ENDLESS WALTZ:SCORPION FEVER CHAPTER 11

[BLUE CASTLE,LUXEMBOURG]

(The gang run onto the tarmac)

<Quattre>: They did it! (debris burns up in the atmosphere)

<Wufei lands Nataku>: You wouldn't beleive who destroyed that ship....

<Dorothy>:I think I do....yes, I do know for sure....

(Tallgeese III, PS,Deathschythe Hell and the Wing Gundams land)

(Tallgeese III's cockpit opens)

<Noin>:Zechs, good work! Huh? What's wrong? Are you hurt?

<Zechs stares blankly>:You wouldn't believe who was up there....

<Scorpio steps out of his cockpit>: Here he comes now...the old idiot..what would Ma think?

<Une>:Who? Who? Otto?

<Otto>:.....oh man,oh man...(covers face with hand)

<Mardyev,arms akimbo>: He should have stayed home with his grandkids...

(Core Booster lands, cockpit opens)

<Une/Noin/Dude>: WHAT THE....

(Dude faints, Trowa catches him)

<Heero's eyes open wide>: No...it can't be....

<Dorothy runs to Core Booster>:UNCLE NOVENTA!? (hugs him)

<Trowa whispers to Relena>:You look surprised...

<Relena>:Of course! Everyone on Earth thought he died.....why aren't you surprised?

<Trowa>:When I was in Marseille with Heero, I noticed that Ventei and the others had their graves full size. Noventa didn't. That's when I suspected he was alive...but I could never confirm it.

<Wufei>: He's not dead!? Then we weren't fooled at New Edwards after all....

<Sally>:Otto,what's going on?

<Otto, reminiscing>: I rescued Noventa back at New Edwards. We saw the OZ plane get shot down....Une...

<Une>:....Relena forgave me for killing her father...but Noventa....

<Scorpio pushes his way thru>: Enough of this melodrama...Bob! Come out already!

<Noventa>:Nice to see you again, Phantom. It's been...two years, has it? Still wearing your mask, I see...

(they shake hands)

<Dorothy>:Let's go in, Quattre.

(Everyone walks in, the ex-OZ people are still standing there)

<Noin>: If he's Silver Scorpion...then what has he been doing all this time?

<Zechs>: He's been fighting....fighting people like us....people like me...

(some scenes of Scorpio mkII fighting Virgos)

<Une>: I tried to forget his murder....how we set him up...

(Otto looks back from the other group)

<Une>:How can Otto trust me now?

<Noin puts hand on her shoulder>:If he knew all along, then there's nothing to worry about....

<Heero walks behind them>: Looks like I really have to self-destruct this time.... (Remembers Wing Gundam slashing the plane)

[A CONFRENCE ROOM]

<Dorothy>:...so that's all that's happenned, Uncle...

<Noventa>:So...Dekim Barton...he's launched his own army.

<Otto>: He's using Mariemia Kushrenada as a figurehead...poor child's been brainwashed...

<Noventa>:Yeah...and Treize has never seen her but in photos...and I took the last one...

<Une>: Um, Field Marshall Noventa....I..um.

<Noventa glares at Une>:Listen,you. I know who you are and what you tried to do. And I cannot accept your change of heart. You killed several of my best friends on that plane. You helped many innocent Alliance people and troops to their deaths. It was long ago by some people's standards, but I still remember....

(holds some medallions in his hand)

<Noventa>:Ventei and the others...(grips medallions) died for nothing! No thanks to you!

(Une backs off into another room,crying)

<Otto>:Stop it! Noventa!! She's a different person now! You just can't go on saying things like that? How are people supposed to change?

<Noventa stands up>: What's your beef, kid? She's never tried to kill you, has she? Oh, I see....she's seduced you! Wait till you two get in bed! When you end up dead from stab wounds, don't regret it!

<Otto is held back by Preventers>:Why you...!!! You're just the same!! You were running the Alliance when Zechs' family was killed! You authorized it! You made peace a platform for election! Don't go lecturing ME about trust, Noventa!! 9 billion people trusted you,you FAILED! You let OZ take over the Alliance! It was your bungling that forced us all to leave Earth!

<Noventa>: I had no more power!! I was working with Ventei to try make peace!!It was Septum and his hawks who destroyed peace!!

<Dorothy>:Then why did you kill my grandfather so heartlessly......

<Wufei>: Hm...Duke Dermail...I was out there....

<Noventa>:Dorothy, I...I...I was angry....at myself more than anyone....I...

[BALCONY]

<Une sobs>:H-h-he's right...I'm still Lady Une,no matter where I end up....who I become...I still did all that....

<Heero>:I know how you feel.

<Une wipes tears>:Oh, Heero....um...

<Heero>: I tried to get his granddaughter Sylvia to kill me back in France.Noventa found me and kicked me into an open grave. I didn't understand why he did that then,but I do now...

<Une>:Why does killing always hurt later on and not then and there?

<Heero arches over the balcony>:We were both trained to kill. We assumed our targets were nothing but. I felt so empty after New Edwards....but I blocked the pain out,because I couldn't bring him back. But now that he's back...(grips heart)..I have no idea what to say to him.

<Une>:Me neither...and I know he doesn't want to talk to me either...

(A wind blows)

[CONFRENCE ROOM]

<Mardyev>:This is not going to get us anywhere! If anyone is to be blamed for all this, let it be me! I did design all the OZ suits,the Scorpion suits and even made the blueprint for the Virgo! Almost everything in the Eve wars carried my mark somewhere!

(takes a gun out of Noin's holster and puts it in Noventa's hand)

<Noventa>:Kostya...!!

<Otto>:Mardyev, don't!!

(Mardyev takes Otto's handgun, points both hands and guns to his head)

<Mardyev>:Well? Shoot me, already!

<Noin>:Hey, Otto made me forgive you already!

<Noventa>:Kostya, don't make me do this....

<Otto>:Crimson!!

<Noventa looks down and points gun down>: I can't kill you...

<Mardyev>:You would have shot Lady Une, no?

<Noventa>:Not now...God,how did I get so angry.....(gives gun back to Noin)

<Dorothy>:Happens to all of us......(hugs Noventa,Quattre looks on)

<Quattre>:All of us....why can't we put this all behind us?

<Mardyev sits down>:Why can't we...?

(Une walks in with Heero)

<Noventa steps foward>: You two....I need to talk to you both....later on...I apologize....I lost my temper earlier...Lady Une...Heero Yuy...

<Une>:Marshall....

<Heero>:You could have stayed away...what are you doing here?

<Noventa walks to the table>: I have to warn you all about something strange in space. (shows some slides)

<Scorpio>: A colony moving like that...? And those things surrounding it....

<Noventa>:They're apparently used Mobile Suits....broken wrecks and scrap, mostly....and one unit I've never seen before...I have no idea how some of these units can function without pilots...

(Slide of Miss Mobile Doll)

<Otto>:That's the unit who was with Viper....it left with some other Virgoes.

<Zechs>:Another army?

<Scorpio>:Of sorts...Noventa, where are these guys?

<Noventa>:In deep space.

(Mardyev gets up and slams his fist)

<Mardyev>: Even after death they haunt me.....when will it end.....(Duo's arm goes around his back)

<Noin>:This is tough...we have limited resources down here....now we have to deal with the Mariemia Army AND these guys....

<Trowa>: Dividing our forces will leave us weak to both attacks.But we can't just stay put here...

<Wufei>:What is that crazy Mobile Doll up to?

<Sally>:Crazy Doll?

<Wufei stands up>: That unit, Miss Mobile Doll, model WFVirgo04. You remember it, right Zechs??

(All eyes go to Zechs)

<Zechs>:Quinze and I locked it up because it was too intelligent to follow orders like the other Virgoes. We were lucky enough to get it into the asteroid in the first place.

<Wufei>:When I joined the Snake Squadron....they already had that unit.I suspect it has joined this new force to increase its kill score.

<Duo>:I hate being in predicaments like this!!! It was the same in Siberia, in Arabia!

(Master Fuhai appears, Scorpio, Wufei,Zechs,Otto and Une see him)

<Quattre looks left and right>:What are you all looking at?

<Duo joins him>:Yeah...you see anything, Heero?

<Heero>:No...

<Scorpio>:Everyone get some rest....it's been a long day...

(Gundam pilots go find the bedrooms)

<Otto>:That's an order, Preventers. You too, Wind.

<Zechs>:But I can see him!

<Otto>: It's no use if we all listen. You wouldn't get it!

<Zechs>:I trained under him for three months....he recognizes me!

<George appears>: Yes, but you don't recognize us!

(The Shuffle Alliance stands in front of them)

<Zechs>:What the.... (conked on the head with frying pan and is dragged away)

<Otto>:Thanks, honey. (Une gives thumbs up)

<Fuhai>:You know why we're here, right?

<Noventa>:Who are you talking to- whoa!!!(Fuhai appears) You're....Tohou Fuhai! That's Domon Kashu, Sai Xi, Argo,Chibodee Crockett and George DeSande! (rubs eyes) but you're all dead!?!

<George>: Oui,we are. Zat eez why we need your help. An old enemy of ours has resurfaced somehow...'e is up zere,in zat colony...

<Scorpio>: Who?

<Domon>:Urope. The man who forced me to fight my own brother. The man who tried to control the Devil Gundam....

<Sai Xi to Wufei>:You look pretty skinny to be Master Asia's kin...and what's with those shorts?

<Fuhai>:I'll get to the point. He can't be stopped with Mobile suits alone.

<Scorpio>:How did you stop him last time then?

<George>:We teamed up and destroyed his Grand Master Gundam...or zo wee thought....

<Scorpio>:But the Shuffle is no more....and the rest of us don't have a clue....

<Otto>:How about that move you used on the Libra?

<Domon>:It's not enough. Besides, Urope is in spirit form now.

<Fuhai and the others begin to fade>: Somehow, the King of Hearts has to beat him....once and for all...

<Une>: With what? You told us that our weapons don't work....he'll just waltz in!

<Fuhai>: I'm sure the King over there knows what to do.... *poof*

<Scorpio>:Hey, wait!! What do we have to do???

<Otto>:Come on! Help us out here!

<Domon>:Figure it out.

(The rest disappear)

<Sai Xi to Wufei>: Hey you, take care of the new Dragon Gundam!

Silence falls over the Confrence room as the Scorpions and Preventers contemplate their next move. Moving against Dekim Barton now would leave Earth vulnerable to attack by Urope's mystery fleet. Attacking Urope would give Barton the time he needs to regroup his forces. If nothing is done, Earth may well be destroyed.

[NEXT DAY,ON BOARD AQUARIUS]

<Scorpio>: I've made a decision. We'll strike Dekim Barton hard and fast. Hopefully, we'll finish him before we can deal with Urope's fleet.That colony he has is a threat to everyone on this Earth. It's an old cylinder colony...

<Noin>: Ready to attack that mountain!

<Une>:I assume we're gonna rescue MarieMia? She's only a child.

<Scorpio>: I want this done as quickly as possible. If it means killing the girl...then I'm afraid that has to be done.

<Une>:I understand...(Otto holds her hand)

<Otto>:Don't worry....we'll do our best to rescue her...

(Gundams either run or lift off)

<Heero>: Target confirmed. Mission accepted.

(Wing Zero flies off)

<Noin>:We're up next, Zechs!

(White Taurus boosts off with Tallgeese III)

(Otto gets into Jauhara Gundam)

<Otto>: I uninstalled the ZERO system, Une...

<Une>:Why are you taking the Jauhara again?

<Otto>:I just have this feeling..(blows a kiss) ...just be careful...and hang in there...

<Une smiles>:Thanks...Otto.

(Wing Gundam and Jauhara boost off)

<Scorpio>: That leaves me. Sally, hold the fort with Mardyev!

<Sally salutes>: Aye aye!

(PS boosts out)

[THE REAALLY BIG MOUNTAIN FORTRESS]

<Dekim>: Mobile Suits? Erect our defenses,now!!

<MA>: Yes,sir.

(Planet Defensors come out,turrets and Serpents emerge)

<MarieMia>: We will crush them once and for all!

(Gundams approach)

<Wufei>:I will finally have justice...(Sai Xi pops up) Willya start sounding like a REAL person for once? (pops out, Wufei rubs head)

<Heero>: For Relena...

<Duo>: Hope they know we're coming! (beam erupts past him) Yup, they know!

<Trowa>:Don't get distracted!

<Quattre>: I hope this ends quickly...!

(Gundams rush into fire, fighting Serpents)

<Noin>: I'll take the low road...

<Zechs>:And I'll take the high road!

(White Taurus and Tallgeese III use a high low attack)

(More beams come from behind White Taurus and Tallgeese III)

<Une>: Otto, we have to get into the base somehow!!I'm not going to let the poor child get killed!

<Otto>: We'll have to get trough these boobs first! (Fires on Serpents and slashes a Planet Defensor)

(Lightning bolt-like Mobile Suit streaks through battlefield)

<Scorpio>: Outta my way!!!

[MEANWHILE,IN SPACE....]

<MMD>: Master, they are fighting each other now....is this not the time to strike?

<Urope>:Yes,indeed it is....children! Move towards them!! I will move this colony...and destroy them all!!

(Battered Fleet moves with Colony)

[AQUARIUS]

<Sally>:What the....Mardyev, look at this!! Something big is attempting reentry!!!

<Mardyev>:Bohze moi....it is a colony!

[BATTLEFIELD]

(A shadow falls over the combatants)

<Trowa>:What the.....

<Heero>:What IS that??

<Otto>:It's like that guy said...

<Scorpio>: No....

<Urope>:HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

<Zechs>: No...I won't let this happen!!! (boosts up)

<MMD boosts in>:Hello, "Master"! (swats Tallgeese III ,avoids HeavyArms' fire)

<Noin>:Zechs!

As the colony looms over Luxembourg, everyone is wondering what is going on. Serpents forget the Gundams and run underground, while the Planet Defensors arch up. Everyone stares helplessly at the falling colony,which is burning up in the atmosphere along with its escort.

The ones who saw Fuhai the other day stand motionless....as do the ones who didn't....

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