Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Dragonfly ❯ Chapter 01 ( Chapter 1 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: siberianknight 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy / Romance / Sci-fi | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 09.05.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.1K | Visits: 563 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy / Romance / Sci-fi | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 09.05.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.1K | Visits: 563 | Status: Completed
Please read this first!!: This is a major overhaul. It's actually more like a completely different story than before. I hope that everyone still enjoys it and continues to read. I personally feel that this one is better written and a much more solid story than the previous version.
For those of you who have not read this or heard of it for that matter, this is a rewrite. I wrote myself into a corner with the previous fourteen chapters and decided to rework the story and make it more like my original idea from ten years ago.
Despite the fact that it may still slightly resemble Joss Whedon's firefly, it is not modeled after it. I actually had created this story back in high school, and two years ago decided it would make a good Gundam Wing story. I hope everyone likes it, especially those who were reading the original version of it. It is different, so just be aware of that, and please forget everything about that first version.
Summary: While Duo has searched for the people behind the brutal murders of his parents and sister, he has reluctantly replaced his father as the people's hero. Traversing the three solar systems in his ship, Dragonfly, he helps those he can, such as WuFei. Duo has no idea that taking on this passenger will lead him closer than he's ever been to solving his family's death.
Trained to be deadly, Heero has been molded into the perfect assassin. However, no amount of training could successfully erase his heart or feelings. It is because of this that he cannot forget that brief meeting between him and Captain Maxwell. Will he break from his training and go to Duo's side to aid him in his fight, or will he be the one to put a stop to Duo?
Pairings: 1x2 (3x4, 13x6 in background)
Warnings: [story] Language, Mild to Moderate Violence, Limes + Lemons / [chapter] Mild Language
2256
Duo stared blankly out the view window from his perch upon the captain's seat. His ship, Dragonfly, was being pelted with the usual cold rain of Springtime falling upon the surface of his home planet, Sonas. Soft footsteps behind him alerted him to the presence of the last person with whom he wanted to speak. “Duo,” the soft brogue of his friend's voice echoed hollowly off the steel and titanium walls. Duo refused to answer. They had exchanged enough angry words that day, and he would say no more about what had happened. Cloud turned and left silently, knowing that he was not welcome any longer. As his footfalls faded slowly away, Duo gave into his anguish and began to weep. His whole family had been taken from him, and now all that he had left was this blasted ship and his best friend, Trowa.
2258: December
'The Alliance thanks everyone for their support of this new legislation. Again, the Inter-Universe Board of Governors has passed a new law making it illegal for private class ships to taxi more than five people across universe boarders. All persons and ships must be registered as transporters via your local Piloting Ministry.
In other news, --' Trowa flipped the switch on the TV and turned to face his best friend of eleven years. Duo was sound asleep with a bit of drool slowly trickling out from the corners of his slightly ajar mouth. He looked better than he had immediately following his sister, Honor's, death; however, he still had a tendency to look strained and he definitely wasn't eating as well as before. It didn't matter how many times Trowa would beg Duo to eat better or to sleep a bit more, he would just smirk and shrug. Taking care of the braided captain was hard indeed.
With a slender finger, Trowa gently poked Duo's round cheek. He remained asleep, but batted fruitlessly at his tormentor. “Duo, you need to wake up. We're almost at Sommer.” Duo groaned and curled up a bit tighter on the well worn couch. Trowa sighed heavily and slightly tilted his head back. “DUO!!” With a large jerk of his body, the captain sprang to life ready to fight whatever was screaming at him.
“Oh, it was just you.” He plopped back onto the lumpy cushions and leaned his head against the wall. “What did you want?”
“We're almost at Sommer. Remember?” he queried after receiving a confused expression. “Chang WuFei? He hired us to take him to Isis.”
“I know that! I'm still half asleep, give me a break.” Trowa began to chuckle, but quickly covered his blunder with a cough. “How much longer 'til we reach orbit?”
“About a half hour. We've got the fake documents ready. You should really thank Howard for his help.”
“More like Sky. He was the one who gave us the e-signature for them.” Duo shuddered as he remembered what he had gone through to get a lousy bit of code. Sky was usually just an informant which he used from time to time, but he had to be the most repulsive person whom Duo had the misfortune of knowing. Tall and lanky, with a very bizarre fashion sense, Sky Larkson had been after Duo's ass since they first met four years prior.
“True. At least it was just a date he wanted.”
“Thank God you rescued me.” Duo's stomach turned as he remembered being pressed against the slightly grimy walls of Sky's apartment. It had been an experience which he had tried time and again to rid himself of, but not even visiting his current lover on Isla Pax helped.
A young man with curly light brown hair named Miller, stuck his head through the door into the large common room. “Duo, you've got a call on the vid-com. It's Sky.”
“Oh joy,” he said with a fair amount of sarcasm.
“Perhaps he's proposing.” Duo made a scene of being disgusted and then turned to Trowa who had a calm expression on his face.
“You're not kidding are you?” There was a slight twinkle in his green eyes as he raised a delicate eyebrow. “I don't get you.” Duo walked over to a thin screen which jutted a fraction of an inch out of the wall. Beneath it were a series of buttons, one of which was flashing. With a bit of hesitance, Duo pressed the lit button and Sky's skeletal face appeared. He had one of those visages that one could never forget. His eyes were sullen, but the color somehow was still a bright silver. A pair of green-colored glasses were perched at an angle upon his long ski slope of a nose, while his stick straight jet black hair fell in stringy disarray around his oval face. The worse part of his appearance wasn't the fact that he always looked in need of a decent shave, but he was missing several teeth, all of which had been replaced by gold crowns.
“Duo! How are you my gorgeous little pet?” Sky simpered in his deep and gruff voice. Duo shut his eyes and began to count backwards trying to force himself to be civil.
“Fine.” He attempted a grin, but he knew that it must have looked more like a grimace. Deciding to abandon all pretenses, he squared his shoulders and looked straight at the small camera mounted on the top of the view screen's frame. “Look, what do you want?”
“Aw, where is your bright bubbly personality, Duo sweetie?”
“I left it on Mars. C'mon Sky, I haven't got all day.”
Sky pulled a hurt face, and then sighed, annoyed that Duo wasn't playing into his hands. “Fine. I have a message from Quatre.” Trowa's ears perked up at the sound of the young blonde's name, and he rushed over to Duo's side.
“Is he okay?”
“He's fine! More than fine actually ... he received straight A's, and he'll be waiting for you when you swing by Spring Valley.” Duo glanced over just in time to catch a huge smile splitting Trowa's normally somber face.
“Thanks, Sky. Tell Quatre we should be there in a few days.”
“Will do Duo-bear. Later.” Sky's transmission ended and was replaced by a gray-blue screen bearing the name Dragonfly and her insignia. Duo stared at the screen, remembering when Honor had shown him the completed drawing. He had hated it then, and even now he hated it. The mark consisted of a ebony-colored dragonfly placed at a slight angle just above a curve of varying flowers -- all of which Honor assured him attracted dragonflies -- it was just so girly, but it had been part of her just like the name of the ship. He ran his hand over the image and then pressed the first button beneath the panel. A loud beep echoed throughout the ship.
“Everyone prepare for atmo entry in thirty minutes.” With another press, there was a lower toned double beep which told everyone that he was through with his announcement. The hardest part of this trip was right before them now. They had to make it through the checkpoint gate before they could even get near the planet.
Each planet had a scattering of checkpoint docking stations drifting in their orbit. If a ship got past one of these stations without showing proper I.D., the Alliance's police would deploy in mere seconds making an escape nearly impossible. There had been only one known instance of someone getting away from the well trained and armed A.P.F., and they were currently entering D.S. 003 around the predominantly American planet, Sommer.
“Life used to be a bit more simple, eh? I remember when we could just land without having to prove we weren't felons.” Howard leaned casually against the pilot's chair which was presently occupied by Duo. Every member of the crew was holding their breath as they waited for the initial scan of the Dragonfly, and no one was more worried than the captain. If they failed the scan, it was over for them. It had been a year since that incident when they had fled Spring Valley, but the Alliance had a very good memory. The question now was, did they know that this was the same C-Class Freighter or not?
“It would have been nice if he had chosen one of the asteroids to meet us on. At least there -” Duo held a slender finger up to his mouth and made a loud shushing noise at his navigator, Miller. The man's large brown eyes rounded in surprise and then looked down at his instrument panel as a deep blush covered his freckled cheeks. He was a newer crew member, and was eager to aid in Duo Maxwell's cause; therefore, he was trying extra hard to please. Duo grinned at the reaction of the man, who was actually older than his own twenty-three years, yet he acted as if he were indeed more youthful.
“Don't sweat it Miller. I just don't want to mess anything up, so stay quiet.” The young man bobbed his head up and down in silence and concentrated on ensuring that they docked without any problems.
The Dragonfly carefully connected itself to clamps that would guide the ship through a wall of pale blue light, otherwise known as the scanner. The Alliance would be looking for any type of weapons, tagged stolen goods, or wanted persons that may be hiding onboard. There was a soft humming noise as the medium class ship slid slowly through the light. Once through, Duo's view screen blinked and the face of a young woman with her hair pulled back in a severe bun appeared. “Please send the ship's identification and journey papers through.”
“Sure.” Duo pressed several buttons and then mumbled under his breath, “this had better work.” He sat there for a few moments, his heart drumming heavily in his chest.
“3-B5-8015-D Dragonfly, C-Class Freighter?”
“Yeah?” He tried to sound confident and not worried, but wasn't sure if he had succeeded because she raised her pert eyebrow at him before she spoke.
“Everything seems to be in order. You may pass.” Her image disappeared from the screen with a flash, and then as the ship was released her thin voice echoed through the bridge. “Enjoy your trip to Sommer, the central planet.”
“Thanks.” Duo grinned as the rush of getting through the first hurdle set in. Next stop, the capital of Sommer, Ion.
The ship bucked lightly as it entered into the atmosphere of the largest planet in Solar System Gamma; it was also the planet with the second largest Alliance presence on its surface, which made Duo even more jittery. As he neared the sprawling capital city, he felt his stomach begin to knot up in anxiety. Being this close to this many politicians and Alliance members just didn't sit right with him, but his client had asked to be picked up at the Luc Sommer Docks. So he would have to endure.
Once the ship landed, Howard stepped in front of Duo who was rising from his seat. “If you want, I'll go and meet him. No sense you going out there and gettin' recognized.”
“It's okay, Howard.” Duo patted his old friend's bony and slightly stooped shoulder. “I'll be cautious. Besides, what would our new passenger think of his captain if he didn't come and greet him?” Duo's bright smile unnerved Howard a bit, but he knew that once that boy had set his mind on something there was no talking him out of it.
“Fine. Just be extra careful - there's no hidin' the fact that you've got your father's face.”
Duo paused at Howard's words, thinking briefly of his beloved father and all he had done for the people of Sonas. “Yeah … I know.”
He slowly made his way down the short corridor which housed both the first mate's quarters and his own; it was then he descended a short ladder which held the remaining crew's bunks. As he traversed the narrow passageway that led from the crew quarters to the large common area, Duo was stopped by an odd sensation which began to envelope him like a warm blanket. This warmth caused his tangled nerves to unfurl. He was at a loss as to what was causing it, and so after standing still for a few moments, he shook his head and continued on his way to the rear of the ship, where he descended a tightly winding staircase that led onto the cargo bay. He paused again at the large double doors which led to the outside and glanced down at the long black sleeves of his trench coat. It had been his father's; it was a bit big through the shoulders, but he had finally grown into the length a few years back. On the upper right sleeve in faded silver thread was woven the insignia of the Freedomists, or those who opposed the Alliance's rule. With a soft chuckle, Duo thought that perhaps it would be best if he left it on the ship, instead of parading through the city with it on. He tossed it across a crate which lay near the control panel for the bay doors, and with a light jerk on the hem of his slightly wrinkled shirt, he pressed the button so he could leave the ship.
Sunlight slowly began to spread across the dark gray interior of the Dragonfly's cargo hold. Even if it was an Alliance heavy planet, it was good to feel the warmth of the sun on his skin once more. Duo walked down the ramp and stepped onto the hard pavement which surrounded the ship's landing area. He reached into his pants' pocket and pulled out a small, thin, rectangular, and black computer and scrolled through several menus before he located the one labeled, 'Chang.' His thumb pressed the enter button, and a small map with a red dot on it appeared. All Duo had to do now was find the street which was listed and then he'd be one step closer to his new client.
His body ached all over. It was so intense that he could actually feel each individual hair on his head. The door creaked open spilling blindingly bright light inside the dark room, forcing him to shield his eyes. Someone moved inside the room and closed the door with a loud slam. “Mada okita?”
“Un,” his grunt was barely perceptible and aggravated the man standing before the lazy boy.
“I asked if you were awake yet!” A rough hand reached out and grabbed the young man by his shirt collar. He shook him several times before the boy's vice-like grip anchored itself around the man's thick wrist.
“And I said, 'yes.'” Piercingly deep blue eyes shone in the dim light which managed to escape around the edges of the heavy curtains that covered the lone window in the small room. The man let go of the other's shirt and backed away out of reach from that cruel grasp.
“You're more trouble than you're worth, Yuy,” despite his attempt to sound confident, a slight waver had slipped into his gruff voice.
“You should tell that to the doctor. I'm sure he'd love to hear your opinion on me.” His eyes glinted dangerously as the tiniest of smirks graced his stoic face. The other man backed up a few steps more, until he stood within arms reach of the heavy metallic door and cleared his throat nervously.
“I came to escort you to see the doctor.”
“Fine.” He rolled out of the hard cot and into a standing position. He hated going to the doctor's office. It meant more needles, or worse yet, more physical tests. He was so very tired of everything, and it had entered into his head more than once that he could kill everyone in that facility and escape; however, he couldn't seem to bring himself to do so.
The two men walked quietly down the hallway, the taller in front and rather uncomfortable having the Lion's 'killing machine' immediately behind him. He may have been twice the size of the young Yuy, but the Asian had been through extensive and top-secret training. He could probably snap him in two with his bare hands.
They rounded a corner and then entered the first silvery door to their right; on the wall immediately beside the door was a bright brass nameplate which bore the name, 'Dr. W.' Like the hallways, the room was a brilliant white, and had no decorations save for the three diplomas which hung behind the doctor's metal desk. “Ah, Heero-kun. Hisashiburi, ne? Genki desu ka?” Heero's eyebrows raised slightly at the casualness of his greeting. “Ah, well … I suppose you're not in the mood for pleasantries.” The doctor was rather young to have such an exalted position; his hair had not yet turned gray, nor were there any signs of age in his sparse beard upon his round face. Heero glared into the doctor's eyes, which were a bright jovial green, but he knew that was a lie. There was no kindness or joy in this man, he was as cruel as they came. “That will be all Douglas,” Dr. W dismissed Heero's burly escort with a flick of his wrist and then turned his attention back to the young man before him. “Heero-kun, Lion has asked me to inform you that he wishes to evaluate your progress tomorrow. So, I was hoping that we could run through your training today - in order to help you more impress him.”
Heero mentally groaned. Why did he have to run the same damned course again and again when he knew it by heart as it was? Did the doctor honestly think that somehow they could squeeze out a slightly better performance than the previous times, when he could run through it blindfolded? “Doctor, may I make a suggestion?”
The doctor's eyebrows raised, surprised that Heero was speaking to him. “Y-yes, Heero-kun. What is it?”
“Let me do it blindfolded.” The words of his soft voice hung in the air for a few moments before the doctor fully absorbed their meaning.
“B-b-blindfolded!? Are you mad!? You'll die instantly, and Lion - he'll …” Dr. W couldn't bare to finish the sentence. He had seen Lion's cruelty before, and it had been toward his own flesh and blood. There was no telling what he may do to someone who just simply worked for him.
Heero smirked. “I'll do it anyway.”
The doctor cleared his throat and straightened his lab coat with angry jerks of his hands. “Yes, I'm fully aware that you will. Fine. Have it your way - we'll do it … blindfolded.” His sentence ended in a half choked sob as he moved toward the door to escort Heero down to the training grounds. He could only hope that the boy would change his mind before they reached them; otherwise the young man was walking to his own death.
Duo walked down the pristine street, the sidewalks sparkling pearly white in the bright sunlight. Every planet who held Alliance offices was like this one; very clean and supposedly crime free. They worked hard to make the cities this way, in order to further promote themselves as having the public's health their top priority, but very few knew what actually happened to those who broke any of the harsh and strict laws. It was sad really, living a lie like the people of this city were. Duo being the son of a well known rebel had learned of the real face of the Alliance, but even though he knew the truth, it hadn't saved his sister nor his parents.
After traversing several crowded city blocks, Duo reached his destination. He stood before the large hotel gazing up at the seemingly never-ending high rise, a soft whistle on his lips. “Well, I'll give him this - he's got good taste.” The Blanc Chateau Hotel was the grandest in Ion since it was located just a brief distance from the Luc Sommer Docks, the central landing area for all of Ion. Duo now stood just a few blocks away from the outer circle of governmental buildings, and the thought both chilled and angered him. Shaking off his desire to go and hurt someone or something, he walked inside of the large sliding doors and entered the hotel.
The vast lobby was decorated with large black marble columns that had gold and silver inlays at their crown and foot. The floors held an intricate pattern of the same black marble with gold and silver inlays, and shone with a sparkling light from the massive chandeliers that hung low from the high ornamental ceiling. Duo's face scrunched up in distaste as he eyed a rather large Romanesque fountain off to his left. The statue in its center consisted of a muscular male who was not quite naked for there was a small bit of cloth covering his nether regions, and a beautiful very naked lady grasping onto him with adoration in her eyes; as for the water, it was cascading down the pedestal which they stood upon. This really was overdoing it just a bit, it was as if the place was thumbing its nose at those of lesser fortune. In fact, there were art pieces hung all around the small sitting areas which were located beneath the elaborate staircases and balconies that lined the far wall. Duo knew from the completed practice art works which Honor had shown him that they were most likely the real deal.
A young man adorned in a ruby red suit screeched to a halt just beside Duo and bowed, panting slightly from his rush. “I'm sorry sir, did you have any business here today?”
Duo stared at the boy, not making any attempt to hide his annoyance at obviously being considered not worthy of setting foot within the building. “Yes, I'm here to meet someone, Chang WuFei,” he smirked as the young man's eyes widened in surprise at his accent. Duo had rounded his subtle Scottish brogue into one a bit more English sounding, so that he came across as one of the more wealthy.
“Oh, yes sir! You must be Master Christopher. Right this way.” Duo followed the bellhop, a bemused look upon his round face. It may have been his middle name, but hearing someone actually address him as 'Master' was just a bit amusing. “He's the gentleman in the black suit over by the bar.” The boy bobbed up and down a bit before rushing back to his post near the large entrance. Duo turned his attention onto the man whom he had come to meet; Chang WuFei was of slender build and looked to be of average height, most likely he was a good foot shorter than himself. His hair hung loose about his shoulders and he was immersed in a book as Duo slowly approached.
“Maxwell?” Duo jumped slightly at the sound of his name. WuFei turned and gazed hard at the man who was standing next to him. His coal black eyes seemed to bore a hole straight into Duo's soul and he found himself feeling very uncomfortable.
“Yeah, but don't say it so loud.”
“My apologies.” His voice was sharp and clear, and he seemed to be a very intelligent person. Duo wondered why he had asked to have him of all people take him to Isis, especially since he seemed to fit in with the Alliance-type crowd rather easily. WuFei slid off his perch upon the barstool and rose to his full height. Duo had completely misjudged him. He was only about six inches short than himself, which put him around five-foot-nine, and despite his smaller build, power was radiating from him. “We should be going. Especially since you seem so unnerved right now. I'm not a wanted criminal like yourself.” Without sparing him a second glance, WuFei gathered his things and began to march toward the exit, leaving the captain lagging behind.
Jogging lightly, Duo caught up, his temper starting to rise. “Look, if you already knew that, then why did you ask for us?”
WuFei paused and without pretense looked straight into Duo's bright blue eyes, and answered softly, “Because you're the only one who can help me.” After that simple statement he began to walk once more.
“Wha -?” Duo gazed at the ramrod straight back of his client, wanting answers but not getting them. He sighed, realizing that somehow this journey was going to be rather difficult. As he started to walk after WuFei, he caught a glimpse of long wheat blonde hair from across the lobby. “Shit,” he mumbled as he broke into a run-walk. He grabbed WuFei's arm, and shushed him as he started to protest. “We have to go. There's someone here I'd rather not run into.” Without further argument, the two men exited the hotel and as soon as they were away from the entrance, they broke into a run. It surprised Duo that WuFei could keep up with him and wasn't becoming winded.
The two rounded the corner and slowed their pace as they reached the large wrought iron gates which led to the docks. As they entered the landing area, Duo gazed with warm eyes upon the gray-blue Dragonfly. It was his home, and compared to the warmth which the sun drenched him in, it was nothing compared to that which his ship caused in his heart. “This is your ship?” WuFei queried as the two stood awaiting the cargo bay hatch to open.
“Yeah. She's the best ship in the galaxy.” A small smile appeared briefly on WuFei's face as the hatch thumped against the ground.
“She has a strong spirit about her.” WuFei hefted his suitcase under his arm as he grasped onto the rope which ran alongside the ramp as a handrail of sorts. Duo remained at the edge of the landing site thinking that his new client was definitely an odd one. “Are we stopping anywhere on our journey to Isis?”
“Uhm, yeah. Spring Valley.” Duo's long legged stride got him up the ramp in less time than WuFei had managed, and he shut the hatch. “We have to pick up a crew member.” He smiled and slung his jacket back onto his large frame. As the hatch closed, Duo turned to WuFei. “I'll show you to your room. You'll be staying in one of the empty crew quarters - it's all we've got. This isn't a passenger vehicle.”
“I'm aware of that,” his tone held an air of arrogance that spoiled the good mood of the captain.
“Apparently you never learned your manners,” Duo mumbled to himself as he took to the stairs two at a time.
“What was that?”
“Oh, nothing.” He laughed hoping that his client would drop it, but he could feel the man's eyes burning into his back. Duo was definitely going to have to watch his tongue around this one, unless he wanted to find out just how powerful WuFei was.
Heero slowly pulled the black silk makeshift blindfold off his face and gazed back over the large open field. It looked like a war zone. Heavy gray smoke slowly spiraled upward from wrecked machinery, and there were bits of sawdust spattered across the bright green grass where Heero had sliced or gunned down his burlap foes. Several of the men who had been brought out to fight with him lay either unconscious or were moaning and crying with pain. Dr. W stared at the monster masquerading as a young man. He had never in his life witnessed such pinpoint accuracy nor such horrid brutality. This Heero Yuy was indeed a far cry from the young boy who had been dragged in nearly ten years prior. The eight-year-old had been silent yes, but his eyes had held a warm sweetness despite the raging fury over his mother's death. Now they were empty and cold. They only saw the best and fastest way to kill someone.
“Perfection.” Dr. W's head whipped around at the sound of the rich baritone behind him. Lion had arrived.
“S-sir, how much did you see?”
“All of it.” There was an unnatural gleam in his age-hardened eyes, and the smile which danced across his craggy face sent chills down the doctor's spine. “I feel that he's ready for the next step.”
“Which is, sir?” Lion walked over to the observation glass and looked down at Heero who's cold blue eyes stared back at him.
“I want to give him a mission. A simple one, just a test to see if he will obey …”
“What if he does not?” The doctor's voice quivered a bit, and Lion raised an eyebrow at him as he studied the younger man.
“Are you questioning your own ability?”
“N-no sir, it's just that the -” Lion waved his hand in dismissal.
“I know that you haven't fully programmed him yet. I just want to see if what we've done to him is enough.” Dr. W dipped into a shallow bow and then turned to fetch Heero. There was so much that had yet to be done to the boy. He truthfully didn't feel that Heero was ready for a mission, even if he had completely decimated the practice run.
Heero glared up at the sheet of glass behind which Lion stood. He couldn't see the old man, but he knew that he was there looking down upon him. Why was it that he hated him so? He couldn't quite remember, but he knew that the memory was there, he just couldn't touch it. His head turned as he heard the doctor's brisk footfalls near him. He stared expressionless at the doctor as he waited for him to catch his breath.
“Heero-kun, Lion wishes -”
“To see me. Fine.” With those quiet words he walked past Dr. W and up the narrow staircase which led to the observation room. The room was the same sterile white as the rest of the research facility. The bright color made the dark gray of Lion's slicked back crop of hair stand out in sharp contrast. He turned slowly and smiled menacingly at Heero, who stood stoically awaiting the explanation as to why he had been summoned.
“I have a mission for you.” Lion reached into the pocket of his white lab coat and pulled out a memo stick. He separated the two halves of the narrow contraption with the press of a small button and pulled them apart. There between the two was an illuminated view screen, and the information which Heero needed for his first mission. Lion handed it to him, his eyes fixated upon the young man.
It only took a few seconds for Heero to read and absorb the information contained in the memo. “So I'm to steal an item.”
“Yes. It's an important item to me. So you must bring it back in one piece.” Lion paused, awaiting a reaction from Heero, but when he failed to get one he simply sighed. “As for the man who harbors it - do whatever you wish.”
“Understood.” Heero turned on his heel and headed off to prepare for his departure to Spring Valley.
-------------------
TBC
* Hisashiburi literally means 'it's been a while'
*Genki desu ka 'are you well?' or 'how are you'
Gundam Wing belongs to Hajime Yadate, Yoshiyuki Tomino, and Bandai
geovisit();
For those of you who have not read this or heard of it for that matter, this is a rewrite. I wrote myself into a corner with the previous fourteen chapters and decided to rework the story and make it more like my original idea from ten years ago.
Despite the fact that it may still slightly resemble Joss Whedon's firefly, it is not modeled after it. I actually had created this story back in high school, and two years ago decided it would make a good Gundam Wing story. I hope everyone likes it, especially those who were reading the original version of it. It is different, so just be aware of that, and please forget everything about that first version.
Summary: While Duo has searched for the people behind the brutal murders of his parents and sister, he has reluctantly replaced his father as the people's hero. Traversing the three solar systems in his ship, Dragonfly, he helps those he can, such as WuFei. Duo has no idea that taking on this passenger will lead him closer than he's ever been to solving his family's death.
Trained to be deadly, Heero has been molded into the perfect assassin. However, no amount of training could successfully erase his heart or feelings. It is because of this that he cannot forget that brief meeting between him and Captain Maxwell. Will he break from his training and go to Duo's side to aid him in his fight, or will he be the one to put a stop to Duo?
Pairings: 1x2 (3x4, 13x6 in background)
Warnings: [story] Language, Mild to Moderate Violence, Limes + Lemons / [chapter] Mild Language
2256
Duo stared blankly out the view window from his perch upon the captain's seat. His ship, Dragonfly, was being pelted with the usual cold rain of Springtime falling upon the surface of his home planet, Sonas. Soft footsteps behind him alerted him to the presence of the last person with whom he wanted to speak. “Duo,” the soft brogue of his friend's voice echoed hollowly off the steel and titanium walls. Duo refused to answer. They had exchanged enough angry words that day, and he would say no more about what had happened. Cloud turned and left silently, knowing that he was not welcome any longer. As his footfalls faded slowly away, Duo gave into his anguish and began to weep. His whole family had been taken from him, and now all that he had left was this blasted ship and his best friend, Trowa.
2258: December
'The Alliance thanks everyone for their support of this new legislation. Again, the Inter-Universe Board of Governors has passed a new law making it illegal for private class ships to taxi more than five people across universe boarders. All persons and ships must be registered as transporters via your local Piloting Ministry.
In other news, --' Trowa flipped the switch on the TV and turned to face his best friend of eleven years. Duo was sound asleep with a bit of drool slowly trickling out from the corners of his slightly ajar mouth. He looked better than he had immediately following his sister, Honor's, death; however, he still had a tendency to look strained and he definitely wasn't eating as well as before. It didn't matter how many times Trowa would beg Duo to eat better or to sleep a bit more, he would just smirk and shrug. Taking care of the braided captain was hard indeed.
With a slender finger, Trowa gently poked Duo's round cheek. He remained asleep, but batted fruitlessly at his tormentor. “Duo, you need to wake up. We're almost at Sommer.” Duo groaned and curled up a bit tighter on the well worn couch. Trowa sighed heavily and slightly tilted his head back. “DUO!!” With a large jerk of his body, the captain sprang to life ready to fight whatever was screaming at him.
“Oh, it was just you.” He plopped back onto the lumpy cushions and leaned his head against the wall. “What did you want?”
“We're almost at Sommer. Remember?” he queried after receiving a confused expression. “Chang WuFei? He hired us to take him to Isis.”
“I know that! I'm still half asleep, give me a break.” Trowa began to chuckle, but quickly covered his blunder with a cough. “How much longer 'til we reach orbit?”
“About a half hour. We've got the fake documents ready. You should really thank Howard for his help.”
“More like Sky. He was the one who gave us the e-signature for them.” Duo shuddered as he remembered what he had gone through to get a lousy bit of code. Sky was usually just an informant which he used from time to time, but he had to be the most repulsive person whom Duo had the misfortune of knowing. Tall and lanky, with a very bizarre fashion sense, Sky Larkson had been after Duo's ass since they first met four years prior.
“True. At least it was just a date he wanted.”
“Thank God you rescued me.” Duo's stomach turned as he remembered being pressed against the slightly grimy walls of Sky's apartment. It had been an experience which he had tried time and again to rid himself of, but not even visiting his current lover on Isla Pax helped.
A young man with curly light brown hair named Miller, stuck his head through the door into the large common room. “Duo, you've got a call on the vid-com. It's Sky.”
“Oh joy,” he said with a fair amount of sarcasm.
“Perhaps he's proposing.” Duo made a scene of being disgusted and then turned to Trowa who had a calm expression on his face.
“You're not kidding are you?” There was a slight twinkle in his green eyes as he raised a delicate eyebrow. “I don't get you.” Duo walked over to a thin screen which jutted a fraction of an inch out of the wall. Beneath it were a series of buttons, one of which was flashing. With a bit of hesitance, Duo pressed the lit button and Sky's skeletal face appeared. He had one of those visages that one could never forget. His eyes were sullen, but the color somehow was still a bright silver. A pair of green-colored glasses were perched at an angle upon his long ski slope of a nose, while his stick straight jet black hair fell in stringy disarray around his oval face. The worse part of his appearance wasn't the fact that he always looked in need of a decent shave, but he was missing several teeth, all of which had been replaced by gold crowns.
“Duo! How are you my gorgeous little pet?” Sky simpered in his deep and gruff voice. Duo shut his eyes and began to count backwards trying to force himself to be civil.
“Fine.” He attempted a grin, but he knew that it must have looked more like a grimace. Deciding to abandon all pretenses, he squared his shoulders and looked straight at the small camera mounted on the top of the view screen's frame. “Look, what do you want?”
“Aw, where is your bright bubbly personality, Duo sweetie?”
“I left it on Mars. C'mon Sky, I haven't got all day.”
Sky pulled a hurt face, and then sighed, annoyed that Duo wasn't playing into his hands. “Fine. I have a message from Quatre.” Trowa's ears perked up at the sound of the young blonde's name, and he rushed over to Duo's side.
“Is he okay?”
“He's fine! More than fine actually ... he received straight A's, and he'll be waiting for you when you swing by Spring Valley.” Duo glanced over just in time to catch a huge smile splitting Trowa's normally somber face.
“Thanks, Sky. Tell Quatre we should be there in a few days.”
“Will do Duo-bear. Later.” Sky's transmission ended and was replaced by a gray-blue screen bearing the name Dragonfly and her insignia. Duo stared at the screen, remembering when Honor had shown him the completed drawing. He had hated it then, and even now he hated it. The mark consisted of a ebony-colored dragonfly placed at a slight angle just above a curve of varying flowers -- all of which Honor assured him attracted dragonflies -- it was just so girly, but it had been part of her just like the name of the ship. He ran his hand over the image and then pressed the first button beneath the panel. A loud beep echoed throughout the ship.
“Everyone prepare for atmo entry in thirty minutes.” With another press, there was a lower toned double beep which told everyone that he was through with his announcement. The hardest part of this trip was right before them now. They had to make it through the checkpoint gate before they could even get near the planet.
Each planet had a scattering of checkpoint docking stations drifting in their orbit. If a ship got past one of these stations without showing proper I.D., the Alliance's police would deploy in mere seconds making an escape nearly impossible. There had been only one known instance of someone getting away from the well trained and armed A.P.F., and they were currently entering D.S. 003 around the predominantly American planet, Sommer.
“Life used to be a bit more simple, eh? I remember when we could just land without having to prove we weren't felons.” Howard leaned casually against the pilot's chair which was presently occupied by Duo. Every member of the crew was holding their breath as they waited for the initial scan of the Dragonfly, and no one was more worried than the captain. If they failed the scan, it was over for them. It had been a year since that incident when they had fled Spring Valley, but the Alliance had a very good memory. The question now was, did they know that this was the same C-Class Freighter or not?
“It would have been nice if he had chosen one of the asteroids to meet us on. At least there -” Duo held a slender finger up to his mouth and made a loud shushing noise at his navigator, Miller. The man's large brown eyes rounded in surprise and then looked down at his instrument panel as a deep blush covered his freckled cheeks. He was a newer crew member, and was eager to aid in Duo Maxwell's cause; therefore, he was trying extra hard to please. Duo grinned at the reaction of the man, who was actually older than his own twenty-three years, yet he acted as if he were indeed more youthful.
“Don't sweat it Miller. I just don't want to mess anything up, so stay quiet.” The young man bobbed his head up and down in silence and concentrated on ensuring that they docked without any problems.
The Dragonfly carefully connected itself to clamps that would guide the ship through a wall of pale blue light, otherwise known as the scanner. The Alliance would be looking for any type of weapons, tagged stolen goods, or wanted persons that may be hiding onboard. There was a soft humming noise as the medium class ship slid slowly through the light. Once through, Duo's view screen blinked and the face of a young woman with her hair pulled back in a severe bun appeared. “Please send the ship's identification and journey papers through.”
“Sure.” Duo pressed several buttons and then mumbled under his breath, “this had better work.” He sat there for a few moments, his heart drumming heavily in his chest.
“3-B5-8015-D Dragonfly, C-Class Freighter?”
“Yeah?” He tried to sound confident and not worried, but wasn't sure if he had succeeded because she raised her pert eyebrow at him before she spoke.
“Everything seems to be in order. You may pass.” Her image disappeared from the screen with a flash, and then as the ship was released her thin voice echoed through the bridge. “Enjoy your trip to Sommer, the central planet.”
“Thanks.” Duo grinned as the rush of getting through the first hurdle set in. Next stop, the capital of Sommer, Ion.
The ship bucked lightly as it entered into the atmosphere of the largest planet in Solar System Gamma; it was also the planet with the second largest Alliance presence on its surface, which made Duo even more jittery. As he neared the sprawling capital city, he felt his stomach begin to knot up in anxiety. Being this close to this many politicians and Alliance members just didn't sit right with him, but his client had asked to be picked up at the Luc Sommer Docks. So he would have to endure.
Once the ship landed, Howard stepped in front of Duo who was rising from his seat. “If you want, I'll go and meet him. No sense you going out there and gettin' recognized.”
“It's okay, Howard.” Duo patted his old friend's bony and slightly stooped shoulder. “I'll be cautious. Besides, what would our new passenger think of his captain if he didn't come and greet him?” Duo's bright smile unnerved Howard a bit, but he knew that once that boy had set his mind on something there was no talking him out of it.
“Fine. Just be extra careful - there's no hidin' the fact that you've got your father's face.”
Duo paused at Howard's words, thinking briefly of his beloved father and all he had done for the people of Sonas. “Yeah … I know.”
He slowly made his way down the short corridor which housed both the first mate's quarters and his own; it was then he descended a short ladder which held the remaining crew's bunks. As he traversed the narrow passageway that led from the crew quarters to the large common area, Duo was stopped by an odd sensation which began to envelope him like a warm blanket. This warmth caused his tangled nerves to unfurl. He was at a loss as to what was causing it, and so after standing still for a few moments, he shook his head and continued on his way to the rear of the ship, where he descended a tightly winding staircase that led onto the cargo bay. He paused again at the large double doors which led to the outside and glanced down at the long black sleeves of his trench coat. It had been his father's; it was a bit big through the shoulders, but he had finally grown into the length a few years back. On the upper right sleeve in faded silver thread was woven the insignia of the Freedomists, or those who opposed the Alliance's rule. With a soft chuckle, Duo thought that perhaps it would be best if he left it on the ship, instead of parading through the city with it on. He tossed it across a crate which lay near the control panel for the bay doors, and with a light jerk on the hem of his slightly wrinkled shirt, he pressed the button so he could leave the ship.
Sunlight slowly began to spread across the dark gray interior of the Dragonfly's cargo hold. Even if it was an Alliance heavy planet, it was good to feel the warmth of the sun on his skin once more. Duo walked down the ramp and stepped onto the hard pavement which surrounded the ship's landing area. He reached into his pants' pocket and pulled out a small, thin, rectangular, and black computer and scrolled through several menus before he located the one labeled, 'Chang.' His thumb pressed the enter button, and a small map with a red dot on it appeared. All Duo had to do now was find the street which was listed and then he'd be one step closer to his new client.
His body ached all over. It was so intense that he could actually feel each individual hair on his head. The door creaked open spilling blindingly bright light inside the dark room, forcing him to shield his eyes. Someone moved inside the room and closed the door with a loud slam. “Mada okita?”
“Un,” his grunt was barely perceptible and aggravated the man standing before the lazy boy.
“I asked if you were awake yet!” A rough hand reached out and grabbed the young man by his shirt collar. He shook him several times before the boy's vice-like grip anchored itself around the man's thick wrist.
“And I said, 'yes.'” Piercingly deep blue eyes shone in the dim light which managed to escape around the edges of the heavy curtains that covered the lone window in the small room. The man let go of the other's shirt and backed away out of reach from that cruel grasp.
“You're more trouble than you're worth, Yuy,” despite his attempt to sound confident, a slight waver had slipped into his gruff voice.
“You should tell that to the doctor. I'm sure he'd love to hear your opinion on me.” His eyes glinted dangerously as the tiniest of smirks graced his stoic face. The other man backed up a few steps more, until he stood within arms reach of the heavy metallic door and cleared his throat nervously.
“I came to escort you to see the doctor.”
“Fine.” He rolled out of the hard cot and into a standing position. He hated going to the doctor's office. It meant more needles, or worse yet, more physical tests. He was so very tired of everything, and it had entered into his head more than once that he could kill everyone in that facility and escape; however, he couldn't seem to bring himself to do so.
The two men walked quietly down the hallway, the taller in front and rather uncomfortable having the Lion's 'killing machine' immediately behind him. He may have been twice the size of the young Yuy, but the Asian had been through extensive and top-secret training. He could probably snap him in two with his bare hands.
They rounded a corner and then entered the first silvery door to their right; on the wall immediately beside the door was a bright brass nameplate which bore the name, 'Dr. W.' Like the hallways, the room was a brilliant white, and had no decorations save for the three diplomas which hung behind the doctor's metal desk. “Ah, Heero-kun. Hisashiburi, ne? Genki desu ka?” Heero's eyebrows raised slightly at the casualness of his greeting. “Ah, well … I suppose you're not in the mood for pleasantries.” The doctor was rather young to have such an exalted position; his hair had not yet turned gray, nor were there any signs of age in his sparse beard upon his round face. Heero glared into the doctor's eyes, which were a bright jovial green, but he knew that was a lie. There was no kindness or joy in this man, he was as cruel as they came. “That will be all Douglas,” Dr. W dismissed Heero's burly escort with a flick of his wrist and then turned his attention back to the young man before him. “Heero-kun, Lion has asked me to inform you that he wishes to evaluate your progress tomorrow. So, I was hoping that we could run through your training today - in order to help you more impress him.”
Heero mentally groaned. Why did he have to run the same damned course again and again when he knew it by heart as it was? Did the doctor honestly think that somehow they could squeeze out a slightly better performance than the previous times, when he could run through it blindfolded? “Doctor, may I make a suggestion?”
The doctor's eyebrows raised, surprised that Heero was speaking to him. “Y-yes, Heero-kun. What is it?”
“Let me do it blindfolded.” The words of his soft voice hung in the air for a few moments before the doctor fully absorbed their meaning.
“B-b-blindfolded!? Are you mad!? You'll die instantly, and Lion - he'll …” Dr. W couldn't bare to finish the sentence. He had seen Lion's cruelty before, and it had been toward his own flesh and blood. There was no telling what he may do to someone who just simply worked for him.
Heero smirked. “I'll do it anyway.”
The doctor cleared his throat and straightened his lab coat with angry jerks of his hands. “Yes, I'm fully aware that you will. Fine. Have it your way - we'll do it … blindfolded.” His sentence ended in a half choked sob as he moved toward the door to escort Heero down to the training grounds. He could only hope that the boy would change his mind before they reached them; otherwise the young man was walking to his own death.
Duo walked down the pristine street, the sidewalks sparkling pearly white in the bright sunlight. Every planet who held Alliance offices was like this one; very clean and supposedly crime free. They worked hard to make the cities this way, in order to further promote themselves as having the public's health their top priority, but very few knew what actually happened to those who broke any of the harsh and strict laws. It was sad really, living a lie like the people of this city were. Duo being the son of a well known rebel had learned of the real face of the Alliance, but even though he knew the truth, it hadn't saved his sister nor his parents.
After traversing several crowded city blocks, Duo reached his destination. He stood before the large hotel gazing up at the seemingly never-ending high rise, a soft whistle on his lips. “Well, I'll give him this - he's got good taste.” The Blanc Chateau Hotel was the grandest in Ion since it was located just a brief distance from the Luc Sommer Docks, the central landing area for all of Ion. Duo now stood just a few blocks away from the outer circle of governmental buildings, and the thought both chilled and angered him. Shaking off his desire to go and hurt someone or something, he walked inside of the large sliding doors and entered the hotel.
The vast lobby was decorated with large black marble columns that had gold and silver inlays at their crown and foot. The floors held an intricate pattern of the same black marble with gold and silver inlays, and shone with a sparkling light from the massive chandeliers that hung low from the high ornamental ceiling. Duo's face scrunched up in distaste as he eyed a rather large Romanesque fountain off to his left. The statue in its center consisted of a muscular male who was not quite naked for there was a small bit of cloth covering his nether regions, and a beautiful very naked lady grasping onto him with adoration in her eyes; as for the water, it was cascading down the pedestal which they stood upon. This really was overdoing it just a bit, it was as if the place was thumbing its nose at those of lesser fortune. In fact, there were art pieces hung all around the small sitting areas which were located beneath the elaborate staircases and balconies that lined the far wall. Duo knew from the completed practice art works which Honor had shown him that they were most likely the real deal.
A young man adorned in a ruby red suit screeched to a halt just beside Duo and bowed, panting slightly from his rush. “I'm sorry sir, did you have any business here today?”
Duo stared at the boy, not making any attempt to hide his annoyance at obviously being considered not worthy of setting foot within the building. “Yes, I'm here to meet someone, Chang WuFei,” he smirked as the young man's eyes widened in surprise at his accent. Duo had rounded his subtle Scottish brogue into one a bit more English sounding, so that he came across as one of the more wealthy.
“Oh, yes sir! You must be Master Christopher. Right this way.” Duo followed the bellhop, a bemused look upon his round face. It may have been his middle name, but hearing someone actually address him as 'Master' was just a bit amusing. “He's the gentleman in the black suit over by the bar.” The boy bobbed up and down a bit before rushing back to his post near the large entrance. Duo turned his attention onto the man whom he had come to meet; Chang WuFei was of slender build and looked to be of average height, most likely he was a good foot shorter than himself. His hair hung loose about his shoulders and he was immersed in a book as Duo slowly approached.
“Maxwell?” Duo jumped slightly at the sound of his name. WuFei turned and gazed hard at the man who was standing next to him. His coal black eyes seemed to bore a hole straight into Duo's soul and he found himself feeling very uncomfortable.
“Yeah, but don't say it so loud.”
“My apologies.” His voice was sharp and clear, and he seemed to be a very intelligent person. Duo wondered why he had asked to have him of all people take him to Isis, especially since he seemed to fit in with the Alliance-type crowd rather easily. WuFei slid off his perch upon the barstool and rose to his full height. Duo had completely misjudged him. He was only about six inches short than himself, which put him around five-foot-nine, and despite his smaller build, power was radiating from him. “We should be going. Especially since you seem so unnerved right now. I'm not a wanted criminal like yourself.” Without sparing him a second glance, WuFei gathered his things and began to march toward the exit, leaving the captain lagging behind.
Jogging lightly, Duo caught up, his temper starting to rise. “Look, if you already knew that, then why did you ask for us?”
WuFei paused and without pretense looked straight into Duo's bright blue eyes, and answered softly, “Because you're the only one who can help me.” After that simple statement he began to walk once more.
“Wha -?” Duo gazed at the ramrod straight back of his client, wanting answers but not getting them. He sighed, realizing that somehow this journey was going to be rather difficult. As he started to walk after WuFei, he caught a glimpse of long wheat blonde hair from across the lobby. “Shit,” he mumbled as he broke into a run-walk. He grabbed WuFei's arm, and shushed him as he started to protest. “We have to go. There's someone here I'd rather not run into.” Without further argument, the two men exited the hotel and as soon as they were away from the entrance, they broke into a run. It surprised Duo that WuFei could keep up with him and wasn't becoming winded.
The two rounded the corner and slowed their pace as they reached the large wrought iron gates which led to the docks. As they entered the landing area, Duo gazed with warm eyes upon the gray-blue Dragonfly. It was his home, and compared to the warmth which the sun drenched him in, it was nothing compared to that which his ship caused in his heart. “This is your ship?” WuFei queried as the two stood awaiting the cargo bay hatch to open.
“Yeah. She's the best ship in the galaxy.” A small smile appeared briefly on WuFei's face as the hatch thumped against the ground.
“She has a strong spirit about her.” WuFei hefted his suitcase under his arm as he grasped onto the rope which ran alongside the ramp as a handrail of sorts. Duo remained at the edge of the landing site thinking that his new client was definitely an odd one. “Are we stopping anywhere on our journey to Isis?”
“Uhm, yeah. Spring Valley.” Duo's long legged stride got him up the ramp in less time than WuFei had managed, and he shut the hatch. “We have to pick up a crew member.” He smiled and slung his jacket back onto his large frame. As the hatch closed, Duo turned to WuFei. “I'll show you to your room. You'll be staying in one of the empty crew quarters - it's all we've got. This isn't a passenger vehicle.”
“I'm aware of that,” his tone held an air of arrogance that spoiled the good mood of the captain.
“Apparently you never learned your manners,” Duo mumbled to himself as he took to the stairs two at a time.
“What was that?”
“Oh, nothing.” He laughed hoping that his client would drop it, but he could feel the man's eyes burning into his back. Duo was definitely going to have to watch his tongue around this one, unless he wanted to find out just how powerful WuFei was.
Heero slowly pulled the black silk makeshift blindfold off his face and gazed back over the large open field. It looked like a war zone. Heavy gray smoke slowly spiraled upward from wrecked machinery, and there were bits of sawdust spattered across the bright green grass where Heero had sliced or gunned down his burlap foes. Several of the men who had been brought out to fight with him lay either unconscious or were moaning and crying with pain. Dr. W stared at the monster masquerading as a young man. He had never in his life witnessed such pinpoint accuracy nor such horrid brutality. This Heero Yuy was indeed a far cry from the young boy who had been dragged in nearly ten years prior. The eight-year-old had been silent yes, but his eyes had held a warm sweetness despite the raging fury over his mother's death. Now they were empty and cold. They only saw the best and fastest way to kill someone.
“Perfection.” Dr. W's head whipped around at the sound of the rich baritone behind him. Lion had arrived.
“S-sir, how much did you see?”
“All of it.” There was an unnatural gleam in his age-hardened eyes, and the smile which danced across his craggy face sent chills down the doctor's spine. “I feel that he's ready for the next step.”
“Which is, sir?” Lion walked over to the observation glass and looked down at Heero who's cold blue eyes stared back at him.
“I want to give him a mission. A simple one, just a test to see if he will obey …”
“What if he does not?” The doctor's voice quivered a bit, and Lion raised an eyebrow at him as he studied the younger man.
“Are you questioning your own ability?”
“N-no sir, it's just that the -” Lion waved his hand in dismissal.
“I know that you haven't fully programmed him yet. I just want to see if what we've done to him is enough.” Dr. W dipped into a shallow bow and then turned to fetch Heero. There was so much that had yet to be done to the boy. He truthfully didn't feel that Heero was ready for a mission, even if he had completely decimated the practice run.
Heero glared up at the sheet of glass behind which Lion stood. He couldn't see the old man, but he knew that he was there looking down upon him. Why was it that he hated him so? He couldn't quite remember, but he knew that the memory was there, he just couldn't touch it. His head turned as he heard the doctor's brisk footfalls near him. He stared expressionless at the doctor as he waited for him to catch his breath.
“Heero-kun, Lion wishes -”
“To see me. Fine.” With those quiet words he walked past Dr. W and up the narrow staircase which led to the observation room. The room was the same sterile white as the rest of the research facility. The bright color made the dark gray of Lion's slicked back crop of hair stand out in sharp contrast. He turned slowly and smiled menacingly at Heero, who stood stoically awaiting the explanation as to why he had been summoned.
“I have a mission for you.” Lion reached into the pocket of his white lab coat and pulled out a memo stick. He separated the two halves of the narrow contraption with the press of a small button and pulled them apart. There between the two was an illuminated view screen, and the information which Heero needed for his first mission. Lion handed it to him, his eyes fixated upon the young man.
It only took a few seconds for Heero to read and absorb the information contained in the memo. “So I'm to steal an item.”
“Yes. It's an important item to me. So you must bring it back in one piece.” Lion paused, awaiting a reaction from Heero, but when he failed to get one he simply sighed. “As for the man who harbors it - do whatever you wish.”
“Understood.” Heero turned on his heel and headed off to prepare for his departure to Spring Valley.
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TBC
* Hisashiburi literally means 'it's been a while'
*Genki desu ka 'are you well?' or 'how are you'