The fading sunlight glinted across the metallic surface of the disk, as he rose to his feet to face her, the name she had spoken turning over and over inside his head on a seemingly endless cycle.

"What is it?" Heero asked, reaching out to take it from her hand.

Beth smirked in anticipation, as she quickly snatched the disk more firmly, preventing him from touching it. With a taunting smile, she waved a finger in his direction, like a mother would to an overanxious child.

"Not until you promise that you'll take me with you when you leave here." She said, stubbornly.

"What would make you think that I have any intention of leaving this colony?"

"Because you came here looking for information, right? Probably the information that's on this disk. And probably because you're looking for that information so that you can stop the Gundam. Am I right?"

She could see Heero's eyes narrow slightly, and mentally warned herself not to push her luck.

"And what makes you think that I wouldn't just kill you and steal the information on the disk?" Heero retorted.

"Because...Well, because..." She was fumbling for a reason, and knew that she didn't have one. It was in the certainty of that moment, that the truth seemed the best answer. "Because I can help you. Look, I helped my sister develop the VARGAS system, I know what it's capable of"

"Is that why you thought they'd come after you?"

"Well, that's why they took Aly." She replied, quietly. "....Right after they attacked. Right after she contacted you. At the time, we thought they only had the suit, not the system, but..."

"How does it work?" Heero questioned, sharply.

"It's a highly advanced...highly experimental battle system program designed to assimilate enemy suit characteristics, and was designed specifically for the Avenger Gundam. The system feeds on impulses, similar to the ZERO system that was installed in your Gundam. Only, unlike the ZERO system, these impulses are more mechanical than physical. ZERO feeds on the mind of the pilot, on the human psyche; whereas VARGAS targets the impulses of the machine. It eliminates opposition with other mobile suits by becoming its enemy, reconfiguring itself to mirror the abilities of the mobile suit it was fighting. That way, two suits with equal characteristics would only differentiate at the level of training the pilot received. Essentially, the better pilot would come out victorious. Obviously, my grandfather thought you were the best mobile suit pilot, that's why he designed Avenger for you."

"But what if VARGAS tried to assimilate the characteristics of the ZERO system?" He asked, distantly, still mentally sorting through the information she was giving him.

"I don't know...I..." She stopped short, meeting the cold hard expression in his cobalt blue eyes. "Oh my God! You fought it, didn't you?"

He didn't offer a reply, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest as a thousand questions surfaced in her mind.

"Okay...Theoretically, if VARGAS were to attempt to acquire data from the ZERO system, and the impulses in the pilot's brain were part of that system, then those impulses would also be assimilated into VARGAS. That is, of course, assuming that VARGAS could interpret the different impulse waves and signals, and convert it to an accessible energy source. Only this would be on a much larger scale than we ever intended. I mean mechanics to mechanics, it's as simple as hacking into an operational database, but system to system...There is no telling what kind of effects we could be talking about."

"Can it be destroyed?"

Her eyes shot up to meet his face, as if questioning whether or not she had heard him correctly.

"Excuse me? Destroy VARGAS?"

"Is it possible?" He asked, again, ignoring the fact that she was obviously too proud of her work to have to consider that an option.

"Well, anything is possible, but why destroy it if we can simply steal it back?"

"Having a system with those capabilities would be far too dangerous in the wrong hands." He stated, monotonously.

"Well, it would have to be destroyed internally. With what we enabled the system to do, another pilot would stand little to no chance of destroying it while engaged in a battle." She countered, voicing each thought as it formed in her mind.

"Self-detonation..." Heero whispered, determinedly.

"Woah! Hold on a second...I heard about your little escapades and your suicide missions. I said internally...the system itself. The suit is strong, but without VARGAS, it's just another suit." She stated, coyly. "...Weapons, armor, shieldingit's all mechanics. You can beat the suit, and I can beat the system. So what do you say....do we have a deal?"

Heero eyed the girl, warily, certain that her involvement would more than likely get her killed, but also knowing that time was of the essence.

"Let's get started." He growled, reluctantly, shaking his head with the certainty that he was going to live to regret his decision.

Dasenya could feel the adrenaline coursing through her, as she made her way down the corridor to her comrade's personal quarters. She knew why she had been summoned, and shivered in the anticipation of meeting the Gundam pilots in battle once again.

She rapped twice on the door before opening it.

"You sent for me, Elairan?" She announced to the fair-haired blonde on the opposite side of the room. "Was there some question in regards to my last report?"

"No, Fallon, as always, your report was very insightful. Nevertheless, I must question what your intentions are, as we move to our next course of action. The meeting on L2 proved to be an unsettling one for the delegation. Particularly when the Vice Foreign Minister was not in attendance."

Dasenya found herself taken aback by the news.

"A most unexpected surprise, Elairan, but I fail to see what that has to do with me."

"Well, I was hoping you may have some ideas as to why. You see, my desire to fight may stem from my own personal reasons, but to the colony citizens who see that girl as a symbol of the Earth itself, they need a more political reason to start a war. Battles will continue to be waged throughout history, but to create the scenario for war, the people must remain committed to their views, even if it means their own death. The colonies will lose the focus of their anger if that girl no longer stands in opposition to their views. The longer she force-feeds the ideals of the Earth Sphere to the people here, the longer the people will push for total separation from those ideals."

"What is it you would like me to do, then, exactly?" Dasenya asked, almost taunting her superior for the direct order.

"Is it my understanding that you intend to finish what you started on L2, Commander?" Elairan inquired.

"Yes, of course." Dasenya replied, sharply.

"Delegation intelligence reports claim that Miss Darlian was escorted from L1 by two youths, thought to be Heero Yuy and Trowa Barton. So it's likely that she would still be with them. Extend our invitation to Miss Darlian, and bring her to me unharmed."

"As you wish." Dasenya answered, dutifully, before retreating to the open doorway.

"Relena!...." Noin yelled, her throat becoming more sore by the minute. "RELENA!!"

She knew it was pointless trying to hide any longer. Noin had been nothing short of relentless in guarding her, undoubtedly seeking to fulfill the promise she had made to Zechs so long ago. Noin had been a loyal bodyguard, protecting her even at times that she didn't think she needed protection.

She also knew that she couldn't blame Noin for Heero's decisions, either. As much as she hated to admit it, all the soldiers of the former OZ couldn't have stopped Heero from leaving if that is what his mind was intent on doing.

...I just wish you would have let us help you, Heero... She thought to herself.

The sound of Noin's voice caught her ears once again, only this time, she ventured a reply.

"I'm over here." She answered, half-heartedly.

"Miss Relena!" Noin exclaimed, sighing her relief. "Thank God! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I'm sorry to have worried everyone. I guess I just needed some time alone to think."

"I'm just glad you're all right, Miss Relena. With the current threat to this colony, there is no telling if or when Dasenya and her troops might return. I think it would be safer for you inside."

She nodded her head in silent admission, before turning back toward the house.

She could see the pilots scurrying about the four giant Gundams in the storage hangar to the far end of the yard, and once again found herself staring at the Wing Zero, as if mesmerized by its sheer size.

The machine had obviously taken quite a beating; large sections of gundanium missing from parts of the wings, arm, and chest plate. The Deathscythe was still in need of minor repairs, but was altogether ready for battle. Quatre and Trowa had worked together to reload the explosives and other firepower to the Heavyarms, and Sandrock had come out virtually unscathed.

Relena couldn't help but shudder at the thought that Heero seemed to be the only one seriously injured in the battle, and silently wondered if he hadn't been the reason for Dasenya's attack all along. Perhaps the hope that Heero had brought in saving the Earth had made him a target.

The distant rumble of carriers silenced her thoughts, and she heard Noin gasp as her eyes turned to the sky.

Noin could feel the color drain from her cheeks at the sight of a swarm of mobile suits approaching on the horizon.

"They've returned..." She whispered, breathily, just before the Gundams' engines fired up inside the hangar.

Well, I know it wasn't much, but the next one is another big battle and I didn't want to have to cut it into parts, so....as you have already guessed, I left it here. ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER! My apologies. But, rest assured that the next ones will come quickly now. Some of the future chapters I have had laid out for awhile, they just need a little spicing up. However, the next one for fans of the other G-boys, involves quite a serious butt kicking. In addition, you might even get to find out who the mysterious Elairan isany guesses? Till next time!