Chapter four- A Lonely Soul
Quatre R. Winner was sitting behind his desk, aka his father's desk.
But after his father's and closest sister's death he had been given his fathers company and the role to take care or the colony.
He was 16 almost 17 years old and never felt so alone then he did right now.
His desk was made of dark oak a rare tree from earth. it was high and came up to his waist when he was seated in the leather black swivel chair.
The carpet under his feet was a royal blue and thick. A rug covered a stain he had made when he was younger. He had spilt his hot chocolate on his father's floor.
The funny thing about it all was that at the same time his father and a loyal friend were trying to find a place to lay down mother's rug.
His father had laughed and said he knew the perfect spot.
It had been there all these years. The rug had been his mother's who had died at giving birth to him. Quatre was the youngest in the family of all 29 of his sisters.
The rug was elegant, with burgundy red, and royal blue with tinges of maroon and gold. The feathery strings were golden color. The designs, where lines with no destination but to follow the other next to it.
Quatre looked away from the rug to gaze at the painting of his father and Mother. He hadn't had the heart to hide it like most would when they mourned someone they loved.
His father was very handsome, and his mother was very pretty. They were both smart and had taken good care of the colony. They gave birth to him, him the only one who wasn't a test tube baby.
Quattre's father had dark brown hair, cut fairly short in the usual commanding type style. His eyes were light blue, that's were he had gained the unusual light blue eyes. All his sister's had gained his mother's eyes but their father's hair.
But Quatre had his mother's hair. A platinum blonde shade, thick and silky. He had kept it short in the back but long in the front where his bangs fell into his eyes. His sister's always said it gave him a boyish look.
His mother had grown her hair out long, reaching down past her waist. He had seen it in that length in most of her pictures and he believed she was beautiful with it that way. He couldn't see her with short hair.
Quatre sighed as he stacked his papers, and cleared off his desk. He was tired, bored and alone. He hadn't slept in three days. The colony could live on its own for several months now and he was alone, because the Gundams weren't needed. And he missed his friends, the other pilots.
Quatre stood and walked to the window of his large office. He looked down at the progressing colony below. All the kids his age were living their lives and enjoying it. He was up here fighting to keep it that way.
Suddenly a taxi pulled up in front of the building. Quatre pressed his face closer to see it. But before he could see who was inside there was a knock on his door.
He sighed and pulled away, "come in."
As the door open Quatre pulled off an imaginary piece of lint off the shoulder of his white dress shirt. He had taken off his vest earlier with the high temperature in the building. The air conditioning still needed to be fixed.
It was his secretary with another reporter. He inwardly sighed and took his seat behind his desk. He glanced at his planner.
"Good afternoon Mr. Harvey. Please sit down."
The reporter gave him a smile that said in a few minutes I'll have you spilling your guts out with information.
He sat down as he smoothed his blue tie that matched his blue business suit that screamed money spender.
His sandy hair was slicked back with gel and his diminutive green eyes were covered with wire-rimmed glasses.
Quatre clasped his hands on the surface of his desk. He stared calmly and indisputably at the older man before him.
The man held a note pad on his lap and a pen in hand.
"Mr. Winner I would just like to ask you a few questions for the colony viewers."
Quatre inwardly glared at the man knowing full well he would dig, scratch rip everything he could to get information. But Quatre was strong willed. Yes maybe he didn't like death, or hated to fight didn't mean he couldn't hold his own in a political fight or anything that subjected to his people and business.
Quatre nodded and waited for him to continue.
The man cleared his throat and spoke up in a manner that demanded answers. He then looked at his notepad as he scratched his upper lip. After careful thinking he tapped it a few times and then asked, "Were you...excuse me...a year ago you were once known as that famous gundam pilot 04 of Sandrock, is that correct?"
Quatre's eyebrows came together as he thought about the right answer for that.
The man slowly looked up at him when no answer came. He raised a single eyebrow waiting patiently.
Quatre stared back at him, and finally he replied, "the best answer for that Mr. Harvey is no. That pilot die..."
Suddenly a knock interrupted them. The door carefully slipped open to reveal his secretary, Mrs. Elms.
Mrs. Elms was a fifty-year-old woman who had been married for thirty-two years. She looked younger than her age with thick brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail with a black scrunchy. Her eyes were beautiful amethyst and small spectacle sat at the bridge of her nose. Her skin was light, and she never wore too much make-up just a little here or there to hide her age.
She wore comfortable clothes ones that fit the code here and her own. A pair of loose fit but not baggy black jeans that made her looked thinner than she was. Her shirt was a regular shirt the color being red. Even in the hot weather she still wore her black knitted sweater that she had made herself.
She held the cordless phone in her hand but still wore a headset.
When she spoke her voice was calm but still demanding. "Sorry to interrupt you Mr. Quatre. But there are two young gentlemen that need to speak with you. They say it's urgent."
Quatre stood, "alright. Mr. Harvey I'll speak with you in one moment. Sarah could you get Mr. Harvey a cup of coffee or tea if he wishes. I'll be back in one moment."
Mrs. Elms nodded and went into the office. In the corner of the room was the tray of treats and drinks.
Duo and Trowa stepped out of the cab. The air was scorching hot. Duo had to air out his jacket but refused to take it off.
The two entered the building but it was no difference.
Duo asked, "Do you think Quatre will be happy to see us?"
Trowa glanced at Duo and really say how bed ragged he was. He hadn't slept in three day two nights. He had to find all the pilots on his own and take them out of their happy lives.
Duo had stuffed his hands in his pockets and let out I sigh, "I didn't think so."
Duo walked up to elevator and glanced at the chart. "Figure's, Quatre office is at the top."
Trowa barely glanced at it he hit the arrow button and the doors dinged. Slowly they opened and the two pilots entered.
Duo hit the top floor button and the doors shut.
Duo turned and looked out the back, which was made of pure glass. It showed the colony out below. Duo sighed softly and mentally smacked himself for being him.
Trowa leaned against the glass and stated, "He most likely will be in a meeting so we'll have to wait."
Duo nodded and watched the children in the park. God he missed it back then.
Ten minutes later the doors dinged and slid open for them.
The room before Quattre's office was nice looking. Oak wood furniture taken care of well, and the carpet was royal blue. The white walls were lined with pictures of all the children of the Winner family. Near the doors to Quattre's office was a portrait of His father and mother.
Duo walked out with Trowa right behind him. Quattre's secretary was behind her desk filing papers.
Duo walked up to her desk and cleared his throat.
She looked up and he noticed that she was much older than him. Most likely in her late 40's but she looked in her early 30's. She did a great job of applying make-up.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt you but, we need to speak with Quatre. It's very important."
The secretary slowly nodded and stood. She walked to the doors and knocked on them. Then she slid inside.
Duo moved away and stared at one of the paintings of Quatre's sisters.
Trowa had vanished from his site, but Duo didn't worry about it.
He heard the door slide open and then shut.
Duo turned and slapped on a happy grin, "Hey Q-man!"
Quatre looked up at him and slowly a smile filtered its way on his young face. "Duo!"
Quatre walked up to him and Duo pulled him into a hug and patted him on the back. "It's good to see ya Q-man."
Quatre nodded as he pulled back, he looked Duo over, "Your hair's grown I think an inch, since I saw you last."
Duo looked at his almost thigh length braid and grinned. "Hey I brought you a friend to play with."
Quatre frowned, "Excuse me."
Duo motioned him to turn around. Quatre slowly turned and his eyes fell on a certain green-eyed pilot.
"Trowa."
"Quatre."
Quatre fidgeted in his spot. The green eyes roamed over his figure before landing on his eyes. "It's been a long time."
Trowa nodded. His arms were crossed over his chest.
Quatre then stated, "Well, I'm sure you both are not here just for a reunion. Why are you here?"
Duo sighed. "Yea. Dr. J asked me to find all of you. We're supposed to go to Earth and enroll into the Peacecraft academy. I only have four days left."
Quatre nodded and looked down, "Alright. I'll pack my things as soon as I can. If you could wait here. I'll join you both in about thirty minutes."
He turned and headed back to his office. 'So much for my answer. I guess pilot 04 didn't die, he's just been waiting, to come back.'
A smile lit Quattre's face; he wasn't going to be alone anymore.
Quatre R. Winner was sitting behind his desk, aka his father's desk.
But after his father's and closest sister's death he had been given his fathers company and the role to take care or the colony.
He was 16 almost 17 years old and never felt so alone then he did right now.
His desk was made of dark oak a rare tree from earth. it was high and came up to his waist when he was seated in the leather black swivel chair.
The carpet under his feet was a royal blue and thick. A rug covered a stain he had made when he was younger. He had spilt his hot chocolate on his father's floor.
The funny thing about it all was that at the same time his father and a loyal friend were trying to find a place to lay down mother's rug.
His father had laughed and said he knew the perfect spot.
It had been there all these years. The rug had been his mother's who had died at giving birth to him. Quatre was the youngest in the family of all 29 of his sisters.
The rug was elegant, with burgundy red, and royal blue with tinges of maroon and gold. The feathery strings were golden color. The designs, where lines with no destination but to follow the other next to it.
Quatre looked away from the rug to gaze at the painting of his father and Mother. He hadn't had the heart to hide it like most would when they mourned someone they loved.
His father was very handsome, and his mother was very pretty. They were both smart and had taken good care of the colony. They gave birth to him, him the only one who wasn't a test tube baby.
Quattre's father had dark brown hair, cut fairly short in the usual commanding type style. His eyes were light blue, that's were he had gained the unusual light blue eyes. All his sister's had gained his mother's eyes but their father's hair.
But Quatre had his mother's hair. A platinum blonde shade, thick and silky. He had kept it short in the back but long in the front where his bangs fell into his eyes. His sister's always said it gave him a boyish look.
His mother had grown her hair out long, reaching down past her waist. He had seen it in that length in most of her pictures and he believed she was beautiful with it that way. He couldn't see her with short hair.
Quatre sighed as he stacked his papers, and cleared off his desk. He was tired, bored and alone. He hadn't slept in three days. The colony could live on its own for several months now and he was alone, because the Gundams weren't needed. And he missed his friends, the other pilots.
Quatre stood and walked to the window of his large office. He looked down at the progressing colony below. All the kids his age were living their lives and enjoying it. He was up here fighting to keep it that way.
Suddenly a taxi pulled up in front of the building. Quatre pressed his face closer to see it. But before he could see who was inside there was a knock on his door.
He sighed and pulled away, "come in."
As the door open Quatre pulled off an imaginary piece of lint off the shoulder of his white dress shirt. He had taken off his vest earlier with the high temperature in the building. The air conditioning still needed to be fixed.
It was his secretary with another reporter. He inwardly sighed and took his seat behind his desk. He glanced at his planner.
"Good afternoon Mr. Harvey. Please sit down."
The reporter gave him a smile that said in a few minutes I'll have you spilling your guts out with information.
He sat down as he smoothed his blue tie that matched his blue business suit that screamed money spender.
His sandy hair was slicked back with gel and his diminutive green eyes were covered with wire-rimmed glasses.
Quatre clasped his hands on the surface of his desk. He stared calmly and indisputably at the older man before him.
The man held a note pad on his lap and a pen in hand.
"Mr. Winner I would just like to ask you a few questions for the colony viewers."
Quatre inwardly glared at the man knowing full well he would dig, scratch rip everything he could to get information. But Quatre was strong willed. Yes maybe he didn't like death, or hated to fight didn't mean he couldn't hold his own in a political fight or anything that subjected to his people and business.
Quatre nodded and waited for him to continue.
The man cleared his throat and spoke up in a manner that demanded answers. He then looked at his notepad as he scratched his upper lip. After careful thinking he tapped it a few times and then asked, "Were you...excuse me...a year ago you were once known as that famous gundam pilot 04 of Sandrock, is that correct?"
Quatre's eyebrows came together as he thought about the right answer for that.
The man slowly looked up at him when no answer came. He raised a single eyebrow waiting patiently.
Quatre stared back at him, and finally he replied, "the best answer for that Mr. Harvey is no. That pilot die..."
Suddenly a knock interrupted them. The door carefully slipped open to reveal his secretary, Mrs. Elms.
Mrs. Elms was a fifty-year-old woman who had been married for thirty-two years. She looked younger than her age with thick brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail with a black scrunchy. Her eyes were beautiful amethyst and small spectacle sat at the bridge of her nose. Her skin was light, and she never wore too much make-up just a little here or there to hide her age.
She wore comfortable clothes ones that fit the code here and her own. A pair of loose fit but not baggy black jeans that made her looked thinner than she was. Her shirt was a regular shirt the color being red. Even in the hot weather she still wore her black knitted sweater that she had made herself.
She held the cordless phone in her hand but still wore a headset.
When she spoke her voice was calm but still demanding. "Sorry to interrupt you Mr. Quatre. But there are two young gentlemen that need to speak with you. They say it's urgent."
Quatre stood, "alright. Mr. Harvey I'll speak with you in one moment. Sarah could you get Mr. Harvey a cup of coffee or tea if he wishes. I'll be back in one moment."
Mrs. Elms nodded and went into the office. In the corner of the room was the tray of treats and drinks.
Duo and Trowa stepped out of the cab. The air was scorching hot. Duo had to air out his jacket but refused to take it off.
The two entered the building but it was no difference.
Duo asked, "Do you think Quatre will be happy to see us?"
Trowa glanced at Duo and really say how bed ragged he was. He hadn't slept in three day two nights. He had to find all the pilots on his own and take them out of their happy lives.
Duo had stuffed his hands in his pockets and let out I sigh, "I didn't think so."
Duo walked up to elevator and glanced at the chart. "Figure's, Quatre office is at the top."
Trowa barely glanced at it he hit the arrow button and the doors dinged. Slowly they opened and the two pilots entered.
Duo hit the top floor button and the doors shut.
Duo turned and looked out the back, which was made of pure glass. It showed the colony out below. Duo sighed softly and mentally smacked himself for being him.
Trowa leaned against the glass and stated, "He most likely will be in a meeting so we'll have to wait."
Duo nodded and watched the children in the park. God he missed it back then.
Ten minutes later the doors dinged and slid open for them.
The room before Quattre's office was nice looking. Oak wood furniture taken care of well, and the carpet was royal blue. The white walls were lined with pictures of all the children of the Winner family. Near the doors to Quattre's office was a portrait of His father and mother.
Duo walked out with Trowa right behind him. Quattre's secretary was behind her desk filing papers.
Duo walked up to her desk and cleared his throat.
She looked up and he noticed that she was much older than him. Most likely in her late 40's but she looked in her early 30's. She did a great job of applying make-up.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt you but, we need to speak with Quatre. It's very important."
The secretary slowly nodded and stood. She walked to the doors and knocked on them. Then she slid inside.
Duo moved away and stared at one of the paintings of Quatre's sisters.
Trowa had vanished from his site, but Duo didn't worry about it.
He heard the door slide open and then shut.
Duo turned and slapped on a happy grin, "Hey Q-man!"
Quatre looked up at him and slowly a smile filtered its way on his young face. "Duo!"
Quatre walked up to him and Duo pulled him into a hug and patted him on the back. "It's good to see ya Q-man."
Quatre nodded as he pulled back, he looked Duo over, "Your hair's grown I think an inch, since I saw you last."
Duo looked at his almost thigh length braid and grinned. "Hey I brought you a friend to play with."
Quatre frowned, "Excuse me."
Duo motioned him to turn around. Quatre slowly turned and his eyes fell on a certain green-eyed pilot.
"Trowa."
"Quatre."
Quatre fidgeted in his spot. The green eyes roamed over his figure before landing on his eyes. "It's been a long time."
Trowa nodded. His arms were crossed over his chest.
Quatre then stated, "Well, I'm sure you both are not here just for a reunion. Why are you here?"
Duo sighed. "Yea. Dr. J asked me to find all of you. We're supposed to go to Earth and enroll into the Peacecraft academy. I only have four days left."
Quatre nodded and looked down, "Alright. I'll pack my things as soon as I can. If you could wait here. I'll join you both in about thirty minutes."
He turned and headed back to his office. 'So much for my answer. I guess pilot 04 didn't die, he's just been waiting, to come back.'
A smile lit Quattre's face; he wasn't going to be alone anymore.