Chapter 7

Another day, another round of talks. Today isn't going to go the way that any of the others expect, though, and Relena feels a lot of satisfaction about this. It's the one thought that keeps her from grumbling too much about forcing herself to wake up so early in the morning when all that she wants to do is snuggle further into her pillows.

She does get up, eventually, and starts getting ready. It's unexpectedly difficult with only one working arm, and she's running just a tad late when her driver pulls up in front of the conference hotel, but no matter. Relena being exactly on time today isn't important.

When Relena walks into the conference room, there's an instant clamor for her attention that she finds ironic. Some of her colleagues offer condolences, some demand explanations, and already some are angling to run a joint press conference with her about the whole ordeal.

Relena walks amongst them, replying with all the appropriate courtesies, and all the while wondering where this attention was yesterday. Of course, they're only interested in her now that the media has become involved and some of their fellow parliament members have been taken into Preventers custody.

Eventually, though, Relena tires of the reassurances and veiled comments digging for more information, and drifts slowly towards her chair. Once she's made it plain to everyone that she's sitting down, the others reluctantly follow her example, getting ready for another long day of pointless arguments. Likely, all of the chaos yesterday was the highlight of the conference for the others.

Relena can't say the same.

No, the bright spot of this week's meetings for Relena comes when she's the first person to stand up and walk over to the podium today, even though President Carlton is clearly already beginning to start up the debates once again. She ignores him, and as she moves down the rows of chairs and into the center of the room, slowly the morning's chatter dies down.

The quiet is calming, and Relena feels at peace. She thought that maybe she'd feel some regret, standing here at last and looking out at all of their expectant faces, but in truth there's nothing inside of Relena's heart except the conviction that what she's about to do is the right thing.

"Gentlemen," she says, greeting them all. "Thank you for allowing me to speak." She says the ritual words, but never before have they been uttered so sarcastically, and Relena sees more than one or two of her colleagues shift in their seats. No matter.

Relena looks straight ahead and begins. "As Vice Foreign Minister, part of my office's purview has always been trying to keep the bridge of communication open between Earth's governments and the colonies. When I was assigned to this task so many years ago, I was sure that I could use my position to facilitate a better understanding between all nations, and to unify our people."

When she pauses, every eye is intensely on her. None of them seem to be anticipating where she's going with this, and that makes what she says next all the sweeter.

"Instead, my office has become adept at silencing all of the protests you gentlemen do not wish to hear. Including those of myself. We on Earth have not become closer with the people of space. If anything, conferences like this one and what happened here this week demonstrates that we are drifting further and further apart from our goal of complete unity. I foresee not a continuance of peace in our future, but tyranny and oppression if we continue on this way."

Someone finally speaks up in protest. "Miss Peacecraft, I understand that you've had a trying week, but laying such serious accusations in front of this august body is ludicrous." Relena looks around to see who it is. It's Minister Gilon. He looks scandalized. Why? Because Relena's daring to speak the truth? The look Relena sends his way is contemptuous, and even though she says nothing at all in response, he still closes his mouth and sits back, looking chastised.

After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Relena pointedly continues. "Perhaps it is ludicrous," she admits. "Perhaps it's silly and naïve to expect unity when there's no actual setup currently in place with the main goal of bringing us all together as one people. Very well. I hereby pledge to devote my time and energy to correcting that problem. Humanity should not be divided. Our differences should not be so insurmountable."

She pauses again, and waits, knowing that someone else will speak up eventually. And someone does, though it's certainly not Minister Gilon. "What do you mean by all of that, Miss Peacecraft?" Governor Reckon asks.

Relena smiles. "Simply this - I am no longer going to be a parliament member of the Earth Sphere United Nations. That name is a misnomer. There's nothing united about us, even after all this time. Therefore, gentlemen, I'm resigning my post."

If she'd thought that everyone was being quiet before, it's nothing compared to the stunned silence that follows her last statement. Relena bears their incredulity with all the grace that she can muster, standing with her back straight and her head high, waiting for their response. Will someone try to talk her out of this? Relena doesn't think so, not if she's read them right, and she knows that she has. Some of the other parliament members might be displeased for political reasons, but none of them really want her here personally, and that means she's free to leave.

There's a lot of coughing and shifting, and Relena is internally amused at how none of them want to brave being the first to speak after her announcement. And that's really why she's leaving, in the end. All of these men are content to remain stagnant, to change nothing, and for too long Relena has been letting them pull her into the same inertia. No more.

Governor Reckon leans forward. Relena faces him, still inwardly serene. He must be able to see the conviction in her eyes, because he doesn't even bother with a token protest about how she's abruptly abandoning her post. Besides, she has no doubt that her seat will be filled with someone of his choosing within the week.

"Well then," he says, standing up and walking forward. He's not in any rush, but deliberately walks up to her side and extends a hand. It's his left one, due to her injury, and Relena has to admit that Governor Reckon can be considerate when he wants to be. "We wish you luck, Miss Peacecraft. You will be missed."

Relena rather doubts that, but she can be gracious here and now. "My thanks," she replies. She turns back towards the rest of them, these men of supposed greatness and austerity, and very carefully doesn't let any of her current thoughts show.

She's going to make all of them obsolete eventually, every single one of them.

Still keeping her face professionally blank, Relena nods to them all one more time, turns away from the podium, and calmly walks towards the doors. There's some muttering behind her now, from those who simply can't wait until she leaves the room before speaking to their neighbors about her startling speech, but Relena ignores them all. Nothing in this room is her problem anymore.

When the doors finally close behind her, Relena leans against them for just a moment, breathing a sigh of relief. Then she straightens up and walks down the hallway. She's not surprised to find Heero waiting for her just outside of the building.

Heero falls into step beside her as she descends the stairs. "Nothing like starting the day off with retirement," Heero says, and her voice is full of approval.

Relena lets Heero's confidence boost her own, and she laughs softly. "I hope you were recording that," she admits. "Some of their faces were hilarious."

"Of course I did," Heero confirms. "We can watch the replay later." Relena laughs again, and Heero turns to look at her with one eyebrow raised. "You seem happy."

She grins. "I am." That's when they reach Heero's jeep, and Relena blinks when Heero opens the door for her. Sitting on the seat is a teddy bear with a card attached, and a pink balloon that says 'Congratulations!' on it.

Relena has to lean against the side of the car, she's laughing so hard. "How did you know?" she finally asks, once she gets her breath back.

Heero smirks. "I didn't know you were quitting," she admits, "but I knew that you had something big planned."

Relena picks up the bear and sits down, stroking its soft head. The bear is adorable, light pink with a lovely lavender ribbon around its throat, and Relena should be too old for a new stuffed toy but she loves this one already.

"It's beautiful," she admits. "Thank you, Heero."

Her friend smiles. "You're easy to shop for," she says, and that startles another laugh out of Relena. She supposes that she is. "So," Heero continues, "what are you going to do now?"

Relena sighs, but she's still smiling. "I haven't figured out all the details yet," she admits. "I just know that I want to make a difference, Heero, and I wasn't going to in there."

Heero nods. "That's a good reason to quit," she agrees.

Relena remembers little Mariemaia Khushrenada kidnapping her because Relena's voice once held power, because people would listen to her and she could make a difference. Relena wonders now if she can really be someone like that again. She has to at least try.

"I thought so too," Relena says to Heero, pushing those thoughts from her mind for now. "So," Relena asks, "want to go shopping for a bit? I don't have that press conference until tomorrow." Today is her first job-free day in years; she deserves to spend it doing something frivolous.

The look that Heero shoots Relena's way says no, she isn't interested in shopping, thanks, but after a minute of Relena still looking expectant, Heero sighs in defeat. She'll endure a couple of hours in some shops so that Relena can have fun, and that's all that matters.

"You can take me out to a shooting range later," Relena compromises. Because she hasn't practiced in far too long a time, especially with her left hand, and while Relena still doesn't agree with violence, she hates being helpless even more.

Heero grins suddenly at her suggestion. "You just want to show up any guys that are watching."

Relena snorts. "So do you," she replies.

"Well," Heero says, snickering under her breath, "I guess we better get the boring part of today out of the way first. How's Greek for lunch?"

Relena hugs her new bear close to her stomach, so happy that she can barely keep it contained. "I think it sounds like the perfect first lunch after quitting."