Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Gundam Wing Rewritten ❯ The Beginning of the End ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Whaddup? I'm back!! Sorry for the extremely long wait! I've had sooooo much homework!

Lilaclight: I'm really sorry!!!!!! I've just had sooooo much stuff to do and planning out the tweaking for this and the next chapter! At least it's here before Christmas! Take this as an early Christmas present! ^.~This fic really follows the manga though, but I need to change some stuff for my sake and so I can get Ground Zero, Blind Target, Battlefield of the Pacifists, and Endless Waltz to work with this fic because that stuff goes with the anime, not the manga. *sigh* I'm working at it though! As for Serenity's memories.... You'll just have to see....

Meio-chan: *grin* Oh this chapter is good.... Extremely good.... If you thought this chapter was well-done in the manga, wait till you read this.... Sonotsugi, imouto-chan!!

Tenshi-chan: *blush* I didn't think I did that well...it took me a long time to get all the timings right...I still don't know what to do for the end of next chapter and for Ground Zero....

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Chapter 11

After the defeat of the OZ Barge, the Libra steadily neared the Earth. A shuttle approached the battleship.

~*~Flashback~*~

"Space, you say?" Treize queried after he got a concrete resignation from the former queen. "Will you do me a favor then?"

"That depends," Relena said slowly, watching the elder man carefully.

Treize gave a chuckle. "It's nothing serious. I'm sure you'll meet up with Serenity or Usagi in space. Could you return this to her?" he asked, holding out a silver necklace. "She left it with me last time, but she had completed her mission assigned by me. It's time I return it to her."

Relena stared at the pendant, catching the engraved name, then nodded. "I understand. I'll give it to her the minute I see her."

"Domo arigato gozaimashita, Relena-hime," Treize said gravely.

~*~End Flashback~*~

Relena clutched the silver cross that hung around her neck in her hand. She opened a radio line to the Libra. "This is Relena Peacecraft! I wish to speak with White Fang's leader Milliardo Peacecraft!"

~*~

'Here she comes!' Milliardo thought. "Lead her in. I'll meet her at the deck," he ordered.

"Ryoukai!"

~*~

'He's wrong!' Relena thought as the ship entered the docking port. 'It's not right for him and Treize to be fighting! No one should be fighting! The Earth and the colonies are both losing!'

~*~

The two siblings met in an unhappy reunion.

"I'm going to stop the Earth from threatening the peace," Milliardo said firmly, just like his stubborn self.

"Ani-sama! Please think this over!" Relena protested. Dorothy, who had accompanied the former Queen was standing behind her. "Peace cannot be achieved through battle and bloodshed!"

There was an uneasy hiatus.

"I think you're wrong," Relena stated, breaking the ice.

Milliardo shot a glace at his younger sister. "What makes you so sure of that?" he asked, incredulity evident in your voice.

Relena's eyes narrowed slightly. "Because I'm Relena Peacecraft, you're sister."

"My dearest Relena..." Milliardo took a step towards her. "You've grown to be a strong woman. But please, stay kind," Milliardo implored, hugging the last of his family.

"Ani-sama...!" Relena said, surprised at the sudden show of warmth and caring.

Milliardo suddenly broke the contact, whipping around. "Go back to Earth or live on a colony. Do as you like," he told her, heading for the exit. "I'm fighting Treize."

"I'm not leaving until you change your mind," Relena retorted.

The door slid open. "Don't hold you breath."

"Ani-sama!!"

Milliardo left the room.

"Miss Relena, why don't you take a little break and talk to him later?" Dorothy suggested comfortingly. "I'm sure he'll be much more reasonable after a bit of rest."

Relena closed her eyes and nodded. "You're right. A bit of rest would do some good."

"I'll say here with you," Dorothy said officiously. "After all, it's a VIP seat for the upcoming battle..." she said with a chuckle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the arrival of Heero and Usagi at Peacemillion, the 6 Gundam Pilots gathered.

"It was a lot of work, but your Gundams have been repaired," Howard told them. "Usagi, Quatre, Trowa, I've finished upgrading Twilight, Sandrock, and Heavyarms. They should be more mobile in space now."

"Arigato Howard-san," Usagi murmured. Quatre added his thanks as well and Trowa nodded in gratitude.

"So, what are you 6 going to do now?" Howard asked them.

"Take on Libra, of course!" Duo said, speaking for all of them, leaning casually against the wall. "We'll destroy it, once and for all."

"But will it end the war?" Sally wondered.

"Iie. Earth will still fight back," Quatre stated, gesticulating with a nuance of passion. "They've made a declaration of war, and their not about to back out of it."

"We must take into consideration Libra's main battery," Trowa said quietly, as prudent and pertinent as ever.

"That is true. With firepower like that, who knows what White Fang will do," Usagi agreed. "Milliardo must not be the only one running White Fang. He's not dumb enough to try to destroy Earth."

"Zechs wants us to fight with him," Heero said simply. Usagi glared at him.

"Heero..." Noin was still in pain about Zechs' decisions.

"Noin, I know this pains you, but Heero's right. Milliardo has a love for battle. He veritably wants us to battle him. Perhaps it's wiser if we join Treize and the World Nations," Usagi speculated.

"Iie!" Wufei objected. "His goals are selfish and un-noble!"

Usagi smirked, fiddling with one of her streamers of hair. The golden mass was back in heart-shaped buns. "Or maybe because you're miffed that if I hadn't defeated you last time, Treize would have."

Wufei reddened. "He's mine! I will defeat Treize!" He stalked off to his quarters.

"Wufei...!" Usagi sweat dropped. "Geez, I didn't realize he was still ticked off about that..." she muttered to herself, frowning as she crossed her arms.

"Well, that went well," Duo said, putting his hands behind his head as he straightened. "I'm off to catch a couple of winks. Wake me up when the Great Destroyer is summoned to battle."

The members of the Peacemillion force dispersed, going their own ways to prepare for the forthcoming battle.

~*~

'Treize...' Usagi was sitting in the cockpit of Twilight, as if it was a sanctuary for peace, despite the fact that it was meant for war. 'You do realize you'll be fighting your best friend, right? Why are you and Milliardo doing this? There must be something I'm not getting... Whatever MS Treize builds in this short notice will not have the fire power or agility of the Epyon; not even Wing Gundam from Sanc could stand up to it. They must not be battling each other then. No, that must not have been their intentions from the beginning of this stratagem. Wufei will battle Treize, and Heero will battle Milliardo. But why pit the colonies against the Earth? What would that accomplish?'

She ran her hands lovingly over the controls, her hands falling down to the main movement regulator (Tenshi-chan: You know, like the kind of controls the Tallgeese, Wing Zero, and Epyon have with the sliding things at the side...). Unconsciously, she pressed the Zero activation button and the system hummed to life.

'Zero?'

Small beeping noises emitted from the cockpit system.

"I know I should trust them. But after everything they've done... Everyone they've hurt..."

The screens flared to light, a brilliant golden blaze.

"Show me..."

More, high-pitched beeping chimed out.

"I see... So that's why..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Treize and his Leo troops waited for Libra at resource satellite MO-II near Earth.

"Commander Khushrenada, it's dangerous to lead troops at the front!" an officer warned him.

"Don't worry about me," Treize acknowledged, "this old MS knight has absolutely no fear of MD." He had the MS developers of the former Romefeller Foundation create a seconded, modified Tallgeese. "Give it all you've got!" he commanded.

"Yes sir!"

~*~

'We'll fight with the MS Leos, okay, Milliardo?' Treize thought to his companion as if Milliardo could hear him.

~*~

"I need a favor, Doctors," Milliardo said, in the rebuilt Mercurius and Vayeate hanger where the 5 doctors that created the Operation M Gundams were being held in Libra.

"Ouch!" Doctor J mocked. "White Fang's enlisting us! How low can we go? Can we not help our own Gundam pilots?"

"J!" Professor G reprimanded, "What now, Mr. Commander? We can't make MD any stronger, you know."

"Sure, those two," Master O indicated to the two MS in the hanger, "and the Virgo II should do it."

"It's about the MD identification programs," Milliardo said, cutting to the chase. He told them his plan, his eyes observing their reactions warily.

"Oh... I see..." Doctor J's goggles flashed. "Leave it to us. It will be done."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Only a few hours after Milliardo had returned to the deck did the Libra finally enter the proximity of MO-II where the World Nation and Treize awaited them.

"We're in the combat area!" one of the White Fang members manning the Libra's controls stated.

"Roger that!" Quinze announced. "Go, MD troops!!"

~*~

"Attention all MS," Treize ordered as the MS began to file out of the battleship. "Sink Libra!"

"World Nation's Leo troops, go!"

~*~

"They're just old Leos?! They are no match for the brand new Virgo II!" Quinze encouraged his troops. "Destroy them!"

~*~

"We outnumber them!" Treize asserted. "Let's get them!!"

~*~

Peacemillion also entered the vicinity of MO-II and deployed their own forces, including the 6 Gundams.

"It's show time!!" Duo cheered.

"Our target is Libra!" Trowa reminded them. "Remember that!"

"Try to keep the casualties low, minna-chan!" Usagi said.

"We can do this together, ok?!" Quatre stated. "We'll end this battle of nonsense!"

"I'll beat anyone in my way!" Wufei ranted.

Usagi sweat dropped. "I will stay far away from Wufei in this battle..." she muttered.

Duo laughed. "Me too!"

"You guys!" Quatre interrupted. "Stay focused! This is no time to crack jokes."

"Ryoukai!" the siblings chorused.

"I'll back you guys up!" Sally informed them from the main deck in Peacemillion. "Good luck!"

"Why is Zechs..." Noin trailed off as she activated her white Taurus.

"Here we go!!" Heero engaged Wing Zero's boosters and the 7 MS zoomed off to the battlefield.

They made quick work of the MD, and Quatre, Trowa, and Usagi were trying to destroy only MD, but sometimes an MS would attack.

Usagi flew straight towards Libra. "Milliardo, I won't let you hurt them anymore!"

"Sere-chan?" Duo called out to Twilight. "Chotto matte...! You can't go there alone!" Too late, Twilight was already gone, zooming away at top speed with its stealth cloaking activated. "Imouto... Be careful..."

Quatre noticed something as he watched a nearby match between an old Leo and the new Virgo. "Weird. Why are the Leos beating the MD so easily?"

Trowa was fighting near the blond. "You're right, Quatre. The Virgo II aren't resisting the Leos at all."

Duo, too, had noticed. "What's up with these MD?"

"Machine-controlled MS are too weak compared to the honorable minds of the strong!" Wufei yelled, Nataku's twin dragon fangs extended to destroy two nearby MD, his favorite technique in finishing off his enemy.

~*~

"What's wrong with the MD?!?!" Quinze was in shock. "Why aren't they attacking the Leos?!"

Milliardo closed his eyes, taking this in an extremely calm state. "The MD will be annihilated."

"Kuso!! Check the MD's program!!" Quinze ordered.

"Ryoukai!!"

"Nani?! They're programmed so they can't attack the Leo?! Fix the program now!!" Quinze demanded, panicking.

~*~

"Bad news. You can't fix that program so easily," Doctor J said, shaking a finger on his only hand. "Now you know the foolishness of MD. Mindless dolls are no match for humans."

"The battle's even now," Master O said from the back of their escape capsule that Milliardo had so graciously prepared.

"Now let's get the hell out of here!" Professor G and Professor H directed their small ship towards Peacemillion.

~*~

"It seems my friend Milliardo figured out my intentions," Treize said quietly. "It'll be a battle of attrition." The Tallgeese destroyed a White Fang MD. "Now I can devote my life to the battle!!"

~*~

Usagi observed a nearby match between a Leo and a MD along the way to Libra. The MD ignored the Leo and swarmed over to her. '...Just as I suspected.... They're going to get rid of them all.' she thought, slashing through three MD with her beam saber, her disks taking out three more, leaving two for the Leo to annihilate. She opened link with the Leo. "Officer Tsukino here. The rest of the MD are yours. Make Treize proud."

The Leo pilot gaped at the figure saluting him. "The...the legendary Usagi Tsukino...that La...Lady Une...and h...his Excellency always talk about...is a Gundam pilot...!"

Twilight halted and turned to face the Leo. "They talk about me?" she questioned.

"Yes ma'am," the soldier responded, taking out the two MD. "They're always talking about your piloting skills, your swordsmanship, and your code of honor."

Usagi blinked. "Honto...?" she whispered to herself.

"I recall overhearing them speculating when you would return to the Treize faction," the soldier informed her.

Usagi looked at him gravely. "Tell Treize I've never left his side." Usagi saluted the soldier and flew off, towards Libra, towards Milliardo.

"Ryoukai!" The soldier saluted back and opened a link with his Excellency to relay the message.

(Meio-chan: Oh yeah!! Go Usa!!)

~*~

"I'm going out. I can't rely on MD in this state." Milliardo said, leaving the dock. "Quinze, take the bridge."

"Ryoukai." Milliardo exited the room and Quinze narrowed his eyes. "He'd better not ditch us...!"

~*~

'Milliardo...!' Usagi zoomed towards Libra. 'You must there. Epyon hasn't been deployed yet,' Usagi calculated. She broke into a hanger and found Epyon. 'Should I wait? I know a man like him can't deter his love of battle...' but she shook her head and when stealthily on, her gun ready at all times.

~*~

"Dorothy!"

"Yes, Mr. Milliardo?" Dorothy looked up from her work, setting the white round object down.

"What are you doing?" Milliardo questioned. "Why aren't you with my sister?"

"I'm getting ready, Mr. Milliardo," Dorothy answered zealously, her hands clasped in front of her. "I know she's coming. I have a little bit of business to finish with her." She indicated to two long rods of metal. "Miss Relena is in the quarters you assigned to her. But I'm guessing she will be coming out to look for you soon, or else try to interfere."

Milliardo's jaw line tightened. "But she mustn't...!" the blond man muttered quietly to herself.

"Go out to your battlefield, Mr. Milliardo," Dorothy said, returning to her wiring work. "She can't do too much damage to the battle, not now, least ways."

Milliardo gave the suited up girl a calculating look. "You're an interesting character, Dorothy."

Dorothy chuckled. "So many people have told me. Humans can't live without the art of fighting."

Milliardo's eyes narrowed. 'Hmmm... Then she doesn't know...'

"Go show the world what a real battle is like."

Milliardo nodded. "May the world learn from it."

"And if you see her, send her here, will you?" Dorothy asked in a silky voice.

Milliardo was already down the next corridor.

"Well, some people are in a rush today!" Dorothy chuckled. "Not that I can blame him...!" She went back to work.

~*~

Usagi's eyes caught a flash of pale blond hair. 'Dare ga? Milliardo?' (Tenshi-chan: Japanese lesson! Dare ga means "Who's there" or "Who are you")

She quickly followed the person, checking to make sure she had a full clip in her silencer.

~*~

He knew she was following him. He stopped suddenly and turned around. "Serenity."

"Milliardo."

"Have you come to end it, like Heero?" he speculated out loud, noticing the gun in her hand.

"Iie. I've come to demand that you stay away from Heero," she said firmly. "I won't let you battle him."

"I must. It's my destiny."

"Destiny?" Usagi asked, incredulous. "I don't believe in a path set for you. You make your own future."

"And I've chosen this future," he said. "Out of everything the Epyon has shown me, I've taken this path to end the bloodshed."

Usagi pursed her lips in a frown, then changed the subject. "What will you do with Libra after all the MD and MS are destroyed?"

Milliardo shot a surprising glance at her. "You know...?"

Only one word needed to explain. "Twilight."

Milliardo nodded. "I see. I haven't considered what to do with Libra yet. But I do know that I must finish my battle with the one who calls himself Heero Yuy or my own battle will never end."

Usagi's blue eyes softened. "You'd still fight him even after peace has settled in the colonies and Earth if you didn't fight him now." She sighed. "Well, you might as well get it over with."

Milliardo gave her a hug, grateful that she approved the battle between the two people she cared about. He stepped out of the embrace and threw her a long, thin black object. "You'll need this."

She caught it with ease. "Your sword...?" She unsheathed the magnificent blade partway.

"Heero and I are not the only ones with battles to finish. Treize and Wufei have their combat, and so do you."

Usagi caught on to his meaning. "Where is she?" said questioned, returning the blade to its case.

"End of the corridor, left wing, large door. She's waiting."

Usagi's face hardened. "So is Heero." She started striding down to her destination.

"Sayonara, Serenity."

Usagi balked, and spun around, catching on an almost remorseful tone in his voice. "Nani...? Milliardo...?"

He was gone.

Her eyes shimmered in sadness as she realized he was looking for his death in this battle. She turned around to face her own destiny.

~*~

'Ahh, so that's how she got in! Twilight's got the same cloaking system her brother's got. Very nice!' Milliardo complimented as he walked past it to his Epyon. 'It's so defenseless here... It would be a shame to see it destroyed...hmmm...no one should be entering this hanger anyways.... I suppose it will be safest here....' Milliardo blasted off into space. 'Good luck, Serenity. Show her what a Gundam Pilot is made of.'

'How should I end this battle?' he pondered to himself. 'Where's the key player?'

A loud beep announced the arrival of a large energy source.

'Here he comes.... Wing Gundam Zero!' Milliardo smirked. "Heero Yuy!!"

"Zechs!!" Heero had been roaming aimlessly throughout the beginning of the battle, destroying random MS and MD if they bothered him, focused on one thing, waiting for the one MS that could challenge his skill, firepower, and beliefs.

The two MS started avidly at it, again, both systems activating as all weapons were set into play.

~*~

"Miss Usagi, I've been waiting," Dorothy purred, stepping back.

Usagi lowered her gun, not wanting to kill an unarmed person. "I know."

Dorothy gave a look of utmost surprise.

"I figured that if Heero and Wufei are going to finish their own battles, I'll have to finish my own."

Dorothy picked up the sword she selected to use. Usagi drew the blade Milliardo granted her.

"I see you're prepared. Well then, I suppose you won't be needing this then," Dorothy threw the other blade into the corner of the room.

"..." Usagi watched as Dorothy picked up a white object from the ground and slipped it onto her head.

"This helmet is equipped with the Zero System," Dorothy said, patting the helmet on her head with her free hand. "There's another one, if you would like to use it." She pointed to the other helmet on the floor in the corner of the room.

"I would rather not," Usagi said after a slight hesitation. "The Zero System takes me to my maximum ability, and I wouldn't want to risk hurting someone who's just trying out the system." She got into her fighting stance, seeing a slight motion in Dorothy.

But Dorothy didn't touch her, but merely destroyed the extra helmet.

"Wha...?" Usagi stared at her in disbelief, but not letting her guard down.

Dorothy smirked. "Oh, but who said I haven't used this system before...!" Dorothy charged, slashing down. Usagi dodged, slashing at the girl's unprotected back. But Dorothy saw this and took this opportunity to block and drive her sword up, knocking Usagi off balance.

Usagi quickly recuperated. 'The system can predict my every move. The only choice I have is either to distract her, or wear her out. I've got to be more careful...' She began a methodical kata that Wufei had the good graces to show her when they were on Earth after Colonel Une had shot her. Dorothy blocked every move, and broke the sequence. Usagi quickly shifted into another kata she learned before she even left the colonies in Operation M. Once again Dorothy broke the chain of movements. Usagi drew back and took a defensive stance. Dorothy was serious about this. No longer was this a dispute over Relena and Heero. Now, it was the mutual personal hatred the two felt for each other.

~*~

"Not bad! You aren't controlled by the system anymore!" Milliardo acknowledged.

"Hn!" Heero grunted, blocking a blow from Epyon's powerful green beam saber with his own. "Let's settle it right here, right now! In space!"

"If you insist!" Milliardo replied.

For once, Heero was doing the talking. "The Earth-born are representing the colonies now, huh?!" Heero demanded. "I'm your enemy! Don't get others involved in our battle!" Their sabers clashed once more, energy sparking from the contact.

"Our fight comes afterwards!" Milliardo insisted. "This battle has to involve every human! Humans will never realize the error of their ways unless things end in a fiasco!" Epyon backed away from the sword lock and pointed the green saber at Wing Zero, or more specifically, Heero. "You and I should be leading this revolution together! It's not too late! Join me!"

"Nani?!" (Meio-chan: Yup! Exactly! It's impossible for those two to join forces! How many times have they tried to kill each other? I mean really!! What kind of a request was that?!) (Tenshi-chan: *nods* Milli-kun comes up with the strangest ideas.... And the strangest way of expressing them...)

"The colonists' leader, Heero Yuy, and King Peacecraft of the Sanc Kingdom once advocated absolute pacifism in space and on Earth," Milliardo explained, touching up on recent history. "We must honor their memories and continue their efforts."

"I get it! You and Treize are trying to destroy all military forces with this battle!"

"Precisely. Pacifism will never be plausible with military presence!"

"Hmmph!!" Heero withdrew from his fighting stance, knowing their battle was at a temporary hiatus. "Only an OZ officer would think like that!"

Milliardo smirked. "You mean, ex-officer."

"Hn. But your sister would say 'peace should never be achieved by war.'"

"Hai. That's why the next age needs her. Treize and I can and will take care of this ugly battle and destroy it all," he said. "Your job is to protect Relena. She's in the core block of Libra. Go save her before Quinze decides to kill her. Serenity's there as well. She and Dorothy have some quarrels to settle. Meantime, I'll fight the Earth as White Fang."

"Fine. But I will settle things with you when I return."

"I look forward too it!" Milliardo said, watching Wing Zero shift into MA mode.

"You're mine, Zechs!"

Wing Zero zoomed off for Libra.

~*~

Dorothy took this opportunity to start a series of complicated moves of feigning, slashing, dodging, and thrusting of her weapon. Usagi dodged them all, never striking back. Dorothy slashed sideways, and Usagi flipped over her head, managing to land a swipe at the protective helmet, informing Dorothy that she found a weak spot.

"Very nicely done, Miss Usagi," Dorothy complimented, spinning around to face her opponent. "But you'll never lead another blow on me."

"We'll just see about that...!" Usagi let out a fury of onslaughts, but Dorothy, equipped with the Zero System, was prepared for them.

~*~

"Zechs!" A white Taurus approached the commander.

"Noin...?!"

"Zechs! I overheard your conversation with Heero! I feel so foolish! I should have trusted your motives from the beginning," Noin said. "How could I have doubted you?!"

"Noin, no one blames you for anything," Zechs said gently.

"I'll fight on your side to prove myself useful all the same!" Tears spilled from the corners of her eyes in passion and happiness that Zechs was not the mass murderer of the White Fang.

"Arigato Noin. For your thoughts and for your offer. Go stay with Relena for me," he told her.

"Hai, Zechs," she responded. "If that's what you want me to do." The Taurus transformed into MA mode and sped off after Heero.

"Serenity, Heero, Noin: thank you for bringing back my kind heart," Milliardo whispered. "But I'll become the devil to show people the foolishness of war!!" His eyes hardened into icicles as the Zero System activated, sensing the pilot's desire for battle. "Mission: destruction of as many weapons as possible...with Gundam Epyon!!" Explosions of MD and MS alike surrounded him as he slashed out with Epyon's powerful beam saber.

~*~

Quatre, Duo, Trowa, and Wufei were dealing quick work to the MD and MS that dared near them.

"Duo! Take the left flank of the MD!" Quatre ordered, the strategic leader of them all since Heero was a little occupied.

"I'm on it!" The MD didn't know what hit them. Seriously! Deathscythe kept on his stealth cloak until the last minute.

"Trowa, above you!" Quatre warned, shooting at a couple of MD himself.

Trowa nodded in the vidlink-screen at the blond as he directed him machine cannons to the MD approaching him from above.

"Wufei! Stay concentrated! Don't wander off! We've got to work together this time or what happened at the Sanc Kingdom will just repeat itself!"

Wufei grit his teeth, returning to the vicinity of their territory. He took out two Leos with his powerful flamethrowers.

"Oi, Wu-man! You don't have to get the MS! They're not attacking us! Just the MD!" Duo reminded him.

"I don't care!" he growled. "If they follow Treize Khushrenada, I'll destroy them!"

~*~

"Damn it! My MD are useless and the Gundam are here!" Quinze said. "Charge the main battery!" he commanded.

"What's the target?!"

"The center of the enemy...the Earth!!"

~*~

MO-II, the base for the World Nations in this battle noticed the high energy emitting from Libra.

"Lady Une! They're charging up her main battery!"

"What's the target?" she demanded.

"Us!" was the reply. "The Earth may also be severely damaged."

'His Excellency...! I won't let them hurt Commander Khushrenada!' Lady Une shakily rose from her seat. "Is Wing Gundam from Sanc Kingdom ready for operation?"

"Hai. The cockpit is repaired and a space booster is attached," the soldier dutifully reported.

That was all she needed to hear. Gathering strength, she bolted for the Gundam.

"Iie!! Lady Une! You mustn't...!"

Too late. She was gone.

~*~

'Libra's going to fire her main battery,' Treize noted calmly. 'But I won't back off. My dear Earth will be hit...' He moved the Tallgeese so he was between the Libra and the Earth. 'And I will be burned along with it...'

~*~

The creators of all the Gundams, with the exception of the mysterious Dr. M, had all gathered on Peacemillion.

"Don't let her fire the main battery!" Sally yelled.

"The Earth would be seriously damaged!" Dr. J said. And he would know; he had been forced to help construct the damn thing.

Peacemillion sped toward the Libra at full speed, all engines engaged at full power. "Go for a tackle!" Howard ordered.

"Brace for impact!!" Sally commanded to the crew.

~*~

"Main battery at full power!" a soldier saluted Quinze.

"All right then," Quinze said, his hand hovering above the red button. "Main battery, FIRE!!"

~*~

But just as he pressed that button, Peacemillion collided into one of Libra's wings, causing the ship to tilt.

"NANI?!?!"

~*~

Usagi had been blocking all of Dorothy's stabs with success, but was suddenly shaken off course. Even the Zero System had not expected this turn of events as Dorothy too, was thrown to the ground, not only from the recoil of the main battery, but from the impact of Peacemillion.

'Nani?' Usagi thought. 'What's going on? Did they fire? Is everyone ok...?'

~*~

The beam of energy still shot towards Earth, but a bit to the side, but the angle was enough difference to prevent the beam from even touching the Earth's atmosphere.

"It missed the target," Trowa said, letting out the breath of air he didn't know he had been holding.

~*~

Unfortunately for Heero, the change in course of Libra caused Wing Zero to come dangerously close to the beam she sent out, and he just managed to avoid any serious damage to his precious Gundam.

He raced on towards Relena and Usagi.

~*~

Though the beam had missed the Earth, Treize was still in its pernicious path. He was prepared to die at that very moment.

A MS in MA mode approached him.

"Zero One?!"

At the last minute, Wing Gundam transformed into MS mode and shoved the Tallgeese forcefully out of the way. "Commander!!"

"Lady Une?!" Though the brave woman had managed to save Treize, her borrowed suit was hit heavily, the lower half of the Gundam destroyed. The beam continued to travel through space.

"Why did you do that?" Treize asked, his eyes wide.

"You said," Lady Une said softly, "that a battle is beautiful when it's fought."

"You're right, Lady," Treize said, his mind clearer about his real task at hand. "You always help me when I need it."

"Iie," the woman said modestly. "I'm just happy to assist you."

"Arigato, Lady Une. I sincerely appreciate your efforts," Treize said. "With this battle against Milliardo, I forgot I still have to settle it with Chang Wufei."

"I'm right here, Treize!" Wufei declared, finally breaking out of Quatre's formation. The mighty Nataku faced the Tallgeese.

"If I don't come back, you'll be in charge of the forces," Treize said. "My Lady Une."

"Ryoukai," Lady Une said, a tear forming at the edge of her eyes from sadness that she knew Treize would not come back, but more from happiness that he had acknowledged her as his. (Meio-chan: That's so sweet!!)

"Let's get it on, Treize!" Wufei yelled.

"Come on, Wufei!" Treize retaliated, locking his saber with Wufei's trident.

"SHOW ME WHAT YOU'VE GOT!!"

~*~

Peacemillion and Libra were not in that great shape after the great collision.

"Report!" Quinze yelled.

"We've been rammed! The impact has damaged the main battery!" a soldier said, loading statistics onto the main screen.

"Kuso! Why does everything have to be so complicated?!" Quinze raved. "No matter, we still have our ultimate plan!"

~*~

"Sally!! Evacuate all the crew and civilians to MO-II. I'm sure they'll take everyone in," Howard ordered.

"Ryoukai!!" Sally issued the remaining crew members in the control deck to go help evacuate the civilians on their damaged ship. "What about you?"

"We'll stay here 'til the last minute," Howard said, speaking for all of the scientists. "Please let us."

"Doctor..." Sally was speechless. 'They want to stay on this Hell-hole?'

"I think we've lived too long," Dr. J said.

Sally nodded understandingly.

~*~

"Look! Peacemillion's evacuating!" Quatre told the other two.

"Quatre, go lead the evacuation to MO-II. I just got in contact with them. They'll take them all in," Duo instructed, very serious now as he watched two MS approaching. "Trowa, you go destroy Libra's main engine."

"Negative. Usagi and Heero are already in Libra; they'll take care of it," Trowa stated firmly. "I'll help Quatre with the evacuation."

"Roger that," Duo said, nodding in satisfaction.

"What will you be doing, Duo?" Quatre inquired.

"I've got a bit of business to settle," Duo said softly, turning his gundam to face his next opponents. "Death has a couple more names on his list."

"Quatre, let's go," Trowa said, catching on. Neither of them wanted Quatre to panic at the sight of the two MS he had fought against in Wing Zero.

Heavyarms and Sandrock flew off towards the mess of Peacemillion and Libra.

"Mercurius! Vayeate!" Duo challenged. "Let's rock it!"

~*~

"That's enough!" Relena forcefully yelled at Quinze. "I won't let you the innocent people on the Earth get involved in the stupid battle!"

"Uruse!" Quinze retorted. "They don't understand how the colonists feel! I'll multiply the pain they gave us and return it to their sorry faces!"

"You're insane!" Relena shouted.

"But first," Quinze brought out a gun, "I'll sent you to hell!!"

BANG!!

Relena gasped, expecting pain, but felt nothing. "Heero!!"

"I won't let you kill her!" The young man declared, his own gun still raised.

Quinze clutched his hand in agony, unable to respond due to the immense pain. Heero had grazed the man's hand for a reason, other than to knock the gun away.

Relena smiled. "I didn't expect you to save me," she told him.

"I didn't realized I'd have to save you either," Heero said dryly. "You're standing in the way of my battle, you know. I can't finish it until you're out of here." (Meio-chan: *smacks him* BAKA!!) (Tenshi-chan: He's not being a baka!! He's just doing what Milli-kun told him to do! After he get's Relena out of there, then the two of them can go at it finally.)

~*~

"Dorothy!" Usagi gasped, dodging the girl's swipe. "Why are you like this? What causes you to love battle so much?"

"Humans are born to fight! They only evolve to a greater state through battles," Dorothy stated matter-of-factly.

"How can you be so pessimistic about humans? Battle is not the only inherent nature of the human race!" Usagi said, turning offensive.

"Because these days humans are so foolish as enough to try to get rid of their fighting nature entire! To give up fighting is like to give up life!" Dorothy proclaimed passionately.

"You're wrong," Usagi said vehemently. "You just don't know any better."

"Nani?!" Dorothy was taken aback.

"You heard me," Usagi said, stepping back into a guard position. "You don't know any better. Life as a Romefeller has blinded so that you've never seen what goes on outside, in a world that desires peace. You've just been too wrapped up in your own ideal world of bloodshed. Hasn't anyone shown you kindness, Dorothy Catalonia?"

Dorothy's face hardened at the last question. "Uruse!! I'll show you an ideal world! It's more realistic than Relena's silly dream!" Dorothy lashed out the rigor of the Zero System, relentlessly striking at the girl.

"Her goals as far more noble than yours, Dorothy. That's why she's where she's at, and you're still blind to everything," Usagi spat, blocking an attack. "She accepts the fact that there is fighting in this world. But you are blind to the desires of peace that the people of Earth and the colonies desire." Usagi lashed out her blade but a sharp clash rang out as metal met metal. 'How can I do something that the Zero System won't suspect? I've got to end this soon if I want enough energy to fight afterwards!!' Usagi mentally screamed, doing her best to fend off her attacker.

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REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!!!

Meio-chan: *yells* MORTAL KOMBAT!!!! (Private joke) ^_~

Tenshi-chan: We are sooooooo going to practice that on Nir!!!! ^^v