The Sanc Kingdom was under attack by Romafeller. Relena could hardly believe it, and yet she was somehow not surprised. Her home, her peaceful nation, was being attacked and there was nothing she could do about it while trying to uphold her ideals. She would not fight. It went against everything she stood for.
The three Gundam Pilots were already gone. They were standing on the shores, waiting for the first mobile dolls to come into view. She shuttered as she remembered their expressions before they left. Quatre had looked determined. He would defend the peace she had created until the last mobile doll was destroyed. Heero had looked impassive, as he always did, but there was a hidden excitement in his eyes. He would be using the new suit Treize had given him, the Epyon. And Brekke? Relena felt the cold chills grip her spine. The girl had looked…evil. She had gained a little weight back, but not enough to banish the skeletal look from her figure. And at the word of battle her dull eyes had glowed, like unholy lights set behind a statue. Demonic, that was the word. She would be enjoying this battle too much. Relena turned her thoughts away from it before she lost her breakfast. She had never seen someone with a blood lust before, and she would never forget it, no matter how hard she tried.
Dorothy had entered the room, and was babbling some nonsense or another. Relena ignored her. The Gundam pilots were right not to have trusted her. But Relena hadn’t been able to allow herself that kind of prejudgment, not with what she was trying to propose. And so here she sat, her whole world, her hard work and ideals about to come crashing down around her head. She stood in front of her window, thinking and waiting.
The battle came, and they came in force. More than three Gundams could handle, more than Noin’s troops could destroy. Romafeller had not come there to seize the Sanc Kingdom, they had come there to utterly crush it. Hordes of mobile dolls came. They were nothing more than fodder, to wear the soldiers out. Mobile dolls never tired, and were easily expendable, not like living breathing pilots. Quatre fought with the determination of a young man defending what he believed in. Heero battled under the influence of the Zero system installed in Epyon. Brekke recklessly annihilated those around her with the fervor of a soldier who had nothing left to live for. Noin and her troops fought valiantly, but they all knew they were outmatched. The realization made it hard to keep fighting. The battle reached the city, and the institution. Relena helplessly watched her beloved homeland become savaged by war, and as her heart cried out in desperation, the answer came to her.
“Dorothy, get Duke Durmail on the line.” she said. Startled out of her babbling, Dorothy did as she was asked. His face appeared on the screen. Relena glared at him.
“Miss Relena, what are you doing?” Dorothy asked.
“I’m ending this battle, in the only way I can.” Relena told her. “Duke Durmail, I surrender myself and the Peacecraft nation to you, and to the Romafeller Foundation. I will do whatever you ask, just end this battle at once.” The malicious man grinned at her.
“Your surrender is gladly accepted, Miss Relena Peacecraft.” he said graciously. “Please make this following announcement…”
Heero had followed mobile dolls into the city, under the persuasion of Epyon. He paused as a face came up on his communication screen. On the shore, Noin and Quatre both paused to catch their breath as the same face appeared in their mobile suits. A ways away, Brekke straightened her Gundam from the smoldering wreckage of a mobile doll as the transmission entered her cockpit as well.
“My name is Relena Darlain Peacecraft. As you all know, I myself and the Sanc Kingdom have stood for total pacifism. Today I have taken a new step in reaching that goal. To live in peace, we must become one. So I hereby banish all lines between the countries on Earth. Earth is now one nation. Under the Romafeller Foundation, I Relena Peacecraft declare myself Queen of the World, to further promote peace and pacifism. May we as people work towards the greater good for us all.” and with that the transmission ended. Brekke’s eyes narrowed. She growled low in her throat.
“And with that the entire world plunges into insanity.” she muttered. “God, Trowa, I wish you were here.” She slowly made her way back to Quatre and Noin. Heero stared at the screen long after it disappeared.
“Relena.” he sighed, shaking his head. Noin and Quatre stood in silence until Brekke stood with them. The girl’s light saber flared out, and she put it away. Suddenly Noin’s voice came through to both of them.
“Quatre, Brekke, will you come with me?” she asked them.
“Where to?” Quatre asked, startled by the random question.
“Outer space.” she said firmly. A smile spread across his face as he caught on to her train of thought. Brekke nodded once to herself, understanding and agreeing with the woman.
“I would be glad to.” he said affirmatively.
“Duo!” Hilde finally shouted. He snapped out of his thoughts and glanced to her in startlement.
“Huh? What? Oh, sorry Hilde. I guess I just spaced off.” he apologized.
“What are you thinking about so hard anyways, Duo?” she asked curiously.
“Oh, I don’t know. That guy, I guess. It’s just depressing to think that could have happened to a fellow Gundam pilot. Losing his memory and all. Plus I keep worrying about what’s going to happen to the colonies. I think I need to get a job.” he told her.
“Well here.” she said, handing him a folded up newspaper. She pointed to an article. “Look at this. Mobile suit workers are needed for mining this natural resource satellite. It’s owned by the Winner family.” She paused and reread that last part. “Huh. I thought that all work there had stopped when the owner died.”
“Then that can only mean one thing!” Duo said, sitting up excitedly. “The son of the family is back in business!”
Quatre walked slowly into his father’s office, fighting the feelings that swirled inside him. Brekke followed him closely, like a nervous dog pressed against its master’s leg. He would never have guessed her to be so shy, but since they had returned to outer space, she hadn’t left his side. She spoke to few and met eyes with even fewer. Behind them, Rashid, Abdul, and several other Maguanacs followed. Not two steps into the room, Brekke tensed, and he felt her suspicion. Someone else was in the room. He flicked the light on quickly, mind racing to try and imagine who would break in here, in this room so high in the building. The intruder sat with their back to the room’s new occupants, then swiveled around slowly.
“Hey, Quatre, this is some high class place you got here!”
“Duo!” Quatre gasped happily, and Brekke brushed past him to sweep the young man up in a hug. Surprised, he hugged her back.
“Oh, Duo!” she said into his shoulder.
“Hey, Brekke. How have you been? You look even thinner than when I saw you last.” he observed, pulling away from her.
“How did you find us Duo?” Quatre asked with interest.
“I heard you were looking for workers, so I came to see what was up.” He moved and leaned up against the wall. Quatre took the seat at his father’s desk and Brekke sat on the desk (much to Rashid’s irritation). Duo told them what had been happening in the colonies, and what he had done after his escape from the lunar base. Quatre in turn told him about what they had encountered in the Sanc Kingdom, and their plans for their next move.
“Will you join us, Duo?” Quatre asked. Duo sighed and thought. No, it just wasn’t his style.
“Sorry, Quatre. I think I’ll continue fighting on my own. Nothing personal of course, but I’m just that kinda guy, you know? Well, this place is just a little too classy for me, so I think I’ll be leaving now. See you around, buddy boy.” he said, tipping his hat to them. They watched him walk out in silence. As he reached the door he turned around. “Oh, by the way, if you’re looking for the other Gundam pilots, I suppose you’ll run into what’s his name.” he said. The person he meant was implied, and Quatre quickly understood the insinuation. With a quick glance between the two of them, Brekke caught on as well. Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat.
“Duo, you don’t mean…!” Quatre said.
