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"Crisis"Written By: Artemis Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and its characters are
copyright to Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and associated parties.
I make no money with this fic. Rating: NC 17 Warnings: yaoi lemon including rimming, angst,
violence, language, reference to past NCS involving a minor, death,
angst. Pairings: 6x2, 3x4 Summary: Sequel to Interfacing: Regained. GAIA
prepares to go into space and announce itself to the world; Duo and
Zechs' relationship goes through its own crisis. "Crisis " 19) "You really think, a coup?" Quatre asked with wide eyes. As Trowa had said, the man was capable of such things, but could he really be planning another? "There's nothing else I can tell you. I'm sorry," Lance said, taking his seat again. "I've probably said too much already." "Something big is going down... No doubt about it," Duo said, leaning back in his chair. With the possibility of Zechs's home being threatened and Treize about to overthrow the most powerful organization in the Earthsphere, Duo found his focus shifting temporarily away from his sadness. [This can't happen to Zechs... Sank cannot come under fire again!] "But if Treize is relocating to Sank, he's not taking over Romefeller himself, then, is he?" Federi wanted to know. "You said his presence in Sank will be a secret." "So," Trowa offered thoughtfully, "he's pulling strings on other people? He has more support in Romefeller than we knew?" "Something has to be done," Heero broke in, glancing at Quatre, who still seemed numb from the news. "Romefeller and OZ are dividing the nations of the Earth so that there will be wars everywhere. That has to be stopped." He shrugged as if to indicate that he had no problem with Treize using violence to bring down the Foundation. Zechs was shaking his head. "I cannot believe Treize would pull off a large coup like it seems he must be going to... I cannot believe that." He frowned, though his gaze wasn't fixed on anything in particular, his frustration etched on his face. "Regardless, we can do nothing about it. As Lance says, 'the wheels are in motion'. All that remains is to see whether we have to defend Sank from the remains of OZ... and whether we can trust Treize to mentor the Princess of Sank." One hand closed into a fist as he fought to control his emotions. Then he sat back down. [Oh, Treize... what *ARE* you doing?] "We have no choice but to trust him," Quatre said, his voice barely above a whisper. He almost sounded defeated, but it was the overwhelming swirl of emotions around him that made him speak so softly. He needed for everyone to calm. He looked around the table and then said, "All we can do is watch the situation closely... pray for the best... and be prepared to go into action." Taking a deep breath, Zechs nodded. "Which is all we've been doing..." Around him arose a general murmur of agreement. They'd been cooling their heels - literally - on this frozen continent for weeks while the upgrades to all the mobile suits had taken place. Zechs looked over at Quatre. "But that time has ended. We are now ready to act. Although we ought not to announce ourselves until after whatever dust settles in Bremen - and *that* is only one man's opinion - there *are* things we can do now." Surprised glances were exchanged. "You mean, go to the Sank Kingdom now?" Trowa asked, frowning, uneasy about the prospect of meeting Treize Khushrenada in person. Zechs shook his head quickly. "No. Treize suggested this, and I concur with its importance, although his suggestion had a more personal motive. We need someone to infiltrate OZ in outer space. We need... a spy." "A spy?" Quatre asked with obvious surprise as he squirmed in his chair. "Outer space, huh?" Sally asked. "That's an interesting idea." "Yeah, very interesting," Duo said, as his heart began to sputter. [This could be it... outer space...] "The Gundam scientists are purportedly on Space Fortress Barge... and Treize tells me that Lady Une is... I think the word he used was 'conflicted'," Zechs explained further, sighing. "It could make a critical difference for us if a pilot were to infiltrate into OZ and Barge, earn a trusted position. Une has the Gundam scientists developing new model mobile suits for her in exchange for their lives. A pilot could manage to get into a position to test-fly the new models." He nodded toward the diplomatic pouch sitting in front of Heero. "Treize told me the designs for the new models are included in those files." There was another long, and very tense pause. It was obvious that a Gundam pilot had to go. No other pilot would be able to handle such machines. Heero Yuy had been contemplating the notion of going to the Sank Kingdom. He wasn't at all sure he could trust Treize Khushrenada to gently guide Relena in her growing role as an important figure in world politics. But this new prospect... Trowa Barton was thinking about his own history as a chameleon, particularly his stepping in to pilot Heavyarms in place of the original Trowa Barton for Operation Meteor. [I can do that... but it would mean leaving Quatre.] He closed his eyes briefly as his emotions were suppressed, something he found all too easy to do. [Heero is needed on Earth. I should go. Quatre knows we're at war. Separation is inevitable. I can do this...] "I'll go," he said simply. Quatre gasped on hearing his lover volunteer, but didn't protest. The look in Trowa's emerald eyes told him this was the way it had to be. [I knew the war might separate us again...] "Or I will," Heero broke in abruptly. "I can go." "No, I'll go," Duo said, firmly, looking over at Heero. [This is my ticket out of here. They can send me on this mission, no questions asked, no confrontations, and then everyone's happy. Well, almost...] Everyone gaped at Duo. A rush of fear flooded Zechs's body, but he held rock-still, his heart suddenly pounding as he realized that Duo was serious, that he was actually volunteering to leave him and his problems... to... to... let him go? Had Duo decided Zechs was not ever going to be able to make love to him again? [That's it! He's trying to make this easy, remove himself from the situation so I won't go through any more panic attacks... but, no, he CAN'T...] Several of the other committee members glanced at Zechs, already knowing he was not going to let Duo go. Heero frowned, not understanding. [He doesn't have to do that!] Abruptly Zechs stood up again and leaned on the table, ice-blue eyes fixed on his lover. "Why?" he demanded simply. Duo looked up and swallowed. [Why? Just say yes and I'll be out of your hair for good, Zechs.] "I'm the most qualified," the boy said truthfully as he stared confidently at the tall blond. "I have experience in stealth operations." [What the...?] Zechs backed off, though he could not stop staring at the changeling before him. [Is this yet another persona or a variation of the God of Death? But I'm reconciled to the God of Death, or at least the Death God from the dream...] "So?" Heero snapped. "So do I. So does Trowa. I don't know about Quatre, though I notice he hasn't volunteered." "Quatre's not *going* to volunteer, either," Trowa spoke up, frowning. "Besides, you just won't fit in, Duo. This isn't a spy mission as much as an undercover mission. You can't sit there and tell me that you think you're going to be able to convince Lady Une that you're an OZ pilot." "I'm not volunteering because..." Quatre said, interrupting before Duo could respond, "... I think I'm needed here and because of my family." He looked at Trowa, disappointed by his over-protectiveness. Duo looked at Trowa as well, but with narrowed, challenging eyes. "Don't think I can pull it off, huh? Well, you're new around here, so I'll let you off easy this time," he said with a snort. [Looks like I'll have to do some fast-talking to convince them.] He raised his chin, defiantly. "If I can do stealth, then I can sure as hell do undercover." [I think.] "Not the same thing," Heero observed, as always cool and impassive. "You'll need to be seen but not heard. You draw too much attention to yourself, which will make them suspicious. You've told me before, Duo, that this is your way, what you call 'acting normal', but it's not going to work with OZ." He was careful to speak without irritation, hoping Duo would see he was trying to be objective. [I hate it when he's logical!] "Well, why didn't you say so? If I knew you were looking for someone *abnormal* for the job, I would've nominated you right away!" Duo said sarcastically and then laughed. But no one else laughed, least of all Heero Yuy. [Damn, how am I ever gonna get this mission?] Trowa glanced at Quatre briefly. He'd seen the hurt in his lover's eyes, but he could not let that shake his resolve now. "We need the best man in there to do the job," he explained, turning to look at Zechs, his green eyes glittering. "I'm the best man for the job... because I've been someone else as long as you've known me." He glanced away. "Trowa Barton is dead. I have no name." "Trowa?" Quatre said a bit breathless. The little blond's heart pounded as he realized one of the very dark secrets of Trowa's life was now coming forward. He knew Trowa was troubled, but the boy had warmed to him so much in the last few weeks that Quatre thought the worst was past him. "Please, Tro... What do you mean?" he asked, resting his hand on the other boy's thigh. "Barton... you don't mean from *that* Barton family?" Heero asked suddenly, remembering something from his childhood. [Why did I never wonder before?] "The ones building that new colony?" "Yeah." Trowa still would not look at anyone. "Trowa Barton was too dangerous to our cause. He wanted to destroy the whole Earth. He was killed and I took his place." "Then who are you?" Duo demanded. "It doesn't matter," Quatre said, defensively, squeezing the thigh beneath his hand. "We know him as Trowa... So, he's Trowa." The hand on his leg calmed Trowa enough so that the nasty retort that came to his lips died before he could say it. "I told you," he said to Duo quietly, arms folded over his chest, his gaze fixed on nothing. "I don't have a name." Zechs was never more aware in that moment that all four of these Gundam pilots had had troubled, difficult lives. Only Quatre had a given name, although from his statement, it seemed that he wasn't exactly in good graces with his own family. The other three - nameless children, orphaned by the Alliance. Duo had told him how he had given himself a name. Heero, he also knew, had adopted the name of the colonial martyr. Now Trowa did not have his own name either. It just made his resolve to make things right and good again with Duo all the stronger. And to prevent Romefeller from continuing on its path toward domination of Earth and space. "It's all right, we'll keep calling you Trowa," Zechs murmured quietly. He was still disturbed by Duo's behavior, but there was no dealing with it now. "Duo, I'm certain you would give the task your usual energy and enthusiasm, but this is going to take skill. Heero, OZ likely has your medical records still, taken from the Alliance hospital where Sally said she treated you. If they do a physical on you, I think they're going to find some unusual things... and a search would point directly to that pilot found on a beach months ago." He didn't say anymore; it was obvious now that Trowa was indeed the man for the job. Duo crossed his arms over his chest again. [Of course, he wants Heero to stay here...] he thought bitterly, staring down into his cold cup of coffee. [Damn. They'll all agree with Zechs... but there must be a way I can go instead of Trowa...] "How soon will he have to leave?" Quatre asked, now fretting about how little time he had with his lover. "He's going to need to take some of these files with him," Heero spoke up, unhappy about his medical records, but realizing Zechs was right. "I want to take a look at all of them first before we copy what he'll take along to space." "It'll take a couple hours, minimum, to prepare a shuttle for space," Federi spoke up quietly. "We have the launch mechanism now, you know, but hadn't planned on using it quite this soon. But we can do a rush job on it." "The sooner, the better," Zechs sighed. "With as fast as things seem to be moving now in Bremen, we need someone in place to observe the OZ reactions to what's going to be happening on Earth. And to get a hold of those new mobile suits. Trowa, can you be ready in two hours?" "I'll be there," Trowa murmured, taking Quatre's hand in his beneath the table. [And during that two hours, Duo and I are going to have a very serious talk,] Zechs promised himself, then added aloud, "If GAIA should leave this base or if we all go into space, we'll bring Heavyarms with us in hopes of meeting up with you again, Trowa." "Thanks," the russet-haired boy murmured. [They're launching him into space from here? Somehow I've got to be on that shuttle when it leaves!] Duo thought, his mind already beginning to work out the logistics. He wondered at the same time if the ache inside him would ever go away. If there would come a day when his heart would be healed and he could move on from Zechs? [Never,] he told himself. [I'll never be able to stop loving him. That's why I have to leave...] "If there's nothing else we need to discuss," Quatre said quietly to the group. "I'd like to spend some time with Trowa before..." He felt himself choking up and stopped mid-sentence, not wanting the others to know just how hard this would be for him. He had to put on a strong face for the alliance. He had to show the others that he was capable of handling this. [They need to know they can rely on me. If I can't handle this... if I cry... what will that do to their confidence in me?] "Of course," Zechs responded quickly and kindly as the group slowly got to their feet. "Trowa, although I do want to see you off, let me just say here that I wish you well and good luck. We'll have to work out particulars for how you can contact us, and Heero will make you a set of those files for you to study on the way. I know this is terribly short notice..." "It's all right," Trowa interrupted. "I'm used to it." He nodded to the man. "Thanks." He slipped an arm around Quatre, beginning to steer him toward the door. Some of the others were murmuring about going to look for breakfast; Bronn was murmuring something to Lance, and Sally was chatting with Federi. Heero seemed lost in his own thoughts. Zechs reached across the table to touch Duo on the arm. "Duo, please... come with me to my room. I really need to talk to you now." [Shit, he wants to *talk*,] Duo fretted as he stared down at the hand on his arm. The touch was very nearly burning a hole through his jacket. He knew damn well what Zechs wanted to talk about... and it wasn't the weather. Duo's face flushed and his heart beat frantically as if he'd just run a mile. The world was coming to an end... Suddenly a thunderous boom reached their ears and the room shook... hell, the whole building shuddered a split second after. Cups skittered on the table and Sally, particularly taken by surprise, reached for Federi to steady herself. "What the fuck was that?!" Duo asked as he let go of the edge of the conference room table. He was confident they hadn't been attacked since there had been no warning klaxon, but something had gone wrong... in the hangar? "The hangar!" Zechs exclaimed, already moving around the table to head for the door. The others followed in his wake. "Sounds like something very large just fell," Federi muttered with a snort, a step behind his commander as they broke into a jog. It was on everyone's mind - an accident with a mobile suit! Duo watched as the others rushed out of the room. His heart was still beating fast, and his curiosity was piqued, but the timing of that accident couldn't have been better. In an instant, everyone was gone. Duo ducked down the hall in the opposite direction, certain his absence would not be noticed. Sally cut through to the front of the group, jogging towards the hangar as she prayed no one was injured. She didn't have her medical bag with her, but there would be a medkit on site if she needed it before moving any potential patients. The blond Arabian had a tight grip on his lover's hand as they jogged behind the pack. So much had happened in the last half-hour that Quatre's mind was working overtime trying to sort through it all. But right now his problems were inconsequential if one of their base personnel was injured. Arriving at the hangar, Zechs stared, aghast, as he beheld a tangle of personnel around what was the source of the great noise - an Aries mobile suit which had toppled over, fortunately in the opposite direction of the others lined up on the near wall. He unfroze as Sally ran past him, then he, too, hastened over to the scene. "Just an Aries," Heero muttered, tapping Lance on the shoulder. "Come on, let's get started on these. We'll just be in the way here." He held up the pouch with the files. "Right," Lance said in agreement. He looked over at the broken Aries lying on its side and then turned back to follow Heero. Sally rushed to examine the personnel who were milling about the scene. Very quickly she discovered that no one had been injured. Someone had called out a warning when the suit began to topple and everyone had ample time to move clear of it. She turned back to her friends. "They're all okay." Quatre smiled with the news. "Oh, thank Allah," he said with a sigh. He tugged on Trowa's hand then. "Now... time for us?" "You know it," Trowa murmured in his ear, practically dragging him back towards the main building where their quarters were. "What happened?" Zechs was asking the foreman in charge and his crew. When four mechanics started to talk all at once, he had to interrupt to get them to speak one at a time. "Get the pulleys over here now!" Federi directed another group to go to work on clearing the fallen mobile suit. About ten minutes later, Zechs had everyone calmed down and running off to write their reports while Federi worked with the hangar personnel to clear the Aries. "Thanks," he murmured to the tower chief, then it was as if his mind went off automatic as he looked around. Not a Gundam pilot to be seen. In particular, no Duo. "Where are they?" he asked Federi. "Hmmmm? Oh, I saw Heero go off with Lance, then the lovebirds took off, too." Zechs realized he hadn't seen Duo at all in the hangar. "Did you see Duo?" he asked, his hands folding into fists at his side as he fought to control his abruptly wild emotions. "No, can't say I have..." Federi scowled at something beyond Zechs's shoulder. "No, turn it THIS way!" As the man moved away to attend to his task, Zechs walked back to the main building. [Where the HELL has he gone NOW?] he thought, feeling his eyes hot with tears of frustration. (tbc)
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