April 26 AC 201
Une heard the apartment door click shut, but she didn't look up from the cucumber she'd been slicing. It was only Mariemeia-no one else would have been allowed into this part of the building without security first calling ahead to obtain her permission. The life of ESUN's Minister of Prevention was just too valuable, it seemed. Une often found herself rather sinically amused by that concept. She heard her young charge drop her backpack on the floor of the entry hall, kick off her shoes and climb the stairs. No greeting passed between the two, a circumstance that was far from unusual.
At least, I haven't got anything to say. That girl is just so quiet. I don't understand her at all.
Laying aside her knife, Une moved over to the table which was piled high with her own papers and some of Mariemeia's books. She cleared two places by dint of further precarious stacking and sat down in one of the chairs, closing her eyes. Idly, she drew a lock of brown hair through her fingers, and began to toy with it aimlessly.
I wish I knew how to love her-no, I wish I knew how to show her that I love her. I'm not a demonstrative person-not really. I know that children need to be shown affection, but I don't know how. My parents...
she pushed that thought away. There was no use dwelling on the shadows of the past. The trouble now was her own daughter.
I don't know when I started thinking of her as my daughter. Perhaps it's merely wishful thinking, since she is his Excellency Treize's child.. But even though that was all she was to me at first, now...I don't know what I'd do without her.
Une frowned at the oddity of that truth. She and Her slight, copper-headed ward were far from being close, but somehow the child's presence had become an integral part of Une's life.
Would you have known how to be a parent to this silent girl, Mr. Treize?
Probably not, she admitted. Treize had been a born leader, a natural military and tactical genius. But for some reason he had abandoned Leigha Barton and her child. It was the only aspect of her former commander's life that Une often found herself questioning. The rest she understood, but his treatment of his own family seemed to her very unlike the man she had known.
"Lady?"
Une started, glancing at the door. "Yes?"
"Is there any way I can help you?" Advancing into the room, Mariemeia laid yet another book on top of the stack Une had just moved. It looked like a science fiction novel, and Une drew it towards her, intrigued by the picture of what looked to be a golden dragon on the front cover.
"Dragon Flight? Is it any good?"
"Yes, very, but it was written several centuries ago," replied the redhead, sitting down across from Une. After a silent moment she asked, "How was work?"
Une grimaced. "As usual, not very eventful. I'm glad, of course, that ESUN hasn't had to deal with any serious terrorist threats lately, but I must say it makes my job rather boring."
Mariemeia regarded Une soberly, her wide blue eyes showing little emotion, while at the same time speaking volumes.
She looks so wise for her years-if I didn't know her I'd never guess that she was barely eleven. She has her father's face. Doubtless she will be a captivating woman.
Une was surprised. Where had that thought come from? Well, I guess it's not that odd--she's been showing signs of physical development for nearly three months now.
"Lady?"
"Hmmm,"
"Can I help you. You...well, when I passed the door on my way into the living room you looked tired."
Touched, Une replied, "There's not much left to do. That," she indicated the cucumber on the counter, "was the last part of the salad." Rising, she scooped up the slices and deposited them atop a small heap of vegetables already arranged in a glass bowl near the sink. "Dinner's ready, if you want to get some dishes out of the cupboard."
The meal passed silently. Une and Mariemeia sat across from one another, and except for the slight clicking of cutlery the only sound was the soft ticking of an ancient grandfather clock in the living room.
I wish I knew how to talk to her. There's something so secretive about that child-it's not that she's keeping anything from me deliberately. We just can't communicate for some reason. I thought that most pre-adolescent girls were supposed to be difficult. She has almost never argued with me-not since those first few weeks, when she was in the hospital. Perhaps She has too much pride to argue or throw tantrums. Or perhaps that's more of Dekim's influence. These four years have done much to change her outlook, but sometimes I wonder what deep, psychological effects Mariemeia's training with that man had on her.
"It's nice when you're home to cook."
"Thank you." Then, feeling as though she ought to say more, Une added, "I actually enjoy it. I'd take over the job from 'emma if I could, but most nights I just don't have time. However, she is certainly an excellent cook."
"Too bad having a boring job doesn't mean a decrease in paperwork," observed Mariemeia, spearing a piece of chicken on her fork.
Une smiled, but couldn't think of a reply.
*****
I love Friday Nights.
Une closed her book and laid it on the coffee table. Settling back against the couch cushions, she concentrated on relaxing each taught muscle in her back, neck and shoulders. In the adjoining room she could hear mariemeia playing the piano. The lilting melody of an ancient ballad floated through the house, and Une found herself listening, eyes closed, as the notes washed over her, soothing and gentle.
She's so talented. Her mother must have been an artistic person. Mr. Treize loved beauty, especially music, but I don't think he was particularly skilled at producing it himself.
He had never said he loved her-at least, not in so many words. Many of his actions towrd her had hinted at his having a deeper attachment.
Perhaps he believed that any relationship we might have would distract us both from our duties. Or perhaps he was-unsure.
She contemplated that possibility, one hand resting gently on her knee, the other idley tracing the pattern on the apolstry. Treize always seemed to have a plan.
Yet I wonder, did he always follow it as well as he intended to?
And here I am, guardian to his child.
Une's lips twitched. She, of all the soldiers who had fought during the war, had the least conceivable right to take on the care of an orphan. She had been ruthless, heartless, blindly following Treize's orders, many times mistaking his wishes in the heat of her own treacherous emotions.
He told me to be more elegant. I nearly died of shame. Involuntarily, her left hand stole up to caress the spot on her own cheek where she had slapped Noin.
I was jealous of Zechs, jealous of Noin because there recklessness produced a victory for OZ, while my attempts to eliminate Minister Darlian and his daughter-even my attempt to protect Mr. Treize himself-had all been only partially successful. I served him, yes, but there were so many times my actions must have disappointed him. He never showed it though, not as I myself would have if a subordinate of mine had been so careless.
A very flat chord prompted Une to open her eyes. "That was very good," she called, trying to sound encouraging.
"I mess that part up every time." Mariemeia appeared in the doorway, carrying a music book in one hand. Her copper curls were unbound and fell nearly to the shoulders of her red blouse, framing a rather pale face. The child's only distinctive features were her penetrating azure eyes, but they alone were enough to captivate almost anyone's attention.
Before Une could think of a suitable response, the com unit in the front hall beeped loudly. Startled, she rose, half expecting it to be one of the Preventers calling with more bad news. Despite her comments to Mariemeia earlier, Une was considerably disturbed by Wufei and Sally's most recent report. The fact that they had only obtained limited information about the production of mobile suits on Calisto was rather irritating, as she couldn't take any formal action against the plant until its purpose had been clearly determined. However, given the situation, Une could understand why the two had pulled out.
"I'll get it," she said, making her way through the double french doors of the living room into the hall. Their apartment was more like a good-sized house, situated on the top two floors of one building in the extremely attractive complex reserved for government officials in the newly rebuilt city of Brussels. Many of the Senators, Ministers and officials had their own homes in the capitals of their respective nations. However, few had homes in the new ESUN capital city, so a series of elegant, well-secured neighborhoods of apartment complexes had been erected to house them.
Reaching the com, Une toggled the switch that would simultaneously stop the unit's beeping and give her a vid-link with the caller. To her surprise, the face that appeared on her viewscrene was not that of a Preventer, but merely the smiling visage of the building's top on-duty security officer.
"Good evening, Minister. Hope I'm not disturbing you?"
"Not at all, Max. What's up?"
"There's a young woman down here, Ma'am, says she's a Preventer and that she needs to see you."
Une rolled her eyes. "Would you mind putting her on-screen,," she requested, barely managing to keep her tone reasonably civil. Max's image disappeared, and Une shut her eyes, slowly counting to ten.
Who would have the audacity to come over here on a Friday night? Couldn't it wait until Monday? A call would have been one thing, but to come all the way over here. Unless, she thought, it's something extremely serious.
"Forgive my intrusion, Minister."
"Noin."
She wouldn't be here if it wasn't important. Not Noin.
"Is there a problem?"
"I'm not certain. That's why I decided to come tonight, rather than waiting over the weekend. Would you mind if I come up-I have something you might want to see."
Of course," Une responded, then switched off the com. Frowning, she leaned back against it, one hand resting lightly on her hip.
"I wonder what she's found. The last thing any of us needs is another colonial rebellion. At least this time..." She trailed off as Mariemeia poked her head around the door.
"Is something the matter, Lady?"
Une sighed. "No. Noin is headed up to discuss something work-related."
Taking the hint, Mariemeia withdrew. "I'll go feed Tenison," she called, already half-way up the stairs. Une grimaced. She had reluctantly come to accept the child's fondness for reptiles, but the presence of a four foot python in one of the spare rooms still didn't sit quite well with her.
The door to the apartment slid open just as Une heard Mariemeia enter her room. Lucretzia Noin stood framed in the opening, looking damp and more than a little tired.
"I'm sorry to trouble you on a Friday night," she said, casting a slightly apprehensive glance at the former OZ Colonel.
"Don't worry about it. If it was just about anyone else they'd have been sent away by com with a fairly large flea in their ear, but I know you wouldn't have come if it wasn't something that seemed urgent."
Not to mention that you never go out of your way to see me unless you have to.
"Please, leave your coat on that chair and come into the living room." Gesturing with one hand, Une led the way through the double doors, and indicated that Noin should take a seat on the sofa. Settling herself in a large armchair, Une looked expectantly at the darkhaired woman.
"What's up?"
"This," responded Noin, carefully withdrawing a data cylinder from her pants' pocket. "I received a surprise visit from Trowa Barton earlier this evening."
"You're joking!"
"No. I was taken aback as well. He stayed just long enough to give me this," she placed the cylinder on the coffee table, "and to tell me that he received the data it contains several days ago on an untracable tightbeam transmission from L4."
Puzzled, Une picked up the small black object. "Quatre?" she suggested, half to herself. This was certainly not what she had been expecting. Did the former Gundam Pilots still make a habit of keeping track of ESUN security?
"Trowa said probably not." Noin shook her head, looking rather appologetic. "He says they communicate periodically, and that Quatre would have indicated if the information had come directly from him." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand.
"What exactly is the information?" Une inquired, rising. She strode over to the computer terminal, discretely hidden behind a screen in the far corner of the living room. Inserting the cylinder, she waited impatiently while the machine whirred to life.
Coming to stand beside her, Noin replied, "It looked to be a star chart...or at least, a fairly detailed map of this solar system."
As if on cue, the small projection screen on the wall in front of the two women lit up, displaying the image of the solar system. All of the planets were visible, as well as the colonies, the main asteroid belt and all of the inhabited moons.
"Why are some of the settlements marked in color?" Une moved around the terminal and went to stand directly beside the image. "Set this to 3D, will you?"
Noin complied, rapidly keying in the appropriate commands. The image disappeared momentarily, then reappeared as a three dimensional model hovering just above the computer.
"I have no idea why they're marked that way. I was hoping you might have some information I don't."
Une did not respond. She was too absorbed by the task of identifying each of the color coded locations. "colonies in the L5 cluster, L4...Calisto." She frowned.
Judging from Sally Po's last report, there's a mobile suit production factory on Calisto. Could there be more...perhaps concealed in the asteroid colonies.
Absently, she noted that the other colony clusters, as well as Earth and the Mars settlement were unmarked.
Une glanced at Noin, who was regarding her expectantly. "This afternoon, Sally Po got in touch with me-she and Wufei are on Mars, refueling. Apparently, there's a mobile suit production factory on Calisto."
"They're certain?" asked Noin, a worried look entering her violet eyes.
"Unfortunately, they can't get enough proof that isn't circumstantial. I can't take action without direct evidence, and all they found were high pollution levels, some Gundanium and a lot of mechanical noise. They were discovered before thy could be absolutely sure.
"Wasn't the gundanium enough?"
"No. several corporations have begun toexperiment with it's other possible uses, so the mere presence of Gundanium isn't enough to charge them. But the guards at he base had weapons as good as, possibly better than ours, so Sally and Wufei are pretty much convinced they stumbled on some sort of dissident cell. Noin..." Une's gaze came to rest once again on the map. "If all of these," she indicated the locations marked in blue, "are production facilities, we could have a significant problem on our hands."
The two Preventers looked at one another, and Une was certain they were both thinking the same thing. Under ESUN law, the manufacture and distribution of mobile suits, for whatever purpose, was forbidden-even the government was not exempt.
"If they decide to attack-which they must eventually plan to do-we're sitting ducks," said Noin.
"First of all, I'd like to know who "they" are." Une removed the data cylinder
from her computer, unlocked the top desk drawer and placed it carefully inside.
"Remnants of the White Fang?"
"No. I'm fairly certain they were all dealt with after that incident in 196." Une moved slowly to the window. Drawing aside the curtain, she instinctively looked for the stars-the stars that Treize had loved. But rolling storm clouds, reflecting back the city's million lights, obscured her view. For a moment she was silent, just watching the city.
I wanted peace. We all wanted peace. So why must people always try to destroy it. There was a time when I would have asked Treize. Now that option no longer exists-I must resolve this on my own.
Resolutely, Une turned to face her visitor. Noin was watching her, a pensive look in her eyes. "Thank you for bringing this to me promptly, Noin. I'm going to make some phone calls-and I'm going to need to get a team of people to do some research. I'll leave that up to you. I want to know who these people are, what they want, and how much support they have. I'm appalled that we weren't aware of this threat sooner."
"Yes Ma'am!"
Une heard the apartment door click shut, but she didn't look up from the cucumber she'd been slicing. It was only Mariemeia-no one else would have been allowed into this part of the building without security first calling ahead to obtain her permission. The life of ESUN's Minister of Prevention was just too valuable, it seemed. Une often found herself rather sinically amused by that concept. She heard her young charge drop her backpack on the floor of the entry hall, kick off her shoes and climb the stairs. No greeting passed between the two, a circumstance that was far from unusual.
At least, I haven't got anything to say. That girl is just so quiet. I don't understand her at all.
Laying aside her knife, Une moved over to the table which was piled high with her own papers and some of Mariemeia's books. She cleared two places by dint of further precarious stacking and sat down in one of the chairs, closing her eyes. Idly, she drew a lock of brown hair through her fingers, and began to toy with it aimlessly.
I wish I knew how to love her-no, I wish I knew how to show her that I love her. I'm not a demonstrative person-not really. I know that children need to be shown affection, but I don't know how. My parents...
she pushed that thought away. There was no use dwelling on the shadows of the past. The trouble now was her own daughter.
I don't know when I started thinking of her as my daughter. Perhaps it's merely wishful thinking, since she is his Excellency Treize's child.. But even though that was all she was to me at first, now...I don't know what I'd do without her.
Une frowned at the oddity of that truth. She and Her slight, copper-headed ward were far from being close, but somehow the child's presence had become an integral part of Une's life.
Would you have known how to be a parent to this silent girl, Mr. Treize?
Probably not, she admitted. Treize had been a born leader, a natural military and tactical genius. But for some reason he had abandoned Leigha Barton and her child. It was the only aspect of her former commander's life that Une often found herself questioning. The rest she understood, but his treatment of his own family seemed to her very unlike the man she had known.
"Lady?"
Une started, glancing at the door. "Yes?"
"Is there any way I can help you?" Advancing into the room, Mariemeia laid yet another book on top of the stack Une had just moved. It looked like a science fiction novel, and Une drew it towards her, intrigued by the picture of what looked to be a golden dragon on the front cover.
"Dragon Flight? Is it any good?"
"Yes, very, but it was written several centuries ago," replied the redhead, sitting down across from Une. After a silent moment she asked, "How was work?"
Une grimaced. "As usual, not very eventful. I'm glad, of course, that ESUN hasn't had to deal with any serious terrorist threats lately, but I must say it makes my job rather boring."
Mariemeia regarded Une soberly, her wide blue eyes showing little emotion, while at the same time speaking volumes.
She looks so wise for her years-if I didn't know her I'd never guess that she was barely eleven. She has her father's face. Doubtless she will be a captivating woman.
Une was surprised. Where had that thought come from? Well, I guess it's not that odd--she's been showing signs of physical development for nearly three months now.
"Lady?"
"Hmmm,"
"Can I help you. You...well, when I passed the door on my way into the living room you looked tired."
Touched, Une replied, "There's not much left to do. That," she indicated the cucumber on the counter, "was the last part of the salad." Rising, she scooped up the slices and deposited them atop a small heap of vegetables already arranged in a glass bowl near the sink. "Dinner's ready, if you want to get some dishes out of the cupboard."
The meal passed silently. Une and Mariemeia sat across from one another, and except for the slight clicking of cutlery the only sound was the soft ticking of an ancient grandfather clock in the living room.
I wish I knew how to talk to her. There's something so secretive about that child-it's not that she's keeping anything from me deliberately. We just can't communicate for some reason. I thought that most pre-adolescent girls were supposed to be difficult. She has almost never argued with me-not since those first few weeks, when she was in the hospital. Perhaps She has too much pride to argue or throw tantrums. Or perhaps that's more of Dekim's influence. These four years have done much to change her outlook, but sometimes I wonder what deep, psychological effects Mariemeia's training with that man had on her.
"It's nice when you're home to cook."
"Thank you." Then, feeling as though she ought to say more, Une added, "I actually enjoy it. I'd take over the job from 'emma if I could, but most nights I just don't have time. However, she is certainly an excellent cook."
"Too bad having a boring job doesn't mean a decrease in paperwork," observed Mariemeia, spearing a piece of chicken on her fork.
Une smiled, but couldn't think of a reply.
*****
I love Friday Nights.
Une closed her book and laid it on the coffee table. Settling back against the couch cushions, she concentrated on relaxing each taught muscle in her back, neck and shoulders. In the adjoining room she could hear mariemeia playing the piano. The lilting melody of an ancient ballad floated through the house, and Une found herself listening, eyes closed, as the notes washed over her, soothing and gentle.
She's so talented. Her mother must have been an artistic person. Mr. Treize loved beauty, especially music, but I don't think he was particularly skilled at producing it himself.
He had never said he loved her-at least, not in so many words. Many of his actions towrd her had hinted at his having a deeper attachment.
Perhaps he believed that any relationship we might have would distract us both from our duties. Or perhaps he was-unsure.
She contemplated that possibility, one hand resting gently on her knee, the other idley tracing the pattern on the apolstry. Treize always seemed to have a plan.
Yet I wonder, did he always follow it as well as he intended to?
And here I am, guardian to his child.
Une's lips twitched. She, of all the soldiers who had fought during the war, had the least conceivable right to take on the care of an orphan. She had been ruthless, heartless, blindly following Treize's orders, many times mistaking his wishes in the heat of her own treacherous emotions.
He told me to be more elegant. I nearly died of shame. Involuntarily, her left hand stole up to caress the spot on her own cheek where she had slapped Noin.
I was jealous of Zechs, jealous of Noin because there recklessness produced a victory for OZ, while my attempts to eliminate Minister Darlian and his daughter-even my attempt to protect Mr. Treize himself-had all been only partially successful. I served him, yes, but there were so many times my actions must have disappointed him. He never showed it though, not as I myself would have if a subordinate of mine had been so careless.
A very flat chord prompted Une to open her eyes. "That was very good," she called, trying to sound encouraging.
"I mess that part up every time." Mariemeia appeared in the doorway, carrying a music book in one hand. Her copper curls were unbound and fell nearly to the shoulders of her red blouse, framing a rather pale face. The child's only distinctive features were her penetrating azure eyes, but they alone were enough to captivate almost anyone's attention.
Before Une could think of a suitable response, the com unit in the front hall beeped loudly. Startled, she rose, half expecting it to be one of the Preventers calling with more bad news. Despite her comments to Mariemeia earlier, Une was considerably disturbed by Wufei and Sally's most recent report. The fact that they had only obtained limited information about the production of mobile suits on Calisto was rather irritating, as she couldn't take any formal action against the plant until its purpose had been clearly determined. However, given the situation, Une could understand why the two had pulled out.
"I'll get it," she said, making her way through the double french doors of the living room into the hall. Their apartment was more like a good-sized house, situated on the top two floors of one building in the extremely attractive complex reserved for government officials in the newly rebuilt city of Brussels. Many of the Senators, Ministers and officials had their own homes in the capitals of their respective nations. However, few had homes in the new ESUN capital city, so a series of elegant, well-secured neighborhoods of apartment complexes had been erected to house them.
Reaching the com, Une toggled the switch that would simultaneously stop the unit's beeping and give her a vid-link with the caller. To her surprise, the face that appeared on her viewscrene was not that of a Preventer, but merely the smiling visage of the building's top on-duty security officer.
"Good evening, Minister. Hope I'm not disturbing you?"
"Not at all, Max. What's up?"
"There's a young woman down here, Ma'am, says she's a Preventer and that she needs to see you."
Une rolled her eyes. "Would you mind putting her on-screen,," she requested, barely managing to keep her tone reasonably civil. Max's image disappeared, and Une shut her eyes, slowly counting to ten.
Who would have the audacity to come over here on a Friday night? Couldn't it wait until Monday? A call would have been one thing, but to come all the way over here. Unless, she thought, it's something extremely serious.
"Forgive my intrusion, Minister."
"Noin."
She wouldn't be here if it wasn't important. Not Noin.
"Is there a problem?"
"I'm not certain. That's why I decided to come tonight, rather than waiting over the weekend. Would you mind if I come up-I have something you might want to see."
Of course," Une responded, then switched off the com. Frowning, she leaned back against it, one hand resting lightly on her hip.
"I wonder what she's found. The last thing any of us needs is another colonial rebellion. At least this time..." She trailed off as Mariemeia poked her head around the door.
"Is something the matter, Lady?"
Une sighed. "No. Noin is headed up to discuss something work-related."
Taking the hint, Mariemeia withdrew. "I'll go feed Tenison," she called, already half-way up the stairs. Une grimaced. She had reluctantly come to accept the child's fondness for reptiles, but the presence of a four foot python in one of the spare rooms still didn't sit quite well with her.
The door to the apartment slid open just as Une heard Mariemeia enter her room. Lucretzia Noin stood framed in the opening, looking damp and more than a little tired.
"I'm sorry to trouble you on a Friday night," she said, casting a slightly apprehensive glance at the former OZ Colonel.
"Don't worry about it. If it was just about anyone else they'd have been sent away by com with a fairly large flea in their ear, but I know you wouldn't have come if it wasn't something that seemed urgent."
Not to mention that you never go out of your way to see me unless you have to.
"Please, leave your coat on that chair and come into the living room." Gesturing with one hand, Une led the way through the double doors, and indicated that Noin should take a seat on the sofa. Settling herself in a large armchair, Une looked expectantly at the darkhaired woman.
"What's up?"
"This," responded Noin, carefully withdrawing a data cylinder from her pants' pocket. "I received a surprise visit from Trowa Barton earlier this evening."
"You're joking!"
"No. I was taken aback as well. He stayed just long enough to give me this," she placed the cylinder on the coffee table, "and to tell me that he received the data it contains several days ago on an untracable tightbeam transmission from L4."
Puzzled, Une picked up the small black object. "Quatre?" she suggested, half to herself. This was certainly not what she had been expecting. Did the former Gundam Pilots still make a habit of keeping track of ESUN security?
"Trowa said probably not." Noin shook her head, looking rather appologetic. "He says they communicate periodically, and that Quatre would have indicated if the information had come directly from him." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand.
"What exactly is the information?" Une inquired, rising. She strode over to the computer terminal, discretely hidden behind a screen in the far corner of the living room. Inserting the cylinder, she waited impatiently while the machine whirred to life.
Coming to stand beside her, Noin replied, "It looked to be a star chart...or at least, a fairly detailed map of this solar system."
As if on cue, the small projection screen on the wall in front of the two women lit up, displaying the image of the solar system. All of the planets were visible, as well as the colonies, the main asteroid belt and all of the inhabited moons.
"Why are some of the settlements marked in color?" Une moved around the terminal and went to stand directly beside the image. "Set this to 3D, will you?"
Noin complied, rapidly keying in the appropriate commands. The image disappeared momentarily, then reappeared as a three dimensional model hovering just above the computer.
"I have no idea why they're marked that way. I was hoping you might have some information I don't."
Une did not respond. She was too absorbed by the task of identifying each of the color coded locations. "colonies in the L5 cluster, L4...Calisto." She frowned.
Judging from Sally Po's last report, there's a mobile suit production factory on Calisto. Could there be more...perhaps concealed in the asteroid colonies.
Absently, she noted that the other colony clusters, as well as Earth and the Mars settlement were unmarked.
Une glanced at Noin, who was regarding her expectantly. "This afternoon, Sally Po got in touch with me-she and Wufei are on Mars, refueling. Apparently, there's a mobile suit production factory on Calisto."
"They're certain?" asked Noin, a worried look entering her violet eyes.
"Unfortunately, they can't get enough proof that isn't circumstantial. I can't take action without direct evidence, and all they found were high pollution levels, some Gundanium and a lot of mechanical noise. They were discovered before thy could be absolutely sure.
"Wasn't the gundanium enough?"
"No. several corporations have begun toexperiment with it's other possible uses, so the mere presence of Gundanium isn't enough to charge them. But the guards at he base had weapons as good as, possibly better than ours, so Sally and Wufei are pretty much convinced they stumbled on some sort of dissident cell. Noin..." Une's gaze came to rest once again on the map. "If all of these," she indicated the locations marked in blue, "are production facilities, we could have a significant problem on our hands."
The two Preventers looked at one another, and Une was certain they were both thinking the same thing. Under ESUN law, the manufacture and distribution of mobile suits, for whatever purpose, was forbidden-even the government was not exempt.
"If they decide to attack-which they must eventually plan to do-we're sitting ducks," said Noin.
"First of all, I'd like to know who "they" are." Une removed the data cylinder
from her computer, unlocked the top desk drawer and placed it carefully inside.
"Remnants of the White Fang?"
"No. I'm fairly certain they were all dealt with after that incident in 196." Une moved slowly to the window. Drawing aside the curtain, she instinctively looked for the stars-the stars that Treize had loved. But rolling storm clouds, reflecting back the city's million lights, obscured her view. For a moment she was silent, just watching the city.
I wanted peace. We all wanted peace. So why must people always try to destroy it. There was a time when I would have asked Treize. Now that option no longer exists-I must resolve this on my own.
Resolutely, Une turned to face her visitor. Noin was watching her, a pensive look in her eyes. "Thank you for bringing this to me promptly, Noin. I'm going to make some phone calls-and I'm going to need to get a team of people to do some research. I'll leave that up to you. I want to know who these people are, what they want, and how much support they have. I'm appalled that we weren't aware of this threat sooner."
"Yes Ma'am!"