Chapter One

AC 194

He was dreaming; dreams of fire and blood and flowers and a sweet childish voice calling to him.

'Oniisan…'

The boy recently codenamed Heero Yuy twisted in his sheets, occasional grunting but making no other sound as he relived yet again his 'error in judgment' as Doctor J dubbed it.

...the bombs were set around the perimeter of the base. He had packed enough explosives to destroy the base and the precious mobile suits they held to do the job properly without blowing up the surrounding neighborhood.

Only it hadn't happened that way. His fingers had pressed the detonating device and fire had blossomed like a deadly flower across the night's sky. Hollow groans filled the air as mobile suits were caught and thrashed by the explosion. The sight of metal exploding, then growing liquid soft as the flames spread and consumed them had been incomparably beautiful. Then the unthinkable had happened.

He hadn't taken into account how far the blast would throw those suits nearest to the fence. Now all he could do was watch in horror as a stray mobile suit was thrust backward, crashing easily through the fence and into a nearby apartment complex. For all that it was silent, his scream of denial rang loudly in his head even now.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Oh, God, I didn't mean it. Please. No!

Heero jerked into waking, his pulse rate racing and his breathing erratic. Sweat formed and trickled down his body, tickling his neck as a few stray drops found their way into the hollow there. Strangely enough, he found himself freezing, goosebumps threading up and down his body. He gulped air, trying to steady his breathing even as he ran his hands up and down his arms in an attempt to warm up. Part of him wanted to curl into a fetal ball and sob, to find some way to release all the pent-up emotions storming inside of him. Maybe a few months ago, he might have allowed himself the luxury but that was before his mistake and his rebirth. He had killed innocents because he had not taken his mission seriously. He had played at it like it was some kind of damn game and lives, civilian lives, had been lost. A little girl and her dog had died because he...

This behavior is unacceptable he reprimanded himself. Emotional outbursts are unproductive. They have no place in a soldier's life. A soldier must at all times be in control of himself, if not the situation. There is no need for extravagances such as regret or kindness in war. Focus. Find calm and cling to it. Let nothing in. No cares. No regrets.

The mantra was one that J had drilled into him over and over since his failure. Heero clung to it as the central, most important truth in his life. He could be strong. He would make himself strong. And he would make sure that no other little girls and their puppies died because of his mistakes.

He hadn't realized just how deeply the dream had shaken him until the intercom across the room gave a sharp serious of buzzes. Heero had already made a dive for his gun and cocked it when he realized what was going on. Slowly he uncocked the gun and rose from the bed.

"Yes?" he replied sharply, after pressing the talk button on the intercom.

"J here. Did I wake you?"

"Hnn."

"Well since you're up you may as well come to my office. There's someone I want you to meet. J out."

Heero stared at the now dead intercom. He knew better than to question the scientist. Still he couldn't help but wonder just what the hell the scientist wanted with him at this time of night. Heero grimaced. There he went again, questioning orders. It wasn't his job to question his superiors. He was a weapon, a means to an end and the sooner he started accepting that, the better off he would be.

After all, weapons didn't feel. A weapon simply was; they could be used over and over without regret or care. Just as Heero himself soon would be.

***

When he arrived at the old scientist's office, he found that J had company. Heero paused, eyes narrowing. Something seemed out of place here. The person sitting opposite of Doctor J was a woman, an attractive blond in a sharp business suit. Her crossed legs were rocking with impatience as she flickered a bored glance at an expensive watch. He couldn't place her and she certainly didn't seem the sort to keep company with the likes of J. Not on a regular, consensual basis anyway.

Doctor J was at his desk chatting amiably enough it seemed, with the woman. He looked past her, those strange metallic eyes focusing on Heero. Maybe it was the overhead light but Heero could swear that there was a strange, almost amused glint in those reflective black orbs. A glint that made Heero's stomach knot in apprehension, the faint smile accompanying it only served to deepen that feeling. J wasn't really all that big on emotional displays and Heero had quickly learned that his smiles usually meant trouble-for Heero.

"You took long enough," the scientist greeted him.

"I was dressing," Heero replied in a careful monotone. "Besides, you didn't mention it was urgent."

"The fact that I called you in this late at night should have told you something."

"It did. That's why I came prepared," Heero met the scientist's eyes. He could feel the other's eyes searching his body, trying to discern just where the boy had hidden his weapon. Heero felt a miniscule surge of pride when J gave him a sharp, almost approving nod.

"So I see. Or rather I don't see. " J replied cryptically admitted.

The woman who had whipped around in her seat as soon as J had acknowledged Heero's presence stared at the boy, one eyebrow quirking upwards as she studied him. Then she turned halfway towards J, her voice skeptical as she said, "Please, tell me this is some kind of joke."

Heero wasn't sure why but the woman's words as well as her tone made him bristle. Still, he stood stiffly at attention and waited.

"A joke? I'm not quite sure what you mean," The scientist replied innocently enough. Still, you would have had to have been completely blind or stupid to miss the widening of that Chesire grin, Heero thought.

"I am not in the mood for games. You may find them amusing but I most certainly don't. Now I demand that you send this boy away and introduce me to the real pilot of Gundam Zero One," She ordered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear imperiously.

It took a lot for Heero to maintain his stoic expression and not goggle. Who the hell was this woman? There were only a handful of people in the quadrant let alone on the colony who knew about Zero One and the Gundams and until this moment, he thought he knew all of them. Quite obviously he had been in error. Then his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. What did she mean, the real pilot of Zero One? Boy? He wasn't angry. He was beyond such trivial feelings such as anger but he felt... annoyed? Yes, that was it; her imperious dismissal elicited feelings of annoyance from him. Annoyance was controllable and easily suppressed therefore Heero allowed the emotion.

"This is the real pilot of Zero One, Cynthia," Doctor J was quite obviously enjoying himself immensely. "Heero Yuy, I'd like you to meet Cynthia Fellowes."

If her head had whipped around before, it positively spun away from Heero towards the scientist now. Her eyes were flashing as she bit off. "That's not funny in the slightest."

"Cynthia, I am being quite serious. The boy is-"

"That isn't what I'm referring to, Doctor. Heero Yuy?! Your little program spits out a trained killer and you name him Heero Yuy?" The woman was positively working herself into a splendid fury. "How dare you-"

"Sit down, Cynthia!" J barked. The woman flinched. She hesitated for a moment before dropping back into her seat.

J sighed, his cybernetic hand clenching and unclenching with a soft whirring noise that filled the room. Heero saw the woman, Cynthia, stare at them then glance away in disgust. It wasn't an uncommon reaction. Heero himself had experienced it the first time he'd laid eyes on J. It was only after years of training and working with the man that Heero had become accustomed to J's appearance. If her reaction rankled the scientist in any way, he didn't reveal it.

"You asked to meet the product of our program here, Cynthia. It is not my problem if you don't like what you see. I thought Electra would have briefed you better. She's known for months about the program. She's even met the pilot from L4 as I understand it," J sat back in his chair.

"My orders were to come here and relay this request to you," Cynthia replied coldly. "And that I have done. What is your answer?"

Another soft whirring as metal twitched as J combed his beard thoughtfully. "The cause is a worthy one. The request would allow Heero the opportunity to gain more experience in the field which will be invaluable to him later on should things go amiss. And should everything work out... " J lifted his head to look directly at her. "Barton won't be pleased though, you do know that?"

"I really don't give a damn," Cynthia replied. "Barton can go to Hell for all I care. I'm sure he'd feel quite at home there. Anyway, my authorization comes from a much higher source. However, I still need your approval. Think your boy here can handle it?"

"Oh, he can handle it," J replied evenly. "But do I have your assurance that you won't hinder him in any way, shape, or form in attempting to fulfill his mission? I know how attached to your ideals you are. "

Cynthia glared at him, hands knotting and unknotting in her lap. "No, no one will interfere," she replied softly. "He can do whatever he had to do so long as he keeps her alive. What's at stake here goes beyond yours or my personal beliefs."

"Agreed." There was a pause. "Very well. I'll lend Heero out to you and you will allow him to do whatever is necessary to complete his mission."

"Agreed."

Heero had watched this whole rather remarkable exchange in silence even though he found himself burning with curiosity. It was evident that something momentous was occurring here even if he didn't have all the details yet. It was equally clear to him that this woman did not exactly care for him or J. She needed them and that only seemed to irritate her more. He found himself wondering where her dislike stemmed from-was it simply a personal dislike of J or was it, as her talk earlier seemed to indicate, that she was a pacifist. Then again, would a pacifist have agreed to allow Heero to use any means necessary to carry out his as yet unspecified mission? Hnnn.

"Tell him," Cynthia demanded shortly, vaguely gesturing at Heero.

"I was getting to that, dear lady." Heero wondered if he was the only one in the room to pick up on the sarcasm in the scientist's deadpan tone. "Heero, take a seat."

As there weren't any other chairs available, Heero picked up a nearby crate, turned it over, and sat down. It creaked unsteadily and he adjusted his weight accordingly, waiting for J to begin.

"Heero, what do you know about Electra Cameron?"

Heero felt his brow crease in thought. "Electra Cameron, granddaughter of the late Heero Yuy. The real Heero Yuy."

The last was a dig at Cynthia and she glared at him, searching his face for something she could use. When she didn't find it, she snorted, staring at a spot in the wall over J's head.

"Correct," J replied blandly. "And as a Cameron, she is also a member of one of the wealthiest families in the quadrant,"

"Was," Cynthia muttered. Heero looked at her then J in askance.

"Electra has been disowned by her family," J explained. "Let's just say they do not agree with her career choices."

"Ah."

"Because they're cowards and she's not," Cynthia snapped. A vein in her forehead began to visibly throb. "They'd rather hide in some rich, luxurious prison than take up the cause."

"The … cause?" Heero asked.

"Peace between the Colonies and Earth," Cynthia said with a gleam in her eye that Heero could only classify as fanatical. The woman was so passionate, he couldn't help but wonder how she managed to get anything done.

"Or total independence for the Colonies from Earth," J countered. "As I understand it, Electra is entertaining that notion as well."

"Only as a last resort. It won't come to that," Cynthia replied dismissively.

"Certain of that, are you?" J asked. "At any rate, Electra has been touring the Colonies of late, trying to bring all of us together as well as building up a base of support for peace negotiations. Though she is advocating a peaceful stance towards the Earth, Electra has also made it clear that if it comes to it, the Colonies should fight rather than surrender their freedoms to the Alliance. As you can imagine, such talk has made her quite a target. Both the militants and the pacifists would like to claim her as one of their own and both are continually disappointed when she refuses to acknowledge one group over another."

"Openly, the Alliance has been slow, if not downright resistant to any talk of changing the Colonies' status or any peace overtures made," Cynthia spoke up. "Until now."

Heero raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"For the last several months, Electra has been engaged in," Cynthia paused, searching for the right word, "secret negotiations with Marshal Noventa, trying to orchestrate a peace treaty that could change the Colonies' status forever. The negotiations are about to enter their final stages and if they succeed... Well, let's just say, you'll be out of a job, soldier boy."

"As you may have guessed," J took the reins of the conversation again, "There are factions in both the Alliance and the Colonies that want to avoid the possibility of peace at all costs. War after all can be quite profitable for the right people. Electra has already survived one assassination attempt. If she were to die violently at this stage in the game, the damage done might be irreversible."

"Therefore, your assignment is to protect Electra Cameron at all costs and to see that she is safely delivered to the negotiations. You will do whatever is necessary to carry out your mission. Any questions?"

"When do I start?"

"Immediately. You'll be leaving with Cynthia for the safe house where Electra is currently in residence. You will keep me appraised of the situation at all times and await any changes in orders. Understood?"

"Perfectly."

"Excellent," J shuffled some papers around then glanced at Cynthia. "I think that concludes our business or would you prefer we sniped at each other a few minutes more."

"The sooner we leave, the better, old man," She turned to Heero, eyeing him dubiously, "I sure hope to hell that you're as good as J thinks you are because if you screw this up, the Colonies may lose their only chance for peace."

***End of chapter one