Disclaimer: Mobile Suit Gundam Wing and all its characters are copyright Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu.
"Come on, men! Miss Relena is aboard that train." Lucrezia Noin spurred her horse on, confident her men would follow.
The raiders scouts disappeared into the hunk of metal.
"Now!" Noin screamed. "Don't let them get away!" Seven raiders left the train to disappear into the canyon beyond the tracks.
"Sach, Coles, Williams, Petersen, I want those brigands located, but do not engage." She waved them past the train. No one else exited the train. Noin set up a defense line all around the train before entering it from the rear.
The first car was empty, save for one porter who hadn't avoided the raiders. Noin sent a little prayer to God for the porter's eternal soul and shoved on to the next car. Strangely it was completely empty. She moved on.
The next car held the private compartments. Relena should be in one of these. The first three compartments were empty, but the fourth... Noin found a sword at her throat. What kind of train robber uses a SWORD?
"You will turn around and leave," said the Chinese boy in control of the sword. "Your business will only suffer otherwise."
"Hold on." She raised her hands in submission. "I'm Railway Security. Lucrezia Noin. I'm here to help."
"Walk away. It is not a request."
Persistent, wasn't he? "I'm looking for Relena Darilan. She's th-"
"You are not paying attention, onna. I said walk away or I will be forced to kill you."
"No!" The new voice came from somewhere behind the boy, but Noin couldn't drag her eyes from him.
"Be careful," said another voice without much concern behind it.
"If you truly are looking for Relena Darilan, tell us why," commanded the first voice.
The sword touched the skin of Noin's neck. "I work for Zechs Merquis, Relena's brother. He asked me to make sure the train carrying his sister reached the depot. I arrived to find it being attacked."
"Why did you have so many men with you?" asked the boy.
Noin laughed. "You don't know much about Mr. Merquis, do you?"
"You really work for Zechs," the first voice again.
She thought about nodding, but then she remembered the sword. "Yes. I head Railway Security."
"Let her go," said the first voice.
The sword dropped and disappeared behind the Chinese boy's back. "This is not over."
"I can respect that." She tried to sound macho, but it came out bitter. Noin realized she was massaging her neck and stopped.
The boy stepped aside to reveal the owners of the voices; two young girls.
The shorter of the two introduced herself and her companion. Relena Darilan. This was Relena.