They spent half the night discussing their plans. Quatre proved to be the real master of strategy coming up with a sound plan in case Romefeller should attack. Finally, he suggested that everybody should get some rest; it would be of no use fighting off Romefeller if they couldn’t keep their eyes open from lack of sleep. Heero waited until Quatre and the others were sound asleep in their makeshift beds; then he hastily discarded himself of the covers and moved to Duo’s tent.
He carefully removed the tent flap and entered, kneeling besides Duo’s bed. He stroke away a few sweat-soaked bangs and looked in the face of the man he loved.
“Duo... Duo can you hear me?”
“Where are we?” Duo answered, but with his eyes still closed. His face was unnaturally hot and Heero could almost feel the intense burn of his fever.
“I’m with you,” Heero answered.
Duo continued, voice faint and slurred: “I don’t get it. What do you want me to do with those controls, you old geezer?” It looked like he was going to laugh, but he went on: “It’s so hard... I want to get some rest, Professor. Let me sleep...”
Heero took some of the damp cloths and dipped Duo’s forehead with it. “I told you that I would find you. It’ll be all right. We’ll get you to Sanq and we’ll get you all the medication and attention you need.” Given the capital city isn’t shot into ruins yet.
He sprinkled more water onto Duo’s brow, until a hand closed over his.
“That won’t help,” a familiar voice said, “you’re going to drown him if you’d get him wet like that.”
Heero stood up, if only to look Quatre Raberba Winner right in the eyes.
“I thought you were,” he simply said.
“You thought I was what?” Heero demanded and ignored the knots in his stomach. Quatre smiled, tapping at his own chest, at his heart.
“I thought you were in love with him. I first thought you were in love with Relena, with all these emotions swirling in you... but when we reached this camp, I could clearly feel your love for this young man. It took you a lot of self control not to embrace and kiss him, didn’t you?”
“What are you talking about?”
His voice faltered. Quatre continued to smile, but answered sternly. “Don’t play me for a fool, Heero. I could’ve gotten flaming mad at you, if only for dipping water onto an enemy.”
“He’s not the enemy.” Heero shot back.
“He’s still an OZ officer and he served Khushrenada. We don’t know his position. Just because Khushrenada refused to work with Mobile Dolls, doesn’t give him a license to be our friend. Romefeller has stripped him from his power, but as long as his supporters still roam the area, he’s involved with the war and therefore an enemy.”
Heero nodded. “You’re right, Quatre. It doesn’t mean that...”
“I’m not judging you, Heero. I’m happy for you that you’ve found someone to love. I only ask of you to think about the consequences. This war is changing; there are more allegiances than anyone can count. These are confusing days, and it’s not always clear who’s your enemy or friend-- but Duo Maxwell has been in OZ’s service and as far as we know, he still is.”
Quatre interpreted Heero’s silence as agreement and continued. “I know you want to help him, Heero. It’s pretty dangerous to take him to Sanq’s capital city. Relena will certainly welcome him – she does that with every fugitive, and certainly those who are injured – but his past will betray him. We don’t know Treize’s position, and what danger he still can prove to be to us.”
“There is something else, Quatre.” Heero sounded like he was mulling on rocks. “I think he’s the designated, original pilot for 02.”
“What?” He gasped. “You can’t be serious, Heero. He’s from OZ!”
“No one knows who he was before he joined, and no one knows what exactly happened, except for himself and the professor that trained him, Professor G.” Heero remembered his encounter with the old man pretty well. 02 is here. 02 is here! The old man had been pretty vehement about it. Heero took a deep breath.
“I don’t see how else it could be. G saw him on the Lunar Base. His excellent fighting skills. He was trained to pilot a Gundam, not a standard Aries!”
He waited for Quatre to laugh and to declare him insane, but he should’ve known better.
Quatre’s voice was soft and inquiring, not judging nor condemning: “How are you going to tell it to him? If he survives his illness, how are you going to deal with it? Saying: Hey, I think you’re supposed to be a Gundam pilot, here’s one, have a blast?”
“No, of course not.” Heero felt his face flush. “Who knows what he’s going to do if he had a Gundam under his command.”
“We’re not certain of his position,” Quatre reminded him again. Heero shook his head.
“We have to get him to Sanq so he can recover. After he’s healed, I’ll get him up to meet his Gundam somehow.”
“Do you know where the Deathscythe is? Wufei was the last one to see it.”
“I’ll find it.” Heero leaned forward. Just as I’ve found you. He kissed Duo on the cheek. His cool lips met burning skin and he shivered. He didn’t want to know what Duo was dealing with now.
------------
The capital city of Sanq Kingdom was a comforting heaven of peace and silence. Heero and Quatre arrived late in the night, fortunately without encountering any troubles, carrying Duo on a makeshift stretcher. Heero feared for his dangerously high running fever and he was afraid that Duo would slip into unconsciousness.
It took them precious time to reach the sickbay and Heero snarled at the elderly woman in charge, overcome with fatigue and irritation himself. The nurse merely snorted at him and slammed the door shut from the room Duo was in. Heero had to refrain himself violently from knocking on the door and demanding his way in.
“It’ll be all right, Heero. He’ll be all right.”
That voice. Relena.
“I welcome you to the Sanq Kingdom,” she said formally. She was dressed in a school uniform, a white, billowing skirt and a dark red jacket with black accessories. Her hair was, as usual, pulled back into two braids.
“How are you doing, Heero? Do you still want to kill me?”
It certainly was a good thing that Quatre didn’t overhear it. Almost passed out of fatigue, the blond Gundam pilot stood a little further away, resting against the wall, eyes closed.
“I guess not,” he answered, voice soft. She looked at the closed door.
“He’s important to you, isn’t he?” She continued when he didn’t answer. “Is he one of the Gundam pilots?”
“We could all use some rest now,” Heero answered. He was taken aback with her smile. Why would she smile?
“I’ll show you your rooms. Aren’t you going to introduce me to your other friend?”
He waved at Quatre’s direction. “He’s Quatre Raberba Winner.”
“Winner?” Her eyes lit up. “I can’t wait to talk to him! We have so much catching up to do, Heero. Follow me to your room. We’ll talk in the morning.”
“What about Duo?”
“Duo?” She hesitated. “Oh, your friend? He’s in good hands. You’re allowed to visit him, of course. The nurse is checking up on him, she’ll tell me what’s going on.”
Heero decided not to push it and followed Relena to his room. She talked fervently with Quatre before they parted and bid each other good night. He took a shower and noticed that someone had been in his room while showering; his clothes were gone, and a pristine school uniform was carefully folded on the stool. He didn’t care and flopped down on the bed, forcing himself to sleep without thinking to much about Duo.
-------------
“Wake up, Heero, it’s time for breakfast.”
Heero opened his eyes, realizing that he hadn’t heard her come in. His hand was tucked under the pillow; but there wasn’t a gun to pull out.
“Lucrezia Noin,” he spat out. “Aren’t you supposed to be with Zechs?”
The woman smiled bitterly. She hadn’t changed a bit since he last met her; on Antarctica, when he’d battled Zechs in a duel. Her short-cropped dark hair was still moist from her shower, and her blue eyes gazed at him.
“You’re still abrasive,” she shot back, “but you’re right. I’m supposed to be with Zechs... but our paths have diverged.”
“Diverged in what way?”
“Don’t keep the Princess waiting,” Noin averted his question and turned around. The door swung shut. Heero leapt out of bed and started dressing himself. More allegiances, friends, and enemies switching sides than I can count. Who can I call enemy aloud, and not wondering which side he has taken the next morning? And what does that make Duo?
Relena had taken residence in a school building, where the daughters of leaders of pacifist nations studied and lived with her. Sanq Kingdom was the last embodiment of peace; and she was the shining symbol, the centre of the total pacifism movement. Beautiful and vulnerable, Heero thought while walking through the corridors, following Noin. He remembered that she called Relena “Princess”, and that’s what she truly was- a princess of a fairy tale glass kingdom, without any barrier or defence. His military trained mind cringed at the thought.
“Here you are.” Noin opened the door to a large room, with an exquisite view over the kingdom. Relena sat at the centre table, while her butler served breakfast, a simple meal of wheat bread, fresh fruit, marmalade and cheese. Heero looked around before taking a seat.
“Quatre isn’t awake, yet?”
“He wanted some peace for his own,” Relena answered him. “I heard him play the piano in one of the music rooms. He seemed a bit distraught.”
“He’s been through difficult times.”
“So have you.”
“And you.”
She tried to hide her blush behind her tea cup. “I... I have to ask you for forgiveness, Heero.”
“Why is that?”
“After my father died... I needed someone to hold onto, until I found my strength to continue living.” She put aside the cup. “You were the person I was holding onto, Heero. You’re so strong. You’re so focused, so intense. I know about your goal and that you’d die to achieve it. I admire you, Heero, because of your strength and determination, and I wanted to learn from you to become like you.”
I want to learn from you. She sought out his hand, putting her slender fingers over his.
“Along the way, I realised I was feeling something else for you. I... I’m so glad you’re here, Heero that we’re together. I think... no, I know... I’m feeling more for you than I… could tell at the moment.”
“Relena...” He felt incredibly awkward. She doesn’t deserve this. “I’m sorry, Relena.” He put his hand over hers. Blue eyes as deep as the ocean. Not your eyes. I’m so sorry. She nudged her head, but didn’t start to cry.
“I see.” Her voice came with an audible hitch.
“I’m sorry, Relena. As soon as I have Wing at my disposal again, I’ll leave...”
“It’s Duo, isn’t it?” She looked him right in the eye. “I thought I saw something in your eyes... on your face, when you looked at that door. It was meant for him, right?”
“Yes,” he stated calmly.
“I see.” A tear started to trickle down her face. “I’m sorry, Heero, I... I just wanted to hear something else.”
“I understand.” He still held her hand. “I’m sorry too.”
“Don’t be.” She lifted her hand and touched him on the cheek. “You deserve happiness and love. If I’m not the one, than I certainly hope he is. I hope he’ll make you happy, Heero.”
“He does.”
“I heard from the nurse that his fever broke during the night. You’d better visit him.”
“Are you sure?” He eyed her.
“Go on,” she tried to smile, but failed. “I’ll be fine.”
He stood up, but leaned forward and pecked her on the cheek. He left the room quickly, and when he closed the door, he heard her cry. Heero walked to the sickbay, still feeling awkward and a bit nauseous himself.
The nurse let him enter the sickbay, albeit grudgingly. Heero gasped when he saw Duo lying in bed, as pale as a porcelain doll. Heero approached him carefully.
“Duo,” he said, “Duo, how are you feeling?”
The moment when Duo opened his eyes and smiled at him was a moment he’d never forget.
Heero was warmed immediately by his smile and he quickly sat down at the bed.
“Odin, where am I?” Duo sounded hoarse. He looked fragile, the harsh fever having drained him of all his strength.
“We’re in the Sanq Kingdom, under Peacecraft rule. You’re safe, Duo. Safe with me.”
“Thank God,” Duo said. “What’s the status? What’s going on?”
“Treize has been stripped of his powers, but his current location is unknown. His criticism at the Romefeller Foundation wasn’t really appreciated.”
“I know,” Duo mumbled. “They’re a bunch of aristocrats who want to make profits from the war. I knew they were going to clash with Treize.”
“Don’t worry about it now,” Heero stroked the skinny arm. “You need to rest and eat and regain all your strength. I can’t wait to see you up and about again.”
Duo smiled again. “Odin, you saved my life, didn’t you?”
“With a little help from the Treize Faction. They were very concerned about you.”
“Oh, Gerich’s platoon. How are they doing?”
“Romefeller initiates skirmishes at the border, and harass Relena with statements about the war. She offers refuge to every fugitive or victim, and they accuse her of collaborating with the enemy. I’m afraid war will break out in the Kingdom, and we have very low defences at the moment. Two Tauruses and a Gundam isn’t enough.” It was out of his mouth before he realised it.
“Gundam? There’s a Gundam here?”
“There’s a Gundam here,” Heero confirmed, taken aback, and suddenly feeling cold and afraid. He hadn’t felt like this for a long time.
“Who’s the pilot? Are you the pilot?” Duo was pale as a ghost and Heero was sure it didn’t come from his recently battled disease.
“I am a Gundam pilot,” he confirmed. It was no use to beat around the bush any longer. What was I thinking? I was planning to die in this war. Why would I be so honest with someone I wasn’t supposed to see again anyway? Why didn’t I lie?
Duo smacked at his hand. “Were you at the Corsica base? Well, were you?”
“I’ve never been at the Corsica base,” Heero answered. It must’ve been one of the other pilots. “What happened there?”
“You killed a lot of our men,” Duo said. Walker.
“You’ve been in battles too, in the name of the Alliance and OZ,” Heero shot back..
“In the name of peace! To prevent them from fighting! They were obstructing peace! What do you think I am? A monster?”
“You seem to think I am one!”
“You Gundam pilots have caused a lot of grief, attacking randomly and viciously! We were fighting to obtain peace for the colonies and establish a new order!”
“OZ’s order! That’s not real peace! It’s domination!” Heero rose, angered, hurt and disappointed. He didn’t know what to think or to say. He should’ve known this discussion was inevitable, but he wasn’t prepared. He hadn’t counted on seeing Duo again and establishing some kind of relationship. His stomach turned itself in strange knots and he was about to throw up. Duo wasn’t doing any better. He was still pale and sweat appeared at his brow. He clutched at the sheets as if they were his last remaining lifeline.
“I want you to understand us, Duo. You’re from the colonies yourself. You made that pretty much clear when you had fever hazed dreams. How did you end up with OZ? And why are you such a good pilot? You’re far above any trained pilot, Alliance, OZ, whatever.”
“I was raised on the streets of L2,” Duo admitted, tired. “I don’t know much about it anymore. I can only recall the hunger, the starvation. There was a plague... I stole the medication for the gang I was in. I wasn’t exposed to it, but lots of people died.”
“Solo too?”
“Did I talk about him too? Yes, he was our gang leader. He died of the plague. I wandered on the street until I was taken in by a church. The church was blown up by the Alliance.”
He looked very fragile and even more tired. “I met an old man... a professor. I agreed with him training me. I wanted to learn, I was off the streets and I wanted to fight. I wanted to fight so others didn’t have to. I always felt I was missing something. The professor talked to me about Operation Meteor and how I was going to Earth.”
Operation Meteor. “What happened?” Heero’s curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to learn why Duo hadn’t continued his training and why the pilot of 02 hadn’t met his Gundam yet.
“There was... a raid. In the suburb we were in, a raid broke out because of the elevated prices of groceries again. The Alliance used military force to suppress the raid with lots of mobile suits. I was in the neighbourhood and saw a Leo crashing down... the suit was on fire and the cockpit broke. I ended up saving Treize’s life, even though I didn’t know who he was. I just figured he needed help; it was in the blur of the commotion. I never knew what happened to the professor or that he was involved in the raid. I thought he was dead and agreed to go with Treize.”
“Is that why you became a Specials squadron leader?”
Weakened and sick he might be, but the well-known anger flared up immediately in Duo’s eyes. “I didn’t need his name and I didn’t need it now! I came there on my own, remember?”
“Yes,” Heero hastily corrected himself. He could mentally smack himself on the head. The silence was uncomfortable, until Duo started to speak again, voice hoarse.
“I agreed to come with him... out of revenge. I... It wasn’t the best decision, I guess. I could continue my training at OZ’s facilities, but I soon found out they were far below my capacities. Treize promised me revenge on what the Alliance did to me, and I got it with Operation Daybreak.” He looked up, face distorted. “Why did you become a Gundam pilot, Odin?”
“It’s Heero,” Heero answered. “Heero Yuy.”
Duo chortled. “Great.”
“I was a wandering kid, too. It was a different situation, but another scientist picked me up... Dr. J. He trained me intensively for the same reasons. I’m fighting for the peace of the colonies.”
“The colonies don’t care about peace. Nobody cares about peace. They only want to get a visit from the God of Death. Why else would they keep on fighting? I tried to bring peace, even if it was under OZ’s rule, just to keep them from fighting. Artificial peace is better than no peace at all.” He coughed violently.
“Duo...”
“Please don’t, Od- Heero. You can’t ask that of me now. What we have... is more fragile than a spider web.”
“But as strong as,” Heero said. He didn’t get a reaction; Duo had fallen asleep, completely exhausted.
------------
“And?” Quatre lifted up his cup of tea, meanwhile studying the newspaper.
“He took it pretty badly. It was to be expected, though. I haven’t even told him that he’s supposed to be a Gundam pilot as well.”
“He’s too confused now and we don’t have much time, Heero. With Trowa gone,” he gulped audibly, “we need all the help we can get. I’ve got news from Wufei, though. He has left the Deathscythe at L2, where it remains stored until... the right pilot shows up to claim it.”
“All right. Duo must go back to L2 and meet the Gundam. I know that every missing piece of the puzzle will fall into place once he sees Deathscythe.”
“That’s an awful high risk you’re willing to take. It’s dangerous. And what if Duo is the so-called 02 pilot, can we rely on his liability? Is he true to us, or to Khushrenada? Don’t you see the implications when he starts, for example, using the Gundam to help the Treize Faction? We don’t need that!”
“We don’t know until after the confrontation. I can accompany him to L2.”
“No, you can’t. We have enough on our hands, as it is, Heero. If you’d be leaving now, it would cause severe consequences.”
Quatre threw down the paper. “Relena has been invited by Romefeller for a formal talk. Things aren’t going in the right direction, Heero. If Romefeller attacks, we have a huge problem. The one thing I can think of is going back to my hometown to retrieve Sandrock and to persuade the Maguanacs corps to follow me. I know they’ll follow me, but I don’t know if we’ll get back in time. Noin can’t hold off everything herself.”
“You always come up with good strategies. We’ll think of one.” Heero forced himself to look Quatre straight in the eye. “If we could only get the Deathscythe back to us, with Duo... we would win the war.”
-------------
Duo Maxwell stared out of the window of the commercial shuttle and didn’t feel at ease.
His customary braid was tucked away in the priest outfit he was wearing. He didn’t know why he had chosen to wear this outfit. It reminded him of the church, naturally, and of the massacre that took place. I was just a kid. I swore revenge and I got it. Duo shifted in his seat. How could I’ve been so blinded by OZ that I left everything behind? Why?
He carried fake papers with him, giving him access to L2. Home. He was going home, but it certainly didn’t feel like it. He carefully memorized the location of the salvage yard and the name of his contact. Hilde Schbeiker. Duo tapped his finger against his chin. It would be interesting to learn what this fanatic volunteer for the OZ regime made her switch sides. Why should I take a side? I’ve always chosen the wrong one before. Meeting the Deathscythe, as Heero wanted him to do, would be interesting. Heero… He wasn’t Odin any more.
The shuttle docked and he took his duffle bag. The Peacecraft girl had provided the bag and the clothing; the last thing Duo heard before he left was her acceptance of the position as chief representative of Romefeller in order to avoid any bloodshed in her country.
You’re very strong and very noble, dear Princess. But even if you are the Queen of the World, you’re nothing but a beautiful sock puppet, dancing at the hands of Dermail and his friends.
“Sir?”
He jumped up, shaken out of his thoughts. “What?”
The flight attendant smiled at him. “We’ve boarded. You can safely get off now.”
“Thank you, miss.” He quickly whipped out his sunglasses, and put them on. The climate on L2 was harsh and the sun shone much stronger here than on Earth. The artificial weather controls were obviously not any good here.
Duo decided to walk, if only to rearrange his thoughts. He was on familiar grounds, yet he felt rejected. I’m not being accepted by this colony, I’ve been gone for too long. He hated that he remembered so little from his youth. He’d talked in his feverish sleep about Solo, how long had it been since he thought of the leader of the gang he’d been part of? And Heero... Heero was a Gundam pilot. It was strange to think of Odin as Heero. Duo pushed the sunglasses back on the bridge of his nose. There was so much to think about. He felt betrayed and disappointed, yet he didn’t know why. Why should he be mad at Heero? For lying? I never lie. I may run and hide, but I never tell a lie.
“I’m not the liar,” he fairly screamed. Nobody paid attention to him. This was L2. He heaved a sigh and continued to walk. Heero wasn’t a liar either. He had seen a fire burning in his eyes, a fire of truth. Heero was the true fighter, acting on his emotions, with heart and soul. I fight only for myself. I’ve never even taken a stand- I just did it for myself and the hollow promise of revenge. He squinted his eyes. The sunglasses didn’t help very much with the burning intensity of the sun. The junkyard was half a mile away. It was strange to meet Hilde Schbeiker again. He remembered her very well. Do all people change, and if they do, why am I the one standing still? Am I standing still or don’t I want to see what’s changing?
His head hurt from all the questions he was asking himself. Duo walked along the curbs and carefully approached the junkyard. Heero had persuaded him to meet a mobile suit, a Gundam that was supposed to be destined for him, if everything had been different. Claim it as your birthright, he had said. I don’t have any birthright. I don’t even know where I was born. My youngest memories are of my life on the streets, but I could’ve been born on Earth and taken to space. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel at home. I never feel at home, and with this war and all, things are even getting more difficult.
The name of his Gundam was Deathscythe, and the upgraded version he was about to meet was named the Deathscythe Hell. He couldn’t imagine how it would look like. Heero had refused to describe it for him, but Duo had heard the… respect in his voice. He had laughed aloud when Heero told him about his theory; that he, Duo Maxwell, was the original pilot for Gundam 02. In the little time, they had, Heero had told him about the prisoners on the Lunar Base, one of them being Professor G. Before Duo could ask more, Heero had kissed him and pressed the silver crucifix in his hand. Bring it back to me. He shrugged. If he really was to see a Gundam, that would mean that the old professor had finally succeeded in his plans.
Duo looked up and saw he had arrived at the junkyard. Gigantic piles of metal scrap surrounded two, three shacks. Junk was piled up high in the sky. He hollered.
“Hey! Anybody here?”
He didn’t receive an answer and tried the front door of the first shack. It wasn’t locked.
“Anyone here?”
“Hey! Wait a sec!” Someone hollered back, coming from afar. Duo put his duffle bag on the floor, looking around. It was very simply decorated for living, an open kitchen, some furniture and a small niche containing a bed. A staircase led to the first floor.
“Hi, what can I do... for you?” The girl was the same as he remembered. Her voice failed when she saw him.
“Lieutenant Maxwell?” She squeaked.
“I’m no longer in OZ’s duty, officer Hilde,” he replied.
“I’m not either,” she grimaced. “Permanently.”
“I’m here for the Deathscythe,” Duo said. Her eyes grew wide.
“No way. No way I’m going to let you get close to the Gundam!”
“May I remind you that you were once part of OZ yourself, if that is what you’re keeping that against me.”
She swallowed. “Do you have any proof you’re allowed to get near the Gundam?”
Duo was about to answer, when he heard a rumbling sound, rapidly approaching.
“Is that a mobile suit?”
Hilde quickly tucked away a gun, but not quickly enough for him not to notice. She’s really changed.
“It sounds like one. Let’s take a look outside.”
“Are there any plans for attack on this colony?” Duo followed her outside the shack.
“Not that I know of,” she answered. “L2 is pretty much left alone these days.”
Duo pointed at the sky. “Look! Over there!”
A mobile suit approached them, engines roaring and wings wide spread. It carried a huge rifle and an even huger shield. The suit came to a halt and landed in front of the junkyard, squashing whatever there was under its feet. Duo recognized it from the pictures he was once shown by Zechs Merquise; the suit looked a bit different, but it was definitely the 01. The strongest one. Could that be… Heero’s suit?
The hatch opened with a steaming hiss and a man crawled out of the cockpit.
“Duo Maxwell, or rather Lieutenant Maxwell. What a convenience.”
“Trent. What a pleasure.” Duo recalled the man. He was a friend of Nichol in his last days on the Lunar Base, and Duo remembered him for being rather ambitious and zealous. He couldn’t fathom what the man was doing here, looking for him. Was it to bring him back to OZ, to keep him hostage for Treize? Duo regretted that he didn’t bring a gun, but he wouldn’t have gotten past the controls on the spaceports. Somehow, Hilde felt his tension and moved a little bit backwards. She had a gun, and he didn’t need to look around to see her reaching for it.
“Stay where you are, lady, or I’ll fire the cannon,” the man threatened.
“I wouldn’t fire a beam cannon in a colony, if I were you.” Duo tried to remain calm. “You’d breach the hull and we’ll all be dead.”
Trent snorted. “I couldn’t care less, Duo Maxwell. Now, are you scared or is Khushrenada’s favourite soldier really a wimp?”
“What are you talking about?” Duo didn’t give into his rising anger. It would be of no use. What was with the man?
“Whatever you’re doing now, you’re still the top pilot of the Specials. I want to know how you’ll handle this Gundam. This is not a normal suit; it’s equipped with the Zero System. It predicts the outcome of battles based on pilot data. I want to know if an ace like you can compete with it.”
“You’re talking nonsense. I don’t know what you’re up to, Trent, but you need to leave the colony right now.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If you don’t come with me, I’ll kill you. Or even if you don’t care getting killed, I blow up the colony if you refuse. Aren’t you that noble, to have all these inhabitants getting killed for your refusal?”
“You’re nuts,” Duo replied. “I haven’t even been inside a Gundam!”
“Come with me or you’ll regret it,” Trent threatened again.
“Does Tubarov know about this?”
“He doesn’t have to. What’s your answer?”
“I have no choice,” Duo sighed. The knots in his stomach tied together. Why this lunatic wanted to have him in this Gundam... but the man had made a severe threat and Duo didn’t doubt he would live up to it. It must’ve been because of Trent’s failure with piloting the Gundam; Duo knew the man wasn’t in the highest pilot rankings. He grabbed the cable winch and he was hoisted up to the cockpit.
Chapter 6 | Chapter 8 |