Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Denial ❯ emulation ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimers: Gundam Wing and the g-boys aren't mine. I gain no profit from this fic, but the story is mine and unfortunately so is Quin. `nuf said.

Warnings: POV shifts, yaoi, lovey dovey stuff, angst, see first chap for full spiel.

Pairings: burgeoning 1x2, 3x4, 5xS, Solox?, minor OCxOC. . .

AN: Plot hinting, revealing stuff. Before I knew this grew colossally and I felt a bit discouraged by the store itself and my not so great writing ability but believe it or not I'm still writing it. It's not coming as easily as it had before but there are pieces of it everywhere so as the saying goes, all things in time ^_^' long chapter, scream if stuff don't make since and I'll work on it some more.

 

Comments/reviews appreciated.

 

fifteen - emulation

 

Earth Sphere Unified Nation (ESUN)

Trimonthly Congressional meet, 18th-20th of September 195

 

20th

 

He read the message one more time to get past the sleep dreariness of his mind before he sat it down on the dresser beside their bed. He flopped over onto his side. It was a childish echo that he regretted instantly as his body, more specifically his back, reminded him of his age. He pushed the pain away and stared at nothing. There were no real wars any more, just those fought with words in forums of political assembly. He felt like he'd been trudging through a battlefield with live ammunition crackling all around him at the onset of the summit and now he was riddled with the metaphorical holes of being one of the fallen, one of the first to go.

 

On the first day of the congressional meet, he'd hoped that he'd be able to promote the Agency who had been working in the background for several years now and get the Council to at least acknowledge them for the work they've done thus far. He wasn't expecting a unanimous acceptance of the agency like he had with his announcement of Total Pacifism in the Sanc Kingdom, which went down in flames with his wife cackling like a mad hatter the whole way. There was no pleasing the woman really, even though it did become a model to Pacifism after many... many amendments.

 

However, a peaceful day on the 18th uninterrupted by a battle of wills and choice words was merely an airy hope when acting Councilmen Winner, his Aid Treize Khushrenada and retiree/ESUN advisor Hiiroki Yuy informed him that several of their colleagues were after his seat. He ignored them in favor of continuing to kiss his wife out on the sundeck of their estate...

 

Well it may have been a little more than kissing but they had an hour of what they'd thought was free time between the commotion of their lives and he wanted to make good use of it. They both did. A whole hour to themselves without any interruptions, sparked a little adventuristic enthusiasm, i.e. them fumbling like caught teenagers for anything to cover their partial nudity and his minions somewhat amused retreat.

 

Who could blame them?

 

Obviously his minions did. Despite their amusement at finding them in a compromising moment, they were upset to find that he'd not provided them with a list of high profile individuals who traveled in similar circles as him. People that they thought that only he could tell were suspect, but it was ridiculous because they knew everyone he knew.

 

Really it was nothing new.

 

He supposed that was why his loyal minions went to worry the Foreign Minister, even though Darlian was a target himself. He released a heavy breath, not really noticing he had until he felt his breathe stir the fine hairs on the back of his fisted hand. He hadn't wanted to add to the Foreign Minister's concerns even if he and his minions - Friends. He chided himself.

 

His friends, they'd always be that first and foremost, had ensured Darlian's security was flawless; too tight to go after Darlian politically or in any other venue unless Darlian made an opening himself.

 

After his appointment to Vice Foreign Minister in `89, Yuy dissolved his position as Colony head and, in collaboration with several of the world's most influential delegates opened up a new forum where the colony representatives, dignitaries, a Foreign Minister and his Viceroy assembled to discuss, suggest, bring to issue major concerns as a unified people and work to resolve it; the ESUN.

 

He understood the need for his safety. He knew that his position as Viceroy if given to the wrong person and Darlian suddenly died would mean the person was practically the king of the world. He also knew his status as ruler of a prosperous, `model' Kingdom he ran jointly with his better half gave him a stronger sway than most.

 

The `who,' though, was more important now than ever. He had suspected the Bartons, as did everyone - their families had been at odds with each other for ages- but the blame always fell on the usual suspects. He'd suggested that from the start to keep an eye on them while they weeded out the others pulling the strings in the background. People who the Agency thought were responsible for the spread of Crystalis and all its derivatives... but no names could be revealed or fingers pointed without the right evidence. Darlian, the Agency and himself suspected drug warfare because any resolution to counter the addiction was instantly shot down by a new, more addictive derivative. If that was the case, then its goal was clear - to bring down the governing bodies through its subjects, and ultimately through their friends and families.

 

But circumstantial suspicions held little sway in the Congressional summit without the documentation, the names of main distributors, their backers and no arrests. If he voiced his suspicions, it would feed into the allegations of him abusing his position and using his status to push his inclinations on others and cause unnecessary duress among the Council.

 

On the 18th, the discussion and concern over the drug, its potency and irresponsible Councilmen became a nightmare when early that morning in the heat of a debate several members, including Hiiro Yuy, suddenly collapsed and went into convulsions. Before noon, the announcements of their deaths had forced the meeting to be adjourned. It was with a heavy heart that Bobby gave Treize consent to inform Minister Darlian that he would be attending the rescheduled meeting for today. Even though Darlian had sent word that the previous topics of discussion would be continued with higher security measures at an undisclosed location, if he knew his associate like he knows he does, there had to be a catch.

 

He groaned against his pillow and felt warm, gentle hands pushing back his tousled ear length silver hair. He had not expected, though he should've, to receive the private message he did five minutes ago. Darlian informed a select few that the meeting was to take place in the same location and the others would be told ten minutes before the meeting. He thanked him for the consideration on his behalf, despite his conflicted feelings; it was nonetheless a brilliant course of action that he could even imagine a few of the brash US representatives commending Darlian for. At least this way, the perpetrators wouldn't be expecting it or have the time to do something as underhanded as they had two days ago.

 

He shut his eyes against the soft linen of his pillow. He had lost a very dear friend- family was the word that described him best- that day. He wished that he could just stay in bed and pretend he was ill like Millardo had done once. The gentle hands, he'd known for most his life, brought his face up to the soft cotton gown she wore. He pressed his face to her breasts, wrapping his arms around her sweet smelling body. She didn't speak a word as he clutched at her, stroking his hair with a kiss to his brow from time to time.

 

He breathed deeply of her warm honey and peony scent. It made him feel light headed, as it always did and comforted him when he thought he could take no more. Times like this when he had no time to grieve and work demanded he bottle it up. Nivea reminded him that he was a man and like anyone else, a human being with limits. He sat upright, bringing her with him as he listened to the steady beat of her heart for a few moments before she pulled him up and kissed him long and deep. When they parted, he lay his head against hers and stared down at their entwined fingers.

 

“Bobby.” The first streams of sun light spilt in through their open balcony doors as she whispered his name. The only evidence of time moving for the chamber's inhabitants was the sun's progression across their room, coming to heat his bear muscled back and gleamed where his silver hair and her long dark brown hair mingled on her bare freckled shoulder.

 

“Bobby.” He heard her say again, it had more of a calming effect and made him want to kiss her when he envisioned his name tumbling from Nivea's lips. He realized suddenly that she would be the only one calling him that now. The other person who'd been that familiar with his name had barely been dead two days. He pressed closer to her, with her or Hiiroki, he was always free of obligations the name Robert Peacecraft held. He could just be himself.

 

`Maybe that's why Milliardo does it as well...' He wondered, not wanting to start the day and break away from his one respite for what would be a very long and tiresome meeting in the place he watched Hiiro- no Ki die. That was one thing neither Kei nor Duke could correct him on; he'd always called Hiiroki `Ki' or `Hiiro', but mostly Ki. He guessed he was the reason why Ki only used `Hiiro' out in public and political settings.

 

`Hindsight…' he smiled in bemusement, a dark chuckle slipping past his lips. It didn't get the chance to become the sob it wanted to when Nivea squashed him to her breasts. Bobby laughed even as tears slipped from beneath his pale lashes. He wrapped his arms around her significant waist and sighed at the feel of her hands working on his aching shoulders. He often left the kingdom in her capable hands when he attended these meetings. He always dreaded how they would take him half way around the world, off world on some occasions, for he had no strength at the end of them and came home to her like a vampire in fear of death.

 

They balanced each other and many believed that was why their reign had brought them such prosperity. But if they took the time to ask him, which they seldom did, he would have told them that her bad manners, horrible French and twisted morals was what made the kingdom. Though it felt like a lifetime ago when they first met, her rambunctious, wild child former self could be clearly seen in their oldest. Milliardo understood the people and he hoped he would succeed him to the throne.

 

He exhaled heavily. They had left it open for either of their children to take his place as ruler, but they both knew it was a job for two. Well, maybe he was underestimating them like Nivea often accused him of doing but he felt strongly that his little girl wasn't ready. She was her father's daughter, very forthright and astute with a myopic sense of the world. She loved going to the political functions and holding discussions with his colleagues and her cohorts. Her innocence and idealism had an contagious quality that drew people to her and that natural magnetism in itself was promising.

 

He just hoped... A moan escaped with his next breath as his wife's hands pressed down hard, her fingers working the stiff muscles where his neck met his shoulders `til they relaxed under touch. He laid his head against her and heard her chuckle at his contented hum as she worked another knotted muscle loose, her fingers moving in a semi-constant circular motion. She elicited another moan from him and he squeezed, regretting he'd have to leave her at all today. They both hoped that their daughter survived whatever may come and pop the little ideal bubble she lived in.

 

- - - xXxXxXx- - -

 

In the National Assembly building at Wales, the distressed murmur from its occupants grew as the uniformed officers who had evacuated them from the room a few days ago, left the Chamber. Many of them shifted around in their seats, stealing nervous glances at the exits as they recalled the heated discussion between Dermail and Yuy over some representatives who qualifications needed to be re-evaluated because they spent more time sphere side than on the colony they represented.

 

It was a valid point: politicians who were Earth-bound wouldn't truly be able to resolve space-side problems, especially if they never put forth the effort in understanding the cause without proper investigation. Treize took his seat next to the silent king who looked immaculate in his white dress shirt and tailored dark gray pin-stripped vest with matching pants. Treize watched as Peacecraft moved mechanically through the motions of laying out his briefcase, pushing a side his cooling cup of cappuccino, which he'd never seen him take more than a few sips from and take out a thick stack of portfolios.

 

Peacecraft's face remained a placid mask of business, his hands belied his true feelings as they shook over a dossier. It was the one Councilman Yuy held in his hand while everyone watched a stream of blood run from his nose and down his face. This, indeed, was the blunt point they needed to get it through to the other members how much their joint cooperation, and involvement with their colonies affected the group as a whole. He closed his eyes against the memory as he smiled sadly at the rust colored specks that flaked beneath his fingertips.

 

Peacecraft took in the beautifully designed relic overlooking Cardiff Bay, the meeting room's funnel shape and where he sat directly across from Darlian who sat in the presiding officers' place. Peacecraft allowed himself a small sardonic smile, “When you think about it, after all the battles have been fought and the losses tallied, it's the architecture that seems to withstand the tests of time here. Or at least what's left of it.”

 

Trieze gave the King a thoughtful look, leaned over to his ear with a serious line thinning his pale lips, “You haven't been listening in on my lectures, have you sir?”

 

Peacecraft coughed to cover his growing smile, though he'd been tempted by his daughter's praise of him - he hadn't, though he didn't refute his protégé's accusation.

 

“Ladies and Gentleman, we greatly appreciate your dedication to the ESUN for returning to help work toward a resolution for this grave issue.” Foreign Minister Darlian stated opening up the floor for the other Council members.

 

Clearing his throat, Dekim Barton stood before the Council, a graying man of sixty-three with a neatly trimmed mustache, dimpled, square chin and sharply lined face - he bobbed his head in greeting. He took in the room before lowering his eyes, keeping his appearance solemn even as he glanced at Peacecraft and looked as though he was struggling with something. “The matter of most importance here is not the trivial issue of evaluations,” his tone was mournful and a bit bitter.

 

Peacecraft raised a brow at that, he knew what Barton surely did. If the Committee approved, Barton would be one of the main people being investigated.

 

“The illegal traffic of Crystalis,” Barton flipped through the portfolio before him as if confirming something within its printed pages, “has almost reached epidemic levels, spreading with the dehabilitating cases of addiction. A threat this large scale, without any foreseeable forms of treat takes precedent. I need not voice the implications here. My question to you, my associates, is why has little been done? Where is there news of actions being taken to put an end to this?” Barton stated haughtily, staring confidently at him.

 

Trieze shook his head, `Since when did the weight of such things fall solely on the shoulders of his kingdom? When did this become an inquisition?' The question was rhetorical he knew but he couldn't help but think about it. People looked to the countries with economic success to model their own after, even though Peacecraft renounced his title as king in Council meetings so no one would be inclined to push his title into any of the issues they discussed. But that didn't stop it from coming up from time to time or his country being put under a microscope, like now.

 

“I'm not speaking on behalf of my colony, but am merely making an observation. It's clear to many of the Council members here,Viceroy Peacecraft, that as king of the Sanc Kingdom you've too many responsibilities to deal with the growing incidents concerning Crystalis. Barton did well to hold the sincere look on his face as the affirming murmur amongst the Council grew in volume. Barton sent a quick glance over to Councilman Dermail as he took his seat again, pleased with the response and Dermail's faint of nod of acknowledgement.

 

“Or could it be that the trifles of lesser nations are not of great concern to you since it has yet to afflict your kingdom.” Peacecraft quirked his brow in surprise, Christi Darlian was known for her impartiality and shrewdness regarding any subject. An echo of her husband's influence but spoke of what everyone's thoughts and the facts pointed at when their colleagues skirted around the issue.

 

“Blunt and tactless as usual.” Peacecraft grumbled under his breath, catching the eye of his Council Aid Khushrenada. He dismissed his aid concern with a small twitch of his lips. In the arena of politics he knew it was better to keep one's thoughts to one's self or least they be misinterpreted. Peacecraft hid his amusement at catching Darlian glance at his Aid and not to the Foreign Minister. He wouldn't defer to him either while under the weighty gaze of the Council and add to the gossip that skewered him over the fire in the first place.

 

`Christi always did like butting heads with him especially around his wife.' Treize heard Peacecraft's heavy sighed and placed a consoling hand of his shoulder. He was tempted to suggest that he take his place. All things considered, with Darlin taking pot-shots at him in front of the Council, he wondered if Peacecraft considered going home to wife as well.

 

Treize watched as Barton smiled at the King's silent conjecture. Although it was clear to all around him, how distressed Peacecraft was due to the loss of his childhood companion, it was a prime opportunity for people like him to impress upon the Council to question Peacecraft's position. Treize gaze swept over the room then back to Peacecraft, who set passively, his face an implacable mask of calm earlier when Barton dragged him through the dirt. Treize glanced over to his Uncle sitting soberly on the other side of the room with his eyes lowered and his forehead braced against his interlaced fingers, seemingly oblivious to the whipping his childhood friend, Peacecraft, was being subjected to. Again, that was understandable because growing up he had always seen the three older men involved in something together: his uncle -Duke Dermail, Heeroki Yuy and Robert Peacecraft. But still, if it were Zechs, he wouldn't be able to sit by and let this continue. He shifted his gaze to Minister Darlian who looked on the verge of calling an end to the summit when Peacecraft stood. Treize stood in awe of the presence the elder Peacecraft exuded. It was the same presence Zechs possessed and he was sure would gain magnitude as he grew older.

 

“I promise you my lack of response in the face of such an issue with my Kingdom, is not due to my inability to continue with this discourse. You're all aware of what has happen, and I'm sure we feel the strain, some of us more than others, over the lost of our colleagues and family in and outside of these proceedings.” Treize watched Peacecraft send a blue ice speckled glance in Barton's general direction without looking at him, but from the flinch Barton attempted to conceal with the shuffle of the papers he held in his hand told him he had received the message. “I assure you progress is being made. Thanks to the Preventers, we were able to determine the main trafficking areas and they've arrested several main stream distributors.”

 

“But no names of the backers? Or of the creators of this mess?” Mrs. Darlian's short and decisive questions cut through the commotion in the meeting room over the law enforcement agency that they had skeptically approved earlier on.

 

Treize was reassured by the playful smirk Peacecraft gave her in lieu of his answer. Treize let a small one of his own breech the calm disquietude that had settled on his face, Mrs. Darlian had been one of their main supporters in the formation of the Preventers and knew she wasn't trying to depreciate their work. “They are working on that as we speak, and believe me when I say that my Kingdom has suffered it's own losses. It's out there being peddled under our noses like in any other place. I understand your frustrations because we're dealing with them as well. So we don't have the answers you seek, but together we can discover it. On-”

 

Treize lifted a forked brow when Peacecraft stumbled, although brief, he noticed it and knew the older man must have come across some memory of Yuy. He felt his admiration grow when Peacecraft pushed past it and continued, his tone unwavering.

 

“Earlier on, you received a list of the areas where the agency's been monitoring traffic,” he took his seat, pulling out a dossier from beneath several others as he put on his reading glasses.

 

“Shall we begin with L2,” he said glancing over the reports and considering what the L2 representatives suggested as a course action.

 

 

 

Duke saw his nephew move to sit next to Peacecraft and swallowed his distaste as easily as he ignored Barton's other looks. His cohort was a fanatic about his family's position in all of this, an idiot he'd say that had his uses. He skimmed over a request that the Council implement an embargo of sorts to attempt to control the drug trafficking from the L2 colonies. He rested his hand over the right side of his head, covering the quirk of his lips at the dossier.

 

`Desperate little men,' he wrenched the quirk in his lips down, he didn't want to compromise his facade. The embargo would only make things easier for him and make more subjects for his experiment. He kept his head lowered over the dossier, quieting his chuckle as he taped at a list of names on his PDA. It was amazing what one could get away with in the midst of one's adversaries. He had to work at keeping that smile hidden. A smile at a time like this, with all that had, would make people suspicious. He was so far under the radar, that they'd never think him suspect or it possible that he was planning the kidnap of their children and their downfall right in front of faces.

 

`Yuy's gone, finally!' He was glad that Peacecraft stayed true to his early morning coffee practice. Otherwise, it'd been pointless to continue if he had a change of heart and decided on a drug laced cup of water.

 

Duke glanced up at his nephew, his face instantly loosing all its previous lines of barely restrained amusement and becoming a perfect mask of mourning. His eyes flitted over to Barton once more, he'd considered using Mariemaim just to get at the annoyingly weak man but there wasn't much point in taking Barton's progeny away or his own brother's. He'd spare Barton that one mercy before he went up in flames.

 

`The best laid plans,' he smiled, hesitating over a name on his list. He taped it with his stylus and an image of a scowling boy with piercing blue eyes met him. He nearly dropped his stylus as he unchecked the name. He was next on the pick up list, scanning several names that had already been crossed out. `Even after you're death you still stand in my way,' he thought angrily then shook his head. This was a boy he'd met in one of Dorothy's classes. The boy's intense eyes had shock value a long with his name but that was where the resemblance ended. He raised his head completely, sitting back and staring openly at Peacecraft. Rolling his stylus between his thumb and index finger, he decided that he'd have Quin make a special pick up.

 

Among the L2 representatives, one dignitary started at the suggestions in the dossier. The raven haired representative reached over and took another copy from the stack Senator Ross, the tallest of his associates with mousy blond hair, had coveted to his side of the desk.

 

“What?” He whispered tersely, it was the same proposal no matter how many times he read it. None of the recommendations they had agreed on were included and the very thing they had all agreed as an excessive course of action was listed as the main resolution. “An embargo?” The unexpectedness of it all let the word spelled out in his mind be audible through a tight whisper that drew the attention of the Senator next to him and several Councilmen behind him. The dossier entreated the Council to only place the embargo on the colonies in their sector where the drug trafficking was greatest but those were the most impoverished and poverty ridden colonies in their sector.

 

“You're saying that this is what the Preventers have discovered in the L2 colonies?” Mrs. Darlian interjected over the murmur of agreement. It annoyed her that so many were willing to concede the proposal without questioning it, just to be done with the issue. She relaxed a little at the sight of Treize speaking quietly with Peacecraft.

 

“Yes, Madame. If you take a look at these updated reports you'll see why such a request has been made.” Senator Ross gestured to one of the other L2 associates to distribute the report when his raven haired associate snatched them back across the desk. “Mr. Shales!”

 

Mrs. Darlian, Peacecraft and several other members' gazes settled on the cubicle seating the L2 representatives. Councilman Shales looked bewilderedly at his associates. An expression of disgust settled on his face when his associates gave him a level, quiet look. The raven haired man eyes panned the room, coming to stand aghast when many of the Council members regarded him blankly or discounted him and returned their attention to the dossier.

 

Councilman Shales gripped the reports, well aware of the devastation these two sheets of paper would cause their colonists. His gray eyes spied his associates once more and he noticed that they were looking rather pleased. Maybe he was an idealist, but he believed in equality among the colonies and not the sacrifice of the weak for the personal gain of others. He bit his lip, he had lost his son to his wife in the custody hearing when they'd finalized their divorce because of his commitment to his work, spent too many days in the L2 cluster and not enough at home with them. But he couldn't hold his tongue on this even if it cost him his position.

 

“You seriously can't be considering placing such tariffs and embargos on those colonies? It would kill those people!” Shales voice grew as his hands shook.

 

“There's no need to respond with such theatrics, surely you can see the sensibl-”

 

Senator Ross shushed his colleague and in a lower voice and appealed to their incensed colleague. “Councilman Shales, there is a time and place for this discussion, right now is not that time. We will discuss-”

 

“Like there was a time and a place for this,” he held up the parchment and watched his L2 associates stare back at him evenly. `So that's how it is,' he thought bitterly, crumpling up the reports in his hand when his hands dropped down out of sight. They excluded him and made all his work for nothing. The loss of his family, his son... He'd say his piece then start spending the remainder of his stay with his son, even if his son wouldn't want to see him.

 

He took a deep breath and faced the Council, “Pardon me, I'm sorry to speak out of turn.”

 

“By all means do speak your mind, Councilman, this is not a dictatorship.” Foreign Minister Darlian jested, giving the douse a critical eye as the background filled jitters of laughter.

 

“Yes, yes. Let the young man have his say,” an older man with graying hair cut to his hairline and a peppered goatee added with a smile that shown clearly in his kindly eyes. “Francis Bacon's dictum that `truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion' rears its head in more ways than one.” He said sagely, his own hands moving in a frantic scribble to capture his words.

 

Councilman Shales nodded his thanks, remembering how his age and that of Khushrenada's was a source of amusement for the elder members of the Council. He tried to steady his rapidly beating heart to no avail. “Ladies and gentlemen surly you can see the error in such restrictions,” he reached over, grabbing another report and holding it up in one hand while he flicked it with the other, “this points the finger solely at the poorest of our colonies.”

 

He sent a glare at the other two representatives from the L2 cluster and not for the first time wondered if he was alone in this, “This would be the death of them within a years' time. It is only because of the ESUN's aid reforms that trade for them has increased and become equalized. There has to be another way, perhaps a surveillance of the exports, an audit on passenger manifests to track and/or determine who frequents and why, check points on shipments-”

 

“All expenses that we can't possibly afford or demand such a taxing expense of our Council brethren for our colony alone.” Senator Ross smiled, showing his perfect square white teeth before patting the incensed man's shoulder. “Luke-”

 

“Lucian.”

 

“Lucian, listen to reason and call off this unnecessary debate for when we can look over our papers and have the accou-”

 

“Unnecessary?! You both didn't even bother to ask my opinion on this proposal, like that would've matter any way. Why do you suddenly think that I'd let you pull one over on the Council and the people we're supposed to be representing?”

 

“Senator Ross, how can you stand there and let him slander us. This is outrageous! You have no ground or basis for your allegations. This is a matter best settled in private-”

 

“No allegations if there's reason to believe you've been pocketing money outside of the finances you've reported.”

 

“How dare you accuse-”

 

“Gentlemen that will be enough.” Viceroy Peacecraft broke in, ignoring Darlian's slightly pouty look his way as if saying `it was just about to get interesting.' “Clearly the actions suggested by Councilman Shales should be looked at.”

 

Mrs. Darlian looked to her husband and gave him an encouraging but stern smile as she return her attention to the room, tucking the note in with L2 proposal.

 

Mr. Darlian nodded, tapping on his PDA, “An investigative team,” he said, adjusting his spectacles and peered at the screen, “a Preventer's special unit has been assigned to verify the information of these documents and to look over reports from their field agents. They are also on their way to your offices.” The two men next to Shales visibly paled and Darlian arched a brow at them, “if there are no objections?”

 

“No, of course not, Sir.” Sentor Ross said calmly although the sweat on his brow betrayed that calm. He wiped his brow and glared at Shales.

 

Mrs. Darlian cleared her throat, “On to the next issue on our agenda.”

 

tbc...