Rolling over she attempted to gasp silently. Feeling for her gun, she retrieved it from its holster on her leg. Once again she rolled onto her stomach and edged around the side of the container she had been hiding behind.

"Stop, right there," a voice commanded. Looking up she became aware of the individual that had an endless braid trailing down his back. "I bet you think you're pretty smooth..." he chuckled angering her.

"I don't think anything!" She yelled kicking her legs in front of her in an attempt to trip this nuisance. He countered her by throwing his mass on her, pinning her to the ground.

"Not so rough, Duo," a new voice directed.

"She would have killed me given half the chance," Duo protested.

"Yes...I believe you are correct," he nodded.

Duo tied the girl's hands behind her back and assisted her to a standing position.

"Chie Matasuoka?" the boy with tranquil green eyes asked as he read her nametag.

"Yes. I suppose I will be contained now?" Chie asked, her voice seemed to waver slightly.

"We don't keep prisoners," Duo laughed.

Chie looked down, she assumed death was the next thing these horrible creatures had planned for her. Her eyes began burning as she thought of never going home again, and her other comrades. She knew they would search for her...risking their own lives for her own impossible cause.

"You're a pilot?" The boy with the calm green eyes asked.

"Yes. I pilot a--"

"A GUNDAM!" Duo yelled. He had been looking out in the cargo area, where her gundam had been stored.

"Yes, as he said," Chie nodded.

"So are we...so you aren't involved with OZ?" "No. I am part of a rebel group sent to--"

"Infiltrate this base," Duo completed.

"Female pilots..." yet another voice said. Disgust lingered in the tone, perhaps even contempt. A young Chinese man appeared from the shadows. Chie had been trained to notice everything; yet, all but one of these pilots had eluded her senses. He wore a loose black shirt and fatigues. The outfit seemed large on him, subconsciously, she concluded that the clothes he wore were not his at all.

"Yes, and not a very quick one either," Duo chuckled. His braid slid over his shoulder and he nonchalantly tossed it back behind him.

"I am outnumbered," Chie defended. "Yet, you still feel the need to bound me."

"Very well," Duo smirked and untied her hands.

Chie rubbed her wrists; the pilot had been rough with her. Red lines began emerging where the bounds had been, and her skin burned slightly. Chie instinctively began looking for her gun.

"Looking for this?" Duo asked revealing her small handgun. "I'll keep it safe for you."

"Hurry up and kill me, my comrades will be here soon," Chie hissed. "We don't plan to kill you," the Chinese pilot stated.

"I...I thought you didn't keep prisoners," Chie stammered.

"We don't. You'll be our...guest," Duo smiled.

Chie was led to the braided pilot's gundam. She sat inside and watched as her own gundam was loaded onto a cargo shuttle along with another gundam. She was afraid now, but too proud to show it. She couldn't help but wonder what these pilots wanted with her. Where were they taking her?

Once the gundam had taken off and they were traveling in a crooked formation within the bounds of space, Chie felt strangely at ease.

"This is my Deathscythe," Duo said proudly. The cold voice had softened now, revealing a kinder tone.

"It is very nice," Chie allowed. "Your gundam...what do you call it?" Duo asked, apparently trying to make conversation.

"Seventh Sea," Chie smiled slightly.

"Well...would ya look at that, she smiles," Duo laughed.

Chie blushed and allowed the smile to fade. "What is going to happen to me?"

"Well, you'll eventually die--but hopefully that isn't for a few hundred years," Duo smirked.

"What do they want with me?"

"We've never seen female pilots before. We want to investigate, and then you'll be free to stay with us or go. That is...if you have the skills."

"If I have the skills? You just caught me on a bad day," Chie defended.

"Whatever you say...Chie. Hey...that rhymes!" Duo laughed at his corny rhyme.

"Clever..." Chie said shaking her head.

When the gundam finally touched the ground, Chie was amazed to see a large mansion staring back at her. Finally, she was able to get out, and she did so as fast as she could manage.

"Hi, I'm Quatre," a blonde boy said, extending his hand.

"Chie. Chie Matsuoka," she announced in return.

"I'll show you where you'll be staying," he smiled. She liked this guy right off. He was kind, and she could see that within the brief introduction.

Trowa watched as Quatre led the girl away. His mind focused on the long strands of dark brown hair that trailed whimsically with her movement. She walked with grace and confidence...almost as if she had the world at her fingertips. When he had looked into her pale gray eyes he had seen something that had comforted him, he could only wish that he knew what it was.

Trowa was tired now; the unexpected events of the day had left him a little more exhausted than normal. He headed up to his room and sat on his windowsill.

He turned slightly to retrieve his book and a pen. He stared distantly out of his window for a moment, not really focusing on anything, visually. His mind spun with fleeting thoughts that all centered around one topic: Chie Matsuoka.

7.4.196

Today we found another gundam pilot. The pilot is a female that goes by the code name, Chie Matasuoka. She says she has other comrades, I can only guess that they are gundam pilots as well. I had no idea that there were others�the question is--how many others?

Chie is strong; you can see it just by looking at her. She's not afraid of death, or anything else. I'm not sure what it is about her, but she is just comforting to see. There is an unspoken message that she conveys...I just wish I could understand it.

She's accepted things; at first I think she thought we meant her harm. But now, she seems at ease. She's open to questions as long as we aren't trying to tie her up and imprison her. I believe that as soon as she realizes that we aren't her enemies...things could benefit us all.

I just hope she isn't planning anything foolish. We don't have many defense systems in Quatre's mansion. I hope bringing her here wasn't a mistake.

Wufei seems troubled by her presence here. He's never favored the idea of females fighting. But more than that, I think she presents a challenge. Wufei refuses to be second to anyone. If this pilot out performs him...I believe he will kill her. I hope a competition is not on the horizon. Something about Chie tells me that I must not allow anything bad to happen to her. However, my loyalty is to my comrades...I hope I never have to make a decision that divides them.

For now, I am tired. I think in the morning I will be thinking much more clearly.

He set his book down and tucked himself into bed. Immediately, he fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Chie sat at her window. A single tear created a tiny river down the smooth skin of her cheek. She was frustrated, and angry. This was not a prison, she was free to go--but somehow, she knew that the freedom she had was already rejected by her own mind. She had found others...they had found her. So, as difficult as it was, she could not leave. Not yet anyway.

Chie pulled her hair down from its ponytail and sighed. It was pleasant here. And contrary to her thoughts, these guys were not that horrible. They were a little rough, but they were pilots.

"Matsuoka?" A sedate voiced called, shaking her from her thoughts.

"Yuy..." she sighed. After all these years, what are the odds that she'd find him? One thing was for sure...he had changed. The child she had known was now a hardened soldier.

"I didn't believe it was you at first," he said calmly.

Chie said nothing for a moment as she considered her next question, "Have you forgotten?"

"About my promise?" Heero asked.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," she sighed. Another liquid pearl fell into the tiny river.

"But for now, you will live," he warned.

Years ago, they had trained together. She hated him then, because he was a child. He was too temperate for fighting in a war. He had told her that when he made it to the battlefield he would kill her. Now...they had met. From the look in his eyes, she no longer could doubt him.

He was a soldier.