Excerpt: Saint

"Well then," Prague said a little breathlessly, "You have gotten better at some things, I see," Prague finished saying as he buttoned up his trousers. "Too bad I still do not have you. I would put that pretty mouth of yours to work," Prague sighed. "Now, about this information that you want."

"Yes, I want to know what is going on out here. Trouble is brewing and the Preventoers do no even know about it yet," Duo said. He sat in a chair across from Prague. He tried to not look at his former master with disgust. It would not be a good idea to piss him off. Getting that horrid taste in his mouth was bad enough.

"That is right. I had heard of some rumor going around that a Maxwell from L2 had joined the Preventers after the war. It just -had- to be you, huh?" Prague paused and then went on. "Do your Preventers know of your illustrious past?" he said with a dark laugh.

"Some," was Duo's short reply.

"I see. So what is it that you want to know? There is always trouble somewhere. It just depends on which trouble you are talking about," Prague explained.

"What do you know of the politicians paying for murders in the different colony clusters?" Duo asked.

"I know that politicians are corrupt and will continue to do as they please." Well, that did not help a single bit, Duo thought.

"What about funds disapearing tying the gangs and syndicates together, but the money is just disapearing? Or, what about Xian?"

"Now you are getting somewhere. But that does not mean I have the information you need. Xian is dead, has been for years now. But funds? What funds?"

"Do not give me that. Anything that goes on here on L2 you are behind it or have your hands all up in it," Duo replied. He leaned forward in the chair towards Prague to study his face to see his reactions. Unfortunately, he had already schooled his features into looking blank.

"Now that is something that you have no business in asking," Prague told him. "Even with payment," he said once Duo started to protest. "You are a Preventer puke now. How do I know that you will not bring the whole force of them down on my head?"

"Me coming out here has nothing to do with the Preventers," Duo said.

"I have no way of knowing that," Prague replied. "Although, if your precious Une knew how you paid for information, I wonder if she would still send you out here."

"Knowing her, probably," Duo said with a twisted smile. As a matter of fact, he knew she would although she would not admit it to the board. As far as she was concerned, things like this never happen.

"So tell me what is going on," Duo said.

"I really do not need to tell you anything except a thank you for the nice blow job. By the way, who have you been practicing on? Maybe I should ask them how you learned to be so good at it," Prague said with a grin. Duo jumped to his feet and had a knife out and at Prague's throat before the other man could do so much as blink.

"I did not come here to play games. And I really did not come here for you to insult me nor my lover. Watch what you say or you will not have a head left before I leave," Duo threatened.

"You would not dare," Prague spit out at him.

"Watch me," Duo said, pressing the knife tighter against his throat. Then, he suddenly pulled back and carefully put the knife away back into its sheathe as if nothing was about to happen. He walked calmly back to his chair as if he did nothing wrong, as if he did not threaten one of the most powerful men in the colonies.

"You have balls threatening me in my territory, in -my- house of all places, Duo Maxwell," Prague growled, sitting back up in his chair. He would not admit it, but he believed Duo when he said that he would kill him. Prague could see it in his eyes.

"Now tell me something about what is going on so that I can leave this Hell hole of a place you call home." Prague decided to leave the threats alone and let Duo's insult slide this one time.

"How much do you know, so that I am not giving you useless information and piss you off even more," Prague suggested.

"Oh, I am not pissed yet," Duo stated. "But, as for what I know. Money from different groups, the syndicates, the gangs, the yakuza, the triad, it is all coming together, splitting up, and then disapearing. Where is it going and what is it for?"

"We want freedom from the Earth," Prague said. "All of the colonies do. The colonists are tired of the Preventers. We are tired of the Earth's government, of the rules, of the laws. We can trade with each other and be just fine. We do not need the Earth to survive."

Duo wanted to argue otherwise, but wisely said nothing. He wanted Prague to continue on. He wanted to see if he understood what Prague was saying.

"The gathering of weapons?" Duo prompted.

"It is for us to prepare ourselves. You preventers are going to come down on our heads. You think you are all high and mighty. Well, we will be ready for you this time. That is why it does not matter if I tell you. We are stronger this time. We will succeed where the gundams had failed."

"You want another war?" Duo asked, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"No, not a war. Freedom. We want freedom," Prague said with a smile on his face. It was a smile of a true believer. Prague actually believed that the colonies could go to war with the Earth and win. Hell, who knows, they might have a chance now that the gundams were gone.

"You can not do that. The colonies are too divided. How do you plan on doing all of this?" Duo asked. He wanted to know, needed to know. The colonies were his home. He did not want to see them destroyed by some overzealous people that had no idea of what they were doing.

"As you said to me Duo, watch us," Prague grinned. "Now then, I think we are done. I have given you way way too much information. But, you are colony born, Duo. I am hoping that you will see things our way. We could definitely use your help, and that of the other gundam pilots."

"But," Duo started to say.

"No, I do not want to hear anything you have to say right now. You will see soon enough. Run along then," Prague made a shooing motion, completely calm and at peace with what they had just discussed.

"You are wrong," Duo told him. "You have to be wrong. You may want freedom, but all you want is more bloodshed."

"I am sorry that you see it that way, Duo," Prague told him. Duo stood and ran a hand through his ragged bangs. His clothes seemed so inappropriate for the way they were talking. He just did not know what to do.

"And Duo," Prague said to him as he was walking towards the back stairs to go downstairs.

"Yes, Prague," Duo said softly, afraid of talking too loud now.

"Do not return unless you are with us. I would really rather not have to kill you."

"Funny thing is, Prague, I would not mind killing you," Duo replied.

"Good bye, Duo," Prague said and turned away from Duo, dismissing him.