Silver Friends
Marlene Dietrich: It's the friends you can call up at four a.m. that matter.
Carl Jung: The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.
"Well Lady," Zechs Merquise said standing in Une's living room as night fell. "I suppose this is goodbye."
"I don't see why I have to go to Bern now," Une fumed, a cup of coffee in hand. "It's been more than two weeks since the Dekim uprising was brought down. The danger is past, if they wanted to hide me somewhere to be safe two weeks ago was the proper time."
Irritably she took a sip of hot coffee. Zechs merely smiled at her irritation. He knew Lady Une well.
"It will only be for a week or two," Zechs pointed out logically. "And I'll still be here giving you reports every few hours. How is Mari? Is she still convalescing?"
"Yes," Une nodded. "Sally Po is staying with her and looking after her progress for me. She told me just yesterday that Marimeia will be able to move in with me on base in a few more months."
"She's so much like him," Zechs said with a pained smile. "She has his spirit, however misguided she was. He would be glad to know that his daughter was in good hands."
"Treize-sama would have loved her," Une spoke softly.
They both knew there was no need to test for genetics to see if Marimeia was indeed Treize Khushrenada's daughter. She possessed many of his selfsame qualities but Sally Po had done so anyway and it was nearly one hundred percent positive that she was his biological daughter. Une would love her and care for her as best she could and she had legally named Zechs as Marimeia's guardian should anything happen to her. Zechs had protested such an idea until Une had pointed out that no one knew Treize as well as they did and Marimeia needed to grow up with some of his influence, even if that influence was through other people.
"I'll be counting the days until your return Lady," Zechs stood from his chair. "Don't forget, you leave me here with Noin to contend with."
"Use Wufei as a buffer until I return," Une suggested. "I'm sure he'll understand. You're partners now."
Une brought down her two suitcases and watched as Zechs loaded them into the back of his jeep. He drove her to the airstrip and watched her board the small cargo plane that was bound for Bern.
Une read over dispatches through much of the flight. She did not sleep; sleep was a precious commodity that she could only devote a few hours to at a time. There was always something to be doing. She was greeted by Commandant Williams at the Bern airstrip right next to the base. Une frowned at the sight, her arrival was supposed to be unobtrusive in case of a sniper and Williams was a dead giveaway. She would discuss the shortcoming later with him.
Her two suitcases were driven to an officers barrack a short walk the main building. Fortunately she had use of her own office. Lady Une dismissed Commandant Williams from her side and walked around. She nodded to a few of the night guard and continued on.
"Lady Une?" A slightly familiar voice called out to her. "Is that you?"
She spun around pistol in hand and saw the red hair and bright blue eyes. A familiar site from days long past.
"Lt. Anders?" She smiled briefly putting her sidearm back in its holster. "Is that really you?"
"Yes, ma'am," He grinned. "But I'm only a Sergeant now. I've been with the Preventers for six months now."
"Sergeant Anders," A loud voice bellowed as an angry looking man came jogging over. "Quit bothering the Commander or I'll put you in for a court marshal."
"That won't be necessary," Une broke in smoothly, brown eyes looking over the man. "Lt. Anders served under me as an aide in OZ. I will be transferring him under my direct command and he shall be returning with me to Headquarters."
"Yes ma'am," The Lt. gave a salute and made a hasty retreat.
"Come with me Anders," Une smiled pleasantly. "We have much to discuss for your new position."
Anders had served under Une for several years in OZ. He was the closest person she had to a friend besides Zechs and Noin, people who knew her from before the Preventers. And she remembered Anders, how calm and unruffled he always was and how organized and efficient. Anders was a half Swede half Norwegian with deep russet hair and bright blue eyes.
Carefully Une laid out the details of her problem with Jennifer, how easily flustered the girl became. Anders listened patiently with a sly grin on his face which Une pointedly ignored. Finally after the end of her discussion he agreed to help her out by becoming her new aide. Right away she put him to work going through dispatches and reports. They managed to get through most of the paperwork she had brought with her that night before she dismissed him to get some sleep.
"Will you be sleeping Lady?" He asked pointedly.
"Later," Une was distant, buried in a report.
"I'll stay up as long as you are," Anders insisted to her. "It's only fair."
"Get some sleep Lt.," Une's brown eyes flicked up briefly. "That's an order."
""Lady," Anders did not budge one inch order or not. "Treize would never allow you to work yourself into an early grave. If he's not here to make sure you get some decent sleep than I'll at least make sure he's at ease where your health and welfare are concerned. Don't force me Lady Une."
Une said nothing. She knew he was right, knew that Treize would have never let her work until she was underweight and barely sleeping. He may have never slept but he made sure to stay in shape. Une could not even recall the last time she had picked up a rapier for practice or even when she had been to the gym. There never seemed to be enough time for anything anymore. But there was always mountains of paperwork that never seemed to disappear, instead they seemed to grow larger.
What happened to the elegance Lady? What happened to everything I taught you about power and command? Where did it all go?
She could almost hear his voice now, whispering in her ear. She shuddered. It was almost too close to the truth. No one other than Zechs had dared to challenge her in such a way, had dared to mention Treize so openly with her. Une put the papers down slowly. She could tell that Anders was going to look after her and make sure that she appeared the proper Commander even if she went kicking and screaming.
Une sighed and swept her hair up to the nape of her neck. She stood and stretched her tired and cramped muscles. Sally would kill her if she did not put on a few more pounds. Anders smiled at his success.
"You know I'm right about this Lady," He opened the door to her office and stepped out into the hall with her. "I won't let you overwork yourself. Otherwise you'll burn yourself out in a matter of years when the Preventers need you for a long career."
"I get the point Lt.," Une said walking down the hall to the officers' quarters where she had a room and tiny bathroom to herself. "Where are you staying at?"
"Down the hall," Anders pointed vaguely down the hall. "Wake up time for tomorrow Lady? I don't think they provided you with an alarm so I'll be happy to wake you."
"Wake me at 0630 hours Anders," Une ordered. "I want to inspect this place before returning to my office. You'll be accompanying me and taking down notes so be prepared."
"Yes ma'am," Anders saluted.
Une opened the door and closed it behind her. She heard Anders move off down the hallway. She pushed herself off the door and undid her collar. Une barely managed to kick off her boots before stumbling into bed. She was out before her head touched the scratchy pillowcase.
She woke in the morning to Anders knocking on her door. Une stumbled out of bed and unpacked a crisp clean uniform. Most of her uniforms were modeled after the ones she had worn in OZ, meant to impress for any occasion. Carefully she tied her hair up in two tight buns and slipped her glasses into place, just like her former days in OZ. With pursed lips she strode out the door. Anders did not even blink twice at her familiar appearance and Une allowed her lips to soften ever so slightly in her former version of a smile.
They spent the morning wandering around the Bern base, inspecting the way things were run. Lady Une found most things were run satisfactorily but Commandant Williams did not have the experience that his position required. It was the only thing of any real consequence that she had Anders note before returning to her office. Her secure lines had been installed in the early morning hours and as she walked through the door the line began ringing. Without really thinking she answered it and was greeted with the face of the Vice-Foreign Minister, Relena Darlian Peacecraft.
"Commander Une," Relena bowed her head slightly in greeting. "How are you this morning?"
Lady Une noted how fresh Relena appeared. But then again she could apply her make-up with an expert hand. Une had seen for herself the dark circles the young girl had just miraculously disappear for a press conference an hour later. Relena had no visible blemishes; she was always perfect in front of others.
"Well enough," Une acknowledged with a brief smile. "And how are you Vice-Foreign Minister?"
"Just Relena please," The girl smiled. "I'm well enough. Extremely busy though, but aren't we all? I was wondering if you could give me any information on Dorothy's arrest."
"I know what you know Relena," Une said. "I can try to see if I can get any more information for you."
"Thank you," She relaxed somewhat. "That would greatly help Quatre and me. We're planning a press conference for this weekend so if you find out anything could you notify me right away?"
"Certainly," Une promised the girl. "I hope your words are well received if they're in support of Dorothy."
"Quatre and I are hopeful," She blushed slightly. "Have you found out anything on Heero since he disappeared? I've searched everywhere I could think of but all I've come up with are dead ends. I'm worried about him Commander Une."
"Just Une please," Lady Une requested. "Our people have turned up no new leads. The other Pilots have told me it will be almost impossible to locate Yuy again but we will keep trying."
"Thank you Une," Relena sighed slightly. "It means a lot to me. And how is Marimeia doing?"
"Po says she'll make a full recovery eventually," Une informed her. "She has a good prognosis."
"I'm glad," Relena smiled remembering the fiery little girl. "She's such an intelligent girl."
The two women exchanged a few more pleasantries before Relena had to go. Une could see that the girl still had some growing up to do but she was already making remarkable progress now that she was back in the spotlight.
Her time in Bern was not as long as she had feared it would be. Lady Une remained only four more days on the base before returning to Headquarters. Zechs Merquise was at the airstrip to greet her and Lt. Anders.
"Welcome back Lady," He smiled at her, blond hair blowing slightly in the breeze. "Hello Lt. Anders, it's good to see you again."
"Hello Colonel Merquise, sir," Anders saluted. "It's been a long time."
"So you're Une's replacement assistant?" Zechs asked him while they loaded the luggage into his jeep.
"Yes sir," Anders grinned.
"I hope that you can take a good joke Lt.," Zechs said softly so Une could not overhear. "I like to pull the wire in the intercom so Une doesn't know I'm coming."
"Just give me a hand signal and I'll forget to inform her, sir," Anders whispered back.
"Just Zechs when there's no need for the rank," The platinum haired man climbed into the driver's seat. "All the sir's get repetitive."
"All right Zechs," Anders agreed readily enough. "Just call me Anders then."
Une shook her head at the two of them. Zechs drove her back to her house on base, joking with Anders as he passed by a few jogging officers. Before he could unload her two suitcases Une had them in hand and was marching towards her house. Anders was about to get up and help her but Zechs merely shook his head.
"She wants a little time to herself." He watched as Une opened the door to her house and shut it behind her. "She can manage. I'll show you were some empty quarters are."
He drove the Lt. to a smaller house two blocks away from Une and helped Anders move his few things inside.
"Where are you staying Zechs?" Anders asked conversationally.
"Off base in an apartment," Zechs said. "I have a roommate. He's my partner Chang Wufei, a former Gundam Pilot."
"What's he like?" Anders asked excitedly.
"You'll see when you meet him," Zechs replied vaguely. "It's hard to explain. The Pilots are all enigmas. They fight for what they believe is best for the people and they never give up. All of them are highly trained and as different as night and day from one another. They willingly take on the world's problems, their wars and fight them so others don't have to. They made the biggest sacrifice of all I think. And they paid the highest price for it too."
Anders and Zechs fell silent after that. Speaking about Gundam Pilots who were now allies instead of enemies, kids really, who had given so much could do that to a soldier. They had honor, principles and respect.
"It's good to see you again Zechs," Anders walked him to the door. "Don't be a stranger."
"Never," Zechs said. "You remember how it was back then and you know how it is now. You're different than the others here Anders, you'll see what I mean. Friends?"
Zechs held out his hand and Anders grasped it firmly in his own.
"I swear not to leave you behind," Anders repeated an old battle oath. "Come hell or high water."
"I swear to guard your back through jungle and swamp," Zechs continued on with the oath.
"Time and distance won't change anything," They finished in tangent with grins.
Zechs walked away without a goodbye. Friends never say goodbye.