Author's Note: I guess I took a little longer to update than I wanted to. The week was really busy, with my final project being due for my January class. I also had to move down the hall after my roommate and I realized our styles of living were too different to make living together plausible. It was so much fun not having to shoot out of bed to turn off my alarm that I slept in almost every day this week. I have been sleeping a lot better and going to bed later, all because I no longer have to dim my computer or stop watching Gundam Wing episodes so my roommate can sleep.
School starts on Monday, so I will try updating every Saturday morning. I'll write on Friday from 6-? and I will post the results on Saturday. I may update one more time before school starts if I have time, but it is looking like my next update will be a week from this Friday.
I'll correct the chapter later tonight. It took me a while to write because I had to watch the corresponding Gundam Wing Episodes and do a little research beforehand.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing.
Declaration of War: Farewell, Miliardo
Treize marched into the command center, stopping in the middle of a group of soldiers wearing blue jackets and white pants. Each soldier had a blue hat sporting the Romefeller Foundation's emblem, a gold eagle with its wings outstretched menacingly. Gray computers formed a horseshoe around the room. A panel of keys and levers below each computer allowed the soldiers to monitor the Earth Federation's activity in outer space. Some of the computers were glowing, receiving information about the dispatch of troops from Earth to the resource mine M02. Clear, glass windows allowed Treize to see the flurry of troops filling transport planes, which took off almost immediately after they were full. The soldiers stood at attention as Treize entered, raising their right hand to their forehead in a respectful, military salute.
"What is the status of the troops gathering at M02?" Asked Treize, turning to look out the window. Treize knew it was essential to finish gathering his troops before Zechs attacked. A sense of duty was compelling Treize to rush his task, telling him that the Earth needed his protection against Zech's unpredictable motives. Treize was beginning to think that he could not guarantee Earth's safety during the battle, which was worrying him. Zechs had fired Libra's main cannon recently on Earth, causing severe damage to several remote bases in the Western Hemisphere. Treize knew what the cannon could do, and Zech's previous actions left no doubt in his mind that Zechs would fire the cannon again when necessary. It was imperative that Treize prevent Libra from firing the cannon at all costs, before Zechs could win the war through sheer manpower and advanced mobile doll technology.
The mere thought of letting Zechs win the war with an army of mobile dolls at his side sent a shiver of sadness through Treize's heart. The feeling lodged itself beneath Treize's skin, diverting his attention from the transport planes to the final war's potential outcome. Treize knew that turning the war in his favor depended on his ability to show Earth that Space Taurus's piloted by humans were stronger than a factory of bloodthirsty mobile dolls. Humanity needed to triumph over modern technology. Only then could peace return to Earth, stopping people from worrying about the consequences of their innate desire to fight. Treize would never be satisfied until there was no need for people to fight to declare their beliefs and protect their ideals.
Unfortunately, Zechs was beginning to let the motives underlying his projected declaration of war fuel his actions. Although Treize could only guess at Zech's reasons, he was beginning to think Zechs was fighting on behalf of outer space because Earth could not control its urge to fight. Treize assumed that Zechs thought the colonists' history as rugged pioneers creating technological monuments to their life in space helped them better restrain their emotions than humans. From what Treize recalled about Zechs's beliefs, it wouldn't be out of place for him to assume that Zechs liked how Mobile Dolls lacked humans' emotional capacity. Mobile Dolls wouldn't have the same attachments to people and places that humans would, leaving them with little burdens limiting their ability to fight. Using Mobile Dolls would also free humans to form attachments to outer space instead of fighting wars that would crush their spirit. Humans wouldn't hate outer space like they despised Earth for uniting them under OZ and other dictators. The colonies could become humans' escape from war.
If Treize's line of reasoning was true, he could understand why Zechs had left Earth. Zechs had been betrayed by his faction after his forced resignation from the Romefeller Foundation, which had controlled most of Earth's resources at that moment. Anyone in Zech's position would have felt jaded and hurt, especially if they later saw their kingdom and their one attachment to Earth burn under Oz's fire. What reasons would anyone have to stay on Earth after he had lost his home and his friends? Space would have seemed like a reasonable place for Zechs to rebuild himself and destroy the last vestiges of pacifism preventing him from taking revenge on Earth.
Even though Treize felt sorry for Zechs, he couldn't let Zechs destroy Miliardo Peacecraft's grave. Miliardo Peacecraft had shown Treize that he respected Earth because humans had the potential to change the institutions perpetuating their desire to prolong the war. Treize liked Miliardo's deep understanding of the human nature to fight as a necessary component of human behavior, something that made human participation in battle meaningful. Miliardo had shown Treize that technology piloted by strong men gave heart to people afraid to fight for someone. Mobile Dolls had no one to fight for, which made war nothing more than an endless waste of money and resources. The side that either ran out of Dolls first or made enough tactical blunders would lose the war. No one would understand why the victorious party was fighting until the war was over, making the future of both space and Earth uncertain. Humans had ideals that left no doubt in people's minds about their goals after the war. Miliardo had exemplified the human element in war, proudly backing his desire to mend the rifts caused by the war with the power and prestige of the Peacecraft family name. No one doubted his sincerity to fight because he was fighting for his nation, his miniature Earth. Treize's desire to protect Earth was similar to Miliardo's goals, drawing him toward Miliardo. A bond had formed between them that Treize had been reluctant to sever.
Even though Treize was destroying his friendship with Zechs, he wasn't going to let his memories of his time with Miliardo become a distant point in time. Treize would have no reason to fight if he lost his awareness of his ideals and the role Miliardo had played in shaping them.
A soldier turned toward Treize, looking like he was about to respond to Treize's question. Treize refocused his attention on the task at hand, folding his hands behind his back.
"Sir, the preparations are going well. Units from all around the Earth are gathering at M02 as we speak. Our battle plans are nearly complete."
Treize walked over to a window, turning around to face his soldiers. Most of them had dropped their hand and were readying themselves for the upcoming battle.
"My fellow soldiers!" Knowing that an official declaration of his feelings toward both Earth and Miliardo's crippling defeat at Zech's hands would unofficially start the war, Treize began speaking confidently. "I have every intention of leading you in to this battle. Wars cannot be fought with Mobile Dolls who have no ideals perpetuating their actions. We shall go to Outer Space and show Zechs that we can overcome his army and protect the Earth. I know we all have something to protect that will make this last war worth fighting, if only to prove the futility of sacrifice during battle."
The soldiers raised their right hand in another salute to Treize, looking thoroughly motivated by his speech. Each boy turned eyes saturated with hope toward Treize's retreating form as he headed toward a launch pad.