06-Aug-2000
Category: Adventure, Action, Friendship, DARK DARK ANGST
Rating: R (Violence)
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing with them not seeking to make any sort
of money. ((Except for Shelby and Penny.. they're mine. :> ))
Pairings: Those established in my timeline (Companions of Fate).
NOTES: All right. Sorry about the small break there during the week. Real life got ahold of me and this part, as you will see took a bit of work! Bonne is the puppeteer for Heero, Wufei and the very interesting addition of Relena! I'm keeping track of the small cute blond and the braided baka.
At the Taurus, Duo, scrambling to his feet, heard the cockpit open and the next moment a familiar figure dropped in from of him. Heero, dressed in a Preventer's uniform, immaculate, grabbed his shoulders and looked him over quickly.
Seeing no wounds on his lover he said, "Hey Duo. Do me a favor. Get in the cockpit, will you? I need to go escort someone."
Duo had watched Heero descend from the Taurus with a large, happy smile on his face. Some things you never really forgot and for a moment Duo had been able to impose Zero's form over the simple form of the Taurus. He shook off the fanciful notion as Heero grabbed him and took his lover's elbow.
"Right." Duo grinned one last time, his violet eyes studying Heero for a moment... looking like he wanted to say something, then he moved to the lift pulley, activating it with a tug and letting it pull him up into the mobile suit.
Heero walked over to the small helicopter. He looked around the street, as if determining whether any further immediate threats remained. Quite a crowd had gathered, and most of the expressions were shocked out of their habitual masks.
Throwing a last general purpose glare around the area, Heero reached up and opened the helicopter's side hatch. The sight that greeted the onlookers was one almost as astonishing, perhaps more so in its way, than the Taurus suit standing there.
Dressed in neat but not rich clothing, Relena Darlian stepped out of the helicopter, taking Heero's hand to steady herself, then releasing it as she looked around. She seemed to have a glow that distinguished her from the grimly, clouded surroundings. After her, several other people emerged from the vehicle. One of them, a woman with dark hair which fell a little across her face, was dressed in the same uniform as Heero. Noin landed lightly and made her way to the alley entrance where Wufei and Quatre were.
The Vice Minister looked around, her eyes not glancing over the faces but looking into each one. Into each pair of eyes.
"That's... it's Relena... the Vice Minister..." someone said, loud enough to carry.
Most of the people in the street, shifted uneasily. They exchanged glances with each other. Some eyes held the hostility of long bred distrust, others held a wary confusion. A few, mostly the younger faces, held an expression of wary curiosity. Whispers shot through the crowd and it seemed to span the barrier of warriors as people who just moments ago were shooting at each other exchanged quick comments about the Vice Minister.
Over the sound of the whispers came an anguished holler from somewhere behind Relena, the orphanage.
"Penny!! Penny!!" Shelby's anxious voice called.
Duo had settled into the pilot's seat, getting himself reacquainted with the feel of being in a mobile suit. Once he'd pinpointed all the vital controls he'd toggled the sensors active so he could hear what was going on around him. He heard Shelby's holler and began looking around automatically. A small sensor from somewhere down by the mobile suit's feet blipped and the suit probably looked a little comical as it's upper body tucked inwards, looking down between it's legs.
With her natural inquisitive nature, Penny had slipped the screen and come out into the street almost right behind the object of her childish affection... braid boy. She'd followed, at a slower pace, to where Duo had gone and was now sitting on her rump by the Taurus's foot tugging at an airhose trying to get to her feet. How the hell she was going to climb this thing she wasn't quite certain but standing seemed like a good place to starts!
Hearing the distressed female voice, Relena looked around and saw the Taurus bend over. She spotted the child. Moving decisively, she walked over to the mobile suit's foot and lifted the little girl in her arms. Heero shadowed her every movement.
"Are you Penny?" she asked the child.
In Penny's eyes *Up* was good. It was a little closer to her destination. Penny tried to grab ahold of a leg strut but it was beyond her little grasp. Hmmm...
Turning towards the woman holding her Penny batted baby lashes at Relena. Relena was a stranger to her but Penny was used to strangers picking her up. They'd been doing it all her life so the child did not holler. A small thumb found its way into her mouth and she sucked it thoughtfully. Hmm... neat hair... but not as chewable as the braid. Penny looked back up at the Taurus where the braid was, then back to Relena.
~~ Could you please be assisting me up there? ~~ The small face seemed to ask. The subject of the name *Penny* irrelevant.
Relena smiled. She looked up. "Duo!" she called. "Someone wants to see you." She did no relinquish the child, however. She looked around, trying to spot the woman who'd been calling. "Hello? I think this is Penny... she's safe," she called.
Duo couldn't help laughing at the sight his screens showed him. Shelby came running out of the orphanage. Without conscious thought she dashed across the ground to where Relena and Penny were.. even though the action blew her hair back from her scared face.
Reaching up, Shelby took Penny. With the blind concern of a caretaker she cooed at the child and scolded her as she transferred the youngster to her hip. Penny's eyes happened to fall on Heero and the child gave him a long suffering look of
~~ They take me away from all the interesting things! ~~
After Shelby ascertained that Penny was all right she turned to thank the woman and stopped. Her brown eyes widened. "Vice Minister Darlian!" Shelby stood there in shock for a moment, then gave a quick shake of her head, causing the mousy hair to fall back across her scars. Backing up a little she babbled a little. "Ah... ah thank you for finding her, I'm sorry if she caused a problem."
Relena placed a gentle hand on the woman's arm. "Please... call me Relena," she said firmly, her expression warm. "Would you by chance be Shelby? I hope so. I came to talk with you, if you have the time."
Shelby couldn't have looked more shocked then if someone had plunked a briefcase of cash on her lap. Shifting Penny on her hip she made a few abortive attempts to say something before taking a couple quick breaths and smiling sheepishly.
"Sorry... it's a bit of a surprise. Please, will you come inside?" Shelby motioned towards the orphanage. Though the building was old, tired not even as homey looking at the helicopter, Shelby rallied a little and showed no hint of discomfort at asking the Vice Minister into such a structure.
"I would be honored to," Relena said, smiling. "Just one moment, forgive me," she added, and turned, looking around at the crowd. "Excuse me!" she called out. "I would be very grateful if the community leaders would be willing to come forward and spend a few minutes talking with me. My name is Relena Darlian and I've come to see if there is anything that I can do personally to improve the situation in this community - but I know very little and must rely on you all to help me become better informed."
People looked back and forth at each other. None of them would term themselves community leaders. Most of them were just soldiers in the street wars. Their bosses were back in their holes waiting for word of the outcome of the dispute. Besides which, most of the older men and women were still watching Relena with disbelief ... all of them waiting for the hook behind the worm.
Shelby watched this, listening to the quiet broken only by the lower murmuring of the crowd as it shifted uneasily. She stepped back towards Relena, speaking clearly but loud enough to carry without shouting.
"It might take a little while for news to trickle down to the community leaders. If you would have some coffee in the meantime. *I* have some things I'd like to talk about."
Shelby threw her challenging gaze out into the crowd. She stepped forward and took the chance behind held out. Who would be next?
Relena smiled warmly at Shelby. "Lovely idea," she said. "You are the first of those community leaders, then."
Shelby blushed a little, shifting Penny, moving hesitantly towards the orphanage as if she was afraid Relena would change her mind at the last second and go running for the helicopter. Relena stepped beside Shelby, moving with firm steps. Heero, after throwing a glance up at the cockpit of the Taurus with... a raised eyebrow, perhaps the distance ghost of a wink, kept close, making sure she never got more than a foot from him.
Quatre had gotten to his feet and watched the proceedings from the cover of the alley. Brushing his hands off on his jeans in an absent gesture he nodded a little as he listened to Relena. Noin approached Quatre and Wufei, looking down at the prone woman at their feet. "Something tells me this person might have some outstanding warrants some where," she commented.
Quatre turned from the scene towards the body. He could feel the weight of his dual nature pressing down on him like a fist. It made it hard to breath. His face remained impassive, a trait he was learning from Trowa.
"She took an unprovoked shot at a Preventer operative after being commanded to quit hostile activities."
Noin nodded, scowling at the prone form. "I think I can take this off your hands." She looked closely at Quatre, taking in the dyed hair, the expression, the tension but did not try and ask him about it.
"Good thing you were here," was all she said. She flipped open her communicator and called for the pickup of an offender.
At her first words, Quatre looked down at his nails which still were rusty with blood. He just quirked his mouth a little. Taking a slow breath he looked back towards the orphanage. He wanted to go back to it but with Relena there, he didn't dare. Even if she was quick enough not to draw attention to his presence, he couldn't trust that someone in her escort wouldn't recognize him and comment.
Wufei watched Quatre's eyes. He leaned close and said. "There's a back way into the orphanage. The walls are so thin you can hear without being in the room. Come on, I'll show you."
Quatre paused for a moment, then he nodded, stepping back and waiting for Wufei to lead the way. Wufei led Quatre to the fire escape that gave them access to the roof of the building they stood next too. From the roof, it was a simple matter of hopping from building to building till they ended up back at the orphanage. A fire escape gave them access to one of the upper floors via a window.
The little Arabian climbed and leapt after Wufei like a small monkey. Some skills you never lost and climbing around a Gundam were one of them. Quatre also paused at one point to look at the Taurus, letting himself miss Sandrock a little before he concentrated on keeping up with the swiftly moving form ahead of him.
Sliding in through the window, Quatre crept into the room he'd shared with Wufei. The defunct heating ducts served as pretty clear voice tunnels and he could hear the conversation going on down in the kitchen just below them.
Duo also had access to the conversation. Heero was wearing a receiver which was feeding to one of the inputs in the Taurus. Duo sat, curled up in the cockpit, feeling more at home here then anywhere save Heero's arms. He kept the mobile suit's powerful arms lifted, guns trained on strategic spots in case anyone got a bright idea but other than that the Taurus was still.
Shelby handed Penny off to one of the older children shooing inquisitive little eyes out of the kitchen with a gentle firmness. She knew a moment of horror as she feared she might have offered the Vice Minister coffee only to find she didn't have any but Shelby managed to scrounge up enough grounds to make up a pot.
"I'm afraid I can't offer you any milk but if you'd like some sugar?"
"Actually, I like it black," Relena said, comfortably, sitting in one of the worn chairs. "My father, my adopted father, used to drink it that way and I guess I picked it up from him."
Shelby gave a grateful smile and set the cup down in front of Relena, taking one for herself, also black. For a moment the scarred woman just sat there.. disbelieving that Relena Darlian was in her kitchen sipping coffee.
"So how many children are here at the orphanage right now?" Relena asked, letting the brew cool for a moment.
"40 at the moment. It's a little heavy we usually run between 15-25 at any one time but the territory disputes have displaced a lot of families." Shelby couldn't bring herself to be more blunt. The territory dispute had not only displaced a lot of families but killed a lot of parents and caretakers.
Relena's eye darkened slightly. "I know what you mean, Shelby," she said quietly. "And I know the problems are not going to be easy to solve. I don't expect my visit here to do much more than shake people up. But I want to be prepared to take advantage of that, however little it may be. I don't expect you to have the answers, but if you have any thoughts about what could help, I will be very grateful to hear them.
Shelby looked at her hands. She wanted to say that the orphanage and institutions like it needed more funds... more supplies. But that would only perpetuate the problem. Not solve it. As much as she'd like to see money funneled directly into the orphanage, there were better places to put the resources and focus the attention.
"We need to find something for the L2 colonies to do as a whole that will be beneficial to the Earth and Space. The L2 colonies need a purpose... a drive. Something other then ... debauch and inner fighting. A drive beyond just day to day survival." Shelby swallowed and looked up, her brown eyes shameful but at the same time direct. "We did this to ourselves Vice Minister. Over the years.. lots of years.. but we did this. I know that. We need a second chance. "
Relena placed a hand lightly on Shelby's. "You didn't entirely do it to yourselves. War crowded out other industries. This has happened on Earth as well... there are large areas where war industries were the only industries that sustained the communities. In those places, peace has almost been a negative, or that's the way it's being looked at," Relena said, sighing. "It's not easy bringing new skills and purpose but it's something I am fully committed to. However, this colony has reached a point, I believe, where something must be done at every level. It may not be a long term solution, but more funds for the orphanage and other similar projects must be brought in, *while* the long term is being looked at." Relena leaned back for a moment. "I want to make this community an example, and bring it under the direct protection of the Preventers. It's unprecedented, but I feel that there is a chance for it to succeed. The next step will be getting sponsorship from some of the large corporations to bring industry here."
Relena looked at Shelby. "Now tell me honestly if you think this could help, or if it's too little and too late."
Shelby licked her lips in a pensive gesture. She was quiet for a long time, thinking over her answer very carefully and not just blurting any old thing out. "I think.. honestly... that a lot of this colony is already lost. You will find many of our citizens are... barely one step above animalistic in their nature. But I believe that there is still hope to be found with the next generation and those of us who refused to buckle beneath the situation. The danger would be too much too soon. No one would know how to handle it."
Relena nodded. "I understand," she said. "Then our job will be to find those like you who are still fighting, and support you any way that we can."
Up in the room, Quatre had stretched out on the floor, listening close to the grate. As he listened ... thoughts began to take form in his mind. Solutions. Not just the machinations of his corporate mind to use WEI to back Relena's request... but something else. Something... closer to home. He crossed his arms and laid his cheek on his forearms, turning to look sort off between Wufei's feet without really seeing them.
Shelby looked back up at Relena and nodded. "It's a start. If it will be an honest start and not another empty promise... then I'll do everything I can to help you find those people."
"Shelby, I won't give up on you," Relena said, taking the woman's hand. "You may not realize it, but you already have the support of people who... have solved some very large problems in the past," she said, her eyes flickering ever so briefly to Heero, who'd been a silent, unobtrusive shadow in the room during the conversation.
Shelby looked up towards Heero and back to Relena. Confusion was written on her face. She did not know that she had the assistance of Gundam Pilots. Duo had always been her protector in the past which was why she had called on him now.
"Don't worry about it," Relena said quickly. "Suffice to say there have been some Preventer agents in the vicinity the last few days."
Somehow, the idea the Duo was a Preventer did not surprise Shelby much. In fact she smiled, for the first time. It was a fond warm smile, the smile of someone remembering a much loved older sibling, perhaps a *crush* at one time. "Duo... he never could stand not to be in the thick of things. I'm not surprised he'd choose a life where he could protect others. Even if he did hide it beneath... 'This way I can legitimately kick ass'" She mimicked the braided boy's voice almost perfectly.
Heero made a very soft, almost indistinguishable noise.
Shelby looked over her should at Heero. She had 'parent' ears which meant she could hear two children plotting at the far end of the house. Her brown eyes watched the quiet young man, remembering him the night before and she grinned suddenly at him. Heero looked back at Shelby with a calm expression. Then, the corner of his mouth twitched but that was all.
Shelby was a master at reading faces. She'd had to be to coax frightened children and to dodge opportunistic bastards. She just grinned wider but turned back to Relena.
"Then... we have a basis to start from. Thank you, Vice Minister."
Relena sighed. "Just Relena, please, Shelby," she said with a note of pleading. "I get 'Vice Ministered' all day and all night. Considering that was my father's position, it can get very wearing."
Up in the room above Quatre had to smile a little and nod silently in agreement.
Shelby flushed. "I'm sorry. First names aren't overly encouraged here on the 4th. People fight to get their titles and once they have them... well they don't like it when you don't use them."
Nodding, Relena said. "I see. But as much as I want to understand how things work here, I'd still rather you think of me as just a friend. I hope... I'm not asking too much on first acquaintance."
Shelby looked up a little wary. She was still a child of the 4th. However, her edges had been blunted by the protection of people such as Duo and Father Maxwell. "How about... I answer that when I see you next?"
"That's perfectly fair," Relena said, smiling slightly. "The next time you see me will be in less than one week. I have some things I need to do to get some of those funds I mentioned arranged. Then I'll be back. And here," she took a small, plain white card out of her pocket. "This is my personal code. It still goes through an operator, I can't get them to suspend that, but anything coming in on this number has highest priority. I expect you to use it if you have the need."
Shelby reached out and took the card, looking down at the code, memorizing it before she tucked the card carefully into a pocket in her shirt. Looking back up she smiled. "Of course." It was a bit of a walk to nearest public communicator that she had used to contact Duo but the thought was appreciated.
Heero watched the woman's face. He took something out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Here." he said. "Keep it. If the Preventers want it back, I'll tell them where to pick it up."
"Tha.. thank you." Shelby stuttered a little as she took the little communicator. It could be a dangerous thing to have but she would guard it and keep knowledge of it's existence safe.
Heero watched her for a moment longer. "If anyone... *ever*... does anything to you or the children, contact code 01. I'll take care of it."
Something in the way Heero said that made Shelby look at him a little more closely. There was something more behind those still, cobalt blue eyes then what she had come to expect from the Preventers. It... didn't frighten her only because she knew it was not directed towards her or the children, yet at the same time a certain level of cautious respect and trust came over her.
Looking back towards Relena, Shelby gave a little grin. "You should probably think about heading out of here, Relena. Word will be trickling back that the territory battle did not go as planned. What comes oozing out to check... won't be pleasant." Shelby looked over her shoulder towards Heero as she spoke, recognizing his guarding manner.
Relena sighed. "I'm afraid I have to go in any case," she said. "I won't tell you how many important officials and wealthy beaurocrats I snubbed to free up the afternoon, because it doesn't matter. Just have pity for me the next time you see me smiling and shaking hands on a vid somewhere," she said, rolling her eyes with a conspiratorial tone.
Shelby showed the first hint of a girlish grin as she smiled towards Relena. "I can relate." Even if she herself had never shook hands with a wealthy beaurocrat she could hear the weary tone in Relena's voice and it made her grin.
Upstairs Quatre quietly chuckled before stretching out completely on the floor, hiding his face in his arms.
Relena stood up and took Shelby's hand one last time. "Thank you for the coffee. I will be back. You can count on that." Then she turned, leaving the room, her eyes taking everything in. The only expression on her face was an iron determination that there would be a solution to the problem if she had to fashion it with her own hands.
Heero followed her, escorting her out to the helicopter. She looked around, noting that the crown had thinned and that no one else was waiting to talk with her. She accepted Heero's hand, climbed back into the helicopter, and he closed the door. Stepping back, he cleared the area and the small vehicle took off into the sky.
Heero watched it for a moment before going over to the Taurus and leaning against it nonchalantly. Duo held his position in the Taurus until the small helicopter had flown clear of any danger from guns in the street. Only once he was sure the Vice Minister was off safely did he emerge from the cockpit. Riding the pulley wench down through the air he landed silently beside Heero.
"You need to take this fellow back where you got him?" Duo asked quietly as he stepped off the triangle, letting it hang in the air instead of commanding it to retract.
"Eventually," Heero said. "I'm not worried anyone's going to hot-wire it right now, though." He looked into Duo's eyes. "You look a little better. How do you feel?"
Duo gave the chain a tug and it pulled back up into the cockpit. He stood there, his hands on his slender hips. "I'm... okay. I liked what Relena was saying in there. If she follows through... there might be some hope." The same wariness that had been in Shelby's face was in Duo's tone, even though he knew Relena better then Shelby.
"She will," Heero said briefly. "I know the look in her eyes. An attack of Gundams couldn't pry her loose from this now."
Duo gave a little chirp of laughter... not all together humorous but neither was it scathing. "Yeah... figure if anyone would know you would." Duo took a deep breath and looked at the orphanage. His hands released his hips and wrapped up around his chest. He looked back at Heero, then towards the orphanage, looking torn between the two.
"Go ahead," Heero said. "I'll come in with you."
Duo looked back at Heero and there was the barest flash of the uncertainty that had gripped him so tightly the night before. He gave his head a hard shake and grinned his best manic, baka grin at Heero before forcing himself to turn and march towards the orphanage. He got about five steps away when he stopped and peeked back over his shoulder, very much the little boy waiting to see if he was followed.
His eyes met cobalt blue ones at his side.
Relaxing Duo reached out one hand and tangled his fingers with Heero's. Then he moved on towards the orphanage.
End Part 12B
((Feedback, craved, adored, cherished, cooed over... you get the picture. :D ))
Laekin
Please send comments to: seregill@aol.com or bonnejeanne@yahoo.com