Last Resistance to Peace
Chapter 12
by Scarlet Eve
A.C. 204
October
The Colony Alliance formed in A.C. 195 when Romefeller's reach began to extend too far from their usual activities. Two wealthy men met in secret to discuss the formation of a military group to protect the colonies from anyone who would cause them harm. The first man was Field Marshal Noventa, a former member of Romefeller, who defected when he began to suspect the organization was trying to grasp at governmental power. The second, Zayeed Winner, the president and CEO of the Winner Corporation, a massive company with mining and refinement operations all over Earth and space. Remaining secret for three years, Noventa and Winner collected current and former military leaders, recruited soldiers, and built two main bases of operation, and with some creative accounting, built a sizeable army of mobile suits, modified for space battles. Zayeed Winner's corporation, which already had a mining facility on the Moon, allowed a portion of the base to be converted for use by the Alliance. The organization's other base was a ship disguised as a meteor, also a former mining facility.
The process of involving the colony leaders was quiet as well. There were many colony citizens who were also members of Romefeller, and the Alliance's movements had to be kept secret. It was a risk, but one worth taking. The colony leaders needed little persuasion to join the cause, and before A.C. 200, all the colonies in space were united together in the efforts of the Colony Alliance.
They never officially announced their presence, but naturally, Romefeller eventually found out. The organization spread rumors to Earth citizens, though most of the information they spread was false; they were merely using the Colony Alliance as propaganda. It was unclear whether or not the citizens of Earth believed that nonsense. Noventa believed there had to be some Earth leaders who would be unwilling to join Romefeller.
When Queen Relena Peacecraft of the Sanc Kingdom announced that she was joining Romefeller, Noventa and Winner nearly lost all hope.
Worried for the safety of himself and his family, Zayeed Winner gathered up his mobile suit army. His spies informed him that OZ was planning to attack his home city, and that their plan was to send the Gundams. Zayeed instructed only his forty best pilots to accompany him space, while the rest defending his escape from Earth. By the grace of God, he managed to escape under the noses of the Gundams.
"There are not many other pacifist leaders as influential as she," Noventa lamented one evening, during a meeting with Winner and one of his many daughters, Iria. "Many of our allies in the colonies are beginning to lose faith."
"Not with those Gundams around, anyway," Zayeed mumbled. "The only reason Iria and I were able to escape from Earth was from sheer numbers against the Gundams. And now, the forty Maganacs are all I have left."
"And it is taking some time to have them converted for space battles," Iria said. "They were built to function in the desert."
"I'm confident our engineers can complete the conversion before OZ tries to attack the colonies," Noventa said.
"That could be any time," Zayeed said, his frustration with the entire situation very evident. Silence fell for a moment before it was broken by the door to the conference room sliding open. General Dekim Barton stepped inside the room. Dekim was an older man, bald, and with signs of age and tragedy written on his face.
"General Barton," Noventa said, rising from his chair. "What is it?"
"One of our spies has called. She has some irritating news," Dekim said. He stepped to the large vid-screen console and patched the call through. The others in the room turned in their chairs towards the screen. Their spy, Catherine Bloom, appeared on the screen, her curly auburn hair framing her face. Her expression was serious.
"Catherine. What news do you have?" Noventa asked. She saluted.
"We just finished a performance here on L3," she said. "There were men in the audience wearing uniforms that belong to OZ."
"What?"
"I got pictures before they left the grounds," she said. Her face was replaced by pictures of five men, all in OZ uniforms as Catherine stated. The photos showed them watching side-shows and eating circus food. Catherine's face reappeared. "I've already sent the photos over to the intelligence division. I'm going to locate where these soldiers are staying and try to get more information."
Noventa nodded. "Be careful."
"I always am," she said, saluted once more, and terminated the call. The four in the room glanced between each other.
"Looks like you were right, Zayeed," Noveta said, glancing at his friend. "They're already here." Zayeed shook his head.
"Barton," Zayeed said. "Have you found out whether the Gundam pilot Trowa Barton is your missing son or not?" Dekim's expression darkened.
"He is not my son," he said. "A strange coincidence of the same name." Dekim paused a moment and a dark grin formed on his lips. "And you? Is that your son, Quatre?" Zayeed's face paled.
"It is."
A.C. 204
October
Relena stared out at the trees in her gardens, wondering where the summer had gone. The leaves were already changing from green to orange, red, and brown. Her rose bushes dropped their leaves and petals. She closed her eyes, and a memory came unbidden, twisting a feeling of guilt around in her stomach.
During the fall, back when she and Milliardo were small children, they used to cause trouble with the gardeners by jumping into their piles of leaves before they could be swept away from the palace grounds. They used to race each other, see who could make the largest leaf explosion, and roll around, crushing the brittle leaves under their backs. And when the gardeners returned, yelling at them for ruining the leaf piles, Milliardo and Relena would run away into the safety of the palace and beg for hot chocolate.
Now, Relena was trying to stave off war, and her brother was locked in a cell below the palace for breaking into an OZ facility. Their lives, once so innocent, had changed so much.
"Forgive me for disturbing you," Sally Po's voice broke her from her thoughts. Relena opened her eyes. Sally and another young woman had appeared on the path that ran through the gardens. Relena shook her head, clearing her mind of dusty memories.
"What is it?" she asked as she rose from her bench.
"Your majesty, this is Hilde Schbeiker, the soldier from Germany that I informed you of," Sally said, gesturing to the young woman. Hilde bowed.
"Welcome to the Sanc Kingdom," Relena said, returning a short bow.
"Thank you, your highness," Hilde said.
"After Hilde recovered from her escape from Germany, we had her working with the other intelligence officers," Sally continued. Relena forced them all to follow her as she began to walk along the path through the gardens. "She was able to make contact with someone from the Colony Alliance." Relena paused in her walk.
"Who?"
Hilde spoke up. "She was hesitant to tell her name at first, but she eventually told me that her name is Sylvia Noventa."
"Noventa…" Relena murmured. "I know that name."
"Field Marshal Noventa. He used to be part of Romefeller," Hilde explained. "He left in 195. He is now the head of the Colony Alliance."
"So they have a military?" Relena asked.
"Yes. They have a very wealthy financial backer, but Miss Noventa wouldn't tell me his name. She told me that the Alliance was disappointed when you joined Romefeller. I guess they're 'on your side,' so to speak."
Relena frowned. "What else did you learn from this conversation?"
"Contrary to statements released by OZ, the Colony Alliance has no plans to attack Earth. Their only goal is to protect the colonies from OZ rule."
"Well, I guess that removes one problem," Relena said to herself. She released a long sigh. "Sally."
"Yes?"
"You have given Miss Hilde a place to stay?"
"Yes. She's in the officer's quarters at the moment. There are no available beds in the soldier's quarters."
"Give her a rank, then," Relena said and turned her gaze to Hilde. "I don't know how you came in contact with this woman, and I don't want to know. Tell her we appreciate the support. I have a feeling we're going to need their help in the future."
"Of course, your highness," Hilde said. Sally dismissed Hilde, who turned and followed the path back the way they'd come.
"Was there something else?" Relena asked Sally.
"You've been invited to the Romefeller Holiday Ball in Brussels," Sally said, pulling a thick envelope from her pocket. Relena slid out the card and looked over the elaborate script. "I hope you will allow me to accompany you. I do not trust those people." Relena smiled.
"Of course. I shall bring you and Noin. The Sanc guard will be in the city on standby."
Sally appeared relieved. "I shall begin to make the arrangements." Sally excused herself and followed after Hilde.
Relena tilted her head up to look at the sky. The sun was already sinking quickly behind the horizon, and a crisp breeze picked up. Militaries and Gundams and mobile suits and battles. A holiday ball hardly seemed to fit. In a flush of frustration, Relena tore the invitation in two and let the paper scatter into the wind.
-SE