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Gundam W Endless Waltz Book Two Chapter 8

This is an excerpt I translated from New Mobile Suit Report Gundam W Endless Waltz (Magazine Novels Special) by Katsuyuki Sumizawa. It was released in the form of two books. The second book was released on July 23, 1997. Please keep in mind that I am not an expert in translating, therefore some areas may be lacking.

8

In the control room of the Colony X18999, Heero reported the current situation to the other two.
"We couldn't stop Mariemaia's Earth descent units..."
"I couldn't make it in time..." Trowa whispered softly.
In response, Duo said in a downcast tone, "I should have told the older ladies sooner... I messed up."

However, Duo's face was bright. While busily typing away at the computer keyboard, he seemed to be pulling out some sort of information.
"Don't worry about it... Just protecting the colony was enough," Heero said, not to comfort, but merely stating a fact.
During that operation, there was no one who had the luxury of contacting the Preventers. Nor could they have thought that Zechs was still alive. At least, these three bore no responsibility. At that moment, the sound of military boots rushing from beyond the door was heard.
"It seems they have returned..."
Mariemaia's soldiers were supposed to have evacuated from this colony. However, seeing that the rotational speed had stabilized, they must have hurried back.
"You are completely surrounded... Drop your weapons and surrender!"
Duo heard those words and said, "Even if I wanted to throw them away, I don't have any weapons anywhere."
He wanted to let them hear it from beyond the door. Even in such a tense situation, Duo continued to crack jokes and operate the keyboard.

They had used up all their weapons by the time they got there.
The only one left was Trowa's handgun.
"It's over..." said the handgun's owner.
Rather than giving up quickly, they were accurately assessing the situation.
If they stepped in there now, there would be no excuses left.
All three will be caught.
"No, that's not it..."
Duo turned around with cheerful face.
"I received an email from Quatre..."
Quatre's face was projected on the front monitor.
"Let's not give up until we hear what he has to say..."
When Duo pressed the execute key, Quatre's mouth began to move.
"This is Quatre... Apparently, the situation is serious... We are doing everything we can, but it will take another 18 hours to catch up with the abandoned resource satellite... If the fusion reactor engine explodes successfully, it will take thirty hours to return to Earth's orbit... In total, you will have to wait for 48 hours... I'm sorry... please manage to hold on somehow."

The monitor became static.
"Only two days left..." Duo said vaguely.
(Despite we sent it to the sun, it's surprisingly quick to retrieve...) He thought. He thought so, but still, the interval was too long.
"Looks like we have no choice but to give up," Duo said, and just then, Heero moved. He faced the computer and began operating it at a terrifying speed. At that moment, a voice came from beyond the door again.
"Hey! Open this door!"
"Lieutenant, we can't... The code number has been changed."
"I don't care, blow it up..."
"Huh..." He probably went to get a bomb or something. The area around the door became quiet.

Trowa and Duo exchanged glances. Both of them clearly carried an air of resignation on their faces. However, Heero was different. After looking at Quatre's email, it seemed he had come up with an idea. Heero's fascinating nature revealed itself at times like this. Though it was hard to tell what he was thinking, he must have found a way out. And that confidence-fueled initiative of his began to give Trowa and Duo hope.
Heero stood up from the computer.
"Duo..."
Duo was curious about what kind of escape plan he had in mind. But it was disappointing.
"Send Quatre a message. Tell him to send Wing Zero in the HES-88 direction..."
"You're kidding!"
"It's faster if I go to pick up Wing Zero in space myself."
(This guy, he's still only thinking about himself...)
"Hurry up..."
"Hey, wait a minute... why only Wing Zero?"

100

"I didn't have time to calculate your mechs... and-"
"And what?"
"How many days have you not slept?" (Now that I think about it, I haven't really slept for about three days...)
For a Gundam pilot, a lack of sleep like that was quite common. It was the same for Heero, who had only taken a thirty-minute nap.
(This guy is worrying about me, huh...?)
(Or maybe he's just embarrassed about being seen while sleeping...)"
"Hurry up, there's no time!"
"Got it..." Half annoyed, Duo composed an email.

101

"It was HES-88, so we have to be careful not to make mistakes."
"That's right..." It was a biting sarcasm, but Heero felt nothing.
"Tch..." he sent, dissatisfaction evident. However, deep down, he also appreciated Duo's concern. (Well, you know, it's nice to have that sort of kindness sometimes...)
"Okay, we're done," Trowa said, seemingly pleased as he watched the exchange between Heero and Duo.
The atmosphere of resignation that had been there a moment ago had completely vanished. He checked the shuttle's performance data in the control computer nearby and informed Heero.
"You can take the shuttle in the fourth hangar...."
Heero nodded at that and then turned to Duo. "Duo, I have another favor to ask of you..."
"Suddenly asking me all these favors, huh?" (Well, I'm okay with anything now.)
Heero said. "Hit me..."

102

"What?!" the Duo was also stunned. He doesn't know what will happen if he does that. However, Heero's eyes were serious.
"Hey, this is the last warning! Open now! Can't you open it!" The area around the door became noisy again. "Nevermind! Tear down the door!"
"Huh..." he heard the sound of a blast device placed in front of the door. Heero walked up to Duo and was amazing.
"Hurry up!"
"I understand..." he showed a face that seemed reluctantly convinced. And as soon as he clenched his fists, he was happy.
"I'm serious..." (Heh, I wanted to hit this guy once...)
(I'll make amends for my "mistake remark" earlier...)

103

Just before that, Heero said, "...Don't make a mistake."
In an instant, Duo became sharp. Anger filled his fists. A blow from all his might exploded on Heero's right cheek. With that punch, Heero turned his face away. However, his gaze remained on the Duo.
(Counterattack is coming!) Duo thought so with a wild intuition.
In an instant, Heero thrust out his fist with a wild reflex. It dug into Duo's body.
(...)
There was no moaning. It was a powerful blow.
"Why in the...?"
His consciousness was already fading.

104

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105

"For our own good... That's one for one." he imposed a child's logic and caught the unconscious Duo. With this, Duo was able to sleep for the first time in three days.
Almost at the same moment, the door was blown open. Thick smoke began to fill the room. Heero passed Duo to Trowa and said, "He's all yours...."
"Right...."
Heero lay on the floor face down, with his right cheek that had been hit facing up. The bruise on his cheek was turning blue, looking just as if he had indeed been knocked out.
Trowa hoisted Duo onto his shoulder and waited for the soldiers who would emerge from the door. A few armed with machine guns rushed in.
"Don't worry. I've taken care of them. But they prevented the colony's instability."
"Trowa, you're someone of such caliber; how could you let this happen?"
"It can't be helped... they are Gundam pilots." He roughly handed Duo to one of the soldiers. The soldier stumbled as he received him.

106

In that instant, Heero got up and started running towards the exit.
"W-Wait!"
Heero disappeared into the smoke-filled door. The soldiers opened fire with their machine guns, but there was no sign that Heero had fallen. They hurried to give chase, but he was moving too fast for them to catch up.
"If he's fleeing, it's likely towards the city... saving the hostages is his objective." While envisioning Heero hurrying toward Hangar 4, Trowa said, "I'll organize a search team immediately, so you take care of this one."
"Understood..."

A few minutes later, a long-range shuttle was hijacked from Hangar 4. The soldiers of Mariemaia were surprised by the launch of the shuttle, which normally wouldn't be in use, and tried to pursue it. However, powerful jamming signals were being transmitted somewhere, making it impossible for them to launch. Inside the control room, alarms and red lights were flashing, and there was almost a panic. Moreover, countless bits of Mobile Dolls were still scattered around the colony. In such a situation where radar was unusable, no pilot should have been able to take off.

107

However, it seemed that the Gundam pilot was different. Heero, aboard the long-range shuttle, quickly took off from the spaceport and left the airspace of the X18999 Colony.

108

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