Title: ESO
Author: bonnejeanne (bonnejeanne@yahoo.com) and vonceia (vonceia@yahoo.com)
Archive: GW Addiction http://www.oocities.org/fenris_wolf0/
Category: yaoi, AU? Epic Saga...
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5x?
Warnings: Yaoi. Old guys. Original characters. AU? You decide... OOC? Same.
Spoilers: Everything. I mean it, everything, series, EW, Ep. Zero, etc.
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing characters and universe are the property of the copyright owners. Our stuff is ours. No money being made here. While our goal is to stay as in character as possible, any discrepancies are our mistakes.
Feedback: Any and all comments, feedback, critiques welcome, be they short
or long.

E.S.O. - by bonnejeanne and vonceia -

Part Sixteen: ESO

In a few minutes, everyone had gathered in the lounge where Quatre and Trowa were waiting - everyone, being Heero, Duo, Wufei, and Zechs. Alfa came and leaned in the doorway.

"Ok," Trowa said, "This is what we've been able to piece together. There are still holes to be filled, but here is how it goes. First of all, Quatre is a conduit. When he meets this other consciousness, he can see into their world, but it's distorted. He tells me it's getting clearer and he can explain that after I'm done. There is also another consciousness, which speaks through him here. The basics are that they are out to cleanse the weak life. That's us. They've done it before. However, they have a little problem, apparently with bright light... That's our speculation. I have asked Quatre to see what he can tell about them and their vessel on a more strategic basis, when he is next in the other state. My thoughts are to gain as much information as we can, and attack their weak points. If we can do some pre-battle strike without engaging them, the more the better. Are you with me so far?"

Trowa looked at each of the faces in the room.

Alfa said, "Here's what I can add: we've been trying to get a picture of what is going on beyond the belt. We get echoes of the object or objects we've been tracking, we know about where it is, but we have to assume it may be able to see us coming as well. Howard estimates we will reach the Belt before it does, but that is assuming no deviation in its speed, and we have no way of knowing if that will continue." She thumbs a small hand projector, giving a 3D picture of the area they are approaching. "That's the Belt. It will provide cover - lots of cover... and it's a good environment for a mobile suits, as opposed to what we think of as conventional craft. We don't know what the ESO will be able to do. Because of the density of debris in the Belt, the Manta can only come so far and even then there are some risks, but Howard says they're acceptable."

Duo examined the projected image, hearing all the "we don't knows" tucked into the recital. He smiled slightly, in spite of himself. The Belt looked like a landscape from hell. "Good old Lucifer," he said softly.

Noting the looks he got from several people, he said, "You never heard the theory about the fifth planet? That there was once a planet here between Mars and Jupiter... Lucifer. Broken up when the angels revolted..."

Then he shrugged, answering the weird looks. "Sorry. Off topic. Shutting up now."

"No," Trowa said, "All viewpoints are necessary. Also, in the matter of the sun and light, I've been told that they have prepared themselves for the brightness. We'll try to find out how, but when we get out there, look for ways to destroy that capability as well."

"Do you know if they would be prepared for battle or whether they feel they can pick us off?" Zechs asked.

Quatre answered this. "It's hard to say... I don't sense a concept of what we think of as battle... but I think... it may have gotten something from the contact as well... I'd be surprised if it had not somehow gotten that something unusual was happening... it might be prepared for resistance. If it uses sensors, and we have to assume it does, it must therefore be able to see us on our way here. I don't know what it might make of this... things aren't that cut and dried." Quatre paused, reaching up unconsciously to rub his temple. "I think... I think it would... "test" anything it encountered. The test is simple. Is the thing it encounters alive? And if so... can it die."

Wufei frowned. Then he nodded. "We must strike quickly and find a way to destroy it completely," he said. "If this is the way it thinks... it would continue to test... until we die."

Heero listened closely, nodding in agreement with Wufei's assessment.

Trowa nodded as well. "That's a plan," he said.

Duo leaned against the wall, biting his thumbnail. No it's not, he thought. Destroy it before it gets us... that's not a plan, it's a recipe for disaster.

Taking a breath he said, "I don't mean to argue, Trowa, but... that is not a plan. We don't have enough information to form a plan, even though we have much more than we did when we started out here. A plan is... a plan is, Heero goes for the leader, I take the left flank, you take the right, Wufei goes wide to get behind 'em... we don't even know how many they are or what they look like. We don't know what kind of weapons they have to "test" us with. I'm not trying to be a problem here, that's just the way I see it."

Trowa smiled and looked back at Quatre, then to Alfa. "There is always at least one," Trowa said. "You're...."

"He's right," Quatre said. "We *don't* have enough information to form a good plan. And by the time we get it, things may already be happening. I've been thinking about this and... I have an idea." He took a deep breath. "To begin with, we scout the Belt and take up positions in a semi-sphere, using asteroid as cover - spread out but not too far. Heero and Duo will be to Solar East and North and Trowa and Wufei to Solar West and South. I'll be the center of the semi-sphere, which will put me the furthest back. All information from visual inputs, observation and sensors will be fed back to the Manta, and also routed to me. I'll provide direction based on that. When I can't, I'll tell you, and you'll have to operate independently. I also have one other idea. I want to rig a remote set of controls for Sandrock." He looked at Zechs. "You'll be at them. If it seems I'm not reacting, and there's danger, you'll have to take care of keeping me alive."

Quatre held his breath and waited for reactions.

"Done," Zechs replied.

"Where do you want the Tallgeese?" Heero asked.

"I'll take point," Alfa said quietly.

"I agree," Quatre said. He glanced at Heero, bracing himself in case the Wing pilot had a negative reaction to that.

Heero's hands made tight fists, but he looked down and not at anyone directly. He felt something twist inside. 'Get over it, ' he admonished himself. It helped a little.

Wufei said, "No. That doesn't make sense. I don't mean to be insulting, but Alfa's not a fighter. Put me at point and Tallgeese on the west."

Looking up, sharply, Heero frowned deeply.

Duo said, "I agree, only I think it should be me. Wing is the strongest, Tallgeese would be better balanced on the east side."

Heero looked up at Trowa. "I'm taking point. That's what Wing was for," he said.

Alfa walked up to him, but it was not an angry or aggressive walk. She moved quietly and simply looked into his eyes. He saw no traces of anger, or of fear.

"No," she said. "I take point. It's what *I* am for. I'm the most expendable person here now."

Quatre make an exasperated noise. "That's not why. Listen to me, all of you. I need Alfa n the front. She has more experience than any of us at the one thing we need the worst and the fastest - observation of the enemy. She has been preparing for this for longer than we have been alive. She's a scientist and she knows how to observe, and she won't make the assumptions we would make. We've all been fighting humans... don't you get it? This will be totally different. She will be able to give me more information in five minutes than any of you."

Alfa nodded, still holding Heero's eyes. "Once I've done that, I don't fight - I run. Then it's up to you."

Looking into Alfa's eyes, Heero Yuy ran through every emotion in the time it took for the conversation to begin and end around him. For a few moments, as he stared at Alfa he became the sixteen year old that he was. "Done," he said, finally, as he held very still and marked where the walls were in the room.

Softly, she said, "Heero... I have to see it... I *have* to... I've been seeing it in my mind for twenty years..."

"Yeah," he said quietly, feeling the ice crack. "I know. Do what you need to do... So will I."

"Heero," Quatre said, trying to draw his attention.

Heero turned his head to Quatre, the expression lingering in his eyes. "Yes, Quatre." he said.

"You trusted me to do this once before. Trust me now. I don't intend to sacrifice anyone," Quatre said softly.

"I do trust you, Quatre. I trust you with my life," Heero said.

Quatre closed his eyes briefly, knowing this was as much as he dared press it. "Heero, you don't have to trust me with your life... I'm asking you to trust me with hers."

Heero took a deep breath, feeling another piece of the ice crack within. "I do." he said. "I'm... it's okay." Taking another breath, Heero opened his hands. "It doesn't have anything to do with this." he said, then glanced up at Duo and to Wufei.

Both of them were watching him from different sides of the room with a remarkably similar expression.

"Thanks Duo," Trowa said. "You were right. And now we have the beginnings of a plan. It will have to be filled in as we go. That's all I have."

Zechs, who realized that he had been standing stock still due to the intense emotion in the room, relaxed. Mentally, he thanked Trowa for taking the focus again.

"All right," Wufei said, giving his assent. Then he looked at Alfa. "If you get into trouble, I'll find you."

"Oh yeah," Trowa said. "Everyone good luck. We'll have a party or something after."

Heero looked up again at Alfa. He took a step towards her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "This is rough," he said.

Alfa tilted her head slightly. "Which means what?"

"I don't have a good history with women," Heero said. "Wufei said you had something to do with it."

Alfa raised her eyebrows. "That's a rather wide and inaccurate interpretation. I didn't do anything about you getting along with women. Just about you being sexually attracted to them. Believe me, the sexual attraction makes it harder to get along, not easier."

A corner of Heero's mouth lifted. "Thanks," he said. "Now I know. It's just my personality that's screwed."

Alfa said, "If it's me you're thinking of, don't think of me as a woman. Think of me as you, older and on acid."

"Thanks," he said, "That helps. Our plan sucks."

Alfa shrugs. "I'm not so sure. Quatre... impresses me. I never dared to hope he'd be able to do what he is doing now. It's really quite unbelievable. The same thing goes for the rest of you, as well. I know your lives have been hell, miserable, all that, but the result is that you are the five most adaptable human beings I have ever seen. And the most focused. I truly believe that we have a chance... maybe only a small one but frankly, it's the first time I've even dared to believe that much."

Heero nodded. "That's good then," he said. "We never think about coming back. Maybe.. now is different. Didn't start out that way."

Alfa touched his cheek gently. "If we do get through this, here's what I will ask you: that some day, some time, you tell me what you have gone through. I want to hear it. I've observed, I've collected information, I've studied, I've guessed. And... it's just a request. You can say no, and nothing bad will happen."

"I'll do it," Heero replied. "It's cheaper than a shrink."

Alfa smiled. "I'm going to go check up front."

She nodded to Quatre, who was talking with Trowa and Zechs about the remote controls for Sandrock, and left.

Duo walked over the lean next to Wufei as this was going on.

"Looks like they're at it again," he said.

Wufei nodded. "I don't like the plan," he said.

"That's cause it sucks," Duo said. "But it *is* the best plan we've got."

Wufei scuffed one foot on the floor. "Yes I know. Don't get into trouble out there. I have too many other people to watch out for."

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?" Duo said, turning to stare at Wufei.

Wufei smiled a small smile. "Gotcha," he said, and turned to leave the room, brushing past Duo as he did so.

Duo clapped a hand over his mouth to smother a sudden laugh. "Well I'll be... Wu-man is developing quite a healthy sense of humor there... now if he'd only use it on someone besides me, we'd be making progress."

"Good one, Wufei!" Heero called as he walked up to Duo.

Wufei raised a victory fist without turning around.

Heero looked after Wufei for a moment and then turned to Duo. He touched Duo's shoulder, squeezed it and then looked down. "Thanks, Duo." he said, quietly and then moved out of the door.

Duo watched Heero go, suddenly wishing he could wave a magic wand and transport them far away.

On Earth, a young woman stood on the balcony of her suite in the governmental palace, looking up into the night sky. Now I wish I paid more attention in school, she thought. I don't even know what direction to look. Heero...

Relena Dorlan knew that Heero Yuy and the other Gundam pilots, as well as others, some of whom she knew, were on their way to a place outside Earth's orbit, to try and stop a menace very few other people knew was coming.

Though the passage of an object from outside Pluto's orbit had been seen by professional and amateur astronomers alike, it had been given an explanation by the followers of her grandfather, Marquise Weridge, which Lady Une had advised her to let stand. Thus, there were many news stories about the approach of a "VFMO" or Very Fast Moving Object, a designation used by astronomers for centuries to denote quickly moving meteors, asteroids, small comets or any other astral body that did not fall into very predictable patterns. In the late 20th century, VFMOs were often thought by a sector of the population to be evidence of what they called "UFOs" or extra-terrestrial life forms. However, when human being moved out, and began living in space itself, during the formation of the Colonies, the public view had become less fantastical and more scientific and pragmatic. Only a few commentators had remarked on the possibility that the mass-suicides had been linked to this event, by drawing a parallel to another 20th century event, the existence of a cult, which had linked itself to the approach of a comet called Hale-Bopp.

Relena knew the truth, at least some of it. Lady Une had briefed her in private before leaving with Relena's brother and the top agents in her Preventers organization. "Our purpose is to observe, and record," Une told her. "We will send you information as rapidly as we can. Until then, you must try and deal with any issues that may arise. You know better than I what a reaction of public panic could do, so soon after the Barton incident."

Relena sighed. Once again, I get to stay behind and try and keep the peace. I had hoped... Heero would not have to go into danger like this, ever again. What was that Chinese curse someone had told her about? "May you live in interesting times..."

Feeling some distant reaction that might be thought of as akin to relief, it felt the retreat of the orange gas giant at its back. Ahead, a small void, which, to one so used to the vast distanced between stars, might seem as a small puddle to step over, spread across its path, pocked with astral debris. Beyond, the blue planet, its destination. Had they not called? Had they not beckoned, asking to be tested? Weary in a way not comprehensible to the life of a young race, it answered with precise relentlessness, having no more choice about it than a star caught in its larger sister's orbit. First, the testing. Then the test would be over. The new life would fail. The new life would die. It would again be alone in the vastness, and be able to retreat to the starless span between the arms of the galaxy, there to wait... until another life emerged.

There was little thought left in the organism, which had once been an intellect vast and creative. Time and the starless void had taken much of its mind. Then, almost just now, as it measured intervals, strange new thoughts had leaked into the trained machine of its consciousness. Disturbed, it sought a malfunction. Finding none, it felt a strange restlessness. A ripple disturbed a pool that had been still, regulated only by mechanical actions, for longer than many stars in this part of the galaxy arm had been burning.

Ahead, it sensed there was something waiting. If what waited was alive, it must be tested. But as it prepared to test, it waited, strangely passive, for the strange thoughts to return. They reminded it... of a time... when it too... had been truly alive.

Alfa saw it first. Knowing she could type faster than she could talk, she had set up a keypad to transmit her impressions, along with inputs from all of her cameras and sensors, back to Manta and to Sandrock.

In Quatre's monitor, it appeared as a dark cloud that seemed to swim at the edge of the Belt, hesitating for a moment. It truly did not look like a space-based phenomena. As it came closer, the cloud seemed to resolve itself, into smaller pockets, which further resolved into shapes. Closer... the shapes began to move, independently.

'There are 255 of the single objects by my monitor count,' Alfa sent. 'They appear to be less than two meters across, composition, some metallics, some carbon, some kind of propulsion, appear intelligently controlled... now they are joining into groups... groups making larger objects... '

In the cockpit of Sandrock, Quatre transmitted the locations and statistics of each group that seemed to be forming a larger object to the four Gundams waiting, hidden in the field. Then he took a breath, and reached out, opening his mind and attempting to summon the strange thoughts into him.

It detected the creature in the white machine waiting there before it. 'Test' it thought.

"Alfa MOVE! Get out of there! Heero, Wufei, 2 o'clock, and seven..." Quatre yelled suddenly.

Alfa hesitated for barely a moment, watching the formation of objects that seemed to resolve as they moved towards her. She saw an energy pulse and registered Quatre's voice at the same moment, and hit the verniers hard, throwing Tallgeese into a steep north climb, just as something seemed to fly out of one of the objects and crackle in the space she vacated.

Heero moved to the two o'clock position and saw the approaching alien structure. "Alien starfish," he said and fired direct center. The thing was bigger than the Gundam, which held both and advantage and a disadvantage. The Gundam could maneuver in and around it, but the offensive capabilities were unknown and Heero had no intention of testing them.. just yet. He moved Wing Alpha in, fired again, then moved in and around the hunks of rock in the field.

As the energy from the huge buster rifle hit the object, it blew completely through the center. The object broke apart into four smaller objects, minus what had been disintegrated by the blaster's beam. The four smaller objects moved to go after the mobile suit.

Elsewhere, Wufei headed out of cover at top speed, slashing through the huge object in front of him with the Dragon's beam trident. The object broke apart, and several large pieces of it seemed to become inert and lifeless. Three remaining chunks move moved on their own, circling him. With a battle cry, he pivoted, whirling the trident and slashing apart all three of the objects before they turned to fire.

Duo, watching, rapidly took note of the approach of other conglomerate objects, which seemed to be dividing in three groups to go after Heero, Wufei, and the last group pursuing Alfa.

"I'm taking high noon Quatre," he said.

"Go."

Hitting his jets, Duo took off and the hunters became the hunted.

Trowa watched and listened. So far, what he saw did not point to a particular strategy. "I'm coming out. Need to test something." he said, then brought Heavyarms Alpha out of concealment and in front of the now somewhat smaller cloud. "Now let's see what ya got," he said, recording.

It observed the new life and the early stages of the test. It felt the strange thoughts come as well. There was one, then three, and now a fourth new life emerged from the concealment of the asteroid field.

The cloud resolved into a number of small objects, which joined to create larger ones... targeting the last new life to emerge. They moved towards it. Test level increased.

"Trowa, duck!" Quatre yelled.

"Reverse pattern, fire!" Trowa called.

As Trowa's weapons fired, a beam of energy shot out from the mass, hitting Heavyarms Alpha, and pushing it back. The impact was hard, and his alarms went off, but the mass of objects reacted as well, splintering into smaller pieces that seemed to remain inert. Reduced by half, the objects reformed before advancing towards Trowa's position.

Inside Heavyarms Alpha, Trowa felt the impact of the beam hit and push the suit back. He gripped the controls, fighting to keep control until the force lessened. His instruments showed an object heading straight for him at the same time proximity alarms alerted him of a large mass of rock behind him. Gritting his teeth, he made a quick decision. The forward pressure lessened just enough and Trowa hit bottom thrusters, causing the mobile suit to shake. Keeping his eyes forward, Trowa held his breath for an instant and felt the Gundam suit suddenly rise sharply. His instruments registered the impact of the object smashing into the asteroid and Trowa began breathing again.

Quatre saw the maneuver and allowed relief into the small corner of his mind he had reserved for Trowa. Heero had completely destroyed the objects engaging him. Duo had begun removing those following Alfa from the rear before they split in two groups, one surrounding the Deathscythe. Alfa was still running, but Quatre saw that she was creating a trajectory that would bring her in a curve to the far side of the Belt. What was she doing?

Wufei had been hit several times, each with successively greater force, but had finished by destroying the last of the objects around him, leaving only inert material.

Observing, it began to prepare the second stage of the test, without feeling, without meaning... the strange thoughts shimmered inside it like bright flashes of cosmic energy.

Closing his eyes, Quatre felt the flow of the alien mind as his own, and knew that another wave of objects would come, and another... how to end this? Why end this? It must go on until the new life died, failing the test, and it would return to space... weariness immeasurable.

Dragging his mind back, Quatre focused on his board, seeing the objects begin to resolve out of the cloud for the next wave. Feeling a despair that seemed to carry a hint of the alien's weariness, he thought, there is no way to end this... no way to end...

Alfa's incoming text line which had gone blank while she piloted the Tallgeese away from her pursuers, blinked to life. 'there is something beyond the cloud. ship? something. going there. need heero.'

Quatre stared at the words trying to make sense of them. Why bother? this was endless, they were all going to die... it would go on and on... it would never die...

Trembling, Quatre suddenly hit his comm in a direct transmission to Wing Alfa. "Beyond the cloud... that's where it is. This isn't it we're fighting, this is just... the test... Alfa... is heading there. Go, Heero... Heero... acknowledge!"

At the first mention of a position, Heero turned the Wing Alpha and headed towards the direction Quatre was giving. "Mission accepted," he said quickly, acknowledging and heading out.

"Quatre," Trowa said, checking his instruments. "Come in. Status."

"I'm here!" Quatre acknowledged. "The test is going to the next level. It's going to get worse. We have to hold out!"

"Copy that," Trowa answered. His mind raced as he felt perspiration coat his forehead. "Duo, Wufei. There seems to be no detectable battle strategy. I'm thinking mecha, any thoughts?"

"We need to take them out faster," Wufei sent. "Pull into the center, and concentrate our force."

"I've taken out this batch, but Alfa's too far for me to do her any more good," Duo said, frustrated. "I'm coming back to give you guys a hand. And lookie there, I think they're ready for us."

A new group of objects had formed from the cloud and were moving rapidly towards the Gundams.

"I'm coming in to help you guys," Quatre said, as Sandrock grabbed the heat shotels from the Gundam's back.

Sending a quick private message to Zechs, Quatre transmitted, "You have to take over now. They need help and I have to find an answer to this or we aren't going to make it. Take over Sandrock."

Back on the ship, Zechs sent a message back. "Done." it said. He took the controls in his hands and went to work. "Online," he said into the comm to alert the other pilots.

Next... ESO conclusion... (doesn't mean end!)

Comments eagerly welcomed!

bonne & von

Comments? Email bonnejeanne@yahoo.com or vonceia@yahoo.com

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