CHAPTER 24-HOME *ECH* HOME

<Otto looks back at Scorpio>: Baikonur? I thought we burned the old place to the ground?

<Scorpio>: Yeah....what the heck...?

<Otto>: Home sweet home.....

<Scorpio>: "Hello Missy".....I remember the last words I said here....

<Otto>: You prounced yourself dead.

<Scorpio>:"There he was"....yup, a lot has changed.

<Otto>: I still think that speech was corny.

(Flash of burning Baikonur)

<Scorpio>: You need corn to make corn soup, Otto.

[A FEW HOURS LATER]

(Aquarius is in near Earth orbit)

<Nagaki>: What is so special about that place?

<Scorpio>: It was where Mardyev,Otto and the rest of us moulded our dreams....until OZ crushed them for world domination....

<Nagaki>: So you all used to work for OZ?

<Scorpio>: More like we were used for OZ. Mardyev knows that more than anyone. I find it ironic....we could never build a Gundam, yet there's already one there....

<Rose>: Irony...like what my existence is.....

<Scorpio>: I don't even know if we want to go down there....

<Nagaki>: I'll go, then....the look on your face is scary....I don't know what I;d do if I had to go back to China either....

<Ex-Bunds call Nagaki>: Colonel Nagaki! It's good to see you again!

<Rose/Scorpio>: "Colonel"?

<Nagaki nervously smiles>: I gave myself...a promotion? heh...hehe...

<Ex-Bunds>: We've spotted Baikonur's main refinery, plus some guard Leos.

<Scorpio>: I don't remember a refinery....what kind?

<Ex-Bund>: It looks like...Gundanium!

<Rose>: Must be our lucky day. Tell you what, Nagaki. You raid the refinery, we'll deal with our old 'pals'.

<Quattre>:I want to go as well. SandRock is down there.

<Nagaki>: We have a spare Aries, but that's it. Fighting off the OZ Leos damaged our launch bays....

<Quattre>: Good enough for me:) And I'm sorry for...for everything..

<Scorpio>: If you keep being sorry Quattre, nobody will forgive you. It's when you stop being sorry and start being responsible that you can move on. I've learned that lesson the hard way.

<Quattre>: I'm not as strong as you, Scorpio...and I'm still worried about Trowa.....

<Rose puts hand on Quattre's shoulder>: He'll be alright, don't worry...

[PISCES,AT COLONY L3]

<Crimson>: You two take him home to his circus. We'll wait here, at the docks. And no duty free shopping like last time!

<Millie/Meryl>: Yes, Crimson! (Well, maybe just a little:)

(They get into a jeep)

<Mille>: Trowa, better put on your seat belt.

<Trowa>: Who's Trowa?

<Meryl>: You're a funny one, Barton. (laughs with Mille)

<Trowa>: I don't really know who I am....where are you taking me?

<Millie>: Before that cuuuute Heero left, he told us where your circus was headed next. Crimson thought it best to leave you with your circus. OK Trowa?

<Meryl>: You airhead. He's lost his memory. His face is so blank....

<Trowa>: This place looks familiar.....

(Jeep stops at circus tents)

<Catherine is practising knives with a dummy>: Who's that?

(Knife hits dummy between the eyes): TROWA!

<Circus folks>: Trowa? He's come back?

<Trowa>: I feel so strange....like I've been here before....

<Catherine hugs Trowa>: You fool...you've come back.....

<Trowa>: Pardon me, miss......do I know you??

<Catherine>: I'm your sister, Catherine! Don't tell me you don't remember....

<Trowa shakes his head>: I don't remember......all I know is a great white blast.......then I ended up coming here....

<Millie>: Our job is done here. Bye, Trowa! (blows him a kiss)

(Jeep barrels off to the nearest mall)

<Catherine>: Thank you, whoever you are.....you've returned this child of the circus to his home.....look guys, look who's back! It's Trowa!

<Ringmaster>: Well, boy! It seems the family's back together!

<Trowa>: Well....thank you for your hospitailty....if only I really knew who I was...

<Catherine takes Trowa's hand>: Come on, you want to meet the lions again, don't you?

[PISCES]

<Crimson's jaw opens>: I thought I said NO SHOPPING!!

{Meryl loads the jeep, Pisces tilts to one side):We found a sale!

(Crimson faints)

[OVER BAIKONUR]

<Quattre in Aries>: This is a little uncomfortable, but I can handle this.

<Scorpio in PS>: As soon as we get SandRock back, we will go our separate ways. You still have your colony to defend.

<Quattre>: I thought we should try get the Gundam pilots together,like you Scorpions have done. Maybe we should start with an attack on OZ's lunar base...

<Rose>: Strike that...it was...uh...abandoned for health reasons.

(OZ Aries come at them)

<Scorpio> Here they come! Nagaki! Get moving!

(Ex-Bunds swing downwards on their sleds, firing their rifles)

<Quattre>: Ooof! These Aries pack a punch!

(Quattre's Aries dodges two OZ Aries): SandRock is close.

[INSIDE BAIKONUR]

<Romfeller Dude>: THis Gundam is a good design. You say you've installed a space-capable Kai system into it?

<Techie>: Yes Sir. It is perfectly capable of space flight and combat.

<Romfeller hears explosions>: What in blazes is that noise?

<ALERT,ALERT. GUNDANIUM REFINERY UNDER ATTACK BY REBELS.ALL PILOTS SCRAMBLE>

<Techie>: Don't worry, sir. We'll have the situation under control soon enough.

<Romefeller sees his limo blow up>: You got cab fare?

(Scorpio busts in} Same old door, same old weakness.....

<Romefeller Dude>: Shit! It's Phantom Scorpio! (turns but runs into SandRock's leg)

*klunk*

<Scorpio>; Quattre! Our job is done! It's all up to you now! And your 40 friends!

(Maguancs come out of Aquarius): For Quattre!

<Quattre dives and slams Aries into another Aries,ejecting>: I hope we can meet again, Scorpio! And tell Ma I said thanks!

<Scorpio>: Nagaki! Are you guys done yet?

(Jegan blasts Leo): Just about! Hey, is that Gundam leaving?

(SandRock and Maguancs wave and leave)

<Quattre>: I'll find Heero and the others if it kills me!

(Maguanacs gasp)

<Quattre>:Just a figure of speech, guys!

(Maguancs breathe a sigh of relief)

<Scorpio>: We will meet again, Quattre.....

<Rose>: So many slashed Leos, so little time....*sigh*

(Leo is cut in half by Scimitar)

<Scorpio>: If only Crimson was here! He'd have a field day with these guys!

<Rose laughs>: Knowing him, he'd nuke the place!

(TV Camera hidden in a bush films them)

<Reporter>: We are witnessing a theft...of a Gundam unit? Dan, focus on that unit over there!

(Focuses on Phantom Scorpio)

<Reporter>: This is Yo Momma news, coming to you live from Baikonur, Kazakhstan! We have here a battle between what appears to be OZ forces and the infamous Scorpion units, whose true identity is still unkown.

<Lady Une swings her chair>: What the...?

(Camera swings towards Jauhara Gundam): Rose.....

<Saint Une takes off her glasses>: My Desert Rose....still fighting, I see.....tell me, what are you fighting for? Peace?Glory?I wish I could see you again....I have so much to tell you....

(Saint Une smells her white rose):So much....

<Soldier beeps in>: I'm sorry to interrupt, Lady Une, but the Assault group has been vaporized near Sector Four! Mercurius is missing, and Vayate is a total wreck! None of the Toruses survived! I don't know what passed through here, ma'am but that energy spike we detected was no comet! It had to come from a mobile suit or cannon!

<Lady Une>: So, we lost Trowa.....what a pity......he was a good pilot.

[SMOKE FILLED RUBBLE]

<Nagaki>: We've got enough Gundanium to make dozens more units!

<Ex-Bunds>: We've struck the mother lode! (sifts hands through Gundanium)

<Scorpio>: Take it, Nagaki. We're done with this place. (presses detonator)

(Explosions destroy Baikonur)

<Rose>: We had to destroy it, huh?Home for something like 6 years.....

<Scorpio>: Baikonur was home, but space is home now.....besides, it was the only place where Kai technology was developed. Now it only exists in Mardyev's head. I wonder what he has in store for Mercuirus?

[PISCES AT MOON BASE ONE]

<Crimson>: Space Scorpion leader to base. We are go for pickup.

(Base doors open)

<Crimson looks at Mercuirus>: You are looking at a bright future....heheheh...don't worry, I'll take good *care* of you....

<Crimson looks at HeavyArms>: And you too....hehehehehe......

<Millie>: We got you these monogrammed socks, C.C!

<Crimson>: C.C? Will you two PLEASE start acting like soldiers!?!

(Crimson punches up statistics): Always have a disk handy....dear HeavyArms,my second Gundam....my next creator of death....do you want to fly? Do you want to soar in space with the rest of us?

<Meryl>: It was hidden in an asteroid....is it right to steal it like this?

<Crimson>: The pilot has lost his memory. He will have no use for it. Don't worry about it. I know he won't.

<Silver ,on comm>: Welcome back, Crimson. Where is Scorpio?

<Crimson>: He and Otto had business. But so do we.

*BEEEPP*ALERT*ALERT* MOBILE SUITS APPROACHING*

<Silver>: WHo the hell.......

<Duo>: Deathscythe Hell!

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