Whumping fic - 1/3
Swords of a Soldier
Rating: NC 17
Pairings: 2+4, OMCx4
Summary: Some battles are won and others are lost, but in a war the consequences are severe and not always honorable.
Warnings: Violence, graphic NCS/rape, torture, angst, language. This story explores dark topics; please don't read if you are offended by any of these subjects. Also Alternative Timeline and non-linear writing style.
Archive: Gundanium Line
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters used in this fic.
Notes: Written for the Whumped!Quatre Ficathon, filling Harvest Blue's request.
Thanks a lot to Anne for the beta and all the help and support while writing the fic.
____
Part One
Treize stepped out of the shuttle, taking a few steps before stopping and looking at his surroundings. There were about fifteen mobile suits in the hangar bay and one large shuttle. Apparently the explosion hadn't damaged this part of the satellite. The electrical door in front of him slid open and three men walked up to him. They all saluted him respectfully and Treize nodded at them.
"Welcome, your Excellency," said one of them. Judging by the uniform and the stripes on his shoulder he was the officer in charge. "I'm Lieutenant Chase. We are honored to have you in our facility-"
"Spare me the pleasantries," said Treize, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "A verbal report of the events will be sufficient." He walked towards the door, the three officers following him.
Chase walked just a step behind Treize. "At four hundred hours yesterday morning our perimeter was breached. There was an explosion in the Mobile Doll production facility and the storage rooms. The damage was severe, not a single Mobile Doll was salvaged."
Treize didn't care for Mobile Dolls. When he was informed that one of his space divisions had managed to take control of one production facility from the White Fang, Treize had decided to dismantle the dolls and use the parts as spares for regular Mobile Suits. He wouldn't fight a war where humans weren't involved. "How did the explosions affect other areas?"
"It didn't," replied Chase. "The damage was contained."
A smirk graced Treize's lips. The detonations had been set up skillfully, not wasting resources in destroying unnecessary targets, but instead focusing on the main objective. The one who had done it was a worthy adversary. "How did you manage to capture the pilot?"
Chase stood up straighter and raised his chin. "I sent out patrol groups as soon as we heard the detonation and one of them caught the intruder. They surrounded him and ultimately managed to secure him."
"How many casualties?" Treize didn't particularly like Chase's wording. It was obvious that the man was trying to make things sound better than they had been.
A small cough escaped Chase's lips and then he cleared his throat. "One of our men was killed by the explosion and another was wounded. He broke his leg but he'll recover." He paused for a moment. "Five more were killed when we apprehended the intruder, and another two were severely injured."
Treize made a mental note to ask for the names of the deceased later and to visit the wounded men. "Is the intruder responsible for that?" he asked, gesturing to Chase's bandaged hand.
The lieutenant moved his hand behind his leg so it was out of sight. "It's nothing to worry about, your Excellency."
The failure to answer the original question wasn't lost to Treize, but he decided to wait until another moment to ask Chase about it. Instead, he decided to move onto more important matters. "How can you be certain that the prisoner is a Gundam pilot?"
When Treize had been notified that they had captured a Gundam pilot, he'd had his doubts. Gundam pilots weren't easy to capture, and the amount of attacks made without the Gundams had decreased in the last few months. Very few had access to the files of the Gundam pilots and the regular soldiers knew nothing more than the stories or legends that had formed around the five terrorists. It wouldn't be the first time that a regular rebel was confused for a Gundam pilot.
Usually Treize asked for a picture of the prisoner before he went to see him personally. However, the factory he was in now didn't have the means to send visual communications. Treize had decided to visit anyway. He wanted an excuse to leave for space earlier and this proved to be a good one.
"I used to be stationed in the colonies," said Chase. "I recognized the kid as soon as I saw him. We captured him and another pilot after a Gundam tried to destroy the colony. We held them until the transport for the moon base arrived."
Treize nodded. Apparently the information hadn't been mistaken. "And where is the pilot now?"
"We have him down in the brig. This facility only has three small cells, so the White Fang men we caught, as well as the workers, are being held in one of the big storage compartments for the moment. We figured the pilot needed more security."
"They weren't affected by the explosions?" Treize asked.
"No," replied Chase. "The explosions were limited to the compartments with Mobile Dolls inside. The prisoners were unharmed."
Treize had to admit that the pilots at least tried to limit civilian casualties to the minimum. "Take me to the pilot." It was time for Treize to go and meet their guest.
Chase led Treize through the factory, and down to the lower levels. Treize noticed that the temperature wasn't regulated here, but the air and gravity were still being controlled. They headed for a door at the end of the corridor. It was wider than the others they had passed and the locking mechanism was more sophisticated. Chase took a key card from his pocket and opened the door.
The lights immediately turned on, and Treize followed the man inside. The door led to another corridor, and at the end were three small cells with open bars. The cells were still shadowed. "They have individual lights," Chase explained. "The controls are on the right wall, the blue ones control the lighting and the red ones the electrified doors."
Treize looked at Chase, waiting for him to elaborate.
"The bars are electrified and the intensity can be controlled by those switches. We have them on high now."
Treize nodded approvingly. "You may leave, Lieutenant." He walked past him. "I can take it from here."
Chase hesitated for a moment but then handed Treize a keycard, and with a salute he left the cell area.
When he heard the door click shut, Treize walked further inside. Whoever had designed these cells had no idea of what he was doing. The cells where shadowed until he could reach the control on the wall. By then the prisoner would have seen him coming through the open bars. The design put the guards in a vulnerable position.
There was a cough and then a weak voice sounded from one of the cells. "Treize Kushranada, it's been a while."
Treize reached the light controls and pressed all of them. Light suddenly flooded the cells and the boy inside the one in the middle winced softly. Walking closer, but still keeping his distance from the bars, Treize approached the cell. The cells were completely bare, made by three walls of heavy metal and the last one covered in vertical iron bars. When Treize saw the figure inside he couldn't help but gasp and take a step back.
Treize, of course, knew the identities of all the Gundam pilots. He hadn't met them all but his intelligence had gathered their names - or at least their code names - and pictures. When he had first read the name Quatre Raberba Winner among those of the other pilots he'd thought that it was a mistake. It was either bad intel or the pilot had assumed a famous code name, like Heero Yuy. However, eventually he had received pictures of the pilot using that name, and then Treize had to accept that the only son of the pacifist Winner family had become a terrorist.
He had met the child once, in one of his trips to the colonies. The Winner family had invited him for dinner. Quatre Winner must have been about nine years old then. He was an arrogant child who pretty much kept to himself, without even glancing at the world around him. The boy was nothing but a spoilt child, one of the many raised within rich families.
The person before him didn't resemble that spoilt child in the slightest. It was one thing knowing that the boy had decided to leave the comfort of his home to fight a war, and another to witness the consequences of those actions.
The boy was sitting on the floor, his back pressed to the far wall. His hands were bound in front of him by two pairs of handcuffs, and Treize could see that the wrists had been skinned raw by the constant friction with the metal. One of his eyes was black, his lips were split in two places and there was a cut above his other eye that apparently had stopped bleeding only recently. His shirt was torn in various places and bloodied. His arms were covered in bruises. He was barefoot. The boy's pants were open, and Treize realized that the buttons have been ripped. There were spots of blood on the floor beside him and on the wall he was leaning on.
"I can tell you weren't expecting to meet under these circumstances either." Quatre coughed again. Talking seemed to be a difficult feat to achieve.
They might be enemies but Treize didn't approve of this type of treatment towards prisoners. The pilot had been tortured; his wounds weren't ones sustained by simply securing a prisoner. "This is not what I expected," said Treize. "I must apologize for my soldiers' behavior. It was out of line."
Quatre snorted, but ended up coughing again. "Soldiers' acts reflect on their leader." He kept his eyes on Treize, refusing to look away. The gesture clearly stated, 'I might be in chains, but you are no better than me.'
Treize gave a small nod. The pilot spoke the truth. He was Oz's leader, and as such he was responsible for his men's actions. "I must admit that I was surprised when I learned that you were piloting a Gundam."
The pilot glared. "Your men already interrogated me. While your methods differ, the result will be the same." His features softened into a polite mask. "You must excuse me but I'm not up for small talk right now."
Treize walked closer to the cell. He doubted the pilot was able to attack him and it was getting increasingly difficult for Treize to hear him. "I can get you some water to clear your throat," he said amiably.
"No, thank you. I'm fine," the pilot replied, even though his voice was barely over a whisper.
Treize smirked. Quatre Winner seemed to be a worthy adversary, even though he was at a great disadvantage. "There's no need to be stubborn. I didn't come here to interrogate you, as you so crudely put it, but to make you a proposition. There's no reason why we can't arrange this in a civilized manner."
Quatre raised his head higher. "We are way past that point."
Looking at the pilot's beaten body, Treize knew he couldn't disagree. "As unfortunate as today's incidents are, there is still a way we can help each other. This war is bigger than you and me."
"I'm aware of that," said Quatre. "But unless your proposal is surrendering, I'm afraid I can't accept your terms."
Treize smiled. "There's no need to play hardball, Mr. Winner. We both know that right now I hold all the cards in my hand." No reply came, but Treize thought it was merely because the pilot was saving his voice, not because he had given in. "The enemy of my enemy," continued Treize, "is my friend."
Quatre shook his head slowly. "My war is both against the White Fang and your men. My friends are those who fight and bleed beside me, not those who look at me through metal bars." Another coughing fit followed that statement and it took him a few minutes to regain his breath.
Treize had hoped to form an alliance with the pilots. White fang was a threat to both the colonies and the Earth, and they stood a better chance if they fought together. He knew it was a long shot. After all, the pilots always acted alone, very rarely working together even amongst themselves. "If there is no way to change your mind..." Treize let his words hang in the air for a moment, giving the pilot the opportunity to change his mind.
"No, there isn't." Quatre's eyes were hard and his voice firm. Treize wondered how many times the pilot had given the same look to the men who interrogated him, and how many of his bruises and cuts were caused by it.
"Very well," said Treize. "Then I'm afraid I have to take my leave." He headed for the door. The pilot didn't reply but Treize could hear coughing as he closed the door.
Treize now had only two choices and none of them were particularly appealing. He couldn't keep the pilot in the cell. If he did, no matter how much he reprimanded his men, the pilot would be tortured again. He would have to either execute him or let him go.
Considering that the boy was a very powerful enemy, the first choice seemed to be the logical course of action. However, even though the pilot refused to cooperate, he hadn't outlived his usefulness yet. There was no doubt that the White Fang was the biggest threat. The Libra was a very powerful weapon, and destroying it was Treize's priority. The Gundams would target the Libra also, and killing the pilot would weaken their force thus lessening the chances of eliminating the Libra.
On the other hand, if he let the boy live and the Gundams indeed brought the Libra down, then Treize would have to face them, and he would regret not executing the pilot when he had the chance.
By the time he met with Lieutenant Chase to inspect the destroyed part of the satellite, he had made a decision.
Later that night there was a malfunction in the power system. Treize leaned back on the hangar wall, watching the soldiers heading for the power room. He waited five minutes and sent the remaining men to see what was keeping the others. He didn't have to wait long before he could see a figure limping towards one of the space Leos.
The pilot was having problems walking but he still kept moving, his hands were still bound but he was carrying a gun, raised, and ready to shoot. It wasn't until the pilot reached the suit that he saw Treize. The gun was instantly pointed towards him. Treize bowed his head, keeping his arms at his side so the pilot could see that he didn't have any weapons.
Quatre lowered the gun and climbed into his suit. "Consider us even."
Treize walked away from the hangar before the pilot could blast down the doors and make his escape. He had a battle to prepare for.
* * *
Quatre opened his eyes when he heard the beep. He pushed the button to accept the connection and smiled at Duo.
"We're almost there," said Duo. "Just making sure you're awake and ready."
Straightening up in his chair, Quatre took a hold of the Mobile Suit controls. "Let's go."
Duo's image on the screen was replaced by the outer camera view. The satellite was already in sight, and they needed to approach it carefully if they wanted to avoid being detected. The blueprints had showed that the satellite only had outer monitors for the hangar entrance. It was an old installation and poorly equipped. They would be able to approach the satellite from the back, open a hole in the outer shell and sneak in undetected. The Gundams would have attracted too much attention so they had decided to use two space Leos instead. They only needed them for transport and to open their gate.
Quatre maneuvered the Leo to the assigned point, and covered the other Leo while Duo used the beam saber to cut the metal. After they got the Leos inside, Quatre put on a helmet and a bulky space suit, and opened the hatch. "We should have used flight suits," he said as he rushed into a pressurized compartment.
After the door closed behind them, and they confirmed that the air was breathable, Duo and Quatre removed their helmets.
"Those flights suits scream intruder higher than a neon sign," said Duo placing the helmet on the floor behind some junk piece of metal. Then he took off his space suit to reveal the casual set of clothing under it. "This way we can blend in."
Quatre removed his suit too and looked down at the black cargo pants, army green t-shirt and heavy jacket he was wearing. "I don't think we look like workers," he said, checking his guns before placing one in the shoulder holster and one in the back of his pants.
"We stand out less this way." Duo handed one of the explosive belts to Quatre and secured the other around his hips. "That's what Trowa said."
When they had discovered that the V3-453 Satellite was manufacturing Mobile Dolls for the White Fang, the pilots knew they had to destroy it. Mobile Dolls were a big threat, and the more they could take out before facing them in battle the better. Blasting the satellite wasn't an option since the intelligence had showed that it was filled with colony workers and only a handful of White Fang officers supervising them.
Infiltration was the best option. Two people could do the job of getting in, destroying the Dolls and the machinery, and leaving without any civilian casualties. There were no more than fifteen White Fang soldiers, which would make it an easy job for any pilot.
It had been decided that Heero needed to stay behind. If Epyon attacked the only suit that could battle with it was Wing Zero, and Heero was the only pilot who had mastered the Zero system and was willing to use it. The other four pilots had decided to draw straws to see who would go.
"I think he was annoyed for not getting the short straw." Quatre checked his watch. "I'll take the factory, you take the Mobile Dolls. Leave separately, communication silence until we are out of their range."
Duo nodded. "Take care, buddy. See you in a while," he said, running down the corridor.
Quatre smiled and headed in the opposite direction. "You too."
* * *
The beeping woke him up. He opened his eyes slowly wondering when he had fallen asleep. Instinctively he reached for the comm button and pushed it. Duo's worried face soon filled the screen.
"Fuck! Fuck! Shit! Quatre, are you okay?" Duo looked at the low corner of the screen. "Trowa, it's him."
There was another beep but Quatre didn't push the button to connect. He closed his eyes. "I'm tired. Please take me back." He cut the connection with Duo and let a small relieved sigh escape his lips. He was safe.
* * *
Duo looked at his watch for the tenth time. There was no way Quatre would take that long to leave the satellite after detonating the explosives. Duo hated to think about it but there was no other explanation; Quatre had been compromised.
He let out a curse, barely keeping himself from smashing his fist into the control board. Quatre was either dead or captured and there was nothing Duo could do about it.
Their intel had been wrong. He had only noticed it as he was leaving the satellite. The place was filled with Oz soldiers. If he had known that Quatre hadn't made it out he would have come after him, but the bombs exploded on time and Duo figured that everything was working as scheduled.
But something had gone very wrong because there was no word from Quatre and his Leo apparently hadn't left the satellite. There was no way Duo could go back now. Gundam pilot or not, it would be suicide to challenge an OZ troop with only a Leo.
He needed help but the Leo didn't have a very long communications range. He would need to get a lot closer to the Peacemillion if he wanted to contact the other pilots. Deciding not to waste any more time, Duo started to make his way back to the ship. The trip to the satellite had taken six hours. He would make it back in four.
* * *
"He cut me off," Duo said to Trowa. "He cut me off. We need to get him back soon. He doesn't look good." He ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck! I should have stayed. I should have gone back for him. I should have done something."
It had taken Duo three hours of reckless piloting to get close enough to Peacemillion to make a connection. Howard had answered his distressed call and promised that he would inform the other pilots and send backup. Immediately, Duo had turned back, knowing that a Gundam would catch up to him easily. One Gundam was enough to raid the satellite and get Quatre out. Heavyarms had caught up to Duo's Leo quickly. They hadn't traveled long when they noticed another suit, flying straight towards them. Quatre had been inside.
"Duo, stop." Trowa's voice was commanding. "We need to take the suit back to the Peacemillion. Sally can take care of Quatre once we get there."
Duo nodded. Yes. The priority was to get Quatre some medical attention soon. He could do the whole guilt trip thing later. Heavyarms took hold of Quatre's suit, and started maneuvering back towards the Peacemillion.
It was a slow and awkward journey. Duo could do nothing but keep watch for any trouble since his Leo didn't have the mobility of a Gundam, and if he tried to help he would end up doing more damage than good. He had tried to establish the connection with Quatre again but Quatre hadn't replied.
Trowa managed to get the suit carrying Quatre into the hangar without much trouble. Duo was already on the catwalk, rushing to the Mobile Suit. Heero, Wufei and Sally were on the hangar waiting for them. Between Duo and Heero they managed to get the hatch open. Quatre's eyes were almost closed.
"Oh my God," Sally put a hand over her mouth.
Duo had already seen Quatre's face when he had talked to him using the comm link, and he had expected Quatre's body to be in the same condition. "Capture is never good for the health," he said bitterly.
Quatre tried to snort but he ended up coughing.
Sally was already reaching for the straps holding Quatre to his seat. "We need to get him to the medical bay now."
Duo stepped forward but a hand on his shoulder prevented him from going on. He turned and noticed Trowa standing behind him. "You are too tired," he said. "We'll take him."
"I can take him myself." Heero didn't bother to wait for an answer and simply reached down and took Quatre in his arms.
"Thank you," Quatre whispered.
Sally led the way with the others following behind. The couple of mechanics they encountered in the way gave them worried looks but no one said a word. It wasn't a good idea to stand in the way of the Gundam pilots, even less when one of them was obviously injured.
The medical bay was empty. The only people who fought using Mobile Suits were the Gundam pilots and Noin. The rest of the staff consisted of mechanics for the suits, and pilots and engineers for the Peacemillion. Heero put Quatre in one of the beds gently, trying not to aggravate his wounds. Quatre let out a soft hiss that sounded as loud as thunder in the quiet room.
Sally was already looking for supplies. Trowa moved towards Quatre and took Quatre's hands in his. Quatre gasped and moved his hands back a little, but didn't take them completely away from Trowa's hold. If Trowa noticed Quatre's reaction, he didn't show it. He simply turned to Duo and asked, "Do you have picks?"
Duo nodded. He put a hand in his pocket and retrieved a small set of lockpics. Instead of giving them to Trowa, he moved towards Quatre. "I'm faster," he said with a shrug. Trowa moved back, giving Duo space to work.
The cuffs weren't too tight but the wrists were cut, and covered with dry blood. 'He must have struggled,' Duo realized. Taking care not to move the cuffs too much Duo started to work on opening the locks. Soon the first set of cuffs was unlocked, and Duo took them off carefully. "One to go." He grinned at Quatre but lowered his head quickly.
When the cuffs were off, Duo took a step back. Trowa approached Quatre again, this time with a knife in his hand. "I'm going to cut your clothes off." The clothes were a little more than rags. There was no need to make Quatre uncomfortable just to save the clothing.
However, Quatre sat up and moved back. A grunt escaped his lips but he didn't lie down again.
Trowa hesitated for a moment before approaching Quatre again. "Sally needs to examine you. We know you are hurt, you don't have to hide it from us."
Quatre just stared at him for a moment and then turned to the other pilots, studying each of them. Finally he nodded, lay down again and closed his eyes. Trowa carefully cut the shirt off and threw the pieces on a nearby bed.
Duo had expected the bruises. He had known that Quatre would be in bad shape but he still turned his face away at the sight of Quatre's chest. It was his fault that Quatre had gotten hurt. If he hadn't left he might have been able to prevent this.
"I'm sorry." It sounded lame on Duo's opinion, and it didn't seem enough to cover the remorse he was feeling, but those were the only words he could speak, and he ended up repeating them over and over again.
Quatre placed his hand over Duo's, and Duo raised his eyes. Quatre had opened his and was looking at him. "It was my choice. I decided to stay behind." The words barely made a sound, and the grimace on Quatre's face showed that it was painful for him to speak.
Sally was back. She had alcohol, disinfectant, gauze, a needle and bottles of pills and cream in her hands. "Out," she said, putting the supplies on a nearby table. "You can't help. You would only get in my way."
Duo was ready to protest but Wufei stood before him. "She can be trusted," he said. "She'll take good care of him."
Trowa was already at the door and Heero was following. Duo gave Quatre one last smile before he and Wufei walked out. For now, there was nothing else to do but wait.
* * *
TBC
More tomorrow.
Rating: NC 17
Pairings: 2+4, OMCx4
Summary: Some battles are won and others are lost, but in a war the consequences are severe and not always honorable.
Warnings: Violence, graphic NCS/rape, torture, angst, language. This story explores dark topics; please don't read if you are offended by any of these subjects. Also Alternative Timeline and non-linear writing style.
Archive: Gundanium Line
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters used in this fic.
Notes: Written for the Whumped!Quatre Ficathon, filling Harvest Blue's request.
Thanks a lot to Anne for the beta and all the help and support while writing the fic.
____
Part One
Treize stepped out of the shuttle, taking a few steps before stopping and looking at his surroundings. There were about fifteen mobile suits in the hangar bay and one large shuttle. Apparently the explosion hadn't damaged this part of the satellite. The electrical door in front of him slid open and three men walked up to him. They all saluted him respectfully and Treize nodded at them.
"Welcome, your Excellency," said one of them. Judging by the uniform and the stripes on his shoulder he was the officer in charge. "I'm Lieutenant Chase. We are honored to have you in our facility-"
"Spare me the pleasantries," said Treize, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "A verbal report of the events will be sufficient." He walked towards the door, the three officers following him.
Chase walked just a step behind Treize. "At four hundred hours yesterday morning our perimeter was breached. There was an explosion in the Mobile Doll production facility and the storage rooms. The damage was severe, not a single Mobile Doll was salvaged."
Treize didn't care for Mobile Dolls. When he was informed that one of his space divisions had managed to take control of one production facility from the White Fang, Treize had decided to dismantle the dolls and use the parts as spares for regular Mobile Suits. He wouldn't fight a war where humans weren't involved. "How did the explosions affect other areas?"
"It didn't," replied Chase. "The damage was contained."
A smirk graced Treize's lips. The detonations had been set up skillfully, not wasting resources in destroying unnecessary targets, but instead focusing on the main objective. The one who had done it was a worthy adversary. "How did you manage to capture the pilot?"
Chase stood up straighter and raised his chin. "I sent out patrol groups as soon as we heard the detonation and one of them caught the intruder. They surrounded him and ultimately managed to secure him."
"How many casualties?" Treize didn't particularly like Chase's wording. It was obvious that the man was trying to make things sound better than they had been.
A small cough escaped Chase's lips and then he cleared his throat. "One of our men was killed by the explosion and another was wounded. He broke his leg but he'll recover." He paused for a moment. "Five more were killed when we apprehended the intruder, and another two were severely injured."
Treize made a mental note to ask for the names of the deceased later and to visit the wounded men. "Is the intruder responsible for that?" he asked, gesturing to Chase's bandaged hand.
The lieutenant moved his hand behind his leg so it was out of sight. "It's nothing to worry about, your Excellency."
The failure to answer the original question wasn't lost to Treize, but he decided to wait until another moment to ask Chase about it. Instead, he decided to move onto more important matters. "How can you be certain that the prisoner is a Gundam pilot?"
When Treize had been notified that they had captured a Gundam pilot, he'd had his doubts. Gundam pilots weren't easy to capture, and the amount of attacks made without the Gundams had decreased in the last few months. Very few had access to the files of the Gundam pilots and the regular soldiers knew nothing more than the stories or legends that had formed around the five terrorists. It wouldn't be the first time that a regular rebel was confused for a Gundam pilot.
Usually Treize asked for a picture of the prisoner before he went to see him personally. However, the factory he was in now didn't have the means to send visual communications. Treize had decided to visit anyway. He wanted an excuse to leave for space earlier and this proved to be a good one.
"I used to be stationed in the colonies," said Chase. "I recognized the kid as soon as I saw him. We captured him and another pilot after a Gundam tried to destroy the colony. We held them until the transport for the moon base arrived."
Treize nodded. Apparently the information hadn't been mistaken. "And where is the pilot now?"
"We have him down in the brig. This facility only has three small cells, so the White Fang men we caught, as well as the workers, are being held in one of the big storage compartments for the moment. We figured the pilot needed more security."
"They weren't affected by the explosions?" Treize asked.
"No," replied Chase. "The explosions were limited to the compartments with Mobile Dolls inside. The prisoners were unharmed."
Treize had to admit that the pilots at least tried to limit civilian casualties to the minimum. "Take me to the pilot." It was time for Treize to go and meet their guest.
Chase led Treize through the factory, and down to the lower levels. Treize noticed that the temperature wasn't regulated here, but the air and gravity were still being controlled. They headed for a door at the end of the corridor. It was wider than the others they had passed and the locking mechanism was more sophisticated. Chase took a key card from his pocket and opened the door.
The lights immediately turned on, and Treize followed the man inside. The door led to another corridor, and at the end were three small cells with open bars. The cells were still shadowed. "They have individual lights," Chase explained. "The controls are on the right wall, the blue ones control the lighting and the red ones the electrified doors."
Treize looked at Chase, waiting for him to elaborate.
"The bars are electrified and the intensity can be controlled by those switches. We have them on high now."
Treize nodded approvingly. "You may leave, Lieutenant." He walked past him. "I can take it from here."
Chase hesitated for a moment but then handed Treize a keycard, and with a salute he left the cell area.
When he heard the door click shut, Treize walked further inside. Whoever had designed these cells had no idea of what he was doing. The cells where shadowed until he could reach the control on the wall. By then the prisoner would have seen him coming through the open bars. The design put the guards in a vulnerable position.
There was a cough and then a weak voice sounded from one of the cells. "Treize Kushranada, it's been a while."
Treize reached the light controls and pressed all of them. Light suddenly flooded the cells and the boy inside the one in the middle winced softly. Walking closer, but still keeping his distance from the bars, Treize approached the cell. The cells were completely bare, made by three walls of heavy metal and the last one covered in vertical iron bars. When Treize saw the figure inside he couldn't help but gasp and take a step back.
Treize, of course, knew the identities of all the Gundam pilots. He hadn't met them all but his intelligence had gathered their names - or at least their code names - and pictures. When he had first read the name Quatre Raberba Winner among those of the other pilots he'd thought that it was a mistake. It was either bad intel or the pilot had assumed a famous code name, like Heero Yuy. However, eventually he had received pictures of the pilot using that name, and then Treize had to accept that the only son of the pacifist Winner family had become a terrorist.
He had met the child once, in one of his trips to the colonies. The Winner family had invited him for dinner. Quatre Winner must have been about nine years old then. He was an arrogant child who pretty much kept to himself, without even glancing at the world around him. The boy was nothing but a spoilt child, one of the many raised within rich families.
The person before him didn't resemble that spoilt child in the slightest. It was one thing knowing that the boy had decided to leave the comfort of his home to fight a war, and another to witness the consequences of those actions.
The boy was sitting on the floor, his back pressed to the far wall. His hands were bound in front of him by two pairs of handcuffs, and Treize could see that the wrists had been skinned raw by the constant friction with the metal. One of his eyes was black, his lips were split in two places and there was a cut above his other eye that apparently had stopped bleeding only recently. His shirt was torn in various places and bloodied. His arms were covered in bruises. He was barefoot. The boy's pants were open, and Treize realized that the buttons have been ripped. There were spots of blood on the floor beside him and on the wall he was leaning on.
"I can tell you weren't expecting to meet under these circumstances either." Quatre coughed again. Talking seemed to be a difficult feat to achieve.
They might be enemies but Treize didn't approve of this type of treatment towards prisoners. The pilot had been tortured; his wounds weren't ones sustained by simply securing a prisoner. "This is not what I expected," said Treize. "I must apologize for my soldiers' behavior. It was out of line."
Quatre snorted, but ended up coughing again. "Soldiers' acts reflect on their leader." He kept his eyes on Treize, refusing to look away. The gesture clearly stated, 'I might be in chains, but you are no better than me.'
Treize gave a small nod. The pilot spoke the truth. He was Oz's leader, and as such he was responsible for his men's actions. "I must admit that I was surprised when I learned that you were piloting a Gundam."
The pilot glared. "Your men already interrogated me. While your methods differ, the result will be the same." His features softened into a polite mask. "You must excuse me but I'm not up for small talk right now."
Treize walked closer to the cell. He doubted the pilot was able to attack him and it was getting increasingly difficult for Treize to hear him. "I can get you some water to clear your throat," he said amiably.
"No, thank you. I'm fine," the pilot replied, even though his voice was barely over a whisper.
Treize smirked. Quatre Winner seemed to be a worthy adversary, even though he was at a great disadvantage. "There's no need to be stubborn. I didn't come here to interrogate you, as you so crudely put it, but to make you a proposition. There's no reason why we can't arrange this in a civilized manner."
Quatre raised his head higher. "We are way past that point."
Looking at the pilot's beaten body, Treize knew he couldn't disagree. "As unfortunate as today's incidents are, there is still a way we can help each other. This war is bigger than you and me."
"I'm aware of that," said Quatre. "But unless your proposal is surrendering, I'm afraid I can't accept your terms."
Treize smiled. "There's no need to play hardball, Mr. Winner. We both know that right now I hold all the cards in my hand." No reply came, but Treize thought it was merely because the pilot was saving his voice, not because he had given in. "The enemy of my enemy," continued Treize, "is my friend."
Quatre shook his head slowly. "My war is both against the White Fang and your men. My friends are those who fight and bleed beside me, not those who look at me through metal bars." Another coughing fit followed that statement and it took him a few minutes to regain his breath.
Treize had hoped to form an alliance with the pilots. White fang was a threat to both the colonies and the Earth, and they stood a better chance if they fought together. He knew it was a long shot. After all, the pilots always acted alone, very rarely working together even amongst themselves. "If there is no way to change your mind..." Treize let his words hang in the air for a moment, giving the pilot the opportunity to change his mind.
"No, there isn't." Quatre's eyes were hard and his voice firm. Treize wondered how many times the pilot had given the same look to the men who interrogated him, and how many of his bruises and cuts were caused by it.
"Very well," said Treize. "Then I'm afraid I have to take my leave." He headed for the door. The pilot didn't reply but Treize could hear coughing as he closed the door.
Treize now had only two choices and none of them were particularly appealing. He couldn't keep the pilot in the cell. If he did, no matter how much he reprimanded his men, the pilot would be tortured again. He would have to either execute him or let him go.
Considering that the boy was a very powerful enemy, the first choice seemed to be the logical course of action. However, even though the pilot refused to cooperate, he hadn't outlived his usefulness yet. There was no doubt that the White Fang was the biggest threat. The Libra was a very powerful weapon, and destroying it was Treize's priority. The Gundams would target the Libra also, and killing the pilot would weaken their force thus lessening the chances of eliminating the Libra.
On the other hand, if he let the boy live and the Gundams indeed brought the Libra down, then Treize would have to face them, and he would regret not executing the pilot when he had the chance.
By the time he met with Lieutenant Chase to inspect the destroyed part of the satellite, he had made a decision.
Later that night there was a malfunction in the power system. Treize leaned back on the hangar wall, watching the soldiers heading for the power room. He waited five minutes and sent the remaining men to see what was keeping the others. He didn't have to wait long before he could see a figure limping towards one of the space Leos.
The pilot was having problems walking but he still kept moving, his hands were still bound but he was carrying a gun, raised, and ready to shoot. It wasn't until the pilot reached the suit that he saw Treize. The gun was instantly pointed towards him. Treize bowed his head, keeping his arms at his side so the pilot could see that he didn't have any weapons.
Quatre lowered the gun and climbed into his suit. "Consider us even."
Treize walked away from the hangar before the pilot could blast down the doors and make his escape. He had a battle to prepare for.
* * *
Quatre opened his eyes when he heard the beep. He pushed the button to accept the connection and smiled at Duo.
"We're almost there," said Duo. "Just making sure you're awake and ready."
Straightening up in his chair, Quatre took a hold of the Mobile Suit controls. "Let's go."
Duo's image on the screen was replaced by the outer camera view. The satellite was already in sight, and they needed to approach it carefully if they wanted to avoid being detected. The blueprints had showed that the satellite only had outer monitors for the hangar entrance. It was an old installation and poorly equipped. They would be able to approach the satellite from the back, open a hole in the outer shell and sneak in undetected. The Gundams would have attracted too much attention so they had decided to use two space Leos instead. They only needed them for transport and to open their gate.
Quatre maneuvered the Leo to the assigned point, and covered the other Leo while Duo used the beam saber to cut the metal. After they got the Leos inside, Quatre put on a helmet and a bulky space suit, and opened the hatch. "We should have used flight suits," he said as he rushed into a pressurized compartment.
After the door closed behind them, and they confirmed that the air was breathable, Duo and Quatre removed their helmets.
"Those flights suits scream intruder higher than a neon sign," said Duo placing the helmet on the floor behind some junk piece of metal. Then he took off his space suit to reveal the casual set of clothing under it. "This way we can blend in."
Quatre removed his suit too and looked down at the black cargo pants, army green t-shirt and heavy jacket he was wearing. "I don't think we look like workers," he said, checking his guns before placing one in the shoulder holster and one in the back of his pants.
"We stand out less this way." Duo handed one of the explosive belts to Quatre and secured the other around his hips. "That's what Trowa said."
When they had discovered that the V3-453 Satellite was manufacturing Mobile Dolls for the White Fang, the pilots knew they had to destroy it. Mobile Dolls were a big threat, and the more they could take out before facing them in battle the better. Blasting the satellite wasn't an option since the intelligence had showed that it was filled with colony workers and only a handful of White Fang officers supervising them.
Infiltration was the best option. Two people could do the job of getting in, destroying the Dolls and the machinery, and leaving without any civilian casualties. There were no more than fifteen White Fang soldiers, which would make it an easy job for any pilot.
It had been decided that Heero needed to stay behind. If Epyon attacked the only suit that could battle with it was Wing Zero, and Heero was the only pilot who had mastered the Zero system and was willing to use it. The other four pilots had decided to draw straws to see who would go.
"I think he was annoyed for not getting the short straw." Quatre checked his watch. "I'll take the factory, you take the Mobile Dolls. Leave separately, communication silence until we are out of their range."
Duo nodded. "Take care, buddy. See you in a while," he said, running down the corridor.
Quatre smiled and headed in the opposite direction. "You too."
* * *
The beeping woke him up. He opened his eyes slowly wondering when he had fallen asleep. Instinctively he reached for the comm button and pushed it. Duo's worried face soon filled the screen.
"Fuck! Fuck! Shit! Quatre, are you okay?" Duo looked at the low corner of the screen. "Trowa, it's him."
There was another beep but Quatre didn't push the button to connect. He closed his eyes. "I'm tired. Please take me back." He cut the connection with Duo and let a small relieved sigh escape his lips. He was safe.
* * *
Duo looked at his watch for the tenth time. There was no way Quatre would take that long to leave the satellite after detonating the explosives. Duo hated to think about it but there was no other explanation; Quatre had been compromised.
He let out a curse, barely keeping himself from smashing his fist into the control board. Quatre was either dead or captured and there was nothing Duo could do about it.
Their intel had been wrong. He had only noticed it as he was leaving the satellite. The place was filled with Oz soldiers. If he had known that Quatre hadn't made it out he would have come after him, but the bombs exploded on time and Duo figured that everything was working as scheduled.
But something had gone very wrong because there was no word from Quatre and his Leo apparently hadn't left the satellite. There was no way Duo could go back now. Gundam pilot or not, it would be suicide to challenge an OZ troop with only a Leo.
He needed help but the Leo didn't have a very long communications range. He would need to get a lot closer to the Peacemillion if he wanted to contact the other pilots. Deciding not to waste any more time, Duo started to make his way back to the ship. The trip to the satellite had taken six hours. He would make it back in four.
* * *
"He cut me off," Duo said to Trowa. "He cut me off. We need to get him back soon. He doesn't look good." He ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck! I should have stayed. I should have gone back for him. I should have done something."
It had taken Duo three hours of reckless piloting to get close enough to Peacemillion to make a connection. Howard had answered his distressed call and promised that he would inform the other pilots and send backup. Immediately, Duo had turned back, knowing that a Gundam would catch up to him easily. One Gundam was enough to raid the satellite and get Quatre out. Heavyarms had caught up to Duo's Leo quickly. They hadn't traveled long when they noticed another suit, flying straight towards them. Quatre had been inside.
"Duo, stop." Trowa's voice was commanding. "We need to take the suit back to the Peacemillion. Sally can take care of Quatre once we get there."
Duo nodded. Yes. The priority was to get Quatre some medical attention soon. He could do the whole guilt trip thing later. Heavyarms took hold of Quatre's suit, and started maneuvering back towards the Peacemillion.
It was a slow and awkward journey. Duo could do nothing but keep watch for any trouble since his Leo didn't have the mobility of a Gundam, and if he tried to help he would end up doing more damage than good. He had tried to establish the connection with Quatre again but Quatre hadn't replied.
Trowa managed to get the suit carrying Quatre into the hangar without much trouble. Duo was already on the catwalk, rushing to the Mobile Suit. Heero, Wufei and Sally were on the hangar waiting for them. Between Duo and Heero they managed to get the hatch open. Quatre's eyes were almost closed.
"Oh my God," Sally put a hand over her mouth.
Duo had already seen Quatre's face when he had talked to him using the comm link, and he had expected Quatre's body to be in the same condition. "Capture is never good for the health," he said bitterly.
Quatre tried to snort but he ended up coughing.
Sally was already reaching for the straps holding Quatre to his seat. "We need to get him to the medical bay now."
Duo stepped forward but a hand on his shoulder prevented him from going on. He turned and noticed Trowa standing behind him. "You are too tired," he said. "We'll take him."
"I can take him myself." Heero didn't bother to wait for an answer and simply reached down and took Quatre in his arms.
"Thank you," Quatre whispered.
Sally led the way with the others following behind. The couple of mechanics they encountered in the way gave them worried looks but no one said a word. It wasn't a good idea to stand in the way of the Gundam pilots, even less when one of them was obviously injured.
The medical bay was empty. The only people who fought using Mobile Suits were the Gundam pilots and Noin. The rest of the staff consisted of mechanics for the suits, and pilots and engineers for the Peacemillion. Heero put Quatre in one of the beds gently, trying not to aggravate his wounds. Quatre let out a soft hiss that sounded as loud as thunder in the quiet room.
Sally was already looking for supplies. Trowa moved towards Quatre and took Quatre's hands in his. Quatre gasped and moved his hands back a little, but didn't take them completely away from Trowa's hold. If Trowa noticed Quatre's reaction, he didn't show it. He simply turned to Duo and asked, "Do you have picks?"
Duo nodded. He put a hand in his pocket and retrieved a small set of lockpics. Instead of giving them to Trowa, he moved towards Quatre. "I'm faster," he said with a shrug. Trowa moved back, giving Duo space to work.
The cuffs weren't too tight but the wrists were cut, and covered with dry blood. 'He must have struggled,' Duo realized. Taking care not to move the cuffs too much Duo started to work on opening the locks. Soon the first set of cuffs was unlocked, and Duo took them off carefully. "One to go." He grinned at Quatre but lowered his head quickly.
When the cuffs were off, Duo took a step back. Trowa approached Quatre again, this time with a knife in his hand. "I'm going to cut your clothes off." The clothes were a little more than rags. There was no need to make Quatre uncomfortable just to save the clothing.
However, Quatre sat up and moved back. A grunt escaped his lips but he didn't lie down again.
Trowa hesitated for a moment before approaching Quatre again. "Sally needs to examine you. We know you are hurt, you don't have to hide it from us."
Quatre just stared at him for a moment and then turned to the other pilots, studying each of them. Finally he nodded, lay down again and closed his eyes. Trowa carefully cut the shirt off and threw the pieces on a nearby bed.
Duo had expected the bruises. He had known that Quatre would be in bad shape but he still turned his face away at the sight of Quatre's chest. It was his fault that Quatre had gotten hurt. If he hadn't left he might have been able to prevent this.
"I'm sorry." It sounded lame on Duo's opinion, and it didn't seem enough to cover the remorse he was feeling, but those were the only words he could speak, and he ended up repeating them over and over again.
Quatre placed his hand over Duo's, and Duo raised his eyes. Quatre had opened his and was looking at him. "It was my choice. I decided to stay behind." The words barely made a sound, and the grimace on Quatre's face showed that it was painful for him to speak.
Sally was back. She had alcohol, disinfectant, gauze, a needle and bottles of pills and cream in her hands. "Out," she said, putting the supplies on a nearby table. "You can't help. You would only get in my way."
Duo was ready to protest but Wufei stood before him. "She can be trusted," he said. "She'll take good care of him."
Trowa was already at the door and Heero was following. Duo gave Quatre one last smile before he and Wufei walked out. For now, there was nothing else to do but wait.
* * *
TBC
More tomorrow.