Part Seven;
*Only You*

         Paato Seban;
         *Anata dake*
 

Somewhere in the darker reaches of space, a dragon lurked. It moved with amazing grace and speed, weaving in and out of the stars, joining in their dance as opposed to merely observing. Then suddenly something clicked, and the dragon switched forms to that of an equally graceful humanoid form Mobile Suit.

This new Mobile Suit lifted it's buster rifle and aimed it directly at Chikyuu. When the target turned red to signal a lock, it fired, throwing golden flame into the darkness.

But at the last minute it jerked upwards, throwing the fire off course, to just above Chikyuu. There it connected with five other powers to hit home in the heart of Rilina Dorlain Peacecraft. The pilot jerked in surprise and horror at his own actions.

There was a burst of light that drowned out the stars and the dragon-type Mobile Suit.

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.
 

Zechs Marquis jerked awake and groaned. His whole body was stiff, and hanging forward off of the seat restraints. Somewhere along the lines in the crash, his mask had come off and was lying on the front panel, sporting a long crack down the right side.

Suddenly from outside there was a call.

" Lieutenant Zechs Marquis? "

Zechs reached down and snatched his broken mask. He slipped it on, and a shard poking inwards drew blood. Refusing to wince in pain, Zechs reached down and flicked on the outside speaker.

" Yeah? "

The left panel brought up a picture of a solitary soldier in a winter parka. " Sir, you've crashed in the north-central area of Eurasia, in the old Europe section. Representative Treize has requested you meet him in Luxembourg. I'm to escort you. "

" And who are you? "

" Ensign Meg Futari, sir. Oz Specials. " Futari dropped her salute and offered a smile, " There's a carrier on it's way to pick up your Talgeese, sir. I've got a small plane down at the base of the mountain. "

" You climbed all the way up here just to get me? "

" Yes sir. "

" Mm, you must be very loyal to Treize. " Zechs commented, bracing himself and opening the cockpit hatch. Taking a breath, he released the restraints and dropped into the snow. Within moments there was support at his side, and he looked up into the awfully young face of Ensign Futari.

" Very loyal, sir. He's the one who's going to lead us into a new era of peace. "

Zechs said nothing either way, but let Futari lead him down the mountain to the waiting plane.

  [##]

Treize listened to the report from Ensign Futari with satisfaction.

  [##]

The soldiers had to admit, that although they were scared to death of the boy, they were sad to see him go. As the leader shook hands with the Gundam pilot cordially, he offered his regrets that he was leaving Old Canada and wished him well in all his future endeavors.

He then nodded in parting to the boy's friend, whom had introduced herself as Rilina Peacecraft, and watched as the two young people headed for the majestic form of Gundam Zero-one.

" It's gonna be cramped, " he heard the boy point out.

Rilina's blush was evident in her voice as she assured him, " I don't mind. "

How charming. You know, the arrival of Rilina Peacecraft had finally given them a name to put to the Gundam Pilot.

Hiiro Yui.

As Gundam Zero-one took off, the leader turned and wondered absently if that was an intentional irony: if it was an unintentional play on the name of the famous colony pacifist.

Hiiro Yui and the last remaining member of the pacifist Peacecraft family. That couldn't be coincidence. It had to be fate.

The leader turned back to watch as the glow of the afterburners dissipated into the sky. Fate. Perhaps.

Maybe those two kids would lead them into the new era of peace.

  [##]

Duke Dermail had ordered the Talgeese destroyed, reflected Treize, but he had other plans for the Leo Prototype.

  [##]

Any idiot could see that Shinigami was favoring it's right arm. Any idiot could infur from this that the pilot was injured. Any idiot could see that Shinigami would lose this fight with the Taurus Mobile Dolls.

But Duo Maxwell was not just any idiot. He was a special idiot.

Having switched to using his scythe one-handed, he turned and used the it's own weight to carry the thermo-energy blade through several Taurus Dolls.

The com frizzled into life.

" Gundam Zero-two, " came a woman's voice through the link.

Duo shouted an obscenity borne of pain and frustration.

The voice on the comlink remained unruffled. " I advise you again to surrender. "

" Never! " blazed Duo, leaning forward in his vehemency and immediately regretting it. He gave an outcry as a fresh stab of pain shot through his body from his shoulder.

" You're injured, " observed the voice, monotonous and without emotion.

" No shit... " stuttered Duo. He gripped his shoulder with shaking fingers. The Taurus Mobile Dolls had paused during the conversation.

" You are injured and outnumbered. You have to surrender and return with us to our base. "

A small sardonic smile touched Duo's sweaty face, and he retorted, " Why should I do anything you say? "

There was a pause, then a crackle as the voice returned, " Because, according to a P.O.W. in the colonies, that is your
mission. " Somewhere in the voice, Duo could hear a sardonic smile to mirror his own, " Our base is to the south, by the way. "

Duo gazed at the comlink in amazement.

He was being ordered to surrender?

What the hell was going on?

  [##]

Treize greeted a still very much sick Zechs warmly.

  [##]

" You're a Gundam pilot... how much peace have you found? "

Trowa stared at Hitori Yuu, inwardly appalled at his loss for words.

  [##]

Treize had Zechs put in a room to sleep, and commenced patient waiting.

  [##]

True peace would be found when wars ended.

Only through war would humans find true peace.

Humanity was a fighting race, but with the potential for true peace.

But potential... did did not solidify dreams.

Quatre hung in the space between unconsciousness and being awake. He floated through the endless white expanse of his subconscious where dreams were made.

But Quatre could not dream.

He could see dreams, but he could not dream. There was a difference between the verb and the noun. Since his injury in battle, he had seen many dreams. Many dreams that held the potential for significance, he just couldn't grasp that potential enough to promote solidification.

Even now, as he watched, the whiteness began to darken, and take on the illusion of being a starscape. Quatre was now floating in Uchuu, able only to watch the parade of images that assaulted his bright blue-green eyes.

In the brilliance of this new space, amidst it's shining stars and endless dance across infinity, a white and blue mobile suit lifted it's rifle and spewed golden fire into the darkness. The light from the fire outshone the light of the stars, glinting off Wing's skin of Gundanium.

The great God of Death raised it's scythe, ready to reap destruction upon all it's enemies. It moved through the emptiness of space like it was water, it's motion fluid. The brilliant green energy of the scythe sheared through enemy Mobile Suits, and the explosions resulting reflected on Deathscythe's skin of black Gundanium.

At the same time, a white and orange Mobile Suit twisted itself around to face a row of enemy mobile suits. Lifting both arms it aimed large gatling guns and began firing. The small, short bursts of light glinted off Heavyarms' skin of Gundanium.

In the midst of all this pure beauty only found in battle, 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 Sandrock's skin of Gundanium.

Nataku, appearing in the form of a blue and red Mobile Suit turned and raised one arm towards it's enemies. A small mechanical semblance of a dragon's head turned itself down over the fist, and then shot out, extending the arm to tear through the head of a Space Leo with ease. The arm retracted and the explosion from the Space Leo glinted off Shelon's skin of Gundanium Alloy.

Quatre watched in horror as the light of the dream universe was blotted out by the combined light of war brought on by the Gundams. One by one, five of the stars fell towards Chikyuu in shame...
never to return... never to feel the peace of space again.

Quatre's tears created new stars of their own.

But the dream was not over yet. He saw now beyond the previous dream like this, he saw what emerged from the epicenter of that fatefull connection. Another Mobile Suit stepped from the light, absorbing it into it's skin of Gundanium and turning it to gold. The green eyes of this new Gundam met Quatre's blue-green ones, and the boy's heart seized.

He needed to go to space...

  [##]

Treize wasted time by having tea and conversation with Dorothy Katalonia.

  [##]

It seemed Wufei would not find a moment's peace.

Without a mission to fill the day, he'd just sat himself down in a quiet sunshiny place to meditate when suddenly the ground shook. He wasn't in a place frequented by earthquakes or people, although there was an Oz base nearby.

Which was the cause of the 'earthquake.'

Getting to his feet, Wufei turned to discover a halfdozen Leos headed his way, moving unscrupulously through the trees.

" Shit! " Wufei spat and ran for Shenlon.

Halfway there, she stepped into his path. She was still smiling that infuriatingly enigmatic smile, but Wufei frankly didn't care this time.

" Get out of the way, Onna! Can't you see those Oz M.S. coming?! " He gestured toward the approaching enemies.

She nodded. " Who do you think led them here? "

Wufei paused in sheer shock and incredulity. " NANI?! " he finally screamed at her.

" Listen, Otoko, " she sneered at him, teasing him subtly by referring to him the way he referred to her, " I, alone, can do nothing to Mobile Suits. You said that's a Gundam, live up to your reputation! "

" I don't need you to provide battles for me. "

" Who better to team up with than someone I despise? Therefore there is no remorse if and when the other dies! " She taunted, taking a step forward to enforce her point.

" We are not 'teaming up.' " Wufei snapped back, taking his own step forward. What was it about this girl that just riled his anger? He should be going to Nataku and preparing for the fight!

" I never meant beyond this moment, idiot! " she countered, standing her ground like the damned, stupid, stubborn onna she was.

Wufei sputtered.

She smacked him on the shoulder, nearly toppling him. (damn! she was strong!) " Get going Gundam Zero-five! They're almost here! "

Grumbling insults, Wufei ran for Shenlon.

" By the way, " the girl called after him. Wufei ignored her this time and kept running. That is, until she stopped him with the question, " what's your name, Zero-five? "

Wufei stopped, turned slightly and demanded, " What the hell does that have to do with  anything? "

" Just so I know what to put on your grave marker, " she offered nonchalantly.

Determined not to waste more time on arguing, he responded, " Chang Wufei. "

She smiled and turned to go.

" Likewise, " Wufei called after her. " What's yours? "

She turned and gave a mocking bow, " Sorou Nara desu. "

  [##]

Treize found Dorothy's observations about Rilina Peacecraft interesting, especially the part about the pilot of Gundam Zero-one.

  [##]

Speaking of Rilina and Hiiro.

Hiiro hadn't been joking when he said it would be cramped inside Wing. Really, the thought hadn't seriously entered Rilina's mind; Hiiro wasn't the joking type. But he hadn't mentioned the fact that it would also be awkward.

Rilina bit her lip as she shifted position a little to get more comfortable. To pilot the Gundam, Hiiro had claimed the seat, and since it was a one-person cockpit, Rilina had to sit on the back of the seat, up amongst the screens and electronics. With no other choice of place to put her legs, Rilina had them draped over Hiiro's shoulders...

... and she was wearing a skirt.

Thankfully, in this position, he couldn't see her blushing furiously.

She watched as Hiiro punched in some commands, and listened to the faint hum that signaled the Gundam starting up. She began to look this way and that, up and around. If anything should go wrong...

Rilina took a deep breath. No sense dwelling on it.

" Hang on, " said Hiiro shortly, and with nary a build-up of speed, Wing shot into the air.

Rilina's head hit the back of the cockpit and she cried out in pain. Scrabbling for a handhold on the seat, she forced herself back upright and watched through the forward monitor as the world sped by.

  [##]

" Checkmate, " proclaimed Treize, smiling as he watched Dorothy scowl at her defeat. " Shall we play again? "

" Yes, " said Dorothy forcefully. She began to rearrange the pieces. The king and queen beside each other, the bishops, knights, and rooks at their side; and in front, all the pawns. A beautiful game, truly capturing the beauty of war. It perfectly illustrated that war was not a senseless bloodbath if it was played right.

When played correctly, war was a beautiful infinite dance.

**

[Poor Rilina. Poor characters, really. But we know the girl's name!!! Yay! ~really more proud than she should be~ In the next chapter, will Treize give Zechs Epyon? Will Quatre wake up and go to space, only to build Wing Zero? What the hell am I doing with the storyline?! Well, I've told Konekochan my theory, but I'm not telling you! You'll just have to wait and see! Later!]

[Written by Inseiko, 2000]

Go to Part Eight