7-June-2001
Title: Chasing the Crown, an Extended Family Fic
ExFam Authors:
RavynFyre - ravynfyre@hotmail.com
Diane Davis - fenwyck@radiks.net
von - sablexo1@yahoo.com
bonnejeanne - bonnejeanne@yahoo.com
*Special Guest Writer! Nixie the Pixie!*
Nixers - Nixerchan@aol.com
Category: yaoi, AU
Rating: NC-17 for now, that will change
Pairings: 1x2, 3+4
Spoilers: Series, Endless Waltz, Mission: Arcadia
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing characters and universe are the property of the copyright owners.
Kenny, Duan, Wufan, Tryan, Carter, Jack and the Ripper, and everything relating to Rip & Jack's universe are ours. No money being made here.
Feedback: Any and all comments, feedback, critiques welcome, be they short or long.
Please feel free to direct feedback to any or all of the authors!
WARNINGS: AU (Alternate Universe), Original Characters, LEMON in some sections. Kiddie-Angst.
Heero finalized preparations for the mission with his contact, Pargan. He then turned to Duo, pulling him a little aside. "Do we have any idea where Dorothy or Relena are? This is a big place, Duo," he said, standing very near.
"By now? No," Duo replied, shaking his head, "They're probably in the middle of stuff for today by now. Then again, Pargan might know. Of course, I imagine the recording's hidden somewhere in Dorothy's room." Duo smiled with wicked anticipation.
Heero's cobalt blue eyes dropped to Duo's mouth, as he resisted the temptation to lean forward and kiss him. "Hn," he replied, then turned to where Pargan was entering some data into his computer.
Sensing the pilot's attention, the venerable retainer looked up politely. "Master Heero?"
"Pargan, can you tell us where the Vice Minister and Miss Catalonia might be right now?" Heero asked.
"Certainly, sir," Pargan replied. "Miss Relena is greeting a group of Colony representatives who are attending the ceremony and Miss Dorothy is on her way to the spaceport to pick up some VIP's. I'm afraid they are both going to be rather busy for most of the day today."
"Oh of course," Duo said with a small smile, "It's going to be a busy day for everyone, I'd bet. We'll just have to track them down later, Heero."
"Hai," Heero replied to Duo, with the slightest of mischief in the Prussian blue depths. "Thank you for you help Pargan," Heero added.
"Certainly, young sir," Pargan bowed.
"Thanks Pargan!" Duo said, waving as he drew Heero away by the arm, "Let's go check on Wufei. He should be up by now for sure." Leaning in as they walked away, Duo whispered, "And wander past Dot's room along the way, while we're at it. Bet ya anything there's a Preventer stationed nearby..."
Heero nodded once and assumed 'mission' mode. "Let's go," he said, simply.
Moving out of the room, the two pilots passed down the hall and into the corridor where Dorothy Catalonia's rooms were. Nearby, there was a very bored looking Preventer standing guard duty.
Duo tossed the hapless guard a cheerful wave as they strolled past, snickering under his breath at Heero. Once they were out of earshot, he leaned towards his partner. "My my my... looks like someone's paranoid," he observed sweetly.
"Safety," Heero countered with deadpan playfulness, "Concerned about safety," he said. Glancing down the hall, he noted that they were alone.
"She should be," Duo retorted with dark amusement, "The longer it takes, the more... inventive, I'm gonna get about dealing with all the copies I'm sure she's already made."
Heero looked at Duo with some measure of respect. The thought that Dorothy Catalonia would want to make copies of the tape was something that he wouldn't have thought of by himself. He sighed and nodded. "So, what do you plan on doing when you find them?" he asked.
"Appropriate them, of course," Duo replied archly. "Of course... what I leave in their place, I haven't decided yet. We can check back later this afternoon, but something tells me I may have to wait until dark to..." he paused then and smiled, "Ahem... pop by for a look-see?"
Heero shook his head. He then looked down for a moment, thinking. Placing a hand on Duo's chest he gently, but firmly pressed the braided pilot back against the wall. "I was thinking," he said. "They went to a lot of trouble to tape us and ....well, I was thinking that we might not destroy all of the copies. What do you think?"
"Destroy them? Are you kidding? I was gonna keep 'em for myself!" Duo replied with a wink. "Maybe give one to Wu as a present or something..." He snickered slightly before looking back up into Heero's eyes, leaning against the hand pressed against his chest. "So you wanna leave them one, then?"
"Hai," Heero said, looking into Duo's eyes. "I know that sounds nuts, but yes."
"Why Mr. Yuy, you little hentai," Duo said with a grin before leaning forward and pressing his lips to Heero's, "Okay."
Heero nodded again. "Good. And I learned that from you, my hentai master," he said.
Duo smiled widely. "Hentai master. I like the sound of that. Have I told you lately that I love you and I'm proud of you?" he asked, cocking his head at his partner.
"What do you mean by lately?" Heero asked, with a slight tilt of his head. Then, without waiting for Duo to answer, he leaned forward and kissed him deeply as he pressed his body against Duo's.
After a few moments, Heero moved back a little breathless. "I'd say you just did, koi," he said, softly.
Duo opened his eyes again and smiled languidly at Heero, nodding. "Can never get enough of you," he murmured, "Hope I'm dead before that ever changes..." He reached up, cupping Heero's cheek in his own for a moment before taking a deep breath and gathering his wits again. "Come on, koibito. Let's go check on Wufei, before I jump you right here in the middle of this hallway, 'Mr. So-Sexy-In-Black'."
Heero looked down, then back up. "I don't know if I'll ever get used to that," he said, taking Duo's hand.
"Then I'll just have to keep telling you until you do," Duo replied, leading Heero off down the hallway towards the corridor their rooms and Wufei's were on.
As they arrived before their door, Duo paused and cracked it open, peeking inside. "Well, the kids are gone. We'd probably better track them down when we're finished talking to Wu," he said, crossing the hall to stand before Wufei's door.
He reached up and knocked once, to warn Sallah in case she was there, before cracking the door open. "Avon calling!" he called before pushing the door open more and looking in.
Standing in the room looking at a wide vidscreen on the wall showing the beginnings of the day's broadcasts, Wufei said, without looking up, "Why would a city in England be calling, Maxwell?"
The Chinese boy was dressed not in the formal Chinese traditional garb they might have expected, but in a pair of beige, beautifully cut pants, and a red silk shirt with the collar turned up slightly.
Duo snorted as he walked in and threw himself down on one of the sofas with boneless grace. "Birds of a feather, I swear," he muttered, shaking his head. "Will ya tell Heero he's sexy? He's not listening to me this morning. By the way, not bad yerself, Wu-chan," Duo said stretching across the furniture carelessly.
At the request, Wufei's eyebrow lifted slightly, and at the diminutive suffix, a tad more. After a slight beat, Wufei looked over at Heero blandly and said, "Yuy, you are sexy. Maxwell says so." Then he threw a faintly 'so there' look at Duo and crossed his arms, pointedly returning his attention to the vidscreen.
For a moment, Heero stopped where he was. His face felt a little warm as he looked from Wufei's back to Duo. Taking a deep breath, he moved to where Duo sat sprawled and sat down next to him.
Duo grinned and then handed Heero the tip of his braid. "Go ahead. I earned that one fair and square," he said unrepentantly.
Heero looked down at the hair in his hand, then back up to Duo. Very carefully, he placed the end of the braid back over Duo's shoulder, declining to tug. "We'll settle up later," he said.
Duo ducked his head, smiling warmly as he nodded. "Deal," he murmured before glancing back up at Wufei, "So good morning, sunshine. How ya doin'?"
Suppressing a slight sigh, Wufei gave up his pose and dropped into a chair. "Fine, Maxwell," he said. Then he closed his eyes for a moment, and a small smile etched his features. "Good. I'm good. You seem to be suffering from your usual buoyant spirits."
Duo grinned and then rolled across the couch, shifting until he was sitting on it upside down, peering at Wufei from the flipped up mess of his bangs. "What makes you say that, Wu-chan?"
Wufei blinked at the second use of the familiar diminutive and rolled his eyes slightly. He studied the upside-down pilot for a moment, and glanced at Heero. "Hmmm... more buoyancy than usual, actually. I detect... hmmm... something... not *the* mission, but something like *a* mission..."
"Hai," Heero replied, looking at Wufei closely.
Duo, meanwhile, simply clasped his hands over his stomach, twiddling his thumbs and grinning innocently while his blood slowly flushed to his head.
"Hn," Wufei remarked. He glanced up at the vidscreen. "It's getting underway. I'm told there's a dedication in the afternoon where our presences would be 'appreciated'." He shrugged indifferently.
"Yeah. Got a while before we're needed anywhere, though," Duo agreed, rotating himself back into a normal sitting position. He cocked his head and peered at Wufei thoughtfully. "You're looking... peaceful. Something happened earlier."
Wufei regarded Duo for a long moment. Then he nodded and the slight smile returned. "Nothing important," he said, and then scowled at himself for the comment. "Not to anyone else anyway."
"It was important to you," Duo said shrewdly, smiling at Wufei before nodding, "I'm glad. Whatever it was."
Heero looked from Wufei to Duo and back. Listening to them talk together, he was reminded of some of the conversations that he, himself had had with Duo. He nodded a little to himself, understanding the braided pilot a little better. "So, what happened?" he asked, Wufei.
The Chinese boy looked at Heero for a moment. "Nothing. I... gave a hug to a little girl, and got one back."
Heero looked at Wufei for a long moment, then smiled a little. "Good," he said, quietly.
Wufei's smile returned for a moment before he looked away, towards the window. "I think... I think some plans... may need to be changed," he said quietly.
"Possibly include some more personnel?" Duo asked nonchalantly.
Wufei looked at Duo. "That would be your decision I think... Duo... kun..." he said with a slight twitch at the side of his mouth. "I was thinking of something else."
Heero blinked. His brows drew together slowly, as he realized that the conversation had taken a turn. It suddenly occurred to him that Wufei and Duo were talking about a matter entirely apart from the mission or the ceremony. He leaned back, glancing between the both of them.
Duo quirked up an eyebrow with amusement. "Actually, so was I, you hentai. Man. The two of you this morning. It must be something in the air," he said, shaking his head before murmuring thoughtfully, "Wonder if I could bottle it and take it back with me..."
Wufei blinked, having had something else entirely in mind and a faint flush of color darkened his cheeks for a few moments. He looked away quickly, swallowing, but said, "For what? It's not like you'd ever need it yourself..."
Duo smiled serenely at Wufei, steepling his fingers before him. "Ah, but if I could inspire this kind of wantonness any time I felt like it?" he said wickedly.
Heero's brow furrowed even deeper as he looked at Duo. "I don't think he was talking about sex, Duo," he said, then looked up at Wufei. "Were you?"
"No," Wufei managed. Then he muttered, "...not right then..."
Duo sighed explosively, shaking his head with exasperation. "You guys are too serious for my own good."
Heero stood and crossed the short distance to stand in front of Wufei. "Then, what mission were you talking about?" he asked, attempting to keep a few things straight in his own mind.
Wufei had glanced up, expecting Heero to be on his way to Duo, and was surprised when he saw the Japanese boy in front of him. "Someone else's," he said, and clammed up. He glanced at Duo almost appealingly and murmured, "I hate to admit it, but you may be right this time, Maxwell."
Duo blinked in surprise, cocking his head as the fact that Wufei had actually addressed him as "Duo" a moment ago sank in. And now the Chinese pilot was agreeing with him. He was suddenly glad that he'd already righted himself on the sofa; if he'd still been upside down, Duo was afraid that he'd have spilled himself onto the floor by now. "Uh... okay," he replied lamely.
He took a deep breath and then shook his head, clearing it. "Koibito... Come sit, please. I... have another confession to make," he said slowly.
Heero looked at Wufei as he spoke, then back to Duo. He moved to the sofa as asked and sat down. "What's going on, Duo?" he asked, evenly.
Wufei got up and moved towards the door. "I can leave..."
"Only if you feel you must, Partner," Duo replied, "I stand by what I said. I trust you."
Wufei looked slightly uncomfortable but he leaned against the wall instead of going out the door.
Heero watched Wufei move, then decided not to say anything as he listened to the exchange between the Chinese pilot and Duo. As Wufei leaned against the wall, he looked back at Duo.
"What I said last night about talking more... This is part of it. I'd like to say I had some loftier purpose in doing what I did, but..." he paused and shrugged, looking away guiltily, "It probably wouldn't be true. Just goes right back to that whole protection thing that I was talking about last night. I... Wufei and I planned a mission to talk to someone who might have some information about the Crown tonight."
For a few moments, Heero was silent as his mind processed the information. Sitting back against the sofa, he looked over at Duo. "Who?" he asked, focusing.
Wufei answered. "Treize," he said. "He's alive and he and I have been looking for the thing for months before you heard about it in Arcadia."
Heero's attention switched to Wufei as he spoke. It took a moment for the information to sift through. Shaking his head, he looked up at the Chinese pilot. "Treize is..." he began, then stopped in mid-sentence. "Treize?!!!" he heard himself repeat and suddenly he was back on his feet with his gun extended in the Wufei's direction.
Duo jumped between them with his arms spread wide, shielding Wufei. His eyes were dark and expression serious. "No. You wanna be pissed, you be pissed at me. I'm the one who didn't tell you when I found out..."
"Shut up, Maxwell," Wufei said, his voice cutting through in a tone reminiscent of the war days. "Get out of the way. Yuy, put that high-tech toy away, and I'll kick your ass all over this room. No one knew until yesterday. Maxwell guessed. Now I've told you, even though it's not my secret to keep. If you have a problem, we'll settle it now."
Heero's eyes narrowed. "Duo... move," he said, evenly.
The braided pilot's expression shuttered closed and he lowered his arms, although he didn't step away. "Send it away, Heero," he said softly.
Slowly, Heero lowered the gun, though his expression remained the same. A moment later, the gun vanished from sight. "Move," he said, simply.
Duo straightened slightly, meeting Heero's eyes unflinchingly. "I trust you, too, koibito," he whispered before taking a deliberate step to the side.
Heero looked back at Duo. "You trust me," he repeated. "But with limits."
"You are an idiot, Yuy," Wufei said deliberately. "Back to blindly squandering what you so easily take for granted, hm?" His dark eyes were burning defiantly, but there was a shadow of old pain behind the fire.
Heero blinked as Wufei's words penetrated through and landed like a blast to his heart. He took a gulp of air into his lungs a step back as he felt the darkness move within. Looking up at Wufei, then to Duo, Heero dropped his gaze to the floor. "You were afraid to tell me," he said, as his mind supplied a possible answer.
"Partly," Duo admitted with a sigh, "Mostly," he corrected. "But as much for me as for you." He shrugged, glancing away, "I was wrong. I've been wrong a lot lately."
Wufei took one step away from the wall and pulled Heero's eyes up to his by sheer force of will. "Don't let him take the blame for this," he growled softly. "The... omission... was mine. Yes, even after you showed me my mistake when we fought over Earth... I kept... secrets. Are you really surprised? You said it once - I do things my own way. Not always the right way. But my way."
Duo snorted mirthlessly. "You were right. We really are alike," he muttered. "I'm no more going to let you try and assume all the blame for this than you will me, Wufei." Duo looked up then, meeting Heero's eyes, shrugging helplessly.
Reaching out, Heero took Duo's wrist and pulled the braided pilot to him. "This blame is part of whole thing. It's nothing," he said. "Omae o korosu, Duo."
Turning to Wufei, he nodded. "You are right, Wufei. Heero no baka," he said. Then Heero took a deep breath. "Let's try and work out what matters now. The main mission has not changed."
Duo heaved a sigh of relief, leaning his head against Heero's shoulder. He twisted his hand in Heero's grip until he could close his own fingers over his lover's and give them a firm squeeze. "So what were you originally thinking about changing, Wu?"
Wufei watched the two exchange looks and walked over to the window, using the change of position to gather his composure. It appeared the death threat from Heero did not alarm the braided pilot, rather reassured him. "It doesn't seem very relevant at the moment. I want to know if Yuy is going to try and finish what I started at the end of the war..."
Heero moved to the window, taking Duo with him. reaching up, he placed his hand on Wufei's shoulder. "Different war," he said, "Treize isn't the enemy... and neither are you."
Wufei stiffened at the unexpected touch and then turned and looked at Heero with a slightly uncomprehending look. He searched the Japanese pilot's face for a long moment and then his stiffened shoulders relaxed... almost slumped. He exhaled. Then an odd light of ironic humor flashed briefly in his eyes. "Ah... good. Now I have to convince him the same of you. The rest should be negligible."
Duo smiled wanly. "Hey, if you can put up with living with me, you can do anything, Partner."
Wufei shot Duo a look that was devoid of any humor. "Shut up, Maxwell. You throw your supposed limitations at me to distract me from mine? Give it up."
"Yes, Sifu. Sorry, Sifu," Duo murmured, looking down at his toes.
With his eyes averted he did not see the flash of self-loathing that flickered briefly across the Chinese boy's face. "There's your mission, Yuy," he muttered. "He doesn't know his worth - you've been lax." He stirred restlessly, wanting to move away from the uncomfortably close proximity of the two young men who had gotten so deeply under his skin, but didn't quite dare to break the moment of that tenuous connection.
"I know my worth just fine, Wufei," Duo said quietly, looking up to meet the Chinese pilot's gaze earnestly, "Now if we could just prove the same to yourself..."
Heero looked at both of them and blinked. "Duo," he said, evenly, "Quiet. Wufei... You are my mission as well and Duo is right. You're sexy too."
Wufei scowled ferociously, the comment out of left field adding to the sense of something slightly unreal taking place around him. "Hn," he managed. "Both bakas. So... you know. Keep it to yourself. I suppose this means you are coming. Fine. Do you need something else?"
Heero looked to Duo, then back at Wufei. "No, I think that about covers it for the moment," he said. "Now, do *you* need anything?"
"No," Wufei answered quickly, grasping for a handle to get back to someplace he recognized.
Heero looked over at Duo. "Well, you're being a bit on the quiet.. oh yes, I did tell you to be quiet, didn't I? All right. Start talking, koi," he said.
Duo looked up again, glance bouncing between them both, and an irrepressible grin plastered on his face. His violet eyes twinkled devilishly as he glanced back at Wufei. "Oh yeah... Forgot to tell ya, Wu-chan... He said yes." He curbed his impulse to wink or do anything else that might fluster the Chinese pilot any more that necessary before glancing at Heero. "Think we oughta go track the kids down soon?"
Having no idea at that moment what the yes was in reference to, Wufei had the uneasy feeling he was going to remember later and somehow regret it. He threw a brief glare at Duo and then relaxed slightly, trying to locate the sense of inner balance that seemed to desert him when he needed it most.
"Hai," Heero replied to Duo's question. He thought about Treize being alive and shook his head again. If it had been anyone besides Wufei or Duo, he would have thought that they were out of their mind.
"Yes, let's find the kids. This time is different. It's not about death. It's about living," Heero remarked.
Duo nodded, smiling gently at them both. "Something we deserve. All of us," he said, fixing his gaze on Wufei. "Come with us?" he asked hopefully, "Or do you need some time to yourself?"
Wufei threw another, somewhat lower-wattage glare at Duo, mainly for reading his mind and seeing his all too obvious desire to try and gather his wits in private. "Fine. Let's go," he said defiantly, more to himself than the others.
Duo smiled, turning towards the door to the hallway. "Let's go live."
The private shuttle was on time, and the occupants were treated by the spaceport staff with extreme deference, which was extended to Dorothy, perhaps on her own behalf, perhaps as the Vice Minister's attaché, perhaps because of the passengers.
Stepping through the tunnel exit, two distinctive figures paused for a moment, but there was no hint of hesitation - both sets of eyes fastened unerringly onto the figure of the slender blond, with very similar expressions, one coolly amused, the other less cool, both combining a sense of decadent detachment with the hint of primal predation.
Dorothy stepped forward politely, although the interest and curiosity in her smile wasn't feigned as she extended her hand for a welcoming shake. "Mister Bates, Mister Ripley, it's very good to finally meet you in person. I trust your flight went well?"
She never had a moment of doubt from the first sight of them which one was Bates and which Ripley. The taller of the two took her outstretched hand with a warm grasp that lingered, eyes twinkling with a natural flirtation that bordered on leering. "Dreadfully boring," Mr. Ripley replied, letting his touch linger before sliding his fingers away. "Far too smooth."
"Miss Catalonia," the shorter Mr. Bates voice was familiar from their many transmitted conversations, but somehow in person even deeper, velvety, a lazy drawl that carried the flavor of the British Isles. That voice seemed to touch her more intimately that Mr. Ripley's hand a moment before, and to trail even more lingeringly across her nerves. "How charming you are in the flesh..."
"Please call me Dorothy," she replied smoothly. "You must have stolen the thought right out of my mind; I was about to say the same of yourself," she commented with a pleased smile and the quirking of a single brow.
Mr. Bates inclined his head regally, and Mr. Ripley pouted for a few seconds before the irrepressible grin returned inexorably, flashing blindingly perfect white teeth. "Already the blonds are ganging up," he said. "Be careful, Dorothy, he'll have you wrapped around his fingers before you realize it."
"What an intriguing thought," she commented to Mister Ripley wryly before giving them both another polite smile, "Something tells me that this celebration of Miss Relena's shall prove to be entertaining, if nothing else."
"Ah... and how is Miss Relena holding up?" Mr. Bates inquired, linking his arm through Dorothy's as the threesome moved off towards the waiting limousine.
"Quite well," Dorothy answered, "Despite the well meaning efforts of some of her more fervent 'supporters' and cohorts. Better than she expected, I'm sure, but she never has given herself much credit. She was quite happy that you were both able to attend, and sends her regrets that she couldn't be here to meet you herself."
"Quite understandable," Mr. Bates mentioned.
"So what have we missed, Dorothy love?" Mr. Ripley inquired. "Anything interesting?"
"Other than three of the world's finest soldiers settling into lives of blissful domesticity?" she asked rhetorically, a curious smile playing across her lips before she shook her head and regarded them both again, "And quite possibly the world's most awkwardly entertaining dinner, not much, Mister Ripley."
"And what, pray tell, made it so awkward?" Mr. Bates asked, leaning back to relax into the soft cushions of the limo. He held Dorothy's hand lightly, resting it on his thigh.
"Apparently, two of the Gundam pilots have a shared history with the adopted children that the other pilots brought with them. Not to mention the..." she paused and smiled again, "Intricacies, so to speak, of tossing together the major players from both sides of a conflict for something so mundane as a dinner."
"Gundam pilots... adopted children... major players from both sides...." Mr. Bates drawled, his lightly glossed lips curving. "It all sounds so interesting. And you, my dear, so much a part of it all. Won't you indulge us with your impressions of it? Otherwise I should feel so dreadfully on the outside, don't you know..."
"Somehow I doubt that," she replied with a delicate snort, "Forgive me, but I have a hard time believing that your shrewdness and acumen stops at the edge of the business world."
The lazy smile curved fractionally more. "But acumen only takes one so far, it's not like *being there* now is it? As you were, in the thick of things so to speak during all the most exciting events... whilst Ripley and I," he shrugged, "Were sadly engrossed in the task of acquiring simple material wealth. Please, give us an insider's glimpse of the fascinating cast of this grand drama of our age."
"That 'simple material wealth' that you have been so graciously funneling to Miss Relena, thusly offering her a chance to further her ideals with greater success," she replied with a wry smile, "But as you wish." She paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts, or rather attempting to focus them once more on the question at hand, rather than the two handsome young men who she was accompanying.
"I suppose the most notable members of the cast would be the Gundam pilots, Miss Relena, Mister Milliardo, and young Miss Mariemeia. It seems that Heero, Duo, and Wufei have adopted a new family in the form of five young boys who bear a striking resemblance to the five pilots. The awkwardness at dinner precipitated because apparently Quatre and Trowa had met these boys at some point in time, but not remembered having done so until they met them again at dinner last night.
"On all fronts, the pilots appear to be adjusting to peaceful life well, although I have noticed some tension in at least one of them. I imagine making the adjustment from soldier to father figure is not as easy at it would seem," she said with a curious smile.
"Miss Relena is harried, as usual, but she rises to the challenges of her position every day. She is pleased by the... softening of Heero's demeanor over the last year."
At the mention of 'softening' of Heero Yuy's demeanor, Mr. Ripley burst out into laughter. "Is that a nice way of saying he's easing back from mega-butch?"
Dorothy quirked up a brow as she considered Mr. Ripley for a moment, fighting off another infectious smile. "Something like that, I'm sure," she agreed in a murmur.
Mr. Ripley grinned unrepentantly. "I'll believe it when I see it, dear girl!"
She eyed him thoughtfully for a moment before asking, "Have you met Heero before, Mr. Ripley?"
"Do you mean his macho proclivities are not world renown?" the tall young man returned mischievously.
"The pilots themselves are barely that," she countered swiftly.
"Mmmm, now that you mention it, it's possible I may have bumped into him at some time... so much going on, you know..." he replied, grinning.
"Intriguing," she said quietly before continuing on as if the previous exchange hadn't taken place. "Miss Mariemeia has become rebellious, although merely in the manner that all children are. I have the suspicion that it may be out of some odd need for punishment for past actions. In the same token, Mister Milliardo has become tragic and morose. Although he and Chang Wufei get along no better now than ever they have."
Mr. Bates nodded, appearing to take in these comments thoughtfully. He reached up and brushed Dorothy's cheek lightly with his fingertips. "Something very recent has put an extra sparkle in your lovely blue eyes," he said, observing her with his own green eyes that seemed to miss nothing and see through everything.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, although she refused to look away. "Just realizing that sometimes hopeless dreams need not be so hopeless," she replied smoothly, her free hand unconsciously gripping the leg of her tasteful charcoal grey slacks.
"I'm pleased to hear those words from your lips," Mr. Bates said. "Patience is such a little-cultivated virtue these days, yet so valuable." He patted her knee gently.
This time, she did look away, murmuring a quiet agreement as she did so. After a moment, she looked back thoughtfully. "Forgive me my curiosity, but why exactly have you been so supportive of Miss Relena and her work? Why this... personal interest?"
For a moment he gazed into her eyes and in that space she realized that he was actually going to answer her, rather than provide one of the charming and effective evasions he was so good at giving. The knowledge produced a sudden tingle of excitement.
"It's very simple, dear Dorothy," he said. "The wars may have been ended, but there is a conflict which continues. Miss Relena stands on one side, while certain forces abide on the other. Simply by being who and what she is, the pacifist opposes. Though she does not know her opposition, it knows her. That is how she comes by our support."
Dorothy's eyes narrowed as she listened, their blue depths glazing slightly as she lost herself deep in thought. "And this 'opposition'... is who?" she asked pensively.
"Its name is legion," Mr. Ripley paraphrased with a dangerously raised eyebrow, and a sharpened amusement that brought back that sense of something predatory she'd first glimpsed in the spaceport.
Dorothy's gaze homed in on Mr. Ripley, the faintest hint of a smile teasing at the corners of her mouth. "Intriguing."
The tall young man winked, answering, "I do my best."
Mr. Bates smiled. "Perhaps we'll have a chance to discuss the subject again before the visit is over."
"You can count on it, Mister Bates. I'm interested in your views on the subject," she replied smoothly, glancing out the window to watch the main gates of the estate glide smoothly past as the limo passed through them.
"As we are in yours," the blond replied serenely. "Lovely. The Sanc Kingdom does not disappoint."
"Hm. Indeed. Nor do you, Mister Bates, Mister Ripley. I look forward to the rest of your visit."
"Of course you do," Mr. Ripley answered with a widening grin.
TBC
End of Part 27
Please feel free to direct feedback to any or all of the authors!
ravynfyre@hotmail.com,
fenwyck@radiks.net,
sablexo1@yahoo.com,
bonnejeanne@yahoo.com, Nixerchan@aol.com.