CHAPTER 25- DEATH MEETS HIS CREATOR

Scorpio and Rose, aided by Nagaki and his Ex-Bunds, make a fateful return to their former HQ of Baikonur, where Romefeller Foundation goons are busy installing the Kai system into Gundam SandRock. Quattre, shocked back into sanity by the sight of a KO'ed Trowa joins them in a borrowed Aries. While the Ex-Bunds and Scorpions fight to gain control of Baikonur and its Gundanium refinery, Crimson Cancer is gleefully awaiting Mercurius and HeavyArms (which he 'borrowed' from the asteroid it was hidden in)' arrival. Just as he disembarks from the Pisces, though...the alarm sounds......it's Duo!!!

<Duo>: Deathsythe Hell is here to rock! (swings Scythe) and Roll!

<Wufei>: Hey! What are you doing here? This is MY combat arena!

<Duo>: Same thing you're doing here,pal. That OZ base is our target!

What say you?

<Wufei>:I feel worthy of Nataku again.....why not?

<Duo>: Hey, Hildy! Stay back in that shuttle craft ,OK? Leave the headbashing to us!

<Hilde>: Alright, Duo....

(CONTROL ROOM)

<Silver>: All patrol units return to base! We can't risk our identity being discovered! Get me the Lunarian leaders!

(klaxons sound, techies press buttons like mad)

<Silver picks up red phone>: Folks, we have a problem.

<Wang>: What is it, SIlver?

<Silver>: Two Gundams have landed on the moon! Your people may be in danger! Even if you're on the far side, these Gundams are dangerous!

<Wang>: Understood. Evacuating populace to shelters.

<Crimson>: Belay that order.

<Silver>: But Mardyev!

<Crimson>: Let me handle Maxwell. Wufei is yours. I don't want him to see me. He might get a complex.

(Cancer II boosts out of the Hangar, which closes)

<Silver>: If they see us, what'll we say?

<Crimson>: That this is "our" base. Our target, kapish?

<Silver>: Alright. Space Scorpions, prep Scorpio mkII for launch.

<Purus>: Withdraw all guns, cloak the Pisces.

(Pisces cloaks, the last of the Space Scorpions enter)

Duo and Wufei have landed on the moon base, thinking it is still OZ's. Having received information (albeit outdated) about the MD production facility on the base, they have decided to team up in Altron and Deathscythe Hell. What they don't know is that a certain Red Scorpion is hot on their heels!

<Duo>: We'll split up. You take the Eastern front, I'll take the Western route.

<Wufei>:Is that an ethnic remark?

<Duo>: Uh, no.....just that I'm detecting something on either side.

(Censor writes down notes)

<Wufei>: Let's go, Altron! (NAtaku boosts eastward)

<Duo>: Let's go! Deathschythe Hell!

<Hilde>:Be careful ,Duo.

(Cancer II boosts across lunar surface)

<Silver>: This decoy should distract him a bit!

(Scorpio mkII digs out a Torus wreck)

<Wufei>: There you are! Die! Die, OZ!.....huh? They're not fighting back?

(Altron swings naginata at wrecks)

<Wufei>: Come out, coward! (Altron looks left and right) Where are you?

(Scorpio mkII tiptoes behind Altron)

[WESTERN FRONT]

<Duo>: Sensors...hey, they're all going crazy!

(Cancer II approaches): Maxwell! Prepare to die!

<Duo>: Huh? SHIT! (Boosts away)

(DX Cannons sprout out): Let's see you outrun this!

<Duo>: Damn! I'll get my shield!

(DX Cannon fires, Duo's shield melts. He throws it away before he melts too)

<Crimson>: Don't be a fool, Duo! Surrender, or I'll destroy you! (fires a second beam)

<Duo boosts behind a mountain>: Where the hell did this guy come from???(Ducks falling debris)

<Crimson fires machine guns>: I'll bury you alive, Shinegami! I can't believe you were an altar boy not so long ago!

<Duo>: Altar boy....?

<Crimson>: What, mad scientists don't go to church? Come on, Maxwell! Think back!

[L2 FLASHBACK]

<Katya Mardyev>: I don't want to play with that boy! He smells like a sewer!

<Elena Mardyev>: Don't say that, Elena! If father heard you...

<Katya>: SO what? He;s the greatest MS designer there is! I deserve a little respect for that!

<Little Duo cries and runs to Sister Maxwell>: They said I stunk like a sewer!

<Sister Maxwell soothes Little Duo>:You don't smell like a sewer....Katya, please watch your mouth.....

<Elena stucks tongue out at sister>: Nyah Nyah! Katya got game!

<Katya folds arms>: Hmph!

[WESTERN FRONT]

<Duo>: So what if you know me? I'll kill you all! Nobody lives to see a

Gunda- whooaaaa!

(DeathScythe falls under rock slide)

(DS boosts out of slide) He's crazy!!

(Cancer II fires beam after DX beam at Duo): Nobody lives to see the what? (presses ear to screen mockingly) You look pretty stupid to me!

Hahahaha!!! (fires another beam)

<Duo>: OZ sure train these guys hard! I'm getting my ass kicked by a crab with verniers!

(DS boosts forward, followed by Cancer II)

[EASTERN FRONT]

<Wufei slashes a statue>: Come out of hiding! You are trying my paitence!

<Silver>: Here I am, Gundam! Muratana!!!! (fires chaingun)

<Wufei tapdances around bullets>: Finally! Hey, you're one of Scorpio's guys! What are you doing here?

<Silver>: Same thing as you. Eliminating the enemy. Then you showed up.

You're not the pilot I want.

<Wufei>: I'm not worthy of you?!?! Dream on! (launches forward)

(Silver takes out twin beam sabers and throws away chaingun) Come and get me, fool!

Wufei finds that Silver is not as weak as he thought. His twin beam sabers and intense vernier speed make him a formidable opponent,even by Chang's standards. Chang's tremendous agility and experience in close combat are about the only things helping him avoid near death. The clock is ticking and Silver is getting closer and closer,..

<Silver>: I'm no Leo, am I? You guys are used to destroying them,while we Scorpions have to contend with Geminis and Tallgeese itself! (remembers Antarctica). You suck! (slashes while boosting)

<Sylvia jumps up and down in her room>: You go, Granpa! Sock it to im!

<Wufei>: I came here all the way from L5...to be told I suck? That's it! (Blows flamethrowers)

(Scorpio mkII just stands there)

<Wufei>:??

(Silver points to sticker----> 100% Fireproof!

[WESTERN FRONT]

<DS pulls out gun>: This is desperate! I can't reach him with my Scythe!

<Crimson>: HA HA HA!! Come out, altar boy! My cannon wants to give you a little mouth to mouth!

<Duo fires gun>: Take this! And this!and that!

(Beams wash over Cancer II's Gundatitanium armor)

<Crimson>: My paint job!! Now I'm mad!!! (fires missiles, destroys mountain Duo is hiding under)

(Rubble clouds Crimson's vision): WHere'd the brat go?

*ALERT*ALERT*LOOK UP!*

<Duo, diving from above with full Scythe>: Yaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

<Crimson>: Cancer is a crab. Crabs are red. Red crabs have....

(Duo keeps on diving)

<Crimson>: CLAWS!

(Cancer II inverts, grabs Deathscythe Hell with pincers)

<Duo>: Ugggh! I'm stuck!!!!

(DX Cannon swings at Deathscyhte Hell's cockpit, Duo sweats)

<Crimson>: Sayonara, laughing boy! (machine gun fire) Eh?

<Millie>: Stop, Crimson!

<Crimson>: Mille! Get back in there! It's a direct order!

<Professor G, with Hilde>: It's more like a desperate request. It seems there's been a misunderstanding.

<Crimson squeezes Deathscythe Hell>: Aw, and I was just having fun. Who the hell are you?

(Duo screams,sparks fly)

<Hilde>: Duo!!!

<Professor G>: I am Professor G. I built that Gundam. That boy is my responsobility.

<Crimson drops DeathScythe>: Professor G????One of the Five Deserters? What business do you have with a brat like this?

(Duo is KOed)

<Professor G>: We were hoping he could take over that OZ base near your location. But it seems your forces have beat us to the punch.

(Zoom out, Hilde's ship is surrounded by Space Scorpion units)

<Crimson>: Pity. Maybe we should flip a coin.Heads I kill you all and go home happy, tails I drag myself and mine into your mindless war.

<Hilde>: Flip a coin???? It might be two headed!

<Crimson shows Hilde the coin>: See? It's got a tail.

(Crimson flips the coin)

(Hilde holds Professor G)

<Crimson>: Drat.It's tails. Space Scorpions! Escort these three to the base!

<Hilde>: You're a psycho!!

<Crimson shows Hilde the coin again>: Two tailed coin.

[EASTERN FRONT]

<Wufei is winning>: Hah! You can't hit me, Tin man! (thrusts naginata)

<Silver throws up shield>: Whoa! That was close!

<Wufei>: Can't you fight? Can't you? (swings more of his naginata)

<Silver>: These things are useless!! (throws away twin sabers)

(Scorpio mkII boosts towards Altron)

<Wufei>: Have you gone crazy???

(Naginata misses fast Scorpio mkII)

<Silver>: No, I'm just so full of ideas!

(Scorpio mkII rams Wufei, both Mobile Suits roll down a hill)

<Wufei>: I;m getting dizzy!

(Silver jams left Scorpio mkII arm into Altron's head)

(Wufei 's Gundam head explodes)

<Wufei>: I can't see a thing!!!

<Announcer from out of nowhere>: The winner! Gundam fight over!

(Spotlights turn on)

<Silver/Wufei>:????

<Wufei's computer>: DANGER. DANGER. LEAKAGE DETECTED. OXYGEN SUPPLY DIMINISHING. SUGGEST IMMEDIATE EVACUATION OF CRAFT.

(Wufei has already passed out)

<Master O, who is already on the base>: Wufei!! Silver, thet's my boy!!!

<Silver>: What? He attacked me, O!

<Master O>: Save him! Come on Noventa,he's just a boy! Please!

<Sylvia>:He's not Heero, granpa! Even if he was, you don't want him to die like that, do you?? You hate Gundam pilots that much??

<Silver>: I.....I......

<Master O>: He's dying, Noventa!!!

(Scorpio mk II picks up Altron and boosts toward base)

[INSIDE BASE]

<Silver>: "We're the good guys," Phantom says....he has it so easy! He can hate everyone he fights!

<Ma>: Bob....he doesn't.....read this...it may change your mind about Scorpio.

(Noventa reads Phantom's letter to Relena): This is a grocery list.

(Roberta hands Noventa his reading glasses<?>); Oh.

<Roberta>: Silly boy.

<Noventa reads letter>: He was once friends with Lucerezia Noin and Zechs Marquise? I see I have underestimated his strength.....it must take a lot to fight your best friends in the world.....

<Noventa asks a nurse>: How's Wufei doing?

<Nurse>: He is stable, but still unconscious. He'll pull through though. The other one...he's a mess. Broken bones, internal bleeding...I'm glad I'm on Crimson's side....sometimes I think he goes too far....

<Noventa>: Thanks, nurse.

(Noventa grabs passing Mardyev):What the hell did you do to Duo??

<Mardyev, holding flowers>: Nothing. I did nothing.

<Purus follow Mardyev>: He asked for it!

(Duo's door closes)

<Hilde, weeping over Duo>: Who are you?

<Puru 1>: He's *mfmfmfmfmffff* (mouth covered by Mardyev)

<Mardyev>: We're people from this base.....we heard of the battle, and want to give him these....if it helps....

(Mardyev hands Hilde lillies)

<Hilde>: Lillies? These are his favourite....how did you know?

<Puru 2>: Our Boss Scorpion, Phantom Scorpio likes them too.

<Hilde>: The original Shinegami?

<Puru 1>: We're waiting for him to come back from an Earth sortie.

(Duo stirs)

<Hilde pulls blanket over Duo>: Shhh...don't move....

<Hilde>: Can I ask you three a question?

<Mardyev>: Yes?

<Hilde>: Who was that pilot out there? He was the most brutal I've ever seen...and I've even worked for OZ....

<Mardyev>: You hate him?

<Hilde shakes her head>: In a way,I actually want to thank him. Duo's been on and off about joining the conflict.....I couldn't convince him to stay....maybe he'll think about it now....(caresses Duo's forehead)

<Mardyev>: Soldiers go crazy sometimes, madam....

<Puru 1 >: You have to forgive Crimson, ma'am....we've all gone through a lot lately....what with the colony destroyer out there and all....and the OZ moves on the spacenoids...

<Puru 2>: Crimson's kinda touchy about Gundam pilots.....

<Hilde>: Who isn't? Now everyone hates them.

<Mardyev looks out window, Noventa peeks>: People can be so foolish. The spacenoids seem to like being conquered, I suppose. First the Alliance, now OZ.

<Noventa>: Kostya??I've never seen him so...philisophical.

<Mardyev>: I know all about war......I lost people I loved in war as well....my wife and daughters, in fact...Miss...

<Hilde>: My name is Hilde Schrilbrecker.

<Mardyev>: Miss Hilde. I hope he recovers, I'd hate to see a young girl like you cry....

<Hilde>: Thank you, Mr....

<Mardyev>: Just call me...."C.C" .

<Hilde>: C.C *smiles*. You hear that, Duo? Mr C.C and his friends are going to take good care of you....

<Duo's eyes open>: Hil....HIld....Hildy...? What..what happenned?

<Hilde>; Well....(turns around) where'd C.C and those cute twins go?

(Hilde pulls door open. A surpised Noventa pulls up a bedpan to hide his face)

<Noventa>: Idiot! 9 billion people believe you're dead!

<Hilde>: Sir, have you seen a man in red and two twins go by?

<Noventa points to wall>: Over there....

<Hilde>:???

<Roberta>: Excuse this man, dear. He's wandered out of the sanatorium again....come now, Bob.....damn, you smell like piss....

(Roberta takes Noventa away): Close one, hon.

<Roberta>: Too close.....what was Mardyev doing in there? Gloating?

<Noventa>: We'll never know.....but he wasn't laughing, so it must be a good sign....

<Crimson comes out from under stretcher>: Coast is clear...*phew*.

<Puru 1>: You never told us you had a family, Crimson.....

<Crimson>: "Had". Past tense. Long story. I can't tell you all of it....seeing Hilde like that kinda brought back memories....deep....painful memories......(flashback, Mardyev is the one crying over someone)

<Purus hold Crimson's hands>: C.C....like on your socks! That's who you are to us!

<Crimson pulls up his socks>: MILLLIEEEEE!!!!

[AQUARIUS ON EARTH LIFTS OFF WITH QUATTRE INSIDE]

<Quattre>: Silly me. The other Gundam pilots are already headed for the Moon base!

<Scorpio laughs>: We all make mistakes, Winner. Back to moon base One!

<Nagaki>: Setting course.

<Rose>: Still wearing the pink rose, eh?

<Quattre>: I never throw away my gifts.....

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