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"Alternative Directions: Options "Written By: Karina Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the lovely
boys and their girls in the series. Wish I did. Please don't sue me.
I haven't even got a brass razoo to give you. Rating: Deffinately PG in Australia, at the moment,
but probably safer to say R for later chapters. Not sure about international
ratings Warnings: It will be 6x2, even though it does
not start out that way. After all, Zechs and Duo never met in Gundam
Wing and only spoke briefly over a com line in Endless Waltz. I've
tried to keep them in character as I saw them in the series. A bit
of language creeping in under stressful conditions. Pairings: eventual 6x2, past 2xH, 2+H,6x9, 1+R
Summary: Directions is set post Endless Waltz
and roughly 2 years have passed. Zechs and Noin are on Mars and Duo,
after spending some time with Hilde in a relationship leaves L2 to
join Preventers. Hilde was not happy about his decision. I guess enough
said. Here t'is, and I hope you like it. This is also AU for the standard
setting, as well as the series and Endless Waltz. Spoilers: Gundam Wing Series and Endless Waltz Many thanks to Dulin for volunteering to beta this. //... // thoughts
"Alternative Directions: Options"
Sanc Sanc Palace 1st March AC 198 Time: 23:15 Chang Wu Fei The weather had deteriorated to the point that he was thinking of hot tea and open fires and the possibility that they would never warm him again, when he pulled the car off the road and into the shelter of a copse of trees. It made no difference that he had the car heater on full with the fan running on high, the vehicle was still bone-achingly cold. It was just typical, he mused, that he was required to perform this type of work in this weather. He hissed softly as he bundled himself into his overcoat. He had opted not to wear the coat in the car in an effort to lessen the shock of going out into the growing blizzard, but he suspected that was a hope in vain. So much for Sancian Spring, he mused. It seemed that winter insisted on just one more assault on the kingdom of Sanc. Kingdom? No, Sanc was no longer a monarchy, though the people resisted that new designation for their ancestral home. He who had lost the only home that he had known could understand their view. This land was a part of them and to be honest, the scholar within him admitted, under the Peacecraft rule it had been a tranquil and rather happy kingdom. Only the Alliance attack had ended that peace and prosperity that had lasted for hundreds of years. To be certain there had been conflict in the past, but compared to most European countries Sanc had been a paradise. Not since the middle ages had the kingdom suffered from all out attacks from armed oppressors. Even during Hitler's thrust for power the Sanc kingdom had remained neutral, largely unnoticed due to its small size and the fact that it was not strategically placed. Enter the Alliance whose commanders had decided that this latest King Peacecraft was too dangerous, with his ideals of peace and pacifism catching on in the adjacent countries. In one night of bloody massacre the Alliance had wiped out over a thousand years of history and peaceful prosperity. It was appalling, what they had done. Now the Peacecraft daughter, who would not even publicly wear the name of her ancestors, had determined that they would never return to the ways of the past. Even though the Alliance was gone, defeated, the people were to be denied their national identity. It had actually amused him to watch as the delegations had begun to gather, public opinion quietly stated and representatives chosen. The quiet spoken representatives had approached Relena over the coronation they respectfully requested take place and repeatedly she had refused them, stating that there were no national borders any more. Sanc was no longer a kingdom, but a part of a larger whole. The Earth was one huge democratic nation, not a nest of fighting, squabbling children fighting over a line drawn on a piece of paper. Yet still the representatives of Sanc's ruling body approached her, quietly, respectfully and requested that she take her rightful place as their Queen. //They have such dignity. Always quiet spoken, always respectful and very determined that they will gain their monarchy back. I wonder what they would do if they knew that Milliardo Peacecraft was alive? He is, technically, the true heir to Sanc's throne and very little has been said about his actions in this place, I've noticed. They do not ignore his existence exactly. There are memorials to the Royal Family and his name is on them. The dates of his death have been adjusted to his presumed death and Relena's name removed from the memorial. They are a very quiet dignified people.// With a deep breath to brace himself he slipped out of the car, cursing at the bone aching chill that struck him. His teeth were chattering within seconds and his hands felt frozen in his gloves as he pulled the rocket launcher from the vehicle. Biting off the wish to curse, as opening his mouth and drawing breath to do so would only chill his mouth and throat, he slammed the car door and stumbled deeper into the copse. //They are a warm and friendly people, but their weather leaves much to be desired.// Lady Une was going to owe him more than an explanation for this foolery. He would catch his death of cold from this little escapade and to make matters worse he was going to have to go back to her home as the designated investigator, and then return to the palace. It was going to be a long and bitter night. Visibility was down to a few feet in front of him and he cursed to himself, stumbling through quickly forming snow banks. He was going to have to be much closer to the house than he had intended to make this shot hit the precise target area that he wanted. His saving grace would be that the house would be well illuminated considering the alert that had gone out. He wanted no people killed and as few injured as possible, only too aware that it was more likely that people would be hurt at the palace than at Une's home. The last news update he had listened to before he had turned onto the side road that led him to this point, stated that in the attack on the Preventer Chief's house no deaths had occurred and a few minor injuries was, thus far, the extent of harm to human life in this current crisis. The fire that burned at the house was being fought by the local fire brigade and until the fire was extinguished no investigations could be carried out. That allowed him time to complete his mission. It was a load of crock, he knew, to say that no investigations could be conducted at this time until the fire had been extinguished. Plenty of investigations could and would be carried out, just behind the scenes where few people had cause to look. He needed to finish up here and get back to Preventer Headquarters so that Lady Une could officially assign him to the task of investigating the attacks. And, of course, explain to him just what the hell he was blowing up buildings for. Security procedures at the palace were well known to him and he knew its strongest and weakest points that he could both avoid and exploit in this situation. If he went too close to the palace he would be visible to the security cameras, and not all of the cameras worked with standard optical systems. Heat sensors were installed on the perimeter and monitored from the house. He could not afford to be picked up on the infrared vision. Even half frozen from the storm that was settling over Sanc he had enough body heat to set off half a dozen alarms. He needed to pick his position carefully and not lose track of where he had left the car, which would be all too easy in a white out. That would just be wonderful, he mused, the perfect conclusion to his day to attack the Sanc Palace and then get lost in the blizzard. There was no way he would be able to explain his presence wandering around in the woods beside the palace at this time of night and with enough forensic evidence contaminating him to hang him five times over. He needed to get in and out quickly. //That Onna had better have a very good excuse for this little farce. Well, at least I can make out the lights.// He could barely see the nearest wing of the mansion and only because of the powerful flood lights illuminating the building did he know where it was. // That's a car's headlights coming around from the side wing. I'll have to wait for it to go before I fire. Damn. Damn it's cold. Go, damn you. I need you away from the house. Get away from the front will you?// He loaded the rocket launcher while he waited, feet stamping to try to keep warm. It seemed that even the height of the winter had not seemed to be this cold, although, he admitted he had not had cause to be out in the middle of a blizzard with nefarious plans afoot either. Had someone, Maxwell most likely, offered him a bet on the odds of him being here at this time to attack the palace he would have taken the bet, certain that he would win. He was not usually a gambling man, but this was just ludicrous. Why was he here? //Ah, Ancestors. There goes a car's lights down the back road. If this blizzard gets any heavier there is no way I will make it back into New Port City. I have to ditch the car and remove the evidence in the car of my presence and I can't walk far in this weather. Une would have to explain nothing to a frozen corpse.// As he watched lights winked on, more clearly defining his target, though the lights were more a dim glow than the glaring beacon they should have been. He could not see the palace itself, just the glow that marked the lights mounted on the exterior walls. It was not his imagination, either, he noted, that the blizzard was growing worse as the snow around him was banking quickly, a thick blanket covering the ground. Even in the shelter of the trees he could barely stand against the wind. He had to act now or not at all. //I sincerely hope there are no people in the front of the house. The dignitaries should have been evacuated by now and the staff quarters are in the far wing. I need to clip the edge of the palace, where the wings merge into the main entrance. There is no way I can check how many people are in that area short of going down there and seeing for myself, and that just is not an option. The question is, can I just clip the structure? Ancestors, help me! There is no structure to see! Just a glow. So, I suppose, about … there? Ah, this is foolish, but I agreed to do this. Please, please, do not let anybody be hurt. I am no longer a terrorist. I do not want to kill anymore.// He felt the backlash of the weapon and stumbled in the snow, sliding a little before he gained his balance and then he was moving, retracing his steps through the white world where dark trunks offered the only respite from white. Behind him the night exploded in noise and a flash of intense light erupted and he winced, praying to his Ancestors that he was not a murderer. This was not War. This was not honorable combat. This was a return to the days or terror and torment that he had thought gone forever from his life. // Well, I hit something. I can only hope that I did not hit an occupied room. I suppose that I will know soon enough.// He stumbled through deepening snow drifts, astonished that the weather had deteriorated so quickly. Had not the forecast said that a weather front was closing on Sanc? Yes, he had clearly heard that forecast, but the radio had also stated that the front would bring rain and temperatures no lower than five degrees Celsius overnight. //Five degrees, my ass. Minus five degrees would be tropical compared to this. Where is the bloody car? I have to get out of here! I can't see a foot in front of my face. I think I shall need to ditch the rocket launcher and I suppose here is as good a place as any. Yes, there, in that clearing. With luck it will be covered in a snow drift before it is noted. With the rate the snow is falling that will not take long. Give it a quick but thorough rub down with snow, shake that tree and those bushes to put a covering of snow over it. Good enough. I have to go. Car. Car, I know you are out here, somewhere. I parked you only a few minutes ago. Where … Car? Yes!// He staggered up to the vehicle, wrenching open the door and throwing himself into the interior, slamming the door behind him. His breath plumed before his face as he fumbled for the ignition and he held his breath as he feared that the engine might refuse to run in this sudden freeze, but he should have known better. This was Sanc and it was only just officially spring. The garages of the Preventers kept antifreeze in the vehicles well into the spring thaw. The engine roared into life and with chattering teeth and a heart felt sigh Chang Wu Fei reversed the car blindly. He could not recall a tree being directly behind the car and short of getting back out into the blizzard he had no means by which to see behind the vehicle. He was not going back out into that biting wind and cold and was thankful that he hit nothing. He spun the wheel and pressed the accelerator, heading back toward New Port City, taking the back roads and concentrating on looking for a place to ditch the car. "Cold." he hunched over the wheel, unable to see little more than the bonnet of the dark coloured vehicle. The wipers were flicking madly over the windscreen, but it seemed they were fighting a losing battle and the heater refused to make a difference to the temperature in the car. "It's been long enough for the first reports to be received on the hit on the palace." With fumbling fingers he reached for the radio, turning up the volume. " … a night for terrorist activities. First the reported attack on the Mars Terra Forming colony was received by this station and now the attack on the home of Preventer Chief Anne Une. The Lady Une has declined to comment at this time concerning either event, however it is known that a conference of high level Preventers and city officials is now underway at Preventer Headquarters to discuss the threat to security in Sanc that these terrorist threats represent to the people. We will bring you news as it becomes available. The latest information of the attack on the home of Lady Une confirms that aside from a few minor injuries the only damage was done to the structure of the house. We … Just a moment, please." //Ah. Word would be in about the palace.// he glared at the white world beyond the car, cursing silently that now he could not even see the end of the bonnet. It was madness to drive these back roads with such poor visibility. He was begging an accident to happen. "Come on, come on, stupid Onna. How long does it take for someone to tell you that the palace blew up?" "We have received confirmed reports that the Palace has been bombed. At this time no casualties or fatalities have been reported and we have reporters en route to the scene. While no official recognition has been given at this time to the emailed threats sent to this station, it is now fairly obvious that the email was not a hoax. Both the home of the Preventer Chief and the Palace in Sanc were listed as targets. It appears that thus far we have been fortunate that there have been no fatalities to this time." Wu Fei switched the radio off, peering into the darkness, trying to see the road ahead of the car and failing miserably to make out any real features. Twice he felt the car contact the shoulder of the road and recovered, slowing a little more with each incident. He had to be nearing the outskirts of the city and it was no longer safe to keep the vehicle. Not only could he not see to drive safely, but he had to spend precious time destroying evidence and all of that took time. Much as he did not look forward to it, he was going to have to continue on foot. //When they find the car and I come to oversee the investigation I am going to have to make a point of putting my head in the car, front and back. In this light I can't see if I have lost so much as a hair from my head and if forensics finds such, there had better be an explanation for it being there. That looks like a good enough place.// After pulling the car off the road he checked as best he could that he had not left anything that would give him away, wiping anything he might have touched off and then quickly and efficiently set fire to the vehicle, using a small incendiary device to ensure the flames were wild, despite the weather. He could not afford for the fire to be extinguished before it could consume evidence that might implicate himself and Preventers in this affair. Running as quickly as the treacherous terrain would permit him to, he sought the road and set off in the direction of the city. He must move quickly and above all he must not stop. To do so would be to chance him dying of exposure in the blizzard. New Port City had to be up ahead somewhere. ----------------------- Preventer Headquarters 23:30 Lady Une The first reports of the attack on the palace rested on the table in front of her and she was both pleased and surprised by the results. Chang had performed his duty, as always, quickly and efficiently. While a number of people at the palace had been injured, no one had been critically injured and there had been no fatalities. All parties had been accounted for, so she need not fear any bodies turning up in the wreckage. No doubt the low casualty count had been because the palace had been hit a glancing blow at a corner, not head on into the palace. Whether that was by deliberate design of Chang's or be sheer good luck, she was uncertain and if she was to be honest with herself, she really could not care less. What did concern her was that the weather was deteriorating and hampering investigations. Ordinarily that would have infuriated her in such a situation, but in this case, it delighted her. Delays in gathering information and forensic samples could only work to her advantage. She had sent an electronic summons to her preferred choice of investigator and to the members of the team she would assign under him and announced that he was being delayed by the inclement weather and no one was going to question that. She expected Chang would call her and she could send a car for him and in fact she was a little concerned that he had not already done so. Of course, the down side to the weather situation was that it would hamper Yuy and Sally Po in getting Mariemaia and Relena to the designated safe house. It was to be expected, of course, that they would have to go with care in these conditions, but the weather could also allow them to have an easier time of shaking any tails they might acquire and that included the shadows assigned to them by their agreement with the World Government. She had already listed Yuy as being on assignment and on learning that Quatre Winner was with them, she had taken the liberty of activating his Preventer papers and listing him as being active and on assignment. He was now officially listed as being on the Vice Foreign Ministers security detail. All of which meant that as soon as possible the ESUN Security Agency must recall their shadows on the ex-pilots as soon as possible. Their agreement clearly stated that in such emergency situations the shadows be withdrawn lest they in advertently interfere with a classified operation. She was going to make certain that those conditions were strictly adhered to. //It's as well that Chang was listed as being on assignment and his shadow recalled for the duration of the investigation. Stupid formalities, and if not for the fact that I am certain the pilots could shake their tails at any time, I would not have used Chang for this, but it needed the best. // Around the conference table were seated the officials of the Sancian Council. She needed to give a concise report of the facts as they were known at this time, suitably edited, of course. If she was to have this ploy work to the very best advantage she could garner from it, then everything must be attended to carefully and no details left out. She must follow the full procedures as they would for any investigation of this nature and she must be careful to avoid giving away any information she should not know at this stage of the affair. It was a fine line that she was walking, but to gain advantage and time that they desperately needed it had to be done. There was little that she could do about the affair on Mars that she had not already done. She had simply left it too late. Noin's pregnancy had changed so many things and delayed her decision to remove Merquise from Mars, but she could wish that she had made other provisions before now. It was too late to affect the outcome on Mars, of course, but she could do her best to make this disaster work on this end to ensure that Relena was a free agent and able to act when she needed to. The girl would simply have to grow up and get over the knowledge that it was very likely that her brother and his children would not survive. When she acknowledged that simple truth for what it was and got past the grieving that she would likely do for the babies at least, then she could act free of manipulation. //That will not go down well with her, but I can not help that. She must face facts and she has to grow up sometime. The ESUN has won this round, but we can salvage some opportunities out of it.//
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