out with a high slash the Gundam pilot ducked rather than parry the blow. In the blink of an eye the Perfect Soldier unleashed a low spin kick, forcing Shemei to leap over him in response. As she jumped Heero raised his blade, but even while airborne the fearsome Commander was able to deflect the strike with her saber in a smooth, elegant motion.

Shemei came down on her feet, and with hardly an instant to lose, for Heero was already pouncing, moving in with one of the vicious flat thrusts that Murrue had seen him use earlier. This time, rather than roll to the side, the Valkyrie backpedalled before catching Heero's blade on hers and redirecting it towards the floor. At the same time, she lashed out with a high kick at the Gundam pilot's head, forcing Heero to duck and roll to the side to avoid the blow. The move worked, but it also gave Shemei the window she needed to go on the attack again. She moved in fast and hard, unleashing a rapid fire barrage of thrusts and cuts aimed at Heero's upper torso. The young man managed to block and parry her blows, but he could not find an opening to make a counter and began to fall back under the Valkyrie's withering assault.

Oh no, thought Murrue, bringing her right hand up to her mouth as she watched Heero's retreat, is he beginning to tire? Will she land a hit on him this time? No… Heero can still win this, I know he can! He's fought so hard… come on, Heero!

Her concerns were banished and her faith proven true as the Gundam pilot took a step back, dodging an overhand strike from the Valkyrie completely. As he did so he turned to the right and went into a spin, adding centrifugal force to his swing as he moved into the attack. The counter was so swift that Heero was practically a blur to Murrue, and she could've sworn that she could feel even from here the wind from Heero's lightning-fast blade as it rushed towards Shemei in a horizontal strike.

The Valkyrie managed to bring her saber up in time to block the strike, but Heero's counter had been so quick, so sudden, that she hadn't been able to properly brace herself against the powerful blow. The Egyptian Coordinator skidded nearly a foot across the floor before she managed to recover, and even then she was unable to launch a return strike of her own as Heero was once again pouncing on her with a diagonal slash.

Now it was Shemei who was on the retreat, falling back under the Perfect Soldier's furious assault, doing all she could to deflect the slashes, chops, and cuts without taking the full force of them on her blade. Her expression became tense, but even though she was on the defensive her smile never wavered, nor did that excited gleam ever fade from her eyes.

She truly does love this sort of contest, Murrue thought, the adrenaline and the thrill that come with a fierce duel… she practically feeds off it. No wonder she was so adamant in wanting this clash; I can only imagine how she felt the first time she fought Heero back during our campaign in North Africa.

She heard a small chuckle, and as she glanced to her right she saw Eric Bristow smile slightly as he watched the fight. "You really are having the time of your life, aren't you love?" he said softly, "I can certainly see why; you've got one hell of an opponent here…"

"God damn," came La Flaga's voice, a mixture of awe and amusement, "what a show…"

"You can say that again…" whispered Dearka.

Murrue saw Heero continue to press his assault, driving the Valkyrie further back towards the wall of the hangar. His intention was clear; corner her and break through her defenses to deliver the winning strike. It certainly appeared as though the strategy was working; Shemei had yet to deliver a counter attack against Heero.

That changed mere moments later. As the Perfect Soldier unleashed a brutal diagonal right-to-left slash the Valkyrie deflected the blow and redirecting Heero's forward momentum so he went to her left. The young man managed to recover and prevent himself from being exposed to an immediate counter, but it gave Shemei the opening she needed to leap over Heero. The Gundam pilot raised his saber to block any potential aerial attack from his foe, but no such strike was incoming. Instead the Valkyrie saved her attack for when she hit the ground, immediately pouncing on Heero. The young man managed to whirl around and block the strike, turning himself into the very definition of an immovable object. His stance was firm and solid, and Shemei's swift horizontal slash was blocked by Heero's blade.

Shemei immediately went into another attack, this time a low cut at Heero's knees. Once again Heero fended off the strike while keeping his position. The Valkyrie moved into another sequence of incredibly fast thrusts, stabs, and slashes, hoping to overwhelm Heero's defenses. The Gundam pilot stood his ground throughout the barrage of blows, becoming the eye in a storm of steel.

After a few seconds of fruitlessly attacking Heero from head on, Shemei made a surprising adjustment. Feinting with a simple stab at her foe's abdomen, which he quickly batted aside, the Valkyrie then rolled to the left and came up on Heero's flank with a slash. This forced Heero to step back so he could adjust to her sudden change in attack angle and parry the strike. The Valkyrie wasted no time in taking advantage of her new momentum and began pushing Heero back towards the center of the hangar with a fresh round of lightning-fast attacks.

The Gundam pilot retreated only as far as the middle of the hangar before suddenly stopping in his tracks. Deflecting a slash from his foe, Heero struck back with a low thrust at Shemei's legs. The Valkyrie parried the attack and responded with a high slash, which the Perfect Soldier blocked before hitting back with a similar attack. The two fighters quickly became embroiled in a vicious exchange, trading strike for strike, with neither managing to land a winning hit.

As the two fighters continued to duel it became apparent to Murrue that the clash could not last for much longer. Even at the distance she and the rest of the audience were from the engagement she could see the sweat beginning to build on both contestants' brows, and their breathing was becoming a little more labored. They still had enough energy to go at it with every bit of their considerable skills, but they would not have it for very much longer.

Perhaps sensing this, Heero and Shemei surprised Murrue and everyone else by suddenly breaking off their attacks on each other. The Valkyrie leapt back a couple meters in a fluid, elegant flip, but contrary to expectations Heero did not pursue. The two duelists stared at each other for a moment in silence, leaving Murrue and the others wondering what would come next.

Eventually Shemei gave Heero a small nod. "You know… you and I are almost like two sides of the same coin."

Heero nodded. "There may be similarities… but in the end, we never face the same direction."

"Indeed," she replied, smirking, "our temperaments, our backgrounds… they're quite different, but we share the same sense of respect for a skilled fighter… and the same sense of stubbornness. We have a hard time backing down from a fight, and we just can't leave a score like ours unsettled."

"Agreed," said Heero, "and this one has to end."

"No argument there," said Shemei, "and it has to end soon at that; neither of us can keep up this pace for much longer." She raised her blade in salute. "One last exchange, Heero Yuy…one final set of attacks. Let's have it all ride on that."

"Yes," Heero replied, mirroring her motion, "Leave nothing…"

Shemei grinned. "And bring everything."

The two fighters brought their swords back into ready positions and sprung forward. Shemei was the first to attack with a blindingly fast high slash. Heero raised his blade to deflect the blow, but it was a very near thing; the Valkyrie's saber had been mere centimeters away from striking the Gundam pilot. Pushing off against his foe's weapon, Heero bought himself a little distance, only for Shemei to close in with a mid-level thrust. This time the Perfect Soldier redirected the blow and struck back with a vertical chop. Rather than block it, Shemei rolled to the left and came up swinging with a low slash, one that Heero was barely able to block.

"Now we find out whose number one!" said Shemei as struck again with a thrust at Heero's left shoulder.

The young man intercepted her attack and retaliated with a thrust of his own, this one aimed at the Valkyrie's legs. Again, Shemei did not try to block the attack. Instead she used her incredible athletic and acrobatic abilities to leap clear of the strike. She executed a smooth one-handed back handspring, putting a couple meters between herself and Heero.

Landing on her feet, she immediately launched herself forward to meet Heero, who was already rushing at her, saber ready to strike.

"Come on!" the Valkyrie yelled.

The duelists closed in the blink of an eye and made their attacks so fast that Murrue could not actually see the strikes; the two combatants had been little more than blurs. One second they were charging in to strike, the next they were past each other.

(End "Zero")

Heero and Shemei now stood back to back with about two meters separating them. Murrue's breath caught in her throat as complete silence fell upon the hangar. Her heartbeat was so rapid it almost felt like a machine gun was firing inside her.

What happened?, she thought as she stared wide-eyed at the two pilots, Who won? Neither of them is moving… Heero…

The duelists stood that way for a few seconds, breathing heavily, the toll their fight had exacted upon them now much more evident in their body language. Eventually Heero lowered his sword and turned to face the Valkyrie.

"Match," he said.

Her eyes narrowing, Murrue could detect no sign of injury on her boyfriend. She then turned towards Shemei, who likewise had lowered her blade… and was pressing her left hand to her right shoulder. As the Valkyrie turned to meet Heero's gaze, Murrue could see blood seeping between her fingers.

Shemei nodded, a pained smile on her face. "Yes… it's over. Well done, Heero… very well done."

Both fighters sheathed their sabers, and their respective lovers took that as their cue to rush forward.

"Heero!" Murrue cried as she ran to him.

"Shemei!" Eric yelled.

The Wolf of the Far East reached his partner first, only natural given that he was a Coordinator and thus faster than Murrue. His gaze immediately went to her wound, and his hands joined Shemei's as he applied pressure to it.

"Doc!" he yelled at the Archangel's chief medical officer, "Get over here!"

Shemei gave her lover a small smile. "Don't panic, Eric; it's not that bad."

As Dr. Clark and his assistant ran forward Murrue made it to her lover, and took Heero in a fierce embrace which he instantly returned. Her lips immediately sought out his, and they came together in a fiery kiss. Murrue knew it was selfish, caring only for Heero when he wasn't even injured and Shemei was, but at that moment it didn't matter to her; Heero's safety was the only thing that concerned her.

After a couple seconds their lips parted, though neither of them was willing to let go of the other quite yet. Murrue smiled as she met Heero's gaze. "You did it," she said softly, "you beat her, you won… that was amazing, Heero!"

Heero nodded, a small smile on his face. "Murrue… thank you." He then lowered his gaze for a moment. "I… I'm sorry for any pain or worry that I caused you."

Murrue brought her hand up to Heero's cheek. "It's alright, Heero," she said, giving him a quick kiss, "It's over now. Just… promise me that you'll never do this again."

"I already did, remember?" said Heero.

Murrue nodded. "Right… sorry. I just… watching you fight like that…"

"I know," Heero replied, "I'm sure it wasn't easy… I know it wouldn't have been for me were our positions reversed. That's the last time I'll fight like that, Murrue."

Murrue's smile grew at his words, and she took him into another passionate kiss. When their lips parted she spoke again. "I love you, Heero."

The Gundam pilot's smile grew at her words. "I love you too, Murrue."

They finally released each other from their embrace as they turned towards Shemei and the people around her. As they did so Murrue gently put her arm around Heero's waist to give him some support; she could tell that the duel had worn him out, and was eager to provide him some relief. Her boyfriend did not protest the action, and in fact Murrue saw him glance at her and nod in appreciation. Murrue knew that, while Heero may not have needed help staying up, he would not push away her assistance, and the beautiful Captain wanted him to take advantage of whatever comfort she could offer him. The two of them then watched as the chief medical officer and his aide tended to the Valkyrie while Eric gave them room to ply their trade. Dr. Clark and his assistant had worked quickly; they had already cut away the section of Shemei's jumpsuit that was over the wound and were applying disinfectant.

"It's actually quite shallow," said Fan Li as she handed gauze wrap to the doctor.

"Indeed," said Dr. Clark as he began wrapping the wound, "This will staunch the bleeding for now, but you'll still need to come to the sick bay to get this stitched up, Commander Rehema."

"Thanks, Doc," said Shemei, smiling, "I owe you one."

"Damn," said Eric, shaking his head, "talk about lucky… Shemei, I swear I'm getting some gray hairs from this; you really know how to make a guy worry."

"Sorry, love," Shemei replied, "but… well, you know me; I couldn't let this go, and I'm a sucker for a good fight."

"Yeah, I know," said Eric, giving a small smile as his gaze met hers, "and I wouldn't have you any other way. Still… you really had me scared there."

"I'm sure," said Shemei, "still, thanks for sticking with me in this. I know you didn't like it, but you still had my back, and that means the world to me. Thank you, Eric."

The former Field Marshal smiled as he leaned in to kiss the Valkyrie, careful not to move her too much and interfere with Dr. Clark's work. "You're welcome, Shemei."

The two of them then looked over at Murrue and Heero. There were no words spoken between the two couples… but there wasn't a need for them. As their gazes met they all shared a small nod and a smile, an acknowledgment of the other's fantastic skill and effort given to the fight… and the steadfast support of the lover that had put their faith in their personal champion while at the same time remaining respectful of the opposite combatant. The kinship between the duelists was matched by that of their supporters for each other, something that Murrue felt to be both strange and comforting.

Bristow was in the same position as me, she thought, fearing for the safety of his partner, but at the same time believing in her. He supported the foe of my boyfriend, but I don't feel the slightest bit of animosity towards him… nor, I suspect, does he feel any for me. There was a very strong respect between the two of them, and Murrue reflected that it was not entirely dissimilar from what Heero shared with Shemei.

I'm glad they're here, she thought, both Shemei and Eric, even if it led to this duel. Now that it's over, we can all move forward… we can all truly be friends and allies.

By now the rest of the audience was joining them in the center of the hangar, though everyone was keeping a respectful amount of space between themselves and the two couples. The Valkyrie's subordinates and her parents moved in a little closer, though they were careful to leave Dr. Clark and Fan Li plenty of room to work.

"Commander!" cried Adaline, "Are you alright?"

"Relax, Adaline," said Priscilla, "You heard the doc's assistant; the cut was shallow."

"Hey, you were worried just as much as I was," Adaline shot back, "Don't try to deny it."

"I know I won't," Lan chimed in, "Holy shit, that was intense! Commander, you sure you're ok?"

Shemei smiled at her subordinates. "I'm alright girls, but thanks; I appreciate the concern. Right now I'm more tired than anything else." As if to emphasize her point she leaned on Eric, putting her left arm over his shoulder. The Wolf of the Far East accepted the weight without a word, silently and happily supporting his lover, and Murrue knew that he was just relieved that Shemei's wound was not life threatening.

"You really scared us there, dear," said Akila, a relieved smile on her face.

"Yes," said Soran, nodding, "please, daughter; never do something like that again."

"Sorry guys," Shemei replied, "but I can't make any promises there; you know how I am."

"As do the rest of us," Waltfeld chimed in, examining Shemei's wound, "I have to say, you got off pretty lucky there, Shemei."

"That cut may not be serious," said Aisha, smirking, "but it did a number on your flight suit, Shemei. It's really too bad; I loved the design."

"Hey," Shemei replied, "I can still get this patched up; it's just the shoulder that got cut, and the doc only tore away that and some of the upper arm to get at the wound. I'm sure the Archangel's hangar crews know how to fix a suit tear."

With that she turned towards Murrue, who smiled and nodded. "Don't worry, Shemei; they'll get it repaired before you have to fly again."

"Thanks, Murrue," said the Valkyrie.

The former ZAFT ace was not the only one drawing attention; with the exceptions of Shemei's parents and Eric, of course, the entire delegation from the Archangel had gathered around Heero and Murrue, along with that of the Kusanagi. Kira and Lacus had also drifted over to them, and it was the young Coordinator from Heliopolis that spoke up first.

"Heero," said Kira, smiling at his friend, "good job."

Despite his earlier opposition, thought Murrue, he still offers praise. I guess it just goes to show how much he values his friendship with Heero.

Heero nodded. "Thanks, Kira."

"You were excellent, Heero," said Lacus, "I still wish that this fight could have been avoided altogether…but your performance was splendid."

"No kidding," Cagalli chimed in, smiling, "I mean, I saw you fight on foot back in Banadiya, so I knew you had some moves, but that was a shootout; I never imagined that you could go at it like what you did today!"

"It was impressive," said Athrun, nodding.

"To say the least," said Erica Simmons, giving the Gundam pilot a nod and a smile, "your combat prowess seems to extend far beyond your piloting abilities, Heero Yuy. Watching you and Commander Rehema duel like that was a very interesting and unique experience, one that I am pleased to have been able to witness in person. I'm glad you were able to triumph and settle whatever score you had with the Valkyrie; congratulations, Heero."

"Thank you," said Heero.

"Wow," said Mayura, "what a show that was!"

"In more ways than one," said Asagi, and Murrue could not help but note her mischievous and playful expression, "seeing those moves, watching you work up a sweat… that was hot."

"You can say that again…" said Juri, her face exhibiting more than a hint of pink.

Murrue's eyes narrowed as she shot the three Orb pilots a brief glare. Back down, girls…

The beautiful Captain was sure the young ladies had caught her look, but it had done little to deter the longing looks they were giving Heero. Even after that message I gave them before the fight started, she mused, I guess I'm going to have to hammer it home one more time…

"Heero?" said Murrue, smiling.

As the young man turned to look at her Murrue quickly took him into a deep kiss. Despite his weariness, Heero responded immediately, and Murrue quickly escalated things by opening her mouth and letter her tongue rush forward. Heero met her halfway, and the two lovers allowed their passion to take hold of them for a few seconds before they eventually parted. Still holding Heero around the waste, Murrue's smile took on a satisfied air as she saw Asagi, Juri, and Mayura sigh in dejection and resignation. Maybe this time they'll take the hint, Murrue thought.

She then turned back to Heero. "Well done… you ended it."

Heero nodded, knowing exactly what she was referring to. "I did, Murrue; it's over. I can finally, truly move on, into the future… into our future."

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Kira, wearing a puzzled expression shared by several of the others.

Both Murrue and Heero shook their heads. "I'm sorry, Kira," she said, "but that's between Heero and I."

"It's a long story," said Heero, "and it's rather personal. Please understand… and forgive us, Kira." The young man then gave Kira a small nod and a slight smile. "You, Athrun, Cagalli, Lacus… you're my friends, and I do trust you, but there are some things I'm only truly comfortable discussing with Murrue."

The Freedom's pilot returned the nod and the smile. "No problem, Heero, Captain Ramius."

At that point Waltfeld spoke up. "Alright everyone, let's give these guys some space. The doctor needs to get Shemei to the med bay so he can stitch up her cut, not to mention let her rest." He then looked over at Murrue and Heero and smiled. "I'm sure Heero could use a little downtime as well."

"Agreed," said Lacus, smiling, "let us head back to our respective ships for today and reconvene tomorrow in the Eternal's conference room. There is much we need to discuss, and we should do so when everyone is well rested."

"Come along, Lady Cagalli," said Colonel Kisaka, putting his hand on his ward's shoulder, "let us return to the Kusanagi."

Orb's tomboy princess nodded. "Alright." She then looked at Heero and gave him another smile. "Again, nice going Heero… for a stubborn idiot. I don't suppose you can keep out of trouble until the conference tomorrow, can you?"

Murrue smiled and answered for Heero. "Don't worry, Cagalli; I'll keep him occupied."

The girl's face flushed at her words, and Murrue was fairly sure she knew where her mind had gone. Glancing at her boyfriend, Murrue could've sworn she saw just a hint of red flash briefly across his features.

"Oh, ok," said Cagalli after a moment before turning to Athrun, "come on, let's get going."

"Right," said Athrun, nodding, "we'll see you all tomorrow."

"Farewell you two," said Erica, smiling at Murrue and Heero as she and the three Orb M1 pilots turned to follow the others.

"I guess we ought to go as well," said Kira.

"Yes," said Lacus, glancing at the Perfect Soldier, "Rest well, Heero. I look forward to seeing you at the conference tomorrow. You as well, Captain Ramius."

"Of course, Miss Clyne," said Murrue, nodding and smiling at the songstress along with her pilot companion, "and you too, Kira."

The two teenagers made their way towards the Eternal's shuttle and were soon joined by Waltfeld, Aisha, and Shemei's subordinates after they made their own farewells. The two members of the camera crew that had come with the delegation were already going into the shuttle, and Murrue wondered what would become of their footage of the fight.

"Guess I'll turn in," said La Flaga as the others departed, "I'm assuming you'll want me to come to the meeting tomorrow, Captain?"

Murrue nodded. "Yes. I'd like you and Heero to join me as the Archangel's delegation, just like last time."

"Alright," said the Hawk of Endymion, nodding and smiling, "goodnight you two… and nice going, Heero; that was one hell of a show you put on."

Heero nodded. "Thanks."

The ace pilot departed, and Dearka followed suit, leaving Murrue and Heero standing in the middle of the hangar with Shemei, Eric, the Valkyrie's parents, and Dr. Clark and his assistant. Shemei's wound was wrapped up and tended to as well as it could be outside of the ship's med bay, and Murrue was confident that the Archangel's chief medical officer would complete his work with plenty of time for the Valkyrie to rest up and prepare for the next day.

"Shemei," said Murrue, "if you are feeling up to it tomorrow, I would be grateful if you could come with us to the meeting. You as well, Bristow."

The Valkyrie and her boyfriend smiled and nodded. "Of course, Murrue," said Shemei, "I was going to come anyway; I know there's a lot of important stuff we need to discuss, especially in the aftermath of the raid on the PLANTs."

"Same here," said Eric, "besides, my former position as informant on the Defense Council makes my inclusion in the conference natural, don't you think, Captain Ramius?"

Murrue nodded. "Yes, you're right, Bristow. Please, excuse my oversight."

"It's no problem, Captain," Bristow replied, glancing between her and Heero with a knowing look in his eyes, "Given all that's happened today, I'm sure you've had quite a lot on your mind."

Indeed, thought Murrue, and given that fact that your lover was fighting mine, I'm sure that's something you can relate to.

"Yes," she said, "I suppose you are right there. Rest well, both of you; we'll see you tomorrow."

"We will," Bristow replied.

"Yeah," said Shemei, nodding before turning to Murrue's companion and smiling again, "Oh, hey, Heero? Thank you. That wasn't how I originally pictured us ending this rivalry of ours… but I'm more than happy with how things turned out. Thanks for going along with me, giving me this chance."

Heero nodded. "You're welcome, Shemei. I should thank you as well; this fight was important to me too, though some of my reasons for that are probably different than yours."

"I'm sure," said Shemei, smirking, "you're a complicated guy, after all. Anyway, I'm glad this whole thing is finally over; I'm looking forward to becoming friends with you. You as well, Murrue."

"As am I, Shemei," Murrue replied, "take care of yourself."

"Oh, don't worry about me," said Shemei, "I'm in good hands… and not just those of your doctor." She turned to Bristow and winked before looking back at Murrue. "My recovery will be swift… and vigorous, of that I can assure you."

I'm sure, Murrue mused, I just hope you don't tear your stitches in the process…

"Very well," said Murrue, noting the amused expression on Bristow's face and the embarrassed looks of Shemei's parents; no doubt they had not expected such innuendo from their daughter, "I wish you a pleasant evening."

"You as well," said Shemei, smiling at her and Heero, "both of you… in more ways than one."

Murrue returned her smile despite the heat rushing to her face. Oh, count on it, Shemei… She looked over at Heero, wondering if he had gotten the subtext. His expression remained as calm and collected as ever, but Murrue thought she caught a gleam in his eye… a sign of an energy inside him that was very different from what had fueled him in the duel earlier. She'd find out soon enough.

It's fine by me if he didn't catch the innuendo, she thought, he is still new at all this, of course; he'll grow into it with time, and I'll help him every step of the way. Still, there was something about the look in his eyes…

The group made their way to the hangar exit before splitting off to go their separate ways. Shemei and her entourage headed towards the sick bay while Murrue and Heero made their way towards the officers' quarters.

As they walked Murrue turned to her handsome guardian. "Heero? How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright, Murrue," he replied, giving her a small, reassuring smile, "I exerted a lot of energy in that fight, but I'm ok."

"I'm well aware of that," said Murrue, "but I was not referring to your physical condition, though I am certainly glad that you weren't harmed. What you spoke of before…about breaking free of feeling purpose only in combat… about truly moving forward… how do you feel regarding that?"

The young man nodded. "I feel good, Murrue. No, more than that; I feel refreshed, renewed… like this is truly a new beginning for me." His eyes met hers, and Murrue was struck by what she saw in them. It was a mixture of confidence, optimism… and hope. "I can truly move beyond my past, forward into a new future, a new life… our new life."

Murrue smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm glad to hear that, my love."

The two of them continued their journey through the ship's corridors in a happy and content silence. When they eventually reached their room Murrue brought her hand up to open the door. As she did so she felt Heero put his hand on her shoulder, and as she turned to face him he spoke.

"Murrue… about what you said to Cagalli earlier; how exactly do you plan to keep me occupied?"

Opening the door as she looked into his eyes, Murrue once again saw the energy that she had witnessed before… the fires of passion slowly building in those beautiful Prussian blue orbs. Murrue suspected that the Gundam pilot could already guess the answer to the question he was asking, but he was just making sure… confirming her intent.

Murrue could feel the heat within her growing steadily, and she gave her boyfriend a wink and a smile before moving in to kiss him again. As their lips met she let her hunger come forward. Mouths opened, and tongues intertwined in a warm, wet dance.

Eventually they parted for air, though the two lovers remained close. Murrue put her left hand on Heero's shoulder while her right made its way up to and under the collar of his ornate uniform's jacket, slowly loosening it from his shoulders.

"Oh," she said softly, "why don't you hazard a guess, my love?"

Heero's smile grew a bit at her words, and he brought his right hand up to the collar of her shirt, giving it a gentle tug as he began to undo the topmost button. "I already have," he whispered, and Murrue could feel his warm breath on her neck.

With that, Murrue pulled him inside, and the door closed behind them.

….

"Damn," said Adaline softly, laying back on her bed, "what a day…"

"You can say that again," Lan replied, leaning against the wall and looking out the viewport, "or maybe change it to 'what a fight'. Let's face it; we're unlikely to see a performance like that again anytime soon."

Adaline chuckled and smirked. "Yeah, you do have a point there."

The two girls were back on board the Eternal in the quarters that they shared with Priscilla. The third member of their trio was out at the moment, though if all went well she would be returning shortly… and would be bearing a very special gift.

"I wish the Commander had won," said Adaline, staring at the ceiling, "I've always considered her the best, even after our first encounters with Heero; I just thought the technological edge he had combined with his skills was what allowed him to beat her, and the rest of us. I don't exactly like that little view being decisively disproven, but… it's not like I can be mad at Heero for beating her."

"I know what you mean," said Lan, nodding, "I wanted her to win too, but she lost fair and square. Hell, if anything, this time it was the Commander who had the advantage in this fight; that makes Heero's victory more than legit in my book."

"True enough," said Adaline, brushing a stray strand of red hair out of her face, "I can't believe the guy could fight like that. The way he moved… you would've thought he was a Coordinator."

"No kidding," Lan replied, grinning, "speaking of his moves… it makes you wonder just what he's capable of off the battlefield, if you get my drift."

Adaline groaned. "Trust me, Lan, I get you… though I think you really ought to throw in the towel on this one. You saw Heero with Captain Ramius today; the guy's taken, and he seems pretty happy about it. Besides, didn't you catch that open air transmission between them as we were launching Operation Knight Lance?"

Lan sighed. "Yeah, I did, but… well, I didn't really take it seriously at the time. I mean, people blurt out all sorts of things before a high-risk op… I guess I was hoping this was one of those things."

"Come on," said Adaline, smirking, "you saw the way the Captain was with Heero when they came aboard for the conference when we all met awhile back; she wasn't exactly pleased by your flirting. Not to mention I'm pretty sure Heero was keeping close to her as well, and not just to protect her from potential threats. Face it, Lan; the signs were there, and you ignored them. Their confession when we launched the operation should've sealed the deal right there. As it was, that kiss before the duel certainly put the nail in your fantasy's coffin."

"Can you blame me for a little wishful thinking, given how damn good looking the guy is?" said Lan, a wistful smile on her face.

Adaline chuckled, a slight blush coming to her face. "No, I guess not. Still, I really think you need to let this go now, Lan. We all gotta get along if we're going to end the massive clusterfuck this war has become without killing all of humanity in the process, and I'm sure Captain Ramius is getting annoyed with you trying to move in on her territory… not that you're having much luck there."

"True enough," said Lan, giving a small laugh, "Heero is one cool customer; I don't think I could come close at getting him hot and bothered. The guy really is devoted to that Captain… I've gotta respect that, and she's a damn lucky woman."

"Yeah," said Adaline, "and besides, they looked genuinely happy together. That's not just a hookup born of fear for what the future holds there, Lan; those two really are in love."

"Yeah, you're right," said Lan, smiling, "and they do look good together. Alright, I'll cut it out; plenty of other guys out there for me to make a move on."

"Who knows?" said Adaline, smirking, "Maybe Heero won't be the last young man to come over from that world of his? Maybe we'll be blessed with the arrival of another handsome hotshot pilot somewhere down the road."

"I'd sure like that," said Lan, sighing with longing, "the odds may be low, but… well, a girl's allowed to dream, isn't she?"

"Don't tell me you're gonna hold out for that to actually happen, are you?" said Adaline, sitting up on the bed.

"I'll play things by ear," Lan replied, shrugging, "For now, I'll just focus on ending this war and keeping myself alive, not to mention watching your back."

Adaline nodded. "Much obliged, Lan. I'll make sure to return the favor; we're a team, after all."

"Indeed," said Lan, grinning, "and a full team once again. Damn, it feels good to have the Commander back."

"I hear you there," said Adaline, smiling with her friend, "and I'm sure Pris shares that sentiment."

"Speaking of Pris," said Lan, "what the hell's taking her so long? Shouldn't she be back by now?"

"Have a little patience," Adaline admonished, "Remember, Waltfeld may have ordered the camera crew to film the fight and broadcast it to the other two ships, but in the end they work for Lacus. We don't know what instructions she may have given them regarding their recording. For all we know she had it deleted already; it's not like she's into this sort of thing like us, after all."

"Aw, man," Lan groaned, putting her hand to her forehead, "you're totally right! Why didn't I consider that? What if she did do that?"

Adaline shrugged. "Then we're out of luck. I do hope she hasn't done that, though; it'd be a damn waste to delete something like that. Though if she had deleted it, Pris would be back by now and admitting defeat. The fact that she's still out means she's…"

At that moment the door hissed open, and both girls turned to see the lady of the hour, as it were, standing in the entryway. The blond girl's face was uncharacteristically blank; normally Priscilla's default expression was a small and gentle smile, or a look of quiet contemplation. At the moment, though, the Italian/Romanian Coordinator was inscrutable.

Both Adaline and Lan gulped, nervous at what tidings their comrade bore. "So… no luck?" asked Adaline tentatively.

"Don't tell me it's gone forever…" said Lan, her already light skin turning even paler with apprehension.

The blond haired, green eyed girl bowed her head for a moment, and Adaline feared the worst… until Priscilla raised her head again, a Cheshire grin on her face. At the same time she reached into one of the pockets of her crimson uniform and pulled out a small black flash drive. "I really had you going there for a second, didn't I?"

Adaline sighed in relief while Lan went over to Priscilla. "God damn it, Pris!" she said as she punched her on the shoulder, "Don't scare us like that!"

Adaline smirked. "That was mean, Pris. Honestly, I didn't think you had that sort of cruelty in you."

Priscilla shrugged as the door closed behind her. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side," said Lan, putting her arm around Priscilla as she walked towards the small table where the three girls had their laptops, "Nice going, Pris. I wish you'd gotten back here sooner though; we were starting to worry."

"Yeah," said Adaline as she got up to join her friends, "What kept you, Pris?"

"Lacus," Priscilla replied as they all sat down at the table, "I ran into her and Kira; they were with the film crew."

"Really?" asked Lan, "Why?"

"Well," Priscilla continued, "It turns out I got there just in time; Lacus was about to have them delete the recording, though the two guys on the camera crew seemed rather reluctant to do so."

"Why was Kira with her?" asked Adaline.

"Oh, that's easy," said Lan, smiling, "He likes her, and he wants to spend time with her. The kid's in love, I'd bet my life savings on it."

"I won't take it," said Adaline, "I'm betting your side… and I'm pretty sure Lacus likes him as well."

"I agree," said Priscilla, "but, moving back to our main topic, I got there just before Lacus could order them to delete the footage. While she agreed with Waltfeld before the fight that those who could not attend in person should be allowed to watch the duel, she wasn't thrilled with the idea of keeping it for posterity."

"No surprise there," said Adaline, "The girl may understand the necessity of the use of force, but at heart she's a pacifist; can't exactly expect her to sympathize with fight junkies like us."

"No argument there," said Lan, "So Pris, how'd you talk Lacus into giving you the recording?"

"I asked politely?" she said, smiling sheepishly.

"Bullshit," said Adaline, smirking, "Well, not quite; I'm sure you were polite, but it would take more than just a 'please' and 'thank you' to convince Lacus to hand over something like that. Spill it, Pris; what's your secret?"

Priscilla hung her head and sighed. "I got lucky, simple as that."

"What do you mean?" asked Lan.

"Well," said Priscilla, "when I got to the camera crew, Lacus, and Kira, I didn't really have a good argument to give them for why they should give us a copy of the recording. I did ask politely, but to be honest I was really struggling for words beyond that. I mean, do you really think she would've said 'yes' if I'd just said what we planned on doing with the recording?"

"Probably not," said Adaline, "So, how does luck come into play here?"

Priscilla smiled, "As I was making my request Waltfeld and Aisha came down the hall. They overheard me and decided to weigh in. Both of them thought we should save a recording, and that we could learn a lot from studying how the Commander and Heero fought."

"They're not wrong," said Lan, "but really, what we'd learn from it would only be applicable to sword fighting and close-quarters-combat in general; not a whole lot there to help us on this modern day battlefield of ours. Come on, Pris, there's gotta be more to it than that."

"Well…" she said hesitantly, "I… I wound up telling them why we really wanted it. I mean, I couldn't just lie to them. For one, Waltfeld, Aisha, and Lacus are very perceptive, and two, they're our friends; it just wouldn't be right to deceive them."

"It's ok, Pris," said Adaline, "I understand why you came clean, but I'm willing to bet it didn't make things easier with Lacus."

Priscilla shook her head. "It didn't… but Waltfeld and Aisha were for it. They said it could work as a tool for us, provided we got enough of an audience. With their backing, I managed to secure the recording from Lacus, though she still wasn't entirely happy about it."

"I guess I can't blame her there," said Lan, "her mindset's just not like ours; she couldn't really understand why something like this is so important to us… or how it could be important to a lot of other people as well." The Chinese Coordinator grinned. "Well, enough chit-chat. We got the recording; let's do this!"

Priscilla smiled and nodded as she plugged the flash drive into her computer and powered up the device. "You got it. Give me a couple minutes to get logged in and access my account."

"I'm surprised we get net access out here," said Adaline.

"Thank the crews that built this ship," said Priscilla, "The Eternal has one of the most advanced communications arrays in the Earth Sphere, rivaled only by the Archangel and the Kusanagi. It can tap into the web buoy network even through N-jammer interference provided there's a satellite within range, and that range is quite large. The Battle of Nova may have wrecked the colonies and resource satellites at L4, but there are still a couple intact buoys on the fringe of the Lagrange Point. All we have to do is tap into them and then bounce our signal around a bunch of the other satellites in the network in order to make it harder to track us, and we can use the net. The transmission will be tight-beam rather than a standard comm burst, and I'll also be sending out bits of junk data through the buoy network at the same time as our main upload; that will help make the signal source even more obscure."

"Sounds like you've thought of everything," said Adaline

"As much as I can," Priscilla replied, "I can do a damn good job at covering our electronic tracks, but nothing is foolproof. It's best if we only go for short bursts; prolonged use will increase the risk of exposure over time. Also, the fewer bursts we make the better."

"In other words," said Lan, "let's get this right the first time, and no recreational net use; only when we absolutely have to."

"Agreed. Not to mention double check the encryption key before I send, in this case" said Priscilla, "Combine that with the signal bouncing and it will be practically impossible for anyone to trace this. It's pretty much the same method Bristow used to send us information when we made our run from the PLANTs, only he was broadcasting from the capital, which meant that he could hide his signal in all the comm traffic that comes and goes from Aprilius One. I've got to bounce this a lot if I want to maintain our security."

Adaline watched as her friend's eyes narrowed while she worked her computer magic. Among the three of us, she mused, Pris has always been the best when it comes to programming… and anything computer related, really. I guess it comes from her family background; I know both of her parents worked at one of the big time software companies in Aprilius One. Pilot, expert shot with a pistol, quiet bookworm, and computer expert… there's a lot more to Pris than meets the eye. I learned that long ago…

After a few seconds Priscilla smiled and looked up at her friends. "Alright guys, I'm on the site and logged into my account. The file's ready to go. Should we try a little editing or post it raw?"

"Leave it as is," said Adaline, "anything we did would take away from the video."

"I'm with you there," said Lan, "Just put it up as is; it doesn't need any help from us."

"Alright," said Priscilla, "that just leaves the title. You guys got any ideas?"

"Hmm…" said Adaline, lowering her head in thought, "I hadn't thought that far ahead yet."

"Hey, I know," said Lan, "Remember yesterday when Waltfeld was talking about how we got that burst transmission from the PLANTs, from one of Bristow's contacts? He mentioned that there was a new nickname for Heero making its way through the armed forces, one inspired by what he did during the raid on Aprilius One. Crap, what was it again…?"

Adaline smiled as she recalled the conversation her friend had brought up. "I remember; the Demon Lord of Avalon. Quite the moniker if you ask me."

"No kidding," said Lan, smirking, "Sounds intimidating."

"Sounds perfect," said Priscilla, her eyes lighting up and her hands flying across the keyboard. A couple seconds later she leaned back to give her friends a good look at the screen. "Well, what do you think?"

Adaline and Lan leaned forward, and they both smiled as they read the title. "The Valkyrie vs. The Demon Lord," said Adaline, "It's got a nice ring to it. Good going, Pris."

"You sure?" she replied, looking anxiously from Adaline to Lan.

Of the three of us, she's always been the most self-conscious, Adaline mused, She's calm and confident in the cockpit or a firefight, but in social situations she's a little unsure of herself, even with friends sometimes. Lan and I really gotta work on that with her.

Adaline put her hand on Priscilla's shoulder and nodded. "Trust me, Pris; it's good."

"Yeah," said Lan, "You worry too much, Pris. Now hurry up and upload the damn thing!"

Priscilla smiled and nodded. "Ok. F.Y.I. though, you two do know that we can't check in to see how many hits we get on this thing while we're hiding out like this, right?"

"I know," Adaline replied, "You already told us that we need to minimize net usage, and checking the hits would count as casual and unnecessary. We'll just have to live with the uncertainty. Once this is all over, or we get to a place where we don't have to worry about concealing our presence, then we can see how popular our little film is."

"Oh, please," said Lan, grinning, "no worries there; this thing's gonna take off like a rocket."

"At the very least," said Adaline, "it'll get plenty of viewers from ZAFT, given how fast that nickname of Heero's is spreading through the armed forces if Bristow's source is any indication."

"You're right," said Priscilla.

She typed for a few seconds before turning to her friends and grinning.

"It's done. Commander Rehema and Heero's duel has gone viral."

Preview for next time!

Every action has consequences, and the daring raid on the PLANTs has more than left its mark on the warring factions of the Cosmic Era. Scrambling to contain the damage inflicted upon ZAFT's image and his own, Chairman Zala further intensifies his crackdown on dissidents within the Coordinator homeland. At the same time, Field Marshal Creuset must also take into account the affects of the raid and work to get his own plans back on track. Continuing his manipulation of both Zala and Blue Cosmos leader Muruta Azrael, the enigmatic masked officer works to set the stage for the next act of the conflict. Meanwhile, the Three Ships Alliance has settled in at L4, and its leading figures must plan their own next course of action. Faced with the daunting task of confronting both the Cosmic Era's superpowers in a clash with the fate of the entire human race hanging in the balance, the pressure is on for Heero, Murrue, and the others to come up with a viable solution to end the conflict before its fires consume all of mankind. Next time, on "Journey to a New Battlefield", Episode Twenty-Three: Tides of War.

Author's notes: The action's on hold in the next chapter; Twenty-Three's focus will be intrigue, character interaction, and romance (both the main pairing and the many secondary ones that have cropped up). Don't worry, the fight scenes will return with a vengeance in the chapters after this one, just humor me for a bit, ok?

By the way, some of the dialogue for the last part of the duel was taken from the final boss fight of Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War. If you've played the game before then you probably already caught that. If not, I recommend checking it out; it's a really fun game, and the last boss fight is superb. Also, the song "Zero" was taken from that fight.

Until next time, everyone! Please review!