Hi again
Hi again! I have really appreciated all the kind
comments and thoughts regarding the previous three chapters. Life has caught up
with me in a big way as of late so I've hardly had any time to update at all,
plus mentally I've been struggling with three different directions to take
this story. I've narrowed it down to two that fit in nicely with this part of
chapter 4. Honestly this stuff should have been in Chapter 3… Anyways thanks
for reading and I hope this keeps you interested.
Standard stuff: Gundam Wing is not mine, but I do enjoy playing around with it
some. My intent is purely for entertainment purposes only and no money is being
made on this work. Read, enjoy, hate, whatever!
Now with that out of the way, enjoy!
Small note: Heero and Relena are lovers and not married. Sorry for any confusion
that may have caused.
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Believe in Me Chapter 4 –Options-
"Is it true? Are they dead?"
Heero nodded slowly, "I'm afraid so."
Relena turned her head and drifted into a blank stare. 'Not again.' She
thought.
"I'll arrange a security detail and give you two some time alone." Duo
said stepping out of the their bedroom back out into the main part of the suite.
Heero closed the door and walked over to Relena. She seemed lost in thought and
completely withdrawn.
Finally she spoke, "An accident?"
"It looks that way, although a full investigation is probably just now getting
underway. I'll make some calls back to Earth and see what I can find."
"I'll call my brother."
"Duo is arranging for a security detail for you."
"Guess your leaving?"
"Relena, I have to go."
"I know… But everything in my mind right now is telling me this couldn't
be coincidence."
"It's not." He said firmly.
She finally turned her head back towards him. Then came a knock on the door
"Heero." Duo opened the door slowly just sticking his head through. "Sorry
but a group on Mars just claimed responsibility for the shuttle."
"What?" Relena's voice pushed Duo for more detail.
"They're saying its no accident. This group the Mars Independence League
said they destroyed the shuttle on purpose."
"Why Duo?" she pressed.
"According to the information headquarters gave they are saying they did it to
make a statement about ESUN representation on Mars. Specifically, they won't
tolerate direct Governmental control."
Relena stood up and reached for the videophone, "This isn't right, ESUN
would never try such a thing. Why would they think…?" Then she stopped mid
thought and started punching in numbers franticly.
Milliardo Peacecraft's face popped up on the phone's view screen several
seconds later.
"Milliardo!" Relena exclaimed.
"Relena, I've been trying to reach you." He said relieved.
"I'm on L2 with Heero."
"Good! Heero is with you." Milliardo relaxed a little more now. Himself and
Heero had found a mutual admiration and respect for each other than went well
beyond words. He had known for a long time Relena loved Heero, and Heero loved
his sister. It took time for both of them and a push along the way to finish the
job they had started years earlier.
"What's going on with Mars?" She asked franticly.
"I don't know this is the first I've seen of the Mars Independence League
claiming responsibility for this mess. I keep watchful eyes on everything that
goes on here. None of our colony construction representatives have heard
anything of our people troubled Mars would just become a large resource
satellite with no Representation in ESUN. You know we'd never tolerate that
but I did hear of some rumblings from a few members in Congress about sending in
temporary representation since we have been behind schedule. Seemed to be an
empty push by a few power hungry people.
Relena looked back at Heero.
"We may have an idea on what's going on, but this line isn't secure."
Milliardo read Heero perfectly. "Understood, just take of Relena."
"You can count on it." Heero responded
Milliardo allowed a small smile to reach his face then continued speaking. "I
have my people out trying to find anything and everything they can now. I'll
investigate this personally don't worry"
"Roger that, we will be in contact shortly."
Milliardo nodded and terminated the connection.
"I've got to get a hold of all the Mars support I have right away. I need to
call Maggie." Relena said worryingly.
"No need she's out in the living room, I had your security detail pick her
up." Duo said.
Heero leaned in and kissed Relena on the cheek then pulled back far enough to
look onto her eyes. "Don't worry." His voice was shallow but she knew what
he was trying to say.
"I'll worry for the both of us." She grabbed him and gave him a hug.
"Be careful." she whispered. He nodded breaking their embrace.
"You too Duo."
Duo smiled, "No worries here Lena."
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"What's your status?" Une asked the two men calmly.
"The Foreign Minister is safe and we've made contact with Peacecraft on
Mars. This is the first they've heard of the Mars Independent League." Duo
answered.
Heero allowed his body weight to rest on an adjacent wall from where Duo sat
speaking to Une. He allowed his eyes to close briefly.
"Have you made any contact with your objective at this point?" Duo shook his
head no, "Not yet. We we're waiting until the Foreign Minister and Campbell
had completed some late meetings they had scheduled then things took this
turn."
Une nodded her head in understanding and spoke, "Our intelligence up to this
point has no traces of a Mars Independence League."
Heero opened his eyes and moved over to the videophone. "That's because it
doesn't really exist." Duo nodded in agreement and then picked up where
Heero started. "We assumed Campbell knew we had Jamerson and were fishing
around here on L2 for a reason, that's why we're guessing he pushed Relena
for a formal Defense Committee seat. When she turned him down… he reacted."
"And now two members of Congress are dead." She followed Duo finishing his
train of thought.
Heero spoke again, "Setting up two empty seats on the defense committee and
tipping the balance of power to his side."
"That is if he's confirmed." Duo added, as he happened to glance over to
the televised news feed covering the shuttle assassination. Heero watched his
partner's eyes move to the television screen and he moved himself to get a
better look. Congressman John Campbell was moving in front of a podium and a
frenzy of media and press.
"Campbell is giving a statement."
Simultaneously both parties on their end of the videophone turned the volume up
on their televisions and listened intently.
He was dressed in a pair of dark blue dress pants and a white shirt minus the
tie, his face was slightly red and his eyes puffy, he paused once he reached the
podium then spoke.
"First, I would like to express my deepest sympathies and regret to the
families
whom tragically lost loved ones this evening. There is no excuse for this loss
and I'm sure no words I could ever find could begin to comfort them in this
there time of need." He paused soaking up the moment and allowing his words to
hand in the air then continued.
"Why our ESUN Preventer agents we're not able to stop this tragedy
I do not know. But I would like to assure the people of the Earth Sphere Unified
Nation and Mars that this act of cowardice will not be tolerated from the
Mars Independence League or any other terrorist organization. We will not live
in fear of terrorists! You can rest assure that I will personally help lead the
cause to bring these cowards to justice... Again to the families that lost loved
one tonight, my prayers and thoughts are with you."
Campbell lowered his head slightly and allowed questions to flood the floor from
reporters, he answered just one. "Congressman, are you placing blame on the
Preventer organization also for not stopping this group before hand?" Campbell
refrained from grinning ear to ear. "Blame?" He questioned. "Blame is too
soft a word, I want to know why we knew nothing of this terrorist group, and why
no warning was issued to the members of Congress traveling to Mars. I have a
slew of questions I'll get answers to for us and the families who lost loved
one tonight." Campbell sensing victory then left the room.
"That was Congressman John Campbell sending his sympathies to the family
members…." Heero turning the television set down cutting off the news
reporter recapping Campbell's comments.
"He'll get confirmed after that speech tonight. It's a damn witch hunt for
us." Duo said sighing.
"The Congress will be in a panic and they will demand answers of Mars we
can't give now without proof." Heero said pausing while the most obvious
solution entered his head. "What if we eliminate Campbell? Now would be the
most opportune time. Thus destroying the Mars League at the same time."
"That would make us no better than him and could give way to another person to
rise in his place." Duo protested.
"Not if we choose someone else to take his place." Heero responded.
Duo stood up and looked at Heero cautiously. "We can't do this! We
shouldn't even be considering this!"
Director Une stayed quiet throughout the entire exchange then spoke. "Make no
doubt about it, Congressman John Campbell will be placed on the Defense
Committee and I don't have to tell either of you what this means. I've known
you both for many years, fought with you and against you. The decision that is
made tonight may or may not haunt us for the rest of our lives.
"The question is… does one life justify the stability of billions of
others?" Heero asked the question slightly unsure of the answer he would now
give.
"No Heero you're wrong! The question is, can we live with ourselves now by
doing what we would have done five years ago without hesitation? I'm not the
same man I was then and I thought you weren't either."
Heero looked straight into Duo's eyes then spoke, "The man you knew five
years ago would not be having this conversation with you now, and to a point I
agree with you we don't know Campbell's true intentions. But they are not
hard to put together."
Heero turned his attention back to the videophone screen. "How long until the
Defense committee will start confirmation hearings?"
"A few days… a week at most perhaps, considering they we're scheduled to
meet next week. They will have to fill the empty seats in short order according
to the ESUN charter."
"Understood, we will have results before the confirmations take place."
Une nodded and made one final comment before terminating their connection.
"Discretion is in your hands Commander Yuy."
Heero turned and faced Duo, "He murdered a shuttle full of people tonight, and
he will be stopped one way or the other."
"Fair enough Heero. I just won't sink to his level… not again, not in this
lifetime."
Heero contemplated Duo's words; flashbacks of him holding the gun over
Mariemaia
flooded his mind. He shook his head pushing the memories away. "I have another
way. But should we fail I will finish what Campbell started before it is too
late." His answer to Duo was firm and his voice final.
"That's why you're in charge." Duo responded flatly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Campbell sat in his study listening to a few of his aids dictate his schedule
for the next day. Katrina came in and dismissed them leaving only herself and
Campbell in the study.
"Late night polling shows your numbers up thirty-five percent. Also the
Congress has responded warmly to your comments tonight." Katrina said sitting
down the poll information on his desk.
Confidently Campbell leaned back in his chair. "And to think Katrina, what
started out as disaster ends with us holding the deck of cards."
She smiled, "You will make the committee and from there anything is
possible."
"Speaking of the committee how long until confirmation hearings start?"
Campbell asked her.
"Three days according to the ESUN charter. I have already made contact with
our strongest supporters. Minister Darlian is rallying support also, but her
case against your confirmation doesn't look strong at all."
"Darlian." Campbell seethed her name through his teeth. "It's a shame
really she wasn't on board that shuttle tonight. I'm sure the people would
not have minded if she would have given her life for our little revolution."
"General with all the turmoil that will surround her due to the Mars
assassinations I would expect her to fade into the background soon."
"Careful not to underestimate her Katrina, now that we are so close to
achieving our goal. I'd suspect she's shaken and perhaps a little scared but
nonetheless foolishly determined."
Katrina nodded her head in agreement. "Minister Darlian has made preparations
to return to earth first thing in the morning, I have made our reservations for
tomorrow also. Also word in from our Preventer friend, the two agents that were
here earlier have been re-assigned to Mars for investigation."
"Interesting… are we certain our friend has not been compromised?"
Campbell asked wryly.
"All of the proper codes and frequencies were used. On the same note
confirmation of Jamerson's demise has been sent." Katrina handed a memory
disk and autopsy report to Campbell.
"Excellent, and I take it all traces of the Mars Independence League have been
erased."
She nodded, "Yes sir, erased until further needed. If at all."
Campbell laughed. "We will walk straight onto the defense committee why they
all chase their tails."
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End Chapter 4. Thank you for your comments and thoughts.
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