CHAPTER 44- INSIDE THE END

[OUTSIDE]

(Ships exchange fire, PS rips through Virgo)

<Scorpio>:Where's Silver?

<Crimson fires a DX blast>: He's on Libra. I can sense his beacon!

<Duo>:And we're all out here,fighting our tails off! Great!!!

[INSIDE]

<Quattre grabs pistol>:You guys stay here while I look for any hostages.

<Rashid>:What makes you think they have hostages? Miss Peacecraft was already rescued,Master Quattre!

<Quattre>:But she brought a shuttle with her. Surely there'd be more people here....just take care of the shuttle!

(Maguanacs nod)

<Abdul>:Be careful! There's a strong signal coming from the fifth deck! It might be a hostage trying to radio for help!

<Ahmad>:That's what we were tracking,dumbass!

<Abdul>:Oh yeh.

[SOMEWHERE ELSE INSIDE]

<Silver wanders around with gun drawn>:I have to leave Scorpio mkII behind...but Dorothy is on board....I can't leave Simone's child here to die...I promised...

(Silver shoots Fang guard)

<Silver>: A powerful signal is coming from the fifth floor....that's where I'm headed!

(Stomach rumbles)

<Silver>: Hope I can find the kitchen on the way...(enters door)

<Narrator bumps into Silver>:Hey, what are you doing in here?

<Silver>:What about you?

<Narrator>:Oh, I'm hiding. You?

<Silver>:I'm looking for the daughter of a friend from long ago. Simone Catalonia's daughter, Dorothy.

<Narrator scribbles on pad>:OK, I'll remember that. But why?

<Silver>:I can't tell you why!! It's too early! *bap*

<Narrator>:Sheesh....I'll go hide somewhere else. You characters are too tempremental..

(Narrator disappears in a puff of smoke)

<Silver>:Who hired that guy...

(hears guards and draws saber)

<Silver>: It's the elevator....

[SOMEWHERE ELSE]

<Quattre creeps along a wall>: They built this place huge! (Notices the high ceiling) The signal's coming from up here...(jumps)

(looks outside a viewport)

<Quattre>:Look at all of them fight...(Virgo is ganged up on by three WN Leos and killed)....I hope this all ends soon...eh? (looks behind) Is someone there? Hello?

(Shadow moves quickly)

<Quattre>:Just my nerves I guess..

(Climbs ladder, but hears the sounds of a struggle)

<Quattre>:What the.....

(Fangers plunge down one by one)

<Quattre>:Who's up there?

(Sees an arm reach down,he grabs it)

<Silver>:What are you doing here,boy?

<Quattre>:I should ask you the same question....

<Silver>: As long as we're in here, we'd better stick together...or we might get lost.

(Libra rocks, the two fall over)

<Quattre>:I'll say...

<Silver>: You're following the same signal as me. The one on the fifth floor?

<Quattre>:Yeah,that's the one. Where's your Mobile suit?

<Silver>:On the other side....

<Quattre>:We've got a transport waiting on the other side. You can come with us, Silver!

<Silver>:Much obliged. But I have to rescue someone,though.

<Quattre>:Dorothy?

<Silver>: Yup. I can't tell you everything,but I made a promise to her father a long time ago....now I'm here to make good on it.

(Hop into elevator and head for fifth floor)

[OUTSIDE]

(Wing Zero enters Libra, Epyon follows)

<Zechs>:Where are you going, Heero? We have a fight to finish!

(Epyon narrowly dodges a saber swipe)

<Heero>:Nowhere, yet. Give up, Zechs. You'll never win this war...

(Epyon swings the heat rod)

<Zechs>: Yes I will! The revolution will succeed!

<Heero>:In doing what? Repeating the same cycle of depravity and violence?

<Zechs>: People must be made to see the truth! The Earth is corrupt!It is no longer worthy of being called home!

[INSIDE, THE DOLL ROOM]

<Dorothy in Dark Helmet>: Heheh....ZERO system...this makes fighting much easier....

(Commands Virgoes to attack some Leos)

(Jahuara Gundam destroys the Virgoes)

<Dorothy>:Curse that Gundam....and those purple weapons!

(sees photon bullets rip through planet defensors,followed by cannonfire)

[SOMEWHERE CLOSE]

<Silver>:And that's the promise I made to Simone. But,Dermail raised her instead...what a wretched creature she has become...

<Quattre>:Don't say that...I've met her before...she's not that bad...

<Silver spins around and grabs Quattre>: Don't tell me you like that little warmonger now....now that she's switched sides!

<Quattre>: Why did you rescue her when you attacked the Foundation's sattelite then?

<Silver>:.......I....I owed it to her father....

(puts Quattre down)

<Quattre>: I know how it feels.....but she's coming out of here alive,got it?

<Silver>:You have a thing for her, don't you? Must be the eyebrows...

<Quattre blushes>:N-n-o..I mean..yes,uh no!...Can we just move on?

(They approach a door)

<Silver>:Wait for a few minutes...I REALLY gotta go.

(runs through door into men's room)

<Quattre hears a giant sigh>: Oh man....

[A LOT OF MINUTES LATER]

<Silver zips up>:Ahhh.....space...where no one can hear you fart...

<Quattre>: Now, the OTHER door.....

*ahem*

<Silver draws saber>: OK, one, two...

THREE!! (kick door open)

<Quattre>:Damn sliding doors.....

(Door falls down, Dorothy turns around)

<Dorothy>:Who? Who is there? I'll fight you myself! (takes out rapier)

<Quattre>:Dorothy! There you are!

<Dorothy>:Winner?

<Quattre>:Let's get out of here! Hey, what's that on your head.....

<Silver>:It doesn't go with your suit....

<Dorothy>:Get out of here? Are you nuts? Come and fight me, Quattre!

<Quattre>:I can't.....

<Dorothy>: You can't or won't? But I won't hold back! That gentleness! That sweetness! That kindness! They're the cause of your defeat!

(Disarms Quatre, but Silver throws him his saber)

<Silver>: Quattre!!

<Quattre>: You might be right but this is the only way I know how to fight... even in a losing battle I'm satisfied that the colonies weren't drawn into it!

<Dorothy>: Nothing will change!

<Quattre>: What should I have done then?

<Dorothy>: (raising sword high) Become the leader of the colonies and fought on even terms, like Milliard-sama!

<Quattre>: Dorothy! That's not-arrgh!!!

(Dorothy thrusts right through Quattre)

<Dorothy>: And show humanity a war so tragic that they have no wish to see another.

<Quattre>: Is that... what this battle is about? *koff*koff*

<Dorothy>: That's right.... You can't stop wars just by taking away all the weapons... you have to change people's hearts.... otherwise.... like my father.... they'll be destroyed...

<Silver>:Your father....?

<Dorothy>:Yes, my father! He went off on some suicide mission to assinate my uncle Noventa....nothing could stop him....not even my mother's love....

<Quattre>: You're kinder... than me....

<Dorothy>: Your saying that doesn't make me any happier! This gentleness is just a hinderance to living! People should only need to worry about staying alive.

<Quattre>: Dorothy.... You're like me.... detesting war... but never able to forgive yourself for your gentleness.... but... you can't deny your gentle nature.... Trowa taught me that.... you have to accept everything.... humanity needs that quality... . or else... there is no reason to exist.... isn't that so? The remaining humans... would be nothing better than animals......

(Silver kicks the saber back into his hand)

<Silver>:ENOUGH! If a duel is what you want, Dorothy, a duel is what you get!

<Dorothy>:Try me, Silver. I'm not one of your adoring fans anymore. I saw what you did to my grandfather! You murderer!!

(they circle each other, Quattre loses conciousness)

<Silver points saber at Dorothy>:Look outside! All the Scorpions and Treize troops lying DEAD out there? Who's fault is that? En garde!!

(Silver thrusts, Dorothy parries)

<Silver>: I'm no pacifist, Dorothy! I don't hold back! (swings)

<Dorrothy>:Then it is people like you who refuse to change that make these wars happen!Those troops out there are dying because of people like YOU!

<Silver>: She's right...but in the wrong sense!! (Stabs Dorothy's upper helmet)

<Dorothy>:Ahhhh!! You'll pay for that, SIlver Scorpion!!

<Silver>:I changed everything, girl! I turned around because people were not willing to accept peace! People wanted war! People like YOU!

People like your bastard of a grandfather! Being a pacifist means fighting for peace,not waiting for it to happen! Relena understood that, and so should you!

<Dorothy>:Relena understands nothing! (jabs) There was only one person who understood peace...Uncle Noventa! Then those Gundam jerks killed him!! Killed him!! Like my father was killed! A mistake!! A mistake!!!

<Silver stops fighting>:No. He wasn't....

(Dorothy's rapier goes through his shoulder)

<Silver whispers into Dorothy's ear>: He wasn't....(slumps to the floor)

<Dorothy pulls out and throws away rapier>:What have I done....

<Silver>:I'm alright....*ow*....you should see to Quattre over there...

<Trowa comes in>:I'll take him back to the transport. Don't worry. We'll wait for you.

<Dorothy>:....

<Silver>: Your father...he was sent by your grandfather..*koff*...to kill Noventa...because he...no...I......was in his way...(takes mask off)People like me and your father were in Dermail's way.....

<Dorothy's eyes open wide>:Un-uncle.......?But..but how?

<Silver>:No time to tell you everything.....just know this....I know you can never forgive me for killing Dermail....but please forgive your father....he died with you in his heart....he ran right into my security detail and was shot right there.....I didn't even know it was him until much later.....I promised him I'd take care of you..but your grandfather took you....

<Dorothy starts crying>:And here I am...representing my grandfather....

<Silver>: But your father's kindness is still in you....somehow, I can feel it in you...like now....Quattre is right....you are indeed much kinder than him...

<Dorothy>:Where have you been all this time, Uncle?

<Silver>:Fighting...like you...fighting to forget my past....all my failures as Alliance Field Marshall....what kept me going was the prsopect of seeing Sylvia again....and then I found your Aunt Roberta...

<Dorothy smiles, but cries still>:She's still alive,huh?

<Silver wipes the tear away>:Wait till she sees the smile on your face, Dorothy....

<Dorothy>:Let me help you up, Uncle...

(Slings his arm over her shoulder): You're light...

<Silver>:I just been to the potty....

<Dorothy>:Hang on.

<Silver>:What now?

(Dorothy takes her rapier, slashes MD wires)

<Dorothy>: No more of this....come on, uncle....show me the way....

(Dorothy helps Silver walk and they slowly exit the doll room)

<Narrator>:Tsk tsk....symbolic gestures never get the job done...

(Narrator pulls plug, whole of Libra goes dark)

<Narrator>:Ooops.

[DOCKING BAY]

<Trowa,yelling>:What are you waiting for, lift off already!

<Rashid>:Master Quattre told us Silver Scorpion was still on board.

<Trowa>:But...

<Other three Maguanacs grab Trowa>: But nothing.

<Dorothy waves>: Heyyy!!! Help me here! I have injured here!!

<Trowa>:It's that girl.....

<Rashid>:Get in,quick!

Dorothy stuffs Silver (with his mask refixed) into the Winner craft, as Rashid gives the all clear. The craft exits with blue thruster plumes littering the nearspace. Dorothy is still cradling her uncle, though her eyes are focused on the Gundam pilot she had just stabbed. Maybe Quattre is right.But she can now forgive herself for being gentle.She can even forgive herself for being warring. Dorothy Catalonia can now forgive. And she feels good about it.

(Fire balls surround ship)

<Crimson>:Silver, are you ....

<Silver>:I am alright, kavon...but we have injured...mind escorting us to Peacemillion?

<Crimson>:Yes, in fact I do mind. Your little trip to Libra had all of us worried. Idiot. *blip*

<Dorothy>:And he's on your side, Unc- I mean Silver? What a jerk...

<Silver laughs,with Trowa>: You don't know some people, my dear.....that Crimson....he's just like you and me....

<Trowa>:I've met the man. He reminds me a lot of you, actually.

<Dorothy>:I see now....people fight because their hearts don't want to change....that is what being human is about....(looks at Crimson) I bet he has loved ones I'm not even aware of...he's fighting for them....not as a soldier...but as a man.....

(Silver and Trowa look away)

<Silver>: Amazing. You understand him, yet you've never met him.

<Abdul>:Oh...boy....take a look at this, Captain!!

<Rashid>:Hol-eeee!!

<Silver>:What?What?

<Dorothy>:Mamma mia....Libra...it's moving!!!!!Toward Earth!!!!

next chapter....THE FINAL ONE!!!