AN Hello, my loyal fans (hm... don't get too cocky there, Dannee). Time for another update. Sorry
I'm late again. But Christmas is coming so I'll have at least more time. Hope I'll also have
inspiration, but I can't call on that. It comes of its own volition. Bit of a shame really, but I
may come up with a one-shot ar something. And I'm still working on four, five other Gundam Wing
fics and I-don't-know-how-many-other fics So any inspiration will be used, just maybe not on this
story. But I solemny swear I will do my best. Reviews are great encouragement. hint, hint
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Under Pressure
Chapter 15
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dorothy sighed and leaned back in her chair. Over a secured channel Quatre had told her a
few days ago Relena was regaining consciousness. There was still no sign of Wufei or Sally, though.
She was worried about what could have happened to them.
Her eyes wandered back to her computer screen. She knew the words by heart now, but she
read them all the same.
Dear Miss Dorothy,
What a long time it has been since I last saw you. In fact, you couldn't have been older
then eleven years. Surprising how time flies, isn't it?
I must apologize for not offering my condolences when your grandfather unhappily passed
away. I know such a delicate and sensitive young woman like yourself must have been
tricken with grief.
I will not dwell on this subject, so as not to recall so many unpleasant memories. However,
it is your grandfather's legacy I am most interested in. You see, the great Duke Dermail
owned quite an impressive private library, the subjects of his books stretching from ancient
literature to modern science. I understand most of it has been sold or donated to the most
prestigious public libraries and Universities of both Earth and the colonies. A noble
gesture to spread the grand Duke's knowledge among the human race.
It is the Duke's private records, also stored at the aforesaid library, that captured my
attention. Who else, but the Duke's own granddaughter would possess them now? I asked myself.
It is my desire to have the chance to looking into them. Would you grant me that opportunity,
my dearest Miss Dorothy?
Signed,
Count Edward Fielding.
Dorothy knew very well what private records the man meant and she would never hand them over.
They were stored away safely on several data disks, heavily encrypted, locked away in the international
Bank of Earth, Africa branch. No-one would think to look for them there. They held information too
dangerous to be handed out to anyone. They might become of some use, some day, though.
She remembered this Edward Fielding. He was in every way as much a nobleman as her grandfather
had been, which was all the more reason not to hand over those documents. Even her childhood impression
of him spoke of self-centeredness and conceit. The man loved war as much as she had feigned to do.
He was a typical aristocrat, who only loved his money more than he loved himself. No doubt he
thought war would be profitable to him. There was some truth in that, materialistically speaking,
because he owned one of the largest weapon factories in the world. It was supposedly dismantled as all
weapon factories were, but she rated his intellect high enough for him to be able to hide some branch
that could easily be active again.
Was that what drove people to silently excite a war? Money? Was that what all those people died
for, soldiers and civilians alike? Fools. They didn't know. They didn't want to see the horrors war
caused, they only saw dollar signs.
When are people going to learn, war is only pain? She had experienced it firsthand. Had all the
trouble and pain Zechs, Relena and the Gundam pilots, and even herself, been in vain? Had Mr. Treize
died for nothing? And what about Mariemeia? The girl was not only proof even the most twisted and
corrupted mind could be healed, she had also risked her life to save the peace she had recognized
to be more important than war. Why couldn't other people learn as well?
And now it looked like somebody had actually taken the first steps to war. Relena had survived
the assassination, but publicly she was dead in order to assure her safety. It was a difficult decision
made by Lady Une and Zechs. Relena dead meant risking an all out panic, but Relena alive meant she was
in even more danger and then she would need the protection of some if not all the Gundam pilots, and
then they wouldn't be able to concentrate fully on finding the ones responsible for the assassination.
Should she call the Preventers about this email? No, she was just being paranoid. No matter
how much this idiotic Count loved war, that didn't necessarily mean he was behind all this. But maybe
she could call Quatre. That would also give her an excuse to talk to him again. Not that she needed
that, both the excuse and the talking to him. But it would be nice to hear his voice again.
~~~~~~
"No, we have to find Wufei and Sally first. Any action we undertake against this group, will
endanger them."
Everyone agreed with Noin's words, but Trowa couldn't stop himself from saying, "Would we do
the same if they were not our close friends?"
Silence rang.
"Of course we would," Quatre answered.
Trowa shook his head. "Face it, you guys. We don't want to bail them out, because those guys
may hurt them if we attack, we want them out because they are our friends. Therefore, we cannot use
a Preventer team to get them out. Not that we would need them. But if we do this, it's our responsibility.
We cannot involve a government agency in a personal mission."
"He's right," Heero's voice sounded.
Trowa looked up at where the man stood. Heero had become even more quiet than he usually was. He
had not said a word to anyone unless it was absolutely necessary, until Relena had woken up. He seemed to
blame himself for Relena's injuries. Though even Zechs had said that wasn't true. The man had even thanked
his former enemy for saving his sisters life. Heero hadn't listened. Trowa silently wondered when the man
would ever stop paining himself.
"We cannot involve the Preventers in a personal rescue operation. We have to do this alone," the
Japanese continued.
"But we still need them," Duo chimed in. "Without their intelligence we can't find out where
they're being held. We need whatever information the Preventers can gather about this group."
Lady Une shook her head. "We don't have much more than what Wufei has brought us, and since that's
not ours, you can use it as well. Besides that, I thought you Gundam pilots were so good at hacking into
computer systems." She cocked an eyebrow at that, making Quatre blush a little.
Suddenly Duo slammed his fist on the table. "That's it! Hacking!"
Everyone stared at him blankly. Trowa shifted his shoulders irritably. Why would the American never
say straight out what was on his mind?
"Look, you guys. These bases have to stay in touch somehow, right? Otherwise they're no more than
a few gangs with the same goal and they'll get in each other's way. So, they have to communicate in a way,
right?"
Trowa had a feel as to where hen was getting at.
"And every comm signal can be intercepted. So, all we have to do is scrounge those disks of Wufei
for more data, maybe even revisit the base in Tibet, and then we can trace their communication and locate
them," Duo finished triumphantly.
"And what do you suggest we do then?" Heero said in his usual dark tone. "Visit all the bases and
ask if they're the ones holding Wufei, and Sally?"
Duo's smile faltered a bit.
Trowa frowned and scratched his head. Duo's idea was in essentials a good one, but Heero had quickly
put his finger on the problem. Even if they could locate their bases with the information gathered from
intercepted communication, that still left them with the problem what base they had to attack.
"Whether we can discover their location or not," Lady Une spoke up again, "spying on their comm
signals will be of use. I'll put Intelligence on it."
"But what about Wufei and Sally?" Zechs joined in on the conversation.
"We can't leave them," Trowa said quietly. He agreed on Quatre with that. He just wasn't sure about
the risk. They shouldn't all be trapped. With this new threat the Gundam pilots were needed again, even though
they didn't have their Gundams anymore.
"I know," sounded Heero gruff voice again. "So we have to figure out where they are and how we get
them out."
Lady Une frowned. "Was Sally wearing her uniform?"
"Yes," Heero said. "We didn't take the time to change. Why?"
"Because our officer's uniforms are bugged in the insignias."
"Now you're telling!" Duo exploded.
Trowa had to agree with him. Though he wasn't one to explode in such a manner. So Preventers's
whereabouts were monitored. That certainly gave them something to work on. "How accurate can you pinpoint
their location?" he asked.
"From here, about two to three hundred kilometers radius. For a more precise location you need to
be closer, of course. It's more of a life signal than anything else. It will tell if she's alive, but only
her and only that and only if she's wearing it. If Wufei is at a different base, then we can't find him."
"First things first," Quatre chimed in. "Let's see if we can find them. Then we'll worry about the
exact location and if Wufei is where Sally is."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN As said before, please review? I may update sooner because of it. You never know...
I'm late again. But Christmas is coming so I'll have at least more time. Hope I'll also have
inspiration, but I can't call on that. It comes of its own volition. Bit of a shame really, but I
may come up with a one-shot ar something. And I'm still working on four, five other Gundam Wing
fics and I-don't-know-how-many-other fics So any inspiration will be used, just maybe not on this
story. But I solemny swear I will do my best. Reviews are great encouragement. hint, hint
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Under Pressure
Chapter 15
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dorothy sighed and leaned back in her chair. Over a secured channel Quatre had told her a
few days ago Relena was regaining consciousness. There was still no sign of Wufei or Sally, though.
She was worried about what could have happened to them.
Her eyes wandered back to her computer screen. She knew the words by heart now, but she
read them all the same.
Dear Miss Dorothy,
What a long time it has been since I last saw you. In fact, you couldn't have been older
then eleven years. Surprising how time flies, isn't it?
I must apologize for not offering my condolences when your grandfather unhappily passed
away. I know such a delicate and sensitive young woman like yourself must have been
tricken with grief.
I will not dwell on this subject, so as not to recall so many unpleasant memories. However,
it is your grandfather's legacy I am most interested in. You see, the great Duke Dermail
owned quite an impressive private library, the subjects of his books stretching from ancient
literature to modern science. I understand most of it has been sold or donated to the most
prestigious public libraries and Universities of both Earth and the colonies. A noble
gesture to spread the grand Duke's knowledge among the human race.
It is the Duke's private records, also stored at the aforesaid library, that captured my
attention. Who else, but the Duke's own granddaughter would possess them now? I asked myself.
It is my desire to have the chance to looking into them. Would you grant me that opportunity,
my dearest Miss Dorothy?
Signed,
Count Edward Fielding.
Dorothy knew very well what private records the man meant and she would never hand them over.
They were stored away safely on several data disks, heavily encrypted, locked away in the international
Bank of Earth, Africa branch. No-one would think to look for them there. They held information too
dangerous to be handed out to anyone. They might become of some use, some day, though.
She remembered this Edward Fielding. He was in every way as much a nobleman as her grandfather
had been, which was all the more reason not to hand over those documents. Even her childhood impression
of him spoke of self-centeredness and conceit. The man loved war as much as she had feigned to do.
He was a typical aristocrat, who only loved his money more than he loved himself. No doubt he
thought war would be profitable to him. There was some truth in that, materialistically speaking,
because he owned one of the largest weapon factories in the world. It was supposedly dismantled as all
weapon factories were, but she rated his intellect high enough for him to be able to hide some branch
that could easily be active again.
Was that what drove people to silently excite a war? Money? Was that what all those people died
for, soldiers and civilians alike? Fools. They didn't know. They didn't want to see the horrors war
caused, they only saw dollar signs.
When are people going to learn, war is only pain? She had experienced it firsthand. Had all the
trouble and pain Zechs, Relena and the Gundam pilots, and even herself, been in vain? Had Mr. Treize
died for nothing? And what about Mariemeia? The girl was not only proof even the most twisted and
corrupted mind could be healed, she had also risked her life to save the peace she had recognized
to be more important than war. Why couldn't other people learn as well?
And now it looked like somebody had actually taken the first steps to war. Relena had survived
the assassination, but publicly she was dead in order to assure her safety. It was a difficult decision
made by Lady Une and Zechs. Relena dead meant risking an all out panic, but Relena alive meant she was
in even more danger and then she would need the protection of some if not all the Gundam pilots, and
then they wouldn't be able to concentrate fully on finding the ones responsible for the assassination.
Should she call the Preventers about this email? No, she was just being paranoid. No matter
how much this idiotic Count loved war, that didn't necessarily mean he was behind all this. But maybe
she could call Quatre. That would also give her an excuse to talk to him again. Not that she needed
that, both the excuse and the talking to him. But it would be nice to hear his voice again.
~~~~~~
"No, we have to find Wufei and Sally first. Any action we undertake against this group, will
endanger them."
Everyone agreed with Noin's words, but Trowa couldn't stop himself from saying, "Would we do
the same if they were not our close friends?"
Silence rang.
"Of course we would," Quatre answered.
Trowa shook his head. "Face it, you guys. We don't want to bail them out, because those guys
may hurt them if we attack, we want them out because they are our friends. Therefore, we cannot use
a Preventer team to get them out. Not that we would need them. But if we do this, it's our responsibility.
We cannot involve a government agency in a personal mission."
"He's right," Heero's voice sounded.
Trowa looked up at where the man stood. Heero had become even more quiet than he usually was. He
had not said a word to anyone unless it was absolutely necessary, until Relena had woken up. He seemed to
blame himself for Relena's injuries. Though even Zechs had said that wasn't true. The man had even thanked
his former enemy for saving his sisters life. Heero hadn't listened. Trowa silently wondered when the man
would ever stop paining himself.
"We cannot involve the Preventers in a personal rescue operation. We have to do this alone," the
Japanese continued.
"But we still need them," Duo chimed in. "Without their intelligence we can't find out where
they're being held. We need whatever information the Preventers can gather about this group."
Lady Une shook her head. "We don't have much more than what Wufei has brought us, and since that's
not ours, you can use it as well. Besides that, I thought you Gundam pilots were so good at hacking into
computer systems." She cocked an eyebrow at that, making Quatre blush a little.
Suddenly Duo slammed his fist on the table. "That's it! Hacking!"
Everyone stared at him blankly. Trowa shifted his shoulders irritably. Why would the American never
say straight out what was on his mind?
"Look, you guys. These bases have to stay in touch somehow, right? Otherwise they're no more than
a few gangs with the same goal and they'll get in each other's way. So, they have to communicate in a way,
right?"
Trowa had a feel as to where hen was getting at.
"And every comm signal can be intercepted. So, all we have to do is scrounge those disks of Wufei
for more data, maybe even revisit the base in Tibet, and then we can trace their communication and locate
them," Duo finished triumphantly.
"And what do you suggest we do then?" Heero said in his usual dark tone. "Visit all the bases and
ask if they're the ones holding Wufei, and Sally?"
Duo's smile faltered a bit.
Trowa frowned and scratched his head. Duo's idea was in essentials a good one, but Heero had quickly
put his finger on the problem. Even if they could locate their bases with the information gathered from
intercepted communication, that still left them with the problem what base they had to attack.
"Whether we can discover their location or not," Lady Une spoke up again, "spying on their comm
signals will be of use. I'll put Intelligence on it."
"But what about Wufei and Sally?" Zechs joined in on the conversation.
"We can't leave them," Trowa said quietly. He agreed on Quatre with that. He just wasn't sure about
the risk. They shouldn't all be trapped. With this new threat the Gundam pilots were needed again, even though
they didn't have their Gundams anymore.
"I know," sounded Heero gruff voice again. "So we have to figure out where they are and how we get
them out."
Lady Une frowned. "Was Sally wearing her uniform?"
"Yes," Heero said. "We didn't take the time to change. Why?"
"Because our officer's uniforms are bugged in the insignias."
"Now you're telling!" Duo exploded.
Trowa had to agree with him. Though he wasn't one to explode in such a manner. So Preventers's
whereabouts were monitored. That certainly gave them something to work on. "How accurate can you pinpoint
their location?" he asked.
"From here, about two to three hundred kilometers radius. For a more precise location you need to
be closer, of course. It's more of a life signal than anything else. It will tell if she's alive, but only
her and only that and only if she's wearing it. If Wufei is at a different base, then we can't find him."
"First things first," Quatre chimed in. "Let's see if we can find them. Then we'll worry about the
exact location and if Wufei is where Sally is."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN As said before, please review? I may update sooner because of it. You never know...