Timeline: This story started a few weeks after Quatre blew up that Colony.

By: Yuy Ren

"Hey Hilde, have you seen the kid?"

Duo was looking for Jayce, since he had promised to teach the boy how to look for useful parts for heavy machinery. Jayce had been staying with them for two days now and he had wanted to help Duo and Hilde in any way he could. So Duo decided that the kid could help him look for spare parts for the Deathscythe, which is still nothing more than a mobile suit to Jayce.

Duo didn't mention his find about Jayce's past, since he wasn't sure why Romefeller was after the boy. He decided that Jayce's stay with him would probably be the safest thing for the boy right now and did not pursue the topic for the moment.

"Hey Hilde! I'm talking to you!" Duo repeated since Hilde did not move. She had her back to him and was standing by the desk. Duo walked up to her and looked over her shoulder, where in her hands, he saw a piece of paper.

"What's this?" Duo questioned as Hilde handed him the paper. She looked at him and waited for his expression as he reads it:

"What a joke!! That kid wouldn't last a day in the real world!!"

"Continue reading."

"Why that little…!" Duo shouted as he started to rip the note into a million little pieces.

"Wait!" Hilde demanded as she stopped Duo from ripping the note. "For goodness sake, finish reading!"

"Man, that kid’s really something. Makes you look bad, doesn’t he?" Duo was dumbfounded since he did not expected the kid to be faster at searching than Hilde was.

"Oh, put a sock in it! I didn't skip grades to go to the Heero Yuy Academy!" She uttered as she left the trailer.

"Aw come on Hilde! That’s not what I meant!" Duo exclaimed as he followed suit.

"Really? Then what is it that you meant?"

"I… What is that?" exclaimed Duo, pointing at the rather large flying object heading their way. "Wait! Is that Wing Zero?"

As soon as those words left his mouth, the gigantic mech landed a mere few meters in front of him, kicking up massive dust clouds and gleaming in the artificial light. With a loud hum of the engine, the buster rifle moved into position, aiming directly at Duo. The cockpit opened and as the clouds settled, a man that was way too tall to be Quatre stood on the open door hatch.

"You, Duo Maxwell, come with me." He commanded, pointing at Duo.

"Hey! Do what you gotta do! But that Buster Rifle would blow up the entire Colony."

"I have no interest of what becomes to this colony, come with me and no harm shall come to it."

+ + +

"Come on, Deathscythe, we’re going for a ride." Hilde exclaimed as she hastily loaded Deathscythe onto a transport shuttle. "With Duo gone with that Romefeller Lieutenant, it’s likely he’ll need you."

She stood up straight, ran a hand through her hair, and walked to the corner of the hangar. As if knowing exactly what she was looking for, she pulled Jayce out from behind the crates by the collar.

"Jayce! How are you!" She commented, mildly amused.

"How did you…?"

"Lesson number 1 in spying: Never hide beside a mirror."

+ + +

"So what exactly are you planning to do with that money you stole?" Hilde questioned as she piloted the transport shuttle in space, looking for Duo.

"Borrowed! I’ll pay you back! And I bought a ticket to Earth, I just don’t feel safe on the Colonies anymore. Why did you make me come along?" Jayce wondered, for he was now strapped tightly to the shuttle seat, next to Hilde, who was concentrating on piloting the transport shuttle.

"Didn’t think you’ll be too safe on the colony. That Lieutenant is making Duo test pilot the Wing Zero and it’s likely that things might get a little out of control."

"What’s gonna happen? The Colony gonna blow up?" Jayce muttered in sarcasm.

"Perhaps…. It’s possible."

Jayce was silent. The serious tone she used had shut him up. He felt the awkward tension in the air.

"So…," commented Hilde, as if also trying hard to break the tension. "How DID you manage to find some guy who sold fuel for Mobile Suits?"

"I didn’t. He found me."

"Huh?"

"Well, not many civilians own mobile suits. So the person who sells it must also be looking for customers. All I did was let it be known that I needed Verneai fuel and the man found me. Pretty simple really. To find a needle in a haystack, you get a strong magnet and the needle will come to you."

"I see, so that’s how your brain works!"

"What’s that suppo-."

"Wait, I’m getting a signal. We’re near!"

Sure enough. As soon as those words were spoken, the mobile suits came into view. From what Jayce could see, that blue and white suit was horribly outnumbered and something told him that Duo was in that suit. Hilde thought of the same thing as she tried to get a connection through. But in the depth of space, a single figure was floating in the midst of explosion and the stars. It looked a lot like…DUO!!

"Wait, Hilde, don’t send the transmission just yet. See that figure?" Rofis exclaimed, shouting excitedly.

"I see it, I’ll contact the suit…..Duo? Duo! Come in, Duo!! DUO!!!"

"He..Hilde?" The words were barely audible and the static in the transmission wasn’t helping.

"Duo, I’m taking you in! Stay where you are."

"Feh, you’re saying it like I can actually move."

+ + +

"Duo, be careful!!!" Jayce had never seen a person yell so loud and so full of emotion.

"Hilde, I appreciate your concern, but this guy is whipping my butt! I’m severing the transmission. Gotta focus." And with a faint click, the static was gone.

"Man, that guy better be ok!"

Jayce couldn’t bear to look at Hilde. She was nearly crying and her expression was so pained. Jayce could tell she cared for him a great deal. He saw it when Duo wouldn’t come into the transport shuttle and instead simply got onto his Gundam and took off. And he could see it now. She has such a strong love for him and at that moment, Jayce felt horribly out of place.