"Good morning, Zechs." Noin greeted her superior as she exited the cafe, fully dressed.           "Why are you dressed like that? The attack on the Sanc base is scheduled at tomorrow."           "I just received a mission from His Excellency to seize an Alliance base."           "Is it well-guarded? How many people are you taking with you?"           "I'm going with units one and two. From my understanding, the base has average defence. Shouldn't be too much of a problem."           Zechs nodded. "Be careful, Noin."           "I will." With that she walked into the hangar, where the soldiers were waiting for her. * * * * * * * * *           The group of Aries and Leos headed for the target base with full speed, but they were ordered to halt when Noin detected something unusual going on in the base.           "Why are there smokes everywhere?" She wondered aloud, bringing up larger image of the place. She gasped when she saw a black mobile suit vigourously assaulting the base, destroying the Alliance MS as if they were mere mosquitoes. "A Gundam!"           "Enemy mobile suit!" Captain of unit one exclaimed when he saw the scene. He quickly raised his beam rifle, ready to shoot at order. Everyone else in the unit did the same.           "Hold your fire!" Noin shouted. "Don't do anything before I give my orders."           "Commander!" The soldiers were confused but obeyed.           The Gundam obviously noticed the assemblage amidst all the commotions around him.           "Well, more company for us!" The young pilot took the party to be back up troops of the base. "Why are they just standing there like that?"           As he wondered, an image flashed on his screen. "Gundam pilot, we have no ...Duo!" The speaker's deep blue eyes were wide at seeing the person before her.           "Hey, you!" Duo was equally surprised to see her, especially under such circumstance. "So you are an Oz soldier!"           "And you are a Gundam pilot. I should have guessed when you were there with Howard."           "Are you here to defend the base? You better stay out of this unless you want to face the Shinigami. I don't like to fight friends." The braided pilot warned seriously.           "Actually, we're here to seize the base. Oz and the Alliance are enemies now." Noin paused for a second. "You're considering an Oz soldier your friend?"           "Well, you're a friend of Howard's, aren't you? Howard's friends are my friends." Duo grinned. "I've done some thinking and digging back into my memory after our last conversation, and I think I know who you are now. Since you know about the cross, you must had stayed in True Light Orphanage before."           "Impressive logic." She smiled. "Yes, I stayed there until I was nine. You probably don't recall, but I took care of you when you were little."           The Gundam suddenly stopped moving for a brief second and barely dodged a shot from a Leo suit. "No way!" Duo's eyes almost popped out. "Then... You are... You are sis?!"           "It's an honour that you still remember me like that." She grinned.           "Er, I've forgotten your name though." The boy smiled sheepishly, but the black Gundam did not pause at slashing at the mobile suits surrounding it.           "What are you going to do after you finish with the base?" Noin asked the embarrassed Duo and switched subject.           "Well, I'm supposed to eliminate everyone who's seen me, which includes you people. But I guess I'll make an exception this time, provided you can hold their tongues."           "That'd be no problem." She nodded.           "Hmm, I'm done here." The Gundam DeathScythe stood in the middle of the now ruined base. "Since you're here to seize the base, I'll leave this place to you, sis. Cya!" He took flight and disappeared from view.           "Commander! What is going on? Why did he leave?" The army was hoping for the worst and was prepared to fight the Gundam after the base was completely demolished.           "The Gundam was here to destroy the Alliance base. He didn't intend to do more than what was required of his mission and decided to spare us." Noin calmly explained.           "Should we report about the Gundam then?" The captain asked hesitantly. It would make them look bad if they didn't even try to challenge the Gundam if their superiors ever learned of this.           "No." Noin replied quietly as she led the troop to the ruined base. "Our mission was to seize the base. It doesn't matter how we acquire the base as long as we accomplish it." * * * * * * * * *           When Noin returned to Lake Victoria, she saw a carrier in the hangar. Zechs was talking to an injured soldier who came out from the carrier. She immediately recognized the man as Otto.           "Otto! What happened?" She hurriedly went up to them.           "Commander Noin!" Otto tried to salute but the pain in his chest prevented him from doing so. "I was disabled while test piloting the Tallgeese."           "Tallgeese?" She peered into the carrier and saw the large white suit.           "Yes. It is powerful indeed, but only a pilot capable of controlling it can handle it. Someone like Lieutenant Zechs." Otto said before he was helped to the medical sector.           "What do you think? Isn't it magnificent?" Zechs looked at the white suit. "It will lead us to victory tomorrow."           "Huh? You don't plan to pilot this suit without test-piloting it first, do you?" Noin stared at her masked friend. "You saw what it did to Otto. This suit is dangerous."           "I've piloted and mastered countless mobile suit models before. I'll do the same with Tallgeese." He walked away.           "No, Zechs. You're blinded by your eagerness to avenge the Sanc Kingdom that you can't see what Tallgeese is capable of. He does not listen to his pilot." She caste a glance at the suit, worried. * * * * * * * * *           "We're under enemy attack!!" The control room of the Sanc Alliance base was chaotic. People were milling about the control centre, mobile suits were sent out to counter the assaults, and the commander gave out orders hastily. "Man, they're good!" The commander muttered bitterly as he watched a large white suit cutting through their defence line with ease. "Fire the beam canons! Shoot them down!"           Quite a number of Oz suits exploded as a shower of light emerged from the beam canons. "All units retreat!" Noin shouted out the order as she dodged the beams. She saw a white shadow continued to speed toward the base. "Zechs! What are you doing? We have to retreat! The beam canons are too much for us."           Inside the Tallgeese, Zechs grimaced as he tried to conquer the suit. "Why am I not able to pilot the Tallgeese? Am I not strong enough?" He gritted his teeth as he sped through the cascade of light fired by the beam canons. At last he had to fly away in defeat not because of his enemy, but due to his own incompetence to handle the mobile suit. * * * * * * * * *           "You're lucky you're still alive, Lieutenant. Anyone could have died out there doing what you did." The doctor remarked after examined Zechs, who was seriously hurt and was lying in bed.           After the doctor left, Zechs punched the bedpost with his fist angrily. "I was so close..."           Noin gently tucked him in. "I know you're anxious with the Sanc Kingdom this close, but you must rest. They are not going anywhere."           "Noin, Tallgeese will lead us to victory. I am certain of that."           "I know, but everything has to wait until tomorrow when you're better."           "I thought after all the battles and wars I've been through, I'd be able to conquer my fear of dying, but no. Tallgeese knew this and treated me like a child!" He was bitter at the thought. "It ignored the command of the pilot and acted on its own will because it is that powerful. It requires a brave pilot to bring out its true potentials. A suicidal effort is needed from the pilot in order to master it." He paused before continuing. "Now I know how the Gundam pilots feel. They fight to die."           "The Gundam pilots fight to die...?" Noin unconsciously repeated the words, recalling all her encounters with Wufei and Duo. 'So that's how they see their missions and existence...' She thought. She shut her eyes for a moment deep in thoughts before calling Otto in. "Otto, could you tend to Lieutenant Zechs and make sure he gets some rest?"           "Of course. I won't let him leave his bed." Otto saluted and stood beside Zechs' bed.           "Thank you." Noin nodded to him. Turning to see Zechs one more time, she left the tent.           Zechs was half asleep when he heard voices. Otto was talking on the comm unit. "What?! She took off on Tallgeese alone?"           Zechs awoke completely with a start upon hearing the words. Even though Otto didn't name the person, he knew it must be Noin. "Take me to the control room!"           "Noin! Return to base at once!" Zechs yelled at the screen when he had successfully got hold of her. She was sweating and didn't look very good.           Noin was silent. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes and looked straight at the man on the screen and answered. "I'll return once I'm done." With that the communication was cut off.           "Noin? Noin!!" Zechs shouted at the top of his voice. He turned to Otto. "Prepare a carrier, we're going after her." * * * * * * * * *           Inside the carrier, Zechs paced around but eventually had to sit down due to his wounds. Otto sat down beside him. "Don't worry, I'm sure she's alright. Didn't you see her expression? She looked calm when she answered. Maybe she's mastered the Tallgeese. She had always been one of the best back in the Academy, remember?"           Zechs frowned a bit and recalled her serene expression. 'Could it be that Noin had actually conquered the Tallgeese? Even I couldn't do it... I hope she did, otherwise she'd surely die from trying as it almost happened to me.'           The carrier was now close enough to see the Sanc base engulfed in flame and smoke, and Tallgeese was kneeling beside the ruined palace of the former kingdom. The fact that the carrier wasn't fired at indicated that the Alliance base was no more. They contacted Tallgeese and saw Noin resting on the seat with her eyes closed. She looked tired but was not hurt. They decided to let her rest for a while. The carrier landed near the white suit and Zechs walked out with the help of Otto.           Zechs walked into the collapsed palace alone, his footsteps echoed in the empty hall. He entered a room with a large portrait of the late King Peacecraft and stood before it. Slowly he removed his mask and spoke to the portrait.           "It took me 13 years to return to these grounds. Father, forgive your son, for there had been much bloodshed along the way. I've chose to walk the path counter to your teachings and became a soldier. In order to avenge you and the kingdom, I did not only fight and murder others, I dragged an innocent girl into the mess with me because of my selfish wish of wanting someone to stand by me. My hands, they are too stained with blood. I am totally unfit to lead the Peacecraft monarchy, but I am sure Relena can restore the kingdom and bring forth peace, and I will fight to make that happen."           He inspected the table underneath the portrait, and gently picked up a small metal album and opened it. A little girl smiled at him unreservingly, and a photo of him cuddling the infant girl was on the opposite page. He stared at the photos long and hard before closing the book and put it back on the table. Without looking back to his father's portrait, he put on the mask and walked out.           As soon as he stepped out the palace, he saw Noin leaning against the palace outer wall from the corner of his eyes. He felt angry and guilty at the same time at what she did and thus did not want to talk to her at the moment. He proceeded to walk pass her, ignoring her on purpose, but Noin addressed him.           "Zechs, don't get any wrong ideas. I didn't do it for you. I did it for myself."           He halted but didn't turn to face her. "What's that supposed to mean?"           She sighed. "I am sorry that I worried you and disobeyed your command, but I had to make sure. I need to know if I can fight like the Gundams. It's the only way I'll be able to achieve peace in this era of wars, through defending harmony on earth and in the colonies."           "You never liked fighting. What made you change your mind?" He finally looked at her.           "The Gundams. They are fighting to die so peace can be restored and people can be free. Such transformation requires certain level of sacrifice, and if people have to die for it, I'd rather it be me."           "Noin, if someone has to sacrifice, it should be me. You are too pure and innocent." He left with these words, afraid that he'd let out his real feelings in the deepest bottom of his heart.           "Zechs..." Noin looked on as he left, then she turned to look at Tallgeese. "Thanks for letting me fight with you back there. I learned a lot from you. I'm sure you and Zechs will work well together." She paused for a moment before continued. "No offence, but I'd really like to pilot a Gundam if given the chance." * * * * * * * * *           In the stillness of the night, the occupant of the large room reserved for the commander in Lake Victoria base was talking to someone on the comm unit.           "Howard, this channel frequency will be disabled starting tomorrow. I'll contact you again to let you know the new frequency."           "No problem." The old man nodded then hesitated for a second. "Noin, I heard that the Sanc Kingdom was freed from Alliance control today by a massive white mobile suit. Was that Tallgeese?"           "You've guessed it." She smiled sadly.           "What's wrong?" He noticed her expression. "Did something happen?"           "Howard... " She was going to say something but at last decided not to. "Nothing."           "Are you sure?" He was worried about her, but he knew her too well to push. "Well, you can always talk to me when you feel like it."           "Thanks, Howard." She was grateful for his understanding. "Is Duo still with you?"           "No, he left with the other kid yesterday. I don't think he'll come back though."           "I thought so." Noin nodded understandingly. "It's getting late so I'll get off now. I'll talk to you some other time. Good night."           "Cya, Noin."           Howard turned off the comm unit and wondered. 'So Tallgeese was restored and used in a battle. I wondered who was the pilot? That Tallgeese is one tough suit to pilot.'           Noin walked to her bed and kneeled down beside it. She clasped her hands together and started praying. She had become a warrior that day, and there was no turning back. ~to be continued~

Author's Note: The first appearance of Tallgeese! Those keen ones might be able to notice that Noin knew of Tallgeese before she saw it... Yes, I made Noin the first to pilot Tallgeese, but I'm not saying that Zechs isn't as good as her. She mastered the suit quicker because of what she knew about it. Anyway, I let Otto lives because I'm nice and I don't like to see anyone dies :p Please tell me what you think of my little story. Any comments and words of encouragement are embraced by me!:) ~Handsome Puppy~