The Guardian Project – By Ensign_FlipMode804

Chapter 2 – Declarations of Love and Betrayal

At the Maxwell household, Millardo and Duet ponder at the thought of what is really behind the “Guardian Project.” A few minutes later, Duo walks by the blank-faced couple.

Duo: ‘ello. Is anyone still alive in there (waves hands in front of Duet and Millardo’s face)?

Duet: (comes to her senses) Oh! Sorry dad.

Duo: What the hell were you two doin’?

Millardo: Oh, nothing Mr. Maxwell.

Duet: Dad, can I ask you to do something for me, please?

Duo: Yeah, sure. What’cha need?

Millardo: We need you to get some information about a certain project being run by the Preventers and ZOAH.

Duo: Oh, that “Guardian Project” thing.

Millardo: How’d you know?

Duo: I overheard the Exec’s talk about it in a pretty closed-door meeting. I told Heero about it and he’s already investigating.

Duet: Well, knowing your dad Millardo he’ll probably have the info by tonight.

Millardo: Yeah.

Ariel sits quietly in her room typing a report for her Economics class. For some reason, however, can’t concentrate on her task at hand.

Ariel: (leans back on her chair) Damn this is so fuckin’ boring. God, Allah, Buddha, whoever: If you can hear me please send me a sign to break away from this torture. (phone rings) Wow, that was fast. (picks up the phone) Hello?

Nico: Ariel, is that you?

Ariel: Hey Nico! What’s up…wait a minute? How’d you get this number?

Nico: Ling. He told me during gym. You know, he’s pretty cool when he doesn’t have excessive nosebleeds.

Ariel: How’d he get it this time?

Nico: A group of very fine girls in extremely tight short-shorts.

Ariel: Enough said. So what’s up?

Nico: I finally found out what’s so big about this project my dad and I are working on. How about I pick you up later so that I can show you?

Ariel: Won’t I get you in trouble.

Nico: I don’t think so. Let’s just say executive privileges.

Ariel: Okay. I’ll be ready in 10 minutes. See ya later.

Nico: Right.

15 minutes later (Author: I know I said 10 minutes, but come on. He’s arriving fashionably late) Nico pulls up to the Barton residence in his A.C. 215 Nissan R35SkylineGTS4-Vtec (HELL YEAH). Half an hour later they’re walking into a dark hanger.

Ariel: Where are the lights to this place?

Nico: Hold on for just a sec’. (sounds of metal crashing together and hitting the floor) Shit!!! Tripped on a toolbox!!!

Ariel: (giggles a little) Dork.

Nico: Hey gimme a break it’s dark in here okay. All right found the control panel (throws the light switch).

Ariel: (looks up and stares in disbelief) Oh my God. Don’t tell me this is…

Nico: Yep. The original WingZero.

Ariel: Okay…you can start explaining now about what you’re exactly doing here.

Nico: Oh my bad. Here it goes. You know of the recent military action between NOZ and your gundams?

Ariel: How can I forget? My uncle and one of my friends almost lost their lives in that battle. Not to mention my ex-boyfriend became senile and eccentric.

Nico: Yeah, whatever. Well, the Preventers wanted to make mobile suits to patrol the six major areas of the world: Europe, Asia, The Middle East, Africa, and North and South America. These mobile suits would detect military armaments and bases and intervene before it became a threat to the World Unified Nation. It would be like protecting the Earth, hence the name “Guardian.”

Ariel: Then why make WingZero? I mean, this suit may be obsolete in this time of age.

Nico: Not really. ZOAH thought it best if we keep the design simple. Nothing simpler than creating the original. Besides, it isn’t the mobile suit the makes them special, but the various new upgrades for each of them: WingZero here has an advanced targeting system that is complementary to its twin-buster rifle along with the ZERO-System II, Neo-Gundanium, and Mercurius-style shield generator.

Ariel: Mercurius shield generator?

Nico: During the 195 wars, two mobile suits were built for OZ by the five original Gundam scientists to match the abilities of the gundams of the time. ZOAH researched both suits and found that the Mercurius, one of the suits, had a shield generator that can withstand any artillery barrage and medium-scale beam weaponry.

Ariel: All right. So what about the rest of the upgrades?

Nico: I’m not sure. I think Heavyarms will have upgraded artillery storage, meaning it will be able to carry more ammo and missles. Upgrades are still unknown for Deathscythe, Shenlong, Sandrock, and Epyon. Well, enough about that. You wanna take WingZero out for a joyride?

Ariel: Can’t you get in trouble for that?

Nico: I’ll just tell them I was taking her for another test run. They always let me take Angel out for testing.

Ariel: Angel?

Nico: It’s kinda dorky, but I sorta codenamed WingZero “Angel.” It sounds pretty corny, huh: “The Guardian ‘Angel’ watching over the Earth.”

Ariel: I think it sounds nice.

Ariel and Nico ascend to the cockpit of “Angel” on the same cable. After a couple of minutes of struggling to fit in the cockpit, it closes and the roof of the hanger opens. As this is going on, Heero watches from the rafters. WingZero takes off with such tremendous speed; the force was enough to knock Heero off the rafters and through the windows of a ground-level office. Seeing how he’s the “Perfect Soldier,” however, he walks away unscathed.

Heero: (reaches in his pocket and dials Duo’s number on his cell phone. Author: No. Heero does not have is “normal” black spandex shorts this time. He has the jeans he wore like in the Endless Waltz OVA.) Duo I have the information. Call everyone and tell them to meet at your house so that we can think of a way to deal with this situation.

Duo: (yelling over the phone) Hey, wait a minute?! Why the hell are we having it at my crib?!

Heero: Cause Jade might want in if we have it a Trowa’s house. It’s the same with Quatre and the Magnac Corps. Relena will try to stop us in any way possible. And we can’t have it a Wufei’s house cause, let’s face it, he’s an ass.

Duo: And what about Zechs’s place?

Heero: (sarcastically) What about Zechs’s place?

Duo: So then. What makes you think Hilde wouldn’t want to battle?!

Heero: Don’t you remember dumbshit? She’s pregnant.

Duo: All right. All right. At what time?

Heero: (looks at his watch. 6:15 P.M.) 7:00.

Duo: Okay later.

Almost 2 hours later, the former Gundam pilots meet at Duo’s residence to review the reconnaissance info gathered by Heero (Duo forgot to call everyone right away so they postponed the meeting to about 8:00).

Trowa: Well. For one thing, I know we can’t trust ZOAH.

Duo: But this “Guardian Project” doesn’t sound like a bad idea. It’ll give us a break, ya know.

Wufei: I bet that weak suit can’t hold a candle to Nataku.

Heero: Actually, with that new targeting system Wufei, Seiryuu wouldn’t get within 1,500 meters to this WingZero.

Wufei: Is that so Yuy?!

Heero: I downloaded some key files from their database. Then before I came here I ran a computer-simulated battle between this new guardian and the Tallgeese 4. Tallgeese never stood a chance.

Zechs: Oh really?

Heero: Yeah. I did the same test with Millardo’s WingZero. It did just as bad. I also simulated close range attacking in the same two battles. Zechs. If our sons battled with that guardian as we speak, they’d be defeated no contest. Now, the question at hand is: Should we let this Guardian Project continue production knowing that ZOAH is behind this?

Quatre: I think we should leave ZOAH and the Preventers alone for right now. We can’t let them know that we’re aware of them building mobile suits, much less unbelievably powerful gundams. Intervention of any kind may alert ZOAH and we won’t be able to convict them of any illegal military activity.

Trowa: Same here. Besides, they don’t pose as an immediate threat at this time.

Wufei: Figures you weaklings wouldn’t want to do anything now. I say we should move in and stop them before this gets any more serious.

Trowa: …Wufei…

Wufei: What weakling Barton?

Trowa: (smacks Wufei with a backhand slap) Shut the fuck up.

Wufei: You wanna piece of me Barton?

Trowa: Bring it on China boy!!!

Quatre: We shouldn’t be fighting.

Zechs: (steps between Trowa and Wufei) All right, break it up you two (they stop fighting). Now, I agree with Quatre and Trowa in not acting yet. Since I’m a high-level exec with the Preventers, not to mention Preventer Wind, I’ll try to monitor ZOAH’s actions and alert you guys to any wrongdoings in building these suits.

Heero: Then it’s settled. We’ll lay low until something happens.

Wufei: Pfft…(under his breath) Weaklings.

Heero: (pulls a gun to Wufei’s head) Omae o korosu.

Wufei: What? I didn’t say anything Yuy.

Heero: Right.

So the former gundam pilots decide to leave ZOAH to their activities. Three weeks have passed and Guardian WingZero is almost complete. Nico during this time has spent some frequent time with Ariel. Every other day they’d take Angel out for a “test run.” The rest of the time they can be found walking around the city. All the other neo-pilots could tell something was going on between Ariel and Nico…well, all except Shingo. Either he didn’t know or he was ignoring it.

Shingo: (seems he can’t ignore Ariel any longer) Man this sucks! Who the hell does that Nico think he is?!

Haruka: Well weren’t you the one that broke up with Ariel about (looks at the calendar) almost two months ago?

Shingo: Yeah…but…

Haruka: Shit, yer such a jackass. It’s obvious you still want her.

Shingo: I know. I know.

Triage: (enters Shingo’s room) Hey whaddup you two?

Shingo: …

Triage: Ooook…what’s up with Shingo ‘Ruka?

Haruka: He still has feelings fer your sis.

Triage: Well you can catch her. She’s walking to the pier right now.

Shingo: She is. Never mind. She’s probably meeting Nico there anyway.

Triage: Whatever.

Shingo: (starts to leave)

Haruka: Where r u goin’?

Shingo: I’m goin’ to the hanger to check on Sandstorm.

The scene switches to Ariel waiting on the pier. The sun is about to set and she has been waiting half an hour already.

Nico: (sneaks up behind Ariel and covers her eyes with his hands) Guess who?

Ariel: (thinking it’s an attacker, she elbows him in the gut)

Nico: Owww. (struggling to catch his breath) What was that for?

Ariel: Oh sorry. I thought you were something else.

Nico: Right. So, How’ve ya been.

Ariel: All right. I guess.

Nico: Why? What’s the matter?

Ariel: Oh it’s nothing.

Nico: Yeah right. You never gave me that expression before.

Ariel: It’s just that…(a long pause)

Nico: Go on.

Ariel: It’s kinda hard to say.

Nico: It’s all right. You don’t have to say a thing.

Ariel: Thanks.

They stand together for about 10 minutes more looking at the sunset without talking. Finally Nico breaks the silence.

Nico: How long has it been since I moved here.

Ariel: I think almost a month.

Nico: It’s funny how you forget the simplest things…when you’re in love.

Ariel: WHAT?!

Nico: Ariel. I can’t lie to you any longer. This past month has been bliss for me. When I’m around you, I forget all my troubles and all I can think about is you. I’m also afraid. Afraid of having that feeling of comfort taken away. (places his hand on top of Ariel’s) Ariel, I can’t promise you the world, but what I can promise you is that whatever happens, I’ll love you even after the day I die.

Ariel: Nico…(tears start to trickle from her eyes).

Nico: (wipes away her tears) Shhhh…you don’t have to say a word.

Their eyes meet. Now they hold each other in their arms. After a moment of silence, Nico gently lifts Ariel’s head by the chin and kisses her. From afar, Shingo stares at the couple and then leaves (if you really thought that he went to the hanger to look at Sandstorm, I feel sorry for you.).

The next day Heero does a little spy work around the ZOAH Main Facility in Brussels. He wanders around the building until two guards stop to I.D. him. The end result is Heero shooting one guard (he has a gun with a silencer/suppressor) and breaking the neck of the other. He then travels through the facility through the air vents due to a risk of being stopped again. 30 minutes of mindless crawling through the vents end with Heero finding a conference room occupied by ZOAH’s board of directors.

Voice #1: Production of Guardian WingZero is now complete. Transport to the NOZ Oslo Base is set at 2300 hours tonight.

Voice #2: Excellent. When will the production of the other guardians begin?

Voice #3: We only are set to build one guardian at a time. With the aid of the Preventers, we have the resources to create our dream. However, because of the Preventers’ assistance, we have to be extra cautious that we don’t set off any suspicion.

Voice #2: I don’t want excuses. I want to see those guardians created before the year is over. The last time NOZ tried to take over the world those annoying gundams rudely stopped us. Months later we have another chance, and I will not be stopped again. We need machines that will equal the gundams strength, speed, armor, and firepower. These guardians will be more than a match, since they will be practically mirror images.

Heero: (still carefully concealing himself in the air ducts) Got every single word. (stops tape recorder) Okay I need to set up another meeting with my comrades.

When Heero got back, he set up another meeting with the gundam pilots at Zechs’s house.

Zechs: I knew this project was too good to be true. Protecting the Earth, bah.

Heero: So what should we do now that we know ZOAH’s real intentions?

Wufei: I say the time for talk is over. Let’s just take our gundams and destroy this new NOZ threat.

Quatre: But we don’t know how powerful our enemy is this time around.

Wufei: I’m tired of your damn weak excuses Winner! We need to attack now!

Trowa: Well, I agree with Wufei in that we have to act now. This new WingZero is a real threat to the Nation’s safety and with NOZ controlling it; it will be a major problem.

Heero: Zechs, can you convince Lady Une to cancel the Guardian Project?

Zechs: I think with this tape I’ll have enough evidence to convince Une of ZOAH’s undermining actions.

Duo: Hey Heero. Ya think our kids could handle this new mission.

Heero: I think they could.

Later that afternoon, Lady Une, Noin, Sally, and Zechs sit in a conference room with representatives from ZOAH.

Une: I’m glad that you can join us this afternoon. Now let’s get down to business. It has come to my attention that recent rumors have surfaced about ZOAH’s credibility in manufacturing these new gundams referred to as Guardians.

Rep. #1: Go on.

Une: It has also been brought to my attention that ZOAH has secretly met with NOZ officials to give these Guardians to them for a pre-emptive military attack. Now are these rumors true gentlemen?

Rep. #2: That’s absurd. How can the Preventers think such atrocious thoughts?

Une: Whether these allegations have some truth in them or not, they still pose a threat to the World Unified Nation. As of right now, the Guardian Project is cancelled and I order that Guardian WingZero be immediately terminated. This meeting is adjourned.

Rep. #2: Colonel Une, I beg you to reconsider.

Une: THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED! (all of the members of the meeting disperse)

Rep. #3: (takes out a cell phone and uses speed-dial to call his boss) Hey boss we have a minor problem. It seems that Lady Une is starting to suspect some foul play. She has ordered the termination of the Guardian Project and the immediate destruction of WingZero.

Voice #2: Damn. I was afraid of this. I want you to set transport to WingZero earlier than planned and destroy the hanger.

Rep. #3: What about the employees still working in there.

Voice #2: Kill them all.

Back at Angel’s hanger, Junichi Hayase (Nico’s father) stays to work late and goes through a final inspection of WingZero. Just as he is finishing, two armed guards from ZOAH and NOZ’s taskforce (think just like the Nazi’s Gestapo) approach Junichi.

Junichi: What is the meaning of this?

Soldier #1: We have orders to transport the mobile suit A.S.A.P.

Junichi: But it’s not ready yet.

Soldier #2: We also have orders to terminate all employees present at this time (pulls out assault rifle and points it to Junichi).

Junichi: Now hold…(the soldiers fire).

Nico: (witnessing the attack from a catwalk above) DAD!!!

Soldier #2: Hey up there too. (looks up and points his rifle) Don’t move (yeah like anyone ever listens to that dumb command).

The soldiers start firing. Nico jumps into the cockpit of Angel and starts the mobile suit up. Then Nico busts through the hanger roof, transforms the suit into bird-mode, and disappears into the night sky.

Soldier #1: Shit he got away. The boss ain’t gonna like this.

Nico has just escaped the clutches of ZOAH with Angel, but the Guardians aren’t the only cards being played by NOZ. It’s time for the Neo Gundam Wing pilots to suit up again in the final installment of NGW: The Guardian Project Chapter 3: Off to Battle Again, Nico’s Farewell

The End

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