Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Phases of Memory ❯ The Key ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: You should know by now what the warnings and stuff are, so let's get crackin' shall we?

Gundam Wing: Phases of Memory

Phase 09-The Key

By Sailor Celaeno

Nichola had found a way into the storage closet. She began going through the files methodically. She went through the files with precision and quickness. She had only a small window of time to find whatever she could.

"Freeze!" Nichola stopped in her tracks.

Trowa walked towards her. "Turn around Mira."

Nichola turned and gave him a sharp glare. He remained undeterred. He quickly handcuffed her and took her to an empty office. "All right. Just who are you?"

"I'm Mira Narkoff."

"The only Mira Narkoff from L3 died 30 years ago from lung cancer. Care to try again?"

Nichola stared as she considered the option of putting up a cold silent front, but her feelings wouldn't allow it. This man provoked a response in her that she couldn't quell with professional prudence. "I don't have to tell you anything, Preventer Barton. You think you can just stand there indifferently. Your coldness will break me. That's your little game. I'll get frustrated from your emptiness and tell you everything. That's how it's supposed to work, right?" she half growled at him.

Trowa had the oddest look on his face. Something about her impassioned outburst reminded him of another girl that talked just like that. She accused him of being empty and having nothing to lose. "Midii…"

It was her turn to have an odd look on her face. "Just what is it about that name that frightens me?"

"Frightens you?" Trowa stared at her curiously.

"That name gives me pangs of dread. I don't know why that name means anything to me."

Trowa stared hard at her face. "That's because, your name is Midii."

"What?"

*****

Quatre was very puzzled with everything from the last few days. He went back to the carousel, but the strong psychic energy wasn't there. Well to be precise, the energy wasn't strong enough for him to detect. Heero heard the problem. There was only one person that could help.

Quatre and Nova sat quietly in her office. "Hm…" she stared at him concentrating very hard. He could feel a strong, almost unfathomable amount of psychic energy emanating from his companion. Even though he knew that she was a strong energy source, he couldn't understand why he never felt the energy before. It was like seeing an elephant sitting on a fence. It was impossible for anyone with psi abilities to not detect her.

"Anything?" he asked.

Nova looked him as she normally looked at people. "You've never really used your powers before that vision, correct?"

Quatre nodded. "What does that mean?"

"Hm… I sense very strong energy from you. However, it's dormant."

Quatre was confused. "You mean that my powers weren't at work…"

Nova held her hands to stop him. "That was the tip of the iceberg." She continued when she saw the concerned look on his face. "You see Quatre, everyone has these Newtype factors. But once in a while, Nature decides something should change and creates a baby with its Newtype factors turned on."

"You mean you knew…"

"Of course I knew. Newtypes would naturally happen in this universe. However a few were sadly created for exploitation." She sighed before continuing. "The powers are activated by some sort of emotional or psychological stress. Each time you are stressed in this manner, more and more of your power awakens. At some point Quatre your potential will be realized."

"I'm just worried about what it all means. What about…"

"Yes?" Nova asked.

"What about my… children?"

"Their powers will awaken and be realized sooner than yours will. It's a bit frightening, but Quatre you have to understand that things happen because they were supposed to. You know that your powers could help everyone if you believe in it. You have the strength."

Quatre was silent for a moment. He looked at her strangely. "Could you wake them up?"

Nova stared at him incredulously. "Now Quatre…"

He rallied his determination. "I know you have the power to do that. I could feel that power, and I know you're hiding even more somehow. I can't help my friends and those innocent people without more power."

"But if you awaken too much power too quickly, it will drive you insane," she replied with concerned trepidation.

"You know I'll find a way." He put a hand on hers. "At least we'll both know that you won't let me get hurt."

Nova sighed with defeat. She told him to eat lunch first. He would feel very drained after the procedure. Two hours later, Quatre returned. To his surprise, he saw Iria with a large machine and electrodes. "Iria…"

She had a frown on her face. "I can't believe you're doing this."

"I have to do this."

Iria simply gestured her brother to lie on a metal, operating table. She attached the electrodes on his head. Soon Nova entered. She looked down at Quatre. "Are certain without a doubt?"

"I'm sure."

Nova looked at Iria. The doctor nodded as she pressed several buttons. Nova turned back to the young man on the table. "This is what happens. I'm going to give you a hypnotic suggestion. The suggestion will introduce all sorts of images into your mind. The images will cause emotional and psychic stress. Hidden in the vision will be a sign. During the vision, the stress may be intense and cause you to believe that everything is real. When you see the sign, concentrate on it, and you return to consciousness and be back in this room. You must leave the vision when the sign appears. You may also summon the sign to appear and leave whenever you wish. I can also make the sign appear because Iria tells me you're in danger. I can't sever the vision without you willing yourself out."

Quatre replied, "I understand."

"Now, your sign will be this…" she handed him a piece of paper with an image on it.

He saw the sign was a dove with an olive branch. "I got it."

"Good. Now let's begin."

*****

Sally and Wufei arrived at L4. It was a prosperous colony and they found it hard to believe that there would a soup kitchen with hundreds of people in the lines. Wufei sat on a chair to observe the people. Meanwhile Sally walked to a man. She gave a name. Wufei could see the man point towards the kitchen.

Sally walked to a woman stirring what appeared to be a large pot of soup. Sally spoke with a calm voice so the woman wouldn't be startled. "Andie Morrison?"

Andie looked up from the pot and gave Sally a look. She then replied, "Who wants to know?"

"I'm Preventer Water. I'd like to talk to you."

"What interest would the Preventers have in me?" she asked coolly without looking up from the pot she was stirring.

"The former leader of PAGE would have a great deal of valuable information."

Andie looked up. "I haven't been in contact with PAGE for nearly a year. I wouldn't have an idea about the craziness they've been up to lately. My former influence is gone and no use to you or anyone else."

Sally walked closer to Andie. "You can stop them from hurting other people. You know the serious nature of problems PAGE has been causing lately. Their protest rallies are turning into riots. You don't want violence to be your legacy, do you?"

Andie sighed as Sally concluded her rhetoric. "What exactly do you expect me to do?"

"Tell me about Maria and her baby."

*****

"Midii?" her face twitched from surprise and even disgust.

"That's your name. You may have dyed your hair, but I'd never mistake you for anyone else for long. I could tell there was something about you that I could recognize."

Something about the way he said that made her insides flutter. "I thought you hated Midii," she said in a soft, almost defeated voice as she watched him with downcast eyes.

"Midii and I have a relationship that isn't like any other. We're halves of each other. We are always bound together. Chaos and misery brought us together. Nothing else will ever split us." He leaned close to her.

Nichola was starting to quiver. She could hear his quiet, gentle breathing. She could smell a light scent of aftershave. He was staring into her eyes. He was so close that he could have kissed her. But something told her he didn't need to kiss her. She was already drawn to him. "Why are you confusing me?" A feeling of indignation bubbled inside. "How dare you try to turn my head so you can use me for your mission. I'm not Midii!"

Trowa looked deeply into her eyes, and saw confusion and fear. He was overwhelming her with all these words, but he couldn't stop. She had to see the truth, she had to know who she really is. Just what was this urgency he felt? "You're right. You're not Midii. Midii wouldn't be so frightened of me. Midii is dead and buried inside your mind. One day, you'll wake up and realize that you were never really alive. You'll see that you were living in a dream and a life that isn't really yours."

Nichola grew cold as she felt that there was something to what he said. "I thought I could find myself again. I don't know who I am. If I'm really Midii, then…"

"Tell me what happened to you."

*****

Quatre was very perplexed as the vision began. He found himself on a space station just like Peacemillion. There were hundreds of people running through the hallways. The "red alert" signal was blaring. There were hard vibrations shaking the station. A young brunette approached him. "Ensign! What are you doing standing here?"

Quatre glanced down at his uniform and saw he clearly had ensign ranking. "I'm sorry Lieutenant… Commander Sanderson."

Sanderson sighed. "You're probably one of those new cadets…" She turned to her left. "Follow me Ensign…"

"Ensign Winner." Quatre could almost swear everything in front of him was happening.

"Winner?" she sharply turned around and scrutinized every inch of Quatre's face. "Hn… if we survive this, then I want a word with you, Winner."

Quatre internally gulped. Something about his name set her off. "Yes ma'am." The station was violently shaking in the bombardment. Quatre braced himself against the walls when the trembling began again. He saw an ensign helping another ensign through the hallway. A white cloth covered the limping ensign's head, but it slowly turned red. Quatre frowned, trying to block out the hurt and terror he was feeling from the crew.

Sanderson remained silent as she led Quatre through the hallways. Her face remained calm as possible, and she was standing tall and proud, even as the ground beneath her feet quaked.

Quatre felt that she was a woman on a mission and she knew it was something greater than herself. Such pride and strength emanated from her being. Quatre could feel that power. Was he getting stronger then? Was his power awakening, while he was in this chaos? It was chaos as they continued, with the red alert signal blaring, and shouts of officers yelling orders to their subordinates.

*****

After a few minutes, Sanderson led Quatre to a huge room that was covered with all sorts of sophisticated technology. There was a lone woman, with red-brown hair furiously looking at every instrument. "Sarah, I found someone to help you. He's only a cadet, but he'll have to do."

Quatre observed this Sarah that Sanderson addressed. She was very pretty with her red-brown hair in a neat ponytail. Her eyes were sapphire blue as she smiled politely at her commanding officer. "Yes, ma'am."

Sanderson left the room. Quatre walked towards Sarah. He observed her ranking was Lieutenant and her name was Stuart. "What shall I do, Lieutenant?"

"I hope you're good at astrometrics."

Quatre smiled inwardly. He learned a great deal of astronomy that proved useful during the Eve War. "Yes ma'am."

"Ensign Winner huh…" Stuart smiled. "I'm sure Jo must have noticed your name."

Quatre had already begun reading instruments. "Jo?"

"Lieutenant Commander Sanderson." Stuart noted readings as she talked.

"Yes she did," Quatre frowned. He had started getting used to the shaking.

"Don't be so glum. If you're really a Winner, you're guaranteed influence on this station."

"Why's that?" Quatre looked up.

"Because Jo is a Winner."

Quatre was surprised. He didn't even realize he could have cousins. "I didn't know that."

"Well the joke is that a quarter of the ESUN Fleet is related to the Winners. In fact, I'm sort of connected to the Winners myself."

Quatre's mind was practically spinning. "How's that?"

"Well that's the interesting story. One of my relatives… in fact… two of them were comrades-in-arms with Jo's relative. They fought in the Eve War together, almost 90 years ago."

Quatre could have been knocked over with a feather at that tidbit.

*****

Iria looked up after she read his brain activity. "Just what is he seeing in there?"

"The possibilities of the future."

*****

Andie sipped her cup of coffee. She told Sally about how she met Maria. It was around that time she started PAGE. "Maria came to me for help because she was confused and scared. She had every reason to be afraid. Linner's benefactors were stealing all those poor kids. And the parents are `dealt with.' It's to ensure that no one, not even UESA or OZ would know. They called themselves the Society of New Humans or SONH. They were going to take control of the Earth and the colonies. There were some crimps in their plans. PAGE had a secret plan to hide Newtypes. We hid 10 kids, but most of them were located in spite of our best efforts. You know, the irony of the Eve Wars is that it created all these poor people at this soup kitchen, but Treize Khushrenada's mutiny proved to be invaluable. With a faction of the Alliance already creating an internal civil war, SONH knew they'd never have a chance to use the Newtypes. They weren't completely finished in their training. They wouldn't be a good army, even though their powers could potentially destroy any army sent to challenge them. Fact of the matter is those Newtypes were still children trying to accept themselves."

Sally nodded. "And when the Alliance disbanded, SONH abandoned their plans."

"That means those kids Linner created were for nothing. They're nothing more than freaks. In the eyes of humanity, they'll become a danger to everyone. These kids aren't able to interact normally with society. A few have gotten by, but they can't let anyone know about their powers. There are people still willing to take advantage of them. There is still evil lurking out there."

"Who leads PAGE now?" Sally asked.

Andie was strangely silent.

"You said you'd help."

"Let me finish my story…"

*****

AC 187-after the explosion

Cass felt that hatred filling her with such energy. She soon heard the sound of a woman shouting. "Shit!" the woman shouted. Cass could see it was Andie. "Damn it. It's too late."

Cass glared at the woman. "Where were you?"

"I went as fast as possible, but I couldn't get here on time. We gotta get going or else more of those men will swarm all around here."

Cass refused to move.

Andie growled. "I don't care if you have powers or not Cassandra Taylor! I'm not going to be afraid of a little girl that's a quarter of my age. I'm not letting anyone else get their hands on you. Your mother gave up her life so you could get away. I won't allow some sniveling, pouty brat make her sacrifice a waste!"

Cass stared at her with some sorrow. Andie grabbed her arm and dragged her into a car. They sped off to the airport.

*****

AC 198-soup kitchen, L4

"I took care of her. Treated her like she was my family. Of course the hate never left her heart. Something inside her made furious and she took over PAGE. She convinced everyone that our protests were being ignored. But she would get everyone's attention."

"It certainly worked," drawled Sally.

"I don't want anything to happen to her. It would break Maria's heart."

*****

Quatre was twitching violently. He groaned and shouted in his slumber. "May day! May day! I'm hit! I'm hit! Huh.. UHhhhhhhhhhhh…" he shook side to side on the platform. There was a strong glow surrounding him. His seizures were intensifying and the energy around him increased and he began floating up and down from the bed. "Don't… don't.. die!!!!" he screamed again in a fit as tears of anguish came.

Iria grew more frightened at what she was hearing and seeing in front of her. Quatre's readings were fluctuating and he was groaning and squirming as his visions continued. "We have to get him out. I don't want his vitals to keep up like this. He's getting out of control!"

Nova nodded and she sent Quatre the path to exit. "He'll be out in a minute."

Quatre's crying stopped. The ferocity of his grip had left semi-permanent dents in the tough foam covering of the bed's edges. He was sweating, and Nova wiped his forehead and face as his breathing heaved until it began slowing to normal.

Iria continued monitoring his vitals. She sighed with relief as his readings were returning to acceptable levels. She looked over to her little brother. She hated seeing him suffer.

*****

AC 186-L4

Quatre had a high fever. He constantly kicked his blankets to relieve his fever, but he shivered again. Iria got up from her seat and covered her brother again. She gently touched his forehead and fixed his tousled bangs. She was twice his age and she was more like his mother than his older sister. Father couldn't be there. He wasn't a nurse. Men like their father weren't the nursing type of fathers. He lacked the time and the patience. He was after all the head of the largest corporation in space. The other sisters weren't nurses either. Iria didn't mind being the nurse. As soon as she was old enough, she became the one to care for the sick, just as Quatrine, their late mother, would have done. It was while she cared for her sick siblings that she was inspired to be a doctor.

Quatre opened his eyes as she put a cold compress on his head. "Sister?"

Iria looked down at him. "Yes?"

"I'm hot."

Iria sighed. "I know Quatre, but you'll be better soon. Just keep yourself covered, and sleep. If you want to drink, I'll get you something."

"Promise?" Quatre looked up at her.

Iria gently wiped his forehead with the compress. "I won't let anything happen to you."

*****

AC 198-Present

Quatre sat up ten minutes later. He stared around him and he felt very odd. He placed his hands on his temples. His face was no longer filled with anguish. "I feel very strange." There was still a strong energy around him.

"It's more power flowing. You'll need to stay here for a few hours to get used to it," replied Nova.

Iria spoke next. "What did you see?"

Quatre shook his head sadly. "I don't think you'd believe it if I told you."

Next time: Sally and Wufei are hot on Cass's trail. Midii has to figure things out for herself. Hilde and Duo are also catching up to PAGE. Quatre's newly awakened power starts to give him some… problems. And some explosive revelations. All this next time in Phase 10-In a Heart Beat!

AN: Okay, Quatre's vision is based on a story idea I came up with a year ago. The idea came up after I did an RPG through AIM with my RPG-partner Killraven. This particular RPG I reference to is one that involves GW gen 2 charas that I created. Afterwards, I came up with another concept. I had planned to use and RPG the following scenario to test out this idea, but unfortunately time isn't on my side or my partner's. So this is an untested story idea. RPG's are great ways to work out my ideas. ^_^ I also enjoy my partner's input. I may return to this scenario in the future. So keep your eyes peeled!