Last Resistance to Peace

Chapter 21

by Scarlet Eve

A.C. 205

April 2

Dorothy Catalonia tapped her fingers against her arms, which were crossed over her chest. She stood before a window wall, watching footage and pictures of the attack two days ago on the Sanc Kingdom. She hadn't heard that the attack was planned, but woke up to the news reporting the disaster.

She watched as the Gundams cut down mobile suit after mobile suit - which belonged to a secret military force that Queen Relena had kept hidden beneath her country.

A curling smile touched Dorothy's lips. There was more to this Queen than she thought.

Dorothy remained in awe of the Queen, and her achievements for being so young. And Dorothy didn't envy her one bit for her job of keeping her brother in line, who was likely out destroying OZ bases with that gundam of his. No one had confirmed that information to Dorothy yet, but who else could it be? Only a bloodstained pacifist prince could fight under a sword and feather.

Turning away from the video wall, Dorothy strode through the room, her hair fluttering against her back. OZ soldiers glanced up from their work as she passed by. It wasn't a strange sight for Dorothy to be in the OZ command center, being that she was related to Treize. Most people didn't know what her purpose was, and Dorothy preferred it that way.

She left the command center and took the elevator up to the executive offices. Lush carpet and expensive wall coverings greeted her when she stepped out. She followed the hallway to the end, where Treize had his office. Without knocking, she opened the door and stepped inside.

Treize stood at the window in his office, his hands clasped behind his back. Dorothy floated into his office and sat down in one of the chairs on the other side of his desk.

"Good morning, Cousin," Dorothy said, lacing her arms over her chest. Treize turned and flashed her one of his characteristically charming smiles.

"Good morning. What brings you here?"

"I wanted to ask about the attack on the Sanc Kingdom," Dorothy said. "Specifically why you attacked the Sanc Kingdom."

Treize sat down in his over-large chair and propped his elbows up on the table and pressed his fingertips together. "Une had it on some authority that the new gundam came from Sanc, and it is forbidden for anyone else, especially a member of Romefeller, to build and operate gundam-like weapons."

"Who do you think the pilot is?" Dorothy asked. Treize smiled.

"If I had to guess, I would say my old friend Milliardo Peacecraft."

"I suspected the same," Dorothy admitted. "You say Une was behind this? She recommended the attack?" Treize nodded. "Hm." She rose from the chair. "I'll leave you with your thoughts, then," she said as she stepped away. Treize nodded to her and spun his chair around to face the other way.

Dorothy left his office and stood in the hallway for a moment, thinking. She knew how much work Romefeller went through to get Relena to join, and she also knew that no disputes within the organization were resolved by an immediate military attack. There must be something more going on, and Dorothy suspected Une. That much was obvious. What Dorothy didn't understand was why her cousin allowed that woman to do as she wished without complaint.

Dorothy wasn't one to sit idly by while Une tried to snuff out the shining star of the Sanc Kingdom. She would get to the bottom of it.

A.C. 205

April 2

"Father, Queen Relena held a press conference in regards to the attack on the Sanc Kingdom," Sylvia Noventa said as she set down a tray of tea in front of her father and Mr. Winner. Both were conferring in a large conference room, discussing the recruitment of more soldiers from the colonies, to keep building the Colony Alliance Military. The attack on the Sanc Kingdom thrust the Alliance into an uncomfortable position, and as such, they knew that fortifying themselves against OZ was the best course of action.

"Please turn it on, Sylvia, dear," Field Marshal Noventa said. She obliged by turning on one of the televisions mounted on the wall in the conference room and changed the channel until Relena's face appeared. She turned up the volume.

"She's not blaming OZ," Sylvia commented.

"How could she not? It was the Gundams who attacked, and they're controlled by OZ," Mr. Winner said.

"She called it an 'unfortunate misunderstanding,'" Sylvia said. She'd already watched the press conference several times before deciding to inform her father.

"Nonsense," Noventa blurted out. "Utter nonsense."

"I had a feeling that maroon gundam had something to do with the Sanc Kingdom, but I can't imagine Queen Relena authorizing that sort of activity," Zayeed said.

"I know her brother, Milliardo," Noventa said. "I met him when the King and Queen were still alive, may God rest their souls. He's a live-wire. It wouldn't surprise me if he went behind her back to have that gundam built."

Zayeed made a noise in his throat, but seemed to agree with Noventa.

"Father, do you think it's time we extend the hand of friendship to Queen Relena?" Sylvia asked, her voice soft and low. Part of her knew that her father and Zayeed would dismiss her suggestion, but she thought she'd try anyway. Her father didn't know that Sylvia had already informed the Queen about the Alliance's existence.

To her surprise, Noventa nodded his head, once.

"I think it is almost that time, my dear. She must know that we are on her side," Noventa said.

"But let us not forget about our own objectives, and that is to keep that war on Earth, and not in space," Zayeed said.

"Of course."

Zayeed rose from the chair in which he'd been sitting and stretched his shoulders. "I'm going to my office. Please let me know if the situation changes." Noventa nodded, and Zayeed left the room. Sylvia watched him go, then turned to her father.

"Why has Mr. Winner not done anything to bring his son back from OZ?" Sylvia asked. Noventa pressed his lips together for a moment.

"I'm afraid it's not that easy. You see, we believe that the young Mr. Winner doesn't remember, truly, who he is, or what family he belongs to."

"What do you mean?"

"OZ is controlling him somehow. At least, that's the theory. Catherine has been doing some research without Zayeed's knowledge, and has discovered that OZ has used mind-control in the past."

"That's awful," Sylvia exclaimed. Noventa nodded his head and stroked the small beard on his chin.

"It is, unfortunately, another problem we must contend with."

A/N: You know there will be drama on Relena's birthday. wait for it

-SE