Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Resistance is Futile ❯ First Contact ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4 - First Contact

Heero gasped incredulously. Why wasn't the soldier death? Why was he still approaching? Heero fired once again and this time he saw exactly that he didn't miss his target. But the second the bullet hit the soldier he shimmered shortly and the bullet was diverted.

Heero shook his head dazed. That couldn't possibly be. Were his senses fooling him? Had the heat exhausted him even more than he thought? It looked as if the man was protected by some kind of shield - only that something like this couldn't probably exist. Dr. J would have known and told Heero about it.

He emptied his remaining magazine desperately on the approaching soldier but with every single bullet happened exactly the same as with the earlier ones. The soldier shimmered shortly and the bullets were diverted.

Determined Heero threw his gun away which anyway wasn't of use any more. He would later think about why the bullets hadn't hit the soldier. Alright, so he couldn't just simply shoot him but after all he was well-trained in hand-to-hand-combat too and he should somehow be able to deal with this guy. He wouldn't let himself be prevented from reaching Wing!

Heero attacked the soldier with a series of hits and kicks but his target neither jerked back or avoided him nor did he defend himself otherwise. He simply took the first hits, then stretched out one hand and caught Heero's fist in midair.

Desperately Heero tugged at his arm, pressed all-out against his attacker's chest but with no use. The soldier's grip was like steel. Dismayed Heero looked into his face - and startled. The man's eyes were absolutely blank. As if he was just a robot and not a human any more.

Heero started to hit and kick out fiercely and scratched the soldier's face. This caused a kind of reaction at last. The soldier let him finally go. Heero could see a short flicker in his opposites' look but it was so briefly he wasn't sure he hadn't just imagined it.

Quickly Heero retreated some steps and tried to run past his opponent towards his mobile suite which only was a few metres away. But the soldier surprised him once again. Like greased lightning, too fast for Heero to avoid, he stretched out an arm, hit Heero in the chest and catapulted him with incredible force across the room.

Pain exploded in Heero's body. The soldier's arm had hit him with the force of a steel beam, had pressed the oxygen out of his lungs and certainly broken a few of his rips. He bumped backwards against one of the pieces of scrap and knocked his head on it.

He lay on the floor breathless, felt warm blood seeping out of his back of the head and tried to control the pain. Heero groaned, attempted to sit up and directed his blurred gaze again towards his approaching attacker.

The soldier had reached Heero meanwhile, looked at him with still the same inexpressiveness and raised one hand to hit again. Desperately Heero lifted his arm to block the coming blow or to protect himself at least a little bit - and heard shortly after the crunching sound of breaking bones. His breaking bones as he realised thereupon as the waves of pain reached his brain.

The next moment he was lifted and a steely hand gripped around his throat. Everything in Heero shouted to defend himself, somehow, but his body just didn't obey him any more. The exhaustion caused by the heat and his injuries took their toll. Compliant he closed his eyes and waited for his end.

But instead of dying he suddenly heard a hissing sound and a second later he was simply dropped down on the ground. Painfully he hit the floor and couldn't suppress a cry of pain this time. His whole body hurt, his chest, his arm, his head and every breath he took seemed to be liquid fire.

But he wasn't shattered yet. He was now free again, the soldier had let him finally go and that was his chance. Exhausted he opened his eyes and then he started to slowly crawl towards his Gundam. If only he was able to reach Wing he would be safe.

He could hear distant voices that were yelling something - were they directed towards him? Didn't matter anyway, he couldn't let himself be stopped right now. Wing. The mission. The attack. Duo! Duo would never forgive him if he didn't get out here alive.

Something - someone? - blocked his way but Heero didn't pay attention to it. With an effort he attempted to bypass the obstacle but he only could drag himself painfully forwards. His whole body felt numb all at once. This couldn't probably be normal. Apparently he was hurt even worse than he had thought.

"... That's still a child!..."

"... surprisingly good reflexes... held out for a long time... new sort... drones... not assimilate on their own..."

"... have to help him... our fault... badly injured..."

"... good idea, Doctor? After all..."

"... Prime Directive, Seven... have to abide it even if we're not at home..."

Torn shreds of words drifted towards Heero's ear but he couldn't grasp their meaning. The voices sounded vaguely familiar however. A man and a woman. Where had he heard those voices before? It was important, he had to remember...

"Can you hear me?" A hand was laid on Heero's shoulder. Heero tried to squirm out of this grip but he hadn't the strength to do it.

"Careful, you are badly injured! Don't resist, we're only trying to help you. You can trust us," said the calming voice of a man. Trust them? No way! Heero shook his head repulsing. Suddenly a hand grabbed his chin and forced him to look straight at it's owner.

The face of a woman. Blonde, pinned up hair. Cold blue eyes. And an eyebrow made of metal. An eyebrow made of metal? Heero frowned and blinked a few times. No, he hadn't been wrong, the woman's left eyebrow was really made of metal. Was that some kind of jewellery?

"Listen carefully," the woman started to speak even before Heero could think more about that strange decoration, "You are injured. You are not able to walk. You will not get very far without any help. It is quite obvious that you have no business being on this base. We are the only ones that could help you. You have to trust us. It is the only logical option left."

Heero stared at the woman. Strangely this cool emotionless voice succeeded in what the warm and friendly voice of the man couldn't achieve. He believed her. He trusted the words of that totally unknown woman. He would let them help him. Besides, he hardly had another choice and nothing left to loose. She was right, he couldn't feel his legs any more, couldn't walk and breathing became more and more difficult with every second.

"Well?" the woman arched her brow asking. Heero hinted a nod. "Alright," the woman continued to speak, "First we have to take care of your injuries. Doctor..." She turned her head sideways and Heero followed her gaze and looked now at the man who was also kneeling beside him.

He was somewhat older, was going bald, smiled reassuring at Heero and raised his hand holding a strange device. Heero twitched back. "No need to be afraid," soothed the man, "That's for the pain." He pressed the device at Heero's neck, a hiss sounded and shortly after Heero could feel the pain slowly lessen.

"No," Heero gasped, "... no time... attack..." Damned, his head hurt quite awfully despite of the painkiller. He could hardly think straight. Heero closed his eyes briefly and sucked painfully more air into his lungs. Then he turned to the woman and looked concentrated at her. Somehow he had this feeling that he rather could make himself understandable to her.

"We have to get out," he groaned, "... everything is going to blow up... have to help the others... Wing..." Heero stretched out one hand and pointed at his Gundam. "Have to reach Wing..." The woman turned her head and looked searchingly at the mobile suite.

"Doctor," she finally said musing, "I think the boy arrived here by this machine. And he wanted to leave the base with it as well. Obviously there is an attack approaching - we should better return to the Delta Flyer. We can take the boy along with us and drop him on one of the colonies."

With this words she raised. Heero gasped horrified. They wanted to take him along? And drop him on one of the colonies? Without Wing? No, no, no! Again he stretched out his uninjured arm and tried to crawl towards his mobile suit.

"Heh!" called the man and intensified his grip on Heero's shoulder, "Stop! Don't move, you're only going to worsen your injuries!"

"No," Heero started to fidget in the man's grip, "...Wing!"

The woman looked down on him. "What is the matter?" she asked.

"I have to reach Wing," Heero answered breathless, "I have to help the others. The attack... Duo... they need me... if I don't help them they're going to get killed..." Heero was nearly crying. If he didn't come to the others' help they were going to die. He was truly convinced of that. Somewhere deep inside he realized that this were absolutely irrational thoughts probably caused by his injuries, but he just couldn't fight them right now.

"Doctor, stay with him," said the woman and walked up to Wing.

"What are you going to do, Seven?" asked the doctor astonished.

"I intend to fly this machine - Wing - and help the 'others' - whoever they might be - attacking this base," answered the woman.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked the man.

"Certainly, Doctor. You have reminded me yourself that we have to obey the Prime Directive. If it weren't for us the boy would now be flying this machine himself and helping his colleagues to attack this base. It is only logical that I take his place now and finish this for him instead. You will return with him to the Delta Flyer and follow me inconspicuously."

Heero had followed the conversation only half since his senses were slightly clouded. Had to be because of the painkiller from earlier on. But he had caught that the woman wanted to fly Wing into the attack in his place. Well, he certainly wasn't able to do it on his own right now, but how did the woman want to accomplish it? She couldn't possibly know how to fly a Gundam. She probably even wouldn't be able to enter Wing for Heero had secured the entrance with access codes - nobody could break them that easily.

But the woman had already climbed Wing and just moments later the cockpit opened and she disappeared inside. Heero gasped. That was impossible! How had she been able to crack his access codes that fast?

The man whose hand was still lying on Heero's shoulder seemed to notice his amazement because he smirked at Heero and said, "Seven is not easily stopped, my boy." Then he raised his other hand, tapped lightly on a pin on the left side of his chest and said, "Seven, everything ready? Will you be able to cope with this machine?"

"Everything is all right, Doctor," answered the woman's voice out of the pin. Heero's eyes widened. This small device was a transmitter? He had never seen anything like this - why didn't he know of this technological innovation?

"Well, then my patient and I will transfer to the Delta Flyer now," said the man and the next moment Heero heard a humming sound and everything in front of his eyes began to blur.

When his vision got somewhat clearer again Heero saw that he wasn't on the base any more. He was lying on some kind of table inside a small room full of strange instruments. How had he arrived here that fast? He had had to be unconscious for some time cause Heero couldn't remember being brought here by the man.

"Damned," cursed the man and left Heero's side with a few steps, "I fear we have to wait a little with the examination of your injuries. Can you bear it just a little bit longer?" he asked Heero. Heero nodded weakly.

The man tapped once again on that strange little device on his chest and said, "Seven we have a problem. It seemed that the attack has already started - and the colleagues of our friend could really need some help."

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Duo groaned desperately. Twenty Leos! Where did they come from? Why hadn't they known that there were twice as many of them? And what should he do now? He couldn't possibly abandon his friends and fly towards the base. But he also couldn't abandon Heero. Damned, damned, damned, what should he just do?

The next moment he had no time to be worried about anything anymore. The Leos were there and Duo was suddenly busy to defend himself. Normally they would have been able to finish off twenty Leos - sure it wouldn't have been a child's play but they were four outstandingly well trained gundam pilots after all! They would have finished the Leos despite all the difficulties.

But something was really odd with those. Albeit not with all of them. About half of the Leos were acting like they were expecting them to act. But the other half - they weren't sticking to any OZ attack patterns. Those ten Leos were really strange anyway. They were moving with incredible synchrony. As if they were controlled by one person. Or as if the pilots were able to read each other's minds. Whatever, they couldn't reach those ten Leos.

"Duo!" Quatre's voice tore him out of his musings. "There's Wing!"

Duo turned his head sharply. Really, there was Wing approaching! Heero! At last! It took a big load off Duo's mind. Heero had made it after all. Although on the last second once again. Damned, did Heero do that on purpose? He would get something to hear when they would be back at the safehouse again! Duo would see to that! But thank God Heero was doing well. And now as they were finally five again they would perhaps be able to defeat those strange Leos.

"Heero, man, where have you been so long? I really thought you would shirk and miss the whole show!" Duo transmitted to his partner. But Heero didn't respond.

"What's the matter, Heero? Answer me! We hardly have to maintain radio silence any more, you know, OZ already knows we're here." Still no answer. Duo frowned. Perhaps Wing's transmitter was damaged?

But before he could finish this thought Wing already jumped into the fray. But... what the hell was Heero doing? Had he gone totally nuts? He flew directly towards those ten strange Leos instead of joining the four other gundams.

"Heero!" Duo shouted, "Heero, what the hell are you doing?"

But Heero still wasn't answering and now he started to draw the firing of those ten Leos systematically on himself. Every time one of those Leos seemed to loose interest, Wing shortly attacked him till he had his attention again only to immediately cease firing and let himself be shot.

"Heero!" Duo's voice was nearly breaking, "You thrice damned idiot, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? DO YOU WANT TO KILL YOURSELF OR SO?"

Damned, this action was even more suicidal than his usual ones. If Heero survived it Duo would kill him by himself. Really slow. With both hands around Heero's neck.

"Quatre! Trowa! Wufei! Had anyone of you radio contact with Heero? He doesn't talk to me!" Duo was short of starting to panic.

But all three answered in the negative and Wufei added, "What is the matter with him? He isn't helping at all!"

Duo decided he had enough. He would fly towards Wing on the spot and help him. And after that, when he had Heero somewhere safe on the ground again, he would beat some reason into the Japanese youth. But just as Duo wanted to steer Deathscythe out of the battle formation something strange happened.

Suddenly the ten Leos Heero was fighting with - or rather was letting himself be misused as target - were stopping to fight. They were floating completely motionless in space. And didn't defend themselves one single bit as Wing blew them up with ten precisely shots.

Duo could hear Quatres' surprised gasp and Wufei murmuring astonished, "What the...?" And he was equally overwhelmed. Open-mouthed he stared at Wing who had joined them meanwhile and helped them to finish off the remaining Leos in no time and to destroy the base afterwards.

How had Heero done it? WHAT had Heero done there? Damned, what had happened there at all? Why had Heero appeared this late? And why hadn't he talked with any of them? What he by the way still wasn't doing as Duo noticed after several tries. Duo was angry. He was angry like he hadn't been for a long time. Heero really overstepped the small line of Duo's patience this time.

Silently the five gundams set out on their way back. And during the whole way home Duo boiled with rage. How could Heero do something like that to him?

'Just you wait,' he thought, 'Wait till I get hold of you, Heero.'

Finally back at the safehouse they took their Gundams into the hangar and Duo climbed out, shaking with suppressed rage. Laboriously controlled he marched towards Wing.

"Heero!" he shouted, "Get out! You can't hide from us any longer! Damnit, what were you thinking? Of all the idiotic suicidal stunts you ever did this was certainly the most idiotic! Christ, if you want to kill yourself that desperately then take a gun, that will work a lot of faster! Or I could take care of it for you. Just now I could happily strangle you! What was that supposed to be? What kind of tactic had that been?" Duo was now shouting at full volume.

"The only logical tactic if you are facing the Borg," came the expressionless answer. Duo widened astonished his eyes. That didn't sound like Heero's voice! And the person that was currently leaving Wing didn't look like Heero either! Unless Heero had grown twenty centimetres, got blonde hair and two breasts in the last hours.

Like a flash Duo draw his gun and pointed it at the woman. "You are not Heero," he said with a calm, cold voice.

The woman looked at him and arched on eyebrow. "That is correct," she answered.

Duo sized her up more precisely. The woman looked strange. Her left eyebrow was made of metal and on her face just shortly in front or her right ear she had a starlike decoration, also made of metal, and one of her hands was covered with a strange metallic netting. Duo had never ever seen anything like this.

"Who are you? And what have you done to Heero?" he asked her coldly. He could hear that Quatre, Trowa and Wufei were taking position behind him, also drawing their guns. "If you don't want to be shot you better tell us what you did to Heero."

The woman didn't seem to be very impressed. She didn't bat an eyelash and also didn't flinch back. Instead she arched her eyebrow again and said, "It is most inefficient to kill the only person who supposedly can answer this question."

None of the four pilots stirred and the woman seemed as well to be content to hold out for the rest of the day. Duo cursed inwardly. Damned. What happened to Heero? Where WAS Heero? Was he all right? Did they... Duo had to swallow. Did they by any chance blow him up together with the base after all? No, that couldn't simply be! Please no...

"Lower your guns and then I tell you what you want to know," sounded the emotionless voice of the woman again.

Duo swayed. On the one hand he really wanted to kill the woman, or hurt her at least. On the other hand she knew what happened to Heero. And if they didn't give in she would perhaps never tell them anything!

But before he could come to a decision another strange voice sounded behind them - this time the voice of a man.

"You should better do like she says. Besides, we're not here to harm you."

The four pilots jerked round and faced an older man with very few hair.

"Who are you?" Wufei asked irritated, "And goddamned, how did all those strange people get here? I thought this is a safehouse. Is there somewhere a sign that tells everyone where we are and invites them to visit us? Injustice!"

"It doesn't make any difference just now," Duo interrupted and lowered his gun, "I want to know where Heero is. Is he all right? Please..." He cast the man a begging look. He didn't know why but something told him to trust this man.

The man smiled friendly at Duo. "Heero, is that his name?" he said, "Unfortunately he lost consciousness before I could ask him about it."

"He is unconscious?" Duo cried worried, "Why? What happened?" But the man had already turned his attention towards the woman who was still standing behind the four pilots.

"Seven," he said, "I need your help. The injuries of the boy - Heero - are more seriously then I first thought. One of the broken rips has punctured his lungs and additionally his spine is partially fractured on several places - what his attempts to flee us didn't really improve. I have to operate on him immediately and you have to assist me."

All the blood flowed out of Duo's face and he suddenly felt ice-cold. Heero was injured. Heavily injured if he could believe the man. His spine was fractured... 'Oh God, please no. Not Heero. Don't let him die, please," he prayed silently.

The man turned to leave the hangar but Duo caught his arm. "Just one moment," he said, "We'll come along. I don't know if you are telling the truth or not, but if Heero is injured then we have to take him to a hospital quickly."

The man cast the woman a quick glance and said, "Alright, you can come along. But taking your friend to a hospital is pretty useless. I doubt that he will arrive there alive or that they could help him at all."