Pairings: If you don't know by now.
Surprises: Plenty.
Genres: Do I really need to remind you?
Warnings: It's inspired by opera. Most of the famous operas in the world are tragedies. Get the hint?
AN: To my supporters. Thanks for the love. The brackets indicate opera libretto.
Gundam Wing: Love Among the Ruins Act 17: Both Sides Now By Sailor Celaeno
"Hilde, you've come quite far. You've finally talked about your unresolved feelings with Duo," observed Dr. Carlyle. "Now we must help you with your relationship with Relena. We must confront those feelings you had." He sighed. "If only I could make Preventer Yuy talk about that"
Hilde gently touched Dr. Carlyle's hand. "Heero was never the sort of man to ever talk about those things. Even if he had tried to talk to you, I don't think even he could truly understand what he was feeling any more than I could understand my own feelings. I can't speak for him, but I can say that he's still trying to make sense of everything"
"Yes, I suppose you're right. Now, please continue your story," Dr. Carlyle said.
"Yes. It had been about a month after Lieutenant Commander Schneider had been assigned to Relena. There were investigations done on Duo's death. Duo is, after all, a war hero and ranking Preventer working on the Mars problem. Relena was overseeing the investigation personally. It went beyond an internal Preventer issue. It was becoming a major concern for ESUN."
"I believe that we are all in agreement that Mars has gotten out of control. As we all know, MOPS has been involved in several firefights with various syndicates intent on gaining control over business in the developing Mars colony. I needn't emphasize the imperative that we stop them. We must expand our efforts to prevent these illegal organizations from gaining control over the local economies of Mars. Undoubtedly, they've gathered intelligence that rivals that of ESUN," Commander Une began her presentation to the Foreign Ministry conference.
The Foreign Minister nodded his head. "Yes. The president as well as the ESUN has demanded more action on the part of Preventers and MOPS. Has there been any progress with your investigation"
"We theorize that there may have been a leak of MOPS activities that resulted in Duo Maxwell's death," replied Relena.
The Minister paused in thought, and he then turned to Une. "Has there been any efforts to find the source of information leakage"
"We are still investigating. We have leads and are actively pursuing them"
"Very well. I will make my own reports to the President. I trust that my Vice Minister will be able to assist your investigations, Commander Une," replied the Minister.
Une bowed slightly. "Of course sir"
"Very well." He gathered his materials and left the room. Several of the other attendees also followed him. It was only Relena and Une left in the room.
I'm anxious to know
"Are you really certain about these leads?" Relena asked Une.
"Quite certain, Minister Dorlian. I assure you that the source of the leads is more than reliable. You can be confident of him," replied Une.
"This is a rather dangerous mission. Can this plan of yours be safe? I'd much rather not bury someone else. Duo was a good man and I will really miss him," Relena looked at her hands sadly.
Une walked over and touched the young diplomat's hands. "I know how you feel. Duo knew what he was getting himself into when he joined the raid. Please believe that what you're doing is the right thing."
The plan seems to me a little rash
"I can't help feeling unsure. After all, many people will have their lives at risk doing this. I just don't know about how I can watch someone do this," Relena stood up. She leaned on the desk. Her arms supported her weight. "But I'm no military expert. I will trust you and recommend your infiltration plan. Just promise me something"
"Yes?" replied Une.
"Find out who is responsible for this mess"
"Of course."
"Commander Merquise"
"Commander Une," Zechs answered.
"Have you been here long?" she asked.
"I only arrived ten minutes ago. Will you be staying long?" he asked.
"I thought I'd pay my respects to Miss Relena. Mariemaia sends her regards. She has a test tomorrow morning. I assured her that Miss Relena and you would understand," she replied.
"You've done wonders with that girl. She's truly your daughter now," he noted.
"Yes." Une cleared her throat. "Have you decided"
"I tried putting off the decision for as long as possible. It does pain me to do this. I hate having to choose for her," Zechs answered.
"You know what you must do," replied Une.
Zechs watched her warily.
"Heero?" Hilde approached Heero's office.
"Yes?" He looked up from the files he was reading.
"Is it true that you're working on the MOPS leakage?" she asked him eagerly.
"It's rather odd that Une would let me work on that," he answered.
"Odd? How is that odd?" Hilde wondered. She was very glad that Heero was investigating because she was sure that he'd tell her anything that he might find. She wanted to know who the bastard was that got Duo killed.
"Une knows the bad blood between us. She normally wants no business or personal conflicts to create distractions. It has me wondering if this was Relena's idea," Heero contemplated as he turned his swivel chair towards his girlfriend.
"Relena? Why would Relena want you to do this?" Hilde was really perplexed at the idea that Relena would purposely want Heero to be responsible.
"It's clearly for one of two reasons. She's giving you and me the chance to resolve our feelings about Duo. But the more probable reason is that she's trying to get rid of me," Heero concluded.
"Get rid of you?" Hilde asked.
"She wants distance from me. She has a new bodyguard and she's avoided talking to me.
I'm only getting memos, voice messages, and her assistants talking to me. Perhaps it is best that I leave her alone. It's hardly productive for me to bother her. There's no reason to ignore the obvious. I suppose this is the best I can do for her and for you," he explained.
Hilde nodded. "You just might be right. If only there was a better way for this to end"
"Cheer up, Hilde. We might find the answers we've been looking for. Duo wouldn't have been stupid enough to get himself killed like that. He's not the sort of guy that would ignore what's important for his own personal feelings," Heero added.
"That was…" she paused. "That was what I loved about him. That's why I love you too"
she replied sadly.
Heero stood up to hug her. "I know. I know."
with you I can spend the time with delight
Dr. Carlyle nodded. "I see. So Heero was sent to investigate and infiltrate the spy among the ranks"
"Naturally I was worried. He'd be doing something dangerous. But then… I reminded myself that this is Heero Yuy. He's been able to do so many impossible things. Of course it still bothers me that somehow Relena must have arranged Une to send Heero. It makes we wonder still if there was some sort of conspiracy," Hilde mused.
we will see arising a strand of smoke
"Conspiracy? What sort of conspiracy?" Carlyle was intrigued at this thought.
"Well in my short experience it wouldn't be so far-fetched that somehow they were manipulating things in the background. Of course at the time this thought never really occurred to me. But I guess it really could be in my imagination. I've become such a bundle of nerves since Relena went into a coma. And even now Heero can't let go of her anymore than I could give up those old feelings of Duo. I really couldn't until Duo was dead," she spoke sadly.
"So then death would resolve his ties with her?" he asked. He wanted her to explain her thoughts.
do you see it?
"Not even death will really end these twisted feelings. Even when we're all dead, they won't really die. They'll linger endlessly because we're not complete. We can't be free because we're not strong enough to live without our messed up feelings for each other. I often suspect that Duo knew this and he left to Mars. He must have known that I am as weak as I am." She ended her soliloquy by holding her head in her hands.
"Is that really your belief?"
yet nobody feels fully happy
"Yes. He knew my love for him was childish. Heero's love for me and Relena is childish too. War turned children into adults. Now they must learn how to love as adults and not like the clinging grasps of a child." She turned her eyes to the doctor's. "Do you see that too"
Dr. Carlyle remained silent. He didn't see a child. He saw a woman.
To be continued…
1) "Dove sono i bei momenti" from "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart A. Mozart
2) "Libiamo, libiamo ne'lieti calici" from "La Traviata" by Giuseppe Verdi
3) "Un Bel di Vedremo" from "Madama Butterfly" by Giacomo Puccini
4) "La Donna e Mobile" from "Rigoletto" by Giuseppe Verdi