It had been three years altogether since the one year war.  This was the war that had made the innocent student Relena Peacecraft Queen of the World, threw five young men into Gundams, and all in all changed life the way we knew it.
    But the peace was fragile.  The thousands that had died for peace would find themselves the leading cause for war.  Emotions ran high.  Many wanted revenge, or even just the knowledge of, who had killed their father, their wife...
    Meanwhile, the prominent people of the war tried to keep their lives as normal as possible.  Lt. Lucrezia Noin, respected soldier of The Preventers, and Milliard Peacecraft, had plans to wed.  Sally Poe was busy with a few different missions, all of them tranquil compared to what they had experienced in the past.  Lady Une had taken head of The Preventers and was doing a damn good job.
    Meanwhile, politically, Relena Peacecraft had taken on a political role as Head Of Public Relations.  Dorothy Catoliona was working closely with Quatre Winner, unknown Gundam pilot, on some company project that dealt with Winner's huge fortune.
    The other Gundam pilots were enjoying their newly found, quiet lives.  Wufei Chang had returned to his life of a scholar.  Duo Maxwell was taking a few classes at an L2 college, in his spare time dating Hilde Shcbeiker.  Trowa Barton continued his work at the circus, starring in knife throwing acts with his sister, Catherine.  As for the pilot 01, Heero Yuy, he had disappeared as usual.  The only traces of him were were occasional messages to The Preventers, warning them of paltry things such as mercury port explosions or small rebel groups.
    Peace was finally looking like a possibility.

    It ws a beautiful night.  Wufei knew that, of course.  He knew how beautiful the stars were.  Probably the only others on the planet who shared this knowledge were the other Gundam pilots.
    He lifted his head from the book he was reading, staring out the window only a few yards away.  The library was wonderfully serene.  Quiet.  Lovely.
    He shut the book on the spot, and forced it into the crowded shelf.  Then he returned to the beckoning side of the window.  Sparkling pieces of heaven shone at him.
    Enough studying for now. he told himself. I have a lecture tomorrow, and I will accomplish nothing without rest.
    He could not help but smirk at this statement of his.  While piloting his Gundam he rarely got sleep, but he was able to function as well as ever.  Could he be getting lazily?
    Next to the call of the heavens, he couldn't help but wonder how the other pilots were doing.  They had never really been friends, rarely been allies, and always been competitors.  So why was it that e was always thinking of them, and even worrying about them.  He even found himself wondering about the whereabouts of 02, a boy with a motor for a mouth.
    He decided to wish them well and stop his thoughts at that.  It was a late, he was tired, and the lecture was, after all, important.  He moved to pick up a few books he needed.
    Suddenly his well trained hearing picked up the creak of a board.  Wufei spun around, his hands feeling quickly for the comforting metal of his gun.

    "You okay?"
    Trowa turned.  It was his sister, Catherine.
    "Yes." he said quietly, strapping on his clown suspenders. "I'm fine."
    Catherine smiled. "Just wondering.  You seemed a little pale, thetas all."
    "I didn't get much sleep last night." said Trowa truthfully.  he moved to the door of the trailer, giving his sister a quick kiss on the forehead.
    Catherin opened the door for him, her short brown hair swerving with her turn. "We have a tough show tonight.  Do you wanna practice?"
    "A Gundam pilot doesn't need to practice." he said, sullen as ever.  It took catherine a moment to realize what he had said.
    "Oh really." she grinned, giving him a playful smack at the back of his head.
    "What was that for?' bounced back Trowa innocently, trotting down the steps of the trailer.
    "Oh, I just thought a pilot like you could block it, that's all."
    "Huh." Trowa retreated into the circus tent.
    Catherine sighed, leaning on the side of the trailer.  It was a lovely night in the colony.  She closed her eyes dreamily.  Her spirits were soaring.  Every day Trowa seemed a little more connected with reality, and more disconnected with the battlefield.  Life was grand at the circus for him.  The crowd loved him.  he loved doing the shows.  And he had finally found her, a loving sister who would heal his wounds.
    Her eyes wrenched open as something cold sloshed against her.  Cold and wet.  Water!
    She sputtered, sopping wet, staring at Trowa.  With a bucket in one hand, glittering eyes, and a sweet smile playing at his lips, he was the perfect embodiment of innocence.
    "Trowa Barton!" yelled Catherine, not whether to laugh or cry.
    "I just thought an acrobat like you could dodge it, that's all." he told her, that horribly innocent grin still on his face.

    Duo Maxwell had had a hard day of classes.  In the morning there was astronomy.  then early afternoon presented the wonders of complex algebra.  The day wrapped up with history.  It was enough to wear out even him.
    Now, with a tired grin, he crossed over from the bunk bed to the dorm room door. Jason Smith, an America with jet black hair and sea blue eyes peered out from the higher bed.
    "Whatcha doing, Duo?"
    Duo yawned for a response. "I'm going to see Hilde." he said mid yawn.
    Jason grinned. "You'll get in trouble," he reminded the brown braided Maxwell. "Nobody's allowed to leave after 10:00, remember?"
    "That's only for the untrustworthy students."
    Jason snorted. "Aren't you afraid of one of Sensai Howard's' lectures?"
    "I'm more afraid of that wart on his nose." Duo flung open the door and mock saluted Jason. "See ya!  Maybe me and Hilde will go to the circus."
    "You don't care what anyone thinks, do ya?  Pure rebel."
    As Duo closed the door behind him and walk swiftly down the hall, his braid bouncing behind him, he could not help but think,
    More than you know.
 
    "So what do you think, Quatre?  Quatre?" Dorothy sighed.  he was in one of those moods again.
    The two of them stood alone in his private study.  Quatre loved the room because of the huge window located to the right side of it.  It was certainly a spectacular view - you could almost see the whole L2 colony from here.
    Dorothy grinned.  It was not only a spectacular view to the young, blonde haired millionaire, but also a spectacular distraction.
    Such is the ill fate of a find of a Gundam pilot. mused Dorothy to herself.
    "Hey, you okay?" she tapped on his shoulder.
    Quatre turned, surprised. he felt a sudden weirdness at being being torn from his day-dream to the pretty face of Dorothy so quickly.
    "Oh, sorry Dorothy.  You were talking about a party to reveal our idea?"
    She nodded. "We could invite Noin and Relena, too  Wouldn't it be a nice excuse to see them again?"
    "Yes." grinned the shy young man. "That would be nice." he turned back to the window.
    Dorothy let out an inner sigh.  They had become friends, true.  But one cannot forget the past... and how can you have eyes for the one you stabbed?
 
    Relena sighed.  It had been a tough day.
    Reporters wanted to know what was going to happen with the stocks in the future.  Lady Une had sent her more military paperwork.  At times she wondered if Queen Of The World would have been this difficult.
    She quietly brushed her long, honey gold locks, separating the snarls of sweaty life, and unknotting the knots that came with hard work.
    "Relena?"
    Noin.  She set the brush down, and turned to face, her sister-in-law, ally, and friend.
    "Yes?"
    Noin was grinning. "Good news.  We've been invited to Quatre and Dorothy's' unveiling party.  You know that they've been working on some financial idea for the past couple months, right?"
    Relena nodded. "Dorothy said something about it being for charity.  When is it?"
    "Well, today's Tuesday, and they've set it for Thursday... two days, I suppose."
    "That's great." Relena smiled warmly. "I don't know about the other Gundam pilots, but it seems that Quatre is really trying to do something with his life."
    "Yes." Noin suddenly heard a soldier call her. With an "Excuse me." she ran out of the room.
    Relena turned back to the mirror, quietly examining her reflection.
    A young woman, roughly 18 years of age, stared back at her.  Silent blue yes watched her, forever alert.  Gold hair laid spread about her shoulders.
    A single, shaking finger reached out and touched the others eye.
    It was disturbing.  How could she look at her own face and find it so strange?
    "Heero...what are you doing with your life?"

    That night, Relena found herself unable to sleep.  A forbidding presence in the dark seemed to tear her eyes open.
    Minute by minute passed by slowly.  they turned into hours.  Finally she gave up to her insomnia, wrenching herself out of bed.  She teetered to the mirror, trying to focus on her reflection.
    She wasn't the only one in the mirror.
    "Heero." she swerved around, her honey tresses following suit. "What're you doing here?" she questioned.
    The young man with unruly black hair kept an unwavering stare on her. "I cam to warn you." he said, undaunted. "You're in danger, Relena."
    She let a little grin pass over lips.  She moved closer to him, as if some force was willing her too.
    "Of what?"
    "There's a new rebel group out there." his voice continued on the same emotionless monotone.
    She sighed. "Heero, there always is."
    "This one's different." he moved closer, gripping her shoulders awkwardly. "
    "Heero..." Relena's voice trailed off.  Why was it that when she was close to him, her senses seemed to explode?  What was so special about this boy?
    "Just be careful." Heero fought off the emotion to grab the girl to his chest.  He felt this way he could always protect her.  But something told him he couldn't.  Something told him that he couldn't, that it was impossible, that it would only bring more pain.  To her.  To Relena.
    He let loose his grip on her and was gone, through the window and into the precious night.
 
    Wufei tensed.  He'd heard something, he knew.  He hadn't been among the best damn terrorists for a year not to know an attack when he heard one.
    Slowly he withdrew his gun.  Pointing into empty air, he turned and surveyed the dark room.  He silently cursed himself for being so fond of reading in the dark.
    Nothing.  Was he going crazy?
    Then it happened.  Wufei let out a yell of pain and frustration as unknown hands brought their fits painfully against his right shoulder.  The gun dropped, and he was spun across the floor of the darkened room.
    But he was a Gundam pilot.  He wrenched his body upright and blocked more blows with his left arm.  His right was badly bruised - he wasn't sure if he could move it.
    He kicked out, snapping his attackers leg painfully.  The man cried, and dropped to the floor.  Wufei smirked.  Suddenly, more hands groped at his injured arm.
    Impossible!  A second!?
    They were behind him!  He tried to spin to face this new enemy, but by now they had him firmly by the pained arm.  Cool metal was pressed into the back of his neck.
    "Don't move." came a man's burly voice. "I'll shoot."
    Wufei scowled.  the man in front of him was getting up, having recovered from Wufei's leg move.  This first man was tall and limber.  Shadows covered most of his features, but the could not hide the hideous green eyes.  Snake, glinting, snake eyes.
    Green Eyes eyed Wufei with contempt. The man behind him tightened his grip.
    "You're so weak." Wufei laughed. "You hide behind this man." he motioned to the man behind him. "You can't do your own fighting."
    Green Eyes grinned. "I know who you are." he said, his voice oily. "A Gundam pilot."
    Wufei stopped his struggle with the man behind him. "How?"
    The man did not answer. "I also know the others." his voice was a monotone. "Heero Yuy.  Duo Maxwell.  Trowa Barton.  Quatre Winner."
    Wufei was silent.  Pure hate boiled in his fiery black eyes.
    "I'm from a new organization called The Understanding.  I wanted to warn you.  I find you five respectable." an evil smirk played at his lips. "Others in my group don't.  You do realize how much everyone hates you, don't you?  Lost mothers, brothers..."
    The strong man behind Wufei dropped him.  Wufei fell softly to the floor, his own horrors consuming him...
    "Be careful." continued the man. "This information could be fed to the media at any time.  And if that doesn't happen, the other mugs in my group will get you."  Wufei noticed that his voice was becoming more distant.  The man was leaving.  Even after the door to the secluded library was shut, and the pair had left, Wufei stayed in his position.  A single prominent thought lay on his mind.
    Warn the other pilots.

    "So where exactly are we going?" asked Hilde at the surprise of her boyfriend.
    "I was thinking the circus." Duo said with a wave of two tickets beneath her nose. "Plus, the one Trowa belongs to is in town.  It'd be like old times."
    Hilde grinned an jumped into Duo's arms with squeal, almost knocking him over.  "Careful there, Hilde!" laughed Duo. 'Gundam pilot choked to death by deranged girl!"
    He twirled her in the air and then set her down. "Now you coming or what?"
    "Of course." said Hilde with a sparkle of her violet eyes.
    The pair left the scrap yard and began on the road to Trowa's circus.
 
    The crowd cheered as Trowa Barton leaped into the air, dodging five of his sister's knifes and returning three of his own.  Catherine dodged them, cart wheeling gracefully.
    At that moment, identical thoughts flashed through the twins minds.
    Time for the finale.
    Catherine flipped her way over to a bucket of twenty or more knifes.  Then, taking deadly aim, she began to throw.  This was hard.  For the desired effect she would have to throw them unmercifully quick, and Trowa would have to dodge like his life depended on it - and it did.
    It went perfectly.  Catherine's hands soon became sore with the quick tossing, but she hadn't made a mistake yet.  Trowa jumped and dodged, doing fancy spins in the air that made the crowd ooh and aah.
    There was flash and a puff of smoke.  Then, before the crowd knew it, the duo were mid bow in the middle of the ring.
    "Ladies and Gentleman, we hope you have enjoyed the show." came the ringmaster, running in front of them. "Please remember to neatly disperse of your garbage on the way out!"
    That was it.  Another show was done.
    Trowa retreated into the trailer, exhausted.  He hadn't felt himself lately.  he wondered briefly if he was coming down with something.  Pulling out a rag, he began to wipe the sweat off his brow.  Behind him, he heard the click of the of the videophone go on.  His body tensed.  He knew no one he could call friends beside the other Gundam pilots...
    He turned to it, and pushed the button that would accept the call.  there ws another click.
    "Trowa?"
    "Wufei?" Surprise crept over Trowa's usually calm and even moody voice. "Is something wrong?  Why are you clutching your shoulder like that?"
    Wufei opened his mouth to answer, but he was cut off as the door to Trowa's trailer flew open and the Gundam pilot Duo made his entrance.
    "Hey!  Trowa!  Long time no see!" called the perky young man, pulling an embarrassed Hilde behind him. "That was a great show - you ought to teach me how to do that, and - say, who's that on the phone?"
    Duo swung himself in front of the screen to see.
    "Hey, Wolfy-Chang!  How are ya!  Whoa - is this cool or what - now all we need is Quatre and Heero - "
    Wufei's' stare was cold. His face was set in a worse scowl than ever. "Duo Maxwell, if you don't have anything mature to say, please get off the line...this is important."
    Duo sighed, and tore his face from the screen. "Fine, whatever.  I see you're a bundle of joy today."
    "Don't leave." commanded Wufei's voice. "This is important.  I was attacked, and it concerns all of us."
    Duo's eyes went wide.  Trowa shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
    "Umm...Hilde...could you know, um, leave?" asked Duo quietly.  His mind spun.  Why did he feel like more fighting ws coming up?
    Hilde nodded, and the door clanged loudly after her departure.
    "What did you learn?" asked Trowa, is face a mask devoid of emotions. "Who attacked you?"
    "Is that why your arm is hurt?" questioned Duo.
    Wufei nodded. "My arm was injured in battle.  As for my attacker, have you all heard of The Understanding?"
    "Yeah." put in  Duo. "That's that new rebel group."
    "And they've figured out who we are."
    "What?!" roared Duo. "You serious?"
    "Listed us off."
    "Shit!"  Duo brought his fist angrily to the side of the trailer, causing the whole thing to shake.
    "Calm down, Maxwell!" scolded Wufei. "Trowa, what do you think?"
    Trowa sighed deeply.  His eyes were closed. "I don't know what to think." he opened his eyes, and finally said. "Heero's disappeared."
    "He's always gone." replied Wufei quietly.
    "We can't warn him."
    "We also can't waste time looking for a weakling that can't face reality."
    Duo's voice cut into the conversation. "What're they planning to do with the information?"
    "They said that it was still under discussion.  They said - oh, what did he say...oh yeah - he said that he respected us but others in their group didn't.  he said that if they didn't release it to the media, then we should watch out for others in his group - subordinate mob memebers, I suppose..."
    Duo listened to this answer and then popped in another question. "Who gets to tell Quatre the lucky news?"
    "I've done enough telling you pilots." replied Wufei. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lecture tomorrow."
    There was a last click and the screen went dark.
 
    It was late.  Trowa felt strangely dizzy.
    What's wrong with me? he wondered sleepily. He did not feel like himself.
    His body seemed oddly disconnected with rest of him.  A cool mist seemed to surround him as he plummeted into his dreams...
    He was falling.  Falling.  Falling.  Falling.  Into what?  Nowhere.  Where was he?  that was the only thing he was sure about...he was in space.  He couldn't breathe.
    Faces loomed in front of him.  Who were they?  He didn't know.
    There was a boy...he had a smirk and a long braid, a long brown braid...another, with unruly brown hair and cold eyes.  His lips were moving...they were saying 'Perfect Soldier'...someone else...black hair tied into a tight ponytail, warm black eyes that seemed to shimmer justice...one more...a young man again...he knew this one, but he did not know his name...he had blue, blue eyes and blonde hair...
    A girl.  Innocent, loving, caring, with short brown hair and chocolate brown eyes...he wanted to reach out to her, to tell her worried face that he was fine, that he would always be fine, and that he would make her fine...fine and safe...but he couldn't, because this was a lie...
    Then there was a monster in front of him.  A metal monster, large, terrifying, and it had killed, so many times...
    With him.  It had killed with him...
    Trowa erupted into screams of fear and helplessness.

Author's Note:  This is my first fan fiction, so please go easy on the criticism.  I know, it was long, and don't expect them to get shorter...sorry.  I hope you like it, and there will be a lot more of Quatre in part 2.  See ya later.