12-Aug-2005
And just because I couldn't leave it there...
Pretty much everyone knows what happened after that, what with the Gundams saving the day, the colonies declaring peace, and so on and so forth. Of course, Zechs tried to beat himself up over that too. I think he was just pissed that 01 managed to save the Earth instead of him--along with a healthy dose of 'oh-god-what-have-I-done' angst, of course.
I put up with it for as long as I could, then dragged him out and got him drunk. And when he tried to pack up and disappear a few days later, I got him drunk again. Then I dragged his ass back, unpacked his duffel, and explained a few home truths while he sobered up. Like the fact that I'd gotten myself almost killed more times than I cared to count following his ass around, and how I'd REALLY appreciate it if I didn't have to do it again. In really small words, because it was obvious all the brain cells weren't quite working yet.
Amazingly enough, it worked.
The door to the shop opened with a creak. It was late--the colony had dimmed to 'night' several hours ago, and I'd been enjoying the quiet after the craziness of the day. It was hard to complain about having too much work--it paid the rent, after all--but I always looked forward to puttering around by myself at the end of the evening. Picking up a greasy rag, I wiped my hands. Unsurprisingly, they didn't end up much cleaner than when I started.
"Either come in or go out. You're letting in the flies," I commented, turning to face the intruder fully. Zechs stepped into the shop, closing the door behind him.
"You heard?"
"Hard not to. Entire Earth Sphere is buzzing with it, you know." I threw the rag in a bin, and gave Zechs an assessing look. He was wearing an battered old leather jacket, and leaned against the doorway of the shop easily, shoulders straight. The quiet of the last year had done him some good, given him some space. But I recognized that expression. "You're going?"
"I have to."
I'd be a liar if I said I hadn't seen that coming. It hurt, in a way. Letting go always did. But--it felt right, too. "All right. Come on."
He blinked at me, surprised. Apparently that wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting. I snorted at him, jerking my thumb towards the door before grabbing my coat. Stepping outside, I shoved my hands in my pockets, heading down the street.
"Where are we going?" Zechs had fallen into step alongside. Even taking the lead, I had to stretch my legs to match his longer stride. I'd gotten used to it by now.
"Not far. Just up to the next block." I didn't want to say more. Not yet. I could feel his impatient sideways look. No doubt he'd rehearsed this scene, choosing his ammunition. That he'd say *this*, and that I'd argue *that*, and that he'd convince me that it was necessary. Or maybe that he wouldn't, and he'd leave anyway. And now he was annoyed--though he'd never admit it--because I'd blown all his careful plans out of the water.
Like I said. I'd seen it coming.
A short walk, and then I turned up an alley, climbing up a rusty old switchback stair to the side access door. The massive bulk of C-126's industrial core loomed over the smaller building, burying us in shadow. The shop door was unremarkable--but the security was top notch. I knew, because I'd seen Howard put it in.
Zechs' gaze had sharpened as I keyed in the code and pressed my hand to the plate. "Otto? What is this?"
The door opened with a hiss. I shrugged and waved him inside. "My dirty little secret."
The lights had switched on automatically as we entered. Under them--was the Tallgeese, gleaming and new again. Tallgeese II, I called it. Unoriginal, maybe, but I couldn't imagine this beast of mine with any other name.
Zechs had stopped short, spine stiff, eyes locked on the MS in front of him. I had to give him a nudge before he stepped completely in, letting me shut the door behind us. "Tallgeese... " he breathed, hands reaching out and gripping the guardrail. "How... . You did all this?"
"Not by myself." I waved a hand at the facility, the machinery, Tallgeese in its new armor plate, gleaming silver and blue under the lights. "I don't have this kind of money. But... the Sweepers found it. What was left of it. Howard got word to me, brought me down to see it... well, I couldn't just leave it like that." I'd rebuilt the Tallgeese, recreated it using every bit of hard-won tech I'd learned from the Gundam designers. Taking up the challenge again had been something I'd needed to do, even if I hadn't realized it at the time.
Now--the Tallgeese that had almost killed me was gone. Treize had destroyed it, and I'd remade it.
And now Zechs needed it.
"No point going to battle if you don't have a weapon." Crossing my arms, I risked a sideways glance, watching that face sharpen as Zechs realized all the possibilities of what I was offering him.
"Otto... " Zechs sounded relieved, and exhilarated, and stunned all at once. I took a certain amount of pride in the fact that I'd reduced him to incoherency. "I... This is unbelievable."
"Yep." I turned, facing him soberly. "I'm not giving it to you, though."
That brought Zechs around, a flash of bewildered anger on his face. "Then why--?"
"Nope. I'm not giving it to you," I said again, not letting him finish, meeting his eyes squarely. "But since you're going anyway--consider it a loan."
I'd never piloted this Tallgeese. I gave that to Zechs, the privilege of being the first and only pilot to sit in that cockpit and take it to war. And a small, superstitious part of me hoped that it would bring him back again.
Looking at Zechs, I knew he understood.
"You've got a deal," he murmured, reaching out to grip my shoulder. "Thank you, Otto. We won't let you down."
"Damn straight." I could feel a grin spreading across my face--the first honest-to-god smile I could remember having in years. "Or I'll chase you down and kick your ass, and I don't care how long it takes."
Wonder of wonders, Zechs was smiling too. Both of us stood there, grinning at each other like idiots.
"I can live with that."
The End
(:./hope/fealty7)
