I do NOT own Gundam Wing, and I make NNOOOOOO money from this fic! I'm also poor, being a 28 year old housewife and mom.. so don't bother suing me!!! <G> Warnings? Ok.. probably some citrus, but no all out lemons. Some Barbarian husbands trying to seize control of their wives.. (wow.. men haven't changed, have they?), some really unfair battles... and my normal nasty cliffhanger. :) Thanks for reading!

~Leeko

The Capture - Chapter nine
By Caliko

Duo followed Hilde to the tent and lifted the opening flap. Walking into the small makeshift room, he dropped the material, nearly jumping when it fell against the opening and melded itself closed. Immediately, the sounds of outside diminished, and he could hear himself think.

He looked around, seeking out his wife, finding her in the corner next to the bed with her back to him and her jacket halfway down her arms. She turned around slowly, her expression blank. She didn't really want to have this confrontation now, but knew that she couldn't put it off much longer.

"What do you want, Duo?" She let the jacket fall off of her hands, and caught it before it hit the ground. "I'm tired and achy, and I just want to catch twenty minutes of sleep before the next crisis, so if you'll just hurry and tell me what your problem is, I'll try to help."

For the first time, he noticed the harsh rings around her eyes. Almost, he changed his mind, deciding that they could talk when she woke up. Then, he shook his head. Hilde would only have to rush to take care of something else when she awoke.

"I want to know what's going on, Wife. Where did all of these people come from, and what are they doing here?"

Hilde sat down on the bed, nodding. Propping her foot up on a footlocker, she started to unlace her boots. Then, pushing them off her feet, she flopped back, her thoughts in order.

"Sit down, Duo. This is going to take some time." She waited as he looked around him for a chair, but finding none free in the clutter of maps and boxes. Finally, she rolled her eyes, and pulled him down to the bed with her.

"As I was saying, this will take awhile. I'll explain it the way the taught me in class, alright?"

Duo nodded, intent on getting his answers.

"It all started about three thousand years ago, in a section of space so far distant, that it would take three generations to span the space between us and them. There was a great war between planets that had lasted three hundred years.

It was not just a simple war between two planetary governments. No.. It spread to encompass all of the allies of each, and became so confusing and evil that no one could even remember how it had started, or who it had started with!

Every planet had one main thing in common - their people were slowly dying off from lack of food, or disease, no medical treatment, no decent clothes! Every spare cent and then some went from the peoples pockets to the kings' armies. Eventually, the citizens began to leave.

A missing shuttle here, a stowaway there, word slowly got around to the other planets that ALL the people were in the same position. Eventually, with no where better to go, they decided to force their rulers from government. The only way to better their lives was to get rid of the people that kept it going.

So.. Rebellions were plotted and carried off. As one society won their freedom, they would go to help the next in line, and so on, until all fifty planets were governed by what was dubbed, 'The Interplanetary Alliance'.

The Alliance was made up of representatives that were elected by each planet's population. One of the first laws passed made it illegal for them to war amongst themselves. Now, everything would have been alright.. if it hadn't been for the damage done to the planets during war time.

Their soil could no longer support life. In desperation, they began to send off long range colonization ships, capable of long-range space travel. Each ship had one mission - find a habitable planet, and colonize it. This planet, 9-hg-789, was one of the first to be settled.

Meanwhile, their scientists began to experiment with chemicals that could be added to the soil. With the burden of overpopulation removed with colonization, the planets began to heal themselves.. until once again, they were strong. But, some of the colonies were lost in the meantime, their existence relegated to underground data storage that was no longer accessed. About 150 years ago, however, historians tracked down the lost data storage units.. and they found us.

The Alliance sent out scout ships to find the ten lost colonies, and hopefully, to invite them back into their society. Unfortunately.. this planet was the only colony to survive."

"Is that when they decided to take it over?" Duo spat, seeing no other consequence to come of all this.

Hilde pushed him from the bed, disgusted with his paranoia. "No, Duo. Why would they want to take over a planet so far away? No. They want to bring this planet back into the alliance, ruled by it's current leaders. It's position will allow us to set up further planets farther away in space, as well as bring technology to your world." She got up and began getting her boots back on. "I don't even know why I bother."

Sleep forgotten, Hilde stormed out to find something to do. She was just too frustrated by his thick-headedness, and too tired to deal with it. Duo, realizing that he only heard half the story, followed her out.

"Wife, You still haven't explained everything to me!" He said, grabbing her elbow.

"Look, My Lord, I'm tired, and I have a million things to do. I'll finish my story at dinner, alright?"

"No, I want to hear it now." Then, feeling guilty over the circles under her eyes, he growled, "You can either tell me, or you can go rest, but you're not going back to work right now."

Whatever she was about to say was interrupted, as the distinct pounding of hoofs echoed over the air. Duo looked up and spotted the rider coming in at the far end of camp. Hurriedly, he loosened his wife's arm, then stepped forward, meeting the man.

"Lord Maxwell!" The rider called, pulling up hard as he came to the long haired noble, "Lord Yuy invites you and your allies to aid him in destroy Will Schbeiker."

Duo pulled himself up straight, a bloodthirsty gleam in his eye. "And where is Lord Heero now?" He asked, not about to believe another messenger, not with out some real proof, anyway.

"He's on the bluff overlooking your keep, sir, with Captain Chang and Major Po."

"Major who?"

"They are there?" Hilde had silently come to stand with Duo. Ignoring his stiff posture, she continued to speak. "Did they give you anything for me?"

"Are you Lieutenant Schbeiker?"

She nodded, only to have Duo interrupt. "Maxwell. Don't give her that bastards name."

"Yes, My Lord. They gave me this to give to you, Lieutenant Sch.. Maxwell."

Hilde took the disk, murmuring her thanks. Then, she took the palm computer from her belt, and slipped it in. Seconds later, she nodded. "We can trust him, Duo. This is definatly from Sally."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wufei crouched on the hill overlooking Hell Keep with Sally on one side, and Lord Yuy on the other. As long as Schbeiker was inside, any attack they threw would turn into a long, drawn out siege. Thankfully, they never planned on a direct attack at this point - the murderer didn't deserve to be treated as an honored enemy.

"Are you sure this will work?" Sally asked Wufei, nervously watching the messenger enter the keep.

"That's why women have no business being in war." Lord Yuy replied, "They worry overmuch."

His voice was cool as he delivered the insult, only his eyes carried a trace of mockery. Stiffening, Sally growled, seriously wanting to claw those blue orbs from his conceited face.

"Easy, Sal." Wufei placed his hand over her shoulder, "He hasn't seen you at work, yet."

"And you have?" She eased down, relaxing under his touch.

"Enough. I've seen you on the target range, when you taught me how to fire my pistol, and I've seen you fight. You knew that this was going to be an uphill battle."

"Don't make excuses for me, Captain Chang. I may have to work with her during this.. fiasco, but I still believe that women belong at home, preferably under a man."

This time, Wufei barely held onto Sally as she launched herself across his back. "NOT NOW, Sally! He's trying to get to you."

"He's a pig." She spat, eyes narrowed.

"He's a noble, you get used to it." The were both ignoring the irritation that was forming in Heero's eyes, intent only on each other, now. "Besides, I've seen him fight, as well. You're better."

Lord Yuy started to sputter, causing Sally to look over and gloat. "After this is over, My Lord, we'll see who belongs on the battlefield, alright?"

Nodding slightly, he agreed, then went back to watching the keep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Will sat on the dais, eating his noontime meal as the messenger entered the hall. He watched as the stranger stopped a couple of maids, and then as they pointed to him.

:::Probably another mercenary.::: He thought, :::Good. I have need of a few more fighters, curse that damn Maxwell!:::

The man stopped at his feet, then bowed. Sweeping his hat off of his curly brown hair, he pulled a letter from it's lining, then handed it to him.

"I have a message for you, from my mistress."

Will opened the note, a cold smile forming on his lips as he read what his dear sister had written.

'Will, Help me, please! Lord Maxwell has locked me up in the tower on the north side of his domain, and I can't get free! His army is camped outside, constantly watching for any attempt to rescue me! Please, Brother, you have no idea how horrible it is! I was lucky to have found Rolf, from our village, working in the cook shed. He promised he would get this note to you. ~ Hilde.'

:::Stupid wench. Oh, I'll release you, alright, sister dear.::: His eyes fell onto Rolf, assessing the well-woven material of his clothes. :::Too fine for an ordinary serf. If he works in the cook shed, then I'll give up my hard won domains.::: Feeling Will's attention on him, Rolf forced himself to be still. Too much shuffling would lend him an aura of guilt.

:::He has to be a spy.::: Will determined. Motioning to his man, he whispered, "Lock him in the dungeons, to be dealt with when we return."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hilde set the shuttle down on the other side of the trees, well out of sight from the castle. Around her, twelve other shuttles set down, each filled with a mixture of warriors and Outlander soldiers. On the opposite side of the proposed battle field, another twelve shuttles were doing the same thing. The plan today was basic - trap will between the two armies. It might have been overkill, but it would end this war here and now. Unfastening her belt, she got up to check her gear.

"Where do you think your going?" Duo asked, already out of his seat. He was using his bulk to block the doorway.

"Where do you think?" She replied, snapping her pistol into it's holster.

"You are NOT leaving this machine." Duo crossed his arms, and squinted, almost causing his wife to laugh. He thought he looked intimidating.. but he only looked nearsighted.

"Don't make me do this, Duo. You know as well as I do that I can make you move." Hilde stated, calmly getting into position.

Watching her, he widened his stance, refusing to believe that she would. "You can try." He smirked, waving her on.

"All right." One well aimed kick later, Hilde skipped off the shuttle humming, motioning for the disembarking fighters to follow her. About fifty feet from the trees, she looked back, giggling. "Well, Are you coming, Husband?"

"This isn't over!" He yelled, getting up. Then, catching up to her, he grumbled, "If you could do that, why didn't you try it in the keep?"

"A couple of reasons, really. One, How would I get out with all the guards running around? Two, I was exactly where I was supposed to be - in your keep. And three.. You're cute." She slung her backpack over her shoulder, and skipped off, leaving her husband dumbfounded.

:::That is the most asinine reasoning I have ever heard.::: He thought, grinning despite himself.

An hour later, they were laying flat on the hillside, watching Will's army crawl away towards the north. It seemed to take them forever to move, causing the warriors to draw on reserves of patience that they didn't realize they had.

"We have to wait until he's far enough from the keep that he can't run back, but we can't let him get close to the mountain's, either." Sally remarked, watching the last man ride out of sight.

"Hmm.. Yeah, that would be a huge mistake." Hilde agreed. Then, realizing that the others didn't understand, she explained. "The hills are made out of some dense mineral that distorts our radar. Our computers would be as blind as we are."

"Then we'll wait until they are at the chasm." Wufei's eyes gleamed. "There is only one way across it - a rope bridge. The mountains ARE on the other side, but inaccessible if the bridge is cut. It's also far enough from the keep that it won't be an option for shelter."

"Agreed. We wait an hour, then follow on foot."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alright, I know I promised a few a lemon.. but this is taking a bit longer than planned! lol.. chapter 11, promise!!

Leeko