Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Remains ❯ “Welcome to a warriors paradise.” ( Chapter 4 )

 

Chapter Four: “Welcome to a warriors paradise.”

~Dorothy, episode 30~

 

 

 

`Italics' deems metal thoughts

 

 

 

“GUYS!” Duo said excitedly as he turned to face his friends again, but picking up the girl's hand and clasping it as he did so. “This is the sandwich!”

 

No one moved. No one blinked. It was only by the will of life alone that anyone was still even breathing.

 

“Umm, Hi.” The girl finally said when it appeared that no one else was going to speak.

 

“GUYS! Come on, this is Peanut Butter, come on.” Duo exclaimed excitedly seeing that everyone else was still in shock, and somehow assuming that a simple introduction would explain everything. Everyone's looks only became further infused with confusion. And Heero's took a slightly harder edge as well, when he realized that Duo was still holding the girls hand in his own. As if sensing that, the girl smiled a little more sheepishly and pulled her hand back.

 

“What?” Duo turned and asked her suddenly as he felt her pull back. He had a nearly hurt expression on his face, not understanding why after all this time apart she'd suddenly pull away.

 

“I think he's gonna hurt me if I keep my hand there any longer.” She said simply, nodding at Heero. “And I would know, Zai's given me that look before, normally before she pulls a gun.” Her seemingly serious statement was marred by the grin that was coming back and threatening to split her face open. Duo glanced towards Heero before snatching her hand right back, with a smile of his own.

 

“Nah, Heero knows I'm all his. He doesn't have a reason to get jealous over seeing a friend. Especially one who was supposed to be dead.” He said with a laugh. She also just started cracking up laughing.

 

“ME! Last I knew you had been blown to smithereens.” She replied with.

 

“What? No way, I'm fine, but I heard to whole ship went BOOM!” was the manic chatter that began to pour out of Duo.

 

“It did actually, but I SAW poor little Scythe go BOOM as well.” Was the manic chatter that came right back to him.

 

“It did too, but I mean..”

 

“And there was no way that…”

 

“…then you never…”

 

“…and the report came across…”

 

“BUT YOUR ALIVE!” they both seemed to have agreed that the light speed half statements that they were throwing back and forth to each other counted as a conversation. Once again they threw each other in to a bear like hug, laughing maniacally the entire time.

 

“Here.” Zai said simply in a half grumble as she handed her gun to Quatre who was standing next to her still.

 

“What?” he asked as he started at it in her hand.

 

“There is fucking TWO of them. So just shot me now to put me out of my pain, or I might have to shot them.” She grumbled as she still held the piece out to Quatre.

 

“Put that away please.” Wufei cut in as he turned to them, and away from the two who had now dived head first in to a second high speed noise fit with one another. “Or I may have to take it, and get rid of them both, for all of our sakes.”

 

“You do, and I'll get rid of you.” Was the threat that came from Heero, though his eyes never left the two bumbling teens in front of him.

 

“ENOUGH FROM EVERYONE!” Kade finally screamed out at all of them. She had had enough, and if she wasn't able to get things back on track soon, she figured they never would. “Okay! I get the feeling that we have more to talk about then we first thought we did. We will get everything sorted out, I guaranty it so help me god. But first lets just all get moved in to the conference room. We'll pick up the questions there. THAT'S AN ORDER!” she snapped out at them. Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei all left before she had finished talking. Not wanting to hear anymore of the babble from the two idiots, and not wanting to be around if Heero did explode like the steam from his ears was predicting.

 

“I don't follow your orders, `member?” Peanut Butter said with a goofy grin as she turned to face Kade finally. Kade's eyes all but shot daggers out of them as she stared down at the girl.

 

“But you do follow this.” Came the steely voice of Zai as the muzzle of the gun she still had out was leveled to the short haired girl.

 

“EEK! Okay okay, moving along now!” She said with a laugh still present in her voice as she turned to head out of the room, with Zai, gun still drawn, following. And an angry Kade trailing after both.

 

“Come on Heero!” Duo said as he grabbed the others arm and began to follow the girls.

 

“Duo, what is going on?” Heero asked, a little colder in tone then he had meant to.

 

“Nothing Heero, its just, well, I'll explain everything in the conference hall with Peanut Butter, okay, lets go!” and with that he was bouncing down the hall with his reluctant boyfriend in tow.

 

 

Once everyone was gathered around the over sized table in the meeting hall it was clear that everyone had relatively calmed down. Kade had to think part of that was due only to the carefully seating she had done to make sure that everyone could be safe. She sat at the head of the table with Wufei on her left and Zai her right. Next to Zai was Trowa then Quatre. By Wufei was Heero then Duo, and then Peanut Butter. That way Zai was the farthest from the other girl, and everyone was relatively safe from Heero as long as Duo was there to shield his temper.

 

“Okay then. I had originally thought I knew where it would be best to start this off. Now though I'm thinking that I don't have a clue. But we'll start small with some formal introductions. Even though not all of you need them. Anyway, pilot 01, Heero Yuy, 02 Duo Maxwell…”

 

“You know we didn't know if was really you or not till like, now almost. The last report we had was that you were dead, and no one said different. Then we knew we were meeting five pilots but we didn't know if it was going to be you, cause you were dead. But now…” Peanut Butter interrupted, before she was cut off by Zai throwing a nearby ruler at her head.

 

“Let the woman finish please.” She snapped out.

 

“Thank you, anyway. Pilot 03 Trowa Barton, 04 Quatre Raberba Winner, 05 Chang Wufei. And then let me introduce the newest members of the Gundam team, pilot 07 Nanatsu Zai, and pilot…” Again Peanut Butter cut her off.

 

“ME! 09, at your service.” She told the group beaming.

 

“09? What ever happened to 06?” Quatre asked the girl in confusion.

 

“Well, I was actually piloting before Zai, so when she came along she was given 07. Assuming I was 06. But I only like the numbers 7 and 9. Since I couldn't have 7, I took 9.” She told them still beaming. “And 3 was out of the question.” She mumbled under her breath, but before anyone could further comment along that line, Kade broke in again.

 

“So if that's taken care of, I think we should let Duo and, and, the other girl, explain first.” Kade told the group, refusing to lower herself to calling the one Peanut Butter. Duo and Peanut Butter both exchanged a grin before launching in to their explanation.

 

“You see it…”

 

“But then that was…”

 

“…and it was twice the…”

 

“…but then what happened…”

 

“STOP IT!” Kade screamed out as the two of them both continued to ramble at almost the same time, at top speed. “Lets try this again, one at a time. Slower. We'll start with Mr. Maxwell.” She said through gritted teeth. Both of the teens stifled a laugh, barely, before continuing.

 

“Okay. Here's the story,” Duo started, “When Deathscythe was first being built, it was on a resource satellite over L-2. I ended up on board by stealing my way on to the ship, I was found and under Dr. G started training to be the pilot.” He paused then and gave a sheepish grin at the girl next to him, it was her turn now.

 

“Yeah, and a few months after Jelly snuck aboard, I heard of an unscheduled launch leaving L-2, where I had also grown up. I thought it would be a quick way off of there, so I managed to get on board it. It wasn't until later I realized it was only going to the satellite.” She told everyone.

 

“And from there, I found her hiding out. And then it wasn't long until everyone knew there was a second stowaway on board.” Duo added in.

 

“It was too good of a chance for everyone to pass up. I became a part of the program also. Originally I was in training to be a pilot as well. After a while though Maverick,” she was cut off as Duo jumped in to explain.

 

“Maverick was Dr. G's assistant and left in charge of making sure that the two of us didn't blow the place up.”

 

“Or sneak off of it some how. Anyway, she told G that it would be better if he focused only on one pilot, and used the other one of us as a specialized mechanic.” Peanut Butter informed everyone.

 

“I was chosen as the pilot, Peanut Butter as the mechanic. And we trained for those roles for the rest of the time we were on the satellite. After I left on the first drop to earth, I was supposed to met up with her a few days later.” Duo explained.

 

“But in launching Deathscythe, too much attention was given to the satellite by OZ. They came in and destroyed it, and all of the work. I escaped only `cause Mav tossed my butt in to an escape pod just before everything blew up. I was found, and brought by the resistance to the back colony L-9. From there I built my Gundam, Strawberry Kisses, with the knowledge I had learned when working on Deathscythe, and the work that G had done.”

 

“And if that's enough explaining why those two morons know each other, I believe its time for the real matters to be dealt with.” Zai cut in suddenly. Drawing everyone's attention to her.

 

“Yeah, I guess that explains the connection they had enough.” Quatre said, glancing around to see if everyone else agreed.

 

“One thing first.” Wufei interjected before anyone could go any further. “I still don't understand the `sandwich' thing.” He told them as he glanced over at the two down the line from him.

 

“Well, for some reason Mav never wanted us to use our names on the satellite, and we became inseparable up there, as we were the only ones our age. And we lived off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” The girl explained.

 

“So we took to calling each other Peanut Butter, for her, and Jelly for me. Hey, yeah, what is your name now? Your real one, mines Duo if ya haven't guessed yet!” Duo said as he turned with a grin to face the girl sitting next to him. She smiled, barely, masking something else.

 

“Just stick with Peanut Butter, or PB for short, like always.” She said, though for some reason seemed to be looking more at Zai then Duo as she spoke. “It's the only name I got, at the moment anyway.” She looked back over to Duo, and there was a clear sadness in her eyes now even as her lips moved to smile more firmly.

 

“Okay I guess.” He said with a half shrug before turning to face the rest of the table again. He didn't know what had put that look in her eyes, but wasn't going to pay it too much mind. `Maybe she'd never had a name before, just doesn't want to admit it. I can sympathize with that.' He thought to himself.

 

“All right then. If that's done, Zai?” Kade asked out to the girl.

 

“I'll start father back then you have any right to know, but I'm feeling generous.” She said in her cold tone as she glanced around at everyone. “I was born and raised most of my life on earth, in Japan. When I was 10 my father moved the two of us to back colony L-7. My mother had died years before and as a career military man, the thought was that he could be used as part of an attachment to help protect the colony. Things were already heating up by then. It wasn't even a year after getting there that he was killed in a fire fight. It didn't take long before I realized what was happening, OZ and the Alliance were trying to move in to the back colonies. We were already separated enough as is, it wasn't much of step for them to get power back there.”

 

“Actually as cut off from everything else as we were it was more then easy for them. No one contested them, no one was around except scientists to fight them, and the rest of the world didn't know or care about anything that far out.” PB broke in with suddenly, then quickly ducked the paper wad Zai threw at her.

 

“Sorry Zai, go on.” She said with a laugh, and Heero caught a half sight of Duo giving her five under the table from the corner of his eye.

 

“Anyway, I was raised military, and wasn't going to stand by and do nothing. I had been working with the resistance for a while when the blueprints for another Gundam were discovered. PB was brought in,”

 

“With much protest I might add!” She snuck in quickly, and this time it was a pen thrown at her.

 

“And the machine was built. From there we had more then enough power to hold OZ off. We did well for being out numbered constantly. But we knew there wasn't any headway to make either. In order to stop them, we would have to be where their heads of operation were. But every time we made a move towards earth, they'd block us off.” Zai paused then, and only shot an annoyed look over to PB, instead of more office supplies, when she stared speaking again.

 

“We fought for shy of forever, before the news reached us that you all had come through and it was over. It was a good seven months from when the war actually stopped on earth. And we barely got to catch our breaths when the next news we received was that the `true' operation meteor was supposed to take place. And I knew what that meant, I had worked on it as well at one point.” PB added in to help explain.

 

“And by the time we got everyone back under control from that incident, another 5 months of war had gone past from when you settled everything down again.” Zai continued then. “And it opened the door for whats going on now. On that, Kade had more info then I do. I just know that something happened and suddenly the back colonies were a major war zone. And as everything began to fall apart, I received word about the Preventers finally looking in to things, and offered my help. I then contacted the Dunmbass and pulled her in to the mess as well. Mostly because we had never had a long enough break from our fights to hardly hear about the disarmament treaty, much less carry through with it. And that meant she was the only person I knew who had a Gundam left besides myself, and we would need everything that we could get.” Zai then finished up, as she dropped back in to the chair and let out a long breath.

 

“Yeah, whatever. She dragged me along with no choice in the matter. I'm not with the Preventers or military. I'm doing this to try and get peace to stay once and for all, but I'm doing it on MY rules.” PB said, dropping the smile fully for the first time to show that she was serious, and suddenly looking much younger at the same moment. Her violet eyes looked saddened, and her whole form radiated that of a little girl who ended up in a situation that was beyond her, but wasn't going to back down.

 

“I understand that. Everyone does, but you still have to follow the lead of the military and the Preventers. Do you understand that?” Kade asked her, with more then a little implied force.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I understand.” She said with a half grumble, and a smile returning.

 

“How old are you two anyway?” Kade suddenly asked as she looked at the girl who was quickly turning manic once again.

 

“Zai's 17, I'm 15.” PB answered with a flourish. Staring in to Kade with her brightened violet eyes, sparing just long enough to tuck one flyaway strand of chestnut hair back behind her ear. It was then Kade took a good look around the room. Before her sat seven teenagers, 17 to 15 in age. At the same time seven Gundam pilots and war veterans sat before her. And she had to hold back a gasp as she for the first time realized that they were the same people. They looked and had been acting the age that they were, not the experience that they all carried with them, an experience that was more then the numbers in their age could ever handle. And that was what had let her forget. Forget that she was less experienced then they were. Forget that the fate of the world rested in the hands of these seven teenagers. And as she suddenly realized it, it all became just a little too much for her at that very moment.

 

“All right everyone. The mission dramatics and all of that will wait till we are on earth. Other then that, use this time to find out what you need to from each other. And then I understand that for the most part all the Gundams are ready, with minor technical problems on both Zero computers, and the housing for the Altron's flame shooters. And of course the Sub system of Hellfire needs to be reconfigured. Take care of that tonight. Tomorrow at 20 hundred (1) hours we ship out.” With that she got up and left, not bothering to salute, or respond to anything they might have said in reply. Her mind was still trying to process the facts it had just allowed in. `If that `Peanut Butter' girl is only 15, then she started fighting in this war when she was 12, 13 at most. She was just a babe. They all still are.' She thought to her self as she let herself in to her room and collapsed on to the bed. Suddenly her 26 years made her feel very old, and at the same time, very out of her league.

 

 

Everyone just watched Kade leave the room with puzzling looks. Not understanding what had affected her so much so suddenly. As they looked around at each other then everyone just shrugged. They didn't know, and really they didn't care. Keeping Kade sane wasn't their job, or they wouldn't have brought Duo and PB in, being Gundam pilots was.

 

“Hey, what did she mean by `both' Zero systems?” Quatre suddenly asked, remembering Kade's words.

 

“And what exactly is a `Sub' system?” Trowa also asked. Looking closely at the grinning girl who was the one to supposedly have it in her Gundam.

 

“Ah man, I thought story time was over already!” She grumbled with a smirk though, “I wanted to go scour the kitchens.” Duo joined in with her laugh, and a tremendous shake of his head. Apparently agreeing with her statements.

 

“We'll feed you two later, first I want some answers.” Wufei spoke up suddenly when it appeared that those two were starting to get up.

 

“So sit down.” Heero said with a more then forceful tug on Duo's arm to get him back down.

 

“And Shut up.” Was the response that Zai added in, while throwing a screwdriver at the other girl.

 

“Where the hell did you pull that from Zai?” she asked in shock as she quickly found her seat again. Zai just shrugged, and gave her a warning look to keep her mouth shut.

 

“What Kade meant about both Zero's is that Heero no longer has a hold on being the only person to master the system. Mantis Hail was built as a Zero system, and I pilot it better then the best. And have from day one.” She told everyone with a slight smugness in her voice. Saying that the first suit she ever piloted was a Gundam with a Zero system, and she'd never had a problem allowed her that smugness.

 

“What are its fighting capabilities?” Trowa asked her then. Knowing as it stood what the five of the original Gundams brought forward, and wanting to know what she had as well.

 

“Besides the power of the Zero, it has instant flight capability, from ground to subspace, or vice versa, in under 60 seconds. As well as two thermal swords, which I am more then capable of using at the same time. And extending dragon whips from the shoulders with…” she explained before getting cut off.

 

“Flame shooting abilities.” Wufei finished for her, assuming that he knew where she was headed. He was wrong.

 

“No, actually its ice, not fire.” She told him, glaring at him with all her might for daring to attempt to know anything about her Gundam.

 

“Ice? How can that work?” Heero snapped out at her.

 

“Well, not ice per say. It shoots out liquid nitrogen. Freezes the enemy instantly.” She replied in a tone equally laid over with venom.

 

“Okay then, before someone tries to kill someone else, lets remember we are all on the same team.” Quatre jumped in with suddenly. He didn't want to see everyone fighting with one another. It had taken too long the first time through to make the five of them in to a team, he didn't need to go through that again with these two new members.

 

“No offense Quatre, we may be on the same side, but as for the same team has yet to be proven.” Wufei said simply, his coal eyes staring right in to Zai's hardened steel ones.

 

“I couldn't agree more.” She responded back to him.

 

“Guys, come on, drop it, please?” Duo asked out then. Realizing that all of the tension was getting to his sensitive friend. Trowa also could more then see this.

 

“Yes, I still want to know about this `sub' system.” He changed the subject as he maneuvered his chair closer to his blonde boyfriend so he could wrap an arm around him.

 

“Well, that, yeah.” PB said with a half laugh. She knew there wasn't much she could tell them. Telling them everything was something she wasn't planing on doing anytime soon. `I won't lie, but I'm not about to tell them everything either. At least not if I want them to even begin to think of me like a capable pilot.' She thought a little bitterly to herself.

 

“Well, what is that?” Wufei asked her, finally turning away from Zai.

 

“It's called the Sub-Zero system. It's the base model for what became the Zero system. It was originally scrapped because it was even less stable and could have higher risks then the Zero. But I didn't know that until after I had it installed in to my Gundam. It was a trip and a half figuring out how to beat that sucker down, I'll tell you!” she said with a high laugh to temper the heavy statements she had made.

 

“Well now, that is some serious shit! SO COOL!” Duo was the first to speak, naturally, and did so more then exuberantly.

 

“Yeah, kinda, but damn too, ya know?” She turned to face the braided teen with another large grin coming to her face. Everyone around the table could tell that the two of them were about to dive headfirst in to another one of the ramble fits that they managed to count as a conversation. It was Quatre who thankfully headed it off before it got started, and more then likely caused one (or both) of the Japanese pilots to pull a gun.

 

“Okay, a Sub-Zero system, that's even more unstable then the Zero. Given all of our past experiences with that, none of us will be asking for a ride anytime soon.” He said with what could have almost been an embarrassed blush coming to his cheeks.

 

“That may be true, but may I add that I find it rather…unsettling… that's its someone like, like her, that is in control of it.” Wufei added with a scowl as he looked over to the nearly bouncing girl who was still grinning like a manic.

 

“Well, at least we agree on that.” Zai spoke up, “But it doesn't change the fact that she can, I know. I've seen it with my own two eyes. So if we can get over that disturbing news and move on please.” Her tone made it evident that she was board with this and ready to leave. And the fact that no one was going to stop her if she tried was evident in her stare.

 

“Well, just as before, I would like to know what the fighting capabilities of your Gundam are.” Trowa stated. If they would have to work together with these new pilots, they would need to know simply for strategic reasons. His own curiosity being satisfied was just an added bonus.

 

“Well, it was modeled a lot on Deathscythe, so it has some of those same principles. Total stealth being number one, the wings work as a complete cloaking devise. It has radar scramblers to avoid any detection, and a lot of the same basic things like that.” She started to explain.

 

“Are you telling us that it was built that way because of your previous experience with Deathscythe, or are you…” Quatre trailed off, unable to really believe what he was thinking. Even after working with Duo for as long as he had.

 

“Yup. Master of stealth, sneak, and undercover operations slash explosions.” PB told him proudly.

 

“How is it that it's the loudest, most annoying two of all of us that are experts at stealth?” Heero asked out to no one in particular, not really expecting an answer.

 

“I would take offense to that, but I'll just make you make it up to me in bed!” Duo told him with a feral grin as he turned to look at his boyfriend. For the first time in the entire meeting taking his eyes off of his long lost friend.

 

“Hn.” Was the only response he received back.

 

“'K! Anyway, back on track now please.” PB said, glancing around to make sure she had everyone's attention again. “The wings on Kisses also provide it with the same flight capabilities that both Wing and Mantis. It also has tazer beams built in to the right arm, with low fuel capabilities so that they can stay as strong on the first shot as on the last. And of course I have it equipped with a thermal S scythe, actually stronger then the other thermal weapons most of you have. It was lowered down the light spectrum from green to violet, it makes it more unstable and harder to control, but it can slice right through Gundanium even.” She told them.

 

“What is an `S' scythe?” Wufei asked her, understanding everything except that little tidbit.

 

“Imagine the normal scythe, then on the bottom of the handle add another blade, facing opposite of the top one. It makes it look like an S.” she all but chipped as she responded. She was as over zealous as Duo was when talking about her baby. It was becoming easier every minute for everyone to see the influence the two of them had had on one another in their pasts. And in some of their minds it was also easy to see why they were friends, going on the basis that no one else could stand them.

 

“OK, I have one last question,” Heero said suddenly. He had been his normally quite and stoic self through most of this, but now he wanted something of his own answered. “Why the hell do you insist on calling your Gundam `Strawberry Kisses'?” he asked her. Her smile faltered a bit, and he was attentive enough to see something pass across her face. What he didn't know, but it had been there. She shot a sheepish look to Duo, then managed to bring her smile back to full force.

 

“Cause I can.” She said simply. `You wouldn't like the other answer I have for you Heero, so don't push.' She thought to herself. Heero knew that right now not everything was adding up, but also sensed that he shouldn't push and left it alone, for now. Or at least until he had more facts to go on. He didn't notice the concerned look that was being sent to him from across the table, from Zai. She didn't know everything, but she knew enough that he would have to be watched. `For his own good as much as that dumbasses.' She added to herself.

 

“Okay. Enough is enough. I think we're done here. I need sleep, and some of you, dumbass included, need to finish up repairs to their Gundams so we can leave.” With that Zai broke her stare at Heero and was out of her chair leaving the room.

 

“Yeah, she's right. I gotta git. Slept too much today. See ya all around. Bye Duo!” PB called out as she bounded up and away. And bounded was the only thing that could describe it, it was to fast for a walk, too slow for a run, and had too much energy in it for anything else.

 

“Man, this is just so great!” Duo exclaimed suddenly. Swinging his huge grin around the whole table. It faded a little when he realized no one else shared his enthusiasm.

 

“If you'll excuse me, I too have work to finish.” Wufei said, ignoring Duo as he did most of the time, and left.

 

“And I think we should turn in as well.” Trowa said simply with a slight pull on Quatre's arm to get the blonde standing as well. But from the look that was smoldering in his one unobstructed eye, it was clear that while they may be heading to bed, neither one of them would be sleeping anytime soon.

 

“Duo, I…” Heero started once he was alone with his lover.

 

“Heero, I can guess what your going to say. `Be careful', `Don't trust her', `Something's not adding up'. And really, I don't care.” Duo said as he looked deeply in to Heero's cobalt eyes. Mustering up ever serious bone in his body as he spoke. “She was one of the first people in my life I could trust and count as a true friend. I thought all this time she was dead. I have her back now, and that's good enough for me.”

 

“I'm just worried Duo, that's all.” Heero said. Keeping his tone even and steady, despite the emotions swirling inside of him.

 

“Don't Heero. You don't need to. I love you, and I'm not leaving you. And on anything else I can take care of myself.” He smiled then, leaning in to just brush his lips delicately across Heero's own. Wiping that worry from his face.

 

“Go hurry up and finish on Wing, then I can further convince you just how much I love you.” He whispered gently, but slightly huskily, in to Heero's ear before jumping up and all but sashaying his ass on his way out. Chestnut braid sweeping back and forth across the top of his butt checks, which was right where Heero's attention was focused.

 

“Right about now, I'm thinking Wing is just fine as is.” Heero mumbled out to himself before realizing that Duo was halfway to their room already and all but leapt out of his seat and started running after him.

 

 

Zai had managed to tuck herself neatly in to a corner of the hallway, next to a potted plant with a good book in her hand. While most would have found a chair, or laid out in bed, this was truthfully how she was most comfortable. Besides this way none of the other pilots noticed her, and she was free to watch them and size them up freely. It was barely seconds after she had settled down that the blonde one, and the tall guy with the fucked up hair brushed past her. And she was surprised they could even manage to walk as their hands and mouths seemed to be permanently locked on to one another. As they tumbled in to the room they shared with a hurried slam of the door only seconds before a throaty moan came out of one of them she figured that they wouldn't even have noticed her if she had been sitting in the middle of the hall.

 

The blonde she had pegged for being way to soft for his line of work, but if he had lived this long she knew there had to be something in him. The other guy was quiet, but she could see in his eyes he wasn't one to mess with on the battlefield. A few minutes later the damn moron who acted way too much like the dumbass for her liking came by. `Too long hair, too cheerful, too smug, too moronic.' She could have continued her mental list of his faults, but then again, if what PB had told her rang true, he was one of the best of any of them. She still watched him though as he seemed almost to be `sashaying' down the hall. As if he was putting a show on for someone. He had only made it to the door to his room when she figured out why. Heero, the other Zero pilot, came all but running down the hall after him. Catching up and crushing the braided idiot against him, devouring his mouth with his own as he shoved the door open and pushed both of them in to the room. Using his ass to slam the door shut as his hands were already busy working on removing clothes. `And that is a fine ass' she thought smugly to herself. She couldn't help it, from what she knew that guy was probably the one with the closest background to hers. As much as she hated it, she had a small respect for him. And she knew there would be no question of his abilities on the battlefront. `And the fact he's quite easy on the eyes doesn't hurt.'

 

After that the hall was empty for the next few hours. She was finally getting tired and ready to head back to her room as she saw the last pilot, the Chinese guy, finally drag himself towards his room. He looked worn-out and miserable. Grease and oil covered his shirt and arms and his black hair was falling in to his face from the mangled ponytail he had. He rested his head against the door to his room momentarily. `A single room too the lucky asshole, I get stuck with the lone from hell.'

 

“We're ready now Nataku. We will serve justice, together.” He whispered out loud before heading in his room. Zai gave his closing door a puzzled look. `Okay he has serious issues. One: he also named his Gundam, two: he's obsessive with this whole `justice' thing, three, and most importantly: he has a stick shoved up his ass so far its become part of his spinal cord.' She listed off in her head as she went in to her own room finally. But he seemed more then capable of the work that needed to be done. Even if he wasn't about to trust her. Partly because she was female, partly because she knew that his guess was she'd ripped his Gundam off to make hers.

 

She gave a slight look to the clock before she collapsed on to her bed. '02 hundred hours (2). Time to sleep in and still be ready to leave on time.' She thought as she closed her eyes and let sleep surround her. Praying that the dumbass wouldn't wake her when she came in finally.

 

Zai's plans to sleep in weren't obeyed by her body. It woke her up right at six, like it always did. She rolled over and was ready to go back to sleep anyway when she realized something was wrong. It was quiet. She took one look to the other bed in the room and realized why. The dumbass wasn't there. Not only that but the bed was still made which meant she hadn't been in it all night.

 

“Damn it all.” Zai muttered as she climbed out of bed. She knew the damn girl was still in the maintenance room, and she unfortunately thought she knew why.

 

 

“HEY DUMBASS!” was the angry call the echoed out in the room as one steaming mad Zai stood at the feet of Hellfire.

 

“Hey to you to Zai.” Came the weary voice from the cockpit. “I'll be down in just…”

 

“No, you'll be down right now, or I'll drag you down.” Zai shot back. Peanut Butter stuck her head out and gave a sheepish smile across a very stressed face before turning and climbing down the lift.

 

“If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have believed them.” She said as her feet touched the ground. The grin she wore so often was on her lips again, but paper thin.

 

“Go to bed. We have to get all preparations set tomorrow before the drop and you need a clear head for that.” Zai snapped.

 

“I just need to finish up a few things, and hopefully…” PB started, but didn't make it very far.

 

“Shut up!” Zai growled, wishing she had something to knock the stubborn kid over the head with. “You need sleep, especially if your ass is going to be piloting the Sub tomorrow. Nothing you do will fix the problems. Gods I know! And I can't deal right now, none of us can, especially not you. Go to bed.”

 

“Look, I know if I just…”

 

“NO! We need you in top form, just quite fooling your self and go to bed TP.” Zai's voice held an almost plea to it now.

 

“DON'T CALL ME THAT!” was the near scream that leapt from Peanut Butter in reply. Her face losing all pretenses of a smile as pure panic filled her eyes. Zai just sighed in defeat.

 

“Look, I'm sorry, it slipped. But we're alone right now so it doesn't matter and it won't happen again. Just go to bed you dumbass.” Zai half pleaded, half ordered. PB gave her a cold gaze, before sticking her tone out and blowing a raspberry at Zai. Zai didn't even flinch, just flicked her the bird even as she turned to her own Gundam. She was up now, she might as well work on it.

 

“Love you.” She purred out sarcastically to add to her gestures.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Kisses to you too Zai.” The short haired girl said as she regained her smile before heading out and finally to bed.

 

 

 

Kade stood in the hanger bay over looking the seven pilots before her. It was 15 hundred hours (3). Time for her to head down to the earth and make sure everything in the safe house was set before the pilots themselves followed behind her in five hours time. All the repairs had been made to the Gundams and Kade was just handing out the last minute orders she had. She paused briefly, staring intently at every last one of them. They were all set and ready for the mission to start, she could tell.

 

The line in front of her started with Wufei on the far end, hair slicked back in to a shiny black pony tail, onyx eyes almost sparkling in eagerness to fight. Navy blue tank top and white sparing pants graced his body. Lose enough for free movement, tight enough as to not get in the way. And a long sword sheathed at his left side. Next to him was Trowa, ragged brown hair falling forward in one larger then life bang, obscuring half his face. The other half was set in cold determination, green eye shinning out as a forceful presence. A simple green turtle neck tucked neatly in to a pair of light blue jeans, that looked to form fitting to allow the tall pilot freedom to fight, covered his body. Standing next in the line was the blonde Arab, Quatre. Looking ever as much like a diplomat instead of a pilot. Hair was loose, but combed out delicately as to not look messy. Light khaki pants, white button down tucked in, all graced with a soft blue vest. Nearly the same blue as his eyes, eyes that almost held a fear in their wide depths. But it wasn't a fear of fighting and war, only a fear of loosing a friend, or worse his loved one. Then in line came the first set of doubles, as Kade had come to call them in her mind. Zai followed by Heero. Zai's hair had been pulled back in to a high ponytail as to not interfere with anything she was going to do. Only one small lock of dyed green hair had escaped to fall around her face ending just at her chin. Her silver eyes had a gleam of death in them that nearly turned their color gray with its intensity, face set close to a nearly evil smirk in her readiness to fight. Her legs were graced with baggy black pants with silver hooks running down each leg. And two red strips of cloth were hooked to those clips, crisscrossing behind her. Kade had wanted to ask just how the hell she'd be able to pilot, much less fight in those, but had also seen the butt of a .45 peeking out from the back of them and kept her mouth shut. A plain, and quite form fitting, red tank top graced the rest of her. Heero had a nearly identical smirk/scowl adorning his face. Cobalt eyes turning midnight blue in similar anticipation of the battle and the fight. A loose green tank top hung off of his slender, but capable, chest. Worn out blue jeans covered his legs. From what Kade had learned Duo never let Heero where the spandex biker shorts anymore. Saying something about too much temptation. Heero's dark brown hair was a tousled mess on his head, but then again that was the only way Kade had ever seen it. Last but not least was the other set of doubles, Duo then Peanut Butter. Both looking utterly ridiculous with large goofy grins on their faces, but Kade had almost become accustomed to it. Duo had surprised her though with his outfit of choice. Black pants with a black shirt tucked in and buttoned all the way up, ending in a priest's collar of all things. His selves were rolled up, taking the white shirt he had on under everything with them, to make each cuff stand out white against all of his black. His hair was, like always, braided. And this time it was strung through the back of a more then ragged black hat, which partly shadowed his face. But not enough to hide the gleam that was in his dark violet, nearly blue, eyes. A gleam that contradicted the grin on his lips. She knew she was looking at what the rest of his team had labeled `the Shinigami mode'. Peanut Butter looked as if she'd tried to duplicate Duo's look, with out the same supplies. Black jeans, tighter then Duo's pants, but loose enough to not show anything off, covered her legs. An untucked black button down, with sleeves rolled up, covered her chest. But hers had the first few buttons undone, just enough to reveal that the white shirt she had on was nothing but a tank top. Her violet eyes, a shade or too lighter the Duo's own, peered out from under her own ragged black baseball hat. Eyes that were filled with the promise off pain if crossed, at odds with her lop sided grin. Hair, again barley a shade lighter then Duo's, was trying its best to fall out from where she had it tucked behind her ears, and come in to her face to tickle her chin.

 

They were all in battle mode. They were all ready to go ahead and fight. Even the one with the soft heart, and the two idiotic fools. They were the teenagers that the entire universe had decided to give the burden of making and sustaining peace. And now looking at them, she knew why. It was that they had done it before, that they could do it again, and that they wouldn't hold back. They were children in body, fighters in mind, warriors in heart, but it was their souls that let them do this. Seven abused, but whole, souls filled with a peace large enough to encompass the earth. And even though she knew that now, could see it in every one of them, she still couldn't push past the fear that it just wouldn't be enough this time.

 

“All right everyone. That's that. I will see you again in five hours.” She told them, pulling her mind back from her trailing thoughts. She couldn't even be sure what she had been telling them for the last ten minutes, but figured it was good enough. She gave out a crisp salute, and totally ignored the morons' `sandwich' salutes from the end of the line as she turned and headed on to her shuttle.

 

The pilots all watched as she took off, knowing it would be all too soon before they saw her again, and the real work started.

 

“Well, as far as I know we're already set to go. Everything she told us to do has been done twice over.” Quatre said as he looked around at everyone else. “Which means we have five hours of freedom, and no Kade to interrupt it.” With that he grabbed a hold of Trowa's shelve and practically dragged the man out of the room behind him. Though it didn't appear that the Frenchman was complaining, much less struggling.

 

“Well, it's always the shy ones as they say!” Duo laughed out as he watched the pair leave.

 

“That's wrong though, look at yourself for instance.” Heero told him, with a smirk to lighten the serious tone he had used.

 

“Zai.” Wufei suddenly snapped out before anyone else could babble on about something. “What the hell are your wearing?” he growled out with a jagged look at her pants, his cold tone could have left ice in the air. He apparently didn't like the style she was portraying.

 

“They're called bondage pants. I'd tell you to try it some time, but the stick in your ass might get in the way.” Zai snapped back at him just as coldly.

 

“And how can you manage to pilot or fight when your legs are tied together?” he shot right back at her, ignoring the harsher comments she'd dealt.

 

“If your good enough, just fine.” She told him with a gentle smirk.

 

“And if your not?” this time the cold voice came from slightly behind her, Heero had apparently jumped in to the verbal jousting now. But it wasn't Zai who answered him.

 

“It just makes it easier for the enemy to tie ya up!” chirped PB with a laugh. Zai just glared down at the shortest member of the uneasy team.

 

“Not like I ever HAVE been captured, unlike SOME PEOPLE.” The emphasis on her words wasn't missed by anyone. “Maybe I should let you barrow a pair sometime, huh PB?” she added though just to make sure everyone knew what she was implying.

 

“Not like I ever stayed caught for long.” PB said, her smile falling down to an almost pout at Zai's words. “If I'd ever had to wait for YOU to come to my rescue, I'd still be stuck in some shity cell.”

 

“Probably, that is only if I didn't have enough time to come and kill you off finally, on even the pretense that you MIGHT have leaked out information.” Zai all but spat out at her. PB's eyes darkened for a brief second. The other three pilots could tell that this was an on going battle between the two of them and wisely stayed out of it. The force of both their stares could have caused sparks in the air as they both just stood there for a minute easily. Finally it was PB who broke first.

 

“Whatever.” She said with a shrug of her shoulders, and a slightly weighed down smile filling her lips again. “Come on Duo, you and Heero can fuck later, lets hit the kitchens.” She said as she grabbed the Americans hand and tugged him after her as she turned to leave. Zai just `hn'ed and stormed off, Wufei doing much the same. Heero was ready to also do the same when something caught his eye, a small flash a silver just as Duo and PB rounded the corner on their way to the kitchen. He had barley seen it, but he knew what it was, he had seen Duo's enough to recognize it. A silver cross had come untucked from under PB's shirt and was tailing behind her. A cross that matched the gold one Duo wore. Heero glared after the two of them, their echoing laughter only made his eyes darken even more. No matter what Duo said, he just couldn't push his instincts away. There was something about that girl that he just couldn't trust, much less like.

 

 

 

Kade let out a long breath and looked up in to the night sky. It was barely after the set time for the pilots to have left. She had given them the okay to go ahead as scheduled an hour ago. All information had the path they were taking as being clear and the safe house was ready. She knew it would be at least another hour before they all touched down, if not longer. They had to take special measures to make sure that none of them were spotted as they were all dropping in directly in the Gundams. And only two of those Gundams had the ability to cloak themselves from the enemy. But even at that as she looked up at the bright night sky, she couldn't help her eyes from tricking her brain in to thinking that she saw seven stars, brighter then all the rest, moving closer to the planet as she stood there watching.

 

“You're our last hope flyboys.” She whispered out in to the still night, and didn't even notice the one silent tear that fell down her cheek.

 

 

 

 

8:00 PM in military time.

2:00 AM in military time.

3:00 PM in military time.

A/N: This is the only time that I am going to note this. From now on the time, military or not, will be left as is.

For reference though, in military time:

0 or 24 hundred hours is midnight.

1 through 11 hundred hours is that time in AM.

12 hundred hours is noon.

For 13 through 23 hundred hours take the number, subtract 12 and you'll have the time in PM.

 

 

TBC…Please Review!!!