Hello. This is my first GW fic, so please be kind. I realize that this majorly conflicts with Endless Waltz in some spots, but it agrees with it in others...so just uh...bear with me, ok? This story line is already way too complicated for me to explain everything!

I realize that the prologue is a bit mushy and for Releena haters this will be torture. But the story does get better and I'm trying to focus on all the characters. So please, keep reading. It gets better. (I think) Hope you like it.

New Mobile Report Gundam Wing belongs to the Sotsu Agency, Sunrise and Fuji TV. I claim no rights upon the characters or the original story line.

Releena opened the double-sided windows, and leaned against the frame, her shoulder-length hair whipping around her back. She watched the cars and the people walking on the busy streets. Her sky-blue eyes threatened to shed tears, but she quickly shut them. Fighting to keep her voice steady, she asked the question she'd been putting off since that morning. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

A young man with unruly dark brown hair reluctantly looked up from his compact computer. An instant scowl crossed his features and he clenched his fists. He answer was cold and calculating. "I told you I could only stay a few days."

She sighed and glanced back. He had already returned to typing away furiously. What should she have expected, after all? It had been over a year since she had last seen him. He disappeared to God only knows where, not even communicating with any of the other former Gundam pilots. A few days ago he had mysteriously shown up at the consulate on L2 with her brother. Heero accompanied her to Brussels, giving no explanation of his former whereabouts or the reason for his sudden reappearance. It was all a tremendous surprise. She'd almost given up hope of ever seeing him again. "I know. But I thought that, maybe, just for another day or two, you..."

He closed his eyes and shook his head, releasing a tired sigh. "It's too dangerous." 'You are too dangerous,' He thought. The fact that he'd let himself get this close again was strange and unusual. Sidetracked. That's it - she was a constant distraction - the only distraction he'd ever allowed for more than a fleeting moment. The wars had ended - for now. But he learned enough in the past year to know that peace would not, could not last indefinitely without certain factors keeping it. One of them was standing right in-front of him.

Her shoulders sunk slightly. Releena knew he would never change his mind no matter how much she thought she could handle the situation at the moment. She understood his thinking far too much to be angry.

Of course it was dangerous. Peace reigned for the time being, but tensions were still high. It had only been two years and the many wars and battles involving Oz, the Alliance, the White Fang, and the Barton Foundation still strung a cord with small groups on both the colonies, and the Earth. 'They have only to find an excuse, and the wars will start all over again.' She thought to herself.

She jumped at her sudden bitterness. Never had she lost her faith in people to overcome their obstacles rationally and peacefully. Releena sighed. 'It isn't that people don't want peace, it's just that their pain and anger blind them to the real solution,' She reminded herself. 'In order for people to get along, they have to understand one another and be united in a single cause.' Therefore, keeping communications open between Earth and the colonies was vital. As Vice Foreign Minister, she had to ensure that would happen no matter what the cost. 'No matter what the cost.' She clenched her fists, almost drawing blood. She knew all too well her price for peace. Yet just as a soldier, she would pay the cost wholeheartedly, doing her duty faithfully and loyally without complaint. It was her gift to future generations.

But regret was a whole other matter. Unlike the man before her, she couldn't disconnect her feelings. They were first and foremost, fueling and feeding her convictions. Only this time, one of the two things her heart wanted most, it couldn't have. She wanted peace and his love - and wanted them both to last forever. He was strong, never letting any obstacles interfere with his missions. If she was to give herself fully to promoting and keeping peace, she could have no distractions. Already her resolve was deteriorating.

A strong hand carefully took hers. Releena slowly turned with tear-filled eyes to face cerulean blue. His face was as smooth and expressionless as ever, but his eyes refused to hide the truth. It seemed that neither would ever know true peace of heart. She knew he cared for her - at least somewhat. But he always held back. 'Why?' She demanded with her eyes. 'Why can't you give me your heart just this once? Quit trying to stop yourself from feeling, from caring, from loving. Please, God,' She prayed. 'I'll never ask another favor again. Just this once...'

Heero dared to touch her cheek gently. Why on Earth did she care for him so much? She gave her heart so freely to everyone. She strove for peace because of her love for everyone and everything. She had the strongest heart and firmest determination. But why focus on him? He never asked for her affection, and resented her for a long time in bestowing it. But it had changed him nonetheless - the past year was proof enough of that. He was almost afraid that she would destroy the walls around his heart completely if he stayed. That couldn't happen - not yet, maybe not ever - not while there was still a threat to peace. His mind came up with an endless list of reasons to walk away immediately, but found himself unable to look away from her pleading eyes. Perhaps just this once, he could give her what her eyes so earnestly begged of him. Leaning down, he ever so gently touched her lips with his own.

It was still dark as Heero made his way across the room. He quietly gathered his things. After checking the computer one last time for any updates, he closed the top and stowed it away in a small black bag. Heero surveyed the room, making sure that when dawn ascended, there would be no evidence that he was ever here. His gaze froze, as he stared at the figure still deep asleep on the bed. He reached down into the bag and pulled out a small trinket.

He silently approached her and gently brushed away a few stray locks of hair away from her face. A frown crossed his hard-set features and he shook his head. 'I'm regretting this already. Damn it, Releena. How do you do it? You're determined to change me along with the world.' He thought to himself. 'But I can't let you do that just yet. I believe in your peace, Releena. I'll do whatever I can to help you.' He said silently to himself, before carefully opening her curled fingers away from her palm. He placed a gold, oval shaped object in her palm, and closed her fingers around it. "Good bye, Releena." He whispered.

Her eyes popped open the moment she heard the door to her room close, but she didn't move. She heard him. 'Good bye, Releena.' He was not coming back and that was it. End of discussion. Her mind tried to console her, saying that it was the right decision. Still, why did it have to hurt so much? It was a mistake. She should have known that one night would never be enough. She was a fool to ever think so. Releena brought her hand to her face to wipe away the tears when she noticed the object in her hand. Carefully, she opened the clasp and the oval opened. Inside, was a picture of a woman with familiar cerulean eyes. "Heero..."

This part sets up the rest of the story and is probably one of the chapters with the most mushy stuff. There will be more toward the end I think, but I'm trying to develop my skills with action writing. ::sigh:: I wonder how far that will go.

Please send me all your comments. This is my first GW fic and I'm nervous. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading!

This chapter sets up the rest of the story, so make sure you read it carefully. That way, everything will make sense later. I realize it may seem confusing at times, but all the loose ends will be tied.
New Mobile Report Gundam Wing belongs to the Sotsu Agency, Sunrise and Fuji TV. I claim no rights upon the characters or their respective personalities.
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Human Nature - A Gundam Wing Fanfic by Goddess Moon
(JMcChick@hotmail.com)
Chapter 1 - The Package
Year: After Colony 198
Day 1
The large metal door slid open and Lucretcia Noin cautiously stepped in. The center of the large room was lit only with a single table lamp. The rest was cast either in shadows or complete darkness. 'This doesn't feel right.' She thought. Ever since she arrived at the Highland SpacePort she could feel the tension in the air. Security was unusually high, that much was obvious. A voice broke through her thoughts and she whipped to the right. "Lady Une!"
"Miss Noin. Please forgive me, but the fact that you are here has already drawn more attention than I would have liked. Come in." Lady Une gestured gracefully toward one of the seats around a comfortable, round table. "Please have a seat and join me in some tea."
Lucretcia hesitantly complied, a sense of uneasiness still with her. "Don't think me rude, but I wasn't expecting..."
"That's fine." She replied curtly as she punched a sequenced code into a terminal next to the door. It promptly slid closed and locked. Lady Une looked up and smiled. "I'm not the one who wanted to see you."
"Hello Noin."
Lucretcia jumped up from her seat. "Releena!" She immediately ran to the blonde woman as she emerged from the shadows and encased her in a hug. "We were so worried. Are you alright?"
Noin was startled when Releena abruptly drew back. There was something very different about her. Her eyes were dull - almost cold. She took a seat and gestured for Noin to do the same.
"Thank you for coming, Miss Noin. I need your help." Releena's voice was calm, but there was a certain tense edge to it.
Lucretcia narrowed here eyes. Just what was going on here? "Wait just a minute!" She challenged, taking her seat across from her. "You haven't answered my question. When you contacted me, you looked so pale, almost sick."
"I'll be fine."
Noin wasn't convinced. This time, she tried a softer approach. "Please Releena. Zechs asked me a long time ago to look after you and I'm not about to let him down now. It took all the strength I had to convince him to stay behind."
"Yes, well, you know my brother's always been a little overprotective."
"I don't think so. Not this time. You can fool the world, Releena, but you can fool your friends, least of all me. You haven't been seen in public for months, only communicating though Lady Une, and that just isn't like you. I know how much attaining true peace both in space and on earth means to you. Please tell me what's wrong."
The young woman opened her mouth to speak, but abruptly shut it, a pained look crossing her features. "I'm sorry. But right now, I can't do that."
Lucretcia was about to argue, but Lady Une began. "Miss Noin, I know that what Releena is about to say is going to sound a little strange, but right now you must trust us. We can't tell you everything just yet. It's too dangerous. In fact, you're going to have to be very careful when you leave here."
"Why? What's..."
"Because I have something to give you." Releena stood and walked to an unlit corner of the room and dragged a rather large bag into the light. It looked as though an oblong rectangular object was placed within. "Inside this package is something very important. You must deliver it to the Gundam pilots immediately."
For a moment she was silent. "Releena, you know I'd do anything to help you, but I need to know what this is all about. Unusually high security, secret packages, tension you could cut with a knife... What is going on?"
Lady Une answered in a high strung emotional voice. "The information contained within this package could start another war."
"I've tried to keep it a secret for as long as I could." Releena followed. "But Sydney Bartkusonete, the leader of Arms Against the Federation finally found out just what it is that I've been hiding. His group of militant reformists is on the brink of starting another war. They've formed an alliance with several small groups from the Northern Nations and a few of the outer rim satellite stations, refusing to disband and destroy their weapons."
Lady Une walked up behind Releena. "I've met with the General on several occasions. It seems that the only thing holding them back is their fear of retribution from the Gundam pilots. He's a clever man. Even though the Gundams themselves have been destroyed, he's well aware that the skills of their pilots far outweigh anyone else on earth or in space."
Noin nodded. "Of course. They lack both the skills and the technology. One battle would decide it all."
"Not necessarily. One thing we do know is that they have somehow broke into the Federations faults and implemented the Zero System."
Lucretcia shook her head. "The Zero System is flawed. The final battle proved that. It can be conquered and outdone. For them to have any chance at all in succeeding, they would need superior pilots - ones who could match the strength of the Gundam pilots. As you said, no such pilots exist."
"They will if they have their way." Lady Une pointed to the large black bag. "This package holds the key."
"It makes no sense. The ability to fight that well either comes from natural talent or years of training. And even still...to be able to defeat the Gundam pilots, especially He..."
Lady Une was quick to interrupt, glancing worriedly at Releena. "Everything will make sense once you know what's inside. But you must not open the package under any circumstances until you've found those pilots. However, it's very important that you do so within the next 72 hours. After that, the contents of the package will automatically open and be revealed.
"Three days?! I only have three days to find them! They could be anywhere!"
"I'm sorry to involve you in this, Noin." Releena whispered, her eyes never straying from the black bag in front of her. "But...there are so few people I can trust with..." Her voice dropped off and she clenched her fists. A mask of calm washed over her face and she stood.
Lucretcia stood with her and took her hand in her own. "Releena, you are a sister to me. I trust you. And I'm glad you have the confidence in me to deliver this."
Releena nodded and abruptly turned to Lady Une. "Please see that she reaches the spaceport safely. And give her the codes to my personal database. I've been tracking the Gundam pilots for quite sometime. Finding a general location shouldn't be that difficult." Looking back at Noin,she continued, "After that, it's up to you. Be careful." She walked towards the door.
"Miss Releena, where are you going?"
She refused to look back. "Bartkusonete must be stopped. I'm going to do everything I possibly can to keep them busy until you've completed your mission. Lady Une, you must visit each of the colonies and inform them of Arms Against the Federation's threat. We have to make sure that fear and panic stays buried in the back of everyone's heads." Releena hit the release button to unlock the door.
Noin was about to call her again, when she suddenly answered the question that was on the tip of her tongue. "Don't worry, Noin. I can take care of myself." She slipped through the door and it slid shut behind her.
______________________________________________________________
Releena took a deep breath and leaned back against the door, closing her eyes. "It's done." She whispered. A few tears threatened to fall, but she angrily swept them away with the back of her hand. "No. I won't cry. I have a mission of my own to complete." She stood up straight and began to walk down the hall.
Just as she was passing through a corridor, the lights suddenly flickered and the hallway went pitch black. Hel...umph" " A strong hand quickly silenced her scream. "Let's just keep this to ourselves for now, Vice Foreign Minister." A muffled voice croaked. She struggled in vain - her captor was far stronger. Finally her body gave in as a funny smelling cloth was placed over her mouth.
______________________________________________________________
Lady Une smiled wanly at Lucretcia. "Please come with me. We need to get you the proper clothes and then send you on your way. I must leave this facility in a separate vehicle, but my guards will escort you back to the spaceport and see you safely onto the shuttle. Remember - if you need to make any communications, wait until you've left Earth's atmosphere and be sure to use a secure channel." She gently touched her arm. "Don't worry, Miss Noin. Releena conquers the world with her conviction just as Zechs won the hearts of soldiers with his courage."
"Thank you. And please, call me Lucretcia."
"I would be honored."
______________________________________________________________
Noin peered out the small shuttle window as the atmosphere changed from a majestic blue haze into dark black with small specks of white stars peeking through. She sighed and released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
Peering at the package situated next to her, she quickly reached for the zipper. Lucretcia slowly peeled back the nylon fabric to reveal an odd shaped canister of sorts. On it were switches, gages, and temperature and pressure regulators along with other foreign looking wires and objects. She was no scientist and couldn't begin to guess what was inside. "It must be some sort of weapon." A chill ran up her spine. The only sort of weapon that would need perfectly stable conditions was biological. "But if it's a biological weapon, why would I be sending this to those boys? It just doesn't make sense." She mused.
Lady Une's words rung in her head. 'However, it's very important that you do so within the next 72 hours. After that, the contents of the package will automatically open and be revealed.'
"My God! It must be on a time-set mechanism." She realized, her voice wearing thin, though just a whisper. "Is Releena out of her mind having such a dangerous object in her possession?" She asked herself. "I've got to get this to those pilots as soon as I can. If biological weapons were re- introduced, especially now, no one would survive."
She thought first of Quatre. Surely he would be the easiest to find. After all, hadn't he taken over his father's mining operations on one of the remaining family owned satellites? Lucretcia pulled out a small hand-held computer and began searching through several database files. "Missing? For over a year?!" No information could be found about any of the pilot's whereabouts. "Perhaps they don't want to be found." Her mind answered. She would readily agree to that statement concerning Wufei Chang, Duo Maxwell, and Trowa Barton, but certainly not with Quatre. Something definitely did not add up.
"Dead End. How am I ever gonna find these pilots?"
______________________________________________________________
Once at the top of the staircase, she immediately spotted him. Lucretcia took a deep breath and groaned. Adjusting the wide brimmed hat, she glanced down at her white dress, covered with gaudy red and pink flowers. "Well, here goes. I wonder what he'll think." She almost laughed, curving it into a wide, bright smile, and ran full force down the stairs and into the arms of Zechs Marquise.
To say he was stunned beyond belief was quite an understatement. But what happened next almost made him keel over.
"Darling! I'm so glad to be home!" She hugged him fiercely and gave him a long, passionate kiss. Not that he minded, of course.
Finally coming to his senses, Zechs cleared his throat and gazed at her sternly. "Noin! What..."
"Shh..." She placed a finger over his mouth. "It's a surprise." She turned toward the porter who was lugging the large green bag, followed by a second man carrying some other bags. "Do see to the bags, Darling. I have something for you."
After ordering the luggage to be brought to his vehicle, he quickly took Lucretcia by the hand and pulled her into a corner. "Alright, Noin. What's going on?"
She looked around carefully, before answering. "I can't tell you now. But it's very important. I have something we must take to the Gundam pilots. First, we need to go someplace secure."
"Right."
She latched her arm through his and they began walking toward the sliding doors, when a large poster caught her eye. Splashed with colors of green, yellow, red, and blue was an add for the Venadette Circus. "The circus..." She thought. "Trowa Barton..."
From a dark corner, a pair of dark eyes narrowed at the couple exiting the complex. A crooked smile crossed hard-set features and a gruff voice mumbled, "Well, then. To the circus we shall go."
______________________________________________________________
To be continued...
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I hoped you liked this chapter. It's a far cry from the prologue, but I tried to make it interesting. Till next time...

Ah, another chapter. I'm so glad you've decided to keep reading. There will be a little more action in this chapter as well as a twist on Heero that you might find interesting. Enjoy.

New Mobile Report Gundam Wing belongs to the Sotsu Agency, Sunrise and Fuji TV. I claim no rights upon the characters or their respective personalities.

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Human Nature - A Gundam Wing Fanfic by Goddess Moon

(jmcchick@hotmail.com)

Chapter 2 - Revelations

Year: After Colony 198

Day 2

Releena slowly opened her eyes. It took her a few moments to focus on the white blur in front of her. "Dr. J.?" She asked, surprise evident in her groggy voice. "Where are we?"

"In a holding cell - somewhere in Bartkusonete's underground bunker I think."

"Oh God, no!" She quickly jumped to her feet, pushing the aged man aside. On wobbly knees, she ran to the securely locked door and began pounding on it. "Let me out!" She

screamed hysterically. "Please, you have to let me out!" She rammed her body into the door three times before sliding back to the floor, sobbing.

A three pronged metal hand nudged her shoulder. "There, there now. We'll get out of here in plenty of time."

"I don't want your pity!" She cried. "I have to get out! I have to stop him! He'll find Noin and he'll take it and open it! I will not let that happen! I can't!" Releena screamed.

Dr J. was silent for a few moments watching her cry with a stoic face. Finally he spoke, in a tired, old voice. "I'm afraid that years locked in a lab making weapons hasn't done much for me in the way of teaching compassion. But I offer my assistance as I have before."

His words were touching. They were simple, but enough. He cared - granted, in an awkward, twisted sort of way, but she needed something. Releena had never felt so cold or alone in her life. She leaned her head against his sagging shoulder and wept.

Curling up the back of his spine, guilt slowly wrung its way around Dr. J's heart and squeezed with an agony he hadn't felt in over ten years.

_____________________________________________________________

Zechs Marquise, formerly known as the famous 'Lightning Count,' grimaced, as Noin led him toward the huge striped tent. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the base of his neck. Zechs fought a losing battle with the flipped collar of his jacket.

Noin smiled to herself. "Having a bit of trouble?"

"Not at all." He bit. "Let's just hurry up and get this over with. If your suspicions are correct, the sooner it's out of our hands the better. Besides, I want to pay my sister a visit and find out just where she got the idea that she could hide something like this."

"My thoughts exactly." Noin glanced warily at the bag Zechs carried. "I just hope he's here. Bringing this out into the open is dangerous."

______________________________________________________________

They took their seats just as the show began. Several acts began at once. A few clowns began their act - riding unicycles, juggling pins, walking on stilts, and throwing pies. Next came the trapeze act. A beautiful redhead wearing a pink body suit and a feather in her hair took to the air. As she landed, thunderous applause greeted her from the audience.

Noin shifted uneasily in her seat. She cast a glance at Zechs. For once, he actually seemed as agitated as she was, except he was looking intently at the opposite side of the stands, rather than the center ring. "What is it?" She whispered.

"I'm not sure. Just keep looking for him."

Finally the ringmaster stepped into the spotlight with his red jacket, white pants, and black riding boots. "Ladies and Gentlemen. The Venadette Circus proudly presents one of our most dangerous and death defying acts! Once again I introduce the lovely Catherine Bloom and meet her assistant - the fearless clown!

"There!" Lucretcia pointed to the clown with the green shirt and white and blue, checked pants. "That's him."

Two workers strapped the clown firmly to the wheel and set it in motion. Catherine threw her knives, missing his body by only a few centimeters. At the conclusion of the act, applause greeted them once more and the two made their bows.

Noin sat frozen in shock as she watched Zechs suddenly jump up from his seat and run towards the center ring. For a split second she gazed up into the crowd and saw the yellow beam of a laser gun fired from somewhere in the far right section.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Zechs jumped in front of Trowa, pushing both him and Catherine to the ground.

"No!" She cried as the beam hit Zechs directly in the back.

_____________________________________________________________

It had been many hours since she had stopped crying. Now she sat, lifelessly, with her head resting on her knees, staring as a drop of water fell from the ceiling and hit a small puddle on the floor. A thousand things spun through her mind. Her entire life seemed to pass before her eyes. She thought about her father and mother - how simple things used to be. What changed it? Was there an exact moment or time or�person? Yes. Oh yes. How could she even question it? The day Heero Yuy appeared in her life was a turning point. It wasn't soon after that she lost her father, became a princess of a kingdom forgotten only to lose it soon after - and there were so many more things.

There were many losses to be sure, but she always clung to her faith and hope in mankind - that they really didn't want war and that someday in their hearts, they would find the answer and have true peace. The war did indeed come to an end, only now the world will tumble right back into one.

But somehow, the weight of what was happening didn't seem to affect her. The ideals she held and pronounced to the world seemed so far away. She was simply unable to feel anything and the thought was frightening. She couldn't even take care of herself, let alone the ones she cared most for. Yet, she was not alone in her plight. "For when one loses their way, they lose their purpose and so lose their reason to live."

Madame Blanc's words rung so true now. But she never thought she'd apply them to herself. Suddenly it hit her. Was that how Heero felt? Was that why he was so eager to complete his mission? Fighting gave him a purpose. But�then, he lost it somehow. Why? Heero was such an enigma to her - he wasn't void of feelings or emotions, just extremely complex, yet dark� What made him that way?

Her eyes settled on the old man, huddled in the corner. The shadows covered his face and he was completely still. "Dr J?" He voice was hoarse and her words barely above a whisper.

"What was that, my dear?" He suddenly asked.

Releena was silent for a few moments and then cocked her head. "Dr. J� Who is�what is�Heero?"

He regarded her silently. After a short time, he stood and made his way toward her, his knees creaking loudly, before planting himself about a meter away. "He is exactly what I told you he was. Heero is a kind-hearted young boy�well�young man now. Granted, there are a few things that make him different from you and I, but he's virtually the same as the rest of us."

Her voice was quiet but filled with a stinging accusation. "What did you do to him?" She noted that the same expressionless guise crossed his face as did Heero's, before his shoulders wilted and his lips curled into a wrinkled frown.

"I changed him."

Releena lifted her head then and moved in closer. "Please. You wouldn't tell me before, but I must know. I have a right to know. You said once that I had the same look in my eyes as Heero did when you found him. Who is he?"

"Heero Yuy is Heero Yuy."

"What?" She asked, confused.

Dr. J. sighed and began again. "You know the story of the great leader of space, Heero Yuy. But very few know the history of his family - his wife and his son."

"I didn't even know that he had�"

"Most people didn't. Noriko Yuy was frequently ill and was kept away from the crowds

and the public eye. It was very rare indeed for her to make a public appearance. She usually faded into the background wherever she went. Plus due to The Alliance and Oz, almost all traces of Heero Yuy were removed from official databases, records, and history books. They didn't want anyone to remember the truth about what happened."

"Oz wasn't content to just assassinate Yuy, they wanted him obliterated from the people's memory. And the best way to do that is to get rid of everyone associated with him. I believe the same thing happened to your family. Pacifistic ideas were in the way of political and economic dominance over the colonies."

At the time of the Peace Convention, I was working on L1 in a laboratory not too far from the convention center. I was to present some of my new innovations for trans-colonial communications to the delegates along with a few of my colleagues. Heero Yuy's ideas for maintaining good relations between all the colonies and Earth were brilliant. It was at the end of his speech, right there, in front of everyone, a sniper from one the balconies murdered him."

"Everything was in chaos. My colleagues and I made it safely into the hallway. We ran for our lives naturally. We decided to use the freight elevator and slip out in the least conspicuous way. Just before I reached the elevator, a woman covered in blood grabbed onto the lapels of my jacket. In her arms, she held an unconscious little boy. It took me a moment to recognize her face. She was none other than Noriko Yuy. She was hysterical and in tremendous pain. She thrust the boy into my arms, begging for me to take him. Once I did, she turned around and began to stagger away from us. I reached out to stop her. That's when the shooting began. I lost my outstretched arm and Noriko had been shot again. Needless to say, she was dead. We barely escaped with our lives."

Releena shook her pounding head. Too much had happened in the past few months. True she had wanted to know of Heero's past but this�this was an information overload. Of all the things she had expected to hear, this was definitely farthest from it. The blood was rushing in her ears and her head pounded fiercely. "Are you saying that Heero was that little boy�was his son?"

"That's right."

"But that was over twenty years ago. He's too young to be�"

Again, Dr. J. answered with a tired sigh and his spirit wilted even further. "Times were dangerous. There was panic and fear on the colony. The people were shocked and did not pay attention as The Alliance swiftly and stealthily took over. The other scientists and I realized what was happening, but it was too late to warn anyone and we didn't want to make ourselves too conspicuous. Oz was still looking for the boy."

"The little rascal was in a coma. Apparently he had suffered a massive blow to his head. And so we were faced with quite a dilemma. It was hard enough to smuggle one's self off the colonies, but with the boy it would have been impossible. My colleagues and I came up with a simple solution. We placed him in a suspended animation chamber - one that was small enough and inconspicuous enough to hide among our equipment. We were to leave the very next day."

"But the alliance had other plans. The laboratory was raided that night and we along with our equipment were shipped to Earth - to the Lake Victoria Base. Septem had just given his first orders as captain. As the colonies were now the property of The Alliance, so were its citizens, and so were we. We were to begin construction on new weapons for the military. Once again, fearing for our lives, we began the prototype for all mobile suits - The Talgeese."

He took a breath and continued. "We never trusted the alliance form the beginning and had vague suspicions that they were behind the massacre. It wasn't long after that we discovered just who was behind it all - OZ. We were angry, but still afraid. You have to remember - we stayed away form the public doing work on our research for a great portion of our lives. Dealing with the military was a totally new and frightening experience, not to mention that Septem's units were exceptionally trigger happy."

"Still, we wanted to do something. The Alliance and OZ would pay for what they had done somehow, but at the time, no one powerful enough could rise to that challenge. So, we took the initiative on ourselves. We slowed down the construction of the Talgeese and began secretly construction a new gundam - Wing Zero. It could obliterate a legion of the Talgeese models if necessary."

That's when a new figure entered our lives - Marquise Weridge. He was sent by the Romefeller Foundation to analyze our progress. He pronounced the Talgeese to be too cumbersome and gundanium alloy too expensive to import in mass quantities. Based on the prototype, his engineers came up with a new, smaller, and more lightweight mobile suit - the Leo's. Of course, they were far inferior to the Talgeese, but we weren't going to say anything."

Releena interrupted. "What about Wing Zero? No one ever knew of its existence. How did you keep it a secret for so long? And what about Heero?"

"Wing Zero was completed a month before weridge's scheduled arrival. We needed to get Wing Zero to a save place. It had to be offworld - somewhere that The Alliance wouldn't look for it. One of the guards who was in charge of us was a good young man and he agreed to help us. During a test run for the Talgeese, he secretly piloted Wing Zero to the Winner Mining Satellite and reported back that it was well hidden and all was well. Unfortunately, due to the effects of the Zero System, he went insane shortly after and we were left with a problem. We needed a superior pilot who could master and withstand the system. We were running out of time and there was no one we could trust."

"That was when I remembered the boy. The task was left to me and I began immediately before I could think twice. I eased the pressure on his brain and went to work. I altered his genetics, engineering his body to withstand super speeds, g-forces, and increased reaction times. But of course, more is needed to be a superior pilot. We needed someone who could outmaneuver and outsmart any pilot The Alliance would ever have. He was to begin training as soon as he awoke."

"But, it never happened. Weridge came early. We hid the boy as best we could, but as far as Marquise Weridge was concerned, we were dangerous and not to be trusted. He had his suspicions and when the reports came about an unidentified object blasted into space from the base, he pointed the finger at us. The Marquis ordered us to be separated and shipped to distant colonies, where we were to be kept in isolation working on new military technologies."

Of course, now that The Alliance was going to be using Leo Land units it seemed almost barbaric to unleash Wing Zero. Plus, now we might never be able to retrieve it. So, we came up with a new plan. Each one agreed to create separate, but equally powerful gundams to take revenge on OZ and destroy the Alliance. Their combined power could also destroy Zero if it fell into the wrong hands."

"First, I needed to get my pilot onto L1, before they shipped me out. The boy was bright and I hid him on a freight carrier bound for the spaceport. From there it would proceed to the colony. However, things didn't work out as planned and I was unable to retrieve him from L1's docks. The next time I saw him would be until 10 years later. By that time, I was highly connected with White Fang. They assisted in the construction of each of the gundams. They organized Operation Meteor. Heero showed up at the right place at the right time, and in 195, I sent him to Earth as a part of it. What happened to him in between that time I don't know."

Releena remained in a cold, silent, shock. What Dr. J did was so unbelievable, so inhumane. "You used him. You altered him to be a tool of revenge." The old man seemed to shrink back with each word she uttered. She felt sorry for him in a way. He had an awful lot to answer for. It was a shame that he realized it so late. She smiled wanely. "You failed, you know. There is no such thing as a perfect soldier." Releena stated in a distant voice. "The inner strength of the person determines the strength of the soldier.

"I've wanted to know and understand Heero for so long now. I can't imagine going through or having been subject to even half of what he has. I could see vague traces of his true feelings through his eyes, but he never relented. He's kept it all so well hidden. And now that I finally do understand how he feels and why, I don't know how I can ever compare to his strength."

"You don't have to. As you said, there is no such thing as perfection. Releena, we all fall short in so many ways. It is impossible to undo the past."

"That lays such a heavy importance on the future. And right now, I can't think of anyone else. Another war is going to start and I almost don't care." She sobbed. " I've made such a mess of everything and I don't know what to do fix it or if I can."

"Don't blame yourself."

"But I do! I just wish I knew where he is now."

Dr. J. chuckled a bit. "Not far. Not far."

______________________________________________________________

The audience was in an uproar inside the circus tent. People were in an all out panic - screaming, pushing, and literally running each other over to get out of the exits. With

strength she never knew she possessed, Lucretcia hoisted the bag onto her shoulder, gave a battle cry, and rammed through the wall of people around her. "Zechs!"

Finally making it to the center ring, she placed the bag on the floor and knelt next to his body. A pool of blood was spreading beneath him. "Oh God�"

"Miss Noin!"

She looked up to see Trowa, his mask removed. "I have something for the Gundam pilots. It's urgent that we get all of you together."

Zechs gave a grunt and she rolled him over. "Are you alright?!"

"Don't worry about me. Just get that package out of here. Someone's on to us. Go!"

"But�"

Catherine interrupted immediately, calling to some stagehands. "Hurry! We have to get him out of here!" She winked at Noin. "I'll take care of him. For now, you two better go."

"Thanks, Cathy." Trowa gave her a quick hug and picked up the green nylon bag. "I take it this is it."

"Right. Let's move. We have to find the others quickly."

______________________________________________________________

To be continued�

Please send all your comments to me at JMcChick@hotmail.com. I need lots of feedback!

Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter out within 2 weeks. Hope you liked it.

Back again?! Well then, you might as well read this chapter. The rest of the Gundam pilots make their entrances along with some of the others that we all know and love. My, this story seems to get longer and longer. :: sigh :: Why can't I keep anything simple?

New Mobile Report Gundam Wing belongs to the Sotsu Agency,Sunrise and Fuji TV. I claim no rights upon the characters or their respective personalities.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Human Nature - A Gundam Wing Fanfic by Goddess Moon

(jmcchick@hotmail.com)

Chapter 3 - A Reunion

Year: After Colony 198

Day 3

A group of seven men sat leisurely in the small lounge, eating various items and talking of the latest news. Each wore gray pants, a white shirt, and a black vest and cap.

One man with a mop of sandy blonde curls voiced his opinion. "I tell you, Padua, I don't like it!"

"Who are we to question the general's actions?" Simone Padua retorted hotly, rising from his chair.

Slovinsky pounded a fist on the table. "I'm questioning his motives! Since when do we need to take prisoners?!"

"Calm down, the two of you." Sergeant Nemov interjected calmly. "We don't even know if the rumors are true."

"And how are we to know otherwise?!" Slovinsky demanded of his superior, daringly.

"What's going on in here?!" A commanding voice called, as a tall, well - built soldier in black emerged from the entryway.

"Nothing sir!" Slovinsky, Padua, Nemov, and the two other soldiers immediately rose, saluting the feared lieutenant.

Hard-set cerulean eyes glared at each of them. Before he could say another word a beautiful woman entered the room, wearing a white jacket and a long skirt. "Excuse me, Lieutenant. May I see you for a moment?"

The lieutenant glared at them before turning and walking out the door.

______________________________________________________________

Lucretcia quickly followed Trowa down a sinkhole and closed the lid behind her. Jumping from the ladder, she landed painlessly on the ground. Steel tunnels led in every direction, but only one was blocked off by a 4-rung laser security panel. Next to the opening was a retina-scan device as well as a palm-identifier.

He quickly stepped up to each device.

"Retina Scan Complete." A mechanized voice echoed through the passageway. "Waiting for hand-print identification."

Trowa placed his hand on the scanner. "Verification complete. Code Name: Trowa Barton. Enter." Oddly the laser beams didn�t disappear.

Without warning, he turned to face her and she stepped back. Her eyes widened as she noticed for the first time how much he had changed. He was much taller, towering over her own 5'8 height. His hair was still as wild as ever and his eyes still held the same dark mystery, but his face was more filled-out and the lines of his jaw were more defined.

He seemed unaffected by her gawking stare. "You'll have to wait here. There's a sensor placed just in front of the beams. It'll let me through, but not you. Once, I'm inside, I'll deactivate the mechanism." He stepped through the beams and entered a small code into a keypad on the other side. At once, the beams retracted.

Trowa jumped back out and picked up the bag.

Noin broke the silence. "Where will this tunnel take us?"

"It's a shortcut. I know where Duo, Quatre, and Wufei are. The fastest way to reach them is to contact them from a central location on a secure channel. That way, it won't take us very long to assemble." He immediately turned, carefully placing the bag inside the tunnel and climbed through the hatch.

'Still a man of few words.' Thought Noin. It was good to know that something had not changed. Everything was in such chaos. If the contents of the chamber contain what I think it does, we're in for a lot of trouble. 'I just hope they can do something about it.' She climbed into the narrow tunnel behind Trowa.

A few meters down she stopped and gasped. The walls of the tunnel were coated with smeared pools of dried blood. It sent chills down her spine. "Trowa�what�what happened here?"

He stopped dead in his tracks and scooted around. Their faces were very close. Noin's eyes went wide as she noticed the look in his own - they were swirling with something dark and terrible. He voice was low, but she winced as if he had shouted. "I've seen an awful lot of things, Noin, as I'm sure you have. But this�this is one thing you'd rather not know about. The Alliance did some treacherous things to those who had the power and influence to spawn a rebellion. Those who were caught did not fare well." He pulled back and sat down, ducking his head. "Tell me now. Does this have anything to do with Bartkusonete?"

"Yes. I'm sure you know about the current status of his underground base in the north. Lady Une filled me in on the rest. I also saw Releena. That's when I knew something was wrong. I don't know what's in that canister. But whatever it is, it's dangerous. She's afraid, Trowa. I've never seen her like that before. From the temperature regulation devices and the atmospheric controls, I'd guess it's a biological weapon of some sort. But why stoop so low? That kind of warfare was banned centuries ago. No one will stand for it. Every nation would protest that. It makes no sense."

He regarded her with a cool, collected tone of voice that showed no hint of worry or shock. "That depends on your objective. It's an odd move, true. But not necessarily an illogical one." Without a second glance he turned around and continued crawling through the tunnel.

Lucretcia sat with her mouth agape. That's it?! That's all he has to say?! She felt like kicking the behind right in front of her face and then shaking him, demanding that he give her an answer. At the very least he could tell her he had a plan - an idea of what was going on! But then she stopped. What if he didn't have one? Were the Gundam pilots trained to deal with this type of weapon? Guns, lasers, and machinery were one thing�but�an invisible pathogen? How do you fight something when all knowledge about it had been destroyed centuries ago? She chewed on her bottom lip. 'We all tend to rely on them so much. What would happen if they failed?'

She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. 'I wish Zechs were here. I trust Trowa, but�' She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Her job was to deliver this thing to the gundam pilots. Then she could have time to worry. 'One thing at a time, Lucretcia.'

______________________________________________________________

"Well?" Heero asked as soon as the door of the lab slid closed. He pulled at his collar of his uniform and undid the first button.

Sally Poe rolled her eyes before quickly pressing the lock on a panel near the door. "You never change. Always right to the point." She hit a switch on her computer terminal and shut down the surveillance system. "The rumors are true." She stated mater-of-factly as she began packing several medical instruments into a small case.

He seemed neither impressed nor the least bit concerned. "I know they are. Dr. J. has been here for almost a week."

"No. I think we do have a hostage. I know you've been monitoring the system, but I think there is a lot we don't know. Bartkusonete is smart - that's one thing in his favor. He knows exactly what he's doing and he's not taking any chances. Dr J. is important for inventing and designing weapons, but in the political arena he has no pull."

Heero gave her a cold stare, but nodded. "Makes sense. Bartkusonete's getting pretty desperate. Although, as you said, it would have to be someone very important to get the Federation's attention."

"Mmm. There're only a few he could possibly get his hands on. Governor Cottrel is in the east, Jamael Atin is still on tour in the southern district, and Baron Adiaz is confined to bed rest after his recent heart attack. That leaves only two - Lady Une and Releena Darilin." She said, reaching up to a high shelf to pull more equipment down and threw it into her brown bag.

"Wrong. That leaves one. Our spies reported that Lady Une blasted out of the Highland Spaceport two days ago. Since then, she's been meeting with every official of the Colonial Cabinet. Either we're getting recognition or Bartkusonete's true scheme has been uncovered. In any case, we still have a big problem." Heero's eyes darted back and forth as he watched Sally run from one end of the room to the other. "What are you doing?"

She stopped, her two blonde braids whipping about her, and put a hand on her hip. "What does it look like? I'm packing." Sally immediately resumed her task.

Heero was silent for a long time and then sighed. She was going and that was that. "Go to the hanger." He took out a small slip of paper and handed it to her. "Contact Quatre at this frequency. I�m going to get Releena and Dr. J. out of whatever holding cell they�re in. Then I�ll disperse the soldiers and destroy this bunker, taking as many mobile suits with it as we can."

Sally raised a brow. "Destroying the bunker is an easy task for you, but how are you going to suddenly convince all these soldiers to go home with no pay and no food? Don't forget the entire reason this whole thing started."

"Don't worry. I haven't. Oh, and Sally, give my regards to Wufei." He placed a black cap over tousled hair, unlocked the door and stepped out.

'Of course.' She muttered after turning a healthy shade of crimson. She trusted Heero with her life, and had complete confidence in his abilities, but it was annoying at times � Heero honestly seemed to be aware of everyone and everything � almost as if he were not human. 'I wonder if there's anything that would surprise him.' She pondered ruefully.

______________________________________________________________

"Hilde!" Duo screamed at the top of his lungs, while digging through a heap of junk.

"What?!" Came an exasperated cry, as Hilde Schpiker poked her head out of a small office. She caught sight of him rummaging through bolts, old battery cells, and various other scraps. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. Everything was a complete disaster. At this moment it was difficult to remember why she ever agreed to go into the salvage business in the first place.

"Where in the he�"

"Duo!!!!!" 'Uh-oh. Here it comes.' He thought, cringing as he turned around. Her voice was high enough to shatter glass, and his long braid whipped up behind him as 'Hurricane Hilde' went on the warpath.

"Do you even have a clue as to how long it took me to organize everything into separate categories, ready to be put NEATLY into storage compartments for later use?! How do you expect to sell anything if you can't even find it?!"

That did it! After all, he was Duo Maxwell - God of Death. He jumped to his feet, fearlessly facing her 'whirlwinds.' "I had everything arranged just fine before you stuck your hands in everything and screwed up my system!"

"You call 'throwing the newest stuff on top' a system?!"

Duo narrowed his eyes. There was only one way to win this arguement.

Hildie's eyes widened when she saw his wicked gleam. "No, Duo. Please. Not�" She shook her head, backing away � looking for a quick exit.

The God of Death stalked his prey carefully in a circle, taking care to make sure she would not escape his wrath. Suddenly, he pounced on her, knocking her to the ground, tickling her mercilessly.

::Gasp:: "Duo�" ::Giggle:: "Please�" :: Giggle::

"Do you surrender?"

"Never!"

He began tickling her harder this time.

Finally she relented. "Ok. Ok. I surrender." She fought to keep her breath. They were both smiling now, all traces of anger gone. His arms supported his weight as he still leaned over her. Her smile slowly faded as she gazed up at his face and fell for him all over again. Out of all the Gundam pilots, he was the first to make a joke or crack a smile. Even when things were unbearably difficult, he could make her laugh. His voice was much deeper now, but his face still held much of the youth and boyish charm he had when she first met him. And then there was that braid - she had given up on that long ago. It was past his knees now. But that was a part of his charm too. Her eyes closed as she noticed him starting to close the gap between. Out of the blue a high-pitched beeping noise interrupted them.

Duo grumbled as he leaned his forehead against her's before pushing himself up and stalking off towards the small office, muttering curses the whole way. "This better be good or da�"

As soon as he stepped inside, the view-screen activated. "Yo Trowa! Long time no see, pal! What's up? Tired of circus life and come to join us junk collectors, huh?"

Trowa reluctantly cracked a smile, but quickly returned to his stoic self. "I'm afraid not. Come to the hanger as soon as you can. There's an emergency."

"Sure thing, buddy. I'll be there in a flash." He turned around to leave, but quickly spun back. "And Trowa?"

"Yes?"

"You�re losing your power, man. I�ll get you to laugh at one of my jokes yet."

A rare, broad smile crossed Trowa�s face before the screen went blank and switched off. Duo smacked his hands together and gave a yelp. "Yeeehaaaww! We're back in business."

"Duo?" Hilde's unamused voice came from the doorway. "What was all that about?" She asked eyeing him suspiciously.

"Err�uh�nothing, Hilde. The guys and I are just gettin' together for a little while, that's all. You know�uh�catch up on old times."

She rolled her eyes. "You're a miserable liar, you know that?"

"Hey! I resent tha�"

She cut him off, giving him a quick kiss. "Oh shut up for once. It's a deal. I won't follow you this time. Besides somebody has to clean up this mess." Her voice turned serious, before she slipped out of the office. "But Duo, come back in one piece, ok?"

"Sure thing." He said confidently and winked.

______________________________________________________________

Quatre hugged Noin and Trowa warmly. "It�s so good to see you both again. I�m sorry I couldn�t meet you sooner, but there were a few things I had to take care of�" He trailed off a bit at the end, noting Noin�s agitated, nervous stance, but kept a true, genuine smile.

Trowa walked to a dusty table in the old shuttle hanger and placed the bag on top of it. He unzipped it and pulled the bag away from the cold, black surface of the tube. "This is it."

Quatre studied each of the gages, wires, and switches. "The casing itself isn�t a weapon or a part of one. Miss Noin is right though, it�s protecting something inside."

"Well it doesn�t look very impressive to me." A new voice answered.

All three of them whipped around to see Chang Wufei leaning casually against the wall on the opposite side of the room. He was dressed in the traditional white garb of his clan and a ponytail hung to mid-back.

He sauntered up to meet the group, leaning over the table to get a good look at the black canister.

"Did you bring the equipment?" Quatre asked Wufei.

He nodded. "Level 1 security. There was a slight problem with getting the Baron's approval, but it was relatively easy to break into the lab."

"Level 1?" Lucretcia asked, shocked. "Are they in that much of a panic?"

Wufei raised a brow. "It tends to happen when a insane fool takes a hostage of political importance."

"No. Not Releena?!"

Quatre nodded. "She's been missing since you left the spaceport. The news took a while to get out since she hasn't been seen in public for a while. But yesterday it was formally announced."

"I knew I shouldn't have left her alone! Oh God, what will Zechs say?! I've got to go find her!" She picked up her weapons and made tracks for the underground tunnels.

"Noin."

She whipped around to face Trowa. "Don't go alone. Zechs should be well enough to travel by the time you get through the tunnels. I'll have him meet you there."

"But I just can't�"

"We were being followed. The tunnels are clear for the moment, but whoever it was will be waiting for you. I'll get you through the security check points, but after that, it's up to you."

"Thank you. Good Luck." She said quickly. Lucretcia glanced one last time at the black chamber before running toward the exit.

Quatre eyed Trowa warily. "You know where Releena is. Why didn't you tell her?"

Trowa regarded him silently for a moment, then turned away walking back to the table.

Wufei crossed his arms across his chest. "For one thing, she's too distracted. Focus and balance are needed if we're going to defeat the enemy. Plus, she'll make a good distraction. It may buy us some time."

Quatre frowned and was about to voice his disapproval when Wufei backed away suddenly, his head whipping up to glare at the ceiling. "Did you hear that?" He asked, ready to face any challenge.

"Faintly." Trowa replied, scanning the room for any signs of an unwelcome intruder.

"There!" Quatre shouted, pointing to a shadow on one of the steel rafters, hanging 75 meters above.

"Quick! Split up!" Wufei called, pulling out a gun that had been tucked in his jacket pocket.

______________________________________________________________

Trowa tumbled across the back of a joint - where two rafters, spanning opposite directions, met. With lighting speed, he stood upright, on his feet once more. There! There's that shadow again! He whipped to the left, running across the beam, a mere 15 centimeters wide. Just millimeters away from the next junction, a figure jumped in front of him, clad in black. Trowa easy did a flip, landing just behind the intruder. He brought his gun to the man's head and cocked the barrel.

A broad smile crossed the face, concealed in shadows. Only the white of his teeth showed through the darkness. The intruder ducked, turned to face Trowa, and swung a swift, circular kick, intending to knock Trowa off his feet - and most likely off the rafter itself.

Trowa inhaled sharply, stunned that he'd been so easily defeated. With the impact to his shins, he wavered and fell. In a desperate act, he grabbed on to beam with his left hand.

"Trowa!" Quatre screamed from the rafter directly across the way and began making his way toward him.

Noin and Wufei followed suit, consumed by fear for their friend and anger for this mysterious intruder.

"Well, well, well." The intruder said mockingly. "What do we have here?" He asked, sauntering to stand just next to Trowa's hand.

There was no fear in Trowa's eyes - their dark green almost glowed through the shadows. 'I will not die here. Not now. There is still too much�' He chanted to himself. "Yaaaaaaa!" He gave a cry, mustering all his strength, and swung his body up. He did a back flip and landed with easeful grace just behind the stranger. His eyes narrowed as he reached out and pulled on the long, brown braid.

"Heeeeeeeey! Whadda' think your doin? That hurts!" Duo cried.

"You wine like a woman." Wufei stated. "He let you off rather easy. I would have killed you without a second thought.

"I don't think so, Wu-man. You know, you're all gettin' pretty lax. Seems to me like you needed a little practice to wake you up."

Quatre shook his head. Same old Duo. Making wise cracks and pulling stunts, whether appropriate or not. The God of Death - before he knew him, the words that came with that title seemed to be more mystery and silence. Now they were a constant contradiction when Duo was concerned.

Wufei rolled his eyes. It was amazing that Duo was even able to pilot a gundam, better yet even have a chance at getting the upper hand on Trowa. He was reckless, cocky, and his wisecracks were totally inappropriate. For a moment he considered knocking him out with a swift kick, but decided against it. There was too much to do and Duo's skills, feeble as he thought them to be, were needed. "Enough. We have work to do. There are only 6 hours before the timer runs out."

______________________________________________________________

A few minutes later, Trowa sat at a computer terminal continuously sifting though classified documents. 'There's nothing here. Romefeller apparently did one good thing.' "Humph." Who was working for Bartkusonete that could reinvent this technological terror? Noin was right. No one in his right mind would. There had to be something else. He turned to Quatre who was seated at the terminal on the far side of the small room. "It's not a biological weapon. Bartkusonete doesn't want death, he wants control."

"You're right. But that still doesn't answer the question of just what is in that canister and why Releena was hiding it in the first place."

Trowa was about to speak, when a cry was heard.

______________________________________________________________

Duo found himself, soldering a damaged wire connecting to the atmospheric stabilizer, while Wufei ran several logistics tests. "That about does it." Duo sighed, ripping off his goggles. "This baby shouldn't have any more problems!

He jumped down from the table, causing to wobble on its old legs. Suddenly white steam shot off from a release valve causing him to jump. The pressure dials began to fall, the locks released, and a red knob lighted green.

Wufei grabbed his collar and shook him. "What did you touch, fool?"

"Hey! I didn't touch anything! I swear!" Duo cried.

Trowa and Quatre came running down the hall and into the open bay area.

"I thought we had four hours left!" Quatre murmured.

"Obviously not." Trowa whispered as the side cracked open,

with a loud hiss.

______________________________________________________________

To be continued�

Hope you liked this chapter! I've been really busy so I'm not sure just when I'll have the next part ready. Please send me lots of feedback. My address is JMcChick@hotmail.com

Hi again. I realize that the last chapter didn't have too much action, but I'll try and remedy that in the next few chapters. ::smiles:: Action fics are really not my cup of tea. I'll try though. I know this chapter may seem kind of bland once you get to the middle, but please keep reading. It does get better! The middle is a fill in for the plot - can't complete the story without it. Please send me comments! I need to know what you think!

New Mobile Report Gundam Wing belongs to the Sotsu Agency, Sunrise and Fuji TV. I claim no rights upon the characters or their respective personalities.

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Human Nature - A Gundam Wing Fanfic by Goddess Moon

(jmcchick@hotmail.com)

Chapter 4 - Secrets

Year: After Colony 198

In the middle of the night, Releena shifted her position, unable to sleep. Every bone in her body seemed to hurt and her stomach burned with hunger. Her head pounded loudly as she tried desperately to stay awake. She couldn't sleep - not now. There just had to be a way out. She stared at the cell door, praying for a miracle. 'Humph! Praying isn't going to get you anywhere unless you get up and help yourself. You've wallowed long enough. Get up!' She commanded her body and somehow it obeyed. Her knees were wobbly, but she pressed on, cautiously approaching the small window at the top of the door.

She gasped. A thick green gas began to seep through the opening, followed by the shrill calls of a warning alarm. Several of the guards just outside began shouting and calling orders. Suddenly there was a loud thud and then silence. Only the hissing sound of the creeping gas could be heard. Releena's heart was beating a mile a minute. She heard the lock release and she froze. 'This is it.' She swallowed back her fear and waited for the door to open. 'I'll get out of here if it's the last thing I do! And then I'll find you and everything will be okay.'

The door slid open and she jumped at the soldier standing in the doorway with all her might, hitting him, clawing at him, fighting with everything she had. The soldier was not so easily defeated, however. Number one, she was weak and exhausted and number two, he was much stronger and bigger than she. 'No! No! I won't let you!' Her mind cried. 'I'm getting out of here and no one is going to stop me this time!' Tears streamed down her face as she blindly attacked him. He finally caught hold of her wrists, trying to stop her struggling, but she refused to give in, taking a firm bite into the hand that held her wrist.

He didn't even cry out or flinch. Sensing that it wasn't working, she yanked her body away as hard as she could, causing him to loose balance. But the soldier didn't let go of her arms and they both went crashing to the floor. She continued to struggle, but he pinned her body beneath his and held her wrist with an iron grip just above her head.

The fight in her died as exhaustion, hysteria, and utter despair flooded her senses. She cried without heed now. It was gone. She had no more strength and no more hope.

"Releena�"

Instantly her body froze. That voice�that was a voice she'd know anywhere. Her eyes flew open and she opened her mouth to call out to him, but nothing would come. Only a hoarse cry from the back of her throat arose. She wanted to reach up and hold onto him and never let go, but she had no more strength left. She could only make out outline of his jaw in the shadows, but his intense eyes seemed to burn through the darkness. They were the last thing she saw before everything went black.

______________________________________________________________

Citizen Governor Genot, head of the Colonial Cabinet, pounded his fist on the conference table. "We will not take any more chances!" He cried, in his French accent.

Lady Une sighed, rubbing her temples. "Please, Citizen Governor, you have to give us some more time. We're working on the problem as fast as we can."

"You've had almost a year! How long does it take?! How long should we wait for another madman to come along and destroy another one of the colonies' satellites?! No, Lady Une, we've been patient long enough. From here on in, we're taking matters into our own hands."

She narrowed her eyes and raised a brow. For a moment the voice and commanding tone of Colonel Une, echoed off the walls. "So, what you're saying is, you're ready to start another war?"

"Well, no�I�I�that is�" He stumbled on his words, desperately trying to find a sufficient answer.

She raised a brow. "Oh? I think you are, Citizen Governor." She spat. "Several reports have reached me that not only have you ordered a halt to the MS materials recycling project, but that you've also begun reconstruction on what used to be the Lunar Base. Tell me, why does the peace seeking leader of the colonies need such weapons?"

Genot smiled and answered in a calm, sickeningly sweet voice. "Now tell me, Lady, why a Minister of Peace needs spies."

Lady Une smiled back, ready and willing to play his little game. 'This is one battle you're not going to win.' "I suppose old habits die hard. But then, how do you know that *I* don't have my own stockpile of weapons and soldiers? Then there're the Preventors - they are peacekeepers not peacemakers. I wonder what would happen if I let your little secret accidentally slip out?"

"How dare you! You would leave the colonies defenseless?!"

"The colonies will never be defenseless. The Preventors fight to keep peace both on Earth and in the colonies. I told you before, Citizen Governor. Give me the time that I need."

The middle-aged man sat back in his seat and sighed. "Very well, Lady Une. I will give you two days, no more. It starts as of this second." His eyes narrowed and his face darkened as he leaned back over the table, his voice low and dangerous. "But I warn you, if anything happens on colonies, I'm holding you, your little group of assassins, and the Federation responsible!" He rose and bowed, twirling his long mustache between his fingers. "I wish you great success." He drawled, and then turned and left the room.

Lady Une released the breath she had been holding. She almost wished she were once again Colonel Une. He would be the first to go! Such narrow-minded people ought to be thrown off the face of the Earth. 'Hmm�' She shook her head. There were more important things to think about, although, the idea was tempting. Thank goodness she didn't have to see his weasel face for two days.

She whipped a small communications device out of her briefcase. "Come in 01. Are you there?"

"This is 01."

"Listen. It has to be done tonight. Afterwards, meet me here at the capitol. Hurry! Genot will not cooperate and we're running out of time. This has to be settled in 48 hours."

"Roger that."

______________________________________________________________

The voices seemed distant and far away. One was low and raspy, the other dark and deep.

"Have you got it?"

"Just about. The detonation devices are all in place. I just need to double check the synchronization levels."

Releena opened her eyes. Her vision was hazy at first, but her eyes soon adjusted to the darkness of the room. Dr J. was at a table a good 15 meters from where she stood, busily tinkering with some object or another. A tall soldier stood in front of a wall of surveillance monitors, computer terminals and the like. 'Heero�'

Releena glanced around her. She was circled by large crates to the rear and sides. She moved to stand up, her stiff muscles sore and protesting. Once she did her eyes went wide and she gasped. The room was much larger than she had thought. She was in a large cargo area holding possibly tens of thousands of mobile suits. "My God!" She whispered, stunned and horrified.

Suddenly a hand was on her shoulder and she jumped. "Heero."

He nodded in response gazing at her intensely.

"What�how did�when did they assemble so many? We�"

He put a hand over her mouth and cocked his head, indicating for her to follow him. He walked to a small utility door and swiped a card into the security box. The door opened and he slid through.

Once in the room, he quickly began entering a series of codes into a small computer panel next to the door. The lights came on, followed by a small beep. Finally he looked up and spoke. "We can talk here."

'We can talk?' There was so much to say. Where should she start? She opened her mouth and then quickly shut it. No. Stick to something safe. Suddenly the vision of all those suits came back to here. "Heero, when did they get so many? Lady Une estimated only a few thousand, but we never thought there'd be this many. How were they able to collect all these in a year's time?"

"A lot has happened. There are more resistance groups than you think. It really wasn't that difficult for them to join together in a common cause. The biggest problem in each nation is basically the same and the people are desperate. Ever since the war ended, economic recessions hit several of the dominant markets. Small nations suffered the most. What's more, there hasn't been very much attention given to them at the top and they intend to get it."

"But that's not true! They do have the federation's attention! Don't they understand? Several requests to grant aid and relief came from almost every representative of the major nations including the colonies. Trade programs with the colonies for raw materials would boost their economies by 43%. The figures are there!" She cried.

Heero nodded. "Yet the motions were stalled and then denied. Both Earth and the colonies are suffering because of it. Bartkusonete has many friends in high places. Many who were top military leaders serve in positions of power and wouldn't mind a bit more."

Releena balled her fists. "Power! Power! How stupid they are! Do they just want history to keep on repeating itself?! War leads nowhere. It we don't stop it now, Earth will be nothing more than a graveyard!"

"This isn't the first time peace has been threatened and it certainly won't be the last. Human nature in itself is not peaceful." He casually remarked.

Tears formed in her eyes. "I refuse to believe it! I will fight with everything I have to make sure that people can at least have some semblance of sanity and calm in their lives. They have a right to feel safe and live without fear - to know that they don't have to worry about anyone coming after them or their families anymore - to know that they won't lose anyone else - their parents, their brothers, their children!" She was dangerously near collapsing. Everything hit so close to home. She had been through so much. She knew, she understood what it was like.

"Then that's exactly what you should tell them."

Her head snapped up. "Tell them?!"

"They're all here, Releena, and they all have families. Most of these soldiers aren't aware of Bartkusonete's true objectives. And those who are, follow him out of fear. They don't think they have anywhere else to turn."

Her eyes were distant and she remained quiet for what seemed like forever. "And then?" She whispered.

"Then this base will cease to exist - not one MS will make it out in one piece."

She shook her head slowly almost eerily. "It won't stop him. I tried. But it won't."

Heero frowned and his mouth formed a tight line. Something was seriously off-key. She was as passionate and adamant as ever about her beliefs, but she was afraid - no more like scared to death. This wasn't the usual Vice-Foreign Minister kidnapping - something had gotten to her. His sharp eyes stared at her, deep in thought, for a moment, before he made his way toward her. He should say something, but what? Feelings were those things in that gray area - the place he so easily shut out. Come to think of it, his entire perspective of her was in that gray spot. He'd lost control before, and had spent months regaining it. 'Weak. You are weak.' He told himself. Just seeing her in tears threatened to push him back into that area he had fought so hard to repress. 'No!' His mind screamed. 'You can't afford to lose focus now!' But this�this was one obstacle he couldn't just eliminate. Besides, how do you eliminate an obstacle that is, at the same time, the solution?

Before he knew what he was doing he gently brushed away a few stray locks away from her face and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand, as he had done not so long ago.

Releena shut her eyes at his touch. She had missed him so much. She needed his strength, his ability to overcome anything that stumbled into his path. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and have him hold her, assuring her that everything would be fine. But no, she couldn't. Not now - not until�"

The door slid open and his hand dropped.

Dr. J. chuckled mischievously. "Everything's ready. Although, I think I might have went a little overboard. We've wired enough explosives to blow this bunker straight to the moon."

Heero raised a brow. "I doubt that." He turned back to Releena. "We should go."

She looked up and stared into his eyes. They gazed intensely back, almost willing strength to her. She nodded and followed him out the door.

_________________________________________________

Releena leaned against Heero, completely exhausted. She glanced down at all the people - there had to be thousands and she had just poured her heart and soul out to them. If only they would understand! Now was the moment of truth - one that would decide weather or not the plans the Federation had so carefully laid out would work in the future.

Many had listened to her words in earnest, but there were others who upon seeing her, looked like angry wolves, ready to tear her to pieces. It had been hours and she could do no more.

"Lieutenant?" A middle-aged woman with short, spiked red hair had made her way from the crowd and had climbed the steps up to the platform. She wore an old, yet highly decorated Alliance Uniform.

Heero watched her with an intense gaze. "Commander Janez."

She put her hands on her hips and nodded. "You. You were the pilot of 01, weren't you?"

He nodded in return, still watching a few of the more dangerous radicals in the crowd.

She turned to Releena. "May I say what an honor it is to finally meet you. I fought to the end against Oz, then against Libra. It was a hard battle, but it ended correctly. You must forgive me."

Releena was shocked. This was the last thing she had expected. "For what?"

"I never intended for this to go so far. I started the rebellion. I knew that an uprising would gain the Federation's attention. But then Bartkusonete came onto the scene. He was very good with words and he swept us all away with his promises and ideas. Please believe me. I've seen more death than most of the young soldiers here. I never wished for more."

Releena took the commander's hands in hers. "I do believe you. Now please believe me when I tell you that you do have the Federation's attention. You've had it from the beginning. But this way is wrong. You've been in hiding, focusing all your energy on producing weapons rather than voicing your distress to the world. Sometimes people won't listen unless you force them to by not giving up. Please help me end this!"

The woman remained silent for a moment before looking back at Heero. She followed his gaze to a few of the commanding officers standing just a few meters away from them. "They won't give up so easily. They all have promises of power."

"At the moment, they don't have much choice." He replied coolly. A sardonic smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and then disappeared.

"The detonators? Yes. They're perfectly placed. Although, don't you think you went overboard? There's enough force to blow scrap metal to the Moon." She didn't wait for a reply and quite honestly didn't expect one. She'd heard of the legendary pilot of 01 and Wing Zero. He appeared just a few days after Bartkusonete had taken over and she had recognized him instantly. He had been her subordinate for a long time and she could easily see why he was donned "The Perfect Soldier." She turned toward the large audience.

"This is it." Her voice echoed off the steel walls. "You've been given your options and war isn't one of them. You can either accept this mission and return home or you can face the consequences. This base will cease to exist in less than an hour so I suggest you make your minds up quickly."

Releena sighed. That wasn't exactly what she had in mind. Janez caught her expression and smiled. "Again, I must ask forgiveness, but quite a few of these men are battle hardened soldiers, not new recruits. You're going to have to give them a little more time to think about what you said. Unfortunately, we just don't have it. They're accustomed to orders and they'll follow them."

"Nemov, Asheid, Jonesey, Van Gottheil! Take your men and get to the flight deck. Make sure that all aircraft is fueled and secured. I want all staff and personnel evacuated within forty-five minutes. MacCrawl, Anderson, Kabutu! I want your units guarding every sector of this facility. All weapons will remain inside the base. You have any problems; you contact me or you contact the lieutenant. Understood?"

"Yes Ma'am!"

"Good. Now move out!"

_______________________________________________________

Releena hurriedly walked up the ramp of the shuttle and quickly slipped past the cockpit and into what should have been seating for passengers, but since it was a military aircraft, was only a cargo hold. She gulped. Heero was not happy. She hadn't received "the glare" from him in a long time. He was as silent as always when he led her and Commander Janez to the shuttle. This time, however was different. Oh, she'd seen him annoyed and a bit�perturbed, but never furious. To prove it, every now and then she noticed his fists clenching and unclenching or that slight twitching of his right eyebrow. She chewed on her bottom lip, nervously. Suddenly she furrowed her eyebrows. 'Why am I afraid? He's held a gun to my head more times than I can count. Why should this time be any different?' Full of righteous indignation, she stomped toward the door and pressed the release.

Well, yes sireee. There he stood, complete with clenched fists, twitching eyebrow, and, of course, the death glare. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words died on her tongue as the engines ignited and the shuttle began to shake. Releena toppled, but before she could fall, Heero wrapped an arm around her waist and quickly pulled her with him to the far right side of the shuttle. With lightning speed he united the leverage bands from the hooks and wrapped them around her waist several times, firmly securing them. He pinned her against the wall and took a firm hold on the steel rails lining the walls on either side of her. She gulped and held her breath when he brought his body against hers and looked directly into her eyes. "Whatever you do, keep your head back."

She didn't have time to recover from his touch or reply when the shuttle took off - at a much higher speed than normal. The whole cabin vibrated against her head, making it feel as though it were going to explode and her stomach dropped to her toes.

As they gained altitude and speed, Heero's body flew out until it was perpendicular to her own. He clenched his teeth and strained his arms to hold onto the rails as the g-forces increased.

Releena glanced around nervously. Obviously this shuttle was not quite flight-ready. A few of the larger crates were unsecured and could become very dangerous once they attained the weightlessness of outer space. She glanced down to look at Heero, but although she could only see the back of his head, Releena could tell the muscles in his arms were being pulled to the max. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the shuttle shook so violently it caused Heero to loose his grip. Crates, boxes, and other large, heavy object went flying. Before she could think, she pushed her head and arms from the wall with all the strength she could muster and caught hold of the black lapel on his jacket.

He whipped his head up to face hers and his blue eyes burned brightly. He grabbed onto her arm, pulling himself back and forcefully pushed her back against the wall. "Keep your head back!" He commanded angrily.

A large object in the corner of her vision caught her eye. "Heero! Look out!" She cried out too late as the large crate grated the side of his face and blood started to pour from the wound. Everything began to float as they finally passed through the ionosphere and into space where the ride turned smooth.

"Heero�"

He fixed her with a firm gaze. "Stay put until everything's tied down."

Releena closed her eyes, and let out the breath she had been holding. This whole ordeal was still far from over and she still had a feeling the worst was yet to come. How much more could she take? A few tears seeped out of the corners of her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. She couldn't afford any tears at this point. Releena's eyes flew open as she felt warm breaths of air on her face and went wide. Heero was dangerously close to her face, his eyes still blazing with the same fire from when she had grabbed onto the lapel of his jacket.

"Tell me." He commanded huskily, his usually cold and calculating voice low and breathing erratic.

She struggled under his gaze, knowing full well that he wanted an explanation both for her tears and frantic behavior in the cell earlier. God knows, she wanted to tell him everything, but how could she? What would he say? He would think her foolish, weak, unable to even� She shook her head, her eyes stung with the threat of more tears. "Heero, I�I�"

Before she could utter another syllable, his lips came down on hers in a hot, searing kiss.

________________________________________

To be continued�

Arg! I know. I know. I ended it right when it was getting good. But more good stuff is coming. I promise. I have to get back to the other G-boys. After all, I left them hanging on a limb. I'm hoping that the next chapter will turn out to have some humor in - a nice change from this one. I think it'll be out in a week or two! BTW, I love getting e-mail, sooooo�send me some!