By: Shadow Chaser and Sephy
Chapter 4 – Severed DreamsA cold wind blew by, ruffling up some sand from the endless dunes as far as the naked eye could see. Those dunes stretched out to the farthest reaches of the horizon, but Neo Winner knew that they would end somehow, somewhere. She just didn't care right now. Pulling her dark brown cloak closer to her, she stood on top of one of the dunes, gazing out into the endless sea of sand. It was like a dead battlefield, she thought to herself as another cold breeze blew by, whipping up more sand.
Battlefield…she snorted silently as she stared at the dunes, her mind wandering, but always, she kept a firm grip on her mental powers. She didn't want anyone to find her at the moment. She had a feeling that Xylon Riyet had orchestrated the whole coup d'etat, but she couldn't confirm anything at the moment. All she knew was the arrests had been handed out for her parents, the Gundam Team, Preventer, and Space Force. She had listened on a radio to the Senate hearings and what the new de facto leader, Senator Daemon Hallsfield had proclaimed.
He had said that the Gundam pilots were trying to start a war among the Unified Earth and Colonies, and then they would be able to take over and rule the world. He had claimed that he had evidence within his grasp and he will present the evidence at their trials, followed by a swift execution when they were convicted. Neo had felt her own anger grow within his words, and almost lashed out psychically, but restrained herself as she felt her mother's mental touch, all the way from Paris.
And now, after escaping the Space Academy and leaving Adler behind, she was here in the Sahara Desert, with her Uncle Rashid and the rest of the Maganac Corps, hiding in one of their secret bases underground. She didn't know what to do now. She knew that she couldn't contact any of her family members, lest risking herself to capture and possible execution because of her powers. There wouldn't even be a trial for her. She would be prosecuted under a military court full of her father's enemies. They would blame her for causing so much pain and suffering due to her selfishness, and then the would convict her of the murders of so many innocent soldiers who were brainwashed by Locke Dabnerba.
She let out another silent snort and then glanced down at the ground to see a small desert scorpion walk by her. The scorpion's black exoskeleton was matted with a few grains of sand, dulling its coat, but still, she could see the poison stinger hanging poised and ready to kill a wasp or a tarantula that wandered in its path. Go little one; Neo urged silently to the scorpion, there would be blood everywhere from now on. You will be safe with your family.
She watched as the scorpion scurried off, apparently having heard her warning. She sighed a bit, wishing that she could be that scorpion, only having to worry about food.
"Neo…" the soft, but gruff voice of her Uncle Rashid startled her a bit and she turned around to see him, standing solemnly and quietly, waiting for her. His face showed one of a fatherly look, one waiting for her to become that little girl that she had grown out of.
"Uncle…" Neo nodded a greeting, trying to keep the sudden tears from falling out of her eyes. Suddenly it was as if something had hit the barrier that was keeping all her emotions pent up. She gave a small cry and rushed into her uncle's arms, hugging him tightly around the waist. She cried into his clothes, pouring out all her frustration that she had acquired ever since Adler had forced her onto the shuttle that carried her there.
She could hear him say soothing words to her, but they were muffled as she sniffled loudly. "How could they…how could they…" she whispered over and over again.
It was a long time before she let go of him and stepped back a bit, rubbing her face with her cloak, getting some sand stuck on her cheek, but she didn't care. She glanced up at her uncle, "Thank you…"
"Its okay, Cerelia. I…we know how you feel…" Rashid replied then cleared his throat softly, "the others are waiting for you…"
Neo nodded, and then turned her gaze to the endless sea of dunes, "I am ready. Ready for whatever happens." She then turned around, her jaw set her face grim, and she set out towards the underground Maganac Base. She was done crying for now…now she was ready to fight a war of terrorism and attrition to overthrow the government that had so wronged her whole family.
* * *
She entered the complex and followed Rashid to a podium that was set up in front of the masses of Maganac soldiers that were loyal to her father and family. They cheered loudly as soon as she stepped up to the podium, raising their fists high up in the air and looking up at her small form from their vantage point on the ground near the feet of their mobile suits.
The head of one of the mobile suits came to her line of vision, her eyes exactly on the same plane as with the mobile suits eyes and she glanced back to her uncle who stood in the back, near the shadow of the stand. He gave her a curt nod then gestured slightly to the crowd that was waiting.
Neo had prepared a speech for them, but she couldn't help thinking of the recent events that had befallen everyone. She took a deep breath and waited for the cheering to die down.
"Long ago, you were the secret force Quatre Winner had at his disposal. You were the ones that protected him and fought for the Colonies, for righteous justice and salvation from the hands of Oz," she started as she looked at them sternly. You were the ones that helped my father become who he is today. I need you…
"Now, is another grave time and I must call upon your support again," she continued as she tried to stick her emotions into a wall and shove it close with cement. I need your help. I need your support to help my father and family. The Maganac Corps is the only home I have as of now…
"From what you have heard, this new faction of rebellion has dishonored and disgraced the Winner family. I cannot let this happen any further," she slammed a hand down on the podium and the crowd erupted into cheers. Hallsfield is just playing with all those senators and twisting everything for his gain. I sense something that is behind all this, something that I feel I need to ferret out. The cheers died down after a few minutes and Neo waited until silence once more, reigned the hanger bay.
"I have prepared a speech for all of you, but," she glanced down once more at the sheet of paper in front of her with her jagged handwriting on it, taking some notes and pointers down. Picking the paper up she stared at it, "Speeches are not for soldiers." She ripped the paper apart, tearing it to minute shreds then tossing it to the side of her podium. "I come before as a soldier, a commander, a leader. I come before you to say that we will not stand quietly as this rebellion breaks loose. We must be the ones to restore peace and order ever since Locke Dabnerba started the utter chaos. We stopped Locke, and we will stop this rebellion now."
Cheers once again rose and deafened the hanger bay, as if some explosion had taken place and Neo smiled grimly. She had thought about this ever since the shuttle Adler had built crashed landed in the soft sands, being shot up from the defense missiles all around the Arabian Peninsula she had managed to land herself near one of the Maganac bases. Now, she made a decision.
"My people, I will be conducting sorties over various parts of the world and space colonies. We must strike back hard against this evil!" she shouted towards them, her blood racing as she felt psychically the euphoria of victory rolling over all of the soldiers. It was a very dizzying experience, but she steeled herself to continue, "You also must strike, strike with the hidden power of the Maganacs. Do not worry if I am not to report in after days, I will play a low key in various activities. Now I ask of you, to bare your arms and we shall strike back at those who caused us so much hurt!"
A wave of cheers washed over her words, drowning out whatever her last ones were as they cheered, long and hard, some tossing their turbans and hats up into the air. She smiled, they were going to fight and by Allah they weren't going to falter until every one of those damn bastards was down on his or her knees begging them for their forgiveness.
Stepping away from the podium, Neo beckoned her uncle to come close, "Uncle Rashid, I need you to get a pair of scissors and electric shaver. Bring one of the old Romefeller uniforms that you acquired long ago, make sure it's my size."
"Neo, what-"
"Please, Uncle. No questions yet."
"All right, Neo; I will do as you ask," Rashid left and gestured to both Abdul and Adallah to follow him.
Neo saluted the other high-ranking Maganacs that were on the platform near the podium with her, "Get the men and women ready, and tell them the battle plans."
"Yes sir!" they replied and Neo walked away, the cheers still echoing behind her. She knew what she had to do now, and she knew the dangers of it. I hope the others are safe…Adler…I need your support…
* * *
Reyna heaved up another lung full of the Seine river water, her chest aching in pain as coughs racked her weary body even further, making her bones rattle and shake. The water mostly spilled into the bucket that Tani had provided, but some sloshed over to the side, spilling onto her precious oriental carpet but she knew that her best friend didn't mind the least bit at the moment.
"There, there, Reyna," her friend's soothing words were a comfort to her ears as she coughed then felt tears prick in her eyes. Her friend's small hand rubbed along the spine of her back, giving her the much needed comfort that she felt she could not find at the moment…not since she had fell into the Seine with Val shooting for his life as she watched him, slowly firing the bullets…then water washed over her head, threatening to drown her as she couldn't swim for her life.
"Let it all out Reyna," Tani comforted her as she wiped at her tears angrily. How could she have been so stupid as to not see what Val was planning? Why did he sacrifice himself for her? Did he actually have a plan?
Reyna tried to keep her breathing as even as possible, but all she got was hiccups and tears still rolling down her face. "How…h-how could h-he?" she stuttered between hiccups, "stupid, baka…Val…"
"Reyna," Tani started but she wasn't listening, "Reyna, listen to me…listen!"
She felt Tani's grip on her still sopping wet arm, once draped with towels, but unable to soak the water up, but shook it off as she stood up, feeling her knees wobble a bit. "Leave me alone, Tani," she whispered then started to walk off.
"Sarah Reyna Maxwell! You listen to me good!" Tani's usually squeaky voice was now full of anger and disappointment, "Don't you dare leave my presence when someone is trying to help you, especially me! Val threw you off the bridge for a reason. And I think that reason is to save you, to preserve you. He knew something that we all don't know. He also knew that you would be able to survive and come back, maybe even save him if he is captured!
"Don't you dare turn your back on me, Reyna," Tani's words drilled into her mind and she stopped but refused to look back, "just don't you dare turn. I could have left you out in the Seine, but no. I'm your best friend, someone you grew up with along with Tarrant. Val didn't want you to end up like Tarrant; he wanted you to live, to survive! What do you think Tarrant would have done? Would he have left you out to be captured? Even killed by the enemy?"
With each word that felt like knives in her back, Reyna felt her anger mounting on the inside. No way in hell did Tani have the right to insult Val, her pride, or her brother's memory. She whirled around and stalked towards the petite girl, towering over her as she glared down at her with blazing blue eyes. She didn't even register the loud slap as the palm of her hand met Tani's cheek until there was a growing red mark of the outline of her hand on her best friend's face and Tani's eyes were wide with surprise.
"Don't you dare talk about Tarrant, Tani," she said in a deadly quiet voice, "you'll never know how Tarrant was like during his last moments because you weren't there."
Giving one more measured glare she then turned around and walked to the room where Tani had laid out new clothes for her.
"And where do you think you're going?" Tani called after her and she tensed just as she entered the room. God that girl was being a total bitch at the moment…
"To get Hellfire," she replied then slammed the door close.
* * *
The angry buzz of desert wasps was very close to Neo's ear but she didn't really mind it at all. It was only the electrical shaver that was cutting her once shoulder-length blonde hair into a cropped style. She felt the shaver brush by the back of her head near her neck again and closed her eyes.
It was the same thing all over again, except there was no Locke Dabnerba to fight, just a government that has gone wrong. She knew what she had to do, to help bring down the government, but she hoped that the others would also be doing some form of resistance…if they had not been captured.
She knew that Reyna was in Paris, and on her birthday, such an attack was atrocious…she hoped that the Maxwells were able to escape like Duo's motto I run, I hide, but I never tell a lie…
Val and his family were at the time separated and she knew that Relena Peacecraft-Yuy would be captured in due time, it was just her nature not to put up a fight but settle things peacefully. But Heero would probably go down with a fight and Val would probably escape and see if Reyna is all right…and if she is captured, he will probably break into whatever prison they have in Paris and free her…
She didn't know what Wufei would have reacted, but then again, keeping tabs on the Chinese warrior was hard. He kept popping in and out of places at random times. So they won't be able to find him…
Which left her family, Adler, and Trowa… She bit her lip, as she knew that her father would also surrender peacefully, upholding his pacifist ideals like Relena Peacecraft, but she also knew that her mother would not escape to the Maganac Bases around the Colonies and Earth. She would stay by his side as a protector of her father, doing her duty as a wife and as a Maganac. Which also meant that her brother and sister would also be placed under arrest…
"They are strong Neo. Master Quatre will not let himself die so easily. If need be, he would fight before he is brought down before them," Rashid's voice rumbled above her as he put down the shaver he was working with and picked up pair of scissors. Neo nodded in reply, still keeping her eyes closed.
"But…I fear…" she swallowed past a painful lump that was sitting in her throat.
"Adler will be fine. He's a strong person. He knows that to be captured will mean certain death for him. For your generation of Gundam pilots, being captured will mean the end of you, but for your parents, they will try to use them to influence many others," Rashid replied and she snapped open her eyes as Rashid put the scissor down after cutting a few strands of her hair.
She whirled around and met him with an evened stared, "They won't use them. Not Dad, not anyone."
"Neo," Rashid brushed her shoulders from hair, "they will use them to find you. They will use fear to instill the public to hunt you down. From what I see so far, they're just like Romefeller…"
"Then I guess that's why we Gundam pilots are here," she said in a noncommittal voice then turned around and raised a blonde eyebrow at her mirror reflection, "hello new person…"
"Have you chosen a name to go with your cover?" Rashid asked, taking off the sheet of plastic that covered her body and the green Romefeller uniform that she wore.
"Trent Wynn," Neo replied as she stood up from the chair, giving a quick mental nod to her flattened chest, even though her bust was already quite small, and then turned around. "Thank you Uncle Rashid."
"You're welcome Neo," Rashid replied, a small, but proud smile on his face."
"Its Trent Wynn. Neo will be staying in the shadows of the Maganac Base," she grinned a grin that was a feral look, full of teeth. This new government will see hell when I get there…
* * *
Author's Notes:
Finally done with CH 4. If it's short, sorry about that. But I wanted things to get into the action-oriented position I'm so used to writing right now… Reyna's part will be expanded, in the next chapter. Well, CH 5 will be out roughly near spring, so somewhere along the line I'll be writing a new chapter. Next chapter: Adler's escape and what the other old Gundam pilots are up to! Plus we'll check in with the baddies for their maniacal schemes! ^_^