Episode Zero Act 3
Hiiro Yuy

April 7, After Colony 175. The leader of the colonies, Hiiro Yuy, speaks in front of a crowd. A man whose face is hidden under a hat emblazened with the OZ logo has Hiiro Yuy in his sights. He aims from atop a nearby building ad the leader speaks. "The man who assassinated the colonial leader, Hiiro Yuy, is not recorded in history." A shot fired, Hiiro Yuy killed; Dekim Barton and Quinze are by his side. "However, in a time when the organization known as OZ was still nothing more than a group of special agents..." And the assassin puts his gun away. "...there was one who had no qualms about targetting others." The assassin leaves. "And then, it is true that the man who shot 'that one bullet' altered After Colony history."

AFTER COLONY 188 - HIIRO YUY
ACT 3

We see a colony's shuttle docks. A man sets a case down on the counter, the same case that Hiiro Yuy's assassin had carried. He hands over an ID card. "Odin Lowe."

The officer inspects his case. "Are you a recitalist?"

Odin Lowe pats a young boy on the back. "I was once. I just like to carry it around. I'm traveling with my son."

"Your destination is X18999. Isn't it still under construction?"

Odin Lowe removes his hand from the boy's back. "I did put down that I'm not going to sightsee."

The officer returns his ID card. "A former artist going to a hard labor colony? You're certainly not going to match your surroundings."

Odin picks up his case and turns from the counter. "Let's go," he urges his ward.

The young boy who would later assume the name of the colonies' late peace-minded leader is silent. They walk together through the empty spaceport. Only three other people can be seen around them.

Odin puts his hand on the boy's shoulder and leans down to whisper in his ear. "Hey, try to act more like you're my son. You're breaching the contract."

"Oh... Roger, 'Dad'."

L3-X18999 sits in space, obviously still under construction. Entire sections of the outer wall are still missing and huge chunks of metal float around the incomplete colony.

"Colony X18999 is planned for completion in AC 189. The people behind the construction, even more than the investors on the colony side, the Earth Sphere Military's Cosmos Arms had a major interest in its design." (I realize that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but until I can read Japanese on my own, I've gotta go with this translation I tracked down on the Internet.)

Workers in space suits float around outside the colony. A Leo Space-Type keeps watch over them.

Hiiro Yuy stares out a window into space. He's silent. Odin Lowe approaches him from behind. "What are you staring at? The universe that robbed you of everything? Or you who have no identity?" The child remains silent.

He turns around to face Odin. "Why have we come to this colony?"

"To abandon you." He sets his case down and removes a violin. "A coup will occur soon on this colony. In the chaos of the uprising, you can settle down here. You know the drill... I taught you how to survive."

Hiiro reaches into his coat and pulls out a pistol. He aims it at Odin Lowe's back. "And?"

Odin is surprised.

"Who are we killing this time?"

Odin pulls out his rifle, trying to remain calm. "Septem of the Cosmos Arms. This is my last job. You should go to school and live a normal life."

"I'll decide what I want to do." Odin doesn't reply.

* * *

An explosion suddenly erupts inside the colony. "There were many coup d'etats this year." A pair of Tragos suits in hover mode fire their giant cannons into the colony. Quinze is inside an armored car.

"The enemy's frontline is nearly destroyed! Be quick about it! Continue toward Central Command after the Tragos' are deployed!"

"The colony rebels led by Quinze posssessed eight Tragos suits seized from the military. They advanced toward the central command of colony X18999."

General Septem slams his hand on a table. "What do you mean no reinforcements are coming!?"

Dekim Barton stands behind him.

A soldier informs him, "Emergency communication line construction was behind schedule."

"What? You mean construction isn't finished yet!?"

"Yes... As long as the communication lines are down, there is nothing we can do about it."

Dekim Barton speaks up. "We didn't get any reports that they'd attempt an insurrection..."

"Hmph. You two-faced bastard! That's why we can't trust you colonists!!"

"What should we do, General Septem?"

"Is there not a single force available?"

Another soldier joins the conversation. "General! The Specials cadets are requesting permission to engage in combat!"

"The Specials?"

"I'm pretty sure their instructor is a young soldier by the name of Treize," Dekim says.

"I wouldn't know," Septem replies. He smiles. "But that's fine. Teach those damned aristocrats the difference between war and play!"

* * *

We see a building, identified as the Front Line Command Center. The young Treize Khushrenada pilots a mobile suit.

"Gentlemen, you have no experience winning a real battle."

A shot of a Leo just standing there.

"Also, if you calmly do what you've trained for daily, you have nothing to fear."

"Ro...roger!"

"Roger!"

Both soldiers carry worried expressions.

"While we are at a disadvantage when it comes to firepower, we have mobility!"

One of the frightened soldiers manages to agree with "Y...yes."

"SIr, communications are still being jammed," the young Lucrezia Noin reports.

"Roger. We'll attack individually! I'm counting on you, Lucrezia, to give me precise reports on the battle situation."

"Yes, leave it to me."

A hangar door opens.

"Instructor Treize, please call me Noin. It doesn't matter if a soldier is a man or woman on the battlefield!"

"I understand, Cadet Noin. Here we go!"

The group of Leos moves out and begins walking through the colony carrying rifles. Two Leos begin firing on a single Traogs suit and easily defeat it. The Tragos explodes.

* * *

Odin Lowe watches the battle from a rooftop. Hiiro Yuy sits beside him holding a rocket launcher.

"It would appear that someone competent is actually in command."

"The people attempting this coup are just amateurs. If you don't destroy the front lines first, you can be individually attacked."

Odin stands with his back to the child. "That's right. For that reason, a man like me is needed."

"A good idea for these circumstances."

Odin closes his eyes, smiling. "Supposedly..." He opens his eyes back up, but still does not turn to HIiro. "I'll tell you one last thing... No matter what happens, act on your feelings."

Hiiro doesn't respond.

"Long ago, some idiot, with just one shot, altered the flow of history. Since then, I've abandoned the system... Living my life as if blown about by the wind."

Two Alliance soldiers approach them.

"Hey! What are you doing up here!?"

Odin Lowe throws a dagger at one of them, striking the man in the chest. The other soldier catches him, but Hiiro sweeps his legs out from under him, and both men fall to the ground. The helmet falls off of the man whom Hiiro tripped, and he's knocked out when his head hits the rooftop. He groans unconsciously.

"Now that the plans have been laid out... I never know if there's some idiot out there who will alter the future." He starts taking the clothes from one of the fallen soldiers. "That's why I live by my feelings. That way, I don't regret things after the fact. That's the 'right way' to live the moment to the fullest." He puts on the soldier's coat and helmet. "Now then..." He turns to Hiiro. "Time to part."

Hiiro holds a rocket launcher in his right arm with the end of it resting on the ground. "Don't overdo it. You're getting old."

"Hmph. The line I needed to hear from a brat..." He turns. "Don't die," he says as he walks away.

Hiiro Yuy stares after him silently, holding the rocket launcher over his shoulder.

* * *

After Colony 188. X18999 Colony - Central Command Building.

Hiiro Yuy walks through the smoking debris of fallen buildings and ruined Tragos suits. He's silent as he carries on with the rocket launcher over his shoulder. He begins running.

Inside the building, Septem, Dekim, and some nameless soldiers walk through a hallway.

"Do whatever it takes to get the emergency lines open."

"Yes sir!"

"Septem!!"

Septem spins around in surprise. Down the hall, crouched at an intersection with another hallway, is Odin Lowe with a sniper rifle trained on General Septem. "O...Odin...Lowe!? Yo...You!!"

Dekim quietly moves into another corridor in the confusion. Odin Lowe aims and fires, but a soldier jumps in front of Septem and takes the shot. "General Septem!!"

"Shoot him!! Don't let him get out of here alive!"

Odin turns to flee, but is shot in the leg as he goes. "Damn!"

* * *

The Specials' Leos surround the final Tragos. Quinze sits inside his armored car, shocked. "This can't be... Our plans were supposed to be fool-proof." His phone beeps. "Eh?" He answers it.

"Quinze."

"Is that you, Dekim?"

"Pull back, the operation is a failure."

"Are you presuming to order me around?"

"They've recovered the news-gathering facilities. It's only a matter of time before military reinforcements arrive. You really need to prepare more carefully..."

Frustrated, Quinze yells "Damn it!" and orders, "Retreat!" He throws his car into reverse.

Noin warns, "Instructor Treize! The enemy's command vehicle is fleeing!"

"It doesn't matter. Let them go."

Suddenly, the last Tragos rams a Specials Leo. The soldier inside cries out.

"They managed to break through?"

As dust clears, a small form presents itself; a child holding a rocket launcher over his shoulder. Noin and Treize are shocked. He aims his rocket launcher at the central command building.

"This place... is being targeted?!"

Hiiro fires, and Treize Khushrenada throws his Leo in front of the rocket. An enormous explosion ensues.

"Instructor Treize!"

Treize survives the explosion, but is injured. Blood runs from cuts on his face. One eye is shut as he groans in pain. Hiiro drops his rocket launcher. His reaction to Treize's sacrifice is, of course, simple silence.

"W...wait!"

"Do...don't follow..." Treize attempts to order his soldier.

"Sir..."

"The battle is over. Noin, are you alright?"

"Instructor Treize..." She shuts her eyes. "Yes... I'm so sorry."

Treize closes his eyes. "Good...everyone is safe."

* * *

"Well... I guess that's the limit of those nobles' fun," Septem says. He turns to a soldier behind him. "Hey, what happened to that mouse who got lost?"

"He has still not been found."

"Kill him if you find him," he orders. "I'm surprised he's still in business. I thought he retired after that job I entrusted him with."

Odin Lowe hides in the building. He leans up against a crate and wraps a bandage around his wounded leg. He hears footsteps as Dekim approaches.

"Are you alright?"

"You?" He holds up a detonator switch. "Rest assured that with this one button, this building will go up."

Dekim pulls out a gun. "Is that so?"

"Trying to silence me? You needn't worry about that."

"It isn't... This is revenge." He fires.

Odin Lowe doubles over in pain after being shot. "Yo...you planned this... from the start... didn't you?"

Dekim walks away.

Odin smiles. "How ironic..."

Hiiro suddenly arrives and runs toward his fallen companion. "Odin!"

"I should have listened to you... I am getting old..."

"Hold on... I'll go secure an escape route."

He closes his eyes. "...it's...too late..."

Hiiro turns back to him, and Odin raises his hand, still holding the detonator. He points at Hiiro. "You got it? ...Never forget what I said... when we parted... This... is the last thing... this big fool... will tell you..."

Hiiro is silent.

"A...all these years... with you..."

Hiiro has a flashback. He and Odin are camping. He and Odin are walking. Odin is showing him how to use a gun (when he looks like he couldn't have been more than four or five years old).

"...were...weren't...so bad..."

Odin Lowe dies and his arm falls to the ground. The detonator rolls away, and Hiiro bends down to pick it up. "Is... this what you had left to do?" He holds it out in front of himself (just as he did when he detonated Wing Gundam) and pushes the button.

* * *

General Septem is shocked by the sudden explosion. "What's going on?!"

"Fires starting in various areas of the command center!" a soldier reports.

"Quick, extinguish those flames! I don't care if you use the weather system's rain!"

It begins to rain in the colony, and the fires die down as the rain water puts them out.

* * *

Treize Khushrenada lies in a hospital bed. He awakens and sits up. A nurse walks in.

"Try to stay still. Moving is bad for your injuries."

"Where...?"

"The Barton Family Medical Facility. It was built for the laborers who work for my father."

"You're father...?"

"I'm Leia. Leia Barton."

Treize listens and hears the sound from outside. "...Rain?"

Leia shuts her eyes. "Yes... The eminent man of the military is using rain to extinguish a small fire."

Treize closes his own eyes, sighing. "What an incompetent man."

"My sentiments exactly."

* * *

Hiiro Yuy walks alone through the rain. "The past of the boy who is to become known as Hiiro Yuy is completely unknown."

Later, the rain has stopped. Hiiro is no longer wearing his vest and other clothes from earlier, but has changed into his normal green shirt and blue shorts. As he passes by the opening of an alley, a man calls to him. "Hey..."

An old man sits against the wall in the alley. "I like the look in your eyes. Want to pilot a Gundam?"

Hiiro is silent for a moment. He recalls Odin Lowe's words. "Live according to your emotions. That's the proper way for a person to live."

"Sure."

END

Written by Dash