Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ 13x1 ❯ Necessary Steps ( Chapter 12 )

AN - Okay then, this is it, finished, well after the epilogue anyway. Yeah, I got a shock too.

 

Summary/rating/Disclaimer - Please see first chapter.

 

13x1

 

Chapter 12 - Necessary Steps

 

“I'll go and talk to him,” Sally offered and quickly left the room.

 

Treize sank down to the floor and buried his head in his hands.

 

“I am not good at this,” a muffled voice proclaimed a few moments later.

 

Quatre patted him on the shoulder tentatively. “If it helps I don't think he wants to go, he just wants the option and knows it isn't possible.

 

“He's right though,” Trowa intoned. “It is a mission.”

 

Duo pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, I know.”

 

“I'll take it,” Wufei offered. Duo nodded sharply.

 

“Okay then, but I suggest you get the stats from the vidphone's computer rather than go to talk to Heero right now.” Wufei blanched and nodded hurriedly, sliding into the seat in front of the desk as he did so.

 

“Wufei,” Quatre broke in quietly, the Chinese pilot turned to look at him. “Use my log on.” The blonde drew a card from his pocket and threw it, Wufei caught it with a nod.

 

A phone blared suddenly and Trowa fished one out of his pocket.

 

“Turn on the TV,” a voice ordered before he'd even had the chance to say hello.

 

Trowa frowned even as Duo, having heard the shouted order, moved towards the television set. “Cathy, what?”

 

“Turn on the television.” She ordered again.

 

“What channel?”

“Any channel!” She shrieked.

 

A young girl with red hair appeared on the screen almost instantly and her words boomed around the study.

 

“My name is Mariemaia Khushrenada, I am the daughter of Treize Khushrenada.”

 

Treize's head shot up and every person in the room fought the desperate urge to look at him, soldier's instincts telling them that they didn't want to miss a thing and finally winning out as she continued.

 

“Two days ago the Gundam Pilots sent from the colonies murdered my father as he lay recovering from illness in his bed.” Her eyes were bright and angry but her face showed a near perfect mask of composure as she took a deep breath. “His place of residence was completely obliterated and the search for surviving guards continues.”

 

She angrily rubbed at her eyes and the camera panned out to reveal a supportive hand resting on her shoulder, another voice reverberating around the room.

 

“There is no person either on Earth or in the colonies that has not been affected by the wars that are currently plaguing humanity. It is time for peace but peace cannot come until we are united under one banner. A world nation with the colonies standing beside us, not in our shadow.” Relena Peacecraft stared directly at the camera, a silver crown resting on her blond hair.

 

“The time for battle is over, this world nation will fight not for the Earth but for Humanity.” Mariemaia sounded tired so it was no surprise when Relena took over again.

 

“The time for vengeance has passed. We love, we hurt, we grieve, we are all human in that respect but battles only breed more battles and bloodshed can only lead to more bloodshed. People of humanity we ask that you stand with us as we escape from this existence. This cold, dead, frozen wasteland of temporary truces to allow for re-armourment. We propose a more permanent solution.”

 

Mariemaia looked directly into the camera suddenly, “for all our sakes.”

 

Duo sighed and muted the television. “Looks like that mission's gonna have to wait `Fei.”

 

Zechs was staring at the screen. “Relena?” He whispered.

 

Treize didn't appear to be staring at anything.

 

“Treize?” Quatre ventured hesitantly.

“My daughter,” he choked. “She can't be, I…” He shook his head, “she can't be.”

 

Heero walked into the room suddenly, “Mariemaia Khushrenada,” he spoke brusquely. “Formerly Mariemaia Barton, daughter of Leia Barton and Treize Khushrenada. Living with her grandfather, Dekim, following her mother's death when she was a toddler.”

 

“Dekim?” Trowa started.

 

Heero turned to look at him sharply, “you know him?”

 

Trowa nodded, “knew Leia too, very much a pawn in her father's scheming, he's a close friend of Dermail's. It wouldn't surprise me if he had organised Mariemaia's conception to have a hold over Treize. He probably just never got the chance to use her and now she will, automatically become a beacon for anyone who supported Treize ahead of OZ, support they would otherwise have lost with his death.”

 

Treize was looking desperately at Heero, “Heero… I…”

 

Heero held up a hand, “you don't have to apologize for things that happened before I met you that you didn't even know about.” His eyes darted for a second. “Besides, it's partly my fault.”

 

Everyone turned to him in confusion.

 

“You met Leia Barton in the hospital after you were shot down,” he looked supremely uncomfortable. “I was the one who shot you down.”

 

Treize blinked and sat down in a chair, he rested his head on his arms and closed his eyes determinedly. “When I wake up the world will be normal again,” he told himself decisively.

 

Duo laughed, “sorry General but life, especially our life, doesn't work that way. Surely you know that by now.”

 

Treize shook his head, “Sorry but dealing with situations like this wasn't exactly in the trained. A week ago I was locked up with no hope and my lover hated me. Now I'm free, my male lover's pregnant and I have a daughter it's just a bit,” he waved a hand, “just a bit much to take in right now.”

Wufei coughed, “well, I think we can all understand that but we haven't got time to deal right now, who's going on the Relena and Mariemaia pickup run?”

“I will.” Quatre volunteered, “I've met Relena before, Trowa, if you'd come too?”

 

“Right then,” Duo spun determinedly at Trowa's nod, “You two take the gundams in, I'll take the rendezvous shuttle to…” He paused, “I'll start tracing them.”

 

Heero shook his head. “You don't need to, I know where they are, Relena sent a message in that little speech, wouldn't you agree Zechs?” He turned to look at the man near the table.

 

Silently the blonde ran through the message before he rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes. “I'm an idiot. `This cold, dead, frozen wasteland of temporary truces to allow for re-armourment' right? They're in the Antarctica base.”

 

Heero nodded. Quatre and Trowa glanced at each other and then moved towards the doorway where Sally appeared with food packs.

 

“Guessed someone was going to pick them up,” she replied to their confused glances and unspoken question. “I take it that it's gonna be you then.”

 

“Thanks Sally.” Quatre took the packs from her, “I'm gonna get ready, Duo, if you would?”

 

The braided teenager caught the phone that had been thrown at him and nodded, “Clearance will be ready when you are Q.”

 

He dialled a number and followed Quatre and Trowa out of the room, phone clasped to his ear.

 

I'm gonna do some research on the public reaction to that little announcement,” Wufei announced.

 

“Better check immediate response from the doctors too.” Heero called after him, Wufei waved an acknowledging hand as he too left the room, Sally following him.

 

Zechs looked around him at the room which had been rapidly evacuated, “I'm gonna… go.”

 

Treize smiled faintly as his friend walked hurriedly out of the door.

 

“I'm sorry I overreacted.” Heero offered after a few moments of silence.

 

Treize smiled at him, relieved, “I'm sorry I…”

“No,” Heero broke in, “you were right, there is no way I could have gone on that mission. It's just…” He took a deep breath, Treize waited patiently, “I'm a soldier, I've been a soldier my whole life, if I can't be that anymore I'm nothing.”

 

Treize was shaking his head even before Heero had finished speaking. “You're not nothing and I'll kill anyone who tells you otherwise.” Heero didn't look convinced.

 

“Okay,” Treize took a deep breath, “you're my lover, my fiancé, I love you. You're Duo's best friend, he cares enough about you to come and rescue me. You're Quatre's safety net, I know you look over his plans, do you think it's because he thinks you have nothing better to do? You make Trowa Barton laugh Heero. The first time Zechs met you he was raving about it for weeks and let me tell you it was not because of the way you fought, though he did say that was spectacular. Wufei trusts you, probably more than anyone else in this building other than Duo and let me tell you something, that is not nothing Heero.”

 

Heero was staring at him, eyes wide.

 

“Heero,” Treize ran a hand through his hair. “Relena has this world fighting for peace because of you.”

“I should be fighting too, I should be making a difference…”

Treize shook his head, “Heero you didn't let me finish because you're also carrying a child. Forget `should be making a difference' you are making a difference. You made me actually believe the words I speak, I want peace, for you and for our child.”

 

“I love you.” Heero's voice was quiet.

 

“I love you too,” Treize sighed.

 

“So,” Heero sank into a chair and looked at him, “tell me about Leia.”

 

“I don't know what to say, she was a test I suppose, I was drugged up to the gills at the time, not thinking too clearly.” He gave a rueful laugh. “I heard about her death, I didn't dream she'd left a daughter behind though. I should have gone and gotten her. I know Dekim Barton too and that kind of upbringing is not one I'd wish on anyone.”

 

Heero was watching him quietly, no judgement, just understanding.

 

“But what about you,” Treize asked him, “I know you said you weren't angry but it has to have come as a bit of a shock.”

Heero shrugged, “I'm trained to deal with shocks remember, she's your daughter, we'll manage.” He took a deep breath, “always wanted a family.”

 

“I don't know anything about children.” Treize groaned.

 

“I don't either,” Heero offered, “I don't think any of us do, well manage. We can't be worse than Barton after all. As long as you're willing to try and learn about her I don't think it'll be a problem.”

 

Treize looked at him, “when did you learn so much about humanity living with J Heero?”

 

Heero laughed, the sound lifting Treize's heart. “I didn't learn it from J, I learnt it from you.”

 

***

“What are we going to tell them?” The voice came over Trowa's comm. link and he frowned.

 

“Tell who?”

 

“Relena and Mariemaia.”

“Well, Relena is probably expecting us.”

 

“And Mariemaia? What if Relena hasn't told her anything, how the hell are we supposed to explain something like this to a child? You saw her too Trowa, she couldn't have been more than five or six.”

 

Trowa was silent for a long moment. “If Dermail and Barton intend to use her as a spokesperson for their new campaign then she's probably very intelligent. One thing neither of them is willing to accept is incompetence. We explain it to her I suppose…”

Quatre's nod went unseen as Trowa's display lit, “scanning for lifesigns now.”

 

Quatre's screen lit and he squinted suddenly, “Hello, what's that?”

 

“Heat signature,” Trowa responded, quickly hitting keys, “massive, looks like a fire… But there's someone next to it.”

 

“I'll go in and check it out, switching to stealth mode.”

 

As he lost the gundam on his screen Trowa leaned back, knowing there was nothing else to do right now but wait.

 

About ten minutes later Quatre's gundam re-emerged on his scope, his voice was excited.

 

“Trowa, get a hold of Duo would you. Get him to ask Treize about the alliances of one Dorothy Catalonia.”

 

***

 

Relena checked the clock again, Mariemaia's head was pillowed on hear lap as she slept. She had sent Dorothy out a little over two hours ago, she knew they were coming for them, they had to be.

 

The commotion outside was evidence enough that she had guessed right.

 

The noise combined with a slight shake from Relena woke Mariemaia immediately and Relena smiled reassuringly as the little girl turned frightened blue eyes on her.

 

“It's okay Marie, these people are coming to help us.”

 

The girl's eyes widened further and she opened her mouth. Recognising the signs of an impending scream Relena clapped a hand over her mouth quickly, the last thing they needed was guards bursting in. With that she turned to the window and fought a scream herself until she recognised the machine in front of the barred window.

 

The cockpit opened and Quatre Winner's grinning face appeared suddenly, he waved even as he began to deploy the appropriate tools to carve a chunk of her wall away.

 

Not letting go of Marie's mouth Relena started to whisper reassuringly, eventually releasing the child when she stopped shaking.

 

Dorothy's face greeted her this time, she was glowing. Eye's bright with adrenaline.

 

“He's not dead.” She whispered, squeezing Relena's arm as soon as there was room for her to squeeze into the room.

 

“The pilots didn't kill him they rescued him. He's at one of Winner's places in the colonies. Hear that Marie?” She swung the staring little girl up into her arms. “Your daddy's not dead.”

 

Quatre smiled at them. “Of course he's not, you don't honestly think we'd stoop to killing a man in prison do you? Especially not Treize Khushrenada.”

 

Dorothy levelled his stare, “I didn't expect that you'd kill him, no. But I would never have doubted my Grandfather's use of such an attack to do away with him and blame it on you, or even to stage the attack himself.

 

Quatre shrugged, “either way he's fine, had a knock on the head but that was it.”

 

A loud explosion from the other side of the base caused all four of them to flinch.

 

“Come on then,” Quatre indicated the entrance, “this is the hold, I know it looks cramped but it's safe, I swear.”

 

Another explosion rocked the room and the ceiling started to crack. Quatre's smile disappeared, “come on, hurry up.”

“What is that?” Relena bit her lip against the fierce cold during the quick transition between the base and the Gundam.

 

“That's Trowa,” Quatre grinned, “he's providing the necessary distraction and probably having some fun as well.”

 

Taking Mariemaia from Dorothy he jumped across himself, she flinched as they landed, screaming quietly as another explosion caused the ground to shake.

 

Passing her to Relena and steadying Dorothy as she stumbled he left the hold, the door closing behind him as he disappeared from view. A few seconds late they heard him scrambling into the cockpit.

 

Suddenly Quatre's face appeared on a vid screen. “Okay, just hold on for now, we're rendezvousing with Duo's shuttle in space but for now this base is gonna go up as soon as I let Trowa know that we're clear.”

 

The inertial dampeners did their job and as the gundam hurtled away Relena scarcely felt a thing. Abruptly she heard Quatre give the order to destroy and heard as the base went up but she was too busy riding the cloud of relief that the escape gave her.

 

“Is everyone okay,” she demanded as soon as the blonde pilot relaxed.

 

He smiled at her, “Treize, Zechs, Heero, Duo, Trowa myself obviously, Wufei and even Sally.”

She breathed a sigh of relief and then quickly sombered. “Quatre they took Lucrezia, they called her a traitor when she tried to defend me

 

Quatre closed his eyes “I'll have my people start looking for her but for now we need to make a statement as soon as possible.”

 

Relena nodded, “I agree, will the appropriate equipment be available where we're going?”

 

“Hey Q,” the words came from the comm. suddenly and she jumped. “Everyone okay?”

 

“Everyone's fine Duo. Passenger's are in the hold, Lucrezia Noin's been placed under arrest as a traitor so get the Maguanacs looking for her immediately. Right now though we're trying to decide what kind of a statement to give the world.”

 

“Whatever kind of statement you're gonna make it had better be a quick one,” Duo warned.

 

Quatre nodded. “I know.”

Duo hesitated, “this might be too simple Quat and I may be missing something really obvious but can't you just get Treize and Relena to give a statement together? She'll get the pacifist vote and most of Earth's troops are loyal to Treize not to OZ. Besides, they've already given you a base with that little peace speech. `Fei says the colonies are choosing representatives to send to Earth, what if we intercepted them and had the meeting back at one of your places.”

 

Quatre was silent for a long moment then he turned to the teenage girl next to him. “Relena?”

 

She shook her head, surely it couldn't be that simple, not after all these decades of war, there was no way it could be that simple. “I can't think of any reason it shouldn't work.”

 

“Right then,” Duo remarked, “I'll contact home and let them know what's happening, give Treize a chance to write a speech and do whatever it is he does.”

 

“Treize is really alright then,” Relena ventured tentatively.

 

Quatre smiled at her, “yes, he's really okay, we found some common ground and no one's shot anyone yet, I'm calling it a success. Treize isn't evil, he's made mistakes, but who hasn't.” His eyes lowered suddenly and he breathed deeply.

 

“But speaking of evil…” He hit a button on his console again and Duo's face filled the screen looking worried.

 

“You okay Q?”

 

“I'm fine Duo, but would you mind calling Rashid for me, I was supposed to be making it but circumstances intervened.

 

Duo nodded cautiously, “what message am I supposed to be giving him?”

 

“Just tell him it's time, this era cannot move forwards with them still in it, especially J.” Quatre took a deep breath. “Tell him it's time for a necessary sacrifice.”

Duo's eyes widened briefly before they narrowed evilly, “Quatre Winner, it would be my pleasure. I'll also tell him to make sure they've very, very dead, they're tricky bastards when they want to be.”

 

“Get a message to Treize too, tell him we've got his daughter. Approximate rendezvous time is… thirteen minutes; I'll see you then.”

Duo nodded, “bye Q, Trowa says not to worry by the way, something's happened to his comm., it's not picking up on your frequency, asked me to relay the message.”

 

Quatre sagged with relief, “thank you.”

 

The violet-eyed pilot winked and the image was gone.