Hi Minna! Domo Arigato for all the nice reviews. Please keep them coming. Since these are my first stories, I'm still a little nervous about posting. The more reviews, the more pieces I'll put up. Thanks and have fun.
Reminder: I don't own these characters, this is for fun. Please don't sue; I don't even have enough money for pizza.
{} = Thoughts
Chapter 2
After a large meal and a borrowed uniform, Zechs slowly walked to Lady Une's office. While he felt better for having eaten, he still felt like hell and knew he probably looked it as well. {This had better be important} he thought darkly as he pushed open the door to Une's office.
Une looked up as he came in with a harried smile and with a hushing motion, pointed to the chairs by her desk. Zechs sank into one gratefully and waited for Une to finish her conference call.
-situation with these rebels has gotten out of hand. I demand that you send me a real fighter, someone with authority, instead of all these pansy negotiators. They haven't done a thing to stop the rebels from bombing my facilities. All they do is talk. I want a real soldier or I'm going to start spacing the rebels- A nasal voice blustered over the vidlink.
"I understand, Sir" Une's voice came crisply. "I'll send a more active representative within the hour. Please be patient until he arrives and help him when he gets there."
-All right, but he better get here soon and do something about those damn rebels- The voice whined before the call cut off. Une raised her hand to her temples to massage them for a moment before turning to the officer before her. {Funny} she thought wryly {how the man who was once the greatest thorn in my side could become my savior.}
Zechs blood had run cold at the first mention of rebels, and now his tired body was on full alert as he said, "I take it that phone call is my next assignment."
"Yes, unfortunately" Une replied. That was Wesley Carrington the Third. He is the president of Carrington Enterprises Inc., one of the largest colony based businesses. Their main business is the mining and refining of metallic asteroids. He is a very influential member of the L5 council has held many other important political positions. The current situation that requires our attention is on asteroid XL-559. The miners and refining personnel there have declared themselves to be an independent nation..."
"What?!?" Zechs roared, cutting Une off and half rising out of his chair "Not another Mariemaia- rule the world attempt?"
Une's eyes flashed at the mention of her ward, but gave no other sign of having heard the derogatory use of Trieze's daughter's name. "We don't think so. The asteroid has no means of self-propulsion other than the power core for the mining equipment. And that is situated so that it is more likely for an explosion there to destroy the entire asteroid. They do appear to have some weapons and several mining tools could be converted to some rather nasty defense weaponry, but they don't have anything that would have the range to do anything too terrible to anyone but Carrington enterprises."
"Then why are we even involved with this mess? Doesn't this fall more into my sister's realm of concerns?"
"As I said before, Wesley Carrington is a very influential person on L5. He is also something of a manipulative genius. He is twisting part of the charter of the Preventers to suit his purposes. By claiming that the independence of this satellite is like the destruction of part of L5, he has forced us to intervene in what should be a purely diplomatic situation. So far, I have sent only people from the Negotiations department in hopes of mediating this situation. But there hasn't been any progress towards a peacefully resolution and Mr. Carrington keeps threatening to send in his personal security forces to kill the rebels. With things the way they are, I have no choice but to send a full-fledged Preventer. Unfortunately, the only two people who have the clout and the expertise to settle this situation are you and Winner. And with Winner Enterprises being a direct competitor with Carrington Inc., sending Winner would be a bad move. Any movement on his part other than complete surrender of the rebels could be construed as Quatre trying to eliminate the competition for his company. So you're my only choice for this mess."
Milliardo sighed. Long, drawn-out, messy negotiations weren't really his forte and with his current condition, any mission would be a strain. However, the fact remained that he was the only choice for this mission. {I have a duty to my blood as a Peacecraft to settle conflict without bloodshed. Besides, I owe it to these people to keep the peace after the war I caused.} He sighed and straightened his shoulders. "I'll be ready to leave in one hour. Could you send all the reports you have from the negotiators and any information that you have on Carrington enterprises and Mr. Carrington himself to my ship?"
"Done Zechs. Thank you for agreeing to this mission," Une replied, her hands already moving over the keyboard.
Zechs left Une's office and trudged back to his room to pick up his duffel bags and his keys.