28-Apr-2000
[1] AU fic, non yaoi
[2] GW is copyrighted to Bandai, Sotsu, Sunrise, licensed to Toonami
The file flew across his desk, and landed squarely in front of him. He looked up to find his haggard looking friend plopped into the seat.
"Read it Treize. I got enough headache." Milliard said as he massaged the side of his forehead with his knuckles. Treize eyed the brown manila folder with big red print, [Authorised Only]
"What is this."
"Just read."
Treize sighed and picked up the folder and flipped through all three A4 pages, with somewhat fleeting interest, scanning briefly the rows and rows of names. "Names of Illegals? What's so important about this?"
"Page three, the red circle I did."
Treize complied, and read the name in the circle. "Chang Wutao." Then his face grew pale. "Chang Wutao as in.."
Zechs nodded. "the son of Chang Wufei."
The folder dropped inelegantly to the table followed by an intelligible curse. "I should have known their kid's not from the labs."
"Howard." Zechs said, slowly.
"What?"
"Howard told me. After I confronted him and the other professors in the lab. By the request of Chief Scientist Laoshi-O."
"Laoshi-O, of all people should know about its illegality."
"He couldn't prevent Ron Meiran getting pregnant either. No one knows. My sister said that they showed up, one day on their doorstep with a newborn baby. No one knows when, or how she conceived."
Silence hung in the room. As the Seniors in the Brotherhood, Treize and Zechs had few privileges. Access to files usually classified top secret, rerouting files, destroying evidences, but this..
The matter about illegal babies and chips are out of their hands. It had been fully bestowed to a committee formed within the Brotherhood, but with their own independence. For once they are helpless.
Zechs heaved a breath and stood. He walked towards the bay window and stared to the storm outside. "Its been quiet this few days though. The wind count has been stable."
The other man stood from behind his desk and poured two glasses of brandy, gave one to Zechs who accepted it with a sigh. "What can we do now?"
Treize could just shook his head and looked out into the dark outside. "I don't know."
"Relena reminded me about the start of this World."
"What do you mean?" Treize said, with a sip of his brandy.
"Long time ago, so many millenias ago, when the Light of Day called Sun still shine, and storms were rare, the forefathers of the Brotherhood, called the House, collected a handful of experimental children. According to the records of the Brotherhood, it stormed that time, and never ceased until now."
"It's a legend."
Zechs played with his glass, listening to the tingle of ice against the clear crystal. "It's in our records. Treize. And," he continued, "There would come one who will help us see the Sun again."
"How? We've been in this storm for at least three thousand years. This is as normal as we could get!"
The long haired man could just keep his silence. "Legend or not, we have to help little Wu. He's innocent amongst the dreams. Maybe, maybe its true. I heard that the founding fathers were good foreseers."
"What can we do then?"
Zechs shook his head again, and pressed his forehead against the cold window. "I don't know. I really don't know."
"Change his identity, to an Etesh perhaps?"
"Too late for that. The Committee got his Chip Serial Number and physical details. You know well we couldn't access their files."
"Maybe you could adopt it, Zechs. You and Lucrezia. They wouldn't harm one of the Brotherhood, even though he's illegal. They'll just have to live with it."
Zechs face lit up a bit, before giving a slight jab towards his friend, "Why don't YOU adopt him instead?"
"One, I am not married. Two, I got enough headache with work. Maybe if you agree to adopt Wu-chan, I'll take some of your workload."
Zechs grinned from ear to ear, "Done."
**
Noin came back home that night and placed her briefcase by the coffee table when she heard the clicking of keyboard from the study. She looked at the table clock and shook her head.
"Zechs?" she called, as she peeked into the study.
He looked up and smiled, giving a small gesture with his head to bade her come near him.
"How's the Guards today, Noin? Alex and Muller?"
She snorted and wrinkled her nose, as she sat on his lap, "Fine."
He laughed.
"What are you doing? Its late."
"We're adopting a child, Noin."
"What do you mean, adopting a child?"
He pointed to the screen.
"Chang Wutao," she read from the screen.
Age: 1 yr
Gender: M
Father: CHANG, Wufei
Mother: CHANG Meiran (nee Ron Meiran)
Status: Illegal
She squinted, "Ah.. the Changs. We're adopting him."
"At least he's safe as one of the Brotherhood. And with you and your Galactic Guards, the boy would get all the security and training he would need to fulfil what ever legend he's born under."
"What did the Changs say?"
"They were a bit reluctant at first, but they agreed anyway."
Noin could just nod. She knew she didn't have a say in this matter. Zechs had gone through with this plan without even asking her. Somehow she felt left out. But she supressed the thought. She would say yes anyway. But. the thought of being left out..
She shook herself off and stood, "I'm taking my shower. See you in bed. Don't work too hard."
Zechs didn't even look up to the door but only nod. His fingers typing away.
**
ENTER AUTHORISATION: [z e c h s m e r q u i s e ]
ENTER CLEARANCE: [* * * *]
ENTER COMMAND: [prompt a/change profile]
ENTER TARGET: [CHANG, Wutao]
ENTER VARIANTS:
Name: [MERQUISE, Oscar Frederich] Age: [1] [yr] Gender: [M] Father: [MERQUISE, Zechs] Mother: [LUCREZIA-MERQUISE, Noin] Status: |
**
Zechs hesitated what to put on the status field. He still wanted this child to be as flawless as possible, slowly he typed and hoped it would go through.
**
Status: [Etesh]
[RELOAD DATA]
**
To his surprised anticipation the screen blinked its disapproval, he sighed.
[STATUS field mismatch. Please try again]
**
ENTER VARIANT: [CHANG, Wutao] subvariant [MERQUISE, O.F.]
ENTER SUB VARIANT: [Status]
Status: [Illegal]
**
[DATA RELOAD SUCCESSFUL]
[DATA OVERRIDE]
[RESUME]
**
Zechs sighed. You can't have everything in the world. Give and take. That's what it would always be.
ENTER COMMAND: [Exit]
**
The screen turned from blue, to black, and the whir of the computer shutting down.
He leaned back, massaging the bridge of his nose and contemplated the things that he had done but a few moments ago.
He flicked off the table lamp and moved out from the room, wanting to just end the night.
**
Somewhere in the Brotherhood mainframe
ERASE ENTRY: [CHANG, Wutao]
CREATE ENTRY: [MERQUISE, Oscar Frederich]
**
Oscar,
God of Swords and War.
**
tbc
<>< JejeFish