Chapter 1
"Oh hunnie! Come stand over here!" Haley Alexis Robertson, known as Alexis to her friends, frowned but dutifully walked over to stand by her mother. Daphne Robertson had that glow in her eye that Alexis had come to hate; the glow of a woman who knew she had won. 'For the moment at least', Alexis thought. She wasn't about to let her college graduation be spoiled by yet another fight with her impossible mother. That was half the reason Alexis had gone to a school in California, to get away from her mother's oppression, as well as get her degree in child psychology. A few years ago, it would have been ridiculous to even think of going to college with the war going on. But Alexis was glad she could start her life now, when she had waited so long. She had accomplished everything and knew she would only have to put up with her mother for the next few hours till her family got on a night flight headed for Florida. Alexis loved her family though, even with all their faults, but really only in a way that a daughter was supposed to. She looked mostly like her father, Dean Robertson, with reddish-brown hair, cut at a slant to frame her face, and bright green eyes. She tanned well, especially in the California sun, but wasn't as tall as her dad, only reaching 5'5". And she loved every minute of being short. But unlike her father, who was quiet and even-tempered most of the time, Alexis got her mothers outspoken nature and temper. At least for most things. Where her mother was concerned, she knew well enough to let her babble on about the ridiculous things she always babbled about, till she was worn out. That included arguments, and everything in-between. In college, Alexis had no problem getting dates, especially when all the guys noticed was her hourglass figure. But while Alexis was glad she had what she did, and she liked the attention, she wanted people to notice her for her, which is why she didn't date very many of these guys. Instead, she had buried herself in her studies, being able to finish school in only 4 years, instead of the 6 years that was projected. So, diploma in one hand, graduation hat in the other, she stood by her mother for another picture. Once snapped, Alexis motioned to her brother for a picture. He shook his head at first then rolled his eyes and stood next to her. Out of all of her family, Alexis loved her brother Austin the most - that is "most" of the time. He WAS a 17 year old senior in high school who thought he was God. Of course with his orange-red hair cut military style, good build, and popularity, Alexis could see why he had a different girlfriend every other week. And being the star running back of the state championship football team back home didn't help his ego either. Basically, he and Alexis talked all the time, as that was the reason she called home most often. Most of this was done in secret, so she wouldn't have to talk to her parents. Now he just grinned as they posed. "I want these negatives," he said through his teeth as the picture snapped.
"Never! I'm going to blow them up in my darkroom so everyone can see that huge zit on your nose." Austin just glared at the teasing note in her voice. As much as he hated to admit it, he liked his sister's hobby of black and white photography, as she had printed a lot for him that he gave to his ex's. Alexis laughed. "Well, sweetie, I think the procession is leaving. We should go as well." Daphne said. "Yeah, I'm starved," Austin said. "You always are!" Dean said and everyone laughed. "But eating does sound good. Let's go!" "OK, but I promised Hope we would go out for drinks later, so we can't be too long." Alexis said. If she noticed her mother pouting, she ignored it. Daphne was always trying to get her way, and always laying on the guilt trips super thick. But Alexis had gotten used to it, so she ignored it. They all trooped off to dinner, Alexis sandwiched between her brother and father, trying her best to breathe in the middle of the two big men.
~*~
"What do you mean, mobilizing?" "Just that sir, they are moving a little closer to earth, to the new colony, Rose. They are saying it is because Rose needs more protection." "Who would believe that a colony needs petty crime protection from mobile suits?" "No one is questioning it, sir." "And neither can we," Heero muttered. "Thank you for your help." "Sir!" The officer gave a smart salute over the video phone and he faded out. Heero looked around the room, then out the huge window to the dark and snowcreasted city below the earth branch Preventors building in California in which he currently was. While earth and the colonies had agreed on peace, they also didn't get rid of all their weapons. And that is why the Preventors kept their jobs. To keep these weapons from getting into the wrong hands. But at the moment it looked like it wasn't working. A group that seemingly was peaceful was disrupting things. They were called simply MR - Marimea Returns. Even though Marimea wasn't at all a part of this, her past dealings were. It was basically another Operation Meteor, but weren't they all? These guys were just being careful about it, so careful that there was no reason to bring any charges against them or make any arrests. "Damn it!" Heero muttered and kicked the edge of the desk lightly. Then he gathered up his coat and walked out to go home.
~*~
Alexis walked upstairs to the apartment she and Hope shared. She had just dropped her family off at the airport and she was exhausted. Between her mother, the backseat driver, her father, constantly asking questions about what she would do with her life, and her brother, always cracking a joke, she bearly had enough energy for drinks. But she was going anyway, because she had been looking forward to it all night. As she opened the door, she saw Hope asleep on the couch. Laughing softly, Alexis covered her with a blanket off the back of the couch. Hope's parents could be just like her own sometimes. Hope had blue eyes and dark blond hair that was permed crimpy style. Her and Hope got along really well despite the fact that Hope could be VERY messy at times, which caused constant arguments. But they always made up. Alexis went into her room and turned on her computer, connecting to the Internet. After checking her email, she went to bed, thinking of the cute couple of guys she saw in the bar tonight. She did regret being so involved in her studies sometimes. There was no room for love. Sighing, she fell right to sleep.
"Oh hunnie! Come stand over here!" Haley Alexis Robertson, known as Alexis to her friends, frowned but dutifully walked over to stand by her mother. Daphne Robertson had that glow in her eye that Alexis had come to hate; the glow of a woman who knew she had won. 'For the moment at least', Alexis thought. She wasn't about to let her college graduation be spoiled by yet another fight with her impossible mother. That was half the reason Alexis had gone to a school in California, to get away from her mother's oppression, as well as get her degree in child psychology. A few years ago, it would have been ridiculous to even think of going to college with the war going on. But Alexis was glad she could start her life now, when she had waited so long. She had accomplished everything and knew she would only have to put up with her mother for the next few hours till her family got on a night flight headed for Florida. Alexis loved her family though, even with all their faults, but really only in a way that a daughter was supposed to. She looked mostly like her father, Dean Robertson, with reddish-brown hair, cut at a slant to frame her face, and bright green eyes. She tanned well, especially in the California sun, but wasn't as tall as her dad, only reaching 5'5". And she loved every minute of being short. But unlike her father, who was quiet and even-tempered most of the time, Alexis got her mothers outspoken nature and temper. At least for most things. Where her mother was concerned, she knew well enough to let her babble on about the ridiculous things she always babbled about, till she was worn out. That included arguments, and everything in-between. In college, Alexis had no problem getting dates, especially when all the guys noticed was her hourglass figure. But while Alexis was glad she had what she did, and she liked the attention, she wanted people to notice her for her, which is why she didn't date very many of these guys. Instead, she had buried herself in her studies, being able to finish school in only 4 years, instead of the 6 years that was projected. So, diploma in one hand, graduation hat in the other, she stood by her mother for another picture. Once snapped, Alexis motioned to her brother for a picture. He shook his head at first then rolled his eyes and stood next to her. Out of all of her family, Alexis loved her brother Austin the most - that is "most" of the time. He WAS a 17 year old senior in high school who thought he was God. Of course with his orange-red hair cut military style, good build, and popularity, Alexis could see why he had a different girlfriend every other week. And being the star running back of the state championship football team back home didn't help his ego either. Basically, he and Alexis talked all the time, as that was the reason she called home most often. Most of this was done in secret, so she wouldn't have to talk to her parents. Now he just grinned as they posed. "I want these negatives," he said through his teeth as the picture snapped.
"Never! I'm going to blow them up in my darkroom so everyone can see that huge zit on your nose." Austin just glared at the teasing note in her voice. As much as he hated to admit it, he liked his sister's hobby of black and white photography, as she had printed a lot for him that he gave to his ex's. Alexis laughed. "Well, sweetie, I think the procession is leaving. We should go as well." Daphne said. "Yeah, I'm starved," Austin said. "You always are!" Dean said and everyone laughed. "But eating does sound good. Let's go!" "OK, but I promised Hope we would go out for drinks later, so we can't be too long." Alexis said. If she noticed her mother pouting, she ignored it. Daphne was always trying to get her way, and always laying on the guilt trips super thick. But Alexis had gotten used to it, so she ignored it. They all trooped off to dinner, Alexis sandwiched between her brother and father, trying her best to breathe in the middle of the two big men.
~*~
"What do you mean, mobilizing?" "Just that sir, they are moving a little closer to earth, to the new colony, Rose. They are saying it is because Rose needs more protection." "Who would believe that a colony needs petty crime protection from mobile suits?" "No one is questioning it, sir." "And neither can we," Heero muttered. "Thank you for your help." "Sir!" The officer gave a smart salute over the video phone and he faded out. Heero looked around the room, then out the huge window to the dark and snowcreasted city below the earth branch Preventors building in California in which he currently was. While earth and the colonies had agreed on peace, they also didn't get rid of all their weapons. And that is why the Preventors kept their jobs. To keep these weapons from getting into the wrong hands. But at the moment it looked like it wasn't working. A group that seemingly was peaceful was disrupting things. They were called simply MR - Marimea Returns. Even though Marimea wasn't at all a part of this, her past dealings were. It was basically another Operation Meteor, but weren't they all? These guys were just being careful about it, so careful that there was no reason to bring any charges against them or make any arrests. "Damn it!" Heero muttered and kicked the edge of the desk lightly. Then he gathered up his coat and walked out to go home.
~*~
Alexis walked upstairs to the apartment she and Hope shared. She had just dropped her family off at the airport and she was exhausted. Between her mother, the backseat driver, her father, constantly asking questions about what she would do with her life, and her brother, always cracking a joke, she bearly had enough energy for drinks. But she was going anyway, because she had been looking forward to it all night. As she opened the door, she saw Hope asleep on the couch. Laughing softly, Alexis covered her with a blanket off the back of the couch. Hope's parents could be just like her own sometimes. Hope had blue eyes and dark blond hair that was permed crimpy style. Her and Hope got along really well despite the fact that Hope could be VERY messy at times, which caused constant arguments. But they always made up. Alexis went into her room and turned on her computer, connecting to the Internet. After checking her email, she went to bed, thinking of the cute couple of guys she saw in the bar tonight. She did regret being so involved in her studies sometimes. There was no room for love. Sighing, she fell right to sleep.