Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing
Chapter 4
Silence. Dead silence. This time wasn't anticipation but awkwardness. Everything seemed frozen in space, and time had just somehow stopped. She felt the air around her became thin, and her throat was suddenly arid like she just went to the desert.
She had done it. She had put some kind of impression upon her mother's friends like she wanted to, but did she like the result? No, she didn't. In fact, she hated it; she hated the way they were staring at her with their mouths open in shock, and she hated the whole situation. However, she felt no regret. She was true to herself and that was all it mattered.
The silence continued, and those eyes never seemed to remove their gaze upon her. They were eyes of understanding, admiration, shock, confusion, even disappointment. She could see right through them, but she wished that they would just express their feelings in words, not in some kind of staring contest. Nonetheless, she wasn't about to surrender to the game of silence. She screamed, begged, even cursed, but all in silence. That long and dreadful silence.
" Ok, that's it. I'll admit it. I'm the loser. So, can we stop the staring contest?" It was Duo who ended the game. " Man, I just knew I would lose. oh, well."
" Yeah, that's right. Hey, everybody, break it off ok? Let's just change the subject ok?" Quatre joined Duo.
" Come on guys, remember Heero is not here right now, and 'the silence is worth a thousand words thing' is his department, not ours." Duo spoke.
Sighs of agreement came respectively from the rest of the occupants of the room. Most of them shifted their bodies around to shrug off the remaining awkwardness. Liz choose that time to sit down by her mother giving her a reassuring gaze and decided she should somehow avert the present situation herself, since it was her responsibility to finish what she had initiated.
" You know, none of you people never did introduce yourselves to me when you came in." She said in a cocky tone. " Talk about your manners, and I really hope that this is not how you guys treat a guest. I am after all a total stranger to you despite the relationships you people have with my parents."
" Oh, I'm really sorry Liz. Here, my name is Quatre Rebaba Winner, it's a pleasure. " Quatre took the honor of introducing everyone. He pointed to the others and continued. " From the far left, there's Wufei Chang, Sally Po, Hilde Schbeiker, Lucrezia Noin, Milliardo Peacecraft, Trowa Barton, and Duo Maxwell. And I see you have already met Lady Une.
A number of greetings came from all of them respectively and Liz nodded at them in respect. She wasn't quite relaxed though because the hard part was coming - starting up a new conversation. But she was saved by her aunt Noin, she assumed.
" So, Liz, tell us about yourself." Noin wanted to get to know her niece.
" Well..." She was interrupted by the ever so talkative Duo Maxwell.
" Give her a break you guys, I say she should tell us that later. What she needs now is someone here to take her to do some sightseeing around the city." Duo suggested with a grin on his face.
" Hey, wait a minute there, I want to get to know her first and -" Noin was cut off by the sound of a knock and the opening of the office door. It was a preventer . He greeted and apologized to everyone before handing Lady Une a letter.
" Lady Une, this just came from the ESUN's supreme court. It's rather urgent, and they said it needs immediate attention from you." He informed as Lady Une proceeded to open the envelope and read it silently. her facial expression change from that of none to pure anger and a bit of confusion also.
" What is it, Lady? " Noin asked with concern in her voice.
" This is a letter of accusation toward part-time preventer officer Quatre. It says that a family from one of the colonies sued him for murder. Apparently they are the blood-relatives of some people on the colony that Quatre destroyed during the war. And now their case is reviewed by the ESUN, and they have prepared a trial for Quatre; the charges on him will be categorized as war crimes. The trial will begin next Thursday." Lady Une concluded looking grim. The preventer who delivered the letter left without a word.
" How, how? I don't get it. Though I knew something like this would happen, but after almost 19 years. Why? Why didn't them do it sooner, why did them wait until now? Why? " Sadness had consumed Quatre as he spoke in a melancholy tone.
" Quatre, now is not the time to be sad, now is the time to stand up for yourself. You should remember that in war everything is possible, and you shouldn't have to pay for what you did under a time of confusion." Noin tried to console him.
" But I was mistaken, I killed a whole colony. So many lives were lost because I was confused. That's unacceptable." He never seemed to have forgiven himself over what he had done.
" No, Quatre." This time was Lena's voice. " It wasn't your fault. You had no control in a time of war. I'm sure that every soldier has made a mistake like that before. It was the result of a war. Like Noin said, you have to stand up for yourself. And we will help you. I will be your defense attorney if you want, and I promise that I'll do my best to right this wrong."
" Thank you, Lena. That would be wonderful." He replied though still trying to escape his dark shadow of the past.
" Very well then, Quatre, we can discuss this at my house later with everyone. But first, can you tell me was there any witness present when you destroyed that colony? "
" No, but Trowa and Heero confronted me right after it. I fought against them and they knew that I was emotionally unstable. So, I think they count as two witnesses." Quatre spoke.
" No, we only have one and that's Trowa. As for Heero, well, it's Heero we are talking about. You get the picture." Lena corrected him.
" She's right, you know." Duo joined in. " None of us has seen him for over ten years, and all of you know that it is impossible to find him. He only shows up when he wants to. However, aside from that, Trowa is not enough. Remember, he was hurt badly and he got amnesia after he recovered. Although he did get his memory back, they can still use that against us."
" Well, all of you can testify on the part concerning the zero system. And we'll have to work with what we've got." Lena said. " And as for you Elizabeth, you should take Duo's advise and go for a sightseeing tour, because we have some important issues to discuss. Sorry, honey."
" So who's taking her on the tour?" Duo asked innocently.
" Not me, I've got work to do."
" Don't look at me, Maxwell."
" I have the Preventers to run."
" I'm one of the witnesses."
" I have a meeting to attend for Lady Une."
" Hilde?" Duo gave Hilde a questioning look.
" No, sorry Liz. But I really need to finish my report. Maybe next time."
" Zechs?"
" Um, no, I can't."
" Why not? You have nothing planned today, and you are her uncle." Noin pointed out.
" Sorry, Liz, you know you are my favorite niece, and I would love to take you, but I have to... to... to finish cleaning my office." He gave the lamest excuse on Earth.
" Yeah right," Liz said in a derisive tone. " And I'm your only niece. That kind of flattery is getting old."
"So no one will take her? Man, poor little Liz." Duo said shaking his head in disapproval.
" There is one man though." Hilde said looking at Duo.
" Uh oh, no, not me. I've got ... I've got... I've got..." He didn't know what to say.
" No excuses. You are perfect for the job, Duo. After all it was your idea to take her out."
" But, but, but... Fine. I'll do it. Why me?" Duo agreed reluctantly.
" Hey, you should be honored to be able to take me out, Duo. You are lucky that I have decided to go with you. Don't push your luck." Liz grinned widely.
" Fine, ok, let's go before I get old." Duo muttered unwillingly while opening the door and stepped into the hall.
" You are already old." Came a reply from Liz
" What did you say?"
" Oh, nothing, just go already."
With that being said Liz and Duo left the office and proceeded with the tour of the capital city of the Sank Kingdom.
" I hope they'll make it out alive." Lena sighed.
" Why do you say that?" Noin asked.
" You don't know Liz. Think about the combination of me and Heero, and you'll know." She explained.
Everyone in the room shuddered at the thought of that. A combination of the perfect soldier and the Queen of the world had just left with the God of Death.
Author's note: The only purpose of this chapter is to set the plot and nothing else. Sorry if it appears to be boring. The next chapter will be much better. Liz is going to meet a stranger and the stranger seems to know her somehow. But who is that stranger?