30 Ways to Conquer Mars
#016 無敵
A.C. 197, February 29, 15:45: 「A Fine Woman」
Gundam Wing © SOTSU AGENCY - SUNRISE - ANB
This is a work of derivative Fanfiction. No claims are made towards the ownership of intellectual rights pertaining to the metaseries.
...
Even without sharing so much as a warm word between them, Zechs and Noin could make anyone feel like a third wheel. And yet, as they stood in silence over the coffee machine, it was as if they were each in their own little world, oblivious to all else.
As Sally watched, Noin passed a steaming mug towards her partner, who caught it before she could realise she had misjudged the counter entirely, and repositioned a second mug before she could pour a stream of hot coffee down its side, neither of them once looking up from the reconnaissance reports in their hands. It was beautiful, like a clockwork dance.
Here the lulling allemande of routine, here a partita of the paperwork blues, and here, the crashing discord that was Lady Une thundering soundlessly in from her morning meeting with Earth Sphere Unified Nations representatives, towards the largest video screen. She clutched a pair of files to her as though they were all that kept her heart from leaping out of her chest, lips pressed into a pale, grim, line, as the monitor warmed up to a middle-aged man wearing what was clearly a toupee.
"...denounced the actions of former OZ Colonel Zechs Merquise, also known as Milliardo Peacecraft of Sanq, and his accomplice, former OZ Lieutenant-Colonel Lucrezia Noin. The pair will be held for crimes against the Earth sphere's unified nations at a date yet to be determined…"
The Preventers' furious leader turned off the news transmission and dumped the blue folders unceremoniously on the nearest desk. All their documents were colour coded: yellow for mission reports, red for mission orders, black for recon information, and blue for personnel information. Normally unfazed under the worst of situations, she had to clear her throat several times for the announcement she knew she had to make, spitting out the words as though they were burning lye.
"Effective immediately, Zechs Merquise and Lucrezia Noin are no longer members of this organization. Earth Sphere leaders have demanded immediate Preventer action securing their arrest, which we have taken under advisement. Regretfully, the fact of the matter is until the Unified Nations' finance committee approves our budget expansion proposals, we simply do not have the resources to spare on pre-emptive measures against two highly skilled ex-OZ officers without credible threat." She cracked a wane smile then, holding both Noin and Zechs' eyes in turn.
"Fire, Wind, you have twenty-four hours to clear out."
Preventer Earth clicked her heels together, executing the elegant officer salute of the Organisation of the Zodiac Specials with precision, and quick-marched into the safety of her office, where her pained tears could fall unwitnessed. This is all she can do for them, now. The rest was up to Zechs-und-Noin, whose team-up was speculated by the Lake Victoria Academy alumni to be singularly invincible, if they could ever stop fighting amongst themselves. "Well," she regarded Trieze's picture, "it's time we put that legend to a test."
Zechs and Noin followed after her, never a word to the other. He knocked on Lady Une's door. She saluted their comrade and commander through the half-opened door, a simple Preventer's gesture. He stepped inside and took Une's unresisting hand.
"It has been a pleasure, madam," He said, pressing a sombre kiss on the back of her hand. "You are a fine woman, Lady Une."
And that was all.
Une's door swung closed slowly on their retreating backs: he picked up their jackets; she pulled out what many have come to know as her "mission bag". He collected the black files they had been reading; she went for the blues lying forgotten on someone's desk. Their own desks were pristine, their movements efficiently orchestrated. It was as if they had always planned to disappear quickly and quietly on some indeterminate day, regardless of the latest politics.
The door clicked shut.
How does one know when to step away and leave the future to those you've built it for? Une moved towards the windows and threw them wide open to let the cold, stark light of the naked February sun in.
...