Despite keeping an eye out for her cousin, she doesn't see her again after Minister Kurzin's lecture. Instead, she trails Lady Une to the energy presentation put on by a team from L2. She spends most of the presentation doodling in the margins of her notebook and people watching. The meeting runs over when a representative from L5's outer colonies starts a debate. Mariemaia watches the man dispassionately. He has the same clear, clipped vowels as Wufei, but he looks young and far too idealistic for this type of thing.

"He'll be eaten alive," she murmurs to Lady Une.

Lady Une shakes her head, leaning close to whisper back. "He'll find his footing. They usually do." She pauses, eyes watching the exchange between the frustrated Twos and the infuriated Fiver. "You were like that, once, not so long ago."

Mariemaia snorts, straightens the sleeves of her cardigan. "I was never that desperate."

"Of course not."

They take a late lunch in the dining room. A few delegates and representatives nod toward their table, or pause when passing to speak with Lady Une. Mariemaia watches each one approach as she slurps her soup and ignores Lady Une's pointed looks in her direction.

Minister Underwood lasts two slurps before glowering at her from under bushy brown brows. Vice Education Minister Lee twitches with each slurp, but does not turn to look at her. After Vice Education Minister Lee departs, a woman in a finely tailored suit approaches. She glances at Mariemaia on the second slurp, eyes bright and lips painted a brilliant red. Mariemaia meets her gaze evenly and the woman smiles. "This one," she tells Lady Une, "will keep you on your toes."

"She already does," Lady Une replies.

"Good." She turns back to Lady Une, presses a hand to her shoulder and squeezes lightly. "We will catch up when you have time. It's good to see you again, Addie."

"And you, Eva."

Mariemaia watches the woman leave before turning back to her guardian, eyebrow raised. "Addie?"

"Mm." Lady Une doesn't look up from the journal next to her, finger running down her schedule. "Eat your soup, Mariemaia."

Mariemaia rolls her eyes and shreds the roll of brown bread in front of her. The food is palatable, and a bit nostalgic, but she finds she misses the food on Earth. "I haven't seen that woman before."

"You wouldn't have," Lady Une states. She looks up and eyes the dismantled dinner roll. "Lady Volkova."

Mariemaia waits, but Lady Une simply takes a sip of the white wine in front of her. "Well?" she demands. "Who was she?"

"She was one of your father's Specials. From an old family."

"I don't remember a Volkova in Romefeller."

"Because there wasn't." Lady Une folds her napkin, setting it down on the table. "The Volkovas disagreed with Romefeller's policies. Your father was quite pleased when Eva agreed to join his team."

Mariemaia cranes her neck, sees the woman speaking with Minister Underwood near the doors to the dining hall. "She doesn't look like a soldier."

"No? That's very narrow minded of you. Soldiers come in all sorts of shapes."

Mariemaia taps her fingers against the linen tablecloth, soup forgotten. She eyes the woman's honey blonde hair and delicate frame, the finely tailored suit in dark wool and the eye-catching red lipstick. "She was a spy?"

"She was a soldier." Lady Une closes her notebook, drawing Mariemaia's attention. "I have meetings this afternoon. You'll be alright on your own? Or, I can call Tuama back to escort you around town if you want to stretch your legs."

Mariemaia makes a face, wrinkling her nose and sticking out her tongue. "He's annoying," she states, ignoring Lady Une's amused smile. "I think I'll just catch-up on assignments."

"Sounds like a plan." Lady Une stands and Mariemaia follows suit. She falls into step with her guardian, keeps her chin high and her gaze forward even though she can sense the stares from the other diners. "I'll still have Tuama drop in to check on you. You never know if you'll tire of math and decide to go out."

Mariemaia snorts as they pass through the lobby toward the elevators. "Just admit it, you don't trust me."

"Oh, I trust you," Lady Une replies. She presses the up button. "I'm just keeping you honest." The elevator doors chime and open and Mariemaia rolls her eyes as she stomps into the glass box. "I'll see you tonight."

. . ... . .

Mariemaia's phone rings when she's midway through conjugating her verbs. She pauses, digging the phone out from under the avalanche of notes she's made since lunch. Kenzie Muir flashes across the screen. She sighs and connects the call, brushing loose strands of hair out of her face.

"Mariemaia!" Kenzie exclaims as soon as the video connects. The screen jostles as the other girl bounces on her toes, face almost split in half by her smile. "Guess what!"

Mariemaia frowns, checking the time. "Aren't you in class?"

"Yes, yes. That's not important. Guess what!"

Mariemaia settles back in the plush dining chair and raises an eyebrow at the screen. The screen is still bouncing from Kenzie's excitement. It's making her faintly seasick, actually. "You're skipping class?"

"Don't be boring. Think bigger!" From the looks of the jostling background, it appears that Kenzie is hidden in the locker room. Which means it's only a matter of time before she's discovered by Kostova.

"Dr. Arthav retired?"

"Okay, that is bigger, but no. Everyone's been asking where you are since you've missed practice and kind of went AWOL. The rumors are wild, let me tell you. Anyway, that's not important right now. Minerva got kicked off the team."

"What?"

"Right? But it happened this morning, like twenty minutes ago or something? Julia caught her vandalizing your locker again and confronted her about it. And there was this big fight. Julia doesn't look like much, right? But she's got like three older brothers and she can throw a punch. Anyway, they both got suspended, but Minerva's officially kicked from the team."

Mariemaia blinks at the screen and Kenzie's grinning face. The other girl had been speaking fast and it takes her a moment to process everything she had said. "But…why?"

"For vandalism and unsportsmanlike behavior, especially after just being suspended already."

"No, I mean, why did Julia stop her?"

Mariemaia marvels at how quickly Kenzie's face changes from joy to confusion. "Because you're our friend? You're part of the team. Of course we're sticking up for you." Kenzie's head tilts. "Come on, Khushrenada, don't tell me you're getting squeamish over a little fight."

"I thought you said it was a big fight."

"Semantics. Come on, smile. This is good news. No more Minerva." Kenzie still looks confused. "I thought you'd be happier."

"I think I'm still in shock," Mariemaia counters. "Before your call I was just worrying about verb conjugation and math."

Kenzie snorts. "On your holiday? School can wait. You're supposed to be having fun, Khushrenada. Where are you anyway?"

Mariemaia shrugs, rearranging her highlighters. "I'm out of town. Lady Une had a work thing."

"Sounds boring. Promise me you're going to celebrate tonight though. Yeah?"

Mariemaia rolls her eyes. She imagines she can convince Lady Une to splurge on dessert without too many questions. "Yeah, fine."

. . ... . .

She stumbles across Dorothy by accident her second day there. She's wandering through the hotel gardens, waiting for the speech on colony trade that Yergin will be giving in the afternoon, when she hears a bright laugh. She rounds a shrub elaborately sculpted into the shape of a lion, and sees her cousin. She's seated on a stone bench. The Vice Foreign Minister is stretched out on the grass next to her and, surprise, surprise, Heero Yuy is standing to the side with his arms folded and a scowl in place.

Dorothy looks up as Mariemaia pauses, a smile stretching her face. "Hello, cousin," she greets. Her pale eyes flick to Heero Yuy. "Losing your touch?"

"She isn't a threat," Heero replies.

Mariemaia scowls at him. "I could be," she protests.

"Hello, Mariemaia," Relena greets. She sits up, hair unbound and suit wrinkled. It's the most disheveled Mariemaia has seen her in years. "How are you enjoying the Summit?"

Mariemaia shrugs, scuffs a ballet flat into the imported grass. "It's very shiny."

"The Winners do enjoy their flash, don't they?"

"Dorothy, be kind," Relena admonishes. Mariemaia catches Heero Yuy's smirk and isn't sure if it's directed at Dorothy's comment or the reprimand she received. Her cousin simply shrugs and settles back on the bench, arms braced along the back and mint skirt pristine. It's a sharp contrast to the Vice Foreign Minister. "Delegates do enjoy feeling important," she adds after a moment. There's a faint smile on her face and Mariemaia can't help but return it.

"You included?"

"Oh, no. I abhor all of this." Relena offers her a wink and pulls her knees up. "Come join us?"

"I don't want to intrude…"

"Of course you do," Dorothy scoffs. She pats the bench seat next to her. "Come and save me from Miss Relena. She's been going on and on about the woes of the world for," she checks her watch, "twenty minutes now. Even Heero's eyes are glazing over."

Relena slaps Dorothy on the leg. "You're terrible. I don't know why we're friends."

Mariemaia approaches the group curiously. Heero glances at her as she passes before he pulls out his phone and distracts himself with it. Mariemaia isn't sure if he actually wants to be here or if he's acting as bodyguard once more. She takes a seat on the empty spot next to Dorothy.

"Because I know all the juicy stories about your brother's childhood of course," Dorothy replies. She examines her nails and Mariemaia catches the fond smile on Miss Relena's face. "Now, enough about your tedious life. Tell me, dear cousin, how is…what, first year?"

"I'm in year three," she replies. Dorothy's smile says she already knew that. "It's okay."

"Lady Une tells me you're swimming now? Competitively?" Relena questions. "That sounds fun."

"It's alright," she mumbles, shrugging.

"She placed second," Heero Yuy replies without looking up from his phone.

Dorothy's eyebrow arches and Relena glances at him curiously. Mariemaia glowers at him. "In the relay. I was fourth on my own."

"I didn't realize you followed secondary swimming, Mr. Yuy."

"I didn't know you fished for information you already knew, Dorothy."

Dorothy grins, delighted. She exchanges a look with Relena that Mariemaia can't decipher. "I have missed this," her cousin admits. "Swimming, hm? Must be something from the Barton side."

"Not enough drowning in it?" Mariemaia comments.

"Oh, now that would make it interesting at least." Mariemaia catches Miss Relena's eye roll. Dorothy checks her watch again and sighs. "Showtime."

"It has been too long since we've all been in one place together," Relena sighs.

"What about last year?" Dorothy questions, head tilted in thought.

"Without anyone near death," Relena counters. She rubs her temples and seems to age five years before Mariemaia's eyes. "Once I have this thing sorted with Yergin we'll have to get together more often."

"I keep telling you," Dorothy states, standing and brushing off her skirt, "just have Heero take him out. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Heero snorts, but, Mariemaia notes that he doesn't deny it.

"Dorothy." Miss Relena is still smiling though. She gets to her feet and looks at Mariemaia. "Will you be attending Minister Yergin's talk as well?"

"Yes," Mariemaia replies. "I'm curious what he has to say."

"Nothing of import, I'm sure," Dorothy states.

Mariemaia watches, incredulous, as Dorothy ruffles Heero Yuy's hair on her way out of the garden alcove. Heero mutters something under his breath and scowls after her, but he doesn't threaten her or break her hand or do anything else Mariemaia expected to happen.

Relena must notice the surprised expression on her face because she laughs and pats Mariemaia's shoulder lightly. "Despite appearances to the contrary, they do like each other."

Heero simply snorts and glances at Relena and Mariemaia. "If you want to make the speech, we should go now."

"Of course." Relena stretches before she tugs her suit jacket into some semblance of respectability. "You're welcome to sit with us for the speech, though I'm sure Dorothy will be holding court elsewhere during it. She has no love for Minister Yergin."

"So I've noticed," Mariemaia replies. She falls in step with the Vice Foreign Minister and Heero Yuy. "I believe Lady Une expects me to sit with her."

"Of course, you should always do what is expected," Relena states, voice solemn. She winks at her when Heero's back is turned and Mariemaia can't suppress her smile.