Part 2: Challenge

	"Relena," he sighed as he walked away.  That word, a sentence on it's own, had 
acquired several different meanings to him over the events of the past year.
	This time, it expressed deep and sincere confusion concerning the owner of that 
name.  Not moments ago, Relena Peacecraft had refused an invitation he had given her to go 
to her own birthday party.  Was this the same Relena Peacecraft who had practically turned 
the world upside down to get the attention of her beloved Heero Yuy?  The same Relena 
Peacecraft who looked forward to assassination attempts just so she could gaze into his 
cold, angry eyes? Oh well, he thought, I never understood her before, anyway.
	Just then, he noticed a crowd gathering outside around an advertising screen which 
was attached to a department store.  The screen displayed the silhouette of a face, and as 
the crowd watched in confused silence, the owner of that face began to speak:
	"Attention citizens of Earth and the remaining space colonies.  I wish to offer a 
challenge to the pilot of the mobile suit referred to as 'Wing Zero.'  The pilot may bring 
only two things:  the aforementioned mobile suit and one other manned mobile suit.  I will 
meet the two of you in the ruins of the destroyed space colony 06E3 in 24 hours.  You have 
that much time to prepare.  Should these directions not be followed exactly, I will disrupt 
all communication systems in the solar system.  Without communication, your dreams of peace 
will shatter as the world order you have created slowly reverts to isolated nation-states 
incapable of diplomacy.  So I suggest you hurry."
	With that, the image was replaced by a clock, counting down from 24 hours.  At a 
dead run, Heero shoved his way through the crowds back to Relena's ship, knocking out a 
security guard who tried to stop him.
	"Heero!" exclaimed a justifiably surprised Relena as the gundam pilot entered the 
shuttle, "What are you doing here?"  Heero ignored her and headed straight for the visual 
communication device, relieved to find that it still functioned.  After some quick dialing, 
a face appeared on the monitor.  "How's it going Heero?  I take it you saw the guy, too."  
It was Howard, the creator of the Tallgeese and self-appointed caretaker of the large 
mobile suits known as "Gundams."  Heero was in no mood for idle chat.  "How soon can you 
have Wing Zero ready?" he asked impatiently.  "It'll be ready when you get here, but what 
about the other pilot?"  Heero thought for a moment before answering, "I'll need Trowa."