MS Gundam Wing: Revolution
Interlude: Kings and Queens
The command center was based on one of the colonies, one officially abandoned due to damage from a meteor strike. While the colonists had fled the command centers and maintenance areas were all still safely pressurized, allowing the establishment of a covert headquarters. Men and women in pseudo military garb hurried about the complex, carrying reports and preforming various tasks.
The bridge resembled a busy office, with officers at terminals monitoring communication traffic through out the solar system. Civilian ships, military forces and political activity were all monitored and recorded, and summaries were prepare for their leader.
The purple haired man with dusky skin sat in a command chair in the center of the bridge, relaxing as he studied a chess set sitting on a table beside him. The white king was in dire straights, left with just pawns as the black pieces closed in, and apparently checkmate was inevitable. He reached out and toyed with a black knight, then moved it in a 'l' to a new position.
A young woman with sky-blue hair walked up, pausing until he noticed her. "Maya," the man dressed in a fancy military uniform with plenty of decorations nodded ton her slightly as he asked, "you have a report?"
"Status update, Lord Akio," Maya nodded, "we have pinpointed the current positions of the surviving duelists, sir."
"Good," Akio Ohtori took the electronic tablet, skimming through the data. "Have there been any sightings of my dear sister? Or her lover, Utena Tenjou?"
"Our plant in Treize's camp reported a possible sighting," Maya said briskly, "she attempted to warn him that he was dancing to your tune, sir."
Akio picked up a glass from a nearby table, drinking to buy time and get his temper under control. "Are our strategies in danger?" he asked flatly.
"No sir," Maya shook her head, "his role in our strategies primarily consisted in preparing Epyon and unleashing Une."
"He can, however, attempt to hinder us," Akio growled, drinking. Setting the glass down carefully he said, "Keep a close watch on him."
"Sir," Maya nodded.
Akio got up, walking out of the control room calmly. He walked down a corridor and stopped by a window, gazing out at the stars thoughtfully.
Once, Akio had been a prince, or at least he thought he had been. Memory dimmed and changed over time, and he no longer was what he once was. But in some forgotten age he had power and glory, and been among the greatest of the great. But somehow he lost it, and fell to dwell among the common people with his beloved sister.
"Anthy...," Akio murmured, hand unconsciously clenching into a fist.
He and his sister lived in bliss in Ohtori, playing the great game together. Gathering a group of teens together they dangled the promise of eternity before them, then made them fight. Each time they tried to find a spirit noble enough to restore Akio, but each time they failed. Untold numbers of students were destroyed in their contest but he didn't care, finally playing the game simply for the entertainment value. Then SHE came...
Utena Tenjou seemed common enough, at first. A pink haired young woman with a hero complex, she had been chosen by Akio to be a duelist. He had thought she had potential, but he never expected her to successfully overturn his plans. Somehow she reached past years of obedience and turned Anthy against him, making her defy him!
When Anthy left, it was as if the life went out of him. The game paled for Akio, seduction became boring and he had no reason to go on. He froze the passage of time in his private realm and played with the students like dolls, breaking them for his own amusement as time flew by outside.
Akio didn't know what finally drew his attention outside of his home. Maybe it was the tortured heroism of some of the pilots? Or the quiet despair of those dreaming of peace? Or even just the pure, majestic scale of it all? Either way gazing at the war between the colonies and earth, he saw a game that was worthy of his playing.
With a twinge of regret Akio destroyed Ohtori, burning the academy and freeing himself from his prison-sanctuary. The majority of students were slain, but a few he released, sending them out into the world as possible pawns, knights, bishops and queens.
OZ and it's Specials were a easy target for Akio, and he slid into their number like he was born to it. It was terribly easy to twist and shape men into his pawns, to take the vice, hatred and ego that dwelled inside men and make it so much stronger than their virtues. He began to distribute the rings to duelists then sat back, waiting to watch the bloodshed.
Yet somehow, things were not going as planned. When Akio released Juri Arisugawa he thought he had taken her memory and ring away, yet somehow when she reappeared the ring was still on her finger. Worse she seemed to still remember the duels somewhat, and was putting herself in a position to oppose him!
And someone, somewhere was putting other pieces on the board. The Gundam pilots suddenly had rings to fight in the duels, and were even defeating some of his chosen! The colonies, which Akio had expected to merely put up a good fight then fall, were actually holding their own. And even his own pawns were showing signs of rebellion!
Looking at the scenario, seeing how things were shifting beneath his very feet Akio could only come to one conclusion: someone was actively opposing him. Someone out there was daring to challenge him, trying to thwart his justified return to glory!
"Anthy..." Akio hissed softly, clenching a fist.
It had to be his beloved sister, the traitorous swine. Anthy was once again turning on him, this time with the help of Utena and the colonies. But Akio would not let her win, no... he would find her, and when he did, she would pay for a multitude of sins.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Utena Tenjou felt uncomfortable with her dyed black hair as she worked on a recovered Mobile Suit, her fingers nimbly sorting burned out wiring. With surprising gentleness she pried out the damaged circuit board, passing it to her assistant.
"Get that to Howard," she said as she took a fresh unit and began to hook it up, "we need to determine why it burnt out like that."
"Yes, Captain," Scott smiled as he took it, "I can't believe how delicate you can be."
"Practice," Utena shrugged as she worked, the boy hurrying off.
Utena saw Juri Arisugawa drifting nearby heading to her Wing Gundam, and shifted a bit to make sure she was out of her line of sight. She felt a swift pang of guilt, hiding from a friend like this, but she also knew it was necessary. She couldn't let Juri know she was alive, at least not yet.
"Utena-sama?" came from behind her.
"Aaargh!" Utena yelped, dropping a tool and whirling around.
Anthy looked amused as the now redheaded woman held onto a gab-bar build into the leg of the MS. "Sorry," she smiled, "I couldn't resist."
"You are evil," Utena muttered, but she was smiling as she did so.
"Forgive me?" Anthy asked as she leaned forward to kiss Utena's cheek.
Utena laughed, hugging her, "This time."
Anthy leaned against the leg of the MS as Utena worked, carefully finishing the instillation. "I went and visited Treize," she confided quietly.
"What did you tell him?" Utena asked, finishing up and closing the panel.
"Just that he was being manipulated," Anthy admitted. She sighed as she asked, "Do you think it'll do any good?"
"He'll start asking questions," Utena said as they drifted away from the MS over to where Howard ran things while working on his designs, "that alone will be good."
"Ursula," Howard smiled at Utena then nodded respectfully to the redhead, "and Miss Yoko, too. How can I help you ladies?"
"I finished up repairing the two Leos," Utena reported, "you mind if I go on break?"
"Considering you work twice as fast as most of these slackers, I should make you stay," Howard joked, "but yeah, go enjoy yourself."
"Thanks, boss," Utena waved.
"Thank you, sir," Anthy added as they moved off.
The hallways were crowded as the two women walked back to their suite, one chosen both to be close to the repair bays and the shuttle docks. The door unlocked smoothly as they entered, then sealed again with a soft sound.
"I'm glad to be home," Anthy sighed tiredly.
"Are you sure we're doing the right thing?" Utena asked after a moment, looking down at Anthy thoughtfully. She sighed, "A lot of people are going to die..."
"And if we don't act, I'm sure it will be worse," Anthy said honestly. "My brother has lost what little sanity he had, Utena. He glories in slaughter, now, and will not be happy until the stars in the sky themselves burn."
"We could just kill him," Utena offered that unpalatable idea flatly.
Anthy hugged her, appreciating the offer even though she knew her lover hated the idea. "It wouldn't stop what he set in motion," Anthy answered with another sigh, "we have to play this through until the end."
"You're right," Utena conceded with a soft sigh, "I just hate all this manipulating people."
"Neither do I," Anthy agreed, "but at lest we're giving them a choice, and a chance to survive all of this madness."
Utena nodded, "True enough."
They moved over to the bed and sat down, then Utena laid down on her side. Anthy curled up against her like a cat seeking warmth, and Utena let herself stroke the other woman's long, red hair.
"Hmm, I like that," Anthy purred happily.
Utena kissed her neck then nibbled her ear, holding her close... BZZZ! The door chime made them jerk apart, both looking at the door with a glare that should have caused it to burst aflame, it was so intense.
"Damn it," Utena got up to answer it, hitting the release button with the palm of her hand.
The private on the other side of the door went bone pale at the look on her face, taking a half step back. "Captain Ursula?" he said weakly.
"Yes?" Utena growled.
"Howard requested if you could come back to the docks...," the boy said timidly.
Utena fixed him with a intense look, "Is it a life and death emergency?"
"Uhm, no?" he answered.
"Tell him I'll be there in half a hour," she told him, slamming the door shut. Walking back to Anthy she smiled, "Now where were we...?"
To be continued!