Mobile Suit Gundam 0098: The End Begins

Episode 25: "ZACH!"

Frame 25: Beautiful Danger

The ground split and opened up, revealing a docking port for Monoxide. Lt. Newbark came out to greet him.

Monoxide slowly lowered the huge ship in its form. He then jumped out and shook hands with the Lt. Newbark, "I'm ready to install the equipment and I want my pay." Some Neo-Zeon soldiers came in to assist,

"Thank you Monoxide, but your assistance isn't needed anymore. We'll take it from here. Here is your payment, all in cash,” said Lt. Newbark handing Monoxide a briefcase.

"I think my assistance is needed," said Monoxide while looking at Lt. Newbark. Monoxide took the briefcase and turned to his ship and began walking up to it to get the parts. Lt. Newbark gave the soldiers the signal to help assist Monoxide with the cargo.

Andrew just started to walk around, tuning the guitar. Around the corner he saw Hylis and the prisoner, he quickly went back around and put his back against the wall, listening.

Zach turned to his right…Dukey was trying to contact with him, but there was nobody there anymore. It was like he had been blocked off…

“Dukey are you there? I'm in a cell somewhere…” He concentrated to his full power; he somehow just knew it would get through to him.

Dukey touched his aching head. He felt Zach again. “Zach, I can sense you, you ARE here! Listen…our cells mustn't be too far apart. I think I can convince Hylis to let us out of here, after all she IS my sister.” Dukey sat up and tried to sense any other members of his team. There were a few locked up, but most of the crew escaped and made it back to Grenada in the Raider.

"Hello Zach." A female voice entered into Zach’s mind…It sounded familiar.

“This has to be who is intercepting…” he thought.

“Who are you?” asked Zach to the unknown female voice.

Monoxide hit a button on his wrist watch as his cargo bay opened. "This way in there in a brown crate hit anything else and an alarm will be activated and you will be killed."

Meanwhile, Captain Athens and the Raider had arrived at Luna II. They had met up with the secondary attack force and had begun their attack on the main Titans’ base.

"Now men, fight this battle to avenge the comrades that you lost in New Guinea! Kill ALL Titans’ forces!" The entire Raider team launched in their Rick Dias II accepted the Sergeant who was piloting the ship. Captain Athens launched in his Rick Domias and the battle began.

"Zach...its me, Hylis.” Zach turned his head seeing Hylis on the other side of the bars. Zach thought hard on that statement.

“...Hylis?” There was a white flash, in a flashback style Hylis was talking to Dukey, remembering when they first met, "What you can do is um, introduce me to your little friend over there." “... Hylis! Where's Dukey?”

 “You mean my brother? Oh…he’s around. We had a powerful connection back at the mall. I don't want you to fight anymore...end this...join me...be...with me.My people need a ruler and I am it. A Queen needs her King," she offered.

Then it happened, Zach felt the energy between them rise. It coiled around him, building and thickening and swirling in between them. The cell room floor was warm and smooth beneath his shoes, and he felt like if he opened up his mind fully he would fly off and go through the ceiling into the sky. He saw the white ceiling waver and dissolve to show him the deep indigo night and the white and yellow stars popping out of the sky so brightly. Awestruck, he gazed into Hylis’ soulless purple eyes, seeing the infinite possibilities of the universe where before there had been only her eyes.  

            Zach felt himself slipping more and more into Hylis’ paradise…her “New Era.” He slowly lifted up his right hand, seemingly reaching out to her.

            “ZACH!!!” shouted Dukey mentally, snapping Zach out of the poisonous hold that was surrounding him.

            “Damn! I almost had him,” shouted Hylis, pissed that Dukey intervene. Hylis placed this as a small set back and headed over to Dukey’s cell.