Disclaimer:  Don't sue because I have the power of words!  HA!  Besides, I am not making any profit from this.

Part 9

"Excuse me." Said Quatre Raberba Winner as he came jogging up to the guard.
The guard turned in surprise.  He was on duty in the middle of a desert, guarding a huge fortress-like base, or more specifically, the gate to the base.  The odds that some guy would come up to him were a million to one.
"Who are you?" he ordered, drawing out his rifle, staring down suspiciously at the young man.
"I work here."
"Never seen you around."
Quatre grinned sheepishly. "No, I suppose not.  Tell me; is this a Preventer's base?  Because I was going to destroy it if it was." He lied shrewdly.
The bearded man laughed loudly. "'Afraid not.  What you've got here is the opposite!"
Before the man could react, he was lying unconscious on the ground, and Quatre was straddling his gun.
"Sorry I had to do that." The blonde millionaire said sincerely.

Sally heaved an annoyed sigh as the screen-phone rang yet again.
So this is what useless soldiers do for a living. She mused to herself as she accepted the call.
"Hya Duo." She greeted as soon as she saw the braided boys face. "What'd you need?"
"I'm on my way to the base like I'm supposed to." Answered Duo so seriously that Sally cringed. "So is Trowa.  But we have a little problem with him."
"Oh?"
Duo nodded. "He said his vertigo was done with."
"Is he okay?" questioned Sally nervously.  Being a doctor, she knew vertigo wasn't something to be messed with.
"He's fine.  Just freaked out during the shuttle ride."
"Huh.  Tell me what happened."
"Went really silent.  Eerie like.  Then he started to yell." Sighed Duo, his eyes flashing. "He collapsed unconscious when he stopped yelling.  And he's been like that ever since."
"Unconscious?"
Duo shook his head. "Just - really out of it.  Sleeps a lot.  Can't walk really."
"So what do you plan to do?"
"We're going to bring him over to your ward." Answered Duo sadly. "Have him rest, and maybe he can get back in the game later."
Poe nodded. "Thanks for telling me, Duo." She said.
"Sure thing.  Bye."  The screen clicked off and the connection was deleted.

Okay. Thought Quatre to himself. All I have to do is set a few bombs and explode this base, and then I'm out of here.
He reached reassuringly into his knapsack, thrown casually over his shoulder, his fingers scraping the cool metal.  Then he bounded on through the hallways.
"Hey, what are you doing here?!" roared a guard as Quatre turned a corner.  In moments the guard was silenced.
Quatre mentally slapped himself for being so hasty.  Now where to hide the body.?  There!
His eyes flashed as he sighted a broom closet.  With aching hands he heaved the large soldier into the tiny compartment.
Geez. Thought Quatre.  What does this guy eat?
His job done, Quatre was off again into the wide maze of halls.  Immediately his eyes caught the door to a room, a restricted room.  Not being able to stand the curiosity, Quatre investigated it.
It was filled with panels of buttons, and a wide array of screens.
The Control Room.
Quatre managed a smirk, and ran up to the medley, taking out a mine from his bag and placing it delicately underneath a keyboard.  His hands flew over the machine, setting it for 3 hours.
Just enough time for me to place a few more and then get out of here.

1 and a half hours later, Quatre was placing his last bomb.  He reached down to program it, but a hand stopped him, resting on his shoulder.
Starting in surprise, Quatre raised his head immediately, ducking as a fist reached out, trying, and failing, to hit him.
"Quatre Winner!" yelled the man gruffly, probably recognizing him from the photos of him during the dinner party attack.
Quatre did not answer, rolling under him and kicking out so that the man tripped.  He moved quickly - indeed, he did not even see the man's face as doing so.  Then he was out the door.
Around him he heard the alarm go off, and he cursed under his breath.  So clumsy!
Officers, peeking out of their doors to see the commotion in the hallway, lunged at him.  Quatre dodged them all skillfully.
"Gundam scum!" screeched the soldier that had sighted him in the room.
Quatre paled, and speeded up.
"'Scuse me." He said politely, while leaping over one man.  Someone grabbed at his legs - he kicked and they let go, then someone was on his chest - Quatre threw them off.
Hastily, he grabbed for his remote, one that would summon his suit.  The disturbance slowed him, and he yelled as a body pounded into him, knocking him to the ground, sending the remote spinning.  The remote didn't matter, however, he had already managed to activate it.
He fought the person off him, but he was careless, and the weight of it sent the small young man into the wall.  Winner yelled a few coarse words and began to flee again, finally, with relief, exploding into fresh air and blue skies.
Somewhere behind him a gun was fired.  His heart pounding, Winner searched the sky frantically for his suit.
His eyes flashed as they struck it, a small speck in the sky, descending toward him.  Within seconds it was before him, and before anybody could stop him, he leaped into its cockpit.
He sighed heavily as the door closed, and he rose up into the air, ready to fight.  It was a good thing, too.  In moments a fleet of mobile dolls was airborne, their one command being: kill the pilot!
Quatre winced at the array.
A small fleet, he mused, but this is a small base.  Very well.  I would ordinarily try and destroy it all, but the bomb matter is still there.
Quatre knew that his one move should be to try and get away.  He did not want to be caught in the explosion.  But how could he do that without having them chase him?
He heaved a sigh, and with a blast of the engines, began to battle.

Janna leaned back into the relaxing seat.  Her money and power was certainly good sometimes.  It had got her this shuttle ride practically free, had it not?
I am going to find you, Quatre. She promised. I am going to find you 'in hiding', and then you are going to do some explaining.
She sighed, closing her eyes sleepily, flashing black eyes that shone with determinacy.  Her long hair was totally free and loose today, billowing awkwardly around her head.
She reopened her eyes, staring out the window into the black void of space, as if it held answers for her questions.  And her questions were many.
Why does Quatre know how to fight so well?  Why is he in hiding?  Was he really in hiding 3 years ago?  Why did Lady Une say that I should come to the main Preventers base?  Why does a gun-carrying braided priest know Quatre?
A gentle hand, hers, caressed her cheek weakly, as she wondered.  Her questions were her only answers.  And if there is one thing that Janna hates, it's being left out of something.
Maybe.maybe.this sounded ridiculous to her, but it was just a thought.
Gundam pilot?
"Hello Miss?"
Janna turned.  The flight attendant.
"Yes?"
"Would you like a drink?  We have Cola, Fizzy Lime, Cherry Coke - "
Janna cut her off mid-sentence with a wave of her hand.
"No thank you." She smiled grimly.
The attendant nodded and turned to the next customer.
And Janna in turn turned back to her deep ponderings, trying desperately to remember what she had called her brother, but it was no longer there.  Like a raindrop in an endless ocean, it was gone, fogged over.
It was a shame too, for she did know that it - it actually had made sense to her.

Quatre plowed through yet another mobile suit in the long battle.
This is taking to long.he thought worriedly to himself. That bomb is going to explode soon. As he thought this he fired a shot from his beam cannon, an explosion in the mist proving his good aim.
His suit ducked as a shot came towards him, from the back.  Quatre turned to meet this new threat, wincing, as he had to dodge another shot.  He quickly did a fancy maneuver in the air, ending up so that he was at it's back, firing again and destroying the suit.
He grinned a little.  He felt truly free in the battlefield.  It was not the battlefield, you see, that was the problem - it was the before and after that he loathed.
His smile faltered, however, as he saw a new fleet dispatch from the base.  This now doubled his enemies.
That's it.  I'm not going to be able to survive this.  I'm going to have to run for it.
He hit a suit with his beam cannon again, and then blasted off away from the array.  He was clumsy in his haste, however, and felt a sharp blow directed towards his back.
Quatre let out a little yell of surprise, trying to twist and see the new opponent, but was stopped as he was hit again, still in the back.
"Damn!" he cursed, his eyes flashing.  Another hit - I don't know if this suit can take it.
His questions were answered, as he was hit again, this time even worse than before.  The suit took it, but barely.  Quatre's hands flew over the control board nervously.  He worried that he would hit the ground, and if he did that, he was dead.
Though Quatre could not see it, the suit raised its cannon for another blow.  It would have come across Quatre's suit with a sickening crunch, was it not for the fact that fate had other plans for the blonde pilot.
Another suit, not a mobile, piloted by a human, intervened.  Quatre's fierce attacker soon found itself thrown out of the way, exploding shortly thereafter.
Quatre's pulse quickened.  Though the new pilot had helped him, that did not mean that they were comrades.  And he was in no shape for a battle with this suit.
Luckily for him, the new pilot did not have a battle in mind.  It lifted up Quatre's broken suit, fired at a few more mobile's, and then blasted off into the distance, still toting Quatre.
"You okay?" questioned the pilot sweetly once they were out of range.
Quatre's eyes widened in surprise.  And though he could not see the pilot, he immediately recognized the voice.
"Dorothy!"

Dorothy did not speak another word until they touched down an hour later.  That was fine for Quatre, whose injuries had made him sleepy.
When they finally did land in the desert, however, Quatre had a few questions for Dorothy.
"How'd you find me?" he asked, jumping out of his cockpit.
Dorothy managed a grim smile. "I'm rich Winner." She answered, twisting to see him, her hair flowing with her. "I have resources."
"Is that how you got this suit?" Quatre motioned to her suit, large against the golden sea.
She nodded.
Winner sighed, plopping himself on the sand, covering his face tiredly with his hands. "Why?"
"I felt bad.  We didn't leave each other on good terms."
"Oh, so you buy a top quality flying suit and travel hundreds of miles to save me at a base?"
She shrugged.
For a moment there was complete quiet.  Then Quatre began his lecture.
"What were you thinking?" he asked quietly, his eyes flashing. "You could have gotten yourself killed." He paused. "This isn't your fight."
"Maybe not." Bounced back Dorothy levelly. "But it's my peace."
Quatre straightened up, not answering this, continuing sullenly. "I don't understand you!" he declared.
Dorothy shrugged again. "Most don't." she said. "But let me tell you something Quatre - I saved your life out there.  Wouldn't you do the same for Janna?"
"You're not my sister!"
"I'm glad you noticed."
Quatre started, his eyes widening.  Dorothy stared back innocently at him, her eyes, pale and blue, shining like the heart of fire.
Then, surprising her, his mouth broke into a wide grin.
"Come on." He offered his hand to her.  Dorothy stared at it for a moment, and then accepted, and they walked back to their suits.

"May I come in, Vertical?" came a voice through Vertical's door.
Vertical was in his private study, and would've preferred to be alone for the moment.  However, just as Peacecraft had responsibilities, so did he, so he boomed back, "Of course."
The door opened with a creak, and the officer Jameson came in.
Vertical winced.  Jameson and he were constantly clashing.
Jameson.  The man had short black hair and beard, sharp features, and flashing green eyes, almost sickeningly like, earning him the nickname of Venom.
Their differences were many.  Jameson was much more radical than Vertical.  If he had his way he would just commit the ultimate doomsday on the world, destroying life, as we know it.  He lacked.tact, he supposed.
Jameson, meanwhile, felt that Vertical was much too diplomatic towards the enemy.  He was weak.
Both the men were leading officers in the organization.  And though publicly they were best chums, behind the scenes they loathed each other.
"What would you like?" questioned Vertical with a wave about his office, an incredibly fake smile playing at his lips.
"I'm not stupid, Vertical." Cut off Jameson quickly. "Don't try to smother me with your pleasantries.  I won't let you go through with the meeting!"
"Oh, please, Jameson.  I am the head of this organization, you cannot think of stopping me!"
Jameson's eyes flashed threateningly, but he said nothing.
"Besides," continued Vertical, "I don't plan to actually have an honest meeting with her.  You've sent for the bomb, right?"
"I don't care!  We shouldn't even be trying to sneak around their backs like this!  We're acting like them!"
"James, you did order the bomb, right?"
Jameson sighed heavily. "Yes." He admitted.
"Good."
For a moment, silence reigned. Then,
"I was the one who hacked into Lady Une's personal files." Pouted Jameson.
"And I thank you dearly for it.  I was the one, however, who recovered the Gundams."
"Using my information." Interrupted Jameson.
Vertical had heard enough.  He rose out of his chair, his eyes flashing, ready to kill.
"Don't lead a mutiny, Jameson!" he screeched. "I know what you did with Abul!"
"What'd I do?"
"Don't be coy with me.  You warned that pilot 05."
"I had too."
"Damn you!"
Jameson, surprised by this outburst, took a step back, eyes still trained angrily on Vertical. "I'll approve of this on one condition." He said coldly.
"What's that?" Vertical calmed down somewhat.
"Let me be the one to meet with Relena Peacecraft."
Vertical's eyes widened, and his hand went for his gun immediately.  Jameson realized this, stepping back, unarmed and horrified.
But startling both of them, Vertical's hands stopped in mid-air.
"Fine." He hissed.  He withdrew his hand and placed it in his pocket. "But you have to let me take another action then, without argument, all right?"
Jameson, eyes wary, accepted the deal. "Alright."
"I want to take Heavyarms and attack the main Preventers base.  While you are having this meeting with Peacecraft."
Jameson nodded.
"Leave." Breathed Vertical. "And don't mess this up.  I want Jacobs and Peacecraft dead."
"May I request Abul to aide me?"
"Go ahead."
Jameson nodded again and left the room, the door clanging loudly after his departure.

Lady Une sighed deeply as the com link beeped.  Again.
Will this damned secretary give me no rest? She wondered angrily to herself, withdrawing her hand from her enormous stack of paperwork.
"What is it?' she asked as she accepted the call.
"Quatre Winner has just reported from his search duty." Came the high-pitched voice.
"Already?"
"He found a base."
God, the Gundam pilots are good. She grinned. "Did he destroy it?"
"Affirmative.  But his suit is wrecked."
"Oh dear.  Thank you for telling me - " Une began to terminate the connection but was stopped by the secretary.
"Wait, miss.  He also has the girl Dorothy Catoliona with him."
"What?!"
The secretary cleared her throat. "Er, he will be back in an estimated two days."
Lady Une nodded, heaving a sigh. "Thank you." She repeated, and shut off the connection.
She leaned deeply into her chair, her hands rubbing her stressed temples.
God help us.

Sally was sitting, very bored, in the med room when they arrived.
Duo stood in the doorway, his breath ragged, and Hilde stood next to him.  Behind them was Catherine.
"Can you give me a hand?" asked Duo, supporting the weak Trowa.
Poe nodded, jumping up from her seat, and lunging for clean sheets.  He was worse than she had expected.
"I didn't expect him to do this," said Catherine, her face pale.
"Lie him down there." Instructed Sally to Duo. Then she turned to Catherine, her eyes serious. "He needs a lot of bed rest, obviously.  A couple of weeks at least." Her eyes shot over to Trowa nervously. "Catherine, I'll need you to take this to the labs." She sat down at her desk, scribbling something quickly.  "As for you, Duo and Hilde, Lady Une requested your presence when you arrived here."
She handed the prescription to Catherine, advising, "There are arrows all over the place.  It shouldn't be hard." Then she turned back to Duo and Hilde with a nod.
They nodded back and were off, leaving Sally alone with Trowa.

At the same time, halfway across the building, Janna had arrived.
She waltzed up to the secretary in the main lobby, brushing back a bit of bang, and her eyes flashing.  The air was thick with smell of coffee and the buzzes of phones and faxes.
"I need to see Une." She said, setting down her suitcase.
The secretary, with a sharp face, looked up from her paperwork awkwardly.
"Business?"
"I suppose." Answered Janna carefully. "I'm searching for a relative."
"Then you'll have to go to The Bureau Of Missing Persons -" began the secretary, handing her a pamphlet.  But Janna cut her off.  Janna gabbed the pamphlet, throwing it onto the ground.
"I am the sister of Quatre Winner." She hissed through her teeth. "And if you don't direct me to Une's office, I will sue the sorry ass off you."
The secretary nodded weakly and pointed in the right direction.
"Thank you." Nodded Janna, her voice quiet and sweet again.  She picked up her suitcase and left.




Author's Note:  Next part handles the fabled meeting with Jameson and Relena.  If you were paying attention, you would have realized that Wufei would be the guard and Jameson knew Wufei because he warned him.if that doesn't confuse you, please read part 10!  Oh my god, I'm on part 10 already.