There was a massive explosion as a whole section of the complex was ripped out of existence, shrapnel tearing into the air as if shot from a gun. Duo jerked his head up, then glanced at Quatre's pale face. He threw him a lopsided grin, stretching as he said, "Guess that's our signal, Quatre." He watched the workgangs emerge from their quarters ore picks, crude knives clutched in their hands and yelled, "Let's go! But remember, only take prisoners! The person that kills a guard's gonna answer to me." Duo jerked a thumb towards his chest, "Got it?"

There was a murmur of resentment, but the presence of Heero's unrelenting gaze made them agree hastily. Quatre yelled, "The fences are down! Do your best to stay alive through this! And don't kill, not unless it's absolutely necessary. It's wrong to kill, even your enemy! They will be put to trial by the EarthSphere Alliance!" When there was a stronger agreement, Quatre gestured them forward and they overpowered the hapless guards with swift dispatch.

In fact, it was almost too easy...

"I'm going to find Dorothy." Quatre said abruptly, and turned towards the complex.

***

Dorothy walked leisurely in the metal corridors, hearing the panicked breathing up ahead of her. The shadowy figure twisted into a room and abruptly, the footsteps stopped and he started cursing furiously, twisting about in an attempt to find another exit.

"Well, well, Mr. Luir...it seems that the cat has just about caught the mouse!" Dorothy flattened herself against the wall, listening closely before she walked into the dark chamber, her eyes glowing like aquamarines in the dying light. She bared her teeth in a smile, watching the frightened man jerk around in terror, eyes wide in his normally stoic face. Dorothy laughed mockingly, curtsying. "Why Mr. Luir...I'm surprised to see you here! Tell me, why are you running around your own facility in absolute dark?"

"You! This is all your fault! If you hadn't..."

"I told you never to underestimate the Gundam pilots, Mr. Luir." There was a sibilant hiss in her voice as the saber drew slowly from it's sheathe. "Yet, you did not heed my warning...unfortunate for you."

"W-wait! I'm worth millions! Let me go and-"

"And you'll give me all your money, Mr. Luir? I'm not interested. There are some perks to being Duke Dermeil's only living heir, so money was never an objective for me. Oh no, Luir. I am a soldier and your death is all I need."

"A soldier fights for honor doesn't she?" Luir edged away from Dorothy's upraised saber, "What honor is there in killing an unarmed man?" Dorothy's eyes narrowed. "You're the same as I am, Miss. Catalonia. You wouldn't hesitate to murder me and-"

There was a flash of light, and Luir winced away, preparing for his death. Instead, another saber clattered harmlessly against the floor, rolling towards his boot toe. He opened his eyes, gazing first at the weapon, then at the coldly smiling girl. "Shall we begin, Mr. Luir?"

He cautiously inched his hand forward, never taking his eyes off her, and grabbed the saber, leaping to his feet with a feral grin. Foolish child..."Whenever you may be ready, Miss Dorothy."

Dorothy raised a brow at the sudden change in his attitude, but with a brief salute, lunged at him in a Crescent moon attack, striking with cool, vicious accuracy as she sought to locate his weak points. Even though half her mind was concentrated on the offensive tactics she was using, she was already analyzing his style, his footwork as she barely blocked a glancing blow from his sword. He laughed exultantly before jabbing forward again, this time ripping the material of her sleeve, drawing blood from her upper right arm.

Dorothy gasped as she felt cold metal grind against bone before extracting itself again, her eyes tightening and turning gray with pain and battle fury. Bastard...Her opponent grinned watching her as he flicked his tongue out to touch the edge of his sword. Without taking his eyes off her, he licked a trail through the crimson liquid that stained the blade, smiling as she snarled in fury.

"First blood is mine Dorothy Catalonia."

Dorothy wiped her brow and coldly transferred the light sword to her left hand. She didn't have time to bind the wound. With a feline smile of her own, she slammed her blade against the guard of his sword, causing him to curse as he hastily yanked his hand back lest she sever his fingers from his hand.

"But it's the life's blood that counts, Mr. Luir! And that is mine!"

***

Quatre ran ahead of the other's heedless of Duo's yells to wait up. He glanced around at the corridors, unable to mask his frustration. They all looked the same! Dorothy, where are you?!

***

Dorothy was forced to skip back a few steps, giving Luir the offensive advantage as the sabers clashed again and again in a crescendo of glittering notes. The dance of blades had taken on a desperate turn as they flashed with quick abandon, only to be met and repelled. Dimly, the cry of exultant men and women could be heard outside, yet in this place where neither time nor outside interference was acknowledged, there was only an expectant stillness that hung heavy in the air.

"Why...don't you...give up, Catalonia..." Luir was panting heavily. Physically, he was still unwounded but his breath came in sharp wheezes and his movements were becoming slower, as if he had to drag his arms and body through water to meet her attacks. Dorothy smiled enigmatically, her eyes glittering.

"It's too early to give up to you yet, Mr. Luir. The day is still young." Blood still seeped from the wound at her arm, staining the sleeve dark crimson. Dorothy wiped the sweat from her forehead. She felt liquid bead slowly at the mouth of the laceration then gather itself to trickle slowly downwards, caressing to the skin as it slipped into the palm of her hand to drip slowly between her limp fingers. Dimly, Dorothy knew there was pain, but she blocked it out, determined to focus all her attention on this duel.

Her lips curled in a feral smile. This was battle. Not that insipid excuse for a brawl that she had done with the guards that had tried to kill Quatre. The glory of facing one's opponents in one on one combat... She lunged forward suddenly, sweeping her saber low to catch the flat of it against his knees and he stumbled backwards as, saber raised awkwardly to fend from her blows.

Now. Dorothy smiled in triumph, sudden engaging in a Lightning Sweep attack. She swept her blade straight down on top of him As a lightning touches ground...There was a shriek of metal as he, of course, parried the obvious move. But when it finds ground, it will return upwards... She reversed the direction of her blade, going forward and up to finally settle her blade at the soft flesh underneath his throat. His eyes widened as he felt a single drop of his blood slip along her blade, christening it with his blood...

Cold eyes flickered, "You lose." They moved in a silent dance as Luir stepped backwards once. Two steps, his saber held only loosely in his hand while hers continued to press deeper into his skin. "Drop the saber." He did quickly, and Dorothy's eyes flashed contemptuously. "You are a fool...but it won't matter soon anyway..."

***

There was a crash of blade against blade and Quatre looked up, listening to the sound, trying to locate it.

"Sabers." Trowa noted, head tilted up as well.

"Where there are sabers there is Dorothy. Let's go." Quatre ran through one of the corridors, and the sound of fighting grew louder until it stopped in ominous silence. Dorothy...He burst into one of the doors and froze, watching as Dorothy spoke softly to Luir, her eyes cold and unforgiving.

No, Dorothy...

"I told you. You're dead anyway, Luir. Be happy. I'm making your death painless!" She drew back her saber and if flashed forward.

"Dorothy, don't!"

***

"Quatre?" Dorothy jerked her head up in surprise for only a second, but that was all the time Luir needed. He lashed a foot out, kicking her hard in the stomach before spinning her in his arm and withdrawing a small pistol from his pocket.

"It seems the situation has reversed itself, Miss Catalonia." He glared coolly at the pilots who were approaching. "I don't think so gentlemen. One more step and her head's going to meet lead."

"Dishonorable, mischevious, bastard!" Dorothy spat, struggling against his lockhold, but it only caused him to tighten his arm some more.

"Silence, Catalonia." He wasn't looking at her though, his wild-eyed gaze still on the four men that stood at the doorway. "Now, I'm going to the hanger bay, and Miss. Catalonia is coming with me for reinsurance. And if any of you even think about trying to attack me..." The gun shoved harder against Dorothy's head and she snarled, slamming the hilt of her saber against his abdomen.

"You little bitch-"

"Dorothy, don't fight back." Quatre whispered, fear clouding his blue eyes. "If we let you go to the hanger bay, you release her...right?"

"Well, now there's a thought. Fine, I get to the hanger bay alive, you get Miss Catalonia back alive. Now drop the saber!"

"When hell freezes over!" Dorothy snapped back, "I would rather die first!"

"That can be arranged!" But Luir glanced quicky at his watch, and growled. He didn't have time for this. "Fine...let's go..." Slowly, they made their way to the hanger bay, Luir walking backwards to glare warily at the pilots while they inched forward, hostile, but helpless. It was in these situations that the pilots could do nothing, and they knew it.

Heero was fighting his own internal battle. On one hand, this man was definitely his enemy. He didn't need Zero to tell him that. To let him go violated ever fiber of his being...but then there was Quatre. Quatre who's face was tight with anxiety, not looking at Luir, but at Dorothy, whispering quiet entreaties to Allah. His gun was limp in his fingers and every step was slow, unthreatening, for fear that he would jeopardize Dorothy's survival. Maybe before, even a year ago, Heero might have been able to kill Luir, despite Dorothy and Quatre. But now...

"Well gentlemen, it seems we have arrived." They had. Luir punched in the code and the metal hanger doors slid open with one fluid swish...

"We kept our end of the bargain. Now you have to keep yours!" Quatre stopped ten feet from Luir, voice harsh.

"I do, don't I?" Luir shifted the gun to Dorothy's lower back and his breath blew fetid air into her ear. "Did I ever tell you, how utterly beautiful you are, Miss Dorothy?" She merely snarled at him like a cat, eyes twisted in hatred. "Yes, you are very beautiful," Lips touched the side of her neck in a crude kiss and she hissed, twisting her body away from him. "But you have been a constant thorn in my side! Your friends want you back, but we never said alive now did we?" Suddenly time seemed to slow as a shot rang in the silent air.

The bullet touched her back, cold with dark promise, piercing her skin. Then came the pain. Pain as nerve endings shrieked and bone shattered, embedding the shards in the surrounding muscle and tissue, tearing her apart from the inside out...

The metal doors sealed themselves and a saber clattered to the floor...

Author's note: Cliffhanger? Well, only a little one. *evil smile* You see, I really couldn't help it. The devil made me do it! BUT...the next part should be out sometime this week depending on how busy I am! *looks at planner* then again, I have a crud load of homework...oh well. Suffice to say it'll be sometime before winter break! For the first week of winter break, I won't be at home, I'm gonna go on vacation! *Cheers* Going to Hawaii for the first time in my pathetic life, so I'm excited!! If anyone can tell me what sights there are in Hawaii, I'd appreciate it! Oh well, r&sr please!