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"Endangered"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, sap Pairings: 6x2, implied 3x4 Summary: The pilots must separate to talk with
various colonies on behalf of GAIA. "Endangered" 9)
Chang Wufei watched the slowly receding image of L5-0200 morosely, still unable to shake the feeling of uneasiness which had gripped him since leaving. It had made no sense for Master Long to refuse the assistance of those who opposed the United Earthsphere Alliance which had let their colony fall into disrepair. Even Romefeller was changing. There was no more need to despair... was there? He'd let the Shenlong drift in space while he got his bearings and ruminated about his approach to defeating OZ here in space. Of course he was going to confront OZ, but he had to be careful to avoid working cross-purposes to GAIA. [Treize, what would you do?] Wufei couldn't help but wonder. [Would you also be too proud to accept help from strangers? I don't know why I trust GAIA - just because of the other pilots? But I couldn't join them...] Resolutely he turned to the task ahead of him. [The Leos aren't a problem,] he considered, [but if I have to come up against those new Tauruses... eh, Nataku can handle them, no problem.] He stretched and closed his eyes. [L4 is closest; I wonder how far OZ has infiltrated into that cluster. That blond kid's father is Master Winner... I wonder if he's accepted OZ, too...] Despite his need to make a decision, Wufei succumbed to the exhaustion that had been plaguing him since leaving Earth. There'd been no time to rest on L5; he'd had too many people to see and talk to there. And his concerns over his home colony had given him many sleepless nights. His screens were clear. Surely he could afford a little nap? An hour later, a hard jolt to his Gundam and the klaxon of alarms brought him bolt awake. He'd been attacked! Jerking upright, he hastily maneuvered the Shenlong away from the direction of the shot, studying his screens rapidly. To his dismay, his Gundam's right arm had been heavily damaged! That meant no Dragon Fang and he'd have to use the beam trident with the other hand. Worse... there were no less than twelve deadly Taurus mobile suits surrounding him. To his shock, he was being hailed. "Gundam pilot!" a voice called over his main channel when he opened it. "Your presence is required!" Wufei scowled. If he fought them, he'd easily take out six of the Tauruses - he thought - but the other six would get him for sure. [Lucky shot - they found a weak point in Nataku's arm. Damn!] "Screw you!" he yelled back, then decided to get them mad so as to impair their judgment. "The fact that you're here tells me I didn't kill enough pilots at Lake Victoria Base!" "That was you?" The voice had grown icy and angry. "Fuck!" [Good, get mad, make a mistake,] Wufei thought, smirking. "Unfortunately, I have orders to haul your bony little ass to Barge," the voice continued. "Or else I surely would blow you to kingdom come! Besides, don't think you're a match for us! I can tell your mobile suit isn't equipped for outer space. You haven't a prayer of flying fast enough to get away from a Taurus!" [Damn, he's too right,] Wufei thought with a grimace. [Well, at least I can make sure he's having a very bad day...] "That's what YOU think!" he yelled back, and, brandishing the beam trident in the Shenlong's left hand, he rushed two of the Tauruses. It was over in about twenty seconds. Four Tauruses had been destroyed, but the other eight had effectively disabled the Gundam, even to getting in close enough to damage the feeble rocket launchers on the back. "You done yet?" Wufei, seething, didn't answer. "Thought so," Hestian muttered. "And don't get any ideas about self-detonating." He gestured toward the nearby colony, 0200. "We'll destroy your colony before you can get your finger off that switch." Sure enough, two of the Tauruses were facing the colony, their laser cannons aimed. [Damn it!] Wufei cursed to himself. He crossed his arms over his chest, seething while two of the OZ Tauruses prepared to tow the Gundam back toward Barge. "Good pilot," Hestian commented with a chuckle. [Once last chance here...] Wufei noted to his relief that his radio system still held the contact data for the message he'd received earlier from Treize. Using an encrypted, "enzyme"-laced code he'd been given by GAIA personnel before leaving Antarctica, he sent a brief note before Hestian belatedly started up a jamming signal.
The fourth message made the hair on the nape of her neck stand up. Turning pale, she stood and activated her radio, calling for Treize to come to his office immediately on a matter of great urgency. Treize was still dressed in jodhpurs and boots when he rushed in, though his cravat was undone. "Maura, what is it?" he asked concernedly, knowing his stiff and capable little secretary would not call him except in significant need. "This came in two hours ago, Your Excellency," Maura murmured. Her reversion to the old title revealed her alarm, though her expression was properly calm. Wide-eyed, Treize played the message. A minute later, after barking some directions her way, Treize was running to prepare to leave for outer space. Relena got the word five minutes later, and caught up to her mentor as he was leaving his suite. "Mister Treize, you're... leaving?" Treize stopped, his breath coming a little hard, a valise in hand. "Princess, I regret my precipitous departure." Then, taking a deep breath, he put down his bag and gently placed his hands on her slim shoulders, looking down at his protege with a little smile. "My dear, you'll be fine. You've absorbed my lessons well... and though I might wish for a bit more time to achieve a finer... polish... there's nothing else I can teach you. Go to Bremen, to your great-uncle. There you can do more for those who fight for peace in outer space." "T...Treize?" Relena gasped. She was ready? He squeezed her shoulders lightly, then let his hands fall, still smiling down at her. "The Earth is doing well, and moving along the path for peace. It needs your youth and bright hopes. As for me, it's time I joined the fight, joined the others." Then Treize's gaze became more solemn. "Relena, I received word that the Gundam pilot who did not join GAIA has been captured by OZ in space." "That's... Wufei, isn't it?" Relena asked, wondering. "Yes, and this must not be allowed to stand," Treize replied firmly. "Pure souls such as the Gundam pilots and your brother possess must be free. I cannot allow OZ to harm such a one. I will go to space and fight, Relena... even if it means taking up arms against one whom..." He stopped, realizing what he'd been about to say. [Une is OZ... could I fight against one who cherishes me so? Has she forgotten all about me? Has the conflict of losing the support from Earth damaged her mind and spirit too much? They say that OZ in space is splintered... which side is she on? I must go in any case to find out, to learn what has happened. I owe her that much... and there is Wufei...] Relena nodded, pretending to understand. [He must have been close to some people in OZ who are in outer space,] she decided. [This will be hard for him...] "I regret the necessity of fighting, Mister Treize," she replied softly. "My Peacecraft pacifist heart tells me to resist it, yet I understand from my own experiences that some people only understand peace when fighting. So... I wish you well, Treize. Go with God." Impulsively, she gave him a hug then retreated hastily, curtseying and dancing off down the hall, appalled at herself for being so forward, half-fearful he'd declare her emphatically not ready for Bremen. But Treize only bowed in her wake, smiling again. [Peacecrafts... ah, our brightest joys...] Then his expression sobered again. [Wufei...] He went directly to the underground base where a flurry of activity was occurring, per his orders. There stood his newest creation - a Gundam named Epyon. Treize stood for a moment beneath it, regarding its sleek, bold lines. In a dark moment he'd wanted to paint it a deep, blood red, but an hour in the garden with Relena one afternoon had convinced him to seek something more hopeful... and he'd gone with a deep, forest green instead to remind him of the Sank mountain ranges. It was also a GAIA color, a color of the living... not the dead. Still, it was a fierce beast... "Sir," Maura ter Horst murmured as she reached his side, carrying a box. With her was Micha Fonitale, the captain of the group of Taurus mobile suits, ten strong, which would be going to space as well. Treize was leaving Bronn Sangers to command the base and the remaining group of Tauruses in his absence. Treize glanced over. "Yes, I'll take that," he replied, sighing. "You're not going to install it now?" Fonitale asked, surprised. It was the set of Zero module disks, components making up the cockpit/pilot interface system that the Gundam scientists had once designed which would make a pilot invincible... and extremely dangerous, able to predict possible future outcomes of his actions. Treize had installed the Zero and tested it personally exactly once. He never told anyone of the results. It had been an intense, frightening experience, not one he was eager to repeat. But it had told him in no uncertain terms that certain people in the GAIA organization were critical for future peace and must be protected. His good friend Milliardo... and those wonderful little Gundam pilots. In particular... Chang Wufei. Treize knew he must not let anything happen to that one. "No, I do not need it now," Treize answered as he collected the box from his aide. "It's not... it's not for me, I do not think. But I must take this to outer space nevertheless." "Yes, sir," the two younger pilots responded, not understanding. Only Maura actually knew anything much about it, and had suspected it was dangerous. The other pilots only thought of the Zero as a weapon to use against enemies, but their respect for Treize of course prevented further curiosity. [No, the Zero is not for such sinners as I,] Treize thought as he rode the lift cable up to Epyon's cockpit. The thought made him ache within, for it filled him with dread for Wufei's safety. He knew he could never use the Zero System, much less to use it to go rescue Wufei from OZ. [That would mean my death. I... cannot allow that... Milliardo would never forgive me. No, I will fight with my mighty Epyon... and I pray to God that will be enough...] With the fire of conviction in his soul, Treize Khushrenada flew the Gundam Epyon out of the underground cave, leading the carrier he'd use to escape to space and the three carriers holding the Taurus suits. [Wufei,] he thought, glad to be released from the Earth at last, straining to join his GAIA comrades in space. [I'm coming...]
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