Part Nine;
*Whatever May Happen*

         Paato Nain;
         *Nani ga Okorou-tomo*
 

The first thing that struck her was the silence. After the silence came the darkness.

Then she opened her eyes, and the noise hit her. Hit her hard with a melodic sound, coursing through her mind and drawing her, leading her on, towards the stars.

She too, could join in their infinate dance, if she saved the life of her love.

The light of the stars glinted off the skin of her Mobile Suit's skin of Gundanium as she entered the velvet darkness of Uchuu. Chikyuu was a mere other star, dancing a dance more beautiful than ever before imagined.

She wanted some of that beauty. She wanted some of that tenderness.

Taking her place in the dance, she sheilded her love as five powers met and flooded Outer Space with 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.
 

Une awoke with a gasp, her mouse brown hair falling over her shoulders as she sat up in bed. Her hand went to her forehead as she reviewed the dream... vision...? Whatever it was, it had to be important.

Lady Une looked to the stars outside her window. So beautiful. Yes, she wanted some of that beauty: some of that grace. She wanted to be an elegant lady.

It was what Treizesama wished.

  [##]

Noin wasn't exactly pleased when she reached Old Canada to find that Rilina had left with Hiiro.

  [##]

Dorothy Katalonia put the chess peices away carefully, anxious in a way not to disturb their perfect symmetry. The king next to the queen, Hiiro Yui and Rilina Peacecraft next to them, the bishops, Duo Maxwell and Quatre Rababa Winner after that came the knights, Trowa Barton and Wufei Chang then the rooks, Sally Po and Lucretia Noin and before them all the pawns, the nameless faces that helped the Gundam Pilots, Rilina, and the other two. This was the white side of the board, the 'good guys.' Dorothy smiled to herself, you could not have a war without good and bad. They were the good guys, and she was not one of them.

Dorothy moved on to the black peices; the 'bad guys.' First the king and queen, Treize Kush Renada and Dorothy Katalonia Although, she and Treize were different from the other peices, as they were also the players who moved the peices around the board.

After them, the bishops, Zechs Merquis / Milliardo Peacecraft and Colonel Lady Une and the knights, Lucretia Noin and Trent. Yes, Noin did work on both sides, she was a double agent, and really, Zechs should have been as well. But Dorothy knew that Zechs would become an enemy of the Gundam Pilots, it was inevetable in a war for someone as confused about his identity as Zechs was.

After the knights came the rooks, Auto and the leader of the 'Treize Faction' in Oz. Dorothy frowned. Auto had already been taken from the board, and she didn't have a name to put to her last rook. She wondered if this could be a sign of how the war would end. If it ever found an end. There might be an end to this battle, but not the war. Never the war.

Dorothy smiled again as she placed the last black pawn in it's place.

To hell with the stars.

War was a beautiful infinate dance.

  [##]

Sighing, Noin turned to go.

  [##]

Hiiro was gradually overcome by a strange feeling and looked back down to discover Rilina was still staring at him. He stared back, not moving as Rilina impetuously moved forward to realize her dreams and girlish fantasies.

  [##]

" Hey! Wait! " the leader of the base in Old Canada called, catching up to Noin before she reached her Taurus, " I was wondering if you could tell me, have they found Lieutenant Zechs yet? "

[Uh-oh...]

  [##]

Duo watched as the babe... ah, he meant, Sergent San'nin, dressed his wound. Really, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She smiled up at him faintly, feeling his eyes on her. She had deep indigo hair cropped short at the back and with long bangs that fell over her eyes to touch her cheek bones. Her eyes were a clear aquamarine blue, that sparkled like sun on the ocean. She was beautiful.

Duo was blushing. Luckily, his face had already been flushed from his fever and shock, so Sergent San'nin never noticed.

" You know, " stated San'nin as she finished and sat back, " you remind me of my daughter. "

Daughter? Uh-oh.

Duo blinked. " You just had a baby? " He smiled and offered his hand, " Omedetou! "

San'nin laughed. " Iie. My daughter, she'd be about your age! "

Duo blinked. " Wow, you don't look it. "

San'nin gave him a look of friendly reprimand, " I'll take that as a compliment, young man. " She tossed the first aid kit back into her cockpit over her shoulder and swung her legs a bit. Duo wouldn't let her onto Deathscythe, so they were sitting outside her Aries. The rest of the Aries and Taurus Mobile Dolls hung in the air around them. " I didn't want my daughter to get involved in the war, so I sent her to the colonies. "

Duo furrowed his brow in confusion. " How was that keeping her out of the war? "

" I thought the colonies were neutral, just an innocent bystander, and not an active part. " San'nin gazed up at Deathscythe. " I guess I was wrong. "

" Fah! " Duo scoffed, " The colonies themselves are the bystanders, it's only us Gundam Pilots that choose to fight, it's only us that have to, really. "

San'nin smirked. " No kidding. When do you plan on returning home? "

Duo scoffed again, " Sergent, I have no home. "

" Fine then, I'll grant that, " San'nin took a deep breath, " When do you plan on going back into outer space? "

Duo shrugged.

" Well, if you could do me a favor, dear boy, " San'nin placed a hand on Duo's shoulder, " when you do, look up my daughter and get her away from Oz. "

Duo could feel the tension suddenly rise in the air. " What's your daughter's name? "

" Hilde. "

Hilde? Hilde! He knew that name! Where from?

" For now, I'd like you to hit me. " San'nin stated.

Duo blinked out of the stupor that name had induced in him and asked, " Nan? "

" Hit me. I control the Mobile Dolls, and the other pilots will be too stumped to do anything. Hit me. Make it look like you escaped. "

" But.... so... then I never was ordered to surrender! " Duo accused, relief flooding into him.

" No, " admitted San'nin, " but the scientists who created the Gundams have been captured by  Oz. " She gave a wan smile, " They're being held captive on the Lunar Base. Colonel Une plans to use them to build better Mobile Suits for Oz. " She narrowed her eyes, " Oz will destroy you Gundam Pilots with those new Mobile Suits. "

Duo clenched a fist and lashed out, knocking Sergent San'nin back into the cockpit of her Aries. Duo stood and stared at the woman a moment. " Arigato, " he said, and then leaped over onto Deathscythe.

His shoulder still hurt like hell, but San'nin had proved to be correct and the Mobile Dolls made no move to stop him. When the pilots of the Aries finally caught their bearings, he was already out of range.

  [##]

Noin furrowed her brow. " What do you mean? "

  [##]

The door slammed behind Hitori Yuu. It seemed Trowa had struck a nerve with the Lieutenant Colonel. The boy lay on the gray cement floor of the interrogation room, blood staining the bright colours of his clown costume.

Hitori Yuu would die, Trowa assured himself, staring up at the security camera above him, just not today.

  [##]

The leader furrowed his brow also. " Didn't you hear? He took the Talgeese and left the hospital, nothing's been heard from him since. Medical reports show that he was sick, but they couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. "

  [##]

" Abdul! " Quatre greeted, edging his way into the vast array of computers the Maginak had set up in the base.

The tall Maginak warrior turned and beamed at the boy. " Quatresama! " he returned the greeting and offered Quatre his chair. " What can we do for you? "

" I was wondering, " Quatre began, mulling over his thoughts as he went, " would you be able to hack into the Oz database and search for something for me? "

" We can certainly try, " Abdul agreed, " what is it you want to look for? "

" Gundams, " Quatre blurted out, " other Gundams, like Sandrock! I know there are others beside Trowa and I, and Oz would have information on that! "

Abdul let out his breath slowly, " That would be pretty heavily guarded information Quatresama, it might be outside our  abilities. "

Just then one of the computers let loose with an urgent beeping. Abdul and Quatre looked to the source and demanded in unision what was happening. (although, Quatre was more polite about it)

The Maginak at that particular computer turned and informed them, " The radar's picking up some approaching Oz M.S. But they're not after us, they're apparantly chasing an unidentified M.S. that's reading as being made out of Gundanium. "

Quatre jumped to his feet. " I'm going out to help him! I knew it! "

" Uh, matte! Quatresama! " Abdul called, " You're not well enough yet! Quatresama! Gak! " he turned to a random Maginak,   " Quick! Go get Rasid! Hayaku! Hayaku! "

Quatre ran out into the bright sunshine. I knew I was right!

  [##]

Noin looked first shocked, then that gradually made it's way into infuriated. He promised me he'd stay there!

  [##]

Wufei and Nara entered the small town from the road to avert suspicion. They still weren't exactly talking to each other. By 'exactly' I mean that they weren't at all. When Wufei had left to get supplies, Nara had followed. They walked into the town, both their faces impassive. Because they weren't talking, no one else could tell that they were mentally at each other's throats.

Passing by a stall, and elderly woman reached out and grabbed Wufei by the edge of his shirt. The boy jerked to a stop and nearly toppled over backwards. On instinct, Nara reached out and grasped his arm to steady him. Quite indignant, Wufei turned and snarled at the woman.

" Just what in hell are you doing, Onna?! "

Utterly un-miffed by Wufei's tone and words, the elderly woman smiled at him and said, " Young people in love like you two deserve to know your futures. "

Blink.

Wufei turned red and glared. Nara turned red as well and quickly removed her arm from where it was still around Wufei's.

" W-w-we-we are NOT in Love! " Wufei sputtered.

" Yeah! " chimed in Nara.

" Oh, right, right, " the elderly woman said dismissively, " my mistake. " Suddenly her hand snapped out and grasped Wufei's. Showing surprising strength, she pulled it close to her and examined his palm. " Mm, mm, mm, " she commented, shaking her head.

" What? " Wufei couldn't help but ask.

" You're doomed to be lonely if you don't change your attitude young man, " the woman scolded. Wufei looked thoroughly affronted. " Ah, yes, I see, you're fighting in this war... looks to me like you'll survive, physically, that is. You'll have friends you don't want, well, anyone with half a brain could see that. You've suffered a great loss in the past, and like the thick-headed man you are, you didn't realize how precious it was until you lost it. You haven't learned from the past, so you're doomed to repeat it if you don't smarten up. Now you, dear. "

The elderly woman released Wufei's hand and reached out for Nara's.

Wufei took a step back and began examining his hand, looking disturbed and angered by the elderly woman's words.

" Come on, come on, " the woman beckoned Nara, who finally consented and offered the woman her hand. The old fortune teller snatched the hand offered to her and pulled it closer to her face.   " Hm, " she said after a moment of study, " you're going to die. "

Nara sweatdropped, " No kidding. "

" Very soon and very lonely, if you don't get around to loving that young man over there sooner rather than later. "

" Excuse me?! "

The elderly woman regarded her stonily, " I'm only telling you as it is. Now then, you, too, suffered a great loss in the past. It's made you bitter at men. Tsk, you lash out at whoever induces a strong reaction in you. It appears that this young man saved you-- "

" I didn't need saving! "

" --Saved. You. and now you want to return the favor so you won't feel guilty. "

Nara was silent.

" Ah, it seems I'm right with you too, " the fortune teller returned to Nara's hand. " Mm, mm, mm, I'd say that you're not going to listen to me. Ah well, the future is palpable. " She released Nara's hand with a sigh, then smiled brightly, " That'll be twenty dollars each! "

  [##]

Noin turned on her heel and ran for her Taurus.

  [##]

Rilina's breath caught in her throat as her lips brushed Hiiro's. But just before it could become a kiss, Wing shuddered under the impact of an Oz attack, and Rilina's head collided with Hiiro's.

" Ow! "

Showing no emotion either way about the kiss, Hiiro stated, " Hang on, " and employed evasive manoevers.

  [##]

Noin climbed into her Taurus and sat down in the pilot's seat. There she was suddenly struck with a problem. She hadn't found Rilina yet, but now she had to find Zechs. Who knew what trouble he was getting himself into, and he was sick too.

But Rilina had left the Cinq Kingdom without notice to find that Gundam pilot.

Damn!

Noin couldn't decide either way. Finally, she settled for flying first to the Cinq Kingdom to see if perhaps Rilina had returned on her own, and then she would start looking for Zechs. The Talgeese was pretty noticeable, it shouldn't be too hard to find.

**

[Well, we're all the way to part ten, and this story still doesn't seem to have a plot. I'm not sure if that's an accomplishment or not. You know, now that I think about it, I may not have an overall plot, but each character has it's own plot! yeah! there we go. As for the next chapter, how will Rilina feel about Oz thwarting her lemon scene? Are Wufei and Nara really doomed to fall for each other? Will Quatre come to Hiiro and Rilina's rescue? Only time will tell!]

[Written by Inseiko, 2000]
 

Go to Part Ten