Disclaimer: I do not own the copyrights to Gundam Wing, Endless Waltz, or Episode Zero. All Copyrights belong to their respective owners.

Reader's Note: This is a re-post.

Gundam Wing Episode Zero:

Johan Peacecraft Rodriguez

Part 3: It Begins

"Only after disaster can we be resurrected. It's only after you've lost everything that you're free to do anything."

Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

Johan was walking down the street along with Amara Yuki at his side. The place that they were in was one of those residential areas where people were walking by but not too many. The two of them walked hand in hand like the lovers that they were. The day seemed so perfect, even though they were still in this controlled environment. The artificial clouds hung over head under the steel ceiling that was of unknown height to either Johan or Amara. Johan knew that soon he would leave this place and go to Earth. Even though he never went to Earth he knew that he had to go there for Operation Meteor. So this last look at the artificial clouds within the colony would be the last time he would see them for who knows how long.

Amara looked at him and saw him looking up to the ceiling.

"What is it Johan?" she asked

"I was just thinking that this would be the last time I would see this place. That if I don't come back."

Amara hugged Johan tightly, "Don't talk like that Johan. I want you to come back."

Amara did know that Johan is a Gundam Pilot in training, but it didn't bother her because she too lost her parents to the Alliance military. Meaning that they were killed in a massacre when she was younger. Now she was with Johan.

"Would you like to see the Gundam?" Johan asked

"Sure." Amara smiled

The two of them walked hand in hand. They were heading in that direction but somewhere in that general direction Johan stopped.

"What is it, Johan?" Amara asked

Johan tried to think of what was bothering him. He knew that he needed to do something before he needed to head to Earth. What was it? He thought that he had everything that he needed, his dad went to Earth and set up an account in case Johan needed lodging anywhere or anything like that. He had his clothes, supplies and his motorcycle in the storage area in the Gundam itself. What else could he need to do? He thought about the people he needed to tell about this, then it hit him; Kenda his piano teacher.

"I have to say my good-bye's to Kenda, my teacher." Johan explained

"You're going to tell her that you're going to Earth?" Amara asked hugging onto his arm

"I am going to tell her I'm going to Earth, but not as a pilot. I'll think of something when we get there."

He walked through the residential area; he was going through any kind of cover-up he could think of. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her, but being a Gundam Pilot in this time and place isn't exactly the kind of thing one should broadcast to everyone. He thought of the explanation as he walked slightly faster than a stroll to his teachers' house.

He came to the house and looked through the window from the street to find that same baby grand piano where he learned how to play Fur Elise. He went up to the door and rang the doorbell. He waited with Amara, if anyone asked him he would probably say that he was a little bit worried what would have if anyone else found out that he was a Gundam Pilot. He is fighting for the people of the colonies even though not many know about it.

Kenda opened the door, "Johan." She smiled, "How have you been? But you're here a bit early your lesson isn't for a few days."

Johan looked at her with a concerned face, "Kenda, I'm going to leave for Earth."

"Why is that?"

Johan had thought about this cover-up, "I'm going to visit some family down on Earth."

"When will you be back."

"I'm not too sure, it'll be a while."

Kenda smiled, "Alright, but there's something I should tell you."

"What's that?" Johan asked curiously

"I've been reviewing your skills and I think that you're experienced enough to be your own piano player." She looked as if she had announced the end of something that Johan had known ever since he was a boy. "I know this may come as a shock to you, but you've been taking lessons for nearly ten years, and in that time you've acquired the technical skills to play. Now all you need is to play for others as well as yourself."

"I understand, Kenda."

"Hey," She smiled, "Don't be sad, you can come by and play anytime."

"Thank you."

Kenda closed the door and Johan felt relieved that this cover was as good as he had hoped, even though to him it didn't exactly hold water, but never the less it worked. Yet, Johan felt as if he had lost a part of his own life, a part of his own childhood. Something that was always there and now it wasn't there anymore because time had passed and Johan knew that he couldn't go back.

Johan and Amara headed toward the garage where the Gundam would be hidden. So they made sure that no one was following them as if they were being spied upon. Johan looked over his shoulder more often than Amara. But there wasn't anyone behind them.

Eventually Johan came up to the gray wall and he touched that same spot to open the door. The door opened and they quickly stepped inside like a rabbit going back into its hole. And the door closed behind them while the lights came on. But what greeted Johan's eyes made him think that he was hallucinating or dreaming.

He saw his father, Han Rodriguez lying face down on the mat with a small puddle of blood on the polyester fabric.

Johan quickly went up to the body and turned his father over. Behind careful not to get the blood on his clothes or hands. He saw that his father was shot through the left side of his abdomen. Johan knelt by his right side and held him in his arms..

"Dad!" He shouted, "Wake up, please."

Han's eyes began to open and slowly looked up at his own son, "Johan." He said dryly

"Please, Dad. Save your strength, we'll get you to a hospital."

"It's to late for me Johan." Han coughed, "They found us."

"You mean the Mariemea Army? The ones behind Operation Meteor?"
"Yes," Han coughed again, "They don't plan to send the Gundams to Earth. They plan to drop the colony onto Earth."

Johan's eyes widened with fear when he realized the implications of that kind of foolish action, "Drop the colony?" he asked, "That's crazy."

"I know." Han breathed, "You have to go to Earth."

"But why were you killed? I'm the pilot."

"They thought that I was the pilot. They're here on the colony now; they're searching for the Gundam. It's in the launch bay, disguised as a passenger ship called Hope. Don't worry, it's taken care of, but take it, Johan. Go to Earth…" Han life began to fade

"No dad." Johan cried with the tears trickling down his face, "Save your strength. You'll live."

"Bring down the Alliance… Johan." Han began to cough up blood, "Bring down OZ and Romafeller. For your mothers sake and mine, and for the sake of the Sank Kingdom… Fight… and win…"

Han's body began to feel loose to Johan as he held him. Han had died in Johan's arms.

"No!" Johan cried, "No! NO!" He shouted as he cried holding his fathers' head to his chest. As he cried and held his fathers' head, Johan began to feel a sense of injustice. He knew that he would face the Mariemea Army some day and when he does he himself will kill Mariemea himself. He dreamt of the day when he would slice that little girl's head from her shoulders. But he also knew that as a Peacecraft, revenge was no answer for this, it would simply continue the string of revenge.

There was only one thing to do now. Begin Operation Meteor.

G

Johan stood at the security area. This was part of the plan for Operation Meteor, they would disguise the Gundam Dragon as a small passenger shuttle and Johan would take it to Earth. The way it was disguised would pass any kind of inspection. So all Johan had to do was present his ID, passport and so on before going into the shuttle bay and heading for Earth.

Johan stood at the gates to the shuttle bay and he looked at Amara with sad eyes. He wanted to take her to Earth, but it would be too dangerous to involve her into Operation Meteor. He had already lost his father to the Mariemea Army, he didn't want to loose Amara to anyone else.

"This is good-bye, Amara." Johan whispered

Amara once again threw her arms around her and began to softly weep, "Don't say that. But I want you to make me a promise Johan."

"Anything Amara."

"Come back to me alive."

Johan looked into Amara's eyes, "I will," He said, "And when I come back we shall be married. I promise you that."

Johan and Amara's lips touched and they kissed, it was like a scene from some kind of romance novel where the main hero was leaving the leading lady on his crusade. And in a way Johan was, his crusade was to bring down the oppression of the Alliance. He had seen others before him suffer, he once heard about the Maxwell Church Massacre that was caused by the Alliance. He heard there had been a great deal of children who died in that massacre and it was this kind of injustice that flamed in him. He wanted, no, he needed to stop the Alliance.

He held Amara tightly wishing that he wouldn't have to let go. But he broke the embrace and whispered to Amara, "Good-bye Amara."

He turned around and walked out the gate while his white trench coat was blowing from the quick passing through the gate.

He came into the cargo bay with that same smell of motor oil, steel and sweat. Then he saw it, his Gundam Dragon in bird mode. At least that's what he knew but from the outside he saw the white exterior and fins that were like that of a passenger ship. The only thing that gave it away to Johan's eyes was the red buster shield on the nose.

He did feel a little uncomfortable going in this ship, but he needed to. But the next question that he had on his mind was how the hell am I going to get in? Then he looked on the underside of this ship where the landing gear was he saw the blue door that lead into the mobile suit hang open. While leading up to it was a stair ladder up to the cockpit where the blue door hung open.

Johan walked to it and there he found a brown environmental suit. He knew that he could wear his regular clothes under it. But his trench coat he couldn't, he took it off while he stepped into the environmental suit. He zipped it up while he put on the helmet.

He climbed into the cockpit and strapped himself into the cockpit. He saw a few people take away the ladder while he closed the cockpit door. He was amazed that no one was asking questions of what he was doing or the peculiarities of this ship. He figured that maybe the technicians escaped and where helping him. Either that or maybe all the little details had been taken care of and all he needed to do was launch.

But he began to punch up all his missions that he needed to accomplish. And he called to the tower.

"Control Tower this is Passenger Ship Hope, request docking clearance."

"Passenger Ship Hope." Johan heard, "You are cleared."

Johan started up the engines and he looked at the 30-inch screen and saw himself move through the garage past all the other ships to a narrow launch hall. When he reached the hall he accelerated to full throttle and he felt the G-Force pushing him into his seat and he came out into space.

His course was directed to the Earth. This is it; he's on his own. He already felt lonely because of this, not just because he was going to Earth by himself but both of his parents were dead. First his mother now his father. He couldn't help but feel the mourning in his heart as he held the controls.

Keep your hands soft and your mind clear. Master Long once told him

"Keep my hands soft and my mind clear." Johan said as he piloted through space.

Then it came into view, the Earth. It hung in like a gem in the vast darkness of space.

"It looks like a blue marble from out here." Johan whispered, he could hear his own breathing in this environmental suit, "It's so beautiful from out here."

The Earth was coming closer in view.

"Beginning Operation Meteor. Mission to destroy the Alliance, Oz and the Romafeller Foundation. Mission accepted. Beginning Descent." Johan stated as he piloted the shuttle towards Earth.

This is where it begins…

Author's Notes: I wanted to follow the formula that all the Gundam Pilots are orphans. I thought that it would be a little bit odd if a Gundam pilot were to live and still have a blood parent with him. In this, I've shown the promises that Johan made before he went to Earth to start Operation Meteor. That is how it began, and the rest is history.

I hope you've enjoyed this story of mine as well as the others I've had. Come back again for more.