Interlude 08:
(00XX43268, Colony L2 cluster; year unkown):
A small slighty-chubby figure stood in the middle of her house's stone-paved walk way with disdain, her short hair's bangs hung her face, her eyebrows were narrowed while her eyes stared down at her purple insulated jacket. Her rainbow scarf was wrapped tightly around her neck covering her mouth and nose, her father's worn paperboy cap hid her the top of her hair well. Her legs were shaking despite the leg warmers over top her spotted leggings; the pleated school girl skirt wasn't doing anything for her either. Her hands were stuffed in her jacket since she couldn't afford any gloves, her booted feet tapped impatiently and her aquamarine eyes scanned the up and down the street for any signs of him.
If there was one season Hilde hated the most, it was winter. Everything was so cold and dead, there wasn't a single living thing around her that wasn't asleep covered in the simulated winter, Hilde also hated the fact that there was no snow on her colony to at least nullify her deep hate for the winter. Snow always made things more barable in the winter, with its own touch of beauty to complement everything around it.
All Hilde saw was a dreary neighborhood wet with from the unscheduled rain that fell the other day. Hilde sighed her nose twitching happily at the feeling of her hot breath against its cold skin, if only it did the same for her ears. The young girl began to pace up and down the walkway in an attempt to keep frostbite from settling in on her poor-legs.... Hilde paused for a moment picking up on the rattling of an engine.
Could it be... dare she think it....? A sleek blue GTO mustang with a two white stripes going down its back came rolling down the street its headlights illumiated the darkening area ever so slightly as it pulled up toward the curb of the sidewalk. Hilde watched with sparkling eyes as the engine cut off causing the neighborhood to darken slightly and the driver's door swing open, Hilde's breath was caught in her throat when the figure stepped out of the car. His shoulder's slumped from the long hard day his tench coat was looking as though it has seen better times and the figure's face was developing a beard. Nevertheless, Hilde ran out to meet him forgetting all about the cold.
"Papa!" She cried happily running down the path. Mr. Schbeiker looked up from the inside of his car just as he shut the door in time to see Hilde's small figure coming up toward him at top speed, he kneeled down and let her colide with his body embracing in the biggest hug her small arms could muster. "Oh, my little Hilde!" Mr. Schbeiker growled happily rising from the ground. "How are you? Did you miss me?" Hilde pushed her paperboy cap from off of her eyes nodding several times in response to her father's questions.
Mr. Schbeiker took notice of his daughter's rosey and wind-beaten face before planting a kiss on her cheek, Hilde giggled happily as her father climbed up the four stairs to the front door, Hilde clung to her father's shoulders lovingly as he put his key into the hole and turned it unlocking the door. The two of them stepped into the moderately small but comfy house; the hall was a narrow one, the walls were painted a pale orange color, the floor was hardwood red oak, a table resided at the end of the hall with a lamp placed upon it and a small basket to place their keys in. The hall lead to a moderately lavishing living room. A couch was placed up against the wall in the center of the room, two big chairs sat a cross from the room up against the walls at the ends of the living room, a rug sat undernaeath a coffee table, two paintings were above the couch and two chairs and the kitchen was located on the left side of the house at the end of the living room. Mr. Schbeiker placed Hilde on the ground and let her run off ahead of him he smiled, unable to phantom where the endless bounds of energy she had came from.
Hilde ran out of the hall through the living room and into the kitchen were her mother was, standing over the stove tossing cut carrots into the piping hot pot of steaming vegetables. "Mama, Papa's home!" She announced happily. Mrs. Schbeiker looked down at her 10-year-old daughter with a smile before looking upward toward the living room where her husband was pulling his trenchcoat off his shoulders, his hat and scarf lay discarded on the floor. Mrs. Scbeiker sighed in disblief unsure how she put up with that stud of a husband. He was so darn disorderly for her tates at times.
Hilde looked at her mother's marine blue eyes and wondered what she was thinking of when she looked at her father like she did, it always puzzled her. They hardly ever fought and when they did it was either about his constant absence or his overly busy work schedual... maybe bills too. Hilde knew her father was a workaholic it never bothered her one bit because she knew he'd come home every evening. But it bothered her mother to no end, Hilde thought her mother was a bit too clingy to her father sometimes though said nothing of it to either of them. Exiting the kitchen the little girl shrugged her winter attire off her body and untied her shoes the paperboy hat was left on her head.
The 10-year-old rubbed her arms carefully as if they would shatter from the first intinal touch of her hands. Hilde disliked the cold in the winter for more reasons than no snow than she could think of but that was the last thing she wanted to think about right now. All that mattered to her was that her Papa was home and she would be the first one to sit on his lap! With one stretch of her body the little girl rushed out of the hall way and headed toward her father who sat on the couch stratching his head in a most pondering way.
Hilde came up to his side placing her hands on his leg and prepared to lauch herself upward onto his leg but was aburptly shoved back (gentely) by the large hand of her father, her aquamarine eyes looked up at the man in question. Mr. Schbeiker looked upset about something and if Hilde was right; it wasn't about her but his job. "Papa---," Hilde began but was cut off by the entrance of her mother. "Hilde, honey go up stairs, your father and I need to talk about something," Mrs. Schbeiker stated firmly. "In private."
Hilde flinched at the harshness of her mother's voice wondering what she could have done to anger her so. Balling her firsts Hilde raised her arms up to her upper torso in defiance. "But Mama, Daddy just came home and I didn't....," Hilde was cut off again, only this time it was by her father. "Don't argue with your mother, Hilde, just go upstairs," He said with a gentle expression. Hilde blinked for a moment but after a minute of silence Hilde obliged and left the living room to her parents while she headed up the stairs to her bedroom, but instead the young girl decided to listen on her parent's conversation at the top of the stairs.
First she needed it sound like she had gone into her room. Rushing up the last two stairs the young girl trotted over to her door then grabbed the knob. I hope this works. Hilde slammed the door shut making sure she was standing on the un-squeeky part of the floor on the right, her parents were silent for a moment but then she hear her mother. Silently she crouched down and walked over to the balasters where she could see a part of the living room and the hall that would lead them to the back door.
Her mother's voice was angry Mrs. Schbeiker snapped at her father in German once or twice she was in such a rage. Mr. Schbeiker remained silent and listened to his angry wife. "...What......deal! Honesly what were you thinking? Making a deal with this Treize character. Hilde's only a child, what place does she have in the military?!!" The 10-year-old listened to her mother's voice go from angry from anguished and discouraged. "I'm sorry.... I did what I thought was best," Was all that her father was able to say before Mrs. Schbeiker broke down into a crying fit. Hilde decided that she wanted to hear no more; rising to her feet the little girl rushed across the hall floor and into her room wishing she had listened to her parents' orders that time.
The next day Hilde left the house before dawn while her parents were still asleep in their bedroom, she spent all night pondering on what her mother meant by the military and her involvement with it, it seemed highly unlikely that the army would want anything to do with a ten-year-old girl, in fact Hilde thought the entire of idea of her being a solider was quite a laugh. She couldn't even imagine herself with a gun or in a mobile suit let alone fighting for a cause she had no idea about.
Sighing the young girl lowered her paperboy hat shadowing her eyes as several alliance soldiers walked passed her laughing about some sort of woman. "Humph," Hilde grunted throwing her head upward. If there was one thing human she couldn't stand in the world, it was the United Earth Sphere Alliance and there crude conduct when handling the colonists. They were absolutely vulgar towards the citizens of the colony. Oh yes, Hilde despised the Alliance but she wouldn't think like that she wouldn't let them win.
Lowering her head a bit she continued to walk up the sidewalk of her neighborhood falling behind her like a backdrop of a fairtale set in the modern times. Hilde chewed her bottom lip bringing herself to a halt at the bus stop beside the sign that read 'no parking at any time', the little girl smiled amused by the message of the sign. Scratching the back of her neck Hilde looked about her wondering where the public bus was; it was running late again for the second time this month. What could be holding the bus up? She thought scratching her chin. After a long time of waiting she grew weary of waiting and crosssed the street with no trouble at all and headed up to her elementry school but instead of going onto school grounds she decided to just keep walking with every intention of skipping school that day. Hilde simply wasn't up to the challenge of even using her brain that day she had to clear her mind first to ponder on how many times 45 went into 9.
A little after 7:00am Hilde found herself venturing through the park with a look of concern in her eyes. The park was usually bustling with energy and full of people playing with their children or pets along with doing other various activities, but today the park looked as though it had ripped a scene out of sleepy hollow. The trees were wilted with a dead-ish look to them, the grass was moist with the heavy rainfall from the other day, the concreate path she stood suddenly took on a horrible gray tint. The world around her seemed to take on a hellish persona and Hilde thought of only one thing when the air seemed to be screaming directly at her, she was in a nightmare.
Hilde looked about her wide-eyed her heart pounding wildly against her chest. As the screaming became louder and louder she grew confused; Hilde had no idea where the sound was coming from or if it was even coming at her, falling to her knees she bent over and covered her head with her arms just like her mother had taught her. A moment later Hilde left the ground shake and the feeling of heat upon her back made her hair stick upward, Hilde was too scared to even look up; all she heard was gunfire, very loud gunfire that sounded all too abnormal to even be a normal gunfight. "Death to the Alliance!" Came an enraged and distant cry. Hilde's head jerked upward at the mentioning of the Alliance she looked around her too shocked to discover that the once beautiful park had become a rebel's warzone, there were LEO's standing across from where she was and several rebels with machine guns fighting them off in a vain attempt to save their colony from UESA's strangle hold.
Explosions rocked the entire colony beneath her Hilde feared for her life as the machine gunfire from the LEO's became stronger more persistient than ever while the rebels died choking on their own blood as they were killed by the mobile suits. "Don't let up, we have to beat them back! Freedom to all the colonies!" A rebel shouted again. Hilde ducked back under the protection of her arms hoping no one would see her, her body trembled like nothing she had experinced tears began to flow freely down her face in large propotions, Hilde sobbed loudly knowing no one would hear her anyway. She soon fell into unconsciousness.
Hilde brought her hand up above her eyes blocking out the intense gleam of the setting red sun, she stood staring outside a window watching him stalk away from the house toward his partner, his figure looking as shadowed as the ground beneath him. She sighed wondering why she let him go, it wasn't like she could stop him but she wished she had tried harder than she did. His figure vanished behind the gate, his most distinict mark trailing behind him.
"Your all way too kind," She whispered turning away from the window just as the machine's eyes glowed with life and its wing-like sheilds rose from his chest. That's so lonelyHilde paused in her steps for a moment looking at the enviroment around her then at the front door; she was this close to losing her chance to get him to stay and this close to losing it. Yeah. That's road I chose. I can't afford to get the colonies involved in any warClamping her eyes shut in that second, Hilde rushed toward the door and brust out of the house just as the looming shadow took off through the air soaring above the dormant colonly like a non-exsistent shadow that never touched the ground.
That's how you're able to surviveHilde slowed her pace down as he became nothing more than a spect in the distance, forever gone in that same moment she wanted to stop him. "Hey kid are you lost?," Little Hilde turned around and gazed upon the outline of a tall and skinny figure across from her, shadowed by the dusk. "Yes," She replied quietly tugging at her scarf. A ghost of a smile appeared on the man's face, Hilde felt as though she was being examined by the figure but said nothing to him about it. "Are you sure? You look pretty at home here," Hilde frowned indigantly lowering her aquamarine gaze slightly. "No. I'm not," She whispered harshly. "I'm not lying. I am lost. Pleas help me mister!"
The man stepped forward out of the shadows but remained nothing more than a outline of a body, he walked over to Hilde and kneeled down in front of her, she shivered slightly at the touch of his warm hands not realizing her body so cold. She welcomed his touch nonetheless. "Who are you?" She whispered. The figure smiled giving her a bashful shrug. "Don't worry about who I am. You'll find out soon enough. Right now, you need to wake up and go home. It's not safe out here come nighttime," He responded gently, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. His eyes sparkled with a knowing look about them, Hilde nodded gingerly feeling the man's hand press against her shoulders; with a grunt he pushed away from her soaring off the ground as if he were light as a feather, she blinked slowly watching him go higher and higher above her like a angel. "Ja ne," He called waving to her. Hilde smiled and waved back as he became a faded image in her mind.
When Hilde awoke the smell of gun pounder, blood, bruning flesh and a mixture of other assortments assulted her nostrils bringing her back to the land of the living. She groaned realizing she still had her arms over her head and was in the same position when all the choas began. Slolwly the young girl brought herself out of the cramped postion she was in managing to climb to her feet, Hilde looked upward at the metalic walls of the colonly never taking notice of the thick smoke blocking half of her view of the entire colonly walls, she looked down at the ground before her.
Hilde almost swallowed her tongue, her once strong sturdy legs were reduced to jello at the horrible sight that lay before her very eyes, her hands shot upward toward her face clutching the sides of it as she stepped back slowly only to trip over a lumpy object. Hilde had no voice of her own she fell over the fleshy feeling object unable to stand any longer. Countless bodies laid strewn across the ground bloodied and battered by the onslaught of LEO's that now lay amongst the fallen rebels adding onto the body count, many were missing limbs and other body parts vital to live or even move, Hilde's bottom lip trembled at the sheer sight of the carnage in front of her.
"Mama..... Papa...," She whimpered for her parents as she climbed off the dead body of the nameless rebel, she took a step backward. Her feet came in contact with every sort of weapon or body behind her, she wanted to run, her mind was screaming at her telling her to run before something happened to her. Just as she unconsciously gathered up the will to even jog the young German girl colided into someone's legs. The 10-year-old released a smothered scream that had been pinted up inside her, she whirled around then looked up at the tall man before her. His hair was short and a light brown sort of color set off with the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen in her life.
His face was calm unnerved by the slaughtered men although it did carry a slight disturbed expression but it was barely noticable, he wore a sort of a stange attire that looked like something out of the past. Hilde swallowed fearful of what his intentions were as he kneeled down in front of her. "Are you lost, little one?" He asked. Hilde bit down on her lip then nodded flinching slightly as he raised a gloved hand up toward her face to brush the rapidly falling tears from her face. He seemed to notice that she was frightened of him he withdrew his hand slowly so he wouldn't scare her, Hilde swallowed roughly. A long silence lingered over the two as they examined each other; one with curiousity the other fear.
"I'm Treize Kushrenada, its a pleasure to meet you miss...?" He let his words hang in the air hoping she would at least give him a first name. "Hilde--- Schbeiker... are you going to hurt me Mr. Treize..?" She whispered hoarsely. Treize shook his head slowly supressing a chuckle; so this was the girl, the daughter and only child of Hilda Schbeiker, that Henry Schbeiker mentioned in his report. She was far too innocent to even consider to be apart of his future army.
Nevertheless he would take her into careful consideration. "Please allow me to ascort you home, miss Schbeiker," Treize offered lifting her off the ground. "I'm sure your parents are worried about you." Hilde nodding, letting herself lay against his strong upper body allowing him to help her. Treize sighed mentally thankful she didn't reltailate against his offer he looked behind him to find Zechs coming up out of the smoke riddled battle field of the park the blonde stared at Hilde then at his friend arching an eyebrow bearing an inquiring expression. "There's not a single man alive, they killed themselves," Was all Zechs could bring himself to say. "A shame," Treize murmered glancing down at the girl.
Mrs. Schbeiker paced the floor nervously worry taking its toll on her. Hilde had been missing since she woke from her slumber perhaphs even longer. Now it was nearing twelve in the afternoon and Hilde had yet to return home, Hlida was beginning to grow ill with concern. Swallowing hard she stared down at the protable phone in her hand with tearing eyes, her husband had left to go and search for their daughter but he had yet to return and he promised to call soon but there wasn't a ring yet from the phone, Hilda paused for a moment running a single hand through her thick long hair in a way to relieve some of the tension that was growing deep inside her.
Hilda stared at the front door for a breif mintue before remembering she had to make dinner before..... no she couldn't possiblly think her family was going to come home, not right away. "Did I make them angry?" She whispered. There was a knock on the front door, Hilda glanced toward it in question before dropping the phone and rushing toward it. As Hilda unlocked the door she held her breath prepared to recive the bad news if it was her Husband at the door, when she opened the door she wasn't greeted by the saddened face of her husband but two tall young men wearing Alliance uniforms.
She blinked in confusion before spotting Hilde in the blonde young man's arm resting not so much as peacefully but just resting without a expression on her face. Hilda thought she would burst into tears in front of them which didn't bother Treize; he was used to that kind of thing. "Hilde!" She pushed by Treize and reached for Hilde who Zechs handed over while at the same time readying himself for a slap in the face. Hilda embraced her daughter like she would disappear if she loosened her grip. "My baby, your safe...," She whsipered weakly looking up at Treize. The older man straighened up a bit, gesturing to his blonde comrade he spoke;
"I'm Treize Kushrenada, this my friend Zechs Merquise, we found your daughter in the park where a battle had taken place." Hilda opened her mouth to voice her concern but the firm raised hand of Treize silenced her. "She was unhamred.... amazingly," He finished. Hilda swallowed thoughly biting back a sob. "T-thank you Mr. Treize," She replied. Treize gave her a chaming smile but nodded without a word spoken. "I'll take my leave now," He said turning but stopped. Hilda remained where she was when he turned around with a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Do give my regrets to your husband; I will not be recruiting your daughter as a solider of the alliance. What she does with her future is own, good day madam." With that Treize and Zechs turned and headed down the stairs then crossed the street toward the green military jeep that awaited them. Hilda blinked through her tears watching them head down the street before stepping back and shutting the door. She cradled Hilde in her arms heading over toward the couch, she placed the little girl on the couch after she undressed her. "I'm glad your safe, my Hilde.... my sweet Valkyrie," Hilda grabbed a afghan from off the side of the orinment beside the couch and laid it over Hilde's shivering body before setting beside her.
(A.C. 195)
15-year-old Hilde sat in the waiting room her hands entertwined resting upon her lap, she looked down at the OZ uniform she wore feeling a bit unconfortable wearing it. OZ was after all apart of the Alliance, the organization that caused her home so much pain and misery but she was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt; how bad could they be now a days? They were promoting peace instead of violence unlike the reblious Gundams.
Hilde frowned embarrassed to even think she used to support them. It was the blasted Gundam's that were the enemies; it was because of those mobile suits that were they targeted but now OZ was helping them achive their goal of peace and re-stablishment of communication between the colonist. Just think Hilde, you'll be making your parents proud by Joining OZ, especially Papa..... if only you were here now...
A solemn look fell upon Hilde's face at thought of her parents who had long ago had died from the returning of the L2 plague. Half of the entire neighborhood's population had been killed by the virus and it was all because of the Alliance wouldn't give it to those less fortuant than the rich people that fund the colonies. "Bastards," She hissed, just as her name was called. Hilde's ears perked up at the sound of her name she stood up right spotting a woman dressed in a napoleon type OZ uniform coming up toward her holding a clip board in her left hand, Hilde swallowed hard hoping her performance tests wasn't too bad.
Hilde stepped up a bit making the woman's trip toward her slightly shorter, the brown haired woman paused in her steps placing her right hand upon her hip, her lips bore a smug expression. Hilde glowered slightly feeling a bad vibration coming off the woman. Looking down the woman scanned the paper upon the clipboard before looking back up at Hilde. "Hilde Schbeiker, your test pilot #8 if I'm not mistaken," The woman paused. Hilde nodded, the woman sighed and continued.
"From what I've hear, you did better than the rest of the test pilots. Your response time was quiet good, your accuracy with a LEO rifle was 95 actuate and your use of weapons was just as impressive. There was nothing wrong with your background and I have to say I find nothing wrong with these results here in my hand," There was a dramatic pause, Hilde's hands began to sweat from being anxious, was she going be accepted or rejected? Hilde hated the suspsence that hung the air between the two of them, she just wanted an answer. "--- Welcome to OZ, Hilde Schbeiker. I hope we can work together to make a better future for the colonies. My name is Lady Une, I supervise all activty while I'm on this colony," The woman finished. Hilde sighed placing a hand upon her chest before reaching out to shake the woman's hand.
"Thank you ma'am, I promise I won't let you down. You can count on me." Lady Une smiled reaching up and pushing her glasses back upon the bridge of her nose, the lenses reflected the light with such intensity that Hilde actually squinted as a result of the powerful gleam. "Oh, I know you won't," Une replied mysteriously before walking away. "Your first job is to help recruit others into the OZ organization. We can't achive peace with so few soliders in our ranks." Hilde saluted the woman's reteating back before turning and running out of the waiting room, her heart all a flutter. I'll make your proud Mama and Papa.
(Fin. Interlude 08........)