Part one

Act Two

Chapter four

Informent

~*~

He held his breath in the still ness. There was no wind, no brezze, no movement what so ever. It looked just like the photographs he had safely tucked in a manela envilope under his right arm. Starting at his feet was the pictureesq sidewalk with it's quaint rose bushes winding like a streem though the small sea of long grass. No one had bothered to mow in a long time. The sidewalk widdened in to a dozzen marble steps. Leaves had piled up on them, evdence that no one had sweapt for a while. Past the steps was the burnt out shell of the front door. It had been oak with a stauned glas window. Marble pillers had stood on either side suporting a massive balcony. Now one solitary piller streached upo in to the air... to be capped with nothing. The walls were all but piles of rubble and the windows had all been shattered. The suport beams were blach and chared, evidence that this once grand villa had ben burned.

All in all there was noting left. Nothing at all.

Quatre sighed and aproached the steps. Many times as a child he had asended or desended them, oftain running in anger or, ocationaly, fear. Now he slumped down on to the top step feeling nothing more than exhausted.

For three days he had been searching out the remaninder of his family. Many of them had flead the same day the colonie's angry citisens had killed his father. As well as pilliging and burning his home.

“I don't supose any one knows where you are.”

Quatre looked up at the man who had spoken. Hands stuffed in his pockets and a weary smile in his face Rasheed was a welcome sight.

“None of the officials, deligates, government men or ambasiders do.” Quatre replied. “Though I suspect fourty men of valor have a prity good idea of where I am.”

Rasheed's smile widened and he sat down next to Quatre. “There is a romer in the camp that one of your sisters will arive tonight. It's believed that she will be brining what's left of your father's inheritence.”

Quatre chuckled and shook his head. “Who did you pester that information out of? Bea, Nancy? Or may be Sindy, she has all ways been a gosip.”

“Nope.” Rasheed leaned back on his hands and looked up at the colonie's hub. “I heard it from a Princes.”

Quatre raised his eyebrow. “Oh?”

Rasheed nodded. “One Princes Releena Peacecraft.”

“What?” Quatre gasped. “How did she find out?”

Rasheed shruged. “You can ask her when you get the chance. I asume you ans she are staying in the same hotell?”

Quatre nodded. “Just where does she get her infomation from?”

~*~

Releena pulled the brush through her hair as she watched her guest in the mirror. Tall and blond, like her self, the man was staring out of the hotell window. Trees doppeled the glass in both shade and the refracted colony sunlight. Beyond the trees lay the remaines of a once enormious city. Now many sections were being torn down and the matirial recycled. The colony walls them selves were agape with holes and ruins, evidence of the past war.

“And you are sure about your contact?”

The tall blond man hesitated, then urned around and leaned against the galss. “Positive.”

“Very well then, I'll see what I can do. I can't promis much, but I'll do all I can.”

“Thank you.” He returned to his former position and continued to stare out the window.

“How... how did you survive?” Releena asked quietly.

“I don't know. When I came to my informent was there.” He paused and took a braeth. “I've only resently regained the use of my left arm and leg. Other wise I would have come to you as soon as I had woken up.”

“I understand, Milliardo.”

“Please don't call me that.”

“Why?” She turned towards him and waited.

He hung his head slightly and leaned against the glass. “Milliardo was the prince of a pasifist country. I am no pasifist.”

Releena stood and set her brush aside. “Zechs, I know you think that what you have done is unfoorgiveable, but did you ever do it for persoonal gain?”

He shifted slightly and glanced over his shoulder. “No. I did it to show every one how poitless war is.”

Releena steped up next to him and looked out the window. “You sacrificed your self. I can't belive that after every thing is said and done you are the one who should be blamed for the war. You didn't start it. You helped end it.”

“This city was intact before the war, Releena. I helped distroy lives.”

“So did Heero and Quate, as well as the other pilots. Yet you are the only one who seems to think your life ended when that war did. I know it's hard for you to see your self as any thing but a solder, but you have to try.”

“Why?”

She turned and loked at him. “Because the war is over. We no longer need solders.”

He frowned and shoved him self away from the glass. “I wouldn't be so sure about that, Releena.”

“Why, is there some thing else I should know?”

Zechs was silent for a long moment. Finaly he turned to Rellen with dark brooding eyes. “Three gundams were reported attacking a factory. When it was investigated by the local athorities there was no evidence of any thing that would provoke a gundam attack.”

“What? Which gundams?”

“Zero one, Zero two and Zero six.”

“Heero, Duo and Brekke.” Releena squaired her shoulders. “If they attacked then they must have had a reason.”

“My contact told me that there was noting left of the factory.”

“I can't belive Heero Yuy would attack some thing for no reason.”

“I don't belive it my self. My contact is, however, theroughly investigating the matter. Now I must really leave. I have an apointment to keep.”

Releena reached out and . “Keep me posted.”

“I will.”

~*~

Zechs opened the door to the car and stepped out of the now lightly drizziling artificial rain. he looked up through the pale mist to where Releena's window was. He could see her form, again running the brush through her long hair behind the foggy glass.

“I asume you told her every thing?” A deep mechanical voice filled the cab. It broke and crackled with static.

“No. Not every thing.”

“Why not?”

“Because we can't besure of the facts, can we?”

There was a long moment of hesitation. “No. Not yet. But I'm positive my resorces are flawles.”

“I'm not. Keep me informed.”

~*~

Chapter five

Plan for Peace

~*~

Quatre, again fiddleing with his tye, scanned the crowd of women. Most of his living family had arived. Twenty-eight sisters and nearly two dozen neeses and nephews made an impressive crowd. Added to the bustle of relitives the Maganac corp. The mass was located in the central dinning hall of the Marry Star Hotell wich had been decorated in all the fassionable holiday decor. It was Christmas Eve and every one he had invited to the festive reunion had arived. Every one except his eldest sister. Nervously he glanced up at the grand clock and again fiddled with his tie.

“Your going to pull it right off if you keep doing that.” Some one whispered in to his ear.

He jumpd a little and whirled around. “Releena, you startled me.”

“I'm sorry Quatre.”

“It's all right. My I ask what you are doing here?”

She smiled and took his arm. “I know I'm not formaly invited, but I didn't think you would mind if I dropped in for a second to talk.” She was leading him towards a small side room. “I wanted to catch you before you were to buisy with your family.”

“Actualy I was hoping you would show up. I have some things I wanted to ask you.” Quatre replied. “If you don't mind.”

“Of coruse not.”

They enteed the small room and Releena shut the door behind them. She then sat down at a small table and motioned for quatre to join her. When he sat down she leaned forward and looked at him with a frown. “Heero, Duo and Brekke atttacked a base last night. It was Christmas Eve on Earth, as you know.”

He nodded. “Of corse, this collony is a day behind... Rotationa shifts and all of that...” He frowned then and folded his arms. “Do you know why Heero, or the others for that matter, would do that?”

She shook her head. “No. There was no evidence left at the scene. I also have learned that your sister's feance's father once worked for Romafeller.”

“You once worked for Romafeller.”

“True. But he was demoted, then discharged for some sort of crime. I don't know any of the detales, but I know Treze had been directly involved in the orders to remove him.”

Quatre steepled his fingers and thought for a moment. “I will most defenetly look in to this matter.”

Releena nodded. “That is all the information I have, other than your sistre's return with the family fourtune.”

Quatre smlled a little. “It's not a fortune, more like a small deposit. But it's more than nothing.”

“Will you beable to rebuild your father's empire?”

Quatre sighed and lowwered his gaze. “I don't know.”

Releena reached over and grabbed his hand. “If you need any thing just ask me.”

“Thank you, Releena.” He said with a thin smile. He stood then, not letting go of her hand, and pulled her to her feet. “I do need some thing tonight.”

“What?”

“I need a... um... dance partner.” He cleared his throat and blusshed a little. “Some one who ISN'T my sister.” He added, smilling a little.

Releena laughed softly. “Quatre Reberba Winner, I would be glad to dance with you tonight.” She leened closser and whispered... “Just try not to step on my toes like Heero did.”

Quatre's smille widdened and he took her arm. “I'll be very carefull. I promis.”

~*~

Two slow melodies had played then one upbeat rythem got every one in the room dancing. Quatre, true to his word, was extreemly carefull of Releena's feet. Relena on the other hand had forgoten to look out for any one or any thing and let Quatre lead her through the dances. A forth round of music was about to strike up when one of Quatre's sisters tapped him on the shoulder and whispered in to his ear. He nodded before leading Releena to a table near the stage at the head of the large hall. He excused him self and hurried up the stage steps where three people were standing quietly. After greeting the woman in the group warmly he took the micriphone and cleared his throat.

“My dear family and friends our matriarch and belovid sister Hutari has, finaly arived. And with her is her Feance and soon to be father in law, Mark and Daustan Briggs. Let's give them a warm welcome.”

THe room erupted in to aplause and chears. The woman, Hutari, smiled sweetly and strode up to the micriphone. She was whereing a lavender dress that fell to her mid calf. Her golden hair was sweaped up in to a tight, neat, bun. Her face gave the apearence of a doll with rossy cheeks and ruby red lips. She took the micriphone in her slim hand and adressed the crowd.

“Sisters, let me start by saying that I am most thankfull that you all have arived here safely after the war. It has been most trying on us all and I wish to never, ever, lett us be seperated in such a horible maner again.” She dipped her head slightly and took a breath. “Let us all remember our father. Let us have a moment of silence and alow his memories to fill this place of happyness.”

The hall fell compleatly silent as the women and men bowed thier heads in respect. Releen did like wise and remembered her own father. A lump formed in her throat and she foufgt hard to swalow it.

“Let us remember, my belovid sisters, how he loved us all. Let us remember his sacrifice for our future, and our happyness. Let us remember his strong will and his loyal spirit.”

Releena swalowed again and looked up to Quatre. He had fallen back in to the shadows. His hand shot up and rubbed the corner of his eye in an atempt to keep the unshed tears at bay. Releena lowered her head again.

“Now then...” Hutary said thickly. She cleared her throat. “Now then let us go on. Our father wold not want us to be so sad, especialy now that we are all together safe. Save or eldest sister. We should never forget our dear family.”

The crowd murmered in agreence.

“I would like to introduce you all to a couple of very special men.” She said, her voice brightning. “Every one, this is my dear hubby to be, Mark Briggs.”

A boistris round of aplause and chears, along with some whistles from the younger unmaried sisters, filled the hall. Mark, a tall and dark haired man, blushed and bowed.

“And his gentalman of a father, Daustan Briggs.”

More aplause and one or two whistles again filled the air. The older man smiled and gave his own small bow. “My pleasure.” He said as he leaned towards the micriphone.

Relena smiled at his crisp blue eyes. Though both were handsome Daustan held a powerful charm that spoke of cunning wisdom.

“Now every one I hear that I am quie late and your dinners have been delayed, so lets eat.” Hutari anounced. “After dinner I wish to make a suprise anouncement to you all.”

~*~

Releena found her self siting next to Quatre, who was seeted at the head of a very, very large table. Two more tables just like it had been set up and still there were more people than seats. The Maganac's had excused them selves to make room and had left the hotell, prommising to be back after dinner.

Hutari was stitting opposite next to Releena and Mark was on her side. Next to Releena was Daustan Briggs. He was sitting silently listning to the people talk around him as he ate. Dispite his comanding presence he seemed compleatly forgoten. Then, whene there was a lul in the conversation, he cleared his throat and looked over at quatre with a plesent smile.

“Your sister told me that you piloted a gundam.”

The voices around him stopped as Quatre swalowed his bite and pailed. “Yes.” He said honestly. “I poloted the gundam Sandrock.”

“I see.” He said quietly. “Your father was oppossed to your piloting?”

Quatre nodded. He looked slightly ill. Releena leaned forward and spoke up. “If it wasn't for quatre the pilots would have never been orginised enough to defend the Earth or the colonies in the final battle between Zechs and Traize.”

“Is that so?” He asked smoothly. “Excelent. Quatre, may I ask you a favor? I know I have no right to, but I have a proposle for you.”

Quatre nodded. “What is it?”

“I would like to know if you will help me build a peace keping orginization. One devoted to stoping wars before they start.”

Quatre and Releena glanced at eachother. “How?” The youn pilot asked.

Daustn reached in to a breef case that had been sitting nar his feet and pulled out afolder. He handed it to quatre. “These are the plans for an orginazation called the Enforcers. And these...” He handed Quatre another folder. “...are the plans for our main units. Jets, panes and, of coree, moble suits.”

Quatre's eyes darkened. “Moble suits...”

“Moble dolls, actualy, comanded by men on the ground or in the air.”

“For what perpious?” Quatre asked, his voice dark.

Daustan lowered his eyes. “Plese, forgive me, Mr. Winner. I know you just fought a war where these sort of things were your enimies. But you must hear me out.” He lifted his gaze and met Quatre's. “These are not for taking cities over or fighting, they are for many more things than that. They can be un armed labor drones. To rebuild colonies and unify the people of space and the people of Earth.” He fell silent for a moment. Then he turned to look at his own food. “The war was fought due to a lack of cooperation of the colonies, and distrust towards the earth. And to the forces of Oz. Over the past year I have seen many, many people die needlessly.”

“My father.” Hutari said quietly. “He wouldn't have died if there had been no war.”

Quatre looked to his own food and picked at it for a moment. “I watched him die.”

Releena took his hand. “I was there when my father died too.” She turned towards Daustan. “What is your plan? If it has any vertue in it I want to know.”

He smiled a little. “The Enforcers will be peace keepes. They will act as the inbetweens to the nations.”

“They could cut comunication between the collonies off.” Quatre inturupted. “Like Romafeller did.”

“Yes. But that's not what the Enforcers will do.” Daustan folded his hands together. “Quatre, what I wish to do is etablish an orginizatioon that will be as impartial as the Sweepers, yet as strong as Oz was. I want to prevent uprisings. I also want to rebuild the colonies and improve the ones that have become run down. I want to make a new era.”

“A new era is exactly whay Oz wanted.” Releena said calmly.

“Oz started a war.” Daustan replied. “I want to prevent wars from ever happining again.”

“How.” Quatre asked. “How can you do that when you have weapons. Some one will enevitibly use the weapons for thier own use.”

“I belive people truly want peace. After the war, the threat on Earth, and the death and distruction of the colonies I truly belive that humanity has finaly grown weary oof fighting. I belive that with your help, Quatre, and yours, Miss Releena, we can use this will for peace to the advantage of humanity. No matter if it's from a collony or from Earth I think that if only a hand full of people stod up and offered Humanity a way to finaly come together in unity under the hope of ending all fighting then the Enforcers can and will beable to stop any one from starting another war.”

“I belive people are ready for lasting peace my self.” Hutari said. “What about you Miss Releena?”

Releena smiled. “I think the people are ready. And I agree that they lack direction. But to have Moble dolls hovoring over them will only remind them of the war.”

“I agree.” Quatre said. “I know it wuld certenly remind me of war.”

Daustan nodded slowly. “I understand.” He folded his arms over the edge of the tabe and leaned on them. “Again I will say that they can be used in labor to rebuild the collonies. We musn't throw technology away, sinply because we fear it. We should embrace it and turnit in to some thing that we can use for good. If we can not over come our own fears then how can we boldly lead the people in to an era of peace?”

Quatre glanced at Releena. Releena's face was firm and sirious as she glanced back at Quatre.

“If I suported this orginization what would I tell the people to sooth thier fears?” Releena finaly asked. How would I show them that the moble dolls are being used for thier own good?”

“By deminstrations. You could even publicly controle them. Start rebuilding a colony and offer people the chance to join together in helping the victoms of war. Offer them as much power as they can be given.”

Releena smiled a little as the idea of using a moble suit for peace flashed through her mind.

“What about the Gundams?” Quatre asked.

“They become the champions. The gundams would stand out as the symboles of the last age shed to to give us peace. They would be used as the flag ships and icons of the new era.”

Quatre though about it for a moment. “Gundams are weapons.”

“Rocks are weapons, if used right.” Mark interjected. Yet Rocks used in the right way can make walls and fire pits and roads and... well, you get the idea. Gundams, like every thing else, are toools. They can be used as tools for war, or tools for peace. It depends compleatly on the pilot behind the controles.”

Hutary reached over and took Quatre's hand in to hers. “Think about it quatre. No more hiding your Sandrock. You could display it and have it inspire the people the way it inspiers you. You could use it for so much good!”

“It sounds like a good plan.” Releena said slowly. “I am willing to give it sirious thought.”

Quatre was silent for a moment, then he nodded. “Me too. If this works then we can count on peace to last a very, very long time.”

“Excelent.” Daustan smiled. “I'll work on incorperating your gundam in to my plans tonight. And Miss. Releena.” He farly grinned and spread his arms. “How can I ever thank you? I know your suport will not only ensure our success, but give the people more than hope to cling to.”

Releena blushed. “I'm only doing what I think is right.”

“You, my dear princess, are to modist.”

~*~

Releena was again at the table next to the stage as she watched Quatre walk his sister to the micriphone. “And now for our little suprise.” He said.

Hutari took the micriphone and smiled. “Sisters I have with me the last of father's fortune. I want to give it all to Quatre and help him build this colony up to what it was before the war. better than before the war, If I can.”

The room erupted with aplause.

“And I have an anouncement as well.” Quatre said. “I wish to use the money to not only rebuild father's empier, but create a new orgiazation founded by Daustan Briggs. With his help I am most certain that we can bring an ever lasting peace to both the colonies and to Earth.

As the croud erupted Releena glanced up at Daustan. He was standing with his hands clasped behind his back. A look of calm controle was on his face. Hutari and mark were holding hands beside him. They too looked calm and in controle.

“Now I don't like to beg.” Quatre contiued. “But the money Hutari brought is only a small fraction of what we will need. I would like all of you to aid me in rebuilding father's empier. It will take the efort of every one of us. Do I have your help?”

Again the croud went wild. Hutari reached out and took the micriphone. “Well, sisters, you herd the boy. Lets make our little gundam piloting brother a colonial hero!”

Releena had to cover her ears to the roar. She smiled and looked up at Quatre who, for the first time, was being acknowlaged for his being a gundam pilot. And he was finaly beaming with pride.

~*~

Chapter six

Comunications

~*~

Quatre closed the door to his hotell room and slumped against the door. He was about to go over and colaps on his bed when there was a soft knock. Slowly he shoved off of the door and opened it a small way. “Yes?”

“Quatre, it's me.”

“Oh, Releena, come in.” He oppened the door all the way and stepped back.

“I know you are tierd, but I had to talk to you.”

“It's all right, Releena. I wanted to talk to you too. Please come in.”

She stepped in to his room and he shut the door behind her. “Well, ladies first. What's on your mind?”

“A lot. I want to know what Heero will say to all of this. I want to run every thing by him. I want to know why he attacked the base and I want to know who he was after. I want to know what the ther pilots have to say.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Quatre said with a weary nod. “I can contact them from here. It's not to late where they ae, or, I don't think it is any way.”

“Lets, if you wouldn't mind.”

“No, I don't mind. I want to know what they would say as well.” Quatre pulled off his tie and coat before he walked up to his lap top and turned it on. Next he sent his greeting message to Trowa. After a fiew minutes a reply came with an invintation to open up the gundam frequincy. Quatre opened it up.

~*~

Trowa looked up from his position on the couch. He could see his lap top's light blinking in the corner. Slowly he pulled him self out from under Brekke's sleeping form. Tiptoeing he grabbed the lap top and made his way to the mess hall. There Howard and Sally were talking and cleening up the last of the dinner mess. Trowa sat down and opened his lap top up. He recived Quatre's message and sent his own, inviting a conversation.

“Trowa?”

He looked up and smiled. “Did I wake you up, Breke? I'm sorry.”

“It's ok, who's trying to contact you?”

“Quatre.” Trowa replied. He patted the seat next to him. When Breke sat down he pulled her close and let her lay her head on his shoulders.

After a moment Quatre replied again and the vid-com oppened up. “Hay Trowa, Marry Christmas.” He smiled. “Hi Brekke. Did... did I just wake you up?”

“Yes, but that's OK.”

“What's up?” Trtowa asked.

“My father in law to be has proposed an idea for peace and we wanted to talk to Heero.”

“We?” Brekke asked. She sat up a little.

“Releena and I.” Quatre replied. Releena apeared behind him and waved.

“Is Heero here?” She asked. “I herd that you were all together.”

Trowa and Brekke looked at eachother for a moment. Finaly trowa turned to the screen. “Some thing has happened, Quatre.”

Quatre frowned. “To Heero?”

“Yes.”

~*~

Fear gripped Releena's stomach as Trowa spoke. All thouhts of the night's events flead from her mind. “Is he all right?” She asked while trying to keep calm and composed.

“He was shot.” Brekke said quietly. “We had to call Sally for help.”

Releena felt her heart skip a beat. “Is he...”

“Dead?” Trowa shook his head. “He's to stuborn to die. But some thing is wrong. Duo told me some thing happened with him and the Zero System, but he can't figure out what. And Heero is having nightmares, but he won't talk about it.”

“Can I see him?” Releena asked slowly.

Trowa shook his head” I'm afrade he was sent to bed with an order of 'do not disturb' from Sally. I can give him a message, though, if you want.”

“Just tell him... tell him... “She bit her lower lipp and lokd down at Quatre.

~*~

“Tell him to get well soon.” Quatre said. “I don't want him to wory untell he's back on his feet. It's not fair for him to have to deal with these things.”

“What things?” Brekke asked. “What's going on?”

“My father inlaw to be proposed a plan for peace, and it involves the gundams.”

Trowa frowned and felt a hint of danger. “Quatre, we'll have to use a more incrypted line to speak of this if it involves the gundamms. Some thing has come up. That's why Heero was shot. Write a report and send it to me via Heero's old signal.”

“Understood.” Quatre said with a nod.

“Good.” He looked at Releena and his frown deepened. “What about you, Miss. Peacecraft, any messages for Heero?”

~*~

“Tell him...” She hesitated and tried to push the fear back. “Tell him I want him to rest and get well before doing any thing he shouldn't.”

“I'll let him know.” Trowa said with a nod.

“We'll take good care of him.” Brekke added.

“I'll send that report as soon as I can. Quatre out.” Quatre cut the comunications and leaned back in his chair. “If Trowa wants me to be arefull than he must be afraid of some one monitering out systems and network.”

“Who?” Releena asked.

“I have no idea.”

~*~

Hutari smiled and pulled off one of her earings and she peered over Mark's shoulder. “How goes the evesdropping?”

“It's still as full of static as the first time I tried. But this time I could clearly see every ne who was there. Pilot 03,pilot 04, pilot 06 and Princess Peacecraft.”

“04 has a name, you know.” She said with a frown.

“Forgive me dear.” He took her hand and kissed it. “But you know my father taught me buisnis before famly.”

“Maybe I should rething becoming your wife.”

He pulled her down on to his lap. “Father made his family his buisness.” He kissed her neck. “As soon as we set our plans in to action Quatre will be a part of the family and our buisness will encompass the whole of humanity.”

She smiled and wraped her arms around him. “And the other gundam pilots?”

“Oh... I don't think they will like being members of the family or the buisnes. So we'll just have to make sure they stay out of our way, permenently.”