Scene Six thru Ten: Gundam Wing After Dekim
Silver Friends
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Silver Friends
meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if
there is any reaction, both are transformed.
“Well
Lady,” Zechs Merquise said standing in Une’s living room as night fell.
“I don’t
see why I have to go to
Une fumed, a cup of coffee in hand.
“It’s been more than two weeks since the Dekim uprising was brought
down. The danger is past, if they wanted
to hide me somewhere to be safe two weeks ago was the proper time.”
Irritably
she took a sip of hot coffee. Zechs
merely smiled at her irritation. He knew
Lady Une well.
“It will
only be for a week or two,” Zechs pointed out logically.
every few hours. How is Mari?
“Yes,” Une
nodded. “Sally Po is staying with her
and looking after her progress for me.
She told me just yesterday that Marimeia will be able to move in with me
on base in a few more monthsp>
p>
“She’s so
much like him,” Zechs said with a pained smile. He would be glad to know that his daughter
was in good hands.”
“Treize-sama
would have loved her,” Une spoke softly.
They both
knew there was no need to test for genetics to see if Meia eia was indeed
Treize Khushrenada’s daughter. She
possessed many of his selfsame qualities but Sally Po had done so anyway and it
was nearly one hundred percent positive that she was his biological
daughter. Une would love her and care
for her as best she could and she had leg nam named Zechs as Marimeia’s
guardian should anything happen to her.
Zechs had protested such an idea until Une had pointed out that no one
knew Treize as well as they did and Marimeia needed to grow up with some of his
influence, even if that influence was through other people.
“I’ll be
counting the days until your return Lady,” Zechs stood from his chair.
contend with.”
“Use Wufei
as a buffer until I return,” Une suggested.
“I’m sure he’ll understand.
You’re partners now.”
Une brought
down her two suitcases and watched as Zechs loaded them into the back of his
jeep. He drove her to the airstrip and
watched her board the small cargo plane that was bound for
Une read
over dispatches through much of the flight.
She did not sleep; sleep was a precious commodity that she could only
devote a few hours to at a time. There
was always something to be doing. She
was greeted by Commandant Williams at the
airstrip right next to the base. Une
frowned at the sight, her arrival was supposed to be unobtrusive in case of a
sniper and Williams was a dead giveaway.
She would discuss the shortcoming later with him.
Her two
suitcases were driven to an officers barrack a short walk the main
building. Fortunately she had use of her
own office. Lady Une dismissed
Commandant Williams from her side and walked around.
continued on.
“Lady Une?”
A slightly familiar voice called out to her.
“Is that you?”
She spun
around pistol in hand and saw the red hair and bright blue eyes.
“Lt.
Anders?” She smiled briefly putting her sidearm back in its holster.
“Yes,
ma’am,” He grinned. “But I’m only a
Sergeant now. I’ve been with the
Preventers for six months now.”
“Sergeant
Anders,” A loud voice bellowed as an angry looking man came jogging over.
in for a court marshal.”
“That won’t
be necessary,” Une broke in smoothly, brown eyes looking over the man.
OZ. I will be transferring him under my
direct command and he shall be returning with me to Headquarters.”
“Yes
ma’am,” The Lt. gave a salute and made a hasty retreat.
“Come with
me Anders,” Une smiled pleasantly. “We
have much to discuss for your new position.”
Anders had
served under Une for several years in OZ.
He was the closest person she had to a friend besides Zechs and Noin,
people who knew her from before the Preventers.
And she remembered Anders, how calm and unruffled he always was and how
organized and efficient. Anders was a
half Swede half Norwegian with deep russet hair and bright blue eyes.
Carefully
Une laid out the details of her problem with Jennifer, how easily flustered the
girl became. Anders listened patiently
with a sly grin on his face which Une pointedly ignored.
agreed to help her out by becoming her new aide.
dispatches and reports. They managed to
get through most of the paperwork she had brought with her that night before
she dismissed him to get some sleep.
“Will you
be sleeping Lady?” He asked pointedly.
“Later,”
Une was distant, buried in a report.
“I’ll stay
up as long as you are,” Anders insisted to her.
“It’s only fair.”
“Get some
sleep Lt.,” Une’s brown eyes flicked up briefly.
“”Lady,”
Anders did not budge one inch order or not.
“Treize would never allow you to work yourself into an early grave.
decent sleep than I’ll at least make sure he’s at ease where your health and
welfare are concerned. Don’t force me
Lady Une.”
Une said
nothing. She knew he was right, knew
that Treize would have never let her work until she was underweight and barely
sleeping. He may have never slept but he
made sure to stay in shape. Une could
not even recall the last time she had picked up a rapier for practice or even
when she had been to the gym. There
never seemed to be enough time for anything anymore.
that never seemed to disappear, instead they seemed to grow larger.
about power and command? Where did it
all go?
She could
almost hear his voice now, whispering in her ear.
challenge her in such a way, had dared to mention Treize so openly with
her. Une put the papers down
slowly. She could tell that Anders was
going to look after her and make sure that she appeared the proper Commander
even if she went kicking and screaming.
Une sighed
and swept her hair up to the nape of her neck.
She stood and stretched her tired and cramped muscles.
few more pounds. Anders smiled at his
success.
“You know I’m
right about this Lady,” He opened the door to her office and stepped out into
the hall with her. “I won’t let you
overwork yourself. Otherwise you’ll burn
yourself out in a matter of years when the Preventered yed you for a long
career.”
“I get the point
Lt.,” Une said walking down the hall to the officers’ quarters where she had a
room and tiny bathroom to herself.
“Where are you staying at?”
“Down the
hall,” Anders pointed vaguely down the hall.
“Wake up time for tomorrow Lady?
I don’t think they provided you with an alarm so I’ll be happy to wake
you.”
“Wake me at
0630 hours Anders,” Une ordered. “I want
to inspect this place before returning to my office.
notes so be prepared.”
“Yes
ma’am,” Anders saluted.
Une opened
the door and closed it behind her. heard Anders move off down the hallway.
She pushed herself off the door and undid her collar.
before stumbling into bed. She was out
before her head touched the scratchy pillowcase.
She woke in
the morning to Anders knocking on her door.
Une stumbled out of bed and unpacked a crisp clean uniform.
ones she had worn in OZ, meant to impress for any occasion.
buns and slipped her glasses into place, just like her former days in OZ.
door. Anders did not even blink twice at
her familiar appearance and Une allowed her lips to soften ever so slightly in
her former version of a smile.
They spent
the morning wandering around the
base, inspecting the way things were run.
Lady Une f mos most things were run satisfactorily but Commandant
Williams did not have the experience that his position required.
that she had Anders note before returning to her office.
early morning hours and as she walked through the door the line began
ringingan san style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Without really thinking she
answered it and was greeted with the face of the Vice-Foreign Minister, Relena
Darlian Peacecraft.
“Commander
Une,” Relena bowed her head slightly in greeting.
Lady Une
noted how fresh Relena appeared. But
then again she could apply her make-up with an expert hand.
young girl had just miraculously disappear for a press conference an hour
later. Relena had no visible blemishes;
she was always perfect in front of others.
“Well
enough,” Une acknowledged with a brief smile.
“And how are you Vice-Foreign Minister?”
“Just
ena ena please,” The girl smiled. “I’m
well enough. Extremely busy though, but
aren’t we all? I was wondering if you
could give me any information on Dorothy’s arrest.”
“I know
what you know Relena,” Une said. try to see if I can get any more information for you.”
“Thank
you,” She relaxed somewhat. “That would
greatly help Quatre and me. We’re
planning a press conference for this weekend so if you find out anything could
you notify me right away?”
“Certainly,”
Une promised the girl. “I hope your
words are well received if they’re in support of Dorothy.”
“Quatre and
I are hopeful,” She blushed slightly.
“Have you found out anything on Heero since he disappeared?
all I’ve come up with are dead ends. I’m
worried about him Commander Une.”
<
“Just Une
please,” Lady Une requested. “Our people
have turned up no new leads. The other
Pilots have told me it will be almost impossible to locate Yuy again but we
will keep trying.”
“Thank you
Une,” Relena sighed slightly. “It means
a lot to me. And how is Marimeia doing?”
“
says she’ll make a full recovery eventually,” Une informed her.
“I’m glad,”
Relena smiled remembering the fiery little girl.
The two
women exchanged a few more pleasantries before Relena had to go.
growing up to do but she was already making remarkable progress now that she
was back in the spotlight.
Her time in
feared it would be. Lady Une remained
only four more days on the base before returning to Headquarters.
her and Lt. Anders.
“Welcome
back Lady,” He smiled at her, blond hair blo sli slightly in the breeze.
again.”
“Hello
Colonel Merquise, sir,” Anders saluted.
“It’s been a long time.”
“So you’re
Une’s replacement assistant?” Zechs asked him while they loaded the luggage
into his jeep.
“Yes sir,”
Anders grinned.
“I hope
that you can take a good joke Lt.,” Zechs said softly so Une could not overhear.
“Just give
me a hand signal and I’ll forget to inform her, sir,” Anders whispered back.
“Just Zechs
when there’s no need for the rank,” The platinum haired man climbed into the
driver’s seat. “All the sir’s get
repetitive.”
“All right
Zechs,” Anders agreed readily enough.
“Just call me Andthenthen.”
Une shook
her head at the two of them. Zechs drove
her back to her house on base, joking with Anders as he passed by a few jogging
officers. Before he could unload her two
suitcases Une had them in hand and was marching towards her house.
Zechs merely shook his head.
“She wants
a little time to herself.” He watched as
Une opened the door to her house and shut it behind her.
He drove
the Lt. to a smaller house two blocks away from Une and helped Anders move his few
things inside.
“Where are
you staying Zechs?” Anders asked conversationally.
“Off base
in an apartment,” Zechs said. “I have a
roommate. He’s my partner Chang Wufei, a
former Gundam Pilot.”
“What’s he
like?” Anders asked excitedly.
“You’ll see
when you meet him,” Zechs replied vaguely.
“It’s hard to explain. The Pilots
are all enigmas. They fight for what
they believe is best for the people and they never give up.
different as night and day from one another.
They willingly take on the world’s problems, their wars and fight them
so others don’t have to. They made the
biggest sacrifice of all I think. And
they paid the highest price for it too.”
Anders and
Zechs fell silent after that. Speaking
about Gundam Pilots who were now allies instead of enemies, kids really, who
had given so much could do that to a soldier.
They had honor, principles and respect.
“It’s good
to see you again Zechs,” Anders walked him to the door.
“Never,”
Zechs said. “You remember how it was
back then and you know how it is now.
You’re different than the others here Anders, you’ll see what I
mean. Friends?”
Zechs held
out his hand and Anders grasped it firmly in his own.
“I swear
not to leave you behind,” Anders repeated an old battle oath.
“I swear to
guard your back through jungle and swamp,” Zechs continued on with the oath.
“Time and
distance won’t change anything,” They finished in tangent with grins.
>&nb>
Zechs
walked away without a goodbye. Friends
never say goodbye.