The Petite Rebel 10/12
Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 6:39 pm
Chapter Ten: Hilde?s True Purpose
Down field, standing in the very front of a sentry army line of a hundred more mobile suits, was a mobile suits that was a beautiful work of art. Pure white with blue and gold lining and wings like that of Wing Zero but grander was its make. It?s weapons were a golden glowing beam glaive, quadruple Vulcan cannons mounted on its head and its chest plate, a buster shield and a twin buster rifle placed in a holder on its back. It was rightly called The Star Gundam.
Inside the suit sat a woman with ice blue eyes and a malevolent grin upon her lips, as she propped her head up on her hand and watched the battle rage before her with only a fourth of her legions. It was the colonel of the White Fang. The commander, the woman who had started it all, commissioned Rodney Lewis to make the serum. She laughed quietly as she watched the Gundam pilots try in vain to destroy her troops. This wasn?t even all of her troops and they were still loosing pitifully. The Sanq would be in her control in no time.
She frowned then. ?But there is still a chance that the pilots will succeed, especially if they find the soldiers weaknesses out while in battle. Where is Hilde? I know she?ll come. She will turn the tables in our favor completely and the Sanq will have no chance.? She clutched the device Rodney had given her tightly again and grinned. ?She?ll be here. I know she will. Battle is all she?s in this world for.?
Suddenly her com-link fired up and a man came into view on the vid-link. ?Commander! The pilots have figured out a strategy! They?re fighting back and our troops are being beaten!? He said in a hurried voice.
?What! How is this possible? Grrah!? She slammed her fist down on her console.
?We need help out here mother! We?re being slaughtered!? The man said and screamed as one of the Gundams sliced through him.
?GAH! No!? She opened up a link to the rest of her unit. ?Attention all soldiers: We are needed on the outfield. Let?s go, go, go! Repeat: We are needed on the outfield!? She revved up the Star?s thrusters and moved out with her infantry to the battlefield. ?You will pay for this pilots.? She hissed.
~*~
Back in the field Une watched the battle from a higher altitude. She fought with suits mercilessly, knocking most from the sky. Just as she finished off another suit she looked out over the field and spotted a sea of new suits led by a pristine white one with gold. She gasped and opened a link to all the Sanq troops situated on the ground below. ?Attention everyone! More White Fang Mobile Suits headed our way! Seems to be being led by a new Gundam model! Model is unknown, be careful it?s possibly the commander of the White Fang!?
?Aw shit! That?s not cool!? Duo yelled back. ?We?ve got nearly nothing left!?
?We?re through. My ammo supply is nil.? Trowa said.
?Loosing battle,? Quatre muttered. ?Fight till the end...?
?It?s all we can do, die with dignity and honor!? Wufei said.
Zechs shook his head. ?Figured you say something like that.?
?Got any better plans Zechs Merquise?? Wufei snorted.
Une descended from her sky-high point. ?I?m sure he doesn?t. It is all we can do. For the peace.?
?For the peace.? Noin repeated as the next line of White Fang infantry moved in on them.
?ATTACK!? The commander called out her eyes aflame.
?GO!? Une called out, going straight for the Star Gundam with her saber drawn ready to do battle.
?Well here goes nothing, see you guys on the other side.? Duo said and saluted everyone heading off to fight a group of mechas with his barely flickering beam scythe.
Trowa nodded and smiled a bit. ?Nice knowing all of you. Good luck out there.? He nodded and then went off as well.
?You too Trowa.? Quatre said as he Wufei, Zechs and Noin went off to battle separately again with nearly nothing left.
~*~
Hilde finally spotted the battlefield, well who could miss it now? The place was aflame and there was mobile suit parts spread from here to Timbuktu. Hopefully she wasn?t too late and the Gundams were still alive and moving. She put Wing Zero into full thrust and flew faster, her eyes searching the barren ground for any sign of her comrades. She then spotted a glimmer of white and gold flash somewhere down below.
?AH!? She yelled. ?The bitch is back!? She flew down, but the white and gold was gone. Hissing she spun around and saw all around her the Gundams fighting and falling apart at the seams as they did. ?Oh god...I got here just in time...? She flew straight back up and pulled out Wing Zero?s twin beam rifle aiming directly at a generator near some White Fang suits. ?Locked on target...? She muttered as the targeting mechanism locked onto it.
Down below everyone was loosing and hurting incredibly badly. Duo had blood gushing from his forehead and mouth, as he gritted his teeth and went in for another loosing assault. Quatre had broken an arm and was fighting with one hand trying to keep his broken limb still. Trowa had blood pouring from his nose and under his eyes, as he fired at suits. Noin had her cockpit front ripped off and was fighting with it gone, barely hanging in there. Wufei was having trouble breathing and was coughing up blood from his lungs. Zechs was down to hand to hand suit combat and had a huge gash in his face bleeding like nuts.
Duo was hit backward and his head hit the back of the suit again. He cried out in agony as it split and he started bleeding there. He couldn?t do this anymore. DeathScythe went limp and his one good eye flickered dangerously. He stared up into space as blood pooled around his head. ?So this will end it all, will it?? He grated out in labored gasps. ?Well...DeathScythe.... Old buddy--it?s been fun...quite a ride...I?d say? He coughed spewing blood into his hand. Suddenly he saw a blinding light-but it was spacey kind of. ?Looks like this is it...? he muttered, misinterpreting the light. Unexpectedly his com-link blared to life and a familiar voice came onto it.
?Duo Maxwell! Move your Gundam?s metal ass and get away!? It said. ?Don?t you dare go dying on me, mister!?
Something clicked in his head and he sat up, ignoring the liquid crawling down his back, he looked up at the vision screen and his eyes widened. ?Heero?? He hissed out as the large view of Wing Zero came into his sight. ?No-it can?t be possible...Heero?s in the Sanq...then-who??
The voice came back more irritated sounding. ?MAXWELL! Move!! NOW!? It screamed.
Then it hit him. ?Hilde?! Hilde what the hell are-?
?MOVE!? She screamed at him.
Suddenly finding strength he thought he didn?t have at hearing her voice, he picked up the remains of his DeathScythe and ambled, clanking, out of the way. As soon as he had a large explosion ensued and he turned just in time to see the Wing Zero blow about seven White Fang suits to nothing as it hit a generator with its beam cannon.
Hilde was in the Wing Zero! ?Holy fuck!? He hissed as he watched her suddenly disappear fast as light and in her wake leave hundreds of suits in pieces. She went that fast as she helped out the rest of the Gundam pilots, blowing up hundreds of suits as she went, each pilot taking his time to figure out that Wing Zero had a new pilot in it. All the Gundams ambled backward teetering on what was left of their balance mechanisms and reaching the center leaning on one another.
?Who was that?!? Wufei called over an incredibly scratchy link.
?Hilde...? Duo said stumped into pure amazement.
?You have to be kidding? That woman?!? Wufei hacked up more blood and heaved a heavy breath trying to regain control of his beaten lungs.
?Hey, she beat you up...? Trowa said wiping the blood dripping onto his lips.
?She is fantastic...? Zechs muttered. ?Again, Yuy is right. Grah!? He punched his crumbling console.
Noin took a shuddering breath. ?Zechs...we?re in the middle of a battle that is so close to taking our lives and your worried about whether or not a damn Gundam pilot is right and your wrong?!?
Zechs gritted his teeth and didn?t answer.
?I?m completely empty! I?ve got nothing left...? Quatre said, letting his SandRock slump to the ground.
?Don?t sit out yet Q!? Hilde?s voice came over the link from no where. Everyone looked around frantically. Wing Zero was above them again.
?Wing Zero!? Zechs said.
?Look, I know you are so close to being out-but I need you to keep fighting for a bit, work together! Can you do that?? Hilde asked as she aimed the rifle at another few suits headed for her comrades.
Duo, in all his pain, let a smile overtake his features. Maybe he was wrong for trying to make her stay out of this. They?d be dead twice over now if it weren?t for her. His heart felt like bursting as her face came scratchily onto the vid-links. ?Anything for you, babe,? he said quietly. She smirked at him her green eyes now a blazing pink and she flicked him off. He laughed.
?All right then! Duo take the right flanks, Trowa take the ones behind, Zechs and Noin back those two up and Wufei-you take aerial troops and follow me as you go...Quatre-come with me, I?m going after the commander. And just to tell you-all White Fang?s mobile suits? Achilles Heels are in the knees. Hit those and the whole suit will crumble.? She smirked and cut off, taking Wing Zero and flying out over the White Fang troops still fighting with what was left of the Preventers and Sanq Special Forces.
?Hey, why didn?t someone tell us that earlier?? Duo grumbled as he went and made for the knees of enemy suits.
?Because no one knew that, baka.? Wufei said flying up to help the Sanq troops up there.
?Well how did she know?!? He complained, slowly following where she and Quatre had flown off.
?She was in the White Fang base for two years Maxwell, figure it out.? Zechs said making uppercuts to knees of other suits.
?Grr...? He grumbled and kept up.
Hilde and Quatre flew as fast as their thrusters would take them. ?Hilde-I?m getting a reading north-north-west....Lady Une?s Gundam and the commander were fighting together.?
?I see it Q.? She said and reared off in the NNW direction.
~*~
?Bitch!? The commander?s voice screamed out at Une as she flew back knocking a tree over in her suit.
?Watch your mouth young lady.? Une said with a little menace hinted in it. ?It?s not proper for ladies so young to use such language.?
The commander?s icy eyes flared. ?How dare you Lady Une! I run an army faction now! I?m not just a ?young lady? any more! I?m a commander...a colonel!? She dive-bombed Lady Une and knocked her Gundam twenty yards away, landing on it with the glaive poised just above the cockpit opening. ?Quinze, Zechs, Dekim, none of them could handle it! So I took over, and I?m winning.? She grinned maliciously as she brought down the glaive in one swift motion to take Lady Une out.
?Oh no you don?t!? Hilde?s voice screamed over the link as it bashed into the Star Gundam knocking it off of Lady Une?s mecha.
?AAHH!?
SandRock knelt by Lady Une. ?Are you all right Lady?? He asked.
?Yes Mr. Winner, I?m fine...Who is that?? She indicated the Wing Zero. ?Mr. Yuy certainly isn?t in it!?
Quatre turned to watch as Hilde battled with the Star Gundam. ?It?s Hilde Schibecker ma?am.? He answered.
?Miss Hilde?! I would have never guessed! I personally saw her out of Oz after she helped out Duo Maxwell!? She said in disbelief.
?So I?ve heard, but things have happened Lady, its a long story. For now we have to help the others find us.? Quatre said standing his SandRock up and turning so he could see down field to where the other Gundams were making their way toward the final battle.
?Ah, Hilde, my dear.? The commander?s voice said as the Star got up, regaining its balance. ?Very clever, very clever, using Wing Zero. I suppose we killed poor Heero Yuy? Ne?? She asked the girl icily.
Hilde growled. ?No, you nearly did though.?
?Ah, too bad. Would have made capturing the Sanq just this much easier.? She smiled at Hilde.
?Shut up wench!? Hilde screamed. ?This battle isn?t about Heero! It?s not about the peace for the world, or winning the Colony?s freedom back! This one is about me...You lying cock-whore...?
The rest of the Gundams arrived slowly, and what was left of the White Fang, Sanq Special Forces and Preventers arrived too, to watch the final showdown between Hilde and the White Fang commander. Everyone listened to the speech going on between the two, not daring to move. Quatre had turned back at the sound of the commander?s voice. Something sounded awfully familiar about it.
?Et tu?? The commander said.
?You stole my life from me...? Hilde hissed. ?Kidnapped me from my home, gave me a serum to turn me into the ultimate perfect soldier and in the process erased all my memories and my feelings just so you could win your stupid, fucking little war and prove you could rule. Well not anymore. I was told I was the best of your troops, because I was first and flawless-but not anymore. Your going down Dorothy Catalonia!?
All the Gundam pilots, Sanq Specials and the Preventers gasped at what Hilde had just said. Quatre?s eyes grew intensely wide. ?Dorothy?! Dorothy?! But she was kidnapped by White Fang! Two years a---go...? He stopped and put a hand to his mouth. ?Oh god...?
Dorothy hissed in her Gundam. ?Yes I was Quatre-dearest. But they offered me the world on a silver platter, how could I refuse? You and I are so different, I love war and you, you?re all for pacifism, just like that Peacecraft woman! And she will die, along with her self-serving ?hero? and all the rest of you wanting peace!?
Hilde snarled. ?Not going to happen Catalonia. I won?t let it! I?m the best of the best soldiers here and I will not let you take away any of my friends? lives! You took mine and all these poor souls that are your ultimate soldiers-but that?s all your going to get! You crazed lunatic...?
?Hilde...? Duo and Trowa muttered under their breath.
Dorothy then started laughing hysterically. ?You think you?ve won child? You think I?m outnumbered here and will meet my end at your hands? You are my creation Hilderine.?
Her full name spoken by Dorothy sent Hilde into a rage. She went at Dorothy her eyes so pink they were nearly red, but not quite. Dorothy flew up to avoid the girl?s attack, and landed behind her. ?It?s not so easy Hilderine my dear.?
?Hil-der-ine?? Duo breathed. ?Is that her real name??
Suddenly a new voice came onto the airwaves, but a voice Trowa, Hilde, Dorothy and Duo recognized.
?Yes, Mr. Maxwell, Hilderine is her real name. She is my daughter as Trowa and Heero are my sons. I
made them long ago just before the war began, and they have grown into beautiful children, if I do say so myself.? Rodney Lewis had appeared on the battlefield now, in a completely black Gundam that had been cloaked but was now showing itself for the combatants to see. ?In fact, I?d say Hilderine here was the most successful creation I?ve had. Absolutely perfect, wouldn?t you say? Though it?s not good that she tries to kill her mother.?
?What?!? Wufei shouted. ?The Catalonia woman is her mother?!?
?How is that possible?!? Quatre yelled.
?Simple genetics my boy.? Lewis answered with a grin. ?When Catalonia was a baby I took her cells and made Hilderine.?
Everyone gasped. ?And what about Trowa and Heero?? Zechs asked.
?Same way.? He answered as he watched Hilde and Dorothy fight.
?Oh my god...? Noin mumbled.
Trowa who had stayed silent throughout this suddenly spoke up. ?I say we help her.?
Duo grinned abruptly. ?I thought no one would ever suggest it. Let?s go!? He yelled at everyone and they all agreed advancing on the dueling duo. But Lewis stopped them again.
?I wouldn?t do that.? He smirked evilly.
?Why not? That?s my girl over there!? Duo snarled.
?Dorothy, now is the time darling.? Lewis said quietly.
?Yes.? Dorothy responded with a hiss of insanity in her voice. ?Heheheheh Hilderine, it?s over.?
Hilde was too enraged to notice or care what Dorothy had just said. The insanity side effect in the serum had over taken her and she was hell bent on killing Dorothy. Lewis simply grabbed Wing Zero and restrained it. Hilde went berserk but something clicked in Dorothy?s hand and the Wing Zero suddenly went completely limp. The ultimate soldiers that had been watching cheered and everyone else gasped in fear.
?Hilde?! Hilde?! Are you ok babe? Speak to me! What did they do?!? Duo went nuts over the com-link.
Lewis let the majestic mobile suit fall to the ground and laughed at them. Trowa moved his HeavyArms closer and knelt beside Zero a calm ?Hilde?? Snaking through his link.
Dorothy grinned wide and she hissed a command. ?Get up.? HeavyArms stumbled back as inside the mecha in front of him Hilde?s eyes snapped open, a swirling mix of lime green and pink. She sat back in the restraints on the seat and the Wing Gundam stood up obediently. Everyone gasped. Dorothy hissed out another command: ?Pull out Zero?s beam saber.? Hilde?s fingers moved deftly inside the cockpit of the Zero and in response the Gundam pried the beam saber from its hidden spot in its cuff and caught it, pointing it out at the Gundams. ?Now kill them.? Dorothy hissed and cackled low and evilly.
Hilde?s eyes never blinked, her expression was one of total void as she advanced on the nearly broken Gundams in front of her. She leapt up and attacked Duo, as he was the first one her saber came across. He rolled out of the way and she went after him.
?Hilde! What are you doing?! You shouldn?t be attacking us!? Duo yelled out over the link. But Hilde appeared not to hear him and went after him again. DeathScythe was already pretty much done for, but when her blow hit it, it was over. Duo could do nothing but abandon the Gundam as it exploded in front of the Wing Zero, and Hilde sat in it and stared unblinking and emotionless at the destruction she just caused. Duo got blown out of it and landed in a bloody heap some thirteen yards away. He was hurt even worse now, and lay on the ground and watched through heavy lidded eyes as the Wing Zero turned and began to attack the rest of the Gundams.
Duo?s hair blew in the dead hot wind, a thousand things racing through his head as more blood pooled around him. His Hilde was going to kill them...he was going to die here because of her-no, not her, Dorothy,...Dorothy made her do this! Dorothy and Rodney Lewis! Duo painfully raised his head up, his vision becoming severely blurry as he did. He watched as Hilde attempted to kill the rest of the pilots, and he looked around the other way. He saw the Star Gundam standing idle in the field. He grinned as much as his face would allow and slowly he began to crawl toward it, leaving a bloody trail behind him. Dorothy was going to pay.
He came up to its foot and crawled up onto it, reserving all his strength as he climbed up the mainframe to get to the cockpit door where he knew the blonde bitch was. He tore open the hatch and looked in.
Dorothy looked up at him and stopped the maniacal laughter she had been doing in one gasp as she stared at the bloodied Duo with the look of pure hatred on her face. ?You! Get out! What the hell are you doing? How?d you get up here?!? She screamed at him.
He grinned at her his hair blowing in the hot wind. ?Pure strength, now move over woman.? He said in a death-like voice. She hissed and grabbed him with her sharp claw like nails and scratched at him, pushing him out but he held on and fought back. He managed to get a punch in and knocked her out cold.
?Bitch...? He muttered and slid in beside her shoving her over. He left the cockpit door open and picked up the com-link. ?Quatre,? he said coldly over the link. ?Come and get your woman.?
Quatre snuffed a bit indignantly at the analogy Duo had made, but unsteadily his SandRock stood up and meandered toward the Star Gundam. He placed it?s hand just below the cockpit, and Duo shoved the lemon blonde girl out onto it ?Take her back to the Sanq Quatre, Sally might be able to fix her.? Quatre nodded solemnly as he opened his hatch to take the girl into SandRock?s cockpit, backing up again. Duo closed the hatch up again, returning to the com-link he opened up a clear channel to Wing Zero. ?Hilde! Hilde Schibecker! Listen to me!?
Hilde?s voice came over the link back to him, monotone, completely emotionless and flat. ?Who are you??
Duo was at a loss for words. ?It?s me, Duo, don?t you remember??
?I don?t know any Duo.? She said again, and continued to try and kill Quatre, who had heard Duo and took up his com-link.
?Hilde! Listen to us! We?re your friends, remember?! Don?t forget us again-please?? Quatre said.
Trowa and Wufei got the idea too, and picked up. ?Hilde...you can?t have forgotten already.? Trowa said with a tinge of desperation. Hilde was his sister...
?Onna! You can?t forget! How could you be so weak?? Wufei called out.
?Who are you people?!? She asked ?I don?t know any of you...all I know is that you have to die for the Colonies.? She made another blow at Wufei this time, who tried to dodge but his leg got caught in the blast and was blown off.
?Hilde! No! The war for the Colonies was over years ago! There?s no reason to fight for that anymore! Dorothy was just controlling you! Remember, Hilde, please remember...? Duo was begging.
?I don?t know you.? She answered with a flat finality. ?You must die.?
Rodney laughed. ?There?s no escaping this one Gundam pilots. She will not answer to any of you, she doesn?t know you. Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh...?
~*~Chap. 10 fin.~*~
Down field, standing in the very front of a sentry army line of a hundred more mobile suits, was a mobile suits that was a beautiful work of art. Pure white with blue and gold lining and wings like that of Wing Zero but grander was its make. It?s weapons were a golden glowing beam glaive, quadruple Vulcan cannons mounted on its head and its chest plate, a buster shield and a twin buster rifle placed in a holder on its back. It was rightly called The Star Gundam.
Inside the suit sat a woman with ice blue eyes and a malevolent grin upon her lips, as she propped her head up on her hand and watched the battle rage before her with only a fourth of her legions. It was the colonel of the White Fang. The commander, the woman who had started it all, commissioned Rodney Lewis to make the serum. She laughed quietly as she watched the Gundam pilots try in vain to destroy her troops. This wasn?t even all of her troops and they were still loosing pitifully. The Sanq would be in her control in no time.
She frowned then. ?But there is still a chance that the pilots will succeed, especially if they find the soldiers weaknesses out while in battle. Where is Hilde? I know she?ll come. She will turn the tables in our favor completely and the Sanq will have no chance.? She clutched the device Rodney had given her tightly again and grinned. ?She?ll be here. I know she will. Battle is all she?s in this world for.?
Suddenly her com-link fired up and a man came into view on the vid-link. ?Commander! The pilots have figured out a strategy! They?re fighting back and our troops are being beaten!? He said in a hurried voice.
?What! How is this possible? Grrah!? She slammed her fist down on her console.
?We need help out here mother! We?re being slaughtered!? The man said and screamed as one of the Gundams sliced through him.
?GAH! No!? She opened up a link to the rest of her unit. ?Attention all soldiers: We are needed on the outfield. Let?s go, go, go! Repeat: We are needed on the outfield!? She revved up the Star?s thrusters and moved out with her infantry to the battlefield. ?You will pay for this pilots.? She hissed.
~*~
Back in the field Une watched the battle from a higher altitude. She fought with suits mercilessly, knocking most from the sky. Just as she finished off another suit she looked out over the field and spotted a sea of new suits led by a pristine white one with gold. She gasped and opened a link to all the Sanq troops situated on the ground below. ?Attention everyone! More White Fang Mobile Suits headed our way! Seems to be being led by a new Gundam model! Model is unknown, be careful it?s possibly the commander of the White Fang!?
?Aw shit! That?s not cool!? Duo yelled back. ?We?ve got nearly nothing left!?
?We?re through. My ammo supply is nil.? Trowa said.
?Loosing battle,? Quatre muttered. ?Fight till the end...?
?It?s all we can do, die with dignity and honor!? Wufei said.
Zechs shook his head. ?Figured you say something like that.?
?Got any better plans Zechs Merquise?? Wufei snorted.
Une descended from her sky-high point. ?I?m sure he doesn?t. It is all we can do. For the peace.?
?For the peace.? Noin repeated as the next line of White Fang infantry moved in on them.
?ATTACK!? The commander called out her eyes aflame.
?GO!? Une called out, going straight for the Star Gundam with her saber drawn ready to do battle.
?Well here goes nothing, see you guys on the other side.? Duo said and saluted everyone heading off to fight a group of mechas with his barely flickering beam scythe.
Trowa nodded and smiled a bit. ?Nice knowing all of you. Good luck out there.? He nodded and then went off as well.
?You too Trowa.? Quatre said as he Wufei, Zechs and Noin went off to battle separately again with nearly nothing left.
~*~
Hilde finally spotted the battlefield, well who could miss it now? The place was aflame and there was mobile suit parts spread from here to Timbuktu. Hopefully she wasn?t too late and the Gundams were still alive and moving. She put Wing Zero into full thrust and flew faster, her eyes searching the barren ground for any sign of her comrades. She then spotted a glimmer of white and gold flash somewhere down below.
?AH!? She yelled. ?The bitch is back!? She flew down, but the white and gold was gone. Hissing she spun around and saw all around her the Gundams fighting and falling apart at the seams as they did. ?Oh god...I got here just in time...? She flew straight back up and pulled out Wing Zero?s twin beam rifle aiming directly at a generator near some White Fang suits. ?Locked on target...? She muttered as the targeting mechanism locked onto it.
Down below everyone was loosing and hurting incredibly badly. Duo had blood gushing from his forehead and mouth, as he gritted his teeth and went in for another loosing assault. Quatre had broken an arm and was fighting with one hand trying to keep his broken limb still. Trowa had blood pouring from his nose and under his eyes, as he fired at suits. Noin had her cockpit front ripped off and was fighting with it gone, barely hanging in there. Wufei was having trouble breathing and was coughing up blood from his lungs. Zechs was down to hand to hand suit combat and had a huge gash in his face bleeding like nuts.
Duo was hit backward and his head hit the back of the suit again. He cried out in agony as it split and he started bleeding there. He couldn?t do this anymore. DeathScythe went limp and his one good eye flickered dangerously. He stared up into space as blood pooled around his head. ?So this will end it all, will it?? He grated out in labored gasps. ?Well...DeathScythe.... Old buddy--it?s been fun...quite a ride...I?d say? He coughed spewing blood into his hand. Suddenly he saw a blinding light-but it was spacey kind of. ?Looks like this is it...? he muttered, misinterpreting the light. Unexpectedly his com-link blared to life and a familiar voice came onto it.
?Duo Maxwell! Move your Gundam?s metal ass and get away!? It said. ?Don?t you dare go dying on me, mister!?
Something clicked in his head and he sat up, ignoring the liquid crawling down his back, he looked up at the vision screen and his eyes widened. ?Heero?? He hissed out as the large view of Wing Zero came into his sight. ?No-it can?t be possible...Heero?s in the Sanq...then-who??
The voice came back more irritated sounding. ?MAXWELL! Move!! NOW!? It screamed.
Then it hit him. ?Hilde?! Hilde what the hell are-?
?MOVE!? She screamed at him.
Suddenly finding strength he thought he didn?t have at hearing her voice, he picked up the remains of his DeathScythe and ambled, clanking, out of the way. As soon as he had a large explosion ensued and he turned just in time to see the Wing Zero blow about seven White Fang suits to nothing as it hit a generator with its beam cannon.
Hilde was in the Wing Zero! ?Holy fuck!? He hissed as he watched her suddenly disappear fast as light and in her wake leave hundreds of suits in pieces. She went that fast as she helped out the rest of the Gundam pilots, blowing up hundreds of suits as she went, each pilot taking his time to figure out that Wing Zero had a new pilot in it. All the Gundams ambled backward teetering on what was left of their balance mechanisms and reaching the center leaning on one another.
?Who was that?!? Wufei called over an incredibly scratchy link.
?Hilde...? Duo said stumped into pure amazement.
?You have to be kidding? That woman?!? Wufei hacked up more blood and heaved a heavy breath trying to regain control of his beaten lungs.
?Hey, she beat you up...? Trowa said wiping the blood dripping onto his lips.
?She is fantastic...? Zechs muttered. ?Again, Yuy is right. Grah!? He punched his crumbling console.
Noin took a shuddering breath. ?Zechs...we?re in the middle of a battle that is so close to taking our lives and your worried about whether or not a damn Gundam pilot is right and your wrong?!?
Zechs gritted his teeth and didn?t answer.
?I?m completely empty! I?ve got nothing left...? Quatre said, letting his SandRock slump to the ground.
?Don?t sit out yet Q!? Hilde?s voice came over the link from no where. Everyone looked around frantically. Wing Zero was above them again.
?Wing Zero!? Zechs said.
?Look, I know you are so close to being out-but I need you to keep fighting for a bit, work together! Can you do that?? Hilde asked as she aimed the rifle at another few suits headed for her comrades.
Duo, in all his pain, let a smile overtake his features. Maybe he was wrong for trying to make her stay out of this. They?d be dead twice over now if it weren?t for her. His heart felt like bursting as her face came scratchily onto the vid-links. ?Anything for you, babe,? he said quietly. She smirked at him her green eyes now a blazing pink and she flicked him off. He laughed.
?All right then! Duo take the right flanks, Trowa take the ones behind, Zechs and Noin back those two up and Wufei-you take aerial troops and follow me as you go...Quatre-come with me, I?m going after the commander. And just to tell you-all White Fang?s mobile suits? Achilles Heels are in the knees. Hit those and the whole suit will crumble.? She smirked and cut off, taking Wing Zero and flying out over the White Fang troops still fighting with what was left of the Preventers and Sanq Special Forces.
?Hey, why didn?t someone tell us that earlier?? Duo grumbled as he went and made for the knees of enemy suits.
?Because no one knew that, baka.? Wufei said flying up to help the Sanq troops up there.
?Well how did she know?!? He complained, slowly following where she and Quatre had flown off.
?She was in the White Fang base for two years Maxwell, figure it out.? Zechs said making uppercuts to knees of other suits.
?Grr...? He grumbled and kept up.
Hilde and Quatre flew as fast as their thrusters would take them. ?Hilde-I?m getting a reading north-north-west....Lady Une?s Gundam and the commander were fighting together.?
?I see it Q.? She said and reared off in the NNW direction.
~*~
?Bitch!? The commander?s voice screamed out at Une as she flew back knocking a tree over in her suit.
?Watch your mouth young lady.? Une said with a little menace hinted in it. ?It?s not proper for ladies so young to use such language.?
The commander?s icy eyes flared. ?How dare you Lady Une! I run an army faction now! I?m not just a ?young lady? any more! I?m a commander...a colonel!? She dive-bombed Lady Une and knocked her Gundam twenty yards away, landing on it with the glaive poised just above the cockpit opening. ?Quinze, Zechs, Dekim, none of them could handle it! So I took over, and I?m winning.? She grinned maliciously as she brought down the glaive in one swift motion to take Lady Une out.
?Oh no you don?t!? Hilde?s voice screamed over the link as it bashed into the Star Gundam knocking it off of Lady Une?s mecha.
?AAHH!?
SandRock knelt by Lady Une. ?Are you all right Lady?? He asked.
?Yes Mr. Winner, I?m fine...Who is that?? She indicated the Wing Zero. ?Mr. Yuy certainly isn?t in it!?
Quatre turned to watch as Hilde battled with the Star Gundam. ?It?s Hilde Schibecker ma?am.? He answered.
?Miss Hilde?! I would have never guessed! I personally saw her out of Oz after she helped out Duo Maxwell!? She said in disbelief.
?So I?ve heard, but things have happened Lady, its a long story. For now we have to help the others find us.? Quatre said standing his SandRock up and turning so he could see down field to where the other Gundams were making their way toward the final battle.
?Ah, Hilde, my dear.? The commander?s voice said as the Star got up, regaining its balance. ?Very clever, very clever, using Wing Zero. I suppose we killed poor Heero Yuy? Ne?? She asked the girl icily.
Hilde growled. ?No, you nearly did though.?
?Ah, too bad. Would have made capturing the Sanq just this much easier.? She smiled at Hilde.
?Shut up wench!? Hilde screamed. ?This battle isn?t about Heero! It?s not about the peace for the world, or winning the Colony?s freedom back! This one is about me...You lying cock-whore...?
The rest of the Gundams arrived slowly, and what was left of the White Fang, Sanq Special Forces and Preventers arrived too, to watch the final showdown between Hilde and the White Fang commander. Everyone listened to the speech going on between the two, not daring to move. Quatre had turned back at the sound of the commander?s voice. Something sounded awfully familiar about it.
?Et tu?? The commander said.
?You stole my life from me...? Hilde hissed. ?Kidnapped me from my home, gave me a serum to turn me into the ultimate perfect soldier and in the process erased all my memories and my feelings just so you could win your stupid, fucking little war and prove you could rule. Well not anymore. I was told I was the best of your troops, because I was first and flawless-but not anymore. Your going down Dorothy Catalonia!?
All the Gundam pilots, Sanq Specials and the Preventers gasped at what Hilde had just said. Quatre?s eyes grew intensely wide. ?Dorothy?! Dorothy?! But she was kidnapped by White Fang! Two years a---go...? He stopped and put a hand to his mouth. ?Oh god...?
Dorothy hissed in her Gundam. ?Yes I was Quatre-dearest. But they offered me the world on a silver platter, how could I refuse? You and I are so different, I love war and you, you?re all for pacifism, just like that Peacecraft woman! And she will die, along with her self-serving ?hero? and all the rest of you wanting peace!?
Hilde snarled. ?Not going to happen Catalonia. I won?t let it! I?m the best of the best soldiers here and I will not let you take away any of my friends? lives! You took mine and all these poor souls that are your ultimate soldiers-but that?s all your going to get! You crazed lunatic...?
?Hilde...? Duo and Trowa muttered under their breath.
Dorothy then started laughing hysterically. ?You think you?ve won child? You think I?m outnumbered here and will meet my end at your hands? You are my creation Hilderine.?
Her full name spoken by Dorothy sent Hilde into a rage. She went at Dorothy her eyes so pink they were nearly red, but not quite. Dorothy flew up to avoid the girl?s attack, and landed behind her. ?It?s not so easy Hilderine my dear.?
?Hil-der-ine?? Duo breathed. ?Is that her real name??
Suddenly a new voice came onto the airwaves, but a voice Trowa, Hilde, Dorothy and Duo recognized.
?Yes, Mr. Maxwell, Hilderine is her real name. She is my daughter as Trowa and Heero are my sons. I
made them long ago just before the war began, and they have grown into beautiful children, if I do say so myself.? Rodney Lewis had appeared on the battlefield now, in a completely black Gundam that had been cloaked but was now showing itself for the combatants to see. ?In fact, I?d say Hilderine here was the most successful creation I?ve had. Absolutely perfect, wouldn?t you say? Though it?s not good that she tries to kill her mother.?
?What?!? Wufei shouted. ?The Catalonia woman is her mother?!?
?How is that possible?!? Quatre yelled.
?Simple genetics my boy.? Lewis answered with a grin. ?When Catalonia was a baby I took her cells and made Hilderine.?
Everyone gasped. ?And what about Trowa and Heero?? Zechs asked.
?Same way.? He answered as he watched Hilde and Dorothy fight.
?Oh my god...? Noin mumbled.
Trowa who had stayed silent throughout this suddenly spoke up. ?I say we help her.?
Duo grinned abruptly. ?I thought no one would ever suggest it. Let?s go!? He yelled at everyone and they all agreed advancing on the dueling duo. But Lewis stopped them again.
?I wouldn?t do that.? He smirked evilly.
?Why not? That?s my girl over there!? Duo snarled.
?Dorothy, now is the time darling.? Lewis said quietly.
?Yes.? Dorothy responded with a hiss of insanity in her voice. ?Heheheheh Hilderine, it?s over.?
Hilde was too enraged to notice or care what Dorothy had just said. The insanity side effect in the serum had over taken her and she was hell bent on killing Dorothy. Lewis simply grabbed Wing Zero and restrained it. Hilde went berserk but something clicked in Dorothy?s hand and the Wing Zero suddenly went completely limp. The ultimate soldiers that had been watching cheered and everyone else gasped in fear.
?Hilde?! Hilde?! Are you ok babe? Speak to me! What did they do?!? Duo went nuts over the com-link.
Lewis let the majestic mobile suit fall to the ground and laughed at them. Trowa moved his HeavyArms closer and knelt beside Zero a calm ?Hilde?? Snaking through his link.
Dorothy grinned wide and she hissed a command. ?Get up.? HeavyArms stumbled back as inside the mecha in front of him Hilde?s eyes snapped open, a swirling mix of lime green and pink. She sat back in the restraints on the seat and the Wing Gundam stood up obediently. Everyone gasped. Dorothy hissed out another command: ?Pull out Zero?s beam saber.? Hilde?s fingers moved deftly inside the cockpit of the Zero and in response the Gundam pried the beam saber from its hidden spot in its cuff and caught it, pointing it out at the Gundams. ?Now kill them.? Dorothy hissed and cackled low and evilly.
Hilde?s eyes never blinked, her expression was one of total void as she advanced on the nearly broken Gundams in front of her. She leapt up and attacked Duo, as he was the first one her saber came across. He rolled out of the way and she went after him.
?Hilde! What are you doing?! You shouldn?t be attacking us!? Duo yelled out over the link. But Hilde appeared not to hear him and went after him again. DeathScythe was already pretty much done for, but when her blow hit it, it was over. Duo could do nothing but abandon the Gundam as it exploded in front of the Wing Zero, and Hilde sat in it and stared unblinking and emotionless at the destruction she just caused. Duo got blown out of it and landed in a bloody heap some thirteen yards away. He was hurt even worse now, and lay on the ground and watched through heavy lidded eyes as the Wing Zero turned and began to attack the rest of the Gundams.
Duo?s hair blew in the dead hot wind, a thousand things racing through his head as more blood pooled around him. His Hilde was going to kill them...he was going to die here because of her-no, not her, Dorothy,...Dorothy made her do this! Dorothy and Rodney Lewis! Duo painfully raised his head up, his vision becoming severely blurry as he did. He watched as Hilde attempted to kill the rest of the pilots, and he looked around the other way. He saw the Star Gundam standing idle in the field. He grinned as much as his face would allow and slowly he began to crawl toward it, leaving a bloody trail behind him. Dorothy was going to pay.
He came up to its foot and crawled up onto it, reserving all his strength as he climbed up the mainframe to get to the cockpit door where he knew the blonde bitch was. He tore open the hatch and looked in.
Dorothy looked up at him and stopped the maniacal laughter she had been doing in one gasp as she stared at the bloodied Duo with the look of pure hatred on her face. ?You! Get out! What the hell are you doing? How?d you get up here?!? She screamed at him.
He grinned at her his hair blowing in the hot wind. ?Pure strength, now move over woman.? He said in a death-like voice. She hissed and grabbed him with her sharp claw like nails and scratched at him, pushing him out but he held on and fought back. He managed to get a punch in and knocked her out cold.
?Bitch...? He muttered and slid in beside her shoving her over. He left the cockpit door open and picked up the com-link. ?Quatre,? he said coldly over the link. ?Come and get your woman.?
Quatre snuffed a bit indignantly at the analogy Duo had made, but unsteadily his SandRock stood up and meandered toward the Star Gundam. He placed it?s hand just below the cockpit, and Duo shoved the lemon blonde girl out onto it ?Take her back to the Sanq Quatre, Sally might be able to fix her.? Quatre nodded solemnly as he opened his hatch to take the girl into SandRock?s cockpit, backing up again. Duo closed the hatch up again, returning to the com-link he opened up a clear channel to Wing Zero. ?Hilde! Hilde Schibecker! Listen to me!?
Hilde?s voice came over the link back to him, monotone, completely emotionless and flat. ?Who are you??
Duo was at a loss for words. ?It?s me, Duo, don?t you remember??
?I don?t know any Duo.? She said again, and continued to try and kill Quatre, who had heard Duo and took up his com-link.
?Hilde! Listen to us! We?re your friends, remember?! Don?t forget us again-please?? Quatre said.
Trowa and Wufei got the idea too, and picked up. ?Hilde...you can?t have forgotten already.? Trowa said with a tinge of desperation. Hilde was his sister...
?Onna! You can?t forget! How could you be so weak?? Wufei called out.
?Who are you people?!? She asked ?I don?t know any of you...all I know is that you have to die for the Colonies.? She made another blow at Wufei this time, who tried to dodge but his leg got caught in the blast and was blown off.
?Hilde! No! The war for the Colonies was over years ago! There?s no reason to fight for that anymore! Dorothy was just controlling you! Remember, Hilde, please remember...? Duo was begging.
?I don?t know you.? She answered with a flat finality. ?You must die.?
Rodney laughed. ?There?s no escaping this one Gundam pilots. She will not answer to any of you, she doesn?t know you. Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh...?
~*~Chap. 10 fin.~*~