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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"
Chapter 97 Rosemount Station Asteroid Belt Orbit, sector 5 Date: 2nd March AC 198 Time: 01:50 Rose Errant P.O.V. //Is it possible?// Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. Whirr. Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. Whirr. Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. Whirr. //If I am honest with myself then I can not deny that there is perhaps some superficial resemblance in your face to my Aunt Erminna's portrait. Not only that, but there is something about you that brings to mind Uncle Alexander's portrait. Is it only because I have heard your name that I think this? Would I see any resemblance at all to my kin if I had not first known your name? Is it possible that you could be who you claim to be?// Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. Whirr. His fingertips hurt with those small precise movements required to manipulate the controls. Each time he touched the controls it hurt more, but he was powerless to stop. He had to watch that face. He had to hear that voice. He had so many questions to ask and no one to give him the answers. Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. Whirr. //Comparing your face to their portraits and the photos I have viewed in the past will prove nothing conclusive about your identity. The only means by which to prove you are who you claim to be is for a DNA scan and comparison to be made and I wonder just how willing you would be to donate a blood or saliva sample to prove your identity? I grew up on the stories of what happened to Kristian Kushrenada. Both my parents and my Nanny would use those stories to frighten me into submission when I was a child and complained at the security they surrounded me with. They used them to good effect, I will admit that as it usually shut me up for weeks at a time and in the end I did not object to the security they increased year after year. It was because of Romefeller I later learned and their fear of what I could do being desired. I had to ask myself then, as I do now, if it was for ransom that my cousin was taken. Are you my cousin? He was only four years old when he vanished without a trace, the victim of abduction. Never found. He was never found.// Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. The stabbing pain in his sensitive fingertips was to be ignored as insignificant. Whirr. //Who are you? I will admit that you could be exactly who you say you are, but why do you make your identity public now of all times, and why do you so clearly state who you profess to be? There is much here I do not have the necessary information to process and accurate evaluation is therefore impossible, but there must be a hint to your intentions contained in the speech. I need to go over that speech more closely. It contains so much information if I can only understand what it is that you intend to do. It is not so straight forward as that speech suggests at first hearing. To begin with, what is the meat behind the bones that you threw to the ESUN?// Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. Whirr. “What is it that you are planning?” his voice sounded too husky to his own ears, rusty and unused, but there was still pain in his throat and he knew there was still time needed to heal. He leaned back in the chair carefully, mindful of causing himself unnecessary discomfort. The face on the screen before him was without doubt handsome. The colouring was much darker than his own, which was to be expected considering his mother was a Catalonia and this Kristian, if it was indeed him, had an English Rose as a mother. Aunt Ermina had been dark-haired, rumored to hold distant gypsy blood in her ancestry and she had been wondrously beautiful, if her portraits were indeed accurate. This man's face was fine boned and bore that unmistakably aristocratic stamp that marked the old nobility of Europe. If he was not a Kushrenada he would still claim a bloodline of distinction. There was breeding in that face and the eyes, such an unusual colour, were clear, intelligent and agate hard. A man focused on his goals, who knew exactly what he was doing and how to gain his dreams. If he was honest it was hauntingly the face of a Kushrenada. The portraits of his Uncle and his father had had that same look about them though these eyes, dark and laced with golden points, were not the Kushrenada blue. //Still, that is not proof that he is not who he claims to be. Aunt Erminna had dark coloured eyes as I recall. While I did not know them personally their portraits have hung in the great hall of the house since I was a child and they were pointed out to me often enough when I dared to complain of the guards shadowing my every movement. I grew up with their presence though they were long dead by the time that I was born. Who are you? Who are you and what is it that you really want?// Fingers stabbed. Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. Whirr. Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. Whir. //I am missing something here. Missing something that should be obvious to me. Think, Kushrenada. Put your much vaunted talents and intellect to work. That is what you were bred for, after all.// he glared at that face on the screen, devouring the contours and angles, every small detail must be noted. // With this speech he issues a challenge. Not just one challenge either. There are so many undertones in the wording of the speech. So clearly identifying himself, stating his name as he did is a challenge to someone. Someone not in the family, I think. I am missing so much stuck here in this room. I can not function properly, but I have no choice. I never considered myself to be claustrophobic before, but there are some days I would give anything to leave this accursed room. No, he is not challenging a family member … or not directly at least. He has an agenda that does not include duelling the family solicitors for the title and fortune that might well be his. He challenges, not physically though he looks to be capable of handling himself in most situations, though the robe hides a great deal more than it reveals. You exude strength of character and body. I think you are a very dangerous man. Who are you? Who are you really?// Click. “My name is Kristian Richard Alexander Edward Kushrenada.” Click. Whirr. In the background behind the whirr of the machine he vaguely registered the call chime of the com system. He had no interest in the workings of the station at this time. There were other matters that must hold his attention and the analysis of the speech must take priority. They should allow him to do the job he was here for without interruption. His eyes flicked to the background beyond that arrogant handsome head. // The three stars on the banner are suggestive of three stations in the alliance. There are clearly three groups of three representatives designated by colour and seating arrangements around the president who is set apart from, yet included in, the group in a clear demonstration of unity. It is frighteningly similar to the way our council is arranged.// The thought triggered a frown to deeply furrow his brow as he leaned back in his seat, carefully rubbing his back gently into the sheepskin, enjoying the feel of the material against super sensitive skin. Sensation was something too many people took for granted. Only when one was deprived of the senses, be it touch, scent, sight, hearing or taste did one truly appreciate the bodies mysterious workings. Things people took for granted should be seen in the light of a treasure beyond price. He had learned the true value of such natural treasures. // Could he be … That arrangement is suggestive of three people per station. Is this purely coincidence or is it an indication of Their influence? It is disturbingly similar to the arrangements on Rosemount itself, where each department of the station holds three representatives forming the Council that act as advisors to the President.// A high-pitched, piercing squeal issued from the com and Treize winced, flinching back from the desk. “Treize! Answer the bloody com.” there was real temper in the voice that issued from the speakers. He sighed, a small gesture of resignation, but he had known that he would have to face this eventually. Beyond the station events had moved in directions that they had not allowed for. Somewhere they had missed something vital as no estimation that had crossed his desk for evaluation had been made for a fourth political power entering the arena of the Earth Sphere. They had evaluated their plans using the power structures of the interconnected Earth Council, Colonies and the hidden, but powerful manipulative expertise of Romefeller. That was who they had assumed they would have to deal with as their plans neared completion. A fourth power in the Earth Sphere had never entered their calculations and this Kristian Kushrenada was not a Dekim Barton and would not make the same mistakes. He had a job to do and because of that bloody speech they would be worried that he would be incapable of doing it. They just did not know him sufficiently well to know that this would only firm his resolve and sharpen his senses. He owed them a great deal for this healing of his body and the offering of a home when he was dead to his family and the few people he could call friend. He owed them and because of that he could accept their concern for his reaction to the events of the day, but he did wish that they would have more faith in him. He might be young but he was not a child. He slipped his hands into the gloves, wincing at the small tingles of pain that was his nerves awakening to the stimulation, but he was accustomed to that and it was a small pain now and he could deal with it. ~/ What is it you wish of me?/~ The screen in front of him flickered, the face of his possible cousin fading to be replaced by that of an elderly man, white hair crowning a head made notable by the thick still black eyebrows that dominated the face. A strong face marked with the crevices and crags of aged wisdom and tanned for all that it had never been marked by the sun and wind of a world that had given birth to his kind. The face of a patriarch, dark eyes blazing forth, not unhandsome and definitely full of character and no small amount of wisdom. “Stop brooding, Treize. You can rest assured that we will confirm his identity soon enough. The wheels are already in progress to identify every person on this so called Alliance Council. At this point in time there is nothing that you can do beyond what I have already set into motion, so leave it alone. You need not concern yourself with proving who he may or not be. That is not your task.” ~/ You expect me to forget his appearance?/~ He wished that anger could be expressed by his writing, but the text font just was not capable of conveying the flash of temper that opening gambit stirred in him. They should have known better than to simply order him to leave it and expect him to quietly obey. The man waved a hand in a gesture reminiscent of brushing off an annoying insect. “Of course not. None of us can or will discount him, whether he is your cousin or not. If he proves to be your kin then he is another child of Romefeller and we do not ignore our own. It usually proves to be a fatal mistake. I have agents going over our records now to ascertain if he is Romefeller-bred or not, and if this could be a Romefeller ploy, though I am of the opinion he is not a plant set by them to entrap us. I have dealt with their machinations for long enough that I can be sure that they would not want the appearance of an independent nation to stir the political waters. Nor would they want the emergence of a power that might have a say over the rich resource field that the asteroid belt is. While he may not be directly involved in Romefeller we can not discount the possibility that he may have connections with one of their factions, however to know that only time will tell. In the mean time, we need to get on with our own plans.” ~/I am well aware of the seriousness of the situation and the importance of the work I am to do. I do not discount that this man may be Romefeller but I am more concerned about the events on Mars and the repercussions involved there with this Alliance's appearance and interference./~ The elderly man sighed and shook his head slightly. 'It is confirmed that the Peacecraft son is on Mars and just how many people seem to know that information at this time is open to debate. I would say it is known to considerably more than was estimated and if this Kristian Kushrenada knows that he is on Mars then I want to know what he is planning to use the boy for. If you can not stay out of the matter then I give you permission to concentrate on developing possible scenarios for that eventuality.” A flash of anger glinted in blue eyes. ~/ Milliardo is not a boy, Mr President./~ A grin split the well shaped mouth. “No, I suppose he is not. Not if he survived the Epyon. He can be no more a boy than you are, and I suppose I have to acknowledge that you are merely young. I will allow you to work on scenarios for possible developments should this Alliance remove the Peacecraft from Mars. I have some good news for you, Treize. The doctors have informed me that they are pleased with your progress and that they will now permit us to introduce you to a Fragment in the next few days. They intend to run some tests first, precautionary measures to ensure that you are as well recovered as they believe. I have no intention of permitting this if you are not sufficiently recovered, my boy. It can be dangerous, if you are not ready. If they determine that you are sufficiently physically recovered then we shall give you a fragment and we shall see how well you deal with the changes.” //At last. It will be a fragment only, but it is a step toward the Crystal. I feel it call to me, day and night and I know that I am not ready for that, but a fragment … that I can handle, I am sure. To be given a piece of the crystal is progress, but why throw me this bone now? I lived amongst Romefeller too long, I suppose. I am suspicious of the very air that I breathe some days. Still, I have to ask myself if it is not because of the appearance of this Kristian Kushrenada that they make this decision at this particular time? Do they think that they can bind me to them with this as a bribe? Do they fear that I am not in truth dedicated to this course? Ah, God in Heaven, why do we not speak plainly to each other? Why do we always circle each other like starving wolves waiting for an opportune moment to attack? They need not fear that if this man is my cousin I would leave Rosemount. I see this place and the dream that lives here as my future. I know that there is no future for me back on Earth nor anywhere in the colonies. Epyon did not lie to me about that, nor did it lie to me about this future. My future lies out here.// “Treize? I expected a little more from you than silence at this news.” The dark eyes of the President were narrowed slightly and focused on him and he could feel a slight pressure at his temples, pushing against the screen that protected him from others. It had been necessary for him to guard his thoughts from the agents of Romefeller when he had led Oz, and the screen he had developed on Earth had been strengthened to assist him to survive on Rosemount when he had begun to recover from his injuries. He had feared he was going insane before he re established control. The crystal reached for him, day and night and he knew he must not answer that siren call. Nor would he permit the telepaths of the station to browse through his thoughts without his consent. ~/ Do not try to read me, Mr President. What is up here is for me to know./~ he tapped a gloved hand to his forehead. ~/ I look forward to receiving the fragment. It has not been an easy time for me and I take this as a sign that I need not remain in isolation forever. It is progress that I will be able to see and feel. /~ “Rest assured that your days in isolation are coming to a close. Your immunity system is responding well to the treatment and developing more swiftly than we had dared hope. The latest acquisitions to Rosemount from L2 have proven most useful in developing treatment for you. As much as I despise Romefeller and their breeding programs I have to admit that they do know how to splice genetics. The young people have proven most enlightening to our geneticists.” he grinned at the frown he received for his words and waved a hand to still the flood of text he knew would come across his screen in protest. “Yes, Treize, I know that they are more than experiments and be assured that we do not treat them as Romefeller had. L2 was a disgrace and I am pleased to see that changes are being made there in this time of peace, but we can not afford to dismiss what has already been created. That generation have remarkable immune systems and we would be fools not to make use of their abilities. It is because of the L2 projects that you have recovered so quickly and I believe that the next booster shot is due in three days? Yes, I thought so. Within a few months you should have a fully active immune system once more and be free to leave the isolation suite. I believe that new intelligence suggests that there is only the one laboratory remaining on L2 and that you have another raiding party enroute to remove the children from their captivity?” ~/ Yes. Another laboratory has been identified in the colony. Whether it is the last of the laboratories I can not say, but I personally suspect not. Romefeller would not allow the experiment to escape their control. They would have back ups for their design somewhere./~ “True, but they have only so many scientists and subjects with which to experiment. Stop brooding on this new comer to the scene, Treize. I will see to discovering just who he is and what this Alliance of Stations is really all about and who his allies are. I will not allow anything to threaten Rosemount when we are so close to fulfilling the mission. You must concentrate on assembling our crew. Young Peacecraft may cause us certain difficulties in acquiring his cooperation, but that is for the future to tell and for the moment we have time. If these people can manage to interfere with the ESUN's current operation on Mars, then that is to our benefit, since we are incapable of reaching Mars in time to offer any assistance.” ~/ If it is not already too late and Milliardo has been killed./~ He sighed an shook his head. “I do not believe that it is the ESUN's intentions to kill him. Milliardo Peacecraft is too useful to them alive, especially to those on the Council who have ties to Romefeller. We have already informed you that our Psychics have not received an alert on him. He will not die on Mars. You should have more faith in our abilities.” ~/ Do you not see that the absence of an alert is the very problem that disturbs me? Your psychics have never been able to pick him up, have they? Do not lie to me or shade the facts, I know full well that it is as though he is shielded from them. Or did you know that he has been on Mars all this time and simply forget to inform me of it? Can you tell me where he was for the first year after the war, while I was near to death? Why did you spend so many resources as I found listed in the files on searching for him, despite the belief that he had died on the Libra? Of course I have found access to the files you had locked against me, what do you think I am, an idiot? You should not look so surprised. It is why you went to such trouble to acquire me, is it not? Why could your psychics not pin point him after the Libra exploded? No, Mr President. I know that your precognitive talents on Rosemount have tried and failed. They are powerless to trace Milliardo and I would dearly love to know why. Will you not tell me?/~ A sigh marked the old mans frustration. “Yes, it is true that we do have difficulty focusing on our prospective pilot, which in itself only confirms that he is likely to be the one to make this bird fly. There were too few in the W series that Romefeller produced. The genetics required to host the donor DNA were too rare for there to be any more than a handful of them produced, and even fewer with the required genetics accepted the implanted DNA and survived. I have found the records of thirty attempts, of which only a handful survived birth, though I have not found all of the restricted files to date. As a point of interest, Treize, you should be interested in knowing that none of our Psychics seem able to focus on this Kristian Kushrenada. When the broadcast was received we immediately sought to focus on him and we did not expect to encounter a wall. A blankness, one of the precogs called it. Of course, it is very early to suggest that he might be a W series from the Romefeller laboratories, but it is not to be discounted as yet. He may be a prospective pilot for Rosemount and as such you can be certain that we will leave no stone unturned in our investigation. Time will tell. You must be tired. Get some sleep, Treize. I feel that we have some interesting times heading our way and we need to be rested to adequately have them benefit our aims. We are close, Treize. Very close to fulfilling the dreams of thousands of generations trapped by Romefeller. Get some sleep. Good evening.” ~/ Good evening, Mr President./~ He stared at the screen that once again was showing the face of the one who claimed to be his father's brother's child and in that claiming would be the rightful heir to the Kushrenada fortune and history. Studying that face and the dark brown eyes laced with golden points he could only shake his head and muse that again he could not see any obvious resemblance to the Uncle and Aunt he had never known. Nothing obvious, but still, there was something there. //Are you a Kushrenada? Are you a Kushrenada and are you working with Romefeller? Are you working for them willingly and to what aim? Why do I look at you and see something else? Something that I can almost identify, but not quite? I feel you. I feel that you are going to force us to change our plans and I have to wonder if that is for the better? Whether you work for Romefeller or not, you are going to force us to rethink our plans. A W series? If you a W series, as desirable to control as Zechs, as important as he is to the future of Rosemount, then I can not see the Council of Rosemount not wanting to get their hands on you.// He removed the gloves carefully, placing them to one side of the desk and stared at that aristocratic face for a long time. He was tired, but he simply could not bring himself to move. There were too many unanswered questions.
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