Wufei's Colony
Wufei stared at his mirror. Hate filled his heart for RTL. This was an absolute catastrophe. He was left with no other option though. If he waited, then the trouble would just get deeper. What he was doing was already terrible enough for the colony, but it would prevent war. The Long colony, the original one, had long since been destroyed. Only a few of the original residents weren't sacrificed that day. Their will power and the need to preserve their culture (as well as the coming together of peaceful government missions) came together and founded another colony.
Not many. A small town size. At first, Wufei hadn't even known until he discovered the roots of them. When he did, he went back and stayed there to support it. Over time, just like before, it would become known as the Long colony again. However. The Zhang colony had been unaffected. They were thirty times the size of the Long now at least. In the past, Wufei's colony could have easily taken them out if need be. Now? A war with them would be only foolish pride and end in a savage defeat.
So, this simple matter of a woman and a child? The wrong step, and every last original descendant from Colony AO206, could be wiped out. They now lived on A0206-1, many times the one being left out, to feel more like home. Everyone yearned for their original home. No one wanted to risk losing everything all over again.
Wufei dressed in his finest white outfit. The best impression he could give. Heero had waited on Relena, and because he hadn't ran to her, she was now looking at a twenty year sentence, at least. Now that she ran, probably more. If he learned anything from watching Heero, it was that he better not wait anymore. No matter how painful it would be. Delay would not improve the matter.
Wufei left his home and off of his colony to a shuttle. No one was happy that knew what he was about to do. The Long clan area had been moved to the colonies hundreds of years ago, to live and survive. They had become powerful in Eurasia and seemed like a threat. His colony was not the only one who was 'a threat' though. The Zhang family had been too. The Long and Zhang's, both were powerful on Earth in their time. Therefore, both did not get along well. That sense of dissonance was held in space, both colonies never interfering with one another.
They had been close to war in their histories on Eurasia. That dissonance in the stars helped to keep them from that. But now? He was about to go see someone in that colony who was carrying a child that rightfully belonged on his colony. The father often had rule on matters, and this should be no different. Except, it had been. The Zhang colony wouldn't be happy about an outsider taking someone from them. If they came, it would be like squashing bugs. Many of them probably didn't even know a Long colony still existed.
As he told Heero, he would have to be careful. As respectful as he could while still not dischampioning his colony too.
The Zhang Colony
As Wufei arrived and stated his name, they didn't catch on at first. His last name was Chang, not Long. The rulers were not the only ones dragged to the stars. When he got access and came out though for people to physically see him. It didn't take long for others to notice he shouldn't be there. He already heard whispers that he shouldn't exist. He reached no farther than the gates before the trouble started.
Gentle. "I am here for the woman, Wang Mei-Lin." He carried her last name first respectively.
"Who are you?" One of them demanded. "Your dress suggests something that is dead and forgotten."
Dead and forgotten, why this- no, he had to be careful. Respectful. "My name is Chang Wufei." He tried to get them to bend. "I am here about Wang Mei-Lin's imprisonment."
"Good because that's not a problem," they answered, "She's free now. They found the real culprit. She's supposed to be getting married today."
Oh no. If she got married, the intensity would be unstoppable. RTL would have caused a dangerous war, and there would have been no preventing it. Thousands of lives sacrificed in the name of a child not even born yet! Colony pride verses what they could handle. They were not on equal grounds. "I need to speak to the husband. I assume Zhang Li." They were still not letting him in. "If you don't let me into the colony, I will find another way in. I am peacefully asking."
One of them had enough sense. Wufei could enter, for one hour, with the escort of a guard.
Back in the ceremonial wear, Mei-Lin prepared herself to take on the role of wife now. The suspect on the video had been found and would be in prison soon. Real prints that would have exonerated her faster, if her husband to-be had been supportive, had been found. She was safe and sound. She took her position gracefully in front of him. At least you know he will be a terrible husband. A decent provider, but don't let yourself fall into trouble. He will not help. It would bring her into the Zhang's though and her children would be safe and respected. The arrangement once official would keep her in good fortune unless she did something reprehensible. Since Li knew the child wasn't his and was still going through with the arrangement, he would not be able to protest it later. The best school, the highest honors, the marriage would provide everything she needed. I will be more honorable to him than he ever will be to me. Still, she greeted him with that smile that first made him take notice of her.
Mei-Hua, his family's second choice, watched the proceedings with one nasty scowl. Vile thing was trying to win Li over while she was in prison. At least Li didn't give up so far as to go with Mei-Hua. It wasn't hard to see who would be the lovelier wife.
A small curl at the end of Mei-Lin's smile, a nice reminder how she was so genteel on the outside, yet not so fragile on the inside. Everything was finally coming together until-
"Stop!"
Mei-Lin watched as a man, all dressed in white, approached them. No not just a white garb, a flowing white garb designed specifically not of their culture. That would never be found on the Zhang colony. It should be extinct.
"What is the meaning of this?" Li asked the foreigner. "Who are you?" He noticed the difference in robes too. "That's impossible. You are from the Long colony?"
"I am." The stranger didn't deny it. Nor would he or he wouldn't have worn the clothes that represented his colony.
"He is here on urgent business," a guard said next to him. "An urgent matter that required meeting Wang Mei-Lin."
"This marriage will not take place," the foreigner demanded. "It will create a war between our colonies."
What? She did not even know him and the Long colony was extinct. Wasn't it? Li was, of course, instantly looking toward her with those same eyes as before. Accusing. "I don't know him."
"Then why does he want to stop this marriage?"
"Ask me instead of the woman," the man replied. "My name is Chang Wufei."
Chang Wufei. She didn't know anyone from the fallen Long colony but that name was familiar. Like a whisper on the wind.
"You were a Gundam pilot." Li had found the answer before her in her mind. "You are the last remaining colonist of the Long colony. Are you an honored guest here I was unaware of?"
"You don't listen very well," Chang Wufei accused him. "Pay attention. I said this marriage cannot take place. I did not say I knew the woman nor did I bring up my history." He gestured toward Mei-Lin. "There is a rebel group who call themselves Revenge of the Lost. They are the ones responsible for your recent pregnancy, as well as the corpse found in your room."
Oh. Mei-Lin did not like where this was headed. This? This had better not be.
"Created for the sole purpose of war between us." He had to say those words. He had to say them toward her as well. His glance turned back to Li. "To prevent war. Give her to the Long colony."
The only sound Mei-Lin made was her customary head dressing jingling from side to side as she made sense of it all. What did this rebel group have to do with her?
"Wait." Li gestured toward Chang Wufei. "I understand how you survived, but what do you mean Long colony?"
Chang Wufei did not want to be as forthcoming about that. "Colony A0206 was recreated from the descendants of the original that had not been there the day it was destroyed."
"Hm. This Revenge of the Lost?" Li continued to question. "How do you know this for sure?"
"You said yourself you've heard of me, Zhang Li," Chang Wufei reminded him. "If you are going to make a war, make it with the biggest impact."
Li looked annoyed, but he didn't back down. "Do you know the chances of artificial-"
"I'm not an idiot!" The man had a fury himself. Mei-Lin could see that. "They had access to technology that isn't out to the public yet. With it, yes, it's a one-time deal. Now stop trying to hide the pregnancy like I'm an idle moron who wouldn't know before I came. She was jailed for the murder, but judged for the pregnancy too." He raised an eyebrow toward Li. "Do we really need to bring blood tests into this?"
Li groaned and grabbed Mei-Lin's arm and shoved her in front. "Go with him."
Mei-Lin watched as Mei-Hua was right there, ready to take her ceremonial garbs for her wedding. No! "Take the man if you wish, but you will not confiscate my family's sacred robing." There was little left for her now. She was about to be taken to a foreign colony to prevent war. Rebelling would only bring shame and problems with it, but if Mei-Hua expected such a gesture as giving her family's ceremonial outfit, she was not getting it!
"Women," Li muttered. "Trying to prevent war and all they think of is clothes. Mei-Lin, forget the robes, and go to Chang Wufei."
Her family. Her acquaintances. Anyone she had ever known. To leave as a resident from the Zhang colony to the Long meant she was abandoning her colony. She was trying to come to terms with it all, but if there was one thing she was not giving up? It was her robes.
"Wang Mei-Lin!"
Chang Wufei raised his voice towards her. She would have to get used to it. If she was in fact carrying his child, her fault or not, he would be her future. She looked toward him.
"I will be here half an hour and no more. Say goodbye to your family, pick up one suitcase of clothes, and meet me at the nearest shuttle area." Then, he started to walk away. He stopped to look back at Li. "Leave Wang Mei-Lin her robes and make the other woman find her own. If she was ready, then she'd be ready. If not, set another date." Then, he continued to walk off.
Medical Colony
Give it up to Heero Yuy, he may have been a terrible burden ruining Relena's life with the press right now, but he seemed to be right about her medication. Dorothy's throat felt better than ever. Oh, Miss Relena would be okay. The press got so anxious sometimes. She could have proved them all wrong if Heero hadn't played big shot and intervened. Now Relena was holed up somewhere in the colony, unable to enjoy its luxuries. How unfortunate. Meanwhile, she sucked on her cold drink. Not very long and she'd probably be just fine. Nursing her health and enjoying the colony, she found a hotel to relax in. She kept her eyes out for Relena if she came for help, but it seemed Heero was tending to her still.
Oh well. At least they were getting quality time with each other.
An emergency room. An emergency situation. Even if he hadn't planned for it. Heero always went with one bedroom though, expecting to just pull himself out of a jam. He would have to start getting a bigger room. Like Odin did with him. Relena looked around the room, probably surprised he had it and they weren't running through the streets. That's what he was counting on the authorities thinking too. She had used up a good portion of the front of the small memo pad, asking simple questions he easily answered, including why he asked for Quatre.
"It's a medical colony," Heero answered her. "He has better sway." He moved to the corner over by the computer and started to dig into the information. "He's also the father of Dorothy Catalonia's unborn." Yeah, that got a small reaction too. He knew about the pregnancy and the abortion details, he didn't need to hear the press' opinion on that. No, what he wanted to know was what they knew about him. RTL had given them information on his past. They knew about Odin Lowe. He tried to dig in deeper, but so far, news just broke. No one was deep enough.
He had managed to keep things about himself quiet, even when he was the 'acclaimed Gundam pilot'. Who was in charge of RTL? Who was Crystalia? "Don't go near the window." She was getting restless and starting to move around. "Relax. They won't find us." She probably still had thousands of questions. Of which, he didn't have many answers to.
"My mother?"
She was using her voice. He got the hint. Relena was good at keeping calm in many situations. Her pacifist words usually made a difference. This time, her words meant nothing. She couldn't use them. She was unaware of why she was being used. All she wanted in the world, was to talk to her mother. "Eventually." Not yet. Too dangerous. They would be focusing in on Miss Dorlain, questioning her about everything. The less she knew, the better and safer Relena's mother would stay. He watched her nod. Good. Except, not good. This whole situation wasn't good.
Unless RTL or the doctor relented the truth, Relena's career and reputation was dashed to pieces. They were on the run though, so neither of those things would be happening. Duties. He wasn't unused to new duties being placed on him. Duties. Giving him something to do. It made it easier to find a reason to keep going. He moved away from the computer. "Lie down on the bed. I'll get you something cold to eat." A nearby local store would probably have something. Although he was on the news, he should be able to snag something real quick in the back. If the situation got bad, he could fight his way out and run until he wasn't followed anymore.
It wasn't real hard to find a place. The cold area was in the back so he snagged something and got out. He kept himself fairly concealed without being too suspicious and headed back. He went to the room, locked the door, placed all of the cold bars in the little fridge area, and then gave her one. "Eat."
She didn't feel like eating.
He continued to hold it out. She was going to eat. Recovery would be hard for someone like her until he got some real medication not laced with anything.
She accepted it this time. Still defunct. About being lied to, about her career, about the pregnancy, or any combination of things.
He went back over to the computer. Her whole life had been over. How had Odin handled that? When he was just a kid. Assurance. That had meant a great deal to him. He didn't know what he'd been doing, just an orphan of the colonies. Not fully self-sufficient yet. Odin taught him how to survive, how to hold and shoot a gun. Everything he knew to that day was due to him. Assurance. "You'll stay with me. It's too dangerous out there alone and you are carrying my unborn. As long as you follow my lead and any contracts we receive, we'll be fine."
He didn't know if that made her feel any better or not. She seemed to be willing to eat her bar a little better. It'd be hours before Quatre arrived. Maybe even tomorrow. The Winner family should be able to gain access into a medical colony without looking suspicious. Once he boarded, he could get her out. The press wouldn't catch up quick enough to his colony would they? Or should they go all the way back to Earth. Getting trapped on colonies was harder to get out of than getting trapped on Earth. He had no real connections on Earth, no current contracts he was fulfilling down there.
Then again, if any kind of emergency broke out, Relena would be trapped up there. Her family having been all born and raised on Earth, pregnancy would be hard on her. Risk of complications rose while she was up there. It was best to get back to Earth. He still had old contacts that might need something done. In fact, he should probably call out as soon as they started to head out. He could use a hotel room system until he was ready.
He looked back over to the bed. She ate the bar and went fast to sleep. Her body wasn't used to everything they did that day, nor should it be doing all that. She wasn't a couple of weeks pregnant, she had been a couple of months. Similar to that woman, Mei-Lin Wang. Hopefully Wufei took his advice and moved fast. Come on, Quatre.
That Evening
"I'll join you soon," Quatre said to Heero and Relena. He had got them aboard one of the shuttles he went up in with the Maguanacs. They pretended to be picking up medical supplies. Relena didn't look so good and he doubted Heero said much to her about it. They probably spent the night hiding in alleys. He didn't know. The temperature was always decent in the colonies, but he doubted it was in any way more comfortable. Not that he could criticize, he still needed to confront Dorothy Catalonia. He went over toward Rasid. "Take the first shuttle and head out. They should get out as soon as possible."
Dorothy wasn't in the area she was in yesterday. She must be feeling better. That was good. Quatre wandered around briefly as shocking new developments started to come on the screens. An emergency. Oh no. Was this going to be RTL doing something like they did with Heero? He needed to hurry up and find Dorothy Catalonia. He moved through the streets and through the shops, sharing her picture to try and find her faster. Finally getting a positive, he started to head southward. She was just walking around, so it shouldn't be too hard to- "Dorothy?"
It was one of those moments Heero just suffered. Dorothy was in the middle of being arrested. There wasn't anyone around though, they were trying to do it quietly. She wasn't a celebrity like Relena and she wasn't even fighting back, quietly going with it. "Hang on!" Maybe he could get it straightened out? "What are you arresting her for?"
Dorothy tried to keep her head up. "Apparently even though I was on Earth at the time, I'm responsible for killing a man in the colonies."
"Your fingerprints were found," one of the authorities said. "Come on."
Framed for murder. Even her fingerprints were planted at the scene. Two people. He looked at her. She had no idea what was going on either, but she didn't think it was a huge deal. It would prove to be false, just someone setting her up. Fingerprints could be faked and video could easily prove she was on Earth at the time. However, the RTL didn't goof around with Relena Dorlain. They didn't goof around. It could get sorted out. It should. Getting involved would lead to bad things. Except, once again? RTL didn't goof around. His thoughts bounced back and forth. She'd been sick. How often did she leave her house? Could they manipulate her own security camera dates? Isn't that the only real proof? No, he couldn't risk it. No matter how simple it seemed.
He apologized before he took out the two authorities, grabbed one of their pairs of keys, undid her cuffs and started to run with her.
"Quatre Raberba Winner, what are you doing?" She complained. "This will only make me look guilty!"
"The people who set you up are very good," Quatre responded. "This isn't the time to assume justice is on your side. Hurry up and follow me to my shuttle!"
