Relena was standing close to the sliding door, hands pressed to the glass. She sighed as she look out and see the sun shining, the birds chirping and the flowers being kissed by the wind. It's a perfect day for a stroll, she thought to herself. But Im here inside, stuck with work.

She glanced at her desk and saw the mountain of papers stacked there. "Yup, I don't have time to do anything else," she sadly said. And what's more sad is that it's true. She has better things to do than relax or take a stroll. She has her hands full especially now that the Peace Summit is near. But she's tired--- physically and mentally. And for the past month, emotionally as well due to the numerous attempts on her life. Why are they targeting me? she wondered for the nth time. I don't have any real political power and technically, Im just a mediator.

And to add to her distress, Lady Une tightened her security (as if it's not tight enough as it is!) because of these growing threats, suffocating her even more. She understood their concern and even feels flattered but she cant help becoming more desperate to have a time alone. Especially now that his brother is here. He'll get more protective of her, she's sure of it. Though he hasn't seen him since Monday. What a relief for her to see Milliardo and her friends again. It's a good thing that they decided to drop by early, though only Noin and Duo stayed.

But having Duo as her bodyguard is not that bad. Duo protects her without suffocating her, giving her much privacy as possible. And having him and Noin there makes her feel that she's not alone anymore amidst a big house with only servants and guards to keep her company.

Her gaze went back to the garden outside her office. "I'll be 18 on Monday," she said to no one. "I wonder if Heero will come see me."

She then caught her reflection on the glass window. But she didn't acknowledge the honey blonde hair that cascades to her back like a golden waterfall or those gorgeous blue eyes the color of the sky. What held her attention were the shooting star earrings that she is wearing. She smiled as she fingered one of the earrings lovingly. She remembered her surprise when she came into her room right after her 17th birthday party and found a white bear with a small velvet box tucked in its arm sitting on her bed. There was no note, but she knew who left it there. Only one person can slip in and out of her room unnoticed by all the Preventers standing guard and the former Gundam pilots being there. Only the Perfect Soldier can. Her suspicions were confirmed when she opened the velvet box and saw the shooting star earrings. He is the shooting star that I saw, 3 yrs ago, she fondly recalled.

"I hope that you come and let me see you this time, Heero."

Her thoughts then returned to her present predicament. If she doesn't stop daydreaming about Heero, she wouldn't be able to finish her work in time. And since Athena is absent, she knew that there's no one here that can help her finish faster.

With heavy steps, she went back to her desk and sat down. She resumed reading the paper that she was reviewing earlier but her mind wont focus. She feels that the outside world is calling her, beckoning her to come out. I don't want to be caged here forever. I want to go out. I want to go out, her mind chanted. Just for a while. Then an idea popped into her head.

Duo walked through the hallway of the Peacecraft Palace, whistling. He just finished his 1 ‡ hr talk with Hilde. He left L2 just 2 days ago but it seems like a year since the last time he's seen her or talked to her. Their phone conversation would have lasted longer if not for Hilde saying, "Duo, you're supposed to be protecting Relena!" That's why he's on his way now to Relena's office. Duo considers Relena as his little sister and tried his best to protect her at all times but still give her space to breathe. With all those bodyguards around he doesnt want her to feel that he is suffocating her too, that he is an added nuisance. He knows that Relena values her privacy and quiet time very much so he keeps away for hours and just drops by to check on her from time to time then leave again. But he doesn't go very far. He would never let anyone hurt her, they have to go over his dead body first. He chuckled to himself. "I'll be a dead body anyways if I let something happen to her. Double dead. Heero will kill me first then Zechs."

Duo smiled at the other Preventer agents roaming around the Palace. He then reached a large hall -- the reception area of Relena's office where one can find her assistant's desk, several couches, chairs, potted plants and a large TV. Duo frowned when he saw that Athena is not there. Then he remembered that Athena called in sick earlier. He couldn't help a sigh of relief to escape from his lips. It's not that I don't like her. She's really nice. And pretty too. But whenever I see her the hair in the back of my neck always stand up, he said. I don't understand why I feel queasy around her. What if --- what if Im getting a crush on her? Sssh, Hilde will kill me!

Duo then saw Relena's other bodyguards sitting on the couch, watching TV. He went to them and asked, "Hey Tim is Relena in there?"

"Yeah. Never see her went out," Tim answered.

"Thanks." Duo then went to knock at her door and turned the knob. "Lena, it's me," he called out. "Maybe you need --- What the ---" Duo paled. The room is empty.

"Tim! Paul!" he shouted. The bodyguards outside ran to his side. "Tell everybody Relena's missing. Spread out and search the grounds. Hurry!" Duo commanded. He then searched around her office for some clues. He went to the desk and saw a note addressed to him.

Duo,

I just went for a stroll. Hope you don't mind. I'll be back before dark. Don't worry, I'll be careful.

Relena

"DAMN IT RELENA! Your stubbornness will get you killed someday!" Duo crumpled the note as he stormed out of the room.

"When will that blasted Gundam attack? We've been here since Monday night!" Wufei grumbled to the commlink. He, Trowa and Zechs in their MS are hiding in three different parts of the forest as they wait for the attack on the last Preventer military base.

"Just be patient, Wufei," Trowa said.

"Lady Une said that the attack might happen any day this week since its seems to be scheduled - once a week and only at night. So if he doesn't attack now, we still have 4 more days to wait for him," Zechs told them.

"Kisama! Im getting tired of waiting. If he's going to attack, he might as well attack now," Wufei said again.

"Be on your guard," is the last thing Zechs said before silence descended upon them once again.

Moments passed. All that could be heard are the noises coming from the jungle. It's like the jungle is alive --- you can hear it pulsing. The rhythm it produces coincides with the beating of one's heart.

As if by chance, three heads snapped up simultaneously and saw something hovering above the base.

"So that soldier is saying the truth. It really is a Gundam," Trowa said. The three stood rooted in place as they stare at the Mobile Suit above them. It seems like a cross between Wing Zero and Deathscythe Hell. The Body is Wing Zero's, even the four feathered wings but instead of being white with red and blue, it is black.

"Huh? How did it got pass our sensors?" Zechs asked. The three flew out of their hiding place and towards the enemy.

"It has hyper jammers like Deathscythe," Wufei answered him, beam cannon in hand. He's attacking from the left, Trowa from the right and Zechs up front. Wufei fired his beam cannon just as Trowa fired his bazooka. But instead of staggering and falling down as they expected, the Gundam remained standing unharmed, the blasts merely deflected. Zechs inched closer firing his vulcans and using his heat rod when the smoke cleared but the Gundam is faster.

"It has planetary defensors too!" Wufei said, firing missiles as he dodge one dragon fang with flame throwers. Trowa is firing his missiles and dodging the other dragon fang too while Zechs is being fired at by the Gundam's vulcans.

"Maybe we could try to overload the planetary defensors by firing all at the same time," Zechs suggested.

The three flew into position and fired - Zechs with his mega cannon, Wufei with his beam cannon and Trowa with his bazooka. They waited for the smoke to clear but they waited too long. After deflecting the 3 shots, the Gundam separated its twin buster rifle and fired at Trowa and Wufei's Suit. The two was caught unaware that they were hit and plummeted to the ground. Zechs had no choice but to use the heat rod since any beam shot is useless against this monster. He attacked and the Gundam fended him off by its beam saber. They continued until the Gundam got the upper hand and sliced both of Tallgeese's arms. And before Zechs even recovered from this, the Gundam hit him with one dragon fang and fired the flame thrower. The Tallgeese managed to avoid getting hit in a critical area but got hit nonetheless so he fell straight down. Now without any interruptions, the Gundam aimed its twin buster rifle at the base and fired.

"Mission Complete," the pilot inside the Gundam said in a monotonous voice then flew off.

Trowa opened the cockpit of his ruined Serpent suit and came stumbling out. He looked around to try 'sense' what part of the jungle he's in so he could discern the direction towards the base. Satisfied, he started walking. After a few minutes, he stopped when he heard a sound. Hiding behind a tree he waited. He came out of hiding when he discovered that it's not a threat. "Wufei."

"Trowa," Wufei said in acknowledgment. They continued walking. Trowa realized that Wufei is slightly limping, his right arm bleeding. Wufei on the other hand noticed that there's a big gash on Trowa's forehead, because he could clearly see the blood trailing on his visible cheek. But they didn't say anything to each other.

They just entered the clearing near the base when they saw Zechs sitting on top of the fallen Tallgeese III, waiting for them. His hair is disheveled, his face bruised, and there's dried blood on his left shoulder.

"That's one hell of a fight isn't?" Zechs said in greeting.

"Yeah. That Gundam is something else," Trowa answered.

"Now we know that it really is a Gundam that attacked the bases," Wufei said.

"It's a good thing that we thought of transferring everything inside the base to Preventer main headquarters or else we have lost everything," Zechs commented.

"Is the Tallgeese still functional?" Trowa asked.

"It's still intact. I think it can still fly and the internals are not damaged. I even had the fight recorded for further analysis. Yours?"

"Destroyed." Zechs then looked at Wufei. "Destroyed too."

"Ok. Our mission is done here. It's time to call Preventer headquarters and go home," Zechs said as he slipped inside the cockpit. After a few seconds, Lady Une's image appeared on the screen.

"Zechs! What's your status?"

"We've been attacked. It is a Gundam, a very strong one. It destroyed the base and we barely made out alive. The Serpent suits were totally destroyed and the Tallgeese is damaged. That Gundam is going to be a big problem."

Lady Une's face was grim. "Yes it is. But we have another problem in our hands right now."

"What?"

"Relena's missing."

"WHAT?!"

"She sneaked out this afternoon. We've looked everywhere but we didn't find her. We thought that she was hiding from us so we waited and just let her return back to the Palace. Duo found a note saying that she went for a stroll and will be back before dark. But she never did."

Anger and worry crossed Zechs' face. With clenched teeth he said, "Alright then. Send us a shuttle ASAP. We need to get back."

"Rodger that."