Part Four;
*Trapped*

         Paato Fuoo;
         *Tojikomerareru*
 

Uchuu was a beautiful place, surpassed only, perhaps, by Chikyuu. Sometimes though, the people who did realize the unspoiled beauty of Outer Space wondered if they were the only ones to think so. Space, with all it's vastness, was the ideal battleground. No one and nothing to destroy but your enemies... and yourself.

In the midst of all this beauty, a white and ivory Mobile Suit moved, it's motion as graceful as the eternal spinning of the stars and planets which surrounded it in the darkness. It slashed at it's enemies and destroyed them effortlessly, the explosions sending a shine over it's skin of Gundanium.

However, something went amiss, and one of the twin scythes it had for weapons spun off into the cold silence of Outer Space, still glowing red with the heat that allowed it's pilot such ease in battle. The scythe spun slowly towards Chikyuu, to collide just above the planet with orange energy bullets, green energy, and a large stream of golden fire that set the darkness of space to flame, blotting out everything with harsh white light.

The light of war had outshone the peaceful light of the stars. One by one five of them fell to the Earth in shame.

Never to return.

Never to feel the peace of space again.
 

Quatre Rababa Winner opened his eyes. Had he the energy he might have gasped, as he was much more emotionally inclined than either Hiiro Yui or Trowa Barton. However, the blood now covered the entire front panel, and it didn't look like Quatre was going to survive. But one thought, one realization that the dream had given him filled him with hope.

" There are... others... " he managed, and smiled before sinking into oblivion again.

  [##]

Once Wufei had gotten his bearings, he found himself to be in a rope net, dangling from a tree, lying on top of a young girl about his age, who was scowling.

[Quite the predicament Wufei!]

  [##]

He was tall and gangly, awkward, as most young boys are, and awfully cute in uniform. He stood slightly taller than the other newcomers, with his hands in the small of his back and his spine ramrod straight. Platinum blonde hair rested just-so on his shoulders, emerging from beneath a metal mask that shrouded him in mystery from the nose up.

Nudge.

" Lucie, " murmured Ko from where she stood at-ease next to her, " you're staring. "

A faint blush touched her cheeks as she realized she was. " Don't call me Lucie, " was all she said, though.

" But everyone does, " Jade pointed out from her other side.

Private Lucretia Noin huffed and spouted the clich‚, " If everyone jumped off a cliff would you do that too? "

" That depends, " Private Jade Yuuki mused, " who's gonna catch me? If he's cute, you bet! "

Ensign Ko Neko giggled and nodded her head towards the newcomers. " Well, take your pick Jadechan! " She giggled again,   " Just not the tall one with the mask. That one's Lucie's! "

Jade and Ko erupted into giggles, unfortunately drawing the attention of some nearby students... and the Instructor.

" Do you three ladies find something amusing? " Instructor Ky inquired mildly.

" No sir! " Jade responded more sweetly and formally.

While Jade and Ko attempted convincing Instructor Ky, Lucretia caught the tall masked kid looking at her, and offered him a wan smile. He returned it immediately and her heart tripled pace.

" Attention! " rang the sharp voice of Instructor Ky, and Lucretia switched positions accordingly.
 

Noin smiled fondly at that memory. She hadn't thought about it in awhile, not since meeting up with Neko and Yuuki some years back at Victoria Base. At least no one called her 'Lucie' anymore.

Noin checked her watch, then looked over at the sleeping form of Zechs. (how he slept with that mask on, she'd never know) It was time for her shift. He'd know where to find her when he awoke.

Leaning over, Noin lifted the mask to reveal the placid, sleeping face and gently kissed his forehead. Replacing the mask that made Zechs Marquis out of Milliardo Peacecraft, she backed silently out of the room, and shut the door.

  [##]

Apparently disgusted with Wufei's lack of mobility, the girl wriggled beneath him and withdrew a large hunting knife from a sheath at the back of her belt.

  [##]

If Rilina needed something done, Pagan did it. Be it driving or flying or fetching someone or just answering the door, he did it all without question. He'd been employed by the Dorlain family years before they'd adopted the young Peacecraft girl. He enjoyed it, making him a bit of a clich‚ but that was beside the point.

So, when Rilina came to him saying she needed to fly to Old Canada, he didn't say anything beyond, 'Yes, Rilina.' Though that's not to say he didn't have thoughts about it.

" So, " he offered casually from the plane's cockpit part way into the flight, " is there any particular reason you're leaving the Cinq Kingdom without notifying Noinsan or your brother? "

Rilina looked up at him guiltily. Pagan didn't miss that.

" Oh, it's that pilot. "

Rilina's guilty look spread into a guilty smile. " I know Noinsan wouldn't agree, nor would Milliardo. Especially my brother, he and Hiiro have a bit of a rivalry going. " A bit was, of course, a great understatement.

" Well, I had an idea, " Pagan offered, " We're going to be flying over your old home soon. Why don't we stop in and visit your mother? You could probably see some of your school friends as well. " Pagan's voice trailed off hopefully.

" No use, Pagan, " Rilina responded quietly, looking out the window, " there's war there too. I got the notification this morning and just didn't mention it until now... " Rilina blinked back tears as she rested her chin in her fist and leaned so close to the window it seemed her nose would touch that of her reflection. " Okaasan's dead... "

The plane carried on into the brilliant sunshine, tossing clouds like the sea in it's wake.

  [##]

The girl climbed her way out from under Wufei, and up to the top of the net, where she poised the knife to cut.

  [##]

Treize was still at his desk contemplating when Lady Une entered the library.

" Your Excellency, Dorothy Katalonia has come to see you from the Cinq Kingdom, " she informed him formally.

" All right, show her in, " responded Treize, without making a motion to switch out of his pensive mood. " But first, Lady, " he called out, stopping her in her tracks.

Lady Une looked back, her hand on the doorknob, " Sir? "

" Tell me, " Treize half closed his eyes in thought and buried his face farther into his fists, " where is Zechs right now? "

" Zechs? " Lady Une turned to face him, giving herself time to recall, " He's at Sehirion Base, Sir. He's gone there to pick up the Talgeese from where it was undergoing repairs. "

" I see. Thank you, Lady Une. Has he reclaimed the Talgeese, then? "

" Uh, no Sir, " Lady Une answered, " Status reports state that he has fallen ill. "

" Ill? Zechs? Hm, that explains some of it... "

Lady Une's face clouded in confusion. " Some of what, Sir? "

" Nothing, " said Treize dismissively, " Show Kataloniasan in. "

" Yes, Sir. "

  [##]

Wufei looked down and judged the distance to the ground: this was going to hurt.

  [##]

Hiiro turned and faced the Pisces with a straight face. He gazed up at the thermo rifle, as if daring it to fire on him.

The eyes of the Pisces pilot widened in astonishment and just a little bit of fear. The eyes of the boy before him dared... dared him. Enticed him. Frightened him. His finger tightened on the trigger, only to relax and then tighten again. Suddenly the pride so common in Oz soldiers took over and he hollered over the frequency that blared to the outside, " All right, Kid! You Asked For It! "

The soldier closed his eyes and fired.

  [##]

Snap!

  [##]

Duo stepped back to admire his handiwork, swiping at his brow and leaving a broad streak of black across his forehead in the process. Blinking as he realized this, he made a face and complained, " Aw man! "

But, Shinigami was back to perfection, and this outweighed the black on his forehead. Now he could go off to battle and do what he did best. Then again, he couldn't go into battle without looking his best, now could he?

Hmm...

Well, the base could wait a few more moments while he washed his face! This thought well in mind, Duo climbed down to the ground, and trotted into his cabin.

He never noticed as the display on Deathscythe's left screen switched and beeped again to warn that there were enemies approaching his position.

  [##]

Wufei and the girl plummeted to the ground just as the soldiers rounded the corner and came upon them.

  [##]

Morning crept into the cell and Trowa discovered that he had fallen asleep sitting up. Stretching his back he popped his spine back into alignment and then sat quietly, staring out at the vast blueness that had replaced the moon.

Thinking his way through the moment of solitude, Trowa's mind turned back on the dream he'd had the night previous. It filled him with a sense of urgency, and without a purpose. Trowa found himself quite suddenly without foresight. He would kill Hitori Yuu, but after that... then what? Destroy Oz, those were his orders. But what about after that? There was no answer.

Trowa narrowed his eyes and thought back on the dream once more. Golden fire and green energy, connecting above the Earth. There was something else... something just there but that he couldn't grasp. There was more to that dream: much more that Trowa couldn't for the life of him grasp long enough to get a good look.

" Trowa Barton. " The sounding of his name wasn't an inquiry, it was a statement directed at getting his attention.

Once again, Trowa Barton did not face Hitori Yuu. " Yes? " he answered.

There was the whooshing sound of the cell door sliding open, and a square of artificial light spilled across the sunlight, drowning it out. Replacing it.

Trowa switched to gazing at that.

Once again the light of the stars had been blotted out by humanity's creations.

Just like in his dream.

  [##]

The girl stood as Wufei did, and turned on him. Ignoring the soldiers she glared at him with enflamed brown eyes and shouted,  " What kind of an idiot follows the path?! " making her quite the hypocrite.

Wufei was horrified to find himself speechless for a moment, before mustering up a retort. " You were doing it before! "

She glared at him, lowering her face so that a shadow accented her anger. " Did you happen to notice the net you just stumbled into? That was to make it easier to execute them. "

Wufei blinked his incomprehension.

One of the soldiers just got angry. (all of them did, really, but he was the only one to do anything) He clenched a fist at the girl and demanded, " What?! Why You--! "

The girl suddenly reached beneath the long shirt she wore and withdrew an automatic pistol from her hip. Wufei began to wonder just how many weapons she had under there. The girl turned, fanning her shoulder length indigo hair out. She aimed the gun at the soldier who had spoken.

All anger gone from her face, her voice went monotonous as she uttered the single word that ended the soldier's life, " Shine. "

The bullet entered the soldier's forehead and exploded out the other side of his head. A rain of blood and brains dotted his companions with crimson. They stared from their fallen comrade to the girl and Wufei and back again, standing dumbly for a moment until taking off down the path in fright.

The girl scoffed, and said the words that went through Wufei's own mind a hundred million times a day, " Cowards like that should not fight in wars. "

To be continued...
 Tsuzuku...

**

[Yeesh. Vicious little thing, ain't she? La la la! ~dancing around to no music whatsoever, but for the singsong-y next phrase~ This story has no point! Well, next in Part Five we'll discover that girl's name at least, (or that might just wait until part six... wait! If you read my opening spiel in it's entirety you'll know her name! aw...) have another dream in which I repeat myself, and maybe MAYBE discover a point! Then again... this is me writing... ~sigh~ See you next time...]

[Written by Inseiko, 2000]

Go to part five