April 12, 2009

Title: Alternate Dualities
Author: WingNut (wingnut629@yahoo.ca)
Archive: http://www.fanworkrecs.com, GWA, anywhere else, please ask
Category: adventure, angst, romance, lemon
Rating: NC-17 overall

Warnings: AU - AAAAAAAAAAAU. Some yaoi, het, lemon, violence, language, OOC and/or death, depending on the universe. You should be a legal adult to read this. Open-mindedness helps, too.

Spoilers: maybe, depending on the universe.

Disclaimers: I don't own the characters from Gundam Wing; Bandai, Sunrise and Sotsu do. I just play with them for non-profit fun until they run screaming back to their creators.

Pairings: all over the map; Duo-centric.

Blurb: Set in AC201, Duo is slipping from one alternate universe to another, trying to get back home.

Notes: started June 2001.

Alternate Dualities by WingNut

Page Forty Four

Part 8f ~ Project

Duo rippled with amusement. The bowing and scraping delineated status as clearly as military uniforms indicated rank. Une had bowed to Treize as he had first approached her, but now both of them bowed to Mil, while Noin bowed to them. Each bow received a nod in return. Clearly, project administrators ranked lower than crown princes, but higher than head girls.

It was confusing with the overlapping images from Mil's and Treize's talents cluttering things up, but Duo had cause to appreciate them almost immediately. As Treize was nodding to Noin, his before-image showed an odd movement of his head. Because of the warning, Duo watched more closely when Treize actually did it, and so saw him catch Une's eye and, with a glance, a lift of his chin and a subtle twitch, silently tell her to remove herself and Noin.

Une immediately turned and said, "Miss Noin, I understand that there was yet another disciplinary issue with one of the pilots?" Her tone implied that Noin needed her help resolving what should never have become a problem in the first place.

Noin's jaw tightened. "Nothing I can't handle, ma'am."

Une raised an eyebrow. "Still, I will review the incident before dinner in order to prepare for any questions that may arise from the rest of the board."

"Of course, ma'am." Noin gestured down the hall towards her study, and both women bowed to Mil and Treize before taking their leave.

Treize lowered his eyes to the floor and cleared his throat softly. "So, Your Highness... Milliardo," he corrected himself when Mil waved the honorific away with one hand, "I understand you've taken an interest in quaint, obsolete, flying mechanisms."

Duo had to admire Khushrenada's skill. If he hadn't just seen the man arrange to get Mil alone, he would have thought that Treize was simply embarrassed by Une's high-handed manner, and was making small talk to smooth things over. As it was, Duo would have bet any amount of money that the choice of topic was deliberate, and of intense interest.

Mil looked surprised for a moment, then laughed outright. "Hardly obsolete, and 'quaint' is singularly inappropriate. Tallgeese is... breathtaking."

Treize smiled warmly. "Will you show me?"

Duo was fascinated to see that Treize's aura brightened slightly as he asked the question, and that Mil's silvery image leaned closer in return. He could have predicted the Prince's response without any further clues.

Mil smiled back, his eyes dancing. "With pleasure." He gestured down the corridor in the direction opposite to the one Une and Noin had taken, mimicking the arm motion his preflex image had made a moment before. "I've put it in one of the maintenance bays for now."

Duo floated along overhead as they headed along the Rim. There was no way he was going to miss this. Treize obviously thought it was worth his time and effort to arrange a private tour of Tallgeese, but was it for his own amusement or for some darker purpose? The fact that checking out the huge white suit would satisfy some of Duo's own long-standing curiosity was merely icing on the cake.

Mil and Treize discussed Tallgeese's technical specs as they walked. Duo listened with half an ear, thinking more about what Treize could possible want with the Project.

If Khushrenada were after a collection of pilots to man war machines, then the Project certainly had that in spades. However, while it was at least possible that Treize might want to take over Mars as his private domain, Duo had a hard time picturing luxury-loving Treize lording it over a collection of oxygen converters and utilitarian envirodomes.

Well, if the target wasn't Mars, then it had to be the Earthsphere. But even with Treize's newtype charisma, there was no way to be sure that the Project pilots would follow him to overthrow the existing world government. Everything Duo had seen so far indicated that the people of the Earthsphere were mostly content; there was simply no reason for the average person to risk his life in a revolution.

Similarly, Treize couldn't force the pilots to obey him. Project pilots were not bound the same way military recruits were; there were no harsh penalties for 'desertion' or 'dereliction of duty', simply the standard clauses of an employment contract.

But what else would Treize want with a collection of ace pilots?

It just didn't make sense.

He left that fruitless line of thought when he saw Treize's aura brighten slightly, his attention sharpening to follow more closely the conversation below him.

"So there are no built-in weapons?" Treize asked.

"No, just the beam sabre," Mil said. "There were plans for a matching energy rifle, but there was an accident in the lab during its construction, and the single surviving scientist abandoned the entire project. So Tallgeese is a suit for duelling, rather than dealing mass destruction. If it hadn't been, then it wouldn't have gotten past the Peace Pact regulations, and Father never would have given permission to complete and refurbish it."

Duo slowed in surprise, then had to hurry to catch up. Only one of the mad 5 had survived? And if Tallgeese had been abandoned - before it had been completed, from the sound of it - then perhaps it was never a working prototype, and the generations of mobile suits that came after it had never existed. And maybe the lack of mobile suits had made it harder to start the cycle of war...

"Ah, of course. Then it suits you well, Milliardo. I can see you chivalrously righting wrongs by your strength of arms in single combat."

"Well, the role of a lone Knight suits me better than that of a King, I think."

"Oh? You don't see yourself as a ruler?" Treize flicked an assessing look at the Prince. "Your scores on the Project's leadership simulations would say otherwise."

"Thank you, sir. No, as far as the Project goes, I have no trouble commanding any teams," Mil said confidently.

"So I've observed. Your solutions are elegant and creative. Your teams are focussed and driven, each person knowing their end objective and the deadline for achieving it, with enough direction to ensure they have the knowledge they need to proceed, yet with enough latitude that they can react appropriately to roadblocks." One corner of Treize's mouth curled up in a smile, although he did not look at his companion. "Your natural flair for leadership has been noted, believe me."

I'll bet, Duo thought. If Trieze were planning a coup, then anybody with the potential to organize resistance would be carefully assessed. Those that could be converted to his cause would be cultivated and monitored; those that could not would be confined, rendered powerless, or eliminated.

Mil smiled ruefully. "Ah, but being a Project leader is not quite the same as being a King. In the Project, the only people involved are those who are already committed to achieving a predefined common goal. In a kingdom, the collection of people is arbitrarily defined by a geographic boundary. They have all sorts of priorities and prejudices. Trying to get a consensus on what goals are the most important is a frustrating and sometimes impossible task. And then parliament must agree on both a method and a budget to meet those goals.

"Now, Father would have me give up my place in the Project to take on a more diplomatic role, in preparation for my eventual ascension to the throne. It's not that he doesn't support the Project," Mil hastened to say. "He does, but..."

"But he doesn't feel that it is the best use of your time," Treize finished smoothly.

"Yes," Mil sighed. "But I truly feel that I can contribute more to the Project than I can to yet another round of political arguing. I've seen Father at work, and the social manoeuvring, the negotiating, and the endless *talking* make me dread the day when I must take up that mantle. Relena would be much better suited to that position than I. I am far too direct to be comfortable in the life of constant diplomacy my Father leads."

Treize smiled slightly, looking satisfied. "Perhaps that only means you would be a more... forceful King than most. That is not necessarily a bad thing, Milliardo. There are advantages to cutting through the posturing and compromising, and simply issuing commands."

His aura pulsed and glowed as he turned to Mil and spoke persuasively. "You've noticed that getting a consensus between disparate people can be impossible. But isn't setting any goal better than simply stagnating? Isn't achieving something better than achieving nothing? Plans can be changed if they prove to be unworkable, but if you let yourself get bogged down in negotiation with everyone who might possibly have an interest, you will never set any goals at all."

Duo sparkled with agreement. Treize's aura had been brightening steadily as he spoke, and Mil's silvery image was leaning closer in response. Duo floated a little lower, wanting to be nearer.

No, wait, he shouldn't be this close, there was something wrong... Duo shivered with cold horror - what the hell had he just been thinking? That Treize was *right?* - and wrenched himself as far away from Khushrenada as he could, floating at the top of the corridor. He felt dirty and shaken.

That wasn't simple charisma! Treize's newtype mutation must be the ability to persuade people to his point of view. Was that how he planned to get the Project pilots to fall in with his plans?

"Well, that's certainly true," Mil nodded. "Father wanted to support the Project from the first, but parliament debated and argued and angled for advantage. It was only after the first mission failed that he was able to shame them into agreement."

Treize nodded. "The same type of thing happened within Romefeller. It was only after the disaster of the first mission that we were able to agree on the priceless opportunity within our grasp. What you may not know is that it also galvanized Romefeller to reorganize. Duke Dermail is now able to direct our decisions without the need for endless debate. It is only because of that reorganization that Romefeller was able to throw its considerable resources behind the Project, injecting funds and expertise without delay.

"Now, what if Sanq were reorganized the same way? What if you could choose your country's direction without interference? What if you had only to listen to advisors with differing viewpoints, not bring them to agreement? What if you no longer had to deal with reluctant political partners who have to be persuaded to the correct course?"

Duo watched, dismayed, as Mil listened attentively. Maybe Treize getting involved in the Project was only the means to get to Mil, to subvert the heir to the Sanq throne.

"Think of it, Milliardo!" Treize urged, and his aura blazed with light. "Picture an inner circle of like-minded world leaders, guided by a single vision of a new utopia, and backed by a global system of discipline. Without the need to compromise with those of lesser understanding, only think of what such men of purpose could achieve! We could reshape the society of the entire Earthsphere into something truly glorious."

Duo shivered all over. It was the same kind of rhetoric Treize had used to gather power for Romefeller, the same justifications he had used in Duo's home universe, leading to the same result: the select few ruling absolutely over the many to satisfy the leaders' dreams of power and personal glory, and to Hell with what anyone else wanted.

But how was Mil going to react? Duo was thoroughly aware of Mil's own charisma - if he joined Treize again in this universe, the two of them together could command a sizeable number of people through a combination of royalist loyalties, force of character, and newtype ability. It was a frightening thought.

But this was Mil, not Zechs. He did not have the murder of his family and the ruin of his country to avenge. Duo looked carefully at the prince, and the silvery response image that Treize's talent had called up. Mil himself was silent, his head bowed slightly as he walked, his long hair veiling his face from Treize's sidelong glances, but Duo was heartened to see that Mil's silvery image was looking more thoughtful and less rapt. Perhaps there was hope.

Finally Mil spoke, his voice quiet and neutral. "What of the people whose lives would be spent making that vision a reality? Do you think they would be happy, being required to achieve someone's else's dream rather than following their own?"

"Happy?" Treize arched an elegant brow. "It is not the responsibility of a leader to make the masses happy, Milliardo, but to make them productive. Give them a clearly defined social structure, useful labour to perform, and some small leisure time, and they will be content with their lot."

Mil frowned and his silvery image straightened a little, pulling away from Treize's compelling aura. "By that criteria, I should be content with my Father's plans for my life, yet I am not. Those plans fill me with dismay, not contentment.

"I am afraid of neither hard work, nor the prospect of struggling to overcome difficulties in my chosen path, but the essential part of that concept is 'my chosen path.' I cannot be happy, or even content, labouring at someone else's direction towards a goal that means nothing to me. And if I insist on that choice - that fulfilment - for myself, I cannot imagine that others would want or deserve anything less for themselves. And given that universal desire for free choice, how could I in good conscience force the people of Sanq to follow my dreams? My personal goals are no more important than anyone else's."

And there lay the difference between Milliardo and Treize, Duo realized. Treize was the epitome of nobility, secure in the idea that he was better than everyone of 'common' blood simply because of his privileged birth, while Mil seemed to expect the same treatment as everyone else.

Treize seemed to have realized this, as well. Although he said nothing, his mouth was slightly pursed, as if he had bitten into a fruit expecting a sweet orange and had found an unexpectedly sour lemon. His aura began to dim.

Mil shook his head, as if clearing cobwebs from his thoughts. "A true ruler serves his people, he does not run roughshod over them. A ruler without the support of his people is simply a dictator, regardless of his motives. A free society must develop in the direction decided by her citizens, however long it takes them to arrive at a consensus."

He sighed. "I simply wish to invite someone else to oversee that decision process, while I spend my time and energy on goals that are relevant to me."

Duo was sure Treize would argue, or threaten, or somehow reveal his frustration and annoyance at what he must surely think of as Mil's foolishness.

Instead, displaying only languid grace and a pleasant demeanor, Treize lifted his hands and applauded slowly. "And that, young Milliardo, is exactly the approach you should use with your father the King. Do not be afraid to show your passion for your beliefs."

As Treize spoke, his aura faded, until it was down to its original level. Duo settled down a little, relieved. It looked like Mil was safe from Treize's persuasion - for now, at least.

Mil blushed slightly and ducked his head. "I- Thank you, sir. I will think on it."

Treize really was brilliant, Duo thought. Being in spirit form, he knew that Treize really had been trying to persuade Mil to his point of view. But to Mil, it must seem that Treize had merely been leading him into declaring clearly why he wanted to stay with the Project.

Duo swirled in frustration. He could make a good guess at the end result Treize was aiming for - domination of the entire Earth-sphere by Romefeller (that 'inner circle of world leaders'), backed by some kind of military force (the 'global system of discipline') - but he had no details on how it was to be achieved, and more importantly, no proof. It wasn't a crime to try to persuade someone to your point of view in a friendly argument, even if you used newtype abilities to do it. Or at least, he didn't think it was a crime in this universe...

Below him, Mil and Treize had paused by the entrance to a maintenance bay. Mil placed one hand palm-down against the scanner and entered a passcode on a keypad with the other. A green light flicked on, and the pressure door hissed open. Mil strode through with Treize right behind.

Duo bobbed down to follow them through the doors, and shuddered to a stop. Tallgeese was there, of course, right near the doors, but behind it, filling every other workstation in the bay, were dozens of Mobil Dolls.

End Page Forty Four

(:./wingnut/alter44)