Chapter 29

            Sally helped Relena tie her hair back in the once-familiar style, her golden tresses gathered regally at the base of her neck and flowing over the back of the billowing white coat.  The old diplomatic uniform still held its splendor, the silver brocade winding it’s way along the sleeves and collar to the golden tassels resting at the shoulders;  but it hung over her injuredform, doing little to hide the sling that clutched her arm tightly against her chest.

 Stopping in front of the mirror, Relena stared at the woman reflected in the glass, a distorted image of her former self - battered and weary.  She seemed almost an imposter, this person, but yet… what was that look in her eyes?  Conviction.  Determination.  Some things, she mused, cannot be lost no matter how dark the night becomes; and some things… will not be broken, no matter how far they fall.   

            Fully dressed for her former battleground, she took a deep and shaky breath, holding it for a count of ten, then letting it out in a steady stream.  She narrowed her eyes, set her jaw,  and moved towards the door - indicating she was ready to go.  She would need every ounce of strength left in her still tender body to make it through this day.

            Une arrived outside her door as the princess stepped into the corridor.  The Colonel nodded at Relena, and the two ladies, surrounded by four guards, marched down the hallway towards the exit. 

            As the ESUN council ‘guest of honor’ slid into the backseat of the limousine, Une paused for a moment, and addressed the four guards climbing into the forward compartment.  “I take it your presence here means that you are reactivating your commissions.”

            A young man threw the Colonel a bright smile over his shoulder.  “Sure thing, but don’t be expecting us to stick around if the going gets rough or anything.  If you know what I mean.”

            Une sighed.  “Yes, of course,  Agent Maxwell.”

            “Thank you, Colonel,” Noin said and ducked into the car after Duo.  Trowa and Wufei followed.

            Une’s eyes roamed over the car’s occupants before coming to rest on the passing scenery outside the window.  The head of Preventer had no illusions about their presence here.

If she loses, at least she’s got a way out.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            “I suppose we all know why we’re here.” The Speaker called out to the assembly, his voice echoing through the vast hall as conversations came to a halt and bodies shifted in their seats.  “Miss Peacecraft….” 

            A shout rose from amongst the crowd and the sea of bodies parted as a lone man advanced quickly on Relena.  He jumped lithely over the rail separating the seating area from the main stage, and charged at the princess, his words bouncing off the walls, as if they were trying to hit her from all sides.  “You mock us!” He screamed, pointing an accusing finger, face red with rage.  “You have dared to disrespect this assembly for the last time!” 

            His arm shot out as if to strike her.  Relena stepped back, but a familiar hand caught the man before he could land the blow.  Representative Wiggins wrenched away from Trowa’s grasp, causing the acrobat to jar Relena’s wounded shoulder in the process.  She winced but didn’t utter a sound.  She’d give the man no such satisfaction.

            The Speaker rapped his gavel loudly on the podium.  “Representative Wiggins!  Get back in your seat, or I will have you arrested for assault.”

            “She is wearing the diplomatic uniform, Mr. Speaker.” Wiggins shouted, still bucking against the growing number of guards that had been called to restrain him.  “She has no right to do so.  She is a traitor to this….”

            “Wiggins, sit down, now.  You are only delaying these proceedings.”

            The squinty-eyed man turned in a huff , allowing the guards to escort him back to his seat.  Once the uproar had died down somewhat, the Speaker once again called the assembly to order.

            “We are holding this meeting behind closed doors because of evidence presented by the Preventer agency alleging some misconduct on the part of members of this council in regards to the vote concerning Miss Peacecraft’s warrant, citizenship status, and future.”  A few hushed whispers flitted between delegates, but the Speaker paid them no heed, turning his attention instead to Relena.

“ I have seen this evidence, Miss Peacecraft, and I am appalled at the charges these documents contain.  It is this assembly’s desire to cooperate fully with the Preventer investigation, and in doing so, to unseal the vote taken two years ago.  Do you have anything to say before we unlock the safe and retrieve the voting document?”

            “Yes, I do, Mr. Speaker.”

            Relena stood up slowly – Trowa and Duo rising with her in order to support her, but she motioned for them to remain seated.  Standing up as straight as possible, the former Queen of the World took her place in front of the assembly, meeting the gaze of each of the members in turn.

            “Ladies and gentlemen, it isn’t just this vote that may have been tampered with – it is also our hearts and our minds.  We do not yet know the truth of the results of that day, but the fact that I felt the need to act proves that we were manipulated. 

            We were told to believe that the Gundam pilots are a threat to peace, a threat to ESUN, and a threat to mankind.  I say that it has been more than three years since the day I resigned from office, and I ask you where is this threat?  If they are such a menace, why have they not acted?

            It is because they want peace, just like we all want peace.  The men that this assembly asked me to turn over to it are noble and brave.  They….”

            “You weren’t asked, Miss Peacecraft, you were compelled by a court order - required to turn over all documents relating to their identities and whereabouts,” The Speaker huffed from his seat.  “You chose to disobey that order.”

            “The order was terribly wrong.  The Gundam pilots…”

            “The Gundam pilots aren’t an issue today.”

            Relena turned to the man seated before her. “Yes they are!  And they are always an issue until you, Mr. Speaker, and this assembly stop this paranoia and leave them in peace.”

            “Are you finished, Miss Peacecraft?”

            “Yes.”

            “Then we’ll have the vote…”

            As Relena returned to her seat, Colonel Une stood up intent on addressing the Speaker.  “Sir, I believe you should know that it was due to the efforts of two Gundam pilots that we obtained the evidence before you.”

            He raised a skeptical eyebrow at the Colonel.

            “Anonymous efforts.”

            “I see.  The information is noted, and we will discuss the issue later in the assembly, as soon as all outside influence is removed.” He cast a stern glance at Relena.  “The gentleman has returned with the documents from the safe.”

            The speaker took the sealed packet from the hands of his clerk and sliced it with a letter opener, the sound of ripping paper filling the hall as all its occupants held their breath.  He pulled the sheets of paper from the manila envelope and stared at the top page for a moment, then flipped through each page in sequence, repeating the action a second time, just to be certain.

            When he completed the task, two Preventer agents approached to study the documents as well.

            Her hands trembled and shook, and she couldn’t sit still.  She kept shifting in her chair – crossing and uncrossing her legs, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ears or smoothing the front of her jacket. A hand reached out for hers, giving it a reassuring sqeeze..  She looked up at the Preventer agent to her left.  Duo smiled his infectious grin.  She tried to lift the corners of her mouth into a return smile, but her lips wouldn’t cooperate.  Her stomach was turning somersaults in her abdomen. 

She turned her head the other direction when she felt a hand touch her elbow through her jacket and sling.  Her brow furrowed into a worried glance up at Trowa, who displayed that enigmatic half-smile on his lips.  Through the buzzing of the crowd and whispers of the men pouring over the documents, she heard him murmur softly.

“It will be all right.”

The commotion at the front of the room ceased and the Speaker rose, glaring down at her from his podium.  “Please rise, Miss Relena Peacecraft.”

*                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

“We are outside Brussels Congressional Hall, waiting for a sign, any news at all as to what is happeninginside the closed special session of the ESUN assembly, and the verdict for or against Relena Peacecraft,” the news reporter said, looking straight into the camera.  “The princess arrived early this morning, accompanied by agents and Colonel Une of the Preventer agency.”  News footage that was taped earlier of Relena stepping out of the limousine in front of the Senate building while crowds of onlookers were being held back by Preventer agents and police began to play.  Brian hung his head and groaned.

“How many times are they going to show her getting out of the freakin car?  Geez! What is taking them so long?”

Heero didn’t respond as the images from the television flickered over his face, his eyes absorbing every detail.

“And why haven’t those guys called back about the contract?”

“They did,” Heero answered, his eyes never leaving the screen. “They said they’re faxing it over right now.”

“They did?  When?”

“You were busy watching the fortieth showing of this footage.”

“Oh, well, excuse me for caring.”

The crowd suddenly shifted, and reporters scurried everywhere as cameramen struggled to keep up with their ambitious on-screen counterparts.  Shouts of “Miss Peacecraft, Miss Peacecraft,” were caught on audio as the jumble of television images continued to filter through the hand held lenses.  They caught a glimpse of a very somber looking Relena, her eyes turned toward the ground,  ignoring the questions thrown at her from all sides while she solemnly made her way to the waiting car. 

Brian sucked in a breath.  “This doesn’t look good,” he thought to himself and cast a worried glance at his roommate.  Heero was staring at the television as if entranced.

One newscaster finally emerged from the crowd, smoothed her hair from in front of her face, and addressed the audience.  “We have just received word of the results of today’s session….”

The silence of the room was interrupted by the squeal of the fax modem accepting a transfer. 

*                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

After what might have been years of fussing over the packet of documents finally liberated from a two-year long incarceration, the Speaker cleared his throat and addressed the assembly.

“The results have been examined and authenticated by ESUN officials and verified by specialists within the Preventer agency.  Miss Peacecraft… I’m sorry…truly sorry that a person so young has had so much of her life stolen.  The correct totals show that in fact.” The Speaker paused and took a deep breath. 

“There was not a two-thirds majority who voted in favor of condemning your actions on March 17th, AC 199.”

Relena closed her eyes as the news broke like a wave over her body.  She let out the breath she had been unconsciously holding, and whispered a prayer of thanks as voices erupted throughout the room, the loudest of which was Duo’s.

The Speaker, though, was not finished – and hammered at the podium with his gavel until the room once again became silent.  He continued to address Relena as if there had been no interruption.

“However, I’d like to take this time to impress upon you just how irresponsible and self-serving your behavior truly was.  You willfully abused the powers entrusted to you by your people, and then deserted those whom depended upon you.  I should not think that ESUN would look favorably on the possibility of you ever holding office again.”

The air rushed from her lungs as if she had been punched.  “I…I’m prohibited from…?”

“Consider it an unofficial ban from holding political office.  No one outside this assembly should ever need know about several things that will be discussed in the course of today.  But if you ever try….”

Relena stared down at the ground, humiliation coloring her cheeks a bright red.  “No, Mr. Speaker.  I assure you, it won’t be necessary,” she said in a voice just above a whisper. 

He nodded in reply. “Thank you for your attendance today, Miss Peacecraft.  The Preventers will be thoroughly investigating this incident.”

She was escorted out of the building, flanked by Duo and Trowa, who pushed against the throng of people and reporters trying to maul the former world leader. 

Cameramen clamored towards her, falling over themselves to get the first shots of the woman who had held the universe’s attention for so long.  Microphones were shoved blindly at her as the reporters shouted their questions and called her name, begging for a comment.  As Relena walked down the stairs, the chaos around her was little more than a dull din, the shapes on either side a blur of limbs and suits, the voices swirling and running together in her ears.  A few shouts could be heard from above the throbbing hum of the crowd – and those were the words she heard. 

“Traitor!”

“Execute her!”

They echoed in her mind and she kept her head down, determined not to let tears fall in front of the rolling camera.  Trowa and Duo did their best to keep the reporters at bay, their hearts breaking for the girl, but relieved that at least she was no longer condemned to die. 

*                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

“We repeat, the word from the ESUN senate special session is that the vote was short of the required two thirds majority needed to convict Relena Peacecraft of treason.  We have no idea at this time just how short the vote was, or how the results were originally reported incorrectly, all we know is that at this hour, Relena Peacecraft is a free woman.”

Brian jumped up from the chair in front of the television, throwing his arms out and shouting at the top of his lungs, “Ha!  We won!  Heero!  She’s….”

“And you can hear the shouts of the crowd booing in a complete about face to the cheers and cries of support.…” A voice blared from the television. “Wait a minute, something’s happening! A Preventer agent…are you getting this?”  The newscaster questioned her cameraman.

The sea of onlookers parted, and Wufei stood directly in front of Relena, blocking her path and bringing the small procession to a halt, just meters away from the safety of the limousine.  Relena looked up and met his gaze, blinking back the tears of humiliation and shame that threatened to spill over her cheeks.  The crowd watched and waited in hushed silence to hear any words that might pass between them, eyes riveted to the scene as not to miss a gesture or movement.

Relena stared at the man who had come to be her protector, and Wufei quietly regarded the woman who had become his.  He looked as though he had something to say, but Wufei had realized that there were no words… no words could tell her, could thank her… 

His eyes narrowed slightly, never breaking contact with hers, before throwing his shoulders back and snapping his arm to his forehead in a smart salute.  Noin, a few feet to his right quickly followed suit. 

The crowd went silent and still, though the cameras rolled, those on earth and in the heavens watched as the dozens of Preventer agents and policemen charged with containing the teeming mob joined in the soldierly tribute to their former queen.

She raised her head with dignity and nodded at her friend.  He relaxed his stance and then moved aside to let her enter the vehicle.

She met his eyes again through the tinted window and smiled as the car broke away from the curb. 

A radio newscast played in the background.  “We have just received word that World Soccer Federation’s number two draft pick, Heero Yuy has made history as the highest paid rookie ever in the history of the league….”