Well,I dont own G Gundam, nor the title of this fic. This is yet another Argo and Nastasha fic. Ive taken a little bit of liberty with the timeline. Also, Ive pretty much skipped over some really big events that happened in the series and have just done flashbacks in those instances. Its mainly because people have already seen those parts and know what happens ( and if you havent, email me and Ill give a synopsis ), and also because it would take forever to write this fic. Be ye forewarned that Spoilers abound. . Enjoy!

Ni Slova, O Drug Moj (Not a word, O my friend)

by Kat Dickerson

The night was warm and the air as Nastasha carefully removed her clothes and dipped her body into the heated Guyana stream. It had been so long since she had been able to enjoy such a luxury; so long since she had even experienced the sensation of water that wasnt lukewarm or freezing cold. Life was as such since she had been assigned as keeper to Neo-Russias Gundam pilot, Argo Gulskii.

Argo Gulskii.

How she hated him. Though he had never wronged her, Argo was the indirect reason that Nastasha was forced to participate in this damned Gundam Fight. She never asked for such a position, nor the duties that accompanied it. It was never in her plans to be crew and entourage for a Gundam Fighter, not to mention a baby-sitter for a Space Pirate with a life sentence.

All her life, Nastasha Zabigov had dreamed of overcoming the poverty that dictated her childhood on the all but tattered and ruined Earth. Her father had been a Gundam fighter, but was sentenced to execution by the Russian Government for failing his country. Her mother, forced to work in the coalmines to feed a starving family, soon died of pneumonia brought on by severe exhaustion. After that, Nastashas two younger sisters were taken away to an orphanage, and because she was of legal age, (fifteen in Neo-Russia ),Nastasha was drafted into the Russian army.

It had been hard fighting off the soldiers who tried to rape her, but Nastasha always defeated her attackers. She then used that spirit and determination to her advantage, deciding to make the best of a bad situation. Why not beat them at their own game? If she couldnt get out, then she would play by their rules and then, in the end, rule them.

Of course, her younger sisters, Tatiyana and Elisbeta, ( ten and eight when they were taken from her )and their whereabouts always preyed heavily upon the young Nastashas heart, and when she was appointed head of Russian Military intelligence, she used her newfound powers and influence to find them.

Both of her sisters had been taken to the colony soon after being adopted by separate families. Tatiyana was now twenty years old and a student at the colony University, studying to be a doctor, like the kind man and woman who adopted her. Eighteen-year-old Elisbeta was just graduating from High School. A modest family who already had four other children much older than Elisbeta had adopted her. Other than that, Nastasha knew nothing else about her sisters.

Knowing that they were with good families and were well taken care of was all Nastasha cared to know about her younger sisters. She often wondered, as she was now while bathing in this lusciously warm spring water, if they remembered her and if they ever thought of her. Well, it was most likely best if they had forgotten their older sister, five years their senior, now a twenty five year old woman filled with bitterness and regret.

Her thoughts drifted back to Argo. He was a quiet man, though mighty in size, and often disregarded her commands. It was as if he knew not that a bomb was attached to his chest, or as if he didnt care at all. Nastasha certainly did not feel sorry for Argo, although she could understand his longing for freedom, for she herself was a captive to this damned Gundam fight. But Argo loved and relished the fight; something Nastasha could not comprehend.

But it was because of him that she was forced to be his keeper; quite a humiliating demotion for someone of her rank. Before Argo, Nastasha spent her days in a large and spacious office, complete with central air and heat, as well as the latest in technological advances. Now, she was forced to travel around the world on a carrier with lowly officers, with less than satisfying living conditions. It did not suit very well with the young officer, who had grown quite accustomed to the lavish style of a commissioned officer.

And the Devil Gundamthat was certainly nothing to take lightly, as she had seen before, but it was something her superiors did not understand. They were more interested in winning the Tournament for Neo-Russia. For trained military specialists, they often couldnt see the forest for the trees as far as Nastasha was concerned. But, that aside, the Devil Gundam was an enemy to be reckoned with, and not to be dismissed so easily

The sound of metal clinking against a rock sent Nastasha into hysterics. She didnt have her glasses on, and worse yet, it was dark and the very enemy she had been contemplating could be there to greet her.

Who is it? Nastasha screamed as she hurriedly paddled back to the bank, grabbing her pistol and firing randomly in every direction until she heard the sound of someone fleeing. Angrily, she jerked her clothes from the rock and threw them on, wasting no time in summoning back up troops on her wireless radio. If it was the Master and his Devil Gundam, then they would all be in danger.

The rough material was heavy against her wet skin, and she would surely get a chill, but Nastasha did not have time to worry with such things. She had to find out who the intruder was, and find them quickly. She began to run through the darkened forest while yelling over her wireless to the soldiers who were trying their best to find the commanders whereabouts.

Finally, as Nastasha reached a clearing, her help caught up with her and she was able to see a glimpse of

Argo?

What in the hell was he doing here? Had it been him who had been spying on her? Nonosurely not. But nevertheless, he had to have seen someoneanyone at all.

Argo! Nastasha barked, Did you see the trespasser?

To Nastashas amazement, Argo simply gave her a cold stare, pushed past her and the other soldiers, and began to head back in the direction of the camp. She told the soldiers to make haste and hurry ahead of them, but not before giving Argo a searing command to halt. Instead of doing as she commanded, he simply acted as if he had not heard her and continued walking.

This infuriated Nastasha greatly, and before she knew it, her temper took her by the reins, sending her flying after Argo Gulskii, who still acted as if she were not there. In one quick and furious gesture, Nastasha jumped in front of Argo and smacked her hard leather crop against the side of his face.

For a moment, the large man stopped and gently touched his cheek, as if he had just received the shock of his life. But then, his eyes grew dark and Nastasha realized her actions. She took a step back as he calmly walked toward her, fumbling in her uniform pocket for the detonator to the bomb on his chest. He could kill her, this huge ogre, and she had most likely provoked him to do so, but not if she could find the detonator

I am not a dog you can slap around, Argo growled, I am not an animal! He lunged slowly forward, grabbing the end of Nastashas crop in his huge hand.

Luckily enough for her, Nastasha found the detonator and held it up for Argo to see. He glanced at the detonator, then back to her, bearing his small and deeply set eyes harshly into her own violet ones. But, despite how she feared the oversized brute, he was the prisoner and she his warden, and Nastasha would not back down.

You are a prisoner, Nastasha said calmly, And if you do not release that crop and do as I say, youll be ten thousand prisoners! Now let go of it!

He glared at her again, as if he would be defiant once more, but then heaved a defeated sigh and loosed the crop, becoming silent once more. At once, Nastasha felt guilt and remorse for striking the gigantic Argo. It had not been the first time for her to strike a prisoner or person of lower rank, and Nastasha knew it would not be her last. But still

She could see the defeat in Argos eyes; the humiliation of having a woman smack him around like a quarter horse. It was the same downtrodden look she saw in her fathers face when he was forced to be a Gundam Fighter and then executed for failing at a task he never willingly chose to undertake. It was the same sadness and dismal light she saw in her mothers eyes day after day as she went to slave in the coalmines.

Nastasha felt her conscience, a friend also long shoved into the darkened corners of her mind, come to life once again and gnaw at her. But, be that as it may, there was still the issue of Argo, and she still hated him. There was no cause, in her mind, to apologize for her actions and she would not do it. Not now, and not ever.

Get going, Nastasha instructed gruffly, And never speak back to me again.

While Argo silently plodded along ahead of her, Nastasha was once again alone with her thoughts. And, come to think of it, she didnt like being alone with herself; because she didnt like herself. What had she become? A heartless shell of a person who whipped prisoners and treated them like cattle? A machine only able to obey orders of her superiors and consequently aim to undermine them at the same time? Or.,, was it that she had simply ceased to function with the good intentions of humanity in mind?

Whatever the reason, Nastasha knew there was no use in thinking over it or becoming emotional where her change was concerned. It was this country that made her like she was, and no amount of sympathy for an overgrown brute like Argo could change that. She was what she was and there was no turning back

Or was there?

End. Chapter One