The Pirate's Soldier

by operation meteor

Heero's career as a Preventers operative takes a strange turn when he gets caught up in a fight between a Juraian royal and a notorious space pirate. As the two alien beauties settle in with him on Earth and more soon follow, the former Gundam pilot soon finds himself to be the target of their affections, with a certain lovely outlaw at the front of the pack! M for some language.

19. Chapter 19

Author's Notes: Hello there! Man, things have gotten crazy since the last time I posted a chapter for this fic. I really should've had this new one posted well before now, my writing had slowed down a bit thanks in no small part to me figuring out how to cope with the raging dumpster fire that is my home country. Stress gets to even the normally relaxed types like me, and for a while it did negatively impact my writing. I was still doing a little bit every day, but less than usual.

Well, I've got a much better handle on all that now, and I'm determined to make up for lost time. I'm going to increase my efforts on both this fic and the other two that I'm working on so I can hopefully get chapters out at a slightly faster pace. I mean, with the way the world's going these days, I figure giving you all some fun material to read and take your mind off things for a bit is the least I can do. So, sorry for the wait, I'll do my best to get back down to brass tacks and churn out new chapters for all my stories faster than I have been so far.

Enjoy!

Chapter Nineteen: No Need For A Desperate Escape!

"Hey," said AIDA nervously, "Your vitals just spiked. You okay?"

If his armor was giving her access to information on his vitals, then Heero was sure she already knew the answer to that question. Sure, on the surface he looked fine; if anyone removed his helmet, he'd have the same cool and focused expression that he'd worn throughout battles past. Surface impressions were misleading, though, and that was a lesson that would be reinforced in Heero's mind by the end of today. What he could see with his eyes was one thing, but what he could sense was something else entirely.

I'm starting to think that the power of my bloodline isn't entirely a blessing…

He barely made note of Nagi and the assassin twins; they were known quantities at this point. Rather, his attention was focused on the other pair of siblings in the group. He wouldn't have even needed Washu's briefing prior to the mission in order to know who they were; the energy he could sense flowing from them was all he required. Yosho's reaction only confirmed what his senses were telling him, with the long-lost crown prince's brow furrowing and his grip tightening on the hilt of Tenchi-Ken.

Heero had expected Kagato and Ragyō's attention to be on Yosho, but he was wrong here. The lord and lady of this particular cadet branch of the Juraian Royal Family both had their gazes fixed firmly on him. They weren't just studying him with their eyes, either. Heero felt a chill run down his spine as he sensed them probing with the power that ran through their veins. It was hard to imagine that this was the same energy that flowed through Heero's bloodline; what he managed to pick up from them felt so much more foreboding than what he'd sensed from Ayeka, Yosho and Sasami, let alone himself.

Looking at the two of them and trying to replicate their probing of his defense, Heero could tell immediately just how bad this was going to get. He was a rank amateur when it came to using his Juraian power; his enemies had been given centuries to refine their mastery of it. Their power was fully matured, and it showed. When he tried get a sense of just what they were really up against here, he felt as if he were trying to discern what lay in the black depths of an unfathomably deep ocean. He could only skim the surface, and what he got from that alone was incredibly unnerving.

Sharply contrasting with that unease was the fact that, physically at least, the two cadet branch royals actually appeared rather plain. Kagato himself was wearing robes that actually weren't all that different from those donned by Yosho, save that his were black and with purple trim. A large green cloak was over them, and down at the man's waist Heero saw what had to be Kagato's Key. Whether it was a Master Key or not was something Heero didn't yet know how to determine, but the handle definitely was larger than that of Tenchi-ken, resembling more the grip of a broadsword or similarly larger melee weapon as opposed to that of a simple saber. Meanwhile, his sister had gone with a utilitarian white jumpsuit, one that Heero couldn't help but notice put emphasis on some very lovely curves in just the right places. Much more important than the figure she cut were the pair of Keys at her waist; each was white and slender, individually smaller than Tenchi-ken. Brother and sister both would clearly have different preferred styles of combat as a result of their distinct weapons, and Heero knew that he had to be ready for anything if he and his companions were going to survive the encounter.

Even though his focus was primarily on Kagato, Heero did spare a brief glance towards Nagi and the twins. The bounty hunter was still clad much as she had been in their previous encounters, but the two assassins with her had apparently decided to mix things up a bit. Gaps in their black cloaks revealed that each was wearing what appeared to be dark grey armor. It was lighter and more streamlined than what Washu had given Heero and his friends, and he wondered how much punishment it could take. Neither of them wore helmets though, and if their armor didn't generate shields then their heads would be the obvious targets. Their cloaks concealed whatever weapons they were carrying, but if they'd gone through the trouble of donning armor then Heero was certain that they were wielding more than just knives for this operation.

They're definitely ready for a fight, Heero thought as he studied the white-haired man at the heart of all this, and they've got our backs to the wall. We're not off to a good start…

Kagato's gaze shifted, his eyes lighting up as he studied the man next to Heero. "Ah, Yosho, it's been far too long! You're looking well, albeit a bit more weathered than I had been expecting. Has Funaho truly weakened that much on that pitiful backwater we stranded you on?"

"That is hardly your concern, Kagato," Yosho replied calmly.

Kagato smirked. "Indeed. Well, then I'll speak no more of it. I'm hardly here to talk about an old tree, anyway. I take it Washu's in the chamber behind you? I do hope that she's okay; direct mental transfer of data can be strenuous even for the greatest minds in the universe."

"I'm sure she appreciates the concern," Heero quipped.

Now it was Ragyō's turn to smirk as she appraised him. "So, this is your heir, Yosho? A pity he's all armored up; the memories Nagi provided us showed that he's quite handsome. No wonder the princesses refused to come home."

"My looks are the least of your concerns," Heero shot back, training his rifle on her even though he knew he couldn't penetrate the barrier, "If I were you, I'd be more worried about my capabilities than my appearance."

Kagato's sister licked her lips. "Feisty, aren't you? Good. Maybe I'll actually be able to enjoy myself here."

Ayeka stepped forward, and while she tried to present an air of dignity and resolve Heero could detect more than a hint of her apprehension. "Lord Kagato, Lady Ragyō, I demand that you explain yourselves at once! Just what in the name of Tsunami are you attempting to accomplish here?"

Kagato smiled, but there was no warmth behind it. "Princess Ayeka… I never imagined that you would be willing to get your hands dirty here. I thought for sure you'd be aboard the Yagami with your little sister. She is there, yes?"

Whatever fear Ayeka might've felt vanished immediately as Heero saw her shoot a withering glare at Kagato, the likes of which he'd never seen from her before. "Leave her out of this matter! You have transgressed far too dearly as it is!"

Ragyō actually laughed at that. "My, my, what a spitfire you've become, princess!"

Kagato chuckled. "Your time on Earth has changed you, princess; I can't recall ever seeing such passion in you before. It's a marked improvement from the last time we met."

The air around Ayeka crackled with energy. "Continue this impudence, and you will find out just how much I have changed!"

Quatre moved to put himself between her and the enemy. "Ayeka, calm down. We need you on defense here."

Ayeka took a deep breath, still glaring daggers at the two cadet branch royals. "Right… of course."

Heero was less worried about Ayeka than he was about Ryoko; the pirate's gaze was locked onto Nagi's, and if looks could kill then the bounty hunter would almost certainly have been reduced to a pile of ash. Crimson sparks were dancing on Ryoko's fingertips, and it looked like it was taking all of the very limited restraint she had to avoid from launching right at her hated rival. For her part, Nagi merely regarded Ryoko with a cool and unflinching stare; if she was at all intimidated by the power Ryoko so clearly wanted to unleash on her, she gave no sign of it.

"Ryoko," Heero said quietly, "Cool it. Keep it together."

Ryoko seemed to only be half paying attention; the sparks subsided, but her seething glare did not. "Nagi… I never thought you'd stoop so low as to throw in with a bastard like this."

"Ryoko," she replied calmly, "Still kicking it with your hotshot boytoy, huh? Nice set of armor he's got there; I wonder how much punishment it can take."

"Touch him, and you're dead!" Ryoko snarled.

Nagi smirked as she nodded at Heero. "I don't think he needs you protecting him from me anymore. He's finally got the tech to match his skills, not to mention that bloodline of his. I'd very much like to see what you can do now, Heero Yuy."

"Be careful what you wish for, Nagi," Heero warned her, "You just might get it."

Nagi chuckled. "I'd very much like to."

Duo shook his head. "Heero, I think you're a bit too popular with alien ladies these days."

"Not like I asked for that," Heero dryly muttered.

Taking another look at the bounty hunter, Heero noticed that Ken-Ohki was nowhere in sight. He guessed that Nagi had her living starship topside, likely flying a combat air patrol and keeping an eye out for the Yagami and Ryo-Ohki.

Those two should've been able to go to ground and hide, he thought, I haven't heard anything from Kiyone in a while… hopefully that silence means they haven't been detected.

He didn't want to think about the alternative.

"I must admit, this is quite the auspicious gathering," said Kagato as he studied Heero's fellow Gundam pilots, "Washu's memories regarding you lot indicated that she holds you in rather high-esteem. Quite surprising, given the primitive nature of the world you're from. No offense."

"Some taken," Wufei quipped.

"Primitive or not, we can still kill you," Trowa added.

Kagato held out his hands. "I'm sure you would try, and I have no doubt it'd be a fierce attempt, but I think you know better. Skilled soldiers you all may be, but simple force of arms will not save you here."

"We've dealt with worse odds," Duo bragged, although Heero was sure that his friend was aware that the foes they were up against now had no real counterpart with what they'd faced before.

Everyone we've fought in the past has been through combat as humanity understands it, he mused grimly, but that's not going to cut it anymore. Our enemies have abilities that go far beyond what humans are capable of…

…and they can unleash them at any time.

Right now, they had to buy time. Heero didn't know how long it would take for Washu to completely clear out the repository of its precious data and set the place to blow, so their only viable plan was to stall for as long as possible. While Heero had initially wanted to kill Kagato with overwhelming firepower, that had already failed. At this point, it would be better to keep him and his compatriots talking and hold off on starting a fight until all other options were exhausted.

He'd never been the best conversationalist, but with potentially the fate of the galaxy riding on it, Heero decided to take a shot. "What are you trying to do here? You were involved in building this weapon; you know better than most of us here the kind of terrifying power it has, even if Washu removed key portions of your memory regarding it. This weapon has laid dormant for nearly a thousand years. No one should even be attempting to trifle with it, not unless they intend to destroy it."

Kagato laughed. "Destroy it? What an unimaginable waste! This device is the magnum opus of Washu and myself. It deserves far better than the crude end you would consign it to, let alone the centuries of neglect that it has been subjected to."

"Lord Kagato, thinks about what you are saying!" Ayeka protested, "This weapon is soaked in the blood of entire worlds! It should never have been built in the first place! Why in the name of Tsunami are you after it?"

Ragyō shook her head in disdain. "As ever, princess, you lack ambition and vision. Then again, perhaps that's not surprising. After all, the core Juraian Royal Family has done so well under the status quo that the Judgment Array won for you. It's only natural that you would want the weapon that helped your family keep its power to stay out of the hands of others, even if it meant this masterpiece being forgotten by the galaxy at large. You do know that your father ordered its use, yes? Or did daddy neglect to tell you about that?"

Heero saw Ayeka stiffen slightly, and despite her best efforts there was a noticeable hesitation in her voice. "I know that he ordered its activation in the Imperial Civil War… although I did not find out directly from him. It's a matter that I intend to discuss with him upon my return to the capital. That's irrelevant to the current matter, though. I will ask again; why do you seek a weapon that should never have seen the light of day to begin with?"

"Because it is so much more than a weapon," Kagato answered with a grand sweeping gesture, "It is an instrument of epic proportions, one that is crucial for awakening the galaxy!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Duo.

"From what Ayeka's told us, the galaxy seems to have it pretty good right now," said Heero, "I doubt things are perfect, but from what I understand, they could be a whole lot worse."

"The war this weapon ended comes to mind," Trowa quipped.

"The Empire of Jurai is currently the dominant power in the galaxy, right?" Quatre added, "You're about as high up in that power as someone outside of the core royal family can be. From where I'm standing, you seem to have things pretty good. Why put that at risk by chasing after an ancient weapon capable of such horrific levels of destruction?"

Kagato shook his head. "Such a limited perspective. Then again, I suppose that can't be helped. After all, you hail from the galactic backwoods, and I presume your knowledge of Juraian politics comes only from Ayeka and Yosho. The princess would paint you a rosy picture, but it's one that comes easy for her since her family has remained at the top of the Empire since its founding."

Ayeka bristled. "The Empire has prospered under my family. All the cadet branches of the Royal Family that remained loyal during the Imperial Civil War have shared in that prosperity, and that includes your own!"

"Prosperity as your lapdogs," Ragyō sneered, "I imagine it never occurred to you that there are those amongst the Empire's elite that want to step out from under your family's shadow."

Kagato nodded. "Quite so. For over one-hundred-fifty millennia, the Masaki branch of the Juraian Royal Family has ruled the Empire. Much of that reign proved to be beneficial to all, and we will not deny it. However, you've grown far too comfortable atop your lofty perch. The Empire has stagnated, and the current Emperor is to blame."

"That's absurd!" Ayeka protested, "My father has worked tirelessly for the sake of Jurai! The Empire has kept its position as the greatest power in the galaxy thanks to his efforts. Peace and security for countless beings has been ensured by our reign!"

Kagato sighed. "There was a time when I once believed that. Back then, I wanted nothing more than to do my part to ensure that the Empire could thrive as it always had. However, the Empire as it exists now is fundamentally flawed. The Imperial Civil War should've shattered it for good. Had I known back then what I do now, I would've fought to break it rather than work to preserve it. Such is the benefit of hindsight, I suppose. Reclaiming the weapon that Washu and I built is a necessary step to correct our old mistakes."

"You think that protecting the Empire during the war was a mistake?" asked Wufei, "Why?"

"Because it has stifled all meaningful growth and innovation in the galaxy since then," Kagato firmly replied, "Its reliance on the Royal Trees for power has made it narrow-minded, with the core of the Royal Family being by far the worst offenders. The might of the Royal Trees is impressive, but there is only so much that can ultimately be done with them. Technological development in the rest of the galaxy will eventually surpass them, and I want the Empire to get ahead of the curve. Under the current Emperor, that's simply not possible."

"He's not entirely wrong, you know," AIDA chirped quietly in Heero's ear, "The good doctor has expressed her frustration with Jurai's dependency on the Royal Trees more than once in my presence."

"Don't tell me you're siding with this guy," Heero muttered under his breath, "You know the kind of power that the Array will give him; do you really think he should have that just so he can shake things up in the Empire?"

"Of course not," AIDA firmly replied, "and neither does Washu. I'm simply acknowledging that his argument about the current state of galactic affairs isn't entirely without merit. Seizing a weapon capable of inflicting extinction on multiple planets simultaneously is not an appropriate solution, though."

"Glad we're on the same page there," Heero murmured.

"So, let me get this straight," said Duo, "You're after the deadliest weapon in the galaxy so you can launch a political reform? Dude, you ever heard of the term 'overkill'?"

Quatre nodded. "He's right. Why go so far? You might not be the Emperor, but you must be powerful enough to make your voice heard at court. Ayeka said your family is one of the cadet branches that remained loyal to the main branch during the war; even if you think that loyalty was a mistake, it surely bought you greater influence and prestige once the dust settled."

Kagato smiled. "Rather insightful of you. You're not a typical backwater native, that's for sure. What's your name? Washu's memories showed me several faces, but with your helmet I'm afraid you're not making it easy for me to verify identification."

Heero saw Quatre stiffen slightly, no doubt carefully considering just how much to reveal. "It's Quatre."

"Of the Winner Family," Kagato finished for him, his eyes narrowing slightly, "A rather large and powerful conglomerate in your world, or so Washu's memories indicated. I suppose it would make sense that someone in your position would be better able to grasp our politics despite having never left your home star system."

"You never answered the question," Quatre shot back, "Why not use the influence you must have at court to enact change? Why jump straight to a weapon capable of inflicting apocalyptic levels of destruction?"

"Clearly you're not as smart as my brother thinks you are," Ragyō quipped disdainfully, "Don't you think that if it were that easy, we would've done so already? The Emperor is too hidebound; he can't see beyond the Royal Trees that have served as the base of the Empire's power for so long. The Empire itself has become ossified, with its arcane institutions resistant to meaningful change. Structurally, the Empire has become a gilded cage stifling the worlds under its control."

"That is not true!" Ayeka vehemently protested, "My father has always welcomed the counsel of cadet branch royals, your family included. Just because whatever advice you tried to give was not taken does not mean he refused to consider it! The Empire may be old, and I'll admit some parts of it are perhaps too rigid, but you are blowing everything completely out of proportion!"

Kagato laughed. "Are we now? You think you know your precious Empire so well, crown princess? You've sat within the halls of power, yet apart from ceremonial actions what role have you actually played in its governance? All you've done is idle away in luxury and wait for the day that the throne would be yours! Oh, I'm sure you were a diligent student, praised by your tutors as intelligent and hard-working, but there is a fine difference between paying attention in class and actually understanding the true workings of power. Not that your father would want you to. After all, he finds it so much easier to sweep unpleasant truths under the rug rather than let them see the light of day. Your ignorance on the Array and the part it played in ending the Imperial Civil War is simply a case in point."

Ayeka's fists were clenched in barely-contained fury. "So, that's what you think of me… nothing more than father's obedient daughter, only good to be a smiling and pretty face at court? I suppose in the past, that would've been right… but I've been away from the Empire for some time now… and I have learned much. You've dismissed Lord Heero and his friends as primitive backworlders, regardless of the faint praise you gave them earlier. That was a mistake, Lord Kagato… one that you will dearly regret!"

Kagato smirked. "Will I, now? That would be quite interesting… but they're not the ones I wish to tangle with at the moment."

"Who said we're going to give you a choice in the matter?" Heero growled, his rifle trained on Kagato's head.

Kagato fixed his gaze on him, and Heero saw his right hand move to hover over the smooth and elegantly-crafted black hilt at his hip; no doubt his own Key, ready to be ignited at a moment's notice. "Brave words, boy, but let's drop the bravado. You may still be growing accustomed to your newly awakened power, but I think you've become familiar enough with it to recognize it in others. You sensed it when we walked into this room, didn't you? You're way out of your depth here. There's no shame in admitting that."

"If you think you're going to get a shot at him, you're wrong," Ryoko snarled, shifting her glare from Nagi to Kagato, "He might be new with this whole 'special powers' deal, but I've had centuries of practice with mine!"

Kagato smiled. "A clash with the notorious space pirate Ryoko? None other than Washu's wayward daughter challenging me? I must admit, it's an enticing prospect. However, there is much more appetizing meat on the table than you, my dear. I'm here for Yosho; you'll have to settle for Nagi. That is why I hired her, after all."

"Looks like you're stuck with me, Ryoko," Nagi taunted.

"Do you really think we're going to let you dictate the terms of the engagement?" asked Trowa.

"We outnumber you," Quatre added, "Individually, we might not be as strong as you, but we've got overlapping fields of fire on you."

"Our weapons might not be able to punch through that barrier of yours," said Wufei, "but it works both ways, doesn't it? You can't attack so long as that shield is up, otherwise you would've done so by now."

Heero saw Kagato and Ragyō trade a quick glance, and while they were clearly trying to play it cool there was a hint of surprise in both of their expressions that was impossible to miss. Wufei had hit the nail right on the head, and Heero wanted to kick himself for not recognizing it sooner.

We need to play our cards carefully here, he thought, I don't know how good Kagato and his sister are with their blades firsthand, but both Yosho and Washu seemed very wary of their skills when they told us about them. They can probably pull off the same blast deflections that Yosho did earlier. The other three are vulnerable, though.

Nagi and the assassin twins were both known quantities thanks to the skirmishes on Earth. If the fireteam could neutralize the three of them quickly, they could then focus their efforts on the two biggest threats. However, it would require coordination, and it wasn't like Heero could strategize with his friends in plain view of the enemy.

Or could he?

It wasn't like the enemy could read his lips through his helmet, and he had one hell of an assistant sharing headspace with him at the moment. Heero knew the group stood on a knife's edge, but they had a chance to get out of the mess they had found themselves in if he could convey what he had in mind to them covertly.

"AIDA," he whispered, "Can you send strictly text messages to the others' HUDs? I need them to act like they're still focused on the enemy and aren't listening to me."

"You got a plan?" she asked nervously.

"Maybe," he murmured, "Keep my external audio muted unless I specify otherwise. We can't let the enemy catch on here."

"Copy that," she replied, "Whatever you've got in mind, I hope it works."

That makes two of us…

….

I hate this, Ryoko silently fumed as she glared across the chamber at the enemy, I swear, standoffs like this are the worst!

The tension was driving her to the brink of insanity. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her to unleash everything she had at their foes, then grab Heero and book it the hell on out of there. Only the knowledge that it would be a complete waste of energy thanks to the barrier surrounding Kagato's group kept her from doing just that. While the others bantered back and forth, Ryoko decided to focus on doing something useful and tried to figure out the secret behind the shield that was preventing her from unleashing the single biggest bombardment of her life.

This was really more Washu's territory than hers, but Ryoko figured that if Washu was indeed her mother then surely some of that so-called 'genius' had filtered down to her. It wasn't usually Ryoko's style to try to think her way out of a mess; brute force typically worked just fine, but here that wasn't a viable option, at least not yet. This sort of analysis wasn't her cup of tea, but prior experience with another Juraian royal meant she did have something go for her.

This isn't like the barriers Ayeka's used against me in the past, Ryoko thought, I could feel her energy in those, but I can't feel Kagato's energy in this one. His Juraian power isn't the source of this; it's purely technological.

Her eyes immediately zeroed in on the dozen or so black spheres that floated around Kagato and his retinue. Each of those was probably an emitter and anchor point for the barrier as a whole. Did each of them also house a power source that generated the energy needed in the first place, or was that on Kagato's person? Briefly shifting her gaze to the cadet branch royal in question, Ryoko ruled the latter out a second later; she wasn't seeing anything on him apart from the hilt of his Key.

Targeting the black spheres was the obvious counter, but were they actually vulnerable? Ryoko hadn't realized it before, but the spheres weren't actually in stationary positions over Kagato's group. They were maintaining a steady orbit, and the spheres at the front would periodically drop back to be replaced by those that had been behind them. Did that mean something?

She glanced over at Heero, really wishing that he didn't have a helmet on right now; it'd be so much easier to read him, or at least try to. His focus appeared to be locked on Kagato, but that was when Ryoko noticed something. Kagato was still engaged in playful and taunting back and forth with Yosho and other members of the team, but Heero had gone completely silent.

He's planning something, she thought, I just have no idea what it is. Shit!

That was when she noticed something. While it might've appeared at first glance that Heero had his sights trained on Kagato, there was actually a subtle bit of motion with his rifle. From a distance, it might still look like he was aiming at Kagato, but he actually wasn't. He was tracking something else. Following the path of the gunbarrel, Ryoko's eyes widened when she realized what it was; one of the shield drones.

Did Heero have the same idea as her?

She shifted her focus away from him for a moment and back to the black spheres, watching as they gradually rotated and swapped positions. The more she observed them, the more certain she became that her hunch was correct.

We can't break through the barrier itself, she thought, but the spheres generating it are another matter. The ones furthest forward mark the edge of the shield, and they're expending more power up there because that's the side of the barrier facing us. That's why they're swapping in and out with the others; to make sure they don't burn out. The front spheres are literally at the edge of the barrier; tough shots, but not impossible to hit, and I bet they're exposed just enough so that a well-placed bolt or two will take them down.

The only problem was that there was no way to test her theory without alerting the enemy to what she was planning. Was that why Heero hadn't opened fire yet as well, or did he have something else in mind? Ryoko wanted to rip her hair out from the frustration; she hated second-guessing.

Then she remembered what Wufei had said earlier about the barrier working both ways. Was he right, or was he bluffing? The way Kagato and Ragyō had reacted when he'd said that suggested the former. Was that what Heero was waiting for? Was he trying to gauge when the enemy would attack so that he and his friends could take their shots when that window presented itself? It was as good a plan as any.

I'll follow your lead on this one, Heero, she thought, I've got your back, no matter what you decided to do.

I just hope we've got what it takes to get out of this mess alive…

….

"I don't like this plan of yours," AIDA whispered.

"That makes two of us," Heero muttered.

"Then why did you bring your friends in on it?" AIDA asked.

"If you've got a better idea, now's the time," Heero quipped, "Believe me, I'm all ears."

"I don't," AIDA conceded nervously, "I really wish that weren't the case."

You're not alone there, thought Heero, I'd kill for a better plan right about now…

The scheme he'd passed along to his fellow former Gundam pilots was a straightforward one, and how it would unfold was dependent on one variable factor; timing. If Kagato got tired of talking and decided to attack, Heero was banking on Wufei being right about him having to lower the barrier first. Thanks to the silent instructions AIDA had sent to them via text transmissions, his friends were waiting for that moment, ready to concentrate their fire on Nagi and the assassins the moment they got an opening. Once those three were neutralized, they would then refocus their efforts on Kagato and Ragyō. Even if they couldn't kill them, Heero was hoping that they could at least keep them pinned for a while.

However, if Washu finished her data download and came out with Hilde before that took place, then the second version of the plan would be enacted. In that eventuality, they'd be shifting from defense to breaking out and escaping, and with Kagato's group blocking the only exit that meant neutralizing the barrier and punching through their ranks. To achieve that, Heero and his friends would target the black spheres at the front of the barrier, operating on the theory that they might be just exposed enough for their shots to penetrate and knock them out.

Of course, the key word there was 'might', and it wasn't one that Heero was thrilled with. Gundam pilots were hardly strangers to shaky plans and betting on long odds, but they hadn't been forced to make a gamble like this in quite a while. There were plenty of ways that it could all go south, and Heero doubted their opponents planned on taking prisoners today. It would be do or die, and they'd only get one throw of the dice.

If I made bets like this with money, I'd be flat broke, he mused bitterly, I suppose the bright side of gambling with my life is that if I'm wrong, I won't be around long enough to regret it…

None of his friends had many any objections to the plan, but most of them had been focused on keeping the conversation going between their group and Kagato's to buy Washu time. Still, Heero was fairly confident that if one of them had a better plan they would've signaled as much. The fact that none of them had done so meant that his was the only viable one at their disposal, not that it made him feel any better.

"Any idea how much longer Washu's going to need?" he whispered.

"Sorry, but your guess is as good as mine on that one," AIDA replied, "Like it or not, this is our show right now."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Heero muttered.

Like it or not, there wasn't much else that Heero could do at this point. He'd communicated his intentions to his fellow Gundam pilots the best he could, although that did leave Kagato, Ryoko, Ayeka and her guardians in the dark. Heero wasn't worried about his grandfather; Kagato seemed focused on chatting with him, and when the fight inevitably started, he was fairly certain that the two of them would be duking it out centerstage. Ayeka and her guardians were at the rear, ready to block the path to Washu and Hilde with a combined barrier. That just left Ryoko as a potential wild card, although with the way she was glaring at Nagi she was at least focused in the direction that Heero's scheme needed her to be pointed in.

It's all about who makes the first move now, he thought, and when Washu and Hilde come out of that room. Either way, this standoff's going to go hot at the drop of a hat, and the only way we're making it out is if we're ready to act at just the right moment.

He shifted his attention to Kagato; the man was still bantering with Yosho, and while Heero had tuned him out a bit earlier he didn't really have anything better to do now other than listen in and watch the cadet branch royal for any potential signs that he was about to strike. Heero was amazed that the man hadn't attacked already. He supposed that Kagato had been waiting for such a confrontation with Yosho for some time now and wanted to savor it.

The white-haired man gave a theatrical sigh. "You know, Yosho… I had considered inviting you to join this little scheme of mine. You're not like the rest of your family. You've always had a clear eye for both the fine details and the big picture, and I know you're not blind to the problems of the Empire, unlike your half-sister. That's part of why you stayed on Earth and never tried to reestablish contact, isn't it? You were tired of the old system and wanted no part of it. Perhaps I did you a favor by stranding you there… or perhaps I did myself a disservice by acting hastily. I suppose it's a long shot, but as they say; nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Yosho's already furrowed brow gained another wrinkle. "If your 'venture' here is an overdue invitation, I'm afraid you're wasting your breath. The Empire does have its faults, but your path is not the way to rectify them. You were once so brilliant, Kagato… I used to believe that you would change the Empire, and for the better. Now, though… the only change you offer is one backed by the threat of utter annihilation. You do not offer reform; you offer only subjugation."

Kagato shook his head. "Subjugation? My old friend, I thought you were better than this. What I offer is the chance to wipe the galactic slate clean. The Empire of Jurai could once perhaps have billed itself as a force for peace, prosperity and stability, but now it's devolved into little more than a polite protection racket for the broad chunk of the galaxy that it rules. Even powers beyond its borders must tread carefully, mindful of the whims of an old man who's held the throne for far too long. The galaxy is suffocating under the Empire as it stands now, and the decay will only worsen. If the course of action I have embarked upon is radical, then that is only because radical action is required to address this sordid state of affairs."

Heero retrained his rifle on Kagato, studying the man intently through his scope. One of the things his time as both a Gundam pilot and Preventers operative had taught him was how to separate true believers from cons. While he and the others waited for the moment to strike, Heero figured he might as well get to work on updating the psychological profile of their enemy, and that meant discerning his actual intentions. The man could say whatever the hell he wanted; Heero knew they'd be fools to trust a word of it.

It was in the man's eyes that Heero found his answer. There was a fire in them of sorts, but not one of a self-styled reformer or revolutionary. Heero had it pegged immediately; pure ambition. Kagato's pretty rhetoric about wiping away a stagnant system and replacing it for the good of the galaxy made for nice oratory, but that was it.

"He'd burn it all down if it meant he could be king of the ashes," Heero muttered under his breath.

"That'd be the good doctor's take on it him as well," AIDA chirped.

Heero mentally cursed; he'd meant for that sentiment to be a private thought and wanted to kick himself for letting it slip verbally. Still, it was nice to hear AIDA indicate that Washu's current read on Kagato matched his own.

"So, we're agreed that it's all bullshit?" Heero whispered.

"Not entirely," AIDA replied, "Yes, he's acting in the name of his own and his family's power, but I suspect a part of him really does see the task he's set out for himself as a necessity. Call it an unhealthy combination of selfish ambition and visionary desire."

"Interesting," Heero murmured, "although it doesn't exactly change our current situation."

"Not in the slightest," AIDA concurred.

Meanwhile, Ayeka was getting riled up. "I cannot believe this outrageous slander I am hearing! Lord Kagato, your cadet branch of the royal family was richly rewarded for its loyalty during the Imperial Civil War and has enjoyed a place of prominence within the Empire of Jurai ever since. The so-called 'gilded cage' you pretend to rail against so self-righteously has brought you wealth and prestige that would be unrivaled anywhere else in the galaxy! I will not pretend that the Empire is perfect, but it is hardly the bloated and rotting monstrosity that you make it out to be. You are not acting out of some noble ideal; your actions speak to nothing but insatiable greed and lust for power!"

"You have all but confessed to high treason against the Empire and the Royal Family," Azaka added, "Do not think for a moment that the 'reform' you claim to want changes that fact!"

"Your avarice and ambition have driven you so low!" Kamidake chimed in, "To think that this is what such a prominent cadet branch royal would stoop to. Disgraceful!"

"Pathetic automatons," Ragyō sneered, "These tin cans are what pass as Royal Guardians nowadays? I do hope their combat abilities are better than their oratory, but I'm not going to hold my breath."

"Tin cans?" Azaka repeated indignantly.

"The nerve!" Kamidake fumed.

Heero had more important things to worry about than the hurt feelings of Ayeka's protectors. The assassin twins looked like they were getting twitchy, and even the cool and aloof Nagi was tapping a finger on the hilt of her sword. Kagato still looked collected, even relaxed, but there was a hunger in the eyes of his sister, and more than once Heero caught her gaze lingering on him. Patience was wearing thin in the enemy camp; Kagato's retinue would likely urge him to cut the banter sooner rather than later.

Come on, Washu, he thought, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder at the door that led to her and Hilde, I don't think we're going to be able to buy you much more in the way of time…

Heero was slightly taken aback when Kagato shifted his focus from Yosho to him. "I suppose your grandfather is a lost cause, and I won't waste further breath on Ayeka. However, you're not like them, are you, Heero Yuy? Actually, I suppose I should make that Heero Yuy Masaki Jurai; that would be your name as a royal, after all."

"Bastard royal," Heero quipped, "From what I hear, my birth parents never married."

Kagato shook his head dismissively. "Hardly an issue. You're a direct descendant of both Yosho and the current ruling emperor; the fact that you can wield Tenchi-ken is all the proof required in that regard. Quaint notions like legitimacy are irrelevant."

"How progressive of you," Heero deadpanned.

"That's not just my sentiment," Kagato replied, "Believe it or not, most of the Empire's elite thinks that way as well. In that respect, I suppose they can be called enlightened. All that matters in our eyes is the power that flows through one's bloodline… and if what I saw in Washu's memories is any indication, yours is a wellspring that's only just been tapped. Your potential for growth could be boundless. That makes you either a potential threat… or something more."

"I'm listening," Heero replied cautiously.

Keep him talking. Do whatever's necessary to keep him talking…

Ayeka looked aghast. "Lord Heero!"

"You cannot seriously be taking this traitor seriously?" asked Azaka.

"Do not indulge him!" chirped Kamidake.

"Lock it down, all three of you," Heero replied curtly, "You've had your say already."

Ayeka winced, looking genuinely hurt by his tone. Heero didn't like speaking to her in such a manner, but he couldn't afford niceties at the moment. If she couldn't grasp on her own what he was really doing, then the best thing she and her guardians could do was get out of the way.

Kagato actually applauded. "Nicely put! Yes, our dear princess has given us her opinion, and it's nothing more than a defense of a family who fears falling from a lofty perch that it has sat on for far too long. You don't share their short-sightedness, do you? You may hail from a world that sits beyond the margins of galactic politics, but in a way, that actually helps you. You're not as stifled and limited, not trapped by convention and tradition. That, combined with your experience and potential… yes, I can see why Washu studied you with such interest. Something new to add to the game, a player that can help shake things up a bit."

"Keep the flattery," Heero shot back, "I'm not here as a member of the Royal Family; I'm here as an agent of Preventers. If you really did study Washu's memories, then you should know what that means."

Kagato nodded. "Of course. Your government, quite naturally, fears what the existence of a weapon like the Judgment Array means for it. Your superiors are wise enough to know that they are outgunned by a truly ludicrous degree in the wider galaxy and wish to ally themselves with the current ruling power to secure their own safety. In their eyes, partnering with Princess Ayeka and the current ruling family in opposition to my cause is the most rational course of action. Washu's memories included a rather interesting saying from your world, although I must ask your forgiveness should I butcher it. I believe it was something along the lines of preferring a known devil to an unknown one, yes?"

"Close enough," said Heero, "and you've done nothing to convince me that you'd be any better than devil we know. Granted, Earth's contact with the Empire of Jurai had been minimal up until a few months ago, but that works both ways; they didn't care about us, which meant that they also left us alone. All things considered, that's not a bad thing. From Earth's perspective, it's about the best that we can hope for, at least until we catch up technologically."

"Reasonable," Kagato conceded, "Your world lacks power, so the fact that it's currently beneath everyone's notice is its best defense. How much longer do you think that can last, though?"

"Don't underestimate humanity," Heero countered, "We tend to adapt quickly."

Kagato chuckled. "Ah, perhaps you're referring to the ongoing study of the Galaxy Police picket ship that Detective Kuramitsu crash landed on your planet? Washu's memories indicated that your organization was in the process of picking through the wreckage, and I have no doubt that the technology they're studying will go a long way towards allowing humanity to catch up with the wider galaxy. That will take time, though. Time and obscurity have been humanity's greatest allies for survival, but your world can no longer take them for granted. You're on the galactic radar now, whether you like it or not. Two Juraian princesses, a notorious space pirate, and two galaxy police detectives all landing on your planet in the space of mere months? A legendary bounty hunter paying you multiple visits? A scientist of galactic renown awakening on your world? A long-lost crown prince of Jurai spending an exile of several centuries there, not to mention continuing the royal line in the process? I'm afraid Earth's days as a backwater beneath the notice of the great galactic powers are over."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" asked Duo.

"You'll find that we don't respond too kindly to those," Wufei growled.

"It's an observation," Kagato replied with a knowing smirk, "although I suppose you could take it that way as well. There's a third way to take it, though; an opportunity."

"An opportunity for what?" Trowa asked pointedly.

"To rise up and carve out a proper place for your people in the galaxy!" Kagato answered, spreading his arms in a grandiose gesture, "Humanity has what the Empire of Jurai lacks; drive and ingenuity, creativity and vitality! Your history may be but a blink of an eye compared to that of the Empire, but your rate of progress in that short amount of time has been nothing short of astounding. In the span of just a few centuries, you went from creating powered aircraft to constructing entire space colonies in orbit. You have habitats on your moon and are in the process of colonizing another planet in your star system. With the technology that you've recovered from the wrecked Galaxy Police vessel, it will only be a matter of time before your species sets it sights on far more ambitious goals!"

"Your assessment's not entirely wrong," Quatre chimed in, "I imagine establishing outposts and colonies beyond the Sol System would be the ESUN's next big project once we've fully comprehended and restored the FTL drive from Mihoshi's ship. Forming a new trade and defense fleet wouldn't be too far behind. However great our drive and ambition might be, though, we're not idiots. Going against the Empire of Jurai would be a death sentence for humanity. Regardless of your thoughts on the current leadership, Earth needs the current Royal Family. The relationships that we've established with Ayeka and Sasami alone are invaluable from a diplomatic standpoint. By contrast, whatever you're offering strikes me as a far riskier gamble."

"I can see why you'd think that," Kagato admitted, "but your assessment is incomplete. What I would offer is the chance for Earth to forge its own path in the galaxy, unhindered by the stifling codger that currently reigns. The current Emperor might see humanity as nothing more than a benign curiosity, one to perhaps be viewed favorably in light of the hospitality that you've shown his offspring, but that will not last. Your world may be insignificant now, yet that will change once humanity has fully grasped the secrets of the technology that has fallen into its lap. When that happens, when your species marks its official entry into the galactic community, the Emperor will notice… and he will be afraid."

"That's absurd!" Ayeka fiercely protested, "The notion that the Empire of Jurai has anything to fear from humanity is utterly laughable! If anything, I would counsel my father towards cultural and commercial exchange, for the people of Earth have much to offer despite the current state of their technology. Both parties have everything to gain through friendly cooperation, and humanity's potential for growth would be encouraged once their true potential for contribution to the galactic community is realized!"

Ragyō laughed. "That is how you believe your father would react once he realizes what humanity is capable of? Poor princess… your delusions run deeper than I could ever have guessed!"

Kagato shook his head, giving Ayeka a look of both contempt and pity. "You truly do not know your own father, do you? To be so blissfully unaware of his true nature… then again, perhaps it's not entirely fair to attribute it to family bias. After all, the Emperor's always sought to offer a clean image to his offspring, to present the Empire you rule in the best possible light. Yosho's not nearly as blind as you are, Princess."

Ayeka looked nervously at Yosho, and Heero saw that despite her best efforts to conceal it, she was trembling. "Lord Yosho… what he's saying…"

"It's a matter best discussed far from here," the long-lost crown prince replied firmly, "Well away from this serpent's tongue."

Ayeka looked back and forth between Yosho and Kagato, and to Heero's trained eye she looked more confused than anything else. That wasn't good; he needed everyone focused and ready for the inevitable spark that would kick things off.

"We'll all have a lot to talk about," he said, "and we'll have time for it once we're out of here. Ayeka; tune Kagato out. Whatever he says doesn't matter. Just focus on defending that door until Washu comes out, you got that?"

Ayeka nodded, and Heero was relieved to see fresh resolve in her gaze. Her inner conflict was still there, but for the moment it had been pushed to the back of her mind as she renewed her focus on what was unfolding here and now. It wasn't perfect, but right now Heero would take what he could get.

Turning back to Kagato, he wondered how much further he could drag this out. "I'm sure you'll understand if I'm reluctant to go along with you. Maybe you're right. Maybe, long-term, the current leadership of the Empire will see humanity as a threat. Problem for you is that I've got no guarantee that you won't see us as a threat down the line either. In fact, given everything you've said today, despite earlier calling us a backwater world, I'd say that you actually do see us as a threat. You have an eye for the future. You're aware of how quickly we've advanced in a relatively short amount of time. We'll probably be a fringe player for several centuries or so in the galaxy, but that won't last forever. Given how long you Juraians appear to live, it's not unreasonable for us to assume we'd be dealing with the same Emperor then as we would now. In that light, backing you seems unreasonable, and that's putting it lightly. Convince me otherwise, if you can."

Kagato's eyes narrowed, and Heero suspected that his patience was beginning to wear thin. "Consider the following, young man. I worked alongside Washu to build the deadliest weapon the galaxy has ever seen. If none other than that paragon of knowledge saw me as an equal on such a project, then I'd say that's proof enough of my intellect. Mine is not a mind that you want turned against you."

"That's the best you've got?" asked Heero, "A threat? I've pissed off more than my share of aristocrats and warlords in my time. I can think of at least two who could lay it on better than you."

Kagato chuckled, but the look in his eyes was hardly one of amusement. "Is that so? Well, perhaps it's time that you broadened your frame of reference beyond the pitiful limits that currently constrain it. Your world has developed weapons capable of laying entire cities to waste, and if Washu's memories serve me right there were fanatics that even came up with a plan capable of far greater levels of destruction than that. What was that charming name she pulled from your organization's files? Operation Meteor, yes? Dropping an entire colony onto the planet… crude, but I daresay it would've been effective. Would you like to know Earth's fate under my reign should your kind oppose me?"

"Hit me with your best shot," Heero quipped.

A cruel grin came to Kagato's face, the mask of civility and refinement finally slipping away. "Imagine your world… completely silent. Its cities remain standing, and its colonies continue to float above, but all who lived there would be gone. Targeted by a weapon that effects only biomass, leaving everything else intact. A scouring so clean and thorough that not so much as a trace of your species' DNA would remain. That is the power of the Judgment Array, and that is the sentence that shall be passed on those that would oppose me. It was the fate of the Emperor's enemies during the Imperial Civil War; I find it only fitting to mete it out in the other direction this time around."

"Son of a bitch…" Ryoko vehemently hissed.

"You're mad…" Ayeka murmured, dawning horror growing in her voice as she finally recognized what Heero had already suspected, "You actually want to use this abomination! It won't just be a deterrent or ultimatum… not in your hands."

"Rich words coming from the daughter of the man who ordered it used the first time," Kagato sneered, "I may not hold the Emperor in high regard these days, but I will say this much; back then, he understood what needed to be done. With a single command, he ended a war that had wrought previously unfathomable levels of destruction upon the galaxy. Not only that, but he established a powerful deterrent force. The galaxy has only forgotten about what really ended the war because the records were altered and Washu ripped the weapon out of the Empire's grasp. However, that blissful ignorance has led to complacency for the Empire and restlessness for those who would challenge it. Yes, Jurai still has her mighty fleet, but even the power of that armada pales in comparison to that of the Array. The Array is the ultimate deterrent force, but in order for that deterrent to be fully appreciated, it will need to be used once more."

"And if we don't join you, Earth's the first target," Quatre concluded grimly, "Does that sound about right?"

"Close," Kagato replied, "Earth is too remote to really make for an effective demonstration; a more prominent world with strong ties to the current regime will be chosen, and I already have a list of candidates in mind. However, should you stand in my way, Earth's time will come. That is the choice before your world; to rise further than your race has ever dreamed of, or to be wiped clean from the galactic slate."

"You're a real piece of work…" Duo grumbled.

"And you are nearly out of time," Kagato shot back, "I'm no fool; I know you've only engaged in this dialogue to stall for Washu as she absorbs the data stored in this repository. I found it amusing to play along, and you lot are rather interesting, but the novelty's wearing thin now."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Duo muttered.

"Consider this an ultimatum," said Kagato, his gaze locked with Heero's, "Join me, and not only will you aid in the overthrow of a decadent dynasty that's doomed the galaxy to servitude and stagnation in the name of holding onto power, but you will enable your people to rise to heights that the old order would never have allowed them to. Oppose me, and your world's days will be numbered. Choose wisely, and choose quickly."

"Guess we've dragged this out as far as we could," AIDA whispered, "I just hope it's enough."

That makes two of us.

Heero took a moment to look at his friends. He might not have been able to see the faces of his fellow former Gundam pilots, but their firm stances and readied weapons were all he needed to know what they thought of Kagato's 'offer'. Ryoko, as ever, wore her heart on her sleeve, with the fierce glare she was shooting at Kagato's entourage a very clear indicator as to where she stood. At the rear of the group, Ayeka was no less defiant than Ryoko, with the air around her crackling with energy as she braced to create a fresh barrier with her guardians the moment one was called for. Last, but certainly not least, there was Yosho. The right hand of the long-lost Juraian crown prince had never strayed far from the handle of Tenchi-ken throughout the exchange, and now the Master Key was firmly in the old man's grip. Glancing Heero's way, his grandfather gave him a small, almost imperceptible nod. It was all the answer that Heero needed.

There was only one thing left for the Perfect Soldier to do. "You want our decision? Fine, here it is; go to hell. Better yet, lower that barrier and I'll send you there myself."

….

Yosho was old, but he was hardly senile; he'd realized fairly early on that Heero was playing for time, and he'd done what he could to support his grandson. However, he also knew that Kagato was no fool, and that whatever time Heero had bought Washu and Hilde was only gained because his former friend had decided to indulge in his curiosity and vanity for a little while. Now that he'd made his threat plain and Heero had given his answer in a manner that Yosho was quite proud of, the time for talking was over.

However, that didn't mean that both sides immediately sprang into action. Kagato and his retinue were still surrounded by the barrier, and the fact that none of them had made a move only confirmed what his grandson's friend had guessed earlier; the shield might be powerful enough to tank any incoming fire, but those it was protecting couldn't attack through it.

Yosho stepped forward; if the fighting was about to commence, perhaps he could at least keep the most dangerous combatant occupied. His plan was the same one that Heero had opposed before, and he respected his grandson's reasons for that. However, the young man still had much to learn about both his heritage and the Empire that he was heir to, and Yosho wanted to make sure that he had the chance to do so.

"There is no dissuading you from your path, Kagato," he said, "That much is painfully clear. Since you are determined to proceed with this folly, why don't we at least do this properly?"

A knowing smirk appeared on his old friend's face. "Properly, hm? I do hope you're referring to what I think you are…"

Yosho hated the look on his old friend's face, but he stomached his disgust and pressed on. "Kagato Kiryuin Jurai, by the law of the Empire, I challenge you to a duel."

"Old man," Heero muttered, "We talked about this."

"So we did," Yosho replied, "Do not interfere."

"That's not your call to make," Heero shot back.

"I admire your grandson's pragmatism," Kagato chimed in, "He has a certain ruthlessness that you always lacked. A pity it can't be made to serve my cause. If you don't want him to get in over his head, Yosho, you'd best talk him down quickly."

Yosho fixed his grandson with as stern a look as he could muster. "Heero, you must listen to me. Kagato is far too powerful for you and the others to take on as you are now. In time, I have no doubt that you'll close the gap and then some, but right now you have to face reality. If you want to buy further time for Washu, then this is the only path forward. When Kagato comes out of that barrier, do not open fire. The same goes for your friends. If you want to get them all out of here alive, then I beg of you; please heed my warning here."

"Tick tock, old friend," Kagato called, "You don't have all day!"

"Heero," Yosho said firmly, "Give me your word that you and your friends will not interfere."

He stared down his grandson, and although he couldn't see through the helmet's visor, Yosho was certain of the conflict that Heero was waging with himself. He couldn't blame the young man; in fact, he was quite proud of him. Heero's instincts were that of a soldier who wanted to get through the mission with all of his comrades in one piece, and Yosho considered that to be far more honorable than some of the frankly ridiculous ideals that Juraian society held in such high regard. However, he was far more aware than his grandson of what they were getting into here. Even without the barrier, Kagato would be more than capable of fending off an assault from Heero and his friends, regardless of their current formidable array of weaponry.

There was a long moment of silence before Heero finally gave his answer. "Keep him occupied as long as you can."

Yosho was not an idiot; he knew that was no promise to keep out entirely. It simply meant that his grandson would be using the opportunity to deal with the rest of the opposition. Given who said opposition was, Yosho knew that Heero and the others had an uphill battle ahead of them, but he was certain that his grandson was already well aware of that.

We play the hands that fate deals us, he thought, I wish we had been dealt a better one, but it's too late to complain about it now.

The azure blade of Tenchi-ken sprang to life as he stared down his old friend. "There you have it, Kagato. What say you?"

Kagato smirked as he pulled his own Key from his waist, igniting the green blade that Yosho remembered from all their sparring matches those long years ago. "I say it'll do. I've been waiting a long time for this, old friend!"

Kagato waved his left hand, and a gap opened in the barrier for him to step through. For a moment, Yosho feared that Heero would disregard his warning and open fire. Fortunately, his grandson did no such thing, although from the tension in his stance Yosho was certain that he was fighting the temptation to pull the trigger.

He understands his role to play here, Yosho though, I must now play mine.

The long-lost crown prince of Jurai stepped forward and raised his blade in salute. Kagato mirrored the gesture before giving him a grin that reminded Yosho very much of a wolf bearing its fangs.

"Shall we, old friend?" Kagato asked.

Yosho's answer was only one word. "Yes."

The two combatants charged, and their energy blades met in a brilliant flash of light.

….

It wasn't the way that Heero had wanted to kick off hostilities; even now, he was still itching to run in there, tackle Yosho out of the way and then order the rest of the fireteam to hit Kagato with everything they had. As much as he hated to admit it though, deep down, he knew Yosho had been right. Just the energy radiating from Kagato was intimidating, and he carried himself with the confidence of a man who had assessed the opposition and was more than ready for whatever his enemies would throw at him. Letting Yosho duel him and keep him at bay was the right call, although that didn't mean Heero had to like it.

Old man… don't you dare go and die on me, he thought, I've got a lot of questions that you need to answer once we're out of here.

Having sparred with Yosho plenty of times before, not to mention seeing him in battle today, Heero had thought he'd known what to expect when the crown prince crossed blades with Kagato. Boy, had he been wrong. Watching the two men duking it out now, it quickly became crystal clear just how much Yosho had been holding back before. There was an energy and intensity in his moves that Heero hadn't seen before, a deadly seriousness that made their previous bouts seem like playful tussles by comparison. There were no elegant flourishes here, none of the allowances that the old man had given Heero during their training sessions. Yosho was very much playing for keeps here, and it showed.

From the moment their blades had crossed, the exchanges between cadet branch and main branch royal had been blindingly swift and ruthlessly efficient. Whenever he went on the attack, Yosho's strikes were piercing and precise as he targeted the weakest points in his opponent's defenses. He wasn't a power-fighter, and Heero was sure that his age was a significant factor there, but his technique was refined by who-knew how many centuries of experience. His moves were fast but measured, deliberative but decisive. When his foe managed to parry a blow and counterattack, Yosho's defenses were likewise defined by speed and accuracy as opposed to raw strength. In his hands, Tenchi-ken moved so quickly that it almost seemed to weave a solid sphere of azure light around him, and Heero was certain that it would've taken an entire battalion's worth of firepower to punch through.

However, for all the experience and skill at Yosho's disposal, Heero was far from at ease. The fact that Kagato was still standing after the initial exchange was impressive in and of itself, and the treasonous cadet branch royal was proving to be just as deadly as the long-lost crown prince had implied. His green blade was broader than Tenchi-ken, and slightly longer as well. It was readily apparent that Kagato's fighting style had been conceived with that in mind, with the white-haired lord definitely favoring power blows and wider swings than Yosho's pinpoint strikes and tight defense.

However, to characterize Kagato's swordplay as mere brute force would be a big mistake. He definitely relied more on strength than Yosho, but it was power applied with purpose. His attacks right now were certainly strong, but Heero could tell that they were more meant to probe his opponent's defenses rather than overwhelm them with sheer might. When forced to defend rather than attack, Kagato's style emphasized sweeping deflections aimed at pushing Yosho back and disrupting his momentum. His larger blade served him well in that regard, with Kagato taking advantage of that edge in reach to keep Yosho's attacks at the edge of his defenses.

They're both just getting warmed up, thought Heero, I hope the old man can hold out…

In the meantime, Heero had an entirely different set of problems to confront. The rest of Kagato's group was still surrounded by the barrier generated by the floating black spheres. However, their hands were hovering over their weapons, and it would likely only be a matter of moments before the last shreds of their patience wore out and they moved to attack. Normally, Heero would've simply waited for them to make the first move; they couldn't attack while the barrier was up, meaning they'd have to deactivate it in order to strike. That would present a good window for Heero and his friends to open fire, but at the same time it would be allowing the enemy to dictate the pace of the fight.

Heero had another plan.

"AIDA," he whispered, "Which shield drone's closest to the edge of the field?"

"The one designated as Alpha Two," she replied, highlighting it on his HUD.

"You think we can hit it?" he asked.

"The barrier's contracted somewhat now that Kagato's no longer inside it," AIDA answered, "Less ground to cover means the drones can commit greater energy to a smaller area. Still, a concentrated and pinpoint strike with everything you've got should be enough to take out Alpha Two and the barrier with it. However…"

"One miss and the plan's a bust, right?" Heero finished for her.

"Exactly," AIDA confirmed, "So, don't miss."

"Wasn't planning on it," Heero quipped as he adjusted his aim, "Highlight Alpha Two as the target for the others and set a ten-second timer. Designate the others as follow-up targets. We fire on zero."

"The five of you will see that," AIDA pointed out, "but what about Ryoko? We'll need her firepower to ensure penetration, and she doesn't have a HUD like you guys."

"Leave that to me," said Heero, "Send the data to the others and start the countdown."

And hope that this doesn't blow up in our faces…

….

To say that Ryoko's trigger finger was getting twitchy would be a considerable understatement. Granted, 'trigger finger' was perhaps not the best term since she didn't have an actual firearm, but given the energy crackling at her fingertips she still felt it worked. She wanted nothing more than to dive right into the clash between Yosho and Kagato, and the only reason she was holding herself back now was because Heero hadn't given the order even though it was clear as day that he was against his grandfather soloing the cadet branch royal.

Damn it, old man, she silently fumed, I swear, if you go and die on Heero, I'll have Washu find a way to bring you back to life so I can beat the shit out of you!

She could only imagine what the young Preventers operative was going through. Ryoko knew what it was like to go for so long without knowing any family; Ryo-Ohki had been her only companion since her earliest days, and while she loved her adorable living starship to death, she just wasn't the same as having a parental figure. Washu wasn't exactly what Ryoko had pictured her mother being like when she'd thought about such a thing at all, but the months spent living with her at the countryside safehouse were enough for her to begin growing on the pirate. Of course, Ryoko would've vehemently denied that had anyone brough it up publicly.

She and Heero had known Yosho for longer than they'd known Washu, albeit not by much. Still, they'd only discovered his relationship to Heero very recently, and Ryoko knew that Heero was still trying to sort out his feelings about that. Her handsome guardian could play the stoic soldier all he wanted, but Ryoko was onto him; he couldn't hide his emotions from her nearly as well as he probably liked to believe. If they lost Yosho now, Ryoko didn't want to think about what that would do to Heero.

She looked at the armored fireteam leader, and that was when she realized something was up. He'd shifted the aim of his rifle, and he was actually only holding it one hand while bracing it against his shoulder. His free hand was held down behind his back, out of sight of the enemy, but within Ryoko's field of vision. Her eyes widened ever so slightly as he briefly made a finger-pistol gesture, and then held out all five fingers before gradually folding them in.

It was a countdown.

Ryoko immediately looked up and followed the barrel of his rifle. She saw that it was aimed at one of the black shield drones; specifically, the one hovering in front of Nagi. Ryoko swiftly grasped what Heero had in mind, and she began focusing energy in her hands.

Showtime!

When the last finger on Heero's left hand joined the others in a fist, the young man then immediately brought that hand up to support his rifle and steady his aim. He then pulled the trigger, opening up in unison with his fellow former colonial revolutionaries. Ryoko cut loose at the same time, sending a burst of crimson spheres flying at the target.

There was a burst of blinding light as all the shots impacted the same point. For a moment, Ryoko feared that their efforts might not have been enough. Her fears were allayed a few seconds later, though, when she saw the targeted shield drone reduced to a few charred chunks of metal on the ground. The other drones shook, with sparks flying from them; the loss of one of their number had disrupted the flow of energy. In fact, it looked like the entire shield they were generating just moments ago had collapsed.

Ryoko didn't know if it would stay down, though, so she decided to make certain of it. As tempting as it was to blast Nagi, she instead took aim at another drone and opened up. The string of crimson energy balls she unleashed found their mark, reducing another black orb to smoldering trash. At the same time, Heero and his friends opened fire again as well, and within moments the rest of the drones were utterly demolished.

Ryoko had the brief satisfaction of seeing not only Nagi, but the rest of her companions momentarily recoil in shock; clearly, none of them had seen that coming. Heero and his friends didn't waste the opportunity, seamlessly shifting their fire and unleashing a barrage of orange energy against the bounty hunter and the two assassins standing with her. Ryoko eagerly joined in, letting fly with a volley of bloodred spheres. If they could take out Nagi and the pair of death cult chicks here and now, it would make fighting Kagato and his sister so much easier.

Unfortunately, the enemy wasn't planning on giving them an easy win. The famous bounty hunter and the two creepy assassins sprang into action, leaping and twisting through the air in a manner that would make professional acrobats jealous. Ryoko saw the air around the three of them shimmer as the few shots that did connect were tanked by their personal shields; they'd clearly come prepared.

"Shit!" she heard Duo growl as he pumped out shot after shot, "Agile bitches, aren't they?"

"Shut up and keep shooting!" Wufei snapped.

Those were wise words, and ones that not just the fireteam took to heart. Ryoko dived to the right as Nagi returned fire, with bolts of violet light flying from the tip of her saber. Both twins had drawn firearms as well, sleek and slender pistols polished to almost a mirror sheen. One twin wielded hers in her right hand while the other held it in her left. Their free hands quickly moved to their utility belts, with each one drawing a wicked-looking curved knife. Both girls returned fire even as they continued to jump, twist and twirl to avoid the barrage unleashed by Heero and the fireteam, sending bolts of yellow energy flying back at them and forcing the humans to scatter.

As Ryoko, Heero and the others continued to trade fire with the bounty hunter and assassins, the pirate couldn't help but shake the nagging feeling that they were forgetting someone. That was when she caught twin flashes of white light out of the corner of her eyes, and a chill went down her spine. Of course.

Kagato might've been keeping one cadet branch royal occupied…

…but there was still another to contend with.

And she was charging into the fray…

…right at the young man Ryoko had come to care for above all others.

"Heero, to your right!" she cried out.

Her warning came not a moment too soon. Ryoko saw Heero immediately shift his aim, only to find Ragyō practically right on top of him. The Preventers operative managed to squeeze the trigger just once, but the bolt of orange energy that flew forth from his rifle was deflected by one of the two white energy blades that his target now wielded. Heero leapt back, with his armor's thrusters aiding his mobility, but the move wasn't quite quick enough; the second white blade cut clean through the rifle's barrel, sheering it right off and rendering the weapon useless.

Heero's reaction was swift. He immediately discarded the rifle and drew two blades, the one he'd stolen from Washu's drone earlier and the knife. Orange energy enshrouded the former and blue the latter as he activated both weapons and blocked Ragyō's follow-up strikes. The two combatants stared each other down as their blades locked together, and Ryoko was rather unnerved by the look in the white-haired woman's eyes. There was hunger, and it was directed squarely at Heero.

"Show me what you've got, boy," she said as she licked her lips, "I hope you don't disappoint me!"

Ryoko wanted to help Heero, but violet bolts of energy zipped right past her head; Nagi wasn't going to let their grudge go unsettled. Scowling at the bounty hunter, Ryoko returned fire with a volley of crimson spheres. She had her foe to attend to, and Heero had his. Ryoko could only hope that he'd be able to hold out long enough for her to deal with her rival and help him.

You've got the moves, Heero, she thought, I just hope that they're enough…

….

Heero was too busy to curse at the moment, so AIDA did it for him. "Shit!"

The Preventers operative had some slightly fouler language in mind as he worked frantically to fend off Ragyō's assault, but AIDA's sentiment would work quite well. He'd only barely been able to drop the trashed rifle and whip out the blades in time, and his foe was only just getting started. Her twin white blades flashed like bolts of lightning, and if Heero hadn't swiped the sword from Washu's drone earlier he knew that he'd be dead; there was simply no way he could've protected himself from this onslaught with just the knife.

With all the sparring matches he'd had with Yosho, Heero had believed he at least possessed a passable and working understanding of Juraian swordsmanship. The brutal offensive being unleashed against him now told the young man just how wrong he'd been, though. Yosho's technique had clearly just been one style out of many, and the difference between his moves and those of the smirking white-haired woman attacking him now were as clear as night and day. Heero didn't know if Ragyō was better than Yosho; after all, his grandfather had always held back during their bouts, and he was only now going what the Preventers operative assumed was full-tilt against Kagato. That being said, he was pretty damn sure that the bloodthirsty cadet branch royal could give the long-lost Juraian crown prince a run for his money and then some.

If I get out of this fight alive, I'll have to redouble my sword training, he thought as he barely managed to block a flurry of vicious slashes, I'm pretty sure that I'm in over my head here…

It was all he could do for now to keep her at bay while he tried to analyze her moves and look for a weakness to exploit. Heero figured that his armor's shields could take glancing blows from her twin blades should they manage to slip past his own, but he imagined that direct hits would cut through. These were Juraian Keys she was wielding, after all, and while Heero didn't know if they were Master Keys or not, he wasn't sure if that would've made much of a difference under these circumstances. There was still so much that he had to learn about the weapons that those of his bloodline apparently wielded above all others, and he could only do that if he managed to survive the encounter.

And his survival was hardly a sure thing.

His sword and knife flashed before him as he desperately fought to keep Ragyō at bay. At first glance, to the untrained eye it might appear that the white-haired she-devil was attacking with completely random strikes, but already Heero was beginning to discern the method behind the madness. With one blade, she would launch a furious and blindingly-fast staccato of thrusts while patiently waiting for a gap to open up in his defenses. Once she believed she had her opening, she would make a viper-like strike with the second blade, aiming to punch through with a single pinpoint attack. It was this second strike that had nearly been Heero's undoing; so focused had he been on warding off the flurry of attacks from her first blade that he'd only barely been able to catch the second on his knife and redirect it before it could pierce his shields and armor.

What made matters worse for him was that she didn't favor one blade or the other. For the first few exchanges, she made it appear as though her right hand was her dominant one, using that blade for the burst of rapid-fire attacks while waiting to make the pinpoint strike with her left blade. That had damn near been the end of Heero, for when she'd suddenly switched things up and commenced the burst attack with her left blade he'd been caught off guard, and a few of the strikes had actually landed glancing blows on his arms and shoulders, causing his HUD to flash red as his shields dropped to almost nothing; her energy blades were much stronger than anything wielded by Washu's drones. His balance had been disrupted, and it was only by leaping back and using his armor's thrusters to put a few vital meters between him and his foe that he was able to avoid the pinpoint strike from the blade in her right hand.

Either she's ambidextrous or she's just trained so much with both hands that there's no discernible difference anymore, he mused grimly as he braced himself for her next assault, Either way, not good…

Sweat was building up at his brow as he waged a furious defense. The fight had only just begun, yet already he was starting to strain. Were the previous firefights beginning to catch up with him, or was his foe simply that powerful and unrelenting? It was quite likely both.

Her smile was absolutely demonic, and the effect was only enhanced by her flashing white blades as she hammered his defenses. "You're better than I thought! Your technique's rough, but that's not a bad thing. I've fought far too many conventional Juraian fencers in my time; the thought of crossing blades with another lost its appeal long ago. You, though… you have some serious potential."

"Flattered," Heero quipped through gritted teeth as he fought for his life.

Deciding to mix things up a bit, he ducked beneath a swipe from her right blade while blocking the second with his. Lashing out with his right leg, he made a sweeping kick, but his opponent simply jumped over him. She came down behind him, and Heero was barely able to bring his sword and knife up in time to parry her counterattack.

"Such reflexes, even while wearing armor," she praised even as she renewed her assault, leading with a flurry of thrusts from her left blade interspersed with the occasional slash from the other, "Such a waste that you would fight for the status quo!"

"Are you seriously still trying to sell me on your crusade?" asked Heero as he blocked her blows before attempting to knee her in the gut, only for her to gracefully backflip and dodge before coming back for more, "Take a damn hint; I'm not interested."

"Pity," she replied, both blades flashing as she took aim at his chest and forced him to give ground, "but perhaps you'll come around in time."

"Don't hold your breath," Heero muttered.

Locking her blades with his, Heero hit his armor's thrusters and attempted to tackle her to the ground. Unfortunately for him, this foe was much more flexible than the drones he'd fought before; she smoothly disengaged and rolled to the side, coming up behind him and going right back on the offensive. Heero managed to bring his knife around to block the first blow, but the second blade got much closer, and even though he was able to catch it with his main sword the tip of the white saber cut through his shields and left a scorch mark on the right shoulder of his armor.

Heero wouldn't sugarcoat it; he was outmatched. For all his skills in the art of war, this was a duel as opposed to a conventional battle, and his adversary most certainly had the edge here. The further their duel raged on, the more he became convinced that she wasn't even going all-out against him. Sure, she was taking the fight seriously, and her strikes would definitely be lethal if they connected, but there was something about her moves that suggested a level of restraint on her part. Heero didn't get it; she had to know by now that her abilities in the art of the sword outclassed his. Why drag out the fight when she could probably end it decisively in short order?

As he continued to fight with everything that he had to simply stay alive, it occurred to Heero that, despite his foe's apparent bloodlust and ferocity, she was actually approaching him somewhat cautiously. She was probing his defenses, surprisingly wary given the gap in their abilities. Her praise regarding the difference between him and conventional Juraian warriors was more than just flattery; she was fully expecting him to attack in manners that were outside the realm familiar to her. She was attempting to measure not merely his abilities as a swordsman, but his combat capabilities as a whole. Until she felt that she fully understood what he could do, she would walk a fine line, hammering his defenses with lightning-fast attacks while staying on guard for an unconventional counter. It gave Heero the chance to hold his own, but how he could exploit it and pull out a win was another matter entirely.

He'd have to figure it out one way or the other, and definitely sooner rather than later.

….

Damn it, thought Duo as he pumped out shot after shot with his plasma shotgun, these bitches are fast! If this was a video game, I'd be calling 'hacks' right about now…

It was incredibly eerie how the twins always seemed to be one step ahead of him, not to mention downright frustrating. Duo could at least take a bit of comfort in the knowledge that he wasn't the only one having trouble hitting the targets; none of his friends were having any better luck than him. With Ryoko keeping Nagi at bay while Heero contended with Kagato's sister, the other four Gundam pilots had paired off in an effort to take on each of the assassins with an advantage in both numbers and firepower. Since Duo's weapon was made for up-close fighting, Quatre had partnered up with him in order to balance things out with some mid to long-range precision fire. Meanwhile, Wufei had teamed up with Trowa, the former firing off quick bursts with his rifle while the latter unleashed streams of orange bolts in an effort to pin their target down.

Against even the elite drones that they'd fought earlier, such tactics would've yielded results. However, the assassin twins were another matter entirely. They were incredibly fluid with their movements, not to mention quite acrobatic. Their speed was definitely greater than that of a human; Duo imagined that even a trained Olympic athlete would have trouble keeping up with them. It was too early in the fight to judge their endurance, but based on their performance so far, Duo had a sinking feeling that they could keep this up for quite some time.

It wasn't just their movements that were impressive, either. Duo rolled to the side as his target returned fire, but one of the yellow bolts still caught him on the left shoulder. His armor's barriers were able to tank the hit, but the shield strength indicator on his HUD dropped by roughly a fifth from just that single shot. The firearms wielded by the twins might've looked sleek and sexy, but they had a heavy kick to them.

Guess we're not the only ones who brought shiny new toys to the party…

"Bitches are packing some real hand-cannons!" he growled as he came up from his role and fired from a kneeling position.

"Stay on the move!" Quatre shouted as he let fly with a quick volley, only for their target to leap to the right with catlike grace, "If they pin us, we're done!"

Duo shook his head. "We've got them outnumbered, yet we're the ones worried about getting pinned down… what the actual hell?"

That sentiment summed things up quite nicely from where Duo was sitting. If someone had told him just a month ago that he'd be engaged in a firefight on an alien world while Heero and his alien grandfather engaged two psycho aristocrats in a freaking lightsaber duel, he would've passed out from sheer laughter. Now that he was actually in the middle of that seemingly impossible scenario, Duo did not see much humor in the situation.

I suppose we'll get a good laugh out of it once it's all over, he thought as he pumped out shot after shot, only for his target to practically dance her way through the scattered bolts of plasma like she was burning up the floor at the club, if we get out of here alive…

….

Ayeka could feel herself sweating bullets, and it wasn't from generating the barrier over the door. It was true that the mission had taxed her more than anything she'd done in quite some time, but she still had plenty of energy left and would use every last drop of it if that was what it took to make sure Heero and the others made it out of here in one piece. Fear rather than weariness was the cause of her perspiration, and that anxiety only grew as she watched the fighting unfold.

I hate this, she silently fumed, I know why Lord Heero wants me and my guardians here, but defending a damn door while my friends fight for their lives…

It was a fight that Ayeka had been dreading ever since the attack on the safehouse back on Earth, and for a damn good reason. Heero and his human friends were all exceptionally skilled soldiers, but Ayeka had feared that they would be out of their depth once their main enemy took the field. She firmly believed that were it not for Yosho keeping Kagato occupied, the battle may very well have already been lost. Ayeka had never seen him fight personally before, but his reputation within the Empire was that of both a brilliant researcher and politician along with that of a highly skilled swordsman, and the latter was on full display here. If Yosho could not keep him contained until Washu and Hilde immerged from the room behind her, then all would surely be lost.

Even if they all made it out of here in one piece, their troubles would only be just beginning. Despite the dire situation unfolding before her, Ayeka's mind was already running through the potential political implications of what was going on. A play like this was incredibly brazen on Kagato's part; even a cadet branch royal as prominent as him could only get away with so much. If he was willing to act so boldly, he was either supremely overconfident in the influence of his family, or this was a move that he had spent potentially years laying the groundwork for. What all had she missed in the realm of Imperial politics during her time away from Jurai? When she had left the Empire it had been stable, and she hadn't been gone that long, but Ayeka was painfully aware of just how naïve she had been before coming to Earth. Her time with Heero had been quite educational, and while she had been keenly studying the government of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation, she understood that such knowledge could also be applied to analyzing the politics of the Empire. She could look at Jurai in a new light once they returned to the capital, and now she feared what she might find.

Her worries about the political situation back home took a back seat to more pressing concerns at the moment, though. Yosho was holding his own against Kagato thus far, but Ayeka was deeply worried. A long time might've passed since he'd crash-landed on Earth, but Ayeka knew that he still shouldn't have looked as old as he did now. Juraian royals aged slowly and gracefully thanks to the connections they had with their Royal Trees, and the fact that Yosho actually had gray hair lead Ayeka to suspect that something was wrong with his bond to Funaho. She had yet to ask him about it, though, and now Ayeka was regretting her reluctance to broach that topic sooner. How much had his strength waned during his time on Earth? Did he still have what it took to contend with Kagato?

For the moment, the answer to the second question appeared to be 'yes'. Yosho's technique was very much classic Juraian swordplay distilled to its purest form, and he was proving that age had not dulled his skills in the least. He was on the defensive more often than not in his clash with Kagato, true, but that was more a product of his particular combat style than anything else. Ayeka could tell that Yosho was focused for the moment on analyzing Kagato's swordsmanship while he kept him at bay, along with continuing to buy time for Washu and Hilde. His moves were crisp and efficient, effectively fending off Kagato's strikes and minimizing any potential openings that his foe could exploit. It wasn't particularly flashy or powerful swordplay, but it didn't have to be. For Yosho, the simplicity of his style was very much a virtue, and Ayeka was knowledgeable enough to recognize that. More complex and intricate maneuvers would only serve at this point to tire him out, and right now endurance was very much the name of the game.

Her guardians seemed to concur, at least if Azaka's commentary was anything to go by. "What splendid form! Lord Yosho's defensive technique is as impressive as ever!"

"He hasn't lost a step," Kamidake agreed, "Kagato won't be getting an easy victory here!"

No, thought Ayeka, but neither will we. Then again, I suppose we're going for survival and escape rather than 'victory' in this engagement…

She hated the thought of retreat, but even Ayeka could recognize that decisive victory was likely beyond them here. Their objectives were clear; retrieve the necessary data, set the repository to self-destruct in order to deny Kagato his prize, and then get the hell out of there. The first two goals were in the hands of Washu, and it was up to the fireteam to accomplish the third. Ayeka would have to content herself with the knowledge that after escaping the team's next destination would almost certainly be Jurai itself; after all that had transpired today, a face-to-face meeting with her father was long overdue.

Where would she even start with that? Call her father out on the false history he'd propagated regarding how the Imperial Civil War had ended? Explain that not only had his long-lost son been found, but that his line had continued and that the young man who had sheltered her on Earth was also a potential heir to the Juraian throne? Denounce two cadet branch royals as threats to not just the Empire but the galaxy at large and prepare for what promised to be a nasty round of palace intrigue? Her head was spinning just thinking about it all.

Her gaze went to the young man at the heart of it all. Ayeka might not have known the full story of the war he'd fought before, but she was willing to bet that Heero had never had a fight like this one. He was holding his own remarkably well, which was even more impressive given his opponent's reputation as one of the finest duelists in the whole of the Empire. Ayeka had never seen Ragyō fight in person, but she'd heard stories about both her incredible ability in the art of swordsmanship and her ferocity as a fighter. If anything, the fight she was seeing now proved in her mind that accounts of the latter had been significantly understated.

Kagato's sister was hammering Heero's defenses with an assault that Ayeka could only describe as vicious in the extreme. The grin she wore behind her flashing white blades was disturbing to say the least, and Ayeka had to wonder just what kind of an effect it was having on Heero. His helmet might've obscured his face, and in past fights he'd demonstrated a remarkable level of calm while under pressure, but Ayeka had a feeling that his cool exterior could potentially crack under the strain of what he was facing now. He wielded his sword and knife with the skill and tenacity of a hardened soldier, but this was not the kind of fight that he had been trained for. Ayeka was certain that even a master Juraian swordsman like Yosho would've struggled in the face of such a withering assault, and while Heero had shown great promise catching up to his grandfather's abilities, he definitely wasn't there yet. His potential was undeniable, but right now it was only that; potential.

Potential alone wouldn't be enough to save him now.

"Lord Heero…" she whispered, her heart hammering in her chest.

How she hated that her powers were primarily geared towards defense rather than offense right now. Heero had chosen her role for this encounter well, but that didn't mean Ayeka had to like it. Watching him clash with such a dangerous foe while being unable to intervene in any meaningful way rankled Ayeka in a manner that few other things could; even Ryoko would have a hard time getting under her skin so thoroughly. Ayeka could only resolve to train with renewed dedication and vigor once they were clear of this place. If such encounters were going to become the norm, then she needed to make herself more than just the team's defensive powerhouse, regardless of how important a role that was.

It wasn't just Heero and Yosho that she feared for, either. While the displays of swordsmanship in their respective duels were quite spectacular, Ayeka wasn't blind to the struggles of the others. Heero's fellow former colonial revolutionaries were still engaged in fierce firefights with the pair of assassins that had accompanied Nagi in her attack on the safehouse, and while the four young men had the advantage of Washu's armor and years of experience working together Ayeka was still more than a little apprehensive about how the fight would ultimately turn out. They might've outnumbered their current opponents two-to-one, but they were up against a pair of professional killers with what Ayeka could only assume was a lifetime's worth of intense training and combat under their belts.

Not for the first time since the shooting had started, Ayeka's gaze turned to Quatre. The young man was supporting Duo, peppering their target with precise mid to long-range fire while his friend attempted to close the distance and land the decisive blow. It was a solid strategy, but their foe was not making it easy on them. Ayeka winced each time the enemy returned fire and saw the shots that the boys couldn't dodge splash against their armor's shields. Washu had crafted their protective gear well, but the suits and their shields weren't nearly as powerful as the barriers Ayeka could generate. As much as she was aware of her proper place in this engagement denying the enemy access to Washu and Hilde, she was still sorely tempted to rush forward and use her barriers to aid Duo and Quatre in their struggle.

Lord Quatre, she thought as she watched him narrowly avoid a bolt of yellow energy from his enemy's pistol, please be careful!

It was at that moment that a volley of purple bolts splashed against Ayeka's barrier. She immediately knew where they'd come from; Nagi. Ayeka quickly shifted her gaze, locking onto the bounty hunter's fight with Ryoko a second later. For a moment she wondered if Nagi had changed targets and was probing Ayeka's shields, but she was actually trading fire with Ryoko. The bolts that had hit Ayeka's shields were very likely stray shots, meant for Ryoko but cleanly evaded.

Ayeka couldn't help but scowl. She'd never openly admit it, but she was actually jealous of Ryoko right now. The pirate's powers were much more versatile than Ayeka's; while Ryoko clearly favored offense, her abilities also allowed her to act defensively as well should the occasion call for it. It was why she could hold her own against the galaxy's most infamous bounty hunter in a one-on-one clash, keeping a dangerous foe occupied and away from the rest of the strike team. Ayeka would've infinitely preferred it if Ryoko dealt with Nagi quickly and then moved to support Heero, but she could at least understand how tricky of an opponent the bounty hunter was to fight.

Ryoko, you are not allowed to lose, Ayeka silently fumed, Nagi must be defeated, and then you must aid Lord Heero. Anything less is simply unacceptable!

These were strange times indeed if she was rooting for Ryoko…

…and Ayeka had a sinking suspicion that their journey down the rabbit hole had only just begun.

….

His skills have grown considerably, thought Yosho grimly as he fended off a series of withering strikes from his adversary, just as I had feared…

They had sparred many times in the past, and while Yosho had always won, he'd never allowed himself to grow overconfident. Kagato might've been a brilliant scientist, but he was no slouch when it came to the martial arts either. All those centuries ago, he had hungered to improve his skills with a blade just as much as he had sought out new knowledge. Yosho had not expected that hunger to dull in his absence, and the fight Kagato was putting on showed that it most certainly hadn't.

The pace of the duel was picking up. Both combatants had already probed each other's defenses and assessed their techniques; now it was time to play for keeps. For his part, Yosho still favored defense over offense. It served well to minimize his energy expenditure, but he was still keenly aware of the drawbacks. Kagato was the one dictating the flow of the fight, and while his powerful sweeps and thrusts might consume more energy, he had greater reserves to burn in the first place. Yosho could go for quite a long time, but even he had limits. Which fighter would begin to show strain first? For the moment, Yosho couldn't say.

As Kagato rained a series of mighty overhand blows down on Yosho's defenses with his emerald blade, the cadet branch royal wore a confident smirk. "Just like old times, eh, Yosho? Well, I suppose not quite; I'm not as weak as I was back then!"

Yosho shook his head as he smoothly deflected each and every one of Kagato's attacks. "Not in terms of skill, no. Your spirit is another matter, though. How far you have fallen from what you once were…"

Kagato laughed as he shifted into a sequence of broad slashes, taking full advantage of his longer blade. "How blind you've become in your old age! Who I was back then was weak in spirit, doubting that I could ever step out from behind your shadow. Those days are long gone. The circle is now complete. When last we parted, I had to resort to trickery to defeat you, but no longer. Now I am the master!"

Yosho's brow furrowed. "Only a master of ambition and ego, Kagato."

Parrying Kagato's latest slash, Yosho shifted to the offensive. He led with a thrust at his opponent's abdomen, and while Kagato was able to catch and redirect the blow it wasn't enough to rob Yosho of his momentum. The old crown prince of Jurai pressed forward, his offensive a controlled burst of precision strikes rather than the broader and more powerful swings of his adversary. Kagato scowled as he fended off Yosho's attacks, his confident smirk from before completely erased. He was fully focused on the engagement, wary of his old friend and rival. Yosho was old, but he was still very much a threat.

His offensive was limited in scope, just enough to keep Kagato on his toes. He had only pushed his foe back a few meters when Kagato countered, catching a thrust aimed at his upper torso and redirecting it to the side before striking back with a slash at Yosho's chest. Yosho was able to parry the blow, but his opponent had regained the initiative and wasted no time in pressing his advantage. The ground Yosho had gained was soon lost, and the two men were once again clashing in the center of the chamber just a few moments later.

"This is a waste of your talents, old man," Kagato growled between strikes, "You're fighting for an empire that's long past its prime!"

"Whether or not the glory of Jurai has faded is irrelevant to me," Yosho replied as he deflected a series of wide sweeps from his foe's emerald blade, "I know what a race for the Array will unleash upon the galaxy, as should you. If you continue with this folly, you will drown countless innocent beings in an ocean of blood!"

"Oh, and suffocating them in the filth of a rotting regime is so preferable to a proper cleansing!" Kagato spat as he hammered Yosho's defenses, "When a forest is overgrown, a purging fire is inevitable. New life then springs forth from the ashes. As in nature, that principle applies to politics as well."

Yosho shook his head, appalled at where his old friend's mind had gone. "You are conflating your denied ambitions with a cycle that is not driven by anything as crude as such arrogance and greed. The Judgment Array was meant to end the worst war in galactic history, but you would unleash a new one just to have it under your control. You claim that Jurai is rotten, but the only rot I am seeing at this moment is that which resides within the twisted remains of your heart!"

"I will not be lectured by someone who has been idling away on a backwater world for centuries on end!" Kagato snarled as he redoubled his assault, "Your time has come and gone, Yosho!"

"That remains to be seen," Yosho calmly shot back.

If he could get under Kagato's skin and provoke him into making a mistake, Yosho would definitely take advantage of it. However, despite his old friend's newfound arrogance, he was still no fool. For all his talk, Kagato remained firmly focused on attacking Yosho, and the old crown prince had to maintain a tight defense to keep his foe at bay. With other foes, fury would drive them to expend greater amounts of energy in their strikes, but either Kagato still maintained enough self-awareness to control his power or his energy reserves had grown considerably over the centuries.

Yosho feared it might've been both.

Things weren't looking good, but throwing in the towel wasn't an option. The stakes were too high to back down, and Yosho knew the kind of bloodbath that awaited the galaxy should they fail. All he could do was hold his ground and fight.

….

"You bitch!" Ryoko snarled as her crimson energy blade clashed with Nagi's violet saber, "I'll make you regret throwing in with these bastards!"

She expected a snarky retort from her opponent, but much to the pirate's surprise, her rival's only reply was with her weapon. Countering Ryoko's strike, Nagi swiftly transitioned to the offensive with a flurry of thrusts aimed at her face. Ryoko had no choice but to pull back, keeping her bloodred shaft of energy close to prevent her adversary from landing a hit.

As ever, the bounty hunter's skills seemed to have only improved since their previous clash. While Ryoko loathed her rival, she would give credit where it was due; Nagi never slacked off when it came to her training. One didn't become a hunter of such fame and notoriety by resting on one's laurels, after all. It was a cutthroat line of work, one where its practitioners had to constantly sharpen their abilities lest the competition sense weakness and exploit it. In that sense, it wasn't all that different from the heists and piracy that were Ryoko's profession, save that Nagi's career path had given her connections and friends in very high places.

And this was what she'd done with them? Cast in her lot with a pair of psychopaths who were after a weapon capable of annihilating all life on up to four hundred worlds simultaneously? Ryoko might've concocted some harebrained criminal schemes from time to time, but this blew anything she'd ever attempted completely out of the water. Her brand of piracy was small potatoes compared to the outright insanity Nagi had apparently signed up for. Ryoko was a criminal, but she drew a fine line between raiding wealthy merchant ships and seeking out a weapon whose very existence was an existential threat to all life in the galaxy.

She might not have known what they were really after when she took the job to attack us back on Earth, Ryoko reminded herself as she deflected several slashes from Nagi, but if she's still with them now, then she's got no excuse. I know it's against her code to break a contract, but damn it, this one should've been the exception!

Deciding to change things up, Ryoko went airborne and started raining down crimson spheres on her foe. Nagi reacted quickly, smoothly rolling to the side to evade the initial volley before returning fire, violet bolts flying forth from the tip of her saber. Ryoko zipped from side to side, dodging what she could while blocking the rest on her barriers. The bounty hunter's weapon was precise, but individually the shots from it weren't actually all that powerful.

"You're sloppy," Ryoko taunted as she continued to blast away at her rival, "I expected better, Nagi!"

The bounty hunter didn't take the bait; her only reply was to fire off another volley for Ryoko to dodge. Ryoko had figured it wouldn't work, but she was so used to her enemies trying to get under her skin in a fight that she'd wanted to try and flip things around just to see what would happen. Unfortunately, Nagi had almost always been the composed one whenever they clashed, and it seemed that wasn't about to change now.

As much as she needed to focus on her rival, though, Ryoko couldn't help but occasionally glance at one of the other duels playing out in the chamber. More specifically, Heero's desperate clash with Kagato's bloodthirsty sister.

Heero…

Her favorite soldier was holding his own, but despite Ryoko's admiration for his abilities she knew that he was outmatched. Heero had been on the defensive for almost the entirety of his fight with Ragyō, and that didn't look like it'd be changing anytime soon. If anything, the white-haired she-devil was intensifying her assault, with her blades moving so quickly that they were little more than blurs of light. It was a miracle that Heero had held out for this long, and while his helmet betrayed nothing Ryoko was sure he had to be sweating bullets underneath. Both sword and knife continued to weave a tight defense close to his body in order to both minimize openings and energy expenditure, and while it was certainly effective, at this point Ryoko feared that Heero was only delaying the inevitable. Occasionally he'd try to shake things up, using his armor's thrusters to enhance a kick or attempting to knee his foe to take her off balance, but Ragyō was nothing if not agile and adaptable. She would evade his strikes with a nimble grace at odds with her bloodthirsty ferocity before diving right back in for more.

Violet bolts sizzled through the air mere centimeters away from her, with Nagi smirking even as Ryoko returned fire. "Distracted, Ryoko? Weren't you saying something about how I was being sloppy just a moment ago?"

"Shut up!" Ryoko growled as she let fly with another volley.

Nagi smirked. "You haven't changed; still so easy to rile up!"

The bounty hunter drew her saber back for a moment, and Ryoko saw her flip a switch on the weapon's handle. When Nagi swung it forward again, this time a long whip of violet energy came forth. Ryoko attempted to gain altitude to evade, but she was close to the ceiling as it was and didn't have much further that she could climb before hitting it. The strand of purple energy wrapped around her lower right leg, and shocks began to course through her body. That wasn't the worst of it though; that came a moment later when, with a hard pull, Nagi yanked Ryoko to the ground.

The strength behind the move caught Ryoko off guard, and she hit the floor hard. Winded by the impact, she fired off a wild volley of crimson spheres in a desperate attempt to keep Nagi at bay. The burst did force the bounty hunter to momentarily go evasive, and that gave Ryoko the chance to slip free of the energy chord. Her right leg was burned where the whip had coiled around it, but apart from a stinging pain the wound itself was largely superficial.

Gotta watch out for that damn thing, she silently told herself, I forgot just how much of a pain in the ass her weapons can be!

Nagi wasted no time in lashing out with the whip again, forcing Ryoko to roll to the side to avoid getting ensnared. Reigniting her energy sword in her right hand while firing off another volley of crimson energy balls with her left, Ryoko charged her opponent. Reacting swiftly, Nagi flicked a switch on the hilt of her saber, and the violet energy of the whip withdrew before enshrouding her sword. It wasn't a moment too soon; Ryoko's bloodred energy blade met Nagi's violet one just a second later, with the two combatants so close together that they could smell each other's breath.

"I swear," she snarled as she pushed forward, "I'll make you regret taking this damn job!"

"Take your best shot," Nagi countered, "I know all your moves and abilities; you've got nothing new to throw at me."

"I don't need any gimmicks or tricks to beat you!" Ryoko snapped as she made a series of wild but powerful swings, driving Nagi back.

Nagi rolled her eyes while parrying Ryoko's blows. "Rage alone won't help you here, Ryoko. I would've thought that your lover boy had taught you to control your temper a bit. Guess that was too much to expect of him."

"Leave Heero out of this!" Ryoko hissed as she pressed her assault, "This is between you and me, you got that?"

"He's hip-deep in it, and you know it," Nagi shot back while deflecting her strikes, "He would be whether or not he ever got involved with you. His bloodline and the old man have made sure of that."

Ryoko shot her rival a withering glare, but she had no real comeback. As much as she hated to admit it, Nagi was right. There was simply no way that Kagato would've left Yosho in peace once he'd found out that he was still alive, and Heero being the crown prince's grandson meant that the Preventers operative had a giant target on his back too. With the scheming cadet branch royal and his sister moving against the main branch of Jurai's ruling dynasty, an attack against the two men was inevitable. Nagi's strike on the countryside safehouse might've been aimed at stealing Washu's memories for Kagato's plan, but once the man had learned of Yosho and Heero it would've been only a matter of time before he'd moved against them. The two of them coming out to the first repository along with the others had simply moved up that confrontation.

Heero shouldn't have gotten caught up in any of this crap, she thought ruefully as Nagi countered and began pushing Ryoko back, but it's too late to complain about that now. We're all right in the middle of this mess whether we'd like it or not, and all we can do is ride this storm out to the end…

…and hope we all come through it alive.

….

Quatre was starting to get frustrated.

He wasn't used to his targets being able to constantly evade him like this, but the assassin twins were definitely outside of his typical range of enemies. Almost every time he thought he had a bead on them and pulled the trigger, they seemed to know exactly where he was aiming and were able to alter their trajectory just enough to avoid taking a hit. On the few occasions one of his shots did connect, it glanced off their personal energy shields. Quatre naturally didn't know the specs behind whatever protective gear they were utilizing, but if it was anything like what Washu had designed for him and his friends then the barriers probably recharged over time. That meant as long as their endurance lasted, they could keep up this dance and prevent him and his comrades from landing any decisive blows.

I knew that we'd be winding up in fights way outside of what we were used to when we started this mission, he mused as he let fly with another quick volley, only for his target to roll to the side with almost casual ease while the orange bolts zipped harmlessly over her, but I thought we'd be able to adapt. We always have in the past, after all. Now, though… damn it.

Their confidence had been built up by the swath of destruction they'd cut through the drones Washu had assigned to defend the first repository, but now that they were facing flesh-and-blood opponents it was a different matter. The twins were everything that the drones weren't; adaptable, intelligent, and most importantly, unpredictable. They had the capacity for improvisation under fire, and they were making good use of it here.

They might've been humanoid, yet their movements were often anything but human. There was an eerie grace to the way they fought, almost as if they were dancing through the storm of fire that Quatre and the others were sending their way. Whether they were dodging energy bolts or lining up shots of their own, it never felt as though they were so much as a step out of place even in the midst of evasions that could not possibly have been preplanned. At times, Quatre felt less like he was in the middle of a firefight and more like he was taking part in some very strange performing arts spectacle.

Of course, there was nothing performative about the shots from their firearms. Their guns might've been as slender and lithe as their wielders, but they packed a real wallop. Taking one too many hits from those would be bad news for his shields and armor, and Quatre didn't feel like testing just how much punishment his gear could take if he could at all avoid it.

He wasn't the only one. Duo had it worse than Quatre; the former was still up front, dodging and rolling all over the place to avoid fire from their opponent while blasting back with his plasma shotgun. Quatre had already seen his friend take a few hits in close succession from their adversary, and while he was still very much in the fight his shields had to be dangerously low. They needed to change things up, and they had to do it quickly.

Duo seemed to realize it as well. "This isn't working. If we keep this up, it's not going to end well for us, Quatre!"

Quatre nodded as he squeezed off a few more shots with his rifle, and while one hit the enemy's leg it didn't penetrate her energy shields. "I can see that."

"You got any bright ideas?" asked Duo as he pumped out another blast, only for their adversary to completely evade the cluster of orange bolts he unleashed, "You always were the man with the plan!"

"We need to hem her in!" Quatre replied as he ducked beneath a volley of yellow bolts, "Back her into a corner and negate her advantage in mobility."

"Good idea, in theory," Duo quipped as he rolled to the left, enemy fire scorching the floor where he'd been standing just a moment ago, "How do we pull that off in practice?"

Quatre's eyes widened ever so slightly as he noticed a particular indicator on his HUD; he hadn't even touched his grenades at any point in the mission so far. He wanted to smack himself for not noticing sooner, and already a plan was beginning to take shape in his head. If Duo was in similar shape, then perhaps they could make it work.

"You have any grenades left?" he asked as he squeezed off a shot at the assassin's head, only for her to dodge it with contemptuous ease.

"Fully stocked!" Duo called back.

Quatre smiled as he ducked beneath return fire from the enemy. "Good! This might actually work, then!"

"What do you have in mind, buddy?" the self-proclaimed God of Death inquired as he let fly with another blast from his weapon, only for the assassin to evade with a simple roll.

"She's dictating the flow of the fight," Quatre replied while taking another shot at the enemy's head while already diving to avoid the return fire, "We have to stop dancing to her tune. No better way to do that than with some decent-sized explosions!"

Duo actually laughed at that, even as he kept blasting away at their foe to no avail. "Now you're speaking my language! We just going for some general chaos here?"

"Yup!" Quatre answered as he fired off another volley that was easily dodged by their adversary, "If we can throw her off her game, we'll turn this fight around!"

"I like the sound of that," said Duo as he leapt to the side while hitting his thrusters to make sure he evaded the shot the assassin sent his way, "Want me to lead?"

Quatre shook his head. "Not quite. Let me draw her fire for a bit. Be ready for that first toss on my mark."

Quatre was no fool; as he moved forward, he was sure that their foe would realize something was up even if she couldn't tap their helmet comms. Duo had been taking point for the fight up until now, so Quatre shifting to that position would definitely signal to her that something was up. As Quatre squeezed off shot after shot to keep her on the move, Duo slowly began to circle around to the right, his plasma shotgun still raised and aimed at her even as he waited for Quatre to give the signal.

Trash talking wasn't Quatre's style, but he figured he could give it a shot on the off-chance it actually worked to distract the enemy. "You're pretty good at keeping your distance. I guess that'd make sense for an assassin like you; don't have the guts to take us on up close, do you?"

The woman raised an eyebrow, looking more confused than anything else. Her counter was simply to take a shot at Quatre with her pistol. As he ducked and the bolt zipped mere centimeters over his head, Quatre was very thankful for his helmet visor; it wouldn't do for his opponent to see him cringing so hard at his pitiful attempt at a taunt.

I'll have to ask Duo for some pointers later, he thought, Ryoko and Ayeka might be good sources too, given that they're always sniping at each other…

In the meantime, all he could do was hope that his plan didn't get the two of them killed.

….

Come on, Quatre, Duo thought nervously, I'm pretty sure we don't have all day here…

Duo was used to playing the bait, which was why he didn't feel comfortable with Quatre taking up the role this time around. Sure, he could see the reasoning behind it; he'd been taking point so far and they hadn't gotten much done, so changing things up at this point in the fight was reasonable. His weapon was meant for up-close fighting, but him circling around like this would make sense to his foe as him going for a flanking shot even if he had backed off in terms of simple distance. That wasn't what was really going on, though.

Although both of his hands were on his plasma shotgun, he was ready to grab a grenade and let fly the moment Quatre gave the word. He just didn't know exactly when his friend planned on doing that, and the way the assassin chick was zeroing in on his fellow former Gundam pilot made him feel quite uneasy. If she managed to close the distance, Duo didn't like his buddy's chances. Sure, Quatre was no slouch in a fight, but with the acrobatics their foe had demonstrated so far Duo was certain that she'd be dangerous in hand-to-hand combat.

Fortunately for both of them, Quatre gave the command after snapping off a quick shot at the assassin's head and forcing her to duck. "Duo, now!"

Duo's right hand immediately went to his belt and grabbed one of the four grenades attached to his utility belt. Swiftly priming the device, he let fly with a light overhand toss, and the weapon landed just a meter in front of the assassin. He had the satisfaction of seeing her eyes momentarily widen in surprise before she leapt back, and the grenade detonated in a brilliant sphere of blue and white energy. Even with his helmet's noise filters, the sound of the blast was nothing to sneeze at, and Duo was sure it was louder than any grenade found on Earth. The floor beneath him actually shook a bit from the impact, which was only natural given the size of the blast; the radius of that energy sphere had to be a good three to four meters at least.

The assassin's leap had allowed her to avoid taking the blast directly, but the force of the explosion had robbed her of whatever control she'd initially possessed. She was flung through the air and into the far wall of the chamber. The subsequent impact looked rather substantial, and even though she regained her feet relatively quickly Duo could tell that her footing was rather shaky.

Duo smirked as he took aim with his plasma shotgun; he knew a golden opportunity when he saw it. "Let her have it!"

He squeezed off a quick blast, moving forward as he did so; he felt a lot more comfortable closing the distance now that the assassin had been suitably rattled. Quatre was behind him and to the right, letting fly with another volley from his rifle. Their adversary rolled to the right, and while she was able to evade their initial salvo, Duo saw that her movements were much more cautious and deliberate than they had been before. No more free-flowing and unpredictable acrobatics; she was shaken and vulnerable.

And Duo was going to take full advantage of that.

He pumped out blast after blast with his plasma shotgun, wanting to put her down before she could fully recover. His target was able to evade the bursts of energy he sent her way, but her evasive maneuvers were desperate, almost with a hint of panic. While Duo's shots didn't connect, the follow-up bolts from Quatre did, hitting her on the shoulder and left leg. Both were tanked by her shields, but Duo doubted that they could withstand a sustained barrage.

We've got her!

And that was when Duo heard Wufei shout. "Duo, on your right!"

Duo's eyes widened as he turned to see the other assassin come racing straight towards him. Wufei was in hot pursuit, while Trowa was laying down a barrage with his heavy plasma machine cannon, but the woman was definitely faster. With barely seconds to react, Duo raised his weapon and squeezed off a blast. His target rolled to the right with the same eerie ease and grace that the other girl had demonstrated earlier, and Duo saw her take aim at him. He ducked to avoid the yellow bolt that flew forth from her pistol, but he quickly realized that her shot was just a distraction; the real threat was the wicked-looking knife in her left hand. It was a curved blade with bloodred energy enshrouding the edge, and Duo did not want to be on the receiving end of it.

Before she could take a swipe at him, though, the assassin was forced to whirl around and use her blade to block a swing from Wufei. The L5 native swiftly followed up with another slash, and the woman was able to deflect the strike before back-flipping away. Duo heard Quatre let fly with a quick volley from his rifle, and the assassin continued to fall back. Reorienting himself, he saw the girl move to regroup with her sister, with both twins glaring daggers at him and his friends.

Four on two now, he thought as he saw Trowa move up to join them, although that's still two-to-one odds, and we've only managed to keep them at bay so far. Still, I think the ball's firmly in our court now.

Quatre swiftly took charge of the situation. "Keep them on the defensive. No matter what, make sure that their attention remains on us!"

"Don't need to tell me twice," said Wufei, his blade raised as he carefully began to move forward.

"How are you guys set for grenades?" asked Duo as he let fly with another blast from his plasma shotgun.

"Still fully loaded," Trowa replied while laying down a stream of orange energy bolts.

Duo smiled, his confidence growing as he and his friends slowly began to close in on their two opponents. Things were finally starting to look up.

….

To say that Hilde was worried would've been a monumental understatement. Between the chatter from the rest of the team that she could hear over her helmet's radio and Washu having information beamed straight into her brain in the form of a stream of blue light, she was all kinds of stressed out. Her job was to protect Washu and carry her out of the repository once the download was complete, but at this point Hilde was seriously concerned that Washu might not even survive the constant barrage of data that the strange console was pummeling her mind with.

I don't know how she hasn't collapsed already, she thought as she watched Washu stand ramrod straight before the console, I've never seen anything like this…

If someone looked at the red-haired scientist from behind, at first glance they wouldn't notice anything amiss. However, Hilde was standing right beside her, and the way Washu's eyes were rolled back was very unnerving. Although she was still on her feet, there was a subtle tremor in her frame, almost as if she was going through something like a minor seizure. Several times now, Hilde had been tempted to rip her away from the console for her own safety, but she hadn't acted on that urge just yet. She knew how badly they needed the data stored here, and Washu had insisted that she could handle the strain.

The sounds of the battle raging beyond the closed doors behind them had Hilde reconsidering, though. Based on the radio chatter, it didn't sound like there had been any casualties yet, but it was clearly a difficult fight the others were engaged in. The fact that the enemy was still standing against her friends was more than enough to tell Hilde that they were dangerous, and that only served to increase her anxiety. The longer the clash lasted, the greater the chance there was of things going south for them.

"Come on, Washu," she hissed, "You've got to be close to done by now, right?"

There was no response from her, but Hilde actually saw the light that was emanating from the console intensify a second later. She didn't know how to interpret that, but the way Washu's tremors increased didn't strike her as a good thing. They were definitely getting worse, and Hilde was seriously considering cutting the connection and simply shooting the console with her sidearm at this point.

This is going too far, she thought, her anxiety growing close to outright panic, I know we need that data, but at this rate it's going to cost Washu her mind and possibly her life! This isn't right!

She was about to aim her pistol and pull the trigger when the blue light emanating from the console abruptly faded. Washu went limp, and Hilde was barely able to react in time to keep her head from hitting the ground. Studying the woman that she was charged with protecting, Hilde saw that her breathing was stabilizing somewhat, but it was still rather shaky. Her eyelids fluttered briefly before slowly opening, and while Hilde was relieved to see that she was actually conscious it was abundantly clear that Washu wouldn't be going anywhere under her own power anytime soon.

"Hey," said Hilde nervously, "Are you… okay?"

Washu rolled her eyes and groaned. "I just had Tsunami-knows how much raw information transferred from a centuries-old database directly into my damn head. Do I look okay to you?"

"Not particularly," Hilde admitted, "although if you've got the energy for sarcasm, then I suppose it's not that bad."

"Very funny," Washu quipped before her demeanor softened somewhat, "and… sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you when you probably just saved me from a nasty concussion. Thanks."

Beneath her helmet, Hilde smiled. "Don't mention it. Things are heating up out there; we need to get moving."

Washu nodded. "Right. Going to need your help with that."

Hilde slipped Washu's left arm over her shoulder and gently brought her to her feet. It was clear that Washu couldn't even properly stand; without Hilde acting as support, she would've toppled over instantly. She started to angle the two of them towards the door when Washu stopped her.

"One sec," she said, turning back towards the console, "Still need to set this place to blow."

"Remind me how long we'll have to clear out of here, please?" asked Hilde.

"I can adjust the timer however I wish," Washu replied, and Hilde saw crimson light rather than the blue from before begin to emanate from the console as a new connection was established between it and the scientist, "If Kagato is just beyond that door, though, then we'll want to go on the shorter side of things; might just convince him to pack it in early."

"But what if it doesn't?" Hilde countered, "He could press harder once he learns of what you've done. What if the others aren't able to disengage quickly enough? I know we're on a time crunch here and have to make sure he doesn't get this data, but we also need to give ourselves enough time to get away from here!"

Washu's brow furrowed as the red light from the console reached out for her, eventually making contact with her forehead. "Believe me, I know. Give me just a second…"

Hilde was afraid that Washu would go into that strange trance-seizure state that she'd been in while recovering the data earlier, but that didn't happen this time. She did wince in discomfort, but it only lasted for a moment, and the crimson light receded a few seconds later. Pulses of red light then began emanating from the console, and Hilde assumed it was a warning of some kind.

Washu sighed. "That should do it."

"What's our window?" asked Hilde nervously.

"I set it for thirty minutes," Washu replied, "I wanted to give us a margin for error in case we have trouble getting out."

Hilde appreciated the thought, but she was still concerned. "What if Kagato breaks through and gets in here?"

Washu shook her head. "Won't be a problem. Initiating the self-destruct sequence also triggered a trap I left in the system; the data's being corrupted as we speak. Theoretically, he could still break in, download it and try to reconstruct it, but that last bit would take quite a bit of time. Kagato's brilliant, but even he would have trouble with the mess I've left in there for him."

Hilde nodded; it sounded like Washu had all her bases together. "All right, then. Shall we?"

"Yeah," Washu answered as Hilde carefully began to guide her towards the door, "We've worn out our welcome here. Let's get moving."

Hilde wouldn't argue with that.

….

Washu's mind felt like it had fragmented into a million pieces, but she was still able to dedicate one small part of it to keeping track of how much time they had left before the repository went kaboom. It was the least she could do, considering that now she was pretty much dead weight to the team. For the moment, she could maintain a shred of dignity by leaning on Hilde, but Washu wasn't going to kid herself; once they made a break for it, the most efficient way for Hilde or one of the others to help her escape would be to throw her over their shoulders and carry her like a sack of potatoes. Washu wasn't particularly looking forward to that, but temporary embarrassment would be a small price to pay for getting out in one piece.

I'm really regretting installing mission recorders in everyone's helmets, she thought bitterly, I'll have to go through them once we're out of here and delete the footage of me being lugged about.

Of course, they would have to actually escape first in order for her to do that, and right now that was hardly a guarantee. Washu wasn't sure what awaited her and Hilde in the chamber beyond, but she doubted it was anything good. She had no idea what kind of support Kagato had with him; anything was possible.

When the doors opened and Washu got her first glimpse as to the mess that had unfolded while she'd been halfway to having her head explode, it took a moment to fully process it all. On the one hand, everyone was still alive, which was always a good thing. Kagato's contingent also wasn't as large as she'd feared, so she considered that a bonus. On the other hand, what it lacked in numbers it more than made up for in quality.

Nagi and both the assassins from the safehouse raid, Kagato himself, and his sister, Washu thought grimly, I guess it could be worse, but this is still pretty dicey.

With Ayeka and her guardians maintaining a barrier in front of the doors, Washu and Hilde could watch the unfolding battle in relative safety. They didn't have time to spectate, though; the whole place was less than half an hour away from going up in flames, after all.

Ayeka looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening when she saw the state Washu was in. "Miss Washu! Hilde! What in the name of Tsunami happened in there?"

Washu groaned as she shook her head; to say she had a splitting headache would've been quite the understatement. "We got what we came here for, and we need to get out. We've got about 28 minutes until this place blows."

"Goodness!" chimed in Azaka.

"We must withdraw immediately!" chirped Kamidake.

Ayeka wasted no time in turning around and shouting for the whole room to hear. "Lord Heero, Washu and Hilde have returned! We have less than 28 minutes before the repository is destroyed with all of us inside it!"

Not exactly subtle, Washu mused, although I suppose subtlety went out the window the moment I set this place to blow.

The words of the princess didn't cause any immediate change in the combatants, but since they were all focused on trying to kill each other that was to be expected. Washu was certain that they'd all heard Ayeka's warning, though. Would Kagato and his allies begin to pull back soon, or would they redouble their efforts as Hilde had argued earlier?

Washu fervently hoped for the former. As things were, she could tell that the fireteam's overall situation was decidedly mixed. On the one hand, Heero's four fellow former colonial revolutionaries were more than holding their own. In fact, she was impressed to see that they'd driven the assassin twins back, and while they'd yet to eliminate either of the girls, they certainly had them on the defensive. Coordinated fire between the four of them was forcing the twins to engage in constant evasive maneuvers, with only the occasional bit of return fire from their pistols as a reply. The young men were gradually pressing forward, reducing their foes' breathing room and tactical options.

While the four humans seemed to have their opponents on the ropes, things weren't going quite as well for the others. To no one's surprise, Ryoko was locked in a fierce duel with Nagi, and Washu had to begrudgingly give the bounty hunter a certain level of respect for being able to hold her own against her daughter. Ryoko was alternating between bombarding her rival from above with crimson spheres of energy and swooping in to clash up-close with her bloodred blade. Her gaze was locked in a permanent glare as she attempted to pummel her way through the bounty hunter's defenses, while her foe's cool expression betrayed no hint as to what her feelings on the fight were. Washu's eyes narrowed for a moment as she studied her daughter; just how much power would she draw upon before this fight was over?

I left that little gift inside of her for a reason, after all, she thought, Ryoko, if ever there was a time for you to tap into your true strength, now would definitely qualify. I should've made the trigger something other than a deep emotion… then again, I should've done so many things differently. Probably wouldn't be here now if I had…

While Washu was mildly concerned for her daughter, at least she was fighting a foe that she was both familiar with and definitely had beat in terms of raw power, if not technique. It was the other two clashes that Washu was worried about, and it was hard to figure out which one she feared the most for. Yosho and Kagato were locked in what appeared to be a dead heat, and Washu could only marvel at the display of swordsmanship. It had been one thing to watch Yosho carve through her drones earlier, but seeing him go head-to-head with Kagato was another matter entirely.

Tenchi-ken flashed through the air around him, moving so quickly that the energy blade was little more than streaks of azure light to Washu's eyes. Kagato was more than capable of keeping up, though, with his slightly larger emerald blade hammering against Yosho's sword in a furious effort to overwhelm the crown prince. Washu knew that Yosho naturally favored a defensive form of Juraian swordsmanship, but the fact that he barely seemed able to get any form of attack in at all was making her nervous. His brow was tightly furrowed as he concentrated on the fight, and Washu didn't fail to notice the beads of sweat slowly making their way down his face.

Definitely not good, she mused grimly, Yosho… damn it, I knew you dueling Kagato was a bad idea!

Yosho's duel with Kagato was stressful enough, but even that paled in comparison to the third duel unfolding in the chamber. Washu couldn't read Heero's expression thanks to his helmet, but she was sure that he was sweating bullets behind that visor. She certainly couldn't blame him for that; given the nature of his opponent, it was frankly a miracle that he was even alive right now.

She'd seen Heero fight a few times now, and Washu could confidently say that she'd never witnessed as desperate a defense from him as the one he was putting up now. The sword he'd stolen from one of her drones and the knife she'd equipped him with before the mission were the only things keeping Ragyō from carving him up, and Washu didn't know just how much longer Heero could hold out. He wasn't just using his blades, but even trying to kick or knee his opponent when their weapons clashed didn't seem to be having much effect. Kagato's sister was as light on her feet as Washu remembered, more than capable of evading Heero's strikes while still keeping the pressure on him. Washu winced as she saw the tip of one of her white energy blades graze the shields of Heero's armor; if she was right about the kind of power that Ragyō was pouring into them, she doubted the barriers protecting Yosho's grandson could take much more. Of all the combatants, Heero's situation was by far the most desperate; they needed to get him out of there, and they needed to do it fast.

Washu couldn't fight, but she could try to distract the enemy, and trash talking them seemed as good a place as any to start. "This is what you brought to chase after me, Kagato? Yourself, your psychotic sister, a bounty hunter and two assassins? I have to say, I'm disappointed. I thought you had greater resources than that. The Kiryuin branch seems to have gone down in the world since the last time we met."

Kagato laughed, but his gaze was still fixed on Yosho. "Ah, Washu, it's been far too long! Tell me, how has exile been treating you? You're looking rather under the weather at the moment; I do hope you've been eating right."

"How I've been eating isn't going to matter much in the next 26 minutes!" she shot back, "This whole place is going to blow, Kagato. I know ambition has driven you off the deep end, but last I checked you weren't suicidal."

I hope that's still the case, she thought, because if it's not, then we're really in trouble here…

For his part, Kagato simply smiled as he crossed blades with Yosho. "For a prize such as our magnum opus, I'm willing to take a few risks."

"That's what I was afraid of," Washu muttered under her breath.

"The data's being corrupted as we speak!" Hilde shouted, "Even if you get through us, the console beyond won't give you your prize!"

Washu hoped that Kagato might've been at least a bit distracted by that, perhaps enough for Yosho to take him out, but she was sorely disappointed. Her old colleague didn't miss a beat; his emerald blade kept up its fierce dance with the azure shaft of Tenchi-ken.

"That hardly matters," Kagato replied, "The data's in your head now, right, Washu? Good thing I brought along an expert on retrieving sensitive information from your mind!"

"Nagi…" Washu hissed.

She glanced at the bounty hunter dueling Ryoko. Sure enough, the device that she'd used on Washu back on Earth was on her utility belt. Still, she'd have to get past Ryoko first, and Washu's daughter had plenty of fight left in her. Their duel wasn't about to end without outside intervention anytime soon, and the repository's self-destruct sequence would inexorably continue its countdown.

How close to the knife's edge was Kagato willing to walk here?

It looked like they were about to find out, whether they wanted to or not.

….

And now we're on a time-crunch, Quatre mused grimly as he took another shot at one of the assassin chicks, Not good…

The only way he could see them succeeding here was by either taking out or forcing the assassin chicks to withdraw, with the four former Gundam pilots then immediately moving to support the others and give them the necessary window to retreat. It would leave the room with the repository access console open to Kagato, but given just how long it had taken Washu to download the information there was no way that their enemy could get the data and then escape the facility before time ran out. Quatre didn't know how powerful the explosives that Washu had prepped were, but given that this was a woman who had designed a weapon capable of ending all life on multiple planets at once, he wanted to be very far away from here when they went off.

At least they had the assassin twins on the ropes. Both had been driven back by Quatre and his friends towards the far end of the chamber, and in fact they actually were pretty close to the exit. How far did their dedication to their contract extend? Would they fight to the death, or was it possible to make them run?

Quatre wanted to find out. "Trowa, keep them pinned! I'll support you. Duo, Wufei, prep grenades; throw on my mark! Try to push them towards the doors."

He didn't wait for the others to acknowledge, instead firing a quick volley downrange. Quatre alternated his shots between one girl and the other, while Trowa kept up a near-continuous stream of fire. The scattered shots of return fire from their opponents were relatively easy to anticipate and evade, although the boys did suffer a few glancing blows, including one that sent Quatre's shields dangerously close to the red zone.

Can't afford to take any more of those, he thought as he ducked beneath another bolt of yellow energy, We need to end this now!

"Quatre, any second now would be nice!" Duo called out nervously.

Quatre nodded as he squeezed off a few more shots. "Right. Three… two… one… mark!"

Duo and Wufei chucked their grenades in unison. The two spheres landed between the two assassins, who only had a moment to leap backwards before the devices detonated in flashes of blue-white energy. Their evasive action saved them from immediate death, but the force of the twin blasts threw them both back against the far wall of the chamber near the exit. Quatre saw their energy shields ripple for a moment before dissipating altogether; they were both finally vulnerable.

"Their shields are down!" he called out as he opened fire, "Take them out now!"

A storm of orange energy ripped forth as all four of them cut loose. Despite being dazed by the grenades and impact with the wall, the two women reacted immediately, diving through the chamber exit. It was enough to keep the two of them from getting killed, but Quatre saw at least one bolt hit his target's upper right shoulder, while the other girl took a shot to her left thigh. Whatever material their protective gear was made of clearly wasn't as tough as the armor Washu had given Quatre and his friends; although he couldn't make out much more than their silhouettes in the hallway beyond, both were clearly hurt and definitely retreating.

Quatre had to make a snap decision; pursue and potentially eliminate them for good, or focus on the remaining active combatants. It wasn't an easy call, especially since the two assassins could potentially set up for an ambush while Quatre and his friends were on the way out, or perhaps try to shoot them in the rear while they were attempting to help Heero and the others deal with the remaining hostiles. The two cadet branch royals and the bounty hunter were definitely the more immediate threat, but Quatre couldn't quite discount the assassins just yet.

"Duo, watch the doorway!" he ordered, "Keep those two from coming back in here!"

"You got it!" the L2 native replied, already taking up a suitable position.

"Trowa, Wufei; with me!" Quatre called out, "Let's help Ryoko with Nagi first, then we'll deal with the others!"

Had he made the right call?

There was only one way to find out.

….

"Watch your pacing," AIDA cautioned as Heero worked furiously to fend of the flashing white blades of his opponent, "You're going to exhaust yourself at this rate!"

She sounded genuinely worried, and while Heero appreciated the concern, he couldn't exactly afford to ease up with his defenses at the moment. It was taking everything he had just to keep Ragyō at bay, and the predatory look in her eyes as she pressed her assault promised him that she'd ruthlessly exploit the first sign of weakness he gave her.

Predators recognize each other easily enough, he mused bitterly as he parried a series of rapid slashes from his foe, and she's at the top of the food chain in this environment.

He hadn't failed to notice Washu and Hilde emerging from the room housing the repository's main console; he'd picked up on their presence well before Washu had announced it for all to hear. Heero had only been able to take a brief glance at her, and while she was definitely looking worse for the wear, Washu was at least conscious and could easily be carried by either Hilde or another member of the team. The more pressing concern was the fact that they were on a clear countdown now, and to emphasize the point AIDA had adjusted Heero's HUD to include a timer. The seconds were ticking by far too quickly for Heero's liking, and while he appreciated the fact that Washu had likely been trying to strike a balance between leaving them enough time to get away versus making sure Kagato didn't have enough leeway to both download the data and escape himself, the Preventers operative couldn't help but wish that the red-headed scientist had given them a bit more wiggle room when it came to their escape window.

The enemy seems to be in no rush to get out of here, he thought as he blocked a pair of quick slices, which doesn't bode well for us…

His adversary grinned as she continued to press her assault. "Nothing quite like impending doom to get the blood pumping! Exciting, isn't it?"

"Sure, if you're insane," Heero quipped.

"Don't try to deny it!" she gleefully replied as she thrust both blades forward, with Heero barely being able to intercept them with his own, "That armor makes you hard to read, but not impossible. You're fighting harder now than you ever have in your life, and you're enjoying it! The closer you get to the razor's edge between life and death, the more alive you feel."

Rather than reply verbally, Heero attempted to knee her in the gut while their blades were locked. The cadet branch royal simply leapt back to dodge the blow, though, and while Heero used his armor's thrusters to pursue and attempted to attack as she landed, both her white swords were already up and in position to deflect his ensuing strikes. From there she countered, and once again Heero was on the defensive.

"There's no harm in admitting the obvious," she teased, although the look in her eyes was far more serious than her expression might've indicated, "I won't pretend to know what kind of battles you partook in back on your homeworld, but I do know this; combat is what you're best at. The way you've fought me today is proof enough of that. A lesser warrior wouldn't have lasted nearly as long as you have! It's not just because of experience or training; this is what you live for!"

"You're wrong," Heero answered firmly as he deflected a pair of strikes that had both been aimed at his neck, "I've seen enough of war; anyone who lives for it is a complete psychopath."

Ragyō laughed as she lashed out at his torso, with Heero barely managing to parry her slashes. "And yet you keep coming back to it! From petty skirmishes on a pathetic Outland Sector backwater dirtball to fighting for the first key of a weapon capable of dominating the galaxy; you're moving up in the world! Only fitting for Yosho's heir!"

Keep her talking, Heero silently told himself as he continued to desperately fend off her attacks, and keep her focused on you no matter what.

Despite the fierce duel he was currently caught up in, Heero hadn't been blind to the rest of the battle. He was fully aware of the fact that Duo, Quatre, Trowa and Wufei had driven their foes back, with the former minding the exit while the other three moved to aid Ryoko against Nagi. The bounty hunter seemed to have recognized her peril, because she had already begun to edge towards the side of the chamber; Heero surmised that she was looking for an opening to skirt the perimeter and withdraw before she got pinned down. He would've preferred if his friends could neutralize her for good, but if the bounty hunter decided to retreat Heero would gladly chalk that up as a win. From there, they could concentrate their combined forces on both of the branch royals and then make their escape.

"What does my bloodline matter?" asked Heero as he deflected a series of blindingly fast strikes from his adversary's flashing white blades, "It's not like I'm interested in your aristocratic power games. I'm just out to stop a pair of nutcases from claiming a superweapon."

Her eyes narrowed, and Heero feared that he might have unwittingly revealed something to the enemy that he didn't fully understand himself. "You truly don't know, do you? Yosho and Washu… they haven't told you what's truly at stake here. The true power of your bloodline… what you could become… you're blissfully ignorant of all of it!"

Heero had no idea what she was getting at, but figured that playing along couldn't hurt; it'd at least keep her attention on him rather than Nagi's suddenly desperate four-on-one fight with Ryoko, Quatre, Trowa and Wufei. "If you're referring to me being a potential heir to the throne of Jurai, you needn't worry; royal dynastic politics aren't something I particularly care for. Fight for the throne all you want. I'm just here to make sure you don't kill billions of innocent people in the process."

Ragyō shook her head as Heero fought furiously to fend off a flurry of slashes from her. "That's all? Poor boy… you have no idea just what you could truly be capable of. They've kept you in the dark… I'm sure they thought they were protecting you, but they've done quite the opposite."

She then gave him a chilling smile. "If they're afraid of awakening your power, then I'll just have to do it for them, won't I? Perhaps then you'll see that your strength is wasted fighting for them!"

Heero hadn't thought it possible, but her assault immediately took on new levels of ferocity and speed. He'd been on the defensive before, but now it was all he could do to simply block her strikes; there was no room for parries or any kind of counterattack. The sweat that had been building at his brow increased, dripping down the sides of his face as he desperately tried to keep her at bay.

All the while, her words kept replaying themselves in his head. He had no reason to believe anything she had said; she was an enemy, after all. However, there was a gnawing suspicion at the back of his mind that she actually was telling the truth. What particularly worried him was that she hadn't seemed to care at all about his place in the line of succession, and he would've thought that she and Kagato would see him first and foremost as a potential political rival. Ragyō hadn't displayed the slightest bit of concern about him being an heir to the throne, though. She seemed fixated on his individual power more than anything else, and Heero didn't know how to feel about that. He was keenly aware that he'd merely taken a few small steps into a larger world since Ryoko and Ayeka had fallen out of the stars into his life, and while he had learned much in a very short period of time, it was quite apparent that he remained ignorant regarding a great deal of vital information.

Vital information that one of his friends and his grandfather had apparently been keeping from him.

Washu, Yosho… what are you hiding from me?

He'd have to get his answers later.

Assuming he survived past the next twenty-five minutes, of course.

….

"Get back!" Ryoko shouted.

Quatre, Trowa and Wufei were only barely able to get out of the way in time as Nagi activated her saber's whip and lashed out at the incoming humans. The long strand of violet energy zipped through the space where they had been just a moment ago, curling and writhing through the air as though it had a mind of its own. Ryoko was forced to duck as the purple cord swung her way next, with the strand of energy coming a bit too close to comfort.

Even with the odds stacking up against her, she's not about to surrender, Ryoko thought, I guess I'll have to settle for convincing her to run.

The bounty hunter did appear to be angling for the retreat. Ryoko had to begrudgingly give her rival some credit; Nagi wasn't one of those bounty hunters that bought into their own hype, and she was fully capable of recognizing when it was time to cut her losses and move on. Using her saber's energy whip was a good way for her to keep her opponents at bay and buy herself the space she needed to withdraw. She'd still have to get past Duo at the exit, but Ryoko suspected that the young man would be more than happy to let the bounty hunter slip by if it meant that she was running away and therefore not fighting.

Of course, she hadn't retreated yet, which meant that she was very much still an active threat. Even outnumbered four-to-one, Nagi was a dangerous combatant who knew how to play to her strengths and exploit the weaknesses of her opponents. With all four of them pouring fire into her while trying to avoid her whip, she actually had a bit of freedom to maneuver since she didn't have to worry about anyone moving in to attack up close.

And that was when Ryoko saw Nagi's free hand slip to her utility belt and grab two small silver orbs.

"Shit!" she snarled as she unleashed another volley of crimson energy spheres, "Watch out!"

The pair of drones took flight a moment later, and they zipped straight for Ryoko. The pirate tried to shoot them down, but they were relatively tiny targets and insanely agile. In desperation, Ryoko shifted tactics and moved in, trying to take them both down with her bloodred energy sword. She made a wide sweep, but the little buggers were simply too quick. They dodged her strike while flanking her in a classic pincer, and Ryoko found herself engulfed in a storm of blue and green energy a moment later.

Her whole body seized up in agony. Just because she'd experienced it once before didn't mean that it was any easier to take the second time. Of all the nasty little tools Nagi had at her disposal, this was by far the one that Ryoko hated most. She saw her three comrades try to move forward and assist, but the bounty hunter made sure to position herself between them and her. Nagi's whip danced through the air, forcing the three young men to keep their distance and pepper her with sporadic fire. Nagi had chosen her position well; missed shots had the potential to hit Ryoko, so the others had to very careful with their aim.

"You… bitch!" Ryoko growled as jolts of pure pain coursed through her system.

"Nothing personal," Nagi replied, "I just need you to stay down for a bit."

"Go to hell!" Ryoko hissed.

"Release her!" Quatre demanded as he took a shot at the bounty hunter's head, only for her to casually duck beneath it.

Nagi smirked as she struck back with her whip, the violet strand of energy actually grazing Quatre's shields. "Come and get her."

Ryoko saw Quatre, Trowa and Wufei share a brief look before they continued their assault. Trowa had begun to move towards the left, and Ryoko realized that he was angling so he could cut loose with his heavy weapon against Nagi without risking any stray shots hitting her. Wufei had actually put his rifle away and had instead drawn the sword Washu had given him before the start of the mission. Meanwhile, Quatre continued to take precise shots at Nagi, and while he had to take extra care with his aim and thus made his shots easier for the bounty hunter to anticipate and evade, he did succeed in keeping her occupied.

Of course, it was hard for Ryoko to really focus on the minutia of the fight when her very veins felt like fire was coursing through them. A lesser being would've been rendered unconscious by all the energy she was being hit with, and Ryoko was having trouble keeping from blacking out. Damn it, she'd dealt with this before, right? How the hell had she broken loose the last time Nagi had used these cursed things against her?

Heero, she vaguely recalled through the searing agony, I think… it had something to do with Heero…

Even small movements were a severe strain, but she managed to turn her head enough to find the young man who had come to mean so much to her over such a short period of time. What she saw was discouraging to say the least. Heero was damn good fighter, but it didn't take a genius to see that his foe had him on the ropes. He was skilled with blades, but Ragyō was on a whole different level. She had at least centuries of experience in the art of Juraian swordsmanship, if not more, while Heero was used to fighting more as a soldier rather than a warrior. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was still standing.

She could vaguely hear Kagato's sister talking to Heero as they clashed, but the excruciating pain jolting through her body made it difficult for Ryoko to focus on the details of what she was saying. Just the fact that she had the energy needed to speak while hammering Heero with such an unrelenting and vicious assault was disconcerting, though; it spoke to a gap in power that Ryoko did not want to think about. The way Ragyō was looking at Heero didn't help matters either. Whether it was just plain bloodlust or something more, Ryoko didn't like anyone staring at Heero like that, least of all another woman.

He needs your help, damn it, she told herself, Heero's not going to last much longer at this rate! Come on, Ryoko! You broke free of these damn things for his sake once, and you need to do it again!

Heero being in danger had given her the push needed to shatter the hold of Nagi's damned torture drones before, and the young man was certainly under threat now. Try as she might, though, Ryoko couldn't summon the power that her situation required. It felt as if she was missing something, an impulse or push that was lurking just out of sight. It was utterly maddening, and the constant stream of agony coursing through her certainly didn't help matters.

If she couldn't find what she needed soon, then her lover boy just might pay for it with his life.

….

"Come on, Heero…" Washu whispered.

They had barely more than twenty-three minutes on the clock, and the situation hadn't improved much. True, the assassin twins had beat a hasty retreat, and Nagi was now the target of three former Gundam pilots, but that was the only spot of good news. Ryoko was struggling to break free from Nagi's nasty little drones, and her power was desperately needed if the team wanted to stand a ghost of a chance at escaping the repository. Washu had been pleased by Ryoko's growth ever since Heero and her daughter had freed her from that damn stasis pod, but it was clear that she still had a long way to go before she could fully tap into the incredible power that resided within her. That was something Washu vowed to address at the earliest opportunity, but that would be a moot point if they failed to break out and retreat in time.

The same went for Heero; it was clear to Washu that both she and Yosho needed to radically alter their approach with developing his abilities. Yosho could spar with the young man all he wanted, but while it was important to grow Heero's abilities in the art of Juraian swordsmanship, what really mattered was getting him to tap into the true power of his bloodline. He was already a capable fighter, but his combat techniques were still primarily that of a human soldier. That was all well and good against normal opponents, but it just wasn't cutting it in the current situation.

Of all the enemies he could've wound up facing here, Washu thought bitterly, it had to be Kagato's sister…

Washu had feared such an encounter even more than she'd dreaded the inevitable duel between Kagato and Yosho. The old Juraian crown prince at least understood the nature of his opponent and had the benefit of sparring with him in the past; he had a good baseline to work with, and even though Kagato's power had obviously grown over the centuries Yosho could still hold his own and potentially win. Whether or not he actually would triumph here was very much up in the air and something that Washu was definitely worried about, but at least she knew that her friend wasn't completely outclassed.

The same unfortunately could not be said for Heero. By human standards, the young man was a brilliant combatant, and Washu knew that the professional militaries of the galaxy would've tripped over each other to recruit him. This wasn't the kind of clash he was used to, though, and his opponent had him completely outmatched in both experience and skill. He was vulnerable in a way that he likely had never been so before, and Washu suspected that Heero had already come to realize as much. His moves were purely defensive and evasive now; it was taking everything he had to simply stay alive at this point. More and more, Ragyō's blades were slipping through his blocks and deflections, glancing off his shields or even grazing the armor directly. Washu had given Heero some of the finest protective gear in the galaxy, but under an assault like this and against such a foe it was merely delaying the inevitable now.

"Lord Heero…" Ayeka whispered, and Washu saw the Juraian princess trembling even as she continued to maintain her barrier.

She knows, Washu thought grimly, Ayeka… you can see as plain as day that Heero's going to lose this fight.

It wasn't just her; while Hilde was still supporting Washu, the scientist didn't fail to notice how the young woman's free hand was gripping her pistol. Washu admired the sentiment, but she knew that she had to head Hilde off before she did something stupid.

"Don't even think about jumping in there," Washu said firmly, "You might get one shot off, but she'll just block it, and you'll be dead a second later."

"I can't just stand here and watch!" she protested, and even though her visor obscured her face Washu could imagine the desperation and frustration in her eyes.

"That makes two of us," said Ayeka, and if looks could kill then the glare she was shooting at Kagato's sister would have vaporized her on the spot, "Lord Heero is going to fall if this goes on any longer!"

"We cannot stand idly by while Lord Heero's life is at risk!" chimed in Azaka.

"Here, here!" chirped Kamidake.

Washu shot glares at both guardians. "And what exactly are you two going to do? Your offensive capabilities are limited; you wouldn't exactly be hard for Ragyō to take on. You might buy Heero a few seconds, but you wouldn't be good for more than that."

"So you suggest we simply stand here idly and watch?" Ayeka asked, her eyes burning with indignant rage.

Washu shook her head. "No, but intervening directly is a bad idea. We need to get out of here, and I think we've got an opening for it. Look at Nagi."

Both women did so, with Hilde being the first to catch on. "She's on the defensive. She's got Ryoko trapped, but she's not going for the kill; she's looking to get out of here."

Washu nodded. "Exactly. That'll leave the flank exposed; perfect corridor for us to hightail it out of here."

Ayeka gave her a furious glare. "We are not abandoning Lords Heero and Yosho!"

"I never said that we were," Washu shot back quickly, "Once they see us angling for the exit, Heero and the others can begin an organized withdrawal. Remember, we've got what we came for, and in less than 22 minutes this place is going to blow sky high. We need to leave now!"

Hilde nodded. "She's right. We don't have any time to waste. It's time to pack it in. The others will see what we're doing and form up as a rearguard."

"Princess Ayeka, we await your command," said Azaka.

"We will save all of you!" Kamidake added.

Ayeka sighed. "Very well. Azaka, take point. Kamidake, you're at the rear. The rest of us will be in the middle. Shift your field projection to form a sphere around us. I will reinforce your barriers with my own. Let's move!"

She takes command quite quickly once she knows what must be done, Washu thought with more than a hint of approval, Ayeka… you've grown beyond the sheltered princess you were mere months ago.

"The clock is ticking!" chirped Azaka as he began led them forward and along the left wall of the chamber.

"We must proceed with haste!" Kamidake chimed in.

For once, I actually agree with the floating tin cans, Washu mused as she leaned on Hilde, Today's just full of surprises, isn't it?

Of course, it wasn't like their group could move without being noticed. Washu caught both Kagato and Ragyō taking brief glances their way, and she was sure that Nagi was aware of them making a break for it as well. Hopefully it wouldn't matter; with barely more than twenty minutes before the place went up in flames, there wouldn't be much time for a running fight on the way out.

"Hilde, try to reach Ryo-Ohki and the Yagami," Washu ordered, "Let them know what's going on."

Hilde nodded. "I'll see if I can get through to them."

As they moved along the edge of the chamber, Washu was pleased to see that the others were already preparing for the withdrawal. Trowa had moved to position himself between Nagi and their escape route, laying down a steady stream of orange energy bolts to discourage her from trying to attack Washu's group. Wufei was attempting to attack her up close with his sword to keep her distracted, although the way her violet whip wildly flashed through the air wasn't making things easy for him. Quatre was trying to get to Ryoko so he could take out the drones that were shocking her, but Nagi apparently hadn't forgotten about him and was able to use her whip to keep on the defensive even as she worked to fend off Wufei. The situation was hardly ideal, and Washu knew that Ryoko had the power to break free of Nagi's orbs herself, but she had to figure out how to tap into it first.

Come on, Ryoko, she silently pleaded with her daughter, I know those damn things hurt, but you've beaten them before and can shake them off again! If there were a moment for you to tap into your true potential, now would be a very good time for it!

Even as one part of her mind raced to come up with a backup plan in case Ryoko failed to free herself from Nagi's trap, her gaze shifted towards Heero and Yosho. Preventers operative and Juraian crown prince alike had both recognized the shifting situation and were already moving to adjust. Grandfather and grandson had originally kept themselves between their respective foes and the room where Washu and Hilde had been before, but now they were both trying to angle in order to remain an obstacle between the two cadet branch royals and Washu's group as they made their way around the edge of the room. Yosho was having an easier time doing so than Heero; the skill gap between the old warrior and Washu's former colleague wasn't nearly as great as that between the young man and the vicious aristocrat with the twin white blades.

As Yosho expertly deflected a series of slashes from Kagato while gradually beginning to pull back, Heero was barely hanging in there. A flurry of blindingly quick thrusts from Ragyō nearly proved to be the end of him, with two strikes slipping through his defenses and leaving blackened furrows on his armor's chest plating. Washu winced at the sight; they hadn't penetrated completely, but if they were doing this kind of damage now then it meant that the shields were utterly burnt out. The armor was tough even without its energy barriers, but Juraian Keys could cut through damn near anything and were one of the few melee weapons that Washu knew posed a genuine threat to the suits she'd made.

If Heero wanted to, Washu knew he could escape. The thrusters built into the armor all appeared to be undamaged, and they'd be more than enough to give him a significant lead against his foe. However, if he did so, then he'd be leaving the rest of the group open to Ragyō. Combine that with the fact that Ryoko was still trapped and in pain, Washu knew that there was no way in hell that Heero would withdraw.

He won't pull out until he knows that everyone else is safe, she thought, Heero, I admire your selflessness, but it's going to cost you here. You don't understand this, but if my hunch about you is right, you're more important to stopping Kagato than anyone else here. We can't afford to lose you!

Had Kagato and Ragyō come to the same conclusion? It was certainly possible, but if that were the case, then why hadn't they gone at Heero with everything they had right from the start of the fight? If their minds were on the same track as Washu's, then surely, they understood the level of threat Heero could potentially pose to them. Common sense should've dictated that they eliminate him immediately if they suspected what Washu did about the young man. Yet Heero was still standing, albeit shakily at best, which meant… what, exactly? It was a puzzle that Washu knew needed to be solved quickly, but she hardly had the time to work on it under the current circumstances.

And that was when disaster struck.

Jumping back with the aid of his thrusters, Heero put his knife away and grabbed one of his grenades. He hadn't used any in the fight so far; his adversary hadn't given him the breathing room for it. Washu knew a desperation ploy when she saw one, and she knew it was doomed. A grenade wouldn't work here, but Heero didn't understand that. It was one more price that Washu was paying for not telling him the full truth about what he was getting himself into with this mission.

Heero let fly with the grenade as his feet hit the ground. His aim was good, but his opponent was already reacting; she was way too fast to get caught by such a crude weapon. The black orb burst into a brilliant sphere of blue-white light, but Ragyō had already slipped around to the side, just skirting the maximum effective range of the blast. It was a calculated risk, one that was completely in character for the adrenaline junkie aristocrat, and it paid off. She was able to swiftly close the gap between herself and Heero as the blast faded behind her, and with only the stolen sword at the ready her opponent's defenses now had a gap in them.

A gap that Ragyō immediately and ruthlessly exploited.

Washu could tell that Heero recognized his peril, and she saw that he was already trying to draw his knife again. He was fast, but his foe was faster. Her snow-white blades flashed through the air in the blink of an eye, with the right knocking the knife out of his hand as he attempted to draw it while Heero desperately blocked the left. It wasn't enough, for the right blade flashed forward again…

…and thrust down into his left leg.

….

Ryoko didn't have access to a mirror, but she was certain that her complexion had turned as white as the blade that had plunged into Heero's leg. The pain coursing through her courtesy of Nagi's damnable orbs had been reduced to a mere background throbbing, while the sounds of the fighting around her became little more than a muffled droning. In that moment, the only thing that mattered to her was the fact that Heero had been seriously wounded.

It was impossible for him to hide, though he was certainly trying. To his credit, the young man was still standing, but his footing was shaky at best. He had his sword in a guard position, but the smirk on his opponent's face was all Ryoko needed to know just how little that meant; Ragyō had him at her mercy, and she knew it.

Heero was defenseless.

Unless someone intervened…

…Heero was going to get killed.

That thought was the only one in Ryoko's mind now. The agony from the floating spheres, the rest of the fight; she didn't give a rat's ass about any of that.

Heero needed help.

Now.

She was dimly aware of Ayeka shrieking Heero's name, but the Juraian princess had her hands full shielding Washu and Hilde; she and her guardians would be of no help here. The others were either facing their own foes or securing the escape route; Ryoko was the only one out of them who could possibly save Heero. Without her help, his fate was sealed.

Without her help, Heero would die.

No…

Never…

Not a chance in hell!

Whether it was desperate fear or sheer rage that triggered it, Ryoko didn't know. She didn't care. All she knew was the moment she realized that Heero's life was in her hands and hers alone, she felt an explosion of energy and heat within her chest. It reminded her of the surge of power she'd felt the first time she'd faced Nagi back at the countryside estate, but this was so much stronger. She felt as though an inferno had suddenly blazed to life within her, and arcs of crimson energy began coursing all over her body. At the same time, a strange mental image flashed before her mind's eye.

For the briefest of moments, she saw a dark silhouette of herself…

…with a tiny crimson sphere glowing inside her chest.

The light from that sphere suddenly became brighter than the sun, completely filling up the silhouette…

…and bursting forth like a star going nova.

….

Washu's power didn't manifest itself in the way that a Juraian's would, or in the manner that Ryoko's did for that matter. When she'd come down to the third dimension in order to see the grand design that she and her two colleagues had woven into existence all those eons ago, she'd purposely limited the abilities that she could access in her corporeal form. It was a necessary measure; it wouldn't do to risk accidentally rewriting the very fabric of existence due to a momentary lapse in control, after all. She'd compensated by primarily relying on her intellect and the vast array of inventions she'd developed over the ages, and she honestly liked it better that way. Having to use her wits as opposed to raw power provided her with so many interesting opportunities to expand and test her knowledge, and the lessons learned in the process were normally quite worthwhile.

That being said, she had kept a few of her more passive abilities. The one she'd considered the most essential was the capacity to sense energy, whether it be Juraian or otherwise. It wasn't foolproof; she hadn't been able to sense Heero's power until it had been activated courtesy of Tenchi-ken literally falling into his hand, after all. Still, on the whole it was quite reliable, and it had served her well over the millennia.

It was because of that sense that Washu immediately realized what had happened with Ryoko. The power of the crimson gem that she had implanted in her daughter was finally being tapped into in earnest now. This was more than the brief surge of power she'd witnessed from Ryoko during her first fight with Nagi; this was the seed Washu had planted truly sprouting now. Under other circumstances, Washu might've smiled, but this was hardly the occasion for it.

Crimson energy was coursing all over Ryoko's body, and it quickly surged into the two silver orbs that restrained her. The devices couldn't handle the rush of power, and just like in the first encounter with Nagi when Ryoko had tapped into this power, they exploded in short order. Washu felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end; the moment of truth was here. Would her power be enough to turn the tide of this desperate situation? At this point, it was the only card they had left to play.

Washu hoped that she was reading things right, because if she wasn't…

…then she could be seconds away from watching Ryoko get herself killed.

….

The pain wasn't nearly as bad as Heero had expected. Then again, that could've just been the adrenaline shooting through his veins. He'd taken plenty of bad hits in his time, and it wasn't uncommon for the pain to hit hard once Heero was out of danger and actually had time to think about whatever injury he'd taken. Still, taking a blade of energy right through the leg should've hurt like hell, pumping adrenaline or otherwise.

He heard AIDA's voice in his ear, and she sounded genuinely concerned. "Heero, talk to me! Can you move your leg? You need to run, now!"

He was dimly aware of his heavy breathing and the sweat running down his face. His left leg was throbbing something fierce, but based on where the penetration mark in the armor was from where Ragyō's blade had plunged in and then pulled out, it didn't look like she'd hit bone. There was no blood, either; the energy sword must've cauterized the wound. It had only cut through the flesh of his leg, which Heero considered to be a blessing.

Of much more immediate concern to him was the grinning white-haired cadet branch royal standing before him. Heero had kept the blade held in his right hand at a guard position despite his injury, but he wasn't about to fool himself; he could maybe block one or two strikes from his adversary at best before she'd land a fatal blow. She had him, and she knew it. In fact, Heero had to wonder why she hadn't finished him off already.

He got his answer a moment later. "Very well fought, boy! Few can claim to have lasted so long against me. Consider it an honor."

She casually twirled her blades, her eyes narrowing as she regarded him. "You still have a chance. Your talents are wasted with this lot, especially when they won't tell you the truth about what you're getting yourself into… the truth about what you have the potential to become. Come with us, and we'll answer all your questions and then some. Join us, and you'll have a place of honor in our grand design. The galactic order will be remade; you will help us usher in a new golden age."

Heero didn't even consider it. "Go to hell."

She gave a theatrical sigh. "As stubborn as your grandfather… so be it."

The cadet branch royal raised her blades, and Heero braced for the onslaught. He couldn't run, and he was definitely outmatched; this was a last stand, there was no denying that.

And that was when he heard an utterly demonic growl come from a familiar female voice. "Get the HELL away from him!"

A blur sheathed in crackling crimson energy suddenly appeared between Heero and Ragyō. Rather than strike Heero down, Kagato's sister was forced onto the defensive as the bloodred shaft of Ryoko's energy blade crashed into her swords. There was no finesse or technique here; Ryoko was attacking with raw power…

…and Heero was shocked by how much power was emanating from her.

With Tenchi-ken having been the necessary catalyst to awakening his Juraian power, Heero had of course become aware of his senses heightening, and that included the ability to sense the energy that he hadn't been able to detect before the Master Key had fallen into his hand. While he hadn't been focusing nearly as much on developing that sense as he had on trying to understand the power of his bloodline in general and how to apply it in combat, he'd still made an effort to comprehend just what it was that he was feeling from some of his allies now. Yosho, Ayeka, Sasami, the Royal Guardians, Ryoko, even Washu; they all had a certain energy about them, although Heero still had a long way to go when it came to narrowing down the individual traits of their energy and understanding how it really worked. Still, he had begun to get a distinct sense for each of them, especially when it came to Ryoko; she was the least subdued when it came to her powers by a long shot. Still…

…he'd never sensed anything like this from her before.

The closest thing he could liken it to was a storm, a roiling tempest of power with the lovely pirate at the epicenter. It was wild, violent, and brutally powerful…

…and right now, it was all directed at Ragyō.

There was a scarlet light blazing in Ryoko's golden eyes, matching the sparks of energy crackling around her. Her crimson energy blade was pulsing, as if the power within it was barely contained. She spited Ragyō with a furious glare, one that Heero couldn't recall ever seeing Ryoko giving a foe before. She was enraged…

…and she had a staggering amount of power to act on that rage with.

Her swings slammed into Ragyō's defenses like the blows of a mighty smith beating hot metal with a hammer. There was no finesse or technique here; just a relentless brute force assault. While her foe was able to block her blows, each strike was clearly rattling her. One of the downsides of wielding two blades at once meant that the pure strength of both the offense and defense of the wielder was effectively halved, with the fighter in question essentially having sacrificed offensive power and defensive endurance for faster strikes from multiple angles to overwhelm their opponent with. Ryoko was taking full advantage of that here, with the burning power coursing through her giving her the energy to strike quickly with overwhelming power in such a manner that her foe had to utilize both white blades to block her attacks. For a few moments, Heero dared hope that it might be enough to break through Ragyō's defenses and decisively defeat her.

Unfortunately, he quickly realized that pure force, no matter how much of it Ryoko might be wielding, just wasn't sufficient. It was enough to put the enemy momentarily on the backfoot, but Heero understood that the only reason it had achieved even that much was through simple surprise and momentum. Once Kagato's sister recovered from the former, she would be able to reverse the latter in short order.

"It's not enough," he muttered under his breath, "She needs help."

"Are you insane?" AIDA cried out in a tone that struck Heero as close to outright panic, "Heero, you need to run! You won't last five seconds if you dive back into the fray! You need to go; we all do!"

"I'm not abandoning Ryoko," Heero firmly replied.

Even as he said that, though, he was acutely aware of the razor's edge the situation had become. There was barely more than nineteen minutes left on the timer, with each second ticking down entirely too quickly. Washu and her escorts had worked their way around most of the chamber by now and were getting close to the exit; they had a clear line of retreat, with Duo still watching the doorway. Nagi was still fending off Quatre and Wufei, but Heero didn't fail to notice how her eyes kept darting towards the exit; the bounty hunter wasn't in the mood to stick around much longer. The only two hostiles who still seemed eager to play were the cadet branch royals, and they showed no signs of letting up.

He saw Ryoko complete a particularly vicious series of slashes and overhand strikes with her energy blade before taking to the air. She kept the crimson shaft active in her right hand, but she aimed the open palm of her left at Ragyō and unleashed a torrent of crimson energy balls. These were larger than the ones she'd fired off before, and while her adversary managed to evade the ones that she couldn't outright block with her twin white blades, Heero saw that it did take her some effort to deflect the ones that got too close for comfort. Those that she evaded left broad circular scorch marks on the floor of the chamber, with sections of the metal almost glowing from the heat. Whatever power Ryoko was drawing on now, it had granted her offensive capabilities a considerable boost. How long could she keep it up, though? They'd been fighting almost nonstop ever since they'd landed at the repository, after all. Power boost or not, she had to be feeling some kind of strain. By contrast, her foe was still quite fresh, and that didn't appear to be changing anytime soon.

Already, her foe was starting to regain her footing. Ryoko was still on the offensive, alternating between volleys of crimson energy spheres and sweeping in for strikes with her sword, but her adversary was beginning to adapt. There was a greater emphasis on evasion in her form now rather than the unrelenting ferocity from before, a deftness that struck Heero as close to a ballerina's grace. She didn't even try to block Ryoko's attacks head on, but instead fell back as she parried the strikes in order to bleed off some of their might. Her deadly speed was beginning to return to the fore, and despite the incredible power that Ryoko was throwing at her, a small smirk had appeared on Ragyō's face. It was the smirk of a predator that was drawing its prey into a trap.

I need to get in there, Heero thought, I don't give a damn about my injuries. I have to help.

Ryoko's going to die if I don't help her.

He took a step forward, but a lance of fresh pain shot through his left leg. After surviving the self-detonation of the Wing Gundam, Heero had been pretty sure that he could take just about any kind of physical agony, but the fire coursing through his nervous system from the wound in his leg was making a fierce argument to the contrary. Heero had been trained to block out even extreme pain, yet he was struggling to keep down the searing torment that his wound sought to overwhelm him with.

"Heero, don't!" AIDA ordered firmly, "Don't even try it! Heero, are you listening to me? Do you have a damn death wish?"

Logically, Heero knew she was right. Diving back into the fight would maybe give Ryoko a brief window to land a hit on Ragyō, but that was it. Hell, there was no guarantee that he'd accomplish even that much. Under other circumstances, Heero would've already been trying to withdraw given the injury he'd sustained. He certainly would've ordered any of his friends who'd taken such a hit to retreat.

As he watched Ryoko clash with Ragyō, though, Heero knew that he couldn't do that. While the lovely pirate was continuing to hammer away at the cadet branch royal with vicious slashes from her sword and powerful volleys of crimson energy balls, from the growing sweat on her brow and her clenched jaw it was clear that Ryoko was growing frustrated. She had her opponent beat in raw power, but it wasn't enough to compensate for the gap in skill and technique. Whatever was fueling her offensive could only increase her strength; it couldn't refine her abilities to match the finesse of her adversary. She needed more training, and if the look on Ragyō's face was any indication, Ryoko's opponent was about to make sure that the pirate didn't get the chance to hone her skills any further.

"Heero, come on!" called Hilde, "We've got to go!"

"It's time to retreat, Lord Heero!" Ayeka shouted.

Heero knew that they were right, but he ignored them just as he had AIDA. His focus was squarely on Ryoko and Ragyō, and it was clear that the latter had now fully adapted to the former's surge in strength and was ready to counterattack. After deflecting a powerful overhand strike from the pirate, the cadet branch royal struck back with a pair of blindingly fast slashes. Ryoko was able to block one, but the other grazed her left leg, cutting through the fabric and leaving a burn streak on her skin. It was a purely superficial wound, but Heero instinctively knew that the next would be far more serious.

He wasn't about to let that happen.

He refused to let her get hurt, let alone die, for his sake.

An image flashed through his mind in that moment, one that should have had no place in this moment, yet at the same time it was one that perfectly encapsulated for Heero what was at stake in this fight. Suddenly, he wasn't on some far away world in the middle of a battle, but back in his room at the countryside safehouse…

…lying in bed with Ryoko the morning after their first night of passion.

Her warm face smiling down at him, that mischievous glint in her amber eyes, her wild turquoise hair even more disheveled than usual thanks to their tryst the previous night…

If Heero didn't act now, he'd lose her forever.

He gunned the thrusters of his armor, completely ignoring the excruciating pain in his left leg. At the same time, he felt a strange prickling sensation at the back of his neck…

…which quickly unleashed a flood of Juraian energy racing through his veins.

….

Heero had no way of knowing that the sensation he'd felt at the back of his neck was induced by something artificial. Washu hadn't seen fit to inform him of the small crimson gem that she'd buried within his armor, just as she hadn't informed Ryoko of the one that she'd implanted within her. Would telling the two of them about what they carried before the mission have made a difference? In this case, Washu doubted it. Genuine and desperate emotions would've been needed regardless, and if the two of them had known about the hidden gems and what they were capable of it was quite possible that their fear and desperation wouldn't have been powerful enough to awaken them.

At least, that's what Washu told herself. Keeping secrets was something of a bad habit for her, one that she knew had caused more than its share of problems for both herself and the people around her. If they made it out of here in one piece, she would certainly have some explaining to do to the others.

Just as she'd been able to sense the moment Ryoko had awakened the gem implanted within her, so had Washu been able to detect the activation of the one that she'd hidden away inside Heero's armor. The surge of energy racing through the young man as he'd recklessly charged Ragyō had been impossible to miss; Washu was certain that she wasn't the only one who'd detected it. She wished that the young man was wielding Tenchi-ken at the moment instead of the sword he'd stolen from one of her drones so she could've seen how the Master Key would've reacted to such an awakening, but that was something she'd hopefully get to test later.

Of much more immediate concern to Washu was how the energy surging through Heero would manifest itself in this fight. The way he was moving now seemed to indicate that it was at least dulling the pain from the wound he'd taken earlier, but that wasn't going to be nearly enough. They needed something more, a genuine game-changer, and there was only one Washu could think of that might turn the tide here.

Come on, Heero, she thought, Please…

Please tell me I haven't been wrong this whole time…

She watched with bated breath as the young man barreled into the cadet branch royal. His charge had taken Ragyō completely by surprise, and she was barely able to block his attack. Ryoko's eyes widened in shock as Heero rejoined the fray, but that didn't stop her from redoubling her own assault on Kagato's sister. With Heero attacking from the right and Ryoko from the left, they had their foe momentarily on the backfoot, but Washu wasn't fooled; she'd recover all too quickly.

Indeed, without the knife in his off-hand, Heero only had the sword to attack with, limiting his options. He was making good use to it, but Washu had seen Ragyō take on multiple opponents simultaneously in the past; two-on-one odds were hardly a dealbreaker for her. Her twin white blades were moving so fast that they practically weaved sheets of energy between her and her opponents. Nothing Heero or Ryoko threw at her could get through, and while Heero's helmet prevented Washu from seeing his expression, the growing frustration of her daughter was visible for all to see.

The seconds continued to tick down on Washu's mental timer. Eighteen minutes to go; their window for escape was getting very narrow now. If there was going to be any kind of game-changer, it was now or never.

"Heero…" she whispered under her breath, hating how all she could really do right now was watch.

And that was when it happened.

For a moment, when Ragyō had deflected both Heero and Ryoko's attacks, there was a brief opening in Heero's defenses. Terror had gripped Washu's heart as the cadet branch royal ruthlessly exploited it, thrusting towards Heero's chest. Heero had desperately moved his left arm in front of the sword, but Washu knew that all the gesture would achieve was him losing the limb.

At least, it would've if a bar of white energy hadn't appeared over said limb at the last possible moment.

No…

Not a bar…

A wing!

Washu's heart leapt up into her throat as she saw Ragyō's blade bounce harmlessly off the barrier that was hovering over Heero's left arm. The scientist felt an immense surge of satisfaction as she watched the cadet branch royal's eyes widen in shock at what she was seeing… and it wasn't just her. The entire chamber had become completely still as friend and foe alike struggled to process what had just happened. Heero's fellow former Gundam pilots and Hilde didn't know what it meant, of course, so their surprise was much more contained than that of Washu and the others.

Millions of possibilities flashed through Washu's mind in that brief moment. It was premature to jump to conclusions; she would need to spend some quality time with Heero and Yosho once they were safely away from this place to confirm what she really wanted to know. However, the fact that the first step had been taken was momentous in and of itself, in a way that only a few people in that chamber truly realized.

Heero Yuy, Preventers operative, former Gundam pilot, and bastard descendant of the main line of Jurai's Royal Family…

…had generated his first Light Hawk Wing.

….

Since the moment she'd learned of Heero's true heritage, Ayeka had known in her head that what she was seeing now had always been a distinct possibility. Still, there was a difference between knowing mentally and actually seeing something for herself, and in this case the event in question was suitably momentous that Ayeka's jaw dropped in astonishment. It was an expression that should've been beneath the dignity and decorum of a Juraian princess, but right now Ayeka absolutely did not give a damn.

"A Light Hawk Wing…" she said softly, her mind struggling to wrap itself around the significance of the event and what it boded for the future.

She wanted to pinch herself to make sure that this wasn't all just some fever dream, but she didn't dare add further distraction to her plate lest she lose concentration and dispel her barrier. As it was, concentrating was proving to be quite difficult when she was seeing the young man that she'd thought up until recently had been a physically normal human manifesting what was perhaps the most renowned and sacred power that flowed through the blood of Jurai's Royal Family. If Ayeka had been worried before about the stir that the revelation of Yosho's survival and producing an heir would cause in the empire once it became known, that absolutely paled in comparison to the commotion that would be unleashed once word of this got out.

And the young man at the center of it all was completely oblivious to what it meant.

Ayeka could hardly fault Heero for that, of course. At the moment, he was doing everything in his power to simply survive and protect his companions. He'd been plucked from the small pond that was Earth and dropped headfirst into vast ocean that was the wider galaxy, and he was now swimming through very stormy seas to say the least. Indeed, if Ayeka's fears were correct, as fierce as their current skirmish was it would absolutely pale in comparison to the turmoil that lay ahead for not just her immediate entourage but the galaxy as a whole.

Now was hardly a good time to consider the fraught path that doubtlessly lay ahead, though. Ayeka didn't know precisely how much time they had left before the repository went up in flames, but every second that they lingered here was one that she could quite happily do without. Her group was close to the exit now, the open doorway beckoning to them like a campfire to moths. Ayeka wanted nothing more than to break into a dead spring at that very moment; she'd never been the most athletic princess in the Royal Family, but she was confident at this point that sheer adrenaline would carry her all the way to the landing pad at the front of the facility. Even so, if Kagato, Ragyō and Nagi were to pursue, Ayeka doubted she and her companions could outrun them. There was also the concern that the treasonous cadet branch royals had additional forces lying in wait to ambush them on the way out. Their escape remained precarious to say the least, yet staying here was not an option.

We must take our chances and flee now…

…before it's too late!

….

To say that the day had been an interesting one thus far for Kagato would be a considerable understatement. Sure, he'd certainly been hoping for some excitement, and a duel with his old friend more than fulfilled that desire, but a pair of unexpected developments in rapid succession were causing him to have second thoughts.

How curious, he mused as he pressed Yosho with a series of sweeping slashes meant to put some distance between the two of them while he assessed the situation, and rather… concerning.

The sudden surge of power from Ryoko had naturally gotten his attention even as he kept up the pressure on Yosho. While tales of the notorious pirate's strength were nothing new to him, one of the reasons he had hired Nagi was to provide a necessary counter to the outlaw, a counter that the bounty hunter had been able to provide until just now. It was one thing for Ryoko to suddenly burn out the devices that Nagi had used to restrain her, but the energy he sensed flowing from her now well exceeded that, and it was directly squarely at his sister. Kagato didn't doubt Ragyō's abilities; in terms of skill and technique with the blade, she was all but peerless. A brute force assault wouldn't work against her, and while the power Ryoko had been throwing at her had initially put her on the backfoot, she had already recovered and had been preparing to turn the tide back in her favor.

And that had been when the second development had come into play.

Of all the actors that had taken to the stage in this grand performance, none had presented quite as much of a puzzle to Kagato as Yosho's heir. What he'd learned from Nagi and the memories she'd extracted from Washu had offered many tantalizing clues; former guerilla fighter par excellence, a pilot that could give even aces from the Galaxy Police and the Empire of Jurai a run for their money, an elite government operative with a considerable mission portfolio, and much more. The fact that he had become such an accomplished individual without tapping into the power of his bloodline had raised the obvious question; what would he be capable of once he learned how to wield the energy that resided within him?

Tenchi-ken first awakened his power barely more than a week ago, Kagato thought as he was forced to fend of Yosho's counterattack, That's not enough time for Yosho or Washu to have given him any more than introductory training regarding his abilities. His energy is still raw and untested; he should require years of instruction to wield it properly.

And yet…

…he's already awakened a damn Light Hawk Wing!

It might've been only one, but even one was far more than Kagato had expected from the young man at this point. That alone raised several questions, and few of them had easy answers. Kagato didn't mind a bit of risk; nothing ventured, nothing gained, after all. However, more variables were starting to crop up here than he was comfortable with, and that was before taking into consideration the obvious elephant in the room; time.

He had heard Ayeka's announcement once Washu had left the room at the far end of the chamber loud and clear, and he was sure that had been intentional on her part. By his estimation, there was less than eighteen minutes on the clock, and the margin for error was not a large one. Withdrawal merited serious consideration at this point, and despite the fact that he still didn't have the prize he'd came for, Kagato found himself leaning more towards retreat with each passing moment. While that obviously meant failing to retrieve the data that all this had been for, survival was a much more immediate concern.

This is not the end, he told himself as he parried a thrust from Yosho, I know Washu; she loves escalation, and that will doubtlessly apply to the defenses of her precious repositories. The measures she took to protect this facility were such that she had to come here with an elite team to make it down here, and if she's still following her old habits, then that means the next repository in line will be a much tougher nut to track. She'll require greater resources, and whatever efforts she takes to acquire them will leave ripples that I can trace back to her.

The logical course of action was clear; a tactical withdrawal, followed by a reassessment of the playing field and an adjustment to their long-term plans. Leaving without the data would impede his progress in the short-term, but Kagato prided himself on possessing the required cunning to work around such an obstacle. After all, his grand designs wouldn't amount to much if he and his entourage died when the repository was destroyed.

He gave his opponent a small nod and smile; if nothing else, Kagato could at least bow out with grace. "You win this round, old friend. I'll be looking forward to our rematch! Sister, Nagi; we're withdrawing!"

He knew he'd get no pushback from the bounty hunter, but Ragyō was something of a concern. Kagato knew how she got when she was immersed in an entertaining fight, and he feared for a moment that she would protest. Indeed, a quick glance at her was enough to tell him that she was none too happy with his call; the glare she shot him more than attested to that. Still, she didn't argue the matter. Kagato suspected that she was saving that for when they were clear.

He shifted to a one-handed grip on his sword as he reached for a small black sphere that was attached to his belt. Nagi was doing the same, and with just a quick nod to each other the two of them flung the devices at the floor. Their respective opponents backed off as the spheres detonated into brilliant flashes of white light. Kagato didn't need to look at his sister to know that she was already breaking off; the flashes from the pair of grenades were bright enough that she didn't need to add her own to the mix.

The flash grenades wouldn't conceal their escape for long; Kagato fully expected for the helmets Washu had provided the humans to include special visual protection in their visors against intense light. However, they were only required to provide a momentary distraction while the trio broke for the exit, and they accomplished their task quite well. Nagi was the closest to the doorway, with a swing of her whip forcing the human standing guard at the exit to back off and giving their party the room needed to make their getaway.

"You fool," his sister hissed at him as they raced up the corridor, "Another few seconds and I would've defeated the pirate and Yosho's heir!"

"Time is a luxury we no longer have here," Kagato calmly replied with a smile, "Be patient, my dear sister; I suspect you'll get your chance for a rematch soon enough."

Glancing at Nagi, he saw the bounty hunter holding her left gauntlet close to her mouth as she spoke into it. "Ken-Ohki, get to the entrance and be ready for extraction. We're going to have to blast off in a hurry!"

"We'll ride with you," said Kagato, "Contact the Silver Hand and advise them to get clear; we'll meet them in orbit."

As the bounty hunter carried out his order, Kagato's mind was already racing ahead. He would have to return to his seat of power, and he'd likely have to begin marshalling his forces ahead of schedule. The game had changed; new pieces were in play, events were moving faster than he'd anticipated, and he'd hit an unexpected snag. It was quite vexing, and yet…

…he found himself smiling again.

An easy game is not worth playing, he mused, and with the way things are going now, the path ahead promises to be anything but easy. That's as it should be with Washu and Yosho involved though. Not to mention the boy… oh, yes; he will most certainly bear watching from here on out.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll become, Heero Yuy!

….

Heero blinked a few times as his vision cleared. The flash-dampening visor of his helmet had mostly done its job, but the initial glare had still briefly overwhelmed it. Heero had reflexively raised both his sword and his left arm in a guard stance, and even with the strange white barrier covering the limb he hadn't been completely confident in his ability to defend himself should Ragyō strike again. His greater concern had been for Ryoko, though; as far as he could tell, she still only had her crimson energy sword to block saber strikes with. Thankfully, their enemy had decided to retreat, so that was one worry that Heero could scratch off his list.

Of course, that left Heero a moment to actually think about the other worry he now had; the strange white wing-like barrier that had formed over his left arm. He certainly wasn't complaining about it, seeing as without it he most certainly would've lost the limb. However, he had no idea how he'd brought it into being in the first place. It wasn't just that; he could feel his Juraian energy coursing through him much stronger than it had been before, like a cool mountain stream that was gathering force to become a roaring river. The fact that it was numbing the pain in his leg was an added bonus, but Heero was very much concerned about what this all meant for him in the long-run. He was vaguely aware of his own heavy breathing; how long had he been on his feet and fighting at this point? Heero honestly couldn't say at the moment, but he highly doubted that he'd be able to keep it up much longer.

"Hey," said AIDA nervously, and Heero almost jumped at her voice, "Heero… you okay?"

"I'm… not sure," he answered, "Still alive, though, so I'll take that."

"Good," AIDA continued, "because we've got less than seventeen minutes to get clear before this whole place goes kaboom! We need to move now!"

She was right, and the seconds on the timer were ticking down entirely too quickly for his liking. Heero took a quick moment to look around the chamber and make sure that everyone was accounted for and that the enemy had truly made a break for it. That was when he saw that everyone was looking at him…

…or, more precisely, the white wing of energy hovering over his arm.

Not knowing what else to do, he turned to Yosho, who was regarding him with what looked like a mix of curiosity and pride. "Any idea how I turn this thing off? You're the resident expert on my Juraian energy."

"Turn it off later!" AIDA snapped, "It's time to run!"

Yosho chuckled. "Just focus on yourself for the moment. I'll help you deactivate it once we're clear, assuming it doesn't fade on its own."

Heero nodded before turning to the others. "Hilde, you're carrying Washu. Duo, take point. AIDA, contact Ryo-Ohki and the Yagami; the former can pick us up while the latter provides covering fire if the enemy interferes with our retreat. Let's move, people!"

The group quickly broke into a run, and while Heero was dimly aware of the throbbing coming from his left leg, the energy coursing through him was still largely keeping the pain at a manageable level. Heero didn't know how long it would last, and could only hope that it would hold until they were clear.

As they fled the chamber and began racing through the corridor, Heero saw that Ryoko had fallen in alongside him. The incredible torrent of energy that he'd sensed flowing through her earlier seemed to be subsiding, but she still had enough power to keep afloat and didn't look particularly worried about herself at the moment. Her gaze was on him, and she gave him a quick smile when she realized that he'd caught her staring.

"How's the leg?" she asked.

"Trying not to think about it," Heero replied.

Ryoko winced. "Ah, that makes sense. Sorry I brought it up. If it gives out on you, I'll carry you the rest of the way."

Heero couldn't help but chuckle despite the fact that they were presently running for their lives. "You know, this armor isn't exactly light."

Ryoko smirked as sparks of crimson energy crackled across her body. "Oh, please; with all the power I can feel inside me right now, lifting you won't be a problem!"

"I hope we don't have to test that," Heero wryly quipped.

"Less talking, more running!" AIDA snapped.

Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Fine, mom."

"I heard that!" Washu called from behind them.

The white wing over his left arm began to flicker, and Heero could feel the throbbing in his leg begin to intensify somewhat as they raced up the corridor. He could keep going for now, but if this kept up then there was the distinct possibility of him taking Ryoko up on her offer.

Keep it together, he told himself as he glanced at the timer on his HUD again, Focus on what needs to be done here and now. Above all else, get everyone out of here alive.

That is your mission now!

….

"You catch all that?" asked AIDA.

"Affirmative," said Kiyone as she turned to her partner, "Mihoshi, bring up the data on the projector."

"You got it!" her copilot chirped.

A holographic image of the repository appeared, with a red blinking and moving dot showing the ground team's current location. A timer appeared over the repository, and Kiyone grimaced when she saw just how tight their window of escape was.

"AIDA, how powerful is the blast going to be when this thing blows?" asked Kiyone.

"Let me put it this way," AIDA answered, "You're going to want to be at least in low orbit by then, preferably higher. That good enough for you?"

Kiyone nodded. "Yup. We'll stay hidden for as long as we can in case Kagato decides to block your escape. We can't take his ship in a straight-up fight, but we can probably distract him long enough for Ryo-Ohki to sweep in and grab you guys. After that, we'll throw everything into the engines and gun it."

"Sounds good," said AIDA, "We'll see you topside."

Kiyone took a moment to check the ship's readings. In order to make sure the cloaking device could maintain coverage for a prolonged period of time, almost every other system had been either shut down entirely or reduced to minimal power. Kiyone would have to start bringing the ship back up to full power immediately if they wanted to make their getaway, but the cloaking device would almost certainly burn out within minutes.

Can't be helped, she thought as her fingers danced across the console, I'll just have to hope that we can find a secure port to pull into after we get out of here; Yagami is going to need an overhaul for sure after the cloak generator gets fried.

She checked the timer again as she started powering up the ship's primary systems. Kiyone doubted that the cloak would hold for the entirety of what was left on the clock given what she was going, but if Kagato really was in retreat and didn't stick around once he and his ground party were picked up then that wouldn't matter. She could feel nervous sweat begin to build at her brow; they would be cutting this close.

"Mihoshi, where's Ken-Ohki?" she asked.

Mihoshi leaned in to study the sensor display. "Still circling overhead… wait a second. He's descending… looks like he's going for the landing platform!"

"They're probably using him for the extraction," said Kiyone, "What about that armed yacht from before? Still hovering over the lake?"

Mihoshi shook her head. "Their engines just flared up. I think they're breaking for orbit!"

Kiyone breathed a sigh of relief. "Getting a head start while Ken-Ohki grabs their ground party… good. That means we shouldn't have to worry about them interfering with our own extraction. Contact Ryo-Ohki; make sure she's ready to swoop in on our signal to pick up our friends!"

"You got it!" Mihoshi chirped.

Kiyone actually wanted to smile; she was so used to Mihoshi's clumsiness and spaciness sending them headlong into disaster, but today it seemed like she was actually on the ball. Perhaps the high stakes of their current mission when compared to past assignments was motivating her to step up her game. Kiyone could only hope that her partner's newfound focus would stick around; they'd need every edge they could get, no matter how small.

Her jaw clenched as she checked the ship's power readings. The main systems were coming back online, and so far, the cloak was still holding. However, there were some worrying fluctuations in the gauges; the powerplant was already straining to properly manage the energy that the Yagami now required.

Hang in there, girl, she thought as she gently patted the arm of her chair, I know this isn't pleasant, but I need you to tough this out. We'll find you a nice dock where you can get a proper workover as soon as we're out of here.

Checking the monitor, she was relieved to see that the armed yacht was rapidly gaining altitude. At the rate it was going, it would soon be well outside of firing range, or so Kiyone hoped. Meanwhile, Ken-Ohki was already hovering over the platform at the front of the repository, ready to pick up Kagato and his entourage the moment they came outside.

"Meow!" she heard Ryo-Ohki whine over the cockpit speakers.

"Aw, poor girl," said Mihoshi, "She really wants to go see Ken-Ohki!"

Kiyone shook her head. "This isn't the time or the place for it. She needs to keep her eye on the ball here!"

"Meow…" Ryo-Ohki pitifully replied.

If the living starship were in its cabbit form, Kiyone could just imagine the innocent eyes she'd be getting from her. "No, Ryo-Ohki! Stay on mission. Our friends down there are counting on you to pick them up. Ken-Ohki will have to wait, you got that?"

"Meow," Ryo-Ohki pouted.

"She's not moving out, is she?" Kiyone asked.

Mihoshi checked the sensor display. "Nope, staying put. Good girl!"

Kiyone sighed. "Small favors."

She heard the cockpit door open behind her, along with a familiar female voice. "Is everything okay? What's going on?"

Kiyone's eyes widened as she looked over her shoulder. "Sasami, what are you doing here? You should be in your quarters!"

"It's not safe right now!" Mihoshi added.

Sasami shook her head. "I'm worried about everyone, and I'm not going to hide in my room anymore! Besides, if the ship is in danger, then it wouldn't really matter if I was in my room or not, right?"

She's actually got a point there, Kiyone grimly conceded, I keep forgetting that she's smarter than she usually lets on…

Kiyone reluctantly nodded at the auxiliary station behind her; if Sasami was going to be up here, she might as well keep the princess close so she could monitor her. "In that case, you can sit there. Just don't mess with anything, okay?"

"Okay!" Sasami eagerly replied as she sat down, "Everyone is okay down there, right?"

"So far," Kiyone answered as she checked the status of the ship's systems, "They should be coming up top for extraction soon."

Sasami looked over Kiyone's shoulder and gasped at the image on the monitor. "Hey, that's Ken-Ohki! What's Nagi doing here?"

"Nothing good," Kiyone muttered.

"She's joined the bad guys!" Mihoshi pouted.

Sasami sighed. "We have to fight her again? I don't like that… she's scary. I hope Ryoko doesn't do anything reckless; she gets so angry when Nagi's around."

She's not wrong, Kiyone mused, although in this case, I'd say Ryoko has every right to be angry. Nagi… why the hell did you throw in with Kagato and help him fight those Galaxy Police ships up there? Is this really just about the money for you?

Her train of thought was interrupted by Mihoshi. "Movement on the landing pad! I think it's Kagato!"

Adjusting the monitor and zooming in as much as the ship's exterior cameras would allow, Kiyone caught a brief glimpse of what looked like Kagato and four women. One was definitely Nagi, and Kiyone recognized the twins from the raid on Earth. As for the fourth, Kiyone wasn't certain, but she was willing to bet that it was Kagato's sister. They were only visible for a few seconds though; one violet flash from Ken-Ohki and they all disappeared from sight.

"Looks like Ken-Ohki just grabbed them," said Kiyone as she watched Nagi's living starship rapidly climb to catch up with the armed yacht.

"Our ground team's close to the exit!" cried Mihoshi as she pointed at the hologram.

Kiyone nodded. "Have Ryo-Ohki get in there and grab them. I'll get us overhead; we'll stay between them and Ken-Ohki just in case Nagi decides to swing back to have a go."

It wasn't a moment too soon; the console flashed bright red as the cloak finally burnt out. Kiyone was frankly impressed that the device had held for as long as it did. Checking the display, she saw Ryo-Ohki already zipping for the landing pad, while the dot that represented the ground team was just about at the exit.

We're cutting it close, she thought as she glanced at the timer nervously, Come on, guys…

…let's get the hell out of here!

….

The strange wing of white energy that had protected Heero's left arm earlier had finally flickered out as the ground team rushed through the repository's entrance hall. Heero knew that it wasn't coincidental; he could feel the energy that had been flowing through him earlier steadily subsiding, and the pain in his left leg was definitely becoming noticeable again. It shouldn't have been surprising; between his injury, the near constant fighting since they'd first touched down at the repository's entrance, and the fact that he still didn't really understand how to properly harness the energy inherent in his bloodline, exhaustion was inevitable.

He wasn't the only one to notice, at least if AIDA's concerned voice was any indication. "Hey, stay with me! We're almost through this. You hear me, Heero?"

"Yeah," Heero gasped between increasingly pained breaths, "I hear you."

Welcome sunlight greeted them a few moments later as they came out onto the landing pad, and Heero was pleased to see that Ryo-Ohki was already flying in low across the lake to meet them. Looking up, Heero saw the Yagami overhead, gradually gaining altitude but staying low enough to provide support in case their enemies decided to take a parting shot at them. However, Ken-Ohki and what Heero assumed was Kagato's ship were barely more than specs in the sky at this point, and they didn't look like they were about to turn around and come back for another round.

"Come on, Ryo-Ohki!" shouted Ryoko, "We need a lift now!"

"Meow!" cried Ryo-Ohki.

She was over the landing pad just a couple seconds later, and a bright red flash of light engulfed the ground team. When the light faded, Heero and the others found themselves inside the living starship, and not a moment too soon; there was less than a minute on the timer.

"Ryoko, get us out of here now," he ordered.

The pirate didn't need to be told twice. "Gun it, Ryo-Ohki!"

The living starship rocketed for orbit, rapidly overtaking the Yagami despite the latter's head start. Checking the display as he fought to stay conscious, Heero saw the red Galaxy Police patrol cruiser steadily gaining altitude. Hoping that Kiyone had given her ship enough leeway to escape the blast, Heero searched for any signs of Kagato and his companions. For a brief moment, he was able to make out Ken-Ohki and another ship at the very edge of Ryo-Ohki's detection range, but the two vessels vanished a few seconds later as the engaged their FTL drives.

The timer on his HUD continued to tick down, entering the final ten seconds as Ryo-Ohki and Yagami raced for orbit. Heero's eyes darted back and forth between the countdown and the image of the rapidly receding repository, calculating the distance and trying to anticipate just how powerful Washu had made the facility's self-destruct mechanism. Given the scope of her inventions that he was aware of, Heero could only pray that it was something relatively conventional rather than literally Earth-shattering. The seconds inexorably went by, and Heero braced for the coming detonation.

Five…

Four…

Three…

Two…

One…

Despite just how quickly both Ryo-Ohki and Yagami had climbed, the ensuing blast was still absolutely massive. For a moment, the display went almost pure-white, with the red patrol cruiser barely visible beneath them and nothing visible past that. The shockwave hit a few seconds later, with both vessels being violently buffeted but thankfully remaining airborne. Heero was nearly thrown off his feet, and he wasn't the only one.

"Shit!" Duo cried out as he fell flat on his ass, "Damn it, Washu! What, did you have a few nukes tucked away in that place?"

"Nothing so crude," Washu replied with a shake of her head, "Just enough explosives to get the job done."

"What's the status of the Yagami?" asked Heero.

"I'll check," said Ryoko as she opened a channel. "Hey, Kiyone, you still alive over there?"

"We're good," Kiyone replied, "We got a good shaking out of that blast, but we're still in one piece."

"That was fun!" chirped Mihoshi in the background.

"No, it wasn't!" came the voice of Sasami, "It was scary! Are you all okay?"

"Sasami, you should be in your quarters!" cried out Ayeka, "Kiyone, what is she doing in your cockpit?"

"She was worried," Kiyone answered, "I figured I might as well keep an eye on her up here. She's okay, Ayeka, so stop worrying."

"Everyone's in one piece," said Quatre, and Heero was sure that he was smiling beneath his helmet, "We really lucked out."

Trowa nodded. "We were cutting it pretty close there."

Wufei chuckled. "Just like old times, right?"

Hilde sighed. "I don't know… our old enemies feel downright tame compared to this new batch we're up against."

Ayeka's eyes narrowed. "Kagato… he will pay dearly for his treachery!"

"Most certainly," Azaka concurred.

"Justice shall be done upon him!" Kamidake chimed in.

Yosho shook his head. "Were it so easy…"

"He'll get what's coming to him eventually," said Heero, blinking as he began to feel lightheaded, "We'll… make sure of… that."

Ryoko turned away from the console and looked at him. "Hey, Heero? You all right?"

Heero nodded as his vision blurred. "Yeah… just need… a little rest."

He was only barely aware of himself keeling over before he blacked out completely.

Preview for next time!

Heero: I can't believe we all made it out of there alive.

Duo: Yeah, that was a bit close!

Quatre: Any chance we can get a break from fighting for a bit?

Trowa: That'd be nice.

Wufei: We could us the time to lick our wounds and regroup.

Ryoko: Bar night? How far are we from the closest sector with a tavern?

Hilde: Who's picking up the tab?

Ryo-Ohki: Meow!

Ayeka: We don't have time for drinks, you fools!

Washu: I'm afraid she's right. No time to rest and unwind; we've got to get to the capital, ASAP.

Sasami: Yay, we can see mom and dad! It's been so long.

Kiyone: Wait, don't we have two more repositories to hunt down?

Washu: The next one's going to be a much tougher nut to crack. We're going to need help, and that help needs to include some serious firepower. Time to go to Jurai and play nice with the Emperor.

Yosho: We must warn him of Kagato's intentions and prepare for the coming clash.

Mihoshi: So, no vacation time on Jurai, then?

Azaka: Most certainly not!

Kamidake: A pity. The capital is lovely this time of year.

Ryoko: Great, a palace with a bunch of stuffy nobles and royals. I'd rather go another round with Nagi.

Heero: Yeah, the last thing I want to deal with is palace intrigue.

Washu: Well, tough luck, because you're going to get tossed headfirst into it!

Ayeka: Next time, in Chapter Twenty: No Need For A Homecoming! Oh, dear, how in the name of Tsunami am I going to explain all this to mother and father?

Washu: This is going to be fun!

Author's Notes: So glad to finally have another chapter posted for this story, it's been far too long! Like I said in the opening notes, I'll try to have the next one out in a timelier manner. I've been wanting to get the gang to Jurai for a long time now, I'm really excited for what's coming!

Wherever you are in the world, don't let COVID-19 get you down! It's rough out there, but we'll find our way through this mess. Hope you all liked the new chapter. Please review, and I'll see you all next time!