Disclaimer: Same as always.

Chap. 34

The countryside shone beautifully as the sun settled upon it. Within it, traveling down a fine-laid road, Treize Khusrenada relaxes with a horse-driven coach. His eyes swept the countryside, taking in the marvelous scenery. No one would have ever guessed that he was a renegade soldier fighting a loosing battle. His soldiers were fighting desperately around the world and faring badly. However, Trieze is more focused on the things to come. He has yet to learn the fate of his beloved Lady Une out in space.

Beloved... That was the appropriate term for her. He had come to care about her more than even he realized. He also noticed the changes within her, but he knew that was merely the real 'Lady Une' coming to light. He had seen that in her for a long time and what he saw was someone that would understand his intentions. Much like that dragon tekkaman, Wufei. He sensed that the boy would come to understand his intent as well. He realized this during their duel.

*****

"My name is Wufei."

"Trieze Khuzrenada."

"Finish it."

"It was a good fight."

"If you don't, I come back to get you."

"I hope so. I'll look forward to dueling with you again."

*****

The coach stopped in front of Trieze's estate. Soldiers saluted as he exited and strode toward his abode. Entering inside, he heads to his private chambers to check on the world events. As he watches, he catches note of a recent Radham attack that was thwarted by 'unknown forces', presumably the gundams. Trieze folded his hands together. Despite what had happened to them, they still continue to fight. At times, Trieze wished that he was a tekkaman himself. But he was one of the ones not captured by the Radham and transformed into one of them. His aristocratic life had kept him away from it until the Alliance began to become more heavy-handed. When several colonists planned a rebellion, Trieze saw the opportunity to change mankind's own tragic history. Thus he formed OZ, a complete unit of soldiers who would help him to carry out his objective. But now as things stand, that mission may deter. Worse yet, his enemy are no longer present in his mind. But if the gundams continue to fight, that means that they still have an enemy. They have a clarity that I lack now. Perhaps they may help me yet again.

As he thought these things, he shifted himself over to another monitor. On the screen were data on the tekkamen, both gundam, Space Knight and Radham. He also managed to find a secret document from the first use of the Earth created tekkaman used by the Space Knights. It spoke of several possible upgrading systems. But one in particular was deleted from the files. Fortunately when the scientists were captured, Lady Une managed to find this information and send it to Trieze immediately. Now Trieze could find a way to use it. Seeing that things would only get worse, he would have to rely on the gundam tekkaman once again. These were his thoughts as he gazed at the information reading...

Zero Crystal...

*********************

Aki sat in her office, working on her private terminal. As she typed, her thoughts tried to backtrack to where this all began. When the five boys arrived? No, this had been brewing for a much longer time. Far before the appearance of Dead, before the deadly battles with the Radham when they razed across the Earth. Oh yeah, ever since the moment I met him.

*****

Someone's down there.

Or something.

He's human alright.

Yeah. Question is who is he?

*****

D-Boy. The young man that fell from the sky. More like crashed and burned. The man who would take up the fight against the Radham and the tekkaman warlord, Omega. The man who fought and killed his own flesh and blood in order to protect and save the Earth. The man...that she loved. She had long thought of marriage with him, but they both knew that would take time to happen due to the constantly changing situations. Aki shook her head slightly. She had to focus on the present now. It was important that she complete her work before things move too rapidly. Honda had told her several times to take a break, but she couldn't afford to yet. Not when Romefeller's forces were sweeping all over the world. They will try to conquer everything. Earth, outer space, even them.

She shivered inwardly at the thought of such an occurrence, more because that seemed possible now. That particular fear didn't seem likely before. In the earlier days, the military resented and even threatened the Space Knights on several occasions, but never outright attacked them. Then after the final battle against Tekkaman Omega and in the days of the Alliance, the military had kept their distance from the Space Knights and the Knights had done the same. They didn't work together much, but they had the same goal to defeat the Radham. Now she feared that Romefeller may now take a more aggressive role against them. Romefeller will most likely see them as a threat and try to attack.

Aki brushed the thoughts aside and continued working. D hadn't returned yet, but she still needed to finish this as soon as possible. Afterwards, Honda could start his own work. Aki sighed. She wished that Rebin was still around. She was far better with the computer work than she was, even now. But she'd moved on as everyone else had, taking up a job somewhere in the European area. Millia worked at a research facility until her disappearance. Sadly, Commander Freemen died in a Radham attack some time after his retirement. Noal had disappeared as well. The only ones left where her, Honda, and D-Boy. Nevertheless, the Space Knights remained, although completely different from before thanks to D-Boy's leadership. At its core were the very warriors they were trying to stop. Tekkaman. And they will be more needed than ever now. But not if they were destroyed first. With this mindset, Aki diligently continued her work on several new programs.

Upgrade systems...

*************************

In a country area slowly being rebuilt, a large palace stands in the midst of the town. Standing in front of the window from inside, a young girl watches the activities outside as the kingdom slowly becomes whole. The kingdom that she now reigns over. Under her true name, Relena Peacecraft prepares her own task in promoting total pacifism. But that is far easier said than done. She is aware of the battles taking place in the outside world and promoting pacifism in such an environment is far easier said than done. But still, this was the battle she took up. She just hoped she was strong enough.

"Heero..."

The unconscious whisper echoed through her mind as she thought of the first time she met the mysterious tekkaman.

*****

"Damn, I've been seen."

"You should remain still. You may have internal injuries."

"Emergency crews 5 and 6 go that way. The rest will check inside."

"Don't worry. Help is..."

"Hi. My name is Relena Dorlian. What's yours?"

*****

Relena sighed. Heero had his own battles to fight. But she knew his strength. Sometimes, she felt it as her own and others it felt like a support for her. He would be able to fight on through anything. And so must she. But their battles are different. Heero's fight is against OZ. Hers is against war altogether. She realizes that much of this will not be taken easily, if at all. But she will continue to fulfill the Peacecraft wish. She pulled up her chair and sat down. Sometimes she wished she didn't have to do this. But she was the only one left to carry it out. Her brother felt incapable of taking the task himself. She understood his reasons, but sometimes she just wished that he were here and she could be at his side. But that wasn't going to happen. Her brother...

*****

"Don't worry. I'm not here to harm you. In fact, I came to protect you, Ms. Relena Peacecraft."

"Protect me? Why should I believe that? Who are you?"

"My name is Lucreiza Noin. I was sent...by your brother."

"My...brother?"

"Yes. Like you, he had been in hiding and living with another identity, Zechs Marquise. But he is really Millardo Peacecraft, you older brother. I work with him. He's up there right now fighting the Radham."

"My brother."

"Come on. We have much to discuss."

*****

Millardo Peacecraft. Zechs Marquise. Two names, two lives, but one person. Relena wasn't sure if he was a knight or a soldier now. A protector or a fighter. One day perhaps, I may ask him. But right now, she had other concerns. She stood up again and opened the window this time, stepping out onto the balcony. The day was beautiful. She might as well enjoy it. She closed her eyes and let the wind light graze her as her kingdom slowly came to completion.

The Sank Kingdom...

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Relena begins her mission of peace by discussing her view with Romefeller, but her ideas come up short as Romefeller continues its act of aggression worldwide. But in the midst of this, the gundams continue to fight. Back at the Sank, Relena finds another obstacle in the form of another young woman whose views are completely different from hers. Dorothy Catalona. But an even bigger surprise comes as Yumi Francious also enrolls in the school as well. Next on Gundam Tekkaman- The Heroine of the Battlefield