Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Family Ties ❯ Chapter 96 ( Chapter 96 )

“Family Ties”

 

January 2007 ShenLong

 

Chapter 96

 

[Preventer Communications]

 

“Roger that, Agent Wind. I will have the Commander report here as soon as possible. Preventer communications, out.” Oak sat back in his chair.

 

“What's up?” Forest asked from where he was sitting across the room at another console.

 

“I need to get the Commander to come up here. The agents on the satellite will be calling in again soon with an update on the status of things out there.”

 

“Ah. You want me to page her?”

 

“If you could. I'm a little busy here with all this monitoring.”

 

“No problem.” Forest pushed a couple of buttons on his console and spoke into the small microphone attached to his headset.

 

“Commander Une's office.”

 

“It's Agent Forest here from communications. I need to speak with the Commander.”

 

“One moment, Forest, I'll see if I can get her for you.”

 

Forest waited for a couple of minutes, then the Commander's voice came over the unit.

 

“Forest? What is happening?”

 

“Commander. Agent Wind contacted us a few minutes ago and requested you attend the communications room as soon as you can. Agent Space will be calling in soon with an update on the status of things on the satellite.”

 

“I'm on my way.”

 

The line went dead.

 

“What did she say?” Oak asked.

 

“She's on her way,” replied Forest.

 

“Good.” Oak turned back to his monitoring.

 

* * *

 

[Earth near the ESUN]

 

“What the hell is that?”

 

“It looks like a shuttle.”

 

“What is it doing?”

 

“Oh, fuck! I'd say it's about to break up.”

 

The mob turned their eyes skyward where the object in question was glowing white hot. Suddenly it exploded in a bright ball of red, orange and yellow flame.

 

“Run! Run for your lives!” someone screamed and the people scattered as debris rained down upon them.

 

Chunks of molten metal, twisted pieces of a once proud shuttle fell from the sky, hammering the earth and anything that was unlucky enough to be caught in its path. Fires broke out where fuel was available to ignite and quickly took hold.

 

“Oh, god! It's the end of the earth!” people screamed as they ran and hid.

 

A pair of eyes watched the demise of the shuttle; and also noted the safe landing of several others. Having seen enough, the agent melted back into the shadows and headed for safety to make a call.

 

* * *

 

[Preventer Communications]

 

Oak was only half listening to the few transmissions that were currently taking place. His mind was so focused on waiting for the one transmission he knew was coming that he nearly missed the static hiss of something trying to make contact.

 

“Prev... age... copy?”

 

Oak sat bolt upright in his chair and jammed the headset on tighter. “This is Preventer Communications, your signal is weak, please identify.”

 

“Ag.. Sapph...”

“Agent, I'll try to get a better fix on your signal.” Oak began to fiddle with the dial, finally managing to get a reasonable lock on the signal. “Try again, agent.”

 

“This is Agent Sapphire. Can you read me okay?”

 

“Sapphire, this is Oak. I copy you clearly, although the signal is still weak.”

 

“I have some information I think the Commander should hear.”

 

“What information?” barked Une as she walked into the communications room and headed straight for Oak.

 

“Ah, Commander. This communication has just come in from Agent Sapphire,” Oak informed.

 

Une took a seat next to Oak and grabbed a headset. “Agent Sapphire, this is Commander Une. What information do you have?”

 

“Commander, I'm not far from the ESUN headquarters. Several shuttles have landed nearby at an old, disused Alliance shuttle port.”

 

“Are you certain of this, Sapphire?”

 

“Yes, ma'am. There was a large explosion, one shuttle disintegrated upon approach, that's what caught my attention first; then I spotted the others.”

 

“How many?”

 

“I'm not sure. I'd say about six. I didn't hang around for long, the debris was a little on the hard side to dodge and several fires have started up in the surrounding area as a result of the falling debris.”

 

“I see.” Une closed her eyes for a moment as she thought. “Agent Sapphire, are you alone or do you have other agents in the area with you?”

 

“I'm alone, ma'am. I was on an assignment when everything went haywire.”

 

“Okay. Sapphire, disregard your previous assignment for now. I want you to get as close to that shuttle port as possible and monitor what is going on there. When you can, send through coordinates and keep me informed as to what is happening.”

 

“Yes, ma'am.”

 

“Good luck, agent. Report back in once you are within range of the port.”

 

“Roger that. Ma'am? Forgive my forwardness, but what is it with these shuttles?”

 

“If my assumption is correct, Sapphire, these shuttles are carrying Barton's troops that have come to continue on what his Firecell started.”

 

“Shit.”

 

“Yes, we will be neck deep in it if we don't do something about them, that's why I need you to return and monitor their activities.”

 

“Ah, yes, ma'am. Sorry about that.”

 

Une gave a small chuckle. “Commander Une, out.”

 

“Sapphire, out.”

 

Une set the headset down and turned to Oak who was watching wide eyed. “I need to know the instant Sapphire calls back in. This information is of extreme importance.”

 

“Of course, Commander.”

 

“Good. Forest?”

 

“Yes, Commander?”

 

“Fetch me a cup of tea please.”

 

“Tea? I thought you usually drank coffee?”

 

“I do, but any more of it and I think I'll be looking like a coffee bean.”

 

Forest held the snicker. “Right away, Commander.”

 

* * *

 

[Preventer Shuttle 121]

 

“There, all done,” Quatre said and dropped the gauze back into the bloodied water in the bowl. “I don't think it will need stitches but I'd like Sally to take a look at it when she can. I'll cover it for now.” Quatre reached for the tube of antiseptic cream and smeared a little out. As gently as he could he applied it to the cut just below Trowa's hairline.

 

“Ouch,” Trowa supplied.

 

“Wuss,” came Quatre's reply. Completely ignoring any further complaints, he picked up a piece of dry gauze, covered the wound and then place a large piece of sticking plaster over the top. “That will have to do for now.”

 

Trowa looked up with wide, green eyes and a soulful expression on his face. “Aren't you going to kiss it better for me?” he asked.

 

Shaking his head, Quatre leaned close and pressed a gentle kiss to the sticking plaster. “There, all better.”

 

“Thanks.” Trowa's eyes began to slide closed.

 

“Oh no you don't,” Quatre informed him. “Come on, you need to come to the cockpit with me. I have to contact Une and report in with the status here. Then we need to run a complete diagnostics check on the shuttle and the Gundams, find out the damage and see what we can do about fixing it.”

 

“But I'm injured,” protested Trowa. True, he was injured, but the morphine had taken care of the pain - in fact, Trowa just wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep; forget all the fighting, forget all the shit that was currently going on around him and with any luck, when he woke up it would all be over and done with.

 

“Sorry, that's out of the question. I know you're injured and I'd like nothing more than to tuck you up in bed to rest, recover and heal, but that isn't an option at the moment. We have a world to save.”

 

“Let Heero do it,” came the grouchy reply.

 

“I'll ignore that,” Quatre stated and then fixed his lover with a stern look. “Come on, up you get and come with me.”

 

Muttering several things under his breath such as `Why can't Heero do it? He's done it before', Trowa levered himself off the bed and with an arm around the blonde's shoulder for support, hobbled through the shuttle to the cockpit.

 

* * *

 

[Satellite XRB 23 Surface]

 

Having slipped their helmets on, Zechs passed Wufei a hand gun, several clips and a couple of knives. “We will need to remain alert whilst getting from the shuttle to the satellite's hangar. Although I'm sure most of those suit pilots will have already made it back to the Dome, there is the chance that there are some still out there and we don't know if they're packing any firepower.”

 

Wufei nodded and took the weapons, tucking them away safely in the many pockets of the flight suit.

 

“All set?”

 

“Yes.” Wufei patted the breast pocket to double check the palm top was still safely there.

 

“Let's go then.” Zechs pushed the button and the door opened. The pair stepped inside, the door closed and they waited patiently for the pressure to equalize with that of the satellite.

 

The outside door opened and the pair glanced around before Zechs waved them forward. Stepping out, Chang took a look around. Carnage was everywhere. Suits lay broken, dismembered or completely twisted into chunks of distorted metal wherever they looked. As Zechs had presumed, most of the pilots that were lucky to survive the battle had escaped their cockpits and scrambled back to the safety of the satellite Dome.

 

There would be some, trapped and helpless that remained and Wufei could only hope they weren't armed or still able to use their suit's weapons to take them out. Keeping alert, he followed Zechs through the wreckage and towards the hangar.

 

Unfortunately, as they passed through the battlefield they were bound to come across some pilots that hadn't been so lucky. Wufei wasn't one to normally be affected by death, but this time, he couldn't help it. He spotted several bodies lying amongst the mangled suits, some not recognizable as being human. He shuddered and sent a silent prayer to Nataku to look after their souls.

 

“Such a waste,” he heard Zechs whisper as they passed the body of a pilot who would have been no more than twenty.

 

“The hangar entry should be up ahead and to the right,” Wufei informed, distracting them both from the carnage.

 

“Roger that,” Zechs replied.

 

The hangar drew closer, Wufei guiding them to the entry point. Once they reached it, Zechs scanned around with the heat seeking instrument. “There's an indication of a few people over to the left side,” he told Wufei.

 

“Right. I suggest we slip in here and keep low. The depressurization chamber is over that way.”

 

“Okay.” Zechs began to move forward, slinking through the entry and keeping to the shadows, using anything they could to hide behind.

 

The pair could see the impressive forms of Wing and Deathscythe standing to the side of the hangar and lucky for them, that's where all the people currently in the hangar were congregated.

 

Wufei gave a soft snort. “Good luck to them trying to get into either Gundam,” he said. Wufei knew that both Gundams would be secured and there would be no way anyone other than the pilot would be able to get inside.

 

“At least it's keeping them distracted,” Zechs said in an amused tone.

 

With the focus of the people on the Gundams, slowly but surely Zechs and Wufei made their way around the perimeter and located the depressurization chamber. Fortunately it was empty.

 

Checking the area again, the pair slipped inside and closed the door. It took just a few seconds for the pressure to equalize and the pair cautiously made their way out and into the Dome.

 

“We can hide our helmets over here,” Wufei informed and led Zechs to the spot where they had hidden their helmets on their previous visits to the Dome. Wufei couldn't help but smile when he spotted Yuy's and Maxwell's helmets there too.

 

“Okay, bring up the map of the Dome on the palm top please,” Zechs requested.

 

Wufei pushed a few buttons and the blueprints were displayed on the small screen. “We are here,” he stated and pointed to a spot on the map. Day and Night should be here according to their last transmission.”

 

“Good, Now we need to plan the quickest route from here to there,” Zechs said as he looked over Wufei's shoulder.

 

“Hmmm. I think we should go this way.” Wufei traced a line through the map.

 

“Looks good to me,” Zechs replied.

 

“Then let's head out.” With the palm top in hand, Wufei moved forward, Zechs right with him.

 

* * *

 

[Preventer Shuttle 121]

 

Quatre managed to get them both to the cockpit and after settling Trowa into the copilot's seat, he took up residence in the pilot's seat. “Can you start running a diagnostics check on the shuttle while I call in to Une, please?” the blonde requested, slipping on a headset.

 

Trowa grunted but did as requested, logging into the computer and pulling up the program. Once he was set, he started it off, watching carefully as the various checks rolled across the screen.

 

Satisfied that his husband was okay with his task, Quatre flipped the communications switch and proceeded to call Headquarters.

 

“Preventer Communications, this is shuttle 121, Agent Space reporting in. Do you copy?”

 

“Agent Space, this is Preventer communications, Agent Oak here. We copy you.”

 

“Oak, is Commander Une there, please?”

 

“Commander is here, Space. Putting her on line now.”

 

“Space, this is Commander Une. What is going on up there? What is the status? Has Barton been arrested yet? Is everyone okay?”

 

Quatre did his best to hold back the chuckle, now was not the time to give in to mirth of any sort. Trowa wasn't so humble though - he gave another snort and shook his head.

 

“Commander, the mobile suits have all been destroyed or incapacitated. Agents Night and Day are currently inside the main Dome and working their way through to arrest Barton. Agents Wind and Fire have gone to join them and act as a back up. At the last contact we had, Day informed they have arrested two senators from the ESUN. They are currently still in the Dome and awaiting extraction. A minor skirmish has also occurred between Night, Day and some of Barton's men. I believe that two of these men are unfortunately deceased, the other two injured but alive.”

 

Une growled softly. “I wanted as many of them alive as possible,” she muttered.

 

“All agents are well aware of that order, Commander and are doing their best to incapacitate only; however, as you are aware, sometimes things go wrong,” Quatre stated in defense of Heero and Duo.

 

A loud sigh came over the headset. “I know, Quatre, but I do want Barton alive to stand trial for his crimes.”

 

“I understand that, Commander, and so do the others. They will be doing their best to bring him in alive.”

 

“What is the status of the agents?”

 

“Wind and Space are okay. Agent Fire has minor injuries, Air is a little worse off although nothing life threatening. I'm not too sure about Day and Night. I do know that Duo was suffering from some injuries he received whilst in Barton's clutches, but since then a lot has happened and I've not been able to see either of them before they disappeared into the Dome.”

 

“Roger that, Space. Try to do the best you can with medical treatment until you return when we can have Sally check you all over.”

 

“Yes, Commander.”

 

“What is the status of the shuttles and the Gundams?”

 

“Trowa is running a diagnostics check on the shuttle as we speak. That will be followed by one on the Gundams. At this point the Gundams all seem relatively okay, there is some minor damage to Sandrock and Shenlong, Heavyarms suffered a fair amount including severed hydraulics, as for Deathscythe and Wing, I don't know as they are inside the Dome hangar.”

 

“I see. Okay, Space. Proceed as per the current instructions. Find out what damage there is to the shuttles and if they are capable of flying back to earth. Keep me updated on Night, Day and the others in relation to Barton. Once that man is arrested I want to know. When you have control of the satellite I will arrange for shuttles to be sent along with agents to bring Barton and his followers back here to earth to stand trial.”

 

“Copy that, Commander,” Quatre replied. “Have you heard anything at all in regards to the shuttles that Barton sent to the earth with his troops?”

 

“Actually, yes. I've not long had a field agent call in. Seems the shuttles have arrived and landed at an abandoned old Alliance shuttle port near the ESUN headquarters. One shuttle didn't make it though, it exploded during the entry phase.”

 

“Oh, Allah,” Quatre whispered.

 

“At the moment we are just monitoring them. There's far too many of them for Preventer to do anything about, even if we had the assistance of the police and army - that's providing we could even get out of headquarters.”

 

“That doesn't sound good.”

 

Une gave Quatre a brief rundown on the current situation, the riots, the risks and general state of the earth.

 

“Once we have Barton arrested I'm certain the rest of his followers will give in. Then we need to try and reverse this Firecell. If we can do that, then it shouldn't take much more to restore the peace back to the earth and the citizens.”

 

“Good theory,” muttered Trowa. Quatre gave his husband what he hoped was a strong glare.

 

“Well, good luck, Commander. I will be in touch again as soon as I have anything to report. Space out.”

 

“Thank you, Space. Une out.”

 

Quatre removed the headset and rubbed his aching temples. Closing his eyes for a moment he wondered what was going on inside the Dome and if he should try to contact Zechs or Duo to get an update. He decided against it though, they were most likely up to their necks and wouldn't appreciate a call from him. No, they would report in as soon as they had anything to report. Instead, he turned his attention to Trowa and the diagnostics program. “Anything yet?” he questioned.

 

Looking up from the screen, Trowa turned his green eyes on his partner. “Not much. So far there's only minor damage reporting in, things that won't affect the shuttle's capabilities of flying back to earth.”

 

“That's good then.”

 

“Yes, it is, but I'm only about an eighth of the way through the check list.”

 

“Ah. Let's keep our fingers crossed that there's nothing serious come through.”

 

“One can always hope.”

 

“Will you be okay to continue on by yourself?”

 

“Why? You planning on going somewhere?” Trowa asked.

 

“I thought I'd head for the cargo hold and start running checks on the Gundams,” Quatre replied.

 

“Okay. I'll be fine. Once I have the list completed I'll contact you.”

 

“Good.” Quatre got up and leaned across to his lover, pressing his lips against those of the Latin. “If you feel dizzy or anything starts to hurt, you let me know straight away.”

 

“If I do can I expect more of this sort of nursing?” Trowa replied as he partook of his own kiss, deepening it and sliding his tongue into the Arabian's mouth.

 

When he was finally allowed up for air, Quatre's eyes were glassy, his cheeks flushed and breathing a little ragged. “Much more of that and I won't be able to leave your bedside,” he panted.

 

Trowa snickered. “Hurry back, I think I'm going to have a relapse.”

 

“I'll be more than happy to give you mouth to mouth.”

 

Trowa groaned and despite the morphine in his system, he felt his nether regions starting to swell. Quatre also noticed and was barely able to stop himself from jumping his husband. It was with great strength of will he managed to pull away and leave the cockpit.

 

“I'll be back soon,” he promised. “Then I'll really take care of you.”

 

“I'll hold you to that,” Trowa replied and then turned back to the program on the computer.

 

Quatre headed for the cargo hold, determined to get the Gundams checked in record time.

 

* * *

 

[Satellite XRB 23 - Corridor outside the Control Room]

 

“Who just stepped out?” Heero asked, his voice a whisper as he tried to peer around his lover and the alcove to get a look.

 

Duo pushed him back. “There's two people just stepped out into the corridor. One is Matthews, he was one of the ones to kidnap me from Duric's lot.”

 

Heero nodded. “The other?”

 

“The other... the hulking piece of shit; that's Zaheer.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Zaheer. He's the fucking asshole responsible for making me do what I had to do. He's a sadistic bastard who loves to inflict pain. He's also Barton's right hand man.” Duo's voice had turned icy as he spoke of the man that had caused him so much grief. “I swore I would kill the fucker if I got the chance.”

 

“Remember what Une said...”

 

“Fuck, Une.” Duo turned to face his husband and Heero had to blink. Gone was the normally gentle, kind Duo, the man he'd fallen in love with. The face he looked upon was hard, cold and calculating. Purple fire burned in those beautiful eyes and Heero knew his husband was gone, retreating somewhere into the depths of Duo's mind. Here he was looking into the face of a killer - the face of Shinigami.

 

“That bastard is mine and I fully intend to carry out the promise I made. He's a dead man.”

 

Heero shuddered. He knew just how vengeful Shinigami could be, he'd seen Duo's alter ego enough times during the war and what he was capable of. But this time there was a difference. This time Duo was carrying another life inside him, his child; Duo's child. “Duo,” Heero began, “Remember, you are most likely pregnant again. Don't put our baby at risk,” he pleaded. “Let me handle this.”

 

Duo pulled himself up to his full height and stared deep into Heero's eyes. “No. Zaheer is mine, I owe that prick and he's going to pay.” The purple fire flickered for a moment and softened. Duo raised a hand and caressed Heero's cheek. “I won't forget about the baby and I won't let any harm come to it either,” he promised. “But, Heero, I did tell you that if I saw this asshole that all bets were off. I'm taking him down.”

 

Knowing there was nothing he could do to stop his partner short of knocking him unconscious, Heero nodded. “Be careful.”

 

“I will. I love you.” Duo sealed their lips together in a kiss borne of desire, love and determination.

 

“I love you too,” Heero replied and ran a hand over Duo's belly. “Both of you.”

 

Duo's eyes hardened again. He checked the clip in the gun and then pulled a couple of knives out from within his flight suit. Making sure his braid was tucked safely down the back of the suit, he took a deep breath then peered around the alcove.

 

Zaheer was on one side of the control room door, Matthews the other. Both men were glancing up and down the corridor and discussing something between themselves in low tones. With a maniacal grin on his face, Duo palmed one of the knives, peered around the alcove again and took aim.

 

With a flick of his wrist, the knife went sailing silently through the air.

 

~ * ~

 

tbc...

 

Thank you to everyone for reading and warm hugs for the kind feedback! Special hugs for toni for the continued feedback and support! *snugs*