Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ War Angels ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer- It's not mine, never was. The only characters I own are the ones never previously mentioned in the Gundam Wing Universe. Song lyrics belong to the group Alabama.

A/N - This is Quatre's chapter. I was not exactly sure how to write this one. So, I hope it didn't come out too bad.

Time frame - After Libra has fired its main cannon and hit Earth. Gundam Pilots have figured out that the mobile dolls have had strategic programs loaded into them. Happens right after Heero gives the data on the ZERO system to Howard and tells him to put it in Sandrock. Quatre does not know that the system is in there yet. This is before the first time Zechs and Heero fight in Epyon and Wing Zero.

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--Oh, I believe there are angels among us, --

--Sent down to us from somwhere up above.--

--They come to you and me in out darkest hours--

--To show us how to live--

--To teach us how to give--

--To guide us with a light of love--

War Angels

Chapter Three

Quatre punched in the access code to Peacemillion's repair wing and waited for the doors to slide open. As he entered the hangar, he noticed that most of the mechanics working on repairing the Gundams had given up for the time being and left to get some rest. He jumped down off of the balcony and landed lightly on the floor, looking up at his precious Sandrock Gundam.

"How many more people must die before this war ends?" he asked no one in particular. "How many more lives must we be required to take before it is over with, my dear Sandrock?"

"Not too many, I'd guess." came an amused voice from above him. Quatre looked up and saw a young girl with blond hair in a mechanic's uniform looking down at him. "Especially considering all you guys have been fighting lately is mobile dolls."

"Who are you?" Quatre asked, launching himself up to the cockpit entrance of his suit. The girl grinned and sat back down in the pilot's chair of the Gundam, her hands skimming over a laptop computer screen as Sandrock's schematics scrolled up the screen. "Who are you?" he asked again.

The girl just shrugged and continued to work as though he was not even there.

"Just ya local computer programmer and mobile suit analyzer." she said. "You're Quatre Winner, right?"

"Yes, I am." Quatre answered, sitting down on the open door to the cockpit.

"Why so glum, hun?" the girl asked. "I know you're not mad just because I'm in your cockpit." Quatre just shrugged and shook his head.

"I'm just wondering how much longer we're going to have to fight before this is over with." He said. "I'm tired of fighting."

"Well, considering Zechs and the White Fang took over the lunar base and mobile doll factory," she said. "I'd say it is going to be a good while before any of us get a break, babe."

"You're right, I'm afraid." Quatre answered.

"Speaking of those mindless machines, what happened out there earlier?" she asked. "Ya'll suits came back here more beat up than ususal. The computer system in this suit was practically fried to a crisp!"

"They've had strategic battle plans programmed into them." he said, running his hand through his hair in aggravation. "It's like they have a culmination of battle data saved in their databases. They're acting like humans are thinking for them, but their reaction time is so much quicker."

"They're machines, shugah." the girl pointed out, pointing a wrench at him. "They can't think like humans. They don't have a conscious."

"Sure doesn't seem like it." he muttered.

"Mr. Winner, in the battle field, nothing is better than the human conscious. And machines don't have one." The girl got out of the cockpit and leaned against the hatch. "Take your buddy's suit over there," she said, pointing to the Wing Zero. "The cockpit system in that thing is called the ZERO system. Ya ever flown it?"

"Yes." Quatre grumbled.

"Then you know what happens when the system overrides the pilot's mind." she asked.

"Yes. I do, unfortunately." he said.

"That system is so powerful, that it over takes the human conscious, making the pilot go crazy looking for an opponent to face." she said, folding her arms. "The data input does help to fight enemies, but there is a breaking point. When ya turn on ya own allies, and try to destroy'em cause you can't distinguish friend from foe....things get a little hairy. Using the ZERO system's good, but unless ya can counter it with ya own conscious, you'll do more harm than good."

"I know." Quatre said sadly. "I learned that the hard way." The blonde girl nodded and looked at him like she knew exactly where he was coming from. Quatre, the empath of the pilots, could literally feel the concern and understanding coming off of the girl in waves.

"There's no place for mindless machines in battles like these." she said, climbing back into the cockpit. "It takes heart to fight. A will ta stand up for what ya believe in. Mobile dolls have no heart, and can only do what humans tell them to. It's pathetic really, if ya think about it."

"How so?" Quatre asked.

"The White Fang are sending out mobile dolls to do the majority of their fighting." She said, shaking her head. "They want a victory, but most of'em don't want to risk their necks in a fight. They're heart ain't in it. Ya need humanity in wars. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of people pushing buttons to destroy over sized toys."

"So you don't mind soldiers dying?" he asked, looking at her in confusion.

"Quatre, ya understand how people think an' feel better than anyone else. Your kindness is your strength. Don't ever let anyone tell ya any different." she said, looking him straight in the eyes. "I'm not much different than you. So, you tell me, what am I feeling when I know there are men and women losing their lives out there?" Quatre just stared at the girl for a few moments, trying to assess exactly what she was feeling.

"You're heart is in space." he said. "You don't want anyone to die, do you?"

"Bingo!" she said. "If ya follow orders from someone, no questions are asked if another man dies. But if you fight according to your heart, much more is accomplished in the long run."

"Someone else told me that once." Quatre said. "The man that helped build this Gundam."

"He's a smart guy." she said, smiling. She climbed back out of the cockpit and wiped her hands off. "Well, I'm done here. Just remember Quatre, fight according to what your heart tells ya, 'cause without your heart and conscious, ya no better than those mindless machines called mobile dolls."

"I.....thank you, miss." Quatre said softly, feeling a little better now that he had talked to someone who made him feel a little better. "You are too kind."

"Don't worry about it." she said, a kind smile on her face. "You boys need a pep talk every now and then too. We're rooting for ya, Mr. Winner. Remember that." She left out, shutting the computer down and grabbing the duffle bag she had brought with her.

"Who are you?" Quatre asked once again, as he felt a strong surge of love and admiration emanating from the woman. She just grinned and looked over her shoulder, giving Quatre a wink. He saw a spark in her green eyes, and was quickly reminded of his sister Irai.

"Just call me Rina." she said, waving at him as she passed through a door that lead to the heart of Peacemillion. "See ya round, Quatre. Stay safe, hun."

"I will." he said, going into the cockpit of his Gundam, totally missing the schematics report that she had printed out, her name at the top right hand corner.

Quatrina Winner.

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A/N - Okay, does anyone know exactly who Quatrina Winner is? If you don't, I'll tell you. Quatrina Winner was the name of Quatre's mother. Mind you, I don't know for sure if the woman is dead or not in the story, but for this fic, she is. Sorry if I got it totally wrong.

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