Wow, it's been so long. has changed so much...:) It's been ages since I've been on this site, as I had a broken laptop for the longest time, and ages since I've posted anything. This story might bring a love, hate emotion about me, since I'm putting a chapter up of something new when I haven't updated anything else in a while. It's just that this one seems to be going really well, so...I want someone else to enjoy.

Firstly, this story is completely Alternate Universe. The setting is the random galaxy, in the Gaian Territories, where a decade long battle has been going on between the Gaians and the Aevion, a race of Conquerors. The characters are the Gundam Boys, all five, who are brothers from a paradise named Haven, where they lived with the Lord and Lady. Btw, they're probably out-of-character in certain points. But not too much. They are sent out from Haven with their Knights(mechas resembling Gundams) by the Lord and Lady, who have gifted them with abilities.

Please enjoy...

Elite Knights

Chapter One: Avatar

"Buckle up, girls!" Triton whooped, flicking a few switches. They heard the engine hum to life, and Triton took hold of the joystick with pleasure. "It's time to do some treasure hunting."

"We're not treasure hunters, we're scrap collectors. There's a difference between treasure and complete junk," Meiran stated solidly as she did her restraining belt up. "I, personally, want to see more of the war."

"War?" Hilde questioned in disbelief from the seat beside her friend and fellow ensign. "I'm happy there's no war out here, thank you," she disagreed. "I wish all the fighting would stop…I hate war. It's so much death…"

"We're not going to lie back and let them slaughter the rest of us, Hilde," Meiran responded sharply. "While we grieve over dying. We get born, and we die. It's life."

"This life isn't much of one, Meiran," Hilde stated softly. "When people close to us are gone, and you know that."

"Stop being morbid," Triton barked in complaint from the pilot's seat. "We're having a good day, okay?" And with that unique statement, Triton hit the stick and their salvage ship shot forward, past the hangar doors and into the open wideness of space. Triton had his fun, gracefully cruising towards the blinking spot on their radar, avoiding space debris with ease. Asteroids were child's play to Triton, and his skill in piloting was only overshadowed by his extremely good nature and obedience. That had gotten him an ensign rank when he was only fourteen, two years ago.

"So we're going to get a PRIME, are we?" Meiran looked at the mission chip once more. "They're certain this PRIME is flying dead?"

"That's what Cat told me," Triton shrugged. "Apparently they can't mark it as one of ours or one of theirs, so it's our job to find out."

"And then tow it back," Hilde added. "If this is a new Prime, I want to get into it." She was referring to the mechanics of the great war machines, as her uncle was Howard Schbeiker, the top engineer on Zodiac, and Hilde was a skilled mechanic. If she wanted to see how something worked, all she had to do was ask and kiss her uncle's cheek, and he let her have free roam.

"Don't get too excited," Meiran smiled in amusement as she watched Hilde's eyes light up at the thought. "We don't even know anything yet. It could be a simple Class C PRIME."

"Or it could be one of the Aevion's new projects. I heard they have at least two new styles of PRIMES," Triton added in.

"Whatever they do, we can take it," Meiran stated proudly. "No Aevion PRIME can withstand an Elite PRIME."

"I'll agree with that," Triton grinned, then changed subjects. "We're getting closer, guys…"

"Girls," Meiran corrected.

Triton ignored her. "The scanner's still having trouble with all this debris. It's definitely a PRIME of some kind, though."

"What kind, though?" Hilde persisted in curiousity.

"Chill, Hilde," Triton laughed at her for a moment. "You'll find out in a minute." As he predicted, a minute later they emerged into a vague clearing in the asteroids, and in the center was the PRIME.

It was magnificent. White as snow, it shone in the dark sky of space. It was as large as an Elite PRIME, maybe larger, with alterations and differences none of them had even seen before, even Hilde. This PRIME was definitely something new…

An alarm began to beep, and Triton paused from their stunned awe to check the monitors. Eyes widening, he swallowed in surprise before speaking. "Meiran, Hilde…they said this thing was floating dead, right?"

"Yes, why?" Meiran looked at him, Hilde still absorbed in the new PRIME.

"Because the scanners are clear now, and they're saying someone's in that PRIME," Triton spun the chair to look at the two of them. "And he's still alive."

"What?" Hilde looked away from the PRIME at this news. "There's someone alive in there?"

"That's what the computer says," Triton nodded seriously.

"Well," Meiran undid her restraining belt, ready to do some salvaging. "I suggest we hurry this up then, and hope he's still alive when we bring it in."

(O) (O) (O)

Hilde climbed up after her uncle, taking the rope ladder with ease. Howard Schbeiker helped her as they reached the top, and then they stood upon the breastplate of the giant PRIME. Glancing down at Meiran, who stood among the small group of lieutenants and ensigns watching them work. Not five minutes ago they had redocked with Zodiac, and now Hilde was going to help Howard get the pilot out. Sally Po, one of the two doctors on board, had followed behind Hilde, and together they moved carefully up to the head of the PRIME, where the cockpit lie.

"…wow," Hilde remarked. "I've never seen anything like this." She was truly amazed. Nothing was familiar about this PRIME, now that she stood upon it. Hilde couldn't make sense of it at a glance, and she hoped Howard would let her help run the diagnostics.

"Hurry, Hilde," Sally rushed her on, and Hilde moved ahead quickly with her nimbleness.

In another moment they were at the cockpit, and Hilde knelt on the thick glass separating them from him. Staring inside, she wondered who this was, and what his story was, and how he got such a unique PRIME. This pilot wasn't dressed in either Aevion or Gaian uniform, and his helmet mask was a dark black to hide the face beneath.

"Come on, Hilde," Howard grinned at his niece, kneeling by one end and gesturing to her. "Let's see you bust this open." Hilde nodded and knelt beside him. Howard had located what looked like a panel cover, and he was unscrewing the bolts as she came over. Eager to prove her skills to Howard, she had just reached him when the glass pane she had just left began to slide, a low hiss sounding as it tilted open.

Howard stepped into action. "Hilde, get behind me," he ordered, but she ignored him, eager to see this pilot. She had so many questions, and if he could open the cockpit hatch, perhaps he was perfectly fine. In her eager love of mechanics, she forgot the chance of danger, and Howard snatched her wrist, jerking her back. His weapon was in his hand, an arrow-gun, and Sally held a small pistol blaster in her own hand.

Hilde exhaled in impatience but obeyed her uncle, understanding his worry. Following at his heels, she refused to let herself miss this, and Howard reached to nudge the pilot, who seemed to be still and unconscious.

Hilde jumped as the pilot reacted, jerking violently in his restraining belts. The helmet turned as the pilot looked around, shaking as though in shock. Howard lost some caution as he saw the pilot needed medical help, and he let Sally come up to help him. She boldly stepped down into the cockpit, and reached to take his helmet off. The pilot stopped her hand, grabbing her wrist.

"…where am I?" his muffled voice came from the helmet.

Sally stared for a moment, then replied honestly. "You're on the battleship Zodiac, and I'm a doctor. You need help. May I take your helmet off now?"

He let go of her hand, but proceeded to reach up and remove it himself. A hiss of air excaped, then he pulled it over his head and revealed himself. Hilde stared down at a young boy her age with gentle blue eyes and golden white hair, and her eyes widened. A youth was the pilot? But…how could he control such a machine?

Sally apparently thought the same, as she spoke. "But…you're just a child…"

The blue eyes narrowed for a moment, then he reached to undo his restraining belts, unhooking himself. "Where did you find me? How did I get here?" he questioned.

"We found you in an asteroid rim, floating dead in space," Hilde spoke from above them, and he looked up to meet her smile. "I helped tow you and your PRIME in. It's amazing!"

He smiled back, a natural sight in his gentle face. "I know," he agreed, reaching to pull himself forward. Sally took his arm as he stumbled a bit, and Hilde took his hand to help him climb out of the cockpit. Sitting on the chin of his mecha, he breathed heavily, then touched his chest. "I'll be fine…," he breathed. "I'm alright, I just need some food, and water, please."

"You're still getting an exam," Sally insisted as she climbed out with Howard's help. "For my sake. Howard, strap him into the sling."

Quatre shook his head. "I can get down," he insisted. "I'm fine." Standing again, they made their way back to the breastplate, and Howard and Sally went down the ladder. Hilde gestured for the pilot to go next. Shaking his head, he walked closer to the edge and looked down. "How far is that?" he asked.

Hilde came over and looked down. "Twenty five, thirty feet, maybe," she guessed.

He nodded, then jumped. Hilde screamed and watched him fall, turning sharply in the air to land in a roll on the ground. Hilde felt her stomach churning as she tried to comprehend what just happened. He should be in extreme pain, if not dead from that fall. But it hadn't been a fall at all, since his land was perfect, and he was on his feet again. Rushing to the ladder, Hilde hurried to make her way down.

"Don't you ever do that on me again, you hear?" Sally was openly lecturing the blond, who was actually looking affected. "You almost gave me a heart attack! You're not well, understand? You have a high temperature and you're trembling, and I don't care what you can do, you're to rest today." Having stated her peace, Sally gestured to the guards they could step in. They had been on Quatre in alarm with their weapons when he had jumped like that, but Sally had burst through in her anger. No one stopped an irate doctor. It was like a law…

"First question," Commander Une stepped forward through the guards. The pilot, understanding his position instinctively, had put his hands behind his head in compliance. "Who are you?"

The pilot looked down for a moment, closing his eyes. "My name," he finally spoke. "Is Avatar."

Une stared at him in debate for a moment, then waved to the guards. "Please cooperate, Avatar," she apologized. "But you must understand. We're in a time of war, and I can't take chances with my people's safety." The guards placed cuffs around Avatar's wrists, and he didn't resist. He did, however, have one question to ask.

"What of my Knight?"

"Your Knight?" Une was confused for a moment, until he looked to the giant PRIME suspended in the air by the clamps and cables. Nodding, she assured him. "No harm will come to it. Our chief engineer is a capable man."

Avatar stared at Une, then his blue eyes darkened a few shades. "Please do not touch her. I don't allow strangers to touch Iyce Knight. She doesn't like it."

Une looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "I understand," she answered vaguely, and then Avatar was being led away. Hilde watched him look one more longing time at his PRIME, then he was gone.

"Do you think he's Aevion?" Lieutenant Marquise spoke when the pilot had vanished through the hangar doors.

Une looked to her first lieutenant and smiled. "It's up to you to find out. I want you and Maxwell to question him today. I'm going to speak to the Captain." After she left, the small group of people dispersed, going their own ways to tell their stories of Avatar, the strange new PRIME pilot.

"It's amazing," Hilde breathed, thinking of Avatar before she looked again to the PRIME. "Iyce Knight…"

"I assume you'll be with Howard all day, then?" Meiran came over to her friend. Triton had left with Catherine, his sister, to get lunch before his guard duty shift began, and Meiran had been watching alone from the back of the group.

"Yes," Hilde nodded. "…I'll feel guilty, since he doesn't want it touched, but…this is a chance of a lifetime! A one time chance."

"What pilot would want other people going through his PRIME?" Meiran pointed out. "Anyways, I'm going to go take a nap until my shift begins. Have fun, Hilde."

Hilde nodded to her friend, then went over to her uncle. Noticing her approach, he grinned at her, and she grinned back. "You ready?" he asked. "This baby is goin' to be a tough one to crack."

"I've been ready since I saw her, uncle Howie," she stated eagerly.

Howard chuckled. "Let's get to work then."

The second chapter is ready to go, I just don't know when I'll post it. Depends how you guys all feel about it...so please review.

Storm ^_^